Uranophile

022

There was one thing that Sakamoto Makoto was now sure about.

It was, most definitely the Yakuza.

No amateur kidnapper would go through the trouble of making another corpse of a kid look like you. It just was too staged to be anyone other than the Izanami-gumi. However, if it was really the Yakuza then you were most probably still alive.

After all, why would they bother preparing a faux body if they had the motive of killing you? They could just do that and then dump your actual body. But clearly they want to keep you, in fact, they want the police to drop the case.

Because they're aware that making the outsiders think that you're still out there will end up having you accidentally found.

At least, this was the theory that Makoto gave your brother and father as the two shared a heartfelt moment.

"And so, I want to reassure you that we will do our utmost best in finding [Name]-san. We need more information on the Izanami-gumi, but I believe we can pull some strings and make it work. Rest assured." He bowed once more and left, leaving them in the waiting room of the morgue. When your brother finally turned to your father, he felt a frown appear on his lips when he saw the miserable state the poor man was in.

While [Father Name] had just stopped crying, it was still a hard time for him. Just knowing that his daughter was out there, most probably suffering at the hands of a literal Yakuza, send shivers down his spine.

And God... you would be so scared-

"Dad... Let's go home, it's late." The young man coaxed his father, making the latter snap out of his thoughts and nod numbly, "Oh... Yes."

The father and son left the hall, but when they finally returned home, your brother recalled something. His eyes widened and he immediately perked up while your father was still taking off his shoes at the entrance.

"Dad, you stay right here! I just remembered something!" The young man snapped open his phone and rushed out, not even hearing a word from his father.

While running out his house, he dialed a familiar number and waited for them to pick up while hearing the annoying beeps of the call.

When he finally heard them pick, [Brother Name] didn't hesitate for even a second.

"Ran... get Rindou and gather all the information you can about the Izanami-gumi."

————

While you sat in the house of Naoki and that girl, you couldn't help but feel a bit perturbed. With the way the girl treated you, you don't think she likes you very much.

Oh well, you just hope she doesn't hate you too much.

Other than that, Naoki has been nothing but kind ever since you woke, which really hadn't been a really long time. You looked around, trying to gather any information you could but the room was plain as hell.

A knock on the door broke you out of questioning state, and you turned over to answer, "Come in."

In came Naoki, a childish grin playing on his lips, "Heya, buttercup! How's it been?" He greeted and you couldn't help but think that his naming sense was quite odd. He kept calling you, 'buttercup' and the other girl, 'daisy'.

"Hello, Naoki-san. I've been well." He nodded and leaned a bit closer, "How's your shoulder, kiddo?"

"I can't really feel it, and I cannot move it. My movement in my hand is also quite a challenge but I suppose that's natural." You turned to your shoulder with a slight frown, "I was shot and kicked there on several occasions... I wouldn't be surprised if I lost control in my arm for the rest of my life..."

The older boy ruffled your hair before you could continue, "Don't think too much about it. It'll heal, I'm sure of it." A comforting grin was accompanied with those kind words and you really couldn't help the small smile from escaping onto your own lips.

"Not that that's out of way. There's something I need to talk to you about, [Name]." His tone suggested that this time, the matter was dead serious.

"[Grandfather Name] has had the security tapes checked and they found out how you escaped. Thankfully, the place where I picked you up from was lacking in security cameras, so there wasn't any sort of evidence."

But there was one thing that lingered on your mind, and it was quite a problem. However, you opted to keep your thoughts to yourself until he was done explaining.

"Needless to say, the boss is going to start the search by checking all nearby areas. And the last place where you'll be safe right now is our house, so..." He stopped for a minute, looking at the side in worry, "What I mean is... Do you know anyone that might allow you to hide until you get back? If you go back to your family immediately, you'll be in no position to keep yourselves safe."

"And even if your gang says they'll keep you safe, they won't be with you all the time. You need to be able to fend for yourself if you want to stay alive. For that, you need time to heal." You nodded at his set of statements, agreeing wholeheartedly.

Not only with your friends be unable to stay with you 24/7 but you also don't want to drag them into this mess. You don't think you will be able to forgive yourself if anything happens to them because of you or your problems.

You'd much rather kill yourself...

"Anyways, is there anyone in your mind that might be off the Yakuza's radar?" You thought and thought for a while, until you finally remembered.

"There is... one person... I know I can trust them with this and neither my friends nor my family are aware of them, let alone the Yakuza..."

"Who is it?" A small smile crawled its way up your lips and you finally looked at Naoki with the fire of determination burning in your [Eye Colour] eyes.

"Ayajima Izumi. My ex-endocrinologist..."

The boy smirked back at you, glad you knew your way around stuff, "Good then. We'll leave for her house tomorrow in the morning. Make sure to rest up, kiddo."

When he was about to take his leave, you shot forward and grabbed onto his sleeve, hindering him from doing his initial task, "Wait." You started and the male looked at you in surprise.

"Huh? What is it, kiddo?"

"Why did [Grandfather Name] have to check the security cameras? The person that was mistaking me as his friend, Ryo... He should have told him the entire ordeal, freeing that old man from the need of checking the cameras..."

The man looked at you with slight surprise before the smile returned on his features, "That's cause something incredibly odd has taken place, which even I cannot comprehend."

You raised an eyebrow at his words but let him talk anyways when he continued, "That man... cannot remember the incident at all... He cannot remember seeing your face, in fact... He swears that he saw Ryo instead..."

The news shocked you, but not more than what Naoki said next with his eyes lifelessly staring ahead at you.

"Perhaps... you erased his memories?"