Everyday Life with a Murderer

Chapter 12: F-R-I-E-N-D?

Ichiyo was in the hospital.

Her condition has gotten worse and had to be transported here.

The events of the previous day weighed heavily on her mind. She remembered the sharp bloody arrows that had struck her, and the wicked smile of Hideaki - the killer who murdered her mother.

She raised her hand, tracing the scar left by the arrow, the memory of the attack sending a shiver down her spine. The image of that cruel smile wouldn't leave her mind.

'I didn't stand a chance against him...' she thought bitterly 'If I hadn't been distracted by the phone, I might've had him...'

Suddenly her thoughts were interrupted. Someone entered her hospital room. It was her best friend, Izumi.

"Ichiyo!" Izumi's voice was filled with relief as she rushed over to her. "I was so worried! Your father called me last night, asking if you were at my place. When I said you'd already left for home, I didn't think-" She paused, eyes brimming with concern. "I had no idea something like this could happen!"

"It's alright, Izumi." Ichiyo's voice was soft but steady, trying to calm her friend. "I'm okay now."

Izumi exhaled sharply, sitting down by Ichiyo's side. "I don't even want to think about what could've happened to you. You're so lucky those men helped you with those... thugs, right? If it wasn't for them..."

Ichiyo's eyes softened with a distant nostalgia as she looked at her friend. They had been through so much together, grown up side by side, sharing every secret, every dream. Izumi was practically a sister to her.

But this secret was too heavy to keep any longer.

Ichiyo hesitated for a brief moment, before telling her... She took a deep breath, and began. "Izumi... I have to tell you something..."

"Yes?" Izumi rose her head.

"But... Please don't tell anyone else... It has to stay between us."

Izumi leaned in closer, her expression serious. "Of course, Ichiyo. You know I'd never tell anyone. You can trust me."

"Thank you..." Ichiyo's took a deep breath and started, "And now... Remember when my mother died on a business trip to Kyoto, a year ago?"

Izumi's face grew somber. "Of course. I remember it like it was yesterday."

"One of those men who saved me yesterday... Was the murderer who killed my mom..."

"W-what...?" Izumi's face went pale. "Really!? "But... But your dad said they were good people, that they protected you from those thugs!"

Ichiyo shook her head. "Izumi... I... I made that up. I told my dad that story so he wouldn't know the truth. The man who saved me, he's not the killer... his friend is. Hideaki. He would've killed me too if it wasn't for that blonde-haired man stopping him in time."

Izumi's hand flew to her mouth, her eyes wide with horror. "Ichiyo... are you sure? For real?"

"Yes, for real." Ichiyo's voice dropped to a whisper, heavy with dread. "And now that I know for sure it's him, I have to bring him to justice. For my mom... and for me."

Izumi shook her head, still trying to process everything. "But how do you know it's really him? Couldn't you be mistaken?"

Ichiyo took a deep breath, her hands gripping the hospital blanket as she prepared to explain everything to Izumi.

"I'm not mistaken. I'm 100% sure," Ichiyo continued, her voice steady but her expression serious. "I've been researching him for months... longer, even. Ever since my mom's death, I couldn't accept that there were no leads. It felt like everyone had given up, but I couldn't. I started by looking into every little detail I could find about her murder - articles, police reports, anything I could get my hands on."