T.A series Volume 7: Feathers of Fury

Chapter 28 - Secret Resentment

At the Haneda Airport the following day, the departure gate of the airport buzzed with activity as passengers bustled about, preparing to board the flight to New York. Among the crowd, Ranran, Shinichi, Takuma, and their classmates gathered, their excitement palpable. The air was filled with a mix of anticipation and chatter as the students checked in, presented their passports, and went through security. 

Ranran, dressed in her usual casual attire, stood with her friends, her gaze fixed on the digital departure board. "Looks like everything's on schedule," she remarked, a small smile playing on her lips.

Shinichi, who stood beside her, nodded in agreement. "Yep, and we're all set for an adventure in the Big Apple."

Takuma, who was fiddling with his phone, chimed in. "I've heard so much about New York, but seeing it in person is going to be something else."

Even Takuma's girlfriend Reina is excited about the trip, her usually composed demeanour showing a hint of enthusiasm. She stood a few steps away from the group, her gaze scanning the surroundings as she took in the bustling airport atmosphere.

"I can't believe we're actually going to New York," Reina exclaimed, her eyes wide with wonder. "It's like a dream come true!"

"Yeah, and we're going to have so much fun exploring the city, trying out different foods, and just soaking in the whole experience." Takuma nodded in agreement, a grin on his face.

As they waited for their boarding call, the group shared stories and discussed their plans for the trip. The excitement was contagious, and their classmates joined in the conversation, sharing their own expectations and hopes for the journey ahead.

While everyone is doing their own thing, Ranran who had wandered off a bit stood frozen to see a familiar sight.

Seeing the luxurious lobby of the airport's VIP lounge, Ranran's heart skipped a beat. Memories flooded back, memories of a time when she had stood in that lobby, her world forever changed.

"Bye Ranran, live well!"

The Edgewood Academy children bid farewell to Ranran, as they are about to embark on their flight back to the U.K. with their family, leaving the 5-year-old alone with her family in Japan once more.

That's right.

Her Edgewood friends....she parted ways with them.

Ranran's gaze lingered on the VIP lounge as bitterness tugged at the corners of her red lips. The echoes of her past seemed to resonate in the air around her, a reminder of how far she had come since those days.

"Ranran, is something wrong?" Shinichi's voice brought her back to the present. He had noticed her distant expression and concern etched his features.

Ranran blinked, snapping out of her reverie, and forced a smile. "No, it's nothing. Just a bit lost in thought."

Shinichi studied her sight at the V.I.P. for a moment before asking, "Have you been in that lounge before?"

"Yeah, I have," she admitted, her voice tinged with a hint of nostalgia. "A long time ago, when I was just a kid. I last saw my friends in Edgewood there, this was after...Sonoko and Ran messed up with my late mentor's memorial at the hotel. They tell me to call them if I need anything, but....the one thing I would've wanted is to move back to the U.K. and never come back here...."

Suddenly, memories of that secret conversation between Shinichi and the Edgewood kids flooded back into his mind.

"She ran away from home, you know? When she found out her parents called off her offer to have a position in the royal family back in the U.K. This was 2 weeks after his death," Dominic recalled, "Anything to not move to Japan, she did everything for a 4-year-old. And man, she was the most street-smart child I ever know of to go missing for 5 days."