Piening for you

7. Confrontation

Kira was apprehensive the next morning as well. She constantly looked out of the window as she prepared the tables.

"Don't worry, Kira. We're all with you. " Endou reassured her. He had been looped in but only the part about Kira being followed. He didn't ask for elaboration anyway.

Kidou came once again to fetch Gouenji to go with him.

"No way I'm leaving Kira here alone!" Gouenji refused entirely.

"She won't be alone. I'm here. " Endou said.

Gouenji glanced towards Kira.

"It's ok. " She muttered.

"We'll be back as soon as possible. " Kidou said.

After everyone's assurance, Gouenji finally agreed to go.

"Stay with her. " He firmly instructed Endou.

...

"That took longer than you said. " Gouenji said as they were walking out of the funeral home this time.

He took out his phone and his heart dropped to see 10 missed calls from Endou. He immediately called back and before Kidou could ask what was happening, he ran to their car.

"Will you tell me what has happened?" Kidou continued to ask as Gouenji drove at a dangerous speed swerving and narrowly missing other cars.

"You're way above speed limit. " Kidou warned.

"Like I give a fuck. " Gouenji retorted absent-mindedly.

"If you died no one will wake you. "

"I'm not in the mood for jokes!" He got agitated.

"Ok so will you tell me what's the matter?"

"Kira..." Was all he could say.

...

Gouenji slammed open the shop door and walked in. Endou was sitting with his head in his hands. He had barely looked up when Gouenji began yelling,

"I gave you one job! All you had to do was stay with Kira!"

"Look, I know, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. " Endou stood up and began speaking in a fumbling manner, "I just thought I'd do a quick delivery right around the corner. The order was too big to ignore..."

"Because of you Kira is gone! " Gouenji violently shook Endou by his shoulder.

"Leave him, you know it's not his fault!" Kidou got in between them and controlled Gouenji.

"What exactly did you see? Tell me everything. " Kidou calmly asked Endou.

They all sat around a table. Kidou poured a glass of water for Gouenji and one for Endou. When everyone had calmed down a little Endou began,

"Like I said, we received a big order and we had the pies for it so I told Kira that I'd be back in about half an hour. She said she'd be fine and so I left. " Endou took a gulp of his water,

"When I came back these few tables were ransacked and Kira was nowhere to be seen. And that's when I called you." He concluded with a sigh.

"Did you fix anything on the scene?" Kidou asked in a professional tone.

"Yeah, I just straightened up the tables and chairs. Nothing else. "

"I wish you hadn't. " Kidou muttered disappointedly.

He then got up and began examining the surroundings for a clue.

He found a broken lipstick on the floor that had been stepped on. There were hints of her footsteps made in deep pink.

He followed the footsteps and passed through the kitchen and to the back door. Gouenji and Endou followed him curiously and they found out that it had been left open a crack.

"They took her from here because the front end would catch attention immediately. " Kidou remarked.

"She must have stepped on her lipstick on purpose. To leave marks." Endou commented, earning a surprised glance from both Gouenji and Kidou.

"What? I have eyes too." Endou defended himself when he saw them surprised.

"But how do we find out where they went once they put her in the car?" Kidou pondered over it.

"Whatever you do, do it fast. Who knows what those people can do!" Gouenji urged him.

"I'll try to track it down through CCTV. " Kidou said and promptly left.

"I'm really sorry. " Endou reiterated once it was just him and Gouenji left in the heavy silence.

"I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have yelled at you. " Gouenji said.

...

Kira woke up to find herself tied to a chair.

"I gotta stop waking up in weird scenarios. " She thought to herself.

She looked around and realised she seemed to be in an empty store. Before she could observe and take more mental notes, the black suited man approached her.

"So you faked your death to hide the antique. " He said.

"First of all, who are you?" Kira asked in a tone of ridicule. She then gasped at once, "Wait a minute! You're the one who pushed me off the ship. How dare you?!"

"That wasn't me. " He answered in a nonchalant voice, "That guy's dead. "

"He died too?!" Kira exclaimed.

"Dropped dead out of nowhere. " The man shrugged.

"But enough chit chat!" He yelled suddenly, "Tell me where have you hidden that antique?"

"Look, I have sort of lost some of my memories ever since I died so I can't tell you even if I wanted to. " Kira said sheepishly.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" The man yelled again to intimidate her.

"It's true! Your guy killed me!" Kira pressed on.

"Then how come you're still here?!" He continued to yell in frustration

"That I can't say. I promised someone I'd keep it a secret. " She smiled as she thought about him.

The man sighed in exasperation, "Just tell me where that goddamn antique is."

"I truly don't know. "

"Fine, take your time. But you're gonna stay here until you remember. " With that the man walked away leaving his guards behind. Kira sighed and leaned back in her chair.

...

Gouenji stood at the doorstep of Kira's room with his pillow tucked under his arm. The empty bed was making his heart heavy.

He could not believe that it was only 24 hours ago when she was sitting there with him, so close.

He walked in and lay down on the couch. He turned over to face the empty bed. He wondered about what conditions Kira must be facing, where she would be sleeping, if she would be sleeping at all. He felt guilty even being on the couch.

He closed his eyes but he felt like there was no sleep in them. Nonetheless, he kept them shut not knowing what else to do. He was just eagerly waiting for the morning so he could look for Kira again.

Gouenji walked into the shop kitchen, only to be startled.

"Oh, Shuuya! There you are!" Kira said as she rushed to him.

"Kira! Where did you go?" He asked immediately.

However, instead of answering him she garlanded her arms around his neck and pulled him close, closer, closer...

until her lips were on his. He held her close tightly as his heart felt heavy with emotion.

There was the chirping of the birds that continued on until Gouenji opened his eyes. He finally realised it had all been a dream and that made him even sadder. The morning had already arrived and he didn't even know that he had fallen asleep.

He got up, walked out of the room and locked it behind him.