Melted Lies

Chapter Twelve: Traitor

"Don't you think we should just call the police?"

That sudden question threw the girl away. She didn't understand.

"What?"

"It's getting too complicated." Hime continued, playing nervously with her hair. "I don't want to cause you any more trouble."

"No, no, no." Aya shook her head. "You don't cause me trouble."

The room was filled with silence while the girl was deeply considering whether to share an encounter from that day with her friend or not. Finally, she decided.

"Listen. I met that man again on my way home. Exactly in the same place where we found you. First, he tells us that he lost you somewhere." She emphasized the last word. "Then he knows exactly where he lost you. That's like pleading guilty. You're in danger Hime and I'll protect you because I'm your friend."

"Do you consider me a friend?" Hime asked in a hesitant voice, a subtle smile formed on her face, indicating that this particular word made her really happy.

"Of course. About friends..." Her voice changed. "I've gotta call that traitor and tell him what I think about him."

"Traitor?"

"Kousei, I mean. If he's avoiding me then we'll talk through the phone."

"Why do you think he's avoiding you?" The girl asked confused.

"Huh?" Aya raised an eyebrow. "He doesn't want to get his hands dirty with a difficult job, as always that is."

"Oh, so he skips school when he doesn't want to talk to you?"

The cluelessness of this girl made Aya pause and think for a moment.

"Well, no. He never skips school actually, but-"

"Then how do you know he's not just sick?" Hime interrupted, even more, confused than before by her friend's way of thinking. "That's why people don't come to school or work I believe... Because they're sick and they don't want to spread it around, right? I think you're being angry for no reason. Maybe try asking him first."

Aya sighed. Now that she thought about it calmly, it seemed the most logical that he wouldn't skip school on his own just and only to avoid her. Both name and Hime were right. She was tired and frustrated because of the last few days and didn't think clearly anymore.

"That's right."

With the attitude completely changed, she grabbed the handset and dialled Kousei's home number, hoping for the best.

From what she remembered there were a few people besides his family who were working and living at his house so anyone could pick up the phone but there was always some chance that he'd get it first.

One, two, three signals.

Nothing.

Four, five, six.

"Hello?" A female voice spoke on the other side of the line.

"Hello, who am I speaking to?" Ayase asked disappointed even though that was the most likely scenario to happen.

The woman put a washcloth away on the table nearby and sat on the chair next to the phone. Her legs were hurting from working for the past few hours so she assumed she could as well take a little break while on the phone.

"Fujise Toko, I'm just cleaning here. Master and mistress of the house are not home at the moment, can I take a message for them?"

"No, no, thank you." The girl refused politely. "I am Kousei's friend. Can I please talk to him?"