Bocchi the Unforgiven (A Bocchi the Rock AU)

Chapter six - Return to Japan

Oh it must just be a scam.. So I thought.

I looked over again at the calling number, it was specifically listed from Shimokitazawa, Tokyo, Japan. It's an oddly specific line, by the fact it's from the place I ran away from a year ago.

But how would anyone contact me? I got rid of the numbers of all the people I knew there. Maybe it's from a different device?

I was worried constantly about what this could be, lonely introverts never get calls unless they're important. So that means this must be something important.

I tossed and turned out of fear on my couch. How was I going to respond? I can't just say 'oh yeah I ran away to America because I was accused of a crime in my home country' that would be so stupid!

Why am I still scared of answering a phone call? Just do it and face your past!

I spent another minute still tossing and turning, imagining scenarios of what could possibly go wrong. Yet I knew I had to do it. I know those thoughts I just had minutes ago, this could help with my loneliness.

With my hand shaking, I answered to my ringing phone, and pressed the accept button.

Silence filled for a moment. Almost as if crickets were playing in the background.

"Hi there, is this Hitori Gotoh?" The voice through the phone asked. I recognized the voice instantly.

Ikuyo Kita.

My whole body was shaking now.

Damn it, I can't talk to her! She knows what I did! The police know what I did! Am I still going to be arrested now?

"No. I'm sorry b-but I think uh.. you received the wrong number." I lied.

"I know it's you Gotoh." Kita said, her tone softer than usual.

"Uh– Who is this?" I lied again. I don't know if I can keep lying or not now.

"Stop lying to me, please! It's me, Ikuyo Kita! We used to be friends, remember?" I could almost hear some worry in her voice now.

Used to be friends.

I couldn't lie to her any longer, I had to confess to her the truth.

I took a deep sigh and began, "Yes, it's me. Hitori Gotoh. Why.. why.. are you calling me?" My voice sounded nervous and shaky.

Kita's tone sounded happier now, "I can't believe I finally got back in contact with you.. It's been so long, I need to update you on everything!"

Updates.. What's changed since I left?

She continued, "Well, first of all, you've been living in New York for nearly a year now, I thought you were going to leave for not this long."

"I'm sorry, I-" I tried to apologize.

My words were cut off by hers, "No, don't blame yourself! It's my fault for giving you the tickets, I let you run away."

But it's my fault I stayed back here like a lonely shell.

"Anyways," Kita said, "you're free from charges in the poisoning case. The police found out that the cocaine allegations on you were false, and that they were yet to catch the real killer."

A sense of relief flooded over me. There's still hope, it wasn't he who did it! It wasn't me!

"That's really great." I told her.

"It really is," She replied, "I knew you couldn't have done it, I always had my trust in you, Gotoh. Now we just have to catch the real criminal." There was determination in her voice now.