デミ人間 (Demi Human)

Chapter 12 : Suspicions

(Next day, Keisuke wakes up and decides to go to Minami's place to explain his self why he couldn't go to meet her...)

(Keisuke arrives in Minami's apartment. He rings the door bell)
(Nobody answers)

Keisuke : (Sighs and scratches his head) Nanda yo...? Seems like its not meant for me to explain... (thinks and looks at the time) It's still early though... I wonder where Mi-chan went... (turns around to leave)
Minami : (arrives) Huh?
Keisuke : Huh? Mi-chan!
Minami : Kei-Keisuke...? What are you doing here so early?
Keisuke : Ahh... I wanted to... talk.
Minami : ... about what? (goes to the door and gets her keys)
Keisuke : ...
Minami : (opens the door) (looks at Keisuke) Keisuke?
Keisuke : (takes a deep breath and bows) Gomenasai.
Minami : Eh?
Keisuke : Hontou ni... gomen. I didn't mean to let you wait yesterday...
Minami : ...
Keisuke : There was just some complication that occurred on the way... so... I couldn't make it... gomen.
Minami : ... Daijoubu. (smiles)
Keisuke : (looks up)
Minami : Come in.
Keisuke : You... you're not mad at me?
Minami : (chuckles) Baka. Why would I be mad at you? Things happen unexpectedly... so it's okay.
Keisuke : ... I still feel bad about what I did...
Minami : Hora. It's okay, ne. Don't feel bad. Come. (goes inside)

(Inside her apartment)

Keisuke : You're out so early today?
Minami : Eh? ... ahh... anou... I couldn't really sleep... so I went out for a walk... then dropped by the convenient store.
Keisuke : Ah... why couldn't you sleep?
Minami : (preparing juice) ... I don't know...
Keisuke : Something bothering you, Mi-chan?
Minami : (pauses) Iie. Nandemonai.
Keisuke : I couldn't sleep myself... I guess it's a common thing now. (chuckles)
Minami : You have work today?
Keisuke : Un. But I'll go there around 9.
Minami : Sou. (gives him the glass of juice)
Keisuke : (silence)
Minami : ... Anou...
Keisuke : ... Anou.
Minami : Nani?
Keisuke : Iya... you go first.
Minami : It's not really important... you first.
Keisuke : Sou... well... (his mobile rings) Eh...!
Minami : (chuckles)
Keisuke : Uh... chotto sumimasen. (answers) Hai? ...
Lucy : Kei-chan!
Keisuke : A-aah! Lucy-san.
Lucy : Where are you now?
Keisuke : I'm at my friend's house...
Lucy : Can you come here now? I need you to assist me.
Keisuke : Uh... hai. Wakarimashita.
Lucy : You're such a darling, Kei-chan. Jaa ne. (hangs up)
Keisuke : ... (closes his mobile phone)
Minami : Lucy-san?
Keisuke : Un. She wants me to go...
Minami : (expressions change) Ah... sou. Then you better go.
Keisuke : (sighs) Yeah.
Minami : Ki o tsukete ne.
Keisuke : O. I'm going now. Jaa. (leaves)

(Keisuke goes to Rainbow Agency) (Keisuke meets Kouhei in the elevator)

Keisuke : Ohayou, Tamaki-san.
Koutani : (turns) Mo ohayou, Kei-kun. You're early today.
Keisuke : Lucy-san called me to be here early.
Koutani : I see. (looks at the time) Ah men, I haven't eaten breakfast... yeah, Lucy called me also and I was still asleep... so I hurried here and didn't eat.
Keisuke : Shall I buy something for you, sir?
Koutani : Eh? Oh... (chuckles) You're very thoughtful.
Keisuke : After I talk to Lucy-san, I can run down to a near store and buy something... Tamaki-san should eat.
Koutani : That's great. Arigatou ne, Kei-kun.
(They get off the elevator)

(They both head to Lucy's office)

Lucy : Ohayou, boys.
Koutani : What's the rush?
Lucy : You'll be shooting today.
Koutani : I thought it will be this afternoon?
Lucy : (gives the schedule)
Koutani : (looks) ... (frowns) Ooi!
Lucy : (smiles) Kyo wa ganbaru ne! (Do your best today!)
Koutani : Mattaku. (What the.) You should've told me how busy I will be today.
Lucy : That's why I called you early.
Koutani : Kuso. (leaves)
Lucy : Such a cute guy. (turns to Keisuke) Ah, Kei-chan. Later, Takenori-san from Genio Communications will be here to have some negotiations... so can you please entertain him for the meantime while I prepare for Koutani's shooting. I have to give instructions to the team.
Keisuke : Hai.
Lucy : Good. You can go now.
Keisuke : Wakarimashita. (leaves)

(Keisuke goes out to buy Koutani's breakfast... on his way... some guys in black masks stops him)

Keisuke : Who are you...!?
(One of the guys suddenly hit him)
(Keisuke falls to the ground)
Keisuke : Nani o...!? (the guys surround him and starts beating him) (Keisuke fights back at first but he's outnumbered so he runs away)

(Keisuke finally manages to get away from the guys... he takes a rest.)

Keisuke : Who the heck are those guys...?? (feels pain in his stomach) I-ittai... (looks at the his clock) Yabe! Tamaki-san's breakfast...! (hurries to buy it)

(Keisuke goes back to Rainbow Agency and hurries to Koutani's resting room)

Keisuke : (enters) Sumimasen... Tamaki-san? (he looks around) ...hmm... it looks like he's gone out already... (feels horrible) Kuso... the one thing I offered... then I screw it up again... (goes over to a table) I might as well just leave it here... and leave a message for him about this... (looks to find a paper and pen)

(A mobile phone vibrates)

Keisuke : (sees it) Eh? His mobile...? (goes to get it) (opens it and gets shocked) H-huh...? Sore wa...
(Koutani's wallpaper is Minami... sleeping)
Keisuke : Douyatte...? (How...?) Mi... Mi-chan...? (he immediately closes the phone) (remembers the conversation with Minami)

>Flashback<
Minami : Eh? ... ahh... anou... I couldn't really sleep... so I went out for a walk... then dropped by the convenient store.
Keisuke : Ah... why couldn't you sleep?
Minami : (preparing juice) ... I don't know...
Keisuke : Something bothering you, Mi-chan?
Minami : (pauses) Iie. Nandemonai.

...

(Keisuke wanted to go out of the room but he felt pain again and stopped)

Keisuke : I...Ittai... kuso... (supports himself)
Lucy : (sees him) Kei-chan! There you are!
Keisuke : Ya-yabe. (tries to act normal) Lucy-san.
Lucy : Where were you? I thought I gave you my instructions.
Keisuke : Hai. I just dropped by Tamaki-san's room because I bought breakfast for him.
Lucy : Eh? Breakfast?
Keisuke : Hai.
Lucy : (thinks) Ah... But Kou-chan just went out to have a breakfast date with Fukuda-san... they'll make final preparations before the shoot.
Keisuke : Eh?
Lucy : Tsk. I told him to tell you because I was busy myself... didn't he call you? Or sent a mail?
Keisuke : Iie... I think he forgot his mobile phone. I saw it in his room.
Lucy : Eh? Hontou? Mattaku. (Oh? Really? What a guy.)
Keisuke : (feels pain again ) Uh...
Lucy : Doushita, Kei-chan?
Keisuke : I-iya... nandemonai. I better go down now.
Lucy : Ah... sou desu ne. Do your best. (leaves)

(Keisuke goes to the elevator... he was alone)

Keisuke : (feels his stomach and right cheek) Kuso... I should report those guys... what were they doing anyway...?
Voice : You can avoid those things if you just knew how to fight back, you know.
Keisuke : (pauses and turns around) Ryushiferu.
Ryushiferu : (chuckles) You're used to me already,aren't you?
Keisuke : Everytime something bad happens to me... you always appear afterwards.
Ryushiferu : I do? Well, I didn't know that. It must be coincidence.
Keisuke : Yamenasai! (glares at him) If you're doing this so that I'll agree to you... I would resist.
Ryushiferu : Really...?
Keisuke : You can't control my life forever.
Ryushiferu : (sighs) I'm not. (laughs) I might be Ryushiferu... but I'm not the only one who can do bad things.
Keisuke : ...
Ryushiferu : You should use this, Kei-chan... (points to his head) Think.
Keisuke : What are you talking about??
Ryushiferu : Think... and you can connect each event. (laughs) Let's start with... Koutani.
Keisuke : Koutani?
Ryushiferu : How well do you think you know the guy?
Keisuke : ... (thinks)
Ryushiferu : He's a good guy, I assume. He offered you a job... became friends with you and acts so nice... doesn't he?
Keisuke : ...
Ryushiferu : (chuckles) There are two sides of a coin, people say. There's always a good and bad side in each and every human.
Keisuke : Tamaki isn't...!
Ryushiferu : Tsk tsk. That's your weakness, Kei-chan. You don't think hard enough.
Keisuke : ...
Ryushiferu : You should ask him yourself, you know. And then... get the answers you want. (disappears)
Keisuke : ... (thinks) Koutani...
(The elevator opens)
Keisuke : (walks out) ... Gomen, Lucy-san... I have to clear things up first... (walks) Ryushiferu can't play with my life... or with anyone's...