Bungou Stray Dogs x OC ~ Alter Ego

Chapter 35

The drive home had been deafeningly silent and full of heaviness. Akutagawa, her 'bodyguard' for the evening, was as silent as a grave, and the pressure he imposed was almost suffocating.

But Yui, as always, did not let it show. On the contrary, her mind was occupied with something else, and she was indifferent to Akutagawa's presence.

She still could not understand what Mori Ougai had been referring to, when he had suggested the possibility that she might not be able to return home. Even though this stay away from her family had been the culmination of two long years' arduous work, she now felt caught up in a veritable race against time.

She did not want to be locked away somewhere against her will, ever again. In a way, she had chosen to stay with the Uemura family, because they could be of significant use to her. But she had no intention of staying in a place that might restrict her freedoms against her will.

Arriving at her destination, Yui got out of the car with a serious look on her face, her fingers clutching her medallion. Did the Mafia know anything about this? Had they identified their fugitive, the one who had escaped them using a strange power? Did they know that Yui was behind all this?

She paid no further attention to her escort this evening, even though he had not bothered to greet her either.

She was in the grip of growing anxiety. Had Chuuya Nakahara mentioned her injury, which had allowed Mori Ougai to make the connection with their fugitive?

She knew she could not trust anyone. Betrayal was an ever-present possibility, and perhaps she was living through it right now.

But could she really speak of betrayal, when she and Chuuya were nothing more than acquaintances, who had met through work?

It was her own fault. She had not been careful enough.

Aiko escorted her from the car to her suite, saying nothing, as if sensing that her mistress was not inclined to converse that evening.

It was only in the suite that Yui gently grasped her maid's sleeve, her lips straight and her face serious.

"Aiko. Pack my bags, I am going back to Tokyo tomorrow. I will call my father to let him know; I will be in the living room."

The young girl could easily sense her maid's perplexity, and the fact that she most certainly wanted to ask her a myriad of questions.

Fortunately, however, Aiko added nothing more than to accept her mistress's request. Leaving the latter in the suite's living room, the dark-haired woman entered the room Yui Uemura had been occupying for just over a week, with the aim of packing her bags as quickly as possible.

Aiko sensed that something was obviously wrong, but she had no intention of taking the risk of making a blunder with her boss; if she felt that it was essential for the staff to know about something, then so be it. And this even though their relationship had recently undergone a major change.

Now alone, Yui dropped into the seat beside the grand piano and took out her phone with a trembling hand, going to her contacts and finding her father's number without any trouble.

The tone rang several times, for long seconds... But finally, her father's deep, authoritative voice took over.

"I was just about to call you," declared Yuuto Uemura without even greeting her. "Something is going on in Yokohama."

The chasm in her stomach opened even wider, if only that were possible, at those few words. But they were nothing compared to those that followed.

"I do not know if you will be able to come home in the next few days, my daughter."