Flower Children 🌸 [Fukigen Na Mononokean]

Chapter 7

"Mayumi-san, do you remember about the incident at the old shrine about 9 years ago?" a woman in her late 30s questioned her neighbor.

"9 years ago you said?" Mayumi hums, closing her eyes to think for a long moment while holding up her chin to the sky as she tries to remember since there aren't many things that are worth to be recalled upon in their town "Could you possibly mean about the girl that got spirited way?" she reaffirmed a bit unsure.

"That's not true, I heard she wasn't spirited away but got kidnapped! They even have a witness" Another house-wife corrected her.

"Yes yes, there's 3 of them yeah? I remember now!" she exclaimed but let out a sighed after "That's why I never let my kids go around alone, always with their friends or siblings" she shuddered in terror.

"Why are you bringing this up so suddenly? Oh no, did a kid gone missing??!" Sayuri queries as they sat around outside a shop with warm drinks in their hands, gossiping about everything they ever heard around the neighborhood no matter their authenticity.

Zenko silently walks through the aisle in search of cooking ingredients, not meant to eavesdropping but they're talking as if they have no cares in the world whether the whole town was listening.

Although, she did remembers something like that happened a long time ago and she would still remember how her father wouldn't leave her side not even around their property unless she was at school.

"Did they ever find the girl? She's Maya's daughter, isn't she? I was clearing my garden and remembered they used to live a few blocks from me. There's a new family there now" her voice died down, "Such tragedy happened to the young couple, of course, it would take a big affected on them"

They all turned silent, wearily glancing at each other.

"It wasn't really a secret but my son works as an investigator..." she paused "I remembered he told me that they found the girl up in the mountain but it's already too late he said" Kokoro imposed. A few gasps escaped their mouths, their hands placed above their chests in shock.

"What happened to the girl? Did they killed her and sold her organs at the black market? She's around my Takahiro age if I was not mistaken... to die at a young age I would feel heartbroken too oh hell I would even kill myself!" she shakes her head imagining if it were to happen to her son instead.

"Nothing was wrong but her heart just stopped. Of course, I would ask for more information but he won't tell me more details... it was classified information"

Another silence.

"Eh, then wouldn't that mean she was spirited away rather than being kidnapped?" one said a little confused.

"What about the kidnappers? Could it be she was kidnapped and brought to the mountain, angered the God so they all got spirited away but only the girl was found?" Sayuri made a speculation.

"But her parents never find her right?"

"They're looking for her so hard and overworked themselves and died, didn't they?"

"That means no one claimed her body? Poor girl!" One exclaimed.

"I do know that she had no close relatives because of the couple's complicated family background but they never really had trouble and that family of three were always so cheerful, making everyone envious! It's really unfair what befell upon them though..."

"She was buried together with her parents at Fujiwara-san's grave"

Zenko ears perked up at the mentioned of her father and were still.