Her Picture

Chapter 9: Hard Feelings and Sadness

Mayumi's POV

"What are you doing here?" I said, looking down. I didn't want to face him.

"Mayumi, please come home," he said.

I laughed bitterly. "No way. You'd just ignore me again. You're always busy. It'd be the same as living alone. That was why I left in the first place!" My voice was starting to get louder.

"Mayu-"

"Just leave, Dad! I'm not going back!" He stepped forward, but I just ran past him and into my room, locking the door the second I got in.

I jumped onto my bed.

I heard a faint knock on my door. "Mayumi, I'll be going now."

I didn't answer. I just waited for the front door of my apartment to close before I went out into the living room.

My phone chimed. I lifted my phone to check who sent me a message.

It was Kurapika. 'Is your father still there?'

/oOo/

Kurapika's POV

When Mr. Nishizawa arrived he asked if we could go since he wanted to talk to Mayumi in private.

Yuzuki and Karin tried to protest but I wanted to respect her father's wishes. The three of us left and stayed in a nearby coffee shop, one where we could see Mayumi if she was on her way to the apartment.

"Kurapika?" Karin said tentatively.

"Yes?"

"Do you want to know what's going on?"

"Not right now. I prefer to hear it from Mayumi herself," I said, my eyes looking outside. I don't want to miss her walk by.

A little after 5:00pm, I see her hastily walking to the building. I wanted to tell her who was waiting for her, but it could mean that her father will miss his chance to talk with her.

I waited ten minutes before texting her. 'Is your father still there?'

She replied instantly. 'He just left.'

'Okay, I'll go back to the apartment.'

I stood up. "I'll see how she's doing," I said to the two concerned girls.

"Alright then. We'll contact her later," Yuzuki said.

/oOo/

I unlocked the front door with the duplicate key Mayumi gave me. I stepped inside and saw that her door was closed. Karin and Yuzuki did mention that Mayumi might not want to talk to anyone right now.

I sat on the couch, on the off chance that she comes out, needing someone to talk to.

/oOo/

Mayumi's POV

I opened my eyes and saw bright light seeping into my room.

I didn't notice that I fell asleep last night....

And just like that, everything that happened yesterday came rushing back to me.

I guess now is a good time to pay my family a visit.

I got dressed and went out of my room. The first thing my eyes landed on was the sleeping figure on the couch. Had Kurapika been there all night...?

Careful not to wake him, I tiptoed my way outside.

/oOo/

Kurapika's POV

When I woke up at 8:00 a.m. Mayumi's door was still closed. I didn't want to wake her so I just read a book on the couch.

8:30 a.m.

8:45 a.m.

9:00 a.m.

By 9:30 a.m. I decided to go and wake her up.

I knocked on her door. "Mayumi?" There was no answer.

I tried the door knob and noticed it wasn't locked. I went in slowly. "Mayumi, it's..." She wasn't in there.

I was starting to panic. Where could she have gone to?

I got my phone and called her. No answer.

I tried Yuzuki and she answered after the second ring. "Hi, Kurapika."

"Is Mayumi there?" I asked.

"No. Why?"

"She wasn't in her room. I'll try calling Karin."

Karin picked up at once. "Hi Kurapika!"

"Is Mayumi in your house?"

"Nope. Why? What happened?"

"Do you have an idea where she could have went to?"

"Let me think...I know! Maybe she went to the cemetery."

"Can you tell me where it is and where the graves are?"

"Sure thing."

I rushed outside after I wore my jacket and grabbed my umbrella. The sky was getting dark. It might rain any minute.

On the way to where I supposed Mayumi was it started to rain heavily.

I hope that she also brought an umbrella....

Instead of finding Mayumi dry and under an umbrella I found her soaking wet while scrubbing the graves of her late family members.

"Mayumi!" I said. "Come on! Let's go back!"

"No! I'm not yet done!" She continued scrubbing.

"Mayumi!" As I got closer to her I could hear her crying. "Mayumi, let's go..." I crouched next to her and gently removed the cleaning supplies from her hands, helping her up afterwards.

I removed my jacket and put it on her. She must be freezing.

Ensuring that she was completely under our umbrella, we made our way back to the apartment.