TRIGGER: CH 23

Chapter 23

The soft ticking of the wall clock fills the space that was otherwise wrought in silence. He simply left the lights off, opting to lay in the bed while staring off towards the ceiling.

It's been a few days since then but the man's words refused to leave him. He tried to put it aside in lieu of keeping his attention somewhere more important but once he's off work the thoughts came back.

 

Then again, it was rather inevitable.

 

Something felt a little off then; a strange air floats in the empty space in between them. A somewhat foreboding feeling. He silently looks towards the other man whose sitting facing away, the lines of his body seemingly tense. Why? A thought flitted through his mind. He's already to used to seeing the man being relaxed that a minute change is quite jarring. And just as the thought passed, it's gone.

The light glow of the other's phone screen slowly dies out, hand moving to deposit the item onto the bedside table.

"..-Ryuga."

"What?"  He doesn't know why, but he felt like he needs to brace himself for what's coming after, more so with the odd tone of the other's voice.

"I need you to make a decision."

"On what?" That had him pushing up to sit. The other man leaned back slightly, turning around to look at him by the corner of his eyes.

"You have become rather complacent. Aren't you forgetting something?"

It took him a second to process - the deal that they made some time ago. "But I agreed to it, didn't I?"

"Hmm? I remembered asking for you not your cooperation." He overlooked. He didn't saw this coming. He misread the other's intention back then. "Or did you intend to keep up this charade and expect them to never find out? How naive."

"Are you telling me to betray them?"

"Aren't you already doing it?" He was shocked speechless. There were no words against that. He did.

"The events are accelerating and it's only a matter of time before they start hunting your little group down."

"That's more so the reason why I can't do that."

"Then you'll die in vain without ever reaching your goal. There is no other way."

 

He understood the implications then, but that doesn't mean he could do it, regardless of the reason. It wasn't something he's capable of.

(He looks up towards the other man hovering above him, hands around his wrists. He couldn't really make out the other's expression in the dim light, but the faint madness he saw in those eyes betrayed nothing.

"Don't make me wait for too long. I'm not that patient.")

The man will hunt him down regardless of his answer. No measure of security or distance would stop him. Just thinking back about it gave him chills down his spine.

He knows he's dealing with someone dangerous, but somehow it didn't quite register to him. Or perhaps he had become rather comfortable with the other, and strangely had come to think that the man won't hurt him regardless of the situation.

He had become complacent.

Why? He wonders.

A faint memory tugs at the edge of his mind; too blurry to take proper form, too faint for him to grasp. Ever since their first meeting in the off-grid basement, the odd, almost nostalgic feeling never left.

 

He roughly shakes his head to clear it up. No use mulling over that. At least not for now. Might as well think of something else.

 

His meeting with Raiga earlier today was relaxing to say it simply. For once in a long time he's out on something unrelated to work.

Raiga had always been pleasant to be around - the man always has a way to bring a kind of comfort to the one's around him. To him, Raiga is the closest to an older brother to him. Calm, reliable, protective. Still haven't changed, still the same him, straight away asking for his wellbeing the first second they met.

The little flashback had Ryuga softly laughing to himself. Raiga can be quite fussy from time to time. Gonza-san must've rubbed off on him.

He remembered running off on his own when he was younger and wound up getting lost in the woods nearby the mansion. How old was he then? 3? Raiga was some years older than him. He couldn't recall what was he chasing after then; when he realised it, it's already dark.

(It was dark and scary, but somehow, he felt safe, maybe because he knows where he is even though he couldn't find his way back. He remembered trying but got tired after a while and instead sat down at the foot of a tall tree. And that was where Raiga found him not too long after that, looking quite disheveled and worried sick.)

He could remember it quite well, though the rest of his childhood was rather fuzzy to him. Never known why.

The sudden wave of uncertainty made him ill at ease. Rolling to his side he eyes the thumb drive left there (forgotten) from last time, faint metallic glint visible in the darkness of his room.

Silver. Another flash of greyed out image. Like a damaged photograph.

Averting his eyes, unable to wipe off the feeling. The longer it goes the more restless he becomes. He needs to clear it up. And he knows the one other person that would remember that part of the story.

Sitting up, he moves out with a renewed purpose.

 

 

*

 

"What's up, suddenly dropping by like this?"

It has been quite long since the last he came by, with work and everything else taking up his time. A lone house hidden from peering eyes yet visible to those familiar enough with it. The winds rustling through the tall tree leaves surrounding the perimeter, as if they’re welcoming him home.

"Nothing much, just felt like it. And maybe I miss it here a little."

"Really?" Soft chuckles reach him. She's merry as always. "Come sit." Madam Ryume, retired Senior Commissioner. She's like a grandmother to him, and by extension to his team as well. She had always been around since he first started at the academy. Initially he was a bit surprised that an important figure such as her would take notice. Knowing that she's a longtime friend to his family brought comfort to him; that there still remains a link to them. He doesn't remember much of his family safe for his mother whom he grew up with.

"How is work? Is it going well?"

"Work's the same as always. But we're doing well enough. By the way, I met Raiga recently, and he sent his regards to you."

"Really? Haven't seen that one in a while too. Anyways, that's great to hear. I'm no longer in the business so sometimes I got worried whenever the news rolled in." A short pause follows; gentle breeze blows into the open area, fluttering the curtains. "..Are you chasing after that case?"

Her sudden question stunned him, words stuck in his throat. Though he did expect it at the very least. She had always been perceptive - it's one of her strongest weapons back when she was in the force. So he never lies because she would know anyways. But he never had much of a reason to do so with her.

Solemnly, he nods. "..Yes, I am."

She simply smiles. "As I thought. After all that case is important to you. It's the one your father chased after." She picks up her cup of tea and carefully take a sip. "Until now I still couldn't wipe off the regret."

"It wasn't your fault."

"Maybe, but I could have at least done something. He was really close to solving it. Unfortunately, they caught up. I failed to anticipate their reaction." She shakes her head in dismal.

"About that, I think we might be able to solve it." She looks up at him, surprised. "We're just a few steps behind them at this point. Only that..-"

"Only that?"

"There's still a few missing pieces that I haven't found. And that's also partly the reason why I came here today."

His remark broke her glum mood, earning a chuckle and a knowing smile. "I had that feeling. Go ahead, ask. I'll help you however I can."

 

Their discussion drags on for hours, passing lunch time and well into late afternoon. And somewhere in between Ryume had begun pulling out old albums and diaries, pouring out little stories related to each of them. Somewhere in the middle he realised that he really doesn't have much at all in his keeping. The only thing he held onto from back then was an old picture of his mother and Burai, and basically nothing else.

Flipping through another album of hers, he come across a collection of photos that he has never seen before.

"Ryume-san, these are?" He turned towards her slightly, showing her the pictures.

"Aah, those! That's you, as a baby. Your father always showed me pictures of you, all while gushing non-stop." She said, looking off to the distance reminiscing the old days. The expression she wore is one of fondness. "We've met several times then, too. Though you might not remember it since you were still very young."

"You've been watching over me since that long."

"You're as much my own child as you're your parent's."

Really, where would he be now if she hadn't been around.

 

"..Hey, who is this?"

"Him? He's the son of your father's closest friend. Which makes him your childhood friend, I guess. He really takes care of you like his own little brother."

"What was his name?"

That question seems to struck her. "Hmm? What was it again? I'm sure I've heard it before-" Her brows scrunched up in concentration. It's time like this that really reminds you she's so much older than she appears. Ryuga can't help but laughs a little.

"It's okay if you can't remember. I'll look for him myself."

"Aah, sorry~, but it's really not coming to me. You can keep that picture with you, may it be of help. If you ever run into any problem, you can call me anytime. I may have retired, buy I still have some power in this business!"

"Will do."

 

*

 

He stood on the far edge of the roof top, staring at the setting sun.

It's already far too late to turn back. Not that he has any intention to. People who know him before might say that he has gone mad and honestly, they might be right. But he could care less about that. More when conventional rules are never applicable in this side of the world.

 

"You're going?" He turns around towards the speaker, standing not so far from him. Her long black dress lightly sways with her movement. It's been so long and yet she's still here. She used to be a lot more soft spoken and timid, but now she can already hold herself on her own. There’s an unmistakable sense of pride whenever he thought of how far she came.

Still, she stays.

Perhaps that's how he managed to hold onto his remaining sanity.

"Aah. And you're coming, right?" She shouldn't be following him to hell.

(But he know she would.)

"Of course. I'd be angry if you leave me out on something fun."

 

The sky turns dark with streaks of gold in the western horizon. His domain had always been hell - he doesn't do so well in sunlit places.

His phone buzzes with a new message from a certain number, one he has come to remember by heart but never bothers to save. He knows the sender; a family, one could call. Too bad it means nothing to him anymore.

The only thing that held any meaning to him is..--

(Since when did the desire to protect became the desire to possess?)

(I want all of you.)

Everything else could burn.

He turns around when the last of the sun is gone, making his way back inside.

 

 

 

---

 

Today is really full of unexpected things. He thought he already made up his mind about it.

He really didn't see this coming at all.

Slowly, the mystery unravels itself, and he's left struggling to face it.

 

The truth about the case that killed his father, his cloudy memory, and now whatever this is.

 

His friend; in the picture he was still very young, probably around ten years old. The appearance differs slightly - age factor, natural. Everyone changes a bit as they grow older.

But still, there's no way he'd mistook him for someone else.

(Why didn't Raiga said anything? Why didn't--)

 

Ah--

Is that so-

 

"..-Jinga?"