A week had passed since the day I had driven by the university. Instead of taking my normal route to work I decided to take the longer one. Ishada, who I had driven to work with, questioned it, but I brushed it off as a change of scenery. She didn't seem pleased with the answer, but she didn't question further. The reason I chose to avoid my usual route was the fact that I used to drive by the school every day. Before meeting the boy it wouldn't have bothered me but, the chance of seeing him with the girl made my stomach sink and I didn't want to feel that again.

 

 

I was driving in my car to the agency when my mobile rang. It was Ishada.

 

“Ryouta-kun, the chief wants you. Sounds like something big happened. You better hurry up and get your down here,” she informed me and hung up.

 

Something big? This made me step on the gas.

 

 

 

I reached the agency twenty minutes after the phone call. I realized that the air seemed more tense than usual and sprinted into the building. I nearly ran into one of the secretaries scurrying to her desk, the phone ringing off its hook.

 

“Fukuda!”

 

I looked up at the sound of the police chief's booming voice. “Get over here!”

“Yes, sir,” I said as I jogged over. Ishada was waiting with him.

 

“What's happening? It seems busier than usual,” I observed.

 

“That's because it is,” he replied, looking grim.

 

I looked at Ishada and than towards the chief, waiting for an answer.

 

“Those two thugs you arrested...” Ishada trailed off.

 

The chief let out an annoyed grunt as he finished her off. “Those two morons were let off. They're holding a couple hostage.”

I was instantly on alert. “Are they demanding anything?”

“They are,” Ishada answered, looking uneasy. She avoided my gaze.

“Well, what?” I pressed.

 

“You,” the chief answered.

 

“Me?” I exclaimed with disbelief.

 

“You were the one to stop them from attacking that young boy. You were also the one to call the officers and put them in a holding cell.”

 

“Why weren't they locked up?” I hissed angrily.

Ishada and the chief exchanged glances and my throat clenched. “There wasn't any proof that they were going to actually attack the boy.”

“But they attacked me!”

“They were provoked,” Ishada said.

 

My hands clenched at my sides. “I did not provoke them. I informed them that I was a police agent and they ran at me. It was self-defense if anything!”

“You're not in trouble, Fukuda,” the powerful man said. “We know you're not at fault. I want you to head out with Ishada. There are officers already on the scene. Try to talk them out of it.”

I nodded as Ishada lead the way out of the building.

 

 

The ride was silent as my mind, for the first time this week, went to the boy. I hadn't allowed myself to even wonder how he was doing. It was all old news. He had gone on with his life as if nothing happened and I knew I had to as well.

 

“We're here,” Ishada announced as she pulled up next to a police car. Blue and red lights lit up the street. I was surprised to see that the building that was surrounded by officers was a house. It wasn't often that people lived in actual houses and not apartments.

 

“Are they inside?” Ishada asked the nearest uniformed officer.

 

He nodded. “Yeah, both of them along with their two hostages. A man and a woman. They're asking for you.” His gaze set accusingly in my direction.

 

I ignored him and took the police radio microphone out of his hands and began speaking into it. “I'm here, now what do you want.” My voice echoed all throughout the street.

 

“Sir, they can't reply unless they phone,” the officer told me.

 

I spoke into the microphone once more. “How about I give you a number and you call it from the inside? I'm sure that nice couple has a phone you can use.” I began to recite my mobile number. In an instant it began ringing. I picked up my phone from my coat pocket and looked down at it. The I.D read:

 

 

Sakurai

 

 

The name seemed familiar but I couldn't quite remember where I had heard it. I shrugged it off, figuring that there were probably quite a few people with the last name. Instead, I answered the phone.

 

“Fukuda-san.” The raspy voice was definitely familiar. I knew it belonged to one of the thugs.

 

“Let the people go and you won't be troubled,” I informed him.

 

“We can't do that,” he replied. I could almost feel him smirk through the phone.

 

“Why not?” I demanded. “I'm here now, let them go!”

“Watch your temper, agent. This isn't just any ordinary target. We picked them specifically for you!”

 

For me? I didn't know how two people could be picked for me. I wasn't close to anyone. I didn't even know anyone with the name Sakurai.

 

Then, it hit me. I remembered the boy; Natsuki Sakurai. I heard my rough intake of breath and a hoarse laugh from the other end of the phone.

 

“You finally realized the connection?” He said.

 

“Leave them alone!” I yelled. “Let them go! Take me instead!”

“Ryouta-kun!” Ishada looked at me with wide eyes. “What's going on?”

I pretended I didn't hear her.

 

My teeth clenched as I fought back every urge to go in and kill the bastards myself. “I swear if you hurt them I'll-”

 

He cut me off. “You'll what? Throw us in a holding cell again? I'd like to see you try.”

 

The phone went silent and than I could hear was the muffled voices of, what I assumed, were the hostages. The sound of shuffling could be heard as well, and then the thug spoke again. “Do you know what we were going to do to that boy before you interrupted us?”

“Shut up!” I hissed, letting my temper get the better of me.

 

“First we were going to torture him,” he went on. I could tell he was pleased that I was allowing myself to get angry.

 

“Enough!” I nearly screamed. “Let them go! I was the one to have you arrested!”

 

“Do you know what we did to get here? In this situation?”

 

I remained silent. He took that as a signal to continue.

 

“We figured he was a university student, that's who most of our prey are. It was only a matter of time before we found him. After that it wasn't hard to follow him home. He took the train. It was almost too easy.”

 

“Let them go. He has nothing to do with this! They have nothing to do with this!” I hissed. “Let me switch their places!”

 

“Everything's ready.” I heard, what I figured, the voice of the other thug.

“Good,” the one on the phone replied. “It's already too late, Fukuda-san. It was a pleasure speaking with you, but we only wanted you to witness what you've done.”

“What I've done?” I echoed in bewilderment.

 

“Good-bye, Fukuda-san,” the man said and hung up.

 

I looked down at the phone. Suddenly, gun shots sounded from inside. My eyes widened as bystanders screamed and ran to hide.

 

“No!” I yelled as I stepped forward, ready to run into the house. Ishada, with the help of an officer, held me back just in time as the house became engulfed in flames.

 

“They're using it as a way to escape!” I screamed as I tried my best to fight off the two holding me.

 

“Let me go! They might be alive still!”

 

Another officer joined Ishada, but it wasn't needed. I could feel my knees going weak and my vision begun to blur. Soon I was consumed by darkness.