Chapter Fifty-Seven: Unwanted Company
I’m My Own High School Rival: Rika’s Arc: Of Fate and Future.
So, here is the footage from the hotel’s camera, Ms. Igarashi. I watched the recording, waiting for them to leave the room. I lost so much time waiting to be cleared.
“You don’t have to call me ‘Ms.’ Rika is fine.” I watched the fake janitor walk to the room where I found the body.
“I do, because you were there when Akiri was killed. My mom saw you.”
I tried to focus on the video, but that day was etched in my brain. The worst part was that we only knew because Jade called Christina.
“She said that you came soaring into the battle, even throwing your bike at the leader of the Ash and killing her Blossom.”
“There,” I said, pointing at the camera. Carter and Kami exited the room. They surveyed the area. At the same time, the Janitor left the room… Antwon went back into the room. She said something, and it caught the faker’s attention.
“Well, would you look at that; she’s following them.”
“Please tell me that there are other cameras.”
“There are… and I’m sorry for accusing you; I’m sorry for not recognizing you from the start.” I searched for the file with the other camera. I needed to know which direction they headed.
“The gods favored us once, and now you’re here to—”
“Do you want to know why the court came to aid the Veil?”
She looked at me with curious eyes.
“We came because your current leader, at five, called Christina and told her that her mommy was going to die. And a frightened child came bursting into Trish Tetsusen’s office.” I continued searching for the file. “How many kids lost their mothers that day?”
“I… Just wanted to thank you, because my Mother came home because of you.”
I continued clicking until I found the file.
I liked her better when she wanted to execute me.
I looked at the district interrogator out of the corner of my eye. I had hurt her; after all, she looked young.
“Hey, how old are you?”
“I’m… nineteen.”
I fast-forwarded the footage in search of today’s date. “District inspector at nineteen; that’s impressive.”
“T-thank you… Ma’am.”
“Do you want to know what I thought was interesting about that day?” I watched them run eastward and knew where I would find answers.
“What’s that?”
I smiled because the best way to remove the spotlight was to give it to someone else. “I was shocked when Trish threw a jeep at Kaen Ibara.”
She doesn’t need to know that Trish used the jeep's momentum to launch it into the air.
“Whoa, did she kill her?”
“No, but she scared the hell out of her.”
***
We walked eastward, and the young inspector decided that she would accompany me, which I didn’t mind because she had a weapon, whereas I didn’t. However, her official uniform and armor would make it hard to talk to locals.
“Okay, we need to split up and ask locals about seeing these two. But you need to take a picture… of the picture.” She snapped a picture and walked across the street.
I walked over to one of the shops. The owner was busy counting her inventory, but the young man working in the store was available, so I gestured to him. The young man smiled and hurried over to me; I knew how this would play out, so I had to create a story that would win his favor without losing his attention.
“Hey,” I said, evoking a wanting smile, and corrected any notable imperfections with his attire. “Don’t be so shy,” I cooed.
“I’m not,” he said in a low voice, “Y-your glasses are broken.”
I removed them to examine them. I knew they were broken, but didn’t care. “So, they are; thanks for that.”
He gazed into my eyes, slowly trailing off. The woman continued shuffling through the merchandise. “I love your eyes,” he said, rocking side to side.
No, my eyes are the same as most women in Kokiri.
“And you’re just the cutest boy I’ve ever seen.” The tint in his face was proof that he was falling into my trap.
“Oh, well… thank you, Ms…”
“Don’t call me ‘Ms.’, just call me Rika,” I said, softly sweeping him over.
“Okay, Rika. I don’t normally see you around here.”
“Well, let’s change that. But first, I want to ask you two things.” he leaned over the counter, resting his head on his hands. “How old are you?”
“I’m twenty,” he said with faded strength. “And I’m…still single,” the frown forming was justified; he should have married at seventeen.
I reached up and caressed his face, which surprised him. “I think you’re perfect for me,” I said, feeling sick to my stomach. “Now, I need you to tell me if you’ve seen this boy?” I showed him a picture of Antwon, and his face changed.
“Who is he?”
Jealousy was mankind's ugliest sin.
“This…gaijin and woman are the reason my glasses were broken.” He stood up, shifting his weight.
“Are you sure that’s the only reason that you’re looking for him?”
“What are you… Oh, Oh no. I take care of Kokiri boys, not foreigners. And since you're single—”
“What the hell is going on over there?” the woman working in the store said.
“I saw him get on a bus toward Yamanashi, but the girl wasn’t with him.” He tore up a piece of paper and scribbled his number on it before he neatly folded it. “Take this, and give me a call.” I smiled and winked at him.
I walked away before anyone could chew my ass.
Not bad for someone whose male interactions consist mainly of high school students.
I walked in the direction the young man said, and the district inspector ran up to me. “Hey, Ma’am.” I’d rather her call me Ms. Igarashi than ma’am. “I got a lead.” I nodded in anticipation. “The owner of the pet store said that she saw them heading toward the bus to Yamanashi. But she said they were fighting over something.”
That tracks.
“How did you get this information?
“I… I asked, and they told me… Are you okay? The frown I wore was heavier than anything I could hold. I manipulated and lied to get this information, and she just asked.
I sighed, “Well, to Yamanashi.”
***
I walked to the outskirts of Gifu’s inner city to retrieve my bike. The district inspector told me that she was restricted to Gifu, which made sense. I wish that I had parked closer, but closer meant a higher probability of someone stealing the damn thing.
The vibration of my phone hit me before the sound. “Rika speaking.”
“Oh, Rika! I’m coming with reinforcements.”
I paused; Trish in the Veil was never a good thing. “What do you mean, your grace—”
“No, no, no; Etsuko, not Trish. And I’m bringing Christina, but I don’t know what her asobi name should be.”
I sighed. Why does she need one? Why can’t she just be a normal girl, and why do you act like this?
“I’ve got a lead—”
“Christina is with me. Do you want to say hi?”
“No… I’m fi—”
“Rika! I asked you to do one fucking thing… and you failed me. Antwon’s gone.”
My eyes closed because she was still lying to her, and now I had to suffer the backlash. “Ms. Tetsusen, nothing good will come from this.” She hung up.
Of all the foul shit she could have done, this is by far the worst. This city is going to—
As I approached my bike, I noticed a familiar face inspecting my ride. I moved up slowly, not to draw her attention. Once I was behind her, I reminded myself that killing wasn’t necessary.
“Nice bike, right?”
“No fucking kidding. I mean, look. That’s a big displacement engine with a fat rear tire and twin pipes — this thing is a beast.”
“Why, thank you… Kami.” She stood up slowly, half turning.
“Oh, well fuck me, I guess.”