APRICITAS [ENG] || Johan Liebert || Monster

Chapter 9 - Dr. Gillen

She knew she wouldn't give up until she found out what she needed. Of course, if she had told him that she is Kenzo's younger sister, he would certainly have shared important information with her. But she wasn't entirely sure it would be safe to admit her true identity. At all costs, she didn't want it to appear that she was in Germany and, above all, that her brother should find out about it. After all, he would have told her to go home without a word, and she couldn't even do that for him. Moreover, it was for him that she came here and it was for him that she wanted to unravel this mystery. To prove that her beloved brother is innocent, which was partially confirmed by strange messages written by an unknown sender...

After more than two weeks of trying to get along with Dr. Gillen, Emiko still failed to convince him to help her. So she concluded that there was no other option but to take extremely drastic measures. If she doesn't do it, she'll never learn anything, certainly not from him. She sighed softly, pressing the doorbell, realizing that she was risking a lot.

After a moment the door opened and Dr. Gillen peeked out, nervousness written all over his face.

"Are you here again?! I said that-"

"I need your analysis because I don't believe in the suspect's guilt!" Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that the information had caught his attention to some extent. "I promise not to take much your time..."

"Things like this are a matter for the police, you'd better not investigate on your own."

"Is it wrong that I'm trying to find justice?" Emiko looked at him seriously, feeling the whole weight of emotions that had accumulated in her during all the months since she came to Germany. Though she said nothing more, her eyes said a lot. Even too much. Dr. Gillen saw that something - something that made his decision. He turned his back to her and began going inside, but leaving the door open this time.

"Come in, but only for a moment."

****

In the living room next to Dr. Gillen's home study, Emiko sat with him in the armchairs facing each other. They stared at each other in silence for a moment, then the man finally spoke up.

"Why do you care so much about my analysis?"

"I..." Emiko bit her lip to vent her emotions. "My real name is... Emiko Tenma and I came here for my brother Kenzo..."

There was a sudden silence in the room, broken only by the sound of a ticking clock standing in the corner of the room. Red Gillen stared at her in disbelief and doubt; he frowned slightly.

"What are you playing at?"

"I'm telling the truth." She looked him straight in the eyes without even blinking.

"You don't look like Asian. Nor do I know anything about Tenma having a younger sister. Do you think I'll just take your word for it?"

"ID card and passport will be enough?"

"They may as well be forged, and so can the whole story."

"I understand. So I shouldn't know anything about the fact that my brother cheated on one of the exams, the same as you did, during yours university days either?"

Dr. Gillen's eyes began to express serious surprise.

"How did you..." Emiko smiled.

"From brother's letters he sent home in Yokohama. Back then, my mother would read these letters to me because I was too young to know the letters, even if they were only written in hiragana."