Chapter 3: Game Plan

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As I approached Kiyotaka's house after school, the late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the street, painting everything in warm hues

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As I approached Kiyotaka's house after school, the late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the street, painting everything in warm hues. I took a moment to admire the peaceful scene before reaching the front door and giving it a gentle knock.

"Hi, Aqua-kun!" Kei greeted me with her usual warmth as she opened the door. "Nice to see you again."

"Nice to see you too, Kei-san," I replied, returning her smile. "How are you feeling?"

Kei placed a hand on her slightly swollen belly and offered a wry grin. "I'm better now, though the cramps still come and go. Ah, the joys of pregnancy."

"Well, I hope they ease up soon."

"They will," she assured me. "Now, excuse me while I go pick up Ren from his practice."

"Of course. And Chi?"

"She's sound asleep," Kei said with a fond smile. "Though I suspect she'll wake up soon and demand sweets."

"Sounds like her."

With a wave, Kei hurried off, leaving me standing at the door. As I entered the house, I couldn't help but feel a sense of comfort in the familiar surroundings. It was like stepping into a sanctuary, away from the chaos of the outside world.

As I entered, I found Kiyotaka sitting on the couch, his attention fixed on a documentary about animal life in the wild. It was a rare sight.

"Hi, Kiyotaka," I greeted him. "What's with the documentary?"

He glanced at me briefly before returning his gaze to the screen. "Just something to pass the time."

I nodded, understanding that he probably didn't want to delve into it further. Instead, I decided to focus on why I was there. "You said you wanted to discuss something?"

He paused the documentary and turned to face me, his expression serious. "Yeah. It's about some of the info you were looking for. Take a seat."

"Let's go to the basement. Chi's still here," I suggested.

"I checked on her, and she's sleeping like a log."

"Kei-san will return soon," I noted, glancing at the clock on the wall.

"Don't worry, it won't take long. Plus, I want to relax here for a bit," he replied, adjusting his position to get more comfortable.

"What did you want to talk about?"

"Straight to the point, huh?"

"It's not like I'm in a rush, it's just you told me not to be late." I settled myself into the comfortable cushions of the living room next to him.

"That's true. I suppose I'll tell you now". He pulled 2 pictures out of his pocket and put them on the table, one of a man in a black suit and the other of a middle-aged man with sunglasses on. "The first is Nakano Maruo. He's a businessman who runs a hospital here in Tokyo", he added.

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