Itadaki no Hecate Second

Something Lost

"Really, it's always the quiet ones."

"But what about Sakai-san, the two of them were pretty close."

"Poor guy."

"Oh come on, he was probably a terrorist too. If he doesn't show today, it'll only prove my point."

"Yeah, he always struck me as having it too good."

"Kyaaa! So we've been in so much danger the whole time with two terrorists among us?!"

"You think you know a guy huh?"

"I can't believe we were so close to such dangerous people."

Things were definitely getting put of hand. Sure, the two of them in reality were far more powerful than any human being, but they both fought to protect people like these classmates.

Clutching her fist tightly in anger, Kazumi spoke up with a firm tone. "Stop that! Sakai-kun and Hecate-chan are not bad people! You've seen them, you've spoken with them... They're our friends. Why would you say all those things about them now?"

Her voice never wavered, even as tears began to form on the edge of her eye. But her words fell on deaf ears.

"Figures you'd still take their side."

"Looks like she'd never get over Sakai."

"The poor girl."

Kazumi frowned and bowed her head before storming out of the classroom. As she passed through the door, she felt a hand clasp her shoulder.

"I believe you, Yoshida-san," Ike told her reassuringly. "Sakai's been my friend for years. And I don't just trust him because of that; I'm sure if there was ever actually something, he would have his reasons. He might be the smartest idiot the world has ever known, but he's also been a good person at heart, I know that much. Hecate-chan too, those expressions of hers were too sincere to be a ploy, weren't they?"

Another friend approached her as well.

"Yeah!" Ogata said confidently. "We're behind you guys on this. No matter what happens, we won't ever think badly of any of our friends."

Kazumi smiled a little and wiped her eyes. "Thank you, Ike-kun, Ogata-chan."

"But where is Sakai today?" Ike pondered out loud. "It might help his position if he actually did have the chance to speak up."

Yuji Sakai landed on a rooftop across the street from the city morgue. Taking a moment to observe, he quickly spotted a few soldiers patrolling around the area.

Not to mention that there was a good chance of there being a few cops inside as well, he took note mentally. After all, there was a murder investigation going on.

His fist tightened hard.

He needed to confirm his father's passing for himself. It was just too unbelievable, his father of all people, one of the most brilliant and kind people he knew, had come to such an abrupt end; he couldn't accept it just yet. And if it was true, then he needed to uncover the truth behind his final moments.

He did have one suspicion, however, one that related to the Japanese military's assault on Hecate's manor. The timing was just too close to be coincidental.

First, he needed a way in with as little trouble and consequence as possible.

"Fuzetsu."

Upon his low-voiced mutter, the whole block was shrouded in deep crimson, and everything within that veil ceased to move, including the oblivious mortals.