Playing With Fire

9

    The next early in the morning, as usual.  Inoue still sleeping, no noises in Imai’s room, not even a single creak on the floor.
    A few minutes later, Inoue wake up with a yawn and he usually glanced at Imai first before he went to bathroom. But, Imai was not on her bed. Inoue thought Imai used the bathroom. Inoue waited until she comes out. He waited and waited but Imai still in there. “What is she doing in the bathroom so long?”
    Inoue stand up and knocked the door. “Imai? Are you finished? Come on I need to go.” There’s no reply. “That’s strange.” Inoue grip the doorknob, unlocked. Inoue peek out his head, there’s no one. “Oh! Silly me, Imai must have been downstairs, resting herself there.” Without thinking any further, he took a bath.
    Not long before that, Jack opened his eyes slowly and put his hand to his face. “What time is it?” Jack asked himself but Inoue answered it.
    “Its 7 am, I’m late, we are LATE!” the school starts at 7am.
    “Really? That’s cool,” said Jack still lying on the ground (on a mattress of course). “Anyway, where’s Imai?”
    “Probably downstairs.”
    “What’s for breakfast?”
    “Go cook for yourself”
    “But usually, Imai will cook breakfast for you, right?” Jack smirked.
    “Idiot! No! I can cook, okay!” Inoue throw Imai’s pillow into Jack’s face.
    After that, Inoue went downstairs and straight to the kitchen, there’s no Imai. No food on the table and breakfast as well.
    “What? This is definitely Imai’s prank,” Inoue walk around the kitchen, Imai probably hiding somewhere. “Imai? Where are you? This is your fault for not waking us,” Inoue checked everywhere in the house. There’s no sight of Imai.
    “Don’t tell me she goes to school. Is she okay or still sick?” Inoue sat down on the couch and waited until the school has ended.

    The sound rustled from trees, a slightest wind blows Imai’s smooth and small face wakes her up. She found herself lying down with dry grass and surrounded by the trees.
    “Why am I here?” Imai sits up and looked around. “How did I get here?” Imai check her condition, she was fine. Imai stand up and began to walk, leaving the woods behind her. She still wears her loose shirt with short pants. Good thing she brought her jacket with her, prevent from cold (even though is not cold).
    As she walked, she felt that was something wrong, something is not right but she step her feet on something hard, she didn’t realize that she have arrived on the road.
    “Eh?” a car hit her. She didn’t feel anything, lots of blood drooling from her mouth, her hand trembling with fear then she passed out.

    The school ended in Fusaku High, Inoue waited at the park. All of the students walked home with their friends. Inoue begin to worried and alone. There’s no Imai’s voice in his head.
    “Seriously? Imai, where are you?” Inoue immediately run and run around the town.

    Imai ended up in the hospital. A beeping sound of Imai’s heart from the machine. She still remains conscious on the ward bed. No one was around her, she’s alone.
    Suddenly, a man with deep purple eyes, white hair guy come in. he brought a bouquet of colourful tulips for Imai. An emotionless eyes stared at Imai, he felt guilty for hitting her. He stayed there until Imai wake up. He didn’t mumbled or muttering for himself, he just stared at her. And then. 
    “Shizuru!! It’s my fault, I should be taking care of her!” the man with emotionless eyes glared at the man with his loud voice echo through the room. He closed his mouth. “Oopps.” He says.
    Both of their voices make Imai groans, both of them stand up and curiously looked at Imai.
    “Reito, get the doctor.”
    “What? You’re the one who-“
    “Right now, Reito!” Shizuru yelled at him. Reito storm off to get the doctor.
    Imai opened her eyes weakly, she couldn’t opened it wide because her head starting pounding. “W-Where?” she whispered.
    The doctor checked Imai’s body while Shizuru and Reito waited outside.
    “Do you think we hit her hard?” Reito asked. Shizuru replied it with a smack on his head. “Idiot.”
    A few minutes later, the doctor come out from Imai’s ward room, the doctor said Imai wants to meet them. Both of them were scared but not Shizuru, he can explain to Imai and apologize to her.
    Once they are inside, Imai looked at them, ‘they look so handsome’ Imai smiled and then she speaks. “What happened to me?”
    Reito pointed at Shizuru. “He hit you!” Shizuru punch him in the face. Imai doesn’t really care about their action.
    Shizuru cleared his throat and begin to explain at Imai. At first, Shizuru wanted to write it down on a piece of paper and give it to Imai but he thinks that is rude to do that with a girl especially a cute girl, like Imai.
    “You were hit by a car and I am the driver, I didn’t mean to hit you. It’s just my stupid friend here were distracting me while I’m driving and I didn’t notice there’s someone in the middle of the road. I apologize for what I’ve done.” After he finished explaining to Imai, he takes a bow to Imai. Imai didn’t have a word to say anything.
    “Actually, I was the one who hit you.” Reito sits up on the floor and admit himself.
    “Shut up, Reito.” Shizuru mumbled.
    “Reito?” Imai called but in a confused voice.
    The cheerful man grinned. “Yep, that’s me!” Reito looked at Shizuru expectedly. “This one right here is Shizuru!” Reito pointed at him.
    “Reito… Shizuru… “
    “Shizuru?” Imai repeated his name. “Mizu?”
    “W-What? How did you know my nickname?” Shizuru asked, really confusing.
    “You… erm… never mind.” Imai wanted to tell him about Shizumi, which is Imai’s M3N6 best mate.
    “What’s your name, little girl?” Reito stared deeply into Imai’s light green eyes.
    “Eh? Erm… its Imai.” Imai answered.
    “Wow! That’s a pretty cute name.” Reito chuckled. This Reito guy here had a pair of his blue-ocean eyes. He matches Reiko’s hair coloured. Almost the same looking face. Could it be? Imai wandered and she examines them who were taling by themselves.
    “Thank you … I guess.” Imai murmured.
    What exactly am I doing here?

    It’s almost sunset, Inoue still searching her. He can’t find her anywhere. “What should I do?” Inoue fall off his knees and catch his breaths. Inoue bring out his phone and called Imai. He waited for her to answer the phone but there is no response.
    “Damn it! Pick it up, Imai!” He dialled the number again and waited.
    Actually, Imai’s phone buzzed on the couch, lie down and keep buzzing.

    Imai fall asleep after she takes a coffee break. Shizuru and Reito are still with Imai. Reito keep staring at her with his smiley face and it creeps Shizuru out.
    “Stop staring her like that, you have a girlfriend, okay.” Shizuru said with monotone voice.
    “I just keep wondering, where did Imai come from? Why is she here? First, she stood there then you hit her then end up in the hospital. That’s kind of awesome.” Reito chuckled and continue staring her.
    “Awesome? It’s scared me half to death!” Shizuru smacked him. “I’m glad that she’s fine, alright. And this is your fault too!” Shizuru grumbled and gave Reito his death glare.
    “Okay, okay, it’s my fault.” Reito admit it.
    Then, both of them heard soft muttering from Imai’s mouth. She holds out her arms, flailing. “Inoue, Inoue?”
    “Inoue?” Both of them repeated.
    “Hey, Mizu. I heard that Inoue was missing, is that right?” Reito asked.
    “I guess so.”