It was a hot day in the middle of June when Natsu found herself standing in front of the Yachi residence. Ennoshita had gotten Yachi Hitoka's address from someone called 'Shimizu', which he had then forwarded to her. The Yachi family lived in one of the fancier apartment complexes in the middle of town—a short drive from Natsu's family home. Hardening her resolve, she rang the doorbell.
Nobody answered.
She tried again.
"Miss Hitoka?" she called. "Um, I'm a friend of Ennoshita's. I think he knows your friend Mister Shimizu? Or, er, Miss Shimizu?" Feeling a bit guilty, Natsu tried to peek through the gap in the window curtains.
An eye stared back at her, and she shrieked.
The eye started as well, its owner stumbling backward with an audible thump.
Natsu gulped. "Um, hello?"
There was a click, and the door opened—not all the way, as the chain still connected it to the frame. A short blond woman peered out from the slit. She had wrapped a blanket around her body, only her face, hair, and feet visible to Natsu. Her cheeks were pallid, and her forehead wrinkled in utter alarm. She stared at Natsu like she was some sort of otherworldly being and not the scruffy young adult she was.
Natsu tugged lightly at her knotted hair, wondering if Hitoka had somehow found her appearance unsavoury. It was true that she hadn't put much effort into her dress today, but she didn't think it would matter much.
"A-a-am I hallucinating?" Hitoka rasped. "Is that—Is that y-you, S-Shouyou?"
"No," Natsu said, as gently as she could. "Shouyou was my brother. My name is Natsu, and I'm his younger sister."
"Oh... You look... just like him..."
She chuckled. "I get that a lot. Hey, is it alright if I talk to you for a bit?"
To Natsu's disappointment, Hitoka began closing the door, slowly, in her face. "I'm s-sorry," she whispered. "But there's nothing—nothing—there's not—there's nothing I can do f-for—for you."
"Wait—"
The door shut.
Natsu sighed, running her fingers through her ponytail. Well, there goes my only lead. She had suspected this might happen, but hadn't exactly planned in advance. What was there to plan, anyway, when a failed investigation had already been done in the past? The police were—in theory—professionals. Natsu was just one person. I might have bigger things to worry about, too, like the cultists. She got back into her car but didn't start it, instead taking out her phone. I'm not sure if they'll cause any trouble for me, but they're still pretty worrisome...
She texted Ennoshita.
"Karasuno Eatery, huh?" Natsu entered the location into her GPS. I think I remember seeing it near the school. When she had gone to high school, her friend group had hung out more in central Sendai than Torono Town, claiming that the small town was too ancient and old-fashioned for their trendy tastes. It was only a few minutes away from the Yachi residence, and she got there in no time at all, parking on the street. Gosh, this whole street is deserted. A bunch of shops are closed down, too... As far as she could see, Karasuno Eatery was the only store that was actually open.
It was like a scene out of a teen dystopian movie, only without the edgy coolness factor. Many of the storefronts had been vandalised with messages that would sear themselves into Natsu's brain.
NEVER FORGET 1999
THE ALL-SEEING EYE IS AMONG US
SAVE OUR SOULS
A lone sandwich board sat on the opposite side of the road, proclaiming: THEY SEE ALL
Natsu snapped photos. Creepy...
Disturbed to the core, Natsu tried to ignore it after she was done, instead marching straight into the restaurant. It was a simple place with no air conditioning and about twenty fans attached to the walls or simply sitting on the floor. A less conventional way to beat the heat, but nonetheless effective with the amount of fans there were.
"Oh! Hinata, over here." Ennoshita waved her over. He was sitting near the back with another man and a woman. To Natsu, they seemed like some sort of comedy duo. The man's head was shaved tighter than the most devout monk, but his sloppy dress left something to be desired. But Natsu had no room to judge, nor did she blame him—the singlet and shorts combination he was wearing was perfectly appropriate for the hot and humid climate. As for the woman, she didn't even seem to be sweating, for which Natsu envied her. Next to the bald man, she looked like an ethereal goddess even in her casual clothes.
Natsu dipped her head to them. "Thanks for having me. I'm Hinata Natsu—it's nice to meet you."
The man and woman exchanged a glance, clearly surprised by more than her sudden presence. They must've known Shouyou, too—she could tell.
"Yo!" The man grinned. "I'm Tanaka Ryuunosuke."
"And I'm Tanaka Kiyoko," the raven-haired lady beside him demurred. "It's nice to meet you, too, Miss Hinata."
"Ahaha, just Hinata or Natsu is fine."
"Then just call me Kiyoko."
"None of them formality stuff either, please!" added Tanaka. "You can call me Tanaka or just Ryu."
Natsu took a seat next to Ennoshita. "Will Shimizu be here, too?"
"Oh, that would be me," said Kiyoko. "Shimizu is my maiden name."
"Ah! But Ennoshita..."
"Sorry." Ennoshita scratched his cheek and stared straight at Tanaka. "It's still hard for me to comprehend sometimes."
"Gwuh!" Tanaka flinched. "Hey, what's that supposed to mean?!"
They bantered for a bit before Natsu got down to business. They were a rather pleasant bunch to be around. The generational gap didn't diminish their cheerful mood, and she found herself slipping into comfortable conversation with them. "Kiyoko," she began. "Is it alright if I ask you a few questions?"
"Please, go ahead." Kiyoko smiled. "I've really got nothing to do until this afternoon."
"We run a sports shop," elaborated Tanaka, hooking an arm around his wife. "Stop by sometime, and we'll give you a discount!"
Natsu clapped her hands together. "Golly, really?"
"Anythin' for Shouyou's kid sister!"
"Ah."
"Ryu!"
"Wow, Tanaka."
Tanaka winced. "Sorry, I made it awkward. Shit, should not have said that... Sorry," he apologised to Natsu again, "I don't know what I was thinkin'. Me and my big mouth—"
"It's fine," Natsu accepted his apology readily, "I'm getting kinda used to it now." She took a sip of her drink—she'd ordered a lemonade half an hour ago. The ice had melted into the drink by now, watering down the flavour.
"What did you want to ask me?" Kiyoko asked.
What do I want to ask her? She'd been so busy laughing and chatting that she'd forgotten the purpose of her coming here. Get it together, Natsu! Natsu straightened her back and slapped her cheeks, making the others jolt. "I wanted to talk about my brother," she said, ignoring the sting on her face. "And, um about Yachi Hitoka."
At that, Kiyoko's brow crumpled. "I see," she murmured. "Hitoka... It's been a while since we last talked. I try not to call her too much. It makes her anxious."
"What was her relationship with my brother?" Natsu inquired. "And—I'm sorry if this sounds insensitive—but what's wrong with her? Why is she so... Well," she struggled for the word, "Skittish?"
Kiyoko laced her fingers together in her lap, a sorrowful shroud wrapping itself around her shoulders. "Hitoka's always been a little nervous. But she wasn't this bad until the boys vanished."
"Were they really good friends?"
"They weren't exceptionally close, but close enough to be having outings together. She mostly talked to your brother and Yamaguchi—she found Tsukishima and Kageyama intimidating." Kiyoko paused, glancing at Ennoshita and Tanaka. "I... There's something I've kept to myself for these past few years. I didn't see any reason in telling it, but now that you're here..."
"A secret?" parroted Tanaka, wide-eyed.
"A secret belonging to Hitoka," continued Kiyoko. "I was going to take it to the grave, but I think you deserve to know, Natsu. You came to me because Hitoka wouldn't talk to you, right?"
Natsu nodded, seeing no point in hiding it. "Yeah. She answered the door, but..."
"Do you want us to leave?" offered Ennoshita.
"No, it's fine. I trust you both."
Tanaka held his wife's hand, tears in his eyes. "Kiyoko darling! I'll never said a word of it! Ever! You can count on me!"
Kiyoko gave him a peck on the cheek. "Thank you, Ryu."
"You can count on me, too," Ennoshita promised, calmly.
As Kiyoko prepared to spill the secret, the whir of the fans buzzed in Natsu's ears. Finally, Kiyoko said, "Hitoka was originally going to join the boys up the mountain. But the night before their expedition, she came down with a fever that almost killed her. By the time the fever broke, the boys were already starting to make national headlines."
"Does she think its her fault?" Natsu wondered, sympathetic to Hitoka's experience. How awful it would've been for her—to be dead to the world for days only to wake up to find her friends had gone missing on a trip she was supposed to have accompanied them on.
"Yes." Kiyoko's lips pressed into a grim line. "But not for reasons you may think."
The three of them inched forward.
"The night before the trip... Hitoka had a nightmare. No," Kiyoko shook her head, "No, not a nightmare—a vision. That's what she told me, anyway. She had a vision of the boys dying in horrible ways—she didn't go into detail, but hearing that they disappeared after she had that dream... It broke her. It turned her into the shut-in that she is today."
"God," muttered Ennoshita.
Tanaka was horrified. "She was going through this this whole time? Why didn't she tell us?"
"She was probably too scared," ventured Natsu. "Maybe she thought the same thing would happen to the people she knew. Maybe that's why she isolates herself."
Kiyoko levelled her with a look. "You're quite insightful."
"I studied media and journalism in uni." Natsu stood up. "Thank you so much for telling me this, Kiyoko. It's not Hitoka's fault. I'm just sorry that she has to live with so much pain."
Kiyoko softened. "So am I. I think you're just the person she needs right now. She needs someone to forgive her—to tell her that it wasn't her fault. And you're the only one who can do that."
"I'll be off to do just that, then," Natsu declared, tucking in her chair. "Thank you for having me, guys. Just one more question, though. Was there supposed to be someone else before me? I noticed my water glass was filled up."
"Wow, you really are observant," Ennoshita praised. "We asked the owners for a table for four. Another friend of ours—Kinoshita—was supposed to join us today, but he was a no-show."
Natsu said goodbye to all of them, leaving behind cash for her lemonade and the small platter of fried chicken she had ordered before ducking out.
Kiyoko smiled after her. "I hope it works out for them."
"If anyone can get Hitoka out of her shell, it'd be a Hinata," Tanaka said with utmost certainty. "After all, it was a Hinata who taught her that Villager B is an important role."
xXx
Once again, Natsu found herself at Hitoka's doorstep. "Miss Hitoka!" she called, foregoing the doorbell. "It's me, Natsu. I... I know you're in there. You probably don't want to see me, and I'm sorry for disturbing you, but I really need to talk to you."
She waited for a response. But there was none.
"It must've been hard," Natsu went on, making sure her voice was clear. "I'm sorry you had to bear the pain alone." The same pain that had torn her family apart and several others. Unlike the Yamaguchi and Kageyama families, there'd been no discussions of divorces screamed in the middle of the night, but Natsu had barely seen her father after Shouyou's disappearance. He had quit his job in order to seek the truth, spending weeks and months away from his family to badger the police and the town council into expending more funds and effort into the search. He'd camped out on Innsmouth, searching every nook and cranny for any sign of his son. Of Shouyou. Of her brother. One day, he'd fallen into a ditch and snapped his neck.
And now it's just me and mom.
Natsu blinked in surprise as tears slipped down her face. She wiped them away, taking a deep breath. "Miss Hitoka, if you're still listening... It wasn't your fault. It wasn't your fault at all. Nobody blames you, least of all me. Maybe you can't forgive yourself, but I can forgive you. And you know why that is? Because it wasn't your fault. That is the reason why I can forgive you."
No answer.
Natsu didn't know how long she stood, but it must've been longer than ten minutes.
I don't think she's coming out after all, she thought, crestfallen.
She turned to leave—
Click.
"W-wait."
Natsu froze. "Miss Hitoka?"
Hitoka undid the chain, opening the door fully. Instead of the blanket, she was wearing casual clothes. Her hair was long and tied back into a loose ponytail. Her posture was stooped and timid. Now that she had discarded the blanket, Natsu could see that Hitoka was certainly a grown woman—her body was fully matured in its curves and dips, though not as developed as Kiyoko's. It made Natsu feel more like a girl and less of a woman, with her more waif-like and athletic build. She didn't dwell on it, though, because Hitoka spoke, quiet as a mouse, "I didn't—I didn't make you wait long, did I?"
Natsu smiled. "No, you didn't."
Hitoka's eyes were brimming with unshed tears. Natsu watched as they finally fell in fat droplets, trailing down her cheeks in twin streaks and pooling at her chin. "I'm sorry," she blubbered, covering her eyes with balled fists. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
"Miss Hitoka..."
"I didn't think—I didn't think anyone who knew would—would ever—would ever forgive me," she sobbed, shoulders wracking. "Forgive me. Forgive me. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry!"
"I already forgave you," Natsu reminded her, not unkindly.
"I wish I could've warned them."
Me too, Natsu thought bitterly, but it wasn't directed at Hitoka. "I know. I miss them, too. Especially... Especially my brother."
Hitoka's tiny frame shook again as she cried even harder. Natsu drew her into a hug. She was quite a small thing—Natsu had few inches on her. She rested her chin on Hitoka's head—her hair smelled like strawberry shampoo.
Time passed her by again. They stood there in each other's arms for a while before Hitoka invited her in for tea. There was evidence of another person—a woman—living here at the entrance-way, lady's shoes stacked on the shoe rack. Her mother, most likely.
The kettle squealed, breaking the silence. Natsu was seated at the kitchen counter, Hitoka scurrying about in her effort to be a good host. Five minutes later, Natsu had a steaming cup of peppermint tea in front of her while Hitoka contented herself with a cup of jasmine green tea.
"Did Kiyoko tell you about me, Miss Natsu?" Hitoka asked.
"Yes. I hope you're not mad at her—she was concerned for you."
Hitoka looked as if she were about to cry again. "Even after I kept p-pushing—pushing her away."
"She cares a lot about you," Natsu added. "You're lucky to have a friend like her."
"I s-suppose I am." Hitoka blew on her tea. "Um... Miss Natsu—"
"Ah, just call me Natsu. Is it alright if I call you Hitoka?"
Hitoka smiled a wobbly smile. "No problem, Natsu."
"Sorry, what were you about to say?"
"Oh, well..." Hitoka drummed her fingers on the counter top. "I'm just confused... Why did you come and s-see me?"
"I'll be honest." Natsu set her tea down. "I came here for information at first."
"At first?"
"Now," Natsu grinned, "I'd be honoured if you'd work with me."
Hitoka nodded, eyes wide. "Are you invest—investigating your brother?"
"You could say that." Natsu fished Ennoshita's camera out of her bag to show Hitoka the strange picture. "Do you see this? This shadow thingy."
The blond paled. "How scary..."
"I agree. I don't like looking at it for too long by myself. I keep thinking it's going to get closer all of a sudden and pull me in."
If possible, Hitoka balked even further.
Backtracking, Natsu waved her hands. "Ah! Ignore me! I just play too many horror games. It's safe to look at, don't worry. Anyway, someone told me to come to you about this. You were, uh, supposed to be with them that they, right?"
"Right," mumbled Hitoka. She had her gaze fixed on Yamaguchi in the picture, a profound sorrow in her gaze. "Yamaguchi... He kept his promise."
Natsu scooted forward, nearly toppling her stool over. "Promise?"
"He said he had an extra net at home for me. He said that—that'd he'd bring it." She pointed at Yamaguchi. "See how he's c-carrying two?"
"Huh. I just assumed Tsukishima didn't want to carry his." Natsu remembered Shouyou used to complain a lot about how Tsukishima was a jerk to everyone—even to his own best friend, Yamaguchi.
Hitoka laughed—it sounded like bells tinkling. "Tsukishima didn't want to go at all. He hated getting his hands unnecessarily dirty, but Yamaguchi convinced him." Her smile faded. "I wonder what it would be like... if he'd stayed. It's not fair. He didn't even want to go, but he ended up..." She swallowed. "Did Kiyoko tell you about m-my vision?"
"She couldn't tell me any details," said Natsu.
"I don't like remembering," admitted Hitoka. "But I remember anyway. I'll tell you. F-forgive me if I..."
"Take your time."
"I saw... I saw... I saw t-them... being," she swallowed again, "being chopped up and—and burnt. And there was this... shed. It looked weird. And it smelled... God, I could smell it... It smelled like... rotten flesh..." She squeezed her eyes shut. "I'm sorry! I can't go on!"
"It's alright," Natsu comforted, "You've told me enough. Don't force yourself, Hitoka."
Hitoka lowered her head. "I don't really have any other information... I wish I could be of m-more help, but..."
"You've helped plenty. This was always going to be hard—it's been thirteen years, after all." Natsu thought of something. "Do you know about the cultists, by the way?"
Hitoka's eyes nearly bulged out of her head. "The what?! N-no! What cultists?"
Right, she hasn't left her house in... Ten years? Huh. It must've been a long time, in any case. "This is just what I heard," Natsu started. "They sprayed the weirdest things for graffiti. I took pictures on my phone, actually. Here, look."
"Gosh," Hitoka chewed the inside of her cheek, "How terrifying... But mom didn't tell me any—anything about this at all."
"She probably didn't want you knowing about something so awful," deducted Natsu.
Hitoka nodded. "That sounds like my mom." She took another sip of her chamomile. "What happened in 1999, though?"
"That's what I want to know. I've had no luck so far, though—everyone I've asked about either doesn't know a thing or told me to leave them alone." Natsu frowned. "Even the internet doesn't have anything on whatever happened in 1999. I know it's big, though."
"Have you tried the town library?"
Natsu opened her mouth to say something before closing it. Then she said, "No, actually. Wow, that's pretty old-fashioned... I didn't even think of that."
Hitoka giggled. "You youngsters and your reliance on technology."
"Oh, come on," whined Natsu, pressing her cheek against the cold surface of the counter. "It's 2025! You're just an old millennial, Hitoka."
"I bet the world has changed a lot." Hitoka leaned against the counter. "I don't remember the last time I went outside... To be honest I'm a little scared..."
"Hey." Natsu reached out a hand. Reluctantly, Hitoka took it. "It's not scary at all. If you don't mind coming to the library with me... I'll be with you every step of the way."
"W-well... Alright." Hitoka's face became stern. "I'll go outside!"
"That's the spirit!" Natsu grinned. "Now come on—let's get investigating!"