[Shinra's POV]
(F/n) is carrying an unknown type of Extirpate. Our lab tools react badly to it. It is clearly lethal, but why is (F/n) drinking it? It's like a suicide. But that Chikara-san she mentioned might actually want her to die without his hands getting dirty in the case. Overdosing the medicine can be the own consumer's fault.
I looked into the microscope and observed the blood react to the medicine. The more I put the powder, the reaction becomes more dangerous.
(F/n) said she's taking the medicine for a year now, but a normal person that takes the same medicine continuously won't last even a year. The big question is: How long is (F/n) really taking that medicine? And how much time has she left?
Namie-san took a good look from the microscope and went to the medicine stand. I didn't follow her to make sure I don't get in the way. I asked her, "Do you have something you can give her so that we can neutralize or maybe slow down the effect of the Extirpate?"
"I don't know," she said as she grabbed a tray and placed carefully the vials she picked from the stand. "I'd like to see how my medicines work with her blood so let's experiment a bit."
"Okay," I replied with determination while thinking that I should have gotten more blood from (F/n) before we parted but taking more can be risky because (F/n) just lost blood from her fight.
I helped her set the microscopes, set droplets of blood in each glass, sprinkled (F/n)'s crushed medicine, put different neutralizers each, and set them for observation. I watch Namie-san record her findings. We started at 10 am in the morning and ended at 4 in the afternoon. I couldn't get tired with something like this because as (F/n)'s friend, although she doesn't remember me. I don't want to put her life in danger again. Namie-san is heartily cooperating because this is new knowledge to the Yagiri Pharmaceuticals and the findings can also be beneficial to Orihara-kun in a way.
At last, Namie-san carefully handed to me a sterilized bottle half filled with 500mg neutralizer tablets. "These are the medicines that react most favorably to the Extirpate and her blood. I have no leads to the right medicine and this is the best I have."
"This will do great! Thank you, Yagiri-san," I said smiling at her with closed eyes and preparing to leave. As I head to the exit, I stole a glance at her and notice her still standing and waiting for me as if there is something she wasn't able to tell me. "What's the matter?" I asked, stopping on my track and turning around.
"About my debt, is this enough as payment?" she asked kindly and seriously.
I scratch the back of my head. This is what she's after? "How about this..." I offered to her, "If (F/n) recovered, then your debt is paid."
She gasped. (F/n)'s recovery is uncertain. I observed her when she worked, and to the best of my knowledge, she didn't give me a medicine that will amplify the Extirpate.
"Well, this is your best medicine, isn't it? Don't look afraid that it won't work."
The stunned look on her face changed into a confident smile. "Of course it will work. For what reason should I dirty the name of my family's laboratory, anyway?"
"I thought so. Thank you for your hard work," I told her as I waved my way out.
Just as I exited, I found my fiancé sitting on a long bench outside by the waiting shed, holding firmly on her motor, dozing off. Poor Celty. Did you fall asleep while waiting for me?
-
[Celty's POV]
"Celty!" I heard a familiar voice happily called me out and I realized I was sleeping. I sat straight and just as I was about to respond to the caller, I suddenly felt something heavy crash on my body. It hugged me tightly, squeezing my front so I freaked out and pushed it away from my body, only to see my fiancé sitting on the floor.
Smoke came out from my helmet as I stood up. I typed on my PDA. "What are you doing, Shinra? Did you try to grope my chest again?!"
He made a face saying 'Oops, you got me'. Then he smiled and giggled at me as if my reaction is cute for him. I crossed my arms over my chest.
He stood up again and hugged me, rubbing his cheek on my helmet. "Now, now! You will forgive me, won't you?"
I pushed him away, afraid that my helmet might fall off and that Yagiri Namie might see me outside her lab. She must have already known that I own the head her brother fell in love with.
"Anyways, did you get what you came for?" I asked Shinra. "(F/n)'s maintenance medicine?"
"Not that." He said as he searched for the medicine bottle in his bag and showed to me. "But I got a better one, at least a medicine that is far safer for (F/n)."
"What do you mean?" Celty inquired.
-
[Normal POV]
As Shinra and Celty were talking outside the laboratory, Namie finished her duty and casually exited.
Celty felt shivers run down her spine just before she saw Namie. Namie hasn't seen her. The Black Rider is quick enough to grab her fiancé and ride away to their apartment. As they settled themselves comfortably in the sofa, they resumed their conversation earlier.
Shinra put the medicine atop the living room table. "This medicine is a cure," he said. "The one (F/n) lost is a dangerous drug. It is like she is set free to die."
Celty gasped. "How cruel!" she typed, "How could she always be used by bad people and casted away like trash?"
"(F/n) has bad luck finding a decent employer in simple terms."
"You better not joke about this one, Shinra."
Letting go of what she said, the doctor began to explain the medicine the (F/n) brought with her. "(F/n) brought a medicine called 'Extirpate'. It is a form of lethal drug to normal people, but contents in (F/n)'s blood which she calls 'Berserkers' slows down the quick action effect of the Extirpate. Thus, taking that drug on a regular basis will gradually kill (F/n) without leaving the symptoms behind. It will be too late to save her if we did not discover it earlier."
"The culprit wants a clean murder then," Celty concluded as she took the neutralizer bottle and examined it closely.
"We can guess that the Chikara-san she kept mentioning is the mastermind behind this," Shinra said, rubbing his chin while thinking. "Or maybe her entire 'family' she considers are part of it. The (F/n) we know doesn't have living relatives."
"This medicine can save (F/n), can it?" she asked.
"It's a 50-50 chance of saving (F/n) with that medicine," he replied. "It is true that it can counteract the Extirpate, but it is not the antidote to that poison drug."
"If it is Yagiri-san, who works for Izaya, who recommended that medicine, can we trust her on this?"
"I watched her myself. She has no reasons for giving us a defunct medicine. Her lab name will suffer if she does." He stretched his arms and continued talking. "Our problem is the dosage that we have to give her. (F/n) may say that she has been taking the Extirpate for a year, but we have no lead on how long she has really been taking it."
"That is right," she commented.
"Overdosing is not an issue to this neutralizing. Under dosing, however, is dangerous." He sighed. "I think we should tell Shizuo about this. Shizuo might be a hard rock, but he's develop a soft side for (F/n)."
"If he finds out, who knows what mess will happen?" Celty added.
"I don't even want to think about it," Shinra replied worrily. He's very tired the entire day and he just wanted to sleep. "Right. Never mind informing him."
Celty got up again and slipped the neutralizer to her pocket. "I will give this to (F/n)," she told the doctor and left.
-
[Izaya's POV]
As I was walking in the sidewalks gleefully, hoping that I would run into Shizuo, a car stopped in front of me and the driver opened the door. The chemist peeked and spoke to me, "If you have no business outside, I will give you a ride home."
"Ah, it seems that you are beginning to care for me now, aren't you, Namie-san?" I said to her like a child. She didn't react at it and kept her stern face.
"I simply do not want to have the trouble of looking for you after you have scrapped with your Shizu-chan," she replied.
"Hai! Hai! I get it!" I said, sighing as I opened the door beside her and got inside the car. As she drove along the street, she gave me a folder. "What is this?"
"That (F/n)'s medicine. You want me to look into it, don't you?" she retorted.
After flipping several pages, I complained, "I don't understand all these nerdy stuff. I can't make out anything from it so can you just simplify it for me?" I returned the folder to Namie.
"(F/n) has hypertension. The medicine you got are just her maintenances," she said in her usual calm.
I looked carefully at her and she seems to have noticed my gaze.
"Is something the matter?"
"That's it?!" I exclaimed, then slump on my chair. "Soooo boring! It's nothing useful!"
Shortly, we entered the highway and we are both silent. I even went to trouble myself and get her spoiled medicine... Then I noticed Namie-san stealing gazes at me.
"Why?" I asked her. "We might get hit if you don't pay attention to the road."
"...Wear your seatbelt," she said.
"Oh."
-
[Reader's POV]
I was watching the television in Varona's apartment when I heard the bell rang. "Coming," I told the person on the door as I stood up and walked to open the door. My wounds don't really hurt unlike how other people's smaller injuries would hurt. Though not possessing a healing ability, I am tough. I also have a cream to heal light wounds, which is still in my bag.
As I opened the door, I saw Celty. "Celty-san, you knew where I live?" I blurted in my surprise.
"Shizuo and Tom knew the place so they told me," she replied through her device. "I brought the medicine with me."
As she took out the medicine bottle and gave it to me, I was amazed that it looked the same as the medicine Chikara-san gave me. "Sweet!" I said. "Thank you... so Shinra-san and the chemist he talked about are really awesome people!"
"Shinra said that they don't have the exact materials but they made it with a different one. The effect will be the same, so crush 1 tablet for 3 main meals every day," she told me through her device. "If you feel any different, call us. This is our clinic number: 09XX-XXX-XXXX."
"Ah wait!" I scurried and grabbed a piece of paper and pen to jut it down. Then, I smiled strangely, "You know what, Celty-san, I don't know how to use a phone or a cell."
'Oh, right!' was written in her gesture. "Varona can help you. Anyway, keep your well-being in check and don't hide it from us if you feel something wrong with your body."
"I know your tough, Leena, but everyone has their limits, okay?" she added.
"Yes!" I replied, then we waved at each other and she left. I closed the door and went back to watching the television.
-
-- A WEEK LATER
[Chikara's POV]
"Ready for the second rounds?" I gleefully asked the children and they have their wide smile covered by meat sauce and rice. They had their utensils up.
"Ready! Ready!" They reply in sync.
As I put down the new dishes and the kids hurriedly filled their plates, I hear the old lady clear her throat to call me. "E-ehem!"
"Yes?"
"Don't go spoiling these two with food," she lectured, glaring at the food, "They're gonna be fat pigs reeking of cholesterol."
I sighed as I sit down and eat too. "You're just envious, old lady. Why don't you eat some more, too?" As I looked at her, I saw her eyebrow twitch in annoyance.
"Well, I am very conscious of my health and diet, unlike you who'll just gobble anything in the dining table and drag other people to do the same," she retorted with her sharp tongue.
To me, she is picking a fight and I will play along this old one. "I share to other people what I enjoy before they get to your age and have to be picky of what they eat. Isn't having a life like that awful?"
"Not as awful as a life where you suffer because you don't control your mouth and stomach."
"Then, these kids do not have to worry because they won't suffer a life like that," I said.
"How can you be so sure? After all, you're only good at feeding them junk food."
"Unlike you, they won't live a boring, old monotonous life," I said rather quickly and a bit softer.
She twitched her brows. "Out of arguments are you? Talking fast like that?" he smirked. "Will you come again?"
"You're right, I'm out of arguments," I said dismissively. "Nothing."
"Hmph."
That is right. I have to shut up before things get worse and the three get a hint of my real purpose. I had my eyes set on those kids. I said it correctly: 'unlike you, they won't live boring, old monotonous lives' because... they're gonna die soon...