Sato was terrified. He cautiously approached the black car, fully aware that nothing good would come of it. It was already dark, and there was no one around, but he had to push forward to save Yuu.
He crossed the street, and the sight of the car door swinging open was the last thing he could recall.
****************
After receiving that phone call, Sato was completely disoriented. Should he go back home or head to the store? Officer Hitori stood right in front of him, someone he could potentially ask for help along with Mr. Mashida.
"No..." he thought to himself.
"I don't trust this guy..." After this thought crossed his mind, he walked past the police car and greeted the officer.
"Hey boy, everything alright with you? Seen anything unusual today?" asked Officer Hitori.
"No, sir! Just heading to the store to do my job!" he replied, forcing a smile and doing his best to appear calm.
"Oh, okay. Mashida told me to stay stationed here in the afternoons for the next few days, so you know where to find me," said the officer, being kind to the boy.
With that, Sato continued on his way to the store but stopped midway down the street.
"Okay, now where did they tell me to be..." He checked his mobile map app to pinpoint the exact location. Once he had traced the route, he started walking.
He tried calling Yuu's cellphone but had no success. He attempted multiple times, growing more desperate.
"I love you... don't leave me alone... okay?" This phrase came to his mind as he walked down the middle of the sidewalk.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck..." He was losing his composure, so he decided to call the house.
"Hello...?" answered a girl on the other end.
"Mio? Have Yuu and Aunt arrived yet...?" he asked.
"N-No... Not yet," replied Mio.
He hung up and stopped in his tracks. He couldn't comprehend what was happening at that moment. Why were Yuu and his aunt taken? And why now? How did they manage to do it without raising suspicion with the police? With countless questions and very few answers, he pressed on.
As he got closer to the designated meeting point, he realized it seemed increasingly dangerous.
On his way there, he pondered various thoughts. Why hadn't they demanded money? His emotions fluctuated between desperation, anger, curiosity, and fear.
When he spoke with his father for the second time, all he wanted to hear was that his father would send some books to his uncle by the end of the week.
"Should I buy a weapon?" he asked himself. But he decided it wasn't worth it since he didn't know what to expect and how the enemy would interpret his actions.
The only thing he could acquire before reaching the meeting point was a knife or a heavy tool, but he didn't even have a place to store or hide them from his adversaries.
He also contemplated the movements of the bushes near his house earlier. Was someone there? Or was it just his imagination?
The more he pondered, the closer he got, and the more nervous he became. He couldn't be bothered with whether the house or the store were safe. His sole focus now was finding his sister and ensuring her safety.
Dusk was approaching, and he finally reached the street he needed to be on. As he looked down the road, he realized there was no way out. Even before he entered the street, there was no one nearby, and that part of the city appeared mostly abandoned.
Sato only noticed the desolation once he arrived. He couldn't recall if the journey there had fewer people, but now, all he could see was the absence of anyone—just cars, likely parked from elsewhere.
He pushed forward to the end of the street, and the only thing he found was a black car.
**************
Yuu and Tomoko visited the police station that day to report a lost ID. In their small town, the police station was conveniently located near the bus station, making it a common place for people to retrieve lost items. The town's residents would often bring lost belongings to the station, giving the owners a chance to reclaim them.
Tomoko believed that going to the police station was the best option. Perhaps the police had already found her ID, saving her the trouble of applying for a new one.
"Yuu, if they ask you anything, just answer truthfully, and I'll take care of the rest, okay?" Tomoko advised Yuu as they stood at the entrance of the police station.
It was still morning, nearing lunchtime. Some police officers were returning from patrol, while others were starting their shifts.
Among those heading towards their car for patrol was Officer Hitori. As soon as Tomoko noticed him, she approached him. Tomoko and Otto were close to Officer Mashida, who often shared his thoughts about Hitori with them.
When their family store was robbed, Hitori was the nearest police officer, and he, along with another cop, responded to the incident. Since that day, the family had placed high trust in Hitori and never suspected him.
"Oh, Ms. Tomoko, good afternoon," greeted Officer Hitori as he stood in front of his car.
"Are you here to report something? We were at your store yesterday to provide some information to your husband," he informed her.
"Not Mr. Hitori. We're here to report a lost ID. Did something happen at the store?" she inquired.
"Not yet, but we noticed some suspicious individuals in the vicinity. It's better to stay vigilant," he advised.
"Well... I have to go on patrol now. See you another time," he bid them farewell.
Tomoko and Yuu stopped by some shops before heading to the police station. They bought kitchen supplies and Tomoko even visited a flower shop to purchase seeds for her garden. Both of them enjoyed these activities, losing track of time.
"It's already afternoon..." Tomoko remarked.
"Yes... let's see if they have any information," Yuu replied.
Once inside the police station, they were directed to speak with the police chief, Arata, who would listen to their situation. Arata recognized Tomoko as Otto's wife, as Officer Mashida often spoke highly of them.
"Yes, we have a store a few minutes from here," Tomoko confirmed when asked about their occupation.
"And who is this?" Arata inquired, looking at Yuu.
"She's Yuu, my niece. They're here to spend some time with us," Tomoko explained.
"Oh, where have I heard that name before... well, never mind. Nice to meet you," Arata said, focusing his attention on Yuu.
"Nice to meet you, sir," Yuu replied.
After this brief introduction, Tomoko and Yuu explained their situation to Arata. He provided them with information on how to obtain a replacement ID and filed a report about the lost ID. Although he was efficient in helping them, it still took around 20 minutes to complete the process.
"Sorry for the delay. That's all," Arata apologized.
With the report filed and considering the time, Tomoko and Yuu made their way back home.
"Yuu, do you remember our store?" Tomoko asked her niece.
Yuu recalled it vaguely but couldn't remember much. She was quite young when they last visited the town, and most of her time was spent at home or playing with Sato and the others.
"Just a little. It's been a long time since I last saw it," Yuu replied.
"I have an idea. Why don't we go there for lunch? It could be a surprise for Otto and Takachi after we visited the police station," Tomoko suggested.
"Wow, yes! I remember there were lots of delicious treats there," Yuu excitedly responded.
And so, they headed to their store to have lunch with Otto and Takachi, as Sato had gone home to pick him up.
"What a surprise! Sato left half an hour ago. You two took quite some time," Takachi greeted them upon their arrival at the store.
They had lunch together with Otto and Takachi. Tomoko also pressured her husband to reveal what had happened that led to the police visiting their store the previous day, and he provided them with additional details.
Tomoko was upset that he hadn't informed her earlier, but she decided not to make a scene in the middle of the store. After finishing their meal, they bid farewell to Otto and Takachi and headed towards the street that led back home. On their way, Yuu glanced across the street and caught sight of someone in the distance.
"Is that... Sato?" Yuu asked before the person crossed the street, making it impossible to see.
"Where? I can't see anyone from here..." Tomoko replied, looking in the same direction as Yuu.
"...Never mind."