"Come on, Jun. Come on, Yoko."
Neither Naseru, nor Akane balked at the fake names. They let a red-faced Kaho take their arms and drag them along. She began to talk about how the two of them would be in so much trouble as she dragged them along the path, away from the hiking trails and back toward the clusters of cabins.
"Jun and Yoko, huh?" Naseru snorted, once they were amongst the cabins.
"I panicked!" Kaho protested. She released Naseru and Akane. Her oak brown eyes were red and glassy, like she'd been crying. Had the cop chewed her out that badly?
She took a long, slow breath and focused her gaze on Akane,
"Akane, are you okay?"
Akane nodded, running a hand through her hair, "I don't know what happened out there, but… I'm so glad I ran into this guy."
Naseru shrugged, "I gave that officer from earlier the slip."
"Now that doesn't surprise me in the slightest," Kaho replied dryly. She crossed her arms.
"What kind of information did you give that cop?" Naseru asked, "Do we, I mean, do Jun and Yoko go to Hanagawa, Seiran or Kuroyama."
"None of the above," Kaho declared, she bit her lip, stifling a triumphant grin. After just a few seconds, her face split into a beam, running her teeth over her bottom lip.
Naseru's eyes were trained on her lips.
Kaho put her hands on her hips, "You two are part of the Hoshimiki Beetles."
He let out a snort, "Jun and Yoko from the Hoshimiki Beetles? As in John from The Beatles and his wife, Yoko."
Kaho crossed her arms, smirking. She leaned closer to him and he inched closer to her. There was something wicked to her in the glow of a dozen dorm lights. Naseru's cheeks heated as he drunk in her triumphant expression, "Oh Jun, don't ask me, ask your parents."
Kaho froze for a beat. Had that been too far – she knew he was living with Aya, and had never breathed a word about Kathen Matsuoka, basketball legend.
He let out a singular bark of laughter, "Touche, Aigawa."
"You have got to be kidding me," Akane said, rolling her eyes.
Kaho turned back to Akane, as if remembering that she and Naseru weren't alone. Her cheeks reddened as she beckoned both Akane and Naseru to her room.
They both followed her and slipped into the cabin, where Fumiko still slept soundly, curled up against Konoishi. His head was on her shoulder, and he was snoring softly. His phone was on his lap, a 'Game Over' symbol was flashing. Kaho prised the phone from his lap and put it in sleep mode. She put the phone on the bedside table.
Fumiko and Konoishi were asleep in her bed. So, she had no choice but to, once again, sit on Fumiko's bed. Kaho walked to the bed and patted the mattress.
"What a cute couple," Akane said dryly, sitting down beside her.
"That is my brother's girlfriend," Naseru said.
Akane's eyes flickered from Konoishi.
"That is not my brother."
"Yikes," Akane said, reaching for her phone and snapping a picture of the pair. Kaho glared at her.
"They're just friends," Kaho protested.
"Send me that," Naseru said quietly.
"Wait," Kaho pleaded, "Fumiko said that Naoru trusts her. And she said she and Konoishi have been friends forever, I'm sure this is normal."
Naseru raised his eyebrows, "And I'm sure that if your boyfriend knew you were sleeping on another guy's shoulder he'd be normal about it."
Kaho's cheeks reddened. Her mind whirled back to that night they'd spent at the local jail precinct; where she had fallen asleep with her head against his shoulder, and he'd used his school blazer as a blanket to keep her warm. She stared at the floor and exhaled audibly.
She glanced at Akane, who was shifting her weight on the bed, moving closer to Naseru with each adjusted limb. Kaho bit the inside of her cheek. She had no right to be jealous of her. She had Tatsuya. Tatsuya was waiting for her back at home.
"Look," Akane said, "I don't care whatever you're about to spout, someone was out in the woods pretending to be my baby brother. What the fuck was that about?"
Naseru shrugged, his dark eyes meeting Akane's. She tilted her head to the side and narrowed her eyes.
He moved his hand to behind him and leaned back onto it, his eyes still firmly on Akane, "There is a killer on the loose."
Akane tensed, tilting her chin up, a haughty expression on her lips. She exhaled breathily through her nose, and closed her eyes, batting her lashes as she met his gaze again.
"You think the guy who killed that old dude cares about a random girl? Surely it would be more likely to be some kind of prank."
"Okay," Naseru said quietly, shifting his weight between his two arms. He raised a brow and looked Akane up and down. He swallowed.
"Say it was a prank," Naseru said, his voice was level and firm, "Who out of the kids at your brother's school, on his team or, better yet, in his club, are there that would try this?"
Akane shrugged, pursing her lips, "So you think it was a random murderer, huh Mr I-Can't-Play-Basketball?"
Kaho clenched her teeth, gauging a chunk of flesh on the inside of her cheek. When she adjusted to the sharp sensation in her mouth, she looked up and saw Naseru's gaze was trained on her instead.
Naseru shrugged, his eyes flickering to Kaho, "What do you think, Aigawa?"
"What do I think?" she echoed, "I – er – think that we're not really safe until the guy who killed Mr Tanaka is in jail."
Naseru nodded once, "We're all at risk here. But what he did, luring you with your brother's voice – it was cruel."
Kaho squeaked. She'd heard Kenta imitate her during the weekend, and it made her stomach drop. Could he pretend to be her and convince someone to follow her into certain doom? Would he? The Other Kaho had indicated that Akane was the target, maybe Fumiko was right.
Kaho curled up into a ball and hugged her knees. She flopped backwards against the mattress. Kenta had been in this room. He'd broken in and gotten into this very bed. With different sheets, yes. But, she felt dirty, like the bed had been desecrated by the ghost of his presence.
Akane leaned closer to Naseru on the bed and moved her hand, inching it closer to Naseru's. It felt like she was being gutted like a fish, forced to watch like a voyeur. She pulled her knees closer to her and let out a long, trembling breath.
"Looks like you need someone to keep you safe, huh?" Naseru said, "Since Konoishi fell asleep on the job."
Kaho's eyes flickered to Naseru, but he wasn't looking at either of them, his gaze was on the ceiling. His throat bobbed as he swallowed. Kaho let her head sink onto the blanket.
"Aigawa," he said, "Thank you for covering for us. I don't think I said that yet."
Kaho's eyes lit up, she uncurled herself and sat on her knees on the centre of the bed, "It's okay. I'm just… glad. I'm just glad you're both safe."
Naseru nodded and turned to Akane, "Which way was your cabin. I'll walk you back."
"Wait, you just said!" Kaho yelped.
The sudden increase in volume caused Fumiko to stir, rolling away from Konoishi in the bed, taking the blankets with her. Konoishi snored in response, his nose wrinkling as he did.
Naseru frowned, "I'm going to make sure Akane is safe, Aigawa, she's had a rough night."
"Thank you," Akane said, "You don't have to, though. I don't have anywhere for you to sleep."
Naseru shrugged, "You're not sharing a room. Someone needs to make sure that whoever's out there is gone."
Akane's cheeks heated, "R-right! But when he doesn't come to kill me, don't say I didn't warn you, 'kay?"
Naseru shrugged again. Akane opened the door to the cabin Kaho and Fumiko were sharing and slipped out, dragging Naseru along with her.
Kaho flopped back on the mattress with a whine. She felt as if an invisible hand had torn through her chest and wrenched her heart free of her rib cage, pulverising it in its fist until it turned to dust.
"GGHHAAAAAHHH!" Kaho screamed in her mind a fist bumping the air.
She gazed up at the ceiling as Konoishi and Fumiko slept beside her. Her insides ached, like every cell in her body recoiled at the rejection. Even as her mind raced, desperately trying to justify what had come to pass. She couldn't remember whether Naseru had read the whole letter anymore. Her mind felt like a pinball machine, and each cataclysmic panic snowballed as it ricocheted through her skull. Until the logic became so convoluted she was imagining something so implausible it was almost fiction…
Kaho didn't remember falling asleep, but when her phone alarm trilled at 6am, she found Konoishi still in the room, eating Fumiko's snacks and scrolling on his phone. Fumiko let out a groan and stretched like a cat, extending each of her fingers out as she reached forwards, then back. She rolled over and rubbed her eyes on her forearm.
"Morning, Fumiko," Konoishi said, "You successfully survived the night un-murdered. Unless this is some weird collaborative hellscapes, where all three of us died. But," he lifted his bag of sweets, "I think, if this was Hell, there wouldn't be candy."
Fumiko rolled her eyes and sat up, "This isn't my…"
She blushed furiously, turning around to see Kaho laying on her back on Fumiko's bed.
"Kaho!" Fumiko exclaimed, "I'm so sorry, I was so tired. Is Akane… okay?"
Kaho sat up and shrugged, "Matsuoka is taking care of her."
Konoishi snorted, covering his mouth, "The boys aren't gonna believe this."
Kaho tilted her head, her twin tails from the previous day falling loose from her tossing and turning.
Fumiko shook her head, "Don't ask. Better not to. Now," she turned her gaze to Konoishi, "Satoru, you kept us from being murdered in our sleep. Now shoo so I can make sure you don't get murdered on the court."
He saluted her and got to his feet, leaving without complaint.
Fumiko flopped back against Kaho's pillow. She sighed, "I'm assuming you ran into Matsuoka while making sure Kiminara didn't get herself killed?"
Kaho nodded, getting off Fumiko's bed and rummaging through her clothes, grateful to have packed a few spare items. Fumiko dragged herself out of Kaho's bed and proceeded to change. While Kaho's spare clothes were the white crop top with a green alien on it, and a pair of dark-wash denim shorts, Fumiko's were more stylish, a volleyball jersey, with Naoru's number across the chest and back, and a pair of gym leggings. She piled her hair back in a ponytail and put her trainers on.
"You're playing today?" Kaho asked, watching Fumiko apply a simple swoosh of eyeliner to each lid, and some chapstick.
"We didn't plan to be here for this long. Your brother has either come up with some crazy plans, or is going to let us go full-throttle. In this, I'm prepared for either eventuality."
Kaho nodded, "About what Konoishi said."
Fumiko shook her head, "Here, it's your turn to use the mirror."
Kaho's nervous fingers threaded through her hair, fastening it in two, slightly lopsided plaits.
"I really don't know if whatever Matsuoka is up to is necessarily your business," Fumiko said, "Obviously your Other Self thinks she needs to intervene. That was your mission, to help him?"
Kaho nodded.
"But, I know you have a boyfriend," Fumiko said, heading to the bathroom. She lathered a coat of toothpaste to her brush and began to brush her teeth. Kaho followed her and proceeded to do the same.
When they were both ready, they grabbed Taiga's laptop and left the cabin, hoping to snag a smoothie before they were corralled back into the gym.
"I do have a boyfriend," Kaho said, "But it's hard. He doesn't go to our school and I never see him, because he's so busy with work and stuff…"
"Then dump him and date Matsuoka," Fumiko shrugged.
Kaho reared back like she'd been slapped. Seemingly unbothered, Fumiko opened the French doors to the dining room. The seats had been put back where they'd been before the police commandeered the space. She made a beeline for the smoothie machine, pouring two strawberry and banana ones into mason jars. Kaho followed after her, blushing furiously.
Kaho poured herself a purple, mixed berry smoothie, and then grabbed a pastry for breakfast. Fumiko grabbed a bowl of oats and banana, pouring the contents of one mason jar into the bowl and mixing it with a large spoon. Kaho watched her while she nibbled on her flaky pastry, shedding layers of egg wash onto her lap.
Fumiko pointed her spoon at Kaho, "Look, I've been with Naoru for a long time-"
"You mean you've been with Satoru for a long time," Akane said, plonking herself down beside them, a steaming mug of green tea in her hands. Kaho narrowed her eyes at her.
"I'm not, nor have I ever, dated Satoru," Fumiko said, "He's like my brother."
Akane pursed her lips and shrugged, "Whatever you say."
"I- er- um- did you get any sleep last night?" Kaho asked.
Fumiko snorted, kicking Kaho under the table. Kaho blushed.
Akane shrugged, "Yeah, Matsuoka was good company."
Fumiko's jaw fell slack. Akane blushed furiously.
"Not like that! Stupid! He just spent the night in my room!"
Kaho pressed her lips into a fine line, scowling at her half-eaten pastry.
She felt his shadow looming over her head before he spoke. She looked up at him and wiped the stray flakes of pastry from her chin. He gestured to outside with his head, and Kaho jumped up, banging her knee on the table. She brushed more pastry off her lap and chest, and rushed to walk beside him. Naseru had procured himself a smoothie too, he had an orange and mango one, and was sipping from the mason jar in contented silence.
"I'm sorry I blew up yesterday. I should have let you explain," Naseru said quietly.
Kaho looked up at Naseru and smiled.
"I'm sorry that you had to learn about all of this," she flailed her arms, gesturing wildly as if to encompass everything all at once, "Like that. It must have been a lot…"
Naseru nodded, "Your er- Future Self?"
"Alternate Timeline Self," Kaho corrected, "That's what we tend to call them."
"Okay, your Alternate Timeline Self," he amended, "Had a lot to say about me, huh?"
Kaho nodded, her cheeks burning crimson, "Yeah, seems so. But it doesn't mean what you think it does."
They stopped by the lake, not far from where they'd been the previous night. Kaho glanced behind her, like a phantom from the previous night would come and ward her away from talking. But there was only Naseru.
She reached toward him and took his hand in hers. He stopped and looked down at her, her deep, oak brown eyes and braided hair. He let go of her hand and put his mason jar on the floor, leaned his shoulder blades back on a nearby tree trunk and smirked.
"Doesn't it?" Naseru said, his voice low and alluring.
Kaho's knees felt like jelly underneath her. She dug her thumbnails into her palms, the dull pain in her hands kept her upright as she looked at him.
"I," Kaho said, leaning toward him, like he had his own gravitational pull.
"Doesn't it?" Naseru repeated, his tone was teasing.
Kaho sighed and screwed her eyes shut, "Nothing."
"Nothing?" he said, leaning back.
"Nothing," Kaho repeated, "Nothing that I've done has been because of the letters."
"Not even challenging me to that one-on-one," Naseru said, inching closer.
"Okay," Kaho conceded, blushing, "It was a suggestion, at least. But, I mean…"
Naseru smirked, and leaned back against the tree, narrowly missing his mason jar of smoothie, "You mean all the times you've nearly kissed me."
Kaho squeaked in response, "Shh!"
"You're really something, Aigawa," he said, a fondness in his voice. He grabbed his smoothie from the floor and slurped it, draining it to the dregs, the sound of a straw against the glass, reverberating was loud, filling the silence.
All the while, Kaho felt like she was on fire. Her body felt so hot it could have been a distress beacon. She looked up at him, through her eyelashes and shook her head. There were millions of thoughts, whims and impulses reverberating around her head and she couldn't think straight.
"Matsuoka-"
"Aigawa," he said, lips curled up in a smirk.
She turned her gaze to the floor, "Is there something you could write on that piece of paper?"
"What?" Naseru said, his bemusement shrivelling up and dying like a snail covered in salt.
"That piece of paper with all the circles," Kaho elaborated, looking back up at him, "The one Taiga gave us all yesterday."
He turned his gaze to the water and frowned, "I don't know."
She reached for his hand and squeezed it, "You don't need to know what you want from this life, not at sixteen. And that's okay."
"Says the girl whose Future – I mean, Alternate Timeline Self declared I was on the wrong path."
She stuck her tongue out at him.
"Come on, we should get back to the dining room, before Fumiko murders Akane."