Investigator Rui

"Jeez, is your hearing getting worse, Rui?"

Rui stood there, his hand still shaking from Mr. Saito's grip. He looked at the teacher with confusion, fear still lingering in his voice. "Huh?"

"I said, thank you for helping me with the moving, Rui," Mr. Saito said, his eyes filled with warmth. "By the way, did you mention something about a masked man?"

Rui's heart raced as he stared at Mr. Saito, fear creeping into his voice. "No, don't worry about it, Mr. Saito."

"Are you sure?" Mr. Saito's concern was evident. "You can talk to me about anything, Rui."

Rui's fear turned into panic, and he shouted, "I said don't worry about it!" He yanked his hand from Mr. Saito's grasp and ran down the hallway, leaving the confused teacher calling out his name.

As Rui sprinted out of the school, he thought about how he had narrowly escaped the hell he had just experienced. He needed to meet with Investigator Kotogawa as soon as possible. While running, he dialed Kotogawa's number, urgently telling him to meet him at the hospital and then quickly hanging up.

Rui's heart pounded as he ran to the hospital. When he finally arrived and checked in to visit Maya, he was confronted by the doctor who had warned him before. The doctor, an old, short man with little hair due to his age, carried his hands behind his back as he approached Rui.

"I believe we should talk for a bit," the doctor said, his eyes piercing into Rui's soul.

Dr. Takazawa sat down with Rui in the hospital cafeteria and introduced himself. Rui didn't waste any time. "Earlier, you told me to stay away from Maya and not to get involved. What do you know?"

Dr. Takazawa looked at Rui, his expression serious. "You're wasting your time with her, Rui. She's going to die soon, and you can't change her fate. Even I know that. They will come for her, and there's nothing that can be done."

Rui stared at him intently. "Do you know about the oni mask man?"

The doctor began to recount a story. "A year ago, a teenager was committed to jumping off a bridge to end their life. A girl, who happened to be heading home late after school, saw the kid about to end it all. That girl threw herself in the way to save the teenager, and after talking to him, he decided to give life another chance. But just as it was nearing a happy ending, a man in an oni mask appeared and forced the girl off the bridge. The teenager chased after his savior, disregarding the man in the mask. He went down the bridge with her, grabbing her in mid-air as they plummeted to the ground."

Rui cut the doctor off. "I know that story of me and Maya already. What are you trying to say?"

Dr. Takazawa chuckled. "You're being impatient, and it reflects on your generation." He turned serious again. "Don't bother with that man. I'm the only one who will tell you the truth about him. The oni mask man is calculated; once he sets his sights, he moves everything on both sides of the chessboard."

"What do you know about my story that I don't know?" Rui asked.

The doctor continued. "The story didn't just end with the two of you falling off the bridge. After you both fell into the ongoing traffic, the police came to the scene to find something impossible. The teenage boy, you, was holding the girl, Maya, in his hands in the street unharmed. She was unconscious but not dead. And you, no injuries at all. You would pass out that night and go into a short coma, but when you woke up, you didn't remember anything after falling. Maya would wake up a year later. During that time, someone would drop off a gift with a letter claiming her death, marked with the symbol of the Legion."

"Legion?" Rui thought. "So that's what the oni mask man's organization is called."

Dr. Takazawa went on to explain his history as a former police officer and how the Legion, run by the oni mask man, controlled the city from the police department to the government. "That's why when they heard who was involved, they dropped the case. Even with an army of 12, it would be impossible to stop them."

Rui stood up and faced the doctor. He told Dr. Takazawa that he had been through enough to motivate him to stop the Legion. "If I can't stop them with 12, then I have to equal an army of 13," he declared. He thanked the doctor for his warning and walked away.

Dr. Takazawa laughed to himself as he watched Rui leave. "He's definitely your grandson, old friend."

Upon entering Maya's room, Rui found it empty. He noticed a nurse tidying up the bed and asked her where Maya was. The nurse informed Rui that Maya was in the physical therapy (PT) room. Having spent a considerable amount of time at the hospital during his own recovery, Rui knew the place like the back of his hand.

When Rui reached the PT room, he saw Maya working with a trainer on regaining her ability to walk. Her determination was evident in her focused expression, and Rui couldn't help but feel a surge of admiration for her resilience. Once she finished her session, Rui approached her to talk.

"Hey, Maya, how's your therapy going?" Rui asked.

Maya looked up at him, surprised but pleased to see him. "Oh, Rui! It's tough, but I'm making progress," she replied with determination in her eyes.

Rui nodded, admiring her resilience. "I'm really proud of you, Maya. You're working so hard."

She smiled warmly. "Thank you, Rui. It means a lot to have your support."

As they sat down, Rui decided to ask her about her past. "So, Maya, I heard you used to be a dancer before the accident. What was that like?"

Maya's face lit up as she reminisced about her dancing days. "It was amazing, Rui. I loved the feeling of freedom it gave me, like I could express myself without any barriers. My mom initially pushed me into elegant dance, but I eventually fell in love with it."

Rui listened intently, picturing a graceful Maya dancing across a stage. The image of her spinning and leaping with a captivating elegance filled his mind. Her movements were fluid, and she seemed to float through the air like a gentle breeze, the embodiment of grace.

"It must have been beautiful to watch," he said.

Maya sighed, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I miss it so much, Rui. I'm scared I may never dance again."

Rui reached out to console her, giving her a comforting pat on the shoulder. "Hey, don't lose hope. You're strong, and you've already come so far. I believe in you."

As Maya wiped her tears, Rui decided to ask her about the Legion and the symbol. "Maya, do you know anything about the Legion or the symbol they use?"

She shook her head. "No, I really don't. The doll was just a gift, I swear."

Rui nodded, accepting her answer. He then hesitated before asking, "Trust me, I believe you. What about Mr. Saito, our teacher? Do you know anything about him?"

Maya thought for a moment. "Not much, but I do know he was close to two students: Tobi and Yuki, the class president. Maybe they know something?"

Rui made a mental note of this information, seeing it as a potential lead. As he got up to leave, he asked Maya one last question. "What do you feel about me, Maya?"

She pondered for a while before responding with a playful grin, "I'll tell you once we finally graduate," and poked Rui's cheek, causing him to blush.

Rui smiled and said his goodbyes before leaving the room. It was time to meet with Investigator Kotogawa and discuss their next steps.

Investigator Kotogawa came running up to Rui, looking frantic. "Rui, what's wrong? You sounded urgent on the phone!"

Rui was about to explain, but he couldn't help but notice the investigator's ridiculous outfit. Kotogawa was wearing street clothes, complete with a gold chain, sunglasses, and a baseball cap pulled low over his eyes. The ensemble looked so out of place that Rui couldn't help but ask, "What's with the outfit, Investigator?"

Kotogawa paused for a second, a bit flustered, and explained, "I was on a secret mission to expose some Yakuza."

Rui raised an eyebrow, finding it hard to believe. "You're never going to expose any Yakuza looking like that."

Kotogawa waved away Rui's comment. "Never mind the outfit, what's the matter?" he asked, trying to maintain a serious demeanor despite his comical appearance.

Rui decided to fill him in on what he had discovered, leaving out the part about his death and return. "I spoke with Dr. Takazawa and Maya. I suspect our teacher, Mr. Saito, might be involved in something sinister. The doctor also mentioned an organization called the Legion, which seems to have some control over the city."

Kotogawa listened intently, processing the information. "Interesting... And did you learn anything else?"

Rui continued, "Maya told me that Mr. Saito was close to two students: Tobi, who passed away and Yuki, the class president. I think we should try to find out more about their relationship with the teacher."

Investigator Kotogawa nodded in agreement. "Good idea. Try to gather more information about Mr. Saito through Yuki, but be careful not to get caught. The police are already starting to catch on to me."

Rui agreed and prepared to leave. As he walked away, he couldn't help but glance back at Kotogawa's ridiculous outfit, trying not to laugh. "Thank you for your help, Investigator Kotogawa," he said sincerely.

Kotogawa nodded, eyes closed, and smirked. " You're so welcome young Rui, it's my duty to—" But before he could finish his self-congratulatory speech, Rui had already walked out, leaving the investigator talking to himself.

Rui lay on the couch at home, watching TV and enjoying the rare moment of relaxation. The doorbell rang, and his sister yelled at him to go answer it. Reluctantly, Rui got up and opened the door, surprised to see his classmates Tanada and Shimizuki standing there.

"What are you guys doing here this late?" Rui asked, confused.

Tanada and Shimizuki exchanged worried glances before explaining, "We think Yuki might be in trouble. She's been acting really strange lately, especially since that incident at her party."

Rui remembered the night all too well. "What do you mean?" he asked, concerned.

Shimizuki elaborated, "She's been distant and secretive, and we think it all started after that night. You were the one who told us to leave the party, so we thought maybe you knew something."

Rui shook his head. "I don't know anything, but I'll keep an eye on her. Don't worry."

His classmates seemed relieved and thanked Rui before leaving. As he closed the door, his expression turned to shock, and he slid down to the floor, his back against the door. He realized he had overlooked something crucial – how did the Oni-masked man know about the party, and why was he there?

Rui whispered to himself, his voice filled with shock and fear, "There's no way... Did Yuki...?" He desperately tried to convince himself that it wasn't possible for Yuki to have told the Oni-masked man about the party, but the unsettling thought continued to gnaw at him.

In the morning, Rui found himself at school, keeping a close eye on Yuki throughout the day. As they walked to their first class together, Rui observed her interactions with their classmates. Yuki was smiling and chatting with everyone, seemingly normal. The more he watched her, the more Rui questioned his suspicions.

Rui: "Hey, Yuki, how's your day going so far?"

Yuki: "Oh, it's been good! I'm just looking forward to finishing all my assignments today. How about you, Rui?"

Rui tried to act casual, hiding his suspicions as he responded, "Not too bad, just trying to get through the day. You seem to be in a great mood today."

Yuki chuckled and replied, "Yeah, I guess I am. It's just another day at school, but I'm feeling pretty happy."

Rui's internal conflict grew as he struggled to reconcile Yuki's cheerful demeanor with his suspicions.

During lunch, Rui sat with Yuki and her friends, observing her as she ate and laughed with the others. Rui couldn't help but wonder if his suspicions were unfounded, but he knew he needed to keep watching. He became more agitated, frustrated with his lack of progress.

Yuki: "Rui, have you tried this new dish at the cafeteria? It's really good!"

Rui: "Not yet, but it looks delicious. Thanks for the recommendation."

As the conversation continued, Rui's frustration grew. He excused himself, saying he needed to use the restroom.

Once inside the restroom, Rui leaned against the wall, his hands clenched into fists. He was angry with himself for suspecting Yuki without any evidence.

Rui (muttering to himself): "What am I doing? I can't find anything wrong with her. Why am I doubting Yuki?"

Feeling defeated, Rui splashed water on his face and took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He decided to continue observing Yuki for the rest of the day, hoping he'd find something to either confirm or dispel his suspicions.

In their afternoon class, Rui continued to monitor Yuki as she diligently took notes and participated in class discussions. Yuki seemed focused on her studies and engaged with their teacher.

Yuki: "Rui, did you understand the last concept our teacher explained? I'm having a little trouble with it."

Rui: "Yeah, I think I got it. Let me try to explain it to you."

As Rui helped Yuki with the concept, he found himself relaxing his guard and questioning his suspicions about her. He silently chided himself for his previous frustration, wondering if he was overreacting.

Finally, Rui and Yuki found themselves alone in an empty classroom, doing chores together after school. They started by wiping down the desks and chalkboard. As they worked, they chatted about their hobbies and interests.

Yuki: "So, Rui, do you have any plans for the weekend?"

Rui: "Not really, I might just catch up on some sleep and maybe watch a movie. How about you?"

Yuki: "Oh, I've been meaning to visit a new art exhibit at the local museum. It's supposed to be really interesting."

Rui: "That sounds fun. Maybe I should check it out too."

They continued their conversation as they moved on to organizing the classroom's bookshelves.

Yuki: "Rui, have you read this book? It's one of my favorites."

Rui: "No, I haven't. What's it about?"

Yuki excitedly explained the book's plot and why she loved it so much. Rui listened intently, finding himself enjoying their conversation and feeling more at ease around Yuki.

As they finished their chores, Rui hesitated before asking a more serious question.

Rui: "Yuki, I've noticed that you're really close to Mr. Saito. How did that happen?"

Yuki hesitated for a moment before...

Yuki hesitated for a moment before answering with a smile. "Well, Mr. Saito has always been there for me. He's been a mentor and a friend since I first entered this school. He's always encouraged me to pursue my dreams and has been there to support me during tough times."

Rui nodded, understanding the bond that Yuki shared with Mr. Saito. He felt guilty for suspecting her and started to let go of his suspicions. As they packed up their supplies, Yuki seemed to become more serious.

Yuki: "Rui, can I ask you something?"

Rui: "Sure, what's up?"

Yuki: "Do you... love me?"

Rui was caught off guard by the question and stammered, trying to find the right words. "Uh, well, I... I mean, we're friends, right? I care about you, Yuki."

Yuki looked down and then back up at Rui, her eyes filled with determination. "I've always loved you, Rui. I've wanted to be with you for so long."

Rui felt confused and overwhelmed by Yuki's confession. He tried to respond, but the words caught in his throat. "I... I don't know what to say, Yuki. I..."

Suddenly, Rui felt his body grow heavy, and his vision blurred. He could feel himself losing consciousness. Yuki looked panicked, as if she had made a mistake.

Yuki: "Oh no... I didn't mean for this to happen. I put sleeping drugs in the cleaning supplies by accident."

As Rui's vision faded, he saw Mr. Saito enter the classroom, smiling at Yuki.

Mr. Saito: "Well done, Yuki. You'll get your wish now."

Rui's world went black as Yuki and Mr. Saito carried his unconscious body away. Unbeknownst to them, Kaori was hiding behind a door, her hand over her mouth, witnessing everything in fear. She knew she needed to save Rui.