Book 4: Chapter 20 (1/2)

The remainder of the class was actually somewhat normal. She explained the history of women’s contributions and spoke a bit about morality and such. When we were finally done for the day, I felt a headache coming on. I dodged Tiana, not really wanting to deal with her after class was over. I ended up heading into town where I ended up at a café shop drinking coffee.

Feeling a little worried, I pulled out my cellphone and dialed my home phone number. I felt a bit of strangeness calling my Mother. The last time I had seen her, we had done some things a son and his mother shouldn’t do. Even now, thinking about it caused my heart to race and a strange feeling to spread through me.

“Hello?” She was the one who picked up the phone.

I wasn’t surprised. Maria would never pick up the phone. She had her own cellphone anyway.

“Hey, Mom. It’s Hakaru.”

“Hakaru?” Mom sounded sleepy like she couldn’t even remember my name. “Right… my baby… how are you doing?”

“Are you alright? You sound a little off.”

“Oh… don’t worry about it. I just haven’t been getting a lot of sleep lately… your father…”

“What about him?” I couldn’t keep some scorn and anger out of my voice.

“He got home yesterday. Since the accident, he’s managed to get out of work for a while. Naturally, with him home all the time, it’s been exhausting… I’ve even had to take off work myself.”

I could imagine. Father had always been a demanding guy. He probably had mom running around everywhere, opening his beers for him and fluffing his pillow.

“I’m sorry… this is my fault.” I sighed.

“No… Hakaru… never think that. You’re my precious boy. I love you so much.”

“I love you too, mom,” I said, and then after thinking about it for a moment. “Is dad… does he remember?”

“Remember? No, your father doesn’t appear to remember.” She responded after a moment. “A-ah!”

“Mom?” I stood up as I heard her sudden gasp.

“N-nothing… Hakaru… I’ll call you back. I just dropped something is all. Your mother is a klutz.”

“Okay…”

“Please… come back to me.” She said suddenly. “Pl-“

The phone suddenly cut out. Frowning, I redialed the phone. This time, I called Maria.

“Brother?” She asked when she picked up the phone.

“Are you home?”

“Mm…”

“Can you check if Mom’s okay? She made a weird noise and the phone suddenly hung up.”

“Mother’s fine!” She said abruptly.

“Maria… you couldn’t have checked. There was no time.” I said, a strange sinking feeling appearing in my gut.

“Don’t be silly, Brother, I’m looking right at mother. She’s very healthy.”

“Ah… okay.” I responded, feeling like her voice is off.

“Is there anything else?” She asked.

“I missed you…”

“Hehe… don’t be silly. Even if I’m glad to hear it.”

“If there was something happening over there, you’d tell me, right?”

“Hah? What’s this about, I think it is Brother who is acting strange.”

“Yeah… maybe. Look, I got to go.”

“Mmhmm… bye, brother!” The phone clicked.

It felt like she was rushed, wanting to get me off the phone throughout the entire conversation. A feeling of discomfort and dread spread through me. Before I realized it, I was walking back to the train station. Even if I ended missing some school, the only way I could ease my heart was to find out if there was anything wrong at home. Maybe it was just me. From playing this game, I had become extremely paranoid when it came to these kinds of things. Something about the way my mother and Maria spoke though, it seemed off. When I reached the platform, I went to buy a ticket.

“Identification please.” The ticket master asked.

I showed him my ID. He handed it back to me and shook his head.

“Sorry, kid, I can’t sell you one.”

I blinked. “I’m sorry?”

“You’re going to that nearby academy, right? The one that recently went coed?”

“Yeah, something like that.” I frowned.

“Well, the Principal said that she had some students that were flight risks. She gave us a list a few days ago. You won’t be able to get a ticket. I wouldn’t bother with a taxi service either. She said to tell whoever tried to leave that you can’t leave until the experiment is over.”

My mouth fell open and I found it difficult to speak. That Principal Vienna really did think of everything. She completely isolated us from our families. What kind of conspiracy was this? I decided not to try to argue with the man anymore. Instead, I turned and left the station. Once I got out the door, I picked up my phone and dialed another number.

“I’ve missed you.” A pouty voice came over the phone. “I wanted to smell you, and I’m not even allowed that much. Hakaru is so cruel.”

I let out a breath. Akiko was the same girl she always was. I had worried that whatever had happened affected everyone. Actually, it was probably more worrisome that it was within my home. That’s because I could guess the cause. As to what that meant, I didn’t know.

“Akiko, I need you to do something for me… wait… what did you mean by saying you wanted to smell me?” I tried to cut straight to the chase, but Akiko went and said a strange thing again so I couldn’t help but address it.

“Only call me when you want something, typical!” She sniffed. “Ah… but why are you asking? You’re the one who said I couldn’t enter your home when you were gone? I tried to come roll around in your bed and perhaps smell your underwear and then your father answered the door and said you told him that I wasn’t allowed in since you were gone!”

I could only shake my head as she so blatantly spoke of sniffing my underwear. She could be so gross sometimes. However, then she said the second part, and that sense of dread started to build inside me again.

“Father said that?” I demanded forcefully.

“Y-yeah? Why, what’s going on?”

“Akiko… do me a favor.”

“I’d do anything for you, Hakaru. You know that.”

“Just… stay away from my house. Stay away from my father. Let Sasori note that too. I’ll handle this when I get home!”

“Ah… o-okay… is this about the game?”

“I don’t know…” I admitted. “However, I’m going to find out.”