Chapter VI
All of that are on Spiral...
"Wow!" Waya exclaimed in amazement. "I almost can't believe this is a go institute." He stared at his surroundings in awe. Somehow, the quiet go institute building had transformed itself into a great convention building.
"They really have decorated this place," Ochi commented.
The press conference, as Ogata plainly put it, had turned into a big occasion. The conference was held at Saturday to maximize the number of the guests. Since the main purpose of the conference was to promote go, many students and college students were invited. And as a go player, he, Isumi and Ochi could freely enter the building.
"There're really a lot of guests here," Isumi said.
"Yeah," he agreed. "Hey! Isn't that man the anchor man on NHK?" he pointed out.
Isumi regarded the man. "Yes, it's him."
"I read on Go Daily that he likes to play go," Ochi said.
"Invite the celebrity for the promotion. This is a common tactic to catch the attention." Someone interrupted.
"Suzuki-san!" he exclaimed.
"Waya-kun," Suzuki greeted him. "Ochi-kun and Isumu-san. You're all here."
"Yes, we're all here except for Shindou who's late again, as always," he muttered while Ochi nodded in agreement.
"Hey! I heard that!" a familiar voice interrupted them. It was Shindou. "I'm not always late you know. In fact, I came right on time today."
"Oh really, and where were you?" he asked sarcastically.
Shindou grinned sheepishly. "I went to the buffet to see the food first. It's amazing! They serve everything!"
Waya shook his head. His friend was practically salivating over the food. Shindou, go, food and manga. What a perfect combination.
"Huh? Suzuki-san, you're here too," Shindou noticed the man at last.
"Yes. I might say that you seem to be in a very good mood today, Shindou-kun." Suzuki said.
"Shindou is in a good mood because he can eat all of the food," Waya teased the bleached bangs boy, to which all of them laughed, except for the said boy himself.
"Hey! I'm not that greedy!" Shindou complained with an offended expression on his face. But sometime later. "Anyway, I am thirsty. I want to get a drink."
"Me too," Waya said. "Okay, then I and Shindou will get a drink, you guys wait here."
"What? Why me?" Shindou protested.
"Cause you came late," he replied.
"That's not fair!"
"Just shut up." He turned to Isumi, Ochi and Suzuki. "So, what do you want to drink?"
"Coffee," Suzuki said.
"Ice tea," this came from Isumi.
"Ochi?" Shindou prompted.
But the bespectacled boy merely shook his head.
"Okay, then orange juice for me," Shindou exclaimed.
They went to get a drink and came back few minutes later. Waya held his drink and Isumi's meanwhile Shindou held his drink and Suzuki's.
"Here, Suzuki-san," Shindou said, giving the coffee cup to the older man. "And don't worry; I didn't poison your drink. Or, do you want me to try it first?" he asked, smiling mischievously.
Suzuki smiled back, analyzing the whole situation. Being one of the Blade Children, he was positive that Shindou wasn't so stupid as to try to kill him in front of all people. Beside that, he had an ace card. Waya, Isumi, Ochi, Touya Akira and those who Shindou befriended at go institute were Shindou's Achilles heel. Shindou was quite at his mercy. And after the party, Shindou would join his side. So, why didn't he enjoy the party for now? Without any slightest hesitation, he drank his coffee. It was okay.
"See?" Shindou said.
"I suppose I have to trust you, Shindou-kun," he said, utterly unsuspecting the foul plot that was being nursed in the bleached boy's mind.
'The conference is about to begun. Ladies and gentleman, please have a seat,'
"Hurry! We have to go to our seats now." Waya said.
"Geez! Why so much in a hurry?" Shindou grumbled but he turned to follow Waya and accidentally bumped into Suzuki. His orange juice spilled onto Suzuki's suit. "Oh! Shit! I'm so sorry!" he quickly pulled out his handkerchief and tried to clean the mess.
"What it is now?" Ochi asked, frowning.
"Err, nothing. You guys go first," he said, then turned to face Suzuki. "Suzuki-san, take off your suit. I will try to clean it at the restroom. You can go with them."
So, they settled into that. Waya, Isumi, Ochi and Suzuki sat first while Shindou went to the restroom. Shindou came back a few moments later, having difficulty finding their seats. "Suzuki-san, it's your suit. I'm sorry for earlier."
"It's okay," Suzuki replied, taking the suit from Shindou's hand. He put his coffee in the armchair as he put on the suit.
"Well, I gotta go back to my seat now," Shindou said. As he turned to leave he dropped something into the coffee cup. Suzuki didn't notice it because the man was busy putting his suit back on.
So, he sat in his seat, calmly waiting for what he knew would happen when Suzuki drank the coffee.
"It's him!" Waya, who sat beside him, exclaimed.
"Who?" he asked. But he got his answer as he saw whom the speaker was. It was Touya.
Waya inwardly groaned. Knowing the meijin heir, he was sure that Touya's speech would be as dull as those old geezers's one. On the contrary, Touya talked beautifully. He almost couldn't believe his own ears. He turned and saw that Shindou also had the disbelief look written all over his face.
"Touya could act as a public relation for the go institute," Shindou commented in wonder.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX"And we hope that…" Akira was in the middle of his speech when he heard a piercing shriek of a woman. He saw the woman, who screamed earlier, and also Waya who had leapt from their seats. The man, who sat between them, fell to the floor, clutching his heart.
Everyone went into chaos. Waya was in deep shock while Isumi and Ochi's faces were pale. And Shindou. Where was his rival anyway? There. He had spotted him. Because he was standing on the stage, he could see everything clearly. He was startled to see Shindou's expression. He expected Shindou to freak, but nothing happened. Shindou's face was calm and he was smiling. It wasn't Shindou's usual smile either. The smile was cold, enough to make his blood run cold. Then Shindou lifted his drink in a salute, and the next second he dropped the cup and rushed to Isumi's, Waya's, and Ochi's side, panicked like them.
Akira was bewildered. What was going on in here?
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"Waya! Is…is Suzuki-san?"
"I don't know!" Waya overcame his initial fright with great effort and tried tugging at Suzuki's sleeves. Just as he was about to, someone interrupted him. "Don't touch him!"
It was Touya Akira. "We aren't suppose to touch him until the police come, right?" Touya's face was pale even though he looked calm.
"You talk as if he's dead!" Waya snapped.
"But Waya, he doesn't move anymore," Shindou said shakily. His face was as white as paper. A great contrast with his cold expression before, Touya noticed.
"Huh? Suzuki-san's lips are pink," Shindou continued. "Did he wear lipstick?"
Trust Shindou to say something like that. He could see that Ochi glared at Shindou.
"How could you say that now?" Ochi snapped. The bespectacled boy rarely lost his temper.
"But it's true!" Shindou retorted.
So, it's true. Akira concluded. What he saw earlier probably was just his imagination. Well, when in panic, people were often imagining things.
"What the!" Ogata approached them. Kuwabara and Kurata were behind him.
"What's happening?" Kurata asked. For once, he was serious outside the go game.
"Ogata-san! Suzuki-san is…" Ochi couldn't finish his sentence.
Kurata was about to check Suzuki's body when a female voice stopped him. They turned and saw a beautiful dark haired woman and a bunch of men behind her. Except for the woman and the man beside her, they all wore a police uniforms. Someone had called the police.
"I'm Narumi Madoka," the woman introduced herself. "And he is Wataya."
"We're police." Wataya said.
"We came because we got a report that there's been a murder in Japan's Go Institute."
One of the police officers handed a piece of paper to Madoka. "The victim is 23 year old Suzuki Yuuto, a pro go player." She eyed the coffee cup on the floor. "The cause of death is a poison that probably came from his drink."
"WHAT!"
"He was poisoned?" Waya exclaimed.
"How can that be!" Ogata was in a deep shock. This event should be an event to promote Go. Why it turned out to be something like this?
"Someone killed him!"
"Calm down!" Madoka instructed. "Right now I have to ask, did he buy the drink by himself?"
"No."
And everyone turned to Shindou Hikaru. "I bought the drink. But Suzuki-san drank it and he was okay."
"Yes," Waya supported his friend. "We also saw it. Suzuki-san drank it and he was perfectly fine."
"What time was it?" Madoka questioned.
"Right before the conference began, so it was about 8 p.m." Isumi said.
"And he was fine?" she kept asking.
"Yes." Isumi nodded in confirmation.
Madoka inspected the paper. "The time of death is 8.30 p.m. There's 30 minutes interval. What did he do during those 30 minutes?"
"Nothing," Ochi said.
Madoka raised her eyebrow. "Nothing?"
"The press conference began at 8 p.m. From 8 pm till 8.30 p.m., we all sat at our seats, listening to the speech." Isumi explained.
Wataya, who had been listening quietly, started asking. "Then who sat beside him?"
"It's me," Waya admitted. "He sat between me and one woman."
"Do you know her?"
Waya shook his head.
"Can you recognize her if you see her again?"
"I guess so."
So, the woman was found. But from her, they didn't get any useful information. She only came because her boss in her office played Go and therefore ordered all of the employees in his office to come to the conference. They cross check her explanation by questioning her boss and her companion. And it was true. Besides, she had no motive to kill Suzuki. She didn't know anything about Go. She didn't know who the man who sat beside her was. She only came because of her boss's order.
And to be said, no one in Go institute had motive to kill Suzuki. The man was a newbie. He played go at medium level and he was quite friendly too. People had a good impression about him. Then Wataya went to seek for more information.
"Inspector Narumi!"
Madoka turned. "Yes?"
"We have found out the cause of the death," the forensic officer said. "It's KCN."
"Huh?"
"What was that?" Shindou asked.
"KCN is a chemical formula for potassium cyanide." Touya explained. "We learned this at school Shindou."
"Sorry," Shindou mumbled sheepishly. "I guess I don't hear that part because I often sleep in the class."
"Yes, it's potassium cyanide." Madoka confirmed. "And you can see it from his lips and his nails. They're pink. In most cases, cyanide poisoning causes a deceptively healthy pink to red skin color. Bitter almonds odor may be noted on the breath. That happens with Suzuki."
"And it came from his drink?" For the first time, Ogata spoke.
"Yes," the forensic officer said. "KCN is very soluble in water. KCN is also highly toxic. Corrosive to the gastro-intestinal tract, with burning in the mouth and esophagus, and abdominal pain. Larger doses may produce sudden loss of consciousness and prompt death from respiratory arrest. Smaller but still lethal doses may prolong the illness for one or more hours. In this case, the victim had swallowed large doses of potassium cyanide. "
"He suddenly fell to the floor." Waya interjected.
"That confirms the theory. If the patient is still conscious, immediately give the patient activated charcoal slurry as the first aid." The forensic officer said.
"Then who put the potassium cyanide in his drink?" Madoka questioned.
"We also found this in his pocket."
Madoka looked at the paper given by the forensic officer. "A letter?" She opened the letter and read it. "It's a suicide."
"WHAT?"
"In this letter Suzuki admitted that he was going to kill himself."
"Madoka-san!" Wataya ran into the room. "We found this in Suzuki's locker." He held up a transparent plastic bag. Inside it there was a small bottle.
"Is it possible for Suzuki to poison himself during those 30 minutes?"
After the bottle was examined, it was found out that the bottle was once the container for KCN. And after the police matched the handwriting in the letter with Suzuki's handwriting on his personal book; it matched. Police also found out that he worked in a small pharmacy, from which he could get potassium cyanide easily without anyone suspecting him.
Nevertheless, the police still interrogate everyone. However, as the investigation proceeded, every person who had been connected with the murdered Suzuki had been investigated and cleared of suspicion. The investigation only lead to but one conclusion; Suzuki Yuuto had committed suicide.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIt was almost midnight when the police allowed everyone to go home. Shocked by the murder, everyone went home in silence, which was a good thing because Hikaru wanted to be alone now. It was his first time killing someone. Though he knew that he would kill someday, for him to actually do it was an entirely different thing.
But he didn't regret killing Suzuki. What he regretted was that he had to do it at the go institute. But he had no choice; for a full week he considered various schemes, but one by one he discarded them all as faulty. That party/conference was the only chance for him to finish that guy. Suzuki wouldn't suspect him at the time and police wouldn't suspect him either.
Since the day Suzuki revealed his true identity, he had already thought of the ideas and finally he chose this one. So, in a subtle and casual manner, he set to the task of getting as much information as possible from his friends about Suzuki and Suzuki's habits. That was easy, since they went to hang around few times together with Waya and Isumi.
He had planned it. His coming late, bumping into Suzuki and spilling his juice into Suzuki's suit were also a part of his plan. He'd already prepared the bottle in his house and put it inside Suzuki's locker when he said he wanted to go to the rest room, and at the same time he put the fake letter in the suit. Everyone was in the main hall. Nobody would notice him. Everything went smoothly based on his plan. He had planned it carefully, knowing that one slip would be fatal. After all, he had to divert even the faintest suspicion from himself.
He remembered the expression on Suzuki's face when the man realized his true intention. The expression of a man who knew the angel of death was already waiting for him.
'Why? Why do you fight against your fate? Why don't you embrace it?'
'Because I got the urge to choose my own destiny. That's all.' He lifted his orange juice cup in a salute. 'Sayonara Imazato-san.'
His only regret was that he had stained the go institute with blood. This was the place he loved the most. And he had spent years with Sai in this place. Sai, his closest friend, who he also considered his family. In his months absent from go institute he had tried every possible way to return Sai. When science failed him he ran to the mystic. He had read every book about ghosts, supernatural beings, alchemists and such.
He despised such things since he was a chemist, a person of logic. But it was his last hope. And his hope was crushed. But if Sai were here now, what would Sai say if he knew what he had done? He smiled sadly. He couldn't change the past. But he would protect the future. He had lost his parents and Sai. But he would protect his aunt and his precious friends now.
He was so engrossed in his thoughts that he bumped into someone. He was ready to apologize when he saw the person he had bumped into. A cute little girl, who looked about thirteen or so, with grey hair. But what caught his attention were the girl's eyes. There were two physical characteristics that could tell you if someone were a cursed child. One was the missing right rib bone. The other was cat-like eyes. He had normal eyes because he put aside the fact that he was a Blade Children as if it were nothing. This was why that feature wasn't visible.
It was a twist of fate that he met another Blade Children here. Because nobody beside Eyes, Kanone and Sayoko knew who he really was. Sayoko had amnesia now, while Eyes wouldn't break his trust. As well for Kanone, now that Kanone had become his enemy, Kanone wouldn't dare to challenge him without analyzing the whole situation first.
"Ah, I'm sorry," the girl began but he cut her off.
"Takeuchi Io, pleased to meet you tonight." He knew the girl, of course, since he possessed the complete data about the other Blade Children.
Io looked at the boy in front of him. A good-looking boy, dressed neatly in a navy blue suit. The only weird thing about the boy was his double colored hair.
"I beg your pardon?" she smiled innocently. "But I think you mistook me for someone else. I never met with you before."
"Yes," the boy agreed. "This is the first time we've met. I'm Shindou Hikaru but you can call me Hikaru." The smile the boy wore on his face unnerved her and she had learned to trust her instincts.
"Well, nice to meet you Shindou-san but I have to go now." Io turned to leave but she stopped abruptly as she heard Shindou's words.
"Os Costae VII Dextra."
She turned around. Os Costae VII Dextra? This boy…
"I am one of the Blade Children," Shindou said.
She inspected the boy in front of her carefully. She looked at his eyes. Now they were shining like cat's eyes.
"We can't talk here, can we? Do you find the idea of coming to my place interesting enough?"
Three hours later, Io had heard Hikaru's story. At the first she was quite surprised that there was another Blade Children beside her, Eyes, Kosuke, Ryoko, and Kanone. She was also surprised that Eyes had known about it but never told them even a word. She also heard about the incident at the go institute.
"And you killed him?" she asked.
"Yes. He even gave me enough time to plan his death; and to make it easier he also worked at a pharmacy." It was a coincidence he had intended to use to his full advantage.
"So the police would assume that he got the potassium cyanide from the pharmacy." She concluded.
"Exactly."
"Those hunters have grown impatient lately." She commented.
"It can't be helped. We are seventeen years old now. Only three years left." Hikaru replied. Everything went smoothly. He had told Io everything he considered it was okay for him to tell, so it meant he still kept most of the story for himself.
Io looked at him full in the eyes. "And what are you going to do now?"
"Oh, that." He smiled, "How about visiting our beloved Narumi Ayumu?"
"I see," she paused briefly and eyed her companion intently. "You want to start the game?"
"That's my personal business," he replied coldly. "You have grown fond of Narumi Ayumu and that might affect your judgment." Hikaru stated, his eyes gleaming through narrow slits.
Io's eyes flashed. "I believe that he can save us!"
"Ah, yes. Those magic words." He nodded. "'The happiness for the believer.' Then I wish for your happiness too, Takeuchi Io."
"Happiness?" she replied bitterly. "Is there still a chance for us?"
"You have to answer the question by yourself," Hikaru said.
This boy was dangerous. Io realized it instantly. She could read Kosuke's mind and she knew the motive behind Eyes's act. But she knew nothing of Shindou Hikaru. She had to meet Eyes after this. She sat thoughtfully on the couch, gaze falling to something. It was something that looked like a canary cage but it was covered by thick, black garment.
"What is that?"
"You can see it if you want but be careful; they get angry fast, especially because they are trapped in such a small prison."
'They?' she wanted to question him but then she could hear their sound. The sound of a bee. And by the furious sound of them, she could tell those creatures highly desired to sting whomever was unlucky enough. There was no mistake as to why HIkaru had these bees.
"That is a present for Narumi Ayumu," Hikaru chirped happily. "Isn't he going to love it?"
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Eyes Rutherford looked at his watch. It was almost 11 a.m. now. He was almost late for his piano practicing for the recital. He was late because Io suddenly called him and they had gone to talk. Those hunters had found out about HIkaru now, which meant Hikaru would help him for sure. He only needed to wait for Hikaru's call now. He didn't need to wait for long since his cell phone rang.
"Hello Eyes." Hikaru's cheerful voice. "I bet Io has told you about yesterday 's event.'
"Yes."
"Anyway, just called to tell you that I agree to help in certain matters." HIkaru paused. "And I have decided to visit 'your beloved Narumi Ayumu."
Even though Eyes face was still expressionless as usual, he inwardly twitched at Hikaru's words.
"I have to see him with my own eyes. You probably have your own reasons for not believing him but I also have my own reasons. So, do not interfere, okay?" then Hikaru spoke up in a new tone of a voice. "This is my test and I am the ultimate judge."
Author's Note:
Hi! It's me again. I don't continue this fic because I'm busy with my other fic 'Summer Scent' (I'm looking for beta reader for that fic too) but now I finally write this chap. And thanks for all of the reviews and also thanks to my beta reader 'Dark Fairy of Doom who have helped to edit this chap.' without her I don't know what would happen with the grammar.
Os Costae VII Dextra? Costae means rib while dextra mean right so I suppose you know what the meaning is. Anyway to LittleNK, do you have any upgrade of Spiral? Has the manga ended or no? I have rewatch Spiral anime again just to make sure about the story line.