Eternal Melody



His thoughts break off hearing the sound of the door. That's strange. Did Kakeru forget his key? Yuhi walked towards the door and cautiously opened it.

The person standing before him was none other than Hamano Atushi himself. Yuhi blinked, seeing his companion.

"Weren't you-" Yuhi said, puzzled.

"I had to go to Germany for a bit. There was a lead on that case me and Asuka-chan were working on." Atushi finished for him. 

"I see, but how did you know I was here?" Yuhi asked.

"Kira, put a tracking software on your phone."

At those words, Yuhi sighed deeply. Of course, he did. It's not like his team members didn't trust him. They are just worried about him getting into danger and having to explain that to Sumire. 

Yuhi opens the door and leads Atushi inside. "This isn't my place, but the owner is out, so make yourself comfortable."

Atushi looked around. "You sure make some interesting friends."

Yuhi sighed. "Why are you even here?"

"I thought I'd check on you before returning to Japan."

Recalling what Suzume had said earlier, he sighed again. Why does everybody around him think they need to check on him? He is fine, completely fine. 

He misses Sumire like crazy and feels like he will go insane. But, other than that, he is fine.

Atushi sighed. "Before you reply, I know you're not fine. Makeup can only hide so much. You look frailer than before and have eyebags." He trailed off. "Who do you think asked me to come here? I know you don't like people fussing over you."

Right, Atushi knows very well that he doesn't like being disturbed. If he did this regardless, then that means.

"Sumire?" Yuhi guessed.

Atushi nodded. "She called me right as I was about to head back to Japan and told me that she paid for a flight for me to come to you instead."

Yuhi blinked. Asking Atushi to check on him aside, she even went ahead and booked the flight. 

"Did she sort out your living arrangements too?" Yuhi wondered.

"She paid for a nice hotel near where you and the other guys are staying." Atushi shakes her head. "Seeing how insistent she was. I figured I'd go ahead. I'm also worried about you. But I would never have gone to you like this. Guess that's the difference between a friend and your beloved."

"Sumire and me met recently in the dream space. But she didn't mention this."

"Of course, she wouldn't. She would have just silently watched you. "Atushi sighed. "It's barely been a month, Yuhi. How will you survive for six months?"

Yuhi looked down. He felt sick just hearing it, six months. Six entire months without Sumire? He can't do it. He refuses.

"If you want to speed it up, you can. I know you can do something. So, what exactly is going on?" Atushi questioned.

Yuhi bit his lip but eventually caved in and told Atushi what he was doing. Atushi, who is normally very calm, looked furious.

"Yuhi, this is uncalled for. How can you test Sumire like that? I know she has her flaws but hasn't she been good to you? Hasn't she shown you that she loves you?"

"Of course she has." Yuhi snapped back. "She has been nothing but good to me. I know she loves me very much. I'm not stupid."

"Then what on earth are you doing testing her? I thought it was weird that there were so many rumors about her with Narasaki, no with Nagawa and Mashima. The latter aside. The Nagawa one, I thought you would have stepped up and done something already."

"It's not like I didn't want to. Hino called me multiple times asking me for my direction on this."

"But the fact that it has continued and Narasaki hasn't intervened means you're allowing it to go on?" Atushi was beyond furious. His friend looked like he wanted to skin him alive. "Yuhi, you have no idea what Nagawa is actually doing, right?"

"I know he is drinking her blood."

Atushi shakes his head. "That is putting it too nicely. Nagawa isn't hesitating to invite Sumire to hotels to do this. They even spend the night together."

Yuhi froze upon hearing Atushi's explanation, and his friend looked pleased that he got a reaction. Atushi continued.

"As for if something happened between them, nobody but the two of them actually knows. But think about it, Sumire will have no strength to fight back after Nagawa drinks from her, and during the drinking process, you know how intimate it can get. No doubt he has been taking advantage of it." The growing disgust on Atushi's face was evident.

"But, she-" Yuhi recalled when he saw Sumire in the dream. She didn't smell like Nagawa. However, the dream space is a place where lovers who can't meet each other. A place where they see their loved ones at their best.

It's normal that he didn't smell Nagawa on Sumire or see any evidence for it.

"Sumire wouldn't let him do that." Yuhi said confidently.

Sumire will not allow it to get that far, even if she pities him. 

Atushi sighed. "I don't think you understand what Sumire feels about Nagawa."

"I know she regrets it and wants proper closure."

"And how do people normally get closure?"

His entire face color had turned pale, but he kept shaking his head. Now he was the angry one. "Atushi, you better not be implying that Sumire is actually cheating on me like those rumors say."

"I just told you that she loves you. Of course, I am not implying that."

"Then what are you saying?" Yuhi questioned.

"I am saying, doofus, that some creep is trying to take advantage of your girlfriend, and if you're not careful. It will lead to some more emotional scars and damage for her. The rumors about Narasaki and Mashima are completely harmless, but the ones about her and Nagawa are deadly. Ask Narasaki to put a stop to it. Otherwise, I'll do something about it myself, and trust me. You will not like my methods."

Seeing the serious look on Atushi's eyes, Yuhi could only nod. There isn't much he can do in this situation, after all.