Kurosagi Fic "49 Hours" Part 2
Part 2
10th Hour
Tsurara smoothed her dress once more even if the wrinkles on her summer dress were the least of the worry; it was something to do to pass the time. She wondered again how she caved so easily to Yukari’s request for a girl’s vacation. Ever since they parted ways since their university graduation, Tsurara didn’t see each other as much. A lunch here, a dinner date there, a coffee squeezed between two rendezvous and sometimes when she wasn’t as overworked, Tsurara was able to catch a theatre piece that Yukari was starring in.
She knew she had been played the minute she hung up on the phone. But her days were filled with going over every little details since Kurosaki had been transferred to another prison. Her superior had gave her several warnings when she used their resources not for her cases but for Kurosaki’s. When he caught her two days before Kurosaki’s transfer trying to appeal, he suspended her for a month. Her former thesis director had intervened on her behalf to secure her job, at least she was thankful for that.
Now, waiting for the next train to come, her mind flashed to the first time she ever laid her eyes on Kurosaki. Rescuing her like a white knight, it didn’t take her long to realise he had nothing of a prince. She now knew what drove him to the job but still, how could his logic be so twisted? He was man without hope, misguided by his revenge. And all she wanted to do was to help him. She even was foolish enough to think that she could change his ways.
Some days she wished that he never rescued her.
She walked to the edge of the station, dangled a feet above the rail and was sorely tempted the jump. She had failed him after months. Her work barely made a dent in his case towards his freedom and only death threats from a fellow swindler had made any change. She slowly brought back her feet from to behind the white painted security line on the ground. She could hear a faint whistling growing louder, alerting the passengers of the incoming train. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt her cell phone vibrate, she hurried to bring it out fumbling to open it before she missed the call.
“Where ARE you?” Yukari whispered, her voice was angry but it was obvious she was hiding something.
“I’m sorry, Yukari, I missed the train, I took the next one after that.” Tsurara apologised, holding the straps of her bag tighter. She really didn’t feel like spending a week-end with Yukari as much as loved her. Though Tsurara often wondered how two girls with such different personalities could ever be friend, sometimes she doubted they were.
“So, you’re still coming?” Yukari’s voice was still hushed, as if she was trying to keep the conversation from being overheard.
“Yes, I’m nearly there, I had to take a transfer. I’ll be around in an hour or so.” Tsurara looked at the horizon seeing the train rolling in.
“Good. I was so worried. Well, you have the directions so take a cab and we’ll have something good to eat when you arrive. Alright? Bye bye” Yukari ended the call before Tsurara could add anything, even her own farewells.
As the train slowed in front of her, fellow passengers swarming around her to enter themselves, she wondered if she had the will to enter herself.
Where did her life go so wrong?
At another train station, so many years ago. Her family said that she was lucky.
She didn’t agree anymore.
*-*-*-*
Yukari left the bathroom after checking her makeup and washed her hands just to keep the appearance. Hayasa and Shiraishi were sitting around the table while Kurosagi was leaning against the wall, brooding. Hayasa had managed to find some tea and was serving the four of them like this was a polite meeting between friends. Yukari sat next to Hayasa, keeping her distance, the older woman looked kind but something dangerous hung around her like a sweet perfume.
“How long am I supposed to wait?” Asked Kurosaki as Yukari lifted her cup of tea.
“Soon.” Hayasa answered pushing a cup of tea toward Kurosaki who simply turned his head away in refusal.
“How is the old man?” Shiraishi asked, Hayasa lifted an eyebrow in question, Shiraishi was perfectly aware of Katsuragi’s health but as he jerked slightly toward Kurosaki; she nodded her head.
“He is getting better but he’s going to have to stay in the hospital for a little while longer.” Hayasa spoke carefully as if each word though on surface seemed ordinary they held a much deeper meaning.
“Well, I hope your friend gets better.” Yukari piped in the conversation, she knew that someone else was orchestrating the plan, but never met the man.
“I’m leaving.” Kurosaki declared, pushing himself off the wall and started to walk toward the door.
“You stay right there!” Shouted Yukari standing up, her eyes small and face crunched up with fury.
Kurosaki turned to face them, his hand still on the handle.
“Katsuragi left you some precise instructions.” Hayasa said, rising her tea cup, looking at him hiding her Mona Lisa smile.
Kurosaki nodded and slid on the wall next to the door, sitting as close to the exit as humanely possible.
*-*-*
11th Hour
The four of them heard the taxi horn, to which Yukari jumped up in the air like every bit the 14 year old school girl she truly was. Hayasa and Shiraishi also rose after throwing annoyed looks at the former college student. The past hour had been a bit hellish with her present and they looked somewhat relieved.
Kurosaki stayed where he was, as Yukari threw herself at the door opening it in a hurry right next to him. He leaned against the wall, rising up slowly, as Hayasa and Shiraishi also joined Yukari outside. Kurosaki leaned against the open door, waiting in the distance for whatever they had planned.
When Hayasa stepped in the cab, Kurosaki knew something was amiss. He made two steps on the porch to see Yukari’s back, talking to someone he couldn’t see. Yukari turned and waved goodbye before sliding in the passenger seat of the taxi.
Tsurara holding a small luggage bag in her hands with a shocked look on her face was starring back at him. Kurosaki’s mind barely registered the taxi leaving.
Time passing was only noticeable by the rustling of the leaves, a wooden wind chime hung from somewhere amid the trees and the blood rushing to his ears almost muting everything else.
They were less than 8 meters away, without a Plexiglas window separating them.
And yet, neither of them moved as precious minutes ticked by unnoticed.
10th Hour
Tsurara smoothed her dress once more even if the wrinkles on her summer dress were the least of the worry; it was something to do to pass the time. She wondered again how she caved so easily to Yukari’s request for a girl’s vacation. Ever since they parted ways since their university graduation, Tsurara didn’t see each other as much. A lunch here, a dinner date there, a coffee squeezed between two rendezvous and sometimes when she wasn’t as overworked, Tsurara was able to catch a theatre piece that Yukari was starring in.
She knew she had been played the minute she hung up on the phone. But her days were filled with going over every little details since Kurosaki had been transferred to another prison. Her superior had gave her several warnings when she used their resources not for her cases but for Kurosaki’s. When he caught her two days before Kurosaki’s transfer trying to appeal, he suspended her for a month. Her former thesis director had intervened on her behalf to secure her job, at least she was thankful for that.
Now, waiting for the next train to come, her mind flashed to the first time she ever laid her eyes on Kurosaki. Rescuing her like a white knight, it didn’t take her long to realise he had nothing of a prince. She now knew what drove him to the job but still, how could his logic be so twisted? He was man without hope, misguided by his revenge. And all she wanted to do was to help him. She even was foolish enough to think that she could change his ways.
Some days she wished that he never rescued her.
She walked to the edge of the station, dangled a feet above the rail and was sorely tempted the jump. She had failed him after months. Her work barely made a dent in his case towards his freedom and only death threats from a fellow swindler had made any change. She slowly brought back her feet from to behind the white painted security line on the ground. She could hear a faint whistling growing louder, alerting the passengers of the incoming train. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt her cell phone vibrate, she hurried to bring it out fumbling to open it before she missed the call.
“Where ARE you?” Yukari whispered, her voice was angry but it was obvious she was hiding something.
“I’m sorry, Yukari, I missed the train, I took the next one after that.” Tsurara apologised, holding the straps of her bag tighter. She really didn’t feel like spending a week-end with Yukari as much as loved her. Though Tsurara often wondered how two girls with such different personalities could ever be friend, sometimes she doubted they were.
“So, you’re still coming?” Yukari’s voice was still hushed, as if she was trying to keep the conversation from being overheard.
“Yes, I’m nearly there, I had to take a transfer. I’ll be around in an hour or so.” Tsurara looked at the horizon seeing the train rolling in.
“Good. I was so worried. Well, you have the directions so take a cab and we’ll have something good to eat when you arrive. Alright? Bye bye” Yukari ended the call before Tsurara could add anything, even her own farewells.
As the train slowed in front of her, fellow passengers swarming around her to enter themselves, she wondered if she had the will to enter herself.
Where did her life go so wrong?
At another train station, so many years ago. Her family said that she was lucky.
She didn’t agree anymore.
*-*-*-*
Yukari left the bathroom after checking her makeup and washed her hands just to keep the appearance. Hayasa and Shiraishi were sitting around the table while Kurosagi was leaning against the wall, brooding. Hayasa had managed to find some tea and was serving the four of them like this was a polite meeting between friends. Yukari sat next to Hayasa, keeping her distance, the older woman looked kind but something dangerous hung around her like a sweet perfume.
“How long am I supposed to wait?” Asked Kurosaki as Yukari lifted her cup of tea.
“Soon.” Hayasa answered pushing a cup of tea toward Kurosaki who simply turned his head away in refusal.
“How is the old man?” Shiraishi asked, Hayasa lifted an eyebrow in question, Shiraishi was perfectly aware of Katsuragi’s health but as he jerked slightly toward Kurosaki; she nodded her head.
“He is getting better but he’s going to have to stay in the hospital for a little while longer.” Hayasa spoke carefully as if each word though on surface seemed ordinary they held a much deeper meaning.
“Well, I hope your friend gets better.” Yukari piped in the conversation, she knew that someone else was orchestrating the plan, but never met the man.
“I’m leaving.” Kurosaki declared, pushing himself off the wall and started to walk toward the door.
“You stay right there!” Shouted Yukari standing up, her eyes small and face crunched up with fury.
Kurosaki turned to face them, his hand still on the handle.
“Katsuragi left you some precise instructions.” Hayasa said, rising her tea cup, looking at him hiding her Mona Lisa smile.
Kurosaki nodded and slid on the wall next to the door, sitting as close to the exit as humanely possible.
*-*-*
11th Hour
The four of them heard the taxi horn, to which Yukari jumped up in the air like every bit the 14 year old school girl she truly was. Hayasa and Shiraishi also rose after throwing annoyed looks at the former college student. The past hour had been a bit hellish with her present and they looked somewhat relieved.
Kurosaki stayed where he was, as Yukari threw herself at the door opening it in a hurry right next to him. He leaned against the wall, rising up slowly, as Hayasa and Shiraishi also joined Yukari outside. Kurosaki leaned against the open door, waiting in the distance for whatever they had planned.
When Hayasa stepped in the cab, Kurosaki knew something was amiss. He made two steps on the porch to see Yukari’s back, talking to someone he couldn’t see. Yukari turned and waved goodbye before sliding in the passenger seat of the taxi.
Tsurara holding a small luggage bag in her hands with a shocked look on her face was starring back at him. Kurosaki’s mind barely registered the taxi leaving.
Time passing was only noticeable by the rustling of the leaves, a wooden wind chime hung from somewhere amid the trees and the blood rushing to his ears almost muting everything else.
They were less than 8 meters away, without a Plexiglas window separating them.
And yet, neither of them moved as precious minutes ticked by unnoticed.