text35552;"""\""The early bird catches the worm\""."""
text35553;"""Yet another one of those proverbs I doubted the truthfulness of."""
text35554;"""For one single reason: even if I ever were to catch \""worms\"" in the morning, it only happened thanks to Himitsu."""
text35555;"""But today I woke up early — it seemed I was forming a habit!"""
text35556;"""My stomach was growling – I was hungrier than ever."""
text35557;"""Himitsu almost always made breakfast for me, but had I ever cooked for her?"""
text35558;"""Sure, sometimes I'd wake up early and want to eat…"""
text35559;"""But like this — deliberately and purposefully?"""
text35560;"""After tidying myself up, I headed for the stove."""
text35561;"""I wondered if an English breakfast would be a good choice."""
text35562;"""I seemed to have all the necessary ingredients! Eggs, bread, even bacon!"""
text35563;"""I thought there was supposed to be something else… Corn, tomatoes, or beans?"""
text35564;"""Well, it wasn't that important — I still had tsukemono from yesterday, and that could fill in for other vegetables."""
text35565;"""I cast a glance at the clock – Himitsu would arrrive soon!"""
text35566;"""The eggs sizzled happily in the pan, the yolks like little suns."""
text35567;"""The day seemed bright and fair. I opened the garden door wide, letting fresh air in."""
text35568;"""I heard the sound of the keys clinking the hall, and soon Himitsu entered the kitchen."""
text35569;"""Niko-kun?"""
text35570;"""She asked, genuinely surprised."""
text35571;"""You're already up?"""
text35572;"""Yes! And I'm almost done with our breakfast! Take a seat!"""
text35573;"""I pulled up a chair and invited her to sit down."""
text35574;"""This is so unexpected…"""
text35575;"""Better late than never!"""
text35576;"""You didn't have to…"""
text35577;"""It sounds like you're unhappy about this."""
text35578;"""She waved her hands and smiled:"""
text35579;"""No, no, I'm very happy!"""
text35580;"""…"""
text35581;"""It's really tasty!"""
text35582;"""Himitsu tried the eggs."""
text35583;"""Of course, she was exaggerating, but even I couldn't ruin such a basic dish."""
text35584;"""And for the dessert…"""
text35585;"""She grabbed some tsukemono with her chopsticks."""
text35586;"""Thanks for that, by the way. They really helped me yesterday!"""
text35587;"""Glad to hear it. But prevention is the best medicine!"""
text35588;"""So you're suggesting I drink alcohol regularly to develop an immunity?"""
text35589;"""Niko-kun!"""
text35590;"""She pouted."""
text35591;"""Easy, easy, that was a joke!"""
text35592;"""From now on, you're going to make breakfast for me every morning!"""
text35593;"""You wish!"""
text35594;"""She laughed sincerely and very cutely."""
text35595;"""I noticed that I was staring at her too openly."""
text35596;"""Fine, but you can do something else."""
text35597;"""Like what?"""
text35598;"""Clean up?"""
text35599;"""You wish…"""
text35600;"""I drawled."""
text35601;"""Or, at least, not make such a mess!"""
text35602;"""I shall consider your proposition."""
text35603;"""Do be so kind!"""
text35604;"""Himitsu took my empty plate, but I stopped her:"""
text35605;"""Let me do it!"""
text35606;"""I'll cut you some slack, you've already put in too much effort for today."""
text35607;"""Well, hypothetically, if I'm going to cook, what will I get in return?"""
text35608;"""We shall see."""
text35609;"""She smiled slyly."""
text35610;"""What would you want?"""
text35611;"""I could only think of one thing, and was about to say it out loud, when Himitsu accidentally walked into a bag lying on the floor, dropping the plate, which fell and broke into pieces."""
text35612;"""They say that glass breaks for happiness."""
text35613;"""I haven't heard that before."""
text35614;"""It's true! But it's better not to go overboard, or we'll have nothing to eat from."""
text35615;"""Niko-kun! It's all because your house…"""
text35616;"""She kicked the bag up half a meter into the air."""
text35617;"""…is a total mess!"""
text35618;"""…"""
text35619;"""We were taking our usual route to school, that we had walked hundreds or even thousands of times before."""
text35620;"""And particularly today it seemed the same as it had been a year ago, the same as always."""
text35621;"""Catherine's return, the KGB and Kobayashi Corporation — would it be the same now or ten years from now? What would happen to us in ten years?"""
text35622;"""If before I had never considered it, now I could quite seriously imagine a life together with Himitsu…"""
text35623;"""Earth to Niko-kun!"""
text35624;"""Copy!"""
text35625;"""What were you daydreaming about?"""
text35626;"""About you!"""
text35627;"""What do you mean about me?"""
text35628;"""She asked, puzzled."""
text35629;"""I've decided that I could eat your borscht for a while longer. Unless I get tired of it!"""
text35630;"""Niko-kun…"""
text35631;"""Himitsu grew embarrassed and turned away."""
text35632;"""You're always joking."""
text35633;"""I think I'm pretty good at it. Maybe I should be a comedian."""
text35634;"""Just not a professional clown, I hoped. In the worst sense of the word."""
text35635;"""Are you sure you're gonna be alright at school?"""
text35636;"""She suddenly changed the subject."""
text35637;"""Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"""
text35638;"""Well, you haven't been there for a few days now, you don't even know what homework they've been giving…"""
text35639;"""Not that I did homework even when I got it."""
text35640;"""I'll come up with something."""
text35641;"""Not that any of the teachers would be actually interested."""
text35642;"""Of course, they could expel me, but since I had achieved my bare minimum in terms of attendance and my grades weren't even the worst, it wouldn't be that easy."""
text35643;"""Besides, this was a private school, meaning that it was sponsored by students' parents."""
text35644;"""You know, I'm lazy, not stupid!"""
text35645;"""Well, sometimes I forget that, looking at you!"""
text35646;"""…"""
text35647;"""We came across Himitsu's classmates who greeted her, then crossed to the other side of the road, whispering enthusiastically and occasionally casting meaningful glances over at us."""
text35648;"""What's the matter with them?"""
text35649;"""Nothing serious."""
text35650;"""She said, not showing much interest."""
text35651;"""Who are you and where is my Himitsu!?"""
text35652;"""I grabbed her by shoulders and lightly shook her back and forth."""
text35653;"""Where had her shyness and embarrassment gone?"""
text35654;"""Niko-kun, stop it!"""
text35655;"""They're discussing you over there, and you seem not to care at all!"""
text35656;"""Well, I guess I just don't anymore."""
text35657;"""We were approaching the school."""
text35658;"""Do you want to have lunch together?"""
text35659;"""You've made lunch as well?"""
text35660;"""No way, you can't expect that much of me yet!"""
text35661;"""So you're counting on my bento, aren't you?"""
text35662;"""Can't I?"""
text35663;"""She seemed to think a moment."""
text35664;"""I guess you can today!"""
text35665;"""See you later then!"""
text35666;"""Don't sleep during class!"""
text35667;"""The first person I noticed when I walked into the classroom was Michael."""
text35668;"""He tore himself away from one of his ever-present books and gave me a slight nod."""
text35669;"""It's not like I hadn't respected him before, but after what he'd done yesterday, that respect grew a little greater."""
text35670;"""So, did you have a good rest?"""
text35671;"""Kyosuke asked snidely once I sat behind my desk."""
text35672;"""I did! I feel great."""
text35673;"""If only everyone could have such a carefree attitude toward life!"""
text35674;"""Doesn't seem hard to me."""
text35675;"""Yeah, when you don't give a damn about anything!"""
text35676;"""I couldn't understand if Kyosuke was being serious or joking."""
text35677;"""Since when have you become a moralist?"""
text35678;"""You know, it doesn't feel great to sit here for half a day then spend another half a day doing homework, while somebody is… having fun!"""
text35679;"""You say that as if someone's making you do it all."""
text35680;"""Of course they are!"""
text35681;"""Oh come on!"""
text35682;"""I grinned."""
text35683;"""Catherine appeared right before the bell and quickly sat behind her desk, paying no attention to me."""
text35684;"""I said nothing — there was no reason to start a conversation."""
text35685;"""Classes went as usual, boring and routine."""
text35686;"""I always found it easier to extract information from books instead of forcing myself to listen to someone."""
text35687;"""In fact, I'd say schools care more about grades than how useful or practical the knowledge they teach their students is."""
text35688;"""Because grades are the only measure of the quality of education at the moment."""
text35689;"""You can say a kid is talented or has potential as much as you like, but how can you actually express that potential?"""
text35690;"""Is the kid at seven out of ten on the talent scale?"""
text35691;"""We had managed to split the atom and start building spaceships, but it seemed to me sometimes that the social sciences lagged further and further behind the technical ones."""
text35692;"""Perhaps in the future teachers would be replaced with soulless robots — precise, faultless, and emotionless."""
text35693;"""Just like production lines had replaced menial workers."""
text35694;"""Wouldn't that lead to a future where scholastic production lines produced identical parts for society? Parts with no feelings, passion, ambition, creativity, compassion, or morals?"""
text35695;"""…"""
text35696;"""During break, Katya quickly walked out of the classroom, and I headed for lunch with Himitsu."""
text35697;"""We sat down in the yard, on our favorite bench."""
text35698;"""A classmate asked me to go to karaoke."""
text35699;"""Karaoke? Sure, go, might be a good idea."""
text35700;"""Don't you want to go with me?"""
text35701;"""Me?"""
text35702;"""Usually she didn't invite me to these events and didn't often go herself either."""
text35703;"""Yeah, is something wrong?"""
text35704;"""Nothing, just… Will Saya-chan be there, too?"""
text35705;"""I guess so."""
text35706;"""Himitsu smiled."""
text35707;"""Aren't you afraid that we might have a fight?"""
text35708;"""I hope you won't start bullying girls!"""
text35709;"""Then we're on unequal grounds – she can bully me…"""
text35710;"""Nobody's bullying you, Niko-kun!"""
text35711;"""Alright, if you say so!"""
text35712;"""…"""
text35713;"""I was walking back to our classroom and thinking about Catherine."""
text35714;"""I wondered what she felt about these new circumstances."""
text35715;"""The excitement of the first few days had faded, and we all knew we needed to get on with our lives."""
text35716;"""First there were emotions, demands, rejection of any compromise, and the inability to think about consequences."""
text35717;"""And then came the realization that life went on and everything remained the same."""
text35718;"""We shouted at each other, broke some dishes, then sat down to have dinner in the five square metre kitchen of a Soviet Khruschev-era apartment, as we had nowhere else to go!"""
text35719;"""It was quite a crude analogy for Japan, but Catherine and I had to, if not in the same kitchen, at least spend time in the same school."""
text35720;"""Something struck at my chest from inside — I realized I'd never thought about what would come next, what I would do and feel if everything remained the same."""
text35721;"""…"""
text35722;"""Classes finally ended and I ran out of classroom in anticipation of karaoke."""
text35723;"""My singing abilities left much to be desired, but at least it would be a change of scenery!"""
text35724;"""Outside I was met with an unexpected twist — Kagome, standing at my locker."""
text35725;"""How did she manage to get there faster than me?"""
text35726;"""We need to talk!"""
text35727;"""I'm in a hurry, actually."""
text35728;"""It's important."""
text35729;"""So what do you want to talk about?"""
text35730;"""Not here."""
text35731;"""I figured I still had some time. Besides, I was interested in what Kagome wanted to talk about."""
text35732;"""…"""
text35733;"""Lead the way!"""
text35734;"""We went to the roof."""
text35735;"""You could set up an office here."""
text35736;"""I smirked, but Kagome got to the point immediately:"""
text35737;"""What's going on?"""
text35738;"""What are you talking about?"""
text35739;"""Stop pretending! I know everything!"""
text35740;"""Know what?"""
text35741;"""This tone right off the bat meant it was something serious, at least for her."""
text35742;"""I know that you're connected to Kobayashi Corporation!"""
text35743;"""Me? The fuck are you talking about?! I haven't even graduated yet!"""
text35744;"""Kagome clearly wasn't a Corporation agent, and she didn't look like she was with the KGB either, but her words sent a shiver down my spine."""
text35745;"""It took considerable effort to remain outwardly calm."""
text35746;"""Or your parents were."""
text35747;"""Watch your words!"""
text35748;"""It really wasn't very polite of her, but I shouted so loudly Kagome shuddered and shrunk back."""
text35749;"""My parents are dead."""
text35750;"""I'm sorry, but that doesn't change anything."""
text35751;"""Doesn't change what? Yes, they worked for Kobayashi Corporation, so what? Tens of thousands of people do."""
text35752;"""You know it's not that simple."""
text35753;"""What isn't that simple?"""
text35754;"""I raised my voice again."""
text35755;"""Stop pretending."""
text35756;"""Look, Iwamura, are you alright in the head?"""
text35757;"""Kagome frowned but kept sticking to her guns:"""
text35758;"""You're lying, it's written on your face!"""
text35759;"""The only thing written on my face is that I don't understand a thing you're talking about!"""
text35760;"""She paused."""
text35761;"""Maybe you really don't know anything."""
text35762;"""Then this conversation is over."""
text35763;"""Hey!"""
text35764;"""I called after her."""
text35765;"""Of course, Iwamura was a weird girl, but to hear about my parents and Kobayashi Corporation from her…"""
text35766;"""I could have stopped her and interrogated her about everything, but I felt it'd be too much."""
text35767;"""After all, we were at school — she'd scream, and then what?"""
text35768;"""They would definitely believe her over me, whatever she came up with!"""
text35769;"""Rapist — be my guest, serial killer — no problem!"""
text35770;"""Most teachers probably wouldn't even be surprised!"""
text35771;"""Maybe Kagome knew something or was involved somehow, but she clearly didn't pose any threat herself."""
text35772;"""Besides, Himitsu was waiting for me!"""
text35773;"""It was surprising how for the past couple of days, thinking about her caused all my other problems to fade into the background."""
text35774;"""…"""
text35775;"""At first, karaoke felt pretty awkward and even tense."""
text35776;"""I had no issues with Himitsu's other classmates (at least, I thought so), but Saya-chan…"""
text35777;"""At first she wouldn't even look at me, but an enclosed space can work miracles."""
text35778;"""You either need to kill your enemy or learn to co-exist with them."""
text35779;"""So after a couple of songs she seemed to come to peace with my presence."""
text35780;"""I didn't have much fun though, I could only think about Kagome's words."""
text35781;"""What did I know about her? Well, absolutely nothing!"""
text35782;"""Meanwhile, she knew about my parents, about Kobayashi Corporation?"""
text35783;"""Perhaps she was also a victim?"""
text35784;"""This conclusion sounded more logical than any other, so I decided to stick to it and ask her about it openly at first opportunity."""
text35785;"""When we left karaoke it was already evening."""
text35786;"""Time passed so quickly!"""
text35787;"""You can say that again!"""
text35788;"""Saya was walking with us, while the others went in another direction."""
text35789;"""Do you also live nearby?"""
text35790;"""No, I'm going to the station."""
text35791;"""Oh right, it's on the way…"""
text35792;"""I felt a bit awkward around her — after all, my past behavior wasn't exactly up to Japanese standards."""
text35793;"""But Saya, in turn, wasn't displaying any open hostility toward me."""
text35794;"""Maybe because Himitsu was around."""
text35795;"""Singing isn't my thing, after all! If only I had my bass…"""
text35796;"""I totally agree with you there, Anokhin-san!"""
text35797;"""About the bass?"""
text35798;"""About your singing!"""
text35799;"""Well it's not like you exactly have the greatest voice either."""
text35800;"""Never claimed to."""
text35801;"""Enough, both of you!"""
text35802;"""Himitsu laughed."""
text35803;"""Look who's talking! Your singing is pretty alright."""
text35804;"""I'm not even sure whether that was a compliment or an insult…"""
text35805;"""From Niko-kun, it's a compliment."""
text35806;"""Some girls did indeed sing better than her, but compared to Saya and me, Himitsu sounded like a primadonna."""
text35807;"""Well, to each their own."""
text35808;"""Can you really play the bass?"""
text35809;"""Are you really interested?"""
text35810;"""So, is he any good?"""
text35811;"""She turned to Himitsu."""
text35812;"""Well…"""
text35813;"""Say it like it is already!"""
text35814;"""I don't know much about music."""
text35815;"""My thoughts exactly!"""
text35816;"""She didn't say I'm bad!"""
text35817;"""She didn't say you're good either!"""
text35818;"""So am I bad at it or not? Don't be afraid to upset me!"""
text35819;"""Yeah, tell the truth!"""
text35820;"""Come on, guys…"""
text35821;"""Himitsu begged."""
text35822;"""Soon we approached the station and bid farewell to Saya."""
text35823;"""Niko-kun…"""
text35824;"""Himitsu grabbed me by the hand."""
text35825;"""Like when we were little!"""
text35826;"""And smiled."""
text35827;"""I didn't say anything, just squeezed her little hand in mine."""
text35828;"""At the same second, I found myself feeling good, even somehow peaceful."""
text35829;"""Maybe I hadn't sorted myself out fully, but at this moment I wanted to be right there. With her."""
text35830;"""To some extent, I owed a debt of gratitude to Catherine, the KGB, and even Kobayashi Corporation for that."""
text35831;"""But no — not the Corporation!"""
text35832;"""Today has been perfect!"""
text35833;"""Himitsu finally broke the silence."""
text35834;"""Yeah, it's been nice."""
text35835;"""I wish we could always have days like this!"""
text35836;"""I sighed."""
text35837;"""What's the matter, Niko-kun?"""
text35838;"""I was thinking that we used to have a lot of days like this, we just never paid them much attention."""
text35839;"""But we've never gone to karaoke with people…"""
text35840;"""It's not about karaoke. There's even a proverb…"""
text35841;"""Enough of your proverbs!"""
text35842;"""Anyway, it's true. We need to cherish the moment since we can never know what tomorrow will bring. Especially in my case."""
text35843;"""Himitsu lowered her head."""
text35844;"""You mean, in terms of… your circumstances?"""
text35845;"""Yeah, of course."""
text35846;"""Has anything new happened?"""
text35847;"""N-no…"""
text35848;"""It was too soon to tell her about my conversation with Kagome — nothing about her was clear."""
text35849;"""Do you still think that we're going to be alright?"""
text35850;"""We've been alright so far. Which means we've been acting as we should."""
text35851;"""But, if something happens, will you tell me?"""
text35852;"""Of course!"""
text35853;"""No, promise me!"""
text35854;"""Himitsu exclaimed anxiously."""
text35855;"""I promise!"""
text35856;"""There we go. And don't forget about it. To help you, I need to know everything that happens with you!"""
text35857;"""Shall I provide daily reports for you to sign every evening?"""
text35858;"""Sounds like a great idea!"""
text35859;"""Speaking of the evening… Today went way too quickly, don't you think?"""
text35860;"""No… Although yeah, maybe."""
text35861;"""There's a film I wanted to watch on TV…"""
text35862;"""Oh, Niko-kun, I'm sorry, I completely forgot! Tomorrow my father and I are leaving to visit my grandma for the weekend, so tonight I need to pack everything."""
text35863;"""For the whole weekend?"""
text35864;"""Yes."""
text35865;"""She replied sadly."""
text35866;"""So, all Saturday and Sunday?"""
text35867;"""Yes."""
text35868;"""When are you coming back?"""
text35869;"""Monday morning."""
text35870;"""I see."""
text35871;"""The thought that Himitsu would leave for two entire days made me feel off."""
text35872;"""Even though she used to spend the entire summer at her grandma's while I was melting in stuffy Tokyo."""
text35873;"""Well, I had gone with her a couple of times, but only for a week."""
text35874;"""I didn't even know why — maybe because of some mysterious Japanese tradition or something."""
text35875;"""Well, okay, bring me back some fruits then!"""
text35876;"""I'll bring a full basket!"""
text35877;"""Also, I wouldn't mind a couple of her nikumans."""
text35878;"""I'll ask her to make some just for you."""
text35879;"""Alright, then I don't feel that bad about you leaving."""
text35880;"""What are you going to do?"""
text35881;"""Nothing, I guess. Do you have any suggestions?"""
text35882;"""Well, you can do your homework. It never hurts to improve your grades."""
text35883;"""I'll think about it."""
text35884;"""I replied in a serious tone."""
text35885;"""We approached the house. Himitsu looked cautiously around and kissed me on the lips."""
text35886;"""It was so sudden that I didn't immediately realize what happened, and only when she was a few metres away did I feel blood rushing to my face."""
text35887;"""Like an eighth grader, damn it!"""
text35888;"""Himitsu's boldness was even more surprising…"""
text35889;"""See you on Monday!"""
text35890;"""See you!"""
text35891;"""I walked into the yard and saw…"""
text35892;"""Kagome, sitting on the porch."""
text35893;"""It's you again!"""
text35894;"""I exclaimed."""
text35895;"""And immediately turned around. Luckily, Himitsu had already gone home."""
text35896;"""We haven't finished."""
text35897;"""I'd say we never even started. And I don't have any desire to change that."""
text35898;"""I tried to enter my house, but Kagome stood stubbornly in my way."""
text35899;"""I'll tell you everything, but you have to hear me out first!"""
text35900;"""\""Everything\"" being…?"""
text35901;"""Everything about your parents."""
text35902;"""I hesitated for a while, glancing around and listening to my surroundings."""
text35903;"""If this was some plot, the point of it was beyond my understanding."""
text35904;"""How did you find out where I live?"""
text35905;"""You think it's that difficult?"""
text35906;"""She smirked."""
text35907;"""I don't know, that's why I'm asking."""
text35908;"""The school has files on everyone, and I'm a class rep, meaning I'm a regular visitor to the teachers' room."""
text35909;"""Is that even legal? I think I'll report you to Kiyama-sensei!"""
text35910;"""You can report me to the Pope if you want, just hear me out first!"""
text35911;"""Well, fine, come in then."""
text35912;"""I opened the door and invited her to enter."""
text35913;"""Kagome hesitated a moment, then stepped inside."""
text35914;"""Do you want something to drink? Tea? Sorry, I don't have coffee."""
text35915;"""Do you live all alone in a house this big?"""
text35916;"""She completely ignored my hospitality."""
text35917;"""As you can see."""
text35918;"""That's not very cost-efficient."""
text35919;"""So, what did you want to talk about?"""
text35920;"""I sat opposite her and looked at her intently."""
text35921;"""My father used to work at Kobayashi Corporation. In fact, he used to work on the same project as your parents."""
text35922;"""This project is classified, and I don't really know anything about it."""
text35923;"""But then they fired him, and my father had to help my grandfather at our restaurant."""
text35924;"""Such rank ingratitude for such a talented scientist!"""
text35925;"""Kagome said viciously."""
text35926;"""The details of her family situation didn't interest me much."""
text35927;"""So, what then?"""
text35928;"""A few days ago he was kidnapped! By the Corporation's people!"""
text35929;"""Why are you so positive they were the Corporation's people?"""
text35930;"""Muscled men in black suits barged into the restaurant in the middle of the day and took my father away — who else could they be?"""
text35931;"""Did you have any business trouble? Maybe debts?"""
text35932;"""No!"""
text35933;"""That got Kagome worked up immediately."""
text35934;"""Our restaurant might be small, but we do honest business!"""
text35935;"""Honesty is irrelevant in this case. You can be as holy as a hermit and have a million dollars in debt."""
text35936;"""She gave me a dreadful look."""
text35937;"""What do you know?!"""
text35938;"""Hey, this isn't about me at all!"""
text35939;"""We're doing alright, or at least not badly!"""
text35940;"""Kagome finally answered my question properly."""
text35941;"""Did you try the police?"""
text35942;"""Yes, but they just politely waved me away! Isn't it obvious that they even have the police in their pocket?"""
text35943;"""Maybe, but — sorry! — I still don't understand, what does your story have to do with me or my parents?"""
text35944;"""They all used to work on this project together! Maybe they were killed because of it!"""
text35945;"""I didn't need Iwamura to tell me that, but I decided to keep my mouth shut."""
text35946;"""It was all very weird, sure, but on the other hand, even the secret Project had to have had more than two people working on it."""
text35947;"""My parents, Kagome's father, Ichinose, however many more?"""
text35948;"""Maybe the Corporation was just trying to eliminate everyone involved."""
text35949;"""They weren't killed… They died in a car accident."""
text35950;"""I said, uncertainly."""
text35951;"""Do you really believe that?"""
text35952;"""I'd like to help, but you do know my parents are already dead…"""
text35953;"""So you know nothing?"""
text35954;"""What could I know?"""
text35955;"""I grinned wearily."""
text35956;"""Besides, what else do you know except what you've told me already?"""
text35957;"""Kagome bit her lip and clicked her tongue, annoyed."""
text35958;"""I don't believe in coincidences."""
text35959;"""I don't think it matters what you believe…"""
text35960;"""So nobody from the Corporation came to you? Never asked you anything?"""
text35961;"""What about you?"""
text35962;"""Don't just repeat the question!"""
text35963;"""Nobody from the Corporation."""
text35964;"""So from somewhere else?"""
text35965;"""For a moment I even wanted to tell her everything — maybe just to have another ally."""
text35966;"""However, thinking about it rationally, I had to admit Kagome wouldn't make a good one. She was too unstable."""
text35967;"""Not that I knew her that well…"""
text35968;"""No."""
text35969;"""Something tells me you're hiding something!"""
text35970;"""As people in my country say: \""When something occurs to you too often, you should cross yourself!\"""""
text35971;"""Do you really think I'd joke with something that might be related to my parents' death?! Would you joke about your father being kidnapped?"""
text35972;"""No, of course not, sorry…"""
text35973;"""She grew embarrassed and looked away."""
text35974;"""It's fine, I just really can't tell you anything else."""
text35975;"""By the way, how do you know about my parents?"""
text35976;"""My father's friend told me everything."""
text35977;"""Did this friend also work on the Project?"""
text35978;"""Iwamura might be useful after all."""
text35979;"""No… I don't know… He's in danger too, so he didn't tell me much."""
text35980;"""By the way…"""
text35981;"""The thought had been nagging at me for a while already."""
text35982;"""What's your father's name?"""
text35983;"""Akira Shinji, why?"""
text35984;"""Akira Shinji… Pretty common name. It's nothing, I just wanted to know since he knew my parents."""
text35985;"""Does the name mean anything to you?"""
text35986;"""Nothing at all."""
text35987;"""Of course it did! It was the person Ichinose had mentioned to me."""
text35988;"""But no matter how entertaining or curious this was, I hadn't learned anything new in the end."""
text35989;"""Well, yeah, he used to work on this Project, yeah, he was kidnapped… So what?"""
text35990;"""Ichinose had said he was probably killed already."""
text35991;"""I looked at Kagome's tense face and couldn't find the courage to tell her that."""
text35992;"""Not just out of concern for my own safety, but also because I couldn't destroy the last hope she had."""
text35993;"""I'm sure your father will turn up!"""
text35994;"""How can you possibly be sure about that?"""
text35995;"""Fine, I just wanted to cheer you up, happy now?"""
text35996;"""Kagome stood up."""
text35997;"""The best thing you could do would be to give me information! So if you learn anything, let me know right away, got it?"""
text35998;"""Got it, got it…"""
text35999;"""I saw her to the gate and returned to the kitchen."""
text36000;"""I'd learned so much about my parents' life and death recently…"""
text36001;"""As hard as it was to acknowledge, it seemed I hadn't known them at all!"""
text36002;"""At least, I hadn't known the truth about their job."""
text36003;"""According to Catherine, they were suspected of espionage, weren't they?"""
text36004;"""No, I couldn't believe that — I clearly remembered how we left the USSR, even if I had been only a child."""
text36005;"""When you're seven years old, it's difficult to comprehend what adults feel and think, even to interpret their facial expressions, but a little person always has some sort of intuition — he or she just knows when something isn't right."""
text36006;"""And I did."""
text36007;"""…"""
text36008;"""My cold dinner, made from leftovers found in the fridge, seemed even more tasteless eaten alone."""
text36009;"""Something hurt in my chest, and I shivered as if cold, although it was pretty warm inside."""
text36010;"""The reason was obvious to me — I was used to Himitsu always being around, and now I could feel how much I missed her."""