Silver Wish

Did she act normal there? Or maybe her behaviour was odd. Kotori slapped her cheeks and shook her head. Just leave it at that; after all, both Kiryu-kun and Lila-chan are in pain right now. Her gaze fell on the girl who was cooking intently.

During the morning, Lila-chan seems like her usual cheerful self, but at night it is different.

At night Kotori hears her pained cries and violent outbursts; she knows Kiryu-kun has a hard time calming her down. He always tells them not to go near that area at night, but she can't help but worry, so she goes and sees that sight.

Why do such good people have to suffer so much?

"Kotori-chan, your mixing that bowl too much."

"Uh…" Kotori looked at the bowl in her hands and panicked. "Gah, your right."

Lila laughed. "Even you have your clumsy moments.."

"As far as I know, Kiryu-kun doesn't like sweets, but uh…"

Lila nodded. "Mm, I know. But even if he doesn't like it, he always eats it and tells me he wants more because I made it. He even calls me his wife."

That… .doesn't sound like Kiryu-kun. Is she thinking about Haruka-san? Kotori bit her lip. Kiryu-kun told her not to mention Haruka-san in front of Lila but will keeping it from her help her? Isn't it better to face reality?

Kotori also believed that Haruka-san isn't dead. Nobody found a body, and the search time searched high and low.

The experts say that it could have simply been washed away or even sunk to the bottom of the ocean, but it can't be that simple. Everybody knew that Haruka-san was involved with Zane.

That man she saw once. She saw how he treated Haruka. It can't be possible that he wouldn't react to the news that Haruka is dead. Kiryu-kun managed to control the information in the newspapers to a certain degree. But there were still odd articles appearing like lovers suicide etc.

Maybe it is a good thing that Lila-chan doesn't remember. If she read those articles, Kotori shook her head. She does not want to see the girl in any more pain than she is now.

"Wow, something smells great."

Kotori sighed. "Nobuhiko-san, stay a few meters away." What is it with this man and personal space?

Nobuhiko laughed. "As icy cold as ever. Your baking? Kiryu doesn't like sweets, right."

"Lila-chan made it, and he will eat it."

Both Kiryu-kun and Haruka resemble each other in that aspect. They will push away their dislikes to make Lila happy.

"Hmmm." Nobuhiko trailed off. "Kotori-chan, come out with me for a second."

"It's okay! I can finish up here." Lila said.

Kotori nodded and followed Nobuhiko out of the room. The moment she exited, Nobuhiko took something out of his pocket. "I found this."

Her eyes widened when she saw the strap.

"Doesn't the little Princess over there have something similar? When Kiryu took her phone, I saw it."

"This…"

An image of a cheerful and bashful Lila appeared in her head. Kotori could clearly remember it. At some point, Haruka-san started to use a phone strap. Many people were whispering about it, but Haruka never said who it was from. But when Lila-chan came, many started to point it out. Different color straps but same design.

Kotori examined it carefully. Despite the worn-out color, she knew it was the same. But when she saw the red color soaked into the fabric, she flinched. "..This.."

"I found it at the base of the cliff."

"Wait a moment, and you climbed down?!"

"Of course not. There is a beach below. At the same time, it is closed to the public due to the huge barrier around it. I found the coast guard and told him I lost something."

Right, Nobuhiko-san wouldn't carelessly give away information.

"I already bought something along just in case, but I ended up finding something."

Kotori looked at the strap. "Is this all you found?"

"I found some other things too." Nobuhiko tipped his bag upside down.

A photo of Lila and Haruka in an amusement park, a watch, and a small box. "Oh…"

"I found it wrapped up at first, but the wrapping paper was damaged, so I got rid of it. It looks expensive."

Kotori already felt that she knew what it was, so she slowly opened it. It was a gorgeous diamond wedding ring, and inside were the words Lila and Haruka forever.

She bit her lip, trying to hold back the tears. This is no good, and they have to find him. Those two went through so much to be together, and there has to be a way. But what can they do? Right now, there is no sign of Haruka anywhere.

"We need to find him," Kotori mumbled.

Nobuhiko nodded. "I agree. I also have some questions to ask him."

Nobuhiko-san was one of Zanes' pawns too. He should have met Haruka. "You found this. Does that mean…"

"There is a chance he climbed up and left his belongings behind. I saw no signs from a car crash down there, too, but I did find some hand marks on the railings. I can't confirm if it was his unless I do a DNA test but finding signs of human life is better than nothing."

Leave his belongings? Kotori glanced at the ring, photo, watch and strap. All these things have something to do with Lila-chan. It is hard to believe that Haruka-kun left it behind but then again, he was injured.

"This ring looks to be in good condition, isn't that weird?"

Nobuhiko sighed. "Isn't it obvious?"

He used his powers to protect this? The pain she felt in her heart increased, and she couldn't control her tears. She kept repeating the words why in her head.

"Kotori-chan, aren't you an ice queen? Don't cry so much."

"But it's too cruel."

Why is fate so very cruel? What did those two do to suffer like this?

"Give that to her."

Kotori looked up and saw Kiryu entering the room. "Give it to her?"

"Let's tell her now. I don't think we should hide it."

"But if we do…"

Kiryu sighed. "I'm not that unreasonable. I have indeed missed Lila acting like this towards me, but she needs to know."

Right on time, Lila-chan excited the room. "Ah, Kiryu! I finished cooking, would you li--" Lila's sentence fell short when she saw everybody's serious expression. But her gaze seemed to fall on the strap. She immediately rushed over and grabbed it.

"...."

The girl did not say anything but her expression was enough to confirm her thought.. Kotori watched as her expression dropped and turn pale when she saw the bloodstains.