"So that's what happened." Akatsuki said, lying beside me on the bed.
I had told him what went on between Akane and I earlier.
"I can't believe she's going through all that just because of her dad's pride. He's just selling his daughter off." He continued with a sigh.
"I know, right?" I said with a scoff.
"She'll be getting married to that weird guy. What will you do, cousin?" He asked as I rubbed my hands.
"I don't know, dude. I seriously don't." I replied.
"Ha..." He sighed, standing from the bed.
I sighed, placing my arm over my face.
"Tea?"
"I'll just rest for now." I answered.
The next day, we all went to the field. though it was just little, I had hope. I had hope that she'd come out, but she didn't, not her, not Kaito.
"Looks like you won't be seeing her anytime soon. We have just this week till Monday of next before we leave for SW East."
"I know, it's not like there's anything I can do." I said.
Three days passed, but I still didn't see her, and it was getting quite bothersome. We stopped going to the field but decided to train at home. Body building training.
"Let's go buy some stuff, Atsu." Akatsuki said, putting on a shirt.
"Okay."
We walked down the road as Akatsuki kept talking about some stuff i showed no interest in.
"Hey Atsu... are you even listening?"
"Ah... I'm so sorry... Akatsu. I was just spacing out a little. Aha ha."
"Ha... this is really bothering you, I guess. Well!! Let's try helping her then."
"How... can we do that?"
"Simple..."
"..."
"Huh?"
"You don't know what to do either, do you?"
"W-well, we'll think of something. I'm sure we will." He said, rubbing the back of his head.
"Thanks, though, for trying to help."
"It's no... Atsu." He called, dragging me behind a tree.
"What's---"
"Shh... look over there." He whispered as I looked towards the direction he was pointing.
"Isn't that... the Kuroba guy?"
*That's... Kuroba and... who's that girl? That's not Akane. This is a love hotel, isn't it? What's he doing here with some other girl? Not for business, I'm sure of it. That bastard.* I thought, clenching my fists and gnashing my teeth.
"Don't act impulsively, Atsushi." Akatsuki said, taking pictures.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
"Getting evidence against him."
"That won't help, probably."
"Why'd you say so?"
"Akane's dad is selling her off. Of course, he's just thinking about his happiness and not that of his daughter. He'll probably tell us off."
"That's right."
"Don't delete the pictures just yet. We might need them some day."
"Okay, let's head home then." Akatsuki said we walked out.
"Kids, you're back." My uncle said, kicking a ball towards another guy who trapped it and passed to Akatsuki.
"Ah! Uncle Uryu!" Akatsuki said as the man grinned.
"Akatsuki, my boy!"
"Uncle, what are you doing here?"
"Let's go inside first, boys." Akatsuki's father said as Akatsuki nodded.
"Um... I bought a snack." I said, handing the stuff over to the man.
"Thanks... Atsushi, right?"
"Yes! How'd you know my name, sir?"
"It's cause I know your mom. Ah... Good old days."
"You knew mom?"
*Is he a distant relative or what?*
"Well, last..."
"Okay... stop." Uncle Kisho said.
"Ah... sorry. I wasn't thinking." 'Uncle' Uryu said.
After talking to each other for a while, I found out that Uryu was coaching a high school football club- Fukuoka High School.
*So he's also into soccer, huh?*
"Have you tried calling her?" Akatsuki asked after his uncle left.
"Well... I didn't think of it." I answered bluntly.
"What are you, a fool?" He asked before sighing and sitting beside me on the bed.
"You know..."
"Hmm?"
"I don't quite get you, you know."
"How?"
"I thought you hated me. But then you start talking to me like you never told me any of that. You even act more friendly than before."
"..."
"I'm sorry, I started bringing up stuff like..."
"No, I think I should apologise."
"Hmm?"
"I did hate you, but it was more like your sense of soccer and your style. I never thought that someone like you who didn't think of soccer as something of interest would earn more praise in it than I earned. I've loved soccer since I was little while you started later than I did. Of course, I'd feel jealous. But that's just all. I didn't hate you as a person, and even though I did, I'd surely get over it. I'm sorry for sounding like a villain. I just... thought I'd tell you that maybe, you know, figure out how I'd make myself better." He said.
"..."
*So that's how he felt all this time. I can't do anything about the way I play, and if he thinks I'm better than him, he just needs to practice more.*
"Haha..."
"Why'd you laugh?" He asked.
"Sorry, sorry, hahaha."
"You're still laughing."
"It's just that I don't know what to say about this. The way you play, it's just beautiful. You don't have to compare us, you know. I envied you when we were little. I mean, you had something you could put your whole mind in while I had nothing. I began playing because of you, so thanks for that." I said, grinning.
"Atsu..."
"Okay, that's that. You boys have said your minds now, right?"
"Father, Uncle!" We said in unison.
"You boys have been trying to help your friend, Um... Akane, I think."
"Yeah, what happened, dad?"
"Good thing, I found something quite intriguing." He said, holding out a paper.
"Dad, what's this?!"
"It's a fake account statement for Yama Bank. And here is the real one." He said, holding out a new one.
"How?!"
"You see, most of the transfers were made to different accounts, and some other bank accounts were hacked."
"What?!"
"The hacker was quite secretive, but we found out his address very quickly. The accounts were the other transfers went to also had a particular address. We are thinking that the CEO of the bank was given the wrong statement and the wrong statement. The accountant who drew the real statement happened to be a friend of mine, but he was fired and threatened."
"Wait, wait a minute. What exactly are you saying?"
"I'm saying, we've found the hacker and his client."
"Wow, that sounds nice. The Yamazake family won't need to cooperate with Kuroba's family, and then Akane will be free."
"Well, we might have a problem with that."
"Huh? How?"
"The client of the hacker is quite a 'big' person."
"Uncle, what do you mean?"
"I mean, he's got some connection with some high authorities in the police."
"That change much, right?" Akatsuki asked.
"It might, though. If the police decide to avoid investigations, the Yamazake family might not believe us, and we might risk being arrested too." I said.
"Yes, but we can settle that too. We just need a few more days and it'll be settled."
"How many days from now?" I asked.
"5 with luck 4-2."
"We can wait, do whatever you can." I said, looking desperate.
"But wait, who's the client? And what exactly does he want?"
"Well... The client's... Kuroba Kaneki."