Eternal Melody

Yuhi reluctantly went back to his place and went through Sumire's belongings. Based on what he has seen from her behavior, she must carry it around with her at all times. It only took a few seconds of rummaging through her bag when he found a small box.

His gaze softened, seeing how carefully wrapped it was. 

He knew she liked small trinkets like this in comparison to luxury goods, but it still touched him knowing how she treasured it this much. Despite it being such a treasure, there is something painful in this. He took a deep breath before pressing a button, and a sizeable holographic-like screen appeared. There he could see Sumire tied up in a warehouse.

Yuhi felt his entire body tremble the moment he saw the footage. He didn't like it one bit, seeing her tied up and blindfolded. The following images stunned him. 'What are they injecting in her?' After they injected something, they would beat her up. Yuhi wanted to turn away so many times, but he restrained himself. 

'No, I have to see this through.' He can no longer escape reality.

The more Yuhi watched, the more he wanted to hide. The way they treated her was like an experimental subject.

It was the next scene that led to him punching the wall. So they injected her with that stuff to see how badly she would lose control. The images on the screen showed a large wave of red-colored blood wrap around the torturers like poison vibes.

The ability to manipulate blood, Yuhi already confirmed this ability of hers, but perhaps there was something more. The next part confirmed his suspicion; red color-like flames appeared out of nowhere.

'There was a warehouse fire incident near the harbor' last year there was such a grand scale incident in the news. The police never found the culprit, and even the SF closed the case. The second most likely did it because they already knew what had happened there. So it was this. Yuhi recalled Sumires frightened expression and her trembling body. That stupid girl, does she genuinely think he will hate her for something like this?

How could he possibly hate her when she has suffered this much? If only he were there, then they wouldn't have done this to her. 

Yuhi pulled out his phone and dialed a familiar number. "Tell me what happened last year."

He didn't waste any time on greetings.

"They controlled the news to this extent, HYOU4 your group covered the incident?"

A familiar female voice fills the end. She sighed deeply. "I wondered when you would inquire about this."

"Tell me."

"We did because the captain said that we could not let anybody find out about Sumire's dual ability. So naturally, when she got kidnapped, we immediately took action."

"But you didn't find her right away?"

"We did; the force built with individuals with evolved genetics like the SF. So naturally, it would be easy. However, the barrier was powerful. No, it was invisible; just when we found one part of it, we would realize that there was another layer."

"A multilayered barrier."

"You should know, Yuhi, it isn't easy to make something like that on such a grand scale. Even with our people, we had a hard time. That is why we waited until the captain came back from his job overseas. He rushed as quickly as he could, but even then, it took time to arrive because of the interference."

Asuka's captain, huh? The head of Hyou4, the man's name if he recalled correctly, is Honjo Raizo. Yuhi has never met him before, but he already heard the rumors about the man.

Hyou4 was a specialized government police force group, but they deal with more serious cases and not just criminals. This group's main headquarters were directly in Tokyo, unlike the police force and SF, there are no branches anywhere in Japan. They directly deal with criminals but also keep an eye on the government.

The head of that very organization was an unusual man. So that guy can break a multilayered barrier, what kind of person is he?

"Then did he stop Sumires rampage?"

"No, Mamoru was the one who did that. However, the captain was there," Asuka trailed off. "Sorry, Yuhi, unfortunately, I am not too sure either. Only those three would know what happened. Why not ask Sumire directly? Since you found out about this despite the suppressed news, she must have talked to you."

"It's hard for me to ask her," Yuhi recalled her reaction earlier. He has never seen her like that before; he doesn't want to trigger her directly.

"Then do you want me to arrange a meeting for you?"

"With your captain?"'

"That's right. I know you avoided meeting him this entire time since you didn't want to get too caught up in the underworld affairs. But bar Akagumi, that place is already a hang out for a delinquent group with evolved abilities."

Yuhi sighed at the last part. "So when did you find that out?"

"I have frequently been going after work. Do you think I wouldn't realize?"

Right anybody who spends that much time there would realize.

"You gathered a bunch of ability users together, Yuhi, and disguised them as a mere delinquent group. Many people question what your motives are."

"You mean your captain is suspicious?"

The girl doesn't say anything to that, and Yuhi sighed. Well, it does make sense. That group directly responds to the government and reigns over Tokyo. They are responsible for individuals with supernatural abilities. On the other hand, the SF, the group Shin is part of, works mainly in the shadows. 

Tokyo is the center for a potential bloodbath. This is one of the main reasons why he gradually diminished his contact with Sumire. He didn't want her to come here and get tangled up with all these different power groups. 

How ironic, he went through all the trouble of ensuring that she never came here, yet she ended up here anyway. Then there was no point in him staying away from her for so long. 

"He is, but I have reported to him every day."

So that is why she goes over a lot; that makes sense. "Thanks."

"Sumire seems to like your group a lot, and she fits in very well. So I don't want anything to happen to them either."

Yuhi blinked at those words but carefully thought about it. Asuka is right. Sumire does seem to get along with those guys very well. But it isn't like how she gets along with the guys in Nanairo feather or his band members. There is something different. Whenever Yuhi looked at those guys alongside Sumire, he can't help but think they are one large family.

Huh? Since when did he start to have such thoughts? They are a bunch of rowdy men, but Sumire is always smiling when she is with them. It looks like she is having a lot of fun too.