"People can really change. When they're far away from each other, their hearts will change. It's so cruel that the only thing I can do is wait."

- Ran Mouri

-----

Chapter 16:
Zane, The Couch Potato

· · ────── ·𖥸· ────── · ·
ZANE

"Just half a day gone, and my sibling isn't a couch potato anymore," my sister joked as we strolled towards my flat.

I was about to mention that I had just reheated the food that my flatmate cooked but a voice in my head cautioned that she might tease me if she found out I still wasn't cooking.

"Mary, welcome to 221B," I greeted as we finally reached the door of my residence. "I haven't had time to clean up yet because I was busy yesterday with many things, so it's a bit messy inside."

"Pretty cool, huh?" she remarked, flashing a sweet smile I hadn't seen in a while due to our lack of communication. "It's like the address of — "

"Sherlock Holmes!" we both exclaimed. "Yes!" I gasped in disbelief. My nerves about the new world made me miss the beauty of a lot of things.

"You're right," my sister replied. We both love books and watching anime. I wouldn't have noticed if she hadn't reminded me.

Opening the door, I was greeted by a scene of my flatmate eating in the kitchen. Even though our eyes met, she kept eating.

"Where have you been? I've been looking for you."

"You suddenly disappeared," she replied. After taking a bite, she set down her spoon and reached for a cold glass of water.

While she was occupied, I saw an opportunity to show Mary that my companion was unique. Perhaps then she would understand my true intentions. I wanted her to remember the De Verras, despite losing her memories from five years ago.

"Mary, look at what I'm telling you," I whispered to my sister before she entered the flat and saw Raine.

She just pushed the door open as if she didn't care and calmly faced my flatmate. "Hi, Raine. How are you?"

Raine set down the glass she was holding and resumed eating. Her gaze stayed on her food. "Hello," was her simple reply.

"So you've already met my brother. Is she bothering you?" Mary asked.

"He's fine," Raine answered.

As she was about to settle into my favourite square sofa, a notification drew our attention. Mary glanced at her phone and saw the name Brittany on the screen.

Answer. "Hello, Brit."

"Hi, bestie. I'm outside now," the person on her phone replied. "Can you help me?"

"Okay. I'm coming," Mary said, then hung up the call. "Raine, take care of my baby bro, okay? He loves using his phone all day and sitting around. It's better if you take him out sometimes so you both get some sun. Also, where's the chicken I bought?"

"It's still in the refrigerator," I answered.

"Just divide it between yourselves. Alright, bye." She tapped my right shoulder and left as she closed the door behind her.

Divide it? Did I really overthink yesterday? Oh, come on, Zane!

"Hurry up with that," Raine interrupted my thoughts. "I'll follow your sister's orders right away. After you finish eating, we have somewhere to go."

"Where to?"

"It's nearby, come on. We'll be quick," she added before returning to her room.

Once again, I was left alone. As time went on, I feared I might end up following her blindly, unable to offer the help I needed to provide or to protect her.

I scooped up some rice and started eating. It was still warm, probably because Mary and I spoke so quickly. Tomorrow, it's likely we won't have the chance to do that again because school starts.

After eating, I cleared my plate along with Raine's, someone who's probably used to eating outside. "I'll wash up later," I said to myself. "I'll look for some comics to read online while the dragon doesn't come out of its den yet."

I settled into the square sofa facing the right side of the flat. I liked that spot because it caught the breeze from the balcony and was also facing away from the door.

When I opened my phone, a notification startled me. It was another message from an unknown number.

"Who's this now?" I wondered as I opened the message and noticed it was a different number from Raine's.

Are you agreeing to what I'm offering, Mr. Nuñez?

It felt like my whole body stiffened and I couldn't move. Even though I might get a scholarship, money matters were risky. But if all she needed was information about where Raine was going, maybe everything would be fine.

"I haven't gained anything from following Raine around, but if I tell that lady what she's up to, I could earn money," I told myself.

But that would only lead her to harm, and I certainly won't allow that. I'm not stupid!

"What should I do?"

"Tell her where we're going later," a voice from behind me said.

It felt like my soul left my body when my brain realized the voice belonged to Raine.

"R-Raine? I-I thought I saw... I thought I saw—"

"Like you've seen a ghost? What's wrong with you?" She just walked to another square sofa facing me and sat down there.

"The message on this phone, I-I don't..." I hardly knew what to say. After saying that, it was like I had no face to show her.

"Did that message come from my greatest enemy, if that's what you want me to call her?" she calmly asked.

"Uh..." What else could I say, except to just tell her what happened. It's better that she knows what's going on.

But she might get involved in whatever that mysterious lady is up to, right?

"Who is that from?" she asked.

No, Zane! Since she wants to know the truth, just tell her. You won't lose anything if that mysterious lady doesn't find out that someone knows what she's keeping an eye on me for.

"From... From her," I replied. "But please, don't let anyone know that I told you."

"In that case, she really won't leave me alone, huh," Raine said.

"Just so you know, what I told you about her offering me money is true," I explained.

"And you didn't accept it, so you gained nothing," she replied. "Now answer her and you might get paid soon."

"Are you serious about what you're saying? Should I really tell her? Aren't you afraid of what she might do to you?" I pressed, hoping to make her reconsider.

"It's time for us to cross paths again. And yes, I am serious about what I'm saying," Raine replied.

I don't have a choice. I sensed Raine knew what she was doing, and she seemed more capable of defending herself than I am.

"What should I tell her?" I asked.

"Say these exact words: '217A, Luna Residences, Liberty Street. We have someone to visit,'" she said.

217A, Luna Residences, Liberty Street. We have someone—

"We have someone to visit? Who?" I asked.

"Just send it," she said as she stood up from her seat.

... —to visit. Send.

"I've sent it." I stood up and saw her already opening the door.

Once again, I found myself chasing after someone walking quickly. "Wait!"

As I was turning towards the stairs leading to the common room on the ground floor of 222B, I caught up with her. She glanced at me and came to a halt.

"Where's your aunt?" she asked.

"She's gone," I replied, finally catching up. "But she said she saw you earlier. Maybe she mistook someone else for you, or maybe you indeed went out earlier."

She started walking again. "I was just at our library. Why didn't you find me there?"

"I looked for you, but you weren't there," I defended.

"Well, you didn't look properly," she said.

As we passed the common room, she opened the door leading outside. We turned right, and it was then that I saw the units below up close for the first time.

"We can't enter together," she said, glancing at the open window. "Someone beat us to it."

"What are you going to do here?" I asked.

We stopped in front of Apartment 217A.

"This," she said, handing me a white earpiece.

"What am I supposed to do with this? Am I just going to listen to music out here?" I asked, to which she replied with a mysterious smile.

"You're the one going into that house," she answered, quickening my heartbeat.

"What?"

"There's someone inside, so I need you to distract them. I just need to check something there," she added.

"If you're going in anyway, why do I have to be the one to get their attention? Are you sneaking in through the window?" I asked.

"I'll hear what you say, and you'll hear what I say. Just whisper to me, and I'll help you with the words you need to utter," she explained.

I sighed. After that, I would just sleep in bed, and I knew arguing with her would only make time slower.

"What do you want me to do?"

"Just repeat what I say and don't say anything else," she replied.

"Okay. If that's what you want," I replied, moving towards the door. Meanwhile, Raine vanished from my view. Understanding her plan, she was likely already by the window area.

Why is she afraid of being seen by the resident of this flat?

"What am I supposed to do here?" I muttered to myself, hesitating to knock on the door.