"Retsuko, dear, are you sure you want to go to work today?" Retsuko's mom asked her daughter, who was currently checking her phone. "Yes, mom. It was nice to spend time with you yesterday but I still have to work. I need to earn money to get food and stuff..." Retsuko sighed, looking to her mother with a soft smile. "Plus everyone is asking where I was yesterday. I had to explain the whole thing in texts this morning." She added, slinging her purse over her shoulder. "I'll see you later, ok mom?" Retsuko smiled at her mom and opened the door, shutting it just as quickly upon leaving. 

"....I just hope she'll be okay.." Retsuko's mother sighed and looked about the room, starting to clean up the mess from yesterday.

~- - - - -~

Retsuko was confused upon entering the office. Everyone seemed eerily silent, and no one seemed interested in where she had been yesterday. Currently, Retsuko was putting on her work shoes in the changing room. Even Kabae was quiet, and that just made Retsuko even more confused. Not to mention that Fenneko and Tsunoda were gone as well, some more of the accounting departments chattiest people. Upon finishing getting changed Retsuko went to her desk, sitting down and getting herself adjusted. She was about to start typing when she noticed everyone else wasn't. 

This made Retsuko really want to know what was happening. Turning to Haida, she whispered. "Um...Haida, whar's going on? Is this about me being gone yesterday?" She knew that was stupid, it obviously couldn't be about her missing. "..." Haida glanced at Retsuko nervously, sweat on his face. Without saying anything Haida just handed his phone to Retsuko, an article pulled up on it. It had only been posted a few hours ago. Scrolling down when needed, Retsuko read:

'Today we have a sad tale on our hand down here. Tsunoda, a Gazelle working in the accounting department at a trading firm company here in the city, was found dead on the sidewalk just a few days ago. Once she was found by a bystander walking along the police were called and the investigation started. Upon receiving the autopsy report it was discovered that Tsunoda was poisoned with some drain cleaner in her green tea bottle. At first, the police guessed it might have been a suicide until fingerprints were taken on the green tea bottle itself. Besides Tsunodas' own prints on the bottle, another set of prints was discovered. These prints, upon being traced, were linked to a fennec fox named Fenneko, working in the same department as Tsunoda. It didn't take long for the investigation to reveal that Tsunoda was murdered, by none other than her own coworker. Further details on the funeral date for Tsunoda will be posted at a later time...'

Retsuko couldn't speak for a while. So this is why everyone was being so quiet. Fenneko...her own friend, Tsunoda's friend... Fenneko murdered somebody. Retsuko looked at Haida warily. Haida and her had been the closest to Fenneko at work, and this? Retsuko couldn't even wrap her head around this. Why? Why would Fenneko ever do something like this? Sure, Tsunoda could be annoying but...enough to make Fenneko snap? 

Slowly, Restuko handed Haida his phone back, unaware that her other hand was covering her mouth from shock. Haida took it back and put it in his pocket, looking at Retsuko. Retsuko hadn't noticed, but she was crying. Hot tears silently rolled down her face, staining her fur a darker color. Slowly and gently Haida wrapped his arms around Retsuko, trapping her in a sorrowful hug. He didn't care if other people were watching them. Retsuko had every right to cry right now. Gently again Haida stroked her fur, comforting the crying red panda. 

By this point, Retsuko had wrapped her arms around Haida as well, nuzzling her face into his shirt. Haida knew Retsuko would normally never do this, making it clear that this really was a serious event for her. It was serious for him, too, though. He was just better at holding back tears. There they stood for a while in complete silence, not even Ton daring to tell everyone to get back to work for once. 

Eventually, though, Retsuko pulled away, wiping her puffy eyes of remaining tears. "Th-thank you, Haida." Retsuko stuttered out, looking at the floor as Haida took a step back to give her space. "I needed that." She grinned sadly, looking up at Haida now with her eyes shut. This made Haida's heart stop. He felt happy for helping Retsuko, but he felt sad for her as well. Mixed feelings, as always when he was near Retsuko. He loved Retsuko, even when she was sad he wanted to be with her, comforting her and making her smile. But all he could say now was a simple "No problem, Retsuko. Anytime." Before he sat back at his desk and stared at his computer screen. 

Retsuko did the same, taking a deep breath before she slowly started to type, everyone else in the office following suit after a few minutes. 

Anai glanced at Retsuko every few minutes when he worked, struggling to hide his emotions. Why couldn't he be the one to comfort Retsuko just then? Why did it have to be Haida? Well, that thought made him feel guilty. 'Haida and Retsuko were the people who knew Fenneko best. I can't just barge in and expect to help her like that. I need to do more...more research. Yeah, more research. That's all...' He sighed and turned back to his screen, typing slowly. 'It's not that she doesn't like you...'  

~- - - - -~

It was late now, around midnight. Everyone had gone home by now, including Anai. Anai was sitting on his bed, scrolling through the article about Tsunoda. He was more so looking for more information on Fenneko, though. All he found out was that she had gotten arrested on her way to work this morning, and her trial was scheduled to happen in about 2 weeks. He wanted to know other things though. More specifically, if the police listed her suspected motive yet. He had no idea what would ever drive someone to murder, and Fenneko didn't seem like the insane type. 

Well, while Fenneko's motive wasn't mentioned, and she wasn't full-blown insane, there definitely was someone who was close to that. And he was standing right outside Anai's window. 

Tadano looked up at the window from his spot on the ground, careful to make sure he kept himself hidden. He had a large knife in his gloved hand, currently put behind his back. He had been there for hours, waiting. Once he knew Anai would be asleep he would strike and be one step closer to getting Retsuko for himself. Even more so now that Fenneko and that Tsunoda lady was out of the picture too, something he had seen in the news earlier. 

Up to this point he had been completely silent, that is, until his phone beeped. Startled, Tadano he quickly grabbed his phone and turned off the ringer, lowering the brightness level as well. Sure, he was on a mission to kill, but he had been wanting to hear back from this company he had visited so... nevermind, that's not the point. 

Looking at the notification it was another news story from that day, but what really intrigued him was that it mentioned the name "Resasuke" in it. Clicking on it he smiled, wondering how long it took the police to find Resasuke's dead body in that alley. But upon scrolling, he frowned. The news article didn't say anything about Resasuke dying. No, no this had to be a joke. Resasuke was...alive?

Now Tadano was angry. How could that bastard of a red panda survive a fire exstingusher to the head?!? No matter, no. He was in the hospital and he was alive and getting better, and Tadano couldn't have that. Quickly but silently Tadano left his hiding spot, running into his limo and shutting the door. Tadano was furious. How could he kill Anai when that waste of space was still alive? He couldn't. Not until Resasuke was dead. Problem was, though, they had huge security at hospitals. As long as Resasuke was in there he was untouchable. 

"Damnit...damnit damnit damnit!! Why does that fucker have to be alive!?!" Tadano shouted, punching the limo wall in frustration. "Sir, you're displaying very unhealthy emotions right now. May I suggest-" "SHUT UP ENI-O!" Tadano screamed again, huffing loudly and catching his breath. He was leaning against the limo's back wall now, his face buried in the seats as he huffed. He still had the knife in his one hand as he plunged his fist into the seats, a large rip being torn into the leather seat. 

"... Eheh....hehehe..." Tadano dragged the knife plunged in the seat back, making the large rip get even bigger. The sound echoed through the limo, Tadano's laughter soon joining it. The laugh got louder as Tadano plucked the knife out of the seat just to plunge it back in again. He repeated the process, his laughter just growing as the seat's stuffing flew out of the torn leather onto the floorboards. This continued for a few minutes until Tadano dropped the knife, his laughter slowing. 

"Don't worry my darling Retsuko....once Resasuke sets foot out of that hospital he'll envy looking like my car seat. And then, Retsuko, we can be together..Forever..." Chuckling as he spoke to himself Tadano slumped against the limo, a smile plastered on his face. "Forever and ever...."

(I don't really have much to say so uh have a good day or night, and please tell me what I can improve on if I need too! Thank you!)