Chapter CXVI: The Search, Part 1
Birds chirp cheerfully. The sun peeks through the cloudy sky. But inside the modest yet vibrant Chisai household, the mood is anything but calm.
Akiko's Grandma, affectionately called Oba-chan by all the kids in the neighborhood, walks in circles around the couch. Not pacing—patrolling. Like a soldier guarding a perimeter. Her eyebrows are furrowed, her slippers are tapping like a ticking bomb, and her eyes constantly dart to the wall clock.
"One minute late. Again."
She whispers this to no one in particular, as if someone is deliberately violating a curfew she set only in her head.
The room is filled with the scent of freshly-cooked Yakisoba that she prepared earlier out of anxiety. Half of it is already gone. The other half? Slowly becoming a casualty of stress snacking.
Then—the front door clicks.
SLAM.
The door swings open. Three women tumble in like a whirlwind of bags, coats, and dramatic yawns.
"At last! The holy trinity arrives!" Akiko's grandma exclaims.
Hina, Hana, and Hatsune enter the room with luggage in tow and eyebags darker than their eyeliner. All three of them look like they've been personally insulted by Tokyo's traffic system.
"We're home," Hana groans, dropping her bag like it personally offended her.
"Barely," Hina mumbles, falling on the couch face first.
"Why didn't we just teleport?" Hatsune asks the heavens, flopping beside them.
Akiko's grandma rushes over and hugs them in one swoop like a sumo wrestler going in for the win.
"You're finally here. I've been walking around the couch so many times that I've memorized the pattern of the floor tiles!"
"Mama," Hatsune sighs, rubbing her eyes, "we literally told you we were coming."
"I don't trust anyone who says 'on the way' anymore," Akiko's grandma says. "I need faces. Physical presence. DNA test, even."
"Okay, someone's been watching too much detective drama," Hana mutters.
They all settle on the couch. Akiko's grandma finally breathes.
Then, Hatsune grabs her phone, unlocks it with her nose—too tired to even use a fingerprint—and starts tapping furiously.
"Calling Hayato," she announces.
"Still in Tokyo?" Hina asks.
"Yes," Hatsune grunts. "He didn't even update us about Akiko and Kota being missing or if he already knew."
"That baka," Hana growls.
She puts the phone to her ear. Rings once. Twice. Ten times.
Everyone leans in.
"Still nothing?" Akiko's grandma asks.
"He's ignoring me," Hatsune pouts. "Watch, I'll try again. Attempt #2."
Rings.
Attempt #3.
Attempt #4.
At this point, they're counting out loud like it's an exercise class.
"FIFTEEN," Hana and Hina chant.
"TWENTY," Hatsune growls. "C'mon Hayato, don't make me fly back to Tokyo with a slipper!"
Finally—
Attempt #23.
CLICK.
"Yo," Hayato says sleepily on the other end.
"HAYATO!" all four yell into the phone, making the line buzz.
Hayato jerks away from the phone.
"Geez, what? I just woke up!"
"Have you heard the news?" Hatsune demands.
"About what?"
Akiko's grandma, Hina, and Hana answer in unison:
"AKIKO AND KOTA ARE MISSING!"
"Wait, what? I've been trying to contact them! Akiko hasn't replied to any of my messages, so as Kota." Hayato says, now fully alert.
"Then do something, you're in Tokyo!" Hatsune pleads. "Can you please start looking?"
"Well..." Hayato chuckles awkwardly. "Funny story... I'm actually at the door."
All four women pause.
"Your apartment door?" Akiko's grandma asks.
"Uhm... hold that thought," Hayato says.
There's a knock at their front door.
Everyone stares at each other in disbelief.
"Don't tell me he—"
SLAM.
The front door swings open.
Hayato walks in, wearing a white cap, a sweater wrapped around his neck, wearing a white shirt and gray shorts, holding a mini travel bag like he just stepped off a budget travel montage.
"SURPRISE," he says, grinning.
"YOU IDIOT!" Hana and Hina shout, throwing a pillow at him.
"I WAS ON A TRAIN THE WHOLE NIGHT," Hayato says, ducking and laughing. "Look, I came here because I knew this would blow up, and guess what—it did."
Akiko's grandma points a slipper at him like a warning wand.
"You should've told me, I would've prepared your favorite Udon."
"Wow, my priorities are being questioned here."
"Rightfully so," Hatsune glares. "So? Any clue? Did you see them? Talk to them? Dream of them?"
Hayato raises his hands.
"Nada. I've tried messaging both of them. Zero. But I don't think Kota would hurt Akiko. The guy's built like a marshmallow with a moral compass."
"Still," Hana says, folding her arms, "no one just disappears. Unless you're in a K-drama."
"Or abducted by aliens," Hina adds.
"Stop it," Akiko's grandma scolds. "My granddaughter is not in a spaceship."
"Well," Hayato says seriously, "I'm here now. And I'm not just gonna sit around and wait for a miracle. Let's head to the city, then take a train to Tokyo. If they're not in the city, then they might've gone somewhere bigger."
Akiko's grandma nods.
"That's the spirit, soldier. Akiko's out there somewhere. And Kota's with her. He's a good boy."
Everyone nods in unison, their energy rising.
Until—
YAAAAWN.
All four young adults collapse on the couch like deflated balloons.
"Okay but let us rest first," Hatsune says, muffled by a throw pillow.
"Yeah, like three hours," Hina mumbles.
"I can't even feel my soul anymore," Hana adds.
"I think I left my consciousness at the train station," Hayato groans.
Oba-chan sighs and grabs a folded blanket from the nearby chair.
"Fine. But only three hours. Then we move out like ninjas."
"Deal," they all reply like a synchronized sleepy choir.
She places the blanket over the four of them as they snooze off one by one.
Three hours later...
BANG. A ladle hits a metal pot.
"RISE AND SHINE, MISSING PERSONS SQUAD!"
Akiko's grandma is wearing a camo apron and a bucket hat now. Military music blares from her tiny radio.
"We march in 15 minutes. Uniform is casual. Shoes are for running. Snacks are mandatory."
"Did... grandma just upgrade to general?" Hatsune mutters, eyes still closed.
"I think I dreamed of her slapping me with a war medal," Hayato says, crawling off the couch.
The four of them scramble to freshen up. Hina and Hana grab their backpacks. Hatsune grabs an electric kettle labeled 'Akiko Defense Juice' (it's just coffee).
Outside, around noon, the team gathers.
Oba-chan hands them each a whistle, a banana, and a printout map.
"These are your weapons. Go and make this old woman proud."
"You sound like an RPG quest-giver," Hayato grins.
"Now go. Bring my granddaughter back."
The four siblings nod solemnly.
Then, Hatsune suddenly adds:
"But also, let's grab a crepe first. I'm starving."
"Agreed," Hana and Hina chime in.
"I swear, we're the most dysfunctional rescue squad ever," Hayato mutters.
On the other hand, we all go back to 7:00 AM on the same day.
The sun is just peeking over hilltops, painting the sky in pale pink and orange. At The Brick Cafe, perched dramatically on the cliffside overlooking the grand river, Asahi nibbles on a flaky croissant and stirs his latte absentmindedly. The cold breeze tousles his hair. He glances at his watch. Exactly on time—and way too early for everyone else. Since the disappearance, punctuality feels like a coping mechanism.
7:15 AM. Out of the mist appears Enmei on his motorcycle, helmet under his arm. He parks with a flourish.
Enmei: "Bro, first on the scene? I thought you'd be late."
Asahi: "Some of us actually consider operation logistics."
Enmei: "You're such a square."
Just then, Gin jogs up, coffee in hand.
Gin: "Morning, you two. Thought I'd found my soulmate in this latte, but then Enmei showed up." He grins.
Five minutes later, a flurry of figures—Natsuki, Haru, Masashi, Yui, and Himari—swarm the cafe like excited bees. They greet each other with bright-eyed relief. They form a loose circle. A few awkward glances follow; everyone's still shaking off worry.
7:20 AM. At the fast-food joint beside the park, they each order hearty breakfasts—pancakes with syrup, eggs, bacon, and a veritable battalion of hash browns.
Masashi (munching fries): "So, anime talk to lift our souls. Agent x Family?"
Yui: "Bonding over tacos is one thing. But you? You love them as much as memes."
Enmei: "Speaking of memes, did you guys see that 'mask-off' joke? I spit coffee."
Natsuki (opening ramen): "My Sister is A Demon is next-level hilarious. The demon kid's face when she got spooned—priceless."
Gin: "And Re:Sekai blew my mind. Alternate realities hitting me harder than actual algebra."
Himari, quietly adding syrup: "It's my comfort binge. Less... anime noise, more... soul stuff."
They laugh and tease, though their eyes still betray underlying tension. Even breakfast feels like counselling.
8:00 AM. Their breakfast done, they walk the 650 meters to the city mall. Conversations overlap: strategy, speculation, speculation-soaked-with-lovin'.
At the entrance, they pair off: Yui and Enmei, Natsuki and Himari, Gin and Masashi, and Haru and Asahi
They promise to check all nooks and corners, regrouping at the food court beside the arcade in 45 minutes.
Gin to Masashi: "Ready for round one?"
Masashi: "Bring it. Last time you lost a gaming vs me, we all lost."
No pressure. They charge upward through revolving doors, already feeling more purposeful.
Gin and Masashi navigate the first floor which is varied with a lot of stalls and shops.
8:10 AM. They weave between stalls in the antique section, glancing at ornate fans, vintage toys, and curious lacquerware.
Gin: "Look at this Edo-era scroll—my great-great-grandfather might've used one."
Masashi: "True? Or are you just trying to impress?"
They scrupulously inspect benches, statues, even a suspiciously tall potted bamboo. They lift trash cans to peek underneath—even the creaky music boxes behind glass. Each chest puff of wind draws a flinch—no sign of Akiko or Kota.
Finally, Masashi sighs.
"Maybe they hit the food court earlier."
Gin, hands on knees: "Let's regroup and see what others found."
One checkpoint down.
On the 2nd floor, amid fragrant soap boutiques and cascading floral stalls, Enmei accidentally brushes a velvet ribbon display.
Yui (squee): "Maybe they laughed over flowers here?"
Enmei blushes: "Maybe? Let's focus."
They peek into restrooms corridors, check tiny waiting areas, peering behind every curtain. After twenty minutes, exhaustion buttons their energy.
They spot the arcade and slow their steps. They see a lot of games, especially retro games, and Rumble. Then they spot basketball machines.
Enmei: "Maybe their stress relief was hoops?"
Yui: "Let's take a shot."
They grab tokens and launch basketballs. Two bleeps. Seven misses. One perfect swish from Yui.
"Told you I'm the golden child of hoops," she beams.
Enmei grins: "Still no sign, but I needed that."
At the edge of the 3rd-floor parking lot, Haru and Asahi open locker panels, check behind car tires, and search pockets left on seats. They describe it like a mission in Craftsburg.
Suddenly, a mall security guard with a stern look watches.
Guard: "You two lookin' for something... specific?"
Asahi (nodding): "Yes. We lost two friends."
Guard stern: "Stay on pavement."
Haru glances at Asahi: "Let's move."
They run to the 4th floor: elevators hush. Upstairs, the scent of exhaust. No one. A lone minivan. They inspect it thoroughly. Door handles, wheel wells. Empty.
They meet at corner.
Asahi: "Empty. Nada."
Haru: "We'll get them next spot."
On the other end, while the two are looking at the 4th floor, Himari and Natsuki check the security room.
They reach the 3rd-floor where the security office is. A tired-looking guard swipes them inside like they're in My Sister is A Demon.
Himari: "We need footage from eight days ago, 7–11 PM."
The guard sighs deeply, rewinds the grainy visuals. They lean forward.
Time ticks. 30 seconds... 60...
Blank screen.
Natsuki: "Nothing."
Himari: "We'll inform the squad."
They file out discreetly.
9:00 AM. Regroup in food court. They meet by the smoothie bar.
Masashi: "No findings on 1st. Gin confirmed."
Yui (rubbed wrist): "No sign on 2nd arcade or restrooms. Sorry." Her face flutters.
Asahi and Haru: "Parking empty."
Natsuki and Himari: "Security says no footage."
They slump in chairs. Murmur of fountains, children chattering. Enmei sighs.
Enmei: "No luck."
Masashi: "So where else?"
Himari silently taps phone. Natsuki watchfully peers at the menu.
Natsuki: "Second floor changed me. I thought maybe they'd be here."
Gin: "Now what?"
Yui: "Old mall?"
Heads exchange. A mutual nod.
10:30 AM. They need to go to the old mall which is just situated 2.2km north of the mall.
They pile into two borrowed cars and take a brisk drive. En route, they review past texture: excommunication, strange chat names, blond robbers. Each image chafes.
They disembark at the weathered entrance. It creaks with nostalgia—a mall that saw their childhood dates and school field trips.
They repeat the search:
1st floor (retail stalls).
2nd floor (cafes & arcades).
3rd floor (cinema hallway), where the smell of popcorn clings.
In each corridor: nothing.
Even the security room (three floors up) remains uneventful.
They watch footage again, screens glowing. Hours tick.
Himari: "Nobody."
Enmei: "They're ghosting us."
They blink at each other. Worry grips their hearts.
12:45 PM. Tired, they all go to Whatevs Café.
They slump into pastel chairs. A stranger pours iced teas. Nothing tastes sweet.
Enmei leans over.
Enmei: "We have nothing."
Yui stirs her drink.
Yui: "That video... blond people. Not them."
Natsuki: "School squad got cam group. Family going out tomorrow. We regroup tonight?"
Haru shrugs while stacking sugar packets. Gin taps softly on the table.
Gin: "We plan next location? Someone mentioned abandoned shipping terminal—? That fits their usual hangouts."
Asahi: "Yes. But—we're out of slots. We need three groups again? Who'll cover where?"
Masashi: "I'll go. Map out GPS feed. Electronics are my thing."
Himari: "I'll keep an eye on messaging—fake accounts, chat heads. I can do that from home."
They all nod.
Natsuki: "Then it's agreed. Tomorrow at 8 AM, same meet spot. Orders: food court, old mall, now shipping terminal."
They all clink iced teas in solemn solidarity.
All: "To finding them."
Going back again to 10:00 AM but now, at Shinomiya High Campus Grounds
The summer sun sizzles over the rooftops of Shinomiya High, casting long shadows on the concrete pathways. A group of four determined adults walks through the school gate with the urgency of detectives and the exhaustion of people who had absolutely zero sleep.
At the lead is Ms. Soumei, dressed in her signature crisp pantsuit, wielding a clipboard like a sword of justice. Beside her is Mamoru, visibly groggy and balancing a large thermal flask of coffee like his life depends on it.
Trailing a few feet behind are Mr. Nashi, wearing shades indoors because he's mysterious like that, and Takeshi, whose sleepy eyes and mismatched socks reveal that he may or may not have gotten dressed in the dark.
Ms. Soumei (commanding): "We'll divide and conquer. Mamoru, you're with me. High school department. Nashi and Takeshi, take the grade school department. Let's go."
Takeshi (yawning): "Yes ma'am. But... do you think Kota would hide in a second-grade reading corner?"
Mr. Nashi: "If he's using the reverse psychology maneuver... possibly."
Mr. Nashi and Takeshi goes to the Grade School Division which is just 50 meters from the Highschool department.
As they step into the Grade School wing, the environment instantly shifts. Posters of ABCs, multiplication tables, and "Wash Your Hands" reminders decorate the walls. The air smells like crayons and spilled orange juice.
Takeshi (whispering): "This place makes me feel like I'm five again."
Mr. Nashi: "Do not underestimate the power of finger painting. It unlocks emotion."
They peek into Room 102, where the class is reciting animal sounds. A kid stares at Mr. Nashi and gasps.
Kid: "Hey! Are you from TV?"
Mr. Nashi (solemn): "In another life, maybe."
They continue their search, checking under desks, behind book bins, and even inside a suspiciously oversized teddy bear mascot costume stored in the janitor's closet.
Takeshi: "Honestly, I'd hide in there. It's weirdly soft."
Mr. Nashi: "Focus, Takeshi. No mascot-napping."
No Kota. No Akiko. Just one traumatized janitor who walked in mid-search.
On the other hand, Ms. Soumei and Mamoru roams around the High School Department
The High School wing is quiet, save for the flickering lights in Hall C and the echo of a teacher shouting at a student who forgot their project again. Ms. Soumei walks briskly, Mamoru dragging behind her like a zombie clinging to his last drop of espresso.
Ms. Soumei: "We'll try their classrooms first. Then the library."
Mamoru (mumbling): "Can we check the cafeteria? Just in case... y'know... Akiko left a sandwich trail?"
They poke their heads into Junior 2-F, then 3-B, and even Senior 1-D, the spooky room next to the AV supply.
Ms. Soumei: "I swear if I find another love confession written on the back of a test paper..."
The classrooms are empty. They walk past lockers, vending machines, and the dreaded "Hall of Broken Exam Dreams"—a nickname for the corridor outside the math department.
In the library, they check under bean bags, in between shelves, and behind the curtain in the AV room. Nothing.
Mamoru: "What if they're invisible? Like, Akiko finally unlocked invisibility powers and—"
Ms. Soumei: "Mamoru, if you don't get serious, I'll turn you invisible."
Mamoru (gulp): "Right. Just...hydrating my fear with caffeine."
At 11:30 AM, the two teams regroup and head to the auditorium. A grand space. Echoey, dusty, and currently housing broken music stands and a single unstrung violin that looks like it witnessed a war.
Takeshi rushes ahead and lifts the stage curtain dramatically.
Takeshi: "Maybe they're doing a school play! Kota and Akiko: A Tragedy in Two Acts!"
Mr. Nashi: "A tragedy, yes. But not because of the acting."
They search backstage, beneath chairs, and behind the massive red curtain. Mamoru taps the piano.
DONG.
Everyone freezes.
Ms. Soumei: "You break it, I make you teach first graders."
Mamoru backs away slowly.
Still, the auditorium yields nothing.
At 12:30 PM, the group moves on to the New Administration Building, modern and fully air-conditioned—a stark contrast to the creaky corridors of the main wings. This is just 10 meters away from the auditorium.
They begin in the main lobby, where a sleepy receptionist greets them with a confused smile.
Receptionist: "Looking for... students?"
Ms. Soumei: "Missing students. Kota and Akiko. Have they been seen here?"
Receptionist: "Nope. But someone did microwave fish in the breakroom again."
They check the Faculty Lounge, where a half-eaten cake sits abandoned on the counter, and the "Office of the School Chancellor," where a whiteboard reads: "STAY KIND, NOT VIOLENT."
Mr. Nashi lifts a potted plant suspiciously.
Mr. Nashi: "What if they're hiding inside the institution... metaphorically?"
Takeshi: "I once hid behind my teacher's chair to avoid oral recitation. Legendary."
Mamoru: "Did it work?"
Takeshi: "No. I got hit by a chalk eraser."
After sweeping the building from basement to rooftop garden (Mamoru almost gets stuck in the elevator for 3 minutes), the team reconvenes outside by the flagpole.
At 1:30 PM, the four exhausted figures stand under the blazing sun, fanning themselves with folders and trying to look serious while sweat drips from their temples.
Ms. Soumei: "Nothing in the high school. Checked every wing."
Mr. Nashi: "Grade school yielded zero. But I made friends with a third grader who said my hair looks like a 'villain's.'"
Takeshi: "We did find a lollipop stash behind a globe."
Mamoru (slumped on the bench): "So the leads... they're drier than my throat."
They all sit for a moment. Quiet. Thinking. Breathing.
Ms. Soumei (serious): "Then it's time. We check the Old Admin Building. First thing tomorrow."
A gust of wind passes. The Old Admin Building. That phrase alone feels like it carries weight. Dust. Secrets. And, knowing this school, probably a raccoon infestation.
Takeshi: "Ugh. That place gives me the creeps."
Mamoru: "Let's wear garlic necklaces. You know... for ghosts."
Ms. Soumei: "We wear professionalism. Not garlic."
Mr. Nashi: "What if the old building isn't empty?"
Ms. Soumei: "Then we'll fill it with answers."
The group stands slowly, shaking off the fatigue. Tomorrow, they investigate deeper.
But for now, they march off—not quite heroes yet, but definitely tired heroes in the making.
At midnight, for the Akikota Squad, Masashi washes off ink stains from a café notebook. Asahi replays stupid jokes in his head to lighten the mood. Gin chalks up yet another meme for tomorrow. Yui texts Enmei: "Be safe <3"
Even though the day yielded nothing tangible, they now have a plan—and each other.
As they drift off to anxious sleep, each sees a faint clue flicker in their minds: blond hair, hooded figures, chat names... One thought pulses: they're not giving up.