Ghosts We Once Knew (Private, Mature)

Akiko looked up at Kaname, his features softened from the worry he had earlier at her old home. She could still see signs of his concern for her causing her to look away. She didn't want pity. She simply wanted to know why she had to lose everyone in her life and why someone felt the need to attack her so badly that they put her into a coma. Had she done such horrible things that this was the life she deserved? She so desperately wanted to remember more about herself but just as desperately did she want to go back to knowing nothing. She was torn in two and had no idea which way to go.

Akiko followed Yuriko's direction without a fight although she doubted she could rest. She dressed automatically and laid in the bed, curling up in a fetal position under the covers. She was staring off into space when she felt the bed move under Yuriko's weight and the fingers touch her skin softly moving hair out of her face. Her light blue eyes moved to the young woman's face. Her eyes seemed to be glazed over as she shook her head, forcing a meek smile to her lips. "I'm fine... Can I be alone for awhile?", her monotone voice soft. She didn't want them to fawn over her. "I'm just going to try and sleep. Please go out and do something. You don't need to worry about me...." She knew they would. They had been way too kind to her but she wanted them to be able to smile even if she couldn't.

When Akiko was alone, she sighed and covered her head with the blanket closing herself off from the world around her., the world that shoved nothing but pain to her. Her eyes closed bringing back the memories of her parents and little sister. She tried hard to shove the pain away and just see her family, standing there. She could see herself in her parents: her father's eyes, mother's lips and cheeks, father's hair and her sister looked just like she did. She looked just like them. They were most definitely her family. This thought caused her to smile. Although it was still daytime she could feel sleep wanting to take over. She didn't fight it and soon drifted into dreamland.

A car raced down the street. A funeral at a shrine. Severe car crash. Suspicious evidence. No suspects. "Mitsuru!" An older woman was crying on the couch. A beautiful painting of a temple on Kyoto. "I knew you would, Akiko." The scenes came and went with no particular order causing tears to well up in her eyes and began to fall freely when the scene changed yet again.

In front of her stood Detective Isai reaching toward her. She felt his arms around her, comforting her and her head against his strong chest felt reassuring. She felt safe in his arms and snuggled in against him. Her heart was racing yet her tears kept falling. Was her heart beating so fast because of him or because of her tears. "Kaname...", she whispered tightening her grasp, afraid he might let go.


Akiko opened her eyes only to quickly close them again. The setting sun was on her face, warming her but blinding her as well. She rolled over and snuggled down, ready to fall asleep once again when she remembered what she dreamt of. Kaname. She blushed slightly before scolding herself. This was not the time to be thinking about him like that. Not with everything going on. As if on cue, her memories came back to her and her smile faded. She tossed the covers aside and climbed out of bed slowly, not sure what she was going to do but she was hungry. She grabbed a robe from the back of the door and straightened out her hair before heading to the living room. "Anyone here?", she called out. She hugged the robe tightly around herself.

“One step at a time,” Kaname said softly. “There will be time for that later, but right now, you need to rest.” As if reading his body language, Yuriko came up beside Akiko’s left side and gently looped her arm around her.

“Come on,” she urged. “Today has been particularly stressful, but Kaname’s right, you need rest.” Akiko was like a robot. Whatever memories had returned to her left her numb and it was a feeling Yuriko understood all too well. After being attacked, she had disappeared from the world, coiling up in an imaginary shell, refusing to associate with anyone until Kaname pulled her up. Would he do the same for Akiko?

For some reason, the more she looked at Akiko, the emptier her heart became. Why did she feel so…aggravated? Her and Kaname were through. They were just friends, at best… No longer did any form of romance bloom between them since before the attack. So then why…? Clearing her thoughts, she proceeded to lead Akiko to her room. There, she helped her into a night shirt and into bed where she sat on the edge and brushed a stray lock of hair.

“It would be pretty stupid if I asked if you were alright, huh?” she joked softly. “Can I get you anything?”

Akiko could only relive the few memories that had come back to her. The tragic events of her life that seemed to weigh down on her shoulders. She barely heard Kaname and followed without hesitation. Numbly letting him lead her wherever he wanted. She didn't care where she went. No matter what those memories would forever stay with her and haunt her. They replayed in her mind over and over again as they drove back to Yuriko's apartment. It was on onslught of pain and sadness trying to break her down. She didn't have good memories except about the college to combat it and they were of no help. She had lost her entire family before she even had a chance at making her own.

Akiko finally looked up from her hands that she had not even realized were what were right in front of her when the door opened. She smiled weakly but it quickly faded as they herded her into the apartment due to the rain. No one spoke but she didn't mind. She knew they had no clue what to say to her let alone how to even start comforting her. It wasn't like her situation was a normal one.

Brought out of her thoughts by Yuriko she looked up at her. Her eyes were blank, almost dead in comparison to what they were before. The fight was gone and it seemed as if all other emotion was as well. "Yes... it would be...", she spoke barely above a whisper. It was all she could muster up. Her gaze shifted to the wall in front of her as she sighed. "It's fine Yuriko. It's not like I haven't dealt with this before right? I'm sure I will get passed it..." Her words were a lie, mostly to convince herself but how could she tell them that she wanted to forget that her whole family died at the hands of others. That she was all alone in the world and she wanted nothing more than to go back to be the full amnesiac that she was hours earlier. Was her previous life at all worth this much pain? Would it ever be worth it? She couldn't. She couldn't tell them that she found no reason to continue this search only to find more pain and grief because they had helped her too much already to get her back to what she once was.

"I want to visit my family... their g..graves I mean....", she stuttered on the words. Having to say them only just after remembering that you had them hurt.

Without thought or hesitation, Kaname reached out, pulling Akiko securely against his body. How many more would enter this world just to destroy innocence, to gain a sick happiness that allowed their crimes to transgress into monstrous acts so far beyond the touch of forgiveness? His grip around Akiko tightened as his eyes peered across the lawn at Yuriko, who stood tensely against the side of the car. Her expression mirrored his own anger and terror flicking across her petite features, nearly reflecting the first time he’d seen her after she was brutally attacked.

“Let’s go,” he whispered finally. “Let’s go someplace far from here.”

_____________________________________________________________________________________


Back at Yuriko’s apartment, both girls had fallen silent. Only Kaname spoke, trying relentlessly to stir a conversation, whether to distract Akiko or himself, it was unclear. But as soon as they passed the doorway, the detective became lost in his own thoughts. He was torn. Apart of him wanted desperately to be alone, yet another part was terrified to leave Akiko alone for even a second. The only thing logical that came to mind was calling up Aizawa and asking him to find any information out he could about possible murders in the Kamawori District.

He stood inside the kitchen quietly as Yuriko moved Akiko to her bedroom to rest. The emotional stress was high today and Kaname couldn’t help but feel guilty. Had he pushed Akiko too hard too soon?

Inside the bedroom, Yuriko gingerly took a seat beside Akiko, stroking away a few loose locks of hair. “It would be stupid to ask if you’re alright, wouldn’t it?” she said, laughing dryly. “I can only imagine the slew of shit you’re going through right now…”

Akiko couldn't stop the onslaught of memories that plagued her mind. Happy memories seemed to be the constant but tragedies overwhelmed the happiness. Everything was a mess. Memories didn't come back in order. She was more confused about what was happening. She clung to Kaname's chest, afraid that if she were to let go that she wouldn't stay grounded mentally. His presence helped soothe her a little but it wasn't enough to soothe the tears.

A teenage Akiko ran inside the house with a letter in her hands. She waved it about as she hollered for her mother. She looked at the envelope to see the return address. Tokyo Geijutsu Deigaku. Tokyo's University of Fine Arts and Music. She ripped the letter open and looked inside as her mother came into the room. She was silent for a moment before hollering, "I made it in. I got in Mother." Her mother's face lit up and she hugged her daughter tightly, "I knew you would, Akiko."

Akiko walked inside her home, tears stained her cheek but her eyes have been dry for some time. She meandered in and grabbed a picture off the table. Her mother and father holding her and her sister as a child. Everything she loved had been ripped from her. She sat down on the couch and lost herself in her memories as if it would bring her parents back.

Akiko stood in front of the University, smiling radiantly. She had gotten into the school she wanted on her first try. She was ecstatic. She walked inside the school with hope on her heart.

A beautiful painting of a temple on Kyoto was sitting beside Akiko as a professor looked it over. Akiko stood proudly beside her work of art.

Akiko's tears stopped as the memories slowed and stopped and she brought her hand up to wipe away the wetness. She was shaking and breathing a little heavy. She loosened her grip on Kaname's shirt and looked up at him. "I know where I have to go next...", she whispered. She looked up at the painting that was covered in years of dust. "I had a sister... Twin I think but she was killed in a hit and run. I painted that at Tokyo Geijutsu Deigaku for my parents. It's the place where my sister was buried. I also think my parents were murdered...", her voice was dull like her energy had been drained from her. Her head hurt and her heart ached. Maybe she shouldn't have come here.

Akiko stayed near Kaname, his presence, his warmth was calming to her. "I... I don't know if I should have come here....", she felt miserable after finding out about her family. She was alone now.

The house had a distinct feeling of unhappiness surrounding its decaying walls and a sense of familiarity gripped Yuriko as she glanced sideways at Kaname. They had been through so many nights of slammed doors and headaches, false accusations and bitter tears, before either realized their relationship had hit a snag. Yuriko’s stomach lurched at the very thought of past recollections, and suddenly guilt wedged its way into her mind as she focused on Akiko. The girl had lost her memories going through her own version of hell and they were about to let her willingly relive it.

“Don’t force yourself,” Kaname warned, gingerly following Akiko into the house. The sight of the house had triggered something and he had a feeling Akiko wasn’t about to let it go. It had only been a day since she was released from the hospital, but the nurse had clearly explained that all or most of her memories could return by something very familiar. But what if it was too much to handle? He had heard of cases where victims go into a trance, zoning out from reality. Perhaps it was a mistake taking her here so soon after being released from the hospital.

Thunder cracked in the distance, alerting Kaname of the coming storm. He turned to Yuriko. “Watch her, okay? I’m going to start the car and get it ready.”

With a single nod, Yuriko approached Akiko, stopping short upon hearing a single phrase. I had a sister. Had she heard correctly? Akiko was most definitely gaining some of her memory back. “Akiko?” She placed her hand firmly on the younger girls shoulder, but Akiko didn’t seem to notice. Instead, she ran into the house. “Akiko, wait!”

Kaname looked back in time to see Akiko’s retreating figure and panic rose at the back of his mind. She remembered something. Forgetting about getting the car started, he ran past Yuriko into the house to see Akiko on her knees, sobbing. Upon instinct, he reached down and bought her close to him while Yuriko watched from the doorway, worried.

“It’s alright,” he murmured. “Everything will be alright.”

Akiko listened to Yuriko's explanation of the connection and her heart dropped. Whoever had done this to her had also done this to Yuriko. Would that mean that one of them is the reason the other got hurt? She knew that would be a terrible blow to her so she guessed it would be to Yuriko as well. Things were going to get worse before they got better.

Akiko stepped out of the car and looked at the house. This was it. The house from her dreams loomed before her. This was the time of truth. It was the time for memories to return and her identity to be revealed. She took a few steps up the broke walk and stopped a few feet short of the house.

Two girls about 6 or 7 years old were on the porch holding dolls as they laughed and played with each other. Suddenly one of the girls stood and ran for. The other laughing the entire time. A game of chase starts. The girl runs into the street and a car hits the young girl, sending her flying into the air. The girl chasing stopped at the sidewalk and watched in horror as her sister was killed. "Mitsuru!"

Akiko's eyes were closed as she held her head as the memory came back to her. She swayed a moment before coming back to the present. "I had.... I had a sister...", she managed to get the words past her lips. She had to know more. Without waiting for either of them she rushed up the broken steps and into the house. She stood in the middle of the entry room and walked slowly through to the living room.

An older woman was crying on the couch holding the young Akiko. An older gentlemen stood beside them, his face that of rage.

Newspaper article reads "Severe car crash. Suspicious evidence. No suspects." Tears smeared the ink.

A wake of two coffins in a room filled with the mourning. A teenage Akiko stood in front of them, tear stained cheeks and dry eyes wore a blank expression.

Akiko fell to her knees, crying as he worst memories surfaced, gaining more acknowledgement than any good ones that came through. It was too much for her. Too much at once for her mind to comprehend. "Oh God... Why!?!?"

OOC: I know how that is. I can't count how many times that's happened to me.

“This one?” he inquired. It was one of the few that had pictures of the inside, but to Kaname, they all looked the same. Yuriko watched with intrigue from the back as she sipped her coffee, somewhat surprised.

“The Kamawori District isn’t far from here,” Yuriko chimed in. “This alone gives more suspicion that the attack done on me and Akiko were done by the same person.”

Kaname glanced at his ex with a puzzled expression. “How do you figure?”

“It only takes three minutes to reach the Kamawori District from my old apartment where I was attacked. Akiko’s old home is in that district. When she was found, she was only minutes away from the hospital. Not to mention the attacks were eerily similar. With everything being in such close proximity of one another, it’s likely that the attacker lives in the area or uses this area as a hunting ground, so-to-speak.”

And that was why Kaname liked having Yuriko around. She gathered details and put them together in an instant, as if something in that genius brain of hers clicked before anyone elses. “It doesn’t hurt to take a look,” he stated finally, smiling at Akiko. “Hopefully it brings back pleasant memories.”

________________________________

Minutes later, Kaname pulled his car up to the curb on the Kamawori District houses, each road and ally ghostly. There wasn’t anything remotely appealing about the place, now that the broken pipelines had done their damage. Not even stray birds lingered in the area. Slowly, Kaname opened his door and got out. Thick clouds were forming in the sky, indicating a harsh rain’s approach.

“Let’s hurry. It looks like a storm is rolling in and I doubt any of these houses will offer much protection.”

Shrugging him off, Yuriko got out of the car with Akiko, following her every step of the way, nervously wondering if Akiko’s memories would shed light on her own terrifying attack.


OOC: So sorry for the rushed posts. Hard to get motivated writing the same thing when you already had it written out the way you wanted before lol *kicks laptop*

Akiko giggled slightly as Yuriko came out of her room. She didn't get a chance to reply before a phone call came in. She shrugged and started the coffee. Yuriko handed her the phone which she set to her ear, confusion over her features until she heard his voice. Smiling, she answered him, "Great! We will see you soon." She hung up the phone and handed it back to Yuriko. "It's the least I can do for you letting me stay here."

Akiko stood beside Kaname as they looked over pictures. She could see a lot of the similarities as he switched between pictures. Some were built exactly like her dream but something was off about every picture he showed. Something was missing and she couldn't put her finger on it. "They are so close...", she muttered as she bent over to get a clear look at the pictures. She suddenly saw the right picture but he changed it before she could say anything. "Detective! Go back one!", she said excitedly. She pointed at the screen, "That's it! That painting is the same as I saw in my dream..." She was certain she probably sounded like a crazy person but the dream was all she had to go on. "I need to go there!" She stood straight up and clasped her hands together in front of her. She was so happy that she may be able to piece some of her past together. "Can we go there?"

After leaving Akiko in Yuriko’s capable hands, Kaname returned to the police station just as Keisuke Aizawa was exiting the building. The older officer stopped in his tracks, cold coffee in hand. He speculated Kaname’s appearance, scrunching his nose distastefully. “Isai, you look like shit,” he pointed dryly. “Been talking to the ex again?”

“With such a charming tongue, you should be writing Hallmark cards,” Kaname retorted through a yawn. He passed Aizawa, who immediately turned his pudgy figure around and followed. “Slow night I take it?”

“For me maybe. What about you? Heard you took on a case similar to Yuriko’s. What’s up with that?” If there were any respectable qualities Kaname could name about Aizawa it was his unremorseful ability to be blunt. The man was grade A detective material, but due to his poor health and laziness to treat it, he was stuck behind a desk pencil pushing. During the times when Kaname took on a particularly difficult or intriguing case, Aizawa was on his heels with a persistence that dowsed a candles ability to shine. On more than one occasion, his interference had become a blessing in disguise and perhaps was again tonight.

“A young woman was beaten and placed in a coma. Looking at the case file, you would think you were reading Yuriko’s,” Kaname stated. He walked through the dimly lit corridors of the station until he reached his desk and took a seat. Aizawa sat on the corner, making the wood groan in protest beneath his weight and Kaname idly wondered if it would collapse and spill everything onto the floor.

“Seems too coincidental for it to be two separate cases,” Aizawa observed. The second Kaname took the case file from his briefcase, he plucked it up and opened it. His blue eyes scanned over the details as he clicked his tongue. Too exhausted to care, Kaname leaned back in his seat with his eyes closed and concentrated on the soft buzzing of the florescent lights. “What’s this?” Aizawa inquired suddenly. Kaname opened his eyes and saw that Aizawa was engrossed by Akiko’s house drawing. “Looks just like one of the Kamawori District houses. A lot of them are abandoned, you know.”

“You recognize the house?” Kaname demanded, perking up suddenly.

“Well…yeah.” He held the drawing out and pointed to the winding staircase and wallpaper design. “The Kamawori District was one of the few houses built with a more Americanized decor. Since it’s also the only one that’s been abandoned because of water damage, I figured that’s what the drawing was from.”

“Aizawa, you’re a genius!” Kaname exclaimed happily. He snatched the drawing from the officer’s pudgy hand, stuffed it back in the file and practically ran out of the station.

“Anytime?” Aizawa trailed, shrugging.


From the police station, Kaname drove straight home and got on his laptop and typed in Kamawori District. Several news articles appeared, each description mentioning water damage and abandonment. He clicked on the first link and scanned through, murmuring various details aloud. “…abandoned…over thirty houses…severe water damage…” There weren’t any details about why the houses hadn’t been torn down year other than it was ‘expensive’ or ‘not a priority’ but something concrete. He backed out and clicked on another link, this time pulling up the pictures, both when they were new and how they looked now. It was amazing to see how bad some of the houses had become versus some of the others which only looked neglected.

Unfortunately, most of the houses looked the same and with Akiko’s drawing showing the inside, he couldn’t gather much more than that. He would have to show her the houses and see if anything clicked. Saving the page, Kaname turned off his laptop and headed for bed, vowing to call Yuriko first thing in the morning.


“Huh?” Was all Yuriko managed when Akiko knocked on her bedroom door. Groggily, she lifted herself out of bed, not bothering to soothe out the tangled mass her black hair had become from a rough, barely rested night. “You made breakfast?” she questioned in surprise, the smell of the tamagoyaki hitting her nostrils, forcing her mouth to water. It had been years since Yuriko last made herself a proper breakfast. Typically she downed black coffee and toast before rushing off to work. Even when she was engaged to Kaname they hadn’t really focused on breakfast, one always leaving earlier than the other.

“You didn’t have to go through this trouble, you know.” She took a seat, taking in how professional everything looked. She never made anything that looked even half this good. “But since you did, I’ll gladly comply in eating it,” she added with a smile. “You didn’t by any chance make coffee, did you?”

Just as Akiko was about to answer, the shrill cry of Yuriko’s cell phone made them jump in surprise. Quickly Yuriko reached for it, her eyes lighting up. “It’s Kaname.” She flipped the phone open and held it to her ear. “Yuriko speaking. Huh? Houses?” She scrunched her nose up and shrugged at Akiko before extending the phone out to her. “I can’t figure out what he’s saying. Something about houses and a drawing…. Maybe you can make sense of it.” Yuriko refocused her attention on breakfast as Akiko talked to Kaname.

“Akiko? It’s Detective Isai,” Kaname said quickly, almost breathlessly. “I think I found the district the house you’re looking for is located in. I have pictures of all the houses, I’m bringing them over now for you to look at.” He only hoped that the house she was looking forward was in the Kamawori District.

Within the next hour, Kaname arrived, laptop in tow. Yuriko had helped Akiko clear the table off after they were finished eating and stood off to the side as Kaname brought up the pictures. It was strange. She had never heard of the Kamawori District and was surprised Kaname was able to find something close to Akiko’s description so quickly.

“Akiko, does anything look familiar?”

Akiko rose from her spot and followed Yuriko to the bedroom. She looked inside and smiled, "Of course this is okay. The couch would be better than the hospital bed. Thank you for being so kind Yuriko!" She hugged the woman who had shown such compassion considering what she had gone through. "I will see you in the morning. Goodnight!" Akiko walked into the room as Yuriko went into hers. She felt suddenly alone as she sat on the bed. She hated having to be a burden on someone else but being a burden to two people was almost unbearable for her. She stripped from her clothes and slipped into a pair of plain pajamas that she had been provided. She slipped into the covers and let the blackness of sleep take over.

~~~~~

Gazing at the dilapidated house that loomed in front of her, she shivered, as though, ice had replaced her spine. The cold air enveloped her entire body, leaving her unable to move easily. The multiple layers of clothing could not protect against the deathly cold. The walkway leading up to house were cracked, weeds poked out from these cracks and wild roses grew wildly in thick batches alongside the broken cement walkway. The moonlight cast a ghoulish glow on the house while clouds plunged everything into darkness for a few moments. Vines formed a twisted maze upon the side of house, reaching their tentacles towards the roof. The walls of the house showed black decay from years of neglect. Splotches of original paint hinted at the house former prosperity. Cobwebs covered the corners of the doors and windows, tiny black spiders awaiting their prey.

The door begrudgingly creaked open at the touch of her hand. A musty, dank order invaded her sense of smell causing her to stop and cover her nose quickly. The house was silent except for the creaks and moans of protest as the house was worked by gravity. Black and brown mold dotted the ceiling in clusters, evident of rain seeping through the roof. She entered the living room cautiously, unsure of why she was in this scary place. Windows were covered with grime and dirt, the calm moonlight struggled to penetrate the darkness but ultimately failed. Shadows seemed to move on their own. The sofa and chairs overturned revealing deep grooves on the ground where they used to sit. Picture frames hung off-centered or on the floor, shattered glass surrounding those.

She made her way to the staircase and looked upwards. Above her stood a girl that resembled her on the staircase landing. There was no question that this woman was not human. There was an eerie quality about her that made the hair stand on the back of her neck. She wanted to run for safety, but her feet would not allow her to do so. Her very presence was so enchanting and otherworldly that sheI remained motionless, as if by moving she would disappear from sight and be lost from her memories for eternity.

The woman began to shimmer and grow larger, in front of her was a faceless man. A man with a strong aura around him. An aura of power and evil.

~~~~~

Akiko sat upright in the bed, drenched in sweat and breathing rapidly. The same dream except a new ending. Her heart was thumping loudly in her chest as she tossed the covers off. The light in the room was growing brighter. It was dawn. She knew she wasn't going to get much sleep so she grabbed a plain v neck shirt and jeans and headed to the bathroom. She needed to calm down before Yuriko woke up. She took a shower and let the heat of the water relax her. After a few moments she got out and got ready for the day. She needed to find that house even if it meant she walked block by block.

Akiko quietly headed to the kitchen and explored the kitchen locating everything she needed to make breakfast. Breakfast would be steamed rice, miso soup, grilled fish, and tamagoyaki (rolled omelet). She worked diligently as the kitchen filled with wonderful aromas. Slowly it filled the rest of the house. She was almost done so she quickly knocked on Yuriko's door, "Yuriko? Breakfast is almost ready." She went back to the kitchen before she heard an answer. She kinda hoped that Detective Isai would stop by. She wanted to talk to him and offer him breakfast but she had no idea how to get a hold of him. She shrugged and finished the meal. Setting the dishes on the table along with the plates and silverware just as Yuriko opened her bedroom door.

By the time the movie credits began rolling, Yuriko found herself nodding off. It was getting late, but she couldn't seem to find sleep appealing. Kaname kept entering her mind, causing her stomach to jump and flutter. Things had ended so badly between them it was a wonder they still kept in contact. Of course, it was only because he worried, because her attacker was still possibly out there. A poor excuse in her book.

She glanced at Akiko and smiled. Maybe not such a poor excuse. He was going above and beyond what was expected of a cop to find this girl's attacker. He wasn't doing it for personal gain, that just wasn't Kaname.

Yawning abruptly, Yuriko stretched out her arms and fell back against the couch. "Ready for bed?" she asked suddenly. Her body ached tiredly as she stood and gathered up their dinner containers, tossing them in the trash. Despite her apartment being a bit on the small side, she still had a spare bedroom set up. "You'll be staying in here if you don't mind it."

OOC: I'll reply to Wish Master tonight. Sorry the post is short. I forgot what we were going to do, so when I get a chance I'll hop on messenger and we can discuss it more (:

Akiko took the pamphlet and read over the menu as she tried to decide what to eat. Sh was interrupted by Yuriko showing her the summary of a movie and an image of Kaname came to her mind. Why would she think of him? He was the only cop she knew, that had to be the reason. She smiled at Yuriko, "Sounds great!" She waited as the movie was be given from the machine as she looked at the menu once again. She had no idea what to eat as they entered the restaurant. She listened intently as her new found friend helped her with making a good dinner choice. She finally decided and spoke up sheepishly, "Beef and Broccoli with a side of... Hmmmmm..... Chow Mein." She handed the menu back to the server and waited for their food.

Akiko nodded to Yuriko, "I'll try and keep my mess minimal anyways." she gave a short laugh and slipped a piece of beef into her mouth. It was delicious. Tender and juicy. She ate slowly as she savored the food while her eyes settled in the movie before her. She felt at peace with Yuriko. There was no tension or awkwardness which helped her relax. It seemed a little strange that she ended up here though. A detective dropping off a victim at his ex girlfriend's just seemed odd. Kaname floated to the top of her mind once again and she pushed the mental image from her mind. She shouldn't be thinking about a man while in her current state. She needed to relax and figure out her past and what happened to her. The movie began and shortly after she was giggling at some of the antics of the cop and other cast.

Akiko caught the hoodie that was tossed to her and quickly wrapped herself in it. She realized at that moment that she only owned the clothes on her back. She had nothing. At least until they figured out who she was and what happened to her. They knew her name but other than that they didn't seem to know anything else. Was her record wiped? She would have to talk to Kaname when she had the chance.

Akiko walked with Yuriko to the rental box. She enjoyed the outside. It was filled with smiling people and a beautiful sunset. She looked at the rental box while Yuriko disappeared and couldn't decide what to choose. She had no idea what she had seen or what would be good. When Yuriko came back out to her she grabbed the menu and looked it over. She couldn't decide on here either. She had no idea what to try or what she liked or didn't like. "Yuriko.... I think you should pick the movie. Pick one you haven't seen since technically I haven't seen it either." She smiled at the only person that she could call a friend right now. "Oh what do you recommend?"

Akiko looked at the both of them and nodded. She felt better around Yuriko who didn't ask her non stop about how she was feeling or if she was in pain. It was already a nice change compared to the hospital. She sipped the tea, smiling a little now that she had people she could count on. A wonderful woman who didn't let the attack slow her down but rather sped her on. It was someone she could lean on if she was scared or in pain from what could happen to her. A handsome Detective that believed her crazy story about her dream and seemed to genuinly want to protect her from anything.

Akiko was sad when Kaname left. She wanted to ask him to stay. To protect her but she felt that she couldn't ask such a selfish thing. If she did then she would be telling Yuriko that she wasn't enough and bringing to light that she was scared. She didn't want to do either. Especially to Yuriko. It wasn't fair to her.

Akiko turned to Yuriko and smiled. "A shower if I could. I don't exactly feel clean with sponge baths that I am sure I got at the hospital." She looked upward as a motion of her thinking and smiled again. "Let's get take out and a movie. A comedy I think. I don't want to put you out more than necessary and I think it will be fun."

Akiko sighed heavily as he said he didn't really find the house. It was her only link to her past. The only thing that could bring her memories back. She had to know who she was but everyone seemed to be trying to hold her back. She knew they were only trying to help but they didn't know what it was to be lost in a world that you don't know where you belong. It was terrifying and confusing to say the least.

Akiko filled the cups with tea, slowly and meticulously, making sure to not spill any of it. She shrugged her shoulders at Yuriko's question, "I don't know what I like.... I don't know anything..." She smiled at the woman, trying to not make her feel bad for circumstances that were not her fault. For some reason she got the feeling that Yuriko would feel some guilt in what was done. Akiko looked at Yuriko with curiosity, "I.. would like that.. I think." Akiko giggled slightly. "But.. what about the nurse and the place they set up?" Her gaze had turned to Kaname. "I don't want to mess up their plans. It is kinda rude."

Akiko stared at Yuriko in shock. She was sure the woman would either become hysterical, blame her or ignore her. But to comfort her was something that confused her. Just moments earlier Yuriko was about to break down just by looking at the pictures of her vicious attack reminding her of her own. Now she was strong and defiant against what Akiko had just said. A different woman almost. Akiko could really only hang her head when the woman had finished. She still felt like this was her fault. If she had only seen something to tell her that whoever harmed her intended her harm. Then she could have done something about it then Yuriko would not have gotten attacked because of it. She know had guilt causing her stomach and chest to knot up on her.

Kaname's voice brought her back to reality. She smiled at him, knowing he was trying to help her. "Honestly... I don't really want to settle into a place that isn't my home... I just want to get my memories back... to know what happened... why it happened." She looked from Kaname to Yuriko then back to Kaname, her eyes pleading. "I know that you are worried but... I have to know... that house..." Her eyes lit up for a moment. "Did you find anything on it?" The whole time she was speaking she was finishing up with the tea.

Akiko listened to Yuriko talk. She took everything she said to heart. She worked with criminals everyday but still cannot see how so much darkness and evil could enter a person. How could she possibly understand when she didn't even know who she was? If she did not know herself how could she possibly know others? She didn't really have time to reply before Kaname came back inside. She wanted to tell Yuriko that she wasn't afraid. Yet how could she be afraid when she had no idea the pain that she had gone through. It was like her mind was protecting her from what she had endured but in the process wiped everything from her memory.

Akiko smiled at him reassuringly though she felt like she wanted to scream or cry or just run, run and never come back. "I'm.... as fine as I can be...." She moved a little in her seat and decided to help Yuriko in the kitchen. She rose from her spot and headed into the kitchen to help prepare the tea. She still knew how to make tea and coffee which still seemed odd that she would know the day to day things but not her whole life of memories. Happy, sad, angry and amazed memories were an enigma to her yet making a cup of tea came so easily. "Yuriko...? Detective....? If Yuriko's and my cases are so similar to be the same person but mine was personal, isn't it my fault that she was hurt?" She felt the guilt hit her when she spoke the words and she choked back a sob that tore to get out.

Akiko watched the exchange between them curiously. Anyone could tell that they had been close and possibly still were. She had no idea what could have broken them up but she shook the thought from her head. It wasn't her place to ask nor wonder about such things. Their business was their own and she had no right to meddle.

When the file dropped from Yuriko's lap, Akiko did not even follow it. Instead her eyes were on the young woman who seemed about to break although she fought back the tears as much as she could. Akiko could see the pain and anguish the woman held inside her. She didn't hide it well but she held enough back to let Akiko know that she shouldn't press any further. Her words hit Akiko like a wall of bricks. Someone she knew? How could someone that she knew do these things to her. She was still unaware of the damage that was inflicted on her but by the way Yuriko looked it was bad.

Akiko watched Kaname leave sadly. She turned her face back to Yuriko as she spoke. "I don't remember Yuriko... I have no memory of.. who I was..." She closed her eyes, saddened at the thought that she could have trusted someone so much that she was ignorant to the fact that they wanted to hurt her. "How could someone cause so much pain and enjoy it? I don't understand... Even though I don't remember what type of person I was before I could not imagine having so much hate for someone..." Her eyes had glazed over with tears forming. The pain was not making her cry as the memory of it all had been wiped but the sadness she felt for Yuriko and now herself was almost overwhelming.