[Series] The Shadow (Part 2/4)

The Shadow part 2

Ryosuke couldn’t get off his thought from those anonymous letters. Why someone sent those to him? He was been bothered by thinking about Chinen’s stalker, but now someone mean to do the same thing to him?

Is this case related? Perhaps the stalkers were the same person?

The journey ended faster when people doing something during the time than just sat in vacant. Ryosuke who was busy with his thought didn’t realize that they arrived at the destination till Chinen pulled him to exit the train.

He didn’t say a word to Chinen about those anonymous letters. He kept it secret. But he thought that Chinen already know about that. Wasn’t that Mika who said she found it when playing with Chinen? He just didn’t want to discuss it.

“Chinen, are Yabu-kun and other member success their investigation?” Ryosuke tried to pick a topic. But all that he had in his head was about their case; stalker.

“Don’t know Yama-chan. They didn’t inform me about that.” Chinen replied plainly.

They continue walking to the studio. When entering the dressing room, they found that others member already gathered.

Did they really do the investigation? Yabu-kun may lie to me. They didn’t seem busy. Ryosuke thought in negative way. It fourth day already, but they produced nothing.

“Argh…”

Chinen covered both his ears with the hand. He screamed loudly. Ryosuke didn’t know how to react. He gently pulled Chinen to sit on the couch and grabbed his hands.

“Chinen, what happen?” The members were surrounding him.

“I, I, I’m…” Chinen stuttered his words. He covered his ears again and closed the eyes.

“Yama-chan, what did you do to Chinen?” Takaki stare at Ryosuke suspiciously.

“I didn’t do anything!” Ryosuke defended himself. They selfishly demanded him to guard Chinen by himself and now someone judge him as a suspect? Ryosuke couldn’t stand that.

“I, I hear voices…” Chinen talked again.

“Voices?” Everyone said confusedly at once.

“Those voices… Those voice telling me something. They ask me to do this and that.” Chinen lost his temper that he cried.

Keito went out to get some drinks. Ryosuke approached Chinen and hugged him.

Somehow he felt really bad to Chinen because he didn’t talk much to him. Perhaps Chinen kept all burden for himself because he acted cold these day.

“Chinen, gomen ne.” Ryosuke whispered in Chinen’s ear. He just nodded.

***

After the dance practice, Keito and Inoo seemed to discuss something. Chinen wasn’t there. The manager permitted him to rest in dressing room to refresh his thought. Ryosuke came to join the duo student university.

“Yama-chan, since when Chinen become like that?” Ryosuke was about to sit when Inoo give him question.

“The one in dressing room was the first time.” Ryosuke answer honestly. Yeah, he never seen Chinen behaved like that before.

“Was something happen at your place these days?” Keito turned asked.

Should I tell them about those letters? But it has nothing to do with Chinen, right? The one that been target is me.

“Were there?”

“Ah, nothing.” Ryosuke decided to keep silent.

“That’s strange. Why he been hallucinating if there was not a stressor?” Keito stared at Inoo.

***

Again, Ryosuke couldn’t get rid of thinking about the stalker. Is that really a girl? For some reason, Ryosuke didn’t believe that the stalker is a girl. That girl that Chinen saw might just a doll that use by the real culprit.

Chinen keep quiet. After that ‘hallucination tragedy’ he became really passive. He even refused to have lunch together. He just sat with a blank stare.

“Chinen, what is that bothering you so much?” Ryosuke poured tea into cups. They were sitting in veranda, enjoying the sunset.

Ryosuke sipped the tea, while Chinen didn’t show any reaction.

“Chinen, if you keep behave like that, I’ll drag you to see a Psychologist.” Ryosuke threatened. He felt irritated because Chinen ignoring him.

Chinen rose from the chair. Took a deep breath and walked a few steps. Then he extended his arms as wide as he could as if he would embrace the whole thing in front of him.

“I feel distressed these days. I can’t focus in doing anything since that stalker appeared.” Chinen paused to draw breath again. As if he wanted to fulfill his lungs with the air this afternoon. “I feel scared and anxious all the time that I became timid and started hallucinating as hear them whispering in my ear.”

He finished his story and sat back on the chair. Ryosuke glad to see that his face became brighter after unburden his mind.

“Chii, please don’t think too much about it. There are many people who take care of you. You hurt yourself by doing that.” he tried stringing wisdom words from his head and said it with a smile.

Chinen replied with a smile, Ryosuke was relieved.

***

Today’s schedule extremely tight! Ryosuke dropped his body on the couch in dressing room. He was taking a break before the rehearsal for the Shounen Club start.

Yabu, Daiki and Inoo entered the room. They just arrived minutes ago, while Ryosuke have been there since the morning. He got extra dance practice for his solo song.

“Konbanwa, Yama-chan.” Daiki sat next to him.

“Konbanwa, Daichan.” Ryosuke smiled at Daiki. He was really bored jut now. Practicing alone in the dancing room where he usually did the dance practice together with JUMP. Fortunately the members come sooner today. At least he had someone to talk now.

“Yamachan, where’s Chinen?” Inoo asked.

“Ah, he’s out to buy some snacks.” Ryosuke replied straightly.

“Why don’t you accompany him?” Yabu suddenly excited.

“Why I have to do that? He just walked meters away.” Protest Ryosuke.

“You… how if something bad happen? We trust him to you!” Yabu turned to Ryosuke. He looked angry.

“Sumimasen…” Ryosuke get up and bowed at Yabu, “I’ll go find him.”

Along with that, Takaki entered the room. Yuto and Chinen trailed behind him. Their faces looked tense.

“Minna, I got another bad news!” Takaki showed an uchiwa with Ryosuke picture. “There’s a new stalker!”

Everyone in the room confused and shocked at the same time.

“Just now, I saw a girl standing behind the dressing room. I approached her, thinking that she was a staff. But he ran away and dropped the uchiwa and this.” Yuto handed Ryosuke a red origami.

Ryosuke took that paper and read the writing in fast.

Ryosuke, you had been selected, prepare yourself!

to be continued...