Chapter Text
The city had changed so much since Ren had left.
It felt like a completely different place. A ton of new businesses had opened up in the last six years, and they had even added new residential buildings. He was positive that this museum he was in right now was only added within the last year, both with it’s modern design, being built of glass and metal, and with how clean the glass was, both on the walls and on the ceiling, allowing the afternoon sun to come in. Ren was sitting down in the main lobby on a wooden bench, counting out the change in his hand. A few crumpled up bills, and a small pile of change… 3,172 yen in total. Despite the pitiful amount, he put the paltry sum back in his pocket, a small smile on his face. He would probably have to sleep outside tonight, but it wouldn’t be too hard to find a place that could at least cover his head while he was asleep. He was going to make this money stretch out until he found an odd job. Food and soap, those were priorities.
He looked out the window wall, just observing people going in and out. Even when he was traveling with people from Japan, he felt like he hadn’t heard this much Japanese being spoken in years. Really, he wasn’t even planning on coming back for a little while longer, but while he was in a small European country, an envelope with his name on it had been hand delivered to him, asking him to come back to Japan, summoned by a corporation he had never heard of; the Tsurumaki Foundation. It was a short request, but made clear that they would be waiting for him to come back to Japan to speak with them. He was at the address they wanted him to be at, a history museum that was backed by the titular foundation. Really, he had no idea why they would want to talk to him, but it had been six years; maybe it was time to visit the country he grew up in.
Lost in thought, he didn’t notice any incoming commotion until he heard a stampede coming at him.
His head quickly whipped around, and he watched as security guards in black jumpsuits and helmets obscuring their faces ran past him. Well, he assumed they were security guards, but he had never seen guards who were quite so heavily armed. Turning his head in the direction they were running, he was just in time to see a young boy, who couldn’t have been older than maybe 14, trip.
Trip, and let go of something.
Something that flew a short distance before shattering on impact when it hit one of the metal support beams.
The only thing that seemed to move in that moment was the kid, quickly scrambling up and running out the door full speed. A few seconds later, some of the security guards ran to catch up with the kid, while others dashed towards the broken item. Ren stood up, not really sure what to do, but knew he probably shouldn’t just be sitting around. But it wasn’t exactly like he could just go out the front door, not with the door being absolutely crowded with the guards. Before he could move anywhere else, though, a female voice was heard over the intercom.
“Attention. Everyone in the Tsurumaki Foundation Historical Museum must remain inside the building for questioning. We ask that you remain in the general area you are in right now. Once you have been questioned, you’re free to go. Again, please remain inside the Tsurumaki Foundation Historical Museum until you have been told you are allowed to leave.”
Well, there went the idea of leaving. Ren slowly sat back down and watched the shocking efficiency of the guards, as they started to clean up the artifact and place themselves around the exits. Ren held the strap of his bag tighter to him, trying to keep his eyes still. Two of the guards stationed themselves at each end of the bench, one of them talking quietly to… something. Ren felt his shoulders tense up, but he forced himself to relax.
He had no idea how long he was waiting, but it couldn’t have been more than ten minutes before he was approached by a man in a somewhat ill-fitting suit. His dark grey hair laid flatly against his head, his smile friendly.
“Hello, sir. Can I please have your name?” the suited man asked.
“Um… Ren Nanahoshi,” Ren replied, forcing his grip on his bag to loosen.
“Thank you, Ren-san,” the man said, taking out a pad of paper and quickly writing something down. “My name is Jin Wakamiya,” he said, “I’m a detective who works with the Tsurumaki Foundation. I’ll only ask you a few questions, don’t worry.” Jin smiled, before flipping to another page on the notepad. “So, Ren-san, were you up here the whole time?”
“M-Mhm.”
“Did you see the incident happen?”
“The child tripping, right?”
“Yes,” Jin said, jotting something down. “Did you happen to see what the child looked like?”
“Um,” Ren had to think for a second. “He couldn’t have been older than 14, I don’t think. He was wearing a middle school uniform.” He had to think harder, trying to remember any other information. “His hair was to his shoulders, I remember. It was… light in color.”
“Did you remember what school the uniform belonged to?”
“I’m sorry, I don’t,” Ren said. “I’m not from around here.”
“Oh?” Jin asked. “Where are you from, then?”
“Nowhere, really. I was born in Japan, but I only just arrived back.”
“I see,” Jin said. “So, what brought you back here?”
Before Ren could reply, the intercom turned back on. The woman on the other side was calm, but her message was short.
“Evacuate the building immediately.”
Ren stood up, as Jin pocketed his notepad. The armed security guards started to rush around, moving outside the exits and starting to surround the building, as more people started to flow outside, some in suits, some in street clothes.
“Sorry about that, Ren-san. We will continue this conversation outside,” Jin said, turning around.
No sooner did he say that, a guard was thrown right beside them, through the glass wall. The sound of the wall shattering froze Ren, as he turned his head to see what had thrown the guard. He wasn’t exactly sure what he was expecting to see.
What he wasn’t expecting to see, when he looked over Jin’s shoulder, was a monster.