Weekend Lovers

Translated by 64990022

Chapter 2: Weekend Lovers

Part 4

“The president of the Republic of ■■■■■ has made an unusual comment against The Heavens Council.”

My chopsticks froze at the TV news. I set down my bowl and turned to the TV. The screen cut to President ■■■■ commenting.

“‘The organization had failed to come up with required  information about their organization, including their affiliated country. The United States hereby denounces The Heavens Council.’”

“Many countries felt indignation at the Council’s conference.”

“The republic strongly disagree on the Council’s interference in ■■■ civil war.”

“The president has request for The Heavens Council’s withdrawal from the ■■■ civil war.”

President ■■■■, known for being a fearsome authoritarian. Although he was infamous on the internet, his domestic support was unignorable. The military might at his hand was not something to be trifled with, his position of power was rather problematic for the rest of the world.

—That was too surreal.

Such a big figure like that… condemning The Heavens Council.

My girlfriend’s organization got the ire of President ■■■■.

Would she be ok…?

■■■■■ wasn’t a country you’d toy with… Could she and the organization get away safe? But she has Request…

“This ‘Heaven’s Council’ is certainly a mystery, don’t you think, Agata-san?” The first reporter asked solemnly..

“Yes, the scale of the said organization has indeed increased over the recent years. All we know of its structure is that it was a think-tank-like organization, other than that it is a mystery.”

The middle-aged man pointed to the screen.

“Regardless, they have brought remarkable results in the international sphere. Whether it would be the recent democratization of ■■■ or spearheading of the air raid on ■■■■ airbase. These events have greatly affected the political balance internationally. And, surprisingly–”

The reporter, Agata-san, turned to another slide.

“–-There was a high probability that the Heaven’s Council originated in Japan.”

I gulped.

“J-Japan?! Why would that be?” said the other reporter.

How could they know? And since when? To think that information like this would be broadcasted on domestic TV news, not the special intelligence of some country…

“The reason we think so is due to the amount of their movement in Japan in their early days,” he readily answered, “And the problems were quite domestic problems, postponement of entrance examination nationwide, revision of penalties for traffic accidents. It was believed that budget allocations and organizational reforms of the Children’s Ministry may have also been initiated by the Council. In addition, Japan is exposed to relatively less terrorist attacks on global scale.”

“I see… Until recently, the frequency of attacks were increasing, presumably, the main problem of Japan a few years back. If we are to say that the Council has a hand in this, then it might make sense.”

“Yes, it wouldn’t be a stretch if we are talking about the organization’s capabilities. To conclude, Japan held an unknown significance to The Heavens Council and might relate to the Japanese government and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It would certainly be interesting to see how the Japanese government react to President ■■■■’s comments.”

“Right, thank you very much, Agata-san. Next, the following is the weather forecast for the prefecture. Let’s hear from our meteorologist, Morisawa-san. If you would—”

I see…

I let out a long sigh and resumed eating.

A lot of movements in Japan in their early days… that sounds just like Hiyori. Afterall, it’s her organization…

As I thought to myself, and gazed absentmindedly at the weather forecast section, I felt my phone tremble in the pocket

Incoming call: Rinta Urabe.

—Rinta. Urabe’s younger brother, elementary school, grade five.

But, why? At this hour?

“Excuse me…” I apologized to my mother across the table and left the living room.

“Hello? What’s up?”

–“Miharu? Sorry for the late night call,” Rinta’s teenage voice cracked a little over the phone, “About my sister…”

“Yep, what’s up?”

–“Miharu, didn’t you two…” Rinta stammered a little as if choosing his words. “Did you have a fight with my sis?”

“Huh?” I froze in my tracks.

A fight? With Urabe?

“No, I don’t remember doing so?”

Excluding yesterday where I went on a date with Hiyori, we’re together as usual. We didn’t so much as got into an argument.

–“Hm? Then I was wrong?”

“Firstly, what happened?”

I lie down on the tatami mat in my room.

–“My sis… she’s strange lately, like she’s not getting enough sleep. The eye bags are gettin’ worse too. ‘Did she have a fight with you?’ Or so I thought.”

“Not just games like usual?”

If I was correct, I heard one of her friends saying that.

But I just couldn’t think there would be a complicated reason as to why she couldn’t get sleep.

–-“No, not games, the lights were out.”

“She could still play with her phone, no?”

“Don’t think so. She isn’t really into smartphone games or social media.”

Then, what is it?

To begin with, I had never heard about Urab having sleeping problems. I couldn’t even imagine even if I tried to. She was the type of person that takes pressure and stress with a stride. Not even when she got really, really bad grades did she seem worried.

–“You’re the last probability,” insisted Rinta, “I know her, she’s my sis. It’s gotta be you”

“Really…?”

–“Miharu, if possible, take care of her. She’s having a hard time with something, that’s all I know. Help her whenever you can,” he said sincerely.

“O-oh, will do.”

–“Then, that’s all. Take care of her! Byee!”

“Um, bye…”

Then the call ended abruptly.

Urabe sleep deprived…

To tell the truth, I have a guess.

She has an obsession over me, and she was shaken that I got a girlfriend. She might even be aware of me a member of opposite sex, no matter how slightly.

But…

“No, no, no ,no. Of course not, impossible…”

No matter how I think it, it was impossible.

For certain, what existed between me and Hiyori was certainly romantic feelings. The pressure, the anxiety, and happiness were all profound yet fleeting. On the contrary, with Urabe, it was more stable than that. Simple, unchanging platonic friendship.

If that was so…

Then what exactly happened to her? Emotions that could not be named? Why would she do that, I had no guess.

I spoke to the dark smartphone screen.

“Girls are a mystery…”

**

And then, a while after that day.

Hiyori stopped coming to school.

“Hamure-san isn’t here today, hmmm”

More precisely, two weeks after our date.

Homeroom teacher looked at the empty seat worriedly. “She still hasn’t recovered from the cold… This time of the year would be when you get sick often. The new virus is also spreading. So everyone, be careful, and don’t force yourself if you’re ill… The mid term examination is also close by—”

The word “midterm examination” brought a few flinches to the students, I noted to myself. For me… I was more concerned about Hiyori not being here for almost a full week.

At first, I thought it was really a cold. The season where catching a cold is normal has come, it seemed like it.

Until I noticed that she had read none of my LINE messages. After a few day, I was convinced what was wrong.

Something happened. Something at The Heavens Council…

“—For the test, we teachers will be announcing test scope next week. Be sure to prepare accordingly so you won’t panic at the last minute—”

But… I had no idea what happened.

Nothing. Nothing on the date or the day after, no signs of her having trouble, not even news of the Council’s movements. All I was left with was peaceful, uneventful days.

“–Our student had helped a tourist out a few days before. The school has received a thank you email and small compensation. If the said student is in our class—”

I listened to the teacher with one ear, while thinking back on what I knew.

The Heavens Council was a secretive organization, there was no way an ordinary student like me could know their whereabouts. Especially when it concerns their leader, Hiyori. They wouldn’t make movements in broad daylight, news wouldn’t get me anywhere closer to her.

On to the next point, when news does not report something, it is usually something big, a bombshell that might trigger outrage…

Suddenly, the worst scenario popped into my mind. What if they got hold of Hiyori?

If it was President ■■■■, then it was possible. She might already be dead as we speak…

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My hand curled up into a fist.

Thud. Thud. My heartbeat picked up pace.

Right, that happening was completely possible, wasn’t it? Just like that, her absences went on and on until the police categorized her as a missing person.

While I could only sit and wait…

“Today’s leader, Nokishita, if you please–”

“Yessir! Staaand! Bowww!”

“Thank you very muuchhh,” other student said in a languish unison.

Even then, I was busy trying to gulp down the rising unease that my voice came out as a mumble.