Chapter Twenty-One:
Collapse:
Last night fulfilled Tsuzuki's curious lust. However, he
started to feel the repercussions this morning. The worst came at the staff
meeting. Tatsumi put the file on the table.
"It has come to this department's attention that we have
a leak," he addressed.
"Someone knows about the kitsune," older Gushoshin added.
"But how?" Watari asked.
"We looked though all of the staff," Konoe said.
"Everyone checks out."
"What about newer members?" Hisoka asked.
"From how far back?" Tatsumi asked.
"Six months?" the boy asked. Younger Gushoshin typed in
the data.
"Only eight people," he said. "Two shinigami and
maintenance people."
"Anyone stand out?" Watari asked.
"No," the younger Gushoshin said. The bird creature kept
scrolling. "One has their information blocked," All eyes fell on younger
Gushoshin.
"Blocked?" Konoe asked. "That's not possible."
"It is," Younger Gushoshin said. "Come and look." The
bird creature clicked the link. The profile only yielded a name. Tatsumi gave
the screen a puzzled look.
"Who's Wong?" he asked.
"It doesn't say," younger Gushoshin replied. "They
applied here eight months ago last November."
"Any reports filed on this person?" Konoe asked.
"No," Gushoshin said. "Not even any death records."
Tsuzuki stayed where he sat. The whole morning, he's been fighting. Everything
sounded like it was underwater. He blinked sleep out of his eyes. The taste of
sick wouldn't leave his throat. He already pulled the "I'm fine" lie. That won't
hold too well. In fact, he counted down to it. What, exactly, even Tsuzuki
couldn't say. He just waited for it to come.
"Tsuzuki!" someone called to him. The shinigami looked up
and noticed that Konoe had his eyes on him and Hisoka.
"Be on your guard around this Wong person," he warned
them. "They could be anyone."
"Yes," Tsuzuki and Hisoka replied. Konoe sat back.
"That is all," he said. "Get back to that school."
"Yes sir," the man said. No sooner had Tsuzuki got up to
leave, he began feeling woozy.
"Tsuzuki?" Hisoka asked. His partner collapsed to the
floor. The last thing he heard was, "Tsuzuki-san! Get him to the infirmary now!"
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By noon, Tsuzuki awoke in one of the beds in said
infirmary. His eyes wandered around the room. He found Anna sitting at the foot
of his bed.
"Anna?" Tsuzuki asked. "Are you really�"
"Yes," she said. "I'm really here."
"They told me what happened," Anna said.
"Do you know?" Tsuzuki asked. His wife nodded.
"So, now what do we do?" he asked, frowning. Anna looked
down at her hands.
"I might have to start sleeping with other people," the
woman said quietly.
"No!" Tsuzuki was quick say.
"I don't want to hurt you again," Anna said.
"And you won't!"
"How can you be so sure?"
"I will find a way!" Tsuzuki didn't even believe his own words. He knew she didn't believe him either, but what else could he do in that situation?