Chapter Forty-One: What Really Happened:

Shinichi couldn’t believe his luck. Why would one of the most beautiful, smartest, and popular girls want to talk to him? But Midori was the one who came to him. He remembered that day perfectly too. Shinichi was about to leave for the when she came to him. This was back in summer of 1990. Midori even knew his name. Looking back it all seemed too good to be true.

He knew this fantasy couldn’t last.

But Midori acted friendly towards him. She never seemed to want anything from him. In fact, Shinichi thought that she was lonely.

“I don’t understand,” he said one before summer break was over.

“What do you mean?” Midori asked. He laid back onto the grass.

“Why me?” he asked. “You could have anyone you wanted. You have cool friends. Why are you hanging around me?” That’s when he first saw that sad look in her eyes.

“They don’t really know anything about me,” Midori said under her breath.

“What did you say?” Shinichi asked. She smiled and shook her head.

“I’m just a bit tired,” Midori lied. She leapt up to her feet. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” The awkward boy sat up as he watched her walk away. He probably should’ve pried for more then. Maybe he should’ve asked if she was okay.

School started back up the next day and things became busy. Shinichi’s family pushed him to study and keep his grades up. In the past, he could just tune out and obey. But lately, the pressure started to get to him. The boy just wanted to spend more time with his pretty friend. But his mother would not allow it.

“You don’t have to date,” she told him on a daily basis. What he would’ve given to turn around and choke her out. Midori became the only person to keep him sane in this town. It seemed that she felt the same way about him. He could understand how she felt.

Or so he thought.

The crushing weight of reality set in with the death of Murakami Hiro. He had vanished before Christmas. There was many guesses and rumors. But Midori knew the truth. She couldn’t keep it to herself any longer. After class, Shinichi made it to his chubby. He found a note on top of his shoes.

“Huh?” he asked. Shinichi picked up the note and opened it.

“Meet me at the fort on the hill.”

Just by looking at the handwriting he knew who this was. Shinichi put out his shoes and walked out to the back way of the school.

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Midori stood in front of the fort with tears streaming down her cheeks. Shinichi froze when he was inches away from her.

“What’s the matter?” he asked.

“He killed him,” Midori said. “I just know that he did.”

“I’m not following…” Shinichi said in a low voice. Midori walked forward and threw her arms around him. His cheeks turned bright red.

“Uh… Okay…” he mumbled. Shinichi spent an hour listening to Midori whimper about Hiro. The things she said didn’t really shock him at first.

“He killed him, I just know it,” she said.

“Who killed Murakami?” he asked. Midori looked him in the eye.

“My father killed him,” she said in a whisper.

“But why?” Shinichi asked. Her eyes darted back and forth. Despite muttering under her breath, he still managed to catch what she was saying.

“He was jealous of him,” Midori said.

“What?” the awkward boy asked. His dear friend clenched her fists at her side as she began to tremble. It hurt to confess the whole agonizing story out loud. It couldn’t have taken a few minutes but time took too long for her. By the end, Midori looked like she wanted to vomit. Shinichi stood there with his jaw dropped to the ground.

“I… I… I’m so sorry, Midori,” he said at last. “I had no idea.” Tears welled up in her eyes.

“I hate this town,” she whispered. “I want to leave.” Shinichi didn’t know why he said this next. It just came out of his mouth, really.

“Ever thought about running away?” he asked. Midori looked at him with eyes.

“And go where?” she asked. Shinichi shrugged and shook his head.

“I don’t know,” he said. “You’re really smart. I’m sure you are going to be fine. I have seen you fix everyone’s problems around you. You can fix yourself just fine.” He had no idea that his own words would rip off the bandage on this town. Midori gave him a blank stare.

“You really mean it?” she asked.

“I do,” Shinichi said. Midori wrapped her arms around him again.

“You’re welcome, I guess…” he said. His own words became inspiration for his own bad ideas.

The plan took months to make. Shinichi didn’t have any plans to go to where Midori was going. He would be happy to just leave the town with her. After that, they would go their separate ways. He just wanted to be free. Shinichi didn’t know where he was going but he would figure it out once he got out of the town. Everything seemed to be going fine the day that they were to run away.

But something always had to go wrong. It started on the night of December seventeenth, 1991. Shinichi had slipped out of the house and made his way to the school gates. When he got there, he saw Midori and Abe-sensei about to get into the car. The boy flagged them down.

“Hey!” he shouted. The pair looked up to see him running towards them. Midori had a confused look on her face.

“Shinichi, what are you doing here?” she asked.