Chapter Twenty-Eight: Ride Along:

Akemi and I didn’t speak during the drive. Still, I couldn’t help but wonder about her motive of why I was in Hiroshima in the first place. Somehow, this felt like the perfect place to find out.

“Nee-san,” I spoke up. She kept her eyes on the road, not saying a word. I shifted in my seat for a second. How exactly do I ask this? “Why did you bring me here?”

“We’re looking for Sakura-hime, remember?” she asked.

“No,” I said, shaking my head. “Why did you bring me to Hiroshima?” I asked. Akemi shrugged her shoulders at me.

“Does there have to be a reason?” she asked.

“Well, yeah,” I said. Akemi as we curved right.

“Fine, I wanted to.”

“But why?”

She rolled her eyes and groaned. “Does everything have to have a reason with you?”

“Well, yes. Like why did Hitomi-chan kill herself?”

“Oh my god! That again?”

“What?” I asked. My sister stopped the car.

“Why can’t you let go of her already?” she asked.

“She was my friend.”

“So?”

“Were you really that close to her before she died?”

“Well, no, but still!” I noticed her press her head to her forehead. “Now what’s wrong?”

“You’re missing the point!” Akemi shouted. I tilted my head at her.

“What point?” I asked.

“It does not matter!” she yelled. “Hitomi’s dead! You couldn’t really do anything to save her!”

“But if I had just asked her what was wrong…”

“And then what? Would she have told you anything?”

I froze at her question. “But…”

“Would she?” Akemi asked again. I lowered my head as I put my hands in my lap.

“No,” I mumbled.

“Exactly!”

I frowned at her reaction. “But still…”

“But still nothing!” Akemi snapped. “Let it go already!”

I folded my arms across my chest. “It still bugs me, though.”

“It will,” she replied.  “Just like a few other things in life. You have to move on and let her go.” I kept my head down.

“What can I do to ease my questions out of my head?” I asked.

“Helping us find Sakura-hime,” Akemi answered. “At least she’s still alive and in the present.” She paused at her words. “Though, I don’t know how much longer.” I lifted my head at her.

“What do you mean?” I asked. Akemi bit on her lower lip.

“She may be a bit suicidal…” she said in a high-pitched, small voice. My eyes grew wide in shock.

“What did you say?” I asked.

“She’s probably gone to the highest apartment building to jump off,” she went on. I grabbed her on the arm.

“Do you know where that is?!” I yelled.

“Of course I do,” Akemi said.

“Well why are we parked here?! Let’s get going now! We have to save her!”

My sister gave me a quick salute. “Yes sir!” She started up the car and stepped on the gas. I hung on for dear life as she sped away.