24 hours until the current events.

Seoul. Republic of Korea.

‘Ringtone’

After hearing the call, a bathroom door opened, and young girl in a towel picked the phone.

“Speak…” It was another hard day for her, and now that she was finally in her luxurious suite, she expected to have some time for herself.

While she was listening to a sudden report, the girl was looking at the lights of the night city.

“Kidnapped…? And how does that concern me? … And now that the investigation achieved nothing it is time for me to be concerned? Go earn your salary! I did not hire you to solve everything myself! … Something like this, ha? … Get busy working on it. I am not going to appear out of nowhere.” The girl ended the call, and fell into an armchair.

A few seconds later she picked up the phone again, and called.

“Prepare the plane, we are departing as soon as I arrive to the airport. … I don’t care how you will do it.” This time she threw the phone on a coffee table, and approached an intercom by the entrance.

‘Ping’

“I want car to the airport. Send someone to pack my luggage.”

‘Understood, Miss Himeoka.’

20 hours until the current events.

Y. Japan.

With a screech, a black sedan stopped by a school’s entrance. The driver rushed to open the door of the very important passenger.

“Hideo, keep everyone on their toes. I want to be able to go anywhere at any given time.” The girl leisurely walked towards the school entrance.

Right now it is her headquarters. Right now, she has two meetings appointed, and one call planned.

19 hours 50 minutes until the current events.

The school's director sat down, and looked at the girl.

“Himeoka-sama, we have no idea how or why it has happened. I assure you, we are doing everything in our powers to help the police to…” The girl stopped him.

“Cut it. Give me every detail that may have anything to do with the kidnapping.”

“Of course…” The director recollected every event regarding the kidnapped girl since the young lady left.

“It doesn’t make sense. School is unconnected? I see.”

18 hours until the current events.

‘Ringtone’

“Moshi-moshi. … Good, I will be there.” The girl’s lying on the sofa was interrupted by the news of the kidnapped girl’s parents’ arrival.

She went back to the director’s office.

“Onee-san~♪☆, long time no see~♪☆?” The girl sat by the kidnapped girl’s parents.

“I… never expected to see you again… You matured.” The mother did not smile. There is no way she could smile with the situation at hand.

“Let us start~♪☆?” The girl asked a lot of questions, until she appeared to be satisfied. Then… she left.

14 hours until the current events.

It took the girl a lot of time to process the causalities between the events, people, and finally, the kidnapped girl.

‘This just doesn’t add up…’

The only clues she had are the phone call and the information on the kidnapped girl.

10 million yen. It is not a sum a common household can afford in any way. Neither did that girl have any encounters with bad people.

She was trying to deny the possibility for a long time, until she had to accept it.

‘So… They try to target me, instead?’ Minohara Yuki is in the same school. Has crossed paths with her many times. Hell, she even got a lift.

“Fools…” The girl didn’t know whether to laugh, or just to grin.

“She is not worth 10 million yen. It is a clear loss.” She priced the girl at 100 000 yen at most.

As the girl was about to recall all efforts at searching…

‘Wait… Now I see…’

‘The reason why…’

It was at this moment she understood why she spent so much time and effort for the meaningless creature. It was not because she was calculating her price…

It was because the value this girl has for her is much different…

It is not the value an asset has for her, neither it is the lost profit…

The girl’s connection to her was the reason for everything. Just the fact that the girl was with her for so long, and since so long ago…

“They knew I will have to save her…” She reached for the phone, and searched for one, long-forgotten number…