“Never mind. It’s not important,” Akeno said, turning back. “We need to get you out of this mess asap!” The change in subject happened a little too quickly for Akiza’s liking.
“I don’t even know how I got into it.”
“We should start with finding Izayoi.”
“That’s sort of why I showed up on your doorstep before.” Akeno seemed to realize the mistake.
“Riiiiiight. Sorry about that bestie.”
“It’s fine.”
“Izayoi left in a hurry some time ago.”
I was afraid of that.
"Do you know if he took my phone when he left? We might be able to..." Akiza went silent from watching Akeno fetching her phone from the foot table.
"Took off like a rocket. Not that it would have mattered. Your battery is dead."
"Damnnit!" This day just kept supplying problems instead of solutions. "We have to go after Izayoi. I can't let him mess around with my body."
"Have you tried calling your mom?"
"Huh?"
Akeno pulled a disheveled expression. "Honestly. Whenever I'm in trouble, she's the first person I turn to."
"My mother is the first person you turn to in a crisis?"
"Did you inherit Izayoi's brain space? I meant my mom!"
"That makes more sense."
"Here. Use my phone." Akeno tossed it over. After a handful of rings, a voice greeted…
"Hello?"
"Mom! Hi, it's me!"
"Izayoi?"
"I uh…" But before she could fix her slip…
"YOU CALLED ME MOM!!!!!!!!!!!" Yukie followed up with easily the biggest squeal of delight, reminding Akiza of an over-hyped fangirl.
Shit! Forgot Izayoi never calls her that.
"You've finally accepted me as your mother. I’m so happy. Do it again?!"
"Huh?"
"Call me 'mom'."
"Okay...mom."
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" This time was even louder.
Akiza held the phone away from her ear to protect it from her mother’s excitement. "It sounds so wonderful when you call me that! Do it again!"
"Maybe later, look mom I—"
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!"
Admittedly, that time had been her fault.
"Please, this is important!"
"Of course. What can I do for you, son?"
Uh, such a deep cut to hear mom call me that.
"And why are you phoning from Akeno's phone?"
"I uh..."
"Wait, are you two dating?"
"Ew! No!"
"They’re not dating!” Akeno shouted most insistently from across the room. The outburst marginally stunned Akiza.
"It's alright, I can keep a secret. I think you two make a lovely couple."
"No mom, really. They’re—I mean we’re not going out. I just needed to use Akeno's phone."
"I didn't even know you and Akeno were friends."
"They’re not friends!” Akeno barked once more, even more insistent.
"Mom, we--are--not--dating. I just need to find Iza...I mean Akiza."
"?"
"Do you know where she is?"
"No, I don't. Have you tried calling her?"
"She left her phone behind at Akeno's place."
"I wouldn't worry. She'll come back eventually. I'd just wait it out. Maybe spend some quality time with Akeno."
"Ugh." Her mother had such an imagination sometimes. "I can't wait! I need to find her now!"
"Then I'm sorry. I haven't spoken to Akiza all day."
It was worth a shot.
"Alright. Thank you, mom."
"Oooooh! I love it when you say mom!" Akiza started hanging up when… “Oh, I almost forgot…” There was a distinct shift in her mother’s tone, to seriousness that took Akiza by surprise. “While I have you here, would it be alright if I…” Her heart skipped a beat, hanging on her mother’s words. The woman sounded ashamed, guilty even. “You know, just for this week. The people sponsoring your father’s trip have told him that there will be a delay in his salary this month so we’re a little short…”
“Short?” What on earth was she talking about?
“I promise, it’s just for this week. I’ll transfer the funds back next week when the payment clears.”
“The payment?” Akiza’s mind jumped to all sorts of conclusions, some of them terrible.
“I know I shouldn’t ask, but…” Her mother sounded downright demoralized. “Izayoi…? Are you still there?”
“Y-yeah, I’m here,” she managed to say. “It’s fine. Don’t worry about it.”
“Thank you, Izayoi.”
“You’re welcome,” Akiza said again, finding it harder to carry on the conversation. Her imagination had taken over nearly all of her. By the time she regained some control, her mother had already hung up.
“Akiza? What’s wrong?” Akeno’s arm on her shoulder fully snapped her back completely.
“I…I don’t know exactly, but I think my mom is keeping something from me. Something big.”
“Something bad?”
“I don’t know.” It was hard to push this issue to the back of her mind and focus on the matter at hand. Akiza and her mother didn’t keep secrets from each other. For as long as she could remember. But whatever this was, it seemed Izayoi was in on it.
“Akiza? What did your mother say about Izayoi?” Akeno’s concern realigned Akiza’s focus.
"It was a waste of time. Plus, now my mom thinks you and my brother are secretly dating."
"Gross."
"Hold on."
"Eh?"
"Maybe Izayoi had the same idea? What if he went to a friend's house to try and figure this thing out?"
"That's a start. Do we know who he’d turn to for help?"
"Of course we do. That dumbass only has one friend."
"The weirdo with the pervy personality?"
"Yup. I'll bet you anything that's where Izayoi took my body."
"Great. Let's go a move on."
"Yeah."
After a moment’s pause…
"Well..." Akeno turned back to a still stationary Akiza. "Where does this Matsuda guy live?"
"How the heck should I know? It's not like he's my friend or anything!"
"But Izayoi does drive you around, right? Hasn't he ever dropped off Matsuda?"
"Sure he has."
Akiza pushed her memories of those experiences to the front of her mind.
.
..
…
"I just can't remember the address, right now."
"The suburb?"
"..."
"The street name?"
"..."
"Can you remember what color the house is?!"
"I'm sorry!” Akiza apologized. “This is just super stressful for me, okay?"
"We’re not gonna get far if we don't know where the guy lives."
"I know that!"
"Don’t worry,” Akeno reassured, channeling her frustration into a long sigh. “We'll think of something."
"Hold on! Hold on!"
"Remember something?"
"I think he said something about Azabudai. 1-9-2 Azabudai.”
"Are you sure?"
"Well, I suppose it could be 2-9-1 Azabudai. Or 1-2-9 Azabudai. Definitely something to do with Azabudai."
"I suppose that is something, at least. Alright, we'll work around it."
