CHAPTER 380: CHAPTER 281: AEI GOES MISSING IN THE RAIN_2

Uesugi Sakura thought he was overthinking, it felt more comfortable to continue eating the chikuwa in his bowl.

Beep beep...

He reached into his pocket and took out his phone to glance at the screen.

It was an unregistered unfamiliar number.

"Hello."

"Big brother." A voice filled with anxiety and unease.

Uesugi Sakura held the phone with his right hand, while his left hand held a skewer piercing the white radish in the oden: "Chiaei? What’s going on?"

"Aei! Aei hasn’t come home yet..." came a very panicked voice over the phone.

"Didn’t come home? Don’t worry yet, doesn’t she like to stand under trees daydreaming? Maybe she’s in some park right now."

"I, I haven’t found her."

Park, elementary school student...

Could she have run into that pervert who robs kids of their pocket money?

Uesugi Sakura hurriedly glanced at the watch on his wrist; it was currently 5:37.

Shirooka Elementary lets out at 2:30 in the afternoon, after class students can choose to go home or wait in the activity room for their parents.

Which means, if we exclude the time Aei might have spent going home, Chiaei has probably been searching for two hours.

Uesugi Sakura stood up, leaving the unfinished oden, and said into the phone: "Did you call the police?"

The other side of the phone was silent for a second, then a stuttering voice came: "No, I didn’t."

Stepping out of the convenience store’s glass door, with his shoulder and head wedged against the phone, Uesugi Sakura opened an umbrella under the store’s rain awning:

"If you haven’t, call the police first. Where are you? I’m heading over now, don’t go to any deserted places."

"N-Nishihoshiyama Park..."

"Okay, I’m heading over now. Stay put, best if you wait for me somewhere with people on the roadside."

Uesugi Sakura hung up the phone, saw a taxi on the road, and waved for it to stop.

The car wheels sped along, weaving through the rain-soaked streets, splashing raindrops.

While in the car, he checked some information and found that the pervert robbing kids of their pocket money had already been disclosed by the police. They said the person was just grabbing money on the side; the real intent was molesting children, targeting both boys and girls.

People are always fragile, and sometimes things you think you shouldn’t involve yourself in are exactly what you should help with.

The call just now, Chiaei’s voice was anxious and choky, as if she was crying while speaking.

She is a very strong person, at least from the fact she could take care of her sister by herself growing up.

And now that Aei didn’t make it home, after searching for two hours without avail, the first thing she thought of wasn’t to call the police or seek help from teachers, but to ask Uesugi Sakura for help.

Before this, their relationship was just spending a day together and having two meals.

Can such small things really foster trust?

Uesugi Sakura didn’t know what place he and Hanabi occupied in the sisters’ hearts.

The vehicle wheeled through its turns, and after reaching the Shinjuku District, went uphill to the Nishihoshiyama Park Chiaei mentioned.

This place is close to Waseda University’s science and engineering department, a suitable place for a stroll.

But at midnight, it turns into a dwelling place for homeless people and drunks.

It’s common to see people passed out in the bushes at night.

At this moment, the light rain hadn’t stopped, even the homeless regularly asleep here found somewhere else to avoid the rain and sleep.

Aside from the swaying cryptomeria in the rain, there’s nothing here worth paying attention to.

Because of the few people, Uesugi Sakura quickly found Chiaei waiting by the road for him.

Rainwater flowed through the gaps in the bricks at her feet, her small face showed an urgent and tense expression.

Her upper clothes were okay, just a bit wet from the rain, but her shoes and socks were already soaked.

"The police haven’t arrived yet?"

"Brother...."

Uesugi Sakura frowned, "Didn’t call the police? For..."

He didn’t finish the sentence before understanding Chiaei’s thoughts.

Calling the police would definitely alert them to the sisters’ current situation.

Although their parents are still alive, they are unreachable.

Due to their parents not being married, if the father denies responsibility, it’s certain there won’t be any news, and the police can only contact their mother.

But the mother has lost contact, making it hard to find, the most likely outcome is the two sisters being sent to a welfare institution.

Chiaei certainly doesn’t want to go to a welfare institution but understands priorities. If Aei goes missing, she will surely call the police to find her immediately.

The bond built over more than ten years is most important.

Not rushing to call the police now, Chiaei must know something.

But that child-robber pervert likely in this area, what if Aei encounters them?

Thinking of this, Uesugi Sakura asked: "Didn’t Aei answer your call?"

"Not before, just now she did...but Aei...didn’t speak...she only said she’ll come back soon before hanging up...."

Chiaei’s small face hung low, the small tear mole on her left eye seemed to carry a sense of loss.

At least it’s good she answered, indicating safety.

That little girl is witty and tricky, unless forcibly taken, it’s almost impossible to deceive her in broad daylight.

The little girl likely met something unpleasant, not wishing to share with her sister, deciding to stay by herself to cool off.

Now it’s just about finding her.

Uesugi Sakura eased his mind and asked: "Did she suffer any grievances at school?"

Chiaei shook her head, "I don’t know...Aei wouldn’t do this, although she usually says strange things, she wouldn’t run off alone like this..."

Uesugi Sakura believed her; she is Aei’s sister and knows her better than he does.

He held the umbrella, looked around, and asked: "Have you searched around here?"

"Yes, only here... I’m sorry... brother..."

"Why are you apologizing to me?"

Chiaei couldn’t lift her face, apologetically saying: "This matter troubled you..."

He truly had no reason to help the two sisters, no relation, no shared interests.

Uesugi Sakura sighed: "Don’t talk about trouble, if you need help just say, if I see you in distress and refuse to help, Hanabi might call me ruthless."

Little Hanabi wouldn’t openly criticize him, but inside she hopes he can get along better with everyone.

Helping is a troublesome thing, but Uesugi never felt this was not something he should do.

Because when he was young, just a little kindness extended to Hanabi hiding in a corner granted him this genuine feeling like a precious gem today.

Up to now, there remains a happiness difficult to part from her.

Rain pattered on the umbrella. Hearing his words, Chiaei was silent for a while, then tried to look up at him, fragile in appearance, yet exuding a kind of strength:

"Thank you, brother..."

Uesugi Sakura smiled, patted her petite shoulder, squatted down, and said:

"Don’t worry, we will find Aei."

Chiaei saw the smile in front of her, a very indescribable emotion welled up inside her, not knowing what to call it, how to describe it, or what she should do now, she managed to utter a simple thank you.

Nishihoshiyama Park isn’t large, a quick glance didn’t reveal anyone.

Just in case, Uesugi still asked Chiaei to follow him.

The park was littered with empty beer cans; under life’s stress, some people drink here and then lie down.

Nobody likes seeing this ugliness, so the park maintenance workers went from cleaning once a day to once a week.

Rain’s drumming on the cans wasn’t pleasant, instead, it grew irritable as the rain intensified.

Uesugi Sakura initially thought it would be a huge effort to find Aei, but unexpectedly, he quickly spotted her under the bridge of the artificial river, sitting there in a daze.

She still wore her hat, her hair soft and fine, with eyes fixed dazedly on the flowing stream before her.

As if lost in thought.

Seeing her sister was intact, Chiaei felt relieved. As an elder sister, she should scold her a bit, yet found no mood for it now.

Uesugi Sakura held the umbrella, took Chiaei across the grass, approaching her; even as the pair blocked her sight, little Aei remained unresponsive.