The next day, Homare awoke to an empty bed beside him.

'She got up already...'

He got changed into new clothes after a quick morning shower, before heading out to the penthouse lounge of Tres Spades. He was about to open his book, looking to read in peace when he heard chatter amidst men and a woman.

"Are you sure about this, Kat?" "Baba, leave her about it, this is important to her."

"She could get hurt..." "We'll send her on a private trip then." "I appreciate your concern boys, but this might lead me to more information. If there isn't any info on the black market auctions-"

A large thump resounded and Homare noticed that with his snooping, he accidentally elbowed a pot of plants, causing it to fall. The group turned to the sound but Homare was quick to hide after placing the unscathed pot back on it's pedestal where it stood prior.

He left no trace and ducked away just in time before Soryu appeared with a gun in hand, glaring as he searched for the person. Homare quietly watched as Soryu reported back, saying it might just have been something else and the group returned to their conversation.

"As I was saying," Katsumi's voice filled Homare's telling ears, and he tried his best to make out most of the group's words. "If there isn't any info on the black market auctions, this could be rare, and lead me to more info... I know it..."

"It does seem right, Eisuke. We should let her go, but Kat, we'll be watching from behind."

"Seems like a deal. I'm leaving in an hour, all my bags are packed. Tell Shindo I left for family business. We can't have any of the schools snooping around and find out about the auctions. Could tattle on the police."

"Alright, we'll have Baba and Ota distract them while you leave. They should be coming any time-"

Chatter echoed down the halls, heading threateningly close towards them and the bidders, including Kat, shut their conversation down. But not without glancing at each other, confirming a solid plan. Before the chattering group could come into view, Homare sneakily walked out of the room, making it look ordinary so as to not draw any suspicion.

He hid his face behind a book, just as he does every morning when he comes out. Katsumi and the bidders greet him good morning, as the group, who came a few seconds after him.

Katsumi masked her once serious expression and tone with her perfect smile as she began a trivial chat with the group, engaging the bidders in it. Homare glanced at the perfectly innocent looking girl.

He heard wrong, right? No way Katsumi was involved in shady things like that...?

But out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the raven girl excusing herself, skillfully hiding a manila folder away from the group's prying eyes as she swiftly walked off into their shared room.

He decided against going with her, trying to avoid suspicion.

A few minutes more, he scoped into their conversation and heard Baba and Ota inviting them out for a short trip. Along with Eisuke, who was speaking to Mr. Shindo about Kat's absence for later on in the day, which of course, he accepted foolishly.

The group of bidders successfully guided the group out of the lounge, giving Kat time to execute their plan.

Homare followed the girl out to the front of the hotel, where a limo awaited. With her light luggage, enough for a few days, she climbed in and soon, it was off. The student quickly hailed a cab, ordering it to follow the limo.

The driver gave him a strange look but followed it nonetheless. Luckily, Katsumi didn't notice and soon, the taxi stopped ways out of Tokyo, in front of a small town a few miles away.

It cost quite a lot, but he paid for it and quietly stalked after Katsumi, who walked into the town's rusty gate entrance. It was an abandoned town, all it's buildings evacuated and crumbling, some already down in rubble.

It's streets were deserted and residences undisturbed. Homare noticed faint chatter coming from a building, in which Katsumi entered. He didn't follow, looking at it's structure first, which seemed stable, only for a few more days or so.

All the rooms in the city's buildings and houses were off, unused. But around the 3rd floor of this particular building, there was the faint glow of an oil lamp, a thin curtain covering the window of the lit room, so as to hide their presence.

He soon heard the chatter a bit more clearly, but most of the words to faint to make out. Homare, too curious to turn away or miss anything, hurries to climb up to the said floor, looking under the door, looking for the soft glow of the lamp, which he had no trouble finding after the room's door was left open, it's light illuminating the dark halls slightly. 

He once more listened into the talk, "Do you have the information?"

"Do you have what we asked for?" "You asked for the money. I got your 10 million here." "I asked for the selling certificate on the auctions as well. Do you have it?!"

The person, as Homare could tell, was ill-tempered, demanding for the 'payment'. "You asked for a one timer pass, and just come to the auctions when you want. But it only happens once as you, Eisuke and I have decided."

"That's a good girl, princess. This is all the information we have on your parents and twin brother. It seems as if that 'accident' 9 years ago wasn't such an accident. Good luck girl."

After some shuffling, pairs of footsteps could be heard and Homare hid away just as the men exited the hall  with a briefcase and a golden envelope, sealed with a diamond crested stamp.

The men left as squealing tires and a roaring engine was heard before it drove away. He could hear flickering pages in the room which was still occupied by Katsumi. He tiptoed to it's door carefully, making sure not to draw any notice toward himself.

The girl was looking through various pictures in a folder on a small desk where she sat. As she carefully analyzed the photographs, one fluttered out of the pile, which went unnoticed. Katsumi sighed before cleaning everything up, still not noticing the dropped photo.

She exited, not seeing Homare who scattered into the shadows. Once the student left, with the files in her bag, the boy decided to survey the room, curiosity overtaking him. The limo, which waited for her, drove away and it could be heard before disappearing completely.

The raven haired boy dug around the room, searched around the desks, but all he found was nothing but a single, dusty bed, an old oak desk, a closet and a pair of torn up shoes in the corner of the room. It was vacant. 

He picked up the fallen picture, carefully slipping it into his pocket, deciding to investigate more before looking at anything else. He only found old dresses in the closet, from the vintage days. The bed was rickety, covered in nothing but old, worn out sheets.

In the desk however, was a different story.

Homare rummaged through the desks and he found another photo, except this one was in black and white. He slipped it into his pocket as well and was about to close the drawer when a folded, yellowed piece of paper caught his eye.

~*****~

Homare was in his and Kat's suite, changed after another shower, the dust of the house got him dirty earlier. He was sitting on his bed, looking at the pictures he had taken from the room in the building earlier.

What piqued his interest the most was the letter, which seemed to be written years back, judging from it's yellowed, aged state.

But once he opened it, his eyes traveled to the person's name, to whom it was supposed to be sent.

Written at the bottom, the last sentence was:

'To my beloved sister, and best friend; 

Katsumi.'