"Are you going to get them assessed?" Benio inquired, prompting Kavei's response.

"Yeah. A blood test," Kavei confirmed, his tone serious.

Curious about the situation, Saira opened her mouth to ask for clarification, just as a boy of Kavei's age emerged from the store, holding a plastic bag and a cream bun. Upon seeing Kavei, the boy's demeanor shifted, dropping his belongings in surprise. The sound of the drop stopped Saira grom talking as she looked in the direction of the boy.

"Kavei...?" he uttered in disbelief.

"Huh? Kenma...?" Kavei responded as he turned around to look at the boy, equally shocked by the unexpected encounter.

Their reunion marked a moment of intrigue, leaving everyone present curious about the connection between Kavei and the newcomer named Kenma.

"That's... me... Is it really you, Kavei?" Kenma's voice quivered with disbelief.

Emerging behind Kenma were two other male figures. One of them retrieved the bag from the ground while the other discarded the cream bun into the nearby dustbin.

"Dude. Why would you waste a completely awesome vanilla cream bun?" the boy asked Kenma.

Kenma turned to face him, "Ojiro. It's... Kavei."

Ojiro, too, stood frozen in shock, his expression mirroring Kenma's astonishment. The bag held by Narito, originally belonging to Kenma, dropped to the street once again.

"Ouch. Poor bag," Kavei remarked, injecting a touch of humor into the moment.

"Why are you here?" Narito finally managed to speak, breaking the silence.

"Hah... Nice to meet you too, Narito," Kavei replied, attempting to ease the tension.

"Cut it out!" Ojiro exclaimed, pulling Kavei into a tight embrace that Kavei couldn't escape.

"Haha. You're still so strong, Ojiro," Kavei chuckled, patting his back gently, while Narito smiled and Kenma held back tears of happiness.

"Sorry to interrupt this wonderful moment, but who are these guys, Kavei?" Benio interjected, breaking the silence.

"Oh, right," Kavei said, releasing himself from Ojiro's hug. "They are my friends from school, back when I was in fifth grade. From left to right - that's Kenma, Narito, and Ojiro. And meet my seniors, guys. They are Benio, Saira, and Miyasi."

Kavei introduced both parties to each other, and they exchanged bows.

Kenma quietly pulled Kavei closer and whispered, "You have senior friends now?"

"Haha. You know, Kenma, I was just thinking about looking for you," Kavei replied.

"Seriously? After so long? You need some sort of help?" Kenma inquired.

"Yeah, and for old times' sake," Kavei said, smiling.

"Oh, cut it out, you. What do you need help with?" Kenma asked, amused.

"Kenma, Narito, Ojiro, listen to me closely, and don't, I mean, don't, seriously, don't freak out," Kavei said with concern, sensing the gravity of the situation.

"What could possibly freak us out more than meeting you here after four long years?" Kenma almost burst into laughter.

"I'm serious. I mean it. Don't freak out," Kavei insisted, his expression serious.

"Yeah, okay. Promise," Kenma agreed, now understanding the seriousness of Kavei's tone.

"You promised. No take backs," Kavei reminded him, sealing the promise with a handshake.

"Alright, listen carefully. I came here with my seniors for a case," Kavei began, his tone solemn.

"A case? What are you, a detective?" Narito joked, but Kavei's serious demeanor silenced him.

"W-wait. You are?" Narito's voice quivered with disbelief.

"Yes, Narito. Listen now, and guys, the case is not something that is ongoing. I'm on a case, a number of cases that were closed off abruptly," Kavei explained, his voice steady.

"And one of them... Aroshi's case," Kavei continued, his words causing a shiver to run down the spines of the three boys.

"Kavei..." Kenma began, but Kavei raised a hand, signaling him to wait.

Kavei leaned forward, his hands gripping Kenma's. His voice was urgent, almost pleading.

"Kenma, I need your help. This case-it's bigger than we thought. We found something in Aroshi's grandmother's house, and we need to get the samples checked as soon as possible."

Kenma pulled his hands away and crossed his arms, his brows furrowing. "Kavei, do you even hear yourself? You're putting yourself in danger. This isn't some small investigation-it's serious, and you could get hurt."

Kavei exhaled sharply, frustration creeping into his tone. "I know it's dangerous, but that's exactly why I can't back down. Aroshi's case has too many gaps, too many things that don't add up. If we don't act now, we might lose whatever lead we have left."

Kenma exchanged a glance with the others before speaking cautiously. "Even if we wanted to help, how do you expect us to do it? We're not investigators. We're just-"

"I don't need you to be investigators," Kavei cut in, his gaze locked onto Kenma. "I just need you to get the samples to someone who can analyze them. That's all."

Kenma's jaw tightened, his fingers tapping anxiously against his own arm. "No, Kavei. I can't do that. I won't drag myself-or my friends-into something this reckless."

Kavei clenched his fists, his frustration evident. "Kenma, please-"

Kenma shook his head firmly. "I said no. I won't help you get yourself killed."

Silence hung between them, heavy and unyielding.

"You know why I'm looking into this?" Kavei then spoke again. There was rage in his voice as he continued. "It's because Aroshi's mother sent me a letter. She sent me a letter because I was on the news. Kenma, I can help her. And you can help me. I need your help. Please. Just get the samples checked. Then I'll leave you all alone," Kavei pleaded desperately, his eyes brimming with unshed tears.

Kenma, however, remained steadfast in his decision. "This is dangerous, Kavei. I will help with everything but this. No. You are not doing this," he insisted, his voice firm with determination.

Undeterred, Kavei attempted to persuade Kenma by showing him the contact information of Itsuhara Yukina, the detective he worked for. "Look. She is Itsuhara Yukina. You must know her. The detective. I work for her. Kenma, my work is already dangerous. It can't get worse," Kavei reasoned, hoping to sway his friend's decision.

But Kenma remained resolute. "I don't want anything to happen to you as well...like Aroshi," he stated firmly, his concern for Kavei evident in his voice.

"Aroshi is alive!" Kavei exclaimed in a yell, his voice tinged with urgency.

"She... is?" Kenma's voice faltered, disbelief evident in his tone.

"Trust me, Kenma. I won't look into it just because. So please. Please help me out," Kavei pleaded earnestly, his desperation palpable.

Kenma hesitated, contemplating Kavei's words carefully. Finally, he made his decision. "Okay then. I'll do it on one condition," he said, his voice filled with resolve.

"Name it," Kavei replied eagerly.

"Allow me, Ojiro, and Narito to join this search," Kenma proposed, his voice unwavering.

Kavei was taken aback by the unexpected request but realized the sincerity behind it. "W-what?" he stuttered, surprised by the turn of events.

Kenma exhaled, his fingers tightening into fists before he finally spoke. "If you can do that-if you can trust us, I'll trust you." His voice was steady, but there was an underlying weight to his words. "Aroshi wasn't just your friend. Sure, she loved you, but she was close to us too."

Kavei's eyes flickered with something unreadable, a mixture of guilt and understanding. He swallowed, nodding slightly. "I know that."

Kenma scoffed lightly, shaking his head. "Do you? Because sometimes it feels like you forget. You act like you were the only one who lost her. Like you're the only one who deserves answers."

Kavei clenched his jaw, but before he could speak, Kenma continued, his voice quieter but no less firm. "I get it. She meant a lot to you because she helped you during your dark times. But she was our friend too, Kavei. She mattered to us just as much."

Kavei took a slow breath, the tension in his shoulders easing just a bit. "Okay... fine." His voice was softer now, less defensive. He ran a hand through his hair, forcing himself to meet Kenma's gaze. "You're right. This isn't just about me."

Kenma nodded slightly, before hesitating. "And... not as a friend," he admitted, his voice carrying an odd mix of reluctance and understanding. "I know what she felt for you. I know how complicated it was."

Kavei blinked at that, momentarily caught off guard by Kenma's words. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. There was nothing to argue against-it was the truth.

A heavy silence settled between them before Kenma finally broke it. "If we do this, we do it together. No reckless decisions. No running off alone. We figure this out as a team."

Kavei exhaled, the weight of everything settling on him. But when he looked at Kenma, at the unspoken determination in his eyes, he nodded.

"Alright. Together."

Meanwhile, Himeko, Kai, Ryu, and Sebiki, who had been eavesdropping on their conversation for they standing only behind the shop, felt the weight of the tension and the gravity of the situation. They understood the importance of gaining Kavei's trust and proving themselves as reliable allies in the search for answers.

"There is so much tension there. So much pressure. You know, guys, until now I wasn't too much into this, whatever we are doing. But now, I think it would be good to show him that we are trustworthy too," Kai remarked, his voice reflecting a newfound determination.

Sebiki, fueled by Kai's words, felt a surge of determination. "Hehe. Let's do this then," she exclaimed, ready to support Kavei and his friends in their quest for justice.

[Location: Kavei's house
Time: 10:40 pm
Date: 31st July]

After a long and exhausting day, Kavei returned home, feeling the weight of the day's events settle heavily upon him. Taking a moment to rest, he sank into the comfort of his couch, the events of the day replaying in his mind. With Kenma, Narito, and Ojiro by his side, they had made crucial decisions about their next steps in the investigation into Aroshi's disappearance, including plans to visit Kenma's sister's house and then travel to Osaka to continue their investigation at Daichi's house.

As he sat on the couch, Kavei's gaze wandered upwards to the ceiling, lost in thought. His forehead was bandaged in white, a reminder of the injury he had sustained earlier in the day. With a sigh, he rose from the couch and made his way to the kitchen window, pulling back the curtains to just take a view of the night sky.

Upon seeing a response to the message he had sent earlier, Kavei couldn't help but smile. "They did reply to my message that I sent. Let's see... 'I'm going to Yokohama too. Do you think we might meet? Hehe'," he mused to himself, contemplating what to write next. After a moment's thought, he placed the whiteboard back by the window, ready to continue their silent conversation.

Pulling a stool closer to the kitchen counter, Kavei sat down and leaned against the counter, lost in his thoughts. Meanwhile, Kai had returned home as well, and the first thing he did was check the window.

"What did you do in Yokohama?" Kai exclaimed, his voice filled with excitement. "Ah. They are home!"

"I went to meet some friends," Kavei replied, keeping his responses short and vague, as they had agreed.

(I went to meet some friends too.) Kai

(Cool) Kavei

(What are you upto now?) Kai

(Cooking) Kavei

(Yeah. You are a culinary genius as I figured yesterday.) Kai

(Gosh. Can you cook?) Kavei

(Enough to survive, yes) Kai

Their conversation continued, filled with mundane questions and answers about their evening plans and other similar topics. Kavei, meanwhile, began preparing dinner, the aroma of curry filling the air and wafting into Kai's bedroom.

"Oh. So they are making curry. Gosh. Now I'm hungry," Kai remarked, his smile evident even in his awkwardness.

Unbeknownst to them, Kavei and Kai had unwittingly become each other's pen pals of sorts, exchanging messages through the kitchen window without ever revealing their identities or personal details. It was a silent bond, built on curiosity and anonymity, yet it provided a sense of connection and companionship in their solitary lives.