We went up ahead and waited. In the meantime, an ambulance was called. They brought the bald guy up on a stretcher and took him to the hospital along with the one who fainted.
Satoru came twenty minutes later and said that he was tired as he spent all night interrogating. Akiko booked a cab which was nearby, and it came pretty fast. We all went back to the Minka, and Satoru went to his bed to sleep.
It was six in the evening, and we three were in the Washitsu, and Satoru was still sleeping, but then we heard footsteps approaching us, and it was Satoru.
He came in and sat beside me. He looked exhausted, and Akiko said, "You didn't have to do that for us."
For which he replied with a confused and question mark face, "What did I do?"
"Don't act like you don't know," she said while putting her mobile away.
"See, this is the problem with you. You say something without mentioning what it's about and expect the other person to know it. Even your boyfriend can't guess what it is," he answered while getting the dry fruits on the Kotatsu.
"You tortured the bald guy because of what he did to us, right?" she asked him very innocently.
If it were me, I would have fainted, but as the question was not directed at me, I was able to stop at just my heart racing from all the cuteness she showed when she said those words.
"I didn't do it for you; I did it for myself," he said, eating the dry fruits.
"You don't have to deny it, dumbass, and thanks."
Akiko expressed her feelings.
At that moment, I felt like hitting Satoru. I didn't understand why, but I got super angry at him.
"I told you that I did it for myself, so shut up."
He said and fell on the floor and was looking at the ceiling.
If it were me who was receiving all that thanks, I would have been on cloud nine, but there are other things to know.
"How did you catch him?" I asked.
"Well, do you remember me saying that I was meeting my brother?" he said.
And we all nodded our heads, and he continued,
"But I didn't meet my brother, and I went to catch him. After you left, I went in the direction those guys left, and as already five minutes passed, I had to hurry to catch up to them. I ran that way and saw someone with the same hoodie walking into an alley, and I completely concealed my presence, but I couldn't guarantee if I could get out without getting caught. But first, I needed to follow him and check whether it was him or not.
So I followed him, and to my surprise, it was him. He went into an alley to have a smoke. When I was about to approach him, he got a call, and he said, 'I am in the back alley, so hurry up if you don't want to get scolded.'
He hung up his call, and I decided to lift him up before his friends came to us.
I threw a stone in the other direction, and when he turned his head to the other side, I rushed to knock him out, but he suddenly turned back. But it's already late. I gave him a punch on the right side of his jaw, and he went flying out of the alley.
I think I punched him a little hard. Then I needed to take him and deal with it.
I walked towards him and lifted him up. When I was about to carry him, three people were coming our way. I thought, if I can see them, they can also see that I am carrying him, but they can't see our faces, so I decided to hurry.
I got out carrying him safely and completed my mission."
"So, you just went and kidnapped him, right?" I asked.
"Yes, whatever."
He said and turned to the left side, and he got a call. He got up, checked it, and went out of the Washitsu. I heard just two "yeses," and he opened the door and said, "I will be back," and left.
It's half past nine, and he didn't come back. We all ate and watched a late-night movie together, and the time was one, and he still didn't come.
We thought that he was training, and we all went to sleep.
In the morning, we were asked to come to the office by Grandpa Sakutarou, and we went to the office hoping that we could meet him there, but he wasn't there. The three kids from yesterday were there, and we all stood in a line in front of his table.
After all of us had come, Grandpa Sakutarou said,
"You all know that we conducted special exams this year, and a few new recruits were taken from every region, and they all will be arriving soon. You all will be training together for the next five months, and in the sixth month we will be holding something similar to a competition to select the ten students who will be going to the World Teens Tournament.
So, train well, try to get a place in the national team, and here are your JSA badges. You will also be given training on how to perform your duties depending on the job specifications you decide to take. Come here and get your badges."
He continued,
"Your peer was punished for acting rashly and doing whatever he pleased. The investigation conducted yesterday said that the hunting knife did not belong to the kid from the Chugoku region. The owner was identified and said that it was his knife and was stolen. There was a report at the JSA that a hunting knife made of Kionium was stolen at the Chugoku branch.
As both of them were in the wrong, and one seems to have already been punished for what he has done, we issued punishment on the other one. So, from here on, I hope that no one will act rashly or do as they please."
We let the other kids take their badges first and let them leave.
After they left, I asked him,
"Where is Satoru?"
He looked at me furiously and let out a big sigh. After that, his expression looked a lot calmer, and he said,
"You get your badges and train well. He will be back by the time the competition starts, so take your badge, get strong, and don't lose to others if you don't want him to look down on you guys."
He said in a peaceful voice.
"What about the one who misbehaved with us?" Akiko asked pleasantly.
"He got what he deserved. He lost his right hand, all his nails were plucked, and Satoru gave him a lot of mental torture. Even the doctors said that it would take at least two months for him to talk properly."
He answered.
"Whoa, I think he did a job well done."
She replied.
After, we all took our IDs. There were still two left, and Keiko asked whose IDs those were, for which he replied,
"It's those two's."
Keiko silently walked up to him, took Satoru's card, and asked,
"Can I keep this with me until he returns?"
With a voice that was weak, but I don't know how her face looked as she was facing the other side.
"No, we'll hold it for him. And why do you want it?"
He said firmly, looking at the documents he had with him.
"I just want to give it to him myself as a thank you for what he has done."
She said it with the same voice.
"That's not something you should be thanking him about, and you don't know whether he did it for you or not," he replied.
"I don't care. I just want to convey my feelings to him, that's all," she said.
But this time he took a look at her face and said,
"Okay, take it, but you should take care of it until he returns, and if you lose it, you'll be given a punishment. If you are willing to risk it, then take it."
He said with the same firm voice, intimidating her.
She didn't say anything and turned back and said,
"Let's leave."
Her face looked happy when she went out.
"I still can't figure out if she's sad or angry or happy with that poker face."
Akiko said, scratching her head.
"She's happy."
I said while patting her head.
"What? How could you tell?"
She said with a pout.
After that, I left her and walked towards Grandpa and asked,
"What punishment did you give him?"
Looking him in the eyes with a serious look.
"Those are some passionate eyes. You don't need to worry about him. He'll be fine, so just do what you are supposed to, okay?"
He smiled while looking at me with love in his eyes, so I couldn't ask him any more questions and left the office with Akiko.
When we went out, Keiko was looking at the ID and smiling.
"Ah, you are still here?"
I asked.
"Of course I would be here, dumbass. Why didn't you come with me?"
She asked.
"Well, I had something to say to him, so…"
I replied.
She turned towards the elevator and said,
"Oh, so is everything fine?"
She asked with a worried voice.
I walked towards her, put my hand on her head, and said,
"Yeah, so don't worry and smile like you were when you were looking at the ID."
She moved my hand from her head and said,
"I wasn't smiling."
"Oh, so you were just looking at your ID, huh?"
I asked.
The elevator arrived, and she got into the elevator and said,
"I wasn't looking at my ID card, and I wasn't smiling either, okay?"
"Yeah, you weren't smiling. I was just seeing things."
I said while getting into the elevator.
"I think you have gone mad from knowing that your friend is being punished."
Akiko said mockingly and continued,
"How could you tell if she was smiling with her poker face on?"
"It's a brother's secret."
I replied.
After that, we reached home, and everyone went to their rooms. I sat in the Washitsu thinking what his punishment could be.
Our training starts from tomorrow.
I'll get bored without him. I think he'll be fine, as what he did was correct, and all the grandpas were not dissatisfied.
So, I need to wait four months for him to return.