The bus rumbled away from the city like a lumbering beast, packed with overexcited students, bags crammed into overhead compartments, and a chorus of voices that hadn't stopped since the doors shut. Inside, chaos reigned supreme. Phones buzzed, snacks crinkled, someone was already playing a mobile game at full volume, and at least three conversations were happening over each other at once.
Raika sat by the window, Emi bundled against her chest in a soft baby carrier, sleeping soundly despite the noise. Across the aisle, Yumi sat upright, clearly trying her best to blend in, though the contrast between her professional jacket and the sea of hoodies and school uniforms made her stand out more.
Raika let out a long sigh. "He missed the bus on purpose."
Yumi didn't even try to argue. "Yeah. That wasn't an accident. That was… strategic."
"He literally handed me Emi, waved, and walked off like he had more important things to do."
"Didn't even pretend to rush. Just casually disappeared."
At that moment, both their phones buzzed. Raika and Yumi checked them at the same time. The message was short, classic Raito.
Raito:Missed the bus. Driving up. Text me the hotel location.
Raika rolled her eyes. "Unbelievable."
Yumi snorted. "At least he's honest about ditching us."
"He's going to get there before us, isn't he?"
"Absolutely. And he's probably judging every second we're stuck here with a bus full of loud teenagers."
Raika smirked. "Knowing him, he's got noise-canceling headphones, sunglasses, and that smug look like he's the only sane person left in the world."
"I swear, I don't know how you live with him."
Raika gave a half-laugh, half-sigh. "I don't think anyone really lives with Raito. You just… exist near him."
Yumi chuckled and leaned a little closer across the aisle. "So, you've known him for a long time, right considering you are brother and sister?"
Raika hesitated at the thought of lying again but it seemed natural to do so. "…Not really. I mean, we live together now, but I still don't know much about him. He doesn't talk about his past. Ever."
Yumi blinked, surprised. "Seriously? Not even the basic stuff even though he is your brother?"
Raika shook her head. "Nope. Just that insurance is his 'day job' and he has a villa. And weirdly good cooking skills."
"…And now he's joining a school trip to the mountains with a baby, a teenage sister, and a police detective."
Raika gave her a sideways look. "Yeah, when you put it like that, it sounds fake."
"I am starting to wonder if I accidentally joined a sitcom."
They shared a quiet laugh, and Raika relaxed a little. Emi shifted and mumbled something incomprehensible in her sleep.
The silence between them lasted only a few moments before Raika tilted her head slightly, eyeing Yumi with sudden suspicion.
"So… you and Raito…"
Yumi immediately choked on her tea. "Wha—what? No! No, we're not—"
"I didn't say anything," Raika said innocently, her lips twitching.
"You looked like you were about to."
"I was just wondering. You seem… close."
Yumi turned pink and waved her hands defensively. "We're friends. That's all. I mean, he helped me with a few cases… I respect him! That's it!"
Raika hummed noncommittally. "Uh-huh."
"I'm serious!"
Raika gave her a tiny, almost smug smile, then looked back out the window. The bus had now left the last of the buildings behind, and the scenery was shifting into green hills and winding roads. The air was clearer. The energy more excited.
Yumi took a breath and glanced out the window too. "Do you think he's actually coming just to hang out?"
Raika blinked. "What?"
"I mean… doesn't it seem weird that he'd agree to a school trip? With you? And Emi?"
"…I guess. I didn't even think he'd say yes when I gave him the ticket. I kind of forgot to tell him about it until last night."
"Forgot?"
Raika looked sheepish. "I thought he'd say no. Honestly, I was kind of scared he wouldn't let me go if I told him earlier."
Yumi gave her a knowing smile. "Sounds like he cares."
Raika made a face. "Or he's just a control freak."
"Can't it be both?"
They both laughed again, Emi snoring softly in the middle of it.
Behind them, the rest of the students had started singing along to a pop song blaring from someone's speaker. The trip had only just begun, but for Raika and Yumi, it was already feeling a little more personal.
And somewhere, probably cruising along the highway with the windows down and a suspiciously cheerful anime song playing on the stereo, Raito Yakamura was exactly where he wanted to be:
Far from the noise, and just a little too close to the truth.