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Chapter Twenty-One: Rieko’s Thoughts:

The crew met up in the library close to noon. Watari looked at the couple when they came over to the computers.

"Found Miyazaki?" he asked.

"No," Anna grumbled. The scientist tilted his head puzzled.

"What's with her?" he asked Tsuzuki.

"Don't ask," the older shinigami whispered.

"Ah," Watari said with a nod.

"What about you?" Tsuzuki asked. His friend grinned at him as drew out a bright red and black notebook.

"What is that?" Tsuzuki asked.

"Rieko's diary," Watari bragged. Anna's face twisted into a confused expression.

"But how?" she asked.

"We went through Rieko's dorm," Hisoka replied.

"Her things are still in her dorm?" Tsuzuki asked, blinking.

"Her parents haven't come for them yet," Watari replied. "It's all boxed up and sitting in the living room."

"Anything else you found?" Tsuzuki asked.

"We have more information on Shichiro," his friend replied with a grin. Tsuzuki and Anna looked at him with big eyes.

"Which one do you want first, the diary or Shichiro's information?" the blonde scientist asked.

"Diary," Anna spoke up. The boys looked at her as she shrugged.

"Why not?" she asked. "We might find out more about Rieko." Her tone sounded disappointed as she spoke. Watari gave her a sympathetic smile as he handed the diary to her. Anna took it with her before she headed further into the library.

She came into the study area and sat down at one of the tables. The woman looked at the cover. There was no cute design on the brown paper material and there wasn’t a single scent on the pages, not really anyway. /I'm about to read the secrets of the dead/, Anna thought. The woman opened the journal and began reading.

6/10/03:

I saw Masayuki-kun again. He looks like an angel. I want to get closer to him, but I am afraid. Everything I tough turns to poison. I don't want that to happen to such a beautiful boy. He deserves much more than me anyway.

6/13/03:

My mother seems to have given up on me. She doesn't care about me anymore. I'm just a burden to her now. She even sees right through me now. Koichi, on the other hand, smothers me. He's on a mission to save my soul. I am a lost cause. Koichi doesn't understand that. He just won't leave me alone. Masayuki is the only one who understands me. But, I'll end up poisoning him.

7/1/03:

I can't take this anymore! Nobody cares about me. I might as well be dead.

8/4/03:

I hate my family.

Anna flipped through the angst-filled pages. They sounded the same at first. Rieko's many sexual conquests then followed behind; these read like a trashy magazine. They gave off the impression that she was bragging about each one. Anna wanted to turn away, but she had to keep reading. /I didn't expect she would be so graphic/, the woman thought. However, one sexual encounter stood out from the ones in '03 to early '05.

4/30/05:

I have done something bad. Last night, I took Masayuki-kun's virginity. I wish I could say that I didn't know how it happened, but I do. He must have felt sorry for me and slept with me. I feel so guilty now. I know what's coming next. He's probably going to want a relationship with me. I can't do that. He is my step-brother. And plus he is still pure. A relationship between us will ruin him further. I can't even look him in the eye anymore.

Anna sat back in the chair. /Rieko really did love Masayuki/, she thought. That explained why she kept closing him out. It reminded Anna of herself years ago. The woman went back to reading the diary. The pages began to take a darker tone as Rieko sang praises about coke, pills, booze, pot, sex, and other drugs. They became worse with elaborate plans for suicide. Anna trembled at one point. Yet, that did little to prepare her for a bigger shock.

12/31/08:

I have found a new man. He is a psychiatrist at Kyoto Psychology Center. I met him at a campus party. I was so drunk that he offered me a ride home. One thing led to another and we ended up making out in his car. We went into his house and he nailed me in bed. I felt like we connected last night. I think I'm truly in love.

Anna read fascinated and at the same time appalled about this affair that spanned from New Year's Eve '08 until Rieko's death. Rieko never said the doctor's name. Anna sat back with a pale face.

Did Dr. Yamashita… she thought. The woman shook her head. No! she told herself. He's not like that! However, Anna remembered that Dr. Yamashita had something to tell her tomorrow. Her stomach turned as she thought about what it could be.

Please don't let it be the affair! Please don't let it be the affair! Please don't let it the affair! she thought over and over. There was only one way to see for herself tomorrow. /My stomach hurts/, Anna thought with shaking hands.