I dial Akane's number the next day, Saturday morning.

"Hey, Akane."

"Hikaru."

"Can you come over today?"

"Y... Why?"

"Kaoru wants to talk to you."

"... Does he?"

"Yes, I'm asking you for him."

"He wants to talk to me."

"Yes." Akane became silent on the other end.

"Okay, I'm the one asking you. I want Kaoru to talk to you about last night--"

"You know?"

"He told me."

"Oh."

" He sounded so... lost. I'm asking you, please. Kaoru has done so many favors for me and... this is the least I can do for him. Not just as a person, but as a brother."

"... Fine. I'll be over in twenty minutes."

"Thank you. Bring Yoichirou too."

"Yeah, yeah."