Mai reached the hospital about twenty minutes after Kaede left.
She’d changed into normal clothes and found him waiting in the lobby.
“Does it hurt?” she asked, looking at his head.
“Not as much.”
“Your whole face was red. It was rather alarming.”
“You caught me and spared me from hitting my head on the ground, too.”
“I said I’d keep you safe.”
They were already headed for the doors.
“The police uniform made you look badass, Mai,” he said, giving her street clothes a baleful look. He’d have rather she kept the uniform on.
“If you’re joking, you’re fine.”
At the door, they passed the nurse who’d helped with the CT scan. “Take care!” “Thanks for your help.”
And with that, they were outside.
Sakuta wanted to talk about Mai’s police uniform for a while longer, but he let it be for now. They had other things to discuss.
On the way to the parking lot, he asked the first question on his mind.
“Learn anything about the Santas?”
“The police aren’t finished questioning everyone, so they’re not talking.”
“Oh.”
“But they asked a few basic questions where I could hear, and everyone said the same thing.”
“What?”
“They thought they were Touko Kirishima.”
“……”
That left him dumbfounded. He forgot to take his next step. Mai’s news was just that stunning.
It was hard to believe.
But after seeing all those Santas there, how could he not?
Sakuta knew exactly what had happened with Nene, so had to accept it.
“They’d all heard rumors that I was Touko Kirishima, which is why they were there. None of them had any intention of doing anything to me, though.”
“And they didn’t talk to each other?”
“Nope.”
Nene had just been one of many.
Was that what this meant?
Nene had said she was just headed to the event. She swore she’d had no plans beyond that.
He didn’t know much more.
Thinking about it here wouldn’t get him anywhere.
But he knew one thing for sure.
The most important thing of all.
“Well, I’m glad you’re safe, Mai.”
That fact alone was cause for celebration.
“That’s my line,” she said.
“Then it goes for both of us.”
“Oh, Nodoka said she wanted to talk to you.”
“Do I have to?”
Mai forced her phone into his hand. She’d already dialed Nodoka’s number. He gave up and put it to his ear.
“Sis?” Nodoka said brightly.
“It’s me.”
“Don’t make her worry,” she growled.
“You weren’t worried, Toyohama?”
“I was!”
This was a different voice—Uzuki’s.
“I was so, so worried that I could only eat three onigiri before our concert.”
“That sounds like plenty, Zukki.”
Her mouth sounded full, like she was eating something else on the phone.
“Anyway! Thanks for keeping her safe, Sakuta,” Nodoka said. She hung up immediately.
Sakuta stared down at the phone.
“What is with today?” he muttered, and he handed it back to Mai.
“Meaning?”
“It feels like I met everyone I know.”
Takumi, Nene, and Ikumi, then Rio, Yuuma, Tomoe, and Sara. Kaede had been there, and now he’d talked to Nodoka and Uzuki. And Mai was here with him.
“Getting injured is never good, but if you see all your friends, it’s a good day,” Mai said.
That seemed convincing. Words to live by.
“Maybe it was,” he said.
As they walked, they took each other’s hands.