Chapter Text
[Summer. Countdown to Petrification: Two Weeks]
A police car stopped by the local 7-Eleven to pick up jelly donuts.
It was going to be a good day. The officer could feel it in the air.
With the sweet flavors of the warm pink jelly stuffed in his mouth, he shouted, "Ueiiii!" and drove fast without a single red light to stop him.
"Officer Yo," the walkie talkie buzzed, "Code 1588. A Tokyo University professor has been found dead under unknown circumstances. More details to come. Please inform his wife and bring her to the station."
"You got it, Chief. Where the lady at right now?"
"She's attending an equestrian sporting event."
"Poor old widow, watching the horse race without a clue. Wait, aw geez... ain't that all the way across town in the Minato District?"
"Yes," confirmed the sergeant. "I'm sending the address and a description of her."
Yo held the second donut between his teeth and made a U-turn. Making My Way Downtown came on the radio, and he began humming along, his fingers drumming on the steering wheel to the beat.
Then, the address and picture of the woman popped up on his dashboard screen.
A red light.
He slammed the brakes.
The jelly donut fell out of his open mouth. "HOLY smokes! This chick is the widow?"
The officer hit the gas pedal, threw his spiky auburn hair back, and shouted in sync with the song: "Dun dun dun, and I NEED YOU!"
At the racing event, the venue swarmed with men sporting sharp suits and women in extravagant hats adorned with feathers and ribbons, exuding an air of refined sophistication. The Minato District, after all, was the Beverly Hills of Tokyo.
Yo felt a little out of place. He puffed out his chest and relied on the authority of his uniform to lean into the dignity of a civil servant.
The usher escorted the woman through the crowd.
Yo turned as pink as his jelly donut by now. Thankfully, his shades and hat did a decent job of concealing it.
Her backless white derby dress flowed with her movement. She looked younger than the picture. Her shoulders were bare, adding a touch of daring sophistication to her overall look. Perched atop her head was a small white hat, with a delicate net casting a soft veil over her eyes. Despite her poised exterior, there was a subtle, wistful tone to her otherwise unreadable expression, as if she were far removed from the luxurious surrounding.
Heads turned at the sight of the policeman and whispers rippled through the crowd, wondering what had brought him here.
"Yes, officer?"
Yo ceremoniously took off his hat to deliver the news and offer his condolences.
The woman listened. She removed her white gloves, her eyes lingering on the bandaged ring finger. Then she followed Yo to the police car.
On the ride there, the woman asked him a few questions, to which Yo could only answer, "Sorry, ma'am, I don't know the details myself. Just got the news 20 minutes ago. But I'm sure they'll fill you in on the matter at the station."
Yo glanced at her more than several times through his rearview mirror. The same unreadable expression lingered on her. She took off her hat and looked outside.
Monday traffic was beginning to form.
Minami was on her way to work. She tapped her head against the glass window of the local bus, bored out of her mind as she listened through her earphones to her crusty colleague narrating some news about the murder of a professor. It sucked having to take public transport. It sucked even more to be stuck in a city where nothing interesting ever happened.
A blonde bombshell of a reporter like her belonged on Fox News. Scoops, scandal, tabloids...that's what gave her career meaning. That's what drew her to journalism. She would be an asset to the controversy machine that was Fox News. But how would she make it? She could barely afford rent and bills in Tokyo. The frustrated reporter let out a sigh.
Outside, the bus passed a massive billboard advertising the upcoming boxing match airing June 3rd. The title read: Shishio Tsukasa, the Next Face of New Talent. In mid-fight, poised for battle, he resembled Ares, his long hair flowing, sweat trickling down his sculpted abs, and a fierce hunger in his eyes as he surged forward in the heat of the fight.
Minami let out a sigh and mused, "Oh to be noticed by Shishio-san~"
If only one story could put her on the map and get the celebrity wrestler's attention...
She promised herself that she'd finally apologize to the girl whose image she damaged by publishing a series of tabloids and unleashing a pack of paparazzi on her. To be fair, Minami simply needed a bold debut since the competition in journalism was cutthroat. She just didn't expect it to get that big.
Anyway, she decided to atone for her serious mistakes, finally apologize, and start fresh. But she needed a new headline-worthy story to turn her life around with.
The bus passed by the police station. Yo parked the police car, and the woman stepped out. Minami's eyes widened.
If this was the officer's lucky day, then it would be the reporter's doubly lucky day.
Minami not only recognized Yo, but also saw the woman who had been the victim of her cruel reports, the type of headlines that would've made even Fox News proud. No doubt it was the same girl, appearing at the exact moment Minami made her wish.
Can the same lamb be sacrificed twice?
Minami's colleagues still made fun of her for stooping so low to get her start. "Let's see who'll laugh now when I secure that promotion by making a second season out of this," she muttered, her acrylic nails tapping fast against the screen as she searched the name of the professor who'd died under suspicious circumstances.
"Bingo!"
Before the bus turned the corner, Minami uttered a silent apology and snapped a picture of the scene at the police station.
Inside the station, after several hours of speaking with the woman, the officers went back and forth, struggling to make sense of the details surrounding her husband's death. With little clarity gained, they finally broke for lunch, still unsure of what had truly happened.
All alone, she rubbed her stiff bare shoulders. A derby dress was ill-suited for a cold room like this.
Yo popped his head through the door. "Can I get you any coffee or tea, Mrs.—"
"Aurora. You can call me just Aurora. And tea would be nice, thank you."
'Woah she's sure in a hurry to drop her husband's last name,' thought Yo. "Milk? Sugar?"
"2 packets of sugar, please."
"Roger. Coming right up."
The woman finally took out her phone. A surge of messages awaited, asking if she was okay and whether she'd seen the news.
New Notification: The Tokyo Tattle is now live on Instagram.
In the adjacent break room, a few officers lounged around, listening to Minami on Instagram Live. To boost her credibility, she brought in a controversial divorce lawyer as a guest and asked for his thoughts on the young woman attending horse races on the same day her husband's death was discovered.
"A big fat insurance payout, that's what it is," the sleazy lawyer snorted. Minami couldn't have said it better herself.
The comment section was blowing up.
"Fellas, why are we even watching this blonde bimbo?" Yo asked the guys behind him while making the tea.
"Talk about a mysterious death. Honestly, at this point, I wouldn't be surprised if she was behind it. The age gap, her history, his wealth...it's not impossible," joked the blonde reporter.
"AYO. Someone fire this airhead already," Yo shouted to the screen, gritting the sugar packets between his teeth.
Minami's eyes widened. She couldn't believe what she heard through her earpiece. She pressed the bluetooth harder. "
Wait! Everyone, this just in: an order's going out to arrest Aurora!"
Yo shook his head. "Man, shut your—"
The walkie talkie in his back pocket buzzed before he could finish. An order was issued out.
The sugar packets fell out of Yo's mouth and plopped right into the tea. In the chaos, the cup was knocked over, and Yo bolted to the next room faster than the tea could splash across the floor.
The other officers were already there, Yo pushed through them.
The girl was struggling to breathe, her words coming out in broken gasps. "B-but...how could I do it? My husband is not here..." She glanced around in confusion "...he was away visiting our Los Angeles home... and I'm here...then how could it be me?"
An officer cuffed her roughly, and she winced in pain as her bandaged ring finger was slightly twisted in the process.
"Aurora Snyder. You're under arrest for the murder of your husband. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can be used against you in a court of law."
They were taking her to the district jail. Yo couldn't get to the car where she was packed in, so he hopped on the next one.
Meanwhile, Minami's madness on Instagram Live set the internet on fire.
The coincidence was unbelievable. Her random remark that turned out to be true made her an instant online oracle. Her news network was now trending for breaking this bombshell. Every other station scrambled to catch up, sending dozens of reporters to the scene.
In heavy traffic, Yo stuck his head out the window, watching a news helicopter hover above to capture the chaos below.
By the looks of it, this would be front-page news tomorrow and international news by next week. If anyone was going to be snapped beside her, he'd rather it be him.
As soon as the car stopped, Yo adjusted his hat, slipped on his shades, and cut through the rest of the officers to escort the cuffed Aurora. Facing forward, his one hand pushed through the crowd, while the other guided her. The cameras called to her from behind. Aurora glanced over her shoulder, her white derby dress fluttering in the wind.
Click!
[Countdown to Petrification: One Week]
Senku's fingers tapped away at the keyboard.
Click.
He hit the send button and reclined back.
He felt exhausted, either from the sweltering Tokyo heat or from typing yet another lengthy email in English to his mentor at NASA. Even a genius has his weak spots. English wasn't his best subject.
His brain craved some adrenaline, so he checked the latest news on NASA, a break from his usual weekend research. A picture of Aurora popped up.
"Tch. Same story everywhere. But why is she in NASA related news?"
Byakuya entered. "Senku, what do you want for dinner...Oh? What's this? Didn't think you'd be a part of this fanclub."
Senku clicked his tongue. "Knock will you? And I'm not. Listen, old man, do you know anyone named Houston at your workplace? At NASA, perhaps?"
"Too many. It's a common American name. Why?" Byakuya leaned in to read the computer screen.
"You heard about her case, right?" asked Senku.
"Yup. The story's gone international now. Interpol's involved since the body turned up in L.A. and she's here in Japan. My university students can't stop talking about it. But Senku, since when were you in the loop? Didn't think this was your type."
"Why would I be even one millimeter involved in that whole witch-hunt vs. hero-worship circus? But check this out," he pulled up a bunch of American articles with Aurora as their subject. "Search any media news on NASA now and this girl comes up. The latest update is that of all people she's trying to contact some high-ranked astrophysicist named Houston at NASA to set her up with a lawyer when her case goes to court."
"NASA, huh? What a turn of events. But what if she's bluffing?"
"Could be. But the latest update is that the phone number she gave has been verified as that of a government official's."
"Interesting. I'll ask my colleagues. Listen, they're sending the car to pick me up soon. What do you want for dinner?"
Senku stretched in his chair, "Don't worry about it. I'm craving some 7-Eleven onigiri. Plus I was gonna step out to restock on energy drinks anyway."
Byakuya's eyes softened as he watched Senku. "Be good now while I'm gone. Don't skip your meals even when I'm not here to nag you. Gonna bring you back a ton of space gifts." He tried to hug Senku, but Senku ducked and swiveled away in his chair.
They both heard a car honk and went outside.
Byakuya waved goodbye before heading to the space station. Senku began his walk to the convenience store down the block.
He took a shortcut through school and slowed when he noticed the craft club door ajar. A giant vision board was being hauled in by the Big Oaf.
Senku's eyebrow twitched at the sight of it. "What the heck is this?" he walked over and asked.
The board was covered with cutouts of casual outfits Aurora had been photographed in, taken by Minami's army of paparazzis during the time of the tabloids. The title of the vision board had an intentional cross-out: "̶H̶o̶t̶ ̶G̶i̶r̶l̶ ̶S̶u̶m̶m̶e̶r̶ Prison Girl Summer."
Yuzuriha clarified with a nervous smile, "The club president picked the title."
"Was she some kind of celebrity before this?" asked Senku.
"Not really. She posed for one Nanami ad, which drew a lot of attention and rumors, and the rest is history," Taiju clarified. He always kept up with media buzz, whether it was the Strongest High School Primate's matches or the mentalist's latest book releases.
Yuzuriha showed Senku an Instagram fan page, "Aurora's fashion is making a comeback on social media. Our craft club wants to jump in on the trend so we can make more money from our annual school fashion show. Which means I have to make at least 5 of these outfits by next week."
"5 outfits in a week?" Taiju hollered in disbelief.
Senku looked up from her phone and glanced at the board pensively. "Yuzuriha, given your expertise, why are you assigned the casual stuff? Shouldn't you be taking on some of the dresses she wore in interviews?"
"Good eye, Senku-kun!" Yuzuriha gasped. "You see, her casual outfits were tailor-made, so they're one of a kind. Whereas her dresses worn in events are much more common since they're part of the Nanami franchise."
Taiju blinked fast. "Woah, aren't they still a designer brand?"
"Correct, Taiju-kun! They're still expensive, but they're not as rare as tailor-made clothes. Since our school show targets school girls, we're focusing more on the day-to-day wear. Meaning we're only making dupes of 2 evening dresses that Aurora wore and everything else will be casual attire."
"Then you've got to make that black dress she wore on that Valentine's Day interview that went viral a year ago! In fact, it's going viral again!" Taiju excitedly demanded with clenched fists.
They both decided to join Senku on his walk to 7-Eleven.
The sunset hour was filled with humidity and the buzz of breaking news. LED billboards advertised makeup brands that Aurora selectively wore. Every large digital news display featured either the latest update on the case or old interviews of her. Stopping at the crosswalk, Senku sipped his energy drink while his friends had their ice cream. The three of their eyes were drawn in, like everyone else, to these flashing iridescent screens, all revolving around the same matter.
"There it is! There's that interview!" Taiju exclaimed, pointing to the largest screen.
"Tone it down, you Big—"
On the screen, Aurora glowed with laughter at the interviewer’s witty remark.
Senku paused mid-sip, looking on.
The camera panned to her on the couch, her right hand unknowingly resting over the knee of the blond man beside her. He wore a silky black button-down that matched the color of her cocktail dress. The moment had taken place last year, during a Valentine’s Day special on a late-night TV show in New York.
It was the rapid Q&A part, and the interviewer sitting across asked her what was the most precious thing to her and her biggest regret.
Her answer to both: time and time.
The interviewer asked her to elaborate, and she talked about the theory of time. Senku had a hard time keeping up since it was in English.
Taiju's ears perked up on the regret part when she said: "Lost time is never found again. It's better to take action and be turned away than regret inaction for a lifetime."
A chord struck in Taiju as he read the Japanese subtitles.
The three friends parted ways to go home.
Taiju's mind replayed the words from the billboard.
Yuzuriha continued watching the rest of the interview on her phone, screenshotting more outfit and accessory design inspirations. She fast-forwarded to the part where the interviewer asked about the ring on Aurora's left finger and whether it was connected to the gentleman beside her. The camera zoomed in on the antique gold ring, and a fine Nanami engraving became visible.
Yuzuriha took a screenshot.
Interviewer: Tell us about your ring. We've seen you with it ever since your trip from India when that magazine cover went viral. Can we expect the Ryu x Aru brand to transform into something more meaningful, perhaps?
A photo of the magazine cover displayed in the background screen. Screenshot.
Aurora: I just tried it on, and it got stuck.
Interviewer: Hmmm, sounds like a metaphor for something bigger. But come on now, tell us about the relationship between you two.
Aurora: As you said, we're a brand. So, we are a concept, I guess?
A full view of Aurora's black cutout dress, its bodycon silhouette accentuating her figure, paired with a statement gold choker. Bronzed makeup and smokey eye glam completed the look for the late-night show. Screenshot.
Interviewer: When you became the cover girl for Nanami ads, did Ryu x Aru come from an already established relationship, or is it perhaps... setting the scene for a future one?
Aurora: Well, it wasn't intentional at all. I happened to be on a Nanami cruise during that India trip. That's when Ryu asked me to be in the photo shoot with him for the Nanami Kitchenware commercial because the models bailed. At the time, the company's stocks went down because it was pushing too many products. They were already monopolizing so many sectors as a maritime mogul. So, no one was really interested in posing for boring kitchen products. But Ryu made a bet with the director that he could boost sales just with the right advertisements.
Interviewer: How right he was! And now we have that famous wink.
A magazine ad appeared in the back, featuring a blonde girl winking as she holds a silver spoon over her open eye. In the spoon’s upside-down concave reflection is a shaggy, blond-haired man winking back with a grin. Screenshot.
Aurora: Yes, it tripled the sales. So he asked me to pose with him again a couple of times, still as an anonymous model.
Interviewer: But the detectives on social media hunted you down.
Aurora: Yes. That's when they labeled the crossover Ryu x Aru.
Home alone, Senku chewed the last bit of his onigiri and plopped onto the bed, headphones on. He was listening to the interview from the beginning. It was good practice for language immersion. Plus, he wanted to catch that quote about time again.
[June 3rd. Day of Petrification]
Aurora splashed water on her face. She had vomited once again this morning.
"Inmate 1603, you're being transferred to federal prison so get ready. Inmate number 1564, there's a letter for you," the jailer announced.
Aurora checked the number on her orange jumpsuit and asked, "Why am I being transferred?"
"You think all that fan mail you're getting everyday makes you some kind of celebrity? Think again, missy. The hate online is digging up your past and branding you a murderous black widow. The whole thing's starting to look like a modern-day witch trial. With all the media attention your case is drawing, it’s not safe to keep you here. Plus, our other inmates are getting harder to manage. They’re all riled up just to catch a glimpse of you. One ex-yakuza guy even tried to jump the fence yesterday. Federal prison will be safer. And let’s be honest, you might end up there anyway. Some people are pushing hard to lock you away for life."
"A lifetime prison sentence?" Her eyes glazed over, trying to imagine how many years that would mean behind bars.
Suddenly, the woman next to Aurora, holding the letter, began to weep. Aurora asked what happened.
Through trembling sobs, the woman replied, "My husband was in the Navy. Last night, their ship went down. He’s in the ICU now… they wrote saying that he might not make it. And this morning, they declared that there were no other survivors."
Aurora tried to comfort her, all the while grappling with just how much worse her own situation was becoming out there.
"...Navy?" it suddenly struck her. A new wave of fear washed over. "Do you know who else was on board?"
"I'm not sure..."
"Do you know if someone named…" She broke off, the name caught in her throat. She didn't want to imagine the worst, let alone say it out loud.
Aurora called the jailer back and asked about the recent navy ship sinking.
"We're not allowed to disclose details of such information to inmates," was all he said.
Worried, Aurora asked to see Officer Yo.
"Officer Yo?" The jailer scoffed. "You mean murderer Yo? That guy lost his job last week for shooting someone in the back while on duty. He's in the same boat as you now, missy. Nothing but a murderer."
Aurora recoiled with a shudder. What was going on?
The woman wiped her eyes with a trembling hand and continued. “The only reason my husband survived was because of a kind friend. He always looked out for him. Gave up his own gear and strapped him with a double—”
“What’s his friend’s name?” Aurora interrupted gravely, not turning around. There was only one person she knew who would put another’s life before his own.
The woman lifted the letter slightly, her voice trembling as she read aloud: “The name on the gear read ‘Saionji, Ukyo.’ They still haven’t found his body.”
Aurora’s knees gave out. She crumpled to the ground, and the woman lunged forward, catching her just before she hit the cold cement.
Did he really drown?
The woman held Aurora tightly, both of them now locked in shared grief.
The jailers stood frozen at the sight. This was the first time the blonde woman had emotionally responded.
They entered her cell and gave orders, but she didn't register their words. They had to pull her up, forcing her to stand. A call came for her but it was too late. Her hands were cuffed and she was hauled into the bulletproof transport vehicle.
Minami, however, was nowhere near the scene. She was at the news station, pre-recording the evening broadcast so she could attend the wrestling match happening in an hour. Now that she had made a name for herself, she was confident she'd stand out at the afterparty.
Other journalists set up microphones and cameras outside the police station. A flood of questions poured in, and the clicking cameras snapped countless angles of Aurora's crumpled form, exhausted in her orange jumpsuit. It was going to be another great day for the news.
From an aerial view, the large bulletproof vehicle and motorcade of police cars created quite a spectacle on the road.
Amidst the traffic, a black Mercedes hurried toward the wrestling arena. The man in the passenger seat noticed the police transport vehicle and asked his driver if it was related to the infamous case. The driver confirmed that, indeed, it was.
The wrestler had been following Aurora's case since all the guys at his gym always watched her stuff during workout.
The live update of the prison transfer was now being broadcasted on the car radio.
"Do you know if there is anyone raising funds on behalf of her case? If so, I'd like to participate," asked the fighter.
"I think someone made a GoFundMe page for her. I can send you the link if you'd like, Mr. Shishio," responded the driver.
The wrestler wasn't a fan of the legal system. Wherever the old generation had their paws in, they punished the youth. He stood by the belief that the imprisoned girl was innocent. Even if she did have a role in the crime, he believed it was out of necessity, given the questionable older man she was married to.
The cars parted ways.
The police vehicle was passing by the school where under a camphor tree, a high schooler would soon confess his love. The boy had been deeply moved by the reminder of the preciousness of time on the billboard just the week before. But his moment would be interrupted midway by a green light.
Some classmates came on the balcony to watch the spectacle of the confession, while others gathered to catch a glimpse of the police cars passing by with the infamous prisoner in tow right outside their school.
Last words and thoughts before the green light...
Aurora: Hands cuffed, eyes closed, thinking about Ukyo's body at the bottom of the ocean, fatigued from grief, very nauseous again.
Last thoughts: To sleep now and wake up never...
The Scientist: Sipping an energy drink, watching Taiju, hearing the voice of Aurora from someone's phone.
Last thoughts: Time and time
The Journalist: Now promoted to Tokyo Times, no longer stooping to tabloids yet making big money from royalties of her previous sensational stories on Aurora. Reporting the final news before the world turned into stone, eyes locked on the camera lens.
Last words: "As you go about your day, I ask you again Tokyo, when will we stop idolizing criminals?"
The Ex-police Officer: Jobless, peeing on a wall, AirPods plugged in, listening to Minami's broadcast, crying out Aurora's name.
The Wrestler: Scrolling disapprovingly through Google's trending searches:
1. Aurora's controversial imprisonment
2. Yo getting fired for shooting a criminal on duty
3. The drowning of the young navy officers
4. Minami's tabloid archive
5. His own backstory about his little sister turned into a clickbait sob story
6. Homura's chances of joining Japan's top kudayari family if she wins a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics
Last thoughts: The struggles of the youth are turned into entertainment for the adults.
The Gymnast: In the locker room after her intense gym routine, listening to Aurora's alleged accusation of murdering her husband.
Last words: "Disobedient to her master. Improper wife. A failed woman."
The Spearman: Absorbed in kudayari practice at his grandfather's dojo.
The Mentalist: Appearing on stage a few minutes late after having to make an emergency call to the district prison.
The Sonar Operator: Motionless, at the bottom of the ocean.
Then the green light glowed,
And all turned to stone.
