A/N: My fanfiction about Shinrei Tantei Yakumo/ Psychic Detective Yakumo is based on the light novels, of which I am a very big fan. Have the reader only seen the anime or read the manga, it should not be of any problem when reading this story.
This story takes place in the timeline somewhere after book 7, but before book 9. The exact setting is up to the reader ^_^
(This place in the timeline, however, is after the anime has ended and the translation of the manga have not come this far- but that should not be of any relevance of this story.) I have chosen this timeline, based of the events around the characters, the environment, the relationship between the characters, mainly Yakumo and Haruka, and the fact that I have not read the ninth book yet XD (So have you not read the light novels, no problem- it doesn't really matter.)
(If you have any interest of reading the light novels, it is being translated into English by the wonderful Laute. Simply Google Laute Laute ^_^ )
Before the story starts, I will like to say that this story is only a scenario I made up in my head once I went for a walk, and I have not been able to get it out of my head since. I am aware that because the scenario was a thought I had not seen coming (which I had to write I down because it would not leave my brain) the characters might be a little out of character, but once I started writing it down, I tried my best to make the characters as close to the characters from the novel as possible.
(Disclaimer; I do not own Shinrei Tantei Yakumo / Psychic Detective Yakumo or any of the characters- they belong to Kaminaga Manibu)
Chaos from a Living
Saitou Yakumo was sitting in his typical chair, by his typical table, in his typical "secret hide-out " – the Movie Research Circle club. However, the Movie Research Circle was no club at all, it was all just a gimmick pulled by Saitou Yakumo, to make him capable of living on his own, with no money, free, on campus.
It was a nice spring day- not too hot and not too cold, which made the room, which had the size of about eight tatami mats, very comfortable to sit in.
In his chair, Saito Yakumo was switching between resting his bored head in his arms on the table, and looking through a book in a lazy way. Outside of the window he could hear a lot of voices, caused by a lot of people. By the sound of it, they were primly by the school main entrance. The voices were loud and filled with different emotions, but Yakumo paid it no interest and shot out the noise of the annoying people.
His phone lay on the table, very much next to him and was turned to silent mode. Gotou had called about 5 times, but Yakumo was in no interest of dealing with him and his troubles today, so he simply turned the phone to be silent. If it were so important, he would show up himself. Even Ozawa Haruka had called once, but he must admit, that that call in particular had missed him, otherwise he might just have picked up the phone, had he been aware of the caller. But once again, if she had anything to say she would just call again, or show up herself.
Yakumo looked up from his boredom and looked around the room with laziness. It was at that time, that he noticed the screen on his phone was lightening up and was calling yet again soundlessly- it was Gotou. With a heavy and lazy sigh Yakumo picked up the phone- he had nothing better to do anyway, he decided.
"If you really have so much free-time that you can keep calling me, you…. " Yakumo never made it any further, because on the other end was Gotou, who had no time to listen to Yakumo's complains.
"I have no time dealing with your cockiness!" Gotou yelled through the phone, making Yakumo pull the phone away from his ear, his eyes closed and his lips in a tight line- obviously annoyed by the outburst.
"Gotou-san, would you please stop the yelling, it hurts my ears…" Yakumo just managed saying, in the most Yakumo-likely way, before he once again was interrupted.
"Where are you?! Are you okay?!" Gotou continued. It was disturbing to Yakumo with all the noise that appeared to be in the background, which was probably one of the reasons for Gotou's loud voice. It was then, that Yakumo noticed how loud the people were outside and that the noise in the background of the phone was most likely the same as outside his room. This got his attention. He got off his chair and moved towards the door.
"Where are you?" Yakumo asked in his calm way, as he left the club room- his secret hideout, making his way towards the noisy area- the ground area before the university.
"I just asked you the same, damn it! Where are you?!" Gotou continued, clearly getting tired and frustrated by Yakumo's mysterious ways fast.
"I am on my way." Was all Yakumo said to Gotou's question and outburst, because as soon as he had said those words, he hung up.
Putting his phone is his pocket, he quickened up his pace, curious and very serious to get to Gotou-san. What was going on? Yakumo's fast pace quickened to a jog.
As Yakumo arrived to the front of the university, he saw how the front ground was filled with people- students. And police. It did not take him long to find Gotou- the figure of a bear. Gotou was shouting orders around him, to the few police officers at the scene. As Yakumo neared Gotou, he noticed the people. Crying, shaking, explaining, screaming… panicking. He was getting a little anxious as he made his way through the crowd. What had happened? What had he missed? Why hadn't he paid any attention? Where was she?
"What is going on, Gotou-san?" Yakumo asked as he came to stand besides Gotou.
Gotou, who had not seen or heard Yakumo approach, turned quickly in a fog of bitter confusion and surprise.
"What are you…? What do you mean, "What's going on?"?! Where have you been?!" Gotou pretty much screamed at him, making Yakumo put his fingers in his ears.
"Would you stop yelling, I am standing right next to you- I can hear you just fine without the yelling." Yakumo said matter-of-factly, which did not do any good for Gotou's mood.
Trying his best to take a calming breath in the panicking crowd and forgetting about Yakumo's provoking ways, Gotou looked at Yakumo with a serious face.
"There has been a massive shooting. A student has gone crazy in the building. Shooting around him, not caring if he is killing someone or not. " That got Yakumo's attention. His eyes widened and he was speechless for a moment, but it did not matter, as Gotou continued.
"We are currently rushing to get a name of the student, all we know is that he is male. We are quite certain that he has killed, but we do not know the number. The students was free to flee and we are now trying to obtain them here, so we can have an overview of them all. " Gotou said, reporting to Yakumo as he would to his superior or writing a file.
"What are the status on the students then? Since you have chosen the trouble to keep them all out here? " Yakumo asked further. He understood the need to keep a perspective on the people involved, which meant the students, but as he looked around we was quite aware to the fact, that some have indeed been shot and was bleeding- some faintly, some badly, some on the vague of collapsing and some fainting in each others arms. This was bad.
As Yakumo took in the view of the panicking and bleeding group, his eyes a little searching for a certain short-haired girl, a known trouble-maker. He's eye caught something. In the corner of his left eye, Yakumo saw a shadowy figure. His left eye, which was capable of seeing the spirits of the dead, in form of a very red iris, was beginning to see the horror of which had taken place in the university. The ghost disappeared before Yakumo had the time to react and he was brought back by Gotou's answer to his prior question.
"I would have loved to send them on, so they could get help. But this creep has decided to order that no vehicles are allowed, and that I call no more men to the scene. So the ambulances and police are parked down by road, ready when called. I have Ishii placed up front with a couple of men, and some officers around in the crowd, trying to calm things down."As Gotou talked Yakumo could see a figure pacing through the windows on one of the top floors. Based on the shooters walk and body language, that Yakumo was able to se some of through the high windows, the man seemed quite calm.
Yakumo's eyes darkened. This was serious; this was not a mystery waiting to be solved, this was happening right now, with the informations being few and the shooter clearly having the upper hand. There was no facts or answers at the time being, just one panicking crowd, few police officers and his brain could not work clearly until he had found… suddenly Yakumo's eyes fell upon a very familiar silhouette ahead in the crowd, without hesitation he moved forward. Gotou, though he had no idea where Yakumo was heading and why, followed.
Ozawa Haruka was standing in a disorientated crowd. People was panicking, people was crying. Around her, were people she did not know, faces she had seen in the hallways and friends, everyone as lost as she was. She was as frozen to the spot where she stood, she didn't dare movie in case of the danger they had all been in and which could fall upon them. Although her friends and other were talking of the happening and their mischief, Haruka's mind was not present. Saitou Yakumo-kun. Where was he? How was he? She could not tell.
When she had fled the hallways with so many others and had escaped the danger of the shooting, she came to the front ground of the campus, where so many people were already crowding, by orders from the police. She had tried to call Yakumo on her cell phone. However, after her first try he did not pick up and as she was to call him again, the crowd started to move with the spreading panic and with her shaking hands, people bumping in to her, the phone had slipped her fingers, and now lay somewhere in the massive crowd, probably broken and unable to find and much less able to reach Yakumo. So here she was, standing near friends, with an indescribable sad and dark mood hovering over all of them. Her brow felt sweaty, her throat dry, her mature but sweet top felt like it was several sizes too small, her jeans stuck to her uncomfortable and made her legs feel like branches and the heels on her shoes felt like they were ready to crack. Her hands were red and sticky, but that did not keep her from reaching for the red stone around her neck. If only she could just wake up from this nightmare.
As Haruka stood, surrounded by people, but isolated within herself, she woke by a familiar and very beloved voice.
"Oi, are you alright?" Haruka turned towards the voice. Yakumo was here. He seemed very well, out of harm and his voice somehow caring. Good.
"Yakumo-kun!" Haruka said in a very relieving voice and with a very relieving face. As he came to stand beside her with somehow worried eyes, she felt the urge to embrace him, though she did not do it. Somehow, Yakumo being here, made her feel slightly more at ease.
"Haruka-chan!" Haruka looked behind Yakumo and noticed Gotou approaching her as well.
"Gotou-san!" Haruka exclaimed. Happy to see another familiar face- a face with authority, which hopefully would make this situation go away.
"Are you alright?" Yakumo asked yet again, standing close and his red eye really intense.
Haruka gave a sad, but grateful smile as she looked at him.
"Yes, I am alri…" Haruka never got to finish, as the eyes of Yakumo were searching her over, looking for any damage- and he found something.
"What's this?" Yakumo asked quickly, as he took both of wrists in his hands, looking at her palms. Before she ever got to answer Gotou noticed as well.
"Haruka-chan! Are you alright?!" Gotou exclaimed by the sight. The palm of her hands were drenched in blood, most of it dry, some sticky but everything a deep evil, dark, rich colour of red.
Haruka shakily but quickly pulled her wrists from the hands of Yakumo as she closed her eyes and took a quick breath, before opening her eyes again.
"It's okay," She said quietly, as she looked down. "It's not my blood." And for just a moment she saw the scene before her eyes. A girl in her class had been hit by a bullet in the torso, as everyone was panicking and tried to flee. The light in the girl's eyes died as Haruka covered her wound with her hands- she could do nothing, and when she was met by nothing more than a dead stare back, she pulled herself together and fled with the crowd.
It's not my blood.
By those words, the tone of her voice and the look on her face, Yakumo felt an indescribable kind of pain in his chest. As he looked at Haruka- who seemed so small and lost, was all wrong. He stepped closer if it was even possible, raising his hand and put it somewhat tightly on her back, comforting her in his own way. He would have liked to say something- something to easy the pain she was clearly feeling, but he couldn't- what he was supposed to say when it was her?
"I'm sorry." Yakumo said- that was all he had, all that worked. Haruka looked up at him and smiled her sad smile yet again. Sure, it was a sad smile, but it was a smile for him, and he took it nothing less.
No more words were exchanged as the one person, who had started this mess, interrupted the situation.
Every single one looked op, to see that man who had, without regrets, started all of this. He was difficult too see, as he was up high, but features seemed very much normal and an easy face to forget once passed- however this face would never be forgotten by anyone standing on the ground, looking up at the ordinary young man with a gun. And with a sickening smile on his lips he was about to talk.
He opened the window with easy and seemed like he had no care in the world.
"Detective Gotou-san! " The man yelled out of the window. His voice was dark, strong and deep, not at all like his appearance seemed to be, from what they could see of him, from the ground.
"Thank you, for letting all of my dear friends and fellow students stay as I requested! You are indeed a man of your word!" He yelled mockingly.
Gotou however, could feel his anger rising- he had no other choice but to do as told. Had he refused and told people to leave, for the help to arrive or told his men to storm the building, the shooter could easily have killed a lot from the windows, and Gotou could not take the risk.
A policeman with a megaphone had made his way to Gotou's side, and handed the megaphone over to Gotou, who took it furiously. Negotiations were not his strongest side… her preferred taking action into his hands- not using words.
"I demand you to let the students and the teaches leave the area, you piece of shit!" Gotou shouted in the megaphone. The words escaping his mouth before he had time to think.
"Nice." Said Yakumo quietly but firm, under his breath. It was clearly meant for Gotou to hear.
"Shut up!" Gotou yelled furiously back, causing Yakumo to but his fingers in his ears, from the loud volume of Gotou's voice.
"You know just how to talk to the one person with the higher power, don't you, detective Gotou-san." The man continued from the high window, obviously teasing him and enjoying his mighty position at the time being. Gotou swallowed hard, he had to play his cards right.
Gotou took a few steps and looked around him- he had a massive burden and duty on his hands. He turned around once more and looked up at the window, where the man had seated himself comfortably, looking down upon them all, like a god. The crowd was very silent and gave him room to move, looking around once more; Gotou noticed he had moved from standing on the left side of Yakumo and Haruka, to standing on their right. He was a mess and he knew it, he had no plan. They too, were staring at him; Haruka with caring and concerned eyes and Yakumo with a sour and lazy look, with a bit of concern shining through. From up above he could hear the man chuckle silent by himself at the whole situation, or maybe it was at Gotou? He did not know, nor did it matter.
Sighing, Yakumo left Haruka's side and walked behind Gotou, to appear on his other side. While doing so Gotou noticed Yakumo observing the man from the window, gaining new perspective as he moved to stand beside him, on the right. And with a glance at Haruka, Yakumo shielded himself behind the form of a bear that Gotou possessed.
"I have a plan." He said quietly, almost a whisper, so that no one but Gotou could hear. Gotou turned his head and looked at Yakumo.
"Yeah? Are you sure?" He asked.
"Are you having a mere student think out your plan for you, detective Gotou-san? " The man asked highly amused, from his position in the window. Gotou's eyes widened, and Yakumo closed his eyes and let out a long annoyed sigh. Gotou looked at Yakumo, who was deeply annoyed. He had been so very discreet and Gotou had just ruined it, by letting his body language act upon it.
"You are not playing a fair game detective Gotou-san." The man said with a smug smile. "And what is the name of your acquaintance?" He continued.
Haruka, nervous about the direction of the situation took a step closer, now standing directly by Gotou's left, though a little step behind him.
Yakumo looked up at the man, with hard eyes.
"Saitou Yakumo." He replied, with a quiet, though firm and strong voice that without the megaphone, made its clear way up to the open window.
"Hmpf…" The man answered, seemingly having no interest at all.
"Saitou Yakumo… you look rather dull…. Really detective Gotou-san, is this the best you can do?" The man said in a bored tone, waiving the gun before him. He straitened his arm, with his gun in his hand, pointing directly at Gotou.
"That is not fair play." He said smiling, closing his one eye, as to aim.
"Fair play?! What do you know about fair play?! You are killing people! Threatening people! You damn looser!" Gotou yelled back at him, his emotion gotten the hold of him. Yakumo pulled his hand through his hair, and Gotou knew he once again had acted stupid- without thinking.
"Shut up!" The man yelled, roared, from the window, making the crowd go uneasy yet again.
"I am the one with a gun! I am the one with hostages! You don't know me! Do not provoke me! " He shouted and his hand shook with anger. And just like Gotou, he lost his cool, made the most humane mistake, and let his emotions control his judgement.
He pulled the trigger.
Everything happened so fast, but yet, it seemed like slow motion. As the man pulled the trigger, the shot was fired and the aim was Gotou. Gasps all around were taken, people shutting their eyes and Yakumo winced. Gotou was waiting for it, but it never came.
"UGH!" A hit was heard, a hit was reacted upon- but it was not him who had taking the bullet.
"HARUKA!" "HARUKA-CHAN!" People around him were calling, every thing still in very much slow motion.
He saw Yakumo run past him. Fast. No hesitation, towards the object- the one person who was hit. Haruka.
Gotou followed Yakumo with his eyes, turning his head towards the left. Only to see as Haruka took a shocked step back, her hands reaching up near her collarbone and shoulder, eyes wide, eyes closing, her head fell against her chest and her legs about to collapse. The time caught up to him, he noticed the screams around him and he noticed Yakumo's fast reflexes as he reached for Haruka.
Yakumo's eyes widened as he head and saw the horror unfold before him. Without thinking he ran as fast as his legs would carry him, towards Haruka.
He caught her by the shoulders, just before her legs gave out. Haruka's breath was heavy and her body shook and waggled, all the while Yakumo tried to steady her. Haruka's legs finally gave out and Yakumo decided to follow her, crashing towards the ground on their knees.
Yakumo kept holding her by her shoulders so she would not collapse completely, looking over her face and the feared bullet wound.
Haruka opened her eyes slowly, though they were unfocused and only half-open, she gasped for air, as out of breath, peals of sweat was making their way down her face and she shook slightly.
"… Yakumo… -kun" Haruka made out.
"Shh, look at me, look at me." He repeated himself. Trying to make eye contact.
"It's alright, come; look at me." He continued to demand. He did his very best to be in control. But his insides were screaming, almost panicking by the sight before him.
With all her might Haruka looked up at him, and Yakumo lowered his head in hope to make her react.
Their eyes met. Pain, shock, fear, worry and concern met each other for a second, before Haruka's head fell to rest upon Yakumo's shoulder. Satisfied by her reaction, Yakumo let out a breath he did not know he was holding, as he did his best to put pressure on her wound.
The man in the window had lost it, had shakily pulled the trigger and missed the target. Instead Haruka had fallen. But she was not dead, she was alive, she was awake and sitting against him, and fighting.
He could feel her heavy breath through his shirt, feel her fast breathing vibrate through her and feel the wet and sticky consistence of her warm blood, as it floated from her wound just behind his hands.
Yakumo had somehow found his cool as they sat against each other- it did not help him or her if he lost it. He removed one hand from her wound and stroked her gently along the back for a short moment, before retuning his hand to apply pressure on her wound. It might have been an awkward position, with them both on their knees, her head against his shoulder and his hands against her wound, placed between her collarbone and shoulder.
Gotou was speechless. Before him sat the two young people, who only had and understood each other, to the extent others might not understand. Yakumo had changed so much since meeting Haruka and now he was sitting with her faint consciousness and her blood on his hands. Gotou looked with fury up at the shooter.
"Your damned...!" Gotou started shouting, without the megaphone, at the shooter who then interrupted him with a weak laughter.
"He. He. He. He. " The man laughed weakly as he placed his one hand over part of his face, covering his one eye, his forehead and some of his scalp- a posture Yakumo too used from time to time, when thinking hard. This man however, was shaken, his emotions had taking over and he had not seen that coming.
"Well done detective Gotou-san… you made me loose it." He continued speaking, still using his weak voice, which now was difficult to hear from the ground.
"Too bad about the girl though." He commented, nodding his head slightly towards Yakumo holding Haruka. Gotou's blood boiled.
"You want to try? Going inside the building? Find me?" The man asked in a challenging way, the weak voiced replaced by a disgusted dark one.
"You should take someone with you, I could be dangerous." He said matter-of-factly.
Gotou straightened his back, pushed his chest forward and took a deep breath all the way down to his stomach. A serious look was in in his eyes, as Gotou took the challenge upon him and turned to look at Haruka and Yakumo.
"Is she alright?" Gotou asked serious, though with gentleness and concern- somehow he could not help but feel guilty.
Yakumo looked down at Haruka's little frame in his arms and though he was unsure, he was just about to answer…
"I'm alright…" Haruka murmured from her place by Yakumo's neck. Yakumo looked just as surprised as Gotou as Haruka spoke up. Her breath and lips tingling him slightly, as she spoke against him. Gotou shared a look with Yakumo as he turned around, about to make his way inside the empty halls of the university.
"It's a trap you know." Yakumo said simply, his word making Gotou stop.
"You made him loose it. He lost control in front everyone to see and with that he lost the power he once felt he had. He doesn't plan on you walking out again. " Yakumo continued from his place on the ground, both males with their backs facing each other.
"I know." Gotou answered back, now controlling his temper and coolness to the fullest. "But what else am I supposed to do. This is my job, and I'll be damned if that psycho stays up there and we all down here, without being able to escape the storm of pullet he will most likely start. " Gotou said with a bitter smile on his lips. He then continued walking towards the doors of the university.
Yakumo sat back on the ground, holding Haruka and a serious look on his face. This was all very troublesome and he felt a little bit of useless.
"Its okay." He heard Haruka murmur. Yakumo's eyes widened as he looked down on her figure. With a hand on his chest, Haruka pushed herself from him, so she could look at him.
"You should go with him, you want to. I'll be alright." Haruka told him, with a quiet, though encouraging, voice. Yakumo, although a man of few words, felt somehow speechless as Haruka said those words with gentle sparkling eyes, full of trust and care. He felt torn for a moment, but just as he thought about rejecting her words, Haruka gave him what could only be described as a Haruka-smile. With that Yakumo lost his urge to fight her words and bent towards her will, of him solving the situation.
Why did he have to be moved by that damn smile of hers?!
Looking away for a quick moment, feeling his guild battle with her smile, he looked back at her gentle face, which she always was able to give him, despite her own pain.
"Forgive me." Yakumo said quietly to her, as he squeezed her shoulder and was to stand. As he got up he looked at Haruka's friends behind her and ordered:
"Support her. And keep pressure to her wound." And as he let go of her, Haruka's body gave out a little and was about to fall over. She never did though, he friends was ready to support her, as Yakumo had ordered. Yakumo took one last glance at her, before turning around to follow Gotou.
"Be careful." Haruka said as strong as she could, as Yakumo took his leave.
Please hurry Yakumo-kun. Please help end this. Haruka thought as she, with a blurry vision, looked at Yakumo's back as he disappeared in the crowd.
Yakumo quickly caught up to Gotou, and as Gotou came to the entrance of the building, a few officers were standing ready, along with Ishii, awaiting orders.
"Ah, detective Gotou, are you really going in? And you will bring Yakumo-shi along?" Ishii said, as Gotou stopped in front of him, never noticing Yakumo's present.
"What?!" Gotou responded- Yakumo was with Haruka. But just as he thought that, he turned his head and noticed Yakumo right next to him.
"What are you doing here?! Weren't you supposed to stay with….!" Gotou asked in a very loud voice, interrupted by Yakumo of cause.
"Would you stop acting like a wild bear, we do have important things to solve." Yakumo answered in his usual tone.
"Why you?!" Gotou grabbed Yakumo by his collar, clearly provoked.
"Ishii-san, please arrest this man" Yakumo said, pointing at Gotou and referring to his violent behaviour. However Ishii found it very hard to react upon, and did not know what to do.
Gotou however, found his cool and let go of Yakumo. He had no time dealing with an annoying and provoking know-it-all student. He had a shooter to capture and a school to save.
"So you are actually going in?" Ishii asked.
"Yeah." Gotou answered shortly but determined and Yakumo nodded in agreement. Gotou then looked at Yakumo.
"So, you had a plan?" He asked. Yakumo let out a sigh.
"Yeah well, he doesn't seem to be of any physical threat, so you could just use your strength and tackle him, you know, since you are a bear. " Yakumo answered smartly.
"What?! That was your plan?" Gotou asked, taken aback by the lame idea.
"No. My plan were, in short, to let me and her distract him, buying time and make you capable of rushing in and catch him off guard. But you had to turn his attention to me, making me unable to disappear without notice. For not to talk about his slip of control, which were certainly not called for." Yakumo said running a hand through his hair and gave Gotou a sharp and blaming look. All the while not mentioning the outcome of the control-slip.
"Well then," Gotou said awkwardly, "let's get going. Come on Ishii." Gotou continued.
"What? Me too?" Ishii asked somehow scared. He did not actually wait for an answer as Gotou already was though the doors, and the fact the he could not let Gotou down. But just as he was about to follow Yakumo through the doors, he noticed Yakumo's hands.
"AH! Yakumo-shii, your hands!" Ishii exclaimed.
Yakumo lifted his hands a little, realizing the dyed red colour from Haruka's wound.
"It's okay" Yakumo answered with a bitter smile "it's not my blood" he said, exactly like Haruka did earlier. And somehow he thought he might have felt just as miserable by saying those lines, as Haruka had looked when she had said them.
Trying to brush off the subject Yakumo turned and followed Gotou through the door.
Taken aback by the whole situation, Ishii felt stocked for a moment, but as fast as he could he collected himself, and rushed after Yakumo and Gotou, through the door. He fell.
As the trio walked through the hallways and walked the staircases, they were met by bloody floors and abandoned belongings. The ghosts of peoples haunted the halls.
The most disturbing things, as they walked towards the monster of a man, were when they encountered bodies of students, who once had been walking happily through the corridors. By the path they had chosen to lead them to the man, they saw two bodies. According to some of the witnesses that Ishii had been able too talk to, the shooting had started taking place on the third or forth floor, the floors below had not been a part of the shooting. But through Yakumo's red eye, he concluded that more than two victims had fallen in the halls, as he saw several shadows in the dark- the clustered emotions from the people who didn't stand a change against the hard flesh-ripping metal; the bullets. The thought alone was sickening.
Gotou, Yakumo and Ishii arrived on the floor where they knew the man was located, and they walked towards the classroom they knew he once had been it, when they were all in the crowd below.
"Is it certain he is in here, as he know we are coming?" Ishii whispered. Small pearls of sweat appearing on his forehead. As Gotou was about to answer Ishii, whom he started to feel like punching, the man inside the room spoke.
"Come in, come in, detective Gotou and friends." The man said on the other side of the half-opened door. The trio stepped in.
"Well, well, well, you brought Saitou Yakumo-kun." The man stated, in a tone that seemed offended.
As they stood before him, the features of the man became clear. He, who had looked so very normal and invisible from the ground, wore thick brows and very dark eyes that made him seem anything but unnoticeable. His jaw was sharp and his cheekbones high. He somehow reminded of a malnourished mad man, with a hint of something Yakumo-ish.
"I was indeed told that the university would be a fun place to play." The man said, looking in a sickening way at his gun, all the same time as he glanced at the trio.
"Fun indeed." He murmured as he found the whole situation very satisfying.
"And the frail man with the glasses besides you must be Ishii-san, am I correct?" The man asked highly.
"How come you seem to know our names, when we have never spoken of them, neither do we know yours?" Gotou asked in a mix of control and frustration- the perfect opposition of each other. The man smiled in a mocking way.
"Elementary, my dear detective Gotou-san. I simply heard Ishii-san introduce himself to some of my fellow students, as well did I hear him address you, upon your arrival at the campus. " He said matter-of-factly. "You would be surprised how much you can really hear, once you pay attention." He continued. Gotou clenched his hands into fist- this guy was really taunting and provoking him.
"Well, listening has never really been a quality of Gotou-san's." Yakumo stated, continuing the taunting from the other man.
"WHAT!" Gotou yelled at Yakumo, not believe what he head just now.
"Don't yell so laud, you are hurting my ears." Yakumo said for the second time that day, originally planning on sticking his fingers in his ears, to prove his point as always, but decided against it, as his hands were still dyed red.
The man chuckled. "Amusing." He commented.
"You said you were told about the university being a 'fun place to play'. Who told you?" Yakumo asked, changing the subject and turning very serious. The edge of the lips of the man twisted in an annoying smile.
"What a interesting character you are, Saitou Yakumo-kun" The man said, stalking towards Yakumo, whom did not movie from his spot. As the man neared, his focus fell on Yakumo's bloody hands, and slightly spots on his once white shirt.
"How is she, the girl?" He asked with a creepy grin. Yakumo's eyes hardened.
"I must admit that it was not planned and that I was very disappointed over my own behaviour. But as I got to think, it did set a certain entertaining mood, did it not?" The man rattled on. The usually calm Yakumo found himself clenching his fist.
"Is she dead yet?" He finally asked with pleasure.
"Shut your crappy moth!" Gotou yelled, clearly also affected by the evil words.
Ishii however, found himself confused and in a state of guessing about the conversation. It became somewhat clear to him, that it was about the shooting he heard, but since Gotou had not been hit, he had not thought much about it. But then he though of the blood on Yakumo's hands and his reaction upon the topic.
'Heavens! Haruka-chan!' Ishii concluded in his mind. She must have been involved somehow; otherwise she would probably have followed Yakumo to the building, even if he had told her no.
Ishii noticed the man gasp, as he still stood near Yakumo. He put his face so very close, that he almost touched Yakumo's nose. Yakumo's look hardened more, if it was even possible.
But as fast as burning your hand on boiling water or on a lively flame of fire, the man withdrew himself from staring at Yakumo, and stepped several steps backwards.
"You? And they call me a monster!" He said in a raised voice- obviously referring to Yakumo's red eye. "What are you?" he continued, clearly taking by surprise. But it did not bother Yakumo one bit. It might have, once; to be called a monster. When you knew and hated your own curse, and having the exact same feeling about it as everybody else. But it did not bother him anymore. Not since her. The one who had once called it beautiful.
The man looked from Yakumo to Gotou. He was beginning to feel cornered, even though they stood on the same spot as from the beginning, even though he was the one with the gun, even though he had just been having fun a moment ago. It had scared him. The red eye had scared him.
"She made it all sound so fun and easy…" He murmured mostly to himself. And as he did, he saw Gotou's hand going slowly to his hip.
He reacted fast, pointing the gun forwards- pointing at Gotou.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you!" He told. Gotou gave the thought up, and raised his hands.
"Nanase Miyuki." Yakumo said calmly.
"What?" said both Gotou and Ishii, though in two very different voices, launched with very different emotions. Gotou seemed confused and Ishii seemed scared just by the mere mention of the woman's name. However, the man just looked at Yakumo, a little stunned to be exact.
"Nanase Miyuki. She was the one who told you, that this particular place, would be a 'fun place to play', was she not?" Yakumo asked, thought he pretty much new the answer.
"You….!" The man started, feeling himself lose his control yet again, caught of guard by Yakumo's knowledge.
"Do you know why?" Yakumo continued. The man flinched, he started sweating and the feeling of slipping and being caught overwhelmed him.
"She likes to play with me. She likes to be entertained by my reaction on certain people and certain situations. She tests me. Even wish for my suffer." Yakumo talked on, not stopping, like a chant. "You have been used. You are nothing more that a tool in her toolbox. To see my reaction on something so repelling, as a sociopath shooting around and killing innocents, just outside my living. " Yakumo man shook. He shook with an unknown fear, humiliation, the loose of control and defeat.
And it that moment, hypnotised by the glare of Yakumo the man never realised Gotou running against him. Gotou tackled the man to the ground, as Yakumo had foreseen he was not much of a physical challenge, and they fell hard on the ground, with Gotou on top of him and Yakumo moving forward pushing the gun away. Ishii who had not predicted the outcome of the scene seemed as frightened as the man who now lay pinned to the ground.
"Idiot!" Gotou called out. "Call for the backup and let the officers and ambulances know they can proceed on to campus! "
"AH! Y-Yes!" Ishii managed to get out, before he did as told.
"See?" Yakumo said matter-of-factly, as he stood before Gotou and the man.
"I told you just to tackle him, with your advantage of being a bear. "
"Shut up!" Gotou yelled back.
Back-up was called upon and help arrived, as Gotou, Yakumo and Ishii, along with a couple of officers went through the horrid corridors of the university once more, only this time to walk through the doors and out in the sun.
"So, it was Nanase Miyuki?" Gotou asked.
"I suspected so when he started talking about a 'she'. " Yakumo said. "She would indeed have found this amusing." He finished calmly.
"You think she watched?" Gotou asked.
"Yeah. Most likely." Yakumo answered once more. Taking in his surroundings as expecting to see her.
"We have no name on the man yet, though." Gotou brought.
"He was probably a student himself, he acknowledge that. Though I do not remember seeing his face- but that is merely any guideline." Yakumo said, looking though the crowd of people, still gathering.
Gotou chuckled. Yakumo was not exactly a social and known face on campus either, and because of his social absence in the hallways on campus, people probably couldn't name him as they passed him either.
"But how did you know how to tig him off?" Gotou asked puzzled.
"I didn't." Yakumo answered simply. "The situation started with me, just wanting to know, if I indeed was right about Nanase Miyuki. It was after that, that I started provoking him- knowing how he lost it once you humiliated him earlier, just by calling him a looser; I suspected that he would absolutely hate the truth. That he indeed had been fooled and played like an ignorant idiot. His mighty pride would cause him to loose it to fury- which I had hoped we could use to our advance. Luckily you were ably to take a hint without me actually needing to give it to you directly. " Yakumo finished his once so well explanation, with a taunting comment against Gotou.
Gotou gave him a nasty look.
With the crowd being very alive, people reacting on the capture of the man, people needing help in form of police as well as medics, Gotou became very aware that organizing was needed. But just as he was about to take his leave from Yakumo's side- Yakumo had already disappeared. And he knew to where.
Yakumo forcefully made his way through the crowd. The panic and fear left the people surrounding him, now replaced by chaos as people wanted to leave the place as fast as possible. However, the chaos made it more difficult to get though the mass of the moving people. Then his eyes landed on familiar faces.
The friends of Haruka still supported her, as she sat. Waiting for him, waiting for help and waiting for the pain to end.
She looked so frail, fragile and small as she sat there. She seemed just to be on the brick of sleep, as her tired body had fought well for her. Good girl.
Yakumo made it to her, and just as he stepped near her, she opened her eyes. Indeed she looked very beaten and tired, cold sweat shining on her skin and heavy breathes escaping her pale lips. Her full lashes made way for her shining eyes, as she looked at him with a longing and caring. A smile fell on her lips, as he stood before her, about to lower himself to her level and her friends now letting her go, to step back into the moving crowd.
"You finally made it back." She said, in almost a whisper. And just as she had said those words, Yakumo had placed himself on his knees in front of her, and she collapsed. All the pain, fear, tiredness and adrenaline she had kept on bay- waiting for him. And now, as he had returned to her, she let it all fall upon her and take her over, loosing consciousness. Her body fell towards him, and she landed against his chest. Catching her on reflex, Yakumo's eyes widened as he looked down on her. He looked at her bloody shirt, taking notice of the state of her wound and brought both his hands around her, in an embrace. Where was the help?
"Gotou-san!" Yakumo yelled.
Haruka felt the softness around her. For some reason she felt safe in the darkness and could find no reason within to question herself. She felt comfortable and at ease, though slightly disorientated. But somehow it did not matter.
Then she felt it. A soreness irking her, a pain- though only a shadow of what it once had been, torturing her. She became aware. She became herself. She woke.
Haruka stirred as she woke. Feeling far better and comfortable in the gentle darkness of her sleep, than she did in the reality.
Her eyes opened and Haruka was met by the white ceiling and walls of a hospital. Her body felt heavy and despite the morphine she could indeed feel her gun-wound. Haruka shifted her head slightly to the side, only to be surprised by an unusual view. Yakumo was there, sleeping, but he was indeed present, in a chair, by her bed. His arms were crossed before him, clearly a way to make him more comfortable when sleeping in a chair. But good heavens, he could probably sleep anywhere. Touched by the gesture Haruka smiled.
Feeling eyes upon him Yakumo awoke from his slumber. To his surprise the eyes belonged to the very girl who was the cause of him being in the deeply hated hospital. He took a breath and let his hands fall from his chest, his one elbow now resting on the little armrest of the chair and his chin resting in his palm.
"It's fine that you like to eat, but you should be more moderate about it.*" Yakumo said in a lazy tone.
'What?!' Was all Haruka could think- "I wans't..." she sighed. There was no point.
Yakumo shifted position once again, leaning his body forward, placing both his hands along his lap.
"How do you feel?" He asked, in what could be described as a somewhat concerned voice. Haruka couldn't help but smile at him.
"I am feeling quite fine, thank you." She answered. A bullet had ripped its way trough her flesh, but no matter the screaming pain and the exhausting pressure she had once felt, she was quite fine now. Everything was going to be okay.
"That's good to hear." Yakumo said simply. Seeming to be satisfied by her answer.
"Your parents are here." He then added.
"Eh?" Haruka answered, though it did not come as a surprise, she had after all been hospitalized because of a gunshot. Yakumo gave a look for her outburst.
"Yeah, your mother decided they should head to the cafeteria." He must not have been dozed off for long.
"Why do your father keep giving me weird and evil eyes?" Yakumo spoke. Honestly, she did not know what her father's deal was.
"I swear, your family…" Yakumo sighed. This caused Haruka to give him a look that would make anybody but Yakumo quiet. She then smiled to herself, as she lifted her hand and brought it towards him. Yakumo, who never saw it coming, leapt up of the chair, as Haruka had poked him with her index finger in his side. An act of which he found so ticklish. Haruka stated to laugh softly, though Yakumo gave her a sour and very displeased look, as he re-seated himself. But as Haruka's laughter came to an end, she gave him a bright smile, and Yakumo, unable to resist those smiles of hers, gave her a soft smile back.
It might not have been a smile to her, since that was very unlike him, but indeed a smile for her, as he was deeply glad that she had fought so well and was here besides him.
Some small-talk could be heard from inside the room, as Yakumo and Haruka made time pass. Haruka would recover, and soon she would be discharged and ready to visit him in his secret hide-out once more.
A/N: Thank you for reading this story! As I told at the beginning, this was just a small scenario I thought up, once I was taking a walk. Somehow I could not unsee the scene of Haruka getting shot and Yakumo running to catch her, and then stumble to their knees. I then had to think up a reason for her being shot, but I wanted to keep it a one-short, so I was sure I would finish it, which is why this story aren't about solving a crime. Either how, I hope you somehow enjoyed it- I enjoyed writing it. ^_^
A few notes:
1) Haruka is often described as wearing jeans (sometimes skirts) along with high heels, in the light novel.
2) The sentence "It's fine that you like to eat, but you should be more moderate about it" is completely stolen from Kaminaga Manibu-san's Shinrei Tantei Yakumo / Psychic Detective Yakumo Volume 3, the extra file. I just find it so very hilarious. XD
3) In the end, I wrote that it was very unlike for Yakumo to smile, however, in the light novels he does smile, even laughs (sometimes outbursts XD). I wrote it so that Yakumo would not sound too cheesy and because Yakumo and Haruka isn't romantically involved (it's all between the lines).
These notes contain spoilers from the light novels and possibly future manga chapters.
4) *SPOILER ALERT!* After Ishin's death, Yakumo stops wearing his dark contact- which is why his eye is fully described as red in this story, without the mentioning of the contact. (He did, however, give it, along with the red contact of Ishin's to Haruka to hold on to.)
5) *SPOILER ALERT!* The thing about Yakumo being moved by Haruka's smile is true- He admits it (to himself) in book 8. ("When he saw Haruka's smile, he felt the dregs in his heart wash away")
6) *SPOILER ALERT!* Haruka's father apparently is no fan of Yakumo, once meeting (in book 7), Yakumo even says "Why is your father picking a fight with me" – I could really see and hear Yakumo's displeased face and tone as he said those words. XD (Though Haruka's mother is quite found of Yakumo.)
Once again; thank you for reading! If you feel like it, please make a review! :-)
Rika~