I'm going to die here... The sounds of harsh panting were the only sounds heard echoing the dim area, and the splashing of rain water on the ground was amplified even more than usual in his ears. He turned a sharp corner, his back hitting the brick wall as he hissed. His chest heaved heavily, and his wide green eyes searched the area, trying to find an escape. The sound of more feet made him panic, and he scrambled his way down the street again, not a single person in site. He gave a weak smile, Of course, no one's going to be around, it's 2 in the morning. The man stopped his running, and ducked into an alley, hiding behind a dumpster.

"Hah..." He breathed a sigh of relief before his eyes widened, and his scream was muffled by a hand covering his mouth. He recognized those eyes...Those mesmerizing, piercing almost bronze coloured eyes.

2 months earlier

Saotome Yoichi stared at the bleak apartment wall in disappointment, a breath of hair escaping his mouth. He was 24 now, and still living in a rundown area - how disappointing. He leaned back in his chair and stared at the cracked ceiling next. The brunet was a different man from his childhood; no longer a stuttering bullied mess. That was the only good part, everything else sucked ass. His gaze was brought to his hair, and he sighed. "I need to cut it..." He stated absently, standing up and stretching. The man threw on a jacket and shoes, heading out the door and locking it. Not like anyone would barge in, either way, it was a pretty abandoned area.

Yoichi stuffed his hands into the jacket's pockets and glared at the winter sky, cursing it. His old friends had all went separate ways : Yuu went on to be a policeman, vowing to protect those in need; Mikaela went on to be a doctor of all things (Yoichi hoped their love life wouldn't suffer, seeing as their shifts were erratic) : Shinoa studied to become a botanist, unlike her personality (although Yoichi thought it fit her) : Mitsuba went on to be a detective and Shiho...Well, he didn't know. The pinkie never contacted him or anyone after they graduated.

Him? He went on to be..well, nothing really. He wanted to be a cafe owner, or a flower vendor, anything that didn't involve lots of fighting. He was tired of it - tired of the yelling and punching in high school and college. But his dreams didn't turn out that way, did they? Instead, here he was, living in a rundown town, in a rundown apartment. How foolish. He supposed his job as a cashier was enough to support him, even if it was boring. Yoichi entered the barbershop, listening to the bells chime calmly.

He kept feeling his hair, relieved it was cut short again. He didn't want to bolster the burden of having shoulder-length hair, it was a pain to wash. "Sorry...Excuse me." He muttered an apology as he bumped into a bystander, eyes drawn low and to the ground. He didn't want any attention after all.

Yoichi's eyes widened when he reached his home, seeing people gathered around it. Not them again... He turned to opposite way, gritting his teeth. He couldn't let them see him; the police.

An hour later, the brunet was dragging his feet towards the station, his eyes downcast. Dammit, he got caught - and he knew exactly for what. They hadn't said anything, aside from the standard, 'Anything you say can and will be held against you in the court of law.' They made him sit in a seat, and he clicked his tongue when he heard a familiar voice.

"Yoichi?! What are you doing here?" Yuu's voice pierced his ears, and he managed a smile, laughing.

"I'm not sure myself actually, Yuu. They just took me without a word." That was a lie. He didn't want Yuu to find out why he was here. He hadn't lied to them when he said he wanted to be a florist or a cafe owner, but due to certain circumstances, he was reduced to this.

"Captain, step away from Saotome. We need to talk with him." Two burly men walked over, and Yoichi rolled his eyes, keeping it out of the raven haired man's sight. He stood up, already knowing the procedure, and followed them towards the isolated room. They had known him for quite a long time - no need for a holding cell now, he mused.

"I didn't do anything this time, so why do you want me?" He muttered, definitely annoyed. This only earned a slam on the table, causing him to jump. Damn, he still wasn't over the flinching, was he? He'd have to work on that. His green eyes met those of the glaring four, the two men giving dirty looks.

"Don't joke around. You've been framed with two accounts of murder." One spat, his voice venomous as he threw down a folder. Yoichi's eyes gleamed, and he smiled inwardly. Damn, I even made sure to leave no tracks. Who the hell spotted me? I should keep my guard up more.

"W-What? I didn't do anything!" He shot back, wiggling his hands in the cuffs, wincing as the metal scraped his skin bitterly. He had to act shocked for the cops, so they wouldn't think he did anything. He knew exactly who he killed. And it was for a good cause.

"Shut up. According to the evidence, you did. This case is going straight to Sergeant Ferid, you twerp." Oh, that stung. Twerp, huh? They managed to come up with new insults every day, didn't they? Yoichi hung his head down in mock surrender and sighed; as long as the case didn't fall into Yuu's hands it was okay. His lawyer was good at bailing him anyway.

"I'll cooperate, under the pretense I can speak to my laywer."