Part 1 - You Little Bastard
Having a soulmate means having someone you're destined to meet, somebody who belongs to you, and rightfully, who you belong with. The very ability to know who this person is is among one of the mysteries of the current world. Writing on one's skin is also writing on your soulmate's skin. Practically speaking, any marking you make with a pen on your skin, appears on theirs. This very idea is nothing short of a miracle, but all the same, this occurrence rarely crosses one's mind. But having too much time on your hands does leave room for thinking.
"Say, Angie, you really like talking to your soulmate, huh?" Kaede mumbled out loud.
"Hm? Oh, yes! Angie loves talking to them. Though I can't really read anything they say…" The Artist mused, examining the indescribable chicken scratch covering her left arm.
Her own cursive handwriting was present as well, easily distinguishable against the inky tangles.
"Oh, but why do you ask? Have you ever talked to your soulmate?" Angie's face turned smug as she leaned toward the Pianist, egging her on.
"Angie, leave the poor girl alone."
Maki entered at that moment, though it seemed she was just passing by.
"Wha-? Wait! Does Maki have a soulmate then? Argh! Then Angie wants to know!" Angie followed the Caregiver persistently, though she threw Kaede a pen with a wink.
Kaede caught it clumsily. A plain violet pen. Simple. She knew exactly what Angie was expecting her to do. Was it worth a shot? Maybe it was. So she wrote something simple on her hand.
Hello?
She sighed. She supposed it would be interesting to see what happens. Suddenly appearing on her skin in black ink were the words, Um… hello. Are you…?
Kaede smiled brightly. So she did have a soulmate. At least this confirmation got rid of the nagging sensation at the back of her mind.
Your soulmate? Yes, I probably am. That's how it works most of the time. What a silly thought.
I just never expected to have one.
Everyone has one. How can you think you don't? Kaede didn't quite understand what they were so worried over, but she supposed she did it sometimes too.
I've never heard from my soulmate before so…
She considered her answer for a moment, before finally scribing, Well, then isn't this a pleasant surprise? I always believed that I had one, but I never really thought about it I guess.
You're lucky.
? How so?
You already sound so confident in yourself, even though you're pretty much talking to a total stranger… even if they are your soulmate. You have no idea who you're going to end up with.
Then… why don't you tell me your name?
I- The pen suddenly squiggled off in a twisty line, before fading out and disappearing. She didn't think something had happened. Perhaps they had just passed out from shock? It didn't seem impossible. Kaede waited for a while, before realising that her soulmate had gone quiet.
If you don't want to tell me, that's fine.
Still there was no answer. Kaede sighed. She really hoped that nothing bad had happened. She put the pen down and began rolling down her sleeve, but-
"Oh! So Kaede did talk to her soulmate while Angie was away! I knew you would!" A small hand gripped her arm and Angie's high-pitched squeal sounded.
"Angie, please stop…" Kaede mumbled, gently tugging her arm away. "It's not nice to read other people's private conversations you know."
"Oh, oh! Sorry! Angie was just so excited!" Angie sat down beside Kaede, "So did they talk back to you?"
"Yes, they did. They seem very nice. Very… fragile though." Kaede murmured.
"Oh, I see…! So do you like them so far?" Angie beamed.
Kaede laughed sheepishly a little before answering, "Well, yes. I believe they're a good person. I mean, they seem like it. I wonder if I'll get to meet them one day… Oh!" Kaede suddenly leapt to her feet, her face going red and she hissed, "Angie, you can't tell anyone! Or I'll steal all of your art supplies!"
"Oh, so Kaede doesn't want anyone to figure out that she has a soulmate? Why?" Angie regarded the other girl's steely glare and then mumbled, "Angie won't. Promise."
Kaede sighed in relief, sitting back down, "Okay, good. I don't want anyone to make a big fuss of it, y'know? It'd just make things more difficult for me. It would just be more frustrating to deal with."
"Well, Angie won't tell anyone then. Getting between Kaede and her soulmate would be defying god! And Angie firmly believes that god is doing the right thing!" The white-haired girl smiled confidently.
Shuichi was spending more time in the library. He supposed it wasn't very healthy, but there were some good reads here if you knew where to look. Particular murder mystery books. He shuddered, refusing to think about why. As he took another one down from the shelf and headed back to his room, he passed by Maki and Angie. The poor Caregiver looked like she was being harassed by the Artist. Shuichi paid no attention to it as he entered his dormitory.
He sighed, taking off his hat and throwing it onto his bed, before he examined the cover of the book he was reading. "Failsafe Ways to Frame", it was called. He supposed it would be interesting, and useful to him as well. He figured that he may as well try to get better at his Ultimate, even if most of his breakthroughs were flukes. He got a fair way in, and was just reading about a man who technically was murdered but more or less suicided when he noticed something startlingly appear on his palm.
Hello?
Shuichi immediately went into a panic and he scrambled for a pen, managing to snatch the black one from his bedside table. But he paused for a moment. What was he going to say? Was this person really who he thought they were? Perhaps just asking wouldn't hurt, would it?
Um… hello. Are you…?
He mentally facepalmed. Who writes 'um'? And what a stupid question…
Your soulmate? Yes, I probably am. That's how it works most of the time.
They seemed nice enough...
I just never expected to have one. Considering that thought, he really didn't.
He didn't dwell on it too much, but sometimes the thought would worm into his brain.
Everyone has one. How can you think you don't?
He guessed it may have just been self-doubt, but he didn't write that. But he didn't want to lie either. It just felt wrong to lie to whoever he was talking to… rather, he avoided directly answering altogether.
I've never heard from my soulmate before so…
Well, then isn't this a pleasant surprise? I always believed that I had one, but I never really thought about it I guess.
You're lucky. He wrote it without a thought, envying this person ever so slightly.
? How so?
You already sound so confident in yourself, even though you're pretty much talking to a total stranger… even if they are your soulmate. You have no idea who you're going to end up with.
Then… why don't you tell me your name?
I-
Suddenly, the pen flew from his hand and a familiar snicker followed.
"Kokichi! Give that back!" Shuichi grabbed for the pen, yet the purple-haired boy slipped further away.
"Why didn't you tell me you had a soulmate, Shuichi-chan~?" The little troll chuckled, dodging another one of Shuichi's grabbing attempts.
Despite Kokichi being shorter than him, he was having some problems.
"Uh-" He paused, scratching his chin, "Well, it's nobody else's business!"
Kokichi stopped, noticing the apprehensive look on Shuichi's face as he jerked his sleeve down.
"Oh, wow. You're totally serious." Kokichi edged back towards the Ultimate Detective, though he tucked the pen safely into his checkered scarf.
"You can't tell anybody about this." Shuichi finally mumbled quietly.
"Mm… not even Kaede~?" The Supreme Leader smirked, folding his arms.
"N-not even Kaede! That's the last person I'd want you to tell!" Shuichi hissed in reply, a little flustered.
After a paralysing pause for Kokichi, who was considering the idea, he finally popped with, "Alright, I promise I won't tell anybody! Because, you, are, my, friend~!"
"You're not lying to me, are you?" Shuichi muttered suspiciously.
"Whaaa-?! I'm so offended you would think that!" Kokichi puffed out his cheeks and huffed audibly.
Shuichi just stared at him for a while.
"Tch, fiiine. Maybe I was planning to tell Kaede but if you buy me some Panta, I might just consider not telling her, instead. Hmm~?" The shorter boy grinned devilishly, propping his hands behind his head.
"What? But…" He muttered something under his breath, "Dammit..."
"Kokichi, where did you get all that Panta?"
"Eh?" The purple-haired boy looked at the three bottles of Panta in his arms, before grinning, "I got it from Shuichi-chan~!"
Rantarou raised an eyebrow, but didn't question it, instead he just stood and listened.
"He actually bought me five because I ma-asked him too, but I drank two of them already… but I did save some for you, look!" As he prattled on, Kokichi pushed a grape Panta in Rantarou's hands.
The taller boy just smiled vaguely and shook his head. You little bastard.