"Another dead body was found four days ago in Kyoto, 26 year old rising businessman Iwahara Kizuki. He was found in his apartment by his neighbour, stabbed multiple times with a sharp object. She reportedly-"

Kuroko switched off the television, sighing. He didn't want to hear anymore of the news report on the horrific killings. Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Kanagawa, Osaka, the list of the murders went on and on, killings in just these 5 prefectures. There was about 5 murders in every city each week, staying a week in one before moving on to the next.

It was either some kind of game the murderer was playing, or the work schedule they followed, this murderer had a job in which they had to move from these cities back and forth Kuroko concluded.

He flopped back on the sofa and groaned, lifting his hand in front of his eyes to shield them against the obscenely bright sunlight streaming through the glass sliding door. They'd been having ridiculous weather recently, an oppressive layer of heat seemed to hang in the air when the temperature reached over 35 degrees . But he didn't have to worry about the heat for the moment, because of new AC Akashi had generously installed for his 18th birthday. He wouldn't be going outside anyway, with the amount of paperwork he had to complete.

Kuroko eyed the stack of paper on the table in front of him, contemplating ditching it for lazing in bed, Aomine-style. While it did seem appealing, duty came first, and his duty was to sign and write comments all day. Unlike Aomine who's duty was to run around all day arresting criminals, which to Kuroko seemed better than the stacks of paperwork he had to work his way through.

Maybe he could-

Suddenly, his phone rang. He scrabbled around on the table for the phone, coming up with only paper and his keys.

And your gonna hear me r-

"Hello?"

Having finally located the phone behind the cushions, Kuroko clicked answer. He thought it was Kagami because of the ringtone, but it was strange because Kagami never called during his work hours. Unless there was an emergency.

"Kuroko turn on the TV."

"Kagami-kun what-"

"Just do it!" Kagami barked down the phone.

Blinking, Kuroko switched on the TV wondering if there was another murder. It was Tokyo's turn this week for the killings but they'd been sporadic lately rather than systematic like they usually were, one murder for each day of the week was the normal schedule.

The headline flashed across the screen, the giant black letters emblazoned on a background of police tape.

Police officer Aomine Daiki was found strangled to death in Todoroki Valley at 10:51 today, he was found by-

The screen went black once more as Kuroko lowered the remote. Aomine-kun. His ex-light and darkness, the one to light the path for him and then to plunge it into darkness. Gone. He was never coming back. Gone! He barely felt his nails dig into his flesh, leaving red crescents in his palm.

"Kuroko?" The static of Kagami's voice echoed in the otherwise dead silence in the room.

"I think," he spoke softly but with deadly menace, "that I'll be working extra hours at the police station today, to try and find out who exactly is this murderer."

"Listen, Kuroko don't do anything stupid, there already loads of officers working on this case that are ranked higher than you in the station. Just let them catch the criminal."

Kuroko swept the paperwork off his table and reached for his keys, shrugging on his coat and depositing them in the coat pocket.

"I was fine with doing that until they murdered my best friend, Kagami-kun. That was unforgivable."

He exited the house, locking the door behind him.

"... Kuroko? Hello? Oi, I thought I was your best friend!"