"Quick Solutions" - A "Riddle Story of Devil" Fanfic by Andrea Ritsu

She quickly scribbled down the last words on the torn paper, making sure it was readable before she folded it together and faced the bed on the right side of the room. The bed belonging to Ichinose Haru.

Azuma Tokaku sat down on the bed, it was empty, Haru was currently in the shower and she wouldn't be out of there for another five minutes if she took her usual time. Then she'd ask Tokaku to make tea, which the short haired assassin would refuse at least twice before somehow succumbing to Haru's will like a lap dog. Not unfitting of someone designated as her protector, Tokaku thought to herself, but she knew that she shouldn't be thinking those thoughts. Not after tonight.

Tokaku placed the folded up piece of paper on Haru's pillow as she heard the bathroom door open.

"Ah, Tokaku-san, are you making yourself comfortable on my bed?"

Haru's voice was as kind and sweet as it always was. Tokaku felt a grimace come over her face as she stood up.

"Of course not… Hey, you want tea right? I'll make some."

Tokaku picked up Haru's pyjamas as she got up from the bedside. She gave it to Haru as she passed her to the kitchen. Haru found herself surprised by Tokaku and dropped her bath-towel to the floor as she had her clothes shoved into her arms.

"Tokaku-san…"

Tokaku saw Haru's nude figure in the reflection of the tea kettle, the scars running all over her body still as sharp and clear as the first night she saw them. Even as Haru put on her pyjama pants Tokaku couldn't help but to focus on the beauty distorted in the shiny metal. Her supple breasts, her shiny hair, those beautiful lips…

"Tokaku-san, no peeking!"

Tokaku snapped out of it. She'd been caught. Not surprising given how entranced she had been by Haru's figure. She poured the tea in silence and placed the two cups at the breakfast table. Haru sat down in front of Tokaku and poured some milk into her tea.

"Ichino-" she stopped herself, "Haru-san?"

Haru almost spilled the tea over herself when she heard Tokaku call her by her given name. A rarity. In a split-second Tokaku had grasped Haru's teacup and stopped it from tipping over.

"You're unbelievable."

"Haru was just surprised… Tokaku-san rarely calls Haru by that name."

"Well I thought it would…"

"Would?"

"I thought it would make you…" Tokaku found herself diverting her eyes, "Happy."

Haru glowed with cheerfulness. Tokaku felt that was good. Someone who's awaiting death just around the corner should be allowed to smile and have her happiest moments when she still can. After all, that smile is what had entranced Tokaku in the first place.

"So? What did Tokaku-san mean to ask of Haru?"

"I was just wondering… If you knew you would die, how would you like to spend your last moments?"

"Tokaku-san…" Haru smiled, "I've told you before. Haru won't die."

"But what if you do? Hypothetically? What would you hope to be able to accomplish before that last breath?"

"Well, let's see…" Haru placed a finger on her chin.

The next minute felt like an hour. Tokaku stared at Haru's thoughtful expression while stressing down each drip of her own tea to cover up the awkward silence. Why was she asking this? She technically knew the answer, but she didn't want to admit it. Then, finally…

"Haru knows."

"Then what? What would you want to do before dying?"

"Haru would like to make Tokaku-san smile."

"You would… What?" Tokaku felt confused, "Why?"

"Because Tokaku-san rarely smiles, and Haru hopes for everyone to smile. But if I had to just make one person smile with my life, it'd be you Tokaku-san."

"Why me?"

"Because Tokaku-san is…"

"Is?"

"She's Tokaku-san!"

Tokaku got up from her chair and put away her dishes. She felt frustrated. Why would Haru waste away her final wish in life on something as stupid as someone's smile? Let alone the smile of someone she barely known for longer than a couple of months. It made no sense.

"Tokaku-san?"

"Enough. We should go to bed. It's late."

Haru didn't respond. She slowly got out of her chair and approached her bed. When she reached it she saw the folded up piece of paper on the pillow. She picked it up.

"What's this?"

"It's… my confession, in a sense."

"Your confession?"

"I've not been honest with myself, and not you either, you'll understand. Open it."

Haru opened up the paper slowly, reading the words inside.

"To Ichinose Haru. I've lied to you and I've lied to myself. It's time I realize that every problem has one quick solution. And this problem's solution always involved me.

Icinose Haru, you will die by my hand."

Haru turned around in shock, in front of her was Tokaku. But there was something else. Something cold and sharp. She couldn't quite figure out what it was. Her vision was blurry. She tried calling out for help, but that's when she noticed the blade that had been thrust into her throat.

She was bleeding out. Like a halal butchered pig she was dying a painful and slow death. She fell to the floor and tried looking up at her assassin. Haru's vision was getting more clouded with the tears flowing from the canals in her eyes. But she was able to focus for a brief moment.

Tokaku sat down in front of her. Haru felt fingers running through her hair and another hand grasping the hilt of the knife. Tokaku pulled Haru closer to herself, staining her shirt and tie with Haru's blood and tears. She could hear Tokaku's heartbeat.

"I'm sorry. I really am. But I'm an assassin. It's the only thing I know how to be. This was the only way this could ever end. I didn't want to play any games, I didn't want to show off, I just wanted it to be over."

Haru couldn't believe what she was hearing. She never thought Tokaku would betray her. Not after what Tokaku had said and done for her.

"I don't want you to suffer further, so I'll end this the quickest way I know. But first… Your wish."

Tokaku lifted Haru's vision up to her own level, they were staring at each others faces. But while Haru was showing a contorted face of pain, Tokaku was showing something else. A smile.

"Farewell, Ichinose Haru."

Tokaku brought out her gun that she had placed beneath the bed ahead of time. Removed the safety, cocked it and placed it to Haru's forehead.

Then silence.

Then the deafening sound of gunfire.

Then silence.

Then a scream.

Tokaku was sitting up, screaming intensely in horror. Wide awake, yet in her own bed. She was shaking, she couldn't control herself. Her fingers roughed up her already messy hair and as her palms touched her face she could feel tears. She tried calming down, but it was of no use. She was hyperventilating and coughing.

Then she felt something warm wrapping around her. Time stopped and Tokaku didn't know what was going on. She looked down.

"Tokaku-san. Don't cry. Haru is here."

"Haru… But… But you died. I killed…"

Tokaku was reaching a state of panic. She was going insane and she wasn't sure what to do. She know she killed the girl hugging her, she had just done it. She didn't want to kill her, but she had.

"Haru isn't dead. Haru is here."

The grasp around Tokaku got tighter and warmer. Slowly but surely Tokaku managed to stop the tears and was getting her focus back. She looked to the floor. There was no blood stains, no note, no dead Haru. The only Haru in the room was wrapped around the tear drenched body sitting up in her own bed.

"A… Dream?"

"A nightmare. You were shaking and turning in your sleep. Haru was worried."

It all made sense now. Tokaku was calming down and answered Haru's hug. The warmth was helping her feel safe. Something she hadn't felt in a long time.

"Thank you Haru-san."

"There's no need to thank Haru, this happens to us all."

"But without you I'd have gone insane from this."

"Loving warmth can always solve things." Haru hugged Tokaku even tighter, "It's Haru's quick solution."