Entry 3 - Survive! Day One

Akise sat in his desk, eyes narrowed behind the notebook he held upright to cover most of his face. He was staring at Hiyama. Hiyama sat in his own desk, reading the newspaper. Akise had been surveying him for awhile now, and he suspected little by little that Takao Hiyama, Math Teacher, was the Phantom Street Killer. Lately, he'd been bringing more newspapers than books and he always brought it upon himself to warn the students about the killer's lurkings, and Akise did not miss the huskiness in his voice. To put it bluntly, no one got off of warning people about a killer than the killer himself.

What an ego. Akise smirked, laying his notebook down in front of him and writing his thoughts down inside the lined pages. Now, he needed to think of a way he would trap Hiyama and hand him over to the police. He had Nishijima on speed-dial, but Nishijima wasn't too reliable. Not that Nishijima could be blamed, either, because he'd only been in the department for three years and going. That, and his chief, Keigo Kurusu, didn't think too fondly of Akise. In the least, Akise was glad that Nishijima didn't completely abandon him like Kurusu would have wanted, because the only friend Akise had was Nishijima.

Akise's smirk fell and he stared down at the half-filled pages thoughtfully. He met Nishijima as his babysitter when he was eight. His parents were flying to Singapore for one of his father's important business conferences, and his mother thought that Nishijima was the perfect teenager for the job. She met Nishijima as a clerk in a popular convenience store and she hit it off well with the boy, keeping in contact if he ever needed anything, but it was more the other way around. Nonetheless, Nishijima fell in love with Akise at first sight as his sitter. He wouldn't let Akise out of his sight for more than five minutes, enjoyed cuddling and holding him more than he should have, and was way too enthusiastic about storytelling, and Akise, playing it safe, pretended to act his age.

So, naturally, when Akise exposed his true intellectual nature to Nishijima when he was eleven, Nishijima… fainted. From there on, the two of them had actual conversations instead of Nishijima crooning and cooing to him all of the time, and Akise really appreciated that. Though, if he confessed that to Nishijima, his heart would break. As they say, some things were better left unsaid. Akise smiled fondly. Nishijima was truly the greatest friend Akise could have ever had, because as an adult by eight years, Nishijima understood where Akise was coming from, unlike the narrow-minded people of his age.

It's not that Akise was belittling them or anything. It's just that Akise was… mentally smarter and more mature than the rest. That had always been a problem. He couldn't meet someone of his equal wavelength and resorted to skipping school to solve cases. What was the point of going to school when there was nothing to do? Sure, he should go to listen to the lectures, take the notes, and get the homework, but he did bookwork to catch up and ace the class in the end for the absences.

Even now, Akise had no desire to be there. Akise was only there for two reasons. One, he was planning on how he would end up trapping Hiyama tonight as the Phantom Street Killer. Two, Yuno Gasai. He glanced over at her. She was sitting in her desk, writing equations very neatly with her dainty hand. He still couldn't figure her out. He still didn't understand why someone so admired and loved by the zealous classmates around her was so shy and easily intimidated.

He would be lying if he said that it didn't bother him, because Akise was getting that feeling again. That feeling that he was forgetting something or someone important, and whenever he worried about Gasai's behavior, his heart pounded and his blood ran cold. What was wrong with him?

He turned away from her in time to see Hiyama's leering eyes on her. Something inside of Akise dropped. It was like he went down a serious dip in a rollercoaster and his organs dropped out, never to be recovered again. Noticing Akise's staring at him, Hiyama glanced at him, glared, and then, returned to his newspaper. Why had he been staring at Gasai like that? The more Akise asked those questions to himself, the more dreadful he felt himself becoming. Just what was going on between the teacher and his leading student?

Akise sat underneath a tree outside the cafeteria in the courtyard by the basketball court and picnic tables. He was writing in his notebook, planning out different ways he could trap Hiyama when he heard his diary screech the changing of the future in his pocket. Alarmed, he pulled it out and checked it over. Also, was there a way to quiet the notifications? He didn't want to be caught.

April 19, 2006, 12:38 PM: Hiyama-sensei kept Gasai-san in class. From their body language, Gasai-san is very disturbed and Hiyama-sensei wants her to do something.

Akise raised his eyebrow. He pocketed his diary, looking up as Gasai was walking out of the cafeteria with her friends. Her sullen face squared to a smile, trying her best to act normal, he noticed. He needed to watch her closely. If she slipped in his surveying, he could find out what the two of them were up to.

"Hey, freak!"

Akise turned away, towards the sound of the voice.

"Haha! Did you see that? He actually turned! He likes that nickname!"

It was Ouji Kosaka and his friend, Shiraishi. Akise chuckled, sliding his notebook shut and putting away his belongings into his bag. He pulled it onto his back, stood, and sauntered over to them, smiling evenly. Kosaka raised his brow, holding the basketball against his hip more defensively. Shiraishi glanced between the two watchfully.

"Hey, Kosaka." Akise stopped in his tracks. "Was that your way of asking me to play with you?"

"…Eh?" Kosaka and Shiraishi sounded simultaneously, surprised.

"It is, isn't it? That has to be the only reason why you bothered to call me." Akise laughed, softening. "Unless, you taunt others for sport? If that's the case," He turned away, shaking his head. "That sounds so boring!"

"…" They exchanged looks.

"We don't," Shiraishi coughed into his fist, peeved at the fact that his reputation was in question.

"You'll really play with us?" asked Kosaka, still stunned.

"It beats doing nothing!" Akise turned back to them, cheerful. "Your move, Ko-kun!"

"...Dude," Kosaka's face scowled. "I was cool up until you called me that!" He thrust the basketball into Shiraishi's hands and stormed over to Akise, balling his hand into a fist to sock the albino. Akise chuckled, easily catching both of Kosaka's fists in his hands and pulling him closer dangerously.

"Now that I've caught you red-handed, what will you do?" He asked playfully.

"Errgh!" Kosaka grunted, trying to wriggle his hands free from Akise's grip and trying to use his legs to maim him in some way or other.

Shiraishi grinned nervously at the two of them, holding the basketball.

"C'mon, you guys… (You're embarrassing me)"

Three girls watched them from where they sat on the grass. Gasai shyly stared at Akise, who was laughing every time Kosaka grunted a mean name to him. The other two girls, a brunette and purplette smiled and laughed.

"Boys being boys," One of them said, rolling her light brown eyes and shaking her head. "but we love them anyway."

"Look at Shiraishi, he looks like he'd want to be anywhere but there!" The second girl with green eyes cried, laughing quietly against her palm. She turned to Gasai. "Hey, Yuno-chan, what do you think of Akise?"

"..." She blushed deeply, and the two girls smirked.

"Someone has a crush!"

"It seems that Mr. Detective…. solved the case to your heart!"

"Oh wow, Mao!"

"I couldn't resist, Hinata."

Gasai actually laughed and smiled.

"You two are so funny, but… I don't know if I do like him or not." She admitted quietly, hanging her head down. "He's cute, but… I don't know." She sighed, frowning. There was something about Akise that made her have that feeling.

That sudden feeling of emptiness and something else… it was venomous and hot. Was it hatred? It surged through her whenever she looked at him. It made her really want to rip him apart and savor the noises of anguish he would make, but at the same time, that emptiness and that feeling of forgetting something or someone… what was it? What did Akise have to do with it?

She looked back up at the same time he stared at her. His smile fell. Her blush paled away. They stared at each other for the longest time, until Kosaka took advantage of Akise's lowering guard and socked him across the face. Everyone simultaneously cried out in shock as he back planted. Akise's vision was swimming, and then, it went black.

-3-

Akise fluttered his eyes open. He woke to the nurse's office. Sitting on a leather armchair next to the resting cot was Gasai, asleep. The nurse noticed he was awake and smiled, walking over.

"How do you feel?" She asked.

"...Like my cheek is swollen."

"You're right on point."

"...Mmhh…" Akise closed his eyes again, swollen left cheek, that was purple, searing. "What time is it?"

"It's two-ten. You've missed your fifth class halfway." said the nurse. "And so has she."

Akise reopened his eyes and stared at sleeping Gasai on the chair.

"Is she your girlfriend? She was so adamant about staying with you…" The nurse smiled. "It was adorable."

"Oh no," He sat up now. "She's a classmate of mine."

"Oh." The nurse nodded acceptingly. "You should wake her up, too. I'll write you both passes to your classes." She walked away, disappearing into the next room.

He gently tapped Gasai on the shoulder. She stirred, blinking her cerise eyes open and staring at him. He stared back. Suddenly, she blushed and turned away.

"You're awake… Um, how are you?"

"I could be better." He grinned. "What about you?"

"I wasn't the one punched in the face…"

"Maybe, but you were asked to stay by Hiyama-sensei."

Her eyes widened.

"Gasai-san, if you don't mind me-"

"I'm happy you're okay, Akise-kun." She stood from the chair, not facing him. "We should go to our classes now, or we'll be marked absent for sure."

"Gasai-san, you can tell me." said Akise firmly. "Even if you don't tell me right now, I will find out."

"..." She didn't budge.

"If you suit yourself." He shrugged, walking past her, unabashed.

She stared after him, heart aching in her chest. Then, there was that emptiness and horrible heat of anger-hatred, whatever it was that made her want to so vehemently rip him apart and watch him spatter red. She palmed her face, shaking and quietly crying. What was wrong with her? Why was she feeling that way? Why was she acting that way only towards him?

Akise had stopped in his tracks at hearing her quiet cries. He turned back to her, staring softly at the shaking form of her. And in dawning realization, he was surprised. He was surprised that he found the Second's silhouette there, shaking just as much as Gasai was now. Yuno Gasai, the Second… Glad her face was covered, he betrayed his shock with a soft smile and walked back over to her, pulling her into his arms.

"Don't cry, Gasai-san."

"I thought y-you l-left…" She croaked.

"No, I didn't." He whispered, holding her tighter. He didn't understand why the sight of her crying was wrenching his heart as much as it was. He didn't understand why he wanted to hold her for as long as it took that all of her fears would dissipate, and she would be okay again. He didn't understand why holding her made him feel better and angry at the same time, but he didn't dare dwell on it, because she needed him. He closed his eyes, pressing his cheek that wasn't purple-swollen against her head and cooing to her. "I'll protect you if you talk to me."

"You w-will?" she asked weakly. "B-but you don't kn-know m-me…"

"Maybe I don't, but I want to protect you anyways." Because there's something about you that's making me feel this way.


"Don't forget to come to our place at the normal time tonight, Gasai."

"Y-yes, Hiyama-sensei…"

Gasai walked the mostly vacant streets of Sakurami City. It was ten-fifteen, her cellphone read. She was walking back from home to change into her black disguise and replace bags. She wore a dark hoodie over her obvious hair that was well-contained in the hood, matching sweatpants, and running shoes. Her heart and butterflies conjoined in her throat, leaving behind an unpleasant and bitter lump. She was afraid, she knew. She never wanted to be a part of the game. The night was pitch-black and overcast, hiding the stars she loved to admire.

As she neared a tall scraper still under construction, she was shaking harder than before. It wasn't from the chill of night. She looked up at the highest floor, the rooftop. Preparing herself for the worst. Preparing herself for the inevitable. Preparing herself for death. She swallowed down the lump in her throat, eyes stinging with tears. She walked through the first floor, summoned the elevator, and walked inside of it. She was about to push the button to the seventeenth floor when someone rushed into the elevator with her as a blue blur. Her cerise eyes widened underneath the hood as she realized who it was…

"Found you." He said softly.

He pulled her hood down and smiled at her. Tears running down her cheeks, sobs threatened to escape her and she was shaking so hard, she almost collapsed on her knees. Akise pulled her closer to him by his hands wrapping around her own warmly.

"Take it easy," He cooed. "I'm here with you. I'll protect you from him now. I promised, remember?"

She nodded solemnly. That was true. He held her in the nurse's office for awhile, and admitted to being the First. She didn't know if it was out of a whim, but he even asked her to hold his diary for him, as if daring her to smash it or something. She hadn't, and rather hesitantly, she explained her situation to him. She was being threatened by Third to cooperate in his serial sprees, or he would not only admit the truth of everyone's beloved prodigy, but he would kill her, too.

What the truth was? Akise didn't know yet, but Gasai promised to show him after the confrontation. He didn't know what it was that could be so bad to tarnish her image, or maybe he was underestimating the capacity of the truth. Maybe he didn't want to believe an adorable, seemingly innocent girl like Yuno Gasai could be responsible for anything as grim as the Phantom Street Killings.

"What's your diary do, Gasai-san?" He had explained the mechanics of the Detective Diary to her back in the nurse's office, and while she was fascinated, she was also envious, because her diary didn't seem too useful in comparison.

"...It records my surroundings from my perspective." She pulled it out. "The Random Diary."

"The Random Diary?" He tilted his head, staring at the dark blue flip phone intently. Nostalgia, sorrow, and loathing were consuming him then. He didn't know why, but seeing that phone in her hand made him feel that string of emotions. "I see. So your diary is limited to your perspective, too. We can't rely too heavily on our diaries, then. Also, it would be unsafe to have them out all of the time." He smiled it off.

"Mm…" She agreed, putting it away and adjusting her disguise absentmindedly.

As the elevator was carried further up, there was no dull music to fill in the silence. There was only the terror that came with nightfall, and the man that awaited them with his machete. She squeezed her eyes shut. Akise smiled softly, holding her hand tighter; I'm here with you. The semi-peacefulness of their elevator ascent ended when the doors parted open to reveal Third standing there in the broad moonlight, waiting for them as she imagined. At the sight of Akise, he was charging towards them. Smirking triumphantly, Akise pressed the button to the fourteenth floor.

"What are you doing?!" she asked, horrified.

"I'm luring him." Akise glanced at her, fearless. As composed as he seemed to be, his insides were pulsating like ten thousand pounding hearts. He was excited. He was wired. He was ready. He couldn't deny that he was enjoying the survival game a lot more than he honestly should be. He smirked wider, wondering if this was what it felt like to be a detective on a real case.

When the doors parted again, Third stood there again. He ran at them, slinging his machete down towards Akise. Akise ducked and scurried out of the elevator, pulling Gasai behind him when he stopped at a particular wall, grinning to himself. The disguised Hiyama walked towards them, breathing heavily, menacingly, in his gas mask.

"I should have suspected you were a holder, Mr. Detective."

"You should be more alert of your surroundings, Hiyama-sensei." Akise beamed. Even bound on Death's finger, he was full of exhilaration. He couldn't calm himself down, even with Gasai clinging to his arm tightly. She was shaking slightly, her widened eyes fixated on their Math Teacher. Unlike Akise, she was anything but calm.

"You brought him, didn't you?" asked Hiyama.

"She didn't bring me," Akise stared at him through the tint of the mask. "I followed her here. Actually, I've been following her and you for awhile. It's what I have to do with persons of interest as a detective, after all."

"Regardless if you followed her or not," Hiyama smiled. "I'll kill the two of you right here, right now."

"Hmm… are you sure about that?" asked Akise.

Hiyama charged, slinging his machete down once again on Akise. This time Hiyama pierced through something, but blood wasn't spilling? Akise was unflinchingly staring at him, smirking, but Gasai had cried out, wide-eyed and shaking.

"Akise-kun?!" She cried.

"I'm fine. See?" He beamed at her, showing her that his blue jacket wasn't torn in the slightest.

Hiyama's eyes widened. Then, what did he pierce? Akise smirked, yanking down on a lever with a plastic gloved hand, and the Math Teacher didn't have the chance to utter a single, miniscule sound as he was silently electrocuted. Gasai's eyes followed where the machete had been caught on a switchboard, horrified. She drank in the sight, her shaking coming to a complete freeze as she was only standing there, quiet. Hiyama's body finally dropped down to the floor with a thud, and Akise beckoned her to follow him outside of the building, through the back where they were less likely to be seen.

Once outside, he disposed of the glove he'd been wearing into a nearby trashcan, after wrapping it with napkins from his pocket. It was better to be safe than sorry. He turned around to see Gasai's horrified face. He tilted his head, smile falling the slightest at the sight of her face.

"I couldn't be messy, Gasai-san." He explained, but when she didn't budge at all, he blinked. "Are you alright?"

"..." She snapped out of it, laughing quietly and nodding her head. "I'm fine! What are you talking about?"

He stared at her in disbelief. She just smiled widely at him, as if none of that had happened. He was filled with the familiar, vague sense of horror. It was inexplicably familiar, he knew he had felt it before but didn't know why. From the moment he saw that doe shine in her cerise eyes; from the moment he saw that innocent smile spread across her lips; and from the moment her voice lightened, he knew something was amiss and the knowingness of that was horrifying for a reason he couldn't quite see yet. What happened to the skittish girl from before?

"Gasai-san?"

"That's right! I have something to show you. Don't I, Akise-kun?"

"Ah, yes, that's true, but-"

"Come on, Akise-kun!"

Bewildered and hopelessly confused for the familiar feelings he couldn't remember what from, he was pulled by Gasai as they walked the vacant, silent streets of Sakurami City, and the horror that was inside of him before only intensified in their silence.