*** Beta note : aren't the covers amazing? they're made by the amazing Anon herself.

A/N gwagh climax soon. Of this case, at least. ***

Chapter 23: Heads or Tails

Mayu watched Len from a distance; there were more people in the streets than she thought there would, making it hard for her to follow him. Of course, seen from another angle, that'd mean it'd be hard for Len to spot Mayu as well in the crowd. So Mayu didn't complain about it.

'Even if he wanted to run away, there's no way he would. He wouldn't leave knowing Kaito's there in that town somewhere. With Rin too, probably... Oh who am I kidding? Of course she's with Kaito right now.'

Mayu was sure of it. One hundred percent sure of it.

'Unless he's prepared to walk by foot to the next town to hide, since there's no way he could leave with no money in his pocket. I doubt he has the courage to anyway.' So why was she following him? She knew there was no way Len would run away from her anyway, and she knew he'd find Kaito sooner or later, surely. He was a detective, finding missing people is a detective's job, no? One of their jobs.

A moment later Mayu saw him enter a tailor shop. Somehow, it reminded her of the talk they had earlier in the doll shop.

'Did he take me seriously when I said Kaito might be in a tailor shop cross dressing as a woman? That might be a great and disturbing sight to see but…' She thought about it a bit more. Not about Kaito cross dressing as a woman, no. If she were in Kaito's shoes, she'd probably do the same thing. It didn't necessarily have to be a disguise, but considering Rin was with him, it'd make sense for him to go and get her change of clothes.

'What else… I'd try and look for food? Ah but the market's so big it'd be a waste of time to visit each store one by one. And even if we manage to find the correct shop, would any of shop keepers remember him? Or Rin? Those people have to deal with lots of customers morning, day, and night… What are we gonna do…?'

It technically wasn't much of a team effort since Mayu was just following Len. The one doing all the work was him. Mayu was just supervising. It was that kind of team work.

'No matter. There's no rush ,we still have so many hours left.' She looked at her pocket watch and… Five. Five hours left.

Mayu held her new doll she bought earlier tightly and walked closer to the tailor shop. Five hours was… A long time. Failure was still a possibility, and she wondered if they'd be able to make it in time. As she peeked through the window of the tailor shop, she also wondered whether Len had noticed her tailing him behind the whole time or not. Sure, she wasn't inside the tailor shop, but she was completely visible from the window of that store. Although it didn't matter whether Len knew he was being followed or not.

'It'd be hilarious if he does know though. And then he'll become paranoid and he can't even concentrate. ...No, maybe not that far. He's stronger than that.'

Why was she following him again despite the lack of need to? Why? Because…

'Because my gut's telling me to follow him!' Was the only thing Mayu could say to that question. Maybe something good would happen if she follows him, Mayu wasn't 100% sure. If something good happens to her, then it's good that she trusted her instincts, and if it turns out something good happens to Len instead, then she'd be there to ruin it for him. It's a win-win kind of situation. 'Then again, I can't really imagine what 'good' thing the universe could possibly give to him… Other than finding Kaito before time runs out.'

Maybe if she were to die unexpectedly by a heart attack or a lightning strike. That'd bring merry and joy to him, to Kaito, to her employees, to the disgusting nose picker whom she would definitely kill later, to a bunch of people who hated her and seek revenge, and… She had a list of that, actually. Why did she make that list, she wasn't sure herself. Mayu wasn't sure of most of the decisions she'd made in life. Like following Len, for example.

'In the end things just work out for me.' Mayu smiled and continued to watch Len. He'd finally left the tailor shop. It was nearly impossible for him to have missed her there. Was he just playing dumb? Or maybe … No. A girl like her would be impossible to miss. Still, if Len wanted to play dumb, then so be it. She was just sticking with her guts. And her gut was telling her to stick with him like glue. Just, in a safer, further distance. It's that kind of glue.

Nothing could distract her from tailing Len. Nothing in the world! Not even…!

Not even… Piko and Rin in the intersection with cleaning supplies in their hands; chatting merrily.

Mayu gasped in horror at the sight, nearly dropping her doll.

'What are they doing together…?! Those two know each other? Does that mean Piko knows where Kaito is? Wh...' Mayu literally had to choose between two paths. To follow Len and her gut, which was telling her something good might happen or follow Piko and Rin… And bother Rin until she cries, using only her words. And her existence. Heck, she could do better than that! She could torture Piko with her words as well! It looked like the two of them had just became friends and… She knew just one secret that would ruin their friendship.

'Hey, Rinny? Did you know that Piko tried to kill your precious Len a few times when he was still in prison? Oh, and he's a murderer, I heard he'd killed two innocent people at least, so you better leave that guy right now!' Mayu could imagine her saying that to them. And make Rin cry harder. 'But… I still want to follow my feelings… And it's telling me…'

In the end both paths might still lead her to Kaito, so… What to do…?

"…" Mayu took a coin form her wallet; it was the coin she could've given to the disgusting pastry shop if things had gone better. Or at least if the shop was a tad bid more hygienic. "Heads, I'll stalk Len; tails, I'll go say hi to Rin."

She flipped the coin and…

Mayu got tails.

'Why… Is she following me?' Len asked himself the question, but was that really a mystery, though? He shouldn't be so surprised, he shouldn't be surprised at all. Obviously Mayu couldn't trust him enough to look for Kaito alone. He thought Mayu could at least keep her word when they agreed to split up; they made a deal. A horrible deal which included someone's life.

It was stupid of him to think she would keep her word, so in a way, maybe it was partly his fault. In a way. It was still entirely Mayu's fault for not being a better sport. And if he knew from the bottom of his heart that he was going to get followed anyway, he shouldn't have agreed and said yes to the deal in the first place.

'Nothing can be done, I guess…' Due to the crowd, the first time he saw her was in front of the tailor shop. Their eyes didn't meet, so it's possible Mayu didn't know… That he knew that he was being followed. Or maybe, that's what she wanted him to think.

Len sighed. There really was no way of telling. Not at all. He wasn't even sure she was still following him, he was too afraid to turn around and look, Len was too afraid to know. What if he turns around, their eyes meet and she walks towards him, smile and say 'Oh yeah, let's just look for him together!'?

It was a long shot but that kind of scenario was still possible.

'If she's still following me… With that kind of distance, then there's no way she can eavesdrop on any of my conversations. Once I find Kaito at least… No, there's also this chance that she might just jump in on our conversation, not caring about the fact we're supposed to split up.' That one seemed more likely, and more Mayu-ish.

Len already knew where he was supposed to go anyway, he just needed to lose Mayu somehow. Apparently the tailor at the shop knew where Kaito's house was. He had asked him to come to his house and measure his sister for a bunch of new clothes. He was surprised to hear the 'a bunch of clothes'; but that aside, at least he got the information he needed. Also there was no doubt that 'sister' Kaito was talking about was Rin.

'Rin…' Len wondered how he was going to face Rin and explain himself once he finds her. Kaito had probably come up with a smart lie to cover his 'disappearance'; but he still felt terrible for leaving her like that with no explanation from him. Rin technically poisoned him, sure, but he couldn't just tell her 'that wasn't the antidote!' and run away to die out of her sight. Because he was sure that was how it's going to end for him. Luckily one thing led to another and even though he wasn't sure how the story was going to end, they were all still alive and well.

Although the source of their problem was still on his tail.

He groaned in frustration.

That wasn't the time to think about how he was going to face Rin, Kaito's house was literally just around the corner, and Mayu might still be following him! After what she did to Mayu (Len wasn't sure, but it couldn't be pretty as it involved blood), he was certain that letting Mayu to find Rin was a terribly bad idea.

"Excuse me, sir?" Len asked a man who'd just passed him. "Do you see a girl, around this high, with a black dress, light blond hair down her waist, probably a porcelain doll in her hands?"

"Uhm… Nope." Len turned around just to make sure.

No Mayu in sight.

"Thank you." He felt silly for being so paranoid walking the past few blocks. Maybe he'd lost her, maybe Mayu had suddenly lost interest… It didn't matter. He walked quickly to the haunted house (that's how Kaito described his house to the tailor, apparently), the house in between two well kept houses; and knocked three times.

Len saw no bell anywhere outside the house, and even if there was, he wondered whether it'll work or not. Probably not; that house seemed so... Inhabitable. Then, he suddenly heard footsteps from the inside of the house, and with a click, Kaito opened the door.

"…" Kaito didn't look as surprised as Len thought he would, but that wasn't important. "...Len?"

"May I come in? Mayu was following me earlier, and even though I've lost her i-" Before Len could finish his sentence, Kaito punched him right in the face. Not hard enough to break anything, but enough to make him stumble and fall to the ground. His vision spun slightly in the aftermath. "What the hell?!"

"Sorry. It's just that, I told myself I'd punch you right in the face the second I see you. Dead or alive." Kaito helped him up and led him inside his house. "Glad I could punch you while you're still alive. It can't really be helped... I'm a bit pissed but after punching you I feel a hell lot better. So, you were saying?"

He deserved that punch, he made him worry. Maybe Rin would punch him too. No, she was too lady-like to punch, she'd slap him, maybe. No, knowing Rin she wouldn't do either.

Although after what she did to Mayu, Len couldn't be sure anymore.

"Mayu told me to come get you. Technically we're looking for you together, but I've lost her. We were supposed to split up… It's a bit complicated really." He looked around the house and thought.. The inside and the outside of the house was pretty much the same. It seemed as haunting in the inside; not to mention dirty too. "Where's Rin?"

"Wait, are you in a hurry or something? Come on, give me more details! Let me get this straight. After Rin and I left, you… Met Mayu somehow, she gave you a change of clothes and food, and, what? Now you're planning to drag me back to Mayu's place?" He looked at Len from top to bottom. He didn't look like the same dying person literally the day before. Not in the slightest. "Was Mayu actually nice to you?"

"Really, really nice." Len said it in the most depressing tone possible. He was… He was supposed to be glad, but somehow… A nice Mayu sounded scarier. To him, and everyone who knew her. "You haven't answered my question. Where is she?"

"She's just running some errands, should be back soon." He looked at the old clock covered in spider webs, which was still ticking and working. It was a surprise to both Len and Kaito. "I asked her to get some cleaning supplies, it's a real mess here. But that's not important right now. Did she tell you why she wants to see me?"

"You left her alone?" Len wasn't sure how big of the town that was, but Mayu was still out there somewhere. And if she ever finds Rin… "Why didn't you go with her?"

"Relax, she's with someone right now, she's not alone. We've just met the guy, and he's a bit… Weird, but it's the nice kind of weird."

"How can you be so sure? That person might be… One of Mayu's eyes and ears or something." Len suddenly had the sudden urge to leave that house. Sure, a part of him was still uncomfortable facing Rin, guilty even, but… He just wanted to see her.

"No, I trust him. I tested it out, he's a good guy. Not because he cooked us breakfast, and he'll cook us tonight's dinner too. Earlier today I paid some guy to throw water off to Rin, I made sure he gave a warning too. That guy pushed Rin to safety without a second thought. Not the smartest test to determine whether he's a kind person or not, but there's just something about him." Len was speechless hearing that. He wasn't even sure how to react. That guy? That guy? That same guy in the pastry shop? In the end Len just stared at him… Still… Wasn't sure how to react to the small world they live in. The really, really, small world. "…You okay?"

"No I'm not okay. You're a terrible judge of character! That guy's a murderer and I don't trust him one bit!" Len didn't expect himself to raise his voice like that to him at all. Great, so Rin apparently was with that guy, and Mayu was out there somewhere and…

"Aren't we all murderers?"

"It's not funny!" It was. Rin was a murderer magnet, she attracted murderer. It was witchcraft, the work of the gods, or whatever. "We still have a few hours before we have to meet up with Mayu. Let's just go and find her already before anything happens."

"You have to tell me the full story first. Are you sure we're talking about the same guy?" There was a knock on the door, and Kaito gave a sigh of relief. "See? That's Rin right there, completely unharmed and well. Piko too."

Kaito went to get the door; he realized he didn't lock it earlier which was careless of him. Then he thought, what's the worst thing that could ever walk through that door anyway? It's a friendly neighborhood with no robbers or murderers (aside from himself, Len, Mayu, and Piko apparently).

"Did you get everything I asked for, Rin?" Kaito greeted the person on the other side of the door with a smile, and it froze, making his face seemed like he was grimacing, when it turned out the girl there wasn't Rin. It was Mayu. "…Oh. Wow. Hey Len, Mayu's here! Hey, Mayu. What brings you here?"

Other than to seek vengeance and torture him over the fact that he was the one who locked her up in the interrogation room the day before. Did she know who the culprit was? He hadn't confessed to her, and he wasn't planning to either.

"I came here to pick you up! Thank goodness we found you in time." Mayu peeked inside to see Len just behind him; he clearly wasn't happy to see her at all. She gave him a friendly wave, and Len interpreted it as 'you thought I've lost you? Looks like you're wrong, haha!' Of course that's just what Len's corrupted imagination told him.

"Let's not waste any more time, let's go to the station!" She smiled happily. "I'll tell you the details later!"

"Great…" Kaito forced a weak smile and sighed. "I'm gonna go to the toilet first. You two wait outside, just give me a minute."

He wanted to leave a note to Rin, but what kind of note can he give at that time? 'Dear Rin, Mayu forced us, using only her words and her menacing existence, to come with her. We'll probably die, and by we I mean me and Len. Bye.' That didn't seem appropriate.

'What… To say…' Kaito grabbed a pen and paper from the desk in the living room, he was lucky enough there was even ink in that pen. 'Off to the train station with Len. Not sure when we'll be back. Piko, I'm leaving my sister in your hands. ;)'