P I N O T N O I R W I N E

Pinot Noir wines are pale in color, translucent and their flavors are very subtle. The grape itself is weak, suffering from a variety of diseases and its genetics make it highly susceptible to mutation. Despite the difficulty in growing the grape, prices for a bottle of Pinot Noir are generally more than a similar quality red wine.

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SATURDAY

I heard someone knocking... from my window. Looking up from the book I was reading, a certain pygmy marmoset was perched on my window. I quickly opened it and let Yūjin in. "What are you doing here, Yūjin? Where's Ouji-kun?" He was gripping a paper and he handed it to me. Grabbing it, I read its contents.

— I'm sorry to bother you, Shino-chan but could you buy me some medicine? I caught a fever last night when I was having my walk and I forgot my coat. I'm really sorry for disturbing you.

Kobayashi Ouji —

I gave a deadpanned expression at the note and stared at Yūjin. "Why is our friend an idiot?" The marmoset shrugged his shoulders. I quickly changed my clothes with a pencil skirt and a black turtle neck shirt with the bracelet Ouji-kun gave me a year ago for my birthday. I also wore the Bow Camera and the watch before leaving my room. When I went downstairs, I saw Ran and Shinichi playing a board game and if I'm correct, my little brother... is losing.

I chuckled at the sight of his frustrated expression. It seems like he's not very good with kiddie board games. "Shin, Ran, I'll be going out." Ran looked up from her board game and smiled at me. "Be careful, Shinobu-neechan. There was news last night about some group of robbers being on the loose." I gratefully thanked the little girl and ruffled her hair. "Where are you going, Nee-chan?" Shin curiously asked. "Just out. When I don't come back by dinner, go to Hakase, alright?"

The two said their goodbyes as I left with Yūjin on my shoulder. Wait, didn't they see him? Huh, maybe Yūjin had hidden himself behind me. My walk to the pharmacy was quiet. This reminds me of the time I went to the bank in my previous life. It was also around this time — around four o'clock — that I went to withdraw from the bank. There... had also been a group of robbers or was it bandits, on the loose. Huh, isn't this a creepy coincidence? Aha haha, b-but I'm going to a pharmacy, not a bank.

I told Yūjin to stay outside while I buy Ouji-kun's medicine. I noticed that there were a lot of people here today. There were about five looking for medicine on the shelves while there were three by the counter. Frowning, I felt that something was wrong. I walked towards the section where the medicines for fever were displayed and as I approached the shelf, I stepped on something. I looked down and saw... tiny, broken glass pieces.

I felt my heart pounding against my ribs. Maybe I shouldn't have gone to this pharmacy. I have a bad feeling about this. I reached for the medicine when I heard the door open. Instinctively, my head turned around to see who it was that entered.

BU-BUMP

Oh my cheesecake, what... what is he doing here? "We meet again, Kudo Shinobu-chan." Even though his hairstyle, hair color and skin tone changed, I could recognize him anywhere. Especially whenever I feel these random bumps if he's near. I took a step back when he approached me and stopped at arm's length. "Who... who are you?" He smiled angelically and yet, at the same time, it was sinister.

He took a lock of my hair and my breath hitched to a stop when I heard a gunshot. Startled, I held onto this guy when those people — that group of bandits Ran had just said about earlier — ordered us sit down in front of the counter where they could see everyone. Of course, I knew this was real and this time, the enemy is armed. I've never been in this kind of situation before, especially not in my past life. I was frozen still and and I hid behind this guy when they pointed the gun at us.

"You two! Get over here!"

An arm wrapped around my waist and guided me to the other hostages. Once we were seated, I looked around. There were six of us being held hostage, plus the two workers. The third worker, is apparently, a member of this group as she removed her wig and joined her buddies. To be honest, I feel like I'm drowning from fear and nervousness as I clutched onto this guy's shirt. I don't care if I don't know him or how he scares me.

Right now, the only thing I can focus at is my breathing. With trembling hands, I pushed the button on my watch for the video camera on my headband. Then, I remembered what I mentioned to Hakase a few days back. Whatever I took a picture or video of, it would automatically be sent to his computer for precautionary measures. I faced the robbers and hoped that Hakase can callbthe police as fast as possible. The woman and a man closed the curtains by the glass windows and turned the sign around so it read close outside.

"Are you scared?" His silky voice reached my ears and I shivered when I realized how close his lips were to my ear. As much as I didn't want to answer him, I nodded my head. Right now, the way his arm is wrapped around my waist, it makes me think how similar he is to Ouji-kun. His voice, some of his physical features and the way he smiles. The both of them have the same sapphire eyes but this guy's were narrower while Ouji-kun's were rounder.

"You, the little girl..." I looked up and saw that the leader — probably — was pointing his gun at me. "... and the boy, stop talking." I gulped. How did he even know? The three of them were facing the entrance, weren't they? From the corner of my eyes, I noticed a man using his phone, his hands shaking uncontrollably as his thumb pressed the number one and another. As it reached for the nine, a bullet embedded itself beside him and hit the wooden counter.

The man accidentally dropped his phone as the woman — a robber — reached for it and stepped on the poor phone. "Sorry, big guy. No can do."

I furrowed my eyebrows. There it was again. A glint of realization flashed through my eyes. One of the workers being held hostage behind the counter is a member of the group. The news mustn't have mentioned how many members there were in the group. I gulped, they must be here to steal the drugs and sell them in the black market. After all, this pharmacy just doesn't have the medicines for everyday sickness or long term medication but also other things.

They also sell heparin and chloroform and etc. I just hope Hakase had already seen the video.

It had been silent for the past ten minutes as the leader of the group ordered his lackies to get every single medicine/drugs in the pharmacy and out it in their backpacks. Every time a hostage would do something, the leader would always point his gun at them even though his back is facing us. I saw him looking around and I took this chance to discreetly observe what he's looking at. The mirrors. He was looking at the mirrors placed on the corner of this place.

I made sure not to be seen as I signed to this guy.

{Me. Need. Help. Escape.}

He raised an amused eyebrow and signed back.

{Why. I. Help. You?}

I was surprised he knew sign language butvwas glad that he actually knew. I would have looked like a total idiot if he doesn't know it.

{Please.}

I signed to him.

{Need. Something. Return.}

I blanched at his proposal but agreed anyway.

{What. Do. I. Need. To. Do?}

{Distraction.}

He gave me a perplexed expression.

{Why? What. You. Do?}

I slightly shook my head. What I'm going to do is going to be crazy and crazy had always been a foreign subject to me before. But being here in this universe made me understand something. That being crazy is normal here. He raised an eyebrow before he smiled that smile that sent shivers down my spine. "Hey, mister ringleader." He called out. Everyone looked at him except for me, I was waiting for the right time.

"What brat?"

"I need to go to the bathroom."

"Hold it in."

"Hmm~ but I need to go. Or, do you prefer that I do my business here?"

The ringleader growled but approached us. The rest of the hostages cowered away from him as the man harshly grabbed this guy's wrist. Realizing he wasn't paying attention to me even though I was being held by this stranger, I took this chance. With speed that I didn't know that I possessed, I grabbed the man's gun, pulled him down using his own weight and violently hit his pressure point.

"Oi, bxtch! Don't move again or I'll kill this guy!" One of the remaining robbers yelled as he grabbed one of the workers behind the counter. I gave him a deadpanned expression, and I was successful when I saw him trembling. Honestly, I'm terrified here doing this kind of thing and he's scared when I looked at him. The other robber — the woman — approached me from behind and rested the gun on my temple.

"Kill him." I heard gasps all around and a snicker from this guy. "Isn't he apart of your group? He was the one signalling your leader about what we — the hostages — were doing. That's why your leader managed to stop that man from calling the police." They snickered and the woman behind me cackled. While they were amused, I grabbed the woman's wrist and flipped her over, pressing her pressure point and knocking her out.

The robber with the gun was about to shoot me and I prepared myself... when I heard a gunshot, I was waiting for the pain to come but it never did. When I opened my eyes, I saw the man disarmed and their accomplice was shaking in fear. I followed his gaze and found him staring fearfully at the stranger. He was smiling cheerfully, as if we weren't even in a hostage situation. In his hand was a gun that belonged to their leader.

"You know, she's Noir's property. If she's hurt or killed, what Noir will do to you will be beyond what Hell can afford to give you." N-Noir? Isn't that what he called Ouji-kun? And hey, I'M NO ONE'S PROPERTY!

The sirens from police cars resounded and the hostages breathed in relief. I let go of the woman's wrist and breathed out a sign of relief myself. Megure-keibu entered the scene with police officers in front of him. They must have had someone look inside to report the situation. "Shinobu-kun..." I gulped at his tone of voice. "... you attract trouble left and right, don't you?" Is sighed once again relief. "I just want to buy a medicine for fevers and this happened."

The remaining worker there thanked me wholeheartedly and gave me the medicines for free. Thanking her, I left the pharmacy and looked around if Yūjin is still here. I frowned when I dydnt spot the little monkey. Where was he?

"SHINO-CHAN!"

My breath was knocked out of me when I was tackled in a hug. The person pulled away but held my shoulders. I found Ouji-kun kneeling in font of me, his face flushed red from either fever or from running. He was wearing two scarves around his neck, a sweater and a pair of sweat pants. Yūjin was perched on his shoulder. "Shino-chan, are you okay? Were you hurt? I'm sorry for making you go out. I shouldn't have bothered you and let you spend your day instead of running an errand for me and— "

I slapped my hand over his mouth with an eye roll. "I could've just not decided to buy you medicines, you know? But I did and it was my choice. You're not to blame." I told him with a smile as I removed my hand over his mouth. However, there was still a frown on his lips. "But—" he stopped when someone draped an arm around my shoulders. "Ah, you weren't taking care of this young lady properly, Noir."

I felt something soft be pressed on my cheek and I felt baffled when I realized that this guy just pecked me on the cheek. Ouji-kun suddenly pulled me towards him as a yelp escaped my lips. "Franc, what are you doing here?"

"I'm hurt. Aren't you happy that Onii-chan came to visit you?"

O-ONII-CHAN!?

"Leave us alone. You're not even supposed to be here."

"Oh, Noir, the little Lady is very warm, don't you think? I wouldn't mind hugging her again." I heard Ouji-kun growl that sent shivers down my spine. "Anyways, I'm Kobayashi Kōtei. I'll see you soon, Noir, young Lady."

I heard his footsteps gradually disappear. Ouji-kun and I stayed in this position for a few more seconds before he pulled away.

"Sh-Shino-chan, promise that you won't listen to any word that he says." I quirked an eyebrow but promised anyways. He sighed in relief when I did so and again, I was bewildered when he pecked me on the same cheek that his brother pecked me earlier. I felt blood rush to my cheeks.

"Wh-What was that for?"

"Nothing, Shino-chan."