[Notes]

Ok after 4 months of working on this chapter alongside my other works, chapter 13 is finally done!

Hope you all enjoy it! On another side note this chapter is pretty lengthy.

~Trigger Warnings~ -Depictions of suicide, graphic death, blood, gore, and lots of sadness.

Atsushi gapes at Dazai when they had gone to trace the phone, he was a bit shocked and peeved at the same time. "What do you mean you can't trace the phone number?! There is a kid in danger out there and you're not even going to bother trying to go find anything!"

Dazai sighs, holding up his hands, "Look Atsushi. I know there is a kid in danger right now, but the phone being used is a burner phone. We can try to trace it but that will heed no results, since anyone using a burner phone is like a ghost, someone slipping between the lines. Once they are done with it, they destroy it. They hold nothing personal on the phone, this person 'Mysteryland' that texted you this stuff, that name is used everywhere, in different things, and subjects. It does not give us as to one clue about who is behind these texts." He gives Atsushi's phone back to him after collecting the pictures and texts off of it. "Just keep me or anyone else updated on any texts you get, the number, and everything. We'll compile a list of evidence, and send it to the police so they can begin their investigation." Dazai told him, sitting back in his chair.

Atsushi slips his phone in his pocket, his chest still knotted in a bind, anger flowing through his veins. "Well is there anything in our case? Any new leads?"

"Surprisingly no. Ever since that day, when that lady was killed a few days ago, the killings have come to a complete halt. Now it seems that the big thing in the news now is the missing kids, everyone is rioting over it, fearing for the kids now. It's as if they pushed the Heartstring Murders behind them like yesterday's garbage." Dazai told him, showing him the frontpage in the newspaper. He picks up the picture the mysterious person sent the tiger, an eyebrow raised, "Now for the picture, we have no leads on that, they didn't even leave a shadow to indicate the size of themselves."

Atsushi nods, heaving out a breath. "I know. Although I wish we could get through this already." He raises his head to gaze into his mentor's eyes, "Do you seriously have no idea as to what's going on and who's behind it? I'm scared to even sleep in my own bed now. If this person could have snuck into my apartment, took that photo, and left without me knowing, and then found a way to slip that note in my books at work. Who knows what else they are capable of!" He puts his hands on his chest, "Who knows what they are going to do next?!"

Dazai holds up a finger, a devious smirk overtaking his features right then, as if all of this was one huge joke. "I got it!"

"Got what? Why are you smiling at a time like this? This isn't the time for that, I'm literally freaking out right now!" The tiger boy yells at his mentor, eyes wide, and waving his hands around in the air.

Dazai's smirk grows even more. "Well, Akutagawa has been messaging me for a few weeks now. He keeps saying that he's going to ask you to move in with him, but he's never gone through with it." Dazai's chair scoots closer to his mentee, clapping a hand on his back, spooking him. "So now would be the best time to confront him about it!"

Atsushi holds up his hands, his nerves near shot at this point. "How do you expect me to confront him about something he never once mentioned to me!"

"Don't worry about it, you just sit right there while I make a call!" His mentors yelled out in a devilish tone. Atsushi tries to get up to leave, but stops short when he discovers that he's been handcuffed to Dazai's desk. He tries to tug at the handcuffs, but he can't get free from them, he should have known that the other would try something like this, Dazai was a crafty little devil. He hears the other line ringing from the source, Dazai's stupid phone due to his tiger abilities. It was then a few seconds later that the other line picked up with Akutagawa asking in a monotone voice.

"Dazai-san what is it?"

Dazai puts it on speaker phone, laying it near the table right beside Atsushi, a smirk stretched so far across his face, he really looked like the devil. He leans forward, sitting down like a child, and speaks, "Hey you remember when you were telling me about surprising Atushi about moving in with you?"

It's silent on the other end for only a few seconds, before a hesitant, "Yeah, what about it?", comes over the line.

"Well I was wondering. When are you going to do that? You never know, someone may snatch your precious little tiger up for themselves, and he'll be gone. Poof!, gone just like that!" Dazai mimics something blowing up by his head with his hands, Atsushi could tell he was having fun.

"No one is going to take Atsu away, I'll make sure of it. I told you I'll ask when I feel like it!" Akutagawa resorts from the other line, his husky voice giving away how Dazai got to him.

"I see. Alrighty then." Dazai says getting up from the chair and walking over to Atsushi. He stops in front of the tiger before taking his coffee, that was lukewarm at that point and throws it at Atsushi right as the tiger squeaks in horror.

He looked up at Dazai, his mouth agape, before he growled out, "What the hell?! Why the fuck did you do that? Now I have to go change because of you!" He pulls at the handcuffs "Now untie me!"

"Atsu! How long were you there?!" Aku asked him, somewhat in a bit of horror. Before it turns to confusion, "What did he do to you, and why are you tied up?"

"On that note you need to come pick him up, and show him to his new living quarters. He doesn't have any more clothes, and he just got coffee all over the ones he's wearing right now. Congratulations you two on the move in! Also be sure to use protection when sharing a bed." Dazai said, his tone dripping with amusement. He then pats his pockets, before throwing his hands in the air exaggerating, "It looks like I lost the keys to the handcuffs, so you'll have to get your boyfriend to come get you free. I'll be on my way." He picks up his phone, "Atsushi will be at the office, bye!"

Dazai hangs up his phone before the other end could utter another word, that cheeky shit eating, slimy grin on his face spoke volumes. Atsushi pulled at the cuffs, "Come on this isn't funny. Get the keys and get me loose." He pleaded with his mentor.

"Nope!" Dazai replied, ending the word with a loud pop of the p. He shoves his hand in his pocket, "Now I got to try out my new book, good luck with your new roommate!" The bandaged man ignored Atsushi's pleas for help as he exited out the main door to the office, closing it with a click. The others footsteps could be heard receding down the hallway until they weren't no more.

"Dammit! God damn bandage wasting bastard!" Atsushi cursed, tugging at the handcuffs. "He had the keys! He always has the keys!" 'Why in the hell did he do this? Now I'm cuffed to a desk with no way to defend myself if someone decides now is a good time to jump me!' He thought, his mind coming close to panicking at the prospect of someone using this opportunity to take him down. It was already bad enough he was vulnerable while asleep in his own home! Right as he was going to try to use his ability to get out does the burner phone ping once more.

His heart stops when he reaches for it, flipping it open. His eyes widened in horror at the message that greeted his eyes, a message that made him try tugging harder on the cuffs to get free.

*Meanwhile in the Slums*

Juki seemed to have been getting on her feet more and more the past few days of living with Lin. The old man had helped her a lot, for which she was thankful for. Nobody since moving out from her parents house had ever been that friendly to her. Lin just wanted some company was all, someone he could sit down to chat with or share a cup of drink over. She welcomed the company, after all she herself needed some too. In the world of the slums, there weren't many that would help someone out, instead it was an eat or be eaten type of world.

Though living with Lin didn't come without worry or fear. Not long after coming into the apartment, she found out how bad Jin's health really was wearing thin behind closed doors. He hid most of his symptoms from the outside world, after all he was a prideful man back in the day, someone that people looked up to and praised. He had let his guard down when she was around for some odd reason, and he confided in her a lot. Juki had asked the old man about his family if he should inform them that he was in the condition he was suffering from.

To her surprise he had told her that the only family he had left was a daughter that had been given up for adoption years ago. He went on to tell her his life's story, why and how he ended up where he was, everything. The man by the way he had talked, he seemed to have held in a lot of guilt over the past events.

Lin used to be a doctor, he had had money and success. He was a prideful but a serious doctor that took his profession seriously. Back in his younger days he had saved over 400 people from serious injuries, and had treated many with terminal cancer giving those people lasting memories before death in his career. He had met a nurse in the trauma unit, and fell in love with her. The two dated for some time before signing into marriage with each other, and for nearly 15 years the two of them led near successful lives, they always gave to others, and not to themselves. Though their generosity was also there downfall.

Not long down the road of their marriage they met this mysterious man that had seemed in poor health, and the generous people they were, they let the man stay with them rent free until he could get back on his feet. Soon they discovered that things started going missing in the home, from the simplest of things to money. The wife had confronted the man unknowingly to Lin until she had marched up to him demanding that they throw the man back out. Lin refused, it wasn't in his nature to throw someone out on a whim like that for he was always for giving several chances to people. Everytime after that night his wife got quieter and quieter til she refused to even speak to him.

For several more years this went on, the marriage slowly crumbling apart little by little, until a slight tap would shatter it all. They had a child together in the 15th year of marriage, and he was the happiest man alive, but his wife didn't share his feelings. As soon as she had the child, she told him that she hated it. He had tried to discuss it over with his wife, but she didn't want anything to do with the child. He was going to keep it, but soon found out that the child had died of mysterious circumstances. His wife told him it had died in it's sleep, but even so an investigation was done, which deemed no results. Over the love he had for his wife, he had paid her way out of court, and that was the end of it.

He kept asking his wife over and over what her deal was, why she had gone quiet, why she hated the child. That heeded no help, for she just closed herself off more and more away from him. She was a shell of the former person she used to be, and he could never figure out why she had been acting as such for the longest until one night when he had returned home after a business trip.

Now he admitted that he wasn't the best man in the world, but he treated her like a queen. He had never laid a hand on his wife to cause her harm, nor had he verbally abused her either. That night upon coming home from his trip he found the house empty, void of any life. He walked around the house, but stopped when he found an envelope with his name on it. He opened it to find a horrifying, and saddening letter from his wife that read:

Dear Lin,

By the time you find this letter it will be too late. I know I haven't told you the truth but I'm so ridden with guilt, the only way to tell is through pen and paper. The child is still alive. I threw it at an orphanage doorstep as soon as you were at work. I'm sorry but that wasn't your child, that's why I had to get rid of it. The man that you let stay in our house, I hate you for not kicking him out. He stole from us, and he did horrible things to me. He threatened to kill you if I ever told on him, so I kept quiet and took it all. I feel so dirty all the time now. I feel like a slut, something that was just used for entertainment. I know you were never abusive to me, but the way you just dismissed the man never made things better. You may as well have done it, and I can't forgive you for that. I can't forgive myself for throwing away an innocent child that I was supposed to love, but every time I looked at it, it looked like that man. I can't stay in this world anymore. I have to leave, I can't stay married to you, or stay in this house for another second. Living won't make this any better, so the only way is to leave completely from this world. I hope one day that you feel the same pain I did. I have taken my life because of you, and because of that man. You killed me, and you best rot in hell for it. My body is by the riverbanks of our favorite dating spot.

_Your Dearest Hana

His wife had left him that suicide note revealing everything that had went on in that house under his own nose. He couldn't help it, he had gone to that spot where his wife had said she had taken her own life, and true to her own words her body laid in a ditch cold and lifeless. She had slit her own throat, and stabbed herself in the heart. Though before he could go back to his own car, someone had seen him. Soon the police were called, and he was arrested. They thought that he had been the one to kill her, despite the suicide note that his wife had left. It took a long time but like before he bought his way out of court, because he was a coward.

He thought that would have been the end of it, but being a well known doctor, the newstations ate up the story like a wildfire that had grown out of control. People started accusing him of driving his wife to killing herself, threatening him, and even trying to kill him as the months passed of him hiding away in his house. He had lost his job at the hospital, and he was going bankrupt. It wasn't until about 5 months after his wife's death that a crowd broke down his front door, armed to the teeth with weapons of all kinds. Before he knew it, from the paranoia that had built up, he had picked up a gun and started gunning down anyone that was within his sight.

He didn't stop until the last one that hadn't fled back through the door was on the floor dying or already dead. Out of fear of them standing back up, he unloaded the clip into the bodies, until there was nothing left to shoot. He had dropped the gun, just as the police burst through the door, pointing their guns at him yelling at him to surrender. After that he couldn't buy his way out of court, he had run out of money. He was sentenced to 50 years in prison for the murders, with little chance of parole.

But what confused Juki was it was 41 years ago that the murders had taken place, and since his wife had taken her own life. Lin shouldn't be out of prison, and by his condition he wouldn't have been able to serve the entire 50 year sentence. So she had asked him, her curious mind needed to know more. He simply told her that he had been on good behavior, and through a small settlement from one of used to be associates, that he had paid his way out of court once more. People were furious about it, but he told her that he wanted to spend his last years on the planet free. So he did the only rational thing, he had fled. He was bailed out 4 years prior to the present date, but through prison he had been diagnosed with a rampant and untreatable variant of lung cancer.

He felt that it was his wife cursing him for living instead of her. If only he would have listened to her, he would still have that life that he cherished so much. They would still be married with several children, and he would have still had his job. Lin was filled to the brim with guilt over everything, he couldn't live with himself. Like court, he was a coward, he couldn't go through with taking his own life. That's the way he saw everything, and that's the way he felt despite being told different by Juki.

Now he was dying a horrible and painful death, he felt that he was deserving of all the pain. Lin was 81 years old, over half his life had been torn apart, and he knew he could never get it back or go back in time to fix it. Now Juki was worried about him, for the past 2 days the man has been coughing up cupples amount of blood. He couldn't keep any food or water down, nor did he want to eat anything. All he wanted to do was lay down, and slept most of the time when he wasn't coughing or hacking up blood. Lin had a very difficult time breathing as well, he was weak and hardly had any strength left.

Juki sits in the present time his head on her lap for support as she rubbed circles in his back. For someone that was losing so much blood, and couldn't keep anything down.. The malnourished, dehydrated man's lips were cracked like concrete, yet they still stained red with his blood. Dark circles flooded under his eyes, and the pupils themselves wore a tired gaze that was done fighting the battle. She knew he wouldn't last much longer, and she knew she would lose a place to live after his death.

She would be the only one that would mourn his death, in the lonely and isolated world the two of them lived in. Outside of the slums, no one else would care if he died. Outside of the slums if people heard of his death they would praise it. Then like a paper bag in the wind, it would be swept away to never be mentioned again. She hugs his head, sniffling under her breath.

"Lin, what happens to me after you pass away? I don't have anywhere else to go." Juki asked him sincerely.

Lin coughs out a mouthful of blood, he never answered her. He couldn't answer her for he didn't have it in him anymore to do so. She should have expected so, as she sits back on the couch listening to the outside weather. Thunder was rumbling deep, only coming closer and closer. Juki could only hope for better things, as she hugged him comforting him in his last moments.

*Back with Atsushi & Akutagawa*

Atsushi and Akutagawa get to Aku's apartment after about 2 hours. Once Atsushi was free he tried hiding his fear over the text that he had received from that 'Mysteryland' person. He tried to think happy thoughts when he busied himself with packing up his stuff into a truck, that when done it was sent to Aku's apartment. Getting food had helped a little but he didn't want to get his partner involved anymore than he was in the case. Who knows what they may do, but hopefully with the extra security in his partner's place, they wouldn't dare come around and snoop.

He looked over to where lightning was streaking across the sky, thunder rumbling deep under the soil beneath his feet. He could feel light raindrops sprinkle down from the sky, in slow but light drops, for he knew they would only pick up to a greater speed, and the rain would be heavy in the sky. Him and Aku were waiting for the crewman to get done bringing in Atsushi's stuff into the apartment, setting it up in the room that his partner had granted him. It was Gin's old room, she had moved out of the apartment a few weeks beforehand into one a few blocks away from Akutagawa's own. He squeezed the phone in his pocket, mad at himself for letting something like this get to him.

There was still a kid missing out in the world, one that was in danger of being killed. He needed to solve this case as soon as possible. Who knows what these people doing these horrible things were doing in his city. They could be under his nose, standing right beside him, or sitting right beside him anywhere he was at any time. It made him angry about the entire situation, he was going to make sure that they would pay for everything they've done.

A tap then is felt on his shoulder, as he jumps out of surprise to gaze up to Aku who was staring down at him. "They finished moving your stuff. It's starting to rain, so we best head on inside. I'll start on dinner, and you can rearrange however you like it in your room."

Atsushi nods as they go into the apartment, just as the rain starts to pick up outside, and the moving truck drives away down the block. Atsushi would miss living in his old home, but in a way hopefully this move would be a blossoming for a new chapter in his life. When he's in his room he looks at the message that the sender had sent him, and if he's being honest with himself he's scared to death of what will come next.

From:Mysteryland

To:Tiger Boy

{Insert:Picture of Atsushi sitting in the office cuffed to Dazai's desk}

[Cute display you've got there! So you want to play a game?]

He never answered the text, too scared to find out what kind of sick, twisted game this person wanted to play. But his curiosity was breaking, he wanted to know what kind of game they were playing with him. He wanted to know what they wanted, what they knew, anything rational. If they had found him in the office, that would mean that they were watching, and they had watched Dazai leave the building, but their focus wasn't on him.

Before he can formulate another thought, another ping rings throughout the room. He opens the text horrified to see a picture of Aku's apartment in the photo. The text read:

From:Mysteryland

To:Tiger Boy

[You never answered me, and I hate when I'm ignored. We're going to play a game whether you like it or not. I'll send you instructions when I feel like it. Or would you rather me send them through your partner's phone? Aku is it? Cute nickname Jinko. Also congratulations on the move, hope to see good things come out of it.]

He tries sending a text back to the number but the same thing always flashes across the screen when he tries to send it.

'This line has been disconnected…'

He tries again,

'This line has been disconnected…'

And again,

'This line has been disconnected…'

He nearly throws his phone against the wall in frustration, as he races to the closest window that showed where the person was standing, that had taken the photo. Instead of someone standing there, he saw the last rays of the sun before it moved behind the storm, layed a broken up burner phone. His heart is racing in his chest at the prospect of the situation, he had no choice but to involve Akutagawa now.

*Back in the Slums*

Juki was bawling her eyes out as she had the only phone she could get ahold of in her hands. There was no working electricity, nor a working phone in Lin's apartment so she had to pick out change from the floorboards and hurry to the corner from the slums for a broken down phone booth that still worked but hadn't had a hand touch it in years in regards of any repairs. Lin had passed away not even 10 minutes ago, the man had suffered a seizure before he had stilled forever. Before he went he had pointed to a small box that was on the only shelf he had mouthing for her to take it.

The other line finally picks up with the 119 operator coming through the signal. "119 operator. What is your emergency?"

Juki is shaky on her answer, licking her lips before answering, "Yes I have an emergency. A friend of mine just had a seizure and died."

The operator was calm on the other end. "Ok. What is your friend's name? Where is your friend located mam?"

"His name is Yushi Lini. We live in the slums of Yokohama, I don't know the location." Juki answers for the woman, trying to look for any signs to give a location for, but couldn't find one.

"That's ok. We're familiar with the slums. Do you live in the north side, south side, west side, or east side of the slums?"

"The west side. In the same part of the slums where Tobias was picked up from some days ago." She answers her once more.

"Tobias Stiener? The Austrian man that was attacked?"

"Yes that's the one. My friend lives only not far from where Tobias lived. In fact he lives in the same apartment complex under the same landlord. Please send someone, I don't know what to do." She bursts out crying, not being able to hold it in anymore.

"Stay calm mam. What's your name?"

"My name is Akiyama Juki. I had to leave my friend because he didn't have a working phone in his apartment. I'm using the only working phone in the west side of the slums."

"Did he have any history of seizures beforehand? Any medical conditions the paramedics need to know about?"

"I don't know about the seizures, but he did tell me that he was suffering from cancer. Please have you sent anyone out yet?" Juki pleads with the woman.

"Yes mam police and an ambulance have been dispatched to your location. They are on their way right now. Can you stay on the line with me until they arrive?"

Juki nods but doesn't get to say another word when the line goes out, making her panic. "Fuck! What happened?" She looks around giving up on the phone, and turns on her heels back to Lin's apartment. When she gets there she finds an ambulance parked outside the apartment with a man and a woman carrying out Lin's body on a stretcher. A body bag was covering her view of him, as they lifted the stretcher before rolling it into the back.

She looked around but didn't see the police that the operator told her would be coming too. In confusion Juki approached one of the workers, a man that looked to be in his late 20's with dark hair. Tapping him on the shoulder, he looks startled before directing his attention to her.

"Yes mam what is it?" He asked her in a polite but professional tone.

"I'm the one that made the phone call, the operator told me that she had dispatched the police to, but where are they sir?"

The man shakes his head, "I'm sorry mam. There was a pile-up happening on the highway by the ports, instead of directing them here, they sent them for back-up to that site. You told the operator what the man died from, so the police aren't needed here. Once we take his body to the morgue at the hospital, we'll be heading on over to the site too."

Juki just shakes her head, "Ok. Will you tell me when Lin's funeral is going to be? I would really like to attend it, and say my final goodbyes to him."

"Yes mam, I'll be sure to tell the hospital about your message. Now we really need to leave." He closed the back doors of the ambulance, and hopped into the passenger side seat beside the female worker that sat at the wheel.

Juki watches the vehicle turn and head out of the slums. With a heavy heart and a sigh she turns on her heel going back to Lin's apartment to get what little stuff she had with her. Once in the apartment she looked around at the place that once held Lin, all the good moments the two held the past few days. She wouldn't be able to live in this place anymore, she would have to go back to living on the streets.

Sitting down on the sofa she pulls her knees up to her chest, tears spilling from her eyes. The place already felt so lonely without Lin residing in it. It's then the final moments of Lin's life before he passed flashed across her mind, he had pointed at a box on a low shelf. Peeking up she finds that box, crawling towards it on her knees. With a gentle hand she picks up the box, opening the lid.

Reeling back she finds three envelopes, in one was a wad of cash. It was more money than she's ever had in her hands throughout her life. It felt so heavy sitting in her hands. In the second one she found a stack of paper that read out a will. Putting the papers back she opens the last one to find a handwritten letter addressed to her. The first sentence makes the tears fall freely from her eyes.