I've never really been a night-owl type of person. From the earlier years of my childhood, my parents were adamant about my getting the proper amount of sleep, using incessant routines planned down to the minute. I can't deny that I likely wouldn't have been as successful without it, and my gratitude stands strong, however, it was more exhausting than if I were to stay up into the late hours of the night- This is something I quickly learned.
I stood in the musty basement library, the dim lighting and blood-stained floor beneath my feet only adding to the harrowing atmosphere. The only other student I've seen in here since Ryouma's trial was Maki; in fact, most people avoided the library. The books all seem to be old, written in foreign languages, and permitting an increasingly strong odour of mildew and must. On top of that, it was freezing, and the sounds of your own footsteps clacking along the stone floor and echoing throughout the room sets anyone up with a sense of discomfort. However- I had gotten used to all of these things, maybe too quickly.
I let out a tired sigh, aligning my back with the side panel of the bookshelf and dropping to the floor. I let my hand fall to my side before my eyes wandered along with it, and I realized I was almost touching the stone that had been stained in Rantaro's blood. I quickly raised my hand, attempting to brush off the memory, and reached into my pocket to pull out my Monopad. The screen admitted it's bright, blue light too fast for my eyes, making my head spin more than it already had been. '4:42 AM. Again.' I squeezed my eyes shut, still adjusting to the light. 'Should I even try at this point? Will an hour or two even make a difference?'
I let my conscience contend with itself while I tilted my head up, staring blankly into the faint, yellow light above my head. The inner-argument faded slowly, replacing itself with white noise. My vision became fuzzy, ever-so-slightly. A million thoughts filled my head, just begging for attention, yet I was thinking of nothing. A strange, strong sense of doom washed over me, yet at the same time, I felt nothing.
This feeling wasn't unfamiliar to me. This kind of thing had been happening since I woke up in this school- or maybe a little while after? In all honesty, it was difficult to keep track of any kind of timeline in this place.
My mind continued to twist into itself, like some kind of optical illusion, the light becoming dimmer as the minutes passed, and my ears completely submerged in a buzzing, until-
"Shuichi?" I heard a voice inquire. I thought it was a dream or a memory that had slid it's way into my conscience until I felt pressure on my shoulder and my body beginning to tip to the side. Again, the voice rang out, much louder now, "Shuichi!"
That seemed to work. My body shot up a bit, jumping at the volume of the boy's voice being closer to my ear than he had anticipated. I blinked, again and again, in an attempt for my mind to catch up with my body. My head spun as my sense of self came back, and I finally felt like I was somewhat grounded. It wasn't until then that I slowly turned my head to see furrowed brows and violet eyes, wandering around my face.
"Kokichi..?" I questioned, still dazed and confused. Ouma knelt down beside me, his hand still gently lay on my shoulder, and a look on his face which I couldn't decipher between concerning curiosity or suspicion. Ouma moved his hand, and let himself fall back to sit on the cold stones as I took a deep breath and shook my head. This probably didn't paint me in the most reliable light. "Sorry."
Ouma let out a giggle, which quickly turned into a hard laugh. "You look ridiculous Shuichi! Have you even slept?" he breathed. He was right. Only the week before, Kaito had asked me if I was sick. When I asked why, he pointed out the dark circles under my puffy eyes that had been lingering for weeks, as well as saying my skin had become two tones lighter. Yet somehow, I didn't even notice.
"N-no, I haven't. I'm busy." I said honestly. I knew Ouma would poke and prod to find out what was keeping me so busy, but- I don't know if I can solve this. I have no leads. All I have is a gut instinct. And in all honesty, it was none of Ouma's concern. This was for Kaede. I pushed in the button on my Monopad once again, and to my surprise, it was already 5:30 AM. 'Had I really been in that state for almost an hour?' I thought aloud.
"Hmmm?" Ouma hummed, tilting his head to the side. I looked at him, blinking.
"Nothing," I stated, brushing it off. "What are you doing down here at five in the morning?"
Ouma grinned, interlocking his fingers and lifting his armed over his head, falling into that smug, relaxed demeanour I was so used to. "Well, I was on my way to pay you a visit. When there wasn't even a voice asking who was there, I- got a little worried. So, I looked around for you."
I furrowed my eyebrows at him, that faint, cheeky grin plastered on his face like a tattoo. I wasn't buying it. There's no way Ouma would suddenly begin to care about me out of the blue. Especially when befriending the other students would likely reap more benefits. I let out a disbelieving, "Really?"
"Nope! That was a lie!" he said, shoving his arms in his lap and leaning closer to me like a wide-eyed child. I rolled my eyes, and preemptively let out a sigh of annoyance before he continued, "I have my business in the library, but that's a secret! I'm sure it wouldn't be a very hard case for the Ultimate Detective to solve, right?"
He was only trying to deceive me; entice me into wasting my time on non-existent problems. I wasn't budging. "I've searched every inch of this place, and all I found was old books and dust bunnies. Plus, I haven't seen you in here once, day or night, Kokichi. In fact, the only other student to use the library is Maki, and she hasn't been here in some time."
"I know," he said, this time with sincerity in his voice. I snapped my head to look at him, only to find his stare piercing my own like a knife. "I know that you've been here every single night since Kaede's execution. I know that you stay up all night, working tirelessly to prove that she didn't kill Rantaro."
I sat, mouth slightly agape and shocked to my core. 'How could he possibly know that kind of detail..?' I was unsure of what to say, frazzled by the fact that I couldn't find any ounce of doubt in my mind that he was telling the truth. Before I could think of anything, Ouma exited that serious facade just as quickly as he had entered. Pushing himself up from the stone, he climbed to his feet and wiped the dust from his hands down the front of his jacket. With a flourish, he turned towards the door.
"And I think you're right," he said, quiet enough that if there were any access noise in the room, I may have missed it. I still wasn't entirely sure if I had heard him correctly.
"What-"
"Try to get some sleep, Shuichi!" he interrupted, before swinging the large oak door open and slipping his small body through the crack. I blinked, left in the presence of a lonely silence and a blood-stained stone.
?/?: ? ンリᆰ? ンリᄁ! ? ンリᄅ? ンリᆵ? ンリᄡ ? ンリᄚ? ? ンリᆭ? ンリᆬ? ンリᆵ? ? ンリᆵ? ? ? ンリᄚ? ンリᆭ ? ンリᄚ? ? ンリᆵ? ンリᄚ? ! ? ? ンリᄡ? ンリᆬ ? ンリᄚ ? ンリᄈ? ンリᄉ? ? ? ンリᄚ?, ? ンリᄊ? ? ンリᄁ? ンリᆭ?'? ? ンリᆭ? ンリᆳ? ンリᄎ ? ンリᄂ? ンリᆰ? ンリᆭ? ンリᄎ ? ンリᄚ? ンリᆭ ? ンリᄉ ? ンリᆵ ? ンリᆪ? ンリᄊ? 2 ? ンリᆭ? ンリᄈ? ? ンリᄚ?. ?'? ンリᆭ ? ンリᆳ? ンリᄚ ? ンリᆭ? ンリᆭ? ? ンリᄚ? ンリᄉ? ンリᆬ ? ンリᆵ? ? ンリᄁ? ンリᄄ? ンリᆵ? ンリᄚ? ンリᄆ? ? ンリᆰ? ンリᄡ- ? ンリᄋ? ンリᄈ. ? ンリᄚ ?'? ? ンリᄊ? ンリᄉ? ? ンリᄍ? ンリᆰ? ンリᆭ?.
