"o-over there…just now…a headless woman was standing there!"

Akashi's heterochromatic eyes widened as he stared in disbelief at what the girl said. She, who claims to not believe in such supernatural things, is now suddenly saying that she saw a ghost? Ridiculous! But, the fear reflected in her eyes as she looked at him made him think that she wasn't lying.

Was she hallucinating? Nah, she doesn't seem to be the type that does.

Maybe she mistook something for the beheaded woman. But, she's a detective. Detectives are suppose to have the skill to pinpoint something without mistaking it for something else, right?

A lot of thoughts flowed through the male's head but he shrugged them off when he figured that in this situation, just thinking will get him nowhere. He gave a quick scan at the dark corridor and turned back to the frightened girl who didn't let go of her strong grip on his shoulder.

"there's nothing there."

"but…"

The brunette gave another look at the corridor and slowly shook her head mumbling a "never mind". Supernatural things do not exist. It was all just her imagination. The darkness of the area might have pressed some buttons in her head which let her see things that weren't there. Even so, she didn't plan on letting go of her companion because she felt safe with— wait. Safe?

Shizune felt dumbfounded at her own thoughts. Why would she feel safe around someone she clearly doesn't have any understanding of— excluding some things —and someone who emits an intimidating aura like him? Come to think of it, why did she cling onto Akashi's arm rather than Hayama who she obviously preferred more than the redhead. It doesn't make any sense at all.

"it looks like Kotaro is already back at the lodge" Akashi said, returning his phone into his pocket. "I received a mail from Reo"

The girl took a moment to register what he said before replying, "then we should head back as well"

He nodded and the two made their way down the stairs— the opposite side of the place where the figure was sighted due to Shizune's request —and reached the main entrance in a shorter time then when they were entering.

"that's weird..Didn't we leave the door open?"

"Kotaro must've closed it. Based on the mail he sent me, he assumed we already returned to the lodge"

"if that is so, senpai is really an idiot…"

"like you."

"tsk."

They tried to open it but no matter how much they pushed, it wouldn't open. Upon a closer inspection, they realized that the door was blocked from the outside by a few old desks which seemed to come from the storeroom they went past before entering. The duo released an irritated sigh at the same time and exchanged looks of agreement before ramming their bodies on the door trying to somehow cause the desks to budge so they can exit.

Unfortunately for them, their actions failed which forced them to find another exit they can use. The windows were an option but the ones on the first floor had planks nailed on them and there were no tools to use to break it. The second floor was in the same condition. The third and forth floor was available but it was too high to jump from and they, or rather Akashi, couldn't risk getting hurt.

To make matters worse, the emergency doors were blocked by ruble so there was no way out at all. The pair wandered around the building in hope to find other possible exits. Silence surround the place, excluding the footsteps from the two. It was very dark and hard to see even with the use of the torchlight Akashi possessed.

Of course, they did try to call Mibuchi to come and help them but lady luck chose to give them additional torture by cutting the signal even though it was perfectly fine a few moments ago. Guess that's what you get for being in the forest. Shizune walked cautiously behind Akashi, holding his sleeve in order not to get separated from him while searching.

Clinging onto him would work but they would be at a disadvantage if they were attacked them. Yes, like what Shizune mentioned before, something else was in the building with them. Something. Or someone.

When they turned at a corner towards the corridor, the girl's eyes unconsciously glanced over to a greenish light which dimly shone beside her. In that instant, a short but ear piercing scream escaped her lips. Akashi's head quickly spun back in response and his eyes widened at the sight.

It was a face. A clown face. An evil clown face which looked like it has just escaped from the depths of hell with its bloody red eyes and sinister smile revealing its sharp teeth which shone with a greenish colour.

"..it's a mask.."

The duo muttered upon realization. If he had a personality like Kise Ryouta, Akashi was sure to laugh his heart out and start teasing Shizune about how scared she was of the clown mask but, he doesn't have that kind of personality so, no laughing. Or teasing. Besides, pointing out her beet red face of embarrassment was enough to give the same effect of satisfaction.

"not a word about this to anyone, understand tomato?"

"I wonder who is the real tomato here…"

Shizune 'hmph!'-ed and stomped off to continue searching for an exit, totally ignoring the other creepy masks which suddenly is on the walls of the corridor. Unlike her, Akashi took a moment to 'admire' the masks before catching up to her.

-Akashi's POV-

The crickets in the forest sang a chorus and the moon shone dimly creating a very calming situation even though we were in a place which is practically a haunted house. The surrounding air was cool and still so I had no complaints during our time trapped in here.

We decided to take a break in one of the classrooms because no matter where we checked, there were no possible exits. Rather than walking around and wasting our precious energy, staying still somewhere would benefit us more.

Leaning against a wall, I watched Kudo try to figure out the truth behind the strange incidents that had occurred. Such a simple thing, why can't she figure it out? And she calls herself a detective. How idiotic. Well, I can't blame her…Fear makes the mind to cease straight thinking.

"I suppose the one to put an end to this nonsensical play, would be me.."

-normal POV-

Shizune blinked a few times before reacting. "Akashi, what are you— don't tell me you already—"

"you could say so." He gave a slight shrug then shoved his hands into his pockets.

"well?" The girl excitedly brought herself closer to him. "who did it? what's the trick? Why'd he do it?"

Though unsatisfied by the fact that she couldn't solve it herself, she was eager to know. It's the first time the role of detective and audience got swapped in Shizune's case. She is usually the one who will announce her deduction with confidence to the others, not the one who is impatiently waiting to know the truth behind a case. It is a first and it will be the last. With that in mind, she let curiousity take over.

Akashi uneasily backed up from the her. "calm down. I'll explain it to you one by one."

"first, our 'culprit' pushed the shelf to make us move to the library so that he could start his little haunted house. If we weren't in the corridor, his plan to scare us wouldn't work because it would only succeed at the end of the dark corridor next to the stairs. After making sure the flowerpot crashed, he hid himself by the stairs next to a doll or something similar which he set up to make one of us witness the 'beheaded figure'. Too bad for him, we didn't see it when we went to the library and Kotaro also didn't see it when he went venturing."

"I see..! when the one that sees the doll looks away due to the shock or fear, he would use a black board or cloth to cover it up. It'll look like the figure disappeared, right?"

"exactly. Then, he waited for us to leave this corridor before running downstairs and blocking the main entrance. He then reentered through another exit we're not aware of and hung those masks. Isn't that right, Miss Mary?"

Shizune quickly spun her head at the direction where Akashi was looking there Mary was, standing in front of the entrance with a smile on her face.

"good work, boy. When did you figure out it was me?"

'She's not denying it? huh. well that's something new for me…' Shizune cocked her head to the side and listened to their 'conversation'.

"when I thought of who would do such a thing, you're the only one that crossed my mind."

The woman crossed her arms but kept her smile. "is that so.."

"may I ask why you did that?"

"isn't it obvious? I really saw the thing with my own eyes but—" She slammed her fist against the wall causing the two high school students to visibly flinch at her sudden actions. "you two just had to conclude that I was just imagining things, didn't you!?"

"Mary-san, we didn't mean to-"

"enough! Seeing your frightened faces was enough. Don't make me think otherwise. I'm returning to the lodge. You kids….better come with me"

With the help— you could say —of Mary, they safely made it out of the abandoned school and returned to the lodge to be greeted by a very, very, very, very worried Mibuchi.

"Sei-chan! Shizu-chan! Are you two alright? I wanted to go and search for you but there was a risk I might get lost myself…so, are you two—"

""obviously, yes.""

The weary and emotionless tone they used clearly explained their current condition. It was 2 in the morning when they got back and the duo wanted to curl up into their futon as soon as possible. Yes, even Akashi.

"by the way, Mary-san" Mibuchi turned to the said person who was about to return to her own room. "about the headless ghost you saw, apparently some boys were responsible for it"

"..pardon?"

"some boys heard about the rumors and made a small plan to scare the guests in this lodge but you saw it before the whole thing even started"

The tall male ended with a small giggle. After a moment of processing the info, Mary's face turned red with embarrassment and she didn't stop apologizing to the duo. Akashi just gave a "hm" and went to his room to get some rest. The brunette, on the other hand, sort of pleaded the foreigner to stop apologizing before she retired to her room, thinking how pathetic she was during the whole haunted house event. She couldn't even solve that simple level of a mystery. 'I'm sure Holmes would've solved the whole thing in just a few minutes..some detective I am..'

The summer camp continued as normal without anyone knowing the truth about the headless 'ghost's' identity. Of course the test of courage was done but not in the abandoned school. They just did it in the forest due to a certain someone's pleas. Now, they're in the Shinkansen on their way back to Kyoto. Unlike their journey to Tokyo, their seat arrangements had to be changed because of the large amount of souvenirs they bought in town were forced to be place on some of the seats.

Not by her choice, Shizune sat beside Akashi in the back most seat with the souvenirs facing them. The trip back felt longer so the girl occasionally let out soft sighs of boredom as she stared out the window. As she was about to try to take a nap until they reached their destination, something soft brushed against her cheek and some weight was felt on her shoulder.

She shifted her gaze from the window and to the sleeping Akashi Seijuro beside her. His face looked so tranquil and his lips slightly parted. His bangs created a shadow over his eyes and his chest moved evenly with his breath. The Akashi now wasn't the cold captain everyone knows but more like an innocent child.

The girl couldn't hold back a fond smile at the sight of the sleeping emperor. She found it so mesmerizing, you could say, that she didn't notice a small blush creeping onto her face.

Again..that feeling..

The feeling of safety. The feeling of admire. The feeling of love.

….love?

Shizune blinked and looked at her faint reflection on the window, her eyes wide in surprise at what she had mentioned in her head. Did she really think that? What the hell was the trigger to such— according to her —weird thoughts?

The world is really trying to torture me…

Happy New Year!
Hope 2014 will be a nice year for you guys~ ^^
and Akashi will be appearing on the 4th...*famous Allen Walker laugh*
I also can't wait for Detective Conan's 18th Movie AND The Lupin VS Conan movie-
Kyaaa~