“If only, if only I knew that I would end up being a sinner than I already am…”

“I would've gotten rid of my petty feelings for a man that will never be mine.”

Part 1

"Yeah, I see… don't worry, I'll get this covered. And once we close the case, how about I make you some pancakes~?" 

It was one of those normal days, events such as this becoming more and more frequent than before. There was barely a day when Kyoko Mochizuki didn't talk with that close friend of hers, especially when she began to work with him.

Spring had just begun after months of winter, the trees blooming so beautifully attracted her eye. Taking the weather into consideration, Kyoko wore warm attire that suited her tastes. She wore a white unbuttoned frock coat with faux fur collar, over a black long-sleeved turtleneck and a pair of white gloves. A black pair of fitted pants were worn by her, emphasizing her curvaceous body, and beige high-heeled shoes.

Far from the crowd, Kyoko took her call from Goro Akechi, not too long ago. Every time she talked to him, she found herself smiling to herself in excitement. For some reason, Goro Akechi's presence always reminded her of her new job, and that alone is a big reason to feel ecstatic.

As she ended her sentence, a sweet chuckle escaped her lips. She knew how much the Detective Prince loved pancakes, and it wouldn't be so bad to tease him a bit since, for some reason, he was embarrassed to admit that fact. 

"Let's see… how about I buy you a tub of chocolate ice cream?" Akechi teased back, stating the perfect payback.

"Oh, damn you. Isn't the dark chocolate you gave me last Valentine's Day enough?" Kyoko pouted. "I said I want white chocolate!"

"Haha, I felt like you needed a taste of bitter dark chocolate." Akechi reasoned, and obviously, from his tone, he was entertained.

An amused chuckle this time escaped her lips once his reply came from the other line. "And what is your reason for giving me chocolates, young man~?"

"A congratulatory gift, of course." Akechi answered. "For being officially a high school detective,"

A gracious smile formed in Kyoko's lips, remembering those sweet moments. The moment her dad acknowledged her, she conditioned herself and made necessary preparations to make a step towards her dream and goal in life. It was such a satisfying moment, plus the fact that she got to celebrate it with the most important people in her life—Emiko, Ren, Akechi, and her father—made it much more special.

"I'll buy that for now, detective." Kyoko teased once more. "Gotta get going, see ya later~"

Hanging up the call, Kyoko took a deep breath while closing her eyes, allowing the wind to play with her lavender-colored locks however it wanted.

It had already been a few months ever since the school festival at Shujin, and things were brightening up for the two girls, well… for Emiko mostly. It was indeed such a nice breather to set their minds off a lot of things that happened with them, but it was also a reminder to many unpleasant events… for Kyoko, that was.

Pushing some locks behind her ear, Kyoko made her way back to the bench she left a moment earlier, a few dry leaves crumbling under her feet in the process. Once she was back, the smallest smile made her way on her lips when she saw Emiko the same way she left her a little while ago; sitting on the bench and texting on her phone while grinning like a complete idiot, stroking Maxi's head who sat next to her every now and then. Her best friend also wore a winter attire that suited her perfectly; a beige sweater beneath an olive green-colored jacket, black pants, a scarf that matched her sweater, knee-length brown boots, and brown ear warmers.

Anyone who knew her for long enough would notice the difference in Emiko's attitude compared to before; she seemed more social and talkative, but most importantly she was a little nicer and kinder to everyone. 

It wasn't one of those drastic changes, but it was enough for someone to notice who knew her for most of their lives… and Kyoko was known for being observant in nature, so it wasn't hard to see really.

"So, who are you talking with and made you smile like an idiot middle schooler, Mi-chan~?" Kyoko had the most devilish smile on her face.

"Don't ask something you already know the answer, Kyo-chan." Emiko poked her tongue at her friend.

"So cold." Kyoko faked having a heart attack, earning an eye roll from Emiko.

"Drama queen." Emiko rebutted.

"Actually scratch that out, you're not so cold anymore."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Emiko knitted her eyebrows.

"Oh, don't be so dense. Look at you, you're more talkative and social with people other than me. I mean, you're even fairly acquaintanced with Futaba, Ann, and Okumura-senpai now. You're also kinder to others, hmm…" Kyoko closed her eyes, pretending to be deep in thought while tapping her chin. 

"Did Renren work his magic on you already since the festival~?" Kyoko plastered a sly smirk on her face, mocking the other. Then, she innocently held her chin. "What happened to your feisty aura around him~?"

The brown-haired's cheeks were colored with a deep shade of pink, once again Kyoko read her like an open book like it was nothing.

"Woof! Woof!" Maxi barked happily as she ran around Kyoko's feet, causing her to kneel down and stroke her furry head.

"Speak for yourself. You've awfully been spending a lot of time with that Akechi detective lately. What do you gotta say about that, hm?" Emiko used a similar tone to Kyoko.

"Eh, can't argue with that." Kyoko shrugged her shoulders as she stood up and sat next to her old friend. "So tell me, what do you think of him?"

"What do I think of him…?" Emiko closed her eyes, seeming deep in thought.

A moment of silence passed with the lavender-haired looking at her friend with curious eyes after feeling that it has some time passed since her silence. Even Maxi lifted her tail and tilted her head as if she was waiting for her owner's reply as well.

"I mean, where do I even start? Ren is such an amazing person, he's always so kind and sweet to me. He always makes sure that I'd laugh whenever I'm with him, even though his jokes can sometimes be so lame, but at least he's trying."

"I have lots of fun when we're together, and to be honest… he's the first boy I met who… made me feel so special and important like I'm something." A fond smile found its way on Emiko's features as her eyes sparkled as she spoke.

Kyoko's eyes widened ever so slightly with every word Emiko spoke and the smile that widened on her lips; it was a look she saw in Emiko's eyes for the first time ever despite knowing her for so many years.

She looked so happy, peaceful, above the clouds if she could ever describe it that way-- It felt like the brown-haired was owning the world in a way or another.

But Kyoko was no fool… she knew all too well the true meaning behind that look and the visible blush on Emiko's cheeks since she had the very same sparkle once.

Emiko… was in love. Yeah, there was no mistaking it. With Ren Amamiya even, the mere thought was crushing her very soul.

"See this scarf?" Emiko pointed at the beige scarf she wore. "It was actually a present from him."

A few months ago

Ren and Emiko had a walk together in Shibuya square to witness the preparations of the upcoming Christmas and how people were putting on lights and the Christmas tree in the center of the square.

He took a glance at the girl next to him who had the biggest smile ever on her face and her eyes were sparkling as she witnessed the preparations take place like a child who was seeing the world for the first time, thus smiling warmly at her innocent expressions and behaviors.

All of a sudden, he felt something soft fall onto his nose, sending a light shiver up his spine at the sudden change in the temperature. 

When the two glanced up at the grey skies, snow began falling everywhere around them, it was the very first snow of December which they had the opportunity to see.

Once more, Emiko's grin widened at the sight of the snow as she began trying to catch them with her hands, giggling as she did so.

Clouds of fog formed from their mouths the more the temperature went down to the point that Emiko began shivering while hugging herself for a desperate attempt to gather warmth. That moment, she cursed herself for not wearing thicker layers of clothes compared to Ren who looked at her with a big concern in his eyes.

"Emiko, wait here for a minute." Ren began walking away.

"Wh-where are you going?" She called.

"I'll be right back."

Furrowing her eyebrows, Emiko began rubbing her arms and blowing into her mouth just to savor whatever body heat she had. 

The snow was falling more, the air became colder, and streets began getting covered with a dazzling color of white, but it was making the situation worse for the brown-haired. She was going to freeze to death at that rate!

Sooner than later, she felt something warm and fuzzy being wrapped around her neck that sent an immense wave of warmth through her body.

Looking up, her brown eyes met Ren who was wrapping a beige-colored scarf around her, smiling softly at her while he was doing that.

"Feeling better?" Ren asked.

"Yeah, but… where did you get this from?" Emiko looked curiously at him.

The boy glanced behind him at a winter clothes shop that was located right behind his back… wow, just how convenient.

Wait, did that mean he got all the way to that store just to buy her a scarf to keep her warm?

"Wait, no. I can't accept that." Emiko attempted to remove the scarf from her neck.

"Consider it an early Christmas present from me." Ren placed his hands on top of hers to halt her movements. "You can always give a present to me too, right?" He let go of her then.

"Y-yeah…" Emiko smiled shyly as she nuzzled her face in the scarf to hide the pink color that crept its way on her face.

At that moment, she didn't know whether it was from the cold or embarrassment, but that was indeed the best Christmas present she ever had despite it being so simple. 

And especially because it was from Ren himself, that made it even more special and precious to her.

###

"A gift you say…?" Kyoko repeated, a hidden tint of sadness was present in her voice. Almost instantly, she replaced her emotions. "Talk about being lovey-dovey~ Ahahaha~"

Glancing at Emiko's exposed phone screen, Kyoko was fully able to catch a glimpse of their messages even if it was for a split second, but she was still able to read and memorize them completely.

Ren: Hey, Emiko.

Ren: What are you doing?

Emiko: Nothing much, just hanging out at Inokashira park with Kyoko.

Emiko: Though she stormed off somewhere to take a call.

Ren: I see…

Ren: It's quite cold today, isn't it?

Ren: Have you made sure to dress up well this time? We don't want for the December incident to repeat itself, right?

Emiko: First of all, jackass, I'm not a child. Secondly, yes I'm wearing thick layers of clothes today.

Ren: Even the scarf I gave you?

Emiko: How did you know that?!

Ren: Just a feeling really.

Emiko: Yeah… I am wearing it, to be honest.

Ren: I'm honored then.

Emiko: Stop that! 

Ren: Stop what exactly?

Emiko: This!

Ren: You have to be more specific.

Emiko: You're a lost cause.

Ren: Aren't you too for spending time with one?

Emiko: You're such a jerk.

Ren: Yeah, I think I already told me that before.

Emiko: -_-

Even though Ren was simply checking out on Emiko's well being, they were already talking like they were a couple in a relationship even though they were nothing of the sort. Were they…?

Kyoko felt like the weight on her chest multiplied by a hundred times, her heart was being pierced by many swords, bleeding out pain and sadness, yet masked with a small smile of hers.

"Actually, Goro and I received a new case, so I have to get going now!"  Kyoko stood up.

"Wait, already? We've hardly spent any time together today." Emiko frowned from disappointment. "I'm going to beat your ass once I find out that you're just going on a date with him."

"A frown makes you look old, Mikki~" Kyoko teased. "And plus, we're just friends. No more, no less."

Then, a mysterious smile crept across her lips as she focused her cerulean gaze to the ground. 

"I have no interest in pursuing love,"

'For now.'

"There's always next time." Completely replacing her previous expression, Kyoko cheerfully waved as she walked away. "Well then, see ya~" 

Emiko buried her face into her hand after Kyoko was away from her sight while Maxi was whimpering while still looking at the direction Kyoko left, clearly sad she had to leave so soon as well.

Now that she thought about it, over the last month the two could barely spend much time together like they were used to, not since Kyoko was finally assigned as an official high school detective and the celebration they had. That was the life of someone associated with the police, after all.. always working to ensure the safety of others.

And that is exactly how Kyoko was, a true ally of justice and Emiko admired her from the bottom of her heart because of that.

Her phone buzzed, receiving another text message.

Ren: By the way, are you free at the moment?

Ren: Want to go somewhere together along with Kyoko?

Emiko: She just left, called for work.

Ren: Oh.

Ren: Then do you want to go together? You and me?

Emiko: I dunno… do I?

"What do you think, Maxi? Wanna go and see Ren?" Emiko asked her beloved dog.

"Woof! Woof!" Maxi swung her tail.

"Alright then."

Emiko: Okay sure, where do we meet?

Ren: Is Kichijoji fine with you?

Emiko: Perfect, I'll be there.

Ren: I'll be waiting.

Part 2

Pant… pant… pant…

In a narrow uncrowded alleyway, Kyoko Mochizuki leaned her back against the wall, unable to get a grip of her own self and the unwanted feelings she felt. A rush of different emotions came to her the moment she heard those—not supposed—painful words, overwhelming her to the point of need to empty her mind. 

The place, being isolated from both people and light, was notably dark and silent, no other sound heard aside from her muffled pants. She couldn't help but reciprocate her life ever since that day in that dim place, rooting from the loneliness and emptiness she felt.

Kyoko looked up, focusing her cerulean gaze to the seeping light from the sky, her orbs glowing brightly because of the sun's warmth. It was the only light to the dark place she was at, as if a spotlight, highlighting her presence. The longer stared at the brimming sun, the more heartwarming memories rushed in her mind.

"Kyoko… will you let me be your sun?" 

"Yes, please. My sun…"

What a silly thought. 

The girl shook her head lightly, shaking off her thoughts. Remembering such words won't help her in this situation, and would even make things worse. It was clearly not the time to reminisce about those sweet moments, but to face reality. 

The reality that she sinned-- when she felt envious of her own friend.

"What's wrong with me…?" Kyoko thought to herself, a bitter smile present on her face. "This isn't me…"

The moment she heard her childhood friend's thoughts and talked about Ren, Kyoko couldn't stop herself from feeling jealous. Emiko was at the time of her life, opening to changes and slowly replacing her previous generalization on men, because clearly, Ren was so close to changing her heart. And not only that, throughout the two's journey, they made a few unforgettable moments together. 

She had to go to a quiet place to clear her mind and organize her thoughts before things get out of hand. She can't let what she was feeling continue.

Moreover, she loathed herself the moment she regretted leaving Ren. Had she chose her own happiness, things wouldn't have been so hard for herself and the teen she loved so much. 

Of course, it's unavoidable to feel envious of Emiko's improving relationship with Ren, especially because of the fact that what was happening in her case was the opposite. Yes, their relationship started to deteriorate ever since that day.

One of the most painful days in her life began to flash once again in her memories. 

"If this is how it will end anyways..." 

"Then, please, leave me alone for now..."

Reminiscing those words added up to the heavyweight and pain in her chest as if it was being pricked by thousands of needles. She failed to hold herself altogether, feeling the walls she did her best to build was starting to crumble within her.

Her breath hitched, unable to keep her breaths steady. She panted uncontrollably, almost having a hard time catching her breath. Tears formed in her eyes once again, a few streaming down her cheeks unable to contain the forceful drops.

The aching of her heart suffocated her entirely. 

"This can't keep up," Kyoko managed to muster under her breath. "I have to get rid of these feelings already."

It was the only solution. Her only choice, so she must--

A leaf being crushed underneath captured Kyoko's attention entirely, darting her gaze to the direction of the sound only to see no one.

Part 3

"You look cozy in all those layers of clothes."

"Oh, quiet you. Speak for yourself."

Emiko had already met up with Ren at Kichijoji as agreed, Maxi running from her grip once more the moment she saw Ren greet him in her own special way.

After that, the two began walking around aimlessly at Kichijoji streets, indulging in light conversations and comments from Ren to the girl that never seemed to cease any time soon.

Small clouds of fog were forming from their lips with every word they said, noticing it became a little bit more chilly than before… not that it mattered anymore considering how both of them wore winter clothes.

On the other hand, Ren looked rather attractive in his own winter attire that literally suited him so well despite it being so simple, well simple is best most of the time.

He wore a dark grey sweater underneath a black jacket, dark jeans, black shoes, navy blue scarf, and a pair of matching gloves. The dark-haired boy placed his gloved hands into the pockets of his jackets before letting a deep sigh escape him, a thick cloud of fog forming from his mouth in the process.

"So, are we just gonna walk around like this or you have something in mind?" Emiko gripped the leach tightly as Maxi was walking ahead of her.

"I was originally thinking of going to Penguin Sniper to play either billiards or darts with Kyoko. It's a shame she couldn't join us…" Ren had a sad tone in his voice.

"I know, but that's the life of a detective, I suppose. I'm genuinely happy that she was able to finally achieve her dream, but I'm also a little concerned about her…" Emiko looked down at the road.

"What do you mean?"

"Recently, I began feeling that she became, well… distant. We barely even spent time together over the last month."

Ren took a deep breath before speaking. "I'm sure Kyoko is feeling the same and wants to spend more time with you, you two know each other for a long time, after all."

"That's true, but--"

"So, how about you prepare her something nice once she's done with the case she's assigned with? Surprise her like you always do."

"Hey… that's not a bad idea at all! I was actually thinking of something similar to that." Emiko's eyes lit up once more.

There it was, the smile of Emiko he grew quite fond of over the course of the past few months.

"Glad I could help." Ren smiled back.

Afterward, the two continued their stroll around Kichijoji in pure peace while chatting lightly every now and then about various things, typically what Emiko's surprise to Kyoko could be. And like in every time they've gone out together, Ren had to make a joke that caused Emiko to giggle lightly while nudging his shoulder playfully.

But suddenly, the brown-haired stopped her tracks out of nowhere, causing Ren to stop as well while looking at her curiously.

"Emiko, is something wrong?"

With an overwhelming aura around her, Emiko glanced at the front of a bookstore they'd just passed across a second ago, making eye contact with the cover of a book she was waiting for its release since forever.

'Need. Buy. That. Manga!' Emiko thought to herself.

"Um, Emiko?" Ren sweatdropped at her intimidating aura.

"Actually, there's something I need to do real quick. Can you hold onto Maxi for me for a second? Thank you very much, be right back!" Emiko had quickly shoved the leech into Ren's hand before running away at top speed.

"Eh?" Ren turned to a confused chibi figure while trying to process what just happened.

At one moment, the two were happily chatting together and the next second, there was that dark aura around her and ran off entirely to somewhere else without even giving him the chance to say anything.

Sighing to himself in hopelessness, Ren looked down at Maxi who was staring back at him with those wide and adorable eyes of hers while swinging her tail.

Unable to control his smile, Ren bent down and began stroking the dog's head who was barking happily under his touch.

"There, there. Good girl."

"Woof! Woof!" Maxi then began licking his cheek.

"Haha, Maxi! S-stop! That tickles, you know!" Ren laughed.

It was exactly the same way back when he first met Emiko at Inokashira Park after her fight with Kyoko-- how long did it pass since then? It indeed felt like forever.

Plus, it was shocking how Maxi grew up so much since that day he saved Kyoko from drowning three years ago and how she was the reason for how he met both the girls for the first time. Very heartwarming. 

"I never took you as a dog lover as well."

Standing up on his feet again, Ren's eyes were met with the famous Detective Prince Goro Akechi smiling at him gently with a small wave; the two were acquaintances, almost friends actually, since they met in Leblanc a lot of times and had many games of chess together.

Akechi also donned himself with a winter attire that consisted of a closed long beige jacket, black pants, dark down shoes, a checkered black-and-red scarf, and his signature black leather gloves.

"I didn't expect to see you here, Akechi." Ren said.

"I could say the same thing, Amamiya." Akechi replied before looking at Maxi with a wide smile. "Hey there, little one. You're rather cute, aren't you?"

Curious enough, Maxi roamed around Akechi while sniffing him to memorize his scent since it was the first time she met him as the two boys observed her carefully.

Then, the white dog began looking at Akechi and barking at him happily before rubbing her head against his leg, earning a joyous laugh from the detective.

"This dog can't be yours since you already own a cat, correct?" Akechi asked as he knelt down to stroke her head.

"You mean cats," Ren spoke. "More like my friend's pet actually."

"Woof!" Maxi barked happily under Akechi's touch.

"Is this dog's owner the girl you were with perhaps?" The detective smiled fondly at the dog.

"Um, yeah. She went off somewhere and should be back anytime now." Ren sweatdropped when recalling how extra Emiko was a little while ago.

"Who was she by the way? I feel like I've seen before."

"It's Emiko Hayashi, you know Kyoko's childhood friend."

"Oh, Hayashi-san. I see… but to be frank, I never expected you to be with another girl." Akechi stood up after being done with Maxi.

 "What do you mean?" Ren knitted his eyebrows.

"I beg your pardon, but from the way Kyoko talks about you, it seemed to me that you two were together in a relationship. I'm a little surprised, to be honest."

"I love you so much, but it's impossible! We're impossible!" 

Those heart-aching words from the girl he loved once again rang in his head, a rush of emotions coming forth. No, he couldn't let that overwhelm him now. Especially now that he wasn't alone. Before he could lose control of his own feelings, he spoke.

"It's kind of impossible."

"I see. I won't pry deeper into the details." Akechi spoke. "However… do you possibly have feelings for her?"

"...I have." Ren admitted. "She was my happiness,"

Despite the pained breath that escaped his lips, his neutral yet approachable expression never dropped his features, carefully keeping himself together. Saying those words triggered a rush of memories, the main reasons why he believed that the girl herself was his happiness.

As Kyoko's gracious and genuine smiles flashed in his head, he immersed himself in his own memories. 

"Your mom? Must've been great..." Ren sadly smiled, averting his gaze to the sight outside of the window.

The two savored the ice cream they brought as a dessert after eating their lunch, engaging in fun and light conversations despite being their supposed first meeting. A shift in emotions was seen in the boy's face once the girl mentioned her mom, and it didn't leave Kyoko's eyes.

The smile on her face stayed, but she slowly opened her eyes, revealing her cerulean orbs hinting sadness. The smile formed on her lips contradicted with her softened glare.

Instead of giving him a pitied look, she--

"Do you want me to start nagging you like a mom?" Kyoko teased as she intertwined her fingers, resting her chin on it. 

Upon hearing it, Ren immediately widened his eyes, shocked by the words that came out of the girl's mouth. That moment, he knew that she completely read his expressions he failed to hide.

Her words warmed his heart.

"How about like a childhood friend instead?" Ren sweatdropped, his smile never leaving his face.

"That'll do~ hehe." Kyoko chuckled a bit, amused by the boy's reply. Before the other could notice it, the feelings her features showed already changed into a much serious demeanor.

"Amamiya, I'm here for you, okay?"

Ren projected the warmest smiles on his face, as a train of memories came back to his mind.

"Mrs. Amamiya? Haha, doesn't sound so bad."

•   •   •   •   •   •

"You miss Morgana? Then let me be your cat in the meantime! Meeooow~"

•   •   •   •   •   •

"Woah, the stars are prettiest when it's reflected in your eyes."

•   •   •   •   •   •

"And I'll be your goddess you'll enter a dream with, but will stay beside you even in reality." 

•   •   •   •   •   •

"Ren, just so you know, I'm here for you. May it be as a person, friend, or family. You name it,"

The very moments he wished to last for eternity.

"And that girl, Hayashi-san, how do you feel about her?" Akechi asked, snapping Ren out his thoughts. "It seemed to me that you two are fairly close as well."

"........." Ren pursed his lips to form his words.

Ren wasn't quite sure how he felt about Emiko at that point, sure they started off in a very rocky relationship, but that all changed soon after Shujin's school festival. 

They became really good friends after a lot of patience and cautious approach from Ren, and he genuinely enjoyed spending time with her and seeing her childish tantrums that he could hardly believe was the same cold and men-hating girl he knew a couple of months ago.

Part of him believed that he was doing that for the sake of the 'challenge' he had with Emiko under Kyoko's request who desperately needed someone to change her friend's heart for the better.

But the other part began second-guessing that first thought, leaving him to be really confused about the nature of their relationship; he liked her as a friend and she was being nicer to him, allowing him to see her true personality. But… how he truly felt about her?

One thing was for certain though, he loved making her laugh and seeing her smile for him every time they were together. He wanted… to make her happy.

"I…" Ren shook his head, unable to form any reply.

"Actually, you don't need to answer that. You seem rather confused regarding that matter yourself." 

"........."

A few moments of silence passed before Ren decided to open his mouth once again, to voice out a question that was on his mind. "How are things going on with work? Is Kyoko doing well?"

"She is." Akechi said, lifting his gaze to the sky. "She's talented and passionate enough to be able to finish everything quickly."

"I believe why she wants to complete everything in time is because she wants to spend time with you two." Akechi continued, pulling a gentle closed-eyed smile. 

"She never changed." Ren genuinely smiled to himself.

"Perhaps, you and Kyoko are much closer than we are." Akechi beamed a friendly smile. "Please take care of Kyoko in my stead."

"I will." Ren nodded firmly.

Checking his buzzing phone, Akechi spoke. "My apologies, but something urgent came up to me and I truly need to take care of it. I'll be sure to stop by at Leblanc later for some coffee."

"Of course."

"Well, until then. It was nice meeting you as well, little one." Akechi waved at the boy and the dog before walking away.

As soon as Akechi was away from Ren's sight, the latter pinched the bridge of his nose while taking a deep breath from his quivering lips, fog forming from them.

Akechi's simple questions to him stirred a lot of thoughts in his mind, causing him to feel a little bit uneasy. 

He knew that now he had a lot of things to think about and sort out regarding his relationship with the two girls; heh, his mind was a total mess at that moment.

"Woof! Woof! Woof!" Maxi suddenly began barking.

"I'm back!" Emiko returned while carrying a plastic bag in hand. "Hm? Who was that you were talking with just now?"

"Akechi. One of Kyoko's colleagues."

"A-Akechi…? You mean Goro Akechi, the Detective Prince?" Emiko widened her eyes as she gasped fully.

"Yeah, that's him."

'But that doesn't make any sense! He shouldn't have been here if he was with Kyo-chan!' Emiko thought before recalling Kyoko's words before leaving the park.

"Goro and I received a new case, so I have to get going now!"

"Did he mention anything about their work?!" Emiko asked in panic.

"H-He just got an urgent matter to take care of from work and left." Ren was slightly taken aback by her loud voice. "Hey… what's wrong, Emiko? Is there something between you and Kyoko I don't know about?"

"No, it's nothing…" Emiko looked away from Ren, clearly hurt and upset.

'I don't understand… why would Kyo-chan…'

'...lie to me?'

Part 4

It's been two days ever since Ren Amamiya and his friend, Emiko went to a stroll in Kichijoji and to a few other places, cheerful smiles plastered on their faces as they created even more fun and unforgettable memories. He could never forget just how relaxing his day went, being twice as fun since he was accompanied by Emiko.

Since then, Ren pretty much returned to his normal life, executing his new routines in his new room. A faint smile formed in his face as he recalled the New Year gift he received from his new guardian, Sojiro Sakura. 

"Geez, what a kind old man…"

Out of good heart, Sojiro invited Ren to live in the attic of his café, in exchange for continuing to work with him. Though it was obvious that he only made him work because he knew Ren would've declined had he not included that in his offer, the teen was very serious in performing his tasks perfectly.

"What house would be good if all it does is bring you bad memories?" Sojiro's voice echoed in his head.

Ren wandered his eyes in his room, checking out if every place was clean. He grew comfortable in such a modest and relaxing atmosphere, and of course, he'd do anything to maintain it. He could still remember clearly when he and Sojiro cleaned the room while exchanging a few thoughts, making him smile once more.

It was a simple room, complete of its necessities. A few cabinets, a couch, a study table, a bed… pretty much everything he needed. Near the couch were two cat nests, and a plant near the stairs. 

The boy's feet made its way to the plant, growing green and healthy from the care he was giving. He needed it in his room for a slight change in atmosphere, and the fresh feeling it gives. 

For some reason, he named it 'Plantom Thief.'

Carefully, he poured water from the water kettle, making sure not to add too much or too little, just right. The drenched soil gave off an odd smell, just like how the rain brought out such smell from the land, and a part of him liked it. 

"Meeooow~"

Walking further inside his room, his gray orbs laid upon the cat nests, a certain black cat greeting him in delight. Morgana perked his head up to meet Ren's kind smile, walking up to him to rest on his feet. 

"There, there." Ren leveled his sight to Morgana, kneeling down to pet his head. 

"Oh?" The boy asked, noticing Morgana lifting his head as if showing his collar. It was misaligned. Must've been uncomfortable, he thought.

The yellow scarf on his black cat used to be so plain, but now it wasn't since Kyoko stood in and decided to surprise Ren with tiny detail. She embroidered 'Amamiya' on it, bringing the biggest smiles on his face the moment he noticed the little change. 

Morgana clearly loved it, meowing from time to time once reminded of the small gift. The cat always loved Kyoko and sometimes preferred her over Ren which was odd. At first, Kyoko didn't even know how to hold a cat properly despite loving cats so much. Morgana was uncomfortable, but still, gave Kyoko a few chances and melted under her touch.

"Meow!"

Another cat purred, earning the teen's attention. It was another cat, this time a Persian cat with white fur and blue eyes, walking up to him in elegance. A bitter smile crawled on his face, the entity of the cat reminding himself of the girl he loved. He couldn't pinpoint the exact reason why, but she just looked like her.

The presence of the cat reminded himself of that dreaded day as well.

Once the cat reached him, she rubbed her cheek to Ren's right leg, overflowing with adorableness. The boy smiled at the affection cat gave him, a faint tint of rose on his face.

"Hey, Maria? Happy in your new home?" Ren tenderly scratched that cat's head, earning a joyous purr. 

The cat reminded him of Kyoko to an extreme extent.

"Speaking of Kyoko, I haven't heard anything from her since…"

It's been two days already, and all he knew was she couldn't hang out much with Emiko because of work, and that sudden text that she went on a vacation with her dad. 

Kyoko: Ren, I'm going to be spending some time with my daddy! 

Ren smiled to himself, genuinely glad that Kyoko was finally spending some time with her dad more. Before, he heard a few unpleasant and saddening conversations between her and Gilbert, but that didn't seem to happen much now, starting when he acknowledged her.

Though, he felt somehow dismayed and heartsick by the fact that Kyoko didn't bother updating him.

I mean, ever since that day, they still regularly communicated even if it was just some awkward greetings. He treasured them, feeling happiness in the depths of his heart, the fact that they still talked was more than enough. 

Still… there was an unexplainable feeling of worry and unsettling in his chest, as if a heavyweight was pulling him down.

He just had… a bad feeling. A very bad one.

As he went through his thoughts, one of the conversations that occured in the past few days flashed in his mind.

"Perhaps, you and Kyoko are much closer than we are. Please take care of Kyoko in my stead."

"I will."

He wanted to do that promise. Not just because he vowed, but because it had always been one of his desires to protect Kyoko.

Ren felt his fingers move on their own, pulling out his phone then began to dial Kyoko's number out of worry. A cold sweat rolled down his cheeks as an anxious feeling took over him.

Ring… ring… ring…

In each ring, Ren couldn't stop himself from gulping nervously, hoping that there'll be--

There was no answer.

At that moment, he wished that he could at least hear her voice, may it be a sweet or cold greeting such as, 'hello?' enough to calm him down. A few drops of sweat continued to roll down his face, anxiousness overwhelming him. He called her once more but to no avail.

Ren clenched his teeth lightly, considering a few things to be able to contact the girl.

'Maybe I should give Mochizuki-san a call,'

The thought of hearing Gilbert's stern voice somewhat horrified him, especially by the fact that Gilbert either seemed to like Akechi for Kyoko, or he was totally against his only daughter having a boyfriend, even a boy friend. 

Ren slightly shook his head in an attempt to shake off his thoughts. No, that wasn't the time for that. Building up his determination, he dialed Gilbert's number, feeling his heart banging against his chest.

He just wished to hear the news that Kyoko was fine...

Part 5 

Hurried footsteps echoed in the bedroom with Emiko walking around left and right aimlessly while running her fingers through her hair in pure frustration.

Annoyed groans found their way out of her mouth as she was mumbling some incomprehensible words to herself, Maxi looking at her while tilting her head in confusion at her owner's rather odd behaviors.

Two days passed since the last time she saw Kyoko before heading off and saying a new case was 'assigned' for her and Akechi… but she knew that was a lie ever since she saw Akechi with Ren at Kichijoji.

And what was more worrying for her is that shortly after she returned home that day, Kyoko texted her saying that she wanted to spend some time with Ren. Emiko couldn't believe what she was seeing then, the text message containing words she least expected.

Kyoko: Heya, Emiko! Ren invited me for a sleepover for a week, so I'll be hanging out with him! >.<

Those words felt like daggers piercing through her heart, from both worry and… jealousy? She truly didn't see such an inappropriate message coming, especially from her childhood friend. The content alone felt wrong, they were still teenagers! Both grew up in a conservative family, and Emiko doubted Kyoko's father would've allowed it. 

But that was two days ago, and no matter how hard she tried to call or text her, she couldn't contact her at all. She felt that Kyoko ignored all of her worries and objections, of course she was hurt that her friend didn't even bother considering her opinion.

It was all so strange… Everything that's happening right now is so strange! First, she lied to her about her whereabouts, then her text messages out of nowhere, and now, this. What in the world was going on with that girl? Something felt very wrong and out of place.

She also couldn't bring herself to talk to Ren about the entire thing, hesitating to ask for confirmation. Obviously, she didn't want to pry in their personal relationship or whatever is going on with them. And plus, she was… afraid to ask, who knew? A set of words might hurt so much.

The moment her phone rang, she literally jumped at her desk where it was and captured it like a hawk who had just found its prey, she took the call without even looking at the caller's ID.

"H-Hello?!" She nearly screamed.

"Hello Emiko, this is Gilbert speaking."

"O-Oh, Gilbert-jiisan! To what I owe this pleasure?"

That was odd… Gilbert Mochizuki had barely called Emiko through all the years she knew Kyoko.

"Amamiya-kun asked me how Kyoko was, and I wanted to hear for myself from you. How is your sleepover, are you two having fun?" Gilbert asked on the other line.

S-Sleepover…?!

It was that moment when Emiko's face went pale and her heart stopped beating for a split second. 

Time around her seemed to stop as she began sweating bullets heavily while widening her eyes in pure shock.

Her throat went dry and her mouth was agape from the shock of Gilbert's words as she was mentally cracking; she was on the verge of a panic attack.

Sleepover? What sleepover? Did Kyoko not ask permission from her dad? Did she carelessly shift the blame to her?!

No, wait…

Why would Ren ask Gilbert when he was supposed to be with Kyoko? What the hell?!

"Hello? Are you over there?" Gilbert called.

"O-Oh, yes! Yes! It's just an amazing action movie that just came out on TV and we really wanna watch it! I-I'll call you later!" 

Before Gilbert could say anything, Emiko hung up and quickly went to her text messages to get to know the bottom of all of that madness. 

Emiko: Ren are you there?

Ren: Yeah, what's wrong?

Emiko: Have you by any chance heard anything from Kyo-chan the last few days?

Emiko: Is she with you?

Ren: No.

Ren: She texted me two days ago saying that she went somewhere far with her dad to spend some time together.

Ren: I haven't contacted her since so she could spend her time peacefully with him. 

Ren: But I haven't heard anything from her since then.

What the fuck?!

Her eyes widened even more as every bit of color that was left in her face was completely gone, sweat rolling down her face heavier than before. Her heart was beating crazily and her limbs shook uncontrollably from the unstable rush of emotions she had.

No… that can't be happening… no! Not Kyoko… no! Anyone, anyone but her precious friend! 

Before being able to do anything, Emiko's eyes rolled backward before she fell on the floor, losing her consciousness and dropping her phone that was ringing with various messages.

Immediately, Maxi rushed to Emiko's side while barking loudly and nudging her side in any means for her to wake up, but it was all in naught; she blacked out real good.

RING! RING! RING!

Her phone rang due to an incoming call from Ren before she was showered with tons of texts from him once more.

Ren: Why? Did something happen to Kyoko?

Ren: Emiko, what happened? Why did you stop replying all of a sudden?

Ren: Hey, are you okay? Was it because of something I said?

Ren: Hello, are you there?

Ren: This isn't funny, you know.

Ren: If it's another joke of yours, then stop it. I'm really worried now.

Ren: Emiko?

Ren: Answer your phone already, please!

Ren: EMIKO!

“How foolish and naive I was for talking about my own happiness like that in front of you, my friend Kyoko…”

“I should've known… I should've fucking known that it'd lead us to that! But it was already too late…”

A/N: How was the chapter, everyone? ^^

Oh, no... What happened?  DX Where did Kyoko go?!  Sigh, this is bad for your hearts, I know. Where do you think did she go to? 🤔 Or maybe, she...

Ahaha, we're actually pretty proud on how this chapter turned out! We did our best to make the scenes intense and detailed. Plus, I hid some important concepts that will not only apply to this book, but to the ENTIRE Carpe Diem series! ^^

Anyway, did you enjoy it? Please leave a vote and comment your thoughts and theories!

Thanks for reading!

'till next time, bye~

xoxo,
Eth.