“Such instances come at the most unexpected times.”

“I should've known that best…”

Part 1

It was yet another busy morning in the office of the detectives, each having a pile of paperwork to finish. Reports, investigations, recent missing children cases… name it. Everyone was trying their very best to bring justice to those in need, help those who are oppressed, and perform their best diligently, abiding by their morals.

They were truly admirable.

Among them was the popular Ace Detective, Goro Akechi, who became a detective with his intelligence and ability to make reasonable deductions despite being only in third-year high school. The general public had taken a liking to him, looking up to him as a detective idol or public figure because of his undeniable charisma. He was one of the very few talented students, discovered by their seniors. 

Like the others, Akechi sat on his designated chair with his desk having unusually fewer piles compared to others. A carefree and relaxed smile never left his face. He quietly hummed a song as he continued to do his work efficiently, typing his paperwork on a computer.

Regularly, Akechi would have a mug of coffee by his desk. He would take a sip from time to time, enjoying the aroma it gives off. Apart from that, he really needed some caffeine for his work.

Akechi took his mug to take another sip, before drinking the rest. He checked the time on his watch, 'Am I forgetting something…?'

The teen drifted himself onto his own thoughts trying to determine the reason why he had an unsettling feeling in his heart. Why was he worrying too much about everything?

And he remembered it.

"Speaking of… I haven't heard anything from Kyoko since the other day…" Akechi trailed in curiosity as to why the mentioned girl didn't leave any message than she usually does. The last one he got was completely rubbish and seemed impossible to come from his partner.

Kyoko: Hey, Goro! I'm gonna hang out with Ren for the next few days~

Kyoko: I'll leave work to you, 'kay?

It was utterly careless. A bit too careless for the Kyoko he knew to say.

It's been months already since they've known each other, and he knew the flicker of excitement and passion in Kyoko's eyes every time they solved a case. He knew very well that Kyoko would even set aside her own hobbies and leisure time just to do what she was tasked to do, no matter how inconvenient the time it was told to her.

A distressed sigh escaped his lips, feeling his heartbeat fasten. He knitted his eyebrows slightly, trying to organize his thoughts since his worries for the girl's wellbeing was reaching the roof. 

As he held his head, lightly ruffling some of his brown locks, he placed all his bet on Ren. He recalled Ren's determined nod, promising to take care of Kyoko at times he couldn't reach her. After all, the message did say the girl was spending time with the silent teen.

Carefully, Akechi placed back his mug to his desk—

Shatter!

The glass shattering brought him back to his senses. A bit shocked, he lowered his gaze only to see his mug broken into a few pieces.

It was a personalized mug Kyoko gave to him as a gift.

He felt his heart drop at the sight, the bad feeling he had even more intensifying. A cold sweat made its way down to his face, his thoughts overwhelming him.

Akechi immediately acted as soon as he was snapped back to his senses, wiping the drop of sweat. He cautiously took the remains of the mug, picking up the shards carefully not to cut himself.

In the midst of cleaning up, his questions were about to be answered. 

Ring ring ring!

The boy's gaze darted to his phone almost instantly, taking the call after securing the broken pieces. His breath hitched, heard from the other line, before taking deep breaths to calm himself.

"Hello? Is something the matter, Mochizuki-san?" 

"Akechi." Gilbert spoke. "By any chance, have you seen Kyoko?"

It horrified him. His hands trembled as his face grew pale the moment he heard the man's words, refusing to process such words. 

No, this can't be happening. Not to his friend…!

Part 2

Hurried footsteps made their way on the concrete of the streets along with tired pants coming out in a constant state. After that urgent phone call from Gilbert Mochizuki, Goro Akechi dropped everything he was doing and made his top priority to go to the police station as fast as possible. He literally dropped every case and file he was working at just to rush like crazy outside of the office to the police station.

So many scenarios and thoughts ran through his mind as he was trying to piece together the situation regarding Kyoko's situation. And just as he thought about the worst thing that could've happened to her, he shut his eyes while shaking his head, refusing to believe that. Kyoko had to be safe, yeah… she had to, there was no way.

Finally arriving outside the station, Akechi grabbed his knees while panting heavily from all the running he'd just done as sweat was dripping from his forehead. The rush of adrenaline that kicked through his veins made him sprint so fast at a speed he never thought he possessed before that day.

When he wiped the sweat off his face and lifted his gaze upwards, his reddish-brown eyes were met with two figures who also stood in front of the station and were ahead of him. The moment he realized who was there, he felt his blood boiling inside of his veins as he gritted his teeth in pure frustration. That person, that goddamn sorry excuse of a person was the one to blame.

That bastard Ren Amamiya…

And he was there with that girl named Emiko Hayashi again who was pacing around left and right quickly while mumbling some words to herself that Akechi couldn't hear due to the distance between them. While the dark-haired boy was trying to talk to her and calm her down, he looked quite panicked and troubled himself as well.

He couldn't understand… Why would Kyoko be friends with that despicable girl? What did she see in her exactly that she sacrificed so dearly just for her sake?

But more importantly, why would Kyoko fall for Ren in the first place?

"You're finally here."

Looking at the voice who caught the teens' attention, the three looked up at the entrance of the station to see none other than Gilbert Mochizuki walking out of it with a stern and serious expression on his way.

"Mochizuki-san!" Ren announced.

"Gilbert-jiisan! What's going on here? What happened with Kyoko?! Please tell me you found somethi—" Emiko's words were cut off with Gilbert raising his hand up so he could speak.

"And that's exactly why I called the three of you here." Gilbert continued.

"Three?" Ren repeated.

"I see you've made it as well, Akechi." Gilbert informed.

"What, Akechi?!" Emiko looked behind her in pure surprise.

But before anyone had the chance to say anything, Akechi quickly made his way toward Ren and delivered a mighty punch to his face, knocking him down on the ground as his glasses also fell off his face onto the road. A surprised and shocked yelp escaped Emiko's lips as Ren winced in pain while slowly trying to get up on his knees, the pain was already so much as a bruise appeared on his cheek where Akechi just punched him.

"You…! It's all your fault!" Akechi seethed angrily.

"........." Ren lowered his gaze down, too ashamed to say anything.

Gritting his teeth again, Akechi was about to punch that bastard's face again but instantly halted once a figure stood between the two boys causing Akechi to quickly stop his fist in midair. He immediately recognized who it was-- it was Emiko herself, Kyoko's best friend and he wouldn't dare lift a finger on because of her close relationship with the latter. Ren and Akechi widened their eyes at what just happened as the girl shot the young detective an angry glare.

She remembered all the pain she had to endure from her father when he was abusing her and her mother. All of it came back to the forefront of her mind just from that single punch Akechi gave to Ren. 

But she had already made up her mind; she wasn't going to allow anyone to experience the same hell she had to live with… not anymore.

"That's enough, Akechi. If you want to hurt Ren, then you must cross me first." Emiko told him in a deadly tone as she stood in front of Ren protectively.

Ren's eyes widened fully in an instant at her declaration.

"Tch… pest." Akechi mustered under his breath.

"Amamiya-kun has nothing to do with this. Calm yourself." Gilbert spoke to the boy.

"Didn't you say you'll protect her?" Akechi turned his gaze back to Ren.

"I'm sorry…" Ren looked away, guilt reflecting in his eyes. His chest was stinging him from Akechi's words because he was absolutely right.

It was his fault, after all.

He caught the glimpse of a hand offering itself for him in the corner of his eyes which made him look up to see Emiko with a pained smile on her face due to the whole situation, knowing it triggered some awful memories to her. Ren felt his guilt increasing for not only hurting Kyoko but Emiko too as well… and it seemed like wherever he was, he was just hurting those close to him.

And that was exactly why he refused to open up to anyone. Yet, when he felt her eagerness, Ren took her hand as she slowly and carefully helped him to stand up on his feet. Standing again was simply so much better than being thrown on the cold, hard pavement. While rubbing his cheek, Emiko had already picked up the boy's glasses and returned it to him in which he accepted with a sad expression on his face.

"Calm down, Akechi. Anger won't solve the situation nor will it bring Kyoko back." Gilbert eyed the boy seriously.

Akechi pursed his lips in silence.

"I called the three of you to speak regarding Kyoko's situation. I expect that either Kyoko or an unknown person told you those lies to prevent us from searching for her in the time being." Gilbert began explaining.

"Yeah, I felt something was wrong too…" Ren added. "I don't know why but it was just a feeling I had that something was off in the way of her typing."

"That was clearly not her." Akechi spoke up firmly.

"She never uses emojis in texts either nor calls Gilbert-jiisan daddy, only dad or father! So that had to be someone else!" Emiko exclaimed, causing Ren to widen his eyes upon hearing her enunciation.

"And that should explain the irregularity of her messages. But if that's true then…" Akechi trailed.

"Kyoko might have been kidnapped or she committed suicide." Gilbert cut him off.

"N-No…!" Emiko covered her mouth in pure horror as she took a step backward.

"...?!" Ren wasn't any less shocked.

No, that wasn't happening…! No! Anyone but Kyoko!

"We must find her… alive or… dead. She… couldn't have committed suicide." Akechi stated, a bit agitated. 

"Y-Yeah, knowing Kyoko she wouldn't do that! She's alive, I'm sure of it too!" Emiko agreed.

'Lately, I've been feeling like I don't know her anymore… but even though, I'll put all of my faith in her.' She thought.

"In the meantime, please return to your normal lives while we investigate this matter and find leads about her whereabouts." Gilbert spoke.

"B-But, Gilbert-jiisan—" 

"Emiko, please. Put your faith into us a little." Gilbert placed his hands on the girl's shoulder. "Kyoko would want you to be strong for her too, wouldn't she?"

"........."

"He's right. We should leave this to the police. I'm sure Mochizuki-san will find her." Ren agreed.

"I know… I have no doubt." Emiko looked at the older detective, desperation flickering in her brown irises. "Please find her and bring her back safely, please!"

"I will, I'll make sure of it." Gilbert narrowed his eyes as he squeezed her shoulder more firmly.

"I shall assist you in investigating this matter." Akechi took a step forward.

"No, Akechi. Go home for today and sort out your emotions. We need you in your right state of mind in order to find Kyoko." Gilbert stated while letting go of Emiko's shoulder.

"Understood…" 

"Come on, Ren. Let's get you patched up." Emiko looked over at the boy worriedly, frowning at the sight of the bruises on his cheek beginning to get darker.

Wow, that punch must've been so strong then.

"And you're going to be my nurse?" Ren asked.

"I'm going to pretend I never heard anything."

Akechi eyed the two figures once more that honestly seemed like lovers, walking away from the scene. As he recalled what he just did, he felt a pang of guilt in his chest for acting out of impulse and searched someone to blame. Deep inside him, he knew that the situation was out of control for all of them, none of them were necessarily at fault.

He gritted his teeth, feeling emotions, and worries taking over him. The thought alone of not seeing Kyoko and having no guarantee that he'll see her again made his heart almost shatter into shards.

"Akechi-kun."

His thoughts were interrupted once he felt a hand tap on his shoulder. Carefully, he met the gaze of Gilbert Mochizuki. His blue orbs like his daughter were softened, quite an unusual sight he saw.

"When you saved Kyoko back then, I almost forgot that I didn't want Kyoko to get married," Gilbert chuckled lightly, and at that moment, he knew that the man's gentle smile and laugh was something that can be seen once in a blue moon. "We'll find her, no matter what. You'd be satisfied to see me walking to the aisle with her out of my will, right?"

Wait… things are going a bit too fast!

"W-we're not dating--!" Akechi managed to muster despite his embarrassment, a faint tint of pink enveloped his face much to Gilbert's amusement.

"...yet?" Gilbert chuckled once more. "If Kyoko insists on dating someone, I hope it'd be you she likes."

"M-my pleasure…" Akechi trailed as he averted his gaze.

"Cheer up. Kyoko's not a typical vulnerable girl. I raised her to be independent," Gilbert explained, taking a few steps away. "I have to get going now. I'll make sure to save her, no matter what."

As the tall masculine man entered the police station again, Akechi was left alone by the road. Gilbert's words completely turned his mood upside down, quite shocked that reassuring words and acknowledgment would work to calm him down. He was really Kyoko's father, the two have subtle similarities.

"When you saved Kyoko back then, I almost forgot that I don't want Kyoko to get married,"

The man's voice once again rang in his head, completely preoccupied as he engulfed himself with his thoughts. The occurrences in that day remained crystal clear in his mind, each detail tattooed in his brain.

A few weeks ago

"Hey, here! We need assistance!"

"Sir, check this out. It can be related to the method."

The crime scene had become quite crowded. The busy forensics, the medics that were treating harmed officers, and of course the detectives lingering to check any detail or trace the culprit left. Everyone focused their fullest attention on the task in hand, fastening their paces to finish this urgent matter as soon as possible.

Among them was Gilbert Mochizuki along with his subordinates, Goro Akechi and Kyoko Mochizuki. It was one of the first cases Kyoko was officially assigned as a high school detective, and the evident glimmer of passion never left her intense gaze. She sucked on her blueberry lollipop almost aggressively as she expanded her mind to think of different possibilities outside the box.

Akechi was no different from them, as he held his chin, drifting onto his thoughts after coming up with a few deductions earlier that was a great help to them. Despite his focused nature, he remained alert to his surroundings because it was likely for the culprit to come back to destroy the crime scene. 

"I think I've got this figured out," Kyoko spoke, the lollipop moving along her lips. Then, she pointed at the open stomach of the victim the forensics were investigating. "Look. To be able to perform this so skillfully, the culprit must have been a previous surgeon or currently one."

"He didn't want to kill him. Rather, he needed something inside that belly." Kyoko narrowed her eyes. "Which he got."

"In addition to that, Akio Hayasaka is quite a wealthy man. It could be a key to a safe of sorts in his mansion." Akechi said.

"We should send some of the officers there then. The culprit may be heading there now." 

Kyoko spoke, still sucking to her lollipop. To her, this case was far from ones that are extremely hard and challenging. But such events are not games to be played, and honestly, she felt relieved that things went their way this time thanks to the fact that the culprit was quite careless. 

The teen wandered her eyes once more around the entire area, scanning each detail that came to the eye. In the midst of looking around, she watched a few nurses lift the stretcher, she saw something that caught her eye. From afar, it seemed like a pendant locket of some sort…

"Kyoko! Watch out!"

Akechi's voice completely captured Kyoko's attention, causing her to look at him instinctively. Worry washed all over his face as he jumped to push the girl from her spot, placing his fullest force to make sure the girl was safe and away from any harm. 

Before Kyoko could realize, Akechi's arms were wrapped around her neck as he mustered all his strength to push her away from that deadly space. 

Bang!

"Ack!" 

Akechi inhaled sharply, feeling the bullet pierce through his leg, the piercing pain spreading like fire. A few drops of crimson blood made its way out of his leg, splattering on the concrete floor. The substance bled through the fabric of his pants, the throbbing pain getting even worse.

"Goro!"

Kyoko felt the weight of the boy's entire body crash into hers, feeling her back against the coarse ground, a yelp leaving her lips. But the small discomfort she felt that moment wasn't important. She could feel something flowing uncontrollably by her thighs and between, her eyes slowly turning dull from fright and worry.

Blood continued to gush out of Akechi's wound as he finally fell on the hard ground with Kyoko beneath him. The thick scarlet stained the girl's legs, soaking her stockings with his own blood.

"Kyoko, assist Akechi to get out of there!"

Gilbert's shout snapped Kyoko back to reality, shifting her softened gaze to him. Almost instantly, she manipulated her feelings into her favor as she gathered her determination. She intensely scanned the surroundings to determine the opening, away from the enemy's sight.

It was almost too late.

"Hang on tight. We're gonna roll!"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The bullets gusted through the wind at an intense and powerful speed, but before the lethal attacks could harm them, Kyoko was able to react just in time. The girl rolled onto the cold pavement, quick, but at the same time careful not to worsen the boy's condition. In the process, Akechi let out a few painful grunts, trying his best to stay conscious as he darted his gaze left and right.

"Goro, how are you feeling?!" Kyoko asked in haste, tiny tears prickling in her eyes.

"Secure him!" Gilbert shouted, referring to Akechi. All this time, he had been leading the team and giving commands beyond Kyoko's awareness. The officers already evacuated the rest of the team, ready to face the culprit.

"I-i'm fine…" With the remaining strength he had, he was able to muster words.

Kyoko's chin quivered, feeling her lips trembling at the sight. Gut-wrenching sobs tore through her chest, her vision starting to get blurry because of tears forcefully making its way out her eyes. She felt her heart crumbling and couldn't handle the insane thoughts and worries passing through her thoughts.

"Stay with me, please… Goro, don't you dare leave me alone…" Words escaped her lips between constant sobs. "Stay strong for me, okay? Please, please… you have to...!"

Her voice cracked as she raised her tone, slightly shaking while she pulled the teen detective's weakening body because of the injury he suffered. She wrapped her arms around him in the midst of the intense battle, almost not giving care to her surroundings just to be able to feel the boy's warmth. 

It was very clumsy and careless for her, but such an instance was still a major attack on her weak mind and soul. The fear of losing some she cares for frightened her the most, feeling the arrival of the nurses was taking years.

"Kyoko, they need you…" Akechi managed to muster in between pants. "Just go! Don't waste your time pitying my current state!"

"I assure you… I am not someone weak who'll leave you now that occurrences are leaning to your favor…!"

With those words, he was able to completely bring Kyoko back to her senses. Before planning to let go, Akechi pulled her closer once more. He placed his hand on her head, burying her face to his shoulder, allowing her to lean on him. A pat of assurance was what Kyoko felt next as the teen ruffled through her lavender locks, building up her determination.

"I will capture the culprit," Kyoko mustered under her breath. "I promise you."

Present

And she did.

Despite her father's great objections, Kyoko fought alongside them in apprehending the evildoer. She was truly legendary, moving with precision and skillfully planned. Her attacks were agile and were able to escape the enemy's eyes with ease, abusing the culprit's blind spots and attacking him there. 

With the support of the officers, Kyoko came out almost unharmed and handcuffed the culprit herself before he could attack her. Though unfortunately, the culprit remained silent during the questioning, the event afterward was taken care of by Gilbert.

In addition to that, while everyone focused their attention on the battle, no one noticed an accomplice of the enemy took the victim's head and destroyed the evidence Kyoko was about to take earlier. At some point, they pretty much lost, but at least they were able to capture the culprit and destroyed their plans.

The next few days from that event, Kyoko spent her time in the hospital taking care of Akechi. She even cooked some healthy meals for him, barely slept, and made some lame jokes trying to cheer him up… which made him smile, of course.

Reminiscing these memories only made him long for the girl even more. And more determined to crack this case and bring her back.

Part 3

The couch never felt so comfortable during the years he lived in this mansion. At the very moment he arrived home, Akechi couldn't resist throwing himself onto the beige couch in their living room, charging at it like it was a prize of some sort. All of the problems and stress were getting to his nerves causing a migraine, and that definitely won't help him in this situation.

He placed his arms on the sides of the sofa as he shook off his thoughts. For a moment, he let his lids fell close to rest. Quickly, he opened his eyes to leave a message, but his movements were halted the moment his brown orbs laid upon a picture by the shelf.

A young bald man carried a brown-haired kid with his hands midair, a rare sight to see a genuine smile on his face. The photo was taken candid, feeling true joyous emotions from the photograph. Akechi tiredly smiled to himself as he locked his gaze on the frame. 

It's been years since the day his father retrieved him from the orphanage after a 'change of heart,' per se. He desperately begged even if it wasn't needed, saying he wanted to make it up for his son… which was him.

Ever since, his father, Shido Masayoshi tried his best to be a good father for him, even spoiling him to some extent. He took care of some things that were hard for Akechi for him, and his efforts weren't left unappreciated.

He couldn't do only one thing, that is, to reveal his son's identity to the public which will ruin his image. After all, he was a politician.

"Thank you, Mui. This is a great help."

"My pleasure. By the way, how are you doing, Shido-san?"

Akechi could hear his father conversing with the young talented doctor Mui Kirishima once again upstairs. Since his arrival at his new home as a child, he had seen her around him quite often and even got close with her beyond his expectations.

She was a brilliant and clever girl, and no wonder Shido trusted her as if she was part of the family. At times, Mui even joined them during their family dinners, blending well among them. 

"Is your son back now?" A refined feminine voice was heard, Akechi's ears perking up.

"Ah, yes. I guess so." Shido replied. He walked to the stairs to confirm, eagerly checking out how the boy was. Akechi immediately pretended to be asleep before his father could see him hearing their conversations.

"Fufu, you're really proud of him, aren't you… Shido-san?"

"Very much." A smile formed in Shido's face as he looked back to Mui, who followed him as they went down the stairs.

"To be honest… I, at first, only wanted to take care of him to redeem myself."

"For I lost another child before… and her mother won't let me see her unless I prove myself to be worthy of her. Ever since her mother died, I didn't know where I could find her."

"But disregarding my original plan, I never regretted taking him in."

Akechi felt his father's sincerity and grief just from the tone of his voice. He opened an eye slightly to see the following occurrences, noticing a bitter smile present on Mui's face as her ruby red eyes were focused on the man's figure. It was as if she understood him that much, or she could somehow relate to his story.

"You truly changed, Shido-san." Mui pulled a closed-eyed smile, much to the man's confusion. "I'm a good influence to you, aren't I~? I knew it!" 

Mui teased once more, earning an earnest chuckle from Shido. "Haha, perhaps. You've become quite full of yourself."

"You always told me to take pride in what I'm doing, after all."

Shido let out a laugh, finally reaching the floor with the doctor. The two exchanged a few more conversations that remained inaudible Akechi, as he felt his fake nap turning into a real one, gradually drifting into sleep.

"By the way, Mui. How are you holding up?"

The next set of words brought Akechi back to reality, almost instantly awakening himself to listen to the next set of conversations. By those words, he immediately knew what his father meant. It was because of the recent death of her foster father, and coincidentally, Akechi witnessed the gruesome thing they did to his body. Plus, he was quite curious too, but he couldn't bring himself to ask. 

"I don't want to think about it for now," Mui smiled, though the quiet cracking of her voice and the agony that lingered in her tone just from the mention of the event was evident.

Shido nodded, not prying into the matter deeper, turning around. On a side note, the doctor checked her watch with a serious expression, before speaking once more.

"I must get going now." Mui said, proceeding to the door. "Farewell, Shido-san… and Goro~"

Oh, she knew that he was faking his sleep all along.

Akechi can almost see the subtle tease from her voice, feeling a cold sweat rolling down his face despite the distributed cold air from the air conditioner. She obviously asked those questions on purpose for the teen to hear, truly knowing what he wanted to know and how to cheer him up. Her sudden words brought shock to Shido, who took a glance at the teen's pretentious figure.

"H-hello, father." Akechi dropped his act as he greeted Shido.

"Welcome back." The man smiled, heading to the opposite sofa to where the teen sat. "Something seems to be bothering you. What's the matter?"

He could totally read his mind.

"Kyoko, she's…" Akechi began, feeling his heart drop. "She's nowhere to be found right now…"

"Kyoko's missing?!" Shido felt his jaw drop. 

"Yes…"

Ring ring ring!

Shido's phone ringing broke through the silence, excusing himself for a moment as he took the urgent call. Akechi took his time to ponder and indulge himself with his thoughts. Moreover, when his brown orbs met the sight of a piano he bought, some memories flashed through his mind. Their first, very fortunate encounter...

It was a piano he bought for Kyoko when he got a bit ahead of himself. At that time, he was passionate about choosing one, believing that one day, they'd be under the same roof. It'd be a great gift for Kyoko, silently hoping to see her play. His father was lenient towards that thought anyway, so he took the opportunity to get one.

Because of the majestic instrument, he couldn't help but let the girl occupy his thoughts.

…which he, in an instant, halted.

"Why would I decide to remember an event…" A bitter smile made its way to his face, his eyes giving off the feeling of a grimace. "...she forgot?"

Akechi let a sigh escape his lips, pushing some of his brown locks. He held his head as he, again, tried to shake off his migraine. Instinctively, he reached out to his detective notebook, feeling the need to check it out.

"I doodled on your notebook! Apparently, it helps me relax. You should try it too!"

That playfully innocent yet gentle voice echoed in his voice, this time, images flashed through his head beyond his will.

A few months ago

In a quiet and uncrowded café, Goro Akechi sat in an empty seat, his movements resembling those of zombies. The bags under his eyes indicated his lack of sleep along with half-lidded eyes. His gloved hand never loosened its grip on his notebook, trying to bring himself to his senses despite barely sleeping by drinking a cup of coffee. 

"Whew…" Another sigh escaped his lips, feeling almost no energy. Disregarding that fact, he proceeded to open his notebook, scanning each detail he wrote during the investigations. 

"Oh, what book are you reading?"

That feminine voice he heard behind him was so familiar, able to recognize the owner even if he was barely aware of his surroundings. The sudden appearance of Kyoko Mochizuki almost made him jolt in shock in his seat, awakening his senses.

"Ah, this is just a notebook where I write notes related to my job." Closing his eyes for a moment, he turned his head.

His eyes widened once his mind registered what he was seeing. Kyoko was almost right in front of his face, the girl's chin almost touched his right shoulder. From this angle, he could see clearly how the girl's cerulean orbs flickered in admiration, as it moved along the lines of his notes. She appeared to be completely engrossed at each detail that passed her eye, picking up the thoughts written and took note of it in the process. The girl was so absorbed as if she was reading a book she always liked, to the point she didn't even notice how close their faces were.

Wait, this is his detective notebook… confidential information is written there!

"And what do you think you are doing?" Before things got out of hand, Akechi abruptly closed the book in his grip, much to Kyoko's confusion.

"Reading your notes…?" Kyoko tilted her head brimming in innocence, walking cheerfully to the unoccupied seat opposite to the boy. With her signature mischievous smile still on her face, she pushed a book from her bag to the boy. 

"Just finished Dust and Shadows." She turned the book to face him. "It's a Sherlock Holmes versus Jack the Ripper novel. Pretty good, to be honest."

"Since it's your recommendation, I'll free some of my time to check it out." A casual smile formed on his lips, taking the book on the table to his side. It was a normal scene for both of them, exchanging novels they liked thanks to their similar tastes. 

Kyoko only grinned at him as a reply to his remarks, placing her chin on her palm to rest her head. Such giddy behavior was never unusual to her, as she tends to be more aloof the closer you get with her. At first, she seemed to be a well-bred and uptight elegant young lady, but soon enough, that image changed into almost the exact opposite of it.

"One frappucino, please." Kyoko ordered after ringing the bell on the table.

"Coming right up." The waiter gave her a nod of acknowledgment before leaving.

"Speaking of which…" Kyoko trailed, pointing her fingers to his eyes. "What's keeping you awake?"

Of course, she'd notice it…

"I'm actually supposed to meet up with your father to ask his thoughts about a case." Akechi spoke, glancing at his watch.

"That's unfortunate. Dad's busy right now." Kyoko spoke, keeping a poker face. Then, a closed-eyed smile crept across her face. "How about I help you instead, Akechi-san?"

"Oh?" Astonishment was all over his features. "My apologies, but this case is highly classified. I'm afraid I can't share it with anyone unrelated to this matter.

"A case about the continuous poisoning of hospital patients, correct?" Snapping her eyes open, her cerulean orbs reflected grimace and seriousness, a rare sight.

"Incidents that occurred in the same hospital aren't related at all, and you can't find some sort of trait that's common to all victims… which results in the reason behind the murder remaining unknown."

"No matter how much you dig, there isn't anything that could lead to the motive…"

"The fact that it all occurred in the same hospital makes you think that there is only one person or group behind it… but taking similar occurrences that happened in different hospitals, you could see a tiny bit of relation among the victims."

"How did you get your hands on information such as this?" Akechi, astounded, asked as his eyes grew wide after processing each word that left the girl's lips. Most of it wasn't even written in his notes earlier, but all he got was another playful smile. 

"Right… Mochizuki-san did mention that he was having a hard time keeping confidential documents." Akechi pieced it together, sighing once again.

"Heh… you're really calling us both Mochizuki-san!" Kyoko cupped her mouth, causing the teen detective to sweatdrop. 

"Ehem. As I was saying… Have you tried investigating the hospital with most cases? Why would they allow such incidents to happen frequently? What measures did they make to counter and prevent events happening in the future?"

Bingo. So that's what he had been missing all the time.

"Instinctively, you'll first try to determine the motive behind it. But for me, a lot seems to be misleading…"

"For example…?" Akechi was clearly eager to listen to the next set of thoughts.

"Everything that leads to the thought that there is only one group behind it. What if that's what they want you to think, and end up capturing only one of them and letting the rest on the loose? Worst-case, it might even be a decoy."

"So, simply put… you're telling me to consider all possibilities and think outside the box?" Akechi confirmed, taking notes of the girl's words. 

"Jackpot!" Kyoko winked as she gave a nod of acknowledgment. 

"Dang. That was a lot of talking." The girl sighed. "I just get carried away when I think of this stuff and end up blabbering."

"Perhaps, you're quite similar to your father." Akechi smiled, sipping on his coffee. 

"Maybe, maybe not~?" Kyoko chuckled before sipping on her own drink.

"Oh!" Out of blue, Kyoko exclaimed. "I just came up with a method to confirm stuff."

"I'd be honored if you'd let me hear it."

"I can accidentally trip, my head will bleed, then send me to the Hayasaka Hospital." Kyoko plotted, her words contradicting. "Pretend to be a close friend or even my boyfriend. You're extremely devastated, off-guard, and your focus is only on your grieving…"

"That's a bit too risky…"

"But in truth, you don't care. You're observing your surroundings well, and taking note of suspicious actions." Kyoko proudly spoke. "Actually, I think I'm related to one of the victims, so—"

"What kind of rubbish is this, Kyoko?"

Upon hearing the sudden intrusion, Akechi shifted his head to the side, his eyes meeting the sight of Gilbert Mochizuki, his mentor arriving at their appointment. Well, he almost forgot it because he was so absorbed in his conversation with the girl. 

He stole a glance at Kyoko, seeing her completely shocked, almost terrified. 

"I figured that you messed with my schedule again to purposely make me an hour late to my appointment…" Gilbert spoke intimidatingly, setting his suitcase aside.

"But I'll let this pass. You seemed to have helped Akechi-kun." 

"She truly did." Responding in a split second, Akechi presented a friendly smile.

The moment Kyoko registered those words in her mind, she couldn't stop herself from averting her gaze to the side, her ears gradually heating up. Slightly shaking her head, she scratched random thoughts that lingered in her mind.

"Pleased to help ya, Akechi-san~" Kyoko hummed, standing from her seat. "I'll take my leave now. I hope you two have a good time."

As she walked right past Akechi, he felt a small card slipped inside his back, feeling goosebumps crawl beneath his skin at her cold touch.

Present

It was her calling card. What a hilarious way to secretly lend it to him.

Ever since, the two slowly opened up even more to each other taking small steps, spending lots of adventures together… In secret, mostly. Especially from her own father, because of varied reasons.

He truly didn't expect much at first. They both favored books of similar genres which connected them once again, and he was thankful that moment in the park happened, allowing them to connect.

"Son, please excuse me. There's something I have to take care of." 

His father's own voice snapped him out of his train of thoughts, glancing at him before nodding as a signal to tell him to proceed. As he was back to reality, the current situation struck him…

That Kyoko was missing.

Missing, somewhere they were still yet to find.

Part 4

A day passed by unknowingly. 

An empty, stressful, and a new day awaiting them. The two detectives were already far beyond just anxious, having troubles in maintaining their sanity. Ever since the unfortunate news reached his ears, Akechi's dysthymia was at its worst. 

He tapped his foot impatiently as he sat in the passenger seat, steadying his gaze to the view outside the window. His distinct change in his facial features said it all, that worried, a bit irritated, and troubled expression on his face was so different from what he'd normally show. There was no need to wear a jolly mask in this situation, prioritizing his thoughts on Kyoko's safety. 

The teen detective's mind was so on the top, filled with different possibilities he considered in this case in hand. A few leads drove him to so many thoughts and guesses, not showing any signs of stopping his mind from functioning nor any desires to rest. This case was even out of his jurisdiction, but he forcefully insisted to join his mentor. 

Unexpectedly, Gilbert allowed him to join him in the investigation. It was not because his mind was tainted with personal emotions, but he welcomed him in quite the casual approach.

The senior detective drove his car, his cerulean eyes like Kyoko's focused on the road along with almost his entire attention. The silence was lingering between the two during the entire travel, a thick and heavy air surrounding them.

That was until the young detective spoke.

"Where are we heading to exactly?" Akechi asked in a curt manner. 

"After breaking down the leads, I plan to scout the hideout of an organ trafficking syndicate." Gilbert began, maintaining his gaze on the road. "In fact, the police had their eyes on that organization for a while now, waiting to strike. I'm just going to confirm if its security system remained the same."

"And what do you want me to do, Mochizuki-san?" Akechi asked once more, raising an eyebrow a bit.

"I want you to keep an eye to the exteriors of the place. Check the location of surveillance cameras, how many guards are present, and their shift."

The teen detective felt a cold sweat rolling down his forehead, pressing his lips into a straight line, trying to contain his shock on the sudden mission in hand. He made sure to take note of everything the older told him, attentively listening.

"Is it possible that Kyoko was taken by those people?" 

"Precisely." Gilbert complimented. "As a matter of fact, the leader had a grudge against me."

"The problem is, the place was hidden from the map a few days ago…"

"So once we get there and I don't return within five minutes, drive the car then ask for backup." 

"You expect me to leave you there?" Astounded, Akechi felt his eyes grow wide at the sudden statement. Is it that dangerous?

"Of course." Gilbert replied. "To be honest… I shouldn't be bringing a child with me."

Ring ring ring!

The ringtone signified an incoming call. It also signified the end of their conversation.

Gilbert knitted his eyebrows, feeling the urgency of the call he received. For a moment, he set the hazard light on, as he set the vehicle aside. In a haste, he picked up the phone call, hearing an unexpected voice he hasn't heard in a while…

"D-dad?"

Hearing her faint voice lit up the teen's hopes.

“My heartbeat fastened the moment that faint, trembling, and soft voice reached my ears.”

“She was alive… and that alone is the best news I could ever hear that time.”

A/N: Finally done! That was tiring!  DX How's the chapter, everyone? Did you enjoy it?

Welp, we're finally at the intense stuff.

Ahahaha, I should shut up before I end up spilling some spoilers! > < All I can say is, the next chapter is insanely intense!

Shower us with support until then~ Thanks for reading!

xoxo,
Eth.