Prey and Predator [Ranpo x Reader] + Bonus ✓

7. Ring Binder

I woke up to the sound of dishes cluttering together and the running water rushing over their ceramic surfaces. The sound was somewhat distant, and from this, I gathered I was not in the kitchen where the plates and cups were being washed at.

Forcing myself to sit up, I brought my arms together and connected them by the wrists, stretching these forward and proceeding to scratch at an irritant spot on my head. I was lying in bed - my bed - but I had no memory of coming here during the night.

I tried recalling all I could; the last thing I remember seeing was my mother's face, distressed, calling my name, the sirens wailing behind us. The police came after my brother had called them. After he told them he'd seen someone in the process of dying. Someone buried outside to their waist. A replica of the case I had read about.

I can't read anymore about dad's cases. Whether coincidence or not, I'm taking a break from them.

'Good morning, sleeping beauty.'

My brother was silently standing by the doorframe, body leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed at his chest. His torso bore an apron with its fabric wet, and it was no doubt he'd been the one washing the dishes which woke me from my slumber.

'You slept for a while. We thought you wouldn't wake up at all at some point,' he announced, coming closer to my figure and placing the back of his hand on my forehead. 'You were heating up during the night a lot. I had to change the towel on your head a couple of times.'

'You were taking care of me during the night?'

'No, I was milking the neighbour's cow,' he stated sarcastically, then smiled 'Of course I was. Do you think I'd get a good night's sleep after seeing you faint in mum's arms? Ah, you think too little of my love for you.'

'You should sleep then,' I replied, looking at the digital clock I had by my bedside table to calculate how long he'd remained awake for. 'Shoot! I'm late for school! Why didn't you -'

He put his hand on my shoulder and stopped me from getting up from the bed. 'Chill, relax. I called the school in already. I said you weren't feeling well so you have nothing to worry about.' Setting himself on my desk chair, he spun himself once - it was a childish thing everyone was prone to do once sat in a chair which rotated, no matter the age - and then adjusted himself to face me. 'Don't consider this a holiday, though. They said they'd have someone from your class bring in the work by the end of the day. Teachers really can't wait nowadays, can they?'

'I don't speak to anyone. Who'd have offered to bring in the work for me?'

He shrugged. 'An unfortunate lad picked on by the teacher after no one else offered to do so, who knows. Either way, that should be the least of your worries. Come, I'll make you something to eat.'

His hand outstretched in an offer to assist me up from bed, which I accepted, and once I'd found the balance necessary to support myself, I headed towards the door which had been left open, stalking down the corridor in my slippers while they scratched against the wooden planks of the floor - it was deadly quiet today.

The door to my parents' bedroom was open, so I peeked in out of curiosity; mum was lying down on her side of the futon laid out in the middle of the room, undoubtedly asleep after having her sleep disturbed by the previous night's occurrences, and dad was sitting up beside her, flicking through the pages of the novel I had bought him just a couple of days ago.

'[Y/N],' he whispered once he'd noticed I was standing by the door watching him read. He closed his book and settled it down, reaching an arm towards me to have me go towards him. I did so and he wrapped it around me. 'Your mother told me about your fainting. I was worried sick. Are you feeling better?' - I nodded to his question - 'I'm glad. Your brother must take it from the maternal side at looking after people,' he said, looking past my shoulder and offering a kind smile.