Prey and Predator [Ranpo x Reader] + Bonus ✓

26. Changed

Brother accompanied me to school the following morning, only leaving the gate once he had ensured I had walked inside the school building safely and opened the store only during the few hours I spent at the said institution.

I stayed in my class during lunchtime, at the back of the room, to read the letter Chie had written for me - yesterday was too packed with action and emotion, that any further information would drive me insane.

Dear [Y/N] [L/N],

Perhaps it may come through as sarcasm, but honest to God, I am sorry for all that's happened. And I will take full responsibility for my actions while in prison (stalking is a crime, and if that doesn't suffice, I will serve for attempted murder - it serves me right).

Your mother was a good person turned bad, I'm sure of it - she was a nurse in her former years, of course she was good; my uncle happened to be thorns to your mother's blossoming rose. I apologise on his behalf.

I will not excuse any of my actions with cheap justification such as "I was forced to do it" - I wasn't. Anyone who heard of this case would perhaps think the violence I sometimes faced at home because of the brother I never met may be considered as "being forced to do it", but nothing justifies cooperating with a serial killer... I apologise for this...

I offer to pay for your dad's funeral, and any expenses that come along with it (if you wish to have such a ceremony take place) - but I will cover all expenses in cash even if nothing is bought to honour him. It is the least I can do, and I know it won't bring that light back... but I cannot do much more...

I never planned to shoot your partner - the tall, blond one. Nor did I plan on shooting anyone, in fact, except myself; I did not look at the security cameras, and walked around in crutches hoping that you'd hear and advance towards the victim. I played my part in acting suspiciously when I checked back in the room that time, and left you to talk the boy out of his fear alone - I wanted you to escape.

But I never expected to see someone waiting for me inside your brother's room; that's when I panicked. I retrieved a gun I had found inside one of the drawers inside your parents' room and shot him out of panic - I saw metal in his hand and grew fearful of death, believing he wasn't going to hesitate at shooting me with it. I'm the bad person in this story, I know... he did hesitate... and wasn't holding a normal pistol, either...

I made way towards the room I kept the victim at, and wasn't sure whether I'd blown the scheme you had had; I thought you'd only sent the blond man over (he was looking around in the closet), and I'd blown the only chance at returning the boy... That's when your brother came by - God, he must hate me now. I was apprehended before him by a white-haired boy, who had a ripped-out piece of paper from a notebook transform into handcuffs.

There's nothing more to say except that I am sorry... Sorry for what I did and for deceiving your brother, sorry for your father... and I'm sorry for all this. I sent a key to your brother of my house, so please feel free to take anything you find valuable or interesting, and do not hesitate in trashing the place if you so desire.

I don't wish to take any more of your time, and I want to remind you that you are lucky to have great people surrounding you. Your brother and those detectives went above and beyond, especially that little one. I figured he trusts you a lot, more than anyone has ever trusted me, to the point he put his life on the line for it, and I admit I may be jealous of it. But I only ask that you thank him, and thank him honestly from the depths of your heart when you get the chance.

Good luck with your studies and I'm sure you'll do fine for upcoming examinations despite all these immediate events - you're strong-willed and ambitious, and your strength is something worth envying. But I do not wish you bad because of such, quite the contrary: I wish that you achieve everything you want in life. That and beyond.