Desperate times call for desperate measures

•Chapter 3•

The boy could not stop moving on the bus. He would continue to hum and even start to dance. Shuichi watched him, and eventually decided to say something,
    "Name?"
    "Sato!"
    "Really?"
    "No." Shuichi sighed, like usual. It would be difficult working with a liar, "My name is Kokichi Ouma! You?"
    "You know my location, my and my uncle's job, what type of lock I have but don't know my name?"
    "I'm not all-knowing. Just can find out a lot by one simple detail."
    "Well, I'm Shuichi Saihara."
    "Hello Shuichi!" Kokichi promptly turned himself back to the front and resumed bopping his head to the rhythm of the tune in his head.
    Shuichi rubbed his eyes. Despite waking up later than anticipated, he was still tired. And hungry. Kokichi shoved him out the door before he could eat anything. He was pretty sure he had to stop by the firm before he left but it was too late now; they went in the complete opposite direction.
   "Oi, are you getting out?" Kokichi poked Shuichi in the arm. Shuichi was so encapsulated in his thoughts that he didn't notice they'd arrived at the train station. He stood up quickly, anxious about missing it. Kokichi snickered from behind him and ushered him off the bus.
   
   "One iced coffee and a hot chocolate please!" Shuichi sighed as Kokichi ordered drinks at the station. He really was a child. He giggled and thanked the cashier before handing Shuichi his coffee.
   "How old did you say you were again?" They stood in a corner and began to sip their drinks. Shuichi kind of thought it was rude to ask, but on the other hand, he kind of wanted to know.
   "I don't know, detective, why did you order an iced coffee in the middle of winter?"
    Shuichi hadn't thought of that. He evaded the question, but Kokichi's question was a fair one.
    "It's refreshing, especially since you didn't let me drink this morning. And you don't have to keep calling me detective."
   "Hm..how's Shumai?"
   "Shumai...? Why can't you just use my real name?"
   "I use nicknames. Now Shumai, take it or leave it." Shuichi sighed for about the 15th time since the conversation started. This boy was exhausting to speak to.
   "Fine, Shumai, whatever." Shuichi acquiesced since he really had nothing to lose. And really, he'd never been given a nickname before and he kind of wanted to try it out.
   "Great!" He chugged down all of his hot chocolate and threw it in a nearby bin.
   "...Wasn't that scorching hot?"
   "I am immune." By the way tears formed in Kokichi's eyes, and how much he was sweating, Shuichi assumed that he wasn't immune.
    They stood in silence for a while. They still had to wait 15 minutes before the next train and the only thing that they could do to kill time was talk, and it seemed like both parties didn't want to do that. Shuichi finished his coffee long after Kokichi did, and he had to admit, it was extremely refreshing.
    "26." Kokichi said as Shuichi returned from putting his coffee in the bin.
    "What?"
    "That's how old I am!"
    "No, no, you are clearly lying. You can't be 26." Shuichi was 26 himself, and they did not look the same age, he can guarantee that.
    "Am not!" Kokichi shoved his ID in Shuichi's face. Sure enough, under his name read '21st June 1995', "See!"
   "You don't look like you're 26."
   "Thank you! Just means I'll look 40 at 70!"
   "I guess so." Shuichi chuckled, and they continued to banter until the train arrived. Kokichi grabbed Shuichi's backpack (which he had left on the floor to drink the coffee) and bolted for one of the train's open doors. He turned backwards and put his index finger to his lips. Not so much in a silencing motion, but slightly curved. He acquainted it with a wink.
   Shuichi let out a small smile and darted after him.

The train ride was long. Boring. And with Kokichi's unusual taste in music, as he hummed along to whatever song came to his head first, it made it annoying too. Kokichi's bubbliness and their new chemistry made it so to any random passenger, they were just a couple of friends going to the next city over, not investigating a murder. Shuichi had to remind himself that this was strictly business, and that people had lost their lives to a killer that would continue to take lives if he didn't figure this out soon enough. As much as he tried, he could not understand Kokichi's happiness. How he could be so optimistic in times where people ended up being killed. He thought maybe - just maybe - it was to soften the blow a little. Shuichi was strained and pressured by this investigation, and had been ever since he was commissioned to investigate. Kokichi knew this. Probably. He seemed to know every little detail about Shuichi.
  "I'm not all-knowing. Just can find out a lot by one simple detail."
   Somehow Shuichi could find a hint of empathy in his grin of joy.
   He stared out the window. The trees and houses rushed past, blurred as they went. He shut his eyes and imagined. He could hear faint chatter amongst other passengers, as well as Kokichi tapping his foot against the floor. Other than that, there wasn't much sound. This was the most calm before the storm he had gotten in a long time. The last time he had gotten something like this was months ago - even before the prank calls. Shuichi felt unsettled for the longest time and couldn't keep his thoughts in one place. Now, he actually got to sit and think about things he's been meaning to think about for a while.
   He wanted to talk to Kaede again. Maybe ask to hang out. He still felt the same feelings he'd had for her back then, but she's with someone else, and although Shuichi had come to terms with that long ago, it seems him not replying to her messages would prove otherwise. Even though he knew he could never rekindle his relationship with her again, it wasn't worth losing the friendship they had together. He actually missed speaking to her the most out of everyone he had left behind. She was the one who took him out of his shall the most.
   He wanted to get out more. Talk to more people, make more friendships that he hoped would last instead of receiving their numbers and never adding them to his contact list. His mind jumped immediately back to Kaito and Maki. Even though he felt like a third wheel around them, they always made him feel special and worth something. Part of the group. They were the most well known group in his college. Kaito's eccentricities and notability for standing up for what's right, even when it doesn't benefit him at all. Maki's horrifying glare and her way with words, enough to make anyone's ego boost just a little bit. And Shuichi. Shy and reserved but always backing up whatever Kaito has to say with facts and making sure people don't stray the wrong path. Shuichi wanted a relationship like that again.
   He thought about his uncle and Kirumi. What were they doing? Why did he need to talk to her yesterday? What work is Kirumi getting on without him? He thought he should text her; maybe even tell her he has a little spy on the inside. She wouldn't say anything, she was about as reserved as Shuichi was. Maybe that's what made them good friends. He thought about how his uncle must be worried sick, not that he isn't ever anyway. But this might take a little more strain on his heart.
   The biggest thought on his mind was this boy. Well, not a boy, since he and Shuichi are the same age, but Shuichi hadn't gotten his head around that yet. Why was he so happy? What's he got to be happy about? Does he know what Shuichi got him into? Shuichi felt a tug of guilt in his heart. Although Kokichi was more than fine with working on his case with him, Shuichi still felt awful since he had just dragged a stranger into solving a murder case with him. This could get him killed and he doesn't even have the experience for it.
   Kokichi could clearly see this, because as Shuichi's eyes fluttered open (since his peace had been disturbed), he showed him a smile. One a little less cheerful, and something more comforting. Shuichi couldn't help but smile back, because the smile reminded him of Kaede.