Prisoner's Conviction (Yandere Detective x Reader x Yandere Heirs)

Chapter 37: Puzzle Piece

Acting as strange as he had since being a witness to perhaps the most difficult case he'd run into, Hotaka lingered on the stairs of his home. He had spent the entire night guarding Ryota, and though he did have the choice of sleeping over there for at least six hours, he had opted to return. It wasn't often that he pulled all-nighters, knowing to take care of himself in at least that regard. However, sleeping hadn't been on the table with all the weight placed on his shoulders. He only counted himself lucky that he didn't feel the effect of his sleep loss.

In fact, he felt wide awake, trying to utilize what little information he had to the fullest. There wasn't much he could do, but he still kept staring at the facts in front of him. Usually, he could point out a near-perfect motive simply from taking note of how the victim was killed and where the body was disposed of, but he had didn't even have the name of who was murdered. He could have sworn the person had white hair, but there was little use relying on his memory when it had been clearly affected by the immediate shock of being a witness himself.

Rocking back and forth on his heels, he bit down on his fingernail out of frustration before the sound of creaking became evident to him. Looking behind him, he watched as his older sister leaned against the wall and crossed her arms over her chest. She didn't look pleased to see him awake at six in the morning, and even less so with the file in his hands. It was obvious what he was up to.

"O'tka," she sighed, shaking her head as she noticed how he visibly regressed, "I told you to get some sleep. Were you here all night?"

The girl moved forward, tucking the one lone strand of red hair behind her ear before walking down the stairs just a bit. And while the younger boy moved aside to let her pass, giving her ample room, he continued to hold an uncomfortable look at what she had called him. Though she dismissed it, something not uncommon at all, the girl still took interest in the file. Attempting to grab it from him, she was more shocked at him moving it out of her grasp.

"I assume it's a murder. If so, what's the problem here?"

"Being a prosecutor doesn't entitle you to information of a case you aren't working on."

"What? What's with that? Do we really care about that stupid law the Athainian - "

"Nahkii!"

The dark haired woman paused, her eyes widening just slightly before she returned to a look of neutrality. Crossing her arms back over her chest, she gave a huff through her nose. That was completely bizarre behavior for her normally level-headed and giving younger brother. Then again, there was a noticeable difference between giving a confidential case file and a lollipop. Regardless, she couldn't help but call him out on in while she began to get some breakfast ready for her younger siblings.

"I don't like it when you protect me."

Hotaka did not appear surprised by the comment made, but it was more likely that he was hiding it from her sight. And though he would have usually helped make lunchboxes alongside her, there wasn't much point in doing so when tensions were already high. Instead, the purple-haired male opted to go to the university early, presumably to meet with club members or to see a friend. Either way, Nahkii couldn't help her habits. Putting aside the chore for but a moment, she leaned on the doorway to watch him as far as she could, just to make sure he didn't get hurt. But it wasn't him she should have been looking out for.

. . .

Chewing on a piece of gum, Hotaka saw to occupy his buzzing mind by pulling himself up and over on the bars. He'd been doing so for about thirty minutes, the Major having already started his own morning routine. Still, he had enough room in his schedule to place some weights on the younger boy's ankles and monitor him every now and again to make sure he was doing alright. Of course, he had never messed up and accidently dislocated his shoulder despite the extra weights, but it was always good to check up on him.