Three Dollars and a Singular Cent

What's Wrong With Man's Laughter?

HEY TW FOR TRANSPHOBIA also I'm sorry if any of the legal shit is inaccurate. I tried my best.

~ * ~

You woke up to Shin in your arms and knocking at the door. Ignoring the former, you assumed that Alice would answer the latter.

The person began to ring the doorbell. Shin stirred awake, then realized how close he was to you and wiggled away a bit. You wondered why Alice hadn't answered the door until you realized.

Alice never ended up coming home, did he?

You threw the sheets off of you and quickly made your way to the front door. When you opened it, you saw a police officer standing there. He looked tired.

You weren't expecting to see a police officer at your door on a Sunday at eight in the morning. "...Hello? Can I help you?"

The man cleared his throat, "Yeah. Does Miss Reko Yabusame live here?"

You paused, "Did she do something illegal?"

"Mx., please just answer the question." He paused, "No, Miss Yabusame did not do anything illegal."

"...Then, yes. She lives here."

"May I speak to her?"

"Uhm..." Shin sluggishly made his way downstairs with one of your throw blankets wrapped around his shoulders. "...She's not home right now. I can call her, though. Come inside..." You led the officer to the living room, and Shin watched you from the bottom of the staircase. "I'll be upstairs for a minute." When you walked past Shin, you whispered for him to keep an eye on the guy while you made a call.

~ * ~

"What's so important that you had to wake me up at eight in the fuckin' morning, Y/N?" Reko stomped through the front door. You and Shin were sitting on the sofa across from the officer, and you all turned to look at her when she walked in. Reko froze for a minute, "Did I do something illegal?"

"If you did, that's not what I'm here for. Please, have a seat, Miss Yabusame." The officer said. Reko hesitantly sat down next to you.

She whispered in your ear, "Where the fuck is Alice?!"

You whispered back, "I have no fucking idea. He went to get groceries and never came back."

"Reko, you are Alice Yabusame's younger sister, is that correct?"

Reko looked confused, but honestly, who wasn't? "...Yes. Did Alice do something? Where is he?"

The officer inhaled deeply. "Alice Yabusame was taken into custody yesterday at 7:09 in the evening. He was charged with voluntary manslaughter."

The three of you sat on the couch and stared at the officer in shock.

"Who..." Shin's voice was shaky, "Who was the victim?"

"A man by the name of Sou Hiyori—." Shin made a muffled sound of discomfort, "Hiyori was pronounced dead minutes before Alice was arrested. Your," The officer made eye contact with Reko, "Brother beat the victim to death. By the time the officers and medical officials had arrived on the scene, Hiyori had already ceased."

You were confused, "Officer, if you don't mind me asking, why was he charged with voluntary manslaughter instead of just murder? I'm not too familiar with legal terms when it comes to... death."

"When he was confronted about the situation, Alice described the scene as 'seeing red.' He'd blacked out upon seeing Sou Hiyori, and when he 'woke up,' he was lying dead in front of Alice."