La Petit Mort

15

"Did you dye your hair?" Diluc asked, taking a sip of his coffee. 

"No, actually, this just sort of happened bit by bit," Baizhu stared at the black strands handing over his shoulder. The lower half of his hair had all turned dark. He didn't know the cause and he certainly didn't dye it. 

"You're not staying away from your neighbor, are you?" Diluc sighed. 

"What?" 

"I can tell, you're not nearly as stiff when you talk about him and you're avoiding telling me anything significant so either you did stay away from him and don't know anything or you've become attached and don't want to tell me anything." 

"What about if I'm getting closer to learning something and just haven't yet?" 

"So, you admit to not listening to me?" Diluc crossed his arms. 

"I don't know what it is about him," Baizhu held his forehead in his hand, elbow resting on the table. "I can't seem to stay away." 

"You sound as if you've fallen for him." 

Baizhu didn't reply. 

"You haven't seriously fallen for him, have you?" Diluc slammed his hand on the table. Heads turned in the cafe so he quickly calmed himself. "Do I need to remind you that you've seen this man kill someone?" Diluc seethed. 

"Everyone thought I was hallucinating, what if they were right?" 

"What kind of drugs does he have you on?" 

"You've never had a phase where you liked someone you shouldn't?" 

"I have never fallen for someone I thought was a murderer. No." Diluc shook his head and crossed his arms. He frowned, obviously disappointed. "If you decide to come back to your senses, you know my number." He gathered his things and exited the cafe. Baizhu was left alone, thinking about his invisible crimes. 

"It's not evil to like someone..." He frowned. "Right, Mr. Cop?" He adjusted his glasses and smiled in a way that felt unfamiliar to him. He shook his head, trying to regain his senses then looked down at his outfit. It wasn't just his hair that was changing. His wardrobe seemed different too. He pulled at his shirt, confused. 

"Since when did I wear black turtlenecks?" Baizhu ignored it and wandered out. He walked the streets looking for something interesting to pass the time. If all else failed, he could go back home and study. 

"I should've become a banker instead," Baizhu sighed. "That's what my parents wanted anyway." He closed his eyes and slapped his cheeks lightly. "No, no, no, no. I have my own goals, yeah?"