𝐈 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐝

viii | ducit amor patriae

translation — "love of country leads me"
song recommendation — girl of your dreams by dylan

" one bad habit, they call me an addict

i'm too damn tragic to be this romantic

a three word panic that i keep on hidin' from you "

present day, 2023
beika city

"What made you think calling me here at six in the morning was a good idea?" Tamaki grumbled, taking the coffee offered to her by the doctor in front of her.

Ishida Uryu sighed, leading her down the hall of Haido Central Hospital. "Believe me, if it weren't necessary, I wouldn't have called at all," he replied, making her raise an eyebrow in questioning. "Listen, last night, a Jane Doe came in, all beaten and bloody. She slipped into a coma shortly after she was cleaned up. We took blood samples and ran them, came up with nothing."

He stopped in front of one room and opened the door, leading Tamaki inside. She grimaced at the stark contrast of the white bandages against bruised skin.

"We were hoping that maybe you could take a sample of blood to your crime lab, see if you can get any results on her identity?"

She hummed, taking a few steps forward to get a closer look at the woman on the bed. She nagged at her in her gut about this woman. Why did she get the feeling she knew this woman? She shook her head and looked back at Uryu.

"Where's the blood sample?"

~ — — — ~

"What are you kids doing?"

Tatsuya beamed up at his uncle. "Uncle Jinpei!"

The man cracked a small smile. "The question still stands, little rascal," he said, looking over at the other kids who were wandering the Kurosaki apartment.

Ayumi and Genta were peeking into a photo album that he was sure contained photos from Tamaki's time in Karakura Town, Mitsuhiko was looking around the kitchen, Conan was browsing her bookshelves, and Haibara was sitting on the couch.

"You know what, nevermind. Where's your mom, kiddo?"

"Uncle Uryu called her to Haido Central Hospital for something," Tatsuya answered with a pout. "I wanted to come along since I haven't seen him in a while, but Mama said no."

Jinpei hummed, a spark of curiosity flaring up. For Tamaki to not bring her son to see one of his favorite uncles, the matter they needed to talk about must have been too serious for his young ears to hear. He looked over at Ayumi and Genta.

"I'd be careful with that photo album," he told them sternly. "Tamaki's very protective over it."

"Huh?" Ayumi blinked. "Why?"

"They're photos taken when she still lived in her hometown," he explained with a light shrug. "Some of the people in those photos, she hasn't seen them in a long time."

"Can't she just go and visit?" Genta asked blankly.

Jinpei grimanced. "Some of them are dead," he revealed, causing an uncomfortable silence to fall over them. He cleared his throat. "Anyone want a drink?"