Tranquil [Kishou Arima X Reader]

Part 8

After another visit to the hospital, Fura-san allowed me to properly enter the headquarters. The first time I did, with blood dripping from my shoulder wound and with a pronounced stagger, he sent me straight to the doctor, claiming that I was dirtying the recently cleaned floors. Which I was, to a certain extent. Okay a large extent. 

"Hmm. You look like a dead body. Again." Came the usual comment from my ever-sweet senior, Fura-san. "Hai hai. Arigatou for nothing." I would've added a 'baka' in there, but I could never have insulted a senior, especially one who took care of me like I was his sister. I was the topper, the best in class. Someone who previously had been intimidated by Fura-san himself. 

Anyway, I came staggering in and slumped in my chain, preparing myself to look over the list of missing persons. Thankfully, it was all recorded in a convenient database that allowed for search options. I pictured the half-ghoul in my mind, entering the fields with whatever characteristics I could positively remember, which were many, considering I'd fought him at such close quarters. Finally, after a lot of, what I would imagine, whirring and sighs from the computer, I got a list of 30 missing people with a matching description. I groaned, I would have to look at thirty faces and confirm or reject. I hoped that I wouldn't forget the ghoul's face by the time I reach 10. 

I scanned the characteristics I could enter, maybe I could add one more to further reduce the number. I considered the missing people from beyond two months, considering that he would have to get used to being a ghoul and becoming as powerful as the half-ghoul was. Before I could begin, an old friend of mine came by, maybe I could ask him how long it took for him to become a good fighter, considering he was a half-ghoul as well. But maybe it would be insensitive to do so since I'd heard that he'd forgotten his life before the CCG. 

"Haise-san, how are you?" I asked, cheerfully. He was one of the most puntastic people I'd ever met. "Aah, [Name]. I'm good. You?" "Oh, good good." "So, what are you working on? I hear you're working with my father." I blinked. But then he continued, "I mean, Arima-san." Smiling, I asked, "You consider Arima-san as your father?" "Hai. And Akira-san as my mother." For a moment, I had a sinking feeling. Arima-san and Akira-san? Was there something between them? 

Shaking my head slightly, I dismissed the thought. "I'm working on the same case as before, except now it's got a lot more characters. Somehow all of them seem like they work in a drama company. What about you?" "Same. But all my ghouls are like me." I perked up, "They're all half-ghouls?" "Nope, they're all sasserious." I hit my head against the table. "Haise-san... Naze?" "Because I'm a pundit." 

I couldn't help it.

 "Pundit-san, you are punthetic."

"Pathetic? Look who's talking."

Before I could reply, "Get sasserious, you two." Came an emotionless voice. The two of us looked up to see Arima-san entering, with a slight smirk on his face. Our eyes widened, did he just...?

"[Name]-san, did you find anything?" Back to business, "Yes, I've got 30 names, thought I would reduce it further to.." "Go on then, check them out and get me a maximum of 5." "Hai, Arima-san." "Sasaki, your report?" And then I tuned out, getting to my work. 

There was this one moment when Arima-san's attention was directed elsewhere, Haise-san and I gave each other a wide-eyed look, remembering Arima-san's entry. My lips turned up when I remembered the smirk when he'd used 'sasserious', it reminded me of a child who just used a big word. Shaking my head, I resumed working.  

Considering two months as the safest amount of time, I put it in. After a lot of what I imagined to be whirring and sighing, 18 names popped up. I groaned. "Okay. Two and a half." 12 names. Wow. Six people missing in two weeks? I gave myself a moment, stretching my arms and legs out. "Three?" I muttered uncertainly, thinking whether I should. "[Name], three months. That's actually lesser, humans turned into ghouls need more time to get used to the fact, because most get turned against their will." Came Arima-san's voice, from very nearby. My head snapped sideways, and I had to hold my breath. "Breathe." Came his voice, very lightly, his breath brushed over my lips and nose. My stupefied self started and I jerked away, "Gomen, Arima-san." I whispered, only to get a chuckle in reply.

"Three." He repeated, and I complied. It brought the number down to 6. I whooped mentally, readying myself to look through the list. Arima-san grabbed a chair and sat right next to me. We checked out the six people, two of them looked like the half-ghoul. There were minor differences, some scratches here, some wounds there. We kept it at two and began our investigation of them. 

Two hours passed, but it amounted to nothing. Both were students, both stayed alone, no living relations, no associations between them... Nothing. 

"[Name]-san, let's take a break. It's lunch time! Let's go see what dish will be 'resonaant' with your taste buds." Came Haise-san's chirpy voice. Arima-san nodded, "Let's." The three of us made our way to Haise-san's favorite place. A charming shop called ':re'. Haise-san smiled at the waitress in the shop, making me grin and poke his side. "Ie, [Name]-san! She's just a friend." He said, laughing awkwardly and touching his chin with his hand. I merely laughed and said, "Hai hai, Haise-san." in a teasing tone. It made the guy blush, and made me laugh harder. 

As the waitress, a pretty lady named Touka-san, brought our lunch and coffee, I couldn't help but think that these were the moments that would flash in my mind if and when I get grievously injured. Injured enough to be on the verge of death. It didn't bring any fear to my mind though, because it was inevitable. But I would play this out to the end.

That much I knew.