The Big Book Of Amaguji

A Parting Gift Of What Wasn't Mine; Please Accept Its Origins That Led You To Me

"Isn't this kind of over the top?"

Rantaro's head turned away from his pillow to spot Shuichi crawling around on all fours before he scurried to his feet. He dipped his hat in a quick apology.

"I know. Sorry, Amami."

Rantaro nodded, "I wanted to see you actually, but like, after my nap."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, I have to leave later, but we have some time."

Rantaro slipped off of his bed and got on his knees. He grabbed the decorative box from under his bed and handed it to his friend.

"Open it in your room. I'll be over in a sec."

Shuichi raised his eyebrow, honeycomb colored eyes flared in curiosity. As a detective, vague and bleak statements cause suspicion, but excitement accompanies it, like an old friend; especially when he was struggling with another cold case from years ago, he needed an outlet for his pent up stress.

But, he will soon come to realize that this was not what he needed.

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"A pair of razor blades?"

Shuichi opened his desk's drawer to take out a pair of rubber gloves before picking them up. He could see the stains of brown coating the edges, which boosted the adrenaline he kept dormant for months.

"I found them on the ground near the cafeteria trash," he lied, "I can't do anything with them so I brought them to you."

Shuichi looked in his desk drawer again to find a clean metal tray.

"Does that drawer have everything?" Rantaro asked in a playful manner.

"Only things that come in use instantly, or just for small investigations, " he laid the blades onto the tray, "you don't mind me testing the substance, right?"

"No, but I want to know the results afterwards," he looked around to spot a digital clock hung on his wall, "gotta run though, see ya."

Shuichi nodded absentmindely, letting him go without a second thought. He should have questioned him a bit more, especially since in a school setting.

It does concern him, to say the least.

—————————>

The rocks embedded into the path leading to the rickety house slipped of his casual walking sneakers with ease.

To cut out all of the times he had almost fell because of the seemingly polished stones, Rantaro hadn't brought much. A few shirts, pants, and his instincts at his disposal. He knocked on Korekiyo's door to be met with a tired demeanor.

"Hey," he greeted him warmly.

"Good morning Rantaro. I see my advice has fallen upon deaf ears," he said, almost breathless. Rantaro could see the distress in his thin knitted eyebrows. It almost made him feel bad for coming, almost.

"Come on, I know you're going to be lonely without me-

'and scared,' he would have added in.

"Well, I guess I can't refuse you now." A melancholic garnish was added to the sentence of plain lettering, no alteration in any point, no sigh of defeat, just a robotic acceptance.

Korekiyo lead him inside to the same couch he sat in last time. He remembered the signature leather squeak it made when he moved around it; this time, it was muffled.

He got up briefly to check and saw a balled up tissue, small and shriveled. Korekiyo quickly ran over and picked it up to stuff it in his pockets.

"Apologies, I carelessly let my mind slip of the tissue on the couch. I apologize again," he bowed slightly and hurried to the kitchen. He could not even mutter a brief 'It's okay' before he left, probably to make snacks for all of them.

Rantaro took out his phone and began fiddling with the apps he found interesting at that point. A careful abundance of steps approaching from above made him turn his head, not necessarily a sight he was awaiting for, but sadly so similar.

"Amami-san, your presence is most certainly a gift we have been waiting for. How are you?" Her high, flat-surfaced heels click onto the wooden floor. A burgundy dress draped around the floor, a slit at it side to adorn the elegant frills on the edges.

"Uh, I'm fine. I like your dress."

"Ah, a guest only deserves the best, especially one so special to us." She sat next to him and crossed her legs, laying her hands on her lap.

"I am really not worth all of this. I mean... this is kinda much." He waves his hand in a circular motion over her insulted figure.

"How dare-," she crossed her arms, "I insisted dressing nicely for your stay and this is how you treat me?"

Rantaro shook his head vigorously, "No, no; It's not that. I'm sorry."

He awkwardly offered a hug and she took it. She smirked triumphantly as Rantaro easily crumbled at her distress.

Everything was falling into place, so perfectly, so carefully.

She yearned for the anticipation.

—————————>

Shuichi yawned; he was expecting a phone call from the lab that should have occurred hours ago. He was patient enough to prolong his afternoon nap, but playing with magnifying glasses as his phone charged was shortening it:

then a vibration could be heard.

He sees the caller ID and immediately picks up.

"Maru, what happened? It's not like you to call so late for a test."

A petite girl with brown hair played with the ponytail on her shoulder. Her hand proceeds with a firm grip on the phone as she adjusts her glasses.

"I know but using such a small sample size takes time. We have confirmed that this substance is blood that went through oxidation for years. We can do a blood test for a type, if you want."

Shuichi grunted in conformation, "Yes please."

"Alright, see you tomorrow then."

He shut off his phone and leaned his head back, fatigue creeping to rightful place. He placed his hat in his drawer and almost instantly fell asleep. A single thought, probably captured from his boredom and tediousness of his current missing persons case, slipped through his mind;

'please, let it be A+.'