Artifice - The Copycat Killer

Chapter 2: And So It Began

It was only for a couple more hours they stayed before waving their friends goodbye and embarking on their journey back home for the night. Shuichi's attention had been absorbed by his phone, eager fingers tapping away at the keyboard. Kokichi occasionally tried to peek, but it was to no avail. Shuichi jerked the device away from him every time he tried to take a look.

"Put your phone away and give me attention!" he wailed. "I'll die if you don't!"

Shuichi sighed, "Don't you think that's a bit dramatic? I'm sure you'll live, Kokichi. I'm a little busy right now."

"Busy doing what? Talking to Kyoko?"

"Yes. It's about work..."

"Can't you talk to her later? I'm bored!"

Shuichi paused and looked at him with an apologetic frown. "Ah, fine then."

When Shuichi at long last put his phone away, Kokichi clung onto his arm with a smile. "What are you investigating? Can you tell me? Or is it more confidential stuff?"

"I'm afraid so," he said. "I shouldn't be telling you anything either way, Kokichi. Besides, Kyoko can't tell me much right now because she doesn't know the exact details yet."

Kokichi screwed his face up. "Then...what was the point in asking you about it?"

"She mentioned there should be a meeting with the agency she works for tomorrow and she needs me to join her." Shuichi explained.

"Can I come?"

"No, I'm sorry."

"But I wanna spend time with you!"

"I know... But after the case is closed we can spend some quality time together, yeah? I'll take you out on a date to that petting zoo you like. You did say you wanted a cat." Shuichi smiled.

"You mean it? Awesome!" he rejoiced, but then his smile faltered. "But then what am I supposed to do all day in the mean time? Nothing? Perish?"

Shuichi raised a brow, though he meant no harm. "Get a job?"

"Too much responsibility," Kokichi huffed in disapproval, but quickly recovered to continue bombarding Shuichi with questions. "Will you tell me what happens in the briefing afterwards?"

"Only if it's something I'm not sworn to secrecy about."

"I'll find out about it anyway," he tugged on Shuichi's arm with playful intent as he giggled deviously up at him. His voice dropped to a menacing whisper. "I know where you hide your diary."

Shuichi paled. "No you don't! And it's not a diary! It's a journal!"

"I was just messing with you...but now it seems like you've got something to hide. Hm?" He poked his chest. "Hm?"

Shuichi glared at him.

"OK, OK, just kidding," he admitted, though he removed his hands from Shuichi's arm to raise them as if under attack.

It was comfortably silent for the rest of the walk home, but that only made it easier to tune into the world around him. He laid his eyes on the sky where the sunset had left a painting in its wake, drifting down across the blanket of a peaceful June. The days, stretching to meet the distant horizon, seemed to be much longer, but every minute was worth it with Kokichi by his side.

Sometimes when he had time like this to reflect he often pondered how unlikely of a pair he and Kokichi could've been. Kokichi was a sunset type of guy, he was one of sunrise. They lived at opposite ends of the day but together they made up the whole sky. He liked to think that they were destined to be, even if he wasn't quite the romantic type.