Artifice - The Copycat Killer

Chapter 7: All Aboard!

June 15th 2023. The day of their voyage to Loradsey Island had arrived.

Shuichi's alarm blared its dreadful tune and the boys scrambled to shut it up.

The detective shot up and checked the time. "Damn, Kokichi. We overslept. Get up." He climbed out of bed and opened his closet.

Kokichi rolled over onto his boyfriend's side of the bed, revelling in the warmth. "Mm... By how long?"

"Thirty minutes," he said. "Get dressed, we have to leave soon."

"Can't I have five more minutes?" Kokichi whined, sinking down further into the mattress.

Shuichi paused and smiled over at him. "But if you sleep in I'll have no one to help me with my investigation. I need your help Kokichi. Please?"

"OK! But only because you asked so nicely." he beamed. He finally rolled out of bed to pick out something to wear.

The previous evening they had packed a suitcase of essentials each - clothes, toiletries and their allocated gadgets. All they needed. All they had to do this morning was get ready and meet at the docks in time to board the boat.

Shuichi, suited up with a plain t-shirt and shorts - by far the most casual he had looked in months - took a final glance at his suitcase before zipping it up again.

"Do you like the gadgets Shu?" asked Kokichi through a strained voice. He was trying to haul his heavy suitcase onto the bed but his tired body lacked the strength.

He nodded. "Yeah. I heard you're the genius behind them?"

"Yup! It's gonna be like a real spy espionage!" he cheered. "Did you remember to pack your socks?"

Shuichi raised a brow. That was a strange question. "Uh, yeah, why?"

"I saw them by the washing machine." said Kokichi. "Go check." And when Shuichi left the room in a hurry, he spent the few seconds it took Shuichi to check shoving his cape into his over-stuffed suitcase.

Shuichi re-entered the bedroom. "Nope, I definitely packed them. Are you ready?"

"Uh huh!"

-

It took a while to reach the port having no car. Being mid-June, the public transport was hot and lively, bustling with people fighting through the rush hour. Kokichi fell asleep on the train with his head on Shuichi's shoulder. Every time the train jolted on the tracks he would wake up, only to fall straight back to sleep again.

Despite finding his boyfriend resting on him calming, Shuichi couldn't help but worry about the adventure ahead. How would he explain to Kyoko how inviting just one person along turned into inviting seven? Technically, Shuichi didn't invite them, but they were still his responsibility. And as Kaede liked to say, the more the merrier!

They were welcomed with great warmth upon their heads; a gift from the sun bathing in a crystal clear sky. Even the seagulls screeching in glee seemed happy to meet them as they swooped across the bay. The anticipation for a new adventure built up inside them, ready to explode as they crossed the old creaking planks underfoot. The walk to the yacht was long - with so many other boats preparing to depart, navigating through the crowds to find Kyoko and Rantaro was not the easiest task but the harmonious rumble of excited chatter only spurred the duo on.

"There!" Kokichi called, pointing through the masses of people.

Shuichi looked up from the splintering pier and heaved his suitcase over a bumpy ridge in the wood. Kyoko and Rantaro were standing leisurely beside a grand boat gently bouncing on the still waves. It was an attractive vessel, great and grey with a white stripe running across its length.