MYSTERY I: Caught

Shit. I shouldn't have fallen in love.

This always happens to me. The more I want something, the harder it rejects me. Am I that hard to love?

No. Men are just not trustable, am I stupid? of course I can trust a man! I should've known better!

Hikari clutched her left shoulder that ached from the tattered skin. Yet, the pain was far too numbing, for her heart ached more than anything else could. There were strong arms around her shoulders as her body groveled on the ground, Hikari felt as if her breath was snatched apart from her lungs and those strong arms over her shoulders were the only thing that kept her from drowning in the soil beneath her.

Her bloodshot eyes glared at the sinister smiling face of the man she loved. The pistol spun around his fingers as he held her gaze. Her agony was a feed to his ego, she could tell.

“W- Why!?” Hikari managed between hitched breaths. Causing Hiroshi to feel elated at the long awaited question. “Hikie don't!” Kaito's arms held her against his chest as the blood soaked his white robes. It did not matter to Kaito, all he cared about was stopping her from lunging at Hiroshi. Finally, Hikari's tears that once blurred her vision stopped. The pit in her stomach subsided when the sinister smile on her once lover’s face deepened.

“You never loved me… did you?” She tried speaking as calmly as she could. she crawled a pace forward and Kaito tried to drag the injured Hikari back, only for her to yank herself out of his arms, eyes glaring with hurtful hate towards the man she once loved. “Love huh?” Hiroshi mumbled. He pulled the trigger and shot once again, his gun being silenced by a silencer. Kaito's heart dropped with the dreading possibility of that shot, he sighed a breath of relief when the bullet hit the ground beside him. And yet, Hikari didn't budge. “Answer me goddamn you! Was any of it real?!” She screamed and the ache in her shoulders grew just deeper and deeper as she clutched onto the wound with a painful grip.

A chortle of amusement left Hiroshi's lips. “If I say I did love you, would you forgive me and give me a new chance?” A hypothetical question that boggled Kaito’s mind, fury fuming in his skin. Only for it to cool down when he noticed the flicker of hope splash in Hikari's eyes. “Don't listen to him! Can't you see?! He's the one behind this-”

Another soundless shot rang and Kaito’s tongue was tied. His eyes slowly and cautiously averted towards Hiroshi, his hazel eyes flickered with silent manic, a kind that did not need his voice echoing in the air. The bullet was not aimed at Kaito. But it was for Kaito. A warning shot- which grazed Hikari's cheek, causing a drip of blood to slide down her cheeks. Hiroshi was warning Kaito, if Kaito tried to intervene, he wouldn't miss the next shot.

“You son of a….”

It didn't matter what Kaito thought or wished, the fact was- Hikari got up on her feet, ignoring the pain of her wounds. Hiroshi opened his arms for Hikari to fall in. Kaito's heart raced, the rhythm of familiar burn coursed through his veins. He clenched his fist by his side, helpless to watch the woman he adored once again fall in the black flames of hell. It was agonizing to watch her back as she finally rested her head on Hiroshi's chest. Though Hikari was in his arms, Hiroshi's gaze held onto Kaito’s, victorious and mighty. Kaito bit the inside of his cheek until it bled. Hiroshi, triumphed enveloped Hikari in his embraced. “Oh my sweet Hikari, you don't know how much I need you.” He mumbled, nuzzling his cheek to the side of her head.

“Did you do it?” She mumbled, tilting her head up to meet his eyes. Hiroshi’s eyes softened- pretended to softened, his fingers tangled in the mess of her dark hair. “I had no choice…. If I didn't, they would punish me.” He mumbled words glazed in honey, sweet and smooth. Hikari sniffled, worry in her eyes as she scrunched her brows together in a soft frown. She reached out her hands and cupped his face. “Just who is it that is making you suffer so much, Hiro.”

Kaito's heart dropped. He couldn't believe it, even after knowing the truth Hikari had chosen Hiroshi. Is this true love? Or true foolishness?

“This is bullshit! Snap out of it, Hikie! He is manipulating you!” Kaito snapped, ready to launch himself at Hiroshi. But stopped in his tracks when his fingers spun the dial of the pistol he had been holding onto. Kaito's words didn't reach Hikari, for she didn't spare a glance to him. And Hiroshi was.. delighted. He giggled, amused and subtle until his truffle laughter echoed throughout the forest. Hysteric and overjoyed. The silence manic in his eyes finally changing the composition and becoming evident in his monstruous grin.

A sultry grin crowned his lips as a delighted dust of pink dusted Hiroshi's cheeks. His head dipped, taking a taste of Hikari's skin, a nibble here and a lick there until she was but a puddle in Hiroshi's arms. He knew her better than anyone. “Oh Hikari…” he sighed with an oof, in awe of the woman in his arms. Drop of blood dripped on the ground. Kaito's nails had dig itself in his palms because of how harshly he clenched his fist and nicked his skin. His jaw tightened when his eyes noticed the devilish grin of this monster of a man. “I can't hide anything from you baby.” A kiss. “You're so good to me.” Another kiss. “They are called the tanuki.”

Tanuki? A kitsune’s natural enemy? Is he bullshiting us?

Hikari's arms wrapped around the nape of Hiroshi. Pulling his head down so he could properly rest on her.

If only that was true.

Hikari stretched one leg back in a swift motion and pulled it back up between Hiroshi's legs and hit him in his crotch. With force. Hiroshi’s breath was caught in his chest, he dropped on his knees grasping on his aching crotch and keeled over and fell. Tears of pain fell from his hazel eyes, glaring holes into her soul with hatred, burning into her skin. “Why-y? I thought… you loved me?” Hiroshi gasped for air after speaking and all Hikari could do was obey. A defeated lazy smile contorted itself in on her face. Moments back, the rolls were reversed. It was ironic. She couldn't help but smile. “Because, you are not the man I fell in love with. Maybe he never existed. Everything that I've ever wanted has already been lost. I cling and beg but it doesn't matter, they never choose me.”

Hikari's eyes fell on the pistol. There was not a beat of breath that she missed when she picked up the pistol. The cold metal felt heavy in her hands, heavy but just right. She aimed the pistol at the groaning Hiroshi. “Spill it now, why did you actually kill them?” she deserved to know at least that, right?

Kaito didn't miss the chance to run up behind Hikari, his eyes scanning her body to see if she was alright. The moment he looked at the face, he realized..

I really couldn't protect her..

Her face was tear stained, her usual spark was long since forgotten. Not even a flicker of fury could be found on her face. 

His face in the mud below him, Hiroshi's voice cackled, vibrating through their feet.

“Hahahaha!” His soon turned hysteric laughed. Kaito's frown deepened, he wanted nothing more than to beat the maniac to the death but he held back. “Why the hell are you laughing?”

“Because!” He screamed into the floor, holding onto his briefs, his lips stretched up to his eyes and madness could be the only word Kaito would use to describe this man. “I couldn't care less what the Tanuki wanted, I only joined them so I could screw you over-oof!” Hikari's foot collided with Hiroshi's gut and he gasped for air, clutching onto his stomach. “I shouldn't have asked, I should've.. you are hopeless, Hiroshi..”

Kaito's brows scrunched together, conflict and confusion in his eyes. “What do you-...” He cut himself off mid-sentence when he noticed the unchanging expression of Hikari, as if she knew Hiroshi's answer even before he said it. Kaito pulled her back by her wrist to face him. But she refused to meet his eyes. “Did you know?!” No, answer. And Hiroshi's laughter echoed once again.

“She knows everything. Better than anyone here!”

Hiroshi didn't have an opportunity to laugh anymore, the sirens echoed in the forest. Hikari finally looked up to meet the eyes of her friend who felt betrayed and then averted to look behind him, finding Yukio and Kaname watching her with unreadable eyes.

June 10, 2026, The Kitsune case came to a close with Hiroshi Kujo being arrested as the culprit.