Mystery solved.

“It's finally winter!” Students screamed out in joy while leaving through the gate of the Chronicle University.

Much like other students, Yukio Manabe was just as grateful to see the winter arise. They say, the cold of winter can numb the pain of any wounds. Yukio had always believed it meant both visible and invisible wounds. Soon in a few months Yukio would be able to graduate and leave this godforsaken university. Though his suffering had allowed him to grow close to people like an actual human being, it still ate at his heart that the ningyo's lake still existed in the University’s backyard. As the child who carried a vessel's blood, he could visit the lake whenever he wanted.

Yukio started seeing a therapist after much pestering from Kaname, he even threatened Yukio with stealing Kuro. Much to Yukio's displeasure, Kuro was very fond of the young shaman, the bratty cat would willingly follow him too. Therapy was helpful but it still didn't rid him of the nightmares entirely. The story of his dreams had simply changed, Yukio would wake up on certain nights heaving, being plagued with dreams about Arlecchino still being alive. He would often find himself itching with the urge to just go back and check if Arlecchino's body was still in the lake or not.

Alas, that was not a good idea to follow so he would ring Kaname a call. As if Kaname could read his mind, he would sometimes stay up the entire night talking to him on the call until he fell asleep and sometimes he would show up at his apartment with some fried chicken and beer. Either way, Kaname was like an angel that was assigned to take care of Yukio. When Yukio was hospitalized, Kaname didn't leave his side until he was discharged.

His discharge was nothing he looked forward to, for it meant facing another funeral. During Saqib's funeral, Kaito had not cried. And yet, his eyes were already red from the tears he had shed the night before. That day was the first time Yukio met Kaito after being hospitalized. Kaito never visited. When Saqib was finally cremated, Kaito had bowed his head as an apology. He apologized on behalf of his father who had taken Yukio's childhood away. It was then that Yukio realized- Kaito was ashamed and guilty. Yukio had simply smiled and ruffled the younger male’s hair. “We both are cousins and orphans. What happened was not your fault so don't feel guilty about it, I would hate that.” Is what Yukio had said before walking away.

Despite witnessing what she did, Hikari was the most collected person. She not only checked up on Yukio actively but also Kaito. From what Hikari told Yukio, Kaito had tried to distance himself out of shame and self hate for making her witness something horrifying. However Hikari being Hikari, she broke his walls and found him crying by himself. Needless to say, Kaito was never alone. Just how Saqib had told Kaito. Kaito could finally be the him who would run to his friends and cry.

Kira was the only person who hadn't reached out to Yukio. She hadn't reached out to anyone after Saqib's death. Hikari had mentioned here and there that Kaito was still upset with her but during elder meetings, where she had made enemies out of everyone by not allowing them to preserve Saqib's corpse, Kaito made sure to not miss a single of those meetings and sat by her side like her guard dog. Yukio was certain things would go back to normal between the siblings over time. Kaito was a very kind person after all. It made Yukio wonder every so often, if Kira missed the absence of the only person who understood her in and out. It was a shame but Yukio was afraid that he would never get to find out. In the end, Yukio was afraid he didn't feel anything for the ningyo's death. Instead, it felt like a relief to know that he was gone from his sight.

Yukio's breath formed a foggy cloud, the last autumn leaves fell when the wind whistled in unison with the giggling and bustling of crowd. His glasses almost fogged from the cold but the amber hair sparkled through his eyes. Kaname waved a small "Hi" towards him. He had been waiting for Yukio to come out. Kaname's nose and lips had gone all red from the cold. It caused Yukio to almost laugh. “Ha… seriously.” He untangled his scarf and when he stopped in front of Kaname, he wrapped the scarf around his neck.

“You're wearing shorts in winter? Are you stupid or just dumb?” Yukio commented and took a step back to admire his work around Kaname’s neck. Kaname nuzzled in the scarf with a shivering breath. “I can't be bothered to buy winter clothes man. I'm lazy.” Kaname reasoned and shoved his cold hands in the pocket of Yukio's winter trench coat. Yukio noticed that Kaname wasn't wearing any winter gloves either. “Yes. Stupid and dumb.” Yukio confirmed and Kaname simply shrugged it off. If only Yukio knew, these choices were deliberate for a reason and Kaname did in fact have more than denim shorts in his closet. “Let's go.” Yukio commanded and Kaname followed behind without a question.

After a few minutes of driving- yes, Yukio owned a car, they finally arrived at the cemetery. They had bought the necessary flowers to put at the grave stone while they were coming to greet the dead. Kaname fidgeted with his bead bracelet, the cemeteries always made him uncomfortable. After a minute of walking, Yukio and Kaname both set down the flowers at Layla’s gravestone.

“Today is my mother's death anniversary.” Yukio spoke in a soft voice, as if he was telling a fairy tale to Kaname. “My mother loved me dearly, after all I was supposed to be her pride and joy. But she loved her duty of being a vessel more than she loved being a mom.” Yukio casually stated, slipping a stick of cigarette under his lips. He flicked the lighter to light the cigarette. “Uncle.. Kaito's father had always looked down on me. I was young but I could tell the man hated me for occupying my mother's time from her duties.” Yukio frowned amidst speaking, still trying to light the cigarette.

Kaname took out a matchbox from his back pocket and walked around to light Yukio's cigarette. Yukio took the first drag of the cigarette and blew it on Kaname's face, Kaname's eyes burned from the smoke, he had only looked away from Yukio for a second and there was a pleased smile on the mint man’s face.

Ha.. him and his weird kinks.

“I had a favorite nursery rhyme as a kid that I used to tell my uncle. I always told him that I memorized it because it was my mother's favorite... that moron.” Yukio pretended make a thinking face. “What was it again? Ah! London bridge is falling down, falling down. My fair lady.” The mere memory caused Yukio to cackle. This time, Kaname frowned. “Why are you telling me all of this?” Kaname inquired, confused and cautious. Yukio never shared anything without a reason and it terrified Kaname.

Yukio took another drag of his smoke and blew it away from Kaname's face. He held the cigarette down and reached out with his other hand to caress the corner of Kaname’s eyes. “What if I told you that all my uncle wanted was to catch my mother's attention but I told him that she was too busy being a vessel to notice him? That she would only notice a man who could understand the curse of longevity like her?” Yukio only smiled, gauging Kaname's reaction. Kaname sighed conflicted by the young detective's question. He took the cigarette from Yukio's hand and took a stressful drag.

The bitter taste of tobacco almost made him want to cough. “Are you saying it was you- A child who planted the idea of killing Layla instead of Saqib? A child manipulated the strings behind the scene?” Yukio shrugged. “Something like that, what would you do if you found out I did something like that?” Yukio asked again. Kaname dropped the cigarette in his hand on the ground and crushed it under his foot. “Laugh.” Kaname answered as he leaned his head on Yukio's shoulders, nuzzling into his neck. Amused by his response, Yukio asked again. “Just laugh? Shouldn't you bestow divine retribution or something on me?”

“I'm already not fit to be a shaman. I'm too selfish.”

“Hm?”

“Already knew it was you.”

Kaname confessed, still nuzzling. Yukio wrapped his arms around Kaname's torso. “How?” Yukio inquired curiously and it was Kaname's turn to chuckle.

“The curse was supposed to suck your life energy, not haunt you. Why do you think you were plagued with nightmares?” Kaname quizzed and Yukio couldn't help but think back on the day his mother had died.

“Yukie run! Run away from here! You have too many duties to fulfill, you can't die here with me! You have to become the next vessel-!Ahh!” The jester pinned down the woman who flailed and screamed “Yukie run-!” Her scream halted when she managed to lift her head to gaze at her son with all the strength she had. Her son did not run away, he stood there with wide eyes and a wicked smile on his face. When his eyes met with his mother's, the disappointment and horror in his mother's eyes terrified the boy. It made him realized that he should have-

“What are you trying to say, Kaname?” Yukio asked once again, unable to guess about the supernatural with his lack of experience. “You were being haunted by your mother's spirit. I could tell that you were behind her death by the magnitude of her resent towards you.” Yukio cackled at the young shaman’s confidence. He sounded insane to the ears of the normal people but in Yukio's eyes, he sparkled like a sunshine. “Alright genius shaman, let's go.” Yukio didn't probe any further, he had already received the answer he was seeking. Kaname tailed behind him. “You don't believe me? Wait- are you making fun of me?!” Kaname fussed behind Yukio causing him to sigh in frustration.

This was going to be their everyday story from now on. Yukio wasn't sure before but he was now, unlike his mother, Kaname would always choose Yukio over his duty as a shaman. Besides, if he doesn't…

I can just kill him too.

But this time, with my own two hands. 

The chronicle university was still a place that was shrouded with mysteries that walked the blurred line between the real world and the supernatural. Perhaps, those who come after the students of this semester would also find their own mystery to solve.

Fin.