Case 8,
The Post Office
***
"Mommy...you have a letter? I wonder who sent this?" A girl went inside, curious of the letter.
"M...mom! Look at this, mom!" Once she opened, scraps of papers fell down, each tainted red—with blood, perhaps.
"Mom...? Mom? Mom!" She stood shocked, seeing her mom on the wall, no head and her neck dripping blood like fountain.
"H... huh...?" She looked back, feeling a weird sensation from her back, scary and eerie.
***
Hajime's POV
It's been a week since the incident and Kise doesn't talk about it... Perhaps, something happened. He never filled me on what happened further nor allowed me to meet Rafael even for a while. He looked quite annoyed once I spoke about that day.
Ever since then, he would solve normal cases and get himself involved with these ghost away. And in the meantime, I didn't do much, just ran around the place with him and stare to my death. Ayiesha and I had a deep connection, and Caerus and Freya seemed to be bonding again like normal.
"Where are we going?" I asked, staring into the silent Kise while he drove the car. He's gonna be the death of me...
"Hey, Kise..." Still no budge, "Kise!" He looked back, brows furrowed, as if I did something evil.
What can I do? He was staring while driving, immersed into some thoughts that couldn't even cross my mind on whatever shit he's talking about. I'm pissed. School days are normal...hang out, work, home.
He became far to strict and forced me to move places. The only problem I had is he forced me to move into his place...which became a little...off, I guess...
"What?" He seemed annoyed by tone.
"N-nothing..." I replied awkwardly, jolting from fear.
I wonder what's gotten into his mind? His cheerful and playful personality changed since then, and I wanted to ask, but I think I shouldn't for my own sake.
It's not like my life with him is bad. In fact, it's more better than my worn-out house. He feeds me, buys me clothes and take such good caring into my wellbeing. It's just... I dunno...
"We're here," He announced in a low voice, eyes still looking indifferent. I don't like this part of him—not annoying, I mean. It's so not like him.
I quietly followed. The cafe looked familiar, and I think I've passed on here before. "Black Service", it says. Probably a cafe...I'm sure the coffee here isn't so-so, there's not much people coming in and out here.
It's dim inside. Tables near the tinted windows are the only few with proper viewing and light illuminating, though still darker. A few circular table on the right side and a few square and rectangles on the opposite.
Though it's dark, there's some weird plants growing and some vines creeping into some walls, and some crazy good paintings that feels a little...eerie.
"You're awfully quiet." His face still, keeping his composure and expression as if this world lost its meaning.
I should be the one saying those words to him. I can't believe he's been like this, and I don't think I have a cure for his dumbness.
Was he perhaps...worried about me? I don't intend to pry into his feelings too much, it's just a mutual relationship, after all— he give me protection and spares me, I follow orders. It's not like he's been harassing me nonstop, except from taking me to my dearest fears and drowning me into it.
I thought he'd be extremely strong, but in the end, it was me who he needs. He couldn't accomplish anything by himself. Or is he just... keeping secrets about himself?
"Oh, Kise! Follow me." A calm voice came from a door.
There revealed Caerus. Is there where he lives? Or probably works at? Anyways, not my business to delve his persona or whatsoever. Kise, Rafael...and Kise... They are all wierd, or is it in bloodline? I feel like something else is hiding within their names.
"This might've been out of the blue, but wouldn't you mind if I ask, Caerus?" He paused for a minute.
"Ask away."
I leaned closer, nervously thinking that Kise might get curious. He's been sniffing around and putting his feet into my shoes for almost everything that happens around me. Once more, it's suffocating. I'll think of it that way forever, probably.
"Do you know Rafael?" I whispered.
He nodded as response and took a glance on dumb Kise, "Is he doing fine? Can you please send a message to him for me?"
Caerus handed out his hand while I handed out a small letter. Actually, it's been with me for weeks, and I just couldn't find the proper time to loosen Kise's guard and take a look into their wellbeing.
"It's been a few minutes, let's go." I jolted once Kise appeared from behind.
I was panting, in fact. This is what I meant when I said he's been putting his shoes into mine. Acting all close and all, keeping me like a pet he just randomly picked out on the road and telling everyone I'm under his ownership with good terms. I can't live like this.
Caerus whistled, there his frame tightened and mask darkened. His expression underwent a shift, jewel eyes glimmering with agitation and bloodlust, "Manipulative and obsessive; guess I'm not the only one with a façade here." He chuckled—with taunting and disgrace.
"What are you trying to point out?" Kise just smiled, yet his eyes hinted succumb and forceful dominance.
"Nothing, just goofing around." His normal smile reverted, low-key and gentle.
"Accept my silence as the compensation, my friend came back whole and without a single scar. I thank you for that!" Caerus handed out a list to Kise.
"What is this?" He asked.
"The list. As much as possible, clear all those out and leave no trace. No one knows who's the one behind 'all of these', and besides, Yoshiro and the whole TRACE Branch will inform us once he's woken up." Kise nodded, getting a hint on what they could be talking about.
I'm not a part of their little family games, so I must keep myself away from trouble. Honestly speaking, I don't really want to stay under Kise's wing forever, there will be a day that the Munos might take interest on me or try some funny things.
The more I warm up to his aid, the more dangerous my life becomes. I'm already fed up by the Munos, so I can't add more. Now that I'm carrying my own burden, I'm sure Kise also has a lot on his luggage–I can't add more.
"What are you thinking of?" He talked as he dragged me back out.
Caerus just smiled back and waved farewell. On the way, I passed through some people that are probably the other staffs from the cafe. Their auras are eerie and somewhat... unexplainable.
"N-nothing!" I brushed off.
"We're onto another case this time. Chief Hanare contacted me." He took out his phone onto dial. "They said it's a murder case, but it seems like the marks left were too unsettling." he added.
Shivers went down my spine, a nostalgic feeling came creeping in. Familiar memories came flooding into my entire core memory bottling up until it reached its surface.
***
"Dior. Hey, Dior!" A man's voice came out of nowhere.
It was the police Kise gets his information from—Chief Hanare.
"Oh, sorry, something's on my mind lately." the other guy brushed off—probably Dior.
"What's wrong?" Dior just shook his head to signal nothing. He plastered a smile and took out a cigarette. They looked younger. It's probably that Evil Spirit's past before he become like that of a monster.
"You... Why can't you just tell me what's bugging you lately? Nothing good is going to happen if you keep on bottling them up." Chief Hanare punched him lightly on his shoulder.
"I have a case. It's from the— and I need to keep tabs on him. They said they are doing a ritual of some sort to pull the strings of some occult." I couldn't comprehend the name, which probably has a great impact into knowing Dior's character.
"Call me for help next time." Chief Hanare took the cigarette from his mouth and threw it away before walking back to his post and waving without looking back.
And...that was the last time Dior and Chief Hanare saw each other. A day after that, Dior was killed with death recorded as "heart attack" and closed right on the spot, giving Chief Hanare no chance to bring up the old case.
The truth, on the other hand, Dior was attacked inside an alley. He struggled for his life and eventually rose up as an evil spirit. I couldn't understand what Dior was saying nor the killer, but I presume it's the same as what happened to Betty.
***
"Get down." Kise ordered.
"Wh-what are we doing here?!" I gazed back and forth frantically, wary if something's gonna happen to me.
A police station!
I reluctantly gazed back and forth from left to right, trying my best to stay comfortable. Weirdly, the air conditioning is quite cold yet my feet feels so hot inside my shoes.
"What are you doing?" He asked, right brow raising his question.
"Oh, no, I was just examining the place." Well honestly, I'm freaking out, I'm typically scared for no reason. Perhaps, it's because they're adults with an imposing job? I can't quite reach the gist.
"I'm heading for chief Hanare." How short of an answer.
"Then why am I here?"
"I'm teaching you the basics of your future work as my assistant-to-be. Starting tomorrow, you're taking cases from Chief Hanare and I'll handle the rest. You stay back and go with your skirmish." My eyes felt dried and drowsy. Come what? I wasn't even able to catch any of those properly!
"Understood?" He flicked me, forcing my instincts to jolt back, and touch my forehead from the painful impact.
"You're here. And I see you brought another brat with you..." The imposing one is here and greeting us with his scary aura.
"Are you tryna act cool with my little assistant here, Mr. Donut?" Kise's eyes battled with him, acting like on war with Chief Hanare. Are they competing based to their assistants? I don't think I can live up to Kise's expectations...
"If you're here for more important matter, do it, but if you're here for leisure time, I'm leaving."
"Stop right there, Hajime. We're on a case right now." I halt and looked back at him blankly.
He sighed relief and went to sit on chief Hanare's chair to play with his table, "I call him... Mr. Mailman! Aren't I cool? I just thought of the name just now, honestly!"
"So, what's with it?"
Chief Hanare threw a brown envelope on the table that almost scattered when it fell. Some glimpses of pictures were revealed as Kise tidied the mess. "There's a case where serial killings appear inside the houses of victims while remaining untouched. Their heads are missing and blood painted on the walls of their houses. Some people claimed to saw the mailman who sent the letters, and right now, he remained untraceable."
"Does that even mean they need us? That could just be a normal serial killings. Everyone can me Moriarty these days, don't you think?" I scanned through the photos before pausing for a few seconds.
Some kind of feeling is welling inside me...is this... Anger...or perhaps just simply a reaction to this gruesome image?
"Hajime!" I jolted from surprise, suddenly seeing Kise's face near my ear, shouting at me.
"Is something wrong with that photo?" Chief Hanare pointed that the headless figure as I stare directly.
Countless pictures of possibilities came flooding into my mind as if I can see everything inside the photo. Before I could stop myself, I began speaking uncontrollably. "Seven deaths, three victims. The first victim were a mother and a daughter. She died holding into a threat letter which was the same case with the other five victims. The deaths were same—headless and flowing like a fountain of blood while the letters were written by different people." My hand moved on its own, rummaging through the files Chief Hanare gave us.
"If that was a spirit, it's probably seeping strength from other people's jealousy, revenge and dark emotions, but if it's just a killer, well that's someone with a range of different handwritings or has multiple alibis that helped. The way we write changes a little when wearing gloves to avoid finger prints. The report stated no evidence via autopsy, so it's likely written in a different form." I added.
"Did you hit your head or something? Or probably same case with Einstein? If so, I'd like to request the method, Mr. Donut here needs it." A loud smack echoed inside the room while silence came after, neither Kise or Chief making a move.
"In exchange for a vessel, they need to protect me and follow my orders. Monopolizing their powers wouldn't be a problem, wouldn't it?" I stared into Kise's eyes. I know he knew what I meant.
"No."
"Why?"
"We don't know the side effect just yet. Don't concern yourself into things you are not involved in. Your task is to deliver cases, not solve them nor help me. Mind your own business." There it is again. It's his domineering aura again.
I gulped before mustering enough courage to speak back. "No. Are you telling me to have my leisure time? If that so, let it be! What's my business, you might ask? I have to study, finish my degree, give myself the life that I need and mind my own business! And then what? I'm gonna live my dear life while being haunted by the fact that I AM THERE. I knew people are gonna die while I take my time ignoring them! What's the difference of ignoring them knowing you can do something and killing them myself?! Do you plan to feed me me guilt until I become one of those that you're trying to kill?!" Silence once again passed.
Chief Hanare sighed and rested his hands on both of our shoulders. "Don't fight, you're inside my office. Kise, I know it's dangerous, but didn't you said evil spirits are manifestation of negativity of humans? I know you only meant his safety, but you're also putting him at risk. You need to choose eventually. Let him join the dark side you're dealing with, or let him become part of it."
He took the case files on my hand, cleaning up the mess we made ourselves. "Let's go home, let's go try making a deal. If we're unable to persuade them, then you can't come."
***
"I'm turning the lights off." I nodded as response.
A hexagram lit up between me and Kise while he placed black candles in every corner. He slit open a wound on my finger while making it drip into the center of the hexagram.
Strong wind suddenly blew everywhere. The curtains swaying abruptly and the skies grew darker. Loud crashing thunders are audible from afar while puring rain can only be seen without any sounds.
Three shadows loomed behind me as they slowly took form of familiar faces—Betty, Carol and Dior.
"We need your help on killing an evil spirit." Kise handed out the files to them while they only stared at them.
Betty opened her mouth, "My job is to protect him from any external harm. I'm more active in the night and when it's dark, but I can't necessarily kill them unless they have an intention to kill my host."
"I already did my role. I'm only smart and quick-witted, and I already shared my information as fulfilment to my role. I can only provide knowledge extension and dominance when I fighting with multiple allies. Why not ask him?" Carol explained, still glaring at Dior.
He couldn't help but sigh. "I can't help you. But if you changed the terms, I could reconsider."
"What do you mean?" Kise's brows furrowed.
"I can't help you kill. Like a police officer, the spirit world also have rules. I can locate anyone as long as I have informations on them, and my minions multiplies depending on the "justice" I feel against the enemy. In other words, I can't kill him unless he's guilty. He's a serial killer, so what? Is that enough of a reason for a police to kill him and not imprison him?" Dior explained.
"Very well then, give us his location." I stated.
"Aren't you listening?" Kise complained.
"Yes, I am. He can give us his location, and you can handle the rest while I stay in backup. Rafael said my body can contain more than a normal person can, so I must resort to forcibly housing him if necessary. If he attacks me, that would mean Dior can kill him, right? Dior can have many minions like Betty, so that means it'll amplify Carol's dominance." Don't think I didn't thought this through, with Carol's knowledge, we can make this plan a success.
"Let's go then. I think he'll be worked out by this time..." I whispered into Kise, looking at me with curiosity.
Kise drove us to an abandoned building in ruins. Beside it are multiple normal housing complex while it's the only odd one out.
"I'll go inside, if it ever comes out through here, seal him off with your power." He advised.
"Wouldn't that be dangerous? You told me not to do that anymore."
"The stars told me it will be okay, after all..." He stared into the starry sky before heading inside, leaving me on a daze. His face is too beautiful it's pissing me off.
Betty and Carol appeared before me. Betty was holding her silver platter with a cover while Carol was on her glasses, reading a book.
After a while of silence, a bright light shone inside the upper floor and a child came running outside, wearing a newsboy cap and a loose bag filled with paper. The moment I saw him, I can after it and he immediately threw the bad in the air, forcing the papers outside while a loud screeching scream was heard.
"Die, you stupid pig!"
"Die with my boyfriend, bitch!"
"Die, die, die!"
"Pray you have never been born!"
Before I could crash down, Hands were already on the papers, Betty and Carole already holding onto the little kid.
"Men are really annoying, don't tell me kids are, too. I can't be a maid anymore, at this rate..." Betty glared at the child, while it tried to cower in fear, though still immobile.
Out of reflex, I came with a sudden hug into him. I don't know why....it just felt like I needed to do it...
For some... reason.
Before I could realize, everything went out.
***
"Hajime, wake up! Hajime, Hajime!" I woke up as a voice echoed while shaking me.