Archive of Our Own ^beta

The day started out like any other normal day. The worst days always do. If Yujin had any idea of what was going to occur, he would've tried everything to stop the turn of events. On that normal day, Yujin was called into work early that morning. However, he had neglected to bring enough change for the journey back. As a result, he had to walk back to Baker Street in the setting sun, alone. He was hardly going to contact Herlock over the matter; he was a grown man. He could walk home by himself. At least, that's what he had assumed.

He had turned into a dark alleyway in an attempt to save some time. He rarely used this shortcut on account of the lack of streetlights; it wasn't exactly the prettiest of London's streets. Yujin kept his hat lowered and hurried along when he became aware of footsteps in front of him. 

Curiously, he glanced up to see an old man stepping into the alleyway. He was walking with a cane, and appeared to be leaning on it for support. As Yujin was about to look away, the old man clutched his heart and fell to the ground, gasping for air. 

In an instant, Yujin became alert. He was no longer tired and exhausted from his long working day. He ran over to the old man and knelt down in front of him, eyes wide with alarm. "It's alright, I'm a doctor," he said, "Is it your heart, sir? Tell me-"

Pain flooded the back of his head. Something had hit him from behind, causing Yujin's face to smack into the ground, hard. He opened his eyes and went to pick himself up, only to be greeted with a kick to his ribs. The air rushed out of his lungs, and he felt himself gasp for breath. Another kick to his side pushed him on his back. 

He stared up at his attackers as his eyes came into focus. Three men with masks covering their faces stared back down at him; although, that was to be expected. What he didn't expect, however, was the satisfied look on the old man's face that he had rushed to help moments before. 

The old man slammed down his cane, grabbing the attention of the three masked men. "Get his gun. Remember, we're sending Sholmes a warning. Don't kill the man," he instructed. 

Yujin went to reach for his revolver, but one of the masked men picked him up by his jacket and threw him against a nearby wall. His revolver was quickly taken off of him in his dazed state; he could taste blood in his mouth. He raised his head and was met by a punch to the face, knocking him down to the ground once more. 

He spat out blood and glared towards the old man; clearly, he was the ringleader. "Why?" Yujin croaked, pain searing through his body. 

As if he was amused, the old man bent down and leaned forward. "Dr Yujin Mikotoba, exchange student from Japan. Widower - wife, Ayame, died during childbirth. One daughter named Susato, currently being looked after by her grandmother in Japan. Currently the flatmate of one Herlock Sholmes. You see, I've done my research on you, Dr Mikotoba. If he hasn't told you about me yet, then perhaps you're not as close as I originally thought."

A kick in the stomach prevented Yujin from replying. He laid there, groaning, defenceless, on a cold London night. When he opened his eyes again, a grisly boot was waiting for him. It was the last thing he saw before he blacked out. 

The first thing he saw when he opened his eyes was nothing. Something heavy was covering his eyes. Yujin reached up and removed a damp rag from his eyes, light rushing in. He was back at Baker Street, in his own bed. There was a dull pain coursing through his body.

The door opened, and his partner entered the room. When Herlock saw that Yujin was awake, he rushed over. "Mikotoba! Are you alright? How long have you been awake? Tell me, man!" He exclaimed, grabbing the discarded damp rag and dabbing Yujin's left eye with it.

"I-I've only just woken up myself," Yujin stuttered in response, "What happened? How did I get here?"

"That's something I should be asking you," Herlock said sternly, "A doctor that you work with found you on the side of the street. I believe his name was... Dr Watson."

"Watson?" Yujin stared back at him in confusion. "I think you mean Wilson. Dr John H. Wilson."

"Funny. I could've sworn that the man's name was Dr John H. Watson. Where have I gotten that from?" Herlock shook his head and turned back to his partner - there were more important matters to discuss right now. "Anyway, he said that your injuries weren't too grave. You should still take it easy. He even suggested for you to take some time away from your studies."

"I'm hardly going to stop my studies over this," Yujin insisted, "I can read and take notes at my desk; I only have a few bruises, that's all."

"How hypocritical of you to be ignoring doctor's orders. Do you at least have any information regarding your attackers?" Herlock asked him, his gaze growing serious.

"Three of them wore masks, so I couldn't see their faces," he explained, "I could recognise the ringleader if I saw him again. I thought the old man needed medical assistance, so I tried to-"

"Old man?" Herlock repeated, his eyes going wide. "Don't tell me... He was tall and thin with sunken eyes, clean-shaven, pale... I suppose my name was mentioned as well?"

"He did mention you by name, yes... Your description is oddly accurate," Yujin confirmed, "I was going to ask you about that next. I know you've made a lot of enemies, but it sounds like you have an idea about the person that attacked me. Who is he?"

Herlock turned away from him. "This isn't a matter you should be involved in, Mikotoba. I promise I'll tell you the truth soon. I... I have to go out. I'll make sure that Mrs Hudson keeps an eye on you."

"Go out? Where?"

"A personal matter," he said as he walked towards the door. "Don't worry about the man that attacked you - soon, he'll pay. I'd give up my job as a detective for it."

Yujin called out to him, but he couldn't get anymore information from him. Herlock simply left without another word. The moment he had mentioned the old man, his attitude changed completely. Just who was he? What was his business with the two of them?

He'd soon find out. 

----

Yujin was unable to sleep that night. He tried to study in his room, but found himself unable to focus. He kept listening for the door to open; for his partner to return. Resigned with the fact that he wasn't going to get anything done at home, he summoned a hansom and headed to his place of work. 

He knew that he was supposed to be on bed rest, but as long as he didn't push it, he would recover. As long as he remembered to take something for the pain, he'd be fine. His clothes hid most of his bruises, anyway. When he was studying, Dr Wilson kindly let him use an empty office for some peace and quiet. It was there that he finally settled, far away from any distractions.

Drowning in various books, Yujin lost track of time. No one usually disturbed him, so he was surprised when the door opened and someone walked into the room. Yujin looked up and gasped. Standing before him was a pale Herlock, looking utterly exhausted.

"Yes, I find that I have stretched myself rather thin as of late," Herlock remarked in answer to Yujin's surprised look. "Have you any objection to me closing your shutters?"

"Not at all," Yujin replied as he put his pen down. 

Herlock edged his way round the wall, his body pressed up against it. When he reached the shutters, he flung them together quickly and bolted them securely. Yet, he still remained pressed up against the wall.

Yujin couldn't take his odd behaviour for a moment longer. "Whatever is the matter with you? You're awfully frightened of something, Sholmes," he said.

"That would be correct, yes."

"Of what?"

"Of air guns."

"Air guns?" Yujin repeated, running a hand through his hair. Herlock didn't scare easily; if he was frightened, then the cause was great. "I think you'd best explain the trouble that you've gotten yourself into this time..."

"You know me well enough by now to understand that I am not a nervous man," he began, "At the same time, it would be foolish of me not to see the danger in front of me. Baker Street is no longer safe. When I returned and saw that you had left, I naturally assumed that I would find you here. Yet, I am not the only one that will think that. Is there a back exit to this room, by chance?"

There was only one door, and Herlock had bolted the only window shut. Yujin shook his head. "You seem to have ruled out the two natural exits, Sholmes. I'm afraid-"

Herlock snapped his fingers. "The vent! Of course! Where does this vent lead to, Mikotoba?" He pointed to a vent on the floor of the room near Yujin's desk.

"That leads to the next room, I believe," he said, "Is that really necessary, though?"

In reply, Herlock took off one his gloves and held out his hand. In the light of the lamp, Yujin saw that two of his knuckles were burst and bleeding. "It is not nothing, you see. On the contrary, it is solid enough for a man to break his hand over," he chirped, smiling as if he had just proven a point.

Yujin gasped and took his injured hand, grabbing assorted medical supplies from his desk drawer. "You should've mentioned that you were hurt sooner!" He scolded him as he began to treat his wounds. "Honestly, what would you do without me?"

"I'd fall apart, no doubt," Herlock remarked, "It is partially the reason as to why I came here. Would you like to come away with me for a week?"

"I hardly think this will be a normal holiday," Yujin muttered, "Where to?"

"Oh, anywhere. It's all the same to me. Somewhere away from England, but not too far."

He had finished treating Herlock's wound, but Yujin knew that something wasn't right. Usually, Herlock could barely be pulled away from his work in London. His pale, worn face told Yujin that his nerves were at their highest. 

Herlock pulled up a chair and put his elbows upon his knees. "You have never heard of Professor Moriarty, correct?"

"Never."

"It's no wonder - after all, you've lived in Japan for most of your life. Yet, even fellow Londoners do not know of his existence," he explained, "That's what makes him so successful in the records of crime. Lord van Zieks would kill in order to finally arrest him. The poor man has been chasing him for years. When he told me of Moriarty's existence, I could not rest until I had seen the man behind bars for myself."

Genshin had often told Yujin of the criminals Klint pursued, but he had never mentioned Moriarty to him. Curious, Yujin leaned in closer. "What has the man done, then? If Lord van Zieks is pursuing him, then it must be serious," he muttered.

"His career has been an extraordinary one. His intelligence and mathematical genius is almost unmatched. At the age of twenty-one he wrote a treatise upon the Binomial Theorem," Herlock continued, "As a result, he won the Mathematical Chair at one of our smaller universities. The man would've had a brilliant career before him. However, it was the path of a criminal that he decided to go down. I can only speculate as to why; perhaps he grew bored of a legitimate life. Dark rumours gathered round him in the university town, and eventually he was forced to resign. He came to London, but that is all that is known to the casual observer."

"The man has avoided arrest for that long?" Yujin felt himself frown. Perhaps it was in part of his mental prowess that Moriarty was able to do so. 

"Quite. For years, I have been conscious of some power that has stood in the way of the law time and time again. It throws its shield over any wrongdoer, helping them escape trial - if they are ever caught in the first place," Herlock pressed his fingertips together and bit his lip. "I took my concerns to Lord van Zieks, and he told me of Moriarty - the man behind this powerful force. It seems that in his role as a prosecutor, he has also become aware of it."

"What did he say to you about him?"

"That he is the Napoleon of crime, Mikotoba," he answered, "He is the organiser of half that is evil and of nearly all that is undetected in this great city. He is a genius, a philosopher, an abstract thinker. He sits motionless, like a spider in the centre of its web, but that web has a thousand paths, and he knows every quiver of them. He does little himself. He only plans. His agents are numerous and splendidly organised. If there is a crime to be done, word is passed to the Professor, and the matter is organised and carried out. The agent may be caught. In that case, money is found for his bail or his defence. But the central power which uses the agent is never caught - never so much as suspected. This is the organisation that Lord van Zieks and I have been trying to expose."

Yujin couldn't believe what he was hearing. How long had his partner known about this? Why didn't he tell him about it? "You should've told me, Sholmes. You know I would've been glad to assist you," he said.

Herlock lowered his head. "I fear that this would be too much, even for you, Mikotoba. It is impossible to get evidence on the man, so any conviction would be thrown out of the window. For three months, we tried everything. I confess, the man appears to be my intellectual equal. Recently, he made a trip, and I decided to take a chance. In his absence, I was finally able to uncover what we need for a conviction. I have woven my net around him, and it is ready to close."

"Then the problem is solved!" Yujin smiled for a moment, but it faded when he saw that Herlock, despite his crowning achievement, wasn't smiling at all.

"In three days, on Monday, the problem will hopefully be solved," he muttered, "The Professor, along with all of the main members of his gang, will be in the hands of the police. Then will come the greatest criminal trial of the century, the clearing up of over forty mysteries, and the man behind all of them. Klint Van Zieks will earn a promotion and become the Director of Prosecutions for accomplishing such a matter. However, if we move prematurely, they may slip out of our hands. It is a delicate matter."

"And yet, you don't look relieved at all," Yujin pointed out, "Something's wrong. It's because Professor Moriarty attacked me, isn't it?"

"I'll admit, I did suspect that he would," Herlock confessed, "He has seen every step that I have made against him and countered with plans of his own. On the morning that you were attacked, he came to see me at Baker Street."

Yujin's eyes widened. "What?! Then, you knew that I would...?!"

"It was a suspicion. I never thought he'd make a move so early - much less show himself to you in the flesh," Herlock glanced towards the window, double-checking that it was bolted shut. "Let me tell you of the encounter, Mikotoba, and you'll soon see why I'm the nervous wreck that I am now..."

----

When Herlock woke up that morning, he found that Yujin had already left for work. He was forced to have a breakfast of plain toast and black coffee. The morning paper was left outside his door, which he was gladly reading as he attempted to gulp down the bitter coffee in front of him. The first hour of the day was always the toughest one.

He was absentmindedly fiddling with the revolver in his dressing-gown pocket when he heard the door open. Herlock remained focused on the paper, and assumed that it was Mrs Hudson. "I have already received a copy of this morning's paper, Mrs Hudson-" 

A cane slammed down on the cold, wooden floor. Suddenly alert, Herlock looked up from the newspaper and saw the man that he had been trying to chase down for months. Professor Moriarty examined the room in a curious reptilian fashion, as if he had all the time in the world. He peered at Herlock with great curiosity in his puckered eyes.

"You appear to be more dishevelled than I had expected," he said at last, "It is a rather dangerous habit to mess with a loaded firearm in the pocket of one's dressing-gown."

Herlock instantly became aware of the danger that he was in. All Moriarty had to do was to silence him forever, and the man could walk free. He had yet to tell Gregson where he had hid the damning evidence. Herlock drew the revolver from his pocket and laid it cocked upon the table, pointing it straight at the man.

"You evidently don't know me," Moriarty remarked.

"On the contrary," Herlock replied, "I think it is fairy evident that I do. I can spare you five minutes if you have anything to say to me."

Moriarty still seemed unfazed at the presence of the gun. "All that I have to say has already crossed your mind."

"Then, possibly, my answer has crossed yours," Herlock muttered, double-checking that his gun was cocked.

Moriarty reached into his jacket pocket, and Herlock raised his revolver from the table. Instead of a gun like Herlock had assumed, Moriarty merely pulled out a small notebook. He opened it and began to scan the pages.

"You crossed my path on the 4th of January," he read, "On the 23rd you inconvenienced me; by the middle of February I was seriously inconvenienced by you; at the end of March my plans were absolutely hindered; and now, at the close of April, I find myself placed in such a position through your continued persecution that I am in positive danger of losing my liberty. The situation is becoming an impossible one."

"Have you any suggestion to make?" Herlock asked him.

"You must drop it, Mr Sholmes," Moriarty insisted with a shake of his head. "You really must, you know."

"After Monday."

He tutted in response. "I am quite sure that a man of your intelligence will see that there can be but one outcome to this affair. It is necessary that you should withdraw. You have worked things in such a fashion that we have only one resource left. It has been an intellectual treat to me to watch you handle this affair, and I say, unaffectedly, that it would be a grief to me to be forced to take any extreme measure. You may smile, sir, but I assure you that it would cause grief for you, too."

"Danger is a part of my trade," Herlock said with a smile.

"This is not danger," he warned him, "It is inevitable destruction. You stand in the way of not just an individual, but a mighty organisation, the full extent of which you, with all your cleverness, have been unable to realise. You must stand clear, Mr Sholmes, or be trodden under foot."

"I am afraid that you have taken enough of my time already," Herlock remarked as he rose out of his chair. "I am neglecting other important matters - such as finishing this bitter coffee. I'd rather like to finish it before it grows cold."

Moriarty looked at him in silence and shook his head sadly. "Well, well. It seems a pity, but I have done what I could. I know every move of your game. You can do nothing before Monday. You hope to place me in the dock. I tell you that I will never stand in the dock. You hope to beat me. I tell you that you will never beat me. If you are clever enough to bring destruction upon me, rest assured that I shall do as much to you."

"I can assure you, you will stand on the dock," Herlock said gleefully, "Really, Professor, I don't think you can 'destroy me' as you so kindly put it."

"Perhaps not," Moriarty replied as he turned towards the door. He took a step forward and stopped. With a grin, he turned back round to face Herlock. "Ah, I almost forgot. Send my regards to your partner, Dr Mikotoba, will you? I'll have to put an announcement in the papers regarding your... intimate relationship."

The revolver in Herlock's hand wavered slightly. "I haven't the faintest idea of what you're talking about. Mikotoba and I are merely friends," he insisted, almost as if he was trying to convince himself.

"Even if that was true, it wouldn't matter now, would it?" Moriarty taunted, refusing to wipe the sick grin off of his face. "You act all high and mighty, Mr Sholmes, but the truth is, you're just as sick of a criminal as I am. That is what the papers will say when I tell all. You may not face the death penalty, but your punishment will be far worse. You'll wish for death when the law is done with you. Don't make me rope Dr Mikotoba into our game; drop it."

As soon as Moriarty left the room, Herlock dropped his revolver and ran over to the door. He locked and bolted it shut. He looked down at his hands and noticed they were shaking. His breathing was uncontrollable; he was panicking. This wasn't like him. This wasn't like him at all. 

The moment when Yujin's life was threatened, he had almost lost all control he had over himself. He was unable to stay calm, and Moriarty knew it.

----

Yujin had been listening intently to the story. When his partner reached the end, his heart dropped. He stared down at the floor. "He knows about us," he whispered, his eyes going wide.

"He knows about us," Herlock nodded, biting his lip nervously. "You can see why I'm so worried. The moment he threatened you, the matter became even more serious. I won't allow you to get hurt on my behalf, Mikotoba. Although, it seems that I've already failed on that matter."

"You mustn't blame yourself, Sholmes," Yujin placed a comforting arm on Herlock's shoulder. "I still don't entirely understand how he knows about us, though. We were so careful..."

"The man has agents everywhere. Or, perhaps he was just making an educated guess," Herlock shrugged his shoulders with a sigh. "He can ruin the two of us with a mere rumour. If I tried to involve the police, his agents would take the fall; not the man himself. My injured knuckles are proof of that."

Yujin glanced down at his partner's bandaged hand. "That's right - you have yet to tell me about that. Did one of his agents try to assault you?"

"Multiple times. I went out to transact some business in Oxford Street in the early hours of the morning. As I passed the corner which leads from Bentinck Street on to the Welbeck Street crossing, a two-horse carriage whizzed round and was on me like a flash. I sprang for the footpath and saved myself by a fraction of a second," Herlock seemed quite proud of the fact; there was a faint smile on his face as he described the encounter. "It dashed round from Marylebone Lane and was gone in an instant. I kept to the pavement after that."

"That still doesn't explain your knuckles," Yujin pointed out.

"Professor Moriarty clearly wasn't done with trying to kill me yet. As I walked down Vere Street, a brick came down from the roof of one of the houses and was shattered into fragmented at my feet. I called Gregson and had the place examined," he said, "There were slates and bricks piled upon the roof for repairs, and Gregson merely said that the wind had toppled one of them over. Of course, I knew better, but I could prove nothing."

"But, your knuckles-"

"I am almost there, Mikotoba," Herlock held up the injured hand in question. "I took a cab after that to see my brother in Pall Mall. On my way to you, I was attacked by a most rude gentleman with a club. I knocked him down - sacrificing my dear knuckles in the process - and handed him over to the police. I can tell you with absolute confidence that no possible connection will ever be traced between the gentleman upon whose front teeth I have knocked out and the retiring mathematical coach, who is, I dare say, working out problems upon a blackboard some ten miles away."

"It is no wonder as to why you have closed the shutters and requested to leave through the vent," Yujin muttered, "Sholmes, won't you at least stay for a little longer? Perhaps we can keep each other safe."

Herlock shook his head insistently. "No; you may find me a dangerous guest, and you have been harmed enough already. Once my plans have come to fruition, all will be well. Lord van Zieks can handle everything from here. However, my presence is necessary for a conviction. It is in our best interest to escape England until the Professor is arrested, for the sake of our own safety. Hence, my invitation to come away for a week."

"I'd rather be with you. Dr Wilson has said that I can take some time off to recover from my injuries." Yujin felt a shot of pain as he reminded himself of the many bruises he had received a day earlier.

"Very well. Here are your instructions - you will obey them to the letter." Herlock handed Yujin a piece of paper with scribbled instructions on (he had obviously written it in a hurry). "You are playing a double-handed game with me against the cleverest rogue and the most powerful syndicate of criminals in Europe. Now, listen! You will dispatch whatever luggage you intend to take by a trusty messenger unaddressed to Victoria tonight. I advise that you find somewhere else to spend the night; I have a feeling that Baker Street may be the target of an attack."

"I can always find a hotel," Yujin remarked, making his own notes on the paper Herlock had given him.

"No. You will be alone, and you will find that you may not want to be," Herlock's lip quivered for a passing moment, but he quickly resumed his speech. "I recommend that you stay with Mr Asogi for tonight. As I recall, the man is well-versed in combat. I trust that he can protect you in my absence."

"What will I do in the morning?"

"You will send for a hansom, ensuring that you will take the third one which presents itself. Into this hansom you will jump, and you will drive to the Strand end of the Lowther Arcade, handing the address to the cab-man upon a slip of paper, with a request that he will not throw it away," he instructed, "Have your fare ready, and the instant that your cab stops, dash through the Arcade, timing yourself to reach the other side at quarter past nine. You will find a small brougham waiting close to the kerb, driven by a fellow with a heavy black cloak tipped at the collar with red. Into this you will step, and you will reach Victoria in time for the Continental express."

Yujin followed along with the written instructions and felt himself frown. "You haven't mentioned where we're going to meet."

"At the station. The second first-class carriage from the front will be reserved for us," Herlock got up and began to remove the vent cover, waving a hand towards his partner. "You must excuse me - to remain here any longer will place you in further danger. I must sneak out through the vent to ensure your safety!"

"I'm sure the door will be perfectly fine," Yujin remarked, watching with a mild curiosity as his partner squeezed into the vent. "Sholmes? Please don't get yourself stuck in there. I'd rather not have to call someone over this."

"I'm perfectly fine!"Herlock insisted; he had to take off his bag in order to fit through, and he was slowly crawling on all fours through the vent. "I'll see you in the morning, Mikotoba! Don't forget my instructions!"

Seeing the sight before him (Herlock crawling through a vent in a most serious matter), Yujin briefly wondered if it was the oddest thing he'd ever seen. It would certainly make the list. Yet, he found himself merely shaking his head with a sigh as he turned back to his work. A part of him wanted to keep his ears open for the inevitable cry of Herlock getting stuck, but luckily, he seemed to have crawled through without any issues. 

He hoped that he wouldn't have to explain this to Dr Wilson later.

----

Yujin didn't realise how tired he was until he showed up at Genshin's door. He wasn't looking forward to staying with him for the night; he recalled how, on the boat journey here, Genshin would always wake up early and practice with his katana. Yujin was the unlucky one that had his room next to him. Countless times he had woken up in the early hours of the morning to hear Genshin practicing in the next room. 

Still, he had to trust Herlock's deduction. If he thought that staying in Baker Street would only bring him danger, then this was the only option available to him. He tried not seem like a nervous wreck when Genshin opened the door, but, as always, the man saw straight through him.

"I assume that Mr Sholmes has disappeared on another investigation," Genshin deduced as he invited Yujin inside, "Since you don't wish to be alone following that attack, you've come here to spend the night. Am I wrong?"

"I-If it's too much of a bother, then-"

"Come now, what sort of a friend would I be if I say no?" Genshin took Yujin's bag from him and invited him to sit down. "It may not be the most comfortable night's sleep, since you'll be sleeping on the sofa..."

"The sofa will be fine," Yujin replied instantly; he was happy to be able to talk in his native tongue again, now that he was with Genshin. "Did... Lord van Zieks tell you about my...?"

"When he saw the report, he let me know immediately," Genshin confirmed, taking a seat opposite him. "I've been meaning to check up on you. Looking at you now, I can see that your injuries weren't as bad as I had assumed... but you shouldn't have had to deal with that."

"They caught me by surprise, so I didn't have much of a chance to fight back," he told him, forcing a smile. Did Genshin know about Moriarty? He'd have to find out for himself. "I wanted to ask you about Lord van Zieks, whilst I'm here. Has he been acting... different, lately?"

"Different?" Genshin repeated as he placed a hand on his chin. "He's certainly been more stressed as of late. Something about taking down a criminal organisation - I'm afraid I'm not privy to the details. He tells me that taking them down will secure him a promotion, but he's not doing it for that. Why do you ask?"

"No reason. It was just something Sholmes mentioned offhandedly," he claimed, "We're going away for a week in the morning. It's a surprise, he tells me. I wanted to ask... if anything drastic happened to me..."

Genshin's gaze hardened. "Yujin? Where has all this come from? The attack hasn't gotten you that scared, has it?"

He couldn't exactly tell Genshin that a criminal mastermind was hunting them down. Would Genshin even believe him if he told him that? "Not scared; cautious. I don't want my family - Susato - to suffer if I'm unable to make it back to Japan. Promise me you'll ensure that she's cared for if that happens."

"I promise," Genshin said immediately, noticing the gravity of the situation. "I can tell that the attack has certainly rattled you. In return, might I ask the same of you with Kazuma?"

The thought of something awful happening to Genshin had never crossed Yujin's mind. After all, he wasn't the one with a partner that tended to attract danger wherever he went. "Of course. I highly doubt that something will happen to you, though. You do carry a katana with you everywhere you go."

Genshin let out a chuckle, his ring glittering under the lamplight. "Let's put it this way; I won't go down that easily. Kazuma means everything to me. I promised him that I would make it home one day. You shouldn't worry, Yujin - one day, we'll both see them again."

"I hope so," Yujin muttered as he looked down at his hands. He still wasn't quite sure what he was going to say to Susato when he saw her again. The last time he saw her, she was still a tiny baby. Would she even recognise him?

"You should get some sleep. You look exhausted," Genshin said, as if he could tell that Yujin had started to worry about the matter of his daughter. "Everything will be alright, my friend. Trust me on that."

He hoped that Genshin would be right.

----

In the morning, Yujin obeyed Herlock's instructions to the letter. His luggage was waiting for him at the station, and he had no difficulty in finding the carriage which Herlock had indicated (it was the only one marked 'engaged' on the train). The station clock marked only seven minutes from the time that the train was due to depart, and yet there was no sign of Herlock. 

In vain, Yujin searched among the groups of travellers for any sign of his partner. There was no sign of him. He had walked the length of the platform and back when he felt someone tug at his arm. He turned, hoping to see Herlock, but was instead met with the porter and a woman with a rather large hat that covered most of her face.

"I wondered if you knew any Italian, sir," said the porter, "This lady is trying to tell me something, but her English is too limited for me to understand."

The woman held up a briefcase and shoved it into the porter's arms. "Paris! Please, please, Paris!" She cried, her face (or what Yujin could see of it) turning red with anger.

Admittedly, Yujin didn't know any Italian, but he could take a guess as to what was going on. "I think she wants her luggage booked through to Paris," he deduced, "If you would excuse me, I'm meeting with someone."

The odd event was pushed out of his mind as he searched the entire train for his partner. In the end, he returned to his carriage, only to find that the porter had given him the woman as a travelling companion. It would be useless to explain the situation to her, so Yujin shrugged his shoulders wearily and looked out towards the crowds on the platform. A chill of fear rushed over him as he suspected the worst; perhaps Herlock had been attacked in the night. The doors suddenly shut, and the departing whistle flooded his ears.

"My dear Mikotoba," said a voice, "I have yet to hear you say good morning to me."

Yujin turned in astonishment. The woman in front of him had lifted her hat to reveal the familiar face of Herlock Sholmes, clad in makeup. He had curled his short hair in a more feminine style, although the large hat he was wearing hid most of it. Yujin had seen many of his disguises before, but this was the first time that he had seen this one. 

"You startled me!" Yujin exclaimed as he stared in amazement at the disguise before him.

"Every precaution is necessary," Herlock whispered, his tone returning to his normal one. "I have reason to think that they are hot on our trail. Ah, look - there is Moriarty himself."

The train had already began to move when he spoke. Glancing back, Yujin saw a tall man pushing his way furiously through the crowd and waving his hand as if he desired to have the train stopped. It was too late, however, for the train was rapidly gathering momentum, and an instant later had shot clear of the station.

"With all our precautions, you see that we have cut it rather fine," Herlock laughed as he threw off the hat on his head. He stood up and began to fiddle with the back of the dress he was wearing. "Give us some privacy, will you, Mikotoba? I need to change."

"H-Here?" Yujin quickly closed the shutters in the carriage before anyone could see what was going on. He turned to Herlock again, only to see him taking off the dress. "Really, Sholmes, do you have to-"

"You've seen me in less, haven't you?" Herlock grabbed a spare pair of clothes from a hand-bag and ruffled his hair. "Have you seen the morning paper, Mikotoba?"

Yujin sank back into his chair and glared at the floor. "No. Is there something important in them?"

"They set fire to our rooms last night," Herlock explained, getting out a small mirror so he could fix his tie. "Not to worry - I had warned Mrs Hudson that this might've been the case, and the fire was put out relatively quickly. No major harm was done."

"You were right to keep me away from Baker Street." Yujin said, eyeing the makeup still on his partner's face. Herlock was mostly dressed, although he did look rather odd with a full face of makeup on.

"Indeed. They must've lost my track completely after my encounter with that ruffian." Herlock had finally started to scrub the makeup off of his face in a frantic motion. "In desperation, they set fire to our rooms, assuming that I would've been there. They have evidently taken the precaution of watching you, which is how Moriarty was able to follow us here. Did you follow my instructions?"

"I did exactly what you advised."

"The driver of your brougham was actually my brother, Mycroft. He owes me a favour or two, and I can trust him to keep a secret." Herlock had finally finished ridding himself of his disguise and slumped down onto his seat. "We must decide what we are to do about Moriarty now."

"This is an express train, and the boat runs in connection to it," Yujin recalled, glancing at a copy of the train's timetable. "I think we will be able to shake him off rather efficiently."

"Do you not recall when I said that the man is as intelligent as myself?" Herlock tutted and shook his head. "If I was in his position, I would not allow this slight obstacle to stop me. He would do what I would do."

Yujin raised a curious eyebrow. "What would you do, then?"

"Use some form of private transport - perhaps even kindly tell the train driver to allow use of his train, lest his wife finds out about his mistress," Herlock said with a smile, "I have collected some rather useful material on them, you know. Just in case. This train stops at Canterbury, and there will be a fifteen minute delay at the boat. He will catch us there."

"We can't arrest him, either, since we have to wait until Monday for the entire gang to be captured," Yujin complained, "One would think that we were the criminals, not him. What will we do?"

"We shall have to get off at Canterbury. We must make a cross-country journey to Newhaven, then over to Dieppe in France. Moriarty will again do what I would do," he explained, "He will get on to Paris, mark down our luggage, and wait for two days at the depot. In the meantime, we will get ourselves some new clothes and make our way at our leisure to Switzerland, via Luxembourg until we reach Basel, on the edge of Switzerland."

Whilst Yujin was a little annoyed that they wouldn't have the luggage he had packed, he had other matters to worry about. Even Herlock seemed nervous about the journey. He had a map out on the table, and kept writing down their journey plan. It seemed that he was keeping his mind occupied as a way of coping (it was better than hearing him complain about how bored he was, which would be the alternative).

When the train arrived at Canterbury, they found that they would have to wait an hour before they could get a train to Newhaven. Yujin stared mournfully at their rapidly disappearing luggage as it was taken away by a train, destined for Paris. His period of mourning was interrupted as Herlock tugged his arm and pointed down the road.

"Already, you see. Quick - hide behind these boxes before he can see us!" He exclaimed, tugging Yujin behind the boxes with him.

Yujin peered through a gap to spy what Herlock was talking about. Emerging from the woods was a spray of smoke. A minute later, a train flew along the tracks and shot past the station. It was following the direction of the train they had just been on, along with their luggage.

Herlock emerged from their hiding place and grinned. "There he goes! There are limits, you see, to our friend's intelligence. Had he deduced my plan, then we would not be standing here right now."

With those words, Yujin could only think of the worst. "Sholmes, you can't really mean..."

"Without a doubt, Mikotoba, if he had managed to catch us, he would've tried to kill me. But that is not what we should be worried about right now!" Herlock clutched his stomach as it rumbled. "The question is, do we take a premature lunch here, or do we take our chances and possibly starve before we reach the buffet at Newhaven?"

Somehow, Yujin had a feeling that Herlock wasn't going to make it to the buffet.

----

That night, they made their way to Brussels and spent two days there, gathering supplies for their journey. On the third day, they got as far as Strasbourg. Earlier that day, Herlock had sent a message to Inspector Gregson to see if Moriarty and his gang had been arrested. If they were, then they could cut their journey short and return back to London. When they got to their hotel, he had received a reply.

Yujin was waiting anxiously in their room for Herlock to return. In an odd way, he had enjoyed their short trip, even if it was for their own safety. Even if it wasn't Paris, Brussels was a beautiful place in its own way. He never would've gotten the chance to see it if not for this.  

As Yujin was was thinking this, the door slammed open. Herlock stormed in and threw a piece of paper into the open fire. "I might've known it," he groaned, "Moriarty has escaped arrest, Mikotoba."

"Escaped?" Yujin repeated, leaping out of his chair. "I don't understand. I thought the Inspector and Lord van Zieks-"

"They have secured the whole gang with the exception of him and a few other stragglers. They will soon be caught, but Moriarty has given them the slip," he huffed, pacing the room in a fit of anger. "I think you had better return to England, Mikotoba."

"I can't just leave you," Yujin insisted. He grabbed Herlock's arm and led him over to his chair in hopes that it would calm him down. "Breathe for a moment, Sholmes. You're just overreacting."

"I'm not overreacting," Herlock retorted, "You will find me to be a dangerous companion now. Moriarty has lost everything - his entire occupation. If he returns to London, he has lost. Instead, he'll devote his energy towards revenge; revenge upon me. He said as much in our short encounter, and I fancy that he meant it. If we return to London, then he might get to us by spreading rumours regarding our relationship instead. Either way, we're doomed."

"You are not doomed, Sholmes! Listen to yourself!" Yujin grabbed Herlock's shoulders and shook him, grabbing his attention. "We should continue with our plan. Perhaps, on the way, Moriarty will be caught. We will keep the Inspector and Lord van Zieks informed about our situation to see if they can assist us in any way."

"I don't care about myself - I'm talking about you, Mikotoba," Herlock gazed up at Yujin, deadly serious. "If you continue to come with me, then I cannot guarantee your safety. What if Moriarty  decides to kill you, too? I won't let poor Susato grow up without a father because of me. I got myself into this mess, and I alone will finish it."

"Do you think I could seriously let you do this on your own?" Yujin shot back, "If I left you here, and something awful happened to you, I would never forgive myself. It's us against the world, remember? We're partners until the end, you and I. If we stick together, Moriarty will never defeat us."

Herlock broke out into a reminiscent smile. "Partners until the end, hm? It seems the two of us care too much about the other; I can hardly remember the last time we argued so feverishly. You really do love me, Yujin."

Yujin bit his lip and nodded. "Of course I do. Don't tell me you doubted that - after everything we've done together."

"I never did. What man would abandon everything just to go on a wild cross-country journey with the likes of me?" Herlock burst out into a fit of laughter. "I do often wonder how I ever managed without you."

"Evidently, you didn't," he remarked.

Another chuckle. "You have convinced me for now. You can stay with me, as long as you're aware of the dangers." Herlock grabbed Yujin's right hand and placed it over his own cheek, smiling softly. "Will you stay up with me for a while, my dear? I find that your voice soothes me."

"My dear Sholmes, it would be my pleasure," said Yujin as he placed a soft kiss on Herlock's cheek.

----

In the morning, they were well on their way to Geneva. They wandered up the Rhône, a charming river that fed into Lake Geneva. Branching off at Leuk, in Switzerland. Now deep in snow, they travelled through Gemmi Pass to get to Meiringen via Interlaken. As Yujin admired the scenery before him, with the dainty green spring and the white of the winter above, he found himself smiling. 

It was clear, however, that Herlock never forgot the shadow that continued to chase them. In the homely Alpine villages or in the lonely mountain passes, Yujin noticed his quick glancing eyes and his sharp scrutiny of every face that passed them. He seemed convinced that wherever they went, they would never be free of the danger that haunted them.

As they walked over Gemmi Pass on the border of the melancholy Daubensee lake, Yujin let his guard down. They were having a lively conversation regarding the fauna of the area when a large boulder dislodged from the ridge on their right. The boulder clattered down and headed straight towards them.

"This way! Move!" Herlock exclaimed, pulling Yujin away from the boulder's path. If it wasn't for their snow shoes, they would've struggled to get away in time. The boulder roared past them and into the lake with a loud splash.

"That was awfully close," Yujin muttered, "Sholmes, how did-"

Herlock had raced ahead to where the boulder was dislodged. He pulled out his revolver and craned his neck in every direction, trying to find the invisible force that had pushed the boulder into their direction. 

"Don't you recall what the guide said?" Yujin called up to him in vain, "It's common for rocks to fall in this area - I'm sure it was just a coincidence!"

Since he wasn't responding, Yujin ran up to meet with him. Now that he was able to see his face more closely, he noticed that his partner was breathing heavily. He was sure that it wasn't the exercise; Herlock was panicking.

"It's nothing," Yujin assured him, "Listen to my voice, Sholmes. We're fine. No one else is here."

Herlock bit his lip, but refused to put his revolver down. "Then the boulder fell into our path out of coincidence?" He said in a shaky voice.

"I'm afraid it was a coincidence. You've searched this area thoroughly - did you find anyone?"

He put his revolver away. "No, I did not."

"Exactly. Coincidence, that's all," Yujin placed a comforting hand on Herlock's shoulder. "Why don't we get back to our conversation? You were about to tell me about the bearded vulture."

"Yes, yes - the bearded vulture," Herlock took a deep breath as he tried to collect his thoughts. "The bearded vulture... Have I told you how they kill tortoises?"

Apart from that momentary slip, Herlock seemed to be enjoying their journey, too. If they were back in London, he would've complained about boredom or become depressed over the lack of things to do. Yujin had never seen him in such great spirits. Once, when they were travelling on top of a gradual slope, Herlock recounted his feelings towards the situation with Moriarty and his gang.

"I think I can safely say that I have not lived in vain," he remarked, "I could look back at every case I have solved and find that the air of London has vastly improved - metaphorically, of course. When Moriarty is finally captured, Lord van Zieks will have his promotion, and we will gladly return to Baker Street after a delightful journey."

"Moriarty will struggle to find us here, that's for sure," Yujin replied, "I have to say, you couldn't have picked a better location. I could never tire of the vast blue skies and the snow decorating the mountains."

"I am an extraordinary travel guide, no?" Herlock let out a chuckle. "Perhaps, one day, you will do the same when I come to Japan. Since you have lived there, I assume that you have picked up the necessary knowledge required to become a travel guide."

Yujin raised an eyebrow. "When? You'd come to Japan, Sholmes?"

"Of course! Think of the mysteries I could solve, Mikotoba!" Herlock grinned in delight. "Why, we could bring little Susato along with us! We could become a mystery solving family! We cou-"

There was a tree root that Herlock, in his fit of excitement, had failed to spot. As he went tumbling forwards, he grabbed ahold of Yujin's jacket and pulled him down with him. The two of them cried out as they went tumbling down the slope, their limbs tangled together. Yujin gripped onto Herlock for dear life out of fear that he might lose him - or somehow injure himself.

They came to a gradual stop when the slope levelled out at the bottom. Yujin felt something heavy on top of him and opened his eyes. Herlock had come to a stop on top of him; he felt his eyes widen as he saw how close their faces were. He silently thanked the tree that was covering  them from view.

Yujin attempted to push Herlock off of him, but the man refused to budge. "Will you get off of me, Sholmes? You're awfully heavy...!"

"Funny. That's not what you said last night," Herlock quipped, grinning down at the struggling man before him. "I secretly planned that. Tripping over wasn't an accident at all! I wanted to be close to you, and here I am!"

"It was!" Yujin shot back, "Why did you have to grab me on your way down? Now we both have to climb up the slope again! Really, get off, should anyone see us-"

"Relax, Mikotoba! Weren't you just saying that people will struggle to find us here?" Herlock winked playfully at him and leaned in close. "For once, we have all the time in the world."

Herlock silenced his partner and kissed him, which seemed to calm him down for now. Either that, or it was because Yujin's lips were too preoccupied to utter another retort. It was probably the latter, if Yujin's somewhat annoyed grunt said anything.

----

After reaching the village of Meiringen, the landlord of the hotel they stayed in overnight recommended that they visit the Reichenbach Falls on the way to Rosenlaui, a nearby hamlet. The sight was apparently a fearful place. The torrent of waterfalls plunged into a tremendous abyss, the spray of the water rolling up like the smoke from a burning house. The flow of the river plunged into an immense chasm, lined by glistening, coal-black rock, narrowing into a pit of incalculable depth. The long sweep of green water roared forever down, and the thick flickering curtain of spray hissed upwards in unison.

The two of them stood near the edge and peered down and the gleam of the breaking water far below. Herlock was practically grinning in excitement. "Did I not promise you that we would visit this place, Mikotoba?" He called out to him over the sound of the roaring falls.

"Is that why we came here?" Yujin asked him, "You know, you really didn't have to, Sholmes..."

"It's the least I could do. I wasn't going to let Moriarty stop me from fulfilling my promise," Herlock replied, "Do you think we have some time to-"

There was a cry from the bottom of the falls, alerting the two of them. The path that they were on ended abruptly, so a traveller would be forced to turn back from whence they came. From the path behind them emerged a young Swiss boy in full sprint, carrying a letter in his hands. He took one look at Yujin and handed him the letter.

Yujin frowned and examined the letter more closely. It bore the mark of the hotel that they had just left, and was addressed to him from the landlord. He unfolded it and began to scan the text, Herlock peeking over his shoulder to take a read himself.

"What's this all about, then?" Herlock muttered as he glanced at the boy in front of them. The boy stayed silent and just pointed towards the letter.

"There's been an accident," Yujin read aloud, "There's a lady that requires a doctor, and I'm the only one nearby. If I don't reach her soon, there's a chance she may die. I really can't ignore this plea for help, Sholmes, and yet..."

"I will secure us our rooms for the night at the next location," Herlock assured him, "If they need a doctor, you should go immediately. The boy here can stay with me as a guide. You can rejoin me in Rosenlaui this evening. Is that alright?"

Yujin was amazed at how quickly his partner had come up with a plan. He felt himself nodding along. "I wish I could stay, but it seems like an emergency. I'll see you this evening, Sholmes. Make sure you secure those rooms!"

"You can count on me, Mikotoba," Herlock replied, "You'd better hurry - the poor woman desperately needs your help."

As Yujin turned away, he saw Herlock lean against a rock with his arms folded, gazing down at the rush of the falls below. There was a slight smile on his face. Yujin felt himself smile for a moment as he kept the peaceful scene in his head. He would've taken a photograph of it if he was able to.

Leaving Herlock under the care of the boy, Yujin descended to the bottom of the path. He looked back, but was only able to see the curving path which led towards the falls. On the path he saw a man walking rapidly along, but he thought nothing of it at the time. There was a woman that needed his help; that was what mattered.

It was a little over an hour by the time he had reached Meiringen. Yujin found the landlord sitting outside, and immediately rushed up to him. He was out of breath, but that didn't matter right now.

"Well?" He said as he reached him. "I trust that she is no worse?"

There was a look of surprise in the landlord's face. "Whatever are you talking about, sir?"

Yujin took out the letter and showed it to him. "You did not write this? It said that there was an accident, and a woman required urgent medical attention."

"Certainly not," he replied, "Ah, but it has the hotel mark on it. It must have been written by that tall Englishman who came in after you had gone. He said-"

A tinge of fear ran down Yujin's spine. Before the landlord could finish, he found himself rushing back to the falls. He ran down the village street, desperately trying to control his breathing. It was a trick. Moriarty had finally caught up with them. Worst of all, he had left his partner all alone to face the man. 

For all of his efforts, it was another hour before he managed to return to the falls. As he walked back up the path, he saw footprints heading towards the dead end, but none returning. He reached the place where he saw Herlock last to find his alpenstock leaning against a rock. Yet, there was no sign of the man. 

"Sholmes!" Yujin exclaimed, calling out desperately in hopes that someone would answer his call. The place was deserted. He felt sick. His hands were shaking. His partner had never reached Rosenlaui. He had remained on that three-foot path, with sheer wall on one side and sheer drop on the other. The young Swiss boy was nowhere to be found, either. He was probably employed by Moriarty, no doubt. 

There was no sign of anyone anywhere. But what had happened? There was no one to tell the story. Yujin couldn't piece much together - he didn't want to. He didn't want to admit that the worst had happened. There was a patch of blood on the side of the wall, opposite the drop, but he had no idea whose blood it was.

He stood there for a minute or two, trying to collect himself. He felt dazed at the mere terror of it all. Then, he began to think of Herlock's methods - perhaps he could use them to piece together this tragedy a bit more, even if he didn't want to. Yujin headed back to the alpenstock and leaned over, gazing down at the falls below.

Down on the rocks below, he spotted something familiar; Herlock's revolver. It was abandoned at the bottom of the falls, narrowly missing the rushing waters below. He took a deep breath and turned back to the alpenstock. Something bright caught his eye. Something that was pinned down under the rock. 

It was Herlock's silver cigarette case. Yujin opened it up and found three scraps of paper, all from Herlock's notebook. All of the pages were addressed to him. He recognised the writing immediately; it was somewhat scrawled, but that was to be expected. Yujin bit his lip and began to read the papers.

'My dear Mikotoba,

I write these few lines through the courtesy of Professor Moriarty, who awaits for me to finish saying my goodbye to you. He has told me of his methods in following us and avoiding the police, which only confirms the high opinion I have of him. Don't worry - I will be pleased that society will be free of his presence, though, I fear that it is at a cost that will bring great pain to you, my dear Mikotoba. 

I had already guessed that the letter was a hoax. You will forgive me for not saying a proper goodbye - if I had acted any differently, you would've known instantly and stayed behind. I allowed you to depart, fearing that something like this would happen. The Swiss boy instantly tried to attack me the moment you left, although he slipped and fell into the falls below. 

Please understand that I just wanted to protect you. I couldn't allow you to die; not when you have Susato to worry about. Tell Lord van Zieks and Gregson that the papers which he needs to convict the gang are in the pigeon-hole M, in a blue envelope inscribed with the word 'Moriarty'.

I leave you with this haiku:

Back at our shared suite
Beneath where I rest my eyes
Lies words left unsaid.

I am, as always,

Very sincerely yours,

Herlock Sholmes'

Yujin fell to his knees. In the back of his mind, he knew what had happened. He had neglected to see it before, but there was a skid mark near the edge of the path, heading towards the great chasm below. The greatest man he had ever known was dead. He had barely given him a goodbye in his letter; there was hardly any mention of their relationship.

At the time, he had thought little of the haiku. The only thing that he could think about was that his partner was dead. Gone. He couldn't even bury him. He was left on his own in Switzerland. 

Yujin felt the tears run down his face as he stared down at the ground. "I thought... I thought that we had all the time in the world, Herlock," he muttered in a fit of despair, the rush of the falls drowning his grief. 

----

The newspapers were filled with the unfortunate news when Yujin arrived back to London. It was the first thing he saw when he got off the train:

'HERLOCK SHOLMES KILLED BY CRIMINAL MASTERMIND!

HERLOCK SHOLMES MISSING - FEARED DEAD!

CRIMINAL GANG ARRESTED THANKS TO LORD VAN ZIEKS'

The past few days had gone by in a blur. He became detached; he was only focused on getting back to London. There was nothing exciting about his journey. He didn't admire the sights. He had no one to talk to. He just sat there, in silence, processing his partner's death.

He walked silently up to Baker Street and unlocked the door to their home. As he dropped off what little luggage he had, he heard someone rush up the stairs. Not in the mood for a conversation, he ignored them and headed towards Herlock's room.

"D-Dr Mikotoba! You're alive!"

Yujin turned to see the trembling figure of Mrs Hudson in the corridor. She wiped a tear from her eye and smiled. "I-I heard the news regarding Mr Sholmes. Try as I might, I couldn't find any information regarding yourself... I really thought that...!"

He took off his hat and approached her, finding himself unable to force a smile. "I'm afraid the papers are true; Sholmes died at the Falls. I... I was away when it happened. I've only just managed to return from Switzerland myself..."

"Oh, don't worry about Mr Sholmes' room and whatnot," Mrs Hudson replied, "His brother came here the other day and explained it all to me. He'll pay his side of the rent, so you can continue to stay here if you wish. I've also been instructed to keep everything in their rightful place-"

"Mrs Hudson," Yujin interrupted her, "My apologies for being so rude, but I need some time to myself. Will you be able to unlock his room for me? I promise I'll talk to you later."

"O-Of course!" Mrs Hudson stuttered as she took out the key and unlocked Herlock's room. "You'll have to forgive me for chatting away; I've worried myself sick over this horrible business. Well, you know where to find me if you need me, Dr Mikotoba. It really is a great pleasure to see that you're okay, at least."

Yujin entered his partner's room and sighed; it still carried his scent. There was still a coffee stain on his desk from before they left. He never got the chance to tidy up after him. It hit him that he wouldn't be able to do so again. He would never get the chance to remind him to tidy up. It was the little things that he was beginning to miss.

Back in our shared suite...

During his scan of Herlock's room, he remembered the haiku. It had to be a clue, knowing his partner. For one, Herlock was awful at them. Another thing was that he still refused to believe that he wouldn't mention their relationship in his final letter. Was he just nothing to him? He couldn't be - he said he sent him away to protect him. 

Beneath where I rest my eyes. That had to be near his bed, surely? Yujin searched the bedsheets, the pillows, even under the bed. He was about to give up when something beneath the floorboards caught his eye; something was glinting in the corner of his eye. Examining the floorboard more closely, he noticed that there was something underneath it.

In a frenzy, Yujin lifted up the floorboard. Underneath, he found a small box with golden hinges. Yujin lifted the box up to view and opened it. Inside, there was a collection of photographs of the two of them in their more intimate moments. He didn't realise Herlock had kept them; his favourite photograph was there, too. The one of Herlock kissing his cheek during Christmas. They were unable to display any of the photographs of them displaying affection, so Herlock said that he would keep them safe.

At the top of the box was a letter addressed to him, from his beloved partner. There was a small love heart over the 'I' in his name. It made him smile. With shaking hands, he opened the letter and began to read the final letter his partner had left him:

'Dearest Yujin,

If you're reading this, then something awful has happened to me. Either that, or you've come across this letter by accident. Put it back, would you? Much obliged.

However, if you're still reading, then the worst really has happened. I have no idea how it will come about, but I know that I am no longer by your side. I can only apologise for that. I know we wanted to keep this going forever, but we both know that it was just wishful thinking.

You have become the most important person in the world to me. My life was made infinitely better because of you, my dearest partner. I never thought that I would love someone as much as I love you. I know I don't often say it, but I mean it. I have always loved you. I could've never had a better partner. 

I know you'll be upset, but you can't run away again; not this time. Promise me that you won't. You have other things in your life to worry about. Other people need you. It would be rather selfish of you to stop everything just because of silly old me. Keep my memory alive - perhaps our adventures could become bedtime stories for little Susato!

After everything that has happened, I still have no regrets. I got to meet you, after all, my dearest Yujin. I can say that with confidence. It was rather a chance meeting, wasn't it? I wish I could relive it all again. Your presence has made my life a happy one. I can think of countless memories of the two of us together that bring a smile to my face. They are the only things that I do not wish to forget, not for anything. Thank you for everything, Yujin. I love and admire everything about you.

So, for the last time,

Forever yours,

Herlock Sholmes'