Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Warning: I have not written a fanfiction since middle school, not on AO3 either. If I missed some tags or you have suggestions, please leave a comment. Thank you.

PS: I'm not sure if it would've made a difference if I used OCs or Fortnite characters in this story, so please enjoy!

Chapter Text

It was the middle of March, and the cool weather meant Saff could wear his favorite jacket. The bright yellow hoodie made him stand out, but that's exactly what the arrogant university freshman wanted. He craved attention and approval, not wasting a moment to brag about his skills. He briskly paced from his apartment across campus. It was almost 15:00, the time the university's gaming club met up. Saff was a known gaming prodigy; his reaction speed and quick learning meant that mastering games was second nature to him. Lately, he had been dominating this new platform fighting game online. He had quite the presence online as well, amassing many followers to feed his ego further. Though he was young, he felt he had already conquered the world.

He opened the club door and was met with many greetings, some being too starstruck and shy to even give the freshman a simple "hello." He didn't mind in the slightest, 'As long as they know their place.'

He situated himself on the couch positioned across from a small television that the club managed to scrape together funds for. If it weren't for Saff's outstanding performances at local game tournaments, the club would have gone under. The university and city were very business-oriented, with most students wanting to focus on stable careers, shying away from gaming, from anything more than a hobby not worth investing in. Saff saw himself as a genius in a sea of nothingness, though that may be his naive attitude. He was hoping to catch the eye of a gaming league recruiter to prove to his parents that he can make a career out of his skills.

'Life is just a game and I have the skills to win it.'

He picked up a controller and urged someone to pick up the controller connected to the second player. No one dared to budge in the room. Most knew they didn't stand a chance. Saff has tried playing nice with newer members to avoid driving them away as well. Alas, the clubmates just whispered among themselves until someone pushed past the small group and situated themselves on the couch.

The man was particularly handsome; he was taller than Saff. He had beautiful blonde hair and blue eyes, just like Saff's, though his was kept with a neat middle part, while Saff didn’t put too much care into his outward appearance, believing his skill could speak for him instead. The man smiled and picked up the controller.

"Were you waiting for a Player 2?" The man's voice was sweet like honey, making every nerve in Saff's body jolt. Handsome, tall, and with a beautiful voice. 

"Yeah, yeah, have you ever played this game before? It has just been released." Saff began to select his character. he decided to play a character he was unfamiliar with, to try and give this club newbie an easier time.

"I can't say I have. My, the way you're looking at the screen, you seem confident in your pick." The man said.

"Yeah, something like that. When you're ready, you can start the match." Saff took a deep breath. He considered this a practice match.

Right as the game started, though, the other man's character flew at him. Every action seemed so fluid, so intentional. Saff was caught off guard by how flawless this man's gameplay appeared. He definitely has played before, or at the very least played similar games. Saff tried to regain his footing, but his shock and unfamiliarity with the character made him stumble. He struggled to regain control of the match until the other man served him a swift, flawless defeat.

'Just, who is this guy?!' Saff thought to himself. "Sorry, that was my first time playing that character, but you've definitely played this before, you liar!"

"Hm? I wasn't lying, though I've seen some videos online. It didn't seem that hard to master the combos. I'll try a different character this time." The man switched to a more difficult, but rewarding character.

Saff took a deep breath; he couldn't let his nerves get to him. The guy had such an innocent, kind smile on his face, Saff refused to believe he was lying even for a second. Maybe he had finally met his match- No! He needed to focus.

He hovered over his most comfortable character and hit select. He tried to get his breathing and heart rate under control; he didn't want to show the club that he was actually nervous against an opponent. He waited for the other man to start the match. This time he struck first; he wanted control of the stage, of the match. He had a leg up for the first minute. Everything he knew, he used it, spacing, timing, everything. His eyes were glued to the screen. He knew each movement had to be intentional, calculated. The other man was playing a character whose combos had a lot of room for error, but he couldn't find an opening. It was horrifyingly flawless. Saff continued to trade with his opponent bit by bit, neither of the men could gain enough momentum to decide the match early. It would have to be down to the wire. Saff knew he couldn't let up. He could feel his heart racing and his face heating up; he felt his reputation was on the line. Whoever this was, this wasn't like the casual run-of-the-mill hobbyist gamers that lived in this city; this unexpected challenger was an outsider who was trying to uproot everything he had built.

He couldn't let that happen; he paced his movements like a metronome, every breath and movement of his finger synced. The second he saw the other man falter, he went in with a risky play, only to realize he had been tricked. He completely miscalculated his opponent and lost all his footing in the match. The man took over the game and once again defeated Saff.

"Ah, what a well-played match." The man stood up and placed the controller on the table. "Unfortunately, I have other arrangements to attend to, but maybe I'll stop by again. What is your name, by the way?"

Saff felt like his whole world had come crashing down as the man extended a hand for him to shake. "My- my name?" His voice quivered. Whoever was standing in front of him felt inhuman, felt too perfect to be true. "Um, I'm Saff. Who are you?"

"I'm Erich-" the man stopped himself. "Sorry, I forgot something important. You can call me Johan. I'll be on my way now, till we meet again, Saff.~"

The way his voice said Saff's name, the way the notes lingered on it. It felt like a delicious treat to Saff's ears; however, once his temporary infatuation with Johan ended, he remembered what that man had done to his reputation. Saff was no longer an untouchable prodigy in his city; a challenger had arrived and swiftly dethroned him. 

After a few minutes of recuperating, he walked to the other club members. They were bustling with excitement over this "Johan" person; his spotlight had truly been stolen. He bolted out of the club room and to a local cafe to buy a sweet drink to quell his nerves. He seated himself at a table facing the window, sipping his boba milk tea while watching people pass by. He didn't know what he was feeling. On one hand, his reputation was crushed on one Friday afternoon by a stranger, but on the other, Johan was wearing a tightish turtleneck with no sleeves, revealing his slender, pale arms, free of imperfections. He was wearing slacks, and Saff could see the gentle curves on his hips. His facial features were just beautiful as well, like he was sculpted with the most tender care to create the most appealing face; this alone almost quelled Saff’s nerves. Saff had always been teased for his baby face despite being 18, but his skill quickly shut others up. That's right, his skill. He needed to find a way to improve his skills to match his new rival, or that's how he saw Johan now. Someone he needed to beat to regain his reputation at his club, it'll be bad news if Johan swings by again, and Saff gets another taste of humiliation. 'That bastard!'

Visual

"Hm? Fancy seeing you here, Saff." That honey-sweetened voice flowed into Saff's ears.

'Shit, shit, shit!' Saff saw in the corner of his eye, Johan pulling up a chair to sit beside him. Saff looked away in annoyance as Johan leaned over the table to try and get a glimpse of Saff's face to make proper eye contact.

"Is something the matter?" Johan asked.

"No, nothing.” Saff sighed. "I'm just wondering, who are you really? Are you a hidden top player? You can be honest, it's just us here right now."

"Oh, I'm flattered you think that. I'm just a journalist who moved into the city recently with a friend of mine. It really was my first time playing." Johan let out a soft chuckle to try and lighten the mood. "Do you play a lot?"

"Well, I play more than that game. Here, check out my socials @GoldenGamer, you might've heard of me, or not. I don't know." Saff felt embarrassed for the first time, showing Johan his social media presence.

"Wow, you sure have a lot of followers. I'm quite impressed, maybe I'll steal you for an interview sometime, but not today, I already have one lined up." Johan took a sip of the coffee he was drinking. It was just a simple latte. Saff was surprised since the cafe was known for its sweet and intricate drinks, but it felt somewhat fitting for Johan to get something as simple as a latte. "If you'll excuse me, my interview should be arriving shortly."

Saff huffed as Johan excused himself, putting his seat back at its proper table before walking across the cafe and seating himself in a booth. Saff tried not to look over at Johan, but even his side profile was perfect; the cafe and natural light bounced off his features, making him glow. It’s like everything Saff lacked, Johan had.

About 15 minutes had passed, and a beautiful woman passed through the door in scrubs. She seemed a little bit older than Saff and Johan, and she was exceptionally beautiful. She sat across from Johan, unable to hide her nervousness. She pushed her hair out of her face and avoided eye contact.

‘Of course, why wouldn’t he have the attention of ladies?’ Saff rolled his eyes as he thought to himself. He never cared to have the attention of women, but it still made him feel a tinge of jealousy that Johan had that, too. Saff observed the two talking; Johan had a notebook and was occasionally scribbling something down as the woman talked. They ordered a stack of mini pancakes, the woman’s covered in fruit and whipped cream, while Johan’s was plain with a small cube of butter and some syrup. The woman cut off a small corner with a strawberry slice and tried offering it to Johan, but it was rejected. It was clear she was trying to make advances on him, but he continued with his interview professionally.

The more Saff watched, the more jealous of Johan he became. How could anyone possibly be this perfect? No, he had to be hiding something; maybe he had some hidden game practice technique that made it easy for him to pick up characters. Saff was not the kind to be so obsessive, but he just had to know. He waited; he had finished his drink quite a while ago and had been scrolling on his phone. A few of the club members had already made posts about a new challenger arriving in the city with amazing skills. He didn’t want to waste energy replying or defending himself since there was no point.

Saff sighed before gathering his things and leaving. He took one last look at the woman, dressed in purple with a strange birthmark on the back of her arm. He snuck a quick glance at Johan before heading back to his small apartment that his parents were paying for. He ended up looking up any and every tutorial for the game's characters. The next club meeting was next Friday, and he couldn't let Johan humiliate him again.

After a long weekend of not sleeping, he dragged his feet to class. He couldn't let his grades drop since he depended on his parents to even go to this university. After nodding off to sleep for his entire lecture and having to ask for a copy of his classmates' notes, he decided to stop by the coffee shop again. He sat himself down at the window table again, sipping a plain latte like he had seen Johan do. He disliked the taste, preferring something sugary or something like an energy drink, but he felt by following Johan's methods, maybe he could improve and beat Johan. He could feel the caffeine begin to wake him up; he grabbed his copied notes and began to read through them.

He couldn't stay focused; the thought of Johan was plaguing his mind. Everything about him was his beautiful appearance, flawless skill, and silky smooth voice. It was enough to drive a man mad. As he began to regain his composure, he heard a set of chair legs softly set down beside his own. 'No, it can't be.' Saff thought to himself before whipping around to see Johan seated next to him. Today, he was wearing a beige blazer with a light blue sweater underneath. He could barely see the outlines of Johan's slender figure, contrary to the previous outfit.

"Hello, Saff." Johan's words made Saff's heart pound. "I could tell you weren't enjoying what you ordered, so I bought you what you had ordered last time. Was this tiger milk tea, correct? What did you order today?" Johan leaned over and looked into Saff's cup. "Oh, you're just having a plain latte, I see. That's my normal order."

"Yeah, so, how'd that interview go last week?" Saff tried to hide his nervous expression. 'Why did this bastard show up now of all times?!'

"Hm? Oh, that nurse. She couldn't give me the story I was looking for. I must've misjudged her character." Johan smiled before nudging the cup of milk tea in front of Saff. "Go ahead, it's my treat."

Johan punched the boba straw to the top before leaning the straw toward Saff's lips. Saff was nervous but accepted the drink and savored it. He didn't know why Johan was doing this, but he couldn't sense any ill will.

"So, um, Johan, how'd you hear about the gaming group? Since I don't think you're a student, or maybe you just transferred? You said you're a journalist, right?" Saff asked.

"That's correct. I was just looking for interesting things around here to write about. My roommate is a doctor, so he is very busy. When he's not around, I look for work or something to kill the time before he arrives home." Johan chuckled to himself, a slight smile across his face when talking about this roommate of his.

"Is your roommate your partner?" Saff asked bluntly.

"Ah, it's complicated. He is quite a bit older than I, 41 to be exact, so I'm sure he is put off by that fact. I do not believe that is something he is currently interested in."

"How old are you anyway, Johan?"

"Ah? I'm 24." Johan smiled. "Your profile said you were 18. Is that true?"

"Yeah, I turn 19 in the fall; I have a younger sister named Peri who is also pretty good at games."

"Oh, I also have a sister, a twin sister, she lives relatively close to here, I'm glad the doctor agreed to move near my sister." Johan patted Saff's back. "I find it wonderful to learn about you."

Saff blushed, burying his face in his notes. "Y-yeah, it's nice to talk with someone." 'Why am I so nervous?' "Um, I need to get over my class notes. Will I see you at the gaming club this Friday?"

"I suppose, if I can make time, I'll be there. I have to wrap up some work. I'll see you around, Saff."

"W-wait, why don't we exchange contacts?" Saff blurted out.

"No need, you will see me again." Johan excused himself, leaving Saff yearning for more of him.

Even such a simple, light conversation with him felt so meaningful. Saff's arrogant personality drove people away, with his only real friend being his sister, who is a year and a half younger than him, but his family doesn't live near the city. He felt like he was alone and had to make a name for himself here, but couldn't quite help the distance between himself and his peers anyway. Johan, however, seemed to have no issue closing the distance between himself and Saff. What did he mean anyway? That he would see him again? Cryptic, but Saff was looking forward to it.

'Wait a second, Johan didn't buy himself a drink? What was he doing here anyway?' Saff thought to himself, before nodding off to his strange observation and returning to his notes. 

Saff attended his last lecture of the day feeling energized. Maybe it was because Johan bought him his usual sugary drink, or maybe it was the possibility that he made his own real friend.

He skipped home to his apartment before running to his plushie pile in the living room and squeezing the largest cat plush tightly. He couldn't get Johan out of his mind, a friend, a real friend. Not his sister and not someone who keeps him around conveniently because of his small amassed fame or skill, someone who seems genuinely interested in just him. He made a small dinner for himself. Some rice, chicken, and steamed vegetables before turning on the 18:00 news.

A body had been discovered a little bit north of his apartment complex.

Saff's heart dropped for a second. The body's face was difficult to identify, and there were no clothes in the area, but there, on the victim's arm, was a familiar, strange birthmark. Saff's heart was pounding; he knew that birthmark.

There appear to be no close friends or family who can identify the body. Police are urging people to come forward with any information they may have about the victim or the possible perpetrator. It appears she died two days ago.

'Did it say two days ago? On Saturday? No, it can't be...' Saff took a deep breath before reassuring himself. 'She was in scrubs, I'm sure someone at the hospital she works at will identify her. I didn't know a thing about her, so how would I identify her- Wait! Johan interviewed her on Friday. He must know something about her. The next time I see him, I'll be sure to ask!' 

Saff leaned back into his couch, changing the TV’s setting to show his console. He wanted to practice his skills again in the platformer game Mega Fight Brothers Ultimate, or MFBU, he wanted to fight Johan again this Friday, but not for his pride, to show Johan how much he had improved. He blushed at the idea of Johan praising his improvement before squeezing his cat plushie again.

‘What did he mean when he said I will see him again? Is it fate or does he want to find me again?’ Saff buried his face in his plushie. ‘What if I find you again first? Wait, I have to catch up on homework!’ 

Saff reluctantly turned off his TV and rushed to his computer to begin on his assignments. After several hours of grueling assignments that he put off over the weekend in favor of practicing MFBU, he turned his computer off and headed back to his couch. He looked out the window at the city skyline with the sun setting behind it.

‘I guess I’ve never really noticed how beautiful this city is, but even then, the most beautiful is Johan- wait, what am I thinking?’ He quickly shut his window and took a deep breath. ‘This guy that I’ve only really known for a few days is all I can think of. What is wrong with me? He’s a bit older than me, and he’s got everything going for him; there’s no way he could ever feel the same way about me. He probably gets showered in compliments and praise all the time, where could I ever fit in?’ 

He looked at his phone; there was a single message from his sister asking how he had been. She had seen the posts from the gaming club that there was a new challenger in town who actually beat Saff. He cringed at her message, but answered truthfully that a journalist was passing by the club who seemed to beat Saff effortlessly. Peri asked the usual questions about whether he was a hidden top player or even a pro. Saff said he claimed he wasn’t. He was just a guy with some real talent.

‘Should I tell her the rest? About the feeling this stupid bastard gave me?’ Saff shook his head and told his sister he was going to sleep. He put his phone away and got ready for bed, unable to shake this uneasy feeling. ‘I couldn’t tell her that her big brother finally made a friend and can only think about him.’

He collapsed in his bed and closed his eyes. Johan will see him again, huh? He hoped it was soon; he hoped he could see him before the club meeting. Next time, he will push to get Johan’s number or something. He closed his eyes and hoped that before the club meeting, he could see Johan one more time. 

Unfortunately, his wish didn’t come true. The next few days passed agonizingly slowly. Though it was only a few days, the mundaneness of his life without Johan’s presence was grueling. Going to class, doing homework, stopping by the cafe, and practicing when he went home, that was all his days were. It made him realize how lonely he really was; none of his clubmates texted him outside of club activities, really, and his classmates couldn’t bother looking his way outside of class. Outside of his skill, he really was nobody; he wasn’t anyone’s friend or lover or anything. Johan approached him outside the club and went out of his way to get him a drink, making him feel seen for once, not as a gaming prodigy, but as a person.

When Friday finally came, he got himself ready. He wore something a little different, a pale yellow cardigan and a black long-sleeved shirt underneath with black jeans. He wanted to look a little more presentable than he usually did, showing up in his yellow hoodie and sweatpants. He ran across campus to the club, and there was an unusually large crowd standing outside the door. He pushed his way through to see Johan sitting in front of the TV, apparently the word had spread, and players were stopping by to see if they could be the one to beat Johan, dressed in a dark grey blazer with a button-down and tie.

‘Where was this crowd when I was dominating at this game?’ Saff thought. He waited at the front of the crowd, watching person after person fail to beat Johan and leave the club. After a while, Saff managed to take a seat next to Johan and pick up the controller. He had been practicing for this day, but the moment Johan smiled at him warmly, he felt his fiery determination weaken.

“Let’s make this a good match,” Johan said before selecting his character. Once again, he had picked the character that was the most challenging but most rewarding.

Saff nodded, locking in the character he had been practicing the most. He was confident, no, more than confident, that this time he could beat Johan. He took a deep breath; he knew what he had to do this time. He couldn’t let Johan have control for a second; he couldn’t take any risks. Saff had control from the beginning of the match, and he gained all the momentum at the start. Even though the match was looking good for him, something felt off, like Johan wasn’t trying his heart out even though he was. Maybe he was tired since there were so many opponents before Saff, maybe he was having an off day, or maybe Saff was just being toyed with.

Saff shook off his negative thoughts and self-doubt and continued the match. After a few minutes, it was over. He had beaten Johan. He was speechless; it didn’t feel like he was facing the same opponent from last week, maybe he had improved so drastically that facing Johan again was a cake walk. No, that couldn’t be it. He ignored all the onlookers whispering to each other about how Saff was the only person able to beat Johan and looked Johan in the eyes.

“Incredible, Saff, you’ve really improved from last week.” Johan smiled warmly again.

“I want a rematch; you were barely trying.” Saff selected his character again.

“Oh, alright.” Johan selected his character again. “If you insist.”

Once again, Saff had dominated the match, beating Johan within a few minutes. ‘This isn’t right.’ Saff thought, ‘This isn’t the same opponent.’

“Well, that was a wonderful performance, Saff, but I have to-” Johan stopped when he noticed Saff’s expression.

“No, no, one more match, please.” Saff selected his character again.

“Alright,” Johan’s smile dropped. “Just this last one, then I have an interview to attend to.”

Saff’s breathing became erratic, and he was nervous despite winning twice. He felt like Johan was holding back; he couldn’t shake that feeling. Last week, Johan’s performance was flawless, more than flawless in fact. This week, Johan had so many openings, so many mistakes, or maybe they were always there, and Saff was only able to notice them now. He couldn’t wrap his head around it, but he was anticipating a challenge all week, not another random that he could stomp without effort.

Johan selected a different character, and the match commenced. Suddenly, it was like a switch had been flipped. Johan took full control of the match. Saff was caught off guard and couldn’t regain his footing. He tried to regain control of the match, but just like how he had beaten Johan in the previous two matches, it only took a few minutes for Johan to deliver defeat to him this time.

“It’s been fun, but I really need to head to my interview now.” Johan set his controller down and stood up. The crowd of people moved expectantly and made a clear path for Johan to leave through.

‘What the hell was that?’ Saff thought; he felt like he had awakened a monster in the 3rd match. ‘Crap, I didn’t get his number again, and I forgot to ask about the nurse!’ Saff gathered himself and bolted after Johan. Johan had already paced far ahead of him, heading to the cafe once again. He managed to finally catch up to Johan, but Johan was already seated across from a savvy-looking businessman with an expensive-looking suit. Saff sat behind Johan, listening in on the conversation. The man was planning to buy out a local hospital and had some sketchy, almost unethical business ideas to help that hospital make more money. He apparently felt the hospital staff was ‘too honest,’ but that reputation could be used as leverage to milk money out of patients. Johan nodded along, writing down some of the man’s statements in his notebook.

‘No wonder Johan was dressed so nicely today, this was his interview client.’ Saff heard the two stand up and leave the cafe. In a panic, Saff quietly followed behind the two men. He ended up losing track of time and where he was following the two. Eventually, the number of people around reduced to practically zero; wherever they were, Saff felt uneasy. It was quiet; the man was boasting about how he could leverage the reputation of this man named Dr. Tenma for profit.

Johan laughed along with the man until the man began to choke. He collapsed, gasping for air. He reached out to Johan, to which Johan responded by grinning, letting out a slight chuckle. There was no one around to witness it, but Johan slipped some gloves on from his pocket and threw the man’s body into a dumpster of a store that had closed down years ago, before pushing the dumpster in through the back door of the business and replacing the heavy lock that was on the back door. Saff wasn’t sure what area of town they were in, but he knew that no one would check that building since it had been long abandoned. He started to panic; he had witnessed a murder and realized Johan may have murdered the nurse he interviewed last week as well.

“You can come out now, it’s just the two of us.” Johan looked directly at Saff, who felt he was well hidden behind a corner. “Saff, you’re not good at sneaking around, but that’s alright.”

Saff’s heart began to pound. Johan might kill him; he might really kill him. He felt like he had flown too close to the sun, ‘Shit, shit, shit!’ Saff slowly turned the corner to face Johan, who threw his gloves onto the ground before lighting them on fire. After the gloves had been reduced to nothing but ash, he stomped out the remaining flames.

“Why did you follow me, hm?” Johan approached Saff, who was speechless and frozen in place. “Did you have something to say to me? You should really treat your seniors with respect and at least answer.”

“I wanted to get your number.” Saff looked Johan in the eyes, despite being paralyzed in fear a second ago, he pulled out his phone and handed it to Johan anyway, with an empty contact slot waiting. ‘I just watched this man kill someone, and I believe he killed the nurse, too. So why am I doing this? Why am I asking for his number?’
“I told you before, there’s no need for this. You will see me again when the time comes.” Johan pushed Saff’s phone back toward him. “Hm, it is almost dinner time. Would you care to join me and my roommate for dinner?”

Saff nodded, despite every nerve in his body telling him to turn around and run, to go to the police, to do something, anything other than fall into this devil’s trap. He followed Johan home to an apartment building that was actually adjacent on the street to his own; these apartments were much bigger and pricier. Johan and his roommate must be well off, maybe due to the fact that his roommate is a doctor. Johan led Saff up to the 3rd floor and unlocked his apartment door. He smiled at Saff before swinging the door open, revealing an older man sitting at a dining table with some food prepared.

“Johan, I was just about to call you; who is your friend?” The man asked, standing up to greet Saff.

“His name is Saff. I met him at the university’s gaming club. I stopped by before one of my interviews out of curiosity. He is quite the skilled gamer.” Johan answered.

“Well, nice to meet you, Saff. My name is Kenzo Tenma; you can just call me Tenma. I’m a surgeon at the hospital down the road.” Tenma shook Saff’s hand, who was too nervous to speak. “Say, what name did my roommate give to you?”

Saff looked up and took a moment to gather himself, “Huh? Oh, he said his name is Johan.”

“Thank you for not giving out fake names again. Sorry, he likes to give people random names, and it becomes confusing. I did make some extra dinner if you wanted to join us.” Tenma urged Saff to the table.

There were four seats, one on each side of the table. Saff pulled one of the chairs out and seated himself. The food smelled amazing, the way the vegetables were roasted, the way the meat was seasoned, and the freshness of the rice. Saff had been eating the university’s cafeteria food for the entire school year. His parents were very busy with their work, so they did not pick him up during the holidays. Johan portioned out the food for everyone, and Saff immediately dug in. He couldn’t resist the delicious home cooking.

After he finished, he thanked Tenma for the meal before looking up at Johan, who was still smiling warmly at him. ‘Get up and run, he’s a killer.’ Saff’s brain told him. ‘Tell his roommate, this man is a KILLER.’

“What is it, Saff?” Johan asked. “We’re friends, you can tell me.” 

‘We’re friends.’ The words echoed through Saff’s skull. “When will I see you again?”

“You just will.” Johan stood up and began cleaning the table. As Johan was washing the plates and pans, Saff turned to Tenma.

He did seem quite a bit older, his appearance was well-kept, and he was dressed in a light blue button-down and dress pants. He felt something was going on between Tenma and Johan, but couldn’t prove it. That idea alone made Saff’s chest hurt, but he knew there was nothing he could do about it. Tenma excused himself so he could prepare for bed. Saff looked around at their apartment, which was extremely clean. There appeared to be two bedrooms and one bathroom. Maybe they really were just roommates.

After Johan finished cleaning, he sat down next to Saff. “You’re quite the interesting one; you were the only witness, and you instead asked for my number. If anything, I find it quite charming.” Johan leaned over Saff and whispered in his ear. “Cafe, 14:00, Sunday.” The words made goosebumps appear all over Saff. He turned and looked at Johan in horror. He knew he should be terrified out of his mind, but he couldn’t help but feel excitement that Johan would see him again. “That’s what you wanted, right?”

Chapter Text

Saff left shortly after; he agreed to meet Johan again on Sunday and excused himself after. Johan sat alone in the kitchen for a few minutes after that. He smiled to himself; Saff was just too easy. Johan could keep prodding him for information, but he knew all he needed to know about Saff. Saff’s parents were investors; their money had influence. Saff may not know it since he is young and naive, but his parents were on the same level of immorality as the profit-hungry businessman Johan had disposed of. Johan knew that his victim had connections to Saff’s parents, and they were also after the hospital where Tenma worked.

Tenma was a renowned neurosurgeon whose reputation made people flock to the hospital for treatment. That, combined with his polite, good-natured attitude, made him quite the attraction overall, though hospitals here were for-profit, making it difficult for most doctors to prioritize people over profits. Tenma’s morals were unwavering. Johan opened his phone, his only saved contacts being Tenma and his twin sister, Anna.

Johan saw the news that Saff’s father had attended another meeting with the hospital director to discuss how they could alter some of their practices to maximize profits. Johan frowned, ‘Why do these people keep trying?’ he thought to himself. After a few minutes of rationalizing, he picked the lock to Tenma’s bedroom door, as he does every night. He lay next to his sleeping roommate and smiled. Everything he was doing was okay, as long as it was for Tenma. Admittedly, he did not want to kill the nurse from the previous week since the actual hospital staff were low-priority targets, but she had repeatedly brought Tenma lunch despite Johan packing lunch for Tenma. She had asked Tenma to ‘compare’ and boasted about her cooking skills, eventually asking Tenma out to dinner. Despite Tenma rejecting her, she said she would try to ‘earn’ him in a different way.

‘It’s tragic,’ Johan thought to himself, ‘But I would really do anything for you, Doctor. Anything.’

Finally home, Saff was lying awake, staring at his bedroom ceiling. ‘He really is a killer, and I did nothing about him. I sat next to him and ate dinner with his roommate as if nothing had happened. I went home and got ready for bed as if nothing had happened. What is wrong with me? But if he gets arrested and I never see him again, would I really be okay with being alone?’

After a few minutes of contemplating, he heard his phone buzz. He picked it up and got a message from an unsaved number. The message was just a smiling emoji, but he knew exactly who it was.

“Hello, Johan.” He typed back in response. “How did you get my number?”

Johan replied, “Don’t ask pointless questions. Are your parents meeting you soon?”

“Why are you asking about my parents?” Saff looked at Johan’s message in shock.

“You told me at dinner they might visit in the near future.” Johan’s reply made Saff question his memory, but Saff trusted Johan. “So, are they?”

“I don’t know,” Saff replied, unsure why Johan was suddenly interested in his parents. “They haven’t told me anything. Why did you need to know?”

“I was just curious. I searched your parents after dinner; they’re quite influential.”

“That’s all anyone seems to care about.” Saff gripped his phone; he was worried Johan would become like everyone else, and he would fade into the background again. As much money and influence as his parents held, they were never around, so he found it pointless to try to leverage that for status. His parents were simply people who gave birth to and housed him until he turned 18, then shipped him off to university in a big city across the country. They never supported his hobbies and hoped he would ‘grow out of gaming,’ scolding him when he went to local events instead of studying in high school.

“My apologies, I didn’t realize your relationship with your parents. I’ll treat you to lunch tomorrow as well to make up for it.” Johan tried to lighten the mood; he still needed Saff to like him.

Saff’s face turned red. “When and where?”

“I’ll pick you up at 11, I know a place on the other side of the city you may enjoy.” Johan dropped another smiling emoji, leaving a lingering feeling as Saff put his phone down and turned on his side to sleep.

Visual

‘I can’t believe him!’ Saff giggled to himself before drifting off into sleep. He quickly forgot about what he had witnessed the second Johan extended any kindness to him. He was easy, too easy a target to the point Johan almost pitied him. His desperate pleas for attention, his arrogant nature, it was almost ideal. Saff’s shortsightedness could kill him, but he just wanted this to continue a little longer.

He overslept and was woken up by his phone ringing. Johan was calling him; it was 11:05. He panicked and rushed, getting ready, though he still wanted to make himself look presentable. He decided to wear his black and yellow windbreaker with a plain t-shirt that had one single pocket on his right breast. He wore his neatest pair of jeans and put on his sneakers. His hair was still a little messy, but he thought the look would work.

He paused when skipping down the stairs. When did he give Johan his address? Or his room number? Maybe Johan had seen him walk home before, since they lived quite close to each other, but something wasn’t adding up. Despite knowing what Johan had done, something felt uneasy about him having so much information that Saff never gave him. He paused for a moment before descending the final flight of stairs. He saw Johan standing near the entrance, wearing a blue button-down sweater open, showing the well-fitted shirt underneath that barely outlined his figure. He was wearing slacks and dress shoes and had a book bag slung over his arm. He was nervous. Johan knew his number and knew which apartment he was in; he was worried he would become the next target. He contemplated meeting Johan or running back to his dorm to call the cops.

“You only live on the fourth floor. What took you so long?” Johan smiled, turning to face Saff, who swore he was out of sight of the entrance. “Come on, we already missed the first train, but I’m sure we can catch the second. I’ll pay for your ticket, don’t worry.”

Saff’s heart pounded. He knew if he took a single step down the stairs, he had to accept anything Johan would do to him, but what if he wasn’t a target? What if Johan wouldn’t hurt him, given the information he had? He was sure that if it came down to it, he could defend himself. He had brought his golden claw-shaped knuckle in his pocket that he bought on a whim; it was supposed to be used for self-defense, but he just liked the color. ‘If it comes down to it, I’m sure I can do it.’

He took a deep breath before skipping down the final flight of stairs and meeting Johan at his side. “Alright, let’s go.”

They paced to the train station and took the 11:45 train to the east side of town. The train was crowded this Saturday morning, causing Johan and Saff to be smushed against each other, Johan sitting on the very edge of the bench to try and give the other riders more room. The train shook ever so often, causing Saff to crash into Johan’s back as Johan held onto the bar to stay stable. Every time Saff crashed into Johan, he got a better whiff of the cologne Johan was using; it was a warm spice smell.

When they finally reached their stop, so many people were eager to get off, pushing their way to the opening doors. Saff tried to stand up, but his small figure wasn’t able to fend off the groups of families and teens exiting to try and reach their weekend destination without any regard for others. The doors were going to close soon, so he finally managed to slip off the train- literally, stumbling into the station’s crowd as the doors closed behind him. Johan crouched down and extended his hand to Saff, lifting the boy.

“Quite the busy weekend on this side of town. I expected as much. Only if we had caught an earlier train.” Johan winked, trying to lighten the mood. Saff was a little embarrassed that he had woken up so late, but he knew Johan was not actively trying to hurt his feelings.

Saff wished he could’ve held Johan’s hand a little longer, that warm feeling on his hand still lingering. They walked into a very vibrantly colored establishment, the inside was extremely well kept, and they were quite busy. Eventually, the hostess marched back to the front table.

“Hello, I’m here for the 12:15 reservation under Michael Reichmann, which was rescheduled,” Johan told her.

“Ah, yes, table for two.” She grabbed two menus and some wrapped silverware. “Right this way, Mr. Reichmann.”

‘Michael Reichmann? Why did he give them a fake name?’ Saff thought to himself.

When they were finally seated, Saff looked at the menu. His eyes widened when he realized where they were; it was a retro-game themed restaurant. It was becoming popular due to its theme, leading the restaurant to recommend reservations due to the sheer volume of customers they received per day. The food had names that referenced popular older games, though some were as recent as references from 10 years ago.

“I thought you might enjoy this entrée,” Johan tilted Saff’s menu toward himself and pointed to the corner of the page.

Saff paused when he saw what he was pointing at. He focused for a second before realizing what the dish’s name was referencing. It was one of the popular online games where Saff had built his following. Saff blushed, realizing Johan had gone as far as to research Saff’s online career. When Saff was a freshman in high school, he was dominating in an online PvP and PvE game. When he rose in the ranks, people could not believe it was a mere 14-year-old able to dominate the scene. He eventually made social media accounts to connect with others from the game and discuss strategy, kickstarting his online presence. He made a few video tutorials here and there to solidify his role as a strategist.

Saff’s recent online presence has changed to local tournament results and gameplay for the new Mega Fight Brothers Ultimate and other online competitive games, leading him to forget about his platform’s origins. He looked up at Johan, astonished. The waitress came by and asked for their orders. Johan ordered a plate that referenced an old murder mystery party game about a crew in space; when Saff was still speechless by the time the waitress asked for his order, Johan went ahead and ordered the plate that referenced Saff’s online platform origin.

“What’s wrong? I heard you were pretty good at that game.” Johan took a sip of his water. “Did you want me to order us something else to drink? Something stronger? It is the weekend.”

“This morning, how did you know where I lived?” Saff finally managed to get words out.

“Hm? You posted a picture on your Xitter, it was the sunset from your window, and I could see my apartment in it. I could pinpoint where you were easily and which floor you lived on. You should be more careful online.” Johan smiled, sliding his phone across with a several-month-old month old post on his phone already.

“And my number?”

“There are gaming club posters in the main foyer of your university with the president’s number and the vice president’s number, which is you, surprisingly, listed for people to contact if they’re interested in joining or learning about the club. Say, why aren’t you the president? You’re very skilled. Or is the president holding that position due to seniority?”

“Lexa is president because she’s a senior, she’s pretty good at games too, but she’s been busy studying for her exams recently,” Saff answered nervously.

“I see,” Johan took another sip of his water, “so, what other tournaments are you going to attend?”

“Um, there’s actually a big tournament being hosted in the next town over next week that I’m going to, it’s during spring break, so I won’t need to worry about homework or classes or anything.” Saff slid Johan’s phone back to him. “I asked my parents and sister to attend since it is a national tournament.”

“Oh, is that so?” The look in Johan’s eyes changed ever so slightly, from a soft, friendly look to one of a hunter locking on.

Saff barely noticed and continued, “My parents said if they could make time, they would come during the finals, but if I wasn’t in it, I need to tell them so they’re not ‘wasting time’ or something. My sister said she couldn’t make it since she would have to catch a flight here and back; she said she didn’t have the time.” Saff frowned, wincing at the fact that his family wouldn’t come to see him compete. Saff’s hand curled into a tight fist on the table.

“Saff,” Johan reached his hand out and placed it on Saff’s. “I’ll come watch you compete, don’t worry. I’m sure I can find a story while I’m there. I’ll let the Doctor know, I’m sure if he can make the time, he would be delighted to attend.”

Saff blushed. Johan, who was practically a stranger until very recently, was so ready to attend one of Saff’s biggest events, while his parents were reluctant. Saff tried to hide his red face from his senior, but he couldn't contain his excitement. Saff struggled but eventually mustered out a small ‘thank you.’ Eventually, their plates came. Saff’s plate felt quite extravagant with a steak, rice, and seasoned, roasted vegetables lining it. The steak had a mini sword stuck inside the middle. It was a nice touch, and he realized the placement of the food resembled one of the consumable items in the game. He smiled before digging in, and eating it filled him with a sense of nostalgia. 

Johan’s plate was a beef wellington with small appendages and a decorative piece of rice paper film to resemble glass on a space suit. There were small spurts of red sauce circling the food on the plate. Johan cut off a small piece and placed it gently on Saff’s plate, quietly urging him to try some, to which Saff quickly accepted. Saff had fancier meals in his life, but for the first time, the food felt genuinely delicious. He wasn’t sure if it was the nostalgic factor, the atmosphere, or the fact that the person sitting across from him was showing him genuine kindness and interest, but he felt warmth radiating from his chest.

‘So simple.’ Johan thought to himself. ‘Like giving a stray dog a little bit of food. You can kick other dogs in front of him, but why would he ever bite the hand that feeds him?’

Saff scarfed down the rest of his meal and looked up at Johan. He stopped for a second. There was something off about the look in his eyes. But when he blinked, that feeling disappeared. He was worried; he still had that lingering feeling that at any point he could easily become Johan’s target, but he kept burying that feeling so he wouldn’t feel so lonely, even if it was just for a second.

“I’ll pay,” Johan pulled out some cash and a little extra for a tip. “Do you want to go anywhere else after? There are plenty of stores on this side of town.”

Saff nodded excitedly, helping Johan stack the plates for the waitress. He looked up at Johan, his expression always so elegant, even when doing the most basic things. After paying, Saff led Johan to an assortment of stores with plushes, games and show merchandise, and clothing. Johan was charmed by how excited Saff was; it was childlike how excited he was, but Johan could appreciate even that much.

Saff was given a little allowance every week by his parents if his grades kept up, but he seldom used it since his parents and the university covered his basic needs. Eventually, it added up and he picked out a new wardrobe with Johan’s help, and bought himself and his new friend matching cat plushies, one red, one blue, wearing player one and two shirts. Johan smiled at the gesture, and he let a grin creep across his face as he realized Saff was falling for him. ‘You truly make it too easy.’

After the sun set, they took the train home together. It was a quieter, less crowded ride. Saff and Johan sat shoulder to shoulder on a bench. Saff rested his head on Johan’s shoulder, closing his eyes and feeling the train rock around them. Johan stared out the window at the city’s glowing skyline. ‘It’s tragic, really, that how I feel about the Doctor is how this boy feels about me.’

It was over a decade ago that Tenma had saved Johan’s life. Johan was shot in a break-in that killed his and Anna’s foster parents. Tenma sacrificed his reputation to save Johan instead of a big-name celebrity, since Johan had arrived first. After the incident, Johan and his sister were separated, though Johan still cared for her. Johan felt he owed his life to Tenma and so much more, secretly following him around like a loyal dog. After Tenma found out about Johan’s tendencies regarding people’s lives, he gave Johan the option to move in with him if he would stop killing people.

For a while, Johan was able to control his urges, but he became bored. He had to become more secretive, much more calculated than he was before, to hide his tendencies from Tenma. He lied about picking up a job as a journalist to continue seeking out targets, prioritizing those who try to harm Tenma, his reputation, or make romantic advances on him. Tenma was not actively seeking romance, which benefited Johan immensely, but Tenma never expressed the same interest that Johan did. Johan hated thinking about his past; he hated telling people about it. The only thing he clung to from his past was his sister and Tenma.

The train reached its stop, and Johan gently nudged Saff to wake up. When they disembarked the train, Johan extended his hand back to Saff. Saff gladly wrapped his fingers between Johan’s as they walked quietly home. Saff was nervous; his heart was pounding out of his chest as Johan walked him to his apartment. Johan released his hand from Saff’s and took a step away, but was stopped when he heard Saff mumble.

“Do you want to come inside?” Saff asked, just loud enough for Johan to hear.

Johan grinned, “Of course.”

Saff led Johan into his apartment, and the door was code-locked. Johan observed Saff putting in his door code before letting him inside. Johan had already memorized the code and typed it into his phone’s note app. Saff was oblivious and gave Johan a tour of his small apartment. There were plushes everywhere, a gaming console attached to the television, a small kitchen, and a bedroom with a twin-sized bed. His PC was probably the most extravagant thing in his apartment; the parts were up to date.

“And that’s my apartment,” Saff finally finished his tour. “I just wanted to show you since you let me into yours and all.” Saff nervously shuffled his feet as Johan examined each corner and detail of the apartment. Saff squeezed his Player One cat plush in his arms as Johan held the Player Two one at his side.

“Such a cute apartment,” Johan chimed. “I must be on my way now. I’ll see you at the cafe tomorrow at 14:00. Bye, now.”

Saff’s heart pounded as Johan excused himself. Even with a serious, focused expression, Saff still found Johan beautiful. He excitedly prepared for bed and squeezed the cat plushie as he fell asleep. The lingering warmth from Johan being in his apartment felt like a gentle rock to sleep.

“Welcome home, Johan,” a tired, drunken Tenma greeted his younger roommate. “Geez, work has been so stressful. Everyone wants to buy out our damn hospital, just give it a rest already, you know? Sorry, I know I complain about work all the time, how was your day, though?”

“Doctor…” Johan turned the Player Two cat to look at him, the beady eyes staring into Johan’s. “I had fun, I took Saff to the east side of town, the shopping district. He seemed to enjoy that new game-themed restaurant." Johan seated himself next to Tenma on the couch. Tenma’s tie was loose, and his shirt was ruffled. Stubble was dancing across his face, and his usually slicked-back hair was in a tangled mess on top of his head. Tenma smelled different from his usual, drunk self. “Doctor, did you go drinking with anyone?”

“Just Becker and a few of the new staff.” Tenma leaned back and closed his eyes. “One of the new lab technicians asked if I was looking for a wife. She told me I was getting older, I had a stable job, and should look to settle down. I told her I’m too busy for all of that, she tried arguing with me about it and said I need to do it before it’s too late,’ whatever that means.” Tenma looked over at Johan, who was gripping his plush tightly. “Johan, I appreciate that you’re always here to keep me company, that you’ve picked up a job, and have found a friend. Don’t worry, I don’t plan on ‘settling down’ with someone else anytime soon. You can have me for as long as you need.” Tenma smiled warmly before closing his eyes and dozing off on the couch.

Johan’s expression softened as he rested on a sleeping Tenma’s chest. “You never told me the technician's name,” Johan whispered. Johan knew that Tenma meant it in a fully platonic way; it was obvious when Johan became jealous that someone else could eat up Tenma’s time. Tenma had so little free time, and he genuinely did enjoy spending it alongside Johan. Johan stood up, leaving his plush on the couch, and got ready for bed. The cat plush slumped onto Tenma’s leg.

Johan opened his bedroom door, which was more of a library than a bedroom. He had a very small bed and all of his clothes were in the small closet. Practically, each wall had a bookshelf, and Tenma had a desk in the corner that was too big to fit in his room with his bed and dresser. Johan was okay with this arrangement; in fact, he felt he could easily pack up and leave if he needed to disappear at any point, but he would only do it if it was necessary. He technically didn’t exist; he could destroy his phone at any point, he had no real identification, he wasn’t on the lease, he only paid in cash, but he didn’t want to leave Tenma’s side.

“Shit, this case is insane.” Nina Fortner flipped through her newest case file. “My client is being convicted of killing a girl he went on one date with, but he practically has no valid alibi for where he was the night of her murder. He was in the area and their date went terribly, but why would he murder that nurse? I mean, he doesn’t seem like the unstable kind to kill someone after one horrible date.”

“Big sis,” Dieter poked at his dinner, more interested in Nina’s case than his food. “What hospital did she work at?”

Nina flipped to the front page of the file and reread the hospital name, “Oh my god, it’s the same hospital Doctor Tenma works at.”

“What?” Dieter dropped his fork and rushed to Nina’s side. “Are you thinking of asking him about her?”

Nina neatly packed her files back into the folder and put them in a book bag. “We should, tomorrow I’ll call him- Dieter! Finish your vegetables!"

“Did you get all of that, Saff?” Johan took a sip from his latte.

“Oh, um, you and Dr. Tenma are going with me on the first day of the tournament, then it’ll be just you for the rest.” Saff was having a hard time focusing on what Johan was saying, focusing on the shape of his lips and the way his body moved in his seat. Saff was wearing the t-shirt that Johan picked out with a striped long-sleeved shirt underneath. It made him feel closer to Johan, wearing the clothes Johan picked out while grabbing coffee with him. “I appreciate you both coming. I know you said he’s a busy man.”

“Yes, I’ll be cheering you on,” Johan nodded and leaned over to Saff’s ear, “and if- no, when you win, I have something special waiting for you.” Saff blushed and tried to hide his face from Johan, who was mindlessly sipping his latte.

After a few moments of silence, Johan asked Saff, “That nurse, the one with the birthmark, I was with you the night of her murder, right?”

“What?”

“Saturday night, the night that that nurse died, I was with you, right? You were at home practicing your game, and I was with you.” Johan smiled. “When that nurse, I think her name was Rachel Hartmann, was dying, I was with you in your apartment. Same when that businessman died, his name was Franz Schultz, we were hanging out together, right? We walked to your apartment from the cafe, nowhere near where he died in the quiet part of town.” Johan took a long sip of his latte. Saff wasn’t answering, so he gave him a moment. “Is your memory failing you?”

Saff’s heart was pounding, and his lip quivered; he knew what Johan was telling him. Johan was staring him down. He knew what the correct answer was: “Yeah, we were practicing together, in my apartment.”

“How strange, I have a feeling some people will think I’m a killer. Your friend couldn’t be a killer, right?” Johan grasped Saff’s hand. “I mean, if I have to go, what will happen to you?”

“I-” Saff retracted his hand. He was already so desperate for Johan’s attention and affection, he couldn’t bear to think about having to live without him. Despite them knowing each other for such a short time, it’s the only time Saff believed someone genuinely cared for him as a person. “I don’t want to think about that.”

“Sorry,” Johan led his hands back to his cup. “Your friend’s not going anywhere, because he’s not a killer.” Johan grinned when Saff leaned his head on his shoulder.

Saff had accepted his position at this point, like a moth to a flame, like cheese in a trap; he was being marched to his doom, but he would rather it be that than another second of loneliness. He opened his phone to see no new messages, again. His platform was one thing, but people seldom messaged him on that.

“After this, can you help me practice for the tournament?” Saff asked.

“Hm,” Johan looked at his phone. Tenma had sent him a text. “Looks like the Doctor is hungry. We can drop off lunch for him, then practice.”

“What do you think?” Grimmer asked, flipping through newspaper articles.

“About what?” Lunge asked, leaning back on their shared sofa.

“It’s strange, isn’t it?” Grimmer laid decades-old articles onto the coffee table. “Johan Liebert was the kid's name, right? He and that new lawyer, Nina Fortner, formerly Anna Liebert, were part of a decades-old abuse case. The ‘private’ school the twins attended was performing illegal experiments on the kids, and that was shut down quickly. Then their foster parents were killed in a break-in. Johan was the kid Tenma saved, but the twins went missing shortly after Johan recovered from the surgery. Nina resurfaced and was quickly put into foster care again with the Fortner family, but Johan has no records between when he went missing and now.

A few years ago, the workers and people who were out for Tenma or his hospital, for whatever reason, went missing. Those murders were pinned on Tenma for a while, but this man named ‘Roberto’ confessed to the murders with evidence before killing himself, his last breath he uttered the name ‘Johan,’ the name of Tenma’s new roommate.”

“So, you’re saying you still believe this Johan kid, Tenma’s roommate, is involved, there was no evidence connecting him to the murders years ago besides Roberto’s last words when he was found dying in his holding cell.” Lunge’s eyebrows raised.

“There’s no proof he exists, so why would there be proof of him committing murders? It’s perfect for him; he doesn’t exist, so neither does proof of his murders.” Grimmer’s hand balled into a fist. 

“I like the way you think… If I don’t exist, my murders aren’t real. What is his motivation, though, to repay his ‘debt’ to the doctor?” 

“No, Heinrich, something about these murders feels passionate, like he did them out of love.”

A smile crept across Lunge’s face, “What an intriguing idea. The question is if Tenma knows about his roommate’s history.”

“I don’t believe so. He first mentioned Johan when we were having a picnic together, catching up, but he could barely tell me about him, despite that he was his new roommate. He just said that living alone got lonely, and this Johan kid that he saved a decade ago was so eager to accept the roommate ad he posted online, so they grabbed an apartment together.” Grimmer’s eyes narrowed, “What are you planning, Johan?”

“Dr. Tenma!” Nina rushed through the doors of the hospital, Dieter following closely behind, to the front desk. “Where is Dr. Tenma? This is urgent.”

“Ms. Fortner,” The familiar receptionist started, “The Doctor is in an important meeting, I’ll let him know-”

“Let him know this is serious,” Nina slammed her hands on the counter. “People’s lives are on the line.”

“They always are, that’s the nature of a hospital,” Tenma said, crouching down with his arms out to greet an energetic Dieter. “I got out of my meeting early. Dieter, are you keeping up with your studies?”

“Yup,” Dieter leapt into Tenma’s arms, “Big sis said she would buy me a new pair of cleats if I did well on the next report card.”

“Doctor, where is Johan?” Nina’s expression softened.

“Johan?” Tenma released Dieter and stood up to meet Nina eye to eye. “He’s with his new friend.”

“Friend?” Nina’s expression switched to shock. “What kind of friend?”

“Oh, he told me he befriended a local university student. Good kid, he plays a lot of games. They see each other every weekend when the kid’s done with classes.” Tenma paused. “What happened? You wouldn’t ask about him unless-”

“The nurse who worked here and a businessman looking to buy out your hospital, the nurse died, and the businessman’s been missing.” Nina’s fist clenched. “I think Johan killed them both. You told me he would stop killing when he moved in with you, that you had an agreement of some sort.”

Tenma’s brows furrowed. “Why do you think he killed them?”

“Listen, my client is accused of murdering the nurse after a bad date, but I believe he was framed. That, and the businessman going missing after, they both have connections to this hospital. My client says the nurse who died rejected him because she decided that she wanted to go for a ‘big-shot’ surgeon at the hospital where she worked, since he was ‘older and single.’ I think she was talking about you, and I think Johan killed her to prevent her from getting closer to you and framed my client. The businessman, too, was known for being corrupt and buying out businesses and changing their policies. He was looking at ‘stepping up’ his game and buying out your hospital because there was a certain ‘surgeon’ with a reputation he could leverage.” Nina paused when she heard two heavier sets of footsteps behind her.

“Inspector! Grimmer!” Tenma waved.

“Doctor,” Inspector Lunge started, “I had a few questions for you, but I overheard Ms. Fortner here stealing the words out of my mouth.”

“I was hoping to get a few statements for an article about the murders myself.” Grimmer opened his notepad and tapped it a few times with a pen.

Tenma sighed, “Listen, I understand your concerns, but Johan’s not responsible. He’s picked up a job as a journalist and made a friend he hangs out with. I think their deaths are a coincidence-”

“Has he published an article?” Grimmer interrupted.

“What?” Tenma’s eyes widened.

“Has he published an article? He’s a journalist, right? Surely he’s had to have published something. Has he shown you where he publishes them?” Grimmer asked.

Lunge stepped closer to Tenma. “Does he tell you what or even who he’s written about? Has he interviewed anyone recently? Perhaps a nurse or-”

“Ah,” Tenma was stumped. He was so swamped with his work that he failed to notice the holes in Johan’s story. Johan had genuinely fooled him, but before he could form his thoughts, a certain lab technician tapped his shoulder.

“Doctor, I have the results ready.” The bashful lab technician handed over a small stack of papers. “Who are all these people?”

“So, that’s the lab technician, well, I’ll pay no mind to her, I have bigger jobs to attend to,” Johan said. He and Saff were hiding behind a corner, waiting for the people to clear out before handing Tenma his lunch, but there was no end in sight. Tenma was trapped in a sea of questions. “The Doctor’s food is getting cold. Their accusations are meaningless, since I was with you the nights of the murders, right?”

“Right.” Saff nodded; it was like Johan had predicted this situation would happen. They turned the corner together, their approaching footsteps causing the group to turn toward Johan and Saff. 

“Doctor,” Johan approached Tenma with such joy and vigor, like he was the Doctor’s wife, “I’ve brought you your lunch!~” He handed Tenma a lunchbox with freshly cooked meat and vegetables with a small side of rice. “I made it quickly, but I hope it’s to your liking.” He turned toward his twin and smiled, “Anna, what brings you here?” He quickly shot a glance at the lab technician, causing her to panic and return to her work.

“Johan Liebert,” Lunge got between Nina and Johan. “My name is Inspector Heinrich Lunge. I have a few questions for you. Where were you last Friday night and the Saturday night a week before that?”

Johan frowned, preparing to answer before he heard Saff blurt out, “he was with me!”

“And who might you be?” Lunge smiled at the young boy.

“Um, I’m Saff, I go to the local university here. I’m the vice president of the gaming club. Johan was with me last Friday night, and the Saturday before that, we were practicing playing Mega Fight Brothers Ultimate together in my apartment.” Saff continued, “H-he’s really good at games.” Saff was sweating and slightly shaking. 

Nina’s expression dropped; her client could very well be guilty. “I see, I didn’t know my brother was so talented.” She tried to fake a smile.

“Oh, you’re Johan’s sister, Anna.” Saff extended his hand to her. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Oh, please call me Nina, Nina Fortner.” Her eyes widened a bit in shock; the only person who still called her that was Johan. That name was a fragment of a past she was trying to forget, which Johan clung to and even spread to his new friend. She returned his gesture and shook his hand. “Thank you for caring for my brother. I appreciate him having someone good-natured like you around.”

Saff looked up at Lunge, but his expression was stern. Lunge wasn’t buying it; he didn’t know what to do. “Um, before we went to my apartment, we were at a cafe together. I have my receipt-”

“I have mine as well.” Johan jumped in. He reached into his wallet and pulled out a neatly folded receipt.

“That won’t be necessary.” Lunge tapped Grimmer’s shoulder. “We’re done here.”

“Already?” Grimmer followed Lunge out, “I didn’t get any good statements for a story.”

“Oh, um, I’ll see you guys around.” Tenma waved to the two men as they left. “Thank you for the lunch, Johan. And I appreciate the concern, Anna, but I have to get back to work. Dieter and Saff, stay out of trouble.” Tenma clasped the lunchbox in his arms before skipping back into the busy hospital setting.

“You heard him,” Johan smiled at Saff. “Stay out of trouble.” Johan turned to Anna, his composed, ‘happy’ expression faltering, “If you don’t believe me, you could at least believe this boy here.” He put his hands on Saff’s shoulders.

Anna sighed, “Alright, I’ll believe you this time. I have to go and figure out how to clear my client’s name. Let’s go home, Dieter.”

As the two walked out, Dieter turned around, his eyes meeting Saff’s. Saff’s body quivered nervously until Dieter and Anna fully exited the building.

“Good work, Saff.” Johan slipped his hand around Saff’s, “We can go practice now.”

Chapter Text

The rest of the week passed by quickly. Saff had to catch up on a bit of homework, but was able to text Johan every day before he went to sleep. Their conversations were short, but Johan asking simple things like how Saff’s day went meant everything to him. He felt like a kid moved by such a small gesture, but who was around to judge? He clung to Johan’s promise of a gift if he won the tournament and kept pushing through the week.

Spring break rolled around, Saff, Tenma, and Johan boarded the train. The car was extremely busy despite it being such an early morning train. The three men sat on a bench together, Johan in the middle; the motion of the train kept pushing Saff into Johan, but Johan wouldn’t bat an eye. The entire ride, his gaze was fixated on a sleepy Tenma. Eventually, when they reached their stop, a clumsy Saff slipped off the train onto the platform. He looked up, expecting Johan’s hand to once again be extended to him, but Johan was turned toward another. Johan had his arm linked around Tenma’s, helping him disembark. Saff shuffled a bit until Tenma wriggled free from Johan’s grasp to help Saff stand up.

Johan glared at Saff for a split second before smiling again. Saff nervously smiled back as Tenma brushed off Saff’s pants and jacket for him. It felt like a parent or teacher tending to a kid after they’ve hurt themselves. Tenma asked Saff to lead the way to the convention center. The walk there was quiet; Johan talked in a low voice to Tenma only. When they reached the convention center, Saff checked in and received his lanyard and a schedule. His first match of the tournament was closer to the late afternoon.

Tenma suggested the 3 grab brunch and explore the city's main attractions before Saff’s scheduled match. Saff understood Tenma was a busy man and did not get many opportunities like this, and quickly agreed. They stopped at a popular brunch spot and sat at a circular table together.

“You know, I’ve heard about this place from a coworker,” Tenma started, tilting the menu toward Saff. “Since it’s a big day for you, I’ll cover brunch, so you can try anything you’d like. I heard this one with beef is good.”

Saff couldn’t pay attention to Tenma; he noticed Johan staring at him, his mouth was slightly frowning, and his eyes were squinting ever so slightly. Every time Tenma shot a glance at Johan, he would quickly change to a warm smile again. Saff nervously kept looking at the menu; he wasn’t sure if he should be nervous or excited that every time he looked up, Johan’s eyes would meet his. Johan’s beautiful blue eyes were intoxicating, no matter what his expression was, Saff just wanted to keep looking.

“I-I’ll just have what you’re having, Dr. Tenma,” Saff said.

Tenma asked Saff a lot of questions about school, but Saff had a hard time keeping up with the questions. He paused to think a lot. He wasn’t sure what major he wanted to commit to, what career he wanted in the future, he wasn’t sure of anything if he couldn’t make a name for himself with his gaming platform and skills. Tenma eventually piped down with his questions, apologizing since he was so excited to get to truly know Johan’s newest friend. Saff eased himself when their food arrived. He tried to take a bite but ended up smudging some sauce on his face and spilling a little on his jacket.

Tenma sighed, leaning over with his napkin and wiping Saff’s face and jacket, “Be careful, you don’t want to compete with sauce stains all over yourself.”

“Sorry,” Saff pushed Tenma’s hand away before cleaning the stain himself. “Um, thank you, doctor-” He looked up and saw Johan smudge a bit of sauce around his lips before tapping Tenma’s shoulder.

“Doctor, can you help me too?” Johan pleaded.

“Johan, you’re an adult, come on.” Tenma sighed before wiping the sauce from Johan’s lips with his thumb. Tenma quickly licked the sauce off his thumb before returning to his meal, causing Johan to smirk.

Johan was careful when eating, calculated like his speech and movements. Saff knew Johan’s smudge was intentional and felt his chest sink. Maybe it was jealousy that he felt for Tenma, but how could he possibly compete? Tenma has been in Johan’s life for far longer; he had a stable career, and he was quite the looker himself. It was easy to see why Johan would choose Tenma; it was easy to see that Johan would never return Saff’s feelings, but even then, he didn’t want to look away. 

After lunch, Tenma pulled out his phone to lead the boys around town, looking at landmarks and historical sights. Saff and Johan were quite invested in their free tour of the city; eventually, it was time for Saff’s match to begin. He felt quite happy spending time with his new friends, despite how Johan’s behavior switched around Tenma. He was seated next to his opponent, another person around his age, maybe a little older. He shook his opponent's hand before the match started.

It was an absolute landslide in Saff’s favor. He won the best-of-three by finishing two matches in just a few minutes, keeping the matches in his favor the entire time. He felt a little bad sending the other contender home so early, but when Johan congratulated him by patting his hair, he was assured that everything he was doing was worth it.

He had two other matches that day, both ending the same way as his first, though each opponent was increasingly more skilled. Saff kept a cool head and dominated the matches. Tenma congratulated Saff for advancing before the three headed home for the day. Saff did not have to compete the following day since that was the ‘second chance’ bracket for the people who lost the first day matches to have a chance to stay in the tournament. Johan and Tenma walked Saff back to his apartment before returning to their own; the moment Saff entered his apartment and closed the door. He kept a cool head during the tournament and was riding on the adrenaline from the win until he arrived at home; he crouched behind his door, his heart pounding. The first day was easy, but the day after tomorrow, he had the quarter, semi, and finals to get through. The finals would be at the end of the day, when his parents would have time to see him.

He needed to get to finals, and he needed to win the prize money to prove to his parents that he could do something with his skills. He also wanted, no, he also needed to know what Johan had in store for him. He felt like his heart was being toyed with, maybe so obviously that any sane person would walk away from Johan, but he couldn’t. Every second, he felt like he needed to get closer. He buried his head in his knees, ‘I’m such an idiot.’

“Johan,” Tenma started, closing and locking the apartment door behind him, “Sit down in the living room with me.”

“Hm?” Johan eagerly ran to the couch and seated himself. “What is it, doctor?”

“Do you remember when we met again?” Tenma sighed.

“Of course, I finally had your attention. I was the happiest at that moment.”

“You killed my coworkers. Even if they threatened my position, even if those businessmen threatened the ethics of our practice, killing people is never okay. You promised me and your sister that if I lived with you, you would stop killing.”

“And I have, that’s why I’m still here with you, because I didn’t break that promise.” Johan reached for Tenma’s hand, only for Tenma to recoil.

“First, be honest with me, did you kill that nurse or have anything to do with the disappearance of the businessman looking to buy our hospital?”

“No, of course not. Doctor, if I broke our promise, I wouldn’t come back.”

“Alright, thank you.” Tenma reached his hands to hold Johan’s. Johan could feel Tenma’s body warmth envelop him as he leaned into Tenma’s chest. He didn’t feel guilty for lying, and he knew he never would; he closed his eyes to enjoy the moment.

For his sister, however, Tenma had contacted her in hopes that she could convince him to stop killing. It had been so long since they’d seen each other that Nina had almost forgotten about Johan, but the moment she saw his face, she was filled with a mix of anger and despair she couldn’t comprehend. Tenma explained what Johan had done, to which Nina made him promise to stop, her face filled with disappointment and despair, her trying to forgive him. Johan’s eyes shot open. He remembered why his sister forgot him, why her expression was filled with despair. Johan killed their foster parents, the Lieberts, then had his sister shoot him. He wondered if Tenma learned that he lied, that he broke that promise, if he would show Johan that same expression, and forget about him. 

A dream, it was warm, the sun was setting. Looking out over a field of flowers, Saff stares into the horizon, empty. He wished he could take something back, but what was it? What was it that he needed to take back? The words ‘I’m sorry’ wanted to tumble out of his mouth, but who was he apologizing to? Who was he waiting for to walk up with the sunset hitting their back, their silhouette alone relieving him?

He opened his eyes, and a tear rolled down his cheek. ‘What was that?’ He opened his phone to see a text from Peri, congratulating him on advancing. She was watching the bracket updates online. ‘Don’t forget to tell us when the finals are!’ He smiled and liked her message, giving her a simple thumbs up as a response. He sat up and scrolled through his other notifications. Johan had texted him a smiling emoji. He panicked; the message was sent 2 hours ago at 7.

The second the read receipt popped up on Johan’s end, he sent another message. “Come downstairs, I have something to show you.”

Saff rushed downstairs to see Johan wearing a pink sweater shirt and capris. He turned to Saff and stretched his hand out, “Saff, you believe me, don’t you?”

“What?” Saff’s hand was reaching out for Johan’s. He grabbed his arm, trying to regain control of his body before his fingers met Johan’s.

“Saff, your friend wouldn’t kill people, would he?” Johan grabbed Saff’s wrist and pulled him in. Saff’s vision started fading to black. He couldn’t hear anything except ‘believe me, believe me.’

Saff jolted awake. It was 7, and he had no texts, not even from Peri. He rubbed his eyes before slowly sitting up in bed. At the side of his bed, his Player One plush cat stared at him, slowly slipping off the mattress. Saff panicked and grabbed the cat before it impacted the floor. He sighed and rested his head on the cat plushie, thinking about Johan and his dream. Whatever that dream meant, he was happy Johan was in it. At 9, there were no new texts yet. He rubbed his eyes and lay back in bed. He should be practicing for the next day, but he only wanted to spend this day with Johan.

Maybe he should be the one to do it, text Johan first, call him even, ask him to help Saff practice. ‘Something, anything,’ he thought, ‘just so I can see you today.’ He knew he could ask Johan to just hang out, he could even walk to his apartment and knock on his door, but something was making him hesitant; was it that dream? His hand slid over his phone, but it suddenly started ringing, startling him.

It was Johan, he felt like his prayers had been answered, but that strange feeling of uncertainty left by his dream caused him to hesitate picking up. It only took about 10 seconds of hesitation before the ringing stopped. He received a text from Johan, “Would you mind letting me in?”

Saff slowly made his way to his front door. He turned the knob and slowly opened the door, his eyes panning upward to meet Johan’s. Johan was wearing something different from his usual attire, just a plain t-shirt and sweatpants. He wasn’t smiling or being as polite as he usually is; he walked past Saff and collapsed onto Saff’s couch. Saff excused himself and changed into something casual, and got ready for the day. When he came back to his living room, Johan was in the same position, unmoving, on his couch.

“Do you want something to drink or eat? I can-” Saff stopped when he saw Johan shoot up.

“Saff,” Johan’s voice was quiet, “tell me about your sister, Peri, was it?”

“Oh,” Saff seated himself next to Johan, “um, she’s a year and a half younger than me, we’re not the closest, but I feel comfortable talking to her, I guess. We met your sister the other day, right? Nina?”

“Yes, I suppose she does go by Nina now.” Johan sighed, “Saff, if your sister broke a promise to you, a really big one, what would you do?”

“Well, it depends,” Saff looked out the window, “but depending on how big the promise was, I don’t think I’d want to see her for a while. It’d take me a long time to gather myself, but I’d want to forgive her.”

“Would you forget her?”

“What? I will never forget Peri. She’d have to do something really, really bad to make me even want to forget about her.” Saff’s eyes caught Johan’s.

“Saff, what if she killed someone, someone you knew, and lied about it?” Johan’s gaze pierced through Saff.

Saff shuddered. What would happen? He witnessed Johan hide a body, and Saff lied for him because Johan is his friend, and he didn’t want his friend to get arrested, especially if that meant he would become alone again. It was incredibly selfish of him, but what if it were his sister instead? If he couldn’t forgive his sister, it would be hypocritical; where would he draw the line?

“I don’t- I don’t know.” Saff managed to finally spit out a half-assed response.

“Saff, you forgive me because the victims aren’t people you know, isn’t that right? You try to deny it, but because you didn’t know them, you try to justify my actions in your mind; you don’t realize it, but if it were someone you knew, I’m sure you’d be less forgiving toward me. Are you so lonely that even after hearing all this, you’ll continue to be here? That you’ll forgive me, never forget me even?”

Saff opened his mouth to respond, but couldn’t utter a word. Thoughts were racing through his mind, but nothing could come out. ‘Why is Johan saying all this now? Does he want me to be here, or does he want me to realize my shallow morals and leave? Is this a test? Does he want me to stay? No, why would he, after all, he only has eyes for…’

“What if I am that stupid and lonely? What are you going to do then?” Saff glared at Johan, expecting his answer to somehow shed him of his guilty feelings and hypocrisy.

Johan lay on his side. “I love the Doctor. I think I’ll try to follow through with my promise to him, no matter how hard it is, I really will stop killing. No matter how much the monster inside me wants to come out. Maybe that will bring you some comfort, too.”

‘Comfort, huh?’ Saff thought to himself, he couldn’t help but smile. “Yeah, maybe. I’ll make us some breakfast.”

Saff brought out two plates with some eggs, bacon, and toast. Just something small. Johan graciously accepted the food. Saff put on a cartoon, but Johan seemed not to react. He didn’t laugh, cheer, or groan at what was on the screen. Saff didn’t seem to mind, though. He wished that they could spend every morning like this, eating breakfast and watching TV. He knew that Tenma would have to be in the picture for Johan to agree to a life like that, but an arrangement like that, he would be okay with. Tenma seemed like a nice guy, maybe too nice. He could see why Johan would fall for a person like that. Tenma also had a good, stable job. He’s also pretty good-looking for his age-

“What are you thinking about?” Johan asked Saff. “You’re spacing out. I haven’t heard you react to the cartoon for a few minutes.”

Saff panicked, unsure if he should tell Johan he was weighing the logistics of the three of them living together. “Oh, I have my tournament matches tomorrow. Maybe after breakfast, you can help me practice?”

“Alright.” Johan finished his plate and grabbed a controller, waiting for Saff.

“And you’re confident, Grimmer,” Nina clasped her hands together on the table over the dozens of newspaper articles, “That Johan’s next targets are going to be at the convention center? You’re positive he killed that nurse and has something to do with the disappearance of that business tycoon? I just don’t understand why so many people are trying to buy out the hospital from its current director?”

Grimmer let out a long sigh. “Well, Dr. Tenma’s hospital has quite the reputation for its patient care. A lot of hospitals tend to charge patients for tests or medications not even administered, while Tenma’s hospital is surprisingly transparent about billing. Through word of mouth, people trust Tenma’s hospital and the clinic so much that the way they run their business is somehow profitable, with how comfortable people are going. Some people in this country neglect their health because they simply don’t have money, so having a place that is more ‘affordable’ by simply being honest and having a caring staff will lead to popularity. Now, such a place would catch the attention of investors and celebrities, who go to that well-known hospital to receive their top-notch care and leave generous gifts after. Do you see why it’d be appealing to buy it, slowly changing the policies to squeeze in just a little more money out of each interaction until you’re really profiting? Unethical, sure, but business isn’t about ethics. Honestly, who knows the moral standing of the current director? If the previous people who attempted to buy out the hospital didn’t die or disappear, maybe he would’ve accepted the offer.”

"But where does Johan come into play? His motivation, I mean?" Nina looked around, puzzled. "I mean, these are high-profile targets, but he doesn't directly gain anything from them."

"Well, if he killed that nurse that your client is currently on trial for, then it's simple, it's a crime of passion. Tenma has strong morals, and seeing his place of practice get warped into another profit machine would break his heart. He simply doesn't want to see Tenma sad." Grimmer replied.

“And how are you sure that that couple, the Goldens, are going to be in the finals of a video game tournament?” Nina rubbed her temples. “I mean, you don’t have solid evidence to get Johan connected and convicted of those murders 4 years ago and even less evidence connecting him to the two recent murders, especially since that kid, Saff, gave him an alibi.”

“He’s using Saff,” Lunge interjected. “Saff's parents are the Goldens, Marigold and Midas Golden.” Lunge watched Nina’s face twist into a horrified expression. “Now that you understand, we need to go to this final match ourselves to prevent it.”

Nina nodded in agreement, “If Saff doesn’t make it to finals, though, his parents might not show up-” 

“He will make it. I did a lot of research on the MFBU game and the competitive scene. Saff's skill is far beyond the other contenders; he will make it.” Lunge looked over at Grimmer, “And when they show up, we will observe Johan and take action when necessary.” 

“You guys are going to that MFBU tournament?” Dieter peeked from around the corner.

“Dieter, go back to bed,” Nina replied.

“But it’s Spring break, let me go with you guys!” Dieter ran up to Nina.

“We’re just going for the finals to see my brother and his friend.” Nina patted Dieter on the head as he tugged on her sleeve.

“Please, I promise I’ll do all my chores for the next month without complaining.”

“He makes quite a compelling case, Ms. Fortner.”  Grimmer smiled at Dieter. “You and Lunge can trail Johan. I’ll chaperone Dieter for the tournament.”

“It’s 21:30, do you want to go home?” Saff asked, turning off the TV and making his way to the kitchen. “I know it’s late, but I can make us something simple for dinner.”

“The doctor said it’s going to be another late night for him, so I told him I’d be staying over.” Johan smiled warmly at Saff.

Saff couldn’t respond; his face turned bright red. He quickly got to cooking as Johan tried to insert himself beside him and help. After dinner, Saff grabbed an extra blanket from his closet and put it on his couch.

“What are you doing?” Johan changed into some pyjama shorts and an oversized t-shirt that Saff lent him.

“Oh, you can sleep in my bed. I don’t mind sleeping on the couch.” Saff patted his large cat plush and Player One cat plush. “They’ll keep me company, too.”

“I see, I thought it was customary for friends to share a bed during a sleepover.” Johan’s words tickled Saff’s ears.

They settled in Saff’s bed. Saff tried to leave enough space for Johan to lie on his back comfortably. Johan was looking at his phone. He had a hidden camera on Tenma’s desk and a microphone in his lunch box. Johan always offered to clean out his lunch box, and with Tenma’s busy schedule, he couldn’t notice it was there. 

Tenma was eating the sandwich Johan had made for him that morning at his desk, but he wasn’t alone. He was eating with Dr. Becker and the lab technician. Johan winced at the sight of the tech, but Tenma was adamant about steering every conversation back into the professional setting. Eventually, the tech got annoyed and said she would return to her work early. Becker laughed and patted Tenma on the back, saying it was about time he found someone to settle down with. Tenma dismissed Becker from his desk and finished his sandwich, his small ‘mmm’s’ hinting at his enjoyment, before looking at the bottom of his lunchbox and finding a note card with a sleeping cat and a heart. Tenma smiled and propped the note card on the corner of his desk like one would with a framed picture. Johan chuckled to himself before turning his phone off and meeting Saff's gaze.

"Do you always do that?" Saff asked, stunned at how casual Johan seemed about blatantly spying on his roommate.

"Hm? Of course, I'm ensuring he enjoys the meals I pack for him." Johan replied before promptly closing his eyes and letting a wave of sleepiness wash over him.

“Is that the only reason?” 

“Now it is. You should rest, you have a big day tomorrow.” Johan’s voice was soft and quiet as he drifted off into sleep.

“Are we friends, like, do you see me as your friend?”

“... yeah…” Johan was breathing softly in his sleep. His answer gave Saff a feeling of comfort that let him fall into sleep.

Morning came, and Johan left early to return to his apartment and grab a change of clothing. Saff put on a generic t-shirt, he took a deep breath, and he wanted people to pay attention to his skills, not his appearance. He needed to win this tournament, he needed to know what Johan had for him, and he needed to show his parents what he was worth. He rushed out of his apartment to meet Johan at the train station, where he saw him standing with two tickets in his hand, wearing a pink sweater and capris. Saff remembered his dream from the previous night, still unable to grasp its full meaning. He took a deep breath before tapping Johan’s shoulder and receiving his ticket. He couldn’t shake that feeling of anxiety after seeing Johan’s outfit match the one from his strange dream, but he couldn’t let that best him today of all days.

The quarter and semi-finals would be a best of three, while the finals would be a best of five. He bought an energy drink at the station, hoping it would give him the energy to make it through all the matches he had to win. When they reached the convention center, Saff checked in with Johan and began heading to the competition room. Little did the pair know, they were being trailed closely. Grimmer led Dieter to the food court first, while Lunge and Nina quietly tried blending into the crowd without being spotted by Saff or Johan.

“Whoa, Nina, is that you?” Nina heard a familiar voice call out to her.

“Do you know those two?” Lunge asked.

Nina turned her head, and her eyes met with a man and a woman around her age whose faces were all too familiar. “No way, Lotte and Karl? Inspector, these two are my classmates from university.”

“What the heck, Nina? Shoulda texted us that you were coming, you know Karl loves this stuff.” Lotte gave Nina a tight hug.

“Ah, no, I’m just here to see someone.” Nina’s eyes scanned the crowd, trying not to lose track of Saff and Johan.

“Say, there was a guy that looked a lot like you with that Golden Gamer kid,” Karl jumped in.

“Ah, that would be my brother.” Nina finally spotted Saff. “Sorry, but we gotta catch up with him.” Nina began to bolt through the crowd, with Lunge trailing closely behind. “I’ll catch up with you two later.”

“We’re losing sight of them, Ms. Fortner,” Lunge said.

“It’s fine, I saw which room the finals would be hosted in, if anything, we’ll go there at the time of the match.” Nina and Lunge just managed to keep track of Saff and Johan and entered the quarterfinals room.

They sat in the back row to avoid being spotted, but Nina couldn’t help but overhear the other opinions of the audience members. Mostly comments asking who Saff’s ‘friend’ was. Nina sighed; she knew they were talking about her twin brother’s appearance. She kept her eyes on Johan, who was sitting in the front row, the seat closest to Saff’s.

“I’ll keep an eye on Johan’s movements. You don’t let that Saff kid out of your sight,” Lunge whispered to Nina. “If you find anything suspicious, anything at all, tell Grimmer immediately. We’ll compile our findings with him.”

Nina nodded before locking her eyes onto Saff. The quarterfinals began, and Saff was off to a surprisingly shaky start. It was clear his head wasn’t in the game when the match started.

Lunge winced, “Come on, kid, we need you at the finals.”

The first match was a devastating loss for Saff. Johan rushed to Saff’s side. He was sweating and his breath was shaky. He didn’t know why he was so anxious, but he couldn’t brush away this feeling. He was confident, but he also knew that if he didn’t make it, he had a lot more to lose than gain. No, it didn’t matter; he was thinking too much about what he could gain from winning, or what he could lose, that he lost focus on the present. What was needed in the present was his focus and skills, nothing else. He thanked Johan for coming to his side to comfort him and turned toward his opponent. He knew his opponent; rather, they were acquainted.

Someone he had met in online play, he went by ‘Mal’ online, but that didn’t matter. Whether or not they knew each other, if he knew Mal was a skilled player and they had discussed strategy before, all Mal was in the moment was an obstacle. He had to respect Mal’s skill level, but he also knew that he had beaten Mal online countless times.

“Are you okay, man? You’re sweating like crazy.” Mal asked. “Ref, can we have a quick-”

Saff finally snapped back into reality, “I’m fine. Sorry, just nerves. Ref, you can prepare for the next match.”

“Why are you nervous?” Mal chuckled. “You’re the Golden Gamer. If anything, I should be the nervous one; your skills are insane, dude.”

Saff smiled, “Right, thank you, Mal. Sorry for this, then.”

“Sorry for what?” Mal asked.

When the match started, Saff took a deep breath; he blocked out all his anxiety, all the ‘what ifs’, and just focused. Saff's predictions in the first match were all off; he couldn't dodge or land a single hit, but this time it was different. It was like he could see the future; no matter where Mal tried to go, what he tried to do, Saff would beat him out of that position. The second and third matches were absolute sweeps in Saff’s favor; he flipped the switch in his mind and secured his spot in the semi-finals. The crowd was shocked; the difference from the first match to the second to the third caused quite a stir. People in the crowd cheered for the Golden Gamer when the ref announced Saff’s advancement. He turned to Mal and gave him a handshake.

“Holy shit,” Mal’s mouth was agape when he gave Saff the customary handshake. “I knew you were a demon online, but that was incredible.”

When Saff’s senses came back, he started shaking. “Y-yeah, just 2 more games to win, then three more after that.”

Mal laughed before patting Saff’s back, “I expect to see you on that final stage, man. I’ll catch you later, I’m gonna go observe the other matches.”

Saff waved at Mal as he left the room. The crowd was still bustling with excitement, some spectators moving to congratulate Saff. Nina and Lunge started to lose sight of the two boys in the crowd again. Johan grabbed Saff’s hand and led him out of the crowd, claiming Saff was hungry and they needed to get through.

He took Saff to the food court and bought him a sandwich and some water. “What happened with the first match?”

Saff looked up at Johan, that pink shirt dragging him into inky darkness in his dreams, but promising him something grand in reality. What did Johan want him to believe? Johan said they were friends, and that he was going to stop killing, but Johan pointed out his hypocrisy and desperation the previous day, why? These images seated in his mind alongside his parents, claiming they would only come to the finals if he were there, were suffocating his mind. There were so many thoughts racing through his mind, but he had to push everything out to win this tournament. He couldn’t lose sight of the end goal because of a strange dream and an honest conversation. His parents seeing him, the surprise Johan has for him, that’s all he needed to focus on.

“I was just lost in thought when the match started, that’s all.” Saff took a sip of his water after finishing his sandwich. “Trust me, I’ll lock in for the next one.” Johan extended a hand to grab the empty water bottle and sandwich wrapper from Saff, but Saff couldn’t help but think about that dream yet again, where that outstretched hand of his friend dragged him into darkness. The more he thought about that dream combined with their conversation, he realized more and more what that dream could mean, Saff really did dismiss Johan’s obvious crimes because he was lonely, and as much as he tried to deny it, Johan forcing him to realize the obvious lack in his morals was going to drag his mind somewhere he never imagined it going. Even if Johan stopped from that point onward, Saff knew what he saw, knew who he was lying for, and knew what he was protecting. Saff handed his empty bottle and wrapper to Johan anyway, accepting his chivalrous attention.

“Do you see them?” Grimmer asked Nina, “2 seat table to your left.”

“I see them.” Nina shot a glance across the food court to Johan, wiping a bit of sauce from Saff’s chin.

“That first match was terrible for Saff, but the second and third weren’t phenomenal. I've seen videos of his matches online; that was an average game for him. He needs to give it his all and actually give a stellar performance against his next opponent. It’s going to be tough, but I’m confident in him.” Lunge had two different videos of Saff’s matches, and his upcoming opponent in the semi-finals pulled up on his phone. “Lexa might be a formidable opponent for Saff.”

“I’m surprised Lexa signed up for the tournament.” Saff looked at his next match. “She was always buried in homework. I wonder if she still found time to practice without telling me or the rest of the club.”

“Your club president is your next opponent?” Johan tapped his chin. “That is interesting, you said she was very skilled, right?”

“She is,” Saff shuffled in his seat. “Which is why I’m a little worried, I haven’t seen her in a while, and she just appears at this tournament as my semis opponent.”

“Hm, are you doubting yourself?” Johan smiled, “Saff, I can guarantee your skill outshines everyone here.”

Saff smiled in agreement, his nerves slowly leaving him. Johan filled him with the confidence he was lacking. He realized something else: Johan’s blonde hair was a much brighter shade than his own, his blue eyes were more piercing than Saff’s. He felt Johan was better than him in every way; he knew Johan could outskill him, too, that’s how they met after all. He couldn’t help but be infatuated as well as worship the man in front of him, truly a match made in hell, as he couldn’t help but remember that Johan would return home to the man he truly loves, Dr. Tenma.

“Thank you, Johan.”

Saff sat next to Lexa. She adjusted herself in her seat and reached over to shake Saff’s hand. Saff immediately returned the favor, then turned to search the crowd for Johan, who strangely wasn't in attendance. Lexa tapped his shoulder lightly to redirect his attention. 

"Long time, no see." Lexa smiled warmly at Saff before picking up her controller. "How are your studies?"

"Fine, I guess. How are yours? You said you were going to focus on graduating." Saff picked his controller up, trying to put his focus into the match ahead of him.

"Went pretty well. I'm gonna graduate this summer. You should stop by graduation." She playfully nudged Saff. "After this match, though, I have a favor to ask you, but that conversation needs to be for later."

When the match started, Saff felt like his character was gliding across the screen, like every action was him truly in that character's body. It was perfect, too perfect even. He won the matches almost effortlessly. This match was significantly easier than his previous matches. Why? Was Lexa not even trying, or did he get unlucky with match-ups to this point? No, there was no point in trying to worry or reason with the result. He was one step closer to seeing what Johan had in store for him.

"Saff," Lexa started. "You're truly a prodigy." Saff smiled at her heartfelt compliment, and she continued. "Because of that, I want you to be the next president of the gaming club. That seems like a reasonable ask, right? Keep it going while I'm gone. I'll try to drop by the club before you graduate."

“I mean, it is a big ask-”

“I don’t feel like I was a good club president. I wasn’t around even before my senior year. Each person in the club had their own little friend groups, and when I was around, it was hard to really get to know them. You walked into that environment, and I’m sorry, but I feel like since you have the members’ respect, it should be easy for you to keep leading and maybe in the future bring them together.”

"Unbelievable performance," Lunge nodded at seeing the result screen. "Ms. Fortner, look for Mr and Mrs Golden. They should be arriving within the next hour or so to get seated for the finals."

"Ah, about that." Nina leaned over and showed Lunge her phone. Grimmer had sent a text with a photo attached; it was Saff's parents walking through the entrance with Saff's sister trailing closely behind. 

"Tell Grimmer to trail them, try to intercept Johan if he tries to engage." Lunge stood up from his seat. "I'm going to talk to Saff."

"I'm glad the club helped you make such a wonderful friend. I was worried you'd be stuck in your shell all year. Introduce me to this Johan guy-" Lexa was cut off when she saw Lunge reach his hand out and tap Saff's shoulder.

"Quite the performance," Lunge started. "Do you think you're ready for the finals?"

"Inspector? What are you doing here?" Saff replied.

"Hey, Saff, I'm gonna grab something to eat. I'll catch you at finals, yeah?" Lexa waved before quickly exiting.

"It was Dieter's idea!" Nina interjected, "he apparently loves to watch people play MFBU online and was just begging to see a tournament in person."

"Where is he?" Saff looked around Nina's legs, looking for the small boy.

"In the food court with Grimmer. Saff, we'll walk you to the final room." Lunge motioned his hand out the door.

Saff's phone suddenly lit up with texts. His parents were headed straight toward the final room. How did they know he made it when he just qualified?

'SAFF, I told our parents the semis already happened and you qualified for finals a few hours ago, so we could come earlier, you did make it right?' Peri texted.

Saff giggled to himself before replying, 'Yeah, I did make it.'

Johan gripped his phone tightly in the bathroom stall. Tenma was eating with that annoying technician again, and she tried to change her approach, instead asking if they could grab a drink after work. 'Why is she so persistent?' Johan cringed as she leaned closer to Tenma. Tenma tried to shoo her away and even threatened to report her actions. Then, the technician hit Tenma with a statement that left him speechless.

"That blonde boy who dropped off your lunch, did he leave you these notes on your desk? You have a picture of him framed right here that you put up TODAY! Doctor, are you rejecting me because you're gay? You can just say that without leading a woman on-"

Tenma grimaced before grabbing his framed photo of Johan and setting the photo face down on his desk. He struggled to find his words for a bit before snapping back, "No one is leading you on, stop accusing me of things because you can't take the hint!"

"Are you ashamed of your feelings or something? To think that everyone frames you as some level-headed, reasonable, and mature guy with a great job when in reality you're just a boy who is embarrassed to have a crush, so you let everyone else think-"

"Think what you want, but I'm not leading you on, Ms. Fan. You can say whatever you want to the other people in this hospital, but it won't stop me from being here and saving people. Don't bother me again."

"Oh, there you go, trying to take some moral high ground-" she paused when seeing Tenma's troubled face as his thumb rubbed the frame of the photo of Johan. "I'm sorry. I'll leave you alone."

There were a few moments of silence as Tenma finished his lunch and his paperwork. He propped the photo of Johan up again and smiled at it warmly.

"Our promise." He whispered to himself as he took out Johan's note from today. A cat blowing a kiss.

Johan bit his lip; he knew how important his promise to stop killing was. Even if the Doctor couldn't admit to it, he wanted to return Johan's feelings. Johan rubbed his eyes and turned his phone off. He knew Saff's parents were in the building; he knew the kind of corrupt people they were, but this time, he truly intended to keep his promise. Just one more day, one more day by the Doctor's side. That's all he needed; he could control this monstrous urge if he remembered why. 

"Johan?"

Johan whipped his head around as he walked out of the bathroom, looking for the source of the voice. His eyes hurt, like he was going to cry, but all of his tears were long dried up, though his face perfectly painted his grief. His eyes finally locked onto Saff’s. "Saff, I’m sorry for missing the match." He reached out to pat his friend on the shoulder.

"It's okay. I won, I'm heading to the finals room. My parents are already seated there." Saff smiled.

"Were you there the entire time?" Nina asked, looking at her brother's pained expression.

"I wasn't feeling well. I'm much better now. Let's head to the room together." Johan gestured for the three to walk ahead of him. Lunge's gaze pierced through Johan. But he walked ahead anyway, texting Grimmer that they had Johan with them.

Saff fidgeted in his seat, waiting for his opponent to arrive. His opponent was quite well known for a strange reason; he was a police detective by day, and a top MFBU player by night. People found his personality quite charming online, though no one knew what he looked like. Saff had heard of him and had matched with him a few times online, but they never had any formal conversations. Johan, Nina, and Lunge sat closely to Saff in the front row, having petty conversations about work until a very familiar set of footsteps approached. Saff looked into his father's eyes, then into his mother's. Grimmer awkwardly sat down in the row behind Lunge with Dieter in the seat beside him. The silence was a bit suffocating, so Peri sat next to Grimmer as well.

"So, I heard there's quite the prize pool for winning, quite the famous tournament, huh? You've outskilled your opponents and you've kept up with your studies." Mr. Golden started.

"Who told-"

"Your sister keeps us updated when we can't check things ourselves." His father reached his hand out and patted his shoulder. "Good job. Go ahead and finish this out for us."

Saff's heart felt like it was going to burst. His father actually praised him for his hobby, actually noticing his skill and how far it can take him. His father and mother smiled before sitting beside Johan.

"Hello, Mr and Mrs. Golden. My name is Johan Liebert, I'm a friend of your son." Johan reached his hand out to shake Saff's father's.

"Ah. My son finally made a friend? Maybe it was the right decision to send him to this university. Please, if you are a friend, you may call me Midas, and this is my wife, Marigold."

"Right, Midas, sir," Johan pulled out his notes app on his phone. "I'm actually a journalist as well. I was wondering if, after this, I may get a word from you about your decision to have your company buy out the city's central hospital."

"Oh, a journalist? Alright, I'll stay for a quick conversation." Midas' words made Johan crack a small smile.

"I'm here, I'm here!" A man with neat blonde hair stumbled into the seat next to Johan. "Phew, just on time. I was just grabbing a quick snack and lost track of time. You're the Golden Gamer, right? I know people call me DetectiveJ online, but I'm Jan, Jan Suk."

"Oh, you can just call me Saff." Saff shook Jan's hand.

"Jan?" Nina jolted up from her seat.

"Nina?" Jan almost ejected himself from his seat.

"You two know each other?" Saff asked.

"We've exchanged some conversations for some cases, but I didn't know you played this game, or any game to this intensity, for that matter," Nina replied.

"Ahem," Jan stood up and leaned over to Nina. "Is that cute guy your brother over there?"

"Ref! Start the match! DetectiveJ is here!" Dieter shooed Jan back to his seat. 

Lunge carefully observed Johan's every action. He was making light conversation with Saff's parents while Peri kept Dieter occupied with some games on her phone until the match started.

'Be ready for anything.' Lunge texted Grimmer, who looked up and nodded back in response.

Johan paused his conversation with Midas and Marigold to pat Saff on the back and wish him good luck. Jan peered over at Johan and leaned into Saff's ear.

"Hey. If I win, can you introduce me to your friend?" Jan asked so brazenly.

"I guess you're not going to win then."

"What?"

"What?" Saff gave Jan a thumbs-up as the match began.

The ref called for the match to start after Jan settled in place. Saff heard the quiet voices of his parents and Johan before the match started, which alone made him more determined than ever to win. Like a rhythm, one two, left right, up down, he needed his setups to be perfect; one mistake and an opponent of this caliber could flip the entire match on its head. He couldn't get greedy; everything, EVERYTHING, had to be calculated. Jan wasn't nervous, more like he greatly respected Saff's skill and knew how to position himself.

Saff made one error; it only took one, and Jan instantly punished him and took one of his stocks (lives). Saff took a deep breath. He heard Johan let out a soft, disappointed sigh. It stung a bit, making such a simple mistake in front of these people he knew. No, no more of this. He took a risky approach at Jan, completely different from his careful play style at the beginning of the match, and was quickly rewarded. Jan's mouth was agape, but he quickly tried to regain his footing.

It was pointless, though. Saff had already won the mental battle. After the first match, Jan took a long sip of his water, trying to wrap his head around how Saff could snap the match back into his favor like it was nothing. The finals were a best-of-five; he just needed to win the next three matches. If he lets Saff win one more, it'll be a dangerous last match for him. He could feel his nerves starting to creep onto him as Saff graciously accepted a head pat from Johan like a child. 'Ah! That could be me!' Jan thought to himself before mentally shifting himself back into the game.

The second match was close, but Jan won by the skin of his teeth. Saff gripped his controller tighter, clearly frustrated, but they continued. The third match was absolutely not in Saff's favor at the beginning, much like the first, but Jan pulled a win without letting Saff switch the momentum back to him.

After the third match, Saff realized Johan wasn't in his seat. He didn't want to think anything of it, though; he had to perform regardless of who was watching, like during the semis. Little did he know, Johan was sitting in the corner of a bathroom stall, Tenma was already heading to the convention center, and sent Johan a long, heartfelt message:

'Johan, I know I'm not always around, and I haven't expressed my sentiment toward you well in recent times, but I'm beyond grateful you're around. Even when the days are long and stressful, I remind myself that I have a wonderful friend to return home to, share a drink and a conversation with until we both fall asleep giggling. I'm happy you've kept your promise to me and to Nina; you have no idea how much it means to me. I left my remaining paperwork for tomorrow so I could spend the rest of the day with you and your friend.'

Johan crouched down and buried his head in his knees. His eyes stung, and a warm sensation rolled down his cheek. 'Don't say those things, Doctor. I don't know if I can fall for you any more than I already have.' That thought danced in his mind. Tenma would be arriving soon. He was aware of how close the match was between Jan and Johan, so hopefully, Tenma could see the grand finale.

The fourth match was gritty, fighting tooth and nail, only for Saff to come out victorious. Before the fifth match started, Johan reentered the room, Grimmer trailing behind him. A strange coincidence, but they reseated themselves promptly. Saff’s face lit up seeing Johan return for the last match and sit himself next to Saff’s parents once again. Right, that’s why he wanted to win so badly. His friend had something for him, a surprise, and he needed to prove himself to his parents. They were already proud, he thought, but he could make them prouder by actually securing first place.

And so the fifth match commenced, already off to a bad start when Jan tried to cheese Saff with, ironically, a combo that Saff posted online one day when he was bored. He seemed not to have realized who the source of that combo was. In what felt like a blink, the match was over when Jan lost his composure and went for a cheese strategy instead of actually playing strategically. Jan was stumped but could only shake his loss off, stand up, and shake Saff’s hand.

Tenma stumbled through the door, still wearing his name tag, a button-down, and a tie, the usual work attire. Peri and Dieter excitedly ran up to Saff to congratulate him on his win. Saff was left speechless; he actually won. The tournament host appeared to hand Saff his trophy and a giant check with his winnings on it. He was so excited he felt like his legs wanted to collapse right there. Johan noticed and rushed to his side to help him hold up his winnings for a picture that Saff’s parents were excitedly taking. Lexa joined the crowd of people who knew Saff in congratulating him.

Saff’s parents reserved a large table for Saff and his ‘friends’ to come celebrate his win. Tenma shared a drink with Grimmer and Lunge while Nina chatted with Peri and Lexa. At some point, Dieter wandered off in the restaurant. Grimmer let out a deep sigh before walking off to find him. He knew he should be keeping an eye on Johan, like Lunge had requested of him for dinner, but he felt like he would receive an earful from Nina if anything happened to Dieter.

He excused himself for a moment to look for him. Johan slipped a matching acrylic keychain of a cat whose shirt read Player One. Johan’s phone case already had the Player Two acrylic cat attached. Saff couldn’t stop his face from burning bright red. It was a small thing, but because it was from Johan, it meant everything. Was this the surprise that Johan had in store for him? It was now more of a last-minute decision. Johan had originally planned to play a cruel prank on Saff by carrying out his parents' execution for the sake of Tenma, but with his newfound dedication toward Tenma, he figured this would be a more appropriate gift to Saff. Such a small thing to make such a young boy so happy.

Midas and Marigold suddenly asked Johan to meet them outside to have a quick conversation, away from all the noise. Just a quick one since they planned to exit the dinner and bring Peri back to the hotel tonight. Midas stopped Johan before he could utter a question at him.

“I know what you’re thinking,” Midas started, “Why would we want to buy out that central hospital? We are focused on profits like everyone else, aren’t we? Swing in, bring in new, profit-hungry management to drive that place away from what makes it so special, right? No, that’s not what we’re doing here. We simply want to make a deal with the current director, switch out some of his equipment to a brand we have ties with, as well as contract with their maintenance team, and we will give a large sum to the hospital, a sum from us, not from the company that owns said equipment. That’s it. For some reason, our visit has been speculated and rumors were spread about the reasoning behind it, but you can write it down that I, Midas Golden, am truthfully stating the reason for our meeting with the hospital director. I believe the doctors there do good work, and the company we are connected to is an upgrade in terms of equipment. Really, this is a good deal for them, and we would like to support their endeavour."

“I see,” Johan replied, typing everything into his phone’s notepad like he was an actual journalist. “Thank you for clearing that up, Mr. and Mrs. Golden.”

“Please, you’re my son’s friend,” Midas patted Johan on the shoulder. “I insist you call us Midas and Marigold-”

In an instant, a drunk driver had swerved onto the sidewalk, narrowly missing Johan but killing Saff’s parents instantly. It was like fate wanted to play an even crueller prank than Johan had intended. Bystanders screamed as the driver stumbled out of the car and fled. Johan watched him flee, instead staring at the wreckage, at the blood, at the mess. He kneeled down, reaching for Midas’ hand under the crushed car’s bumper. Cold as ice, as he suspected. He didn’t know how to react; he almost wanted to let laughter burst out of his chest. Pointless and short people's lives were.

The world was merciless and random, he knew that as well as anybody else. Innocent people die daily; he had been the harbinger of the end to some, but not this time. No choice was correct for him, whether or not he wanted them dead at that moment, it happened anyway. Despite the scene, he was more worried about how Tenma would perceive it, but anyone could misinterpret this scene and warp Tenma's perception. A dead end, checkmate even. There was no fixing it, he thought. In that moment, Saff and Peri came bursting through the front door to see the source of the loud crash. Saff couldn’t control his breathing. He fell to his knees and let out a loud cry, like his heart was truly ripped out of his chest right then and there.

“Why?” He asked Johan, his voice quivering, almost muffled by the sounds of Peri sobbing. “Why them?”

Johan sighed and opened his mouth to answer, “Saff-”

“Just tell me why!”

“It wasn’t me. You believe me, don't you-”

“You expect me to believe you now, of all times?” Saff lunged at Johan, pinning him to the pavement, but was unable to do anything further.

He just sobbed, let his tears fall from his face, and paint Johan’s. Johan had a blank expression. He shoved Saff off of him and began to walk away. Saff didn’t chase him; he didn’t want to. Peri leaned her head on Saff’s shoulder, letting out unsteady breaths between sobs. After a few moments, the rest of the party walked through the front door. There were gasps, yelling, and screaming. At some point, Lunge started barking questions at Saff, who was unable to make out who was saying what. Nina pried Lunge off of Saff and questioned him gently to no avail. She redirected her energy toward Grimmer and Tenma as to where Johan could’ve possibly gone.

Visual

Chapter Text

The aftermath of the whole situation was messy; they eventually found that drunk driver, stumbling and bloodied, a few blocks from the crime scene. He was interrogated thoroughly; he had never heard of ‘Johan Liebert’ but was extremely apologetic to Saff. Lunge asked if he wanted to talk to the driver, but Saff didn’t utter a word to anyone. He struggled to finish out the school year and didn’t attend Lexa’s graduation. He stopped attending the club, and it eventually died in the summer, with the other members rebranding the club and renovating the club room on their own. Saff couldn’t bring himself to do anything, barely eating or sleeping, and Peri was sent to live with her and Saff’s aunt and uncle, still thousands of miles from where Saff was living. 

After the incident, when Tenma returned home, Johan had disappeared without a trace; no clothing or a single shred of evidence that he had ever lived there was left behind. Even when searching, they only found his phone wiped and in a dumpster, and with no evidence of him being a journalist, he was impossible to find. Even the photo of him framed on Tenma’s desk disappeared. One day, Tenma showed up at Saff’s apartment. Tenma felt a bit lonely and was aware of Saff’s state, unable to leave someone in need, he didn’t resign the lease on the apartment and bought a house on the south side of the city for him and Saff to live in.

Saff agreed and moved in with Tenma, but was still unable to do anything. He and Tenma seldom talked during meals. Saff stayed in his room all day playing games and wouldn’t talk to anyone. Eventually, a concerned Nina visited the house after Tenma notified her of the situation, bringing a guest with her. They knocked on Saff’s bedroom door. No response.

“Hey, Saff,” Nina knocked loudly, “I brought someone who wants to talk to you, okay? His name is Dr. Reichwein. We want to talk to you, okay?”

“He doesn’t lock his door, that's how I deliver his meals sometimes if he doesn’t come out to eat,” Tenma stated.

Nina slowly opened the door to see Saff sitting in front of his computer, mindlessly playing a game. The room was extremely clean. Tenma tried his best to take care of the boy with what little time he had at home. Reichwein seated himself on Saff’s bed and faced Saff’s desk.

“Saff, right?” Reichwein started, “As you know, I’m Dr. Reichwein. I’m a counselor and psychologist. I was wondering if you would be open to talking about your feelings after the Johan incident.”

Saff’s hands stopped clicking his mouse and pressing his keyboard. He immediately exited his game, took off his headset, and faced Dr. Reichwein. “He did it, didn’t he? That's what I get for making a friend, for opening up to anyone."

“I see, you believe Johan, your dear friend, killed your parents.” Reichwein shot a look at Nina, who slipped him a copy of the case papers. “Saff, Johan didn’t kill your parents; the drunk driver was completely unrelated to Johan.”

“Maybe,” Saff went silent for an uncomfortable amount of time while the others kept exchanging glances. “But he still killed a nurse and a businessman, I can’t believe he’s innocent in my mind.”

“Saff, why didn’t you tell anyone about those incidents?” Reichwein signaled for Nina and Tenma to sit tight before reacting to the information.

“It doesn’t matter now.” Saff grabbed his headset and placed it on his head. “Just leave me alone.”

“Alright, let’s end it here for today.” Reichwein stood up and left his business card on Saff’s desk. “Whenever you’re ready to talk, text, or email me.”

Tenma and Nina exchanged the same glance again; they knew telling the authorities the details of the deaths of that nurse and businessman would be meaningless if they couldn’t prove Johan existed. Tenma sent Nina and Reichwein on their way before shutting the front door and collapsing in front of it. It felt like a dream. It felt like he had known Johan for eternity, but now he didn’t have a shred of evidence to prove he existed.

He should’ve said it when Johan was still around, then maybe, just maybe, the outcome would have been different. How could he call himself an adult if three words were too difficult for him? 

I

Love
You.

Those three words would they have made Johan stay? He didn’t care that Johan broke their promise anymore.
I
Love
You.

He had once heard Johan whisper those words in his ear when he thought Tenma was asleep. His breath tickled his ear, and the warmth lingered after Johan had retreated to his room. Those moments seem so far now; he took every single one of those moments for granted. Tenma knew Johan would sneak into his room to watch him sleep, sometimes even lie beside him in the night, and every night it happened, he was filled with this forbidden feeling for a man so much younger than him.

Johan,

I love you.

Was that really all he had to say?

“You miss him, too,” Saff said from behind his barely cracked bedroom door, unable to face Tenma. 

“Oh, Saff,” Tenma rubbed the tears from his eyes. “You hungry, bud? You don’t usually talk from your door unless-”

“I guess.”

“I’ll make us dinner-”

Saff walked out of his bedroom, avoiding eye contact with Tenma before heading into the kitchen. He rummaged through the fridge for a little bit before setting out what he felt were ample ingredients. “I know how to make small meals, just ones to survive dorm life.” He turned on the stove and began chopping his vegetables. “Doctor, it should be ready in about 30 minutes. I don’t know if you want to watch your show in the meantime.”

Tenma couldn’t help but smile; he felt like a proud father.

A year had passed since Johan’s disappearance. Saff had gone through yet another school year. He had been seeing Reichwein monthly since then and finally decided to enter the medical field like Tenma. At some point, he came to terms with the fact that Johan didn’t kill his parents, just to bring himself some peace of mind, to try and make friends and trust other people. He and Peri made an effort to video call monthly, even if their relationship had become a bit strained after witnessing the incident. Nina took Dieter and Saff out every weekend so Dieter had someone to learn and talk about games with. Even though he didn’t feel completely steady, he tried to reassure himself that everything was okay.

It was summer break again, and he heard the front door open and shut and excitedly ran out to greet Tenma, who shared that he had found an interesting meat and vegetable combination to try for their dinner that night. But before they got started on dinner, Tenma asked Saff to check their mail. He grabbed the mail key and happily trekked to the mailbox down the street. After the winter semester, Tenma surprised Saff with a new plushie and game in the mail for keeping his grades up. Saff ended the spring semester with good grades again and was excited to see if something was waiting in the mail for him. Sure enough, there was a box in the parcel locker for them.

He skipped home, unable to contain his excitement to open the box. He had his phone in the same hand that the house key was in. When trying to fidget to hold the box and open the door, he dropped his phone. The Player One keychain jingled to notify him that it had fallen behind him, onto the porch. He whipped around to pick up the keychain only to find a very familiar figure standing in front of him, handing him his phone.

The figure had a phone in his hand as well, a different phone than he knew, but there was a Player Two keychain adorned on the new case. He froze in place, trying to deny what he was seeing. His eyes slowly panned upward to meet a familiar face, a beautiful one at that. A face he was trying to forget, but still lived in the back of his mind freely. A face bearing no expression, no trace of happiness or sadness, but his outfit, everything about him was almost the same as when he left.

Where did you go? Why did you leave if you didn’t do it? Why anything at all? He wanted to ask everything, but in the end, all he could do was leap at Johan, wrapping his arms around his shoulders and letting out over a year of unchecked sadness and longing burst from his eyes. “I’m sorry.”

Visual

Johan bent over a bit to meet Saff’s height better, but he did not return the embrace. He looked right past Saff to a front door swinging open.

Tenma’s jaw dropped, his eyes widened, he couldn’t utter a word, but his expression was everything. “Johan.”

They ushered Johan inside, Saff bringing the package in with him. Tenma and Saff prepared dinner as Johan stared out of the window, motionless. Tenma pulled up a chair next to Johan and seated himself, serving Johan a plate as well. Saff ate quickly and tried to ask Johan a few questions.

“Where did you go?” He started with.

“A place far away that you would never think to look for me,” Johan replied.

“Where is that?”

“If I tell you, you’ll look for me there next time.”

“What do you mean by next time? Why did you leave if you didn’t do it?” Saff wanted to keep pressing, but Tenma tapped his shoulder to signal him to stop. “Sorry… Can you stay this time?”

“If the Doctor allows me to.”

“Saff,” Tenma interjected, “I need to talk to him for a bit, open your present in your room, and let me know how you like it, okay?”

Saff almost forgot about his package. He nodded, then retreated to his room, shutting the door behind him and ripping the package open promptly. It was the newest release of Animal Walking, a cute game about creating your own island with critter neighbors. He was so excited, Tenma could hear him through the door, gushing about it.

“You’ve taken good care of him, Doctor.” Johan’s expression slowly dropped to a solemn one, one filled with regret and painted in sadness. “Did you miss me, or rather, did you forget about me and try to use him as a replacement? I guess you already know I lied about keeping our promise. I didn’t kill his parents, but I still lied. Should I have stayed with you then, should I be with you now?”

Instead of answering, Tenma sealed Johan’s mouth with his own. After a few seconds of holding Johan close to him, he slowly let Johan reseat himself. “I love you, I should’ve told you then, but I need to tell you now.”

“Doctor…” Johan’s lips were once again trapped by Tenma’s. Over and over again, their lips met with a few breaths between each meeting. Johan’s longing and despair were slowly being replaced with happiness; the man he loved returned his feelings in full force. Again, again, again.

“Never, I would never replace you, I’d never forget you, not a day went by that I wasn’t worried about you. Thoughts racked my mind that you had done something rash that you couldn’t take back, and the last time I saw you, my last words to you were just fleeting moments.”

Very few knew about Johan’s broken promise, and those few people didn’t utter a word to the relevant authorities about it. This time, they believed, he would keep that promise dear to his heart. He had everything he wanted and more. He wasn’t known for being an honest, upstanding citizen, but Tenma made a bit of an effort to return Johan’s tendency to watch over him. Johan had to share his location with Tenma at all times, but Saff asked to share his too, like the three of them were a family, to avoid feeling left out.

Two months had passed, and Johan woke up next to Tenma; his alarm was about to go off. He shook Tenma awake, who groggily asked why Johan was waking him up on his day off. “Doctor, it’s Tuesday, it’s almost 5-”

“Oh, shoot!” Tenma jolted out of bed and quickly got ready. He made a small breakfast for himself, Johan, and Saff before heading to work.

Saff woke up several hours after and got ready; he had four tickets to a movie that day. He walked out to the kitchen and saw Johan reheating his place. Nina was already inside, waiting with Dieter, who was looking through Saff’s game collection. Saff said if there was time after the movie, he’d be happy to play the Mareo Function game with him, Nina, and Johan. While reheating Saff’s plate, Johan’s phone let out a small *ding*. He looked down. Tenma had put the new frame on his office desk.

A photo of him and Johan together, the frame was engraved with I Love You.