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I’ll be right behind you
Shuichi stands on top of the rubble looking at the shattered glass dome. What once held them imprisoned, fractured by K1-B0’s sacrifice.
Shuichi glanced left and right. Only Himiko and Maki stand beside him. What was once 16 students, confused and clinging to hope, now down to 3.
Shuichi looked back up at the sky. What should have felt like freedom feels hollow instead.
Shuichi spots something unmistakable in the rubble below him. It’s a white fabric. He kneels down to inspect it and… it’s a cleaning cloth. One that Kirumi always had with her.
I’ll be right behind you
Shuichi strolls through the hallway lost in thought. The halls of the school wind on and on, never ending. If he could only find a clue, a gap in the wall, something, maybe he wouldn’t let his classmates down. But yet his search proved fruitless. The Ultimate Detective couldn’t even do his one job. He starts walking back to his dorm, head down in despair. Maybe it really is hopele-
THUD
Shuichi falls to the ground. His shoulder vibrating in pain. His hat flies across the floor.
“Sorry, I wasn’t looking-“
He looks up and sees Kirumi, also sprawled out on the floor just like him. Deep embarrassment sets in as a blush creeps up his face.
“No need to apologize. The fault is on me,” she says, her tone steady and unfazed.
He reaches to grab his hat but right as he starts she snatches it and holds it out to him.
“It seems that your hat came off in the fall.”
Shuichi takes it from her hands and puts it back on, “T-thank you, Kirumi was it?”
Shuichi turns to look back at her, but Kirumi has already gotten back on her feet. Her hand is reaching out to pick him back up.
He hesitates for a second but eventually takes her hand and lifts himself back up.
She dusts off his shoulder with a quick back and forth of her gloved hand.
“Kirumi Tojo, Ultimate Maid. Pleased to serve you, Shuichi”
I’ll be right behind you
“NOOOOOOOO!”
Shuichi lets out a bloodcurdling scream as he falls to his knees. Tears streaming down his face.
The view is unmistakable, the outcome finalized. Kaede hangs above the giant piano. The light shattered from her eyes. Her body slowly sways… back and forth, back and forth.
His friend,
His only friend in this cursed academy.
Shuichi can do nothing but sob. Snot pours from his nose like a dam burst. He keeps screaming despite his vocal chords becoming raw, a silent plea by his body begging him to stop.
The 13 remaining students don’t move. They stand there, not only traumatized by the events that had just occurred, but unsure what to do about the blue-headed man on the ground.
Until one moves.
Kirumi
She runs to the crying detective and hugs him. She holds him in a tight grip as he balls his eyes out. Her face is trembling, just like the man’s body. Her face twitching, trying to hold back tears and barely succeeding.
The rest of the classmates slowly get into the elevator and leave the 2 in the trial room. The elevator dings and opens as it once again reaches the trial room, waiting for the 2 to get in. But Kirumi is in no rush to leave, she can’t leave Shuichi behind. She could, she usually would, but something about Shuichi plucks at her heartstrings. Forcing her to stay by his side.
Shuichi’s tears slowly stop, but not because he stopped crying. But because there were no tears left to shed. His face was red, snot everywhere. Kirumi’s grip remained the same. Eventually she whispers in the boy’s ear..
“Shuichi, it’s time to go”
She slowly gets up with him, he doesn’t resist. She slowly steps back, still holding him in a bear hug. And that’s when he snaps. He thrashes with all his strength. His hand reaching out towards Kaede’s hanging body. He kicks and screams.
“NO, NO! KA- KAEDE!”
But Kirumi is stronger than him.
“It’s ok Shuichi,” she whispers to him, “I promise. I won’t leave you”
As they enter the elevator, Kirumi hits the button to take them back to the school. The doors start to shut, and Shuichi makes one last attempt to move towards his friend.
“KAEDE! PLEASE! PLEASE DON’T LEAVE ME!”
I’ll be right behind you
“KAEDE!”
Shuichi bolts upright, his heart hammering in his chest. Another nightmare. Every night, he had nightmares of her execution. Him running, trying to desperately to stop it from happening. But everytime he failed. Everytime he wasn’t good enough.
He looked up and saw Kirumi, sleeping. She was sleeping standing, leaning against the wall. She had insisted on staying to watch over him the past few days. He initially tried to resist, but it proved futile. Hearing his screams, she awoke.
“Shuichi? Another nightmare?” She asks, worry in her voice.
“Yeah… sorry,” the detective replies. He feels guilty that she is staying. He knows she is a maid, but he doesn’t need all of this. But he would be lying if he said he didn’t find comfort in it.
“You don’t need to endure this alone, Shuichi. We are all hurting,” the maid states. “She was your friend, she was friends to all of us.”
Kirumi sits down on the bed, right next to Shuichi. She doesn’t appear tired, and if she is it, doesn’t show. Not like Shuichi, with dark circles under his eyes.
“Now sleep, I will always be here to-“ Shuichi takes ahold of her hand as she starts to get up. Kirumi lets out a gasp. Shuichi opens his eyes in shock. His body just… reacted.
Kirumi turns around to look at the detective. His face fully flushed and red.
“Kirumi…. you didn’t have to stay,” he whispers.
Kirumi hesitates. She never hesitates. She always knows how to reply but this time she waits.
“Sh-Shuichi…” she stutters but eventually regains her composure, “I know, but I wanted to.”
Shuichi’s breath catches. He starts to get a warm feeling in his chest. His heart starting to race. His hand still on her gloved hand.
They stare into each others eyes. And a silent conversation happens, a silent agreement.
She lies down on the bed, right next to him.
“Goodnight, Shuichi”
And for the first time since her death, Shuichi slept without nightmares.
I’ll be right behind you
Kirumi had been working herself to the brink since Kaede’s death. “Selfless devotion,” she called it. Always catering to the needs of us all rather than herself.
He didn’t mean to look for Kirumi, but his feet carried him anyway. He wanted to thank her, or check in on her, or…. He wasn’t even sure anymore. All he knew is that he needed to see her again. Shuichi knew the one place she would be. The kitchen.
As Shuichi got ever closer and closer, the light from the room got brighter and brighter. And when he finally turned the corner, he saw her.
He didn’t know what to expect but it wasn’t what he saw. She was sitting at the table, staring straight into the tablecloth. She looked paler than ever and lost.
Shuichi called out her name and she instantly jumped right up out of her seat. Her face was one of fear instead of the usual smile or neutral expression she normally gave. But once she recognized Shuichi her face went back to normal.
“Shuichi?” the maid said with confusion. “What are you doing up so late?”
“I-uh,” he stuttered over his words, “I wanted to t-“
“Shall I make you tea?” Cutting off the boy mid sentence, something she never did.
The boy agreed and she started. As she mixed the tea, he noticed her hands weren’t steady at all. Just barely trembling. Small enough that nobody would notice, but he did.
It seemed minor, but to him, it was enough to make his breath catch.
He stood up, “Kirumi? Are you ok?” His voice full of concern for her.
Kirumi froze right where she stood. She looked like a deer in headlights.
“I… I am well,” she said. Too quickly, too firmly, too… shaken. “There is no need for concern, Shuichi.”
She sets the teacup in his hands, “I apologize, but I must head to my dorm. Goodnight, Shuichi.”
She turns away to leave, but she is interrupted by Shuichi putting his hand on hers.
She freezes. A blush creeping more and more up her face. She’s staring at the floor.
“Kirumi, please. Please don’t shut me out.”
She turns back to the boy. His face fully red.
“S-Shuichi,” she breathes out. Her voice wavering which the detective notices.
The room is silent, you could hear a pin drop.
“You don’t have to pretend around me,” he says.
In an instant, her lips are against his.
Shuichi freezes, his eyes shoot widely. He is frozen in shock.
Kirumi’s lips leave his and she looks down at the floor once more.
“I… I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have. I am being selfis-“
Before she has time to finish her sentence, the boys lips are on hers. His kiss is warm, and she is the one who freezes.
Their lips part and they stand staring at each others eyes. There is a moment of tension that breaks almost instantly as both classmates lunge forward, crashing into each other.
This kiss isn’t warm. It is full of hunger, it is ravenous. A craving that can’t be satiated. Lips crashing against lips.
Shuichi pins Kirumi against a wall. Their kissing only stopping when they need to catch their breath.
She starts taking off his blazer, unbuttoning it as fast as she can. They move, crashing into wall and wall as they stumble back to his dorm.
I’ll be right behind you
Shuichi is on a stroll late at night.
The school felt different today, too quiet. Every footstep echoed in the halls like an empty cavern. He wasn’t sure why he was walking, but he felt as if he would go crazy if he didn’t. Maybe it was to distract himself? Maybe something in the air felt… wrong.
He turned a corner and froze
Kirumi was there.
She stood alone in the dim hallway. A soft smile crept up her face. “Hello Shuichi, what are you doing out so late at night?”
The detective had to think for a moment but replies, “I just… needed to get some air. Something feels off but I am not sure what. But I am glad I ran into you.”
Kirumi blushes hard, clearly fallen for the blue-haired boy. She pulls him in for a small kiss.
“Oh Shuichi, you are so sweet. I am just finishing up my errands for the night then heading off to bed.”
He smiled but something felt wrong. He couldn’t explain it but knew it deep in his bones.
“Kirumi, is everything alright?” His voice full of concern.
“Yes, why wouldn’t it be?” Curiosity filling her voice, but for some reason it doesn’t sit right with him.
“Look, I just… I have this bad feeling tonight and… if something happens I don’t want to lose you. If I lost you I don’t know if I could ever-“
She puts a finger to his lips, shushing him.
“It will be alright Shuichi. I appreciate you wanting to help but there is nothing you can do for me tonight,” she says before pulling the boy into another kiss.
“Ok, well I guess I will see you tomorrow.” the boy starts to turn away.
If only he had known, maybe he could have prevented what would come next.
Maybe he could have stopped her from killing Ryoma.
Maybe they could have made it out together alive. Maybe they could have spent eternity with each other.
“Shuichi,” she starts. He turns back around to meet her. “Don’t worry.”
“I’ll be right behind you”