Marked (BokuAka)

46. Number Two

WARNING: There will be another dead body that is described in detail. It starts at Bokuto's POV.

The Man On The Computer (End of Day 7):

"Did you figure out who to kill?"

"Yes." The man said, fiddling with his fingers. "But it isn't one of the boys. Yet."

A crackle echoed from the computer—possibly a noise that the voice-disguisers covered. "Who, then?"

"Look, fear is powerful. It'll lead Akaashi and Bokuto to panic, run around amok, and make it easier to kill one of them." The man paused his fidgeting, an almost cruel smile curling across his face. "Don't worry, it will be a soulmate. And related to one of them. I suggest killing Riko Bokuto, Koutarou Bokuto's mother."

Another pause, pungent with reflective silence. "And this'll lead to one of their deaths? You're certain?"

"Yes." It was his turn to pause, a quick decision to be made. "Also, I have something important to tell you. Mostly unrelated to the case, but I might as well let you know." More silence. An invitation. "I know that Keiji Akaashi's mother is part of our organization. I also now know she takes part in the murders."

More pauses. But this time, it's freezing. "And how did you figure this out?"

"Keiji Akaashi and Koutarou Bokuto were looking for proof of her being a part of Akane's... departure. They accidentally found a secret button that opened a glass trophy case filled with the belongings of many departed people." He breathed slowly, urging his heart to slow. A fight-or-flight instinct wouldn't help him, only burden him and make it harder for him to think and rationalize. "Also, they found my camera in a jewellery box."

No answer. Silence for many minutes. Until... "Thank you, you can go."

"That's it?"

"Yes."

The man paused. "Should I still plan a murder for both boys? Or have you decided?"

"Do both. I have another person to contact."

Bokuto's POV, Day 8:

Konoha's and Sarukui's mouths opened and closed, like fish out of water. After they'd finally shut their mouths, the both of them hugged Akaashi, leaving him with his arms outstretched and awkwardly standing there.

But other than the horrible news, nothing happened.

No more clues were found.

No sightings of the strange man.

Just Bokuto doing his schoolwork and talking to his boyfriend.

It should've been boring, but honestly? It was pure bliss. Focusing on his work never felt so good.

All in all, a good day. So good that he didn't notice the doormat slightly ajar, the dirt on the floor, and the lights all turned off. He didn't notice that until looking back on this very moment, and hindsight reveals more than the present sight.

But even if he had noticed it, even if he'd realized that the house wasn't in the shape his mother would've left it in since she was at home today, it wouldn't've made a difference. Because as he strolled into the kitchen, humming and vibrating with his excitement to tell his mother about his day, Bokuto froze.

His mother slouched on the table, head staring straight at him with her eyes wide open. And blood leaking down her chest and straight onto the book on her lap. Music drifted through the air, accompanying the gruesome scene in front of him.

"Momma!" Bokuto ran over, the hesitation present in Akane's murder nonexistent here.

Blood pooled on her loose, white t-shirt, ripped in many different spots to reveal sliced skin. It dripped out of her chest as well, dotting her book laying on her lap. A library book. She recommended it to me.

Bruises marked her knuckles, scratched and red. Curled into fists, her hands hung by her sides limply. Sweat marked the underside of her shirt and back. With quaking hands, Bokuto drew out his phone and dialled the emergency number. 110.

"Hello. What is your name?"

"Kou—" Bokuto gasped, tears he didn't know he was shedding trickling into his mouth. His voice wasn't his own, crackly and whiny and broken. Bokuto coughed wetly, forgetting to cover his mouth. "Koutarou Bokuto. My mother is... she's dead!" Bokuto almost crumpled to the floor, instead hugging his mother with one hand before yelping. She was cold, lifeless. She wasn't supposed to die this early.

He let go, falling to his knees and rolling forward to be on one hand as well, yelping as he touched something wet.

Yellow pee puddled on the floor, dripping off the edge of the chair. The sour scent wafted into his nostrils, sending him scuttling across the floor with a sob. "No! Mom!" He continued to raggedly sob, the person on the phone sounding distant until the sounds finally slid in again with an almost audible click.

"Are you okay? Where are you?" They asked, probably for the umpteenth time.

"No," Bokuto said. Obviously. He whispered the address into the phone, chewing on a nail. "I need to get out of here! I can't... I can't..." Bokuto curled up on the floor, breathing escalating in speed until he was fully hyperventilating. The putrid smell curled his nose hair, forcing him to vomit up his lunch.

"Look, honey, the police are on their way." The use of the word his mother so often called him sent him into more sobbing fits. "Can you tell me what happened?"

He couldn't. He could only gasp as his mother's eyes stared at him. Accusing.

I killed her! I shouldn't have investigated! She'd still be alive then! A burning smell drifted from the stove, acrid and sour. "The oven is on!" Bokuto dropped his phone, rushing over to turn it off before slipping on the yellow puddle and landing in it. A vision of his mother swaying to her music as she baked flashed through his mind and he curled up on the wet floor. "No. Momma. I... I'm sorry. I love you. I need you. Please wake up."

She didn't move.

"Please, momma! I need you. I need you to wake up." He pleaded. "I'm sorry! I never even..." He choked, coughing up phlegm and water. "I never even got to tell you I loved you beforehand. I didn't get to say goodbye."

A knock on the door echoed, but Bokuto couldn't move, couldn't stand. So as the door came falling in, police flooding the house, that's where they found him. Begging for his mother to wake up in a puddle of pee, next to a bloody corpse.