By Death United (A Saimatsu story)

Chapter 5

''Shuichi? Are you listening to me?'' 

''I am,'' he responded, yet to see who was addressing him. 

''Good. Did you speak with her?'' Mahiru struck his desk, and he finally recognised her. 

''I did. . .'' The time he had spent speaking inversely proportionate to the necessary questions answered. 

''And?'' 

''We just talked; I didn't want to be too direct, so I guess I'll find out more next time.''

''Hm, alright,'' she calmed, and sat on a nearby chair. ''I wanted to know how she's doing, that's why I asked. . . It's still hard for me to fathom what she's going through. . .''

''We've only spoken once, but I can tell that she's enduring it remarkably well.''

''She's one of the happiest people I know, so maybe I shouldn't be surprised. . .''

''Kaede obviously needs time, and if it wasn't for Sakura, I wouldn't have realised that fact. However, I also don't want to keep uncle waiting, because all the time I spend doing nothing might undermine our investigation significantly.'' 

''To be honest, I doubt that's the case,'' Mahiru folded her arms, and looked away; guilt and uncertainty passing her expression and putting it in greater sadness. 

''How come? If I spend too long investigating, t-then the culprit will have an obvious a-advantage over us.'' 

''That's not what I mean,'' she objected and sighed, ''do you think that your uncle would depend only on you in this case, if your performance decided whether the killer would be caught or not?'' 

''Huh?'' A devastating epiphany overcame him, and his determination faltered: indiscreetly, and soon to be acknowledged by him; but now, he had to patch the wound Mahiru's words inflicted to stop the bleeding; damage to be assessed later. 

''Don't take it the wrong way; I'm not questioning your skills, Shuichi. . . But I don't think your uncle would allow that. . . He already didn't want you on this case, so this might his other way of keeping you out of it,'' she looked at him guiltily, adding: ''But, I'm just telling you what I think here. . . Don't take it as truth: I'm probably wrong.''

''You aren't wrong, Mahiru,'' the wound hurt, but he had to push through, ''I wouldn't be surprised if that really was my uncle's intention; however, I'll continue trying my best in helping Kaede. . . I hope I won't fail, though.'' 

''I was expecting you to say something more cheerful at the end there,'' She complained and looked at him indignantly. 

''I could say the same about you,'' Shuichi chuckled.

''Hey!'' She reddened in embarrassment. ''As I said. . . I was just being honest with you, we're a team, after all – aren't we? Honesty is vital, so you better work on being more honest with me, too – understood?''