House of Horrors|oumasai/saiouma

Chapter 3

"Wait, where's Himiko? She was with me two minutes ago!" Tenko shouted and started to panic. Himiko's right shoe was left about three feet behind the akido master.

"It's likely they were brought to the same place and kidnapped by the same person or people." Korekiyo said. "We should hurry and search the store before they get too far. They could get seriously hurt if we don't."

The group split up and searched the store. Shuichi and Maki started where the Panta and other soft drinks were stored. There was a note inside of the label on one of the bottles near the refrigerator door. 

'Well done! You found me. If you aren't from my killing game then shoo. This guy has been on my tail for an hour, at least 10 feet behind me at all times. He has a brown coat and a weird hat. Every item I've "examined" has a note. I might be in danger. This is just clue one. The next is where Shuichi and I met, on the inside. Get your mind out of the gutter Miu! It isn't in his ass. If you find this, something happened to me.'

"Kirumi was right, he definitely left hints." Maki commented. But where did they lead? Kokichi couldn't possibly know where they were going, right? They just had to see.

"Right, met but on the inside? The only times we crossed paths were when I was paying for groceries." Shuichi was lost in his thought, exploring possibilities in his mind. 

"Check the bag, he could've slipped it in while you were there and left afterwards." Maki pointed at the bags he had and opened them all. In one there was another note laying there.

'Wow, you guys are good. Okay okay, next two hints. The next note is where the orchard lays, and this guy is freaking me out! He just talked to me and commented on my looks???? Jeez dude, not my type at all. I prefer dark haired, tall, emo detectives!' Shuichi's face went red as Maki giggled. Of course Kokichi found a way to tease him in something so serious.

'Anyways, I just saw Himiko a second ago. He complimented her as well. I really want Tenko to kick his ass right about now.'

Where the orchard lays? There was no orchard, although there were coupons to the apple orchard by the entrance. "Let's check those coupons." Maki said, almost as if she read Shuichi's mind, or maybe just had the same first interpretation of Kokichi's clever riddles.

"It just feels too obvious. to do that Maki. Kokichi was being followed, so he probably didn't want his and Himiko's kidnapper to find these." Shuichi explained. He had gotten an idea.

"Let's go to produce instead, since apples are normally associated with orchards." They went to the apple basket in the produce section of the busy store. Nobody would've noticed a note unless they went digging for apples, so they started from the bottom and felt the sip of paper under the mountain of ripe fruit.

'I really hope he doesn't find this. It makes me gag just thinking about it, but it looked like he was hitting on Himiko and I a while ago. I know, super gross. My heart is reserved for a certain hot detective. Hopefully the one reading this. This guy is clearly interested, and we clearly aren't. Himiko is also worried, and we're sticking together until checkout since the only person we saw so far was Gonta close to the storage room. 

This is Himiko. That guy is really creepy and I don't think my magic would be able to protect us. Kokichi is leaving hints to try and save me, which is really nice considering how he acted in the killing game. Anyways, I'll try and leave some mark as well. I'm wearing a shoe the same color as the guy's car. Good luck and if you see this, please come help us!!!'

The shoe left behind at the car was a plain brown shoe that had was red underneath, so the car must've been red! But, where was the hint? Shuichi examined the note, and read more carefully.

'Himiko is also worried, and we're sticking together until checkout since the only person we saw so far was Gonta close to the storage room.'

"We need to hurry. Did you see it too?" Maki asked. 

"Of course. We have no time to lose." Shuichi and Maki sprinted to the storage room, where Angie sat searching the many boxes that were stacked in an organized fashion. 

"Nyahahaha! I found the clue!" Angie happily announced as she jumped up and ran towards the exit, only to bump straight into Maki. 

"May we see that clue?" Shuichi asked after the girls had dealt with the accident Angie had made. The artist handed the clue to him and skipped away.

'This is my last clue. I don't know how much longer I can keep up the act. He's getting really close and asking a lot of questions. He whispered a little about the back lane, though I have no idea what that's supposed to mean. Meltrio definitely isn't there lol. Subway red subway red subway red.'

"This is a bit more random than normal, why did he keep writing 'subway red?'" Shuichi asked himself.

"Angie knows, Angie knows!" she exclaimed and started to jump about.  "The red subway line that runs through the far side of town by the woods and river!" Angie skipped off to tell the others about the discovery while Shuichi ran to the car with Maki. They had no time to lose if there was even a hint of where their missing friends were. 

"I can't believe this." Miu said inbetween loud sobs. "It was his FUCKING BIRTHDAY and I never got to give him his goddamn present!" Miu was breaking and Tenko was crying as well, unable to shake the thought that her best friend could be in serious danger, maybe even dead. She still continued driving.

"I-It was hi-his birthday...?" Shuichi didn't know what to do. He should've been nicer, and getting presents and-

"I'm probably going to go over a lot of speed limits so hold on!" Tenko stopped crying and drove as fast as she could, the only thought on her mind was that she was going to save her friend, no matter what.

"Then hurry the fuck up and step on it! I'm not waiting for a red light to ruin this when they could be fucking dead!" Miu was shouting and wiping away tears. 

Shuichi envied how quickly the had toughened up and became stronger, enough to push harder just so save their friend. Every time he had to witness another murder with his golden eyes, he was scared. He was scared to unveil the truth at the cost of another, he was terrified to have all those eyes on his own. 

Shuichi Saihara made a vow on that day in that car to never fear the truth again. He was going to save Kokichi and Himiko, no matter what cost, even if he needed to take his own life. "Let's go Tenko, faster!" he ordered. "Before sundown, we're getting them back, no matter what."

i meant to get this out y e s t e r d a y on the 21st on cockitchy's birthday. sowwy