All That I Need || Millionaire Detective

trust is your demise

Water splashed around bare feet. Dark clouds rumbled from the graying sky, rain showering down and she sprinted into another puddle, mud caked around her ankles. Laughter bubbled past her lips, patched up shirt clinging to her like a second skin as she leapt from puddle to puddle. The earth felt wet, rainwater splashing under her feet.

She hummed an old tune, skipping ahead while the raindrops continued to thrum down on her.

A voice called over the thundering clouds.

"Rumi!" Her mother stood in the doorway, arms curled around her heavy, round tummy. Her voice echoed off into the rain. "Come inside! You'll get sick!"

Tiny hands gripped the tattered skirt, lifting the wet fabric away from the muddied shins and the girl whined loudly. "Mumma, noooo."

Her mother sighed, shaking her head.

Mismatched eyes swung upwards, widening in alarm as the woman trudged out of the doorway of the small wooden house, the fading blue of her yukata growing darker because of the rain. She stopped before her daughter, a snowy white braid hanging off her shoulder. Her green eyes softened.

"I'll stay here as long as you do." Her mother said stubbornly. Her arms wrapped protectively around her stomach as she let out a heavy sigh. "Though your brother might get sick."

The girl paused for a moment, eyes widening in realization. Her mother laughed as a tiny hand clasped around her own, small fingers tugging incessantly at her palm.

"Mumma!" Nimble fingers tightened, and she found herself being guided towards the doorway.

"We can't let him get sick!"

...
("I'll do anything for you.")
....

Clack.

"Aren't you going to take it?"

Narumi glanced at the short woman standing a bit too close at her right. She bent down, reaching within the vending machine and pulling out a red box of pocky. The woman at her side bounded forward, not noticing the gaze observing her as she peered inside the glass.

Soft brown eyes shone, fingers clicking away on the keypad of the vending machine until another clatter followed.

With a bounce of her rosy pink locks, the woman retrieved a transparent-yellow bag of candies. There was a rustle of plastic, Narumi staring as the torn candy bag was held out for her.

"Please take some!" The woman beamed brightly.

There's a flicker of her bio in Narumi's mind.

"No, thank you." Narumi declined politely. "I don't really like sweets."

Saeki pouted, cheeks puffing. "It's really good! You should try some um..."

"Shiro Narumi," Narumi responded, and Saeki blinked when the pocky box tore open too. The pocky sticks stuck out from the opening, dusted crimson and looking like a flavour she had never tried before. Narumi grinned faintly, tipping the box closer. "I try yours if you try mine?"

Hazelnut brown eyes twinkled, and Saeki nodded her head vigorously. She plucked out a pocky stick, giggling when Narumi fished out a few colorful fish gummies.

With a pleased hum, Saeki cracked the pocky stick with her teeth, gobbling the broken piece down.

"Mhm, this tastes very—"

Narumi swiftly caught the bag of gummies before it hit the floor. Saeki clamped her hands on her reddening cheeks, tears brimming in her eyes.

"H-Hot! It's so HOT!"