That Time When Kokichi Helped Himiko Find Her Missing Diary (3)

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     Himiko felt her stomach tangle into multiple knots and her heart drop as she stared speechless at the threatening note. Her hands shook so much that Kokichi had to take it from her. He studied the note closely, checking for any possible clues. He averted his attention from the note when he heard Himiko slump to the floor and her whole body began to tremble with fear. 


   "Nee-heehee...well, at least we know whoever drew this doesn't know how to draw," he said, trying to lighten up the mood and showing Himiko the drawing of her with the X's over her eyes. Himiko, however, didn't respond. She sat miserably on the floor with wide eyes plagued with shock and fear. "Himiko?" Kokichi waved a hand in front of her face. Himiko opened her mouth to say something, but all that came out was a sob.


   "What am I going to do??" Himiko wailed. She brought her hands up to her face and cried into them. 


  "You're going to find your diary, that's what you're gonna do," Kokichi replied simply. "You can't sit there on that floor forever, Himiko."


   "B-But, I've never been threatened before," Himiko replied tearfully. "Maybe we should just give up." She hung her head in despair. 


   "Himiko...did Sherlock Holmes become the greatest detective ever because he ran away from danger?" Kokichi asked. "Did Scooby-Doo stop eating Scooby Snax because he was too afraid? Did Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys stop nosing around where they weren't supposed to just because they ran into adults who probably wanted to strangle them for uncovering the truth?"


  "Those are all fictional characters!" Himiko sobbed. 


   "My point is, a good detective jumps into the mystery, no matter how harrowing or life-threatening it is," Kokichi pointed out. "So when you're done crying, I want you to pull yourself together so we can solve this mystery, okay?"


  "Y-You'll still do it with me?" Himiko sniffed. 


  "Well...duh!" Kokichi replied. "Besides, maybe I'll get a threatening message, too! I'm actually really jealous of you! Some people have all the luck!" He crossed his arms and pouted as he leaned up against the wall. 


  "You...You want to your life to be in danger?" Himiko asked incredulously.


  "Yeah, I do!" Kokichi said. "It adds to the fun...the excitement...the THRRRRIIILL-AH of solving mysteries...and life in general!"


  "Well...it makes me scared," Himiko replied in a small voice.


  "Well, you don't have a lot of experience with these kinds of things, so I can't expect you to feel the same way I do," Kokichi said. "So, that's why I'm here to help you, HimiCocoa Bean! You don't have to worry, 'kay?" He reached out his hand to Himiko who was still sitting on the floor. Normally, Himiko's heart rate would have increased at the opportunity to hold Kokichi's hand, but for now, she just felt relieved and grateful to have Kokichi's help. She smiled at him as she took his hand and let him pull her up. "All better?" he asked her. She nodded, wiping a tear from her eyes and taking a deep breath.


   "So...what do we do next?" she asked, trying to feel confident. Kokichi smiled reassuringly at her.


  "Well, now that we have a list of suspects, we need to go question them," Kokichi said. "Miu is on the suspect list, riiiight? We should question her first since she lives here! Then, after we're done with her, we'll go to the suspects who live in the 7th Island House: Fuyuhiko and Ibuki. Then, after them, we can go pay Leon, Mondo, and Hifumi a visit at theirs." 


  "Okay, well...let's go question Miu, then," Himiko said, giving Kokichi a confident smile through her wet eyes.


  "Yippee! Leeeet's gooooo!!!" Kokichi grabbed Himiko's hand and ran upstairs with her to Miu's room. 

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