Perfect On Paper (Nikei Yomiuri X OC)

𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 25: 𝓦𝓪𝓽𝓬𝓱 𝓐𝓵𝓵 𝓞𝓯 𝓘𝓽 𝓕𝓪𝓭𝓮

Triggers: ⚫️🟠🟡🔘🟣

Among the horrific display of Setsuka's remains, Yoruko let out an agonizing scream, solidifying that none of this was a vicious nightmare. That what stood before them on the altar was completely real.

Nikei's skin turned pale with trepidation. He shook his head with desperate denial. But, it was true. Setsuka... his ally, the spy he hired...was murdered. He always knew that it could be a possibility, but with everything that he was working on, he wasn't able to worry too much about it actually happening.

All the information he could've had on Mikado was now lost to the grave. His plans were quickly backfiring, his chance for power was falling down into a deep abyss that Mikado continued to create.

"No!! Setsuka!!" he yelled out, clenching his teeth with disgust.

The break in his voice, the way he'd begun shaking upon seeing the body, the look of shock and hurt that hit his face...is what ultimately snapped Aki out of her stunned daze. The tears that were previously streaming down her cheeks silently started to echo throughout the altar. She covered her mouth to muffle the sound. She could hardly believe what she was even looking at anymore, quickly burying her head in Syobai's chest, who had recently entered with Mikado.

The broker was glancing up at the scene with perplexity, trying to figure out how the hell anyone could have pulled this off. Once he felt Aki's weight, he reluctantly placed a hand on her head, petting it to calm her down. But seeing the reactions of everyone else around him, he eventually wrapped Aki up into a protective hold.

It was truly the most disgusting, vile thing any of them had ever witnessed.

Everyone else came rushing to the altar, the last of which was Hibiki. Her hair was still down from when she woke up. As soon as she saw the body, she silently fell on to her knees. The look on her face was a purely empty, lifeless shock. Her expression was completely heartbreaking, much more so than the screaming, crying, and puking that everyone else was doing.

After what felt like an eternity of panic, despite it only being ten minutes or so, some people started taking deep breaths and collecting themselves again, leading Monocrow to fly and address them.

"Has everyone settled?"

"Su...ka..." Hibiki breathed out weakly.

"Come on, sis. You need to wake up. It's time for the investigation. Really...you haven't even tied your cute hair up yet." Kanade cooed.

"Now, now, attention, everyone. As you stated, you will now investigate in preparation for the upcoming class trial. Well...to be honest, this case is baffling even for me."

Syobai scoffed, still rubbing Aki's back as she whimpered helplessly.

"Now, what do you mean by that?"

"Nothing. It seems like you haven't all calmed down yet." Monocrow answered vaguely.

"I-Investigate...? We have to investigate Setsuka in...th-that state?" Yoruko hiccupped through her tears.

"We c-can't. Impossible...! Even now, I can't even look at her, and I'm expected to investigate?" Iroha trembled as Mikado spoke up.

"If I may have a word in this...I am grateful that a murder happened this fast after I showed you the motives... But this murder has gone too far. The killer aimed too much for the style points."

Shinji looked furious, cracking his knuckles threateningly. "Mikado, you little...!"

"How can you act so calm T-Teruya? Is it because you're older...?" Yuki cried, still distraught by all this.