Liar, Liar, the Mage's Desire Vol. 4 (The Oumeno Menace)

Undercover Lolita (1)

    Himiko was in the living room watching TV with such intensity that she didn't realize she was shoving heaping amounts of popcorn from the bowl in her lap into her mouth. She was in the middle of an episode of Crime Time, a show about murders or disappearances that happened across Japan. The episode she was currently watching was about the mysterious disappearance of a five-year-old girl named Lola that happened five years ago and had not been seen ever since. Around the time she had disappeared, her parents were found dead in their bedroom. Himiko winced and gagged at the gory crime scene. The little girl's aunt and uncle were being interviewed. 

   "Lola was the sweetest little girl," the aunt said in a teary voice. Her husband sat beside her with a grim expression. "She loved cute things and she would dress up as a little princess. It was the cutest thing. She was smart, too." She paused as she wiped a tear from her eye. "Who would do such a thing to a little girl? Who would...take her from her family like that and kill her parents?" 

   The episode continued to explain further about Lola's whereabouts prior to her disappearance. Himiko suddenly began to feel unsettled. She didn't know why. It was broad daylight outside, and though she was alone in the living room, everyone else was at home with her. So, why did she feel strange? Suddenly, it hit her. She felt as if she were being watched! She stiffened in fear as she slowly looked around her. She craned her neck to look into the hallway leading to the boys rooms and the stairs leading up to the girls rooms. There was nobody there. She then hesitantly looked into the hallway leading into the kitchen. Again, she didn't see anyone. It wasn't until she turned her head toward the other end of the couch she was sitting on that she noticed a pair of eyes peeking at her from behind the arm of the couch.

    "AAAAHHHHHH!!!" Himiko shrieked, sending her bowl of popcorn flying into the air. 

   "Nee-heehee...gotcha, Himiko!" Kokichi said, laughing as he jumped over the arm and landed right next to Himiko.

   "Nyeeeh!! Don't do that, Kokichi!!" Himiko yelled, smacking him with both of her hands. "You scared the life out of me!!"

    "Hahahaha...sorry!" Kokichi replied. Himiko took a deep breath as she calmed down and straightened her jacket. Kokichi started picking up pieces of popcorn and putting it back into the bowl. "Sooo...what'cha watchin,' my little Sagittarian sorceress?" he asked, giving Himiko's cheek a playful pinch.

    "Crime Time," Himiko replied testily, still trying to get over what just happened. 

    "Niiiiice!" Kokichi replied with a cheeky grin. "What's this episode about?"

   "It's about a little girl who disappeared right after her parents got murdered," Himiko answered. "Now be quiet. I'm trying to watch." Kokichi gave her a kiss on her cheek before placing his hands on his lap. Himiko turned to frown at him in annoyance. Kokichi looked at her out of the corners of his eyes and smiled mischievously at her. "Stop it," Himiko scolded. 

    "Whaaaat?" Kokichi asked innocently, shrugging his shoulders questioningly. Himiko rolled her eyes and faced the TV again. Out of the corners of her eyes, she could see Kokichi continuing to grin and stare at her out of the corners of his eyes.