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

Kokichi's Juvie Buddy (End)

    "Oh, Monkey Buns! I'm ba-aaack!" Kokichi called as he and Kaito walked through the door. In Kokichi's hands were some plastic bags full of snacks. He went to the kitchen to put them on the counter. When Himiko didn't respond, he called out to her again. "Hi-mi-koooo-ah!" Silence. "Hmph! Where is that girl?" He marched over to the living room to find Maki sitting on the couch. 

   "Maki! What did you do with Himiko?" he demanded. "Did you kill her?" Maki rolled her eyes at his joke.

   "No," she answered testily. "She went to a party." Kokichi's face became serious. 

   "Koji's party?" he asked in a low voice.

   "I guess," Maki shrugged. "She didn't say whose party, just that she was going to one." Before Maki finished speaking, however, Kokichi was already out the door. 

   ***

   "There's her house," Koji whispered to Himiko. He, Himiko, Jun, and the other delinquents stood across the street from Ms. Kazunari's house, hiding behind some bushes and a tree. Himiko could see in the front yard lots of brightly-colored flowers planted everywhere. For such a crabby old woman, she sure liked having her lawn appear cheerful, Himiko thought. 

   "And there's her flowers," Jun said. She turned to Himiko. "All you have to do is pluck some flowers from her lawn."

   "B-But...she has so many," Himiko stammered. "How will she even know the difference?"

   "She's very attentive when it comes to her flowers," Koji explained. 

   "Now, hurry up and go steal some!" Jun ordered. "Unless you're too scared...baby! " The others began to taunt Himiko with baby noises and baby talk. Himiko's eyes stung. She definitely didn't want to cry in front of these kids. She figured she'd walk to the other side just so they wouldn't see her cry.

   "Okay..." she said in a barely audible voice. She slowly stood up and crept to the other side, looking around her all the while. The others snickered as they watched her. 

   "You got your phone ready?" Koji whispered to Jun. Jun grinned and took her phone out.

   "Sure do," she replied. Himiko tiptoed across the lawn and peeked inside the window. She saw an old woman sitting on a couch, her face turned away from the window. Her gaze was focused on the television in front of her, which relieved Himiko a little. But only a little. She still felt terrified. She looked behind her at the others, who were waving at her to hurry up. Himiko gulped as she knelt down and reached for some flowers. 

   Meanwhile, Kokichi made it to the old, abandoned house, where a few remaining teenagers were hanging out. He barged through the door. 

    "Where's Koji?" he demanded. 

    "Heh, heh...he's at ol' Kazunari's house," one of the delinquents explained.