The Boy With The Blank Stare: Punishment Time

Chapter Thirty: A Story

"What everyone's been waiting for. The death of Kokichi Ouma, now on the bridge near you"

"No...no I won't let you!" I screamed, "Shuichi this isn't up for debate" Kokichi told me.

"But...this is insane! What if you die? What am I supposed to do? Where will you even go? You can't stay here!" I argued.

"And I can't go with you...actually if I want this to even have a chance of working we can't see each other after this" I admitted.

"What do you mean we can't?" I asked, "please...please don't go Kokichi" I begged.

Kokichi looked at me with pity and gave me a smile, "sorry Shuichi...but as I'm alive they're never going to stop going after me...they're never going to let me move on...they're never going to stop attacking the people I love..." Kokichi admitted tearing up.

"We're going to stop them one day Shuichi" Kokichi stated, like it was already fact, "but...you have your way...and I have mine..." he told me.

"You in the light, me in the dark...you exposing all the lies and stories...maybe helping broken people like me...don't you dare flirt with them though" Kokichi threatened.

"That's for me. And me in the dark...hunting each and every single member down...and killing them..." he said determined.

"But you hate murder" I reminded him, "we need to corner them Shuichi...if they have to fight a battle on two fronts then we have a better shot...my morals were already destroyed anyway" Kokichi told me.

I hated that it made sense.
I hated that I knew that this was the only way.
I hated the way I could hear sirens down the street heading to our apartment as Kokichi looked up at me. Those eyes...those eyes that were filled with numbness...pain...and sorrow when I first met him.

Now filled with determination. I could feel tears threatening to come, "have you called Harukawa? She's in on this isn't she?" I asked as we started heading out the door.

"Duh who else? She lives down the block she probably knows it's game time...she can make her escape while being alive...lucky" Kokichi said.

We ran down towards the bridge and Kokichi stood at it. His summer outfit seemed to contrast the mood. Even the season didn't seem to think of summer and resembled winter.

A chill ran through my spine as Kokichi climbed over the edge, "how are you going to survive?" I asked.

"The river is lower this time of year...and underneath the bridge me and DICE used to hang out under here and tell ghost stories...there's a mini floor that's hard to see I'll hide out there...then I'll leave in the night with Harukawa" Kokichi told me.

"Hey...if I ever become someone like the substitute...if I ever enjoy killing...promise me something" Kokichi begged, "anything" I assured him.

"If I ever become like my father...I want you to kill me" Kokichi said and my eyes widened "no...why are you asking me this?" I asked.

"I don't want to lose myself Shuichi...but I probably will...so when I'm gone...please do it" he begged.

I paused, "I will...but you better not ever make me have to prove that to you" I threatened and he nodded.

"I'll try" he mumbled.

....

"We used to be friends...then I avoided you like the plague...and now I love you...things have changed huh?"

....

"Not even going to answer me...you know what I'm going to have to do right....? How I won't be able to see you...this is the worst way to say goodbye..."

....

"Hey...you know I love you right?"

....

"I told you when we met you couldn't fix what's already gone. I think I was still right...my friends are gone so I won't ever be that Kokichi again...but you did fix most of me...so I guess I was wrong...guess you did hold up to your word"

....

"In another life...do you think we had a chance? Like maybe somehow we got our happy ending?"

....

"Yeah, I don't either" Kokichi admitted I could see the police in the distant as I grabbed Kokichi's face and we had our first and last kiss.

"Who says we still can't have a happy ending?" I whispered and Kokichi just nodded.

And I could only shed tears as I saw the love of my life push himself off me and fall down into the water below and as much as I wanted to throw myself with him I couldn't.

I couldn't do anything but sob my eyes out to the so called police and pray that he had somehow did it. That he had successfully hid away.

They seemed fooled. They didn't arive till well after his 'body' would have flowed down the river.

They will look. They won't find anything. I looked out at the stars and held up my hand to the ring. It sparkled.

Kokichi...I don't care how long it takes...I will destroy Themis...and then you can come out of hiding...and I'll find you even if you still hide...I found you once didn't I? Shouldn't be to hard to do it again.