The Conundrum Corporation |Oumasai

Chapter 17

It was dark, pitch black. My body hurts as if it were on fire. I moved my hand a little. It made contact with something soft. A blanket, perhaps? Not sure. I'm too tired to move my head but if I can open my eyes I can see where I am. I tried to open my eyes but I couldn't. It was as if they were glued shut. I heard a faint voice calling my name. I moved my hand a little as if to say I can hear you. I felt another person's hand grasp my own. Who was this? Most likely, Shuichi. I can't open my eyelids yet as I'm in too much pain. I need to do something to pass the time. I should just fall asleep again considering that I can't do anything.

"Give me it."
"B-but Ran-"
"Oh look. Now you're talking."
"Rantaro stop being so rude. She's just...quieter than usual today."
"And you're less rude than usual today."
"Idiot. What are you waiting for? Do it then."
"I will, after you stop complaining."
"I'm only complaining because he might get hurt. We don't want that do we?"
"Calm down. He can handle a few n- who else heard the door open?"
"What's going on here?"
"Oh! Hey Shadow."
"That's a stupid nickname! Yes, he may hide in the shadows but his name is-"
"Don't worry, Rantaro. I'm used to it."

"Just say it! How hard is it to explain something?" a voice that I could recognise as Shuichi's yelled.
"I-I'm sorry! Please don't fire me!" another voice squealed. I'm guessing that it's Mikan.
"We won't fire you," another person sighed. Definitely Rantaro's voice.
"Just tell us what happened?" Shuichi murmured.
"W-well...it's a long story," Mikan replied.
"I have all day," Shuichi stated. It was silent for a moment before Rantaro spoke up.
"Why do you care so much about that thing anyways?" he sighed.
"Thing? Kokichi's a living thing and he has a name," Shuichi argued.
"Keep telling yourself that!" Rantaro shot back.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Shuichi snapped.
"Please stop y-yelling!" Mikan whimpered.
"I'll stop yelling when you tell me what happened to my boyfriend!" Shuichi shouted.
"Boyfriend? You...can't be serious," Rantaro whispered in shock.
"I'm as serious as I can be," Shumai objected.
"Ouch," I muttered while clutching my arm. I opened my eyes to see a bright light.
"He's awake," a voice gasped. I frowned and looked around. I was in a medical room. Rantaro was sitting on a chair in the right corner along with Mikan trembling bedsides him. Next to me, was of course Shuichi.
"H-how is he feeling?" Mikan whispered. I glared at her despite not knowing what was going on.
"Ask him yourself," Rantaro grumbled before standing up and walking out. What was his problem? Normally, I have a problem with him. Not the other way around.
"What in the world happened?" I mumbled. My throat was dry and I felt parched. I need some water in order to speak more.
"Mikan is refusing to tell me," Shuichi sighed.
"B-because you will be u-upset with me! I mean you have a-all the right to be but please d-don't yell at me!" she squealed while packing up some medical equipment.
"I'm already upset with you!" he shouted back.
"Eek! Sorry," she mumbled. "W-well you see, a special type of syringe I was carrying to the m-medical room g-got injected in him when we bumped into each other," she explained. Injection?
"What where you doing with a syringe?" I interrupted.
"None of your business," she grumbled. I looked at her shocked. I never knew that Mikan could be rude. She was always stuttering and being innocent. What happened? I barely pushed her buttons.
"Don't be so rude or you'll sound like him," Shuichi rolled his eyes.
"Who's him?" I questioned.
"Just another person Rantaro and I happen to know. He also knows Mikan," he smiled. I nodded even though I was skeptic. Shuichi doesn't keep things from me and I trust him so I shouldn't think too much about this friend. It's just that Shuichi never mentioned him in any of our conversations. He's mentioned Kirumi and all the other leaders but not this person. Meh.
"It's funny how we all know the s-same person," Mikan pointed out.
"Yeah very funny," Shuichi glared at her. He was of course being sarcastic. I looked around to see a clock on the wall. It was currently 1 am. Poor Shuichi, having to stay up just so that he could see me wake up.

After a few moments of silence, I spoke up.
"How did the syringe get into my arm anyway? It seems rather unusual," I muttered. Mikan has proved herself to be a very clumsy girl. I know that but she bumped into me three times yesterday. How odd.
"I-I am just very unlucky. I was running down the hallways to catch up with Rantaro. He was walking e-extremely fast. When I caught up with him, I got the syringe out to show him. However, I was still running and I bumped into you. T-then when I fell on you, the syringe pricked your arm and I accidentally pressed down on it. I am s-sorry once again. It was an accident!" she yelled.
"Wait...what was in the syringe?" I asked and I started to feel worried.
"Liquid," she murmured.
"What kind of liquid you fool!" I objected.
"Sorry! It's j-just meant to make the person pass out," she squealed.
"You said that this was a special liquid," I rolled my eyes. Making someone pass out isn't exactly a 'special' thing.
"It is. You see, it's helps...it helps...well, lets just say it helps with a specific type of transformation from a human to a...never mind. H-h-however, it wouldn't be effective on you because you need to have two injections in order for it to actually work!" she explained, while tucking some of her purple hair behind her back. A transformation huh? So kinda like the transformation of a mermaid to a human. I guess that's what she is saying but a specific type of transformation sounds fishy.
"Two injections? Then I'm glad that Kokichi is safe," Shuichi smiled at me.
"Yeah," I smiled back and sat up. Am I safe though? That's the real question.
•
They're lying to you.
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