Tsumibito   von Noiyama
                            (Crime and Punishment)
================================================================================
                                       
                                       


I was awoken by my phone, that rang.
Tiredly I peeled myself out of the sheets and walked to the phone.
I felt strange, like something wouldn't be alright.
My hand closed around the phone, tighter as needed, as I picked up.
"Moshi moshi?"
"Izumi-san? This is Dr. Himawari from Tokyo Hospital. I've got bad news for
you"
"Oh my god... what happened?"
"Airi-san was brought here one hour ago. He had been attacked in the streets and
hurt so badly, that we had to operate immediately. But sadly I have to report
that we couldn't do anything for him. I'm sorry, Izumi-san"
I stopped breathing, digging my nails into my flesh, to keep calm.
Weakly I managed to whisper "Thank you...", and hung up.
I sank to the floor, trying to clear my mind.
Airi, why my dear Airi?
He was like a little brother to me.
I cared about him, and I always protected him.
He can't just be gone.
God, this was all my fault.
I shouldn't have let him out of sight, after all he needed protection.
Protect...
Somehow this word kept echoing in my mind.
He died, because I failed to protect him.
There was only one way to make up for my mistake.
In my head a dark plan developed.
Everything I used to love was broken, I had nothing to lose.
And so I became the angel of revenge, for my little wingless angel.

I went to the police station, where my old friend Reika was working.
Walking down the hall, I was stopped by a secretary that wanted to know whom I
was looking for.
I told her Detective Reika would expect me.
Just as I anticipated, she told me he wasn't there, but let me wait in his
office.
Once she was gone, I reached for the first file on his desk and looked it over.
Quickly found what I was looking for.
"Early this morning Airi-san had been attacked with a knife. He later succumbed
to his serious injuries. An eye-witness identified the presumed perpetrator as
Hisui-san, living in..."
Grinning evilly I wrote everything down and sneaked out unnoted.

I jumped into my car and drove to the address.
I rang the bell.
After a while a voice shouted "Coming!", and the door opened a crack.
I tried my best smile.
"Konnichiwa, Hisui-san, I'm Deyama-san, your new neighbour, mind if I'd come in
for a view minutes?", I babbled cheerfully.
Hisui smiled back and opened the door wider.
"Sure, come in. Would you like some tea?"
"Oh, that would be very kind", I responded politely.
He led me to a leather couch in a nicely designed living room.
"I'll be right back with the tea. Just make yourself at home", he chirped.
When I heard clattering in the kitchen, I cautiously sneaked into the kitchen,
pulling out my gun.
As soon as his back was facing me, I stepped out and pressed my gun to the back
of his head.
With a gasp he froze, his eyes wide with fear.
"D-Deyama-san?"
"Would you kindly tell me what you were doing this morning, Hisui-san?"
"Having a walk?", he replied, his voice quivering vigorously.
"Oh really? And of course all alone, right"
"Y-yes... why?"
"Bloody stop playing innocent! What did you want from Airi?"
"W-we are old sch-schoolfriends... we only wanted to meet again!"
"Oh, friends you say? How come he never mentioned you, huh?"
"I... I d-don't know..."
"And why would you kill him, if he really were a friend?"
Panic became apparent on Hisui's face.
"What do you mean?", he screeched, miserably failing to stay calm.
"You've been watched. That wasn't part of the plan, huh?"
Hisui closed his eyes. There was no use in further denial.
"No...", he admitted in a whisper.
"Why?"
"Back in college, we had the idea to hold a seduction contest. At first we
really had fun doing that, until I suddenly grew more popular then him. He was
highly jealous, and as I fell in love with a boy named Tsubaki, he sensed his
opportunity to pay me back in spades. He seduced Tsubaki and won him over. Since
then we'd been enemies. We met coincidently this morning, and had a little chat.
Somehow we ended up talking about our college memories, including this incident.
I asked him what exactly had been between them and he laughed! Entirely dry he
admitted he only wanted him, because it'd hurt me the most, not enough with
that, he detailed, what horrible things he made him do and for coronation he'd
dumped him right after senior prom, revealing his true intentions. Tsubaki died
in a car crash that night. I always assumed he'd been totally plastered, but
hearing this I awoke to the truth. He bloody _killed_ Tsubaki! My beloved
Tsubaki! I went totally overboard and the next thing I knew was the blood
everywhere. I was so scared to death and as I heard someone coming down the
street I just ran. I didn't knew he was injured so badly, really. If I knew I'd
have done something. I'm so sorry, please, believe me, I didn't want that, I
didn't know what I was doing! And after all it was all his fault anyway. He
provocated me!"
I only smiled contemptuously, and tightened my finger around the trigger.
"No one hurts my angel. Say goodbye, Hisui-san"
As Hisui's mouth opened for a scream, my finger had already pulled the trigger,
and he fell forward into the sink, as the bullet entered his head.
He was dead immediately.

Suddenly there were voices and sirens.
Looking out of the window and I saw police hurrying into the building.
I turned around, rushed out of the door, and instinctively ran up to the roof.
There I sat down near the edge, waiting for them to find Hisui's corpse.
How long might it take for them to find me up here?
As soon as the sound of boots hurrying up the staircase approached, I stood up.
Seeing what I was up to, they immediately took their guns down.
"No, don't do that!", one called, but I just waved sarcastically.
'Airi, my little angel, now I'll join you', I thought, whilst the air enveloped
me on my voyage towards the ground.
My vision of his angelic, though wingless appearance dominated my mind, even as
my body hit the ground.
Overjoyed to be with you again, the first and last genuine smile of my life
defined what little was left of my face.
Finally I compassed salvation.

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