He checked the newspaper as he yawned, rubbing his eyes to wake himself up. He was fresh out of ideas for that subplot he had been working on. He needed ideas, and the newspaper was always the best place to find said ideas.

As his maroon eyes scanned the titles, though,Takumi noticed a certain headline, and leaned in to focus more on it.

Serial Murder of Crime Fiction Writers Stumps Police!

"Huh?" He blinked. What was this?

His curiosity finally piqued, he read further.

The deaths of a number of writers of successful companies have left the literary world in fear. While the motive behind these gruesome murders remains unknown, the fact remains that these murders are replications of the murders described in the author's book, and this has caused many prospective crime fiction writers to keep their drafts hidden before they become published. However, even these authors are not spared, for they too are found dead with a copy of the manuscript nearby. The police have announced that their investigation has led them to believe that the killer could be an editor or proofreader, and so they advise future writers to keep their guards up.

"Huh... That's weird," Takumi muttered. It was weird. Why would they emulate the murders? What kind of benefit would they gain? Why did they do these crimes? For excitement? For some "noble" purpose?

He didn't know. He was good at creating criminals for his mangas, not at understanding their motives. He was not a psychoanalyst.

Releasing a sigh of exhaustion, he tossed the paper aside. Oh well, it was fine. He would just keep his eye out. Plus, would the killer go after a mangaka? They had little to no reason to! He didn't exactly kill off characters until needed, and being a mangaka was different from being an entirely crime-focused writer.

With that sealing the deal, Takumi decided to return to his work. He was almost done with his latest volume! The climax of the case had finally arrived. He couldn't risk being distracted by anything else, especially not something like this! Grabbing his pencil, he placed his paper down on the table and began, unaware of the pair of scarlet eyes watching him from afar.

The Story Killer's next victim had been found.

A shiver went down his spine, but Takumi paid no heed to that sense of foreboding. He would be fine. He was just tired!

... Oh, if only he knew how wrong he was.

****

"Someone broke into my apartment. Twice."

Irina Stepanov nearly spat out her drink onto Takumi. "Извините меня!?"

He exhaled as he sipped on his tea. "Yeah, I know. It's pretty weird cause they didn't steal anything."

Irina gave him a concerned look. "Takumi, that's not... Y-You don't think that it was the Story Killer, right?"

"I doubt it." He shrugged. "Why would they go after me? Even then, it's not like I'm that weak."

"D-Don't underestimate that person..." Irina frowned. "I've heard that they're crazy efficient. No fingerprints at all! It's as if the person is a ghost!"

"You make it sound as if death is supposed to scare me," he joked, but noticed her dark expression. "Alright, alright, I get it, sheesh. I'll keep an eye out. Seriously, and you're supposed to be the dark humour expert."

"Death is not to be joked with," She answered simply. Right, her parents...

He sighed, and then said, "If you let me, though, we can launch our own investigation."

"We shouldn't be interfering with the job of the police," She pointed out.

"If they were really competent they would have caught the culprit by now," He said. "Plus, if I truly am this killer's target, I have no regrets. I've lived life to the fullest. I don't like waiting around, anyway. You know that, Irina-san."

She huffed at that. "You're an idiot, and I hate that I'm used to it. But I also know that you're no one's fool. Do your best, and please, stay alive, Takumi. Everyone is waiting for Hidden Ace's finale, and I can't exactly give them that when the author is in a coffin, now can I?"

He felt the concern underlying her tone despite the dark snark, and nodded. "No promises, but I'll try."

"That's good." Her shoulders slumped. "That's... Genuinely good."

Takumi hated that he worried her.

He especially hated that her worries would come true. Just... Not in the way they expected.

****

He spent weeks after finishing the volume staring at the information cluster he had created after scouring every single website with news and sucking them dry like a vampire. But no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't find the underlying motivation. What connected all these people together?

"Hey, it's okay," His manager reassured him as he stormed into the room, eyebags prominently standing out from his chocolate brown coloured face. "The police have upped security. You'll be fine."

He ran a finger through his wheat hair, growling, "It's not that, Manager-san. I just can't figure out why."

"Why what?"

"Why would the murderer go this far to replicate all the crime scenes? What connects all these people? What could their motive be?"

"Well... I can't say anything for sure, but it could be an emotion?" They offered.

"An emotion..." He grumbled. What would psychopaths feel? Exhilaration? Excitement? Maybe... Attention?

Wait, attention... Or, to be precise, PUBLICITY...

No it couldn't be...

Takumi shot up, anger gone as he realised something. "That's it!!"

"H-Huh?" They stopped.

"Thank you so much!" He bowed hastily before he sprinted to his mystery board. If it was...! Then all he had to do was match them all up!

One name would align to all the victims. And that person, if they were also affiliated with him... Well, it meant one thing;

He had found his future killer.

All he had to do was let the police know. Right?

... Wait. He recalled the style of killing shown so far. If they were emulating the murders of soon-to-be-published manuscripts, then...!

A plan formed. Risky as it was, he was sick and tired of being passive. He was NOT about to let this person get away with it!

Watching this, his manager hummed noncommittally. Interesting. He was definitely different from the others.

They would have to see how far he got.

****

It was nearing midnight when Takumi snuck into the rickety and stripped bare mall. Once a booming center for visitors, the management had gone bankrupt and the place fell into ruin. When he had heard of it, it had inspired his latest case, given him some intriguing parts to work with.

Now, as his character had, he was lying down on the bed he had made. As so many authors had done before him, forced by the Story Killer.

Walking to the center of the floor, he kneeled down to the faded circle on it. He saw a huge tree growing on Earth. It was a symbol he didn't know, even after researching endlessly about it.

Still, he wasn't there to chitchat.

"This was your doing, wasn't it...?" He got up, hands in his grey hoodie. He never looked back, though. "You can come out now."

"I see... So you were aware all along," A shadowy voice said before behind him. "That I was the one you were on guard against."

"It took a while, but I get why you did it. Publicity is a very hard thing for publishing companies..."

"That's good. It means you can die without worries, Takumi."

"I just have one question."

"Yes?"

"You... You're not the true mastermind right... Irina-san?"

The brunette Russian stepped out of the shadows, eyes glowing as she said, "Of.... Of course I am the real mastermind. Who else would be behind me? All I wanted was fame. This is who I truly am, Takumi."

"Don't lie! I know you would never do something like this, Irina-sa-"

"SHUT UP!!"

The sounds of sirens could be heard, but Takumi was tackled to the ground by an almost feral Irina.

"You don't get it. You never will!!! [CONFIDENTIAL] SAVED ME!! [CONFIDENTIAL] GAVE ME HOPE!! I WILL REPAY [CONFIDENTIAL] WITH MY LIFE IF I MUST!!" She screamed as she brandished a rusted pipe. The murder weapon in his book.

He... He was about to be killed by one of his only friends. Takumi... Didn't feel as worried as he had before, though. The police were here. They had kept their end of the deal.

So I will complete my side. Please... Save Irina... He thought before closing his eyes in resignation. "Do it."

Irina's hand wavered, but she gripped it tight.

And then stabbed him thrice; on the liver, on the heart and on the head.

Three pained screams later?

Irina stared at her bloodied hands, and then at the corpse in front of her. The only thing she could do now was...

"TAKUMI!!!!!!!!!! NO! NO! NOOOOOOO!!!!"

She had killed her friend. She would never get out of jail for that.

Nearby, hiding behind a pillar, [CONFIDENTIAL] smirked, twirling [CONFIDENTIAL] hair. Red eyes glowed in the darkness as [CONFIDENTIAL] giggled. "Too bad! I was hoping I could play with you more! But oh well. This works! Just need to lay low a bit longer and then I'm free!!"

[CONFIDENTIAL] was finally preparing for [CONFIDENTIAL]'s descent into royalty, after all. Into luxury and never-ending praise. She could finally reach the top, and no one, not even the police were powerless to stop them! [CONFIDENTIAL] would win either way...

With that, [CONFIDENTIAL] turned [CONFIDENTIAL] heels and disappeared into the shadows. They were gone in a flash.

As if they had never been here before, either way.

****

The Story Killer was finally arrested a few days ago. However, it came with the casualty of Renhoshi Takumi, otherwise known as Sawasdee khap due to his work as a mangaka. The killer was none other than his own close friend, Irina Stepanov, who works as a freelance proofreader and had been desperately looking for more cash by boosting publicity. Despite this, she seems to suffer from some sort of memory fault, mysteriouslybl evasive by nature. In conjunction, Renhoshi Takumi's manager, [CONFIDENTIAL] [CONFIDENTIAL] has gone missing for currently unknown reasons... That and more shall be brought to you in a few minutes! Thank you for watching! I am Pi Miri and I hope to see you after the break!