Yo! I do not own the song mentioned in this chapter! That belongs Pierces-sama (plural)!

(Mika Shizuka)

Kaede Kimrua ran a hand through her hair, watching the girl sprint away. "My lady...?"

I held out my hand for Kaede to grab, and she gratefully took it.

She dusted herself off, and then noted my confusion (the tilted head). "I'm a Kimura, and that girl is a Himura. My family has served the Himura family for at least 800 years. I thought I told you this before, but now I remember that you just usually ignored everything I said."

I raised my eyebrow in response and pointed after the quickly disappearing girl. "Why is she running then if she knows you well?"

Kaede sighed, her mouth twisting into a frown. "How should I know?"

"Isn't she your master? Shouldn't you know whatever ails her?"

"Hey, shut up now, okay? I have something important to tell you, so listen carefully.

Mostly everyone in this city are ordinary folks, but there are those you do not want to ever mess with. First, I should tell you that I'm one of them!" She pointed her thumb at herself, suddenly grinning from ear to ear.

A complete 180 from her worried, sick expression a few moments ago.

"....Absolute zero."

"Absolute zero?! Do you have to be so mean? If you have to spit out insults, at least choose a different answer or some negative number! Geez."

"....After seeing a girl run you over, looking like someone just mugged her, what else am I supposed to expect from this city?"

Kaede rolled her eyes and looked at the sky, her hands in her yellow jacket pockets, and her pretty face frowning once again. "...Thinking about it, I haven't seen the Shirai twins today. Or Mikoto or Megumi, but of course, Mikoto could've gotten ticked at Megumi and gotten rid of her.....That wouldn't be surprising in the least. And Shiro's not anywhere in Japan right now...So she can't keep Mikoto under control....(blah blah blah)"

So she ignores my question with useless babble!?

"...Who?"

"The Shirai twins, Kou and Ayako, are complete sociopaths. Them, I know pretty well, but I volunteer not ticking them off. They get really scary after that, but normally they're good people....NORMALLY. With really twisted hobbies. Oh, and if they give you a really sweet smile, don't listen to them. They'll torture you, but won't kill you."

I regarded her with a new light on her personality. Maybe I shouldn't be with her...."You enjoy hanging out with psychopaths...?"

"I hang around you, and your twisted hobbies. And that alone was enough, I thought, until I came here.

Mikoto and Megumi are two of the guys I already said, the ones you should probably be scared of. Megumi's not that bad--other than her tendencies-"

"Does everyone in this town have twisted hobbies?"

"They're sociopaths, Shizuka. Don't be stupid. Mikoto's the one you should never make an enemy of. It might be better if you avoided him entirely, actually. And I've already said me, so...Who am I missing..." She started muttering to herself.

"So, you're a part of the Sucky Wannabe's?"

"Shut up, Shizuka!" She snapped, her eyes dark then suddenly calmed, staring off into the distance. "Ohh...Aoi Amemiya and Angel-san. They are the two you never want to cross paths. Uh Shizuka, why are you making that face?"

I looked at her, confused. Face?! What face?

Kaede must've known what I was thinking, because she then said, "The I'm going to do exactly what you said not to look."

"...?"

She sighed and drew a compact mirror from her purse. She pried it open with some difficulty, and shoved it forcefully into my face.

I leaned my head back and stared at the reflection.

...That's my face?

Even after twenty-eight days, I was still surprised that the girl with the black hair and dark red eyes staring back was me. "It's my face. There's nothing wrong with it."

"But you had that look! Please don't do whatever you're thinking of, Shizuka. Argh, that smile looks creepy!"

I started walking away, fed up with Kaede's blabbering. "It's my face!"

But why was I still smiling?

(Apple Himura)

I slammed the mansion door shut hard, and with trembling hands, turned all four locks and then ran to all the other windows in the house, locking them up tight.

Finally, I collapsed on the plushy dark leather couch in the middle of the room, breathing heavily. I pulled out my phone and flipped through the notifications, ignoring the most recent ones from a Kaede Kimura.

"I have the world wrapped around my little finger..."

One familiar voice whispered in my head. One familiar monotone voice.

I started, looking around frantically for the owner of the voice.

Angel-san?

"Of course! * "

"I'll let you grant my wish if you just leave me alone!"

"No can do! Ah ha ha ha!"

"'The one thing you never want, my lady, is for Angel-san to set her sights on you. She could kill you to satisfy her own amusement...'" Kaede's warning rang throughout my head, repeating over and over, never ending.

"Hmm...she's right, but I won't kill you. You'll become mine soon enough~"

I shook my head and mumbled something.

"How ironic that song iiiiiiiiis~"

I clutched at my head, doubling over and singing louder and more hysterically.

"Ittekimasu *, for the stone has almost come to rest!"

(*Ittekimasu in Japanese means See you soon.)

"'...OR TAKE IT TO THE GRAVE!!'"I screamed finally.

Ding dong!

I curled into a ball around the cylinder, shaking violently. Had Angel-san come?

"Yo! Apple?" A boy's voice called out worriedly.

...? Kimi....hiro?

I raised my head slightly and stared at the door.

"Apple Himura! I know you're there; I heard you screaming something. Did you get what I asked for?" The boy's voice started sounding a little annoyed.

I unfurled myself slowly and padded to the door, unlocking it with difficulty, because one hand was tightly grasping the strap of the canister. I slowly pushed the door open.

Kimihiro Fujiwara was standing there, smiling with his eyes closed--kinda like that one white haired anime guy from Bleach. Ichimaru, was it...? Anyway, it looked kinda like that.

"Come in, come in!" I cried, smiling widely. My parents were gone until late, and I really didn't want to be left alone. I was afraid that Angel-san--

"Did you open it?"

"Huh?"

"The canister, stupid. Did you open it?"

I shook my head and stepped back. The door slowly shut softly behind him and a dark shadow passed over Kimihiro's face.

His smile grew wider. "Thank you, Apple...Now." He reached into his pocket and withdrew a small slim rectangle. It glinted wickedly in the light.

Is it only me, or does that look like a rather large pocket knife?

It snapped open. "Sorry, but I think you may have spilled the beans."

"What the heck are you talking about?!" I asked, trying to get my panic under control. I didn't, I didn't, I didn't! "I was getting paid, so why would I want to??"

He hesitated before continuing, like he wasn't sure of himself. "That's not what Atakusuki said. You're a cat burglar, and an experienced back stabber. It so happens that I trust him more than you. Time for the closing act~~"

Was I--

He raised the knife over his head and tightened his grip.

"Wait--"

"I'll meet you in hell, Apple Himura."

S h u n k.

(Angel-san)

"So...The stone has stopped, although it broke in the end. Just as I thought it would~" I sang lightly, kicking my feet back and forth like a little kid. To the normal passerby, I looked as if I was surveying the ground far below, but my attention was directed elsewhere.

In the end, your wish was granted. "To rid yourself of the boy you love," that it? Amusing to the end.

I snickered and snapped my fingers.

You should've just accepted my offer, Ms Himura! Now your soul is mine. At least that's one way to gain a soul without murder.

"'Cause two can keep a secret...If one of them is dead." I trilled even more softly, in the exact voice of Apple Himura. I then doubled over, my laughter escaping. "I love humans! So much more devilish than the devil himself. Why can't they love me back? Anyway, now the game begins, because I have gathered the correct number of pieces!"

I turned the screen of my phone on and clicked the Photos app. I drew up a picture of a black haired teenager with curious eyes."Don't you agree....Mika Shizuka?"