Black-Dressed Goddess

Hey!!

I'm Kyuoko, Kyuoko Yasumoto!

I attend the Haemgo University in Tokyo.

I absolutely love my boyfriend, Reiji Hoshizora.

He also goes to Haemgo University.

What a coincidence!

He's the best.

He always listens to me.

He understands me.

He's kind and loving, to everyone, not just to me of course.

Though, he doesn't have any friends.

It's okay though, the only friend he needs is me!

He's the cutest lil' button.

No one can take him away from me.

He's mine.

Oh!

Wow, I adore my boyfriend so much I forgot to do a proper introduction.

So sorry~

Well then, let's start again!

Hi, my name is Kyuoko Yasumoto.

I enjoy making art.

More specifically, I like to paint.

I really really like realism.

The paintings I usually make are of beautiful sceneries.

Not to toot my own horn.

Although I love creating realistic scenery,

the materials I use are also realistic.

Too realistic.

I think Rei-kun also loves art.

I should show him some of my paintings soon!

Well, other than that, I really love to cook.

I've been cooking since I was 8.

My grandma would always teach me her best recipes.

It was so fun cooking with her…

She would always forget where the salt was, it was so funny!

Though, she also started to forget where she was, sometimes.

I would always have to remind her we're at home.

Anyway, the hardest dish I've ever made is the Beef Wellington.

Pretty good, right?

I even added my own secret ingredient.

Rei-kun said it was delicious!

Keke, I now it is~

Nobody could beat the taste of the secret ingredient!

Wanna know what it is?

It's love!

…

You know, I've been thinking about it.

The first time I've asked for such a thing.

"Rei-kun?"

"Yes, Kyuoko?"

"Do you want to have a baby?"

"H-huh?!"

"Hehe~, you look so cute when you're surprised!"

"This is so sudden."

"I know, but I just feel like I'm ready, don't you?"

"Then…"

"Of course, my love."

"Hehe, you're excited aren't you?"

That was a big leap for me.

I've never asked for something so drastic before.

His love is now a commitment.

I figured I'd reveal it to him after.

He's such a sweetheart, y'know?

I would always get gifts from him because he always visits me after class.

Well, he tries to but sometimes he's busy.

I understand.

His gifts are always so thoughtful too!

From a set of kitchen knives, a garlic press, a set of brushes and paint.

He even bought me an expensive sketchbook so that I could doodle anywhere!

For my birthday, he bought me an elegant and shiny necklace.

It looked really expensive, and I was right.

"Thank you Rei-kun!!! You're always so thoughtful!"

I went in for a hug.

"Haha, it's really no problem!"

"I love you Rei-kun.."

"I love you too, Kyuoko."

To be honest, I am concerned for his safety.

He hasn't been attending classes lately.

It's been a week and I haven't seen him.

And I'm scared.

Lately, there have been numerous cases of murders.

They've been talking about it all over on TV.

The bodies of the victims are torn apart and scattered around the city.

Then they are put into positions a normal human body couldn't accomplish.

Seems like the murderer wants to display their artistic skill.

The murderer started to make a name for themselves.

The Black-Dressed Goddess.

How cute ~

One of the murders, Yunji Haruka doesn't seem to have any connections to the others.

Her body was never found, but at the scene of the murder there was spider silk and puddles of blood left everywhere.

Strange, isn't it?

No body, but a buncha blood?

And what's the spider silk about?

There was a tree at the murder scene, and it apparently had strings of silk hung all over its branches.

Fascinating.

Haa… where is my oppa?

Should I go visit him?

Yes, I should.

Let me get ready!

I need to wear something pretty.

Mmm.. yes, this'll do.

"Oh oppa!! Are you home??" I knocked on his door.

'?'

The door is open..?

The door felt lighter than usual.

"Rei-kun!! You're okay!"

"O-oh. Hi Kyuoko." Why is he nervous? 

"I miss you so much! What happened? Why haven't you been attending uni?"

Why is he standing in front of the wardrobe?

"Oppa..

are you hiding something?"

"Uh- N-no! I was just finishing up some laundry and-"

"It's okay~ You can show me"

I swung open the wardrobe doors and there was.. nothing.

"Wow.. it's very neat!"

He looks surprised, was he expecting me to find something?

"Kyuoko, thanks for coming to see me."

"Mhm!"

I held my palm on his forehead.

"You don't seem to have a fever. If you're not sick, why're you not coming to classes?"

"I-I've just been having headaches, I th-think."

Really? Was that really the reason?

"Well, whatever's the case, I'm just glad you're okay."

Maybe he's telling the truth, he doesn't seem like his ol' self right now.

"I cooked up something for you, oppa."

"Ta-da~"

His expression didn't change, but you could tell he was hungry.

"Wha-What? A Beef Wellington? When did you learn to cook this?!"

"I had some time to kill since you weren't coming to visit me."

Hehe~, you know how I said Rei-kun doesn't have any friends?

That was a lie.

Well, kinda.

He only has one friend, other than me.

Hura Kokuana.

I don't like him.

Or rather, I don't like that he takes Rei-kun away from me.

Rei-kun always goes out with him.

"Sorry Kyuoko, me and Hura already made plans.."

"Oh… that's okay.."

Not only does he take away Rei-kun from me, I hate looking at his face!

He thinks he's so sly.

When we're with Rei-kun, he puts on his happiest persona.

When he's alone with me, he always looks at me with disgust.

I don't know how to talk to him.

It's as if he sees through me.

Does.. does he know?

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Nothing, I thought I saw something on your face."

Asshole.

Hura's actually a detective and Rei-kun helps him solve cases.

They're like detective buddies or something.

From what I've heard from Rei-kun, they are currently solving the current Black-Dressed Goddess case.

Have they found any leads?

That's what I'm concerned about.

Agh..!

This is so unfair! 

Why should I share Rei-kun with him?

Hura doesn't deserve him.

Rei-kun is mine.

Mine alone.

So, what do I do? 

Well...

"Rei-kun, how do you like it?"

He looked at the 'food'.

Then he looked at me.

"It's delicious!" He exclaimed.

Heh, I know it is.

"Hey Rei-kun?"

"Yes, Kyuoko?"

"Do you have any leads on the murders?"

"Oh. I have a few, but nothing came up unfortunately."

Good.

"Hehe, this murderer seems to be a big problem for you. You look beat."

"Yeah, I guess.."

"Oh… well."

I got nearer to him.

"Rei-kun, the real reason I came here is to tell you something"

"Oh really, what is it?"

I whispered to his ear, "I'm the problem."

As I said that, he started to fall asleep.

Perfect.

The pills I put in his drink hit just at the right moment.

Haa…

What do I do with you, Rei-kun?

You're so oblivious.

Let's tie him up.

I'll wait till' he wakes up.

In the meantime, I'll paint a beautiful landscape for him to wake up to!

"Hmm ~" I started humming my favourite song.

Oh, he woke up.

"Good morning Rei-kun!!"

"Wha- Where am I?"

"Welcome to my studio!" I cheerfully wave my hands in the air.

"I've been waiting so long to show you my paintings!"

"I was scared you wouldn't like them. 

But you understand me, right?"

"H-huh.."

"You..! You're the one behind the murders!"

"Hmm.. took you long enough."

I told him everything.

Every murder.

Every victim.

Every bloodstain on my body.

"All of these paintings are made from blood~"

Blood that's not mine.

I told you the materials I use were realistic.

Too realistic.

Each of my brushes are stained with blood, I never washed any of them.

It reeks, it's comforting and reminds me of home.

"Oh so this one I call the worm dance"

I flailed the intestines in front of him.

A moving painting, aren't I so creative!

"Eat it."

"Huh? N-no!! That's disgusting!"

"Why not? You already ate guts before."

…

"What…?" His eyes widened.

"Right, I haven't told you."

That secret ingredient, love.

I lied.

"That beef wellington, was made out of Hura."

"Can you feel him inside you?"

"You said he was delicious, didn't you?"

He always took you away from me.

So I did you a favour, you can now be with him forever.

To clear up the confusion, let me tell you a story of when I was younger.

This happened when I was 9, I think.

I don't know, it was such a long time ago.

Anyway~, I was walking home from school.

I wasn't looking where I was going and ended up walking through an alleyway.

It was so dark and scary!!

I powered through it, though. 

I needed to get home quickly, if not I'll get another scolding.

"Oh no, I think I'm lost."

I started crying.

I thought I was gonna die here.

I thought I couldn't escape.

Not only that, I felt like eyes were on me.

As if someone was following me.

Eventually, I stumbled across a painting.

Sob, "What is this..?"

My eyes were so blurry.

I couldn't see much.

I wiped my eyes and had a better look at what was in front of me.

"It's…

pretty." 

The painting was of a man lying down on the ground, in a crucified position.

His legs were torn off and replaced with his own intestines.

His eyes were placed gently on his nipples.

His eye sockets were filled with a yellow substance.

It was repulsive.

But I couldn't look away.

I don't know what came over me but suddenly, I didn't feel like I was stuck anymore.

I didn't feel like crying.

I was in awe of the scenery.

To my surprise, the artist behind the painting was near me.

"What did you say?"

Gasp, "Sir, did you paint this?"

"Yes, I did, do you like it?"

"Of course! This looks so nice!!"

"Haha, you're the first person to ever say that."

"Are you an artist?"

"Hmm.. I guess I am."

"I want to be like you! Can you teach me how to draw?"

"Sure, but this isn't a drawing."

Turns out, that painting, wasn't a painting.

That man, was actually a man.

I was impressed by his skill.

Apparently, he calls it a "Sculpture".

I prefer to call it a painting.

This painting… I can imagine the pain he felt.

The way everything was intricately placed highlights the artist's intention for the artwork.

Pure beauty.

I wanted to learn more from this man, so I became his disciple.

Okay, story's over!

I leaned back, admiring my Rei-kun illuminated by the pretty studio lights.

"You know, I may be a serial killer, but I'm not stupid."

Everybody I've killed, they all have nothing in common.

They were all random people I stumbled across.

I thought they looked worthy of being made into an artwork.

It's so fun to paint!

You might think I'm a monster, I am.

Oh, I can't help but be one.

You know what else I am? A fucking genius.

"Each victim, a meticulously chosen brushstroke to my grand design."

He tried to fight against my restraints, it's so funny!

"Do you actually think you can escape?"

"You're insane."

"I know."

"You're a crazy woman…"

"I know."

"You're a monster."

There it is.

That word speaks to me.

I didn't intend to be one, but I know that I have am one.

A 'monster'.

"You think I don't know that?"

I took out a scalpel from one of my bloody canvases and stood in front of him, faces opposite each other.

"You wanna see a magic trick, oppa?"

I pressed the scalpel on his cheeks, 

"Agh..!"

And slashed my 'brush' across them.

"Look, blood appeared out of nowhere, that's so cool!"

Even without my own materials, there was always a supply.

These supplies are everywhere.

All around us.

It's amazing what the human body can do.

"I want to draw a vampire next!"

"It's a blood-sucking monster, just like me."

"Can I use your blood, oppa?" A wide grin spread over my face.

Look how easy it is to lie to you.

This one isn't a lie, however.

I am the Black-Dressed Goddess.