Author's Notes

This was originally intended to be a oneshot, but I rethought that notion after exceeding nineteen pages in small handwriting, so it's a twoshot now. However, since more than half of this 'chapter' was written before that, it sort of reads as though it were a oneshot…at least for the first half or so. I didn't change it afterwards because I liked the way it read, but it does spoil a few things if you read enough into the hints dropped around.

By the way, the rating applies more for the next chapter, but just to be consistent, I've put this under the M section straight away.

Enjoy, and please tell me what you think. I'm sadly deprived at the moment, about to start the crazy week before exams revision…

Crimson Bodied Depths

They were always found bloodless, or very near it. No-one knew who was responsible, or why. But every teen was in danger, even in the safety of their own homes, or in company. One night snatches three more, and one step closer to the truth takes them further away from something else…

Junpei S & Kouichi K

Rating: M

Genre/s: Crime/Angst

Part 1 of 2

The red roses gleamed in the moonlight; bright crimson, like the life's liquid they fed off while lesser ones were forced to make do with a small percentage of what it gave; a lesser compound no less important to the whole than the rest but little enough to accomplish more than the primary functions of remaining alive and spreading its inferiority. Called pure: white, yellow, a fading pink…all paling in comparison to the brilliant red. And even those that grew about, the intensity would, even then, fade to a murk polluted with black.

They were inferior. Weak. The petals fell so quickly at the slightest touch, rotting away like the worthless plant who could not even scratch the edge of its full potential. They stood bare in the more disagreeable weathers, blooming for a brief period in their prime before wilting away and opening the spot for a successor.

Yes, they were inferior, compared to hers that retained their hue through the seasons and the years, from a little bud impregnated with a drop of her blood, the DNA working its way into the memory and the main-frame, to the magnificent walled garden walled away from the world, the mother protected well by its many children and still as spectacular as the day it had first fed on life.

And yet, those worthless imitations of her treasure plagued the outer world, so near the source of perfection and yet not utilizing it. But it was their loss; she would take them, and feed them to her treasure…and in return, their scent, made stronger by each new bud that bloomed, slowly but surely freed what lay buried beneath.

It took life and gave death. But in a way, they were one and the same thing.

…but in a way not. Because death was a curse that could not be lifted, and life, the vivacious red gift of God, was increasingly drained.

The two girls, both nineteen and black-haired but otherwise dissimilar and yet the best of friends, chatted about something or other as they passed through the already dark neighbourhood, lit only by the street lamps littered in various places although the deeper corners remained shrouded. Having not heard anything out of the ordinary by the way of criminal activity, they really had nothing to fear, and in any case, both were perfectly capable of defending themselves. After all, apart from its education (and other particulars), Japan prided itself on the Martial Arts, and many made an effort to train under the many Masters to attain at least the crudest experience.

However, as they were currently so absorbed in conversation while passing through a relatively unused and so naturally dark alleyway, it took a moment for one of them to notice the strange odor in the air. It took a few minutes longer before the faint copper smell registered.

A light, curtsey of the advancing technology of the cell phone, flicked on, shining from a white head to a blue toe, cuts littered on the body while a few, noticeably a rather deep one around the jugular vein, was clotted after leaving a slight stain on the shirt.

The second girl, the one who had till then had not even noticed the smell, knelt down next to the crumpled form and felt for a pulse, relieved that the slight buzz in her mind gave her a courage she might not have otherwise found. The moment she found one however, the other screamed.

'He's dead,' the shorter and slightly younger of the two shrieked, backing away and hitting the other wall. 'Why are you touching him?'

'He is,' the other confirmed, more than a little creeped out herself, especially after having felt the cold rubberness under her fingertips. 'I had to check Hanako. What if he needed help?'

The first girl calmed a bit at that, but she was still far from consoled, her face in the dim light appearing to take on a greenish hue. The second, taking a hissing breath through her mouth (though she needn't have worried; the smell wasn't intense enough to trigger a regurgitation of her stomach contents, although the same thing couldn't be said at the knowledge of having touched a corpse and had the almost wax-like image permanently imprinted in her mind. After all, it was the sort of experience one rarely forgot.) stood and backed away herself, casting the light from her phone around the alley and revealing nothing else.

'Hanako?' she called out, repeating herself with a more steady voice when she noted it shaking. Hanako. We should call the police.'

The other stood still a moment, before nodding and dialing in the number (seeing as the other held hers as a light source they could not sacrifice), slowly in order to take advanteage of the moment and compose herself, pushing away the image and smell of death, except the pallor of the skin, so much like her late grandfather who's hand she had held to the last breath and who's cold touch now lay engrafted in her memories.

It only took a few minutes for the police to arrive, but all they had between was darkness, death and each other. And so they huddled, dim light granting what comfort it could as they stood in its glow, till the night's shadows were cast aside by the stronger torches.

They had already gathered from the phone call that it was no regular murder, but rather another link in a never-ending chain, and the site in question appeared to confirm it (although there was no pleasure in such a confirmation). The red substance that came to be associated with life was mostly absent, approximated after a brief examination and some poking around with the flesh (before which the witnesses were removed to a less compromising location) to be at around 20% of its original value. An autopsy of course would tell them more.

The scene was carefully lit, then roped off as the scene photographer snapped numerous shots. Some officers were dispatched to examine the 'fresh' evidence under the careful watch of their commander-in-chief, though it became obvious after a brief scan that several hours had passed since the body was deposited (as it was easily deduced that this was not the site of death).

That of course then led to the questioning of the presence of the two girls in an alley way which was rarely used.

'Names?' Senior Officer Eri Masuyo asked, dispatched by Inspector Hagane Shibiyama (who was currently surveying the surrounding area and under the chain of command of the Chief Inspector) to handle the witness testimony (or questioning as one may put it).

'Hanako Toshika,' the girl who had made the girl replied, turning a little less green now that there was a considerable distance between her and the main course of her distress.

'Sukino Shinigawa,' the other answered.

'Right,' the woman nodded, jotting down the names. 'Toshiko-chan, Shinigawa-chan. What were the two of you doing tonight?'

'Tonight?' Hanako repeated faintly.

'Before arriving at the scene,' the Senior Officer clarified.

The younger of the two looked at the elder who responded to the question without feeling the gaze.

'I was working.' And she looked like she had been too, with the crumpled but clearly uniform blouse and the "customer service" badge clipped in front. 'At Nerima-ku's main department store.'

'That's easy enough to check.' She jotted it down and looked at the other girl. 'And you?'

'I went to meet her,' Hanako replied. 'But she had forgotten to tell me the shift had been extended, so I wound up waiting at the café for about an hour.'

'Which café was this?'

The slightly younger of the two answered, and the Senior Officer recorded it. It was standard procedure to investigate alibis, but it was highly unlikely that the two girls were anything more than simply at the wrong place at the wrong time.

'And then?' Eri prompted, looking between the two.

'We stopped for a drink and then were heading to her house,' Sukino gestured at her friend. 'We sometimes use the short-cut, as it saves us the trouble of having to loop around. Hanako's house isn't far from the exit.'

'And?'

This time, it was Hanako who responded. 'I smelt something, so we stopped to check. And-'

She cut herself off, but it was unnecessary for her to continue as the rest of the pieces could be easily placed together.

'All right, that's enough.' The woman sighed and snapped her notebook shut before surveying both girls' postures and expressions. 'I'll ask someone to accompany the two of you home. Undoubtedly, you'd prefer a more familiar environment when the full extent of the shock hits.'

Because there was nothing that could delay or dull death.

Another death. Another body returned almost completely drained of blood and mutilated beyond normal belief…and they were no closer in catching the perpetrator since the first body had been discovered months before, although the younger and more enthusiastic subordinates liked to think, or perhaps hope, that each new murder brought the murderer one step closer to justice.

Superintendent Arata Kuono of the Criminal Investigations Bureau suppressed a tired groan as he scanned the latest report, nodding in acknowledgement and dismissing the officer who had delivered the said documents and ordering the immediate presence of both his second-in-command and a cup of coffee.

Chief Inspector Akane Kiyomizu stood at attention exactly three minutes with another file tucked under her arm, the coffee following in the hands of a harried secretary who was immediately discharged after the graying man had accepted the cup.

He took a sip, peering over the brim at the chestnut brown, her posture stiff and lines creasing into her face much like his own and showing the toll this particular case was taking on those investigating it.

'You're late,' the Superintendent said, but not reprimanding as he indicated the chair across his desk, which the woman took along with an apology which was waved off.

'Has the body's identity been confirmed yet?' he inquired. That was generally a touch-or-go question, depending on the time of discovery and when the police had been informed, and unless identity was confirmed on scene (ie. Should there be an ID on the said victim, a luck yet to be granted, or else found and recognsied by an acquaintance; uncommon yet not impossibly so), the report was usually separated from the on-scene compilation. While reports and certain paperwork from the higher-ups go through the Superintendent, calls from the forensic lab along with all the other paperwork (including raw information) went through the Chief Inspector before the compressed and sorted versions are passed along to relevant personnel. As for matching up with a missing person's report, it was no good unless he had been missing for at least 24 hours and a report had been lodged.

'Not as of yet,' the Chief Inspector replied.

'Scene?'

'Roped off and investigated sir.' She gestured at the manila file she placed before her.

Her superior accepted the file, flicking through the recently developed photographs while one eye compared their story to the brief report (a brief summary from the officers' on scene reports.)

He paused over a particular one: a graphic shot of the skin surrounding the jugular vein, flecks of blood and mud clotting the small yet deep incision. The graying eyeline narrowed a bit as he attempted to recall if blood clots had been present on earlier victims.

'They were not sir,' his deputy responded, reading the train of thought. 'Inspector Shibiyama and myself cross-checked these with the earlier exhibits.'

'Indeed…' Arata frowned. 'It appears every time a pattern, save the general age group and the drainage of blood, is found it is almost immediately discredited by a new attack. They are cunning, whoever they are. It would have been possible at a time to deduce they are all simply unlinked cases carried out by unrelated persons. Not even a number has been confirmed.'

'One has sir,' the Chief Inspector interrupted. 'Perhaps we do not know the number of people behind this, but we think we can now confirm the number of victims. It occurred to Shibiyama-san that perhaps some of the earlier unsolved and classed 'suicide' cases were linked, and reanalyzing them has lead to a death count of 14 linked up to this perpetrator or group thereof.'

'Which cases are these?' the Superintendent inquired. 'I only seem to recall 6 in which the victim was drained of blood.'

'Hai,' Akane replied, flicking through the file she had brought before pulling out a few leafs and handing them over. 'However there have been several cases, the earliest from June, in which there is less blood in or around the victim than should be, considering their size, age and body mass. It was noted but then dismissed because-'

'-teenage suicides are not uncommon,' the other continued. 'And it never occurred to anyone to investigate for potential murder. And those in which suicide was ruled out as an option-'

'-were eventually filed as unsolved when all possible occurring trials ran cold.'

The Superintendent nodded, feeling even more depressed as the death tool rose. 'Has anything more being deduced?'

The other hesitated, before answering. 'The forensic records have revealed the use of external anti-coagulants in several succeeding cases, namely those with a blood loss greater than fourty percent, and yet the blood still clotted around the jugular vein in the latest victim whose blood loss was approximated at the current maximum of eighty. What does that say…unless the boy in question was missing for longer than was originally suspected?'

Kuono fished out the on-scene report and rescanned its contents. 'Dressed in a school uniform, he was assumed to have vanished en-route to his hoe or otherwise afterwards without changing, as the consequences of skipping school are severe in a teen's mind.'

The Chief Inspector nodded. 'I asked Officer Kagura to check the school records, but as they cannot be accessed till tomorrow and we will have to wait for an identity confirmation in any case, we will have to wait for an exact time in which he disappeared.'

'So you suspect he vanished in the morning and never reached the school?'

The brunette shrugged. 'Perhaps, or he may have disappeared while at school, but I cannot currently validate either hypothesis. There is also of course the possibility that he is not a student, but the chances are rather slim.'

'In other words, the safety of a school with hundreds of people in its gates is compromised.' He closed his tired eyes, rubbing his temples with his free hand while taking a gulp of coffee. 'How much longer before their homes aren't safe either?'

It was a rhetorical question, and so went unanswered.

'Are we to alert the general public?' The Chief Inspector questioned.

Kuono thought a moment. 'No…' he answered finally. 'No. Because revealing these murders will curb the general behavior, and serial murders in the past either became provoked and fled or took up the challenge. Either way, it is more harmful in the long run.'

The answer had always been the same, but this was the first time it had been supported with an explanation.

Sensing the disgruntlement, the Superintendent continued.

'You weren't on the force then and I was a mere officer myself, but there was a major case then hidden from the public's eyes during my oversees transfer: another serial murder case. The cases were getting out of hand, and so the public was eventually informed and lockdown measures were insured. The murderer vanished without a trace, only to show up again about a month later and go in a killing spree with all the insanity he had built up over that time. The decision to inform the public was taken in their best interests, but in the end wound up costing them more than their ignorance. On that basis, I do not wish to inform them now.'

'So we once again ask for silence.' Akane Kiyomizu accepted that, gathering the files again. 'May I be dismissed sir?'

Her superior spared the digital clock on his desk a glance. 'It's past midnight. Go home and come back at eight. If the forensic lab call, I'll have Fujieda-kun take a message.'

She nodded and saluted once again, files back to their initial position of being tucked under her arm, before heading off.'

'Oh, and Kiyomizu-kun?'

The Chief Inspector turned, hand on handle.

'If you see Shibiyama-kun, tell him he is also dismissed for the remainder of tonight.' If you could really call it a night he thought, but that remained unspoken. The stern brown eyes tore into his own obsidian for a moment, before she nodded her acknowledgement and departed, leaving the other with a half-finished cup of coffee going cold and another few twists to the gruesome tale which had been handed to him after exceeding for unsolved yet obviously connected murders.

How much longer would it be before an ending to this story was written? The conclusion still looked too far off to be of any comfort.

Little did the weary Superintendent know, that was closer than he thought. To be more accurate, the answer was right under his nose.

Akane did, in fact, spot Inspector Shibiyama on her way out, the slightly older man fetching a coffee refill at the cafeteria, and hailed him.

'You're dismissed for tonight,' she said straight away, cutting to the chase, so to speak.

The Inspector blinked, seeing as his superior, and the woman who normally took charge of the unit unless something exceedingly serious demanded the Superintendent's intervention, rarely allowed work to be left undone.

'I haven't completed-'

'The Superintendent's orders,' the Chief Inspector interrupted, slightly snappishly, before her features softened a touch. 'Go home to your son Shibiyama-kun. With all these murders, it would ease your mind to see him safe in bed.'

'Provided he's not up waiting for me,' Hagane sighed. 'It's hard, seeing each body and thinking how long before he could be like those unfortunate children if we don't find out who's behind all this. I can only imagine what their families must be going through.'

He began to walk, and the Chief Inspector followed. 'I cannot even do that,' she said, almost sadly. 'Having not had the opportunity to bare children of my own.'

'You will not take another?' he asked, feeling he was prying into his superior's personal affairs but somehow thinking it important…something that was reinforced by the piercing glance he received before an answer.

'No. I love him too much to replace him with anything less.' And with that, she sped up her gait, passing him and pausing only to repeat the original message with a touch of finality over her shoulder before vanishing around the sharp corner.

The piercing eyes, as they always did, implanted themselves within his mind as he returned to his desk. If there had been anything different about them as of late, it was dismissed for weariness and felt inability.

After all, there wasn't a man or woman involved so deep that wasn't affected. Even as they all attempted to mask their toll.

After all, weariness could not be afforded when racing against death.

The Inspector was relatively unsurprised to find both wife and only child waiting for his return, even if it was went into the first hour of a new day when his car pulled into the driveway.

The two had evidently been viewing a recording, presumably one of those 'World's Greatest Inventions' shows Junpei greatly liked as he had spied a contraption similar to a large connection of tanks before the TV screen was switched off and he was assaulted by something akin to a bear hug.

He had to suppress a chuckle as the sixteen year old pulled away and his mother came up. No doubt Yumi had been rather bored with the viewing, and indeed he spotted a book on the coffee table beside which she had been sitting. Junpei on the contrary rather enjoyed looking at the newest inventions on the market and working with little mechanics himself…a little trait both parents had quite a bit of difficulty pinpointing the location of.

'You're late,' his wife pointed out to him.

'I know,' the aging man sighed, rubbing his brow before letting out a sneeze that had been bugging him. 'There was an unexpected setback.'

'Another one?'

'Yes.'

They spoke in undertones, not for the child who already knew but for anyone else who might be listening. Perhaps they were being a little paranoid, but it was perfectly justified seeing as probability increased in magnitude but not in direction than the parameter set (a not entirely helpful one as Tokyo was quite a large place).

'It's not anyone you know son,' he added almost immediately, seeing Junpei's mouth open to ask.

He closed his mouth again before thinking a moment and reopening it. 'Why can't we tell them?'

'Orders straight from the Superintendent,' Hagane replied. 'It's worth more than my job and freedom for that sort of insubordination. Besides, telling them most likely puts them at more risk.'

'Why?'

Cautious behavior is very detectable. It's very easy for someone to make out. I wouldn't have told you either, if you hadn't been eavesdropping on your mother and my private conversation.'

He delivered a stern glare to his son who flushed slightly under the intensity. 'I was worried 'tou-san.'

The older man chucked dryly. 'You don't think your old man can handle himself?'

Junpei said nothing, and his father rubbed his brow again. 'If it pulls your mind at ease, you can call them in the morning. Normal conversation. In any case, it's only one of the twins and your girlfriend-'

'She's not my girlfriend.'

'-who are in the area and within the age group, seeing as Takuya…that was his name, right?..is far away from all this, and the other twin lives in Chiba.'

'Hokkaido and Chiba aren't that far away.'

'They are when the radius is drawn around Tokyo. And whenever it is hasn't targeted many girls, and no-one who doesn't look to be of Japanese origin. They'd have to have access to inside records to know that-'

'Izumi.'

'-Izumi is Tokyo born.'

'That's true. But 'tou-san, I think it's a Dad weekend.'

'Dad weekend?' That was the first time this father was hearing of it.

'Kouichi's turn to sleep over at his father's place. Besides, Kouichi practically lives on the border anyway. He goes to school in Tokyo.'

The twins alternated homes every other weekend after the reunion, despite the over hour difference that separated them in good conditions.

'Well…' Hagane thought on it, sniffing back another sneeze (they had been plaguing him at random intervals over the last few weeks). 'It's a job separating those two. Very protective of each other. Like a wolf-pack I like to think.'

'Or a lion's pride,' Junpei added, smiling a little at the behavior of the beast spirits still rearing their heads. 'Yeah, you're right. I guess I am just scared. That's something that hasn't changed.'

'It takes a foolish man not to fear,' Yumi interrupted, returning from…wherever she went. 'But a brave man to admit they're scared.'

'So how about I see this brave man in bed?' Hagane suggested.

The teen agreed readily now that all was safe, and headed off to the bathroom.

Inspector Shibiyama watched him go, praying the words he uttered would remain steadfast and true.

What he didn't realize till too late was that they were, only not in the sense he had meant.

Officer Tsuki Kagura stood at the gates of Katsuchikano High School, armed with the victim report finalized by the forensic unit at three that morning, and accompanied by the principal and his secretary as the latter unlocked the said gate. Being Sunday, there was no school for students, so it was a rather good opportunity to examine the alleged disappearance of the murder victim, whose identity had been confirmed as fifteen year old Kado Akihabara, previous to his death a ninth grader at the school.

'We take the safety of our students very seriously,' Principal Satou said wearily s the door closed behind them. 'Gates are closed ten minutes after homeroom begins, excluding office access, and a teacher is stationed on duty in case there are any late comers. The front gates don't open again till dismissal time, but the back doors are used for excursions, visitations and the likes.'

'I see,' Kagura nodded, jotting the statement down. 'Was it opened yesterday?'

By then, the three were at the office, and the secretary quickly and efficiently logged onto her desktop and pulled up the requested information.

'Twice,' she responded. 'The seventh grade boys had swimming as a part of their sport curriculum, and another letting a student out with a sick pass. Eleventh grade female,' she added, after seeing the officer about to ask.

'Could you bring up Akihabara-kun's attendance records?' he asked, mulling over the new information.

'Of course.' She did so, scanning them quickly before reporting. 'He was present in homeroom and first four classes sir. He appears to have been absent from fifth period science.'

'How do the periods run?'

'Hour long, three before a recess, the another two. On Saturday, school lets out after the fifth period, and on other days, there is lunch and another two before dismissal.'

'So he disappeared between two joint classes? With students remaining in the same room at that?'

'Before that was art sir. An elective.'

Satou frowned. 'Bring up the security footage,' he commanded.

The secretary obeyed, but even after the recordings had been scanned multiple times, no new information was revealed. The boy had simply entered a blind spot and vanished.

Now that he thought about it, the alley in which the victim had been found was a blind spot as well.

'I'm not leaving my friends Papa,' Izumi Orimoto scowled up at her father, green eyes piercing and bright in their determination.

'That is not your choice to make,' Drago Orimoto replied in equal force to that of his daughter's retaliation to the idea, perhaps stronger as it was he with the edge over the fourteen year old. 'It's only for a year, and then we'll come back.'

'We will?' The intensity somewhat dimmed once she realised she wasn't leaving forever.

The graying father scratched his head. 'Didn't I mention that?'

'No!' the blonde exclaimed. 'And that would have been nice to know earlier.'

'Yes…about that…' Drago scratched his head again with a sheepish expression as he prepared for his daughter's wrath. 'We're leaving tomorrow morning.'

'We're what?'

'Keep it down,' Nanami Orimoto yelled from the kitchen.

The blonde tapped her foot impatiently and a little miserably as she waited for someone to pick up. Takuya was away at soccer camp, so there was no hope in reaching him, Junpei was asleep after staying up late, Tomoki was out with his brother somewhere and no-one was picking up at Kouichi's apartment. That left Kouji, but it didn't sound like anyone was picking up there either…

…until the ringing stopped and a slightly unexpected voice greeted her.

'Kouichi?' she asked, surprised. 'It's Sunday. Why are you at Kouji's?'

'School got cancelled,' the elder twin replied, 'and 'kaa-san didn't want me alone since she's got standby.'

'Oh, okay.' She was silent after that, for so long that the other had to express his concern twice to get recognition.

And still she hesitated. Because even for a year, she didn't want to leave. Though it was a great opportunity for her father, and a chance to see all the friends and relatives they had left behind…and she would be coming back.

'Izumi?' Kouichi asked, alerting her to the fact that her mind had drifted again. 'Did you want to speak to Kouji?'

'Could you get him on the extension?'

'Sure. Just give me a minute.'

She heard the receiver being covered and a series of muffled conversations after that, and then Kouji's voice joined them.

'Izumi?'

She took a deep breath, and then blurted out: 'I'm going back to Italy!'

Silence greeted her, and she took another deep breath before continuing. 'Papa's been offered a promotion and year transfer, and it's a great opportunity and all, and we'll be able to see everyone again, and-'

'You're blabbing,' Kouji cut her off bluntly.

She stopped talking.

'When?'

'When what?'

'When are you leaving?'

'Oh…tomorrow morning.' That last bit was muttered.

'Would you like us to see you off?' That was Kouichi.

'Everyone else still has school, don't they?'

'Unfortunately.' That was Kouji. 'We could skip though.'

'Yeah,' his twin responded dryly. 'If you didn't have your math exam.'

'Whoops.'

The younger twin sounded slightly sheepish. 'Why are my exams later than everyone else?'

Actually,' Izumi mused. 'I think it's Takuya and Kouichi that have theirs earlier.' Then to Kouichi, she added. 'Why is your school cancelled anyway?'

'No idea,' the ex-warrior of darkness replied. 'The office just called and said it has.'

'Lucky you,' the younger twin commented. 'Getting to stay home while my hand cramps writing equations.'

Until Satomi-san decided to take me shopping with her tomorrow.'

The other two both laughed at the tone, Izumi savouring the moment, knowing that the boy's stepmother would most likely wear him out by the time school finished.

'Shall we arrange your funeral?" Kouji quipped.

'How about you arrange yourself some revision instead?'

'Touché.'

'Anyway…do you want me to?'

By then, the remaining two had lost track of the original conversation.

'See you off,' Kouichi reminded.

'Well…' To be honest, she really wanted someone there, so she could say goodbye. 'If it's not too much trouble.'

'Not at all,' the other assured. 'Just tell me the time. And give us a number when you get there, okay?"'

'And call at least once a fortnight,' Kouji added.

'Aww…extending our tradition? Since when were you so sentimental?'

'Ni-san!'

Izumi chuckled again at the twins. 'I will, she promised, on both accounts

If only the three knew there wouldn't be a need, or a possibility, to keep even one in the end.

'Are you going to give her a goodbye kiss?' Kouji teased once both had hung up and the elder had joined his brother upstairs.

'What are you scheming in that head of yours?' Kouichi responded. 'I've never liked her like that.'

'I found that rather difficult to believe,' the other commented. 'And Takuya and Junpei don't at all.

'Why? 'cause she's the only girl in the group and it's perfectly natural to have had at least a one-way crush on someone's part at one point or other? Forgetting I joined the group late?'

'That should hardly make a difference. In fact, it makes you better boyfriend material.'

The elder twin rolled his eyes. 'I'm not interested in dating and it is rather hypocritical of you to lecture me as neither do you.'

The younger spun slightly on his chair. 'I'm not lecturing you about dating,' he clarified. 'Takuya and I have both been on a date with her, both of which would up rather awkward because we're all too much alike. She would have accepted Junpei's constant nagging if she was interested in him, which only leaves you seeing as she and Tomoki have more of a older sister/little brother relationship. And you're a perfect match.'

'Opposites attract?' Kouichi asked, arching an eyebrow. 'That's clichéd, and while it might have worked if we had met another way, but neither of us would be truly happy in a romantic relationship unless there was equality on all counts, and that won't happen because I owe you all too much.'

Kouji thought about that. To an extent, he knew what his brother was talking about; old scars took time to heal after all, some longer than others. Heck, the thin red like marked by Duskmon's blade, still scarred his back; of course, he had been extra careful not to divulge that information to his twin.

'That makes sense,' he said finally, before another smirk danced across his face. 'Got your eye on someone else then?'

'You get off the topic of my non-existent dating life and back on to Pythagoras.'

'So you do like someone.'

'Trust me otouto-chan, if I liked someone, you'd know.'

''cause you'd turn up all red and starry eyed?'

'Kouji! Math!'

'All right. Fine.'

The bureau had returned to full capacity by morning…in terms of personnel anyway. It didn't look like anyone had gotten a good-night's sleep, as even while the lower ranking officer were swapped out, there was a feel of general weariness. In fact, the Chief Inspector, bent over the reports left on her desk from forensics and further work from other officers into a slightly more detailed investigation, looked almost sick, though she apparently had tried (a tad unsuccessfully namely because of the dimming intensity of her eyes and dry voice) to conceal with foundation.

The Superintendent was away and not to return till later that night, dealing with some matter or other linked to the higher echelons of the police force. Others were working just as lethargically on many a thing, some occasionally being called away for various matters. Officer Kagura, having returned from his own investigations on the recent case, was conversing with intelligence, and the few remarks of illness passed from mouth to ear were dutifully ignored.

Some were ready to quit by lunch, and one was eventually dismissed by the Chief Inspector on the order to catch up on their sleep. It, however, wasn't until three that she herself gave up the fight to remain intact with her work and departed, leaving Inspector Shibiyama, the most experienced of those in rank, in charge.

About five minutes after the departure, the Inspector sneezed. Another bout soon followed before leaving his nose blocked and stuffy and essentially a failure at one of its two primary functions: smell.

If it wasn't, he may have noted the particularly strong scent wafting through the air. As it was, he had only noticed when the odour still hovered (faintly by then) an hour later.

Izumi opened her windows wide to let the cool autumn breeze flutter through the slowly baring room, leaning on the frame to savour what could be her last view of her newest home, seeing as her mind would probably be too fogged with sleep to take in the sight the following morning and the odds of returning to the same house were rather astronomical. Ignoring the packing that still needed to be done, she photographed the sun setting on Tokyo's horizon within her mind, closing her eyes to picture it as brightly as she wad with both open, and then she recast her gaze from the second floor to memorise the defining features of the neighbourhood which had managed to worm its way into her heart, and she would soon leave.

Not to mention the friends, most of whom she would not have the chance to give a proper goodbye to (having gotten through to Junpei after he woke from his late nap but eventually giving up on Tomoki seeing as Takuya was already known to be outside the current realm of communication). She knew a year wasn't too long, relatively speaking, but after the adventures in the Digital World, it seemed inconceivable that they could be apart for such a period; their bonds were too tightly woven. She remembered the time Junpei's father, the Inspector Hagane Shibiyama, had been called to Hokkaido on accounts of criminal activity, and for the cover, his family had gone with him. It had only been two weeks, but the ex-warrior of thunder had been rather antsy to return, and the others anxiously waiting by the end. Too used to the collective presence, she could barely begin to consider how it would be to spend a year apart.

She sighed a little, listening to the wind's melody, a sound she always found comforting though even more so since the Digital World, before pushing away from the window and resuming the packing…

…or that was the intention anyway. A rather subtle addition to the song curbed the weak resolve. It actually did a lot more, but she herself would never be graced with the knowledge, simply listening to the soft bells in the breeze until all ceased to exist.