He sat waiting with a pout on his face. As the seconds passed it became minutes and as he checked the clock about half an hour had gone by, his lips turned down into a frown. He was about to leave, done with trying to call, the 7 messages he left he deemed enough to reason why he would be leaving. But as he got up from the chair he heard the intercom crackle over in a rough voice that sounded as if someone were underwater while talking through it.
"Kudo Shinichi please report to the main office to meet with…eh, Wataru Takagi."
He heard whispers break out around him, probably wondering why the famous Kudo Shinichi was here and where was he, so as he got up and heard chairs scrape around him he rushed to the door and out of it, abandoning the hope that his hoodie was enough to cover his face when he stood up.
Fangirls, really…?
He held his case tighter to his chest and politely waved to the few people he passed until he came up to an office with the nameplate Wataru hanging off the door. The room was homey and reflected the person inside, with his dark brown hair and chestnut eyes that crinkled when he smiled, so almost all the time.
The man seemed startled as he walked in and flustered around with his papers a bit before greeting him and motioning to a chair in front of his desk, the man cleared his throat and spoke.
"So, Kudo Shinichi, right?" He nodded and sat down in the flimsy chair finding it oddly comfortable. "I went through your portfolio." The man picked up a yellow folder, and opened it crisp papers were stacked neatly inside and he shut it before putting it down in front of him.
"Pretty impressive stuff, you have some great pieces in there, neat and orderly, but…creative." He shifted in his seat, the man's eyes caught it. " I didn't mean anything bad by trailing off, I'm a rookie here, you're my first client." He looked up at this.
"I mean I've heard of you, one of the youngest to graduate from school, you were a high-school detective, perfect GPA in all grade levels…I have to wonder why someone as bright as you would join the art business. It's very risky, and a-lot of people don't succeed." The man continued. "I mean I would've expected someone like you to become like a super billionaire technology designer, or police super-intendent at the least."
He laughed dryly under his breath as the man said this. "Well, Mr. Wataru…art's my true passion. I am a smart person, no meaning to brag…I understand that the business side of art is hard to handle, but I truly want to pursue this sir." He took a breath and went on to further elaborate, but was stopped by the man laughing.
"You know, Mr. Kudo you remind me of myself when I first started working here, you're very talented and quite passionate. You wouldn't mind if I asked you a couple of questions though would you?" He stopped and reprimanded himself. He probably ruined everyt-
"Okay, lets start with the basics, on the topic of education, I already talked about your grades, but what kind of teachers did you like? Did you connect with any of them?" He paused a moment, before answering.
"I liked teachers that respected me as much as I respected them. There were some that I simply hated…but I feel that a relationship such as that is based on a mutual trust and respect for each-other. I think there's a big factor in both understanding how the teacher has to deal with kids all day and that we're trying to get through school. I don't think I ever particularly bonded with any teachers, but I did have enough of a relationship as to get recommendations for college."
The man smiled, seemingly happy enough with the answer and jotted down a couple of notes on his pad. "Alright, did you ever have any troubles in school?" He froze up at the question unsure how to answer.
"Well, I did have some trouble in PE, aside from soccer…I had trouble in literature…I'm really bad at um…writing my feelings, but I do read a-lot so it's kind of contradictory." He laughed a little, sarcastically. "but they're all detective books so…"
The man jotted down some more notes and flipped through some papers he had on his desk and pulled out one.
"I heard you have a rivalry with the criminal KID, what are your thoughts on that…?"The man emphasized his questions, flinging his arms around in large circle, hands motioning around him.
He thought about how to answer, "I will admit his intelligence is high despite his young age, if you're wondering yes he is different than the one 8 years ago…I just think that he is a criminal no matter what that does deserve to be behind bars…but he is, amusing, for a lack of a better word."
The man laughed. "That's a good aspect, you must always admit a person's good side and all aspects before judging them, like a piece of art. Ummmm…" He fumbled around and came to a pile of notecards that he pulled out of his mess of papers, he flipped through a couple before he came to one that seemed to satisfy him. "What got you into art, this field especially?"
"My mom was an actor and my dad was a novelist, it's because of them mostly…I got to meet many artists and the like, I came into this field and truly became interested in art my last year of high-school when I found I had a knack for it. One of my friends, ushered me to pursue it as a career. This particular type just interested me.."
"Who was your friend?"
"Hattori Heiji, another detective like myself."
The man nodded. "Did he become a police detective or a private eye?" He shook his head in a no. "He actually pursued race car driver. Another one of my friends Hakuba did though, his father was part of the English police, and they're the type of family whose father's father's father followed his own father into that line of work." The man nodded, jotting down quick notes.
"Sorry, if these seem a bit personal I like to know a person before I truly evaluate them for the job." The man's perpetual grin stayed on his face even while he spoke and he pulled out another card. "Why do you want to work here?" He quickly answered this time as he had prepared some for the interview.
"Well, besides the obvious 'I live near here' because let's be honest that is one of the reasons. I really do like the work done here, I submitted my portfolio to several workplaces but yours was the first because I find the art done here is truly one of a kind, it pops to the eye…I would much rather be in a place that is new and upcoming with great ideas than be in a place that has been worn out with the same ideas…"
He scratched the back of his neck.
"Not that I'm against the worn ideas, I think they've been used over and over again for a reason, but I am a bit of a…'hipster' I guess." He messed up…that's not how I was supposed to answer…
Well I shouldn't worry so much…maybe I should…
The man laughed. "You shouldn't be so worried, you answered pretty well...at least to my standards."
"Now I know you have a personal life, but if I could ask a couple more questions before you leave…"
He let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding, had he been holding it the whole time? He knew he was probably nervous for nothing seeing as the man had already scheduled another meeting, and said he'd forward his papers up to higher ups, he gave the man his phone number in case of anything happened.
And that was that.
He was broken from his thoughts as he felt his pocket vibrate and he pulled out his phone looking at the caller ID before clicking the green phone in the bottom left corner to answer, a voice came out probably to yell at him but he interrupted before he had permanent ear damage.
"Hey, Ran, I know I was supposed to meet you but my meeting went longer than I expected. He actually liked my portfolio...and I sort-of had an interview." He heard an excited voice on the other end. "Oh, that's great Shinichi, I mean really that's awesome, I mean you sound nervous but I doubt anyone would let someone as smart as you not get hired."
"Thanks Ran, but I don't know this is the real world…I'm not sure if I'm just talented enough…maybe I should've gone to the police academy." He heard a 'tsk' 'tsk' come from the other end. "Mo, you should have some confidence, you're awesome alright…now get your but over here. Or I'll come get it myself."
"Ok, ok."
He waved a taxi over.
He smelled cigarettes as he sat down in the cab.
It wasn't enough that he refused the cab but it was a faint smell imprinted into the seats that wafted slightly in the air. But when the man spoke with no cracks or cigarette damage to his voice he had to guess that a heavy smoker had probably gone just before him.
"Tropical land please."
"That's pretty funny kid, the guys before you actually wanted to go there too."
As he exited the cab he saw Ran who waved him over. "You took your time didn't you?" He scratched the back of his neck. "It's just Beika traffic Ran, you should be happy that I'm probably getting a job at a famous graphic design company."
The girl hit him on the shoulder, if he were anyone else he would've been surprised by the force the hit came with, but being her friend he knew about her years of karate and her being a karate sensei despite her innocent look she was a 3rd degree black belt. "We're here to celebrate my class all getting belts at their tournament…aren't we?" The last bit came out threatening…He shivered slightly.
"Yep, Ayumi-chan, Genta and Mitsuhiko all got their first belts." The girl that spoke was in her gi and short hair pulled back with a headband, there were two boys next to her, one with freckles and the other with an oversized stomach. "Yeah, Shinichi-Nii you should be proud of us." This time the overweight boy spoke.
"Especially me, Genta the great." He almost rolled his eyes but was stopped with a threatening look from Ran.
"Ok, who wants to have ice-cream, on me, a treat from being late?" He was so glad his part-time job's meager fund was there to stop Ran's fury. The kids squealed in joy.
"Ayumi wants strawberry." This time the freckled boy spoke. "Me and Genta want vanilla and chocolate respectfully." He ushered them off to another table and ordered, but as he walked away he saw a couple of people in black talking to each-other in the corner…he wasn't one to judge by appearances but they just screamed suspicious.
He needed an excuse to go over, and he saw a condiments bar right behind them.
Score…
He might've in the end decided to become an artist but he still carried his detective senses and urges. It wasn't that he would stop being a detective once he became an artist he'd still help out when he could and he made that vow with Heiji, it was just that he would stop doing it so much.
He pulled his hood around his face as to avoid fangirls when he heard one literally saying 'Shinichi is bae' as well as, just in case, if the men were actually criminals. He didn't want his rap as a detective to get him into trouble with them.
He slipped behind the men and started fake putting on toppings to the ice cream as he tried to listen to their conversation but the moment he got to hear. 'deal' they had gotten up to go somewhere else. Long silver hair traveled behind one, he noted and he smelled thickly of cigarettes. He could've sworn his shadow was darker than the others.
He ran over to the kids, ice cream in hand.
He buckled in his seat belt and grit his teeth. Why did he let himself get talked into this…
He braced himself against the seat of the roller coaster and took in a deep breath. That was when he saw the men sitting in front of him, the 2 men from the café, he pulled Ran closer and on his other side leaned a little bit in front of Ayumi.
You might've called him paranoid but it's always better safe than sorry.
The roller coaster started suddenly, gears grinding and a groan of mechanical parts underneath him filled the tense and excited air of the ride. The ride went up…and up and up, and the air built so much so that you could cut it with a knife. And as they reached the peak of the ride the groaning stopped and they dropped down into darkness.
He couldn't see anything as they plunged down and he felt himself get jerked back into a regular sitting position, as this happened he felt something wet hit his cheek. A couple more drops followed and he grew slightly worried…it wasn't a water ride was it?
He subconsciously pulled his jacket over his white shirt… if his white shirt got wet, he would never hear the end of it, and that's just passing a natural line of privacy. But even through the rushing wind he heard a squelching sound and braced himself for the water but it never came. He looked around and then something else hit his face…it wasn't the thing from before, it smelled like iron instead of salty...
And as they were thrust into the light he understood why there had been a squelching sound and understood what the iron smell was. As a man squelched blood from his headless neck. A piercing shriek sounded in the air and more sounded along with yells as more and more people noticed just what had happened.
"Megure-keibu, as always, it's…nice to see you, I just wish it wasn't like this." He held out his hand to the older man, the relatively stubby man's stomach protruded past his belt and on his head was an old-fashioned fedora that matched his khaki suit and thick mustache.
"Oh, Kudo-kun, do you mind explaining what happened." He gave a brief synopsis of the events he experienced to the inspector and went over to Ran, the poor girl shook and he himself could see the sobs that racked her body. The kids next to here were worse off, they, unlike Ran had probably never even seen a movie with any violence in it. Ran had at least seen a body before.
He tried his best to comfort them, but as soon as they stopped crying told them he'd go work on the case and left them with Ran. But then a gust of wind picked up and he fortunately at looked to the left, when he saw it.
In an instant everything made sense.