The Meaning of Home Prologue
A Lovemode Fanfic
"Takamiya Katsura has been kidnapped."
If there were five words he'd never expected to hear in his life, those five might not have been Izumi's top choice. But they'd definitely have been in the top ten.
For a long time all he could do was stare at the man who'd accompanied Naoya to his apartment. Too stunned to even grasp the concept of what he'd just been told. 'This has to be a joke. Any minute now, someone will start laughing.' He found himself thinking. 'Any minute now...any minute now?'
But the man remained serious, and Naoya continued to look at the floor, not even meeting the questioning look he turned on his friend. "But...Takamiya is just a book translator. Book translators don't get kidnapped." Naoya seemed to wince at his words.
The man, Kashima he remembered Naoya saying his name was, remained calm. "As he was accompanying Aoe Reiji on his business trip, we currently believe Aoe-san to have been the target, but we cannot confirm that. However, neither has checked into their hotel room in forty-eight hours. And Aoe-san failed to make several telephone calls at expected times. You have not heard from Takamiya in that time period?"
Izumi tried to remember their last phone conversation. "He called Wednesday morning. It was early. I was making tea at the time." He remember telling Takamiya it was all his fault he couldn't get through the morning without a cup of tea. And hanging on the line with him so long he had to rush to catch the subway to work. Takamiya had left Sunday to accompany Aoe on his trip to China. By Wednesday he'd been missing him terribly, though he'd never said it once. He recalled Takamiya saying he missed him, too, as if he'd said it though. And promising to be home by saturday morning. It was friday night.
"Aoe-san spoke to Naoya that afternoon. That was the last known contact with either man."
"But why were they kidnapped? There has to be a reason! Hasn't anyone offered a ransom or something?" Izumi was still struggling with the fact that this was really happening, and not part of a nightmare.
"No ransom has been delivered to any of Aoe's businesses. Nor has anyone contacted his brother with such a demand." Kashima told him.
"What...what does that mean? That...that they're..." Izumi couldn't bring himself to say it.
"We...don't know." Naoya was still looking at the floor.
"I don't believe it!" Izumi's words made the other's head snap up to him instead. "I won't believe it! They can't be...Katsura wouldn't...I made him a promise. He can't - not without me being there!"
Kashima was looking down now, but Naoya seemed heartened by Izumi's stance. "You-You're right. We can't give up already." He stood up.
"So what do we do?" Izumi asked him. Naoya's life had been much harder than his, and these sort of situations seemed something more like he would know how to deal with.
Naoya blinked. "Do?" He asked.
"Of course, do. We have to rescue them, right?"
Kashima looked up now, stepping in. "We're already investigating what's happened. Kiichi-san said to leave it up to him and -"
"No, Izumi's right." Naoya broke in.
"Naoya-san?" Kashima was taken back.
"It's always the same when this stuff happens. It's always up to Reiji or Sensei, or Haroumi. If it's me in danger, what else can I do? But this time it's Reiji! I'm not just sitting and waiting this time."
"But Kiichi-san said-"
"Do you work for Sensei or for Reiji?" Naoya challenged.
Kashima froze for a moment. "I...I work for Aoe-san. You know that."
"Then you should listen to me too, shouldn't you?" Naoya blushed slightly. "Because of my relation to Reiji? If not, then...fine. But believe me when I say we'll find another way."
Kashima stared, then lowered his head for a moment as if deep in thought. "At this moment, it's like that time." He murmured. Then he bowed. "All the power I have as Aoe's Kashima, is at your service, Shirakawa-san."
To Be Continued...
My muse has finally decided to write me a fic that involves Izumi and Takamiya! Score! Although, since he's kidnapped, there isn't a whole lot of them as a couple in it. But, that's okay. Hey, Izumi and Naoya get to take center stage and play the heroes. How can that not be fun? Keep reading!
Salmon
