Author's Note: This story is a sequel to my last story Beyond Mokkori: Hypnotic Revelations. It is part of the fan fiction series I am writing for City Hunter. Let me warn you, this story has many OCs (characters that are not from City Hunter, but created by me). And the main OC in this story is a favourite of mine. I have tried to not turn her into a Mary Sue. Also, she is not based on me (some people really think that way about all OCs), but on somebody I used to know.
Honorifics are used in some places for effect, but not all the time. And this drama won't really have any humour at all.
I hope, you like this story. Thank you to neha borkar, Casey, Daksha, Guest and videlbideru for their kind reviews on my fic Beyond Mokkori: Hypnotic Revelations, which is a prequel to this story.

Glossary: 1) hentai – Japanese word for a lecherous person with perverted tendencies
2) honto – a Japanese word which translates to 'really' in English
3) shojou – a genre of Japanese manga

Kaori: This Can't Be…

Prologue

"Don't. Don't go", she clutches my hand.
I look back at her face. I have rarely ever seen her cry before. Hell, she looks adorable even while crying. I smile and cup her soft face,
"Look at me. Come on. Look at me".
She does reluctantly and I say in my most convincing tone,
"Nothing is going to happen to me. I am completely fine"
"No", she whimpers.
"Don't I have your love to protect me?"
"What if my love is not strong enough?"
"Don't be ridiculous", I frown.
"Please stay"
"I don't know how much you trust what we have, but I believe in you and in myself. If something ever happened to me, I know you will find me and make everything right. Do you understand?"
She looks up,
"I will find you?"
"Yes. You will find me"
I lean forward, kiss her mouth for longer than usual and gaze at her in admiration. Her lips are as sweet and tender as her existence. The sweetness is overwhelming. It's time for me to go. She looks at me longingly as I walk out of her backyard and then out of her sight.

What does a girl do when her friend reveals to her that she is getting married? Well, she squeaks,
"Oh my god! I can't believe this! He proposed?! That is so great! Oh my god!".
She jumps.
"Yay! I'm so happy for you! I can't believe he proposed!".
And she spreads the word,
"Ryo, Umibozu-san proposed to Miki!".
More than often, such enthusiastic to-be-bridesmaids get a jovial response. But what I receive is a doom struck expression and a sharp scream.
"WHAAAT?!"
My partner of five years, Global Shame Saeba Ryo, grabs the receiver from my hands and shouts into the phone,
"Hey! Miki-chan, how could you do to this to me?! Why are you marrying that bald sea monster?! This is not fair! Ryo-chan demands justice! Justice, justice, justice!".
Within a second, Ryo's hair stands on edges and he jerks his ear away from the receiver. I smirk. Miki must have given him a sound scolding for talking about Umibozu like that. He deserved it. And he deserves a hammer for interrupting my conversation. [WHAM!] The said pervert is now lying on the floor, with a red bump on his head.

My friend Miki is getting married! And the even bigger news is that Umibozu-san proposed. It's such a happy surprise! Those two have been in love for as long as I can remember. Miki's patience with him has finally paid off. She sounded so happy on the telephone. I bet, she sniffed away a tear or two. Miki has always been the emotional type, though she never shows it publicly. Her new fiancé, on the other hand, is a typical hard headed sweeper. None of the people I know have ever been able to guess what goes on in his mind. But, Miki has always claimed that he is not as insensitive as he pretends to be. Well, I could say the same about my boyfriend. Geh… I mean, my partner. I mean, Ryo. We have had a complicated love-friendship-family-work-business-anger relationship since a few years. I'm also his restrainer. Know what that means? I keep a check on his hentai tendencies which gush out in force as soon as he is in the presence of an attractive female. But, that doesn't count me. Uh-uh. Even though I am a very petite, neat featured, tall, slender female in my prime (if I can say so myself), my womanizer partner is completely immune to my charms. Not completely. He has displayed his admiration for me and my assets once or twice. It might not sound much, but it is enough for me. Even a confession in a hypnotic state is more than enough from someone like Ryo.

I find myself talking about Miki and Umibozu-san as I have breakfast with my partner.
"I, Kasumi, Miki –none of us believed that he would ever propose! Whenever we talked to Miki about it, she would say that she is happy with whatever they have right now. But, her love prevailed! Oh, I'm so happy for them, Ryo. And you should be too".
Ryo just groans in response as he shoves more food into his mouth. I guess, he doesn't want to talk about it because I didn't appreciate his opinion on it a few moments ago. Hehehe… I feel quite proud that I'm the only one he is afraid of. He says,
"When is the wedding?"
"Nothing's decided yet. He just proposed to her this morning"
"Maybe she just agreed because of a post orgasm effect"
I bring his head down on the table with my hammer,
"Don't talk about other people's personal lives like that!"
Ryo can be so blunt at times. He has never had a problem in saying perverted stuff that has come into his mind. But, I am a more refined person than he is. No, swearing doesn't count.
I pick up our breakfast plates and the doorbell rings. I say while entering the kitchen,
"Ryo, could you get that?".
He gets up slowly and trudges to the door. Why does he have to act so agitated over such a good news? Idiot. I put the dishes into the sink and get busy with the chores. But I have to stop midway when I hear Reika-san chatting pleasantly with Ryo. It's not that I am jealous or something. But, these notorious Nogami sisters often make Ryo help them for free in exchange for a mokkori. Yes, a nookie. They never 'pay' him though. Even if they wanted to, I wouldn't let them. For our business' sake, I sigh and decide to eavesdrop.
"Good morning, Ryo!", why does she sound so cheerful?
"Hey, Reika-chan", Ryo sounds upset. Idiot.
"What's with the gloomy face, Ryo?"
"Miki-chan is getting married to that octopus", he says sadly.
Yeah, as if this jerk ever had a chance with her.
"Oh, really? That's good news. But, you don't look so happy. I do have something that will cheer you up", the playfulness in her voice is detectable. What is she talking about?
"Honto?!", Ryo's squeak.
Sigh. He is indeed hoping for something perverted.
"Take a look…"
I step out of the kitchen and watch as Reika-san gives Ryo a photograph. Ryo is drooling already and jumping in joy. Wasn't he sad just a moment ago? And whose picture is that?
"Who is this black haired beauty? Aha… she is so cute!"
"She is a prospective client for you. She looks great, doesn't she?"
"Yes, yes! She is a typical Japanese beauty. And her…"
"Not bad", I say as I snatch the photo from his hands and glance at it.
Another beautiful woman for a client. And that too a reference from Reika-san. Gosh.
"Ka-Kaori?", Ryo moves away from me, a please-don't-kill-me smile on his face.
Reika-san greets me,
"Good morning, Kaori-san"
"Hm. Who is this girl, Reika-san?"
"A client for you. And I can give you her advance payment right now"
"We will take it!", Ryo is punched in the face right after saying those words.
I scold him,
"Do some thinking with your upper brain for a change! Reika-san, what is the catch?"
"Eh? No catch, Kaori-san. It's just a simple job offer I received which I am directing towards you"
"Why so?"
"It's just an investigative case. She is looking for a missing person. I would have taken it but I am already very busy with other cases right now"
She never lets go off a single opportunity to brag about her work and comment on our temporary unemployment.
"No, thanks. We don't normally handle such cases and there's no need for us to change that now"
"Can you really afford to be choosy right now, Kaori-san? I hear, you haven't had a job assignment in quite some time"
This woman… but, she does have a point. Ryo is trying to recover from my latest blow. Maybe, we should take this one. The client is also going to pay an advance. But…
"Did she go to the police?"
"Why don't you ask her yourself? She is waiting in my office right now. Shall I send her here?"
"By all means! And give me that picture", Ryo whisks it away from my hands.
Looks like, I am going to have to be on extra guard again this time. I nod at Reika-san whose smile has changed into a melancholy grimace. Whoa… did she just bow?
"Thank you very much, Kaori-san, Saeba-san"
Ryo and I watch her in surprise as she walks to the door and turns around before closing it from outside,
"Only you two can solve this case. I'm sorry for the trouble"
What is she talking about?

Ryo is busy brushing his hair and checking his appearance again and again in his pocket mirror. Yes, he has one.
I say, "Listen to me, Ryo. If you try anything disgusting with this girl, I will finish you off with my own hands. Our last client ran away because you lifted her skirt in public. And that was two months ago. We need this job and I need you to beha-", my words are left hanging in midair as Ryo holds me by the shoulders. That enchanting smile…
"I promise, I won't disappoint you this time"
Good god lord. This has been happening a lot lately. He does something which leaves me blushing and speechless. But, if he keeps holding me like this, my already weakened knees are going to give away. Oh, say something, Ryo.
Thankfully, I hear the doorbell and run to open the door. And when I open it, I see our client, not looking exactly the way she looks in that photograph. I study her for a minute without realizing it myself. Black long hair which goes long way till her knees, a tall and slender frame, wearing a simple white dress, white shoes with socks, pale skin and a proportionate body.
'Did I just describe her in a shojou way?'.
She rises after the bow and I get to see her face. It's much paler than her skin. But, pretty, I must say. She looks like a typical Japanese 'vision'. And I just quoted Ryo. Shaking my head in annoyance, I welcome the woman inside.
"Hey!", Ryo smiles widely and waves at her.
I can see his smile disappearing when he actually sees her. This is great. He is looking at her and then at her picture repeatedly. The woman walks in and bows to him too.
Ryo exclaims,
"Just how many years ago was this picture taken?!".
I elbow him in the ribs and smile at the guest.
"Welcome. Reika-san just told us about you"
"Thank you. You must be Mr. and Mrs. Gonzalez. I am Saki Nogawa. It's a pleasure to meet you", her voice is so feeble… DID SHE JUST CALL US MR. AND MRS. GONZALEZ?!
"Wait! Looks like it's some sort of mis…", maybe Reika-san told her that.
But why? Ugh. I will ask her later. For now, we should go with the flow. But I hear my stupid partner saying,
"What makes you think she is my wife?!".
I have to act quickly and I do so by cupping his mouth with my right hand. I try to grin,
"What my husband means is that I am not just his wife, but his partner too. Isn't that right, honey?".
Ryo tries to resist but then, nods meekly in response to my dangerous glare. Our client says,
"That's nice. Miss Reika said to me that Mr. Richard and his wife Mrs. Kylie are the best professionals in the detective business"
"Oh, she said that? How nice of her", Richard shoots me a glance which I translate to 'What the hell is going on?'. I ask Saki-san,
"So, how can we help you?"
Her mouth which was partly open, now closes. She looks at me for a minute. I notice that her face is not just pale, but the smile she has on in that picture seems to be foreign to her. Saki-san looks at Ryo and then back at me. Ryo straightens up a bit. The oddness in her movements couldn't have escaped his eyes. She finally says in a voice too low,
"I need you to find someone"
Her eyes have become moist. This is serious. Before I can say anything, she says,
"Miss Reika told me that I don't need to pay her. I am not aware of your mutual dealings but, if you need me to pay a fee, I will. I will pay any amount you want. Just, help me. Please"
This is a lot more suspicious. Reika-san is hiding something. I console Saki-san,
"Why don't we talk about that later? Let's discuss the matter at hand now. Who is that person you want us to find?"
Saki-san seems to be either short on words or unable to speak. Poor lady. The person she is looking for must be really close to her. She says,
"I live with my grandparents. Ever since I was 12, they have been taking in children who are not wanted. Mostly, children with a bad past. Ours is not really an orphanage. The man I need you to find used to visit us… the kids regularly, once in a week. His father was a close friend of my father's. Both of them passed away when I was a child"
"And who is he to you, the man you want us to find?"
Again, with the silence. But this time, she bursts into tears. We both panick. Ryo says to her,
"Oi! Miss Saki, are you alright? What's wrong?"
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to just… cry. I'm so sorry", she pulls out a handkerchief from her purse and wipes away her tears. Her tears still flow without hesitation.
I say,
"Miss Saki, it's okay. Please, calm down. Are you alright?".
I move towards her chair and place a hand on her back. It accidentally comes in contact with her skin. Her skin felt so cold. Could she be sick? I ask again,
"Are you okay?"
"I am. Thank you. And I'm sorry"
"It's fine. You don't have to apologize. Are you not feeling well?"
"No, I am fine, thanks"
I sit next to Ryo on the couch. We both look at each other, confused about what Reika-san has signed us up for. Miss Saki continues,
"He is my… my lover"
"WHAT?!", Ryo suddenly stand and clenches his fist.
He points a finger at the startled Saki and shouts, "I settled for the absence of the glow from the picture because you have a hot body! But, this is unacceptable! Why did you have to have a boyfriend?! What about me now?!"
THUD!

Ryo is busy trying to get out of the pile of rubbish that settled over him after I hammered him into a wall. I ask Miss Saki, who frankly looks a bit frightened,
"How did it happen?"
"It was all fine. But, one day, I was feeling very uneasy. Terrified. I asked him not to leave my sight, but he told me that my fears were irrational and that he would be fine. He left and I never saw him again", another stream of tears flows. But she seems a bit more in control of herself now.
I say,
"I am sorry. When did this happen?"
"Five years, seven months, 24 days ago"
"Five years?!"
For a second, I think, she is joking. But, she doesn't look like she is. Ryo comes and resumes his seat. He asks,
"What does the police say about this?"
Saki looks a bit flustered,
"I did not go to the police"
"Why not?", I ask in shock. What is it with this woman?
"He… his work was associated with the underworld. He had told me not to contact the police if anything ever happened to him"
"When did you realize he is missing?"
"We were supposed to go to a play that day – Othello"
She is crying again. I can't stop an adult female from crying. But, I try.
"Miss Saki, please don't cry. Let's talk about the case, okay? What happened that day?"
"I was waiting for him on the bridge in the Okinawa park, like always. He never showed up"
"Was that after the day you told him not to go?"
"The very next day"
Ryo said,
"It's been five years. What did you do all this time?"
"I couldn't go to the police. Nor did I know of his whereabouts. I waited for him at home. I waited for him on the bridge every evening at 6:00 pm. I still do…", she wipes away her tears, "I once visited his apartment. But, the neighbors told me that the family which lived there had moved out"
"Why are you looking for him now?"
"Someone I used to work for asked me to meet Miss Reika. I did and she directed me to you"
"Excuse me but who do you work for?", Ryo asks.
"I am a high school teacher. I worked as an English tutor for a businessman. He is the one who told me about Miss Reika"
"Did you ever enquire at any morgue?", Ryo asks.
"He is not dead. I am going to find him. And I hope, you will help me"
Ryo and I study her in silence as she dabs at her eyes.

"Miss Saki, it's been five years. Honestly, it is going to be tough. We cannot guarantee you 100% success. But, we will try. We need more details and yes, we will be glad to help you. What do you say?", I turn to Ryo.
He nods, "We will do our best"
"Thank you very much"
"We will need his name, picture, any other information you have"
"I have his pictures with me. Just a minute", she fumbles through her purse.
An envelope falls out of it onto the floor, along with the pictures inside it.
"Sorry", she mutters and tries to pick those up.
I kneel down on the floor and help her. I pick up a picture of her being kissed on the cheek by a guy. His face cannot be seen clearly but hers… it just shines! A smile bright enough to light up a room and a distinctly visible blush adorn her face. She looks so happy. I look at her now and she doesn't seem happy at all. She actually seems lifeless, like she is trying to gather each bit of life that remains inside her. Poor Saki. I say,
"Miss Saki, you look so beautiful in this picture. And I love your smile!"
"Thank you", she tries to put the photos in a short pile.
I show the picture to Ryo. His eyebrows arch in response and a smile appears on his face. I sit next to him and whisper,
"It is definitely her, but so different".
He just nods. Saki is by now sitting back on the chair. She picks out two pictures and hands us one each.
"I am sorry. I don't have a picture of him alone. Those are couple pictures we took at an amusement park one day. We were…"
I am unable to hear anything more she is saying, unable to move or even glance at Ryo to note his reaction. This can't be… this can't be true. My eyes widen and my hands tremble as I stare at the photograph in my hands. A very joyous Saki laughing with her supposed lover. My world comes to a halt as Saki's words echo,
"His name is Hideyuki Makimura"

Author's Bragging Note: Shocker, eh? *gets punched in the face*