There were many days that started like this. The sun had yet to rise over the horizon, the waves of gold and pink had started to flare just beyond where the eye could see, birds had just began to stretch their wings and waken their children, and the sleepy city began to turn out a few souls. Soon, when the sun finally climbed into the sky, the children would be standing at the bus stops in their squeaky rain boots and parents would be sitting at the table with the coffee, which they would just leave on the sink to get cold when they realize they're running late.
I swung my coat around my shoulders, sliding my arms into it and embracing the warmth of its insides. The house was still quiet with the sleep of my brothers and I took light steps across the living room and into the kitchen. The low music coming from the ancient record player in the corner soothed me and I found myself dancing lightly on my toes as I hurried to finish the toast I had prepared.
Footsteps bounced off of the floorboards in the stair case that led up to the bedrooms. A young boy of eleven greeted me in his red pajamas, rubbing his eyes. I glanced at my watch, making note of the ticking second hand.
"Ian, tell the others I'll be home late today. Don't be late for school." I popped some bread into the toaster for him and kissed the top of his head before flying out the door, the ends of my coat following in delay like some sort of super hero's cape.
I pranced down the sidewalk with joy, enjoying the bare streets while they remained so. The town was small, anyway, and most people that lived there drove. It wasn't hard to find some space to be alone. I passed only three people on foot during my short journey, none of which looked nearly as cheerful as I felt, though I doubt I had any real reason to be so flighty to begin with.
The doorbell rang as I swung the glass door open, alerting the young girl behind the counter of my presence. She smiled at me toothily.
"Hey there, Oz." She gave me a nod and continued to write on the napkin she'd been holding. "Today's the day, I'm tellin' ya." She stuck out her tongue at an odd angle, writing down a phone number in the girliest writing she was capable.
"Pepper, you're hopeless." I laughed at her, removing my coat and sitting it on the back of the chair. The coffee shop would be opening in ten minutes and I had yet to start any of the machines. Pepper shrugged at me and slid the napkin into the pocket of her apron. I wrapped mine around my waist, tying the back.
The day passed by quickly, and the sun had come to sit above the café where the bright rays drifted in through the windows. A man in a dress suit took his latte from my hand and I leaned on my elbows on the counter. Pepper came through the swinging door that led to the back kitchen carrying a tray of croissants and loaded them into the display case. At that moment, I felt a slight buzzing in my apron pocket. My heart leapt into my throat for the slightest second and I excused myself, rushing to the back. I dug my hand in the pocket, pushing aside two pens and a harshly folded piece of paper before finding the compact. I flipped it open to see the familiar face of Koenma staring back at me.
"Koenma, are you crazy?" I nearly shouted. I squeeked, checking to be sure no one had heard me. "I'm at work. You know, my real job?"
Koenma glared back at me, but something was off about his expression.
"Ozelia, your real job will have to wait, this is urgent!" Koenma shouted back at me. I scoffed. The toddler hadn't even spoken to me in nearly a year, it was miraculous that he'd even managed to contact me.
"Make it fast. I don't want to have to explain this to anyone." I looked around again, peering through the tiny window in the swinging door. The café was nearly empty and Pepper was filing her nails next to the register.
"I'm surprised you picked up. Why do you still carry that thing around?" Koenma jumped off topic. "Never mind, we don't have time for questions. I need a favor from you." Koenma rubbed his temples. It had been forever since I saw him, and he looked just as stressed out now as he always had.
"Koenma, I'm sorry but-" I started, but Koenma waved me off.
"Listen, I have a team of detectives that are in trouble and we need your help. An unfortunate incident happened and, well, they need somewhere to stay where they won't be found." Koenma looked pleading. I immediately shook my head.
"Koenma, you know I can't do that. My brothers and I stopped working for you for a reason. We have lives now." I felt saddened by rejecting Koenma after he had done so much for my family, but it was true.
"Ozelia, I don't have many choices. They're a good team and they need to be protected. I already had a falling out with them over it earlier. My life was threatened at least three times during the whole ordeal but they agreed it was for the best. They won't get in the way, it's only a couple months. Until I find this guy and they can go kill him. Please." Koenma stared hardly back at me with the same pained and worried expression I'd only seen him bare one other time before. Guilt rattled me- it was true that I owed Koenma a lot.
"I…" The door swung open and Pepper poked her head into the back room, chewing gum.
"Hey, it's almost two. You leave in ten." I nodded at her and she returned to the front.
"Fine. Okay." I nodded into the compact. "When will they be here?"
"Their flight leaves Saturday night. They'll be there around three in the morning on Sunday." A faint smile plastered itself on Koenma's lips.
"I'll pick them up from the airport, then." I sighed. "Don't make me regret this, Koenma." I hung up the compact, sticking it in my jean pocket and removing my apron. I checked my watch again, declared it was time to leave, and clocked out after saying a quick farewell to Pepper.
Walking down the sidewalk home took twice as long as it should have. My feet seemed to shuffle slowly and my legs felt as though they weighed two tons. The warm spring sun beat down over me, watching my every move. I studied faces of the people working their way to nowhere, wondering what it was I had gotten myself into. I pulled my jacket tighter around me as though that would block out the conversation with Koenma.
It's been so long since I heard from him. I reached the front of my house and stepped inside, sealing myself from the outside world with the thud of the large door. Sounds of a television graced my ears from the living area. I stepped into it, removing my jacket as I did. Alex sat in front of the television, a controller in his hands. A character on the screen fell over and Alex cursed at it.
"You haven't gotten any better at that game." I laughed. It seemed to have startled him because he turned to me quickly.
"Don't do that shit!" He laughed too. I sat behind him on the couch, leaning on my knees with my elbows.
"Where's Evan?" I prodded, watching Alex restart the level over again.
"Upstairs, I think. Thinks just because he's older than everyone that he gets to sleep in later, I guess." Alex shrugged. I debated rather I wanted to repeat the story over and over again, and decided it was better than the alternative of hearing two adult men yelling at me at once.
"Alex, Koenma called me today." I put it bluntly. It captured his attention and he paused his game, turning back to face me, waiting for an explanation.
"He's sending his detectives to stay with us. He said they're in some sort of trouble and need to hide." I sat back in my seat, waiting. Alex said nothing at first, but stared at me hard with his vibrant green eyes.
"Did he say anything else?" I didn't respond. "Well, okay. I guess that can't be too bad, right? We owe the guy anyway."
I was relieved to hear Alex sounding so optimistic. He'd always been the positive one in our family, even in the hardest times. It was Evan's reaction I was more fearful of. His temper flew off the handle on multiple occasions that I felt was overdramatic, but Evan always did have a hot temper.
"They'll be here Sunday morning. I'm picking them up at the airport." I sighed, running my hand through my long hair. I looked at Alex, who seemed to understand my concerns about Evan. It wasn't really that I was afraid he'd be angry about having guests, as much as I was concerned about how he reacts to my contact with Koenma.
The door swung open and Ian stepped inside, shutting it behind him. His backpack landed on the floor beside him and he came into the room to join us.
"I got a B on my science test!" Ian said proudly. I smiled at him- or more or less, his innocence.
"That's great, Ian. I have some news. You remember when we worked for Koenma?" I held my arm out and Ian jumped on the couch to sit next to me, curled under my arm. He nodded at me and I continued. "Well, he's sending some of his other employees to live with us for a while." Ian grinned widely. The kid was always anxious to meet someone knew.
"I better go tell Evan." I shot a look at Alex, who then tossed a controller at Ian and started a co-op game. I stood up, moving around the couch and walking up the stairs towards Evan's room. I knocked twice and waited. The door creaked open and Evan's dark eyes stared out at me. He moved aside and I stepped in, taking a seat on the edge of his bed. Somehow I felt almost afraid of my own brother, which made me chuckle. Evan stared at me expectantly.
"I was cleaning my sword." Evan took it from its place on the table across from me and slid it back into the sheath. "You want to talk about something?"
I nodded, but remained silent. For the past year, Evan had spent so much time in his room I felt as though I had to make an appointment just to talk to him.
"Evan, I know you aren't going to like this…" I paused, frowning.
"Koenma called you today." Evan said plainly. He glanced up at me from where he'd been studying the sheath that concealed his sword. I suddenly felt foolish.
"Yeah, that's it." I stared back at him. He said nothing for a short time.
"What did he want?" His voice dripped with malice. I shook my head at him. We all knew how much we owed to the ruler, including Evan. It amazed me that he had so much hatred for him.
"He's sending his detectives to stay here." I didn't offer further explanation, but Evan didn't appear to need it. He nodded in understanding, but the look on his face was purely anger. I sighed, standing.
"Evan, I know you don't like this, but try not to be to miserable okay?" I left the room, shutting his door behind me. I stood at the sliding glass door that led into our back yard, watching the sun as it began to set on the horizon. The waves of gold and pink had started to flare just beyond where the eye could see, birds wrapped their wings around themselves and their young children, and the busy city began to fall into a light slumber.