Beep! Beep! Beep!

Sanada Genichirou sat up right at the alarm's calling. It was four in the morning, as always. Early up for his routine, such routine that he had held since the age of four. It had gotten him his skill in focus, physical strength, and endurance. That was for sure.

So, he had gotten up at four o'clock in the morning, just like that. And he wasn't the least bit tired. Of course, he'd have to turn off the alarm as quickly as possible, because it always blared loud enough to-

…Oh, that was right. He couldn't forget that fact. The thought of it stopped him in his tracks, so quickly that his hand hovered over the alarm for what felt like one of the longest moments in history before it finally slammed itself down, shutting the alarm off.

Work would be in a few hours, and his morning routine would happen. So, it did so. Yet, even with the meditation, that stupid thought would disappear. How could it though? It wouldn't, realistically. Not when it involved his childhood friend and his partner at work, Yukimura Seiko.

It was impossible to forget the female he had known for such a long time. Throughout their lives, they have been teammates, friends, and partners. In truth, Sanada could not imagine his life should it had been devoid of Yukimura. But, that's what happens when one meets another at the age of four.

They had met at a tennis club, and it seemed inevitable that they would see each other again. Sanada had even thought of the girl as pretty! When he was too young to even understand it, yes, he blushed.

That wasn't the focus though. Off his mind, off his mind. It hurt him to think of her.

He dressed up in his normal work-suit and adjusted his tie. It was time to go to work. After work, he would begin another routine. Visiting the hospital. This routine had been an after school tradition in middle school, and he had hoped that he needn't bring it back. But back it was.

And he hated it.

No cap would be on his head. He had to look professional. He was a crime investigator, after all! And after a sickening duo now was he. The two he now had to chase, they were once teammates of his, colleagues of the same tennis team for years. Yet, cunning crime had gotten the better of them. Or more, of one of them, and the other was dragged down with him… willingly.

Driving to work, Sanada had a good amount of time to think everything over. Childhood, what had happened. But, his thoughts were broken once he found himself already arriving at work. Deep thoughts, focused on the road, it was different than when he had been able to converse with Yukimura on the way to work.

He walked into the building, pushing the door open and pressing the button on the elevator. Soon, he was on the right floor. He walked up to the office of the head and opened it, looking at him.

The dark haired male glanced up from his notebook, eyes seemingly closed. "You seem off… Genichirou. Is it about Seiko?"

Sanada took a deep breath, trying to be sure to stay calm. That was in his nature. Serious brown eyes stared ahead, all the more so hinting that he didn't want to talk about it. He just wanted to catch these criminals that the basic police could not. Crime investigator, detective, those could be interchangeable; it didn't matter to Sanada at this point.

"Renji, could I see the profiles on them?"

Yanagi Renji, former tennis teammate and now Sanada's boss – the head of their department, paused for just a moment, before nodding, "Of course, Genichirou. I knew you would want to see them." He lifted his notebook and handed Sanada two file folders, very neat looking, but there were many papers as contents.

"Thank you, Renji," Sanada said, taking the folders and exiting the office, before moving to go sit at his own, personal desk. He opened the folder, frowning at the pictures. He silently wondered what had made them turn out how they did. Sure, Sanada had applied the "Tarundoru!" SLAP! many-a time with them, primarily the 'lead' of the duo, but he doubted that had the influence to make them turn.

He read over the profiles – oh had he and Yukimura been so close to catching them. It was labeled a dangerous case, and Sanada knew he should've taken Yukimura's medical history into closer consideration. But, it really wasn't even that. Foul trickery and a dropping of a smoke bomb that had released an air toxic enough to warrant hospitalization. Sanada would've been hospitalized too, had it not been for the emergency mask he had put on to get his partner out of there.

They would be difficult to find, that was for certain.

Niou Masaharu and Yagyuu Hiromi.

The names rolled through Sanada's head as he closed the folders and sighed, waiting for a case to come, or news about the Trickster and his partner in crime to come in.

All the meanwhile, the hours of organizing information and thinking about the unsolved case, the criminals that had yet to be caught, and the past in general, the time seemed to go by in an agonizingly slow fashion. Sure, Sanada wasn't the most experienced when it came to love – due to him thinking most of it nonsense – but he knew there was something, a tinge, of a feeling that was above partner and friend level for Yukimura.

It had been hard, in the past, to even go separate ways with the navy-blue haired female after middle school ended. They had made their promises, the leading trio of Rikkaidai did, to meet up again in the future.

But contacts were lost and they hadn't heard from one another for years. Things had turned in their favors though; it was as though fate was shining down on them brightly. It was after university, and luck would have it, the dear female ended up working at the same place as the two that had been her closest friends.

Shoes clicked on the hard floor as the female with long, navy-blue hair walked down the path that lead from the elevator to her new boss's office. She could have easily become a professional tennis player, but tennis was, realistically, to her, for fun. Besides, she needed a hobby beside her actual job.

She glanced casually at her new coworkers. They knew of her arrival, so she was sure her partner, should she be lucky enough to be assigned such, would be in the boss's office, waiting. She laid a gentle hand on the doorknob and turned it, closing her eyes briefly as she said, "Thank you for accepting me to work here."

Her partner and boss had blinked, recognizing the voice. Sanada and Yanagi both glanced to each other, before turning their attention to the new employee.

"I am Yukimura Seiko, pleasure to join you."

"We know who you are," Yanagi had said.

"It's been awhile, Yukimura," Sanada said. Even knowing her for as long as he did, the black-haired male couldn't bring himself to call her by first name.

Yukimura opened her eyes and the corner of her lips rose to a smile, "It has, Genichirou… Renji…"

That had been a few years before, and the happy reunion had been said and done. Even if that happy moment was broken by worry, there were still good moments there. All the more reason to want her back to a healthy state.

Worked past faster than expected, or at least, it would have, but Sanada's thoughts dragged the day on, though no one could see it in his face. A stop by the ramen shop run by Jackal Kuwahara, who was actually receiving some help from Marui Bunta, to eat and Sanada was on his way to the hospital.

He stepped in, checking in with the front desk and receiving directions to Yukimura's room. He entered quietly, to make sure she wasn't sleeping or that he was disturbing her in any way.

Yukimura gave a weak glance toward the door as Sanada shut it behind him, "Genichirou…" She said, coughing. It would be weeks, according to the doctor, before she made a full recovery. They had to watch her, keep her in the hospital, to make sure there were no side effects.

"Are you okay, Yukimura?"

"…I've been better… I want out of here soon…" she said, smiling softly as Sanada stood over her. "How's… How's the... case going?" She asked him.

Sanada was quick to answer a simple answer, "There has been progress."

"Good."

She slowly moved her hand and took Sanada's in it, "I'm glad… you came to visit me…" she coughed, her lungs weakened from the dust that was still present in them.

Sanada nodded, emotions never gracing his features, but Yukimura knew he cared. He always had, even back in middle school. All those promises he would make to her, assuring her that Rikkaidai would be victorious and they wouldn't lose. Promises she had faith in, not for completion, but just because it was Sanada making them.

"I'll catch them. Niou and Yagyuu will pay for what they've done," Sanada said.

Yukimura gave Sanada's hand a soft squeeze, with the strength she could muster. The poison's effects were really draining, "I know you will…" She said, before her head moved to the side, laying back against the pillow. Her face was pale, but she was breathing. Her loose grip was released. She needed rest.

He really was disappointed in Niou for what had happened.

Yanagi looked between the two partners inn their work suits, pulling from under his notebook information about the next case.

"This case may be too personal for you two complete."

Yukimura gave a curious look to the file and took it from Yanagi, "Personal, Renji?" She asked as she opened it.

Her eyes scanned it and she blinked, whispering, "Niou… Yagyuu…"

Sanada looked over Yukimura's shoulder, "Those idiots…" He muttered.

Yukimura was one to make lighter of the situation, well, only a little bit, "Oh, you look like you're going to kill them, Genichirou." She then faced Yanagji, "We'll take the case, Renji. It doesn't matter if we knew them before. A case is a case, correct, Genichirou."

"Yes, Yukimura, it is."

"This is the building, Genichirou?"

"According to the report Renji handed me, this is the last place they were spotted entering."

It was true though: in cases like these, they had to go with the last spotted by. No one ever knew where Niou lived. By this point, Yagyuu was difficult to find as well.

"All right then. Shall we?" A small smile came upon her lips as she stepped ahead, motioning the more stoic male along. It had always been like this.

Sanada opened the door to the old building and gave a cautious gaze inside, one hand resting on his gun. Yukimura had her hand on her gun as well. Every step was necessary. If they had remembered anything from middle school, it was that Niou and his illusions were dangerous to deal with.

They entered and stood back-to-back for a brief moment, catching a sight of what the surrounding area had to offer. The former buchou and fukubuchou of Rikkaidai's tennis team nodded to each other, pulling their guns out and ultimately deciding to spilt up for the most coverage.

Hearing some noise and movement in the background only confirmed to them that someone was there.

"Careful, Yukimura."

"You should also be careful, Genichirou."

They had told each other these things before they went in different directions.

Sanada kept his gun raised, and not but eight minutes later did her hear movement ahead of him. He stepped forward, wondering what this noise was. He saw someone move then and fired off a warning shot. He quickly ran forward, ready to dodge what could have possibly came at him. Many of the debris around here could be used as protection in some way. There would be no question.

He blinked, seeing what… or more, who was ahead of him. The familiar navy-blue hair confused him, as he saw what seemed to be a bloody wound on the person's arm. The female looked up him, eyes feigning a gentle look.

"Genichirou…" The female whispered in that ever familiar voice.

Sanada blinked, staring at her, unfazed. Had it been anyone else, they wouldn't have been able to see through the illusion. But, Sanada knew them. He didn't give a reaction to anything but a fiery anger in his eyes, reaching out and tugging the blue wig off of the females head, revealing the long, soft-brown hair. The female stared up at him, before reaching into her pocket and pulling out her glasses, putting them back on.

"Where's Niou, Yagyuu?"

Yagyuu pushed up her glasses, "I would worry first about Yukimura-chan, Sanada-kun." She stated, "So sorry, but what must be done, must be done."

The sound of something breaking open and a series of coughing noises came from the other side of the building, "You came close, Sanada-kun. But Niou-kun is not quite ready to give up."

She tossed a doctor's mask and some safety goggles at Sanada, "Be warned, I would wear that."

Sanada glared at Yagyuu, about ready to slap her, but wondered why she was 'helping' him.

"If you're wondering, this is still part of Niou-kun's game."

She smiled and before Sanada had time to actually react, she ran off. He really had been close… but had they been playing into Niou's game the whole time?

He turned around, slowly putting the mask and goggles on as he ran backwards toward where Yukimura had gone. He found her gun laying outside what seemed to be a foggy area. He ran in, finding her coughing vigorously as he saw Niou smirk, wave, and said, "See ya later, Sanada." He jumped off, the rat-tail of his silver-blue hair the last thing Sanada saw.

Sanada was more concerned with Yukimura though. He picked her up, "You'll be alright, Yukimura."

"Thank… you… Genichirou…"

Sanada looked at her for a second again, watching her less-then steady breathing then turning and exiting the room. He'd bother her with 'feelings' when she recovered. She didn't get shocked easily, but he didn't want to think about what would happen should he confess his feelings. Sure, they weren't fourteen and young, national level, amazing tennis players anymore (though they were still great at tennis), but admitting feelings was still difficult.

The drive home was short, as expected. Everything needed was close. Convenient, really. Still, the memories and thoughts about what happened couldn't help but circle. Yukimura probably thought of herself as a burden. But truly, Sanada thought of her as the exact opposite. He reached the place he was staying, locking the door behind him and setting his gun on the table, sitting down.

Here, in the place that he and Yukimura shared due to better working together, he sighed. Of course, he had a temporary partner now, until Yukimura's return. The younger, newer one at it, that though he could outdo them all, Kirihara Akaya, but he definitely wasn't Yukimura.

He knew he would settle things out, get it situated. Need be, they would call in the assistance of the other 'teams.' But, this was, all-in-all, Sanada's case.

Which brought him back to his thoughts of the morning, the reason he usually so quickly turned the blaring alarm off. He never wanted to wake Yukimura before she needed to wake. That was the reason, and a good reason that was. Ah, those memories, sweet but also something that Sanada didn't want to think about now. Like when she first started living in the same household.

"Genichirou? Could I borrow a t-shirt?"

Sanada raised an eyebrow, looking at Yukimura, "Why, Yukimura?"

Yukimura chuckled lightly, amused at the slightly confusion on her best friend's face, while still wishing he'd just call her by first name, "All of my night clothes are in the wash, that's why."

Well, it wasn't her fault they had slipped out of her bag and onto the muddy street.

"Fine," Sanada said. After all the years, he still had trouble turning down Yukimura's request. True dedication to her, really.

He went and grabbed an old shirt, one that was rather long and handed it to her. "There you go." He said.

Yukimura had smiled at him, before going to her room and changing into it. It was long, like a nightgown almost, on her. She stepped out of her room.

"A-Ah, Yukimura? Are you wearing any pants?"

She laughed, "It's long enough, Genichirou."

Gosh knew Sanada was going to have plenty of awkward moments here. But, that was fine. Had it been anyone other than Yukimura, he would've yelled. But he wouldn't yell at Yukimura.

So, that was that. Niou and Yagyuu would be caught. They would end Niou's little game. Those once teammates and sort of friends of theirs would indefinitely pay for their crimes and havoc they had caused. Sanada was ready, as the former president of Rikkaidai's disciplinary committee, was ready to dish out the old, classic discipline to them. For Yukimura, he would do it.