Disclaimer: I don't own Samurai Flamenco.

x

Hazama rushes into an alleyway, pausing, sliding, reaching into his back pocket to pull out his mobile. Mouth dry, chest heaving for air, eyes bright - typing a fraction of a message, he tucks it into safety again before returning to his sprint. He feels alive.

Minutes later, somewhere far away, Goto's phone lights up.

It's about Masayoshi, isn't it? You've been talking about him a lot lately.

x

Hazama has never asked for his girlfriend's name, nor anything about her. He sometimes mentions her, briefly, on the afterthought of another idea, on the crest of understanding something else - but there are no long discussions, no where or how.

The charm of an umbrella, the occasional glance at a phone, is the only thing that connects them. Goto doesn't bring her up unless prompted, neglects to mention he has a date, hardly smiles when he receives a text.

At least, compared to the smiles he gives Masayoshi.

x

When she first disappears, there is a brief time where Goto seems almost worried. Ah, it's nothing, he would say, and turn towards the television one more time. It's just that, it's been a while since…

x

Once, while Goto retreats to the toilet after sparring practise, Hazama cycles through the policeman's inbox to find a message from his girlfriend. He dallies for moments, listening for the click of the door opening - nothing comes - and so he reads another, and another. There is enough time for him to write down the number, to hide it in the case of the nearest VHS, to sit and wait and wait.

He walks to the door.

"Are you alright?" He asks, fractions of a touch away from the wood, and the stammered response comes quick and breathless - No, I'm just fine. The slight rustle of clothing continues. He listens.

Masayoshi curls his fingers against the wall, closing his eyes. Pressing his forehead to the plaster. Pressing the palm of his hand to -

x

It comes from the new girl, the one who invades his life with magic ruffles and stick-shifts and flighty, dusting kisses across the cheek.

"I've been checking up on her, of course." Is the first thing she messages him, after he reluctantly parts with his number. His contact list is slowly filling, and now he has to scroll to see the end. "She's gone somewhere without a trace. Kidnapped, do you think? Well, I don't really care one way or the other."

A hero should do something, he thinks. But he doesn't know anything about her, and Mari refuses to tell. It might be something normal. She might be ending their relationship, bit-by-bit, each message not sent adding up to the thousand tiny cuts that will finally break them off. But she also might be in the clutches of a criminal organization, or worse, be the head of one. Either way, the one thing he can do is ease Goto's suffering when, before, during -

Masayoshi buys a second phone.

x

When he confirms the payment information on the small, glowing screen with his fingertips, he hesitates a little. But not enough.

The first text is just as falteringly sent. Lingering over which words to draw out and which icons to use, wondering how to write sickeningly, annoyingly cute, all child-speak and nicknames and flighty, playground threats. Goto's reply is calm, normal, unassuming; he doesn't know her well, then.

I would be able to tell, he thinks, determined even though there is no one there to see his face, watching the sent confirmation flash across the screen, if someone replaced you.

xxxx

Inspired by a LiveJournal comment of "masayosi is probably goto's mobile girlfriend it's one of those "haha i'm tricking my friend i'm a different person on facebook" things"

Accidentally wrote a bit maliciously in this one.