A/N

Hehe, I will upload this chapter right now and the next chapter shall actually be uploaded in a bit tonight! Your reviews are the fuel that drive me to continue. So, do what you can!

xoxos


"Nishijima-san."

Nishijima looked up from his computer, smiling genuinely at the new guest to his private office, "Oh, hello Aru-kun. Is there something I can help you with?"

Akise was glad that they could bypass pleasantries; he was far too eager to be sincere and humble. "Yes, actually. You know the primary suspect in Hayama Takao's murder case, correct? I would like more information regarding Amano Yukiteru."

Nishijima blinked slowly, a bit more than surprised. Akise had always been a determined young man with the appearance of being constantly relaxed. Akise was adaptable to new situations and quick-witted, something the older man envied quite much. But at this moment, although it wasn't something that a normal person would see, Nishijima could observe a dancing passion just barely hidden under crimson eyes. His lips lifted further, "Of course. What is it that you would like to know?"

"Is he employed? Wherever he works will be enough."

Nishijima's eyes scanned over the desk before he lifted up a folder that was already placed upon it. He opened it and answered, "He works at a convenience store off of Suehiro street. His work schedule is flippant - their schedules change biweekly and that's all I know."

Akise nodded, indicating he had heard, "Thank you very much, Nishijima-san."

"Never a problem. Anything you need. Here." Nishijima offered a slip of paper to Akise. The paper read the exact address that had been told to him just moments before. Akise turned to leave. "Hey," he heard, turning his head to give Nishijima his full attention. The man beamed, "I believe Yukiteru-kun is innocent as well. I know you'll bring him to justice, Aru-kun."

Akise paused in a rare moment of surprise. He was seen through that completely? The grin on Nishijima's face indicated that yes, he had just been read so easily. Akise nodded once he regained composure and left.

Akise stood on the sidewalk and thought of the quickest way to arrive at his destination. He found that going right was the best option.

Akise walked instead of riding a taxi or in a car because not only was he living in an apartment complex(not that he couldn't afford a house) but he liked the calm wind; Akise enjoyed when the cool air would breeze by all the skin that he had exposed. The leisurely flow of his silvery hair from the wind was calming, reminiscent to how his mother had ran her hands countless times through his exotic locks. The first half of his life - the time up until the end of primary school - his mother doted on him. She was a bit frivolous, allowing her young yet mature-beyond-his-years son go on his own adventures unsupervised. But Akise truly loved her and her kindness. When he entered Umesato Junior High he often left the house in search of new mysteries to solve. He didn't realize until he left for college how sad she must have felt. Akise didn't feel bad, but a part of him - even now - missed the sweetness of his mother. He rid himself of those sentimental thoughts, arriving at the convenience store. He saw a young woman with long lavender hair greet him excitedly from behind the register. "Welcome, sir! Would you like any assistance?"

Akise smiled politely, going up to the counter. "Yes, actually. May I talk to Amano Yukiteru-kun?"

The purple-haired woman's eyes went wide in alarm, almost eliciting a chuckle from Akise.

"It's not what you think, I assure you. I'm Akise Aru, currently the most proficient detective in Sakurami, and I want to help him. The story on the news doesn't add up, so I wanted to ask him personally. Is he around?"

She breathed out in apparent relief, beaming up at him. "Amano's at home - Hinata promised to pick up his shifts. She's closer to him than I am, so it'd be better to talk to her."

"Thank you.." he inspected her name tag, "Mao."

She giggled, "I hope you can help Amano. He's a really nice guy. I know he couldn't have.. I know he didn't. Hinata's stacking the shelves in the third aisle."

Akise nodded and thanked her again, walking as was directed. He spotted a girl with ginger-brown hair stacking boxes of instant ramen in a cup and went to approach her. She turned her mahogany eyes to him, an odd elation entering her eyes, "Akise!"

Akise stared for a moment, dumbstruck for the second-time in one day. He rummaged his brain to find how he knew her. Then it clicked - Tsukishima Karyuudo's daughter, Hino Hinata. He had been hired by the dog enthusiast to locate the person who had been harassing his precious canines. He recalled Hinata as the girl who has been outside playing with a retriever name Alpha. They hadn't communicated, but her knowing who he was would make this much easier.

"Hello, Hinata. Nice to see you again. It's been a long time."

She snickered, standing up and punching him on the shoulder softly, expressing her own familiarity with the man, "Yeah, it's been a while! I'm glad you remembered me. I'm still extremely thankful to you for helping with the blind man who had been harassing our dogs. It's nice that he hadn't been intending to hurt our dogs. He was just a nut-job." She laughed at the memory.

Akise smiled politely, accustomed to his skills being praised, "Actually, Hinata, I have a request. I would like to know as much information on Amano Yukiteru-kun as you can provide."

Hinata abruptly gave him an angry glare, a reaction he had more or less expected. The suspicion in her brown eyes was intense, even more than it had been in Mao's. His felt internally conflicted.

Akise couldn't understand why, but he was annoyed and thankful at the same time. Why annoyed? He couldn't give a rational reason for his irritation. He considered that it was because of the defiance, but he knew that wasn't it. He decided to move past it. "Don't worry, Hinata. I'm not here to do him harm."

Hinata's glare subsided, replaced with a curious stare, "Then what are you here for?"

Good question, Hinata. I'm beginning to wonder that myself.

A smirk began to play on Akise's face, the detective amused by his own rare case of impulsiveness, "I'm positive Yukiteru-kun's innocent. It seems as though he had been dragged into a crime he didn't commit, and it seems by a phone call to the station that he had been framed for it. I want to figure out how and why he's being accused of these things. Could you tell me anything about him? I have no ill-motives, so you don't need to worry." he answered.

Hinata smiled, relaxing similarly to how Mao had earlier, "All right, Akise. I trust you. What do you want to know?"

"How did he feel two days ago? Did he have work? Why was he our past midnight? What is your relationship with him?"

Hinata registered all of the questions and tossed them around in her mind before replying, "He was completely normal. I mean, he was smiling and blushing at stupid things like usual. Nothing out of the ordinary. And yeah, he was here for work. His shift was from six at night until midnight that day, so that explains why he was out so late. And.." Hinata raised a brow, "What does my relationship with him have to do with the case?"

Akise was personally getting tired of his new-found speechlessness. What did it have to do with the case? She wasn't a suspect, and Akise knew she had done no wrong. So why? He wasn't sure, but he quickly had an excuse, "Depending on how close you are with him will impact your bias and the legitimacy of your answers. Your relationship would affect what I would be able to trust as fact from your words." His reasoning didn't even convince himself.

She laughed aloud, digging into her pocket and looking up at him, "Do you have a pen on you?" Akise nodded, reaching into his jacket for a black ball point pen. Hinata pulled out a miniature notebook, writing into it and folding the paper into many tiny rectangles. Akise frowned slightly in confusion, unable to understand why she would go through all the time just to fold it. "All right! Here you go. It's his address and a little note. Amano should be home now, so go there any time."

Akise smiled charmingly, "Thank you, Hinata. Really."

She rolled her eyes, shooing him away with her right hand, "I have to work. Go do your job and help Amano."

Akise nodded and turned around, glancing over at Mao, "Thank you very much for your assistance."

The lavender-haired girl giggled, "Hinata did a lot more for you. Amano will be happy for your help." She gave him a gentle smile.

Akise walked out feeling a bit excited again. After exiting the store, he opened the note to see the address. After reading it and committing it to memory, he saw a bit more scribbling below, and what was written threw him off-kilter.

Don't worry Akise. I'm not your rival in love; Amano's not in a relationship, so you have a chance!

Do your best, Hino Hinata.

Akise was completely lost for words and, for the fourth time in a single day, dumbstruck. This reaction not only from the shock of the words on the small sheet of paper, but by the relief he experienced. He felt his tense shoulders relax, almost going to far as to breathe out as if he had been holding his breath. He began walking towards Yukiteru's residence, knowing exactly where the location was.

Akise was shocked by his explosion of emotions this day. He was intelligent, cool-headed, and professional. Today he was constantly emotional and reactive to anything that had to do with the case.

He thought of his reactions - frustration, gratefulness, relief - and he thought of the situations that elicited such feelings.

When Hinata glared at him, suspicious of his motives, his feelings had been so contradicting, tossing between being thankful towards her and irritated over her. When he found that Yukiteru didn't have a romantic partner, he felt as though a weight had been lifted.

'I'm not your rival in love, so you have a chance!'

Akise stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, gaining curious looks from by-passers. He was confused over Yukiteru. He was reactive to things pertaining to Yukiteru. He was determined to help a boy he had never met. He had gone out of his way to find where the brunette worked and lived. If this was simply for the case, he could have received a sufficient amount of information from Nishijima. He didn't have to do so much. So why?

He wanted to meet Yukiteru.

Akise wanted to see and meet with Yukiteru. He was frustrated because Hinata knew that boy better than Akise did. He was thankful because she was protecting Yukiteru when Akise hadn't been. But the relief..?

Akise began walking again, picking up his pace. He couldn't properly explain it, not through logical means, but he wanted to meet with Yukiteru. Not only to solve this mystery, but he truly wanted to see the brunette. To hear his voice. To talk with him. To protect him.

Akise arrived where he wanted to be, looking over the house. It was modest - not too big nor too small. It had a simple white, grey, and maroon colour scheme along with a white picket fence that separated the house from the public walkways.

It was located in a calm neighborhood, not known for crime or any wrong-doings. This area wasn't full of delinquents, but then again, this area didn't have many children.

Akise entered through the fence, walking up the steps to the door. He buzzed the door bell and immediately heard something loud drop from the inside. Worry overcame the detective, wishing he could just run and ensure the safety of the brunette he knew was inside.

The door opened after an agonizing half-minute. The boy Akise had only seen on a television screen that morning appeared in front of him, flushed in the face, and gazed up at him with a puzzled look. Those large electric blue eyes and messy brown hair; the black long sleeve sweater that seemed to be a little too big for him, the collar drooping slightly to reveal a small tan shoulder.. Akise was enraptured.

Though he was soon forcefully dragged out of his trance, turning his crimson gaze back to questioning blue orbs that expressed every thought that passed the brunette's mind.

"Uhm.. may I help you?"

Akise's heart skipped a beat and decided to strum unsteadily, refusing to return to normal. His vermilion eyes went wide, a look of absolute surprise placed on his face. He stood in silence, simply staring in shock at Yukiteru.

"Are.. Are you all right?"

The uncertainty and concern in Yukiteru's angelic voice caused Akise's heart to speed up once again, his mind blanking on what to say. Somewhere in between that lovely sound leaving those beautiful pink lips and Akise's total loss of composure, a realization ran through his mind.

Is this love?