Shades of Grey: Sable
Thursday, 5 March. 08:22:38.
In a quirk of irony, Kid has seen fit to name the first school day between the end of exams and the end of the school year as the day of his next heist. Between the two, the halls are full of excited chatter.
Dodge schoolmates—there's no rush, the school bell won't ring for another seven minutes and twenty-two seconds—and hold against the ground just long enough to switch to school slippers with a grace that is not actually reflexive. It's better than teetering when a lack of visual input plays havoc with your balance, and when first formulating the details of the masquerade, Eric had insisted that there be a few ways to show off, if only privately. Whether it's a successful stress release valve or not, still being sane after six-odd years means something is working.
Pointedly ignore the pessimistic inner voice wondering if that something was Eric rather than the occasional private indulgence.
Ignoring is made easier by exchanging greetings with a few classmates on the way to the second floor—technically the third under Japanese convention—eyes theoretically focused on the open criminal forensics article atop the other books. Having a secondary focus during conversations has always worked well, and a reputation as a bookworm is hardly unwelcome. It's always been that way, even before the accident, preferring seclusion to classmates who couldn't keep up. Just Eric was enough.
"Good morning, Kaito!" Stop just outside the classroom door at the delight in Aoko's voice, not wanting to risk interrupting her excitement by entering. A pulse from around the corner is sufficient to capture her expression, and it's impossible to nothold her in edge, capturing each movement in mind as she speaks. "Did you know I entered a raffle for PrincePrince concert tickets? Guess how I did!"
"You got 'em, right?" Surprisingly, Kuroba's voice is unmistakably apathetic, and his face has temporarily shed the typical theatre-mask countenance to match. Aoko doesn't seem to find this remarkable, either, which is potentially significant.
"Right! I got two tickets!" She cannot be unaware how oddly—'adorable' is the only word that comes to mind—she is with her hands clasped under her chin. She seems determined to present herself as younger than she is, between certain mannerisms and her third-person method of self-reference—that sort of thing seems common among primary and lower secondary school students, not among high schoolers—but after only little over a week's observation determining why is impossible.
"Anyone could figure that out from your face, idiot," Kuroba retorts, level of interest unchanging.
"What's with you?" Aoko demands, disappointment audible. "I was going to ask you to come, but keep it up and I'll ask someone else."
Step inside the room before thought catches up with reflex, silently dropping books on the desk to Kuroba's left as the other teen dismisses Aoko for a second time. This is a perfect opportunity, and Kuroba won't even be able protest.
"How troublesome, my lady."
Cognition still hasn't caught up with instinct. When she turns, the automatic response is to take refuge in a short list of personal information. Their solid truth is a comfort until the realisation hits partway through that as pick-up lines go, this spiel probably belongs solidly in the 'narcissistic twit' category.
Since it can't be taken back and half the classroom has turned to watch, the first attempt to ask a girl out might as well fail with style.
"It would be an honor to accompany you anywhere." Capturing her hand for a brief kiss belongs to a foreign set of manners, the thought hits belatedly, a set somewhat crosswise to the use of polite Japanese, but it's beyond caring about at this point. Odd but harmless, that's all… and the faint pressure of her hand and warmth of her skin reaffirms that all other sensory evidence to the contrary, the world is made of flesh and blood and not of stone.
Inner pessimism rears its head once more to point out that Eric and Aidan used to provide that reassurance, so why choose to leave them behind again? Quash it with such ferocity while focusing edge and gaze on Aoko that the look is probably cross-eyed.
"The man who refuses your offer is not worthy of your company."
"B…But…" She turns her head slightly, sneaking a sidelong glance at Kuroba. It seems the classroom bet on their relationship probably exists for a reason.
"Hmph, a detective who can't catch Kid and the daughter of the Inspector who can't either…" A derisive laugh accompanies Kuroba's manic grin. "You two are well-matched!"
If Kuroba refuses to acknowledge it, however…
"Hey, what do you mean by that?" Aoko protests, turning her back to give Kuroba a hurt look.
A small chuckle escapes. Far be it to ignore a chance to prod the fascinating puzzle that is Kuroba, as well. "You favor Kid so much… How about a wager? Tonight, if I can catch Kid…" Lightly rest a hand on Aoko's shoulder, and wonder if the almost imperceptible movement Kuroba makes when she looks back counts as a twitch. "Would you allow me to go with you?"
Aoko fairly lights up, all smiles again, an image carefully tucked away into memory. "Yeah! If you catch him, we can go to the concert together."
In the unusually quiet noise level of the classroom, Kuroba's faint snigger is easy to pick out. "Hah, like Kaitou Kid will let you catch him."
"Kid is a genius, unlike yourself." At least there is no evidence for such, much less any claim to it on Kuroba's part, not even in jest. Nor does Kuroba have any idea just how talented Kid truly is, and likely never will.
"I won't use an ordinary trap with him…" In fact, Kid's surprise for tonight took over half of the previous weekend to prepare, collaborating with one of the researchers in Grandfather's lab. "But on the off chance that I lose, I'll concede you the privilege of being Aoko-kun's escort to the concert tonight."
"Interesting!" Sight isn't necessary to sense the growing pressure of Kuroba's full attention, like an invisible storm. Perhaps Kuroba cares for Aoko more than he openly admits. "I don't actually want to go, but I'll accept your challenge. Watching you lose sounds like fun."
Or perhaps Kuroba is simply that Kid-obsessed. It's impossible to tell for sure.
12:03:56
After the drama of the confrontation, the class's relief is almost palpable when Kuroba proceeds to do nothing disruptive through the lunchtime bell. He seems practically attentive, even going so far as to volunteer answers during History and Japanese, though the tell tale sounds of doodling occur during both Mathematics and Chemistry.
At the bell a gaggle of female classmates, judging by the squeals and sudden increase of perfume in the vicinity, promptly descend on Aoko and carry her in their wake to retrieve their lunches. An overhead demand for 'Details!' as they exit the room promptly confirms that inside the building will be an undesirable location for the next thirty minutes. Retreating goes unnoticed by all except possibly Kuroba, and even then the distance makes it uncertain if the pulse-image of Kuroba facing the back of the room means Kuroba is watching him, or watching Aoko's egress, or something else only the magician knows.
There's been a promising tree by the football (traditional, not American) clubhouse, but no opportunity to investigate before today: the week before exams had half the class asking personal questions during lunch period, and then recent days have alternated between eating with Aoko's circle of friends and simply falling asleep across the desk from the moment the morning's last test finished until the post-lunch clean up began. Today is an ideal day to remedy the earlier neglect, winter sun shining through the clouds to lessen the worst of the cold.
Retrieve coat and bento from their places, quickly switch to outdoor shoes and head outside. One quick pulse reveals the best ascent route, and hooking the bento's wrapping cloth onto one wrist leaves both hands free to climb.
Reach the lowest crook of branches and trunk in a matter of seconds without edge-cheating, and settles experimentally against the smooth bark. The smooth is important—it's impossible stretch out and nap after eating if the branch is rough against shoulders or chest. Luckily, this tree seems perfectly suitable, and a delighted grin spreads while unpacking lunch in the privacy of ten feet off the ground. Let the grin stay there while eating, because everyone else in the school has better things to do at the moment than look out the window and catch the display of open emotion.
Appetite sated, lean back with hands clasped over the stomach and eyes closed, letting the mind drift. It's not the same as sleep, but it's restful all the same, and letting one's thoughts order themselves on occasion leaves the mind clearer afterward.
Unsurprisingly, said mind wanders back to the puzzle of contradictions that is Kuroba. He's not quite a complete opposite—standing out from the crowd is a similarity, if for different reasons—but he's not like anyone else ever known before, either. There's a carelessness to him, and a certain tone in his voice (when not arguing with Aoko) that feels reminiscent of Eric when sharing a private joke. Kuroba seems to be having his own private joke with the rest of the world.
In the privacy of personal thoughts, it's possible to admit to being faintly jealous of Kuroba's devil-may-care attitude. Planning life down to the minuscule details can't be helped, because there are a dozen things to account for at any given time in order to keep everything running smoothly, what with being stuck not-quite-blind in a world that won't take kindly to discovering that something akin to pressure-telekinesis and (not so theoretically, any more) other edges exist.
Of course, that's assuming that Kuroba's careless approach to life is real, rather than a similarly calculated front to downplay a mind clever enough to blend in, and to detract from how elaborate the planning must be for Kuroba's legendary pranks. Masks inside of masks…
Kuroba's mind should definitely be put to the test.
Easier to deny any personal want, pessimism whispers, hoping for an equal but not being willing to risk a friend.
If Kuroba rises to the bait and turns out to be as smart as suspected, it will confirm the need to take the same care at school as when working with law enforcement.
And Kuroba would be a safe rival, who can't potentially ruin any developing reputation with colleagues who only tolerate their young intruder at the moment. Someone who, unlike Kid, can't disappear while one tries to figure out what makes him tick.
Abruptly sit up and jump lightly to the ground, empty bento box tucked under an arm. There are better things to do than listen to a mental voice when it contradicts sound logic. Especially when it sounds too much like Eric for comfort.
It's easier to consider an appropriate puzzle to drop on Kuroba, one not so easy as to be insulting and not so difficult that he can't at least respond. The rumination serves well as a distraction during clean up and continues in the background through afternoon classes. By final dismissal, settle on the classic, simplest version of the Knights and Knaves puzzle, and need only the best way to make Kuroba unable to ignore it. Without giving the rumor mill fodder in the meantime—it doesn't bear thinking about what Keiko's compatriots would spin if they saw the note being slipped into Kuroba's shoe locker.
If that happened, Eric would laugh his head off when he heard and say that the consequences were well deserved. To avoid anything of the sort, the best way to approach is to be obvious without being ostentatious. To that end, while the rest of the class gathers their belongings and prepares to scatter to their respective clubs or cleaning duties, pick up the puzzle as written out during the last five minutes of English and set it on Kuroba's desk.
"Eh, what's this?" The self-proclaimed magician pokes the paper gingerly with a finger, as if expecting it to explode.
"Since you're so enamored of an international thief, I thought you should appreciate an international riddle."
"Wow, you wrote it in English, Hakuba-kun?" Keiko declares. "Your writing is so tidy!"
"I've had a great deal of practice." Force the dryness out, Keiko means well. Packs books into their briefcase instead, and pulse. Kuroba's eyes are narrowed faintly, considering. Perfect. "If the English is too difficult for you, Kuroba-kun, I could attempt a Japanese translation…"
If it weren't impossible, the grin revealed by a subsequent pulse would almost seem to have fangs. "Nah. Stuff always gets lost in translation." The paper rustles as Kuroba folds and tucks it away somewhere. "Have fun losing at the heist tonight, Hakuba-kun."
This time, allow the dry sarcasm free reign. "I'm sure I'll manage somehow."
Either Kid will be caught, or Kuroba will go with Aoko to the concert tonight. Either way, Aoko will be happy. It's possible to be content for the time being with that.
However, since accompanying Aoko to the concert is so desirable, it's time to bloody well make Kid work for the heist this evening.
Please review!
Ocianne
6/10
