Hey, minna-sama! I'm glad to "spoil" you about this chapter! Probably, this one will clear out some things, straighten out some of your guesses or even put us in a more twisted confusion about the story.
As a gift, I'm putting a little preview by the end of this chapter, so you really need to browse through until you finish (yes, a strategy to make sure you read, haha!). Also, it's something irrelevant, but, as of now, Chapter 09 of The Hitman is now longest chappy! It was 11 pages long when I finished it in Word.
Anyway, enough of the rumbles for now (I've got space for it at the bottom part). Here you guys is 9th chapter of The Hitman. Enjoy~!
Warning: Those writing errors are all my sin!
Disclaimer: Meh...
The Hitman
Chapter 9
Chief Kasamatsu was put off with the expression Kise held that time, after he snuck a glance at his junior detective through the police car's rear-view mirror. Kagami, who asked to ride in with the pair from Kaijō in their way to Seirin, noticed the inspector via the same mirror he looked at. The redhead only remarked with a silent expression, pushing his pupils to the sides to gaze at the male who sat near him.
Kise Ryōta remained motionless at the back seat, the naturally blissful countenance replaced with a blank look. The blonde's usually lustrous orbs were nothing but empty pits of yellow, his lips that always parted to a smile now but a thin line that crossed horizontally over his face. Kise stared at the phone which he held in his right palm, looking and waiting for something in that little device. His eyes just bore through the item, with nothing to be witnessed other than lidless stare. The sides of his lips would tug down occasionally, which was then pulled back into that impassive line. He just appeared broken… and empty.
Kasamatsu Yukio never dug in deep about the blonde's past, but it was enough for him to see that scarred look from his fellow detective. He understood the younger male's situation, he may even understood his feelings for all its worth, but – heck – he felt so guilty that instead of an eruptive response from Kise, the blond merely made a muffled murmur under his breath. It all took but a second for the life around Kise to be reduced into nil; with a mortified look, the blond barely had enough voice to make a convincing plead for them to rush back to Seirin. Kasamatsu understood why his junior acted that way, because, even in an indirect way, Kaijō's chief inspector had a part in it.
Nevertheless, there was one point that Kasamatsu finally realized, a point that he had gazed at with a blind eye. Indeed, even though it may not seem at first glance, Kise Ryōta was perhaps the person who was most pressured with the affairs stemming from the 'Hitman Crimes.' Only few people truly know, but the blond was one of the rare witnesses of that event during the turn-over ceremony for the Generation of Mercenaries, the famed police detectives from Teikō. The event had weighed hard against Kise, and the blond took what happened back then deep into his heart. With the farce that happened on that fateful day – he'd not forget the date – during that morning of May 20, Kise had trudged over the difficult part, trying to pull himself together to who he was right now. Perhaps, one could say, Kise was still trying to piece himself to completeness, gradually healing himself.
Regrettably, just as Kise landed a place as Kaijō's detective, he was torn down between two conflicting views of justice.
The evidences we get are just circumstantial at to this point. Kasamatsu remembered his reasoning back then. He sternly believed that there were not enough evidences to point an accusing finger at Kiyoshi Teppei. Even though the other police departments were already looking down at Kaijō's reluctance over the possibility, Kasamatsu remained steadfast in raising his point to the others. Kiyoshi was still blameless. Kiyoshi was regarded as 'suspect,' but had the police agency itself forgot what it really meant? Kiyoshi was only to be put in a shroud of doubt; he was not the criminal yet unless all of the evidences proved otherwise.
Kise, at least, remained understanding of his suppositions. He never once heard a complaint from the blond, on about how Kaijō was not acting aggressive enough to bring down the hammer of judgment to the supposed hitman, Kiyoshi Teppei. Kise Ryōta never acted independently when it came to the ex-detective of Seirin, and had always asked Kasamatsu's judgment. Possibly, it was Kasamatsu himself who had forgotten to give some semblance of regard to his junior. Because even though how much he ignored it, Kise was being pressured by the other policemen to succumb to the idea that it was indeed Kiyoshi who should take all the blame. As a detective, Kise could not simply disregard the theory… but the blond was still able to maintain his sense of neutrality on the issue, despite the tousled conclusions of his fellow workmates from the Generation of Mercenaries.
However, this day, perhaps, could be the breaking point for the blond.
Not too while ago the phone in his hand had actually rung, with the blond enthusiastically accepting the call. Unfortunately, what Kise heard through the line was perhaps one of the most devastating words he had listened to.
"Kise–"
"Ne, senpai…" Kise finally spoke, although his voice was laced in a steely and cold tone. "Can you promise me that Kurokocchi's safe?" He stated, not even raising his head and looking at Kasamatsu, who sat in front, taking the one beside the driver's seat. "Can you tell me that he is safe?" The neutral tone was unsettling.
"I can't say." Kasamatsu responded, closing his eyes in remorse. "I don't want to make false reassurances. That's why I'm telling you that I don't know if Kuroko is fine."
"Why can't you, senpai?" Kise's head dropped forward, his golden locks covering his face. "Didn't you tell me that Kiyoshi was innocent? Didn't you say that he would not harm people?" The blond probably tried to make his voice sound accusing, but the sadness that crept all over him was too much to take in. "Then why can't you tell me that Kurokocchi is unharmed?!" With that, Kise yelled out loud, whipping his head angrily towards Kasamatsu. Finally, tears were able to find their way out of Kise's orbs, showering their way to his cheeks. "I trusted your judgment! I believed that what we are doing was right! But what just happened?!"
"Kise, calm down," Kasamatsu said, his hands curling into tight fists. He felt regretful right now. He could not mutter the correct words to appease Kise. He knew how hard he pushed Kise just to sway from the other headquarters' rushed verdict. He felt sorry that he had turned a blind eye over Kise's own standing. "What we say right now will not help with the situation back there. Please, compose yourself."
"I knew I should have just believed in Akashicchi back then!" Kise said in response. "I knew we should have not entrusted Kurokocchi to Seirin that time! It never made any sense that we left him to the care of the agency where that criminal came from!" The blond argued, his tears streaming more smoothly as more fluid washed down from his eyes. "That's why–"
Kagami would have retorted at those words from Kise, however he easily noticed the strained expression from the inspector and chose to remain silent. It was not his conversation and he had no right to express himself. But then…
"I messed up, alright?!" Kasamatsu now gave a feral response of his own. Nonetheless, he remained fixed in his seat, with his arms crossed over his chest. Kaijō's chief crunched his eyes closed, some muscles of his face twitching at how hard he was trying to suppress the feeling inside him. "I understand I messed up! I know it as soon as you turned silent! I'm not an idiot, Kise! When I spoke back to Akashi back then, I learned that everything will be my fault if things ended up wrongly!" Kasamatsu spat, not trying to look back at the blond, still shutting his eyes real tight.
"I am going to take responsibility." Kasamatsu Yukio continued to speak. "You can hate me for all what you want, but I am going to stick to my principles and stand by my words. I will not take back what I said to Inspector Akashi that time. I believed Kiyoshi back then, and I still believe him now." He paused for a while. "If it is responsibility you want for me, Kise, then I shall give it all to you… and to that Akashi. Even if it means that I lose my position and my own worth,"
No words came out after that. Kise Ryōta was only wide-eyed with the declaration, with tears still streaming by his face. Kasamatsu Yukio finally opened his eyes, his orbs a mix of both sadness and determination. He only looked ahead as their car inched forward to their destination back at Seirin. Indeed, this day was the breaking point, not just for Kise but also for Kasamatsu. Finally, after the long months that Kasamatsu tried to stay silent on his stand, he finally identified himself as the one who would remain loyal to his comrades.
After all, even before Kise came to Kaijō, Kiyoshi Teppei, together with the other detectives from Seirin, had already formed an unlikely bond with the police headquarter.
The news chopper continued to drift over the place while flashing its strong remote-controlled spotlight all over the location. The chopper's rotating blades thundered above the buildings, sweeping up the dust and smoke from the scorching building and sending the litters into the different direction. The green-haired detective's glasses reflected the light from the flying engine, illuminating the subtle frown threatening to grow into a permanent scowl upon his countenance. His locks swayed upon the sudden blast of the wind but he took no effort to brush and fix it. His mind was still in half chaos; the only thing that was important for him was the fulfillment of priorities and necessities. As long as the people were doing their jobs just to erase the pandemonium that descended upon the streets, Midorima couldn't care less about the other things.
"Cancers and Aquarius beware for today!" Midorima looked down balefully at the phone that he held. The white cord of his earphones was plugged into the phone's topside and ran up to his face, with a single earpiece inserted on his left ear. He gave a cursory glance at the mob of police and firemen that literally swallowed the street, the sirens and radio buzzes were a cacophony that drowned the whole area. He ignored it for the brief moment and settled to device he cradled in his palm. "Today is the worst day for you!" The high pitched voice easily pierced through his head. "To avoid any misfortune, the lucky item for Cancers is a stuffed African Collared Scops Owl plushy! Be sure to keep at your side!"
His lips tugged down. It had just been thirty minutes past midnight – the date already registered as August 7 –, and the fates suddenly decided to mess up with his life. He was half-amused that he decided to download Oha-Asa's application to his phone, now that he had an in-reach index of the horoscope for the day. However, he was partly chagrined at the fact that the zodiac tended to keep up on a tight schedule of time; just as soon as the time and date changed, so as the zodiacs' tendency to be lucky or to be worst moved into a different slide. It was not also the time for him to browse through the stores and find the item to lessen the misfortunes against him. Well, if shorter words were more understandable, it would simply summarized into a few words: Midorima was seriously fucked right now.
If fate was an invisible hand, humanity would then be chess pieces. It was not solely predetermination, but it was the human race's lack of ability to peek into the future. However, there were guides that exist around humanity, making man familiar to fate's caprice. It often fell to his belief, 'Man proposes, God disposes.' As a human being, he was blessed with the right to think for himself, but he would not ignore the small intricacies fate often presented. He was capable of doing things for his own, but his limitations as a human being was an ultimate blow to self-determination. He was concerned about the fact that there was always that one thing that would see things through, and his obedience to the matters of the stars was the thing that held him to a safe place. Nevertheless, everything was all coming true to Midorima's side; the hands of fate overturned his luck away from him. However…
Holding it no longer, Midorima finally approached the one who appeared to him as a senior fireman, while he pulled out the earphones from his ears and pocketed it together with his phone. With the seemingly perpetual grimace that embedded on his face, the green-haired detective further steeled his countenance before he struck the opening words to the obviously older male. He gave a curt bow to the person, before he expressed what was inside his mind.
"Can we get someone inside?" Midorima directly asked. Perhaps he'd finally been denied by reason, but he already felt sickened of waiting. Midorima Shintarō probably understood it well, but it was already the final stroke against his patience, and he now demanded an answer. He clearly understood what was happening, but he could not deny himself any longer – he needed some answers.
The older male brushed up the plastic composite, plexiglass-like visor that covered his face. The fireman only gave a dubious look towards Midorima, seemingly entranced by the question fired at him. If it was merely an innocent or a completely insensitive question, he would still yet know. "I'm afraid we can't, sir." He responded, offering an upfront answer to the straightforward question given to him. In times like that, the outcome would not be good if he beat around the bush.
However, the green-haired man suddenly appeared incensed. The fireman could not blame him, but he wasn't exactly a deliverer of good news at the moment. "We have two people trapped inside the building." Midorima's frown even went deeper. The fireman had been briefed earlier about it, and he then remembered that the man who stood before him was the one who calmly explained the situation to the responding firemen and police. He regarded his earlier show of composure minutes ago, but why ask him that if he knew the situation? "Can't you do anything?" Midorima continued, annoyance flaring up inside him.
"Sir, I don't want to say this–" In fact, he did not want to. Nevertheless, it was the only way to pacify the man before him. With no other choice, the fireman continued, "–but with the fire blazing like that, even an amateur fireman will understand that no one will survive inside that." He finally said, and regretted his own words. The apparent vexation on the younger male's face twisted into that of shock and confusion. Even though Midorima tried his best to remove any semblance of emotion on his expressions, it was not enough to hide the evidence appearing before him.
Then, there were some footsteps behind him, Midorima heard.
And there was Aomine.
Midorima Shintarō looked completely surprised by his previous workmate's appearance, the hint of disbelief clearly written over his face. He should have expected this turn of event, but it never did register in his head. In fact, knowing that Momoi was with him earlier meant that Aomine was just probably around somewhere, Midorima internally concluded. But, just right now, he felt that his mind just blew up on itself. Just when he could no longer contain his own emotions, Midorima only looked at Aomine Daiki with those lifeless green orbs of his own.
And then he heard it.
"Who will not survive what?" Those words escaped Aomine's lips, with Midorima practically startled upon hearing them. "You just don't give those bullcrap of words in a situation like this," Aomine moved and towered over the fireman, his eyes narrowing down at the shorter figure. After he had glared over the fireman, Aomine slowly turned his head at the green-haired male. "Midorima, what shit is this man saying?"
"Y-You came after all," Midorima responded unwillingly, adjusting his glasses in the process. Aomine eyed him confusedly at first, before he started to walk and approached the detective from Shūtoku.
"Where the hell is Satsuki?" Aomine asked first and, besides from the gruff greeting he made seconds ago, his voice denoted that he came only by his whim, without being bothered to know exactly what happened. Midorima understood it right away, of course.
"She is resting by the ambulance," Midorima answered.
"Is she hurt?" Aomine's tone sounded dangerous. "What happened to her?" He demanded.
"She went unconscious after the stress overwhelmed her."
"I only heard of this from the radio," Aomine just said, relaxing slightly upon hearing that Momoi Satsuki was fine. "If she had mentioned it to you, Kaijō and Kise went the hell away from their headquarters to respond to some crime or whatever." He looked up at the still-burning building, whistling a 'whoah, that's huge' comment before he turned his head back at the other male. The tanned detective said, still appearing oblivious. "Called up Kise, said Seirin was with them." He shared; unknowingly making Midorima recoil at his spot.
"Y-You don't know yet?" Midorima unconsciously voiced out.
"What the hell do I not know?" Aomine raised an eyebrow.
"When he said Seirin, it seems he is not talking about the entire bunch that stayed inside that," Midorima said, flustered, while he pointed his left hand at the structure on fire.
"Shush it, Midorima." Aomine responded, now glaring at the other one. "I'm confused, you know?"
"I am not going to make this harder for both of us. I don't know that you have no idea about what happened, even after you called Kise by phone." Midorima Shintarō leveled his eyes and glared hard at Aomine, not because he was infuriated with the seemingly aggressive display from the tanned male. The feeling of anger began to simmer inside him again; that deep anger for himself of not being able to do anything. He silently cursed himself for his ineptness. He hated himself for not doing anything good. As his hands curled into fists, Midorima once again held his emotions inside him. "Kuroko was inside that building when the explosion happened."
Aomine Daiki only stood silent, his naturally constricted look taking a different form. There was disbelief that swam upon his eyes, then confusion, then irritation and then anger. There was a sudden influx of different emotions and it started to cloud his thoughts. There appeared an ominous glimmer upon his eyes, before he shoved his hands by Midorima's collar. Even though he was only some centimeters shorter than the green-haired detective, Aomine's aura still made him loom over the other male. "What the fuck happened, Midorima?" The tanned male practically growled. "That's not true," Aomine's deep voice was angry.
"I am sure."
"That's not fuckin' true!" Aomine rumbled again. His eyes darted over the area, flashing a petrified look that clamored on his face. He knew Midorima wasn't lying though. There was that goddamn feeling that swelled inside him, just as soon as he heard the news. He was never a believer for superstitious ideas, but there was an awful feeling that tugged on his chest. As he drove towards Seirin, he silently wished that his mind was just playing tricks on him, that there weren't really something wrong that happened. Fuck. But his damn chest was pounding hard. He was really confused… and so terribly affronted by his thoughts. There was only one thing do.
"I'm going inside," Aomine declared, his eyes still blank from the surprise and horror. The aggressive shroud that always blanketed him intensified as Aomine kept on fighting the emotions inside him. "I'm going to damn prove that Tetsu isn't inside, Midorima." He hissed.
"Are you out of your mind, Aomine?" It was the first time that day that Midorima yelled out loud. "Going suicidal is not going to help!"
"And what do you want me to do?! Believe you?!"
"You don't have to believe me." Midorima snarled. "But going inside there is enough for me to stop you from your crazy ideas." The green-haired detective moved in front of Aomine, in an attempt to blockade the tan male. "Whether he was aware or not, it was due to Kuroko's decision that things have come into this."
It was thing that flared up the anger inside Aomine. He flung himself towards Midorima and sent his tight fist towards his face. The contact between Aomine's hand and Midorima's face produced a loud thud that resonated, which ended up in Midorima falling haplessly to the ground. The green-haired detective's glasses easily fell from his face and landed beside him. Aomine rushed over the fallen Midorima and grabbed the latter's collar once again. He pulled his fist back in order to propel another hit, but something inside him had stopped him. Aomine did not bother to know what it was. His eyes were stagnant, looking angrily back at Midorima.
"Are you blaming him?!" Aomine yelled. "Are you saying it's his fault?!"
"I respected him, but the choices he picked made me look ill of him," Midorima answered, ignoring the pain on his cheek. "He is part of the Generation of Mercenaries. But, ignoring even that, he should have been a great man. Nevertheless, his poor choices led him to his gradual demise." The green-haired detective scowled back at Aomine. "If he had not chosen to remain in Seirin, then he won't end up–"
"Fuck you!"
"Do not be a hypocrite, Aomine." Midorima said, preempting the tanned male's another effort to hit him. "Do not talk as if you did not shun him at all. Even I know that everyone else resents his decision to quit. You're laughable, Aomine. You're here, criticizing me of deploring Kuroko, and yet I should have the most important reason to say those words." Midorima glared, not thinking anymore the possible repercussions of his words. If Aomine was going to send him into a world of pain, then so be it. He was already at pain – the agony born through his faults, the agony from not being able to save someone else. "Why don't you tell me the reason why he resigned?"
"You know nothing," Aomine just said, although it was apparent that he was stunned by those words. He finally let go of Midorima's collar. Then, just as Midorima thought that Aomine was backing down, the tanned male used his recently freed left hand to deliver another blow against Midorima. "You know nothing!" He shouted, peppering Midorima with continuous punches.
Most people did have the tendency to talk as if they understand everything. Aomine did not mind it at all. It was natural for people to make an impression that they knew things, for it was one of the ways to avoid being looked down by society. However, Midorima just stepped over the line and successfully invaded Aomine's realm, which he would not forgive so easily. What happened back then was something people would not understand at a snap. What happened to him and Tetsu was not something to be brought up. When Aomine finally settled down once he started in Tōō, the issue rose up again as if a ghost that was never able to let go. He was haunted by the past and Aomine was just a grasp away from that past. He continued to yell angrily.
"Do not speak as if you were there!"
The detectives from Seirin were silent as they rode together back at Seirin. Kagami had chosen to journey back with Kise and Kasamatsu, since they were in a hurry and were going to use a faster car. They understood how Kagami was deeply affected by the news as well, and, that time, they could not simply usher him down. Too much had happened in one night; too much had been said in those long hours… It was a difficult time for all of them but it could not be denied that it was Seirin who was at the center of it all.
They were inside the silver Toyota Land Cruiser that Mitobe drove, with Koganei sitting next to him, while Riko, Hyūga and Izuki were at the midseats. A single thought strangled them to the poisonous silence, their lips zipped and without enthusiasm to spark up a little dialogue. The idea was still inconclusive, but there was reason enough for them to believe. In fact, it was the only possible theory that time… and when theories were supposed to be tested for validity, one would oftentimes find it real. Kiyoshi did not lie when he said that the phone was a trigger for some explosives, but he did bluff about its location. Upon discovering that the call was made not within the Hicenn facility but, instead, to a particular number in Seirin, they knew that the fire that now destroying the agency was not an accident but the product of the threat Kiyoshi made.
Just as when he was shot, Kiyoshi managed to trigger the explosives through the phone call and detonated them remotely.
They know Kiyoshi was a gentle individual but–
"Why Seirin?" It was Koganei who broke the silence. He twisted his head to the people at the back and gave them a solemn expression. "I know Kiyoshi loved Seirin, but why did he do it to us?" It was not Koganei Shinji's nature to doubt a friend, but with the events that shook them up, even the good-natured Koganei was swept with a delicate thought. A large frown spoiled his face.
"He will not do it without any sensible reason," Hyūga just spoke, still trying to sort out the meaning of the happenstance.
"But he has done it, Hyūga," Izuki now spoke, his pupils narrowing as he looked at his captain. He wanted to remain composed, but the evidences simply kept piling to the point that they could not be overlooked. "Like you, I trust Kiyoshi. B-But there is a fine line between trust and our duty to straighten things out," he reasoned, not particularly liking the idea of blaming Kiyoshi like the other police headquarters. "We have seen it with our own eyes, right?"
"Even so, I know there is something behind it,"
"Hyūga!" Izuki finally raised his voice. "You're not like this! You're just saying that because you are protective of Kiyoshi!" Izuki Shun flexed his neck away from the captain, suppressing the brewing resentment inside him. "We understand that you care for Kiyoshi, but please be fair to us too."
Hyūga Junpei was startled upon hearing that. Izuki was correct; he was putting his personal feelings in the affair and it already meddled in his judgment as a detective. He thought that he was putting reason forward by trying to get into Kiyoshi's side, but it seemed that it was already reason blinded by emotions. Sometimes, people could easily be fooled that they were the right thing, but, in the end, what was right to them was simply a whim of their feelings. Human judgment could never only be objective. After all, humanity's thought was subjective. Slowly, the shocked expression on his face was turned into that of grief and sadness.
"I-I'm sorry," he mumbled softly, as his lips quivered into a frown.
"It's fine, Hyūga-kun," Riko held a small smile of her own, although there was still that obvious tint of melancholy on her face. "After all, I do feel the same about Teppei… I can't really blame you for what you feel." Hyūga instantly noticed her and held a slightly amazed expression, although it only lasted for mere seconds when he pulled out his eyes away from her and turned it to the scenery outside the car.
"We are entitled to our own emotions," Koganei added, a tiny grin plastered on his face, which Hyūga immediately sighted. Koganei Shinji did gave out the feeling that he wanted to say it was okay, but Hyūga could not simply ignore the sidesplitting countenance that blessed Kogane's look. Even so, he felt faintly happy for those thoughtful words. "No one's going to blame or anything."
"Y-Yes," Izuki faked a cough, his cheeks blushing in a light color of red. He felt he sounded villainous a while ago, and the words from his fellow detectives made him feel awkward. "I'm not really saying that what you're telling earlier is wrong, Hyūga." He said, diffusing the aura of unease around them. "I mean, every one of us is just so confused about what happened… and I want to know the truth just as how much you want it, Hyūga." He told his chief.
"I understand, Izuki." Hyūga responded, with a little smile on his face. Nevertheless, an ominous glint flared off from his frameless glasses; Hyūga's eyes suddenly turned severe. "I'm not going to forget what you said, though, Izuki." At the same time, his voice turned cold and rugged, piercing Izuki and making his knees wobble at an uncomfortable thought. "However," Hyūga's expression turned sour again, the appearance of the clutch personality vanishing in an instant, "from the sounds of it, it seems our agency building's done for."
"We don't have the time to think about that," Riko said. "We are the Seirin Detective Agency, not that building." She pointed out, although there was a noticeable mien that told her of her bereavement over what happened. "However, I'm really curious as to Teppei's motives about his last action." She finally stated; the question that bombarded their minds.
"Di-Did Kiyoshi have any grudge towards Seirin?" Koganei reluctantly asked as he kept his face turned at the back seats. Mitobe also flashed his eyes through the rearview mirror intermittently, also keeping an attentive ear over the conversation. Even though he would not speak himself out frequently, Mitobe Rinnosuke was a man that deeply cared for the well-being of his fellow detectives in the agency.
"If there is one thing I can be sure of," Hyūga began to answer, crossing his arms over his chest, "is that he is not a person who grudges so easily to others." He told them, his face creasing at the thought of a resentful Kiyoshi. "Though, I can say that, probably, if there is one person who he loathes right now, then it will be the phantom hitman."
Upon hearing those words, the rest of Seirin turned a skeptical gaze at Hyūga. Seirin's detective seemed unfazed by the untoward attention directed to him, and kept his cool, despite the lingering afterthought. Hyūga Junpei did not marvel in roundabout manner, and, as much as possible, kept a straightforward action over things. Nevertheless, there were those factors that made things complicated, issues that deemed him silent for a while. Now, as those serious looks were thrown to him, Hyūga had finally realized the extent upon which he could hide a certain fact.
"H-Hyūga!" Izuki muttered his friend's name, voice doubtful. "Don't tell me you now believe in Kagami's theory?"
"You're even the one who shuts Kagami up when he speaks about that!" Koganei pointed.
"It was a different matter before." Hyūga replied. "There is a reason why I always prevent Kagami from looking into the phantom hitman. I haven't really told you guys everything, but I think it's now necessary for you to know about it." He paused for a while. Riko and the others wore both a curious and frantic expressions as they waited for further words from their chief. "Apparently, Kiyoshi chose to leave Seirin because he was pursuing the trail made by the phantom hitman. He did not leave us because he was merely trying to escape from the police; it was because he tried to find out who the phantom hitman is." He declared.
Riko gasped upon hearing the statement. Izuki and Koganei only held an openmouthed expression. Mitobe's eyes widened, trying to gain composure since he was the one who drove the car. They were silent for a moment, trying to settle in upon the information that was given to them by their chief detective. The idea was farfetched, but it was Kiyoshi Teppei who they were talking about. Perhaps, it was not totally plausible, but still…
"I don't want Kagami taking in some weird ideas, but in the way he often tell us that he believes in an existence of that phantom hitman makes me wonder if he has solid proof." Hyūga continued to explain. "Perhaps, it was one way for me not to put my emotions into it; I also felt anxious that I might be drawn into Kagami's ideas." Hyūga barked a soft laugh, which garnered the attention of his fellow detectives once again. "I might really be protective of Kiyoshi, but I was really trying my best to remain objective."
"Hyūga-kun, are you telling us now that Kagami-kun's assumptions aren't totally baseless?" Riko questioned, looking more confused than inquisitive. "By the way," she trailed a look at her hand, cell phone at grasp. "I'm trying to contact Kagami-kun, but he isn't answering." She told them.
"He's with Kasamatsu; you shouldn't worry about him right now." Hyūga just responded. He took a breath and continued. "At first, I didn't believe in that message from Kiyoshi telling me and Kasamatsu that he knew something about the phantom hitman." He slowly moved his hands over his pants and shoved his hand inside his pocket. Not a second longer, he fished out an enveloped and revealed them to his fellow detectives. "On the second thought, however, it seemed that Kiyoshi's efforts were not really in vain." He took a hasty look over Riko's face before he turned it back to the item in hand. "I found it with Kiyoshi and took it. For now, I don't have any intentions of giving it to Kaijō." He closed his eyes for a moment, and breathed out a sigh.
"And yes, Riko," he said, keeping his eyes shut. "Kagami's ideas are not groundless." Using his fingers, Hyūga twisted the envelope and showed to his friends the other side. Just as soon as they took a peek of that portion, all of them, sans Hyūga, had a disconcerted visage. "It seems that Kiyoshi was waiting for a proper person to continue his work, as insurance if in cases he could not complete it."
Written on the other portion of the manila envelope, opposite of where the flap was placed, was a cleanly pieced text in bold that they all recognized as Kiyoshi's own handwriting: For Kagami Taiga.
memory card/mnt/extSdCard/Kise Files/Sounds/
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[gruff voice]––and better keep your phone back to your pocket, Kise.
[clothes rustles] Why though, Kasamatsu-senpai? [whines] It's not like it's going to disturb you or something. [sounds become muffled]
Kasamatsu: I don't need to point out that you need to act respectfully, baka [loud slap over skin sounds]. Keep your phone. Stand straight. Show composure [sighs]
Kise: Ouch… [soft murmur] That hurts, senpai [pauses, footsteps loudens]. Besides, it's just Akashicchi we're going to visit [soft giggles].
Kasamatsu: [audible growl] Just? [silence] You are taking in the whole idea wrong, Kise [more footsteps]. Do not presume that because you are previous workmates, you can feign professionalism and let your former camaraderie take point. [silence]
Kise: [odd whimper] I-I didn't mean to say that to offend you, Kasamatsu-senpai! [sobbing sounds]
Kasamatsu: No offense taken [sighs]. Sooner or later, I would still have to tell you that. The point is that you are an officer of Kaijō right now. [pause, knocking sounds over a wooden object] You are now obliged to work together with us, with Kaijō… [clears throat] This is Kasamatsu Yukio, Chief Inspector of Kaijō Police Department.
[silence] Come in.
[door creaks open, footsteps, door being closed sounds, more footsteps]
Akashi: Good afternoon, Inspector Kasamatsu, Ryōta [pauses]. Forgive me for calling you far out here. Please, both of you take a seat.
Kasamatsu: Good afternoon, as well [odd pause, sounds of chair being moved]. Ano… [voice sounds reluctant] Do you mind if you turn your chair around, Inspector Akashi? [coughs weakly] It is more courteous for us to talk face-to-fa––
Kise: A-A-Akashi-kun, Kasamatsu-senpai's just a stricter for procedures [odd laughter]. He's just so formal, so you can kinda e-expect those kinds of words from him! [strained laughter continues, silence]
Akashi: I don't mind right now, Ryōta [sound of chair swiveling]. I also called you out for mere police business. Perhaps both of us want to finish this session immediately [paper rustles].
Kasamatsu: The sooner the better.
Akashi: Inspector Kasamatsu, [more paper rustling] I have been brought to awareness that Kaijō is still yet to put the 'Hitman Crimes' to full priority [papers drops over table]. Please do tell me that it's just being delayed for an appropriate reason. [silence]
Kasamatsu: Those crimes are being monitored by Kaijō seriously [papers being restacked sounds]. The evidences we get are just circumstantial at to this point.
Akashi: They don't need to be circumstantial [pause]. Exactly three weeks ago, Rakuzan, Shūtoku and Tōō had declared that someone as the primary suspect for the crimes [hostile snort]. What comes after that does not need to be difficult.
Kasamatsu: You are just trying to say that the evidences need to be baseless [harsh exhale]. Inspector Akashi, just because most of the policemen point their finger at a suspect doesn't mean that we are already looking at the criminal [inhales]. Forgive my rudeness, but Kaijō stands to the belief that as long as the evidences remain circumstantial, Kiyoshi Teppei remains a suspect – not as an indirectly labeled criminal [chair moving sounds].
Kise: Kasamatsu-senpai?
Kasamatsu: Forgive our intrusion then, Inspector Akashi [clothes rustle]. Kise and I have work to do back at Kaijō.
Akashi: Inspector Kasamatsu, [pauses] I want to tell you that what I say is absolute [another chair moves]. I can see the downfall of Kaijō if you remain obstinate in what you stand for. I don't need to warn you more.
Kasamatsu: Just like the last message I sent you, [footsteps, door opens] we can only see that Kiyoshi Teppei had been framed for the crimes. I can even assure you that he has the information about who really caused this hellish nightmare against all of us [pauses]. [more footsteps]
Akashi: If Kiyoshi did know, then why has he remained silent all this time? [annoyed snicker] That itself is a bane against himself. If he wished to profess his innocence, then he should have revealed himself a long time ago.
Kasamatsu: I'm sure every one of us has reasons [pauses]. I'm not defending him, but I am waiting for the time for him to appear with the evidences that will leave him faultless. Again, sorry for taking your time [footsteps moving away].
Kise: Sorry, Akashicchi. I don't know what came over senpai… [stutters, footsteps, door closes, footsteps] Senpai, did you know you just challenged Akashicchi?!
Kasamatsu: I don't care [tongue clicks]. Just you wait, Kise. Before we lost contact with Kiyoshi, he was able to relay to Hyūga and me that he have some vital information [exhales, footsteps]
Kise: What is it, Kasamatsu-senpai? [curious hum]
Kasamatsu: A phantom hitman. [pauses]
Kise: W-Whaat?!
- End of Chapter -
Sorry about Aomine-kun's part. I know it's a little weak but when I watched the anime again I felt really hurt and hated Aomine during the Seirin and Touou arc. *sniffs* It became too personal for me...
If you're strictly following the time period, you'll notice that all the events (excluding flashbacks etc) from Chapter 02 to 08 actually happened mostly on the latter half of August 6 (09AM to 12MN). It meant to me that I spent 7 chapters in writing events that happened in a single day! Haha! (lol).
Slowly, facts and figures begin to appear. Sooooo... were you able to spot those "important words" that were written in the chapter? *smirks* Let me write those which attracted me the most: "framed" (by Kasamatsu), "resigned" (by Midorima), "phantom hitman" (by Hyūga). Haha! So many questions floating around... mysteries yet to be uncovered.
Still a question stands higher than the rest: Why did Kiyoshi do it to Seirin? Hoho... *smirks*
Thanks for reading! Reviews are highly appreciated! :)
... on to our preview!
"Tetsuya," Akashi spoke out the other male's name.
"Akashi-kun," Kuroko responded in a semi-glad tone. "I also hope for that time wherein the police are not needed anymore."
The teal-head's right hand appeared from behind him and revealed a gun of his own. Even Akashi was now startled at the behavior but did not react as soon. He only watched silently as Kuroko flattened his gaze back to him, raising the gun's muzzle… over Akashi's chest.
- End of Preview -