A/N: Hay, I hope you're all starting to get the title of the FF by this point xD I was wondering about it for a long time and unfortunately this is the only thing I could come up with. Although I think it suits everything quite well.
By the way, I know the first part of this chapter turns Anna's character completely around, at least from how I've portrayed her until now. Well, what can I say, I like Anna! /and I don't really know many people who don't/ And, just to mention, her last word, 'Itterashai' That's a completely Japanese thing and it can't really be properly translated although 'Take care' is the usual choice. That, or 'Have a safe trip'. It's a way of saying 'goodbye' to someone who's leaving the home when you're staying there. So I hope that makes it a little bit clearer.
And, sorry that I'm including so much Japanese all of a sudden. I had decided not to use it in this fic. Otherwise you'd be seeing a lot of '-san's, '-kun's and '-chan's after the names. But there are simply places that I can imagine much better with something Japanese. Maybe I'm just too obsessed with the language. Many people claim that xD
Oh, and congratulations to Ali Yume who guessed the new character! And that would be... ta da da dam... Sorry, you'll find out yourself xD Her 'present' will be a HaoxYou OneShot written specially for her. Congrats :P
Look at What They Did to Us
Yoh lied down on the bed and hit the 'Call' button. It was finally that time of the week! It felt like he had to wait forever. Hearing Hao only once a week was pure torture, he realized… But it had to be done. Especially with the family meeting that was being held right now to decide his faith. If his parents and grandfather thought he was distancing himself from the other boy that he was away… It could have some good influence on their decision.
Or at least he hoped so.
And so that led to him playing 'normal' all the time, spending his nights with his family and 'accidentally' forgetting his cell phone almost every night in the main room of the inn.
It had been Anna's idea, actually. Yoh himself knew he would have never thought of something like that. It sounded way too masochistic for him to actually come up with it. But she had been right. If there was anything he could do for his brother now, that was it.
Of course, he could never tell him that and lying to Hao had been the hardest part. He had said something about 'Anna's training going out of hand' and 'not being allowed to stay up late'… But he knew the other hadn't bought it. He just hoped that the longhaired boy wouldn't think he was really trying to distance himself – he would never want that.
Truly said, right now Yoh's stomach was tied in uncomfortable knots and he was nervous. He was this close to standing up and pacing around the room, but that just seemed like too much trouble. So he had decided to call a little earlier tonight. He just needed to get his mind off of things.
Off of the meeting that had been held the previous day. He had no idea what had happened there. He couldn't know. They would never allow him to find out about this… He was simply lucky Anna had decided to tell him everything. The boy was more than grateful to her.
He had been surprised, actually, at how calmly she faced all of this. The entire scenario playing around her, and even Yoh's feelings towards the other boy.
'There's no helping it,' she had simply said when she forced the confession out of him. 'It's not something you decide.'
She had been understanding, really. Surprisingly so. It was one of the reasons Yoh liked her and would be ready to defend her if someone started talking bad about her. She was his fiancée and there was obvious reason for that. The cold façade and indifferent attitude were just a mask, and he had been able to see trough it.
After all, he was one of the little people who knew about her true story. She had been an orphan – he seemed to have a lot of orphans around himself lately. Maybe it was the small town that provided place for the lonely children?
So, she had been an orphan and Kino – Yoh's very own grandmother – had taken her in and cared for her. Anna was truly grateful to her for doing it and so had sworn she would do everything to express her gratitude. So it hadn't been hard to persuade her to agree on marrying Yoh in the future.
And she had decided to do everything withing her power for the next heir. It was the reason for all of those terrible yet needed trainings and constant terror. It was for him, for his future and he knew he'd need it one day.
And still, he had been surprised when she had told him all of that about a month ago. She was completely going against his grandmother's orders of never mentioning it to anyone. Truly said, he didn't know the extend to which she'd go for him, but it truly, he was glad to have such a strong comrade next to himself.
No, not comrade. Maybe she would never be the person he loved, but she still had a place in his heart. She was a dear friend and Yoh would never forget how much she was doing for him.
Uh… What was taking Hao so long, anyway?
He frowned a little as he stared at the ceiling. He usually answered on the first signal. Maybe his phone wasn't with him? Or maybe he simply should have waited for the usual time to call him? Well, might just as well hung up and try again later.
And just as he was about to do it, the familiar 'click' was heard and his heart fluttered. He had been waiting for this for too long.
"Yes?" Wait… what? The Asakura blinked slowly. That… wasn't Hao's voice.
"Um, who is it?" The person on the other side sounded nothing like his friend. The voice was deeper and had a strong accent. British was it? Probably.
"Isn't the person on the other side of the line supposed to introduce himself first?" There was just a hint of amusement in his words.
"Umm, I guess," said the boy as he pulled himself up to a sitting position, inspecting the wall on the other side of the room. He knew he had dialed the right number. He didn't make mistakes like that. Besides, this person didn't sound surprised at his call… "I'm Yoh, a friend of Hao's," he decided that it should be about enough information for a person who shouldn't really have that certain phone in himself.
"Well, pleased to meet you, Yoh. I'm Detective Diethel from Tokyo Police," Suddenly Yoh's heart seemed to stop and fear rushed trough him.
"Police? Has something happened? Cam I talk to Hao?" His hand was now gripping the cover of his bed and he was frantically trying to make himself calm down. Nothing had happened! Hao had probably lost his phone or something!
… Yeah, keep telling yourself that…
"I'm afraid I can't really pass the phone to your friend, since he's currently missing…" Missing? Hao? No, this wasn't happening! "… And is considered the main suspect for Asakura Silva's murder."
As the voice grew really serious at the last words, Yoh's eyes widened and he felt his body starting to shake.
This… this couldn't be happening.
-----
Putting everything into his bag and finally managing to close it properly, Yoh rushed towards his drawer to take his ID and wallet. There was no time.
His hands were still slightly trembling as he checked the money he had at his disposal and then grabbed his phone. He should probably make sure he had a place to stay when he arrived, but reaching the place was kind of more important right now. There was no time for wasting.
Making sure he had everything he needed, the Asakura rushed out of the room, but froze at the top of the stares as he saw Anna stand in the door to the main room with a hand resting on the frame of the door and a remote in the other. There was something off on the look on her face and as soon as the sound of the TV reached him, he realized what it was.
"…are still working to extinguish the fire. There is no confirmed reason for it, but the police suspects that it was deliberately started. The burned body that was found there is reported to be that of the 27 years old Asakura Silva who recently moved here together with his adopted son, the 16 years old Asakura Hao. The boy is currently missing and the Police claims to have evidence that the murder was his doing. What would you say about that, Detective Diethel?"
Yoh shook his head to tune out the sound of the machine. This was wrong! Hao wasn't a murdered! How could they just say that? He was probably a victim, kidnapped, or… or worse!
"I have to go." He said as he started slowly going down the stairs, still desperately trying to calm himself down.
"You will achieve nothing by doing that," Anna's voice was quiet and almost gentle. Yoh knew she understood. She just tried to make him think rational. And he knew that going was the stupidest move – his parents would flip if they found out he had left to find Hao.
Especially now, when he was reported as a murder in front of entire Japan.
"And what can I do from here?"
"Do you actually plan on searching entire Tokyo to find him?"
"He's not a-"
"I know." Her voice turned a little harsher now, as the boy finally reached the bottom of the stars and stood in front of her. "But you aren't a detective. You can't find him on your own."
"But I can't just stay here and do nothing! If they find him…"
"After what just happened… Your father will probably dispatch the X-Laws immediately."
Yoh's eyes grew even wider as he stared at her. She was right. There was no way that the Asakuras would overlook this. It didn't matter what had been decide on the meeting, they were probably-
"Oh, no…" A sudden realization dawned on him as he stared in the eyes of his fiancée. "The meeting," his voice was seriously giving up on him. "What if they…."
"They probably decided to kill him despite everything," hearing her voicing his thoughts made him realize just how possible it actually was. "I would bet that he managed to trick them and escape, though."
"So they have to turn him into a criminal!?" The family held great authority over the media. Whatever they said, was shown to the public. Whatever they saw unneeded was kept aside. They could easily manipulate the Police and the Court. If they found the blackhaired boy, there was no way he'd be able to live on. "I have to find him!" As a new wave of panic shot trough him, he rushed past her and towards the door.
"It would be easier this way for them. True or false, the charges are present. This way they aren't the only ones chasing him." Her eyes followed his retreating back. "Yoh." It wasn't really the call, but the tone she used that made him freeze in place once more.
"Please, Anna, don't try to stop me. I really-"
"He's most dangerous to you, Yoh." It was that same serious voice that made him turn around.
"What do you mean?" He just stared at her for a second as she still looked like she wasn't completely sure weather to say what she was thinking. "Anna, if you-"
"I do trust Hao," she cut him off again. "But think about this. How hard would it be for him to become you?" A cold shiver ran down his spine at her thoughts. "Keep in mind that he wasn't always the way you know him to be. And he has unquestionably changed since he arrived there." Her eyes were staring him down, warning him. "We may be jumping to conclusions. There's no evidence that what they said on the news isn't true. So be careful. Make sure you know what's important before you get too involved in this."
"I…" He took a second to consider her words, but in the end he simply nodded. He couldn't doubt Hao, but he could understand her – she was simply worried.
"Hurry up and go. I'll book you a ticket and call a hotel."
"Thank you!" He bowed his head in gratitude and then spun around, sprinting out of the door. Looking after him, Anna uncrossed her arms and closed her eyes for a moment.
"Itterashai." She muttered although she knew Yoh could no longer hear her, before turning around and reaching for the phone…
-----
His wooden sandals clicked against the ground as he went on running. He didn't know how long he had kept at it and he was getting tired, really, but what else could he do? It was so late there were no taxis around and he couldn't really afford one since he didn't know how long he would have to spend there.
Sure, Anna would take care of the expenses around his stay, but he still had food to buy. Honestly speaking, he had no idea at all how long this would take. Maybe a day, maybe a month. It could even be more. So he had to make sure he could survive for that long.
And so, he was running down the empty streets of the big city, hoping that he had gotten the right address.
He was suddenly happy about the stamina he had acquired from the merciless training. And although he was already running out of breath, he didn't allow himself to slow down.
As he turned another corner, he stopped in his tracks. There it was. The small house he had only seen on pictures.
And, indeed, it was completely burned. It looked unbelievably unstable and all of the black that had covered the walls made it look like a dark spot on the lighted street.
Catching his breath, the Asakura started walking towards it, adjusting his backpack on his shoulder. It wasn't long until he noticed the only man standing there. He was quite surprised, that despite of the late hour there was still someone there.
Yoh stopped in front of the building and his movement attracted the man's attention. He was tall and slender with dark green hair and unusual clothes. The tobacco-pipe in his hand was emitting a thin line of smoke that dissolved in the air.
"Good evening, young one," said the man and Yoh immediately recognized the heavy accent. No wonder, the man didn't look one bit Japanese.
"Detective Diethel?" His breathing had finally returned to normal and he eyes the man one more time, before turning his eyes towards the building.
"Oh, then you must be Yoh, I presume?" The man smiled a little and then followed his gaze. "Hao was your friend, I understand? It must be hard to believe that-"
"He didn't do it." Said the boy and turned towards him with a dead serious look on his face. "Hao isn't a murderer."
"We will have to find him to confirm that," muttered the man and just when the Asakura was about to say something, another figure emerged from the place the door had once been.
"Dad, I don't think anything inside would be any good to help with the investigation." It was a boy with hair almost the same as the man's just the slightest bit brighter in color. He wore a green cloak and white shirt underneath it with black pants. What was with those clothes, anyway? Didn't anyone dress normally around here? "Everything's been ruined by the fire."
"Did you find nothing, then?"
"Well, I think I saw some fired cartridges… But I didn't touch anything, as you instructed."
"Cartridges?" Yoh muttered shocked.
"Um, yes, it was proved that Mister Silva Asakura had been shot and then left in the burning house probably to hide the evidence."
"Lyserg, why don't you talk a little with Yoh here, he's quite interested in the case," the man said and then waked towards the entrance of the building himself. "I'll go look around one last time and then we'll go home."
"Sure, dad," said the boy and then moved towards the blackhead. "Hello. I'm Lyserg Diethel. Pleased to meet you."
Yoh had to blink a little to get his attention back, having missed half of the conversation. He eyed the boy and then made himself smile.
"Hi, I'm Yoh…" He wondered a little, but decided against sharing his family name. It would be better that word of this wasn't spread around.
"Just Yoh?" The other asked as he mentioned for him to start walking and led him a little away from the house.
"If you don't mind," he scratched the back of his head and closed his eyes in a smile.
"No, not at all. But tell me, why do you want to know about the case? Did you know Mister Asakura Silva? Or maybe Mister Asakura Hao?"
Asakura Hao… It sounded strange in Yoh's ears. Strangely right. He was an Asakura – one by blood and one by name now, too. How did his look alike feel about that? He had never talked about it, never mentioned it. Up until a little while ago he had only known him as 'Hao', nothing more, nothing less. Did this change mean anything?
"Um, yes, I knew them. Hao's a good friend of mine." He answered a little surprised at how easily he could talk to his boy.
"It must be hard for you, then," said Lyserg as he inspected the other's face. "Could you, then, tell me something about him? Has Hao had any… problems with Silva lately?"
"What? Problems? No! He didn't kill Silva!" Yoh clenched his fists and stared down the other boy, who finally stopped walking.
"You seem to trust him a lot. From what I heard hardly anybody around knows of him despite of the fact that he's been here for a month already."
"I guess… He doesn't like moving. He had to leave everything behind…"
"Everything except Mister Silva? Was it Mister Silva's decision, then? What was their relationship like?"
"Am I considered a witness now?" Yoh faked a smile, knowing the question was far from a joke.
"I'm sorry if I'm giving you this impression," apologized the British boy. "I didn't mean to. It's just that… This is the first real case my father let me help with… I'm just trying to get as much information as I can."
"Sure thing, Lyserg. But there's too much about Hao to be explained simply."
"I understand. It's late, too. How about we meet tomorrow, if you're still around? I'll keep you informed about the case…"
"… and I'll tell you more about Hao? Sounds like a deal."
"Great then!" the boy smiled and took out a piece of paper, scratching something on it. "Here's my number. Call me when you have the time and we'll meet somewhere."
"Sure will," he smiled, receiving the paper and reading the neatly written numbers. "See you tomorrow, then!"
"Have a good night!"
With that Lyserg turned back towards the house and ran to his father who was waiting in front of it. Within seconds, the Asakura's smile fell and he stared towards the numbers. Would it really be alright? Would he be helping Hao like this? It was a double-edged sword. But it was a way to keep an eye on the official investigation while he commenced with his own, so it was the best choice for now.
Or so he hoped.
