Kazuki's Lament V
"There is no way you can go into work like this. You need to take the day off." It was not a request—it was the first time she had ever heard him sound so assertive, those brows creased down in a look of concentration as he pressed his palm against her forehead. "You have a fever, Kazuki."
Rather than argue with him, she flashed him a weak smile as she struggled up out of the bed, despite his attempts to coax her out of going.
"You're like this because you have been working yourself to the bone. You can let them handle it. Take a rest, you'll only be a liability in this condition." Goto's voice was tinged with desperation. It was one of the rare occasions she saw him break that stoic mask.
She silenced him when she lifted a hand to caress his cheek. "Sorry, I have to go. I'm head of the investigation, right? And it's okay, it's only a little fever anyways. I don't even feel nauseous or lightheaded. So I'll be fine. Anyways, I'll just be parked in the office, right? So there's no need for you to sound so worried."
He sighed in exasperation – Kazuki was always stubborn. There was no talking her out of something once she was determined to do it. He had little choice other than to relent, as reluctant as he was to concede to her false assurance. "Are you really staying in the office?"
"Yep, we don't have enough leads yet. So I'll just be shuffling through paperwork anyways." Despite her words, she fumbled when she leaned down to retrieve her clothes. They were wrinkled and disheveled, but since she had spent the night at his place again, she didn't have anything clean to wear. And in her condition, he could hardly picture her making her way back to her apartment before going into work.
Once she had managed to work her pants up to her waist and secure a belt through the loops, she suddenly turned toward him. "Hey, Seiji, can I ask you a question? It's kind of crazy but I just wonder what you think."
"Hm?" He had settled back down on the bed. It was his day off – and it would have been hers, too, had she not been so insistnent on being at the office every day that she could.
"What would you do if I suddenly decided to quit the force and join Red Snake instead? Would you come with me? Or would you go against me?"
It was similar to a question she had asked a long time ago. And while it was absolutely ridiculous, since he knew better than anyone just how much effort Kazuki had poured into the investigation, he didn't want to laugh it off when she seemed so serious. More than serious, she had a far off look in her eyes as though something else was weighing on her mind.
Stroking his chin, he finally said, "I would go against you. And try to knock some sense into you."
"What if I had a gun pointed at you? Would you shoot me?"
"There would be no reason to."
Her brows lifted in surprise at that response. "Huh? Why would there be no reason to? If you didn't then you would—"
"Because I know you couldn't pull the trigger. Even if you were on the other side."
Although it took a moment for those words to register, she suddenly broke out into laughter. "Because I couldn't shoot, huh? Well, that's kind of pathetic, isn't it? I guess I would make a horrible Red Snake then."
He cracked a smile back at her. "You better stay on our side, then."
Tucking her shirt into her trousers, she fixed her blazer before flashing him a grin. "Okay, I got it. Stay on the good side. Oh hey, before I forget, our anniversary is next week, right? Hm... maybe we should go out to eat."
"You'll have the night off?"
"I'll clear up room for it," she answered, giving him a thumbs up. "Anyways, I better get go—oh, I forgot. Let me borrow your spare key so I can—"
"Wait, Kazuki, don't open that—"
Just as he spoke, she had opened one of the dresser drawers. And almost immediately there was a grating silence that came over the room as Goto sank back against the pillows, a hand covering the majority of his face. Though his ears were still visible – and red, Kazuki noted, when she glanced back at him. Her gaze returned to the contents of the drawer and fell upon a small jewlery box therein – she already knew without looking that it was a ring.
"Sorry, sorry," she said with a chuckle, shoving the drawer shut. "I didn't see anything."
"You definitely saw it." Rather than just looking embarrassed, his expression had soured completely.
"What's with that? I feel like I have been proposed to indirectly now. Should I give you my answer? Or should I wait for you to drop to one knee?"
He sighed. "You're making fun of me."
"Nope! But I have to run or I'm going to be late. I promise to give you my answer tonight, though, okay? So you better wait up for me." For having a fever, she came across as energetic as ever, giving him a mocking salute before barreling out the door at breakneck speed after glancing at the clock.
Goto smiled to himself in her absence. It was a little frustrating to have to wait for her answer but all fears of his had been assuaged by her playful antics. All he could think about was her coming back from work that night. Since she had already spoiled the surprise he had planned for their anniversary, he would have to think up some creative way to receive her and officially propose.
—
"Hey, Atsushi, let's go."
He craned his neck at her, dark circles beneath his eyes. It was already afternoon and just a few hours before they could clock out and go home. Where was she wanting to drag him off to now? Another investigation? Heaving a sigh, he dragged himself out of his seat and trudged behind her. "Where are we off to now, Amemiya-san?"
The answer was delayed as they climbed into the elevator together. At closer proximity, he could make out the beads of sweat lining her brow. Her countenance had grown unusually pale and her breathing labored. Was she actually going to surprise him by saying they were calling it quits early?
It seemed to take a moment for her to gain her bearings, at which point she grinned over at him as she reached for the pocket inside her blazer and pulled out a gun which she passed over to him. "We're going to catch the Red Snake today. I do hope you haven't forgotten how to fire that thing, because you may need it."
"Huh? Just the two of us? Shouldn't we ask for backup? And where... how did...?"
"It would be too risky to take too many people – too suspicious, it would alert him. So it will just be the two of us. And don't worry, Atsushi, I'm all the back-up you will need. I promise that you will come out of this one alive."
That day Kazuki had made two promises. But she only kept one of them.
