I don't really know if I could ever manage to do Takafumi's story to this. It'll probably be as long as this.

I mean, I'll have to re-read this story (if I manage to finish it) and sew bits and pieces since they're sort of timed with each other.

I don't think people will read Takafumi's side to this much either. More plot than romance and Zen and Hiyo don't come in together yet until later... :/ I'm planning 5 cases.

Second case wraps up today!

Then next year (in here), the third case will happen sometime.

Hehe... for the last case, I totally want to pull a 'everybody is involved somehow' haha... I wonder if I'll be able to pull that off...

I never liked crowded spaces that much. I wanted to be somewhere quiet.

"I'm going over there," I said as I looked back at Ritsu. He was obviously torn between following me and going over to the stands; I wanted to go into the building to listen in on a seminar.

Wait.

Wait, wait...

I look at my hands. Is this a dream? It has to be.

Ritsu went with me. We both wanted to listen in... right?

"A-ah, I'll be over here then..." I looked back to Ritsu quickly, and saw him watching people having fun at some of the stands in sight before walking away.

"Wait, Ritsu," I tug on his hand to bring him back to me. "We'll come here after the seminar."

"It's fine, Saga," I flinch at the name, remembering that this was us in high school. "I just want to look at them. I'll meet back with you."

I actually left after the seminar. Ritsu said he was going to check out the stands, so we parted ways.

"Let's just go to the seminar first."

"Saga," Ritsu said, pulling away from me. He looked at me with concerned eyes. "Is something wrong? You're acting strange."

"No, nothing. Nothing's wrong." I grabbed his hand again. "Let's just go to the seminar."

He pulled away from me, his hands together and averted to the side. "Why do you want me to go so badly? I-I don't really want to see it anymore, I'm sorry..."

"Then I'll go with you," I compromised, before trying to reach for his hand again. But he cringed and stepped back.

"W-we don't have to hold hands, do we?" He asks, rubbing his hands together. Did I hold them too tightly?

We've been walking and looking around for a while now and I feel... I feel as if...

"Ritsu?" How did I loose sight of him? Eventually I did get a glimpse of him, catching his panicked eyes as I did so.

He was trying to get way from me.

"Ritsu?" I went through the crowd trying to get to me. "Ritsu?!" I shout, halted by the unusual amount of people in the crowd. He kept getting farther and farther from me.

And then I couldn't see him anymore.

Masamune shot up from bed, panting in shallow breaths as he felt around next to him in the dim morning sky for Ritsu. However, he found nothing but a vacant bedside gradually growing cold. "Ritsu?" He then felt around even more, looking under the covers and trying to see around the room as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. "Ritsu?"

"Masamune?" He covered his eyes with a hand as the light was turned on, and after a few seconds he saw Ritsu looking back at him still in his pajama shirt but wearing pants. "What's wrong?" He went over to him on the bed to put a hand over on his forehead. "Is your fever back? I went to go buy milk since we ran out and I wanted to make you..." he trails off, looking Masamune in the eyes. "Did... did you get a nightmare again?"

"What time is it?" Masamune quietly asks instead of answering, reaching around him to hold him close.

"Almost 6. What was it about?"

The older kisses him on the cheek before nuzzling his temple. "We were in high school, that time we went to that fair."

"When we went to watch that seminar?" Ritsu questioned, pausing to remember. "Oh, we met Henmi that day, didn't we? He went with his grandfather and was from another school. Then we saw him after high school..." he laughs a little. "He remembered us when Takafumi introduced us, but we didn't remember him- I felt so guilty!"

"...What?" Masamune simply said, confused. "He was there?"

"Um... yeah," Ritsu replies, sure. "Takafumi wanted us to take notes for him because he got sick so we went. After you left I looked around the stands and found An and some of her friends so I ended up hanging out with them."

"What? Really?"

"I'm sure," Ritsu says, using his hand to push away Masamune's bangs from his forehead to feel how warm he was. "Are you sure you feel well? You seem out of it."

"I think my mind likes messing with me."

"Want me to make you tea instead of coffee?"

"No, it's fine."

A little before noon, Ritsu walked towards the new park Masamune had told him about, checking it out with Sorata by his side on his leash.

He was along a man-made pond when he heard shouting where it looked to be a half-constructed rock enclave with picnic tables. So he went to investigate, his curiosity increasing seeing what looked to be students from a school debating because he heard the word "Objection!"

'A class debate?' Ritsu wondered. He remembered helping out with one of Takafumi's when the latter asked him to play the witness.

"-then can you explain how the witness saw the victim falling when the geyser continued to spout directly in front of him... during the murder and after?!"

'The prosecutor?' The brunet guessed, watching as the sandy haired blond glared down the opposing table waiting for the other attorney's answer.

'A geyser...? Oh...' Ritsu's eyes lit up in interest. 'I think Takafumi did this for class one time... this is one of those activities that have either side experience winning and losing. Although, it matters more that they got the right person to convict.'

'This one...' He tried to remember. 'The witness did it, right?'

He couldn't watch it all the way though, as Sorata tugged him away upon chasing a dead leaf floating off the ground. That and he decided that it was getting too cold for him, opting to head for home.

...

"Almost home," Ritsu says to Sorata, who walked ahead of him. "I wonder though, can you take baths?" Sorata stopped, his ears twitching and his claws slowly drawn out as they grazed the pavement.

"I-I mean, it's not like you need a bath or anything..." Ritsu says, misunderstanding the feline's stopping. "You're a clean cat-" *clicks* At the sound, Ritsu was startled, glancing around to find no one. "H-huh?" Wary now, he resumes walking with Sorata, who he noticed now seemed to have changed his walking stance; it looked like he was ready to pounce on something.

It wasn't until he saw his apartment building ahead that he warily checked behind him to see that someone was indeed following him, stopping when he stopped. Swallowing some of his fear he turned left to head up towards the old park and the police station. When he reached the bottom right corner of the old park he went left to walk through it to get back to the plaza.

That clicking he heard earlier, was it a camera? Or a... Ritsu swallowed, a gun? His pace quickened. What he learned from reading about situations like this was that it was safer with more people around. What should he do after that though?

When he reached the plaza he turned, finally managing to see more in focus who was following him. He widened his eyes recognizing the man-woman from the other day, but they weren't in a police uniform anymore, just a black hoodie. He remembered the face and voice more than anything else, and he was sure it was the person. But why him?

Unless... was it the note? Ritsu automatically felt his pockets with one hand; he had given it to Takafumi. Did they think he still had it? But that also meant that the note was important right? Even though he himself didn't read it...

Sorata hissed suddenly, and Ritsu widened his eyes seeing the man-woman-person get closer to them. So, picking the cat up into his arms he then began into a quick walk before running.

The trial, was it happening now? Ritsu's mind began churning, wondering if he could somehow make it to the courthouse.

About ten minutes in, Ritsu supposed, he felt so tired. What was going to happen now? In a split-second decision he entered the closest building with Sorata in his arms.

Being careful in making sure the person wouldn't catch him he ducked behind a group heading into the elevator. As it closed, he flinched when the person caught eyes with him (having entered the building) and glared. 'They know I'm here, what do I do now?' He thought, slumping a little against the side of the elevator, ignoring the strange looks he was getting from the workers. Sorata yawned, meowing and nosing Ritsu's chest.

The elevator stopped after a moment, and only one person got off. Hesitantly, Ritsu got off as well, not expecting what lay before him.

...

Gingerly, Ritsu stepped over the fallen bodies, wondering what was happening on this floor. Books and papers were everywhere, and the fallen smelled so much of body odor and defeat.

He found himself finally away from that part of the floor to where some more alive people were. 'Phew...'

"Meow."

"A-ah, sorry Sorata," Ritsu whispers quietly to him, petting his ears.

"Oh, are you fan?" He yelped seeing a tall, light haired man beside him. "You have a convincing looking cat plush."

"Nnn-n-n-n-n-n-ngh..." Ritsu panicked, visibly trembling. It was obvious that the man knew Sorata was real.

"Are you looking for his desk? We're planning on clearing it out at the end of the month," the man shakes his head, "Poor guy." He leads Ritsu to a desk with candles and tons of farewell notes and pictures. "He was so devoted to his work."

"I... I see..." Ritsu managed to get out, looking at everything. 'Mr. Mori... the victim-' He froze seeing two picture frames up on a shelf away from the farewells. "Who are they?"

"Ah, those are his children and wife. His wife left him- that's all I know. The one on the left as you can see was years back, and the right... I think that was the most recent one without her." After that, the man left him to attend to something.

'...Fraternal twins?' Ritsu thought, piecing the person-man following him and the woman at that café. 'But then, that means Todou was fooled, and the twins switched back and forth at the police station? But why?'

'Ah...' He struggled as he took out his cell phone in one hand, still tired. He managed to take a picture of the frames together though, and sent it to Takafumi. 'I hope he sees it...'

*click*

Ritsu jerked and turned, pale as male of the twin pair caught him, pointing his gun. "I never would have thought a simple act of kindness would bite us in the back."

Ritsu held Sorata tight, the black and white feline hissing. "W-when you helped me?"

"That man... I wondered how he got that note. You figured it out after you read it and gave it to him, didn't you?"

"...? I-I didn't read it." Ritsu states hesitantly, understanding that he was talking about Takafumi. "I just gave him it."

"What...?" The twin frowned.

"Y-your sister... she wasn't there so Todou helped me home. I never read the note, I just put it in my pocket until I was told about the murder... I-I just wanted to help..."

"..." Ritsu cringed at the gun clicked again, wondering if he was going to get shot as the twin growls, "Koriko wasn't there?!"

"You didn't know?" Ritsu fearfully asked, yelping as he fell to the side trying to dodge as a shot rang in the air. As he hit the ground, Sorata shook himself before baring his fangs at the opposing man. Quickly, the brunet tried to get up and get to him. "Sorata, no," he brought the cat into his arms, scrambling away as the twin came closer to him.

"That man... made a grave mistake, not making you testify. A simple note won't make it far enough."

"That's not t-true..." Ritsu hugged Sorata closer. "If that's the case, then why do you want to kill me?" He widened his eyes when he saw that the light haired man from earlier was slowly sneaking up on the twin.

"Because when he sees that grave mistake, he'll call for you. But he won't now," he grips his gun firmly, "Since there won't be a witness to call, the only valid proof to go with the note that there was another person involved with the murder."

"I-I couldn't even testify if I wanted to!" Ritsu blurts, much to the twin's confusion. Ritsu adds in a smaller voice, "My husband wouldn't want me to. He wants me safe and not involved..." 'Though I ended up here because I helped only a little...' "Wait!" Ritsu remembers the picture frames on the desk shelves. "You killed your own father?!"

"You only figured that out now?" The man asked, astounded. "We took our mother's last name when she left us." He glared at the thought of his father. "It was his fault she left us, alone in that big house! Never once he came to our graduations, our birthdays, and even when Mom died! We had no ones but ourselves! Only once in the past how many years he visited! Just once!"

"That's not true- he loved you two very much!" He points, trembling in hesitancy. "He has your pictures right-"

"Those are just stupid photos he took to show people that he 'had a life'," The twin sneers, glaring at the desk. The light haired man hid back behind another desk. "He didn't even know it was us before I killed him. He honestly thought we were just a pair of people wanting money from a famous man." He scoffs, "'How much money do you want? I'll pay anything, just don't kill me!' It was pathetic. I just hate that you know?" He shakes his head once. "People like him... Having children..." He aimed his gun straight at Ritsu's chest, at Sorata. "I hate them!"

Ritsu curled back, shielding Sorata with his arms. He trembles even worse when he saw that the twin really was aiming at Sorata in particular. "You know..." The twin comes closer, his eyes dead as they stared at Sorata, who snarled. "It always... amazed me... being jealous of little children... babies... pets... being so loved by their parents, owners..."

He continued. "That man I passed by earlier, thinking I was another fan... I saw him too the other day, with his little daughter. Even though he was one parent and worked just like my father... he still found time to be with her. And yet, our father..." He laughs, his tone low and his head and shoulders down and shaking. "He... he was never a father in the first place..."

"Koriko thought he had a chance," he began, turning back to Ritsu. The light haired man tried again to sneak up behind him. "She tried to calm him and get him remember us, that we were his children, his kin... It pissed me off so much when he yelled back at her, and she cried. He made her cry-" He didn't continue further as the light haired man grabbed him back into a head lock, the gun thrown away to the side when the twin was caught in surprise. "You...!"

"I always found it odd when I talked to Mori. He never seemed to answer me when I asked how his kids were," The light haired man tightened his grip. "But that doesn't excuse the fact that you killed him. Even I find myself mad at him now. I would never forget my daughter."

...

"I'm so glad you're alright!" Misaki says, grateful. Ritsu was lead by the light haired man back to the first floor while security got a hold of the twin. It surprised Ritsu when Misaki burst in with some policemen like he was going to be late. "I thought I was too late and..."

"It's okay, Misaki," Ritsu says, petting Sorata's ears. He gestured to the light haired brunet talking to one policeman. "He caught him before he could shoot us."

"Eh? Really?" Misaki approaches him and bows, "Thank you for saving our friend!" He hands him a card. "If you ever get in trouble, we'll help in any way we can!"

"Oh, thanks." He then hands Misaki a card. "Returning the gesture."

"..." Ritsu prodded Misaki seconds later, as the latter froze as he read the card. "Misaki? What's-"

"I know you!" Misaki stares at the man in amazement. "You're the head editor of Japun and you edit 'The Kan'!"

"He does?" Ritsu asks, and Misaki nods enthusiastically. When the head editor went away to answer more questions by the police, Ritsu turns to Misaki. "How did you know I was here?"

Misaki regards him sheepishly. "G-GPS."

"..."

"..."

"Huh?" 'He had me on his GPS?'

"Sorry!" Misaki apologizes with a nervous laugh. "When I first got my phone I found out about that app so I put it in. Everybody's numbers I have are in there, in case I ever got lost. I'm still learning the map around here. When you sent that photo I wondered where you were cause you didn't say so I tracked you down. In the reflection of one of the pictures we saw Koriko's twin so I rushed out as fast as I could."

"I see... So, Todou's innocent?"

"Yep!" Misaki looked downcast for a moment. "But, I don't think he'll be happy for now. When I saw him in the defendant's chair when Mr. Takafumi got Koriko in a tight spot I think he felt betrayed. He really liked her."

"Ah..." 'He never expected this from her, and for her to have a twin too...'

After dinner...

"Arrrrggghh..."

"I'm sorry, really!"

"AAaaarrrggghhhhhhh..."

"I'm sorry!" Ritsu said again, trying to get Masamune away from smothering his face against the couch cushion. "I'm very sorry! Please stop!"

"...You won't help them anymore?" Masamune says, his voice muffled. "Promise me you won't help them anymore."

"You know I can't promise you that! They're our friends!"

Masamune pressed his face further into the cushion. "AAaaaaaaarrrrgggghhhhhhhh..."

"Masamune, please!"

"AAaaaaaaaaarrrrrrggggggghhhhhhhhh..."

"Masamune, I'm sorry! I'll try to make this up for you, honest!" That got him to stop.

"You'll make this up? Really?"

"Y-yeah..." Ritsu nodded, a little fearful as he swallowed and adds, "A-a-anything you want...?"

Masamune looked up at him, eyes wide. "Ritsu..."

They stared at each other for what seemed like a long time until Masamune sighed and pressed his face back on to the cushion. "AAAAaaaaarrrrgggghhhhhhh!"

'W-WHAT?!' Ritsu thought, flabbergasted. "Masamune?!"

"Ritsu," Masamune begins with his muffled voice, "You can't just give me that kind of ammo. At this rate, I'm gonna..."

"Masamune?" Ritsu was startled when the older pointed to their bedroom from his face down position.

"Go take a shower right now and get to bed. I can't look at you until then, or I'll..."

"I... I don't-"

"GO!"

"O-okay!" Ritsu rushed to the room in a fluster. After Masamune heard the door close, he let out a big sigh before hearing Sorata meow next to him from the couch's arm and reached up to pet him.

Case is closed. Next chapter is their Saturday together! Will... Will something happen? Who knows?

Masamune's trying to hold on as best as he can.

Yes, Zen and Shinobu made an early appearance, if any of you are wondering or guessing :p