Chapter 99: Rebound Effect
After a shower and a few more yawns, Kaito poked at Aoko, sitting on the bed. He'd let her shower first. "Come on. I think they'll have some breakfast. I didn't say that you two were here to more than the guy who I saw near the door, so I'm not sure if Suzuki-ojisan knows or not." He put a finger to his mouth. "And remember, you were never here to anyone who doesn't." He unlocked the door and looked next door. His brother hadn't bothered him last night and that surprised him. The room didn't look like it was slept in. "That's weird." He turned to Aoko. "I guess I have to go find my missing roommate." He knew the difference between tidied up and not touched.
Aoko nodded. "I need to find Keiko too. We need to get going or we'll miss school."
"You can eat first," Kaito said with a grin while he skipped a few steps down the hall. "You know I'm the best at hide-and-seek so grab something- don't be shy. I'm sure my mom's up, wandering around somewhere, and quite a bit of the workers are up, so don't worry about it."
"Wait a sec." Aoko hurried after him. "If you find Keiko, tell her to meet us." She leaned up for a kiss.
Kaito put his hands around her and kissed her back. "I'm no idiot. Of course I would. And you... I'll see you again really soon. I don't think I can go with you for the ride back home or to school though." It was safer that way. Kaito driving them again... not such a good idea if the cameramen started putting two and two together.
"I know, that's why I wanted one more now." Aoko smiled and pulled away before turning to find the way to the kitchen or dinning room.
Kaito smirked when she went off blushing. That was cute. He turned, looking into the rooms that were theirs. Their mom was sleeping but he didn't see his brother. He checked the music room and a bunch of other rooms that were in the section they were supposed to stay in. Nothing. He went outside, going around the house before he finally found Saguru in the backyard and looking like he was sleeping. He frowned and went over to the bench, tapping him on the forehead. "Hey. Why in the world are you sleeping outside?" And what the heck caused that? He never thought he'd see his brother doing that. He rarely even slept on the floor.
Saguru blinked his eyes open and saw that not only had he fallen asleep, Kaito was awake and standing over him. "It was unintentional." He sighed as he sat up.
Kaito folded his arms, one eyebrow raised as he looked at his brother. "Yeah so... how did this happen?"
Saguru shook his head. "I simply fell asleep while thinking. This is not the first time I have done so." He looked over at the sun and then back at Kaito. "You are awake unusually early."
"Yeah. Unlike us, Aoko and Keiko-chan have to go to school. Where is she?"
"She returned home last night. You can let Aoko-kun know she does not need to wait here for her."
"Tsh. Cheat. Whatever. You can tell her yourself anyway. Get up. I figured we could eat breakfast with her before she has to go."
Saguru stood and started toward the house, wondering how to let Aoko-kun know why Momoi-kun left without telling her what had happened.
Kaito walked back in the house with him, going to the kitchen and giving Aoko a lopsided smile when he saw she had obviously found the kitchen. He also couldn't fail to notice she hadn't wanted to touch much more than an apple and piece of bread. "Here. I'll make eggs. We don't have time for rice. I don't like them making food for me either. Both you wait in here and tell me how you like it."
Aoko shifted and thought for a second. "Hard boiled." That way, she could take it with her if she didn't finish.
Saguru was not overly hungry but knew better by now than to refuse. "That will be fine with me as well."
"Aw, come on. That doesn't even take any effort." Kaito gave them both an exaggerated shrug of his shoulders. "Fine. I should be out in like two seconds then." He turned and headed off to go find the eggs. How boring. Boiling them didn't even take any effort. He wasn't her dad.
Saguru turned and walked over to Aoko-kun. "Aoko-kun, I want you know that you can leave when you are ready, as Momoi-kun left for home last night."
"Really?" Aoko was a bit surprised that she hadn't let her know she was leaving... not that she'd have been able to say goodbye. "Well, alright. I'll see her at school anyway. I'm glad you're feeling better. Dad wasn't too happy you just disappeared again, but your mom smoothed it over."
Kaito came in a few minutes later, seeing his brother and flicking his wet hands at him. "You could have sat down while I did that. We have ten minutes now." He took one of the chairs and sat down himself, to set a good example for once, resting his head on the table. "Man, I'm not a morning person."
Aoko rolled her eyes and sat next to him. "Nope, but you never have been."
"And I never will be. I'm a night owl." He smirked and looked over at her. "And you know why."
Aoko leaned over, blushing a bit with Saguru-kun now sitting across from them, and smiled. "Two reasons, right?"
Kaito breathed out a laugh. "Yep, two. Be even better when we don't have to worry about school." He reached over and slid his fingers gently down her cheek. It was so much better now that he had both his hands. He hated his arm being as good as useless. His lip turned up more. "Wait until we actually get married. That will be a whole other story."
Aoko full on blushed but leaned her head toward his touch. "Just don't miss it like you did my birthday."
Kaito laughed, "I think Kid stealing away a woman for himself for the rest of their lives is enough thievery for one day. You're something I won't ever be returning, even to your dad."
"You're going to be mine too." Aoko looked close at Kaito, not smiling. "So you remember that."
"Don't get jealous. Trust me, things are different. I won't hurt you." Kaito took his hand back, still smiling at her as he rested his head on the table. "No more kissing on the lips- unless I really really have to."
Aoko leaned closer and whispered right in his ear. Saguru hadn't reacted but she wasn't taking the chance with how his hearing had been since he'd lost his sight.
Kaito laughed at the light words in his ear. "While the police's future sketch artist, you're the only one who possibly could." He kissed her on the lips while she was right in front of him. "Who else would honestly want both of me like you do?"
"No one," Aoko said firmly. She couldn't help smiling though. She had been in contact with the technical officers that helped her. She didn't think anything but Kaito had made her happier.
Kaito rolled his eyes and looked over at her. "Well, I wouldn't say no one, but no one I would love back like you. Anyway." He got up and pushed the chair away. "I'm going to go get those eggs, and you…" He leaned down and kissed her on the head. "Stop worrying."
Aoko waited for him to leave before looking at Saguru-kun. He had his hand to his chin and was looking off to the side. That faraway look was one she was recognizing. He was thinking of something else and had tuned them out. She huffed and reached over. "Saguru-kun. Kaito went to get the eggs."
Saguru looked over at Aoko-kun and nodded. "It would be another minute, though his estimate may have been off."
"Okay?" Aoko tipped her head. She had no idea how he could know that if he wasn't paying attention to the world around him, but he had always stated the time to the second or millisecond, so she shrugged.
Kaito came back in, putting juice in front of his place and Aoko's, passing his brother the tea. He shrugged. "I was already boiling water. Be right back with the eggs." He went back, running them under some cold water before finding a bowl to put them in and getting plates. There were six, two for each of them. He put them down on the table and took one for himself, cracking it against the plate. He looked at his brother. "What dream world are you off in anyway?"
Saguru took one of the eggs and peeled it. "Simply going over several things."
"You know you think too much." Kaito took the shell off his too. He didn't really like hardboiled eggs but he could eat them. He glanced over at Aoko. "Hey, how did you get Keiko-chan home?"
Aoko looked up, seeing Kaito look at her when he asked the question and swallowed. "I didn't... oh."
Saguru swallowed as well, and the side of his lip twitched at her mistake. "She called her mother to pick her up a little ways from here." He did not feel that he wanted to go into it, though he had to believe she would not endanger them or the location.
Kaito looked at him with a bored expression. "What was the point then? Hey, I guess mom will go with you. Do you mind, Aoko? It's better than a ride. I'm sure you could catch a cab."
"That's fine by me," Chikage spoke.
Kaito turned and looked over at his mom who loved making an entrance. "Hey, mom. Here." He didn't really like them and he picked up his second egg, tossing it to her. "You're up early."
Chikage caught the egg and eyed him with a smile. "And you were up before me, so which is stranger?"
Kaito laughed. "Point taken. If I didn't wake up, Aoko probably would have nagged me until I lost my hearing." He pushed his plate away so his mom could use it. He yawned. "I'm going back to bed though. Scary thing was, I woke up before him." He pointed his finger at Saguru. That really was scary.
Saguru looked up and raised an eyebrow. "I also had not intended to fall asleep where I was. It was quite late when I did too."
"Yeah but you always wake up before me. I've even known you up before mom sometimes." Kaito shrugged. "I don't think I like being the first one awake. It's boring." He nudged Aoko. "And not to be mean but you do kind of have to hurry up."
Aoko waved at the last bits of her second egg. "Meant to travel." She stood and looked over at Obasan. "We can go now. I need to get to my house first and get my school things."
"And you can't leave without this." Kaito grabbed her back for a second to kiss her on the lips. He grinned back at her after. "Goodbye kiss."
Aoko smiled. "Until the next one." She turned and ran toward Obasan, walking out with her.
Kaito smiled, watching them leave, waving a little. He sat down across from his brother and folded his arms, looking across at him. "So what's wrong?"
Saguru looked up at Kaito. "Aside from being in hiding once again, only this time the culprit is still on the loose and I have little chance of tracking him down at present with so little information?"
Kaito chuckled darkly. "Sarcasm. Nice. Yeah, aside from that."
"I simply had some things to think on. You know I need to figure things out."
"I know. You used to be pretty fast at it. Usually when you're this slow it's because it's bothering you." Kaito raised an eyebrow. "Mad at me? I had to figure she snitched the second I wasn't looking. Did she try it?"
Saguru looked away.
"Yep. Thought it was something like that. Guessing you and the way you react to even being my brother- still might I add, I have to figure you're trying to analyze yourself. You know," Kaito tapped the side of his head. "If you don't already know what's up here or in here," He moved it to his chest. "You're never going to know, and it's not worth looking into. Their are some things your mind and body just know."
"It is not-" Saguru was not sure how to satisfy him without explaining it all. "When we first met, did I seem fake to you?"
"The very first time?" Kaito thought back. "No, I think you were just annoying."
"And, prior to the events when you entered the station as Kudo?"
"Ummm, no. I think I still thought you were just annoying then, maybe amusing." He shrugged. "You can't blame me."
"Hm." Saguru studied Kaito's eyes. "Amusing." He turned his head to the side. Perhaps it was more a matter of the personality of others than his own, if the opinions varied.
Kaito turned his head to the side. "Why?" He lost his smile a little, looking at his brother's face. "If it's what I think of you now my answer would be completely different. I don't think it was intentional but we all changed." Kaito closed his eyes. "Myself included. For better or worse, there's nothing we can do about it. It took me a while but I figured that out about you. I wouldn't put either of those words to you anymore."
"And now? Even knowing the responsibilities I would have, and how I was to act at those times?"
"Now. Just normally, if I had to describe you, or what?"
Saguru shook his head. "It does not matter. I simply wanted your view of me."
"Well you could have just worded it like that. Now: Cons. You're withdrawn, you're stubborn, you're shortsighted you're... anti-social I guess would be the best word. You're definitely a lot more pessimistic. You walk around with an air of 'My pain is my pain and not yours because I am above you, and you are not privileged to know what I don't wish to share." Kaito held up a hand. "But you're brave and you're strong and you're confidant when you want to be, and you're one of the best friends and family members I would ever hope to have."
Saguru had stood but stopped, listening. He managed a smile and looked over at his brother. "So long as I am not restricting you in any way, aside from your own nighttime challenges, I can work on those."
"So," Kaito said, standing up with him. "What brought this up?"
"I told Momoi-kun… not everything but some of what my life was like in London as the conversation had turned to families. I suppose it was a first to hear what I appeared through her eyes. I wanted to know if it differed or if that was truly how I seemed to those around me."
Kaito rolled his eyes. "Well I wouldn't call you fake but you can get kind of stuffy. It takes a lot to get you out of that little hole sometimes but I can't see her- Did you always call her that?" He frowned.
"Call her- Momoi-kun? Yes. I had not asked yet to call her by her given name, nor did she tell me I could or will." He motioned with his hand.
"Well, yeah, but you've been calling Aoko by her given name since... well almost forever, and I don't remember you asking her. Considering the circumstances." Kaito frowned some more. "It's weird, especially because they're good friends."
Saguru raised a hand up and motioned with his hand to himself. "That was obvious impulse on my part and, as she never corrected me, I took it as consent."
Kaito shook his head as he walked over to his brother. "You're weird, you know that? If it were Aoko calling me by our last and you by your given I think I'd get jealous." He rested his arm on his brother's shoulder. "So that's why you're upset? She called you fake or something? To be honest, I don't remember Keiko-chan being that harsh."
"Not using that word, no. She was not harsh and, if anything, I am to blame. Some things she had mentioned earlier made it clear that she would not be happy with a part of my lifestyle, and yet I consented to go on a walk. I did not expect what she had to say when I told her though, and defaulted to my upbringing when she went to leave. I believe I made it worse."
Kaito sighed and shook his head. "I don't see her faulting someone for their lifestyle either, but if she left and you fell asleep outside we can safely say that yes, you messed up somewhere. That's why you have me." Kaito pointed to himself. "Want my help?"
Saguru started to shake his head but changed it to a nod. "Simply a way to apologize. I know, even without my words, that she is far too free and independent, but I want the chance to, at the very least, clear the air of any hard feelings."
Kaito tipped his head back and looked his brother in the eyes. "Do you like her, I mean in any special way? I kind of need to know, and the truth if I'm going to get anywhere."
"She is honest, kind, and nice to be around, but no." Saguru shook his head. "No more 'special' than Aoko-kun."
Kaito nodded. "Okay. I guess I'll be back then." He pulled a hat out of nowhere to hide his hair. "It's better to fix things when they're broken as fast as you can or you or more people will get hurt. I shouldn't be longer than two hours and that's only if this is as hard as I'm thinking it will be."
"I appreciate it." Saguru gave him a small smile. "I will be running a facial recognition program that I had planned on doing last night, as that may help with the case." He paused. "Tell her I will keep working on the case and thank her."
Kaito nodded, disappearing out the door. He had his wings safely hidden and could get to the school quickly. Suzuki-ojisan had to live way out of the way though. Taking his normal route in the sky, he had to block his eyes from the rising sun. Now see, this was why he never flew in the morning. After nearly half an hour of being blinded, he touched down in the schoolyard only to not be able to find Keiko-chan anywhere. Once he was sure she wasn't there, he slipped in a little surprise in his own classroom- one of his doves with a white rose for a certain someone, before going off and just walking to Keiko's house. Maybe she overslept. If Saguru had been up late she likely had too. He knocked on the door, getting her mom. Only then did he think of how stupid that was, though he was quick enough to take off the hat. "Hi, can I speak to Keiko-chan?"
"Oh, Kaito-kun. It's been a while. You never come over here without Aoko-chan." She paused and looked down at the boy. "Shouldn't you be in school?"
"Ah," Kaito laughed lightly. "Yeah but Aoko was really worried and my mom's had us called out for a while to recoup. We've had some problems at home."
She shook her head. "With the stories, considering I barely see hide nor hair of you, I'd easily believe you'd just skipped school. I don't think Keiko is really ready to get up. She's had a fever and upset stomach since this morning."
"Can I just see her? If she's not feeling good I promise I'll leave." Kaito made an x over his heart. "It'll at least get some people off my back who are worrying about if she's okay."
"You'd sneak in the window even if I said no." She held the door open for him. "If you remember where her room is then sure. If not you should spend more time with her and I'm not letting you stay."
"I remember where it is." Kaito snuck in once he had the chance, going up the stairs of the small house and to the room on the second landing, one of only three other rooms before the single bedroom and bath upstairs. He knocked on the door. "Hey, Keiko-chan, it's me. I wanted to talk to you."
Keiko looked up at her door, burying her head back in the pillow. "I don't feel good but okay." She wrapped the blanket around her, still in the pajamas she'd barely gotten into last night before she'd passed out. "Come in."
Kaito came in, closing the door on Keiko's nosey mother behind him. He wished she had a lock on it. "Hey K... Keiko-chan." Whatever happened or misunderstanding or whatever, or maybe even just going out at night, Keiko really did look sick. "You feeling okay?"
"Better." Keiko reached over and grabbed her glasses off the side table, putting them on so she could see. "What did you want? I thought you couldn't leave the house?"
"I couldn't leave it while I looked obviously like me. I did come and pick you guys up." He felt wrong about sitting on the bed with her so he grabbed the chair from the desk and sat down in it. "I come baring word from my brother about some misunderstanding."
Keiko sat up a little bit more and took in breath that had an uncontrollable shake to it. "I don't think there was a misunderstanding. You can tell him not to worry about it." She felt almost numb from crying, but at least numb was better than what she'd felt last night.
"You're upset and it's been bothering him like no tomorrow. I think I could have fed him pig's feet and he wouldn't have even noticed. He wanted to say he was sorry for whatever it was and that he wants to try and patch things up."
Keiko stared just as humble at Kaito-kun. "I still don't know what he's apologizing for but if it'll make him feel better, say I forgive him. It was just last night we realized we were two very different people. I am never making a deal with you again," she spat bitterly at her friend's fiancée.
Kaito's lip twitched up in a smile. "Now see, that's what I expected from him last night." It disappeared pretty fast though. "Um, Keiko-chan, did you kiss him?"
Keiko blushed and threw the pillow at him. "Of course I did. I thought that's what you were supposed to do when you were dating anyway. I wouldn't have just come out and done it though if you hadn't worded it the way you did. He's anything but shy."
That made Kaito laugh though he didn't hold the amusement for too long. He saw the problem now. "Why'd you guy's fight or whatever it was?"
"Because, Saguru-kun wants to live his life by his rules and obligations. I want someone who will live their life for me and for themselves. That's what you're supposed to do." Keiko's eyes started watering up again and she embraced that numbness to push them away. "So it's not like it would have worked out."
"You liked him, didn't you?" Kaito asked with a raised eyebrow.
Stupid Kaito-kun. Keiko looked down and held the blanket tight but nodded. "I think I did. I don't like it hurting so much now though." She cried a few tears that darkened her blanket.
Kaito felt sorry for her, he really did. Keiko had been his friend nearly as long as Aoko had, and that was pretty much his whole life. "I'm sorry but I don't think he felt the same."
"I know that." She wiped her eyes, taking a calming breath and looking back at him. "I know. It's just something I didn't expect to happen like that and so fast. I've never liked anyone real before like that. I'll be fine. It's just because I haven't had much sleep and it happened so recently."
"I'm sorry, Keiko. If I knew it would have ended like this I never would have thought to try it. I don't like that you're hurting. Aoko's going to kill me."
Keiko laughed at that, the tension in her throat easing. "For once it's not your fault. It's no one's fault. Thank you though, for coming."
Kaito nodded. "I had to. One of those two would have killed me if I didn't." Being either a man or because it had happened with everyone else and he was becoming everyone's big brother though, Kaito finally got the courage and sat down on the bed next to her, hugging her. "I hope you feel better."
Keiko shook off a few more tears and held onto him. Never in all her life had Kaito-kun hugged her but right now it felt nice so she accepted it. "I'm not used to you being so nice to me. Why couldn't it have been like you and Aoko?"
"People are different. We can't all be alike. Come on, it's your first crush. You'll get over it and I promise I won't tell him."
Keiko cried a few more silent tears before looking up at him. "Kaito-kun, can I see something? It's something I need to know."
"Um, sure?" Kaito looked at her uncertainly. "What did you want to see?"
"Just hold still for a second." Keiko fixed herself on the bed using him as a steadying hand and turned before he could stop her and kissed him.
"Keiko?!" Kaito pulled back, trying to pull Keiko off of him but she had already broken the kiss. What in the world was that, and after he had told Aoko he wouldn't be kissing any more girls.
"I needed to see something. I see it now. Thanks for coming, again." Keiko let go of Kaito-kun with a little more hurt to bear until she got over it. "Don't tell Aoko about that either or she'll kill me instead of you."
"Keiko-chan..." Kaito stared at her, completely confused. It was clear she didn't want to talk anymore but that didn't make any sense- what she had just done.
Keiko pulled the covers closer to herself and looked down. "Can you leave me alone now, please?"
Kaito wanted to ask her a million questions but there was a pleading to her voice that he just couldn't ignore. "Sure." He got up, still not sure what to make of any of that. It was like it threw the rest of what they had been talking about out the window. "I guess I'll see you when I see you."
"Bye."
Kaito shook his head once more, walking out the door and down the stairs past her mom, giving her a 'yeah, she's not feeling too well' sentiment, or something like that. His brain was having trouble trying to keep track of everything. He flew back a few streets down from the mansion, still at a loss. It blanked everything out until he found himself in front of his brother's door and he hadn't even remember getting there. He knocked on it, frowning and all of a sudden not sure what he was supposed to tell him.
"Come in." Saguru was adjusting a few parameters to narrow the search, however it would still take quite awhile, as it was solely on eyes and the near hits were far too many. He was looking through the ones that the program had flagged but none so far were right.
Kaito walked in, letting out a breath and going to sit next to him on the bed before just falling back on it. "Where's that sleep I wanted?"
Saguru looked back at him. He wanted to know the air was clear but Kaito looked rather out of it and if he had returned, his message was passed on, and there was nothing further he could do for that situation. "Go right ahead and sleep. You look as though you need it."
"I can't sleep," Kaito groaned. He really wanted to but after that there would be no way he could. "That's it. I'm never setting you up with a friend again. Ever. Ever, ever, ever, ever. It's too complicated."
Saguru looked closer at him, not sure what to ask at first. "Was she truly that upset?"
"I'm not obligated to speak of anything about our private conversation," Kaito spoke with his eyes closed before opening them. "She said you didn't do anything wrong though, and if you think you did, she forgives you for it."
Saguru relaxed at that, though he continued to eye Kaito. "Perhaps something to drink would help you relax."
"Nope." Kaito sat back up. "I have to go find mom about something real quick. She didn't tell you where she'd be after she got back, did she?"
"No. She did not. I do not know where she went."
Kaito got up, rubbing his eye and scratching his head. "Okay. I'm off to look for her then. Don't fry your brain, Kami knows you'd be worthless without it," he said with a chuckle, closing the door. After looking around the whole place for her he got nothing and just laid down on the floor at the other end of the building. "Great. Just great." He picked up his phone. It was way too early to call Aoko but he could text her- which he did, telling her to call him. "Man, do I feel like the biggest ass in the world." He closed his eyes and sighed, looking up at the ceiling after. "Even when life isn't chaotic it can never be easy, can it?" He got himself up and against the wall before partially curling up on himself and getting a little more rest.
Jiro stopped short on his way to one of the rooms with a safe in it. There was someone at the end of the hall. He walked toward it quickly. If Kid was playing another trick on him...
Kaito felt someone kind of loud by him and then someone touched him so he opened his eyes, an initial spike of fear hitting him when he woke up to the old man. He hid it behind surprise at finding he fell asleep in the hallway. "Ah, hi. Sorry about that." He used the wall to get up, somewhat sore from sleeping awkwardly.
"Kaito-kun! For a minute I thought Kid had slipped in again." Jiro laughed. "Not that he could. Not only did I add what he said, I made a few more of my own. His only eyes in here is that dove." He grinned and patted the wooden box next to him. "Even so, I only trust myself with this."
Kaito frowned at the trunk he'd never seen before. "What is that?"
"My newest acquisition. Kid made a deal and this..." Jiro snickered as he slid the box closer. "Is the centerpiece of my exhibit."
Kaito turned his head, interested. He was very interested but he made sure not to show that much. "Exhibit. I heard you did things like that but I've never been to one. What's this one showing off?"
"Never been to-! Well, you've never seen something like this!" Jiro pulled the key out of his inside pocket and unlocked it, opening the cover. "This is one of the rarest gems in the world and only known one cut. It's a Grandidierite. I personally had it set in this necklace."
Kaito looked at the necklace inside the box. It was as extravagant as all of his other pieces, gold dangling down for gold, the stone at a point, it's light sea green color standing out clear. It was too clear but then again, so were a lot of stones and, while it wasn't the biggest thing he had ever gotten his hands on, it was still palm-sized and good enough to pique his interest. 'Rarest gems in the world' also made him know that this wouldn't be anything he could just pass by. It may not be Pandora but it was something Kid could make his mark on by touching. That was kind of fun considering that he had to do this heist no matter what. "Where are you going to show it off? Not in your house. Then again, we should be gone by then maybe."
"Not a chance! A centerpiece! It's going in my gallery and while your brother hasn't seen it, he's already given me some ideas about security. Better than that inspector and all his men traipsing around, doing nothing."
Oh great, so Saguru was spending his time working against him. It was usually fun but this old man frequently required more than a little preemptive planning. "You're gallery, huh? What else are you going to show with it?"
"Famous jewelry from around the world! Necklaces worn by famous movie stars! Jeweled tiaras and crowns worn by royalty! Signet rings! This is the only piece that has not made the news... until Kid fails to steal it!"
Kaito's eyes widened. Even if he had been trying to be impressed, that really was impressive. For people to have parted with those jewels to begin with, whether he had borrowed or bought them, was amazing. "We'll that's really cool. What's he stealing anyway, just this necklace?" Kaito could just hear the snickering in the back of his mind.
"It's what I plan on seeing, if he can try. He always goes for the centerpiece. That big one! That one that tops any other! What would be the point of taking something else when this-!" Jiro waved his hand to the necklace. "Is the biggest prize there!?"
"I guess if you're a girl or a thief," Kaito said with far less enthusiasm. "What's my brother been helping you with?"
Jiro chuckled. "He's good, I have to give it to Kid. He picked him. Saguru-kun suggested heat sensitive detectors inside the case. Keep the inside controlled so if the case is opened or even cut into with the system armed, even in the dark or smoke or whatever that thief tries to hide his movements, the alarm goes off. Fans around the area and floodlights. No shadows for him to move, no smoke to hide in. Ha! Add in my own ideas, including electrified bars on the windows and doors, and he won't get this baby!"
Kaito mentally smirked. He'd been scared for a second there that he'd made a similarity between himself and Kid when he didn't just call Saguru, Saguru. As for the bars that was easy. The lights and fans, even easier. He could also deal with the heat sensor now that he had advanced warning. He smiled to the old man instead of actually grinning though. "That sounds a little overboard to me but no one's caught him yet. Good luck."
"Nothing is overboard when it comes to that thief!" Jiro shut the box, smiling back at the boy as the lock snapped into place. "And I don't need luck."
"Okay then." Kaito waved slightly to him. He looked at the clock on his phone. "I was waiting for something but it's not time yet. Sorry to keep you."
Jiro grabbed the box in one hand and slapped him on the shoulder with the other. "You have a room, go to sleep so you're not passed out on the floor. Thought you were Kid sneaking in." He stood and turned.
Kaito walked after him but at a distance, as if he were looking for his room. Considering he had just woken up and he was on the other side of the house, it was believable enough that he could say he was lost and was too embarrassed to ask him how to get back- that, or curious why he was keeping a necklace in only a box and where he was putting it. The truth coming from himself wasn't really that strange.
Jiro walked into the far room and shut the door behind him, heading to a painting against the far wall. He reached out, twisted a spiral in the frame, and pulled it open. He slid the box in the space where it was flush with the surroundings. Knocking anywhere, it wouldn't sound hollow and made of wood than metal that could expand and contract. Otherwise that meant space, and that meant echoes.
Kaito watched thought the crack in the door, shutting it quietly before the old man could turn around and walking off to an empty room where, innocently enough, he called Aoko. She had gotten out of school at good half an hour ago.
Aoko was twirling the white rose in her left hand while she worked on her homework when her phone rang. As soon as she saw who it was, she hit Accept. "Hey there."
"Hey there," Kaito said back teasingly once he heard her voice. He'd have to look at the notes for today himself and get the work done. "Miss me?"
"Well, I had a visitor at school, in white that gave me a flower. Flew off before I could say thanks."
"She had to go back home to eat. Don't blame her. I've had her with me for a while and it's been hard to feed them here. How are you?"
"I'm fine but Keiko was home sick. I guess that's why she left last night. I was going to call later and see if she was feeling better."
"Yeah well, that's the thing Aoko and hear me out. I have no idea what happened last night but I guess Saguru told her at one point he wasn't changing himself or something, I'm not sure, and she thought that she couldn't be with someone who- ah you know I forgot the reason but I stopped by. She was pretty upset. I guess she really liked him and," He shrugged a little, though Aoko could only read into the pause. "He doesn't like her that way. I really, really should have talked to him before I set it up. Can you talk to her, maybe calm her down? I mean, she seemed calm but sad. Watch a movie or something, cheer her up you know? I kind of have to be here." And nowhere near Keiko for a while.
"Oh." Aoko felt so bad for both of them. "I will. You sure Saguru-kun's okay? Was that why he was so out of it this morning?"
"He seemed just fine. He just wanted to tell her sorry I guess, and it was bothering him. When I got back here, he went right back to normal. Don't let her get you all depressed too or anything. No matter what you're not losing me. Got that?"
"I know that. I have my dibs on you on my finger."
Kaito laughed. "It's more than just a ring but I'm sure that helps. Hey, I'll call you later tonight, make you smile if you need it yourself. Deal?"
"Deal."
"Bye." Kaito waited for her to say goodbye too before be hung up, smiling at the phone and walking back out of the room. He went around the house again, finding his mom in the kitchen of all places. "Mom, what are you doing?" he asked, an arm at his side.
Chikage looked over. "I'm doing the lunch dishes."
Kaito sighed. "You know how many people had to have eaten?" He walked over to her, the water almost deafening close-up. That was a good thing and a bad thing. His mom had good ears. "Hey, can I ask you a question?"
"Sure." Chikage rinsed a plate and held it out, nodding to a towel on the counter. "You can help."
Kaito sighed. Really? He had to admit though, they were kind of freeloading. He took the towel and the plate his mom handed him. "With all the things that old guy can come up with, why not something to dry dishes? Why are you even washing them? You know he's got a dish washer."
"The dishwasher would do both but I needed something to do."
Kaito sighed again. "With you I'm surprised you went to housework first." He dried the dish and put it off to the side, taking the next one without argument. "Hey, if you have a friend who's acting really weird and does something you had no say over but would go over bad with another close friend, but you don't know what to do about it, what would you do?"
Chikage glanced over. "If you really had no say, you're not to blame, and if the friend is behaving strange, it may not be their fault either. Both of you need to talk it out and settle it. If a third person is involved, have them there too." She smiled. "And housework is soothing but it wasn't my first choice."
Kaito colored and he colored fast. "Um, what if, if you did talk to both of them, everyone would only be mad at each other after?"
"You three are too close for that to happen over an emotional misunderstanding."
"Um. That's not it." Kaito saw his mom was assuming and his eyes darted to and away from her, not sure if he could look at her. "There was um, pretty much a break off between Keiko-chan and Saguru and um, she was upset and stuff so I talked to her... and she kind of kissed me. And-I just-promised Aoko-I wasn't-going to-do-stuff like that and... well." Kaito shrugged. "I felt bad leaving her like that but I can't be around her if she's going to... do that."
Chikage stopped and put the glass back in the water. "You really need to talk to her then. If she was just acting out, let her calm down and go over Sunday to talk to her. Aoko-chan should understand that you weren't to blame either. You need to talk to them. 'Clear the air' as they say. You don't want another secret between you and Aoko-chan and if you think she won't notice your attitude around her friend at school you're wrong. She'll find out, one way or another."
Kaito sighed. "I guess that's a good idea. That way if she- why would she even do that? She knows I like Aoko." He shook his head and looked over at his mom. "Yeah, I guess that's a good idea though. I hope they don't stop being friends. Keiko-chan and her were almost together more than Aoko and I used to be."
"Rebound. If she did like Saguru and they broke up, she'd be looking for anything to take that hurt away. It happens but a lot are recognized as mistakes. Accidents. When it's kept a secret and later figured out, it hurts more."
Kaito nodded. He still felt bad for Keiko-chan but he couldn't be that person for her. He'd leave her hurting for days then, but hopefully Aoko would help her with that. He didn't really have any other male friends that were... appropriate to help. At least they both thought that there was reason for it to be over before they went out for years like he knew some couples did.
Chikage looked sadly at him then smiled and flicked some of the soapy water at him.
Kaito turned away, wiping some of the water off his face. "Hey!" He took the towel he had and just tossed it at her face. "That's not fair when I don't have anything to throw back. You busy yourself then or whatever. I'm going to go watch some TV."
Chikage watched him go, feeling a mix of relief and sadness. He needed to cheer up a little but tomorrow was going to be tricky enough, and neither of them needed the distraction. Saguru sounded like he was okay but Kaito...
