Chapter Two: Packing for Izu and Party Invitation
"You have got to be kidding me."
Kouichi looked up from the paperback book he was holding, tilting his head at his brother. "What?" he asked innocently.
Kouji eyed his brother's suitcase accusingly. The thing was already halfway full of books, while his only has two pairs of pajamas, five shorts, and a towel. "Kouichi, you're not seriously thinking of bringing that many books to Izu, are you?"
"Why not?" Kouichi laughed. "I wanted to finish fifty new books this year, remember? And these—" he held up his library books, "—are perfect for me to breeze through during the summer."
"We're supposed to be going to Izu and have fun together!"
"And we will—"
"No offense, but watching you spend an entire week reading while we're at the beach is NOT what I call fun. I thought the whole point of you staying with me for the summer is because we don't get to see each other as often as we would have liked. And you were the one who wished we could attend the same school and all that!"
His accusation caused Kouichi's smile to fade as quickly as sand being washed away by the sea. His gaze lowered to hide his guilt. Kouji paused, wondering if he had been too forward.
"You're right, I'm sorry, Kouji," Kouichi sighed in defeat. "I really do want to spend more time with you and the others. Really, I do, but I guess old habits are hard to die." Quietly, he began to liberate his suitcase of the books, then paused, conflicted on which one of the two in his hands he should bring. "I guess I went overboard, didn't I?"
Kouji shrugged and went back to his own packing. "Not by much, since your books were only taking up half the space," he replied sarcastically. "Then again, maybe if you leave your yukata here, you could squeeze in one more library book. But don't worry, I'm sure you can go to the local summer festival in your pajamas."
"Kouji, stop it!" Kouichi cried, but Kouji laughed which prompted the older twin to throw a towel at him. "Oh, you and Mom are always teasing me!"
"Because you make it so easy!"
Kouichi huffed and turned away, his lips puckered into a small pout, which in turn gave him a cute and enduring appearance. Kouji couldn't help but smile at this. There was no way he could pull off that look as well as his brother. Whenever Kouji sneers, he always came off as sullen and unapproachable, but when his brother does it, Kouji has the urge to wrap his arms around his twin and squeeze until the other laughs. Quietly, he snuck out his phone to snap a picture, making certain to turn off the sound of the shutter clicking.
"What are you doing?" Kouichi turned on him, narrowing his eyes accusingly.
"Nothing," Kouji grinned, quickly hiding the camera app on his phone.
Kouichi's face flushed red. "You're lying! You're taking pictures to tease me again!"
"Nope, just texting Mom to show her how you're doing," said Kouji smoothly, swiping his phone. "You know how she worries."
Kouichi sighed, his shoulder sagging in defeat as he went back to his two books. "You're impossible!"
"Please, don't be mad. You know it's all in good fun, right?"
"I know…" Kouichi mumbled.
Kouji moved closer to his twin to see why he was being so indecisive. Both books were Japanese translated version of foreign literatures, the first one being a classic, titled The Hound of Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle, and the other was obviously for young adults, The Wizard's Dilemma by Diane Duane.
"Woah, you're really going to try and read a Sherlock Holmes story?" Kouji asked, mildly interested. "You usually prefer fantasy."
"Why not? Hearing Takuya talking about his dad's work made me curious about trying out crimes and mystery for a change. I thought this would be a good start," Kouichi said.
"Take both if you can't decide."
"I thought you said you didn't want me to take more than one."
"No, I said I didn't want you to spend all your time reading while we're vacationing," Kouji corrected him. "Two books aren't much, and knowing how fast you read, I'll bet you'll be done with them both by the time we get back. Now—" he glanced around and found what he was looking for, handing it to Kouichi, "—don't forget your yutaka."
For the next half hour, they chatted excitedly while packing. They talked about going to the local summer festival, seeing all the sights that Izu would have to offer, and debating which activities would be worth doing. They were so deep in their discussion that they didn't hear footsteps outside their door until someone finally knocked.
In strode a man in his late thirties with a tired but satisfying smile on his face. Like the boys, he had dark hair combed neatly back to compliment his clean-shaven face. A pair of silver-rimmed glasses slid down his nose, revealing a pair of sparkling, warm, black eyes. From the looks of his business attire, it was clear he had just come home from work.
"Dad!" Kouichi exclaimed. "You're home!"
"Hello, boys," Minamoto Kousei smiled as he glanced around their shared room. "What a mess," he chuckled, glancing down at their suitcases. "What are you two up to?" he teased.
Kouji tossed a pair of socks into his luggage. "We're getting ready for our trip to Izu, remember?"
Kousei nodded. "Ah, yes. You're going with your friends." Turning to Kouichi, he gently patted his eldest son on the head. "Kouichi, it's so good to see you again. How's your mother?"
"Fine, Dad," Kouichi mumbled politely. "She's well enough."
"That's good to hear."
"You're home late today, Dad," Kouji noted, glancing at the clock on his desk.
"I had to attend an important meeting with my clients," Kousei grinned, placing his hands on his hips. "Anyway, finish up whatever it is you two are doing and be downstairs for dinner in ten minutes. Satomi's making beef stew."
The brothers exchanged glances as soon as their father left.
"Is it just me, or did Dad look a little too excited just now?" Kouji asked.
"Maybe things are going well with his business. That's good, right?" Kouichi suggested.
Kouji nodded hesitantly, but his face remained skeptical. Occasionally, he overheard his father talking on the phone with clients. He often ignored listening in on such boring business deals, yet, his father seemed a bit more anxious as well as excited these past few months.
Their stomachs growled in unison as soon as they took a whiff of the faint aroma creeping in from downstairs. Kouji shook his head, pushing the thought aside as he got to his feet. "C'mon, let's go downstairs. I'm starving."
Kouichi nodded and followed suit.
They were greeted by their stepmother, Satomi, as soon as they entered the kitchen and was asked to help set the table while waiting for their father to join them. A woman in her mid-thirties, she was pretty enough with her short cropped brown hair, brown eyes, and a pair of red-framed glasses.
Satomi always had a vibrant smile, an indication of her endearing cheerfulness and a deep desire to always make the best of things. Kouji admitted that for three years, her smile hadn't been this genuine due to his part for being such a stubborn and selfish stepson. It wasn't until just a little before his trip to the Digital World that he started to accept her. And if being in the Digital World had taught him anything, it was that love is never exclusive and reserved to just one person. Like his element of Light, it can spread and travel far and wide, touching many hearts along the way. Satomi was more than thrilled to have not just one stepson accepting her, but two when Kouichi was introduced. Granted, she had been pretty angry at her husband for all the lying at first, but quickly accepted Kouichi as if he had always been there.
A loud bark snapped him caught Kouji's attention. As Kousei came in, he was followed by a large yipping dog. Lured by the delectable aroma of meat, Kouji's dog made a beeline for Satomi as she brought the plates to the table.
"Kouji, could you please take Hiroki outside? He's going to make me spill our food!" Satomi asked.
"Sure thing," Kouji said, walking over to his dog. "C'mon, boy. Your food is outside." The German Shepherd whimpered, glancing longingly at the simmering pot of beef stew. Kouji smiled as he guided Hiroki to his food bowl and poured him a good helping of treats before rejoining his family at the table.
Dinner started out normally at first. Kousei and Satomi tried to make pleasant conversation by asking Kouichi about his new school, how his mother was doing, and about the move. As usual, Kouichi answered their questions by mumbling yes or no, all the while being as cordial and polite as he could. Satomi decided to switch topic by asking them about their trip to Izu.
"How long will you be there?"
"A week," Kouji replied.
"Still, Izu is such a long way from here. And such a big and crowded tourist destination, especially now during the summer! Are you certain you'll be safe?"
"We're going with our friends, Satomi," Kouichi smiled. "We'll be fine."
"I know, but I think I'll feel a lot better if there's an adult accompanying you on this trip."
Kouji sighed exasperatedly. "Mom, we're thirteen! We don't need a babysitter—" Kousei gave his son a warning look and Kouichi gently kicked him under the table.
"Please don't worry about us, Satomi," Kouichi said, "We have two more people joining us on our trip and one of them is Himi Yutaka. He's Tomoki's older brother. The one we told you about last month."
"The one studying at Todai University?"
Kouichi nodded.
At the mention of Tomoki's brother, Satomi's worry subsided. "Oh, good. He seems like a nice and responsible young man. Who's the other one coming with you?"
"Izumi's cousin," Kouji answered, then shrugged nonchalantly. "Some girl visiting from Rome or Venice—"
"Milan," Kouichi corrected.
"Well, the more the merrier, I supposed," Satomi said, looking very relieved.
"In any cases, when are you boys leaving?" Kousei asked, glancing up from his plate.
"Early Monday morning," Kouji replied. "Why do you ask?"
"Ah, well, I'm sorry this is last minute, and for not mentioning it to you all earlier, but I wanted to make sure it was going to work out well," Kousei set his utensils down, usually a sign that means he's about to announce something major. "Clear your schedule for tomorrow night, because we're attending a party."
The clicking sound of utensils against plates stopped as Satomi and the twins gave him a confused look.
"A party?" Kouichi blinked.
"Dear, what is going on?" Satomi asked.
"Yeah, Dad," Kouji frowned, eyeing his father warily. "What are you planning this time?"
Ignoring his son's glower, Kousei grasped Satomi's free hand in his. "As you know, I've been funding various scientific research groups these past few years. Amongst them is Dr. Tsujimura Kazuyoshi. He and his assistants are head of a small company that research and develop new drugs and technology for oncological treatment."
Kouichi tilted his head. "Oncology? As in helping people with cancer?" he asked, intrigued.
Kousei nodded. "Yes! Not only will their project help ease patients' suffering during chemotherapy, but it also helps slow down and even prevent the mutated cells from spreading. So far, Dr. Tsujimura and his team has been developing it for those with brain, breast, and colon cancers. From the looks of things, they may be able to use the same method for people suffering from other types of cancer. At least to a certain degree."
"That's wonderful," Satomi beamed, tightening her husband's hand. Her mother had died from breast cancer before she married him. Kouji remembered how devastated she was when she realized her mother wouldn't be there to attend her daughter's wedding. "Oh, Kousei, that would certainly help so many people. I'm just sorry that my mother didn't live long enough to see it."
"Yes, well, that's partly why I jumped into this project in the first place, Satomi. I knew this is the biggest deal of the century and if financing their project succeeds, it could lead to new opportunities for my company and our family. I had to get involve. I contacted Dr. Tsujimura and his people and offered to help fund their project. And after two years, they finally have results! Recently, it has been approved by the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency and they're about to announce it to the world! I came home late today because I've been talking to Dr. Tsujimura about further financing mass reproduction for global consumption."
"Okay, that sounds great, Dad. But what does any of this have to do with a party?" Kouji asked.
"Ah, I'm getting to that," Kousei cleared his throat before continuing. "As I've stated, my clients are going to announce the success of their project to the world during a party at a hotel. And as their financial investor, Dr. Tsujumura has extended an invitation to me and my family for tomorrow night."
"Dad, that sounds great but…" Kouichi paused, meekly lowering his eyes.
"Sorry, Dad, but Kouichi and I can't come," Kouji replied. "We're meant to meet with Takuya and the others to see a movie tomorrow night."
Kousei frowned. "Boys, this is more important than some night out with your friends! C'mon, boys! You should be happy for me!"
"We are, but it's just—"
Kouji cut him off, keeping his glare on his father. "Important to you maybe, but Kouichi and I have our own engagement!"
"Kouji, please!" Kousei exclaimed. Without meaning to, he slammed his hands on the table, startling everyone.
"Kousei!" Satomi cried.
Kouichi gasped, lowering his head.
Kouji didn't react, keeping his cool. For a few seconds, father and son matched glares, daring the other to submit defeat.
At last, Kousei calmed himself by taking in a deep breath. "Listen, boys. This event is especially important," he started in an even tone. "The media will be there, as well as the scientific and medical communities. Not to mention there will be many notable and influential figures across the country attending. To promote my business to a vast pool of potential clients, I will need your help by coming with me to this party."
Kouji's eyes darkened, his hands clenched into tight fists. "So, you want us to play the role of dutiful sons to impress your rich friends? No, thanks!" Picking up his empty plate, he got up and excused himself.
"Kouji! Don't walk away from this! We're not done yet!"
"Yes, we are, Dad!" Kouji glanced over his shoulder.
Kousei exhaled in frustration and quickly got up to follow his youngest son into the living room to continue the debate, leaving Satomi and Kouichi alone in the kitchen. They both exchanged nervous glances.
"Would you like some help with the dishes?" Kouichi offered.
Satomi nodded. "Yes, that's very sweet of you."
They got up to wash the dishes in awkward silence, all the while they could hear the heated exchange going back and forth in the next room. Sensing something exciting in the air, Hiroki barked and scratched against the sliding glass door, begging to be let in.
"Oh, dear. I haven't heard those two butt heads this fiercely since, well…" Satomi began softly, glancing at Kouichi.
"…since you found out that I exist?" Kouichi offered.
Satomi laughed mirthlessly. "Yes." As she placed the last of the dish onto the rack, she paused thoughtfully. "To be honest, I think your father should have told us about this party much earlier. It's just so last minute!"
"Kouji could have taken the news in stride," Kouichi said, leaning against the marble countertop.
Satomi placed both her hands on her hip. "Still, it's not fair for him to force you two to change your plans with your friends. Honestly! Mind you, I plan to give him an earful tonight! Now I must consider what to wear tomorrow, and the only dress that I could think of has to be taken to the cleaner! Oh, dear! I don't think even Inagaki-san could work his magic with such short notice! I may have to buy a new one! And as for you boys…" She placed both her hands on his shoulders, scrutinizing his height. Kouichi blinked and realized his eye level was almost over her shoulder level. "And I'll have to get new suits for you two as well. You and Kouji are going through a growth spurt!"
"Oh, Satomi!" Kouichi blushed, doing his best to wiggle out of his doting stepmother's grasp.
Putting a hand over her mouth, Satomi giggled. "Oh, I'm sorry, Kouichi-kun. Here I am rambling on and on. You must be tired. Why don't you head upstairs? I'll let Hiroki in."
Kouichi nodded and made his way through the living room and up the stairs.
"Kouji, please consider this! It's important to show these people that as a company, we're approachable and come from a good background! And the only way to do that is to appear as a family that supports one another!"
"How can it be supportive when you're trying to force us to dress up and act all prim and proper against our will?" Kouji retorted. "You may think you can get away with that with me, but don't drag Kouichi into your scheme! You barely spend time with him as it is!"
Kouichi winced at being mentioned. He paused on the third step of the stairs and peeked into the living room.
"I'm trying, Kouji! I've been trying to make it up to him and to you for months!"
Kouji scoffed and rolled his eyes because he knew it annoyed his father. "Oh, yeah, nothing like trying to make up for all your years of absences and lying by bribing for his love and affection with a brand-new phone and a bigger allowance!" Kouji hissed, his tone dripping with unamused sarcasm. "Haven't you realized that Kouichi doesn't care for any of that stuff? You barely see him when he visits because all you do is work! You only care about your company's reputation! And now when you do want to spend time with us, it involves your business like it always has been! Some father you turned out to be—"
"Kouji, that's enough!" Kousei fired back and Kouichi wilted from his hiding place. He'd never heard his father this angry before. He sounded so dark in his fury that even Kouji was taken aback.
"Sit down," Kousei said darkly, pointing to the sofa. When Kouji didn't, Kousei gave him an exasperated glare, the kind that parents do when dealing with their rebellious and stubborn teenagers. "Now." The command oozes parental threat. Silently, Kouji took his seat. Turning to the stairs behind the wall, Kousei said, "Kouichi, I know you're hiding there. Please, come out."
Kouichi gulped and nervously made his way into the living room. He had never been reprimanded by his father before. His own mother and grandmother can be frightening when dealing out punishment when he was little. Was his father going to hit Kouji in front of him for his insolence? No, his father didn't seem like the type.
To his relief, Kousei didn't looked too angry as he came closer. "It's okay, Kouichi. You're not in trouble. I just need you two to sit down and listen to my proposal."
"Okay." Kouichi nodded and tentatively took a seat next to his twin. Kouji glanced at him, his eyes silently conveying regret for dragging him into this mess.
Kousei sat down opposite them in his favorite leather sofa. For a moment, he was silent as he drummed his fingers on the armrests, no doubt contemplating on how best to deal with this situation without starting another battle of tongue-lashing.
Kouichi lowered his gaze and hunched his shoulder, doing his best to look invisible as possible. Kouji shifted restlessly, his eyes darting back and forth between his father and his brother.
Finally, Kousei cut the tense silence. "Look, boys…I know I haven't been a good father, especially to you, Kouichi," he turned to his eldest, "but I am still trying, even though your brother thinks otherwise."
Kouji opened his mouth to comment, but Kouichi held up his had to stop him. One look from his pleading eyes was enough to make Kouji huffed irritably as he sank back into the leather seat. Kousei turned to address his youngest, "Yes, I made a lot of mistakes, lying to you about your mother and your brother, and God knows how many I'll make more in the years to come, but I'm only human. And so is your mother. It was both our decision to separate you two, and we shouldn't have. Despite all that has happened this past year, Tomoko and I still love you boys very much and we both love it whenever you come to visit us."
"We know, Dad," Kouichi nodded, giving his father a meek smile. "Kouji and I know you and Mom had never meant for any of this to happen. It just did and we're still adjusting."
"Yes, that's right. And the last thing we want, or need, is for the world to separate you two again. That's another reason why I've been working so hard to make this company work."
Kouji's eyes widened as he sat up straight. "Wait, Dad! What do you mean you don't want the world to separate us again?" Kousei sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. Kouji studied his father and realized how tired he really looked.
"I don't want to scare you two, but things hadn't gone well in the market last year. We were losing a bit of money in our investments because of the previous recession. We were barely making it until I met Dr. Tsujimura and his team. It's thanks to their success that we're still living in this district."
The brothers looked astonished and quickly exchanged fearful glances. This doesn't sound good.
"Dad, are you moving away?" Kouichi asked. He couldn't stop his voice from quivering.
"No, don't worry. We're well situated for another year, but right now our business is just getting off its feet and into the limelight. At this stage in the game, we can't afford to relax and be complacent." Kousei said, hoping to placate his sons' fears. He turned to Kouji. "Please understand that to stay where we are, we'll need an endless list of clients coming to us for business. That's why I need you two and Satomi to help me by attending this party tomorrow evening."
Kouji said nothing, but his face remained irritated as usual. Silently, he crossed his arms as he contemplated this bit of revelation. Was his father bluffing? Was he really doing this for them so they could still see each other? Or was it all an act to get big corporate clients and share in their financial success?
Seeing his son's hesitation, Kousei cleared his throat and added, "If all goes well, I promise you two can see each other as much as you want. I'll even talk to your mother about it. Who knows? You two would even get to go to the same school in a matter of months."
The twins looked up in complete astonishment. They blinked in unison, unsure of what they had just heard. "Really, Dad?" Kouichi gasped. "You'd…you'd really let us?"
Kousei smiled. "Of course. Why wouldn't I? Your mother and I know how much you two wished you could be together more often than just the occasional weekends and holidays."
Kouichi couldn't believe what he was hearing. If this is true, they wouldn't have to wait another three years until high school to be together. It sounded too good to be true.
"Well, Kouji?" Kousei asked, smiling hopefully. "What do you think? If you want, the three of us could even move somewhere closer to your mother and brother so the commute would be easier." When Kouji still didn't answer, he sighed. "Think about it, son. Just one evening of helping me, and after that, you and Kouichi can go off to Izu with your friends with the idea of going to school together as a reward for your help."
Kouji glanced between him and his brother. After what felt like the longest time, he sighed in defeat but kept his voice low and even. "Fine. I'll go along with your dumb plan."
At this moment, Hiroki chose to come bouncing in, wagging his tail excitedly. Kouji gave his dog a quick scratch behind the ears and got up. "Are we done?" he asked, still refusing to meet his father's gaze.
Ignoring his son's rudeness, Kousei nodded. "For now, yes. You're both excused."
Kouichi gave his father a polite nod before following his brother and Hiroki upstairs.
For a while, they said nothing. As soon as he closed their bedroom door behind him, Kouji flopped onto his bed, burying his face in his pillow. The aura around him still radiates with vexation. Sensing his master's ire, Hiroki barked and paced around in circles, his strides a mixture of agitation and confusion. At last, the dog finally jumped onto the bed and made himself comfortable next to Kouji, no doubt hoping to cheer him up with his presence. Kouji didn't move. He was still too miffed from the conversation earlier.
The scene before him was a bit amusing, bringing a small smile on Kouichi's face as he sat down on his own bed facing his brother. "Kouji, are you okay?"
"Mmmmoohymnotookheeeeiii!"
"Sorry?"
"I said 'No, I'm not okay'!" Kouji repeated sourly, lifting his head. Hiroki gave a soft bark and starred at Kouji expectantly. Quickly, he sat up straight. "I hate this! I hate Dad's plan! The nerve of him! I can't believe he dragged you into the conversation as an attempt to reel me in!"
"Kouji, I don't like Dad's plan either, but I think you're overreacting—"
"Overreacting?!" Kouji snapped. "Why wouldn't I? He practically coerced us into going! It was bad enough that he lied to me all these years about you and Mom, but I didn't think he would lie about having to move again! What a crappy excuse! Company's not doing well, my ass! I may not have swung by his office as much as he wants, but even I could tell that we're not going bankrupt!"
"But what if he wasn't lying?" Kouichi asked, looking up at him with such pleading eyes. "What if Dad's company isn't doing as well as he hoped? What if you have to move?" Kouichi's eyes fell to his lap, his expression disconsolate. "We live far enough apart as it is, even though Mom and I will be moving into our new apartment soon…but still, if Dad's telling the truth, we'll be separated! I won't be able to see you and Dad and Satomi again!"
"That's not going to happen!" Kouji snapped. Kouichi jumped, looking up at him in surprise. Even Hiroki was alerted, his ears twitching in anticipation. Kouji moved over to Kouichi's bed and gripped his twin's shoulders. "We're not moving, you hear me, Nii-san? I won't let it happen! We just found each other!"
"Kouji…" Kouichi bit his lips, unsure what to say.
The grip on his shoulders tightened. Kouichi gazed up, held by his brother's fierce blue eyes. They were so full of determination, flashing between anger and kindness as the younger twin struggled to wrestle with his feelings. "Listen to me, Kouichi," Kouji began again, his tone gentler this time. "You being here with me is proof that what we went through in the Digital World wasn't just a dream. We're connected, more than just our Spirits of Light and Darkness…we're brothers. Twins. Finding out that you exist was the best thing that could have happened to me! You're the half of me that's been missing all my life, and by God, I'm not going to let you go!"
Touched, Kouichi smiled. "Oh, Kouji…how could I ever have hated you before? If I had known you could be like this…I…" he let the sentence trailed off and he turned away. He didn't want to think of being Duskmon. He shouldn't. Shaking his head, he decided to change tack before they both remembered dark times. "I really want us to be together more often…to be able to go to school with you," He paused and Kouji held his breath, waiting for the rest. Kouichi glanced up at him and smiled sweetly. "I'll admit it won't always be as cheery between us all the time. We'll probably fight and can't stand one another from time to time, but I guess that's what siblings do. Still, I wouldn't have it any other way. And deep down, don't you wish for the same thing, little brother?"
A light flush of pink flared on Kouji's cheeks, but he quickly brush it away. "Of course! I…Hey, look…" Kouji said, giving Kouichi one of his rare smile. It was the gentle and genuine kind only reserved for those closest to him. "I would do anything for you, Nii-san."
"Even put up with Dad's plan for tomorrow evening?"
"I'll dress up in a full suit like a penguin if it means getting to be with you and Mom more," Kouji affirmed.
Kouichi couldn't help himself as he broke into a giggle.
Kouji raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"I'm trying to picture you in a suit and tie, but all I can imagine is of you in a penguin cosplay! It's both funny and cute!"
Kouji grabbed a pillow and gently whacked his brother with it. "I dare you to say that again, Nii-san!"
"What are you so mad about? It's a compliment!"
"I don't do funny or cute!"
Kouichi laughed as he grabbed another pillow to defend himself, but Kouji had the upper hand. Hiroki barked excited as he watched both boys teasing one another.
"Okay, enough already, Kouji!" Kouichi giggled. "It's been a long day and I need a shower."
Kouji smirked triumphantly, but not before giving his twin one last whack of the pillow. Kouichi huffed and threw the pillow to the other bed where it landed on Hiroki unceremoniously.
"I'm tired. I think we can save the rest of the packing tomorrow morning," Kouji suggested.
It was barely light outside as the sun began to set. Without another word, the brothers pushed their suitcases and belongings to foot of their twin beds and went about to prepare themselves for the rest of the evening.
On the other side of town, a teenage boy, tall and slender with dark hair and blue eyes hummed cheerfully to himself while on his way home from school. He was holding a book bag in one arm, the other with a newspaper. As he skimmed the bold headliner, a grin of pure satisfaction painted his face:
ACE HIGH SCHOOL DETECTIVE PUT AN END TO SERIAL BOMBINGS!
For weeks, investigators and local officials tried to put a stop to a series of bombing that's been terrorizing citizens across three districts of Tokyo. No one claimed responsibilities for these terrorist attacks, and no one in particular was targeted. Among the fatalities included 43-year-old Kazaki Isamu, survived by his wife, Kanzaki Akari and 16-year-old Zhang Julie, a foreign exchange student from Laguna Beach, California.
Eager to put an end to the callousness, investigators of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department called in the assistance of local high school detective, Kudo Shinichi, age 17.
"Whoever the culprit is, he is quite skilled in electronics. He must be to create these delicate home-made bombs. You can tell from whatever's left of the intricate wirings," said Kudo. "Not only that, but he's also very meticulous, based on how little evidence remains after these devices went off. There's hardly anything left! Still, that doesn't mean there's nothing to find!"
What finally stopped the bomber was the discovery of unique tool markings left on the outside metal tubes of these devices that survived the explosion. Through the combination of top forensic analysis and the keen eyes of Kudo to spot them, the bomber was ultimately exposed and arrested. Prior to his arrest, dozens of tools with the same unique markings were discovered in his basement, further proof of his involvement.
On 30 May, 49-year-old Nakame Ginya was apprehended in his apartment by Inspector Megure Juzo and his fellow officers and is currently awaiting trials for two counts of first-degree murder, and a dozen of bomb-related charges. If convicted, Nakame may face up to life in prison without parole.
"The common mistake these people make is assuming that nothing incriminating can survive and be traced back to them," said Kudo, last Tuesday. "But one thing's for certain, one truth always prevails!"
Investigators say there's no doubt Nakame Ginya would have continued to kill if he hadn't been caught.
"Thanks to Kudo-kun, we have managed to apprehend the bomber and saved many lives," said Inspector Megure during a press conference, last Wednesday. "Truly, we are indebted to his brilliant deduction, as well as his keen eye for details."
Shinichi couldn't help himself, smirking and grinning at his own cleverness and brilliance. So wrapped in his own ego, he didn't hear a familiar voice coming from behind.
"SHINICHI!"
Shinichi turned around in time to get his face smacked by a tied-up bundle of karate uniform. "Ow! What was that for?!" he hissed, rubbing his cheek.
The owner of the make-shift weapon, and his long-time childhood friend, Mouri Ran, huffed at him crossly. She was slim with a slight built to her arms and legs, no doubt from years of karate practice, has long, dark flowing hair down pass her shoulder blades, and a pair of sparkling, blue eyes, which were currently full of frustration.
"Serves you right, Shinichi!" she huffed. "Honestly, you were supposed to wait for me to finish my karate practice today so we could walk home together!"
"Yeah, but you took so long, and I did tell one of your teammates to tell you I went on ahead, didn't I? It's not my fault you didn't get the message," said Shinichi.
"You could at least call me from across the gym!"
"You were busy practicing that kicking move, which by the way, you still need to work on if you wanna win your karate tournament this fall."
Ran quickly threw up her right leg, aiming for her friend's head. Being a soccer player himself, he dodged her light kicks, knowing full well she would never intentionally put her real strength into hurting him.
"You. Are. So. Full. Of. Yourself!" she cried, matching her kicks with each word.
Suddenly a warm gust of wind blew, lifting her pleated skirt enough to reveal her underwear right as she was about to kick Shinichi again.
"Blue?" Shinichi gasped. Immediately, he regretted for noting the color of her undergarment.
Ran's face flushed red hot as she quickly recoiled. "PERVERT!" she screamed, and landed a hard punch across Shinichi's face, sending him flying across the pavement.
"You…and your…insane…strength…" Shinichi breathed.
Ran glared down at him with great exasperation. She wasn't about to let him off the hook just yet. Noticing the crumbled newspaper, she bent down to pick it up. "And what could possibly be so important that you had to ditch me early?"
"Oh, don't be like that, Ran," Shinichi said, brushing himself as he got to his feet. "It's just yours truly on the front page again. How does it feel to be best friend with a hero, huh?"
Ran rolled her eyes, ignoring the last comment. She skimmed through the article and raised an eyebrow at him. "Was this about that serial bombing incident?"
Shinichi grinned, pumping a fist into the air. "Wasn't it great? Thanks to me, the city is sleeping peacefully again. Man, the thrill of finding the tiniest clue into nailing that suspect! I love it!"
Ran studied him for a moment, quietly regarding him as if he were an eager and excited dog that had just sprouted a fifth leg. "Not that I mind you helping our community, but you ought to be a little more modest in your approach."
"Why should I? Everybody loves this here high school detective!" Shinichi laughed, giving her a stupid grin. "I just found my shoe locker stuffed full of fan letters today! Wanna help me answer them?"
Ran considered punching him again, but instead rolled her eyes. "Urgh. Not everything has to be about you, you know! There are more important things in life to consider."
"Yeah, like…?"
"Well…" Ran paused, putting a finger to her chin to think. "Like Sonoko!"
The mere mention of Ran's other best friend, and Shinichi's classmate, made him paused. "Okay? What about her?"
"Well, she just invited me to attend this big party tomorrow night," Ran replied. "Her family's been invited to this event where they're going to announce some new technological discovery in the medical field. Sonoko said there will be a lot of interesting people there and told me that we can come, too!"
"Yeah, right! Knowing her boy-crazed streak, I've no doubt she's just hoping to snag a young and handsome scientist or doctor there for a boyfriend!"
"Stop teasing and think about it!" Ran said. "C'mon, Shinichi! Let's just take a break and just go. It might be fun. It's going to take place in this fancy hotel!"
Shinichi pursed his lips and furrowed his brows in contemplation. "I don't know, Ran…a fancy party like that…it's not really my scene. Can't we just hang out at the movies or the mall instead?"
"We can see a movie any other time!" Ran protested. "It's not everyday that we get to dress up!"
Shinichi paused then shook his head. "Sorry, Ran. It's just too last minute! Besides, I just remembered that I promised Dr. Agasa I help him out with his latest invention tomorrow." It was a white lie. Tomorrow's the day of a signing event with a mystery author at a large bookstore in Shibuya. Shinichi's been dying to meet this writer, get his own copy signed, and ask him some questions. He was hoping to invite Ran to come with him tomorrow, but it looks like she'd rather spend her Sunday evening with Sonoko at this fancy party.
"You'd rather spend your time with your neighbor than with your friends?" Ran said accusingly.
Shinichi waved his hands in defense. "Hey, c'mon, don't be like that! I promise I'll make it up to you somehow."
"Yeah? Like when, where, and how?" Ran asked in a defeated tone. It was clear she didn't believe him. "Honestly, I'm going to be busy training for the karate tournament, while you're either busy solving crimes or basking in the glow of your everlasting fame! We hardly get to spend time together these days." The last bit was said with great bitterness.
Shinichi looked at her, feeling somewhat guilty. She was right, they had been busy lately, either with school, clubs, family, and their own hobbies. When was the last time they hung out for an entire day? An idea popped into Shinichi's head. Grinning he snapped his fingers.
"Hey, I know! Ran, you know that amusement park a few miles away?"
Ran tilted her head curiously. "Tropical Land? Yeah, I heard they're just about to open a new ride. Why?"
"I tell you what," Shinichi grinned. "If you win first place in your upcoming karate tournament, I promise I'll take you to Tropical Land! We can spend the entire day there together! It will be fun!"
Ran looked at him, her eyes widen in disbelief. "Really? You mean it?"
"Of course! We're friends, aren't we? And have I ever broken a promise to you before?"
Ran gave him a look. "Really? What about that time that you didn't make it to my piano recital back in sixth grade?"
"Um…well…"
"Or that time when you promised to help our class set up a maid and butler café for the school's fair back in eighth grade?"
"I did help put away the tables afterward—"
"Or how about that time when you forgot to visit Tokyo Tower with me last year during Golden Week and—"
"OKAY, ENOUGH!" Shinichi interrupted. He stopped in front of her and clapped his hands together as if praying for her forgiveness, his head bowed. "I promise that I'll really, really, really take you to Tropical Land and we'll spend an entire day eating junk food and going on all the scary rides you want! But only if you win first place at your karate tournament!"
Ran scrutinized him for a bit, then smiled mischievously. "Oh, don't you worry about me winning, Shinichi. I'll definitely bring home a medal, count on it. And if you break your promise again, I'll use it as a noose to string you up and drag you there kicking and screaming!"
Shinichi laughed nervously as they turned a corner.
Knowing her, she may not be entirely joking on that last bit, he thought.
By the time Kouji finished his shower, Kouichi was already dressed in his pajamas, his hair still damp, and lying on his bed with a book cracked open. Hiroki, having gotten bored while Kouichi was on the phone earlier with his mother, decided to retire to his little cozy spot downstairs.
Kouji finished patting down his wet hair with a towel before gently rubbing it on his brother's head.
"Here, Nii-san. You should dry your hair properly or else you'll get chills."
"Kouji, I'm fine!" the older twin whined, brushing his hands away. "It's summer! Just let it air dry!"
Kouji smirked playfully, rubbing his brother's hair harder with the towel. He laughed, seeing how ruffled Kouichi's hair now looked.
"I really wished you would stop teasing me so much," Kouichi huffed. Using his fingers, he brushed his hair back into place.
Kouji snickered. "Like I said earlier, you make it so easy, Nii-san."
"Well, you'd better stop, or else I'll get back at you!" Kouji gave him a look. "What? You think I can't do it?"
"Nii-san, I don't think you have it in you to be mischievous. You're too kind and gentle to pull a prank," said Kouji.
Kouichi shrugged. "You never know. I might surprise you." Silently, he grabbed his book and curled up against the headboard of the bed.
Kouji mentally sighed. It was still a little too early and he didn't have anything else to do. Maybe he could coax his brother into doing one activity with him before bed. Spotting his laptop on his desk, an idea popped into mind.
Kouji chuckled. "And I'm sure you will one day, but for now—" he went over to picked up his laptop, "—do you want to watch the new season of The Legend of Tomoe Gozen with me?"
Kouichi glanced up. For a moment, Kouji thought he was going to refuse, but Kouichi closed his book and nodded. "Sure. I know how much you love that show."
Kouji smiled and squeezed himself next to his brother on his bed. As he logged onto his account to access the streaming platform, Kouichi decided to help by making them both comfortable, adjusting the blanket and pillows around them.
They spent most of the remainder of the evening watching The Legend of Tomoe Gozen. When Kouichi had last visited during the winter holiday, Kouji had stumbled across thed live-action series and it immediately became his favorite, as it involved the story of a young female samurai, one of the most famous and legendary in Japanese history. Kouji always had a bit of a samurai-esque about him, having taken several lessons in martial arts, including kendo, since he was young. Even as a Digimon, the motif of a sword-wielding warrior was always prevalent. Kouichi wondered if the Spirits of the Legendary Warriors have their forms reflect the inner traits and personalities of the Digidestined that would one day wield them.
The characters on screen screamed as they crossed their swords, snapping Kouichi out of his revelry. The actress playing the titular character was very pretty and appeared to be around their age. There was great sadness in her eyes as she stood opposite her opponent, her fingers around her naginata stiffened slightly, ready to face her long-time rival, who has now turned traitor. Kouichi had to admit, this girl's performance was flawless for her age. Her dialogues were passionate and sad, almost tugging Kouichi's heart as if he were standing there, hundreds of years ago.
"For what it's worth, I am truly sorry," said the young samurai.
"Your apology means nothing to me!" snapped the young Tomoe Gozen.
"Do you truly hold me in such little regard as to rebuff me?"
"No, it is because I held you in such high regards! And yet, you dishonored it by turning traitor! For that, I cannot let you leave with such great shame hanging over our heads! It ends here," the young Tomoe Gozen replied coolly, brandishing her naginata.
"Then so be it," said her opponent as he gracefully unsheathed his sword.
Without another word, she and her opponent ran at each other, weapons drawn, metal flashing in the moonlight, ready to spill blood.
Kouichi tilted his head, perplexed. It may have been the trick of the light, but the young actress's face seemed familiar to him, but where had he seen her before this?
Kouichi turned to Kouji to ask for his opinion, but his words died in his throat. He blinked several times, unsure of what he was seeing. The battle scene on the small screen was so moving that Kouji appeared as if he was on the verge of tears! Kouichi held his breath, still completely stunned. The last time he had seen his twin this heartbroken and anguished was when Kouichi woke up from his near-death experience in the hospital a year ago.
For a moment, Kouichi said nothing as he continued to stare at his brother. Kouji, on the other hand, was too engrossed in the show to notice his brother's eyeing him. Kouichi smiled to himself. This was a side of his brother rarely seen. Usually, Kouji always came off as cold and aloof in public. Even among friends, he was careful to keep his emotions in check, always guarding himself, save for the occasional spats and expressing annoyance with Takuya's antics. It is only when the two of them are alone that he allowed himself to be affectionate and caring to his brother.
Kouichi smile quietly. He really wanted to remember this rare expression. An idea came to him. Quietly, the older twin reached out for his mobile and snapped a photo. He gasped when the flash went off and the app's shutter sound clicked. Kouichi silently cursed himself for being careless.
Alerted, Kouji turned to his brother, looking quite shocked.
"What are you doing?"
"Um…nothing," Kouichi said softly, swiping the app away. "Just texting Mom good night."
Kouji narrowed his eyes suspiciously and grabbed his phone.
"Hey!" Kouichi protested.
Kouji looked shocked when he saw the photo. Quickly, Kouichi snatched the phone back.
"What do you think you're doing, Kouichi?"
Kouichi opened his mouth, but then a thought occurred to him and he smiled innocently. "It's such a rare look on you, I had to take it." He quickly opened the messenger app and started to type away. "This would make a great memory, don't you think? Who would have thought that you could be so moved by a story?"
Kouji looked more stunned than before, if possible. "Don't you dare!"
"I'm going to send this to Mom. She'll be so surprised—"
Kouji pounced on his brother, wrapping his arms around Kouichi's waist as they tumbled to the floor. Kouichi gasped and squirmed, doing his best to keep the phone out of reach.
"DELETE IT! DELETE IT NOW!"
"No, Kouji!" Kouichi couldn't help himself as he laughed. In Kouji's attempt to grab the phone, he tickled his brother all over.
"Give it! Give it here, Nii-san!"
Kouichi shook his head, all the while still laughing uncontrollably. "No! It's…it's mine! My photo!"
Kouji paused, taking his statement as a challenge. "Oh, so you think it's funny, huh?"
Kouichi glanced up at him, careful to tuck the mobile phone in the crook of his arm, keeping it out of reach. "I told you that I would get back at you!" he giggled. "I guess I can be mischievous after all."
Kouji starred at him for a moment before a wicked grin painted his lips. "Kouichi, you are so dead! Come here!"
Kouichi yelped and tried to escape, but Kouji grabbed him, pinned him down and tickled him mercilessly. Together, they rolled back and forth on the floor, laughing and giggling like the closest of siblings.
The moment of shared joy was broken when their father came charging up the stairs and opened the door, his expression a mixture of annoyance and concern.
"Boys? What's with all the ruckuses?"
Quickly, the twins untangled themselves.
"Nothing! We were just…" Kouichi began.
"Calm down, Dad. We were just messing around," Kouji said.
Kousei studied them for a moment and shook his head. "Well, keep it down, you two. Satomi thought you fell and hurt yourself. And honestly, it's getting late. Should you two be in bed?"
Kouichi nodded. "Yeah, you're right. We're sorry, Dad," He turned to his brother. "Let's call it a day, Kouji."
"Yeah, fine," Kouji sighed in defeat. "G'night, Dad."
Kousei shook his head but gave them both a fatherly smile as best as he could before closing the door. "Good night, you two."
The two exchanged looks and laughed softly before making their arrangements for sleep. As they each crawled into their separated beds, Kouichi carefully put his phone away. Kouji eyed him suspiciously.
"Nii-san, I hope you're not planning on sending that photo to anyone else. Bad enough that you texted it to Mom!"
Kouichi laughed as he lay his head on his pillow, facing his brother from across the room. "Don't worry, Kouji. I promise that no one else will ever see it." Kouji didn't looked convince as he rested his head. "C'mon, Kouji. You know me. Do you truly hold me in such little regard as to not believe me?"
Kouji snickered at his brother's attempt to rephrase the dialogue from the show earlier. "No, Nii-san. It's because I held you in such high regards that I have my reservation of your true capability."
As quietly as they could, they laughed at their poor attempt of reenacting the scene that caused the teasing to begin with. They paused, listening for the irritated sound of their father's footsteps. When they heard nothing, they sighed tiredly in unison.
"Good night, Kouji," Kouichi said, closing his eyes.
"Good night, Nii-san," Kouji whispered softly.
Had he known this would be the last night of sharing a fit of joy, Kouji would have crawled into his brother's bed and hold him tightly in his arms.
To be continued…
Apologizes for the long wait. A lot of things have happened in my life recently since the last chapter…the good and the bad. I won't go into details, but I think I'll be taking a quick break after this chapter to collect my thoughts. I have a lot of other projects to get to. Plus, the murder scene is about to happen next, and I want to do more research on forensic science if I want to make this story as detailed and realistic as possible.
Currently, I'm re-reading my old collection of Detective Conan/Case Closed manga to get some ideas on how to utilize these characters into this story. Remember, this is a crossover between Digimon Frontier and Detective Conan. So far, I've managed to introduce Kudo Shinichi and Mouri Ran in this chapter and their banter was fun to write.
Note: I rewrote the previous chapter, made some minor changes to the picnic scene. Until next time, I hope to have 2-3 new chapters and upload the consecutively within days of one another.
The Wizard's Dilemma is the 5th book in Diane Duane's "Young Wizards" series. To me, these books were practically the pre-Harry Potter series. It's a really good series and I high recommend it. The fifth book is one of the most powerful and heartbreaking of the series, as it tells of the main character, Nita Callahan, struggling to save her mother from terminal brain cancer. As powerful and well-prepared in magic as she is, her effort may not be enough, and she may have to resort with making a deal with her enemy, the Lone Power. What I find fascinating is the main antagonist in this series, the Lone Power, so regal, cold, and calculating in its doing to bring about death and destruction. The way he carried himself reminds me very much of Duskmon. The concept of cancer in this book inspired the idea of Kousei's financing a research company that deals with cancer patients.
Tomoe Gozen – a legendary female samurai, an onna-musha, who appeared in 14th century Japanese literature. It's possible that she's fictional, like King Arthur or Mulan, but personally, I think she probably did exist. According to legend, she served the Minamoto clan during the Genpei War. Incidentally, that's Kouji's last name!
Naginata – a Japanese pole weapon, often depicted as the weapon of choice for female samurai.