Onna: I don't own Saiyuki! Is that enough of a disclaimer?

Yaone: Onna-san...

Onna: *scratches head* I must have forgotten to mention that when I said A/U I meant modern day, and that they're all human. So, Rook-san, gomen if I seem to be straying from the original story of Saiyuki. Am I going to lose a reader because of this? *shakes* Max-san, I'll try but I won't make any promises. Ruby-san, I hope I will live up to your request, but the reason I warned that there might be OOCness because this is only my second Saiyuki fic. And it applies to everyone, not just Hakkai and Yaone.

Hakkai: Yare yare, Onna-san.

Onna: *sighs* On with the fic! Thanks to bluejay, wrinkle, and Liv for proof-reading this!

*****

"We found a case for you."

She brushed her long violet hair back from her face and looked at him with a small expression of surprise. "So soon from the last one, Kougaiji-kachou?"

He nodded, red hair bobbing in the wind. "Your subject is a man named Cho Hakkai, and his deceased wife Kanan."

She watched as her superior leaned against the balcony, looking down at the city below them. "Cho Hakkai? You mean Cho Gonou? The one who was acquitted of murdering Qing Yi Se because it was self-defense and he had Kanan raped?"

Kougaiji nodded again. "Kanan committed suicide because of the rape."

"I know that."

"You've heard of the trial, Yaone?"

"Heard? I watched it. And I'm not surprised Cho Gonou was acquitted. District attorney Genjo Sanzo did quite a job of defending him. Then they had his name changed for protection," Yaone tilted her head to one side and raised an eyebrow.

A chuckle. His shoulders shook in his laughter as he turned to look at her. "I guess the Sanbutshin of the courts were no match for Sanzo's persuasiveness. He won them over nearly at the beginning of the trial."

Yaone wrinkled her nose at that. "But why does it have to be me? I thought Hakkai's case is done and over with."

His smile vanished as he turned to face her fully. "We think someone is after Hakkai, for revenge."

"Are you assigning me as his bodyguard?"

"No," he ran a hand over his shirt to smoothen it before looking at her again. "We think Qing Yi Se had connections to a bigger gang that is responsible for the kidnapping of several young women in the last few months. Qing Yi Se was the person who did the kidnappings himself, and in losing him the gang lost an asset."

"I see..."

"We do have two officers assigned to watch Hakkai as guards. Sha Gojyo and Jien have moved into an apartment a floor above the subject's a few months ago."

"Gojyo-san and Dokugakuji?" her eyes widened.

"As far as it goes, both have established friendship with Cho Hakkai and his young ward. This way we will arouse less suspicion."

Yaone inclined her head.

He continued. "You're an undercover agent, Yaone. Your job is to pose as a university student in an apartment next door to Cho Hakkai's. You are to find out how Kanan was taken, how the gang works, and who is trying to get to him. His apartment has already been ransacked twice, and he has once reported being followed."

"Understood."

He walked towards the door. "Good luck."

"Naaaaaa, Hakkai! Haraheta desu!"

"Mai mai, Goku. We'll be home soon," the man named Hakkai laughed as he ruffled his young ward's hair. "Just a little more patience."

"Naaaa..." Goku stuck his hands in his pockets as they continued to walk. "Eh?" he looked up at the sight of moving trucks outside their building.

Hakkai's smile widened. "Looks like we have a new neighbor." His green eyes focused on the young woman overseeing the moving of her things. "Goku, why don't you take these bags of groceries upstairs and find yourself a snack. I'll catch up with you."

"Suge! Sankyu!" And with that, the brown-haired boy took the bags and rushed into the building.

He took a few steps toward the young lady as he took in her appearance. Her violet hair cascaded down her back like rich silk, flowing in the wind. She was quite tall, a few inches shorter than he was, and her eyes were wide, innocent.

Kanan... he stopped short before shaking his head to clear his thoughts, pushing the painful memories away. "Konnichiwa."

She jumped in surprised as she turned to face him. "A-Ano... konnichiwa."

He laughed. "Sorry if I startled you. I was just noticing that you were moving in."

She nodded her head before extending her hand. "I'm Yaone. And you are?"

"Hakkai. Cho Hakkai," he took her hand, giving it a brief squeeze. "A pleasure to meet you."

"Pleasure is all mine, Hakkai-san," she smiled at him before stealing a quick look behind her. "It looks like they've finished with the furniture. Would you like to have some tea?"

"I would, but your place might be a bit messy from moving," he smiled back, adjusting his glasses.

Yaone's cheeks colored. "Oh dear... you're right."

"But I do insist that you join us for dinner. A few friends will be joining us as well," he added, still keeping his grip on her hand.

"A-All right then. What time should I be there?"

"Knock on the door by 7 o'clock tonight." He released her hand as he went inside.

"I'll be there."

What was that unexplainable rush of feeling? she asked herself as her gloved hands removed the pie from the oven. Absent-mindedly she began to spread the whipped cream on top, a task she no longer needed to think to be able to do. Her thoughts kept straying to the man with such soulful jade eyes, his warm hand on hers. Whatever she expected him to look like, she wasn't prepared for him to be this handsome.

Stop it! Yaone chided herself. You're in the middle of a job. You don't have time to be giggling like a school girl who has talked to her first crush.

Finally satisfied that her dessert was perfect, she quickly removed her apron and went on to fix her appearance. Stop fussing! she caught herself thinking most of the time, deciding on a simple cream-colored top and dark skirt.

Minutes later she was knocking on the door. It opened to reveal a young boy with spiky brown hair and golden eyes.

Those eyes focused on the cream pie in her hands before looking at her. "You must be Yaone!"

"Yes, I am," she smiled at him as she placed the cream pie in his hands.

"Come in, come in!" Hakkai called as he passed by, a sweet-smelling dish in his possession. "You didn't have to bring anything, Yaone-san."

"Did you say Yaone?" she heard Dokugakuji ask. "Hey! How are you?"

"I'm fine. I hope you all like cream pie."

"I'm sure glad you brought it, or we won't have anything left to eat," a tall man with red hair and eyes waved at her as Yaone recognized him as Gojyo. "Stomach-brained saru."

"Oi!" Luckily, the boy had the pie on the table before he turned on Gojyo. "Don't call me a monkey, aka gokiburi kappa!"

"Bakasaru!"

"Ero kappa!"

"Gakichu saru!"

"Ero ero ero kappa!"

"URUSE!!!" the infamous paper fan Genjo Sanzo has been known to use struck against the boy and Gojyo's heads. "Keep quiet or I'll shoot your brains out!"

"Chi... namaguza housou..." Gojyo muttered, earning him another hit from the fan.

Hakkai just laughed. "Maa maa, minna-san. Yaone-san, this is Genjo Sanzo and my ward, Son Goku. I take it you know Gojyo and Jien."

"We sure do," Dokugakuji spoke up. "We've been to high school together."

"Sou desu ka? Small world, ne?"

"Hai." Yaone didn't feel comfortable lying to Hakkai about where she really met Gojyo and Dokugakuji. Police academy, training school.

"Na na, are we going to eat yet?" Goku ran towards the table, a flush on his cheeks.

"Yes we are."

"Yay! Itadakimasu!"

"Bakasaru!"

A dark figure hunched on the branches of a tree, the only light was the brightness of the moon. Peering through binoculars, he watched as that cursed Cho Hakkai laughed and ate with new friends. His eyes narrowed to slits, his teeth gritted, his intense hatred flared.

He does not deserve to live, not after what he had done and what he knows. He is a tripping stone, a roadblock to their plans.

A nuisance.

He must die.

Cho Hakkai will die by his hand, or he will die trying.

Your days are numbered...

*****

Onna: First time to try and write mystery desu! How was it?

Hakkai: Ganbatte ne, Onna-san.

Onna: What is that supposed to mean?!

Yaone: *sweatdrop* Japanese terms below...

[kachou- chief

Sanbutshin- Three Buddhas

Haraheta- I'm hungry

Mai mai- my my

Suge- great

Sankyu- thank you

Konnichiwa- hello; good morning

Ano- um

Baka- idiot; stupid

Saru- monkey

Aka- red

Gokiburi- cockroach

Kappa- water demon

Gakichu- immature

Uruse- shut up

Chi- damn

Namaguza- corrupt

Housou- lawyer

Maa maa- calm down

Minna-san- everyone

Sou desu ka- is that so

Ne- right

Hai- yes

Itadakimasu- let's eat]