Zutsokaki: Well it's about TIME you got to writing that!
Brood: *in a monotone, deadpan voice* Must....ignore....idiot....must...keep....writing.... must....not....incur...wrath of.....imouto-chan....
WSJ: *standing behind Brood, holding a bullwhip in one hand and the Punjab lasso in the other* Write! Faster neesan, faster! *cracks whip over Brood's head*
Zutsokaki: *sweatdrops*
Disclaimer: *CP inches his way around SJ, eyeing the bullwhip warrily* SJ-mama and Broody-auntie don't own YGO nor Sailor Moon neither.
Jounochi, hearing these leads from the bishonen and his girlfriend, leaned back and ordered another coffee from a passing Una. As she trotted off, he allowed himself one glance in the direction of her thighs before turning back to the four girls.
"You all said somethin' a bit interestin' to me," he said, eyeing the girls and Kunzite for a moment under the brim of his hat and long blonde bangs. "You said that Umino had been visitin' Miss Osaka quite frequently until her death. But when I spoke to Mrs. Chiba earlier today, she said that Naru and Umino hadn't spoken in at least six months. How is it that your stories and hers could be different like that?"
Rei's eyes narrowed and she darted a glance at Minako. She only shrugged and looked at Makoto. At Minako's glance, Makoto seemed to snap out of staring at Jou's face, and she met the gaze of her friend. Then Makoto turned a more serious look to the detective.
"Detective Jounochi....what did Usagi tell you? I mean, about this last meeting?" She pushed a stray wisp of hair away from her eyes, letting the full effect of their deep green hit Jou. But he still managed a very direct answer.
"Miss Kino, I believe that the full testemonies of other witnesses or contacts is to remain confidential until I see fit. I only told you that snippit so that I could get a better answer out of you girls." Jou stared at her back with all the efficiency of a master poker player, and Makoto seemed to blanch.
"It's just that....Detective...we'd all heard different things regarding Naru and Umino...and we'd wondered where Usagi got that story from...." She resumed her flirty glare at him, and Jou had to switch his attention swiftly if he were to get anything done, besides getting him a date for that weekend.
"Ano....Detective-san..." Jou turned his head in the direction of the soft voice. It was Mizuno Ami speaking, her lips coming off of a short straw stuck in a cool drink. "I think I know a bit of something. Usagi told me quite awhile back, maybe five or six months back, about this "final" meeting of Naru and Umino. A gas station, was it?"
Jou nodded gravely, and the other three girls turned to stare at Ami. She promptly colored under their gaze and fixed her attention on Jou, who was now looking back in his notepad. He felt somebody watching him, and instinctively shuffled away from Minako, who was gazing over his shoulder.
She giggled lightly. "Sorry, I have this really bad nosy streak....." She turned to look at Kunzite sheepishly, who smiled at her and apologized to the detective for her.
Jou shrugged it off and shuffled through his pages, figuring since Ami knew something about it, it was safe to tell most of it. "Yeah, it was a gas station, around six months ago. This is exactly what Mrs. Chiba told me. She said that Naru herself told her about it. Said that Umino was a perfect picture of calm, even askin' how Nephrite was doin'. I don't see anything wrong with that," he added onto the end, eyeing the girls once again.
"The calm before the storm, I believe that's how they say it...." Rei spoke softly, airily waving her hand.
Jou noted this reaction and turned to Rei. "So what you're sayin' is that you believe that Umino is the one to have carried this murder out?"
"All I'm saying, Detective, is that all possibilities are open at this point."
".............Yes. All possibilities. Now tell me ladies, what led you to believe that Umino had been visiting Naru a lot before her death?"
There was a long moment of silence before anyone spoke. "We saw them," Minako spoke up, staring straight ahead. "Rei-chan and I, that is. We were walking our dogs through the park, with my cat Artemis also. This was about three weeks ago, I think."
"Did you notice anythin' odd?" Jou was leaning back towards the blonde at this point, his pen poised directly over his notepad.
"Not really. Seemed like a meeting between friends at first glance. But then it got a little odd looking....." Minako trailed off.
Rei looked oddly at Minako, but picked up the story. "Yes...Umino seemed to be getting a little bit angrier and angrier as their conversation went on. Naru was also looking more and more uncomfortable. It seemed like Umino was trying to get Naru into his car with him."
Jou's pen was flying swiftly by now. "And neither of you could hear any of this conversation?
"We weren't close enough. All we could do was make assumptions. In the end, Naru simply walked away from him, and Umino yelled something that we could barely hear."
"And.............?" Jou asked.
"I'll have you back yet, Naru-chan. You're MY koibito."
Jou's eyes widened for a second, then returned to normal size as he asked, "Are you sure that's what he said?"
Rei shrugged. "And what could I mistake it for?"
"Point taken. Any other accounts between Naru and Umino that I haven't heard about yet?"
Three female heads swiveled to look at Ami, who's face colored yet again. Jou got the hint and asked her politely if she could recount.
"Well, Detective-san....I remember about a week ago, Umino went to Naru's apartment while I was visiting for a moment. She needed some help with the article she was writing for the magazine she worked for, on the new inventions of this year. But while we were talking, Umino knocked on the door, and without thinking, Naru said "Come in," probably thinking it was Nephrite or Usagi. Come to think of it though, Usagi wouldn't have knocked...."
Jou nodded a bit distractedly, as Una had just returned with his coffee and he had another glance at those legs of hers. Nevertheless, he'd caught everything she'd said. He took one last glance then turned back to Ami, taking a sip of his coffee.
"Do go on, Miss Mizuno."
Ami nodded slowly. "Well, as I'd said, Naru said "Come in," and in walked Umino. I was surprised, but it was nothing compared to Naru's reaction. She seemed very nervous suddenly, and she peeped back at me before hissing something at him. Umino didn't seem happy at whatever she'd said, but he hissed something back. That's when she stood up and escorted him back to the door. He looked pretty angry at this, which was something I'd never seen from Umino. But I can read lips, just a bit, since I have a deaf cousin and I've been learning. I could only see Umino say, "later."
Jou stared hard at Ami over his coffee cup's rim before speaking. "And why did you choose to hold this information from me until now?"
Makoto spoke, tossing a wink into her sentence, making Jou's insides jump. "We just wanted to know for sure if you were the real deal before we told you anything..."
"The real deal? What did you think I was, some prankster? Chiba Mamoru brought me here from Domino to help on this!"
The girls hardly seemed fazed by this, and Kunzite eyed the detective strangely. "Jounochi-san, it's clear that you have the right ideas when it comes to this. If you have any leads, could you contact us immediately? I don't know if there's anything else we can do to help you at this point...."
Jou took this as a dismissal, only shrewdly hidden. "Of course. I'll contact if anything new comes up. Call me also, if anything else comes to mind, or important information resurfaces in your mind." With that, Jou stood and left a tip on the table for Una, and moved to walk outside.
A hand touched his, and he paused. He realized, looking down, that Makoto had slipped a piece of paper into his hand. He looked at it and grinned inwardly.
"I already have your number, Miss Kino," Jou said with a sly wink. She smiled and winked back, and Jou stuffed it into his back pocket anyways. As he left, he heard Minako say, "Mako-chan! You're shameless!!! Sure, he's cute and all...."
"Hey Minako! He's a hunk! In fact, reminds me of one of my old boyfriends! You think I'd let a studmuffin like THAT get out of my grasp?"
At that, Rei and Ami jumped in, with an indignant yet loving sounding reaction at Minako calling Jou "cute" from Kunzite.
Jou couldn't hold back the grin and the immediate chest puffing he felt at being called "hot" and "cute" but what was he to do? He couldn't help it if he were jaw-droppingly studly and attractive and eye-popping....
Oh crud. A cab just passed him by as he was ego-boosting.
The next try, he was more aware of his surroundings, so he managed to hail the cab to the bus terminal, to wait the next bus to Domino. While waiting for the bus, he turned on his cell phone and walked a short distance away from the small group waiting to catch the bus.
One ring....two rings....three rings....
"Chiba Mamoru speaking."
"Chiba-san, this is Jounochi callin' in. I've just gotten done talkin' to the four girls and an added bonus from Aino Minako's fiancè, Kanakari Kunzite, who was with them."
"Ahh, Kunzite-san. I always thought he was a good guy. Anyway, what did you learn?"
"Well, I learned that accordin' to them, six months ago wasn't the last time Umino and Naru were seen together." There was a silence on the other end for a moment, and then finally Mamoru spoke again.
"Are you sure about this? I mean, what can you tell me?"
"Not much from where I am right now. Wait until I get back into Domino and I'll call again. But a couple things before I hang up, Chiba-san. How's your wife holdin' up?"
"Well, this has obviously hit her really hard, and she's fine as long as I don't leave the room......I mean, Naru was her best friend and all," Mamoru added, lowering his voice, as Usagi was obviously in the room with him as well.
"I hope she does better soon.....and the second thing, Chiba-san....."
"Yes, Detective?"
"Keep Hino Rei, Kino Makoto, and Aino Minako under surveillance."
When Jou had finally gotten back to Domino, he'd felt drained. This case was getting confusing. A jealous boyfriend driven to murder, or other motives from supposed friends? And of course, Nephrite himself wasn't out of the picture...he was meeting with him a bit later anyways.
Jou needed a bit of a nerve wind down, so he strolled idly into the Coffee Shop owned by Malik and Otogi. Taking a seat in a booth close to the counter, Malik strolled up and sat down across from Jou.
"Hey Jounochi-kun, rough day at work?" The tan blonde asked with a grin.
"You're tellin' me! A girl gets murdered, and suddenly there's a whole list of suspects!"
Malik let out a low whistle and called Otogi over. "Hey, Otogi-kun, get Jou one of our great pastries or something, this guy needs a chill pill!" With that, a cute female customer called Malik over for some help, and he had to steer Otogi to Jou's table so he could avoid going to the wrong one with the plate of pastries.
Otogi grinned sheepishly and set the plate down in front of Jou, sitting down where Malik had been. "So tell me Jou, what's going on?"
Jou heaved a sigh and leaned back, reaching for a pastry. "Well, seems like this girl who got killed up in Juuban's got a whole list o' people who coulda done it! I mean, first there's the usual jealous ex-boyfriend, only this guy is the short nerdy type, big glasses and all...."
"Short and nerdy? Did he have short light brown hair?" Otogi screwed up his face, as if calling back a dismissed memory.
Jou stared at Otogi, then flipped to his notepad page where the physical description of Umino was. "Uuhh...yeah. Only about five foot, or five foot one, big glasses and short light brown hair. Kinda sticks up at the top...."
"I've seen him in here Jou."
Jou's head snapped up from the notepad. "You're serious?"
Otogi nodded gravely. "He came in about a week or so ago. Looked kinda down. He got some coffee and just sat there over it, staring into it, like he was at a bar or something. I can remember him now just because of that behavior...he kept mumbling though..."
"Shhh!!!" Jou said suddenly. "You never know who might be listenin' in, Otogi. Just come to my office in a half hour or so, okay?"
Otogi nodded. "Okay then Jou. I will. I hope I can help you out..." He pushed a blank strand of hair away from his eyes and stood up. "I'll see you then."
Jou nodded and stood too, leaving the pastry on the table. Then he walked out without a word, walking to the Police Station two blocks away and picking up his car.
When he got inside his home, he was greeted with the sight of a calmly lying down Ryou, a small smile on his face.
"Hey kid, Shizuka-chan takin' good care of ya?"
Ryou nodded silently, his smile growing ever-so-slightly. "Mm hmm, she has been."
Jou grinned obliviously. "That's good, 'cause last I heard, you were gonna check yourself into a hospital if she cared for ya any more!"
Ryou just grinned bigger and nestled deeper into his pillows on the couch. Jou shrugged and called out for his sister.
She soon came bustling out of the kitchen, her eyes wide and livid. "Jou-chan! You're home from Juuban! Are you okay!?"
"Woah Shizzy-chan! I'm okay! Yeah, the case seems a bit rough, but nothing I can't take care of...." Shizuka seemed a bit more flustered than usual, but he supposed it was because of him being gone far off and all.
Ryou's interest seemed activated when Jou started talking about the case. "What's it like, Jou-san? Who are the suspects? Got any case files I can go through?"
"Hey kid, slow down there! I'm goin' up to my office now to make that case file, but I promise once I get it sorted, I'll send it down to ya, okay? I'm seein' someone in a few moments who's gonna try and help me out, so I'm gonna be addin' to it also. Keep your shirt on!" He grinned at Ryou, who relaxed back into his pillows.
"So I'll be upstairs if either of you guys need me!" With that, Jou trotted upstairs, leaving a still-flustered Shizuka and a contented Ryou behind.
It seemed like Jou had hardly gotten started when there was a knock at his office door. Knowing who it was already, Jou almost said "come in." But remembering Ami Mizuno's tale, he got up and answered the door himself. It was indeed Ryuji Otogi, who was wearing a more everyday attire than his coffee shop work clothes. He seemed very sharp in his black button up shirt, tucked neatly into his smooth red slacks.
"Sit down, Otogi, sit here." Jou directed Otogi to a chair in front of his desk, and at that moment, Jou realized how messy he'd let his desk become. It had been very neat since Ryou had come on. Maybe Shizuka would let up on her Ryou-No-Work Feminazism for a moment and let him come up and clean off his desk.............
"So, Jounochi-kun....you wanted to hear more about this guy? The nerd?"
"Yeah, yeah I did. Thanks for comin'." Jou reclined in his desk and tried to clear a spot off large enough to hold his notepad.
Otogi nodded and leaned forward. "Just as I was saying earlier, it seemed like this guy was mumbling lots of strange things over his coffee, I mean, just sort of like some people do...."
Jou nodded and began writing.
"Well, after awhile I could make out what he was mumbling. Seemed like he was saying.........."
There was a soft knock at the door. "Jou-chan? I brought up some tea for you since you've been gone all day, and for your visitor too, if he's here yet."
Jou grinned and got up to open the door for Shizuka. "Sure thing, sis, thanks alot!" Mmm...he could smell honey and mint in his cup. Just how he liked it.....
Otogi had seemed to lose all movement after turning around to see who walked in the door. His eyes hung wide open, and his mouth was a little ajar. Once Jou had grabbed the tray from his sister though, Otogi rose. That's when Shizuka seemed to really notice him and how he was looking at her. She colored lightly and turned to leave, excusing herself politely.
Jou smiled and shut the door, setting the tray on Ryou's desk and poured two cups. "Want some?" Jou asked innocently, stirring the honey and mint into his.
"In a minute...hey Jou, where's your bathroom?"
"Ooh, it's just out the door and the next door to your left," Jou said idly, taking a test sip of the tea.
"Thanks," Otogi said shortly, and made a beeline for the door. He managed to get out into the hall just as Shizuka was heading for the stairs that led back into the main house.
"Excuse me, miss...." Otogi began, catching her attention.
Shizuka paused and turned around slowly, looking at him politely. "Yes?"
"I was actually just wondering.....uummmm....if you were free sometime tomorrow?" Usually he tried chatting it up with girls before asking them out, but for some reason he felt he had to jump on this quickly.
It certainly seemed to have caught her offguard enough, because she stammered out a "Y-yeah" before she even knew what she had been saying. Catching herself all too late though, her eyes widened. Otogi grinned at her then, and she felt her heart skip a beat.
"Great! Would you like to join me for lunch then? I mean, I know this great place close to the coffee shop I co-own....." His eyes seemed to glitter with a small hope.
"Uh, yeah, I know where it is, oniisan goes there all the time..." Shizuka didn't know what to do now. She'd let her guard down long enough to let this perfectly handsome guy know that she was free tomorrow, and he'd just asked her out to lunch. But if she turned him down now, it would make her seem very rude, and possibly hurt this guy's feelings. She really hated that. But what would Ryou say? She and Ryou had....well, does kissing once really make you both steady daters?, her treacherous mind said quietly.
Not really....she gave a small reply. She knew she liked Ryou, that was a fact. That seemed to settle it then. She would accept this guy's offer, only to be polite, but tell him at the end that she was getting involved with someone, but thank him for the lovely afternoon anyways. That seemed like the perfect solution, really.
"O-okay then....sounds nice....uuuhhh..."
"Oh, I'm Ryujii Otogi," he said with a small grin and bow. "At your service, m'lady."
"Ahhh.....Jounochi Shizuka," she said, introducing herself somewhat nervously.
"Well, Shizuka-san, it was lovely meeting you, and I'll see you tomorrow around....say one o' clock?"
Shizuka nodded slowly, and Otogi turned away back to the office nodding politely at her.
Brood: *cackles* Yay! This chapter is done!!!
Zutsokaki: ............................Hmmmm........you really threw a monkey wrench into the gears here, didn't you?
WSJ: *twitching slightly* Gaaaah...
Zutsokaki: What's her problem? What happened to the bullwhip?
Brood: *smirks* Hehehe... She's in denial.
WSJ: Ryou and Shizuka.... Shizuka and Otogi... Like both couples... Gaaaaaaah... *twitches more* I have to write next chapter... Otogi and Shizuka on date... *tears hair out in frustration at being forced to choose between her two favorite couples* Curse you Broooooood!!!
Brood: *snickers*
God bless minna-san!
