Disclaimer: I don't own PMK.

I know this fic's a little Tetsu Okita biased. How about another point of view... like Suzu's...

Case 007: Sakura Pavilion

Day 3:

While confirming booking for Annual Teachers' Party at the Sakura Pavilion, I ran into a moron and got accidentally locked in a broom closet.

-Kitamura Suzu

"TETSU-KUN!!!" Tetsu stopped in his tracks. He had wandered a long way from his home.

"Hana? Saya?" Tetsu stared at his two schoolmates. "What's with the mini-skirt?" Hana giggled and twirled about, her mini skirt fluttering up to reveal her thighs. Hana was outspoken and cheerful like he was. But it was the mute and demure Saya Tetsu secretly liked. He blushed as Saya smiled at him. She was wearing a pretty pink kimono.

"We're busking! I sing traditional ballads while Saya plays her shamisen!" Hana broke into her rap version of 'Sakura'. Saya nodded from where she sat on the straw mat. She looked out of place under the bright neon lights and bustling crowd. Their open kitty box was full of loose change and notes.

What song do you want to hear? Saya asked in her wordless manner as she ran her fingers over the strings…. For a crazy moment, Tetsu saw her as a silent princess, regal in her silks in a pavilion under the blooming sakura, waiting for her prince… Will Tetsu be that prince?

The rain came down. They scurried for shelter in the nearby Sakura Pavilion. "Is this alright? I mean…" Hana raised a hand to forestall any arguments. "Tetsu-kun, Akesato-nee lets us shelter here whenever it rains." A kimono-clad beauty glided out of a nearby room. Tetsu goggled. This must be Akesato-nee.

"Ichimura?" With the beauty was a red-faced San-nan. He had his arm about her slender waist. A fresh lipstick mark gleamed on his cheek.

Inside a private room, Okita firmly took Hijitaka's cigarette and stubbed it out. "Toshi, San-nan and I are trying to help you here. You're going before the panel tomorrow." Okita looked to see if San-nan was returning. His pig was half-snoozing on the sofa. "San-nan told me the other man on the panel's Katsura. He's not as strict as Itou-san, so you still have a chance. You're not gonna get dismissed!"

"Che, isn't Katsura the human-rights supporter? I'm toast!" Hijitaka reached for a beer only to have Okita slap it out of his hand. "Souji! Aren't I entitled to my beer?"

"Not if you're gonna have a hangover in front of the panel." His Souji was angry. Saizou buhied a warning and ducked under the table. Hijitaka knew better than to push his luck. Then Okita softened his tone. "Look, we want you back. Kondo and the others too." Okita slipped an arm around Hijitaka's broad shoulders. "I miss you, we all do."

Akesato offered them refreshments on the house. The Sakura Pavilion was a retro-themed karaoke establishment. The waitresses wore kimonos and the walls were decorated with woodprints depicted traditional Japanese scenes. The three middle-school students found themselves playing cards over their tea and cakes while it poured outside.

"Akesato-san, I'm here to confirm the booking of… Atishoo!" Suzu sneezed. He had been caught in the rain. Now he was dripping puddles onto the carpet of Akesato's office. "Please go dry off. Towels are in the washroom. Second door on the right," Akesato directed him to the restroom as he sneezed a few more times.

Second door on the right… Tetsu felt nature call very urgently. He left the girls and followed Hana's directions to the Gents. Having relieved himself, he was surprised to recognize the figure toweling his white hair by the sink. "Kitamura?"

"Ichimura?" Suzu blinked. The stereo system pumped out strains of "It's a Small World After All".

"Whacha doing?" Both boys stared each other down. Suzu replied. "I'm confirming a Teachers' party for Master Yoshida." They strolled out of the washroom.

"A party? I didn't know teachers have parties!" Tetsu exclaimed. "What do you think?" Suzu replied. "I thought they…" Tetsu stopped. He'll look like a fool in front of Kitamura. "I mean, not Psycho Yoshida! Don't you worry about when he'll make mincemeat outta…Whoa!!!"

Unable to take further criticism of his beloved Master Yoshida, Suzu attacked the redhead. They scuffled and tumbled headlong into the nearby broom closet. To both their horror, they heard the sharp click of the auto-lock.

"Baka! Now we're locked in!" Suzu tried the handle and found it stuck. "Knock it open!" Tetsu tried banging against the door with his shoulder to no avail. Both boys screamed for help but their voices were muffled by both the solid door and the stereo system. Finally, they sank to the floor.

"Your fault," Tetsu glared at Suzu as he rubbed his jaw where Suzu had landed a right hook.

"Was not," Suzu glared back as he rubbed a bruised shoulder. Yoshida will punish him if he's not back soon.

The closet was both musty and dark. Mops, brooms and rags were strewn all over. A rag had fallen onto Tetsu's head. He brushed it off, straight onto Suzu's lap. Enraged, the white-haired boy retaliated.

Where's Tetsu-kun? He's been gone a while… Saya wondered. His JUMP monthly was still on the table. Worried, she decided to sneak a peek into the Gents to check on him. It was in passing the broom closet that she heard the strange scratching and scuffling sound… Frightened, she ran for Akesato.

Akesato's first thought was rats. But the sounds intensified in both magnitude and ferocity as she brought her key to the lock. A waitress was attacked by an intruder at Aoi's just two blocks away last week. The manageress went to fetch her Yamanami and the other Shinsengumi clients.

"On the count of three." Okita and San-nan nodded. Hijitaka was good at this stuff. Now they can hear muffled screams as well. "One, two, THREE!"

They kicked in the door. It swung open to show two disheveled boys. Their clothes were in disarray and Suzu was straddling Tetsu as the redhead tore at his hair. "Tetsu?" Okita asked. "Okita-san?" Tetsu squeaked. Both boys became aware of the three men watching them. That was not the end of it…

"Master?" Suzu blanched as Yoshida pushed his way past Okita and the others. When Suzu failed to return, Yoshida had personally gone to the Sakura Pavilion to look for his student. He hadn't expected this… Speechless with anger, the man simply grabbed Suzu by the collar and roughly dragged him out of the closet.

P.S. Master grounded me. I need to buy bandages and ointment. Plus a new switch since Master just broke the old one. Er, anyone knows how to remove splinters?

Suzu put aside his diary and crawled painfully into bed. He'll have to sleep on his tummy for a while as he was still sore from his punishment. Tetsu-BAKA!

Author's notes:

Saya attends a mainstream school although she's mute. Tetsu, Suzu, Saya and Hana are classmates in this fic.Akesato & San-nan are still a couple. Akesato runs her own karaoke joint. Now we know where the Shinsengumi hang out after work.

Can someone call child welfare for poor Suzu? Why's Yoshida so hard on him? (May explain that later...if I feel like it.)