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Sky Colored Eyes

42: A Little Springtime

It really was quite a massive complex. It consisted of multiple large buildings and was surrounded on all sides by thriving gardens. The security was also quite tight. Not only were there security cameras hidden in strategic places all around the property, there were also several large dogs that roamed freely through the grounds. And that was just the security Kaito could see from the air and the other side of the fence.

He lowered his binoculars, frowning slightly. He'd been swinging by to watch the place whenever he had the time, but reconnaissance for this mission of theirs was turning out to be slow going. Then again, he'd expected that. This wasn't a heist after all. It wasn't going to be just about getting in and out. No, this was a different kind of game.

Well, they were just going to have to be patient.

It would have been nice if he could use his doves to watch the place more consistently. All this spy work was eating into his free time like nobody's business. But, for some reason, none of his doves liked the area. The first and last time he'd brought some of them over to show them the lay of the land, they had sat on the branches with their heads pulled in and their feathers fluffed out and shivered, all the while looking at him with sad, imploring eyes. He had no idea what had spooked them. Then again, animals were more sensitive than humans. Whatever it was, he couldn't use them to watch the estate when they were like that. So here he was in person.

He checked his watch. He'd been watching the house for three hours now. It was nine in the morning.

Time for him to take his leave.

Leaping down from where he'd been ensconced in the branches of a rather tall tree, he landed lightly on his feet and melted into the shadows of the alley mouth behind him. It really was the perfect hiding place for watching the complex. He gave himself a pat on the back for finding it. A few minutes later, a young college student went strolling along the street, humming to the music playing from the phone he seemed glued to. The young man almost tripped at the curb before he remembered to look up and around at the streets. Then he spotted the street sign and stared at it dumbfounded. A moment later, the still morning air was split by a curse followed by the sound of frantically running feet.

X

Shinichi drew in a deep breath then let it out slowly, counting to ten as he did so. His reflection looked back at him, cool and composed and not at all how he was feeling inside. He checked again to make sure that all his clothes were neat and all his things were packed. Then he counted to ten again and went to go sit in the apartment's living room.

He didn't understand why he was feeling so nervous.

Kaito had told him that his mother had signed up for a weekend at the hot springs with a tour group. Since she could bring guests, she'd told Kaito that he could bring 'that new friend of yours'. And Kaito, because he wasn't about to pass up the opportunity to go to a hot spring with his detective, had invited Shinichi along. They would be meeting up with the rest of the tour group at Ekoda Park, where they would be boarding the bus.

The sound of his front door opening made Shinichi jump. He hadn't heard a knock or a bell, and he hadn't even heard a key being turned. Therefore, he was not surprised to see Kaito walking into the room. Not surprised but not exactly pleased either.

"Can't you at least knock?" he asked, hands on his hips. He let his arms drop quickly back to his sides as he looked anxiously in the direction of the door. "Is your mother…?"

"She's still packing. I told her I'd come pick you up before we go back for her. She should be ready by then. Then we'll head down to the park together."

"Oh." Shinichi let out a sigh of relief that made Kaito laugh.

"Nervous?"

Shinichi blushed. "No," he lied then deflated. "Maybe. I mean, she is your mother. And you told me that she was—you know."

"A thief?" Kaito suggested helpfully—or unhelpfully. "It does seem to be the family business. But she's retired from that, so you don't have to worry."

That was easy for Kaito to say. Shinichi grimaced, running a hand through his hair. He was a detective, What was a detective supposed to say when meeting the Kaitou KID's mother of all people? A mother who had been a thief herself once. The whole notion was just so bizarre. He had never before even imagined being put in such a position. He was not ashamed to admit that he was at a loss as to the right way to go about it all.

"It's not like she's going to be surprised. Just relax," Kaito advised.

Shinichi gave him a disgruntled look. "Stop reading my mind!"

Kaito laughed. "Come on, let's go. Time's a wasting!"

X

Kuroba Chikage was not at all what Shinichi had expected. Well, he hadn't actually had any expectations. Not exactly. Except maybe that he'd expected the woman to be just a little crazy. She had, after all, married one lunatic magician and raised a second. It would take a special kind of someone to rein all that craziness in.

Contrary to his expectations, however, the woman appeared to be entirely normal. She had a warm, welcoming disposition with a tranquil undertone that was nothing at all like her son's manic energy. But prolonged observation revealed that Chikage wasn't entirely devoid of the Kuroba quirk.

"Mom, I'm bringing my birds."

"There are no pets allowed at the hotel."

"I'll keep them out of sight. They can sleep in our room. Other then that, they can fly around outside. No one's going to notice a few extra birds."

"Well, put them in the small trunk then. The one with the air holes and the feeding trays built in. The drive is too long for them to go without water."

"Found it!"

Soon they were all three of them trouping towards the park with a small, rolling trunk that cooed softly on occasion.

"The tour group bus should arrive at the park in half an hour," Chikage explained. "It'll wait there for fifteen minutes before leaving. We won't reach our destination until tonight."

Shinichi mentally counted up the number of books he'd brought. He hadn't expected the commute to be so lengthy. But he supposed he could always reread the books he liked better on the return trip.

A small crowd had already gathered at the pickup point. More than half the group were elderly men and women looking forward to the therapeutic power of bubbling hot springs. Then there were three families with kids and a handful of couples who had eyes only for their respective significant others. Due to this assortment, two figures stood out because they were teenagers and weren't accompanied by older family members.

"What are Aoko and the idiot doing here?" Kaito demanded, outraged.

"I invited them, Kuroba Chikage replied with a brilliant smile. "Ginzo said he had some fraud cases to deal with and asked if I could look after Aoko over the weekend. So it seemed only natural that she come with us."

"And the Nuisance?"

"Do you mean Hakuba-kun?"

"Who else could I mean?"

"Well, he was with Aoko when I spoke to her about the trip, and it only seemed fair to bring him along."

Fair? Kaito fumed. What was fair about that? Here he was, all ready to get Shinichi alone without any cases for a change, and lo and behold! There stood the very two people he'd wanted out of the way. Not that he minded Aoko being there, he amended. She was a bit nosy, but he could work around that. But her idiot of a boyfriend with his annoying and inconvenient ability to talk for hours on end about Sherlock Holmes and criminal cases with anyone who'd listen was extremely unwelcome.

Kaito could see the future already. He was about to spend a hot spring vacation listening to his Shin-chan being all excited over some fictional guy with the world's most annoying detective egging him on all the way.

"Everyone, it's time to get on the bus," Chikage declared, herding them towards the bus's open doors. "Keep going until you get all the way to the back. That way it'll be easier for everyone to get on quickly."

Shinichi soon found himself seated in the very last row of the bus next to the right window. He didn't mind. He liked having a window, and being at the back meant fewer people walking by you if they were getting onto or off of the bus. Next to him sat Kaito, who was mentally adjusting his plans for the weekend to accommodate the changes in their circumstances.

Chikage sat on Kaito's other side, content to chatter away with one of the elderly ladies who was, it turned out, a frequent member of this tour group. Soon, the two women were chatting away about all the must see sights and all the little things that simply had to be done when on this trip. The things that must be eaten or the clothes that must be worn and bought and yada yada yada. Kaito tuned them out quickly. It was because his attention had just shifted back towards his quarry that he noticed a blond head peering over the back of the bus seat in front of them.

"Kudo-san," Hakuba said, voice barely audible beneath the happy chatter of the rest of the tour group boarding the bus.

"What is it?" Shinichi asked just as quietly. He half rose from his seat, eyes scanning the faces of the other tour group members.

"It's that man at the front," the blonde said. "The one with the floppy gray green hat. That's the man who's been following Aoko and me."

"You mean he's been following you two ever since that day we met at the restaurant?" Shinichi demanded, mildly alarmed.

The blonde nodded. "He's usually more subtle about it, but today, well. He had to get the tour guide's permission to join the group because he wasn't originally scheduled to be one of the guests. The guide said yes though."

"He really is determined," Shinichi murmured, eyebrows furrowing. "Have you guys spoken any more to him recently?"

"Not much. Just the standard greetings and goodbyes and so forth. Nothing of much note."

"Well then, maybe we can take this trip as an opportunity to learn more about him."

Hakuba nodded then slid back down into his chair because the bus driver was calling out for everyone to get seated.

Just before Hakuba sat down, however, he noticed the title on the book Shinichi had just pulled out of his backpack. It was the Return of Sherlock Holmes short story collection.

Kaito was not particularly surprised when, after the driver and the tour guide had each given their introductory speeches and everyone else had settled in for the long haul, Shinichi and Hakuba began an energetic discussion about the Sherlock Holmes cases in the book Shinichi was reading. The discussion was conducted through the space between Hakuba and Aoko's chairs, and it was shaping up to be a very, very long debate.

And so Kaito's predictions had come true. Oh yay, he thought. You could chop up the sarcasm in his words and sell them for igloo building. He had a knack for looking into the future too.

Someone was going to pay for this.

Okay, maybe the drive wasn't quite the horror that Kaito expected it to be when he saw their uninvited guests. Shinichi, it turned out, liked reading about Holmes more than talking about Holmes. And so, some hour or so after the Great Holmes Debate began, it ended with Hakuba borrowing Shinichi's copy of His Last Bow and Shinichi returning to the collection he'd already started. At this point in time, Aoko was already glued fast to her phone, looking up things to do at the hot spring they were headed for. As for Chikage, she was deep in conversation with the elderly man seated next to her.

And all of this meant that Kaito would have been bored out of his mind and on the verge of showering the entire busload of people with strange and outrageous tricks—except that Shinichi had fallen asleep while reading, and his head was now resting against Kaito's shoulder. His cowlick tickled the side of Kaito's face. Without any real thought, Kaito slipped an arm around the slumbering detective's waist to pull him closer under the pretense of making sure he didn't fall out of his seat. Shinichi was a warm, cuddly weight against his side, all soft and unguarded and entirely too trusting of a thief.

In her seat one row in front of the magician and the detective, Aoko finally put her phone away and looked around in mild confusion. It was so—quiet. It was weird. She'd been sure that there would be confetti and paint balls everywhere by now. Where were the outraged passengers? The gasps of incomprehension? The riot?

"What's wrong?"

Blinking out of her befuddled daze, Aoko turned to find Hakuba giving her a rather concerned look that made her lips want to twitch up into a smile. "Oh nothing. I just wasn't expecting this trip to be so peaceful is all."

The blonde grimaced. He didn't have to ask to know exactly what she was talking about. "I believe Kuroba is a bit preoccupied."

His response only served to further Aoko's confusion. Unable to resist the urgings of her curiosity, she turned and peeked through the space between their chairs. She stared.

Kaito was sitting quietly without a mad, scheming grin on his face or that plotting gleam in his eyes that were the more obvious signs that he was about to unleash mass mayhem on all who had the misfortune of being too close. Instead, he was sitting quietly with a smile—a normal one—on his face and a look in his eyes that Aoko had never seen there before. If she had to give it a name, she would call it fondness. And that was also strange because even though she was one of the few people on the planet who could read a little of Kaito's moods, he was still far too skilled of an actor for her. She had grown used to having to look behind his smiles and pick through his words with fine-toothed combs in search of the truths that he would no longer tell her. But private grievances aside, it had been years since she had seen Kaito with such an honest, relaxed expression on his face. What could have brought it on?

Her eyes followed the magician's gaze down to the top of a dark-haired head resting against the magician's shoulder. Shinichi was fast asleep, breaths coming slow and even from between slightly parted lips. Even as Aoko watched, Kaito reached a hand up absently to run his fingers through those silky black locks before he wrapped his arm around Shinichi again. There was a distinctly protective note to the gesture. Aoko looked up at her friend's face again. It wasn't just fondness in his expression. There was resolve and determination there too.

"Like a knight watching over his lady~," she murmured under her breath as she turned to sit back down in her seat. She wanted to burst into giggles, but she thought she'd better not.

Hakuba looked at her askance. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh nothing," she said airily. "You know, I'm really glad that Kudo-kun transferred to our school."

Hakuba arched an eyebrow. "That was rather sudden. May I know what brought it on?"

Aoko frowned at him. "Don't you like having him around?"

"I do," he replied without hesitation. "He is an excellent detective." Shinichi was also good company—the best person Hakuba knew for a good conversation about fine literature. "However, I do not believe that that is what you were referring to."

"Well, part of it was that," Aoko said, blushing faintly. "But I guess I was mostly thinking about Kaito."

That gave the blonde a moment's pause. "About Kuroba? I thought we were talking about Kudo-san."

"I just feel like he's had a positive influence on Kaito," the inspector's daughter explained. "I mean, can you imagine Kaito sitting still this long in the past? He's calmer when Kudo-kun's around. More considerate, you know?" She took another quick peek back at the pair and stifled a giggle. "Kaito really likes him." She didn't notice the way her seatmate grimaced.

Calm wasn't the word Hakuba would have used. Focused was more accurate, he thought. And it wasn't because of any positive influence or whatever. Oh no. Kuroba Kaito was only and would only ever be quiet when he was plotting something extra extravagant. This was no exception. After all, the thief was setting up for what would probably be his biggest heist ever. The KID was setting up to steal Japan's most famous, young detective. There was no doubt in Hakuba's mind by now that this was so. If the media ever caught wind of it, it would surely make for headline news. But since this wasn't the kind of heist that sent notices, it wasn't going to get noticed—except by the ever vigilant Hakuba Saguru.

And Aoko. But she apparently had an entirely different outlook on the issue. She seemed to be in favor of the match. Hakuba, on the other hand, was far from thrilled by the idea of one of the best detectives in the country falling into the clutches of a criminal. Although he wasn't too worried at the moment because he had serious doubts that Kuroba could pull off this particular heist while still keeping his secret identity, well, secret. And while the magician was all kinds of crazy, he wasn't stupid.

Even so, the two were getting rather close. Surely Shinichi must have suspicions by now. Although he didn't seem very interested in the Kaitou KID case, so it was possible that he wouldn't have given the issue any thought. But if he had, if he did suspect… No, surely a detective like him would have said something.

"Is something bothering you?"

It seemed Aoko had finally noticed her boyfriend's pensive frown.

He looked at her expectant face, thought of her optimistic comments on the duo seated behind them, then shook his head. "It's nothing. I was just thinking about a few cases."

Aoko's gaze flickered to the front of the bus where their shadow was seated. She didn't want to think about that right now though. They had to be cautious, but that didn't mean they had to feel stressed. Making up her mind, she put the man out of her head for now.

Outside of the bus windows, the city gave way to verdant forests and the road became narrower and more twisty. Progress slowed. Two of the families with children cracked out playing cards and started up a game. Most of the more elderly passengers were already fast asleep. Some were snoring quite loudly. Others were conversing in hushed voices like they would if they were in a library. And through it all, the rumble of the engines provided a constant backdrop.

Then, just as Kaito was beginning to wonder if they were ever going to reach their destination, the bus crawled around another sharp corner and the trees parted. The bus pulled to a stop in a small, packed-dirt parking lot. At the far side of the lot stood a low, stone wall with a pair of open gates. On the other side of the wall stood a rather weathered-looking building with slanted roofs and a wide, unpainted patio.

The bus doors popped open, and the group began to disembark. Kaito moved to pick Shinichi up, but the minor jolt from the bus's breaks had caused the detective to stir. Blue eyes blinked blearily as Shinichi straightened in his seat. He looked around, the fog of sleep still clouding his eyes and his features soft with drowsiness.

"Are we taking a break?" he asked, though the question emerged more as a mumble that ended with a yawn.

"Nope. We're here." Grinning, Kaito pulled the detective up out of his seat and began propelling him up the length of the bus and out the door. "It looks like we've landed ourselves in another haunted house. Ow!" He rounded on the girl who had just smacked him in the back of the head with her bag. "Ahoko! What the hell was that for?"

"Don't call it a haunted house," she snapped. "And the last one wasn't actually haunted either, just for the record. You don't have to go spreading creepy stories everywhere we go."

"I'm not spreading creepy stories," he objected. "I haven't told a single story yet. Though looking at how old this place must be, I'm sure they've got plenty to tell so I won't have to."

"Now, now," Chikage said, stepping into the midst of their little group and gesturing towards the lodge. "We need to go check in. Bring your luggage with you."

Kaito's luggage let out a soft chorus of coos as it was set down on the ground with a thud. Hakuba turned around, looked up at the trees all around them, then looked down at the trunk. Had he just heard what he thought he'd heard? But, well, this was the great outdoors. Birds were everywhere. And besides, who'd pack birds in a rolling luggage?

Through the little gate in the stone wall, they found a weathered, stone path that meandered around small fields of grass. It was actually quite pretty, Shinichi thought, in an old kind of way. Old, but loved. The cobblestones of the paths were worn but clean, and the grass was all lush and neatly trimmed. The lodge itself was no exception. Though it had no paint on it anymore, the wood had been worn smooth by the elements. If someone hadn't made sure to keep watch over it and treat it right, the building would have fallen apart a long time ago. Instead, it felt like a stolid old man, large and sturdy and stubborn.

"They often have barbeques out on this patio for all the current guests," Aoko exclaimed, recalling what she'd read earlier. "They also hold a lot of other little events like art workshops and tea seminars and things like that. We can get a copy of their current program. It should be lots of fun."

Shinichi nodded absently, eyelids drooping before he suddenly jerked awake again. Rinse and repeat. He knew he should have brought coffee for the trip.

Laughing, Kaito wrapped a protective arm around Shinichi's shoulders. "I'll find you some coffee as soon as we have our keys, I promise."

Shinichi blinked then smiled, a little shy but grateful. It was in those little things, he mused. Those little gestures that Kaito made that made Shinichi feel strangely warm inside—a little giggly even, scary as that thought was. And it was all just so confusing even though it was kind of…nice too. He just wished he didn't blush so easily.

"Thanks."

"We only get two rooms," Chikage announced. "Aoko and I will share the smaller room. You three boys can share the larger room. You're getting the better end of the deal here. Your room has its own private hot spring tub. So be nice to each other, okay?" She gave her son a pointed look.

"Yes Mom."

"Yes, Kuroba-san."

Their room was spacious. The floors were all polished wood. Instead of beds, the place had closets full of futons. Guests could arrange the futons wherever they chose within the four walls of their rooms. The part of their room that Shinichi liked best, however, was the large patio surrounded by the forest beyond. It was a tranquil place, and the large windows provided the inside of their room with a great deal of light. And, as Chikage had told them, there was a hot tub that drew water in from the springs so that they could soak right here in their own quarters if they didn't feel like going to the springs themselves.

They met up with the rest of their tour group for an early dinner. The resort had only one restaurant, but management had decided to spread the seating areas through three different rooms, one of which was usually reserved for larger parties. Their tour group had been arranged around three long tables. Said tables were low, so they had each been given a cushion to sit on. Their meals had already been prepared and set out at each seat.

The tour guide stood as everyone began eating to explain the structure of their trip. Yes, this was a tour, so she had arranged a schedule of activities and must-see sights for all of them. However, she wanted everyone to be able to enjoy the wonders of this hot spring hotel in this tranquil, untouched piece of nature. So, for those who wished to explore the area on their own instead of following the schedule, they were free to do so as long as they checked in with her regularly about their whereabouts. They were also required to meet back here for dinner together at the same time each night they were in residence. But, other than that, this trip was to be about finding the peace that eluded those who were too caught up in the busy chaos of city life! Or so the tour guide said.

"Her regular job must really be a nightmare, eh?" Kaito said under his breath. Shinichi elbowed him. "What?"

"You shouldn't be so rude," the detective hissed. "She heard you."

And, indeed, the tour guide was now giving Kaito the evil eye.

He returned her stare with his most charming smile. Her glare faltered slightly as her face began to turn pink. Really, she wasn't all that much older than they were—fresh out of college, most likely. She cleared her throat and looked away.

"Anyway," she started again, coughed, then resumed. "If you don't want to follow the schedule, you should still find time to go up to the shrine. It's a very beautiful piece of architecture. It's small, but it's got a lot of character. Many artists have been inspired by it. And many of the people here believe that it is the spirit that lives in that shrine that keeps the hot springs bubbling to help sustain those who must make a living here. It would be good to pay your respects."

Aoko shivered. "The way she said that was kind of…I don't know, creepy."

"She's only telling us to be polite and go pay our respects at the shrine. It would be rude to shun local tradition when you're partaking of their hospitality."

"It certainly wouldn't do to be rude," a new voice agreed. All four teens turned to the man seated at the end of their table. It took Shinichi a moment to recognize him. It was the man who had been shadowing Hakuba and Aoko.

The not-exactly-stranger met Shinichi's startled gaze and smiled. The smile was a wan one and just a little sly, but he could detect no malice in it.

"I'm sorry for interrupting like that," he murmured, inclining his head. "I just couldn't help it. You see, I've always believed very strongly that it is right that we show our respect to the spirits that watch over us from beyond. When they do so much for us, it is only right that we reciprocate."

"I guess that's true," Shinichi said a little uncertainly. Why was the man speaking to them all of a sudden? He looked from Hakuba's suspicious glower to Aoko's confused stare. It seemed that this was indeed a new development in their non-relationship with their unofficial shadow. The man had spoken to them before in the past, but only to exchange pleasantries. He had never endeavored to begin a conversation on anything deeper or more relevant than the weather.

"No need to be sorry for joining in on a conversation," Kaito assured him. Ever the opportunist, he continued. "We're all here together to have some fun and relax, right? Why don't we make a group trip out of it. Mister…" He looked pointedly at the shadow.

The man looked mildly taken aback. But he rallied and answered with a hesitant, "Setsu."

"Setsu-san here can show us how you're supposed to show your respects at an old shrine," Kaito finished. "Then we can explore the trails and see if any of us are artistically inclined enough to be inspired without the possibility of divine retribution hanging over our heads," he concluded, leering at Aoko.

She flushed and stuck her tongue out at him. "I only said the way the tour guide phrased it made it sound creepy! I didn't actually say the shrine itself was creepy! And I certainly don't believe in getting cursed or whatever. It's just some old building that's been turned into a tourist attraction."

Kaito drew back in feigned horror. "Whoa now, no need to go insulting the place just to prove your courage. I guess now, if something goes bump in the night, we'll know who the spirits have come calling."

Aoko turned red. "Bakaito! Shut! Up!"

TBC