Electric blue washed over the walls of the Hitachiin residence. The temperature had dropped several degrees. Kaoru stubbed a cigarette at the bottom of his shoe before a warm hand gently squeezed his shoulder. Miyo stood next to him wrapped in a thick scarf. The night's chill covered them like an iced blanket. Her usually lovely face fell in blue shadows as the police sirens flashed incessantly.

"We'll find him," she said.

Her words were laced with an impossible certainty. He wanted to reach out and hold on to it, but words weren't tangible, so he gripped her hand instead.

"Mr Hitachiin?" asked a junior officer who cleared his throat. "My Captain would like to speak to you."

"Why, what have you found?" said Kaoru, his throat scratchy from smoke and tears.

"It's not that—"

"Then what could possibly be so important that your Captain needs to speak to me?" He glared at the officer.

"He would like to speak to you," repeated the officer as he handed a phone to Kaoru.

The warmth of Miyo's touch disappeared as she slipped away. Kaoru snatched the phone and barked into the receiver. "This is Kaoru Hitachiin here. Who am I speaking to?"

"Captain Haninozuka," said a calm, assured voice. "I am overseeing this investigation. I can only offer my apologies that I could not be at the scene tonight. Be assured that my best men are on the case, Kaoru." He said his name so softly. A breeze of familiarity washed over Kaoru.

"H-Hani-senpai?" It was as if they were back in the Third Music Room and Kaoru was watching the short senior drool over cake. "You're the Captain?"

"We're going to find him. This didn't just happen out of the blue."

"What do you mean?" said Kaoru as he leant against the wall. Several officers milled about the grounds, talking to staff and the Fieldings. Miyo had joined her mother who looked paler than normal. Ian Fielding consoled her with a handkerchief before his eyes locked onto Kaoru's.

"We're investigating a chain of events. Hikaru's disappearance is not an isolated incident."

"What do you mean," repeated Kaoru. "Hani, just cut the formalities."

"I can't say more than that," said the Captain, the calm in his voice a frustrating constant. "Just… keep yourself safe, Kaoru."

Kaoru gripped the phone, not because he was worried he would drop it, but because he was trying to restrain himself from throwing it. He reached into his pocket for another cigarette.

Even as he held the white stick in between his fingers, he heard his brother's voice chide him for his bad habit. He pushed the thoughts to the back of his head and fiddled inside his jacket for the lighter.

"I would never have pegged you for a smoker."

Kaoru didn't turn, barely registered the speaker, and waved his free hand in the air dismissively.

"Miyo, I'm really not in the mood—"

"I'm flattered, Kaoru, but I'm not your fiancée."

Kyouya stood behind him. The junior officer from before was at his heels.

"I told you, sir, you're not allowed on the grounds. There is an ongoing investigation—"

"And I told you, Officer Enokido, you should know who I am by now," said Kyouya curtly.

Enokido frowned at this. The two had clearly met before, and Kaoru's interest would be piqued if it weren't for the pressing matter at hand. He held his hand up to Officer Enokido and waved him away. "It's alright, he's with me."

"Mr Hitachiin, that's not really for you to decide."

Kaoru threw the phone back at him. "Why don't you give your superior a call and find out if he's okay with it?"

Enokido frowned at them both before stalking off in a huff. Kaoru gestured at his old friend to follow them to the back of the estate, away from prying ears and the sharp gaze of his soon-to-be father-in-law.

"Where's Haruhi?" he asked. They sat on a bench in the rose garden beside a small fountain.

Kyouya checked his phone briefly before clicking it off. "She's gone to the station to see the Captain."

"About that—when did he become police captain?" Kaoru stubbed his cigarette beneath his foot once more. He knew the groundskeeper hated him for that, but Kaoru paid his wage more than handsomely.

"Considering his family, it's not all that surprising. Now, what have they said about Hikaru?"

Kaoru's shoulders wilted. "Not a lot. They're still investigating the entire estate. I keep trying to call him…"

Even as he spoke, Kaoru pressed his brother's name in his phone. The screen lit up with his twin's grimace. A small smile appeared on Kaoru's face before dissolving away when there was no answer.

"What makes you think this is suspicious?" said Kyouya. "He could have just gone for a walk—"

"My brother doesn't just go for a walk. He likes to be kept busy, to do things not just… wander around."

Kyouya folded his arms and rested against the bench. "I'm just trying to offer a solution."

A sharp reply filled his mouth before Kaoru bit back. He put his head into hands and leaned forward, feeling the heat in his face rising into his head. No doubt he had a migraine to look forward to in the evening.

"I know. I'm sorry, I don't understand where he's gone—"

"Kaoru?"

The two men turned around. It was Miyo.

"They searched Hikaru's apartment; of course, Haruhi's father wasn't happy with the disruption—but they've not found anything significant."

Kaoru took a deep breath. He could see it in her face now. His handhold—her certainty—had melted away. The worry was etched on her eyes, tension held taut against her mouth.

"His phone was in his room. They found it when you rang."

Haruhi fought against her temper as she spoke to her father over the phone.

"Dad, I know it was a surprise, I'm sorry I didn't tell you they might search the apartment—well it all happened really quickly, didn't it?" She smiled at the Captain as he placed a polystyrene cup of coffee in front of her.

The Captain spoke to a few of his senior officers just beyond the open shutters of his office doors. He stepped back in and straightened his crisp shirt against his petite frame.

"Dad, I've got to go. I'll let you know if anything happens, alright? No, no, you'll be safe."

As she clicked the phone off, she massaged her temple with both hands.

"We're keeping a couple of officers posted just outside the apartment," the Captain reassured. He rolled up his sleeves as he sat down. "You should go home, too, Haruhi."

"No," she said far too quickly. She had been expecting this. "I'm already involved, way too involved if you ask me. You know as well as I do this has got to do with Kaoru's father-in-law."

"And what makes you say that?" The Captain placed his elbow on the desk and clasped his hands.

"I've got some statements on my tape recorder that he's said, directly to me. Not to mention how both Hikaru and Kaoru have spoken about him. The guy is a jerk." Her cheeks reddened at the last comment. It was becoming difficult to remove the personal from the professional, but Haruhi didn't want to let go.

The Captain's eyes softened for a moment as he considered her, almost back to that boyish chocolate brown. He rested his chin on his hands.

"You could get hurt."

"I don't care about that. I just don't want anyone else to get hurt."

"Well, I suppose I am doing things a little unorthodox lately…"

Haruhi noted he hadn't ruled out her theory and smiled. She sipped at her coffee. It was the cheap, bitter kind, straight from a machine. She grimaced momentarily, but the Captain caught her expression.

"Sorry, the main coffee machine isn't working. I… usually have it with some cake." He got up and put his jacket on. "Come on, let's go for a walk."

They ventured just outside the station. The evening crowd had dwindled on the streets in the sudden cold. It was strange that it felt like spring only a few hours ago, in that park with Kyouya. She recoiled at the thought and brought her attention forward.

"Hikaru's disappearance may be linked to Kyouya's ex-wife's death," said the Captain as they walked a few metres away from the front entrance. There were even fewer people around here. "I know the latter case has had its toll on you."

Haruhi shrugged. "It's work, you know, you don't get too attached with cases—"

"His daughter is living with you—"

"—temporarily."

"My point is, Haruhi, you're far too close to this." He nodded to the car parked on the opposite side of the street. A tall shadow got out and walked towards them. "I need you to go home and to keep your family close."

The shadow materialised into Takashi. He kept his hands hidden in the pockets of a thick jacket. Its collar flicked up to hide the underside of his chin.

"Takashi will take you back to the apartment." It was neither a question nor a suggestion. The Captain had given Haruhi a command, albeit in the gentlest of voices. Before she could say anything else, Hani took her cold hands in his. They were warm and soft. Haruhi wondered if she could hold on to them a little longer.

"You may not want anyone else getting hurt, but I don't want to see you hurt either. I trust my officers, but I won't even let any of them take you home at this stage. You're far too close to this case."

He hesitated a moment, as if to lean towards her, but held back and released her hands. Perhaps it was for a shared sense of professionalism that the Captain did not want to let acquaintances in places they didn't belong. Or maybe he really did care for Haruhi not getting hurt. Whatever it was, she didn't want to push it too far. Hani would have a lot on his plate now, and no doubt superiors to answer to.

She gave him a small smile. "I guess I have no choice."

Takashi nodded at the small Captain before walking back to the car. Haruhi followed suit, knowing the Captain's eyes followed her as they drove away.

Despite the thick black that settled into each corner of the sky, the estate was a hum of activity. The police questioned the entire Hitachiin staff, and all seemed horrified at what had happened.

Kyouya sat alone on the bench in the rose garden. He didn't want to get in the way, nor did he want to face the police again in light of the past few months. He watched as a couple of maids brushed on their coats and walked tightly together, possibly going home. A few seconds later, Ian Fielding exited from another door.

Kyouya thought their eyes had met, but he wasn't sure, as Fielding slinked away without much hurry. There was something about his calm demeanour this evening that chipped away at Kyouya's mind. Without much thought, Kyouya followed.

They left the estate through the main entrance, where most of the hubbub was concentrated. Kyouya kept to the shadows of the night but as Fielding got further away there was little place to hide. The gravel was hard to walk on without making any noise, but Fielding had stopped at the clearing just beyond the front gates.

"I know you're following me, Ootori."

Kyouya froze for a moment.

"It's alright. I won't bite." The two men stood level with each other and faced the Hitachiin residence. "A strange turn of events, don't you think?"

"A turn of events? I'm not sure if you call the disappearance of a friend that," said Kyouya.

Fielding leered. "Friend. Yes, that's what you all call each other. Even that little lawyer that snuck her way over, pretending to be engaged to Tweedledum."

Kyouya deciphered the strange nickname without much thought, but the statement prior to that made him pause.

"Oh yes!" continued Fielding. "It wasn't difficult to suss that out of the pair of them. I may not look it, but I can sense when romance is in the air, and there was less spark between the two of them than could light a matchstick."

Kyouya knew the two weren't engaged in reality, but somehow Fielding's words gave him some comfort. This was, of course, before he scolded himself. The man had testified against him in court.

"It's why I've accepted Miyo's engagement. Despite my protests, they really do love each other. I can't stand in the way of that."

"Why are you telling me all this?" interrupted Kyouya.

Fielding turned around to face him. "Because, despite everything that has happened in the last few months, I want you to know that I am a family man."

"Oh?"

"Yes. I'll do anything to protect my family."

The younger man smirked. "You may call yourself a family man, but your attention to your business leaves little to be desired."

Fielding's expression dropped. As he frowned a reddish hue touched his cheeks—either from the cold or otherwise. Kyouya gently swayed and hunched his shoulders with his hands in his jacket pockets.

"Your latest move with the Suoh Group—namely, branching out Accenture into the Japanese market—was your first error."

"I won't be taking business lessons from a child like you." Fielding's phone buzzed. He took it out and began typing erratically.

Kyouya looked towards the estate once more. "No one had bought that small company since its first bankruptcy a few years ago. After its chairman's death."

Fielding looked up from his phone, the rouge in his cheeks deepening. "This is nonsense."

"And why would they? It brought no promise, only the disappearing tagline of an old Japanese family's name. But you were happy to buy it. Just after my ex-wife's death. The death which you happened to have been in the neighbourhood as a witness."

"I saw you," said Fielding through gritted teeth. "Coming out of her house. It was you—"

"My innocence is proven," said Kyouya. "Yours, however, is beginning to falter. What were you really doing, in a neighbourhood so far away from your daughter's fiancé's residence?"

"I have nothing to say to you," said Fielding. As he walked away he pushed into Kyouya's shoulder. "Your friend was just as nosy as you. I wouldn't want you to end up like him."

"I would advise you not to make threats against me, Mr Fielding." Kyouya raised his voice slightly, but it caught the older man's attention. He seemed a man easy to intimidate, once the thin walls of bravado were torn down. "My family own an esteemed security service. Perhaps you've heard of it? It would be unwise to continue to speak to me in this way."

Before Fielding could retaliate, Kyouya pressed ahead. "You are a spineless man trying to get ahead in a world of business far beyond your capabilities. And in doing so, you have become mixed up with family business, arguably murkier than that of finance or technology."

"I don't—"

"I know you are not a murderer, Mr Fielding. I doubt you have the dexterity for that kind of activity. But your eagerness to enter into business with the Suoh Group was your biggest mistake, and now you're playing with fire in a room full of fuses. You should reconsider—"

Fielding thrust himself at Kyouya, grappling at the younger man's shoulders before he held him tightly against his own frame. At the base of Kyouya's neck, he felt something cold and hard.

"You should really reconsider your words," said Fielding in a low voice. "Like I told you. I'll do anything to protect my family."

"You know more than me, Takashi."

The two of them had been silent in the car ride home. Streetlight poured into the car every few seconds until they hit evening traffic. Haruhi had taken the blue envelope out of her bag and frowned at it before she caught Takashi's gaze momentarily slip towards it. "What aren't you telling me?"

He gripped the steering wheel. His lips were sealed even tighter, it seemed.

Haruhi frowned at him. "Hikaru's mysteriously vanished. This isn't a time to just stay quiet and hope the mess will clean itself up. You can't stay locked away in your greenhouse forever."

"I know you're trying to goad me into talking."

It was a cheap jab. She turned to face the window, hoping he didn't see the obvious on her face. The car turned into quieter streets.

"You have to trust Mitsukuni." Takashi gently purred the gas as they sped down an empty side road. "He won't take this case lightly."

"It's not just a case!" She couldn't hide it any longer. "These are our friends! First Kyouya, then Hikaru. Whoever it is even broke into my apartment! Who'll be next? You? Me, again?"

"This is why we didn't want you involved—"

"We?" she shot back. "So, you're both in on it? You're from neither a law enforcement nor legal background, Takashi. Why are you covering for him?"

A coarse silence settled between them, prickled with sadness. It was strange to shout at someone like Mori-senpai. She could never have imagined doing it in the years prior.

He remained silent. Haruhi hit the side of her seat in frustration but missed and caught the doorhandle. She swore as the pain blossomed in her wrist.

"It was not a case in the beginning. Just a hunch between two grieving friends." His words were so soft, so gentle, that even in the silence Haruhi wasn't sure she had heard them at all. "It did not start with Kyouya. It started with Tamaki."

The pain in her hand ceased to exist. In its place sat an ache in her heart, an ache that Haruhi had long forgotten and filed away in places she tried not to venture towards. Now it came back in full force. He stopped the car outside Hikaru's apartment.

"What do you mean 'it started with him'?" asked Haruhi. "I'm not leaving this car until you tell me."

Takashi clicked his seatbelt off and rubbed his neck.

"Do you remember what I told you, in my greenhouse? The Suoh family closed themselves off, instructed the police to close any investigation as well."

"Yes," said Haruhi. "You said it was as if the whole world had locked Tamaki up and thrown away the key."

One of the lights flickered inside the apartment a few windows away from Hikaru's. Takashi watched as it was switched off, then on again.

"Mitsukuni and I knew this was odd. But what could we do, two seniors at high school? So we waited. Built our own careers and kept an eye open. As you know, wealthy families in this city tend to do business with each other. It wasn't long till we caught wind of a flourishing Japanese company in France."

The light switched off. Takashi gripped the wheel once more.

"What does that have to do with—" but her words were drowned out.

A vehicle careened into theirs from behind, sending Haruhi across the dashboard. Saved by her seatbelt, she looked at Takashi. Blood trickled down his forehead. She shook his shoulder, but he didn't move from the steering wheel.

A dark figure approached the car and appeared at the window. All Haruhi remembered was the gun before darkness swallowed her whole.

If you're still reading this, thank you so much! I'm determined to finish this fic within the next couple of chapters. Ten+ years is more than enough to write it, don't you think?

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