Turns out, Kid really is Lady Luck's favorite.
Kaito slipped through the door of the book shop, ignoring the bell that sounded above his head. He didn't typically frequent this type of place, but the search for Reed had been on about a week now, and he was determined to win that bet. As a result, the kaitou had been learning all sorts of new things about Ekoda.
The store he was in now was a small out-of-the-way kind of shop. Old, but charming. From what he could tell, there was only one person working.
Kaito glanced over the customers; most were easy to discount. One teen near the back could have been Reed, but the jawling wasn't quite right. Too rounded, and the lips were too full. As Kid, he had made an extensive study of faces - he was confident in his judgment. With a decisive nod, Kaito turned his attention to the person behind the counter.
And began to grin.
That jaw had just the right amount of sharpness. Factoring out the sleight heels on Reed's boots, height was looking good as well. The customer service smile wasn't exactly a smirk, but there were traces of Reed's careless grin.
He had a good feeling about this one. Suppressing a grin of his own, the kaitou sauntered over to the counter.
The teen looked up and turned a slightly more genuine smile on Kaito. "Hello, can I help you find anything?"
Poker face, Kaito thought. He knew that voice. "Yes, actually - I'm looking for a book on famous gemstones. Like a reference guide."
Something flickered in the other's green eyes. "Famous gemstones?"
"Yep~! You could say I have an interest." He let poker face fall, revealing a smirk that belonged entirely to Kid.
The teen's expression froze, before relaxing into a wry smile. "I lost, didn't I?"
"Afraid so," Kaito said cheerfully. "You owe me a favor now, oh partner in moonlit escapades!"
"Brilliance," Reed deadpanned. He shook his head and smiled, holding out a hand. "Kirigaya Kazuki."
"Kuroba Kaito." He brought his own hand forward, and kaitou shook hands with kaitou. "Winner of the game and life in general."
Finally, a familiar smirk stole across Reed's face. "Congratulations that you won - this time."