I apologize for my tardiness of getting this chapter out, I honestly don't have an excuse. This chapter has been finished for a couple of days now, however I'm not entirely pleased with it : and then my mmorpg game added a new patch and I just came out for some fresh air.
Thank you for everyone who reviews and likes my story.
Still unbeated.
Wordcount: 8051
Published: 02.02.18
Chapter 3
"Kuroba Kaito, magician extraordinaire. It's a pleasure to meet you," his smile was almost blinding, and his eyes glittered with cheerfulness as he held a blue rose in the angel's direction. Behind him, the ocean sparkled with the rays from the evening sun, and spots of lights shimmered off his face.
Shinichi was utterly confused at the image, looking down at him from where he had been sitting undisturbed on top of a large stone. For once, Kaito had approached him – having accidently seen him from the road most likely, as evident from a bicycle laying forgotten in the sand. The thief's chest was moving a bit quicker than usual.
"What?" Shinichi could not contain his befuddlement, meaning both 'what are you doing here' and 'what are you doing'. The thief's smile widened impossibly, and his soul vibrated a deep orange as though it had been soaking in the sunlight all day.
"I'm giving you a rose," he simple replied, his hand still offering him the flower.
The statement did not ebb his confusion, and he was almost tempted to ask why, but decided a moment later that the answer would most likely be just as befuddling. Instead, he put his hand in his pocket and withdrew the only item he had ever been carrying.
"I'll trade you."
Kaito's eyes widened slightly in surprise, and redness suddenly blossomed on his cheeks. "That's not necessary –" Shinichi did not let him finish his protest as he grabbed the magician's wrist. A shiver of electricity rushed against his fingertips pleasantly, and Kaito had stilled as his eyes were locked on their intertwined hands.
Letting himself linger for only a moment – and he was not entirely sure why – he took the rose from the owner's grasp and replaced it with a lollipop, before withdrawing to hold the rose curiously against the sun. He could not remember ever having picked a flower – and with a spontaneous impulse, he sniffed the petals.
In the corner of his eyes, Kaito had still not moved a muscle, and his lips had parted a little as his eyes were locked on the form of the angel. Shinichi wondered what an image he struck with the soft wind ruffling the locks of his hair, and making his coat flutter. The red dying light of sunset reflected of the ocean and cast him in an deep orange light. His wings almost preened as they stretched out on their own accord – despite Shinichi knowing that they were invisible to the mortal's gaze.
"What does it smell like?"
Kaito almost flinched at the question as though he had been transfixed in thoughts. Finally dropping his arm, he raked a hand through his hair, making it more messy than usual. "The flower?"
Shinichi dipped his head once in affirmation, before explaining, "I don't have a sense of smell."
The thief's eyebrows knitted together in sympathy, "that sounds dreary." He pinched his chin between his index finger and thumb in thought as he stared up at the sky for a moment. The fringes of his hair danced from the movement, and the dying light made his hair look more auburn than usual. "It's difficult to explain really, if you don't have a reference to start froms. I can't say its 'flowery', as it would be too vague."
Without asking, he started to climb up on the rock, and he sat down next to the angel. For a second, he cast him a nervous smile, but when Shinichi did not object to his presence, his shoulders relaxed. He fished up the lollipop and started to unwrap it as he spoke.
"Roses have a lot of different fragrances, depending on the type. It's easier to explain what cherries taste like," he licked the red lollipop, and rolled the taste on his tongue almost teasingly, and the angel got the image of a sommelier in his head.
When the thief did not continue, Shinichi felt prompted to ask. "What does cherries taste like?"
Kaito turned to face him properly with is lips curling upwards – they glistened slightly. "It's sweet I guess, and a little bitter on the tongue, like it absorbs sunlight into the taste. And its juicy. That's the most important part."
Shinichi pondered the reply: he had never considered the idea that the sun had a taste. He had heard phrases before – the smell of the ocean and the grass. Unique and recognizable by the mortals – was it a strong scent, he wondered, that tickled their nose pleasantly? He leaned back slightly, letting his weight rest on his arm behind his back as he gazed up at the sky.
Almost unconsciously, he parted his lips and stuck out his tongue tryingly.
"What are you doing?" Kaito's curious gaze burned into his side, but it was not a malicious question believing the angel was acting crazy, simply honest fascination.
"I'm trying to taste the sunlight," Shinichi replied after a moment, dipping his head to the side as he gazed at the magician through his eyelashes.
Kaito's expression crumbled as he tried to repress the amount of amusement showing in his face, and the subsequent chuckle sent a warm shiver down the angel's spine. "More people should," he finally spoke, his voice filled with mirth and his eyes danced in a reflection of his soul. "Would cause a lot less war, I'd say. If we all spent a moment a day trying to taste the sunlight."
Shinichi was not entirely sure what to respond, wondering for a brief moment if his action had been alien. He closed his mouth and let his gaze wander across the ocean's horizon instead. It felt slightly out of place spending time with a mortal in silence while being corporal – he had sat by the shore alone for centuries. However, he did not feel any breech of privacy.
"So detective," Kaito started, his expression friendly with curiosity, "why are you sitting here all alone? The sky is rather romantic," his lips suddenly curled upwards in a playful grin. "No girlfriend?"
If Kaito was expecting him to fluster at the question, he was surely mistaken, as the angel replied only with an airy hum.
"Don't need a date to enjoy the sunset. Some pleasures are just as nice in the company of one."
The thief tilted his head, and Shinichi was not sure if it was fascination or thoughtfulness that shimmered in his eyes. "Fair enough, detective."
The angel wondered exactly what the mortal's intentions where – he had never had the need to participate in small talk before, and he was unsure of the protocols. However he could not see any nefarious intentions in his companion.
"Why do you always call me detective?" he decided to ask as it had been a question bothering him for a while, "I told you before that I'm not one."
"You sure? Could fool me with your wit and intelligence, and not to mention always being at KID's heists," Kaito's expression suddenly sharpened with a smirk. "Don't tell me you are a fan."
Shinichi gazed back at him for a moment, before replying stoically. "I am."
The magician's expression fell in surprise, and his lips parted a fraction. With a shake of his head, he chuckled. "You are so much more different than any other I've met. Hakuba would rather have died then admitting it."
Kaito raked a hand through his hair, his eyes gleaming slightly with emotions the angels could not comprehend as he gazed at the angel. "You sure are utterly ridiculous you know. An enigma I just can't wrap my mind around – and trust me, that very rarely happens to me." He lifted his chin to look at the darkening sky, and a leaf from the trees from the other side of the road fluttered above his nose.
"You are more mysterious than Kaitou KID, no one I've asked knows anything about you. But I'm sure you have a reason to hide your identity," his expression was soft this time, as though he tried to be supportive over the angel's decisions.
Shinichi looked away, his hand unconsciously tightening its grasp around the flower he was holding. He had not considered the repercussions of his actions – of course someone would be curious about his identity when he showed up randomly. He had acted foolishly in his desire to be seen – and had he not been an angel, he would surely swear at himself.
If anyone found out, he would get in trouble – and a part of him wanted to leave right there and then and refuse to be near Kaito. To never again be corporal to human eyes. He had gone entirely too long, his actions should have stopped with saving him as a boy. The rose slipped from his fingers – or perhaps through them, he was not entirely sure – and landed into his lap.
"If you are not a detective, then what are you?" Kaito's voice was almost fragile, that it made Shinichi snap out of his spiralling thoughts to look at him. Quiet concern and uncertainty was visible in the way his lips were curling downwards, and a wrinkle between his brows. The thief must have realized he had said something wrong – reminded Shinichi that he did not exist in the same way the mortal did – and had no idea how to mend the tension.
"Not an angel of justice," he replied softly, forcing his eyes away. Energy pulsated through his body almost alarmingly at the sudden revelation – and his wings suddenly seemed to teeter where they previously had preened.
"What kind of angel are you then?"
Shinichi glanced back at Kaito to gauge his expression, unsure how to reply. Next to him, the soul vibrated in comfort – almost as though it was trying to soothe the angel as a familiar feeling of cheerfulness waved through him. The angel's shoulders relaxed on their own accord as he felt the worries drown in the mortal's presence.
He had never felt anything like it before – and he wondered why he had never noticed how powerful Kaito's soul was. Not as enormous as the energy of angels, but definitely something different than normal humans.
"Death," he said honestly, suddenly too tired to lie. Angels really weren't made for lying – they had no reason to.
Kaito did not see particularly amused, "that's a morbid answer." His expression softened as he rolled his eye, "regardless, you never said your name. Had to refer to you as something. 'Detective' fits you."
Shinichi made a soft noise in surprise – only then realizing the truth in the thief's words. The thought of telling his own name had never crossed his mind. It was not necessary, as angels recognized each other in the vibration of their souls, and the angelic language was made out of thoughts and images and magic, rather than words.
No one had ever asked for his name – and perhaps that was why he had never been interested in knowing Kaito's real name in the past. It had not been necessary, as their souls greeted each other the way angels did.
"I'm terrified of fish," Kaito commented airy, his gaze back on staring at the first stars that had started to appear in the sky. Perhaps he had thought the angel took too long to respond and had no intention of doing so – and the soft smile on his lips indicated he was fine with that. "I'm not entirely sure why."
Shinichi was stuck with the image of the boy cowering in the aquarium with a koi-fish brushing against his elbow. A smile twitched in his lips at the memory.
"I'll tell you one day."
The subsequent amused laughter from his companion pulsated through their souls and Shinichi almost put his hand against his chest in curiosity at the feeling. He felt somehow warm on the inside – it was a whole new experience; however he could not find it in himself to mind as he enjoyed the company.
…
The rain pitter-pattered as it hit the concrete in the dark alley. The lights from the street did not breach much of the shadows, and pedestrians passed by without giving it a second glance as they hurried home through the harsh weather.
Shinichi held his hand out towards the rain in curious fascinating, letting the drops of water hit the palm of his hand. He had spent too many lifetimes being incorporeal to the rain, however now, he had an intriguing fascination with the way the water trickled down his cheeks. He wished he could feel the coldness against his skin just to be able to experience it. The mortals did not seem to relish in everything they encounter – or perhaps they had simply grown tire of it years ago.
Soft bells chimed in his ears, and made his feathers bristling with almost a sigh. The prickling of death was more like an exhale, soft and fragile like bells, and as he had felt it echo in the distance, he had followed the sensations in curiosity as he materialized.
Letting his arm drop, he turned in the direction of the alley as he stepped into the realm of shadows. He followed the chimes on quiet footstep, wondering who was calling for him so gently. The backstreet was dirty, with garbage laying forgotten and rotting in the gutters, and graffiti covered the walls.
He finally came to stop between two trash containers as his gaze fells on a tattered form that seemed to have sought shelter from the weather. Black hair was an unruly mess plastered against his scalp, an eye was somehow both blue and red and too swollen to be used, and his lips were cut where a stripe of blood had long since mixed with rainwater.
The person suddenly moved as though he had sensed Shinichi's approach, and with an erratic exhale of breath, an eye popped open to stare at the angel. Despite the ragged and beaten appearance, defiance reflected brightly in green eyes. Only to drain out as recognition flickered across his face, and his lips parted in surprise.
"It's – it's you," he gasped out, and it took Shinichi several seconds before finally identifying him. Even Hattori Heiji's soul looked fray as it pulsated between yellow and orange with fighting spirit. Even kicked down and beaten, he seemed capable of continuing the fight if needed.
Shinichi could not help but admire him for a moment, he did not often encounter humans who would never give up their conviction no matter how defeated the outcome seemed. His enthusiasm diminished a second later as the familiar chime clang in his ears. He was there for a reason, and for a moment he almost regretted following the noise if it meant having to reap the soul of someone he had come to known.
Hattori might be an odd person, however Shinichi respected him for what he was – brazen, impulsive, smart and caring. He seemed to be one of the few humans he had encountered who truly tried to live their lives to the fullest. Dying so young seemed like a loss – he couldn't be older then nineteen or twenty by now.
"Could you help me with something?"
Shinichi's wings trembled at the question, and he had to force himself not to flinch. If Hattori was to die, then the angel could not help him. It seemed to be a growing concern the longer he interacted with the mortal world – and a part of him had hoped he would not be the one to reap any of their souls.
The temptation to leave and let someone else take the job was pushed away with something he could only describe as compassion. As an angel, he would be the last thing they saw in life, and he would be the last one to record their dying memories. He wanted to honour the life they had lived, and not leave it up to a stranger. It was the least he could do for the ones he had unwittingly deceived.
Hattori moved to turn, and he let out a small groan from the movement. From behind him, scoped up in a familiar looking cap, laid a small, shaken ball of fur. It took the angel a second to realize it was a tattered looking kitten.
"Could you take care of her for me?" the human offered the cat to Shinichi, his eyes hopeful and appreciating – and Shinichi had thought earlier it was due to rescue to save himself. Instead, his relief in the angel's presence was for the animal's sake.
Feeling baffled at the transpiring event, he reached out and carefully moved the cat to lay in his arm. She settled in his arms with a soft purr, and he could feel the vibration through his arm at the erratically movement of her chest. With careful fascination, he reached up to scratch her head – he had seen humans do similar before. The cat rubbed her head against his fingers, and the blueness of her soul fluttered against his almost with a happy sigh.
There was a tight feeling in the angel's chest he could not identity, and as he spotted the patch of blood in the cat's black and white fur, he looked back down at Hattori.
"What happened?" he had asked before realizing.
Hattori coughed and moved a little to settle his head against the wall – he was now wearing the cap, and it was drawn to his ears in a feeble attempt to keep from losing more body heat. "Some bastard kids thought it was fun to pick on a poor defenceless animal," his words were slurred; however the bubbling fury was clear. "You should have seen the other guys," a grin flashed, even in the dark alley.
Shinichi glanced from the cat in his arms to the mortal with curious fascination – the mortal seemed more concerned with her well-being than with his. It was an intriguing revelation how humans cherished all life equally – even the existence of a tattered, unintelligent being. Perhaps it was so important to them when life was considered relatively short – everyone was significant.
The cat settled her head against his chest with a last chirping sound, and the angel could not stop from stroking the fur. It looked velvet soft, and he wondered what it would feel like against his fingertips. The cat had a chip on her ear, and her tail seemed short than usual. The upper fur of her head was black but for a single stripe of white over the nose, and he let his fingers trail it in wonder of being allowed to touch something so intimately.
"Heiji!" a voice echoed through the alleyway, and Hattori's eyes closed with a soft groan and a curse. Turning around in curiosity, Shinichi watched as a woman with her hair up in a ponytail trailed down the road. Her expression furious, but worry and concern bubbling just underneath the surface.
"There you are, you idiot," she groused when she finally spotted him, however she ran to his side and tried to help him to a standing position. "What do you think you are doing, running around on your own. One day you are going to get yourself killed."
Hattori's one good eye popped open at her entrance, and he grumbled in reply. "Good thing I got you then, Kazuha. To keep my back safe," his arms was now hanging around her shoulders, however he seemed to try keeping most of his own weight so as not to burden his saviour. He stopped for a moment as his eyes looked around the alley with brows knitting together. "Where did he go?"
Kazuha followed his gaze, before staring at him in confusion. "Where did who go?"
"The detective," Hattori stared back at her in disbelief. "He was just here, didn't you see him?"
Shinichi stepped out of their way in silence, his fingers still petting the cat softly. He watched them in befuddlement, had the call of death he had heard not been for Hattori Heiji after all? – a part of him was thankful for the knowledge.
"What detective?"
"You know, that detective," he replied with an uncomfortable drawl as Kazuha helped him down the street.
"You mean the guy who's better than you?"
The stiffened growl was expected, and a small smile curled on her lips as she knew how to play him. "He isn't better than me. He just deduced a little faster than me once."
The couple fell quiet as they stepped past a few forgotten poles of metal on the ground, something dark was splattered across the iron. "Do you know who he is?"
They took a couple of more steps, before she finally got a reply, Hattori's face falling backwards to let the rain pitter-patter against his face. "I have no idea Kazuha. Some mysteries don't always need to be solved."
The woman seemed thoughtful for a moment, before grinning out impishly as they disappeared behind the corner. "Or maybe you are just a terrible detective."
Silence settled across the alleyway again, however Shinichi did not feel inclined to leave as the cat was nestled against his chest, not moving even a muscle as rain fell on them. It was not before someone cleared his throat that he looked up.
Standing by his elbow, was a blue-eyed angel with white wings fluttering in greeting. He looked to be in the body of a young boy with meticulously groomed hair, however the distinction ended there as he was wearing a suit with a red bowtie. His gaze was filled with curiosity as he gazed up at Shinichi. "It's alright, you can let her go now," the boy told him, his eyes wandering from the animal to his face.
Only then did Shinichi realize why the cat had laid so still in his arms, he could still feel the soft, blue vibration of her soul as she clung to him for comfort. Somehow, he had heard the soft chime of her death bell and answered the call – something which had never happened to him before. He had never heard those, as other angel's where in charge of handling the souls of other animals and help them to their afterlife.
His fingers stilled their movements for a moment of thought, before continuing. "Not yet," he said, not ready to relinquish the soul just yet, and the angel stood quietly next to him in silence, not questioning his actions for a moment.
"Do you want to pet her?" Shinichi asked after a few minutes had passed by, and the boy glanced up at him with a confused expression.
"Why would I want to?"
"A few moments ago she was a living, breathing creature with all the freedom of possibility that comes with living," he told him, feeling awe enter the tone of his voice. "Aren't you curious what it feels like?"
The angel stared at him for a long moment, his wings spreading out behind him and his soul-energy pulsated strongly in the mimic of a heartbeat in more colours then could be described in any human language.
"Not particularly."
The soft smile that had formed in Shinichi's lips faltered and died, and his eyes closed with confusion. How could the others not feel a fascination for the mortal world? Of something that was out of their reach – of feelings, and sensations, and food and smells. To feel the sand underneath their toes, or the rain against their cheeks, or the fur of an animals against their fingertips. He had been there just a few short years ago, indifferent to the passing of time, however now that he had experiences something new, he longed for more.
He had simply wished to share the experience and curiosity with another angel, but even though the other angel imitated the body of a child, he did not share their inquisitiveness. With a beaten sigh, Shinichi finally relinquished his grip on the cat, and as he left, he imagined his arms felt cold without the cat. A creature who had only wished for some small comforting affection before dying.
…
"When is your birthday?" Kaito asked with a dazzling smile as he leaned against the rail to stare down at the dancing hall underneath. He was wearing a black half-mask with intricate designs and dressed in a fully black outfit, with leather shoes that covered his calves. He also wore a long, white wig that reached his back.
It would have been an odd sight, had it not been for the fact everyone else was dressed up for a masquerade. Shinichi was the odd man out in the crowd for more than one reason. He looked at the crystal chandelier hanging over their heads, pondering what he should reply. Humans, with their short, fragile lives, celebrated every year they had been alive, however when you have eternity, there were no reason to keep count. He did not even know his own age.
"We've known each other for years now," the magician hummed, leaning a hand on his palm as his eyes flickered to look at Shinichi. His soul seemed brighter than usual, glowing in a light indigo that sent waves of cheerful excitement through the angel every time they accidently touched. "Don't you think I'm entitled to know?"
"I'm not entirely sure," Shinichi decided to tell him, having no better solution than the honest truth.
Kaito tilted his head with quiet contemplation before straightening. "Well then, it seems I have collected the first real clue about your identity."
At the confused frown on the angel's face, the thief's smile widened impossibly as he reached down in his pocket to procure a small box. "It's your birthday today," he finally said, his voice soft and something shimmered in his eyes which the angel could only define as vulnerability as he handed him the box.
"Happy birthday."
Shinichi stared at it for a long moment in incredulity, wondering what he should do with the offered box – or if he was even allowed to accept presents from a deception. "I don't think it is my –"
Kaito made an indignant noise through his nose as he grabbed the angel's hand and placed the oval box in his palm. "You are ridiculous, you know that? Who the hell says no to a gift, just take it." Although his voice was stern, there was a smile curling in his lips in fondness.
Shinichi felt his mouth turn a little dry at the soft expression on his face, and something fluttered in his chest as he curled his fingers around the object. All objection had died on his lips as he almost stuttered a reply. "I – thank you."
When Shinichi did nothing more but to stare at the box in fascination for several seconds, Kaito reached out to remove the blue ribbon and opened the lid – the angel almost objected at the movement, as he had been perfectly happy with a box as a gift, before realizing there was something inside of it as the thief picked it up.
It was a midnight blue tie with white dove decoration, and he reached out to trail his finger against the fabric in fascination over the gift.
"I bought you a new tie, seeing as I basically know nothing about you, and you always wear the same tie," Kaito's smile started out as a smirk, but slowly turned affectionate when the angel did not reply nor react as he had expected – perhaps with incredulity and complaint at the silly pattern. More emotions that Shinichi could comprehend flickered across the magician's expression as his gaze were locked on his.
"Why don't you wear it," he finally managed to speak as his eyelids fluttered ever so slightly, his voice coming out rougher than expected. "So you can be a part of the masquerade too."
Before the angel could react, Kaito had already snatched it away and moved behind Shinichi to remove the current one. Even with practiced hands, his fingers brushed against the neck and sent a jolt of electricity through Shinichi that made his soul pulsate in response. Kaito's soul felt almost warm where it beat against his back.
After a moment of lingering, the thief moved in front of him to tie the knot before stepping back to admire his work – where his original tie had gone to, Shinichi did not know.
"There, a master piece if you ask me."
He looked down at the tie and stroke a finger against it in curiosity, deciding to ignore his companion attempt at humour once more – Kaito seemed to be acting odder then usual today. He was not entirely sure if he was allowed to change his wardrobe, and his swayed slightly. Despite the uncertainty, he could not find the willpower to decline it.
"I'll take your word for it, seeing as I don't have the chance to look at a mirror."
"You'd look dashing in anything, detective, trust me," he winked in reply before settling next to the angel once more. He glanced at his clock once and must have noticed there were still time to waste until the heist started.
"Tell me one of your hobbies."
Shinichi glanced back at him with curiosity, wondering why he was being so inquisitive over his personal affairs. They had known each other for a while, and never had personal subjects been discussed, both preferring to keep the topic off the table for different reasons. When Shinichi spent too long to reply, Kaito turned around to lean his hip against the railing and crossed his arms as he lifted an eyebrow.
"You know, what do you do for fun. Even stuck up detectives like you must have some sort of activity you do for entertainment."
The angel bit his lip slightly in thoughts, racking his head for a reply, deciding he owned Kaito at least one proper answer that wasn't a 'I don't know' or one he could not answer. "I chat with you," he said honestly a moment later, coming to the conclussion that it was the closest thing he could come to a hobby.
Kaito's presence was definitely the one thing he considered fun in his existence – the thief was not associated with death, rather laugher and joy that he spread to everyone around him. Perhaps it was a biproduct of his soul vibrating in the frequency that made everyone enjoy spending time with him.
Kaito blinked at the response, his eyelid fluttering slightly as his cheeks grew red. Shuffling a little with his feet, he scratched his chin in embarrassment. "Me too, detective, me too."
There was something bashfully and honest in his expression that made something flutter in his chest once more, and he could tell there something the magician was itching to say, something on the tip of his tongue. Whenever it seemed he was going to burst, something stopped him. It had been a trend all evening, and Shinichi was curious, however he was not sure how to coax the words from him.
"You talk to yourself for fun? I think that's closer to a mental disorder then a hobby."
Kaito rolled his eyes and hit his shoulder lightly, "You know what I meant, idiot." The grin on his lips told the angel he was amused at the comment nonetheless.
Whatever the thief wanted to say, he would never know, as a disturbance spread underneath them on the first floor followed by the calling of a dying soul. His shoulders fell a little as Kaito's expression paled – for a moment there, he had completely forgotten why he was there at all.
"I'll see you later detective," he was given a tight, but horrified smile as Kaito retreated. Before he turned away, the angel could see disappointment flashing in his eyes.
He wondered why.
…
The room was filled with bookshelves upon bookshelves covering the walls. A computer was nestled in a corner with a few other devices he could not place. A large microscope sat next to a test tube rack on a different table.
Shinichi looked around with curiosity, wondering where he was – it could be anything from a laboratory to a medical centre. A newton's cradle was on a shelf behind him, and he gave into the impulse of moving one of the metal balls. It clicked against the others as the end ball moved.
"Who are you, and what are you doing here?" a voice filled with metal and ice asked as a distinguished click from a gun echoed the words.
Shinichi flinched and swiped the cradle to the floor in accident as he moved to face the voice. The metal clang loudly as it hit the concrete, disturbing the otherwise relatively quiet room. Facing him, with her legs spread solid, clutching a Glock was a small girl. She did not seem to be much older than seven, and her auburn hair was cut short in order to not fall into her face.
The expression she wore however, was the only indication of her maturity, as her eyes were hard and unflinching, and the gun did not waver in her hand even once. Shinichi did not move so as not to spook her – if she shot at him, and the bullet went straight through him, he was uncertain how he could possibly explain it.
Perhaps he could convince her she was dreaming – she was only a child after all, they tended to forget as they grew.
The girl's eyes drifted to his tie for a moment, before focusing on his face. "I asked you a question."
"I'm aware," he replied as he scrutinized her. Her soul seemed older and brighter than it should, with too many colours vibrating with emotions he could not describe.
She clenched her jaw as he said nothing further, and her fingers curled around the trigger of the gun. "And?"
He didn't reply as his feathers started to quiver with the feeling of death chiming in his ears as a door on the top of the stairs opened.
"Ai-kun?" an older man appeared, with curly white hair and a moustache. "I heard a noise, did something happen?"
"Go back inside, Hakase," the girl replied without turning to address him, her eyes narrowed, however there was a tension in her voice that indicated her horror despite the tough exterior she tried to emit.
The man hesitated as he tried to peer further into the room to what was going on, "Ai-kun?"
"Now," her voice was shrill with undeniable terror this time, and Shinichi felt a tightness in his chest at her distress on his account. He was not sure who she was or what the circumstances around the situation was. Whatever it was, it was serious enough that Ai was terrified and wanted to protect the professor.
He still did not move, seemingly not wanting to leave the girl alone and in the clutches of whoever they had mistaken him for. When he suddenly clutches his chest and pale, a moment later he stumbled down the stairs and disappeared from view behind one of the bookshelves.
Ai flinches as her eyes darted to the side, however she did not move an inch in order to keep Shinichi within the scope of her gun. "He has nothing to do with this," the girl both whispered to herself and told him. He could see a please forming on her lips before she swallowed it – seemingly thinking it would be no use to beg.
"Agasa, are you alright?" Ai spoke louder this time, her voice portraying the desperate hope in her voice as the gun in her hand started to shake. They only got a soft groan in reply. With a swear under her breath, the girl moved backwards all the while keeping her gaze on Shinichi as she went to check on the professor.
The angel did not move an inch as he watched the transpiring event in silence. He was not entirely sure what he had accidently walked into – and he swore at himself for not being more careful. He could still sense death upon the room as a ticking clock running out. Someone was going to die soon, and he wondered if Ai's paranoia existed for a reason.
As the girl reached the shelf, she turned her head quickly to eye the man laying in a heap of limps, and Shinichi quickly turned invisible to her gaze as she turned back. For a moment, her whole face was filled with fear as she quickly waved the gun around looking for him.
"Shit, where the fuck did you go? Come back," she searched the room with her eyes – it was not a particularly large room, and not too many places to hide. She hesitated for a moment as she came to a decision as she finally ran in the direction of Agasa. She leaned down to check his pulse, before fishing up a mobile phone from her pocket as she dialled a number.
"Stay with me, Hakase, okay? Don't leave me alone like this," she told him softly, and Shinichi had to look away from the scene as he suddenly felt he was intruding on something private.
The beckoning calling of death suddenly lifted in the air, and he could hear the bells calling from a further distance away. He reached out with his senses to follow its destination, feeling puzzled at the sudden change. He had been so certain that summoning had come from this location – he had never once been mistaken before.
With a last look at the girl and the professor, he turned to leave as he was summoned to a new job.
…
The park was dimly lit with streetlights scattered and far apart in order to create a romantic atmosphere. Several flower beds were in bloom – it was only early summer. None of the flowers could compare to the vibrant colour of the rose Kaito had once given him.
In between the benches stood a large fountain on a plateau, with carved figurine in marble that Shinichi could not distinguish. It would have been an aesthetical pleasing sight, had it not been for the corpse of a man laying halfway into the fountain. The water had long since turned a reddish-pink, and a few Sakura petals floated quietly.
A woman wearing a white summer dress sat by one of the benches, her expression tight and lips thinned. The ruined mascara was the only sign that she had been crying – long since run out of tears, leaving her feeling empty. A police officer kneeled in front of her, either to comfort or ask questions. Or both.
Ignoring the officers and forensic milling around, Shinichi stepped up to the body. The soul vibrated between a deep red and yellow, and it cast an interesting light across the area. Removing one of his gloves, the angel reached out to brush his fingertips against a stripe of exposed skin. Almost immediately, a flash of colours brightened his sight almost blindingly. A small gasp escaped his lips in surprise at the overwhelming response. He could feel a rush of alien sensations followed by images after images of a woman.
'Asuna', the soul's voice echoed like a whisper through his mind as he watched the woman from every angle from the deceased memories: the way her auburn hair shone almost like fire in the sunlight, how her smile brightened up the room, the way she looked when she was laughing, crying, sleeping –
'Marry me Asuna, and I promise I will make you laugh at least once a day for as long as I live.'
Shinichi's whole body shuddered – it was an unfamiliar feeling. Waves of regret and grief tore through him from the soul. 'They will never get married,' he realized as the memories started to make sense. His eyes automatically searched for Asuna in the crowd.
She was no longer hunched on a bench. Instead, she was standing, her gaze seemingly fixated at the form of the angel – and something told Shinichi that he was not corporal to her sight. Not with the shifting red glow of the soul reflecting off his body, basking him in an almost ominous light.
Even from the distance, her eyes seemed impossibly blue, almost as though they were shinning on their own accord. The soul vibrated again with a deep wine-red shade and a warmth Shinichi could not comprehend, however he had experienced the sensation before briefly.
Now however, he suddenly wondered if this was the evidence of the concept known as 'love' – and he had never felt the sensation so brightly and forcefully in the past, and simply ignored it as he pushed away the memories. The alien sensation vanished abruptly as the soul ascended and their connection was cut. He almost stumbled at the sudden change. The red light was gone, and the park suddenly seemed dark and cold.
Asuna was still standing still, only her hair and dress fluttered in the soft wind. Tears had started to accumulate in her eyes almost as though she had physically felt the departure of her loved one, and as Shinichi watched, unable to look away, the tears started to drip down her face.
In the back of his head, he was suddenly reminded of a phrase he had heard once as a teenage girl had slid her wrist in front of the television while her favourite Korean drama played on repeat. "A grim reaper should never look someone in love in the eyes. Bad things will follow him."
Only with the sound of ruckus echoing through the park allowed him to break their gazes, and he turned in curiosity towards the direction of the noise. A duo of detectives – a woman with short, dark hair and a man with almost sandy-dusted hair – was talking to a man wearing a suit that seemed a size too large. He had a goat beard and dark eyes. His expression was tight as he scowled at the police officers.
"It was you, you did it," the woman said, her tone hard as steel in the manner of someone who was used to her orders being followed.
"I don't know what you are talking about. Tsugaya was my friend – "
"You said you parked your car by the east entrance to the park by the river, because it's the shortest way to the fountain you had planned on meeting by. Is this correct?"
The man in the suit's eyebrows twitched slightly in anger, however his voice was calm as he replied. "That's correct, officer."
"And the deceased always took the long road through the Sakura trees in the North east by the koi ponds?"
"I presume so."
"And there are no other Sakura blossom trees in the park," it was not a question as the female detective interrupted, her eyes gleaming with victory as she cornered the culprit.
The man hesitated, all anger draining from his face in wary – he must have sensed that something was awry. "Well, yes –"
"Then why do you have pollen from the blossoms on your shoes, and a petal in your collar?" she did not even let him finish as she took a step forwards. The man almost balked as his hand automatically reached up to pat his collar nervously.
"I walked past some Sakura trees earlier today and didn't have any time to change clothes before meeting up. This is just speculations, you don't have any evidence –"
"Is it true Sosuke?" Asuna's voice cracked through the conversation and the officers milling around stopped in their tracks as silence throbbed in tension. "Is it true," her voice increased in volume as no one replied. "Did you murder Tsugaya?"
Sosuke took a step towards her as he automatically reacted to the anguish in her voice, and his soul vibrated across his skin for a moment in flashes of colours. He did not get further then a step as the male detective intercepted him. "Of course not Asuna. Don't be daft, you know I only want your happiness," he tried, his tone almost pleading for her understanding."
Her gaze was unrelenting and unwavering, "you were always envious of Tsugaya. We all knew it, but to think you'd go so far? You are disgusting and don't deserve to call him your friend."
"You don't understand," Sosuke tried to dodge the detective, however the officer had a hard grip on his shoulder. "I did it for us."
Asuna turned her whole body away and her small hands balled up in tight fists as she ignored him. Her soul flashed darkly for a moment, and it seeped off her as though even her energy was grieving for the loss off her fiancé. Her reaction seemed to aggravate Sosuke, as his voice dropped from unmasked desperation.
"I love you Asuna. I've always loved you. You should have been with me – I'd do anything for you. Tsugaya didn't deserve you: didn't appreciate you as I do."
His heartfelt confession fell on deaf ears as the woman did not acknowledge his words. With a last desperate wail, he tried to wrestle the detective, however the female officer stepped in by knocking him off his feet. He slumped, and would have collapsed on the ground had it not been for the fact the male detective's arms were still around his from the short struggle.
"You are under arrest for the murder of Sada Tsugaya."
Sosuke's head rolled forwards like a lifeless doll, and he did not resist as his hands were clasped in handcuffs. "I love her. I'll do anything for her," he mumbled softly as he was led away from the scene.
Shinichi watched the display with quiet contemplation. Logic did not seem to hinder Sosuke's actions. He had wished her happiness and she had clearly been happy with Tsugaya, and yet he had murdered him and proclaimed he loved her.
There were many emotions he could understand – sadness came from loss, happiness from friendship – however love seemed to be an eternal enigma that skewed his understanding of human nature. How could love make happiness equal murder, and grief into something positive?
Watching the humans on the scene, no one seemed to question the logic, no expression of outrage or confusion as though they could understand the reason behind the actions. The lack of a comprehensible definition of what caused this and the transpiring events in the name of love was an illogical confusion.
Perhaps that was the largest difference between angels and humans. They never acted foolishly and without logic. No burning emotions to govern their actions. No feelings for their job – they were created for a specific duty, and Shinichi did not imagine he could use the word love to describe his job. The closest he came was caring for some angels' presence more than others, but with no desire to seek them out like mortals seemed to do constantly. Perhaps because Shinichi had eternity: none of them were going anywhere.
His brows suddenly knitted together in curiosity with the realization he had sought out Kaito in the past: with the knowledge that he was mortal, which meant his time was numbered from day one. Could that be the definition of love? The desire to seek out and spend time with a specific person?
He shook his head a moment later as he discarded the idea: happiness from friendship did not seem to equal love from friendship – not when Sosuke had hurt Asuna by murdering the man she loved. Raking a hand through his hair, the angel had to give up the line of thought with the finalizing knowledge of: an angel cannot feel love nor understand its purpose.
Before leaving, he cast a last glance in the direction of Asuna: her head was tipped towards the sky, and the summer breeze fluttered through her hair. Her soul seemed almost tattered as it dripped down her legs in sorrow for her loss. The angel could not help the sudden burning desire to be the first Angel to actually get a personal understanding of the concept of mortality.
To be human, and feel human. If only for a day.