Confidential Sanctuary

Risa Harada stood in awe at the view. He had told her to meet him here, and she had triple checked that the address he had written down on the scrap piece of paper was indeed the correct one. So up the stairs she went, just as he had instructed her to, all the way to the last door. It was certainly a good climb, and Risa scowled as she panted and took a moment to breathe. Once she was over that, she opened the door to the roof of an old warehouse and stepped into the sunlight.

"Satoshi-kun?"

There were flowers everywhere. She had no idea that a warehouse that stored carpets would be this beautiful. Well, the roof was anyway. There were trees and patches of grass and a stone walkway... There were roses and Joseph's Ladders and tulips and daisies and... oh, things she didn't even know! There were beautiful white flowers next to the big lavender bush, and a pong with purple lilies gently floating about. Baby's breath and hedges of all different shapes and sizes. One was even cut to look like a horse! There was even a mini-fountain that poured into the pond, and little aqueduct look-a-likes spread all over the roof.

It was like stepping into heaven.

"Ah, Risa-chan. You're early."

She saw him waving at her, the sun reflecting off of his glasses. He tightened his gloves and chopped at a hedge with sheers. She walked over to him in a daze.

"Is this... yours?"

"Sort of," he replied. "It started as a graduation project when I was thirteen or so, and I've been taking care of it ever since."

So he was a genius, a police officer, a super computer, and a gardener? "Oh."

"It's strange, I know." Satoshi Hiwatari stopped, finished with his job. He wiped the sweat from his brow. "But I like it here. It's my sanctuary."

"It's beautiful," Risa murmured, stroking a dark pink flower that was in a bushel of other identical ones.

"That's an aster," he explained. "It stands for daintiness." He plucked it and gently put it in her hair. She blushed, but couldn't help but smile. He was already smiling, a real smile. "Well, thank you for meeting me here. Shall we make our way to the restaurant?"

Risa nodded and the two began their way to the door.

"Hey, Satoshi-kun... can I come back here?"

"Yes. This is your place as well as it is mine."

She kissed his cheek and took his gloved hand, beaming. "Good."