Thank you, thank you to all of you that have shown an interest in this story. I am pleased that you are pleased. Now, my gentle snowflakes, I bring to you, yet another chapter of this. On a side note: research papers suck in university so if you have an opportunity to do one… don't. This chapter is a bit different then the previous. A lot less humor. I had intended to keep the mood and atmosphere the same way but the way the chapter seemed to go… well… let's just say not everything goes according to plan. Secondly, my apologies if Naoto seems a bit OOC. She's a difficult gal to write. LOL

Step Four: Compliment

It had been two weeks since my second operation involving Kanji Tatsumi had taken place. While normally I don't leave an assignment unfinished, I felt a personal assignment was not as important as a case that fell into my lap. It hadn't been anything major; however, my career will always take priority over anything else. That is the way of being a professional detective. It had only taken a week an a half to solve the case before I returned to school and back onto my own personal assignment; however, I have found that continuing my current case involving Kanji has been severely dampened by one reason alone. Kanji hasn't been in school the last three days, nor has he been answering any messages or calls I send him so that I could notify him of missing work.

None of our mutual friends have heard from him either so I took it upon myself to gather all the missing work and notes that he will need and head over to Tatsumi Textiles. Admittedly, after not receiving an answer and none of our friends receiving no notice from him, I had also volunteered because I had grown concerned. There was a lot of work he had missed. My suitcase hadn't been big enough to carry all the books that he would need so I had invested on bringing a backpack as well. The load was heavy but that's to be expected.

Sunday seemed like the most appropriate day to deliver the work because I would also be able to help Kanji with the work so that he would have an easier time to catch up. Of course, this would also supply us with an opportune time to spend time together and with the assignments, we would likely not run out of things to speak about anytime soon. The shop is opened early even on Sundays but I waited till 11:00am so that Kanji would be able to rest if, in fact, he turns out to be gravely ill.

"Oh, Shirogane-san. Welcome." Mrs. Tatsumi greeted upon seeing me.

I offered up a nod, "I have brought over work from school for Kanji-kun."

"Have you? I'm sure he'll be greatly appreciative of that."

"I assume Kanji-kun is in his room?"

"Oh no. He's in the hospital." This bit of news caught me by surprise. Mainly for the fact that he has turned so ill that he was sent there, secondly because she seemed to show little to no concern on this matter. "You can place the books on the counter, I'll take care of it."

This explains why Kanji hasn't responded to anyone's phone calls in the last three days. Likely, he is without his phone if he's in the hospital. It struck me as odd that his mother would bother having the shop opened when her son is in the hospital. Perhaps it's due to how much it costs to have anyone held up in a bed at the hospital.

"Yes. I'll do just that." I placed the backpack down on the counter, "Thank you." I didn't waste anymore time leaving the shop and heading directly to the hospital. Undoubtedly Kanji would be in need of a visitor from one of his friends. I recall that he wasn't fond of the hospital, something to do about his father dying in one and it never went away from him. He hadn't told me about it directly, I had learned it from Rise who had apparently found out from Seta-senpai. How accurate the information is after being passed along different sources is up to speculations.

When I arrived at the hospital I realized that I had forgotten to ask Mrs. Tatsumi what room her son could be found. A small setback but I made my way to the front desk, they would likely be able to give me the information I need. "May I help you?"

"I need to find a room. Tatsumi, Kanji."

"Kanji? Hmmm… What room was it..?" I raised one brow as the receptionist seemed to think about it. Why doesn't she just look it up in the computer? The question was about to erupt from my mouth when she suddenly called out to a passing doctor. "Doctor! Doctor! Do you know where Kanji Tatsumi is?"

The doctor walked over to the desk and between the receptionist and I. His gaze fell upon me last, "Ah. You are Shirogane, yes?"

"Yes, sir."

"You are looking for Kanji Tatsumi?"

"Yes, sir."

"Do you have important matters with him?"

No. "Yes."

"Hmm… Very well." He reached over the desk and pulled out a badge. He jotted my name on it and a signature, "Here. You'll need this to show you have clearance. He's on the third floor. It's where we keep our special patients."

I drew my brows together in thought when I heard this. "What do you mean by 'special patients'?"

The doctor's expression twisted into something between guilt and sadness I think. It was hard to read. "The third floor is used exclusively for the young diagnosed with a terminal illness. Be it cancer or something else."

Midway through his explanation I felt my entire form grow cold and I dropped my gaze to the badge he was holding out to me. "Kanji Tatsumi has been coming here for the last two months. You should be able to find him in room 309B. Now if you'll excuse me, Shirogane, I have a patient waiting."

I couldn't answer or say anything. What was there to say when someone hands you news that a friend of yours had some sort of terminal illness? It dawned on me that I didn't know exactly what is wrong with Kanji and the doctor disappeared before I could ask. It would be something to investigate later. Right now I was already stepping into the elevator—my feet having reacted long before my brain thought about where I wanted—needed—to go.

I had trouble getting the badge to pin to my shirt with the way my continued to fail at being steady. I continued to retain my composer even as the elevator opened up. Years of training to be a detective helps in situations where people would normally be falling apart. I was close, but my anxiety to see Kanji myself outweighed the fear of what I had just learned. Medical personal were in the lobby and waved me on through when they noticed my badge. I gave them little regard as I made haste down the hall scanning the room numbers as I went.

I passed 309A and stopped between 309A and 309B. Suddenly, I got the feeling that I didn't want to be in the room alone with Kanji. Perhaps he didn't look the same. Perhaps he didn't appear like Kanji anymore. Perhaps some illness had struck him with some sort of disease where the treatment caused his hair to fall out and his skin to take on a sickly grey hue. Several dozen possibilities raced across my mind as I remained glue to the floor.

Suddenly, laughter was coming from the next door. The room I needed to go to. It wasn't from just one person either, there had to be several people. Curiosity gnawed at my mind and overpowered my fear of what I would find. My feet carried me to the next door and with my hand latched onto the handle of the door, my feet planted and my eyes scanned into the window where I saw him: Kanji.

He stood—rather crouched—behind a turned over desk. Almost two dozen children, some in wheelchairs, some sitting on the floor, and others laying in the beds, were positioned on my side of the room laughing. The most peculiar sight; however, was the box of overflowing dolls at Kanji's side while he had two hands covered in puppets interacting with one another above the desk. He wasn't dressed in his normal attire either. He still sported black pants and boots; however, the black tank top was replaced by a black turtleneck sweater. While the change in wardrobe wasn't large, seeing in something as such is such an uncommon thing that even the slightest change is greatly noticeable; especially for someone who is highly perceptive on subtleties.

My hand left the handle of the door but I remained glued to my spot as I continued to stare at the sight before me. Kanji was performing a puppet show for the sick children. I wracked my brain for any details that would help me better understand the current situation. His mother's lack of concern for her son didn't match up with the possibility that she'd be losing her son. It pointed toward the possibility that Kanji isn't sick at all and not in danger of dying anytime soon. The doctor had mentioned that Kanji had been coming to the hospital for the last two months; however. Did that imply that Kanji puts these shows on often or that he visits children often?

I know Kanji has sewn dolls for children around Inaba. It wasn't as much as a secret that he would wish it was. I didn't know he performed puppet shows too; or that he would go to someplace far outside his comfort zone (the hospital his father died at) to play with dying children.

If only the whole of Inaba could see him right now; especially all the ones who doubt him, who see him as a violent brute that should be locked up. Here is the bully, the 'punk' that people are intimidated by, making children who don't have much to look for in the future, laugh. I've always said that Kanji is complex and this is just yet another piece of the whole puzzle. The moment before me seems far too… precious to interrupt, yet far too important to simply walk away from.

While I would like to believe a person could simply spy into a room from the door without fear of being caught; in reality, it's not a tactical position. By the time I snapped out of my thoughts, Kanji was walking toward the door with his hands still covered with puppets. He also doesn't look happy. He doesn't look angry either, he just looks… embarrassed.

I took a step away from the door as he opened it up. "What're y'doing here?" He immediately asked. His face is a shade of red.

"I…" I honestly don't know what I'm doing here. He's clearly not dying nor is he sick. I have no reason to be there other then to spy on him. Obviously the latter explanation wouldn't do. I took a moment to clear my throat, to compose myself, "You haven't been in school for the last three days. I brought your missing work to the shop and your mother informed me I would be able to find you here. She didn't offer an explanation as to why you were at the hospital so I came looking for you."

"Jesus… my mom is always like that. Well…" He glanced over his shoulder to the waiting children. "Give me a second. Was 'bout to finish up in here." He closed the door after that I went on to watching once more. He picked up the box of dolls I noticed earlier and began handing them out to all the children, even the ones stuck in their beds. A few of the children wrapped their arms around him; and peculiarly enough, Kanji returned the gesture with familiarity. As if this weren't an uncommon occurrence.

Obviously I've stumbled onto a well-kept secret of Kanji's. Suddenly, I feel guilty for poking around and finding out about it. I moved away from the door, out of sight and view to give him privacy with his children. To me, that's what it looked like. Those children in there were familiar with him, happy with him. The way they looked up to him, the way they glowed with him in the room… there is no doubt that they are all a sort of family. Logically, I could not see why anyone would attach themselves to strangers that were not long for this world. It would only bring grief to those left behind when members of the 'family' would move onto another world. While the whole moment seems precious, it was also a tragic thing to see.

When Kanji stepped out, he had his box (now empty) tucked under one arm, and his gaze glued to the floor. A sideways glance was directed at me for a moment, likely to see if I'm still around. I didn't know what to say at the moment so I refrained from speaking first. Fortunately, the silence didn't last long.

"Look… Jus' don't say nothing to anyone, 'kay? It's embarrasin'"

"Is this why you haven't been in school for three days?"

"Uh… yeah. Was behind on finishing the gifts. Needed the extra time cuz I promised I'd be here today."

"Why have you been ignoring everyone's messages and calls? Everyone was beginning to get worried."

"Was busy." He shrugged, "Guess I jus' assumed it was no big deal. I skipped school plenty before. S'not like it's uncommon."

"It's uncommon nowadays."

And then it grew quiet. Neither of us spoke and neither of moved. Kanji still appeared to be in a mood while I… I just didn't know what to say to him. Wanting to get out of the awkward silence, I asked the first thing that came to mind. "I thought hospitals made you uncomfortable?"

"Who told y'that?" He seemed even more upset now.

A normal person would fidget under his gaze. It's hard to be intimidated by a man that puts on a puppet show for sick children though. "Rise-chan."

He cursed under his breath but I couldn't pick up which word he favored for the moment, "She tell you why?"

I shrugged and remained nonchalant, "More or less."

"Hmm…"

I raised a brow. I only now realized that he had expertly avoided the question. I decided to drop it though rather then ask again. Instead I went with something else, "How did you start doing this?" I pointed toward the box tucked under his arm. He looked hesitant to answer, "Unless you do not wish to explain."

"I uh… was visiting one of the kids I made a doll for. Broke his leg. I got lost the first time, ended up here." He looked toward the room he came out of, "Saw bunch of kids lookin' all unhappy an' sick. Found out why and I… I dunno, wanted to help or some stupid shit like that, I guess."

"It's not stupid." It's endearing, sweet. Not that I'm about to voice those out.

"Yeah it is. Ain't like I'm helpin' or nothing. S'not like the kids'll be 'round long."

Mental Note: 'Tough guy' act is a defensive mechanism which begs the question 'Who is Kanji Tatsumi really?' Case 1120 now opened.

"Yet you do it anyway."

"Like I said, it's stupid. I'm stupid. So it works."

I closed my eyes and drew in a deep breath. I let the comment slide for now. "It gives them something to look forward to; despite what little time they have."

"Tch… whatever. Pretty friggin' pointless anyway." He brushed passed me.

In a moment of lost common sense on my part, I blurted out something that shouldn't have been voiced at any point in our conversation. "You look nice." Behind me, I could hear his footsteps come to a sudden halt and I'm suddenly very thankful that my back is turned to him.

"Wh-what?"

I felt a strong desire to smack myself. I always operate in control of everything I do and say. Lately I've been having trouble doing that when it comes to Kanji. It's strange and frustrating. Still, I already said it. Now I have to act like it wasn't as embarrassing to me as it must be for him. It turned around and gave him a level stare. "You should dress like this more often, it suits you." I voiced my opinion plainly; as if it were a professional observation on my part. I supposed if you consider my research of Kanji Tatsumi as a field of study, one could call me a professional.

"I… uh… gotta do homework." I raised a brow after him as he continued on his way without me. I contemplated whether or not I should offer my services to help him catching up on his assignments, or tutor him so he wouldn't be completely lost on new material. I decided that the best course of action would be to give him space.

Something tugged on my hand and I glanced down to see one of the children had left the room. It was a small girl. She didn't have any hair and her eyes had dark circles under them. Based on the fact that she was barely half my height, I gauged her age to be less then ten years old. "Are you a relative of Maggie's?" She asked me.

I wondered briefly if Kanji went by the name 'Maggie' to the children. I decided clarification is in order. "I don't believe so… Who's Maggie?"

At that, the girl held something up in her other hand. I squatted down and examined it. One of the dolls Kanji made for the children. I found myself starring at a doll that is unmistakably a detective. A detective that looked very much like myself with a hat that matched my own and a blue buttoned up shirt that I sometimes wear. Blue pieces of fabric poking out from under the hat symbolized its hair and in the dolls hand was a magnifying glass.

"I don't believe I've been acquainted with Maggie before." I tell her.

"Oh… Kanji-kun says that Maggie has a sister that looks just like her but she's an angel."

My chest tightened. "Did… did he tell you her name?"

"No…"

"I see." I stood up and continued to hold the little girl's hand, "Maggie looks like she could be a detective. I know a few good stories about detectives. I'll share them with you. Which room is yours?"