AN: This one is a beast. Not much Asami in this chapter but plenty of stuff going on. Also, if you for some miraculous reason did not hate Miko yet, this is the chapter where you will certainly hate her. I intended this fic to be around 6 or 7 chapters but the way it is going I'm expecting not to be able to wrap it up in just 7 chapters. I hope this chapter is to your liking because it took a lot of effort to finish it.
Thanks to Ashida for betaing.
I do not own Finder Series.
*******VF*******
"Now where the hell did I put my shoe?"
Kenta was currently searching his apartment, he kneeled and bent his upper body to look under the couch.
"Let's see, five hundred yen coin, my missing brown sock, a dead bug, dust, dust, dust… Is that a sandwich? How the hell did that end up here? Picture of my ex… definitely don't need this… although… she is in her underwear. I think I'll put it away for later."
He continued to fish out things from under the couch until he realized what he was looking for had to be somewhere else. Kenta pulled his arm from under the couch. His sleeve and hand were covered in dust and what smelled like old barbeque sauce.
'Blegh… I need to get myself a woman who can take care of me. I'm too old to live the bachelor's life and I'm beginning to fear what might be growing in this place. Yes, a nice woman, that's what I need. One that cooks well, draws me a bath and keeps a clean home…'
Half an hour later he finally found his shoe, it had been in the fridge all along, hiding behind the leftovers from dinner three days ago. Putting on the cold shoe and changing his long sleeve shirt for a clean one, Kenta left the apartment - he was running late for work. Kunao was a bit OCD when he was alive and after several days of his friend's death, Kenta was feeling the after effects in a very visible way, his apartment looked like a battlefield and a dump had mated to produce it as a child. The package was still there, forgotten under piles of lord only knows what, on top of the table. It was the package his friend had somehow mailed himself before he died. It had been buried and forgotten and he had not sent it to Osaka as he intended to do.
****VF****
"You changed your phone number again. This is the fifth time this month." It was not a question but a statement of the obvious.
"Yeah, he tried calling me again. What does he even want from me? Doesn't he understand that I do not want to see him or speak to him? Why won't he let me move on with my life?"
"Maybe he just doesn't want you out of his life." Feilong took a sip from his tea and examined his lunch partner over the cups edge.
"He should have thought better about things then, before he shat all over whatever the hell we had." Takaba's voice rose with every word, and several of the patrons in the restaurant looked his way.
"Calm down, I'm just telling you what I think."
"Sorry Fei, I didn't mean to yell at you. None of this is your fault, it's just that he makes me so angry. Why does he keep calling me?"
"Believe me I am not siding with him or trying to help him be forgiven. If anything, I wish you had heeded my warning and stayed with me, I would not have done something so selfish and cowardly to you."
"He is such a bastard…"
"Are you able to sleep on your own yet? You look tired." He was looking at Akihito in a way that said 'I will know if you lie to me' so the boy decided to be honest with his –as of resent- close friend.
"Sometimes, it's hard to sleep on my own these days but it doesn't really matter. I'm working on this huge case and need the extra awake hours."
"Do you need help falling asleep? I could stay here a week or two longer and keep you company in bed. It will be fun."
Feilong was wiggling his eyebrows at Akihito and the boy could guess the kind of fun the Chinese was referring to. As much as his body was craving some attention lately, he would rather not go there and complicate his life more than it already was. Rutting with Feilong was not what he needed right now.
"Are you flirting with me?" Asked Akihito, crossing his arms and narrowing his eyes at Feilong.
"Maybe? Is it working?" Feilong smiled mischievously at him, he had missed their playful banter.
"Not really, no." He said in fake seriousness.
"Then that wasn't flirting." Feilong was chuckling and pushing his long hair away from his face, it made Akihito smile as well.
"No offence Fei but I will have to pass on your offer."
Feilong gave a sigh of feigned sadness and looked at his hands as if dejected.
"Ah, well, at least I tried."
There was an awkward silence between them for the next five minutes. Feilong paid for their meal and they walked to an empty park where they sat next to each other on a shaded bench, away from the prying eyes in the street.
"I'm sorry, I just don't think I am ready for this kind of thing yet." Akihito broke the silence and Feilong held his smaller hands into one of his.
"Don't worry about it, Akihito," Feilong extended his other hand and held the boy's chin in it to make him look into his eyes. He caressed Akihito's cheek and lips with his thumb and smiled warmly at him. "I do not want to pressure you into anything and have things fall apart because you were not ready. Just know that regardless of anything going on, I am still your friend and I'm here for you if you ever need me. Don't ever hesitate to call me."
Tears ran down Akihito's cheeks and Feilong used his hand to wipe them away. He really enjoyed this vulnerable Akihito, the one that needed caring and gentleness, but he had grown to miss the mischievous and strong willed Akihito. The one with fire in his eyes, the one he had come to know under the strangest of circumstances, and with whom he had slowly formed a friendship of sorts. He would do anything to have that Akihito back. Mentally, he cursed Asami for his stupidity and gathered Akihito into his arms, softly kissing the top of the boy's head.
Akihito allowed Feilong to hold him tight for a few minutes, he would be lying if he said he did not need the closeness, but he was not going to sulk all day and ruin Feilong's visit. He gathered himself and pulled out of Feilong's embrace, facing the Chinese with a smile.
"What would you like to do now? If you still have time there is a photography gallery I would like to show you."
There he was, the Akihito he knew was already starting to come back. Feilong smiled, glad that Akihito was able to surpass any obstacle and keep on living, glad that Akihito had an inner strength that propelled him forward.
"I have cleared all day so we can do anything you want and go anywhere you would like to go."
"Haha," Akihito smiled nervously before he spoke and it made Feilong raise a questioning eyebrow. "lets go this way then."
"What are you so nervous about?"
"Hahaha, well is just that somehow this is starting to feel like a date or something. You know, shopping in the morning, lunch at a restaurant, chatting at a park and now we are going to the gallery. It's just that I did not expect this when you came over this morning."
"It's ok Akihito. It is not a date, unless you prefer to label it as such."
"Nah, I think I would rather just enjoy our fun day and not put any labels on it."
"Fine by me then."
They still had all afternoon and night to entertain themselves, and Tokyo had plenty to offer. Some part of him was disappointed that Akihito did not want to consider their day together as a date but he reminded himself that it was not what the boy needed at the moment. Feilong knew how to be patient when things were worth it and Akihito was definitely worth waiting for. Looking at his watch he noted it was near two in the afternoon.
'Yes, there is plenty of time ahead of us.'
****VF****
The woman paced angrily around the room, her plans were going slower than she expected and she had wanted to make her move earlier in the game, to remove and stones from her path before her plot was found out. But that disgusting man was still walking around like he was in the prime of his health despite the poison she had been slipping him.
She needed that man out of the way before he ruined everything and she found herself in dire circumstances. She hated that man, at some point she had harbored warm feelings for him, but now she hated him with all her heart… she wanted him dead.
One cannot be a dog fighting for two bones at the same time, she had to secure one first and then move onto the other, but that damn man would not just drop dead already.
'Why does he have to be so resilient?'
She pulled out her phone and after checking that it was safe to talk, she called the man who had sold her this devious yet slow to act product, she wanted to have a time frame in which to move her plans forward.
The phone rang about five times and she was already losing patience when the voice of a man answered. He had obviously run to answer the phone if with breathless reply was anything to go by.
"You said this would work, that it was infallible and effective but I see no results. You better not have tricked me or I will see to it that you make a rather speedy trip to the top of my list and you know what list I'm referring to, so don't test me."
"I did what you asked madam, infallible, untraceable and painful. You have to let it reach every part of the body though. It has to build up in his tissue before it starts eating at him from the inside. He is a large man so it would take a bit of time to take effect but I swear to you that it will work. It will be the most painful death imaginable as his body turns on itself and starts rotting from the inside out, it will look like he rotted and his insides poisoned him. the first thing to go will be the walls of his large intestine, the duodenum and the lower stomach where small holes will appear and as more holes appear the tear will become bigger, the intestinal fluids, feces and stomach acid will begin to flood the abdomen and the chest cavity and in turn poison all the other organs until they begin to rot the heart as well. You must watch for his breath, it will smell like something died in him and his stomach would start to bulge as his abdomen fills up with the various secretions. He will not feel anything at first, which is why you are slipping him the pills I gave you, to num the pain until it is too late and then is just a matter of letting him suffer and waste away slowly as he dies before your very eyes. You will know when to stop giving him the sedatives, after his heart and lungs are compromised sepsis (blood poisoning) will set in. He will develop chills, high fevers, rapid breathing, and increased heart rate and become pale. That would be the first stage, the next stage will come in a day or two as this will advance fast, he will get confused which will aid you keep him at home and away from a doctor, his skin will develop red spots, won't be able to urinate and then will go into shock. This is when it gets painful so I advise you to give him the drug to enhance his sensory response when he starts presenting symptoms of confusion, it will enhance his every feeling and his pain will be ten times worse as he suffers from the slow death. My product is a work of art Ms. and I guarantee it will work."
"How long do I have to wait then?"
"I would give it about a week. With a man of his size I would say by next Tuesday you should be attending a funeral. I assure you that is not the kind of corpse you want to let sit for more than I day… open casket is out of the question too, it will be some nasty business. I would go as far as burning everything in his room too, the smell of feces, rotting and disease really sticks to clothing, bedding and furniture… a coat or two of paint wouldn't be a bad thing either. Nasty business I assure you… nasty business."
"Is there any way to make it go faster? I really want to be rid of him."
"Not unless you want people to check into the death madam, it is already a fast progressing deal. He will go from stage one to stage two in one day."
"No I guess not then. Very well, I will continue to slip him your product as usual."
Miko hung up the phone, ending the call without even saying goodbye, it had been five days since she got the poison from the man and although she had hoped the outcome would be sooner, she supposed that waiting one more week to see her father die like a miserable rat would not be a bad thing.
What else could she entertain herself with for the rest of the time she was to spend at the estate, either way she had already informed Asami she would be taking care of her father – though he did not know it would be in more ways than the obvious. Might as well make sure the man dies.
Oh, how she would have loved to give Asami the same ending, if two people close to her dying of the same illness did not raise suspicions and pointed fingers in her direction. Besides, that smug bastard never ate or drank anything she gave him. Always on guard that one, but that is expected of the elites. However, what she has planned for him is something he would never guess and she still had plans for Asami Ryuichi, the man was still alive because she needed him to be.
This past five days since she had temporarily left Asami's penthouse had been very productive. In one week she would come back and take care of Asami Ryuichi.
****VF****
Akihito arrived home a bit earlier than he would have liked, some urgent business had called Feilong away from him and the blonde found himself being dropped off before his building at five thirty pm. He would have liked to hang out with the Triad leader a bit longer, after all Takaba Akihito did not particularly enjoy the idea of going back to his quiet apartment.
He walked up the steps to his floor and walked around the corner into his hallway. There in front of his door, a tall and imposing figure leaned on his doorframe like it owned the building and everything in it including him.
'Why is he here again?'
He gave a defeated sigh and looked at the man leaning against his door. As he came closer he inspected the raven haired man, noting the subtle differences in his appearance.
'He has lost some weight, I wonder if he is not eating well. Agh, why do I even care if he is eating well or not, whatever happens with his life now is no longer my business.'
"How was your date with Feilong?"
'I should have known he would find out…'
"What do you want, Asami?"
"You keep changing your phone number, even though you know I will have the new one minutes after. Why won't you talk to me? You know sooner or later you will have to give in."
"First it was not a date, Fei and I were just hanging out," 'Fei? So they are this close now…' thought Asami as he listened to Akihito's tirade. "we are friends and that is what friends do. Second, why do you care? Is not as if there was anything between you and me and in case you forget you do not own me. You are free to do whatever you feel like with your life and I am free to do the same. Lastly, I keep changing my number in hope that it will finally sink into that thick skull of yours that we are over and I don't want to listen to your sorry excuses or your explanations. I don't want to talk to you so please just leave me be already."
"Akihito, come back home. We can make things work."
Akihito's words were poison dipped in sarcasm, a substance that burned deeper and worse than the strongest acid as they pierced a spot in Asami's chest he had only become aware of having when Akihito left.
"Come back! Why should I come back? So I can live the rest of my days in fear of you doing this shit to me again? So I can go back to the uncertainty of not knowing what I mean to you or what my place in your life is? Or is it that you want me to play roommates with that woman and change your child's diapers when he is dirty? That would be fantastic wouldn't it? Asami Ryuichi, the man who has it all and even gets to have his wife and mistress living harmoniously under the same roof. Erase your delusions and look at the reality of what you caused already. I am not coming back so you can rip my heart out again."
"It will be different this time, I…"
"You what? Will kill the woman carrying your child? Will cast them away to a place where no one will ever see them again? That woman is the mother of your child, that woman and that child are your family now. You chose this, you chose her when you disregarded everything we had gone through together for a night of fun."
"It wasn't like that Akihito."
"Then how was it? Because I sure don't understand why you threw it all away. You know what, don't bother telling me because I don't want to hear it anymore. I don't want anything to do with you, now if you'll excuse me I have work to do."
Akihito opened his door and hastily entered his apartment closing the door behind him. Akihito leant against the door, hoping to hear the man's steps walking away from his apartment. The young man knew that as much as he tried to deny it, he still cared for Asami, still craved the man's touch. He still hurt every time he saw the golden eyes that haunted his every dream.
"I will come back next week, maybe then you will be more willing to talk. I will call you again tomorrow morning, if you feel you are ready to answer the phone. I don't want you out of my life Akihito, and I know you don't want me out of yours either."
The footsteps where growing fainter as they distanced themselves from the closed door behind which Takaba still stood, torn between running after the man who broke his heart or staying his ground. When he came out of his daze and opened the door it was already too late, Asami was already gone. Maybe it was for the best, maybe it was not meant to be anymore.
****VF****
"Father, it's time for your medicine." Miko walked to the large tree under which her father was enjoying the shade and breeze as he took some tea and ate a mid afternoon snack.
"Oh, Miko-chan, you are so good to me and take such good care of this old man. You are such a good daughter. It makes me feel that I should have demonstrated how much I loved you more often."
"Of course I will take care of you father, I love you, and you need my care now more than ever."
"Thank you again dear… for staying with me. After your sister's death, things have not been the same, I feel a growing weakness in me with each passing day."
"Oh, do not worry about that father, it's the stress of the situation and the sadness over my sister wearing you down. I'm sure soon things will start to feel normal again. Besides, you have me here to give all the care you need."
"You are so good to me Miko." He said taking the pills and water from her hand and swallowing them. "So good to me, thank you."
"Of course father, drink this one too. It will help with your tiredness." She gave him the sedative with a warm smile and watched intently as he swallowed it.
She walked toward the house and left the man still sitting under the tree and looking up at the sky. Her back was to him as she walked away and she knew the self satisfied smile currently on her face would not be seen by her father.
'Take your "medicine" you bloody old bastard, take it like a good ignorant fool and let me put you out of my misery fufufu.'
Inside the house, she put away the small box with the pills and other items where no one would find it. Miko took as shower and dressed to impress, he high heel shoes marked a happy cadence as she took her purse and walked to her expensive red car. Half an hour later she was entering a small house and being led into its living room by a young artist who appeared to be in his late twenties.
She sat on a chair while the young man sat before her and she crossed her legs, letting her short skirt ride up her thighs, giving him a peek of her creamy skin and black underwear. The young man swallowed audibly and his pants began to tighten as he kept his eyes on the transparent cloth.
"Ume-kun," She said, her voice dripping with sweetness in a way that would make any self aware person sick. "I really loved the paintings, they were amazing replicas. You are truly a great artist."
"T-thank you Honjio-san." He was finally able to tear his eyes away from her legs and now looked to her face. "You are not here to compliment my art though, are you? You are here for our other business."
"Fufufu, yes you are right. Were the documents I brought you of any help?"
"Yes, I have mastered it. Now even its owner or his closest men wouldn't be able to know it's fake. Did you bring the document with you?"
She handed him a folder with forms and he read them over.
"This should be all I need. Once you get it done I will make the money transfer and you will be debt free."
"Thank you."
She watched as the pen danced over the forms and once he handed them to her she smiled widely at him.
"Tell me, what did you do with the evidence?"
"Once I mastered it I burnt everything just like you said I should. I won't be tied to this and you won't be tied to me."
"Good," she reached into her purse and held a gun. "now then, it's time to get rid of loose ends."
"What do you mean?"
Miko pulled out the gun and pointed it at his forehead. Ume froze in fear and his eyes widened in realization.
"It means I don't need you anymore." She pulled the trigger and watched the lifeless body fall to the ground, laughing maniacally she walked back to her car and drove away.
****VF****
The next day -
Finally a break! The man he had spent days following turned out to be a gun for hire. Someone notorious for doing dirty work without asking questions. As of now, this man appeared to be working for someone in the Honjio household. The maid did indeed work for the Honjio family, so Akihito now knew the who and the how of the woman's untimely demise, the big question was why? Why would they have a woman who had served them loyally for many years killed and stage it as an accident? What were they trying to cover up? Akihito could not help but think that maybe the woman heard something she shouldn't have, and they killed her before she opened her mouth.
'Why would Asami let a gun for hire, someone with no real loyalties to anyone enter his home? It was probably that poor woman's father, maybe he was going to make a move against Asami and was using his own daughter as a spy.'
The thought of it sickened him, that a man could use his own child as a tool for power. For all he knew, the woman he loathed was just another victim in Honjio's scheme, another innocent bystander sucked into the web of deceit and manipulations. He did not like it, but he had to admit he was worried about Asami, he worried for the man's life and safety even though it was stupid to feel that way, Asami practically had a whole army at his disposition.
He wrote some notes on the edges of the documents he was looking at and wrote down some other things to research and look into on a notepad next to the pictures he had taken the last few days and the statements he had gathered from different people.
His reporter's gut told him that the maid was the key to it all, that if he followed the trail of the maid's murder and discovered why she was killed, he would finally get the piece of the puzzle that would allow him to discern the picture and once he knew what image the pieces presented, solving the whole puzzle would be easy. It had to be the maid, she had already led him to the killer, and in the pit of his stomach he felt the maid was the clue to it all.
He took his camera and left his apartment in a hurry, Akihito set his mind on stalking the maid's home to see if he can catch someone in his viewfinder that may lead him to another breakthrough. From what he had learned, someone was going to come pick up the maid's things and empty the place this week and he wanted to be there when it happened. Maybe this person knew something that would give him some answers.
****VF****
It was late and he was tired, his back hurt from the position he was perching on a branch practically all day long. He really needed to find a different hiding place if he was going to continue staking out the maid's home. The food he had bought on his way back was starting to become very heavy in his hands and he sped up his steps so he could get home sooner and let go of his load.
Akihito went up the stairs and turned the corner into his hallway, once again there was a tall man waiting in front of his door, this one came about every four to five days to "catch up" with him, but Akihito suspected he came to "check up" on him and his emotional state to relate it to his boss. Regardless of whether it was to catch up or check upm this man was someone he could deal with without feeling like shit, as long as the man was not here to speak on Asami's behalf.
"Hey there Kirishima, have you waited long?"
"Not really." Said the secretary, he adjusted his glasses and shifted to the side so Akihito could get to the door easier.
It still amused the blonde that Kirishima still came around and was secretly and not so subtly trying to play match maker and mend things between Asami and him. He entered his apartment with the tall secretary following close behind him.
Kirishima sat on the reclining chair he had claimed as his own ever since he had started coming visit Takaba and watched the boy put some groceries away.
"Have you eaten yet? I'm making kamo nanban today and you are welcome to have some."
"Hm, thanks."
****VF****
Kirishima watched as the young man walked around the small kitchen cutting, dicing, slicing and throwing ingredients into the pot. The cramped apartment began to fill with the various smells of food as Takaba prepared a small feast.
His phone went off and he pulled it out without bothering to check who the message was from, he already knew who it was.
Asami-sama: What's for dinner?
He quickly replied to the message taking care not to let Akihito see him.
Kamo nanban soba (somehow he managed to get duck out of season), steamed rice, korokke, and tsukemono. Takaba-kun said he learned how to cook these things last week while in Kyoto.
The phone beeped again minutes after he sent the reply.
Asami-sama: How is he?
'This two are so ridiculous… one is too stubborn to say he is sorry and the other is too stubborn to listen. And now here I am like an eighteenth century matriarch playing go between for them. If anyone had ever told me this would become part of my duties I would have called them insane and shot them on the spot, the simple idea is just preposterous, yet here I am.'
He seems to be doing fine. Takaba seems to be starting to smile again, I believe soon he would be willing to talk to you.
Asami did not reply to that last text, Kirishima was secretly glad about it, because being stuck in this awkward situation was bad enough without having to assess the emotional state of such difficult people.
Akihito began set the table and Kirishima joined him in putting the dishes down. They sat in front of each other and ate in silence for the first five minutes until Akihito broke the silence.
"How are things going at work?"
"They are…" Kirishima had no idea how to answer this question, how much should he say without being too obvious that he wanted to help mend things? "They are normal, not much out of the ordinary, save for not having to chase danger seeking brats all over Tokyo."
"Hahaha, I guess that's well. But you have to admit you enjoyed chasing danger seeking brats all over Tokyo, it saved you from having to go to the gym and kept you and the guys in top shape."
Even stoic Kirishima had to smile with fondness at such a statement, putting up with Takaba's habits had been a chore but somehow everyone ended up endeared to the boy. He already missed the banters with the spunky brat and things were not the same since he left Asami's side.
Kirishima patted his stomach and looked at the blonde.
"Yeah, your absence is rather noticeable."
The double meaning of the words was not lost on Akihito and he decided to play along and see where the secretary wanted to go with this. If Kirishima wanted to play passive aggressive by all means he would play.
"Is it now? Maybe my presence should have been more appreciated then."
"It was appreciated, it was… cherished."
"Things that are cherished are not taken for granted Kirishima, nor are they easily tossed aside."
"That is true, however sometimes one doesn't know the value of things until they are no longer in our possession or they are in someone else's hands."
'So that's what this is about, he wants to know about what is going on with Feilong.'
"Maybe it's good that someone else has it then, maybe that someone else appreciates it more. You know what, to hell with this bullshit. I'm going to label with you Kirishima, there is nothing going on between Feilong and me. Not for lack of interest on his part but simply because I am not ready to put my heart out again. Right now I am more focused on putting my life together than jumping on another rollercoaster relationship."
"He misses you."
"I miss him too but he made his choice and I made mine. I don't want to hurt like that ever again."
"You know he cares for you, he made a mistake but he really needs you in his life. We all need you in his life, you were the only source of light to reach the darkness we live in."
"Need me, I doubt it, he has people to keep him company. He doesn't have to come back to an empty place and think about what ifs or whys."
"He is not living at the penthouse with her, Asami-sama doesn't care about that woman. She is allowed to live there but he rarely goes to the condo anymore."
"That certainly explains something that has been nagging me."
"What is that?"
"I was wondering why Asami let a hired gun with no affiliations or loyalties to him come and go from his home as he pleases."
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about the man walking in and out like he owns the place. I have not been stalking your boss in case you are wondering, something else led me there. Even if he doesn't care about her, he should really be paying attention to who comes in and out of his home, regardless of whether or not he lives there anymore."
Kirishima stood up from the table and gathered his things deep in thought. He needed to inform Asami of what Takaba had said, if there truly was a hired gun coming and going from Asami's private home they needed to know why.
The secretary was about to open the door and leave the apartment when Takaba's voice called his name from behind him.
"Kirishima." He turned around to face the boy and took the offered containers filled with leftovers of tonight's dinner.
"You almost forgot your leftovers."
"Oh, thank you Takaba-kun."
Again he turned around and the small voice of the blond was almost lost between them but Kirishima heard it none the less.
"He's lost some weight, make sure he eats it all."
"Hm" Kirishima walked out of the apartment.
He should have known that Takaba would figure out his coming for dinner and taking some of it with him was for Asami's sake. He should have known when he saw Takaba make dinner for three starting the second day he came over. The boy swore he did not care about Asami anymore but in the amount of food Akihito cooked every time he came around, he could notice that even though he still hurt it was almost impossible for someone like Takaba not to care.
*******VF*******
See, I bet you all hate that woman by now. Do let me know what you think about this chapter. Also, isn't it cute that Kirishima is playing go between and getting leftovers for Asami? I bet Asami misses Akihito's cooking.
Please let me know your opinion of this chapter.
Setsuna