Dojima Ryotaro was having an unusually good day.

What made it unusually good was that the chief had tasked him with the grunt work of a patrolman, and he was actually enjoying. Maybe it was the nice weather, maybe it was because he was in the park, or maybe it was because he wasn't working on the murder cases.

Whatever the reason, Dojima Ryotaro was having a good day, and it was about to get even better.

To call it a patrol was a joke. The real reason he was here because the chief told he needed a break. Without warning, the chief had come into his office earlier that morning and told him that he would be on foot patrol at the park for the day because of the station's shortage on patrolmen.

Dojima had seen through the ploy, pointing out to the chief he was working on the murder cases. The chief had responded with barking that if Dojima went to the loony bin, the station would not pay for the bill, so get the hell outside. Clean air was a good thing.

'The hell with him,' Ryotaro thought, though admittedly he didn't actually mind. Getting out of his stuffed little office and not thinking about the murder cases was a nice change. Everything actually seemed perfect.

"Dojima-san!"

'Seemed' was the key work.

Adachi was bent over gasping for air from his sprint. Dojima merely looked back with an odd look. Just how out of shape were kids these days?

Adachi looked up with smile. "You-(pant) almost los-(pant) lost me…(pant)…back there," he forced out between gasps of air.

"That was the idea," the older detective grumbled under his breath. It was still lost on him why Adachi was ordered to go with him. Probably because no one else wanted to deal with him.

"But since you're here, how about some coffee?" Dojima asked.

The younger man's face brightened. "Sounds good!"

Dojima smiled. "Great!....go get us some."

"Wha?" Adachi whined dejectedly.

Dojima raised an eyebrow. "Well?" he growled.

"U-Um-" Adachi had suddenly found a second wind. "Sure thing! I'm on it!"

Dojima watched as his idiot partner ran widely up the hill. It probably take him awhile to actually find a coffee shop, considering how easily distracted Adachi was, so Dojima guessed he probably had about ten minutes to "wander" away.

Before he could continue his stroll, something got Dojima's eye. He turned to look, and then blinked several times. Rise Kujikawa and his nephew…were walking together.

The sight had completely thrown him off. And his suspicion rose.

Rise Kujikawa…an "almost victim" of the murders in Inaba. She had disappeared for a good week, and then without warning, she was back like nothing had happened.

And now she was with Souji.

The Kujikawa girl had a huge smile on her face, while his nephew had a more cool grin (and slight blush to accompany).

Dojima quietly followed from a distance, hoping is good day wasn't going to get worse.

- - -

Dojima felt almost like an idiot. Almost.

He had perfectly good reasons for squatting behind a bush, watching his nephew and Kujikawa. Though he still had to figure them out. The police badge probably wasn't going to cut it.

The two had now stopped, oddly enough seemingly out of earshot of any other people nearby.

Yes. Very suspicious.

The girl seemed quite excited about…something. And Souji continued to blush still.

Dojima pathetically strained his neck forward. If only he could hear…

She suddenly started giggling, and Souji looked away, his blush intensifying.

"Oof!" Dojima was nearly knocked of his feet by a rather clumsy person running into him

"Adachi!"

"Sorry Dojima-san. I got the coffee!" he triumphantly held forth two cups with steam rising from them. "Why are you hiding here?"

The younger detective peered over the bushes, catching sight of two high-schoolers.

"Hey! Is that rise Kujikawa….and Souji-kun? What's you nephew doing with her?"

"Will you be quiet?!" Dojima growled.

Both of the detectives at turned their attentions back to them just in time.

Almost leaping into him, Rise had encircled her arms around her neck and pushed her lips onto his. She was standing on her toes almost, her hands rather possessively holding the back of his head.

"WHOA!" Adachi fell back onto his butt, spilling both cups of his hard-attained coffee. One splashed onto the pavement, the other all over Dojima's shirt.

Souji's face had reddened to a healthy vermillion as his own arms came around Rise, hugging her tight to himself.

Adachi sat up, slapping himself once to be sure what he saw was real.

"Oh man…" he sighed, as he watched the sight with rising envy. "The lucky little- oh Dojima-san!" he cried suddenly, realizing what he had done. "The coffee! I-I-"

Dojima hadn't even registered what had happened to his shirt. He was staring slack-jawed at the sight before him.

He blinked…he blinked…closed his mouth…and then…

Grinned.

- - -

Ryotaro took a deep breath of air, happy (a more than bit excited) to be home. He opened the front door and kicked up his shoes.

"I'm home!" he called a little more happily than usual.

"Welcome home daddy!" A excited little voice called as if reacting to Dojima's happy mood.

Dojima dropped his coat to the side and caught his daughter just in type as she leaped up onto him, hugging him as best she could with her little arms. He hoisted her up, carrying her back inside.

"Hey sweetheart," he acknowledged to her beaming face. Yes, he was definitely happy to be home.

"Welcome home Uncle Dojima," another voiced called from the kitchen.

Oh yes…he was DEFINETELY happy to be home. Dojima did his best to hide his huge grin from Nanako who would know something was up if she saw it.

"Um, Dad?" Nanako asked. "Why is your shirt all wet."

Dojima's smile dropped. 'Oh yeah…the coffee. Adachi, you dumbass.'

As he walked in, Dojima looked to his nephew (his grin returning immediately) who was making dinner. Oh did he have any idea what awaited him tonight?

"Hey-a kid!" Dojima tried so hard to sound too excited. "Watcha makin' for dinner?"

"Aromatic Omelet, Mediterranean style," his nephew replied without looking away from his work (which was good because Dojima's face would have given everything away).

"Um," Nanako nervously blurted out.

"Don't worry," Souji chuckled good-naturedly "this one will be better than last time."

- - -

The TV was playing somewhat more in the background without any real focus being given to it save for the occasional Junes commercial for Nanako to sing along with.

Souji had glanced at Dojima a couple of times. Something was really off. His uncle seemed really…happy. He was more than a little curious to know why.

"S-So Uncle…" he unsurely started. "How was your day?"

'FINALLY!'

"Great!" he triumphantly answered. "I patrolled the park today!"

Souji blinked. "Patrol?"

Dojima gave one big nod.

"Isn't that…kind of small time for a detective."

"We're short on manpower," Dojima quickly responded."Besides! It's a really nice park. Good place to blow off some steam! You've been to our little park haven't you Souji?"

Souji simply nodded taking a sip of soda, his eyebrow quirking at Dojima's weirdly big grin.

"Yep," the detective went on. "Sure was a nice day to be at the park. Great day for COUPLES too. Saw quite a few today when I was walking around there."

No reaction.

"What did you today Souji?" his Uncle pressed. "Did you go anywhere?"

His nephew shrugged. He hadn't really done anything big, save for the park when he and Rise-

"Great day for COUPLES too. Saw quite a few today when I was walking around there."

Souji froze, his drink still in hand and at his lips. His face drained away all color.

When....He and Rise…he…and…Rise….

Dojima's grin grew even wider, threatening to split his face in half.

The half-empty pop can dropped out of his hand. '…oh….god…'

"BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Dojima roared. His hand slammed down on the table as he howled at the expense of his poor nephew.

Souji hung his head in shame, his eyes were as wide as saucer plates and his face was red as a tomato.

Little Nanako cocked her head at her near-hysterical father. "Wha-? What's so funny?"

Dojima took a few deep breaths before composing himself.

"Thought you could sneak off and make out with her, huh?" Dojima teased.

"Wha?!" Nanako yelped. "Make-out?!"

Souji's head dropped to the table and he covered it with his arms, buried in embarrassment.

Nanako grabbed one of the big pillows on the floor and began hitting Souji with as much strength as her little body could muster (which accumulated pretty into just a flopping motion).

"Onii-chan!" she squealed as she hit him. "You're too young for that!"

"Can't believe it though," Dojima chuckled as he rested his head on his arms. "I still can't imagine how you and Rise managed to get together. I bet plenty of the guys are jealous!"

"RISE-CHAN?!" Nanako cried as she started hit him faster.

Souji sighed in defeat, getting up from the table.

"Time for bed," he grumbled as he started slugging his way over the stairs with Nanako following from behind while still hitting him with the pillow.

He had made half-way up the staircase before Dojima took one last jab.

"Say…you're not thinking of bring her home are ya?" he raised and lowered his eyebrows suggestively.

"DOJIMA!" his nephew roared. Finally he could take no more and dashed up the stairs in embarrassment.

Dojima chuckled at the sound of the door just and Souji jump onto his couch face first (all this Dojima could hear from downstairs.)

"ONII-CHAN!" Nanako wailed as she hit the door with her pillow to her cousin's room.

Dojima sighed as he moved over the couch, flipping the TV on.

The long days at work, putting up with Adachi, it was all definitely worth it to tease his nephew.

- End.

- - -

Dojima of course is the serious detective, but something about him strikes me as the type that would like poking fun at his nephew. I always appreciate reviews.