Chapter 5
"What do you mean you don't remember?" Risa asked, incredulously.
"I meant exactly that," Satoshi said, glowering impatiently. "I. Don't. Remember."
"But-But it was just barely months ago!" Risa said, her hands gesturing wildly as if trying to convey her stupendous bewilderment. "You remember everything else when he-when he-he- you know-"
"When he tried repeatedly to kill Daisuke and other innocent people? Yes, as the matter of fact, I do," Satoshi said through gritted teeth, his fists clenching again as he tried in vain to block out those unpleasant memories. "I just don't know why I can't remember anything about this particular incident - it's as if it never happened, as far as I can remember."
"Maybe it really did never happen," Risa offered quietly, looking thoughtful.
"You mean to say…you mean to say that-that I just dreamt it all?" Satoshi demanded, pounding his fist into an ancient wooden table. A large dent appeared where his fist contacted. A few drops of blood smeared the splintery crater.
"Hiwatari-kun, you're bleeding!" Risa gasped, staring in horror at the cruel looking crimson gash.
Satoshi ignored her. In fact, he hardly seemed aware of his white, bleeding knuckles. His blue bangs covered his eyes as he stared down at his shoes and said softly, "She was a beautiful woman, you know. She was screaming, Harada-san. Screaming. Her eyes were wide with fear and-and anger…wide with…with utter repulsion .I felt the cold feeling of her blood on my hands…and I heard that bastard laughing, taunting her and how...how easily her flesh tore apart as I -he- drove that dagger through her heart…"
He glanced up at the speechless girl and asked quietly, "Do you think I can actually just dream all that up? That the whole event was just a fiction of my twisted imagination?"
Risa said nothing as she stared wide eyed at the trembling boy, seemingly temporarily loosing her ability to speak, not that Satoshi was complaining however. In fact, he was contemplating briefly how wonderful it would be if it could be permanent. Blessed silence….
"Hiwatari-kun-"
...And she just had to go ahead and ruin it…
"-did you ever try to find out about it? Even if you can't remember, there has to be some official record about it; after all, it is a murder case,"
Satoshi concealed an amused smile. Women…they never could admit they were wrong, could they? He supposed this was the closest he'd get to a formal white flag from Risa.
"I did," Satoshi replied curtly. "I went through the official criminal records and I couldn't find any murder cases listed that had even the slightest resemblance to the murder I…witnessed in the past one year."
"Why only the past one year?" Risa asked, tilting her head curiously.
"That's roughly when my DNA starts reacting and I start transforming into Krad," Satoshi explained patiently. "It's as if it never happened, at least- officially."
Risa hummed thoughtfully in reply. Then, her eyes brightened. Satoshi could practically see a light bulb flashing above her head. He stared at the girl expectantly.
"Hiwatari-kun, have you ever thought of asking Saehara-kun on this matter?"
Satoshi gaped at her soundlessly. For a second there, he actually expected a halfway intelligent response from the infamous airhead. He asked incredulously, "Why on earth would I ask Saehara of all people for a solution? See, I, unlike some people who have yet to get a life, do not require photographs of Dark as much as an average person needs oxygen in order to live. So please tell me just how Saehara would be able to help me in this matter?"
For some reason, Risa vaguely felt as if she had been insulted. She tossed the disbelieving genius a cold look, "Saehara-kun may not be able to help much, but his father could. I mean, he is a police inspector."
Satoshi smiled wryly, "Harada-san, you're looking at the person in charge of handing Saehara's father his monthly paycheck. If I can't get any information on the case, I'm pretty sure he can't either."
"As much as your utter humbleness overwhelms me, I beg to differ," Risa said stiffly, rolling her eyes. "I mean, think about it- what's the one thing Inspector Saehara surpasses you at?"
"Level of incompetence?"
"Wow, real modest guy, aren't you?" Risa said sarcastically. "In case you haven't figured out yet, no, that's not it."
"Um, his dire need for fame and recognition?"
"No!" Risa snapped, throwing her hands up impatiently. "Which professor qualified you as a genius again? Because somebody has to revoke his qualification or something."
Satoshi bristled in indignation. For the fist time, he actually put in some effort into thinking about the answer. "Weight? Height?" he offered in bewilderment.
"No!" Risa growled, crossing her arms. Classic female battle stance. Satoshi wisely took extra caution and delicacy in his next answer.
"Age?" he said uncertainly, mentally bracing himself for a stinging reply.
"Yes!" Risa replied, punching her hand up into the air in mock jubilance. "Finally our bumbling hero gets it."
Satoshi's indignation was fortunately overshadowed by his confusion. "What? How does his age make him more likely to get information that I can't?" he asked, baffled. "I've gone through the police records; I've even hacked into various criminal files belonging to police forces all over the world. That man barely remembers the password to his own computer, for goodness sake!"
"With age comes wisdom," Risa said, in a rather convincing sagely voice.
"Oh, and Inspector Saehara is just the understatement of that phrase," Satoshi said dryly. "The one who tried and failed repeatedly to capture Dark even when the thief gives out blasted calling cards."
"….so did you,"
"I got closer to achieving it than him at any rate," Satoshi scowled, defensively.
"Alright, fine," Risa pinched the bridge of her nose in exasperation. "With age comes experience."
"Experience?" Satoshi scoffed. "Harada-san, I've been solving cases all over the country while he spends half his work life pretending to do paperwork and getting bribes."
"Gee, sure looks like you've got a real good opinion about him," Risa muttered sarcastically. "Look at it this way: he's older than you; therefore, he's been serving in the police force longer than you."
"So?" Satoshi was at lost at where Risa was going on with this.
"Meaning, he's been solving cases while you were still a squawking, scowling infant," Risa said, impatiently. "Maybe he's heard of or even solved such a case before your reign of tyranny."
Tyranny? Satoshi scowled inwardly, insulted.
"Even if he did solve such a case before my –ahem- reign of tyranny, it still would've been recorded in the criminal files - and it's not," Satoshi pointed out, skeptically.
"It wouldn't hurt to ask, right?" Risa replied, frustrated. "Even if the case wasn't recorded, he still has a higher chance of having heard of it, no matter how incompetent he is."
Satoshi considered this briefly. The girl did have a good point…vaguely…but nonetheless something he could work with.
"Fine, I'll ask him," Satoshi said, doubtfully. "But I don't expect any results, either way."
"It's a start," Risa shrugged, smiling widely in triumph. Then, her eyes happened to dart to the clock and she jumped slightly. "Hiwatari-kun! We haven't completed your costume yet…..and we only have half an hour left!!"
"Who's complaining?" Satoshi muttered under his breath.
Risa, ignoring his statement, jumped into action in a flurry of cloth, needles and lace. Satoshi just sat down calmly, suddenly aware of his bleeding knuckles. Now, when did that happen..?
"Hiwatari-kun, put this on!" Risa shoved the lacy, blue gown into his hands as she scurried away to get the wig. "Hurry!"
Satoshi stared in distaste at the very lacy material as he held it up gingerly between two fingers at arms length as if he were holding up some foul substance. (Which it was….to him)
"Now!" Risa roughly shoved him into a dressing room. Whatever happened to the so called gentler and sweeter twin? Satoshi stared in morbid fascination at the gown. So…many…laces….
"If your so called genius brain is incapable of processing this simple request, do you want me to go in there and put it on for you?" Risa's exasperated voice floated from the other side of the dusty, velvet curtain.
Satoshi stuck out his tongue at the curtain (what…was he not permitted to be a little childish when he was forced into cross dressing as some demented lace-obsessed princess from the middle ages?) and sighed in resignation. Gingerly, he picked up the blue material, grimacing to himself.
"Wait, Hiwatari-kun! Put this on first," Risa threw in something white into the dressing room. Scowling, Satoshi picked up the white material and stared…and stared…and stared.
"Harada-san," Satoshi's voice trembled slightly. "…….is that a corset?"
"Hiwatari-kun! You look so cute!" Risa squealed in delight when the disgruntled boy emerged from the dressing room flushing furiously.
Unfortunately for Satoshi, Risa's enthusiastic squeal was rather accurate. The soft blue of the gown brought out the colours of his deep eyes and pale skin beautifully. The extravagant lace and ribbons that hung daintily around the waist, the trailing skirt and the high neckline didn't look as garish as he'd expected it would, rather, it somehow softened his image and made him look more feminine. The corset made his stiff, straight male figure more curvy and lady-like and the silky blue skirt billowed out softly just the right way.
Risa thought he looked like an adorable china doll.
Satoshi thought he was going to pass out from humiliation and suffocation. How women those days managed to breathe while being practically wrapped up in those abominably tight torture devices (corsets) he would never know.
Perhaps that's why Juliet made such a stupid mistake of falling in love with someone she knew was from the family of which her own family couldn't stand the sight of and goes ahead and somehow ends up killing both of her and her lover; she wasn't thinking straight….. half of her brain had been undeveloped due to the lack of oxygen.
And they say love can overcome everything….stupid romantics…
Judging by the great works of Shakespear, ninety nine point nine percent of the time, the love struck couple would end up dead some way or the other. So why do people bother falling in love in the first place? Seems like a waste of energy and brain cells.
He had to get out of the cursed corset quick before his IQ suffered and he'd fall in love with a girl forbidden to him (horrors of horrors) and murder himself and the girl in an oxygen-depraved fit of insanity.
Heck, why was he even thinking about this? Gargh!!! The oxygen depravation was damaging his brain already!! Noooo!
"Please, can we just go out for the judging and get this over with quickly?" Satoshi said in a strained voice.
"Nope!" Risa sounded all too happy in his moment of suffering. "I still have to do up your wig and apply some makeup."
"Wait….makeup?" Satoshi rolled the foreign word off his tongue with a grimace of horror. "You can't possibly mean-"
"Oh yes I do," Risa practically sang out in glee. "Your face is too pale, Hiwatari-kun. We'll need to add some colour to it."
Ah, now Satoshi saw why the corsets were invented. Some women just….bloody…deserved…it. Maybe they were less capable of evil when their air circulation was cut off.
All disgustingly bubbly and cheery, Risa pushed Satoshi to sit down in front of a huge, intricately carved mirror. She carefully positioned the neatly done up glossy black wig on top of his head. It worked like magic, making Satoshi seem ten times more feminine even while he was wearing the gown, if that was even possible. She brushed a few strands here and there and stood back to admire her handiwork.
Satoshi loathed admitting it, but her sense of style was good. The wig was done up in an elaborate bun, held up with a shiny blue clip studded with white miniature roses. A few strands of hair framed his face delicately. He could hardly recognize the….dare he say it?...very girly and pretty person staring back at him from the mirror. Risa stood next to him proudly.
"And now, for the main event!" Risa gleefully brought out a large makeup kit in flourish. Satoshi shrank back in disgust.
"Is that really necessary?" Satoshi said, cringing. "I know it's some sort of freakish female ritual to sit in front of the dressing table for hours and hours doing up one eyelash at the time or something but I'm kind of exempted from it, aren't I? I don't need to build my self confidence on nail polish or lipsticks of whatever you girls invent to convince yourself you'd look prettier in. After all, I am a guy."
"Oh, and you're the very epitome of masculinity right about now," Risa teased, smirking at the girly image sitting beside her.
"How cute…. a smart reply. Did you stay up all week on it?" Satoshi smirked back, leering at her.
And thus, Hiwatari Satoshi learned the hard way that it is never wise to annoy a female when you were at the mercy of her dreaded makeup kit.
A few minutes later, Satoshi gaped at the image staring back at him from the mirror. His naturally pale face was reddened slightly to give him a rosier look and he could taste the unpleasant taste of lipstick smeared on his lips. Anyone who saw him now would have automatically assumed he was nothing but a very pretty and dainty fair little maiden….and that wasn't exactly a very comforting thought right now…
Finally, Risa took off his glasses, stating he'd look more feminine without them. He couldn't argue with that…but it didn't mean he was happy with it. Somehow, he felt a little weak and vulnerable without the familiar weight of his glasses resting on his nose though his eyesight was actually perfectly fine in the first place.
"Come on, princess," Risa grinned impishly, tugging at his arm. He reluctantly got up, tripping clumsily over his trailing skirt as he staggered after her. Ah well, the sooner he got this over with, the better. The hallway was mercifully empty, so no one was present to witness his embarrassing struggle with the long trailing skirt but a very amused Risa, which was bad enough already.
The rhythm of his long, memorable walk of fame went something like this: step, step, step, stumble, step, step, trip, step, step, step, step, stagger, step, step, stumble, step, step, step, collapse, stomp, stomp stomp, stomp, stomp…fall face first into the musty carpet.
Chuckling slightly, Risa offered a hand to the very disgruntled mess of blue sprawled on the dusty carpet. Swearing under his breath Satoshi wobbly got up, pointedly ignoring Risa's offer for help. Risa shook her head and grinned in amusement as Satoshi continued to stubbornly press on with his battle with his trailing long skirt.
Thoughts of blackmail leaps to mind……..
"Hiwatari-kun, it would kind of help a little if you didn't walk like you were repeatedly trying to smash your feet through the floor," Risa suggested mildly, raising her eyebrows at the puffs of dust that rose from the carpet whenever an irate Satoshi's foot stomped onto it.
Satoshi gritted his teeth and tried to block out Risa's very amused voice. To divert her attention from his graceful little steps, he asked, "So, when do we ask Inspector Saehara about it?"
Risa was not lost on the attempt to change the subject. Nevertheless, she decided to take pity on the pretty, flushing, gown wearing, lace-decked boy.
"Anytime," she shrugged. "You could confront him and ask him about it after this camp."
"I was thinking about just calling him up from here and asking him about it," Satoshi faked an air of nonchalance. He didn't want that girl to know that he had actually given some thought about her idea and had mentally deemed it reasonably acceptable. He didn't want to admit that he, too, was kind of curious to hear what Inspector Saehara had to say.
Risa had a thoughtful look on her face before answering, "It might be a good idea to put the plan into action earlier. The sooner we find out if he knows anything, the better."
Satoshi felt relieved that she had agreed. If she disagreed, then he'd have to insist on it and that would only reveal just how much he really wanted to know Inspector Saehara's answer. So, yeah? He had his pride. It was about the only thing a male could cling on to when he had makeup on his face and a corset around his waist.
He miraculously flipped out his cell phone seemingly out of no where. Risa stared, wide eyed. "Did…you just pull out your phone from-"
Satoshi shrugged, "As a police commander I have to keep my cell phone with me at all times in case I get an emergency call. And the quack who designed this thing for all its ridiculous laces and ribbons doesn't have enough creativity to think about adding a pocket so-"
Risa made a mental note to never ever touch that cell phone again.
"Now then," Satoshi expertly flipped through his contact list with lightning speed. "There. His office number. I keep his number on speed dial just in case. Incompetent or not, he's still a rather high-up inspector."
Risa smiled inwardly at how defensive Satoshi was being at suddenly having the inspector's number on speed no? Especially after Satoshi just revealed extravagantly how lowly he thought of that particular inspector.
Satoshi leaned against the dusty wall, rumpling his dress slightly, much to Risa's slight annoyance. He put the phone to his ear and tried to look as casual as possible. As if the person he was calling was just another useless politician trying to bribe him into overlooking his corrupted endeavors and not at all an equally useless and corrupted subordinate who just might hold the key to the mystery that had puzzled him since Krad appeared in his life...
…. the time he first started having those dreams…
"What!" a rather harsh voice suddenly barked through the line. "I'm having a meeting in two minutes and if I miss that, so help me, I'll find out which division you're from and I'll personally make life a living hell for you. The commander's slacking off on some holiday, so now I'm in charge, you hear? Not that our delicate, useless, faint-hearted slacker I call a commander was much of a commander anyway- so what the hell do you want? Who are you anyway? You'd better make this quick or I'll-"
"Your delicate, useless, faint-hearted slacker you call a commander speaking," Satoshi's voice was dripping with frosty sarcasm. If ice could travel through phone lines Inspector Saehara would've have icicles hanging from his hair by now.
"Co-Co-Commander!" a new, nervous, very polite stutter replaced the arrogant bark. "How nice to hear from you! How's your holiday so far?"
"Oh, nothing. Just, you know, slacking off and all that," Satoshi's voice, if possible, grew even more icy. Risa sweat dropped as she saw the mini snow storm floating over his head.
"Oh, hahaha…haha...ha…great joke, commander!" the inspector shrilled nervously. "Um, where are you having your very much well-deserved holiday?"
"I'm afraid it's none of your business where I choose to…slack off in," Risa fully expected an icy avalanche to come cascading down upon the stuttering inspector.
"That's true! Um, how are you? Are you enjoying your holiday so far?"
"I'm fine. The holiday's fine. I feel fine. The food's fine. The weather is fine. The world around me is fine. Now, let's skip all this small talk," Satoshi snapped. "What do you know about any unusual murder cases in the past?"
There was a puzzled silence from the other line until the inspector, cautiously this time, replied, "You can check the records, sir. You are allowed to access to them, right?"
"Of course I am," Satoshi said, impatiently. "I mean, have you heard of any murder case, any at all, that happened but wasn't recorded in the files?"
"I'm not sure I get you," the inspector's voice was definitely on the edge now. He was wary. "If you can't have access to it, then how can I? Besides, if it wasn't recorded, what makes you think that I'd know about it?"
"Oh forget it," Satoshi said in disgust. "Thank you for your time. Good b-"
Suddenly, Risa snatched the phone away from him in one swift movement. Satoshi stood, stunned, his frozen right hand still by his ear where the phone used to be.
"Good day, Saehara-san!" Risa said cheerfully into the phone. Satoshi recognized that tone all too well. It was the sugary-sweet tone she used on Daisuke whenever she wanted him to do her cleaning duty for her. "Harada Risa, speaking. Your son, Saehara-kun is in our class."
"Harada….Risa?" the man repeated, confused for a second. "Oh yes! My son has been telling me about the younger Harada twin that agreed to do his homework for a week in exchange for pictures of Dark."
Satoshi thought he saw Risa's hand twitch slightly. But she covered it up with an extremely beaming kind of voice, "Saehara-kun knows how to make use of his resources. Just like his father!"
Satoshi gagged when he heard this. Was she kind of laying it on a little too thick? What kind of idiot would fall for that kind of line?
Apparently, judging by the booming, wheezing chuckles coming from the phone, Inspector Saehara was.
"You see, Hiwatari-kun and I are with my sister and Niwa-kun at a summer camp up Toji Hill," she explained, still keeping the sugary voice. "We've been given a project to do by the camp master to find out the most unusual murder case of the century. Hiwatari-kun was set on getting the most unusual case ever. You know how competitive he is! So we figured we'd ask you, because you're so experienced and knowledgeable and because you've probably solved hundreds of cases all around Japan, talented as you are!"
More wheezing, flattered, laughter from the phone.
Satoshi felt like throwing up there and then. He couldn't hear what the inspector was booming back to Risa, but judging by the tone, he was very pleased.
"Oh, Saehara-san. You're too humble!" Risa giggled in a way that sent Satoshi shuddering to himself. "Of course you're the best police inspector in the force! That's why we came to you for help. Since you're always the brains behind the investigation, we figured out you'd be the best source of information on unusual cases. I'm sure you've got plenty to your credit."
Risa paused a little and said in an even more flattering tone, "No, no. The cases listed in the files won't do for Hiwatari-kun. You know how fussy he is! He wants to make absolutely sure no one else would take the same case as him. So, how about it? Please? You're the only one capable of helping us. A talented, bright inspector like you is bound to get involved in a secret investigation or two!"
"Really! You'd tell us? That's great! Oh, don't worry; we don't need the whole picture. Just a few details would be fine with us. It's an honor to have you impart your knowledge to us, no matter how little!" Risa beamed into the phone and sent a shocked Satoshi a wink.
"I see," Risa said, her voice steady but her eyes widening. Her hand gripped the cell phone tightly.
Satoshi noted Risa's reaction. His heart began to race anxiously.
"Really?" Risa paused a little. "It's fine. I'll wait for you."
Satoshi was going mad in impatience and curiosity. He paced round and round, tripping over his skirt again and again but he never stopped walking. He needed an outlet to release his frustrated impatience. If he stood still, he would've gotten mad.
"Back already, Saehara-san? Can you go on? I'm so interested-" then, she frowned suddenly. Satoshi glanced at her sharply. "Saehara-san? You're busy? But-But…what? It's classified? Oh, but…no…wait a-"
Risa dejectedly closed the cell phone and stared at Satoshi in disappointment. "So close," she sighed, leaning against the wall. She regretfully handed the cell phone back to Satoshi.
"Why? What? What happened?" Satoshi asked in a rush, fists clenching and unclenching rapidly anxiously.
"I don't know," Risa admitted, looking distressed. "One minute he was all charmed up and ready to tell me all about the case, then his cell phone rings and he asks me to wait while he takes the call. When he came back -"
"What? What?" Satoshi demanded.
"-he was suddenly so...so…secretive and cautious. He told me abruptly that he was late for a meeting and hung up on me," Risa finished, her brows creased in anxiety.
Satoshi sank down onto the carpet, his head in his hands. So close…so, so close…
"Ne, Hiwatari-kun," Satoshi looked up to find Risa leaning down until they were practically face to face, her warm brown eyes staring steadily at his.
"Yes?" Satoshi managed to say. His face suddenly began to feel very warm. Was the oxygen deprivation working on him already?
"Guess what? Before his cell phone rang, Saehara-san managed to tell me a few interesting facts. The woman died from a stab wound to her heart with white feathers all over the place, though the lady didn't keep any birds," Risa said, slowly. Satoshi's blue eyes widened and his pulse raced. This was it…the women he killed…he'd finally know who she was…why was she killed…and was it…was it really…
"She was found dead in a mansion where she lived all by herself,"
…he…who…
"And…" Risa said in a soft voice, leaning in closer. Satoshi found himself mesmerized by her deep, honey hued eyes so close to his.
…killed her?
"That lady, she was murdered around 13 years ago,"
Satoshi released a breath he didn't realize he had been holding. A tremendous weight was suddenly lifted off his chest.
"But this means…that…that means–" Satoshi breathed, chest heaving heavily as he shakily absorbed in the revelation. "-that-"
"Yes," Risa beamed; a wide smile slowly lightening up her delicate face. "You had nothing to do with her murder. You couldn't have….not when your DNA only starts reacting when you're fourteen."
Satoshi weakly slid down wall, unable to control the huge, happy flow of relief that flooded his body. A tired, weak but large grin broke out across Satoshi's face.
He didn't kill her…
He wasn't a murderer….
He brought up his legs against his chest and buried his head into his knees, shoulders shaking with silent sobs of relief. For months and months he had been tormented with the cruel possibility of being a murderer. But now…now he was free. Just at that simple statement, Satoshi felt tears sting his eyes. He closed them hurriedly, willing himself to get a grip of himself. He breathed in deeply, feeling himself calming down.
Now, that the initial euphoria and relief were gone, Satoshi felt some strength returning to his legs. Shakily, he stood up and leaned against the wall for support. He tossed Risa a small lopsided smile to let her know he was alright. He stood still for a moment, clearing his head.
Risa suddenly grabbed his arm, jarring him from his peaceful thoughts and dragged him down the hallway. Ignoring Satoshi's cry of protest and indignation, she said simply, "We're late."
As Satoshi stumbled behind her, crying protests all the way, inwardly, something puzzled him very much….
He didn't kill her…
He wasn't a murderer…
So why was it that, try as he might, he couldn't get the image of the tear-streaked and terrified face of that lady out of his mind?
"And the winners are……Niwa Daisuke and Hiwatari Satoshi! It's a tie!"
Satoshi stood stunned as the spotlight was turned on him and a very flustered (but pretty) Daisuke. The crowd cheered and clapped….well…the girls cheered and clapped. The guys just stood sullenly, shuddering visibly in disgust. Not that Satoshi blamed them. He felt very much like banging his head against the wall himself. Daisuke looked as if he was close to fainting….who knew? Maybe he was….maybe Riku made him wear a corset too. Evil twin sisters………
As Satoshi scanned around the crowd, he hated to admit it, but he and Daisuke were by far…I mean very, very far…far as in the distance of the moon from the earth… most convincing 'girls' in the room. The other guys well….
Think mini (as in really mini…as in so short it could've passed off as a belt) skirts and skimpy tank tops...
Think hairy legs and chests…
Piece those two mental images together…
I will now give all of you readers a moment to throw up before I proceed with the story…….
And not to mention all the thick makeup their gleeful partners had splattered onto their face. Satoshi had to grudgingly admit that he had already got it good having fashion extraordinaire Harada Risa as his partner.
Though it didn't soften the revelation that he was wearing a lacy gown and a corset and makeup….and had actually won because of it. Winning a drag queen competition wasn't high in any guy's list.
Risa and Riku were happily exchanging notes of their recent frill spree. Daisuke looked as if he wanted the floor to open up and swallow him up. The fact that several guys were jokingly asking for his phone number was not helping. They didn't dare approach Satoshi however…
Perhaps it had something to do with the homicidal glint in his icy blue eyes that clearly said come-near-me-and-I'll-castrate-you-into-a-million-bloody-pieces-and-leave-you-to-slowly-bleed-to-death-in-some-remote-part-of-the-jungle-in-some-remote-part-of-the-world?
Or perhaps because he was cracking his knuckles so loudly that several unfortunate people near him were beginning to wince?
Or perhaps because he was currently shredding pieces of complimentary tissue paper (with a bloodthirsty gleam in his eyes) to bits with an aura of icy death swirling around him?
Most likely all of the above…
Anyhow, Daisuke was….there was only one word for it: adorable. Riku had obviously shared the same good tastes with her sister, although she didn't quite spend three quarters of her life with her nose buried in some fashion magazine.
He wore a silky red wig; quite similar to his own hair in fact, apart from the fact that it was long… and curly….and pulled back with a large pink, floppy ribbon. Daisuke wore a soft silk dress that had several different shades of red for the top and a rich royal blue for the long, dainty skirt. He had makeup on his face too, but it appeared somehow more subtle and soft than his own. And he, Satoshi hated him for this, did not have a single trace of lace or frill in his attire. Riku was, of course, the more sensible twin and did not care much for frilly things so his attire was considerably simpler and plainer than Satoshi's own lace decked gown.
That lucky moron….
But - Satoshi had to admit it- he looked so utterly endearing that he made everyone (even the guys, though silently and grudgingly) go 'awwwwwwwww' in high pitch squeals. Even Satoshi had to suppress a smile seeing Daisuke blush cutely over all the unwanted attention.
"Hi, Rose princess," Satoshi grinned teasingly as a very disgruntled Daisuke stomped his way towards him.
"Shove it, Moon princess," Daisuke snapped back in a very rare display of annoyance. Satoshi felt his eyes twitch. Moon princess and Rose princess were the nicknames Haruka had so lovingly bestowed upon in front of a crowd of snickering spectators.
"Um, do we get to change soon?" Satoshi questioned, scowling at his gown.
"I don't think so. I heard something about a photo shoot," Daisuke sighed, shoulders slumping. Satoshi paled. Photo shoot? In general, Satoshi disliked getting his picture taken. He always felt too….exposed…when the lenses were pointed at him. Maybe it was something to do with being a police commander who spends half his life getting on the bad side of a couple too many hostile guns. But getting his photo taken…while he somewhat resembled a demented lacy-happy princess…was too much to bear.
"If anyone asks, I suddenly developed a rare kind of skin disease and can only be cured if I fly over to China at once to consult a monk," Satoshi muttered to Daisuke as he hurriedly slipped out of the stuffy room.
"Where's Hiwatari-kun headed to in such a hurry?" Risa asked, appearing suddenly at a stunned Daisuke's side.
"He suddenly developed a rare kind of skin disease and has to fly over to China at once to consult a monk," Daisuke replied in a robot-like monotone, looking slightly dazed. Risa raised an amused eyebrow. Wow, someone had to teach the poor innocent boy how to lie.
"Alright, I'll go out and catch him before he 'gets onto his plane'," Risa said, rolling her eyes as she stepped towards the grand double doors leaving a very confused Daisuke behind.
The hallway was empty. For someone who had been slipping and stumbling over his skirt for the last half an hour, Satoshi could certainly move very fast. Risa grumbled under her breath and jogged down the hallway, keeping her eyes peeled for any stumbling, blue movements.
There! Blue…check. Black wig…check. Stumbling...check. Wobbling….check. Falling…check. Swearing like a sailor…check
Yep, it was him alright.
"Oi, Hiwatari-kun! Wait up!" Risa called as she sprinted towards the disgruntled blue mess.
"What?" Satoshi grunted at the panting girl jogging up next to him.
"Where are you going in such a hurry?" Risa wheezed, clutching her chest. Harada Risa was not made for athletic activities. So far, she had been able to evade her P.E class for the past years by faking an asthma fit every time she stepped foot onto the field. She was a pretty convincing actress. She had practically every boy (but a certain blue haired genius) in class hurrying over to her anxiously whenever she did her dramatic, wheezing exploits.
"Away," he replied stiffly. He fastened his pace into a quick jog.
Not to be out jogged, Risa fastened her pace to match his. "Away where?" she pressed persistently. The boy sent her an icy glare. Risa replied back with a glare of her own.
"Hey, do you know-oof!" Suddenly, a boy wearing a white shirt bumped into Satoshi, disrupting his already precarious balance. Winded, Satoshi fell into a rather awkward heap on the carpet….again.
"Oops, sorry miss," the boy laughed nervously, putting a hand behind his head. "I'm just a little lost. I just arrived and-"
Risa scrapped her jaw off the ground and gaped aloud, "Saehara-kun! What on earth are you doing here?"
The photographer wannabe gapped back, "Harada-san! You're here!"
"What on earth are you doing here?" Risa repeated, shocked beyond belief. Satoshi just stared, dumbstruck.
"My dad suddenly packed me off and whisked me away to this camp," Saehara Takeshi shrugged, looking more than slightly put out. "Wouldn't tell me anything, just literally threw me into the car. I didn't even know where I was going at first."
Wait, Inspector Saehara suddenly booting his son off to camp on a whim? That didn't sound like him at all. Satoshi frowned slightly. What was he planning to do, sending his son here? Risa seemed to be thinking along the same lines.
"Why did your father send you here?" Risa asked warily.
"How should I know?" Takeshi replied irritably. "I was just taking pictures, minding my own business, then the next thing I know, he dashes through the front door and screams at me to pack up, and that I was going to summer camp. Then all of a sudden, I'm in the backseat of his car with him driving and breaking the speed limit. I swear, for a moment, the car actually defied gravity and lifted a few inches off the ground."
Both Risa and Satoshi believed him. Takeshi was as good at lying as Risa was at lacrosse, and to date she had sent three people to the nurse's office with various injuries from her wild, unpredictable lacrosse stick and atrocious aiming. How Harada Risa mistook human heads for lacrosse balls no one knew. When he lied, his face would get all flustered and his eyes would shift from side to side guiltily. But now his eyes revealed nothing but pure confusion and aggravation.
"How did your father find out about this camp?" Satoshi demanded, pulling himself off the ground. The detective's son gaped at him as though he had noticed him for the first time.
"Um, he didn't actually say, miss," Takeshi replied, blushing slightly for some unknown reason. "He didn't tell me anything at all."
Satoshi sighed in frustration, rumpling his glossy black wig. The fact that his face was starting to itch from all the makeup was not improving his mood.
"So, you have a name, miss?" Takeshi suddenly asked. Risa blanched slightly. She recognized that tone. It was the 'you-know-you-can't-resist-a-handsome-suave-devil-like-me' tone he obviously considered irresistible to women. Dear gods, was he trying to hit on Hiwatari Satoshi…..?
Satoshi, fortunately oblivious of this fact, gave him a cold look and shoved him roughly out of his way, muttering irritably, "Move it, idiot. I'm in a hurry."
Takeshi jolted out of his way hurriedly and stared wide eyed at the black haired beauty stomping down the corridor.
"Harada-san," the photographer whispered, reverently.
"I think I'm in love,"
Bwahahahaha!!!! I'm evil :P And by the way, just to clear things up, this is NOT a yaoi fic. I don't have the stomach to write those kinds of fics…o.o; Anyhow, Cookies and fudges to anyone who reviews!