The Paradox Emotion

Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own Majin Tantei Nougami Neuro.

Chapter 3

After the "This mystery is on the tip of my tongue," and, "The culprit is YOU!" and the "Itadakimasu" they were done.

Neuro had solved the small mystery in less than an hour, and ended up buying Yako a 'small' lunch since her stomach had not stopped growling since they arrived, that and Yako was broke after spending all her money on takeout.

Neuro sighed and looked out the window, while the piggish detective stuffed her face with Wc. Donald's fast food. Yako started to get uncomfortable looking at the silent demon sitting before her. They had had a small argument before the meal was ready; Neuro had taken apart Yako's phone for the 30th time and refused to put it back together, after he swept the parts of the table, ending the augment, he grew quiet and the food came shortly afterwards.

It was already an awkward situation since she was the only one eating and he was the one paying. Yako finished eating her burger before saying, "Ya know Neuro, this is sort of like a date," she chuckled nervously as she regretted the words that came out of her mouth.

A date? That was another thing about humans he didn't get, their mating rituals that they called dates. "A date is mating ritual among humans, right? So this is what happens on a 'date', how boring."

Yako was downright surprised that he didn't reject the idea of him going on a date with her, it touched her a little. "Well this isn't exactly a real date, Neuro. I just thought I'd compare it to one since you're paying for my food."

"Humm, so explain to me, bug, what exactly are the reasons for a date?" He smiled a toothy grin at seeing the girl get nervous and taking on a red color to her face.

"Well, um, I haven't been on very many dates, my friend Kanae told me about some of hers so I'm probably not the best person to ask…" She was avoiding the question, she couldn't look him strait in the eye and tell him she had never been on a date before, it would be two embarrassing.

Neuro noticed that his dishrag was getting nervous, "If humans do it all the time it can't be that hard to explain," Says the one who doesn't understand the concept of a date.

"Well you see Neuro it's not all that simple," Yako sighed, "Um, I could explain to you what a date is, but I don't think you'd get the whole idea," Yako really didn't want to explain dating to Neuro it was embarrassing. "It would make more sense if you just went on with on one with someone, ya know like learning from experience."

Neuro looked at her with a strange gaze; he had an Idea, "Alright, than you are permitted to take me on a date." Yako's mouth hung open. "Stop gaping like a fish. This is an honor, be ready in one week."

Yako recovered from the shock, "Don't I get any say in this!?"

"No." Blunt as ever.

"I only have one week? To prepare for YOU?" If it where anyone else it would have been easer, but Neuro? No, one week was impossible, "Wait why am I the one taking you on a date?"

Neuro met Yako's chocolate gaze with his demonic one, their faces now inches apart, his lips curved upwards into a sadistic smile, "Because you are the one who is more experienced than me," He was mocking her, he was mocking her. "And I wouldn't have any Idea what to do on a 'date'" he said the last word like it had a funny taste coming out of his mouth, and knowing him it very may well have.

Yako mentally face palmed, 'her and her stupid Ideas! Why couldn't she learn to keep her mouth shut?' Neuro interrupted her thoughts.

"Don't you have somewhere to be scum?"

Yes she did, she needed to meet Aria soon, she couldn't help but give Neuro a venomous look before she left; only he could demand she take him on a date and than proceed to call her scum. "Listen Neuro we'll talk about this later." that remind her of this morning, "And about your morning pranks." She took her bag and excused herself.

When she looked back Neuro had a kicked puppy face on, telling Yako that no matter how much she protested she was going to take Neuro on a date.

Yako sighed as she walked up to the house she would meet Aria at. She hadn't thought at all about what she was going to say to her. Her mind was preoccupied with Neuro. Yako rang the door bell to Aria's temporary residence an only waited for a few moments before a young woman with short pink hair opened the door.

"Hello! ... Oh Emm Gee! You're the piggish detective! I am a huge fan!" The pink haired squealed, "Aria you didn't tell me this is who was coming over! I would have cleaned up the house a little more."

Aria's figure appeared in the door way, shoving the pink haired lady out of the way so that she could invite Yako in. "Please miss detective come on in."

Yako politely accepted.

"So what is it that you need to talk to me about?" Aria's long dark hair flowed with her movements as the three woman walked down the hallway to a more open space. "Are you suspecting me to be the murderer?" she joked.

"Well um.." Yako couldn't really lie, and being truthful was always a great way to earn peoples trust.

"Oh my god! You do suspect me of being the murder! B-but they already caught him, he confessed!" Aria's face seemed to lose color and she sat down on the nearest couch with a flop.

Yako sort of felt bad but she had a job to do so she had to be relentless.

In the back of the room the pink head mumbled something loud enough to be heard, "Cool one of my friend is a suspected murderer!"

Aria and Yako both turned to her, "Ah sorry was that too loud?"

Aria seemed to relax a little but still said in a serious tone, "You'll have to forgive my friend she is kind of a mystery nerd." Aria forced a smile.

"Oh I see. Um, we never got introduced, what is your name?" Yako didn't mind a little conversation diversion, she actually welcomed it, Aria seemed a little shocked from being accused of murder, and could probably use the time to recover.

"Oh! My name is Kayano Kaede! (1) But Kaede is just fine! Oh I'm being such a poor host I'll go get you some snacks!" She quickly rushed out of the room leaving Yako and Aria alone.

"So why?" Aria almost whispered.

"Hum?" Yako inquired.

"Why am I a suspect?" Aria's voice seemed a little distant.

"Well…" Yako decided that maybe with this case not telling the whole truth would earn her more trust. "There is some evidence that doesn't fit with Shiro being the murderer, and your alibi does have the most holes."

"Oh so that's it you want me to tell you my alibi!?"

"Yes that and a few questions about Saiyuri." Yako said ignoring Aria's cold tone.

There was an awkward silence for a while and Yako had to break it. "I'll start by asking about you're relation with Saiyuri?"

"Well we where friends since middle school and because we were going to the same collage we thought it be cool to live together, I mean we've had our ups and downs but we always made up! I would never have any reason to hurt Saiyuri!" She said these words defensively almost as if Yako had outright called her the murderer.

"Alright," Yako needed to start getting information out of her, but the way she was acting defensive it might be hard. "So could you please tell me about your alibi?"

Aria seemed to tense up for a second, "I was visiting my family the whole week, when I got… why do I have to tell you all this? I already told the police everything!"

Yako was taken aback; Aria was definitely hiding something and she was getting nervous too.

"Well, yes…" Yako's gaze wandered the room before returning to Aria, "I've already read your alibi in the police report, but this is all part of the process, I need you to tell me the whole truth." Yako looked Aria straight in the eyes when saying the last part.

Now Aria was looking around before her gaze finally fell to the floor, "Why can't you just believe me?" she whispered.

Yako opened her mouth to say something when Kaede waltzed into the room, clearly not reading the atmosphere. "I've got snacks!" she sang before realizing that now probably wasn't the best time.

"I'm sorry Kaede we won't be needing those, I was just about to ask Miss. Yako to leave." Aria said harshly.

Yako was slightly distracted by the large plate of food Kaede brought out, (the girl had obviously done her research) when she heard Aria's comment.

Yako really couldn't do anything about being asked to leave if a suspect or witness didn't want to answer questions Yako had asked they didn't have to it was there legal right.

Yako stood up and politely bowed to Aria and Kaede, "I'm sorry to have wasted your time." and with that she left the house.

'Damn!' Yako thought to herself. She got nowhere talking to Aria, this wasn't looking to good for her, If she wasn't able to solve this case what would Neuro think of her. She had one last choice, to talk to Shiro, but it was a long shot, if he was protecting someone he probably wouldn't revile who it was to her. But she might also have an advantage she did learn something unexpected, Saiyuri was pregnant and Shiro probably was oblivious to the fact.

Yako went to reach for her cell phone when she realized Neuro had taken it apart earlier that day. she sighed and started on her walk back to the office. She wondered how Neuro was doing with his side of the case.

In fact Neuro was doing very well, the evidence slave number two retrieved had been security camera footage of the murderer disposing of the weapon used to kill. He could if he wanted solve the case but because he was evaluating Yako he would keep to his word and allow her the rest of today and tomorrow to find her answer.

So now Neuro had some free time, and no one to torture, he dismissed Godai a while ago, after making him dispose of all of Yako's disgusting smelling takeout. He set many boobie-traps around the office but it soon bored him, he thought about letting out some weird demon tool but decided against it. What he really wanted to do was look up dating. He decided he had put it off for long enough.

"Akane, look up dating." He told there braid secretary.

She look surprised, well as surprised as a piece of hair could look. But she still did as the demon asked her.

Akane was ecstatic if Neuro was asking what she thought he was asking than that means Neuro was finally showing interest in Yako. She would do her best to help Neuro out. She would find the best places for taking Yako on a Date and send them to him pronto!

She searched through the web and composed an E-mail full of facts she thought would be helpful to her boss.

Neuro waited patiently for about two second before tinkering with something on Troy, and five minutes later he was hovering over Akane impatiently.

The braid waved him away and wrote quickly on her board 'In just a moment!" and true to her word seconds later he received an E-mail. The impatient demon opened the electronic letter immediately.

His emerald eyes scanned the document greedily; Akane had started with a simple definition of dating.

"Datingis a form ofcourtshipconsisting ofsocial activitiesdone by two people with the aim of each assessing the other's suitability as a partner." (2)Well Neuro had already decided Yako was his partner, and Yako had apparently thought of herself as his partner long before he did. Does this mean they have been on dates before and never noticed it, is that how dull this human ritual is?

It couldn't be, he had seen humans on these dates before, and Yako would have noticed if they had actually been on one right? Neuro thought back on earlier that day, what where Yako's words?

"Ya know Neuro, this is sort of like a date," she had said 'sort of' which means it wasn't a real date, so what was it missing?

Neuro scrolled through the E-mail Akane had given him a bunch of adds to different restaurants, amusement parks, and hot springs, useless stuff really, he questioned if she had any idea what a date was as well. He finally got to the end of the E-mail and saw a picture of a man and woman kissing, that was it! Kissing, he saw humans doing it quite often.

Neuro came up with his own definition 'Dating is a mating ritual among humans, consists of social activities and kissing,' though something felt like it was missing. Maybe Yako was right he didn't understand dating through just explanation. As much as Neuro didn't understand the human concept of dating, he couldn't understand kissing more.

Neuro closed out of the E-mail and sighed, he had a long list of human behavior that baffled him, yet he believed Yako could help him understand.

Neuro looked out the window and catch sight of his louse; she was standing just in front of the ally way next to their building. He had no doubt she was looking at the takeout boxes still filled with that greasy human food.

Yako finally tore herself away from the horrible sight; she couldn't stand seeing all that delicious food wasted not to mention all the money. She had actually considered salvaging a few boxes but decided against it. She knew Neuro was probably watching from the office.

She entered the building and prepared herself for whatever Neuro had coming for her. As soon as she opened the door Neuro's demonic clawed hand had barely avoided piercing her head, she didn't flinch at all. Apparently that was not the reaction Neuro was looking for. He put on his innocent kicked puppy dog face, and Yako could feel the sweat form on the back of her neck, she was in for some torturing.

Neuro had set off a trap somewhere in the office and caught Yako in it, this time she had a pleasing reaction.

"WAIT NEURO!" she yelped ad the trap swung her to and fro, "I have to get some work done."

Neuro smiled evilly and stopped the swinging trap with a sudden jolt, he pulled it over to Yako's desk and left it there Yako still trapped in its clutches.

As Neuro went back to his desk to see if he could find any more mysteries, Yako yelled to him, "Neuro! How am I going to get any work done if I'm trapped!?"

Neuro pulled out his stupid blank smiling face and said, "Not my problem." looking Yako directly in the eyes. Yako cold feel herself getting a headache and she gave him a venomous glare; the demon turned around in his chair and snickered once. If it was meant to tick Yako off it did the trick.

Yako squirmed and struggled in her bindings until she got one hand free still hanging from the trap she picked up the phone and called the prison, her voice was calm as she spoke to the person on the other end.

They had asked if she was arranging a visit to see Aya-san, but that was not what she was calling for, she asked if she could talk to Shiro-san about the murder, they agreed to her request and set a time in the morning for tomorrow.

As soon as she hung up the phone she dropped to the floor with a thud. When regained he bearings she looked up to see Neuro on the ceiling, he had cut the ropes that held her. She gulped, as she realized what was following, now that she was done with her work she was in for a long night.

Neuro happily tortured her for three hours before dismissing her.

When Yako got home she was hungry and tired, again. She looked in her fridge and noted she needed to go grocery shopping soon. She fixed herself a huge dinner and ate it like it was a light snack. She went to her room and flopped on her bed. The events of the day raced through her head, she shot up as she remembered something, she had to take Neuro out on a date!

(1) Kayano Kaede: If the name seems fimilar to some of you out there well its because I'm no good at coming up with Japanese names so I took two of the girls names form Assassination Classroom and put them together, those of you not familiar with AC it is Yusei Matsui's latest work! (Yusei Matsui wrote MTNN)

(2) Definition came from Wikapedia!

AN: Woohoo third chapter! This is a first for me! Thank you so much for being patient and waiting for this, and thank you so much to those who Favorited and watched this story, and for all your wonderful comments!

P.S. Unless I magically finish Ch.4 over Spring break, Please note that the next chapter will probably be out in summer ^^