"Do you know what happened ten years ago?" Asahi asked in a low voice.
Hogou relaxed his body, he felt the tension slowly melting away. He tilted his head in confusion, Asahi was asking this question as if they had met a decade ago. He had no clue what Asahi talked about.
Hogou scratched his head, before answering. "Unfortunately, I don't." He felt this gnawing guilt inside his body. However, he had no recollection of what it was. It was like a large iron gate blocking his view inside his memory. If he forcibly dig his way past through the gate, some force would pull him away from the other side.
His emerald eyes gazed on Asahi. The young man waited for his answer.
Asahi sighed, his broad shoulders twitched then spoke. "Just speak no one of this. Nevermind what I asked you earlier."
Hogou nodded.
He gawked at the living room, his vision swept through. The furnitures were chewed out by the termites. Even the curtains were filled with holes and tears. The living room was in disarray after the insects left.
These insects did ruin everything. If this house is already done, then Asahi would have to find another hideout. I feel bad for the owners of this house…
The sofa creaked as Hogou stood up. He followed Asahi who silently walked away from the living room. He walked outside the house. Hogou could hear him sigh as he sat down under the veranda.
Hogou shivered by the chilling wind. The front yard was filled with ice… in the middle of May. He still found the concept of Goetia, stupidly improbable, but one evidence of that fact was breathing in front of him.
He watched while Asahi was spaced out. The dawn sunlight glinted at his fair skin. Smoke puffed as he exhaled. Asahi glanced at Hogou as he caught him in the corner of his eyes. He smiled sweetly then looked away.
Hogou picked up a stone, clasped it inside his hand and hurled it across the empty streets. The pebble clacked as it tumbled on the icy pavement.
Asahi's mouth gape as he looked at Hogou. "What are you doing?" Asahi asked. He observed Hogou as he picked up pebbles from the yard and throwing it across the road.
It bounced at the road then struck a mailbox with terrifying accuracy.
"Impressive," Asahi commended Hogou.
The detective turned to him and smiled widely. Asahi momentarily looked into his eyes before looking away.
Too dazzling…
"Watch me" Asahi heard Hogou's voice, it was low but soothing to listen to.
Hogou pointed at the garden gnome a few meters down the road. "I'll hit that."
"Huh, what came over you?" Asahi shifted his position to clearly see the gnome in the neighbors house. He was puzzled by Hogou's behavior. Was he always like this?
Then, Hogou wound his arms up. It was like a medieval catapult. "I noticed you're thinking too seriously, so I guess I'm lifting up the mood."
Asahi could not help but chuckle to himself. Hogou's eyes laid on him before shifting to the gnome. Asahi teased, "What happened to the no-nonsense detective that I like?"
Hogou threw the pebble across the road. In a blink of an eye, the gnome shattered as the pebble pierced through its clay shell.
Asahi whistled the pebble hit a homerun. "Bullseye."
The detective held the back of his neck, looking down with his face as red as tomatoes. The sudden comment Asahi had towards his work personality embarrassed him. He wasn't always like this, it was just a matter of professional work for him. Hogou stumbled through his words: "I wasn't always like that."
"Really now? I guess the Eagle eye of the forces has his weaknesses."
Badum… badum…
God… what's wrong with me?
Asahi burst into laughter. He simpered, tears welled up as he laughed. Hogou squinted slightly, then asked: "Why are you laughing?"
Asahi's laughed died down. He calmed himself down as his heart pound through his chest. He apologize in a hasty manner. "Sorry… sorry… you look rather pathetic like a puppy."
He's toying with me!
"You-" his lips was ceased by Asahi's finger. The silver-haired man smiled and said.
"I never meant it in an insulting way. I just find you cute… that's all" the corner of his lips pursed as he talked in a cutesy way.
Hogou gulped, he turned away. He halted for a moment then walked within the parameters of the house.
"He closed the door on me…"
The door creaked close. Hogou leaned on the wooden door as his pound like a set of drums. "That guy… arghhhh, i forgot that he's such a vixen!"
When Asahi called him cute, he could feel his heart jumping out of his chest. Hogou could not understand what was happening. Why would he have a reaction to an ill mannered man like Asahi… and besides… is he really… no, that's impossible, he couldn't be… he said it himself…
But I may be…
"Aghh noooo, no no no." Such unholy ideas slithered in Hogou's head.
He slapped himself then breathe deeper. He opened the door, he was greetec by Asahi's purple eyes. "I'm sorry Detective, i guess I stepped out of the line."
Asahi looked at Hogou's slightly curled black hair. They sprawled like grass on top of his head. It's so fluffy, i want to ruffle it!
"Will you forgive me?" Hogou gazed through Asahi's puppied eyes. His throat felt like sandpaper as he gulped the last semblance of morality he had left.
"Fine." Asahi pulled Hogou in his arms. Squeezing him as he felt the comfortable warmth within Asahi.
"What… wait wait wait," Hogou flailed inside Asahi's hug. The former did not mind as he continued to pull Hogou deeper.
Eventually, Hogou surrendered to his biting embrace. His face dug through Asahi's chest as Hogou felt their hearts in synchrony. Dancing, fluttering within the presence of one another.
What am I doing…
My legs felt weak in his hug. I can feel him sapping my energy as we embraced.
He's a strange guy, but why do I feel like this.
My heart becomes uncontrollable whenever he did something out of line.
At first, I hated it, begrudgingly succumbing to it for the sake of my job. But ever since I had this talk with him… there's more to him than I realized.
Not as Phantom Maestro, but Asahi Kureha.
Asahi smiled bitterly. He could smell Hogou's usual body scent, a strawberry flavored one. He felt different when he was with Hogou, yet he could not forget what happened all those years. He narrowed his eyes as he laid Hogou down to the sofa.
He held his arm, looked at the silver watch.
Hogou observed Asahi from the couch.
Footsteps thumped upstairs. Dust fell down as Asahi scrambled inside of the room. Then a sharp crack echoed upstairs, the sound of wood teared apart. Asahi emerged from upstairs, he walked up to Hogou.
His warm hands held Hogou as he slid the handle of a revolver on Hogou's palm. His eyes windened to ascertain what would be the use of the silvery revolver in his hands.
Was giving him weapon a good idea? For what Asahi know, Hogou could betray him. But he was certain that Hogou would not. There was an inkling of trust deep within his soul. He then uttered in a hushed tone, "Detective, you'll need this."
Hogou looked up to Asahi and asked. "For what?"
Asahi smiled as he slid a black suit over his white dress shirt. He slid the tie under his collar and announced: "We're going in a road trip. Cover up, you'll need it." Asahi threw a mask onto Hogou, he caught it quickly. It was a smiling comedy mask. His brow forrowed then realized what was going on.
"No, no, when did I say yes to this? I'm not joining your little heists!"
"Relax Detective, we're not going in a heist, rather in a charity party." Asahi topped his silver hair with a black tophat. Smiling as he held his hand to Hogou.
"Charity?"
"Yes, a pigs charity, we better hurry, because we can't afford to be late." Asahi covered his face with a frowny tragedy mask. His hair tugged by the wind as his shadow radiated the aura of a showman.
With the reflection in his eyes, he saw the criminal he was tasked to hunt, but joined instead. Compelled to hold his hand to join him in his mission. But what ever it was, it would end up in a beautiful chaos like he always does.
The party he mentioned was the annual KMPD charity party ran by the upperclass of the city. He was certain that Misami was there, attending while he was condemned to a false charge against him.
So, now he was determined to take him down. Sullying his image as a protector and expose him to the public. Bringing the existence of what he hid into a light.
["The phantom maestro has invited you to a party.
Will you accept?..."]