Hogou was carried by Asahi like those of a bride. They soared through the air as Asahi leaped from building to building. Because of their wanted status, it was the only way they could traverse the ecosystem of Kuri.
Hogou had shared a few vital information to Asahi about the operations of the Special Detective Forces.
First, more officers were active during the dusk to dawn. The activities of S-class criminals only peaked during those hours. Effectively loosening their grip within dawn to afternoon.
He could feel the wind hugging his face. His hair swaying with the wind each leap the silver-haired man took. To his view was the uptown Kuri. It towered with high rise buildings which housed the rich population of the city. Compared to downtown Kuri, the buildings here were lavish and well built, unlike the crumbling mess left within the slums.
This was the rare opportunity that he would lay his eyes upon it, some of those days when he would be tasked to hunt down a prolific criminal residing in the upstate. As the sun rose from the east, its rays glared upon his eyes. He clasped the fabric on Asahi's clothes. Even if Asahi held Hogou dearly, he could not accept the fact that they're two hundreds of meters in the air.
One slip and they would be sent straight to the afterlife.
How could Asahi even jump high like this?
Asahi remained passive for a few hours. Stealing glances to Hogou once in a while but for the most part he was silent. His expression was neutral, as he was confined within his mindscape as he leaped from rooftops.
Asahi halted above the rooftop of a beverage company. Since it was work hours for the company, no one else was there. Hogou sat against the railing of ghe rooftop, his heart was pounding nonstop due to his exposure to heights. He really wasn't sure if he has fear of heights, he could not pinpoint the reason why he felt the foreboding feeling ripping through his chest.
The ground was filled by ashes, Hogou wiped his hand against his cloth while it left a streak of gray smudge on it. The rooftop was littered with cigarettes butts and ashes. Hogou stood up and dusted himself.
He glanced at the city skylines. The windows glared with the sunlight that made him squint his eyes close. He held a fairly heavy dufflebag. Asahi instructed him to hold onto dearly as it was the heart of their operation. Hogou was bemused by it because the contents of the bag was just a medium size black pants and a white dress shirt.
His fingers glide on the soft fabric of the hat inside the bag before zipping it in.
Hogou could not help but ask, he wasn't sure himself about their plan on crashing the annual charity party. They had nothing to gain from nor anything to lose. "What are going to do there?" Hogou smiled lightly, though he withdrew afterwards.
Asahi was staring at him for a moment. Then he gaped his mouth, smiling slyly. "Like I said, a lovely road trip. I noticed that you seemed bored."
Hogou looked at Asahi with slight suspicion, then he tilted his head. He failed go understand Asahi, sometimes he's straightforward as a child but the rest of the time, he was full of shit. "...I don't follow."
Asahi giggled lightly, then his rosy lips pursed. He went a daze for a moment then his eyes went back to Hogou. "Honeymoon?"
"..."
The soft breeze howled in the distance. The bird call echoed as the airplanes whirred above.
Is he right in the head? Hogou asked himself while Asahi seemed satisfied by his own answer.
"We're… not married you know…" The words came out of Hogou slowly. It seeped like a festered wound.
Asahi drew closer to Hogou, his footsteps clacked then grabbed Hogou's chin up, caressing it.
He felt Asahi's arm breath on his neck. Asahi said in a low voice. "I can change that."
Eeeekk! What the fuck? Hogou cursed inwardly. His facial expression became contorted into shock. It was ugly.
Hogou pushed Asahi away. He turned away from the taller man as he gathered his last bit of common sense.
While marriage between same sexes had been the subject of confusion within the law firm of the city and extension the country. It had been legal for at least three decades after it was proposed by the 32nd president.
His idea was not out there. But to marry an outrageous man like Asahi, he couldn't imagine that. It seems like he'll just live with an overgrown child if he did.
Badum… badum…
Hogou clasped the fabric of his shirt on his chest. Hiding his face from Asahi's view. The corners of his mouth twitched with anxiety as he grappled the weird feeling inside him.
He's making me crazy…
Asahi walked up to him, grabbing his shoulders. Hogou heard a soft voice in the corners of his ear. He twisted his neck and saw Asahi's pensive look.
What's wrong with him?
"What…?" Asked Hogou, he was frowning as he felt Asahi hand on his shoulders. Asahi presented a facial expression like those of the crying figures in a renaissance paintings. It was probably one of his mood swings. Hogou could not guess if Asahi was being genuine or not. He was like the yellow king to him.
"Asahi?" He called out to him. Asahi's hand pulled out of his shoulders, he stood above Hogou who squatted.
What is he planning?
Asahi stretched his hand to Hogou. His mouth partly opened as his eyelids twitched. He reached out to him and stood up.
The silver-haired young man stared at his watch that matched his hair. The ticking was prominent as the bellows of the wind howled. Upon inspection, Asahi was quite good-looking. He looked sleek with the black jacket over his white dress shirt.
Hogou admitted that he was irresistible to look at. It was further boosted by his soft facial expression that hid malice behind it. With his enchanting purple eyes, button nose and rosy soft lips.
He looked away and closed his eyes.
God, what am I thinking?
"Let's continue." Hogou flinched as Asahi reached to his waist.
"W-wait…" He held dearly to Asahi, the duffle bag dangled behind them.
Asahi leap out of the building as the dust and ash swirled in their wake.
I just can't get used to this. Hogou said as felt the wind tracing over his face.
***
It's been days since Hogou-san ran was pronounced as an A-class criminal assisting the Phantom Maestro. I couldn't believe it, no I don't believe that he would do that.
Even if I don't know Kusakabe Hogou myself, I know that he won't just break the law. That's what type of person he is…
Mugi was sitting on the corner table of the charity event. As someone from the special detective force, he had an invitation that allowed him to attend such special event.
He had to scramble and borrow a suit from his friend after he was invited to attend the gathering. He itched all over the place because the suit was suffocating and it was restricting his movement. He remained passive not to draw too much attention. If these rich people know that he was from the suburbs, he would not dare to imagine what these people would do to him.
The golden-haired boy sighed with his chin resting on the table.
Another detective walked up to him, it was Yuzu Watanabe. He wore a blue jacket over a blue button up shirt. His blue hued short hair swayed with his strut. He smiled sweetly as he approached Mugi alone on his candlelit table. "Why the long face?" Yuzu asked.
Mugi bitterly smiled, and looked at Yuzu. "Nothing… I'm not really used to a formal event." And he was worried about Hogou, but he could not utter it in front of his colleague who already had a bad image of Hogou after the incident.
The older man covered Mugi's plumped hair with his palm and ruffled it. Mugi's eyes wandered above before shutting it close.
Yuzu tone was mellow, he was a people pleaser. He was two of the detectives that could understand Mugi, one being Hogou who cannot express himself too much but Mugi could sense it within him.
"Don't worry about it, I'll accompany you. Besides, I don't really know anyone here besides you." Yuzu sat beside Mugi. He grasped the wine glass on the table and savored the aroma of the red wine.
"Thank you, Yuzu-san." Mugi sat up and stared at the center stage. Some people was having a commotion as they bumped onto a silver-haired man.
"Just Yuzu, no need for honorifics. I'm the same age as you."
"Alright… Yuzu" a smile glinted on Mugi's vision as Yuzu's face was red all over from the liquor.
"Calm down on the wine. We still have an event to witness." Mugi hushed down Yuzu as he prompted to grab another bottle which Mugi avidly declined. "Yuzu, calm yourself down."
"Aw, fine."
Another commotion had occured outside the venue. The front clerk stopped a man from entering without an invitation to the party.
Another one huh?
What's with the commotions lately?"
Mugi stared at the front desk as Yuzu's voice dissolved in the air. The familiar silver-haired man reasoned at the clerk. Pointing inside as the clerk retorted on him.
I thought he was inside already… What is he doing there?
Beside him was a guy shorter than the silver-haired man. His effete curled hair leaked under the tophat. He was holding a dufflebag.
Suspicious… Mugi noted.
For some reason, he couldn't take his eye off this young man. It was like some sort of force was drawing him in. It was like when he was with Hogou…
Wait a minute.
He scrutinized the man, observing his appearance and mannerisms. The man seemed reserved to him, then blushed slightly and looked away if he stared at the silver-haired man's face.
It couldn't be…
The silver-haired man pulled out a deck of card. He shuffled it and let the clerk pick one.
The clerk for a moment declined the interaction from the man. But after his incessant rambling, the clerk gave in.
He pulled one from the deck and got the joker card. It pulsed as it glowed hotter. Then it erupted several thousand joker cards as the two person vanished inside the storm of cards.
Mugi looked around carefully, he narrowed his eyes as he saw the trail of card going in the restroom.
He stood up and goes after them. The cards in the front desk dissolved into nothingness. Raced to the restroom as he felt the hand grabbed him from behind.
"Mugi, where are you going?" Yuzu queried. He smiled passively.
Mugi yanked his hand out, then apologized. "I'm sorry Yuzu, I'm feel my stomach rumble. I can't hold it in."
Yuzu was left in a daze. Staring at his own hand as Mugi disappeared in the crowd.
If my intuition was right… that man was Hogou-san. What is he doing here? Did he know that he's one of the top priority criminal right now?
I got to warn him… I know he's not the root of this, because he was framed.