Chapter Text
Too humid. It was too humid to be out of the house. The hot air coated his lungs with each breath. The crickets once more rustled and cried. Kaoru was reluctant to let himself out, much less take Denki with him. Unfortunately, with work, he could no longer afford to watch over his son from the comfort of their home.
After a hearty breakfast of porridge and plums, Kaoru ushered Denki out of the door. He made sure his son was strapped to the seat before starting the engine. Denki blinked blearily at the bright summer sun. A day spent playing with the birds in the garden had obviously not paid off well for him, not that Kaoru himself was faring much better.
Staying up reading through Hikari’s notes had taught him many things, namely that he hoped it was his handwriting Denki inherited.
“Hold on tight, Denki,” Kaoru cautioned as the motorbike kicked into gear. The roar of the engine prompted a startled giggle to escape Denki’s throat, which then cut off as he hiccuped. Kaoru cooed, resisting the urge to hug his son one more time.
Before long, they were off, their journey destined for Tokyo.
.
The sign outside the building’s gate read “Le Diamant” in gilded fonts, just as Hikari’s notes had described. Not only that, its distance from their home, and location within Adachi ward both matched that of her records. Karu double–tripled-checked it when he arrived.
By all accounts, this should be the building. Yet, it was not.
Kaoru wasn’t certain what exactly was before his eyes, but to call it an “apartment” was an insult to the very concept of engineering. Le Diamant (or The Diamond, so he assumed) resembles more a tapestry of complexes haphazardly sewed on top of each other than any proper, code-adherent building. Balconies stuck out like loose nails on the side of the structure. Rooftops, even whole rooms, overhang onto the narrow urban street. With its solid, off-white fence, Kaoru can almost imagine an architect vomiting all over their blueprint of a residential home, then just…gave into the temptation. All of that to say, while he maintained a level of disbelief toward the mutated mess before them, Denki was already enraptured.
“Papa, can we live here?” The boy gushed, “So cool! Can we? Can we?”
“Now, Denki.” Kaoru’s lips twitched. He had to resist an indulgent smile. “We’re on a top secret mission for your mother today. She won’t be pleased if we get distracted and mess up.”
“Mission?” Immediately, Denki perked up. Of late, he had become obsessed with the drivel they show on TV. His hero worship was in full swing. “What mission? Denki can do it.”
Despite himself, Kaoru chuckled at the faux seriousness in his son’s voice, “How can it be top secret if I tell you?”
“Oh! A-Ah, uhm…” Denki covered his mouth with his hand. “I know that.”
“Sure you do.”
It hadn’t been him who spoke. Kaoru glanced to the side to discover another motorbike parked in the spot beside their own. Its rider was amidst the task of untangling their hair from their helmet. Flowing violet hair was swept aside to reveal the red stain of lipsticks.
“...Good afternoon, Miss Nara. I assume you’re here to assist my inspection?” In response to Kaoru’s question, Nara nodded. She held a phone in one hand, which she briefly scrolled through before shoving into her pocket.
“Have you read the documents?”
“I have. Hikari was very thorough. It puts my heart at ease to know that she still vetted her clients so carefully before taking them on.” Then, he paused. A beat of silence lingered between them before Kaoru found the will to continue once more. “However, it seems to me that she’d not lost her eccentric touch.”
Nara huffed, “You don’t say.”
Kaoru pressed his lips together. Rather than wasting time responding to her slanderous tone, he took a moment to examine Nara’s appearance. Her hair was loose. The curls ran down to her shoulders like an onset of waves, slightly frayed at their ends. There were bags under her eyes that even heavy make-up could not conceal, and she was tapping her shoes against the ground as she waited for his answer. He supposed that holding together the logistics of an entire company had not been easy.
Feeling somewhat apologetic, he offered. “I appreciate your assistance coming here today, Miss Nara, but please do note that I won’t ask you to work beyond your means.”
“Hardly.” Came the curt response. “Am I wasting my time here, Mister Kaminari?”
He waited to see if she wished to leave. When Nara remained rooted to the spot, brows creased together and arms crossed, Kaoru finally shrugged. “I trust you know your limit. Let’s head in.”
With Denki by his side and Nara flanking them, Kaoru stepped up to the rusted metal gates. From where he stood on the sidewalk, he could spy the abysmal state of the garden which surrounded the building. A few sprigs of weed sprouted in-between the cracks in the concrete ground. Otherwise, there was almost no other sign of life. Shouldn’t a building’s owner be responsible for maintaining its appearance?
He rang the doorbell.
And waited.
Waited.
“...Huh.” A sound escaped his throat. He turned to look at Nara, but she appeared just as puzzled as him. Her mouth pinched in a look of contemplation.
After a moment, she informed him, “Although this client is usually dealt with by Miss Kaminari herself, last I checked, there should be at least a dozen families residing here.”
She nodded her head at the windows on the first floor, visible from outside the gate. Kaoru blinked when he noticed they were the only ones across the entire building that hadn’t been boarded up. He tried to adjust his position, hoping to peek inside. Unfortunately, despite the lack of curtains inside the building, he could not make out even a flicker of a shadow.
Below them, Denki suddenly let out a gasp, and pointed forward, “Papa, look! Shiny!”
Kaoru’s head snapped up. Before long, he was shushing Denki, and smiling at the man in front of them, who produced a set of keys from his pocket. They clinked together as he unlocked the gate and opened it with a screeching creak.
“Good afternoon.” Began Kaoru when he saw that the man was waiting. “May I assume that I am speaking to the owner of this building, Mister Takara?”
“Why,” The man returned his question with a blinding smile of his own, white teeth shining like jewels. The gems on his fingers flicked in the sunlight, tie clip and cufflinks sparkled. Behind him, Kaoru heard Nara let out a quiet groan. He ignored it. “Of course! I am he who you speak of! Come in! Come in!”
“Actually, Mister Takara, we’re just…” Kaoru trailed off. The man had turned his back on them and was now walking back toward the building. The carefree bounce in his step betrayed the fact he wasn’t at all paying attention to what they had to say. With each step he took, the sunlight danced on his body, making it hard to look at him straight-on.
For a moment, Kaoru found himself faltering.
Hikari’s note on Takara Daichi, the owner of Le Diamant was as follows. He was a reserve man who nevertheless took good care of his tenants. Reliable. Soft-spoken, but kind. Her comments were otherwise bareboned, detailing the contract Kaminari Electricals helped draw up between Le Diamant and their electrical supplier. From her information, Kaoru assumed that working with the man would be a straightforward endeavour. If he was having trouble keeping up with the monthly payment, Kaminari Electricals would simply need to negotiate another contract.
Only the last line of her document caught Kaoru’s eyes, although it wasn’t related to the case at hand. There are so many ways to cut a diamond, it said, and the light shines differently on every facet.
Perhaps my dearest would find appreciation for one.
It was as much as he expected from Hikari. Always drawn to the beautiful things in life, she was much alike Denki in that respect. Yet, as Kaoru followed Takara into the building that afternoon, he had to wonder if she had somehow been faulty in her observation. The man before them was not at all like how she described. Even Denki seemed taken back by his mannerism.
His son stumbled after him, half-hesitant and half-curious of his new surroundings. Inside the fence, the dismal state of Le Diamant was more obvious than ever. Its walls were yellow with age, dead branches littered the side of the neglected garden. Far from the luxury afforded by its owner, the structure as a whole appeared to be decaying. That was not to mention the lack of tenants.
Finally, once Kaoru’s ears tired of Takara’s boisterous voice, he cut in. “Mister Takara.”
The man paused in the middle of the threshold, one foot in and one foot out of his eccentric home.
“Dear guests, is there a problem? Oh, perhaps you’re feeling battered, standing outside in this summer heat. Fear not! I have some wine in the cellar that I’m sure-”
“I must decline.” Kaoru’s eyes flickered toward Nara. She also shook her head. “Mister Takara, my assistant and I arrive from Kaminari Electricals. We are here to inform you that-”
“Oh, and what an adorable boy!” Takara laughed, gazing down at Denki. “And an electricity Quirk? I bet that’s useful!”
Kaoru tugged Denki behind him.
“Mister Takara.” The man blinked. Kaoru’s smile remained frozen on his face, but he peered at Takra through half-lidded eyes. “We’re not one of your guests. Kaminari Electricals is here to inform you that you have put off your electric bill for nearly two months, starting from June of this year. If this continues, we will be forced to cut off your electricity.”
Takara leaned further into the house. Though he kept the enthusiastic grin on his face, his gaze was empty as he looked first at Kaoru, then toward Nara.
Finally, he lowered his head toward Denki again. The shoulder of his jacket sagged, wrinkling with the movement. Denki tilted his head at the man. Then, to Kaoru, the boy whispered loudly. “Papa, does that mean he won’t be able to wash his clothes?”
“I’m sure he’ll be able to buy more if he needs to, Denki. And well-fitting ones, this time.” Kaoru chirped. Maybe it was all the fluff that adorned Takara’s person, but Kaoru was having a hard time working up sympathy for his plight. Corpse-devouring crows and shiny objects. It was the same old story.
Then, he paused.
Ah.
This was one of Hikari’s dear clients. He shouldn’t have opened his mouth after all. The most obscene words escaped whenever he was left unchecked, no matter how hard Kaoru tried to swallow them back. It was part of the reason why he preferred to stay at home.
Clearing his throat, he tried looking at Takara through a new lens—one that Hikari, perhaps, once saw through. An ill-fitting suit—Kaoru would be no better than those he despised if he allowed himself to be bothered by that detail. Wearing this much jewelry could be a new, youthful trend in Adachi ward. Ever since they had gotten married, Kaoru hardly ever left the house, only going on occasional grocery runs for their family dinner. He wouldn’t know contemporary fashion if it’d hit him flat in the face.
Taking a deep breath, he plastered a friendly smile on his face once more, all the while ruffling his dress shirt so as to appear less put-together. “My apologies, Mister Takara.” He loosened his grip on Denki’s wrist, trying not to wince when he noticed how red it had become. “I let my words get ahead of me. I am sure you can understand our confusion, as your contract with Le Diamant’s electrical supplier explicitly stipulates that monthly bills be paid on time, with no exception.”
“Oh, please. Do…Do not trouble yourself,” Takara was still blinking at him, taken aback by the shift in the air. Kaoru let his smile grow into a simper while Nara cleared her throat.
“Maybe it would be easier for Mister Takara if we discuss this inside.” She glanced around as if to prove a point. Kaoru didn’t let it slip that there was nobody on the streets to hear them regardless. He simply nodded.
Surprisingly, it was Takara who seemed most put off about the suggestion. Despite his earlier eagerness to let them into the house, he was now sending nervous looks behind his back. Kaoru waited for him to gather himself, adjusted the shiny diamond-shaped tie clip on his chest, then stepped to one side of the doorway. With a theatrical bow, he ushered them inside.
They were led through an empty hallway. There was still no sign of the tenants—no presence of anybody living in the building beside Takara himself. Perhaps rental for the homes were going through a rough patch, yet somehow, Kaoru doubted that. The garden aside, nothing about Le Diamant screamed mismanagement. On the contrary, the further in they went, the more elaborate the home became. Engraved pillars encircled an elegant waiting room, complete with drawn velvet curtains.
It wasn’t like any apartment complex Kaoru had ever seen. Thus far, the purpose of Le Diamant seemed solely oriented toward defying expectation.
Another surprise greeted them when they stepped into the main home. There, a straw blond man, cladded in a loose martial art uniform, sat cross-legged on the sofa bed in the middle of the room. His arms were crossed, his face disgruntled. He glowered the moment Takara entered and did not let until he noticed Denki’s presence.
“Mashirao.” Takara’s voice was carefully strained. He did not rise up to the aggression, instead taking a seat himself across the other man. “Shouldn’t you be packing up? The clock ticks with every passing second, my friend.”
“Friend?” Kaoru lingered by the doorway. Subsequently, Nara and Denki crowded around him, all of them far away from the confrontation that was taking place. “The audacity, hah! Friend! If I had friends like you, I wouldn’t need enemies! Just what the hell do you think you’re doing?”
The man, Mashirao, seemed to have forgotten all about Denki the moment Takara opened his mouth to speak. Kaoru pulled his son closer and covered his ears with the palms of his hands. Nara sighed.
“Need I remind you, Mashirao?” Takara shook his head. He still maintained a calm, reprimanding tone. “This house belongs to me. What I say—goes. Your lease has been terminated. Since it’s only my benevolence keeping you housed, I expect some gratitude. Not…this.”
He shot a glance at Kaoru, as though he would back him up. Kaoru continued to stare at him with unblinking eyes.
Takara looked away first. “So what will it be, Mashirao? If you insist on making a fuss, I’ll be forced to involve the authorities. You would not want that, would you?”
Mashirao seethed, “Bastard, you have no right.”
Takara smiled. “On the contrary, I have every right. This is my house long before you come to reside in it.”
“I have a son, you arsehole! And the others had families to care for! You think this is all a joke—kicking us out with a month's notice? Is this funny to you?” Mashirao leapt to his feet, his knees hitting the living room table with a loud bang. He hardly seemed to notice. Watching him, Kaoru noticed Denki letting out an awed sound. He pressed his hands even more firmly against his son’s ears. “No, I won’t accept it. Call the police, if you even dare. Not like it ended much better for you than it did for me. I won’t let you stroll in and upend our lives.”
“Careful, Mashirao.” Now, Takara had also risen. “Unlike your peers, I know you still haven’t found another place to rent. Your son is young. You don’t want him living out of the back of a car, do you?”
“You’re despicable,” hissed Mashirao. “Though considering what you did to your own family, I shouldn’t have expected any better.”
Takara froze. “What are you implying?”
“Implying? Everyone knows, Takara! Everyone with eyes and ears! You may think you’re so slick, but I’ve seen rats better at hiding than you!”
“Yes, I reckon you’d know! Look at the sad state you are in, Mashirao, and tell me that you do not feel shame right now. You’re practically begging my feet for mercy, and you’re still too prideful to see it! Hah, now that’s what I call a dumb monkey!”
“Bastard-” There was a loud bang as both men turned toward Nara, who had just slammed the door of the living room shut. In the silence, Kaoru finally released Denki’s ears from his grasp, and cleared his throat.
“Gentlemen,” he began, then shot a look toward Nara. She nodded for him to proceed. “Cease this foolery. Resume your bout after we’re gone, if you must. We have other matters to discuss in the meantime.”
“...And who the hell are you?” Mashirao called out. With his height, he cut an imposing figure, but Kaoru remained unperturbed.
“If you are a resident of the building, our business also pertains to you, Mister Mashirao,” He told the other man. “Kaminari Electricals is here to discuss the continuance of this building’s power supply. Unless you would be more comfortable living without electricity, I implore you to resolve your issue with Mister Takara another time.”
Mashirao’s face grew red, but he bit his tongue. As he stalked away, Kaoru caught him murmuring. “What kind of bigshot does this prick think he is?”
Assumedly, it was not about Takara.
Once again, the door to the living room slammed shut. Kaoru’s attention turned back to Takara, who landed on the couch with an exasperated sigh, twisting the rings on his fingers. “Heaven forbid a man find peace in his own home,” he chuckled, “Dear guests, it pains me you have to witness that.”
Kaoru slowly released his own breath. In his mind, he repeated the content of Hikari’s notes, reminding himself that there must be something extraordinary about Takara for Hikari to take a liking to him—something Kaoru was simply too inexperienced to see. Who was he to question her judgement?
Nevertheless, he couldn’t quite infuse the politeness back into his voice. “Mister Takara, are you available to talk now?” he asked, tone flat.
Takara gestured for them to take a seat. Kaoru settled on the spot Mashirao once occupied and immediately pulled Denki up to his lap, finger brushing over the boy’s hair. Nara, meanwhile, sat down on one of the sofa chairs to the side.
Kaoru nodded toward Nara, who began, “As it’s already been discussed at the entrance, Le Diamant is currently behind on payment to its electrical supplier. Thus, we at the Kaminari Electricals office have been asked to investigate the issue. If necessary, a new contract will be drawn up, although you’ll still have to make up the missing payment out of pocket, Mister Takara.”
“Oh no, no, there won’t be any issues with that,” Takara laughed. “Sorry, about the money, it’s just- Things have been so hectic recently that it completely slipped my mind. Of course, I will make the appropriate payment as soon as possible. Do be reassured.”
Nara’s face grew relieved. She smiled at the other man, weariness practically seeping out of the pores of her skin as she clapped her hands together. “That’s great to hear, Mister Takara! Then, I don’t see why we need to bother you any longer. I’m sure you have a great deal to take care of-”
“Ah, but I do feel the need to ask.” Interrupted Takara. He glanced around the room until his eyes landed on Kaoru, still grooming the mess that was Denki’s hair and half-heartedly paying attention to the conversation at hand. “You see, although I am more than happy paying for everyone’s cumulative electric bills, I think it’s about high-time Le Diamant reclaims its former glory. Right now, each of our units have its own electrical meter. Mighty convenient when it comes to renting them out, but I no longer wish to do that. I want to have a central electrical system, with a single electrical meter. How much do I have to pay for that to be achieved, say, within the next month?”
Kaoru and Nara both stared at him. Meanwhile, Denki tried (and failed) to stifle a loud yawn from where he perched on Kaoru’s lap.
“...Ah.” Nara’s eyes flickered toward Kaoru. “Unfortunately, Mister Takara, this matter must be dealt with first by your electrical supplier. We do have our own electricians in-house, but that matter falls outside of Kaminari Electricals’ jurisdiction.”
Takara’s smile fell. “How unfortunate. I truly do appreciate your services, dear guests. Is there really no way to get this dealt with quickly?”
“‘Dealt with quickly?’ Is that why you insist upon kicking out your tenants?” Mused Kaoru. He resumed his administration on Denki’s hair, tugging at the twists and knots at the ends of each strands. Small hands reach out to try and bat his fingers away, but his son soon grew tired of his meddling. With a yawn that sounded much more like a whine, Denki’s head settled on his chest. Before long, Kaoru could hear muted snores emitting from the boy.
Takara’s voice was incredulous when he finally responded. “Dare I say—‘kicked out’ is a rather harsh way to phrase it, my dear. I gave them all the notice they could ever ask for, paid the fees they demanded for breaking our rental contracts. For some, I called upon my connection to ensure their families would be housed for the duration they were without shelter. I did everything in my power to make the transition as smooth as possible!” He sighed, playing with the rings on his fingers.
“Seems it’s not enough.”
“Bah! Mashirao and I go back. Don’t let what he said colours your view of me. He has it out for me, he does!”
“If I may cut in.” Once again, they faced Nara who tossed two full packages of papers onto the wooden tea table. She looked between the two of them, then proceeded to explain. “Mister Takara, inside these, you will find the payment details for the months of June and July. If that is all you need, we’ll be taking our leave now.”
“You’re certain it can’t be done? I must say, Kaminari Electricals has been a pleasure to work with. It would help me immensely if you would aid me in my endeavour.” Takara spreaded his arms, and soon, his blinding smile was back. “I presume neither of you have seen Le Diamant in its heyday, but I assure you, it’s nothing like the mess of cobble it is now. Of course, your office will also be generously rewarded if you would help facilitate a new contract.”
Nara glanced at Kaoru.
She was considering it. Kaoru could see the shine in her tired eyes. Despite his less-than-stellar appearance, Takara had the demeanour of a man who never once faced hardship. If he was willing to spare the expense, Kaminari Electricals had no reason to refuse. Hikari’s death couldn’t have positively impacted the company’s revenue in the past few months, and for Kaoru, this was the golden opportunity to prove himself to the employees.
He couldn’t quite ignore the nagging feeling in his chest, an odd twist in his stomach whenever he looked at Takara. Yet, Kaoru chalked it up to his natural dislike of the man. It didn’t matter if their personalities didn’t match, that Kaoru loathed the mask the other man put on.
It only mattered that Hikari had liked him, once.
“Of course, Mister Takara.” Confidence in Hikari’s past judgement growing, Kaoru finally let his expression loosen into a more inviting smile. He nodded once at Nara. “If you’ll provide us with the details of your renovation plan, our office can connect you with the relevant parties.” He turned back to Takara. “I can see that the future of Le Diamant is in good hands.”
“Yes…” But Takara wasn’t paying attention to him anymore. Instead, his eyes were far away, searching for something beyond the decaying walls of his home. Whatever it was, it must be good, for a moment later, he startled Denki awake with a booming laugh. “Yes, it surely must be.”
.
In the end, Takara offered to give them an exclusive tour of the house, minus Mashirao’s suite, which remained occupied. Kaoru tried to refuse, but a glare from Nara effectively stopped any notion he had of getting home on time for dinner dead in its tracks.
He went on the tour.
Suffice to say, listening to Takara yammer on for two additional hours about the various troubles related to renovating Le Diamant didn’t rank high on the list of things Kaoru wanted to repeat. Even Denki, who received a boost of energy from his impromptu afternoon nap, had fallen back asleep by the time they finished. Kaoru allowed him to rest in his arms whilst he pretended to pay attention to Takara’s riveting tales, all the while Nara hopped around the house to record the locations of all the electrical meters they found.
By the time they wrapped up their visit, the sun was already on the precipice of setting. The red sky reminded Kaoru of the fish roe in his fridge, which he still planned to finish if not tonight, then tomorrow. It was also reminiscent of Hikari’s blood, freshly spilled on their hardwood floor.
“-Should have known that you two are cut from the same cloth.” Kaoru’s head snapped toward the source of the voice. For a second, he stood there, observing Nara.
She was crossing her arms again, brows crossed in a familiar frown. Strange, he could have sworn she was happy with the partnership they managed to secure.
“Miss Nara, will you be returning home now?” Nara scoffed. Kaoru wasn’t certain what hang-ups she had about him, but he was starting to suspect it went deeper than responsibilities to Kaminari Electricals.
“I still gotta return to the office.” For a moment, he could hear the filter in her voice, how she shaped her words to hide the accented tone underneath. Then, Nara cleared his throat, and it was gone. “Just a few last-minute duties I have to see to. I’ll be seeing you tomorrow, Mister Kaminari.”
“A shame.” Kaoru would have offered to buy her a drink. She deserved as much. Perhaps some other times. “I wish you a good day, Miss Nara. Please be careful while you drive.” He glanced down at her pocket, where the outline of her phone could be seen through the fabric.
Nara rolled her eyes.
“Mind your own child first. Look, he’s drooling all over your shirt.” Denki was, indeed, drooling on Kaoru’s tailored dress shirt. He smiled, because he wasn’t bothered by it, even if it had once been a personal gift from Hikari.
Nara left soon after, leaving a trail of dust in her wake. Kaoru adjusted Denki in his arms.
“Papa?” The head on his shoulder shifted. Denki stared up at him with big, golden eyes—slightly droopy from sleep. “I’m hungry.”
Kaoru chuckled, “I see. Can Denki wait until he gets home, or does he want to go outside to eat tonight?”
Denki raised his head to look around. Once, then twice. Kaoru could see the exact moment he came to a decision, for the boy froze in his arms and proceeded to turn to him with the widest pleading eyes.
“Denki wants to go outside to eat.”
“That’s fine. Where does Denki want to eat?”
“There!” Kaoru was already pulling out his wallet by the time Denki pointed toward a noodle stall on the other side of the street.
Despite the hustle and bustle of the neighborhood in the early evening, and despite the inviting sign that hung above the stall, it was devoid of customers. Perhaps this was due to the pungent smell emitting from its open kitchen. “Denki…” Kaoru began, already brainstorming excuses to take his son home and force a healthy meal down his belly. However, Denki refused to budge.
“Papa!” As if sensing Kaoru’s apprehension, a protesting sound escaped the boy’s throat. “You said Denki can pick! No take backs!”
Kaoru smiled.
“Does Denki pinky-promise to finish everything he orders?”
“Promise!” That was a sure sign Denki would not finish his bowl, but Kaoru made sure to keep his sigh to himself. Together, they began to make their way across the street.
At the stall, a single chef was shuffling around in the kitchen, face half-hidden beneath a screen of bamboo. Kaoru resisted the urge to crinkle his nose as he dropped Denki onto the nearest bar seat, then perched himself in front of the open kitchen. He plastered a friendly smile on his face, and raised his hand-
The chef turned back before he even called out his order. Sharp eyes narrowed at the sight of him. Straw blond hair, slightly damp with sweat, were swept aside so that the man could stomp over to him and-
“Mister Mashirao?”
“You? What the hell are you doing here?”