Chapter Text
“-on the left, OUR CURRENT UNDEFEATED CHALLENGER.” The cheers from the crowd nearly shook the abandond parking lot, concrete dust flying around.
“And on our right; two-time reigning champion ever since he turned 20, the Tiger of the West, ITADORI YUJI!” The announcer stepped back into the shadow, allowing the aformentioned person to walk into the clearing.
Itadori looked crazed with a wide grin plastered on his face along with the scar that ran from his temple to near his eye and a star shaped one next to his mouth.
“That pink hair.. where have I seen that before.” Megumi didn’t dwell on that thought and focused on Itadori’s other features.
“Oh he looks pretty, those beautiful amber eyes could drown me over-“ Megumi cut off his scandelous thought and instead looked at Itadoris poor clothing choice “An orange sweater? In june?”
Itadori seemed to envelop in the warm light, basking in it.
“Show them all you got! Let’s give the spectators a real fight!” Itadori’s cocky tone seemed to rile up the other guy as they squared up.
Megumi watched the fight with piqued interest, watching Itadori land devestating blows after another seemingly dashing or jumping over the other partys head when they tried to strike Itadori.
“Is that really all you got? Show me more! We have a crowd to entertain!” Itadori called out, hyping up the opponent even more.
Megumi watched with increasing intrest in this “Itadori Yuji” as Itadori still kept dancing around in the fight before landing a harsh blow into the others chest effectively knocking them out.
The cheers were loud and thundering while Megumi could barely hear his thoughts he could see Itadori helping the other person, looking somewhat bashfull and apologetic.
“Maybe the lead was a dead-end after all-“ Megumi’s thoughts were cut off by someone yelling at him.
“Hey! You there! With the sea urchin hair! Come here!” Itadori was pointing at him?
“Fuck.”
He should’ve declined the mission in retrospect.
—————————
Megumi could feel his thoughts slipping away as he stared at his desk “No leads, no traces and barely a hint. Why did I ever study for this profession” He mentaly groaned, slamming his head against the desk a few times.
The dim, florescent light of his lamp certainly did no favours for him with his vision blurring out of focus a few times.
He opened his phone to a blaring 01:51 and a couple of messages from Gojo.
He promptly turned off his phone and banged his head on the paperwork filled desk.
He debated going to sleep now or try and figure out a decade long mystery in the span of 1 night and a coffee.
He could feel his phone buzzing from a notification “Probably from Gojo again.” He thought numbly, picking up the device and opening Gojo’s texts.
Gojo: i think we have lead
Gumi: wait like for real?
Gojo: yeah like for real
also why are you up so late i told you to get a better sleep schedual
Gumi: first of all thats great news and second of all youre not my dad you know also youre up at the same time
Gojo: you break my heart gumi
dont you remember the times when i took you out to the movies?
Gumi: this conversation is going nowhere, fill me in on the details tmrw
Gojo: okay sleep well ;D
A quick glance at the clock again told him that it was just 01:53.
Megumi turned off the phone, mindlessly setting it down somewhere on his desk.
Getting up from the chair he slowly trudged towards his bed, avoiding Shiro’s bed and flopping on his own.
God. Tsumiki was going to kill him if she ever found out about his less than great times he goes to bed.
He wrapped the blanket around himself, not bothering with the fact he hasn’t brushed his teeth yet and looked like a mess.
His only thoughts while slipping into the calmness of sleep is “Organized crime is a pain in the ass to work with.”
.
The only feeling Megumi could experience was the blissful serenity of sleep caring him.
The loud beeps that interupted him certainly didn’t help.
“Mrmphh, ten more minutes.” He groaned, hearing the telltale sound of his alarm.
He could feel Shiro licking his face “Oh gross!” He giggled, finally getting out of the bed and giving a few pets to his dog.
The phone on his desk was the first problem of the day, the second one was what was on his phone.
.
The graveyard was just as bleak as how he remembered it.
He had brought near weekly bundles of flowers to her, save for times he was busy out of his mind.
Tsumiki’s grave was near the outer edge of the depressing place, a few wilting flowers sitting atop it.
He could feel tears welling up near the corner of his eyes.
“I missed you, a lot. These past few days have been, no great.. per se.” Megumi laughed bleakly, feeling something burn on his cheeks.
He was crying. Megumi crouched down to properly face the gravestone.
Her name was engraved on the stone, still as polished as the day it was placed. No signs of wear yet.
The bouquet that was laying in hands found itself infront of her name, a collection of purple hyacinths and pink carnations, jast as beautiful as he could remember her face.
Tears were still flowing down his face, staining the stone with impure water.
He felt so numb Megumi didn’t notice another form materializing a few graves over.
After a minute or an hour, he couldn’t tell yet he got up from his haunches, still not ready to start the day.
Yes, his job was his first priority and he knew he looked like shit.
He needed a break from everything permantly. Well theres one option that’ll fix that problem, something seemed to whisper in his mind.
He shook his head physically, trying to shake away those treacherous thoughts.
His hands found his face faster than he could think, dragging them slowly down.
“I need to avoid Gojo for as long as possible, even if what he said was true and that there was a promising lead, I would have to be the brains of the operation. Organized crime is such a pain in the ass to work on.” He muttered to himself, getting lost in his thoughts of his job.
He could vaguely register the other person in the graveyard was starting to move, yet he paid no attention to them.
“If I ignore my texts Gojo would break down the door of my apartment, so thats a definite no. On the other side I could call in sick- GAH OOMPH.” Before he could finish his spiraling thoughts, Megumi was crashed headfirst by someone running straight into him.
Megumi was the one who fell, which he felt the telltale pain blossoming “Ah, just what I needed to start the day.”
Before Megumi could get a good look at the offender or to see if Shiro was alright.
There were a bouquet of flowers now situatated in his arms.
He sat there on the pavement for a second, wondering if it was really worth the effort of getting back up again after such an embaressing fall.
He finally raised his head towards the offending assailant. “Bright pink hair?”
Megumi was momentarily stunned by the exotic color until the stranger started bowing at him like Megumi was going to execute them on the spot.
“I am so, so, so sorry! I need to bonce somewhere right now or else he’ll have my head and I didn’t see where you were and-“ Megumi cut off the pink-haired stranger’s apologies with a curt nod.
The stranger held out a hand towards Megumi, clearly being slightly bashful with their head turned away and about the fact they ran into Megumi head-first.
“No, no it’s my fault, I wasn’t looking.” He grabbed the outstretched hand, noting in his head that they were missing a pinky finger and a ring finger.
“A yakuza member?” Megumi noted yet didn’t keep that thought for very long.
“Oh wow, their hand is strong.” He thought while they pulled him up in one fluid motion.
The bouquet was still in his hand, a mixture of blue hydrangeas and white tulips he mused.
Megumi wiped off some dirt on his pants and the faint hint of blush on his face.
Shiro waited patiently next to him, looking a bit confused but overal was fine and sat patiently down.
The stranger was bowing fervently at Megumi, their pink hair flopping over their face obscuring it from view.
“My deepest apologies! Thank you for not being mad, but I really, really to go now! Cheers!”They spoke hastily before dashing off somewhere behind Megumi in the graveyard.
He couldn’t process anything they said other than the fact they had bright, pink hair and was apparently fast enough to dissapear from his sight within the second.
The flowers lay in his hand, feeling heavy yet light as a feather at the same time.
Shiro apparently could process it and was begging Megumi for more treats “Aghh, Shiro.. we really need to get you on diet.”
He still handed Shiro a treat, scratching it behind it’s ears.
Maybe he should’ve stayed home instead of getting embarrased by strong, pink haired guy at the grave.
His thoughts were cut off apruptly by his phone.
Ring!
Ring!
“Goddamnit, Gojo will have my head plastered on every sign if I dont pick it up.” He thought meekfully walking over to the nearest bench to take the call.
“Shiro, stay. I have to take something.” Shiro layed down dutifully, taking a small rest.
“Helloooo Gumi! Hows my favourite detective doing?” Gojos ever so jolly voice that came out of the speaker never stopped to mildly irritate him.
“I’m doing fine, other than the fact some guy bumped into me. I assume this call is about the lead? And try to cut to the chase this time.”
“Oh, you wound me so Megumi-kun, buuut..! Head to your detective office first and then I’ll tell you all the details you want.”
A pause came from the other line before continuing.
“Who bumped into you anyways? All your 183cm and pitch black clothing surely warned them about you ten blocks away?” Gojo’s tone was curious (bad) and a little mischievious (even worse).
“Can I first take Shiro back to my apartment, then I’ll hop over to the office and you can pester me there.” He ignored the other elephant in the room that Gojo said in favour of hurrying up the call.
Megumi could feel a mild headache bubbling in his temples.
“Alrighty-o Megumi-kun, see you at the station. Don’t get lost!” And with that the call ended and all Megumi could see was his own face reflected from his phone.
—
He sulkingly walked back to his apartment, climbing the numerous stairs and unlocking the door.
The place was small having only a livingroom and seperate sleeping area, living close to the outskirts of Tokyo.
Living alone was still a new development as he sighed forlornly looking at the half empty living room.
The room had a singular couch and table facing the wall, it was a pitiful sight for a guy that was the adopted son of the police chief.
Shiro was excitedly jumping around, its pitch black fur looking like a blur.
Megumi filled its water bowl and food bowl for the day.
The flowers lay heavy in his hands, delicate as ever. If the stranger wanted their flowers back, maybe Megumi could gain some karma in the long run.
He set the bouquet on the table and grabbed an empty vase, a meaningless gift from a long gone aquaintence.
The pitcher filled quickly enough as he set the flowers in the vase, the bright colors contrasting in his very empty room.
“You should really get some flowers Megumi!” She laughed brightly, pointing incredulously at him.
Tsumiki would laugh at my state of living if she was here.” With that thought he recloses the door and left building.
—
The office opened to Gojo leaning on his desk and clearly snooping around in his scattered papers.
“Gojo-san get off my desk now.” Megumi said sternly, watching the older man pout slightly before leaning onto the other wall.
Megumi headed over to his desk, not bothering to organize the papers. “So? Whats the lead you were talking about? This better not be one of your tasteless pranks to get me out of the apartment.”
“Don’t worry your little head off Megumi-kun I can confidently tell you that my sources are factual for your matter of fact.” Gojo adjusted his position to directly look at Megumi from behind his shaded glasses.
“Well we did get an anonymous tip about the yakuza having relations to the fight club where.. Hakari fucked off to.”
Megumi shifted slightly at the mention of Hakari, his former senior. “And you’re sure this “anonymous tip” isn’t some trap for us?” He emphasised his words with air quotes.
“That’s why you’ll be going undercover!”
“I’ll be going what.” Megumi stared dumbly at Gojo for a hot second.
“Since you’re the only one in this building that can get in and out without being spotted easily—Zenin-kun is currently working on a seperate case, Inumaki-kun is mute and has white hair and Okkotsu-kun is also helping Zenin with her case.” Gojo clapped his hands togeher for emphasis.
“Which leaves you, my pride and joy to help with taking down the yakuza here.”
Megumi was stunlocked. “Just to make sure we’re on the same boat here. You want me to investigate the biggest yakuza of this decade by sending me undercover.”
Gojo seemed to grin at his revelation. “Righty-o Megumi-kun!” He followed up with something else. “But in all seriousness, if you ever feel like your life is in danger. You can quit the case anytime.”
Megumi nodded at his words. “Yeah I know, I can come to you for anything or if I need to get something off my chest.” He didn’t want to admit that those things made him feel secure.
———
That’s how he found himself in a rundown, old parking lot, snooping around the various heavily suspicious people that have gathered around.
The air was vaguely stale and the suspence was lingering around, Megumi was weaving around the other people.
He had followed the crowd to an open-ish area of the building, the middle part was caved in and cleared of debris yet old rebar and concrete gathered around the edges.
There was some uninteresting person on one side of the ring, clearly waiting for the announcer to say something.