Chapter Text
Isolated and always giving off a creepy atmosphere were the most common descriptions of Akatsuka village. If given a choice, no reporter - no, definitely no normal person - would want to get near here for news hunting, even the most desperate one. Yet, Aogo Karatsugu - a newcomer - had come all the way to this mountain town for his first ever solo reporting mission.
Was he afraid? Of course he was. However, Karatsugu had been feeling a very strong pull towards this town ever since the phone call to his office. Someone was calling him.
As soon as the heat reached his skin when he stepped out of the train, Karatsugu was woken up, or felt like that. He was quite certain he hadn't closed his eyes even for a single second during the train ride. He was busy organizing the questions for the interview with the young flower arranger, whose father was rumored to scandalize the world of flower arranging. However, for some moment, he felt like he was dreaming.
"Come to me…"
"… Karamatsu-niisan."
Snapped back to his senses, Karatsugu almost had his heart shot out of his throat when his gaze met with a pair of wide-opened eyes of a paper bag? No, that was a person wearing a paper bag on his head with only two holes for his vision. "Are you talking to me?" Karatsugu asked cautiously, pointing at himself.
The paper bag person gave a few happy nods. "You must be Karamatsu-niisan." he repeated.
"No, I'm Karatsugu. Aogo Karatsugu." the reporter corrected, "Why did you call me 'matsu'? And why are you wearing a paper bag?" Aside from looking a bit creepy, the paper bag piqued Karatsugu's curiosity. Who would want to add an accessory on their head in this hot weather? Let alone cover their whole head in a paper bag.
However, the paper bag person ignored the questions. "You should probably make a call if you want a drive." he said, "Taxis don't come here very often."
Although slightly dejected for not getting an answer, Karatsugu shrugged it off. A paper bag person could have potential as a scoop but he was onto a bigger and more intriguing scoop. "Thank you for your help." he bowed his head slightly then looked around and soon found a direct line. "You look a bit strange but you're very nice." he waved his hand at the paper bag person as a goodbye before dashing off. Did his compliment sound off? He hoped not.
After the shortest call ever to the transportation service, Karatsugu walked back to where the paper bag person was waiting, informing that he couldn't call for two taxis so they would have to settle for carpooling. The paper bag person didn't have any complaints.
A taxi arrived a few minutes later.
"… miss him…"
Karatsugu spun around, frowning when he found no one.
"Karamatsu-niisan, aren't you coming?" the paper bag person called from inside the taxi, his hand waving energetically despite the almost unbearable heat.
"Sorry, I'm coming!" Karatsugu tried yelling but his voice came out tired. This cursed heat. Even in the city, it wasn't as hot. "And my name is Karatsugu." he corrected again as he got in the taxi.
"Got it, Karamatsu-niisan." the paper bag person nodded cheerfully. The reporter rolled his eyes.
"… it's him…"
…
The drive was more hellish than Karatsugu could imagine because of the broken AC. However, he gained an interesting story and two local friends so it was not that bad, except that instead of going straight to his destination, they had to stop by a café or they would all melt.
The delay turned out to be more worthwhile than Karatsugu had expected. Aside from the taxi driver - Akashika Oozou, he now learnt that his face was somewhat generic… because there were three more people with the same face as his, which made them a group of five same persons now. Karatsugu didn't know how to feel about that. It would be impressive if they turned out to be long lost brothers. However, if that wasn't the case, it would be creepy to say in the least - or would be a scoop-
"Aogo-san?"
Karatsugu snapped his head to the right, colliding with something painfully. He let out a groan at the same time with someone before glancing at his right side again; Oozou was holding his forehead with a grimace.
"S-sorry," Karatsugu started first, "I didn't know you were that close."
Oozou waved his hands, "It's fine, I thought you passed out due to the heat." he grinned, ignoring the red spot slowly forming on his forehead. "Are you okay?" he asked with a more concerned tone, "You seem a bit out of it-"
"I'm fine!" Karatsugu answered almost instantly, unaware that it only made him sound more suspicious. However, before the taxi driver could point that out, he continued, "Where are the others?"
"Outside, waiting for you." Oozou answered, seemingly not satisfied with how the reporter was dodging the question but deciding to let it slide.
They both got out of the taxi and went to where the other three were waiting: the entrance of Midorito mansion. Oogami Toshio - the paper bag person - was knocking on the wooden double door vigorously while Shisaka Hajime - coming from the city in search of his missing dad - and Momose Takashi - the NY café owner - were having a weary expression on their faces.
"It's late, keep it down." Takashi reminded Toshio quietly.
"Don't worry, there is no one else living around here." Toshio reassured. Or not. Because that new piece of information sounded anything but reassuring.
Luckily, before anything jumped out of nearby bushes, the double doors were opened, revealing a man in green kimono.
"Welcome, everyone. I'm Chorosuke, the head of Midorito family." the green kimono man calmly introduced. From him radiated the vibe of a person with high status-
"I'm Jyushimatsu, the pitcher! Choromatsu-niisan." Toshio greeted energetically.
"Shut up!" The calming atmosphere shattered instantly with Chorosuke's shouting. So much for the first impression. "Don't go around calling me 'niisan', unless you're aiming to date Dayoko." he warned, voice strict, "However, based on my judgment, you're far from qualified."
Only until then, Karatsugu noticed another person standing three steps behind Chorosuke. That had to be Chorosuke's sister: lady Dayoko. Although their appearances were greatly different, the atmosphere around them was the same, if not saying Dayoko's poise was a little better than the head of the family himself.
While Karatsugu was getting a better look at Dayoko, the others already commented on how different the Midoritos were. "They seem similar to me." the reporter piped in, getting a look from Hajime as if he wanted to ask if Karatsugu was blind. "Their personalities, maybe?" he added wryly, then switched topic before anyone started arguing, "Wow, now we have six people with the same face!" Forget flower arranging, this would be a big scoop!
Chorosuke was clearly not amused and had no interest in continuing this rude conversation so he led them inside, asking Dayoko to prepare tea so they could have a proper discussion about the matter he was concerned about.
"You might not believe it but he looks exactly like my late father!" was Chorosuke's serious claim with two pictures on the table as his evidence, one belonging to the late head of the Midorito family and the other being the priest of Akatsuka village - Oogami Toshio's father.
"They're identical!" Oozou exclaimed incredulously, hastily pulling out his wallet and showing the others a small picture inside, "He looks like my dead father too?!"
"Not only we have the same face but our fathers too…" Karatsugu mumbled in bewilderment. He didn't bring a picture of his late father like the locals but these men in the pictures undoubtedly looked like his dad, minus a few details.
After Takashi also revealed his dead father's picture, the room fell into silence with each person following their own thoughts. Oozou gave Karatsugu a long look as if asking if he was okay because he hadn't mentioned a scoop like he always did whenever something interesting came up. The reporter sent back a strained smile.
"It seems that we all have real names." Toshio was the one breaking the silence. He looked at Takashi, who jumped a little when everyone's attention was drawn to him. "Totty, can you give Choromatsu-niisan the journal?"
Not minding the wrong name or the suffix 'niisan', Chorosuke grabbed the small notebook Takashi produced from his pants pocket. His eyes ran over whatever was written inside so fast, it looked like he didn't really read but just skimmed to find the information Toshio'd just mentioned. Seemingly having found it, Chorosuke read out loud: "Eldest son Osomatsu."
Oozou's eyes widened to the point it could pop out.
"Second son Karamatsu."
Pointing a finger at himself, Karatsugu stared at Chorosuke, mouth slightly opened without making any sound.
"Third son Choromatsu." Chorosuke repeated that line a couple of times before his brows furrowed into a line. "I'm the third son?" he questioned confusedly, "But I'm…" Halting, he pressed his lips together, taking a deep breath. "This is somehow shaking the core of my identity but I can handle it." he whispered under his breath, "I have a big heart, I can handle it."
It seemed Hajime'd already known of the contents of that journal so he didn't urge Chorosuke to continue. However, his silence and indifferent expression were worrying. Takashi offered him a slight pat on his shoulder but Hajime didn't even glance back.
…
The trip to the Flag factory in a taxi trunk was bumping, not to mention the heat despite night time. However, Karatsugu didn't have the mind to complain about that. Yes, that was unfair that he had to take the trunk, but still, he was more concerned about what he kept hearing since he'd decided to come here. The whisper…
"Come to me… You're close."
The voice became clearer and clearer. At first, he had thought it had been because of the quietness of his surroundings, but now he could tell with certainty that it got easier to listen to the closer he was to the Twin peaks. Whatever that had been calling him had to be here.
"Have you been to Akatsuka before?" Oozou's voice pulled the reporter off his thoughts.
Karatsugu didn't notice that he had been falling behind the group as they were strolling over the vast yard of the abandoned factory. Then he remembered Oozou's question. "No, this is my first time." Karatsugu answered. If he's visited this town, why would he bother to take the train? It was within driving distance. Why did Oozou even need to ask?
Seemingly understanding Karatsugu's silent question, Oozou gestured with his eyes towards a direction, saying, "You keep looking at the direction of the Twin peaks and space out."
"Oh," Karatsugu responded lamely, blushing a bit due to embarrassment. "I keep hearing a voice." he admitted truthfully. He didn't mention this earlier because they were having more important things to attend to.
"A voice?" Oozou frowned slightly.
"I know it sounds silly but that voice keeps calling me to somewhere, those Twin peaks maybe." the reporter explained.
"Why did you never mention it?"
Karatsugu gave a dry laugh. "It seems that only I can hear it so…" he shrugged, "It could be the heat getting to my head-"
"Don't answer it." Oozou interrupted, "Whatever it says, never give an answer, or your soul will be taken."
Before Karatsugu could ask why, they arrived at the factory's large metal door. Oozou tried opening it but obviously, it was locked. Chorosuke gave them a lecture about trespassing but got ignored, then Oozou found the exterior stairs leading to the roof of the factory so they decided to try it out.
"It's too dark to see much from above though." Karatsugu commented. He didn't mean to discourage anyone but he already had a hard time seeing the ground as soon as they climbed passed the first floor.
"You can see more if you remove your shades." Hajime probably rolled his eyes while saying this, followed by a few snickers from everyone.
"They're prescribed, I can't see without them." Karatsugu defended.
"Why would you get a pair of prescription sunglasses in the first place?" Takashi chuckled, not bothering to hide his sarcastic tone.
"Stop joking so loudly, we'll be in big trouble if we get caught." Chorosuke reminded. Who could blame him for being overly self-conscious, considering his position in the society.
They finally arrived safely at the rooftop. Takashi was a bit out of breath while Hajime looked like he could collapse anytime. On the other hand, Toshio was as energetic as if they hadn't climbed several stories. They searched around for a couple of minutes before finding a ladder leading to the factory's sign board.
"Again?" Hajime grumbled tiredly. Therefore, everyone pushed him to climb up first so they could catch him in case he fainted and fell. Luckily, Hajime reached the destination without anything happening. "I can't see," he said, "I need a light."
Oozou swept out a flashlight from nowhere, then they began to examine the sign board. However, their discussion was harshly interrupted by Takashi informing a car driving into the factory's vicinity. Oozou immediately turned off the light.
"It's my fa-? No, it's Mr. Oogami." Takashi whispered, pointing at the figure appearing from the car.
"There is a woman next to him." Hajime added.
Chorosuke instantly shook his head, "It's a man. He's my student, Iyami-san."
Karatsugu was thankful that his friends were narrating the situation or else, he wouldn't know what was happening. The car light was bright but he couldn't tell who from who because of his shades.
Toshio's father and Iyami disappeared into the warehouse then came right back out, followed by many more people, making all six of them gasp.
Although his vision was greatly hindered by the shades, Karatsugu wouldn't mistake that figure for anyone else. "Father…" he whispered breathlessly, not noticing his own trembling hand till another hand grabbed it.
"He isn't your father." whispered Oozou firmly.
And for some reason, Karatsugu believed it.
…
The group of six returned to Midorito mansion when the moon was high in the sky. Miraculously, Oozou's taxi wasn't spotted by Mr. Oogami's group. No one dared to think of the consequence if it had been found out.
Usually, this would be Karatsugu's sleeping time. However, all the walking and climbing, together with the cursed heat, made him sweat like hell. Sweats mixed with his heavy cologne gave a terrible smell that even he had a hard time withstanding; he could only imagine how his roommates tonight would deal with it.
Luckily, Chorosuke promised to prepare a bath for them after a meal. Talking about meal… had they just gone investigating something dangerous without eating? That was careless; what if they ran out of energy in the middle of a chase? Shaking his head to chase away bad thoughts, Karatsugu looked around. There were only two more people in the room with him: Hajime and Takashi. Chorosuke had gone to prepare their meal with Dayoko. However, why were Oozou and Toshio also nowhere in sight? Had they gone out while Karatsugu'd been thinking?
Despite wanting to find Oozou to ask more about the mysterious voice matter, Karatsugu's attention was drawn to the exhausted Hajime laying on the floor with Takashi sitting beside and fanning him with a hand fan.
"Is he okay?" Karatsugu decided to ask Takashi because Hajime was clearly in no condition for random talk.
The NY café owner took a quick glance at Hajime before sending Karatsugu a wry smile. "Barely alive, I guess." he giggled when Hajime made a bothered sound, "He isn't used to heavy work."
Karatsugu tried to hold back his laugh. "He's from the city so it's understandable." he tried to sound understanding but failed due to a few snickers slipping out in the middle of his sentence.
"Aren't you also from the city?" Takashi pointed out.
"Maybe his work doesn't allow him to move around much." the reporter suggested.
"I don't have a job."
Karatsugu raised a brow at Takashi but he shook his head. Oh, the voice came from his side. Hajime slowly lifted himself off the floor, sitting cross-legged, repeating: "I don't have a job in the city, I'm jobless."
Oops. "Or maybe you're busy studying-"
"I'm not a college student either." Hajime shot Karatsugu down before he could finish his sentence. "I basically don't know what to do with my life." he said casually as if that wasn't a serious problem.
"But you must have something you like to do, or something you're good at." Karatsugu refused to back down.
Hajime crossed his arms thoughtfully. "I like reading," he finally said, "but I don't know what I'm good at, reading too, maybe."
"You're good at observing." Takashi piped in, earning a doubtful look from Hajime. "You figured out why Jyushimatsu-kun called me Todomatsu and you Ichimatsu." he explained his claim.
"That's just logic-"
"Are you saying that I'm stupid?" Takashi pouted.
"No, I mean-" Hajime hastily clarified but stopped midway, struggling to find what to say.
Fortunately for Hajime, the door slid open, cutting short their conversation, revealing Oozou and Toshio.
"What're you talking about?" Oozou started, allowing himself a spot beside Karatsugu before anyone could oppose. Then seemingly just noticing Hajime, he made a surprised face, "Oh, you're alive again."
"I forgot my book so I came back from Hell to fetch it." said Hajime.
"Seriously?" Karatsugu gasped, sweeping out his recorder.
"I'm joking." Hajime looked sideways.
"I told you to at least smile when you joke, Shisaka-san." Takashi laughed, slapping Hajime's shoulders.
They joked around for a few more minutes before the door opened again with Chorosuke and Dayoko serving them their evening meal. It was memorable in more than one way.
Karatsugu enjoyed it nevertheless. It had been a long time since the last time he'd had a non-business meal together with other people. He often cooked for himself but couldn't recall a meal as warm.
Toshio bid his goodbye after the meal, refusing the bath because his grandma was waiting for him. Oozou offered him a ride but he insisted on using the shortcut.
"Where were you and Jyushimatsu-kun?" catching up to Oozou on the way to the bath, Karatsugu asked, unknowingly keeping his voice low.
Oozou turned to him with a questioning look, then made an 'ah', "Jyushimatsu was a bit shaken up so I lent him an ear."
"He was? I couldn't tell." Karatsugu scratched the back of his head, slightly ashamed for not paying enough attention.
"I can lend you an ear too, you know?" Oozou threw an arm around Karatsugu's shoulders, pulling him closer.
Startled by the abrupt friendly gesture, the reporter stuttered, "E-Eh? N-No, I don't have any problem."
Oozou didn't answer, simply dragging Karatsugu along with an understanding grin on his face. Could it be that Oozou was referring to the shock Karatsugu had experienced when he'd seen the man resembling his late father? No way. The reporter shook his head.
…
Morning breeze woke Karatsugu from his slumber. He sat up but an arm held him back. Glancing to that direction, he almost choked on his own breath seeing Oozou barely wearing anything. Wiping his eyes in a hurry, Karatsugu took a deep breath before getting a better look at his friend. Oh, he breathed out, Oozou's yukata was just getting loose due to him moving too much in his sleep.
Gently removing Oozou's arm, Karatsugu debated fixing Oozou's yukata and just leaving him be. He went with the latter, not wanting to disturb the taxi driver's sleep. Oozou made some disagreeing sound but fell back to sleep right away. Before leaving, Karatsugu noted that Takashi was still snoring softly in his spot while Hajime's futon was already folded neatly. Wasn't it a bit too early for a non-working person to wake up? They had gone to sleep quite late last night.
On the way to the bathroom, Karatsugu spotted Hajime sitting at the porch, staring at the empty yard. Hajime didn't show any sign of noticing the reporter's presence though. Busy with his thoughts, maybe. Therefore, Karatsugu skipped over to the bathroom, washing his face and brushing his teeth then coming back.
Sitting down a good two steps away from Hajime, Karatsugu greeted: "Good morning, Shisaka-san." He was afraid he would startle the city fellow but Hajime didn't react. "Shisaka-san?" Karatsugu tried again. Still no response. Would it be a good idea to try shaking him? But what if Hajime was sleeping with his eyes open?
"What do you need, Aogo-san?"
Karatsugu's shoulders went up to his ears. "I just- I mean… Good morning!" he struggled lamely under Hajime's uninterested look.
"Good morning." replied Hajime.
Then they stared at each other awkwardly until Karatsugu couldn't withstand it anymore and looked down. "Are you writing something?" he started randomly, noting Hajime's opened notebook and a pen on his other hand.
Hajime closed his notebook almost instantly. "Nothing," he said; then seemingly realizing that was rude, he added, "Nothing important, I just noted down what I've learned from yesterday."
"You're quite careful, aren't you?" Karatsugu unconsciously moved closer to Hajime. He hadn't even touched his recorder since the time he'd arrived here, yet Hajime's notebook seemed filled with words and drawings. He really should be more productive or this whole business trip would be for waste.
Hajime looked sideways. "Just do what I need to." he mumbled.
All of the sudden, a pair of arms wrapped around Hajime's and Karatsugu's shoulders, startling both of them. "Good morning!" Oozou greeted cheerfully, pulling both of them closer to him.
"Go brushing your teeth first." Hajime tried to turn away, eyebrows furrowed.
"Don't be a grumpy old man like Chorosuke, it's boring." Oozou whined, releasing a breath at Hajime on purpose, making his face churn up. The more Hajime seemed annoyed, the more Oozou leaned towards his side. Only until Hajime forcefully pushed him away and stood up, he broke out laughing.
"Breakfast will be ready in the drawing room after fifteen more minutes." was Hajime's final message before he practically ran to their sleeping room, probably to wake Takashi, but it looked more like he just wanted to escape Oozou.
Waiting for Oozou's laughing to subside, Karatsugu also stood up, pulling the taxi driver to the bathroom with him despite his complaints. Somehow he felt that Oozou would keep his morning breath to annoy Hajime and Chorosuke later if no one forced him to brush his teeth.
…
After breakfast, Takashi needed to go back to watch his café so Oozou gave him a drive for free. Because Oozou already asked for a day off from his company, he was using the taxi as his own property. Thankfully, Chorosuke - being the man with a big heart - agreed to pay for the gasoline. Having no reason to stay around and bother Chorosuke's delicate work, Karatsugu and Hajime also took the drive.
Hajime got off at NY café together with Takashi although Oozou suggested a trip around the mountain town.
"I have something I need to investigate." was Hajime's reason.
"Does he need to be that secretive?" Oozou complained while they were on the way to the most lively area of the town, "I mean, aren't we already in this together? It wouldn't hurt to share what he knows, would it?"
"Shisaka-san's searching for his missing father, not just discovering the mystery of Akatsuka village." Karatsugu reminded. Then noticing Oozou's pout, he tried to hold back a laugh, adding, "At least that reduced the number of people in your taxi, thus less hot."
"You have a point." Oozou grumbled, still sounding whiny.
They arrived at the centre of Akatsuka village, which was as crowded as the district Karatsugu lived in at midnight. Houses and stores were sparse. On the main road, there were only a handful of villagers either strolling to enjoy a peaceful morning or hurrying somewhere. Karatsugu thought the emptiness was because it was still early but Oozou assured him that this was the busiest this village could get on a daily basis.
"I usually get my breakfast there." Oozou pointed to his right side at a stall selling rice balls and sandwiches.
Karatsugu followed with his eyes, commenting: "They lack nutrition."
"What choice do I have?" Oozou shrugged, "My dad did the cooking before, I didn't think I needed cooking skills to pass as a taxi driver."
Although Oozou purposely made it sound like a joke, Karatsugu still heard a hint of sorrow. "What's about that store? It looks old." he pointed at an old establishment that looked like it might collapse after a weak storm, hoping to stir the conversation away from the unwanted topic.
"Antique store," Oozou wrinkled his brows, "or at least that's what they call themselves. It seems like a trash pile to me."
Karatsugu chuckled, snapping a picture of that store. Oozou gave him a look like saying 'why are you interested in trash?'. Then they proceeded to a less populated area, which Karatsugu found more interesting sceneries to take photos of. Oozou acted like a tour guide who did a terrible job at introducing his hometown to a visitor. He kept warning like 'Don't go there, or you will die.' at the most intriguing locations.
They soon ran out of what to visit, or simply because Oozou didn't like the thought of driving up the mountain at this time of the day. His reason was that they would visit the Twin peaks this night anyway, why they should double the task. Obviously, Karatsugu couldn't argue. Therefore, they drove around the town, chatting randomly.
"There's something funny about the whisper I told you about." Karatsugu finally reached the topic he wanted to discuss. It took him almost all the morning, not because Oozou'd been dodging but it'd simply slipped his mind.
"What is it?"
"It stops whenever I'm with you."
Oozou reduced the speed so he could look at Karatsugu, "You've been around me since you came here."
"How do I explain this?" Karatsugu put a hand on his chin, "It only stops when you're within my reach." He put a hand on Oozou's shoulder for demonstration, careful not to affect his control. "Especially when I touch you, or like when you hugged me this morning-" He cleared his throat, slightly embarrassed as he remembered Oozou's sleeping state.
The taxi driver was silent for a few seconds before chuckling, "Should we always be together from now on?" Karatsugu snapped his head to Oozou, who immediately broke out laughing. "I'm joking." he wiped tears from the corner of his eye.
"It isn't much of a bother so I'm fine by myself." Karatsugu shrugged, trying to sound nonchalant to cover for his flustered expression. "However, will I really lose my soul when I respond to it?" He changed the topic.
Fortunately, Oozou didn't prolong his teasing. "It's one of the legends here, no evidence or witnesses though." he said, eyes focusing on the road, "You can try answering if you're curious, but I advise against it."
Even if his reporter instinct urged him to try, his guts told him otherwise; and Karatsugu wasn't that stupid to risk his life for a scoop. Moreover, for Oozou to actually be wary of something, it had to be dangerous enough.
"Don't make that serious face." Oozou reached a hand over to pull on Karatsugu's cheek, making him yelp in surprise, "You'll be fine as long as I'm around." He grinned, "Aren't I your older brother? I'll protect you."
Frozen for a good minute, then before Karatsugu realized it, his mouth had already formed a wide smile. "That'd be nice." he said gently, sending Oozou a sincere look, "I still can't wrap my mind around having a sibling, but… it feels nice to have you as my brother." He scratched the back of his head clumsily, noticing Oozou's lack of reaction.
Oozou's confident grin slowly shrunk; he evaded Karatsugu's look. "It's great." he said simply, "Having a brother, I mean."
Tilting his head to the side in confusion, Karatsugu leaned forward, trying to meet Oozou's eyes to no avail. Then it hit him. "Are you embarrassed?" he asked jokingly.
"Why would I?" Oozou rolled his eyes, looking slightly annoyed but a pink color dusting his cheeks ultimately betrayed him.
Karatsugu's smile grew wider, "I didn't expect you could be embarrassed." he teased, "That's cute." Then realizing that he had gone overboard, he slapped a hand to his mouth, looking away. "Sorry," he mumbled shyly.
Their trip fell into an awkward silence until Oozou stopped by a vending machine to get each of them a coffee can, then they started on another topic about Akatsuka village and their religious rituals.
…
Having lunch at NY café was a great idea, not only because Takashi was a good cook, but also because he gave a discount. Or to be more exact, Takashi was forced to give a discount to Oozou and Karatsugu because he was giving Hajime a free meal. They'd arrived perfectly on time when Takashi finished cooking Hajime's dish, so the café owner couldn't protest.
"We're all your big brothers but you only let Hajime eat for free, isn't it unfair?" was how Oozou got them a discount.
Well, it still wasn't free, but better than paying in full.
"I can't believe it. You two working adults are here mooching off of my small business." Takashi was complaining the whole time making their lunch.
To be fair, Hajime didn't have a job, so his expense had to be limited, not to mention he'd only come here because of Takashi's letter. Therefore, it was understandable for Takashi to treat him better than the rest. However, for some reason, neither Oozou nor Karatsugu felt guilty for demanding the discount.
Bullying the youngest was entertaining, maybe. Of course that was a joke, Karatsugu reminded himself. This was only to close the distance Takashi had been keeping with the others in the group.
After lunch, Oozou wanted to hang around for a while longer because of the AC. Karatsugu didn't oppose. So did Takashi and Hajime. There wasn't any other customer anyway. The villagers were all busy preparing for the Jyushimatsu festival this night.
"Don't you want to take photos of the festival preparation?" Hajime questioned while Karatsugu was giving his camera a checkup.
Carefully placing the camera on the counter, Karatsugu turned to meet Hajime's eyes. "I do," he gave a hesitant smile, "but I'm not sure where to go."
"You're having a free local personal driver." Hajime gestured with his eyes towards a lazy Oozou at one of the tables of the cafe.
"He's been driving me around all morning." and did a terrible guiding job, Karatsugu bit back the remaining.
"I don't think he will mind taking you around for another trip."
Hajime wasn't necessarily wrong. Oozou seemed lazy, but he obviously wouldn't ignore his friends' requests if he could help. "Not that he doesn't want to." Karatsugu also looked at Oozou, who was now leaning his face on a palm and dozing off, "But I think he needs some rest."
There was a moment of silence, making Karatsugu turn back to make sure Hajime hadn't walked away. Hajime hadn't, but seemed surprised for some reason.
"Did I say something wrong?" the reporter asked warily.
Hajime shook his head slightly to assure that there was nothing wrong, "I'm just surprised that you noticed."
"Noticed?" Karatsugu raised his brows.
"That Akashika-san went out last night after we went to sleep."
Karatsugu blinked once, then twice, then several more times while his brain was processing the information. "What?" he sprang up, "He went out?!"
Startled, Hajime backed up, almost falling off his chair but managing to keep balance. He stared at Karatsugu confusedly, eyebrows furrowed, "I thought you knew?"
"No, when did he go out?" Karatsugu sat back down, placing a hand on his forehead, trying to recall whatever he could about last night and this morning. "No way, he was sleeping beside me this morning."
"I'm not sure when he went out, but he obviously came back before any of us woke up. I found his shoes with a lot of withered leaves stuck on, not to mention the different placement." Hajime lowered his voice, glancing at Oozou as if checking if he was listening.
That was astonishing, if Karatsugu was honest. Not the fact that Oozou had gone out - of course this was indeed questionable - but the fact that Hajime paid attention to their shoes' positions. "Maybe Dayoko sorted our shoes?" he suggested, "And this is August, there is nothing wrong with having withered leaves on our shoes, isn't there?"
Hajime didn't argue, only staring at Karatsugu as if asking if he really trusted his own words. The reporter faltered right away. "There were leaves in the yard of the factory but the soil was dry so they didn't stick on our shoes." Hajime explained monotonously, "So for his shoes to have that many leaves, he had to go through the forest in the middle of the night. That's why he lacks sleep." He crossed his arms, looking slightly disappointed, "You said he needed more rest so I thought you meant this."
Karatsugu scratched his neck embarrassedly. "I just felt that his focus was kinda off this morning, so…" he trailed off, slightly ashamed of his lack of observing skills.
"That's brave of you, Aogo-san." Takashi piped in from behind the counter, probably listening to the whole conversation while drying the dishes, "Weren't you scared when you found his focus off?"
Now that Takashi had mentioned it. Karatsugu swallowed thickly. They hadn't hit anything or anyone because the roads were empty. If they'd been in the city, Oozou would've crashed at least ten times or sent several people to the hospital. "It's not that bad." he laughed dryly. Yeah, not that bad.
Their conversation drifted to other matters until Karatsugu somehow heard a soft snoring coming from Oozou's direction. He unknowingly stopped talking to turn around, which made the other two mimic his action.
"Don't sleep here-" Takashi started but halted immediately when Karatsugu gestured for him to keep silent.
"Is there anywhere he can rest?" asked Karatsugu quietly.
Takashi didn't seem to like the idea but still pointed at the back of his café, "There is a resting room for staff, he can sleep on the bench."
"Isn't it fine for him to sleep here, you don't have any customers-" Hajime stopped when Takashi shot him a scowl.
While Takashi was busy explaining to Hajime that his café only didn't have any customers today because of the festival, Karatsugu already left his seat and walked over to Oozou's side. He gave the taxi driver's shoulders a slight shake, hoping that wouldn't startle him.
Oozou cracked his eyes open tiredly, giving Karatsugu a dreamy smile as their eyes met. "It's time to go again?" he asked lazily, clearly not wanting to continue the trip.
"No, I know you're tired and bored of it," Karatsugu gave him a firm head shake, "but if you want to sleep, you can sleep in the staff room." He gestured with his eyes towards the door at the back.
Following the reporter's gaze, then Oozou stretched his back and leaned on the backrest of his seat, sending Karatsugu a mischievous look, "I don't feel like moving."
"But Momose-san-"
"I didn't say I don't want to sleep in the staff room," Oozou interrupted, making Karatsugu tilt his head in confusion, "but I'm too lazy to move now, so if you carry me, I won't oppose-"
"I see." Karatsugu nodded understandingly before the taxi driver could finish his sentence, "Give me your hand."
Eyes widening a bit in surprise, Oozou instinctively put his hand on Karatsugu's opened one, chuckling, "I'm jok-"
Effortlessly, Karatsugu pulled Oozou out of the table and lifted him up in bridal style. Hajime instantly spat out the water he just sipped while Takashi's eyes almost popped out. "Let's go." Karatsugu smiled, carrying his friend and walking over to the backdoor.
"W-W-Wait a minute!" Oozou stuttered incredulously, seemingly just snapping out of his bewilderment, "I'm just joking! Put me down!"
Taken aback by Oozou's reaction, Karatsugu released his hold and felt bad immediately when the taxi driver gave a painful yell as he dropped to the ground. "S-sorry, I didn't mean to-" he apologized hastily, offering Oozou a hand to get up.
Holding onto Karatsugu's hand, Oozou got back to his feet then started moving his arms and legs to check for injuries. "If I break any bone, it's your fault." he grumbled, rubbing his side with a grimace.
Takashi cracked up soon after, followed by Hajime's muffled laugh. Meanwhile, Karatsugu clasped his hands together and bowed his head apologetically to Oozou, who kept complaining about how Karatsugu couldn't identify a joke.
…
"Karamatsu-niisan, wake up!"
Karatsugu wanted to stir but could only move his head. A throb at the back of his head forced open his eyes and he was met with Toshio's panicked face, covered with tears and snots. Instinctively, he wanted to touch Toshio's face to calm the boy but soon realized both his hands were stuck behind his back. Moving his leg was also impossible.
"What's going on?" Karatsugu muttered, fright finally caught up to his mind.
"They took Choromatsu-niisan, Ichimatsu-niisan and Totty outside." Toshio said hurriedly, his voice shaking so badly that it was hard to understand, "They will come for us soon."
"Outside? But where are we?" Karatsugu tried looking around as much as he could. The lack of light made it hard to tell but it seemed they were in a kind of temple. The structure was all distorted: broken walls, unstable pillars, floor full of holes…
Then it hit him.
Curious about the Jyushimatsu festival, they'd gone with the march up to the Twin peaks. Then they'd gotten away from the crowds, following the direction pointed out by a Kitsune statue and coming to a partly-destroyed temple. There they'd found the rumored buried treasure: the six gold statues.
Then… Then what? Karatsugu faintly remembered something hitting him from behind while he was occupied by the statues.
"Wait, where is Akashika-san?" remembering Toshio's previous sentence, Karatsugu questioned, trying to look for Oozou.
"He's behind you, but doesn't respond to my call." Toshio tried to lift his head off the floor, looking over Karatsugu's shoulders, "Osomatsu-niisan!"
With both arms and legs tied up, Karatsugu couldn't roll to the other side. However, Oozou was indeed quiet. Was he still unconscious? "Akashika-san!" the reporter tried, "Akashika-san! Are you okay?"
"Karamatsu?"
Huh? That was Oozou's voice. Why did he sound like he didn't recognize Karatsugu? Moreover, why did he call him 'matsu'?
Numerous footsteps cut short Karatsugu's train of thought. Foreign hands forcefully grabbed and dragged him out of the temple. Toshio's groans and curses could be heard as he was also dragged out roughly. Oozou suffered the same fate yet the taxi driver didn't let out a sound. That was strange. Oozou wasn't the quiet type but the kind who whined over even the smallest injury.
"I've found you!" a man with an overbite gave a series of weird laughs, his arms spread wide, while his followers were chanting some mantra, "The secret buried gold… sextuplets!"
The three of them were put in a circle beside Chorosuke, Hajime and Takashi. Chorosuke was shouting something like a threat but his voice was too weak and panicked to sound threatening enough. Takashi was obviously crying and begging for his life while Hajime tried everything to calm him down, although Hajime wasn't very composed himself.
Listening to the conversation between that overbite man - presumably named Iyami - and the followers - who started forming circles around their group of six, Karatsugu got the general idea of what was going to happen and why his friends were frightened. Before he knew it, he began to protest too. There was no way he would sit still and let them perform some weird ritual to turn them into gold.
Yet, in the midst of the chaos, Oozou sounded strangely calm when he called for Karatsugu's attention. "Listen, Karama-Karatsugu." he said when the reporter stopped shouting and turned to him, "They will have to bring the gold statues out here to expose us to the powers storing inside them. All you have to do is accepting it, and we will be fine."
"How do you know-"
"I will explain later. Just remember we only have a brief moment, no matter how uncomfortable it is, don't resist." Oozou gave him a firm look, "Do you understand?"
Was it his imagination or Oozou's eyes had just flashed red? They were normal now but… No, maybe it was just his panic. Karatsugu took a deep breath, convincing himself. "I understood." he answered, earning a slight smile from Oozou. Slight smile wasn't the correct description but it was the kind of smile people had when things went according to their plans. Oh please. He scolded himself, this was not the time to doubt.
Iyami's group really brought out the golden statues after the first mantra ended. They placed one of those statues in front of each of them.
"Rejoice! Today we will gain another set of treasure!" Iyami proclaimed, smiling contentedly as his followers cheered.
The statues were pushed closer to them. Karatsugu swallowed thickly, feeling a chill running down his spine. He could feel it. The pressure, malice, anger… and sadness? The sorrow radiating from the statue was even more overwhelming than other feelings, to the point Karatsugu felt tears forming at the corners of his eyes.
What was this? What was this anguish? Wasn't this supposed to be the kind of powers that would turn them into gold? Why was it making him sad?
"Finally." That whisper! "Give me your-"
Rain poured down the ritual, surprising the group of cultists, followed by the sound of a helicopter. Policemen surrounded the scene in a few seconds, forcing Iyami's group down on their knees and releasing the group of six.
There was so much going on that Karatsugu could barely remember. However, they were safe. That was all that mattered.
Yet… "Damn it!" was all Oozou responded to the rescue. Why was he angry?
…
The horrible night of Jyushimatsu festival finally ended when the police allowed them to go home after collecting all their testimonies. They were making a fuss about not getting those gold statues as private property but actually, all were glad that they could stay away from those bizarre statues.
"Seeing those statues still gives me goosebumps." Takashi said while they were crossing the vast yard of Midorito mansion. "Even if you give me money, I wouldn't dare to go visiting them in the museum."
"It's seriously creepy." Chorosuke agreed, "I heard my own voice telling me something when I totally wasn't talking."
Hajime didn't say anything, his body trembling so badly, Toshio had to support him. On the contrary, Toshio didn't seem to be affected much by the gold statues, although his annoyance towards Iyami's group was apparent.
"Are you okay, Akashika-san?" since the others were busy with their own conversations, Karatsugu asked the taxi driver, who had become silent again after leaving the police station.
Oozou turned to face him, shrugging, "As okay as someone who almost got turned into a statue could be."
"I guess so." Karatsugu gave a strained laugh. Oozou was joking, so he was fine, wasn't he? "So how do you know-"
"How about you? Did you get hurt?" Oozou cut him off.
"N-No, I'm fine." Karatsugu stuttered with the interruption. Then remembering the ambush, he touched the back of his head. It still stung a bit but surely wasn't serious. "My arms and legs are sore but it's fine."
"That's great." Oozou grinned, running a finger under his nose.
There was something off about Oozou but Karatsugu couldn't tell what it was. Maybe just his mind was fooling with him. "So, about earlier," he started again, "how do you know-"
Oozou gave a big yawn. "Soooo tired." he slid open the door and jumped inside the mansion, kicking off his shoes. "Hey, Chorosuke, can I go to sleep without bathing? I'm beat."
"Akashika-san-" Karatsugu hastily called but Oozou quickly turned a corner and disappeared from sight. Well, maybe Oozou was exhausted; he just didn't show it. Whatever Karatsugu was wondering about could wait.
After a while, they arrived at the room they had spent last night in. Oozou was lying still on the floor, using his arm as a pillow. Chorosuke seemed like he wanted to complain but decided against it and started putting out the futons. There were only four sets ready so he had to ask Dayoko to get him another two.
"Huh, two?" Karatsugu noticed, "You will spend the night here with us?"
Chorosuke avoided his look, "Can't I?"
"No, I'm glad you will." the reporter smiled, helping arrange the futons, "I don't want any of us to sleep alone tonight."
"Cheesy…" Chorosuke mumbled, slipping into his futon, not bothering to change his clothes. Hajime, Toshio and Takashi did the same and fell asleep after a few seconds. They had to be really exhausted.
Karatsugu yawned, feeling fatigue catching up to him. He rolled Oozou into a futon before going to his spot. It was funny how the taxi driver could remain sleeping. "Good night, brothers." he mumbled, letting sleep sweep him away.
"I'll succeed next time, wait for me, Karamatsu."
Who was it?
…
When Karatsugu woke up, Oozou and Chorosuke had already left the room. Toshio was snoring loudly, all his limbs spreading out on top of his futon. Takashi had the most disciplined sleeping posture that it seemed like he hadn't moved since last night. Lastly, Hajime curled up in his futon, trembling slightly. At first, Karatsugu thought Hajime was feeling cold so he brought his blanket over to the city fellow but dropped it instantly when his ears caught a sniffle.
"Shisaka-san, wake up." kneeling beside Hajime, Karatsugu gently shook his shoulders.
Hajime's face churned up, tears oozing out from the corners of his eyes. "Father…" he choked out, all his body went rigid. "I'm here." his voice went several pitches higher than his usual monotone, "Where are you going?"
"Shisaka-san!" increasing the intensity of his shake, Karatsugu wiped the tears rolling out continuously. "It's a dream, wake up!"
Hajime's eyes snapped open, staring at Karatsugu for a while before refocusing. His erratic breathing slowed down. "Aogo…-san?" he asked breathlessly, pushing on the futon to sit up. Then seemingly noticing Karatsugu's worried look, he wiped his eyes roughly to remove the remaining tears. "I'm sorry." he said quietly, "Did I wake you?"
Karatsugu shook his head instantly. "Shall we get something to eat?" he suggested, returning to his spot to fold his futon.
Hajime made some agreeing sound. Then they woke Toshio and Takashi too when both men realized it was already the afternoon. What a long sleep they had.
On the way to the bathroom, they met Dayoko, who informed them that a party was in preparation and their hot bath was ready. Not another word needed before all four of them rushed to the bath.
…
The party was held to celebrate their miraculous survival and the discovery of the buried treasure. At first, only Karatsugu and Toshio drank, but the atmosphere of the party soon pulled Hajime and Takashi into drinking. Chorosuke stubbornly kept up his appearance until Toshio poured beer into his tea cup and he accidentally downed the whole cup after laughing at Karatsugu's lame joke.
Something wasn't right.
"Don't you want to drink, Akashika-san?" throwing an arm around Oozou's shoulders, Karatsugu pressed a cold beer bottle on his cheek, earning a startled squeak from the taxi driver.
"I don't feel like drinking." Oozou gave the reporter a wry smile, pushing the beer bottle away from his face.
"You don't feel like drinking?" Karatsugu gasped, "Is it the end of the world?"
Oozou shot him an offended look. "Excuse me for acting a bit off when our lives almost ended half a day ago." his voice dripped with sarcasm.
Taken aback by Oozou's attitude, Karatsugu put the beer bottle aside then leaned in to get a better view of his friend's complexion. Oozou backed away but Karatsugu took hold of his face with both hands. "I'm sorry, you must've been scared." he whispered, noting how Oozou's eyes widened, "But we're safe now." He smiled gently, "You're safe, Aka- no, Oozou-san."
A moment of silence passed between the two men then Oozou's eyebrows furrowed slightly. He avoided eye contact, pressing his lips together in a mixture of emotions. His mouth moved but no sound escaped, or it did but too quiet to be heard.
"Sorry, I didn't quite catch it." said Karatsugu curiously.
Oozou chuckled, grabbing Karatsugu's hands and pulling them off his cheeks. "I said:" he repeated more clearly, tightening his hold around Karatsugu's hands, "Drop the honorific already. After everything we've been through, I won't let you say no to this, Karatsugu."
Eyes brightened almost instantly, Karatsugu responded with a sunshine smile, making Oozou freeze. A few seconds passed without anyone saying anything then Karatsugu realized he hadn't given an answer. "Of course I won't deny this offer." his smile grew more happy, "Oozou."
The taxi driver froze again.
"O-Oozou?! Are you okay?" Karatsugu hurriedly touched Oozou's cheek when a drop of tear rolled down. It seemed that even Oozou himself wasn't aware of that. "Did I do something-"
"I'm fine." Oozou reassured, wiping his tears off with a finger, "Just that… It's been a long time since the last time someone called me by my name."
Oh, so Oozou didn't have many friends like Karatsugu thought he would. It wasn't a baseless assumption. Considering how friendly Oozou was to strangers, one could imagine how he behaved around the people he'd known for a long time; therefore, he should have many friends. Yet, Karatsugu was wrong. You really couldn't judge a book by its cover.
"So can we call you Oozou too?"
Both Oozou and Karatsugu almost jumped to the ceiling. Karatsugu didn't know when the other four in their group had surrounded them. Oozou had sat a bit away from the table to avoid attention but now he and Karatsugu were the main focus. How ironic.
"Because your last name is common around here, I think it's better if we refer to you by your first name." Chorosuke gave a logical explanation, probably to hide his eagerness to get close to other people. It was apparent on his face, although no one wanted to mention it.
"My first name is more common than my last name, so you would rather call me by Momose instead?" Takashi piped in with a teasing voice.
Chorosuke shot him a scowl, "Yes, Momose-san." The café owner pouted.
"I don't think I can drop the honorific, but 'Oozou-san' should be fine, right?" said Hajime. Oozou turned to him and gave a nod.
Finally, Toshio jumped on Oozou from behind, hugging him and almost making him fall forward if not for Karatsugu holding them back. "I'm used to calling you 'Osomatsu-niisan', but I can change if you want." he hummed, "But 'Oozou-niisan' sounds weird."
Trying to sit straight again, Oozou gave a hearty laugh, "'Osomatsu-niisan' is fine. I'm not afraid of the word 'matsu' anymore." He spread his arms, hugging as many people as possible, "As long as we're together, there's nothing to be scared of."
"You're being embarrassing." Chorosuke complained, his face deep red, unclear if it was from the alcohol or his embarrassment.
"It's just us here." Karatsugu reassured, wrapping his arms around everyone too, "You can be embarrassing to your heart's content, Oozou."
Chorosuke and Takashi rolled their eyes, Hajime chuckled, and Toshio laughed in agreement.
In the end, they didn't get Oozou to drink, but the taxi driver seemed to cheer up greatly so it should be fine. Karatsugu hoped. Though, something was still bugging him. He wondered what that was.
…
Karatsugu and Hajime had to return to the city on the next day. Karatsugu would have a long explanation to do because he'd gone on this reporting mission without getting permission from the editor in chief. On the other hand, Hajime had gathered enough information from Akatsuka village so he went back for further research.
The six of them kept in contact through the phone. However, Oozou wasn't within their reach most of the time because of his job and the lack of cell phone. Therefore, Karatsugu usually gathered information about the taxi driver through Chorosuke or Toshio. The two men had opposite opinions though.
Chorosuke was certain that Oozou was acting weird because of his over-familiarity.
"He's acting as if I'm his real brother." was Chorosuke's exact words, "I mean, we could be, but he seems to know more than he should."
On the contrary, Toshio was over-joined with Oozou's change in attitude.
"Osomatsu-niisan is becoming more and more like Osomatsu-niisan."
Karatsugu swore he couldn't comprehend what Toshio meant by that but it was useless to ask Toshio for clarification.
That obviously got Karatsugu's concern but he couldn't afford another trip to Akatsuka village any time soon. The editor in chief was still angry - although most of his anger had come from worrying - so Karatsugu wouldn't want to cause another ruckus in the editorial department.
Then one day, Oozou appeared in front of Karatsugu's house, bringing a plethora of food like he wanted to hold a party for at least four people. However, once again, the taxi driver didn't bring beer, or any other alcoholic beverage.
Could it be that Oozou thought that Karatsugu had enough beer at home? Yes he did, but… not for a surprise party. Maybe Oozou just happened to forget it? Even Karatsugu had a hard time believing his own argument. The night before the Jyushimatsu festival was still fresh in his mind due to the mushroom incident. He could say for certain that Oozou liked drinking, especially beer, and could hold his liquor very well. It couldn't be normal for Oozou to forget his favorite beverage.
"Let me go buying some drinks." Karatsugu suggested after helping Oozou carrying all the food inside. Since the taxi driver already paid for food, he should at least pay for drinks. Or at least he thought so…
"It's fine, we can make do with water." Oozou waved his hands dismissively, eagerly taking a seat and opening a box of fried chicken.
"I'll be back before you know it." Karatsugu assured, grabbing his coat on the hanger.
"I said it's fine!"
Karatsugu swirled back instantly and met with Oozou's exasperated smile.
"I'm hungry." the taxi driver said simply, gesturing for Karatsugu to sit opposite to him.
Returning his coat to its original place, Karatsugu walked over to the dining table. Oozou seemed to be on edge for some reason. Did something happen that he wasn't aware of? But then, if that was the case, why were they holding a party now? "Is there anything wrong?" the question slipped out anyway.
Oozou shook his head, taking a chicken wing from the box. "I just don't feel like drinking, that's all."
That reason again. It had been two weeks since the Jyushimatsu festival in Akatsuka village. "Are you sure?" Karatsugu took a piece of chicken for himself too but wasn't in the mood to eat yet.
Oozou took a big bite, slowly chewing his food. "I want to stay sober tonight." he finally said, meeting Karatsugu's eyes with a serious look.
Wanting to turn away but Karatsugu only took a deep breath, trying to calm his quickened heartbeats. Why was he getting nervous? Oozou wanted to throw a surprise party so there couldn't be any bad news. Yet somehow, a serious Oozou was still unnerving-
Cluck.
Karatsugu blinked. What was that sound? However, before a question could form on the tip of his tongue, his eyes already caught the answer: the camera on Oozou's hands.
Not stopping there, the taxi driver snapped several more shots until Karatsugu sprang up and reached over the table to grab his camera. "What're you doing?" he asked, half confused and half annoyed. This camera was supposed to be on the tea table in the living room. Just when did Oozou take it?
"Your concentrated face looks handsome so I want a picture of it." Oozou grinned, completely unapologetic.
"You wasted my films." Karatsugu complained, ignoring the joking compliment.
"It's not a waste if I buy the picture after you develop it." Oozou corrected, his smile grew bigger.
Karatsugu sent him a scowl. Oozou wasn't wrong, but still… "Why would you buy a picture of me?"
"Because you're handsome."
"Stop joking." the reporter sighed, "I know I am handsome but you never actually think so-"
Oozou choked.
"Hey!"
Seemingly unable to hold back anymore, Oozou burst out laughing, even doubling over but managing to hold on to the table so he wouldn't fall off his seat. His face turned red from laughing too hard and sometimes he had to stop a second to breathe but his laughing didn't show any sign of ceasing.
Karatsugu was slightly offended at first but Oozou's laugh was contagious so he found himself chuckling a few moments later. Soon after, he joined the taxi driver in laughing too. This was so stupid, how did he even find it funny? Despite that question in his head, he couldn't stop laughing.
Thankfully, a phone ringing interrupted them. Karatsugu skipped to the living room to pick up the handset. "Aogo's speaking."
"It's Hajime." the other side of the line started.
"How are you doing?" Karatsugu asked cheerfully. They usually met a couple of times in a week but Karatsugu was always the one initiating the meeting. It was rare for Hajime to call him.
"Did you meet Oozou-san?" ignoring the question, Hajime continued, sounding hurried.
"He's at my house, we're holding a party, do you want to jo-"
"Get him to drink!" Hajime interrupted, uncharacteristically raising his voice.
Startled, Karatsugu stayed silent for a moment then, "Pardon?"
Hajime cleared his throat, taking a deep breath. "Please listen carefully, Karatsugu-san." he started again with a more composed tone, "I found what is wrong with Oozou-san, but it's a long story so I'll explain to you later. However, what I need you to do now is getting him to consume any alcoholic drink."
"Why?"
"Please just trust me on this."
Karatsugu swallowed, "I can't just trust you…" he mumbled, "I mean, I trust you, but this request is quite odd, you can't blame me for-"
"I understand," Hajime sighed, "but if you find Oozou-san acting strange, like doing something you think he wouldn't normally do, try to invite him to drink."
"But-"
"It's for your safety-"
The line got cut off.
"Oops, my hand slipped." Oozou looked away, retracting his hand from the hook switch.
Karatsugu stared at Oozou incredulously but the taxi driver ran a finger under his nose, smiling innocently like he hadn't done anything wrong.
"Who were you talking to?" Oozou asked before Karatsugu could think of how to scold him.
"It's Hajime." he answered, trying to hide his annoyance.
"What were you two talking about?"
Karatsugu opened his mouth but stopped in time. "Nothing important," he lied, "Just the usual check up."
"Your face doesn't say so." Oozou raised his brows.
"I'm just worried because it's very noisy on his side." Karatsugu shrugged, "You know Hajime doesn't deal well with crowds."
Oozou's expression clearly said that he didn't believe a word; however, he shrugged it off, probably knowing Karatsugu wouldn't budge. "Sorry for interrupting your conversation. You can call him back, I'll just eat alone till you two are done." Oozou walked back to the dining table, stuffing a piece of pizza in his mouth.
If only Oozou knew how childish he looked currently. Karatsugu sighed. "We finished talking." he said exasperatedly, getting back to the table. Oozou brightened up instantly. Karatsugu found this obviousness strangely adorable, but it was for the best not to let Oozou knew about this thought.
They continued to joke around, talking about everything and nothing. About how Oozou's company had become boring after Iyami was arrested. About how Karatsugu's editor in chief denied his article about six persons with the same face because he believed they needed the consent from all six of them to publish it…
"You know, I never found driving around Akatsuka boring before becoming friends with the five of you." Oozou leaned on the backrest of his chair, "But now, it's so boring. I want another gathering!"
"I know right." Karatsugu chuckled, taking a bite from his pizza, "Calling is fun but nothing can beat meeting you all."
"But actually," Oozou stopped, leaning forward, making Karatsugu backed up a little because his face was too close. No one knew when they shifted their sitting positions but now they were sitting side by side. "I just want to see you again."
Karatsugu swallowed thickly, his heart skipped a beat. "I want to see you too." he gave a nervous laugh, "… and everyone, I mean." He added awkwardly.
Oozou was silent for a moment before his smile grew more… suggestive? "So seeing me alone isn't enough?"
Backing up more, Karatsugu almost fell off his chair. Luckily, Oozou caught his arm and pulled him back. "T-too close." he stuttered, hoping the taxi driver would retreat.
Fortunately, Oozou did. He leaned on the backrest again, "Recently, I've grown to like how Jyushimatsu calls me 'Osomatsu-niisan'."
Karatsugu released a breath he didn't know he was holding when the topic was changed. He laughed, trying to follow, "I like how he calls me 'Karamatsu-niisan' too. It feels like we're a real family."
"Aren't we?" Oozou puffed his cheeks.
"Yes, we are!" Karatsugu mentally smacked himself, "I just mean that it feels like we're really related." Then he noticed Oozou's grin. "You're pulling my leg again."
The taxi driver whistled innocently.
"Sometimes I wonder if I could try calling the others by their 'matsu' names." the reporter joked, knowing full well how the villagers would react to that.
"Why not?"
"Huh?" Karatsugu blurted out.
Oozou leaned in again but Karatsugu didn't back out this time. "Try calling me 'Osomatsu'." he offered.
Hesitantly giving his friend a look like asking if he was sure, Karatsugu frowned slightly when Oozou gave an almost too eager nod. "Okay," he conceded, "Osomatsu… -niisan?"
"No no no no no." Oozou shook his head rapidly, "Remove '-niisan'."
"But you're the eldest son, aren't you?" Karatsugu argued, "I'm the second son, so you're my older brother."
The taxi driver opened his mouth then closed it, then placing a hand on his chin in deep thought. "Can you call me 'Oozou-niisan'?" he suddenly asked.
That sounded completely off. Karatsugu didn't need a second to think, "No."
"So just call me 'Osomatsu'."
What kind of logic was that? Karatsugu rolled his eyes. However, if Oozou really wanted to, he would entertain him. There was no harm in doing that anyway. "Osomatsu," he called with a 'whatever' kind of smile.
"Again."
"What?"
"Call me again." Oozou gave the reporter a firm stare.
Faltering a bit when Oozou wasn't smiling, Karatsugu then remembered how Oozou'd baited him into looking serious and taken his picture. Fine. He wouldn't fall for the same trick again. "Osomatsu," he repeated.
Oozou leaned in closer, "Again."
It was too close again. Karatsugu could feel his friend's breathing caressing his face. He took in a shaky breath, his heartbeat quickened once more. "Osomatsu," his voice came out as a whisper. "Too close." he reminded.
However, unlike the last time, Oozou leaned in even further, his hand grabbing Karatsugu's shoulder so he couldn't back off. "One last time." he also whispered.
"You're too close!" Karatsugu protested as the tips of their noses touched.
"Please," Oozou pled.
Oozou's grip wasn't that strong. If Karatsugu really wanted to escape, he could easily push his friend off. But did he want to? Why was he wondering about this? Weren't they friends? He should be able to knock Oozou off and laugh this off, shouldn't he? Yes, that was what he was supposed to do, not sitting here, nervous and blushing!
"Please," Oozou repeated, eyes gentle and sorrowful. Why was he looking like that? Like someone who was left alone for a long time, craving for every bit of affection he could get.
"Osomatsu…" Karatsugu breathed out shakily, unconsciously raising a hand to touch Oozou's cheek, "Don't look like that. You aren't alone, I'm here with you."
A glimpse of a gentle smile played on Oozou's expression, then he closed his eyes and the final gap between their lips.