Chapter Text
REIJI NAMIKAWA EXHALED SOUNDLESSLY UNDER HIS BREATH AS HE PULLED HIS PHONE AWAY FROM HIS EAR, HOLDING IT IN BOTH HANDS NOW INSTEAD. The executive had just stepped out the front doors of a large building, tapping away at the letters on the keyboard with his thumbs. Once he sent out the message he'd been typing, he shut the cellular device and slipped it into his pocket and then straightened up his posture. He stared up at the darkened, evening sky. Because of all the bright, city lights, seeing the stars was virtually impossible. Not that Namikawa really cared. Once a few seconds passed, his gaze focused on the watch he had on his wrist. His ride was supposed to be here already. Why was the driver late? He was so focused on that train of thought, that he didn't notice the detective walking down the sidewalk.
Touta Matsuda was humming a bit to himself as he walked down the sidewalk, a hand pressed flat up against his stomach and a wide smile on his face. The task force had been busy working all day and evening so, earlier, he hadn't been able to make time for for dinner. When he finally got off, with his poor belly practically begging for food, he immediately stopped by one of his favorite places to eat in the city. He'd just finished the meal and left and now he was headed down the sidewalk not too far from where a certain Yotsuba executive was standing and waiting. The area wasn't too busy so it would be easy for them to spot each other. And, they did spot each other.
Well, Matsuda spotted Namikawa and stopped right where he was standing. That guy was familiar. Too familiar. He stared, narrowing his brown hues a bit. It took the detective almost a minute before he finally recalled where he'd seen that face. When it came to him, he put one hand against the side of his head, eyes now widened. Shit. This wasn't good at all. If that Yotsuba guy saw him, he was bound to recognize him, right? That didn't sound like an ideal situation. He hadn't been noticed yet, though. That was good. It meant he still had a chance to turn around and go another way...
Never mind.
Right as Matsuda thought that he could escape without catching Namikawa's attention, he did exactly that. Namikawa was looking right at him now! Crap. He'd been staring too long. That had to be it. The other man must've felt his lingering gaze and decided to look up and see who was watching on him. Their eyes met and, to the detective, it was like some kind of staring contest. He felt nervous and he didn't want to look any longer but at the same time, he couldn't turn his head away. Eventually, he offered a timid smile and lifted a hand, like he was waving to him. Oh God. Now what?
Namikawa sighed under his breath before looking away from the other man, staring straight ahead once again. Of course, he recognized Matsuda, too. Normally, he wouldn't bother remembering such a boring, normal imbecile. But... it was hard to forget a man who threw himself off a building like that. A man who did a handstand on the balcony ledge and then "accidently" tumbled off and "fell to his death". That wasn't an easy thing to just forget. That didn't mean he was going to pay him any attention, though. You see, Namikawa simply did not care about Matsuda.
The detective was still standing there with a lopsided smile and a hand still lifted from where he'd waved. Namikawa didn't wave back. Maybe he didn't remember him. That wouldn't be surprising. Matsuda was a pretty plain guy, after all. There wasn't anything too special about him. He was just a simple detective who had the tendency to make dumb decisions and even dumber mistakes. Slowly, Matsuda's arm lowered to his side again. Seeing that reaction, or lack of one, he felt more comfortable walking this way. So, after taking a deep breath, he started walking down the sidewalk again, staring straight ahead of himself. He was going to walk right past the business man and that would be that.
At least, that's what Matsuda thought.
"Detective." The low tone of voice caught him by surprise and he immediately came to a stop midstep, one foot in front of the other. He turned to look at Namikawa and his eyes widened slightly. The man from the Yotsuba group was looking at him from the corner of his eye, his expression cold and lips pressed into a faint frown. Boy, this was awkward.
The detective lifted a hand to the back of his head, scratching at it slightly while offering another smile that was a little timid and nervous. What did this guy want from him? Oh no. It couldn't be anything good.
"Y-Yes? Do you need something from me?" Shutting his eyes, Matsuda let his smile shift into more of a big, bright grin. He couldn't show him how uneasy or worried he was.
"No." Namikawa didn't even know why he'd spoken to him in the first place. He really didn't care. The man crossed his arms over his chest and stared at the busy city street in front of him. Perhaps, he was just bored. It was taking his driver a long time to arrive, after all. He was growing tired of merely standing there, waiting. He didn't look at Matsuda after that. Not even from the corner of his eye.
"Then why did you...?"
The younger man's voice trailed off because Namikawa started to speak over him.
"What are you doing around here? Did you forget what building you're standing in front of?" His tone was rather harsh. Judgemental, even. Matsuda gave a confused look before he turned to stare up at the large building that they were now both standing out in front of. Shit. It was the Yotsuba Group's headquarters! How could he forget the very location where he faked his own death? Not to mention, Namikawa had been standing right outside of it. You think that would have clicked in his brain sooner but that didn't seem to be the case.
"I didn't realize..."
Namikawa spoke over him. Again.
"Of course not. Perhaps you really are an idiot." Slowly, his gaze shifted and he did look at Matsuda once again with a rather uninterested expression on his face.
Matsuda's shoulders dropped a little at the insult but overall he didn't seem too bothered by it. He was used to being called an idiot by now. It had been L's favorite thing to call him, after all. It was silent between the two of them for a moment and Matsuda seemed to fidget slightly where he stood, glancing off to the side. Things had really gotten awkward by now. For him, at least. Namikawa seemed completely indifferent and unbothered.
"That was a pretty clever trick you pulled at the time. Faking your death."
The compliment came out of nowhere and the slight shock was very visible on the detective's face, his jaw having dropped just a little. Was... Namikawa being serious? He had no idea how to reply to something like that. All he could manage was a stuttered thanks.
"Ah... um.. thank you." The smile he gave was a sheepish one that was followed by a faint chuckle.
"I actually thought you were dead. It was a believable performance."
"You really think so? I doubt it was that good... I was pretty nervous the whole time. It's not too fun pretending to throw yourself off a building." A light laugh broke his words. "It wasn't my idea, either. I wouldn't have been able to come up with an idea that good."
"Now that, I can believe."
As Namikawa said that, his car pulled up and parked right at the curb in front of them. Finally. Namikawa had been getting sick of standing there. He watched as the driver got out and went to open the back door for him. Matsuda watched silently as the other man went to get in the car. Yet, before doing so, he paused and turned his head to look directly at the detective, their eyes meeting just for a moment.
"Maybe I'll see you around, detective."
With that, the door shut and soon the car was driving away, leaving Matsuda just standing there on the sidewalk. He lifted a hand, a nail scratching thoughtlessly at his cheek. That had been... odd? That was the only word that could describe the situation that had just taken place. He stood there for a while longer and then shook his head, turning on his heel and making his way down the sidewalk just like before. He had to get home. One look at a clock got him to realize that it was later than he'd thought and he had work tomorrow so he really should get a good night's sleep. A few minutes later, he had already forgotten about the chance meeting between himself and Reiji Namikawa.