Chapter Text
Michael Kaiser is very suspicious. Isagi will stand by this statement.
As the aforementioned man scores the winning goal, all Isagi could think about while sitting in between the audience was how suspicious he was.
Blond hair drifting through the wind as he strikes a celebratory pose, players surround him in a joyful manner. Though he appears to be unbothered by the attention from his teammates.
Isagi scratches the itchy mask that was covering his identity as a retired Bastard Munchen player. Damn it was hot out, especially sitting in a bleachers full of rowdy drunk adults and teenagers screaming their lungs out. He would have preferred being on the field, the one being cheered at, unfortunately life isn't that kind.
Well he was the one who retired on purpose, it wasn't like he sustained some sort of injury or was forced into retirement. He couldn't really complain could he? Isagi just sighed and jotted down whatever he could observe from the blond German.
Next to him, a little boy kept looking at him with confused eyes and a hint of recognition. Isagi grinned before pulling down his mask and doing a shush movement with his index finger. The sparkle in the boy's eyes was worth destroying his cover. Good thing he nodded and zipped his own mouth.
It was nice to be remembered, Isagi thought.
After the game was over and everyone has left, Isagi didnt stick around to be recognized. He used to play for the bastards and the starting line of players were his old teammates. It'd be kind of a death sentence if they found out he was watching them.
When he reached the streets, his phone suddenly rang. The caller ID showed his neighbour's Chigiri's name. He happily took this call and cheerfully responded to the phone.
"Hey Chigiri, what's up?"
The Chigiri-Kunigami family moved into the empty room next door to Isagi's own apartment. They met when one of their daughters banged on his door to give him a welcoming gift of a dead bird. Honestly, was she a cat or a human? The parents apologized on her behalf and they started getting along from then on.
"Hey, so Rensuke made a big dinner today because we were expecting some company. They cancelled and we have a little too much." He could hear Chigiri sigh in exhasperation. "If you're not busy, then come over. The girl's have been missing you as well."
Isagi looked at the watch on his wrist that points at 5 PM. Well it wasn't like he had anyone waiting on him at home or anything, why waste a free dinner?1
"I'll be there in about an hour or two, I need to stop by the station for awhile."
"Awesome! If you see anyone you know, invite them over too," Chigiri said before hanging up first leaving Isagi a little stunned.
Anyone..? If Bachira stopped by the station like he usually does, Isagi will probably invite him. Theres not alot of people he could invite anyways. Kurona was busy outside the city visiting family, and Nagi and Reo were on their 15th honeymoon.
When he reached the station, Isagi placed his notepad on his desk and took the coat he had left the other day.
Just as he was about to leave, the man he was thinking of earlier actually popped right close to his face. Bachira leaned his face close to surprise the blueberry head with a "Boo!"
"Holy shit Bachira! You scared me," Isagi yelled at his best friend to which he was responded with a childish taunt.
Bachira is a fulltime soccer player who used to play against Isagi. They knew eachother from childhood and promised that they would forever play soccer together whether against or with. However due to circumstances regarding Isagi's past, Isagi quit soccer and pursued detective work. Bachira never held that against him and so to this day they remain good close friends, but Isagi feels that he felt differently than what he showed.
"What'cha doing so late bud? More overtime?" Bachira asked innocently with his head tipped to the side. Game week for his team was over for the time which allowed the brunette to bug Isagi however he liked. Well if he was free now, might as well invite him over to Chigiri's.
"Did some investigating today. By the way, Kunigami made too much for dinner and Chigiri invited me over. He asked me to invite anyone else I knew and you're the only one I can ask." Bachira stayed in thought for a little while before agreeing to come.
"I'm pretty much done for the day! Let's go meet Chigiri then," the brunette with blonde ends grabbed Isagi's arm and rushes them off to the road. Unphased by Bachira's usual antics, the detective just brushes him off with a grinning smile.
The clock striked 6.45 when they arrived at the Chigiri-Kunigami's apartment door. They were greeted by the twin girls, Hayachi and Kannachi. The twins brightened up when they saw Isagi and a new person, they grabbed them inside the house as quick as lightning.
Chigiri wasn't exaggerating when he said Kunigami made too much. The table was comically full to the brim with food. What kind of company were they expecting in the first place?!
"Isagi, glad you could make it." Chigiri gave him a courtesy hug which the former returned. "Who's your friend here?"
"Nice to meet'cha! The name's Bachira Meguru, howdy!" Bachira shook his hand with an animated speed. He did the same for Kunigami who was splattered in batter all over his apron and face.
"We're actually expecting some more friends." Kunigami mentioned to them. "They should be here soon."
Just as he said that, the door opened. It meant that the friends they were expecting had finally arrived. Isagi looked towards the door, hoping to meet some new people when he felt his heart drop.
It was Itoshi Rin. His ex-boyfriend.
He saw the surprised, more akin to shock, look on his face. How coincidental they had a mutual connection through Chigiri and Kunigami! They haven't even seen each other in months ever since they broke up in January.
This was not good, he can't sit through maybe 3 hours of dinner and talking with him in the room! He had to make up some sort of excuse, any kind of excuse to leave!
Imagine how awkward it would be to sit through dinner with someone you broke up with in bad terms! I mean their break up was anything but clean. Literally.
"Chigiri, really sorry but-"
"Ye'r Isagi Yoichi right'?" A voice with Kansai dialect cut off his excuse. The one speaking gave him a hand to shake.
It was a boy with black hair and a white bandana who had approached him. He looked to be their age if not a little younger. After a little inspection, Isagi recognized him to be Nanase Nijiro from PXG where Rin played. He also knew him from stories by Hiori.
"Y-yeah. You must be Nanase right?" Isagi stuttered a little from the surprise interruption. Nanase brightened up at the acknowledgement, as if an imaginary tail was wagging.
"Yup! Hiori told me about'cha," Nanase grinned brightly, holding Isagi's right hand. Right, Hiori. If he told him about Nanase, It's plausable he did vice versa. They seemed to be good friends.
Nanase then focused his attention on the other boy next to Isagi. "You must be?"
"Bachira Meguru! I think our teams played eachother a few months ago?" The brunette shook his new friend's hand with the same fervor as before.
"Oh yeah we did! I don't reckon seein' ya there?" The conversation flowed after that as they all sat for dinner. Bachira and Nanase started striking up a great friendship while Chigiri and Kunigami were busying themselves with their daughters.
In an unfortunate strike of tragic luck, Isagi and Rin were shoved to sit next to eachother by the twin girls. All Isagi could do was revert his gaze from Rin's sharp stare. Was it hot out here or was it just him?
As they ate the hearty meal and chattered, Chigiri noticed the tension between the two men. He tugged an eyebrow at this weird dynamic of one trying to avoid eye contact and the other glaring egregiously towards him.
Instead of being under the dark, Chigiri decides to ask;
"Did you two know eachother or something?"
Isagi froze. Meguru looked at him with curiosity and everyone else held the same candle. Rin broke his gaze to answer the question which didn't go unnoticed by Isagi who was filled with horror.
"We used to d-"
"We met once during a match!" Isagi cut off Rin's answer to which he was responded with a cold stern glare from the other.
"But you two seemed so close.." one of the twins, Kannachi, quipped at her neighbour's answer. Isagi felt his sweat drop all over his face. Where in that time span they were together in the apartment where they seemed close?!
Chigiri who noticed his friend panicking decided to change the subject which Isagi was thankful for. Meguru squinted at his best friend's reaction as if he was reading him like a book.
The night went smoothly for the most part with Rin still shooting daggers at Isagi and Isagi trying to ignore Rin. Dinner ended and they all went home with containers of left over food and a full belly.
Meguru gave Yoichi a big hug before running off to go home. Even without saying anything, Bachira always knew what bothered Isagi.
Before he could enter his own apartment, a hand stopped him.
"What the hell was up back there?" Rin snarled softly.
Isagi felt his veins pop, "Why the hell were you about to tell them we used to date?"
"Are you ashamed you used to date me or something?"
"Are you ashamed you used to date me," Isagi mocked. "We don't need to be telling everyone this Rin! We dated backstreet, which you asked for by the way, for 2 years. Not even Meguru knows!"
"Why are you calling that bee freak by his first name?"
"Why do you care?!" Isagi yelled. He was getting angry and all the yelling will cause a disturbance if he didn't stop him now. He calmed himself down before he clocked his ex's head.
"Look, I don't know what your problem is or frankly care what your problem is. You should go now, even I need rest." He didn't let Rin answer and just shoved him off. He doesn't want to know what else could have happened if he stayed.
He felt the exhaustion fill his bones immediately after the adrenaline rush. The thing with Michael Kaiser was also weight on his mind that was added from Rin's aggression.
Ah, Thats right. Michael Kaiser.
His top suspect, Michael Von Kaiser. He doesn't have Von in his name, he doesn't know why he said that. Blond hair with blue tips, blue rose tattoos which means unattainable and mystery, a tall figure and strong presence. There's no doubt about it, he matched the appearance of the Phantom thief.
He reported it to the station immediately, however he didnt have evidence to supply his claim. He was the only one who saw the Phantom thief in person, the only one who met him on a dark rainy night out. Not to mention he was wearing a domino mask that covered the upper part of his face and a magician's hat that hid most of his hair. He couldn't justify Michael Kaiser to be the phantom thief when he couldn't even support his claim.
As meaningless as it was, a part of him hoped that Kaiser wasn't the thief. Because if he was, it would mean that the phantom thief that flirted with him that rainy night was also the very man that aggravated him most all those years ago.
He did not want that.
"What am I doing on the floor.. I should just head to bed." He sighed as he got up from the wooden floor and headed to his room to sleep his exhaustion away.
While deep in slumber, the Phantom thief made his move.
................................
"What the hell is this...?" Isagi couldn't believe his eyes. He could have just think of this as an illusion from being woken up suddenly by his boss's call. He almost rubbed his eyes and prayed what he saw wasn't real.
The soccer stadium he had been in yesterday was filled to the brim with blue roses. In closer inspection it was white roses painted with blue watercolor. Stems of roses were everywhere, the azure blue petals were scattered top to bottom. It almost was impossible to move around the place.
"Detective Isagi, you should see this." He was handed a piece of paper.
The Blue Rose which symbolizes mystery, aspiration, and admiration is my gift to you my dear. Roses have a penchant for romance, I adhere my love for you darling.
Until next time, 𝓟𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓽𝓸𝓶 𝓣𝓱𝓲𝓮𝓯 ♡
"What the hell..." Isagi felt his blood pressure spike.
Was the phantom thief some lovesick petty criminal?! What kind of love show was he doing showering a soccer stadium in blue roses?!
The image of Michael Kaiser being the Phantom Thief suddenly flashed through his mind. Blue roses, the signature, the love note. Though on its own means nothing, together piece together something for Isagi.
Suddenly, he felt something encircle around his shoulder.
"Detective Isagi, mind explaining to us what happened?" A bitter voice cut through his train of thought.
The smell of crazy expensive Dior perfume, the slow flex of muscle as it's arm was wrapped around his shoulder. The familiar presence and that beautiful chiseled face. There was no doubt it was;
"Kaiser." Isagi greeted coldly. Michael Kaiser laughed haughtily at the unwelcoming tone of voice as he stares into Isagi's cobalt blue eyes. The shorter boy swallowed the saliva stuck in his mouth as he returns his gaze with a glare.
"If your eyes work as they should, it is pretty obvious that the place is covered head to toe with fake blue roses." Isagi sharply retorted. Kaiser shot him with another one of his smiles.
"Oh, how I missed you Yoichi."
"Don't call me Yoichi." Isagi shoved away the tattooed arm that was around his shoulders. Kaiser's smirk never left his face, instead he seemed even happier somehow.
"You're so cold, Detective." Kaiser says before he walks away to be with his teammates, leaving Isagi all cold and alone.
He scoffed at his ex-teammate's behaviour. Ever since the beginning of Isagi's career in the bastards, Kaiser had been something akin to an annoying roach that just won't die even after doing swatting it and spraying it. But he did become a little complacent after Isagi left, if only a little bit.
Isagi feels Ness's negative and angered glare pierce his back sharply. The ever loyal dog, Isagi sneered back at him. Kaiser blocked Ness from Isagi's point of view, ending their glare off.
"Detective lsagi, let's get back to work shall we?" His co-worker snapped him from his thoughts. Right, he was at work now. He turned on his proffesional mode and went to work alongside his team.
I'm gonna need coffee after this.
...................................
The smell of coffee in this quaint shop was never too overwhelming or underwhelming. The place is always sparkling clean and never too cold nor too hot. This place has been one of Isagi's safe haven from the evil clutches of a detective job.
"Oh, Isagi-kun. Good to see you again." The store owner, Yukimiya greeted with a gentle smile. His soft personality and tender temperament makes Yukimiya one of Isagi's comfort person for external problems.
"Rough day?" Yukimiya asks to get the conversation going.
"You don't even know." Isagi heaved a breath. Yukimiya skillfully makes the blueberry head's usual cappucino as Isagi watches with close attention and mesmerization in his eyes.
"I'm always here if you need to talk, Isagi-kun." Yukimiya says as he hands him the cup of cappucino. Isagi thanks him and pays for his coffee.
He leaves the store with a better mood from the cappucino, ready to face paperwork in his office. Looking at the watch pointing 2 PM, Isagi prepares himself for the pain and aching of paperwork.
As he hypes himself up, suddenly he hears an annoying voice chipper in the background.
"Yoichi~ Fate must be pushing us to meet up." Kaiser's sing-song voice causes a vein to explode in Isagi.
"Really." Isagi deadpanned.
"Come on, don't be so shy."
"Who's shy?!"
Kaiser laughed, this time it wasn't the annoying haughty laugh he'd always done. Somehow Isagi feels his rising blood pressure go down.
"Anyway, I have to get to work. See you around." Isagi said shortly before trying to run away. Kaiser caught his arm before he could leave.
Isagi was about to turn around and hurl insults at the German, he was surprised to see Kaiser's own suprised face. Wait, that's out of character. The Michael Kaiser being flustered by his own act. He slowly released his grip once he realized what he'd done.
"I-"
"Um, I'll go now.." Isagi slowly said. There was no anger, no sharp language. Isagi just kind of left the confused speechless Kaiser.
"What did I just do?"
"What did I just do?!" Kaiser howled as he gripped his hair in frustration. Ness on the other side of the room tries to calm his friend down from disturbing the other players.
"Calm down! I'm sure Yoichi has forgotten already!" Ness tried to placate the distressed German.
Michael has never showed any kind of anguish before. He was always composed and arrogant, always in control of his emotions. It seemed that Isagi Yoichi just pushes all his buttons. The cool, collected, narcissist has fallen apart and have become a lovestruck maiden infront of the man he loves.
"Why the hell did I grab his hand?! Goddamn Yoichi." Kaiser sat down and tried to even his breathing. Slowly his embarrasment turned to aggravation.
Becoming a criminal was never part of Kaiser's jurisdiction, but after the apple of his eye had quit soccer to pursue detective work, he felt like he had to do something to gain his attention again.
Yoichi, beautiful beautiful Yoichi. Arguably the most boring person in the planet, an uninteresting character, and just a NPC in Kaiser's life. But with those beautiful blue eyes that shine like diamonds, soft hair he wanted to touch, that egoistical and maniacal expression when he scored a goal. It was impossible to turn his eyes away.
"Y-You're amazing Kaiser!!"
"Oh shut up."
"Hahahaha! What's up with that?"
He felt his face heat up when he relives the memories of his time with Isagi. His voice, smile, and laughter are all practically ingrained into his brain.
Never in a million years would Kaiser ever find himself pathetically inlove with another man like this. It was comical and laughable but Isagi made him feel like this. Made him want to drive himself up a wall, kick his leg up in the air like some highschool girl, roll around on the bed sick with love.
And even after quitting his biggest passion for whatever reason to do some boring detective work, Yoichi's charm had never dissapeared. On the field he was dazzling but off field he was just as gorgeous.
If turning into a criminal and possibly getting arrested and loosing his hard built career entirely wasn't proof of his love, Kaiser didn't know what else to say.
And Ness couldn't do anything else but watch as his best friend turn into some lovesick maiden.