Chapter Text
It still haunts Inference to this very day.
The chaotic battlefield, the scent of gunpowder, the pain of wounds all over his body and the stench of blood — specifically from the comrades he was once close with. They're now lying in front of him, their lives forcefully taken away, cruelly, horribly. Perhaps this is fate doing its job.
Echoing voices called his name, but he has no intention to answer to their call, no, just for a while. He can't talk.
Unconsciously holding his breath, he can't do anything other than watch them bleed with a horrified look on his face. And he blames himself for not being able to protect them.
—
Inference aggressively jerked awake from this horrible nightmare. Again. This is why he doesn't like sleeping; the dreadful memories involuntarily creeping back in his mind over and over and over again.
Is this a curse? A curse intended to haunt him until the very end? Whatever the case is, he is willing — willing to accept it because he thinks he 'deserves' it.
He found himself leaning on his desk, scattered with paperwork, like always. He looked at the clock and it was almost five in the morning. And god, his back hurts. He's not getting any younger; he ought to learn to take the goddamn couch, if not the bed.
He sighed and stood up from his chair, grunting in pain. He arched then stretched, the crisp of cracking bones filled his ears. He made sure to wash his face and, oh, it's time to shave his overgrown stubble. Inference tends to always look presentable to others. He can't afford to look awful to others now, can he?
He brushed and tied his hair messily, but neat enough to be considered proper. He wore his smoke blue plaid tweed trench coat and fastened the navy blue ribbon under his collar which an ornate gold brooch set with a pearl rests on top of it. By then, it's already five-ten. It's time to make breakfast for him and Truth.
Just after he placed the plates and cups on the table, the front door burst opened aggressively; following the sound of the bell as it swings back and forth at the top of the door. A familiar voice who seems to belong to his co-worker, Truth, called out to him, "Mr. Inference, there's someone unconscious outside the agency!"
At this statement, Inference ran towards outside alongside Truth and there he saw a figure of man lying unconsciously. He kneeled and pressed his index and ring finger on the man's neck, which he signed with relief after a few seconds. He then turned his head at the bird, which is an owl, looking at him just beside the man.
"..Truth, help me bring inside the owl."
The young lady nodded and carefully approached the bird, thankfully it's not hostile towards the two and let Truth scoop it onto her arms. On the other hand, Inference attempted to gently lift up the man into a cradle carry and entered back again into the agency.
He set the man down on the couch in the lobby and began inspecting the figure. His hair white, with two braids on the sides of his head, a blindfold covering his eyes, dressed in a robe of pure white, pale blue and shining gold and a white glove upon his left hand. Somehow, everything about him was oddly familiar. It makes Inference uneasy. Well, other than his appearance, his breathing is stable and his skin is pale like snow — but it's probably a normal feature of the man.
The owl flew over to his owner from Truth's arm and watched over him. Seems like it's concerned about him, what a loyal companion.
Inference's head shot over at Truth, "Let's eat breakfast first before it goes cold, it seems like this man won't be waking up anytime soon."
Truth nodded, "Alright."
—
After ten minutes, grunts could be heard in the lobby and the two swiftly made their way to the newly awoken stranger clutching his head. The white-haired turned his gaze towards them.
"Pardon.." The man's voice was hoarse, making Inference raise his hand in signal to stop talking.
"Truth, get some water." The young lady did as he asked, helping the man sit up in the meantime. Truth came back with a glass of water and handed it over to the figure, drinking it slowly until the last drop. His Adam's Apple bobbing up and down in the process where he softly sighs when he finishes drinking.
"How are you feeling?" Inference questioned.
The man started, "I feel, my head hurts...And.. I can't.. I can't seem to remember anything." His voice soft and quiet.
Truth gasped at the turn of events, covering her mouth. The brunet furrowed his brows in response, "Even your identity?" He tried again.
The man contemplated with effort, but unfortunately it's useless. "My apologies..." He hung his head low apologetically.
Inference shook his head, "It's alright, don't push yourself. What you need to know for now is that you can trust us and we can help you." He reassured. "You may call me Inference, a private detective. And this is—"
"Truth! I'm Mr. Inference's co-worker!" The young lady continued, gently holding the stranger's hand. "Don't worry, we'll uncover the truth behind your amnesia and offer you support as much as we can, so please don't worry!" Truth comforted enthusiastically.
Earning a smile from the man, he nodded his head, "I'm grateful for your help, Lady Truth and Mr. Inference. I'm sorry for the trouble, helping a stranger like me..." He then forces out an awkward laugh.
"Oh, don't sweat it! We always help others, whether strangers or acquaintances! It's no biggie at all! Right, Mr. Inference?" The two looked at the man standing watching them. "..Yes, that's not exactly wrong. It is our job as detectives, after all." Inference nodded. "Well besides, I don't think you could get a better help than this from somewhere else, so why hesitate?" He added.
A soft laugh escaped the man's lips, "You're right. A drowning man catches all straws, is it?" He responded.
An unexpected growl then followed. The figure has his snow white skin turned red at this moment, embarrassed and ashamed.
"Exactly."
—
'Mr. White', as they will be calling him for the time being, humbly ate the simple peanut butter and jelly sandwich prepared by Inference. In the process, he also gives his owl bits of pieces of his bread. The kitchen's essence consisted of early morning air; hence cool and fresh, mixed with newly brewed coffee, Truth's feminine perfume and the newfound natural scent of White's owl companion.
"Hm.."
Inference looked at the nearly empty pantry, if not for the jar of peanut butter and jelly he used to make the sandwich. He then looked at the young lady sipping on her sweetened coffee, "Truth, it looks like we need to do a restock today."
"Eh? It's that time of the month already?" Truth contemplated. "Well.. I guess, but I'll go by myself today!" She then added.
Inference turned around to face Truth, "And who do you think will supposedly carry paper bags full of food..?" He said, dumbfounded.
Truth set down her cup, standing up in confidence, "Don't worry, who do you think you're talking to? I can do it just fine!" She strained her non-existent muscles to convince the taller man, earning a sigh from him. "Besides, we couldn't just leave Mr. White here, can we? Just stay here and crack the code! The sooner, the better!" Truth finishes it off with a playful wink and a thumbs up.
"Nope, I'll go." Inference softly bonked Truth with his straightened leather gloved hand. "I don't see why we should rush, you should make White feel more.. entertained, comfortable enough so he could unwind from his situation even for a little." He then proceeded to his office to collect his smoke blue deerstalker which lies on top of the coat rack along with his cane and wood pipe.
"You're not completely wrong..." Truth answered. "Ah, but, what should we talk about?!" She questioned as she followed Inference to the lobby.
The brunet looks behind his back, "I'll leave it up to you." With that, he disappeared from Truth's sight.
"Ahh.. Seriously...!"
The conflicted young lady stared at the door where Inference was standing just earlier before storming off to the kitchen, thinking as she took a step. She looked at White behaving quietly on his seat and a topic suddenly came to her mind.
'Mr. Inference told me to talk about anything right?' Truth smiled to herself.
—
Inference arrived after an hour, three to five paper bags in his possession. White and Truth paused their conversation as they looked up to the brunet, Truth spoke first, "Ah, Mr. Inference! Welcome back!" She stood up from the couch to help the older man with the groceries to place it on the kitchen counter. Inference sighed, "I'm back. Sorry I took too long, the market was crowded." He stated as he proceeded to take off his coat, letting it hang on his arm.
"Is that so?" Truth replied, "You must be tired, I'll take care of the rest. So you go accompany Mr. White and help him!" At the mention of his name, he came from behind, his right hand on his chest. "I'm indebted for your help, Mr. Inference." White softly spoke, earning a hum from Inference.
"No problem." He slid out the wooden pipe from his lips, pointing his head in the direction of his office, "Follow me."
Inference pushed open the door leading to his office and White was greeted by the essence of the room. Unlike in the kitchen, the air was sort of dense and warm, assorted with a whiff of tobacco and whiskey. Albeit faint, it's enough to make the clad in snowy white robe a bit dizzy. The brunet taking notice of this, opened the curtain then the window; letting in the cool and fresh air of the autumn season that ventilated the whole room.
"Sorry about that, are you alright?" Inference approached White and offered his hand – which White takes without hesitation – and led him to the couch.
White nodded in response, "I'm sorry for the trouble, Mr. Inference." He smiled bashfully as he sat down on the not-so-stiff couch.
Just outside the window was the beautiful combination of red, orange and yellow that completes the maple leaf which scattered throughout the road of the town. Today is October 31st.
Looking around the room, different sorts of stuff and tools are scattered. Although, the cleanliness is not neglected; probably the work of Truth. The investigation board consists of ripped newspapers, pictures of strangers – including missing posters, a map of the city, and sticky note pads that are supported with thumbtacks and strings that connect each of the evidence to draw a conclusion.
"You're amazing, Mr. Inference." White subconsciously praised.
"Pardon?", Inference looked up from his mahogany desk where he is getting papers and a fountain pen.
"Ah!", White blinked. "It's just, actually, Miss Truth told me a lot about you. She said that you're a genius that solved a certain case that made what you are now, a famous detective! I'm sure you worked hard to bring the truth to light no matter how challenging the situation is." He continued.
"...", Inference cleared his throat and fixed his gold-rimmed monocle on his left eye before proceeding to make his way to the couch and sit beside the taller man. "I'm just doing my job, that's all. But thank you for the compliment." Inference placed down the things he grabbed into the coffee table.
"Seriously.. that young lady, I should've warned her not to talk much about me.." Inference barely mumbled under his breath before letting out a sigh.
Then a soft chuckle could be heard, "I can't blame her, Mr. Inference. You are a worthy and interesting subject to talk about, after all. Your accomplishments deserve all the praise." White commented.
He heard Inference incomprehensible mumble, it seems like his ears are pretty sharp. It's quite a useful feature for investigation and clue gathering. He'll be a pretty renowned detective or a sonar operator if he pursues to be one.
Inference smiled faintly in amusement, "Do you like showering praise to just anyone?"
"Well.. don't you like it when someone massages your ego?"
"No, not really."
"Is that so?"
Inference nodded.
White started to cover his mouth in an attempt to hold back his laughter, where the brunet patiently waited for the other to explain himself. The taller man smiled as he looked towards the man besides him, "My apologies, Mr. Inference. It seems like I got too comfortable in your presence now that I've somewhat opened up to Miss Truth." He said apologetically.
Inference allowed himself to fall on the backrest of the couch as he crossed his arm and sigh softly, "I don't mind, it benefits the both of us in terms of relationship." And White nodded in agreement.
Inference sat back up and continued, "Alright, let's try again. So you don't remember your name.. but what about your birthday? Or your hometown?" Inference started.
White rested his chin on his slender fingers, thinking deeply. A gentle breeze passed through the man before exclaiming in realization, "Ah! Mr. Inference, I just remembered something but it's not one of the things you have asked... Actually, I can see the future."
"Eh?" Inference choked out as he gave the other a look of doubt. White awkwardly chuckles before he clarifies, "I really can, I just need a crystal ball to do it. Do you perhaps have one lying around somewhere?"
"Hmm.." The brunet started thinking, staring into the ceiling.. Wait, he just remembered something — his office room's light bulb is burnt out for almost two days and he always forgets to tell Truth. Maybe it's just better to do something about it himself later instead.. Anyways, he should do something about White's crystal ball... crystal ball.. Ah! Something clicked into Inference's head. "I remember Paranormal Detective gave me one before..." He muttered out as he stood up from the couch and rummaged through one of the cabinets at the other side of the room.
"There is it." He fished out a medium-sized box and returned to White's side, handing it over to him. The white-haired carefully took it, a crystal ball on a purple cushion glistened in the natural sunlight as he opened the lid. "How pretty..!" White exclaimed in amazement before taking it out of the box and placing it on his lap for closer inspection. The crystal ball has various colours; which is blue, purple and indigo — it mixed together complementary, truly a beautiful sight.
"Please excuse me." White said as he held up his hand on top of it, distancing about two inches away from the ball. Inference silently watched the other, and he could've sworn that the crystal ball magically glowed faintly.
After one minute, White's snow white skin broke a sweat as he frowned. He seemed to be exerted; breathing as if out of breath — but why? Does using his ability cause a toll on him physically and mentally? Inference was about to stand up to pitch a glass of water when White caught his sleeve and shook his head, "I'm fine, Mr. Inference. Please listen to what I have to say." The white-haired insisted before putting on a weary smile. The brunet sat back on his seat, waiting for White to say something.
White inhaled then exhaled, "Since I'm still not accustomed to this, I easily got exhausted and couldn't see the future clearly.. But one thing is certain; the storm is coming very soon."
Inference furrowed his brow, "Storm?" He repeated sternly. He thought of a certain individual, a recent client, who has the initial of D.M. Ever since he hired Inference to investigate The Golden Rose Theater, he can't shake the feeling that he's a bad news.
He let out a slightly exasperated sigh, "A problem one after another, it's nothing unusual ever since I've opened Orpheus Detective Agency."
White let out a soft chuckle in response, "It must've been tough."
"It was," Inference confirmed. "But it's not enough to make me give up on searching the truth." At this statement, he earned White's smile — a smile that showed admiration for the brunet.
Inference watched White smile at him, and he was lost for words for some reason he can't possibly explain. He just feels uneasy every time White opens his lips or when he does something — it's weird. Why does he feel some kind of connection to this stranger he just met? There has to be something. He shook away his train of thoughts, and not knowing how to respond, he lightly caressed his nape and resorted to one last thing;
".. Mind if I smoke?"
—
It's eventually afternoon. Inference has taken out White to bring him to a diagnostic center for further inspection regarding his coma. And in which he noticed something — he's scared of sunlight. Truth kindly lent her fancy parasol she barely used after using it in an occasion.
[Thirty minutes ago...]
"Why this one..?" Inference hesitantly pointed out, "White, I have a simple one if you'd prefer that." He then added.
White opened the light blue parasol decorated with white lace and ribbons, it's indeed too feminine, fancy and... it'll also draw much attention since White is the one who'll use it.
"This looks wonderful, Miss Truth. Are you sure I could use it?" The white-haired beamed with anticipation as he smiled.
"Of course!" The blonde smiled back as she nod. White then turned to Inference, as if waiting for permission, "Well.. I won't stop you from using it if you really want to." Inference crossed his arm while the wooden pipe that barely has smoke sits still between the edge of his lips.
Leaving White's owl companion to Truth's capable hands, they left the agency.
On their way to the diagnostic center, White drew a decent amount of attention as expected. Not because of the parasol that really stands out but because of White himself.
"Ain't you so popular, pretty boy?" Inference blurted out. White turned to him, laughing softly. "Whatever do you mean, Mr. Inference?" He asked playfully as if trying to deny what the brunet had said.
"No need to deny it, even I think you're pretty. I would've mistaken you as a girl if it's not for your muscular build." He answered.
The white-haired stared at him for a few seconds before turning his head in front, "You're quite the flatterer yourself, Mr. Inference." He pointed out and Inference's brow twitched, "Not at all... Well, at least I don't do it every so often."
White only hummed lightly.
No one said a word until they arrived at their destination. White was taken away for inspection while Inference sat still at the lounge. There's really nothing to see but a notice for the workers and a fish bowl with a fat goldfish. Do they really have nothing to do other than overfeed the poor fish? Just when the brunet started to itch for a smoke, a mature woman's voice called out to him, "The results are out, Mr. Inference. I'm afraid that the boy is a bit too fragile for his own good."
She handed over a piece of paper, overflowing with information. The handwriting is almost too.. unique, that it's close to gibberish, whatever will Inference do if he isn't so used to this? He slowly read the context of the paper, careful not to skip a single word — his brows furrowed.
"Thank you as always, Miss Jones. I'll wire you the money for the bill later... And White is..?"
"I'm here, Mr. Inference."
White stepped out of the room where he went in earlier, giving him a small, faint smile. Inference frowned slightly in return, ".. Let's go."
—
The two walked side-by-side, their shadow cast visibly on the ground by the setting sun. Noticing that White isn't using the parasol, Inference cracked out a question to relieve the tense and awkward air between them.
"Why aren't you using your parasol?" Inference asked.
"Well.. the sunlight isn't that strong, and it's not warm either." White answered.
The two fell silent once again. It's better to not just talk at this point, it'll just make things more cringe and unbearable. They walked down the bustling street, the market is lively as always, clopping hooves of horses pulling the carriage of the noble and common people alike. Everything is peaceful, yet there's always a deal going on whether in a different part of the world or in the deepest corner of a random alley. Time never stops, and no problem lasts that long either.
Inference shouldn't worry much about White's condition, because everything will eventually get better if he receives proper treatment. Why is he even upset that White suffers this much in the first place? He didn't even act like this when Truth got a very high fever; isn't it only natural that you care more about the person you grew up with rather than a stranger you just met this morning? Once again, this strange feeling enveloped Inference's uneasy heart.
"... Mr. Inference!"
The brunet flinched aggressively, looking at the direction of the voice, which is behind him, "W-what is it?" He choked.
White opened his mouth, then closed it — it's clear that he's hesitating. Though, thankfully, he's quick to gather his courage, "What do you think of me, Mr. Inference?" He muttered out.
Inference dumbfounded, "What's this all of the sudden..?" He then sighed. "Well, to answer your question.. Hmm... you're like a snow flake — fragile, weak to heat and sunlight... Yet so beautiful and fascinating that anyone would want to look at it a little more closely to see the details, mysteries and beauty of it."
...
White only stood there in daze; a faint blush could be seen, or maybe it's the work of the orange hue emitting from the setting sun instead.. whatever the case is, it doesn't change the fact that White has a strange look on his face that even Inference can't comprehend.
"I see," He said. "That's truly a great analogy, I'm afraid it's a little too accurate. I'm flattered.. But unfortunately that's not the answer I'm looking for, so let me change the question — have we met somewhere before?"
Inference's heart clenched and his breath hitched, his eyes widened in surprise. Strange. Well, considering that he has been feeling this some sort of connection to this white-haired clad, it'll be no surprise if they've indeed met before. But there's no way he'll forget someone like White, considering that he's too unique to even forget about.
Inference looked for the best answer he could come up with, "Maybe we did. There's this feeling I couldn't understand nor shake off out of my chest, so it's possible that it has something to do with our 'supposedly' forgotten encounter in the past." He briefly answered.
A soft gasp escaped White's lips, "You feel it too..?" He said, placing a hand on his chest. "This.. uncomprehending feeling is quite unsettling. Why does it exist, why do I feel it, and what does it have to do with you that it's connected to you as a whole? Please give me answers, Mr. Inference..!" He cried out.
White noise filled Inference's ears, hitting him like a wave from White's demand for answers that even him, a detective, couldn't deduce a single bit — far from his reach and understanding, surely. It made his heart ache, words stuck on his throat and he slowly forgot to breathe as cold sweat formed on his forehead. He felt weak, impractical. It was only the time he snapped back to reality when the cold wind of October twilight brushed against his cheeks.
It's like the time suddenly started to run too fast for his own pace because, eventually and apparently, the moon and stars are now barely visible above his head. He squinted his eyes as the last ray of the sunset beamed his sights, trying his best to block it with his hand.
When Inference got the chance to look at White a little more clearly, the latter was wiping his.. tears?
"Why are you crying, Mr. Inference?" White asked, worried.
The brunet's sights eventually got blurred, "What?" He quietly muttered out as he blinked. "Ah, it might've been the light earlier; it almost blinded me. Please excuse me.." Pulling his deerstalker down, he hid his eyes away from the taller figure in front of him.
The two of them know that wasn't the case at all, probably an outburst of emotion? Impossible, Inference isn't the type of person to be overwhelmed by his own feelings, so why? Was it the work of the strange feeling that he became this delicate? Embarrassing.
White's concern for the other didn't waver.
After a while, he managed to calm himself down and wipe the remaining tears on his eyes, awkwardly speaking up. ".. My answer to your question, I'm afraid I don't know. There's no concrete evidence yet as to why the two of us would feel this way — and there's nothing like deus ex machina that will tell the answer nor solve the problem for us." He inhaled, swallowing his saliva. "So, I hope you stick long enough to uncover the truth together."
The stars twinkled quietly, the lampposts lit up one by one in a straight line; the whole district is illuminated wherever you turn your head at. Smoke rose up from the chimney of each and everyone's cozy houses, Truth probably started to cook and prepare for dinner too. Her cooking is not something that White could miss, after all, her dishes are rich in flavor and exquisite in appearance — it's sure to make your appetite break the scale. An amazing cook, a hard-working detective and a determined housekeeper, Inference couldn't be more grateful to have her by his side.
The night's breeze is enough to make one shiver in chill coldness, but White doesn't seem to be bothered by this.. considering his frail body, it's not a good idea to just let him wear his thin robe alone. The brunet sighs softly, taking off his trench coat and draping it over the other's shoulder.
"We can't afford you to get a cold, let's hurry back to the agency. I'm sure we could eat something warm as soon as we arrived." Inference stated and White nodded in response, "Alright. But I'm still worried about your tears earlier, Mr. Inference. Are you sure you're okay?" He asked worryingly.
He won't really let go until Inference reassures him, is he? That leaves Inference with no other choices, "Those tears meant nothing, they're just.. there for no reason whatsoever. I don't feel anything about it at all, so don't worry. Don't lose your head over trivial matters like this."
The taller figure still hesitated, yet he eventually decided to just go with it, "I understand." The two then continued their walk back to the agency, which it will only take five minutes from where they've stopped to have their 'emotional' psychological discussion. As expected, they were greeted by a mouthwatering, savory aroma coming from the kitchen from the moment they set their foot in the agency. White's owl cooed at their presence, excitedly flying around the two before making its way back to the kitchen.
It's warm, warmer than the bloodied battlefield or back at the dull orphanage where Inference and Truth grew up. Inference never felt this satisfied before; a soft, faint smile inched up to his face. White having taken notice of this, wore a pleased expression before speaking up, "Shall we, Mr. Inference?"
The brunet looked at him before clearing his throat, "Be my guest."
—
The blonde, brunet and the white-haired ate their dinner in delight, but what White have said added a mood into the current atmosphere; "Mr. Inference.. about what you have said earlier that you hope that I stick long enough — to learn about both my past and this feeling of connection..." He paused, then smiled. "How about I join the agency and help around in the meantime?"
The two dropped their utensils in disbelief on what they just heard, silver spoon and forks clacking on the dinner table in newfound silence, the two cried simultaneously — ".. What?" "What?!"
White tilted his head to the side, looking confused, "Wait, is there something wrong with that..?"
Truth and Inference exchanged looks before the young lady took the initiative to answer the question in the brunet's place, sighing helplessly as she answered.
"Not particularly."