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Chapter Text

Genshin Asogi opened his front door to chaos. 

"We've had enough-!"  

"He's out of control-!" 

“This is too far-!”

Genshin was not an easily rattled man, but whatever this flurry of voices was momentarily stunned him. He had just finished washing up after holding some sword fighting lessons for a few of his apprentices. Afterwards he had made a cup of tea for himself, preparing to settle down and read a book for a while, when a loud banging on the door startled him.

Outside his door were his neighbors; people that lived in the same neighborhood as he did for years now. Granted, most of them he only knew by last name, but he recognized all of them. They were all older people, ranging from their forties to seventies, if Genshin had to guess. The Asogis were the only couple with a child in this neighborhood, and the youngest couple other than the Mikotobas. The expressions on their faces ranged from mildly annoyed, to upset, to downright furious.

They all kept trying to speak over the other, their voices mixing together in one jumbled mess that Genshin was sure would give him a headache if he had to listen for much longer. But he zeroed in on another voice being buried under the rest; a young voice that he recognized right away. How could he not, when it belonged to his own son?

“Let me go! I didn't do anything!”

A gruff older man, around his mid-fifties, Genshin believed, was rudely pushing his way to the front of the small crowd, dragging Genshin's seven year old son, Kazuma, behind him. If he remembered correctly, his family name was Takeuchi. All of the others gathered there fell into a hush. Mr.Takeuchi finally stood in front of Genshin, the boy in his hold struggling to no avail. Genshin's blood boiled when he saw just how tightly the man's hand was clamped around his son's arm, obviously causing discomfort.

“Mr.Asogi-,” Mr.Takeuchi began, but was sharply cut off.

“Let him go,” Genshin growled coldly.

Mr.Takeuchi blinked in surprise at the blunt tone, then opened his mouth to make a remark back. But Genshin didn't listen. Mr.Takeuchi didn't let Kazuma go, so he took matters into his own hands. He stepped forward and firmly grasped the man's wrist, applying just enough pressure to get the man's hand to loosen enough for Kazuma to slip away, the boy quickly hiding behind his father for protection. It all happened in a matter of a few seconds. Once Mr.Takeuchi registered what was happening, he quickly yanked his hand away, rubbing his wrist and glaring at Genshin.

“There was no need for that-” He grumbled, narrowing his eyes when Genshin cut him off yet again.

“There was no need to grab my child like that,” Genshin retorted with a glare. Frankly, the man was lucky Genshin didn't draw Karuma on him. He turned his attention to the small group behind Mr.Takeuchi, “What is the meaning of all of this?” He asked, “What brings you all here?” Those within the crowd started talking at the same time again and he pinched the bridge of his nose. How were these people older than him? They sounded like a group of squabbling children. He wished he had Ume's social skills to navigate this better; he couldn't even ask for advice as she was away visiting a family member, “One at a time, please.” He sighed.

“Your son has gone too far this time!” One woman snapped; Mrs.Suyama was her name. Her husband stood quietly behind her, looking like he'd rather be anywhere than here. Genshin recognized her as the owner of the rooster that often tried to eat Ume's flowers. A rooster that his boy had become practically mortal enemies with. Mrs.Suyama tended to ignore her bird causing chaos, only intervening when someone retaliated in some way, such as chasing it off, as Kazuma often did, “He purposely destroyed several things on our properties and you need to punish him!”

Genshin raised an eyebrow at that. Now, he'd be the first to acknowledge his son could get a little…wild. He liked to joke with his wife that Kazuma's shenanigans were his own dose of karma for the stuff he pulled when he was a boy himself. There were some things this kid thought of that a young Genshin could never top in a million years. The “Goose Incident” would forever be one of them; he was still finding feathers.

There was a difference between mischief and malice, however. Kazuma was not a mean-spirited boy. He may act proud and be a bit cheeky, and he was still developing a filter, but he was also kind, curious, and helpful. He felt his emotions very strongly, and hated if he hurt someone's feelings or upset them with any mistakes he made. Being a young child, he was bound to make them.

But Kazuma was not the type to just destroy someone else's belongings, not on purpose. Surely there was more to the story here. Before he could ask the lady to explain what she meant, however, his son piped up from behind him. He must have felt emboldened while his father stood in front of him like a shield.

“I didn't do anything wrong!” The boy cried out, “I keep telling you that I didn't break anything!” The neighbors’ eyes hardened at his denial, “Why won't you believe me!?” Kazuma asked in a distressed tone. Genshin halfway turned and gave him a look, silently asking him to settle down. He knew Kazuma was upset, but he needed to get more information on what exactly happened. 

Kazuma almost looked ready to protest further but after a few seconds of his father's gaze, he sullenly complied, going quiet. Genshin could still feel the anxiety buzzing off of him however, and he reached a hand back to gently squeeze his shoulder to calm him. He was pleased to feel some of his tension ease up.

“Alright,” He turned back to the neighbors, “One of you, tell me exactly what happened,” He asked calmly, “What was destroyed in each of your yards? When did you discover this?” The neighbors all looked at each other, trying to decide who would speak for everyone, when a thin, balding man with thick glasses stepped forward. Ah, Mr.Suzuki, Genshin recognized him. He was…an odd man, but not necessarily in a bad way. He always seemed very jumpy.

“Well,” Mr.Suzuki began nervously, “We all discovered each thing around noon. After the long rain we've had, everyone has been outside. As far as my piece, I'll say right now, I'm not sure if they are so much ‘destroyed’ rather than ‘missing’, but nonetheless, I am very upset,” The man rapidly poured out his words, “Because some of my windchimes are gone! And not just any windchimes! I got those from a special market in Tokyo and they're made of fine brass, the sound they make is so beautiful due to their shape and-!” Genshin was certain the man would have rambled for hours if allowed to, and was silently thankful when Mr.Takeuchi butted in. 

“Alright, alright!” The man grumbled, “We don't need to hear your rambling!” He turned his glare back at Genshin, whose gratitude was fading rapidly, “I had a whole section of my yard where young bamboo shoots were popping up and thriving! I planned to turn them into a little secluded corner where I could relax. Then your little brat came and trampled all over them and snapped them!” Here he turned his glare to Kazuma, who sulked back at him, unafraid of him now that his father was there, “And he can't pretend he didn't see them, because I had a great amount of red flags marking the area. But he ignored them and even stole some of them!”

“Oh dear,” A quiet voice spoke up, “He destroyed your plants too?” They all looked towards the back of the group to see an elderly woman shaking her head. Ms.Hanamoto was a kindly elderly lady who usually was tolerant of Kazuma's antics. She seemed displeased today, however. She noticed everyone's attention on her and continued, “Mine isn't so serious but I am a bit upset. My beautiful rose bush has been stripped of all its flowers! And some of the branches have been snapped off,” She peered at Kazuma through her beady eyes, disappointment shimmering in them, “Young man, whether this was on purpose or an accident, you must take responsibility for when you do something wrong. That's how you grow up to be a good man.” Kazuma looked upset and frustrated at her words, opening his mouth to protest once more, but Mrs.Suyama jumped in.

“And you also broke my clay pots as well, didn't you!?” She snapped at the boy, who jumped back and shook his head frantically, “Ha! Of course you deny it!” She looked at Genshin with a cutting glance, “You think just because you're from some fancy, long established clan that you can get away with anything, I bet.” 

Genshin felt a stab of irritation at the jab but stamped it down, taking a deep breath, “Ok,” He closed his eyes and took in all the information. After absorbing everything, he nodded to himself, and turned to face Kazuma fully. He knelt down to his level, grasping the boy's shoulders to make sure he had his full attention. Kazuma looked at him with wide eyes, uncertain of what his father thought. 

“Kazuma,” He spoke with a gentle, yet firm voice, “Did you break any of our neighbors’ belongings? Or take anything from their yards?” He watched his son carefully. He knew his body language well. He knew pretty well if Kazuma tried to tell a lie.

“No, Father,” Kazuma said earnestly, his eyes begging his father to believe him, “I promise, I didn't break anything! And I didn't steal anything either!” One of the neighbors scoffed, but Genshin paid them no mind, only focusing on his child. He could still feel the nervous energy, but Kazuma wasn't trying to wiggle away or look away. He wasn't going into tales of why something wasn't his fault. He wasn't taking too long to answer. Genshin knew he was being truthful. He gave Kazuma a small encouraging smile and nodded, accepting his answer.

“Well,” He stood up, turning back to his neighbors once more, “My son says he did not break, nor did he steal anything.” There was a loud uproar at that, with accusations of his child lying and demanding repayment. He pinched the bridge of his nose and held up his hand for silence. After a few seconds, they quieted down, and he continued, “Did anyone among you see him doing what you say he did?” There was a chorus of a reluctant “no” from all four, Mr.Suyama still remaining silent, “Do you have any definitive proof that it was him?” Again, the answer was no, equally reluctant as the last. Genshin blinked in disbelief. His neighbors blinked back at him. Kazuma looked between them both in concern.

Genshin closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled, “So, let me get this straight,” He began, “None of you saw him. None of you have any proof that he did it,” He opened his eyes, giving them a fierce glare, “Yet, you come here dragging him by the arm, terrifying him, yelling about how you know he did it. Why are you so convinced it was him?”

“Who else could it be!?” Mrs.Suyama asked, hands on her hips.

Genshin felt anger rise up within him, “Excuse me?” He asked indignantly, “What's that supposed to mean?”

“Well, none of us did it!” She crossed her arms and huffed, “This boy is nothing but trouble. A menace, that's what he is. You know it and so do the rest of us,” Kazuma shrank a bit at these words, “Now, how are you going to punish him?” She asked with a smirk, clearly thinking they had the upper hand.

“I will not punish my son for something he did not do,” Genshin stated in a firm tone, “I'd like to take a look at everything. If it becomes clear to me that he did do it, then you'll get repayment from me. As for my boy, I will deal with him as I see fit,” He glared at the woman, “That is none of your business.” He felt disgusted as she almost seemed disappointed. He felt Kazuma lean into him for comfort and put his arm around him protectively. 

Mr.Suyama finally spoke, “Let's all go to our homes and wait for Mr.Asogi,” His wife tried to interject but he continued, “There's no use standing here heckling him and his son the rest of the day,” He looked at Genshin with slightly apologetic eyes, “We'll keep the areas as we found them so you can see for yourself,” Genshin nodded, and the group dispersed back to their own homes. He sighed in relief once he and Kazuma were left on their own. So much for a quiet day.

“They don't believe me…” Genshin heard his son mumble. He turned to look at him. Kazuma, usually so happy and full of life, looked dejected, arms crossed and eyes shimmering with held back tears, though he was trying to hide them. Genshin hated to see him like that. He put a hand on his shoulder, and Kazuma looked up at him sadly.

“Well, I believe you,” He assured him, relieved when Kazuma gave him a small smile. Then, Genshin got an idea to hopefully get him to perk up, “You know, this is a bit of a mystery. And I'm sure we can figure out exactly what happened with a little investigation~” He leaned towards him, grinning, “How about it? Should we prove them wrong with a little detective work?”

“Yeah!” Kazuma bounced a little, feeling better, “We can find out what happened, and they won't be mad anymore! Oh, and it can be practice for you too, Father. Since you're gonna be a detective and all,” He looked raring to go, hands clenched in determination, “I'll help! I'm not a detective, but I can still help!” 

“That's the spirit!” Genshin laughed, ruffling the boy's hair and making him giggle, “We'll figure this out, alright? After all, Asogis never give up, do they?” He asked, his son nodding with a pleased smile. “And don't worry, you don't have to be a detective to solve a mystery. You just need logic, evidence, and to listen and learn from different perspectives,” He smirked and started to lead the way out of their yard, “Your perspective, for example, can help us see things from the ground up~”

Kazuma lingered behind, registering what his father said. Genshin snickered at his boy's confused face as he glanced over his shoulder. He sped up just a little, waiting for the coming outburst.

“Hey!” He heard an indignant voice cry out behind him as Kazuma caught up with his joke, and he laughed as his son scrambled after him, “I'm not that small!” 

Chapter Text

“So what do we do first, Father?” Kazuma asked once they were standing outside their property, on the main road. He seemed to be in better spirits, much to Genshin's relief, “Wait till we catch whoever really did it!” The boy smirked and acted like he was ready to fight, scanning the area for any “foe.” Genshin noticed that he grasped at his hip, used to carrying his “sword”(in actuality, a sturdy stick) with him, but grabbed nothing. He must have left it back home. Undeterred, Kazuma still looked like he was ready to tussle, hopping around, “We'll catch them and make them pay!” He tried an intimidating voice, but it came out sounding more like a grumpy puppy than anything. 

Stifling his laughter, Genshin let him be silly for a minute, knowing he was trying to shake off the remaining tension from earlier. But they couldn't just go in with no plan. So he stopped his son from rushing off into “battle” by catching the back of his shirt, “Patience, young warrior,” He teased, “First things first, before we can figure this out, we need information. We need to get your complete side of the story,” Kazuma looked up at him, puzzled.

“But,” The boy said hesitantly, “I already said I didn't break anything or take anything, Father.”

“True,” Genshin acknowledged, “But it will still be helpful to know exactly what you did yesterday and today. Remember when the neighbors said they discovered the damaged property around noon?” Kazuma nodded, taking in everything, “That means it had to have happened before then, maybe in the morning, or maybe even yesterday at some point. The more we can confirm you were nowhere near any of it, the better.”

“Okay!” Kazuma said, “What do you want to know?” He folded his hands behind his back and stood at attention with a smile, awaiting his father's questions.

‘I should ask him what he did yesterday, and then what he did today, up until the neighbors dragged him to the door,’ Genshin thought. 

What you did yesterday

“Remind me what you did yesterday,” Genshin said, “You can skip to after I walked you home from school. What did you do?”

“Well,” Kazuma thought for a second, “After we got back, you gave me some fruit for a snack. Then you asked me to sweep the back pathways before I played outside, so I did. They took a bit longer than usual because the wind and rain made them really dirty, but I got them all. Did you see how clean I made them?” He leaned forward slightly. Genshin chuckled at his excitement.

“I did see,” He nodded, “You did a good job,” Kazuma beamed at the praise, “After you swept, you played for a while outside as I made dinner, right?”

“Yep!” Kazuma chirped, “I was playing with my sword. Then Mrs.Suyama's chicken came by again, so I chased him out!” He looked quite proud of himself, “He didn't even get close to Mother's flowers before I spotted him,” The boy said smugly. Genshin shook his head in fond exasperation.

“Yes, I remember hearing your ‘battle cry,’” Genshin sighed. At least his kid hadn't chased the bird down the street, just off the property, “Then I called you in for dinner,” He'd made a simple dinner of udon,pork and vegetables, “And you were inside for the rest of the night, correct?”

“...Y-Yeah,” Kazuma said with a smile, “I drew for a bit, then I went to sleep,” He said quickly, nodding once as if to finish his thought. He didn't offer up anything else, so Genshin moved on. Though he did notice that Kazuma's eyes were flitting about for a few seconds.

~~~

What you did today

“Now, what did you do today?” Genshin asked, “Start from when you woke up.”

“Well,” Kazuma began, “I woke up, and I got dressed to come outside with you, so I could practice my katas,” Genshin nodded, encouraging him to go on, “I was…a bit late,” His son said with a slightly embarrassed look, “I usually wake up earlier than that, but I was just so sleepy…”

“It's alright, you're still growing,” Genshin reassured him, “Sometimes you need a little extra rest,” Kazuma nodded, though he still looked a bit flushed, “After our katas, I know we had breakfast, then I went to conduct my lessons. So, what did you do?” He asked.

“I couldn't find my sword, so I played with my ball for a while!” Kazuma said, perking back up, “Oh, and I waved hello to Mrs.Ogawa. She was watering her flowers on the side of her house,” He put his hand on his chin, thoughtful, “I would have said hi out loud, but she can't hear anyone unless they're really close,” He looked back up at his father, “Then I accidentally kicked my ball too hard, and it bounced into the road. When I went to grab it, that's when all the angry people started yelling at me and coming closer. When Mr.Takeuchi tried to grab me, I ran…not because I was scared or anything!” He quickly added, “I just…didn't want to go with him…” He trailed off, rubbing his arm, as if remembering the older man's rough treatment.

~~~

“I see,” Genshin murmured, ‘Odd that he couldn't find his sword, it's usually never far away,’ He thought, “Then, that's when everyone came to the door?” Kazuma nodded, “Is there anything else?” He asked, but the boy quickly shook his head, finished with telling his side of the story, “Alright then,” Genshin smirked and tapped the side of his head, “Now we have something to compare the neighbors’ accounts against.” He paused; there were at least four neighbors to talk to about this. They'd need to keep track of their information somehow. 

“Kazuma,” He asked, “Would you mind fetching a notepad and something to write with from the study? Part of investigating is noting down evidence and statements. I have a feeling we'll need them.”

“Yes, Father,” Kazuma nodded eagerly and quickly ran back to their house to get the requested items. Genshin patiently waited for him to return.

“Momo!” A raspy voice rang out, and Genshin turned to see their next door neighbor, Mrs.Ogawa, hobbling along her property line, using her cane to nudge bush branches to the side and peering in them, as if looking for something. Apparently she didn't find what she was looking for. She shook her head and moved along, calling out once more, “Momo! Come here darling~!” 

Mrs.Ogawa was a sweet elderly lady in her seventies, who lived to the right of the Asogi home. She was of small stature, only a little taller than Kazuma. Her hair was gray, she wore glasses, was hard of hearing, and walked with a cane, but always seemed to have a smile on her face. So it was odd to see her so worried. As she came closer to the corner of the fence, Genshin greeted her.

“Good afternoon, Mrs.Ogawa,” He said with a bow. The older lady jumped and looked around for the new voice, probably only hearing it faintly. When she caught sight of Genshin, her face lit up with a kind smile. She raised her hand in a wave. The Asogis were thankful that at least their direct next door neighbors, like the Mikotobas and Mrs.Ogawa, were so friendly. 

“Oh hello, dear,” Mrs.Ogawa greeted back, giving a shaky bow towards him in return, “Lovely day, isn't it? I saw your boy taking advantage of the sunshine earlier. Ah, what a great day to be young and play,” She said wistfully.

“Indeed it is,” Genshin agreed. Well, that was perfect. Now he had confirmation that someone had seen Kazuma playing. He'd have to write that down.

“I'd love to chat more, dear, but I must find my little Momo. I went to feed him earlier after watering, but he's nowhere to be found,” Mrs.Ogawa said as she kept looking within her bushes, squinting her eyes from behind her thick glasses, “Little rascal must have gotten out somehow. If you happen to see him, would you mind bringing him back home?” 

“Oh,” Genshin answered, caught off guard, “Uh, of course,” He said with a smile, “What is he?” 

“Yes, yes, I know you're busy,” Mrs.Ogawa said, waving her hand absent-mindedly as she started walking away. She must not have heard him correctly. Before he could repeat himself, she continued, “Please, at least let me know if you see him, alright?” She asked sweetly, “You can't miss him, he's got clean white fur,” She put her hand on her chin in thought, “Though he might get it all dusty from tree climbing…” She trailed off, then started calling for her “Momo” once more, heading in the direction of town at a slow pace. 

Genshin had no idea who this “Momo” was, but going off of what Mrs.Ogawa said, it must be a cat. ‘Alright, I should keep an eye out for a white cat I suppose,’ He thought, ‘Potentially in a tree…hopefully we won't have one falling on our heads.’ Death by cat was not a very dignified way to go.

Kazuma came running out from the gate, nearly crashing into the older woman. Thankfully, he skidded to a halt just in time. Genshin saw his son take on a sheepish expression as he apologized for his recklessness, though he couldn't hear exactly what he was saying. She simply nodded at him in greeting and patted the boy on the head, continuing on her way. Kazuma gave her enough space to walk away, then rushed to his father, holding a notepad and pencil, just as he was instructed to grab.

Genshin thanked him as he took the items and, flipping to a blank page within, began to write.

Evidence

Kazuma's Alibi: In his yard the whole time at home yesterday and today. Vouched for by his father and Mrs.Ogawa.

~~~

“Alright, that's the first piece of our evidence,” Genshin said, flipping the notepad closed. He went to tuck it into his pocket, but got an idea. Kneeling down and holding it out to Kazuma, he said, “Why don't you go ahead and hang onto this for me, hm?” He handed the two objects to the boy.

“Me?” Kazuma repeated, confused.

“Yes, you,” Genshin chuckled, “And when we find something important, you can make a little note about it, just like I did there, see?” He pointed to the first note, “When we're talking to the other neighbors, pay attention to what they say and write it down,” This would give Kazuma something to do, to help out, “Think you can handle that?” He asked with a smile.

“Yeah!” Kazuma eagerly responded, “Don't worry, I'm really good at writing!” He said proudly, “My teacher says so!” He looked at the note for a few seconds, then hesitantly spoke, “Um…what's an ‘alibi?’” The word was foreign to him.

“Well, since the neighbors are accusing you of these things, we need to know where you were at the time. An alibi means you have evidence that you were somewhere else when a crime took place,” Genshin patiently took the time to explain, “I know I saw you yesterday doing your chores and playing, and today Mrs.Ogawa saw you playing as well. We can vouch for you, at least for those times, so that is your alibi.” Kazuma listened with rapt attention, soaking up everything his father said like a sponge.

“Now,” Genshin said as he stood up, “We have four places to investigate and four people to talk to. Let's get moving, alright?”

“Where do we go first, Father?”

“Good question…” Genshin hummed as an answer and thought for a minute.

‘Mr.Suzuki is dealing with missing windchimes.’

‘Mr.Takeuchi is concerned with snapped and trampled bamboo.’

‘Ms.Hanamoto is distraught about a damaged rose bush.’

‘Mrs.Suyama is outraged by broken pottery.’

‘Where should we go?’

Chapter Text

Mr. Suzuki lived across the road from the Asogi home, in a fairly small house. As far as Genshin had seen, it was just the man himself that lived there. It was well kept;a few plants stood in planters in various spots that added some greenery to the landscape. A bird feeder was set up in the middle of the front yard, and as father and son passed by, the birds that were gathered there flitted away, coming back only when the pair had moved on. That was not the most striking feature of the property, however. 

No, what stood out most about Mr. Suzuki's home was the multitude of windchimes and bells the man had strung up around his house. And not just the front of the house. They hung along the fence, on the shrubs, on the sides. The bird feeder had a small bell hanging below it. There were even some chimes that could be seen inside the house from the windows.

“Mr. Suzuki!” Genshin called out for the older man, “We're here! Can you show us what the problem is?” No one answered them but, listening carefully,  Genshin heard a voice speaking quietly, sounding like it was coming from behind the house. Gesturing for Kazuma to follow him, Genshin led the way to the backyard.

If they were amazed at the amount of windchimes just seen from the front of the house, they were absolutely astounded once they got to the back. In the middle of the backyard stood a tall tree, with many branches sticking out in all directions. And hanging from each branch had to be at least five sets of windchimes, with some of the thicker branches sporting even more. They were made of all kinds of different materials; wood, brass, copper, glass, and ceramic, just from what Genshin could see. While some had the basic look of any normal windchime, some were in unique shapes. For example, there was one that was a ceramic fish hanging, with the sections of its body loose, so the breeze would make it appear as if it were swimming upwards. Many of the glass and metal bells and chimes glinted in the sunlight. 

“Woah,” Kazuma breathed in awe at the sight in front of them. Genshin quietly echoed that statement. He had to admit, it looked very impressive.

Mr. Suzuki was standing under a low hanging branch, muttering to himself as he held two different windchimes in his hands. He held one up to the branch, slightly shaking it, before holding the other one up, shaking that one as well to hear it jingle. He sighed and shook his head, his words becoming more clear as Genshin and Kazuma drew closer.

“No, no, no, this just won't do. The wood sounds too muted and the glass sounds too sharp! Perhaps I should find some more brass chimes…but I don't have any of that size! Oh, what to do?” Suzuki asked himself despondently.

The older man hadn't noticed them yet, so Genshin cleared his throat, so as not to startle him. It was in vain, however, as when Suzuki heard the noise, he nearly jumped out of his skin, the bells and chimes he was holding jingling chaotically. 

“Gah!” The man shouted in surprise, his glasses knocked askew, “Don't sneak up on me like that!” He put his hand over his heart, breathing heavily, “My poor heart can't take much more fright, not after last night,” After taking a few seconds to calm himself, he straightened back up.

“My apologies, we did not intend to startle you,” Genshin awkwardly apologized, “We wanted to come over to take a look at what happened, and see if we can't clear this all up,” He explained. Suzuki blinked at him in surprise.

“We?” The older man asked, looking around Genshin. When he spotted Kazuma behind him, he let out a groan, “Why did you bring him here?” Kazuma grumpily pouted at those words, “He already threw things off, I don't think-”

“My son deserves the chance to clear his name,” Genshin interrupted firmly, cutting the man's protests short, “I think you all should at least give him that. Besides,” He continued, “He's going to be busy taking notes as we investigate, so don't worry, he won't touch any of your possessions. Isn't that right, Kazuma?” He turned to look at Kazuma, who quickly pulled his hand away from the fish windchime and gave an innocent smile and nodded. Genshin raised an eyebrow at him in exasperation. 

Suzuki looked like he wanted to protest further, but apparently thought better of it. He gave a long sigh, “Alright,” He said reluctantly, “Go ahead and see for yourselves. Just…please be careful.” He wrung his hands nervously as he stood nearby.

‘I should get clearer details about what happened here before I look around,’ Genshin thought. He turned to Kazuma, gesturing for him to get ready. The boy quickly held up the notepad, prepared to write some notes. Then he turned back to Suzuki. 

What happened?

“Mr. Suzuki, can you explain exactly what happened?” Genshin asked, “Tell us again about what you discovered this afternoon. 

“Alright,” Suzuki replied, “Well, this morning, nothing seemed amiss. I woke up a bit later than usual, but I wasn't too concerned as I don't have anything to do today. It was only when I went outside in the backyard that I noticed something was off,” The man rubbed his chin as he thought back to earlier today, “The melody wasn't the same…”

“The melody?” Genshin repeated questioningly.

“The melody,” The man nodded, “I place each windchime in just the perfect position to make beautiful noise when the breeze comes in. There was a light one this afternoon, so I noticed fairly quickly that something just didn't sound right. Of course, I'm not superhuman, so I couldn't see the issue immediately, but oh when I saw it!” He put his hands on his hips, attempting to glare at Kazuma intimidatingly, only to look vastly uncomfortable, “A beautiful set of windchimes had been snapped off one of the branches on my tree!” He gestured to said branch, the one he was just under, where a few strings lazily swayed, “They were made out of a fine brass, with five charming little bells hanging from the ends. The surrounding chimes were also tangled up, but thankfully that is an easy fix.”

“So your windchimes went missing,” Genshin continued, “Then I presume you went to your front yard, maybe to come to my home?”

“Well, at the time I was just so distraught I was looking along the ground, hoping to see if I could find them anywhere, to no luck,” Suzuki said defeatedly, “Then I heard a ruckus out on the road. When I went to look, all of the other neighbors were there. They were complaining about how something had gotten damaged on their properties as well!” He rubbed his chin as he thought back, “Mrs. Suyama was the one who was absolutely convinced it was your son who had done these deeds.”

‘Of course she was,’ Genshin thought bitterly. That woman had no goodwill whatsoever when it came to Kazuma, “So you believed her?” When Suzuki nodded, he sighed, ‘Of course he did,’ Suzuki always struck Genshin as having little to no backbone, to put it politely.

“I told you I didn't do it!” Kazuma cried, though Suzuki didn't look convinced. Frustrated, the child snapped without thinking, “Why would I want your weird old chimes anyway?” Here the man looked offended, and Genshin quickly shot Kazuma a warning glance. The boy caught his gaze and looked down, apologetic, “Sorry,” He said quietly. Thankfully, Suzuki seemed satisfied with that, so Genshin cleared his throat, intending to move on.

Though he really should find a way to put a filter on that boy.

~~~

Why blame Kazuma?

“Ignoring what others have said, why are you so convinced that Kazuma took your chimes?” Genshin asked. Suzuki shifted uncomfortably, “Do you have any evidence at all that supports your accusation?”

“Well,” His neighbor answered hesitantly, “No…but it's like Mrs. Suyama said!” He cried, “Who else would have done it?” He threw his hands up in defense as Genshin glared at him, not liking that statement, “Mr. Asogi, surely you realize? Your son is at the very least,” He stressed, “A rambunctious child! He gets into all sorts of mischief! M-Mostly at your own home I've noticed,” He conceded, “But still! It's not like anyone else would do this.”

Genshin glanced at Kazuma, who was still taking notes, though notably downtrodden, as though he saw no point in protesting, and he felt a surge of protectiveness, “While he does get into mischief from time to time,” He admitted, “He always means well, and my wife and I have taught him to take responsibility for his actions. Now, I understand he still makes mistakes, he's a boy and he's learning. But I know if he had actually done these things, my son would have admitted them to me, at least in private, where you lot weren't breathing down his neck. Then I would have made sure he made it right and would have helped him do so,” Genshin declared, “Blaming him with no evidence attributes maliciousness to his character and I won't stand for it,” He growled, pleased that Suzuki had the decency to look guilty. Kazuma looked at him gratefully. 

“Alright, well, I suppose I see your point,” Suzuki grumbled, a bit put out, “But I could also ask, do you have any proof other than his words or others’ that he didn't do it?” He countered, “Because unless you do, my suspicion is going to be on him. It's the logical thing, Asogi.”

‘Do I have anything definitive?’ Genshin thought.

I do not…

‘Hm…not at the moment, unfortunately.’ He needed more information. 

“And if it turns out he did steal my chimes, I demand he return them,” Suzuki continued, the most firm he had been in this whole conversation. So Genshin nodded, agreeing to those terms.

~~~

More fright?

“Mr. Suzuki, you mentioned earlier that your heart couldn't ‘take much more fright, not after last night,’” Genshin repeated, “What did you mean by that? What happened last night?”

Here, Suzuki looked a bit embarrassed, taking his glasses off to clean them and awkwardly clearing his throat, “I…I don't see how it matters,” He mumbled, “Let's just say I got a bit startled in the middle of the night,” The man crossed his arms, “I don't wish to talk about it, not if it has nothing to do with this incident,” He seemed to be done with that line of conversation.

‘Perhaps it's nothing important,’ Genshin thought to himself, ‘Still, I should keep that topic in mind, it might be worth coming back to later.’

~~~

Genshin had a feeling they should take a quick look around the backyard. If they could find something that either hinted to another culprit, or a piece of evidence that helped to absolve Kazuma of guilt, it would be a success. Before he could take a look at their surroundings, he felt a small tug on his sleeve. He glanced down at his side to see Kazuma trying to get his attention. The boy held up the notepad eagerly.

“Did I take good enough notes, Father?” His son asked, “I couldn't write everything, but I think I got all the important parts!” Genshin smiled, kneeling and taking the pad to scan over it. He saw the first note he had taken down before handing the task over to Kazuma, and below it, in a childish scrawl, was Kazuma's addition.

Evidence

Mr.Suzuki's Story: He says he woke up a bit late and when he went outside he noticed that his windchimes were missing. They had five bells and were hanging in his tall tree. He says he can hear when the melody is off. They must sound really pretty.

P.S.: I want to climb that tree

~~~

“Good job,” Genshin praised, though he chuckled a little at the description. It was a bit childish , but that was to be expected of a seven year old, “I like how you're keeping things simple but informed, keep up the good work,” Kazuma beamed as his father complimented his efforts. Genshin made a mental note to keep an eye on him. He didn't need to be rescuing a boy from a tree along with a potential cat.

“Alright,” Genshin said, rising to his feet, “Let's see what evidence we can find,” Kazuma looked at him curiously, awaiting instructions, “If we see something that looks odd or seems out of place, we can take a closer look. Some things we might have to ask Mr. Suzuki about. If it's important to the ‘case,’ go ahead and write down a little note on it.” Kazuma nodded, understanding, and started scanning the area intently, eyes opened wide. Genshin stifled his laughter and took a look for himself.

~~~

Examine: Tall Tree

“Wow,” Kazuma said in amazement, throwing his head way back to look up, “This tree is huge!” Genshin had to agree; the tree stretched up tall enough to see the top from the front yard, “And look at all the chimes and bells on it! It has them nearly to the top!”

“Some of them seem to sparkle in the sunlight,” Genshin observed, “I'm partial to the wooden ones myself,” He murmured; he liked the more natural look. Suzuki jumped in, his interest immediately captured. 

“I have all sorts of chimes made of different materials. Wooden, glass, brass, copper, ceramic, you name it!” He listed them off excitedly, "Almost all these branches have at least three adorning them at all times. It's such a shame I can't reach the top, but alas, I have no safe way to do so, the height is too great,” The man lamented sadly, “The best I can do is use my stepladder.” Genshin noted that the man hadn't been using a stepladder while experimenting with the lowest branch when he and Kazuma stopped by.

“Aww,” Genshin heard Kazuma groan, and he turned to see his son trying to jump for the lowest hanging branch to climb up. The boy's fingers just barely brushed the bottom where it met the trunk, “I can't reach at all!” His son complained. Genshin cleared his throat, raising an eyebrow at his antics. The boy put on an innocent smile, “Yep, you really need a ladder for these branches!” He said with a nervous laugh.

‘Heh, nice save,’ Genshin thought in amusement.

~~~

Examine: Windchimes

“I didn't know there could be so many different styles of windchimes,” Kazuma said, trying to move on, “He has them everywhere! There's even some inside, look!” The boy pointed out a few hanging in their neighbor's window. Genshin played along and looked, humming in acknowledgement, “Doesn't it get noisy, Mr. Suzuki?”

“Hehehe, oh it's not that bad, boy,” The man chuckled, pushing his glasses further up his face. The sun caused a glare in them, temporarily hiding his eyes, “Each windchime is perfectly placed on these branches to make the best sound when the breeze blows in. Not to brag, but I was once able to arrange them in just a way for the first few notes of "Sakura" to be heard,” He said smugly. 

Genshin raised an eyebrow, ‘That is…actually pretty impressive,’ He had to admit. As their neighbor continued to brag, he thought out loud, “You have to admire his patience. It must take him a very long time to set them up how he likes.” A little noise caught his attention, and he saw Kazuma trying not to laugh, “What's so funny?” He asked curiously. 

“H-He has too much chime on his hands!” The boy broke into giggles at his own joke. Genshin couldn't hold back a snort, a warm fondness welling up in his heart at his son's silliness.

“That was awful ,” Genshin said with a grin, but Kazuma just smiled proudly.

“But I still made you laugh!” He said in a sing-song tone. Genshin rolled his eyes in playful exasperation. 

~~~

Examine: Stepladder

“Look!” Kazuma pointed towards the fence that bordered Mr. Takeuchi's property, “He has a ladder!” 

“Actually, Kazuma,” Genshin corrected, “That is a stepladder.” It was set up right next to the fence.

“What's the difference?” Kazuma asked, confused.

“A ladder needs to be leaned against something, like a wall,” Genshin explained, “But a stepladder can stand up on its own.”

“Then it should be called a ‘standladder.’” Kazuma chirped, climbing up the few rungs for fun, “And every ladder should be called a stepladder!”

“Oh really?” Genshin plucked him off the stepladder and set him down, “Why's that?”

“Because all ladders get stepped on, Father!” The boy stated as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Genshin blinked, taken by surprise, “I…suppose that makes sense,” He said slowly, ‘In any case, it makes sense for Suzuki to have a stepladder nearby. He must use it to place all the windchimes up.’ He looked along the fence, ‘Though curiously, this fence doesn't have any chimes on it.’

~~~

Examine: Snapped Strings

“Hmm,” Genshin stared at the strings that had hung the missing windchime. They didn't look like they had been cut, more like…ripped free, “So this is where they had been hanging?” He clarified, “Have you noticed anymore missing?” He asked Suzuki, who shook his head.

“Just that set!” The man cried out in despair, “As I was saying earlier before I was so rudely interrupted,” He cast a scornful glance at Mr. Takeuchi's yard just next door, “I got this set in a special market in Tokyo, made of fine brass and in just the right shape to let the tones ring out beautifully!”

“I see,” Genshin nodded, “Is there any chance that the strings could have just broken? Perhaps that's how they fell.”

“Ha!” Suzuki barked out a sharp laugh, “Do you take me for a novice windchime collector!?” He asked with a superior air about him.

“Um…” Genshin was at a loss for words, ‘I don't even know what makes a professional one.’

Suzuki rolled his eyes in exasperation, “Each piece is hung from a sturdy piece of twine. I account for the weight of each piece I hang, the material they're made of, how hard the wind can blow in their location based on the surrounding chimes and branches and-!” He rambled on and on for quite some time, every word basically amounting up to the fact that it was near impossible for the strings, or twine, to just “snap.”

Kazuma looked on with wide eyes, “I didn't know being a windchime collector was so much work.” 

Genshin had to agree, “Me neither, but I suppose there's an expert for everything...and even if they did fall, the fact that they're missing is the main problem here.” Well, there goes that little theory.

“And it's pretty high up...wouldn't they break?” Kazuma added. It might make sense if it were glass or ceramic, but not so much with metal.

“They're brass so I'm sure they weren't that fragile,” Genshin looked at the branch, then Kazuma, the branch, then Kazuma again, “But you're right, they are quite high up….”

~~~

Genshin briefly looked over Kazuma's notes, to make sure they had the important information. There were four new entries. 

Evidence

Tall Tree: The tree in Mr. Suzuki's backyard. It's almost completely covered in windchimes. I wanted to climb it but I couldn't reach the branch, there's no stool...and besides, Father caught me :(

Windchimes: A whole bunch of windchimes. He has them everywhere outside and even some inside! I wonder why he likes them so much.

Stepladder: I still think it should be called a standladder. It's up against the fence that has no windchimes. Mr. Takeuchi's yard is on the other side.

Snapped Strings: These are the strings that the stolen windchime was hanging from! It looks like they got ripped, not cut. Mr. Suzuki said that the chimes can't have fallen down because the string is too tough. I bet I could snap it, at least after a good couple of pulls. I can't reach them though. 

~~~

“Hmm,” Genshin looked carefully over each note. They were all very useful, but a few things stood out in particular, “I wonder…if I ask about these, could we find out some more useful information?” He approached the older man once more, “Mr. Suzuki, I'd like to ask you some questions on what we've found out so far, if you'd be so kind as to answer.” 

“Oh…alright,” His neighbor nodded, though hesitant, “But let's make this quick, I want to get something on this branch sooner rather than later,” Holding Kazuma's notes in his hand, Genshin began.

~~~

Present: Windchimes

“I have to ask…why do you have so many windchimes?” The question he'd been dying to know ever since he set foot inside the property, really.

“Well…they're beautiful of course!” Suzuki said with a nervous laugh, “There's no better reason than that! That is all.” He finished in a firm tone. Genshin blinked at the finality in his voice.

“Odd…but I suppose it's valid.”

~~~

Present: Stepladder

“You have all sorts of different chimes and bells adorning everything in your yard,” Genshin pointed out, “But not on this fence where the stepladder is. May I ask why?”

Suzuki gave an annoyed, ragged sigh, “...Takeuchi, that's why.” He grumbled, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Takeuchi?”

“That man hates my lovely chimes with a passion!” Suzuki whined hopelessly, “He claims that they're far too noisy. Ha! Even on windy days the sound is so melodious he should be grateful to hear it, but is he? No! He complains that he hears them in his sleep and it disturbs him. He's made such a fuss about them that I finally got tired of it and took down the ones on this fence as a compromise several days ago. It fixed his griping but now I need to figure out where to put them now!” He said, sounding distressed, “If I leave that area open any longer it could spell out disaster!”

“Why?” Kazuma asked in curiosity, and Suzuki looked as though he bit into something sour.

“NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!” He screeched, sounding more embarrassed than angry, but startling the boy pretty badly all the same, making him duck behind his father. Genshin glared at the older man harshly and he flinched, “S-Sorry! I…That was rude of me. I apologize, young man.” Kazuma looked to be alright at least, more confused than anything, but he nodded all the same.

‘At least he apologized, but goodness, does no one know how to treat a child in this neighborhood other than us and the Mikotobas!?’ Genshin thought irritably, though Mrs. Ogawa was also sweet. No matter what the man might be embarrassed about, he didn't agree with snapping at a child just for asking a question, ‘Keep a cool head, Genshin, keep it together…’ He calmed himself with a breath.

~~~

So Mr. Takeuchi had complained enough to get Mr. Suzuki to take down the bells on their shared fence. And Mr. Suzuki was upset because it could “spell out disaster.” Genshin had a feeling he knew what that was all about, but it didn't seem important right now. Glancing down at Kazuma, he was amused to find that the boy had already updated his notes. Two entries now read:

Evidence

Windchimes: A whole bunch of windchimes. He has them everywhere outside and even some inside. He said he likes them because they're beautiful, and they really are pretty! But I think it's still a lot of them just for something that's pretty. I wonder if there's another reason.

Stepladder: I still think it should be called a standladder. It's up against the fence that has no windchimes. Mr. Takeuchi's yard is on the other side. He had Mr. Suzuki take them all down because of the noise. Mr. Suzuki doesn't look happy about it.

~~~

He glanced over the other two entries. They didn't need any updates. And Genshin was certain he could use them in some way to prove his son's innocence. He turned back to Mr. Suzuki and mentally prepared himself for a battle. He imagined the man in front of him shakily wielding his accusation against Kazuma like a weapon. Though it was shoddy, it was still a threat. Well, Genshin had his own weapons to assist him. Time to strike his opponent down!

Why blame Kazuma?

“So,” Suzuki repeated, sounding quite cocky, “Do you have any proof other than your boy's words or others’ that he didn't do it?” He countered, “Because unless you do, my suspicion is going to be on him. It's the logical thing, Asogi.”

‘Do I have anything definitive?’ Genshin thought.

I do!

Present: Tall Tree

“Look at the branch where those particular chimes are missing, Suzuki,” He directed firmly, and the man obliged, “Now, look at my son,” Kazuma perked up at the mention, “Can you see where I'm going with this?” He asked, ‘Please don't make me spell it out or I'm going to have a grumpy child for a few minutes,’ He silently begged, but Suzuki remained clueless. Genshin sighed; might as well rip off the bandage.

“The boy is too short.” He said bluntly.

“HEY!” Kazuma cried out, offended, “I AM NOT!” Genshin's eye twitched slightly; his son was not helping his case right now. He cleared his throat,  and Kazuma pouted, crossing his arms and mumbling how everything was just too tall and he was gonna be so tall when he got older. Thankfully, Suzuki seemed caught off guard by the logic, and Genshin imagined the man's weapon wavering after Genshin's own blow. But after a few moments, he seemed to steel himself.

“Be that as it may,” Suzuki muttered, “He could have jumped…or gotten my stepladder! He could have reached them that way!” Genshin smirked at the frantic, clumsy blows coming for him, and prepared himself. 

Present: Snapped Strings

“One, your stepladder is far too heavy for him to lift,” Genshin parried one point, then blocked the other, “Two, from what you said, those strings are very tough. I'm certain a boy stretching upwards would have a hard time getting enough leverage to yank them,” He cut through the last argument, “And three! Why of all the windchimes you own would Kazuma try to take that one? There are plenty of others that are more accessible! Surely if he wanted to steal any one of them he'd pick one that was easier to grab? It's the logical thing, Suzuki.” He echoed the man's own words back at him, giving the final strike.

With that, his neighbor’s weapon-his accusation-crumbled into dust. Suzuki stared at him in shock for a minute, Kazuma in awe, the comment on his height briefly forgotten.

Finally, Suzuki seemed to snap himself out of it. “W-Well!” The older man murmured, “That all makes very much sense. I suppose…you didn't really have anything to do with my windchimes, did you?” He asked Kazuma, who shook his head, looking slightly exasperated by the whole ordeal. Suzuki awkwardly cleared his throat, “Oh goodness, that's embarrassing, I…really should have connected those dots, erm…if you'll excuse me I need to keep picking out a replacement for this branch!” He darted away to his house, presumably where he kept spares, “If you have questions about anything else, just pop by later!” He called back, quickly disappearing inside. Well, that was one load off their backs. Now to move on to another yard.

~~~

“That was so cool!” Kazuma finally seemed to find his words as they exited the main gate, “He thought he had you beat but you were like ‘Nuh uh!’ He mimicked Genshin's smirk as he pretended to face an imaginary opponent, before his excitement made him bounce all over the place, “Did you see his face!? He didn't know what to do with himself at the end!” The boy stopped in front of Genshin, looking up at him, “How did you do that, Father?” He asked, his eyes wide with admiration, “I thought he'd never believe that I didn't do it!”

Genshin ruffled his hair, “Well, if it weren't for our investigation and your notes, I don't think we could have connected the dots so easily,” He said with a chuckle, handing the notepad back to his son, “In the face of evidence, it's hard to keep an opposing opinion. Think of evidence as our weapon in battle.” He carefully drew Karuma as an example, the blade glinting in the sun,  “Mr. Suzuki had no evidence of you committing the theft except from another's word, so his weapon was flimsy at best, his stance poor. But we had evidence that you are innocent, and that's why his argument-,” He slashed the sword through the air, slicing through a weed growing from the road, “-Was struck down with ease.” 

Kazuma soaked in his words like a sponge, his eyes sparkling, “Now,” Genshin resheathed his katana, “One foe has been vanquished, but still three remain. We must hone our weapons even more. So, are you ready to find more evidence? Are you ready to fight more battles, young warrior!?” He asked dramatically, psyching his son up.

“YEAH!” Kazuma cheered, and he ran off towards the next house in excitement, “INVESTIGATING IS THE COOLEST THING EVER!” Genshin chuckled, moving to follow him. He loved indulging in a bit of dramatics for his kid.

“Hmph…now I see where the boy gets his wild tendencies.” A sharp voice caught Genshin's attention. He internally groaned when he saw Mrs. Suyama on the road as well. Did this woman have nothing better to do than antagonize people?

“Forgive me for trying to keep my son in good spirits after being accosted by an angry mob,” He replied coolly, “We're doing as we said, investigating. We've already convinced one of you that he's innocent; I'm sure the rest won't be far behind.”

The lady sniffed disdainfully, “I suppose you can think that all you'd like for the time being. But I came to let you know that you're not to come to my property yet. I have to run into town for an errand and I don't want you two sneaking about and tampering with anything,” He stamped down the offense that he felt at that comment, “And I have my husband watching it like a hawk so don't even try!”

Genshin raised an eyebrow and glanced at the Suyama property. He saw Mr. Suyama leaning against a tree, reading a small book. He looked anything but vigilant. Well, Genshin didn't plan to go there anytime soon anyway. If anything, he'd like to put it off as long as possible. 

“Very well, Mrs. Suyama,” He said with a respectful bow, “We'll wait for you to return before paying a visit. Good day” Without waiting for another word, he left the woman on the road and went to the next house over…the Takeuchi property.