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Can you change destiny?
Masaki Osoto lived his life wondering about it, since a certain girl with dead fish-like eyes had asked him the question when they first became friends.
He also believed since then that meeting Neko Tsukahara was his fate.
It had been over a decade since she became his unlikely childhood friend, and by some miracle, she stuck by his side.
He sat on his desk in his own office as a private detective, idly browsing through papers on the new case they were working on.
He glanced at his digital clock. 6:45 PM. The sky outside the window was turning into a purplish blue hue, the last blazing rays of the sun disappearing behind the city. Neko wasn't here yet.
Beside the clock, there was an organizer with various knick-knacks. Aside from his stationery, most of them were gifts from Neko that he thought were useless. He kept them anyway.
Among those was a photograph of him and Neko in a photobooth she had dragged him to back when they were in university. After deciding to study criminology, Osoto took a couple of years off before enrolling in college. Because of that, he and Neko spent a couple of years as schoolmates before his graduation. Spending everyday with her was annoying and exhausting.
It was also the best two years of his life.
Now she worked as his assistant in her free time, partially serving as her training while she still continued to attend college.
In the photo, Neko was wearing a weird monster hat that resembled her usual bizarre accessories, sticking out her tongue and holding out a peace sign, while a frowning Osoto was wearing a frog hat that Neko insisted he wore. There were cat ear and whisker filters for both of them. He chuckled at how ridiculous it was.
Another glance at the clock told him it was nearly 7 PM. Osoto was starting to grow irritated, until he remembered the case they had been investigating. A serial killer was on the loose, and though it was a few cities away from where they were stationed, he couldn't help a small part of him from worrying that something might have happened.
He stood up, pacing around the room. He checked his phone and seeing that there were no new messages, doubts started creeping in.
He was about to call her number when Neko burst through the door, holding and sipping a cup of bubble tea. “You'll never believe it, Osoto, there's this new flavor in the boba shop down the street and it's peak—”
“You're late, Tsukahara. Don't your classes end at 3 PM today?” He cut her off immediately, crossing his arms.
Neko frowned, closing the door behind her with a soft click. “Well, yeah, but I had some stuff after.”
Osoto was tempted to ask her where she had been to but decided against it. He didn't want to sound too invested in her business. “You know we're working on an important case right now. Plus, you're graduating in over a year, you should be taking this more seriously.”
Neko rolled her eyes, but she was used to him nagging her to mind that much. She walked over to the couch, slumping down. “I am taking it seriously, don't worry. I've been going to group studies with my friends.”
Osoto raised an eyebrow at her. Neko, taking extra hours to study? That was new. When they were at school together, all she wanted to do was slack off. She also seemed to have more friends now — ones he never met and didn't know him. “Is that why you've been staying out so late? I've been waiting for hours these past days.”
It was Neko's turn to look at him quizzically. “Don't you do anything else while I'm gone? I doubt it's fun being cooped up in this boring office all day.”
“Not really, no.”
Neko sipped from her cup again, chewing on some tapioca. She seemed to be deep in thought for a bit, then raised a finger, as if she had a brilliant idea. “Ah!”
“What now?”
“Why don't you get a girlfriend?”
Osoto stared at her. “What?”
“I mean, that'll surely take your mind off things. Seriously, you gotta take a break, Osoto.”
He scoffed. “Stop saying stupid things.”
“Huhu, you're just struggling to find one, are you?”
He shot her a look. “I am most definitely not. I could get five girlfriends if I so much as wanted to.”
He wholeheartedly believed he could. He was handsome, an intelligent private investigator and more than financially stable. So what was holding him back? It's not that he didn't find anyone attractive or have sexual desires. He had plenty of those, in fact.
“I just don't find it necessary, nor do I have the time right now for a woman who can barely keep up a substantial conversation.”
“Sure, sure. Whatever you say. But you're too picky, you know? You're gonna end up growing old alone at this rate.”
“Alone? Why would I be—”
Ah. Of course. Why didn't he think of that? Neko would probably end up dating and marrying some useless guy one day. Sometimes it slipped his mind that she was also a girl who probably dreamed of finding someone to settle down with. And as for him...
“Oi. You're spacing out again.”
Osoto shook his head. He wouldn't be alone, of course. There were plenty of options available to him, much more than Neko's. “Enough nonsense, let's just work on this. Let's see... The most recent known victim was stabbed to death in an alley last night, estimated to be about 9 PM.”
Neko jumped from her seat to join him, leaning against his desk and peering down at the files. They spent the next few hours doing business as usual, Osoto catching her up on the new findings and the pair mostly doing research. The customary and mundane tasks brought a sense of comfort to him, and for the moment Osoto forgot about his issue with her lateness. She gave her full attention, and something about that made him feel at ease. Perhaps because she was taking their job seriously. That must be it.
He thought about how he wouldn't mind doing this for the foreseeable future.
It was almost midnight by the time they had finished, and Neko slung her pink bag over her shoulder, yawning as she stood up.
Osoto looked out the window. It was pitch-black. The idea of Neko going home at this hour didn't make him feel very comfortable.
“Tsukahara, maybe you should stay here for the night. It's late.”
“Eh? No thanks, you're probably thinking of some perverted things.”
Osoto threw a crumpled piece of paper at Neko, trying not to think of her implications. “Even if I was, I wouldn't do them to you. You're not my type.”
Neko dodged the paper ball, sticking her tongue out. “See? So picky.”
“Seriously, you can sleep on the couch.”
“Ah, thanks Osoto, but I really shouldn't,” Neko scratched her head. "I gotta get up early tomorrow."
“It's Saturday.”
“Yes? And I'm meeting someone.”
Meeting someone? Could it be a date? That would explain why she's always been away for so long. Who could it be? It was none of his business, but he was incredibly curious and a little irritated. Still, he didn't want to just ask. In that case... maybe there was another way to find out.
“...Alright. Message when you're home.”
She gave a little salute, heading out the door. “Aye aye. See you tomorrow.”
“Yeah. See you.”
He would most definitely see her.
—
Osoto was up before the sun rose.
In fact, he hadn't really had much sleep that night. Neko did update him when she got home safely, which eased his mind a little, but he was still bothered by her behavior.
Which is why he decided to find out for himself.
Going undercover wasn't anything new to Osoto. He and Neko had gone on stakeouts before, and they usually had to hide their identifying features for safety. A face mask, a cap and sunglasses, plus some inconspicuous casual clothing usually did the trick. What was new to him was going in disguise to hide from Neko, which would be tougher given that she had seen plenty of his outfits.
He would have to wear something he normally didn't, and thankfully, he had an assortment of clothes in his apartment in case he needed them.
He stepped out of his office into the chilly morning and locked the door behind him. His apartment wasn't far, only a few blocks away. Going up the concrete steps, he inserted his key and entered the living quarters, taking off his shoes. It was small and quaint, the walls painted with muted colors. There were a few frames hung up — a childhood photo of himself with his parents, his college diploma, and a photo of him and Neko on his graduation day.
On one side were the sofa and TV. Half-eaten chips lay on the coffee table along with a glass that smelled of ginger ale. Neko's, of course, not his. She came over sometimes and they watched an assortment of movies that they chose alternatingly. She usually fell asleep halfway through his picks.
No time to clean up, he'd do it later.
On the other side was his closet and his bed, pillows arranged and blanket neatly tucked. The bluish dawn light streamed through the white window curtains. Sitting on the windowsill were pots of purple and yellow flowers he'd gotten from a flower shop. He'd always liked pansies.
A small lamp was on his bedside table, along with a strange-looking plush resembling a platypus.
Pi-chan.
After all these years, he kept the little stuffed animal Neko gave him as a kid and brought it wherever he resided. His memory of that day felt fuzzy, but he remembered the aching feeling in his chest, a compulsion that demanded an outlet. The day he almost killed his pet, and a strange girl threw a rock at him to stop him.
He remembered what Neko said to him — that he could hit this one as much as he liked, and how he found himself hugging it instead.
He still did whenever he felt scared and alone, and somehow it always managed to bring him back from the verge of breaking down.
It was a reminder of her. That Neko Tsukahara would always be there when it counts.
She still would, wouldn't she?
Either way, he would make sure she does.
Osoto walked towards his cabinet, scanning the clothes covered in a thin layer of dust. There were various outfits for different situations — casual wear, tuxedoes, uniforms, athletic clothes. Near the far end was a retro-looking outfit, a beige plaid overcoat and matching pants. It looked ridiculous, like a stereotypical detective from a novel. He put on a plain polo shirt, suspenders and a tie, and placed the overcoat above his shoulders. A mask, tinted glasses, and a brown cap.
Cheesy-looking, but good enough.
He looked at himself in the mirror, and grabbing a piece of newspaper to hide his face just in case, set out on his stakeout.
The sun was up now, and Osoto hurried to Neko's house. He could only hope she hadn't left yet. He was about to round the corner to her street when Neko came into view. He stepped into the shadows of the nearest store's awning, turning around and watching her reflection on the window until she passed him.
He waited until she was far enough not to notice him trailing behind and began to follow her, passing a nearby train station. Where was she going?
Past the crowds on their commute to work, a couple of turns until Neko stopped in front of a café, looking up at the sign as if to make sure it was the right place. It must have been, because she pushed the double doors open and stepped inside. After letting a few seconds pass, Osoto stepped towards the side of the store, trying to get a glance inside.
It looked fancy, surely fancier than Neko could afford. He scanned the customers for the girl's lilac hair, thinking of how to give whoever her date was a piece of his mind when he found her sitting in a corner with a familiar face.
Haruto Atori.
Osoto froze, dropping the newspaper from his hands.
He knew the man because of his parents, but to Atori he was a total stranger. He knew how his parents felt about Atori — he knew they liked him more than their own son. He didn't blame them though, nor him. Atori seemed like the perfect man and had a job they approved of. He knew how his parents felt about him — disappointed, ashamed of his existence.
He wondered if he should have chosen his career in the first place. What if he chose to go to medical school instead? Would he have pleased them? Would they be able to look him in the eye? Would they introduce him to this boy they had taken a liken to? Could they both be treated as their sons?
Then, another persistent thought. Would he still have been close to Neko?
He watched them through the window, unable to hear their conversation through the glass. But he could see Neko laughing and Atori shaking his head. He could see how her eyes lit up and how he looked at her with fondness despite seeming exasperated. He knew how that felt. They seemed to be in a world of their own, far away from him.
Ah. That's why. Neko Tsukahara was the only one he had, the only one who stayed until now.
Will she be taken away from him too?
He could have entered the café and taken the seat behind Neko. He could have eavesdropped on their conversation. He could have walked up to them and dragged Neko away with him. But he left quietly without hearing a single word, taking the train back to his office alone.
It didn't matter anymore.
—
Neko had the feeling that someone was following her.
The rush hour crowd made it difficult to single anyone suspicious out, but she couldn't shake it off that she was being watched.
The case that she and Osoto had been working on didn't help with her nerves. The perpetrator could have found out that they were investigating and decided to end it themself.
At least they were in broad daylight. They wouldn't dare do anything to her here.
She fished out her phone from her bag and checked her messages with Atori. He had sent her the address last night for the café where they were meeting. “Don't worry about the cost,” he added. “It's my treat.” She mentally fist-pumped at remembering.
A new notification made her phone vibrate. It's a message from Atori. “I'm here, Tsukahara-san. I'll see you in a bit.”
Neko quickly typed out a response. “OTW!” with a peace sign sticker. Pressing the back button, she saw the second conversation in her inbox with Osoto.
No response since she texted him last night. She wondered if something was up with him since he was acting weird and spacey the night before. He did have days when he was just cranky, but something felt a little off. And then he offered to let her stay for the night after practically scolding her. Seriously, what was his deal?
Ah, whatever, I'll deal with him later.
She hurried on until she reached the location indicated by the GPS. She almost passed it, a retro-style shop with pastries and coffee. She took a couple of steps back, checking the sign before heading inside.
She spotted Atori sitting alone by the window, staring blankly outside. He was wearing his headphones and Neko wondered what music he was listening to. Probably jazz, since he seemed to be the type to prefer it. On the table, a slice of apple pie was left untouched. He looked oblivious to anything happening around him.
Neko approached his table. “Atori-san.”
He didn’t notice her right away, so she waved a hand in front of his face. Atori snapped out of it with her gesture, brought back to reality. He blinked and took his headphones off.
“Ah, Tsukahara-san. Excuse me, I didn’t see you there.”
“No worries. You looked deep in thought.”
“I was just…” He trailed off. “It’s unimportant. Please, have a seat.”
Neko took the seat opposite him, and Atori handed her one of the menus. “Order anything you like.”
Neko ordered some cookies and hot chocolate, soon brought to their table by a waitress. She took a sip from the creamy cocoa drink. “Whoa, this is really good. Thanks for the treat, Atori-san.”
“It’s no problem. Consider it a welcoming gift as a senior.” Atori smiled slightly. “About that… Have you decided?”
Neko nodded. She only met Atori recently during one of their trips for college, when they visited the hotel he worked at. Atori was assigned to give them a tour, and after Neko pestered him with several questions — Did crimes often occur at hotels? What was it like working as a concierge? Did a 365Q idol ever check in at this hotel, and did he personally get to give them room service? — they ended up exchanging numbers and talking semi-regularly. One day, he suggested that Neko take a part-time job for some work experience and extra cash.
The only issue was that her schedule was already full, going to university on weekdays and then heading straight to Osoto’s place, if not hanging out with her friends. She would have to talk to him about it.
“I’ll take it.”
“That’s good. You’ll be under my guidance, then. Just… try not to cause too much trouble, alright?”
“No promises.” Neko chuckled.
Atori sighed, shaking his head. “Shall we head there later then?”
“Yup, I freed up my schedule for the whole day today. But first…” Neko’s eyes sparkled, and Atori braced himself for whatever she had up her sleeves. “How was the date with that girl you told me about?”
“...Let’s talk about something else.”
After finishing their food, the pair went to the hotel Atori worked at for a brief tour of the workplace. The feeling of being watched was gone at that point, and Neko wondered if she had imagined it all along, even though her instincts usually proved to be correct.
She spent the day observing Atori serve various guests and following him around. There was a charm to it, the idea of watching people from all walks of life come and stay for a brief while before heading off again.
A particularly cute girl in the kitchen caught her eye, and Neko asked Atori who she was.
“Ruri-san,” he answered. “She also just started working here part-time.”
“Oho.”
“Please don’t stare at your future co-workers like that.”
Neko mostly assisted Atori in cleaning up rooms — replacing bedsheets, sweeping the floor, picking up the trash — though she wasn’t the best at it. Most of her work had to be redone by Atori, who would nitpick about everything she missed. Every now and then, though, she would find something interesting left behind by guests, and Neko wondered what each of their stories were.
The sun was low in the sky when they left, and Atori offered to bring Neko to her place.
“Nah, I’ll go ahead. I still have to stop by somewhere.” She had to talk to Osoto about the job after all, and a small part of her was worried about him too.
“I see. Alright, then.” Atori nodded, turning to head to the station and waving goodbye. “I’ll see you around, kouhai.”
“Thanks for today, Atori-senpai.”
—
Neko walked down the familiar street to Osoto’s office, one she had passed countless days to the point she could rely solely on muscle memory. She was still thinking of how to break the news to Osoto when she realized she was in front of his door. Without thinking any further, she pushed it open.
Osoto was sitting on his desk as usual when Neko entered the room, his face hidden behind a pile of books.
“You actually thought to come,” he mumbled. Neko wasn’t sure if he meant for her to hear it, but she did anyway.
“Hey, I told you I’m going somewhere today. Besides, I have something important to tell you.”
At that, he slid his chair so he could actually look at her. He raised his eyebrows. “Well? Go on.”
Neko inhaled. She could tell Osoto wouldn’t take it well, but she had to clear things up with him. “I was gonna ask for a break from my assistant duties.”
Osoto stared at her incredulously, as if he didn’t hear her quite right. “What…?”
“I'm thinking of taking a part-time job at a hotel. The pay is pretty good.”
A dark look flashed across his face. “With your utter lack of hospitality skills? You'll get fired immediately. You couldn't even clean up your trash at my apartment.”
“Well, yes, but my friend Atori-san will be guiding me as my mentor, so—”
“Is that what that café date with him was about?”
“Café date? How did you…” Neko trailed off, the realization hitting her.
Oh, that’s why she felt like someone was watching her that morning. My god.
Neko knew Osoto. She understood him more than anyone else. That meant she was aware of his tendencies to show psychopathic behaviors.
She knew from the day they met that Osoto was a troubled child when he almost killed his pet bird. She also knew his parents were too hard on him, and that Osoto never stopped loving them.
Curious as to why he acted the way he did, she read psychology books. She learned that animal abuse was often associated with other criminal behavior. She learned about the various motives of murderers — some desiring power or control, some for the thrill or pleasure, some acting according to their own moral codes and beliefs.
She thought Osoto could easily go down the criminal path. He was far from a normal guy, but she didn't care. She liked Osoto, and that’s all that mattered.
But still. This was going too far.
“Don't just meddle in my plans like that.”
“Meddle?” He chuckled. A cold, bitter laugh. “So that's how it is.”
“You know what I mean.”
“Oh, I bet I do.” Osoto stood from his chair, stepping around the desk to approach Neko. Against the golden setting sun, his face was hidden in shadow. “I bet I know why you’re always late. We don’t go out to eat as much anymore. You don’t even drag me to those idol concerts anymore.”
“Hah? I thought you hated those.”
“I do. I think they’re stupid and overpriced.”
“Then why—”
“I also bet you never cared about this whole detective job. It was all just child’s play, wasn't it? A way to pass your idle time until you find something worth your while. And now that you've found something, you're throwing it all away. And yet I'm the one meddling?”
Osoto took another step, and Neko stepped backward instinctively. “What are you—ack!”
He grabbed her by the collar, and Neko wondered if he was finally going to snap and kill her.
But she met his gaze straight and saw something that surprised her more. There was anger, sure, but his eyes glistened. He looked hurt. Scared, like a child — still the same little kid she had known all those years ago.
“Fine, then. Quit.” His voice wavered. “You're right, Tsukahara. Looks like I will end up alone.”
Slowly, he released her, and pushing her to the side, walked out of the office and slammed the door.
—
Osoto didn't care about where he was going. He let his feet lead him without thinking. He just needed to get far away from it all — his office, their case, Neko, all of it was too much and it was making his head throb unbearably. He couldn’t go to his apartment, there were too many reminders of Neko and his parents. He couldn’t go home either, he didn’t have the courage to show his face there after he disobeyed them and didn’t go to medical school like they wanted him to and selfishly took the path he wanted for himself.
Home. What a funny, cruel word. What was home to him? Did he ever have one? Did he deserve one?
He thought of the harsh, disapproving look on his parents’ faces that was all he had ever known from them.
He thought of tea parties in his garden under the shade of a tree, him and a little girl separated by a fence but feeling closer to the word family than anyone else ever did.
Was she home?
He kept running, trying to push away the questions flooding his mind. Somehow, he found himself standing in front of a staircase. A train station.
He wondered where he could go. Maybe somewhere far, far away.
He climbed the stairs absently until he reached the platform and saw a familiar figure. Silver hair, a dark vest, and headphones covering his ears, illuminated by the station’s fluorescent bulbs. Osoto stopped in his tracks, standing in the shadows behind him.
What were the odds that he would run into Haruto Atori again?
It couldn’t be a coincidence. No, it felt too intentional to be a coincidence. Perhaps a better word would be serendipity.
Or destiny.
It gave him a feeling of déjà vu. As if by some inexplicable force of the universe, this specific instance in time was always meant to happen.
A vile, putrid feeling was welling up in his chest. If Atori was gone, could he take his place?
A train was incoming. It didn’t seem to have people on board. If he could just push him, if he could just fall onto the tracks, if he could just disappear, crushed under the wheels like a bird under a rock, then would everything be fixed?
He took one step forward. The train was coming closer.
Another step. The headlights began to illuminate the platform.
Just one more, and he would be able to stand under the lights with Atori, close enough to reach out and with just a little nudge—
“Oi, Osoto!!!”
A yell louder than the train’s engine came from behind him, and simultaneously as he turned around, he got smacked on the face by a flying object.
“Ow—fuck!”
He managed to catch the object and was just about to throw it back at the culprit at full, merciless force when he saw it was Neko, looking pissed, and that the object thrown at him was none other than Pi-chan. He blinked. The train passed, leaving a gust of wind in its wake.
“Don’t do something stupid you’ll regret.” Neko crossed her arms.
The sickening feeling in his lungs slowly dissipated, like it always did.
Osoto laughed to himself. He was right.
Neko Tsukahara would always be there when it counts.
Atori turned around at the commotion. Not recognizing Osoto, his eyes landed on Neko. “Tsukahara-san? What are you doing here?”
“Just picking someone up.” She shot Osoto a look before turning back to Atori. “Ah, Atori-senpai, this is my partner, Osoto.”
Partner, huh.
“Osoto, this is Atori-senpai… though I guess you already know that.”
Atori pondered for a bit, then seemed to recognize his name. “Do you happen to be related to the Osoto doctors?”
“Their son, yes.”
Atori seemed surprised, as Osoto expected, but he bowed slightly and reached out a hand. “I see. Regardless, it’s nice to meet you, Osoto-san. It’s good to know Tsukahara-san has someone reliable to look after her,” he said with a gentle smile.
Osoto hesitated for a moment, then shook it. For a brief moment, it didn’t seem to matter that Atori was perfect and everything he wasn’t. There was something about him that felt… genuine. Kind. Was this why his parents liked him so much?
“...Likewise.”
Neko grabbed Osoto by the arm. “Anyway, Atori-senpai, we gotta go. I’ll see you at work, okay?”
“Of course. Take care, you two.”
“You as well,” Osoto responded. “There’s been news of a phantom killer still uncaught, so you should avoid being out alone. And try keeping your headphones off. You should be more aware of your surroundings.”
“Ah… You’re right.” Atori scratched the back of his neck. “I’ll be more careful. Thank you.”
After exchanging goodbyes, Neko dragged Osoto down the stairs and out of the station. As soon as they were out of earshot, she jabbed his side with her elbow.
“What was that for?” Osoto complained.
“Big talk for someone who almost killed him.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I know you.”
He couldn’t think of a retort to that.
“How did you get Pi-chan anyway?” Osoto asked, still holding the stuffed animal. “Did you break into my apartment?”
“You told me where the spare key is.”
“Ah.”
They walked in silence under the starlit sky for a while in slow steps, not in any hurry to reach their destination. A lingering tension was still in the air.
“So, about your little speech earlier…” Neko started.
Osoto groaned. “Do we have to?”
“Huhu, was that what this is all about?” Neko laughed, and Osoto wanted to punch her right there. “You're an idiot. I'm not going anywhere.”
“I know that now.” A beat. “Well, it’s not just that, I guess.”
“What is it, then?” Neko turned to look at him, and Osoto felt like he was burning under her gaze.
“Maybe I felt a little jealous.”
Her usual half-lidded eyes widened for a second before she smirked. "Whoa... Do you like me?"
"Irrelevant."
"It's kinda relevant."
"...So what if I do?"
Neko blinked. "Wait, you really do?"
"Forget about it. I'm going." Osoto quickened his pace so that he would be walking in front of her, but Neko grabbed his wrist before he could get too far ahead. He spun around.
In the dim light of a nearby convenience store and a few streetlamps, it was hard to make out Neko’s expression.
“What does it matter? It’s not like there would ever be anything betwee—”
Before he could even finish his sentence, Neko grabbed his collar and pulled him down to her level, pressing her lips against his.
Osoto didn’t even get to blink before she pulled away just as quickly and continued walking. “Hope that helps.”
He stared after her — stunned, his brain still barely processing what happened — before catching up and falling into step with her. The city lights shimmered in the distance.
“I’m still taking the job with Atori-senpai, by the way,” Neko clarified. “At least until I graduate and we start working together as bona fide partners. But I guess I can help you once in a while in the meantime.”
“Do whatever you want.” Osoto waved his hand dismissively, but he couldn’t help the smile on his face.
It didn’t matter anymore.