by T L Brevis
He was satisfied with his appearance, and after a quick glance to Hakku combing his own hair, while staring impatiently into a mirror, then turning around to face Hiroshi with a smile seconds later, he knew they were both ready to tackle this event, the first of many they would attend. His first impression would be crucial, same with Hakku, which he expressed to him very specifically. They had to pick the outward appearances that they would stick with for these types of events, and it was absolutely paramount.
Hiroshi had gone with a quiet, friendly child as his persona. He would sit back and observe every situation along with Makoto, he was much better suited for that role than any else after all. Hakku agreed to contrast that with an eccentric extroverted personality upon Hiroshi’s suggestion. This was absolutely necessary. At least one of them would have to communicate frequently with the children and teenagers who would attend these events.
Makoto, although being the most qualified, had sealed his fate years ago by taking up the role of an incredibly shy and timid child. Hakku was the second best option.
Hakku could communicate quite effectively with people surprisingly. He had previously been a shut-in, but only by choice to be close to his mother. He spoke to Hiroshi and Makoto frequently with no issues, and he seemed like he would be able to do the same with others easily.
The two descended the extravagant staircase and entered the massive hall room they had been instructed to, only to find three, very familiar people across from them in the colossal hall. Kaito, Makoto, and his father.
“Oh, you two look very sharp indeed! I'm surprised that you could get all of that on without a hitch, Hiroshi, my Makoto here had to be assisted by a servant,” the overly eccentric man yelled. Hiroshi felt like that was somehow not completely part of Makoto’s act. A genuinely embarrassed look from Makoto confirmed it.
The two made their way across the colossal hall room floor after an obligatory awkward chuckle in response to the flamboyant man whom they were growing ever closer to by the second.
When they were within arm’s reach of the three, the smell of cologne hit the two like a truck. There was only one person it could really belong to, but before they had an opportunity to react, Makoto’s father took a step toward them and put his hands on either of their shoulders.
“No pressure boys, I made sure that a lot of kids your age were coming today. Makoto will finally have someone there with him to encourage him to socialize!” he exclaimed, in his characteristically booming voice.
“Y-Yea,” Hiroshi said nervously on purpose, both to fend off any rightful ideas that he had long adapted to this man’s personality. He had already began cementing this personality of his early, not that it was much different to how he had behaved in front of the man prior. Yet still to that effect, he was simply maintaining that image.
The two, now followed by Makoto, took their seats at one of the tables placed in a circular formation at the edges of the massive hall room, totaling about thirty tables in all, each capable of holding eight people. This event was huge. This sort of size was expected by Hiroshi though, and he was prepared to carefully examine every single person who stepped through the opening to that behemoth of a celebrational area with pin-point precision.
Not even five minutes passed, and after the distinct sounds of an opening door and the mumbling of conversation, that very thing began to happen. People flooded into the hall, maybe 50 at once. The men all wore neat, very expensive looking suits, and the women donned vibrant and expressive colors, all at least slightly different from each other, as if they had all planned ahead to not allow their clothing to overlap. Hiroshi would consider that. This was a tight-knit community that constantly communicated with one another. Useful information.
However, upon closer examination, two pairs of women wore the exact same colors. At least one of them was not a part of this close community. That would be interesting information in the future as well.
Hiroshi looked at everyone in the room and took everything into account. Their postures, facial expressions, who they were communicating with, everything. This would be excellent information to look back on and to cross refer with during future events. Hiroshi would learn of every clique, loner, person of major importance, their children. Everyone. He could use all of it.
There was a group of older men chatting happily, all of them had just been handed drinks by a shorter, younger man in glasses who had a nervous expression. No doubt a group of important higher-ups in companies, one of which had dragged along an employee, presumably to be their chauffeur and butler for the night. Hiroshi’s thoughts were confirmed when they shifted around slightly and he could get a clearer look at two of them. They were CEOs of two of the companies he was researching. Very useful information.
A mixed group of men and women, looking to be in their early twenties. These women, in particular, had the most flamboyant choices of colors on their dresses, also imitated by the men with their colorful ties and shirts. They were the loudest group in the hall by far, and the ones who seemed to be enjoying themselves the most. No doubt this group were to be the lives of the party. Presumably, they were children of wealthy parents, no doubt feeling invincible now having presumably all turned the legal age.
Hiroshi continued to observe everyone he could and that was how it went on for most of the event.
∞
“Hiroshi, looks like a group’s coming this way. Our age,” said Hakku, leaning over the table to whisper to Hiroshi, who looked back at him over his shoulder, Hakku’s eyes still fixated on, as he said, a group of children in their age group walking over to them.
Three Boys, two girls, all with smug and mocking facial expressions, visibly whispering and giggling to one another. This was going to be an annoyance, Hiroshi thought. It was going to be a good learning experience regardless though, so it would not be a complete waste of time for them. They might even be able to gain crucial information on these children’s parents. Hiroshi was relying on Hakku to ace his role for this. It was what he took on the very role for, after all.
A few seconds, feeling much longer than that passed, and the seemingly arrogant group of youngsters had finally arrived at Hiroshi’s table. His assumption was not incorrect.
“Hey, Maaakoto. Your dad just sent us over to talk to you. We didn’t see you for a while, so we feared that you stopped being such a loser, but we’re pleased to see that we were wrong. You simply expanded into a group of three now,” said one of the girls, looking to be around 14, in the most patronizing tone Hiroshi had ever heard. He was surprised that such a level of mockery was even possible, and that was coming from someone who had endured Makoto’s true personality.
Makoto’s response was to look down at his lap hopelessly. He truly was skilled at keeping up this facade. He had probably repeated this exact same scenario with these exact same fools countless times by now, but only this time, he was not alone, which might have even made things easier for him.
Hiroshi wondered what Hakku’s response would be. Would he attempt to gain information by befriending the buffoons, or treating them as enemies? The former would be much easier, but also much more difficult to pull off. The latter would essentially rely on them insulting him with their positions, and maybe one of them would spurt out a little known fact about their families. Either one had its strengths and drawbacks. Hiroshi wondered for a moment what Hakku would choose, but of course, he chose the latter.
“What did you say?! Stop picking on Makoto you idiots!” Hakku exclaimed at them.
They seemed taken aback, but then they began staring at Hakku who was now standing straight up from his seat with a resentful expression on his face. Hiroshi noticed that the arrogant girl who had just spoken, along with her friend were both staring directly at Hakku, even more intensely than the boys were, blushing profusely.
It all hit Hiroshi. When he had first met Hakku, and during the countless hours that followed, he had never truly paid attention to his appeara
nce. He was an ally, a friend. That was it, but now looking at him, he could see exactly why the girls in front of him were blushing.
After Hiroshi and Makoto had forced him to get sleep, removing the bags under his eyes for the most part, then coupled with his hair style and suit for the night, Hakku looked quite attractive, much more than the three boys behind the girls anyway.
Hiroshi wondered why the group hadn’t noticed that detail until that point, but he quickly answered his own question when he caught himself turning his neck back to look at him. Hiroshi had been blocking the five pompous idiots in front of them from properly seeing Hakku, but all of that changed. He was in the open now, and Hiroshi thought this situation had gotten all the more intriguing.
“S-Sorry about that. I didn’t mean it when I called you a loser, and maybe Makoto isn’t either,” the same girl said in a whisper, now looking down at her feet.
Hakku seemed as oblivious to his own good looks as Hiroshi was a moment ago. Perhaps he, just like Hiroshi, had never noticed them.
“H-Hey, would you guys join us at our table? It’ll be eight of us, so just the perfect number,” the other girl said nervously.
This was working out perfectly. They would be able to get information in the easiest possible way, and with barely any effort exerted to get to that point either. All of it due to a minuscule and unimportant detail to Hiroshi and the other two, but of utmost importance to the rest of the world.
∞
“U-Um, so what’s your name? I'm Aiki Sakae,” the first girl who had originally insulted the three said, still beet red, and barely even managing to look at Hakku’s chest, let alone face.
“I'm Hakku, and this is Hiroshi,” Hakku said, gesturing to Hiroshi as he spoke his name.
“I-I see… S-Sorry about just now!” she exclaimed, shooting her head up to finally make eye contact with Hakku with her own eyes wide as ever.
“Uh, that’s alright,” Hakku responded, obviously completely taken aback.
“I-I know, how about we play a game to break the ice,” Hiroshi took the opportunity to interject, ensuring to say it in an obviously faked cheerful tone, pretending to be pretending to change the subject.
“Sure! Yea, what did you have in mind?” the other girl said quickly. Hiroshi knew they would not turn him down in this situation. Not when they were trying to win over Hakku.
“I know, how about truth or dare, without the dare. There’s a lot of adults here, so it wouldn’t be much fun if we did give dares in here,” Hiroshi said. It was a perfectly reasonable explanation, and one that, unbeknownst to them, would lead them right into their trap.
“Sure, yea let’s do that,” the first girl quickly said.
“Ok. Hey Makoto, how much does your dad give you a week?” one of the boys said with an evil smile.
“¥21,000,” Makoto responded curtly.
“Heh, I knew it. Our dads are company owners after all, of course we would get much more than you,” the boy said back with a snicker.
“Heh, heh, well anyway, I think you can ask a question now, Hakku,” Hiroshi said nervously, seemingly to defuse the situation, but really he just wanted to give Hakku a prime opportunity to strike.
“U-Uh, ok. Aiki, who's your dad?” Hakku asked.
“O-Oh, he’s Kida Sakae. H-He’s the owner of Sakae incorporated,” she blurted out as quickly as possible.
Perfect. She was so suddenly placed in such a high-stress situation, she had no other choice but to blurt out whatever came to mind, she even gave out more information than necessary which saved a question. She was the famous Kida Sakae’s daughter. This could be useful information for the future. Hiroshi had to inform Hakku to keep up a relationship with her after this. They could receive very advantageous opportunities from that.
“O-Ok. W-Well, I guess it's my turn, then. Hakku, what’s your favorite food?” she blurted out.
How typical, Hiroshi thought. Connecting through food would be the most efficient and simple method to etch a slight bit closer to Hakku, but Hiroshi and definitely the other two could see through that immediately. Well, it was not as if she knew that, so it was understandable.
“Pizza, I suppose,” Hakku responded in a confused tone.
Hakku was acting clueless. This was good. It was once again his turn as well. Hiroshi had not intended for the rules to be this way, but it seemed like they were, and it could not have turned out better. Hakku and Aiki Sakae would continue asking each other questions for the foreseeable turns, and while she would be fumbling to find out information on him through subtle questions, Hakku would discover everything he possibly could about her family. If she asked something even potentially harmful to them, Hiroshi had told Hakku before the party to lie, so this game was all but foolproof.
“What does your mother do?” Hakku asked.
“O-Oh, well she owns several beauty product companies. She also invests in major properties on the market,” she responded.
Perfect. A quite simple to discover fact, and a relatively hidden one as well. It was for little chunks of seemingly harmless information that this game was being played. Hiroshi had no doubts now. Hakku was perfect for this task. His appearance, seemingly clueless personality, and subtle questions would be enough to learn any number of details on these two. This night would truly be educational.
∞
“That was a useful night, to say the very least,” Hiroshi said while the trio walked up the monstrous staircase, sounds of glasses clinking and roars of laughter still being audible from the hall room.
They ended up speaking to that group for a good few hours, and it was currently just past midnight. Their night was more than eventful so they deserved rest at that moment, especially Hakku who admittedly was the undeniable star of the night.
“We’ll discuss our findings sometime later. For now, let’s get some rest you two,” Hiroshi said.
“Agreed. I didn’t know how much talking I would have to do there,” said Hakku, sounding like he really needed that rest.
“Oh yes, speaking of that, please do keep a relationship with that girl up, Hakku,” Hiroshi said.
“Huh? Why? She was quite annoying and I’d hoped I wouldn’t have to speak to her again,” said Hakku.
“Agreed, but it is necessary. Her father is one of the most important and influential businessmen in the country. Getting close to her in order to be involved with that, even somewhat isn’t a bad tradeoff, no?” Hiroshi said.
“She is a witch, I know from experience, but just put up with her for a few years. I had to for over five, so I think you can too,” said Makoto, choosing probably the most necessary time to butt into the conversation, a pleasant change for Hiroshi.
“Fine, I’ll do it, even though she is awfully strange,” said Hakku.
Hiroshi smiled as they reached the second floor. Things were going much better than he ever could have hoped at the start of the night, and it was only the first of many of these events.
2 Months Later…
“It’s that time again, Hakku,” Hiroshi said, letting himself into Hakku’s room after the older boy had groggily opened his door due to some ruthless knocking from the other.
“The final mission?” Hakku asked, instantly snapping out of his fatigued state and now had his eyes opened as wide as they could go and was staring intently at Hiroshi for the answer to his question.
“Exactly. It will be a pain to let Makoto win our contest for a few weeks, but it is unfortunately a necessity,” said Hiroshi, half-jokingly, but unfortunately half not.
“Don’t remind me about that thing,” Hakku said, his excited expression dampening slightly.
“Anyway, let’s not worry about that now, let’s get into it!” Hakku exclaimed, lighting right back up after a moment.
“Ok, ok, let’s get breakfast first though, there’s no rush,” Hiroshi said, attempting to take full advantage of the excellent personal chefs this mansion had to offer fo
r once, instead of having his nose buried in his laptop competing with Makoto all day. In a way, he also felt a sense of being unshackled by not having to worry about this contest for a few weeks.
Well, this was not the time to give any thought to that. Hiroshi’s focus would have to be dedicated entirely to this final mission. He wondered what it may be. Kaito would surely have something planned to make this one a cut above the rest in any case.
∞
Name: Lewis Howard
Position: Virtual Criminal
Crimes: Has caused the deaths of countless innocents by selling his assassins to the highest bidder no matter who they are. The worst example was when he willingly sold five of his top assassins to a terrorist organization, which then used them to gun down a crowd of innocent people, that being among many other crimes he has committed with his online presence.
Current Inhabited Country: U.S.A
Hiroshi gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. This man. He could see why Kaito would pick him for their final hurdle. He was the worst enemy they had ever encountered. As if treating people like objects to be bought and sold was not evil enough, he mindlessly sold them to heinous people for anything they pleased, and on top of it all, committed more crimes, too vast to be stated. He was worse than Yabuto Sofu, Saisho Waru, all who came before. Hiroshi was very determined now, more than ever before. He quickly clicked over to the PNG file. He simply had to see this loathsome man’s face immediately.