This Color Ain't It

Chapter 2: Red and Pink

Summary:

The Sports Festival is coming up, and the detectives are not too concerned about the pace of their job.
Notes:

OKAY. I know I said the next time I updated would be when I have most of the chapters planned out, but some stuff came up that will be further explained at the bottom notes. Just know that I had no intentions of uploading a second chapter in such a short period of time and I apologize if it isn't as decent as the first chapter! It's not beta read.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text
"I got it. Take care." With the click of a button, Tanizaki released a long sigh.

"Naomi-san is still worried?" Kenji asked from his spot on the floor. Tanizaki plopped down next to him and leaned back.

"She wants to come over and make sure I'm okay apparently." Kenji held in a snicker. "I had to remind her that we're on a job that she can't get involved in."

"She wants the best for you, Tanizaki-san." Kenji could still remember how much struggle they dealt with when he and the red-head were set to leave Yokohama. Naomi was dead set on joining the duo. Thankfully, Haruno was able to pry her away with promises from Tanizaki that he would call every night. Who knows what else was promised, but the agency swore to never think too deeply into their matter.

"I feel bad for leaving her alone."

Kenji looked up from the worksheets he was assigned with a confused smile. "She's staying with Haruno-san though, isn't she?"

"Well, yeah." The Tanizaki siblings living together was no secret to the agency, and the separation anxiety was eating away at the older Tanizaki it seemed. Probably more than Naomi if Kenji had to guess. Still, the older one shook his head. There wasn't enough time to think about personal matters.

"Have you heard from Ranpo-san yet?" Kenji asked as he looked back at his assignments. Most of the contents on the page were still beyond Kenji's comprehension, but the agency had helped him catch up as much as they could the months before Kenji had to take the entrance exam, and he had Tanizaki help him out with most of it either way. Kenji still insisted that he at least give an honest attempt before relying on his partner. Doing the homework was frustrating, but also fun for Kenji to be able to experience being a teenager in a high school rather than just a detective in one of Japan's most dangerous cities.

"Not really," Tanizaki shrugged. "Kunikida-san said that Ranpo-san hasn't even looked at the reports we sent in yet. Something about wanting to see more reports before he begins to find interest in them."

"Ranpo-san was probably not satisfied with the snacks we sent from Musutafu," Kenji chuckled. Tanizaki chuckled as well.

"I told you that Ranpo-san wouldn't like the sugar-free candy." After chuckling about their greatest detective's antics, Tanizaki frowned. "Is this okay though? The president said that this mole could affect Yokohama after all."

"Ranpo-san will identify the traitor soon. We just have to trust him for taking his time!"

"I guess..."

The only sound that filled the small apartment was the soft scratching of the pencil against the paper. Tanizaki had taken a quick peek over Kenji's shoulder to make sure he wasn't completely butchering the problems and was relieved to see that Kenji was practicing his kanji. The boy could only read and write hiragana, katakana and a limited number of kanji characters which was barely able to get past the teachers.

"I'm sorry I wasn't able to get helpful information even though the Villains were right there..."

"Tanizaki-san, apologizing thirty times isn't going to get a different response." Kenji turned to give the upset male a reassuring smile. "You got some information and that's what's important. Besides, if you had gotten any closer, Snipe would have accidentally shot you."