SUPERWORLD

Toshiro II

The child psychologist sure is taking his sweet time. Toshiro thought, sitting at his desk and staring at the conference room that Nana and Dr. Yamamoto had gone through an hour ago.

Toshiro was pulled from his thoughts by Ryusuke who had two steaming cups in hand. The young detective handed one to Toshiro.

"Green tea to help bring you back to the world of the living. I still think you should've gone to the doctor." Ryusuke said, pulling up a chair to Toshiro's desk.

"Bah, I'm fine. Just a headache." Toshiro said, not taking his eyes off the door.

"Just a headache? Toshi? You were stumbling around the room talking to yourself like a mad man." The younger detective hissed, getting close to his partner to scold him. "The chief is suspicious but I managed to talk him out of giving you a breathalyzer test." Ryusuke spoke in a hushed but serious tone.

Toshiro still didn't move his eyes from the door.

Focus. Just a bit harder. Come on, you did it at the house, now it's time to prove to yourself that you're not crazy! Toshiro's head was shaking from the strain of focus, his eyes watering from not blinking.

"Toshiro!" Ryusuke hissed. Toshi relented and looked over at his partner. "Drink the damn tea! Get it all out of your system. If anyone sees you like this, they'll talk to the chief for sure, and I don't think I can stop him a second time!" Ryusuke hissed.

Toshiro looked over at the young man, his shirt black hair, gelled and styled in the fashion of the day, his face clean shaven, and his body in the prime of youth.

"I used to be like you, you know. I stopped shaving after my third year as a detective. Stopped doing my hair soon after that." Toshiro explained. Ryu gave him a look.

"What the hell are you talking about?" The young man asked.

"This job, life, really, took a lot out of me. Enjoy it while it lasts." Toshiro lamented. Ryu just shook his head.

"Yareyare, stop thinking about such depressing things. You need to start thinking of an explanation about how you found the girl. If you don't come up with an explanation, people will start to think you put her there..." Ryusuke suggested.

Toshiro looked up from his tea. He was subdued, tired, and hungover, but he still wouldn't let this suggestion stand.

"How dare you? I would never hurt anyone, especially not a child. If you think for one second—" Toshiro began speaking quicker before Ryusuke cut him off.

"I don't! I wouldn't dream of it. But other people might. Especially because of your daughter." Ryuske insisted.

Toshiro slammed his fist on the desk, spilling a bit of the tea. People in the office looked over at him curiously, but Toshi didn't care.

"How dare you! Mention that again, and I'll have to do something that they'll take my badge for!" Toshiro growled.

Ryusuke just shook his head and frowned.

A door clicked and the two men looked over at the conference room door where Doctor Yamamoto stood waiting.

"Gentlemen, she's ready for you." The  small, thin man said.

Toshiro looked over at Ryusuke, their eyes met, and the older detective couldn't hide the anger from his eyes, but he gave a nod of preparedness, and Ryu returned it. Toshiro and his partner got up, tea in hand, and entered the small conference room where the child was being kept.

"Hello, I'm Detective Ryusuke Tamaguchi, this is my partner Detective Toshiro Nakagawa, we'd like to ask you a few questions, if it's not too much trouble." Ryusuke said.