Matai Itsu Ka (We'll Meet Again) (ON INDEFINITE HIATUS)

7. Research

"Daijōbudesu ka, Nee-san?" Sho asks standing alongside the brunette Inspector. Akane sits on a gurney in the infirmary with a fresh, clean bandage on the cut on her neck. She seems to be staring off into space despite his presence and his question. 

"Kogami-san," she mumbles under her breath. 

"Kogami-san?" Sho inquires. "He was an Inspector before you became one but he regressed and became an Enforcer after the beginning of the Makshima Shogo case."

"He's alright," she breathes. She covers her face with one hand and tears begins skating down her cheek. Sho's eyes go wide. He steps toward her and wraps his arms around her. He nestles his head right beside hers. 

"Nee-san, If he's alive and well, naite iru no?"

"Arigato, Hinakawa-san." Akane shift and he lets her go. 

"You'll see him again," the redheaded Enforcer adds. "I know you will."

"You're right." Akane dries her tears with her sleeves and stands. She chuckles to herself. "I don't even know why I'm crying," she takes a deep breath. "He can take care of himself. He always has." 

Sho nods in agreement. 

"Let's get back to work."

                                                                                       <<<<

"Shi-nii-san," Yunna calls out from Shinya's bedroom as she hears the door open. She walks out int out into the living room to meet her older brother standing in the doorway attempting to catch his breath. 

"Tadaima." He closes the door behind him, locks it and then proceeded to takes off his shoes and put down his equipment. Still out of breath he walks over to the fridge, grabs a bottle of water and takes a long sip.

"Okaerinasai, Shinii-san." Yunna walks out of her older brother's bedroom barefoot in a pair of shorts and a baggy sweater. She looks at him wide-eyed with confusion. "Doushita?" 

"Nani mo," Ko replies managing to catch his breath. 

"Nii-san," Yunna whines walking over to him drawing out her words. 

"Shinpai suru na, Yu-chan." Shinya ruffles his sister's hair like he used to when they were children and makes his way into his room and closes the door. Shinya undresses and steps into the shower. As the water pours over his skin he closes his eyes.

She's alright. Its a superficial cut.

He take the bottle of shampoo near by, squirts some into his palm and begins massaging his scalp. As the water pours down over his head, he works into his hair and then when he finishes he lets the water rinse his hair as well as his skin. 

She'll be fine. He steps out of the shower towels off, applies lotion and rubs his hair mostly dry with a towel then he walks out of the bathroom and into the living room to see Yunna sitting on the couch with another one of his novels in one hand and with the other in a bag of wasabi peas next to a near by box of classic pocky and a lychee Ramune on the coffee table. She places two or three wasabi peas in her mouth and turns a page before she notices her brother standing the doorway. 

"Yu-chan," he asks attempting to rub some water out of his left ear. She looks up at him and he walks toward her. "Where did yo get all of this?"

"Gomen ne," she replies offer the bag of wasabi peas to him. He takes a handful, pops a few into his mouth and returns the bag to her. "Obasaan said a shipment came is just before I arrived today, she said I could take a few snacks--whatever I liked."