Ghost Boy || Boyf Riends

.:8:.

They jumped into Michael's Cruiser. Jeremy tapped on the window to signal he was good, and Michael started driving.

Christine read over the paper out loud.

"His name is Kaito Takahashi. He has a degree in technology and human psychology... Uh, he's 55 as of last month. Um... Nothing else on here seems important other than his phone number."

Michael hummed in thought. "Alright. Looks like I'll be spending some time at my computer."

Christine nodded, looking up as they turned onto her street. "I gotta head home, but call me if you find anything."

Michael nodded and stopped at her house. She got out, and Jeremy moved to the front.

"See ya, Chris." Michael smiled.

Christine smiled back and shut the car door, waving and walking to her house.

Michael waved back and drove towards his house. He tried to make conversation with Jeremy, but it just felt like he was talking to himself. It was depressing.

Michael parked and walked into his house, eyes glued on the the paper. Kaito Takahashi. He didn't know anyone by the that name. It sounded vaguely familiar, but...

"Oh, Michael! You're home!" Michael's mom chirped, looking in from the kitchen.

Michael quickly looked up and hid the paper behind his back, shoving it into his back pocket. "Mom! Hey! Hi, um... What's up?" He smiled at her.

Mrs. Mell smiled gently at him and walked over, as if trying to comfort him. She put her hands on his shoulders, tenderly messing with a strand of his hair.

"Where were you just now?"

"Oh, uh..." Michael glanced away. "I was at my friend Christine's house."

Mrs. Mell hummed. "I'm so proud of you."

"Why?"

"You're dealing with Jeremy's death so well. Maybe you took it hard in the beginning, and I don't blame you, but... Still."

Michael smiled shyly at her. "Thanks, mom..." He looked at her clothes and noticed she was wearing a dress. Only then did he realize she was wearing more makeup than usual. "Why are you so dressed up?"

"Well, me and your father are going to a dinner party tonight. We thought you could come with."

"What? Mom, you know I don't like parties. Especially not since..." Michael trailed off.

His mom nodded solemnly. "I know, Michael. But this one's different. No loud music. No roudy teenagers. It'll be mostly adults. You can handle that, right?"

"I mean... I guess. But I kind of had plans for tonight."

"Oh. With your friends?"

Michael looked down and mumbled, "No, not exactly..."

"I'm sure whatever you're doing can wait. Please? It'd be good for you to get out of the house."

Michael paused, and then sighed lightly. "Okay."

Mrs. Mell smiled happily and kissed his forehead, her hands moving from his shoulders to hold her son's hands. "Thank you. Now go get ready. Wear something nice." She glanced down at his arms and sighed. "And please, wash that off."

Michael looked down at his wrists, which he'd drawn all over. He chuckled. "Okay. Sorry, mom."

"It's alright. Hurry, now!"

Michael walked up to his bedroom, throwing on a button-up shirt and dress pants. It was slightly uncomfortable, but he had to deal with it for that night. He went into the bathroom and scrubbed the pen from his arms, careful not to get his shirt wet. Jeremy followed him around silently, a simple companion for now. He made a comment every now and then, though knowing he wouldn't be heard, it was still fun.

Michael and his parents drove to a big, fancy house you would only see in rich neighborhoods. It was lit up from the inside, and from where they parked, based on how many cars were there and the amount of people he saw through the curtains, it looked like there was a big crowd. He gulped and stepped out of the car, silently holding his hand out for Jeremy to take.

He did, squeezing Michael's hand reassuringly, and they walked into the house together. There were many adults in the main room alone, ranging from ages 30-50. Michael knew he was the only teenager there, apart from Jeremy, but that didn't count. They couldn't laugh and goof off and disappear somewhere like they always did. He felt alone.

Jeremy saw his frown and intertwined their fingers, staying close as if they were a couple. Michael's cheeks flushed slightly at the feeling. He took a deep breath and walked in.

The music was light and pleasent, tables of hor d'oeuvres and small appatizers here and there. Michael sort of hovered around at the edge of the crowd for a while. No one noticed him, apart from a slight glance, but that was it.

Then, as Michael was trying to figure out whatever the fuck the host put in the hor d'oeuvres, and older man walked up to him and smiled. Michael looked at him. He didn't know this man.

The man was very obviously Asian, from what country, Michael wasn't sure.

"Hello, there."

"...Hi...?" Michael said awkwardly.

"I'm sorry to bother you, young man, but you look so familiar." He was silent for a moment, before saying, "Are you Lori's son?"

"Oh, uh, yeah." Michael smiled with a bit more confidence, now knowing why the man had approached him. He was told all the time that he looked just like his mother. It was nothing knew.

"You look so much like her." There it is.

Mrs. Mell walked over and smiled. "Hello, Mr. Kobayashi."

The man looked up at her , smiling kindly still. "Hello, Lori."

"I see you've met my little look-alike." Mrs. Mell said proudly.

"Ha ha, okay, we get it, I look like you." Michael said awkwardly.

They didn't acknowledge it. Mr. Kobayashi nodded, "Yes. He's a very nice boy."

Dude, our conversation was four sentences long. Michael thought, though didn't say, because he knew his Mom would've scolded him.

Mrs. Mell smiled at Michael. "He knows Dr. Takahashi. You remember him, right?"

Michael's eyes widened. "Wait, for real?" Jeremy's grip on Michael's hand tightened in shock and anticipation.

Mr. Kobayashi chuckled. "I assume you're a fan?"

"I suppose you could say that. But, um, my memory's a little foggy... Could you tell me a bit about him?"

He nodded slowly. "Yes, well, he invented many amazing things. Though, sadly, his career recently ended after one of his inventions had gone wrong. A, uh... skip? It was meant to help people, but he says the programming went wrong."

Michael's breath hitched. "A... A Squip? Is-- Is that the invention, sir?"

"Ah," Mr. Kobayashi said. "Yes, I do believe that was it. A young man took one and it spread... Poor things..."

Mrs. Mell and Michael shared a mutual look of shock.

"Mom? Can I, um, Can I be excused?"

His mother nodded. "Yes. Go on."

Michael ran out of the room and out into the front yard, calling Christine. Jeremy ran out with him, his head reeling with the knew information. "C'mon, c'mon, c'mon..."

"Michael?" She asked. "What's up? Did you find something?"

"Christine, it all makes sense. I-- I figured it out, I know who killed Jeremy, it makes so much sense, I can't believe we didn't realize it!"

"Whoa, Michael. Calm down. Start over. What'd you find out?"

"Christine. Kaito Takahashi created the Squip. He pushed Jeremy."

Quest Complete. New Quest: Find Dr. Takahashi.