re: INITIATIVE [Detective Fiction]

[#04.5]

They were very fortunate that the affluent heirs they've met so far weren't as impudent as one might've expected. Chelsea was just as polite (if not politer) as most people. She was respectful, and did not place herself in some pedestal; did not feel like she somehow held a higher value as a person just because of her family business.

While they didn't personally know Chris Leo, he didn't seem to particularly be threatening the police when he was accused, looking back at a major incident.

He didn't say anything idiotic like,

"Do you know who I am?"

Or something like,

"Do you know who you're dealing with? My family's gonna know about this!"

And similar insolent threats when he was mistakenly accused by the police. Well the plan was to frame him for the murder, after all. He didn't particularly take it calmly either, which goes to say that he is just as normal as everyone else.

The clubroom door swung open, and a student walked in with slow steps. His short blonde hair was shining, and he looked like he was smiling with his eyes. His face wasn't particularly attractive, but his firm gait had drastically improved his sense of presence. You could actually feel like 'oh wow, this guy's here', that kind of presence.

"Everyone, meet my friend, Chrisper Leo." Ardee stood up from her chair. They seem to have known each other. It was the guy that L saved from being framed for a murder he didn't commit that acquaintance party.

"Chris, this is L and Joshua."

"Wow, you're friends with him?!" Joshua enthusiastically reacted.

"Oh, you're friends with him." L expressionlessly commented.

"I'm pleased to meet you all."

As soon as their eyes met, Chris widened his, and in a snap, bowed at a perfect right angle towards Axel.

"I'm truly sorry," he said,

"I wasn't able to thank you properly that evening." He continued. He was surprisingly very formal, and apologetic, too.

"Oh, it's no problem. I just made sure to clear my name out of that issue, that's all." L replied.

Unfortunately for him, he was one of the called-out suspects for being the primary witness. Of course, it was only natural for a witness to be a suspect, so L also did not have any hatred towards inspector James.

"That's... that's not all I'm sorry for..." he softly said, his body still stiff bowing down at a right angle. A smirk was obviously painted all over Ardee's face, as if she was trying her best not to burst out laughing. Joshua's face however, was filled with shock. Little did they know, Ardee could be laughing, mocking, at the fact that someone having as high of a status as Chris here was bowing down to someone scholarship-tiered like Axel here. Then again, L could be worth something more.

"What's wrong, man? Stop bowing, you're making me feel uneasy." L said. Come to think of it, he never did like attention. As much as possible, he didn't want to be noticed by a crowd, and he'd much rather be staying inside their silent clubroom than do something else somewhere else where he could catch attention. He did everything for himself or for the people he'd care about, and not for any kind of attention. To be quite clear, he never did claim the results of the investigation as his own fruitage.

"I was present during baseball tryouts, and I was the one who hit a homerun... and the one who caused a concussion in your head." He explained. Finally, he stood up straight, like a soldier about to march into enemy territory. His stature was very neat - only to be expected from a progeny, I guess. His face was straight, but it wasn't expressionless either, it was simply sincere.