TW: TRANSPHOBIA
Aikawa Junpei was his name. The name of Sadako's father.
Finally having an identified subject that was a part of the cult was a relief to the Agency. Considering most men among the Apostles killed themselves upon being caught, a name was a huge step. We could mostly thank Sadako for giving a name so willingly, even if it took some convincing.
After looking him up, we found tons of certificates for him. This included marriage papers, news articles, birth certificates, (for himself and his children, which we had found that he only had a son. His name was Aikawa Goro. We hadn't found any birth records on Sadako strangely enough.) etc. Junpei was married to a woman named Koyuki. The only records we could find on her were her marriage certificate and Goro's birth certificate, which displayed her name, then she had just disappeared into thin air. Apparently, Sadako doesn't have any memories of her mother at all.
This was a strange family..indeed.
The most important fact though, was that Junpei was a part of the Angel's Apostles, and Sadako was key to leading us there. His address was located in Iwaki. While the possibility of him not being there was in the air, the agency still felt as though they needed to check.
It took a three hour train ride to make it to the town. Back in Yokohama, Yosano, Dazai, Kenji, and Tanizaki stayed at the ADA to keep watch over possible movements that the cult may make and to watch over Mirai. On the train rode Sadako, L/N, and I. Looking down at my feet, I noticed Sadako fidgeting with her fingers and tapping her foot. My only assumption was that she was nervous to see her dad again. To be fair, I can't think of many good experiences she would have had with her father. (considering their family history.) Regardless, it was huge that the girl was able to help us.
Soon, we arrived at Iwaki Station. The place wasn't too crowded, as most citizens were already in their workplace. Sadako walked closely beside L/N, hanging onto the woman's arm in the process.
We followed the directions Sadako gave us, and we soon found ourselves in a secluded neighborhood. Other than the lack of pedestrian activity in the area, the place seemed normal.
"This is the block he lives on." The girl said quietly, halting to a stop before turning into the street. This was it, this was our chance.
Before we continued on, a sudden thought crossed my mind. Quickly, I grabbed onto L/N's arm and stopped her from walking.
"What's up?" She had a confused look on her face as she looked back at me.
"I think...you should stay here."
"Huh?"
"We don't know how this man is going to respond when he sees you..."
"Don't worry, I'll be fine! I came prepared." A determined look came on her face and she reached for her pocket. L/N took out a medical mask and placed it over her face. She then took glasses that were hanging from the collar of her shirt and put them over her eyes. "Tada, he won't suspect a thing!"
I could only stare at her with impatience. Her smile soon disappeared, and she groaned.
"Fine, but I'm staying nearby just in case." The woman obliged, but kept the "undercover" items on.
"Thank you, hopefully this won't take long." I turned around and started walking along the sidewalk, Sadako soon following me.
"Why isnt Y/N coming?"
"We thought it'd be better for her safety if she stayed." I explained, stopping myself from saying, and his safety too. Nobody knew what that woman was capable of if she could get her hands on him.
"Oh..should I stay behind too?"
"That's not necessary, you're actually quite essential as we talk to him. It'd be a miracle if we get him to turn himself in willingly."
"No..." We were just about to turn into the man's front patio. "I think I should stay behind." Sadako clenched her jaw and gulped.
"Don't worry Sadako, no harm will come to you."
"But I..."
The front door swung open, making the little girl freeze.
"THERE YOU ARE YOU IMPUDENT CHILD!" That obnoxious voice could've made my ears ring. "GET YOUR ASS IN HERE." Sadako did not move, a disturbed look was on her face. I sighed and turned to face the man.
"Are you Aikawa Junpei?"
"Who cares? Were you the one who brought that boy here?" Junpei looked away from me and back to Sadako. "Goro, if you don't come in here this instant-"
"Goro?" I interrupted, confused. Goro was the name of this man's son, so why would he...?
"Oh great, you're wearing that girly clothing again. You're never going to get girls if you keep dressing like one! I'll teach you a lesson."
Oh...
I turned to Sadako, who was pressing her lips together, looking as if she was holding back a sob. She looked away from me and said nothing. The girl sighed and started walking towards the doorway.
"That's it Goro, get in here." Junpei reached his hand out to Sadako's arm.
Now, this was something I would not tolerate.
I went in front of Sadako and stretched my arm in front of her.
"Excuse me, you must be mistaken." The girl stopped behind me as I spoke. "This is not your son, this is your daughter, Sadako. We have important matters to speak about."
"Kunikida..." Sadako murmured behind me. "..you don't have t-"
"Who the hell do you think you are? See that Goro? Now people think you're a girl. Is that what you-"
"Junpei-san, I believe I am the one speaking to you, not your daughter." I pushed my glasses to the rim of my nose and stared at the man. "May we come in?"
"What are you here for?" Junpei scrunched his nose and glared at me.
"My name is Kunikida Doppo of the Armed Detective Agency. My team is suspicious of many crimes you've committed in the past." I introduced myself, taking out my official badge and showcasing it.
"Fucking bullshit...I haven't done anything wrong. If anything, what I do is charity work. Tell him, Goro."
I scoffed, and was about to make another statement, until Sadako came in front of me and stood her ground.
"For the last time, father, my name is Sadako. You've done many terrible acts, especially to Y/N." The girl crossed her arms and lowered her head.
"You don't know anything kid...wait a second. Did you say you were from the Armed Detective Agency?" Junpei looked up at me.
"Yes?"
"Then you're the people that stole our little Angel then?"
"Excuse me?"
Junpei stopped fidgeting his hands and smiled. It was an unnerving look. "Oh....I'd love to see her." His eyes were darting around the neighborhood with anticipation. "It's been so long...I've been so bored." The man held onto his hands and he tapped his foot on the concrete.
My mouth opened slightly, what a disgusting man. I'm not exactly sure what he's done in his personal time, but it could not be for the eyes of children. "You'll be coming with us." I tried to ignore his remarks.
"My pleasure."
***
If the secluded room wasn't so brightly lit, anyone could easily fall asleep due to the amount of silence. Junpei tapped his fingers on the table as he looked straight into L/N, almost as if he was waiting for her next move. The woman, however, said nothing in return. She kept her arms crossed with an unamused look on her face.
"Junpei-san, are you going to answer our questions?" Kunikida questioned the man, hoping for the hour-long interrogation to be over.
"Your question is how I became involved with the apostles?" Junpei repeated with a slight glance over to the blonde. "I'll answer if she asks."
His new request made L/N shift slightly in her seat.
"Our agreement was if L/N-san came in, you would answer our questions, unless you're not a man of your word...." Kunikida adjusted his glasses and glared up at Junpei.
The pitiful man bounced his leg as he pondered for a moment. "I met boss at a bar. He bought me a drink, and we talked about our dreams. Said he wanted to have control over life in itself. Thought he was crazy at first, but once I saw how much money was put into the group he was building up, I decided to insert myself in."
"Was killing children always the goal?"
"Well- sure. He had a weird thing with body parts, and he had a weird way of convincing others it was for god."
"Which is?"
Junpei stopped for a moment and stared into nothing. His eyes slowly moved over to L/N, and an odd smile came to his lips. "I'll never forget the day I saw a pathetic looking girl stab my brother to death. It was quite a sight. Boss was convinced; you were the ticket to his success."
All those years ago, when L/N and I were taken to be killed by the apostles themselves, Junpei was there? I bit my lip. That was the reason she was taken. Maybe if I had defended her myself, it wouldn't have happened. They wouldn't have seen her do anything. Would she have been, safe?
"Why did L/N make the Apostles more successful?" Junpei was about to speak, until the woman spoke.
"They were so sure they could do absolutely anything they wanted, whenever they saw a random child defy their plans, they considered her a god. It's pathetic." She murmured to the wall.
In a beat, the door behind us opened. "Kunikida-san, could I speak to you for a moment?" Yosano called out to me.
I nodded and sat up from my chair, giving Junpei a slight look. "You coming?" I question L/N and look back at her.
She shook her head silently with crossed legs. "You need someone to watch him, don't you?" She reminded me. With hesitation, I nod and walk out.
"I think we found out how Sadako got to Yokohama by herself." Yosano informed me. I always wondered about this. She was a young girl, how did she get here?
"Well?"
"She moved along with different Apostle groups as they moved around the country. Many of them didn't acknowledge Sadako so she just kept running off."
"Does that mean...there were more Apostles back in Tokyo?"
"It's likely, and we completely missed them."
I put my hand to my mouth and sighed. They were right there with us, and we didn't do anything. We were way too focused on finding Mirai that we didn't consider grabbing some more criminals for questioning. "Alright...well-"
There was a loud thud behind the door. We both looked, a little shocked at the sudden movements. The moment we heard L/N's yells was the moment I swung the door open to fight whatever was hurting her, that was until I saw that she was the danger.
Junpei, now on the floor, was pinned down with L/N's hands on his throat. His body would shake about as he tried to gasp for air. L/N herself was crying out, I couldn't particularly tell what type of emotion she was trying to convey. Anger? Vengeance? Sorrow? Hard to say..
Quick to respond, I leapt over the table that had been toppled over and grabbed onto L/N's shoulders.
"L/N! You need to stop!!" I ordered her, but she immediately shoved me away with a slight grunt, persistent on keeping her hands latched on Junpei's neck.
Giving it another go, I grabbed underneath her armpits and pulled her away completely. We landed on the floor from the momentum of the pull. She kicked and screamed; her foot had almost reached my knee, nearly dislocating it.
"Ple...please calm down!!" I yelled close to her ear, and after a few seconds, she stopped moving entirely, but her sounds reverted into slight sobbing and hard breathing.
I looked at her face, and her mouth was wide open. Her shaken hand was reaching out to Junpei's body, which was lying still in front of us. Tears were beginning to stream down her face like small droplets on a glass of water. I could only remain stunned, not recalling in my ideals what to do in a situation like this.
"L/N-" Before I could say anything else, she shoved herself out of my relaxed grasp, stood up, and walked out quickly.
Yosano came up from behind me, just as bewildered as I was. She bent down to Junpei and placed two fingers onto his neck. I looked at her with anticipation.
"He's..dead." She said coldly, but with slight disappointment engrained in her voice.
I looked to the ground and slowly stood up with a ground.
I had to go find her.
***
The stars were extra clear tonight. It was comforting in some senses. L/N had wished that she were up there. Free in the sky, being able to visit each star. Although...being close up, the stars might burn her alive.
She laid her hand down and rested her forehead on her palm. Her brain was aching uncontrollably, she could feel it pulsing on her hand. The uncomfortable pain that swarmed the entire head was the worst of them all, cause there was no specific way to escape it, you just had to suck it up.
"May I sit here?" L/N flinched at the sudden noise. She didn't bother looking up. In her vision of the ground, she acknowledged a pair of brown shoes, and beige/yellow pants. The woman simply nodded, not wanting to accept the presence of the man who tried to stop her from choking someone.
Kunikida decided to allow some silence between the both of them. He wasn't too sure what to say, so before saying anything he noted everything about the night. The clear sky, the air that smelled a little bit like gas, the agency building that was right next to them, the wooden bench they had been sitting on, the people that would cross by every so often, but not too often that their interaction could be considered an alone one.
Taking a deep sigh, Kunikida turned to L/N, who was still holding onto her head and staring at the floor. "...tell me what happened back there."
"Simple..." She answered immediately, as if she had been waiting for an opportunity. "He got the better of me."
Once again, Kunikida did not know how to respond. The man tapped his shoe and tried speaking once more. "How so?"
That's when L/N suddenly straightened up. She looked to the trees ahead of her and pressed her lips together. Her vision went slightly blurry from moving so fast, but she paid no mind. "I thought that when I left that place, and I became independent," Her voice was suddenly much louder, Kunikida had observed. "I thought they wouldn't have control over me. I made my own decisions. It was the first breath of fresh air I had in years." The woman's face brightened for only a moment. "Until...I realized, control was never possible with them."
"I don't think that's true."
"Well I do." She contradicted. "Junpei knew I wouldn't react well. He wanted to get me mad. He wanted to make me do something...he probably even wanted me to kill him. Just because of those pictures...he knew." She looked down the ground, almost as if she was talking to herself in that moment.
"What pictures?"
L/N sighed, sitting back up with half-lidded eyes. She dug into her jacket's pocket and took out small stack of polaroid pictures. The woman handed them to Kunikida, still not looking at him in the eyes.
As the blonde started observing the photos, with a growing distraught look on his face, L/N brought her feet up to the edge of the bench and rested her chin on her knees.
"Is he dead?"
"....yes." Kunikida could hear a slight groan come from the woman as she buried her face into her knees and murmured apologies as the blonde examined the photos further. Multiple pictures seemed old, showcasing the same concept in each one. It was L/N when she was younger. She had a blank face in all of them. Her hair went to her shoulders, her clothes were stained with blood, and in every single photo, she was holding some sort of limb.
It was almost like a timeline. In each photo she got older and older. The first photos, she had seemed far more fearful, terrified, but as time went on it went more blank. Almost as if she got used to it.
Kunikida set the pictures down and looked to the sky, as if the moon would give him an answer as what to do next. Without time for him to think, he felt something get placed on his lap. Once the man looked down, he saw L/N's face staring up at him.
"Do you think I'll ever be someone other than the Angel, Kunikida?"
"Yes, I do believe so."
"How do you know?"
"Cause you were your own person before the apostles took you away, and that person is still in you."
"Can you see her?"
Now this was a question that Kunikida most definitely knew the answer to. "Yes." He smiled, taking his hand towards her forehead and brushing her hair to the side.
L/N didn't seem too fazed by it, but she wanted him to touch her hair more. Play with it even, if that was mature enough for his standards. She stared at his lips for a second, then forwarded her glance to his eyes. They were still as beautiful as she remembered. Regardless of his present self trying to not be as dorky, and full of energy as he used to be in highschool, she could still see it as long as she could see his eyes. "They're pretty.." L/N stopped breathing for a second, realizing she had said a thought out loud. To save herself, she glanced over to the stars. "The stars, the stars are pretty."
"Oh, I agree. Quite comforting if you ask me." He looked up to them along with L/N. The woman sat up slightly to get a better view, almost as if she was drawn to the sky. They twinkled brightly, it reminded her of their old town. She could always see the stars very clearly, it was very easy. They shined even brighter than in Yokohama, it would be nice to go back.
"...I wish things could go back the way they were..Doppo."
"It's a nice thought.." Kunikida was going to continue talking as he looked down to her, until he noticed how close their faces were.
There was a moment of stillness.
Facial features were so much more clear now. Kunikida could quite literally note every part of her face at that very moment. Why was it so..perfect?
Her lips parted, and that was one of the first things the man stared at. The list of things he wanted to do for her went on and on forever...especially with the mouth right before him.
The next thing he noticed was her eyes. He was so close to them, that he could see his own stupid shocked face in them. Why couldn't they stay on him forever? That way, he could stare right back.
In realization, their eyes widened. Both of their cheeks became warm. Why was it different? Why was this closeness so, odd?
Flustered by the closeness, L/N flinched and tried to sit up as if that would bring them further away from each other. Their heads collided with each other, pain soon reaching their foreheads.
"Awowhh." They both winced and sighed in union.
"Sorry..hheh.." L/N chuckled at herself, holding onto her head, her head was still on his lap though. Kunikida's eyes wrinkled as he started to smile. While yes, he was in pain, that moment of closeness kept replaying in his head. Apart of him wanted to do it again. The other part wanted to run away like a crazy man whose face was growing more and more red at the beautiful person whose head was on his lap.
It's not as if she moved. She stayed there, letting her pain ease on his thighs. What would happen if he bent down closer to her face again? Would she mind? Would she mind if he just...placed his lips on hers? Kissed her? What would happen...
No..that's stupid.
"Are you okay?" The blonde finally said something to her.
"I'll live, you?"
"Hah..yeah...Never better."