Those sweet baby blue eyes looked at Souji like he was a piece of candy in a candy store. Souji wasn't planning on finding the guy he was searching for so easily, but he also wasn't used to being embraced by his suspect either as soon as the older man left them alone. Now it was just Souji and the guy he had recognized as being the stripper in the photograph.
"What should I call you?" Souji was asked by the younger man, who was still trapping the detective in a death grip. He never felt so uncomfortable before and felt his body tense up. Obviously, Souji wasn't used to people touching him, and obviously this other guy wasn't used to people caring.
But the question was a risky one. If this guy was a killer, then Souji didn't need to give out his real information; if found out he was a detective, then that could make things either dangerous for himself, or his suspect could totally build up walls and not give out any information or evidence he had anything to do with the case, and ruin Souji's chance of solving it.
"Hara is fine." Souji lied.
"Haraa...?" The entertainer dragged on the name, as if waiting for a last name, but the two were interrupted by the bar tender who had leaned in over the counter. He was a handsome young man with sleeked back blonde hair and the most beautiful twinkling green eyes Souji had ever seen. He was tall and a bit fit, which was clear when one payed attention to his strong, yet model-ish arms and chest. He had a charming smile, but it had a playful touch to it, and came off as very two-sided.
"My, Eris," the bartender began. "You always attract some wild ones, huh?" he joked with a chuckle, making Eris stick out his tongue. "And who is your knight in shining armor?" he asked, referring to Souji by nodding his blonde head in his direction.
"I'm Hara."
"Just Hara?" The bartender responded, as if Souji had something to had to that. Either way, Souji couldn't turn back. He was Hara now.
"Sorry. Haha, I wasn't trying to corner you. I'm Ray Sinclair. I've been a bartender since this place first opened up around fifteen years ago." The bartender known as Ray explained. "To be honest, I could tell you my real name, but it isn't worth it. You never know the people that hang around here, and though some are people with nothing but wanting a fuck, most might be the kind to take advantage of anyone looking lost and easy if you know what I mean." Ray continued, putting a bottle of something alcoholic under the counter before looking back at the two. "So, Hara, don't give out any of your sensitive information around here. Not that you'll need it to have fun here. The bedrooms are up the stairs. Just be sure to-"
Quickly did Hara shake his head, along with pushing Eris off of him. "I think there is a misunderstanding. I'm not here for..." he stopped without meaning to, and now he was coming off as that lost and easy type Ray was just talking about.
"Not here for sex?!" Eris sounded almost offended.
Hara bit his cheek. If he wasn't here for sex, then it's hard to explain why he was here besides maybe for the stripping shows or drinks. Which he hadn't done either, so he was already getting close to coming off as weird. But he shook his head, deciding to disagree with Eris. "Well, to be honest, this is my first gay club, so I'm not familiar with how things work here... I guess I'm just kind of nervous..." he lied on the spot, earning a bright smile from Eris, who immediately locked their arms together.
"Fine by me. Let me show you the ropes, Mr. Hara~" he purred with delight as he began to drag away Hara from the bar. Hara barely had time to glance back at Ray who merely waved, like a parent wishing their children away. So off away did Hara and Eris go, disappearing into the growing evening crowd.
Eris led the older man upstairs in a flash. It was a black spiral marble case that went up to a second floor. It was a little area and hallway with doors that, well, Hara guessed that led to some private customer rooms. By the strong lilac scent and quiet jazz music playing from a speaker in the ceiling, it was a way to block out any smells and sounds coming from said private rooms. But besides that, the hallway was elegantly decorated with handing wisteria from the ceiling and purple lamps that sat on the little tables scattered against the walls here and there. It was a cozy, but fluttery feelings; one that Hara was not used to being in.
The lilac scent was so strong that Hara's face struggled not to scrunch up. He didn't like being up here with no one around but this guy that might be a serial killer. Last thing Hara needed was to be killed and his body parts being buried in one of those flowerpots. Whoever was in charge of decorating definitely had a thing for flowers. Especially for these purple ones. The wallpaper was a deep violet with shapes of flowers faintly traced into it. The lining of the walls and doorframes were all a polished black wood, and everything seemed dark and inclosing. Nothing was bright, and nothing felt opened. Almost like a cage for all the flowers that were held inside here.
Eris opened a door and inside what was basically a small bedroom. It was like the kind you'd see in a love hotel, with a big bouncy bed with silky lilac-colored pillows and sheets. There was a small nightstand with a basket on necessities such as condoms, lube and even tissues, and by those was a record player to perhaps set a mood. A little fridge was underneath the bed and Hara spotted a shower with see through glass in the corner of the room.
It was near this point that Hara began to feel that slow feeling of regret creep up his gut. But he also couldn't just walk out and leave, no matter how uncomfortable he was. So, like a detective, he faced it head on. It wasn't like he came here to sleep with a stranger, but more of lead this man Eris somewhere private to talk alone. Or well, have Eris lead him somewhere private. Either worked.
"How long have you worked here?" The question came out a bit too straight forward, and Hara realized he was starting off at an impatient start and scolded him for that. But Eris didn't seem bothered by the question, and instead answered it with a shrug. "A long time. Hey! Do you want some ice?" he asked as he approached a little table with a couple of pitchers and glasses for drinks.
"Sure," Hara answered thoughtlessly, trying to think and not caring whether he had ice in his glass or not. "So... do a lot of people come here?" Hara asked, taking a peek through the window. There was a good view of the back of the club from here, and even from the back of the building, the bright violet light from the glowing sigh out front could be seen. "I heard this place is pretty popular." He mentioned, noticing what looked like a purse thrown in one of the large trash bins outside.
But before he had a chance to ponder much more, he felt a cold feeling suddenly press up against his left breast, and Hara flinched and shouted out with surprise at the same time; he quickly turning his head to see Eris with his hand up his shirt.
Hara squirmed away. "What are you doing??!" he cried out, still flabbergasted by that action.
"You said you wanted ice." Eris excused with just as much confusion. Hara blinked a good few times before shaking his head.
"Y-You can't just touch people without warning! And I thought you were talking about ice in water not on me!"
Now Eris seemed impatient. "Jeez, I know you're new to everything and all, but you can calm down. I was just trying to loosen you up..." he sighed out with an eye roll. "Either way, if you're not here for me to do my job, then I'm leaving."
Hara panicked and grabbed Eris's wrist before the entertainer could leave. "I need help trying to find someone who I think has been here." Hara began to explain cautiously. Hara took a moment of his own to resume. Then continued. "I'm trying to find someone. A man. I don't know where is his, so I was hoping of asking-"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Eris shook his head and took a step back. "Are you like, a cop or something?" He went defensive quickly, and Hara mentally cringed. "Cause like, if you are, I'm done."
"No. I... that man, he was my uncle." Hara lied softly, averting his eyes. "I am just trying to figure out what happened to him."
He was hoping to pull at some sympathy or heartstrings, but it seemed Eris fell for it. Because he got a bit closer, seeming interested.
"Do you have a picture of your uncle?"
Hara pulled a picture from his back pocket and showed him. The man in the picture was one of the more recent disappearances from this area. An older man in his late forties.
"Yeah, I've seen that guy around here a ton." Eris said almost immediately after seeing the photo. Perhaps if Eris was the killer, he really did have an urge to show off or brag. Just like what Hara was suspecting. Every murder victim's body had been found posed and put in a place for someone to see. So, Hara and the rest of the station had guessed this killer had an ego of sorts and wanted to be sure his work got credit and was seen.
"Do you know if-" But Hara was cut off by Eris placing a finger to his lips.
"Before I go on spilling my mouth, I think we should talk about compensation, what do you think?" Eris pointed out with a wide grin. "I hate for you to get all you want outta me, then me get nothing, y'know?"