What was he supposed to do now?
Five-thirty in the morning and the sun hadn't even risen yet. It was enough to have Arthur exhale a bit of an exhausted sigh and run fingers through his hair, leaning back into the couch and unable to get the images of that nightmare out of his head. It had been so vivid and clear; perhaps that was why it bothered him so much, or even that Kou had been calling him a 'murderer'. He didn't get that one bit, chalking it off on the nightmare being just what it was and moving to stand up, brushing off his clothes and stretching a little as his body felt a little stiff.
Alfred always teased that he was 'getting old' from time to time, prompting a bit of a smack to the other blond's head afterward. He was still a young man and as such, he wanted to be treated like one, even if sometimes he did have some odd tendencies. Even Antonio, one of Francis' friends, said he acted too old as well, just because he loved to do things like knitting and crocheting. Really, he didn't get what was wrong with it, scowling at the thought as he moved to look at himself in his bedroom mirror blearily. His blond hair was a tousled mess and there were faint bags under his eyes, making him touch fingers against them with a small sigh before dropping his hand and turning to head to the bathroom as he figured maybe a shower would just help get his mind off of things, and especially that damnable nightmare.
In about five minutes then had one! Arthur Kirkland in the shower, letting the water run over his skin with a relieved, content smile on his face. "It's just a bloody nightmare..." Really. Then why couldn't he stop thinking about it? Fingers moved to splay onto the porcelain-tiled wall in front of him, letting it draw pictures only he could see absently before he stopped himself and drew it back and instead contented himself with shampooing and conditioning his hair. Pushing all negative things back away to the furthest recesses of his mind once more, he made to finish with his shower, only managing to wrap the towel around his waist when he heard his phone going off in the bedroom. Something which made him jump a little, nearly slipping on the floor as he scrambled out of the bathroom and into his room as fast as he could, frowning a bit but nonetheless picking up the phone to answer it before it stopped ringing. "Hello?"
"Arthur? Nihao! it's me, Mei.."
All at once, the scowl disappeared off of his face and he smiled gently, even if she wouldn't be able to see it as he moved to sit on the bed. "Oh! Hello, Mei. How are you?" Fondness filled his voice, glad for some kind of distraction. Anything was better than the negative things weighing down on him at the moment. "Aaah... not so good. Would I be able to see you sometime right away?" It was the frantic tone of her voice that caught his attention next, hesitating briefly for a few seconds.
"Hmm? Yeah! Of course. Is everything alright..?"
She was quiet for a moment, her voice soft and hesitant when she spoke again; "I'll tell you when I get there. I'll come see you at the bakery.... i'm sorry if this is too early..." If it had been anyone else, he really would have commented on that part, seeing as it WAS only a little bit after six in the morning, but seeing as she did sound urgent, Arthur caved in and accepted, following up even with an apology which seemed to make her giggle a slight bit. "...Alright. Be there in a few." She hung up after that and he swiped the screen on his phone to end the call for him as well, stretching a bit and realizing that he was still not even dressed; a fact that had the brit flush a bit before he moved to hurry and get himself changed into some more casual clothes. Today was a day off for him after all, this being the one day the bakery was actually closed, needing at least one day a week to recuperate from his otherwise busy schedule, so really. The timing worked out that he could speak with her without the worry that he wouldn't be able to get things ready for work on time, fingers running through his messy, damp blond hair as he headed downstairs and toward the front of the bakery. Just outside of it, waiting at the front door patiently was none other than Mei herself, a young taiwanese girl with long, lovely brown hair with a long, strange curl sticking from it. She had bright, golden-brown eyes and dressed in a light pink, chinese-style dress that had subtle frills at the ends.
Someone he hadn't seen in years.
Last he'd seen her, they'd both been young so it was nice to see her now that she was much more grown up into a nice young lady.
Opening the door, he offered a slight smile and held a hand out to her. "Good morning, Mei. Do please come in. It's chilly this morning and I wouldn't wish for you to get a cold." His words briefly startled the dark-haired girl, turning to look at him and half bowing somewhat before she nodded and politely took his hand so she could come into the bakery with him. "Thank you, Arthur. I am really sorry for coming over this early." He shook his head at her words, raising a hand to wave that apology off. "No, it's fine, really. I was already awake to start with so don't worry about that. I'm an 'early-riser' kind of chap so there's no problem with that." Seeing her relax a bit but the worry still remaining in her expression, he turned to face her with a somewhat apologetic look on his face, but he never quite got the words out before she was the one to speak up, startling him a little. "Arthur... are you mad at me...? At us...? Kou told me that he came to see you the other day about our shop..."
Green eyes just blinked a few times; like a deer in headlights before he brought a hand up to scratch sheepishly at the side of his head, not able to look at the almost sad, anxious look on her face. "No... not mad at you, Mei. I just... wasn't expecting to see you both here after all these years, let it alone being that you're so close to me and I wasn't quite aware of it..." He hoped he didn't sound bitter or anything like that, but when silence first seemed to follow his words, he'd started to worry and even went to look at her with apprehension that soon dissipated when he found Mei to be smiling gently. It looked happier this time, but yet something told him that she was still bothered by something. "Sorry. It's been a little busy since then. I just thought... you'd be upset with us... but that's just... I suppose I was just thinking too much into it..." Her voice was so quiet that he almost didn't hear it, and for a second Arthur debated asking about why but bit that back and just nodded. "It's alright. Is that all you wanted to see me about...?" Arthur left it open ended so he didn't sound rude, the taiwanese girl responding with a shake of her head but being a little bit silent. That worried him though he masked it with a smile of his own.
"Come now. We can talk upstairs where it's not so public."
She nodded and with that, he lead her through the bakery and up to his place, working on autopilot to quickly start getting some tea started, flicking the switch on the kettle to turn it on and turning to look at her afterward. "Mei?" The girl in question was now sitting on his couch nearby, head bowed and silent as she'd been when she'd been downstairs, which just filled him with a sad sort of unease. Had something happened to her...? Was she hurt...? The ideas just flew through his head like wildfire but crashed to a halt when she looked up to him, eyes glassy and brimming with unshed tears, which was more than enough to have him moving to kneel by her side in a heartbeat. "Mei, tell me what's wrong! You know you can. I'm not going to tell anyone..."
He hoped she trusted him...
"It's about Kou, Arthur." Kou...?! That set him on edge in an instant. "I haven't seen him since last night. He said he was going for a walk and I went to bed after... as he always comes home after his walks. Every time. I woke up this morning and there was no note.. no sign he'd even come home at all. I went to check the shop but he's not there either! Has he contacted you at all or anything...?" Her words only reminded him of that sickening dream he'd last night, unease and a weird sense of fear and dread filling him up. Part of him wanted to lie to her, but he wasn't that kind of guy, and especially to Mei of all people, biting his lower lip and then shaking his head in response. "N-No... I'm afraid I haven't... bloody hell, Mei. Do you have his cellphone number or...?" It was her turn to shake her head, wiping away her tears that had started to fall down her pale cheeks. "He left it at home... I-I know of some places he might be... I just... I'm scared, Arthur. He's got to be alright.. he.."
"Calm down. Kou... from what I know... is resilient and stands out. We'll find him."
He moved to lay a hand overtop one of hers where it rest on her lap, clutching material from her dress and shaking a little bit. Normally she wasn't this teary, but where it concerned Kou, he'd always seen her get this bad, so it meant it really was serious, which was why he then moved to stand up. Of course this was when his kettle started whistling a bit to signal it was done, turning a glance to it and moving over to unplug it. "Look... let me finish making this tea and we'll go find Kou. He wouldn't want his sister to be crying, would he?" Arthur offered lamely with a small smile, catching another small smile from her in response amidst him moving around to finish with his tea. This meaning him getting his teabag of choice set in a thermos filled with hot water and stirring slightly to get the flavor into it, while he then moved to grab his jacket, stopping and sighing as he slipped off his sweater he'd been wearing overtop his t-shirt and moved to hold it out to her. "Here. Take this. It will be better than anything else while we look." "Ah...t-thank you, Arthur." She accepted it with a nod and with that, they were on their way - only stopping before so he could put a cap on his thermos and take his tea with him after removing the bag from it.
So started a long morning, him letting Mei lead the way as she took him around to some of the places where Kou could be. Checking thoroughly but yet not finding any sign of the near-emotionless chinese man. Each time having to see the crestfallen look on Mei's face just about killing Arthur inside.
About two hours passed... or even three. Arthur wasn't even sure as they were walking, not even driving. Mainly because Arthur wasn't big on driving... and that he didn't even have a car since he lived close enough to most places he needed to go. Yet they searched, searched and continually searched until they stopped near a bookstore on one of the main streets. "...Mei.. can't you think of anywhere else Kou would spend his time?" She shook her head. This wasn't good, but he didn't let onto this, fearing for the other man because this was New York and it wasn't exactly known for it's entirely peaceful life in certain places of the city.
"Alright. Let's split up for a bit to search other places and you call me if something happens... sound good?" Kind of contradicted the part where he knew the city wasn't safe but he knew she'd be alright. She kind of grew up in a family that knew lots of martial arts so if push came to shove, she'd find a way to get away from any danger, and it seemed she agreed with his words, nodding and kissing him on the cheek. "Okay. Thank you, Arthur. For doing this already." Mei gave a bit of a half-bow once, smiling at the flush on his cheeks as she turned on her heel, about to head off but turning back to him once more for a moment. "...I'll have to check with my boyfriend too. He seems popular around here so he might know where Kou is..." That earned a bewildered look from Arthur who just looked a bit like a fish out of water, trying several times just to ask who she could have as a boyfriend; seeing as Kou was strangely possessive of his sister so her dating someone seemed like it would be an impossible feat.
"boyfriend? Mei... i... name?"
She was already heading off with a small giggle, but not yet turning away from him. "Alfred! You might know him?" That was when she turned around and headed through the crowd on the street, leaving him to stand there bewildered and in clear shock for a few seconds until it set in. Something which had him going through several different emotions before leaving him a worked up, flustered and angry brit when he finally started the walk back home, muttering a thousand and one things about the said american in question miserably.
It was in this thought process that he almost didn't realize he'd finally approached his bakery, fingers fumbling in the pockets of his jacket for the keys when he heard a voice sound from nearby. "Are you Arthur Kirkland?" He turned his gaze over, finding the mailman standing there with a package in hand and messenger bag slung over one shoulder. The man was tall, blond and wore a pale white beret, contrasting with his blond hair and sharp green eyes, looking strangely regal in that uniform of his but he tried not to muse on that and instead nodded in response. "Y-Yeah. I am. Why?"
The mailman just sighed and handed him the package with a firm, unquestioning assurance. "This is for you." He stated simply, and with that said, nodded politely and headed off on his way without so much as another word. Leaving Arthur to stand there for a moment, eying the package wordlessly, remembering he should open the door, holding the neatly wrapped package in one hand as he unlocked the door, headed inside and locked it afterward.
Such a strange, but cute little package.
That had him really curious, to the point he just set the package on the counter and opened it, finding inside not any kind of normal mail, but a set of freshly-baked cupcakes, decorated in light red icing with gold sprinkles and held in shimmery silver wrappers. Blinking a bit in surprise at this, he went to pick one up and found a card taped to the inside of the box, slightly daubed with icing but it didn't deter him from moving to open it up, stopping short when he read the message written inside.
"Nihao, Arthur.
I hope you do not have any bitter feelings about me opening my shop so close to yours. Mei has probably already spoken with you about it but... I thought I would express my feelings in this way. Sorry. Should have said I was in town earlier...though it reminds me. Tell Mei i'm just out of town if you speak to her. Something came up.
I'm okay. Please take care.
from: Kou Li."
[ooc: sorry for the cliffhanger but i hope you guys enjoyed this chapter :D]