rubestie

Season: Winter

Writer: Akira

Characters: Madara, Ibara, Tsukasa, Kohaku

Madara: I tried asking my sister for information.

She wasn’t able to provide much valuable information, though. She claims she caught the cold that’s been going around, so she was sent to the same hospital as J for a check-up.

Once she heard that J was in the same hospital, she apparently went by his hospital room to say hello.

She was acquainted with J already, so this far her story checks out.

Once she got to J’s room, she ran into the kidnapper, who forcefully tied her up and left her under the futon.

Tsukasa: That’s some awful timing and luck there.

Madara: Almost suspiciously bad. It’s also puzzling that my sister was sent all the way to that hospital from her rehabilitation center just for a check-up.

Apparently she had left her rehab center because she got permission to come attend a Ra*bits live, since she has become a big fan of theirs lately.

She then caught the cold from the crowd while at that live. And that’s why she came to that hospital, which was close to the live venue, to be examined.

Tsukasa: It makes sense to me. Whatever are you suspicious about, Mikejima-senpai?

Madara: Tsukasa-san doesn’t know how black-hearted my sister can be, after all… She usually only becomes proactive like this when she’s plotting something bad-natured.

Tsukasa: You should try to trust your sister a little more. You are family, no?

Madara: Pointing out that she's related to me is actually just providing another reason to be suspicious of her, you know?

Ibara: So Mikejima-shi is suspicious of his sister, is that so?

Madara: There are no other suspects available. I can’t wrap my head around how the bad guys suddenly showed up out of nowhere when we haven’t heard anything from them ever since the show became popular.

Kohaku: Ain’t that because the bad guys heard I was leavin’ the show and thought they could kidnap J now that the protection surroundin’ him was lighter?

Madara: Our falling out should have eliminated the “anxiety” plaguing the people of the underworld, though.

All the less reason for that faction of people to go out of their way and risk their skins to kidnap J.

Simultaneously, J’s rise in fame meant there was less reason for people not related to the underworld to risk going after him.

We created that show so he would gain fame to increase his safety, after all.

Kohaku: That way, even if someone kidnapped J and brainwashed ‘im ta give them the inheritance, the loads of people who watch the show would notice the unnaturalness of the situation.

The public’s suspicions would lead the authorities ta launch an investigation, and the culprit would likely be destroyed.

That was all part of our plans, after all. I see, when ya consider all of that-

It should be impossible fer there ta be any villains targetin’ J at this timin’.

Of course, there are always idiots who don’t think things through before actin’, but this crime is too well thought out fer the culprit ta be some common idiot.

Tsukasa: Hm. When you put it that way, the case certainly becomes illogical. Too many facts don’t match up, and the culprit’s actions make no sense.

Ibara: That being said, there is also no reason for Mikejima-shi’s sister to want to kidnap J-san.

Kohaku: I agree with ya on that. My eldest sister is skilled at interrogatin’, so I asked her ta help us talk ta Maguro-han just in case.

And based on what my sister said, Maguro-han is innocent. She shouldn’t’ve been able ta lie well enough ta deceive my sister.

kohaku+madara

Madara: Still though. If my sister didn’t do it, then who exactly could have kidnapped J?

Ibara: Well. In cases like this, we have no other course of action available to us except waiting patiently for the kidnapper to contact us.

If the culprit is aiming for J’s inheritance from GFK, then there is no reason for them to contact us, however.

They could just keep J-san hidden somewhere and take their time to brainwash him, after all.

Tsukasa: Wouldn’t brainwashing be pointless now that the public is able to notice if J-san starts acting unnaturally?

Ibara: Indeed. This is just speculation, but it might be that the culprits of this case have managed to find a way to circumvent that problem.

-Oops, excuse me. I have a call on my work phone. You’ll have to forgive me, but even with the situation as it is, I cannot afford to neglect my normal responsibilities.

Kohaku: Ah, it’s fine. There’s nothin’ ya can do ta help right now, so ya should focus on yer job.

Madara: That’s true. It can’t be helped, Ibara-san is a very busy businessman after all.

Ibara: I can feel a certain amount of sarcasm flowing through your words…

I would appreciate it if you all could understand that having J-san kidnapped while under my protection has hurt my pride considerably.

Well, I’ll let it slide. As punishment for being unable to fulfill the duties expected of me in this case, I’ll gracefully allow you to take out your anger at me.

-Ah, yes. Hello. Sorry to keep you waiting.

…Huh?

Is this a joke? Are you serious?

Kohaku: D, did somethin’ happen? They say that misfortune seldom comes alone, after all, did somethin’ more go wrong?

Ibara: -That was the kidnapper on the phone just now.

Kohaku: Aah?

Madara: Wh, what are you saying? Did they call to demand a ransom or something?

Ibara: No. This is honestly entirely baffling.

It seems the kidnapper wants for you, Double Face, to appear on a “certain program”.

Kohaku: Wh, what’s that supposed ta mean… Double Face is supposed ta have announced our disbandment ta the public, so why on earth’s this person callin’ ta ask us ta appear on a show?

And what’s more, the kidnapper’s the one askin’? What does all this mean, really?

Ibara: Please quiet down. I’ll ask for more details.

Ah… I see, I see.

It appears that our current enemy is a much more intelligent criminal than we had expected… I would’ve never guessed they would try something like this.

Madara: …?

madara