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Waaaai! I'm so happy that you like this story! hugs all readers and reviewers Anyway, here's some more! ^_^



Chapter 2

Of Rain, Waterfalls and Clouds

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"Will you be needing anything else, Madam? Perhaps some more tea?" Shizune asked carefully. The Rain Anteroom was awfully quiet without Kenji filling it with chattering and laughter, and her charge had been sitting there with tear-streaked eyes, staring out the window. The silence was getting to her.

"Hm?" Kurenai snapped out of her dreary daydreaming. "No, thank you. I won't be needing anything else. Although..."

"Yes, Madam?"

"I think I would like to be alone for a while. I need to... think about things."

Shizune wondered if there could be a way for her to say no to that. She was worried about her Madam. She didn't think the Lady should be alone right now but, as a servant, it wasn't her place to do anything other than agree. "Alright, Madam. I'll come to you when lunch is served."

"No, wait. I think I'd rather eat here. Please inform Tsunade or Neji that I won't be joining everyone in the Dining Hall."

"Of course, Madam," answered the Maid-in-Waiting before excusing herself and went out the door.

With Shizune gone, Kurenai could return to her thoughts in peace. She sat there, thinking about what had happened and how her life would change. She thought about her son, still too young to fully understand what was going on though at the moment, no one had told him what had happened.

She didn't know how long she had been sitting there in silence. Finally she stood up and walked towards one of book racks in the room. She took one of the books there; a plain, very inconspicuous book. Then she took out a pen from a cabinet drawer before finally returning to the table. She opened the book and wrote,

September 4th 1929

My husband is dead. Murdered. I don't know whether I should be sad for loosing him or happy for finally be free of him. I care for him. He was a kind and understanding man. He loved me with all his heart and he told me so, many times. But I never loved him. And he knew. I could see it from the way he smiled at me, somewhat sad but accepting. I could see it from the guilt in his eyes, guilt that came from forcing me to be his wife, be the Lady of his House. Maybe that was why, other than for my willingness in his bed and my obligation towards his household, he never asked for more. He never asked for reciprocation of his feelings towards me, and we were at peace that way. Friends.

I hold no grudge against him, no resentment. In fact, I feel nothing. I'm numb. And that was what I told him when he asked me why I was never angry of anything, a few months after our wedding. He never asked me how I feel again after that. He understood. He was the only one in this whole mansion who understands me, and now he's gone.

I'm certain that everyone, not only the police but everyone, suspect that I'm the killer. I'm the young, beautiful second wife who had married an old widower for his money, after all. And I suppose that could be true, in a way. I was never attracted towards wealth and standing, yet I wouldn't have been here if it wasn't because of money. But that was a long time ago. And that fact notwithstanding, my husband is now dead and his killer is right here in the mansion. I don't know what's going on and I don't know what to do other than to make sure that my son is safe and sound.

The police are here, I heard. Three police detectives will be staying in the mansion until they can find the murderer. Hearing that, I can't help but wonder if he's one of them. Though if he is, what will I say should I meet him? What will I do? Should I pretend not to know him? Or should I apologize for leaving him without so much as a note six years ago? More importantly, I don't know whether or not I should tell him about our

A knock on the door interrupted her, followed by a familiar voice calling, "Kurenai-dono?"

"Yes, Shizune?"

"I've brought you your lunch, Madam."

"It's lunchtime already?" Kurenai asked incredulously. She didn't realize she was brooding that long.

"Yes, Madam... Are you feeling alright? Should I call the family doctor?"

Kurenai closed her diary and returned it to its hiding place. "No, no. I'm fine. Please, come in."

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"You're not making this any easier," Neji's voice suddenly filled the Waterfall Anteroom.

"Eh?" Naruto snapped out of his daydreaming. His young master had been quiet, drowning in his task of writing a list of people and their corresponding rooms for the police. He didn't know if interruption would be welcomed and even if it did, he had no idea what to say. He was an orphan so he couldn't really relate to how Neji must be feeling right now.

"You've been quiet and reserved all morning, even after Detective Uchiha left and we're alone here," explained the young Hyuuga as he finally looked up from the paper to his valet. "I know you're just trying to be sensitive with the situation but please, don't do that. Things are happening so fast, changing so abruptly... I can't have you suddenly change too. I don't think I'd be able to handle that."

"Oh... okay," the blonde mumbled, understanding what Neji asked of him. The two men grew up together in this mansion, although groomed for totally opposite roles; Neji as the future Head of the House and Naruto as his loyal servant. They couldn't seem to get out of that easy and fun nature of their friendship. So at the end of the day, when the Hyuuga was done with his tasks in the family business and the servant was done with following his Neji-dono around to cater to the man's every need, when there was no one but the two of them, they would talk and joke around simply as Neji and Naruto.

Those were the times when Neji could grumble and give the people he met during business funny names, when Naruto could plop himself on a chair and babble about things that fascinated him -- like cars, animals, and the beautiful rich people he'd seen. Those were the hours where Naruto could tease about that handsome fruit vendor down the road Neji practically drooled at from the backseat of a car almost every morning, where Neji could laugh at Naruto's near-worship towards Haruno Sakura and the girl's total disregard of it. There was no secret between them, not even the young Hyuuga's attraction towards men and the supposedly-loyal servant's obsession to someday leave the mansion in search of his unknown origin.

"Are you alright?" Neji asked as he noticed how Naruto became quiet again.

Naruto grinned. "Shouldn't I be the one asking you that?"

"I'm fine... considering," sighed the young Hyuuga. "You're the one who's been creeping me out by pulling a Shino on me."

"Yeah, sorry about that," the blonde chuckled. "I guess I just don't want to make you feel worse by saying the wrong thing."

Neji groaned, "Urgh... Not you too. People keep doing that and to tell you the truth, I'm tired of hearing 'I'm sorry,' and 'If there's anything we can do blah-blah-blah,' and-"

"I'm sorry. If there's anything I can do blah-blah-blah."

A scrunched up ball of paper bounced off Naruto's head as Neji snickered, "Smartass."

Naruto laughed and picked up the paper. "You call that a throw? Here, I'll show you-"

Knock knock.

Both men abruptly went quiet and looked at each other. Naruto then threw the paper to the trash bin as Neji called, "Who is it?"

"It is I/," came the all-too-familiar booming voice from behind the door. "Maito Gai! I am sorry to have interrupted you in your time of /youthful mourning, young Neji, but I carry an urgent matter with me!"

Neji nodded to his personal servant and Naruto went to open the door.

"Neji!" exclaimed the lawyer once the door was opened, stepping inside. "I am deeply saddened by this sudden tragedy that has befallen your family! I'm sorry for your loss! If there is anything I can do to help you in this time of need, /please/, just let me know!"

Naruto and Neji managed to throw each other an amused look without Gai noticing before the young Hyuuga said, "Thank you, Gai-san. Please, sit down. Would you like some refreshments?"

Gai took a seat across the table in front of Neji. "I thank you for your generosity, young Neji! But please, do not let me trouble this House anymore than it has already suffered! I'm fine!"

"As you wish," Neji responded politely before folding a piece of paper and called to his servant. "Naruto, please find Detective Uchiha and give this to him. Tell him it's the list he asked for earlier. Gai-san and I have some things to discuss."

"Yes, sir," answered Naruto with a polite bow as he took the paper and then left the room.

Neji turned his attention back to the family lawyer. "I'm sorry, Gai-san, for not calling to inform you of what had happened. I don't feel right talking about Otousan's will while his murderer is still at large. So pardon me for being blunt, but why are you here?"

"Last night, at the magnificent celebration of his fiftieth birthday, Hiashi-san asked me to come today," Gai answered while opening his briefcase. His voice was considerably lower now he was in his 'Discreet Business Discussion' mode, although his over-the-top dramatization remained intact. "He wanted me to bring this."

Neji stared at the plain, black, metal box Gai just pulled out of the briefcase and put on the table in front of him. It was small and slim, with a simple lock mechanism at the front. "What is this?"

"Forgive my ignorance, Neji, as I have no knowledge of the contents of this box. Long ago, when Hiashi-san gave me his will, he also gave me this item as a part of your personal inheritance. However, last night he told me that he had changed his mind and wanted to give it to you personally."

"Is that what you were talking about so seriously in the middle of the party?"

"Indeed/. He said that he wanted to give it to you as /soon as possible, so I offered to bring it here today."

"Did Otousan tell you anything about this... item? Any stories or..."

Gai looked on sadly as Neji trailed off. He then answered, "Alas, no. All he said was that something had happened that made him decide that it would be inappropriate of him if he just leave it to you as an unexplained memento after he passed away. How ironic that this legacy of his became exactly so."

Neji went quiet for a while before finally saying, "Thank you, Gai-san. Now, is there anything else you would like to discuss with me while you're here?"

"No, none at all. I should leave you to your... /revelation/, if one could call it that, and be on my way."

"You're not staying for lunch then?"

"Again, I thank you for your hospitality. But I best be off, for I have yet to organize the documents needed for the reading of your father's will. I must have them assembled properly right away so that when this dire situation is resolved and you are ready, they will be also. Good day, young Neji, and be strong. Never let this tragedy makes you forget that you are still to bask in the springtime of youth!"

And with that lengthy farewell, the lawyer was gone.

Neji sat back and eyed the box warily. He didn't know why, but he didn't feel like opening it. A part of him couldn't wait to see what was in it, but the rest of him felt nothing but trepidation. What could be waiting for him in that box? His father wanted to wait until he passed away before giving it to him, only to decide later that giving it to him personally would be better. So it couldn't be an ordinary keepsake like some trinket or other. It also couldn't be his father's last words or anything of that nature.

Another wave of apprehension swept through him as he realized that, most likely, it was Shikamaru's arrival that had made his father changed his mind about this particular legacy. Even now, hours after they had found his father's body, he still had no idea who Nara Shikamaru was to his family and why the man was suddenly here. He was clueless about what was going on and somehow, no matter how ridiculous it seemed, he felt that what was in the box had something to do with his father's death.

Which meant Shikamaru had something to do with his father's death.

Sighing at the way he was thinking in circles, Neji finally decided to just open the damn thing and be done with it. His hand reached out towards the box tentatively, as if he was afraid that the box would bite him, and then he snorted at his own silliness before finally grabbing it close with conviction. He could feel something shifted inside the box as he did so, making a rattling sound as if it was also made of metal. The young Hyuuga was about to open the box, hands slightly trembling, when a knock on the door startled him.

"What?!" he barked.

"I, uh, I'm sorry, sir," Naruto answered anxiously from outside, obviously shocked by his master's outburst. "I'm here to tell you that lunch is served."

Lunch already? Had he really been sitting there staring at the box that long? Neji took a deep breath to calm himself. "Thank you, Naruto. I'll be right down."

Glaring at the offending box, Neji decided that it could wait until after lunch. He stood up gracefully and shoved it in to one of the cabinets there before he went out the door.

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"Nara Shikamaru?" Sasuke asked when the door opened to reveal a man clad in black.

"Yes. Are you the police detectives working on Hiashi-san's murder?"

"Hn. I'm Detective Uchiha Sasuke and these are my associates, Detectives Hatake Kakashi and Sarutobi Asuma. We'd like to ask you some questions and, if you don't mind, take a look inside the room."

"Of course," answered the Nara as he stepped back to let the three policemen in. "Please, come in."

Upon entering, Sasuke took the seat Shikamaru offered to him while the other two detectives took the liberty of looking around. The room was painted in pale, sky blue, and the wooden floor was covered here and there by throw rugs with that green color of grass. There was a round coffee table with three armchairs, a small cabinet, a fireplace, a low rack filled with books covering the wall at one side of the room, an armoire, a hanging mirror and a small table below it, a queen-sized bed with a bedside table at both sides and a linen chest at its foot, and a writing table near one of the windows accompanied by a chair.

Being one with the habit of paying attention to details, Kakashi let his eye roams over each furniture and decoration to pick up the theme. He then realized that, except for the white balloon curtains on the small glass door leading to the balcony and on the windows -- which were currently opened just like all the windows -- there was nothing there that resembled clouds. The matching carvings of everything were only of simple curves, although still beautiful and obviously made by an expert. The light wooden color of everything was preserved, not painted white as he had expected. Why then, the Detective pondered, was this room called the Cloud Room?

A sudden inspiration struck him and Kakashi looked up. Ah, of course. There, on the ceiling, was his answer. It was painted to look like the sky; all of it. The clouds were so unbelievably realistic and the sky-blue back ground blended so naturally with the paler blue of the walls, you'd thought you were standing outside on a sunny day. There was no chandelier or any other forms of hanging lamp marring the view. At night, illumination would be provided by wall lights, all of which were custom-made to blend with the room as if they weren't there. Compared to the other rooms in the mansion that he'd seen, this one had the most straightforward, simplistic tenor although still luxurious. Simple, the Detective concluded, trouble-free. Those were what would come to mind should anyone ask him about the infamous, enigmatic Cloud Room.

The books in the low rack were neatly organized in both theme and alphabetical order; chemical and medical science in the bottom shelf, medicines and pharmacy in the middle shelf, and engineering in the top shelf. There were ashtrays on almost every surface; on the coffee table, on one of the bedside tables, on the writing table, on the fireplace and on the top of the low rack. A basin was on the table below the mirror and a trash bin sat at one corner of the room. Nothing was out of place, yet Kakashi couldn't stop the nagging feeling that something was off. There was something wrong in the picture but he couldn't make out what it was.

Meanwhile, as Sasuke began the interrogation and Kakashi drowned himself in the room's minutiae, Asuma went directly to the writing table in the hopes of finding an opened notebook or whatever. Unfortunately, other than a desk lamp and an ashtray, the only item resting on that table was a chessboard. Being a chess aficionado himself, the bearded Detective couldn't help but notice that it was a handmade, expensive chessboard that was most likely brought from Europe. The chess pieces, already set up, were beautifully carved in the shapes of medieval soldiers, knights, bishops, queens and kings, right down to their most intricate details.

"You play?" he asked conversationally to the man that was currently answering Sasuke that he was the president and owner of Nara Pharmaceuticals, and that he was asleep in his room at the time of the murder.

"Yes," answered Shikamaru as he turned to look at Asuma -- who was far away at the other end of the room and was moving one of the White pawns -- from his seat at the coffee table. "And since you've moved that pawn there, could you please move the Black pawn at c7 to c5?"

"Sicilian Defense," Asuma chuckled as he obliged the request. Then he made his own move and said, "Knight, b1 to c3."

"Back to my questions," Sasuke butted in with a glare. He didn't say anything about the impromptu chess game though, because he knew Asuma must have a reason to let it happen. "Are you here as one of the invites for the party last night?"

Shikamaru turned back to the youngest detective and pulled out a cigarette from a slim, metal case. "No, I didn't even know there was a party until I arrived here. Do you mind if I smoke? Knight, b8 to c6."

"Why would I? It's your room. So, if you weren't here for the party, why were you here?"

Asuma chimed in, "Do you mind if I smoke? Oh, and g2 to g3."

"No, go ahead, g7 to g6," Shikamaru responded to Asuma first, not taking his eyes off Sasuke. Then he lit up his cigarette and answered, "I was here to talk to Hiashi-san. We were planning to talk today, but... Well, you know what happened."

"What were you going to talk about?"

"Many things. It's quite a long story."

There was a clicking sound from Asuma's lighter before his voice came. "Bishop, f1 to g2."

Sasuke readied his pen. "Please, indulge us."

"It started two weeks ago, when my father died. Bishop, f8 to g7."

"Oh? Is that why you're the President of your family's company now, or have you been running it even before that?"

"Knight, g1 to e2."

"I've been directly involved in the business for quite some time but yes, I didn't become President until after my father died and left me everything. E7 to e6."

"Everything?"

"There you go, d2 to d3."

"Yes, everything. Knight, g8 to e7. I'm an only child."

"Kingside castling."

"Really now? That's quite convenient. How did your father die?"

"Blunt force trauma to the head. Kingside castling."

"I'm sorry?" Sasuke asked, rather taken aback. Kakashi actually stopped walking around the room and stared at the man being questioned.

"He was bludgeoned at the back of his head," answered Shikamaru before exhaling some smoke. There was a moment of silence before he said, "Detective Sarutobi, are you still with me?"

"What? Oh, yes, sorry. Bishop, c1 to e3."

Sasuke glared at his suspect. "Are you saying that your father was murdered, Nara-san?"

Shikamaru tapped his cigarette on an ashtray. "Yes. Knight, c6 to d4."

"Can you elaborate?"

"I suppose I can. Hm... where do I start?"

Asuma made his move. "Queen, d1 to d2."

"You said it happened two weeks ago. Why don't you start there?"

"Two weeks ago. Right... d7 to d5. I was in Osaka, inspecting our branch office there. A telegram arrived at the hotel where I was staying, stating that my father was murdered and that the city morgue needed my consent as the new Head of the Family to perform an autopsy."

"Knight, e2 to f4."

"So I sent a response... d5 takes e4... saying that they have my consent and that I'm on my way home. I took the first available train to Nara and, when I got home, the House was in mourning."

"D3 takes e4."

"Queen, d8 to c7. Apparently, my father was found dead in his office. According to the Detective signed on the investigation, the murder weapon was his own paperweight."

"Paperweight?" asked Sasuke, wondering how this man he was interrogating could be so calm, answering his questions while practically playing Blindfold Chess.

"Rook, a1 to d1."

"Rook, f8 to d8. It was a miniature of the Eiffel Tower made of iron, a cheap souvenir, about one foot tall. I gave it to him as a joke years ago, when I returned from my studies in France."

"Queen, d2 to c1."

"The display base was what hit him at the back of the head... b7 to b6. The impact fractured the lower part of his occipital bone and damaged his cerebellum. My father was killed instantly... and he was attacked from behind."

Sasuke stared. "How do you know all that?"

"Rook, f1 to e1."

"I read the autopsy report and reexamined the body myself. Bishop, c8 to a6."

"You can do that?"

"I'm a certified physician myself, as you may already know. I was the one who found that Hiashi-san had been murdered, after all."

"Hn. So did they find the killer?"

"King, g1 to h1."

"No. They're still investigating even now, as we speak. Knight, e7 to c6."

"Your father's murderer is still at large yet you're already in another town taking care of business?"

"Knight, f4 to e2."

"I didn't come here for business. Knight, d4 takes e2."

"Then why are you here?"

"You see, it turned out that, aside from the company and all of our family's assets, my father had left me an old picture."

"An old picture?"

"May we see it? Rook, d1 takes d8. Check."

"Of course. Excuse me," Shikamaru said as he stood up and went to the armoire, pretending not to notice Kakashi's watchful eye on him. "Rook, a8 takes d8."

The three detectives shared a look when Shikamaru opened the armoire and fished the picture from his briefcase there. They watched as the young Nara returned to his seat and handed the item to Sasuke with a curt, "Here you go, Detective Uchiha."

Asuma went back to the game. "Knight, c3 takes e2."

Sasuke studied the picture. "Who are these?"

"Bishop, a6 takes e2. Other than my father, the only one I recognize is Hiashi-san, though I can't tell which one was him."

"Rook, e1 takes e2"

"And this is the reason you came here?"

"Bishop, g7 takes b2. My father never told me about ever being in the army. He also never told me of ever having any connection with Hyuuga Hiashi, whom I recognized from the articles about him and his company in the papers."

"Queen, c1 takes b2."

"Rook, d8 to d1, check. To make things even more bizarre, our family lawyer gave that picture to me as a part of my inheritance, without any note or other forms of explanation. With the investigation hitting a dead-end, I thought that maybe I can find something if I came here and asked Hyuuga Hiashi about the picture."

"Bishop, g2 to f1."

"You suspect Hyuuga Hiashi of having something to do with your father's murder?"

"Rook, d1 takes f1, check. No, I don't. I merely hoped he could provide a clue. In fact, I came here with full knowledge that I would probably get nothing but wartime stories. Or worse, nothing at all. I was even ready for the possibility of the famous Hyuuga Hiashi refusing to see me."

"King, h1 to g2."

"So you've never met Hyuuga Hiashi prior from last night?"

"No. Rook, f1 to d1. Last night was the first and, as it turned out, last time we met."

"Rook, e2 to d2."

"So it only took one short meeting for you to address him with his first name?"

"Apparently so. Rook, d1 takes d2. He asked me to call him that himself."

"Bishop, e3 takes d2."

"Did you get any useful information from him last night?"

"Unfortunately, no. Queen, c7 to e5. He was hosting a party. Other than the fact that he and my father were very close a long time ago, Hiashi-san couldn't tell me anything more without leaving his guests too long. He did say that there's much to talk about. He promised to talk to me in the morning and insisted that I stay here instead of the hotel room I've booked."

"Queen, b2 takes e5."

"Are those Arisakas they're carrying?" Kakashi's voice nearly made Sasuke jumped. He didn't know when the one-eyed Detective had stood behind him to study the picture in his hands.

"Knight, c6 takes e5. Yes, Arisaka rifles. They're type 38th Year, which means that picture was taken during our war with Russia. Near or at the end of it, to be more precise. That particular modification of Arisaka came out in 1905."

Sasuke gave his suspect a hard stare. "You seem to know a lot about weaponry."

"And a keen attention to detail, as seen from the way you picked up what type of Arisaka these rifles are," added Kakashi.

Asuma's voice chimed in again. "Bishop, d2 to c3."

"Is that such a bad thing, Detectives?" Shikamaru asked dryly before saying, "f7 to f6."

"Not so much as bad as it is uncommon," Kakashi responded with a neutral smile, taking the picture from Sasuke to have a better look at it. "Not only are you a prominent entrepreneur, you're a trained and certified doctor. One would be surprised to find you also a weapon expert."

"Bishop, c3 takes e5."

"Surprising as it may be... f6 takes e5... it still doesn't make me a killer."

"Is it?" Sasuke asked straightforwardly. "Tell me then, how come you know so much about rifles, right down to their production years?"

"And you're surprisingly good at chess, too, a2 to a4."

Shikamaru chuckled. "Thank you, Detective Sarutobi, you're not so bad yourself. King, g8 to f7. As for your question, Detective Uchiha, the answer is quite simple: I read a lot."

"Yes, I was wondering about that," Kakashi said as he finally took a seat. "For someone who's very... scholarly, you're quite finely built."

Asuma knew Kakashi was serious, but he still couldn't stop a snort from bursting out upon hearing the comment. He cleared his throat before saying, "King, g2 to f3."

"Thank you, Detective Hatake. I'll take that as a compliment. And c5 to c4, please, Detective Sarutobi," responded the Nara as he smoothly squashed his cigarette butt on the ashtray. "If you really must know, it was exactly because I was such a bookworm, even at such a young age, that my father persisted in giving me physical activities."

Sasuke had to hold back from glaring at Asuma. "Hn. What kind of physical activities?"

"King, f3 to e3."

"Quite the usual, actually; the kind all rich parents give their male children so they'd fit in as a part of the elite society. Troublesome, if you ask me. King, f7 to e7."

Kakashi smirked. "Troublesome, huh? I take it you're not the type who likes physical activities of any form. Which begs the question, why aren't you accompanied by a personal servant? From what I've heard, you're family is just as rich as the Hyuuga."

"Hm... f2 to f4."

"You're right, Detective. I don't like doing things that would cost too much energy. King, e7 to d6. However, my family never uses personal attendants. We value independence and, for a man, reliability. Unlike here at the Hyuuga Mansion, at the Nara House you would only find a Butler and several house staff."

The one-eyed detective put the picture on the table, and his hand accidentally bumped the ashtray off the surface. Fortunately, Shikamaru caught the ashtray with one hand before it reached the floor, not dropping the least bit of ash.

"I'm sorry," Kakashi said with an apologetic smile. "That was very clumsy of me."

Shikamaru just nodded as he put the ashtray back on the table.

"Back to Hyuuga Hiashi's murder," Sasuke took point again. "Do you think it's connected to your father's murder back in Nara?"

"It might be," Shikamaru sighed. "To tell you the truth, at this point I don't know what to think."

"What if I give you a hint?" the Uchiha said as he leaned forward to intimidate his suspect. "You see, I think it's too much of a coincidence that you came here after your father's murder, right before Hyuuga Hiashi turned up dead."

"C2 to c3."

"In fact, I think it wasn't a coincidence at all."

"King, d6 to c5." Shikamaru lit up another cigarette. "What are you implying, Detective?"

"I'm not implying anything. I'm saying that you killed Hyuuga Hiashi, that there was more to that picture than what you told us, and that you're here to avenge your father's death."

"F4 takes e5."

"You can declare that, Detective, as you can declare whatever other theories you might have regarding this murder. Because that is all they are: Theories. B6 to b5."

"So you don't deny the allegation?"

"A4 takes b5."

"King, c5 takes b5. Will it make any difference if I do? I'm still the uninvited guest who came just before Hiashi-san was murdered, and I was among the few people who found his body. I'm completely aware that, no matter what I say or do, until the real murderer is caught I will remain your number one suspect."

"You seem amazingly calm for someone who knows he's being suspected of murder."

"King, e3 to d2."

"I doubt panicking will change that particular circumstance," responded the Nara before he smiled. "Or will seeing me jumping about like my hair is on fire make you eliminate me from your list of suspects? King, b5 to a4."

Sasuke glared. This man's calmness was getting on his nerves. "You have a point there. But answer me this, Nara-san: Did you or did you not kill Hyuuga Hiashi?"

Before Shikamaru could answer, a knock came from the door. He turned to look at it, saying, "Come in."

The door opened to reveal a housemaid Asuma recalled as Mitarashi Anko. The young woman eyed all four of them with trepidation before announcing, quite apprehensively, "Um... I'm sorry to interrupt, sirs, but lunch is ready."

Shikamaru looked at Sasuke, expecting him to answer. The Detective threw him another heated glare before turning his attention to the maid and stated, "We'll be down shortly."

"Yes, sir," she responded before bowing and closed the door. As her footsteps sounded further and further away, all three people around the coffee table stood and straightened their clothing. Shikamaru walked towards the door and opened it again.

"Well, we shouldn't keep our hosts and the other guests waiting," he said as he courteously gestured to the detectives to walk out before him. "Shall we?"

Sasuke and Kakashi were about to file out the door when they noticed Asuma was still at the other end of the room, perusing the chessboard with a frown.

"Asuma?" Kakashi called.

The bearded man looked up to his associate, then to Shikamaru, and then back to the board before he finally grinned. "Great game," he said as he flicked a finger to topple the White King, ending the game with his resignation. "We should play again some time."

Shikamaru nodded with a small smile. "I'll be looking forward to it."

And with that, all four men were out the door. Shikamaru saw Neji walking from the other end of the second floor landing, also heading towards the stairs with Naruto following a few steps behind. He knew they'd intercept each other soon, but then he noticed that the three policemen were lagging behind him.

"Gentlemen?" he asked as he turned around.

"Please, go ahead, Nara-san," Sasuke answered him. "The three of us still have some things to talk about. We'll meet you at the Dining Hall."

The young Nara nodded before turning around again, continuing his journey alone. When Sasuke thought his suspect was far enough, he faced his associates and spoke in a hurried, hush voice. "We have five, ten minutes tops before lunch starts. I want a quick assessment on that man we just questioned. Asuma, you better have something after your 'Great Game' with the suspect I was interrogating."

Asuma inhaled his cigarette. "From the moment I saw him, I know that he's not the type that could be rattled. Our only chance to have him slip was distraction, and he provided it by challenging me in a game. I got a pretty good reading of him from that point on."

"Tell me."

"His demeanor suggests that he's a very relaxed, laid-back person. All his movements are... unhurried, comfortable; right down to the way he smokes. He finished one cigarette after I've finished two."

"Asuma, you finish two cigarettes before anyone could finish one," Kakashi chimed in.

"On the chessboard," Asuma continued, still addressing Sasuke and ignoring Kakashi entirely, "he's more of a tactician. He used extensive calculation of variations, computing his every move. In the way he reacted to us, however, he's more of a positional player; using long-term maneuvering as he goes with the flow, judging everything around him. This means he's flexible. If you go hard on him, he goes hard on you. If you play nice with him, he plays nice with you. From my experience, this type is the hardest to read. You would never be able to tell when he's lying to you."

"I'll keep that in mind," grumbled the Uhicha. "So what's your conclusion? How should we proceed?"

"His relaxed and flexible nature makes him a docile subject, as he tends to react rather than making the first move. However, his tactician side would always calculate his reactions at least ten steps ahead. We should proceed with due caution when it comes to him. He might be smarter than all three of us put together."

Sasuke frowned. He knew for a fact that each of them had far above average intelligence, although in different manners. "Are you sure you're not overestimating him?"

"I've never heard of anyone that could play Blindfold Chess while being interrogated by the police, forced to relive the moments where he lost his father, sprouting medical jargons from the top of his head, and win. That's not normal. It's like his brain provides him with the perfect reaction to everything at the same time, in less than one second. He could be some kind of a genius."

"Wait, he won?" interrupted Kakashi again. "I thought you surrendered just to end the game because we ran out of time."

"No. I resigned because he was in a winning position."

"Great," Sasuke grunted. When it comes to reading people, Asuma was the best -- just like Kakashi when it comes to dissecting details in search for clues. So now he knew that his prime suspect was a very dangerous man, and he didn't like it. "Kakashi, what do you think?"

"He's lying," answered the one-eyed detective straightforwardly. "This is barely noticeable under his clothes but, although he's of slender built, he has a toned body which couldn't have come from some 'physical activities' during childhood. That figure can't possibly be maintained without routine exercise."

Asuma snickered. "Trust you to notice some guy's muscles, even when they're slight ones and hidden beneath a loose, black fabric."

Kakashi rolled his eyes. "Ha ha, very funny. Anyway, I also noticed the calluses on his palms and fingers. They're barely visible. You know, calluses that already disappeared, that had turned in to sections of skin that look and feel just as soft as their surrounding area only somewhat harder and numb? Like our calluses, see?" Kakashi showed his palms. "Or the tips of a violinist's fingers."

"And you saw them? Whew, talk about prowess in observation."

"Well, my friend, you know what they say about me: The one eye sees /all/," Kakashi chortled before he went back to business, noticing Sasuke's glare. "Ahem, anyway, we all know rich people wear gloves in activities that could ruin their palms. They even wear gloves when driving a car. I didn't see calluses on Hyuuga Neji's palms. So how could Nara Shikamaru, a rich person who hates physical activities and obviously a brain man, possibly have calluses?"

"Well, he did say his family taught him to see to himself and not be reliant to servants."

"Right down to mopping the floor and raking the backyard? I don't think so. You want to know what I think? I think he got them from handling a weapon. I'm sure you noticed how he caught the ashtray, courtesy of my clever knock-stuff-off-the-table trick?" Asuma snorted but Kakashi ignored him. "Businessmen and physicians don't have that kind of reflex. He's definitely hiding something."

Sasuke contemplated the facts that were just handed to him before he nodded. "Alright. We still have a few minutes. What about the room, what do you guys think?"

"Well," Asuma sighed. "To tell you the truth, I'm somewhat disappointed. There's nothing special about it."

"Yes, there is," Kakashi interjected. "I can't place it but there's something not quite right about it, something that doesn't fit. Asuma, are you sure you didn't notice anything strange at all with that room?"

"I don't know, Kakashi. All I can think about when I look around was how much I like it because it has so many ashtrays."

"Of course you would," the Hatake deadpanned sarcastically. "With that many ashtrays, the Cloud Room must be perfect for a chain-smoker like... Oh..."

"What is it? You've got something?"

"Tell me, of all the Hyuuga family members, which one of them smoke?"

Sasuke frowned. "None."

"Exactly," Kakashi stated contemplatively. "It's common to equip guest rooms with an ashtray or two, but we were told that the Cloud Room was meant for a family member. And the books? What would any member of the Hyuuga Family do with books about medical science, pharmacy and the like? Sure, those are good books to have, but why put it there instead of the Wood Room?"

Asuma's eyes widened in realization. "So you're saying..."

"I'm saying Hyuuga Hiashi couldn't have just met Nara Shikamaru. Everything in the Cloud Room suggests that Hiashi had furnished that room for this exact person, which means they knew each other all along."

"You're right. But we've established that the room was never used, which means Shikamaru wasn't lying when he said this is his first time visiting the Hyuuga Mansion. Unless..." Asuma trailed off as he gazed at the Grand Staircase.

The two other detectives followed that gaze and there, near the top of the stairs, Shikamaru was talking with Hyuuga Neji. They couldn't hear the conversation, but they studied the two young men's every move; every look, every little smile, all of their body language.

"Could everyone be lying about how well Nara Shikamaru knows this family?" Sasuke asked with a scowl.

Kakashi smirked. "Hey, Asuma, is it just me or are they looking at each other with more interest than they should?"

"Actually, they are. But this can't be right. They're both men."

"I like men. You never show any discomfort about it."

"That's not what I mean. We're nobodies. It doesn't matter if you or Sasuke like... well, we still don't know what Sasuke likes, but that's beside the point." There was a growl from the aforementioned Uchiha, but Asuma pressed on. "Hyuuga Neji and Nara Shikamaru are both prominent figures of the rich and elite, heads of the most influential Houses in Japan. They can't afford to prefer men."

"That personal servant, Naruto, told me earlier that he was worried because his master seems to like their mysterious guest. I didn't realize he meant it that way," commented Sasuke, remembering his encounter with the blonde servant.

"Well, what we're seeing here is definitely worth considering," Kakashi murmured as Neji and Shikamaru finally went down the stairs, followed by Naruto. "This gives us a new possibility regarding the murder, at least."

Asuma went thoughtful. "Hm... Their fathers' death is convenient for their relationship, if they are in a relationship. Things are still too unclear."

"Enough," Sasuke butted in. "While it's good that we've discovered new things, we have to get going. What are you two doing after lunch?"

"I'm meeting an Umino Iruka in his room for questioning. He's Hyuuga Kenji's tutor."

"I'm going to talk to the Butler and the Majordomo again. I need to crosscheck some things."

"Hn. Good. I'll be gone for a while. I need to wire Nara Police Headquarters to check out that story about the other murder. I'll also be talking to some people in the army about those men in the picture; hopefully they can help identify the fourth person. We'll meet back in the Leaf Anteroom at five. Now let's go to the Dining Hall while we can still be considered fashionably late."

They walked in silence for a while until Kakashi stated, "Sasuke, you haven't told us what you think about Nara Shikamaru."

"To me, only one thing is clear," responded the Uchiha. "One thing that, in my book, is enough to make him a prime suspect."

"And what is this one thing?"

Sasuke kept walking with his usual, steady pace as he said, "He didn't answer my last question."

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