FicWad

Aaargh! I'm soooo, so sorry for the delay. I got sick a while back, this weird throat infection that gave me high fever and all. T_T But now I'm all better and ready with more mysteries eheheh... Just remember that we're not even halfway through the story yet, and I hope you'll have fun picking up the clues I throw at you in this chapter. ^_^



Chapter 4

The Plot Thickens

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"I'm really grateful for your time, Iruka-sensei," Kakashi said as he entered the Sound Room.

Iruka closed the door. "By all means, Kakashi-san. I'm happy to help. Please, sit down."

Just like the Cloud Room, the Sound Room was spacious and equipped with a sitting area to receive guests in the form of one coffee table and three armchairs. Though unlike the Cloud Room, this one was more elaborately decorated and had more cabinets and bookshelves. Kakashi imagined all the bedrooms in the Hyuuga Mansion that had no anterooms were like this. Well, all except the staff's rooms.

"This is nice," commented the Detective by way of showing civility. "Do you live here?"

"Yes, I moved back in to this mansion about a year ago, when it was time for Kenji to begin his studies."

"Back? You've lived here before?"

"That is so. My father was the one who tutored all three of Hiashi-san's children. He and I -- my mother had already passed away when I was born -- lived here until his task was done soon after Hanabi turned twelve. Afterwards, we rented a small house in the city as both my father and I became school teachers."

"I see. Is he still teaching, your father?"

"He died of illness about two years ago."

"I'm sorry."

"Oh, it's alright. It was his time. It was at my father's funeral that Hiashi-san approached me about tutoring Kenji. He told me that his youngest son was three then, that I still have a year to make my decision. And to think, it was such an easy choice it wasn't even a choice."

"Ah, of course. Double the stipend with not even half the work. Not to mention, the opportunity to live in grand mansion instead of a rented house down town."

"Well, I'd be lying if I say that wasn't at least a part of my reason to take this job," Iruka chuckled. "But that wasn't the main reason."

"My mistake," Kakashi laughed sheepishly. "What was your main reason then?"

"I've lived here almost all my life. I remember studying in the Wood Room when I was six, accompanying the four-year-old Neji who was just introduced to letters and numbers. I practically grew up with the Hyuuga siblings that I've come to think of them as my own, of Hinata and Hanabi as the younger sisters I care for, even after I became a young man who spent more time studying in the Teacher School instead of the mansion. So when I was offered to teach Kenji, I felt that it was what I was supposed to do. Besides... maybe it was because I no longer have any family, I don't know, but when I thought about living here again, I felt like I was coming home."

"You're very close with the Hyuugas then."

"I suppose you can say that," said the teacher with a nostalgic smile. "They're very welcoming. But enough about me. How can I help you with the investigation? You said earlier that you have questions for me?"

"Questions, yes," the older man stated as he tried to think of a way to proceed with his task without changing the friendly atmosphere. Because of his scar and eye patch, he rarely met a person who would open up to him just like that, smiling genuinely instead of looking at him with suspicion or worse, fear. He didn't want to lose this one. "You may find some of them... offending, Sensei. Please keep in mind that all of this is just standard procedure and that I have no intention to affront or disrespect you."

"Oh..." Iruka seemed to contemplate that statement for a second before he smiled again. "Alright then. I'll keep that in mind. Fire away, Detective."

Kakashi chuckled. "Thank you. Now, first of all, where were you at around three o'clock this morning?"

"I was here in my room, sleeping."

"And I suppose you have no one that can confirm that?"

"Well, no. I was here alone, as always. I guess that's a bad thing..."

"No, no. Not at all," Kakashi assured the young teacher, inwardly cheering for the fact that the man was apparently single, before slapping himself mentally because he was on a case and this was hardly the time to think such things. Uh... where was he? Oh, right. "Everyone we've questioned gave us more or less the same answer. The murder did happen at such ungodly hour, after all. So it's alright, you're not a suspect... yet."

"I'm not a suspect /yet/?"

"I've yet to find a reason to classify you as one, if there is such a reason. So, is there?"

"Hm, you're right. Some of your questions are offending."

Kakashi fought the urge to cringe. "Sorry."

"No, I understand," Iruka sighed. "You're just doing your job. Besides, I can't think of anything that could possibly make me your suspect. I've never had any problems with Hiashi-san or anyone in the family, not even with any of the house staff. And if you don't believe me, you can just ask around to verify it."

"Right. So..." the Detective cleared his throat awkwardly, "can you think of anyone at all that would want to harm Hiashi or his family?"

"No. I'm close with the family, but not so much that they would talk to me about private matters or the family business."

"Of course. Now, seeing as you've been close with the family for a long time, can you tell me about them? How they are, what they like, things like that?"

"I suppose I can, though you might find my accounts somewhat subjective."

"That's a good thing, actually. Sometimes, when you're working on a case like this, it's better to learn from someone who's on the outside looking in."

Iruka stared.

Kakashi launched to damage control, though he didn't do a very good job at it. "Uh... not that you're an outsider- um... I mean, it's not like you don't belong here- I mean... I didn't mean to imply... er... I'm just making things worse, aren't I?"

"Yes."

"Sorry... Again. So, um, you were saying?"

"Hiashi-san was a stern and, sometimes, harsh father," Iruka went straight to telling Kakashi what he could. The sooner this annoying man left him the better. "But he was very fair in his judgment and very understanding. He never talked about himself much; quite an introvert, in fact, even to his own children. But although he could be an intimidating figure, everyone knows that he loved his family dearly and that he was actually a fun person. He liked to try new things; new food, new attractions, new machineries, anything."

"Oh-kay... What about Neji?"

"Neji is... well, like his father, he grew up in to a stern businessman; a strong leader. Although it's obvious, at least to me, that he's actually one of those people who are too kind and sensitive for their own good. He's also smart. Very smart. He learned incredibly fast. He was a child prodigy, especially when it comes to physical coordination."

"Are you saying he's good at sports?"

"Not sports per se. You see, as most rich fathers, Hiashi-san provided his children with lessons in activities of the elite; art, literature, music, dancing, horseback riding and, in Neji's case, hunting, fencing and Kendo. He learned them just enough so that he would fit in when his father took him to socialize with other noble or rich families, in or out of the country. All his instructors praised him to the high heavens though, and his dance instructor adored him. She said it only took minutes to teach him a particular waltz, and all he needed was to watch. Maybe it was because of his love for art."

"So he likes art? I thought he's all about the family business."

"It's kind of sad, really. Even when he was a child, it was obvious that he enjoyed paintings and sculptures more than he enjoyed economics and mechanics. He's very talented, too. His paintings were astonishing, especially for someone his age. My father used to say that Neji has magic hands. However, maybe because of his intelligence, even then he already knew what his responsibilities are. He painted once in a while as a hobby, unlike the way he poured himself in to his studies. He mastered business and industry brilliantly but sometimes, even now, I see a bit of longing in his eyes whenever we attend art exhibitions."

"Interesting. So if he was able to choose, he'd be an artist instead of the President of Hyuuga Logistics?"

"I suppose so, yes... What are you getting at, Kakashi-san?"

"Nothing, Sensei. Really. Now, what about Hinata, what can you tell me about her?"

"Hinata..." Iruka paused to search for the right words. "Well, I guess you could say that she's a very cultured young lady, one that would make the perfect housewife. She plays the piano beautifully, and she's very good with handcrafts; you know, sewing, embroidery and the like. She knitted a very nice sweater for me once. Oh, and she's an expert of Ikebana. Her only weakness is that she's too quiet and shy, right up to a point where she would stutter when she's nervous. She could be stubborn too though, albeit very rarely. She's a Hyuuga, after all."

"Ah, of course. It's always the quiet ones, isn't it?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Well, she is the one having an affair with the stable boy."

"And who are you to judge her?" Iruka said heatedly. "It's not like it was her fault. People can't choose who they fall in love with. No one should be blamed for being in love. It just happened. It's a beautiful thing."

"My, quite the romantic, are we?"

Iruka glared.

"So tell me, Sensei. If people can't choose who they fall in love with, is it alright for men to fall in love with other men, or women with women?"

"What's that got to do with the murder?"

"Standard procedure, Sensei. Please just answer the question."

"Fine," the teacher fumed. "Yes, I think that it's alright for men to love other men, or women to love other women. Why are you asking me this?"

"Like I said, standard procedure," answered the Detective with a little smile that, to Iruka, looked more like a conniving, satisfied grin. "Now, let's proceed to the younger lady, shall we? Tell me about Hanabi."

"Hanabi, right," Iruka grated. "Her mother, Hisako, died when she was born, so she was very close to Hiashi-san and grew up to be almost just like him. She's strong, smart and independent. She prefers hunting and fencing instead of sewing or knitting, and she's good at them, too. She's probably the only one who can come close to beating Neji in Fox Hunting and that's saying something, believe me. She's also surprisingly good with business and management. I tend to think of her as the polar opposite of Hinata. The only thing they have in common is how quiet they are."

"Wait, Hiashi let his youngest daughter study business and management?"

"Strangely, yes. Instead of going to the most prestigious university for women to graduate as the best housewife material like Hinata did, Hanabi wanted to study business and management in England like Neji did. Hiashi-san didn't let her go, of course, but he let her take the test to enter Tokyo Imperial University and, wonder of wonders, she passed."

"She did?"

"Well, I've always known that when it comes to intelligence, she's about as smart as Neji. I can't help but worry though. She's the only female student there, and many people in this social circle frowned upon her boldness. They find it scandalous. But apparently, Hiashi-san just found it amusing and let her do whatever she wanted if only to humor her."

"Just to humor her, huh? So he had no intention of involving her in the family business?"

"Of course not. Hiashi-san was very strict when it comes to a person's role in the family. I guess you could say that Hanabi's situation is a reversal to that of Neji's. She enjoyed dealing with business problems and ledgers; good at it, even. But as a daughter, she was never meant for it. Whereas Neji, the oldest son who was actually born for the part, doesn't enjoy those things and has a passion for art instead. I think, in a way, this is a sad situation; something wrong that's just... is."

"What does Neji think about this?"

"He's being very nice about it, always indulging her efforts. He helps her with her studies a lot, and discusses the family business with her if only to make her happy. In fact, I once heard Neji told Hanabi that if it was up to him, he'd let her run the company."

"He told her that? How interesting."

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"Oh, nothing. Now, since talking about Kenji would be pointless, what do you think about the Lady of the House, Kurenai?"

"I don't really know much about her. I've only known her about a year. She rarely comes out of her room so, unless we were discussing Kenji's studies, I never really talked to her."

"But she talked to you about Kenji's studies?"

"Very much so. The children's education is the mother's responsibility. Besides, Kurenai-san strikes me as a hands-on kind of mother. She doesn't even hire a nanny. And she's an educated woman, too. But still, I can't say I really know her, unlike Hisako-san."

"Ah, right. Hiashi's first wife. Hisako, is it? Did you know her well?"

"I knew her quite well, yes. I was also a child then, so I guess she became a mother figure for me. She's very beautiful, caring and gentle. And she also likes to smile."

"She seemed like a nice woman."

"She was. Everyone was devastated when she died, especially Neji and Hinata."

"The children. Of course. Do you know if any of them had any objection when Hiashi remarried?"

"Now, see, this is what makes this family so special. All three of Hiashi-san's children are happy about it. They fully understand that everyone needs a significant other, and that their father was no exception. They know that they can't possibly be with their father forever. They welcomed Kurenai-san with open arms and treat her with love and respect, regardless of her poor physical condition."

"Really? That's-"

"Oh, and you should've seen the way they coddle their youngest brother. They spoil Kenji up to a point where it's no longer conducive. They let him get away with /anything/. They'd even help him hide from me whenever he's feeling lazy and doesn't want to study."

"That's lovely, but-"

"I tried to talk to Kurenai-san, but she just laughed about it. She said that it's only natural for them to pamper Kenji so. Seriously, am I the only one here who cares about his discipline and studies?"

"Um, no, I don't think-"

"Exactly! They all want him to grow up as a fine man, but none of them helps! They let him skip his lessons and eat candies, help him steal cookies from the kitchen. Kurenai-san actually cut his hair short, instead of letting it grow long as per Hyuuga tradition, for the sole purpose of accommodating his rowdiness. Neji taught him how to slide down the Grand Staircase banisters. As for Hinata..."

Apparently, since it turned out that Umino Iruka was in need of some venting, Police Detective Hatake Kakashi was compelled to spend more time in the Sound Room than anticipated. Little details, like how hot Umino Iruka looked when he was angry or how enjoyable it was to watch him rant, had nothing to do with it.

No, really.

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"Oh, great, Jiraiya-san is also here," Asuma greeted with a big smile as he entered the Servant's Dining Room and saw Jiraiya there with Tsunade. "I also need to ask you some more questions."

"You do?" Jiraiya flinched. Tsunade just looked down.

"Yes, it's about your whereabouts during the time of the murder."

"Ah... I see," answered the old Butler with an awkward laugh. "But I thought we talked about that already this morning."

"We have, but I found that your answer was... misleading."

"What do you mean?"

"I heard that you weren't in your room until well after three thirty."

Tsunade shifted in her seat uncomfortably. "Excuse me, sir. Do you want me to leave? I can come back later."

Asuma smirked at her. "No, please, stay. It's alright for you to hear this. Maybe you can give me some input."

"Where did you hear that, sir?" Jiraiya asked heatedly. "Was it Orochimaru? He's a liar and a thief, sir. You shouldn't believe him."

"Yes, he's a thief," answered the Detective calmly, lighting up a cigarette. "He admitted it. He even told me all about his plan to open a restaurant and everything. Seriously though, that person is a bit maniacal."

"That's very true, sir," said Jiraiya. "He's crazy. I swear I was in my room sleeping at that time."

"You /swear/?" asked Asuma with a cold, calculating stare.

Jiraiya paled a bit. "I... Yes! Yes, I- I swear it. I didn't kill Hiashi-sama."

That old man was lying, and Asuma was sure about it. He didn't know if this old butler was the killer, but Jiraiya definitely had something to hide. He chuckled, "Listen, Jiraiya-san. If you didn't kill Hiashi, then you don't have anything to worry about. Just tell me where you were. I don't care if you were doing something scandalous. All I care about is finding your master's killer. You'd like me to do that, right? You'll be helping me if you tell me the truth."

"But I... I..."

"Oh, just give it up, you old swine," Tsunade finally scoffed. "Tell him about your side job."

"Tsunade~!"

Asuma had to hold back his laughter at the loss of composure from both senior staff. He couldn't believe his eyes. It was made even more unbelievable by the fact that these two people were the most trained and seasoned staff in the house.

"Side job, eh?" he asked gleefully. "What side job is this?"

"He's a writer, sir," Tsunade answered him. "His books are published under a different name. He works at night in a secret chamber that could be accessed from his room. And before you ask, sir, Hiashi-sama knew about it and let Jiraiya do it as long as it doesn't interfere with his duties."

Jiraiya dropped his head to the table and groaned.

"A writer?" Asuma asked in shock. "Now that's a surprise. What do you write?"

"Please, sir," pleaded the Butler. "My writings are... scandalous. The series is very popular, but if it ever got out that the writer is someone of this household, it'll ruin the Hyuuga name."

"Really? Scandalous? What series is this? Maybe I've read some of them. I won't tell anyone."

"It's, um, it's called Icha Icha, sir," answered Jiraiya meekly. "Oh, please don't tell anybody, sir. I wouldn't want the House of Hyuuga to be tainted by such..."

"Trash?" Asuma finished for him with a hearty laugh. "My God! You're the writer of Icha Icha? The Butler of the Hyuuga Mansion writes porn? Oh, this is too much."

"With all do respect, sir," Jiraiya sniffed. "My writings are not trash. It's a form of literature in the most honest and open manner."

"Yeah, well, maybe you should have a long discussion about that with my associate Hatake Kakashi. He's a big fan of your work."

"He is?"

"Yes, but enough about that. Tell me about this secret chamber. Does it lead to anywhere other than your room?"

"No, sir. It's only a little space between the wall of my room and the outer wall."

"Are there lots of secret chambers in this mansion?"

Jiraiya and Tsunade looked at each other. Finally the Majordomo said, "Not that we know of, sir. Maybe Hiashi-sama or Hizashi-dono had some built when the mansion was constructed, but we know nothing of them."

"Ah, alright then. So tell me, Tsunade-san. I was told that you have a bit of a gambling problem. Does it ever bring trouble to this household?"

Tsunade blanched. "Eh?"

"Oh, just give it up, you old swine," Jiraiya snickered.

"Shut up, you," Tsunade scolded him before turning back to Asuma. "Ahem, pardon my language, sir."

"It's alright. So, about this gambling problem? I heard that Hiashi had to take care of your debt every once in a while."

With an embarrassed look, Tsunade muttered her answer. "That is quite true, sir. Sometimes I just can't help myself when it comes to dices and placing bets. Thankfully, Hiashi-sama understood my problem and always helped me discreetly."

"That's not something a Head of the House usually does, is it? He never got angry with you about it at all? Never threatened to fire you because of it?"

"No, sir. As you can see, Hiashi-sama must be the kindest master in the world. Both Jiraiya and I have been with this family since even before he and his twin was born. We were born here. We're very loyal to the family, and now you can see why."

Oh, yes, Asuma could see why. Hiashi might be kind, but there was no way a Head of the House like him would let his Butler has a side job and helped his Majordomo with gambling debts without so much as a slap on the wrist. Not unless these two people had one hell of a leverage, something that could be used to bring him down. The detective made a mental note to get to the bottom of this as soon as possible.

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"Excuse me," Neji murmured out of habit as he went in to the Cloud Room. It felt somewhat strange to walk around without Naruto following a few steps behind. But the young Hyuuga caught the discomfort that flashed in Shikamaru's eyes as they were about to make their way there from the Dining Hall, so he had ordered the blonde to have lunch in the Servant's Dining Room before bringing some refreshments for them in the Cloud Room.

"Please, sit down," Shikamaru offered as he closed the door. "This might take a while."

Once Neji sat down, his eyes when straight to an old photograph on the table. He recognized the younger version of his father and uncle there, but he never knew that they were in the war. He looked up at Shikamaru who just sat down in front of him. "Where did you get this?"

"My family lawyer gave it to me," answered the Nara as he lit up a cigarette. "It was a part of my inheritance, and the reason I came here."

Neji stared, and Shikamaru sighed. "It's... rather hard to explain. I need to start at the beginning."

"Hm. Please do," responded the Hyuuga. He flinched inwardly at how stern it sounded, but he found that he couldn't care less. He was way too curious.

So Shikamaru told his host about what had happened in his household. How his father was brutally murdered and how he finally decided to go to Tokyo to ask Hyuuga Hiashi about that picture. Neji listened quietly, slipping words of condolences right after the other man said that his father had died recently, eyes widening as he heard the rest of the story.

"So... the person who murdered your father hasn't been caught yet?" asked Neji after the story ended.

"Up until I left Nara to come here, no, they haven't."

"And you think this photograph has something to do with it?"

"Not really... Well, /maybe/..." Shikamaru trailed off. "The truth is, when I decided to come here, I was just curious. You see, my father never told me about ever being in the war or having any connection with the Hyuuga twins. But I wasn't entirely surprised when Hiashi-san said he knew of someone that could possibly have a reason to kill my father."

Neji frowned. "He did?"

"Yes. That was what we intended to talk about today. He said he was going to cancel all his appointments so he would have all day to tell me everything. However..."

"He was killed," Neji continued sadly.

"That is so," the Nara sighed. "I'm sorry."

"So am I."

Both young men went quiet for a while, until Shikamaru looked at his host intently and said, "Neji, I don't want to sound... paranoid, but I think our fathers were murdered by the same person. And to make things worse, there's a reason behind all this that I still don't know. Did Hiashi-san ever tell you anything at all about his connection with my family?"

"No. In fact, whenever someone suggested we approach Nara Pharmaceuticals for a joint venture or partnership, Otousan always turned down the idea."

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. "That's funny. Oyaji did the same thing. I had many arguments with him about that. Yours is the biggest logistic company in the country so it would be logical for us to use your services, but he always reasoned it would be better to just prolong our contract with our usual one."

"This is too odd," Neji said as he rubbed his temple tiredly. "It almost sounds like our fathers were avoiding each other's company. Or each other, even. Could our families be enemies? But then, the way he welcomed you..."

"Tell me about it," Shikamaru snorted. "If there was one thing that threw me off balance last night, it was the way Hiashi-san treated me. And the fact that he apparently knew everything about me."

"Eh? Can you elaborate?"

"Last night was the first time I met the famous Hyuuga Hiashi, so I greeted him with the proper respect and decorum. Imagine my surprise when he just upped and called me Shikamaru. And the first thing he said once he saw me was... not what I was expecting."

"Why? What did he say?"

"You're taller than I imagined," Hiashi commented, smiling brightly.

The young Nara hid his puzzlement quite well as he nonchalantly asked, "I am?"

Hiashi chuckled. "Very much so. You're taller than your father... and better looking, too. Although I must say, at a glance you look almost exactly like him."

"So you really knew my father?"

"He was my dearest friend," sighed the old Hyuuga sadly. "I can't believe he's gone."

Shikamaru stared at his host right in the eyes. "How did you know that?"

"This tells me as much," answered Hiashi, referring to the old picture his staff had given him earlier that he was now handing out to his impromptu guest. "I'm sure you're here with many questions, young Shikamaru. And please, call me Hiashi."

"Thank you, Hiashi-san," responded the young man as he took the picture and slipped it in the pocket inside his jacket. "And you're right. I have many things I want to ask. My father never told me about ever having any association with the Hyuuga family, nor did he tell me about his involvement in the war."

"Yes, I know. Forgive me for being blunt, Shikamaru, but Shikaku never told me of having any illness so... how did he die?"

"He was murdered."

Hiashi looked stricken. "Murdered?"

Shikamaru took a deep breath. "He was found dead in his office, the room ransacked. Nothing was taken, however, not even the money in his wallet."

"But this is terrible! Has the murderer been caught?"

"No. Even now, after two weeks, the police still haven't a clue as to who did it."

"I see..."

"Forgive me, Hiashi-san, but I seem to have kept you from your guests for too long. I was hoping you could slip me in your busy schedule sometime during the week. I'm staying at this hotel-"

"You're not staying at any hotel," Hiashi cut him off and stopped his hand from fishing an address from his inside pocket. "You're staying here, in this mansion."

"Oh," Shikamaru jumped a bit in surprise. "It's alright. I really don't want to trouble you. I've already made a reservation and-"

"You're staying here," Hiashi interrupted him again. "I insist."

Shikamaru stared hard at the older man. That last sentence sounded like the man just ordered him to stay before remembering who he was talking to and added the 'I insist.' It was natural for Hiashi to be concern, but not so much that he very nearly broke the code of civility.

Seeing his young guest's discomfort, Hiashi sighed, "Shikamaru, I know that you've grown to be a man who doesn't like having things progress outside of his calculations and control. However, your father's murderer is still at large. It would be much safer for you to stay here instead of some hotel."

Safe? Shikamaru pondered. Why was Hiashi so concern about his safety? True, his father was murdered for a reason other than riches, a reason he desperately wanted to uncover. And while he knew the prospect of the murderer targeting him or his mother was high -- which was why he had his mother stay with his grandparents in another town -- it was still strange that Hyuuga Hiashi, a very old friend of his father who no longer had any connection with his family, would react that strongly. Unless... "You know who killed my father."

"Very impressive," Hiashi commented with a sad smile. It didn't take the young man even a second to figure it out, and he couldn't stop himself from remembering his old friend. "You're exactly the genius Shikaku described you to be."

The young Nara narrowed his eyes. "Who killed my father? And why?"

"I don't know for sure though I might have an idea. As for why, if it was truly that person who did it, then it's not something we could discuss in a vestibule."

Remembering where they were and the party further inside, Shikamaru nodded. "I understand. I will wait until you've arranged the perfect time for us to meet. Still, I don't think I should be imposing you by staying here. It's very kind of you to have taken the time to greet me in person, and-"

"Shikamaru, please," Hiashi pressed again. "If it's not for you then will you at least stay here to humor an old man, to give me some peace of mind?"

"Very well," Shikamaru finally relented. "Thank you, Hiashi-san."

"Nonsense. I'm delighted to have you here. Let me have one of my staff gather your things and bring them here. What's the name of the hotel?"

"Well, actually, my luggage is still in a taxi waiting outside. Since I thought I would only be stopping by to arrange an appointment with you, I came directly from the station before checking in at the hotel so it would be less-"

"Troublesome?"

Shikamaru blinked. "Uh... yes. How much exactly do you know about me?"

"More than you can imagine," Hiashi chuckled. "Your father wrote so much about you in his letters, and he sent so many pictures of you that I practically watched/ you grow up. Well, not as many as the pictures /I sent him, since I have four children whereas he only had you. He was very proud of you, Shikamaru, and I really can't blame him. Your achievements are... extraordinary."

Again, and even more so than before, the young Nara felt uncomfortable. He had almost no idea of what was going on and suddenly there was this famous nobleman he had never met before that knew everything about him. The situation wasn't exactly in his control anymore, and that never sat well with him.

Hiashi seemed to sense that discomfort, as seen from the way he changed the subject. "But enough about that for now. As you said, I shouldn't be abandoning my other guests for too long. Tomorrow, I'll cancel all my appointments and we can talk to our hearts' content. Jiraiya?"

An old servant, the one Shikamaru noticed had taken and put away his coat before standing quietly a few steps away behind Hiashi, came forward. "Yes, sir?"

"Have the staff ready the Cloud Room. Don't forget to arrange for someone to bring in Shikamaru's luggage and pay for the taxi."

"Er... the Cloud Room, sir?"

"Yes, the Cloud Room."

"Of course, sir. Right away," Jiraiya said before leaving his master and the new guest.

Cloud Room? Was this a coincidence? Or did Hyuuga Hiashi really know everything about him, right down to his fondness of watching clouds? Shikamaru mused.

As if knowing what he was thinking, Hiashi threw him an amused smile and a cryptic, "Like I said, I know you more than you can imagine."

"Then we reached the Great Hall and... well, you know how the rest of the evening went," Shikamaru ended his recollection of his first meeting with Hiashi at the front vestibule last night.

Neji went silent, digesting the information he just acquired while staring vacantly at the old photograph. After a few moments, he finally asked, "So... Otousan knew your father had died just by seeing this picture?"

"Yes. I think it's because he knew that photograph wasn't meant to be in my hands until after Oyaji passed away. I had no idea they were so close. Close enough, even, to have sent each other letters and pictures of their children routinely."

"You've seen the letters from Otousan?"

"No. I didn't even know about it until Hiashi-san mentioned it last night."

"I've never seen any letter from the House of Nara either. That's not surprising, really. Mails and other deliveries are dropped in the front Security Post, and each of our personal servants goes there to fetch our respective letters or things for us."

"Hm. In my house, deliveries are accepted by whoever was closest to the front gate when the postman arrives. But I've never seen anything from the House of Hyuuga. As much as I hate it, I can't help but feel Oyaji was hiding them, which means he's been keeping a secret all these years, even from Okaasan."

"Not even your mother knew about it?"

"No. It wasn't until I asked her that she admitted to have known about Oyaji's time in the service. He was still in the army when they got married, apparently, and he resigned a couple of months after our war with Russia. However, Oyaji never told her anything about his experience in the battlefield and even asked her to keep it secret from me. She's as puzzled as I am about this photograph."

"Ah... well," Neji responded with a deep breath, somewhat feeling a little jealous that Shikamaru's mother was still there to answer some questions. He doubt Kurenai would know more than he did. "Otousan never told me about entering the service either, much less about Ojiisan entering it with him."

Shikamaru sighed. "Why am I not surprised?"

Neji gave him a little amused smile. "Sorry. Anyway, who's this?"

"Who?"

"This," answered Neji as he pointed at a person in the picture. "I know these two are Otousan and his twin. This one with the ponytail must be your father. But who's this other one?"

"Oh, that one," Shikamaru chuckled, blowing a trail of smoke. "I honestly have no idea."

"Really?"

"Yes. Had I known who he is, I would've tracked him down too."

"Hmm..." the young Hyuuga went contemplative as he perused that fourth person. It was a very good photograph but it was still only a photograph. The black-and-white didn't give him much to go by. "His hair is definitely of light color. Maybe he's blonde?"

"I think so. I've been staring at that picture for so many hours so many times, but all I could pick up was their weapons and ranks."

"Weapons, huh? These are Arisaka rifles, right? I don't know much about that since it's not what people use in hunting sports. The ranks... well, the details of their uniforms are visible, and none of them were facing right upfront so we can see their arms. But I'm afraid I'm not well-versed in military designations. Can you tell me what you know?"

"Well, from what I can see, my father was the field surgeon or the medical officer. You see that cross symbol on that band on his sleeve?"

"You're right. I can't believe I missed something that obvious. What about my father?"

"Er... This symbol here, I think, represents infantry."

"Shikamaru, they all wear that symbol."

"Yes, but your father's wearing another badge that means captain."

"Where?"

"Here."

"Um, that's not my father."

"Eh?"

"That's his twin brother. My uncle."

"Oh... Oh! Sorry, I can't tell the difference. Now as for your father... see here? It's barely visible since he's facing that way too much, but I think he's captain too."

"Why would there be two captains in one team?"

Shikamaru chuckled again. "You mean four captains."

"Hn?" Neji turned to Shikamaru to give the man a questioning look, but that was when he realized that they were so close, his nose nearly brushed the other's cheek. That wasn't surprising, really, since the picture was only so big and they had unconsciously huddled together to take a good look at it. But still...

"Take a good look at these badges here on their sleeves," Shikamaru elaborated, not noticing the other's somewhat flustered state. "I asked around, and I've gathered that this symbol represent a rank of Captain. They couldn't have been in the same unit."

Neji shook the errant thoughts out of his head. "So what does it mean?"

"I don't know. It could be that they were in the same battalion, each leading their own company. But from the way they stand together and everything..."

"What?"

"It just seems like they were together in this. At least, they were on the same team in this assignment. See this dark colored band around the blonde's arm? I think it shows that he was the team leader."

"Hm... You're right."

"Not to mention, their surrounding doesn't look like a base or anything. It looks more like a village, and there are no other military things around them."

"Alright, I agree. But what does it all mean? Does this have anything to do with the murders at all? I don't see why it's all that important. Maybe your father just wanted to tell you that he was in the army once."

Shikamaru gave his host a critical look. "Neji, Hiashi-san himself told me that he had an idea of who the murderer is. The way he knew about my father's death just from seeing this picture was also strange. It's almost like this picture was a code. Maybe... maybe all of this has something to do with their past."

Neji took a deep breath. He was somewhat in denial about the whole thing, especially since he couldn't stop thinking about that box Gai just gave him before lunch. What if that box also contained a photograph? And there was something else inside it that clanked when he had shaken it accidentally. If it really had something to do with the murder...

"You're right," he finally sighed. "I'm sorry. Three of the people in this picture are gone now. So if, and I mean if this was supposed to be a clue, we need to find out who this fourth person is. Do you think... you think this person could be the killer? Maybe something happened back then that would make this person take revenge?"

"That's a big possibility," Shikamaru said as he blew out smoke smoothly away from them. "I contacted the army base in Nara to ask about it, but they said they need to wire the base in Tokyo. Since I was coming here anyway, I thought it'd be faster if I visit the base myself. But now I can't go anywhere... Not that I'm blaming the situation, mind you. In fact, I'm..."

"Yes?"

"Forgive me, Neji. But I feel somewhat... responsible... for what had happened. I can't help thinking that... Maybe... If I hadn't come here... Hiashi-san..."

"No," Neji grated. "Don't you even think that. Please don't put ideas in my head that would make me blame you wrongly. I really... I really don't want to think badly of you. I mean, you hadn't done anything wrong. If I was in your situation, I would've done the very same thing. I would've come to the people in this picture with questions too."

"I... You're right. I'm sorry."

"It's alright. I understand. So... we were talking about this fourth person?"

"Hm? Yes. I still don't know who he is. But since I've told the detectives about it earlier, I'm sure they also see the connection and will be trying to investigate it. Hopefully they could get something."

"That's a very good thinking. They're the ones who have the proper channels, after all."

"True. Although..." Shikamaru trailed off, looking at Neji as if he was studying the other man and trying to decide whether or not he should continue.

After the silence stretched for a while, Neji became uncomfortable. "What is it?"

The young Nara took a deep breath, as if strengthening his resolve, before he squashed his cigarette butt on the ashtray and got up. "That photograph isn't the only puzzling thing my father left me."

"There's something else?" asked Neji as he followed Shikamaru's short walk towards the armoire with his eyes.

"Yes. There's something else, but..." Shikamaru paused as he opened the armoire and fished something out of his briefcase there. "I didn't tell the police detectives about it."

Neji started to feel cold sweat running down his back. What was it that this man hid from the police? Could Shikamaru be the killer all along? Was the Nara just leading him on with all those talks about the photograph? With his calm demeanor intact, he asked, "Why? Why didn't you tell the police?"

"There's a perfectly good reason for that," answered the younger man with another sigh as he went back to the table, carrying something in one hand. "Believe me. It's a very long story and I'm going to tell you about it but please, I implore you, Neji, you must keep it a secret. At least until we can be sure about everything. And with this, I think I must ask for your help in unraveling the mystery surrounding our father's past."

"How intriguing," Neji snorted awkwardly. He managed to stop himself from reacting too much upon seeing what Shikamaru just brought to the table. It was a small box. A small, plain, black, metal box. It was identical to the one Gai just gave him. Keeping his nonchalance, he gestured towards it. "What's that?"

"The photograph came in this box," Shikamaru answered demurely, opening the box and pulling something out of it. "Along with this... Well, I actually have no idea what this is."

Neji took the proffered object and examined it. It was a small, round, piece of metal, about two inches in diameter. It was heavier than it looked, indicating that it was solid. It had a golden color though he couldn't tell if it was made of gold. Maybe it was brass? It almost looked like a pendant, but there were three protruding tooth-like bits that made it looked more like a washer, that ring you placed between the head of a bolt and a nut to add pressure. There was no hole in the center though. The thing was solid through and through. In fact, the center was considerably thicker, so that when he looked at it from the side it looked like a hat. What was this? Did his box contain the same things? Trepidation washed over him again.

"I don't know what this is," he finally said as he put it back on the table. "I'm more concerned as to why you didn't tell the police about this."

Shikamaru nodded. "I understand. And I'll tell you everything. You see, when my father-"

There was a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" Neji almost growled.

"Excuse me, Neji-dono," came Naruto's voice from outside. "But you ordered me to bring refreshments here after I've had my lunch?"

"Oh... right," the Hyuuga mumbled before giving Shikamaru a questioning look. The other man just shrugged, but those dark, brown eyes told him that the man wouldn't be comfortable talking with Naruto there. Neji made a decision. "Come in then."

The door opened to reveal Naruto carrying a tray. He put the tray on the table and proceeded to serve the two young men. When he was done, he took his place behind Neji and stood there, only to have his master dismiss him.

"Thank you, Naruto," Neji said casually. "You may go now. Shikamaru and I still have some things to discuss."

Naruto was quiet for a while before he finally bowed. "Yes, sir. I'll be right outside should you need anything else. Excuse me."

Shikamaru noticed the worry that flashed on the servant's face before leaving and closing the door. He didn't comment on it. He knew that this personal servant must be very loyal to Neji, and it was natural for the man to not trust him.

"Now," the young Hyuuga said as he sipped his tea. "You were saying?"

"As I was saying," Shikamaru continued with a grateful smile. "When my father died, his office was ransacked but nothing of value was taken. At the time, I thought, maybe he was killed because of business, that maybe it was one of our business rivals or there was a deal that my father made that went sour. So after the police detectives were done with the crime scene, I examined all our ledgers and contracts."

"Ah, I see. What did you find?"

"Nothing strange, at first. That was when my mother pressured me to move on with the reading of the will and everything so the company and our House could run again. She said I should take care of my duties as the Head of the House instead of playing detective. She's a... very strong woman. And very persistent, too."

Neji gave a little smile. "I can imagine."

"Yes, well, it was at the reading of the will that I got the box. We were both very intrigued by the photograph and that metal trinket. There was no note or any other form of explanation that came with them. And our family lawyer was also clueless about it."

To say Neji was curious would be an understatement. He was positive now that the box from his father also had a picture and a strange trinket. "And then what happened?"

"We talked, my mother and I," answered the Nara as he pulled out another cigarette. "We talked almost all night. She told me about how my father was about to retire from the military after the war with Russia was just over. But it wasn't even a month after the Treaty of Portsmouth was signed when he got another assignment that was said to be his last one before retirement, and he was gone for about three months. He never told Okaasan where he was sent and what the assignment was."

"You think that assignment was the one in this picture?"

Shikamaru sipped some tea before lighting up his cigarette. "Yes. And my mother told me that it was after that last assignment that my father began building Nara Pharmaceuticals in to what it is now. You see, for generations the House of Nara has always been dealing in medicines. We have our own forest and deer, from which we use the antlers to make our most unique products. But the business was never made in to a large, nation-wide corporation. That is, until my father made it so."

Neji listened quietly as the young Nara continued, "It gave me an idea to search for the older records; ledgers dating from the time my father began building the company, our offices, laboratories and factories."

"And... did you find anything strange in those older ledgers?"

"I found /something/," Shikamaru answered with a pained expression. "The numbers... don't add up. Nothing was wrong in the ledgers themselves, but when I compared them to the receipts and contracts... well, that was where things got blurry."

"What do you mean?"

"The total number of our monthly income. When I looked at it, nothing was out of place. They were always big, indicating that the company was having a huge success and that our income helped the company's development a lot. It was stated that that was how the money was spent."

"But...?"

"But, just to be thorough, I crosschecked everything. I checked all the receipts, contracts and documents from those times. What I found was... less than the numbers in the ledgers. Much less. If seen from those documents, our income wasn't even a quarter of what was written in the ledgers. But the money was there. It was used to enlarge the company in a monstrous scale and the documents that proved the endeavor were all there, proving the numbers. Therein lays the question, where did the money come from?"

"Oh," Neji blanched a bit. This sounded bad. "Are you sure you're supposed to be telling me this? I mean, we're talking about your company's secret here..."

"I have a reason for telling you this."

"And that is?"

Shikamaru took a long drag of his cigarette. "Neji, please don't take this the wrong way, but I think if you crosschecked Hyuuga Logistics' ledgers from those times with the proper documents you'll find the same thing."

Neji narrowed his eyes. "Are you telling me that Hyuuga Logistics is dirty? I don't know about your relationship with your father, but I trusted mine. Implicitly. Otousan would never do such a thing."

"Neji, please," Shikamaru sighed. "Don't be offended. I'm just connecting the dots here. I never thought about this before but now that I do, it is strange. Wasn't Hyuuga Logistics built around the same time? And from scratch, even? And this mansion? You said so yourself that you were already born when this mansion was built, so it must've been around the same time Hiashi-san and his twin brother built the company. No offense, Neji, I know the Hyuuga family is rich, but at the time, no family was that rich. Not mine, not yours. It was right after the war. The country was practically bankrupt."

The young Hyuuga gritted his teeth. A part of him wanted to smack this man for daring to accuse his family of being dirty, but a much bigger part of him couldn't deny that the appointed fact was too logical to ignore. Shikamaru could be right. No, in fact, Shikamaru was most likely right. All this time, in his mind, Hyuuga Logistics was just... there. Neji never thought about how it was built or where the money to do it came from. But now that he thought about it, where did the money came from? And his father and uncle had enough to build a grand mansion at the same time they were building a company from scratch? He wasn't stupid. He had a business degree from the most prestigious university in England. He knew the number was just too big for it to be natural. And he hated it. He hated the fact that there was a big possibility his father was not an honest man.

And now he knew why they must keep this a secret, at least until everything was clear. If it turned out that the company was built with money that came from an illegal source, and the police heard about this, his family could lose everything. He might be okay, but what about his sisters? His little brother who was no older than five now? The whole household? Everything could be destroyed.

After letting his host sat there quietly for a while, watching the storm of emotions flashing in those pale, grey eyes although the stoic expression on that all-too-attractive face remained unchanged, Shikamaru tentatively called. "Neji?"

"Yes, I heard you," Neji almost snapped. "I know what you're saying and I will check everything. Hopefully I won't find the same thing you found in your company's ledgers. But back to our fathers' murders, you think this has something to do with it?"

"Yes," answered Shikamaru with an annoyed tone. He didn't like the way the Hyuuga talked to him. "And about my relationship with my father, I'm an only child, Neji. And a /son/. I was his Chounan. How close do you think I was with my father?"

Neji sighed regretfully. "Right. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to imply... Look, can we just go back to the matter at hand?"

"Of course. You're right," the Nara said after a long drag of his cigarette. "So... Although I hate to think this, I can't deny the fact that our fathers pasts are somewhat checkered. I don't know, maybe the killer was a part of that past?"

"Agreed," said Neji sternly. "Money always makes the most obvious motive. The photograph I can understand. Maybe it was supposed to be a clue about who were involved in whatever it was our fathers were doing. But I don't know about this metal charm here."

Shikamaru nodded. "Look at the side of that trinket, Neji. Something's engraved on it."

Taking the round, metal object from the table, Neji examined it once again and true enough, he found a miniscule engraving of "3 of 3, 1906". Those last four numbers were most likely the year the charm was made. But 3 of 3? What would that mean?

"So this was made in 1906?" he murmured. "About a year after our fathers, supposedly, just got back from that last assignment. But I have no idea what this '3 of 3' means. Maybe there are two more of these?"

"My thoughts exactly. That's why I need to know if Hiashi-san also left you something like this. Have you contacted your family lawyer yet?"

Neji shrugged. "I don't feel like having the will read before the murderer is caught."

"I understand the feeling," Shikamaru said with a nod. "I felt that way too when... Oh, well, it's alright. Besides, there's another thing I need to bring to your attention."

"What is it?"

"Those numbers that didn't add up in the ledgers, they stopped at the end of 1907."

"Eh?"

"Yes. Afterwards everything was on the mark. There was no more mysterious income. Of course, at that time, the company was pretty much established and our assets and income were about just as much as those earlier ghostly numbers."

"So... after... what, almost two years, everything was suddenly perfectly legal?"

"That is so. I don't know how or why, maybe something happened? Do you remember of anything that happened in that year? Anything at all?"

"Hm... Let's see... I'd be about three then. I don't think I could've possibly remembered if anything did happen. Oh, wait! That was the year my uncle died!"

"What?"

"Ojiisan," Neji said as he rubbed his temple in effort to remember. "Hyuuga Hizashi. Otousan's younger twin brother. He died in 1907. But like I told you last night, I don't remember anything about him or how he died."

Shikamaru started to feel bad for having asked the question. "Well, it could be a coincidence, right?"

"Is anything a coincidence anymore?" Neji snorted sarcastically. "I've never thought about it before, but now, after finding out all this, I can't help the feeling that there was a reason other than sadness for Otousan's reluctance to ever talk about Ojiisan's death."

"You know," Shikamaru pondered out loud in effort to make Neji feel better. "Since the oddity in the ledgers stopped at that time, it could be that his death was what made our fathers stopped whatever it was they were doing. But what do you have in mind? That there was foul play involved in your uncle's death?"

"I don't know. Maybe. I mean, his death became such a taboo topic here that I don't even know if he died of murder, accident, or just plain natural causes."

"Maybe you can ask some of the older staff. You know, like your Majordomo or Hiashi-san's personal servant Jiraiya?"

"You're right. I think I'm going to do just that. I'm still wondering about this metal trinket though. What part does it play in all this?"

"I don't know why," Shikamaru began with a worried frown, "and I'm not too sure if this is true. But I think this trinket is what the killer was looking for when he or she ransacked my father's office."

"Oh, my God. I think you're right. You did say that nothing else was missing, right?"

"Yes."

"If it turned out that these murders were connected to that old picture and what it represents, then this trinket could be the very thing that killer was looking for."

"Yes. And if it turned out that Hiashi-san had the same thing and let your family lawyer kept it as your inheritance..."

"Then the killer must've been searching for it too."

"We're in danger, Neji," Shikamaru finally sighed. "Whoever this killer is, he or she would be targeting us now. And the police said the killer is most likely still in this mansion. That's why I wanted to talk to you about this as soon as possible."

"Ah... Hell," Neji sighed too. "Pardon the language, Shikamaru. But now I'm worried about my sisters and my little brother. We should really tell those detectives about this."

"You do realize that to make them understand the connection we have to tell them /everything/, including the possibility that our respective companies were built with dirty money?"

"Urgh... you're right. So what do you think we should do?"

"Well, I think you should tell your family that no one is to go anywhere unescorted, especially Kenji."

"Right. Kurenai-san, Hinata and Hanabi almost never go anywhere without their personal maids, but I'll tell them to always do so from now on. And I'll have Jiraiya watch over Kenji. I'll check Hyuuga Logistics' old ledgers as soon as I can. I want to know if my father and uncle also... you know."

Shikamaru gave Neji an apologetic look. "I'm sorry to have brought it out on you like this, Neji. But I couldn't shake the feeling of danger. I felt that you have to know."

Neji took a deep breath, looking tired and resigned. "It's alright. I'm the head of the family now. This is a reality I have to face. What about you though, Shikamaru? Now I'm concerned about your safety as well. Would you like me to appoint one of the staff to act as your personal servant?"

"Oh, don't worry about me," Shikamaru said with an assuring smile. "I can take care of myself."

The young Hyuuga looked amused. "This coming from a man who claimed he's never inclined to sports?"

"That claim is true, I assure you. I said I'm not inclined to sports, not swords."

"Trained in a way of sword fighting that can't be called an art, right?" Neji countered with a smirk. "I remember you said that, although no one else seemed to notice the implication."

Seeing Shikamaru awkwardly clear his throat in embarrassment made Neji want to smile even wider. He couldn't help but feel a bit victorious with this small discovery. And a bit interested in seeing just how good the man actually was, seeing as he, himself, was quite the prodigy in that particular physical activity although he never trained with real swords.

"Still," he said after letting Shikamaru sweat for a while. "You can't actually go around carrying a sword."

Shikamaru laughed. "Of course not. Don't worry, Neji. I'll be fine."

"Well, if you say so."

They went quiet after that, the silence comfortable. Neji started to wonder whether or not he should tell Shikamaru about that box Gai just gave him. He didn't want to. He was devastatingly attracted to this Nara male, but that made him even more wary of the man. He didn't want to risk trusting this person blindly. No. He would check everything first before telling Shikamaru anything. For all he knew, everything the man said could be a lie or a trick. He needed to make sure first. He had to check his company's old records.

Neji felt a bit guilty though. Shikamaru had shown a great deal of trust in him by telling him about those facts regarding Nara Pharmaceuticals old ledgers. Yet now he wouldn't even tell the other man about having a box identical to that of Shikamaru's sitting in a cabinet in his anteroom. But still, his safety wasn't the only thing in question here. He had to think about his whole family. His younger siblings, in particular, were of great concern. So not now. Not yet. He couldn't trust Nara Shikamaru fully just yet.

Speaking of trust, why was Shikamaru being so candid? They hardly knew each other. If it was him, he'd keep those facts about dirty money to himself. Hm... this he also needed to know.

"I'm sorry, Shikamaru, but do you mind if I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"Why did you trust me so much as to tell me everything? While I know the both of us could be in danger, I'm still puzzled about why you're being so candid with me."

"Ah... well," Shikamaru started with a little shrug. "I don't really know myself. To tell you the truth, I usually have a problem with trust. Some people can't trust others easily, I can't trust others at all. But after what happened to Hiashi-san... Seeing you, I remember how I felt when my father was murdered, how my head was about to explode with questions as strange facts after strange facts were presented to me. I guess I just... I don't want you to go through that if I can help it. I hope I haven't stepped out of my boundaries by doing so."

If it wasn't because of a whole life's training in behaving properly, Neji would've gaped. He was surprised to hear that answer. He didn't think Shikamaru's intentions were that kind. He thought it was all for the price of having more information but, apparently, he was wrong. And the Nara was going about it in a very gentlemanly fashion, too.

"No, it's alright," Neji hurriedly said to comfort the younger man. "You haven't stepped out of any boundaries. I thank you, actually, for your effort. I, um, I'll see to it then, that I can provide you with more information as soon as possible, yes?"

"Oh, right," the Nara almost stuttered. Where did this tension come from? He had to admit that he'd been entranced by this Hyuuga Neji since he'd first seen the man last night. But this was hardly the time to think of such things. "So, uh, you'll be going then?"

"Er, yes. Yes, I'll be, um, I have to check things in the Earth Room."

"Earth Room?"

"Otousan's study. Well, I guess it's my study now. God, that just sounds..."

"I know," Shikamaru said with an understanding look. "I felt that way too when I had to clean up my father's office, and I still feel awkward even now whenever someone addressed me as the Head of the House of Nara."

"Yes. It does feel strange, doesn't it? It feels... wrong."

"Hm."

"Anyway, I really need to be going now. Thank you, again, for sharing everything with me. I'll need some time to check those ledgers though, so... we'll talk again tomorrow?"

"It's alright. Just take your time. I know how many things you need to take care of, and how hard everything is for you right now. I'll be here whenever you're ready, or whenever you just need to talk."

Now why did that last sentence make him feel relieved and safe? Neji pondered. This infatuation was really getting out of hand. He has got to get a grip.

-----------------------------------------

"Confirmed, stop," Udon, a young communications officer, read the reply from Nara Headquarters out loud for Sasuke. "Victim Nara Shikaku, stop. Head of Nara Family, stop. Motive unknown, stop. Case unsolved, stop. Case file will be send ASAP, stop."

"Alright," Sasuke grated. He felt that he'd been standing around there too long. He'd met Konohamaru and asked the rookie to go get their clothes from their bachelor pads and bring them to the Hyuuga Mansion while he was waiting for that reply. He'd asked Moegi, the young administration officer, to arrange a car for him. Now all he had to do was go to the army base at the edge of town to ask about those men in the old picture.

The drive didn't take long. It also didn't take long for him to enter the base and met the leader there. The General was an old friend of his family.

"Sasuke-kun," General Danzo greeted the young detective. "It's been a while. How's work in the Police Force?"

"It has its moments," answered the young man distantly.

"I'm sure it has. Your family wouldn't have served there for generations if that's not the case."

"Yes, well, speaking of case, I'm actually here to ask for your favor in solving one. I need to know about a unit that served during our war with Russia."

"Oh? Of course. I'd love to help. What unit was this?"

"That's the problem. I don't know. All I know is that it consisted of four infantry soldiers, and that they were sent out around the end of that war. Three of them were Nara Shikaku, Hyuuga Hiashi and Hyuuga Hizashi. I'm trying to find out who the fourth member was."

"My, those are big names," the General chuckled. "Which is why it's strange that I've never heard about their involvement in the military."

"Hn."

"Alright then, I'll just have my secretary get their files. We'll find out what kind of unit it was. I have to warn you though, those days were hectic. We might not find anything at all."

"It's fine."

Sasuke sat there quietly as Danzo rang his secretary and gave his order. After he was done, the old General smiled at his guest. "It really has been a while isn't it, Sasuke-kun. The last time I saw you, it was..."

The young Uchiha stared as Danzo trailed off. He finished the sentence, "The funeral."

"Yes," responded the General with a regretful look. "I'm sorry. I've forgotten that the last time we met, it was at a very... unfortunate time."

"It was a long time ago," Sasuke said dryly.

"You suddenly lost your whole family, and you were still little then," Danzo said sympathetically after a long stretch of silence. "What your brother did... it was-"

"Excuse me, sir," a woman's head poke in the door. "I've found the personnel files you requested. I'm sorry it took so long. They're buried in the basement file storage room with all those old files we never look at anymore."

"Ah, yes, yes," the General said. "Bring it here and please hold everything while I talk to Detective Uchiha here."

"Yes, sir," answered the secretary before putting the files on the table and got out the door.

"So, here we go. Let's see..."

After almost an hour of reading the files, Sasuke and Danzo had gathered the fact that Nara Shikaku, Hyuuga Hiashi and Hyuuga Hizashi were all Captains. They each led a company in the battalion that had defeated the Russians in the Battle of Mukden, in February 1905. It was a battle in which Japan suffered many casualties. After all, everyone knew that war was won by the navy, not the infantry.

So, Hyuuga Hiashi was the captain of B Company, Hyuuga Hizashi was the captain of D Company, and Nara Shikaku was the captain of E Company. They all retired not long after the war with Russia was over. However, the three men were never sent as one unit. It was quite strange, actually. Why would there be a unit that consisted of captains? And there was no clue as to who the fourth man was. Maybe he was also one of the captains in that battalion? But who was he? All he knew was that the man had light colored hair, and a grin that was way too happy and friendly for a soldier. Sasuke somehow felt that grin was familiar but, for the life of him, he had no idea where he'd seen it before.

"Hrm... Well, there are nine companies in one battalion," Danzo tried to help. "If that person was also captain in this same battalion, you only have to choose between six other names. My secretary can go look for the files if you like. That way you can see from the pictures which one's your man."

Sasuke looked at the clock on the wall. "Thank you. I'd like that. But can I come back for them tomorrow? I have a briefing with my associates in half an hour."

"Would it help if I send them to you instead?"

"Hn. That would be great. It's not too much trouble?"

"Of course not. Should I send them to the Police Headquarters?"

"Actually, I'll need them to be sent directly to me and I'll be in the Hyuuga Mansion."

Danzo frowned. "The Hyuuga Mansion? Ah, well, I know better than to ask what the case is all about. Fine then, I'll have them sent there."

"Thank you, General. I really appreciate this."

"Don't mention it, Sasuke-kun. Your father was a very close friend of mine. You can ask for my help anytime."

-----------------------------------------



So, if the killer is still in the mansion, who is it? Somebody who's been there long enough to know about what happened years ago? Or, on the contrary, somebody new that no one noticed? Or maybe that old picture and those facts about the Hyuuga and Nara companies had nothing to do with the murder? After all, Kakashi just found a strong motive for both Neji and Hanabi. And what's with Jiraiya and Tsunade? Why did Hiashi let them do whatever they like?

Up Next: A bit of recap on how the case progressed so far and... gasp another victim?!

Yes, I am evil.




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