Work Text:
The bitterness of the November rain swept across the detectives’s frail but firm face. The night was icy. The fallen leaves blew in the storms wind across the man’s Oxford shoes. The street lights were dimmed. Curtains closed and windows shut. The only thing keeping the city glowing was the Grand Bois Chéri Casino that Detective Saihara had been assigned to investigate.
His higher up believed that this position was a good push for the young man who still was quite squeamish. Which unfortunately came with being a detective. And that was something he would have to understand.
The task was. Enter the established casino with out drawing too much public attention to himself. investigate the level of gambling money and how much money this entire casino had. Find out if Ms. Ludenburg was committing tax fraud.
Simple right?
In Shuichi’s case, no.
The poor man was far too shy for his own good and could never fully deep dive into more complex cases. His main supervisor and unpaid lecturer could deal with murder cases where a body had been thrown into a meat grinder and was cut to shreds. Another example being when a bipolar man murdered his own family and his alibis changed every interrogation. Even when an undercover body blew up so the victim’s identity was protected.
Shuichi Saihara on the other hand was that one employee who you’d give all the useless work to do because you couldn’t be arsed and you’re not paid enough to do it.
His feet were planted right before the high steps of the pretentious casino. Only the richer, higher class citizens came here. Those who could lose ten grand but have that same amount back by their next pay check. Whereas Shuichi was still struggling to pay rent as everyone in his work place was under paid, unless you worked for the deep end noir which paid you a good chunk for solving one murder case. All Shuichi has solved is a banker who committed tax evasion. Which was part of the primary reason he was selected for this case.
Shuichi had a horrified look on his face which if you couldn't already tell. He was petrified. Truly petrified. To the point where he wasn't shaking because of the pure frosty winds blowing against his calfs. But rather his fear of being caught out by the higher ups and getting beat in a back alley where he'd never see the light of day again. He took one shaky breath, the air showing its presence as he blew. Pumping himself up in the back of his head, telling himself that he could do this, and that he was good enough for it.
But was he really?
I don't know you tell me.
He opened the flashing doors, the flickering, fluorescent lights scattering across the large windows which were guarded by large, bulky men who could beat up a pipsqueak like Shuichi any day.
You could say I was insulting him, but come on, the guy has had more than a million signs from god saying to atleast attempt to give himself muscle? Maybe the day he gets beaten up by some security mob and breaks atleast 2 limbs with a concussion.
Shuichi entered what could only be described as everything all at once with nothing at all. The overwhelming atmosphere of deafening laughter and gambling machines. The lights seemed even more endearing when the hot pressure was blaring onto your skin like the sun on a 36 degree (celsius) day.
While at ghe same time it was somewhat underwhelming. Almost like it was pretending to be something that it wasn’t. Like it was truly trying to impress the whole world by being so bold, so original, so invincible.
God it was a fucking masterpiece. Whoever the fuck their marketing director is let me hire them.
Shuichi passed tables of drunk, middle-aged men, selling their lives away as they bet their kids college funds on black or red. He looked at out place while strolling around the large ballroom like building. Pillars that daunted on you like a judge who’s about to hit the stand with the gavel.
He traced himself up the stairs, the spiral velvet carpet that brushed off his shoes as he escalated up the steps.
Shuichi was assigned to a smaller ballroom where the more professional gamblers were selling their soul to the devil.
Who was the devil you ask? The very woman Shuichi had to investigate. Celestial Ludenburg as she liked to call herself. The queen of liars is what she was known as here in the grand aleatorium. Whereas her full legal government name was Taeko Yasuhiro. Which by the way. She wasn’t German at all.
All he needed to do was to walk in, pretend he was looking for someone, plant a bug through the sliding door and boom. He was done.
He was so committed. He was gonna get this done the right way. No distractions. He would ensure that his higher up, Detective Kirigiri would be proud of him. Even if she never really showed her pride in other detectives. When you think about it, she never showed any true emotion at all.
He approached the top floor, it was less crowded. More simple. Apart from the sculptures and the black and red walls. It wasn’t as intense as the bottom floor. He preferred it up here. Where it was quiet. And relaxed. And monotone but also full of technicolour.
He crept his way towards the big red sliding door. The one that read the English and Latin name that wanted to look impressive but in reality looked tacky.
To be honest the entire building looked fucking tacky. And weak. And the last thing that it was, was bold.
His steps are slow, steady even. Even though the last thing he was right now was steady. His nerves would be the eventual death of him. Shuichi was the type of person to die of broken heart syndrome.
Damn, I’ve really outdone myself describing this poor man. To summarise. The poor man was a total pussy and a half.
Shuichi continued to stroll quietly towards the grand hall. It was daunting to anyone who was walking down that same corridor as him. The dimmed lights with a reddish tone.
Every step felt heavy
And continued to get heavier.
What was that sound?
Something plays in a quiet, solice room beside him. A piano. A grand one at that.
He stalled and stood, staring into the door. A woman, no older than Shuichi. Playing the piano. Elegantly. The woman played ‘Clair de Lune’ a classic. He slowly became mesmerised.
Shuichi stop you can’t get yourself distracted!
His inner thoughts were stopping him from listening to this beautiful rendition of the classical song. His mind telling him to get on with the job. He needed to listen to his head. Rather than his heart.
He redirected his steps into the room. It was quite large, but small in comparison to the other rooms. I mean it certainly looked big as it was only the girl and the piano to look at.
But in this scenario, you don’t look. You listen. You listen to the soft symphony of each pressed key. Each note passing through the air like a soft wind on a sunny day on the peak of a mountain. A mountain goat hovering beside you, as the tuned continuing to soar through the air and fill your ears.
She was alone in that room. Her blonde, thick hair was falling down her back, it was natural, like a waterfall. Her delicate fingertips touching each key with full eloquence. I stared at the back of her head, seeing her touch each key so gently, the tune that was created was beautiful. It wasn’t that the piece was beautiful in itself, but rather that this unknown, beautiful person was just playing it so-
Shuichi got a fright as a big grand door opened and chatter filled his ears. The pianist stopped playing for a moment. Shuichi checked outside the door. The grand casino room was open and the players had left. His opportunity gone. His mission. Failed.
“Shit…” he spoke softly under his breath.
The pianist looked at him. “Excuse me sir? Are you alright?”
Shuichi turned his head, looking back at this unknown woman. His breath stopped for a moment and started again. He could see her bright ocean eyes from here, the way her eyebrows had a small cowlick at the top, the way her plump lips parted revealing a glimpse of her teeth.
“Sir?” She asked again.
Shuichi blinked out of his daze and answered. “Yes… yes I’m alright.”
“That’s good.” She smiled, her buck teeth appeared for just a second. Shuichi’s face flushed up slightly as he looked away.
“Saihara? Did you do it?” One of his colleagues spoke through his earpiece.
“Uhh…” he hesitated and muted it. The sound of heels and fancy shoes clicked on the floor as the competitors walked by the door. He got a proper look of Yasuhiro, or Ludenburg or whatever her name was. She was stroking the very cat that this large place was named after.
“Ms Akamatsu. Who said you could stop performing?” Ms Ludenburg spoke quietly and kindly, but she was condescending.
“My sincerest apologies madam.” The girl who Shuichi had discovered who’s name was Akamatsu turned back around and switched her music sheets.
She looked to Shuichi coldly. “And are you alright sir?”
“Uhh, yes. Yes I’m alright ms.” He stuttered (well I mean of course he did.) looking cowardly compared to the tiger that was Celestia Ludenburg.
“Well, I best assure you that the best parts of my grand casino are down stairs.” She tugged him by the waist and pulled him out and directed him back downstairs.
Shuichi followed the woman down. He didn’t care for his mission no more.
But just to see that girl again.