Smoke and Mirrors"Welcome, welcome~"

As always, that grating shrill drowns out the chime of the doorbell as Gentaro accompanies his brother into The Paw Print. Though Jitsuyo dons a polite smile on his lips, poised with a calm composure and unshakable serenity, Gentaro struggles to keep a straight face at the sight of the café's proprietor. Truly, how unfortunate that this fine establishment belongs to such a brainless blatherskite.

"Well, if it isn't my fave pair of twinsies" Hifumi says, his voice unbearably loud this early in the morning. "What can I get'cha today The regular"

"Yes, Hifumi-san, the regular will do," Jitsuyo answers for the both of them. Gentaro has long learned to hold his tongue around Hifumi, else he be tempted to throttle him again — or rather, he tries.

"Coming right up" chirps Hifumi and Gentaro averts his gaze before Hifumi’s grin can blind him, the man's perpetual cheer exhausting at this hour. At any hour, really.

With Hifumi tending to their order, Gentaro and Jitsuyo take their seats at their usual spot — a table for two by the window, a perfect view of the people who liven up the streets outside. The Yumeno Agency doesn't open until nine, but Jitsuyo spreads the manila folder containing their latest case across the table. Gentaro himself may be a procrastinator, but Jitsuyo prefers to skim the facts beforehand. "It helps get my brain running," he claims, and despite how hazardous Jitsuyo's dedication can be, Gentaro has nothing but respect for his dear brother.

"One macchiato for Jitsucchi, one latte for Gentarin, and a wrap for two Enjoy, boys~"

Porcelain clinks against the wooden table, breakfast something Gentaro gladly accepts over that childish nickname, though the scent of French vanilla soothes his irritation enough to give Hifumi his thanks. If anything, he has to admit he makes an excellent cup of coffee. All good things in life come with a caveat, he supposes.

"You guys are working already" Hifumi says, peering over his shoulder. "Dead bodies are just gonna put a dump in your cup of joe"

Huffing, Gentaro closes the folder. It's confidential material, after all. "Mysteries don't solve themselves, Hifumi-san."

"And mysteries won't get solved if you don't rest a lil'" Poking at Gentaro's cheeks, Hifumi says, "Like, sheesh, have you seen yourself You're gonna get all wrinkly if you keep frowning like that"

Before he can beat Hifumi senseless, Jitsuyo speaks up. "Don't worry about us, Hifumi-san," he says, pleasant as ever, "those wrinkles will peel off eventually. Us Yumenos shed our skins yearly, I'll have you know."

To Gentaro's amusement, Hifumi's face scrunches up in distaste. Moments like these remind him why he loves his brother so much.

"Sounds like you guys need more than a lil' bit of rest There's an onsen nearby, y'know. I can hook you up with a discount" /Ding-ding/ "Oh, welcome~"

Never had Gentaro been so grateful for the shopkeeper's bell. On cue, Hifumi turns his attention to the incoming customers and leaves them behind like forgotten toys. Leaning into the palm of his hand, Gentaro heaves a sigh of relief.

"Lighten up, won't you" Jitsuyo teases. "You'll burn a hole into the evidence with that glare."

Side-eyeing the proprietor flittering to and fro, Gentaro says, "I will once I get rid of this headache of mine."

"He's not so bad," says Jitsuyo. "He's a fun conversationalist when you get to chat with him properly.

"If by 'fun' you mean 'frustrating', then I might believe you."

"'Frustrating' can't be spelled without the letters of 'fun', little brother~"

"I can think of another word that fits the criteria as well," Gentaro mutters as he takes a sip of his coffee.

Chuckling, Jitsuyo begins reviewing the case. Six cases of suspected homicide, the crime scenes split between Roppongi and Kabukicho, and a bottle of champagne found not too far from the bodies — a puzzle that has yet to be pieced together. The gears in Gentaro's head spin as he tries to connect the dots and the way Jitsuyo mirrors his contemplative expression tells him that they already share a couple of speculations. Before he can articulate his thoughts, however, a separate point of interest catches his attention.

"Hi~fu~mi~"

Despite himself, Gentaro's eyes snap towards the source of the voice. As perky as her husband and full of vivacity, the proprietress enters the café surrounded by that unnerving air of hers. Skirting through the tables, Honobono latches onto Hifumi with absolutely no shame at all and pulls him in for a kiss.

Hifumi's blindingly bright grin grows dimmer. It's not the first time it's happened.

Keitoin Hifumi and Honobono, the happiest couple in the neighborhood — but a strange one indeed. In a break from societal norms, it was Hifumi who'd taken on Honobono's surname and moved in with her when they married. "Keitoin Hifumi has a nice ring to it, don'tcha think" is what Hifumi says when questioned about it, and certainly, that answer would've been enough to sate Gentaro's curiosity if not for the alarms that blare in his head when he sees Keitoin Honobono.

From the sly lilt in her words to the sadistic streak in her actions, Honobono's sweetness hints at acidity underneath. Many have commented on her unsettling presence, the fraught chill that cuts through the café whenever she's around, but of course, none of this is sufficient evidence to investigate her. While the rumor mill has tilled plenty of gossip about her — about the Keitoins — no case has ever been pushed forth about them. As it is, Gentaro can't do more than assume that appearances are deceiving and that perhaps this is an instance of overthinking.

Still, Gentaro keeps a sharp lookout. Hifumi may be a nuisance, yes, but he wouldn't wish serious harm upon him. In the end, his only offense is that he'd been too blunt.

“Gentaro” Jitsuyo calls out to him, tearing him away from his thoughts. “Did you hear me”

Minding his place, Gentaro says, "I’m sorry, could you repeat that"

And like the dutiful assistant he is, Gentaro listens as Jitsuyo goes over his theory once more — though Gentaro has always been too curious for his own good. He steals one last glance at the Keitoins, that falsely perfect picture of a happily married couple, and tucks this mystery away for another day.