Chapter Forty: Autassassinophilia:

March 1st, 2010.

12:45 p.m.

Tsuzuki insisted on buying a cake. "The birthday girl needs a cake!" he said. Anna threw up her hands.

"Okay, okay," she said. "We'll get a cake." Her fianc� grinned.

"Thanks!" the shinigami cheered. Anna smiled and shook her head.

"Honestly," she said. "You're acting like it's your birthday." Tsuzuki bowed his head.

"Sorry," he said. Anna smiled.

"Silly,� she said. The woman stuck out her tongue. They headed out to search for a bakery. Anna turned to her lover.

"Do you know where you are going?" she asked. Tsuzuki ignored her question and looked around. Anna nudged him on the arm.

"Honey," she said. "Where are we going?" The shinigami glanced down at her.

"Hm?" he asked.

"Where are we going?" Anna asked again. Her boyfriend grinned at her.

"Secret!" he said. His fianc� tilted her head.

"In other words, you don't know," she said.

"Come on, have a little faith in me."

"Okay�" she said. �What's the bakery's name?" Tsuzuki looked around for a bit.

"Well�" he said. His eyes shifted around to the shops on either side of him. Finally, the shinigami spotted his target.

"There!" he said, pointing. Anna turned and looked down the street. She raised an eyebrow at what she saw.

"Fairy Kiss Bakery?" she asked.

"Yeah," Tsuzuki said. "Let's go in." He took hold of Anna's hand. His fianc�e kept a small smile on her face.

"Alright," she said. Tsuzuki ushered her over to the bakery. The bells jingled like a fairy's jewels as he opened the door. Anna had to drag him inside after he drooled over the yummy cakes on display in the big shop window. Two girls at the counter looked up.

"Welcome!" they said.

"Hello!" Tsuzuki said. The man turned to his fianc�e and whispered in her ear. "Let me talk to them first," he told her.

"What?" Anna whispered with a strange look on her face. Tsuzuki put up his hand.

"I've got it," he insisted. "Stay there." Anna drew her mouth closed. Right, Tsuzuki thought. The man walked up to the counter. The girls gave him an odd look. He spent the last ten minutes drooling at the display in the front window, then he was whispering to his ladylove, but now he switched to a more serious attitude.

"Hi," Tsuzuki said. The older girl blinked at him.

"Can we help you?" she asked.

"I would like to order two cakes today," the shinigami said, grinning.

"Okay," she replied. Tsuzuki held up his hand.

"Wait," he said. "I didn't finish." Tsuzuki pointed over at Anna. "Today is her birthday. So, I want the first cake today." The older girl nodded.

"Okay," she said. "And the other one?"

"Now the other one," he began. The shinigami leaned in close to the girls and they did likewise.

"That's for the wedding tomorrow," Tsuzuki whispered. The younger girl's amber eyes lit up.

"Oh, you're getting married!" she gasped.

"Shhh!" he said. "She doesn't know it yet." The sisters nodded, covering their mouths. Anna watched them the whole time. Why are they talking so softly? The girls at the counter understood.

"Alright," the older girl answered. "Which cake would you like today?" Tsuzuki turned to Anna.

"Honey, come pick out the cake you want," he said.

"Alright," she said. They ended up with a strawberry-lemon cake with whipped frosting.

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April 22nd, 2010.

9:00 p.m.

She wasn't there that night and that really disappointed him. He gathered up his courage to come to Club Red Rose tonight, but now� He pushed open the glass door and went inside. Six hostesses in red greeted him.

"Welcome!" they all said. He looked among them.

"Where is she?" he asked.

"Who?" an elegant voice asked. Everyone looked up to see Mariko walking towards him. He swallowed a bit.

"The blonde-haired hostess that I saw in the picture on the board," he said.

"You mean Charlotte-chan?" she asked. "Oh, she has the night off tonight."

He frowned. "Oh."

"Is there another girl that you would like, sir?" Mariko asked. Her smooth honey voice seduced him into silence. He slowly pointed towards her.

"You!" he yelped. "I want you!" Mariko's facial expression didn't change.

"How much are you willing to pay?" she asked.

"My whole pay check!" he blurted out. He reached into his vest and drew out the envelope. The girls in red kind of giggled. Mariko looked intrigued.

"Alright," she said. "But you'll have to share me tonight, my fianc�'s here with me." His cheeks looked so warm and red when she said that.

"Sure!" he nearly squeaked. The other girls looked shocked. How could a nerdy guy land their senpai like that? She usually turned away guys like him.

"Maybe he's really rich, they whispered.

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He spent the first part of the night observing the hostess and her forty-something boyfriend. Visually, they were a perfect match for his plans. Their youth already begun to slip away, but yet old age had this odd appeal to them. Mariko's elegance oozed from her looks, body, personality, and voice. He understood right away why she was so popular in this club. The girls just idolized her. Her boyfriend complimented her as well-- Clean shaved, successful with his business, and possibly a kind man. For a bonus, the couple showed they were in love just by gentle touches. He smiled, shaking his head. Such a shame, really. Mariko picked up the sake.

"Would you like more?" she asked. He waved his hand back and forth.

"No," he said. "I've got a better idea." Mariko raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?" she asked. He gave her a nod before leaning in close to her ear.

"I have a better game back at my place," he whispered. "Interested?" She looked him in the eye.

"Why should I be?" she asked. He pulled out extra banknotes from his jeans pocket and placed them in her delicate palm. Her deep red eyes widened in shock.

"Your boyfriend can come along too," he offered, smiling. It didn't take long for the three of them to walk out of the door. That was the last anyone would see of Mariko and her fianc� alive.