Chapter Twenty-Two: Dendrophilia:

March 1st, 2010.

6:48 p.m.

Tsuzuki walked into Fairy Kiss Bakery with the sixteen-year-old girl. Her older sister perked up.

"Welcome!" she cheered to him for the second time that day. Tsuzuki smiled and waved at her.

"Hello," he said. "I've come for the cake." The owner's brown eyes twinkled for a brief second.

"And have you made your selection?" she asked, handing him a book of cake designs. The shinigami grinned as he flipped open the book to the exact page that he wanted.

"Right here," he said as he pointed to page eleven. The girls looked at the design in question. Tsuzuki wanted a three-layer white chocolate cake with cherry blossom petals baked inside. The cherry blossom icing decoration made a good match to the cake itself atop of the white frosting. The branch on the side gave the pink flowers a rather cute touch to them. Both sisters looked up with jaws wide open. Tsuzuki gave their facial expression an odd look.

"Is� something wrong?" he asked.

"That�s daddy cake!" the younger girl gasped.

"Daddy's cake?" Tsuzuki asked.

"He made it for our mother as a present on her twentieth birthday," the older sister explained. "He used it to propose to her on that evening. He created it on a whim to impress our mother." The older sister, Momoko, pushed back her black bangs out of her eyes. "When I was really little," she continued. "He and mama created the recipe to make it better for my sister and me to bake the cake ourselves one day. We haven't even tried to replicate even after their deaths." Tsuzuki looked intrigued by this point.

"Why is that?" he asked.

"I'm afraid it won't turn out like he described it," the older sister replied. "We aren't as advanced as our father was. We only started this bakery a month ago and we've only done the basics."

"Let my fianc�e and I be your judges," the shinigami offered. Both sisters looked at him with big eyes.

"What?" Momoko asked. "You're joking, right?" Tsuzuki gave them a huge grin.

"In fact," he said. "I'll make a little bet with you: if it's good, I'll pay half price for bring the first to try it. If it's not good, I'll pay full price. Are we on?" Both sisters gave him an odd look. Who the hell was this man?

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April 8th, 2010.

Noon.

Hours later, Tatsumi made an important call. He paced around as the other line rang.

"Hello?" a woman's voice asked. Tatsumi eased up some.

"Ah, Tana-san," he said. "Just the person I need to speak to."

"What can I do for you?"

"I have a couple of things to ask you."

"Go on."

"Well, the first one is about the case Tsuzuki and Hisoka are working on."

"Alright."

"What's your opinion on the set-up so far?"

"It still looks a lust murder."

Tatsumi narrowed his eyes. "What makes you say that?"

"Okay, the victims have been couples so far, right?"

"Yes."

"Describe how they are."

"Dressed in black and posed."

"Posed how?"

Tatsumi rubbed on his forehead, thinking. "Sweet and romantic."

"I see."

"What are you thinking?"

"I do have a theory, but I need the pictures to confirm it."

"I'll send them over right away."

"And what was your other problem?"

Tatsumi frowned as he remembered the mess that could unfold. "Yes, Kimoto-san is in Kabukicho too. She came here this morning."

"Go on."

"I'm worried about� you know."

"They should be fine as long as they are supervised."

"You sure about that?"

"Yeah. In fact, I was thinking about a little home visit when you called."

Tatsumi grinned. "How soon can you get here?"

"By this afternoon if I leave now."'

"I'll meet you at the station."

"See you then."

"Goodbye."

"Bye," Tana said back. Tatsumi breathed in relief. Maybe things could go smoother now.