Chapter Fifteen: Formicophilia:

March 2nd, 2010.

9:28 p.m.

The wedding had to be perfectly ideal. So, Tsuzuki decided to go basic. He carried Anna back to their room in the traditional way. Anna slid open the door and her husband kissed on the forehead.

"I love you," he whispered. Anna nuzzled him on the neck. He carried her to their futon, but he didn't let go right away.

"Anna-chan," the groom said. His bride looked up.

"Yes?" she asked. Tsuzuki gave her a small kiss, his lips nearly touched her earlobe.

"I want to treat you like a virgin tonight," he murmured. She parted her lips to speak, but he lightly shushed her.

"Please?" he whispered. Anna pressed her lips together.

"Alright," she said. Tsuzuki kissed her forehead.

"Thank you," he whispered. He kissed her on the lips and laid his bride on the futon. Anna watched as he stood over her.

"Now," he said. "I'll be right back. Just going out to get one more little present for you." The bride tilted her head.

"Another gift?" she asked. Tsuzuki smiled and patted her on the head.

"Now just stay right there," he said. The shinigami knelt down and gave her a little kiss. Her heart softened to get into the atmosphere. Tsuzuki gently pulled away. The bride watched as he left the room.

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April 7th, 2010.

8:47 p.m.

The case didn't seem to be moving at all. As a result, Konoe sent Tatsumi to step in.

"I told you, we're fine," Tsuzuki insisted. Tatsumi didn't buy it.

"Your investigation is going nowhere," he said.

"We're fine!" Tsuzuki insisted. Tatsumi narrowed his eyes.

"Prove it," he said. The color drained from Tsuzuki�s face. Oh crap! Now what? The shinigami forced himself to smile.

"Alright," he said. "In fact, you pick the place." Please don't let it be a strip club!

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Luckily, the shinigami ended up at a tea house. Well, more of cosplay tea house. Tonight's theme? Geisha and the Floating World. At least the girls were dressed in short, brightly colored kimono here. The men enjoyed the attention they lavished on them. The secretary felt relaxed here. I miss times like this, he thought. At least the women had some class then. However, he was not here for that. The man turned to Hisoka.

"What do you have so far?" he whispered. A hostess came by and refilled their drinks. Hisoka took a sip of his soda.

"Not much," he said. Busy place tonight, must be discount night. Why else would there be mostly old men here? Sure, the shinigami were old too, but still�

"Well, what do you have?" Tatsumi asked. The girls looked young in this tea house. The "baby" of the employees had to be eighteen tops, probably a bit older. Her clothes and make-up made her look even younger. Hisoka set down his drink.

"Just rumors and girls trying to have sex with us," he said. Some girls had their tongues down some of the patrons' throats. Twenty-something ladies sat in their laps, legs on either side of them. A couple of middle-aged business men in nice suits groped on the girls' big busts underneath their yellow and green kimono. Dirty minds could only imagine how wet they were. The men may have been watching the foreplay show, but Tatsumi had his eyes focused on a particular pair.

"Kurosaki-kun," he said. The koto music on a cd floated over their heads as Hisoka looked at him. Tatsumi didn't wait for an answer.

"Does she look familiar to you?" he asked. Hisoka turned in the direction that his senior was pointing. Tsuzuki sat on the velvet green couch with a "geisha." He held a cup of hot green tea as she talked his ears off. Her whitish-plum kimono drew in attention to every curve on her small body, but what caught the men's attention the most was her bright red hair that came down to her shoulders. Her hair lightened up the make-on her face. Hisoka frowned.

"She looks like Kimoto-san," he mumbled.

"Yes," Tatsumi replied. Both watched Tsuzuki and the geisha with strong doubt in their minds. He drank his tea as she kept talking.