--- Death by coal stove. Snacks in the bathroom. Dirty laundry in the kitchen. A massive meal for two. What are their connections to the victim’s death? Who could have done it? Was it really poison gas from the coal, or is the real death masked by something more sinister?
These questions have been haunting Martial Kim all day. There has never been a moment where he could stop thinking about the possibilities and the many deductions. However, he failed to grasp – with the way he was thinking using ‘old school’ techniques, it wasn’t possible for him to reach the most accurate conclusion.
That was why he tried to draw on as much knowledge from Professor Stone in the forensic lab, listening to every explanation. Alas, he was being too hasty. Just taking small cups of knowledge, he tried to force a breakthrough in his head.
Obviously, Prof. Stone was no fool – neither was he a parent to point out the young master’s mistakes. So he decided to have a change of pace, and invited the young master to dinner at his own house. At least, to commemorate their apprenticeship.
He also invited a guest star, in hopes to lift Martial Kim’s spirits.
"Kikkeriii! We’re here Professor Stone! Thanks for inviting us!"
“Heeey! Keekee! Kim! Welcome! Come on in, make yourself at home!”
Keekee was dressed up. Obviously nothing like overalls and a tank top, neither anything showy like a ball room dress. The best casual drip she could muster from her closet: open shoulder sweater with long sleeves hiding half of her hands, a velvet skirt with some sparkle like glitter on the hems, and of course matching pantyhose! Not to mention, she happily kicked off her fancy boots. Classy or not, pain was pain, and she only wore them on special occasions.
Martial Kim on the other hand...sigh.
“Oi oi oi,” Prof. Stone snapped at his protege, waving a pair of cooking tongs. “What are you doing?”
“T-Teacher. Did you not just say, come in and make ourselves at home? Why so defensive?”
"Shoes!"
"Yes. I am wearing them."
"My house, my rules, shoes - off! Off off!"
“...Oh yes. Right. Apologies, Teacher.”
Martial Kim stumbled and sighed as he neatly put his shoes aside...in fact he spared a moment to fix Keekee’s boots to stand up properly next to his, before coming into the house. The first thing he absorbed, was the layout of his teacher’s house.
--- Although there are some slight difference in shape and size, the layout are almost similar to the victims. Multiple private rooms, separate spaces for different activities, even the furniture and what not. Ah, he also has a mirror that I can barely see my own reflection... But why is it, the moment I walk in, Teacher’s house feels right. As it should be?
“Alright, you two lovebirds are free to look around.” Prof. Stone laughed as he ushered his guests in “But hands off the bottle ships, or I’ll murder you – joke joke, Kim. Sarcasm, you-you know that right? Anyhow, I got a kitchen to attend to. So, go on, have fun. No canoodling.”
“W-wait! Teacher, we are not...Lo..vers...” Martial Kim felt his words fall apart like a brittle cookie. One glance at his partner, and they broke eye contact with rose cheeks. “This um...this house looks different than your grandmother’s cabin.”
“Huh? Oh yeah.” Keekee fumbled a hand through her freshly curled hair, smoothing out any tangles and brushing them away from her clean face, “Like I said, my grandma was like super ‘old old school’. So it would make sense there is a difference.”
“Is...this how houses in this world normally look?”
“World?—Oh yeah, yeah. I mean. It’s no Beverly Hill Mansion, but yeah people live like this. They also live in condos, apartments—”
“Condors? Apart what?”
“...Wh-why don’t we sit down and watch TV! Wh-what do you like? Drama? Action? History? I-I mean, the last one puts me to sleep but if you like it, Kim, we can watch it together! Yeah!”
Martial Kim was struggling between reality, his mind, and his past. Literally three worlds mashing together. Should he be more serious and think about the case; or should he try and understand how modern culture and living work; maybe figure out if there is anything here he could adapt back to the Jade Empire for the people to get a taste of this common luxury.
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“K-Kim. I um...” Keekee rubbed a hand across Martial Kim’s back to console him. “H-how was your first day at work?”
“Huh? O-oh uh it was...decent?”
Keekee grinned at the lie. The only reason why she was here was because she got the full story from the forensic chemist. Still, the young master was making an attempt to make her feel better – at least his mind isn’t entirely on the case, hopefully. Now, best to get them both comfortable.
After setting Martial Kim on the couch, she would poke her head into the kitchen, “Prof. Stone. Do you mind if I use your bathroom?”
Prof. Stone was in the middle of pan frying several hearty looking steaks with a pair of tongs. He gave a hum and answered, “Mi Casa, Su Casa.”
"Thanks!" And Keekee ran off, only for the young master to intercept her like a hawk. "WHOA!? K-Kim? What?"
"Miss Keekee. Teacher did not give you permission."
"...H-he just did."
Martial Kim didn’t mean to be rude, but etiquette was etiquette, “Teacher answered neither Yes nor No. It would be improper to borrow a room without—”
“Oh! Ooooh! Silly silly Kim!” Keekee laughed and slapped a hand across the young master’s chest. “Mi Casa. Su Casa. It means My House is your House, in Spanish! S-sometimes we use expressions to answer each other, so he gave me the go ahead!”
“.......Ah...F-forgive me. Miss Keekee, I did not mean to offend you.”
“Oh come on, we’re friends right, Kim? Besties! Nothing you do bothers me at all! No cap!”
“...Besties? N-no cap?” Martial Kim tried to ask what those terms meant, but the film assistant hurried to the bathroom. Before the young master turned away—he lunged at her like a hawk again, right before she could close the door. “Miss Keekee.”
“EEP!”
"Sorry. I did not mean to startle you. I would like to ask: may I join you? In the bathroom?"
"...Wut?"
“I need your help,” Martial Kim explained, “There is something, I would like to understand. In the bathroom. I hope, if you could help me clarify something. Mi casa su casa.”
“K-Kim that’s not how it...uh...Suuuure?”
Keekee was not really sure about this, but not like the young master caught her with her pants down to her ankles. She hadn’t even touched the zipper on her skirt yet. Since she can hold it, she spared him a few minutes and gave him a general overview.
“Mirror. Bathtub. Shower head. Toilet roll—I don’t see how it’s different than the bathroom back in the cabin. What are you asking for exactly?”
“This,” Martial Kim pointed, “That was not in our cabin, right?”
“...Oh! The medicine cabinet? Ah, no wonder you didn’t recognize it. We do have one, only it has a mirror. Prof. Stone’s is just wooden doors.”
“Medicine cabinet?”
Keekee would pull open the doors to the cabinet to reveal its contents. Martial Kim looked up and down...not a single thing looked edible inside.
“Yeah,” Keekee answered, “Painkillers, skin cream, box of bandages, Q-tips. I mean, the medicine cabinet back in the cabin is roughly the same – well granted, it has some make up and—”
“You...keep medicines inside of this bathroom? Not an apothecary or shelf outside? Would not the moisture from the bath spoil the medicines from the moisture and humidity?”
Keekee crossed her leg, trying to get comfortable – and trying to hold her bladder, “I mean, everything comes in special bottles to keep them dry inside. Some airtight. And often tucked in boxes. I mean, everyone puts medicine in these cabinets – easy to find in an emergency. See, we even put a first aid kit like this in here.”
“...What about something edible? Food? Biscuits?”
“Huh? Ew, no. That’s just wrong...S-speaking of wrong, c-could you um...Uh.”
Martial Kim stared...until he recognized the way Keekee was dancing on her toes. “Oh heavens! Forgive me!”
“Thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaanks!” The second the man was out of the bathroom, Keekee slammed the door and locked it.
Outside, Martial Kim raced away before his immaculate ears could hear the waterworks and he braced against the wall of shame...or just a regular wall in this case.
--- How thoughtless of me? I was focused on finding the answer to the riddle from this morning, I completely forgot my surroundings.
“Kiiiiiiiiiiiiiim.”
“Ah.” Martial Kim twisted around, no time to hide how red his face was. “T-Teacher!”
Prof. Stone gave his protege a SUS look, clapping his tongs like a crab claw, “What were you doing in the bathroom, with Keekee?”
“.................................................................I had a question.”
“Oooooooooh. A questioooooooooon. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.”
--- Please Teacher! Stop looking at me with such judging gaze!
At this rate with Martial Kim’s head in the clouds, it was only a matter of time before his reputation would be as worthless as finely grounded sand. Sigh.
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