Still Doll

A Disastrous Aftermath

The news of Meniandro's death and his mansion being burned down the ground reached Dmitri's ears two days after the incident. Dmitri immediately dressed up upon receiving an invitation for his funeral and called Mitsuhiko to escort him to the columbarium.

According to the reports, Meniandro along with his thirty personnel, guards and maids included, died and had their remains burned crisp inside the mansion. The fire was raised to the fourth alarm and their burnt corpses could hardly be recognized. There were barely items retrievable to be used as evidences for the investigation but the fire was declared to be arson due to the traces of a flammable substance used to speed up the flames.

Among the corpses, Meniandro's was said to have burned the most because most of his body parts were charred and missing. His bedroom was the most destroyed part of the house and it was believed that the fire started inside it. His stash of BDSM equipments was found and his other possessions were burned to ashes.

Mitsuhiko told his other co-workers, including Kurapika, that Meniandro's remains were already cremated when it was displayed on the funeral. Theories of the cause of fire and his death were the topic of most conversation of his visitors, and the plausible motive of the culprit was speculated to be revenge. Meniandro, after all, was known to be a BDSM practitioner and had abused a number of victims, children and abducted women included. He was also known to have many enemies due to his attitude, not to mention business rivals. There was a lack of evidences and lead to look for suspects and the man was tyrannical enough to get himself a bunch of enemies, and it would take time to narrow them down. The CCTV cameras were disabled before the estimated time of the victims' death. The investigators concluded that it was a work of a professional, a very good and very angry one at that.

Dmitri was decisively bothered and tired when they got home. He went straight to his room and when he bumped into Kurapika on the hallway to the master's bedroom, he shot him a long, sharp and studying look. Kurapika easily recognized it as an accusatory look; he knew right then and there that their relationship as the boss and the employee was officially doomed.

And that just worsened Kurapika's condition.

* * *

Two days prior to that eye contact, hours later after the fire was put out, Kurapika returned to Dmitri's manor, weary but visibly fine. Save for the eye bags and the despondent look in his eyes, he was more or less okay. Sleeplessness was what he reasoned out when Mitsuhiko asked him of why he looked like a zombie, while Senritsu spared him a worried look that said 'you are lying.' When Mitsuhiko prodded into his business even more and asked where he had gone, Kurapika said he just met someone for a talk. He even added that he got a bit drunk and he really just needed sleep despite not reeking of alcohol at all. Mitsuhiko bought all those crap, saying with a hint of smile that Kurapika turned out to be just another young adult doing things other people his age did; working his ass out during the day and drinking with buddies from time to time by night.

Senritsu was unconvinced and as expected, she made an attempt to approach Kurapika to ask what had his heart beat so unstable, melancholic and erratic like that.

"I've brought some pills to help your hangover," she called out from the door, holding a tray with glass of water and pills even though knowing they wouldn't be used.

"Come in," Kurapika replied, he had changed into his sleeping clothes, sitting on the bed and was about to get some more sleep when Senritsu entered. It brought a memory from before: when Senritsu played the flute for him after Kuroro raped him.

Senritsu was looking at him with very worried eyes, just like that time. She ambled closer to his bedside table and placed the tray on it.

"Kurapika," she began. "Are you—?"