Joint Case

Chapter 21: Arc 4 - Arm Organization I

Cale settles in walking towards his destination.

While taking care of the sick Alver, he receives a message from his old friend. It was the time he was awake, taking care of the rising temperature of Alver once more.

A simple text of the location and time with the initial of C.B. which he knew too well. Short, simple and concise. A habit he's familiar with so much.

Light footsteps sound on the concrete of the pavement as he continues strolling leisurely. His gaze roaming around the scenery.

Nostalgic rising within the depths of his stoic exterior. It cannot be helped. The surroundings did not change that much.
It was the same as before.

Reaching the location, he looks up and his mood becomes a bit complicated. It was still the same as before but standing in front of the meeting place, an unpleasant foreboding stealthy started brewing inside of him.

Cale should have been happy meeting his friend. It has been a long time since they met, and this occasion should be warm, however he did not feel like that. His intuition, occupational disease is sending warning signals to him.

He ponders for a moment then a sigh is released from his lips. Cale took out his phone and sent a message to one of his subordinates.

Thanks to his sharp hearing, he could hear heavy footsteps coming his way, he did not lift his head up even though he knew someone was arriving. From his peripheral vision, he sees a pair of black boots in front of him.

The corner of his lips curls upwards.

"You're here."

Cale let out a light chuckle hearing the sentence. He looked up and at the same time slid his phone inside his pocket.

"Yeah. Nice to see you once more." He says, eyes turning into crescent seeing his former partner right in front of him.

"Cale Barrow." He calls out the name mischievously.

The man named Cale Barrow, has a hair color similar to Cale Henituse's red hair. Eyes identical to his. The wind blew gently towards their direction making their hairs flutter in the air.

A scene from the past overlaps at the present. As if two young inexperienced rookie detectives meet at their usual meeting place after a tiring case. Years pass, both stood at the same place anew with different standing to their lives.

"Let's go inside." Barrow said, gesturing for Cale to follow like how they did it before.

He turns his heels around walking towards inside, Cale trailing behind him, steps light but his body tense. Their figures disappear from the passersby's curious sight.

In the distance, an old vendor sniffs and mutters softly that no one can hear.

"Haaaaa. I finally see the two again. The same place and time, in spite of that, nothing is the same anymore. For sure, between the two, one must die."

The vendor pushes his worn out cart, pressing his hat to fully cover his face. He whistles an unfamiliar tune that no one recognizes except for the people who clearly knew the tune.

Bystanders pass by the old vendor, and a lady feels goosebumps rising on her arms. She rubs it and utters to herself.

"Strange. Why does the sound seem familiar at the same time not?" She shrugs it off after, continuing as if she never had thought of it.

The vendor vanishes from the crowd of people.

Cale pulls a chair and sits down likewise Barrow did the same. Both of them squint their eyes, observing each other. The air stagnants as the two continue their confrontation.