2025-12-22: Katsuya Reassures A Housewife
- Log: Katsuya Reassures A Housewife
- Cast: Yua Ooshiro, Katsuya Suou
- Where: Konan - Police Station
- OOC Date: 2025-12-22
- IC Date: Wed Aug 29 2012
- Summary: Yua, taking Shinobu's advice, goes to try and spend some more time with Kimitake... only to find that he's very busy with his work! But Katsuya, who eternally drew the short straw, is nonetheless kind enough to spend a little while talking with Yua about his colleague. He's able to reassure her that Kimitake's work persona matches well with the one he's shown her... though neither of them realise there are things Kimitake hides from the people around him. Yua feels guilt over trying to help her friends take Katsuya's life, as Katsuya decides that Yua is officially a Good-Hearted Woman. (Well, that's also true, alongside the attempted murder.)
<Pose Tracker> Katsuya Suou has posed.
Technically speaking, it should be a feather in his cap: he had, with the aid of the SIU, supported local enforcement in Iwatodai in cracking down on a massive human trafficking operation. People have been rescued from a life too horrible to dwell on, and with time and assistance, will go on to live normal lives. The people directly involved are in custody, and others connected to it are being apprehended. Problem solved, justice rendered, and so on.
...Technically speaking.
But no, he remains troubled. The problem isn't 'solved' as such. His role in it is done, but isn't this just a symptom of something 'bigger'?
And, as Akechi had mentioned during their first proper meeting, there's still the matter of the 'unknown factor' involving itself with his own workplace -- with his own colleagues. He's accepted that he has to be careful, now, but...
...is it possible that he's imagining that people have become that much more distant towards him after the details of that bust made the news?
He can only hope so.
Also, in more recent news, he's become the owner of a goldfish. Fortunately, a pet like that is allowed by the terms for the police dorms (he checked, or his father would have found himself the newfound owner of a goldfish which would have been equally as confusing for the older Suou).
But all of these multifaceted things are neither here nor there.
"Suou-san," Hamade had interrupted his rumination with, prompting him to turn away from the coffee maker. "They're asking for you at the front desk." She looks a little worried. Is something going on?
Abandoning his attempt to obtain a cup of coffee, he thanks her and heads for the front desk. Too serious for a junior officer... surely not a homicide, or there wouldn't be a summons up front... it's probably something to do with a civilian, but...
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ooshiro has posed.
The wedding...
It's less than a week 'til it happens, now.
Yua needed a late start, today, after... the operation they undertook, while everyone was busy with the fireworks festival. For Yua, though, a late start doesn't put her all that late -- sure, she might have gone back to bed for a couple of hours after she got Miho her breakfast at five am, but she's still technically here at the station before lunch.
Now, here Yua is, in her usual black dancer's leotard -- with ankle-supporting shoes and compression socks rather than pointe shoes, though that's not immediately obvious as she's standing behind the counter. Her dark teal hair's back in a tight bun, revealing the eyepatch over her left eye; there's a fabric decoration stretched over her right hand, from right to bracelet, and a mokone gane engagement ring on her left ring finger. (And several other decorations, beside; gold bracelets, a gold and black choker, garnet earrings...)
She's Kimitake Ijuuin's fiancee; he introduced her on the news, a little while ago, and once he'd done that he started talking about her in the office too. ... apparently, she's a woman with her own experiences around trafficking.
She certainly doesn't look that sad, though.
"Oh!" Yua smiles, with garnet-painted lips, as she raises a tawny hand to see the Sergeant approaching. She seems to recognise him, though from where, it's hard to say. "Sergeant? Are you one of the men who works with Kimi-san...? I was just asking if he was in..."
He's not, of course; he's quite busy on a case, which explains why he's still working a few days before his wedding. But just who he is becomes a little clearer, when Yua's cheeks flush, and she stammers: "O-oh! I mean, Inspector Ijuuin! Sorry, please excuse me -- I'm his fiancee...? Um, Yua Ooshiro..."
And that's why Katsuya drew the short straw of dealing with This Specific Civilian. She looks a little bothered... this is the first time she's come to bother Kimitake at his workplace, certainly.
(It's not the first time she's visited the precinct, though. She's previously shown up here... to complain about the behaviour of officers who weren't entirely acting befitting to their badges. Those complaints, predictably, were brushed away...)
<Pose Tracker> Katsuya Suou has posed.
He recognizes her at a glance. She's that dance instructor from Seven Sisters. The Joker Killer had wounded her that day!
Also she's engaged to one of his colleagues. Kimitake Ijuuin: he'd seen it on TV. The wedding is happening in a week's time, or there abouts. As a fellow officer, he'd received an invitation: he had to call in to rent a tuxedo (he might like to dress nicely, but events in which he's invited to that call for a tuxedo hardly call for him to spend that much on something he'd wear only rarely -- he's still tethered to a police detective's salary!).
That, anyway, is certainly an engagement ring on her left hand, even if there were any doubt remaining.
"Yes, I am Sergeant Katsuya Suou," he tells her, glancing ever so briefly at the other officers who in turn evade his gaze. Something is going on here, but he doesn't think it's because of a crime that's been committed. Rather--
Kimi... san?
He's silent for a moment, recalibrating his brain by degrees. "I," he starts to say, as she flushes, excuses herself, and makes a correction. "Ah, yes, I thought that you seemed familiar. It is good to meet you, Ooshiro-san."
Ijuuin hasn't spoken of his fiancee much at all when Katsuya's been in earshot, but the man is very professional and rarely talks at all about his personal life. Katsuya, being who he is, hasn't seen it fit to ask after the woman a superior officer is bound to marry.
And now here he is, with barely any information at all about the woman in question (she's a dance teacher. she has some past history with trafficking cases. she's Okinawan.) and it seems that he won't get a lifeline from his colleagues here, either.
At least on one account, he can help her directly, though. Katsuya shakes his head. "I am afraid that Ijuuin-san is not available. Is there something that I can help you with?"
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ooshiro has posed.
Katsuya seems to be looking for a lifeline, glancing over his shoulder like that... is he perhaps, Yua wonders, unused to speaking with women?
(Oh, Yua. You don't know the half of it.)
"Pleased to meet you!" She chirps, and give Yua credit: she's a fine thespian, and none of the remorse in her heart reaches her sunny expression. (She tried to kill this poor man... or at least provide the conditions for Remi and Miho to be able to do so. Isn't there a complicated term for that? Assisting a murder?) "Sergeant Suou... yes, I've heard of you! I'm a little familiar!"
And that, at least, should cover anything that does slip.
"Haaah, that's too bad..." Yua sighs, shaking her head. "But I suppose," she says, a touch disappointed, "he's very busy..."
She pauses, then, tapping a finger to her cheek as she looks up. "Ah... I don't suppose you have a moment yourself, Suou-san? I was wondering... what kind of a man Kimi-san is at work, and... surely his co-workers would know!"
... Yua doesn't know what kind of a man he is at work? Aren't they getting married in six days?!
He's definitely come across this vibe before, though: the Lonely Housewife who Needs To Talk. Normally, they come in to report mail theft or noisy dogs or disruptive neighbours... but it's really not all that different.
All those women are seeking reassurance. What's a just man to do...?
<Pose Tracker> Katsuya Suou has posed.
He's perfectly capable of talking with women, as long as no one brings to his attention that he is in fact speaking to a woman, or is in a situation where relationships could be misconstrued. It's hard out there for a man with a very rigid set of morals... and who is very, very bad at navigating certain social situations. There's a reason why Katsuya's never managed to make any of his relationships work out, to date.
As far as he's aware, they've never met. Alas, there's absolutely no resemblance between that woman -- who had, as far as Katsuya is concerned, seemed as if she was out of her mind, possibly because of some substance -- and the affable, charming woman in front of him. All he knows is that she was in danger, once, and was even wounded! But it appears that all is well and in fact, looking quite up indeed for her.
She says she's familiar with him.
"Is that so...? I see," he says, the picture of propriety. She probably heard his name on the news. ...Or, if he's really unlucky, she heard the gossip about the Joker Killer's 'announcement' a little while back.
Alas, a man of Ijuuin's stature is... very busy, especially with recent events. Technically speaking, so is Katsuya, but--
None of the officers at the front desk will meet his eyes. Ah. Now he thinks he understands what's going on here. ...So this isn't the first time...
But even so, it's not right to tell her to come back later. She did come here seeking assistance, and even if it's things like fielding complaints, or rescuing a cat from a tree, or picking up trash, an officer's duty is to the civilians he serves...!
At least, that's what he'd like to think.
Perhaps he can be excused from the rest of his work at the moment if he's helping her.
"I should be able to spare a few moments," he tells her, smiling reassuringly. But, what does he know about Kimitake Ijuuin...?
Well, he's from a wealthy family, but Yua obviously already knows that. Which means he works because he wants to, and that he's a police officer because he wants to. He's heard that he's even able to get confessions without much pressure at all, which is impressive, and eschews a excessive force andor brutality... Katsuya knows from his own interactions with the man that he has a forceful personality, but that isn't necessarily a bad or terrible thing, especially since he takes pains to manage his approach.
All in all, he's a good cop. A wonderful officer, the sort of person Katsuya would like to be able to be.
"I do not know him 'well', I would say," he tells Yua, "but in my interactions with him, he has never failed to be anything but an honorable, dedicated officer."
It must be difficult, he considers, being married to someone you barely know. An arranged marriage is a blessing and a curse. Actually, didn't he hear that Ijuuin was married before but had a divorce? ...Of course, those are not rare in this day and age.
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ooshiro has posed.
Luckily, it would be downright impossible to misconstrue Yua's relationship with Katsuya. She's wearing her ring quite prominently, and asking after her fiance...! Even if it's an arranged marriage, it's normal to think that the bride-to-be wouldn't have any eyes for anyone else... and it certainly helps that despite Katsuya being a Very Handsome Fellow (voted five times running by the local housewives' association), Yua doesn't seem terribly flustered by his looks.
... just kind of flustered in general. She must be one of those high-strung ladies... though certainly, no, not one who looks like she would ever take a drug.
"You were on the news?" Yua points out, helpfully. "How you helped bring down that awful business with young Kamiya-san... I was very happy to hear about your work!"
She heard the Joker Killer's announcement as well, of course. It may even have been part of why Miho was so eager to speak with him, when he appeared in the wake of their task. ... but she'd never speak of that, with how many of the officers in this precinct are working for the Powers that Be.
Yua smiles, when Katsuya reassures her, hands clasping together. "Thank you," she says, and so... she hears about his honour!
"Oh... I'm very glad to hear that!" She smiles, in the wake of that reply. "It might seem a little strange, but... there are many things I don't know about him, even though we're almost married. Father -- ah -- that is, the head of his clan arranged it all... it was quite a surprise when I first heard it!" Yua laughs, lightly, her fingers fanning across her lips. (Her nails are unpainted, now, naturally short; she heard the nail polish could be bad for the baby, and she presumes that fake nails might be just as troublesome.) "I'm close to the family because I'm best friends with Mimi, you see... um, I mean, Miho!" So she's the kind of person who gives everyone a nickname... how dangerous. "So -- so they wanted to be able to protect me. And he's been very kind, very considerate, he's taking care of all the arrangements for the wedding, even!... like, they're all rather imperious, and it can be a little intimidating, but Kimi-san's always taken the time to make sure I'm comfortable? Like... he knows he's a commanding kind of guy, so he's thoughtful about where he's standing and making sure I have the room to speak up... you know?"
She threads her fingers together, at her belly. "But I was thinking about how we hadn't spent much time together... so I wanted to see how he was at work, instead of just when he's come to visit me. It's not because I'm suspicious or anything," she shakes her head, "nothing like that! Just... I was curious? And one of my friends," okay, Shinobu is a contracted employee, but Yua invited her in for cupcakes and that officially makes her a friend, "pointed out how I really didn't know all that much about him, so... I wonder if that description sounds like him...?"
<Pose Tracker> Katsuya Suou has posed.
If she's in the position to be about to marry a husband that was chosen for her, then it stands to reason that having eyes for another would be fraught, at the very least. It's a level of society to which Katsuya isn't a part of: marriages like this often solidify family alliances, he's been led to understand. A woman in such a position would be well aware of the risks, even if her heart belonged to another and... perhaps he's being naive about it, but he doesn't get that feeling from Yua. She seems like she's interested in her husband-to-be, even if she doesn't know him very well.
At least with an arranged marriage, he considers to himself in private, there is the possibility that the ones making the arranging may have taken into consideration the personalities of both halfs of the couple. In some cases, it's possible that it could even be a better arrangement than by attraction alone.
She's indeed not taken or flustered by him, but Katsuya, who has never quite grasped that some of his office colleagues are very interested in him, makes no especial note of this. Sometimes it's hard to be oblivious.
She did see him on the news, though...
"Well, I... thank you, Ooshiro-san. I was only doing what any police officer would do," he says, shaking his head. It's almost like he's embarrassed about it. Or, more accurately, uncomfortable. He'd only meant to help, not... get so much attention in the process. "To be quite frank, it was the SIU and the Iwatodai officers who deserve the bulk of the credit. I merely happened to come across some of the relating information during a separate investigation." Which is true, though it leaves out that the place that was being investigated was Kamiya's Palace.
"I see..." So it was Ijuuin's clan leader that made the arrangement? Ah, and that explains how they may have come to meet, if she was friends with someone in Kimitake's family. "Yes, that does sound like what I know of him," he reflects, when she remarks that he's even taking care of the wedding arrangements. "He takes care to manage things well and with due consideration. It's as expected of a man in his position, of course," Katsuya adds. It wouldn't do to gossip unnessarily about a superior, and he's never been one to appreciate gossip besides. But if it's to reassure a bride to be that her future husband is precisely as he seems? Well. It's not gossip if it's true, is it?
Yes, she's certainly the anxious type, he reflects, glancing askance at officers who won't meet his eye. Why does he get the feeling that her presence here is not quite new, though...? They don't appear to be curious about this.
Instead, to Yua, he nods. "No, it is quite understandable. In a situation like yours, of course you would want to know about him. It certainly isn't a bad thing to want to find out. But, his dedication is undeniable and he is a model officer here at the station." That being said, though, it's not as if Katsuya has any interactions with him outside the station.
"Perhaps if you were to contact one of his friends, he might be able to tell you more." He assumes, of course, that any friend of Kimitake's is likely to be a man.
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ooshiro has posed.
Well, Yua's family is important on her island, but...
Yua is definitely an anxious young woman. Not that she's that much younger than Katsuya; a few years, perhaps. She's almost twenty-three, which is even a little late to marry... at least by the logic of Christmas cake. (Poor Ulala.) Perhaps someone like this would benefit from such a decisive husband...?
"Oh, I see," she smiles, dipping her head, when Katsuya tries to brush off his own impact. (A separate investigation... yes, that would have been Kamiya's Palace, wouldn't it?) "Then I'm very pleased your departments were able to coordinate together!" She's not going to force him to take credit, apparently.
Her smile grows a little steadier, when Katsuya assures her it does track with his own knowledge. "Thank goodness... a few people have said it's strange that he's handling everything, but it really is just sweet of him, isn't it? He didn't want me to worry about anything... he's been very careful to make sure I don't need to stress, since I really must avoid that right now! I'm sure he's just worried for the baby -- oh!" Here, Yua gasps, her (unpainted) nails veiling her lips. "Um, excuse me, it's a little early to be saying something like that so casually..."
... logically speaking, that must mean they're getting on at least decently well. Perhaps Kimitake learned from his previous relationship...
Though, if it's too early to be saying she's pregnant -- and she's not showing anything, aside from her tawny skin being perhaps a little vibrant on inspection -- the baby must be a recent development. Surely one which happened after preparations for the wedding began... Kimitake started those preparations months ago, though he only recently started sharing details about his bride. ... he certainly didn't mention anything about her the first time she came here.
"But I really am glad to hear that," she smiles, warmly. "It makes me feel so much better. Though... I admit, I don't know many of his friends, personally... I mean, I have their names from when we sent out the invitations?" Yua tilts her head, tapping a finger to her cheek. "The only person he's spoken to me much, though, it's his Captain Shimazu... maybe he's just someone he really admires, though...?"
<Pose Tracker> Katsuya Suou has posed.
By rights, Katsuya himself should be married by now, or at least have a steady girlfriend. But neither of these things are the case: he's currently single, and none of his past relationships had ever gotten serious enough to really consider it. Besides, he has mostly been focusing on his family and his career, so 'finding someone' isn't precisely top of mind at present. Fortunately, as a man, he's not as subject to the demands of society as a woman.
It was a good thing that he was able to do, but it pains him, on top of the sense that he might have misstepped (without having the choice but to misstep so), that the women were in that situation in first place. Compared to other countries in the world, the laws around sex trafficking are weak in Japan. If stronger laws were in place, perhaps it would dissuade others in the future. As it stands now, he's not such a fool that he thinks this is the end of it. Someone else is involved in this, and it means, until he gets to the heart of it, there's no end in sight...
But such is neither here nor there. "Yes, it is important to be able to cooperate to ensure justice is done," says Katsuya and oh boy this guy is for real, isn't he?
Is it strange? Katsuya, admittedly... isn't actually sure. If Kimitake's family has the greater amount of power (his knowledge of Okinawan social structure is a bit lacking; at least he knows more of its history than the average Japanese citizen), then it does track that they would want to asset themselves in that way. "I am certain he wants to ensure everything goes off well," he says, thinking it over. "A wedding of this size is not easy to manage." He assumes, anyway. He's never been involved in planning a wedding. He's only even been to one the once.
Her fingers are unpainted, he's noticed; some of the policewomen have painted nails, where a few others don't (he assumes; no one has ever explained french tip to him). But she says something very important.
'He's just worried for the baby', she says, and Katsuya widens his eyes, taking her in anew. He had noticed that her hands had often rested around her belly, but he had taken no serious note of it, assuming it was just another quirk. So she's--
Not that far alone, he assumes. Perhaps, as much as she says she doesn't know him, they are... ...getting along.
"I... see," he says, vaguely uncomfortable about this piece of information and feeling as if he's just learned a little too much about his superior officer and his personal life. "Then, congratulations." A congratulations is in order here, right? He thinks that's probably right.
At... at least they're marrying soon, he also thinks. Is that why the engagement-- no, it was arranged, he admonishes himself. For some people that might have been the order of operations but it wasn't the case here.
She doesn't know very many of his friends, though? And they've...?
That, for a moment, does register as strange to him. Wouldn't it be a natural thing to introduce your wife to be to your closest friends? ...Of course, he's not even sure who would count as a 'friend' to someone like Ijuuin. In fact, it's almost as if he doesn't seem to have any, looking at the man from his limited perspective from inside the department. But that couldn't be the case. All people have someone they connect with. Yua suggests she might begin with the letters they sent out as invitations. "I... suppose that would be a good place to start," he says, as if thinking it over. But there is one person about whom he's mentioned to Yua by name.
Captain Shimazu.
"I... see," says Katsuya, reflecting on the remark that Shimazu had once made about his father, shortly after dismissing Katsuya himself from the case.
'Like father, like son.'
...No. He can't let personal feelings get in the way of this. "He is currently heading up the Joker Killer investigation," Katsuya explains. "Unfortunately, that does not leave him with much time to spare."
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ooshiro has posed.
In Japan, people can just... disappear.
Yua doesn't say anything about that, right now.
She smiles, instead, to hear Katsuya's sincerity, all but sparkling. Listen to him espousing the merits of justice! He's so brave...!
... and he would be dead, if she'd done her job properly. Her expression dims, a little, as she remembers that. How can she stand here and speak with a good man like this, as if she's a decent woman...?
Oh!, she'll have to be a liar.
"That's true," Yua's smile is in place again, at least, when she replies to him; the soul of the theatre is with her. "Kimi-san wanted a big wedding everyone could attend...! Even members of the public... he told me that since police serve the citizenry, the people of Sumaru ought to be his guests, you know? It's nice for me," she adds, smiling, "since it means I can invite my students, too!"
A beat of a pause, and she adds: "I'm a dance instructor, you see," because she doesn't know if they watch the media segments in their precinct.
She can see that he's a little uncomfortable, though; her cheeks flush, a little, as she glances away. Her eye settles back on him, though, as she smiles and chirps: "Thank you very much!! The baby's due late in March..." ... which wouldn't place that business any earlier than July, long after Kimitake started planning the wedding. It wasn't something prompted by the youngling, at least.
"Yes," she decides, with a nod, "I'll start there. But Captain Shimazu's heading that investigation...?" Yua frowns, for a moment, thinking of the man who offered them that sake; she is not in any position to know who Shimazu is, and that means she's wondering whether he could get in Miho's way. But... oh, she's frustrated she's even thinking like that! "That must be very serious work," she says, and perhaps she's troubled by the subject matter. "I had better not bother him..."
She pauses, then, looking back up to Katsuya. "Oh! But I've bothered you far too long, haven't I?" She realises, with an apologetic little bow. "Thank you very much for your time, Suou-san... you were really able to help put me at ease, you know? I think Sumaru is really lucky to have a Sergeant like you... I'm glad you're okay." Why would she be relieved over his wellbeing? Perhaps, in her imagination, she's built up a terribly dangerous situation with that human trafficking operation...
(She doesn't have to imagine that hard; she went through the Palace herself. But that's not what concerned her about his wellbeing, either.)
"Please take care of yourself going forward," she smiles, clasping her hands. "After all, we're all counting on you!"
All the housewives in Sumaru...
... interestingly, if Katsuya keeps an eye on her as she leaves the precinct, he'll see a black Mercer-Benz pull up, with a chauffeur to take her away.
Man... they're rich rich, huh?
<Pose Tracker> Katsuya Suou has posed.
He nods, the agreement around this well-familiar to him. "So I had heard. I, too, received an invitation." A part of him wonders how policework will function if just about everyone is out attending a wedding, but then again thoughts like that are probably why he's the one not getting married. "So you will be inviting your students? I see, that should be wonderful for them." As for him, he--
does know that part, but he can't ask about whether she remembers him from that incident at Sevens without drawing the attention of the other officers. He had reported it, but by the time emergency services and officers had arrived, there had been no sign anything like that had happened. Just a few injured people, from what could have been anything after hours. An explosion, they'd reported, and that had been before the rumor took.
And then, for most people, it had been like nothing had happened at all.
He had received a reminder for his pains that he was off the Joker Killer case, and to not embelish accident reports. It had been galling.
"So I recall," he says instead, and he'll just let the world think that he'd recalled seeing her on TV or something of that nature.
At least the timing checks out. ...Not that there's anything wrong with that, Katsuya is aware of how people sometimes do things in modern Japan. If it were him, though... he would like to think he would be married well ahead of learning of any pending 'arrivals'. Of course, Katsuya is a good deal more prudish -- and easily embarrassed -- about such matters than most people are this modern world.
Between that and his dedication to his family, he really is a bit of a throwback, isn't he, in spite of how he might choose to present to society.
"In March..." he muses instead, thinking that's when his brother might graduate, before remembering that at this rate, Tatsuya might end up dropping out of school altogether. "...I see," he says instead, diplomatically. "I expect he must be looking forward to his first child."
At least, he doesn't think the previous marriage led to any children.
Katsuya nods. "Yes, he is." Almost, he thinks to mention that he was on the case, but it might seem like he's upset about it (well, he is actually) or draw attention to his current circumstances. "We will hopefully be able to bring closure to the case soon."
...They won't, as much as it hurts to admit it, because the Joker Killer is beyond the reach of police.
...Is he going to be able to arrest him, though? Or are the likes of Baofu and even his brother right, that the only way to solve this is to be judge, jury, and executioner? The law can't handle the supernatural. But...
At that point, Yua notes that she has been bothering him too long, which prompts Katsuya to shake his head. "No, not at all. I am glad to have been of some help," he says, going so far as to smile politely. But she has even more effusive thanks for him, perhaps given his involvement in recent operations. "I... no, thank you, Ooshiro-san. I am glad to have put you at ease. We cannot allow miscreants like that to do as they wish." Was she imagining there were armed individuals at the trafficking sites? He wonders if he should try to disabuse her of that, it wasn't as dangerous as all that at all. But--
She's already started to pull away, marking an end to things here.
"Please be assured, I will endeavor to be careful." He can't be too risky with his well-being, that's true, not without good cause to do otherwise.
They're all counting on him: people like her, his allies, his family and fellow officers.
He can't help but notice the car when it pulls up to collect her. That's...
...Well, it explains the jewelry too, doesn't it? With but a glance at the other officers on duty here, he excuses himself to return to work.
An odd woman. But, she has a good and just heart, Katsuya decides.