“All right, thanks man,” said a concerned Jeffrey to a younger-looking adult behind a counter full of patrons. “Remember, just ask Katsura-san for help if you need it, ok?” He slid a strong, lean hand through his well-cropped bad boy hair style, which amusingly contrasted his calm and gentle expression. The eyes of the lady customers around him were captivated by his sculptured physique, his charmingly rugged face, and cloudy gray eyes; in addition, his bartender uniform enhanced his overall debonair flair: a dark, sleeveless blazer, white, long-sleeved polo shirt with a bow tie in the middle, black slacks, and well-polished brown shoes. He turned, waved behind him in a silent wish of luck, and threw his silky onyx coat from a chair onto his shoulders. A graying, middle-aged man in a green dress shirt and brown pants called out to Jeffrey out of a room right next to the wine racks. His thick, layered neck, protruding stomach, and handlebar mustache marked him apart from the other gentlemen inside. “I just wanted to thank you for coming in for at least an hour showing Hiiro the ropes,” he said with much gratitude. “I know you got a second job and all, and I really appreciate it. I got a stack of paperwork to do for inventory, and I can’t just leave it alone, you know?” The man wiped around his neck and underneath his folds with a checkered handkerchief, despite the air conditioned room. Jeffrey simply smiled and shook his head, warding off his extended gratefulness. “It’s nothing at all, boss. I had time to spare,” was all he said, and he quickly clicked his heels around and turned for the door in a laid-back yet confident swagger.

The young man then quickly broke into a jog upon a quick glance at the sky, which reflected the silvered hue of his eyes. He tossed his arms into his jacket to protect himself from the humid chilliness, and began making his way down the pedestrians’ lane, opposite the traffic and the crowd. Thoughts of the detective agency swirled in his mind: when he came into the office, it was the first time he ever experienced the valid reality of magic and the supernatural; when he closed his eyes, he could still imagine the encounter vividly: Toshiko wriggled about her cigarette in strange, captivating motions, and then… Fire. It just appeared out of nowhere, and it startled him. He was skeptical at first, thinking it was a simple sleight of hand, a cleverly disguised magic trick. When she demonstrated her powers through more FLASHY means, he fell silent and did not question it a third time; her rising temper was enough for that first meeting. Thankfully, however, she was patient enough to answer his questions about the extraordinary: how magic is used, the heredity of magic, the creatures that live in the world of the supernatural, and many others. It didn’t hurt that she was a fine looking woman too. [i]I think I’ll get some grub for us; everyone else must be pretty hungry..[/i] he thought to himself, remembering the phone call from Fu Sonzai no Gensō requesting his, and most likely the other detectives’, presence. Breaking into a sprint, Jeffrey rushed himself into the nearest sushi shop and bought two trays for everyone to eat. The owner offered a helping hand, but he refused, stating that he was in a hurry, and scurried off to the agency with the rolls sitting comfortably in brown paper bags, leaving on a rather mysterious but intriguing note.

Placing the bags onto the doorsteps of the office, he rapped his knuckles three times against the wooden door rapidly. To be honest with himself, he was quite excited to actually see and meet his fellow detectives, but at the same time, he was dreadfully careful to observe their abilities, personalities, limits, and potentials. [i]Gotta know my enemies and friends fast if I wanna succeed [/i], he thought with a rather devilish smile. The door suddenly opened for him, and his expression changed to that of pleasant surprise. “Hey Toshiko-san, hey everyone. Sorry I’m a little late.. I decided I wanted to bring some refreshments, in case anyone was feeling famished,” Jeffrey said with a somewhat shy, charming grin.