When a Curly-Haired Detective Meets the Head of Homra

The main fandoms are Detective Conan and K.

Content warning: After November 7, the main K storyline ends. No dead characters are brought back to life.

I'm trying to write about two adults helping each other heal, with a quiet, ordinary life.

After his best friend died, Jinpei Matsuda was in such bad shape that his superior forced him to take a week off. With nowhere in particular to go, he ended up in Chommachi.

He walked into a bar called HOMRA.

The young owner and bartender wore flashy purple sunglasses as he polished a glass.

"Give me your strongest drink."

A translucent purple drink was set down before him.

He picked up the glass.

"It's so sweet..."

The blond bartender smiled. "Sir, studies show that drinking hard liquor when you're in a bad mood won't make you feel better."

"And if you haven't been eating regularly, drinking strong liquor on an empty stomach is even worse."

"You're so annoying. Are you my mom or something?"

The curly-haired officer muttered, looking somewhat displeased, then took another sip.

As soon as he finished speaking, a white-haired girl in Gothic Lolita clothes came running out.

Through his sunglasses, Jinpei Matsuda looked from the soft-spoken young owner to the little girl.

Gulp.

Oh, a man-mom.

**

The second time Jinpei Matsuda ran into Izumo Kusanagi, he was even more of a mess than the first.

His suit was covered in dust from the explosion site he'd just left.

The blond man toyed with his lighter and said casually, "Want to go buy some clothes? I'll come with you."

Why would a grown man go shopping for clothes?

It's not like he couldn't be seen in public.

Jinpei Matsuda went with him anyway.

By the end of the day, he'd gotten a whole wardrobe of new clothes.

Jinpei Matsuda: "Are you a high school girl? Why did you buy so much stuff while shopping?"

Izumo Kusanagi: "Sorry, sorry. I'm used to it."

The head of HOMRA, who always ended up carrying everyone's bags on shopping trips, smiled.

Winter is a difficult season, both for Jinpei Matsuda and for Izumo Kusanagi.

The man in purple sunglasses smoked and glanced at the snow drifting outside the window.

"What's the thing you remember most vividly?"

Before Jinpei Matsuda could answer, the other man continued.

"Sorry, forget I asked."

After a long while, the other man asked him:

"What about you? What's the thing you remember most vividly?"

Matsuda borrowed his lighter.

A cigarette lit from another cigarette.

"Me?" The man tilted his head to gaze at the snow outside. Behind his sunglasses, longing and nostalgia passed through his eyes.

"Snow."

A moment later, he shook his head.

"No, fire after all."

For some reason, Jinpei Matsuda clearly saw the corners of his mouth turn upward, while his eyes wept with sorrow.

"Have a drink with me," the curly-haired cop said.

"Just for the time it takes to finish one drink, let's forget about all the unpleasant things."

"Just one drink..."

Here's to imperfect adults.

Here's to this goddamn life.

Here's to everyone doing their best to keep going.

Here's to all the vibrant lives existing in the worlds of anime and manga.

Theme: Two imperfect adults helping each other heal