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Barok hasn't been to church since Klint died.
Once, it was a place of peace, a sanctuary in which he could find solace. Years of unanswered prayers, however, have long since taken their toll on his faith. Whatever God is up there must be a cruel one, to put them through such grueling trials. Yet when he was younger, he'd devoted himself to attending sermon every Sunday, prayed for guidance and sought forgiveness for his sins - for try as he might to be virtuous, there was someone whose mere presence was a sinful temptation in itself.
"Forgive me father, for I have sinned."
The inside of the confessional is dark, almost too cramped for his gangly legs. He can't see much of the priest's face through the screen that separated them both, which is a blessing in itself. It had taken most of Barok's courage to step inside the booth to begin with - if he had to see the inevitable disapproval on the good man's face, he might well have fled.
"Speak, child, and know that the Lord forgives all who would come to him in repentance."
Barok folds his hands in his lap, staring down at them. In the dark, he can pretend they're not trembling.
"I have given in to temptation," he begins, "and lusted for another in ways I know are entirely inappropriate."
Even now, Genshin's face is vivid in his memories - the handsome set of his jaw, the seriousness of his dark eyes, the gentle smile that Barok so loves. Barok closes his eyes, breathes out. On the other side of the confessional, there is silence, as if waiting for him to continue.
"As a man, I know it is forbidden to desire another man in such ways," Barok continues, every word faltering, steeped in uncertainty. "But I... I would be lying, if I said I harboured no such feelings for him. I know it's wrong of me, Father, and yet..."
There's a low hum of acknowledgement from the priest. "The first step to change is to admit all of one's sins. Confess all your sins, that we might pray together to God for help."
Oh, if only that was all. "I'm afraid I've been a terrible person," Barok admits, "for not only is he a man, he is married, with a wife and a son."
What would Klint say, if he knew? That his sweet younger brother had committed the crime of desiring another man, both carnally and romantically? It had been shame that had driven Barok to the confessional, and shame that keeps him from looking in the direction of the priest's voice, for fear of being unable to face his judgement. To yearn for something forbidden was the first sin in the Bible, and like the helpless, unknowing Eve, Barok had fallen right for the snake's trap.
They were outside in the garden, with Balmung frolicking at their heels. Klint had insisted on sparring with Genshin, and Barok had followed as he always did, endlessly curious as to the martial arts of the Far East. Klint had always been the superior swordsman out of the two brothers, but Genshin never went anywhere without the great blade Karuma at his hip - could he be blamed for wanting to see how a match between them would end?
It was a sight to behold. Klint struck first with a bold thrust of his sword, which Genshin easily parried. His brother had always been aggressive in combat, quick to seize the advantage and press his opponents for more. In contrast, Genshin's swordsmanship was something Barok had never witnessed before, with such refined form and grace that he could almost visualize the man as a samurai of old. It was the first time Barok had ever seen him draw Karuma, much less wield the great blade. By the time they both broke apart, flushed and breathless, Barok had discovered his new favourite thing to look at was the sight of Genshin smiling while wiping sweat from his brow with a handkerchief.
"You're a most capable swordsman, Genshin," Klint praised, sheathing his sword and reaching out to clap the other man on the back.
"You praise me too highly," Genshin replied, modest as always.
"Not many people can fight Klint to a draw," Barok added. "It's true, you're really quite skilled. There's much I could stand to learn from how you fight."
Klint raised a teasing eyebrow at him. "Trying to replace me as your teacher, Barok? I'm offended."
"I can hardly claim to be an experienced teacher," Genshin chuckled. "Not when my son has been my only pupil so far."
Time stopped in that instant. "You have a son?" Barok croaked, his throat suddenly horrifically dry, his chest squeezing tight. Genshin didn't seem to notice - instead his eyes were far away, the smile on his face wistful.
"Kazuma. He's only ten, mind you, but he's quite the handful. I taught him what I could of the Asogi clan techniques before I left for London. I expect he'll grow to be a fine swordsman one day."
It had taken everything in Barok to not fall to his knees then and there, clutching the shattered pieces of his poor, broken heart. "You must be proud of him," Barok managed - how his voice didn't crack, he had no clue. Genshin looked away, melancholy tinging his expression.
"I am. Perhaps someday you two can meet - I think you'd be a good friend to him, as you have been to me."
He'd known it was immoral to begin with. But to fall for a married man was an even greater crime than Barok had ever imagined, and in his despair, he'd turned to the only form of solace he'd known in hopes of seeking forgiveness - the church.
From the other end of the confessional, the priest sighs. "It is in man's nature to sin, and I see just how troubled you are by these desires of yours. But you must put this man out of your mind - to indulge would be to go against God's plan and break the holy matrimony he is already engaged in. Pray to the Lord, and he shall deliver unto you the means to resist the devil's temptation. Come, let us pray."
If only it were as easy as that. Barok's lost count of the number of times he's spent knelt in prayer, begging God to rid him of these sinful wants. All it's done is make him feel even worse. "Let us pray," Barok echoes numbly, hands clasped together, head bowed.
For years, it's all he can do - to pray and repent, to beg God to excise these sinful wants from his soul and wash him clean. It's become a ritual for him to do so every night, before going to bed, and yet in his dreams all he sees is Genshin's face, his hands caressing the curve of Barok's cheek as tenderly as one would a lover.
It's in the middle of one such prayer that a knock sounds at his door one night, and when Barok answers, who else should be standing there but Genshin Asogi himself?
"Genshin?" Barok breathes, surprised and yet delighted. "What are you doing here at this hour? Has something happened?"
There's a strange wanness to Genshin's face, dark shadows beneath his eyes. The Professor killings have taken a lot out of him, as well as Klint - neither of them have really been themselves since the murders began. True to their protective natures, however, neither of them ever seems to want to discuss the cases in detail with him. For him to come calling at such a time, however, usually spells ill fortune - for a brief, terrifying moment, Barok wonders if Klint's name has been added to the list of victims.
"Nothing's happened," Genshin replies. Barok's never heard him sound so weary before. "Pardon the intrusion, Barok, I wrapped up an investigation late, and there were no carriages running. I was hoping to stay the night here, if you might permit me, and then return to my flat tomorrow."
When has he ever been able to say no to Genshin? Barok holds the door open wider for him to come in, before it hits him - they are alone here, in the townhouse Barok stays in during the university semester, and will be for the entire night. If there ever is a time for him to make the truth known, perhaps it's now.
Genshin shrugs out of his coat, hangs it neatly on the coatrack by the door. Barok hurries to light a lamp, before hastening to the kitchen to fetch glasses and a bottle of wine. At the sight of it, Genshin pauses, somewhat confused.
"Barok?"
"You look like you need it," Barok murmurs, pouring out two glasses of wine before extending one to Genshin. Much to his surprise, the older man accepts it with less protest than usual - he must truly be exhausted, then, to give in so easily. For several long minutes, they sit in silence, sipping at wine and saying nothing. Even like this, with his hair slightly askew and stripped of his coat, Genshin is achingly handsome. Barok can't keep himself from staring, even if he knows he shouldn't, until Genshin breaks the silence between them with a question.
"Do you trust me, Barok?"
"Of course," Barok answers immediately, without a trace of hesitation. His heart is pounding madly within his chest, threatening to burst free of his ribcage. He's never seen Genshin so serious before.
"Good. I would do anything to keep you safe, but you must trust me when I say that you shouldn't pry any further into these killings." There's a sadness in Genshin's eyes that Barok doesn't like, and yet the sincerity is clear. It only makes Barok's heart ache even more, and without thinking, he rises from his seat. Three steps, two steps, one - he seizes Genshin by the tie and yanks him into a needy, bruising kiss. Genshin's eyes go wide, but miraculously, he doesn't push Barok away.
"Since when have you...?" he breathes, once Barok draws back to catch his breath. There's a new flush to his cheeks that's visible even in the dim lamplight, coloring his features pink. "Barok, you... you don't know what you're asking for."
"But I do," Barok insists, still clinging stubbornly to the front of Genshin's shirt. "I'm not a child anymore, Genshin. Stop treating me like one."
Genshin's expression softens with amusement. "I suppose the fault lies with me, then, for not having noticed sooner. Still, are you absolutely certain this is what you want?"
He could be referring to any number of things, and yet in this instant, Barok finds he doesn't care about any of it. Nevermind the fact that Genshin is married with a family back home - for now, he's here, and that's all Barok needs.
"Yes," Barok whispers, before leaning in to kiss him again.
This time Genshin kisses him back, and by the time they've found their way to the bed, neither of them are thinking about the Professor killings. When Barok wakes the next morning, sleepy and pleasantly sore, Genshin presses a kiss to his forehead and pulls him close to pet his hair. For the time being, it is bliss unlike anything Barok has ever experienced before.
Later that very night, he finds Klint's lifeless body in his study, with a blade through his heart.
Barok screams.
Stepping back into church after years of being absent from it is... an experience, to say the least.
Have those pillars always seemed so small, compared to how they loomed over him in his youth? Were the walls always that shade of off-white, never quite the right color? Even the statues that decorate the building seem less imposing than they used to be, though Barok still feels the weight of their silent, accusing stares on his back.
He has never claimed to be a good man. To most, he is the infamous Reaper - a harbinger of death and doom to those caught in his sights within the courtroom. While Barok knows he's largely innocent in their deaths, a part of him still regrets having let those rumours go on for so long. If he'd come here to confess all of his sins from over the past few years, he would be here all day, but that's not what he's here for.
It is a good thing that the confessional booths are kept relatively dark, the mesh in between making it difficult to see the person on the other side. He doesn't want to imagine the look on the priest's face should he be recognized.
"Forgive me, father, for I have sinned," Barok murmurs.
"Speak, child, and confess your sins before the Lord, that he might forgive you and wash your soul clean," intones the priest.
How ironic, Barok muses, that he should confess to being guilty of falling for a man in love with another, only for history to repeat itself ten years down the line. "I have committed the sin of falling in love with another man," he admits, the words slow and hesitant. "It is forbidden, I'm aware, and yet... I have never been so drawn to another. Worse yet, the man in question is... already involved with another, though I confess I am equally drawn to both of them."
It's endlessly greedy of him to desire both Ryuunosuke and Kazuma in such a way, when it's clear for all to see that the two of them are inseparable - 'partners', as Kazuma had put it. What right does Barok have to intrude on such a close bond? After everything he's done to them, everything they've done for him, Barok hardly deserves their affections.
"Man was never made to be with another man," the priest remarks. "To do so would be to break the sacred bond between Adam and Eve, as sanctioned by God himself in the earliest days of humanity."
He's already done worse. Genshin's face flashes before his eyes, and Barok swallows. The guilt of that night's events has been with him ever since, chained to him like a leaden weight. Till this day, he still can't figure out Genshin's true motivations in coming to visit him, nor why he had given in to Barok's advances despite having a wife and son at home. Finding out he'd been arrested on account of being the Professor had left Barok reeling, desperate to scrub himself of Genshin's touch - like the blood of his victims had stained Barok somehow.
Now he knows better, of course - that the true killer had been Klint, and Genshin had only done what he'd thought best to preserve his brother's honor. Even so, the thought that he'd given his first time to the man who killed his brother makes his stomach roil with unease, leaves him disgusted at himself for enjoying it. The two of them deserve better than the likes of him, Barok muses - spoiled goods, tainted by a murderer's hands.
"I know," Barok sighs. "But more than anything else, father, I feel I am undeserving of their attentions. For I have committed far worse sins in the past, and I am far from pure."
"No man is free from sin," the priest replies sagely. "It is why we look to the Lord to guide us back onto the right path, and why we pray to Him for forgiveness. You must cast these feelings of yours aside," he advises, and Barok bites his lip, staring down at his lap. "Nothing good can come of such desires - they are only temporary, fleeting temptations that Satan is attempting to lure you in with."
His mind casts itself back to the curve of Kazuma's upturned lips, the lingering brush of Ryuunosuke's hand over his. Temptations - yes, that's the word for it. Never before has Barok wanted another in such a fashion, and yet the moment these two men walked into his life, he's been inexplicably pulled towards them.
"I... am unsure if I can do so," Barok admits, low and faltering. "They are dear to me, despite our... initial clashes, and they have brought me more joy than I have known in years. Is it truly so sinful to love them for who they are, despite them being men?"
A sigh from the other end of the confessional. "It is not my place to question the rules, neither is it yours. I can only pray that the Lord may forgive you, and guide you on the path to redemption."
So that's how it is. Barok's long since forgone the idea of going to Heaven when he dies, but sitting there in that little booth, he's never been more sure he's going to Hell instead.
With Ryuunosuke having returned to Japan, he half-expects things to return to the way they were before, when they were working as prosecutor and apprentice. It's a foolish thought, of course. Kazuma is a prosecutor in his own right, even if he's still studying under Barok. The days following Barok's acquittal are tense, both of them struggling to navigate the new bounds of their relationship after having seen each other at their lowest.
Yet there's something different about the way Kazuma looks at him these days, a new heat to it. He's always had a fiery temper, quick to offer rebuttals and snarky remarks, but he's never looked at Barok like this before. Or maybe he has, and he'd dismissed it as hatred - for how could there be anything else in his heart but hate, for the man who sent his father to the gallows?
He's seen the way Kazuma looks at Ryuunosuke - with so much yearning and affection it makes his heart ache. That's not how he looks at Barok, and yet, what else is he meant to think when Kazuma's hands linger just a touch too long over his own - or when he leans in closer than necessary to read something over Barok's shoulder? Sometimes Barok catches Kazuma staring holes right through him, his gaze sharper than any dagger and cutting twice as deep when he eventually turns away. Other times, Kazuma opens his mouth as if to say something, only to huff and storm off as if offended - yet Barok could swear his cheeks are colored pink.
No. No, surely he's overthinking it. It's inconceivable to think that either of them could hold such feelings for him when they already have each other. It's what Barok tells himself day after day, desperately resisting the urge to pull Kazuma close and praying the man will simply not notice.
Several months pass. Barok's seated at his desk in the office when Kazuma arrives with a small bundle of envelopes under his arm, looking oddly cheerful.
"Someone's had his morning coffee," Barok remarks dryly.
"Ryuunosuke wrote to us," Kazuma proclaims, waving the bundle of letters. "To Iris, and Mr Sholmes." A cough, before he pulls one of the letters out of the stack and holds it out to Barok. "And to you, I guess."
Him? Pleasantly surprised, Barok hesitates a moment before accepting the letter, staring at the written recipient's name: Lord van Zieks. He'd expected Ryuunosuke to forget about him once he'd returned to Japan. "Thank you for passing it on to me," Barok murmurs, still stunned.
"Yeah, well, you'd better write back to him, or he'll be sad and think you forgot about him," Kazuma huffs, though there's less bite than usual in his voice. "He really does care about you, you know."
"...it is an honor. I will be sure to read it later, and pen an appropriate response."
Kazuma squints at him. "I mean it. None of that polite nonsense. He genuinely wants to know how you're doing. If he didn't, he wouldn't have..."
That catches Barok's attention. "Wouldn't have what?"
The other man freezes. Barok's never been more amused to watch the color rise to his cheeks while he sputters. "None of your business, van Zieks." Brushing past Barok's desk, he stops expectantly to stare at Barok. "Come on, don't we have a crime scene to investigate today? We'd better get going."
He has no time to wonder what Kazuma could have been about to say. When he next has a moment to himself, it's already night, and they're back in the van Zieks manor. Carefully slicing the envelope open with a letter opener, Barok slides the sheets of paper out, smiling at the mousy scrawl of Ryuunosuke's handwriting.
Dear Lord van Zieks,
I hope you're doing well. Susato-san and I are settling in quite well at the new office - did I mention we set one up? Japan is in desperate need of defence attorneys, as I mentioned before I left, and it's been incredibly busy. No doubt it's just as hectic in London, after everything that's happened. Susato-san sends her best wishes, as do I, of course.
Are you and Kazuma getting along well? I hope so. I know Kazuma can be quite stubborn when he wants to be, and you two have some troubled history, but I'm sure you two will work things out. Please look after him for me, and look after yourself, too. The both of you mean the world to me, and I'd hate to see you two still at each other's throats when I come back to visit. Kazuma can be a handful at times, but I swear he means well. I'm sure you've figured this out by now, but he seldom is honest with his feelings, though half the time his actions give him away. Give him a chance, and he'll do right by you.
No sooner has he reached the end of the second paragraph does his door slam open, startling Barok into reaching for the letter opener reflexively. Kazuma stands in the doorway, eyes lit with a new emotion he hasn't seen before, clutching Ryuunosuke's letter in one hand.
"What is the meaning of this-"
"Barok van Zieks," interrupts Kazuma, and oh, does the sound of his name from Kazuma's lips ring sweeter than Barok could've ever imagined. "Just what exactly do you think is going on here?"
Barok blinks. "I could ask the same of you."
"Do you or do you not have romantic feelings for me and Ryuunosuke?" Kazuma demands, and all the blood rushes to Barok's face, his voice stuck in his throat. What's brought this on? More importantly, how does he know? Kazuma won't let him get away with being silent, though, storming over to catch Barok by the collar and yank him close. Their faces are inches apart.
"Answer the question," Kazuma growls, and Barok swallows.
"Even if I did, it makes no difference," he mutters, which shocks Kazuma so much he releases his grip on Barok's collar, looking utterly dumbfounded.
"Why would you think that?"
How is he to explain the years of indoctrination, the beliefs that have been ingrained into him? Where does he even begin? "I... you know we are both men," he tries, only for Kazuma to scowl darkly at him.
"Don't give me that excuse. You know we don't care about that, and it's not like the world has to know."
"I- It's hardly as simple as you make it sound, Kazuma," Barok sighs, one hand rubbing at his temples. "For years, I've been told homosexuality was a sin, to repent or else be sentenced to eternal damnation. Can you at least try to understand why I might be hesitant to even admit to having such preferences?"
"Not really," Kazuma admits. "Instead of thinking so much about what God would think, what about thinking about yourself and what you want, instead? When was the last time you did something because you wanted to, not because you felt you had to?"
It's a dangerous question. The last time he'd let himself slip like that had left him shattered, bereft of both a brother and a dear friend. Barok shakes his head, still searching for the right words to convey his feelings. Religious beliefs, however, aren't entirely the reason he's been hesitant. Kazuma's eyes search his expression, piercing through what little shreds of dignity Barok has left.
"There's something else, isn't there?" When Barok doesn't answer immediately, he simply sighs with exasperation. "Ryuunosuke said you'd probably be like this, but I didn't expect you to be so dense."
Despite himself, Barok bristles at that. "Excuse me?"
"You realize both Ryuunosuke and I have feelings for you, right?"
Barok opens his mouth, before closing it again, too stunned to find the words. "Beg pardon?"
There's that heated flush in Kazuma's cheeks again, spreading even to the tips of his ears. "I said it. We both like you. So what's the problem? Are we just not good enough for you or something?"
"No!" It bursts from him without thinking, Kazuma blinking in surprise. "That couldn't be further from the truth. Both of you are... very admirable, in your own rights. I'm the one who doesn't deserve you."
"You cannot be serious. Is that what you really think?" When Barok doesn't respond immediately, Kazuma leans in closer, all but boxing him in against his desk. "Why would you ever think that?"
Barok can't meet his eyes. Instead he looks down at his lap, and at his own trembling hand. "I owe the both of you a great deal," he begins, slow and hesitant. "Yet I have also done you both a great disservice, with my initial hostility towards your people."
"You've apologized for it," Kazuma points out. "Ryuunosuke forgave you. And I've called you worse during our arguments."
Barok closes his eyes. "Yes, I know. It still does little to change the fact that I have wronged you both deeply, in more ways than one." A slow, shaky exhale. "I was never the Reaper, and yet I've spent so long in its shadow that it feels impossible to separate myself from its influence. I... suppose I never allowed myself to think anyone would be capable of feeling anything more than hate or fear towards me."
Is that pity in Kazuma's eyes, or sadness? It's difficult to tell, and yet a part of him loathes having brought such pain to someone he cares for. "You have Iris," Kazuma reminds him, "and myself, and Mr Sholmes, too. Even Gina thinks you're respectable, and Dr. Gorey sometimes asks about you when I go to collect documents from the lab."
He has a point, though Barok still privately wishes Iris would be a little more cautious about associating so openly with him. "It is a difficult mindset to abandon," he admits, "after so many years. For the longest time, I thought you loathed me."
"For a while, I did," Kazuma replies. "But you were good to me, when I was still an amnesiac, and you're still the best mentor I could ever ask for. As a man, you fight for the truth, no matter who may be trying to hide it, and I have to respect that." An embarrassed cough, Kazuma glancing away briefly. "You're also a lot kinder than I thought you were, a-and in any case, now you know how I feel, so what's stopping you?"
"I was also under the impression the two of you were already involved," Barok adds, "and that I would be intruding, if I were to have said anything."
Kazuma's jaw works, trying to form the right sentences. "I... I mean, you're not wrong, we are, but... you wouldn't be intruding on us."
A slight, bleak smile curves the corner of Barok's lips. "Forgive the discourtesy of not believing you, when Mr Naruhodo is absent and incapable of expressing his opinion at the moment."
Kazuma glances at the opened letter on his desk, smirking. "I wouldn't be so sure about that. Have you actually finished reading what Ryuunosuke wrote to you?"
"No, because someone barged into my room and interrupted me," Barok retorts dryly, which earns him a disgruntled snort from Kazuma.
"Just read it," he insists. "You'll understand."
Somewhat bewildered, Barok turns back to the letter sitting on his desk, skimming over the first few sections, until:
I'm afraid I haven't been entirely honest with you. Before I left London, I should have told you this in person, but it's too late now, so I'll say it here, and hope the words reach you soon: I care for you cherish you like you love you, with all my heart. So does Kazuma, though I'm sure you'll have trouble getting him to admit it. I hope you can accept our feelings.
It takes several seconds for the words to sink in. Barok reads the letter again. Then another time. By the time he's read that paragraph a fourth time, Kazuma's smirk has grown across his entire expression.
"I told you. He really does like you-" Kazuma breaks off, staring wide-eyed at him. "Are you crying?"
Stunned, it takes Barok long moments to realize the wetness on his cheeks is in fact, his own tears. What has he done to deserve this? For all the cruelties and the trouble he's brought to them, this is what they repay him with? It's too much for him to take, and yet the words are clear as day, and Kazuma's right in front of him. "I- I'm sorry," Barok whispers, though he doesn't even know what he's apologizing for. Kazuma hesitates, looking clearly uncertain what to do.
Then there's a pair of strong arms around him, his face nestled into Kazuma's shoulder. Barok stiffens reflexively, unused to such close contact. "What are you doing?"
"...you looked like you needed it." Kazuma's voice is almost subdued, more gentle than he's ever heard him. "Is it really that unbelievable to think that we'd both grow to care about you? Honestly, you're so dense sometimes. The evidence is right there in front of you, isn't it?"
"Forgive me," Barok manages, loathing the way his voice shakes. "I'm... I did not allow myself to hope that you would ever return these feelings."
"Honestly," Kazuma sighs. "I thought a man as intelligent as you would have noticed earlier. But Ryuunosuke did say you'd be like this, so I suppose it's to be expected."
Barok draws back slightly, eyebrows raised. "He did?"
"He figured you were unlikely to ever say anything about your feelings, either because you felt guilty about them or because you assumed we wouldn't feel the same way." Kazuma looks away briefly, flushing. "He... also told me to take care of you, while he's not here."
Glancing back at his letter, Barok chuckles. "I received the same instructions from him as well, to look after you."
Kazuma snorts. "Sounds about right. So, now that you know how we both feel about you, what will you do?"
Barok pauses. For years, he's lived alone, but it wasn't always that way. Once, this home used to be full of warmth, its halls ringing with joyous laughter. There used to be people living here, people who were full of life and purpose. Barok's long grown accustomed to the silence, the solitude, the fear in people's eyes when they look at him - but it doesn't mean he likes it. Yet somehow, these two men have broken through that darkness, insist they want to share his heart - broken beyond repair as it is.
He thinks of Ryuunosuke, wandering through the manor's halls, filling the empty spaces with his presence and the little trinkets he's heard Iris complain about. He thinks of Kazuma, who's already sharing the space with him, waking up in the morning to practice his swordsmanship in the garden. He thinks about the three of them having tea in the afternoon, with the little pastries Iris so loves making. Barok thinks about all of these things, and finally, allows himself to smile - a genuine one, from the heart.
"I think," he begins, "perhaps we should start by writing back to Ryuunosuke."
Dear Naruhodo Ryuunosuke,
I am doing well, all things considered. With Stronghart's fall, there have been many in the judiciary who have consequently been investigated and removed from their posts, or otherwise resigned of their own volition. Needless to say, it has been quite busy at the Prosecutor's Office.
Truth be told, I was not expecting you to write to me. I'd thought you would be too busy, though I am glad you seem to be settling in well. My heartfelt congratulations to you and Miss Mikotoba, I have every faith you two will do your country proud.
Kazuma has been doing fine work as a prosecutor, though I expect nothing less from him. We have had our differences, but with time, I suppose you could say we've grown used to each other. Rest assured that I will keep an eye out for him, as his mentor.
On a more personal note: pray forgive the discourtesy of conveying these feelings through a letter, instead of in person, but I feel I should say them regardless. You and Kazuma have grown very dear to me, and while I still struggle to accept myself as I am, I am extremely honored to have won your trust. Love is not something I have ever believed I would find, given my past, but it seems the Japanese are a truly fascinating people, to be able to overturn all my expectations entirely.
That is to say: yes, I do love you. Both of you. While we may be separated by land and sea, rest assured that my heart belongs to the two of you. When you return, we will be here waiting, and in the meantime, know that we love you.
Yours truly,
Barok van Zieks.