"Probably... I'll be on the look out. Put out some feelers... I just don't understand what happened. We had an argument, just a small dumb one, but when I came back from some work she was gone. The driver said she left the car of her own volition. The bartender didn't mention any animal. Just said she came and left... Maybe she got taken when she exited the bar..." He shook his head. "Regardless, it's my fault. I just want to apologize to her, but it's like she became a ghost. If she were on the black market, I'd know. So whoever took her, took her for their own pleasure..."

"Louis... Can I ask something of you?" Legoshi looked over.

"Aren't you already doing that?" Louis scoffed. "You've already been through this situation once."

"Please don't see her romantically anymore."

Louis looked offended. "And why would I listen to you? You rejected her and I took over. We're happy together."

"I never rejected her. I neglected her. It's... different. And besides! You're engaged, are you not? Everyone at school talked about it."

"So what? Maybe I want a mistress. Maybe I want to feel what natural love it before I get married. It doesn't matter to you."

"It does!" Legoshi slammed the bar top. "She just does whatever someone wants her to do. It's wrong of us to take advantage of that. She was unhappy with me because of Haru and Juno, but she stuck around. She's going to be unhappy if you make her a mistress. She deserves more respect than that."

"And you are going to be the one to give that to her?" Louis raised a brow. "Highly unlikely. You're practically a criminal as it is."

"Look," Legoshi took a breath, "I'm not saying I'm perfect, or even that we're going to end up together. I already told her I was sorry. And I'm not going to pursue her. But I just want you to leave her alone too."

"Because you can't compete with me."

"You're right. I can't. But I have something you don't."

"Oh, what's that?" Louis ordered another drink.

"A moral code and no fiancée."

Well, you got me there.  Louis shrugged. "She can be with whomever she wants. We aren't a couple. I have no say or hold on her."

"I'll accept that. I understand that position."

I didn't ask you for your acceptance. You're just as annoying as you were in school. "Did you figure out the murderer then? If you're focused on that now..."

"Riz. From Drama Club."

"So, Riz is the killer, huh?" Another drink gone. Louis was certainly incapacitated. "Which means that bear's stuffed animal act was just a façade he used to get by in school..."

"Exactly! He's awful!!"

"Well, if you know he's the killer then hurry up and turn him in already." Louis felt very warm from the alcohol and he was now sweating.

"Why does everyone keep saying that? It's not that simple! As a fellow carnivore, I'm going to show him justice by using force! And if I lose, then I'll just have to let him kill me... You know, I got this wound on my head from Riz, but only because I let my guard down."

"Wait, you're going to fight Riz one-on-one?" Louis' head spun.

"I'm going to settle things one New Year's Eve. I want you to be there to see our fight."

"Why should I?""

"To prov--"

"How many times do I have to tell you!? I belong to the black market! I have nothing to do with school any more!"

"And I'm done telling you to return to the outside world. THere's a chance that this is going to  end with my death. And if it does, I want you to be there to see it. Please! That way you can tell YN when you find her..."

And as Louis laughed, Legoshi took that as affirmation-- although it didn't mean it-- and zipped out the door.