The undisclosed self

      

SEA POWER — FIRE ESCAPE IN THE SEA

       YOU — Turn left here,” you pointed towards the market and almost climbed out of the driver’s seat, trying to explain to Kim exactly where to go. VOLITION — Even with your memory loss, you didn’t forget *the* place, conveniently located in West Grand Couronne. ENCYCLOPEDIA — From the beach, take the main road, go straight through two intersections, then turn left for another two hundred metres, towards the market, but not before you reach it. REACTION SPEED — There it is! The yellow roof of the stall is easy to spot from a distance. PERCEPTION [Medium: Success] — You’ll easily recognise this smell, even if you’re separated by miles, grey and metal. The smell of colourful spices, cooked meat and onions. It beckons you like the most desirable woman in the world. ELECTROCHEMISTRY — FOOD AT LAST! KIM KITSURAGI — Pulling into a side street, he carefully parks his motor-carriage at a stall, — The place, — he pauses and looks around, — is definitely intriguing. A *GOOD* SHAURM STALL — This stall is a street food lover’s paradise. It has experienced chefs working under its roof who prepare shaurm with great dedication and passion. Sausages and chicken are roasted over an open fire, and the aroma of spices beckons. The noise and buzz mix with the aromas to create an inexpressible atmosphere. The place is always buzzing with customers talking to each other. Rumour has it that this is Garth’s third venue, in addition to the Rag Dancing and the Pub. LOGIC [Easy: Success] — Unlike the shaurm shop in Jamrock, at least here you can eat, and eat *deliciously*. The cooks wash their hands, the cockroaches don’t crawl all over the flatbread, and the rats don’t eat the meat. ELECTROCHEMISTRY — Enough chitchat, let’s get going before your stomach digests. YOU — To prove it, your stomach is making an awfully loud rumbling noise. KIM KITSURAGI — The corner of his lips twitches imperceptibly, — I think this is a good place, -He gets off the bike and helps you off without breaking anything, — Come on. PERCEPTION (SMELL) — You can already smell the aroma of the market filling the air around you, it feels thick and heavy. Poor allergy sufferers, it’s clearly not cool for them here. YOU — Your taste buds are awakening restlessly in anticipation of gastronomic pleasure. You and Kim walk up to the shaurm shop and begin to examine the menu, which is hanging at a very uncomfortable angle. VISUAL CALCULUS — There are several items on the menu, shaurm with various meats, no meat, fries and drinks. It’s sparse compared to Jamrock, but it’s probably for the best. YOU — You look back at Kim as you stare at the menu, he has managed to take your place in the queue. KIM KITSURAGI — He smiles at you as you wait your turn and says, — Did you choose anything? LOGIC — [Difficult: Success] — You go over your taste preferences in your head. You could have chicken shaurm and tea — the best option for your body. But you haven’t eaten all day and your blood sugar has dropped significantly, so you should have pork shaurm and coffee with sugar. 1. Take a carcinogenic bomb and enjoy life. 2. [Volition: Medium] — Choose the healthy snack option, it’s delicious too! 3. Ask Kim to choose for you. YOU — This is too complicated. Who do you think I am? A judge? How can you choose between two beautiful dishes? Let Kim decide for me, he’s smart — Kim, how about you pick the shaurm for me! KIM KITSURAGI — He looks at you from under his glasses, — I get to choose which shaurm to eat, *you*? EMPATHY — He wonders if you’re kidding. HALF LIGHT [Difficult: Failure] — What a shame Harry, you’re a cop, you investigate murders and you don’t get to choose which shaurm you want to eat. He must be disappointed in you. DRAMA — Think of an excuse for your indecision! YOU — Yes! You’ll guess my tastes since we know each other so well. So, Kim, what would you recommend? I’m sure your choice will be excellent. KIM KITSURAGI — Some kind of trust test? — He hesitates and looks away, then says confidently, “OK, then I will choose the shaurm for you and you will choose it for me. YOU — Great! KIM KITSURAGI — Great, — he replies and you move forward in the queue. YOU — You stand quietly in the queue, drinking under your breath as Kim squints at the menu. ESPRIT DE CORPS — The Lieutenant is solving another mystery, but it’s more complicated than many of his cases, it’s a mystery about his partner’s tastes, what he should get to surprise him with his insight. He can’t decide which strategy is more effective. EMPATHY — He wants you to like it. YOU — Wait. What is there to like about Kim? LOGIC — We know Kim. His austere demeanour and confidence suggest he prefers something classic and reliable. Get the chicken shaurm and the black coffee. CONCEPTUALISATION — Kim is like a hard candy with a soft filling, appearing to be one thing on the outside but actually being something else. Something much sweeter and more colourful. ELECTROCHEMISTRY — Can you put pineapple in shaurm? LOGIC — I don’t think so. EMPATHY [Medium — Success] — Kim likes it spicy, you could ask the cook to put some hot sauce in. Coffee is better sweet, at the station he always adds two spoonfuls of sugar. SUGGESTION- Although he’d like to add three, he restrains himself, he has better self-control than you. ELECTROCHEMISTRY- You know they say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, do you think the saying applies to his cock? You know the way to his cock is through his stomach… Never mind. VOLITION- No cocks. Especially not Kim’s member. That’s a stupid idea. YOU — You go to the counter and let Kim place his order first. You watch him as he touches his lips with his thumb as he thinks, as he talks to the waiter and orders the shaurm for you. COMPOSURE — You wonder what he has ordered. YOU- You wait for the Lieutenant’s order to be taken and prepared. The vendor carefully prepares the shaurm according to Kim’s order and then hands him a tasty bag of food. You watch as Kim thanks the vendor and returns to you in the queue, the appetising-smelling secret in his hand. KIM KITSURAGI — He smirks at you and squints his eyes — Go Harry. COMPOSURE [Impossible: Failure] — This is too much! We’re dying to know what he’s chosen! We can’t wait any longer. PHYSICAL INSTRUMENT — Rip the bag from his hands and find out what’s inside! VOLITION [Difficult: Success] — Control yourself and your curiosity, order him a shawarma and that’s it. Nothing is complicated. YOU — You take a deep breath and somehow suppress your curiosity and walk to the window where they take orders. SHAURM SELLER — Good morning, what do you want? — He has dark skin, slightly squinted eyes and many, many wrinkles, a memorable appearance. You’re sure the locals know him by sight. LOGIC [Difficulty — Failure] — We never got to choose what to order, you were too wrapped up in thoughts of penises and your own curiosity. HALF LIGHT- Oh no, we thought too long, he’ll think we didn’t choose, that we’re stupid. Oh fuck. COMPOSURE [Medium — Success] — You know what Kim likes, and more importantly, you know *Kim*. Choose as your intuition tells you. YOU — I’ll have the chicken shaurm and coffee with milk and sugar. Spicy shaurm! — As you finish you decide to finish it off with your gun fingers, — Puff-Puff! ELECTROCHEMISTRY- That’s it! Fire up the super cop! SHAURM SELLER — He frowns, which makes his face look even more wrinkled, like an old bald cat’s arse, — OK, but for future reference, it’s not shaurm, it’s shavarm, different things. ENCYCLOPEDIA [Medium: Success] — Shavarm is meat and vegetables wrapped in a pita, while shaurm is the same filling, just in a semi-circular pita that looks more like a roll. In Grand Kouron, Villalobos and Martinaiseit is common to say that shavarm is a flat bread (pita) in which cucumbers, tomatoes, mayonnaise and chicken are added, in Ozonne and Jamrock they say that shaurm is a pita with cabbage, carrots, chicken and ketchup, but many people add all sorts of other ingredients…. YOU — Come on, it’s not that big a difference! SHAVERM SELLER — He stares at you angrily, pointing to the big “SHAVERM” sign on his counter — If you want shavarm so badly, go to the Jamrock Pharaoh. YOU — All right, sorry, give me the shavarm, just make sure it’s spicy! And coffee, don’t forget. HALF LIGHT — Pray he doesn’t spit in it. SHAVERM SELLER — After a little over five minutes, he hands you a hot, spicy shavarm that smells of fire and passion, and a coffee with a delicate cream. — Now get out of here, ' he says as he walks away from the window, and you hear him muttering something, definitely uncensored, in a language you don’t understand. But his angry gaze is no longer on you. Obviously he’s moved on to the next customer, cooking his shavermas with the same fury. YOU — You take a quick step towards Kim, who is already leaning against a motorbike stand with a bag in his hands. KIM KITSURAGI — He gets off the motor-carriage, his orange bomber a little dirty where it touched the door. He hands you the bag with your shawarma and a glass of drink, — Please, I hope I chose the right one. YOU — You take the food and, — I’m sure it’s fine, here you go, — you hand him the bag with his shavarm and coffee. KIM KITSURAGI — Thank you, — he immediately takes a sip from his coffee glass and closes his eyes. Your brain is sending signals all over your body, you feel paralysed. EMPATHY- He likes it! KIM KITSURAGI — You guessed it, Detective — he turns his head slightly to the side and looks at you with what you think is the most expectant and profound look you’ve ever seen. You suddenly feel a rush of excitement and joy, as if something special has just happened. INLAND EMPIRE- Oh, something *special* is definitely happening right now. KIM KITSURAGI — He takes another sip, savouring it in his mouth. You stare frankly at him, absorbing the image of Lieutenant Kim Kitsuragi’s pleasure into your neural connections. COMPOSURE [Legendary: Failure] — O Luminaries, we are hopeless. ELECTROCHEMISTRY- And that’s fine. YOU — You, trying to maintain some form of composure, pick up your glass of tea and take a small sip. Immediately you feel an explosion of flavours on your tongue, as if a million little lights have gone on in your mouth. KIM KITSURAGI — Kim smiles when she sees your reaction. — I asked for tea to be brewed from their teapot, it’s much better than the tea bags they usually use for customers. EMPATHY — He really enjoys making you feel good. COMPOSURE [Legendary: Failure] — Nope, I’m out of here, too much oxytocin in your blood, good luck trying not to strangle him in your arms. This task is impossible. YOU — Standing there like an idiot, staring at Kim more than usual. KIM KITSURAGI — He puts a glass on the bonnet of the motor-carriage and unwraps a bag of shaurm, oops shavarm. RHETORIC — The vendor scared you so much that you started calling the dish by its name? Unbelievable. KIM KITSURAGI — Kim looks at you with interest, as if watching your reaction to the shavarm. He slowly unwraps the bag of tasty meat and vegetables. VOLITION [Legendary: Success] — You fight the urge to run up to him and yell, Eat it fast! KIM KITSURAGI — He carefully takes a bite of the shavarm and closes his eyes, savouring the taste. You take a step closer to him, as if magnetically drawn, crossing his comfort zone, very interested in his opinion. YOU — You are still standing, not taking your eyes off Kim and that delicious shavarm. There’s a lot of fear in you right now. KIM KITSURAGI — As Kim finishes his piece, he opens his eyes and smiles at you, — Not bad, I like spicy, but I didn’t think you’d notice, — He swallows what he’s bitten off and clears his throat. YOU — You feel a smile slowly spreading across your face, — You know Kim, I’m actually a detective! KIM KITSURAGI — He plays along, a surprised look on his face, — I knew you were hiding something! I should have known a long time ago, that’s why you always wear those silly hats. PERCEPTION (SIGHT) — His ears redden and the corners of his eyes crinkle with suppressed laughter. DRAMA — Quick! Another brilliant joke, Messire. 1. [Drama: complicated] — A joke about a hat shop. 2. [Electrochemistry: Medium] — A shavarm joke.

- 1 You eat shawarma.

3. [Conceptualisation: medium] — Art cop style joke. ELECTROCHEMISTRY [Medium — Success] — What a lot of different shavarm jokes we know, but the best one is only one. YOU — You know, Kim, I’m a first-class detective, but even I can’t solve a crime as messy and viscous as *suspicious* sauce in a shavarm — And on top of that, you do the worst possible thing, you wink at Kim flirtatiously. ELECTROCHEMISTRY- Oops. Wrong stone in the wrong field, but maybe that’s even better! VOLITION — This is disgusting. KIM KITSURAGI — Silence. An agonisingly long look in your direction and silence. HALF LIGHT- WE’RE FUCKED. THAT WAS REALLY BAD. RUN INTO THE WOODS AND NEVER COME BACK. VOLITION [Medium — Failure] — It’s terrible, he’ll hate you. There’s a lump in my throat, it’s hard to breathe. ELECTROCHEMISTRY- Don’t panic! Everything is going according to plan. KIM KITSURAGI — Seconds before five million of your brain cells self-destruct, the air is shaken by a sound, the sweetest sound in the world. Kim’s laughter. KIM KITSURAGI — Spreads out in laughter as if he’s been held back for years, but now all barriers have been torn down. His laughter fills the air around you and the emptiness within. It’s definitely not laughter yet, and it’s not even your kind of laughter, but it’s still better than a simple and so familiar chuckle. CONCEPTUALISATION — There’s a sudden flash of light on Kim’s face, as if a new sun is being born. Each note cuts through the air and penetrates the heart, evoking… something. Such a laugh cannot be described in words, it is full of life and humour, as if happiness itself is flowing through his throat. YOU — You look at Kim with flashing eyes and a smile that reflects his boundless gratitude for this moment. As he falls silent, you can hear the hoarseness in his voice. KIM KITSURAGI — I apologise, that was very funny and very bad — he adjusts his glasses and looks down at the floor. KIM KITSURAGI — He waits a bit, considering whether or not what he is about to do is worth it. — I also know a silly anecdote. EMPATHY — His ears blush, a sign of embarrassment. The joke is probably really, really stupid. YOU — To burn it baby. KIM KITSURAGI — He clears his throat — Well, gay ants don’t have a sour ass, they have a sweet. ELECTROCHEMISTRY — OH YEAH. That’s your level of humour. It’s perfect. Nothing more. YOU — You’ll start laughing stupidly and giggling like a little boy when he hears an obscene word. KIM KITSURAGI — He starts laughing too. EMPATHY — Your laughter is contagious Harry, I don’t know how, but you make him open up. He doesn’t have anybody to make silly jokes and share food with. KIM KITSURAGI — Oh, — he looks at your hands, — try the shavarm, I’m curious too. ELECTROCHEMISTRY- And you’re still very hungry. Laugh if you like, but lunch is on the agenda. YOU — Somehow suppressing a laugh, you take a big bite of your food, chew and swallow. PERCEPTION (TASTE) — He has chosen the chicken option, but has asked the cook to add more mayonnaise and vegetables. It feels magical — the combination of succulent chicken with spicy mayonnaise, fresh vegetables and tasty sauce is so harmonious that the taste explodes in his mouth. He savours every bite, immersing himself in a world of gastronomic delight. YOU — I love mayonnaise! — You say, taking a bigger bite than the first. — Kim, you always have such an exquisite flair for everything, even your choice of food, — Harry says with a smile. — You can turn even an ordinary shaverm into a culinary masterpiece. KIM KITSURAGI — I’m really glad you liked it, but I didn’t do anything special, I just asked you to add more of what I’m sure you like. EMPATHY- He is very warm by the fact that he was able to please you. You’re one of the most important people to him, and if he can make the people he cares about happy, he’s happy himself. YOU — You and Kim finish your (presumably better) lunch, exchanging silly jokes and stories. When you’re finished, you squeeze into the back seat and you and the Lieutenant head out to interview witnesses.