Tokyo Detective Chronicles

When Fushimi woke up, it was already dark outside the window.

He lay in bed, staring at the unfamiliar ceiling, and it took him a few seconds to realize where he was.

This is Rina Hoshizaki's bedroom.

Then slowly sit up.

Looking around at the empty space, Hoshizaki Rina was nowhere to be seen, with only a few marks left on the pillow.

Fushimi was unusually dazed.

I haven't slept this soundly in a long time.

He was a very light sleeper, easily awakened by the slightest noise. But this time, he didn't even know when the girl left.

He raised his hand and touched his cheek; it was a little wet.

What's going on?

He looked down at the pillow and saw no drool stains.

Where did it come from?

I thought about it for a few seconds, but I couldn't figure it out.

Forget it...

He got up, dressed neatly, and went downstairs.

The kitchen lights were on, and the sizzling sound of oil in the pan and the aroma of food filled the air.

Fushimi walked to the kitchen door and saw Hoshizaki Rina standing in front of the stove.

She wore a pink apron with the ribbon tied in a bow at the back of her waist. Her long hair was casually clipped back with hairpins, revealing her fair neck.

Her sleeves were rolled up to her elbows, revealing a slender forearm, as she held a spatula and stirred something.

Hearing footsteps, she turned around.

She blushed the moment she saw Fushimi.

But she quickly turned her head away, as if she had done something wrong and wanted to hide something, then forced herself to turn back and forced a smile.

"Good evening, Iori! How did you sleep?"

Fushimi looked at her.

"Yes, it's fine."

He went into the kitchen, took another blue apron from the wall, tied it on, and walked over to her.

"What are you doing?"

"Uh... hamburger patties, tamagoyaki, miso soup, and..." Hoshizaki looked at the cutting board next to him, "vegetable salad, not finished yet."

Fushimi nodded.

Pick up the knife and start chopping vegetables.

Hoshizaki paused for a moment, then smiled.

The two stood back to back in the kitchen, each busy with their own tasks.

The range hood hummed, and the pork chops in the pan sizzled and glistened with oil. Fushimi chopped vegetables with a rhythmic "crunch crunch crunch," fast and steady.

"You slept so soundly today."

As Hoshizaki stirred the food in the pot, he said, "You weren't awake when I got up."

"Um."

"I even drew a turtle on your face."

Fushimi paused for a moment, then turned his head to look at Hoshizaki.

Hoshizaki suppressed a laugh and continued stirring.

"...Did you draw it?"

"No," Hoshizaki finally laughed out loud. "I was just kidding."

Fushimi looked away and continued chopping vegetables.

Today is Friday, so there's no need to go to school tomorrow, but Fushimi still needs to think about where he'll live from now on... After all, he can't just stay at the Hoshizaki house forever.

But then Fushimi suddenly remembered something else.

Fushimi brought the dishes to the stove and suddenly spoke.

"Oh, right, Rina."

"Um?"

"Didn't you ask me before if I wanted to work in the Special Affairs Section?"

Hoshizaki's hand paused; her back was to Fushimi, so he couldn't see her expression.

"Hmm..." Her voice came softly from beside me, "What do you think?"

Fushimi remained silent.

Hoshizaki waited a few seconds, paused for a moment, then continued stirring.

Actually, she already had the answer in her heart.

She had already sensed just how dangerous that world belonging to Fushimi Iori, which was completely foreign to her, was.

To be honest, she hadn't slept well for the past few hours.

I had a lot of dreams, mostly nightmares...

Fortunately, every time she woke up, she could see Fushimi still by her side, and then she could fall back into a deep sleep.

are you afraid?

That's for sure... She's never experienced anything like that before.

But she just wanted to get closer to Fushimi no matter what.

I want to stand beside him, or hide behind him; as long as I can be with him, that's enough...

She could sense that Fushimi's attitude towards her had changed dramatically ever since she inexplicably gained the ability to see those things.

It's no longer the kind of perfunctory treatment we used to give to children.

Although she was reluctant to admit it, Hoshizaki Rina's womanly intuition told her that Iori had long viewed her this way.

Even though we were standing very close, our hearts were so far apart.

There is an invisible wall separating us.

Only recently did she feel that she had touched the real Fushimi Iori, even if only a little bit...

Working in that special department called the Special Affairs Section would allow me to come into contact with things that would bring me and Iori closer...

At least it will let her know what Fushimi faces every day.

I'm sure I can help him too.

If he tries to dissuade me from going because he "doesn't want you to take any risks," what should I do...?

How can I persuade him?

Her hand remained still for a very long time.

Then Fushimi's voice rang out again: "Work in the Special Affairs Division is not suitable for you."

really……

Rina Hoshizaki lowered her head, feeling a pang of sadness, a moment of emptiness in her heart...

Of course she knew that Fushimi was right.

But deep down, there was a strange sense of resentment... like two hearts that were gradually moving apart were about to separate and go their separate ways.

"you……"

However, Fushimi's next words stunned her.

"Would you like to be my assistant?"

Hoshizaki was stunned.

The spatula stopped in mid-air, and she suddenly turned around to look at Fushimi.

"Huh?"

Fushimi was standing by the pool, holding a kitchen knife in his hand, his face expressionless, but his eyes were fixed on her.

I'm serious, I'm not joking.

Hoshizaki opened his mouth.

Contrary to what Rina Hoshizaki had imagined.

Fushimi had no intention of distancing herself from the psychic community, because she had already awakened and activated her spiritual vision, and given the current trend, it was only a matter of time before she awakened her spiritual abilities.

She will inevitably be drawn into the psychic incident, and if she only tries to avoid it and lacks the ability to deal with it, she will eventually run into big problems.

Hoshizaki looked at him, and then she smiled, her eyes crinkling into crescents.

"Iori!"

She lunged at him and hugged him from behind.

I love you to death!

Fushimi stumbled forward as she lunged at him, nearly dropping the kitchen knife into the pool.

"Feed..."

"Hehehe!" Hoshizaki buried her face in his back, laughing so hard she was shaking. "You should have said so earlier! I was worried sick!"

"Don't move, I'm chopping vegetables."

"No, no!"

Fushimi sighed and let her hug him.

"Okay, let go... the food's going to burn."

"don't want!"

"The food is burnt, you need to redo it."

"Then let's redo it!"

……

Ten minutes ago, on the road leading to the Fushimi residence.

A black luxury sedan drove slowly.

In the back seat, Aoi Morikawa held a small mirror and carefully checked her appearance.

The face reflected in the mirror was excessively refined.

Her long white hair was tied into two low ponytails with red ribbons, hanging down her shoulders. Her deep blue eyes were exceptionally bright today, with long, thick eyelashes. Her lips were painted with a light pink lipstick, making them look dewy and tender.

She turned her face left and right in front of the mirror.

Confirmed.

Then she lowered the mirror, leaned back in her seat, and watched the street scene rushing past the car window.

I'm a little nervous.

She spent the whole day thinking about what she saw that morning.

Morikawa Aoi bit her lip.

She didn't know why she cared so much.

But as soon as that image and thought appeared, she felt a tightness in her chest.

He was her fiancé.

Although the marriage contract was arranged by their parents many years ago, and although Iori's older brother may not even know it, it is a fact.

Therefore, she has the right to care.

...Right?

The car turned a corner.

Aoi Morikawa sat up straight and looked out the window.

Almost there... She straightened her hair and took a deep breath.

Then she saw the ruins of the Fushimi family estate.

Half of the wall had collapsed, the tree had been uprooted, black marks were everywhere on the grass, the glass door was shattered, and the house was dark inside, with the collapsed ceiling visible.

Morikawa Aoi: "...?"