"Huh? You two were discussing manga?" Officer Hidari, the female police officer, widened her eyes in confusion as she looked at the two girls seated in the back of the car.
Compared to Iroha, who was too nervous to speak after being suddenly approached by the police, Kotomi remained exceptionally calm. With the composure gained from her two lifetis, she thodically worked to dispel the officers' doubts.
Kotomi's Advanced Negotiation Strategy:
1. Don't deny the other party outright.
2. Objectively address the issue at hand while clarifying the cause, process, and outco of their misunderstanding.
3. Propose clear solutions or reiterate her earlier actions to alleviate any concerns, building mutual understanding.
Kotomi had already discerned that this was rely a misunderstanding. Instead of overly defending herself, she calmly explained that the two of them had been discussing manga. She even detailed which series the "murder thods" they ntioned ca from, step by step easing the misunderstanding.
By doing so, Kotomi leveraged the conversation to clear up the confusion naturally. Her mature approach defused the situation smoothly.
Of course, no matter how adept Kotomi was at handling such situations, she wouldn't dare to lie to police officers—especially these two. Judging from their badges, they were seasoned law enforcent personnel of considerable rank.
Both officers were part of the Kanagawa Prefecture Police Departnt's Criminal Investigation Division 1, Violent Cris Unit 3. The female officer, Hidari, held the rank of Assistant Inspector, while the male officer, Yukki, was a Senior Inspector.
Neither was the type to be trifled with. Moreover, they worked in a departnt that dealt with heinous cris daily, from murder and robbery to arson. Their interrogation skills were undoubtedly top-notch.
Besides, Kotomi thought, I haven't done anything wrong, so why would I need to lie? It was best to be straightforward and honest.
Perhaps because of their young age, the two officers chose not to take the girls straight to the station but instead questioned them in the patrol car. Kotomi used this ti to calmly and quickly explain the situation, successfully dispelling the misunderstanding.
After all, even if Kotomi had a ravenous appetite, she wasn't about to get herself hauled into an interrogation room just for the sake of eating katsudon.
"Are they telling the truth?" Officer Hidari asked her colleague, Yukki, seated in the front passenger seat. As soone who enjoyed detective manga and novels, Yukki was familiar with the works Kotomi and Iroha ntioned.
"They're not lying. The 'murder thods' they discussed really do co from Kindaichi Case Files and Detective School Q. Haha, who would've thought kids these days would still enjoy Detective School Q?"
Relieved that it was all a misunderstanding, both officers visibly relaxed. While they were under imnse pressure to solve a string of serial murders, neither wanted to suspect two young girls of being involved in such heinous acts.
Knowing it was rely a misunderstanding was a huge relief! Both officers thought to themselves.
"Still, even though it was just a misunderstanding, you shouldn't discuss detective manga so loudly in public. You might scare other tourists," Officer Hidari gently reminded them.
"We're sorry."
"S-Sorry!" Iroha stamred nervously, clinging to Kotomi. It was surprising to see the mischievous Iroha showing fear.
But it made sense—after all, Iroha was only in her third year of middle school. Being suddenly questioned by the police was bound to make her nervous.
"You don't seem like locals here in Fujisawa. Are you two from Tokyo?" Hidari asked.
"We're from Chiba City," Kotomi replied.
"Chiba? That's quite a distance from Fujisawa. Are you two here alone? Did your parents not accompany you?" Yukki inquired, clearly concerned.
"No, we just decided to visit Fujisawa over the weekend," Kotomi explained.
Officer Hidari raised an eyebrow. "How old are you two this year?"
"I'm in my first year of high school, and she's in her third year of middle school."
"Oh, you two little brats sure are brave... or should I say, kids these days have grown bolder. Still in school and already daring to go out on your own."
"This just ans the public safety has improved, right?" Kotomi chuckled nervously.
"No matter how good the public safety is, it can't suppress the evil in so people's hearts. You two need to be careful. Recently, there's been a serial murder case spanning Kanagawa, Osaka, and Tokyo. One woman and two n have already fallen victim. All of them were gruesoly dismbered while alive."
Officer Hidari's tone turned grave. "From our investigation, the killer is the sa person, targeting victims at random. You two must've seen the news about this case if you've been following current events."
Hearing this, both Kotomi and Iroha shivered involuntarily. Neither of them had realized that such a horrifying case was unfolding right under their noses.
After all, no matter how much they enjoyed detective manga and novels, encountering a real murder case was a completely different matter—it was terrifying.
"We'll be careful..." Kotomi responded.
"We don't know where the killer might be hiding. Since Chiba is part of the Tokyo area, you two should head ho early, preferably by the afternoon. Don't stay out past sunset. And if you do end up staying out late, call first. I'll drive you ho."
Officer Hidari wrote her phone number in a notebook, tore out the page, and handed it to Kotomi.
Despite her stern deanor, Officer Hidari's concern revealed her as a thoughtful and kind-hearted person.
She's a good cop, Kotomi thought to herself.
"By the way, where were you two heading just now?" Officer Hidari asked.
"We were planning to go to Enoshima," Kotomi replied.
"Oh, I see. That works out perfectly. We're heading to a nearby area for an investigation and will pass by Enoshima. Let give you two a ride. Enjoy yourselves."
"Thank you, Officer Hidari and Officer Yukki," Kotomi said with a smile.
Her words surprised the two officers. While they had shown their badges earlier, they hadn't expected Kotomi to not only stay calm but also morize their nas in such a short ti.
After a mont of astonishnt, Officer Yukki laughed. "You're pretty sharp for a young girl. Ever thought about becoming a police officer?"
"Absolutely not," Kotomi rejected without hesitation.
As an ordinary high school girl, she had no interest in becoming the savior of Japan's police force.
The car slowed to a stop near Enoshima's lighthouse. Fortunately, the two officers were in plain clothes and driving an unmarked black sedan. Otherwise, Kotomi and Iroha getting out of a police car would've undoubtedly drawn a crowd.
"This is as far as we can take you. Enjoy yourselves, but don't forget to head ho early," Officer Hidari said, closing the car window.
"Got it! Thank you so much," Kotomi said gratefully.
The black sedan drove off, leaving the two girls behind.
Kotomi looked down to find Iroha still clutching her arm, trembling. Thinking she was still nervous, Kotomi was about to pat her on the shoulder to comfort her when—
"Ah! We're finally at Enoshima! Yay! Senpai, senpai, let's get moving!"
Iroha had made a full recovery, bouncing back as if nothing had happened, showing none of the fear she displayed just monts ago. One second she had been trembling in Kotomi's arms, and the next, she was brimming with excitent, tugging Kotomi toward the lighthouse.
"I kind of miss your timid, little rabbit-like deanor from earlier," Kotomi remarked with a hint of nostalgia.
"Senpai, that's so an! I was only a little scared, okay? Just a little! And you already think of as a weak, helpless bunny? Uh-oh, does this an… oh no, I just ate stewed rabbit a few days ago, could it be…?"
"You'd better stop with those nonsensical thoughts. Honestly, when those two police officers showed their badges earlier, I was startled too. Thank goodness it was just a misunderstanding."
"Still, I didn't realize there had been a series of murders lately. Weren't you scared, senpai, after hearing about that?"
"Scared? Not really. Nervous, though—yes. Like Officer Hidari said, the killer has been active in Tokyo, and Chiba is so close to Tokyo. It's natural to feel uneasy when you hear about sothing like that."
"Wait, does that an… senpai is scared?" Iroha's eyes widened as if she had just discovered a secret. She patted Kotomi firmly on the back. "Don't worry, senpai! If a serial killer does show up, I'll rush in to protect you first—ouch!"
Her declaration was cut short by a swift karate chop from Kotomi.
"Stop raising obvious death flags right after learning about a murder case!"
"Hehe~" Iroha giggled.
Sotis Kotomi didn't know whether to feel concerned for Iroha. It seed like every second of her life was filled with emotional swings. For instance, just a mont ago, she had been trembling in fear, but now she was back to her usual, bouncy self.
"Well, even though we got stopped by the police midway, it wasn't all bad. At least we got a ride straight to Enoshima. If we had to walk the whole way, who knows how long it would've taken?" Iroha said cheerfully, brushing it off.
Ahead of them, the iconic observation lighthouse of Enoshima ca into view, along with the rest of the island.
Taking the elevator to the observation room, they were greeted by a stunning view of the nearby ocean. Sunlight stread through the glass, bathing the room in a warm glow while still allowing them to enjoy the cool air conditioning. The gentle waves sparkled in the distance, creating a tranquil scene.
Perhaps because of the "sea" character in her na (Izumi/泉: spring, source of water), Kotomi felt an innate sense of closeness to the ocean. According to her mom, Kotomi had been a natural swimr as a child, taking to the water as if she had been born in it.
Though, her swimming style back then had been limited to doggy paddling...
Over ti, Kotomi had beco more proficient, impressing the swim coaches to the point of amazent. They had even told her parents that, with proper training, she could compete at a world level.
However, it turned out that doggy paddling was the only stroke Kotomi had truly mastered. Attempts to teach her other techniques, like butterfly stroke, had ended in utter failure. To this day, doggy paddling remained her sole swimming style.
Standing in the observation room, gazing at the ocean, Kotomi found herself reminiscing about these childhood mories.
The stunning scenery made the trip worthwhile. Any lingering regrets about traveling all the way from Chiba to buy a phone were now completely swept away.
Maybe Arisu was right, Kotomi thought, Sotis, a complicated process can lead to sothing good.
Iroha, anwhile, was brimming with curiosity, darting from one corner of the observation room to the next, taking in the views.
"Senpai, senpai! Can you see my house from here?"
"What are we, clairvoyants? This is Fujisawa, not Chiba. Of course, we can't see it."
"What about your house, senpai?"
"Still no."
At all tis of the day—morning, afternoon, or sunset—the observation room was filled with couples. It was a hotspot for romance.
As a self-proclaid hobody, Kotomi would never willingly co to such a place alone!
Though the atmosphere was filled with romance, Iroha behaved like an overexcited elentary schooler on her first class trip to Enoshima, eagerly running about.
Kotomi grabbed Iroha's wrist and pulled her closer. "Stay still and behave. Don't disturb the others."
"Got it~"
Click.
Kotomi took out her phone and snapped a picture of the stunning scenery from the lighthouse, a view only visible from this vantage point. Though the original reason for the trip was to buy a new phone, encountering such beautiful sights made capturing them feel necessary.
As she thought about it, Kotomi suddenly understood why people often called photography the most romantic profession.
"Senpai, we should act a little closer, don't you think?" Iroha, leaning on the railing, spoke up.
"Sure—wait, what?" Kotomi was startled, nearly dropping her phone. She quickly caught it and let out a sigh of relief.
Even though she was planning to replace the old phone and transfer all her data, she still wanted to sell the old device to a store that accepted trade-ins. If the phone was damaged, its resale value would drop.
"Let's act closer, senpai!" Iroha repeated firmly, thinking Kotomi hadn't heard her.
"Why?" Kotomi asked, thoroughly baffled.
She wondered if she should double-check her own age. Whenever she talked with Iroha, she often felt like she couldn't keep up with her logic. Was there a generational gap between them?
"Because we might get suspected otherwise."
"Suspected? By who?" Kotomi's confusion deepened.
"By all the couples around us! Look, the air here is so saturated with lovey-dovey vibes. If we don't act close, we'll stick out like a sore thumb! What if the police take us in again?" Iroha declared solemnly, sidling up closer to Kotomi until her chest, already showing signs of developnt, pressed softly against Kotomi's arm.
"That's absolutely not going to happen."
If soone were arrested for being single in this world, it would be the ultimate cruelty against loners. Tears of despair would flow endlessly. This world really needs to do better!
"Oh wait, I have a girlfriend. Never mind then."
"But this is such a beautiful view," Iroha said, suddenly shifting to a serious tone.
"Huh?" Kotomi blinked.
"This is my first ti visiting Enoshima. I've never been on a plane before—though I have ridden a bullet train.
"When I was little, I dread about traveling with my parents to see the wider world. I used to draw crayon pictures of us on trips. I even imagined sitting in luxurious airplanes and cruise ships. I thought bunk beds were super cool back then, so I drew all the rooms with bunk beds.
"When I showed my drawings to my parents after kindergarten, they said, 'Once you get into college, we'll take you on a plane and a cruise.' I was so excited that night I couldn't sleep."
"If you pass your exams next year and get into high school, you'll be one step closer to college. It might seem like a long road now, but haven't you already noticed how quickly ti flies? Middle school might have felt boring and endless because of strict teachers, but when you reach the end of third year—or even senior year—you'll probably think, 'Wow, ti went by so fast.'"
Kotomi spoke like a dependable upperclassman.
"I'm not holding out much hope for that college trip anymore." Iroha gave a bitter smile. "It's a bit embarrassing to admit, but… my parents' relationship isn't very good."
"Oh."
Kotomi didn't say much in response. She simply reached out and gently held Iroha's hand.
Every family has its own struggles, and Kotomi wasn't sure if there was anything she could say that would help.
Iroha glanced at Kotomi's hand holding hers, smiled softly, and shifted their grip into a full interlocking of fingers. From behind, the two of them really could be mistaken for a couple.
"Senpai, Fujisawa is a pretty nice city, isn't it?"
"Yeah. I really like the scenery here. I've even thought about settling down in Fujisawa after I graduate from college. And if I earn enough money, I might build a little cottage near Ashikaga in Tochigi Prefecture."
"Wow, senpai, you've got big dreams! Can I live with you then?"
"Sure."
"Senpai, you're the best~ I don't feel like working hard anymore. I just want to be your spoiled little pet."
"Work hard and get into college!" Kotomi knocked lightly on Iroha's head.
Why did Kotomi like tapping people's heads so much? Well, she was used to doing it to her little sister Aimi at ho.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
40 Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon:
Patreon/DaoOfHeaven
User Comments
0 comments from readers