Chapter 21
Seeing Hagiwara Kenji's smile becoming forced, Usuha Izuki finally had a moment of conscience.
"I was joking."
Hagiwara Kenji: "............"
What kind of deadpan comedian are you?!
The system also exploded: [What kind of joke is that?! You're Samukawa Shinryu right now! Can't you just hold back and be a silent, steady guy?!]
[Can't help it. Someone as lively and cheerful as me, always bringing joy and laughter—an absolute ray of sunshine—having to barely speak for so many days is already my limit.]
System: [...??? ]
A lively, cheerful ray of sunshine... Don't you feel guilty describing yourself like that? You're the only one who's happy!
Usuha Izuki seemed to sense the system's speechlessness and confidently stated: [Stay calm, don't panic, we can do this. I think I'm quite the silent, steady type.]
[...Heh.]
The Suspicion Value System felt very hopeless. It thought the Undercover System should never have signed a contract with someone whose acting was so terrible and who had zero professional integrity as an actor.
Wouldn't signing a movie star have been better?
If it had hair, it would probably be bald by now.
Facts proved the system was indeed being overly anxious—Usuha Izuki had a better grasp on his boundaries.
It was just a joke, and after a moment of speechlessness, Hagiwara Kenji accepted this setting.
After all, Hagiwara Kenji had always felt that Samukawa Shinryu not only had overly clear self-awareness but was also very philosophical about it. Last time he'd also said giving cookies would be seen as poisoning the Police Academy...
It's just that with this kind of self-deprecating humor, if it were someone else, Hagiwara Kenji would probably laugh along. But when it came to Samukawa Shinryu, Hagiwara Kenji often felt it was too much of a dark joke and couldn't really laugh.
But would other people perhaps feel that a Samukawa Shinryu who could joke seemed more approachable?
Thinking this, Hagiwara Kenji secretly observed the people around them.
He'd always known these people didn't dare talk to Samukawa Shinryu but were constantly paying attention secretly. Those sitting nearby should have heard what was just said.
One glance around told Hagiwara Kenji he was overthinking.
These people had forgotten to act nonchalant, probably too absorbed in their thoughts. Their expressions were more serious than the last, clearly pondering whether Samukawa Shinryu was really joking or testing something.
Hagiwara Kenji: "............"
Hopeless... No, there's hope!
If they encountered danger like he had and were saved by Samukawa Shinryu, this prejudice could probably be broken.
They didn't even need to encounter real danger—just trouble would do. Upcoming team cooperation projects might provide opportunities for good collaboration.
Thinking this, Hagiwara Kenji relaxed a bit.
Knowing he couldn't rush things, he wouldn't rush.
Watching the surrounding students quietly speed up their eating and leave with their trays, Hagiwara Kenji asked directly without avoiding the topic: "The weekend's coming up. Any plans? Are you submitting an application?"
Police Academy regulations required closed training during the training period, even phones had to be surrendered, but on weekends they could retrieve their phones and apply to go out for some relaxation.
Usuha Izuki had been having a blast grinding points at the Police Academy, but was indeed getting stir-crazy and urgently needed an outlet, so he answered decisively: "I'm applying to leave campus."
Application reasons for leaving campus generally just needed to be reasonable. Unless it was a particularly troublesome group like Furuya Rei's generation of five, instructors usually didn't pay special attention.
But when Usuha Izuki went to submit his application, Instructor Onizuka looked at the reason and showed an expression like an old man on the subway looking at his phone.
"...'To allow students who want to stay on campus to stay peacefully, applying for weekend leave'..."
After reading this line, Instructor Onizuka was momentarily speechless.
How to put it—it seemed Samukawa Shinryu really was very considerate of everyone's mental health! It's just that having such clear self-awareness felt somewhat heartbreaking.
Usuha Izuki asked calmly: "Is it acceptable?"
"...It's acceptable!" What else could Instructor Onizuka say when things had reached this point?
He brought over the box for collecting phones, letting Usuha Izuki retrieve his phone while reminding him: "Although you're still in training, you're essentially already a police officer. Don't forget your identity when you're out."
"Please rest assured." When speaking as Samukawa Shinryu, Usuha Izuki was always polite, emphasizing his facade of wanting to be a good person. "I know what to do."
Usuha Izuki returned to his dorm, set aside the phone he'd just retrieved, and powered on another phone.
Like the past few days, this phone was clean—no one had contacted him, not even ads in the mailbox.
Usuha Izuki found Vodka's email and sent a message asking when he'd return the music box he'd forgotten at the safe house.
Although the Organization people all seemed unwilling to see him, pretending he didn't exist, Usuha Izuki was magnanimous and didn't hold grudges, still taking the initiative to maintain relationships!
After a while, Vodka called back directly.
Usuha Izuki turned off the 'Black Screen Aura,' cleared his throat, adjusted his voice back to his original body, and answered: "Hello?"
After recognizing Usuha Izuki's voice, Vodka asked: "Where are you now?"
"Tokyo."
"Perfect. I gave your music box to Amuro Toru for safekeeping. He's in Tokyo these days—just ask him for it directly."
Vodka had finally learned his lesson.
Why should he have to keep things just because Usuha Izuki asked him to? With so many useful new recruits around, why not take the opportunity to exploit them?
Usuha Izuki heard Vodka's deflection and raised an eyebrow, opening his map to search: "Where are you now? Not in Tokyo?"
"Not here." Vodka was decisive.
Usuha Izuki looked at the tag representing Vodka appearing near Tokyo Tower, paused silently, then pretended to believe it: "Alright, I'll go find Amuro Toru... Speaking of which, we haven't seen each other in so long. How about we get together?"
"I'm on a mission!"
"What about Gin?"
Vodka was decisive: "Boss is with me—he's busy too." Probably to add credibility, he added: "You don't know, the Organization has a traitor. Boss is currently tracking down the rat and has no mood to play around with you! If you can't help, don't cause trouble."
"How can you say I can't help? You won't let me help, then directly say I can't help—aren't you underestimating people?"
After Usuha Izuki finished complaining, he asked: "Which rat?"
"From the Deisenkai—this guy's called Sakata Jiro." This wasn't classified intelligence, so Vodka answered directly. "Speaking of which, you do have a knack for intelligence... How about this—if you have any intel, send me a report."
Usuha Izuki chuckled twice: "Fine, if I can help, I definitely will."
Clearly in Tokyo but lying about not being there—if he didn't teach Vodka a lesson, he wouldn't be Usuha Izuki!
He'd been suffering at the Police Academy anyway, and now suddenly had energy, planning to let loose.
Soon Usuha Izuki left the Police Academy, found a place to switch back to his original body, then stayed in his apartment monitoring Vodka and Gin's tags on the navigation.
Then he discovered that these two people's tags seemed to be approaching Furuya Rei's location.
And Furuya Rei's location was a karaoke place.
Presumably these three were going to meet at the karaoke place to exchange intelligence.
Usuha Izuki made a quick decision, got up and started changing clothes, preparing to give his colleagues a surprise.
Though the system wasn't entirely satisfied with this host, it still tried to help grind suspicion values: [Wear that "Boss's Confidant, Great Trouble" sweater this time. If you don't wear it now, it'll be too hot soon.]
[You make a good point.]
Usuha Izuki rarely agreed obediently with the system's suggestion.
In this weather, wearing a wool sweater didn't require adding a haori like last time. Just turning around would reveal the "Great Trouble" characters on the back, steadily irritating Gin's nerves.
But if Usuha Izuki just quietly appeared at the karaoke place, that wouldn't be him.
He hailed a taxi and kept watching the roadside. When they were almost there, he called Vodka.
"Vodka, you said you and Gin aren't in Tokyo, right?"
Vodka was exasperated: "I said we're not here. Why are you asking this again?"
"Oh, nothing. I just saw Gin's car and thought you'd returned. Since you're definitely still out of town, I must have been mistaken. Nothing important—I'll hang up now."
"Wait, don't hang up!" Vodka felt a bad premonition rising. "Where are you now?"
"Me? I'm in Tokyo."
"No, I mean which street are you on, where are you going?"
"Going to a karaoke place to sing. Is there a problem?"
Vodka: "............"
—Big problem! Could the karaoke place Usuha Izuki was going to be the same one they were heading to?! What kind of luck is this?!