Chapter 35
If the Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit had off-duty hours when they weren't operational, Japan's death rate would double.
Therefore, Matsuda Jinpei, who happened to be on duty when he received Usuha Izuki's call, though somewhat shocked by his purpose, still reacted quickly and organized his team members to go to the rescue.
At the same time, the call wasn't hung up. While preparing to depart, Matsuda Jinpei directed him: "Go evacuate the surrounding crowd, don't let them get close."
The Police Academy was essentially job training—students started receiving salaries upon enrollment, and when personnel were needed, even undergraduate students had to step up. So Matsuda Jinpei directing Usuha Izuki came naturally, treating him directly as a patrol officer.
Usuha Izuki was very cooperative: "Got it."
While speaking, he stood up, dusted off his coat and casually put it on, scanning the surroundings.
Earlier, to examine the package, since he couldn't move it carelessly for fear of accidentally triggering a switch, he had lain down to check. This might have attracted attention, and unknowingly a circle of people had gathered, watching him from a distance.
Suspicion Values had been pouring in constantly, making the system too happy to speak.
Now that he stood up, these people seemed to finally react. None dared make eye contact with him. Seeing him look their way, they all averted their gazes. Only a few young people with strong senses of justice, who were out walking their dogs, dared approach with their pets to inquire.
"What are you doing?"
While asking, they also tugged hard on their leashes, utterly puzzled.
—The person opposite is dangerous! Don't wag your tail and go over there! I brought you to boost my presence, not to beg for pets! You're making me lose face!
Some hesitantly thought that although he seemed scary, animals liked him, so he probably wasn't a bad person, right?
Then they heard the handsome but dangerously gloomy young man say calmly:
"There's a bomb here. Don't come over."
Everyone: "..........."
A few seconds later, they heard a scream as someone shouted "There's a bomb! Where are the police?!" and ran away.
With that shout, the others seemed to finally snap back to reality, fleeing toward the park exit with lightning speed. In just a few seconds, there wasn't a soul in Usuha Izuki's field of vision.
Matsuda Jinpei, who hadn't hung up and could hear the commotion: ".................."
Usuha Izuki calmly brought the phone back to his ear: "Area cleared."
Matsuda Jinpei: "...It's called evacuation."
At this moment, Matsuda Jinpei was having a minor breakdown.
"There's a bomb here. Don't come over."—Strictly speaking, this statement was actually fine. When there was no one to help set up a perimeter and a bomb was discovered on the spot, to avoid curious onlookers causing trouble, he would say the same thing. So when he first heard it, he hadn't realized there was a problem.
But how could he have forgotten what kind of impression Samukawa Shinryu gave people?!
Having Samukawa Shinryu evacuate crowds while saying such things—what was the difference from intimidation?!
Before the bomb situation was resolved, they might have a stampede incident too!!
At this time of day, there shouldn't be too many people. Hopefully nothing would happen...
Having personally witnessed others sprint away at top speed, Usuha Izuki wouldn't worry about such things. He just bent down to check the countdown again: "No one's here now. What should I do?"
"How much time is left on the countdown?"
"Quite a while. It'll probably blow up this bench around midnight. If the target isn't homeless people, it's an experiment."
Matsuda Jinpei clicked his tongue: "Tsk, then stay far away, find a safe spot, keep an eye on this place, and prevent others from getting close. I'll be there with my team soon."
"Roger... ah, a patrol officer is coming."
The patrol officer had arrived by bicycle, quickly approaching Usuha Izuki.
Usuha Izuki didn't dodge, just stood in place, cradling his phone on his shoulder while pulling open his coat to reach for an inner pocket.
The just-arrived patrol officer, thinking he was going for a gun, hit the brakes hard and stopped at a distance. He also jumped off his bike, his burly frame tensing all over as he quietly gripped his baton, ready to use grappling techniques at any moment.
The person matched the caller's description.
Dark hair, red eyes, stern and cold, wearing a military-style coat slightly open to reveal white shirt and black pants. His entire figure was like a bold ink silhouette, carrying a shocking, aggressive pressure.
"Did you place the bomb here?"
The patrol officer spoke calmly, trying not to appear aggressive while attempting verbal persuasion: "It's already very late. Even if it exploded, it wouldn't hurt many people. I think you must just have some demands and want to make your voice heard through this method, right? If you don't mind, could you tell me?"
The patrol officer gazed sincerely into those blood-moon dark red eyes while keeping peripheral watch on the other's hands that weren't in his sight.
Finally, the suspicious young man withdrew his hand from his coat's inner pocket. The patrol officer tensed, wondering what he'd pulled out...
Huh? Not a gun?
Something thin, like an ID? What could this be...
"Hello, senior." The young man who looked more suited for a defendant's dock showed him the police handbook in his hand with polite formality, using maximum honorifics. "I'm a student from Instructor Onizuka's class at the Metropolitan Police Academy. I just discovered this bomb."
Patrol Officer: ".................."
The patrol officer had trouble accepting the reversal from [criminal suspect] to [Police Academy junior].
Especially being called "senior" gave him a feeling of mental disorientation.
"Is, is that so?" His tone became somewhat unsteady. "I'm also from Onizuka's class..."
At this point, he saw the young man listen seriously to his ongoing phone call for several seconds, then make a gesture of handing over the phone: "Senior, Matsuda wants to talk to you."
The patrol officer was initially wary, not daring to approach for fear of some trap to lure him close for killing. But he quickly reacted: "Wait, Matsuda?"
"Mm, Matsuda Jinpei. He says he knows you..."
Matsuda Jinpei shouted from the other end: "Turn on speaker!!"
Speaker was turned on.
Matsuda Jinpei's "Squad Leader" call left the patrol officer stunned.
"It really is you, Matsuda..." The patrol officer's tone was incredulous. "What exactly is going on?"
Matsuda Jinpei explained helplessly: "This is our junior, Samukawa Shinryu. After discovering the bomb, he immediately called me. I told him to evacuate the crowd and keep people away, so he said 'There's a bomb here, don't come over,' and everyone scattered. I figured someone would call the police, but I didn't expect you to be the one who came, Squad Leader..."
"I see." Familiar testimony was much more convincing than just an ID. The patrol officer relaxed: "I misunderstood. Sorry about that—the people who reported said... cough cough."
He coughed awkwardly: "I guess I really am your senior. I'm Date Wataru."
Although Date Wataru was capable, because he wanted to start from the bottom, he was currently still at a local precinct. He was on patrol when stopped by someone reporting an incident, which is how he happened to arrive.
"Anyway, the current situation is there's a bomb, we don't know who placed it... mm, the countdown still has plenty of time. Matsuda, when will your people arrive?"
"About ten more minutes—almost there!"
Thanks to Tokyo being small, rushing as fast as they could, Matsuda Jinpei and his team members arrived at the park within 20 minutes.
Matsuda Jinpei came over fully geared to examine the situation, then breathed a sigh of relief: "No big problem. Check the surrounding area and detonate in place."
Why dismantle it? Unless absolutely necessary, dismantling wasn't generally recommended. With this quality, detonation would solve everything.
So his team members began checking for nearby hazards and preparing isolation measures to minimize the detonation's impact on the surrounding environment. They quickly detonated the bomb.
Everyone then spread out through the park, searching for other possible bomb locations. After confirming the park was safe, they relaxed and declared the job done.
As for finding whoever placed the bomb, that wasn't their job—the officers responsible for that area had already arrived. If they overstepped their authority, they'd get passive-aggressive comments.
After completing work within his jurisdiction, Matsuda Jinpei finally came over to properly greet Usuha Izuki and Date Wataru: "All done! Thanks for your hard work."
Date Wataru smiled: "I just came to take a look. Samukawa-kun was the one who discovered the bomb... To be involved in solving this kind of case before even graduating—Instructor Onizuka would be very happy if he knew."
"Uh..." Matsuda Jinpei's expression became subtle. "That's hard to say."
Date Wataru: "...?"
Matsuda Jinpei turned to ask Usuha Izuki: "Did you tell Hagi?"
"Not yet." Usuha Izuki coughed. "Don't know how to explain it."
"Good, no problem. I'll help you." Matsuda Jinpei smiled with ill intent. "Squad Leader, we haven't gotten together in a long time. Are you free later? I'll call Hagi out too!"
Date Wataru paused: "I'm actually off duty, but after this incident, I still need to return to the precinct to write reports and take statements. Samukawa-kun also..."
Matsuda Jinpei didn't mind: "Then let's meet at Squad Leader's precinct. I'll take my team back to the Metropolitan Police first and see you later."
Japan's nightlife was vibrant—drinking until dawn was common. Besides, it was only shortly after sunset. So when Hagiwara Kenji received Matsuda Jinpei's call, he didn't find it strange, just teased a bit.
"Why mention it so late? If you'd said earlier, we could have had dinner together."
"Well, I just ran into Squad Leader." Matsuda Jinpei asked, "Coming?"
Hagiwara Kenji readily agreed: "Yes! I miss Squad Leader too. Which place?"
"Near Squad Leader's precinct. He says he found a good place. Let's meet at Squad Leader's precinct."
Hagiwara Kenji had no objections.
He didn't even sense anything wrong when he walked into that local precinct—not until he saw Usuha Izuki.
"...Little Shinryu?" A sense of foreboding immediately rose in Hagiwara Kenji's heart. "What are you doing here?"
Usuha Izuki: "Writing a statement."
Hagiwara Kenji: "..........."
"Oh, Hagiwara, you're here." Date Wataru had already changed clothes and was ready to leave. Approaching, he paused: "What's wrong? Why do you look like that?"
Hagiwara Kenji's mouth twitched: "Uh, I just wanted to ask—when Matsuda said he met Squad Leader today, it wouldn't be because Little Shinryu..."
Date Wataru: "Yes, Samukawa-kun discovered a bomb and was mistaken for the bomber when evacuating people, so someone reported him to me..."
Hagiwara Kenji couldn't listen anymore. He covered his face.
"Little Shinryu, maybe I should accompany you next time you leave school..."
—At this rate, Instructor Onizuka won't approve any more leave for you!!