Chapter 73
When they finished handling this sudden case and returned to the station, what greeted Officer Shima was his colleagues' good-natured mockery.
"How did you guys even get reported by criminals!"
Headquarters had announced the case directly on the Mobile Investigation Unit's internal channel, so everyone who should and shouldn't know heard Officer Shima's response at the time: "This is Mobile Investigation 404. The suspicious vehicle the caller reported is our car."
Someone burst out laughing immediately, and then Officer Shima said he saw suspicious people nearby, that the caller might be someone from a theft gang responsible for casing joints... meaning a car full of police officers might have been reported by criminals.
And all Mobile Investigation Unit members on duty heard this...
Since no one was live-streaming the subsequent developments, everyone regrettably missed a segment. When they next heard from Mobile Investigation 404, they had already captured a theft gang. Others could only read the report later to learn what happened in between.
But people at the same station could immediately inquire about the situation and mock teammates who encountered such dramatic plot developments.
Officer Shima had been on duty for 24 hours—a murder case during the day, a theft gang at night. Now exhausted to the point where he could barely keep his eyes open, he simply pointed behind him: "You should ask them, Squad Leader Jinma."
Squad Leader Jinma looked up behind him: "Right, our schedules never align, so I haven't met the newcomer to our... place..."
The dark-haired, red-eyed youth in a military-style trench coat walked in through the door. The previously lively atmosphere seemed suddenly dispersed, replaced by a chill that swept into the room with his approach.
As soon as he entered, the room's atmosphere became inexplicably tense. Squad Leader Jinma's mind even began automatically playing background music from recent detective dramas he'd watched—the music that played when the camera turned to the criminal consultant master in the show.
The youth nodded at him: "Squad Leader Jinma."
Squad Leader Jinma: "............"
Too intense—seeing Moriarty on an incognito visit... even this station felt unsafe now, like incidents could happen any moment...
—He now had only one question: with this Samukawa Shinryu in the car, where did that theft gang get the courage to report them?
Squad Leader Jinma's partner reacted faster than him: "So it's you... Long time no see, Samukawa-kun."
Officer Shima, who had been lying on the sofa about to fall asleep, suddenly opened his eyes and looked at the speaker in shock along with Squad Leader Jinma: "You know each other?!"
"Yes, we met during Police Academy interviews last year." This person frowned.
Usuha Izuki looked at him puzzledly: "You are..."
This person pressed his lips together somewhat dissatisfied but still dutifully introduced himself: "...Kokonoe Yoto. Please take care of me."
Usuha Izuki remembered.
Oh, with this surname, this guy was probably an official's son. He vaguely heard other people discussing this during interviews.
Kokonoe Yoto's father was Director Kokonoe of the National Police Agency's Criminal Investigation Bureau. And if he interviewed last year... he should have gone to the National Police Academy. Presumably this official's son wouldn't have failed, so his reason for appearing in the Mobile Investigation Unit was worth pondering.
After all, unlike the Metropolitan Police Academy, the National Police Academy mostly trained commanders. Even if they liked frontline work, they'd at least be elite detectives in Investigation Division One, right? Coming to the Mobile Investigation Unit was like being demoted.
"Samukawa Shinryu." Usuha Izuki gave his cover identity's name, then asked, "Why are you in the Mobile Investigation Unit?"
Kokonoe Yoto was that typical noble young master type. He also seemed unhappy about being here, feeling it lowered his status, but maintained basic politeness—not a bit more: "It should be my father who forced me in here. I also want to ask why you're here. I thought you couldn't become a police officer."
As his partner, Squad Leader Jinma looked somewhat suffocated by this guy's emotional intelligence: "Cough cough cough... Samukawa-kun is a student from this year's Metropolitan Police Academy class, here for internship. Wasn't this mentioned in last week's meeting?"
"I wasn't paying attention." Kokonoe Yoto said. "I'm not interested in interns."
Because Kokonoe Yoto had been elite since childhood, always succeeding, being stuffed into the Mobile Investigation Unit already put him in a mood. At first he even looked down on Officer Shima, who had stepped down from Investigation Division One, only changing his attitude later. So although he appeared very polite, he indeed often revealed a condescending attitude.
Squad Leader Jinma was helpless... this guy still couldn't speak properly. He'd probably only change after being educated by reality.
Ibuki Ai interjected: "You say you're not interested, but you remembered Samukawa-kun's name... while Samukawa-kun seemed not to remember you."
Officer Shima coughed twice, hinting for Ibuki Ai to shut up.
Kokonoe Yoto was silent for a moment, not feeling particularly embarrassed: "...I just don't pay attention to interns, but Samukawa-kun did leave a deep impression on me. I didn't know the intern was Samukawa-kun until just now."
Usuha Izuki pondered: "Are you officially employed now?"
"Yes, National Police Academy training time is relatively short. This is already my second year on the job." Kokonoe Yoto frowned. "You should have continued to the National Police Academy. Metropolitan Police Academy... hmph."
Although he didn't voice his evaluation of the Metropolitan Police Academy, everything was implied.
In Japan, a country that highly valued seniority systems and whether one came from prestigious schools or elite groups, Kokonoe Yoto having this attitude was quite normal.
Despite some disdain for Metropolitan Police Academy, Kokonoe Yoto still extended his hand to Samukawa Shinryu: "I didn't expect to work with you in this way. This really surprises me... Please take care of me in the future."
Usuha Izuki raised an eyebrow and shook his hand: "Please take care of me."
After shaking twice, Usuha Izuki tried to let go, but Kokonoe Yoto held on: "Internship aside, are you planning to go to Investigation Division One afterward?"
Usuha Izuki answered: "No, I think the Mobile Investigation Unit is quite good."
Officer Shima's pressure instantly increased, but thinking that once Samukawa Shinryu joined the team, he'd definitely be reassigned a new partner, he'd only suffer these two months, and suddenly felt much better.
But just as Officer Shima adjusted his emotions, Kokonoe Yoto became dissatisfied: "Why? Staying in a place like this has no meaning for you. You should go to higher places to display your talents."
Everyone was shocked.
Huh? This was also something this young master would say? Didn't he look down on everyone in the Mobile Investigation Unit equally?
Forget about people—even the system was shocked: [The [Black Screen Aura] is clearly working, so why is his attitude toward you like this...]
[This guy respects strength.] Usuha Izuki understood and couldn't help sighing. [His attitude toward recognized strong people is quite good, regardless of which aspect. Anyway, as long as he feels inferior to others in some way, he'll correct his attitude. In some ways, he's quite naive... Plus he's been contributing suspicion values to me. This is both suspicious and respectful of strength... Really conflicted. I like this type of person.]
Having analyzed Kokonoe Yoto's personality clearly, Usuha Izuki said flatly: "For you to say such things, no wonder your father had to force you in here."
Kokonoe Yoto was stunned, and Usuha Izuki took the opportunity to withdraw his hand.
"Wait, what did you mean just now? Do you know what my father thinks?" Kokonoe Yoto questioned while frantically contributing suspicion values.
He didn't want to believe a stranger he'd only met once understood his father's thoughts better than he did, yet felt that if it was Samukawa Shinryu, guessing his father's thoughts wouldn't be strange.
After all, the moment Samukawa Shinryu's gaze swept over him, he felt like he'd been seen through.
Usuha Izuki mischievously didn't answer him, instead jumping over him to ask Squad Leader Jinma: "What did Squad Leader want to ask earlier?"
"Ah? Oh..." Squad Leader Jinma coughed. "I wanted to ask how you caught that theft gang, and whether they said why they called the police?"
Ibuki Ai rushed to answer: "I know this! Samukawa-kun said before it was to eliminate hidden dangers plus attract police attention!"
Squad Leader Jinma hesitated to speak.
No, what I really want to know is how they dared to call the police after seeing Samukawa Shinryu!
Are today's thieves this brave? Or just brainless?
"Because I was sitting in a melon bread van, they thought I was sneakily hiding my tracks, doing unspeakable things, so they figured reporting me would successfully send me away without worrying about retaliation."
Usuha Izuki explained expressionlessly: "If I were sitting in a Rolls-Royce or Maserati, they wouldn't have called the police, because they'd think I was fearless... I've encountered this type too many times. Guessing their thoughts is simple."
This statement silenced everyone present.
Whether it was naturally analyzing that the other party thought there was "no need to worry about retaliation," or calmly accepting that sitting in luxury cars made him look like a boss on tour, none of it compared to the final sentence.
"...Just how many times have you encountered this situation?" Kokonoe Yoto asked with complex emotions.
"Quite a few times. For example, in my first month at Police Academy, I was framed as a murderer by criminals just because they thought since I rarely came back to stay, the place might be used to store unseemly things, and police would directly arrest me as a criminal upon seeing it."
Everyone: "............"
What kind of heartbreaking story—oh wait, let's not mention witnesses, since witnesses might understand the criminals' thinking—was this!
Usuha Izuki continued his free-flowing narrative: "This happened too often, so I felt I really should become a police officer. As long as I show my police badge, many such troubles can be avoided, which is why I took the Police Academy exam."
Officer Shima had been sympathizing with him and even reflecting on his own attitude, but suddenly felt something was wrong upon hearing this: "Hm? Didn't you say it was because you wanted to understand a police officer you knew?"
One reason was emotional, one was rational—which was true? Or were both true?
Having successfully farmed suspicion values from colleagues, Usuha Izuki said very calmly: "Realizing that becoming a police officer could solve most troubles must have been that police officer's final help to me."
Officer Shima: "............"
At this moment, Officer Shima suddenly understood what Hagiwara Kenji had once said.
—So this was also Samukawa Shinryu's mischief?! Which of your statements is actually true?!