Chapter 100
Officer Shima roughly explained what had just happened.
He didn't mention much about the self-criticism content, or it would seem too much like tattling. His purpose wasn't to tattle, but to prevent the situation from developing in a worse direction.
"...I said something like he's not suitable to be a police officer." Officer Shima said with difficulty. "For Samukawa-kun, this kind of evaluation might be a bit too much, and the meaning is completely different from others, right?"
Hagiwara Kenji's voice, which always carried a hint of laughter, now sounded somewhat cold: "I can understand. You were just angered by his self-criticism. You're a very responsible police officer."
Although the other party said he understood, Officer Shima still felt Hagiwara Kenji's disapproval.
Think about Samukawa Shinryu's answer during the Police Academy interview.
The people who said such things to Samukawa Shinryu when he was a child at most made him harbor some resentment, but as someone who said such things when Samukawa Shinryu had already become a police officer, he might cause Samukawa Shinryu to completely take another path.
Just then, Ibuki Ai returned.
Ibuki Ai, who was usually happy and cheerful like a golden retriever, now had his brow furrowed tightly and shook his head at Officer Shima.
Officer Shima felt even more regretful and said into the phone: "Sorry..."
But Samukawa Shinryu's way of doing things really wasn't suitable for being a police officer! These days you can't even tell the truth, and you have to torment yourself when you do. How has it come to this!
Officer Shima questioned life.
Hagiwara Kenji politely responded: "I'll convey it for you."
Soon, Usuha Izuki received a call from Hagiwara Kenji.
If Hagiwara Kenji hadn't been uncertain where he was now, he probably would have come to find him directly.
Usuha Izuki answered the phone with a relaxed attitude: "Hello?"
Hagiwara Kenji deeply understood that now wasn't the time to worry about what the self-criticism looked like, so he got straight to the point: "Little Shinryu, Officer Shima just called me. He feels what he said..."
"What he said was quite right."
Hagiwara Kenji's heart immediately went cold.
Oh no, the situation seemed more serious than he'd imagined. Little Shinryu wouldn't really have been discouraged by Officer Shima's words and decided to give up being a police officer, would he?
Originally there had always been illegal organizations contacting Little Shinryu, not knowing what they'd said or done. If the police side didn't provide support and Little Shinryu turned to the other side, it wasn't completely impossible...
Sometimes, it's the last straw that breaks a person.
"Little Shinryu, listen to me!" Hagiwara Kenji said urgently. "Officer Shima said he might have taken out some anger about his former partner on you, and doesn't really think everything you did was wrong. No matter what, you did save someone. If he weren't a police officer, he would only thank you and think you did the right thing, but being in the police system, he can't completely ignore those rule violations..."
After explaining a bunch of things for Officer Shima, Hagiwara Kenji continued: "Officer Shima might be worried you won't answer his calls, so he had me convey this. Little Shinryu, no matter what others say, I believe that as long as you're willing, you can become a very good police officer, so..."
So, don't go to that side.
I don't want to have to point a gun at a friend who once saved me.
"...I understand. I'll go ask Shima-senpai personally."
Getting such a vague but definitely not firmly giving up on being a police officer answer, Hagiwara Kenji, who had unknowingly broken out in a cold sweat from anxiety, breathed a huge sigh of relief.
Great, there was still room for retention. Next would depend on Officer Shima's performance. Hopefully Officer Shima had calmed down by now and could use the high emotional intelligence he showed when dealing with victims' families to handle Little Shinryu.
...Honestly, of all the friends he'd made, none could make him worry as much as Samukawa Shinryu.
One moment of inattention and his friend might run off to commit crimes. This feeling of constantly being on edge was particularly fascinating.
After harvesting a wave of suspicion values from Hagiwara Kenji, Usuha Izuki quit while ahead: [After all, he's a friend. Can't have Kenji getting heart disease at such a young age.]
[You're really so good to your friends...] The system secretly rolled its eyes. [What do you do now? Go back to ask Officer Shima? With the atmosphere built up like this, you can't not make up, right? What about your vacation?]
Usuha Izuki wasn't going back. He directly called Officer Shima: "Shima-senpai."
Officer Shima was somewhat surprised. Getting a call back so quickly at least meant things weren't that serious: "Samukawa-kun... Sorry, what I said earlier was a bit too much. In terms of saving people, you're undoubtedly qualified, and other police officers might not necessarily do better than you..."
Usuha Izuki asked: "I heard from Kenji that your former teammate seemed to have made some mistake?"
"...Yes, he fabricated evidence to quickly catch the criminal he'd identified." Officer Shima understood that to explain why he'd overreacted, he had to explain about his former teammate, so he roughly explained the situation. "...So I might have had a stress reaction and said things I shouldn't have. I apologize to you."
Ibuki Ai's voice drifted over: "Shima-mo has never apologized to me..."
Officer Shima's forehead bulged with veins—they were discussing serious matters here! Could he be a bit more serious and stop calling him that!
But maybe Ibuki Ai's comment had some effect. Officer Shima could feel that Samukawa Shinryu's attitude seemed to have softened somewhat.
"It's fine. What you said isn't entirely wrong either."
Hearing this answer, Officer Shima felt both relieved and worried. Relieved that Samukawa Shinryu could still rationally judge that what he'd done indeed had problems. Worried that he might think what he'd said about "you're not suitable to be a police officer" wasn't wrong.
Sure enough, Samukawa Shinryu said: "I need some time to think about some issues. I might not be able to make it to today's and the day after tomorrow's shifts..."
Officer Shima hesitated for a moment, gritted his teeth, and decided to trust Hagiwara Kenji's persuasion skills: "I understand. Internships can request leave too. It's just two days, no problem. I'll handle things with the captain."
Samukawa Shinryu always used honorifics perfectly, making it completely impossible to hear his inner inclinations: "Then I'll trouble you, senior."
After hanging up, Officer Shima sighed deeply and sent an email to Hagiwara Kenji, roughly explaining the communication results.
At least he hadn't immediately decided to quit. That should be a good thing. Hopefully Samukawa Shinryu really planned to reflect.
Ibuki Ai suddenly asked: "But his self-criticism has to be submitted today, right? What do we do now?"
Officer Shima: "............"
Ibuki Ai: "Do you need me to chase after him and get his self-criticism back? I run very fast."
Officer Shima was silent for a moment: "...No need. I'll write it for him."
If that self-criticism was submitted, things might get even bigger. Better to stop it here at his level and solve any problems at his level.
Officer Shima, with indescribable feelings, spread out draft paper and began writing a self-criticism for Samukawa Shinryu.
What was all this...
How had it developed to the point where he needed to write self-criticisms for interns...
He'd barely written two lines when Hagiwara Kenji replied to his email.
[Little Shinryu said he wants to visit a grave and refused to let me go with him. He probably wants to be alone.]
Visit a grave...
Officer Shima immediately thought of the deceased police officer Samukawa Shinryu had mentioned, whom he couldn't understand.
Was he planning to go talk to that deceased police officer?
He'd probably been a bit too harsh, saying such things to an orphan. When the person wanted to find someone for comfort, he could only go to a grave...
Officer Shima fell into guilt again.
But for Usuha Izuki, visiting a grave was just an excuse that would let him be alone for a few days without anyone bothering him.
The heartless him didn't care how others would imagine or feel guilty about this excuse. He only knew it could achieve his purpose.
[See, didn't the vacation come? Shima-senpai will probably help me write the self-criticism and help cover up what happened today with the captain, worried that too many people knowing would have too big an impact on me.] Usuha Izuki was triumphant. [I also earned so many suspicion values at once. This is a win-win!]
[You mean you win twice by yourself?] The system complained, but seeing so many suspicion values, it was just as happy as Usuha Izuki. [Speaking of which, you've saved up quite a lot of points. It's not like you won't earn more in the future. Isn't it a bit wasteful to save everything for exchanging lifespan? Why not buy something now, early purchase early enjoyment...]
Usuha Izuki was coldly ruthless: [I refuse door-to-door sales.]
[...The items are all useful!]
[Not useful to me. What do you think I'm lacking now?]
System: [...]
[If you had something like a smile maintainer I might consider it. Always maintaining a smile is quite tiring...]
The system complained: [Paralyzed face is tiring, smiling is also tiring, right? Your acting is really the worst I've ever seen!]
[So what? I haven't been exposed yet. Isn't this better than Furuya Rei?]
[How dare you compare yourself to the three-faced acting emperor?] The system complained, then said, [Really not buying? Christmas is coming, there's a sale!]
Usuha Izuki: [I refuse. I don't like Christmas.]
System: [...]
What kind of strange excuse for refusal is this! Usuha Izuki, you have no heart!
Because Usuha Izuki used the excuse of visiting a grave, he successfully spent several undisturbed days. On Christmas Day, he finally went to the address Vodka had given him.
The location was in an abandoned warehouse. When he opened the door, the dim yellow light inside illuminated several tall figures sitting or standing, making Usuha Izuki dazed for a moment.
So many resources... he meant, so many people!
Among those already present, there were people Usuha Izuki knew and some he didn't. A group of people gathered together without speaking, the atmosphere very heavy. Seeing Usuha Izuki walk in from the doorway, each one's gaze was strange.
Usuha Izuki ignored the stares of strangers and said with great emotion: "My God, it's Christmas everyone! Why so serious? Why so serious? Everyone smile!"
People who didn't know Usuha Izuki: "...???"
Who is this young guy?! So arrogant?!
Vodka was speechless: "Botanist, look at the atmosphere before you speak."
"I did look, that's why I think the atmosphere is too un-Christmas-like."
"We didn't call you here to celebrate Christmas!" Vodka pressed his temples and slightly tilted his head, indicating for Usuha Izuki to look over there.
Usuha Izuki walked a few more steps inside and finally noticed something was wrong: "What's the situation over there?"
A dying person was tied to a chair with a pool of blood beneath him. Gin stood in front of this person smoking, seemingly still considering where to continue.
Vodka explained: "He's a traitor. He tried to send information outside and was discovered by Gin."
Gin had just made an example of him, which was why the atmosphere here was so serious.
But this Usuha Izuki kid was really bad at reading the atmosphere, coming in and immediately shouting about Christmas and telling everyone to smile... Smile my ass! Gin had finally created this atmosphere and it was all gone!
Usuha Izuki was startled and stared blankly at that person.
Vodka saw his reaction wasn't right and became suspicious: "What's wrong? Do you know him?"
Usuha Izuki frowned tightly with a look of unbearable pain, turning his head to hide his expression: "...Nothing."
Vodka silently looked at this drama queen and didn't want to speak.
People who didn't know Usuha Izuki: "...???"
Are undercovers' acting skills this bad nowadays?! The reluctance toward the traitor and dissatisfaction with Gin are practically overflowing!!! Which spy organization trained this rookie?!
He wouldn't think that saying "nothing" would make Gin act like nothing happened, would he?!
Everyone looked at Gin, waiting for his reaction.
—Gin not giving him a shot definitely wouldn't make sense, right?!