Fate's Cruel Joke
A Ginoza/Tsunemori Fan Fiction
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Fate and destiny – people often see these words as synonymous. However, there is a thin line between the two. The former can be controlled while the latter is something beyond one's grasp. In the case of Tsunemori, I believe the crossroad is beyond the concept of fate.
Sitting on my father's old desk in the office, I watched the brown-haired inspector from my peripheral vision as she fixated her eyes on the computer screen. Her eyes seemed hollow and tired, and creases can be seen on her black and white ensemble. I carefully tread the line between warmly reminding her again to take care of herself and mechanically ignoring her recklessness, as I also began questioning my interactions with her lately. I looked at the clock on my screen and it indicated time beyond midnight.
"Shouldn't you be going home by now, inspector?" I bravely asked, pretending to be busy researching for our case.
"I'm fine, Ginoza-san." Her voice startled me. Without lifting her eyes off the computer and sounding as mechanical as the voice in a Dominator, she answered, "I'm just finishing these reports."
"I was an inspector, Tsunemori-san," I replied cautiously, reiterating the past tense. "I know that those reports can wait tomorrow."
"I'm sorry," she shifted her eyes from the computer and smiled apologetically at me. "I mean, your shift has already ended so you're not obliged to accompany-"
She stopped with a surprise look on her face when she saw me got up from my seat and went past her. I could literally smell cigarette smoke from her and I certainly knew the brand, a specific to our previous enforcer, Kogami. I remained passive to her newfound hobby as I knew that it was none of my business. Disregarding the slight pinch in my chest, I proceeded to a vending machine nearby. I bought two cans of cold coffee – strong and caffeinated.
When I entered the office once again, I placed a can on her desk and sat comfortably back on my computer seat. She looked at me with a little bit of curiousity painted on her face, like she was attempting to read me like a book. A quick pop sounded off when I opened the can.
"Thank you," she replied appreciatively. However, I noticed that her gaze remained at me. The skin between my brows creased as I try to figure out why the woman was staring. The inspector seemed to have noticed my facial expression.
"I'm sorry," Tsunemori apologized with a startle as she avoided my gaze. She quickly shifted her eyes towards her unopened coffee can. "I didn't know that you have a good built."
"I didn't have time when I was an inspector," I explained after taking a sip of cold coffee and proceeded to filling out document forms on my computer. "As an enforcer, on the other hand, I believe it's either train or perish."
"It's a good logic," the brown-haired inspector jovially said as she opened her canned coffee and drank straight.
I went back to my computer screen and worked my report for our recently closed case. The sound of the keys under my fingers started. Despite the mechanical work of typing, my mind seemed to be fixated on her. From my peripheral vision, I noticed her giving quick glances towards me though her body seemed to be fixated on working some paper.
"Talk," I interrupted her with a short sigh as I was curious about the inspector's quick glances. She hesitated as she stopped typing. She comfortably placed her back on the spine of her swivel chair with her head hanging. My eyes pierced her, tempting her to open up more.
"I just need someone to talk to," she finally mumbled enough for me to hear.
"You're unlikely the kind of person to need someone to talk to," I lightly joked. "Your color is as pristine as edelweiss."
"Do you think he will come back?" She threw the question as casual as possible though the slight crack in her voice made me ponder on how important the answer to the question is. I knew exactly who she was talking about.
I picked my words carefully to deviate the topic, in a hope that it wouldn't trigger something deeper than the casual question. "In the very beginning that he followed Makishima, he knew the possible consequences of his every action."
She sighed deeply, seemingly accepting my answer. She seemed to be in deep thought as she stared blankly at the ceiling of the office. Her face remained stoic and her eyes were relaxed.
Continuing my remarks, I added, "and in my opinion, it's futile to think over things you do not have control over. He has decided on his own path."
My eyes turned to her hands clumsily fumbling the half-empty packet of cigarettes. "On the other hand, I'm worried on your end. You seem to be not yourself lately."
She must have heard the honesty on my voice that she chuckled a little. She lifted her head and looked at me. She teased, "Ginoza-san, the worrier."
"MWPSB is already taking a toll on you. I think you should take some time off," I highly suggested as I turned my chair to face her. "be on a date and try to fit in as a regular citizen every now and then."
"Regular citizen? You know that it's impossible for men of our work to have something like that." She laughed hard on my suggestion, not taking any seriousness to it. "Are you setting me up with someone?"
"I can take you out on a date." It was not a half-meant joke. Heck, it was not even a joke. My face remained expressionless. My eyes were fixated on hers. And as if reading my eyes, she stopped laughing. Her face stiffened upon the realization that I was not joking.
"Do you want me to, Tsunemori?" I asked and she instantly flinched. She tried to open her mouth and say something but was unable to produce a sound. I stood from my seat and approached her. I leaned towards her, our faces inches away from each other. "I can take you out on a date," I repeated, this time with more conviction. She swallowed while staring at my eyes. Deep inside, I wanted to mock myself. 'I can take you out on a date' should rather be changed to 'you can take me out on a date' with the circumstance between the two of us – she being an inspector with freedom and me being a bound enforcer.
"You can't be serious," she finally whispered, her breathing a little bit jagged.
"Just kidding." I smirked a little as I lifted my head and placed my hand on her shoulder.
Blushing, she sighed in relief. "Oh, it's a good thing that you're not serious."
I added to lessen the blow, "though, lunch together tomorrow is more realistic. Of course, I think you should pay, seemingly fit that you are my superior."
"Of course," she stuttered, still not recovered. The can of coffee remained untouched. I lightly placed my hand on her eyes and said, "I'm turning in for the night," then removing hand. I walked out of the office with both hands in my pockets and thoughts to ponder.
It is said that a man can choose his own fate – whether to ignore the circumstances or be consumed by them. In my case, I had chosen the latter, and this is where it brought me – a demotion and a case of Tsunemori's density. Fate really has a way of delivering a joke, a cruel one if you ask me, and I never knew that its joke is on me.
FIN