CHAPTER THREE
In which Souji Seta becomes prepared for future labors...
"Well...this is my office."
"...Th-...err...where is your office?"
"...Hm? Here. It's right here."
"...Is...is it under the pile of garbage?"
"Hm!"
Naoto Shirogane gave a huff, peeling her eyes away from her significantly taller compatriot and giving her personal place of business an appraising stare. She fidgeted...fingers tugging insistently at the brim of her cap, gently pulling it down to shield her eyes. He was surprised she'd worn it here. Apparently, it was only removed when she was at an absolute rest. This would qualify as work, after all. "...It's not...'garbage'. Everything within this room is vital to my work..."
"...So...why is it tossed all over the place?"
Souji Seta proceeded with caution into the proverbial lion's den. The business office of the Detective Shirogane was located in the highest point of the estate, bridged to the main building by a stomach-churningly high spiral staircase. The main building of the estate had four above-ground 'floors', with the detective's office rising even higher than that...a single room at a peak even higher than what should've been the highest floor.. If you included the basement and parking garage, that made five floors in total plus one office. The height shouldn't have been this dizzying to him...but the fact that he had to climb made him painfully aware of the elevation. He was no stranger to mundane stairs...but long, spiraling stairs were a different story altogether. The absence of a working elevator in a place like this was something he couldn't see the logic behind.
Naoto's office was a surprisingly humble affair. While the rest of the estate seemed deceptively simple with leagues upon leagues of history and worth hidden behind it, Souji was unable to view the office as anything more than...well, an office. There wasn't much to see. A single bookshelf in the corner, packed tight with whatever informative literature Naoto deemed necessary for her work. A single desk with a pair of wooden chairs for guests, he assumed. A nice view, at least...the broad window easy to enjoy with a simple swivel from the lush, cushioned detective's chair. Wooden floors, cream-colored drapes...and a torrent of loose papers that would make a papyrophobic go into cardiac arrest. Mounds and mounds of them stacked two feet high clogged the desk and promoted a sense of claustrophobia. They squeezed through the cracks of the file cabinet and caused the entire thing to creak at the slightest movement. A lonely laptop computer sat drearily upon the desk, suffocating up to the top of its screen in carelessly strewn forms and documents and applications. One of the chairs he assumed to be reserved for guests wasn't granted impunity...both papers and half-read books the thickness of Tolstoy novels causing the poor creature's wooden legs to buckle. Dumped onto the floor was something specifically eye-catching...heaps of discarded wires and other electronic paraphernalia that he couldn't quite identify. His nose twitched as he delved yet deeper...tickled by spare particles of thick, cloudy dust. It was everywhere...layers upon layers sticking stubbornly to each corner and every portion of the room that Naoto apparently hadn't bothered to touch for some time.
It wasn't so much the office of an ace detective as it was one of a senile college professor. It was...appalling. Suddenly, a sink of unwashed dishes and two bags of loose trash idly awaiting their demise in the corner of a neglected apartment didn't seem so bad.
Naoto continued to squirm, arms crossing tightly across diminutive chest. The shame of her office's conditions seemed to eat at her more than she'd anticipated. She outright refused to look directly at it...like a poor child enamored by the thought of a solar eclipse but too cowardly to go against the wise advice of not looking directly into it.
"...It WOULD be cleaner...but I don't exactly have very much time on my hands. I actually...don't spend that much time in here. It's painful to admit...but lately, this has been more of a storage space than anything else. Important documents, phone records, background checks...things of that general nature."
"...Hm...you have maids and butlers, don't you? Why don't you get one of them to tidy up?"
Naoto flinched. "When I came back here...from Inaba...I made it very clear that I wanted to take responsibility for this office. Considering the condition it's in now..."
"...You'd be too embarrassed?"
"...Something like that, yes."
"...Huh...then why me?"
Naoto steadied herself, sighing gently and gently slipping her hands along the curve of her hips. "...Were you sincere when you decided to accept this job? You admit that, from this point on, you will be my assistant? Correct?"
"...Sure..."
"...'Sure'?"
"...I mean...yes. Yes, I was sincere."
"Well then...as my personal assistant, you are to take responsibility for those areas in my life in which I do not have appropriate control. That begins with this office. Everything in this room must be thoroughly cleaned and organized, top to bottom."
Souji Seta's face grew pale as he gazed upon the tremendous task before him. What was the point of getting him dressed up if he was just going to dirty himself with something like this? Naoto seemed to sense his apprehension, dispelling it with a modest flourish of her hand. "It's quite alright. You don't have to begin this instant. As you've been told, this is simply an orientation. You are, however, expected to begin work on this first thing tomorrow. Is that acceptable?"
Relief...though, only for a moment. It was more like a delayed sense of dread than anything else...like getting a day off from school when knowing that you were only going to have to work twice as hard to make up for lost time.
"...Oh, wait...I was told I'd be taking your calls from now on. I don't see a phone here..."
Naoto smiled, reaching into her pocket and removed a simple cellphone. Nothing too fancy...the kind of flip phone you'd see carried around by anything under the age of fifty. "...Yakushiji bemoaned my insistence of relying on this instead of a more traditional phone...but you can't deny the practicality of it. I have two phones...a personal phone and a business phone. This is my business phone. It's difficult for me to keep up with what I'm doing when I'm receiving messages from two different lines. From now on, you'll be in charge of my business phone."
"...So...what exactly do I...?"
"Take every call you receive. I would also recommend that you sleep with it near you. You'd be surprised at the hours in which some people will attempt to contact me. Jot down the caller's personal information and their reason for calling...unless it's urgent, in which case you should find me immediately."
"How can I tell if it's urgent?"
"...Hm...for now...it will be best if you just brought every call to my attention. I'll let you know whether or not it was urgent. You'll eventually be able to discern easily between the two. Oh, and, of course, don't confuse this with your personal phone. It's meant only for making and receiving calls that pertain to business. You already have a personal phone, correct?"
Souji nodded. "Hm...yeah. O-oh...but, I left the charger and everything at my apartment..."
Naoto didn't flinch, swiftly removing a second phone from the same pocket. It was a much more 'unique' design...thinner, sleek, pale blue. Wordlessly, she handed the business phone into Souji's care as she dialed a number in a swift blur. The phone didn't even complete a single ring before there was an answer. "...Yakushiji? Have you arranged for all of Mr. Seta's belongings to be sent here? That's fine."
"..."
"...I don't care if he has a newly signed lease. Kindly inform the landlord that he's been called away in important business."
Souji Seta remained quiet...trapped in an awkward shell. He felt like a child...patiently listening to concerned mother informing a disgruntled teacher that you wouldn't be attending class for the day.
"If the rent is the problem then we'll pay for the rest of the month. If the landlord insists on anything more than that, we will firmly decline. If there are any more complaints after that then I'll just have to meet with them personally."
Cold sweat had begun to pool on Souji Seta's forehead. The methodical demeanor with which Naoto conducted business was something truly chilling to see in action. Naoto ended the conversation abruptly, slipping the personal phone back into her trouser pocket with a strangely satisfied curl tugging at the corners of her lips. "...Nothing to worry about. All of your personal belongings should be here by tomorrow morning."
"...D-...don't I need to actually speak with my landlord? Or sign something or-"
"That won't be necessary, at least not for now. For the time being, your main concern is to become situated here."
Souji Seta groaned, nervously rubbing at his forehead. Come to think of it, he never did take any of those pain pills he received from his trip to the hospital. He was overdue for a splitting headache. He fingered the bandaging still slapped to his forehead, noting that the edges were beginning to become loose. "...Geez...they won't mess up my apartment too badly, will they?"
A smooth sigh escaped the detective's throat. She turned, faced him squarely...tipping the brim of her hat up with the edge of her knuckle, fully revealing serious blue eyes. "...You were sincere when you took this job?"
"...Hm? Yeah...I already said so, yeah."
"...You're certain? Absolutely certain?"
"...Yes."
"...Then, please...don't refer to it as 'your' apartment. If you're staying here, then...I'd appreciate it greatly if you began to think of this as your home."
Without delay, Naoto turned away from the disheveled office and beckoned for Souji to follow. He obeyed without question and soundly shut the door behind him.
The tour of the Shirogane Estate was exceedingly tiresome...reason being that there seemed to be very little that was actually important to see and a great deal of space to cover. Souji Seta was grateful that it was Naoto who had opted to intimately introduce him to the estate rather than Yakushiji. If it had been the latter he was certain that they'd still be in the north lounge with the aging secretary gushing on and on about authentic 18th century candle holders or something equally tiresome and unimportant.
Naoto Shirogane, on the other hand, seemed to have a mind for practicality. Her words were few, but they were informative and well-chosen. She was exactly the kind of tour guide that Souji Seta had always dreamed of. Unfortunately, her brain seemed to be a hectic, disorganized mess of a thing. She seemed to choose the next location on a whim rather than going by what was closest. After the introduction to her personal office came that of the expansive library on the second floor...and then her private bedroom on the fourth floor (Souji never actually entered it, but she showed him the location of it just in case he was unable to locate her anywhere else). She kindly pointed out each and every bathroom she came across. The idea of a more permanent lodging for Souji was also discussed. It was practically decided for him. The guest room he'd stayed in on the second floor would've been satisfactory for him...but apparently, as the detective's personal assistant, a different room on the fourth floor would be more convenient. Most of his mornings would be spent in the business office anyway, so it was closer. He'd remain in the guest room with the ticklish carpeting for one more night, but he was assured that his personal belongings from his apartment would be included in a fourth floor room by the next day.
The daring expedition led by the intrepid detective eventually brought the weary Souji Seta to the darkest depths of the Shirogane estate. Delving into the basement, the scenery seemed to drastically turn from a carefully constructed monument to 19th century style and architecture to something significantly dimmer. The color seemed to fade from the walls...tasteful wallpapers giving way to stark concrete.
Naoto seemed unphased by the trek. It made sense. She grew up having to weather the hills and valleys of the monumental home. Souji, meanwhile, only tried to keep himself from vocalizing his discomfort...legs throbbing harshly and bruised cranium joining in tandem.
"...Ahem...this is our...personal parking garage. There are some other employees who, like you, are offered room and board here...so it isn't as if they all belong to-"
"Fifteen, right? Your family owns fifteen of them?"
Naoto's shoulders visibly shrugged, a shakey sigh exiting her through. "...I see Yakushiji has already bragged about the family's affinity for automobiles."
He could practically feel the tense uneasiness that flowed from the detective's body. She was modest about her wealth...that was a good thing, at least. The parking garage was something truly massive...though, in a way, it wasn't that impressive. In terms of scale, sure...it was certain large. In terms of style, it was just concrete, yellow lines, and parking barriers. In a way, it was the most practical place in the entire estate. Perfect for Naoto, perhaps.
The vehicles themselves were certainly certain to swoon over. Though Souji didn't have much of an eye for vehicles, he knew money when he saw it. Most of them were older models...with several other pre-war tourers much like the one Naoto personally charioted herself in. The majority of them, however, were newer models...not modern-new, but 'new'...collectible mainstays from years that hadn't been forgotten yet, with several practical models presumably there to serve a purpose rather than to simply look nice. Naoto spoke on, still moving.
"Most of these are showpieces. My parents, from what I've been told, were quite fond of their vehicles. The garage used to be more...'elaborate', with lighting specifically arranged to enhance each vehicle's inherent aesthetic qualities...but I didn't really take after their adoration of presentation. To be perfectly honest, I had considered selling some of them...but I believe they still hold a great deal of sentimental value to both Yakushiji and Grampa."
"...Hn...I wasn't aware that detective work was so lucrative."
"It isn't. Detective work and wise financial investing, however, is. Anyway, that's neither here nor there. There's only one car here that you need to worry about..."
As they approached her signature vehicle, a certain sparkle embedded itself within the detective's eyes. She removed her hat briefly...beating it gently against her thigh with a strange sense of pride as she admired the glistening ride that the pair had paused before. Souji also couldn't help but marvel at the sheer size of it. They definitely didn't make them like they used to. Compared tot he compact sensibilities of modern auto developers, it was an absolute behemoth...
"...1933 Cadillac V16 Convertible Victoria. When you're out with me...this is what we'll be riding in."
"...Looks...expensive."
"...Eheh...it is...very, very expensive. It took years before I was finally able to receive consent from Grampa to drive it freely. Yakushiji still resents the notion. If he were present I'd say you'd be getting quite the earful about it. Something about 'It's a car to be driven in, not to drive'."
Souji Seta gave a low whistle as he stooped down near the tires, staring thoughtfully at his reflection winking back at him within the silver spokes. "...Aren't you...afraid of something happening to it?"
"I'm very careful...and I only do investigation. I don't make arrests...so there's never any need to drive very fast. Shintate is a relatively small place with narrow roads. No one drives fast here."
"...What about if you get called in for a case far away?"
"If it's too far then we'll just have to take a plane."
"...Aren't old cars like this notoriously difficult to drive nowadays?"
Naoto gave a smirk...a rare gesture. Not the rarest, though, which would've been a complete smile. In the very least, he was accustomed to seeing a sly half-smile such as this when something she truly cared about was touched upon. "...They are...but, you said you can drive manual, correct? It's still very different...but since I'll be with you, I can teach you. As impractical as it may be...I really, really enjoy this car. I personally made sure that it was restored as much as possible without significantly altering the chassis and body. The engine has been altered, however...for obvious reasons. It's done irreparable damage to the value, but...as I've suggested, I'm not pre-occupied with details such as that."
She went on...a hint of nostalgia gleaming through her soft expression, circling the car as if to re-familiarize herself with every aspect of it. "...When I was just a child...this was always my favorite car. I fell in love with the color...and it felt just like one of the cars that the hero would always drive in one of my detective serials. I used to sneak down here when I was certain no one was looking and sit in the driver's seat...turning the wheel and mindlessly jiggling the gear shift as if I was in pursuit of a dastardly culprit."
She settled back in front of the vehicle...hat-shadowed eyes seemingly dazzled by the shine of the grill. "...I really...detest the idea of something existing simply so it can be 'pretty'. That kind of existence is extremely disheartening...to be simply so you can be admired and dressed and put on display as something gorgeous and unattainable. So...I decided that it would be a shame to allow this car to sit here and rot. No matter what Yakushiji says, I won't budge...this is the only car that I've enjoyed myself in."
Souji Seta gave a deep half-chuckle, rising to his feet and pressing his palms to the small of his back...bending forward until he heard a satisfying 'crk!' "...Didn't expect you to begin waxing philosophical about something like this."
Naoto's face contorted into something gravely serious...hurriedly turning her eyes away while pushing an open hand towards Souji, a single glittering key hanging from between her fingers. "...Here. Just take it...quickly."
Souji Seta paused. His heart sank. It was like a single mother forcing herself to give away her only child. "...Are you...sure?"
"...I-it's just a spare...I have one as well. But...as you will be my chauffeur from this point forward, you will now be responsible for driving me when I require your services."
"...Y-...y'know, you don't have to. I mean...you can drive it just fine, right? Haha...why don't I just ride shotgun?"
"...Do not make this more difficult than it already is. It's logical...I will be able to focus more heavily on my work when I don't have to focus on driving."
Guilt washed over him...but as an employee, where was his right to refuse. Naoto winced the moment his fingers touched the offered key...taking it into his palm like a dirty, long-hidden secret and stuffing it into his pants pocket as quickly as he could. He had still yet to fully understand her reasoning...but the pang of pessimistic doubt throbbed ever-present in the background of his mind.
Sympathy job. She's trying to make me feel more important...she feels sorry for me. Sympathy job.
He stuffed the thoughts down into the deepest, dankest pit of his stomach. Naoto's tension didn't relieve itself as soon as the key was out of sight, contrary to Souji's assumption. "...Take the key out, Souji..."
"...Hm? What? Why?"
"...I think the best method for solving this problem is the same that's so often used when pulling away a stubborn, painful bandage. Do it fast, get it over with. I'll inform Yakushiji. We're going for a drive..."
Souji Seta's limbs were quaking...a thin layer of sweat had formed along the edges of his temples. He breathed more rapidly...his mouth dry, habitually licking at his lips as if that would somehow ease the hot, sandy quality of his mouth. It only made it worse. He was disturbingly familiar with this feeling. It was the same feeling most any young person experienced on their first driving test. Strapping into a monstrous pre-war tourer was just the kind of stimulation that caused his brain to regress until he was walking in the shoes of himself from four years prior.
He had jumped when he started the beastly thing. The ignition was louder than he expected, but it quickly softened into an almost pleasant vibrato purr. Naoto had laughed at his reaction. He couldn't blame her...though, part of him couldn't help but wonder how she'd managed to calm herself so much. Because of him, maybe. He once recalled her admitting that she had a tin ear for the feelings of others...but in this case, she seemed to be reading his discomfort rather well. Maybe because it was so obvious...
The interior of the car was something to be admired. Every bit as sleek as eye-catching as the exterior had proven to be. Again, the word 'classy' was the only thing that could come to mind...from the wooden hull of the dashboard to slick, polished steering wheel and clear antique gauges. He didn't expect a radio and AC to be included...but apparently he underestimated the innovation of the American 1930's. The radio was something alien to him...simply a set of shining knobs and a menacing mesh of material from which the sound was expected to pour from. He didn't ask whether or not it still worked, not knowing if Naoto was even the type to listen to music while driving. The seats were set much higher than he was accustomed to, giving him a sense of vertigo that he had never attributed to driving.
His grip on the wheel was harsh and vice-like despite the rapid shaking of his hands. Surprisingly, the driving gloves helped. He didn't quite see the point in them...but something about wearing a pair of gloves made him feel more 'powerful' than normal. His eyes shifted erratically from the road stretching out in front of him and the silver Goddess hood ornament carefully perched just above the Cadillac's majestic grill. He didn't think much of it at first...but already, he was becoming fond of it. Like a beacond...a magnificent guiding beauty draped in light sent from Heaven to guide him away from ditches, railings, and anything else that might put an eyesore of a dent in a car that was probably worth more than he was.
He was mildly pleased to see that Naoto's description of the streets surrounding and comprising Shintate was true. They seemed perfect for Sunday drivers...or just anyone who had little experience in driving an 80-year-old car. The streets were slim, the traffic extremely thin. Seeing as they were in no hurry Souji felt comfortable enough to chug along the smooth, welcoming roads at a comfortable 30 mph.
The fabric top had been pulled back, allowing both of the vehicle's occupants to be licked at by the cool rush of air that whistled past them. Naoto had been very insistent on letting the top down. It was sunny and comfortable enough, sure...but more importantly, Souji suspected that she thought the cool air would calm his nerves. He didn't thin it was working. The rush of cold air entering his ears only seemed to amplify the pain of a lingering head injury. Long, silver bangs whipped recklessly about to expose the loosening bandage that covered his sore. They drove in circles...Naoto's intentions purely to make Souji familiar with her prized vehicle. They kept away from the main town, for the most part...a lovely day of enjoying the picturesque green scenery.
She hadn't said much since they'd actually gotten on the road. She stared away from him...officer's lap lain neatly within her lap, presumably from the fear that it may have blown off during the trip. There was no basis for her fear though. Souji didn't intend to go very fast at all. He couldn't see her facial expression. It was difficult to tell just what she thought of the ride. He decided to speak up...
"...Sooo...uhhh...how fast does this thing go? Not that I intend to go very fast or anything!"
"...Hmmm? Oh..." She had been daydreaming. That was reassuring. She snapped swiftly out of her reverie before giving a proper reply. "...Not very fast. I believe the top speed is something close to 80 miles per hour. The engine is quite powerful, but it's mostly because the vehicle itself is so heavy."
"...Ahh...gotcha. No high-speed pursuits in the foreseeable future..."
Naoto stared quizzically, leaning over to get a glance at the speedometer before giving a mild huff. "...Go faster."
"Faster?"
"Yes. Not by very much. Just let me see you shift gears..."
Souji was afraid to refuse...or even to really look her in the eye as he did so. He kept his eyes on the road, fingers rattling as he reached blindly for the shift before moving his foot to the clutch. He tugged at the stick gently at first before giving a more insistent tug...greeted only in return with a loud, angry war cry of loudly scraping contraptions. The engine stalled. "Shit..."
He mumbled that as low as he was able, as if hiding from his parent a newfound ability to identify naughty words. He didn't see her do it, but he could feel Naoto wince with every horrific sound the car made. He audibly sighed, staring at her new chauffeur expectantly. "...S-...sorry..."
"...Don't apologize. Restart the car. We'll try it again."
"...Dammit..." Again, muttered softly enough to reveal that he was ashamed of his weakening vocabulary. If you go through enough annoyances in laugh, that's bound to happen.
He twisted the key in the ignition as if it were going to snap in half at any moment...gently bringing the vehicle to a living rumble before starting again.
Naoto watched carefully...eyes half-lidded in visible irritation from the experience. "...Push down the clutch and put your hand on the gearshift."
He obeyed...easing his foot onto the clutch as if it were made of rapidly melting butter and gently wrapping long fingers around the tip of the gear lever. Before he could even move, a pressure pushed down on his gloved hand. Naoto shifted herself slightly closer, joining hands atop the wobbling gearshift. Her grip was firmer than he had expected...slightly masculine even...though, with a layer of Italian leather impeding actual contact, he couldn't tell if her skin was as soft as it used to be. Despite her grip, her hands were remarkably small...thin digits sinking down between the gaps between Souji's much thicker fingers. She squirmed in her seat, sighing gently before she finally managed to get a proper squeeze.
He glanced sideways in her direction. She avoided direct visual contact, he couldn't see her face. She shook like a stubborn leaf. She hadn't gotten any better with being physically close to people, it seemed. Suddenly, his arm jerked. The Cadillac seemed to lurch, a sudden vibrating roar quaking through his seat...a swift electric shiver and went from gearshift to vehicle to occupant. To be honest...it was thrilling. He grunted as Naoto forcefully tugged both his arm and the sturdy gear stick in the necessary direction, prompting him to give the vehicle a little more speed.
"Nngh! S-see? This isn't like a modern car. You have to be very, VERY firm. Understand?"
She pulled herself away almost immediately, squeezing at both of her bare hands before impulsively slipping on her cap and tugging the black 'n blue brim down to meet with the bridge of her nose. A kiss of cherry color persisted along the bridge of a button nose...chest rising and falling with an unusual quickness.
"...Yeah, Naoto...I think I got it now."
Several practice shifts later, Naoto Shirogane breathed a sigh of absolute relief. She adjusted her collar with a single hand, a more optimistic smile spreading across round face as she took in the sunny view. "...Well...that's enough. We can go back to the estate now."
"...I take it you'd rather not tempt fate?"
"That isn't it!"
Souji almost laughed at the sudden strange tone of her voice. He remembered that now. When she got excited, her voice jumped...barrier of forced masculinity peeling back to reveal that she could get quite a bit higher. She nearly squeaked. She held up her hands as if to defend her position, waving them both to dispel whatever fog of misunderstanding had pooled around her companion's head. "Really. You're doing quite well...much better than I had anticipated..."
"...Sooo...you expected me to crash and burn?"
She seethed, scowling gently. "...Stop that. That wasn't what I intended to say. I think...that I would be comfortable with you driving me...at least for now. If it rains or snows in the near future, please don't be offended if I request a follow-up session."
He refrained from teasing any further, leaving her with only a velvety chuckle as she guided him along the quickest route back to the estate. He still knew very little about the layout of the surrounding area's roads. He imagined that he'd be taking direct directions from her for quite some time.
Souji felt considerably more relaxed at this point. There was definitely something...'special' about driving a car like this. Once he put the price out of it out of his mind, he believed he'd come to enjoy it. "...How...much does a car like this cost anyway?"
"Hmm...if you've become interested in that sort of thing, it may be best to ask Yakushiji or one of the mechanics. Though, if I recall, current market price would be around...twenty-four?"
"...Twenty-four...thousand yen?"
Naoto laughed. Not derisive, not out of cruelty. He should be happy about that, right? She took it as a joke. "...Oh, no...twenty-four million yen, approximately."
Souji Seta wanted so desperately to laugh...but unfortunately, he knew it wasn't a joke. His skin became clammy, his pulse quickened. Another subject, another subject.
"SO...tomorrow then? That's when I...'start'?"
"Yes, that is correct...that is, if you're feeling up the task. You may want to rest for several more days...because of your unfortunate injury. You were given a prescription, correct?"
Souji Seta grunted. "...Tomorrow, I'll start."
"Bu-"
"I signed up for this. I'll start tomorrow. No worries."
Naoto's expression, like usual, was difficult to see through. She was either proud or worried. He couldn't tell which. "Very well..."
"...So, what? Tomorrow we go...investigate a crime scene? Bust some criminals?"
Naoto smiled knowingly, shaking her head. "...More than likely, no. Important cases that I feel like I should bother with are more of a rarity than someone may imagine. Very little ever happens in a place like this...and as for faraway cases, I'm reluctant to take them given my tight schedule. The attempted theft of my life yesterday afternoon was probably the biggest slice of news to happen in quite some time. More than likely, that's all we'll be focusing on for some time...and even then, I don't have much confidence in finding the perpetrator. Though I hate to admit it...he got away quite cleanly. For now, a questioning of locals and a dive into personal records for any with a personal vendetta against me are the best I can do. The Shintate police are already investigating the situation to the best of their ability. We'll assist where we can."
"...Doesn't that...worry you? At all? If someone's out to kill you then...shouldn't you not be having some random gentleman driving you about with the top down?"
"...It's fine. I've already decided that I don't want to be the type of person who flees from a threat. And besides...I have you now."
"...Hn...that really makes you feel safe?"
"Yes."
No hesitation. She spoke that single word with absolute, unflinching conviction. Souji Seta couldn't find the words to respond. He lost the resolve to question her intentions for hiring him...focusing solely on the road ahead. Slowly, they approached the Shirogane Estate just before early evening.
(AN: Slight retcon. I originally wrote the handmade watches as being those of the classic, analog style...but I thought it would make more sense to make them a little cheaper and digital. I've edited previous chapters to reflect this. More character interaction this time. In the next chapter, some stuff will happen.)