HER LOVE ON THE FORCE and MY SWEET BODYGUARD

PARALLELS – STATE OF NATIONS

Chapter One: Quorum

Ah… Why use this Chapter Title…?

Quorum, as defined in the dictionary, is the minimum number of members of a deliberative assembly necessary to conduct the business of that group. For short, the term "quorum is met" in Roberts Rules of parliamentary meetings is a minimum of half plus one body (example, if you have seven full members of a council then half plus one body is four…meaning that at least four members of the council must be present to meet quorum).

Without quorum, the attendees of that meeting could still talk but a body with no quorum cannot act, direct, make a motion, or vote on anything.

The word quorum resonates for me as the title best fitting for this first chapter, especially since this is the chapter that ties everyone together from various Love 365 / Voltage Inc. otome series…having each character linked together before the issues at hand unfold.

Read and enjoy! Let me know what you think through your reviews!

Disclaimer for Major / Main Appearances

Her Love on the Force and its awesome characters that appear in the otome game Love 365 are the property of Voltage, Inc.

My Sweet Bodyguard and its awesome characters that appear in the otome game Love 365 are the property of Voltage, Inc.

Alexandra Emrys, Michael Ishino, AJ Ishino, Troy Tsuuri, Representative Okada, Uncle Gavin / Gavin Anson, Dylan Emrys, Ariadne Anson / Ariadne Emrys, Derek Anson, and other original characters are owned by PJ Zatken.

Disclaimer for Cameo Appearances

Metro PD: Close to You and its awesome characters that appear in the otome game Love 365 are the property of Voltage, Inc. (Director General Kyobashi Toru, Deputy Chief Nomura Tadanobu, Lieutenant Kirisawa Hiroshi, Lieutenant Minase Tomomi, Doctor Himuro Masashi, Doctor Sakamaki, Seimei University, Tokyo Medical Examiner's Office)

Seimei University also appears in the Voltage, Inc. / Love 365 otome game Romance MD: Always On Call.

True Love, Sweet Lies and its awesome characters that appear in the otome game Love 365 are the property of Voltage, Inc. (Commissioner Namioka, Fuse Nozomu)

Kissed by the Baddest Bidder and its awesome characters that appear in the otome game Love 365 are the property of Voltage, Inc. (Ichinomiya Eisuke, Oh Soryu, Former Prime Minister Reisen, Former Prime Minister Sasaki, Hishikura Shuichi, Hishikura Shuichi's father / Hishikura Sojiro). In the otome series, Hishikura's father does not have a first name. I gave him the name Sojiro.

Masquerade Kiss and its awesome characters that appear in the otome game Love 365 are the property of Voltage, Inc. (Shido Kazuomi, Soejima Kei, Shiba Yuzuru, Zack Thompson)

Kings of Paradise and its awesome characters that appear in the otome game Love 365 are the property of Voltage, Inc. (Kozaki Taki, Sagara Yosuke, Randoh Shun, and Shirakami Kiyohito)

Sekai-Ichi Hatsukoi, Junjou Romantica, and their awesome characters are owned by their wonderful author Shungiku Nakamura. (publishing companies Marukawa Shoten and Onodera Shuppan, company Usami Group, Onodera Akifumi, Usami Fuyuhiko, Mino Kanade)

Author's Notes

For those who are familiar with otome games, Love 365, and Voltage Inc. games, the female main character (MC) is part of the series' original characters. So how do the original characters (OCs) in my story figure out in this universe and fanfic?

The MC is the love interest of one of the playable characters in the otome games.

My OCs – well, in the Love 365 / Voltage Inc. / otome romance world, they are temporary characters for the fanfic…so in the otome universe they never romantically get the man no matter what the circumstances may be.

I have seen how many folks are avid fans of Voltage Inc. otome games / Love 365. I do not know as to how many of them are also avid authors and/or readers in fanfiction dot net.

Also, for those who are familiar with my work, I tend to do epics. This fic would not be an epic. It would be less than 10 chapters… Maybe five chapters the most...

Background for this Fanfiction

This crossover fic for Her Love on the Force / My Sweet Bodyguard fanfiction serves as a companion piece to the Junjou Romantica / Sekai Ichi Hatsukoi crossover fanfic Are Happy Endings Always THIS Elusive. The goal of this fic is to fill the little holes that would be there because the antagonist(s) and the problems he/she/they bring to our beloved JR / SH characters are complex.

Secondly, the people who are there to help our beloved JR / SH characters through this time have complex lives and equally complex connections.

I figured that the best way to show how intricate these relationships and connections are is through "companion piece" fanfics. First is so the focus for Are Happy Endings Always THIS Elusive would remain mostly with our JR / SH characters. Second, having "companion pieces" would give readers and "inside glimpse" of what was really happening behind the scenes so that there would not be any confusion when a character or characters from Her Love on the Force and / or My Sweet Bodyguard are mentioned or would make a cameo in Are Happy Endings Always THIS Elusive.

As a result, my Disclaimer and Author's Notes on every chapter for Are Happy Endings Always THIS Elusive and each "companion piece" would properly mention and give credit to the fandoms and characters that appear in it.

These "companion piece" fanfics are experiments. I will do my best to do justice to the fandoms that I do, just as I have always done all these years. Come and enjoy this ride with me, and let me know what you think!

Best regards,

PJ Zatken

LOCATION: Private Jet

FINAL DESTINATION: Japan

PRELIMINARY DESTINATION: Phuket Island, Thailand

TIMELINE: Hours before meeting with Shido Kazuomi, Soejima Kei, and Shiba Yuzuru

Alexandra Emrys' Point of View

The video call connects and I now see a group of law enforcement top brass who I have not seen for a while. I cannot help but smile as I glance at each face and remember memories that made me know each one very well…

Months after my parents were buried, I began coming with Commissioner General Namioka to the National Police Agency and Interpol as my silent sponsor. In order for me to achieve our mutual goals, it required me to undergo extensive one-on-one trainings as a law enforcement and public safety officer.

Perceiving that the clandestine world did not discriminate or prescribe "kid gloves treatment" just because I was a nine-year-old girl with a sob story to tell, I asked everyone for equitable treatment. To me, this meant that I want to be treated just like any man who would enter law enforcement with the goal of rising the ranks through own merits.

I still recall as to how confident I sounded the day that those words left my lips. My present self would probably have scolded my past self for underestimating the path that I took many years ago. Once I took my first step, I ate more of my share of humble pie. No amount of academics, supernatural knowledge and gifts, martial arts, or armed weapons training would have ever prepared me for one of the paths that I have chosen. I have chosen law enforcement, particularly public safety. I have chosen to serve, protect, and defend at the behest of two leaders and two homelands – Great Britain, my main one; and Japan, my adopted one. I chose to continue my archaeological and other academic pursuits. I have chosen to become stronger and more knowledgeable in more ways than one, even if it meant descending to the deepest bowels of whatever God-forsaken realm it took me so that I could get back the loved ones that I have lost. I have chosen to lay everything on the line for the sake of those I love and care for with all of my being.

Later on, I added two choices – to save AJ from a sordid fate that his own mother had sealed him in through a Faustian deal she made with primordial demons through Derek and Almagest, and to make her and Derek Anson pay for all the ills that have been done to my family and loved ones.

And when I thought that life stopped and the world crumbled at that one moment four years ago, I re-evaluated what I have done over those past seven years and steered my direction using a different route. Sooner or later, though, it led me back to that main road…with me still hoping that I have become stronger, wiser, and more flexible to face the challenges ahead. This time, I am more aware that there are so many out there who over time have become my family…that family did not have to be defined or confined through blood alone.

One foot in the light, one foot in the shadows… Such a confusing, contradictory, and lonely life… At first, that was what I thought. Later on, I found out that the path I have taken has its greater share of losses and gains. Eleven years and counting of this life transforms a person, and it is a choice on whether such transformations lead towards the better or worse.

Namioka did not know at the time that I have already established connection with the Secret Intelligence Service – better known as the SIS or MI-6. He also did not know that as young as I was, I already began my life as a secret servant to Her Majesty…a fact that even the SIS did not know to this very day.

To date, Namioka' knows very little about my ties with the SIS other than I consult for the agency as a subject-matter expert and consultant. His knowledge of those ties expanded when Eiji joined the ranks of NPA via the Public Security Division.

The first one who knew the full extent of my secret life was Soejima Kei. Shido Kazuomi and Shiba Yuzuru eventually joined that inner circle. Troy eventually joined my side per the request of Jii-san and Dad. To this very day, these four are the ones who are truly part of my innermost circle of secrets.

Through agreement and for their protection, Dad and Jii-san only know of my ties with the NPA and Interpol. They have a vague understanding that I am far more involved in many things, and that all that the two of them could do is to trust and pray for me. They do not have an idea about the SIS and Her Majesty even after Troy joined me in my missions. They honor the fact that Troy has to keep mum about how deep my involvements are. To them, it is enough that someone in the family is keeping an eye on me while I am out on missions. All they know is that I am one of many ambassadors of goodwill for Her Majesty via inheritance of my parents' previous duties. The same goes with Ichinomiya Eisuke and group as well as Kozaki Taki, Sagara Yosuke, Randoh Shun, and Shirakami Kiyohito.

AJ would have known at least as much as Eisuke, Taki, Yosuke, Shun, and Kiyohito do but he chose to not listen and instead closed the door on the truth and us. And so AJ remained with the rest of the world. They do not know that I am even remotely involved in law enforcement. They also do not know that I am also involved in the world below – the underworld in the secular and supernatural sense of the word.

For the first three years via the NPA, SIS, and Interpol, I felt at times that I bit more than I could chew. When I turned 15 years old, I formally made my face-to-face debut to certain trusted agents in certain divisions of the NPA, SIS, and Interpol. No one except for Commissioner General Namioka and Director General Kyobashi know how deeply I am involved with NPA and Interpol. My deep involvement and true rank within the agencies serve as a testament on how much I have accomplished since I started 11 years ago and counting. As much as the secrecy constantly stirs nasty rumors about me, I did my best not to let it bother me. I go by my own merits, hard work, and reaped results while respecting those who respect me regardless of rank. Those, to me, are the things that matter most.

For example, the attendees of this video conference meeting only know that I am a consulting analyst who had basic training with the NPA, SIS, and Interpol. I am sure that each person has suspicion that there is more to my story, but no one dares ask. Maybe they did it out of respecting my privacy. Maybe they are honoring the unwritten code not to expect answers or explanations from anyone involved in public safety. Maybe it has to do with honoring the need-to-know-basis akin to paramilitary organizations. Maybe they choose not to poke any figurative angry bears whenever asking a question that can be considered as taboo. Whatever the reason may be, I appreciate their acceptance of who I am and the skills that I can offer.

Around that time, I have already established myself as a seasoned covert agent working with the NPA and SIS through Interpol. I did all these things while secretly under the banner and blessings of Queen and Country. To the world, I am one of many ambassadors of goodwill. In the shadows, I am one of Her Majesty's trusted counselors…this inner circle comprising the very few includes long-time brother figure and comrade-in-arms Soejima Kei.

As I got closer to Derek, Madeline, and Almagest, Jii-san and Dad sent Troy to expand his role from co-analyst to a partner who stood by my side in these missions.

I eventually requested Her Majesty if she would allow me to include Troy in my world. Even though she is also in close association with the Mako Family and most especially the Tsuuri Family, she had Troy undergo through the rigorous vetting process. Once he was cleared, he was welcomed in my world involving Crown and County – one step removed from the inner circle at this time, but at least privy to know and be involved enough if needs be to ensure the mission's success. As of now, Troy serves as a consultant under my directive – an analyst and hacker who can hold his own weight in a fight whenever there is one.

A life where one foot is in the light and the other is in the shadows…. That is the life that I led since my parents were buried…

It would have been ideal if the one by my side was AJ, but I had to isolate him from this life and keep him as far away from Almagest as possible because of his own mother turned her back from the family and bartered his soul when he was a baby for all worldly power and comforts. I desperately wanted to tell him the truth, but Dad and Jii-san begged me not to do so...the two of them thinking that the truth would expose AJ to greater harm because of his love for me.

Again, I bit more than I could figuratively chew…

Seven years later, I paid the price and lost so much. That was the day when AJ walked away. That was the day when the world turned darker than before. I gave up so much to save the one I love, only for him to turn his back and walk away. But I cannot blame him. He did not ask me to give up anything for his sake – that was a choice that I have made. He also knew very little, and what he knew painted a spotty picture that would raise doubt and anger in anyone. So on a human level, I completely understand him. As one who loved him very much, my more irrational side at times drives me to tears and ask why did he not have any faith in me.

Trust is earned, as the old adage goes. I guess that I have not earned or deserved that trust that I thought I have always had when AJ and I mutually admitted in having feelings for each other.

I just wish that it did not hurt as much. I wish that it did not hurt this much… I tried my luck in love three times already. The first ended with a break-up from AJ. The second was two years after my break-up when I confessed my feelings with Troy and that was the end of it. The third was with Fuse Nozumu, with me confessing my feelings a while back and then trying my luck again two years later only for those feelings to be deemed unrequited especially that he found someone who makes him happy.

But as I look back on how this life of mine all began, one might be tempted to ask me on whether I would have chosen a different path now knowing the price I had to pay. As sad as I am to say it, I would still choose the same path. It serves the greater good. It protects and allows me to fight for the people and ideals I hold dear in my heart. It continues to be a worthy sacrifice should push comes to shove.

What lies ahead is what I choose to face. I may have lost love and had my heart broken many times, but in return I have people through all walks of life who serve as family. Along with them, I have loved ones to protect and ideals to uphold as new and much-dangerous threats lie in wait…ready to destroy the peace and security that is now beginning to settle in Japan and her citizens. These family-in-arms includes but not limited to the ones participating in this video conference such as…

Namioka Genji – Commissioner General of Japan's National Police Agency and the country's head liaison to Interpol…the very person who sponsored Nozomu and me to Interpol. Once can say that he is a father figure. To me, he was the main root of how it all began for me in law enforcement. If it were not for him and everything that he has done since the beginning, God knows what I would end up doing or which side I would have been on. He had been a long-time trusted friend and connection of my parents as well as Dad and Jii-san. He honored the fact that I have taken over my parents' place as consulting analysts on NPA and Interpol cases, and supported my desire to be more involved.

At first, my visits at headquarters were to set a cover that I was a recently-orphaned nine-year-old niece that "Uncle Genji" had taken in. Through his help and cooperation, I set up another cover – an anonymous consulting investigator and analyst who specialized in cases involving archaeology, ancient languages and studies, the supernatural and occult, rituals and cults, organized groups, and artifacts. Anything that had the obscure and weird went through my virtual desk.

For the first six years of this life, no one had seen the face of my investigator persona yet everyone would see the precocious niece who occasionally visited "Uncle Genji" during my vacations from "boarding school" in England. It was a hard climb to earn trust without revealing myself, and he continues to play an important role in validating my trustworthiness and value as an analyst and agent.

Momota Ren – the light-hearted Superintendent and head of the Security Planning Division as well as PSD...also direct boss to four great captains that continuously serve as mentors to me - two from SP and two from PSD. Many underestimate "Uncle Ren" due to his affable style, but he is shrewd in picking great talent and delegating tasks. His men and I have worked together in cases involving security not just for Japan's elected officials but also others per Her Majesty's directive.

Katsuragi Daichi – the first of the two SP Captains who I still admire to this very day. Katsuragi, along with another mentor from PSD, refined my shooting and investigative skills. As strict as he can be, he is also very kind and protective. His fascination with electronics and gadgets is so infectious and amusing that he and I can spend hours talking about them.

Katsuragi, just like Chief Namba Jin, is a sharpshooter who remains unselfish in sharing his skills to those he trains. The two of them became my pillars in the handgun, their combined mentoring honing not just my skills but also my speed – two crucial factors that kept me safe and alive to this very day.

Everyone at SP has always been warm, friendly, and accommodating thanks to Katsuragi allowing his men to treat me as one of their own. Whenever they visit or have assignments in England, I have offered SP as well as PSD accommodations if it will help them. The same holds true when the tables are turned. It gives us opportunities to hang out and catch up on where we have all left off.

Ichiyanagi Subaru – the second of the two SP Captains who rose through the ranks. The drop-dead handsome ladies man who is in touch with his feminine side in terms of homemaking and cute frilly things, Subaru is the stereotypical big brother figure who needles his eons-from-competent little sister about anything related to the kitchen.

Starting from the first time that Subaru and I met, he has always been comfortable to be around with…hanging out at home, shopping for clothes, dressing up for a hot date, gathering make-up tips, talking about anything under the sun, and anything else that a girl loves doing with her best friend. During my missions with Team Katsuragi, he contributed to my skills in investigative and security methods. Personally, he has been an ever-perceptive empathetic ear. A good man who knows the perspective of a woman, he imparts great advice that infuses logic and heart whenever one needs it most.

Katsuragi might have been the one who directly opened the door for me, but it was Subaru who first lit and mainly kept the figurative hearth burning which made SP a welcoming "home" to me.

Namba Jin – the laid-back Chief of the PSD, Jin was my second mentor in refining my shooting and investigative skills. An ace in interrogation and covert operations, he and I teamed up in a handful of difficult cases – some of them involving political officials not just in Japan but also overseas. Some were high-profile, plain-vanilla cases which involved at times the two of us going undercover as student and teacher respectively.

In my earlier days and even up to now when time and opportunity permits, Jin and I go to the shooting range for old times' sake as well as to keep our skills indoors as well as outside the field. He and Captain Katsuragi from SP are definitely amazing sharpshooters who rarely miss the target.

Recently, Jin has been on special assignment per Commissioner General Namioka and so he and I have been working on missions. This triggered all those under him to now report under Chief Shirogane…this having to do with a handful of undercover work, including the pursuit of the many criminal threads that lead back to Almagest.

Ishigami Hideki – the normally stoic and ever-strict Captain of the PSD, Ishigami does not mince meat to tell anyone what needs to be said in terms of public safety. Logic and practicality rules his methods. He has his own interrogation and covert operations style.

In the first two years that I met Ishigami, he and I had trouble gauging a comfortable medium on how to deal with each other. I was too much in a hurry to get results and still had much growing up to do. He, on the other hand, wanted to take time because of my age and not knowing the true extent of what I was already capable of doing.

When year three approached and the first handful of missions had successful conclusions, he finally opened the door leading to trust. Age did not become an issue anymore during work, yet the opposite happened outside of work. I ended up having both a father and an older brother in one package, which made me initially half-frown. Eventually, though, it became a welcomed norm between him and me…mentor and colleague at work, and an older brother outside of work.

As a mentor, Ishigami is gifted in combining academics with practical application to teach and prove his point. He can be curt and hurtful, yet he does so with good intentions once one is ready to see the truth behind his ways. Over the years, he opened up about his life and philosophy as well as what motivates him every day to serve under the banner of public safety.

Kaga Hyogo – Ah, how can I describe Kaga? He is the fire opposite to Ishigami's ice. While logic and rules prevail in Ishigami's decisions, "strike while the iron is hot" dominates Kaga's strategies. What is common to both of them is that their opposite methods reap results since they know how to calculate their risks. He has his own brand of justice, hating any form of corruption especially done by those of power – even if it meant going against his own father or any powerful and dangerous politician.

As a public safety and law enforcement agent, Kaga is also strict like Ishigami. He and I had a love-hate sibling relationship during the first years of my mentorship in PSD – with him calling underlings "dog, mongrel, worm" and other demeaning names, and with me not being afraid of showing how I detested being called names.

During in what I called his "initial jackass mentor years," Kaga issued a challenge to me – he would never trust anyone beside him until that person earned the right to be called his partner on the field. I double-dared him, telling him that once I rose above his challenge then the name-calling stops. It was year three immediately after the close of a mission when he finally stopped the name-calling. I let him "save face" and never bothered looking for an explanation on what exactly did I do to satisfy his requirements.

During those formative years, I began seeing Kaga for the man underneath the mask that he wore. That was when I realized the man that he really was, and that began to thaw the antagonistic relationship between us. From there, I further realized that his sarcasm and indifference was his own head-shaking way of showing one his care and concern. Over time, the wide gap closed and our relationship which started from instructor and student morphed into one with familial regard and concern.

As brusque as Kaga can be, he is also a great big brother figure although it took me a good five years to earn his full trust as well. He was the brother who can shove humble pie down your throat and make you realize that you alone have the answer to your dilemma.

Kiyosumi Eiji – Former SIS / MI-6 operative and now a Lieutenant in PSD as part of Ishigami Hideki's team; Eiji is one of the resident experts on Zeus' hierarchy and operations. A trusted colleague and friend, his assistance and skills are invaluable as Kei and I carried out missions for Her Majesty and the country. Now that he has moved to Japan and continues his calling as a public safety operative, Kei and I continue to see him as someone who shares bonds of friendship and mutual trust with us.

Off work, Eiji is a hard-core Japanophile and is never ashamed to show it through his graphic t-shirts and constant craving for Japanese cuisine. Kei and I communicate with Eiji in Japanese to help him master the language. Since he is also obsessed with the samurai era and the bushido ways, the two of us being each other's kendo and judo sparring partners as well as iaido buddies whenever free time and opportunity permits.

Kyobashi Toru – The Director General of Tokyo MPD and father to Kyobashi Katsuyuki, "Uncle Toru" has always been a strict yet patient mentor and advocate in my Japanese and global law enforcement career. He worked in tandem with Commissioner General Namioka in protecting my cover, keeping me safe, and ensuring my personal and professional growth. A thorough and seasoned investigator known for his intelligence, strong work ethic, and steadfast dedication in upholding the law, he provided many opportunities for me to hone my skills.

Uncle Toru is an ace in navigating political waters and being able to rise above any trial. His passion for his work unfortunately took a toll in his family life, as his marriage ended up in divorce and left him in raising Katsuyuki on his own.

Nomura Tadanobu – The Deputy Chief and youngest bureaucrat of Tokyo MPD wears two distinct masks. Nomura's first mask is that of the lady-killing, politicking, metrosexual bureaucrat and reputed playboy in Japan's law enforcement community. His second mask is closer to his true nature – the dedicated, sharp, calculating, and methodical detective who has strong leadership and delegation skills. He is not only politically savvy, but he is also a gifted negotiator with impeccable timing on when, where, who, and how to push the figurative envelope to get what he wants.

The complete opposite to Doctor Himuro Masashi who has known him since middle school, Nomura's playboy and blasé ways are simply covers for him to unearth corrupt practices within the law enforcement and political communities. His quick climb to the top of the organizational ladder is due first-hand to his array of superb skills and political savvy. Outside work, he reveals his true face to those he trusts …one who is dedicated and loyal to justice, and his moral compass being a balance of what is lawful versus just.

If off-work talks end up in the topic of life choices, Nomura will reveal to those closest to him that he chose law enforcement because of a woman. He chose the path due to his former fiancée Shiori when he sought justice for after she was abducted along with a kidnapped child. She was dragged and humiliated after the police accused her of working with the kidnappers even if the child defended her innocence.

Blaming himself for not being by her side and failing to save her from the traumatic experience, Nomura drowned himself in achieving his goals – getting into law enforcement as soon as possible and rising to the ranks so that he has enough privilege and clout to reveal the truth about Shiori's abduction. He earned a grueling three-year degree from the prestigious Wadeda University in the close of year two with top grades. He took the officers' track in the police academy and finished the program earlier than his contemporaries. In a strange and sick twist of fate, sheer loneliness and guilt drove Shiori to break off her engagement to Nomura. After the break-up, she soon married another man.

When AJ broke up with me and I was just released from the hospital after I nearly died from the incident at Santorini, Nomura and I went out on a brotherly "date night." After a movie and a walk at the park, he and I hung out at his apartment with Kirisawa waiting with food and drinks for the three of us. We sat side by side, drank iced tea, and talked for many hours to help me figure out what next steps I should take. During our walk at the park, he told me everything about Shiori…and his story sank at the bottom of my heart because it mirrored how my relationship with AJ fell apart.

Frankly, Nomura and I both needed that night to start healing our respective wounds…with me recently broken up while he reached a one-year milestone from the time that Shiori ended their engagement. In-between holding hands and shedding tears; Kirisawa and Nomura cuddled me and imparted wise advice. I still remember what Nomura said to this very day: "I want to believe the world doesn't end just because we feel like it just did. It will move on whether you and I like it or not. So why not we move along with it while we figure out what to do next?"

If there is someone in this inner circle who has preached the most about the personal and professional virtues of developing a tougher emotional skin to withstand any hurtful rumors, then that person would be Nomura. He is also the one who encouraged me to "man up" and talk to Himuro when I had trouble working with the latter during my first few years at the NPA.

While Himuro is a master and a formidable opponent in aikido, Nomura is a master and a tough opponent in judo.

Himuro Masashi – Medical examiner for the Tokyo Medical Examiner's Office and forensics professor at Seimei University. He is also the son and heir to the renowned pharmaceutical company Himuro Pharmaceuticals, although he chooses the normal life of a medical examiner and steps away from the shadow of his family's business legacy. I call him Doctor Himuro at work. Off work and in private, I call him Masashi and at times Senpai. When I used to be his student in his forensics classes during his first years of teaching at Seimei University, I called him Sensei. I first met him months after my parents died and Uncle Genji gave me the grand tour of all the facilities involving Japan's law enforcement system.

I did, however, irk Himuro a handful of times during the first year of our association. At first, he thought that I was Commissioner General Namioka's privileged spoiled brat niece who wanted to play cop. When he figured that I was serious, he questioned why I had carte blanche access and use to the crime lab and his lab…yet here I was attending forensics classes. I guess what struck him as unnervingly odd was that I was not squeamish during autopsies, did human dissections and collected samples with no hesitation, knew my way around any laboratory and its equipment, performed my own experiments and knew how to analyze the information with little to no help, was familiar with anything medical or scientific, and knew personal information about victims that he was about to perform an inquest on. The combination of these facts caused a temporary yet cavernous rift in our professional relationship. For short, he found me creepy and suspicious. I would not be surprised if he thought at the time that I was a psychopath, Satan's spawn, or something other morbid label.

The second year became more challenging between Himuro and me. He blurted out in sheer frustration that I had too many secrets associated with me – this adding to the fact that I was a kid and a girl who was in a work environment beyond her years.

Wanting to fix the situation and through Nomura's encouragement, I mustered all the courage that I had at the time and spoke to Himuro at great length. I leveled with him about my status as a consulting analyst with the NPA, which was the reason why I needed the labs. Along with my explanation, I provided proof that I have already earned my advanced degrees in archaeology and biochemistry from the university. He, in turn, examined each document I provided with a raised eyebrow. I told him that my parents have already exposed me to field work as long as I could remember, and the laboratory and accompanying experiments were commonplace for me. I then admitted that I had my share of experiences and sights that anyone under 18 should not be subject to, especially when I became an analyst. He became most startled when I told him that I see spirits, including but not limited to murder victims who I have never met before when they were still alive...that I have done so as long as I could remember.

The conversation between us that day started from Himuro being broodingly skeptical, then pointedly sarcastic, and quietly accepting of the facts before him. That day, I expressed my wish to have a harmonious working relationship with him. I told him that the profession I chose would always be full of secrets, but that I hoped for his constant trust knowing that my intentions were good.

Slowly but surely and after working on many cases together, Himuro did not just become a great mentor, colleague, and friend. The more that we knew about our respective personal stories, the more he became a protective and nurturing big brother figure who broadened my academic and practical skills exponentially.

For years now, Himuro and I talk for hours about inquest cases and forensic evidence with shared fascination. I remain excluded from his woman-hating ban list. I rib him about his misogynistic antics, being directionally-challenged, and his workaholic ways. He is a self-professed chocolate addict while I treat chocolates and ice cream as the ultimate comfort food. He teasingly berates me about how hopeless I am in the kitchen. He nags me about staying clear from Nomura and Tomomi, the emotional trigger related to them registering at the same magnitude as his hatred towards women. We share a love for academic pursuits. We consider music as an emotional and spiritual outlet, with him being a virtuoso in the violin and piano. A master of aikido, he is a more-than-worthy sparring partner who continues to expand my martial arts skills.

An astounding and shrewd armchair detective, he gives the dead the voice and justice that they deserve even if he is not supernaturally gifted. His intelligence, work ethic, and skills are testaments to his dedication as a medical examiner and his empathy as a human being. He eventually reconciled with his father, much to his sister's joy, and quietly becomes involved in the family enterprise while embracing his chosen calling.

Kirisawa Hiroshi – Whenever there is Deputy Chief Nomura, there is Lieutenant Kirisawa – the revered leader of MPD's 2nd Unit and Nomura's figurative partner-in-crime and best friend. Light-hearted, patient, and authentic, he looks out for those he cares about through being there for them when they need him most. He is also a damn good cook who teases me relentlessly about how the kitchen gods have cursed me no matter how much he tried to teach me. From what I gather through conversations with him, he cooks for his team as his own way to thank and reward them for a job well done. Along with Nomura, Tomomi, and Koichi, he was one of my protective older siblings...the one who would stereotypically beat someone to a bloody pulp for messing around with his baby sister.

A charismatic leader and delegator in his own right, Kirisawa possesses a deep understanding of the human condition. Before he joined the police academy and followed the footsteps of his father who was also a well-respected high-ranking detective, he was the leader of a well-known bosozoku gang called the Night Tremors. Climbing the Night Tremors' ranks through raw strength and strong sense of justice, he carved his legacy. He still wields unshakable respect and admiration within the bosozoku community. Not forgetting his family upbringing and experience as leader of a motorcycle gang, he remains open-minded and empathetic to those he leads. People naturally follow him, and there is no deceit in his ways.

As perceptive as Kirisawa is about other people, he is equally that oblivious in terms of matters of the heart. He is absolutely and hopelessly clueless to the fact that women find him attractive and charming. Yet, he and Nomura worked together in cheering me up when AJ dumped me – the brotherly "date night" with Nomura and hanging out with the two of them until dawn…all while we had great food and non-alcoholic drinks to tide us through the rest of the evening.

In their younger days, Kirisawa is as brash as Nomura is calculating. However, the passage of time tempered and seasoned both men…with Kirisawa being more patient and methodical and Nomura being more pragmatic and "at peace" with the losses he incurred in life. The two of them along with Tomomi and Koichi were bosom buddies.

Once in a while, Kirisawa and I spend time at the dojo most especially when I need to blow off steam. Not to be outdone by Himuro and Nomura, Kirisawa lends his mastery and fierceness in kendo over the years to this very day.

Minase Tomomi – The feisty, tough-as-nails female Lieutenant of Tokyo MPD's Criminal Investigations, Tomomi along with Kirisawa, Nomura, and her dearly-departed husband Senior Superintendent Minase Koichi became the best of friends and drinking pals during their police academy days. I have lost count on how many times she looked out for me just as an older sister would.

When I turned 15, I spent my time on one-on-one training during times that I had no assignment from the NPA, Interpol, or SIS. The three of them served as personal instructors per the request of Namioka and Kyobashi.

As much as Tomomi, Kirisawa, Nomura, and Koichi hung out with me whenever I was available, they brought me to bars but kept me away from alcohol once they found out my true age. They had their beers, and I got stuck with juice along with a healthy dose of ribbing about how I was the "baby sister" and "rookie" of the group. They cited that I was "too young" or "underage" to drink. They implemented this restriction even though they knew damn well that I was legally considered as an adult and that my tolerance is high to say the least…part of the necessary evils that I had to do in living this covert life.

Later on, though, the four nixed the nickname "rookie" when they eventually found out that I was already in law enforcement for six years and counting as a covert agent. This happened after I gave Namioka and Kyobashi the permission to reveal the truth about me. The two superiors made the four swear to "play ignorant" about what they know about me.

Experienced covert agent or not, the four still saw me as their "baby sister" who they doted on, teased, listened to, and protected. During work, we five gave each other the professional courtesy.

Sneaking…? Well…. Tomomi always gave me the death glare and the three guys shook their heads whenever I get caught with a glass of brandy or any alcoholic drink in hand. The four did, however, gave me a reprieve one time…that was when AJ broke up with me and I was cleared by the doctor to do any activity. I slept over at Tomomi and Koichi's home, Kirisawa and Nomura came over, and the five of us hung out until dawn…the four of them finding out much to their shock as to how my relationship ended and letting me cry my heart out. The following day, she coaxed me to have a "girl's day out" and Nomura took me out on a brotherly "date night" in their respective efforts to cheer me up.

My heart crumbled when I found out about Koichi's untimely death, knowing fully well that his death left a huge hole in Kirisawa, Nomura, and most especially Tomomi's heart. He died in the line of duty as he tried to save a subordinate.

I tried being a bridge so that Tomomi and Masashi could at least be civil for five minutes in one room. Alas, 11 odd years later and counting, the two are still at each other's throats. I guess some things are never meant to change…

Before nostalgia carries me further away and has me grinning like an idiot, I snap myself back into reality and focus on why this video conference needs to happen. And so I start by saying, "Hello…. Let me get a drink of water first…"

That is our agreed-upon code word for both sides to check if lines of communication are free, with my end being the one to finalize the process. After I receive the preliminary green light, I then run all the diagnostics to check if the channels of communication are safe. Once I have confirmed that they are, I then add, "Go ahead."

Namioka's voice comes loud and clear when he tells me, "I'm sure you've kept your ears and eyes all around."

"I always do. However, I'd rather hear everything directly from all of you."

"Fair enough…" Seconds later, the video feed comes and I see Namioka and Katsuragi. It looks as if Katsuragi is lending his skills by making adjustments to the camera.

Seconds later, I see everyone and I smile. "Good afternoon, everyone… Are we ready to begin, Commissioner General?"

End of Chapter One