"She had a headache by the end of it?" asked Dazai Osamu. Tanizaki nodded positively. Detective Blok even admitted to having chronic migraines. Poor genetics she called it. And it was not unheard of in the department. Just like her sixth sense.

"When do you think her headache started?" the brunette questioned. Tanizaki had to think about that. He closed his eyes, trying to remember everything as clearly as he could. He remembered looking at that sky-blue door that wasn't matching the house. He stood there with her, waiting for the door to open. And then the man showed and Tanizaki looked at the detective. And then she winced as if in pain after the apology.

"Is that right?" Osamu asked thoughtfully. Junichiro confirmed with confidence. He couldn't be wrong about this. He saw it with his own eyes.

"What else?"

And Junichiro recalled everything else. How Detective Blok grimaced listening to the man's explanation. And that she rubbed her temple when the man obviously started to lie poorly. He didn't think through his lies. Tanizaki caught on the inconsistencies too. Dazai had a small smile on his face, "Anyone wants to play cards while we are waiting?" he shifted from one topic to another.

"Sure," agreed Junichiro.

"Let's play for a wish."

Sakia's ability was allowing her to sense lie when spoken but not written. Blessed by this wretched gift but it did allow her to enjoy films and plays without excruciating pain. She suspected it was because it wasn't real in the first place. No one lies in an artificial environment. Saskia Blok had an ability to sense lie when spoken and not written. That's why her eyes scanned the statements of witnesses of the Takara case she sensed nothing. Written statements, word-to-word transcripts wouldn't give up their secrets to her so easily. The ability to sense lies when said out loud. She wished her ability would allow her to manipulate luck because she was the one to draw the short straw and do the paperwork on this call. The husband was dead, the woman was dead too. The preliminary examination couldn't find any signs of violence in her death. Perhaps, Takara Koharu found her husband dead at home, under shock and terror she ran away from home, knowing that her husband killed himself in such a manner. She may have even felt betrayed by such selfishness. And then she was spotted on the opposite side of the city. And what happened next? She didn't kill herself and bury herself in that yard.

"It doesn't make sense," she whispered. "But… it is also not my case. It's not even a case anymore."

Saskia Blok possessed an ability to always tell the truth from the lie and it came with a price. Saskia Blok was also a detective with Yokohama police force. And sometimes she needed to remind herself that her ability wasn't a god's gift. She wasn't a part of his Grand Design. And she wasn't here to do his job either. The only suspect the police could possibly have was found dead. The missing woman was found dead. There's no case. It wasn't even her case. It's over.

Who buried her?

"I heard you closed a case!" spoke familiar voice behind her. Detective Blok turned around to take a look at the one speaking with her, "I didn't close the case, just finished paperwork, Junichiro."

"What was it?" he asked curiously. She thought for a moment. She could not describe the whole picture. Junichiro was young. And he will get to see his share of horrors and unsolved cases if police work is something he continues to pursue. The youngling was curious and capable and smart. All she could do was to postpone the disappointments that would come for him in this line of work.

"Family tragedy," she shrugged it off. Sometimes she wondered if what if would be like o use her own ability on herself. Would this statement be a lie? Perhaps. But that's what it ultimately was. A tragedy and nothing more. There couldn't be a case because there was no basis for crime. Suicide might be wrong in the eyes of certain religions but not in the eyes of the law. Takara Koharu was dead, but her death wasn't a violent one. And she was buried in the ground. Someone must have done that. Sure, anyone involved with that case wondered who could have done that. But there's no evidence, no ground to open the case. No one even pressed for the case to be opened. No family members showed up asking for justice. In the eyes of the law, there was nothing for them to go on from. It's over.

"Saskia-san —"

"Just Saskia," she corrected. "Sorry, but did you call me two days ago?"

"Huh? No."

"Do that now."

"Okay," the boy sounded dumbfounded. The phone in Saskia's jacket vibrated and she smiled. She will save that number just in case. And nothing to worry, it is exactly as she thought. Nothing to be worried about. Probably just random call from scheme or an advertisement.

"Something you wanted to say, Junichiro?" she asked when the phone stopped vibrating. The woman placed her hand on the boy's shoulder as a way to apologize for her rude interruption and to encourage him to talk again. Her eyes met his hazel ones. His young but not as young she judged him to be. Those hazel eyes contained bits of familiar sadness that comes with growing up fast.

"Say, Saskia, how do you feel about gifted people?" Tanizaki asked looking straight at her. The woman hummed in thought, "Well, I know about them, anyone in the police department did," she carefully answered, "and I know you. But ultimately they don't bother me."

"You didn't question my ability," the boy noted. Ah, yes, that conversation. She remembered him talking a lot in her car on the way to school. He lied a lot that day and without a good reason. She couldn't appreciate that. Unless, of course, the reason was to provoke her. But that didn't work, did it?

"Well, what would be the point of my sixth sense if I couldn't tell if a teenager was lying to me?"

"You said it's an unmistakable feeling when someone lies to you…"

"It is," she spoke despondently. Saskia retracted her hand back into the pocket of her jacket. His eyes watched her face and not her movements. Searching for something? Tanizaki was a smart young man but his actions made little sense within the character she took him for. The day she returned from that call, she asked around about Tanizaki Junichiro. He was trying to provoke her. Now he was trying to bait her. Either her judgment was wrong, or his actions were out of character.

"Imagine being lied to so often you learned to see through them so easily as I do," the woman smiled. It was a genuine smile but not a happy one. Melancholic. Junichiro figured out how to talk to her in order to get her talking. And she was taking the bait. But just enough as to not worry him with the absence of answers.

"You are saying it's experience?" Tanizaki asked with an irked brow.

"What else could it be?"

"An ability?" he asked unnerved.

"Ha! You still on that, kid?"

"I'm just saying it's possible."

"Don't you think I would have known about it by now?"

"Yeah, I believe you would."

Tsk.

"Is that why you joined the force? To help and protect people?"

"That would be awfully noble," she said, "but no. I just thought I'd be most useful in this profession."

He couldn't know the real answer. Where do people lie a lot? First dates, sure, and job interviews. They also lie a lot when there's a possibility of them going to prison. So that's why. It's not a noble thing. Blok never considered herself to be a great cop. She knows where and when she made a mistake. She knew where and when a difference was made too. It wasn't too hard to figure out how to operate this gift. Just needed to develop two important skills.

Common sense: yelling and accusing a suspect of lying would never help. And disclosing her ability was never an option. She wanted to have a resemblance of life no matter how shitty it was. Second, is to know and understand your limits. She only knows when someone lies. Her ability doesn't disclose the reason for lying, neither does it reveal the truth. But when her ability is triggered during an investigation, she just digs deeper.

"Wouldn't you like to be surrounded by people who were just like you?"

She didn't answer. God forbid, Junichiro, god forbid.

There's been a call on her phone from a known number. The number she saved on her phone a few days ago. It was her day off, though! She had no desire to be out there. She wanted this day to herself. Free of any headache. And that could only be guaranteed by staying inside and on her own. She was pissed but picked up the phone.

"I know you don't have a crush on me, Junichiro," the woman nonchalantly spoke. "What's your game?"

"I'm in trouble… in danger, even."

It wasn't a lie.