Ai watched as the medics laid the teenager flat on the stretcher, her hat cast to the side of his head. She almost couldn't believe it – she couldn't even see the stain.
The teenager laid there, eyes glazed over under half-closed lids. Sweat had some of his hair sticking to the sides of his face, curling around his cheeks, the outer shell of his ears. It almost accentuated the deep creases in his face, the way he shivered ever so slightly. She slowly walked up to him, held her hand up, and she noticed how his blood had dried, a dark reddish brown in those gaps on either side of her nails.
"Is he going to be alright?" she asked one for the medics, hand still hovering near the teenager's head. One of the other medics merely looked up before looking back down to whatever he was doing– something that was helping, Ai was sure, because the faint furrow between the teenager's brows was slowly leaving. She let her hand fall back to her side.
"He'll be fine. That hat of yours managed to stem most of the bleeding," the medic beside Ai said, "More importantly, are you?"
"What?" Ai blinked, then looked down and saw that yes, the medic was looking at her hands, at the bloodstains on her shorts, her shirt. She smiled, small and close-lipped, "Oh, no, this isn't mine. I'm not injured."
The medics looked at each other in silence, before nodding, and on some unspoken signal, they hefted the stretcher upwards and into the back of the ambulance.
Ai stood at the outside while they both climbed in. One of the medics paused before closing the doors, and Ai took the chance, "Um, I'm not sure if I'll get to see him again, so," she paused, looking once into the ambulance, at her red beret and how normal it so looked despite it maybe being instrumental to saving someone.
"Tell him he can keep it, "she grinned, "It's lucky."
Ai liked to believe that the crease on the sides of the medic's mouth – covered under a mask – indicated a smile. He nodded, then closed the door.
Ai watched the ambulance drive away, scratching at her hair. It felt a little weird, almost exposed not to be wearing her hat after all this time.
Oh well.
While Ai's knowledge of crime and law came mostly from CSI and The Wire, among other cop shows, even she knew that the paperwork required to do anything would make this visit to the station a very lengthy one.
Ai almost groaned aloud in despair, because, well, crap. There went her job for the nursery. It was going to be a loaf-and-jam-only week again. Maybe if she added in a pack of instant noodles she'd be able to not starve…
"Something wrong?" the officer driving her asked, and though he was still looking forward, he did glance her way once.
"…I missed my interview," she admitted, because she didn't think lying to a policeman was a smart thing to do and also because that little ball of frustrated energy settling on the pit of her stomach was clawing at her, making her hands clench into her shorts, "I just couldn't find it – the, the interview place, it's a nursery – I just couldn't find it, I'm terrible with directions. And then the burglar decided to break in, and I called in help and I was going to run but. That teenager. He was right there, he was bleeding and I just…"
She paused, then, looking up and into the officer's eyes, she told him the truth, the only thing quelling her frustration, her anxiety, just barely, "But I don't regret staying behind. Never. I'll do it again if I have to. My real issue is…"
She trailed off, again, finding her words slipping from her grasp. How on earth was she going to manage the week? She was already behind because she had gotten sick earlier in the semester, she simply couldn't miss more classes, and then there was the food issue, god, what was she going to use for supplies and emergencies? She had projects to print, to bookbind, had places she needed to go for her research—
She could hold out a little while longer with what little money she had left in her bank account – good enough to buy food for the next week, maybe – but what about afterwards? What if, even on her next freeday, she still couldn't find a job? Then what?
"…I'm not really sure what to do now," Ai huffed, almost amused, mostly frustrated, tugging at that one errant strand, "I'm sorry, officer, I shouldn't have dumped all of that on you. I, um, I should probably stay quiet now, huh?"
She picked at the blood drying under her nails, trying to scrape them off. It only smudged red into her skin. Ai remembered the teenager's face, her hat, and almost smiled to herself. At least he was safe.
"You're not from here are you?" he asked, instead, and Ai paused from her fidgeting, turning her head to face him, brows furrowing just a bit.
"No…?"
He nodded, almost to himself, "Then I should tell you now: there's only three nurseries in the city that are big enough to hire employees. Two of them are already fully employed."
"Er…?" Ai wasn't sure where he was going with this.
He continued, " That leaves just one, the nursery run by Nakamura-san."
Ai damn near hit her head on the roof of the car with how surprised she was, "You know Nakam-, uh, er, Shiori-san?!"
The officer nodded, "She's a very understanding person. And given that she let you call her by her given name I'm sure she'll give you another chance, especially if you explain the situation."
"I-Is that so…"Ai's breath left her, relief causing her shoulders to slump, and happiness letting her break out a wide grin, the kind that crinkled her eyes, her hand brushing her hair away from her eyes. She laughed, breathlessly, and even through all that she could see the small, nearly miniscule smile on the officer's lips.
"Oh, we're there?"
"Yeah," he answered, circling around to open the car door for her. Ai thanked him, climbing out. The other squad cars had gone ahead of them since they were the ones carrying the burglar, another having the old man and another witness Ai hadn't seen during the duration of the break in, probably an employee of the pawnshop. They could both see the cars, and Ai made a move towards the station when the officer stopped her with a hand on her shoulder, making Ai turn towards him.
"What is it?" she asked, and the only answer she got was a silent gesture. She blinked. What was that one supposed to mean?
"Oh, Ai-san?"
Ai's eyes widened, still looking at the officer, who merely smiled in response. Gaping, she turned to see—
"Sh-Shiori-san!"
The woman who greeted Ai was a woman whose presence seemed to engulf her surroundings, the kind that demanded respect, somewhere in her middle-ages, and yet somehow managed to convey youth through every well-cared-for pore. Shiori wore an elegant floor-length dress, a jacket thrown over her shoulders and…boots.?
The sharp click of combat boots on the pavement brought a sort of incongruous rhythm to the overall picture, not that it stopped Ai from gaping at her in sheer awe, (and the office probably chuckling at her expression, maybe, Ai couldn't see his face but she wouldn't blame him if he was), "So you're safe," the smile on the woman's face was warm, and Ai couldn't help but bow at the waist in the face of her.
"Y-Yes! I'm sorry I couldn't make it to the interview, um, I can explain! You see—"
"There's no need," Shiori smoothly interrupted, smiling kindly, "I know the situation was out of your hands. I hope you'll still come for the interview?"
"Yes! I mean, yes – er – thank you!"
"After we deal what needs to be done at the station," the officer interjected, and Ai was reminded that she was here for different reasons.
She bowed again to Shiori, "I'll come as soon as I can!"
Shiori smiled, placing a hand on her cheek, "I know you will. Best of luck, both of you."
As Ai and the officer walked to the station, she looked up at him, "Hey…how did Shiori-san know we were here?"
The one eye he bothered to show didn't so much as bat an eyelash, but she did see his lips twitch in a ghost of an expression.
"I suggest you look back."
Ai blinked, then did exactly that. It took her a few seconds to identify the nursery's sign across the street, surrounded by as many buildings as it was, but when she did Ai couldn't help but gape.
"Come on," the officer said, tugging at his cap, and Ai could have sworn that was amusement in his voice, "The sooner we finish the report the sooner you can go over."
Ai was dead. Ai was dead and dying and also too broke to get any food when she hadn't eaten since that afternoon.
One look at the sky told her it was late.
So late that…Ai wasn't sure if there were any buses left running. Then again, this was a city so maybe 27/7 buses were a thing?
Oh god, could she even afford the bus right now?
In the middle of some complex math, Ai looked up from her bloodless fingers (mostly because the officers over at the station let her wash up first before the whole report thing) to see…
"Oh, officer…-san?"
He nodded. Ai noticed that he was walking over towards the parking lot at the end of the block, instead of the one behind or in front of the station, "Oh, are you going home?"
He nodded again, and Ai smiled brightly up at him, "Before you go, I just wanted to say thank you."
"No need, I was just doing my job," he replied, but she could see him tug at his cap, and continued with, "…you're welcome."
Ai tucked a few strands of her red hair behind her ears, "For doing your job...and for hearing me out, and comforting me. During the car ride."
"…You're welcome," it came in a softer voice, not so much as bashful as it was…quietly earnest? Something among those lines.
She hummed happily, "Have a safe trip."
"You too," in that same voice, and Ai had to look at the side, smile still firmly in place, her hands resting on her chest.
"…Wait," he said suddenly, his voice settling back into the deeper, calmer voice he used earlier that day, "Why haven't you gone back yet?"
"…Oh that," Ai chuckled nervously, "I'm, um, trying to figure out the bus schedule…"
"…You don't know how to get back, do you."
Ai placed her now-burning face into her palms in order to dodge humiliation, "I'm sorry."
A huff. Ai wasn't sure if it was amusement or annoyance, "I'll drive you there."
"Eh?!" but oh, he was already walking down the block, and Ai had to jog to catch up to him. After spending several seconds gaping at his back, that is, "No, it's okay! Really! I can figure it out!"
"Making sure citizens are safe is part of my job," he intoned.
"But…I mean…"
They reached his car, it was a model Ai couldn't really identify, she was more of a motorcycle girl. It was black, and kinda shiny, parked near a vending machine. He glanced at it, and because eh was politely ignoring the various noises Ai's stomach was making, he merely offered an, "Can I get you something to drink?" before getting tea for both of them.
The drive to the university was quieter than the one to the station, filled mostly with idle sipping and companionable silence. By the time they pulled up to the gates of the university, Ai climbed out of the car with an empty can. She paused at the door, still holding it open.
"Can I ask you something?"
He blinked.
"Will I see you again?"
She couldn't identitfy that expression, the way he tugged his cap down low over his eyes, "Well…," he started, "We do work in the same city, in the same block even. I'll say that's pretty likely."
"Okay," she grinned, "Then, next time, can I ask for your name?"
He almost looked taken aback, before his entire expression softened in a way she never saw before, "Of course."
"WHERE WERE YOU ARE THOSE BLOODSTAINS AI WHAT HAPPENED—"
