"This has certainly become more tied up than we expected."
Nico remarked as she furrowed her eyebrows, trying to understand the sudden chain of events she just witnessed.
Even the constable herself who is present at the scene: Kotori Minami was unable to comprehend anything from this rapid turn. As she snapped out and tried to regain her cool, the civilians have already started arguing with each other.
"This MUST be MY suitcase!" Maki demanded. "The driver and I were in the airport!"
"Nyeow, it must be mine!" the orange haired stammered.
"Then what's that suitcase you brought with you!?"
"Its not mine, nya!"
"How did you know it isn't yours?" Nozomi, the purple haired driver asked.
"I clearly look like a nurse, nya!" the orange haired answered, continuing with her peculiar end phrases at every word she says. "And the contents of this bag CLEARLY don't look like my medical kit!"
"Ah, that's it!" Kotori suddenly exclaimed. "The contents! May we see the contents of your suitcase, Miss Nurse?"
"Rin Hoshizora, nya," the nurse replied. "Gosh, I'm still not used on everyone calling me a 'nurse'."
"Yeah, you really don't look like one," Nico muttered, followed by a head smack from Maki.
Rin, the nurse, opened the suitcase just as Kotori asked to. It was full of hygienic and make up kits, clothes and suits of golden linings. A passport was also found.
"Ahh! My suitcase!" Maki exclaimed, as she immediately leaned in and closed it.
"Hooh? Afraid to have your panties flying around?" Nico said teasingly.
"S-Shut it!" the redheaded hissed as her face flushed.
"This is certainly a switched case incident," Kotori remarked.
"N-Nyan!? Switched cases!?" Rin stammered. "Then that case must be—!"
As the orange haired nurse turned, Nozomi gave her a confused look.
"A-Ah, this case," she said, upon realizing. "I don't have a suitcase at the first place. This might be yours."
"Well then, Miss Officer," Hanayo said, giving a bow to the gray-haired constable. "It seems that the case is solved. I shall go back to my duties."
"Y-Yeah," Kotori replied. "Thank you very much for your cooperation, Miss Koizumi. The law appreciates your help!"
The elevator attendant's face lightened, as her face flushed and her eyes widened. Then she gave an angelic smile and went back to her work.
Case solved, huh, Kotori thought. I solved…a case…alone.
I—
"N-N-N-N-N-NYAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
A suddenly shrill of the nurse's shriek echoed around the upper parking lot. Everyone at present turned around to see the orange haired, staring at the opened suitcase, obviously shocked.
"W-What is it!?" Nico exclaimed as they ran up to her.
"T-This…" Rin said in a shaky voice. "This isn't mine either!"
"W-What!?" Kotori cried, running to Rin's side.
Inside the suitcase, it was full of papers and a laptop hiding under the unfolded and messy clothes and suits. It clearly wasn't the nurse's description of her belongings. Still.
"Does that mean," Nozomi said. "Someone out there has a switched case too?"
"W-What if it isn't the only one left?" Maki stated. "What if there's still a lot who got their cases switched?"
"Everyone sure has the same suitcase, huh," Nico observed. "Who would do such a thing? Or is it just a coincidence?"
"S-Somebody help me!" the familiar voice of the elevator girl echoed once again in the parking lot area. As they all turned, Hanayo was being held by another orange haired lady.
"What did you said about SUITCASES?!" she asked, pinching the elevator attendant's cheeks. "Because I have my suitcase lost too!"
"Miss Koizumi!" Kotori cried.
"W-What?! You got your suitcase switched too?!" Nico asked, shocked.
Rin hissed as she dashed to the newcomer, who then noticed someone in a nurse uniform approaching to her direction. She let go of Hanayo and dodged, but Rin was faster and got hold of the same dark blue suitcase, not to the another orange haired. The stranger resisted, but slipped off and lost her grasp (due to her clumsiness, it seems). Rin immediately opened the retrieved case and sighed happily.
"W-What the heck was that?" Nico gasped as they witnessed this unimaginable sudden fiasco.
"I guess the nurse got hers back," Maki remarked.
"Are you okay?" Nozomi asked to the stranger.
As the female driver asked, the orange haired sobbed, turning to her with a wailing face.
"Uwaaa! My caaaase!" she whined. My suitcase is goooooone! I'll lose my jooooob! Waaaaaaaaah!"
"Ah, I know you!" Hanayo suddenly exclaimed after looking intently at the bawling stranger, squinting her eyes. "You're that weather forecaster, Honoka Kousaka!"
Kotori gasped as she recognized at the elevator attendant's mention of the stranger's name.
"Ah! That clumsy weather forecaster!" Nico exclaimed.
"She's actually good in her trade of work, though," Hanayo remarked.
"B-But my suitcaaaase," the newcomer named Honoka continued to sob. "I-I'm going to be killed by my boss!"
"Ah, your suitcase..." Nozomi replied as she reached out her hand behind. "I believe this is yours-."
But the purple haired driver seems to be grasping on air. As she turned, the suitcase was nowhere to be found.
Everybody turned their heads to and fro. As Kotori looked around, she noticed a figure running from the shadows.
A figure...carrying the same dark blue suitcase, and a glint of yellow flowed gracefully midair.
Kotori's eyes widened as she realized what she just saw. Her lips trembled, and suddenly yelled:
"E-Eli!"
The silver haired constable's voice echoed around the empty parking lot. Everybody turned around at her sudden cry.
So did the shadowy figure.
Pausing for a while, it turned around with it's blonde hair fleeting graciously.
Eli Ayase, the former ace inspector of the Scotland Yard, stared at her with a surprise face, but immediately shifted to a cold expression.
Despite that she was able to grab the intruder's attention, Kotori's throat became dry, unable to speak up. She had many things to say, many things to ask, gathered up inside her mind ever since her disappearance. But at this moment, she felt speechless.
"Ahh! She took the suitcase!" Maki exclaimed, pointing at the same dark blue suitcase Eli was holding.
"M-My suitcase!" Honoka cried.
Eli shifted as the civilians have noticed her appearance with the suitcase. Without saying a word, she darted off to the shadows.
"Eli!" Kotori called once again as tears started to well up from her eyes.
"Quick, Miss Officer," Nico exclaimed. "You have to chase her!"
"I cannot afford to lose my suitcase," Honoka begged. "It has important documents!"
"Ah! She just jumped off of the building!?"
"Hope in, constable," Nozomi said as she revved up the engines of her car. "I'm no racer for nothing. We can catch up to her immediately."
The silver haired constable felt anxious of herself on the next chain of events. As soon as Nozomi kicked on the engines, the wheels screeched, moving it's way out of the upper parking lot. Kotori doubted the purple haired for a moment, but the speed was too incredible to keep up. Before she could notice, they were already on the streets. The sun has already set. Night has fallen, and the chase is on.
London streets at night is still bright from every lights illuminating the city's brilliance and beauty. Their blonde intruder was seen leaping off from roofs to roofs skillfully. Nico muttered how she found it incredible and mysterious at the same time, trying to figure out on how could she have done that so effortlessly.
Sure, it's possible to catch up with Eli with a racing driver. But the city traffic was the drawback, slowing their pace down. But the purple haired just smirked it off as she drove off from the main roads to shortcuts, alleyways, and secret roads; though they had to drive around roads to roads to keep a steady follow.
The vehicles they meet honked loudly while Nozomi managed to dodge them without leaving a scratch. The civilians who went with them, sitting back at the passenger seat, Nico and Honoka, screamed loudly as they kept sight on their blonde thief. Kotori meanwhile has been quiet ever since the chase started, staring at the familiar figure of her friend running off from buildings to buildings. Her heart has been beating wildly ever since she saw her tonight. Again. Until now, she's still unsure of the sudden chain of events, on why would Eli steals someone's suitcase-someone's property.
Eli...why?
As the night falls darker, their surroundings have also become darker.
"W-Where in hell are we already?" Nico asked, feeling uneasy as she looked through the car window. "Have we gone way too far away from the city?"
"Not really," Nozomi answered. "Rest assured. We're still near from the main road."
"Nico, are you sure that your shop will be okay without you?" Kotori asked in concern.
"Millie and her man can manage at the shop themselves," the florist answered. "It's already in closing hours." Then she eyed the constable for moment, raising an eyebrow. "Worried on why I came with you?"
Kotori fell silent.
"Look, I came because you guys saved my life, sort of. I believe at what Millie told you. Cheesy, am I right? But I want to do something good like how that old woman gave to me. I have to see this to the end."
Kotori cannot help but to stare at the twin tailed florist in admiration.
Is she...worried at us?
"Ah, we're here."
As Nozomi spoke, the car stopped in front of an old-looking chapel. Sidewalkers can be seen passing by, but not minding the old building.
"W-Why did we stopped here?" Nico asked, giving a confusing look to the purple haired.
"This is where I saw her come in!" Honoka, the reporter, replied vigorously. "Don't dare doubt the eyes of a reporter!"
Kotori stared at the chapel for a moment, then turned her companions.
"You guys stay here and wait for me," she said. "I'll go inside alone."
"Are you sure!?" Nico interjected at the constable.
Kotori gazed at her, then gave her a sweet smile.
"Thank you."
Comparing it to the exterior, the old chapel looked majestic while carrying it's medieval taste. Dimming chandelier shone, illuminating the wooden pews. Plus, there is single glinting lighting shining on the altar, accompanied by a pair of candles.
Kotori averted her gaze around as she walked through the red carpet placed neatly in the center of the marble floor. The moon was shining brighter tonight as it lightened the glass mosaic windows, showing off it's colorful vibrance.
"What a surprise. A visitor."
A voice echoed in, alarming Kotori. A figure soon emerged out of the shadows, and the silver haired constable's golden eyes widened in astonishment.
It was the nun clad in blue from the flower shop.
Hello everyone, its namucchi...but now I just changed my username to Burrito of Feels. Its been more than a year, aye? And for that, I would like to apologize for the late update. I've been through a lot last year that caused the delay of my fanfiction writing. I already finished writing this chapter last year, though, but the next chapter is still incomplete. Nevertheless, I shall continue to do my best to this fanfic's completion despite of my IRL duties and responsibilities. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and the story so far! Honest reviews are encouraged and taken with pleasure! Ciao~
