Chapter 121: A Story of Three People Matsuda: ...Why do I feel...
"Have you heard? Captain Hagiwara seemed to be eating shit in the cafeteria at noon today..."
"Not only did he eat it himself, he also invited Captain Matsuda to eat with him..."
"...I happened to be passing by at that time, and they both seemed to be enjoying their meal..."
"Isn't this news a bit outdated? It's not just them. I heard they finished eating and took a box to the Investigation Division. Officer Aida and Officer Megure also ate it!"
"Huh? They're even trying to harm the officers from the First Investigation Division... Eh! Matsu, Matsuda...!"
Matsuda Jinpei had appeared behind them out of nowhere, his face as black as the bottom of a pot, glaring menacingly at them. The young police officer, who had just been gossiping, scoffed and fled, completely terrified of provoking this dangerous-looking individual.
Although they didn't dare to continue gossiping in front of him, Matsuda knew with his toes that the fact that he and Hagiwara had eaten... curry rice in the cafeteria at noon today had definitely spread throughout the Metropolitan Police Department, and there was no doubt that he would be laughed at later.
"So, Hagi, you shouldn't have opened that thing in the cafeteria... couldn't you have secretly eaten it back home?" He felt so embarrassed thinking about it that he dug his toes into the ground and paced around the office a few times, his leather shoes making a dull thud on the floor. "Is it okay now? Now everyone thinks we have pica—"
On this issue, he couldn't actually blame those who spread the gossip... After all, the lunch box didn't look like a proper food and should be seen in an identification class rather than on a dining table.
...Yes, when they were in the Investigation Section 1 and Officer Aida opened the lid, the latter's first reaction was to look alert and ask them whether this dish should be sent to the Forensic Science Section for inspection... After all, the thing was still emitting black gas and looked like it was poisonous.
There were several police officers from other departments in the office at the time who witnessed it all. Together with the witnesses at the cafeteria, this horrific news spread throughout the Metropolitan Police Department in just one lunch break.
Another reason why the news spread so quickly was that the protagonists of the story were the two young captains of the virgin explosion squad known as the Gemini. They were reluctant to spread the news because of their superior, Inspector Megure, and Inspector Aida was a woman who was not to be trifled with... Against this backdrop, Hagiwara and Matsuda suffered together.
"...No matter how I think about it, it's all that kid's fault..."
Jinpei Matsuda still found it somewhat difficult to accept that his name was associated with such a strange keyword.
The more he thought about it, the more ashamed he felt. He couldn't help but look at the other protagonist: "Don't you want to do something, Hagi? If you keep going like this, you'll go from being the popular little prince of the Metropolitan Police Department to the little prince of eating cum!"
Even though he had no interest in flashy titles like "Most Popular" before, it's still better than being treated as a pica!
To his surprise, Hagiwara Kenji, who always cared a lot about his image, didn't seem to care much about the rumor.
"Don't worry, don't worry. These weird rumors are obviously fake. People are just spreading them for fun, no one will really believe them." He patted Yukinen's shoulder comfortingly. "Besides, Officer Megure and Officer Aida both mentioned delicious food, right? If the person involved thinks it's okay, this kind of gossip will be overshadowed by other things in a couple of days."
Besides, these policemen are so busy all day long that who has time to remember gossip?
Matsuda had to admit that what Kokunen said made sense... but he still found it strange no matter how he thought about it.
"So why did she suddenly come to deliver food today? This has never happened before." He scratched his hair suspiciously, "And she made so many servings... Did the sun rise from the west?"
Kenji Hagiwara had just sat back in his office chair and took a sip of tea from his cup when he nearly choked when he heard this question: "Cough, cough cough...!"
His reaction was a bit too abrupt. Matsuda patted him on the back, puzzled. "What's wrong? You can choke on water. Are you an elementary school student?"
"Or..." Seeing You Xunran's slightly unnatural expression, the curly-haired young man narrowed his eyes slightly, "Why did that little brat bring you food? Did she want to see you for something? Did you agree to her strange request?"
Hagihara Kenji: "…………"
So scary... Xiao Zhenping's observation skills and intuition are so accurate that he can tell at a glance what he is hiding.
...Although Xiao Zhenping lived next door to him and often visited him, he definitely knew that Xiao Chaomu was living in his house. But if Hagiwara were to say it directly now, he felt that it was a bit...uneasy to say it directly.
Anyway, I have to go back with Xiao Chaomu in the afternoon, so let’s talk about it then... ?
The Metropolitan Police Department's handsome face, feeling inexplicably guilty, coughed lightly and prepared to brush it off: "Well... this matter is Xiao Chaomu's privacy after all. She will tell you later... Xiao Zhenping, don't ask for now, just work."
Even though the half-long-haired young man immediately appeared to be working diligently, Matsuda Jinpei still stared intently at his young son. "There's a problem, definitely a problem—isn't this inexplicably evasive attitude too suspicious?" What had happened during that brief moment when Asami came to Hagiwara to deliver food?
Curiosity was like a cat's claw scratching his heart, making him restless. He wanted to continue asking questions, but at this moment, the internal phone on the table suddenly rang.
The curly-haired young man clicked his tongue and picked up the phone. He was then informed that he needed to lead an emergency police team to deal with a bomb threat.
"I'll settle the score with you when I get back." He grabbed his coat and strode out. When he reached the door, he turned back and glared at Hagiwara, "Don't try to get away with this, Hagi!"
Kenji Hagiwara raised his hands in surrender, watched Youjunran leave in a hurry, and breathed a sigh of relief.
This matter cannot be concealed...but at least it can be delayed for a while. He really doesn't know how to tell Matsuda about this.
The explosives squad is in between busy and not busy today. They are working normally and need to go out on patrol, but the good thing is that they don't have to work overtime.
Kenji Hagiwara successfully delayed until he got off work in the evening.
When they got off work, Chaomu was already waiting at the door. In the setting sun, the short-haired girl was lazily leaning against the wall, her eyes blank, and no one knew what she was thinking.
This wasn't the first time he'd seen her like this; she'd sometimes wait for him outside like this before. But for some reason, seeing her standing there today, Hagiwara Kenji couldn't help but feel his ears warm.
...Is it because they are going home together tonight...?
Just thinking of the key words, the young man with medium-long hair felt his face getting hot.
He tried his best to adjust his expression, not letting his smile seem too strange, and greeted her as usual, waving his palm in front of her eyes: "Xiao Chaomu? Do you want to go to dinner first?"
Hearing his voice, Chaomu, who had just returned from rummaging through the trash cans and was organizing his backpack in front of the system panel, exited the panel and came to his senses: "Okay."
Meeting those golden eyes, Hagiwara Kenji's lips curled up several degrees again: "Then let's go... Although I just had the lunch box made by Xiao Chaomu at noon, the thought of that taste makes me feel a little hungry again."
Matsuda was about to ask for more details about Kokunran, but seeing Chaomu waiting outside, he couldn't ask any more questions in front of her. He looked suspiciously at the girl, who seemed normal, and then at Kokunran, who seemed different from usual. The more he thought about it, the more strange it seemed.
It’s normal to eat together after get off work... What’s so strange about it?
The three of them finally chose a family restaurant near the Metropolitan Police Department, and Matsuda Jinpei picked a booth by the window.
As usual, when the three of them ate together, if they sat at a rectangular table, Matsuda and Hagiwara would usually sit on the same side, while Chaomu would sit alone on the opposite side.
But this time was different—he had simply gone to get a teacup, and when he returned, he saw Hagiwara sitting down. Asami sat down next to him quite naturally. Hagiwara Kenji didn't seem to notice anything was wrong, and the two of them were chatting about something, their heads close together, their voices hushed.
Something is wrong. Something is definitely wrong.
The curly-haired young man, who had to sit alone on the side, stared at the two of them across the table, his eyes so sharp that it seemed as if he wanted to burn a hole in their faces.
Although Hagi's concern for this brat had always been a bit clingy before... but today, it seemed like it was Asami herself who was taking the initiative? She clung to the semi-long-haired young man as if she was afraid he'd run away, her golden eyes fixed on him, almost wrapping her arms around him.
Was that kid so clingy to Hagi before?
This subtle discovery made Matsuda inexplicably unhappy - what exactly happened between these two guys when he was unaware? Why did this strange atmosphere arise... making him always feel like he was being excluded.
He tightened his grip on the menu slightly, his gaze flicking back and forth between the two of them. The short-haired girl was enthusiastically studying the day's specials, her hair brushing against the cuff of the young man beside her. The ever-disciplined young man, though, showed no sign of evading, simply letting her approach with a faint blush on his ears.
This discovery made Jinpei Matsuda even more uneasy.
"So... when did you two become so close?" He asked expressionlessly, holding a teacup. "Someone even brought us food today... Hagi and I haven't had this kind of treatment before, right?"
Although the three of them had always had a good relationship and it was common for them to treat each other to meals, this was the first time that they had delivered meals to the Metropolitan Police Department.
Putting aside the ambiguous meaning of a girl giving lunch boxes to the opposite sex in Japan, Chaomu herself is busy with work, spinning like a top every day. How could she suddenly free up time from work to do this?
When he asked this, Hagiwara Kenji, who had just been looking at the menu, froze, his eyes wandering a little: "Well..."
How should I put it... No matter how I think about it, it's hard to put it into words...
"What's so awkward about that?" Matsuda frowned even more, his gaze turning to the other party involved. "What exactly happened? Asami, you and Hagi...why did you suddenly come to deliver food today?"
As the person involved, Chaomu did not shy away from this.
"Because I want Hagiwara-kun to take me home." Facing the confused gaze of the curly-haired young man, she answered seriously and calmly, "So I came to deliver the meal."
Matsuda Jinpei: “…………?”
ah?
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The author has something to say: ...It's terrible, how come my sleep and sleep routine is back again! How could this happen!
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