So Hikari had no intention of using telekinesis so directly.
As a mafia mole, Noma Keiji had secretly leaked the details of this operation. The people he had betrayed weren't just Ikazuchi Rika and the Metropolitan Police Department. Hikari, who was also taking part in the operation, was one of those he had betrayed as well.
And Hikari didn't like being betrayed.
With that thought, he slightly raised his right hand and slowly curled his fingers, as though gripping something invisible.
Crack!
The hastily assembled three-person team moved out, with Ikazuchi Rika taking the lead and pushing open the cafe door.
Noma Keiji followed behind her, and Hikari came last.
The moment she stepped outside, Ikazuchi Rika immediately slipped into investigator mode and headed toward the car with a serious expression.
Then a sudden scream rang out behind her.
"Ow!"
Hearing the familiar cry, Ikazuchi Rika stopped at once, turned around, and saw Noma Keiji squatting on the ground with both hands clutching his stomach.
"Noma?", she asked in confusion as she looked at him.
"Noma, are you okay?"
Seeing him crouched there in agony, Ikazuchi Rika had no choice but to go back.
But Noma Keiji didn't answer. His face was twisted with pain as he clutched his stomach and wailed continuously.
"Ah! It hurts... My stomach hurts so much! It hurts so bad I feel like I'm going to die! AAAAA!"
Just moments ago, when he walked out of the cafe, Noma Keiji had been thinking that he would perform well on this mission, outshine Hikari, impress his beautiful superior Ikazuchi Rika, and improve his chances of promotion at the station. But the instant he stepped outside, a violent cramp tore through his abdomen, leaving him in unbearable pain.
"Noma, what's wrong?", Ikazuchi Rika began to panic at the sight of her subordinate like this.
"I... I... My stomach... suddenly... suddenly hurts so much..."
His face was badly scrunched, and beads of cold sweat poured down his forehead.
He had wanted to grit his teeth and stand up to answer her, but the pain only grew worse until he could barely speak.
Then things got even more exaggerated, he started rolling around on the ground from the pain.
He wasn't a child, but a grown man.
So before long, his behavior attracted the attention of passersby.
Normally, Noma Keiji would have been mortified by so many people staring at him.
But now he couldn't care less about looking embarrassing.
His stomach hurt so much he felt like he was dying.
Seeing him in such misery, Ikazuchi Rika felt both anxious and helpless.
He had been perfectly fine just moments ago.
And now, right as they were about to start the mission, he'd suddenly ended up like this.
"Noma, what's happening to you..."
Just as Ikazuchi Rika was at a complete loss for what to do, Hikari walked over to her side. After glancing down at the miserable-looking Noma Keiji, he suddenly said, "Judging from Inspector Noma's symptoms, I think it might be acute gastroenteritis or appendicitis. Didn't he mention having a stomachache back in the cafe?"
Hearing that, Ikazuchi Rika remembered that not long ago Noma Keiji had complained about a stomachache and disappeared into the restroom for quite a while.
Rubbing her forehead helplessly, she said, "With Noma in this condition, there's no way he can go on the mission. Luckily we're close to the station. I'll have someone come take a look."
"Hikari-kun, could you help move Noma over to the side?"
As she spoke, Ikazuchi Rika took out her phone.
Hikari nodded and grabbed both of Noma's arms.
He dragged the grimacing, purple-faced Noma Keiji, who was writhing on the ground in pain, into a nearby alley where there were fewer people.
Since Noma was rolling around in agony and couldn't cooperate at all, Hikari simply dragged him along like a dead dog.
Noma struggled desperately the whole time as he was dragged.
So Ikazuchi Rika didn't think there was anything wrong with Hikari's rather impolite way of moving him.
The one who probably had objections was Noma Keiji himself, whose crotch was scraping across the ground.
But with his stomach feeling as though an elephant was rampaging through his intestines, he couldn't get a single word out.
After Ikazuchi Rika finished the call, several police officers and a doctor quickly came over from the nearby station.
Hikari stepped aside.
The officers restrained the still-rolling Noma Keiji while the doctor examined him.
"Inspector Noma's condition... could very well be acute appendicitis."
The doctor's diagnosis was exactly the same as Hikari's.
Hearing that, Ikazuchi Rika was basically convinced.
Looking at Noma Keiji, who was still groaning in pain and couldn't even get to his feet, she immediately said, "Take Noma back."
"Noma, you won't be joining this operation. Hikari-kun and I will carry it out ourselves."
"As for you, head to the hospital first and get treated."
The other officers and the doctor all nodded in agreement.
But Noma Keiji became anxious.
"I... I don't..."
He didn't want to agree with Ikazuchi Rika.
He didn't think he had appendicitis. He figured he'd probably just eaten something bad and would recover after a little rest.
He still wanted to participate in the operation.
After all, putting aside Hikari, who had suddenly inserted himself into the team, this was one of the rare chances he had to work alone with Ikazuchi Rika. It would be a great opportunity to build a closer relationship with her and advance his plans to establish himself at the station.
So he truly didn't want to give up this mission.
However, before he could finish speaking, only managing to get out two words, another violent cramp suddenly struck his stomach.
It felt as though someone had seized his intestines in a crushing grip.
The excruciating pain made Noma Keiji roll around again, screaming in agony.
"Sigh! Inspector Noma's determination is really admirable. But he's in far too poor a condition. Doctor, please get him to the hospital as soon as possible," Hikari said as he slowly relaxed his clenched hand.
"That's right. Inspector Noma's dedication is certainly admirable, but his health comes first," the other officers and the doctor agreed.
By now, Noma couldn't even speak.
His whole body convulsed, and he was on the verge of foaming at the mouth and rolling his eyes back. He could only let the others place him on a stretcher and carry him away.
Watching the thoroughly miserable Noma Keiji being taken away, Hikari smiled faintly and turned toward Ikazuchi Rika, whose expression was complicated.
At that very moment, Ikazuchi Rika also turned to look at him, and their eyes met.
"Hikari-kun, the plan has already been finalized, so we can't add anyone else at the last minute. Since Noma can't participate, it'll just be the two of us," Ikazuchi Rika said seriously.
"Just the two of us?", Hikari asked.
"That's right. This isn't an easy mission, and now that we're one person short, we'll have to stay twice as alert."
"Then let's do our best together."
Hikari didn't say anything more. After all, he was the one who had personally sent the missing teammate away.
Taking a few deep breaths, Ikazuchi Rika sighed, "This operation involves investigating a drug manufacturing organization. It's really difficult to do with just one person. I probably shouldn't say this, but Noma couldn't have gotten sick at a worse time. Good thing you're here, Hikari-kun."
Hikari smiled, "It's a good thing I won yesterday's match. Otherwise, Rika-nee, you'd have kicked me off the team."
Ikazuchi Rika laughed as well, "Yeah, thank goodness."
"But remember, Hikari-kun. During the mission, you absolutely have to stay safe."
"If anything dangerous happens, leave immediately if you can. Don't worry about me."
Hikari smiled, "How could I leave you behind, Rika-nee? I'll definitely protect you."
Ikazuchi Rika shook her head with a smile, "I'm the investigator here, and I'm your big sister. I should be the one protecting you. You think you're going to protect me?"
Hikari grinned, "Did you already forget yesterday's match? If it comes down to fighting, you don't seem to be my opponent."
Hearing that, Ikazuchi Rika recalled how he'd trapped her in a cross armlock the previous day, forcing her legs apart so she couldn't close them.
Her words caught in her throat, and her pretty face flushed slightly with embarrassment.
She really couldn't argue with that.
After all, he'd beaten her yesterday. Twice.
Even so, she still warned him, "Fighting is one thing. A mission is another. They're completely different."
"Your hand-to-hand skills are impressive, Hikari-kun, but our opponents are vicious criminals. They may even be armed. When that happens, brute force won't solve everything."
"So I'm giving you a strict warning. During the mission, you're my subordinate. You must obey every order I give as your superior. Whatever I tell you to do, you do it. No acting on your own or putting yourself in danger."
Her expression was extremely serious.
Hikari raised his hand in salute.
"Yes, sir!"
Seeing him salute so earnestly, Ikazuchi Rika couldn't help laughing.
She reached over and pinched his handsome, youthful cheek, "All right, all right. As long as you understand. Your big sister's just worried about you."
"Let's go!"
The two of them then got into Ikazuchi Rika's car.
Since this operation was an undercover investigation, she wasn't driving a police car but her own private vehicle.
She also wasn't wearing her investigator's uniform.
Instead, she was dressed in an office lady skirt suit.
Turning his head, Hikari saw Ikazuchi Rika in the driver's seat fastening her seat belt.
With a click, the strap sank deeply into the ample cleavage of her white chest.
Beneath her pencil skirt, her long, slender legs stretched forward to press the clutch, revealing a section of smooth white thigh between the hem of her skirt and the steering wheel, a perfect absolute territory.
"So? Do you think your big sister's legs are pretty?", Ikazuchi Rika asked with a teasing smile when she noticed where he was looking.
If any other man looked at her like that, she would definitely be angry.
But since it was Hikari, her young and inexperienced sworn little brother, not only did she not mind, she even felt a playful urge to tease him.
Rather like the way some middle-aged men liked teasing young girls.
Seeing the teasing look on her face, Hikari shook his head, "I was just wondering whether Rika-nee actually knows how to drive."
"Oh? You're questioning whether your big sister can drive?", Ikazuchi Rika raised an eyebrow as she stared at his youthful, handsome face.
———
As traffic flowed back and forth on the road, Hikari and Ikazuchi Rika swayed gently with the movement of the car.
Even while turning the steering wheel through a bend, Ikazuchi Rika confidently said, "Hikari-kun, let me tell you, your big sister's been driving for years. I'm a very skilled driver. Ride with me a few more times and you'll see."
"But you were looking at my thighs just now, weren't you? If you looked, you looked. Don't deny it. Come on, tell me, are they pretty?"
Faced with her questioning, Hikari answered honestly, "They're pretty. Rika-nee has beautiful legs. You can tell you work out regularly too. The shape and complexion are both very nice."
Hearing his smooth compliment, Ikazuchi Rika was a little disappointed that she hadn't managed to make him blush, but she quickly smiled again.
"Hikari-kun, you're pretty good with words. The girls at school must really like you. How many girlfriends have you had?"
Hikari answered honestly, "About a dozen."
"Pfft! A dozen? Hahaha!"
Ikazuchi Rika laughed and shook her head, instinctively assuming he was joking.
"What about you, Rika-nee? How many people have you dated? Do you have a boyfriend now?", Hikari casually asked.
"I do! My boyfriend works at the prosecutor's office. He's a prosecutor, you know. He's even more handsome than you," Ikazuchi Rika replied with a smile.
Hikari simply shook his head.
"What? You don't believe me?", she immediately asked.
"Mhm. I don't believe you have a boyfriend right now," Hikari nodded.
"Why?", Ikazuchi Rika looked at him curiously.
Hikari explained, "I noticed that although you don't get manicures, you like to keep your nails a little long. But you've deliberately trimmed the nails on your index and middle fingers short, exposing the fingertips."