The sun blazed overhead, and the asphalt on the road seemed to shimmer with heat.
At the same time, Hikari accepted the tissues from Ikazuchi Rika.
"Ah... Haha! It's a little hot today. You massaged your big sister so much that I ended up sweating like this. Thanks for your hard work, Hikari-kun," Ikazuchi Rika said awkwardly, her pretty face flushed red.
"Mhm! That really is a lot of sweat. I don't usually have sweaty hands, so I think it's all yours, Rika-nee. If this doesn't happen often, you should pay attention to it. It might be a medical issue."
As he spoke, Hikari wiped his slightly sticky palm.
"O-Okay! Big sister... understands. Thanks for reminding me!", Ikazuchi Rika replied with a red face as she quickly retreated into the car and shut the door.
Sitting back down in the driver's seat, which had been baking under the sun, she felt as though even the seat beneath her was hot.
She quietly turned her head and glanced at Hikari outside the car.
Seeing him looking up seriously as he kept watch, she hurriedly took out some tissues.
Bending over, she carefully wiped the sweat from her thighs.
Watching Hikari continue diligently monitoring the suspect outside, while she had already returned to the car and was still sweating, made Ikazuchi Rika feel embarrassed all over again.
She stole another glance at Hikari through the window.
Perhaps because the sunlight was shining on her, her cheeks felt especially warm.
After resting for a short while, Ikazuchi Rika rolled down the window and asked, "Hikari-kun, has the target made any moves?"
Hikari shook his head, "No. Ever since he went inside, he hasn't come out."
After thinking for a moment, Ikazuchi Rika immediately said, "Then let's go upstairs and monitor them."
"Go upstairs and monitor them?", Hikari looked puzzled.
"Mhm," Ikazuchi Rika nodded.
"I already rented the apartment next door to the suspect. Besides watching their movements, we also need to gather all kinds of information."
"I don't think he's coming out today, so let's monitor them from upstairs instead. But we have to be careful on the way over. We can't let them notice anything suspicious."
"People like these criminals are extremely suspicious. We absolutely can't reveal any flaws, or our lives could be in danger."
Seeing Ikazuchi Rika's serious warning, Hikari nodded.
She continued, "I always went back to that apartment alone before. Today we're going there together, so if we run into them, be careful. Since you're suddenly appearing, Hikari-kun, it could make them suspicious."
"Then what should I be?", Hikari asked.
Ikazuchi Rika thought for a moment, "We need to make up a believable identity for you."
Hikari suggested, "I'm your distant cousin who's come to stay with you?"
Ikazuchi Rika shook her head, "No. When we made this plan and rented the apartment, I was planning to carry out the operation with Noma."
"Our cover identities were supposed to be newlyweds. When the target asked me before, I told him I had a husband who's away on a business trip. If we suddenly change our story now, he'll probably become suspicious."
Looking at the serious Ikazuchi Rika, Hikari asked, "So I'm your... newlywed husband?"
"Uh..."
Looking at Hikari's youthful, handsome face, Ikazuchi Rika's cheeks reddened slightly.
For some reason, she suddenly felt like an older woman dating someone much younger.
Still, she nodded.
"Yes. We'll stick with the newlywed couple story. From now on, I'm your newlywed wife."
Hikari pointed at his own face, "Don't I look a little too young?"
Staring at his youthful, handsome face that still carried a trace of a high school boy's innocence, Ikazuchi Rika nodded.
"A little. But I can help disguise you."
With that, she got back into the car and took out a suit she'd prepared beforehand for him.
Hikari accepted it and changed into it inside the car.
Afterward, Ikazuchi Rika also helped him with a little makeup.
When she was finished, she looked him over with satisfaction and nodded.
"Mhm, now you look the part. There shouldn't be any problems."
Since Ikazuchi Rika said so, Hikari naturally had no objections.
"Hikari-kun, remember this. From now on, you're my husband, and I'm your newlywed wife. Got it?"
Afraid they might slip up in front of the dangerous drug traffickers, Ikazuchi Rika emphasized it once more.
"Mhm. Got it."
But Ikazuchi Rika shook her head, "Just saying it isn't enough. Give me your hand."
Hikari immediately held out his hand.
Ikazuchi Rika instead linked her arm through his and leaned her body close to him.
As their bodies pressed together, her generous curves naturally pressed against his arm.
The warm, soft feeling was enough to unsettle anyone.
After noticing it, Hikari turned to look at Ikazuchi Rika, who was leaning against him.
He found that the beautiful investigator's face had also become slightly red.
She had obviously noticed it as well.
But with a dangerous mission about to begin, the highly professional Ikazuchi Rika said nothing.
Instead, she gave Hikari an encouraging look.
He nodded back.
Then the two of them walked upstairs arm in arm, looking every bit like a close newlywed couple.
The journey started smoothly enough.
There was no one else in the stairwell, and they soon arrived outside the apartment Ikazuchi Rika had rented.
But just as she took out her key and was about to unlock the door, the neighboring apartment door suddenly opened with a creak.
A middle-aged man in a green jacket stepped out.
It was none other than the drug suspect they intended to monitor, Oda Kotaro.
The moment Oda Kotaro unexpectedly came out, Ikazuchi Rika tensed.
Hikari could feel her holding his arm even tighter, making the soft pressure around it even more noticeable.
Oda Kotaro, who had just opened the door, also spotted them.
Seeing Ikazuchi Rika, he greeted her with surprising familiarity, "Oh, isn't this Miss Rika? Good afternoon."
Originally, Ikazuchi Rika had intended to pull Hikari straight into the apartment.
But after the target unexpectedly greeted her, she had no choice but to stop and smile, "It's Mr. Kotaro. Good afternoon."
Oda Kotaro casually pointed at Hikari and asked with a smile, "Miss Rika, is this the husband you mentioned before? He's quite handsome."
Hikari could tell that when Oda Kotaro brought him up, Ikazuchi Rika's body stiffened, and her grip on his arm tightened again. His arm was practically buried against her.
But on the surface, she still smiled casually, "That's right. This is Hikari-kun, my dearest, dearest husband."
"Not only is he handsome, he's also an amazing person. He can cook, and he earns a great salary too. Having such a perfect husband feels like such a waste on someone like me."
As she spoke, Hikari felt Ikazuchi Rika secretly pinch him behind her back.
He immediately wrapped an arm around her slender waist and smiled, "Not at all. Rika-chan is very caring too. Whenever she has the chance, she cooks delicious meals for me. She's a perfect wife."
Watching the two of them play along so naturally, Oda Kotaro looked envious.
"My, you two really have a wonderful relationship. Makes a bachelor like me jealous."
The three of them laughed together.
To avoid saying too much and making a mistake, Ikazuchi Rika took the opportunity to say,
"It's about time we started cooking, so we'll excuse ourselves first~"
With that, she pulled Hikari into the apartment.
Bang!
Watching the door close,nOda Kotaro smiled and shook his head.
"What a lovey-dovey couple."
The envious-looking man stretched his unusually long arms, but a strange glint flashed through his eyes.
Meanwhile, after returning to the apartment, Ikazuchi Rika let out a long sigh of relief.
"Phew... I didn't expect to run into the suspect right away. Luckily... luckily we didn't expose anything."
"That's because you reacted quickly, Rika-nee," Hikari said with a smile.
Ikazuchi Rika smiled too, "I'm a professional investigator, after all. Oh, and Hikari-kun, you did well too. Especially the way you wrapped your arm around my waist. That was perfect!"
As she spoke, she took Hikari's hand and placed it back around her waist, recreating the scene.
Hikari casually gave the soft flesh at her waist a squeeze, "Have you been eating a lot of cake lately, Rika-nee?"
Ikazuchi Rika's face reddened, "I have not! I'm not fat! Mind your own business!"
Hikari smiled, "But aren't you my newlywed wife now, Rika-chan? It's perfectly reasonable for me to suggest managing your figure."
Ikazuchi Rika puffed out her cheeks, "You really are mature for your age. I was worried you wouldn't be able to play the role of husband properly and might give us away. Instead, you're even more into the role than I am. Should I call you 'husband' too?"
Seeing her unconvinced expression, Hikari smiled, "Sure."
Ikazuchi Rika actually hugged his arm, deliberately softened her voice, and sweetly called, "Hus~band~"
Hikari smiled back, "Wife~"
Seeing that he wasn't embarrassed at all and had even answered her the same way, Ikazuchi Rika, who had thought she was the experienced adult and professional investigator leading the act, immediately blushed with embarrassment.
She had only wanted to tease Hikari.
After all, most high school boys would probably blush just from making eye contact with a girl, let alone being called "husband."
Instead, after hearing him call her "wife," she was the one who ended up embarrassed.
What Ikazuchi Rika didn't know was that Hikari was nothing like those inexperienced young virgins.
With his extensive experience, plenty of women had called him "big brother," "husband," or even "master."
So compared to that, Ikazuchi Rika's teasing really didn't affect him at all.
Having admitted defeat, Ikazuchi Rika immediately changed the subject.
"All right, all right, enough fooling around. Let's get to work!"
"Okay."
Hikari agreed and sat down.
Ikazuchi Rika took out professional listening equipment, placed it against the wall, and began monitoring every movement of the suspect next door.
However, after returning home, Oda Kotaro seemed to have gone to sleep.
Nothing unusual could be heard.
Hikari casually chatted with Ikazuchi Rika, "Rika-nee, didn't I already give you evidence against Kotaro and the others? Why not just arrest them?"
Ikazuchi Rika explained, "I want to trace their distribution route and arrest both their superiors and subordinates all at once. Otherwise, the ones who slip through the net will continue causing serious harm."
"I understand."
Hikari nodded in agreement.
The two of them continued listening for over half an hour, but there was still no activity.
About an hour later, however, they suddenly heard a door open.
Ikazuchi Rika's spirits immediately lifted, and she quickly told Hikari to start the recorder.
Thanks to the professional surveillance equipment, the voices from next door, where the soundproofing was poor, came through clearly.
They heard Oda Kotaro say, "Kyuseishi, did the goods sell?"
The bald man called Kyuseishi answered, "They did. The buyer was very satisfied. They want an even bigger order."
Oda Kotaro laughed, "Haha! Looks like we're making another fortune. Have you arranged where the deal will take place?"
Kyuseishi laughed, "Already arranged. Tomorrow night, Okubo Park!"
[T/N: Consider joining P@treon to keep the stories going. Enjoy~]