Looking at the enthusiastic Inspector Ono, Hikari reached out and shook her hand.
The four of them chatted for a while before the car arrived back at the police station.
Everything that followed went smoothly.
After all, the case had been under Ikazuchi Rika's responsibility from the start.
So after giving a simple statement and once the three criminals had all been taken into custody, things were basically finished.
Hikari sat in the lobby drinking tea and resting.
Meanwhile, Ikazuchi Rika returned to her office to write up the report.
After drinking tea for more than ten minutes, Hikari saw Ikazuchi Rika push open the office door and walk out. She had apparently been bent over her desk writing for a while, and her neck and shoulders seemed sore. As she walked, she stretched lazily, causing her full figure to sway.
Pulling his gaze back from her graceful figure, Hikari casually asked, "Rika-nee, how did everything go?"
Ikazuchi Rika nodded, "It's basically all taken care of. We got them to tell us about their superiors and subordinates, and teams have already been sent out to arrest them. From here on, I can finally take a little break."
"That's good," Hikari said.
Ikazuchi Rika walked over to him and personally poured him a cup of tea, "Hikari-kun, you've worked hard. You actually deserve the most credit for solving this case. I'm really grateful to you."
Hikari smiled, "It's nothing. I wanted to be involved in the first place. You've worked hard too, Rika-nee."
The two of them chatted and smiled for a while before Hikari suddenly said, "Actually, there's someone else who worked hard too."
"Hm? Who?", Ikazuchi Rika asked in confusion.
Hikari smiled, "Inspector Noma."
Hearing the name, Ikazuchi Rika immediately remembered Noma Keiji clutching his stomach and rolling around outside the cafe, and she laughed, "He really did have it rough."
Even though he hadn't helped with the investigation at all.
"Oh, right. He's still my colleague and subordinate. I was just planning to visit the hospital and let him know the case has been solved," Ikazuchi Rika said.
"I'll come along too," Hikari said.
———
"Superintendent Rika's investigation must be going terribly. Heh! Heh..."
Lying on a hospital bed in a patient gown, Noma Keiji muttered to himself while eating an apple.
Thinking back to that afternoon, he still couldn't understand why his stomach had suddenly hurt so badly.
After arriving at the hospital, it didn't even seem that serious anymore.
But the agonizing pain back then had still caused him to miss the investigation.
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became.
Noma Keiji had been counting on this operation to grow closer to the beautiful detective Ikazuchi Rika and continue climbing the ranks within the Metropolitan Police Department.
So after being unable to participate, he had spent the entire time secretly hoping that Ikazuchi Rika's operation would fail.
And in his view, it wasn't just wishful thinking.
It was perfectly reasonable.
To keep the operation secret, only three people had originally been assigned.
With him, Noma Keiji, gone, that left only Ikazuchi Rika and Hikari.
Noma Keiji refused to believe that Ikazuchi Rika could complete such a difficult mission against drug traffickers while dragging someone like Hikari along.
Just as he was wondering how he could help Ikazuchi Rika continue the investigation after recovering, strengthen their relationship, and perhaps even win her heart, footsteps suddenly came from outside the hospital room.
Two familiar figures walked into the room.
"Rika-senpai?"
Seeing the man and woman enter, Noma Keiji sat up on the bed.
"No need to be so formal. Just lie down," Ikazuchi Rika said with a smile, waving her hand before asking her subordinate with concern, "Noma, how are you feeling?"
Hearing his beautiful superior's question, Noma Keiji immediately got up.
"I'm basically fine now. I'll be back on duty soon! It doesn't matter that your operation failed this time. Once I'm recovered, I'll accompany you and continue the investigation together!"
Ikazuchi Rika blinked in surprise, "Who told you the operation failed?"
Noma Keiji froze, "The operation against those drug manufacturers... didn't fail?"
Ikazuchi Rika nodded as though it were only natural, "That's right. Hikari-kun and I caught them all."
"We've already arrested the leaders of the drug manufacturing group, and the remaining members will be rounded up soon."
"Huh?"
Looking at Hikari and Ikazuchi Rika standing side by side, Noma Keiji was completely stunned.
He asked blankly, "You've already identified the entire chain of the organization?"
Ikazuchi Rika nodded, "We have."
"And you found their drug lab?"
"We did."
"Then... do you already have enough evidence to convict them?"
"We have both witness testimony and physical evidence."
"The operation didn't run into any problems? Nobody got hurt?"
"There were a few obstacles, but nobody was injured. That's thanks to Hikari-kun."
After hearing all of Ikazuchi Rika's answers, Noma Keiji fell into deep silence.
Although she didn't seem to be lying, he still found the outcome impossible to believe.
Ikazuchi Rika vaguely sensed what he was thinking.
She repeated firmly, "With Hikari-kun's help, we've already completed the operation successfully. So there's no need for you to rush back. Just focus on recovering."
Hearing her say it again, Noma Keiji finally accepted that he wasn't dreaming.
'But how did this happen?'
'Without me...'
'And with Rika dragging along someone like Hikari...'
'How did they solve it so quickly?'
'How is this possible?'
'It makes no sense!'
Still unwilling to give up, Noma Keiji asked Ikazuchi Rika for the details of the operation.
She gave him a general explanation.
Although she left out everything about her intimate "pretending becoming real" act with Hikari in the rented apartment, just hearing that Ikazuchi Rika and Hikari had pretended to be husband and wife while sharing a room... was enough to make Noma Keiji clench his fists in anger.
Watching Ikazuchi Rika chat and laugh with Hikari from time to time while talking to him made Noma Keiji feel even more uncomfortable.
After all, at the station, Ikazuchi Rika had always kept everyone else at arm's length. Even though several male colleagues had pursued her, she had never shown any interest. She was a genuine unattainable beauty.
Only toward him, her junior, had she been somewhat friendlier.
Ikazuchi Rika's special treatment had always been Noma Keiji's source of pride.
It was also why he believed he had a chance to win over this unattainable beauty.
Yet after this mission, the relationship between Ikazuchi Rika and Hikari seemed to have suddenly become much closer.
They claimed to be sworn siblings, but Noma Keiji keenly sensed a subtle intimacy between them.
Seeing Hikari's face, which was far more handsome than his own, instantly filled Noma Keiji with a sense of crisis.
Seeing Ikazuchi Rika smiling and chatting with Hikari, Noma Keiji immediately interrupted.
"Rika-senpai, there are still plenty of members of that drug ring who haven't been caught yet, right? Let me join the follow-up operation too. I'd also like to learn more investigative experience from you."
Ikazuchi Rika was genuinely surprised that he wanted to keep working despite being hospitalized.
She was moved, but then rejected him.
"Noma, I appreciate your dedication and commitment, but you're not well right now. Just focus on recovering."
"I can—", Hearing the rejection, Noma Keiji anxiously tried to say something else, hoping to prove that he had already recovered enough to participate.
But just as he opened his mouth, a violent cramp suddenly twisted through his stomach again.
"AHHHH!"
The agonizing pain made Noma Keiji roll back and forth on the bed, leaving him unable to say anything else.
"Noma? Are you okay?", Seeing Noma Keiji suddenly "relapse" again, Ikazuchi Rika was startled.
Hikari calmly pressed the emergency call button beside the bed with his already raised right hand.
"Let's have the doctor check on him first. We should head outside," Hikari said, glancing down at the writhing Noma Keiji before turning to Ikazuchi Rika.
"Okay!"
When the doctor and nurses arrived, Ikazuchi Rika quickly followed Hikari out of the room.
Walking with him down the hospital corridor, Ikazuchi Rika sighed, "I wonder what illness Noma has. His symptoms are really severe. Hikari-kun, you should take care of yourself too."
Hikari nodded, "Mm. You should take care too, Rika-nee."
Ikazuchi Rika continued, "Noma is usually pretty efficient at work. To be honest, with him gone, some things really are less convenient."
Hearing her remark, Hikari suddenly said, "Um... Rika-nee, there's something I want to tell you."
"Go ahead."
Seeing his hesitant expression, Ikazuchi Rika looked puzzled.
Hikari immediately said, "I think Inspector Noma... might have a problem."
"Hm?"
Hearing that, Ikazuchi Rika was briefly confused. She quickly realized that he wasn't talking about Noma Keiji's health, but about his identity or loyalty.
Her expression immediately turned serious, "Hikari-kun, why do you say that?"
Naturally, Hikari couldn't say that he had already eavesdropped on Noma Keiji's phone call or that he could see through him with his aura-reading technique, so he made up an excuse.
"When I went to the restroom today, I happened to overhear Inspector Noma talking to someone he called 'Boss.' He mentioned confidential information about our mission several times."
"And... I just have a feeling that Inspector Noma's identity might not be as simple as it appears. So I hope you'll be more careful around him."
Ikazuchi Rika's first reaction was that it sounded absurd.
After all, Noma Keiji had worked under her for quite some time and had solved several cases.
Now, when she had never noticed anything suspicious herself, someone was suddenly telling her that Noma Keiji's identity as a police officer might be fake.
It sounded completely ridiculous.
If someone she didn't know had said it, Ikazuchi Rika would have assumed they had some ulterior motive.
But looking at the serious expression on the young man's face, she couldn't help thinking about it carefully.
Although she still couldn't see anything suspicious about Noma Keiji.
And still didn't believe he could be that bad.
She also didn't want to dismiss Hikari's warning.
After all, Hikari had already shown sharper observation than even she possessed as a detective.
And he had saved her at the crucial moment.
In the end, Ikazuchi Rika nodded, "Even though I haven't noticed anything wrong with Noma, I'll keep an eye on him from now on."
Hearing her say that, Hikari didn't press the matter further.
He could tell that Ikazuchi Rika still didn't have much suspicion or wariness toward Noma Keiji.
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