But since Ikazuchi Rika had already promised she'd be more careful, there wasn't much else to say.
Thinking of that, Hikari took out a Pure Love Talisman and handed it to her.
"Rika-nee, you're always carrying out dangerous missions, right? I got this charm from a shrine before. It's supposed to keep you safe. I'd like you to have it."
Ikazuchi Rika reached out and accepted it. Feeling the smooth, jade-like texture, she smiled with happiness.
"Wow! Thank you, Hikari-kun! That's so thoughtful of you! Just as expected of your big sister's wonderful little brother!"
She thought Hikari had specifically gotten the charm for her. Excited, she pulled him into a tight hug and buried his face in her chest.
Only after he was nearly suffocated did she finally let him go.
Then she laughed, "Hikari-kun, you're way too good to me. I already owe you my life from today, and now you've given me another gift. I don't even know how I'll ever repay you."
"Once this case is solved, there should be a pretty nice bonus. How about this weekend? Onee-san will treat you to a really good meal."
Looking at the smiling Rika, Hikari nodded, "Sure."
Thinking that they were about to part ways, Rika said reluctantly, "Hikari-kun, if you have time in the future, come visit your big sister more often, okay? I want us to get even closer."
Hikari smiled, "I will. If there's a case, I'll come to you too."
Rika laughed, "That would be perfect. I couldn't ask for anything better. Hikari-kun, you're basically my promotion machine. I've been stuck at the rank of Superintendent for so long with no hope of moving up, but the moment you showed up, I solved a major case and might finally get promoted."
Hikari said with a smile, "Maybe it's just my luck. I always seem to run into crimes."
As mystical as it sounded, Rika nodded seriously, "Mm, I believe you, Hikari-kun. If you run into any cases, you have to come to me."
She really wanted to get promoted as quickly as possible. It wasn't because she craved power.
Her life's goal was simply to reach her father's rank so that no one could ever again say she'd relied on family connections.
But her father's position was so high that slowly climbing the ranks might take forever.
With Hikari's help, though, her chances suddenly seemed much better.
After all, she'd already seen just how skilled he was.
And it wasn't just his fighting ability. His observation was even sharper than hers as a detective.
If what Hikari said was true, that he'd keep running into cases and hand them over to her, then naturally she'd have many more opportunities for promotion.
After chatting for a while longer, the two of them left the hospital together.
———
Hikari hailed a taxi and headed home.
Rika planned to return to the police station after seeing him off.
Watching Hikari's tall figure disappear beneath the streetlights, Rika suddenly felt an inexplicable itch in her heart.
Perhaps it was the dim lighting reminding her of the intimate moments they'd shared earlier in the rented apartment while pretending to be newlyweds.
Thinking about how closely their bodies had been pressed together, almost inseparable, her own body and mind began to feel strangely restless.
'Today's scene... Seemed like even better material than a movie...'
The thought suddenly popped into her head.
She immediately covered her flushed face with both hands.
"Ah! What am I even thinking? Hikari-kun is my little brother! Today was just part of the mission! Stop it! Stop it!"
Her heart raced, and she felt embarrassed.
She had already graduated from college several years ago. How could she possibly have thoughts about a high school student?
And he was her sworn little brother, no less.
An old cow eating young grass... a small horse pulling a big cart... That would be completely shameless.
There was absolutely no possibility between them.
Rika shook her head, throwing those chaotic thoughts out of her mind, then turned and walked back toward the hospital room.
Before leaving, she wanted to check on her subordinate, Noma Keiji, one more time.
When she returned, she found him lying flat on the hospital bed again.
Having just suffered another attack, he was clearly in poor condition. His face was deathly pale, and even his hospital gown and the white bedsheet beneath him were soaked with sweat.
"Noma, are you alright?", Rika asked with concern.
Seeing her return, Noma Keiji tried to sit up, but the intense pain from earlier had left him weak all over, so he could only lie there obediently.
"I-I'm fine... My gastroenteritis just flared up and hurt a bit. I'm feeling much better now."
"That's good. Don't worry about work for now. Focus on taking care of yourself."
At the mention of work, Noma looked at the now-alone Rika and couldn't help asking, "Senpai... you and that kid named Hikari... your relationship isn't exactly ordinary, is it?"
Rika looked at him and raised an eyebrow, "I already accepted Hikari-kun as my sworn little brother. It's perfectly normal for siblings to be close."
Noma shook his head, "It feels like more than just siblings. It feels... a little too close. Almost like..."
Before he could finish, Rika's expression turned cold, "Inspector Noma, what does my relationship with Hikari-kun have to do with you?"
"Instead of worrying about your superior's private life, you should focus on recovering."
Ever since noticing the ambiguous atmosphere between Hikari and Rika, Noma had been in a foul mood.
Now that Hikari had left, he couldn't stop himself from questioning her.
But seeing the icy look on her face, he suddenly realized she was his superior. No matter how he looked at it, he had no right to interfere in her relationship with Hikari.
Speaking out like this would only make her dislike him even more.
Realizing that, he hurriedly apologized.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry, Senpai! I must be sick enough that my brain isn't working properly. I wasn't thinking straight. Senpai, I'm sorry, I..."
He wanted to use his illness to gain some sympathy and persuade her not to be angry.
But Rika had no interest in listening.
She had come out of concern for her subordinate, only to have him gossip about her and say such unnecessary things to her face.
Anyone would be upset.
Especially since what he'd said really was the very thing troubling her deep down.
So she didn't even wait for him to finish before turning and walking out of the room.
"Enough with the nonsense. Just focus on getting better."
Watching her leave without looking back, Noma's face grew even paler.
"Damn it! How did it end up like this?"
He slammed his fist against the hospital bed.
He was supposed to be the junior officer Senpai looked after.
He should have been the one pretending to be her husband during this operation, using the opportunity to grow closer to her.
Two happy things had come together.
They should have brought even greater happiness.
'So why...'
'Why did everything turn out like this?'
"Hikari! It's all that damn Hikari's fault!"
Clenching his fists, Noma blamed every bit of his misfortune on the young man.
"And Ikazuchi Rika... I'll make her mine someday..."
Lying on the hospital bed, Noma Keiji silently made up his mind.
———
On the way home, Hikari had no idea that Noma Keiji was lying in his hospital bed cursing him.
"Ah-choo!"
After suddenly sneezing, Hikari's powerful spiritual senses immediately guessed that someone might be thinking about him.
Without hesitation, he clenched his fist and sent psychokinetic energy to the hospital through the Pure Love Paper Crane.
In the hospital room, Noma, who had still been cursing moments before, was instantly struck by another round of intestinal cramps, leaving him rolling across the bed in agony.
Human joy and sorrow are never shared.
While Noma was being rushed into the emergency room in excruciating pain, Hikari returned to the familiar Asou Apartments.
After a long day, he was looking forward to going home and taking a nice hot bath.
But just as he was about to enter, he suddenly heard several people arguing upstairs.
As the shouting grew louder and louder, Hikari paused.
In the end, he took his key back out, locked the door again, and headed upstairs.
———
"Hey! You've already been behind on your rent for five or six months! Why are you asking for another extension?", In front of one of the apartment doors, the shorty landlady glared at the tall, skinny blond man before her.
"I've just had a few cash flow problems lately, Miss Landlady. Give me a little more time. I'll definitely pay everything next month," the blond man said awkwardly, rubbing his hands together.
"Next month, then the month after that! It's been almost a year! Are you renting this place or not? If not, move out already! I want to rent it to someone who actually needs it! If you don't pay your rent today, get out of my apartment!"
The little landlady stood with her hands on her hips, clearly displeased.
Hearing that, the blond exploded, "The hell? It's only a few months' rent! You think I can't afford that little bit of money? My cash flow's just tied up right now! I already told you I'll pay you soon! Can't you understand plain Japanese?"
The little landlady shot back angrily, "I don't care! If you can't pay today, then get out of my apartment!"
"Heh! You've got quite the attitude for such a tiny little thing. You're so small, yet you've got such a big mouth. Looks like someone needs to teach you a lesson."
Looking at the shorty landlady, who only reached his chest, the blond stretched out a hand with a vicious grin.
"Hey! What are you trying to do?", she demanded, taking a step back while glaring at him.
"What am I trying to do? I'm gonna screw you! Gotta admit, even if you've got a pathetic body, you've got a pretty face. I'll make you feel so good you'll be begging for more. Once I've screwed you senseless, you won't be asking me for rent anymore, you'll probably hand me your money yourself."
A lewd grin spread across the thug's face as he slowly took steps towards Miyuri.
Seeing the evil smile on his face, the little landlady looked utterly disgusted.
She suddenly thrust forward the stun gun she'd already been hiding behind her back, intending to shock the arrogant thug senseless.
But the stun gun hit nothing.
The crackling electricity flashed uselessly through the air.
It wasn't because the blond thug had dodged.
It was because someone had suddenly stepped between them.
The man grabbed the thug by the throat and lifted him off the ground, stopping him there, which was why the stun gun missed.
BANG!
Hikari slammed the skinny blond against the hallway wall.
Then he threw several heavy punches into the thug's face until it was covered in bruises and several teeth had been knocked out before tossing him onto the floor.
"Trash that won't pay rent and even tries to sexually assault women. Disgusting."
He kicked the thug away.
Only then did he turn toward the familiar little landlady, "Good evening, Miss Asou."
"H-Hikari-kun?"
Seeing Hikari's handsome face, Asou Miyuri immediately beamed with delight.
"Good evening!"
"Miss Asou, what happened?"
Walking over beside her, Hikari asked.
Asou Miyuri spread her little hands, "Just like you saw. This guy has been refusing to pay rent and won't move out. I came to collect today, and he tried to..."
"Luckily you showed up in time, Hikari-kun. Otherwise I'd have been in real trouble."
Hikari looked at the stun gun in her hand, still crackling with blue electricity.
"But weren't you carrying a weapon? Even without me, you probably would've been fine."
"That's completely different! I'm just a weak little woman. I don't have muscles as strong as yours."
As she spoke, Asou Miyuri reached over and squeezed his arm.
"Wow! So thick and hard."
Seeing her exaggerated performance, Hikari could only shake his head helplessly.
The greatest hunters often appear in the guise of prey.
He knew that someone like Asou Miyuri, who owned several apartment buildings in Tokyo, couldn't possibly be some naive, helpless girl.
Even if he hadn't appeared just now, she probably could have protected herself.
Still, after hearing the blond thug's arrogant words, he couldn't help wanting to beat him up.
Seeing Asou Miyuri acting frightened and huddling beside him, Hikari didn't expose her act.
He simply said, "Then take a break, Miss Landlady. I'll deliver this guy to the police station. Oh, and he's got some money on him. You can take it as the rent he owes."
Hikari pulled a thick stack of cash from the blond thug's pocket and handed it to Asou Miyuri before dragging the half-dead thug downstairs.
"Wow! Thank you, Hikari-kun."
Taking the money, Asou Miyuri thanked him gratefully.
Without turning around, Hikari waved a hand as he dragged the thug downstairs while dialing the police.
Because he had connections, instead of calling 110, Hikari called Ikazuchi Rika directly.