Tokyo: Rabbit Police and Her Evil Partner

Chapter 518 Touching Friendship

"Who wants to take a bath with you!" Minamoto Tamako scolded playfully, punching Fushimi Shika's arm, then realizing it wasn't quite right, she reached out her small hand to rub it: "There's something I want to tell you, but don't be angry when I do."

"Oh?"

Fushimi Shika stopped, turned around, and asked, "What is it?"

Yuan Yuzi refused to speak, grabbing his arm and shaking it: "Promise me you won't be angry first."

Fushimi Shika felt that this sentence sounded familiar, as if all women in the world would unlock this sentence after falling in love. Minamoto Tamako also unlocked this skill without being taught.

"Tell me what it is first, and then I'll decide whether to get angry or not." Fushimi Shika used the same tactic to push him away.

Seeing that she couldn't fool her, Gen Tamako could only twist her little feet and lower her head, saying, "I... I was actually investigating a case behind your back..."

"Is this true?" Fushimi Shika feigned disbelief. "When did this happen?"

"Just these past couple of days, I took on a case. I can't really say what it is because I promised someone I'd keep it a secret..."

As Yuan Yuzi spoke, she felt increasingly guilty. She quickly put her hands together and apologized, saying, "I didn't mean to keep it from you. Someone else asked me to keep it a secret. Otherwise, I would have taken you with me to investigate the case!"

Fushimi Shikashin thought to himself that the secrecy surrounding this case was truly appalling, making it impossible for him to continue pretending to be oblivious. He could only give a complicated look and ask, "The case you mentioned, could it be the 'two-location murder case' we've been discussing these past few days?"

"No, no." Gen Tamako shook her head vigorously.

"Then how do you know so much? And you keep asking me, do you want to use my reasoning to solve the case?" Fushimi Shika shook his head and sighed: "I never thought that someone who keeps saying that lovers shouldn't hide anything from each other would have their own little secrets and schemes in private. It's really disheartening."

With that, he walked into the bathroom, closed the glass door behind him, and told Yuan Yuzi to reflect on her actions outside. He would settle the score with her after he finished showering.

Minamoto no Tamako had a bad feeling, as she felt that Fushimi-kun would use this as an excuse to make trouble.

She paced back and forth at the door, pipe in mouth, wondering if what she was doing constituted a leak.

I don't think so. She only said she was investigating a case, without specifying which case it was. It was Fushimi who guessed, so I can't blame her.

Fushimi-kun is naturally cunning; she can't stop others from guessing, can she?

Thinking of this, Gen Tamako breathed a sigh of relief.

Deep down, she didn't consider Fushimi an outsider, so telling him wouldn't matter. The detective team was united in purpose, sharing both glory and ruin; how could the captain and the team members stand idly by?
But now Fushimi-kun is angry, and it seems he's upset about her lying. This guy is so petty and hypocritical; he likes to lie himself, but hates it when others lie. He might make a scene for ages.

How about we give him a stamp?
Gen Tamako shook her head, feeling that she was relying too much on the stamp and lacked the ability to solve problems independently. How would she subdue the Fushimi team members in the future?

Besides, her stamps have already been overissued, and Fushimi-kun hasn't redeemed the grand prize yet. What if inflation occurs if she continues to issue them?
Inappropriate or inappropriate.

Genjiro thought and thought, but before she could come up with a solution, Fushimi Shika came out wrapped in a bath towel. He went back to his room, changed into his pajamas, and started drying his hair. Genjiro leaned over and asked, "How are you? Not angry anymore?"

"I'm angry, of course I'm angry."

Fushimi Shika forced an angry expression, holding up the hairdryer and said, "You actually kept this from me, it's really disheartening."

“But haven’t I already told you?” Gen Tamako retorted, “Doesn’t offering to entertain them count as turning yourself in? You shouldn’t be angry!”

"What right do you have to tell me whether I'm angry or not?" Fushimi Shika glanced at her sideways.

"I'm going to take charge, but you're not allowed to get angry!"

Gen Tamako felt she needed to assert her authority as the head of the household. Recalling the ways domineering CEOs in TV dramas coax women, she pulled out a 1,000 yen bill from her piggy bank, held it between two fingers, snorted coldly, and grabbed Fushimi Shika's collar: "Man, take this and spend it."

“I use all 1,000 yen to wipe my butt.” Fushimi Shika turned the hairdryer around and blew into Minamoto Tamako’s mouth, her hair dancing backward with the banknotes.

Yuan Yuzi squinted, facing the hairdryer, trying to remain aloof: "I don't like materialistic men. I advise you to think twice."

Fushimi Shika thought the words sounded familiar. After thinking about it carefully, he realized that they were lines from Mary Sue dramas that were popular in the last century. No, they were lines from this century. Idol dramas were just starting to emerge in this era. He never expected that Minamoto Tamako would watch that kind of industrial garbage.

Fushimi Shika could say similar lines, and even better than Minamoto Tamako, but it was too embarrassing for him to say them.

Fushimi Shika only hoped that Hira Sakurako could record this scene and show it to Minamoto Tamako a few years or even a decade later, making it a definite black history.

Thinking of this, he glanced outside the door and found that Ping Yingzi was indeed secretly taking pictures. It seemed that this girl had always had the habit of secretly taking pictures (recording daily life), but he hadn't paid much attention before.

Yes, just take a picture.

Fushimi Shika turned off the hairdryer to avoid the noise affecting the video recorder's audio: "What did you say? I didn't hear you clearly just now."

"Heh, man, you've successfully caught my attention."

Yuan Yuzi held the banknote between her fingers, flicked it lightly, and said, "It's just money, right? Take it, whatever makes you happy."

The banknotes floated and swayed in mid-air, and just as they were about to fall, Yuan Yuzi picked them up again and scattered them in mid-air once more, pretending that she had a lot of money to squander.

She felt bad about spending too much; 1,000 yen was already her limit. Since she was just throwing money away anyway, she might as well collect it and reuse it.

"Are you teaching me how to do things?" Fushimi Shika said with a blank expression.

"Alright, you've got guts. I admire men with that kind of backbone." Gen Tamako pulled another fifty-yen coin from her piggy bank, held it up in front of her eyes, her expression as serious as if she were holding a diamond: "Add another fifty. How about it? Tempted?"

After saying that, she slapped the coin onto the tatami mat and slowly pushed it toward Fushimi Shika: "I hope you won't be ungrateful."

Fushimi Shika glanced at the coin on the ground. It was worth about 50 cents, enough to buy a piece of bubble gum at best, or just to get change.

He couldn't help but ask, "Where did you learn this sales pitch?"

Yuan Yuzi sat up straight, pipe in mouth, hummed smugly twice, and said, "I won't tell you."

"You learned that from watching TV?" Fushimi Shika could guess with a grain of salt: "Why would you learn that?"

“Who said that? I’ve read professional textbooks, such as ‘The Art of Managing Subordinates,’ ‘The Art of the Emperor,’ ‘100 Things to Note When You’re a Leader,’ ‘How to Establish Prestige in Front of Subordinates,’” Yuan Yuzi listed her small reading list and said, “Times have changed. I’m going to be a leader now.”

Fushimi Shika never expected this guy to act like a leader; it seems the Kujo family has a bit of a knack for power in their genes: "What kind of team are you leading? A deduction squad?

“Not only that, I’m a full-fledged criminal investigator now, and I have the authority to dispatch patrol officers from other districts,” said Yuan Yuzi, raising her chin.

Oh, so it's because it's become inflated after its positive turn.

Fushimi Shika claimed that those books were just random people writing nonsense, and anyone who took them seriously was a fool. But Minamoto Tamako didn't believe her; she thought, how would she know if it worked if she didn't try?

"See, you're not angry with me anymore." Gen Tamako quietly took the 1000 yen from the ground. "That means it's very effective! I learned this trick from 'How to Establish Prestige Among Subordinates,' which mainly uses a carrot and stick approach..."

"What about my radish?" Fushimi Shika interrupted.

Yuan Yuzi pouted and tossed the banknotes with her little hand, pretending she didn't care at all: "Take it, spend it however you want, it's just a small amount. If you follow me obediently from now on, you'll eat and drink well, no problem."

"Thank you for your gift, Lady Yuzi."

Fushimi Shika picked up the banknote, holding it by the two corners, and showed it to Minamoto Tamako: "But isn't the denomination printed wrong? Look at this kanji, it should be 'ten thousand', right? Why is it 'thousand'? And this number seems to be missing a zero... Could it be a counterfeit?"

Minamoto Tamako blushed and said some incomprehensible things, such as "Men who are too materialistic are not likable", "It is very foolish to be unhappy because of money", "I have plenty of money, but you can't be a gold digger"... which made Fushimi Shika laugh and the room was filled with a happy atmosphere.

"Forget it, I'll ignore you."

Minamoto no Tamako managed to cheer Fushimi Shika up, but ended up being unhappy herself. She stormed back to her room, stomping her feet on the floor in a show of defiance, hoping Fushimi would come and coax her.

But Fushimi Shika didn't seem to realize this. He simply laid out the bedding in the room, lay down lazily, and fiddled with the glass crafts in his hands.

"I'm going to take a shower!"

Yuan Yuzi deliberately drew out her words and spoke loudly.

After washing the dishes, Hira Sakurako lurked in a corner of the old house, secretly filming with her video camera. She turned the camera to film Fushimi Shika's reaction; the guy twisted off the glass cover and fiddled with the snow globe inside with his fingers.

"Is anyone going to talk to me? If not, I'm going to take a shower!" Yuan Yuzi stood at the bathroom door, unsure whether to go in or out.

Fushimi Shika remained unresponsive, so she took a shower by herself. While drying her hair, she ignored Fushimi Shika and lay down directly after making the bed.

That night, Genji Tamako initiated a unilateral cold war, ignoring Fushimi Shika.

The next morning, after she finished washing up, she went out to buy a lunchbox, pretended not to be angry, and called out, "Time to eat."

Fushimi Shika arrived stretching, glancing down at the bento box on the table. He looked at it with little appetite: "Why is it fried pork cutlet and fried chicken cutlet again? Who eats breakfast in the morning?"

"You want to eat delicious food, but you don't want rice, and you want ready-made food. Where can you find such things in a convenience store?" Yuan Yuzi was very unhappy.

“Isn’t that what steamed buns are?” Fushimi Shika said.

"Then we'll have to go to the steamed bun shop to buy them!" Yuan Yuzi sat down and tore open the packaging, still resentful about losing 1,000 yen, but she had no excuse to lash out, so she could only hold back for now: "Eat quickly, and I'll go out to investigate the case after I finish eating."

Minamoto no Tamako hopes that Fushimi-kun will beg her to take him along on the investigation.

But Fushimi Shika's focus was clearly on a different wavelength: "Eh... convenience stores in Hokkaido don't even have steamed buns? That's disappointing. No wonder Tokyo says Hokkaido is the countryside."

"It's already delicious!" Yuan Yuzi said unhappily, "These pork chops are fresh out of the pot. Look, the outer shell is crispy and the inside is still juicy. The sauce for the rice is also delicious. Stop being so picky."

"You who don't eat broccoli are criticizing me."

Fushimi Shika delivered a decisive blow, silencing Minamoto no Tamako.

As usual, he ate whatever he liked, picking at the food here and there with his chopsticks. Yuan Yuzi finished eating first, wiped her mouth, and instead of rushing out, she waited to the side.

That's right, she was waiting for Fushimi Shikako to propose a proposal.

Fushimi-kun is a member of the detective team, after all. He wouldn't just stand by and do nothing when a murder occurs, would he? He's been so into playing the 'rumor-based deduction game' these past few days, he must be interested in that case.

"A perfectly good bowl of fried pork cutlet, but it has neither meaty flavor nor curry flavor, what a failure!"

"The radish wasn't sorted out; there's too much fibrous material. It's a failure!"

"The pork skin was overcooked and became too soft, it has no chewiness, a failure!"

"The pig's blood was too loose; it fell apart as soon as I picked it up. A complete failure!"

"The worst part is these pickled vegetables. They weren't washed properly, and there's even a bug inside. Are you kidding me?"

Fushimi Shika ate while shaking his head. Minamoto no Tamako suppressed her anger and waited for a long time until Fushimi Shika had finished eating and drinking. Then she coughed twice to remind Fushimi-kun not to forget the important matter.

"What are you still doing here?" Fushimi Shika asked, looking surprised. "Weren't you supposed to be investigating a case?"

Unable to contain herself any longer, Yuan Yuzi blurted out her thoughts: "Aren't you curious about the truth behind that case?"

"I'm curious, but didn't you say you wanted to keep it a secret?" Fushimi Shika asked back.

"Keep it confidential, but then again... well, you can look at the case files anonymously... Besides, you've already guessed which case it is, so there's not much left to keep secret." Yuan Yuzi said shyly, too embarrassed to admit that she wanted to investigate the case together.

Fushimi Shika knew what Minamoto no Tamako was thinking. Last night, he had planned to leave it to her and let her investigate, but Minamoto no Tamako wanted to take him along... Fushimi Shika felt that plans were subject to change, and it wouldn't hurt to investigate the case together.

Well, since there's nothing to do at home anyway, why not go out with her for a stroll and maybe have some fun with her?

“Is that so? Well, I also have something to say,” Fushimi Shikaku said, “I’m going to use the barbarians’ superior skills to subdue them: “You’re not allowed to get angry when I tell you.”

Yuan Yuzi was taken aback, her face showing suspicion: "What is it?"

Fushimi Shika emphasized, "You must promise me you won't get angry."

Yuan Yuzi didn't agree, and instead guessed, "You cheated on me?"

"How could that be? What are you thinking?" Fushimi Shika asked, looking completely bewildered.

"Did you owe money outside?" Yuan Yuzi asked again.

“No.” Fushimi Shika said with a blank expression.

Gen Tamako asked more than a dozen guesses in a row, including but not limited to 'you are gay', 'you have a physical illness', 'the Nue tea did not cure you', etc.

Fushimi Shika was completely numb and kept saying "no".

"Alright, I can't guess then." Yuan Yuzi had no choice but to compromise: "I promise I won't be angry, so please tell me."

"Your maternal grandfather also entrusted me to investigate that case."

After saying that, Fushimi Shika put down his chopsticks and quickly went back to his room: "Since I'm going out, I'll brush my teeth, wash my face, and change my clothes first."

Gen Tamako was stunned for a moment, then flew into a rage: "You've always known, haven't you?!"

Fushimi Shika pretended not to hear, went back to her room and closed the door: "I'm taking off my clothes, don't come in, I'm changing."

Gen Tamako pounded on the door with both hands, as if beating a drum in front of a government office to appeal for justice: "You bastard, you said you heard rumors on the street, so you knew about it too! The 'Rumor Deduction Game' was fake, wasn't it? And, and..."

The thought of the anxiety and uncertainty she had felt over the past two days, and how she had secretly rejoiced at Fushimi-kun's foolishness during dinner, made her feel incredibly ashamed and wished she could disappear into the ground.

"That's not the point, is it?"

While changing his clothes, Fushimi Shika tried to shift the focus: "The main point is that your grandfather kept it from us and sent us to investigate the case. Is there some special purpose behind it? Maybe he's testing our relationship!"

Yuan Yuzi was stunned again, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her, and she immediately calmed down.

Yes!

Only couples who are honest with each other can pass this test!

No wonder she's been angry these past two days. Thinking about it carefully, it all seems to be because of this case—she has to keep it from Fushimi-kun while secretly investigating the case. What's the difference between that and having an affair?
It's a complete and utter betrayal!
It's not just a betrayal of a lover, but also a betrayal of the detective team!

As Yuan Yuzi thought about it more and more, she realized that her response at the time was wrong, and that she might have already been given a bad review by her grandfather.

When her grandfather suggested keeping it a secret, she should have firmly refused, insisting that there are no secrets between lovers, and expressing her stance that she and Fushimi were one. That would have been the perfect answer!

hateful!

I never expected this!
Minamoto Tamako felt deeply frustrated and even doubted her feelings for Fushimi-kun. But then she thought again, something didn't seem right. Surely her grandfather wouldn't joke about his daughter-in-law's life?
Fushimi Shika changed his clothes, brushed his teeth and washed his face, and was caught by Minamoto no Tamako as soon as he stepped out the door.

Minamoto no Tamako expressed her opinion, and after listening, Fushimi Shika continued to fan the flames: "Maybe he wants to find out the truth, but also wants to test the relationship between us?"

Wow, killing two birds with one stone! What a brilliant plan! No wonder you're the head of the family!

Yuan Yuzi took it seriously. She patted her chest and said, "It's a good thing I chose to tell the truth. It's not too late to say it now, right? After all, the case hasn't been solved yet!"

“Yes, yes,” Fushimi Shika nodded, adding, “I also chose to tell the truth.”

Gentama thought it made sense, and her anger and shame vanished. She stopped arguing with him and stopped trying to keep it a secret. She hurriedly took out the case files from her room and showed them to Fushimi-kun so that she could keep up with the investigation.

Fushimi Shika quickly skimmed through the file, finding it largely consistent with his existing knowledge. He casually returned the file and asked, "What are you planning to investigate today?"

"Go and contact the deceased's family and friends again; you might discover new clues."

Gen Tamako paused, knowing what kind of person Fushimi Shika was, and added, "You don't need to report to the police station. I'm in charge of handling this case. We just need to go out on fieldwork."

"Wow, that's great! I hope the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department can adopt the advanced case-handling concepts of the Japanese police," Fushimi Shika remarked.

Gen Tamako rolled her eyes and didn't respond.

Since the two of them were going out together, they naturally had to bring Ping Yingzi along, just in case it was unsafe for her to be home alone.

At this point, the entire deduction team was mobilized!
The case file included statements, which contained the identities and detailed addresses of the providers. In order not to disturb them, Yuan Yuzi called ahead to schedule a time to visit each of them for questioning.

The first person interviewed was Yuka Kujo's best friend, named Fuga Owada. They had studied abroad and met and became acquainted there, but later lost contact for a period of time.

After Kujo Yuka married into the family, they resumed contact and often got together.

When Minamoto no Tamako arrived at the Owada family home, Owada's mother opened the door and served tea to the three of them. Miss Fuuya was still putting on makeup, but she came over to assist with the questioning after she finished.

"Thank you both for making this trip, officers." Owada Fuya sat down in the living room and bowed slightly.

She looked to be in her early thirties, with meticulously applied makeup and above-average looks. Facing the three of them, her gaze lingered on Ping Yingzi: "This must be your child, right? Being a police officer must be tough; you never have time for your family..."

Gen Tamako waved her hands repeatedly, blushing as she said, "No, no... she's my boyfriend's sister. It's not safe for her to be home alone, so I brought her along. Please don't mind, Miss Owada."

After saying that, Yuan Yuzi took out a small notebook and pen, cleared her throat, composed herself, and prepared to begin the formal questioning.

Owada Fuga said she didn't mind the police and really hoped they could give her friend the truth. So even though the police kept bothering her with questions, she cooperated fully, and this time was no exception.

When faced with questions from Minamoto no Tamako, Owada Fuuya answered them all:

"Yuka once said that she plans to become a caregiver in the future. She is truly a very kind person..."

"But I think she's too soft-hearted. She says she wants a divorce, but she still loves that man. If Kujo Hikaru ever changes his mind, she might happily forgive him for what he did..."

"What do you think of Kujo Hikaru? That man, he is indeed very handsome, and his voice is magnetic, but he is extremely arrogant. I hate arrogant men, and I've never been able to get along with him..."

"Who do you think is a suspect? Well, I think it's Kujo Hikaru's mistress. She killed Yuka just to climb the social ladder..."

"I don't know exactly which mistress it is. I only know that Kujo Hikaru is having affairs, and Yuka told me that..."

"If there was anything unusual, Yuka complained to me about how she hated autumn during that period..."

……

Owada Fuga answered almost every question, and Minamoto Tamako took notes on a large number of things. When she had nothing more to ask, she got up to say goodbye.

Owada Fuuya escorted the three to the door. As Minamoto Tamako left, she turned back and saw Minamoto bowing to her: "I hope you two can catch the culprit as soon as possible. Please."

"We will definitely do our best!"

Gen Tamako nodded solemnly.

After leaving the Owada family home, the three boarded a tram and headed towards the mistress's house, intending to continue their questioning. It was lunchtime, and many office workers were there, so they couldn't get seats. Minamoto no Tamako and Hirako could only hold onto the railing, with Fushimi Shika protecting them.

"What a touching friendship." Yuan Yuzi was still savoring the conversation from earlier and couldn't help but sigh, "I can actually understand how she feels."

Fushimi Shika remained silent.

(End of this chapter)