Tokyo: Rabbit Police and Her Evil Partner

Chapter 551 Office Workers

Minamoto Tamako was very upset about this; all she wanted was an apology.

In a democratic, just, and law-abiding country, this verdict would undoubtedly be correct, stand with the people, demonstrate humanitarian concern, and oppose privilege. Furthermore, the judge would be professional, impartial, and beyond question, and a sound judicial system would minimize the risk of erroneous judgments.

Unfortunately, this is Japan.

The judge was transferred that same day, the prosecutor in charge of the case resigned, and more than thirty newspapers published apologies and clarified the rumors on the same day.

Kikuchi Shika tearfully apologized to Minamoto Tamako. No one knew what she had been through, but she looked like she had finally seen the light and was repenting for her past mistakes. She bowed at a ninety-degree angle, almost like she was about to do a full-on kowtow.

All of this happened simply because Kujo Yui took some time to make a phone call and told a small group of people, "Minamoto no Tamako is my daughter."

Yes, Japan does indeed have a privileged class.

In the real world, there would never be a scenario where a rich young master is mistaken for a street thug. The privileged class consists of only a small group of people, and everyone knows each other. However, Kujo Yui is the exception.

Her daughter did not attend a prestigious girls' school in Tokyo, nor did she attend any parties with her, and they even had different surnames—if Minamoto Tamako had worn a sign on her chest that read "I am Kujo Yui's daughter" when she went out, she certainly wouldn't have encountered such a distressing situation.

In another ten or twenty years, Japan will transform from mainstream shonen manga into a society based on lineage and bloodlines, where teenagers who transmigrate to another world become stronger not through hard work, but through bloodlines... Even Luffy, the Pirate King who spans centuries, will become a superior being like Nika, whose grandfather is a Marine Admiral, whose father is a rebel leader, and whose uncle Kizaru is even going easy on him.

In short, the rumors that had plagued Tamako for half a month were so easily debunked.

Kujo Yui never made a single phone call to Minamoto Tamako, as if she didn't even need to make a special call to inquire about this matter, finding it not only boring but also unimportant.

Yuan Yuzi ended her suspension and went back to work, but she couldn't be happy.

Fushimi Shika wasn't happy either. He wanted to rest for a while longer and enjoy the 'lazy life' of not having to work... Of course, he sometimes felt bored and life was like a stagnant pool, but lying still was better than going to work.

When it was lunch break, the two left the police station together and ate lunch at a convenience store.

The sunlight outside the window was dim; it was a cloudy day. The convenience store's long table was fixed to the glass wall, and because of the cramped space, only a few very tall round stools were placed next to it.

Their figures were reflected in the glass. Yuan Yuzi looked up, holding a cup of noodles, and suddenly felt that she looked very unfamiliar.

She was wearing a suit, her tuft of hair was covered by hair wax, and her eyes looked tired. It wasn't because she hadn't slept well, but because she wasn't as energetic as before.

“I think…” Minamoto Tamako suddenly said, “Mom did the wrong thing.”

Fushimi Shika sat down next to her, looking at her reflection in the glass, and asked while eating her bento, "Why do you say that?"

“Because…” Yuan Yuzi couldn’t quite put her finger on it. She lowered her head absentmindedly, stirring her ramen with a fork. “Never mind, maybe I’m just overthinking it.”

Fushimi Shika knew what she was thinking: "Do you think that Commander Kujo shouldn't have used her privileges? Do you think she shouldn't have used government power, public resources, and national discourse to force public opinion and the judiciary to operate? Do you think the final outcome of this matter should be that Kikuchi Shika voluntarily apologizes, the judiciary handles the matter impartially, and the media spontaneously admits their mistakes?"

Gen Tamako pouted: "A little."

She paused, not giving Fushimi Shika a chance to mock her: "But I'm different now than before, and I know that none of this is possible..."

Fushimi Shika put down his chopsticks and reached out to stroke the ahoge (cowlick) on Genji Tamako's head.

Yuan Yuzi has changed her hairstyle. Her hair is combed back into a single ponytail without bangs and is covered in hairspray. Occasionally, a few stray hairs fall from her temples. She looks like a professional female office worker on TV, except that she is short and has a cute appearance.

She impatiently slapped Fushimi Shika's hand away and said, "What are you doing!"

Fushimi Shika looked at her face, comparing her to the Minamoto no Tamako he remembered, and said, "In the past, you would definitely have shouted, 'The criminals must be brought to justice,' 'The law is justice,' 'Even if the result is not satisfactory, it is still a fair judgment, and my personal will does not represent judicial fairness'..."

Fushimi Shika stretched out his hand and gestured up and down at her: "But now, you've become the old detective sitting behind the convenience store complaining."

Yuan Yuzi was stung by those words, and her heart ached a little.

She turned her face away, put down her fork, and held the cup of noodles in both hands: "Didn't you always say I used to be stupid? You always called me an idiot, saying I didn't know this or that... Now I know everything, isn't that good?"

After saying that, Gen Tamako sighed deeply: "Maybe people all change. Time flies so fast. I've been working at the Metropolitan Police Department for two years now."

Fushimi Shika suddenly reached out and placed his hands on Minamoto Tamako's shoulders, forcing her to look at him: "Do you remember the first dinner party at Sugamo Police Station?"

Gen Tamako paused for a moment: "I remember..."

Fushimi Shika said, "You were very upset at that time, and you always felt that you lacked authority, so when you listened to Watanabe Shun's nonsense, you used hair gel to comb your hair into a pompadour."

Yuan Yuzi's face flushed red: "That happened so long ago! Why are you bringing it up again! Why bring this up all of a sudden?"

Fushimi Shika gave a thumbs up: "I think she was really cool. Minamoto no Tamako was so cool back then! She was fearless, dared to do anything, and was always full of energy, constantly striving towards her goals! No matter what others said or thought, no matter how bad the world was, she never compromised!"

Minamoto no Tamako's face turned even redder. She stammered, avoiding Fushimi Shika's gaze, "What? Why are you suddenly saying all this? It's like we're filming a drama. How embarrassing..."

Fushimi Shika slapped her cheeks with both hands, making her pout. Then, Fushimi Shika exclaimed, "Minamoto no Tamako without her ahoge is such a loser!"

"What?!" Yuan Yuzi was slightly furious, mainly because her face hurt a little, as if she had been slapped twice.

She suspected that Fushimi Shika did it on purpose, but had no evidence.

"Yes! A mercenary lord! The worst detective! A mountain gorilla! An office worker with a briefcase!" Fushimi Shika initially intended to motivate Minamoto Tamako, but as he hurled insults, he got a little carried away and lost control of his expression, a smile creeping onto his face: "With your character, you think you can be a famous detective or police inspector? Dream on! No matter how hard you try in your life, you'll only ever be a political opportunist like the Superintendent General!"

"I will never become my mother!" Minamoto no Tamako shook her head and broke free from Fushimi Shika's hand.

"Yes! That's the spirit! Shout it out loud!" Fushimi Shika urged.

He tried to distract Gentamako and make her ignore the two slap marks on his face.

Even though the convenience store was still crowded with office workers who had just come for lunch, Yuan Yuzi still shouted loudly, as if she had been injected with adrenaline, raising her arms and yelling:

"I won't become my mother! I want to be a famous detective and police inspector!!"

"You're not alert! I can't hear you!" Fushimi Shika stood up from his chair.

"I want to be a famous detective and police inspector! I want to fight for justice!!" Minamoto Tamako almost jumped up. "Now, immediately, wash all the hair gel off your head, and then change into a famous detective and police inspector outfit!" Fushimi Shika slammed his fist on the table.

“…But I still have to go to work this afternoon.” Yuan Yuzi suddenly calmed down.

She looked around and came to her senses, only to find that passersby were staring at them as if they were a lunatic and a little fool.

Fushimi Shika couldn't calm her down, otherwise all that talking would have been for nothing.

To prolong the emotional outburst of the female lead in the morning drama, in full view of everyone, Fushimi Shika reached out her right hand, casually grabbed a bottle of mineral water from the shelf, and instead of paying at the counter, unscrewed the cap and poured it on Minamoto Tamako's head.

Wow…

Yuan Yuzi was stunned; she was soaked from head to toe.

Not only was his hair wet, but his suit and shirt were also soaked.

“Let’s go home and change your clothes,” Fushimi Shika said with a caring smile, grabbing Minamoto Tamako’s hand and casually tossing a banknote onto the counter: “Keep the change.”

In a Japanese drama, this scene would be the female lead's emotional climax. After experiencing various joys and sorrows, she is more mature, but also more confused. At this moment, she rediscovers her original aspirations, and she and the male lead hold hands, engaging in a classic Japanese drama-style run down the street…

Yuan Yuzi admitted that this was indeed the image in her mind. It was probably because she was running too fast, her brain was lacking oxygen, and she entered a runner's excited state.

But the reality was that she was running through the streets soaking wet, her hair tangled from hair gel, and there were two bright red handprints on her face...

Fushimi Shika vowed that he would definitely buy a video recorder in the future to make up for the regret that his mobile phone could not take pictures or record videos.

The two ran all the way home, with Fushimi Shika trying to suppress his laughter. He pushed Minamoto Tamako into the room and urged her to take a shower quickly.

Yuan Yuzi didn't even bother to wait for the cold water to heat up; she took off her clothes, ran into the bathroom, and started spraying herself with the showerhead.

Then she shuddered and finally calmed down completely.

What am I doing?

Are you not working this afternoon?
How do I clock in and out at work?
These three thoughts popped into Yuan Yuzi's mind. The cold water had just turned hot and was splashing on her, making her shiver again.

The bathroom mirror fogged up, becoming blurry. She simply rinsed off, turned off the shower, and stood there inexplicably staring blankly in front of the mirror.

They say they're fighting for justice... but what can I do now?

Shouldn't I just focus on my work and stop doing things that are out of line, so as not to cause misunderstandings...?

Gen Tamako reached out and drew a simple smiley face on the glass. Water droplets gathered and trickled down the edge of the mural, making the smiley face appear to cry, reflecting her own face.

Of course she didn't cry; she just didn't laugh.

Yuan Yuzi remained silent for a long time. Suddenly, she realized that the choice she needed to make was not whether she should do it or not, but whether she would be happy.

Those interpersonal relationships, those industry unspoken rules, and those unclear and ambiguous gray areas are not things she should consider!
"That's right!"

Gen Tamako slapped her cheeks and shouted, "There are still cases waiting for me to solve! How can I give up and stop moving forward?! I'm going to be a famous detective and police inspector in the future!"

After saying that, she dried her hair with a hairdryer, and the stray hairs on her bangs naturally stuck up again. Her face was tense as she imagined the scene of the famous detective's return to the world of martial arts, such as a close-up of her hand sticking out of her sleeve, a panning shot of buttons being fastened one by one, and finally, a confident and cool smile on her face in front of the mirror.

She put on her little trench coat again and brought her smokeless pipe.

Everything is ready, let's go!
Gen Tamako pushed open the door, which slammed against the wall with a loud bang: "Let's go! Deduction team, go investigate the case right away!"

She had already decided on her target: "I heard there was a heinous murder recently, the victim was a judge..."

The words stopped abruptly.

Fushimi Shika was lounging on the sofa with his legs propped up on the coffee table, munching on potato chips while watching TV.

Yuan Yuzi suddenly realized what was going on, then became furious and embarrassed: "You said all those things just to trick me into going home so you could skip work and watch TV?!"

“How could that be?” Fushimi Shika licked his fingers, the potato chip crumbs on them being the essence. “I just happened to have a sudden thought, and I just happened to be tired, and there just happened to be some potato chips on the coffee table… Maybe today isn’t a good day to investigate a case, and it’s better to rest at home.”

Minamoto no Tamako practically lunged at him, grabbing Fushimi Shika's collar and shaking him back and forth, loudly denouncing his evil deeds.

Fushimi Shika picked at his earwax with his little finger, took out a familiar banknote from his wallet—the indulgence ticket that Minamoto Tamako hadn't seen in a long time—and handed it over: "Let's let it go this time."

"Only one white one?"

Despite her persistent demands, Minamoto no Tamako finally settled the matter with two white indulgence tickets, disregarding Fushimi Shika's accusations of lying about skipping work and secretly slapping him.

She then immediately spent the two indulgence tickets and asked Fushimi Shika to come with her to investigate the case.

"But that's someone else's case, you can't just take it from them, can you?" Fushimi Shika had already decided to stay home all afternoon.

He's definitely skipping class today; even Jesus couldn't stop him!
“That’s true…” Yuan Yuzi thought for a moment and realized she had been led astray: “I’ve never been in charge of investigations before, have I? We don’t have to be in charge. We can just assist in the investigations, right?”

"Please, we work ourselves to the bone to catch the culprit, but in the end, the credit goes to someone else. Isn't that just like being someone else's free labor?" Fushimi Shika rolled over, turning her backside to Minamoto Tamako: "That's too stupid. Anyway, I'm not going."

“You must go, you’ve already received the indulgence!” Genji was prepared.

In order to maintain the indulgence currency system and to get some peace and quiet, Fushimi Shika reluctantly got up and was dragged out of the house by Minamoto no Tamako.

Whether it was fate or someone's deliberate act, another heinous murder occurred in Sugamo while they were skipping work and leaving the police station. After being notified, the police station dispatched officers to the field to manage and evacuate the scene.

A legislator died, and his body was hung on a neon sign.

(End of this chapter)