Tokyo Unnatural Forensics

Chapter 179, Battle of Asuka Mountain
Asukayama Park in Kita-ku, Tokyo, is a poetic space that integrates nature, history and urban life. If you visit it in spring, the whole hill seems to be covered by clouds - thousands of Somei Yoshino cherry trees and mountain cherry trees bloom one after another, and under the dome woven with pink and white petals, citizens come to visit in groups of two or three, children chase the falling flower rafts, the old cherry trees on the tributaries of the Sumida River droop their branches, casting flowing broken jade on the river surface, and Edo-style trams whistle through the sea of flowers, turning the 300-year tradition of cherry blossom viewing into a modern spring ritual.

Turning around the moss-covered stone steps of Sanbaoji Temple, the Western-style buildings from the Meiji era stand quietly. Climbing to the top of the hill, the waves of the Arakawa River and the skyline of the Ikebukuro sub-center blend in the midday sun. The wisteria corridor hangs down lavender tassels, adding a classic footnote to the visit of Watanabe Minami and Ikeda Ereina.

"Um..." It was almost noon in the morning. Minami and Erena came to Asukayama Park after finishing their work at the Prince Police Station. There were not many people in the park. Erena was wearing a field lady's suit, trousers and high heels. The tall beauty looked hesitantly at Minami Watanabe in front of her, who was wearing a standard office uniform. "Captain Watanabe? Why did you choose me?"

“Oh?” Miss Minami turned her back to Ereina, hiding the sly look on her face, “Because you’re a good driver, Ikeda, and Souyuki-kun has to write his own report for the University of Tokyo, and Okada-nii has to go to the Investigation Section 2 to express his gratitude, so you’re the only one in the Special Mission Department.”

"Oh, yes, is that so?" It was the first time that Ikeda Erena heard someone praise her for driving well. A strange look appeared on the pretty face of the tall beauty: "Thank you."

In fact, Erina's driving skills are just average, but Uesugi Sosetsu doesn't like driving, so she drives anyway.

"You're welcome. We're all colleagues. There's no need to thank me." Miss Minami turned around and said softly, "So, do you have something to tell me?"

"Ah, yes!" Erina had lost the initiative to talk to Miss Minami. Facing the sweet apple face and the police badge on her chest, the tall beauty could only reluctantly organize her words: "Um, I want to ask, that is... what is the relationship?"

"That's what you think." Miss Minami opened her sweet almond eyes with a hint of sweetness on her face: "Mr. Sou Xue and I are officially dating!"

Snapped!
A bolt of thunder struck Ikeda Erina's head.

Dating? Official dating? Serious dating with the intention of getting married?!
"Why?!" The tall beauty asked blankly, almost without thinking: "Why did you start dating? Why didn't I know about it?"

"Ah? Why did I have to inform you that Sou Xue-kun and I were dating?" Miss Minami looked confused. "We were dating with the permission of our elders. Sou Xue-kun's grandfather and my father were both present at the time. President Komiyayama of the University of Tokyo was sitting in the main seat. Sou Xue-kun and I held hands and wore kimonos to show them the fact that we were dating, and we also received their blessings."

"Ikeda, what does this have to do with you?"

Miss Minami looked at the bewildered Ikeda Erena with an innocent expression.

Why? !

The fountain next to her kept making noises, passers-by were coming and going, the sky was bright, but only Ikeda Erena's brain was in a mess?
What has she missed?
Formal dating? Both elders present? What's going on with President Komiyama of the University of Tokyo? Why are Watanabe and Uesugi both wearing kimonos?

Wait, why didn't I know all this? Why didn't Uesugi-kun tell me?

Am I not an important person to him? Aren’t we his partners?
Why didn't he tell me?
Ah, yes, I once asked Uesugi to only have sex with me physically and not in life, and I didn’t want a formal relationship with the purpose of getting married...

She felt a tightness in her chest and wanted to blame Uesugi Sosetsu, but then she remembered that it was her request in the first place.

"I... I just think this is too sudden." Erina felt that she couldn't help but say something against her will. "Besides, if you two are dating, what will the Special Missions Department do? Doesn't the Metropolitan Police Department have a rule that two people who are dating can't work in the same department?"

Yes, there is an unwritten rule in the Japanese workplace that does not oppose office romances, but in principle a couple who are dating are not allowed to work in the same department. The company will transfer the two people apart to avoid affecting work due to the office romance.

This rule is also strictly implemented in the Metropolitan Police Department. The Metropolitan Police Department is a very large unit. There are tens of thousands of police officers in Tokyo, and the Metropolitan Police Department headquarters has several thousand people. Naturally, office romances cannot be avoided, but if they are discovered to be in a relationship, they will be transferred.

Ikeda Erena had used this excuse to convince herself before, that is, she asked Uesugi Sosetsu "not to date with the intention of getting married, just to have sex without interfering in life." She did not have the confidence to be a good wife and a mother, nor did she want marriage to affect her current sacred and just cause. This was the reason she gave herself, and she still remembered it!
“Oh, that’s right.” Miss Minami said calmly, “There is indeed such a rule!”

"So..." Ikeda Erina finally breathed a sigh of relief: "So, Head of Department, would you please reconsider..."

"That's very simple. I'll apply to this department right away and be transferred back to the Personnel Section of the Police Department. Inspector Okada will take over as the head of the Special Missions Department. How do you think?" Miss Minami said simply.

“Um, this…” Ikeda Erena looked at Miss Minami in disbelief.

We won! This is too easy, right?

But what Miss Minami said next made the tall beauty's heart and lungs stop instantly.

"Of course, since I want to avoid suspicion, then you have to avoid suspicion too. Ikeda, unfortunately, we all know that you and Sosetsu-kun had sex many times, right? So you can't stay in the Special Mission Department anymore. It just so happens that you have been on secondment all this time." Miss Minami pointed with her fingers: "It's legitimate to go back to Otsuka Police Station, right?"

"However, I just contacted Chief Kanazawa of the Otsuka Police Station, and he said that your return is not really necessary right now. What a pity, Ikeda. How about this, Mitaka City, Tama District, Tachikawa City, Hachioji City, etc., all local city police stations outside of Tokyo's 23 wards are available for you to choose from, how do you say?"

"In this case, the Special Mission Department has been disbanded in fact. Why don't Okada return to the Thirteenth Department and Uesugi return to the Forensic Science Department? Ikeda, are you satisfied?"

Minami's words hit Reina's chest like a heavy hammer. The tall beauty got really anxious this time: "No! It's not like that. I don't want you to be transferred out of the Special Mission Department. I just want to say..."

“So what do you want?!” Miss Minami’s voice got louder, her expression turned cold. “Didn’t you say that two people from the same department must avoid suspicion when dating? You threatened me with this, and I agreed, so I can avoid suspicion and be transferred back to the Personnel Department. But didn’t you have sex with Sou Xue-kun? Don’t you want to avoid suspicion?!”

"I'm thinking about you! Ikeda! You often go back to Sakata Bridge with Sou Xue-kun to spend the night, don't I know? You two often drive to and from get off work together, don't I know? Before, Sou Xue-kun and I didn't date, so it had nothing to do with me, but now that Sou Xue-kun and I are officially dating, are you going to pretend that I didn't see it???"

"So, get ready, Female Patrol Chief Ikeda Erina of the Special Assignment Department. Your transfer order will be issued in the next few days. You can choose which police station you want to go to. If you don't choose, I will help you choose. Kyushu, Shikoku, Saikoku, and Hokkaido are all possibilities. Remember to pack your things, otherwise you will have to pay the postage when the time comes." After saying that, Miss Minami turned around and signaled that we could go back.

"Wait!" Ikeda Erena rushed forward quickly. The tall beauty could no longer control her emotions. The fear of being abandoned, the confusion of returning to the lonely and boring life in the past, and the helplessness of losing Uesugi Sosetsu had completely enveloped Erena's mind: "Wait!!!"

No!

She found that she simply could not accept the result of losing Uesugi Sosetsu. For Erina, whose life and career had improved, it was almost like losing everything!
Do I have to go back to the past? The time when I was transferred from one police station to another, living in the midst of rumors and the covetousness of my superiors, living a dull and misunderstood life, and never see Uesugi Sosetsu again?

Her world will turn gray again, and there will be no happiness at all!

When Ikeda thought of this scene, the tall beauty found herself filled with despair deep in her heart.

Don't do this!
"Wait! Head of the department, please calm down. I didn't mean that. I just...wasn't it you who asked me to have sex with Uesugi-kun? Wasn't it you who asked me to accompany Uesugi-kun more, to support and protect him? I have always done a good job, right? Why do you suddenly want me to be transferred? I don't mean to threaten you. I really cherish my life in the Special Mission Department!"

"Don't you think so, Head of the Department? The Special Mission Department is the result of the hard work of you, me, and Uesugi-kun. It's really strange that we are going our separate ways so easily now, isn't it? Aren't we a community of destiny? We will face various major cases in the future, uphold justice and punish the wicked, so why is it going to end here?"

Miss Minami was stopped by Erina. As she listened to what she said, a hint of impatience appeared on her face: "Why don't you think about what you are talking about? Don't you realize that what you said is inconsistent?"

"It's you who feels the need to avoid suspicion, it's you who doesn't want the Special Mission Department to be disbanded, it's you who wants me to reconsider dating Uesugi-kun, and on the other hand, you're the one who secretly followed him back to Sakata Bridge to spend the night, enjoying the love and career value that Uesugi provides you, and you're the one who doesn't want to pay!"

"That's right, the Special Mission Department is the hard work of Zong Xuejun and I, but since it's my hard work, I can also end it with my own hands!"

Miss Minami said coldly, "This is an ultimatum, Ikeda, hurry up and choose your next destination! If I were to choose, it would be normal for you to be transferred to Hokkaido."

After saying that, Minami walked towards the outside of Asukayama Park.

The successive blows completely destroyed Erena's defenses. The tall beauty stood there in a daze, feeling that the world around her was spinning and blurry. It wasn't until Minami walked more than ten meters away that Erena finally reacted.

"Wait! Don't go!" Erina yelled frantically, "It's not like that. I have never thought about disbanding the Special Mission Department. I really like you all and value you all..."

But Minami didn't stop. Erena was so shaken that she yelled "No" and ran a dozen steps to grab Minami's wrist. Her face was completely pale. "Please! Head! If it weren't for Uesugi-kun, I would..."

After saying that, Erina knelt heavily on her knees, held Miss Minami's wrist with both hands and begged bitterly: "I really don't want the Special Mission Department to be disbanded! I don't want to threaten you, head of the department, I just hope you can reconsider the transfer and don't disband it. As long as I can do it, I'm willing to do anything!"

"Willing to do anything? Patrol Captain Ikeda Erena, how confident are you in saying this?" Miss Minami sneered, "You are just a female patrol captain who graduated from a communications high school and knows a little bit of martial arts. What can you do? Think about it carefully. Are you really indispensable to me, to Muneyuki-kun, and to the entire Special Mission Department?"

"Haha, there are at least a hundred female police officers in the Metropolitan Police Department who can take your place."

"But, I really..." Ikeda Erena knelt down in a standard manner and knocked her forehead on the hard stone floor of Asukayama Park.

"Besides, wasn't it you who asked Zong Xuejun not to officially date?" Miss Minami remained unmoved: "What qualifications do you have to hinder our relationship?"

"Huh?!" The oncoming boomerang hit Erina's brain.

Miss Minami withdrew her hand and looked at Erina lying on the ground with squinted eyes. The sound of the fountains around them continued.

"You are a person who only thinks about yourself."

"Hey??"

Erina felt herself shattered. The tall beauty fell to her knees dejectedly, her eyes blank.

Me, only thinking about myself?
I……

Erina felt as if the world before her eyes was falling apart and rapidly losing all its colors.

It’s over, my life is about to end!
However, at this moment, Miss Minami, who had taken a few steps, suddenly stopped.

"However, if you can agree to a few conditions, I can consider not transferring you, and the Special Mission Department can remain unchanged. I can even turn a blind eye to the matter between you and Zong Xuejun!"

As if a drowning person had grabbed the last straw, the light appeared in Erina's eyes again. She moved her knees and grabbed Miss Minami's hand again, with a pleading look on her face.

"Please...please tell me what to do!"

(End of this chapter)