Tokyo, the shady intelligence of private detectives

As he walked out of the Royal Building, before even getting into his car, Masahiro Hanyu received a page from Eimi Kuroki, and he returned the call.

The two agreed to meet at a cafe near Hibiya subway station, where Kuroki would give him a miniature recorder.

If a detective agency wants to take away its filming and recording equipment for use, it must register and file a record.

Masahiro Hanyu has not accepted any commission from the detective agency and cannot take away the equipment without permission.

In order to investigate and track Aoyama, Kana Hojo purchased the latest miniature camera and recorder, which she could provide to Masahiro Hanyu.

To travel from Roppongi Ward to the heart of Adachi Ward, you need to get off at Hibiya/Kasumigaseki Station and then transfer to the Chiyoda Line.

For this reason, Masahiro Hanyu chose to meet at a cafe near this station.

He clutched the paper magnetic ticket and entered the turnstile at Roppongi Station, squeezing into the dark green carriage with the flow of people.

The bus was crowded, and there were no seats available.

Masahiro Hanyu was pushed and squeezed by the crowd behind him, and finally managed to stand firm.

He suddenly froze, his gaze falling on a familiar figure in front of him.

With her slender figure and short, glossy black hair, even though only her delicate profile was visible, Masahiro Yuzuru already recognized her.

What a coincidence! I ran into the tenant of apartment 501, his female neighbor, on the subway.

The train started with a bang and lurched violently. The female neighbor lost her balance and staggered backward, bumping right into Masahiro Hanyu.

It's very soft and light, almost weightless.

The female neighbor turned around and softly apologized, "I'm sorry!"

When Yuzuru Masahiro saw her up close for the first time, her delicate face had a touch of intellect, and her skin was so white it was almost translucent.

He gently shook his head. "It's alright!"

The female neighbor clearly didn't recognize him and squeezed to the side, creating some distance between them.

Masahiro Hanyu noticed that his female neighbor was carrying a brown leather crossbody bag, which she was clutching tightly, as if it contained something important.

When we arrived at Hibiya Station, my female neighbor also got off the train and quickly blended into the bustling crowd, perhaps transferring here.

There was a coffee shop right outside the station exit. Masahiro Hanyu entered and saw Eimi Kuroki sitting by the window, waving at him.

Masahiro Hanyu walked over. "Kuroki-san, I'm sorry to keep you waiting!"

Kuroki Eimi blushed slightly as she recalled the intimacy at the lovers' club. "I just arrived too, Yuzuru-kun, please have a seat."

She took out a tape recorder about the size of a cigarette pack and handed it to her, saying, "I don't know if it's suitable for you."

Masahiro Hanyu accepted it; it was the latest Sony Miniature cassette recorder.

"Hmm, this device is good, it works."

Eimi Kuroki ordered an iced Americano again, and Masahiro Hanyu also ordered one, since they had more money on hand and didn't need to drink ice water anymore.

The two exchanged the latest information. Aoyama had become wary of Hojo Kana and was on guard in every way. They could not find any other clues.

Masahiro Hanyu tells Kuroki that he already has an investigation plan.

She was asked to quickly relay a message to Kana Hojo, instructing her not to investigate or follow Aoyama for the time being, lest the latter become overly cautious and disrupt his plans.

As the two were talking, Masahiro Yuzuru saw that familiar figure again.

What a coincidence! My female neighbor walked into the coffee shop and sat in a corner seat.

Kuroki Eimi took a few sips of coffee and left first. She was going to call Hojo Kana and convey Hanyu Masahiro's message.

Masahiro Hanyu didn't leave; he noticed that the middle-aged man with a scar on his forehead also entered the coffee shop.

Just like last time, the female neighbor pushed a cloth bag in front of the man. The man put the cloth bag into his handbag, got up and left without saying a word.

As Masahiro Yuzuru was secretly observing, his female neighbor glanced at him, and he quickly lowered his head.

When I looked up again, my female neighbor had already left the coffee shop, her graceful figure gradually disappearing into the distance.

This scene was almost identical to that at the NS Building.

Masahiro Hanyu took out an enlarged photo of the woman he had secretly taken at Couple's Nest and examined it carefully for a while. She did look familiar.

He wants to complete this commission tomorrow and earn the 50 yen commission.

He also had high expectations for the system rewards after completing the task.

He didn't let Kuroki Eimi see the secretly taken photos because he had a suspicion in his mind that he needed to verify himself.

Masahiro Hanyu left the cafe, took the Chiyoda Line, and got off at Kita-Ayase Station in Adachi Ward.

To get to his rented apartment building, he had to walk along a tree-lined path. There weren't many pedestrians on the road, and Masahiro Yuzuru walked while thinking about his plans for tomorrow.

Suddenly a figure emerged from behind the tree, blocking his path.

Yuzuru Masahiro was startled. The man was a middle-aged man, burly and with a cold face and a scar on his forehead.

He recognized the man; he was the one who had met his female neighbor at the coffee shop earlier.

The man's gaze turned fierce. "Why are you following Miss Mingkong?"

Yuzuru Masahiro looked puzzled. "Following? And who is Miss Mingkong?"

The man punched the tree, but the tree didn't shake; instead, a fist-sized dent appeared in the trunk.

"Don't play dumb. You followed me from the station to the coffee shop, and then you followed me here."

Yuzuru Masahiro was surprised; that punch seemed quite powerful.

"Uncle, you've misunderstood. I'm going home now."

The man's face darkened. "Go home? Where's your home?"

Masahiro Hanyu took a step back. "Why should I tell you?"

A thought suddenly struck him, and he realized that the "Ms. Mingkong" the man mentioned must be his female neighbor.

As the man menacingly approached, Masahiro Yuzuru pulled out his keys.

On the wooden tag on the keychain was his address. "Is the Miss Mingkong that the uncle mentioned living in 502?"

The middle-aged man was taken aback. He stared at the keychain carefully, muttering, "What a coincidence?"

Then he glared at her and said, "If you follow Miss Mingkong again, I'll make you regret it."

Before Masahiro Hanyu could speak, the man turned and left, quickly disappearing at the end of the alley.

Masahiro Hanyu felt somewhat helpless. He didn't want to get involved in those abnormal things, but today was just a coincidence.

Masahiro Hanyu returned to his apartment and went into his room. There was no sound coming from next door.

He guessed that his female neighbor must have returned, otherwise the man wouldn't have said he was following her.

He wondered if he should talk to his female neighbor and explain what had happened, but then he thought it wasn't necessary and that keeping his distance from her in the future would be enough.

The next morning, Masahiro Yuzuru called Yui Satsuki to say that his foot injury had not fully recovered and he needed to take another day off.

When I finished the last commission, I twisted my ankle, so President Satsuki told me to rest for two days. Today is the third day.

On the phone, Satsuki Yui spoke gently, "When Yuzuru went to the candlelight dinner at the Misty Bar, your foot seemed to be hurting less, right?"

Masahiro Hanyu frowned. Ozawa and Satsuki were indeed very close, otherwise Satsuki wouldn't have known about the dinner.

"It didn't hurt as much at the time, but it kept coming back later."

Satsuki Yui sighed, "Alright, it's fine to rest for a few more days if you're not feeling well, but there's one request that can't wait too long."

"Someone specifically requested you to investigate this matter, so I can't refuse."

Masahiro Hanyu was taken aback. He had only recently accepted the investigation commission, so who would specifically ask him to do it?

Satsuki Yui's voice came through the phone, "No need to guess, it's Director Takizawa!"

Yuzuru Masahiro was startled. Takizawa Reika, that rising star of action movies?