Tokyo: I'm really not a killer

That's how it was settled.

Yuan Zhensheng couldn't object; the safety of the safe house depended entirely on Furumi Yui—to put it bluntly, of the three people present, only she was a legal resident.

If even Komiichi is silenced, this safe house will be exposed within three days. Cities are not like suburbs, especially apartment buildings like this, where a social network is essential for cover.

To say nothing of the distant past, the apartment manager greets Komi Yui every day, the milkman delivers milk regularly, and there are also the postman, the plumber, the neighbors upstairs and downstairs, the tenants who pay rent, and some friends he doesn't know.

In another ten or twenty years, urban residents will become highly atomized, and the phenomenon of dying alone will begin to appear, making it easier to build safe houses... But right now, the influence of the babbling generation is still very significant. The older generation values ​​the spirit of the babbling generation and, like the village aunties, enjoys gossiping.

Now that Shinomiya Rin and Komi Yui are staying together, he can't take action. He plans to go back to the police station to report and see how things go.

Hearing the faint sound of Hara Masao preparing to leave, Komi Yui turned her head and asked softly, "Mr. Suzuki, are you leaving already? Going to work again?"

"Yes, there are some things that need to be taken care of," Yuan Zhensheng replied briefly.

"I see..." Komi Yui nodded slightly. "You always work so hard. For my request, and for Miss Shinomiya's matter... Please take care of your health and don't push yourself too hard."

She paused, clasped her hands in front of her, and addressed Yuan Zhensheng with a more earnest and sincere tone:

"I know this might sound a bit presumptuous, but I still want to ask you for your help again. Regarding the truth about Ms. Shinomiya being framed, and the matter concerning my father... if possible, please help me find out the truth, Mr. Suzuki. Thank you."

"...I understand, I'll keep an eye on it." Hara Masaki had promised Komi Yui before, and since the excuse he brought Shinomiya Rin here was to help her, he could only nod in agreement.

"Thank you very much." Komi Yui bowed slightly. "Then, please be careful on your journey."

"Wait, wait a minute!"

Rin Shinomiya's voice came from behind.

She caught up to the door in a few strides, hands on her hips: "Hey, are you sure you're okay going alone? We're partners, after all! I should come along at a time like this; it might be able to help out!"

"Alright." Yuan Zhensheng was just worried about not having a chance to make a move.

However, Komi Yui said, "There are wanted posters for you everywhere, and the news is constantly being broadcast on TV and radio. I understand your eagerness to clear your name as soon as possible, Ms. Shinomiya. But it's too dangerous to go out now."

She paused, then continued, "Please stay here for now and rest. The investigation... can be left to Mr. Suzuki for now. We can discuss it further once you've rested, okay?"

That makes sense.

Hara Masaki thought that Shinomiya Rin would say "Don't underestimate me" as usual, but unexpectedly, Shinomiya Rin hesitated for a moment, then agreed and obediently sat back down on the tatami.

When did you become so well-behaved?

Yuan Zhensheng was full of suspicion and was about to ask a few questions when his walkie-talkie suddenly rang. It was the police station inquiring about the progress of the patrol. He gave a brief report, indicating that he couldn't stay any longer, and hurriedly left, not forgetting to change his expression as he went out.

Only Komi Yui and Shinomiya Rin remained in the room, and for a moment, the two had nothing to do.

Komi Yui didn't want to turn on the TV so that Shinomiya Rin wouldn't see any sad news, so she took the initiative to start a conversation.

"By the way, what kind of person does Ms. Shinomiya think Mr. Suzuki is?" Komi Yui asked casually while peeling an orange.

"Eh? Mr. Suzuki is... Oh!" Shinomiya Rin almost let it slip, and quickly corrected herself.

She curled her lip and said with a slightly disdainful tone, "Him... he's just a lazy, irresponsible senior colleague who's always slacking off and lecturing others! During shift changes, he's either sleeping or sneaking out; he has absolutely no sense of responsibility!"

Komi Yui tilted her head, thought for a moment, and said, "Is that so... but I think Mr. Suzuki is a very gentle and kind person."

"Huh? Gentle and kind?" Shinomiya Rin almost choked on her saliva, her voice rising in pitch.

This guy usually makes excuses and tries to evade cases, and even made up a fake identity as Suzuki Shinya to fool Ms. Komi... How is he gentle and kind?

She couldn't help but mentally rant: This guy has two faces! He acts all respectable and reliable in front of Ms. Komi, but behind her back he's a lazy and annoying jerk!

However, on the other hand...

Shinomiya Rin recalled how he had risked his life to drive her away today and provided her with this hiding place. She was still very grateful, but too embarrassed to say it aloud.

"Well……"

Rin Shinomiya had mixed feelings, and in the end she could only mumble vaguely, "...Well, occasionally, very occasionally, I guess I can be...reliable."

Komi Yui could sense the awkwardness in Shinomiya Rin's tone. She smiled gently and asked curiously, "What is the relationship between Miss Shinomiya and Mr. Suzuki?"

"Well, we're colleagues, kind of senior and junior. He's my partner," Rin Shinomiya said.

Komi Yui shared half of the peeled orange with Shinomiya Rin: "Miss Shinomiya, Mr. Suzuki must have some extraordinary qualities that made you trust him in this time of crisis and come here with him, right?"

"Perhaps, we can try not to just focus on his lazy or lecturing side... Everyone has different sides. For example, I can sense that although Mr. Suzuki sometimes seems cold, he is actually very kind at heart. Try to discover those shining points that you haven't noticed before, and you might gain something different."

Rin Shinomiya, biting into an orange segment, mumbled indistinctly, "What shining points... his biggest shining point is probably his incredible laziness and procrastination skills..."

Despite saying that, several images involuntarily flashed through her mind: Yuan Zhensheng's calm profile as he drove her away from the pursuit, his decisiveness in letting her get in the car when she was desperate, and the hiding place he provided for her today.

She swallowed the orange and muttered under her breath, "...But, in crucial moments, it's barely... not that much of a nobody."

Komi noticed the subtle change in her tone, a gentle smile appeared on her face, and she didn't continue the topic.

Some things are better left unsaid.

As night deepened, only scattered lights and distant car sounds remained outside the window.

Komi Yui laid out the bedding, and the two lay down side by side. After the lights were turned off, the room was plunged into darkness.

Shinomiya Rin stared at the blurry outline of the ceiling with her eyes open. The confusion and helplessness she had forcibly suppressed during the day quietly surged up at this moment.

She didn't know what to do next.

Her father's death, the city-wide manhunt, the "swamp man" who framed her... everything weighed heavily on her chest like a thick fog.

Late at night is when people are most prone to emo.

Just as she felt she was about to be overwhelmed by these emotions, she felt a warm body temperature and the soft rustling of fabric beside her.

Komi Yui didn't ask any questions. She simply reached out and gently pulled her into her arms, just like a mother comforting a frightened child.

She buried her face in the crook of Koji's shoulder, her shoulders began to tremble uncontrollably, and a suppressed sob escaped her throat.

At first, it was just soft sobbing, but then it turned into uncontrollable, intermittent sobbing.

Koji Yui didn't say anything, but gently patted her back, letting her vent.

At least for now, I don't have to hide my tears.