The detective looked at me for a moment, before bursting out laughing.
"You've got some questions there!" She exclaimed while suppressing her laughter. "You don't have to call me 'Boss' or anything like that! 'Hiraoka-san' will be more than enough!"
Okay. Hiraoka-san, in that case.
But thinking about it, it was clear that she was probably not married, considering her 'medical condition'. I couldn't see her having to hide, or on the contrary, reveal this to anyone.
She had already been kind of forced to tell me everything...
I wondered if she had ever had anyone in her life.
Maybe this so-called 'TXT'?
In that case, was I coming between them?
Looking up at her, I saw that she was already stacking the newly used dishes in the sink, with no obvious intention of cleaning them. Surely she knew I would be there to clean up after her, and I wouldn't hold that against her.
She was far too down to earth on that front. Also, given the current state of her apartment, I suspected she probably didn't have many people over, starting with her clients. Maybe that's why she was meeting them outside?
No, no way. She probably didn't have anyone in her life.
And why was I asking myself this kind of question in the first place?
Shaking my head to clear my head, I got up to wash and put away the pile of plates and cups the detective had left in her wake. I put on the dark green gloves, and sponge in hand, began scrubbing the glass and ceramic.
"Wow! You even found receipts from last year!" I heard the young woman exclaim.
At the sound of sheets being turned over and handled, I knew without even having to turn around that she was touching the documents I had gathered on her desk.
This annoyed me a little, because given her method of filing, she would surely destroy my sorting and mix it all up. This would force me to put it all back together again after her intervention.
For the time being, she had the same behavior as a typhoon, leaving in its wake disorder and destruction. And this typhoon was approaching, coming behind me at high speed.
"You should go home," she said, standing right next to me.
She watched me carefully, as if hypnotized; her eyes following the regular movement of my arms lifting and setting down the various pieces of dishes I was washing.
Staying like this for several minutes in total silence, punctuated only by the sound of cups and plates clinking together, was surprisingly soothing.
"I haven't finished tidying up and cleaning..." I finally answered her a few minutes later, as I wiped a small spoon.
She clicked her tongue, but I didn't know if it was out of boredom or amusement.
"You really go all the way, if no one stops you... Right?" She observed.
I appreciated a job well done, yes; and I didn't like to let something I was asked to do get interrupted.
Come to think of it, that's why I was able to meet her. I had obeyed Mr. Chiba's orders without flinching, as per usual, and I didn't consider it wrong of me. However, I had the feeling that this trait was part of the reason why people around me did not like me. Maybe following what others told me was a big flaw?
If that was the case, it took me a long time before I finally realized it. But it wasn't like I could change my personality overnight...
A sheet of paper was waved in front of me, forcing me to stop in the tidying of the cupboards I had just started.
Grabbing it, I observed what was written on it, before turning to the detective.
"What's this?" I asked her, concerned.
"The time at which you can come and help me, outside of your working hours," she answered, smiling. "But I don't have a lot of business right now, so I'll contact you if I have something that comes up."
Maybe that was why she was having a hard time paying her bills, too. The lack of clients. But I was also convinced that her troubles stemmed from her somewhat irregular fees.
Still, it was rather delicate of her not to forget the fact that I already had a real job.
"Does that mean I'll be going with you on the job, then?" I asked to be sure of what she was implying by handing me that schedule sheet.
She nodded, a serious expression freezing her face.
"I still have some reservations, but you've already shown me that your ability to observe people can be an advantage." She said. "So I'd like to see if you can use this gift to assist me."
I grumbled inwardly.
Again, it was far from being a gift, and there were still many signs I couldn't analyze. So I didn't really know if I was going to be able to be of any help...
I felt a hand patting my right shoulder a few times, and turning to the side, I saw that the detective already had most of my belongings in her hand.
"Go home, Nijima-kun," she insisted.
Well, since she was shooing me away, I didn't have much choice.
Unrolling my sleeves to my wrists and putting on my jacket before slinging the strap of my bag over my shoulder, I bowed my head slightly to let her know I was leaving.
She smiled friendly at me, before watching me walk to the front door, the light grey tiles clicking under my heels.
It was quite strange, feeling reluctant to leave the place. It was as if I was enjoying the closeness that had been established between us.
I already had my hand on the handle, when something interrupted me in my momentum.
I did not know immediately why, but at the time, the detective wanted to have the last word, and spoke one final time to me.
"Good luck and see you soon!" She shouted at me before the door of her agency closed behind me, leaving me alone in the darkness of the corridor.
I didn't bother to turn around, because I didn't know what to say to her. It was a bit sudden, as a greeting, but also quite unusual to me. I couldn't even remember the last time someone had addressed me like that.
Besides, there was something mischievous in her voice, as if, once again, she knew something I didn't.