Ten minutes later, the police found us.
( ˶°ㅁ°) !! "Ha? You again?" I look at who's asking. A familiar female in blue.
And what's the odd, huh? The female officer from earlier who I hit with the dragon tilts her head as if to check my face feature. I am involve in two cases on the same day. That I understand where she's coming from.
Can't blame me, I'm just being me. Cursed with problems. It would never leave me alone.
I approach her with a smile. "We meet again."
(¬_ ´¬ ) Stare.
Her cyan eyes are scanning me. She shakes her head as if to dismiss something and takes out a black notepad and pen. "Name and occupation," asks the female officer whom I'll be calling Miss Officer from now on, suit for her vibe.
"Didn't I tell you them from the… last case?"
When she glares, my hand almost immediately flies back to my head. It feels like she's going to Bullet Time'd me if I am to provoke her again.
Is she still mad about the dragon? I apologized, and you even smiled, too. I thought we're cool.
She groans, "All right, let's cut to the chase. What are you doing here?" She looks around the alleyway that was once thought no one would enter. But now it's full of detectives rubbing their chins and forensic sniffing blood and flashing the scene or whoever the public believes can solve this case.
The only clues they can find are the munched and chewed corpse on the ground, the robbed money, and the flesh slumping down the wall.
But no criminal.
No ghouls.
Ayane had taken care of their corpses. A drip of holy water is enough to burn the corpse to ashes and scoop it into a jar.
"Ehem."
I put my eyes back on her, "I'm sorry."
"If my last question is unclear, then I will use another word. What made you come here?" Miss Officer demands. Her hand readies her notepad and pen. It feels like every word that I will say is going to be on that notepad.
"I—I guess I smell something bad."
"Something bad? Like what?"
I smelled blood and ghouls—specifically, but I shouldn't tell you. Not that you will believe them, anyway.
"Like bad, bad."
She scribbles down on her note while mumbling, "Witness got brain injury from the incident."
I think she wants me to hear that...
As she mumbling to herself, I look at her badge and find something. "Excuse me, but shouldn't I really be talking to the detective in charge?"
"Is there a problem with me the one questioning you?"
I shrug, "Not really, I don't really care."
Ayane walks to my side, arms folding. "Excuse me, Officer. I am aware you're questioning my teacher here without an authority to do so."
Miss Officer puts down her note. Their eyes clash for a moment.
"I'm doing this because it's just ethical," says the officer.
"Are you saying my teacher had done something suspicious?"
Oh, wow. Thank you, Ayane. She's rarely ever defending me like this.
—Ayane continues, "Though he looks like it."
A man approaches from the side, laughing. A big man with a shaven head. Wrinkles decorate his head so it won't be plain. "Oh look at here, a young lady with the spirit to pursue the truth. How charming," he pat Miss Officer back.
Miss Officer gasps, "De—Detective Good," as she straightens herself and salutes.
The smile says it's okay to act easy. "it's all good, you know. What you doing," the Detective continues, his tone tighten, "but there's only much you can do."
"Sir?"
The detective clears his throat and shouts, "We're done here!"
Miss Officer is taken aback for a while before retorting, "But sir, with respect, there's a lot more to do."
"Young lady, you must have forgotten. You're only an officer." His once kind eyes shift threateningly, "Follow your superior and the order."
Then he pats her shoulder. "It's Chief Deputy who issued this command."
After he said that, everyone nodded understandingly. They pack up.
Detective Good stops before us.
And he whispers in his low voice, "Great job, Miss Ayane."
Ayane nods. "We're only doing our job. But there's a thing I must tell you."
"Make it quick."
Ayane explains it quick, "One has escaped. And I don't think he's a ghoul."
The detective's eyes widen… and soon he nods his head. "I understand. I will tell this to them."
His eyes meet mine. I have a feeling he has something to say, but then he shakes his head and walks away.
"Is that who I think it is?"
"Yeah. He's Stabilizer."
Stabilizer is someone from the Exorcism world who takes care of the line between exorcism and public eyes. I can respect that. It's difficult to maintain peace. But really, how long would it last? Another century? I doubt it. There will be a time when this world has to accept that we're not the only ones who think Earth, which is Middle World, is ours.
"I guess this is our turn to leave, too," I say.
Ayane is still holding her stomach. "Yeah, whatever."
"Hey, your hiccup is gone."
"Yeah, it turns into something a lot more worse."
Tummyache?
Seeing her in pain, I try to see if I can help her with anything, "Do you want me to carry your guitar case?"
"No, I'm fine," as she lets go of her stomach, "Just a little pain wouldn't stop me."
After the fight with the two ghouls, that line can be considered a badass one. But we all know it was the ramen that hurt her not the fight.
Just as we're trying to leave the alleyway, Miss Officer.
Glare.
She tears off her eyes and jots something on her notepad. She has a pretty green emerald hanging down her in her lobe. And it has been protecting her from evil spirits for at least ten years now.
She rips a slight note and shoves it at me.
I carefully take it.
It's just a phone number.
I look at her for an explanation.
"Think nothing funny. Call me if you decide to change your mind."
"Change my mind about what?"
"Telling me the truth."
Does she… assume I'm blackmailed by someone to keep something secret? Or anything like that?
I shrug, "All right."
I will not waste more time arguing.
With that, she turns away and finally leaves me alone.
"Did you just get a phone number from a woman?" Ayane chimes.
"Well, yes. Maybe I'll call her to dinner or something."
It is clearly a joke but Ayane looks at me funny.
"Disgusting. Didn't she just say it was for important things?"
"First, I'm only kidding. And second, uh. there's actually nothing for second."
"Fine. Let's move. We're going to be late for school."
I put the note in my pocket, "Right, right…"
So then we finally left.
I blow hot breath on my two empty palms and rub them together.
Am I forgetting something, though? Can't be. If I forget it, then it's probably nothing important.