(Dark Alley, huh?)
Conner takes a look inside the entrance that leads to it, which is hidden behind a shop front.
"Are you coming?" asked Elena, who is many steps down below him, the dimly lit room illuminated her beautifully annoyed face.
"Yes, I'm coming"
As the two continued walking down the flight of stairs below, Conner thought numerous times, what an amazing world this is.
(To think I would come to this world and live for many years already...and even got the chance to be in this city is something), he couldn't describe the feeling he had inside of him.
He reached the final step of the floor where Elena was working on opening the door with the key jam in place but not turning.
"What's wrong?", Conner walked towards her back and leaned forward to look over her shoulder, pressing his hand on her shoulder.
"I'm trying to get the door to open. But I guess we will have to break it down after all", she said it casually as the two were expecting it at some point since it is a door that people rarely use to enter the Dark Alley.
"Here, let me try", Conner grasp Elena's hand and helped her opened it, pushing the key further in, opening the door right away.
"...That's easy"
"With my help right?"
".....", Elena continue walking, not answering Conner's question.
".....Heyyy, say something"
The two headed down a small hallway leading to the bustling street of other visitors.
"Wow"
"Hurry up, Conner"
"Yes, Elena"
"....."
Conner followed Elena through the crowd, the two walked up bridges, down the stairs, climbed ladders, and even slid down a slider that spiraled downward.
The two continue walking through the street for about 2 hours now, with Conner walking besides Elena who is leading the way.
"Hey, Elena"
"What?"
"Where are we going?"
"What do you mean? Aren't you the one whose leading?"
"...Wait, what?", the two look at each other surprised at the other's question.
"Hey, helppp!"
The two then simultaneously turned their head to where the source of the voice is to find a girl walking towards them slowly and struggling with something larger than her.
"?"
The two headed towards her carefully, ready to take action.
(AH! Alexia Mariford!!) Conner realised who the figure is and speed up to help her.
____
'Hey, what's up?'
"Where are you right now?" asked Clara.
"Uuhhhhh.....Right around the corner"
"You're late"
"....I'm sorry...."
"When will you arrive?"
"About 30 more minutes"
"Be quick"
"Yes, ma--", Clara ended the call and headed toward a cafe she had been eyeing for some time now, standing at the fountain for a while had quickly ruined her mood for the date that Shin suggested.
(I should have declined his invitation and continued training)
Entering the cafe, she ordered some juice before heading towards her table where she could see the view of the fountain clearly.
".....", her eyes then swept the cafe she is in, a relaxing atmosphere, wooden furniture and interior design, soft yellow light glow around illuminating the place and giving a warm and comforting atmosphere to its customers.
Added with the wind blowing in from the outside.
The customers are either here on a date like her soon, working or playing with their phones.
One can be seen tapping a card against the scanner on their phone repeatedly while typing in some letters using a piece of paper.
That has a stain on it.
A large red stain.
(Could it be...)
Sharp Eyes Lv. 10 activated
Her eyes immediately zoomed in on the paper with the red stain on it and took a better look at it.
It showed a dark red stain that completely covered one part of the paper and had already begun to dry.
What's more, is that she noticed the same red stain on the holder's hands.
(A criminal.)
Clara was about to pull out her weapon to apprehend them when...
"Hey, there sorry to keep you waiting!", Shin appeared in front of her in a dashing outfit.
Momentarily stunned by how amazing he looks and his sudden appearance Clara took a few seconds to get her bear to return her senses to realise something.
"You're blocking the way"
"Oof!", she pushed him out of the way and about to head to where the mysterious person is.
"Please, I'm sorry~. I won't do it again~", Shin hugged her. At her waist while kneeling on the ground.
___
"Thanks again for the help you two," said Alexia walking along Conner and Elena.
"No problem, glad to be of help," said Conner. The three have taken the injured person to a nearby hospital to get checked while waiting for a call from the hospital.
"I can't believe I saw that during my first case~. Hah~, being a detective is hard" the self-proclaimed detective said.
"Your first case?" asked Elena.
"Yeah, to find the people who are involved during the incident at Class Alpha"
"You're a private investigator?" asked Elena.
"No, just a self-proclaimed one"
"Then you shouldn't have gone to the Dark Alley by yourself, that place isn't safe"
"I didn't, I have Tiger with me"
"I meant a person with you"
"But it's supposed to be a secret..."
"The two of us already know, so it's not a secret anymore" Elena refuted Alexia's claim instantly.
"Oh...", Alexia slumped her shoulder in disappointment.
Then she picked up a scent.