The duo wrapped up their shopping and stepped out of the store. For Shouichi, it was his first time in a place like that — a thrilling yet nerve-wracking experience.
"Alright, I oughta bounce, lil' bro," Shinji said, stretching his arms behind his head as he strolled ahead.
"Wait, why didn't you buy anything?" Shouichi asked, noticing that he was the only one carrying a shopping bag.
"Already got the full collection in my secret playroom," Shinji boasted.
"For real?" Shouichi asked, incredulous.
"Absolutely not, hahaha. But I do own heaps already, got nowhere left to stash 'em," Shinji clarified just as a sleek, luxurious sedan pulled up beside him.
"Oh, that makes sense."
"Ciao!" The silver-haired wolf flashed a casual farewell sign before climbing into the car, with Murakami Tori behind the wheel.
"See ya!" Shouichi waved as they drove off.
Taking a left turn, he wandered into a quiet, narrow street. His house was about a ten-minute walk from here.
"Seito-kun!"
A familiar voice called out from around the corner. It was the woman in the black hoodie, the same person he'd seen in the adult shop earlier. She looked irritated, though he had no idea why.
"Eh? Do I know you?" Shouichi asked, startled.
"It's Akiyama Suzuki," She revealed, pulling down her hood and slipping off her sunglasses. Though dressed casually, her presence raised a few questions in Shouichi's mind.
Why was she buying those weird adult products?
"Oh, good evening, Akiyama-san," He greeted, instinctively hiding the shopping bag behind his back.
"I saw you at the store. Care to explain why you were there?"
"Eh? But… why were you there, Akiyama-san?" Shouichi countered, dodging the question.
"Huh? That's the oldest trick in the book ~ don't answer a question with a question," Suzuki scolded, her voice stern and authoritative.
"I was just browsing!" He insisted, averting his eyes.
"What an obvious lie. Show me what you got."
Before he could react, the elegant officer snatched the bag and peeked inside. Her gaze immediately landed on one particular DVD; a police-themed one. She glanced at him mischievously.
"Seito-kun, you do realise these are for people over 18, don't you?" She asked, hands now firmly on her hips.
"Pardon?" Shouichi felt his stomach sink.
"Since you're not 18, you've got two choices," Suzuki continued. "Either hand them over to me for safekeeping… or~."
She hesitated, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. A faint blush crept across her face.
What's she trying to imply? Don't tell me… Shouichi's thoughts raced.
"You have to watch them with me! I mean… under supervision!"
"HAAAA!?" His jaw dropped before he quickly clamped his mouth shut.
***
Things took a turn for the worse when Suzuki and Shouichi entered his room. His heart pounded, the situation feeling straight out of a hentai manga. He could hardly believe his eyes — Officer Akiyama Suzuki, the epitome of discipline, was just as much of a pervert as Ayane. Must run in the bloodline, he thought grimly.
"So this is your room, hmm?" The dark-haired woman scanned her surroundings. As expected, it was neat and organised.
"Yes… Officer Akiyama, are you sure about this?" He asked hesitantly.
"Of course! Let's start with this one!" Suzuki replied enthusiastically. She picked up the police-themed DVD and handed it to him.
Reluctantly, Shouichi inserted the disc into the player and pressed play. He sat on the floor while Suzuki took a seat on a chair a few metres away.
At least she's sitting further away. Maybe she's not trying to lure me or anything. Shouichi exhaled, trying to relax.
The opening scene was typical, a sexy policewoman visiting a man's apartment. She appeared to be investigating a missing cat around the neighbourhood. The plot couldn't be bland, Shouichi pondered.
Shouichi stole a glance at Suzuki to gauge her reaction. Her dark eyes remained fixed on the screen, her delicate features embodying modern beauty standards. Dressed casually, she barely looked older than a university student. Her lean, fit physique carried an undeniable athletic allure, and from afar, he caught a tantalising hint of citrus and vanilla from her scent, momentarily mesmerising him.
"Hehe… Staring much?" Suzuki teased with a grin.
"Oh, my bad!"
Suzuki crossed her legs leisurely. "I'm glad you're more interested in me than that policewoman on screen," She quipped before returning her attention to the film.
As the explicit scene began, moans filled the room. Shouichi sat frozen, the awkwardness in the air reminiscent of watching a love scene with one's parents.
"I wish you were one year older…" Suzuki murmured under her breath.
"Huh? Did you say something?" Shouichi asked.
"Nothing, hahaha." She laughed it off.
"So far, so good," She commented, biting her lip.
"I agree," Shouichi muttered, discreetly covering his lap with both hands.
As the movie reached its first climax, Shouichi found himself drenched in sweat, his body overheating. The situation was far too surreal for his liking — watching a policewoman getting railed on-screen while an incredibly gorgeous real-life policewoman sat right beside him.
"Wow, they're really compatible," Suzuki mumbled, clasping her hands in amazement, absorbed in the scene.
"Hahaha, I wouldn't know that," Shouichi blurted out sheepishly.
"Huh? You've never done it before?" Suzuki turned her attention to him and paused the video.
"Of course not! I mean… I've never, uh…" Shouichi awkwardly formed an O and an I with his fingers, hesitating before pressing them together. "Wait! Why did I tell her that?! I must've lost my mind," He thought in horror, a certain part of his brain must have been fried.
Suzuki's eyes widened, her lips parting slightly in surprise. "Wow, I didn't think you'd be so honest with me," She said, her tone a mix of astonishment and amusement. Then her expression softened. "Thank you for telling me, Seito-kun."
For some reason, Shouichi always felt at ease around Akiyama Suzuki. Maybe it was her mature, composed nature that captivated him. He was so naïve and gullible that he found himself believing everything she said without a second thought. The fact that he was watching an adult video with her in his own room was proof enough. In his eyes, she was a dependable, reliable adult — second only to his late mother, Yamamoto Yoko.
After all, if it weren't for her, he wouldn't be alive right now.
"Sorry about that," He muttered, embarrassed.
"Hahaha, you're adorable," Suzuki teased, her upturned eyes glinting with amusement.
After some time, Suzuki leaned back and nodded a few times, her eyes closed as if giving a final verdict. "That one was pretty normal. I suppose I'll allow it."
"Really?"
"Affirmative," She said firmly.
"Umm… what now?" Shouichi asked, unsure.
"Well, I think I won't take up any more of your free time," Suzuki replied as she stood up, winking at him. She caught a glimpse of his current… predicament and smirked. "So I'll leave you to your own devices — if you know what I mean."
"Ye~yeah… Thanks for, uh, helping me out, Akiyama-san," Shouichi stammered, bowing slightly in appreciation.
The pretty boy escorted the undercover officer to the front gate, walking past the fence. Suzuki gleefully waved him goodbye before disappearing into the night.
"That was the most awkward thing that's ever happened to me… I'm just relieved Akiyama-san is a righteous person," Shouichi mused as he re-entered the house.
A short distance away, the beautiful girl in the black hoodie pressed her hand to her chest, checking her pulse. The rapid beating confirmed it. Her heart was still racing from the encounter.
Though her lower body was soaking wet, her unwavering discipline had stopped her from indulging in any forbidden acts. Suzuki knew that the boy was already somewhat affectionate toward her, and if she wanted, it wouldn't be difficult to reel him in.
But still…
It was a big red no-no.
"At the very least, I should wait until he's legal…" Her high morals whispered to her.
Ding!
A sudden chime from her pocket snapped her out of her thoughts. Suzuki quickly pulled out her phone, her senior officer, Nagoya, was calling.
"Hello, Akiyama speaking."
"Officer Akiyama, the prisoner transport bus, it crashed on the outskirts of town!" Nagoya's voice was tense with urgency.
"What?!"
"The MPD bus crashed, and all the prisoners…" His voice faltered before continuing, "All of them were found dead. Including the two transport officers."
"WHAT?! How did this happen?!"
"I don't know. Can you get to the scene? The crash site is just beyond Kurohashi Bridge."
"Roger! I'm on my way."
Suzuki's expression darkened, her usual composure giving way to a grim seriousness.
Something or someone had interfered.
It felt as though a higher power had orchestrated the entire event, pulling the strings like a master puppeteer.
Something or someone malevolent.