Haruto squatted down with interest.
"Your name is Ai, right?"
The girl sniffled and nodded.
"Ai... Hoshino Ai..."
Haruto reached out and wiped the tears from the corner of Hoshino Ai's eyes. Then, he looked back at the woman behind the glass.
Seeing this, the woman was overjoyed.
To her, getting the letter of understanding was now almost certain. However, what she heard next was Haruto's cold voice,
"Your lies are too clumsy, and your acting is so exaggerated it's nauseating."
The woman froze, her eyes widening.
Meanwhile, Haruto stared at her through the glass.
His icy gaze made the woman feel as if she had fallen into an ice cellar, her entire body turning cold.
"With such a practiced technique, was this really just a momentary lapse of judgment? At least think it through before you lie, would you?"
Haruto sneered as he pointed out her deception.
"I..." The woman wanted to argue but found herself unable to speak.
The boy before her didn't seem human—he was more like a demon.
The pressure he exerted was overwhelming.
"And when speaking to your daughter, at least show a little love. Even when using a tool, one should at least cherish it a little, right?"
His words were like sharp blades, cutting away the woman's facade.
Her expression gradually twisted.
As Haruto had said, she had no affection for this so-called daughter. She didn't even care about her as much as she would a useful tool.
"Compared to you, Ai's performance is thousands of times better. There was almost no flaw in her deception."
Haruto turned his head away from the woman and shifted his gaze to the girl named Hoshino Ai.
"You have an exceptional talent."
Finally, Haruto smiled and said this.
He handed a business card to Ai and whispered in her ear,
"If you have nowhere to go, you can come find me."
(T/N: I'm seriously on the verge of agreeing that our boi is really a lolicon.)
Then, Haruto turned to Officer Takagi.
"Officer Takagi, I'm sorry, but we have no intention of signing a letter of understanding for this criminal. And it's getting late. I doubt the police department is offering us dinner, right?
So, we'll take our leave. If there's anything else, please call me."
With that, Haruto took Utaha by the hand and walked out of the room.
Officer Takagi stood in place for a long time before finally lowering his head.
He... had probably done something foolish.
No wonder Inspector Megure always told him to follow procedures and not act on personal feelings. It wasn't about cold legal principles—it was the wisdom of experience.
Upon leaving the police department…
As soon as they stepped outside, Haruto let go of Utaha's hand.
"Sorry, Senpai, for making a decision on your behalf. But staying in the police department wasn't a long-term solution."
Utaha absentmindedly clenched her palm. Then, she looked at Haruto with some emotion.
"Kouhai, you really are... quite a fascinating person. If this were a novel, you'd definitely be the protagonist, wouldn't you?"
Haruto was surprised.
He had expected Utaha to be frightened by his cold attitude just now.
"Decisive, gentle, and with strong resolve; Kouhai, do you realize how much attention you attract?"
Utaha said seriously.
Haruto chuckled and waved his hand.
"You're exaggerating, Senpai. That kind of coldness isn't anywhere near gentle."
Utaha shook her head.
"No, it was very gentle, a delicate kind of gentleness. That child must have suffered terribly under her mother."
Utaha recalled Ai's behavior. As Haruto had said, her lies were almost flawless. The only flaw was her mother's attitude.
She completely treated her daughter as a tool.
There was no love at all.
Even if that woman were released from prison, she wouldn't care about the child.
That child… what had she gone through?
What kind of environment would force a girl like Hoshino Ai to perfect the art of lying?
Just thinking about it was heartbreaking.
Haruto clearly realized this in an instant.
The small gesture of handing over his business card was only noticed by Utaha. That kind of delicate gentleness made it hard for Utaha to take her eyes off Haruto.
Hearing her words, Haruto sighed.
"Suffering is just suffering. That child has talent. If not for that, she would have probably been abandoned long ago."
Utaha's eyes flickered as she asked,
"Kouhai, what will happen to that child?"
Haruto pondered for a moment before replying,
"Following standard procedure, she should be sent to an orphanage after losing her only guardian. If she has the courage to contact me… I suppose I will help her. Investing in a talented person is never a loss."
Hearing this, Utaha nodded in relief. The two parted ways on the streets of Chiba.
"Kouhai, see you in the new school season."
Utaha waved with a smile.
Haruto waved back, watching Utaha walk away. On his way back, the image of the girl named Hoshino Ai flashed in his mind again.
She truly had talent.
Those starry eyes seemed born to draw people's attention. That gift for weaving lies so flawlessly, without a single flaw.
"The Foundation just happens to be planning to create a star. She's a perfect fit. If she really seeks help, then I'll help her."
Haruto muttered to himself.
The SCP Foundation was indeed preparing to manufacture celebrities.
Or simply buy a few stars.
The Foundation needed these people's fame and their ability to spread messages. It was a form of foresight. By controlling these individuals, the Foundation could use them to disseminate certain information.
Information that the Foundation wanted humanity to know.
For example, the destruction of Kisemori Town being attributed to a natural disaster.
Having idols, singers, and actors lead the narrative online, expressing condolences and lamenting the disaster, wishing peace for the departed.
Subtly, this could shift the public's perception. Making them stop digging into what lay beneath the surface. It was one of the SCP Foundation's methods of protecting public cognition.
Shaking his head, Haruto cleared his thoughts for the time being. He would wait and see if Hoshino Ai really came to him.
Everyone has their own fate. The opportunity had been given.
There was no need to force things.
Let go of the savior complex and respect others' destinies. By now, the sun had set, and the night sky had taken over.