Shuichi caught Eri's warning—vigilante thieves charmed the public, but to officials? Worse than common crooks; they spotlighted incompetence.
"No deeper ties—I promise," Shuichi assured. "One-off fluke."
Matters wrapped, quartet headed izakaya-ward—detour to flower shop, truth-dumping on Ori-kasa duo.
"That so?" Mrs. Ori-kasa gaped. "Thought rival florists smashed us—jealous sales."
Shuichi eyed her grip: petite tanto, blade gleaming lethal.
"Your dad's keepsake," she caressed edge, chill-veined. "Planned to gut re-raiders—eye-for-eye if they wrecked our livelihood."
Ex-delinquent fire—scary.
"Ma'am, settled—stow the blade," Shuichi urged. "Self-defense fine, but blood? Hassles galore, especially for Miss Ori-kasa."
"Hmph, no fight-back? Invites worse," Ori-kasa Midori swung her pipe. "Cowards get trampled."
"Midori!" Mom chided. "Hayashi-kun's for your sake!"
"I know he's looking out," Midori huffed. "But he's wrong!"
"Still mouthing?!" Mom glared. "Apologize—now!"
"No! Truth!" Midori sulked defiant.
Brawl brewing—armed—Shuichi soothed: "Midori's right—no endless yielding."
"See, Mom!" Midori grinned triumphant.
Mom shot her a look, bowed to Shuichi: "Thanks regardless, Hayashi-kun."
Midori echoed bow: "Precious help, senpai."
Polite exit.
Doorway, Midori eyed Mom's stare at Shuichi's back: "Mom, he's gone—why gawk?"
"Fine catch—when'd you snag him?"
"Mom!" Midori flushed steel. "'Snag' what?!"
Word-fumble noted, Mom rephrased: "When met?"
"Few days back," Midori sighed. "Told you—thugs mugged me..."
"He saved you?!" Mom tsked. "Why hide? After all this, dinner's minimum—or we're ungrateful slobs!"
"Sent meds twice," Midori shrugged. "Izakaya hours—rejects invites anyway."
"You dolt!" Mom chop-hand to crown. "Strike fast—others'll steal him! Regret too late!"
"Quick grab got your dad—voila, you."
Midori snapped: "Ditch wife-kid? 'Good man'?"
Mom blanked, then mourned low: "No choice—bros begged, couldn't dodge..."
"Bros?" Midori iced. "Dad's 'bros' help post-mess? You soloed every hell-year!"
"Reliable? We'd thrive!"
Shock: "Then why you go delinquent?"
"Not to get bullied!"
Softening on Mom's toil: "Mom, butt out—boyfriend? Loyal shield, no abandon."
"Hayashi-kun shielded you!"
"You haven't seen his izakaya," Midori chuckled. "Girls galore crushing—I won't scrap for scraps."
"Plus, not cop but cop-tied... Cops sank Dad—I skip law links."
...
Izakaya:
Saturday night hummed; nine o'clock, Sameshima-Megure-Matsumoto-Morimura nightcap, file-passed.
Shuichi scanned: police consultant contract.
"Odakiri wrangled it," Sameshima grinned. "No salary—case-by-case fees from HQ."
"How much per?" Yukiko leaned.
"Two-three man per case."
Yukiko's nose wrinkle—Sameshima rushed: "One's budget-strapped—this stretches it."
"Still peanuts," Yukiko haggled for Shuichi. "Can't bump—"
"Enough," Shuichi halted. "Deal."
Bureaucracy rigid—Odakiri maxed favors.
"Good," Sameshima exhaled. "Colleagues now—One's yours, Hayashi-kun."
(End of Chapter)
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T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
patreon.com/TripleCrown07
If you guys wanna check it out.