In the restaurant around 5pm, Ilaya and her company finished their foods and only drinking now. Ilaya looked at the empty bottles of wine as she felt that her vision was turning into two. She shook her head and glanced at the laughing Mars
When she saw the smile on her face, she thought
'She's laughing so much. I wonder if she'll out of breath soon'
Ilaya smiled and she looked at the owner. She saw that he's talking to his friend with a faint smile on his face. Somehow, to Ilaya, she felt that the owner was different compared to before. She felt that he's relieved in some kind of burden
She looked at his wrist and saw the gift that she gave and she chuckled
'It really doesn't suit him. I'm starting to regret that I didn't picked one suited to him'
Ilaya smiled sadly as she put her face on the table. As her hair was sprawled on her face and the table, she could barely see Michizugawa when she glanced at him. The one police officer that survived the attack last time. He's joking with the owner and causes Mars to laugh out loud. She still felt guilty about unintentionally causing the fight that nearly wiped them out
'Now that I think about it, I still didn't apologize for it. I wonder if he'll accept my apology'
Ilaya decided that she'll apologize later and removed her head from the table as she sat up. She picked her glass and grabbed the bottle of wine. She poured her glass and drank the wine like water. Ilaya felt that the wine was not that bad. She's starting to like it now. As she poured wine again to her glass, she heard the owner said to her
"Ilaya, that's enough wine for you. You're going to be drunk like Mars"
Ilaya looked at Mars and saw that the laughing woman stopped making noise as she fell asleep on her seat. Ilaya shook her head and said to the owner
"It's alright. My body will fix itself sooner. I'm even struggling to get drunk like this, so thank you for your concern"
Ilaya didn't notice that she's starting to reveal something that she would never usually do. Ilaya drank the wine as she reached out again to the bottle. The owner looked at her worriedly and said to her
"Ilaya. Stop drinking now. You still need to go to your place, you need to save some strength on your way home"
Ilaya grumbled as she pouted
"Hmm. I told you already. I'm just enjoying my time lef-"
Ilaya suddenly froze as fear consumed her. She almost blurted out that she's going to die! Ilaya's hands trembled and she clutched it to stop the trembling. Then, she looked at owner and said to him
"Okay. I'll stop drinking. Is it okay if I eat more? I feel that there's no food left in the place where I am staying, so, better to be safe that sorry"
The owner nodded as he said
"That's good. You can eat if you want. You can also take the leftovers"
Ilaya nodded as that slip of the tongue sobered her up. She put fried chicken on her plate and started nibbling on it. The owner that got up from his seat and said to Michizugawa and her
"You guys. Wait for me for a bit. I'm going to send Mars to her place. I'll be out for maybe just half an hour"
Michizugawa nodded and asked him
"Do you need a lift? I have my car parked outside"
The owner shook her head and draped his jacket on Mars. He lifted her in a princess carry and said to him
"No thank you. Her place is near here, just 12 minutes of walking. I'll just call a cab. You're drunk too so it's not good to drive when drunk"
Michizugawa scoffed at him and said
"This wine will never be able to get me drunk. Bring gin or sake if you want me swaying in the streets"
The owner shook his head as he looked at Ilaya whose cheek was bulging. He said to the 'hamster'
"Ilaya, I'm going to send Mars to her apartment first. You wait for me alright?"
Ilaya nodded as she looked at the sleeping Mars. She chewed hurriedly and swallowed her food. Then, she replied
"Okay. Take care of nee-chan owner"
The owner nodded and walked out of the restaurant carrying Mars. Then, when the door closed, the atmosphere inside became awkward. Michizugawa didn't know what to say and decided that silence was golden. So, he drank his wine in silence
Ilaya stopped eating as she hesitated to say something. Then, she grabbed the bottle and poured out wine in her glass. She drank all of it and her gulping sounded. Michizugawa noticed this and he couldn't help but asked
"Didn't you say that you'll stop drinking? Why are you drinking still?"
Ilaya looked at him and smiled as she replied
"I kept my promise to the owner. But not to you. I didn't show drinking to owner so it doesn't count"
Michizugawa laugh and said to her
"That's messed up logic Young lady"
Ilaya nodded and stayed silent. Then, as she poured her glass once more, she said to him
"By the way… I didn't manage to apologize to you earlier, so I'll do it now"
Ilaya got up from her seat as she bowed her head
"I apologize. I'm the cause of the fight that happened the last time, and the fight that will happen this time"
Michizugawa opened his mouth to say something but didn't know what to say. Eventually, he asked Ilaya
"Why do you think that what happened that night is your fault?"
Michizugawa's instinct as a police officer kicked in and decided to uncover what she knew. He waited for her answer as he sipped his wine. Ilaya sat in her chair as she looked at her glass. Then, she fiddled with it while saying
"I was kidnapped last time by a bad person. Then, someone started a search and rescue operation to save me. That leads the enemies to find them and start the gunfight. I heard from my friend that they've decided to involve the police forces"
Ilaya became gloomy and said sadly
"So… what they said is right. I'm the spark that killed thousand people"
Then, Ilaya stayed silent. The lively atmosphere earlier vanished and was replaced by sorrow. Even Michizugawa was affected and thought about the colleagues that died on that night.
But he reign his thoughts as he said
"It's not your fault. The police, including me, are eager to have revenge. So we headed straight in the maw of the monster. The monster then took a bite out of us. It's no way your fault"
Ilaya felt relieved, but she said
"Hahaha. You lose your comrades but you're still protecting me. What is your colleague's life then? They die for what?"
Michizugawa's gaze turned warm as he said
"To protect"
Ilaya was startled. She didn't understand as to why his gaze turned warm Instead of cold
"What?"
Ilaya asked. She didn't know why the cop that nearly died said that word. But, when she looked at his face, he just smiled
"Because my colleague used their lives to save someone. So, they gave up their lives. To make that person meet her family. And their mission was accomplished. She still meets her children, alive. So… their sacrifice have meaning"
Ilaya was really confused as to why they'd make that decision. But, she didn't notice the tears streaming down from her eyes. Her view just blurred. She wiped her eyes and didn't manage to make her eyes clear
Then, she didn't manage to control her emotions as she cried. She cried loudly as all the pressure that she's keeping burst out uncontrollably. She doesn't want to die, she doesn't want to leave them, she wants to be happy.
Michizugawa put his hand in her head as she cried. He wanted to pat her shoulder to comfort her, but he didn't do it. If his friend saw that he's touching his family. A drunk woman too at that. Michizugawa had a hunch that this celebration will be his death anniversary
So, he just patted her head until she stopped crying