Chapter Text
How what was deemed as “the car problem” would be solved was a topic Mizuki and Aiba had discussed while waiting for Boss. She had no experience driving a vehicle, it was Date that did, and he was currently in her body, the one that didn’t have a license.
Mizuki should’ve not been surprised when Aiba informed her that she had full access to Date’s car.
“Just earlier today I drove it to the front of a building while we were inside talking to a person of interest.” She had casually remarked, like that was perfectly normal.
All Mizuki had to do was place Aiba in the middle of the steering wheel and she wouldn’t have to do a thing except put her hands on the wheel to pretend she was driving. Despite that, Date still seemed against the idea, in case she tried “anything stupid”.
“Would you rather us get pulled over by a fellow officer thinking you’re so drunk, a 6th grader has to drive you home?” Aiba questioned, “Because if you’d prefer that…” He was quick to give up after that.
It was just after 8, it had felt like longer, but now Mizuki knew that was due to the dread.
Now there they were, driving back to Bloom Park at Date’s request for more investigating.
Aiba turned on the radio, where of course the old man had the news channel on. It was obviously going to be that channel, they couldn’t air his other interests on the radio.
And of course, the news just so happened to be in the middle of discussing the death of her mother.
“Should I change the channel Mizuki?”
“No. It’s fine, this is what I’m going to be hearing for the next three days anyways.”
It wasn’t fine, they both knew it was a lie, but both pretended that was the truth and let it go on.
After about a minute, the radio changed topics, discussing a car crash involving 6 vehicles, 6 treated for minor injuries and one man being sent to the hospital in a critical condition.
They chose not to pay it any mind.
Without asking, Aiba muted the radio as Date decided now was a good time to start interrogating her.
She hated it, but knew if she spoke up, he’d remind her she agreed to lead the investigation. The investigation of a murder where she currently was the primary witness to anything involving the case.
“When I was in your Somnium, we encountered a few things that I’m going to be looking for when we arrive.”
“Such as?”
“You heard a ringing sound around the time you found Shoko, correct?”
Her voice dropped, “Yeah…I did hear something like that. I can’t quite remember where it was coming from, I tried to look in its direction and that’s when I saw a figure.”
“I did see footprints. Do you remember who it was?”
“I would’ve told you if I remembered! I just remember that by the corner of the merry-go-round, as I was trying to find the source of the phone hoping it was Ota, I instead saw them. I got scared so I ran inside the column with the ice pick, the door was open enough for me to get inside.”
“So you already had the ice pick?”
“I pulled it out shortly after Ota ran away. I couldn’t bear looking at it.”
“And her eye wasn’t stuck on it?”
“Obviously not!”
“Listen, I’m sorry I have to ask you all of this, you’re the only witness we have who can reliably give information.”
Mizuki shifted conversations to the one inside her head, “What did Ota do?”
“Refused to give information until we were forced to blackmail him. While he had called the police, he hadn’t given us a name, we had to track him down. He claimed it was because “her roommate”, who we both know is Date, would’ve killed him if they found out he was with you, but I believe that to be a lie. You can also blame him for why Iris came with Date and I to the crime scene earlier, since he told her that he was there and helped her blackmail us.”
They had done what?
“Iris blackmailed you two? Why?”
“Because she wanted to see the crime scene.”
Mizuki needed a moment to process that information.
When it was processed…yep. That made sense. That was something Iris would do.
“How did she blackmail the old man to begin with?”
“She made Ota record her as she flung herself onto Date, fake crying and stating she needed him. I believe she was intending on threatening us with potentially causing a scandal of an 18 year old having a relationship with an adult who was an officer of the law. She didn’t seem to care about any damage that would cause to her own reputation.”
“And that was enough to frighten you two? Even though you’re an advanced AI? You can’t delete videos?”
“Even if I could, that is morally dubious.”
“Are you done getting exposition?” Date grumbled. How impatient.
“Fine. Yes. Iris pretended she was dating you so she could check the crime scene, I got it.”
“She gave you the entire context?” he put his hands on his head, trying to bury it in. It was rare to see him in so much shame. Usually the pervert was shameless about anything.
“Wow, I thought you’d be into that.”
Fastest way to get him from looking like a shamed puppy to an aggravated old man glaring daggers at her.
“I know this will come as a surprise to you, but I have standards.”
Silence.
“Wait, what are we doing? This doesn’t have to do with the case!”
When on a case, Date was like a completely different person. Mizuki noticed. Days when he hadn’t solved a case in a singular day, he’d come home with a folder and start attaching photographs onto the board above his computer. Sometimes he’d talk to himself, sometimes it seemed like he was staring into space, it must’ve been him communicating with Aiba.
He spent less time watching those stupid videos or making dumb perverted comments when he was on a case. It became his entire focus and nothing else mattered.
She remembered when she wished he was on cases more often.
Then she’d remember that it also meant he spent less time with her. Not like she wanted him to be there all the time, her parents weren’t like that either, but sometimes he’d forget to make dinner for them until it was late, she’d have to walk home from school alone, or keep the lights on all night.
On the job Date was annoying like everyday pervert Date was, just in his own ways.
“Ota said you were given a message. It’s why you went to Bloom Park to begin with.”
She tightened her grip on the steering wheel.
“Mizuki, your heart rate is increasing.” Aiba sounded distressed.
“I know…”
“It’s ok. You can inform us. If it can help us figure out the killer, it is vital information.”
“I know it’s not them. It can’t be. They wouldn’t do that.”
“Huh? To inform you, Date already asked me to go through your NILE messages. If you don’t tell us now, I will find the contents of the message later.”
“Even if I deleted it?”
“Correct.”
She was too stressed to ask Aiba how she could easily find deleted text messages but finding to delete a video in the cloud was too complicated for her to accomplish.
Mizuki stared at the wheel, part of her hoping they’d drop the topic if she looked upset enough.
It seemed to work, Date didn’t say another word and they reached the park.
He couldn’t have done it.
There was no way it was him.
She couldn’t make him a suspect.