Chapter Text
It is a normal evening in City F. The roads are busy with cars, while the sidewalks are, as usual, full of people. Amid the bustling crowd, two women could be seen running, seemingly in pursuit of someone. Yet, there was no person in front of them who would be the one being sought. Some people thought that it was weird, but seeing their attire, they did not question it. One was wearing a beige coat that covered her entire body, while the other was donning police attire. The two turned towards an alleyway.
“Huff.. huff.. Sandrone.. Why… are we going so fast? Wouldn’t we be eye-catching at this rate?”
“Furina, I’ll explain it later. Quick, help me survey the area for any thugs and rats that might be here, too.”
“Ugh.. Here you go again with your “I’ll explain it later”. As expected, of the well-known arrogant-.. Ehem, laisse tomber.” Furina noticed she might be going too far, as her partner didn't applaud her for the perfect imitation she did, and instead, it looked like she was about to hit her. Quickly shutting up, she cautiously surveyed the area with Sandrone. The alleyway consisted of a long straight, followed by a left or right turn. She opens her flashlight to see if there are secret enemies lurking in the dark for either turn. Seeing none, she carefully surveyed the left area, while Sandrone surveyed the other. After what felt like a minute, she finished. She looks for Sandrone and spots her in a dark corner at the right end, carefully hidden. She immediately relayed her findings. “Sandy, on my end, there were no markings whatsoever. How about yours?”
Sandrone stares back at her. “Again with that nickname.. I told you not to call me that when we’re at work. I see. Call for backup. There will be an arrest in this exact same spot in about fifteen minutes. Hurry up.” The decisiveness in her partner’s voice made her feel baffled. But the trust she had in Sandrone, which was built from the countless years they spent together, made her follow this person’s orders. If she implied that this dangerous criminal on the loose after a supposed robbery-murder would be arrested here, she would believe it. Sandrone has never been wrong after all.
“Then, be safe.”
“Mhm.”
“Oh, right, Sandy. I sometimes call you that because we’re not just workers. We’ve literally been friends since forever!”
With that, she went out of the alleyway as she called for backup. Hearing a, “Shut it!” on her way back as she smiles endearingly.
15 minutes later
Light but hurried footsteps approached an alley. It was a woman dressed casually—with dark shades, a hat, and a cane with a slightly bigger handle, only used by visually impaired people. She seemed to be troubled over something unknown and hurriedly went into the alley to hide from it. Just then, a shadow of a man loomed from where she had been. He had a bag on his shoulder and decisively went into the narrow passage. Right after the man went into the passage, another man, donning a tracksuit, was frantically looking for something. Then, a few seconds later, he sighed frustratedly as he walked away with heavy footsteps.
The soft-looking woman, hearing the heavy footsteps, calmly went deeper into the alley. Upon turning right, she immediately sensed that she was in a corner now. As the footsteps she could vaguely hear also approached, she clenched her fist and prepared to reach for her hidden weapon; however, she was suddenly yanked to the side. Losing her footing, she hurriedly tried to stand up. The stranger, however, did not budge and even kept her closer, leading to the woman’s back touching something soft. A chest…it’s so soft… This made her partially drop her guard. A soft yet serious voice whispered from her side, “Be quiet.” She did not know why, but she just followed her, even actively resting into the stranger’s softness.
A few seconds later, a man could be seen now handling the money he had robbed—using a hidden marking he had made to dig up from underneath where he intended to hide it. Sandrone immediately jumped from behind the suspicious woman. And, with a gun, she hurriedly fired two shots. Both precisely hit the man's legs. Now, the man will not die, but he will not be able to escape either. The gunshot was heard throughout the area, as a man’s scream was suddenly heard accompanying it. “You are arrested for the countless heinous crimes you have committed.” The man, too hurt to even speak, hurled insults at her. Sandrone, knowing just how to shut these types of criminals up, fired a shot just beside the man’s right cheek. She saw the effect quite immediately and was even pleased by it. Now, after inspecting for any hidden weapons this man might have, she left his arms cuffed up behind his back as he now lays to his front. All that’s left is for Furina to bring out backup to get him a first-aid kit right before his arrest.
It is now time to delve into the other issue. She looks at the girl in front of her. This suspicious woman who suddenly showed up in this alleyway. It seems like she’s blind. But she was sure that there was more than met the eye. She remembered how the girl was wary of her surroundings right before being grabbed. She even deduced how the girl would have reached for her very-well-hidden weapon earlier, as if ready to fight the man coming in very close to this corner. But as if to contrast that earlier behavior, she suddenly became unnaturally cooperative after being whispered to.
“Who are you?” As she asks, she takes the time to closely observe the girl. She looks soft, pretty, elegant, gorgeous, and familiar. Hm? No!! She meant to say that she looks suspicious and downright eerie with the beauty she possesses.
The mysterious woman suddenly smiled, and, to Sandrone, it looked mischievous. “My name…why would you want it? Are you… hitting on me? Will you also shoot me if I don’t give it to you?”
This set her off immediately. “AS IF! Listen here, you little-”, pausing a little, she tried to restrain her anger. She immediately got her badge, symbolically showed it to the woman in front (she got used to introducing herself in this manner), and said, “I am Sandrone Guillotin, a detective of this region.” Still angry, she made her face solemn. “How about you? If you still can’t tell me your name in three seconds, I will issue a warrant to arrest you here and now.” She knows that she can’t just do this, but it is easier to make others comply with her very simple demand whenever she uses this method. Breaking her expectation that the girl would either talk or just get arrested, the woman removed her hat and shades.
”I see. So that’s why you seemed familiar. You are that singer, Columbina Hyposelenia.” Her reaction made the woman in front of her seem curious. “Was I wrong?” Did she really get the name wrong? But she should not have gotten it wrong. After all, this was the singer everyone in this world was listening to. Yes, everyone, including herself. She did not see the point in admitting that, however.
“No, you were right. I was just wondering why you didn’t have the usual reaction I’d get.” Arrogant. This girl, although drop-dead gorgeous, is infuriating. To say that with a straight look is something she couldn’t even begin to say is normal. Is she narcissistic? No, there was no drop of ego within her behavior. It’s just as if she were talking about the truth. Right before she was about to blast her off with her own temper, Columbina spoke again.
“I sneaked out from my very strict manager today because I wanted to feel the real world for myself. I’ve always been caged within my home because.. Well..” She points to her closed eyes and cane, implicitly telling Sandrone that she is visually impaired. “So, just this evening, when my chaperones are at their lowest guard, I snuck out. I then roamed for a bit, but suddenly sensed that I was being followed. That’s when I came across this alley, planning to strike the stalker myself with these.” She then held out the weapon in her coat. A stun gun and a pocket knife. “I would first stun him, then-”
Sandrone did not make her continue. She was much more focused on something else. “Are you dumb? Have you forgotten that it would be a one-versus-one match, and you won’t even be able to see! How can you even be that confident?” Scolding her, Sandrone expected to see a sense of recognition on the other party’s face, but when she was greeted with just a smile, she immediately felt her temper rising. “You!!” Then, her head was patted. Columbina… patted her?
“Now, now, Detective Sandrone is so caring.” In this turn of events, she felt her own face become red and flushed. She hurriedly swatted away Columbina’s arm, “Ahh putain! Who gave you the right to do that!!!” Her voice might have given her embarrassed expression away, but she sure is glad that the other party couldn’t see her. A sliver of her dignity could still be retained in front of this girl who does not seem to know the concept of personal boundaries. Trying to regain her calm, she tried to close her eyes and count to ten. One.. two.. Three…..
“Did I…anger you? I’m very sorry. I just felt like you’re very cute and got carried away, detective.” A voice interrupted her counting. It was full of apology and regret, even mixed with some.. anxiety, she believes. Immediately, Sandrone relented. “No, Ms. Columbina, you did not piss me off. It will take more than this to do so, I assure you. Also, nobody would even dare want to see me angry.” This slight back-and-forth did not make Sandrone forget to address a key issue: the Stalker.
Usually, problems such as these wouldn’t have needed her help in the first place. There’s a reason the police force has that many people. But in this case involving a famous singer, she supposed it was only right to help her deal with it. It is not because of Columbina herself, definitely. Turning her head to look at the dead-end wall of the alleyway, she tells her, “If you want my help, then I can just hesitantly offer mine. Ugh, detectives shouldn’t even be involved in small cases like these.”
“--Mm, this is me. I am at XX street, in the alleyway there. Yes, I am safe. Goodbye.” Sandrone snapped her head in Columbina’s direction and immediately realized the girl was not even listening to her, but was talking with someone else on her phone. Absurd!! Insolent!!! She really needed to give this girl a piece of her mind. Her pride will not be just stepped on by some random beauty.
Just as suddenly, however, a pleasant voice addressed her. “Sandrone~ Lauma’s coming here now. She is the strict manager from earlier that I had mentioned. I really appreciate your help. Thank you very much, my cute detective.”
…
…
… a few moments of silence passed.
Sandrone knows it's pathetic, but the sincere voice of this disarmingly pretty woman immediately calmed her down. Knowing that this is not normal, she promises herself that the next time Columbina pisses her off, even if unintentional, that’s when she will erupt. She had never thought that talking to anyone could ever make her feel this conflicted. She already feels tired; what more could happen?
As if answering the question, a sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the alleyway as a familiar figure, clad in blue accessories, flashed by the scene and, worriedly, checked her for injuries; it was Furina. “Sandy, we’re back! Are you okay?!” It had always been like this during cases that required her friend to get backup. While the criminal was being treated and arrested in the background by reinforcements, her friend, worried, would check on her. She understands that between the two of them, Furina would always be the one who worries about her friends more easily, and is someone who frequently expresses that care.
Now is no different from before, so why did Sandrone feel less inclined to make her friend inspect her at this very moment? “Stop it, Rina.. I didn’t get injured.” She felt troubled for a reason she could not pinpoint. Internally, her body screamed that she had to reject the care of her friend. Suddenly, a voice, showing no particular aggression, disrupted them. “Thank you for accommodating my request, Detective Sandy.”
The voice of Columbina made Furina stop what she was doing. She couldn’t see the lady’s face under the shaded glasses and hat, but somehow, it felt like this mysterious lady was familiar to her. The spontaneity of the situation made her mind fail to register that Sandy was used instead of Sandrone. “What request?” she said in an inquiring tone. “A stalker needs to be apprehended. I feel unsafe roaming around the city with him on the loose.” She was puzzled, since when did Sandrone accept simple cases such as these? Apparently, her confusion was very obvious as Sandrone herself explained what happened with the famed singer.
Oh my god, the lady is actually THE Columbina?! Scratch that, it should be Lady Kuutar or Damsellette for us normal people. Although her friend's reasoning for helping her was solid, in the back of her mind, she kept thinking about why Sandrone was so accommodating toward this lady. Even to celebrities, Sandy had never shown them any special treatment. Could it be.. Has springtime come for her friend?
…
…
She then suddenly laughed under both of their gazes. One was not showing any type of emotion, while the other, the person familiar to her, was just confused.
She felt that the idea itself was absurd. Heh, as if that could even happen. She nicknamed Sandrone “eternally single” for a very valid reason, after all. It’s impossible for the singer or anyone in that manner to handle that intimidating and abrasive personality her friend has. Only she and a handful could do such a feat. “Officer Furina, we’re done with the arrest.” Now being called away by her team, she waves her hand as a sign goodbye to both of them. “Call me when needed, okay? Toodle-oo!” She would keep one anomaly in the back of her mind, though. Sandrone had never been very accommodating to anyone ever before. Also, had the lady called her friend by a nickname? Surely not, because if so, it’s even stranger that Lady Kuutar wasn’t even blasted off.
A tall lady donning a suit could be seen rapidly pacing back and forth in a luxurious apartment. Her name is Lauma, and as of right now, she is absolutely stressed. The one artist she’s been assigned to manage, the one and only “Columbina Hyposelenia”, was not in her own home when she went there to pick her up. This was the second time it had happened in the past seven months. Even being the third time, if she considers the entire three years she has had this job.
Why were the multitudes of bodyguards in the apartment so incompetent? They couldn’t even catch her sneaking out. Now… where would she even begin to look for her?
Just as she was about to contact that person to launch a search party, she received a phone call. It was Columbina.
“Are you safe? Where are you?”
“--Mm, this is me. I am at XX street, in the alleyway there. Yes, I am safe.”
“Why did you even sneak ou-”
“Goodbye.”
Faced with the sudden phone drop, Lauma did not find fault at all, as this was normal for the artist. Thank goodness she’s fine. Hurrying into the location, she brought two bodyguards with her, those who she’s sure are reliable in combat. Columbina didn’t even bring them with her… Forcefully suppressing her worry, her team saw the alleyway her artist had mentioned. A police officer in blue went into a car and dashed off. She had the guards block the exit as she herself lightly walked through the passage. What could’ve happened that required a police officer to intervene? She then turned right, as this is where she felt like someone was present. The scene she saw was surprising, to say the least. An unfamiliar woman, of average height, with a soft-looking face, was currently chatting with Columbina. What’s out of pocket, however, was the distance between them; for there was almost none of it. The intimate-looking pair was currently having a hushed discussion and was not aware of her presence. Just after arriving at this conclusion, suddenly, Columbina called her out.
“Lauma, it’s a good thing you’re here already. Sandrone wants me to get a better disguise when going out. Can you fetch me my scarf? It is a bit cold today.” Under the surprised gaze of the stranger, she answered. “Lady Kuutar, please bring your guards the next time you sneak out. I know that I come across as someone who limits the number of times you go out, but no, I just worry about your safety so much. If you want to meet with your girlfriend, there is no need to sneak out like this and get caught doing something...”
With a high-pitched and angered voice, Sandrone exploded. “Girlfriend!? Pardon? I am Sandrone, a detective! Your artist, being stalked by a follower, went and almost ruined our operation here! If it weren’t for my quick thinking, who knows what would have happened!” The rude reception made Lauma’s impression of her sharply drop, but years of socializing, coupled with the misunderstanding she herself had implicated, did not let her show that.
“Hmph, and even after that, she requested my gracious help in handling such a pesky person. It’s such a good thing that someone as benevolent as me is here to agree to her whims.” Not answering back, she instead looks at the singer. Her face, instead of being annoyed as she had expected, was full of glee. A small smirk on her face. “Sandy is really so kind~ what would I do without her~” Reading the situation just as quickly, she abides by her lady’s orders.”The scarf will be prepared as soon as possible. When will you go out again, Lady Kuutar?”
“Tomorrow will do. Sandrone wants me to wear the same clothes for some reason, adding the scarf for more disguise to the general public. She told me that this should help in apprehending the stalker.” Columbina turned her head to the detective, who then looked at Lauma and added, “I will go with her. Do not bring any guard close to her, unless you want this operation of catching the stalker to fail.” After a nod from the manager, Sandrone prepared to go outside the alleyway. “Then, Columbina, we meet just as we had discussed.” As she was close to exiting the alley, she heard a pleasant voice hurriedly call out to her.
“Goodnight!! Be safe in getting home, okay?” She felt her face go red. As such, she refrained from turning back and instead opted to shut her eyes and shout back. “Shut up!!! I can handle myself. It is you who has to get home safely. Hmph.” Goodnight. After this, she gradually opened it to see two guards with carefully controlled faces. Frowning, she immediately glared. “You did not see anything.” Perhaps it was her intimidating aura, because the two’s faces immediately became fearful. Quickly and involuntarily doing a salute of acknowledgement to her. Good, she is still intimidating. It seems like Columbina is the weird one for not even being fearful. How dare she call me cute? With these thoughts, she left and headed to her own home.
“Lauma, isn’t she cute? I look forward to my date with her tomorrow.”
“Lady Kuutar. Your taste for people is so weird.”
It is a sunny afternoon in City F. Along a busy plaza, two figures can be seen: one donning the same clothing she wore last evening plus a scarf, while the other is clad in a three-piece suit. “Columbina, good job on following my instructions.” Sandrone is pleased right now. However, she couldn’t help but wonder, “What perfume do you use? How could your scent not change with the same clothes last night?” Right after finishing her question, she realized that what she might be asking is a bit inappropriate, so she backtracked a little. “You smell presentable. Just like last night, that’s all.”
How could Columbina let her get away with this? With a teasing tone, she said, “So you like my scent, huh~. Did you think me wearing the same clothes from yesterday would make it more pronounced?”
“Don’t be ridiculous! I just- I just got reminded by it. That’s all.” She attempted to diffuse the situation right now. “Anyway, I told you not to change for a reason. I will explain it to you later.” Then, to get going with their agenda, Sandrone asks, “So… where do you want to go?” Getting a peek at the giant clock in the plaza, she gets reminded of the time. It is currently one o’clock. “Did you grab lunch before getting here?”
“I did. But I would have preferred eating a dessert too. To not be late, I had to sacrifice my usual routine of eating ice cream after lunch.” Columbina pouts at her, and Sandrone couldn’t help but wonder- was she too harsh with the time requirement? She looks around the plaza, and fortunately, she spots an ice cream stall. Turning to her now sitting partner-for-the-day, she asks, “Columbina, hypothetically, if I buy you ice cream now, what flavor would you like?” The response she got was a confused look. “Hm, right now, I crave the strawberry flavor.” With that, Sandrone confidently smirked. “Then you’re just in luck. I saw a stall selling your type of dessert. Come with me.” She held Columbina’s wrist, unintentional on her part, yet felt by the other. With a subtle curve on her lips, she let Sandrone take the lead.
“A jolly afternoon! What may I get you?” the vendor greeted them.
“Thank you. She would like a strawberry ice cream cup, please.”
“How many scoops?” “Well, uhm.” She turned to her side. “Columbina, answer her.”
“Two scoops, please.”
With that, the vendor prepared it. When it was time to pay, Sandrone was confused. Why was she not reaching out for a wallet or anything? “Hey, Columbina, the money?” To her shock, her partner-for-the-day’s response was, “Oh, I don’t have one.”
…
“HUUUUH?!? WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON’T HAVE MONEY!” Her temper flared up, and she couldn’t help but scold this painfully oblivious girl. “Well, typically.. Lauma manages all the minor stuff in my life. So I…” As Columbina was trying to explain herself, Sandrone tried her best to go back to the usual calmness and took it upon herself to pay for the dessert. After walking away from public view, they stopped under the shade of the plaza’s spaced-out, yet large trees.“What are you, a sheltered princess? Ugh. Now what? Do you mean to say you were planning to view this city without spending a single cent? Think, girl, think!” As she was going on her tirade, she noticed Columbina getting sad. If she had some kind of animal ears on, they would’ve been drooping, she thinks. No. Don’t. Sandrone, don’t fall for it.
…not even two seconds had passed, and yet;
“Ugh! Fine, I will finance our day today. Remember, don’t spend too much!” She hated the way her pout suddenly disappeared, getting replaced with a wide and happy smile. Oh, she loathes this sight. She’s pissed off so much that her own mouth was uncontrollably contorting similarly to hers. A normal way to show anger is to smile, right? As she was trying to convince herself that this was the truth instead of plainly being in denial, Sandrone’s face froze up; her brain was getting too overwhelmed with her thoughts.
“Sandrone? Sandrone. Sandroneeeeee. Hey.” A hand was raised in front of her- wait, no. It was touching her face. Her own eyes were blank until she saw its owner. Columbina, this girl, the sole culprit for this whole charade, was trying to tell her something. Seemingly sensing that Sandrone had somehow regained her sense, she inquired, “You were so quiet just now. What happened? What were you thinking about?” But Columbina was wrong as she had failed to answer. After all, she’s still trying to restart herself, only getting a sense of consciousness just now. “Hmmm.. Sandy, can we go to the city’s garden? I wanted to try experiencing this tourist destination for myself.”
“Sure…” Only now did she fully regain herself. That was too dangerous. She really spaced out in a public area for the first time in her life. This mishap will not happen again, she swears with all her prowess. With her newfound determination, she leads Columbina to the garden herself while carefully holding her hand. She WILL clear this operation of apprehending the stalker flawlessly.
While walking onto the area, which was two kilometers away, Sandrone realizes that Columbina has a good sense of direction. She uses her cane properly and can even sense when someone is approaching. “Sandy, once you lose one of your five senses, you gain an enhancement on your other four.” Hearing that versus witnessing firsthand is an experience she would never forget. “Columbina.. As much of an oblivious fool you are, you are still pretty incredible.”
“Of course, I’m a singer whose every album everyone knows. A prodigy in the music field, a genius with perfect pitch-”
“No, I didn’t mean that. We’re not even on that topic, idiot. What I mean is that even if you’re a person who’s visually impaired, you could still integrate into society seamlessly. You just need some practical life lessons, I think. Being sheltered too much would only make an adult a fool.” That’s new, someone actually saw her as a person. “Hm~ I also don’t like going outside that much. Those concerts I hold also make me very busy. Today was actually my only free day for the month. So, thank you, Sandrone. I appreciate this little date we’re having.”
“A-a date!? This isn’t one, you fool! I-” She suddenly went quiet as she sensed someone staring at them. Right there and then, she had become the detective that every criminal would fear. Is this the stalker? Finally, he took the bait. “Columbina, we’re getting closer to the garden!” Then, she suddenly whispers right into the singer’s ear. “Hold onto me tightly. Make sure that you do not get away from me.”
Focused on her plan, she failed to see the sudden red that envelops Columbina’s now shy face. This did not, however, impede any shamefulness within her as she interlocks Sandrone’s hand with her own in a so-called lover’s grip. Shyness? No, she would do whatever she wants, especially now that it is only right for her to do so. After a few minutes of walking, she noticed how Sandrone felt distracted yet somehow focused on something. However, with the detective doing her best to hide this from her, she decided not to press her for it.
Entering the beautiful and huge garden, she heard Columbina excitedly exclaim, “It’s very refreshing here. The scent of nature… is so relaxing. I’m really glad I got to experience this beautiful scenery in my lifetime.” Happy for her, Sandrone smiled. Good thing she did not notice anything unusual. After a bit of looking around, she finally saw it on her periphery: a man, looking like every fan she had apprehended before, was sneakily getting close to their proximity. After about a distance of 20 meters, he stopped approaching and pretended to look at the flowers. However, his subtle gaze at the singer did not go unnoticed by Sandrone. She used this opportunity to take note of his appearance and send it to her police officer friend.
[The target is in a blue tracksuit, is a man, he looks chopped] Sending to Furina… sent.
[Girl, every man for you looks bad. I already got it long ago, you only like women.]
She did not reply. Not because she did not want to, but because a hand suddenly held her phone. It was Columbina. Her closed eyes “staring” at her.
“Come, Sandy. Let’s look around.” She did not know why, but this seemingly careless tone made her have a guilty conscience. For what? Why is she feeling like this? She let herself be led by Columbina this time around, appreciating nature and its beauty. After a while, she noticed the sun was going down. Looking at her watch, it was already 5:30 pm. It seems like this day has to come to an end. “Columbina-” She was interrupted with a finger on her lips.
“Call me by a nickname, too. It hates to feel like I’m the only one thinking that we’re friends.” We’ve only known each other for a day!
Still, she could not help but relent to her.
“Fine, what do you propose?”
“You think of it.”
How annoying.
Turning slightly away from Columbina, she opted to look at the flowers instead. “Hmph. How about Bina? Your first name is awfully long, harboring many syllables compared to usual ones.”
“I like it too. Now, call me with that from now on, okay?” She hummed in approval, and the conversation ended with them becoming more intimate. After a moment of silence, Sandrone remembers why this even happened in the first place.
“So, Bina… what should we grab and eat for tonight?” She is still uncomfortable with this nickname thing they now have going on. In contrast, her newfound friend remains the same, albeit a bit happier compared to earlier.
“Anything is fine by me, Sandy.”
“Don’t regret that statement later. Come with me.” After a bit of walking with interlocked hands, they then walked together into a restaurant Sandrone frequented. It is not ridiculously expensive nor shabby-looking, but what she liked the most was the private rooms where customers could dine in. Here, she plans to tell Columbina about her plan to apprehend the stalker who’s still following them.
After completing their orders, the waiter told them that they would have to wait for 20 minutes for their food. Sandrone, being a frequent diner, had already told Columbina about this beforehand. Right after the door slammed shut, she took off her coat, put it on the chair’s back, and got to business.
“Columbina, I will now tell you what will happen after this dinner. We will go outside. Then, the stalker who will be in the narrow alley on the left side of this building will be baited by you. We will head in opposite directions, with you going to the right, while I will go to the left. After I sense the stalker coming out of his hiding to follow you, the police staff wearing civilian clothing in the adjacent building will apprehend the stalker.” After finishing her narration, she saw Columbina’s eyes twinkle. Is she.. Excited? How cute. “Well? Do you have any questions?”
Columbina touches her own lip and chin with her index finger and thumb, now striking the thinking pose. “None! But how did you know that the stalker would follow us here?” She becomes smug as she hears this question.
“Hehe~ for a great detective such as I, of course baiting a criminal is easy! Your clothes are something he saw yesterday. If he saw such familiar colors, then even if you were heavily disguised like you were when we were outside earlier, he would still be able to recognize you. Adding on to the fact that you seemingly wanted to cover your face by any means necessary, then it wouldn’t be hard to think that you are THE Columbina he was looking for.” Proudly saying this wasn’t enough, she even did it with hand gestures. What she got in return, however, wasn’t fawning. Instead, it was something quite unexpected for Sandrone.
“Mhm, that’s great.” What followed was silence from the other side. Was that it? Unable to accept that outcome, she stared at Columbina as a gesture of her own arrogance. However, this action only made her realize something.
First, those soft, plump lips were slightly raised. Then, that adorable-looking face, which was covered the entire time with the shaded glasses and hat, is now in full view. Last, that long hair also helped accentuate her beauty. All in all, what else could she say except - putain, she’s really gorgeous. She has to stop this. Why is she acting like this? She’s in the middle of an O-P-E-R-A-T-I-O-N for goodness sake, not a hangout or even a d-d-date.
“I like this place. Let’s eat out more often, dear Sandy.”
…
“Hmph, sure.”
This is not a date…right?
The door to their room suddenly opened. Quickly dispersing whatever weird atmosphere they had earlier. Sandrone, as if seeing a savior, profusely thanked the waitress who served the dishes. Her actions made the girl sitting across from her smile, as if she had known Sandrone’s inner turmoil. The meal was eaten in silence. One was eating calmly, while the other was eating with forced calm. By the end of their dinner, Sandrone had returned to the state of someone in work mode. Calling Furina, she had already ascertained that her personnel were already positioned, ready for apprehension. It is time to finish this operation. Before opening the exit, she looked at Columbina, who then, as if sensing her gaze, gave her a nod.
Outside the restaurant, the streetlights were now on as the night had taken over during their meal. Two women, looking like an intimate couple, whispered their goodbyes softly as the physical difference between them was almost absent.
“Sandrone, my dear, see you later!” said one of them.
“M-mm.. yeah..” the other voice, noticeably flustered, replied.
Did we really have to pretend like this!? THIS WAS NOT PART OF THE PLAN!! Sandrone, whose face was already quite flushed, stuttered. She only hopes this wasn't seen by her workmates. She stepped towards the left and went past a narrow alleyway. Not even five seconds later, she sensed a pair of rushed footsteps from about 30 meters behind go right outside the alleyway. Pulling out her walkie-talkie, she quickly gave the go-signal.
That is how they apprehended the stalker. After subduing him with brute force, the crew arrested him. The man, with the overwhelming evidence behind him, got convicted of criminal harassment. But that is a whole different story that will happen in the future. For now, giving Furina and her workmates a nod of approval, she walked towards Columbina. However, in the midst of it, she felt someone hold her arm. Turning around, she saw Furina with a grin.
Her childhood friend asked, “So you actually had a girlfriend all this time? And you didn’t even tell me?” Getting flushed, she retorted, “W-who?! Her?” pointing to Columbina, she said, “She’s just someone I met yesterday! We’re just friends.” The grin disappeared, replaced with an inquiring look. “Hm~ someone actually managed to befriend you in just a day. Interesting..” Not wanting to hear any more nonsense, she went away. Behind her, she could hear Furina giving a chuckle. They definitely saw what happened earlier, Ugh. Looking at the girl who was the mastermind behind this entire impromptu interrogation, she scolded her.
“Why did you even do that? Now they think we’re…” Columbina only gave her an innocent look, like she did not know what Sandrone meant by this. This only pissed her off. “Ugh!! It looked like we were dating!! Alright? Do you even know the concept of personal boundaries? I think not, how else could you be awfully clingy with someone you just met yesterday?!” Dripping in sarcasm, she got her point across.
Columbina, in her disguised form, replied with a slightly higher tone than usual, “Not really. I just love being around you so much more than I had expected.” It seems like even she felt interested in this adorable detective. It’s unusual for her to say things this excitedly, after all. Not that others could read into it… Not even her manager, whose car was already parked beside the sidewalk. “Sandrone, let’s go on more dates when we’re both not busy. Can you give me your number? I might need protection from the police in the near future.”
Sandrone, already tired and mind blank with the sudden compliment, did not question Columbina at all. “XXXX-XXX-XXXX. T-thank you. I.. I also felt satisfied with the outing..”
“Thank you too!! Get home safely, dear.”
What answered her was the detective shouting back, “I’M NOT YOUR DEAR!!!” followed by her running to her colleagues. More paperwork should be done after all. It’s not like a case gets finished just with the apprehension. As the police cars sped away, Columbina was ushered into her own car by Lauma.
The car ride home was anything but silent. Before the drive, Columbina first told Lauma to put Sandrone’s number into her phone as she dictated it for her. Then, using her voice-to-text plus haptics in her phone, she managed to send text messages to Sandrone. Although, she could not feel it vibrate back. No matter, she is probably busy.
In the car’s backseat, she whispers:
“Sandrone…I like you.”