15: Chapter 15: Ikegami-san, You Wouldn't Want...

Seeing the earring in Fujino's hand, Ikegami Yuko's composure flickered for a split ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠second, replaced by stunned disbelief. But she quickly regained her cool.

"So what if it's mine?"

"Good that you admit it." Fujino smirked playfully.

"Aren't you curious how I ended up with your earring?"

"Who cares about that?" Yuko snapped, her brow furrowing slightly.

She pulled out a cigarette case, lit one up, and took a drag.

"Actually, I was worried I'd lost it. Since you found it, just give it back."

"And where do you think I found it?" Fujino's gaze sharpened.

He took a slow breath before delivering the blow.

"Inside Yoko Okino's apartment. At the scene of the murder."

"That's ridiculous!" Yuko's face went deathly pale. The cigarette slipped from her lips, falling to the floor.

Damn it, my floor! Fujino winced as he saw the cigarette burn a tiny black mark onto his newly cleaned floorboards. He cleared his throat pointedly.

Yuko hastily picked up the fallen cigarette and put it back between her lips.

"No one would believe your word alone!" she scoffed, chewing nervously on the filter.

"Maybe I just accidentally dropped it here earlier!"

"I don't know how you got a key to Yoko Okino's apartment, but I'm willing to bet that after you hired me yesterday, you went back there yourself, looking for dirt..."

"And if I'm not mistaken," Fujino continued,

"while you were in Okino-san's apartment last night... you were attacked, weren't you?"

"You managed to fight back and escape, but in the struggle... you lost this earring."

"That's just speculation! Where's your proof?" Yuko countered, though her voice lacked conviction.

"You're a detective, you should know! You can't accuse someone without evidence!"

"Evidence? Oh, I have it." Fujino chuckled softly, slowly rising to his feet. "You might not know this, but at the crime scene, the victim was clutching a strand of hair. Through my brilliant deduction, that hair was initially attributed to Yoko Okino..."

"However," Fujino leaned in slightly, his smile turning sly, "that strand of hair didn't quite look ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠like Okino-san's. It looked much more like... yours."

"If the police were to run a DNA test..."

"Are you threatening me?!" Yuko's face darkened.

She shot up from the sofa, glaring daggers at Fujino.

"No, no, no!" Fujino held up his hands in mock innocence.

"I'm a professional detective! I would never threaten a client!"

"But..." he continued, his tone shifting,

"Ikegami-san, I had actually dug up some potential dirt on Okino's ex-boyfriend for you. But then you got yourself involved in a murder scene! It took considerable effort on my part to steer the investigation away from you... If the truth about your presence there got out, it wouldn't be good for either of us. I might take a hit to my reputation, sure, but you, Ikegami-san... well, that's a different story..."

He leaned back, the picture of a cunning fox.

"Ikegami-san, you wouldn't want to get dragged into this mess, would you?"

"Alright! Fine! What do you want?" Yuko sighed, slumping back onto the sofa, filled with regret.

I never should have hired a detective. This is a disaster. Lost the earring, got caught red-handed... This guy is definitely blackmailing me!

"I want..." Fujino began, deliberately drawing out the suspense.

Yuko swallowed nervously. Oh god, what is he going to ask for? He wouldn't... I'm still...

"I want my commission fee."

"Huh?" Yuko blinked. "That's it?"

"That's it." Fujino scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Technically, I did complete the investigation you hired me for, just... not in the way we expected. So, the fee is still owed, right? Pay me, you remain my client, and this little secret stays between us."

"Why didn't you just say so?!" Yuko's eye twitched. Just the money? I thought... Ugh, never mind! This guy was infuriating!

Though reluctant, Yuko felt a wave ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of relief. She pulled out her credit card.

"Do you have a mobile POS machine?"

"Nope." Fujino shook his head. "Cash only, usually. Or a bank transfer."

"Seriously? What kind of detective doesn't have a mobile payment reader?" Yuko sighed.

"I don't have that much cash on me right now. You'll have to come with me to the bank."

"Lead the way!"

The 90s were the golden age of POS machines, Fujino mused. Swipe for everything. Like WeChat Pay or Alipay of the future. Not having one was definitely an oversight. Then again, he hadn't exactly dealt with commissions this large before... Guess I need to get one soon.

Late night, on the pedestrian bridge outside Suzuki Bank.

"Here. Five hundred and forty thousand yen. No need to count it, right?" Yuko handed Fujino a paper bag stamped with the Suzuki Bank logo. (The remaining amount after the initial 60k retainer).

Fujino took the bag without checking the contents.

"I trust you, Ikegami-san."

"Hmph." Yuko scoffed. She felt she had his number now.

A completely unscrupulous detective, motivated solely by money.

But... grudgingly, she had to admit, while shady, he did follow his own weird code. He'd even steered the police away from her... saving her from a world of trouble. Trouble that money couldn't easily fix.

"Well, if there's nothing else, I'm leaving," Yuko said curtly, turning to go. All she wanted now was a long, hot bath to wash away the stress of the day.

"Wait!" Fujino called after her.

Yuko turned back, frowning. "What now? More money?"

"Hey, I'm not that kind of guy," Fujino chuckled, lighting a cigarette.

"I just wanted to offer some unsolicited advice. Maybe lay off the backstabbing and scheming... Trying to tear others down usually just ends up burning yourself."

"None of your business," Yuko snapped back.

Fujino just smirked, turning away with the paper bag. "You know, Ikegami-san, you're not bad yourself. Just a little... fake. Probably the idol persona, right?"

"Must be exhausting, pretending to be someone you're not all the time."

Facing the round, bright moon, he continued without looking back.

"Try showing more of your real self. With your talent, you could easily become a national idol right alongside Yoko Okino one day."

Staring at his retreating silhouette against the moonlight, Yuko felt something shift within her.

His figure seemed etched against the night sky.

She stood there long after he was gone, the moonlight bathing the bridge in a silvery glow.

Looking in the direction he'd disappeared, a faint smile touched her lips.

"I know," she whispered softly to the night air.

"You didn't have to tell me."