Never Not
Ch. 19: Hearts that Burn
Rai and Shohei sat next to each other at the dining table, while Yuriko sat in front of the two men. Yuriko stared in amazement at their dinner menu. How not, it's a high-end food menu.
"Wow, is this really Wagyu meat?" yuriko asked while looking at the meat from all sides.
"Of course," Rai replied quickly.
"Sir Police you're very kind to bring us Wagyu meat and white wine." Yuriko thought that the menu was from Shohei.
"It's not me. But this meat is made by Rai" said Shohei.
"really?" Yuriko's eyes grew in disbelief.
"Heh, I told you I used to be a rich man. Food like this is common to me," said Rai bragged.
Yuriko raised her upper lip, giving a wide grin. "At least you spent all your salary to buy all this," thought Yuriko still in disbelief.
"Yes, no, no need to argue. Let's just eat," Shohei asked.
"Itadakimasu" said the three of them while cupping their hands.
When she had just picked up the knife and fork, Yuriko remembered that she had not introduced herself to the police in front of her. Suddenly, he immediately held Shohei's right hand which made the man stunned.
"My name is Aizawa Yuriko I am twenty-two years old, I am from Ine village, in Kyoto," Yuriko said, introducing herself to the man with enthusiasm.
"Hey, we're not having a job interview!" ketus Rai's.
Shohei who jumped up, could only comment on a thin smile while looking at Yuriko's hand that tightly grasped her hand.
"So desu ne (oh, is it?)," said Shohei put on a confused look.
Still not letting go of Shohei's hand, Yuriko again said, "My mother is a fisherman, and my father is an ex-cop."
Shohei's eyes rounded instantly. "Former cop?"
Meanwhile, Rai immediately laughed lightly while throwing his face. "Truly a good storyteller!" mumbled reproach.
"Yes I'm not lying, my father is a former cop" Yuriko told Rai. He looked back at Shohei. "My father had an accident while on duty. Both of his legs were amputated, so he had to stop. And it happened when I was very young. Because my father was paralyzed, I was often harassed by my schoolmates to make me unable to stand it. I'm determined to get a scholarship to study in Tokyo. Fortunately, I was a smart student so I got a scholarship to Keio University. Living in Tokyo really makes me happy, because I have many friends without fear they know my family background," Yuriko said with sparkling eyes and a big smile. Although there is still sadness that he is trying to cover up.
"Are you sure you're really happy with your life in Tokyo? Did that fun you meant make a lot of friends by trying to follow their lifestyle and fake your background?" Rai threw a spicy satire all of a sudden.
"What do you mean?!" Yuriko raised her tone from being offended by the man's words.
Shohei who was still confused as to why Yuriko suddenly told him everything, then said, "You must have been through a lot of unpleasant things all this time. Whatever it is, please don't hate your father and his profession just yet."
Shohei's soft voice that lingered in his ears, really made his emotions ignited because Rai became muffled. "No. Not at all." Yuriko shook her head, "i always admired the police. When I saw them, I imagined that one day I would see my father wearing that uniform again. I also admire you, I have been so impressed with you since we first met."
Yuriko's last words made Shohei even more confused and misbehaved. "Arigatou. Hajimemashite, I'm Yamazaki Shohei."
"Yamazaki-san, call me Yuriko or Yuri," Yuriko asked enthusiastically.
Shohei nodded, "Huh?" The man chuckled and said, "Alright, Yuriko-san."
Yuriko shook her head quickly. "I'd rather you call me Yuriko-chan."
Shohei laughed again. "Yuriko-chan, call me Shohei. Since you're Rai's friend, then you're also my friend."
"really?" Yuriko's eyes are getting brighter. Throughout the meal, he kept talking to the glasses guy. I don't even hesitate to ask about my favorite hobbies and food.
I don't know what upset him. Is it because they are familiar? He ignored? Or because Yuriko was being frank about her true life to Shohei that even she never knew? I don't know .. which is certain Rai's ears are getting hotter hearing the sound of the girl's laughter on the sidelines of their chatter.
"I actually went to the police at my father's request. I was really not ready, because when I was in school I was a physically weak student. Anyway I feel like this is a hereditary profession in my family. But, as soon as the uniform was first placed on my body, I became very fond of my profession and everything that smelled of investigation" Shohei explained about his experience in the police.
"Sugoi! If you weren't a cop, what would you want to be?" ask Yuriko.
"Actually I want to major in Science and Technology. I used to go to the physics Olympics a lot, so I thought it would be on a basic basis when I was in school" Shohei said.
"Why can we be the same? I also studied Science and Technology. Then you must have mastered difficult physics formulas. I can ask you sometime, huh?" Yuriko held Shohei's hands again, causing the man to wave.
Rai who was still monitoring in the corner of the room, increasingly showed a look of annoyed face. Her lips subconsciously shortened what Yuriko was saying followed by an eye that was swerving upwards. Even so, he refused if he called himself jealous.
"Oh, yes, Yuriko-chan. Is there a student on your campus who is very conspicuous?" Shohei changed the subject suddenly.
"You mean?" Yuriko scrunched her forehead.
"I mean ... did a group of students appear to be in charge on campus?" search Shohei.
Yuriko looked away while thinking. "Ah, I remember. There was one person who always showed his strength on campus. He always harassed new students and also got into fights with some lecturers. But strangely the rector did not dare to take any action. I don't know him, but people say he's the Vice Chairman of the Senate's son."
Shohei's eyes squinted sharply instantly. He turned his head towards Rai who was also looking at him. The two men smiled while throwing meaningful gazes.
Not felt, time has shown twelve o'clock at night. Shohei returns home after the snow stops falling. Rai and Yuriko escorted Shohei to his doorstep. Yuriko's eyes could not help but look at Shohei's back, even when the man's silhouette had disappeared.
"Oh, friendly Police Officer. Please catch my heart," Yuriko said with one hand holding her chest.
"Hoooeekk." Rai demonstrates the style of people vomiting when hearing Yuriko's words.
Yuriko turned her head to the side, looking at Rai's swollen lips. "Hey, what's wrong with your face?" asked the girl while raising her upper lip.
Rai immediately widened his smile while saying, "Oh, that's okay. By the way, I've introduced you to Shohei, isn't there something you want to give me as a thank you?" Rai brought her body closer to Yuriko. He also rested one hand on the door of the girl's apartment. "You heard for yourself, right, what Shohei said earlier. Since you are Rai's friend, then you are also my friend" he continued, mimicking Shohei's style of speech.
"Ah, right too, huh? What do you want from me?" asked Yuriko who was suddenly friendly to Rai.
This time Rai also brought his face closer. "I don't mind if you want to thank me through a kiss" Rai said as she placed her index finger on her sensual lips.
"Oh, if that's what I want!" Yuriko widened her smile until her pair of eyes narrowed.
"really?" Rai was suddenly excited, "Then we start, then" Rai said as he tilted his head followed by a face that began to advance towards the girl. However, just as he closed his eyes, Yuriko's palm filled his face and pushed his head back.
"I mean, I'm sure I'm going to spit on you!" yuriko said as she glared at the eyes like an owl. He immediately entered his apartment while slamming the door to make Rai surprised.
"Your father will definitely feel disappointed when he knows his son often pickpocketed and claimed to be a rich man in order to get the recognition of the crowd" said Rai annoyed.
Yuriko fell silent from behind the door. Honestly, Rai's words really hit him.
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how is Black Shadow going to go? look forward to next chapter 😉