Never Not
Ch. 24: Continuous Misunderstanding

Sunless mornings have been welcoming, drowning out the night that left snow clumps in some spots. People passed by doing their usual activities wearing thick clothes, as if they did not feel the cold wind piercing their skin.

Rai was still wrapped in a blanket like a cocoon. It's a bad habit for the man to wake up at nine in the morning, unless he has an agenda with Shohei. However, this time his sleep had to be disturbed by the scorched aroma that was strong, and piercing his sense of smell. His nose continued to sniff even though his eyes were still closed. He suddenly woke up shocked to hear the sound of knocking on the door in a row.

Rai walked like a snail towards the door. He still wrapped the blanket on his body up to his head. With eyes still holding back the sleepiness, he opened the door.

"Ohayou!" yuriko's greeting was cheerful.

Rai rubbed his eyes many times. "Why did you wake me up so early!" luh Rai leaned one hand on the doorpost.

Yuriko showed me a box of food with a faint smile.

"What's that?" said Rai while yawning.

"Katsu chicken rice!" yuriko replied excitedly.

Rai's eyes were fresh instantly. "Woah, arigatou gozaimasu!" he said while trying to pick up a box of food held by Yuriko.

"Ett .. This isn't for you! It's for the friendly police sir." Yuriko instead hid the provisions backwards.

"Then why did you tell me?!" Rai was suddenly upset.

"That's because I want to ask you to deliver this to the police officer's office."

Rai grinned as she crossed paths. "No way!"

"Quiet, of course there is for you, too" Yuriko said.

"really?" Rai is excited again.

The two of them entered the kitchen. Rai was stunned when he saw some chicken katsu scattering on the plate.

"What's this?"

Yuriko gave a stupid grin. "Gomen, actually I'm not a good cook who's fried. I failed to fry chicken katsu many times. After I found out on the internet, it turns out the fire can not be big. It's a good thing that the last experiment was a success so that's what I'm gonna give the cops."

"Then, what do you mean, this is the chicken katsu you're gonna give me?" asked Rai was worried while glancing at some of the failed chicken katsu that were pitch-black.

Yuriko nodded. "I gave up my money to buy some chicken fillets at the supermarket this morning. It's a pity that this food was thrown away, isn't it? So I'd better share it with you,"

Rai's eyes grew instantly. "Why don't you just poison me?"

"Thank you for the input. Next time I'll do it if you piss me off" Yuriko said without feeling guilty.

"If this isn't chicken katsu his name is. But black flour chicken. It must be bitter," said Rai while ruffled next to the waist.

"Hey, hey, you better think. Don't judge book by its cover!" press Yuriko, "Although the outside looks charred, but not necessarily bitter. You can eat it while looking at me, maybe you can outsmart the taste." Yuriko thrust out a plate full of pieces of Chicken katsu that failed to Rai. The girl smiled as she blinked her eyes many times.

Yuriko's sweet attitude, making Rai who is upset now even take a piece of chicken katsu and put it in the mouth. However, not for a second he immediately took it out again while choking and sticking out his tongue many times.

"It's really bitter, as bitter as life in prison" Rai said.

"Because you've tasted the food, don't forget to take this to the police, yes!"

Rai was stunned for a moment. "You really like it?"

"Yes, like that! Ever since I found out my father was an ex-cop, I've always been amazed to see a young man in police uniform. Then imagine my father ever dressed like that. Surprisingly, I've never seen him wear a police uniform, but so admired him. Maybe because he's so friendly to me."

"She is kind to everyone, not just you!" tampik Rai's.

"Ah, I like it even more then! That means he doesn't look at a person's status."

"The police should be acting like that, right?" Rai seemed to be in disbelief as Yuriko continued to praise Shohei. He glanced back at the supply box that would be given to Shohei. "By the way, you didn't buy these groceries with your pickpocketed money, did you?"

"Of course not!" yuriko said quickly, "again, I pickpocketed because there was a desperate need that was not sufficient with my finances."

"If you really need money for something desperate, you better tell me. I'll help you rather than you pickpocket! Shohei doesn't like the slightest crime" Rai said, taking the box and exiting Yuriko's house.

Somehow he always tried what Yuriko wanted. Like when the girl asked to be introduced closer to Shohei. Although it looks like taking advantage of the closeness between himself and Shohei, but he is also happy to see the girl cheerful.

Ryo, wearing an office suit, just arrived outside her sister's apartment building. He could not sleep at night because he thought of his brother. For that, he wanted to ask Rai directly who was the man who came to the apartment at that time and what was the relationship between them. Because, he still does not believe that his sister who is famous for female lovers suddenly became homosexual.

Ryo chose to hide when he saw Rai coming out of the building this early. However, what made his forehead wrinkle was the item that Rai was carrying. It looks like a box. While putting on sunglasses and holding a newspaper, he followed his brother by walking quietly behind the man.

Where did Oniichan go? Does he want to work? By the way, I've never seen his workplace.

Ryo continues to follow Rai. When his brother turned around, he hurriedly opened the newspaper to cover his face as if he was walking while reading. Rai stood in front of the stop while waiting for the bus. Shortly after, the bus came and he entered with another passenger. Ryo rushes onto the bus and keeps spying on the man despite having to cram in with the other passengers.

"Chairman Yamazaki-san has arrived!" one of the police officers said there.

Shohei immediately joined them. His view is focused on a pile of books that discuss the problems in married life. He took the book, and read it at a glance. Inspector Heiji patted her on the shoulder from behind, thus making her gasp.

"Is this yours?" shohei asked because on top of the book was a cell phone belonging to Inspector Heiji.

"Yes, I bought it at the bookstore for devotional materials only. My wife and I have been fighting a lot lately. Even small problems grow. We don't have time to go to a marriage counselor. But if it continues to be left it may not save our household," superintendent Heiji sighed.

"Is the household that complicated?" ask Shohei.

"You'll feel it for yourself!" inspector Heiji replied with a wry smile, "by the way, I heard you were dating the justice minister's daughter, huh?" Heiji shifted the subject.

Shohei flinched instantly. "Who said?" he said a little nervous.

"Did you forget whose nickname the gossip guy fell on?" Detective Shu accidentally insinuates Inspector Heiji who always knows everything in the office.

"A few months ago, the Secretary of Justice's private secretary found out everything about you. Including your relationship with some women. I just assumed she was asking that because she wanted to match you up with her daughter, "inspector Heiji chuckled.

"That's right, we will be engaged in the near future" Shohei said, taking a bowl of udon given to her.

The room was suddenly quiet. The policemen who were enjoying the sudden udon were like mannequins with their eyes fixed on him.

"What's wrong?" Shohei suddenly became misbehaved.

The young policemen suddenly cheered while congratulating. Some came up to him and shook hands.

"But to get married will probably wait a few more years. His age is young and he needs to develop his career" Shohei continued.

"How many years did you and him have?" ask inspector Heiji.

Shohei looked timidly replied. "Hmm .. ten years."

"Woah ... far away too!" inspector Heiji said he was followed by the shock of several other policemen.

"That's not a problem. Yamazaki-san does not look like a man in his thirties. He looks younger than all of you" detective Shu points to the young cops.

"I heard the Minister of Justice's daughter is so beautiful! She's in the same class as my sister at Keio University" one of the policewomen said.

"Then Yamazaki-san will follow Megumi-san who also got a wife ten years younger than him," Heiji said.

While eating warm udon dishes, suddenly Shohei's phone rang.

After receiving a message from Rai, Shohei rushed out of the building and walked a few meters from the office to meet the man so that no one would see them. Fortunately, he was not wearing a police uniform today.

Rai handed a box of Yuriko's handmade provisions to the glasses man.

"This is for you from Yuriko."

"Eh, why did he give it to me?"

"Emm .. happens to make it quite a lot. So he's sharing it with me and you." Rai reasoned.

Shohei smiled faintly as he held onto the stock. "Please say thank you to him. It's the first time I've gotten more stock after seven years."

"Oh, huh? Didn't you ever bring supplies to the office?"

Shohei.

"Let me guess, the guy who used to bring you supplies must have been your ex-boyfriend seven years ago, right?"

Shohei chuckled. "Our relationship wasn't for a month. After our relationship ended, he still continued to send food to me, but I refused to accept it. I didn't want him to do it just because of my guilty feelings," Shohei recalled smiling wryly, "Ah, stop talking about it! She's already the wife of people" she said, patting Rai on the shoulder.

Rai instead pulled Shohei's body until their position looked like they were hugging. "You better not go back to the office before I leave. I feel like my sister is following me" he whispered right in Shohei's ear.

Rai's guess is certainly correct. Apparently, Ryo saw the two from across the street. He watched himself as Rai gave the box to Shohei, then saw them chatting and laughing together. In fact, both of her eyes did not shift in the slightest when she saw her brother hugging Shohei.

"That guy wasn't the one who came to Oniichan's apartment that time?" Ryo rubbed his eyes many times to make sure that he did not see wrong. "Oh, Kami-sama (God), Oniichan has completely changed his taste! I really can't believe my vision, she can be that sweet to the opposite sex?" he murmured with bated breath. He held his heart that seemed to want to jump out.

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coincidentally, Rai and Shohei are together again. 😂 🤣