Never Not
Ch. 46: The Stranger Voice

Rai immediately ran to the sink to gargle after eating cream soup stored in the refrigerator. "Did you dye the sea water and put it in the refrigerator?" he complained while continuing to gargle.

"I told you not to eat! The food would be twice as salty if it was cold" said Shohei, a sour-faced figure, wiping his face with a wet tissue.

Just a spoonful of it he was like a poisoned man. What's up with me who has to swallow a bowl.

Rai shut off the water faucet. He paused for a moment and said, "Wait, don't tell me it's Yuriko's cooking."

Shohei only fluttered with dimmed eyes. No need to wait for Shohei's answer, Rai was able to explain it. He laughed because the girl followed his advice too much to force to cook European food.

"It's actually my fault. I told him that your taste was European food. But I didn't think he was really trying to cook a menu he didn't know about" Rai said, holding his stomach as he chuckled

"Basic! I think ...he had a hard time distinguishing teaspoons and tablespoons because he admitted to looking at recipes from the internet. That's what makes the food so salty. You see, I was like that the first time I cooked in the office. Even so, I appreciate his efforts. Apart from cooking, he is also very diligent and neat if he is cleaning up," said Shohei, staring around his room.

The sound of an incoming call from Shohei's phone suddenly sounded. He reached into his pocket and immediately answered the phone.

Oh, seina-chan!

Shohei gasped as Seina's face decorated her screen as the summoner.

"I answered the phone first. It's from my lover" he told Rai as he pulled over to the window.

"Moshi-moshi." Seina's soft voice ran through the man's ears. "Am I bothering you?"

"Oh, of course not," Shohei replied quickly.

"I want to ask you a few things about the law" said Seina who was in the midst of her busy work on the thesis.

Rai sat at the bar table and poured champagne into his glass. He turned towards Shohei who looked so happy when contacted by his lover. A thin smile unraveled on his lips along with the final gulp of his favorite alcohol. He glanced at the wall clock, then stood up quickly.

"Yo, I'm coming home now, yeah! Arigatou, the drink," he yelled at Shohei.

"Jaa (bye)," Shohei shouted.

"Who?" ask Seina for a moment. Apparently, Rai's voice was translucent in his ear even though it sounded vague.

"Oh, he's my best friend. It just so happens to be a short stop at my house."

Seina was silent while thinking of something. The voice of the man who had just sounded, was like he was no stranger to her. He tries to remember. His eyeballs widened when the one in his brain at this time even the face of Black Shadow complete with his distinctive voice that is so masculine.

No, it's just my feeling. I can't remember that guy anymore.

"Shohei-san, do you have time tomorrow afternoon?" Seina tried to control her mind by changing the subject.

"Eh? Tomorrow afternoon?" Shohei seemed to think.

"I want to have lunch together with you," Seina asked for a moment which made Shohei surprised.

At exactly ten in the night, Rai came home from Shohei's apartment. He walked to his home after getting off the station. It just so happened that he met Yuriko who had just come out of the supermarket. The girl appeared to be carrying her groceries.

"Yuri-yuri!" sapa Rai while approaching the girl then took her groceries. "Let me take it!"

"Arigatou," said Yuriko, who began to act sweetly towards him.

Rai opened the girl's groceries. "Why shop for groceries at night?"

"This is for the preparation of the breakfast cook Shohei-san tomorrow morning. I'm afraid I'm late again like this morning."

"Oh, you look so excited, yeah! I have to shop at night."

"of course. During my time in Tokyo I had to change my part-time job, but only this time I really enjoyed my job. What else to cook tomorrow, huh?" thought Yuriko as she stared at the dense color of the sky.

"Anything just don't cook pumpkin cream soup again! Your cooking was really making me ...." Rai snorted, choosing not to continue with his words. Not because it keeps Yuriko feeling, but it is so difficult to describe the taste of cream soup.

"Do you want to hear my honest answer?" asked Rai a little doubtfully.

"Gum." Yuriko nodded quickly with a broad line of smiles on her lips.

"When the tip of the spoon entered my mouth, it was able to make me feel the sensation of the first time riding a roller coaster."

"Does that mean my cooking makes you float while eating it?" ask Yuriko confidently.

Rai shook his head slowly, looked round at Yuriko's face then said, "No! But ... made me vomit! Yeah, just like the first person to ride a roller coaster, right? some people will feel nauseous even vomit."

Hearing Rai's words that were too frank, the smile that hung on Yuriko's face disappeared immediately followed by the eyes that immediately bought. Even his nose expanded and his lips pursed together into one.

"Eett .. don't be mad! Aren't you saying I'm being honest?"

"So you mean ... My cooking doesn't taste good?" ask Yuriko in a high tone.

As if no matter how much annoyed Yuriko was, Rai instead replied while putting aside her pair of eyeballs. "Not really. I think your cooking is actually good. But, if the food is just to be seen, not to be eaten," he said.

"I think you're just pissing me off!" yuriko grumbled with clearly visible neck veins.

"Rather than making you happy for a moment when it's not true!" reply Rai with lips that are deliberately raised, "again, I told you that my tongue is too honest, he knows which food is worth to say good which is not" he continued.

The spicy words that Rai uttered made Yuriko walk quickly to leave her. His face was angry.

"Oi, Yu-chan!" call Rai.

He also peeked back at Yuriko's groceries. One of his shopping items is a book that contains an enterprising successful cooking. Soon, Yuriko comes to him, but only to reclaim her groceries.

"You also realize your cooking failed, so you bought the book, right?" tanya Rai who suddenly made Yuriko stop stepping.

This time, Yuriko did not answer anything and let Rai return to pick up her groceries. The man also walked with him towards their apartment.

Not feel the turn of time is so fast that it leads to the next day. Yuriko is arranging Shohei's lunch. Yes, the man ordered to be brought only supplies and asked him not to cook a difficult menu.

Shohei came out in a hurry while putting up his tie. He picked up the food box that was available, then left.

"Cotto matte kudasai!" yuriko held Shohei. (Cotto matte kudasai: wait a minute)

Shohei turned his head and gasped when the girl was in front of him and fixed her untidy collar position.

"Arigatou," said Shohei with a faint smile.

Shohei enters the magnificent Metropolitan Police building. He climbed the elevator and pressed the floor button of his study. Shortly after, a policeman came in, bowed respectfully and stood beside him. Shohei memorizes the man is a newly transferred cop to his vision—Ai Otaka.

"You're moving out of the Ikeburuko Department, right?" ask Shohei.

"Yes" he said down.

"Before the stabbing incident that struck me, my team and I came there to discuss with Ikeburuko detectives. But, I didn't see you there."

"I had another task at the time" he replied with a bright-looking eye.

"Oh ...." Shohei seemed to think.

The elevator doors opened, and they parted into their respective spaces.

Shohei turned on the earpiece in his ear, then said in a commanding tone, "Do it now! Be careful, don't get caught!

"Ready," Rai replied as she stared at a luxurious building standing firmly before her. He put a hoodie on his head, before moving into the building.

.