"Because... I haven't seen my father since I was a child, and my mother... has never told us this."
Sitting by the flower bed, the little girl lowered her head, intertwined her fingers, and whispered these words.
"This, this is it..."
Although she had already speculated before, Okino Mina was still surprised when the little girl said it herself.
"Your father..."
"I don't know. Mom never brings up this topic with us." Knowing what Okino Mina wanted to ask, the little girl spoke first.
She said "we" twice, which seems to mean there are other brothers and sisters in the family.
"Sorry, I seem to have said some topics that may bother you, Sister Police."
Before Okino Mina could ask again, the little girl bowed her head and apologized to her again.
"Ah, it's not that troublesome..."
"It's almost time. It's time for me to go back. Thank you, sister police, for being willing to chat with me."
Just like last time, after saying this, the little girl jumped down from the flower bed, and then walked back to the street with very fast steps.
It is estimated that the school lunch break is almost over. If she does not go back quickly, once she is caught by the school teacher, she may lose even this little free time in the future...
Although in Okino Mina's view, the little girl's behavior is still somewhat dangerous. After all, she is walking alone on the street...
[How about trying to talk to the little girl’s parents? 】
An idea suddenly appeared in Okino Mina's mind.
Although she only spoke twice, she was somewhat aware that this little girl obviously lived in a very complicated single-parent family, and her motherhood made her unable to help but want to take care of this matter...
【Ah, speaking of...】
Watching the little girl's figure gradually disappearing on the street, Okino Mina remembered the incident that she had forgotten just now.
[I didn’t find a chance to ask the child this time, why on earth did she want to come to the Metropolitan Police Department? 】
Following the little girl's previous gaze, Okino Mina also looked at the Metropolitan Police Building in front of her.
[There must be a reason, right? Want to seek help from the police? still……】
"..."
"Mina, if I remember correctly, I didn't ask you to do anything yesterday, right?"
It was another morning in the Metropolitan Police Office. Shirakawa Kiyoshi was sitting at his desk with a glass of water, looking at the detective in front of him who had been disguised as Okino Mina.
The detective this time was obviously a woman. The badge hanging on her chest showed her police number and name, and her police rank was from the police department.
Compared with the police department of the previous two days, today's police officer Okino Mina's rank has been lowered by one level, which is a pity.
While Shirakawa Kiyo was talking, Okino Mina was holding a kettle in her hand, watering the green plants in his office.
Hearing the sound, she turned around and asked, "What a ruthless man. Chief Baihe, can't I come to your office if nothing happens?"
Her rhetorical question was very sharp.
"I didn't mean it that way."
When Bai Heqing put down the water glass, he frowned subconsciously, as if he had something to say, but when he really spoke, he turned to other topics.
"Is it okay to leave Yoko alone?"
"You don't have to worry about this. The child is over three years old. It's time to go to kindergarten."
Okino Mina heard this and replied with a smile.
You can go to kindergarten in Japan if you are over three years old.
"I just took Yoko to the nearby kindergarten to take the entrance exam yesterday. Today is her first official day of school. Although kindergarten is not yet within the scope of compulsory education... By the way, you guys don't want to see me so much. ?”
As soon as she finished talking about Yoko, Okino Mina's face suddenly changed and she glared at Shirakawa Kiyoshi with a fierce look on her face.
She naturally knew that by bringing up the topic of Yoko, Bai Heqing was sending her the signal "it's time to go back" in a roundabout way.
"I really didn't mean that..."
Bai Heqing sighed softly, with a slightly embarrassed and tangled expression on his face.
"To be honest, I don't mind you, Mina, coming to the Metropolitan Police Department in disguise, but... if it's possible, Mina, could you... not use the identity of a female detective every time when you come to see me?"
"……Eh?"
Bai Heqing had a headache.
Although Okino Mina's disguise technique is enough to allow her to hide her gender, it may be her own gender preference. Even if she can perfectly disguise herself as a male, she will basically choose a female unless there is a mandatory requirement. Come to disguise.
For example, every time I come to the Metropolitan Police Department to see Shirakawa Qing...
"Although I don't have any ideas myself, it may be that the two of us have met more frequently in the Metropolitan Police Department recently. It seems that some rumors about me have been circulating in the police department..."
"Huh? What rumors?" Although she was vaguely aware of it in her heart, Okino Mina still asked subconsciously.
"They all said..."
Raising his head to meet Okino Mina's gaze, Shirakawa Kiyo said word by word:
"Chief Baihe, who has been single for so many years, finally plans to take action against the police beauties in the hall."
"puff……"
Although it was very unkind, after hearing Bai Heqing's rather resentful words, the instigator couldn't help laughing.
That's right, the reasons for these rumors circulating in the Metropolitan Police Department recently are all from Okino Mina.
In order to prevent the relationship between the two from being exposed and causing unnecessary trouble to Okino Mina, the former thief would randomly disguise himself as a female detective from the Metropolitan Police Department every time he came to see him at the Metropolitan Police Department. , it’s never the same every time.
Of course, it's not completely random.
Every time, Okino Mina would choose a female detective who was on vacation that day to disguise herself.
Secondly, in order to prevent her disguise from being seen through, every time she came to the Metropolitan Police Department, she would deliberately avoid crowded places, and every time she would go straight to Shirakawa Qing's office, deliberately acting like she was in a hurry, to prevent Being greeted or spoken to by other detectives.
She has never failed this move so far.
Just "find Chief Shirakawa" is enough to stop most of the detectives who want to talk to her. Even if they meet a detective who is familiar with the original owner, the most they can do is say hello to her. Of course Okino Mina It will never respond.
As for the situation where the original owner is questioned afterwards... it basically won't happen.
After all, the detectives at the Metropolitan Police Department are usually very busy, and Okino Mina didn't come to the Metropolitan Police Department very often in the past, so generally no one would deliberately care about it.
Even if you ask about it, it will only happen after a while, and it will be over after a while of doubts and teasing between friends.
But recently, with Okino Mina's visits to the Metropolitan Police Department increasing, this delicate balance has been broken.
(˙ー˙)
(End of chapter)
