Chapter 2:

Momo and Mina’s car ride to their destination was absolutely silent. Mina wanted to ask many questions regarding her job and Momo in general but didn’t dare to open because of the aura that had been released into the car signaled to stay quiet. So Mina just stared at her feet and glanced at Momo here and there to only find a still expressionless cold Momo concentrating on driving the car.

“What? Stop staring at me like that. Do I have something on my face?” Momo suddenly spat.

“Uh n-no you don’t have anything on your face, Hirai-san. May I ask you a question sir I mean m-ma’am?”  Mina nervously replied back.

Momo just glared at her for a few good seconds until she replied back, “Sure. Just one question though and nothing about work. I’m not teaching you anything. You should watch and learn.”

“Yes ma’am! Um, why did you become a police detective Hirai-san? I mean, I heard you graduated college very early so technically you could have had higher position jobs I assume.” Mina asked.

“I’m surprised you asked that one out of all the other questions you could have asked. I love my job but I was a fool back then. I thought I could save everyone if I became part of the police force. But now I know, the police are just part of the government and we can’t really save every single person out there. That we need sacrifices. “Momo replied smiling sadly.

Mina saw emotion in Momo’s eyes besides anger for the first time. She saw a hint of sadness in them. It was also the first time she saw Momo smile too. Her heart fluttered the moment she saw her smile but at the same time it was crushed because she saw how sad Momo was.

“Did something happe—“Hurry and get out Myoui, we’re here.” Momo cut her off. She had returned back to the cold and expressionless Momo.

As Mina got out of the car, she looked around her surroundings. She was in a nice residential area with many beautiful houses. Most of them being two-storied. Not too many apartments, suggested that this area was more on the richer community side. But not quite as luxurious and securitized as the district next to this area. Making it the perfect target for theft.

“Let’s start by visiting the houses that are involved in the case. I had Jihyo text me the addresses.” Momo said and walked off to a direction. Mina followed right behind. When Momo suddenly stopped in her tracks making Mina bump into her back once again.

“Aish you really like bumping into people’s backs don’t you?! Pay attention more to your surroundings. We’re here by the way.” Momo sarcastically said while pushing the doorbell of the house they were standing in front of. It was a nice two story home with white walls and ts. Also had a small garden in the front and it was the last house at a cul de sac which gave a lot of room for the driveway and plenty of front yard space to play in too.

As Mina was scanning her surroundings, the door of the white house opened and a pretty women in about her early 30’s came out with a questioned look on her face. “Do you guys need something?” she asked.

“Yes, we’re from the police headquarters department 1. I am Hirai Momo and this is my assistant Myoui Mina. I believe other police have come to talk to you but I would appreciate it if you tell us the story too. Starting today, we’re taking over this case.”

“Oh you guys are very young officers. I heard the case was transferred over because in another house a person was found unconscious. I was expecting older men to come barging for questions but this is a nice surprise. Come on in,” the homeowner answered.

The inside was nice and cozy and it reminded Mina of her actual home back in Kobe. She hadn’t gone back in a while and missed her parents quite a lot. Since the police headquarters is in Tokyo and the station she used to work at was also in Tokyo right near her apartment, she hadn’t been able to go see her parents for a long time. Last time she saw them was probably last August during the obon season. Since she wasn’t able to return during the winter because of her busy schedule. It’s cherry blossom season now, making Mina miss her hometown even more because she longed to see the cherry blossom park near her house.

The homeowner led them to the living room and told them to sit while she would bring us some tea. Momo refused but she insisted and Momo reluctantly gave in. The homeowner came back with teas and some snacks and sat down on the chair across from us.

“Sorry I didn’t introduce myself yet. I am Mari Hoshino, the owner of this house. I live here with my husband and 7 year old son. He just started grade school.” She introduced.

“Nice to meet you Hoshino-san. I would like to get straight to the point since we have to ask go around other houses involved in this also. Please answer truthfully. First, what were you doing before the incident? Second, did you see any suspicious people? And third, what were the stolen items from your house?” Momo asked. Mina got her notebook and pen out to write whatever Ms.Hoshino was about to say.

“Well it’s nice to meet you both too, Hirai-san and Myoui-san. And yes, of course I will answer truthfully. Before the incident, I went to go pick up my seven year old son. I did not see any suspicious people in the area though I heard our neighbors did. The stolen things from our house are some of my jewelry, my husband’s watch, and silverware my mother who had passed away had given us. I don’t care about the jewelry and the watch. I really want the silverware back though.” Ms. Hoshino replied slightly tearing up.

“We’ll try our best,” Momo reassured her. Then asked, “Did you do anything before picking up your son?”

“Uh well… actually, I was doing laundry in the morning. After my son and husband left. Then, the newspaper and package delivery people came so I went to go fetch both. Along with the newspaper and packages, were a basket of fruit. I took them all in and finished laundry and cleaning the house. Afterwards, I felt a little tired so I decided to eat the fruit and cut them.  After eating the fruit and sitting on the couch. I don’t remember much, I completely blanked out. When I woke up, I realized I had to go pick up my son and that I was already 10 minutes late. I rushed out the door and when we came back, the house was a mess and I called 110 (911 in Japan.)”

“I see. Thank you. Do you still have the fruits basket Ms. Hoshino? Do you mind if I take it? We need to have the lab inspect its contents. Also, do you know anyone from these five photos we have here? Apparently they were spotted around the area when the crimes occurred.” Momo said taking put the photos and putting them on the table in front of her.

“If you need it for the investigation, go ahead and take it,” she coolly replied as she took the photos in her hand. She inspected each of them carefully and had a surprised look on her face. “I actually know 2 of these people. These two photos on the end. The guy wearing the green cap is the delivery man and the boy wearing the red cap is the newspaper boy I was talking about earlier,” she told us.

“You’re sure that these 2 men are the delivery and newspaper men?” Momo asked.

“Yes, I’m sure. I see them almost every day!” Ms. Hoshino replied back.

“Thank you Ma’am. We better get going now. We will try our best to solve the case as soon as possible. The tea and cookies were delicious, thank you very much.” Momo bowed and Mina followed. They quickly left the house and went around the rest of the house asking questions. Although Momo led the first interrogation at the white house, she let Mina ask some questions and lead the investigation at the other houses.

After finishing, they went back to the car. Mina buckled in her seat belt and saw that Momo had not started the engine yet. She had her phone out and Mina was about to ask her what she was doing when Momo just put her finger to her lips and stared at her. Mina thought that when Momo did that gesture she looked so damn y that she couldn’t take her eyes off her. Momo had seemed to put the phone on speaker phone so it had started ringing and after a few rings, someone picked up.

“Hello?”

“Hey Jihyo, we finished all the houses. And guess what? I win again this time. You and Doyoung oppa owe me Jokbal.” Momo said with an evil grin on her face.

“WHAT?! What do you mean you won? Explain yourself girl.” Jihyo replied scornfully.

“Well, one we narrowed down the suspect from five to two, and second, we found out the culprits way of getting into the houses. As soon as I hand stuff over to the lab and if they find something, that’ll be the evidence.” Momo smirked.

“Fine. You win. Oppa and I narrowed it to three suspects. But we have no idea how they got inside the house. It seems like you and Mina make good partners.” Jihyo sighing and smiling at the same time.

Momo froze when Jihyo said that but coldly replied back, “Well she is good for a newbie. But still has a long way to go. Don’t forget jokbal tonight Jihyo.” And hung up the phone.

Momo then started laughing really loudly which surprised Mina. She was laughing really hard to the point she was holding her stomach. As she was laughing she gasped out,” Hahaha I can totally imagine the face Jihyo is making right now, hahahaha Ahh It’s so funny. That’s why I love teasing Jihyo.” Mina just had open and didn’t say anything. She didn’t expect the cold and calm Momo to be a prankster. After a few seconds, she started the engine and started driving. She was back to the cold Momo Mina knew.

“Let’s go back and hand over the evidences to the lab. We can call it a day after that probably. Wait never mind, we need to finish some paperwork for registering as partners and write a report file for this case. Then we can probably leave,” Momo said.

Authors Note:

Sorry for the really late update! College started again so I was really busy! I’m still probably going to be busy until winter break so I’m not sure if I can update fast. >-< I’m really sorry! I’ll try to update as fast as possible. I already have the last 3 chapters written out. It’s just that I need to write the ones in between lol. And sorry if the story is confusing too. The setting is held in Japan and the story is based on the Japanese police force. It’s because 1. I don’t know anything about the Korea police force. 2. I know about the US police force but it’s not that interesting to write about in my opinion. And 3. I would have loved to have the setting in England and have them as agents in Interpol too but since I know most of the Japanese police system best, I decided the setting to be in Japan. Plus Mimo is Japanese so… Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter too! I’ll try to make it fluffier and have more MiMo and other ship interactions as the chapters go on.

Also do you guys want me to write Momo’s POV also? Or should I just finish the case?