“This is Inspector Hojo Maki.” After bowing to Hojo Maki, the counselor said to Shirakawa Natsu, “I’ll wait for you here. Just answer truthfully.”

Shirakawa Natsu carefully examined Hojo Maki, her first reaction being “big,” before her gaze moved upwards.

Her long hair was neatly tied up at the back of her head, making her look energetic and capable. She had almond-shaped eyes with a beauty mark at the corner of her eye.

She exudes the unique charm of a mature woman.

“Shirakawa-san, Jingu-san, don’t be nervous.” Hojo Maki’s voice was clear and easy to trust. “We’re just here to get some basic information from you. Shirakawa-san, may I come in with you?”

“Okay.” Shirakawa Natsu nodded, looked at Jingu Nao, and was relieved to see that she was alright.

He hadn’t committed any crime, and of course he wasn’t afraid of the police, but Uesugi Shikato disappeared after confessing his feelings to Jingu Nao.

She must be terrified.

“Don’t worry.” Jingu Nao noticed his gaze and reached out a hand to tug at Shirakawa Natsu’s sleeve. “I’m very capable.”

“Okay, don’t worry. If there’s any trouble, I’ll get a lawyer.” Shirakawa Natsu nodded and took her hand, which was trembling slightly.

I was completely fooled by her feigned composure.

Hojo Maki didn’t urge them. She waited until the two finished talking before opening the door and gesturing for Shirakawa Natsu to follow.

This is the school’s counseling room. There’s a small desk in the middle, and a young male police officer is standing next to it.

After Shirakawa Natsu entered, he smiled and his attitude was quite good.

Hojo Maki sat down in the chair and asked, “Shirakawa-san, can you tell us about your relationship with Uesugi Shikato and Tanaka Yu?”

“Just ordinary classmates,” Shirakawa Natsumi replied truthfully. “I don’t know the Tanaka Yu you’re talking about.”

“Okay, what were you doing two nights ago?” Hojo Maki asked, taking notes in her notebook.

“Two days ago?” Shirakawa Natsumi recalled for a moment, then said seriously, “I was eating yakitori with Ms. Zaono, Jingu Nao, and one of my roommates.”

“Okay.” Hojo Maki then asked a few more questions, such as her impression of Uesugi Shikato, whether he had any enemies, and when they last met.

Shirakawa Natsu answered truthfully to all of them.

After she seemed to have finished asking all her questions, Shirakawa Natsu finally spoke up: “What exactly happened to Uesugi Shikato?”

“Although it hasn’t been announced yet, I can tell you in advance.” Hojo Maki looked into Shirakawa Natsu’s eyes: “We found part of his body in Tokyo Bay.”

“Partial corpses?” Shirakawa Natsu was taken aback, but quickly calmed down and shook his head: “Life is truly unpredictable.”

The classmate who was with me just two days ago has suddenly become part of a corpse, which is quite creepy. After thinking for a moment, he said, “When Jingu Nao comes in later, could you please not use such a description?”

“Can you give me a reason?” Hojo Maki narrowed her eyes slightly.

“You want to hear this description to see our reaction,” Shirakawa Natsu said directly. “But finding the culprit is your police’s responsibility. If you use this to intimidate an innocent girl and cause her psychological trauma, I believe it will not look good for your police. And I happen to have the ability to amplify the whole matter, to make it seem like you investigated me before you came. In that case, it will not benefit either of us.”

“You are threatening the police.” Hojo Maki’s voice gradually turned cold, and her warm smile disappeared.

“I am stating the facts,” Shirakawa Natsumi said, her expression unchanged.

The atmosphere in the room gradually dropped to freezing point.

Suddenly, Hojo Maki smiled and said, “Are all kids these days so mentally strong?”

She looked at Shirakawa Natsumi: “Okay, I promise you, we won’t make things difficult for your little girlfriend.”

“Thank you.” Shirakawa Natsuya breathed a sigh of relief, it would be a lie to say he wasn’t nervous: “If there’s anything I can do to help, Inspector Hojo, please feel free to contact me.”

“Okay.” Hojo Maki smiled and handed over a business card: “This is my contact information. If you need any clues, you can let me know anytime.”

After Shirakawa Natsu left, the male police officer asked with a wrinkle, “Why should we compromise with him?”

Hojo Maki spoke first: “What is our purpose as police officers?”

The male police officer was taken aback: “Solve the case.”

“Yes.” Hojo Maki nodded. “He got involved in a voyeurism case yesterday. He was decisive and ruthless, and he has a certain influence. This case is very complicated. After considering everything, it won’t hurt us to agree to his request.”

After she finished speaking, she smiled and said, “Besides, he is still a child. Teenagers at this age are the most clear about their likes and dislikes. If we give him a little face, he may become our help. Why do something pointless and get into a fight of pride?”

“We are adults. It is our duty to solve cases and bring criminals to justice.”

“But this case is too bizarre.” The male police officer frowned. “Someone used Uesugi Shikato’s phone to ask for leave from school, and even the call records on the carrier’s end were deleted. This is something that no ordinary force could do. But if it is a powerful force, why would they target Uesugi Shikato?”

Shirakawa Natsu was unaware of the conversation between the two inside. After leaving, she gave Jingu Nao a reassuring look.

Shortly after, the male police officer came out and called Jingu Nao inside.

Shirakawa Natsu waited outside for half an hour before seeing Jingu Nao come out. The time was about the same as hers, and her expression was normal, so she breathed a sigh of relief.

“So even the shrine maiden has moments of fear.” Shirakawa Natsumi held her hand as they walked through the school.

Since the class had already started, they decided to wait until the next class to go.

“He’s a policeman after all. Even I would be nervous.” Jingu Nao pouted and nudged his chest with her head.

The two sat on the wooden chair and played around for a while. Shirakawa Natsu accidentally touched her long legs in stockings, and the feel was surprisingly good.

Jingu Nao did not resist, but glanced at him sideways with a half-smile.

As the two were playfully fighting, a woman dressed in androgynous style walked over from a distance. She looked at Jingu Nao and said, “Long time no see, Nao.”

“Long time no see~” Jingu Nao reached out and hugged Shirakawa Natsu’s arm, greeting her with a smile.

The androgynous woman didn’t say anything, but gave Shirakawa Natsu a deep look before waving and leaving.

“Who is she?” Shirakawa Natsu was puzzled by that look.

“Hehe, her~” Jingu Nao’s gaze wandered, and she scratched the back of her head and said, “My ex-boyfriend.”

“…” Shirakawa Natsumi’s lips twitched. He had heard rumors about Jingu Nao when he first arrived, but he didn’t expect her to be so wild. She always thought she was special. When she learned that she had liked more than just him, she felt a little annoyed: “She’s a girl.”

Jingu Nao pouted: “What can I do if I’ve fallen for someone?”

“Do you think you can like just anyone?” Shirakawa Natsu blurted out, then immediately regretted it. Looking at Jingu Nao, her expression had indeed changed.

“Idiot!” Jingu Nao stood up and slammed her head into his face.

“Ouch! That hurts.” Shirakawa Natsu covered her nose. She had definitely used all her strength in that one blow, and it almost brought tears to his eyes.

Jingu Nao glanced at him, then turned around and ran away angrily.

“Hey, wait a minute.” Shirakawa Natsu patted her head, got up to chase after her, but found that she ran very fast and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

After he left, on the rooftop of the nearby teaching building, the middle-aged man who had been following him yesterday watched his departing figure through binoculars.

He picked up the earpiece and said, “Boss, the police have gotten involved in the case. Shall we continue?”

“Go on, but be clean with your hands.”

Shirakawa Natsu failed to catch up with Jingu Nao and went to the classroom alone, where she saw Nao sitting in the front row.

“Don’t be angry.” Shirakawa Natsu walked over and sat down next to her.

“Hmph.” Jingu Nao turned her head away, stood up, and walked to a seat in the back row.

Shirakawa Natsu shook her head, did not chase after him, and sat in the classroom to listen to the lesson.

After class, Jingu Nao walked up to him, and before he could react, she suddenly reached out, grabbed his notebook, and tore it in two with a “rip” sound, then turned and ran away.

“Hey! You bastard, come back here!” Shirakawa Natsu slammed her hand on the table, stood up, and chased after him.

As I ran out of the classroom, I ran into Kimura Momo walking towards me from a distance.

“Mr. Xia, chasing is prohibited in the aisle.” Kimura Momo’s smile remained gentle and refined.

For a moment, Shirakawa Natsumi couldn’t reconcile her with the beautiful woman from yesterday who was dressed in a maid outfit, lying on the bed wagging her tail.