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Free Me From the Sun (Yuichanzu) (TEASER 1.5/2)

Ring-a-ling. The bell on the door chimed as a pair entered the otter themed coffee shop. Hirate turned to see who they were, finding the customers to be the police pair of Oda Nana and Suzumoto Miyu.

As Kobayashi's eyes met Suzumoto's, Suzumoto paused in her steps and seemed to hint at Oda that she wanted them to leave. Yet, Oda continued forward, greeting Hirate genially and politely asking if she could take the seat across from Kobayashi.

Oda Nana greeted Kobayashi as she slid into the seat across from the crime boss. "Hey."

Suzumoto gave a suspicious nod but took a seat next to Oda Nana.

Kobayashi returned the greeting, "Hello, Oda Nana, Suzumoto."

Coincidentally, all of them were off duty at the moment, wearing casual clothes that failed to betray the identity of their occupations. The air that surrounded the table conveyed all that needed to be conveyed.

Oda Nana dropped a conversation starter, "So, nice weather today."

Kobayashi retorted, "Yes, it's grey and cloudy." She then clamped her mouth shut, realizing that she had spoken more scathingly than intended upon seeing Oda Nana's surprised reaction.

"Troubles recently?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Well, I guess it seemed nostalgic."

"Let's cut to the chase though." Suzumoto was irritated at the softness in Oda Nana's voice. She directed her words to Kobayashi, reiterating what she and her partner had discussed previously. "This is off the books, but we think you're reasonable and have morals. This substance, don't deal in it." The silver haired police officer threw a small packet of powder on the table.

Kobayashi pushed the packet away, "Do you really think I do drugs?"

"That's not qui-" Oda Nana tried to diffuse the tension that starting to build between the two girls.

"Quiet for a moment." Suzumoto skillfully shushed her partner. "It's not a matter of whether or not you do but a matter of the fact that this quicksilver is on the streets. 'Your' streets."

"Akimoto's..." Everything was Akimoto's fault. Kobayashi couldn't escape her own responsibilities by saying helpless words like that; she knew.

"Has it become his streets?" Oda Nana appeared almost disappointed.

"No." Kobayashi scowled. "Don't believe for a second that I'd allow that."

Oda Nana murmured, "Maybe it'd be better if you quit this business." Then, Oda Nana spoke up. "This is off the books too, but we're willing to cooperate with your group if it's to get these drugs off the streets."

"We can negotiate about that at a later date."

"By the way, what happened with Imaizumi?"

"Don't overstep your bounds."

In the end, even the hot chocolate cooled.

The crime boss sat in the black car with her enforcer Shida. As the chauffeur drove along the usual streets, Kobayashi asked for a report from her subordinate. Yuipon tiredly leaned back, knowing that she could trust her back to Manaka.

"There's a drug problem within the ranks." Manaka started with headache inducing words.

Kobayashi said, "I've trust you've dealt with it."

"Of course. Yazawa's been made an example of." The enforcer nodded. "But, it's troubling. The effects of the substance make the addicts difficult to deal with."