"Mystery gets easy once it's solved"
That sentence used to stuck in her head for a while, yet she never really forgot it. As someone who was involved with mystery and cases, most of them dangerous, she put this sentence somewhere in her mind. Since that was what she was told back then.
"But sir, i've found more evidences, more detailed!" said a girl with (h/c) in a bun wearing cop's uniform. Holding paper folders to her chest as she was standing in front of a man in his mid 30's. Holding somewhat worried expression on her face as the man looked at her unfazed. Anxiety eating her as she tried to brush it off.
That girl was (L/n) (Y/n)
"I've just informed you, (L/n)-San. The case is already solved" replied the man bluntly. He was her boss, an officer. They were given a case to solve as a practice in twenty-four hours as time limit. She worked on it all day, beneath her eyes was bloomed crimson bags, a sign to her lack of sleep. She knew she might not be able to solve the case in twenty-four hours or less, but since it was her beloved job, she
believed she could proof herself.
So hearing this, made her feel like she was being tricked.
"Th-then at least...please take a look at the evidences i've found" she pleaded, deciding not to argue about why she wasn't informed about the case being already solved. She handed the files to the officer, he took them and gazed them bluntly. She could tell he wasn't even reading at all. That irritated her but she kept quiet. The man flipped over the papers in less than seconds. Before she could open her mouth, he tossed the papers on the desk.
"I appreciate your hard-working, (L/n)-San, but your evidences aren't useful anymore. In fact, they are nothing"
Now this wasn't something she could brush off, not after putting all her power into the case "wh-what do you mean they are nothing...?" Her voice shaked. The officer didn't respond. Instead, he lightened his cigarette and put it into his mouth, puffing the dirty air out. As if waiting for the girl to leave. But that increased her anger.
"I...i've been working on the case non-stop, i know they might not be the best but...just because the case is solved doesn't mean i tried nothing!" The last part of the sentence, came out of her mouth in higher tone. Unintentionally.
"You have no right to raise your voice at your officer! Know your place, (L/n) (Y/n)!" The man slammed his fist on the table, causing the twenty years old girl to flinch. Then silence. An uncomfortable silence. She remained quiet, not because she couldn't answer back, but because she was mad, disappointed.
"By the way, even if your evidences were enough, they were no use because someone else has already solved the case" he locked his fat fingers together as he rested his jaw on them "who solved this!?" She couldn't stop herself from asking. Desperate to know who solved the case faster than her, what evidences could they have to make hers useless?
"I did" a male's voice almost echoed throughout the office. (Y/n) froze for a brief moment, like she took a moment to observe this. She found that expected, yet unexpected at the same time. Once the words and voice was heard by (Y/n)'s ears, she sharply turned around. Sound of shoes against the ground became louder as the steps got closer. Revealed a man from the shadows.
"I solved the case in less an hour" that sentence held sarcasm as the owner of it smirked. Which she found disgusting, to the point she desired to throw up "Good job, Ruikõ Kuroiwa" boss stated while her rival stepped forward, passed the (h/c) haired girl. She couldn't feel more dumbfounded. This was too awkward for her "congratulation for successfully solving your first case" with that being said by the officer, he opened the drawer pulling out something and handed him.
It was an appreciation
She just watched, though she wasn't too afar from them; she felt like she's getting away from them. It wasn't like she was being jealous, but the thought that it was her who deserved the appreciation never left her mind. Her grasps around the papers, aka her evidences tightened as the edges of papers clutched. She pressed the papers to her chest. She didn't want to talk, she didn't even want her eyes to be met with someone, especially the two in front of her, 'they are disgusting' she thought
She stood there, not noticing the presented detective walked passed her, giving her a mocking, ugly grin "later, loser" her (e/c) orbs shut widen as she sharply turned around, but her rival was gone out the office. She bit her down lip
What she could have said as respond?
"(L/n)-San, as your teacher and officer, i give you an advice" she was fighting the urge not to curse the man right on his face. Whatever the hell was that advice, she didn't want to hear. Shadow covering her upper face along with her bangs. Her sight seemed to get dark, blurry then normal and then repeat, she found herself in her most pathetic situation.
"Thank you, officer-San, but i'm not looking forward to hear that" she stepped forward the door she opened earlier and rushed in the door excitedly. How the tables turned, she thought. She wanted to leave and bear with her losing on her own. She was inches apart from the door, only to be stopped by the officer.
"You want to hear it or not, it's your choice, but i give my advice anyway"
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Walking down the hallway of the academy, she couldn't help but feel a bit sick after the event she had. Some would say that wasn't a big deal, but when someone tries their best for something and don't receive it, it is very big deal. That was why she was hurt "what an easy case was that right?" And that was all she needed to be explored.
But she held in
"Oh sorry i forgot you couldn't solve it" he mocked at her, she bit her down lip 'I did solve it, you son of--' she didn't know how her thoughts didn't appear on her tongue "I hope to see you solve your case one day as detective, that's if you can be a detective" at this point, her nails were ripping her palms apart, teeth hurting her lip, but she couldn't find any words to slap him with, he was the one who got the appreciation.
"I doubt if you can even be a police" with that, he left. (Y/n) stood still, wanting nothing but to get out and never come back to that academy, and that's when she remembered that advice.
"Mystery gets easy once it's solved, never forget that"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I didn't" she's sat behind her desk in the office, finding herself going back to that event again. Leaving her lunch in front of herself. She remembers that sentence, she thinks about it. Every case she witnessed being solved, she recalled that sentence, and slowly realized what that officer said was true, every cases, mystery gets easy once they are solved as she noticed many times.
However, she knew what that officer meant by that sentence, telling that advice right after he insisted someone else has already solved the case. She couldn't help but catch this meaning behind that sentence :
"The case is solved and now that it became easy, you used the opportunity to collect evidences and say you solved the case"
"I hope to see you solve your first case as a detective, that's as if you become a detective, i doubt if you can even become a police"
She gritted her teeth, those were the words she hated, they never left her mind, trying to pull her down each time she succeeded in something, she remembers that time she even thought of quitting becoming a detective or police and start a new job.
But now here she was, already solved her first case successfully, she smirked, wanted that officer and her former rival to be there and watch her solving her first case faster than a police officer, then see them dumbfounded. She imagined their faces, that made her laugh.
She then leant on her chair and mumbled "I wonder what Ranpo is doing"
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A/n : i'm sorry for late update and short chapter ; thank you so much for being patient and 1k+ reads tho this book isn't even ten chapters. I appreciate it ^^ so this chapter revealed a part of (Y/n)'s past and the reason why she was so excited about solving her first case. Also, this book may or may not contain spoilers of "the founding of ADA" which is the third novel. hope you enjoyed this chapter ^^