"Sorry about the room, Uchiba-san... It's all we could prepare..."
Rin-san said this while offering me cocoa. I wrapped my hands around the stainless steel mug. The warmth seeping into my palms felt comforting.
"No... Please don't worry about it."
That was all I managed to say in a small voice. Maybe because my nerves hadn't settled yet, the words didn't come out smoothly.
This was a room in a city hotel near the station. Though Rin-san called it "this kind of room," it was actually a double room with a king-size bed and a long sofa, reasonably spacious. The lighting was subdued, creating a chic atmosphere, but my heart still hadn't calmed. Rin-san sat in a chair, watching me perched on the bed with an uneasy expression.
"I'm truly sorry about this incident. It was entirely our failure. I don't know how to apologize enough to you, Uchiba-san."
As she said this, Rin-san suddenly stood from her chair, placed both knees and hands on the floor, and bowed deeply. I hadn't realized she took this incident so seriously. Startled, I quickly set the mug on the table and waved my hands in front of Rin-san.
"P-please stop. Toru's the one at fault here. Besides, Hongo-san wasn't even supposed to start guarding me until next week, so you don't need to feel responsible..."
"No, this is the police force's collective failure. So I share responsibility too. We failed in our fundamental duty, so no apology could ever be enough."
I'd noticed earlier, but Rin-san really does have a strong sense of responsibility. And she takes immense pride in her work. That's why she can't forgive this failure.
I found myself staring at her as she raised her head. Her slightly moist eyes and disheveled bangs looked... incredibly alluring. And that face—it's utterly captivating. In a word: cool and elegant. A perfectly shaped V-line face with a straight nose, large cat-like eyes exuding mystery, and lips set firmly to show her strong will. A face so beautiful it could be straight out of manga. My first impression held true—the more I looked, the more she resembled Raymond from "Jewel Knight."
"P-please sit back down. Your apology is more than enough, and I'm not angry."
"Truly... I'm so sorr—ah!"
"Eek!"
As Rin-san tried to stand, her foot caught on the chair. Losing her balance, she ended up falling right on top of me.
"Ah, s-sorry..."
Pinned to the bed, I found myself face-to-face with Rin-san. Her cheeks seemed faintly flushed.
"N-no... um... your hand..."
"Ahh!! S-sorry!!"
Rin-san's right hand was gripping my left breast with full force. Her slender white fingers sank in deeper as my heartbeat accelerated. But she quickly pulled her hand away.
"...I'm truly sorry... I keep making things worse..."
Back in her chair, she apologized haltingly while looking down to her lower left. She must have been extremely flustered—her tone had completely changed, now sounding fragile.
"It's fine. That was an accident, don't worry about it."
"Th... thank you."
Hearing my words, Rin-san lifted her head and gave me a genuinely happy smile. That face of hers is truly beautiful. With looks like that, she could have chosen any career—why pick something as dangerous as being a police officer? Purely out of curiosity, I decided to ask.
"Um... this might seem sudden, but... why did you become a police officer, Hongo-san?"
"Huh? Oh... why I became an officer..."
"No, I was just curious... I mean, someone like you could easily be an actress or model, haha..."
Perhaps thrown by the abrupt question, Rin-san looked slightly confused. But after a moment's thought, she slowly began speaking.
"When I was little, I was sickly... the kind of child who missed school often."
"Wow, that's surprising. Hard to imagine now."
"So in third grade, I started going to a local Aikido dojo to build up my strength."
Apparently Rin-san had a natural talent for Aikido—her health improved dramatically, transforming her into a model student. Her skills progressed rapidly too; by middle and high school, she was placing in numerous competitions and gaining national recognition.
"I'd always done Aikido and was fairly confident in it. But..."
Here, Rin-san lowered her eyes. After a pause, she continued haltingly.
"I got attacked... in my third year of high school."
"Wha—?!"
"Well, 'attacked' might be strong—someone just grabbed me from behind on a nighttime street..."
"Did you... use Aikido on them?"
"That's the thing... I froze up completely. Couldn't do a thing. Normally I could counter and pin someone easily, but in that moment... nothing."
"What happened then?"
"I got rescued. By a female officer who happened to be on patrol..."
At that time, the town had seen a spike in incidents involving suspicious persons, so police had increased patrols—Rin-san was lucky it didn't turn worse.
"But I'm glad nothing terrible happened to you. You must be grateful to that officer."
"...The woman who saved me was actually still a police academy student at the time, in training. But she grabbed the attacker's arm and subdued him instantly... I was completely in awe. I wanted to see her again so badly..."
"So you became an officer... Did you ever meet her again?"
"Yes. She was extremely capable—she's an inspector now."
"Wait, is that person...?"
"Right. Inspector Hachisu. I aspire to be an officer like her."
As she said this, Rin-san's eyes shone especially bright while gazing into the distance.
"...I see. But I think you're already a fine officer, Hongo-san. You saved me today."
"No, I let Nagata get away. Compared to Inspector Hachisu, I'm still nowhere close."
"Th-that's not true..."
This person... has such low self-esteem, but even Hachisu-san couldn't have caught Toru while also tending to my injuries. I'm only here now because Rin-san arrived in time. That alone is enough... If she'd been any later, I wouldn't be here right now. The thought sends a chill down my spine.
"...Will Toru be caught?"
Maybe because I've calmed down slightly, the earlier fear resurfaces. My voice shakes as I ask Rin-san.
"Absolutely. We've issued an emergency alert—over fifty officers are pursuing Nagata now. He has no allies, so arrest is just a matter of time."
Rin-san states this firmly to reassure me, but the fear that's taken root won't fade.
"But... even if Toru gets arrested and goes to prison... he'll get out someday, and then... he'll still kill me, won't he?"
"We won't allow that. We'll protect you with our lives, Uchiba-san."
Rin-san looks straight into my eyes as she says this. Without realizing, she's taken a firm hold of my shoulders. I must have been shaking badly—I hadn't even noticed. I'm so terrified I feel like I'm losing my mind.
"I... I'm scared... I don't... don't want to die..."
The trembling won't stop. Rin-san holds me gently, but I can't control my emotions at all.
"Mmmh!?"
Wha... no way... Rin-san's lips... are touching mine!? A kiss!? I'm kissing... Rin-san!?
The shock blows away my fear in an instant. Eyes wide, I'm frozen in place.
"Chu... kchu... haah... mmnh..."
Rin-san kisses me, enveloping my lips. Hers are so soft, and the touch of her tongue feels incredible. Kissing a girl. And with Rin-san, of all people... My mind goes completely blank from this entirely new sensation.
"S-sorry. I didn't know what to do... I don't know why I did that..."
Coming to her senses, Rin-san pulls back and apologizes, looking remorseful. But I can't help grabbing the back of her head and pulling her in. This time, I press my lips to hers.
"Chu... kchu..."
The softness of her lips spreads from mine throughout my body. I tentatively lick her lips with my tongue, and immediately, Rin-san's tongue meets mine. We intertwine, sucking greedily at each other's saliva.
"Mmmph... schlurp... mmnh... haah..."
"Lick... chu... haah..."
How long has it been? Lost in the kiss, we lose track of time. Eventually, the long kiss ends, a silver thread stretching between our lips.
"N-no good... we can't... do this..."
Rin-san says weakly, her face red. She looks so adorable like this, it's endearing.
"I'm... so happy... more... with you, Hongo-san..."
As I say this, my fingers find the buttons of her blouse.