Chapter 7: Miffa's Unexpectedly Deep Friendship

“Have you not considered it at all?”
Shiratori’s next words pulled Ji Yi back to reality.
“Oh, so it’s about me. I thought you were going to give up on your beloved Miyako.”
“There’s too much of an age gap,” Ji Yi replied.
Kujō was already 33; calling her an older sister was an understatement.
Shiratori seemed somewhat disappointed.
“I’ve said it many times—I’m not going to pursue Sato,” Ji Yi knew exactly what was on her mind.
But Shiratori didn’t react as if her thoughts had been exposed; she simply answered lightly, “I wasn’t thinking about that. It’s just that Officer Matsumoto’s daughter is about to get married, so this came to mind.”
Ah, so the chatter overheard in the corridor earlier was because the superior’s daughter was getting married.
Damn it, that means a wedding gift...
Ji Yi wasn’t sure if his focus was appropriate, but he felt the real issue lay elsewhere.
Then he recalled Matsumoto Kiyonaga’s daughter, Sayuri Matsumoto.
He remembered that Matsumoto Kiyonaga had been quite displeased with his daughter’s boyfriend before. Not long after Ji Yi had proven his capabilities upon joining, Matsumoto had even tried to set him up with his daughter.
Of course, Ji Yi had immediately refused.
Getting involved in someone else’s relationship in Yonehana Town—did he not know how that would end?
Even though he was rooted at the grassroots, his loyalty to the Metropolitan Police Department was unwavering. Why would a superior set him up like that?
He hadn’t expected that the wedding would come around so quickly...
Well, good—he’d dodged a bullet.
However, it seemed Matsumoto Kiyonaga hadn’t given up on him yet.
Just after lunch, stepping out of the cafeteria, Ji Yi saw Matsumoto motioning for him to come over.
“You want me to look into your future son-in-law? That Takasugi Group heir, Takasugi Toshihiko?”
Is he serious? Not satisfied with an heir to a conglomerate? And now, of all times, with the wedding imminent, he wants an investigation? That doesn’t seem right.

“Yes, I’ve always had doubts about that kid’s intentions!”
Matsumoto’s tone was resolute.
“...”
Even if fathers-in-law and sons-in-law naturally clash, this was over the top. I mean, you’re just a managing officer, and the other party is a powerful family—this is unnecessary...
“I think in matters like these, it’s better to trust your own child more,” Ji Yi decided to try to reason with his superior. There really was no need for this.
“No, I must find out the truth about that kid!” Matsumoto insisted firmly. “He was originally Sayuri’s friend-turned-lover, and after they broke up, he became Sayuri’s boyfriend. Something about that doesn’t sit right with me.”
“Hm?” Ji Yi suddenly found himself intrigued.
Breaking up in Yonehana Town only to marry your best friend? Sounds like a recipe for disaster.
Or perhaps Sayuri Matsumoto’s star of doom was flickering.
Originally, Ji Yi had planned to make some excuse about being busy, hoping Matsumoto would back off. After all, in matters like this, he had his own connections and wasn’t afraid of being set up.
But now...
This plot development was unmistakably Yonehana Town style.
It wouldn’t be surprising if a “best friend betrayal” or “scumbag deserves to die” drama unfolded.
Though ignoring it might save him from having to contribute to the wedding gift, if there was a chance to prevent a case before it happened, that would be better. After all, if a case arose, it would end up on his desk, and stopping it early would save a lot of trouble.
“Alright, if you insist, I’ll use my spare time to look into it,” Ji Yi agreed. “But I can’t promise to find anything useful.”
Most likely, he wouldn’t find anything. After all, he was investigating the best friend.
Matsumoto left quite satisfied.
Although this was a side task assigned by the boss, when it came from the boss, it wasn’t really a “side task.”
That afternoon, Matsumoto directly contacted Sayuri Matsumoto’s best friend, Takasugi Toshihiko’s ex-girlfriend, Kazumi Takenaka—whose reputation was already a bit shady just from her identity.
They met at the agreed-upon café.
Kazumi Takenaka was a beautiful woman with some freckles on her face.
“What does the detective want with me?” Kazumi’s tone was cool. After all, most people wouldn’t be too warm when contacted by the police without cause.

Ji Yi wore an expression of helplessness. “Honestly, I’m in a bind too. It’s my superior’s request—I have to investigate his daughter’s fiancé.”
Kazumi was quick to catch on. “So it was Sayuri’s father who asked you to investigate?”
“Yes,” Ji Yi responded with the weary look of a worker. “It would help if you could provide something so I can report back. Officer Matsumoto seems really displeased with Mr. Takasugi...”
“What’s there to be unhappy about?” Kazumi didn’t seem too bothered. “I think he’s just an overly protective father who can’t accept that his daughter’s grown up.”
“Probably,” Ji Yi acknowledged. “Honestly, I don’t think there’s anything to investigate. But the officer is very concerned that Mr. Takasugi had dated one of Sayuri’s friends. While I think it’s normal to break up if things don’t work out, as you said, sometimes fathers are just too protective and don’t realize their kids can make their own decisions.”
“Oh, that’s it,” Kazumi said, softening. “I thought it was something serious. The friend of Sayuri and Toshihiko you mentioned—that’s me.”
“Ah?” Ji Yi feigned surprise at just the right moment.
“It’s nothing much. I stepped back because Toshihiko was Sayuri’s childhood sweetheart,” Kazumi said with a smile. “But please keep this between us.”
Damn, childhood sweetheart—the strongest cosmic trump card.
Hearing “childhood sweetheart,” Ji Yi felt the matter was practically closed. Everyone knows that in this universe, childhood sweethearts are a get-out-of-jail-free card, even Death itself can’t override that.
“Strange, if they’re childhood sweethearts, why wouldn’t Officer Matsumoto know?” Ji Yi asked out of curiosity.
“That’s because a lot happened...” Kazumi began to explain.
For example, Toshihiko Takasugi wasn’t originally a Takasugi by birth. He was adopted by the Takasugi family after losing his real parents in a childhood accident. That accident was actually caused during a chase by Sayuri’s father, Matsumoto Kiyonaga, when the suspect fled.
Perhaps because Ji Yi had been subtly showing he was “on your side,” and since there was nothing to hide, plus the natural human urge to gossip, Kazumi revealed everything she’d been asked by Sayuri to look into.
She even let slip the frustration Sayuri felt over how to handle the feud brewing between her childhood sweetheart fiancé and her father.
“...”
To be frank, Kazumi could be considered Yonehana Town’s top best friend.
Her boyfriend ran off with her best friend, yet she wasn’t angry at all and was so dutiful.
However, it was likely that this big-hearted lady hadn’t realized that Takasugi Toshihiko was not as simple as they all thought.