"Ahem, thanks."
Patting the dust from his clothes, Su Tang showed a hint of apology. "Sorry—your shirt got dirty because of me."
"It's fine. I was going to put it in the wash anyway. But…" Makima smiled with squinted eyes, drew out the final syllable for a beat, then said, "If Mr. Su Tang really feels bad, you can take it and wash it for me."
"Eh." Su Tang found he couldn't keep up with this woman's train of thought at all.
Still, it was just washing one extra shirt—he could have Power do it.
Seeing him agree, Makima's smile seemed even prettier.
She tapped a fingertip lightly on the desktop. "About the doctor's license—the assessment can start tomorrow. Since it's an internal assessment, there will be more questions involving devil hunters, specifically. Does Mr. Su Tang feel confident?"
"No problem."
Su Tang nodded. When he'd been preparing to open the clinic, of course he'd studied this profession unique to this world, the devil hunter.
Perhaps because years of fighting devils puts a lot of mental pressure on them—or for other reasons—their mental states are typically poor.
They very much need the help of a qualified psychiatrist.
"Mm." Makima nodded, as though remembering something. "Then how does Mr. Su Tang plan to handle lodging for the next two days? As I understand it, your clinic's roof hasn't been fixed yet. Do you want to stop over here for now?"
"Stop over?" Again he couldn't keep up with Makima's logic. He waved off the idea. "No, I'll book a hotel outside…"
"Hotels in Tokyo aren't cheap—especially around the Public Safety HQ area."
Resting her cheek on her hand, Makima's crossed foot swayed gently as she continued, "Or you could temporarily stay with Hayakawa for now. How about it?"
Oh—with Aki Hayakawa.
Su Tang had thought…
After a second's thought, he embraced the "frugality" he'd learned from Valon and agreed.
"Alright. I'll inform Hayakawa." Makima stood and went to the window. "I wonder if Mr. Su Tang has any plans next. If not, you could trail after Power and Denji-ko to see how they patrol—consider it an advance study of your future employee's work style."
That was a proper suggestion.
Su Tang, naturally, had nothing on his schedule. He never crammed before exams—the essentials were learned in advance, and before a test the priority was relaxing to avoid nerves ruining performance.
So he nodded and agreed.
As for whether he'd be discovered tailing them… Su Tang simply didn't worry.
As a member of the Black Hand he'd never studied tailing, and he didn't have the Snake Talisman or anything like it right now, but… he trusted in Denji-ko and Power's IQ!
The most perfect stealth is, of course, not stealthing at all! Get?
"I'll get going then."
Su Tang stood.
"Good." Makima nodded, not turning to see him out; her gaze stayed on the window, silent.
Outside the door, Himeno—who had let Denji-ko and Power go ahead while she lingered—took her ear off the door.
Her lips curved; propping her chin, she nodded to herself.
Then she quietly tiptoed away.
The next second after her silhouette vanished down the hall, the door opened.
Before leaving, Su Tang cast one last glance at Makima's back.
Even just standing silently by a window, this woman gave off a mysterious, melancholy air—as if she were always thinking.
Thinking what? Humanity's tomorrow? World peace?
As the chief of Division 4, she couldn't be thinking about what to have for her next meal.
Su Tang smiled, shut the door, and turned away.
Makima remained quietly standing.
Her gaze dropped to the ground, fixing on Denji-ko, just registered at Public Safety HQ.
In a voice only she could hear, she murmured:
"To set all one's longing for good things… on Su Tang, hm?"
—
Su Tang had thought his tail job would be easy, but not this easy.
The green-haired, green-eyed, eyepatched cool beauty up front had to be Himeno. Perhaps because she was considering that Denji-ko and Power were rookies, she deliberately slowed the patrol pace, walking very slowly.
Which meant Su Tang wouldn't lose them.
Plus, those two clowns Denji-ko and Power bickered practically every step. To his astonishment, Su Tang realized he didn't even need to summon the Shadow Corps.
Was he… naturally gifted at tailing?
Rubbing his chin, he began to doubt himself.
The next second, he saw the pair stop, slipping into a bickering climax.
Himeno turned and faced them, smiling as she watched, making no move to stop it.
Was she really Aki Hayakawa's senior?
Su Tang felt she and Aki were nothing alike.
Just as he hesitated about whether to keep following, he saw Himeno make a gesture, say something, and Denji-ko and Power fell in behind her as she turned down a side lane.
Su Tang followed without hesitation.
Soon he saw it was a dead end—a municipal nook for trash and grime.
Himeno's voice floated from around the bend:
"Ladies, this disharmony is really hurting the patrol. You don't want to fail your assignment and get punished by Miss Makima, do you?"
"I have a great idea. Since neither of you can out-argue the other, why not just fight it out! Whoever loses shuts up. How about it?"
"But we have to agree beforehand—no using your powers. If someone sees you, I can't explain it."
Hands behind her back, head cocked, Miss Himeno smiled at the two.
Peeking from the corner, Su Tang listened and was speechless.
That's your "great idea"…
Clearly, the other two didn't think so.
"Fine! I'll even let you, a lowly human, take the first swing!"
Power laughed with disdain—but her hands didn't match her mouth. Before the words finished, she threw a punch straight at Denji-ko's shoulder.
And Denji-ko? She'd had the same idea.
Strike first!
But she didn't use her hands—her lips stretched into a dangerous grin, and she snapped a high kick at Power's crotch.
"Haha! You filthy woman, taste the pain of the Perineum Devil!"
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