𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐒𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑. || 𝐓𝐎𝐊𝐘𝐎 𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐒

PART 28.

OCTOBER, 2017

"Has anyone ever enlightened you of how obnoxious you are?" 

"Others would use terms like persistent or headstrong. I have earned a title of respect by being what you call 'obnoxious'."

Naoto was far from convinced and even slightly offended himself that she considered her title "respectful" in any way. He flipped through his dozens of newspaper articles from the year 2005, searching for the smallest detailed clue he could have missed. At least, he attempted to focus his eyes on the page even as hard as it was with Y/n staring intently from the corner of his desk. Her chin balanced atop her folded knuckles and a small smile played at her lips. 

"Get out of my office. I don't welcome criminals," he said with a softer glare than he believed was being portrayed through his eyes. 

"How many times must I tell you? I have turned a new leaf, reached a revelation about my ways and I intend to mend all of my wrongs," Y/n cooed sweetly almost in a way of mockery that Naoto didn't appreciate. 

He went forward with his reading, trying to imagine her invisible or better yet, gone. However, regardless how much of his attention was fixated on the information he knew there were things he couldn't gain from those newspapers or headlines alone. There were so many questions unanswered and holes found in printed articles that didn't make sense will what he already knew from Takemitchi. But when he wasn't there, Naoto was practically useless, stranded in his time waiting for more information. He wanted to be the one to save his sister, not be an accessory on the sidelines.

Whether he liked it or not he was in the dark about the criminal underworld that ran in basically plain sight everyday of his life. 

After several moments of stillness, Y/n rose from her seat and stripped herself of her luxurious coat that Naoto could imagine would cost an unreasonable price. She allowed a single strap to fall from her shoulder accompanied by her signature heavy sigh. Running her fingers along the surface of his things near her, slow and suggestive.

"I should have figured authorities like yourself only consider suggestions after some incentive." Y/n swept her hair to one shoulder while not so subtly revealing a bare neck by leaning her only just slightly sideways as she moved. "Surely even Mr. Tachibana isn't entirely abnormal, hm?"

"I don't know what you mean. You said you wanted to take down Kisaki, even your own brother. That is only reason I haven't seized you thus far."

She just laughed. Heels clicked against the floor each click getting louder as she neared closer to him. He no longer paid her more mind than necessary as his eyes scanned over his board of connections. Y/n placed a single hand on his chest while the other slid its' way down his arm. Leaning her head down low to just brush his hair on her face, she parted her lips, "Take them down? Oh officer, how cute. I want to kill them," she corrected with soft words despite the gravity. "Literally, figuratively, and every other way possible. Get it?"

Naota turned his head to look her dead in the eye. "Sure. Time will tell."

Y/n scoffed in response. "You always keep your cool exterior, I respect that Tachibana." She placed a gentle hand of comfort on his contrast unsettled hand. Her thumb held his wrist, his pulse pumping a mile a minute. "But you know I can do it. You also know I have done it. Otherwise, what kind of officer would you be? And why would you clutch your gun like that?"

It was natural to be fearful, Naoto felt no shame in his fear. Caution saves lives, it saved his life a number times. Now was no different when he pulled his gun to rest on the center of her abdomen. If he had to shoot her now, so be it. Hesitation cost lives, it cost his sister's life already. There were a dozen other people who knew what she did if not more. Y/n Hanma wasn't special.