Solving Cases is My Daily Life Now: Volume 1

Chapter 5

The client's friend looked at Masaru, her eyes widened slightly.

"Why would you accuse her of something like that?!" She asked, trying to hide her anger.

Rina, genuinely curious herself, chose not to butt in.

Masaru crossed his arms, opening his eyes and looking across at the two girls.

"Because it's the only solution I can think of. People are finally noticing her now, something she's clearly always wanted, but didn't know how to." He said, his gaze shifting specifically to the client.

The client shifted in her seat, looking down at her lap with a red face and tears in her eyes.

Upon seeing her reaction, Rina attempted to chime in.

"Masaru, you're being-" but she was surprised to be cut off by the normally quiet client.

"NO!" She cried out between her growing tears, "he's...he's right."

Rina raised her eyebrows while her friend turned to the client, shocked.

"You did..? But...why?" She asked, her head tilted.

"Because...you got a boyfriend!" She replied, burying her face in her hands.

The room was silent besides the client's sobs as they waited for her to say something else.

"You're my only friend...the only one who notices me...and he's taking you away! You're spending time with him, instead of me..." she said, wiping her eyes with her sleeves.

The friend tried to say something, but was cut off.

"Hey-"

"No, don't! I know it's selfish to expect you to only spend time with me, so I thought maybe...if I made other people notice me...someone else might..." she trailed off, her crying stopping when she felt a hand on her head.

It was her friend, with a warm smile on her face.

"Hey...I'll never leave you." She said as the crying girl turned to face her,

"I like him, but you and I have been friends for years. Nobody can take your place...you'll always come first for me."

The client wiped some more of her tears away, saying,

"B-But what if you guys get closer, and fall in love, or-" She was cut off when her friend pulled her into a hug, her hand on the slightly shorter girl's head as she held her to her chest.

"We'll always be friends. Nothing will take me from you, ever." She said, her eyes closed but still smiling.

"I-I-" the client tried to think of something to say, but lost control and began sobbing again as she put her arms under her friend's, holding her back.

Rina couldn't help but smile, she was glad that the poor girl had someone by her side no matter what.

But Masaru didn't seem as pleased with the outcome.

"If this was all to get the club's attention, why did you allow your friend to get me involved?" He asked, his face stern and his words harsh.

All three girls turned to him, not expecting this kind of reaction from him.

"You wasted mine and Rina's time on a wild goose chase to simply prove to yourself that you exist? You're right, that's selfish." He said, standing up.

Rina became angry, he was ruining a tender moment between friends!

"Masaru! Quit being a jerk!" She shouted, though Masaru didn't seem to pay it any heed.