Chapter 250 - Civic Duty
While I was enjoying myself with the yakuza young ladies, Gondo was going around greeting those around him.
He repeated the cycle of small talk and exchanging business cards, and whenever his counterpart was an elder, he bowed with such momentum that he seemed ready to fold his waist completely.
Even if they belonged to the underworld, the people of this generation are quite particular about hierarchical relationships.
Conversely, the group much younger than Gondo—they were likely Han-gure—maintained an attitude of "Who's this old guy?" even when approached by someone who clearly looked older.
Their behavior felt more fitting for a rowdy university club than for criminals.
I see, so this is the new generation of outlaws.
The world has completely changed while I wasn't looking... As I immersed myself in that cliché Urashima Taro feeling, I spotted Hayasaka-san and the others in the corner of my vision. It seemed they weren't fitting into the party atmosphere at all, choosing instead to act like wallflowers.
Both of them had black hair and unnaturally good posture; the air around them was clearly different from the other female participants.
It's certainly hard to strike up a conversation with them, or rather... don't they smell like plainclothes cops?
I hurriedly rushed to Hayasaka-san's side.
"What are you doing? You have to look like you're having more fun, or you'll stand out."
When I cautioned them in a low voice, the two of them protested with sulky faces.
"What kind of conversation are we supposed to have with these thugs? I feel like shooting every single one of them."
"So Nakamoto-san, you like those flashy kinds of girls, huh—"
Ignoring Kato-san, who was angry from a slightly skewed perspective, I shrugged my shoulders.
"I understand you're not happy about it, but since you and Hayasaka-san already have such a law-abiding atmosphere, you'll be suspected if you don't make an effort to blend in."
"Oh? So you're telling us to go around making a fool of ourselves surrounded by young men, just like you?"
"Eh? ...Ah, I guess that wouldn't be bad. Even I wasn't really feeling it, but I forced myself to show off some tricks to the girls just to melt into this place. ...Man, that was truly grueling work!"
The look Hayasaka-san gave me was exactly the look one gives a criminal making a completely reckless alibi.
"Fine then. If you insist, I'll go play with those boys over there. Is that okay? Is it really okay!?"
"I don't mind, but... why are you asking for my confirmation?"
"...!"
For some reason, Hayasaka-san stomped off toward the Han-gure group while huffing in anger.
Kato-san followed after her, but halfway there, she spun around, stuck out her tongue, and said, "Don't blame me if you get hit on!"
...Why are they both in such a bad mood?
I don't get it; I was just being clingy with young girls like I always am.
Is it that, after all? From the perspective of women with a sense of justice strong enough to become police officers, is a man who acts all lovey-dovey with multiple women unforgivable?
Neither Hayasaka-san nor Kato-san are my girlfriends, so they shouldn't worry about such things.
As I tilted my head in confusion and continued my butt-slapping, the direction the two had headed suddenly began to grow noisy.
"You're a cop, aren't you!?"
...I have a bad feeling about this.
I hurriedly ran toward the area where the voice came from—the table where the Han-gure group was loitering.
"What is it, what is it? What happened?"
"This woman is a cop! That wasn't the movement of an amateur!"
When I craned my neck to peek in, a youth who looked incredibly dim-witted was being subjected to what looked like an Aikido technique by Hayasaka-san.
His right arm was twisted toward his back, his joint being perfectly locked.
As for the crucial Hayasaka-san... she was looking this way with a face that said, "Oh no, what should I do."
This is probably that.
I suspect Hayasaka-san was suddenly touched by that youth and reflexively applied a technique.
While instinctive self-defense movements might be an occupational hazard, during an undercover investigation, it's nothing more than an act of self-destruction.
"Police? Why?"
"Who knows. Maybe someone tipped them off."
"But it's a party that police are allowed to participate in, so isn't it fine?"
"If that were the case, she would have introduced herself like that from the start! This woman introduced herself as a gravure idol!"
The commotion within the Han-gure group spread throughout the venue.
...What should I do about this.
Should I call Gondo and have him introduce them as my acquaintances who are corrupt police officers?
Wait, Gondo just blatantly looked away!? That's a face that says, "Sorry, there's nothing I can do about this."
It can't be helped.
I have no choice but to settle this on my own.
I pushed through the crowd and approached Hayasaka-san and the brown-haired man.
"Ah—excuse me for a moment."
"Who's this old—Magician Nakamoto? Seriously? Ugh, so you really did get to be the MC thanks to your illegal side business."
"That's right, being a comedian is halfway to being a yakuza, so let's get along from now on. ...Sorry for the commotion, those girls are my Kakitare."
What is a Kakitare? As usual, Hayasaka-san and the others tilted their heads, but I have no time to worry about that now.
"Kakitare? For real? Aren't you actually cooperating with an undercover investigation or something?"
"No way. I'm just a corrupt comedian with no interest in anything other than using power and fame to commit lewd acts with girls. Believe me."
"Hmm, you certainly have a lecherous face, and you're depraved enough to be engaged to a high school girl... but man, I can't help but feel a faint sense of justice from you."
"W-what are you talking about..."
Just what can I do to make them believe that I am merely a lewd comedian and that Hayasaka-san and the others are nothing more than Kakitare.
Unlike my usual excuses, proving that I am scum is a high-difficulty task.
"Then you, try rubbing this woman's breasts."
The brown-haired Han-gure said, gesturing toward Hayasaka-san with his chin.
"Huh?"
"If she's really a Kakitare, she should be able to do at least that much, right? Hey, what's with that look? Is it because she's actually a plainclothes cop that you can't do it?"
"W-what are you..."
Please do it, Hayasaka-san whispered in my ear.
(Hayasaka-san!?)
(Kakitare carries the nuance of being something like a lover, doesn't it? I can feel it through the nuance. Just rub my breasts.)
(But...)
(If my identity is revealed here, I won't be able to rescue the innocent girl!)
I—
What I must do—
"...Understood."
There is no other choice.
I have no choice but to knead the breasts of a policewoman and fulfill my civic duty.
That is the justice I can provide.
"Will you believe me now!?"
I moved behind Hayasaka-san and thrust my hands deep inside her clothes.
The sleeveless high-neck sweater allowed for easy entry from under the armpits.
"No way, is he—rubbing her bare breasts!?"
"I thought he was going to do it over her clothes!"
"You're going that far, Nakamoto!"
While apologizing in my heart, I kneaded the fleshy breasts.
Lifting from below, gathering from the sides, and crushing from above.
Since that alone wouldn't give off the feeling of fondling a lover's body, I added sinful movements, as if spreading the sweat gathered in her cleavage across her entire chest.
Hayasaka-san's cheeks were dyed bright red, and she looked as if she might fire a shot at any moment out of pure humiliation.
But this is for your sake.
Please, don't look at me with teary eyes like a female knight being violated!
"In-incredible... that unerring way of handling breasts, that's definitely the touch of someone dealing with a Kakitare...!"
"Her breasts are dancing so much you can tell even through her clothes! Even we would be a bit more restrained when touching them!"
"...Is there any man who can rub a cop's breasts that wantonly? There's no way. If there were, he would have been arrested long ago."
"Which means, that woman is innocent..."
"Sorry for doubting you," the Han-gure said in unison.
"Make sure you discipline your Kakitare better, Nakamoto! There won't be a next time!"
It seems this has cleared their grievances.
I pulled the hands of Hayasaka-san, who was gritting her teeth with a frustrated face, and Kato-san, who was letting out a lonely sigh while looking at her own chest, and hurriedly moved to a corner of the venue.
"Good grief, please be careful. Who knows what would have happened if I wasn't here..."
Hayasaka-san said in a low, menacing voice, "We need to talk later." It was likely a lecture.
As for Kato-san, she continued to ask irrelevant things like, "Do you like big breasts?"
Since I could see that any answer would be a landmine, I silently turned my eyes toward the entrance.
I needed to be in a state of readiness so that I could be prepared whenever that girl arrived.