Tokyo: Rabbit Officer and Her Evil Partner-Chapter 788 - 479: Stalker_2

Moriyama Yasurou discovered a blind spot: "With such a big case, you should be very busy, right? How do you have time to appear on shows and eat barbecue?"

"You’re asking the right person." Fushimi Roku finally showed a smile, interlocking his fingers and leaning back in his chair confidently: "I can’t disclose the details, but I can tell you that appearing on variety shows is part of the investigation task."

"..."

There was a few seconds of silence around the long table in the courtyard, with only the sizzling sound of the grill being heard.

Fushimi Roku looked around, frowned, and asked, "What’s with your expressions? Don’t you believe it?"

"Right." Watanabe Shun nodded, straightforwardly expressing his doubt.

This was exactly what Fushimi Roku was waiting for. It’s like two kids arguing, one saying ’Do you believe I can beat you up?’ and the other answering ’I don’t believe’, which means the fight can start—if the other kid says ’I believe’, the topic would end abruptly, unable to continue.

He clunked his heels alternately on the edge of the wooden table, hands resting on his belly, speaking with confidence:

"Although the team leader instructed me not to reveal it to outsiders, I think everyone here isn’t an outsider, and knows the industry rules, so there’s no need to keep it secret."

"To tell you the truth, the killer’s preference is corrupt officials."

"Leaving a note at the scene, using flamboyant methods to kill, blatantly provoking the police, what does that say? It shows the killer is extremely arrogant and has a strong performative personality."

At this, Fushimi Roku pointed his thumbs at himself: "And I am the perfect prey."

"Think about it carefully, doesn’t my image on the show perfectly match the killer’s preference? Now I’m a big hit, if the killer kills me, wouldn’t they also become instantly famous? Just by killing me, maybe they could become as famous as Jack the Ripper, a killer with a performative personality definitely wouldn’t let this opportunity slip by!"

Patrol Police Rokurou suddenly realized, excitedly saying: "So Senior Fujiwara is going on the show voluntarily to attract the killer!"

"That’s right! That’s exactly it!" Fushimi Roku nodded, looking strategically confident: "Those outside aren’t reporters, but plainclothes police, just waiting for the killer to take the bait!"

Muto Yuuta hesitated for a moment, then said: "But we know all the detectives in the precinct, doesn’t seem like there are any familiar faces..."

Fushimi Roku thought, would you die if you didn’t speak? His face didn’t turn red at all, calmly continuing to lie: "They’re all elite transfers from other places, just to prevent the killer from noticing anything."

"I see!"

Kamisaki Ayaka, Yamashita Rokurou, and Muto Yuuta all nodded together.

But Kawada Saeko had a different opinion; she really liked that show, being a die-hard fan of prank variety. The director always promised the hidden camera perspective was unscripted, so she expressed doubt about Fushimi Roku’s words.

Since Kawada Saeko was after all a junior, she couldn’t openly question her senior, so she turned to Moriyama Yasurou: "Sister Yalan, what do you think?"

Moriyama Yasurou squinted her eyes and said: "I think this guy is lying."

"I feel the same." Watanabe Shun and Kazama Tatsuya nodded together.

Fushimi Roku shrugged and said: "Believe it or not, do you think I’m idle? Even if you don’t trust me, you should at least trust Minamoto Tamako, right?" 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

As soon as he finished speaking, Kazama Tatsuya and the others turned their heads, eyes focused on Minamoto Tamako.

Minamoto Tamako had to start explaining, admitting that it was indeed their ’luring the snake out of the hole’ plan—but the reporters outside weren’t undercover, and the search department didn’t know what they were up to, others were busy investigating the social circles of deceased politicians, having no time to mind how they messed around.

"Now you see the sacrifices I’ve made for the investigation, right?" Fushimi Roku put his heels on the table, proudly shaking his leg.

Seeing this, Minamoto Tamako extended her little hand and slapped his calf: "Rude, put your feet down quickly."

Fushimi Roku was in high spirits, finally having his moment, how could he listen? Everyone was watching, he wouldn’t let himself seem henpecked no matter what he said.

"Men are talking, you don’t interfere, go grill your meat." Fushimi Roku waved his hand.

Minamoto Tamako’s little eyebrows immediately stood up; she didn’t directly lash out at Fushimi Roku, knowing family scandal shouldn’t be public, so she simply turned her head and added to the others: "But the hidden camera by the show crew is real, it was originally me who was supposed to be the bait."

"I knew it! Hahahahahaha!!" Watanabe Shun slapped the table, letting out an exaggerated laugh, like a villain in a Japanese drama laughing wildly against the hero’s humiliated face.

Kazama Tatsuya added fuel to the fire: "I said, how come he suddenly invited so many people to a barbecue, turns out it’s to maintain a front."

Yes, this was Fushimi Roku’s true thought.

Just that Kazama Tatsuya’s choice of words was inappropriate; in Fushimi Roku’s opinion, it’s not ’putting up a front’, but ’clearing his name’.

He invited so many people over just to articulate his ’luring the snake out of the hole’ plan, displaying his noble sacrificial spirit of willingly being the bait, thus redeeming his reputation all at once.

If everyone knew he was a liar, how could he continue to deceive in the future?

For Fushimi Roku, reputation is an intangible asset. Usually, he can squander it lavishly without caring about others’ views; once it hits zero, he has to initiate bankruptcy protection, find a way to revive his assets so he can continue to squander in the future.

"What front, this was my original plan, deliberately letting the director and Minamoto Tamako think I chose her as the villain..."

Before Fushimi Roku could finish his sentence, Moriyama Yasurou already started giggling beside him. He could only put down his legs, clap the table, and loudly emphasize: "This was my original plan!"

"Alright, alright, yes, yes..." Everyone nodded in agreement, but they continued laughing.

"You don’t believe me?" Fushimi Roku tried the same trick again.

Unfortunately, no one took the bait this time. Even Watanabe Shun didn’t refute, nodding and saying: "Believe, believe, I believe that’s what you intended... let’s eat the barbecue quickly, it’ll taste bad once it’s cold!"

Fushimi Roku wanted to continue arguing, but everyone started drinking and eating, discussing other topics, making the atmosphere unsuitable for continuing this discussion.

Conversations also have timing; a topic already discussed, if brought up intentionally again, would make him seem overly concerned about it.

Fushimi Roku could only silently simmer, continuing to pretend he didn’t care, offering them barbecue and beer, while secretly looking for an opportunity to steer the conversation back to the variety show and the murder case.

But unfortunately, no one gave him this chance, everyone didn’t want to continue the topic after laughing. Constantly sticking to a joke would only make it stale.

Thus, Fushimi Roku kept drinking, not sparing himself either.

Before long, after three rounds of drinks, everyone was full, and as the sky darkened, they each got up to say goodbye, preparing to go home to rest. A few juniors still had to work tomorrow, while Moriyama Yasurou had an interview to find a job.

Watanabe Shun and Kazama Tatsuya planned to go to an izakaya for another round.

Fushimi Roku pondered, the mansion has guest rooms, accommodating two people was no issue. He instructed Minamoto Tamako to make sobering soup, feeding it to these two guys, temporarily letting them stay in a guest room—not for anything else, but to seize the chance to clear his name.

Kazama Tatsuya, after having sobering soup, was half-sober, also not wanting to rush home on a late-night train, so he simply stayed over one night, heading to the guest room to wash up and sleep.

Watanabe Shun, being a drinker, wasn’t easy to deal with after sobering soup, still wanting to drink more. But the house was out of beer, he raised a fuss wanting to go to an izakaya.

No choice, Fushimi Roku had to go run errands, heading to a nearby convenience store to buy some ice-cold beer—letting Minamoto Tamako or Taira Sakurako go out alone at night wasn’t appropriate.

On his way back, Fushimi Roku wondered if he should hire a maid in the future. But on second thought, household cleaning already had Minamoto Tamako and Taira Sakurako handling it, hiring a maid just for nighttime errands seemed too wasteful...

In the flickering streetlight shadows, Fushimi Roku carried a plastic bag, walking alone in a narrow street lane.

A breeze blew from behind, alerting him to something unusual, gradually slowing his steps.

Someone was following him.