Chapter 95:
[seven]
Matsuda Jinpei and [Morofushi Akira] both reacted strongly when they heard Morofushi Umeko say that nickname.
Seeing the shocked expressions on their faces, Morofushi Umeko was also somewhat confused: "What's wrong?"
[Morofushi Akira] frowned and asked, "What did you just call him?"
"Jinpei-chan." Morofushi Umeko replied, "Is there a problem?"
"This is a huge problem—" Matsuda Jinpei raised an eyebrow: "What's the situation now?"
Matsuda Jinpei initially thought that the little rascal from the Morofushi family had done something to persecute him again.
After witnessing firsthand how the other person transformed into a woman, then a child, and then back to normal, his reputation became extremely complicated because of their relationship.
The household registration department can easily find out about Morifushi Sora's family situation; he doesn't have a biological sister. It's quite simple to explain.
However, Matsuda Jinpei never cared about these things, and no one would say them to his face, so Matsuda Jinpei himself didn't care much about other people's opinions.
So this time, he thought the little rascal from the Morofushi family had split into two again, but now it seems...
This split doesn't seem to be based on the same stance.
Since no truth could be heard from Morofushi Akira, Matsuda Jinpei looked directly at Morofushi Umeko and asked, "What's your name? What's your relationship with him?"
"My name is Nozaki Umeko, nice to meet you." Instead of answering the second question, Morofushi Umeko prioritized satisfying her own curiosity: "So, is that really your relationship with Akira?"
"What kind of relationship are you referring to?" Matsuda Jinpei crossed his arms: "A colleague relationship."
"Nozaki...you don't have the surname Morofushi?" Matsuda Jinpei asked the key question.
"If you're not used to it, you can call me Morofushi Umeko," Morofushi Umeko replied.
Matsuda Jinpei's focus shifted again: "Why not Hiroko?"
Morofushi Umeko decisively replied, "Hiroko is my brother's name."
Matsuda Jinpei: "..."
[Morofushi Akira]: "...I'm even more curious about your world now, Umeko."
[eight]
The three of them were talking past each other, their thought processes completely disconnected. Meanwhile, the news spread like wildfire among the colleagues in the "Explosive-Disposal Unit," and everyone in the office knew that "Inspector Morofushi" had brought a girl to see Matsuda Jinpei.
Given the past misunderstanding, there are still a few specific people who believe that Matsuda Jinpei committed a heinous act of abandoning his wife and children against the so-called "Morofushi Hiroko-san".
Incidentally, the so-called "Morofushi Hiroko-san" is actually a gender-swapped version of "Morofushi Akira".
So when everyone heard the news, they immediately got all worked up and rushed to the reception room.
But when they came in, they were dumbfounded—because everyone had already left.
Officer Yagi, who was on the front lines of the gossip, immediately grabbed a passing policeman and demanded with a menacing expression, "Where are Matsuda and the others?!"
In Officer Yagi's mind, Morofushi Hiroko-san, the gender-swapped version of Morofushi Akira, is roughly equivalent to Satou Miwako's position in the Investigation Division.
"Hmm? Isn't it after get off work hours? They just left." The police officer who had been apprehended stroked his chin. "But, Morofushi's sister really looks like him."
"Speaking of which, it seems like my sister and Matsuda get along quite well. I just heard her call him by his name, and she even affectionately called him 'chan'." the police officer remarked enviously. "Is this the power of the pool?"
When the passing police officer came to his senses, he saw Officer Yagi's indignant expression and was startled: "Officer Yagi?"
Officer Yagi wailed, "That damned Matsuda!!! Waaaaah, Hiroko-san—"
Watching Officer Yagi run away with tears streaming down his face, the passerby officer hesitated and tilted his head slightly: "Hiroko-san? Isn't she Officer Morofushi's younger sister, Umeko?"
[nine]
Matsuda Jinpei is not good at socializing, but he has excellent observation skills and his intuition is also quite remarkable.
With just a glance, his intuition told him the difference between Morofushi Akira and Morofushi Umeko—a difference that wasn't based on gender, but on their very nature.
I always felt that the only one who could deal with this arrogant and rebellious little rascal was another little rascal.
Matsuda Jinpei asked, "Why are you calling me that? Do you know Hagi?"
The only person Matsuda Jinpei could think of who would call him so affectionately was Hagiwara Kenji.
"Yes, I know him." Morofushi Umeko replied.
However, in this world, the current Hagiwara Kenji is still pitifully using other people's identities, trying his best to restore his own identity.
[Morofushi Akira] The operation of reviving the police academy team was extremely excellent, an operation that even Morofushi Umeko had to marvel at.
The resurrection of Hagiwara Kenji was achieved by assigning him the identity of an information broker and performing a plastic surgery-induced amnesia, which reasonably explains why Hagiwara Kenji had not contacted his family for seven years.
Matsuda Jinpei is treating himself at the hospital.
Date Wataru, who was stranded overseas, is now happily married to his girlfriend.
As for Morofushi Hiromitsu, he was naturally given the best treatment.
Under this setup, Morofushi Hiromitsu can regain his identity through the Public Security Bureau, and Matsuda Jinpei, having fabricated a long-term vegetative state experience in the hospital, can return to his post at any time.
Date Wataru spent some time abroad undergoing rehabilitation. Once he was able to walk again, he immediately returned to Japan and is still undergoing rehabilitation. He has not yet returned to work.
Only Hagiwara Kenji remained pitiful and miserable, still striving to restore his identity.
After listening to this, Morofushi Umeko blinked and asked, "Who is Date Wataru?"
Matsuda Jinpei: "..."
Oh, so the class monitor is the one who's really suffering.
[ten]
Morofushi Umeko: "Actually, I was joking. I heard my brother mention it; he's my brother's class monitor."
[Morofushi Akira]: "It's okay, anyway, the most famous scene in the police academy group is the squad leader going on a date."
Morofushi Umeko, who was unaware of the reference, was even more confused: "What is that?"
[Morofushi Akira] replied, "It's probably a world-famous painting."
Morofushi Umeko seemed to understand, but not quite.
Matsuda Jinpei, who was also unaware of the reference but vaguely understood it, retorted, "Don't corrupt the children."
[Morofushi Akira]: "I was talking to my sister, what are you doing here, an outsider?"
Matsuda Jinpei chuckled. "Isn't this my underage wife whom I abandoned? How did I become an outsider again?"
Completely unexpectedly, Matsuda Jinpei would respond to Morofushi Akira in this way, leaving him speechless.
Morofushi Umeko looked left and right, then thought for a moment and said, "A love triangle?"
Matsuda Jinpei: "..."
[Morofushi Akira]: "..."
"I feel a little nauseous." said [Morofushi Akira] expressionlessly.
"Same to you, me too." Matsuda Jinpei said, biting an unlit cigarette.
[eleven]
Morofushi Umeko was somewhat confused about the relationship between her other self and Matsuda Jinpei.
But it doesn't seem that bad.
At least if she dislikes someone, she won't even acknowledge them, let alone argue with them.
The opposite of "hate" is "like," and Morofushi Umeko suddenly realized, "So you also really like Jinpei-chan. Is this what they call 'love in the heart but hard to express'?"
Morofushi Akira's expression worsened. He stared at Morofushi Umeko for a while, as if confirming something: "You did this on purpose, didn't you?"
Morofushi Umeko blinked, giving an innocent look.
Morofushi Akira is extremely familiar with this expression; he uses it when he pretends to be innocent after doing something bad!
[Morofushi Akira] took a deep breath, but ultimately couldn't hold back, and blurted out, "So what exactly is your relationship with Matsuda?!"
Matsuda Jinpei, with his crescent-shaped eyes, said, "Don't you realize that your tone sounds like that of an old father questioning his sister about her relationship with some scoundrel?"
[Morofushi Akira] clutched his heart: "My sister is still a minor! Matsuda, how could you be so heartless?!"
Matsuda Jinpei: "..."
Matsuda Jinpei retorted loudly, "So what did I do this time? Couldn't you have told me in advance if the script was updated?!"
Morofushi Umeko thought for a moment, then replied, "A love story between a yakuza undercover agent and a school prince disguised as a boy?"
Matsuda Jinpei hesitated: "What is this now?"
"It's a script written by Nozaki." Morofushi Umeko explained. "I found it very interesting. If you're interested, I'll bring it to you next time."
Matsuda Jinpei: "...There will be a next time?"
[Morofushi Akira] watched the two of them talk and showed an unusually deep expression.
What exactly did he go through to turn that so-called "best friend" into a real "good friend"?
Is the world really that amazing?
[twelve]
[Morofushi Akira] was curious, but he didn't want to bring up these topics in front of Matsuda Jinpei, so he decided to ask her privately later.
Moreover, he noticed the key point: "Nozaki? Isn't that the name you just introduced yourself? What's your relationship with him?"
Morofushi Umeko thought about it seriously: "It's the same as my relationship with you."
Nozaki Umetarou equals Nozaki Umeko equals Morofushi Umeko, and Morofushi Umeko equals [Morofushi Sora'aki/Akira], therefore Nozaki Umetarou equals [Morofushi Akira].
The equation holds true.
[Morofushi Akira]: ?
"Okay, he sat behind me in class, so I borrowed his name." Morofushi Umeko explained.
To this, [Morofushi Akira] said: "I thought it was the surname of the family that adopted you."
Morofushi Umeko was taken aback: "Adopted?"
[Morofushi Akira] was also stunned.
The two exchanged a glance. [Morofushi Akira] seemed to understand something instantly, while Morofushi Umeko's expression became somewhat downcast.
"Ah—I see, it really is..." [Morofushi Akira] chuckled softly, "She really is a completely good girl, Umeko."
Morofushi Umeko spoke up, asking a question she had already asked before: "What's your name?"
[Morofushi Akira] curled up his eyes, his cat-like eyes crinkling upwards, and said in a light and gentle voice, "I am Morofushi Akira, but I also have another name—Saiki Akira."
"And you?" [Morofushi Akira] asked the same question once again, the one whose answer he already knew.
Morofushi Umeko lowered her eyes and replied softly, "Sora'aki, Morofushi Sora'aki."
One is Akira (空亮), and the other is Sora'aki (空亮). The characters are written the same, but the pronunciations are different.
[Morofushi Akira] smiled exceptionally gently: "Solucky, huh? Lucky-chan, that name suits you perfectly~"