Chapter 182: The Battle of Asuka-yama

Asuka-yama Park in the Kita Ward of Tokyo is a poetic space that blends nature, history, and urban life. If visited in spring, the entire hill seems shrouded in clouds and mist—thousands of Somei Yoshino and mountain cherry trees bloom in succession. Under a canopy woven from pink and white petals, citizens stroll in twos and threes, children chase after floating rafts of fallen blossoms, and the old cherry trees by the tributary of the Sumida River droop their branches, casting flowing fragments of jade onto the water's surface. Trains with an Edo-style charm whistle as they pass through the sea of flowers, turning the three-hundred-year-old tradition of cherry blossom viewing into a modern spring ritual.

Turning past the moss-covered stone steps of Sanbo Temple, a cluster of Meiji-era Western-style buildings stands quietly. Ascending to the peak of the hill, the shimmering waves of the Arakawa River and the skyline of the Ikebukuro sub-center blend together in the midday sun. Wisteria trellises hang down with pale purple tassels, adding a touch of classical annotation to the visit of Watanabe Minami and Ikeda Erena.

"Um..." It was nearing noon. After finishing their business at the Oji Police Station, Minami and Erena had come to Asuka-yama Park. There were not many people in the park. Erena, dressed in a professional lady's suit with long trousers and high-heeled shoes, looked hesitantly at Watanabe Minami, who stood before her in a standard indoor police uniform: "Chief Watanabe? Why did you specifically ask for me to come?"

"Oh?" Miss Minami stood with her back to Erena, hiding the cunning look on her face: "Because you, Ikeda, drive quite well. Uesugi Muneyuki has to write his report for the University of Tokyo himself, and Brother Okada has to go to Investigation Division 2 to express his thanks, so you are the only one left in the Special Mission Unit."

"Eh, is, is that so?" It was the first time Ikeda Erena had heard someone praise her driving skills, and a strange expression appeared on the tall beauty's lovely face: "Thank you."

In fact, Erena's driving skills were only average, but Uesugi Muneyuki did not like to drive, so she always did it.

"No need to thank me, we are colleagues after all, no need for thanks." Miss Minami turned around and said softly: "So, is there something you want to tell me?"

"Ah, right!" Erena had already lost the initiative in the conversation after this exchange. Facing Miss Minami's sweet, apple-cheeked face and the Police Inspector badge on her chest, the tall beauty could only struggle to organize her words: "Um, I wanted to ask, that is... what is this about dating?"

"It's exactly what you think it is." Miss Minami opened her sweet almond-shaped eyes, a hint of sweetness spreading across her face: "Uesugi Muneyuki and I are officially dating!"

Crack!

A bolt of lightning struck Ikeda Erena on the head.

Dating? Officially dating? A serious relationship with marriage as the premise?!

"Why?!" The tall beauty asked blankly, almost without thinking: "How did it start? Why didn't I know?"

"Huh? Why would I need to notify you that Uesugi Muneyuki and I are dating?" Miss Minami looked puzzled: "Our relationship was permitted by the elders on both sides. Uesugi Muneyuki's grandfather and my father were both present at the time. President Komiyama of the University of Tokyo sat in the seat of honor. Uesugi Muneyuki and I held hands and wore kimonos to demonstrate the fact of our relationship to them, and we received their blessings."

"Ikeda, what does this matter have to do with you?"

Miss Minami wore an innocent expression as she looked at the bewildered Ikeda Erena.

Eh?!

The sound of the nearby fountain continued, passersby came and went, and the daylight was brilliant, yet Ikeda Erena's brain was in complete chaos.

What had she missed?

Officially dating? Elders from both sides were present? What was going on with President Komiyama of the University of Tokyo? Why were Watanabe and Uesugi both wearing kimonos?

Wait, why didn't I know about any of this? Why didn't Uesugi tell me?

Am I, am I not an important person to him? Are we not partners?

Why didn't he tell me?

Ah, that's right, I once asked Uesugi to only enter my body and not my life, and that I didn't want a formal relationship with marriage as the goal...

She felt a tightness in her chest. She wanted to blame Uesugi Muneyuki, but remembered that it had been her own request.

"I... I just think, isn't this too sudden?" Erena felt she couldn't help but say words she didn't mean: "And, if you two are dating, what will happen to the Special Mission Unit? Doesn't the Metropolitan Police Department have a rule that two people who are dating cannot serve in the same section?"

Yes, there is an unwritten rule in Japanese workplaces that while office romances are not opposed, in principle, a man and woman who are dating are not allowed to work in the same department. The company will transfer the two people apart to avoid office romances affecting work.

This rule is also implemented quite strictly within the Metropolitan Police Department. The Metropolitan Police Department is a very large unit with tens of thousands of police officers in Tokyo, and there are thousands in the headquarters alone, so office romances are naturally unavoidable, but as long as they are discovered, they are transferred.

Ikeda Erena had previously used this excuse to convince herself—that is, her request to Uesugi Muneyuki of "not intending to date with marriage as a premise, only having relations without interfering in life." She had no confidence in being a good wife and mother, and she didn't want to affect her current sacred career of justice because of marriage. This was the reason she had found for herself, and she remembered it all!

"Oh, if you put it that way, yes." Miss Minami said unhurriedly: "There is indeed such a rule!"

"So..." Ikeda Erena finally breathed a sigh of relief: "So, Chief, could you reconsider..."

"That's simple. I will apply to the headquarters right now to transfer back to the Personnel Division of the Police Affairs Department, and have Police Inspector Okada take over as Chief of the Special Mission Unit. How about that?" Miss Minami said simply.

"Uh, this..." Ikeda Erena looked at Miss Minami in disbelief.

She had won just like that? Was it really that easy?

But what Miss Minami said next made the tall beauty's heart and lungs stop instantly.

"Of course, since I have to avoid suspicion, you must also avoid suspicion. Ikeda, it's a pity, we all know that you and Uesugi Muneyuki have had relations many times, right? So you can't stay in the Special Mission Unit either. It just so happens you were always on loan." Miss Minami pointed her finger: "Returning to Otsuka Station is quite logical, isn't it?"

"However, I just contacted Chief Kanazawa of Otsuka Station, and he indicated that he doesn't really need your return right now. What a pity, Ikeda. How about this: Mitaka, Tama, Tachikawa, Hachioji, and other cities outside the 23 wards of Tokyo—you can choose any police station you like. How about that?"

"In that case, the Special Mission Unit will have effectively disbanded. Why don't we just have Okada return to the Thirteenth Section and Uesugi return to the Forensics Division? Ikeda, are you satisfied?"

Minami's words were like a heavy hammer striking Erena's chest. The tall beauty was truly anxious this time: "No! It's not like that! I didn't want you to transfer out of the Special Mission Unit, I just meant..."

"Then what exactly do you want?!" Miss Minami's voice grew louder, her expression turning cold: "Didn't you say it yourself? Two people in the same department who are dating must avoid suspicion. You used this to threaten me, and I agreed, so I can avoid suspicion and transfer back to the Personnel Division. But haven't you had relations with Uesugi Muneyuki? Don't you need to avoid suspicion too?!"

"I am thinking of you! Ikeda! You often go back to Sakata Bridge to spend the night with Uesugi Muneyuki, do you think I don't know? You two often drive to and from work together, do you think I don't know? Before, Uesugi Muneyuki and I weren't dating, so it had nothing to do with me, but since Uesugi Muneyuki and I are officially dating, do you expect me to pretend I didn't see it???"

"So, get ready, Police Sergeant Ikeda Erena of the Special Mission Unit. Your transfer order will be issued in the next few days. Choose which police station you want to go to yourself. If you don't choose, I will choose for you. Kyushu, Shikoku, Western Japan, Hokkaido—all are possibilities. Remember to pack your things, otherwise the postage will be cash on delivery."

After speaking, Miss Minami turned around and signaled that they could go back.

"Wait!" Ikeda Erena rushed forward. The tall beauty could no longer control her emotions. The fear of being abandoned, the confusion about returning to her past lonely and boring life, and the helplessness of losing Uesugi Muneyuki had completely engulfed Erena's brain: "Wait!!!"

No!

She realized she couldn't accept the result of losing Uesugi Muneyuki at all. For Erena, whose life and career had both shown signs of improvement, this was almost equivalent to losing everything!

Did she have to return to the past? To the days of being transferred between various local police stations, living amidst rumors and the covetous eyes of superiors, spending her time in a desolate, boring, and misunderstood life, never seeing Uesugi Muneyuki again?

Her world would turn gray again, and there would be no more joy to speak of!

As soon as Ikeda thought of this scene, the tall beauty found the depths of her heart covered in despair.

Anything but that!

"Wait! Chief, please calm down, okay? That's not what I meant. I just... wasn't it you who took the initiative to ask me to do that with Uesugi? Didn't you clearly ask me to accompany Uesugi more and support and protect him? I have always done it very well, haven't I? Why do you suddenly want me to transfer? I didn't want to threaten you, I really cherish my life in the Special Mission Unit!"

"Isn't it the same for you, Chief? The Special Mission Unit is the heart and soul of you, me, and Uesugi. It's really strange to go our separate ways so easily now, isn't it? Are we not a community of destiny? We still have to face various major cases in the future, uphold justice, and punish the wicked. How could it end here?"

Miss Minami was stopped by Erena. Listening to these words, a hint of impatience appeared on her face: "Why don't you think about what you are actually saying? Haven't you noticed that your words are contradictory?"

"You are the one who thinks we need to avoid suspicion, you are the one who doesn't want the Special Mission Unit to disband, and you are the one who wants me to reconsider dating Uesugi. On the other hand, you are the one who secretly follows him back to Sakata Bridge to spend the night, enjoying love and the career value Uesugi provides you, while not wanting to pay anything yourself!"

"That's right, the Special Mission Unit is the heart and soul of Uesugi Muneyuki and me, but since it is my heart and soul, I can also end it with my own hands!"

Miss Minami said coldly: "This is an ultimatum, Ikeda. Hurry up and choose your next destination! If I have to choose, it would be normal for you to be transferred to Hokkaido."

After speaking, Minami walked out of Asuka-yama Park.

The successive blows completely destroyed Erena's defenses. The tall beauty stood frozen in place, feeling the world around her spinning and blurring. It wasn't until Minami had walked more than ten meters away that Erena finally reacted.

"Wait a minute! Don't go!" Erena shouted frantically: "It's not like that, I never thought about the Special Mission Unit disbanding, I really like everyone, I really value everyone..."

But Minami did not stop. The agitation in Erena's heart reached an unbearable level. She shouted "Don't," ran out a dozen steps, and grabbed Minami's wrist, the expression on her face completely drained of color: "Please! Chief! If I don't have Uesugi, I will..."

After speaking, Eirina heavily knelt on both knees, grabbed Minami's wrists with both hands, and pleaded bitterly: "I really didn't want the Special Mission Unit to be disbanded! I didn't want to threaten you, Unit Chief, I just hope you can reconsider the transfer, don't disband it, as long as it's something I can do, I am willing to do anything!"

"Willing to do anything? Police Sergeant Ikeda Erena, with how much resolve are you saying this?" Minami sneered: "Just a Non-Career Track female Police Sergeant who graduated from a correspondence high school and knows a little martial arts, what can you actually do? Think carefully, are you really indispensable to me, to Uesugi Muneyuki, or to the entire Special Mission Unit?"

"Heh, the Metropolitan Police Department has at least a hundred policewomen who could replace your position."

"But, I really..." Ikeda Erena performed a standard dogeza, knocking her forehead against the hard stone brick ground of Asuka-yama Park.

"And, come to think of it, wasn't it you yourself who asked Uesugi Muneyuki not to have a formal relationship?" Minami remained unmoved: "What right do you have to hinder our relationship?"

"Eh?!" The incoming boomerang struck Erena right in the brain.

Minami pulled back her hand, looked down at Erena on the ground with a sidelong glance, while the sound of the surrounding fountain water continued incessantly.

"You, your head is only filled with thoughts of yourself."

"Eh??"

Erena felt as if she had been shattered; the tall beauty collapsed dejectedly to the ground, her eyes losing their focus.

I, only thinking of myself?

I...

Erena felt the world before her eyes falling apart, rapidly losing all its color.

It's over, my life, it's going to end!

However, just at this moment, Minami, who had walked a few steps away, suddenly stopped in her tracks.

"However, if you can agree to a few conditions of mine, I can consider not transferring you, the Special Mission Unit doesn't have to be disbanded, and I can even turn a blind eye to the matter between you and Uesugi Muneyuki!"

As if a drowning person had grabbed the last straw, light returned to Erena's eyes; she moved on her knees, grabbed Minami's hand again, her face full of pleading.

"Please... please tell me what I must do!"

(End of this chapter)