Chapter 539: Kashiwagi Jin's Progress!

After solving the nationwide shock, involving funds amounting to hundreds of billions of yen in the "Tokyo Meiwa Bank Executive Jump Case," the elite inspector of the Metropolitan Police Department's Investigation Division 1, Kashiwagi Jin, became the media's focus. He was handsome, efficient, had a perfect résumé and a happy family image, and was the star officer the Metropolitan Police Department was actively promoting.

However, not long after the celebration banquet's commotion, the Weekly Bunshun bomb struck suddenly.

In the office of Investigation Division Chief Sugishita Ukyo, the atmosphere was heavy.

Kashiwagi Jin stood with his head lowered in front of the desk.

Sugishita Ukyo placed the Weekly Bunshun on the desk, his voice calm: "Kashiwagi-kun, is the core content of the report true?"

Sugishita Ukyo, this small old man who graduated from the University of Tokyo Faculty of Law, always had a slicked-back pompadour and a pair of silver-rimmed glasses; his gentle and refined voice was full of wisdom and magnetism.

A shadow crossed Kashiwagi Jin's handsome face as he opened his mouth, but he still decided to say: "Chief Sugishita, this is clearly slander! I met Hayakawa Nanami through the Tokyo University professor wife-murder case, and the department knows this. Initially, to obtain information about Professor Tsuda, I chose to approach Hayakawa Nanami, and the department knows this too."

"The entire process was official duty; I identified myself as a police officer, and she willingly assisted the investigation. The so-called hotel trysts and gifts are pure fabrication! This is clearly the other party taking normal official contact, editing and fabricating it, and packaging it into a scandal!" Kashiwagi Jin said very firmly: "This is not true!"

"Huh↓Eh↑?" Investigation Division Chief Sugishita Ukyo, behind his glasses, his sharp little eyes locked onto Kashiwagi Jin—not that he didn't believe Kashiwagi Jin, but this kid had a tradition of lying; last time in the bulletproof vest incident, he obviously lied, but at that time, the entire bureaucratic system faced the problem and resolved it very beautifully, so naturally no one dug deeper into whether Kashiwagi Jin was really lying, and Sugishita Ukyo also chose to remain silent: "But... but, Kashiwagi-kun, I learned afterward about your contact with Hayakawa Nanami, but according to this report, after the case ended, you still maintained long-term contact with Hayakawa Nanami?"

"It's true, Chief!" Kashiwagi Jin said even more firmly, but his face flashed with an almost imperceptible guilt: "After that incident, I and Hayakawa... became friends; we indeed met... but Weekly Bunshun's claim is untrue; sending a watch is true, but that's because Hayakawa had already saved enough money to study in the United States! Maybe we won't meet again in this lifetime, so I gave her a watch!"

"Hayakawa went abroad to study at Stanford University in the United States starting this April—where would our recent ongoing relationship come from? Weekly Bunshun says I was still lingering outside her dormitory a month ago... but she had already been abroad for two months by then!"

"This is clearly the other party taking normal official contact, editing and fabricating it, and packaging it into a scandal!"

Kashiwagi Jin's words exceeded Sugishita Ukyo's imagination; the Investigation Division Chief stared intently at Kashiwagi Jin, this capable subordinate's eyes firm, without a hint of evasion.

Sugishita Ukyo himself was the embodiment of logic; he quickly analyzed in his mind:

In the Meiwa Bank case, Kashiwagi Jin obviously offended overseas forces; this could be retaliation from behind.

The core accusation in the Weekly Bunshun report—that Kashiwagi Jin and Hayakawa Nanami continued an affair to the present—is unfounded (Hayakawa has already been studying abroad for three months).

The rest is mere grasping at wind and shadows—for example, claiming to have checked in before and after at a hotel, which cannot be cross-verified at present.

Added to Kashiwagi Jin's such firm denial... could I really have wronged him?

"Then that settles it, Kashiwagi-kun; your explanation is temporarily accepted by the organization; I will report according to your explanation. Based on the current situation, you are blameless, but you also need to draw lessons from this; in the future, when executing such sensitive tasks, you must pay more attention to procedure and self-protection, to avoid giving others leverage. This is not punishment, but a work requirement."

"Yes!" Kashiwagi Jin, as if pardoned, bowed in gesture.

Afterwards, Criminal Investigation Department Chief Uchimura Kanji arrived, having listened to Kashiwagi's "explanation" and Sugishita's analysis, and also fully accepted this explanation; he angrily slammed the desk: "Outrageous! Criminal forces dare to so openly frame our frontline hero! This is a provocation against the Japanese Police!"

"Rest assured, Kashiwagi-kun; you are our Metropolitan Police Department's Wang... at least a capable aide, also an important frontline officer; the other side is clearly targeting our Metropolitan Police Department, and we police organizations will not let you suffer injustice!"

Thus, Kashiwagi Jin escaped disaster; he deeply exhaled, somewhat dejected, left Sugishita Ukyo's office, found a corner at Sakuradamon, lit a cigarette, gazed at Tokyo's scorching sky, and murmured softly that name: "Nanami..."

What he said was true, but not entirely true.

He indeed broke up with Hayakawa Nanami; she worked in the sex industry for over two years, saved enough money to go to the United States to study; they parted amicably, and frankly speaking, as they gradually became familiar, that Tokyo University female student began to understand Kashiwagi Jin's life and advised him to be kinder to Kashiwagi Misa, while Kashiwagi Jin somewhat disliked Hayakawa Nanami meddling and advising him on what to do; he wanted a "praise-praise party wing supporter," not someone managing his lover; he could feel that as they became more familiar and intimate, Hayakawa Nanami was becoming "Misa-fied," and their relationship could not return to what it was before.

But Hayakawa Nanami truly was a good woman.

Kashiwagi Jin also had to admit this.

Because if it weren't for Hayakawa Nanami, he would be finished now!

Actually, when they dated again early this year, Hayakawa Nanami discovered she was being followed by paparazzi; this girl then, for Kashiwagi Jin's future and prospects, told him she was preparing to study abroad, and thereafter they should not meet again, proactively bringing up the breakup, and also reassured Kashiwagi Jin that, for his family and career prospects, she would absolutely not disclose their matters.

Even Kashiwagi Jin's current new lover was introduced by Hayakawa Nanami; similarly, a woman deeply infatuated with Kashiwagi Jin's fame, appearance, and case-solving ability, a hostess named Nagase Arisu, a pretty girl, also does not take his money.

Only now, when the matter erupted, did Kashiwagi Jin realize how wise Hayakawa Nanami was, how much she thought of him.

Thank you, Nanami, unfortunately we are not compatible... Kashiwagi Jin somewhat guiltily closed his eyes.

He indeed went to Hayakawa's apartment building downstairs a month ago; at that time, reminiscing, reminiscing about that past CD, listening to our love back then~

Just then, footsteps came from behind him; Uesugi Muneyuki appeared behind him; he was somewhat curious and somewhat amused: "Looks like help isn't needed, huh!"

Kashiwagi Jin snapped his eyes open; he looked suspiciously at Uesugi Muneyuki.

How come you're here too?

But he quickly reacted.

Oh right, unlike others, this Uesugi kid knows everything about me and Nanami, and moreover, I specifically told him!

"This is my private matter; what are you here for?" Kashiwagi Jin proactively offered a cigarette to Uesugi Muneyuki, but Uesugi Muneyuki shook his head, indicating he doesn't smoke: "You are the career-track inspector of Investigation Division 1, and involved in official duty—what kind of private matter is this?"

"... I'm sorry, Nanami." Kashiwagi Jin's expression shifted, yet he still spoke softly.

"Nanami? Which Nanami? Nanami Nana7mi?" Uesugi Muneyuki half-laughed and tossed him a can of iced Coca-Cola.

"You know! That Hayakawa Nanami!" Kashiwagi Jin, somewhat annoyed and angry: "I've told you before, isn't that right?"

"Yeah, you really should thank her this time; just now, the Police Affairs Department's Supervision Officer Yanagisawa made an overseas call, inquired of Hayakawa Nanami, who is studying at Stanford University in the United States, she completely denied this relationship, and warned Weekly Bunshun and the Metropolitan Police Department not to disturb her privacy over this matter again, otherwise, even across the Pacific, her lawyer's letter will surely reach its destination!"

"Good thing she denied it; otherwise, you'd be done for!" Uesugi Muneyuki said meaningfully.

"So, I'm sorry, Nanami." Kashiwagi Jin nodded, he glanced at Uesugi Muneyuki, then suddenly said somewhat emotionally: "Uesugi, you say women, after becoming familiar and intimate, start to change? Misa is like that, Nanami is like that; at the beginning of dating, everything was so beautiful, but after becoming familiar and intimate, Misa is like that, Nanami is like that; they all gradually changed, became unfamiliar, not so charming."

"Huh?" Uesugi Muneyuki didn't understand Kashiwagi Jin's meaning; after becoming familiar and intimate, shouldn't one become more infatuated and clingy? Master Eriringa, when idle, hates not clinging to me; your wife too, wants more after having had some.

You're not a real fragile shark!

"You can't understand? Then forget it... we're different." Kashiwagi Jin originally wanted to say that he and Kashiwagi Misa haven't had sex in half a year, both lost interest in each other, but seeing Uesugi Muneyuki's expression and those rumors about him, knowing he probably also can't understand, he could only say with gritted teeth: "Anyway, my path won't stop; our showdown continues, Uesugi!"

"Yes, I really look forward to it." Uesugi Muneyuki nodded; in various senses, our competition indeed continues.

And just then, the broadcast at Sakuradamon suddenly rang out.

"Emergency situation occurred! Emergency situation occurred!"

"Please, Investigation Division 1, assemble quickly; emergency situation occurred!"

Uesugi Muneyuki and Kashiwagi Jin's faces changed instantly; they glanced at each other.

Kashiwagi Jin couldn't help but feel excited, while Uesugi Muneyuki felt doubtful and somewhat helpless.

No way, how come another emergency event occurred?

Such notifications mean something big happened!

The two tossed their cigarette butts and aluminum cans into the trash; Uesugi Muneyuki furrowed his brow, rushed straight to the Special Mission Unit, while Kashiwagi Jin gazed at Uesugi Muneyuki's back for a long time before turning toward Investigation Division 1.

My steps will not stop, Uesugi! My arch-enemy!

Whenever I see Uesugi Muneyuki, Kashiwagi Jin feels his lofty ambitions and fiery passion burning fiercely; his life has gained a clear goal and meaning.

But today, the source of his endless drive is not only Uesugi Muneyuki.

The Sea King's handsome face showed a resolute expression.

This case, for Nana!

Chapter End