Chapter 173 Restraining oneself and returning to rituals and benevolence
"I have a question, Detective Uozuka. I wonder if you can tell me the answer."
"As long as it doesn't involve FBI secrets, I'll do my best, Officer Uehara."
In the conference room, after the meeting, Katsuki Uehara turned the ballpoint pen in his hand, put his elbow on the table with one hand, and said: "Oikawa Kunihiko, is he dead?"
"Who?" Vodka was stunned for a moment, then shook his head: "I have never heard of this name at all. Is he also an undercover agent who has infiltrated the organization? What is his code name?"
"That's the guy standing with me in this photo."
Uehara Katsuki, whose micro-expression observation was blocked by his sunglasses, put down his pen, reached into his trousers pocket and took out the photos, arranging them one by one in front of the man: "Do you know him, Agent Uozuka?
"
"Unfortunately, I don't know him."
After looking at it carefully for a while, Vodka said with a hint of apology in his tone: "He should be the reason why Kiel deceived you, right? Is he your friend, Officer Uehara?"
"I only know that Keir wants to use someone to take revenge on you. These things... I'm sorry."
"I understand, thank you."
"…………"
Closing his eyes, the scene in the conference room replayed over and over again in Katsuki Uehara's mind.
"Uehara? Uehara?"
"Huh? Ah? What's wrong? What's the matter?"
"Shouldn't I be asking you this? What happened to your behavior just now? Are you doubting this Uotsuka Saburo?"
Staring at the intersection in the distance where her back was no longer visible, Sato Miwako, who was leaning on the edge of the window, crossed her arms in front of her chest, turned her head and asked: "Why did you say that before entering the conference room and just now in the conference room?"
?”
"I don't know how to explain it to you, and I'm not sure whether this so-called FBI agent is trustworthy."
The man who leaned down slightly and put his arms on the window sill crossed his fingers and said, "Even if he has enough trust now."
"Then, are you still looking for Miyano Shiho?"
"Looking for it, of course I have to look for it, why not look for it."
Looking into the distance, Katsuki Uehara chuckled: "I don't have any evidence now, nor any formed inferences. What if what he said is true?"
"Is it intuitive?" He also turned to look out the window at the sky dyed red by the setting sun. The magnificent rays of light hit the side of Miwako Sato's face, and her short hair that was ruffled by the wind looked somewhat messy.
"I just think it's too coincidental. You can think I'm crazy."
"Really? Do you need therapy?"
Letting her soft hair hit her white cheeks without doing any combing, the woman who withdrew her gaze raised her head slightly. Under her elegant jawline, her white neck attracted the man's attention.
The corners of Katsuki Uehara's mouth raised, and the smile in his eyes almost overflowed: "So, is it Officer Sato tonight? Or is it Dr. Sato?"
"He's the one who took advantage of me to treat him to dinner."
Miwako Sato, who subconsciously touched her neck with her right hand, did not show any weakness in her tone: "You'd better not let me spend too much, otherwise I will most likely ask you to see a doctor."
"Then can I choose the way and location of the injury?"
"Is there a less painful way to get injured? It's best if it makes me feel comfortable, so that I don't feel bad when I go to the hospital."
"you guess?"
"I can't believe it. Why don't you, Dr. Sato, take me to the operating table yourself?"
Sato Miwako stared at him with a half-smile: "My medical skills are not very good, I'm afraid you will be in unbearable pain."
Uehara Katsumi, who turned sideways to meet the woman's gaze, tilted his head, raised his eyebrows and said noncommittally: "Then please put a pineapple next to the operating table."
"uh-huh?"
"Remember to peel it."
The man grinned and his smile instantly became bright: "Otherwise, I'll cut off my hands."
The woman with a smile on her face didn't respond. She just stood by the window with her arms crossed in front of her chest, watching the figure who was humming an unknown song gradually leave.
Not long after, Sato's mother, who was far away at Sato's house, received a call from her daughter——
"Hello?"
"Mom, I will go back late tonight, so you don't have to wait for me to eat."
"Are you going to work overtime again, Miwako? Did you run into some difficult case?"
"No."
Miwako Sato held the phone, pursed her lips, and moved her pink tongue unconsciously in her mouth. After confirming that the man had gone away, Miwako Sato couldn't help but raise the corners of her mouth as she looked at his back and said, "Yes.
Let’s have dinner with Uehara.”
——?!
"Eh?! Wait, wait, wait! Wait, wait, I will admit defeat in this game. I will admit defeat in this game. Miwako, please tell mom carefully about you——"
With a "beep" sound, Sato's mother's joyful voice with a hint of sadness came to an abrupt end.
?????
Oh no!
Why does this kid only half-talk?!
Who did you learn this from?!
Miwako Sato put her phone back in her pocket and turned to take one last look at the warm sunset outside the window, then closed the window with a smile.
When passing by her workstation, she gently stretched her legs to return the chair to its original position, then walked out of the office area step by step and walked towards the man who was obviously waiting for her at the door of the office area.
"It's not time to get off work yet."
Uehara Katsumi, who was chewing gum, blew a bubble and put away the photo he had been staring at. Hearing the sound of high heels behind him, he said without looking back: "Is it okay to skip work?"
"When did you become so law-abiding?"
Miwako Sato, who kept walking, passed by the man, walked straight to the elevator entrance, reached out and pressed the elevator button without any hesitation.
Katsuki Uehara, who followed with a smile, stepped into the empty elevator first after the elevator door opened: "I have always been law-abiding.
"Restraining oneself and returning propriety to be benevolent is a creed that I have written on my desk since I was a student."
"I can't tell, but you still had lofty ideals when you were studying."
Sato Miwako raised her eyebrows and said in surprise: "So, have you achieved this goal now?"
"My name comes true."
happy.
After all, Miwako couldn't hold it in anymore and couldn't maintain her emotional peace anymore, so she broke out laughing.
Uehara Katsuki shrugged and laughed at himself: "It's just the name. It's clearly called Katsuki, but my actions can't be considered self-denial in any way - no, it should be said that my actions are the antonym of self-denial, which is indulgence."
."
"Then there's no need to be so presumptuous."
Overjoyed, Sato Miwako took a breath, arched her eyebrows, and said with a smile: "For a police officer, indulgence and self-denial are not antonyms to a certain extent."
"Although I know you are complimenting me, I still feel comfortable listening to it. If you suggest more, I can bear it."
"No, this comes from the heart."
As the numbers on the elevator display continued to move down, Sato Miwako, who raised her head slightly to look at the stair arrival prompt, seriously corrected: "Uehara Katsumi, he is worthy of his name."
"..."
Looking up at the face reflected in the dark mirror of the elevator prompt screen, Katsuki Uehara moved his lips twice, and then chuckled: "If that bastard was still alive, he probably wouldn't agree with what you said."
"All ears."
The elevator door opened, Miwako Sato raised her wrist and looked at the time, with a smile on her lips: "I'm off work now, I have enough time."