42 Another chance

"Nishimura Sama, I will see you tomorrow." Wakana gets up. She wants to get back to her apartment and take a bath. She wants to take a short nap before she packs her bag. She might go for a run to absorb the information she received today.

"Be on time tomorrow." Soichiro sits down and puts his legs over the table. He closes his eyes. "I will take a short nap."

She takes hurried steps out of the basement as if she's running away from something. Sei is sure now. There's something wrong.

SIA's basement is a strange place. Upstairs, most people nearly forgets that there's a basement down there. It's not like they have the time to remember either. There's so much work and the cold basement is another dead zone to them. Nakashima Wakana, once a forever rookie of the violent crime division, is already forgotten by her peers.

Wakana feels that she's more suited for the basement. It's quiet and calm. Also, the number of supernatural cases should be less than the cases that are handled by her previous division.

He catches up with her on the stairs and stops her on the way. "Are you angry with me?"

Wakana looks sideways. "I am not angry."

"Then, are you supposed to run away from me like this?" He smiles and leans closer to her.

"I am not running away." Wakana lowers her head.

He places his index finger below her chin and raises his head to meet her eyes. She's certainly avoiding his gaze. Why is she like that? "Did you forget about our date tonight?"

She looks at him. "Minami Kun, you asked me if I wanted to be your girlfriend or not."

His heart grows heavy with the foreboding feeling. There's no happiness in those amber eyes. Everything was fine earlier. "Yes, I asked."

"I can't become your girlfriend," She tells him with a wavering voice."After coming to work, I realized that it's not a good idea to date a colleague."

That's an excuse. "If you don't want to be with me, tell me the true reason."

She becomes quiet. He brushes his lips against her ear and feels her tremble. She has feelings for him. He steps away and crosses his arms. "Is it your old boyfriend?"

Her ears are red. She rubs her ear that he kissed a moment ago. "Minami Kun, that was a lie. I never had a boyfriend. That person saved my life many times, but he isn't my lover."

Sei stares at her. "Why did you lie?"

"I blurted it out when you kept asking me if I had a boyfriend. I didn't want to give you the impression that I liked you." She bites her lower lip. He's making her anxious with his penetrating stare. "Minami Kun, I don't want to go out with a person who doesn't believe in me."

She's talking about the hidden world. Minami Sei realizes his mistake. "Wakana, it's not like that. If you give me some time, I will see it for myself. I have been in love with you for a long time. I will understand your world. Your world is also mine."

She shakes her head. "Minami Kun, you have known me for a long time. You didn't believe me once. You couldn't believe me. I understand your reasons. But, I also expected you to believe me once. Whether you loved me or not, I wanted you to believe me. Even today, you didn't believe me when I told everything that happened in that apartment. As a police officer, I understand you, Minami Kun. I know that it's difficult for you. But, as a woman who has been in love with you for a long time, I am too selfish to accept anything less than unflinching trust. We can't start a relationship if we cannot trust each other."

"Wakana, trust is a seed that grows only if it's cultivated properly." He grasps her elbow. "I believe you. I knew that you were telling the truth."

"Yes, you believed that I was telling the truth, but you didn't believe in me." She shows a melancholic smile. "An honest victim will speak the truth that she knows. The victim's truth is often different from what happened for real. So, you thought that the demon could be my hallucination or a human impersonating as a demon. There are many logical possibilities."

He lets go of her arm. She's right. He did believe her words, but he didn't have faith in her. Now, she's going away.

"Minami Kun, there's no doubt that I have feelings for you." Wakana's lips quiver. Her voice is shaky. "When you told me that you love me, I was happy. I wanted you to believe in me once, not just believe my words."

He won't let her go. He loves her. He needs her. "Wakana, give me a chance."

She curls her fingers. "It's best if we stay as colleagues only,"

She won't even consider him as a friend. He takes steps toward her. "Give me one more chance."

"I am going home." She turns her back to him and climbs a staircase. The lightbulb over her head flickers once before it dies. She lets out a curse as soon as she stumbles on her step. Instead of falling on the staircases, she falls in his arms. She stands up and looks at him. His arms are still wrapped around her. "Let me go."

"Another chance." He pulls her closer to him. "I won't let you go if you don't give me another chance."

"Someone will come and see us." Wakana looks at the door. They are in the workplace.

"Another chance." He repeats. "I don't mind if anyone sees us."

"I mind that a lot." She snaps at him.

"Then, give me another chance." He smirks. "I am sorry that I didn't believe in you. It's an occupational disease, believe me. I won't give you a chance to complain."

Before Wakana can reply, another voice resounds in the corridor. "I have a complaint."

Wakana and Sei turn their heads toward the person. Realizing that they are caught by Nishimura Soichiro, Wakana pushes Sei away. She turns her face to the wall. She wants to dig a hole and bury herself. She's too embarrassed to at the person in the eye. Sei puts on his poker face and asks the person standing in the middle of the corridor, "What is your complaint, Nishimura Sama?"

Nishimura Soichiro smiles at them. "I forgot to tell you. You are prohibited to date your colleague."