Tokyo: Rabbit Officer and Her Evil Partner
Chapter 135 - 57: Where Did the Dog Meat Come From?

Chapter 135: Chapter 57: Where Did the Dog Meat Come From?

Kazama Tatsuya pushed open the private room door, and four or five burly men with fierce scowls simultaneously turned their heads. They were dressed in bright red waiter’s uniforms and greeted with a menacing tone, "Welcome."

Fushimi Roku sat in the south, facing north, occupying the head seat. He reclined against the chair back, trimming his nails with a nail clipper; Minamoto Tamako sat beside him, like a mascot, peeling an orange on the table with her small hands.

The private room was filled with warmth; both had taken off their uniforms and hung them on the coat rack.

Kazama Tatsuya was taken aback. Among the group, he recognized several familiar faces, one of whom seemed like a wanted fugitive... What was this about? Was this really just a dinner meeting?

"Sit down," Fushimi Roku blew on his nails and invited, "Make yourself at home."

Kazama Tatsuya sat down across from the two with a stern expression, saying nothing. He could tell that Fushimi Roku was again up to no good.

Minamoto Tamako, still munching an orange, turned to see a young man standing behind Kazama Tatsuya. He wore a white checkered shirt under a blue knitted sweater, an overcoat draped over his arm. His eyes were clear, and his demeanor calm, exuding a likable aura, particularly when he smiled.

If one had to describe him in a single sentence, he had the vibe of a healing-type male protagonist from a Japanese series.

Kazama Tatsuya dragged his chair with a harsh screech. He sat boldly, glanced around, and said nothing.

"Nice to meet you, I’m Kamei Yuusaku," he bowed slightly, carrying a gift, "I’ve often heard Mr. Tatsuya talk about you two, and it’s a pleasure to meet at last..."

Kamei Yuusaku didn’t rush to present his gift. Instead, he draped his coat over the back of his chair and took a seat at the rectangular table.

Though it was a square table, the four sat facing each other. Fushimi Roku exchanged a few polite words, took the menu, ordered a hotpot with aromatic meat, and then asked if anyone had dietary restrictions. If not, he would order freely.

Minamoto Tamako had planned to warn Fushimi Roku not to eat dogs, but upon hearing him order aromatic meat, she said nothing more. Though she didn’t know what aromatic meat was, from the name, it seemed to be some kind of wild game... As long as it wasn’t dog meat, it was fine.

"Mr. Tatsuya doesn’t eat meat," Kamei Yuusaku said, "He eats vegetarian."

Fushimi Roku and Minamoto Tamako both looked up in surprise at Kazama Tatsuya. He nodded in confirmation, but quickly added, "I haven’t been eating vegetarian lately, I’m eating meat."

"Oh, did you recover well in Hokkaido? How’s the scenery in the north? Share with us, don’t be shy."

Kamei Yuusaku naturally found a topic, talking about the snow scenery in Sapporo, showing a look of yearning, prompting Minamoto Tamako and Kazama Tatsuya to chat a bit more.

Servants brought in tea and appetizers and exited the private room in single file. Moments later, they re-entered with the hotpot, the bubbling red soup base releasing an enticing aroma that filled the room.

Everyone chatted while eating, with beads of sweat forming on their foreheads and noses. The pot’s base had clearly been adapted to Japanese tastes, with mild spice but a rich broth.

Minamoto Tamako ate with great enthusiasm, never having tasted such delicious meat before. The muscle fibers were distinct and flavorful with each bite. The atmosphere during this dinner was so enjoyable that she momentarily forgot about interrogating the suspect.

Chatting with Kamei Yuusaku was pleasant; his sincerity and flattering skills were impeccable.

When Minamoto Tamako talked about her hometown’s soup curry, Kamei Yuusaku would echo, ’I feel the same! I used to find curry too rich, but it’s a specialty of Sapporo’; when she spoke of the tough work as a patrol officer, Kamei Yuusaku would earnestly commend, ’Being a police officer is a respected career, right? At least kids look up to you. I’m impressed you got the job’...

Fushimi Roku squinted, staring at the young man through the hotpot’s steam.

Kamei Yuusaku didn’t need to probe; he worked with remarkable precision as if following the ’Yuan Yuzi User Manual,’ delighting her effortlessly.

When the conversation seemed about right, he placed the gift on the table and pushed it over, saying, "Mr. Tatsuya has mentioned how hard Officer Tamako works patrolling, so I knitted a scarf overnight... I’m very grateful as a local citizen for Officer Tamako’s contribution to Sugamo’s security, and I hope you accept this small token of gratitude from the residents."

If offered in his name, Minamoto Tamako definitely wouldn’t accept it.

But expressing gratitude as a ’local citizen’ for her hard work made Tamako feel proud, thinking her efforts weren’t in vain, and that good citizens indeed noticed and respected her job as a patrol officer...

Just as she was about to reach out, she suddenly realized something was off.

Senior Feng mentioned bringing the ’suspect’ for dinner, meaning the young man in front of her could very well be the suspect! As a case officer, how could she accept anything from a suspect? Even if just a scarf, she couldn’t take a stitch, not a piece of paper!

When later proven that Kamei Yuusaku was innocent, accepting the gift then wouldn’t be too late, and if it turned out to be a commendation flag, all the better...

Minamoto Tamako repeatedly waved her hands, indicating refusal.

Kamei Yuusaku noticed something and smiled, retracting the gift, seemingly not at all offended by the rejection. Seeing this, Tamako felt somewhat relieved, thinking he seemed like a decent enough person, perhaps there was a misunderstanding? At least there was no evidence proving he was the culprit...

At this thought, Minamoto Tamako suddenly remembered something crucial. Her face changed slightly as she asked, "May I ask... what is your relationship with Mrs. Kamei?"

Kamei Yuusaku paused in his chewing, put down his chopsticks, his expression sorrowful, and sighed deeply, confessing, "She is my mother."

...

The private room suddenly fell silent, the hotpot broth bubbling away.

Kamei Yuusaku’s grief-stricken expression seemed genuine: "I’m sorry for the trouble she caused everyone. I didn’t expect her to do such a thing..."

"Where were you on the day of the incident?" Fushimi Roku helped himself to a piece of thigh meat.

Minamoto Tamako swallowed nervously, surprised that the ’culprit’ Senior Feng mentioned was actually the deceased mother’s son, making this defenestration case seem more complex than she imagined.

Kamei Yuusaku’s expression remained unchanged: "I was on a business trip. If I had been home, perhaps I could have stopped her, and this wouldn’t have happened..."

"Oh! What about the dog?" inquired Fushimi Roku while eating, "Where did the dog go?"

"What dog?" Kamei Yuusaku asked.

"Didn’t your family keep a Saint Bernard?" Fushimi Roku gave a sidelong glance upwards.

Kamei Yuusaku suddenly realized: "Ah, you mean Marujiro? It was put down by the animal center half a year ago..."

"Why?" Fushimi Roku asked.

"The animal center has a record..."

"I want you to say it." Fushimi interrupted.

"Because it bit someone, Marujiro bit a child, which cost the family a lot of money, and as per regulations, any pet dog that injures a person must be euthanized..."

"Who was bitten?" Fushimi Roku enquired.

"Mrs. Tsunade’s son from downstairs," Kamei Yuusaku paused before adding, "It was merely an accident."

"Are you suggesting the defenestration was an accident, or that the dog biting was an accident?" Fushimi Roku put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth, opened a bottle of sake, and poured a round for everyone. When it came to Minamoto Tamako, he swapped it for milk.

"Both," Kamei Yuusaku stated.

"Hmm... is that so," Fushimi Roku raised his glass, and coldly asked, "Why not guess where this dog meat came from?"

As soon as the words fell, everyone’s faces suddenly changed.