The Detective is Already Dead-Chapter 20: The girls’ dialogue

"You're telling me to use your body?"

The silver-haired ace detective looked bewildered.

"Yes. That's what I want in exchange for listening to your request." My voice was firm as I made my proposal.

This was a special world where only she and I could interact.

It was like a memory, or the consciousness that had been engraved on our heart, or a mere daydream—but it was true that I could meet her here. This was our second meeting, the first one since that fight.

"Are you sure, though?"

The ace detective looked at me steadily with those blue eyes of hers. "This body is yours and yours alone. He said so, too, remember?"

"...Yes, you're right. These are my hands and my feet. It's all mine, from the ends of my hair to the tips of my toes. But..." I drew a deep breath. "The heart is different."

She lowered her long eyelashes.

"The heart belongs to both of us," I continued. "That means we should be able to work together, toward the same goal."

"...What do you want me to do?"

"I want you to switch with me and go save Kimizuka. He's fighting the enemy even as we speak."

"You seem to think I want to save him just as much as you do."

Urk. "—Yes, that's what I'm saying."

We had no time, but this was going nowhere. I could feel my blood pressure rising.

"Don't misunderstand. I'm already dead. I have no right to get involved with him."

In that instant, the fuse inside me was lit. " such a pain in the butt!"

! Arrrrrrrgh, geez, you're

I raked my fingers through my hair so roughly that the scrunchie I'd used to tie up my side ponytail came loose and fell out.

"P-pain in the butt...? Me?"

I guess the ace detective had never dreamed anyone would say a thing like that to her; she blinked her large eyes dramatically. Sorry, but I'm showing no mercy here.

"You know it's true! Even in that one dream where we fought, you said

you were the best one to be your assistant's partner, remember?!"

"That was... Listen. The upshot of that discussion was that I left my assistant to you, remember?"

"So—what? You're telling me you have no right to have anything to do with Kimizuka ever again, no matter what happens? You won't even go save him? Excuse me? What are you, a little kid?"

"...You are the first person who's ever been this rude to me." She glared at me, more irritated than I'd ever seen her.

"Huh? So now you're all fragile? Are you not used to people teasing you or something?"

"I'm leaving." The ace detective turned on her heel.

Hastily, I caught the cuff of her sleeve. "Argh, look, I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry, so hurry up—take this body and go to him." As the mature one here, I reluctantly backed down and let her salvage her dignity.

"...Are you sure?" "Like I said—"

I was about to tell her I really don't care, but...

"Will he...," she murmured. "Will my assistant think it's a nuisance? It's been so long; if I show up again now..." She seemed slightly torn. That emotion was so unlike the rational, intellectual ace detective.

"Who knows?" I replied. "Just go see for yourself."

Proof trumps argument. A perfectly apt phrase for an ace detective, I think. "...That's just irresponsible."

She still didn't seem satisfied, and she gazed coldly at me... I hated to admit it, but that expression was cute, too. Kimizuka had acted like she hadn't been special to him, but that had to be a lie. He couldn't possibly have spent three years with an angel like this and not have developed any feelings for her. Then, what? If she was an angel, did that make me a devil? Ugh, shut up.

"Well, I mean, you suddenly started acting all blushy." I'd gotten myself upset, so I said something that would push her away.

"...I really don't think we're going to get along," said the angelic ace

detective, glaring at me again.

Hrmm, I guess this turned into another fight after all. Well, this time, we shared the blame at a ratio of sixty-forty or so. Although the "forty" was mine.

"Haaah, fine, all right. All I have to do is go, correct? I just have to go." At last, turning away in a vaguely childish huff, she grudgingly accepted my proposal. "Just this once, though."

"I know. Next time... When next time comes, I'll be able to save him myself."

"...I see. All right, then." The ace detective gave a sudden smile, turned on her heel, and left.

"Say..."

As she went, I hesitated a little, but...in the end, I decided to tell her something I'd always wanted to say.

"Thank you for giving me my life—ace detective." At that, she stopped for a moment.

"You're welcome... But I should be telling you..."

Her back was still turned toward me.

"Thank you for using my life—ace detective."

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