Non-challenge fic: A Policeman's Tale (Day 7)
Title: A Policeman's Tale Day 7
Author:
ytak
Word count: 1069
Genre: General/Mystery
Rating: K (PG)
Comments: This chapter did not want to come together. I'm still not happy with parts of it. Constructive criticism will be appreciated. I'm a little concerned about some of the characterization.
Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6
Day 7
The day had been a long and fruitless one. The feeling that they were chasing their own tails increased as the day progressed.
The three detectives understood that it would take time but the pressure kept mounting. The media had linked the two attacks and was asking what the police were doing. Some helpful stations told their viewers to call the police if they suspected someone or saw a stranger hanging around schools and daycares.
This was not without any upsides, for, two tips had led to the arrest of two suspected perverts and, quite possibly, discouraged others.
The bad news was that all of the leads they had from hospitals and clinics, so far, had not panned out. With any luck, she would go to one of them in the next couple of days.
Takagi was not the only person dragging his feet as he left work that day. Tsutsumi lacked the usual bounce that was in his step and Terada, well, Terada was always gruff but today he seemed to give off 'keep away from me' vibes that sent many of the younger officers scurrying away as soon as they had a plausible excuse (and a few with some not so plausible excuses).
The backlog of following up tips, with more being fielded by officers in the next shift, had held up the three detectives. Therefore, it was hours past their regular departure time before they left for home and busy day the next day, which would be even busier because Terada was ordered to take the day off by Inspector Megure.
With all those thoughts in his head, Takagi was a bit surprised to see an envelope sitting on the seat in his car.
Opening it up, he found and address and time with an aside saying that if he did not get out before the time to not worry about it.
He stared at the scrawl and realized that it was Sato's. That brought a small smile to his face. The address looked familiar. Wearily, he climbed into his car and headed towards the address.
It was a small noodle restaurant that the two had went to once after a case. Parked nearby was the Sato's red car. He pulled in behind it and walked over to the restaurant.
“Sato-san?” he said, as he entered the restaurant. She waved him over to a small table that had some drinks set on it.
“Takagi-kun!” she said, “I'm glad you didn't get out too late.” When he looked for a menu, she added, “Ah, I hope you don't mind, I ordered something for you.”
Takagi blinked and blushed faintly, “Thank you! Um, I don't want you to go through the trouble. I almost stayed to do some more paperwork.”
“Oh, that,” she said, laughing nervously, “I would have brought it to your place later tonight.” Though she was taking a drink from her glass, he could see her blushing faintly.
His eyes were drawn to the sparkle of something on her hand. It was the ring he had given her and, to his chagrin, never told her what it was for.
He felt embarrassed when she caught him staring at the ring. “It is a pretty ring,” she said, “Simple and elegant.”
“I think it looks even better on you,” Takagi blurted out.
Whatever she was about to say in reply was interrupted by the arrival of their dinner. Takagi sighed to himself. Of course the mood was spoiled. Something always happened to interrupt.
Feel a little let down, he dug into the noodles.
While the intimate mood was gone, the meal was still a pleasurable experience. The pair were glowing with happiness by the time they finished the meal. Takagi knew it was not the food but the company that made the meal so wonderful.
Sato brushed off Takagi's attempt to pay for the meal and shooed him outside. He waited anxiously for her to leave the restaurant. The deal with the ring hung over his head. He wanted to clarify its meaning.
He could help but smile when she appeared in the doorway. Together they walked toward their cars. Stopping in front of Sato's car, Takagi knew he had to tell her before his will collapsed.
Takagi took Sato's left hand in his hands. He brushed over the ring. His courage wanted to flee but he needed to clear something up.
“Umm, Sato-san?” he said.
“Yes?” she said, looking up at him.
He brought up the hand that had the ring. Licking his lips, he tried to find the words to tell her what he felt, what the ring was really for.
“Look, Sa- Miwako-san,” he said, deciding that he really needed to use her name for what he was about to say and still hoping he was not being too forward. “This ring is, well, really an engagement ring. I'm not asking you to marry me. Not tonight,” he added quickly, “But I will ask one day.”
She gave him a stunned look but he thought she did not look displeased. He added with a swallow, “The ring is yours to keep but I would like to ask you to think about my proposal. I'm... I care deeply for you.” Any other words he might have said died when he saw the look on her face.
It was joy. He found himself wiping a tear from her face. Part of him felt startled no one interrupted them.
And he was startled when she pulled him down for a kiss, but only for a moment, before he let himself go and kiss her the way he wanted to for a very long time. The stopped the kiss to breathe and look into the other's eyes.
“Wataru-kun...,” Sato said with a small, yet very pleased smile, on her face.
He leaned in to give her another kiss when a throat clearing interrupted them. An embarrassed late night shopper gave them a sheepish grin and, in a roundabout way, reminded them where they were standing.
Sato groaned and gently thumped her head against his chest. He could hear her mutter, “Just one uninterrupted moment.” He nodded in agreement, “Yeah.”
She pulled away and gave him a brilliant smile. “I'll see you tomorrow, Wataru-kun.”
“Tomorrow,...Miwako-san,” he said waving bye to her as she climbed into her car and drove off.
Author:
ytak
Word count: 1069
Genre: General/Mystery
Rating: K (PG)
Comments: This chapter did not want to come together. I'm still not happy with parts of it. Constructive criticism will be appreciated. I'm a little concerned about some of the characterization.
Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6
Day 7
The day had been a long and fruitless one. The feeling that they were chasing their own tails increased as the day progressed.
The three detectives understood that it would take time but the pressure kept mounting. The media had linked the two attacks and was asking what the police were doing. Some helpful stations told their viewers to call the police if they suspected someone or saw a stranger hanging around schools and daycares.
This was not without any upsides, for, two tips had led to the arrest of two suspected perverts and, quite possibly, discouraged others.
The bad news was that all of the leads they had from hospitals and clinics, so far, had not panned out. With any luck, she would go to one of them in the next couple of days.
Takagi was not the only person dragging his feet as he left work that day. Tsutsumi lacked the usual bounce that was in his step and Terada, well, Terada was always gruff but today he seemed to give off 'keep away from me' vibes that sent many of the younger officers scurrying away as soon as they had a plausible excuse (and a few with some not so plausible excuses).
The backlog of following up tips, with more being fielded by officers in the next shift, had held up the three detectives. Therefore, it was hours past their regular departure time before they left for home and busy day the next day, which would be even busier because Terada was ordered to take the day off by Inspector Megure.
With all those thoughts in his head, Takagi was a bit surprised to see an envelope sitting on the seat in his car.
Opening it up, he found and address and time with an aside saying that if he did not get out before the time to not worry about it.
He stared at the scrawl and realized that it was Sato's. That brought a small smile to his face. The address looked familiar. Wearily, he climbed into his car and headed towards the address.
It was a small noodle restaurant that the two had went to once after a case. Parked nearby was the Sato's red car. He pulled in behind it and walked over to the restaurant.
“Sato-san?” he said, as he entered the restaurant. She waved him over to a small table that had some drinks set on it.
“Takagi-kun!” she said, “I'm glad you didn't get out too late.” When he looked for a menu, she added, “Ah, I hope you don't mind, I ordered something for you.”
Takagi blinked and blushed faintly, “Thank you! Um, I don't want you to go through the trouble. I almost stayed to do some more paperwork.”
“Oh, that,” she said, laughing nervously, “I would have brought it to your place later tonight.” Though she was taking a drink from her glass, he could see her blushing faintly.
His eyes were drawn to the sparkle of something on her hand. It was the ring he had given her and, to his chagrin, never told her what it was for.
He felt embarrassed when she caught him staring at the ring. “It is a pretty ring,” she said, “Simple and elegant.”
“I think it looks even better on you,” Takagi blurted out.
Whatever she was about to say in reply was interrupted by the arrival of their dinner. Takagi sighed to himself. Of course the mood was spoiled. Something always happened to interrupt.
Feel a little let down, he dug into the noodles.
While the intimate mood was gone, the meal was still a pleasurable experience. The pair were glowing with happiness by the time they finished the meal. Takagi knew it was not the food but the company that made the meal so wonderful.
Sato brushed off Takagi's attempt to pay for the meal and shooed him outside. He waited anxiously for her to leave the restaurant. The deal with the ring hung over his head. He wanted to clarify its meaning.
He could help but smile when she appeared in the doorway. Together they walked toward their cars. Stopping in front of Sato's car, Takagi knew he had to tell her before his will collapsed.
Takagi took Sato's left hand in his hands. He brushed over the ring. His courage wanted to flee but he needed to clear something up.
“Umm, Sato-san?” he said.
“Yes?” she said, looking up at him.
He brought up the hand that had the ring. Licking his lips, he tried to find the words to tell her what he felt, what the ring was really for.
“Look, Sa- Miwako-san,” he said, deciding that he really needed to use her name for what he was about to say and still hoping he was not being too forward. “This ring is, well, really an engagement ring. I'm not asking you to marry me. Not tonight,” he added quickly, “But I will ask one day.”
She gave him a stunned look but he thought she did not look displeased. He added with a swallow, “The ring is yours to keep but I would like to ask you to think about my proposal. I'm... I care deeply for you.” Any other words he might have said died when he saw the look on her face.
It was joy. He found himself wiping a tear from her face. Part of him felt startled no one interrupted them.
And he was startled when she pulled him down for a kiss, but only for a moment, before he let himself go and kiss her the way he wanted to for a very long time. The stopped the kiss to breathe and look into the other's eyes.
“Wataru-kun...,” Sato said with a small, yet very pleased smile, on her face.
He leaned in to give her another kiss when a throat clearing interrupted them. An embarrassed late night shopper gave them a sheepish grin and, in a roundabout way, reminded them where they were standing.
Sato groaned and gently thumped her head against his chest. He could hear her mutter, “Just one uninterrupted moment.” He nodded in agreement, “Yeah.”
She pulled away and gave him a brilliant smile. “I'll see you tomorrow, Wataru-kun.”
“Tomorrow,...Miwako-san,” he said waving bye to her as she climbed into her car and drove off.