"My job is to arrest her."
Hoshino answered with utmost politeness, immediately drawing waves of boos from below the stage.
"Whoa."
"Is this that thing? 'My only wish in this life is to arrest you with my own hands'?" The girls daring enough to speak up were all quite young. The married women over thirty were more composed, silently observing, though their hearts were pounding too.
"You could call it my obsession."
Pretending not to understand, Hoshino answered with great seriousness. Her right hand clenched tightly around the mask, stirring up quite a commotion.
She walked backstage and changed back into her detective outfit. The tattered costume from before had already been put away, and her dejected air vanished without a trace. The detective who commanded the whole situation had returned.
Only those present knew that something heartbreaking had happened in this theater.
"What do you think?"
Hoshino turned to look at Tina. The chaotic performance had ended, and the little girl, who had just been at the front of the stage, had now returned backstage.
"What do I think... I don't know."
Tina answered uneasily.
"I just feel like... maybe I shouldn't have disturbed you two... sob..."
Tina's heart was in turmoil. Watching a fairy tale shatter before her eyes felt awful, and Hoshino could understand how she felt.
Hold it in.
Don't laugh. Absolutely don't laugh out loud.
Hoshino gritted her teeth and warned her, "Remember, never get involved with her. Not even the slightest bit. Once you get tangled up with her, your life will be ruined."
Tina nodded blankly.
That nod seemed to be some kind of signal. As Tina nodded, the mission was completed as well, and the character card was unlocked. Hoshino paused, spreading open her palm as though she could feel something leaving