Only then did Bruce realize he had been holding Ririko the whole time.
He abruptly let go, then pulled out his phone and fumbled to call Barbara.
"Barbara, something strange just happened. I'll send you the dashcam footage. Take a look at it..."
He spoke hurriedly, trying to cover up his embarrassment.
"Sure. Are you okay? Why do you sound so weird?" Barbara asked casually.
"N-no, I'm fine. Talk later." Bruce hung up.
The car drove through the gates of Wayne Manor.
Bruce got out, looking apologetic. "I need to meet with the others first... Alfred will arrange dinner for you."
Ririko waved him off, telling him to go ahead.
[Current infatuation value: 17/100]
Her infatuation value had gone up five points today. That counted as completing the mission.
Only Alfred and Ririko remained in the foyer.
The two stared awkwardly at each other for a few seconds.
Alfred looked as though he wanted to say something, but Ririko had no desire to make awkward small talk with him, afraid that the more she said, the more mistakes she would make.
Ririko broke the silence. "Have all my packages arrived?"
"All delivered to your room," Alfred answered reflexively.
Ririko turned and left.
She returned to her room, shut the door, and locked it.
She sat on the sofa, took out her phone, and opened a chat.
The chat labeled "Bird Man" was full of gray notices marking messages Oswald had sent and then unsent.
Every night around midnight, he would send her something, only to unsend it a second later.
She had never bothered with him.
Now she typed a sentence into the message box: Someone wants to use hypnosis to kill you.
Oswald sat in his office, irritably working on his campaign platform.
Dark bruiselike circles