"Alright, it's getting late now. Shizuka, you should get some rest. As usual, Yukiko will probably drag you around the whole day tomorrow."
Haruno knew Yukiko far too well.
Just thinking of her over-the-top energy made Haruno laugh softly. Shizuka Hiratsuka, who hated troublesome things, would no doubt feel completely drained.
"Mm, then I'll rest first. But Haruno, don't overwork yourself either. You should spend some time at school too. After all, you're a college student if you're never on campus, it really doesn't look good." Shizuka nodded gently, her concern for Haruno Yukinoshita genuine.
"Hehe, got it~ My beloved teacher, good night!" Haruno's smile only deepened as she heard Shizuka's gentle words.
"Good night."
After hanging up, Haruno held her phone to her lips and planted a soft kiss on Shizuka's photo displayed on the screen.
"Alright then, time to get back to work~"
…
"So, you really plan on spending the night here?" Shizuka set her phone on the nightstand to charge and gave a pointed look at Fujiko Mine, who had already curled up in her blanket, sipping wine while scrolling through her phone.
"Don't be so cold, Shizuka~ It's late, and isn't it dangerous for a beautiful woman like me to wander alone in America at night?" Fujiko blinked playfully at her, smiling sweetly.
"And besides, do you know how hard it was for me to find you? I rushed all the way here. I'm completely exhausted. Would you really make me go out again and find a hotel at this hour?"
"Of course. Absolutely." Shizuka nodded coolly, her tone merciless.
If it were Yukiko pouting like this, she might have given in.
But against Fujiko Mine, Shizuka knew she could never show a trace of hesitation.
This woman was like a cunning fox, an expert at manipulating hearts.
"Speaking of which, how did you even find me this time?" Shizuka frowned. "I remember telling you clearly not to install trackers or spyware on my phone."
"Of course not. I'd never do something you dislike, Shizuka~" Fujiko waved her phone with a grin.
"As for how I found you… well, no matter where you are in the world, I can always find you."
"Tch." Shizuka clicked her tongue at Fujiko's smug smile.
How had she ever been so naïve back then, thinking Fujiko was just a woman with questionable morals but a kind heart?
She should've left her in a Tokyo prison when she had the chance.
That bitter thought crossed her mind, but as she met Fujiko's mischievous gaze, Shizuka could only sigh and shake her head helplessly.
Forget it. She was the one who had chosen her friends, so she had to live with it.
And in truth, Fujiko had never actually wronged her. Even locking her up wouldn't have worked she'd escape anyway and cause even bigger headaches.
"Fine. You can stay. But don't try anything tonight. Every time you sleep over, you somehow end up climbing into my bed. Honestly, the guest bed is identical to mine. You and Haruno always insist my bed is more comfortable. It's ridiculous." Stretching lazily, Shizuka lifted her blanket and lay down.
"See? It's not just me saying that~" Fujiko chuckled, her lips curling upward at the mention of Haruno. Her expression, however, remained calm.
She had already investigated Shizuka's circle thoroughly. Fujiko knew exactly who mattered and who didn't.
Haruno Yukinoshita? Just a little girl. Nothing worth worrying about.
"One more thing. Tomorrow morning, you'd better leave early. If Yusaku sees you, it'll cause me a lot of trouble." Shizuka shifted comfortably into the large bed Yukiko had arranged for her, reassured by its spaciousness.
She was a calm sleeper, at least. The only problem was keeping Fujiko from clinging to her in the night.
"Alright, alright~ I won't make things hard for you." A flash of triumph flickered in Fujiko's eyes as she lifted her body slightly only to be pushed back down by Shizuka's firm but slender hand.
"Don't. It's too hot." Shizuka pulled a spare pillow from behind her and shoved it at Fujiko.
"Here. Use this as your body pillow."
"Eh? But it's not as comfy as you, Shizuka." Fujiko pouted, though her eyes still trailed along Shizuka's silhouette beneath the sheets.
"If you hug me, I'll be uncomfortable. End of story." Shizuka's tone was resolute as she reached to switch off the lamp.
"Sleep. We've got things to deal with tomorrow."
"Fine, fine~"
"…"
"Oh, right. About your job this time be careful. Yusaku said the police chief has called in outside reinforcements to stop Lupin and his crew. Yusaku himself will be involved too. I don't know how much he'll actually do, but if you're careless, you'll pay for it."
"Don't worry. I'm always careful~"
"I'm not joking, Fujiko."
"I know, I know. But hearing you worry about me makes me happy, Shizuka."
"I just don't want to have to visit you in an American prison."
"Hehe~"
"And another thing stop bringing me those 'souvenirs' from Tokyo. That extra room I cleared out is already turning into a mini-museum."
"(.-ω-)zzz"
"You fell asleep already?" Shizuka glanced at Fujiko's steady breathing and shook her head, half amused.
"Fine. I'll sleep too."
"…"
"I knew it. You're not really asleep. No one dozes off that fast and immediately grabs me!"
…
The faint morning sunlight slipped into the room, waking Shizuka from her sleep.
"Oh, already gone?" She rubbed her eyes, glancing at the empty space beside her. A strange mix of emotions welled up inside.
"So she can behave normally if she doesn't drink…" Memories of certain ambiguous nights flashed through her mind, making Shizuka sigh as she yawned her way into the bathroom.
"Hm?" She blinked in surprise at the mirror.
A photo of her was taped to the glass, with a line of text written beneath it:
'Shizuka's adorable sleeping face mine now~ ❤'
"Tch, that woman." Shizuka ripped the photo down irritably.
But the irritation only deepened as she caught sight of the bright red lipstick mark on her cheek.
"Damn it, I really shouldn't trust her so much. That troublesome woman!"
"Ah there's one on my neck too! Ugh!"