Jack of all Trades, Master of None (Kakegurui Fanfiction)

Chapter 48: I'm Innocent!

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"Call the police immediately!" the man in the blue suit shouted as he cleared the parameter.

However, Tamara stood frozen in the doorway, her eyes locked on the lifeless body of the Hida Finances boss lying on the table. The scene before her triggered a rush of overwhelming emotions, and her chest tightened, making it more difficult to breathe.

Her heart raced, and a cold sweat broke out across her forehead. She trembled uncontrollably, feeling as though she was being transported back again to a time of fear and danger. The room seemed to close in on her, the walls closing as her mind spiraled.

"Oneesan..." A voice called her.

It was a girl who seemed to be the same age as Tamara who called her. She's with a kid who appears to be an elementary school student; the girl, sensing Tamara's distress, quickly recognizes the signs of her struggle. Moving with compassion and understanding, the girl and the kid approached Tamara cautiously, her voice calm and reassuring.

"Oneesan, take a deep breath," the girl said gently, her tone filled with empathy.

Tamara's eyes darted towards the girl, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Her voice quivered as he struggled to articulate his overwhelming emotions. "I... I can't..."

The girl and the kid maintained a steady presence, speaking softly and maintaining a safe distance to respect Tamara's personal space. "I understand, Oneesan. This must be hard for you, but We are here with you; we'll get through this together."

As the girl spoke, she and the kid guided Tamara to a nearby chair, encouraging her to sit down. Tamara complied, her trembling hands gripping the edge of the seat as she tried to ground herself in the present moment.

The kid used his coat as a fan while the girl continued their reassuring words, her voice a soothing balm to Tamara's distressed state. "Focus on your breathing, Oneesan. Inhale deeply through your nose and exhale slowly through your mouth. You're safe here, and we believe you have the strength to overcome this."

Tamara followed the girl's guidance, attempting to regulate her breathing.

Inhale.

Exhale.

As Tamara continued to engage in the breathing exercise, a sense of calm gradually settled over her. The girl's patience and guidance, together with the kid's intensive fanning, helped her regain control over her racing thoughts and quell the intensity of her panic attack.

Opening her eyes, she looked at the girl who helped her, a spark of recognition igniting within her. "Wait... I know you..."

The girl's eyes narrowed in confusion. "Have we met before?"

"Yeah, you really look familiar," Tamara replied while recalling where she met the girl who just saved her from having a panic attack. "Lemme just..."

"Aha!" she blurted as if a lightbulb lit up on her head. "You're the girl friend of that high school detective I helped solve a case in New York!"

"Ran!" she called the girl. "Ran Mouri!"

"Tamara-san?!" the girl gasped in shock and hugged Tamara. "I almost didn't recognize you!"

"Even the old me wouldn't recognize the new me," Tamara told her. "But yeah, I'm still 'that' Tamara you met from Queens, New York. The one and only!"

"You know each other?" the kid next to Ran asked.

"Shinichi and I met her during our New York trip more than a year ago," Ran told him. "She's Tamara. She is Miss Sharon's apprentice."

"Was," Tamara corrected and kneeled in front of the kid standing next to Ran. "Anyways, who is he?" she asked while staring directly into the kid's eyes, making him uncomfortable.