I Can't Deal With These Girls! [HoloID]

Chapter 7: An Assistant and a Detective

"Are you crazy, detective?! We might as well be thieves for taking this much for a single consultation!" Sari berated me after we finally made it back to our office.

"It's fine, it's fine~ Didn't she give us this much as thanks for helping her? That just means our help was worth that much to her. If we return this money to her, that'll be the same as disrespecting her gratitude, won't it?" I reasoned with her.

"You're as shameless as always, detective. I'll do my best to not learn that from you." Sari sighed in defeat before plopping down on the couch.

I chuckled to myself as I sat down on the chair in front of her. "Anyway, how did it feel to work on your first ever case as a detective's assistant?" I asked.

"All I did was toss some fish around and chase someone, though. I didn't even get to solve anything," Sari grumbled.

I reassured her, "But you were the one that found Zeta, weren't you? Even I was stumped before you came along earlier. I'd say you did a pretty good job for your first case."

"...I guess I did, huh?" Sari muttered, a slight smile forming unbeknownst to her.

"And that's all thanks to me teaching you the ropes! Don't you feel like thanking me from the bottom of your heart? Hahaha!" I exclaimed proudly as my shoulders shook from laughter.

"That's just part of our deal, remember? I would help you start your detective agency from scratch, and you'll teach me as your assistant. Why should I thank you for something that we agreed on?" Sari snarkily remarked.

"Bah, a little thanks wouldn't hurt, you know?" I grumbled.

Despite my protest, I couldn't deny the deal that we made on our first meeting. Back then, the sun rose over my battered body that had endured my journey as a stowaway on a cargo ship. As I struggled to sneak out, a lapse of judgment from my exhaustion caused me to be spotted by a person that had been sitting silently at a deserted part of the docks.

The young lady that had been watching the sunrise by herself had recognized my identity from just a glance. But instead of reporting me to the authorities, she believed in me and made that offer instead.

To this day, I still couldn't figure out the meaning behind her action back then.

Satisfied with my reaction, Sari remarked, "Still, it was good that we managed to find some work. I was getting worried about not being able to pay rent," she breathed a sigh of relief.

I nodded my head, "True, but I'm also glad that I could help those two get along again. I'd hate to leave them arguing with each other when they were such good friends."

"Agreed... Wait, friends?" Sari turned her head all of the sudden.

"Hm? Yeah, friends. What else would they be? I guess you could say they were like family with how close they were acting, but that's kind of pushing it, don't you think?" I thought out loud.

Based on my judgment, they were definitely close friends with each other. From how worried Kaela was about Zeta, how comfortable they were acting with each other, and how they were able to bicker yet get along with each other like that, there was no other conclusion other than them being good friends.

For some reason, Sari let out a heavy sigh at my reaction. "Despite being a world-renowned detective, you're absolutely hopeless at picking up social cues..."

"Huh? What are you even saying right now?"

"They're obviously a couple, detective." Sari answered my question as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.