nhp | (Sutamai) Short Story, B’s Log August 2019

Title: HEROES THEATRE ~Police~

Characters: Police

Summary: A short story with the theme of horoscopes. Originally published in the August issue of B’s Log and reprinted in the Official Memorial Book 2017-2019.

The seven mysteries of the Police Department. Adding to the hearsay, what sort of tale surrounds this red ribbon?

Sugano: I’m baaack~!

Arakida: What the… all you did was go out to buy lunch, so why do you have so much crap on you?

Sugano: Huh. I wonder why? Even though I only bought 10 energy drinks, a number of lollies that come with mini heroes, today’s dinner, a magazine, and lunch.

Arakida: You went overboard.

Hattori: Goodness. I guess you’re all pumped up to stay back and work overtime then, Natsuki.

Asagiri: The paperwork waiting to be sorted has been piling up, so that is most reassuring.

Sugano: Huh? Did I just, like, somehow dig my own grave?

Arakida: … I reckon.

Sugano: Ahaha—wait, that’s right! More importantly, check this out.

Asagiri: …? What about this women’s magazine with the flashy lady adorning the cover?

Hattori: Isn’t it his preferred type of girl?

Asagiri: I see. It’s not my intention to raise objections to other people’s preferences, but I can’t call this as having good taste.

Sugano: Hmmm, it’s true that I don’t find her unappealing, but that’s not it. What I want you to have a look at is this page here.

Arakida: “Madam Seiko’s Horoscope Divination”…?

Sugano: This fortune-teller is crazy popular at the moment, and is apparently 99% right on the money. Doesn’t it make you curious after hearing that?

Hattori: It’s certainly an amazing feat.

Sugano: For example, they have this month’s lucky item in the magazine, and for July 2nd’s Cancer sign—

My lucky item is a “watermelon”, huh. I should’ve bought one just now.

Arakida: What’s the point of adding more crap to what you have?

Sugano: By the by, it’s written here that Sosei-san’s lucky item for Gemini are “sunglasses”.

Hattori: It’s got a 99% accuracy rate, Sosei. Whatchu gonna do?

Arakida: … Nothing.

Asagiri: Sounds like you’d have command over criminals too, so it could work.

Arakida: (No, that’s normally not how it goes…)

Hattori: What about Sagittarius, Natsuki?

Sugano: Err, for you and Tsukasa-san, it looks like Sagittarius’ lucky item is a “red ribbon”.

Asagiri: A red ribbon, huh…

Sugano: Seems like you could use it to do up your hair, You-san. But for you, Tsukasa-san, hmm… What to do…

Hattori: Tie it around your glasses?

Sugano: Sweet. Let’s go for the bow look.

Arakida: It’s just going to obstruct his view.

Asagiri: I think I’ll put the ribbon on Kleiner. I’ll show you a photo of him being even more lovelier than ever at a later date, so please look forward to that.

Sugano: Yeah, I suppose if both you and You-san were to wear a ribbon, it sounds like you’d grab the attention of everyone in the Police Department.

Hattori: Well then, what do you say we all get to wearing one, on the double?

Sugano: Ahaha. That, for sure, would make it on the list for the seven mysteries of this place.

The red ribbon… Nope, something a bit cooler, like how about “The Legend of The Red Lifeline”?

Asagiri: Are you perhaps referring to the one that gets severed upon death?

Hattori: Well, he’s not altogether wrong in that context, is he?

Everyone making it out alive and coming back in one piece is also an important task for the Hattori Team.

Asagiri & Sugano: …………

Arakida: (The mood’s taken a sudden change…)

Hattori: Now then, starting again from noon…

I’m counting on you to not let that red lifeline of yours get cut.