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Bonus (1/4)
...
Chapter 55: The Great Kidnapping Misunderstanding; Blank's Night in the Slammer.
Haruno Yukinoshita: "..."
Yukino Yukinoshita: "..."
Amou kirukiru: "..."
The three women stood frozen outside Seito's door. What on earth is that noise?
Thirty minutes earlier...
In a narrow back alley not far from the apartment complex, Sora and Shiro were making their way to Seito's place. Because of their extreme social anxiety, they moved like secret agents—cloaked, huddled, and sticking to the shadows.
They had woken up at 7:00 AM and left by 7:30, but after an hour of "stealthy" walking, they still hadn't arrived. Sora checked his phone's GPS.
"Sister of mine, we're almost at Seito's,"
Sora whispered, pulling his hood lower as he adjusted Shiro in his arms.
"Nii... hurry," Shiro murmured in her soft, doll-like voice. "Seito-ni said he'd help us with the real estate agents once we get there."
"I know, I know," Sora smiled, peeking around the corner of the alley to check for "hostiles" (otherwise known as normal people).
Suddenly, a discordant voice pierced the morning air.
"Officer! That's him! Look, he's still got the little girl!"
Sora's head snapped toward the sound. A high school student was standing there, pointing a trembling finger at him. Behind the student stood three grim-looking police officers.
"Heh," the lead officer chuckled coldly, stepping forward as he eyed Sora's suspicious attire. "Son, we received a tip that you've abducted a minor. Come with us quietly."
Before Sora could process the words, two officers lunged forward. In a flash of cold steel, Sora was gifted a pair of "silver bracelets"—shining handcuffs with a sturdy connecting chain.
"Wait... no! No!" Sora stammered, his social battery hitting zero instantly. He pointed desperately at Shiro. "She's my sister! My biological sister! I didn't kidnap anyone! This is my actual family!"
"Lies!" the high schooler shouted, stepping forward heroically. He pointed at the innocent, wide-eyed Shiro. "Look at her! She's an angel! A literal, pure-hearted angel!"
The three officers nodded in solemn agreement. In their line of work, cuteness was synonymous with justice.
"Now look at him!" The student pivoted, pointing an accusatory finger at Sora's disheveled, shut-in appearance. "He looks like a basement-dwelling creep! How could a celestial being like her be related to a guy who looks like he hasn't seen the sun since the Bush administration?"
"And look!" the student added for the killing blow. "He's got reddish hair, and she's got white hair! The genetics don't add up, Officers! It's a clear-cut case!"
Faced with this "flawless" logic, the officers' glares turned murderous. Sora felt like he was about to vomit blood. I look like my dad, she looks like our mom! Is that a crime?!
You're setting me up, you brat!!
Sora turned to Shiro, hoping she would clear things up. But the moment he looked at her, his heart sank. Shiro's social anxiety had hit critical mass. She was trembling, looking at Sora with wide, terrified eyes. To the officers, she looked like a victim paralyzed by fear.
It's over, Sora thought, his soul leaving his body.
"Let's go," the officers barked, hauling Sora away at high speed. One officer stayed behind to comfort Shiro. "Don't worry, little one. We'll take you to the station, get a statement, and find your real parents."
He patted the high schooler on the shoulder.
"Good work, kid. You've got a bright future."
"Just doing my civic duty," the student replied, adjusting his glasses. Once the police were out of sight, he tilted his head at a 45-degree angle toward the sky, looking deep and philosophical.
"The wind... is troubled today," he sighed. With a dramatic flourish of his school blazer, he strolled away. Had Seito been there, he would have recognized the boy immediately as the legendary eccentric from Class 1-E: Hidenori Tabata.
.....
Seito's Apartment
Seito was finishing breakfast with Kanade when his phone rang.
"Hello? Yes, speaking."
"Wait, what? Shiro was kidnapped? Where is Sora?"
"Locked up?!... I understand. I'm on my way."
Seito hung up and stood up abruptly.
"What happened?" Kanade asked, noting his grim expression.
"A misunderstanding of epic proportions,"
Seito sighed. "Apparently, the police think Sora kidnapped Shiro. I need to go bail him out of the precinct. Finish your breakfast, I'll be back soon."
With a shimmer of light, Seito used his spatial ability to vanish from the room.
A few minutes later, Seito stepped into the local police station. He immediately spotted a female officer trying to coax a word out of a shivering Shiro.
"Shiro!"
"Seito-ni!" Shiro's eyes welled with tears as she sprinted across the room, burying her face in Seito's waist.
"It's okay, it's okay," Seito soothed, patting her head until her breathing slowed.
"Excuse me, sir," the female officer said, walking over with a stern expression. "We've apprehended the man who kidnapped this girl. In the future, please ensure she is supervised by a responsible adult."
Seito stared at her, a vein throbbing in his temple. "The 'kidnapper'... is her biological brother. I literally told them to come meet me here today."
"Biological brother?" The officer blinked, confused. "But the witness said—"
"Seito-ni..." Shiro tugged on his sleeve, her voice trembling. "They took Nii to the interrogation room. They wouldn't believe him..."
The atmosphere turned incredibly awkward.
The officer realized with a sinking feeling that her team had just performed a high-speed arrest on an innocent citizen based on the testimony of a weird high schooler.
"Take me to him," Seito said flatly.
The officer led them down the hall to Interrogation Room B. Seito didn't bother knocking; he threw the door open. From inside, a loud, booming voice echoed:
"Listen, kid! Confess and we'll go easy on you! Just admit you snatched her!"
"I'VE TOLD YOU A THOUSAND TIMES, SHE'S MY SISTER! WAAAAAH!"
....
Thank you for reading.