I Became the Cute One in the Troubleshooter Squad-Chapter 87: Yuria and the Strange Doctor (2)

When I think about it, I always hated going to the hospital as a kid.

Not that I was the type to scream and throw tantrums in protest.

I grew up in a strict household where doing something like that would earn me five times the punishment.

If I sensed something was off, I was more the type to quietly slip away or hide in a closet—a natural escape artist.

But ultimately, trips to the hospital were unavoidable. Whether it was because I was sick or needed a vaccination, there was always a reason.

And with a sharp enough intuition, it wasn’t hard to pick up on suspicious atmospheres.

Yet, when I actually got to the hospital, I’d quietly get my shots and take my medicine without a fuss.

So why did I make such a fuss about going in the first place? Thinking back now, it’s laughable.

To deal with my disappearing act at the mere mention of a hospital, my parents got creative. They started using deception tactics:

“Let’s go get steak. I’ll buy you a toy. Want to go to the amusement park? How about checking out the festival? A celebrity’s in town...”

I can’t count how many times I fell for it. Even now, the resentment over those betrayals lingers deep in my heart.

“A-ahaha... Yuria, you’re not a fan of tonkatsu? H-how about sushi?”

“....”

Maybe that’s why Alice’s awkward demeanor felt so suspicious to me.

She shouldn’t even be here—shouldn’t she be at the office? That alone was enough to raise red flags.

There was clearly another reason behind this.

I glanced around cautiously, not moving too close to Alice. That’s when I spotted Karen in the shop, striking a subtle pose of encouragement.

But her support wasn’t for me—it was for Alice.

That could only mean one thing: they were planning to take me somewhere and didn’t want me to figure it out.

Alice is someone who likes me, so I trust her intentions. But why hide the destination? Still, maybe I’ll pretend to go along with it for now. If things feel off, I can always excuse myself to the restroom and escape.

After a moment of deliberation, I carefully approached Alice.

If it were someone who treated me poorly, I wouldn’t hesitate to walk away.

But Alice was always kind, even spoiling me sometimes. I couldn’t just ignore her.

Still, if it turned out to be something unbearable, I’d bolt without hesitation!

With her eyes glistening as if she were about to cry, Alice held my hands tightly, while I kept my guard up as much as possible.

A true escape artist never lets their guard down.

At this moment, I was a wild cheetah, ready to sprint at a moment’s notice.

“W-well then! We’ll be off now! Have a good day!”

“Take care! Look after Yuria!”

“Hurry up and take her. I can’t focus on work with her hanging around.”

Follow current novels on freewebnσvel.cѳm.

“Got it! Hehe... Let’s go, Yuria!”

“....”

What’s that supposed to mean? Was I in the way or something?

I glanced at Greg with a look full of complaints but soon turned my head away and left the store with Alice.

All I wanted to do was help, and he says something so mean? What a terrible boss.

“Hehe, I think this is the first time we’ve been out and about together this early. Actually, Jin said he’s too exhausted today and decided to take a day off from the office. Greg asked me to take you somewhere so he could focus on work without distractions.”

“....”

Ah, so the office is closed today.

Now that she mentioned it, it made sense. Raven was probably exhausted after his battle with the Abyssal Extremes.

Handling the aftermath of the case on top of that? He was bound to need a break.

This morning, he hadn’t even eaten breakfast, passing out on his bed instead.

It seemed he was taking today to rest and planned to resume work tomorrow. A well-deserved break, really.

...Wait, so Alice just came to hang out with me because it’s her day off?

All my suspicions... were just my overactive imagination running wild?

Hold on. Looking at Alice again... Was she just nervous about me turning her down?

Ugh. The thought brought a sudden wave of embarrassment.

I’d completely overthought the situation, turning it into a drama all on my own.

Feeling guilty, I subtly closed the small distance I’d been keeping from Alice.

I’m sorry for misunderstanding. It was the best apology I could offer without being able to speak.

If she noticed my change in demeanor, Alice didn’t let on.

She simply widened her eyes in surprise, tilting her head curiously before smiling brightly.

Then, with a cheerful grin, she took my hand and led me down the street.

"Today, I’ll treat you to anything you want! Tonkatsu? Sushi? Or... maybe raw fish might be a bit much?”

“...!”

“Sushi it is? Hehe, great! I know a regular spot—let’s head there!”

Fortunately, it was just around early lunchtime.

We didn’t have to wait in line and were able to walk straight into Alice’s favorite sushi spot.

Alice, the infamous big eater with a stomach like a black hole, dove into the food with gusto.

As for me, ever since gaining telekinesis, I could eat as much as an average adult male, so the two of us tore through sushi at a ridiculous pace, quickly piling up plates on the table.

“Whoa...! Does that pink-haired beauty have a black hole for a stomach? She’s eating sushi without end!”

“And the kid in the mask on the other side isn’t doing too bad either! What a rare sight!”

“Phew... I think that’s enough for today. Excuse me, we’re ready to pay.”

“Haha, of course. Thank you for coming, miss.”

Eating was always enjoyable, but paying the bill was a different story.

When the amount for just the two of us came up, I couldn’t help but widen my eyes in shock.

Alice, however, seemed determined not to flinch.

With the confidence of someone who’d done this a thousand times, she settled the bill and walked out of the sushi shop with her head held high. Truly admirable—a very grown-up demeanor I couldn’t help but envy.

“Ugh... my wallet’s so much lighter now....”

“...!”

“H-huh? You thought I was cool? Hehe....”

Even if she was putting on a bit of a brave face, the way she casually handed over her card was undeniably impressive.

I gave her a big thumbs-up, letting her know just how awesome she looked.

After lunch, we wandered around Night Haven, having fun in various spots.

At one point, Alice decided she wanted to buy me some clothes, so we visited a department store and tried on different kids’ outfits.

We even stopped by the swimwear section on a whim, despite winter not being over yet, just to look around.

Alice chose a blue bikini that matched her pink hair and curvy figure, while I ended up with a black one-piece swimsuit adorned with frills—something a child might wear.

Thankfully, her pick didn’t feel too much like a swimsuit, so it was less embarrassing.

Though, whether I’d ever actually wear it was another matter entirely.

“Whew, that was fun! Okay, I think we’ve done enough shopping at the department store... where to next?”

“...?”

“Where, you ask? Hmm, I don’t have anything specific in mind. Oh, how about we check out some stuffed animals? Yuria, your room’s way too plain. You need a big teddy bear or something in the corner!”

“....”

Stuffed animals weren’t exactly my thing, but having one wouldn’t be the worst idea.

I nodded in agreement and let Alice lead the way.

The stuffed animal shop she mentioned was apparently far from the city center.

We ended up taking a bus out to the suburbs and walking quite a distance after that.

Not that I minded. I didn’t know much about stuffed animals anyway, and with Alice chattering beside me the whole time, there wasn’t a moment to feel bored.

But as I hugged the bags containing my new clothes and swimsuit, absently following Alice, a strange feeling began to creep in.

It hit me the moment we entered a certain building.

Wait a second... is that alcohol I smell? Why would a stuffed animal shop smell like alcohol?

I stopped in my tracks, standing straight as I scanned my surroundings.

It was a purely instinctive reaction—a primal response to something feeling off.

But it seemed I’d already missed my chance.

Before I realized it, Alice had let go of my hand and grabbed my shoulders from behind.

“...?”

“Y-Yuria... I’m sorry. I didn’t have a choice—it was a request....”

“...!”

Alice gently but firmly pushed me forward, leaving me no choice but to stumble ahead in confusion.

We were going to a stuffed animal shop, right? But this place... there’s no way it’s a toy store.

The eerie feeling solidified as the truth began to reveal itself.

From deeper inside the clean and well-maintained building, someone emerged.

It was a man with a strikingly peculiar appearance.

His hair was split into a 7:3 part, one side dyed blue and the other white.

He wore an immaculate white lab coat, but a grotesque scar stitched like a jagged line ran across his mouth. His piercing gaze radiated an unsettling aura, as though he wouldn’t hesitate to cut someone down.

There was no mistaking it—this person was suspicious in every possible way.

The man’s eyes locked onto me, then he spoke in a disturbingly exaggerated tone.

“Oh my, is this lovely young lady today’s scheduled patient? My, my, what an adorable outfit! And those proportions—so perfect!”

“....”

The voice sounded like a man forcing himself to mimic a woman’s tone.

Based on my knowledge of the original story, I quickly deduced his identity.

...He’s a doctor. Another trick, huh.

Forget the apology from earlier, Alice. You’re off the hook for that one. Not a chance.