- Oh, Hey! -

“Hello, Mr. Bellman. How are you doing today?"

Yuri Briar. 20 years old. Orphaned at a young age and raised by his only relative; his older sister. 

“Ah-a bit off topic-but there’s an awful smell in here.”

Since childhood, he has studied tirelessly so that his beloved sister could live happily. As he grew older, he started working at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, regularly flying around the world as an elite young diplomat. However, in reality, Yuri Briar actually works for the National Security Agency, <SSS> for short.

“Even with the exhaust fan on, there’s this disgusting scent of a dirty traitor in here. I can’t help but wonder where that smell’s coming from. Aren’t you curious too, Mr. Bellman?”

He is an undercover cop.

-----

"Yuri. When was the last time you took a break?"

“I took a nap three days ago, Lieutenant. No need to worry."

Yuri smiled brightly at the younger subordinate as he closed the door to the interrogation room behind him. There was something overwhelmingly child-like about Yuri. From his innocent face to his skinny-but tall-stature, he was someone who made even the SSS uniform look more like a school uniform. 

Yuri continued talking, his features softened as he spoke of his dream like a wishful child.  “I want to dedicate myself fully to this work, to make the country where my sister lives a better place.”

However, this carefree golden retriever-like personality was only a small part of who Yuri really was. Earlier in the interrogation room, Yuri had just violently dealt with a traitor to the country, Thomas Bellman. His black gloves were drenched with the man’s blood as though he had been beaten to death. 

The Lieutenant looked at Yuri, “Alright, well, tomorrow you’re taking a rest. Think of it as a vacation.” 

“But why? I’m completely fine.” 

“It’s an order from the superiors” 

“What?!” Yuri yelled, “I don’t have time for that. All my time has to be spent trying to capture ‘Twilight’ as soon as possible to eliminate any threat coming from the West!” 

Yuri Briar was like a tenacious hunting dog. 

However, even if he was like a mad dog that lost control from time to time, he was surprisingly serious and diligent, especially with his loyalty to his country 

Well, more accurately.. 

In Yuri’s case, he didn’t swear allegiance to his country, but ‘the country my sister lives in’ 

Maybe that was why he gave up on his bright future and instead chose to do this dark job? 

Working in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the dream of many students, and even despite their greatest efforts, it is not always achieved. If Yuri’s sister found out that the little brother she had raised herself was working in a job that constantly dirtied his hands, what would she think? Maybe that was why Yuri hid his real job? 

But that’s just all speculation. Just know there is one unshakable truth. That truth in question is that Yuri Briar existed for his sister’s happiness- and for that reason only. 

Alas, the nation's brother.

His infatuation and overprotectiveness over his sister-which would lead to him overworking- didn’t raise any problems, but it was important to know how to trust his younger subordinate’s judgment. So, even though capable personnel like him were scarce, working himself to death was a idiotic idea that no superior would accept.

“You need a reasonable rest regime to work more smoothly and accurately. So, take the day off tomorrow, alright? After the break, you can come back and work harder.” 

“Thank you for your good intentions but…”

“-This is for the country. And, similarly, it's for the sake of your sister's happiness."

At the mention of his sister, Yuri reluctantly agreed in the end. His face was puffed in a disapproving pout, a complete contrast from the ruthless undercover cop in the interrogation room.

“Argh, seriously…what's the point of giving me a break?"

Yuri was sprawled on the bed, struggling from the lack of work he had to do. It felt like being abandoned by the whole world.

From the bedside looking out the window, Yuri stared at the sky; a large expanse of blue without a single cloud in it. 

‘Dominique said on his day off he would travel with Camelia. I think I’d want to do that with Yor, too… it’d be nice to have a good meal together.’

The smile of his sister appeared in his head, and the frown on Yuri’s face eased, and he glanced at the calendar, “Today’s a holiday, so the town hall should be closed.”

A portrait of his sister sat on the table just below the calendar. In that photo, Yor is smiling with the kind of beauty that would cause a goddess to perish. Yuri sighed to himself. 

‘Since Yor won’t be working today, I can go visit her. I haven't seen her for 2 weeks… Wait, but  if it's a holiday, the hospital is closed, too…

That would mean that obnoxious Loi-loi would be home, too. Loid Forger, who works at Berlint General Hospital, and more importantly, Yor’s husband. 

Yuri would never admit it, but Loid’s a rare man-someone who’s a doctor and may be a little tall, a little smart, a little thoughtful, a little liberal. But, even then, he was simply an evil thief who stole his beloved sister.

Why can’t he just be working today? He should work like an ox pulling a cart, regardless of holidays, and then stumble somewhere from overworking!

While Yuri was being exasperated at the thought of that stupid Loi-loi who had stolen his sister, the phone next to the portrait rang.

It's so early in the morning, who's calling?

Yuri lazily lifted herself from the bed. 

"Yes. Yuri Briar here.” He said in a flat tone. On the other end, he heard a beautiful angelic voice. 

“Hi Yuri, it’s Yor.” 

“Yor?!” Yuri all but yelled, his voice jumping up an octave. 

“I'm sorry for calling so early in the morning. Do you have to go to work?”

"I have the day off today." Yuri said cheerfully. Yor's voice became elated.

"Really?"

“Ah…um…yea. They gave me a vacation day, so I'm free all day."

"That’s great!"

Yuri's heart seemed to be racing along with the cheerful voice of his beloved Yor.

She's glad I got a break. So she wants to meet me too. Oh my god, thank you my lieutenant.

He complained a minute ago about the decision of his superiors, now he wanted to immediately bring a large bouquet of flowers to the headquarters to express his deep gratitude.

“Ah, Loid should have had a day off today as well, but he had an emergency to take care of…”

Hearing this, Yuri’s happiness shot up. His heart suddenly became light and airy just like the blue sky outside his window. 

“Oh, that's good for the Loi-loi guy. Wow, that's really good, Yor”

Yuri couldn't contain her joy and exclaimed. Yor reminded.

“Come on, don't call him that, he's your brother-in-law. Call him by Loid-san, alright?"

Yuri obediently replied "Yes, Yor", but honestly, who would call that guy 'san'. He didn’t even have any intention of calling him "brother-in-law".

I still haven't recognized you as my sister's husband. I wouldn't admit even in my deathbed, Forger.

While Yuri's inner self was cursing Loid, Yor cautiously asked, “So that’s why I need to ask for your help, Yuri. Do you think you can come over?"

“Of course, Yor! I'll be right there!"

Yuri - a man who was always enthusiastic about all things regarding his sister, practically dove headfirst out of the house. He walked on the road to his beloved sister's apartment, his steps light as air. 

Excitedly, Yuri slammed open the door, a bright smile on his face, “I am here, dear sister. What do I have to do? Do you need something that you can't get at high places? Do you need to carry heavy loads? Or do you need someone to sign the witness section of the divorce petition? I'll do whatever you need!"

Yor, who had been standing at the door, brightened, "Yuri, you're here! Thank you so much!” She smiled back; something that seemed to be the family gene of the two Briar sisters.

Oh my dear sister. How cute and wonderful you are today. I am the happiest person in the world because I have the most beautiful sister in the world.

As Yuri was nearly about to internally burst with joy, a small creature appeared behind Yor and abruptly put a halt to his excitement. 

"It’s Uncle!"

"Chihuahua Girl?"

Anya. The stepchild of that damned thief. 

The stupid girl misheard "knowledge is power" as "swol chihuahua". Still, she had some outstanding advantages-the most important being that she dreamt of becoming a great person in order to help his sister in the future. 

But, even then. She is the daughter of Loid Forger. Yuri would not be won over so easily. 

Yrui scrutinized the girl, “Don't call me that, I'm not your Uncle. Why are you even here? Is your school on fire or something?"

"Today is a 'hall-day'." 

God. Right. Today was a holiday, so of course schools would be closed as well. Internally, Yuri was banging his head against the wall at forgetting such an important detail. 

“But still, it's better than Loitie. Just let that thing watch cartoons, she won't be able to disturb me talking to YOU, my SISTER, my dear SISTER, my dear SISTER Yorrrrrr!!!”

“… .”

Upon hearing those thoughts, Anya's face drew an expression of thinly-veiled disgust, belching softly. 

"Do you get heartburn a lot?"

“Anya is full”

Ah, I see. The kid has a full stomach. It proves that she ate so much to the point where she couldn't stop, because Yor’s food was so excellent. Aah, the aroma is indescribable, the more you chew,  the more you cold sweat miraculously. And when she’s chopping the ingredients, she accidentally chops the cutting board, making the food both nutritious and providing necessary strength training for the teeth. Oh, how wonderful.

After rattling off to himself about his overflowing affection for his beloved older sister, Yuri turned to Yor:

“So what do you want me to help you with? Tell me anything you need. Do you need to clean the house, do the laundry, or pack your bags?”

"Actually…"

“-Today is an extremely beautiful day to change your lifestyle. How about you take this opportunity to separate from Loitie…”

“No, no, no, it's not that..."

Yor hesitated, furrowing her brows slightly, looking as though she was in some sort of trouble. 

"What happened, sister? We’re siblings, if you have something to say to me, don't be shy." Yuri said with a cheerful and enthusiastic smile, and Yor finally relented. 

“Actually… Today there was an event sponsored by the town hall…”

"Yes…"

“Mille was supposed to be the one part of it, but this morning I got a call saying she had a cold, so I have to go instead. And Loid has an emergency he has to attend to immediately, and Frankie, the one we always ask for help for, is also busy..."

Huh-Frankie? Who is that? That was a completely unfamiliar name to Yuri. He felt his face screw up distastefully to hear the name of a man his sister had never mentioned before. 

Maybe he was a nanny, hired to babysit or something. Well, if he's serious about his job, that's fine.’ His teeth ground together, ‘But if he's an asshole trying to stalk Yor, I’ll make quick work of him.’ 

Yor’s voice faded back into Yuri’s ears, “...The event lasts for half a day, and I can't leave Anya alone at home. So, Yuri, can you watch over Anya today?"

Yuri froze. “...Huh?” That was a completely unexpected twist. His expression contorting in horror, he turned to Yor, 

“T-that means.. I have to play with Loid Forger's chihuahua daughter in this house… without you???”

"Yes, can you do that?”

In an instant, Yuri's beautiful vacation completely shattered. 

What the hell is this?! I should have spent all day taking care of my beloved sister… But, taking care of the chihuahua? If that was the case, I'd rather stay home, read a book on torture and take a bow in a room full of pictures of my beloved sister, 10 billion times more than having to do this!!

Yuri was so devastated that he almost collapsed on the spot.

But, his sister was staring expectantly with glittering eyes.

"Please Yuri, I can only ask for you to help."

If she begged that much, then, as the nation's younger brother who loves her the most in the world….

"Yes, sister, leave it to me!"

If not for that reason, there was no way he would've said yes…

---

Yor had been gone for about 30 minutes

Yuri sat on the sofa in the Forger's living room, nonchalantly flipping through the pages of a magazine.

"Uncle, you're boring."

Anya was stretched out on the carpet under the low table, swinging her legs as she spoke, her eyes still focused on reading the comic book "SPYWARS".

Yuri closed the magazine and got up from the sofa, “Alright then, do you want to study?

 “Wh..Study?”

Anya panicked, her face showing disgust at the mere mention of the word "study". Yuri frowned. He didn’t think a proposal like that would cause such a violent reaction. He had very little contact with children since he never had any interest in playing with them, and especially because he had only known to study since childhood. All he wanted to do was study so he could quickly get a good job and become a solid support for his sister. Journalist, lawyer, doctor, engineer… He studied all fields equally to be able to take on all professions in society. Going out for Yuri is a luxury, but for studying, time was never enough. 

"Tell me what subject you're struggling with, and we'll focus on that."

“Anya is good at everything.”

“Don't try to lie to me with that stupid face. In that case, let’s go over all the subjects.” Yuri scoffed, and Anya groaned like a strangled frog.

“Is this kid really a student at Eden? My sister must have suffered because of this stupid girl… Poor sister, married to a man who already has a child… Oh, but what if being under my leadership makes this chihuahua girl a little smarter? Then my sister will say, “Good job, Yuri!”, with that smile that sparkles like a million jewels… Then she’ll give me a reward, just like when I was a kid… Oh, my SISTER my beloved sister. I love you. YOU are the most beautiful woman in the world, no one can compare to you..”

Suddenly, Yuri felt a cold gaze directed at him, stopping his overflowing feelings of love for his sister. Looking to the side, Anya was staring with a speechless face. 

“What are you looking at? Hurry up and get your notebooks and textbooks out here.” 

"Anya is not free to study today."

"Didn’t you just say you were bored? You definitely have free time" 

“I have free time, but I don’t have time to study.”

Yuri sighed, exasperated, “Fine, then let's go watch TV."

Although she was a stubborn brat who refused to study, punishing her wouldn’t do any good. Yuri was rational enough to understand that. Strictly speaking, he only lost all semblance of rationality when it came to his sister. 

However, stubborn Anya didn’t seem to be any more agreeable. 

“There’s no shows to watch.”

“In that case, lie down and take a nap. Like that fat dog over there.” Yuri gestured to the white dog lying on the carpet. It was the type of dog that made Yuri wonder why people would keep such a pet. It didn’t look like the type of dog that could protect the owners.  "Even if you don’t need to, go to sleep. Sleep until my sister returns.”

Suddenly, Anya stared at Yuri with a smug smile. Something unpleasant curdled in Yuri’s stomach. 

"What? What do you want?" 

In response, Anya ran out of the living room and returned with a notebook and a pencil in hand. Plopping herself on the rug, she placed the notebook on the low table and began to write, occasionally turning to glance at Yuri meaningfully and then moving the pen again playfully. 

Following his gaze to Anya's hand, Yuri saw a series of scribbled characters on the paper. Involuntarily, a noise of disdain and shock left his mouth. 

The writing looked akin to worms crawling on the ground. Amazingly, it was more difficult to read than any enemy’s code. 

“What is this… some kind of curse? This handwriting is terrible.”

Anya shot him a sly smile, "I'll show you later."

Yuri’s curiosity grew, and he leaned forward to try and decipher the words. 

“Today is Anya’s hallday and I have to stay with the shaggy haired Uncle. He told me to sleep like a dog and wouldn’t let me go outside. Anya is very unhappy.” 

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!”

Yuri nearly fainted, holding his head in pain. It was indeed a curse book, that girl was cursing him! If Yor read those lines, he would definitely be hated! 

“Yuri, this is too much! I didn't expect you to be so mean to Anya!”  Yuri could already imagine Yor saying those words exactly while angrily turning her back to him. Just at the mere thought of it, he became manic and desperate, banging his head on table. 

“You’re so violent…” Anya put a hand to her mouth, speechless at Yuri's eccentricity.

Yuri scrambled to his feet, “Anya, we have to go out and play!” He proclaimed while blood flowed from his head. 

"You’re bleeding."

"It’s fine." Yuri looked at Anya, “We’re going to go out and play. Are you ready, Chihuahua kid?"

“Yaay! An ooting!” 

“Stop waving your arms around. And it should be "outing” not “ooting” 

Yuri stayed up for several days in a row before his superiors gave him his day off. Even then, he’s never felt worse than having to ride the tram with the stepchild of the hateful thief. Why do I have to do this when I should be an outstanding undercover cop, devoting every second to serving the country.    

An old woman sitting nearby looked at Anya and smiled, "Wow, she's very cute."

That thing’s cute? (Dammit, this is all because of Yor’s co-worker, Millie) 

Going over to Yor’s house, helping her, eating her food, and talking to her – the dream vacation was ruined because she caught a cold. (And does she even have a cold?) This holiday is so annoying. That coworker made my beautiful, kind-hearted sister of an angel who never doubted others rush out into the street on a day off to work for her. She deserves to die. She must be put to death. 

No, she’s an important coworker to Yor. Besides, if anyone had to be executed, it had to be that Loid Forger, who had given his stepdaughter to his sister, making her work hard even on her day off. Hmm, … Right. If he's a spy, I'll execute him immediately. 

Yuri’s thoughts faded out when the train arrived at the station. Anya jumped onto the platform, “Where are you going? An amusement park? Anya wants to go there.”

“I think it would be good to go to a place where play and study can be combined. We’re going to a Vocational Experience Facility.” 

“Vacation Pee-Rinse City?” Anya repeated. Near them, a young woman heard it and laughed.

The embarrassment was enough for Yuri to want to crawl underneath the station platform. With an exasperated expression, he corrected her. “It's Vocational-Experience-Facility. Someone who works with me once took his wife and children there.”

"Is it fun?” 

“Simply put, it is a place to help children choose their future career by trying to simulate a career they’d enjoy. This is a huge government-approved indoor entertainment facility created with the aim of encouraging the development of necessary human resources in the East, such as lawyers, judges, military personnel, doctors, academics, etc. counterfeiters and engineers.”

“You’re speaking an alien language”

Anya was as sharp as a dead fish. 

“…In other words, it's a place for you to try different jobs and decide what you want to be in the future.”

Hearing that, Anya's eyes immediately lit up. She clasped her hands in front of her and jumped excitedly. 

“That sounds like fun!”

"Maybe. Let's go."

While walking to the address where the entertainment facility was located, Yuri felt something touching his left hand. He looked down, and blinked in surprise to see Anya was trying to hold his hand. 

“…What are you doing?”

"When going on a ooting, I have to hold papa and mama's hands tightly. Today I have to hold shaggy-hair’s hand.” 

“Why do you keep calling me shaggy-hair? And anyways, I’m not a part of your outings. It doesn’t apply to me"

Yuri hated the idea of having to hold her hand. But if he lost her because he wouldn't let her hold his hand, his sister would never forgive him, so he reluctantly took Anya's hand.

Her hands were warm and slightly sweaty, probably because children's body temperatures were usually higher than adults'. And what's more, it was sticky. (God, it's so dirty… she doesn't know how to wash her hands properly.)

He was also surprised at how small her hands were. 

"Hey, how old are you?"

“Anya’s 6 years old”

"Really?"

Yuri slanted a glance at the child. Is her hand small for the average six year old? Or is it bigger? He had no idea how a six year old grew (…Come to think of it, I used to hold my sister's hand like this when I was a kid.) But, of course, Yuri's hands weren't sticky when she was younger.

"How much farther?” 

"About 10 minutes"

“Hurry up, hurry up!”

“Look straight, stop getting distracted.”

…

Despite his annoyance, Yuri didn't realize that he had unconsciously adjusted his speed to match Anya’s footsteps. 

“Welcome to the Vocational Experience Facility!”

“This is a city where kids can learn about a variety of different jobs. Here they can have fun as well as experience and find a job that you love."

With a warm welcome from the staff, Yuri and Anya set foot in the so-called children's city. The place was bigger and more authentic than Yuri had initially imagined. Fire stations, hospitals, courts, libraries, newspaper offices, post offices, banks, publishing houses, science and technology laboratories, etc., were built in the facility. Although they were much smaller than the actual buildings, they were all very well built.. Cobblestone floors, traffic lights, pedestrian walkways, and even minibus service.

Many of the customers – or rather, all of the customers, were parents and their children. Strangely, all the parents looked worn out. Some mothers walked around as though they were zombies, and some fathers were sitting like figurines on street benches. 

"Dad! Let’s go! I wanna be a fashion model next!” 

 “Well..Dad’s a little embarrassed to go there because he’s gained a lot of weight. I’m hungry, why don’t we go to the pastry shop?"

"Nope! Come on, Dad!" Said the little girl-a little older than Anya-as she dragged her reluctant father to accompany her. 

Why is he ashamed of being fat? Yuri raised an eyebrow. The appearance of the father was irrelevant; after all, only the daughter was going to be doing the modeling part. As for Anya, she was still gaping from being overwhelmed. 

"How many times bigger than Anya's house is this place?"

 “Huh? If you divide the area of ​​this facility by the area of ​​your house… about 80 times.”

“E…Eighty huh…” Anya swallowed. 

“Where do you want to go first?” Yuri looked through the pamphlet handed out at the entrance which listed the available options, “Judges, scientists, bank clerks… all have stable jobs and offer solid careers.” He rattled off. All of these were jobs that he had wanted to pursue at one point.  “Being a prosecutor or a lawyer is commendable, too...”

"Uncle, crouch down a bit, I can't see anything." Dwarf Anya said, trying to jump up to see the pamphlet 

“You should’ve gotten it at the entrance, too" 

“But it…” From her small handbag, Anya took out a crumpled pamphlet.

Yuri looked back down at the pamphlet, “What do you think? Journalism is a great profession. Or if you're strong enough, it’s not a bad option to be a soldier."

“Anya wants to go here.” 

Anya pointed to the top of the document. Yuri's face involuntarily stiffened as he skimmed through the words. 

“Yesterday Anya watched a show about this. Anya wants to become a cop like them and jump from above buildings and kill the bad guys.” Anya said excitedly. 

“..Or just lock them in a pigpen and feed them rotten food.”

“…Don't say stuff like that in front of mama.”

Yuri grumbled, "Oh my god." He was beginning to regret bringing this Chihuahua girl here.

A young tour guide walked up with a bright smile, “Welcome, young lady. Here, you can experience the work of a real police officer!” Beside the tour guide, all the staff were dressed in identical police uniforms. 

A father and a son who had just finished their experience passed in front of Yuri. 

The boy had an excited smile on his face as he walked up to Anya, “It’s my first time shooting! Hehehe… And of course, it's a hit! See?" The son proudly showed it to Anya. 

The father approached the two, gently chiding his son, "Come on, let's go. Sorry for bothering you.” He apologized as he made his son bow to Yuri. 

Reflexively, Yuri bowed back, "It's okay."

As the father and son walked away, Yuri listened in on their conversation, 

 “Dad, I wanna be a doctor next!”

“God… Dad doesn't want to have to wear a white button-up even on his day off.”

“Come on! Let’s go, Dad!” 

"Can't Dad do another job on his day off?"

Yuri frowned, confused,  ‘Huh? Why does he have to wear a work uniform on his day off?’ 

“Gun… Bondman.”

Beside him, Anya was mumbling in a particularly dangerous tone as her eyes glinted suspiciously. 

"Remaining am-you-ni-shun, two-eighths."

She was trying to act cool with those incomprehensible words and her air-headed, stupid face. More disorienting than that, though, was the strange expression she had. 

‘I can’t let her play with guns’  Yuri’s instinct warned him. 

"Ah…" A woman  who was reading a chart looked up at Yuri, “The interrogation room is empty. She can experience the work of interrogating criminals with our actors.”

"Yes, we’ll do that." Yuri replied immediately without listening carefully. At that moment, all that mattered was that shooting would be avoided at all cost. Anya tugged at the hem of Yuri's coat. 

“Anya wants guns! Anya wants to be like Bondman!”

Yuri ignored her. 

The women nodded, “Then, please change into the uniforms.”

Yuri pushed Anya from the back, ushering her in, “You heard her, go in.” 

“No, her brother has to go in and change, too,” The woman said to Yuri.

"I’m not her brother."

The woman looked at Yuri in surprise, “Oh my! You look so young that I thought you were her brother,” She corrected herself, “Then, as the girl’s Uncle, you should come with her.” 

(Hmm…I don’t like being called Uncle. But it’ll be even more troublesome for me if I say that I’m not her “uncle” either) 

These days, everything is dangerous, and not being careful would arouse suspicion. If that  were to happen, the secret police's reputation would be ruined.

It can’t be helped, then… 

Although he was internally very unwilling, Yuri immediately changed his attitude.

"Ah, no thank you." He responded, "My niece was the one who wanted to go here, not me.” 

Confident in his acting, Yuri adopted the role of a ‘Good uncle’. He turned to Anya, “I’ll be waiting here, so you go and have fun, alright? Behave yourself and make sure to listen to the nice people."

He smiled, the picture perfect example of a gentle uncle with his lovely niece. 

Anya stared at Yuri like he had grown two heads. 

 "This is weird." She mumbled, “You’re smiling way too much.” 

Although irritated by her stubbornness, Yuri decided to ignore her. 

However, the female employee turned to Yuri, "I'm sorry to tell you this, but it's our rule that parents and guardians must keep a close eye on their child throughout the experience."

"Huh?"

In a diplomatic tone, the female employee explained, “Our aim is for the parents to experience this occupation with their children to encourage their motivation and joy in working. So if you don't agree with that, then I’m afraid I cannot allow you to go inside.” 

Yuri couldn’t wrap his mind around a rule like that. What kind of weird rule is this?…… What good is it that adults have to come in here too? How does that motivate the kids?

Suddenly, Yuri realized why the parents were so exhausted earlier. 

“I'm a bit embarrassed… because I'm fat.”

“Does Dad have to wear a white blouse even on his day off?”

Oh. 

That’s why they all looked so tired. He should have realized that sooner or researched more carefully before coming here. 

Yuri ground his teeth together,, ‘God… I should have woken that fat dog up, and taken them to the park for a walk.’ 

What should he do? Leave and go somewhere else? But this kid…

Yuri glanced at Anya standing beside her and met her cold gaze.

“If you come back, Anya will write this in the diary and show it to mama.”

As proof for her words, she opened her small bag, and Yuri caught a glimpse of the curse book inside. 

This chihuahua girl was threatening him. 

The female employee’s words broke into Yuri’s stupor, “Excuse me, sir? If you agree with our rules, please come in and change. Or are you going to leave?"

Humiliation boiled in Yuri as he realized what he had to do. 

 “……No, I’ll go change.”

There was no other choice for him. 

(Damn it…… Why do I have to do this?) 

----

In an interrogation room with a few plastic tables and chairs, the cast of suspects sat there, trying to appear cunning and suspicious.

In this experience, the interrogation ends when the criminal confesses to their crime. The criminal and what crime they committed would be changed after each turn, and all of it would take place completely without a script.

The people here mostly consider acting as their side job, but because the customers were children, they were dressed up as criminals in a blatantly obvious way. 

For example, the man in front of Yuri was dressed in all black, with a ski mask that only showed his eyes. 

Shouldn’t the ski mask be removed at this point? Why is he still wearing it? 

Yuri couldn’t understand why the criminals were dressed so ridiculously when everything else was elaborately decorated and choreographed to be the exact replication of an interrogation scene.

As someone who was a somewhat serious person, Yuri couldn’t help but be exasperated. On the other hand, Anya, who had changed into a police uniform, looked ready to confront the criminals. 

“First is the interrogation from Officer Forger.”

"Yes!"

Having heard her name, Anya responded enthusiastically. Yuri sat on a sturdy steel chair in the corner of the room, playing the role of a file scribe.

A different female employee briefed them on the suspect's behavior. 

“He is a bad guy who broke into people's homes to steal their money and jewelry. But he won’t confess to the crime. Officer Forger will question him and make him confess."

“Got it!”

Anya made a stiff salute, then turned around to look at the suspect, her face full of danger, then grinned.

Why does she keep making that face? 

Anya walked over and sat down on the interrogation chair with a strange air of haughtiness. 

"Oh, it's you again, Jack. You poor, poor man." 

Wait, why did she revise the scene? Why is she speaking like the criminal has been here before? And who’s Jack? 

"It's starting to get cold, so it must be winter soon."

Of course, that statement about weather was also Anya’s own invention. She stood up and slowly crossed the room to the window. Standing by the glass panes, she gazed idly outside. 

“Your hometown is in the northern region, right?” She continued. “It’s probably snowing there right now.” 

“……Heh, you think talkin’ about my hometown is my weakness or something?” The suspect smirked, “In that case, you’re dead wrong. I’ve left my homeland a long time ago ever since my parents died. There's no place there for me anymore.” 

The actor was extremely talented in improv, and he caught on quickly despite the strange context set by the client. Additionally, he was an exceptional actor. 

Because of this, the tension between the two began to feel genuine. 

"Don't lie to me, John!" Anya’s demeanor became violent and intimidating; or at least she seemed to think so when she shouted at the suspect in an artificially low voice. Unfortunately, she said the wrong name. 

Yuri’s eye twitched, ‘Didn’t she say that his name was Jack? At least remember the damn name if you’re going to make one up!!’  

“What about Garrett?”

Another improvised name appeared. A flicker of irritation crossed the actor’s face. 

"My dear friend Jack, Garrett is still waiting for you." Anya looked away from the window and turned to stare at the suspect 

"Leave this life of crime. Go back to your hometown and spend the rest of your life making Garrett happy."

At Anya’s words, the suspect collapsed on the steel table, breaking down in tears. Through his sobs, he confessed, “Yes..I-I did it.” 

Anya walked up to the suspect, patted him on the shoulder, and whispered to him softly, 

“Do you want a bowl of fried pork belly rice?”

What..? What was that..? What the hell..?

Yuri could only stare in disbelief. 

"Wonderful! The way you appeal to the conscience of a real criminal couldn't be better! That was amazing!”  A female employee enthusiastically broke into applause. The other actors, along with the man who played Jack and John, also clapped. 

“Police Officer Forger, that was a wonderful performance. You will be awarded a badge for completing the interrogation experience.”

“Yayyy!” Anya's face lit up with a childish joy as she was handed the gold badge. Her voice had returned to normal.

“Did Anya do well?”

“Yes, you did very well.”

“The last part really made me cry. You're very good at this, girl."

Having received the praise, Anya felt extremely proud of herself.

“This girl has a bright future being a detective.”

“Hmmmm, Anya will think about it.”

It seems that their policy of affirming the way for children wasn’t a lie. But …

..How the hell is it possible that a suspect would admit guilt after such an interrogation? 

If everyone was rehabilitated by that childish play, then what's the point of being born an inspector with an undercover policeman? 

Are they really thinking about training the future holders of Otania this way? 

While Yuri was bewildered and lost, the suspect was replaced. The new criminal was a younger man with handsome features. 

“Now for the Briar Police experience. Come on up, Officer Briar. Comrade Forger, take the scribe's seat over there."

"Good luck."

“… Uh huh.”

Yuri had no choice but to get up and go to the female employee to listen to the briefing on the suspect. Unlike Anya, he looked nonchalant and uncaring.  

Oh well, it’s just a silly mock-interrogation. I’ll finish this up quickly. He thought to himself. 

“Officer Briar is tasked with interrogating a man who was arrested for repeatedly assaulting his wife. The suspect physically abused his wife for her poor skills in cooking, and as result, the wife suffered from a broken nose that took two weeks to recover from

“…”

While listening to the employee's report, Yuri heard a click behind him. He quietly turned around and walked over to the interrogation table. 

“Ah, Officer Briar, I’m not finished yet…” The female employee said in confusion, hurriedly catching up to Yuri. 

"No need. I know enough.”  Yuri responded, and sat down on the chair in front of the suspect.

"Nice to meet you, sir. I'm Officer Briar, the one in charge of the interrogation." Yuri smiled, looking at the suspect's face through his long hair. In his eyes, that handsome, flirtatious face was the spitting image of the one man he hated the most-Loid Forger. 

(He beat his wife…? Just because she's bad at cooking?) 

Yuri’s jaw clamped together, veins rising along his neck. Hiding his smoldering anger under an unassuming smile, Yuri spoke to the suspect like he was trying to scold a child, “You know, Sir, you shouldn’t beat your wife just because-” 

With a lax smile, the suspect cut into Yuri’s sentence,  “I don’t beat my wife, Officer. She fell and hurt herself."

Yuri’s smile widened, dragging at the end like knives as his eyes narrowed into slits, “…You mean you didn't do anything wrong?”

"Of course." He says. "Actually, I'm the victim. It was her fault that she takes too long to cook and makes the same thing over and over again. I was just teaching her a lesson."

Slowly, Yuri began to speak again, the smile still on his face,  "If…" 

He bent over the steel desk and grabbed the side of the suspect's head with his dominant hand.

“...I punched your teeth, broke your nose and cracked your jaw, that would be your own fault, wouldn't it? And wouldn’t that make me the victim?"

"Uh-” 

The man playing the suspect was startled by Yuri's amused laughter and eloquent words. Yuri's smile faded from his face and started to move closer, continuing to stare down the suspect. 

“……I beat my wife.”

In a voice as cold as ice, Yuri spoke, “You beat a kind and innocent woman. You deserve to die for what you did. So, I will execute you with my own hands. There is no need for further court hearings. I will serve as the immediate death penalty.”

Yuri's hand slipped from the suspect's hair and reached his throat. 

"Have death be your atonement for your wife."

“Hey…!”

The suspect, appalled by Yuri's unusual behavior, turned pale and trembled. He shivered, trying his best to complete the role while squealing with fear.

"I'm sorry! I won't do that anymore! I will never hit my wife again! I mean…"

“This is just acting! I'm not married! I'm single! I don't even have a girlfriend! I’m really sorry! Please forgive me!"

(Oh my God!)

Yuri finally came to his senses and hastily released his hand from the actor's neck. The man was crying and screaming, his role completely forgotten. 

“Oh… Um, I'm sorry… I got into the role a bit too much…”

Despite the policeman's efforts to smooth over the situation, the actor only looked at Yuri with a petrified expression, not daring to open his mouth. The female staff were also frozen in place, speechless.

The whole room fell silent. It was Yuri’s turn to turn pale. 

(What did I do? Why did I do that? I was just trying to get this over with quickly...) 

If Anya told Yor these things, then… 

The older sister will be very sad, because her pure little brother had become a monster.  

(Worse, she might find out that she's not an employee of the State Department, but an undercover cop.)

How shocked his holy, sweet sister would be if that turned out to be true. 

(Oh, I messed everything up… And wait… It's Lottie's fault too. I can't stop thinking about his face… That's right. Loid Forger can't be forgiven.) 

In his heart, Yuri was blaming Loid for contributing to his overreaction in the previous situation.

"You're so cool..."

“? … What?"

Anya muttered in an awed voice. Yuri turned to look at Anya sitting in the corner of the room, she was looking at him with eyes of respect and admiration that Yuri had never seen before. Her cheeks were rosy and her eyes were wide and round, shining like stars. 

"You’re a genius in interrogation."

“No, not really.”

(Because it's my day job, I’m not a genius.)

While Yuri was thinking that, Anya excitedly snorted. 

“I guess you’re really good at it when you’re a secret…”

Anya seemed to remember something, and cut herself short. 

“..secret..actor. I almost thought you were actually an actor, Uncle. It was like a movie scene.” She complimented incomprehensibly. 

 The people who had been frozen in place, started clapping in unison, looking as if they had been moved to tears. 

“He acted so realistic that I got goosebumps. Damn, that was so real!”

“You really should try to be an actor! He’s very handsome, he’ll do well in the industry if he pursues this profession! I can guarantee that.”

“Um… But I… It's not like that.”

“No, believe me, your acting is amazing! Just like a real cop! I can recommend you a company, if you want. I'm sure you'll be a great actor."

“No… Hahaha.”

It shouldn’t come as a surprise, especially since it was Yuri’s day job. It had nothing to do with acting-in fact, Yuri didn’t need to act at all. His hatred for Loid Forger did all the work for him. But when someone gets praised, it’s almost possible not to feel happy. Yuri’s only 20 years old anyway, much younger and simpler than he thought, and his mood has lifted considerably. 

"Okay, let's continue then!"

“Yes!”

Along with Anya, filled with excitement, Yuri was ready for the next experience.

. . . 

“Uncle, Anya is hungry.”

"Oh right, it's late and you still haven't eaten anything yet."

"My stomach and back are about to stick together."

"Okay, let's go to the food court to buy hot dogs."

After the interrogation room, the two of them continued to try different professions, including reporters, firefighters, judges, prosecutors, soldiers, sculptors, doctors and train drivers. With all the excitement, they had completely forgotten about eating. 

Now, Yuri and Anya are sitting at a round table in a rooftop cafe, having a late lunch of hot dogs, juice and coffee. With it came the sudden rush of fatigue that caught up to them-Anya almost fell asleep while eating her hot dog. The surrounding customers were all quite sluggish, and the number of people in the establishment seemed to be decreasing. 

"So? What did you like the most?" Yuri sipped his coffee. 

“Hmmmm…”

Anya looked up at the ceiling, her legs dangling. She looked at the painted blue sky and clouds on the ceiling of the facility, letting out a long sigh.

"I've done a lot of work today, so from now on I just want to play for the rest of my life."

“?! Hey, what the…”

Anya's answer caused Yuri to choke on his coffee, and he doubled over, coughing. 

“Anya wants to be a cloud.”

“…”

“Or a bird.”

This is the result of a whole day’s effort?

(God …… What a waste of time)

Most importantly, how do I face Yor now? 

(What the hell are we even here for! I don't care what career you want to be, lawyer, cop or whatever, you should have chosen a career you stupid brat!)

While Yuri was writhing in pain and anger, Anya put her half-eaten sausage on a plate, rummaged through her bag and spread the pamphlet on the table. 

“Finally, Anya wants to go  here.”

She pointed to a corner of the book. 

“Hmm? What’s the point when you just want to become a cloud?"

"Anya knows I can’t actually become a cloud."

Yuri glanced at her with pitying but equally angry eyes. Why did she normally always say stupid things, but now suddenly says the right thing? Are all children like that? Or is it just this chihuahua girl?

“What is this?”

Anya was pointing at an accessory workshop located in the corner of the facility. It was a stall where people could design their own brooches, necklaces, earrings and other accessories. 

Yuri blinked in surprise,  "I don't think you'll like these."

“Anya will be a fashion designer.”

However, there wasn’t much time left. Yuri left Yor a note back at home saying where they were, but was still afraid of making her sister worry.

“My sister is probably going home by now. We have to go back too.”

Hearing that, Anya let out a disappointed sigh, her shoulders sagging. 

“Anya wanted to make a present for mama.”

"Huh?"

Yuri looked at the girl in front of him with surprise.

“Today was supposed to be a day off, and mama was supposed to have fun with Anya, but work ruined everything. Poor mama, in the end, she won’t get to have a day off or a gift.” 

“…”

Yuri suddenly felt a sharp pain in her chest as he heard those earnest words, because he felt the same way for his sister. 

"I'm sorry I'm so busy that I don't have time for you. Is it because of me that you’re sad and lonely a lot?” It was an apology Yuri had heard several times over, and one that always made him sad. 

“I wanted to make a beautiful insect brooch for my busy mama.” 

“…Don't make insect shapes.”

Yuri blurted out.

“My sister hates insects. Do something else.”

“? But… you said there was no time left.”

"That's why you should eat quickly so you can make it in time."

"Okay!"

Anya's face lit up. She hurriedly finished her sausage, then jumped off the chair.

“Anya won’t make insect shapes anymore. I’m gonna make a flower brooch for mama.”

"Flowers won’t work either. I’m gonna make my sister a hair band with a flower brooch.”

"You're so shameless."

"You're always so stupid with everything else, but you're good at talking crap."

The two of them went to the accessory workshop while chatting like that.

Yuri didn't realize that he would unconsciously hold that tiny hand beside him, even though he was never asked to do so... 

--- 

“…I wonder when those two are coming back?” 

Yor looked at the clock on the wall as she set down the salads, grilled apples, and veal in schnitzel she'd bought on the way home.

Yor had planned to leave as soon as possible, but work ended later than expected. About 15 minutes ago, Yor had rushed home to an empty home and a note on the living room table that read: "I'm taking her to a vocational experience facility."

That kind of place was a very popular experience zone for children. Yor's colleague Sharon had mentioned the place many times. 

(And here I thought he would just stay at home.)

The thought of Yuri taking Anya out made Yor feel an indescribable joy. 

He even thoughtfully prepared a lot of water and food for Bond before going out. 

Despite her vocal opposition to the Forger marriage, whenever Yor needed it, Yuri always appeared, taking care of and protecting her and her family. 

(Yuri is such a good kid.)

Although he seems short-tempered and a bit eccentric, Yuri is indeed a kind and warm-hearted guy. 

Yor prepared a peanut chocolate cake that Anya liked best, along with a bottle of wine that she thought her brother would like. Loid had work until midnight, so she’d join Anya and Yuri for dinner first.

“Hehe, even though it's not as good as Loid's cooking, it looks delicious.”

Yor felt a little sorry that she didn't have enough time to cook something herself, but in the meantime, she could start making a soup. It would be Yor's first time making cold potato soup, which looked good, but had a bit of a weird taste. Probably because of the spices? 

"Hopefully they'll be back soon, right, Bond?"

“Woof!” Bond barked eagerly in response to Yor's words.

“Do you like this soup? Oh, it’s too bad, though. I've put onions in, so I can't give you a taste." 

“W…woof…” For a well-known reason, Bond reluctantly withdrew. Suddenly, the dog's ears perked up. 

“Woof woof!”

Bond barked with glee and rushed to the door with a wagging tail. The person he had been waiting for seemed to have returned home.

“Anya’s hairpin is a lot prettier.” 

"What? Mine is beautiful. How cute is this hair band? It’s perfectly suited to my beloved sister.”

"Mama would prefer Anya's."

"Never. My older sister will surely cry from being touched when she sees the hair band I made.”

"You're shameless."

"Don't call me that, Chihuahua kid."

Although Yor didn't understand what they were talking about, they seemed to be having a heated argument. Yuri was like a child around Anya. 

(Have they become good friends?)