The two strolled along, chatting casually. The zoo wasn't very large, and after wandering around for a while, they eventually reached the giraffe enclosure.
Inside the pen, the long-necked giraffe was chewing the food tossed in by passing visitors.
A small, slender figure was sitting by the flowerbed, holding a paintbrush and sketching something.
"Is that.."
Uesugi Ryu instantly recognized the silhouette of Suzuya Juuzou, white hair, suspenders, there was no mistaking it.
What a coincidence. Then again, considering that the 20th Ward wasn't very big, and there were only a couple of relatively popular zoos, running into someone here wasn't that strange.
Upon hearing his name, Suzuya Juuzou lifted his head and looked at Uesugi Ryu with pleasant surprise.
"Ah, it's Ryu and Mado-san. What a coincidence! Uesugi, you're out of the hospital already?"
"Yeah, it's been a few days now," Uesugi Ryu replied, glancing at the giraffe inside the enclosure.
Mado Akira sat down next to Suzuya Juuzou, curiously peering at the sketchpad in his hands.
"Suzuya, what are you drawing? The lines are really unique."
Suzuya Juuzou shifted his gaze from the sketchpad to Mado Akira, who had slowly taken a seat beside him. A somewhat childlike smile formed on his face.
"Mado-san, I'm drawing a cross-section of that giraffe over there~"
As he spoke, he lightly pointed toward the tall giraffe within the enclosure with the pencil in his hand.
Since Shinohara Yukinori was still hospitalized, he was without a partner for now. So he came out to relax a bit, after all, no one at the bureau was eager to team up with him temporarily.
Mado Akira followed the direction of his finger, stared at the giraffe for a moment, then tried to imagine its internal structure in her mind...
Before long, she helplessly shook her head, silently admitting to herself that she clearly didn't have that kind of artistic talent.
"Juuzou, your drawing's a bit too abstract for me."
Uesugi Ryu also took a glance. He could barely make out the shape of a giraffe from the simple linework, but the bizarre color choices gave off a kind of dizzying "magic mushroom" vibe.
"Really? Actually, I don't really know anything about drawing. I just use my brush to express what's in my head," Suzuya Juuzou said sheepishly in response to Uesugi Ryu's 'praise'.
"Oh right, are Uesugi and Mado-san out on a date?"
Uesugi Ryu, who had been standing nearby, allowed a faint smirk to tug at the corner of his lips. Good kid, I'll buy you chicken for dinner.
Mado Akira, on the other hand, neither confirmed nor denied what Suzuya Juuzou had said. She simply turned her head and looked at him, her expression calm.
"What makes you think that?"
Suzuya Juuzou scratched his head, seemingly trying hard to find the right words. After a moment of silence, he looked up and explained:
"Because that pretty scarf Mado-san is wearing today, it was a gift from Uesugi, right?"
"Shinohara-san once told me: if Mado-san ever wore that scarf out, it meant you two were officially dating!"
Upon hearing that, a faint blush instantly appeared on Mado Akira's cheeks. She couldn't help but purse her lips and chuckle.
Uesugi Ryu let out a slightly helpless smile.
For someone to blurt out such gossipy speculation so casually in front of the very people involved, and even drag Shinohara Yukinori into it with zero mercy, it was definitely unexpected.
But then again, this kind of thing was so Juuzou. He really didn't understand this kind of nuance.
Thinking that, Uesugi Ryu shook his head slightly and raised his right hand to rub his temple.
"Juuzou... from now on, try not to go around repeating the stuff Shinohara-san tells you. It's not really appropriate, okay?"
However, Suzuya Juuzou didn't seem to fully understand Uesugi Ryu's advice.
While twirling the colored pencil in his hand, he blinked his large eyes, his face filled with innocent confusion.
"Really? But I don't think it's anything that needs to be kept secret. Everyone probably already knows, right?"
Romantic gossip about First-Class and Special-Class Investigators had a large audience, especially when it involved someone like Uesugi Ryu, a high-profile figure.
"Juuzou, stop talking nonsense already, seriously..."
A sudden voice cut in. Shinohara Yukinori had appeared at some point, clutching his head in exasperation, wearing an apologetic expression as he looked at Uesugi Ryu and Mado Akira.
"Sorry, sorry... but I swear, I didn't tell anyone else. I only said it to Juuzou."
Suzuya Juuzou blinked in surprise as he turned to look at Shinohara Yukinori.
Man, today really was lively.
"Mmm, Shinohara-san sure is good at gossiping about his subordinates," Mado Akira said expressionlessly as she brushed some dust off her pants and slowly stood up.
Shinohara Yukinori gave an awkward smile, throwing a helpless look toward Uesugi Ryu, as if begging for help.
Uesugi Ryu just spread his hands, sorry, you're on your own.
"Juuzou, you'll need to pass an assessment before being promoted to Second-Class Investigator."
"Your theory knowledge still needs work, so I'll take this opportunity to tutor you a bit," Shinohara Yukinori said after clearing his throat and getting back to business.
As a Third-Class Investigator, Suzuya Juuzou's usage of a Quinque was tightly restricted. Officially, the Quinque made from the Owl's kakuhou belonged to Uesugi Ryu, Juuzou merely had the right to use it for 24 hours a day.
"Ugh, so annoying... Investigators should just focus on killing ghouls. Can't the logistics division handle all that other stuff?"
Suzuya Juuzou pouted and grumbled in frustration, but still obediently stood up.
He raised his left hand in a dramatic arc, palm facing forward, gesturing for Uesugi Ryu to come over.
Uesugi Ryu's mouth twitched slightly at the gesture, but he still walked over.
Just as he stood firmly beside Juuzou, the latter suddenly moved with lightning speed, grabbing both Uesugi Ryu and Mado Akira by the wrists and pulling their hands together with force.
Mado Akira stood frozen, expressionless, almost in a daze.
"A date has to include hand-holding, right? Uesugi, good luck~! ↖(^ω^)↗"
Suzuya Juuzou had a sly grin on his face as he winked at Uesugi Ryu.
Then he swiftly tucked the sketchbook under his arm and strode off, closely following Shinohara Yukinori as they left the area.
A cool sensation met his fingers. Uesugi Ryu gently held onto Mado Akira's smooth right hand.
Their palms touched, skin brushing skin, a strange feeling spread through both of them.
They just stood there quietly, neither of them making any move to pull away.
Time seemed to freeze in that moment.
Uesugi Ryu gazed at Mado Akira's face.
"Come to think of it... I guess this means we're officially dating now, huh?"
His voice was soft, as if afraid to break the tender atmosphere.
Mado Akira slowly lifted her head, her watery eyes meeting Uesugi Ryu's blazing gaze.
Her lips parted slightly as a faint, wry smile crept onto her face.
"Idiot... you already confessed to me before, didn't you? Why are you suddenly acting like such a coward now?"
Hearing this, Uesugi Ryu's face flushed with an undeniable shade of embarrassment.
He muttered under his breath, "That's harsh... Akira..."
Before the words were fully out, he leaned forward slightly and reached out his arms, gently pulling Mado Akira into an embrace.
At that moment, their eyes met perfectly.
Mado Akira gazed silently into Uesugi Ryu's deep eyes.
Within them shimmered faint traces of gold, and as his emotions stirred, the golden light seemed to blaze like fire, burning brighter and brighter, until at last, his eyes became luminous golden flames, impossible to look away from.