### Chapter 138: Finding a Little Girl

Night had fallen. Fujino made up a random excuse to send Akemi Miyano away and then left his house, heading towards the target location for his bodyguard mission, near the Aoyama Pharmaceutical Factory.

As the rain began to drizzle and then pour, Fujino parked his Ford Taurus in a nearby parking lot. He pulled out a black umbrella from his personal space and began walking down the street.

The sky was dark and oppressive, as if it were about to collapse.

Since the rain had started suddenly, most people were unprepared and were getting drenched. They scrambled to find shelter or hailed taxis to get home. Those who managed to catch a taxi weren't ordinary people, as Fujino himself couldn't afford to do so in this situation.

The air was filled with a metallic, rainy smell, which Fujino's heightened senses picked up. He didn't like the smell, as it reminded him of the night he was hit by a car in the pouring rain...

As the number of pedestrians dwindled, Fujino found himself alone on the street. He looked around the empty street and clicked his tongue.

"Perfect, this atmosphere feels just like a detective story."

The rain fell harder, and soon the only sound was the water hitting the puddles. Fujino soon spotted a small, bright red dot on the dimly lit street.

He squinted in the direction of the red dot.

On the sidewalk, a small figure stumbled forward. From the silhouette, it looked like a little girl, about six or seven years old.

Don't ask Fujino how he knew it was a girl. His senses were just that sharp.

The little girl was wearing an oversized white lab coat, her head bowed as she trudged through the rain. The lab coat dragged behind her on the waterlogged street, collecting mud.

Fujino slowly walked forward until he could see the girl's unsteady steps clearly. Then he stopped.

Looking closely, he saw that she had short brown hair and a white face smudged with mud, revealing her rosy cheeks underneath. She wore a red sweater dress that hung loosely on her small frame. From the way it bunched up, it was clear that its original owner had a much fuller figure.

Fujino watched as the little girl stumbled, stepping on her dress and falling face-first into a puddle, splashing water everywhere.

He took a deep breath and walked towards her.

The little girl struggled to stand up. As she looked up, she saw two black trouser legs in front of her.

"..."

She frowned in confusion, wiping her muddy face, smearing the dirt even more. She looked up further to see a tall figure standing before her.

In the rain, the person was wearing black suit pants and a long-sleeved black suit, with a white shirt and a red tie. His skin was fair and smooth, almost like a girl's, and his black eyes were deep and unreadable. His black hair was slightly damp, and he held a black umbrella, giving off an air of mystery.

The umbrella was angled just right to shield her from the heavy rain.

From his appearance, this young man looked about twenty years old. But his demeanor suggested he was much older, perhaps thirty, forty, or even more.

Their eyes met briefly, but she quickly averted her gaze, unable to endure his piercing stare.

She felt a chill, as if he could see through everything, even life and death.

Her thin body trembled, and she lowered her head, dragging her ill-fitting clothes as she tried to continue on her way.

She needed to avoid trouble... If she could reach her destination, she would be safe.

"Click, click, click!"

The sound of footsteps penetrated the rain, reaching her ears.

She quickened her pace, trying to run. But soon, she tripped on her cumbersome clothes again, falling into a puddle and getting covered in mud.

She struggled to turn around and saw the figure standing behind her, as if tailing her...

Was this person from the Organization?

They found her so quickly...

It seemed like they had sent someone with a code name.

But she didn't recognize him.

Had the Organization sent a hidden officer just for her?

Suddenly, she felt utterly hopeless.

Everything was over...

With that thought, she gave up struggling and lay in the puddle, spreading her arms wide.

Come, sweet death.

At least if she died here, she wouldn't involve others...

And she would see her sister again.

*Giving up.jpg*

Fujino: "..."

Watching the little girl lying there as if waiting to be killed, Fujino was silent for a moment.

He looked down at his black clothes.

Almost forgot, this kid probably had some issues and was highly sensitive to black clothing...

After a moment of thought, Fujino crouched down, a smile on his face, and asked, "Little girl, what are you doing here?"

"..."

The girl remained silent, her eyes full of wariness as she looked him over.

"Are you mute?"

Still wary...

"Or maybe deaf?"

Still wary...

"Can't speak or hear… that's really sad."

He put on a look of anger and disgust: "Damn, what kind of world is this where people still commit such crimes! Unforgivable!"

The girl: "?"

Fujino bent down, placing the umbrella aside. "Little girl, where's your home? Do you have anyone... never mind, you can't hear or speak anyway."

The girl: "?"

From his words, it seemed he wasn't from the Organization?

Just a passerby?

And he seemed outraged by the situation...

Although she felt he was faking it.

After a pause, Fujino gently wiped the mud from her face. "Such a pretty girl... and so dirty."

The girl: "?!"

A sense of crisis washed over her.

She struggled out of the puddle, backing away.

As she was contemplating her next move, Fujino's hands reached out and lifted her up by the armpits, holding her close.

"Let go of me!"

The girl started to struggle.

He's not from the Organization, nor just a passerby...

He's a lolicon!

"Oh, you're not mute… that's a relief."

Fujino set her down and asked softly, "So, where's your home?"

The girl: "..."

Not a lolicon, just a passerby?

She sighed in relief.

But why did he think she had been kidnapped?

Ignoring his nonsense, she shook her head and tried to leave.

The Organization was surely searching for her.

If they found out she had shrunk... anyone helping her would be in danger.

She couldn't involve others.

As she continued towards the Kudo residence, she felt a tug from behind.

She turned to see his hand gripping her lab coat.

"You have a fever."

"...?"

Before she could react, he pressed a hand to her forehead.

"You're burning up. You need an injection..."

"No... I don't want to!"

She protested, "I can't go to a hospital!"

Fujino's eyes narrowed. "It's okay, I'll give you the shot."

"No!"

She refused loudly.

"Alright."

Fujino responded, then picked up the umbrella, scooped up the girl, and headed for the parking lot.

"Ten thousand yen, even a small amount is worth it. Might as well take her."

The girl began to struggle again: "Let me go!"

She yelled: "Are you a pervert?!"

She despaired: "You really are a lolicon!"

"..."

After a bit of struggling, the girl stopped resisting.

It wasn't because she accepted being taken by a 'lolicon'. She had fainted.

"Did she pass out?"

Fujino glanced at the girl. "Good, that makes things easier..."

He placed her gently in the spacious back seat of his Ford Taurus.

"Still hot."

He felt her forehead again, noting the temperature. His brow furrowed.

She must be nearing forty degrees...

Why were her symptoms so severe?

He remembered a boy who had been hit and force-fed APTX4869. Despite running several miles, he didn't even break a sweat, and even managed to save a girl on the way.

Was it because she was a shut-in with a weak constitution?

Maybe.

Shaking off his thoughts, Fujino pulled out a medical kit from his personal space.

He found an antipyretic injection, adjusted the dosage, and administered it in the most effective spot for a quick result.

[Detected healing action by host: Angel in White skill activated, healing effect increased by 100%]

"Half the dosage should be enough."

He put the syringe away, his gaze on the girl.

Antipyretic injections were part of his medical kit because his original body had died from a high fever.

"Hmm..."

The girl made a small noise.

*Chapter end*