Chapter 20 - Just a Chill Guy and a Cop

For a long moment, no one moved.

Raito casually stepped away from Yumi's side, hands tucked in his coat pockets like he was out for a walk, not in the middle of a standoff. He strolled over to the mercenaries' car, the tension behind him thick enough to choke on.

He crouched slightly and inspected the front bumper, tilting his head.

"Hmm… cracked frame, dented grille… paint's scuffed too," he murmured to himself. He stood up and brushed his hands off, then turned back toward the group. "You guys really need to be more careful. Car's in bad shape."

Yumi blinked at him like he'd lost his mind. "Raito—what are you doing?"

He ignored her, pulling a business card from his coat and holding it up between two fingers.

"Do you have insurance?" he asked the mercenaries. "Because this kind of damage? Not cheap. You'd be surprised how fast the repair bills stack up."

The leader of the mercs furrowed his brow. "What?"

"Auto insurance," Raito said, completely deadpan. "You know, for situations like this. I work with a company that specializes in flexible plans. Even for... more adventurous types like you."

Another merc muttered, "Is he serious?"

"I think he's trying to stall us," the leader snapped. His eyes narrowed as he stepped forward. "You're buying time for backup to get here."

Raito blinked. "What? No, I just think you guys should be financially responsible."

The men stared at him.

"I mean, you're clearly reckless drivers," Raito added with a shrug. "You hit someone earlier, you've got property damage, and now you're involved in a confrontation with law enforcement. That kind of stuff sticks on a record."

The leader growled. "Don't play dumb."

Raito tilted his head, looking vaguely offended. "I'm not playing anything. I'm genuinely concerned about your coverage options."

"You're full of it," another mercenary spat, brushing past Raito and heading toward Yumi.

The others followed, fanning out again—this time fully intent on getting to the detective before reinforcements showed up.

Yumi gritted her teeth and reached for her gun, her stance tense. "Raito, get out of here. Now."

He didn't move. Instead, he watched them close in with a tired expression.

"…And here I thought I could sell some insurance this morning," he muttered.

As the men slowly encircled them, Raito exhaled long and slow, rolling his neck.

"This is exactly why I don't get that much bonuses anymore," he said under his breath.