I Became the Cute One in the Troubleshooter Squad

“Wasn’t this supposed to be about Sabrina apologizing for her rude behavior?”

Looking back, that was definitely supposed to be the reason for our meeting.

But somehow, maybe because our tastes aligned so well, I ended up having a much better time than I’d expected.

Come to think of it, it wasn’t all that strange.

Today, Sabrina looked like a soft, cute girl in her flowing dress with her hair down. But normally, she had such a boyish look that people often mistook her for a handsome young guy.

That probably explained why she had a preference for active hobbies like sports and games.

If I thought about the original story, there were even scenes where she went wild over soccer and baseball tournaments, eagerly following the matches.

Her preferences weren’t that different from mine.

I didn’t really enjoy playing with dolls or taking cute pictures. I preferred things that got my heart racing.

Even if I looked like this now, my heart was still that of a boy who burned with passion and chased after romantic ideals.

So when we wandered around town, visiting places like the dessert cafe and even a doll shop that Reine had recommended, my attention was suddenly stolen.

At one point, Sabrina’s footsteps stopped in front of a large game center.

Her gaze fixed on it, and I could tell from her eyes that she was interested.

Seeing this, I wasted no time.

I grabbed her arm and bolted straight into the game center.

“H-Hey, Yuria?! Are you into games or something?”

“…!”

Of course I am! I love them!

I nodded eagerly, shaking my arms up and down with excitement.

My heart thumped wildly in my chest as I thought about what the game centers in this world might be like.

And the answer did not disappoint.

The moment we entered, I was hit by a storm of chaotic sounds and flashing lights.

The air buzzed with the roar of arcade machines, the chatter and cheers of the crowd, and the thumping sound of people pounding on buttons or slamming the side of machines.

All around us were brightly lit game cabinets, VR setups attached to the walls, and even motion-capture platforms that moved with the players.

It was like I had stepped into a gamer’s paradise.

My heart pounded with excitement, and I felt my hips start to wiggle uncontrollably.

I’m gonna have so much fun here!

“Whoa there, Yuria. Be careful. If you get too distracted, you might trip.”

“….”

I guess I’d gotten too excited.

I was so busy looking around that I didn’t notice someone walking nearby, and I ended up bumping right into them.

Fortunately, Sabrina grabbed me by the waist just in time, preventing me from falling flat on my butt.

Thanks to that, I didn’t end up with a full faceplant, but… I somehow ended up hugging Sabrina.

The warmth of her arms snapped me out of my excitement.

Get a grip, Yuria. You’re not a little kid.

I’d been so amazed by the arcade that I let myself get swept up like a child seeing Disneyland for the first time.

But lately, my body had been moving on its own before my mind could catch up. I needed to calm down and control myself better.

“Hmm… I don’t have a lot of money, so we can’t play too many games. Yuria, is there a game you want to try?”

“…!”

I thought about it for a moment.

There were plenty of games to choose from, but I pointed at a co-op zombie shooting game.

Competing against each other would’ve been fun too, but if we’re going to play together, wouldn’t it be better to work as a team?

Sabrina nodded in agreement, and we lined up for our turn.

When it was finally our turn, I stepped onto the running platform connected to the screen and gripped the heavy mock rifle with both hands.

Alright, this is my chance to show off.

‘Time to show Sabrina how awesome I am at games!’

My gamer spirit burned brighter than ever.

I hadn’t played this specific game before, but TS protagonist logic says that cute girls should always be good at games.

Besides, I was already a gamer in my previous life, so there was no way I’d show her a pathetic performance.

On the other side, Sabrina stood on the platform, tapping her gun on the ground as she got ready.

Then the game began.

The zombie horde poured in like a raging tide.

***

And three minutes later…

“…Yuria, you’re pretty bad at this, huh?” Sabrina said as she lowered her toy rifle.

“….”

Oof. That stings.

My face burned red with embarrassment, and I squeezed my eyes shut, unable to meet her gaze.

I had no excuse.

Not even 10 seconds after the game started, I’d been bitten on the leg by a zombie and died instantly.

Why? Because I had underestimated the gun’s recoil, and it had slipped out of my hands.

I’ll do better next time!

I won’t die so easily again! I’ll survive longer than Sabrina this time!

With renewed determination, I started the second stage.

Then the third stage.

And the result?

I never lasted longer than 30 seconds.

Every time, I’d hear a sudden growl from behind, and before I knew it, I’d be bitten on the shoulder by a zombie.

Or I’d hear a weird sound, only to find myself falling into a zombie pit trap.

It was a disaster.

This is harder than I thought…

I didn’t expect to become a burden in a co-op game, but that’s exactly what happened.

In the end, all I could do was watch Sabrina from behind as she mowed down the horde of zombies.

She was incredible.

Unlike me, she handled the additional wave of zombies I’d failed to kill, all by herself.

Her movements were quick, sharp, and precise.

Before I knew it, she’d cleared the final boss stage on her first try.

What’s with this insane skill gap?!

I sulked as I watched her in awe.

If I didn’t have telekinesis, I was pretty much useless.

“Hmm, that wasn’t as hard as I thought it’d be,” Sabrina said with a satisfied smile, slinging the gun over her shoulder.

“Did I keep you waiting, Yuria?”

“….”

I pouted, too frustrated to respond.

I’d wanted to show off and look cool in front of her.

But instead, I’d just gotten a front-row seat to Sabrina’s highlight reel.

I’ll repay this debt one day. Just you wait.

With that silent resolve in my heart, I followed Sabrina out of the arcade.

Maybe it was because we’d lost all sense of restraint in the game center, but from then on, we went wherever we felt like.

If it seemed fun, we rushed in without hesitation.

By the time we realized it, the once gray sky had turned into a blanket of darkness, and the streets were aglow with neon signs.

‘Is it time to head back?’

We walked down the lively street, lights reflecting off the ground like rain-soaked pavement.

I glanced at Sabrina, who looked just as reluctant to end the day as I felt.

I could tell from her face that she didn’t want it to end.

“Can’t we stay out until dinner…?” she asked with a pleading look.

“….”

Nope. No way.

If we stayed for dinner, we’d get home too late. People would start to worry.

I shook my head firmly.

It wasn’t that late yet—around 5 p.m.—but if we had dinner, we’d be returning way after dark.

And wandering around Nighthaven at night without a guardian was dangerous, no matter how much fun we were having.

“…Alright,” Sabrina muttered, looking disappointed.

Her shoulders slumped, but she quickly accepted my reasoning.

She was smart enough to understand that this wasn’t something she could whine her way out of.

I smiled softly at her, grabbed both her hands, and gave them a firm squeeze.

Why look so sad? We can always hang out again later.

Today isn’t the only day, you know.

I didn’t say it out loud, but I knew she understood.

Her face brightened instantly, and she squeezed my hands in return.

I traced my fingertips along the back of Sabrina’s hand, as if to say, “Don’t worry, we can play together again next time.”

I wasn’t sure if she understood my exact message, but she must have caught on in some way.

Her shoulders, which had been slumped with disappointment, slowly lifted. Her face brightened, and she gently gripped my hand in return.

“Yeah. Next time, let’s hang out again.”

“…!”

We exchanged warmth through the tips of our fingers, brushing away the lingering sadness of parting.

There was no need to dwell on it. After all, we lived in the same city, so we could always meet again.

Rather than feel sad about saying goodbye, I found myself getting excited about all the things we’d do next time.

With that in mind, Sabrina and I walked side by side toward the subway station.

We were currently in a downtown area, a bit removed from where the Crowley Problem-Solvers(TroubleShooter) Office was located.

To get back to our usual stomping grounds, the subway was the fastest and cheapest option.

“So yesterday, that idiot of a brother totally forgot his promise with Reine-unnie, and she got super mad! I’m telling you, Reine might look sweet, but when she’s mad, it’s terrifying. So, of course, he had no choice but to drop to his knees and beg for mercy…”

“…!”

Ah, so that’s why David was in such a rush after work yesterday.

I nodded along as Sabrina animatedly recounted the story, filled with vivid gestures and expressions.

But suddenly, I noticed something strange.

The surroundings were far too quiet.

Huh? Why is it so empty here?

I stopped walking, and Sabrina turned to look at me, tilting her head in confusion.

“What’s wrong, Yuria?”

I signaled her to wait a moment, my gaze sharp as I strained my ears to catch any noise around us.

That’s when I heard it.

A faint siren.

And alongside it, the sound of hurried voices, like people were trying to deal with a sudden crisis.

Something’s happening.

Sabrina also seemed to notice that something was off. Her head darted left and right as she scanned the area, her body visibly tense.

Then—

Thud!

Out of nowhere, someone dropped from above, landing with a sharp impact right in front of us.

“…?!?”

A person just… fell from the sky?!

Both Sabrina and I gasped as we stepped back in surprise.

The one who had landed in front of us was a man wearing a police uniform, his blue hair practically glowing in the streetlight.

He straightened his posture and looked at us with sharp, icy eyes.

“Hey, kids. This area’s off-limits. Turn around and go back the way you came. This place is about to be locked down.”

“U-Um… We need to get to the subway, though…” Sabrina said, glancing past him.

“It’s because of the subway that this area’s being locked down,” he replied flatly, his voice completely devoid of emotion. “Go back. We’re busy.”

His tone was so cold and detached that Sabrina flinched from it.

But while she was unnerved, I was frozen for a different reason.

I knew this man.

His sharp blue hair, his chillingly cool expression, the scar running vertically down the corner of his mouth, and the crisp police uniform that looked like it had never seen a wrinkle—

This was Ethan.

Yeah, it’s definitely him.

He was one of the key characters in the original story.

Ethan, the young elite officer from the Special Crimes Response Team 3.

If Raven was the face of the Crowley Problem-Solvers, then Ethan was the face of the police.

He was often portrayed as Raven’s rival, with the two clashing over how to handle complex criminal cases.

Competent. Cool-headed. Ruthless when necessary.

Their differences in approach often led to tension, but at the same time, Ethan was also acknowledged as one of the very few people who could stand on equal footing with Raven.

Of all people, I didn’t expect to run into him here.

I felt a mix of surprise and curiosity at his sudden appearance.

But my instincts told me to leave quickly.

I was, after all, a person with an unknown identity and no official records.

Getting involved with the police would only bring me trouble.

So, I turned to leave, nudging Sabrina to follow.

No need to make a scene. If he says go, then go.

But just as we were about to leave, the radio on Ethan’s shoulder crackled to life.

—[“Team Leader, we’ve confirmed the identity of the suspect causing the disturbance on the subway tracks. Her name is Anser, a recent citizen who registered in Nighthaven just 27 days ago. She has no known connections to any criminal organizations.”]—

…Huh?

—[“Wait, so why the hell is she rampaging on a nice weekend like this? This was supposed to be my day off!”]—

—[“Maybe she’s just venting her frustrations? I mean, demons are like that, aren’t they?”]—

—[“Riz-senpai! That’s a totally racist comment!”]—

—[“Ack! Uh, c-can we pretend you didn’t hear that…?”]—

—[“Ten meal tickets.”]—

“Stop fooling around on the radio, idiots.” Ethan’s cold voice cut in.

“Betty, keep searching for any other leads. Everyone else, once citizen control is complete, regroup at Liveira Station and await further instructions.”

—[“Roger that.”]—

—[“Understood!”]—

Bzzt.

The radio fell silent.

Ethan glanced at us, noticing that we had overheard the entire conversation.

But he didn’t seem to care.

“Don’t spread rumors,” he muttered, turning away to continue his work.

But even after he left, Sabrina and I stayed frozen in place.

We couldn’t move.

Our minds were still reeling from what we had just heard.

—”Suspect: Anser.”

—”Subway disturbance.”

“Y-Yuria… did I just hear that right?”

Sabrina’s voice was shaky, and I could see her pupils trembling.

I nodded slowly.

“Yeah. It’s Anser.”

I reached into my coat and pulled out the napkin Anser had given me earlier.

The magical contract she’d written for us.

At that moment, I saw something terrifyingly unusual.

The words that had been clearly written on the napkin…

…were wiggling, shifting, as if they were struggling to stay in place.

The letters twisted and quivered like they might crumble apart at any moment.

Something was happening to Anser.

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