The market square buzzed with life. Merchants hollered their deals, children darted between crowds, and the scent of freshly baked bread mingled with the metallic tang of adventure. Amidst the chaos, a towering figure stood out—not because of her size but because of her presence.
Kaede Hoshino adjusted the strap of her sword sheath with a sharp tug. Her piercing amber eyes scanned the crowd like a hawk searching for prey. Her hair, tied in a loose ponytail, swayed with every confident stride. She wasn’t here to shop; she was hunting.
Trailing a step behind her was Haruki Shima, clutching a notebook and looking mildly exasperated. His disheveled hair and slightly rumpled outfit made him look more like a scholar than an adventurer. But there was an undeniable ease in his movements as he weaved through the crowd, keeping pace with Kaede.
“Kaede-san,” he called, his voice steady despite the bustling noise. “If you keep glaring at everyone like that, they’ll think you’re here to rob the market.”
Kaede stopped abruptly, causing Haruki to almost bump into her. She turned, fixing him with a stare that could melt steel.
“And if you keep yapping, Shima, I’ll let them think that. Maybe they’ll hand over their wares for free.”
“Intimidation as a business strategy,” Haruki muttered under his breath, scribbling in his notebook. “Noted.”
Kaede snatched the notebook from his hands. “Do you ever stop writing? We’re here to find that thief, not to jot down your autobiography.”
“It’s not my autobiography,” Haruki replied, snatching the notebook back. “It’s field notes. Someone has to document your reckless antics.”
Kaede smirked. “Reckless? I prefer the term effective.”
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Before Haruki could retort, a commotion erupted near one of the fruit stalls. A burly man was shouting, waving his arms wildly.
“He stole my money pouch! Someone catch that brat!”
Kaede’s eyes lit up, her smirk widening. “Found him.”
Without waiting for a response, she dashed into the crowd, her movements fluid and precise. Haruki sighed, clutching his notebook tighter before taking off after her.
The thief—a wiry boy no older than fifteen—zigzagged through the crowd, clutching a bulging pouch. His movements were swift, but Kaede was faster. She vaulted over crates and ducked under awnings with the grace of a predator closing in on its prey.
Haruki, on the other hand, relied on his brain over brawn. He took a different route, calculating the thief’s path and intercepting him near a dead-end alley.
“End of the line,” Haruki said, blocking the boy’s escape.
The thief hesitated, glancing back to see Kaede closing in. Desperation flashed in his eyes. He lunged at Haruki, hoping to push past him, but Haruki sidestepped effortlessly, tripping the boy with a subtle flick of his foot.
Kaede arrived seconds later, grabbing the boy by the scruff of his shirt and hoisting him off the ground like a sack of potatoes.
“You’ve got guts, kid,” she said, her tone laced with both amusement and menace. “But you’re not very smart, are you?”
The boy squirmed, his defiance faltering under her steely gaze. “I needed the money! My sister—”
Kaede’s expression softened—barely—but she didn’t let go. “Your sister’s not going to want you stealing. What’s her condition?”
“...Sick. We can’t afford medicine.”
Kaede sighed, setting the boy down but keeping a firm grip on his shoulder. “Haruki, pay the fruit vendor and give the kid enough for the medicine.”
“Of course,” Haruki replied, already digging into his coin pouch. “But that’s coming out of your share of the reward.”
Kaede shrugged. “Fair trade.”
The boy looked between them, confused and wary. “You’re just letting me go?”
Kaede crouched to meet his gaze. “This is a one-time deal. Next time, you won’t be running into me—you’ll be running into someone who won’t hesitate to break that scrawny neck of yours. Got it?”
The boy nodded furiously before scampering off.
As they walked back to the market square, Haruki glanced at Kaede. “You’re soft, you know that?”
Kaede chuckled. “Don’t spread rumors. It’ll ruin my reputation.”
Haruki smiled faintly, tucking his notebook into his pocket. “Noted.”
As they approached the square, a man in regal attire waved them over. Their next mission awaited, but the unspoken rhythm between Kaede and Haruki remained unbroken.