Erion hissed under his breath. Why are you so lucky, Evah?
"Thank you. Tell Riko I'll be there," Erion said, trying his best to suppress a smile, though his amusement was obvious.
Evah caught the subtle way Erion's lips twitched, and she realized he was suppressing a laugh. She gave a polite bow before turning to leave.
Oh, Bunny... Erion's thoughts wandered, and his posture relaxed. You're the fresh air I didn't know I needed.
As the door closed behind her, he could feel the shift in the room. The commander's tense mood seemed to lift, just a little.
The drinking lasted only a few hours, just enough to eat, drink, and relax, but everyone respected each other's time. No one was pressured to stay or attend, and I guess that's because Dr. Riko is a kind superior. He easily brought the team together. Honestly, I usually hated gatherings after hours, especially when they weren't paid and felt like they were just to impress people and get ahead. But with Dr. Riko… Maybe I'm just biased.
"Oh, you'll be with the Major General on the way home, right?" Mika asked, grinning. She was younger than me, having started as an assistant detective last year, and was temporarily working in the lab.
"Ye—" I started, but the way she said it sounded so certain. Do they know?
"Me too!" Dr. Riko raised his hand from behind, his face flushed and rosy. I couldn't help but chuckle. His appearance was so different from his usual composed self. After spending some time with the team today, I understood why they admired him so much.
"Bye!" I waved to the rest of the team as I slid into Erion's passenger seat. The car was different from the one he had before.
"Be safe, everyone!" Erion called out, as usual, his voice filled with warmth. Why am I irritated? I sighed inwardly. I just feel like he's a two-faced devil sometimes.
Erion closed the windows on his side and started driving. Dr. Riko leaned back in the back seat, his eyes closed. He had turned on the radio at a very low volume, just enough for it to stay in the background. It was still early in the night, and the buzzing city streets were lit with neon lights in every color. Was the capital always this pretty? People were strolling across crosswalks, enjoying happy hour and heading out to eat or drink. The green traffic light flashed, and Erion accelerated, the hum of the car blending with the urban rhythm. Did he even drink? I didn't have much myself.
The ride was quiet until Dr. Riko broke the silence, his voice slightly slurred. "So, when are you going to announce it?" He giggled, sounding like a playful, tipsy old man. I couldn't help but admire him, though. Everything he does just feels like gold for me. I'm definitely biased.
I glanced at him in the mirror, but it seemed like he was talking to Erion.
Before I could process, Erion smirked and cut in. "Don't, Riko. You're going to break her."
What was that?
Dr. Riko straightened up, a more determined look on his face now. He opened his mouth again, but I quickly shifted the topic. "Btw, do you think everyone was acting weird today? They kept staring at me. Do they know what happened last night?" I glanced at Erion.
Riko leaned forward in his seat, his eyes wide with surprise. "What happened last night?" He looked between us, confusion evident in his expression.
Erion responded, his voice casual as he continued driving. "I told you what happened, Riko. Only the people involved in your case knew about it." she turned to me for a second.
Dr. Riko's face dropped, disappointment clear as he settled back in his seat. I hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to say. I still don't understand all this. I paused, searching for the right words.
"The crest of Fleur De Lis," Dr. Riko began, but Erion quickly interjected with a smirk on his face. "Riko, stop." His tone was light, almost playful—like a very familiar, sarcastic banter. I could tell they were really good friends.
"The crest of Fleur De Lis," Dr. Riko continued, not missing a beat. "One of the seven symbols that can be given to starting generals as signatures. These signatures can be used until the general advances to the highest rank as Marshal General. If the current user of the signature is alive, no one else is allowed to bear the existing crest." he cleared his throat and continues.
Dr. Riko was suddenly in full lecture mode, and I just stared at him through the mirror, still trying to process everything.
He continued, "Traditionally, the crest was given to a family member, usually the wife, before the general went off to war. It was a symbol of promise— a sign that they'd return."
That's both romantic and sad, I thought quietly.
"But now, it's mostly worn by the general or his wife to parties and conferences to indicate their position. So when you wear that, it's like saying 'Hey, look at me, I'm the wife!'" Dr. Riko explained as if it were a casual lesson. I wasn't sure I fully understood.
Erion let out a deep sigh, one that was almost empathetic. He must have known what was coming.
I turned back to Dr. Riko, waiting for the next piece of the puzzle. Maybe this is something I should know as his assistant.
"That's what the crest on your polo is all about, Miss Arsenault," he said, finally dropping the bombshell.
Everything clicked into place, and a rush of realization flooded my mind. I turned to Erion, my hand grabbing his right shoulder instinctively.
"Bunny, I'm driving!" Erion protested, his voice strained.
I didn't say anything, but I felt my face flush as I realized the truth. That's why everyone looked at me like that? They think I'm Erion's wife? Hilda... the commander... and everyone else…
The realization made my stomach churn. I just wanted the ground to swallow me whole.
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Dr. Riko's amused reaction. Without even realizing it, I began shaking Erion's shoulder, desperate to express my frustration without words.
"Bunny, stop it! I'm driving!" Erion laughed softly, though he tried to suppress it. "Riko, I told you you'd break her."
"I didn't know! She didn't know!" Dr. Riko sounded disappointed, as if he were talking about some lost potential. "I really thought Major General would actually have a love interest."
"Why— You saw it earlier! You should've said something!" I snapped, feeling my cheeks burn even more from the embarrassment. This was too much. My teammates, the people in the office... they'd definitely get the wrong idea. We're not even that close!
Erion smirked. "The commander is present. What did you expect me to say? 'Hey, Evah, you've got my crest on your shirt. Maybe you should ask me first before you take anything from my closet.' You think that would've sounded better?"
"Erion!" I finally let go of his shoulder and glared at him.
"Why are you mad at me? It's Riko's fault!" he protested.
"It's not Dr. Riko's fault!" I shot back, shaking my head.
"Why can you call him Erion, but refuse to call me Riko? Now I'm really suspicious." He crossed his arms, scrutinizing me like I was some kind of mystery.
"Doctor Riko, you're supposed to be on my side!" I protested.
"I told you, Riko is messing with you, Bunny," Erion said, joining in on the teasing.
"Bunny? Look at you two already using endearments. I thought you were my assistant?" Dr. Riko teased, raising an eyebrow.
The teasing continued all the way until we dropped Dr. Riko off in a private subdivision just a few kilometers from the condominium. Despite the embarrassment and confusion, I couldn't help but feel a strange sense of relief. Maybe this was the right choice after all. After all the dark things that had happened, it was nice to experience a refreshing, lighter moment.
After that day, I didn't hear from Erion again.
Two weeks passed. He was neither in the office nor at his pad.
I couldn't believe I had already gotten used to this place, even after such a short time.
The note he left on that night after work was still pinned to the refrigerator with a magnet.
Hey Bunny,
Stay here for a while. I'll be out, just don't bug my place. I've doubled the security for your peace. The button is under the table.
E
Why did it feel like we were lovers?