The Hard Pursuit



"Kobayakawa, please… Arrrgh! I can't get it correct!"

Nakajima Ken lay on his bed, tired of trying in front of the mirror. Grrrr! What is so difficult about the whole thing? You just go to her and open your mouth, don't you? See? It's simple! He looks at Miyuki's picture he pasted in front of the mirror. She was smiling at him, as if encouraging him to continue.

"Yoshi!" He got up again, full of confidence. Let's get this thing over and done with…

"Kobayakawa, I… … " (shakes head)

"Hey! Isn't it a nice day today, Kobayakawa? I… …" (small curse under his breath)

"Kobayakawa, I… …" (rolls eyes)

"Kobayakawa, please… " (slaps his mouth and pulls his hair)



"Kobayaka… … ARRRRRRRRRRGH! I'M NEVER GOING TO BRING IT OUT FROM MY MOUTH!!!!!!!!!!!"

He flopped onto his bed, face down. Oh… At this rate I'm going I'm never getting it done… …


* * * * *


"Natsumi! Time for patrol!"

"All right!" Natsumi rolled her sleeves, ready to set off. The duo began to leave the office to head for the car garage. As they walked out of the door, they bumped into Nakajima coming up from patrol.

"Ohayo! Nakajima!" Natsumi called out.

"Ohayo!" Miyuki gave a sweet smile to him. On the sight of her smile, his heart pounded faster and he felt the impulse to ask her on the spot. The words were ready. They had rushed to the top of his throat. He was going to say it. Yes, I'm going to say it now! He thought to himself.

However, before the words could come out of his mouth, Natsumi said, "Hey see you later!" and before he could blink, the duo had reached the staircase and had gone downstairs towards the garage.

He stood there, in a state of blankness. But I was going to tell you something… He thought to himself. Blood rushed to his face.

"Hey Nakajima! Daijoubu? Your face is so red!" Yoriko, who passed by him, was shocked at Nakajima rooted to the ground, face red as if someone had forced a gallon of chili down his throat. She waved her hands in front of him, at first slowly, doubting the man in front of her, then changed to madly waving in the air. It was difficult for her because of her height. She had to jump many times. No avail. The big man stood there like a frozen mountain. It took some time for him to come back from his world.

"Uh… uh… Gomen!" Nakajima hastily replied before making a rush for the Gents. He flung the door open and walked straight to the basin, opened the tap and splashed water onto his face, scaring a few male colleagues out of their wits. He made a few more splashes onto his face, before looking up and peered into his face in the mirror. Nakajima you're the biggest fool! He scolded himself. Then, realising that he was being watched by a few pairs of eyes, he turned around and faced a number of traffic police officers looking at him in wonder.

"Hey Nakajima! Daijoubu ka?"

"Uh… uh… NAN DEMO NAI! Uh… huh… HA HA HA……" Using his fake laugh to cover his embarrassment (which failed miserably), he quickly left the Gents and took refuge at his desk. Phew…


* * * * *

"Ahhhhhhh! What a lovely day!" Natsumi remarked as the patrol car drove through the streets of the Bokuto district.

"Yeah, it's really a beautiful day! I hope everything will go well today!" Miyuki replied.

"Uh… I don't know about that… After seeing Nakajima with that funny look on his face…"

"What do you mean?"

"He has something to tell you… and I think its something VERY important… … I can tell by the way he looked at you just now…" Natsumi said, her tone bearing a tinge of playfulness. She winked and nudged her partner gently, making her slightly embarrassed and she became cross.

"Natsumi! We're on patrol now!"

"Ok! Ok! So I suppose we can't touch the topic on Kenny-chan, huh?"

"Natsumi!"

"Okay!"


* * * * *

"Na - ka - ji - ma …" Yoriko crept up behind him. Usually, it would not have had a great effect on Nakajima but unfortunately today, his mind is preoccupied. On hearing his name, he was shocked out of his wits. He rushed to get up, but his feet did not obey him and he crashed onto the person next to him. Both of them fell onto the ground with a bump. Yoriko groaned in pain. Nakajima had fallen flat on her and his bum pressed against her face. Sheepish, he quickly got up.

"Awww… Nakajima what was that for? What did you just do? Why were you so scared? I bet you must have thought Miyuki was behind you…" Yoriko lay on the floor, and reprimanded Nakajima in a cross tone.

"Uh… … Sumimasen! Are you hurt anywhere, Yoriko?" Nakajima quickly apologized and pulled Yoriko up. The curious one made a few loud groans to gain the sympathy of the person who had caused her plight before she peered at Nakajima through her glasses, her eyes betraying slightly the mischeviousness within her. She continued to peer at Nakajima, making feel weird, as if he had grown an extra arm or something like that.

Finally, after a little while, he got irritated. "Hey! What do you want with me?"

"Nakajima Ken!" As she called his name, her glasses glinted for the small bit of news from him, her eyes thirsting for that bit of gossip she could obtain to announce to the whole station, if not the whole world.

"What?"

"Nah come on! You can tell Yoriko all about it!" Nakajima blushed.

"Tell what?!" He retorted, attempting to hide his blush. It failed. The gossiper pressed her face closer still in eagerness.

"Come on! Ooops… ma… sa… KA?" she lifted her glasses higher and peered harder still.

"Masaka?!"

"Awww… I wasn't expecting it from Miyuki! You got rejected by her already?!"

"Nothing of the sort! I… " He stopped short, aware that he was near revealing his secret.

"Nan demo nai! Yoriko, in future you should spare some consideration for my heart. At the rate you're going, I will suffer a heart attack in no time." Nakajima regained his composure and turned to go out of the office, Yoriko hot on his heels.

"Aww come on! Come on! Tell me a bit…" They continued their little argument as their voices slowly faded down the corridor.

"I have nothing to tell you!"

"Aw! Come on!"

"No!"

"Just a bit… I promise I won't say it…"

"Yeah, right…"

"Please…"


* * * * *

"Ah… he really looked as if he had something to tell you!" Natsumi said, after looking out of the window.

Quick cross glance at her partner, "Natsumi, I'm telling you for the last time…"

"Yeah, yeah…"

"Natsumi ne-chan! Miyuki ne-chan!" the voice came from Maho. The patrol car stopped and pulled over. The little kids, just out from their Kindergarten, ran towards them.

"Hi kids!" Miyuki waved to them heartily.

"Miyuki ne-chan! We saw something very strange the other day!" Natsumi leaned forward at the word 'strange'.

"What's wrong? What did you see?"

"We saw Ken ni-chan at the department store!" Miyuki blushed slightly, but asked, "What about him? Many people go to the department store, dears."

"No! He went to a strange shop!" Maho insisted, waving her small hands in the air to emphasize her point.

"Omigosh! Strange shop?! What does it sell!" Natsumi leaned forward, extremely curious.

"Natsumi!"

"He went into this very beautiful shop. It had lots of chains and rings. I saw him going in… and I think he carried a small box out… but he ran away when I called him… …" Maho said. "Miyuki ne-chan, what do you think he bought?"

"Eh? Urm… well…" Miyuki replied, her face blushing slightly. Unfortunately, all that was caught by the partner sitting next to her. She leaned her hand on Miyuki's shoulder, and asked, "Hmm… who do you think he bought it for?"

Embarrassed, Miyuki gave her partner a jab in the ribs. She then turned to the kids. "Dearies, I really have no idea, but we have to go now. Go back home carefully, all right? Don't rush across the road."

"All right! Bye ne-chan!" the kids called as the patrol car turned into the bend.


* * * * *

In the cafeteria, Nakajima sat. There was a cup of coffee in front of him but it had turned cold. He was thinking of a lot of things. He took out the piece of paper which he had prepared long time ago, but had never dared to say it. Arrrgh! Come on! I know what to say! It's just a matter of bringing them out in front of Kobayakawa!

"May I sit here?" A new voice implored. Nakajima looked up. It was Toukairin.

"Uh… Toukairin! Please!" Nakajima replied, his hands inviting. Toukairin took the chair opposite him. Nakajima took a sip of his coffee. And spat the vile liquid out in disgust. In a state of confusion earlier, he realised, to his dismay that he had dropped salt instead of sugar into that cup. Disgusted, he put the cup of coffee back onto the table, shaking his head. Toukairin smiled.

"I feel so useless…" Nakajima said, meant for himself to hear but soft enough to be heard by Toukairin anyway. He reached for the piece of paper laid on the table and read it, before Nakajima could react. He tried to protest at first, but gave up and lay on the table, hands covering his head. He sighed. Then he groaned, running his hair with his fingers.

"You have been memorising this since last month…" Toukairin said in amusement.

"Yes, I know… … but I just can't seem to get my mouth open to tell her!" Nakajima said, slumping deeper into his chair and groaned further.

* * * * *

"Hey, Nakajima is really a little of a disappointment, huh?" Sick of the surroundings around her, Natsumi turned around and remarked.

"Natsumi!" Miyuki began. But deep down, she is indeed feeling disappointed already. Yes, he is taking a long time… very long…

"Hey Miyuki! That truck looks strange! Its driving faster then it should!" her words jolted Miyuki back to the real world.

Miyuki peered into the truck in front. Yes, it did look strange. As she looked closer, her instinct told her that something is seriously wrong. She nodded to Natsumi.

The patrol car stopped and the trunk of the patrol car was raised. Natsumi ran to the back and took out her moto-compo and rushed in front to check.

"Oh no! Miyuki! The driver has fainted!" Natsumi shouted from her wireless.

"Is the engine on?" Miyuki asked.

"Yes… and oh my god! His foot is still stepping on the accelerator!"

"What's the speed on the meter?"

" 70… 75… oh dear, Miyuki, I think its increasing!"

Miyuki examined the truck carefully. She saw that petrol was leaking from the truck. Oh dear … if it crashes, it will explode… She quickly glimpsed on the road map and finds out to her dismay that the Kindergarten was right in front of it, Oh! It will crash into the kindergarten! She was determined to prevent that.

"Natsumi, try to get onto the truck and pull the brakes!"

"The door appears to be jammed!"

"Try! I must get in front of it so it won't crash into the school!"

She gave her vehicle a little pat, "Gomen ne, but we're on duty now." And she pressed hard on the accelerator, overtaking it and screeched the car to a halt horizontally some 10 feet away from the truck. The kindergarten was only some distance behind. She called Natsumi.

"Natsumi, can you do it?"

"A bit more!" Frustrated that the door would not open, Natsumi pulled hard and the whole handle gave way under her hands. "The stupid door won't budge!"

Miyuki broke into cold sweat as she saw the truck approaching. The truck is too near. It will crash even if she manages to pull the brakes! She called out, "Natsumi! Its too late! Jump!"

"You got it!"

The two policewomen abandoned their vehicles and jumped, and at that spit second, the truck has hit the patrol car and a big explosion was heard, followed by a huge burst of flames. The two vehicles stood in front of the school, engulfed by the flames.


* * * * *

In the cafeteria, Nakajima and Toukairin sat. Suddenly, through the PA system, an announcement was heard.

"This is an urgent announcement. Patrol car no. 4 has been spotted outside the kindergarten. It had prevented a truck from crashing into the Kindergarten and collided into it. The affected area is now on fire. Police officers having no duty at the moment please go there for back up!"

Listening, Nakajima and Toukairin stood up simultaneously. Nakajima felt his heart beat stop for a second as he recalled the smiling face and those bright blue eyes he had seen on the stairway sometime earlier.

"No. 4… Oh no! Kobayakawa!" Nakajima exclaimed before making a rush for the garage.

"Natsumi…" Toukairin too ran out of the cafeteria.

Nakajima jumped onto his bike and sped off. Toukairin sees the chief approaching his direction and entered his car. Yoriko and Aoi entered a third patrol car and followed them.

* * * * *

On arriving at the scene of accident, Toukairin calmly inspected the extent of damage and gave orders to the officers there to take care of the victims, and at the same time, keeping a lookout for Natsumi and Miyuki. Aoi and Yoriko kept themselves busy by taking down the statement from the witnesses.

Nakajima, like Toukairin, was looking for Miyuki and Natsumi. He walked around the affected area looking for them, while the firemen worked to put out the fire. He shouted for them.

"Kobayakawa! Tsujimoto! Where are you!" he stopped short when he sees an outstretched hand waving to him from the grass patch some distance from him. He ran across to it, and sees Natsumi attempting to sit up.

"Tsujimoto! Daijoubu? Are you injured anywhere? Where's Kobayakawa?" Nakajima asked, his eyes looking around for Miyuki.

Natsumi moaned softly. Nakajima tried to help her up. She yelped in pain. "Itai! I think I have a dislocated shoulder… we ran out of the vehicles before the explosion, but the impact of the explosion flung us here… I think you better look for Miyuki. She was nearer to the collision and she might have been flung somewhere further…"

Heeding her advice, Nakajima went to find Miyuki after sitting her up. He sees Miyuki lying on the road, head down. He rushes to help her up, shouting, "Miyuki! Miyuki!"

He turned her around. There was a gashing wound on her forehead, and she lay unconscious, lifeless. Her hand hung limply by his side. He was shocked. He suddenly got afraid. A sudden thought occurred to him that Miyuki might die. His fear overcame him and he hugged her before shaking her violently a few times, shouting, "No! no, don't leave me! I wanted to tell you something! No don't! I want to marry you! I… " All the police officers stopped what they were busy with for a moment and turned to stare at Nakajima in wonder. Natsumi, on seeing the sight, opened her mouth and gaped. Yoriko and Aoi stopped still at what they had been doing and stared at that man some distance away from them. Miyuki opened her eyes at his words, gave him a weak, feeble smile before losing consciousness for a second time.

"MIYUKI!!"

Toukairin, after attending to Natsumi, quickly came over and inspected Miyuki's injuries. Just then, the siren coming from the ambulance sounded as it approached and Miyuki was carried into the ambulance.


* * * * *

"WHAT! Doctor, you got to be kidding!" Nakajima exclaimed in disbelief.

"Its really very bad. Miss Miyuki has sustained very serious burns. I'm afraid you must prepare for the worst. She also had a serious concussion on the head. She might become a vegetable."

"No! But how could it have happened?"

"I'm sorry…" the doctor said helplessly as Nakajima loses his control and shook the doctor by the shoulders. Then, realising what he was doing, he let him go, uttering, "Sumimasen!"

He entered Miyuki's ward, his eyes hardly dared to see her. But he caught a glimpse of her anyway, and his heart ached to see Miyuki lying in front of him in bandages. He staggered to Miyuki's bedside and sat down. Her face was so full of bandages that her face could not even be seen clearly.

He looked at her for some time. For a while, while he was looking at her, he felt pain within himself. If only I was lying here instead… Then he raised her hand and clutched it with his hands. Its all swollen and bandaged… he thought to himself. He took from his pocket a small box and opened it. Inside, a beautiful, shining silver ring sits. The diamond mounted on top glistened with the rays coming in from the ward window. He takes it out. He brings the ring to her finger and his heart ached even further. It's so swollen now… you can't even put on this ring now. Warm tears surged up and he fought hard to control it.

He held her hand and caressed it. He hated himself. He hated himself for not being able to find courage to give her the ring earlier. He hated himself for always having to procrastinate. That small voice in him never stopped chiding him. Its too late… It's too late…

He took out the piece of paper from his other pocket. "Miyuki, do you know I have prepared this since last month?" opens up the paper and reads it, "I am not good with words… and I did not know how to be romantic… (gives a slight smile)… I had to ask Dad and Toukairin for advice… don't laugh at me, ok?" He looks at the paper and attempts to read the paper. He struggled with the first few words, shakes his head and throws it away. "No… I can't read it … (hand shakes in sorrow) it's too late…" he grasps Miyuki's hand once more. "I… I love you! I… do not leave me…"

As he was talking, he slowly began to realise a pair of eyes staring at him from the open door. When he looked up, he realised to his surprise (and embarrassment) that Miyuki was standing in front of him! He continued staring at her, stoned, his mouth open. "Mi… Miyuki?"

He continued to stare at what he thought was an apparition of Miyuki at the door. He then blinked. And blinked again. No… she is standing there still!

He then grabbed the patient's particulars and looked at the name on it. It read: Kobaya Miyuki. He gaped, his mouth wide open as he looks on, crestfallen. It then occurred to him that he has mistaken the wrong patient for Miyuki. He felt his face flush to scarlet red and heaved a sigh of relief to see that no one else was in the ward.

"Mi… Miyuki? Is that really you?" He double-checked, just to make sure.

"Oh… I never knew you had a love somewhere else…" Miyuki said coldly, but her blue eyes sparkled. Within, her heart burned in joy.

"Chigaimasu! I…" Nakajima quickly stood up and defended himself, before realising that his beloved was not the one lying on the bed after all. Overjoyed, he asked, not believing his eyes, "Miyuki? Is that really you?"

" What do you think?" Miyuki was standing in front of him in one piece! She was bandaged on her forehead and wrist, but there she was, standing and smiling in front of him! He ran towards her and hugged her, knocking into her injured wrist, causing her to wring in pain.

"Gomenasai! Gomenasai! Miyu… uh… Kobayakawa…"

Miyuki turned away, pretending to be hurt. She was waiting for the words to come out from Nakajima. Nakajima held her once again in his hands. He felt an urge that he always controlled when he was near Miyuki. But this time round, the impact of the incident that happened earlier has made him lose his guard. He looked at Miyuki intently, hand creeping up her face to touch that wound on her forehead. Miyuki gazed at him with those beautiful, blue eyes of hers. He bends down and touched her lips with his own. The couple slowly lost themselves in that enchanting kiss.

They did not know how long the kiss lasted. Then, it was sometime later someone rudely interrupted them by "excuse me!". Nakajima turned around hastily and sees the nurse trying to get into the hospital ward. He blushed and apologized sheepishly before clearing a path for the nurse to pass through. He faces Miyuki again. Do it now! Baka! However, He felt he could not utter those words on that piece of paper he prepared one month ago. Lost, he stuttered, "Uh… uh… Kobayakawa… please… um… please… PLEASE… um… please marry me!"

"I can't hear you…"

Blood flushed to his cheeks.

"PLEASE… … urm… please… … please marry me!" Nakajima hissed into her ear.

"We beg your pardon?" Shocked, Nakajima turned around and saw the whole station behind him. Miyuki's face too flushed.

"TSUJIMOTO?! What are you doing here? And the chief? Yoriko?! Oh no…" Nakajima groaned, as the crowd clamored around the embarrassed couple, forcing Nakajima to say his heartfelt words in front of them.

In the corner, Toukairin stood, silent as ever, and smiling. Then, without anyone noticing, he walked into the ward and picked up the piece of paper Nakajima had thrown on the floor earlier. He opened up the crushed paper at it. And read it.

I have nothing good to brag of when I stand next to you. While you are the beautiful butterfly flying in the air, I could only be a pathetic blade of grass watching you from afar. I'm cowardly, don't know how to express myself and useless at times. However, I have summoned all my courage to express my love for you. I promise that I love you from the bottom of my heart and will continue to do so as long as I live. I cannot promise you'll live in comfort and luxury with me, but I can promise I'll give you my best.

Still smiling, he re-crushed that piece of paper and threw it into the trash bin in the ward. He then walked out of the ward and continued to watch the couple's moment of bliss as the whole station carried on making fun of them. Mercilessly cajoled by the whole station and attracting a huge on looking crowd, he finally brought those words lying in the bottom of his heart to the tip of his tongue.

"Ai… Aishiteru, Miyuki…"

Miyuki responded to his words by going onto her toes and once again pressed her soft lips against his.


* * * * *


(In the Bokuto Police station female changing room)

(Yoriko) "Oh I didn't know you had a love somewhere else…"

(Natsumi) "Erm… Erm… please marry me, Kobayakawa!"

At this point of time, Miyuki enters the room and sees the little scene about herself being re-enacted again. Cheeks burned and she glared at the mastermind of the little skit.

"NATSUMI!"




Owari

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Ok, jus in case u guys are wondering what in the hell am i doing writing a fic on Miyuki and Nakajima... I always thought Nakajima was so pathetic and well... always can't seem to get his stupid mouth open to do some talking... dats why...yeah...
Also gotta thank Mizu-yousei for checking my fic and correcting my spelling mistakes!!

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