Chapter 15 – Gender Equality
“I didn’t expect to be paired with you at all,” Sakaguchi murmured that while walking.
At that time, he was leaving the Aiide Police Station together with Tanizaki and the weather was very beautiful. The autumn sky that was decorated with dazzling sunlight had a refreshing atmosphere. A singular white cloud drifted slowly in the sky.
“I also did not expect it. You can ask the Head of Department. Ah, are you planning to suppress the regional detectives? That’s too bad then.” Tanizaki chimed in with a bright face. The girl walked by clicking the heels of her pumps.
One night had passed since the investigation meeting, and today Sakaguchi joined the investigation team. Yesterday, the investigation did not produce any significant results. So, starting today, the number of detectives will be increased. They started a roller strategy — asking everyone around the scene without any exception.
When the headquarters of investigators was established, usually the central police detectives were always paired with regional detectives to form a team. However, this time the Head of the Department told him to work with Tanizaki, and they were tasked with finding information by asking the people in the surrounding locations.
“Why am I paired with you? Even though there are many people besides you…” Sakaguchi sighed while saying that
“Wow, that wasn’t an act before? Do you really hate being paired with me? “
“I don’t hate you… It’s just …”
To be honest, Sakaguchi didn’t want to be paired with a woman. That was his only problem, especially a young woman.
It was because Sakaguchi had bad memories about it. Eight years ago, his partner was a woman, a regional detective. The apartment where they were looking for information turned out to be where the criminal was hiding. When they opened the door, the villain lunged with a knife in his hand. Sakaguchi immediately dodged and when his opponent swayed, he hit the criminal’s hand and managed to make the knife fall.
However, when Sakaguchi went behind the criminal and was about to put handcuffs, the criminal pulled out another knife that was hidden with his other hand. He immediately attacked and sliced Sakaguchi’s partner. Sakaguchi didn’t even have time to be surprised. Even though Sakaguchi managed to easily catch the criminal, the knife had sliced his partner’s right cheek. He remembered that during the investigation, the woman had even said that her wedding date had just been confirmed. After that, Sakaguchi heard from others that the woman had to get ten stitches on her face.
Even men wouldn’t be fine when their faces were ruined like that. However, if at that time, his partner was a male, Sakaguchi would not have been as shocked as that. Ever since then, he had always been too cautious when he was paired with a female detective. Moreover, he was extremely tired of trying to make his caution unknown to his partner.
“Ah, is it because I’m a woman?” Tanizaki asked as if the girl could hear Sakaguchi’s mind. When he was confused about how to answer that, Tanizaki had opened her mouth wide and burst out laughing.
“Wow, you don’t have to mind that!” Even though the girl said so, it was still not an easy thing to do.
“Sakaguchi, are you really a serious person?”
“Huh?”
“You must be thinking about how to work without caring that your partner is a woman, also how to make that partner not realize that you are trying to do so. How can you treat your partner as a ma … something like that, right?”
“Ah, yeah … something like that.”
“You are not normal,” Tanizaki firmly said.
“What…?”
“I mean, I am clearly a woman. Your efforts to not consider me as a woman, as well as your efforts to make me work like a man… that’s what I consider abnormal. Of course, there are differences due to the type of sex. Those are differences that we can overcome, but there are also things that we can’t ignore. Besides that, in my opinion, the true meaning of gender equality is—”
“Wa, wait a minute!” Sakaguchi immediately interrupted. “Explain it clearly so that I can understand it.”
“Huh!” Tanizaki snorted, maybe because she was interrupted when she was explaining her explanation. “It’s strange if you tried your hardest to not consider me as a woman. That can also be regarded as sexual discrimination. In my opinion, we are better if we embrace these differences and complement each other. At first, I thought that you were a disgusting person who liked to make sexual harassment remarks, but apparently you are quite narrow-minded, huh?”
“Tanizaki, what are you saying …” Either out of anger or because he didn’t know what else to say, Sakaguchi’s face turned red. He had wanted to defend himself but he didn’t know what to say to his junior, who turned out to be good at talking.
“Enough!” And then, the only word he could let out from his mouth was a childish argument.
“Hear me out please, Sakaguchi. Women also have their own strengths, you know. Your job is to use it.” Tanizaki’s tone suddenly softened, as if she were calming a child. Sakaguchi exhaled and then shook his head in disbelief.
“Especially in an investigation like this, people rarely have severe prejudice if the one who questioned them was a woman. “
Tanizaki said that while checking a house’s signboard and then she rang the bell. They arrived at the first home of their assigned area.
“I will not let you become disappointed because you’re on the same team with me.”
Along with Tanizaki’s words, which were said with full confidence, there was a female voice muffled from the speaker. “Who is there?”
On the doorbell of the house, there was a camera lens. Sakaguchi imagined their faces plastered on a monitor inside the house. Tanizaki had a point. At times like these, a partnership that consisted of a man and woman would not cause too much prejudice, compared to a partnership consisting of two men.
“We’re from the police. Can we have a minute to talk? “Tanizaki answered.