Rui Rei: “The Making of a Detective”

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Rui Rei loved detective novels. She had read every book by her favorite author, Arthur Conan Doyle, and admired the brilliant mind of Sherlock Holmes. She wanted to be just like him, solving mysteries and catching criminals with logic and deduction.

But Rui's life was far from exciting. She was a grade school student in a small town, where nothing ever happened. The only mystery she had to solve was why her math teacher always gave her extra homework.

One day, as she was walking home from school, she saw a poster on a lamppost. It read:“Need help with a problem? Call Hana, the unconventional detective. No case too big or too small. Satisfaction guaranteed."

Rui was intrigued. Who was Hana, and what made her unconventional? She decided to call the number on the poster and find out.

She dialed the number and waited. A cheerful voice answered.

"Hello, this is Hana. How can I help you?"

"Hi, I'm Rui. I saw your poster and I was wondering what kind of detective you are."

Hana laughed. "I'm glad you asked. I'm not a traditional detective. I don't use fingerprints, DNA, or CCTV. I use psychology, intuition, and creativity. I can solve any problem, from finding a lost pet to exposing a cheating spouse."

"Wow, that sounds amazing. How do you do that?"

"Well, it's hard to explain. You have to see it for yourself. Why don't you come to my office and I'll show you?"

Rui was curious. She wanted to see Hana's methods and learn from her. She agreed to meet her at her office, which turned out to be a small apartment above a bakery.

When Rui arrived, she was greeted by Hana, a college student with striking pink/purplish hair and a friendly smile. She invited Rui inside and showed her around.

"This is my office, where I work on my cases. This is my computer, where I do my research. This is my wall, where I pin my clues and notes. And this is my cat, Watson, who helps me with my investigations."

Rui was impressed. Hana's office was full of books, gadgets, and photos. She noticed that Hana had a lot of cases, ranging from trivial to serious.

"Wow, you're really busy. How do you manage all these cases?"

Hana shrugged. "I have a system. I prioritize the most urgent and important ones, and I delegate the rest to my network of contacts. I have friends and associates in various fields and professions, who can help me with different aspects of a case. For example, I have a hacker who can access any database, a journalist who can get any information, and a lawyer who can handle any legal issue."

Rui was amazed. Hana had a whole team of experts working for her. She wondered how she met them and how she paid them.

"How did you find these people? And how do you afford them?"

Hana smiled. "I found them through my cases. Sometimes, they were my clients, sometimes they were my suspects, and sometimes they were my witnesses. I helped them with their problems, and they helped me with mine. It's a win-win situation. As for the payment, I don't charge money for my services. I charge favors. I ask my clients to do something for me in return, something that will benefit me or someone else. It could be anything, from donating to a charity to spreading a rumor. It depends on the case and the client."

Rui was fascinated. Hana had a unique way of doing business. She wondered what kind of favor she would ask from her.

"What about me? What do you want from me?"

Hana looked at Rui and winked. "I want you to be my assistant. I think you have potential, Rui. You have a sharp mind and a keen interest in detective work. You remind me of myself when I was your age. I think you could learn a lot from me, and I could use your help with some of my cases. What do you say?"

Rui was thrilled. She couldn't believe that Hana was offering her a chance to be her assistant. She had always dreamed of being a detective, and now she had an opportunity to learn from one. She didn't hesitate to accept.

"Yes, yes, yes! I would love to be your assistant. Thank you so much, Hana. You won't regret this."

Hana hugged Rui and smiled. "I'm sure I won't. Welcome to the team, Rui. You're about to enter a world of mystery, adventure, and fun. Are you ready?"

Rui nodded eagerly. She was more than ready. She was excited.

"Let's go, Hana. Let's solve some cases."

Hana grabbed her coat and hat, and handed Rui a magnifying glass. They walked out of the office, with Watson following behind. They were ready to take on the world, one case at a time.