"Payolo." 

Noir said to catch his former assistant's attention. He threw keys at her, it was the key to their office. Payolo understood what he meant and nodded her head at him as he and Lester left in the police car.

A silence stayed in the church, after all that happened, the young detective still had trouble realizing what happened. The person that she considered like her partner just committed a crime for reasons she couldn't understand.
Seeing how saddened she was, Amagy took Payolo's hand in silence. More tears came out of her eyes, reminiscing about the year that she spent with Noir as detectives together. Deep in her thoughts, she couldn't get away from it.
Feeling that Payolo wasn't okay, the nun placed gently her hand on her shoulders and said with a smile.

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll find another boyfriend. A lot of old guys like younger girls."

"Wha- No we weren't! It's just-"  
Everyone aside from Payolo laughed. She understood that it was Zayda's way to make her feel better, but it didn't prevent her cheeks from becoming red with embarrassment.

"Well, I'm glad it's over!" Said enthusiastically Neige "All of that stress made me hungry, why don't you all come along, I'll pay for everyone!"

The young detective was about to refuse but then noticed how hungry she was. She didn't eat anything all day long. And when she looked at Amagy, she saw that the little girl seemed excited about it too, so she nodded shyly.
"If you don't mind, then I'll accept."

The four of them ended up in an Asian restaurant, all the items on the menu were just a variation of noodles. 
"Again?" 
Said the nun with a tired voice to her friend.

"Hey, it's not my fault if it's the cheapest place around here, and it's tasty too." Neige said, trying to justify his choice.

"Do you ever eat anything else than noodles?" 

The two friends kept bickering with each other. Amagy was happy to eat a lively meal with people around, a thing that she couldn't do in her lonely life before. But despite the happy context, she noticed that Payolo wasn't eating anything. Just looking at her food, with sadness in her eyes.

"You're not hungry?" Asked the little girl, but Payolo stayed silent, with an empty gaze still.
Noticing her gloomy behavior, Neige asked her something to stop her from thinking too much.

"So, you have your own office now. Does it mean you're officially a private detective?"

"It's not really my office, but I guess I have to take care of everything now. Hopefully, the requests will stop for a moment, there's already so much to deal with."
As worried about her friend than she is for her future, the young detective can't help but let out a tired sigh.

"Is there any way I could help ?" 
Said Amagy, concerned for her friend.

"Don't worry, it will be alright."
Despite what Payolo said, the little girl wasn't convinced.

"Aren't detectives supposed to have an assistant? I could do that!"
Amagy said with a smile on her face to try to lift her friend's spirit.

"Well..." After thinking for a while, Payolo suddenly stood up to the surprise of everyone "I'm sorry, I need some fresh air."
She left outside for a while. After a few minutes, Amagy joined her friend, worried for her.

Payolo was waiting outside, in the cold of the night. She didn't allow herself to cry more, leaving her eyes wet, but with no tears on her face.
She got startled by Amagy for a moment, before gaining her composure again.

"You finished eating?"
Amagy answered by nodding her head, before standing next to Payolo, looking at the stars.
After a few moments, the young detective broke the silence.

"Did we do the right thing? When I realized he was the culprit, should I have turned a blind eye? Is the truth really worth it?"

Not knowing what to say to her questions, Amagy held her hand gently as Payolo was still trying to hold her tears.
She looked at the keys of the office that her old friend gave her with nostalgia. Time passed even more before Payolo broke the silence once more.

"I'll... I'll keep going. I'll continue my detective work, for Noir. I want to be the detective he wanted to be, determined to find the truth about our lives."

"Can I help with it?" Asked the little girl with a joyful voice.

"Of course, let's be great detectives together!" Said Payolo, smiling through the tears.

"Noir, there's something I was wondering." Said Lester, while he was driving his old friend to the police station.

"What is it?" 

"Your assistant, Payolo I think, she never proved her innocence, did she? She only proved that you were the most likely culprit."

"Yes."

"So in the end, she could be the culprit, right? The only reason you're arrested is that you confessed, but for all that I know you're protecting her."

"Maybe, isn't what makes mysteries fun? That they are never truly solved?"

"You really changed, Noir. When we were partners, you were always serious about your job. It's probably the first time I hear you talking about fun."

"People change, for the better or for worse."

"You used to tell me that criminals are criminals, that they'll never be able to be someone else. You changed your mind after all these years?"

"No, people change, but they'll never be able to be someone else than themselves."

"Sometimes, I don't understand you Noir."

"I don't either, old friend."

The End