ã€ŠKami-sama no Memochouã€‹


 Volume 1, 1

    <h4>Volume 1, Chapter 1</h4>

    "It''s a primitive response to gratitude. To give pleasure. You see, our normal hosts are quite mindless; they can be thanked only by physical sensation."

    "Thank you for agreeing to transport me. Thank you very much."

    "The Only Neat Thing to Do" by James Tiptree, Jr.

    A boxer, a soldier, a gigolo, a detective, even a Yakuza boss¡ª

    I met so many different types of people that winter; the winter I was sixteen. Technically they were all ssified as NEETs, but they were different kinds. NEET, the term asionally manages to find its way into newspapers or television. At the time I thought it merely referred to unmotivated and unemployed youths, but the reality was that there were many different sides to them. There was no all-epassing reason they remain jobless and fail to attend school.

    ¡°The term NEET refers to neither ¡®useless people¡¯ nor zy people¡¯¡±. It was those words which that detective said to me. ¡°The only difference lies in the rules. While everybody seems content using the board to y checkers we y chess instead.¡±

    ¡°I don''t get it. Doesn''t that mean you''re just getting in the way?¡± The naive me of then questioned. The detective seemed to think for a moment, pursing those cherry-like lips which eventually gave way to a silent smile.

    ¡°I suppose that it would seem that way to those who just want to rush ahead. I understand that society wants to just group us together andbel us: flinging us out into a rubbish dump. I also understand that they want to point at us, tough mockingly. Let themugh all they want. No matter how you argue with it, the fact remains. We''re a negative influence on society atrge, that''s undeniable.¡±

    The detective lowered her head, gazing at her opened palms before looking at me again. This time her smile was not one of sarcasm or of bitterness, instead it was oneparable to the rays of sunlight on a freezing winter''s day. ¡°We will neverugh at ourselves. Just as earthworms do not fear darkness and penguins are not ashamed of their inability to fly. That''s the meaning of life, is it not?¡±

    I couldn''t muster a response. Perhaps it was that I had never thought so deeply about matters such as these before. Regardless of how you dress it up, of how many metaphors you use, doesn''t the main fact remain? You''re still all useless people.

    However, it was that same winter I saw my first corpse, that I assaulted another person. It was the first time in this life of mine that I had contemted what it truly meant to be alive. Though, I suppose anyone who''d witnessed another person forfeit their life and seek death might feel the same way.

    But I digress, that is a story forter. For now I will tell you about the winter I first met these people, and the story of a normal, non-NEET girl.

    *

    Near the end of November, I met Ayaka for the first time.

    After school ended on Tuesday, I sat on the water tower on the roof of the southern campus, and stared nkly at tall buildings far away. Normally once school ends, I would go to theputerb and focus on club activities that only need one person. But on afternoons withputer lessons, there are a lot of students remaining to y on theputers that they usually don''t have ess to. I am unable to bring myself to walk in just like that, so I end uping up to the roof to waste time every Tuesday and Thursday. Staring at theputerb on the second story of the northern campus, I gave off a lot of "Get lost already!" waves, and sighed as I looked at the streets below.

    The streets of the city I currently live in can be divided into two colors, while the long thin river that flows like the artery of a patient is the divider of the colors. The side closer to me has rusted roofs of factories, cheap apartments lying side by side, and then there is the high school. I am not sure why, but there are a lot of shrines and graves in this area; My house is also on this side. On the other side is a tall flyover bridge with a highway leading to the capital, a gigantic train station with countless railways, tall buildings packed alongplicatedly interweaving roads on the slope, shopping malls and television stations. On sunny days, you can even see the shadow of the government building far away. Tokyo is an amazing ce to let boring housings that can be found anywhere in Japan and tall modern buildings co-exist peacefully here.

    Looking down from the roof, the train station is like a scene in an advertisement on TV, without realism. Perhaps it''s because I don''t want to get close to that area? As we can wear our school uniform and straightaway go out to y immediately after school, I heard that our school is rather popr in Tokyo; If the sailor costume has bright colors, it might even increases the attractiveness by around 40%.

    That day was a cloudy day, just nice enough that you can closely examine the ss panels of the tall buildings that are normally unclear due to their piercing reflections. Speaking of which, they are just a bunch of ss windows that are cut using simr methods. I always filled those ss squares with colors in my mind, as though I was sketching pixel art.

    I''ve gotten used to killing time like that. I think it''s because I''m always transferring schools due to my dad''s work. At the beginning of October, when I transferred into my current high school, I joined the Computer Club just because there was no one else active there, and went about my school life without getting noticed by anyone. I''ve often thought that there''s no point in me going to high school, while I couldn''t follow the lessons as well.

    As I was gazing at the building, I suddenly heard a ttering sound below me, and thus I leaned my upper body outwards to have a look. The water supply tower was set on top of the stair room jutting out from the roof while the sound was that of someone who had climbed up the stairs and opened the door.

    "Eh? He''s not here?"

    I heard a girl''s voice. When I carefully leaned forward and peered directly below, she turned around, meeting my gaze.

    She had short hair, and strong-spirited eyebrows, in contrast her eyes, which gave off a cute, friendly impression. I felt like I''d seen her before. As I moved to get up, she made an extremely surprised face, letting out a "Wah!", causing me to tumble down from the water supply tower.

    It was lucky that I fell from my feet, but as the backs of my hands scraped roughly against the concrete wall, the first thing she did when we met was to wash my wounds with water from the watering can she had.

    "Why would you climb up a ce like that, it''s dangerous!"

    She said while applying sters on my wound. Being asked such a question, I couldn''t answer her.

    ¡°¡­¡­idiots and something like high ces, after all.¡±

    ¡°You have to y down the ¡®idiots¡¯ part when you say that!¡±

    She calmly replied. Although I wanted to escape, I couldn''t do so as my hand was held tightly.

    ¡°There, I''m done. Remember not to climb to high ces again.¡± She lightly tapped my right hand that was full of sters, just like a caretaker who was scolding small children. Then, she said while smiling, ¡°Even though I said all that, I actually climbed it before myself. Seeing thedder over there really gives you an urge to climb it, doesn''t it?¡±

    Anyway, who on earth is this girl? As I can''t recall neither faces nor names of anyone in school, I cannot think of any girl who would talk to me with such a friendly tone.

    Suddenly, I saw the yellow badge on her left arm. Although it was quite old and was already somewhat faded, the words ¡®Gardening Committee¡¯ could still be seen on it. At that moment, I finally noticed therge number of flower pots arranged by the railings. Does our school even have a Gardening Committee?

    ¡°Ah, so you have to climb that high to see theputerb! Are you that type of person, Fujishima-kun? Those who can''t concentrate when someone else is in the room? The type that people call the artistic type?

    The girl held on to the railings, saying all that while looking at the school building opposite of us. I was taken aback.

    ¡°¡ª¡ªHow do you know about that?¡±

    I let out a shout that startled even myself. She turned around to look at me with a look of shock on her face.

    ¡°Well, our ss is on this side of the third floor, so that''s why theputerb can be seen from there. Besides, Fujishima-kun always sits beside the windows.¡±

    I was found out. Color drained out of my face. How much does this girl know? She doesn''t know that I was drawing naughty pictures on theputer, does she? Wait, that''s not the main point¡­

    ¡°Why do you know my name?¡±

    She raised her arms like a baseball pitcher who was getting ready to pitch the ball. It seemed my question surprised her.

    ¡°Don''t you remember me? We''re even in the same ss!¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    I started to be anxious. From the time when I transferred to this school, I practically avoided all contact with other people, which is why I can''t remember the names of my ssmates.

    ¡°It was I who told you where the canteen is and also collected information of World History for you. Even when you were changing clothes during P.E ss, I have helped you out!¡±

    ¡°Wa- Wait a minute!¡±

    ¡°Thatstment was just a joke~¡±

    Ugh, this girl¡­

    ¡°Although I thought that you might have forgotten about me, I didn''t really believe that it would really be true¡­¡­¡±

    Seeing the girl with tears glistening in her eyes, I can''t help but feel somewhat guilty.

    ¡°My name is Ayaka Shinozaki, and I sit just beside you in ss. How can you forget about me even like this?¡±

    ¡°I''m sorry¡­¡±

    ¡°Fujishima-kun, you don''t think that you are a part of ss 1-4, do you? You even skipped school during the school festival.

    But the school festival was held just a week after I transferred, so I had no other choice but to skip it!

    ¡°And you aren''t even wearing the ss badge. It''s rare for public high schools to have ss badges, so it would be a pity if you don''t wear it!¡±

    I didn''t really think it''s a pity, so I lied to her: ¡° I lost it.¡±

    ¡°Then I''ll lend you mine then, I have some to spare at home.¡± Said Ayaka while she took off her ss badge from her sailor uniform.

    ¡°Huh? No, there''s really no need to.¡±

    ¡°Seriously, don''t move.¡±

    She caught me from the back when I was trying to escape. I couldn''t help but freeze and pause my breathing for a moment. She moved her hands to the front of my zer and put on the ss badge on the cor of my zer. Looking at this from another angle, wouldn''t it seem like she was hugging me from behind? No, wait, I have to calm down.

    After what seemed like a very long time, the warmth of her body finally faded from my back.

    ¡°Hmm, that''s better.¡±

    She turned me around and nodded with a satisfied look on her face. With aplicated feeling, I lowered my gaze and gazed at the blue and green badge. It was as though an alien thing appeared on my neck. Why did she help me to this extent? I saw many other people who take very good care of transfer students, but it was the first time I saw someone who was that helpful.

    ¡°It is a requirement of the school rules that one must wear a ss badge, so don''t you take it off.¡±

    ¡°Why do the schools in Tokyo have so many odd rules¡­¡­¡±

    Actually, isn''t it my fault for feeling that Tokyo is a very free ce in the first ce? One of the many annoying rules is that students must join at least one club. It was all because of these rules that I got into these kinds of troubles.

    ¡°If it weren''t for the school rules, you probably would have been in the Going-Home-Club, wouldn''t you?¡±

    So? So what?

    ¡°But isn''t the Computer Club going to be abolished next year?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡±

    ¡°You see, the Third Years are going to graduate soon. I heard that they are going to abolish clubs that have less than two members when they decide the club budgets next April.¡±

    It was the first time that I''ve heard of such an important matter. I thought of the pale, tomato-shaped face of the Computer Club advisor. That guy wants to let the Computer Club close down without saying a thing, huh? No wonder my club activities are so rxing.

    ¡°As I was saying¡­¡±

    Ayaka suddenly raised her voice, startling me into stepping back half a step.

    ¡°I have something to discuss with you. If you ept my conditions¡­¡­¡± Her expression was that of one who made a strong resolution. ¡°I agree to join the Computer Club!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­Conditions?¡±

    ¡°Actually, I''m the only member left in the Gardening Club as well.¡±

    Ayaka, who had a triumphant look on her face for some reason, ced the armband on her left arm on my palm. Gardening Club? Isn''t it the Gardening Committee?

    ¡°Themittee was closed down ages ago. I found this lying around in a cupboard. Isn''t it cool?¡±

    ¡°Not at all.¡±

    ¡°Why do you always say things like that!¡±

    Her whole face flushed red. Why do you have to be so agitated, I don''t understand at all.

    ¡°Small clubs have to help each other out, isn''t that right?¡±

    *

    In the end, I sumbed to Ayaka''s threats and epted her conditions. We went to the staff room to hand in our application forms, and things were supposed to end just like that. Realizing that I cannot stay at the rooftop alone anymore, I could only find another ce to while away time after school. On the way home, I thought to myself: Is the library better or is the restroom exclusive for teachers better?

    However, Ayaka walked by my table right after school.

    ¡°I''m going to borrow the keys to the rooftop, so you can get the gardening tools first! You know where they are, right? You can find them in the cupboard with ¡°Gardening Committee¡± on it.¡±

    My ssmates'' gazes fluttered between Ayaka and I, who was busy putting away my books.

    ¡°Am I not just a ghost member?¡± I started to say.

    ¡°¡­¡­A ghost member?¡± With her face pale, Ayaka turned away and covered her mouth. ¡°Th- That''s right, I''m so sorry. I- I was just too excited, and that confused me for a moment.¡±

    It looked like tears could pour out of her eyes at any moment. My ssmates'' gazes pierced through me, as though it was I who made Ayaka cry¡­¡­ No, it was I who made her cry. Anyhow, this situation is just terrible.

    ¡°Erm, uh, wait a sec!¡±

    ¡°Fujishima-kun, you''re busy with your activities at the Computer Club, right? I''m really sorry for bothering you.¡±

    ¡°O- Of course not¡ª¡ª¡±

    ¡°Aren''t you going toplete your drawing of the girl on theputer soon? You just haven''t added the dress yet, right?¡±

    ¡°UWAAAAAAHHHHH!¡±

    I hastily covered Ayaka''s mouth.

    ¡°Alright, alright! I got it. I''ll help you then.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Really?¡± The tears vanished from her face in a sh. ¡°Thank you so much!¡±

    She stuck out her tongue, as though it was just a prank just now. Arrggh, this girl¡­

    ¡°Aya-chan, there''s a new member in your club?¡±

    A female ssmate asked while giving me a suspicious look.

    ¡°Oh, yes. That''s why we have more horsepower now. You can ask him anything about nts!¡±

    My ssmates exchanged looks.

    ¡°Oh, yeah!¡± a male ssmate raised his hand. ¡°There''s a lot of mold on the washroom sink, please think of something to help.¡±

    ¡°Mold isn''t even a nt!¡± eximed Ayaka.

    ¡°No, it should count as a nt, shouldn''t it?¡± ¡°Differentiating organisms by animals or nts is already outdated!¡± ¡°Aren''t the ones in the washroom moss?¡± ¡°Lichen are definitely not nts!¡± ¡°The ones in the Biology Club, shut up.¡± ¡°But it''s growing really quickly.¡± ¡°Looks like a person''s face.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡±

    The guys started to discuss the topic with vigor. What is wrong with this ss? After about twenty minutes of discussion, Ayaka ended up getting a mold spray to clear it away. I hastily stopped Ayaka, who was about to dash into the men''s washroom.

    ¡°¡­¡­Allow me!¡±

    My ssmates probably feel sorry for me for having to clear away the mold that have spread on the whole wall. A few of them came in to give me a hand. The washroom soon stank of the pungent odor of chlorine.

    ¡°Fujishima, it was hard on you¡­¡­¡±

    They started to pity me.

    ¡°Of course, Shinozaki is not bad either.¡± ¡°Not a bad person.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡±

    I nodded tiredly while scrubbing the wall vigorously with a sponge.

    I suddenly noticed that it was the first time my ssmates called me by my name. Even so, I just stammered, unable to even answer them properly.

    *

    ¡°Let''s have a wee party! My treat!¡±

    She said that evening as we were carrying the orchid nts indoors.

    ¡°I work part time at a ramen store, so I can give you a discount.¡±

    I thought to myself: How rare for high school girls to work part time.

    ¡°As I often went there, I became a part time worker in the end. There are many interesting customers as well. Do you want to go with me?¡±

    ¡°Why¡ª¡ª¡±

    Thinking that I would have to see Ayaka''s tearful face if I refuse her, I nodded reluctantly. After keeping the tools in the cupboard and returning the keys to the staff''s office, I walked out of the school entrance with her.

    After learning that I haven''t even gone across the Shuto Expressway, she was astonished.

    ¡°But don''t you live just nearby?¡±

    ¡°Well, I''ve just moved here recently, and there''s a lot of people at the station, so I didn''t really feel like going. Besides, I don''t even have a reason to go there.¡±

    ¡°Don''t you usually go to bookshops or record stores?¡±

    I nodded. Usually, I would just buy books or records that I want online, as I might not find the things that I want even if the actual shops are big.

    ¡°Is that so? But the shop that I''ve just mentioned is very far from the station. The ramen isn''t really that good, but the ice-cream there is extremely delicious, so it''s still very famous.¡±

    ¡°Then just start an ice-cream shop instead¡­¡±

    ¡°Try not to say that to Min-san, or you''ll get ramen served with ice cream.¡±

    Min-san would probably be the owner of the ramen shop. Is he Chinese?

    Ayaka walked a bit faster than me. Seeing her happily prancing around, I was extremely mystified. Where did it go wrong? How did it turn out like this? Why is she so nice to me?

    When we were crossing the bridge, arge delivery truck passed by, spraying dust on us. After entering the streets, we walked past the Shuto Expressway viaduct and towards the station. Then, we went along with the crowd and entered the south side of the underpass and exited it through the east side.

    We walked back to the surface in the direction of the railways. After we passed by a tramp''s tent in a park, we found the ramen shop in a dark alley unreached by streetlights. On the first floor of the building that had both shops and lodgings, only the signboard that says ¡®Hanamaru Ramen¡¯ had any light on it. The customers gathered around the shop looked like bugs attracted to a bug zapper.

    The interior of the ramen shop was very cramped. Most of the space in the shop was taken up by the kitchen, while only five tables were in the shop. The other customers could only dine outside on a steel chair. There were even some customers who were sitting on turned over beer crates, eating their ramen while holding the bowl.

    ¡°You can just sit wherever you like.¡±

    After saying that, she entered the shop. Although she told me to sit wherever I like, the problem is the chairs and beer crates are already fully seated.

    I saw a man sitting on the emergency staircase between a building and another one that Ayaka just went in, located by the entrance of the kitchen. Beneath the stairs, there were stacks of worn tires, small gas tanks and some cardboard boxes full of stains.

    When he raised his head, I couldn''t help but take a step back. The man was about twenty and had darkish skin. It was already November, but he was just wearing a T-shirt,pletely showing off his bulging biceps. As soon as he stared at me, I even thought that I would get killed.

    ¡°Are you a student of M High School?¡±

    ¡°Nonono, I''m still in middle school. Do I look that much like a high schooler?¡± I lied for no reason at all. He put down his bowl and said:

    ¡°Really? There''s a teacher teaching Maths, Fukumoto-sensei. Does he still have any hair left?¡±

    ¡°No, a lot of his hair has already dropped o¡­¡­AHHH!¡±

    He approached me and flicked my forehead. The pain made me feel as though it bore a hole on my forehead.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Uuuuuu¡­¡­ That''s too despicable of you. Since you''ve graduated from our school, why don''t you say so in the first ce!¡± I, myself, don''t understand why I feel that he is despicable (It was obvious from my school uniform that I''m from M High School, it''s my problem for lying). I covered my aching forehead and crouched down while moaning. At that moment, a voice rang behind me:

    ¡°He didn''t graduate. This guy was kicked out of school: a drop out. Here, eat this.¡±

    When I turned my head, I saw a youngdy in a gray, sleeveless vest standing behind me. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail, and you could see a white sarashi around her chest. She looked just like aborer. It was only because of the ck apron with ¡®Hanamaru¡¯ printed on it in white that I realized that she was from the shop. Does that mean that she is Min-san? So she''s a woman!

    The thing that Min-san just stuffed into my hands was a paper cup filled with ice cream.

    ¡°Master, I''ve told you many times already, I was not kicked out. I dropped out myself.¡±

    ¡°Say that after you''ve cleared your tab, you bum.¡±

    ¡°Babies are jobless when they are born too! It''s just that they are tainted in therge bathtub called life after that!"

    That would be colorless, not jobless. But Min-san doesn''t seem to want to reply to him, but instead turned around and went back into the kitchen that was filled with white smoke. I held the paper cup with the ice cream and just stood there in a daze for quite some time.

    ¡°Hey, you there!¡± the person who was kicked out of school called me. As soon as I turned around, I hastily covered my forehead.

    ¡°What are you so nervous for! So you''re in first year now, huh?¡± He said while looking at my ss badge. ¡°How many fails did you get in your test?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Why on earth are you asking me something like this?

    ¡°Fujishima-kun, don''t chat with Tetsu-senpai for too long, you''ll get the NEET virus!¡±

    Ayaka, who wore her ck apron over her school uniform, said while walking out of the kitchen with a tray full of bowls. The dark skinned guy ¡ª¡ª Tetsu-senpai gnashed his teeth, but only pretended to flick Ayaka''s forehead. This is just in preferential treatment! Ayaka stuck out her tongue, and started to serve the customers outside the shop.

    ¡°Oh, just answer me already! Your face is that of one who fails a lot since first year.¡±

    Although I thought that he was a busybody, what he said was still the truth. I could only answer in a small voice: ¡° I need to retake my English and Japanese History.¡± Tetsu-senpai caught hold of my arms while beaming, forcefully dragged me to a gas tank and made me sit down.

    ¡°Actually, the seats here are specially for NEETs. You have the potential to be a NEET, so if you drop out, feel free toe here! We will always wee you.¡±

    ¡°No, please don''t expect that of me.¡± We? Is there anyone else who''s with him?

    ¡°Why? I can start from teaching you how to choose pachinko machines! Also, I know some of the employees quite well, so I know which one has the highest frequency of hitting the jackpot!¡±

    When I had a closer look, I saw some magazines about pachinko gambling stashed in Tetsu-senpai''s hind pocket. Whoa, so this guy is a professional pachinko yer. What a useless person. I averted my gaze, and started to eat the ice-cream using a wooden spoon. Basking in the evening sun of thiste autumn and savoring the delightful aroma of the ramen soup while eating ice cream is indeed exceptionally scrumptious.

    The second person of the ¡®we¡¯ that Tetsu-senpai spoke of appeared when I was eating roast pork noodles. He suddenly pressed a hard object against the back of my head and said: ¡°Don''t move. Throw away your weapon, raise your hands, dere your name and unit.¡± I almost spitted the roast pork out of my mouth.

    ¡°Erm¡­¡­ Err¡­¡­ But¡­¡­¡± If I raised my hands, the roast pork will fall down!

    ¡°Major, you are so slow. Stop doing idiotic stuff and sit down.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai said while stirring his vani vored ice cream and caramel sauce.

    ¡°But he''s sitting on my seat! Who is this fellow?¡±

    ¡°Narumi. He''s in the same club as Ayaka.¡±

    ¡°Hiro-san said that he''singter too, there won''t be enough seats then.¡±

    ¡°Hiro can just sit on Narumi''s thigh.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see.¡±

    What do you mean you see?

    The guy called Major then walked into my field of vision. He wore a dark green and coffee-coloured camouging sports attire, a sturdy looking helmet, and a pair of sunsses shaped like goggles. He was somewhat thin and his skin was a beautiful shade of pink that belongs to primary school students. He actually looked about my age. While putting away the model gun (Well, I think it might be a model gun, but what if it''s a real gun?) into his khaki backpack, he looked at me and said:

    ¡°But isn''t this guy a high schooler? He doesn''t fit the description of a NEET.¡±

    ¡°Don''t worry, he''s my kouhai. He''ll be a great NEET after a year or two.¡±

    ¡°I definitely won''t be a NEET!¡± I protested hastily. Through his goggles, Major red at me and sat on a cardboard box.

    ¡°In this era when there are about a billion NEETs in our country, NEETs-in-waiting like you are necessary, are they not? The future of our country sure is dark.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­in waiting?¡±

    In bewilderment, I asked him what he meant by that. Major pointed at me and started to chatter enthusiastically:

    ¡°Speaking of which, do you know the how a NEET is defined? The term ¡®NEET¡¯ was originally used on people who are between the ages of 16 and 18 and are not in education or employment. When the word came to Japan from Ennd, its meaning changed to include people from 15 to 34. As a lot of types appeared after that, they were even ssified into an active type and a passive type, a sudden type, challenged type, caveman type and hesitating type. Besides that, there were also some attempts to ssify them using three-dimensional coordination to divide them into eight quadrants, but they are actually just meaningless ssifications to me.¡±

    ¡°Mukai-san, sorry for the wait.¡±

    Ayaka served Major his salt-voured ramen. It looks like Mukai is Major''s real name.

    ¡°I''m so sorry, Fujishima-kun, there would be less customers after a while.¡±

    I tried to give Ayaka a ¡®justfindanexcuseformetoleavethisseat¡¯ signal, but she didn''t get it. Major sipped some soup and continued:

    ¡°NEETs were originally just a cultural illness of reliance, and will only appear in a prosperous country like ours. We should be more proud of NEETs! Love the country that strives to produce NEETs, for world peace, we must stand up! We must find more non NEET-in-waiting elites, learn from each other , form a new Japanese Party, and bravely challenge the evil! Grow, NEETs! Grow like zing fire! NEETs!¡±

    ¡°So noisy! Just shut up and eat your noodles!¡±

    Min-san''s furious outburst echoed from the kitchen, and a small frying pan flew out of the kitchen soon after,nding on Major''s head.

    ¡°Huh? What''s with that guy?¡±

    A male voice rang in the alley, and a tall silhouette appeared at the end of the alley.

    A young man daringly wearing a brightly colored coat with khaki jeans was standing at the end of the alley. His upation was a mystery, but he radiated the aura of a professional person. His aura was different from what Tetsu-senpai had, but they have the same imposing manner. That man approached, almost causing me to fall off the gas tank.

    ¡°He''s Ayaka''s friend. See, he''s from M High School.¡± Said Tetsu-senpai. ¡°Oh? Oh¡ª¡ª¡±That man patted my shoulders and said:

    ¡°There was a time when Tetsu was wearing this uniform too!¡±

    He shot a look at the narrow kitchen back door and sat down beside Tetsu-senpai. I started to get confused. Aren''t the seats here just for NEETs?

    ¡°Hi, nice to meet you. Here''s my card.¡± He took a piece of card out of his pocket and handed it to me. He is a working person! While thinking so, I took the card, on the card it was printed:

    ¡®NEET - Hiroaki Kuwabara¡¯

    ¡­¡­ Huh? I nearly fainted at that moment.

    To reconfirm the world that I live in, I breathed in deeply and looked at my surroundings. Tetsu-senpai was eating ice cream, Major was eating salt-vored ramen. Ayaka was busy washing bowls in the smoky kitchen, Min-san was having a battle royale with mes. Looking at the night skies in this autumn, the only person who found something wrong was me.

    ¡°Is¡­¡­ Is your job a NEET?¡±

    I asked cautiously. Hiro-san showed me a smile worthy of a toothpaste advertisement while saying:

    ¡°What are you talking about? A NEET isn''t an upation!¡±

    Well, that''s true. As I was about to nod, Hiro-san''s nextmentpletely devastated me.

    ¡°Being a NEET is a lifestyle.¡±

    He actually said that it was a lifestyle? I almost cried. Hiro-san, with his eyes narrowed while pushing back his hair, was meaninglessly handsome. What on earth is with these people?

    ¡°Did you make these cards before this, Hiro?¡±

    ¡°Well, its quite convenient while flirting. People alwaysugh when they see it.¡±

    ¡°Didn''t I tell you that you''ll make your girlfriend angry like this, and that you shouldn''t flirt with other people so much?¡±

    ¡°Ah, I broke up with her already. I''m now living at the house of ady working at a night club. Making it clear that I''m jobless from the start makes my life much easier!¡±

    So Hiro-san is a gigolo! Well, he did say that it was a lifestyle.

    I listened to their conversation at the sidelines while drinking the ramen soup, but I didn''t really notice its taste. From their conversation, I gathered that they were about 18 to 19, and are supposed to be teenagers who have bright futures.

    I vaguely thought to myself: would Tetsu-senpai''s words that I''ll turn out like them soone true? I could only hope that this won''t be true.

    After we finished eating the ramen, and were enjoying the ice creams (Tetsu-senpai was already eating a second), extremely noisy rock music suddenly red in this narrow space. It was ¡®Colorado Bulldog. The three immediately sprang up, took out their cellphones that were almost simultaneously ying the same ringtone.

    Tetsu-senpai picked up the call first, then Major and Hiro-san''s phone immediately stopped ringing. An expression that looked very much like regret appeared on their faces.

    ¡°Min-san, Alice has an order for you! Onion ramen, without ramen, roast pork and egg.¡±

    Doesn''t that mean that there''s only leeks left? I thought to myself. After three minutes, the bowl that Min-san took out did look like there was only leeks and soup.

    ¡°Tell this to her clearly, we sell ramen.¡± Min-san said with a sour expression on her face.

    The leeks floating in the soup looked like inds in a sea of soup. Tetsu-senpai, Major and Hiro-san looked at each other.

    ¡°The problem is, who''s gonna take it to her?¡± said Tetsu-senpai.

    ¡°Does Alice seem like she''s in a bad mood?¡± asked Hiro-san.

    ¡°Definitely.¡±

    ¡°Are you guys taking it to her?¡± me asking this question was a sign of doom. Tetsu-senpai nodded, and then pped his kneecap.

    ¡°Since there''s four people here, let''s decide by a Yamanote Line game; whoever loses, delivers it.¡±

    Four people?

    ¡°So what''s the topic?¡±

    ¡°Let''s use ¡°Brochuresmonly found at employment agencies¡± then.¡±

    ¡°Okay, but there''s only one chance when you can''t answer.¡±

    ¡°Wa- Wait a minute, did you count me in?¡±

    ¡°Okay, let''s start from me. ¡®Guide to a Laborer''s Insurance¡¯.¡±

    ¡° ¡®Searching for your Dreams from Thirty-two¡¯.¡±

    ¡° ¡®Discover your Talents in Two Minutes¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Ah, uh, erm¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Narumi, that''s your first loss. ¡®How to Resign Favorably¡¯.¡±

    ¡° ¡®Starting Your Business From A Computer¡¯!¡±

    ¡° ¡®Guide for Blending in your New Workce¡¯.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ How on earth would I know any of those!¡±

    ¡°Ah, getting angry are you? Narumi, as long as you''re a NEET, you''ll have to know about these! Going to an employment agency buting back without doing anything, this is a route that all of us must take.¡±

    No, the problem is that I''m not a NEET.

    ¡°If you lose you''ll have to admit it, loser.¡±

    ¡°Don''t mind it, Narumi, it isn''t embarrassing that you don''t know about these.¡±

    ¡°Well, of course! Don''t console me!¡±

    ¡°But you still have to deliver the ramen!¡±

    Unable to retort, that was how I fell into their trap.

    The ce where I was supposed to deliver the ramen to was in the same building as the ramen shop, but on the third floor, room 308. As they said: ¡°You''ll know when you go.¡± There was arge signboard on the door.

    ¡®NEET Detective Agency¡¯

    The words were written with a somewhat cute handwriting, and there were a row of mystifying English words.

    It''s the only NEET thing to do

    My mind had already gone numb after the events that I''ve gone through today, so I won''t be surprised even if I see a NEET being a detective. I used the corner of the tray that held the ramen to press the electric bell, and the side camera modified into the electric bell shed blue. ording to Tetsu-senpai, that was the sign for ¡®Come in¡¯.

    After opening the door, I saw that it was a long single room. As the air-conditioner was going strong, it was even colder than outside. Walking past the fridge, kitchen and washing machine in the corridor, a narrow room could be seen. As there were not any partitions in the room, aputer rack could be seen even from the entrance, while countless monitors filled the walls of the room.

    ¡°Your ramen is here¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Please enter.¡±

    The voice of a young girl rang from inside of the room.

    While holding the tray, I walked into the room. This room is really quite something. Three sides of the walls were covered with unknown machines, liquid sma monitors and electric cables, while the small space left ¡ª¡ª the floor in the middle of the room, was filled with a mattress. As though she was buried in dolls, the silhouette wearing pajamas turned around.

    She looked just like a doll. She had a small face, a pair ofrge eyes that were in contrast with her face, unbelievably white skin, thin limbs, sleek hair flowing on the sheets, and was wearing pale blue pajamas with pictures of cartoon bears on it. I held the tray and stared at the girl.

    The girl shifted the table that the keyboard was on aside, and pulled to her bed another long table that was just like those small tables that were used with the mattresses in a hospital.

    ¡°What are you standing there for? I ordered leek ramen. I don''t remember ordering a high school student-shaped ornament.¡±

    ¡°Ah, um¡­¡­ Where should I put the ramen?¡±

    ¡°Since you''re standing so far away, do you think that my arms seem like they''re long enough that I can take the bowls from your hands?¡±

    I was scolded by her. But I do not even feel angry or surprised anymore. I ced the tray on the table in front of the girl. She took the disposable chopsticks, looked at it for awhile and breathed in deeply. Her small face was full of determination while the hands holding the tip of the chopsticks were applying force on it. But when the chopsticks were dragged into a ¡®ÈË¡¯ shape, it just shook but did not separate. How little strength does this girl have?

    ¡°¡­¡­ Would you like me to give you a hand?¡±

    The cute girl wearing the pajamas was visibly ring at me.

    ¡°It seems that you''re the type that sees a frail bird that couldn''t fly, tosses them upwards and sink in your own satisfaction after that, are you not? These type of people are the most useless of them all. When you walk away triumphantly, the bird would fall back down on the asphalt road and die, but you won''t even know that. Being dumb really should have a limit.¡±

    It''s just a pair of disposable chopsticks, why am I scolded like this? But I did not retort her. Again, she breathed in deeply and applied force to separate the chopsticks.

    Thwack.

    The chopstick on the right has split into two. This is the mostmon result. She emotionlessly stared for awhile at the chopsticks with unequal length, and then started to cry. Hey, don''t cry!

    She used the back of her hand to wipe away her tears, and started to eat the leek ramen(that pretty much has only leeks in it). As I was thinking of this, she started to re at me again and said: ¡°Your interests are really out of myprehension. Does silently watching people eat make you happy?¡±

    ¡°Ah, so- sorry.¡±

    When I was about to walk out of the room, this time she said: ¡°Where do you think you''re going? If you are gone, who will dispose of the bowls? You should really think about this.¡± I scratched my head, and having no other choice, I squatted down at the entrance with my back to the mattress.

    While listening to the girl wearing pajamas eating the onions, I mulled over the things that happened today. I''m just here because I couldn''t refuse Ayaka''s request¡­¡­ Then, I encountered a lot of stuff. I''m really tired. As I was about to drift into sleep, the girl''s voice rang out yet again.

    ¡°Narumi, I''m done. Get some beverages for me from the fridge.¡±

    Startled, I turned back to face the girl.

    ¡°Eh, huh?¡±

    ¡°I said, get me something to drink from the fridge. Falling asleep even in someone else''s house, you really are shameless.¡±

    Who are you to say that about me? But still, I followed her instructions as I did not have the energy to retort. After opening the fridge, I found that it was stuffed full of 350ml red cans, and nothing else. I thought that all of them were Coke, but they were actually all Dr. Pepper. I don''t even have the energy to say anything anymore. The girl drank all of the Dr. Pepper that I brought her in one breath, and happiness welled out from her face. Seeing that expression made me feel that I could forgive everything.

    ¡°When God was creating the world, it was because He drank Dr. Pepper that He took a rest on the seventh day. If Dr. Pepper does not exist, there would be twelve days in a week instead of seven.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Narumi, you should drink it too! I can''t give you the ones in my fridge, but I can tell you where you can get them.¡±

    So you''re not giving them to me?

    ¡°¡­¡­ Wait!¡± That was when I realized: ¡°Why do you know my name?¡±

    Was it when she was talking to Tetsu-senpai on the phone? No, at that moment Alice was just ordering her leek ramen, and she hung up right after she ordered. There wasn''t any time for them to say my name.

    ¡°Fujishima Narumi, sixteen, male, 164cm tall, weighs 51kg, in ss 1-4 of M high school¡­¡­¡± She fluently spoke of all of my personal information ¡ª¡ª address, phone number, educational background, and family background. I was speechless.

    ¡°Ayaka said that there was a new club member, so I just did a little investigation. There is so much information in your school, but so few protective measures, so it''s better if you start being more careful.¡±

    At a loss for words, I looked at the wall formed ofputers.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Are you a hacker?¡±

    ¡°I''m not a hacker.¡±

    The girl smiled while shaking her head.

    ¡°I''m a NEET detective.¡±

    The detective said, Alice was partly her real name, and partly an alias.

    ¡°Yuuko can also be read as Alice . The name Alice was taken from James Tiptree''s real name.¡±

    ¡°Who is she?¡±

    Alice sat on the mattress while hugging her knees, looking at me as though she was looking at an idiot.

    ¡°She''s a novelist! Didn''t you see the signboard at the door? Although I changed a letter, it was quite a famous quote! Haven''t you read of it before?¡±

    I cocked my head, thinking of the English words on the signboard.

    ¡°The detectives that you speak of¡­¡­ Don''t they just ept other people''s requests and investigate various cases?¡±

    ¡°I am not an ordinary detective, but a NEET detective. They are as different as Chofu and Den Enchofu, mind you. An ordinary detective asks around for information, monitors other people, all in all going here and there to search for information and find their target. NEET detectives, on the other hand¡­¡­¡±

    Alice puffed out her chest, turned around to the wall covered with machines and waved her hands.

    ¡°Do not need to leave their rooms even a step, but can search the whole world to find out the truth. You probably just think that I''m just a hikkikomori who''s overly reliant on the Inte, huh? You don''t need to lie.¡±

    ¡°Erm¡­¡­ Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Hmph, that''s because themon man cannot understand the work of a detective. A detective is the messenger of the deceased, looking for the words lost from their graves, hurting the living for the sake of protecting the honor of the deceased, and condemning the dead for the sake of consoling the living. That is why this is such an unpopr and misunderstood upation¡­¡­

    Is your expression questioning that why am I, as a hikkikomori, saying all these?¡±

    ¡°No, my expression shouldn''t be that obvious.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°But you look like you have something to say. Don''t worry, just ask! Because of my upation, I am already used to never ending questions. And I will let you fall into despair very quickly.¡±

    ¡­¡­ Despair?

    I don''t really have anything much to ask, just that I''m a bit shocked by the endless chatter of this strange girl, Alice. But in this situation, it seems that I need to ask a question. Looking around the room that looks like a control room, I asked the question that was the most confusing to me.

    ¡°You¡­¡­ What do you usually eat? Do you always eat that stuff?¡±

    Alice''s round eyes became even rounder.

    ¡°This trivial matter is the first thing that you thought of?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ I think that what we eat is very important.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you are correct. You are also an oddball, different from what Ayaka has said.¡±

    Alice narrowed her eyes while looking at me, as though she was smiling.

    ¡°To obtain the nutrients essential for my body, drinking Dr. Pepper would suffice. But Min-san is very persistent, so sometimes I eat some vegetables as well.¡±

    ¡°So that''s why you don''t grow¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Where did your biased opinion that only tall people are goode from? I can list out fifty advantages for being a shorty and disadvantages of being tall, if you are willing to have a debate, I am always ready to ept the challenge.¡±

    ¡°No, sorry.¡±

    I was just thinking about her height, which resulted in me mumbling to myself and getting heard.

    ¡°So do you depend on Min-san for your daily life?¡±

    Alice raised her eyebrows.

    ¡°You''re really impolite, you know. I''ve already said that I''m a NEET detective, a NEET detective is an upational detective! I have an actual ie, and pay her for everything.¡±

    ¡°Eh, eh, but aren''t you a NEET?¡± aren''t all NEETs jobless?

    ¡°You misunderstood NEETs from a fundamental level. The second E in NEET is Employment, being employed by someone. My upation is a personal enterprise, so I''m not employed. How other people view that depends.¡±

    How other people would view.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Lifestyle huh?¡±

    ¡°In Hiro''s life, that is so. Turgenev might say call it the ending of an illusion, Dostoyevsky might call it hell, William Somerset Maugham might call it reality, while Haruki Murakami might call it self. I use another name for it, but anyhow it''s unrted to the matter of ie.¡±

    I have absolutely no idea what she is talking about, but the fact that the pajamas-d girl earned money by being a detective is somewhat unbelievable. Which reminds me, she seems to be familiar with the usage ofputers and the Inte.

    ¡°Your expression tells me that you don''t believe me. No matter, another man woulde here in a moment to request for my investigation, you''ll probably believe it after you''ve heard it.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Huh?¡±

    At that moment, the doorbell rang as she had predicted. I turned around and looked at the door.

    ¡°Open the door.¡±

    ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°It would be nice if the agency adds some other way to wee guests besides the blue lights.¡±

    As I walked to the entrance to open the door, I froze as there were three men outside the door. The young man in the middle was wearing a leather coat and looked slightly older than me, but his expression was like that of a wild wolf. Among the other two who were nking his sides, one was a man having muscles like a rocky mountain, the other was tall like an electric pole. Both of them were wearing the same gray hoodie.

    ¡°Who is this guy? Where''s Alice?¡±

    The wolf said. It was as though I was pierced by his sharp gaze, my lips trembled and I was unable to speak. At this moment, Alice''s voice came from inside the room:

    ¡°Oh, Yondaime, pleasee in.¡±

    The two people behind the man who was called Yondaime said: ¡°We''ll wait here.¡± And then I was dragged into the room. After the door was closed, the two men disappeared from my field of vision. When I was closing the door, I felt as if I was red at, and my hands holding the door handle trembled.

    ¡°Narumi, get another can of Dr. Pepper.¡±

    Alice''s voice finally peeled my hands off the door handle.

    ¡°Hey, who is that guy? Aren''t we going to talk about the job?¡±

    When I handed the Dr. Pepper to Alice, Yondaime who was sitting beside the mattress used his chin to point at me, and then turned around and said to me: ¡°You, get out for a moment.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    Telling me to go outside the room to be best friends with the two bear-like bodyguards, and wait for you to finish discussing? What are you talking about!

    ¡°Yondaime, just imagine that there''s a high school student-shaped ornament here, rx and start the discussion.¡±

    ¡°Hey, Alice, are you joking? You should know that this isn''t something that you can let outsiders know!¡±

    ¡°It doesn''t matter, Narumi is only my assistant for today, I can guarantee that he will not speak of this to anyone else.¡±

    I don''t even know when I''ve be an assistant.

    ¡°That''s not the point.¡±

    ¡°If you''re so insistent, why don''t you talk so that outsiders wouldn''t understand? Your job has a lot of jargon anyway. If you would not want then, you can just give the request to some other people.¡±

    An awkward expression appeared on Yondaime''s face and he used his foot to kick the bedstead. Finally, he sighed and started to talk.

    Indeed, I could not understand a thing, it was all a bunch of unknown nouns and verbs that you couldn''t understand. The ones that I could barely understand ¡°deal with him when we catch him¡±, are the ones that I really don''t want to understand.

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    Alice finished listening to Yondaime''s exnation and finished drinking her second can of Dr. Pepper.

    ¡°I understand. Narumi, do you understand what he just said?¡±

    I hastily shook my head.

    ¡°Is that so? Basically, someone is doing unknown drug dealing behind Yondaime''s back, so he requested me to help find out about the ways that they deal drugs.¡±

    ¡°What is the use of me talking like that when you exin it to him!¡± Yondaime flew into a rage. That was quite understandable. I felt somewhat happy and thought: Great, finally someone would teach her a lesson¡­¡­ ¡°What is with that happy look on your face!¡± Yondaime''s changed the target of his anger to me. I could only retreat to the corridor and hide behind the fridge.

    ¡°Well, as I had a big headache this morning, I wanted to enrage the first person who came in to vent my annoyance, whoever it was. Although Narumi was the first person toe in, but for some reason he is quite tolerant of it, and didn''t get angry at all.¡±

    So she did all that on purpose!

    ¡°Coincidentally, the next person was you, so I vented my annoyance on you, so don''t mind it. If I did anything wrong, you''ll always get angry, and that''s why I like you the most.¡±

    Alice stretched her legs out of the nket and smiled sweetly. At this moment, I was totally defeated (Yondaime probably was, too). Yondaime hammered the nket for some time, tried to say something but then stopped, and then he stood up.

    ¡°So are you willing to ept the request?¡±

    ¡°I ept it, so just leave it all to me!¡±

    ¡°I will mail the details to you, goodbye.¡±

    Yondaime walked to the corridor and dragged me out from the fridge. He caught hold of my left shoulder and applied force on it until his thumb almost sank into my body.

    ¡°Ah, ouch¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°I''ve remembered your face, and will find out your address immediately. Listen closely, you didn''t hear anything just now. Is that clear?¡±

    The wolfish eyes came closer to my eyes, while I could only nod while trembling.

    ¡°Answer me!¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡­ I didn''t hear anything.¡±

    Yondaime tossed me to the ground and walked out of the room.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    Alice came over and asked as I was huddled up on the floor in exhaustion. So she can walk? I thought that she had an illness that causes her to die if she leaves her bed.

    ¡°I just feel very tired.¡±

    The words popped out of my mouth. That would be my feelings about what urred the whole day.

    ¡°If I didn''t do so, I''m afraid you''ll still think that I''m a hikkikomori who''s over-reliant on the Inte. Don''t mind it!¡±

    ¡°No, I already understand clearly.¡±

    Because of Ayaka, I stepped into an unbelievable world. Drug dealing, detectives and hackers, I had always hoped that these only exist in worlds that I don''t know of.

    ¡°You just wanted me to understand your work, so you said nonsensically that I''m your assistant and that I''m tight-lipped¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°That is not nonsense. You are indeed tight-lipped, I am sure of it.¡±

    I raised my head to look at Alice and saw that she was smiling. Since this is the first time that we''ve met, why does she dare to say so?

    ¡°Hey, Narumi. The people who met me, each and every one of them would ask: ¡®Are you really a NEET? Why did you be a NEET?¡¯, and you are the first one who did not ask me this question.¡±

    Adjusting to my eye level, Alice squatted down.

    ¡°Although it might be because you''re thoughtless or uncaring, but I -- we NEETs would be extremely happy. Instead of pitying us, ignoring us would have been better. ''Why did we be NEETs?'', this question shouldn''t even be asked. Because there is only one reason - it is written on our page of God''s notebook: ¡®We lose when we work.¡¯ There is no other reason.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ God''s notebook?¡±

    ¡°Isn''t this statement so irresponsible that it''s great?¡±

    cing her hands and chin on her knees, Alice said while smiling:

    ¡°What the word NEET really means, is actually not ¡®Someone who doesn''t know how to do anything¡¯, and not ¡®Someone who doesn''t want to do anything¡¯.¡±

    *

    Holding the empty bowl on the te while walking out of the NEET Detective Agency, I saw that it was alreadypletely dark outside. The starlight could not be seen as it was hidden by the piercing lights on the earth. The ramen shop below had be extremely crowded. Laughter and angry shoutsing from there could be heard even from here.

    After I walked down the emergency backstairs, I found Yondaime sitting on the seat exclusively for NEETs that I was sitting on just now. Tetsu-senpai, Major, Hiro-san and Yondaime surrounded the wooden table, and looked like they were doing something together. The clear tinkle of a bell-like sound could be heard even from far away.

    ¡°Sou-san! Didn''t you say that you are only ying for five minutes!?¡±

    The bodyguard, Rocky, who was standing behind Yondaime was shouting angrily by Yondaime''s ears.

    ¡°Shut up, how can I go back when I''m in a losing streak! Tetsu, hurry up and throw already!¡±

    ¡°Okay, four, five and six.¡±

    ¡°Impossible!¡±

    Arge bundle of money was on the bowl. So they''re ying a game of dices. Do these four know each other?

    ¡°Fujishima-kun, Min-san made a vored ice cream, do you want to try some?¡±

    Ayaka ran out holding an ice cream cone. While licking the ice cream which was giving out a fragrant aroma, I listened to the dice tinkling along in the bowl. Yondaime was shouting with his whole face red, throwing his cash onto the bowl like a ninja throwing knives. Looking at this situation, I couldn''t help but feel - somewhat happy.

    *

    On the way home, the streetlights on the street were very dim. Walking in front of me, Ayaka turned around and said:

    ¡°I''m so sorry, I did say that I wanted to have a wee party for you, but coincidentally the shop was busy¡­¡­¡±

    Speaking of which, I don''t think I''ve talked much with Ayaka today at the shop. There were so many customers that even I helped to deliver.

    ¡°Oh yeah, did you see Alice?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡­ She''s an oddball.¡± I couldn''t say anything else about her.

    ¡°But it was really unbelievable today. There are indeed a lot of interesting people behind the ramen shop, but it''s rare that all of them were present like today! You''re so lucky, Fujishima-kun.¡±

    ¡°Does that count as lucky?¡±

    Indeed, the people that I met and the faces that I''ve seen today have far exceeded my brain capacity, but I still remembered all of them. Tetsu-senpai, Min-san, Major, Hiro-san, Alice and Yondaime.

    ¡°It would be even better if Onii-chan coulde.¡±

    Onii-chan?

    ¡°After my brother left school, he became a NEET. He usually goes to the ramen shop to hang out with Tetsu-senpai and the others. But recently he didn''t even go home or to the shop. I couldn''t even reach his phone.¡±

    ¡°You can''t really say that all of those who hang out there don''t have a job¡­¡­?¡±

    A horrible illusion came upon me. Would I turn out like them when I¡¡leave school someday?

    Ayaka turned around and said: ¡°Did you ever think of leaving school?¡±

    ¡°Every day.¡±

    Under the streetlight, an inscrutable expression appeared on Ayaka''s face.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Even now?¡±

    I was momentarily speechless. Being unable to immediately answer this question is indeed strange.

    Ayaka gazed sincerely at me.

    I averted her gaze and lied: ¡°Now¡­¡­ I don''t want to¡­¡­ Probably!¡±

    ¡°Is that so.¡± A gentle smile appeared on Ayaka''s face.

    ¡°But I think you have no need to lie right now.¡±

    I stopped walking, speechless, and Ayaka stopped too. Coincidentally, we were standing in the middle of two streetlights, while our shadows inteced on the asphalt road.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Why?¡±

    I could only say this one word. Why? How did she know that I was lying?

    ¡°Because¡­¡­ That ce originally belonged to me.¡± Ayaka said. ¡°It was because there were no other members that I entered the Gardening Club. So in this case, I''m your senior for about half a year!¡±

    I pondered the reason why Ayaka can smile while saying such a thing. Because she is different from me, and can chat with the other students in our ss as if nothing had happened, it seemed as natural as breathing.

    Hearing me speak of my true thoughts, she showed me a ss-like smile that was even more transparent.

    ¡°It''s really simple, you can do it as well. Shout when you''re angry like the others,ugh when you''re happy like the others, and speak your mind when you want something.¡±

    I lowered my head, and thought repeatedly about what Ayaka meant by her words. I still don''t get it. I just felt that her words were like that of a busybody, although its contentspletely suit my current situation.

    After we crossed the bridge, Ayaka and I said goodbye to each other.

    Looking at the silhouette of Ayaka running towards the station, I thought of a scene when she was shouting orughing like the others. Wasn''t she just pushing herself? Does she mean that I should do that as well? Forcing myself to talk to the other students, forcing myself to smile.

    I wish that she would not care about me anymore. I just couldn''t do what she said anyhow.

 Volume 1, 2

    <h4>Volume 1, Chapter 2</h4>

    However, I was still a member of the Gardening Club a week after December began; that was because Ayaka captured me after school every day for club activities. Why must she keep bothering me? I don''t even know, and I thought my head was going to burst open.

    As I did not have any knowledge about gardening, I still had to stick to the railings while nkly looking at the streets as usual. That day, the brilliant blue skies trailed across the horizon. There were only two or three clouds in the skies like stickers stuck onto the sky, dazzling anyone who dared to stare at it for a long period of time.

    I had always wanted to ask Ayaka: "Why did you say all that on the day when we were on the way home from the ramen shop?" However, since I could not think of a suitable question to ask, I could only continue looking at the view opposite to the railings.

    ¡°Seriously, you should really give me a hand!¡±

    Ayaka said while puffing out her cheeks and holding a pair of scissors used for pruning.

    ¡°¡­¡­ I don''t even know what to do, and the flowers have already been watered.¡±

    ¡°Then help me use the ampoule on the trees, one for each nt.¡±

    Ayaka handed the ampoule fertilizer to me. The ampoule was like a small bottle of soy sauce thates with a sumptuous bento but instead of soy sauce, it had a yellowish-green liquid inside.

    ¡°Opening an ampoule is quite hard! If the opening is too big, the fertilizer would spill out too quickly; the ones that I open are actually done with professional-level skill.¡±

    Ayaka said triumphantly while using her scissors to cut off a little of the the tip of the ampoule.

    ¡°I''ll be in charge of cutting, while you just stick them into the pot.¡±

    ¡°I hate work.¡±

    I mumbledints while turning the ampoule over to stick it into the pot.

    ¡°You probably don''t hate work. It''s just that you can''t imagine yourself working!¡±

    ¡°Hime-sama, why are you so sharp about these things?¡± I got flustered and identally blurted out honorifics.

    ¡°Because my brother has said simr things before. He said that he doesn''t know why we must work if we want to live, so he left school halfway through high school. He didn''t even find a job, and just went here and there without an objective.¡±

    Don''t know why we have to work if we want to live¡­ Indeed, I feel that way too. If such a day came upon me, would I really ept the fact that I need to work in order to continue living? Or would I be one of the guys behind Hanamaru Ramen?

    I shuddered, denying the horrendous imagination of my future, and shifted my attention to sticking the ampoules into the pots. It was already past flowering season; many dry leaves and branches could be found lying on the ground. Now is the time to prepare for the next flowering season.

    ¡°If I misunderstood, I apologize now to you first. But I think that you and my brother probably have an illness that is worse than hating work.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡± So this is an illness?

    ¡°For instance, some people hate to eat carrots or celery when they are little, but they eat them as adults! But if I tell you to eat boots or diamonds, that can''t be achieved for eternity. This isn''t a problem of liking or hating: they cannot be eaten even as an adult.¡±

    ¡°Do you mean to say: ¡®I cannot imagine myself eating carrots or celery,¡¯ huh?¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    ¡°Your analogy makes me feel down.¡±

    ¡°Cheer up!¡± Ayaka patted my back. Oh please, the person who made me feel down was you in the first ce!

    ¡°The people at ¡®Hanamaru¡¯ seem to like Fujishima-kun a lot, probably because you guys give off the same aura! Tetsu-senpai told me to take you there again.¡±

    ¡°I had already decided to never go there again.¡± If I continue to go, I would definitely be one of them sooner orter.

    ¡°Please go! Everyone''s waiting for you!¡±

    Which quality in me do they admire? I almost never spoke to others willingly, so my social skills are quite poor!

    ¡°You are not as introverted as an armadillidium like you thought!¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± I didn''t say that I''m like an armadillidium.

    ¡°That''s right, and you keep talking to yourself.¡±

    I identally stuck the ampoule onto my shoes.

    ¡°Do¡­¡­ Do I often talk to myself?¡±

    ¡°Oh yes, I think that''s why you couldmunicate with them. Are you okay? You look terrible!¡±

    I probably couldn''t function anymore.

    ¡°But if you don''t speak your mind, nobody would understand you!¡±

    ¡°I always forget how tomunicate.¡± I answered randomly. But when I think about it, things are indeed so. Ayaka stared at me for awhile, and sighed.

    ¡°Then you should practice! Right?¡±

    *

    In the end, I still couldn''t refuse her, and could only follow Ayaka to the ramen shop. That day, there wasn''t anyone behind "Hanamaru''s" kitchen door. Although it was already evening, there weren''t any customers there.

    ¡°So you''re here again, Narumi?¡±

    A surprised expression appeared on Min-san''s face, and she said so while cutting cabbages, ring at me as well. As I saw before this, she wore a vest while her breast was covered up with a sarashi, her appearance looked as if people could easily take advantage of her.

    ¡°Forget it, I thought that you would turn out like that thest time we met.¡±

    ¡°Turn out how?¡±

    ¡°It''s still not toote!¡± Min-san said just that. What does she mean by not toote?

    ¡°If you just practice yourmunication skills, you probably would not be a NEET.¡±

    After saying that, Ayaka went into the kitchen and put on an apron. I sighed, and sat down on a gas tank. Say whatever you want!

    ¡°Oh yeah, do you want to work part time here too, Fujishima-kun?¡±

    Min-san replied immediately: ¡°Narumi looks like he doesn''t know how to do anything, the shop doesn''t need these type of people.¡±

    Discouraged, I took a spoon and stirred my coffee ice cream. Min-san took a bowl and poked her head out of the kitchen.

    ¡°That''s right, there''s still something that you can do.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Take this to Alice.¡±

    It was Japanese styled Dan Dan Noodles filled with vegetables, but this time, some noodles could be seen in the sea of vegetables.

    ¡°Thest time you delivered it, Alice ate them all. Before that, she usually didn''t finish them, so please help today too. If there''s anything left in the bowl, I''ll beat you up!¡±

    *

    ¡°What is this? I ordered Dan Dan Noodles, but without noodles, carrots, mushrooms or meat.¡±

    Alice puffed out her cheeks, eyeing the food in the bowl in displeasure.

    That day, the air-conditioning in the detective agency was still very cold, but Alice was just wearing pajamas with teddy bears on it. Won''t she be cold like this?

    ¡°But there are obviously noodles, meat and other stuff in it! Please tell me a reason for me to eat this.¡±

    ¡°Min-san is worried that you will have malnutrition.¡±

    ¡°Oh, so there''s a standard for malnutrition? Then please enlighten me about this standard of yours. Let me make this clear, having lived for over ten years on only Dr. Pepper, I will not listen to unreasonable excuses, and don''t try to use a bad excuse to convince me. I will eliminate your argumentspletely.¡±

    I sighed. I wasn''t sure if Alice was a detective or not, but this little girl really had a lot to say. I had already known that I couldn''t convince her, so I quickly used the secret technique that Min-san taught me.

    ¡°Min-san said that you can''t have ice cream if you don''t finish them.¡±

    Alice''s froze, and her lips started to tremble.

    ¡°¡­¡­ So-so despicable¡­¡­ ording to Act 222 of the penal code, this can already be counted as a threat, and vites the Competitionw for refusing to sell as well.¡±

    The teary-eyed Alice waved her hands, listing out one suspiciousw after another. As I found it interesting, I watched Alice''s actions silently temporarily.

    She probably gave up, huh? Alice picked up her chopsticks while pouting.

    ¡°Get me some Dr. Pepper! Three cans of them!¡±

    ¡°Do you want to drink them after eating?¡±

    ¡°I want to eat while drinking! How can carrots and meat be eaten directly?¡±

    Alice, who was holding a dark red can in one hand while eating Dan Dan Noodles teary-eyed, was really worth watching.

    ¡°Stop scrutinizing me!¡±

    Alice swiftly finished her first can of Dr. Pepper, picked up the empty can and threw it at me, while I could only hold in myughter while turning my back on her. But Alice really is a picky eater! Is she really from Earth?

    ¡°What do you do when eating nutrition lunch at school? Didn''t you get scolded?¡±

    I suddenly thought about that and asked Alice.

    Alice was silent for awhile, and then she answered me:

    ¡°I have never been to a school.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    "Although I know what a nutrition lunch is, I have never entered any educational institutions from birth.¡±

    I didn''t think that Alice had a normal life, but I never would have thought that she hadn''t even gone to primary school.

    ¡°ording to Tetsu, the NEETs who haven''t graduated from primary school are on the highest level of them all. Hmph, I ampletely uninterested in these rankings.¡±

    Even so, I have this faint feeling that if Alice went to school like other people do, she would think that a normal life is very uninteresting as well.

    ¡°No such thing, I will not look down on normal things.¡±

    I was startled and turned my head over. It looks like I identally spoke my inner thoughts again.

    ¡°I was really determined to finish primary school and middle school. Even though I hate ignorance, it ispletely irrelevant to normalcy. Going to school is an experience that I never had, and that is also my regret. But when people who are the same age as me are going for mandatory education, what do you think I was doing?¡±

    Alice paused to put a piece of noodle in her mouth, soured her face and gulped it down with some Dr. Pepper. It looks like she is asking for my opinion.

    ¡°Learning how to be a good wife?¡±

    Alice nearly spat the food out of her mouth.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Your sense of humor is indeed perplexing, it''s no wonder that you are excluded from other people. I pity you very much.¡±

    I''m now pitied, but what Alice said was the truth.

    ¡°So what''s the correct answer?¡±

    ¡°Eh? Ah, the answer is as you see¡ª¡ªopening windows in thework world, observing the limited and twisted world.¡±

    Alice''s gaze fell on the ck machines that covered up the whole wall behind her.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Every day?¡±

    ¡°The ¡®every day¡¯ that I meant is worse than you imagine. My life consisted of only saving information into my body, and washing away my helplessness by drinking Dr. Pepper. I kept searching for the meaning of my existence. Do you know this? On Earth, a child dies because of poverty every 3.6 seconds, and actually all of this is ¡®my fault¡¯.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Ah?¡±

    I couldn''t help but exim in surprise. What nonsense is she spouting?

    ¡°This is purely a hypothetical problem. Listen, if I have enough resources and ways to produce food, I can save the starving children. I am not worried about poverty, and I am not a holy person. I repeat, this is purely a hypothetical problem. If I have enough power, I can save the children who are gradually dying, so the death of the children is due to the fact that I do not have enough power to save them. Simrly, when a ne is kept hostage by terrorists and hits a building, it is because I do not have the power to stop it; The harm that is caused due to earthquakes or tsunamis is because I do not have the power to predict them.¡±

    Purely a hypothetical problem.

    But in that case, wouldn''t that mean everything that happened is Alice''s fault?

    ¡°That is how I passed my days, using my time to confirm my helplessness. To be exact, it should be about eight years or so, huh? I want to know what a powerless person like me can do for this world, for instance, to do something for the people who died hopelessly, or I cannot do anything for them at all.¡±

    Using eight years. It''s just too stupid.

    ¡°Because I felt some limitations, I ran away from home. I sealed myself in a new fortress, and continued to open windows in this world. Hehe, actually I''m now in pursuit by my family, so I have no choice but to open a window in the real world.¡±

    Aliceughed self-deprecatingly, and looked at the countless cubical monitors at the right side of her bed. Although the monitors were small, I could not see what it was. It was not until the curtains of ¡®Hanamura¡¯ appeared on the monitor that I realized that it was the view of the surroundings of the building. There were six live videos that were taken from surveince cameras, including the space between this building and the next, and also their interiors.

    ¡°Being pursued¡­¡­?

    ¡°As the people in my family aren''t stupid, they probably know where I am hiding already. This is just as a precaution for them from using unorthodox methods to look for me! I ran away from home, running away from my helplessness and from the world that is gradually lost because of my powerlessness¡­¡­ But even so I couldn''t find the answer to that, so¡­¡­¡±

    I looked at Alice''s face, taken aback.

    This girl is serious, although I thought that the things that she said were just a joke.

    ¡°So I chose to be a detective.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Sorry, your words confuse me, I don''t get it.¡±

    ¡°You don''t understand? In this world, there are only two jobs that can help those who are dead or have lost something, a novelist and a detective: A novelist can revive them in their dreams, detectives can dig out the real message from their graves. This is what leaders of a religion, a politician, a burial agency or the firefighters can''t do.¡±

    I could not say anything that moment. Alice lowered her head in loneliness, using her chopsticks to swirl the food in her bowl.

    ¡°But sometimes I still feel somewhat queasy. A detective can only take action on things that have already been lost, right? They cannot solve the things that have not happened, or dig a grave that has not been made yet. So for people who might be hurt in the future, I am still powerless.¡±

    After that, Alice became silent and shifted her attention to the food left in her bowl. Ashamed, I turned away from her yet again. The sound of Alice chewing the cabbage sounded sorrowful, for some reason.

    After a very long time, Alice finally cleared away the food in the bowl. I silently handed her the vani ice cream that I kept hidden for some time, but Alice just ced it on the table, not even touching it, but raised her head to look at my face.

    ¡°Eh¡­¡­ Is there something wrong?¡±

    ¡°Nothing, I just felt inconceivable, to why I would tell you so much.¡±

    I felt mystified too, never had I thought that Alice would tell me so much about herself, making me feel a bit worried about the future of this pajamas d girl¡ª¡ª even though I am absolutely not qualified to be worried for other people.

    ¡°You can just tell me what you think! I don''t mind.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Although I hesitated, I still spoke my mind honestly, because I know how hurtful a white lie can be. ¡°What you said was too abstract, I have absolutely no idea what you said.¡±

    I thought Alice would throw a second empty can at me, but instead sheughed out loud. Alice, with her long, ck hair that has be unruly, said while wiping away the tears at the corner of her eyes:

    ¡°What an interesting fellow you are. Just listening to Ayaka''s description of you, I thought that you were a hopeless person! It seems that it is not so.¡±

    ¡°Ayaka¡­¡­ said something about me to you?¡±

    ¡°Hmph, so you mind? That''s surprising. I thought you have absolutely no interest in other people.¡±

    Alice started tough mischievously.

    ¡°Of course I don''t mind.¡± I couldn''t help but retort.

    ¡°Really? Then I don''t have any reason to tell you.¡±

    I bit my lower lip, finding that I was starting to get restless. Of course I mind how Ayaka sees me. As if she had seen through my thoughts, Alice finally answered.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Ayaka said that you are simr to Toshi.¡±

    ¡°Toshi? Who is that?¡±

    ¡°He''s Ayaka''s brother! He''s also a dropout who always hangs out with Tetsu and the others, but he''s not heretely. Which reminds me, useless, doesn''t speak when he''s in a bad mood, always talking to himself and always giving trouble to Ayaka, these qualities of his are extremely simr to you.¡±

    What Alice said is really too over. When I thought about the situation when Ayaka was describing her brother, aplicated feeling came upon me. So it was because Ayaka was worried of me, who is simr to her brother, whichpelled her to invite me into the Gardening Club? I couldn''t help but think that the things that I think about are quite silly.

    ¡°You don''t need to worry, you''re not that much alike, and also you''re not a NEET.¡± Alice said to me, who was silent. ¡°Toshi is not as stubborn as you, at least¡­¡­¡±

    Alice suddenly stopped talking, her eyes glued to the monitor beside her bed.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Is something the matter?¡±

    ¡°Well, speak of the devil. Here''s Toshi.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°Why did hee out from inside?¡±

    Following Alice''s lead, I stared at the monitor, which was showing a skinny silhouette at the third box from the right. The surroundings of the gas tanks that could be seen at the bottom left corner of the screen was filmed from above, where the NEETs like to gather. The silhouette wearing a dark blue hoodie was standing at the gap between the buildings, not even moving an inch.

    ¡°Narumi, go catch that fellow for me. He probably just wants to go back like this.¡±

    ¡°Why¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Because Ayaka is worried about him. Don''t ask anymore, just hurry!¡±

    *

    When I walked down thedder, the silhouette was walking further into the gap with his back to me. I pushed away the hill of garbage bags while running towards him.

    ¡°Hey!¡±

    The silhouette donning a sports jacket shook for a moment, and then turned his head over. He had a thin, pale face, and had a nervous expression behind his spectacles that wandered here and there. It was obvious that he was Ayaka''s brother, as their eyes were identical. Seeing as he was so nervous, I, who originally wanted to talk to him, could not think of anything to say.

    ¡°Onii-chan?¡±

    Ayaka''s voice rang in the alley. I turned around, and saw Ayaka, who was wearing an apron, poke half of her body out of the kitchen.

    Ayaka''s brother ¡ª¡ª Toshi sighed, as if he has given up on something.

    ¡°You could just give us a call before youe here.¡±

    ¡°My phone service has been cancelled because I didn''t pay up.¡±

    Ayaka dragged Toshi out of the gap between the buildings, and stealthily took some cash out of her wallet and handed it to him. Whoa, there''s actually such a useless brother, I could only pretend not to see anything.

    Toshi, who went back to the ramen shop, sat on thedders and said towards the kitchen: ¡°Min-san, give me an ice cream! I''m parched.¡± Min-san, who walked out of the kitchen, knitted her brows, peered at Toshi and said: ¡°You probably ate some strange stuff again, didn''t you? If you eat cold things you''ll throw up.¡± She returned to the kitchen after saying that.

    Ayaka said: ¡° Onii-chan, wait for me awhile, I''ll make something hot for you to eat.¡± And she returned to the kitchen after saying that too.

    Toshi smacked his lips, and then took out a small stic bag out of his pockets, broke the pills in the stic bag into half, crushed them, swallowed it down without even a drink of water, and then stared at me after he finished eating the medicine.

    ¡°Ayaka told me about you some time ago, so you''re in the same club?¡±

    Toshi finally said to me, and I nodded a bit nervously.

    ¡°Oh really, so you''re Narumi.¡±

    I thought to myself, what did Ayaka say to Toshi?

    ¡°She''s very dumb, being together with her is hard, isn''t it?¡±

    I shook my head. Toshi looked at the winter sky that was full of clouds and gave a hollowugh, hisughter felt like someone using a cold metal stick to scratch his back.

    After that our conversation came to a stop. Toshi hunched his back, and then stuck his hands into the pockets of his sports jacket. His eyes wandered while starting to shake his legs. I secretly observed Toshi from the side.

    Is he really that simr to me?

    I dunno, maybe it really is that simr? He was older than me by about one or two years, but his skin looked dry, coarse and pale. No wonder Ayaka would be worried about him.

    ¡°Oh? How rare for you to turn up here!¡±

    A voice suddenly sounded behind us. I turned my head around, and saw Tetsu-senpai wearing a short-sleeved T-shirt as usual, Hiro-san was wearing a leather jacket, while Major wore what seemed like clothes for the Siberian garrisons. The three walked into the gap between the buildings together.

    ¡°Toshi, what were you doing before this?¡±

    ¡°Nothing, I''m just busy with a lot of things.¡±

    Facing Tetsu-senpai''s questions, Toshi averted his gaze and answered mysteriously.

    Tetsu-senpai looked at me and then looked at Toshi, and said:¡± Narumi''s here again! That way, the three dropouts are all here, NEETs who graduated from middle school are truly the best!¡±

    ¡°I haven''t dropped out yet, don''t group me together with you guys!¡±

    My objections werepletely ignored.

    ¡°It''s because Tetsu-san says things like this, NEETs-in-waiting would increase! We can''t wait until he drops out, we must figure out a way for him to drop out willingly!¡± ¡°The one who graduated from high school, you''re too noisy! Wanna have a fight?¡± Major and Tetsu-senpai started to argue for some reason.

    ¡°It''s rare that Toshi is here, since we haven''t gone to the arcade for a long time, let''s go together!¡± Hiro-san suggested. ¡°I learnt a new chain technique, and can use a new killer technique, so I can defeat Toshi now!¡±

    ¡°Eh, I don''t want to, aiyo!¡±

    Toshi was unwilling to go, but his arms were held by Tetsu-senpai, and was forced to stand up.

    ¡°Will youe with us, Narumi?¡±

    ¡°To where?¡± Ayaka flew out of the kitchen in a hurry.

    Hiro-san smiled and said: ¡°The arcade.¡±

    ¡°Is Onii-chan going too?¡±

    ¡°Let''s go quickly!¡±

    As if he found the situation hassling, Toshi looked at Ayaka for a moment and then quickly walked to the main streets.

    *

    I was brought to the arcade at the shopping center of the station. The first floor was filled with crane games and sticker making machines, while half of the second floor was upied byrge music game machines, online games and racing games. The older games were all squeezed in a corner.

    Toshi was really good in fighting games, Tetsu-senpai and Hiro-san challenged him in turn, but still couldn''t defeat him.

    Major dragged Toshi to a Gundam fighting machine and challenged him with brimming confidence, but was alsopletely defeated. Toshi, who was controlling Sac II, had superhuman-like senses, making people think that he had another pair of eyes behind his back. Toshi did not want to y at the start, but his eyes became somewhat eerie after winning a few matches, and he also made strange noises. Having a six time winning streak while ying with Major, I originally thought that Toshi would again make the annoyingugh again, but his face suddenly turned green, said ¡®I''m going to the washroom for awhile¡¯, and left his game that was ying halfway.

    ¡°¡­¡­ That guy, seems like he''s in trouble again.¡± Tetsu-senpai said worriedly.

    ¡°In trouble?¡±

    ¡°He once bought legal medicine from the Inte before.¡±

    I recalled the pills that Toshi swallowed just now, would that be the legal medicine that Tetsu-senpai said? I started to get a bit worried.

    ¡°I''ll go check out Toshi''s condition.¡±

    Toshi walked out of the washroom with a sickly expression on his face, the corner of his lips were wet, and smelled somewhat sour. He probably threw up.

    Toshi said: ¡°I''ll go outside to get some fresh air.¡± I was still worried, so I followed him out.

    Under the setting sun, the road was full of cars, Bing Crosby''s Christmas song and the red green lights of the decoration could be seen and heard in the sidewalk that was full of people. Toshi sat down on the stone steps outside the arcade, and drank the Fanta carbonated water that he bought from the automatic vendor. Toshi''s eyes wandered again, making people feel queasy.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°They look as if they''re not moving.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°The people look as if they''re not moving. It''s true, I can even see the movement of a dot. Even if I close my eyes, and just listen to the noise, I could win.¡±

    After saying that, heughed, giving no thought to the people walking around.

    ¡°Do you always hang out with Tetsu and the guys?¡±

    Toshi said while having hups.

    ¡°No¡­¡­ I only came to know them recently.¡±

    ¡°But you look like you''re very close to them.¡±

    Toshiughed again. Do I look like I''m very close to them?

    ¡°¡­¡­ It was because I often skip school to go to the arcades, then I gradually became closer to them. They taught me a lot of things, so why don''t you go y fighting games too! I can teach you the next time.¡±

    I felt a bit shy, and dropped my gaze to look at my knees. If I can y like this everyday, even if I''m kicked out of school, even if I be a NEET, then ¡ª¡ª it isn''t really a bad thing.

    ¡°Toshi, would you stille to ¡®Hanamaru¡¯ after this?¡±

    ¡°Eh? Ah¡­¡­ Hmmm, yes, right, I''ve already¡­¡­¡±

    Facing my questions, Toshi looked like he was looking far away.

    ¡°Forgot, because I didn''t meet them for quite a long time already¡­¡­¡±

    Toshi suddenly stopped talking, and started to cough violently. After he stopped coughing, he was still breathing heavily, his hunched back rocking up and down. I didn''t know what to do, and can only rub his back covered by the sports jacket.

    Toshi used his trembling hands to take out a stic bag from his pockets, this time he swallowed a pill with a gulp of Fanta. I tried to stop him, but it was toote. The carbonated drink spilled onto Toshi''s jeans, but he doesn''t seem to mind. The people passing by stared at us.

    Toshi''s body finally stopped trembling.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Angel Fix.¡±

    ¡°What is that?¡±

    ¡°This! Great name, isn''t it!? It brings you to heaven.¡±

    Toshi pressed the remaining two pills left in the bag to my face. I could see a picture of wings and the letters A.F engraved on the small pink pills.

    ¡°Do you want it? I could sell it to you for a discount.¡±

    ¡°No thanks¡­¡­ That isn''t normal medication, is it?¡±

    ¡°That doesn''t matter. It isn''t a drug, the others are just making a big fuss out of nothing, this is just a legal medication.¡±

    I swallowed my saliva in anguish.

    ¡°Why? This type of medicine¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°You ask me why? You, you¡­¡­¡± What Toshi is saying started to get muddled up. ¡°Why do you think humans live in this world?¡±

    I don''t know what Toshi meant by suddenly saying this, so I could only remain silent.

    ¡°In a human''s brain, there is a type of thing called thepensation nervous system, which is what we call the A10 nervous system. When we eat tasty stuff, we are praised by other people or have bought something that we want, the system would synthesize neurotransmitters, and change it into signals so that we would have a blissful feeling. In contrast, schizophrenia or depression is usually caused by a decrease in dopamine. In short, no matter how hard we try to pursue happiness, if the brain does not synthesize neurotransmitters properly, we would not feel happy, so the reason we continue to live is to stimte the A10 nervous system.¡±

    I didn''t say anything, but only stared at Toshi''s face. I could see that Toshi was not focused on me anymore, does he know who he is talking to? It was as if he was a different person from the Toshi just now, and has be very garrulous.

    ¡°That is why, we could just depend on medication! It''s straightforward, easy and you could feel pleasure straightaway. You don''t need to work hard to earn money, and don''t need to look for girls to marry, we can achieve the same results just depending on the medication. But The process is not the same, no pain and not time-consuming. Medication is perfect. For instance, people like me, kicked out of high school, fired at work, has only graduated from middle school and could not find any work, but I don''t really feel like looking for a job anyway. Only angels would not look down on me, that''s what this is all about.¡±

    Toshi raised the stic bag containing the pink pills to cover the ring streetlights in the night. I couldn''t help but take hold of his shoulders and start to shake him.

    ¡°I''m alright, it hurts, stop shaking me.¡±

    I''m alright, I''m alright, as if following a beat for a song, Toshi kept repeating this sentence.

    ¡°That''s right, I have something to ask you, did you see some yakuzas that are about the same age as us at the ramen shop recently?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Do you mean Yondaime?¡±

    I told Toshi about Yondaime visiting Alice''s room.

    ¡°What the heck, so you even know about Yondaime and Alice! That''s good, I just wanted to know about this thing. Hahaha, you''vepletely be one of them now!¡±

    Toshi strolled towards the sidewalk,ughing maniacally at the night skies. The people passing by knitted their brows and walked far away from us, forming a space shaped like a half circle.

    ¡°Does Ayaka get along with the others?¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°Isn''t she somewhat lonesome at school?¡±

    "Although she''s a bit entric, Ayaka isn''t the same as me, she can happily talk to our ssmates naturally."

    ¡°Is that so? Why is that, I wonder? She once refused to go to school when she was in middle school, why is that? When did she be a normal person again? And she even wanted to drag me to school too. I just couldn''t do it, it''s not that I like not going to school. She flew into a temper when I said that I wanted to drop out, really, nagging me should have its limits.¡±

    After listening to this, I, who was sitting down, froze. Whileughing boisterously, Toshi walked into the crowd, going towards the main road. Seeing Toshi disappear in the sea of people, I could only stare at the view in a daze.

    In the din of the crowd, Toshi''s scary, screechingughter could still be heard. I hastily stood up, pushing away the crowd and went after him. This is not good. Although I don''t know why, I felt that a problem is going to arise.

    The people nearby also seemed to sense what I have felt from theughter. Toshi walked unsteadily on the road, and a circr space formed beside him, as if he was wearing arge, invisible float. The crowd stopped moving, causing me to be unable to get close to Toshi.

    It was like Toshi was enclosed in an inexplicable membrane, springing towards the zebra crossing while the lights were yellow. The yellow light changed to red in a sh, and the drivers started sounding their horn at Toshi. He unsteadily walked to the other side of the zebra crossings whileughing, and I, who was standing at the other side, could not do anything but keep my eyes on him.

    The crowd who was waiting for the light to change to green made a small noise, but Toshi''s silhouette vanished in only a moment in the impatient horns and the cars that were passing the junction. As soon as Toshi''s silhouette disappeared, everyone seemed to have forgot about the scaryughter. The people in this city are very tolerant of oddballs, because things will be endless if they care about each and every one of them.

    Even so, a man kept staring at Toshi with a smile on his face, until Toshi vanished. The man was very young, and was waiting for the lights to change by my side. He donned a high ss Kashmir wool coat, has thin cheeks, and had a pair of frameless sses on his face with a sharp chin.

    Our gazes locked for a moment, and that was enough for me to shiver. I don''t know why, but I could feel that there is something hidden deep in his eyes that makes me feel queasy.

    Music rang from the pockets of the man''s coat, it was a steady sound of a plucking guitar. He took out his phone and answered it: ¡°Hello¡­¡­ Yes, I''ve found Shinozaki, I''ll go back as soon as I pick him up. Hmm? Keep the distition locked up first, and wait for me to go back¡­ Continue to put them in separate packs, you know that our stocks aren''t enough, don''t you? That''s right, yeah¡­¡­¡±

    The voice that could never be forgotten even though it is only heard once, gave people an unpleasant feeling like thorns. The man started to walk while talking on the phone, while I was pushed by the people at the back, and nearly fell down on the streets.I hurriedly caught hold of the railings at the side of the sidewalk. The traffic light changed to green when I didn''t notice, so the crowd rushed out to the zebra crossings.

    But I could not move. The man''s words left an unforgettable impression on me, causing my legs to tremble, unable to move even one step.

    The man indeed said: ¡°Shinozaki.¡± Does he know Toshi? But who on Earth is he?

    A bad premonition shed across my mind.

    ¡°Hey! Where''s Toshi? Where has he gone?¡±

    A voice spoke to me, who was standing at the end of the street, not knowing what to do. Turning my head to the voice, Tetsu-senpai, Hiro-san and Major were all there.

    ¡°¡­¡­ I don''t know where he ran off to.¡±

    I finally said. After telling them about Toshi''s condition, a dumbfounded expression appeared on Tetsu-senpai''s face, and he scratched his head.

    ¡°Don''t go crazy on the streets after taking drugs, that idiot¡­¡­¡±

    Major said: ¡°Should we go find him?¡±

    Hiro-san shook his phone: ¡°But I can''t get to his phone!¡±

    Almost at the same time, the three looked at the street that was full of people. It was impossible to look for anyone on this street. Even so, Tetsu-senpai lightly patted my head.

    ¡°Narumi, you go back to ¡®Hanamaru¡¯ first and deal with Ayaka.¡±

    ¡°B- But¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Don''t make her feel too worried. We''ll go look for Toshi.¡±

    I didn''t even have enough time to answer him, then the three vanished in the crowd, looking for Toshi.

    *

    After returning to the ramen shop, I found that the shop was pitch dark, and there was not even one customer, while Ayaka could not be seen anywhere as well. Min-san was stirring the butter in arge bowl.

    ¡°I told Ayaka, since there''s no customers today, she could go home first. But she said that Toshi mighte back, so she''s waiting upstairs.¡±

    ¡°Upstairs as in Alice''s agency?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Ayaka sat on the mattress of the agency, and she let Alice sit on her thighs,bing Alice''s long hair.

    ¡°Is Onii-chan gone already? Where is he?¡±

    ¡°Ayaka, it hurts, you''ve pulled my hair.¡± Alice moved her neck in protest.

    ¡°Ah, so sorry.¡±

    Ayaka wasn''t really tall, but inparison you could see that Alice was very petite, almost like a real doll.

    ¡°Did Onii-chan say where he lives right now?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ I''m not really sure.¡±

    I couldn''t answer her properly. Getting delirious after taking drugs, and then disappearing, it was really hard to tell people about this kind of stuff.

    ¡°What a headache, he should at least tell me how to contact him!¡±

    But it seemed like Toshi found Ayaka troublesome. Is that what he really thought? Or is it some nonsense that he said after taking drugs?

    ¡°Ayaka, just don''t care about that specky, ignorant guy who suddenly disappeared. Blood rtion is the first stupid cornerstone of belief that humans should break.¡±

    ¡°Alice, don''t turn around!¡±

    ¡°(sobs)¡±

    Alice wanted to turn her head around to face Ayaka, but Ayaka held Alice''s head, so she could not move her head, causing Alice to look terrible.

    ¡°And if you would also not care about my hair, I would be very happy.¡±

    ¡°That wouldn''t do! You have such beautiful, luscious long hair, if you don''tb it properly, it would be unruly very soon. The shampoo and conditioners that I gave you, did you use them?¡±

    ¡°Really, there should be a limit to being a busybody!

    Alice made a disgruntled noise, but still sat on Ayaka''s thighs. There is a type of person in this world that are busybodies, and could not leave other people alone. Ayaka was one of them. That would probably be it.

    When I was about to walk out of the agency, Ayaka said that she wanted to go home too.

    While walking down thedder, the ringtone of a phone rang from Ayaka''s bag.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Hello?¡±

    ¡°Hello, Ayaka? It''s me¡­¡­¡±

    Toshi, who was on the phone was very loud, so loud that even I can hear him. The effects of the drug is probably still there, his voice sounded inexplicably cheerful.

    ¡°Onii-chan?¡±

    ¡°This is Hakamizaka-san''s phone, so I can''t talk to you so long. I''m at his ce right now, so help me to tell mother.¡±

    ¡°Ah, but Onii-chan¡­¡­¡±

    He hung up suddenly, just like when he called just now. Ayaka silently looked at her phone, and then looked at me, showing me a troubled smile. I turned my head away.

    ¡°Was it Toshi?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. It seems like he''s at Hakamizaka''s.¡±

    Hakamizaka?

    ¡°Yeah¡ª¡ª I''ve only seen him two or three times, so we''re not that close. He''s probably a university student. He''s very knowledgeable about poppy flowers, so probably he''ll be a schr, huh?¡±

    ¡°So do you know where they are right now?¡±

    ¡°No, I don''t know and the phone number was private too¡­¡­ I couldn''t call him again. Onii-chan is too over.¡±

    Ayaka sadly knitted her brows, cing her phone back into her bag.

    ¡°He''s like this every time, always disappearing without saying a thing.¡±

    I thought to myself: "That''s probably because he thinks that you''re troublesome." Ayaka looked at me and cocked her head.

    ¡°What did you say just now?¡±

    I faked a ¡®ididn''tsayanything¡¯ expression. I''ve probably let slip my inner thoughts again.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Onii-chan probably said something to you, didn''t he? I know that you''re hiding something from me.¡±

    I silently lowered my head.

    ¡°Really, why won''t you tell me?¡±

    I swallowed, and raised my head.

    ¡°¡­¡­ I''ve heard that you refused to go to school when you were in middle school.¡±

    Why did I ask this question? Ayaka''s expression froze, and an anxious, unnatural smile appeared on her face, showing that she wanted to hide something.

    ¡°A- About me, huh? Eh, um, that is¡­¡­¡±

    Toshi can''t be helped now, but if it was me¡ª¡ª

    ¡°Do you think that I could still be saved?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ What do you mean by that?¡±

    I turned my back to Ayaka and walked quickly down thedder. Even I do not know what I was talking about, why would I say such a thing?

    ¡°Fujishima-kun!¡±

    I ignored Ayaka''s shouts and ran out of the building. On the way home, Ayaka and Toshi''s words muddled together, swirling in my mind.

    *

    The next day, I nned to skip the fifth and sixth period of Chemistry and go home straightaway. That was because I wasn''t ready to speak to Ayaka alone.

    But when break time started, the guys nearby started toe and chat with me, causing me to lose my chance to escape from the ssroom.

    ¡°Fujishima, I saw you at the arcade yesterday. You were with Ichinomiya-senpai, weren''t you?¡±

    ¡°Erm, hmm?¡±

    Lately, my ssmates kept chatting with me, but I''m still not used to it. To be exact, I haven''t remembered their names yet, so I feel as if I did something wrong when I talk to them. But I still answered them:

    ¡°Are you talking about Tetsu-senpai, perhaps? Do you guys know him?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Ichinomiya-senpai is extremely famous, I''ve heard that some boxing centers tried to recruit him for their team.¡±

    ¡°That''s right, he''s a legendary person. Didn''t he do a lot of great things before this? I''ve heard that the reason for which the P.E teacher''s restroom was turned into a storeroom is that Ichinomiya-senpai ruined it.¡±

    ¡°It was also said that the back door is kept closed because Ichinomiya-senpai broke it. It''s be crooked and can''t be opened.¡±

    ¡°The Principal is bald because of Ichinomiya-senpai.¡±

    Te- Tetsu-senpai is that famous?

    ¡°How did you get to know Ichinomiya-senpai, Fujishima?¡±

    That is because¡­¡­

    ¡°Is it because Ichinomiya-senpai always goes to the ce where Ayaka is working part time? Isn''t that right?¡±

    The girls joined the conversation too.

    ¡°It''s a ramen shop, right? I went there once.¡± ¡°The shopkeeper''s very pretty.¡± ¡°Really? I want to go next time.¡± ¡°Is it tasty?¡± ¡°Their ice cream is the best.¡± ¡°Why is it that the ice cream is tasty? Isn''t it a ramen shop?¡±

    But Ayaka as the person that they were talking about did not say anything, or join the conversation. Our ssmates ignored Ayaka and I, chatting away happily. Just when we were starting to get rowdy, the bell marking the fifth period rang, and the Chemistry teacher walked into the ssroom.

    That caused me to be unable to skip the ss, and so I was forced to stay until school ends. Usually, Ayaka would immediately drag me to the Gardening Club, but today she just looked at me for a moment, and walked out of the ssroom while putting on her armband.

    ¡°Did you guys have a fight?¡±

    The guy who sat in front of me asked me casually, and I shook my head. The focus of my ssmates were on me. If I were to go home just like that, it seems like the atmosphere would get worse. I was forced to leave my bag in the room and went to look for Ayaka in the courtyard.

    Ayaka was holding a spade while squatting at the side of the garden. I sat on the bricks beside the garden, watching the nts that we tended, as I did not know what to say.

    The one who spoke first was Ayaka.

    ¡°You still don''t remember the names of our ssmates, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ How did you know?¡±

    ¡°I sensed it from the way that you spoke.¡±

    But is there a problem with that?

    ¡°It doesn''t matter if you don''t remember their names, it''s just that you seem very guarded when talking to the others, like you''re talking at two sides of a brick wall. You were like that yesterday too¡­¡­¡±

    Ayaka still minded what had happened yesterday¡­¡­ Actually I mind it too. The words that Toshi had said were still lingering in my ears.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Why do you butt in my business so much? Are those people who can''t fit in school life such an eyesore?¡±

    After I said that, I felt that I''ve been too harsh. From yesterday, I had been trying to control my temper. Ayaka looked dumbfounded, with her jaw open. After about three seconds, she suddenly blushed.

    ¡°Why are you asking such a thing?¡±

    She actually asked me why.

    ¡°I can only speak to the others through a wall, does that bother anyone?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ It bothers me!¡±

    Ayaka answered with her face red.

    ¡°¡­¡­ You''ve bothered me!¡±

    Ayaka''s tone became harsh, and she repeated it again. With my mouth half-open, I could only stare at her lips in a daze. What is she talking about? What does she man by that?

    ¡°You don''t need to know the others in ss better, but can''t you lower your guard when talking to me? It makes me feel very lonely.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Why?¡±

    ¡°Why? You asked me why? Don''t you know?¡±

    Ayaka stood up and said loudly. Quite a few students in the courtyard shifted their gaze to us.

    ¡°I¡­¡­ Eh? Ah, wh- why?¡± My muddled thoughts made me seem as if I''m raving. I stood up.

    ¡°¡­¡­ I really don''t know!¡±

    ¡°Forget it, never mind if you don''t know.¡±

    Ayaka, whose face was dyed a sunset red, bit her lips and shook her head. I froze, and Ayaka took her bag that was on the bench beside the garden, turned around and ran away.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Wait!¡±

    I don''t know why I wanted to catch hold of Ayaka, but she roughly flung away my hand.

    Bzzzzzzt.

    The sound of something tearing rang out loud. My whole body suddenly became cold.

    A yellow object fell onto the soil.

    The armband of the Gardening Committee have be a torn, yellow piece of cloth.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡±

    Ayaka turned around, used her hands to cover her mouth, and lowered her head to look at the armband for awhile. When I picked it up to say something, Ayaka hurriedly turned around and ran away, disappearing out of the school gate in a sh.

    I was left behind. I squatted down and went into a daze in the winter sun, thinking repeatedly about the things that Ayaka has just said. I thought it over many times, but I still couldn''t understand the reason for Ayaka''s tears, and have no idea what to do now.

    I stood there for awhile, and resignedly picked up the spade and the armband. I originally thought that Ayaka mighte back immediately, but I as a member of the Gardening Club should still do my job. But I only know how to water and weed, after I finished doing them, it was as if there was a hole in my heart.

    Until the sun had set, Ayaka still hasn''te back.

    I walked into theputerb that I didn''t enter for a long time, tried to sit in the seat by the windows, but I couldn''t find the energy to turn on theputer. So theputerb that has only one person is actually so quiet.

    I ced the torn armband on the table. Why? Why did Ayaka get angry? I got more and more angry thinking about it. She didn''t even exin properly but started to cry, it gave me a headache too. I don''t even know if it''s my fault. No, it is probably my fault. If I cannot continue to be silent, what should I do?

    Then I thought of something.

    Doesn''t this mean that I''ve returned to the days when I''m alone?

    But the silence in the room was suffocating. I couldn''t stand it, stuffed the armband back into my pocket and walked out of theputerboratory.

    *

    When I think about it, it''s the first time that I went to the station by myself. Around the station were a lot of people waiting to cross the road, sometimes the crowd rushed out as if a gate suddenly opened.

    On the road, there was an orchestra of the sound of exhausts, footsteps of hundreds of people, people selling phones and music of Christmas songs. Walking in the crowd, my back and my shoulders kept getting pushed, so I could only continue to walk unsteadily. Suddenly I had an illusion that I was alone at a barren ce in the winter.

    I shook my head, crossed the zebra crossings and went to the arcade at the street center.

    I remember using a few coins to y, but don''t really remember what game I yed. After I used up all the coins, I sat on the chair with my back to the wall and stared at the end screen of the game.

    Before I met Ayaka, how did I pass my time alone? I actually could not remember it, it''s really unbelievable. I don''t know how to apologize to Ayaka if I went to the ramen shop and met her there, so I could only stay in the arcade, depressed. Because Ayaka doesn''t even want to speak to me.

    That was how I tiredly leaned against the wall, and did not leave until the arcade yed the ¡®Goodnight Song¡¯.

    *

    It was already past midnight, the streets that were further away from the station were already in darkness. I walked near Hanamaru Ramen shop and peered inside the shop from between the buildings. The curtains were already taken down, and a dim light could be seen faintly in the dark kitchen. There weren''t anyone else except Min-san, as it was already time for the shop to close.

    What am I doing?

    I squatted beside the air-conditioner to hide myself. Everything has already be messed up. I really feel like digging a hole to hide in it. When I sat down, the cold air passed through my thin coat. Maybe I should just sleep here? I might be able to freeze to death like this.

    ¡°Narumi, what are you doing here?¡±

    Suddenly I heard a voice from above me. Shocked, I stood up and banged my head on the exhaust pipe. The pain made me see stars.

    ¡°¡­¡­ It hurts.¡±

    ¡°Are you an idiot¡­¡­¡±

    A surprised expression appeared on Min-san''s face.

    ¡°How¡­¡­¡± How did you know that I was here?

    ¡°Alice called me to say that someone was loitering over here. Why did youe? Ayaka has already gone home!¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡±

    It''s the surveince cameras. How annoying, wasting these high-tech machines on this useless ce. I could not face Min-san, but felt her gaze on me.

    I couldn''t say anything for a moment.

    Finally, I heard her sigh.

    ¡°Do you want to enter the shop? There are some new dishes for the winter.¡±

    I raised my head. Min-san has even took off her vest, wearing an apron on the lower half of her body, while only a sarashi was bound to the upper part of her body.

    Min-san took hold of my arms and dragged me into the shop. I just came here yesterday, but now I still feel that the smell in Hanamaru Ramen Shop is very nostalgic. Therge pot that was used to cook soup in the kitchen was still being heated up, with white fumes wafting out of it. Even if it''s winter, the soup that is prepared for a long time would still be steaming hot, wouldn''t it? It''s just that the way that Min-san was dressed: showing her stomach, was too hot for a teenager like me. I could only look away from her.

    Min-san took two paper cups and sat down beside me. Hello? You''re just wearing a sarashi for your upper body! Why don''t you at least wear a shirt? I tried very hard not to look at her and focused my attention on the ice cream. The ice cream this time was sprinkled with cocoa powder. Eating just a spoonful of it, I could taste the sweet vor of cheese and the fragrance of orange wine, this is a vor that even I know.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Tiramisu?¡±

    ¡°That''s right, sometimes I would try to make something mainstream too. Does it taste good?¡±

    I nodded. Compared to the ramen here, saying that the ice cream is good isn''t really just being courteous. I remember that tiramisu in Italian meant ¡®give me a pull¡¯, is my depressed feeling that clearly shown on my face? I fell into deep thought, and identally let my tongue slip.

    ¡°You can make such delicious ice cream, then why did you open a ramen shop?¡±

    Whoops!

    I cautiously took a peek at Min-san''s expression, but could only see a mncholic expression on her face.

    ¡°This shop was originally my dad''s.¡± Her expression suddenly returned to normal and said: ¡°I have wanted to open an ice cream shop, so I became an apprentice at an ice cream shop. But one day my dad suddenly disappeared without a trace, so I came back to inherit the shop.

    ¡°So that''s it¡­¡­¡± I don''t know what to say, and could only lower my head in apology. ¡°I''m sorry, asking these strange questions.¡±

    ¡°You don''t need to be sorry.¡± Min-san said while smiling.

    ¡°Haven''t you ever thought of remodeling the shop into an ice cream shop?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I did. But I like this shop, the customers and the atmosphere here. These are only present because of the ramen shop. If I remodeled the shop, these will disappear, so I chose to continue.¡±

    Min-san looked around the dark shop. There were menus that were sttered with drops of oil, autographs of artists(probably) stuck onto the wall, a cracked counter, and an old but brightly polished kitchen ceiling and wall.

    ¡°Those who don''t have a job imed the back of the ramen shop as their territory, it''s because they don''t have any other ces to go. I don''t mind that!¡±

    While saying that, Min-san patted her apron that had ¡®Hanamaru¡¯ printed on it. This is the symbol of the shop and the shop is what Min-san got for giving up on her dream of selling ice cream.

    ¡°Is¡­¡­ that so?¡±

    I again thought of meaningless stuff, and identally blurted out.

    ¡°But your father might be missing because he hated the ramen shop and may not have wanted you to inherit the ramen shop.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    Min-san pped my shoulders roughly whileughing loudly.

    ¡°I don''t care what other people think of, I just do it because I feel like doing it, and that''s enough. People live by forcing others to ept other people to ept their own way of living.¡±

    I nkly stared at Min-san''s face.

    ¡°We don''t even know what they''re thinking about anyways, so we can only assume that they are the same as us!¡±

    ¡­¡­ Ah, so that''s how it is.

    I finally understood the reason for Ayaka''s anger.

    She was the same as me. I, too, was depressed and angry because Ayaka went away without saying a thing.

    Because the only person by my side was Ayaka.

    Ayaka was the only person who talked to me.

    Why did I find out about such a simple matter only now? Why now?

    After a long silence, I suddenly found that my forehead was on Min-san''s bare shoulders, then I hastily backed away.

    ¡°Ah, err¡­¡­ So- sorry.¡±

    Min-sanughed, patted my head gently and showed a ¡®it''s all right, don''t you mind¡¯ kind of smile.

    Things are probably alright now, right? Although I still don''t know what to do. Probably because I was now relieved, my stomach started to grumble. Min-san did not miss that.

    ¡°There''s a ramen with a new vor, do you want to try it?¡±

    ¡°Err¡­¡­ Erm¡­¡­¡± I hesitated for awhile. It seemed that Min-san has noticed something, then she squinted whileing close to me.

    ¡°¡­¡­Hmmm, I feel that you often tell people of your true feelings, so I have something to ask you.¡±

    ¡°Ah?¡± Do I look like this kind of person? Do I talk to myself so frequently?

    ¡°¡­¡­ How is my ramen? Are they good?¡±

    Min-san''s expression became very sincere. Her hands held both of my hands, wet eyes looking at me coquettishly, making me unable to keep silent.

    ¡°Err¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°You can just tell me the truth, I won''t hit you.¡±

    ¡°Sometimes the soup just feels a tiny bit sweet¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°You can just tell me honestly, is it good or is it bad?¡±

    ¡°If you really want me to say, then of course it''s bad. Ouch! That hurts, didn''t you say you won''t hit me?¡±

    ¡°Shut up, idiot!¡±

    I was kicked out of the shop.

    ¡°I WILL make a soup that will make you say that it is tasty and touch you to tears, remember that!¡±

    Like a child screaming at me, Min-san closed the grille door. I was the only person at the bottom of this building.

    Will things turn out alright even now? How should I apologize? ¡®It''s simple¡­¡­¡¯ Ayaka''s words reyed in my mind. ¡®Shout when you''re angry like the others, andugh when you''re happy like the others, speak your mind when you want something, you could do it too.¡¯

    If things were that simple, I wouldn''t be here right now. Then what on Earth could I do? I thought fuzzily while walking towards the cold, night streets.

    *

    I skipped sses for two days. It was not because I was sick or hurt. Although I, myself, thought that this is stupid, I still felt: I can''t face Ayaka before I''m mentally prepared.

    On Friday, I went to school after it had ended. I haven''t gone to the rooftop after school for quite some time now, but Ayaka was nowhere to be seen. Crossing over the railings and looking at the campus, I could not see Ayaka at the garden.

    I thought¡ª¡ª maybe it''s already toote, maybe I have already lost everything, but is stillically turning around in circles, trying to make amends. That couldn''t be helped, because I''m an idiot.

    After pondering for a while, I thought of a ce that I haven''t searched for yet.

    The greenhouse was at the interior of the school, near to the walls surrounding the school. At the other side of the wall is a graveyard, so not many people go there. Entering the Gardening Club for a month or so, this is still the first time that I''vee to the greenhouse. As taking care of greenhouse nts requires special skills, Ayaka has always handled them alone.

    Through the foggy ss, I could only faintly see the greenery inside, its interior should be about as big as a ssroom.

    When I was about to extend my hands to the high ss rustless handle, the door opened from the inside.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Fujishima-kun?¡±

    Suddenly I came face to face with Ayaka, who looked shocked after giving out a scream. I was shocked too, and could not immediately ept the fact that Ayaka suddenly appeared before my eyes.

    ¡°I- I just sprayed some herbicide inside, so you can''t go close to it!¡±

    Ayaka regained her cool and pushed me out of the greenhouse by the chest.

    ¡°Why did youe here?¡±

    Ayaka sounded as if she was still angry.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Well, I''m also a part of the Gardening Club.¡±

    ¡°You don''t need to force yourself again. It''s all my fault, dragging you into the Gardening Club against your will. Let''s just be a ghost member in each other''s clubs.¡±

    Ayaka said angrily, which was out of character for her.

    ¡°¡­¡­That wouldn''t do.¡±

    I said with a voice that got smaller and smaller. Maybe Ayaka would never forgive me ever again. Thinking of this, my whole body shivered.

    ¡°Why? Aren''t you¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ If things go on like this, won''t the things that we''ve painstakingly done go to waste?¡±

    ¡°¡ª¡ª Eh?¡±

    I took out a stic bag from my pocket, took out one of them and stuffed it into her hands. She opened her hands and raised it to eye level. It was a piece of ck cloth ¡ª¡ª an armband, and on it was printed a round, orange shape.

    Ayaka stared at the armband for a while, and raised her head.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Pervert, Repelling, Machine?¡±

    ¡°I think it''s better if you return that to me!¡±

    ¡°Whoa, I''m just joking, sorry.¡±

    ¡°You read it from the middle letter ¡ª¡ª M High School Gardening Club.

    ¡°¡­¡­ It means us, right?¡±

    I shifted my gaze and nodded. The expression on Ayaka''s face went throughplicated changes, looking as if she was both crying andughing.

    ¡°How did you make this? It wouldn''t be because you wanted to make this that you took two days off, would it?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I designed it using aputer, and made it at a shop.¡±

    Ayaka looked relieved. She carefully wore the armband and then showed it to me; her stiff expression was gradually gone too.

    Ayaka looked at the stic bag in my bag and said: ¡°Did you make one for yourself, too?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you need to order at least ten if you want to make it there.¡±

    I thought up a lot of things as an apology, but my mind was nk right now.

    ¡°I never thought that you were that bad at negotiating with other people.¡±

    Ayakaughed delightedly, while I waspletely embarrassed, and could only lower my head.

    ¡°But you made the armband for me, I''m really happy.¡±

    She said to me. I raised my head, clumsily returned her smile and said with my voice that sounded like it was going to vanish at any moment: ¡°Uh, I''m sorry¡­¡­¡± That was the best that I could do at that moment.

    ¡°Hey, let''s make a bigger one! Like a g or something. We can use it during the school festival for the club ry race.¡±

    Who would take part, then? There''s only two people in the club.

    ¡°That''s right, we can make a webpage! We can let this logo take the stage on the website. Do you know how to do these things?¡±

    What can you put on the website? But I did not have enough time to answer before Ayaka continued: ¡°Then I''ll go borrow the keys to the rooftop!¡± and then ran away.

    While looking at her silhouette, I thought to myself: it''s okay if things are like this.

    I might be clumsy, but, it would be enough if I do the things that I know how to do bit by bit.

    *

    But all of this is toote. At a ce that I do not know of, my small world is quietly but truly corroded by drugs. At the corner of the evening paper that night, there was a report of the death of a young man who was sent to the hospital because of overdose of medication.

    The ¡®Angel Fix¡¯ incident made a mess of my sixteen year old life in that winter, and the first person who died in that incident was that person.

 Volume 1, 3

    <h4>Volume 1, Chapter 3</h4>

    During the winter break, I started to show up at Hanamaru Ramen Shop more often, because Ayaka was usually working there. Just staying at home is really boring, anyways.

    At first, Ayaka was surprised every time she saw me.

    ¡°So you can go out even when you have nothing to do?¡±

    What kind of person does she think I am?

    Hanamaru Ramen Shop was always very free in the winter, there weren''t many customers in the morning. One reason is because it''s the new year period. On the other hand, it''s because there is a chance that the ramen shop is mistaken to be an ice cream shop.

    That day, Hiro, Ayaka and I were tasting Min-san''s special hemp ice cream. As I had been tasting only salty ramen the whole day, my tongue felt much better when it came in contact with the sweet taste of the hemp and vani ice cream. The soup that Min-san makes is now much better than what she made before, but tasting them every day is still very painful.

    ¡°Did Toshi contact you after that?¡±

    Facing Hiro''s inquiries, Ayaka bit her spoon, knitted her brows and shook her head.

    ¡°He didn''t evene home for the new year.¡±

    Does Ayaka know that Toshi was addicted to drugs? Fromst year''s end until this year, quite a few cases of violence urred in the streets. I heard that the police couldn''t make head or tails of what the suspects said, as the drug addicts'' addiction of the drug made them suffer when they were in custody. I watch the news every morning and night, and the name Shinozaki Toshi could be seen on the television screen each time, as he is missing right now.

    Ayaka said: ¡°I think my brother is probably at Hakamizaka''s ce.¡±

    ¡°Is that person Toshi''s girlfriend?¡±

    ¡°No, he''s a guy! I''m not sure, but I think he''s a university student or a researcher.¡±

    It''s impossible for brother to have a girlfriend! Ayaka said seriously, which was out of character. Although it was pitiful for Toshi to be said that he could not have a girlfriend, but actually I have the same sentiments. Only Hiro gave a contrasting opinion.

    ¡°Really? His weak personality is actually quite suited for being a gigolo. I won''t be surprised even if he''s staying at some girl''s ce right now. Actually, I''m more relieved if that''s the case.¡±

    ¡°No doubt that it''ll be more reassuring if things are so¡­¡­ But it''s impossible! Brother can''t wash his clothes and can''t cook.¡±

    ¡°Nonono, a gigolo doesn''t need to wash clothes or cook.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Although they''re sometimes misunderstood, the ones that could do housework are ¡®househusbands'', not gigolos. Gigolos want women to feel: ¡®This guy can''t live on without me!'' so the housework is handled by the women.¡±

    This guy ispletely useless.

    ¡°Wow, I can''t do it if it were me. I would probably feel embarrassed for that and give them a hand, finish the cooking and wait for them toe back or something like that.¡±

    ¡°That''s right, the job of a gigolo is to bring out the motherly instinct in a woman, a normal person isn''tpetent enough to do all that.¡±

    ¡°That''s so wonderful of you!¡±

    It''s not wonderful at all, what nonsense is Hiro spouting? He''s an iparably useless scum! Although I was thinking that to myself, I waszy to correct them, so I continued to eat my hemp ice cream.

    ¡°Have you ever thought about marriage?¡±

    ¡°Never!¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°Actually I have a person that I truly love in my heart, so I can''t marry other women.¡±

    ¡°But then is it okay for you to live together with them? Don''t you feel that you''re doing something wrong on the girls?¡±

    ¡°I feel that I''m wronging them as well, but I couldn''t change it, this is my lifestyle.¡±

    ¡°Go to hell!¡±

    ¡°That won''t do, Fujishima-kun, you spoke out the things that you are thinking about again.¡±

    Ah, it''s true, but never mind.

    ¡°Did you guys just mention Hakamizaka?¡±

    A voice came from behind us. I turned over my head, and saw a person wearing a square, fur hat like those worn by the skan soldiers, and a plump waterproof outer coat used in the army. I only recognized after a while that that person was Major. The goggles-styled sunssespletely covered up his eyes, making them seem as if they''re a part of his face.

    ¡°Ah! Mukai-san, it''s been a while, happy new year! What would you like to order today?¡±

    ¡°I''m on duty right now.¡±

    ¡°What about the Chinese Garlic set?¡±

    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡­ Okay then!¡±

    Why did Major order something so obediently? And also, what is the Chinese Garlic set?

    It was like Major couldn''t handle Ayaka. Among the people that I know, only Ayaka calls Major by his name. Every time when I hear it, I thought to myself: Who is Mukai-san?

    ¡°Finally there''s some work to do! Min-san, one Chinese naengmyeon, with added garlic!¡±

    Ayaka stood up and rushed into the kitchen. Eating naengmyeon in this cold weather? Major looked as if he had just swallowed a live toad, and sat down on the gas tank that Ayaka was sitting on just now.

    Hiro asked Major: ¡°Major, did you know the person called Haka-something?¡±

    ¡°I think there''s a person called Hakamizaka at the research centre of our school.¡±

    Hiro and I were taken aback and looked at each other. Hiro leaned forward and continued:

    ¡°We''ve heard that Hakamizaka is the person who''s hanging out with Toshitely.¡±

    Major pressed his hand against his chin and thought for a while.

    ¡°Do you know him? Then try to make some inquiries!¡±

    ¡°No, I''ve just heard about his name. He''s really famous! They say that he doesn''t even show up at the research centre, but his PhD thesis went through. But they might just have the same name, right? Why would Toshi hang out with this kind of people?¡±

    ¡°Haka-something isn''t a name that every Tom, Dick and Harry has! Toshi didn''t contact us muchtely.¡±

    ¡°But I''ve just went to the school once today, do you want me to go again? There''s professors and students everywhere!¡±

    Of course there''s professors and students in a university! But Major is actually a university student! This point really surprised me.

    ¡°The professors just nag me to death whenever I show up.¡±

    ¡°Then just leave school earlier!¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about? For the sake of barely staying in school, I strive to get credits that are barely enough to pass, and then skip sses, maintaining the state of not going to the next level or graduating, waiting for eight years to pass then leave school automatically.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Don''t you want to graduate?¡± I actually asked him that.

    ¡°Am I still considered a NEET if I graduate normally from university? Don''t you know what the second E in NEET means?¡± Seeing you screaming blue murder about things like this, I''m having a headache too.

    ¡°Major goes to university for the sake of searching for information.¡±

    ¡°That''s because history books and military information is not cheap! Letting the school library buy it is the best n. I just ask the library to buy books for me before I leave school, until the whole room is filled with the books that I want to read, and then the room would be called the Major room.¡±

    Just buy it yourself if you want to read it! What a troublesome student.

    ¡°That''s right, let me tell you, the books that are in this time are about battle submarines that can emit signals!¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah, Major, didn''t you go to school because of Alice''s request?¡±

    Major opened the bag and turned it upside down, and the papers inside fell out onto the crate that we used as a table.

    ¡°You guys want to see the photocopied information, huh? You''re holding that upside down.¡±

    ¡°I don''t understand this.¡±

    ¡°I, myself, don''t understand it as well.¡±

    I went over to look at the papers that Hiro was holding, the color photocopied paper had a tall, red flower on it, and words were closely packed around the nt.

    ¡°You know that drugs are running rampant in the streets right now, right? This is what Yondaime requested Alice to investigate. I''ve heard that it isn''t anything good. Toshi wouldn''t be taking these, would he¡­¡­¡±

    I was taken aback, and thought of the pink pills that were used to block the twinkling lights of the Christmas decorations, which had wings of angels and two English letters on it. After taking the pills, he imed that it was a legal medication that could make things ¡®look as if they''re not moving''. What was its name again? What was it called? It was at the tip of my tongue, but I still couldn''t remember it.

    ¡°Ah, that is¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Mukai-san, sorry for the wait.¡±

    Ayaka served Major his naengmyeon, interrupting my words. I swallowed back what I was about to say, because I didn''t want Ayaka to hear it. Hiro showed a confused expression and tilted his head. I hastily shook my head.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Ayaka came over to look, and I speedily snatched the paper from Hiro''s hands and turned it over.

    ¡°That''s so bad of you! What are you hiding, Fujishima-kun?¡±

    ¡°Nothing! Nothing at all.¡±

    At this moment, a customer finally appeared in the shop. Ayaka hurriedly put on her apron and went to serve him, allowing me to heave a sigh of relief.

    ¡°What is it? What''s with you, Narumi?¡±

    Just as I was about to answer, the ring ringtone of ¡®COLORADOBULLDOG¡¯ rang in the shop. Major''s skinny body jumped almost a meter high, while Hiro hurriedly took out his phone, but Major was faster.

    ¡°I know that you''re here, so don''t talk rubbish with the others downstairs. Hurry up and get here! It''s urgent! And Hiro, hurry up and drive the car to the front, quick!¡±

    Even I could hear Alice''s voice at the other side of the phone clearly, showing how painful Major''s ears are right now. As Major was about to answer her, she hung up.

    ¡°Alice is also in a bad mood today, huh?¡± Hiro raised his head and looked at the worn-out building behind him.

    ¡°Don''t you know? Every twenty nine days, Alice would get into a mentally unstable state for five days, this is the result of my detailed investigation so it can''t be wrong. As for the reason, I''m still not sure of that.¡±

    Isn''t the reason obviously because of the girls'' period? But seeing Major triumphantly speaking of all that to Hiro, I couldn''t tell that to them.

    ¡°Every twenty nine days, so today is the second day.¡±

    ¡°I''ll go drive the car over here. What would be the matter, I wonder?¡±

    Hiro left, leaving a silent Major. I tilted my head. Alice isn''t that scary, is she? She seemed like she''s in a bad mood everyday, anyways! After I said that, and was fiercely red at by Major, whose eyes were hidden beneath the goggles.

    Finally, Major said seriously:

    ¡°Do you know vice-admiral Jisaburo Ozawa? He''s thest Commander in Chief of Combined Fleet of the Japanese Navies.¡±

    ¡°Never heard of him.¡±

    ¡°Then don''t you know about the naval battle that urred during the Second World War at Leyte Gulf, Phillipines? It is considered to be thergest naval battle in the world, and Vice-Admiral Ozawa used his team as bait to lure the enemy away , and sessfully shifted the attention of the American forces away from Leyte.¡±

    ¡°Ah?¡±

    ¡°So we''re counting on you, Vice-Admiral Fujishima.¡± Who''s the vice-admiral? ¡°Let''s meet at the Yakusuni Shrine!¡±

    ¡°Refused!¡±

    *

    In the end, I went with Major. As soon as I stepped into Alice''s room, I saw her curled in her nket, looking as though she was going to cry.

    ¡°Mocha Bear''s ear has fallen off!¡±

    A huge, tea-colored teddy bear was ced at the front of the bed. No matter how you look at it, it wasrger than Alice, but that might be because she''s too petite. As Alice said, the thread holding together the bear''s right ear has burst, exposing the cotton that was hidden in the seams.

    ¡°Careful! Carefully ce it into the box! Stuff it full of towels! Narumi, don''t touch the wound! What if you erge the wound!¡±

    Following Alice''s directions that were full of yelling and crying, Major and I ced the hurt plushie into a big cardboard box stuffed full of rolled up towels in the seams of the box. The huge, wrapped up box is indeed a thing that couldn''t be handled by just a person.

    Major asked: ¡°So it''ll be okay if we just bring this to Yondaime''s?¡±

    ¡°Tell him to fix it by tonight, this concerns my life!¡±

    Alice said with tears in her eyes. Why would they hand it to Yondaime? How does this concern her life? Questions swirled around in my mind, but the atmosphere does not allow me to ask them.

    ¡°And here''s the information that you asked me to find.¡±

    Alice took the transparent file from Major, read it as fast as if she''s reading manga, then extracted a portion of the photocopied papers and threw it at me.

    ¡°What are you spacing out for? Don''t you know what to do with this if I didn''t tell you to hand this to Yondaime as well?¡±

    Major and I fled the room with the box containing Alice''s precious bear.

    *

    Hiro''s car was a dark blue, high ssed imported car, and doesn''t seem to be something that could be owned by a neen year old guy.

    ¡°It''s because I''m the only one that has a car, although I didn''t buy it myself.¡±

    He exined that it was a gift from his girlfriend, and it was from his ex-ex-ex-girlfriend. This guy would probably get a knife in his chest by a woman one day.

    ¡°But driving there is a suicidal action¡­¡­¡± I looked at the other side of the railway, which had grand lights lighting up the night skies. There were three roads at the south side of the station, and there were always traffic jams there.

    ¡°Speaking of which, just bringing this box over there with this car also counts as a suicidal action, doesn''t it?¡±

    I lowered my head and looked at therge box containing the plushie. Hiro had a point. Actually, we could just tie the box at the back of a motorbike and send it there, but Major said that he needed to go back to his school for awhile, and rode the motorbike away. It seemed like he wanted to investigate this Hakamizaka guy.

    We stuffed the box into the backseat, used the safety belt to keep it still and went back to the front seat.

    ¡°Is that bear really that important?¡±

    ¡°Alice can''t sleep without it at night.¡±

    ¡°Ah?¡± Things got that bad, just because of that? ¡°But why are we taking it to Yondaime?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡ª about Yondaime, he looks fierce and all, but he has an interest in arts and crafts. He helped Alice to fix the plushie once before, and his skill is top notch. That was also the first time for me to see Yondaime sewing.¡±

    ¡°Who¡­¡­¡±

    The car soundlessly drove on the streets. The night view has be a river formed by streetlights.

    ¡°Who on Earth is that guy?¡±

    ¡°Have you ever heard of the Hirasaka-gumi?"

    I do have a faint impression of the name, as it woulde up between conversations in school.

    ¡°Are they a motorcycle gang?¡±

    ¡°Nono, they''re not a motorcycle gang. They''re just a gang formed from a bunch of kids who like to fight or to follow the crowd in this district, a self-proimed yakuza gang. Yondaime is their leader.¡±

    Hiro said in a casual manner. But even I, who just moved here, know of the existence of the Hirasaka-gumi, so shouldn''t they be quite arge organization?

    ¡°Is it because Yondaime is the fourth generation of the organization that he is called Yondaime?¡±

    ¡°No, he''s the first leader of the Hirasaka-gumi. He founded Hirasaka-gumi, and so the only person who could control their members is him.¡±

    ¡°Eh? Then why is he called Yondaime?¡±

    ¡°Because he is the fourth generation in his hometown, Kansai. It seemed that he ran away from home, and that ce is where the true yakuza truly lies."

    Whoa, really? Then why didn''t he just stay home and be their fourth generation leader?

    ¡°He''ll get angry whenever someone calls him Yondaime, but Alice felt amused about that so she deliberately called him Yondaime. That ended up being his nickname between us.¡±

    ¡°You guys really went too far¡­¡­¡±

    I muttered to myself, and Hiroughed while patting at the gear he was holding.

    ¡°He''s even worse than us! But nobody can beat her, no matter if it is Yondaime or us, understand?¡±

    I thought of the snow white skin that was like a Japanese doll,rge eyes and long hair as ck as msses. I get what Hiro meant, as I couldn''t win against her.

    ¡°But you should refrain from mentioning this to other people, because Yondaime will kill you. Hirasaka-gumi is a self-proimed chivalrous organization, and are very adamant, so they won''t forgive those who misuse drugs.¡±

    I remembered something.

    ¡°Hiro, do you remember what the drug is called?¡±

    ¡°Nope¡­¡­ Ah, I''ve forgotten, it should be written on the information gathered by Major, shouldn''t it?¡±

    I skimmed through the papers that we were supposed to give to Yondaime. The ratherplicated chemical equations and content written in professional terms made my head spin. Repeating the same action, excitement, overly-alert, insomnia, rising blood pressure, sharp ears, ck pupils¡­¡­ The side-effects of the drug were densely packed on the paper, telling people how dangerous it is to consume it, the name of the drug, which was the most important to me, was not written on it.

    I hope that it''s just my groundless fears.

    *

    The office of Hirasaka-gumi was situated at a somewhat dirty building, after driving on the slope that was at the left side of the main street in front of the station. The building was just beside the fork on the slope.

    We parked the car at the parking lot and took out the box. We went on the cramped elevator that was making a noise like the painful panting of old men, up till the fourth floor. As soon as we walked out of the elevator, we could see the long, straight signboard hung beside the metal door, and the words ¡®Hirasaka-gumi¡± were solemnly written on it. A swallowtail butterfly-shaped logo of the gang was drawn in a round, ck frame¡­¡­ Wait, it shouldn''t be the logo of their gang, but the emblem of their organization. I was really freaked out, they aren''t really yakuzas, are they? But without even using the doorbell, Hiro straightaway opened the door and went in.

    The door in the room was somewhat smaller than the doors in a ssroom, and looked even smaller because of the cupboards arranged by the wall, the sofa at the center of the room and the tables. Four or five guys wearing ck T-shirts were originally sitting down, but suddenly stood up at the same time.

    ¡°Second brother, thanks for your hard work!¡±

    ¡°Thanks for your hard work!¡±

    They saluted Hiro. I couldn''t help but take a step back, nearly dropping the box in the process. What is with this situation? Second brother?

    The people wearing ck T-shirts were quite young, at most they''re at the age when they''ve just graduated from high school. They had skin that was dyed into a dark color, bleached hair and had piercings in their ears. They looked just like ordinary young people who would gather at the streets of the street center every night. The only thing different with them is that there was an emblem printed on top of their T-shirts.

    Hiro answered: ¡°Don''t call me that! I''ve said that loads of times, don''t call me second brother.¡±

    ¡°But you and Sou-san are just like brothers. Here, let me help you to take your stuff.¡±

    While saying that, Yondaime''s bodyguard - Rocky ced the box onto the ground.

    ¡°Well, forget about it, I''ve dated quite a lot of girls before, so in some way, I''m a brother to Yondaime.¡± How does that count as being his brother?

    ¡°Hiro, you really don''t want to live anymore, do you?¡±

    Yondaime opened the door to the right and walked out. That day, he was wearing a purple vest, and you can see a tattoo of their emblem on his right shoulder.

    ¡°Aren''t you here to hand me an investigation report? What''s with thisrge box? It isn''t stuffed full of reports, is it?¡± Yondaime sat down on the chair behind the table and saidzily. Hiro shook his head and tore away the tape on the box.

    ¡°Nono, this is Alice''s request. Her doll''s ear dropped off and she wanted someone to fix it.¡±

    Hearing Hiro''s words, Yondaime almost jumped up a few feet, just like a spring. He jumped over the table and leaped in front of me in a sh, pressed down the box that was about to be opened, and red ferociously at Hiro.

    ¡°Don''t you know that? You can''t speak of that thing here!¡±

    ¡°Sou-san, what''s in the box?¡±

    ¡°Nothing! Carry the box to my car, and don''t look inside. If you look, I''ll beat you up until you forget about it!¡±

    Yondaime''s imposing manner was just like a hurricane, and he threw the car keys to another man. ¡°Yes, sir! I''ll go hone my manliness right away!¡± He picked up the keys and saluted. How could you even hone your manliness while moving a cardboard box anyway?

    ¡°This is ane-san''s stuff, so we should move it carefully.¡±

    Ane-san would be Alice, right? Did they watch too many strange movies or something? The box was taken out by two guys wearing ck T-shirts. Did we just do some meaninglessbor? I raised my head and looked at Hiro. He wasughing sneakily. Oh~ So he deliberately moved it here to annoy Yondaime¡­¡­ He told me not to tell anyone, but he himself wanted to tease Yondaime.

    ¡°You''ll have to fix it by tonight.¡±

    ¡°I know! I''ll send it there after I fix it.¡±

    Anyhow, he''s still a yakuza boss, but he would actually spend the night fixing a doll for a pajamas-d hikkikomori? It''s such a mystery, what the heck is with this situation? I looked at the people in the room, thinking that they would probably be very surprised if they know that, huh?

    ¡°Do you know it too? Hiro told you about that, didn''t he?¡±

    Yondaime grabbed my shirt by the cor.

    ¡°Know what?¡±

    ¡°Know that thing! That!¡± At this moment, I suddenly felt like teasing him.

    ¡°Eh? Which matter do you mean by that?¡± ¡°Don''t you know it? It''s my¡­¡­ that!¡± ¡°You keep mentioning that, but how would I know what''s that when you don''t say it clearly?¡± ¡°Don''t y the fool! Idiot, how could I possibly say it out myself!¡± ¡°Eh? But I''m not sure, so why don''t you just tell me the possible answers?¡± ¡°Narumi, I know that you''re very amused right now, but Yondaime would be very distressed if you don''t stop talking!¡± ¡°I''ll be the one distressed if I stop talking!¡± ¡°Here''s the investigation report.¡±

    Hiro handed Yondaime the transparent file, as though nothing happened just now. Yondaime tossed me to the floor and snatched the folder. ¡°Hey! Get me the folder from the hospital.¡± Yondaimemanded. A man wearing a ck T-shirt walked into the room and handed us a sea blue folder.

    Returning to the other side of the table, Yondaime looked at the two folders with a serious expression on his face. Hiro went closer to have a look and asked:

    ¡°What''s this?¡±

    ¡°It''s the symptoms for the people who were hospitalized this month or so for taking drugs, we''re investigating that as well.¡±

    ¡°That''s quite patient of you¡­¡­ Oh yeah, you could justpare it with Alice''s information.¡±

    ¡°Right¡­¡­ Hmm, this guy is¡­¡­¡± Yondaime''s finger moved along the information of the drug effects, and then pointed at the papers in the sea blue folder. ¡°¡­¡­ We guessed correctly. The effects of the drug is too long to be MDMA, while stimnts can''t be taken directly, and the patient is young too.¡±

    ¡°Is it Fix?¡±

    Rocky the bodyguard asked while peeking at the side.

    ¡°We won''t know if we don''t ask. He''s at N Hospital, so let''s go!¡±

    Yondaime''s words caused all of the ck-shirts to stand up and put on jackets. It felt as though the atmosphere in the room changedpletely like a light was suddenly turned on.

    ¡­¡­ Fix?

    The memory of that moment finally surfaced, the carving of the letters A.F at the bottom of an angel''s wings. Toshi had said that, angels would not have preferential treatment on humans.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Angel Fix?¡±

    Because of my mutterings, Yondaime fiercely turned around, scaring me until I couldn''t even straighten my back.

    ¡°Why do you know of Angel Fix?¡±

    ¡°Eh¡­¡­ That, that''s because¡­¡­¡±

    Yondaime took hold of my cor, and Hiro answered for me with his face green:

    ¡°That day I was with Toshi¡­¡­ That guy¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Hey, so the things that Toshi was holding on to were pills? Round ones, you sure?¡±

    Yondaime tightly held my cor, and pulled it until it almost couldn''t rise up higher. Being caught, I nodded fervently. Hiro took hold of Yondaime''s hand, trying to pull him away from me.

    ¡°Stop that! Do you want to kill him? What''s with the pills?¡±

    Yondaime tossed me to the sofa, and I could only cough violently while keeping a hand on the floor for support. Yondaime''s voice sounded from above me.

    ¡°Didn''t Alice tell you anything? The way of selling Angel Fix was very special, and didn''t have any fixed way of selling them. The people who bought them crushed them into powder, and then sold them to other people that they know. It was like they didn''t even want to earn money, so we couldn''t find the source of the drug. The only thing that we are sure of is, the source of the drug is a person with the round pills.¡±

    Yondaime stopped talking for a moment and looked at me.

    ¡°Is Toshi the person who directly bought the pills, or is he the person who''s selling them?¡±

    Putting on the white coat that hisckeys handed him, Yondaime swiftly sent orders using a phone. Some of them went to the hospital while some of them went to search for Toshi. Yondaime and some of hisckeys stayed at the office while the others hastily walked out of it.

    ¡°Just go home, Narumi!¡±

    Hiro pulled at the cor of my sports jacket, and only then did I wake up from my stupor.

    ¡°You guys aren''t looking for¡­¡­ Toshi, are you?¡±

    ¡°I don''t even know where he is.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡­¡±

    If I had noticed earlier¡­¡­

    ¡°What are you dawdling there for? Hurry up and go home, don''t get in our way.¡±

    Yondaime''s tone was harsh, so Hiro could only drag me out by the arms, but my legs didn''t move. Shouldn''t there be something that I can help with? Although I''m not really clear about Toshi''s problem, but the person who spoke to himst before he disappeared was me. There should be something that I can help with.

    ¡°There''s nothing that needs your help. Hurry up and scram. There''s already someone dead because of the drug.¡±

    Yondaime answered sternly.

    ¡°But¡­¡­¡±

    It''s all my fault, if I caught hold of Toshi properly, all of this would be okay. If only I remembered the name of the drug earlier and discussed it with someone¡­¡­

    ¡°Narumi¡­¡­¡±

    It looked as if Hiro, who was at my back, was going to say something, but was halted by Yondaime''s raised hand. I felt like I was going to be bitten to death by him, so I could only shut my mouth and lowered my head. The sound of theckey''s footsteps disappeared from the door. I secretly raised my head again.

    Yondaime was originally standing at the other side of the sofa, but his wolfish eyes suddenly appeared again before me. I suffered a heavy punch in the stomach, and could not help but to bend my back, saliva dripping out of my open jaw. Yondaime used the hand that he just punched me with to support me and harshly hurled me back to the sofa.

    ¡°If that had been a knife, you''d be already dead. Don''t be so cocky, kid. A normal person will only get in our way if they get hurt when taking part in an investigation, so you''d better get lost!¡±

    After Yondaime walked out of the room, I leant against Hiro''s shoulders and stood up again.

    *

    The sun had already set by the time we returned to the ramen shop. It was as though we could touch the cold air that was umted between the buildings. Only the surroundings of the curtains of ¡®Hanamaru Ramen Shop'', which had streetlights shining on it, had some warmth there. I was dumbfounded for a moment while looking at the lights.

    Walking to the back door of the kitchen, the silhouette that was sitting on a pile of old tires was Tetsu-senpai, wearing a short-sleeved shirt. Holding a bowl, senpai turned around, and there were only the sounds of him eating ramen in the darkness.

    ¡°Where''s Hiro?¡±

    ¡°He''s parking his car.¡±

    I sat down on the worn out tires, and stopped talking. Senpai finished the salt vored ramen together with the soup, then took out a crumpled up pachinko magazine from his back.

    Isn''t he going to ask about Toshi? Or did he already know but doesn''t care? Am I the only one who''s like an idiot that thinks that I''m involved in this matter?

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    I don''t know if he just noticed my gaze, but Tetsu-senpai shifted his attention from the magazine to me.

    ¡°Do you already know about Toshi?¡±

    ¡°Yondaime called just now. Toshi is such an idiot.¡±

    ¡°You guys were¡­¡­ friends, right?¡±

    ¡°We''re friends now, too, as long as he is willing toe.¡± Tetsu-senpaiughed after saying that.

    Then, aren''t you worried of him?

    The smile disappeared from senpai''s face, as though he noticed what I wanted to say.

    ¡°That guy didn''te seeking for our help, did he? We don''t even know where he is, so we can only stay out of this matter.¡±

    But, I had this feeling - he might have sunk into a seriously helpless state, and that it''d be best if someone could hear his soundless voice. But at least I couldn''t do it, I couldn''t do anything.

    ¡°My eyes exist for the purpose of taking note of the number 7s that lie side by side, while looking for a kid that''s addicted to drugs is Yondaime''s job.¡±

    After saying all that, he sank into his pachinko magazine again.

    Was this guy really a boxer¡­¡­?

    I suddenly stood up, and went closer to Tetsu-senpai. Almost at the same moment that he raised his head from his magazine, I threw a punch at senpai''s stomach, and uttered ate sound. My fist was blocked by Tetsu-senpai''srge left hand.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    Tetsu-senpai didn''t sound angry at all. I shaked my head and squatted down.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Tetsu-senpai, please teach me boxing.¡±

    ¡°Why do you want to learn how to box all for a sudden?¡±

    ¡°No particr reason.¡±

    I know that I''m just a feeble kid, but I still feel depressed when I know this fact clearly. It can''t be helped, I couldn''t do anything in reality.

    That''s right, I should tell Ayaka about what happened to Toshi. But how should I tell her that? While thinking, I looked for Ayaka from the kitchen to outside the shop, but I couldn''t see her anywhere.

    ¡°Min-san, where''s Ayaka?¡±

    I poked my head into the kitchen backdoor and asked. Min-san answered without getting her eyes off her pot on the mes:

    ¡°She went home early just now. She looked like she''s very ill, did something happen to her?¡±

    Went home early?

    I looked at Tetsu-senpai''s face.

    ¡°She wasn''t here when I came.¡±

    It couldn''t be because she already knew about Toshi taking drugs? It''s impossible. Then what could be the matter? Or did she eat the leftover hemp ice cream alone, and then had a stomachache?

    I leant my back against the gas tank and squatted down. My mood right now was as though I had been walking around the wrong ce and ending up in a dead end, then repeating the same situation again.

    I lowered my head, and the phone in my pocket started to quiver.

    ¡°I''ve heard from Yondaime. But let''s not talk about how you forgot about such important information first. Where''s Ayaka? I couldn''t get to her phone.¡±

    Am I imagining things? Alice''s voice sounded extremely cold.

    ¡°¡­¡­ It looks like she went home early because she felt ill.¡±

    ¡°Went home early, huh? This is bad, she''s the only clue for contacting Toshi. The third semester starts tomorrow, right? If you see her in school tomorrow, tell her to call me immediately. Although I don''t really think the siblings are in contact¡­¡­¡±

    At that moment, I recalled the night that Toshi called Ayaka. He said that he was calling from Hakamizaka''s phone.

    ¡°Why didn''t you say so earlier? I''ve really had enough of your dim-wittedness, I really don''t know what topare your brain to. Comparing to the speed that your brain processes, the speed that stctites grow at could be considered quicker.¡±

    Being cruelly chided, my whole body almost curled into a ball.

    ¡°When was thatst call? Try to think of an exact time.¡±

    ¡°It should be¡­¡­ Before seven. Why are you asking me about the time?¡±

    ¡°I could find out who they are just by checking the phone log. Since we can''t get to Toshi''s phone, we would have a breakthrough if we could just find out Hakamizaka''s way of contact.¡±

    Checking the phone log? But how?

    ¡°But Ayaka said that there''s no number disyed.¡±

    ¡°So what? It''s just not disyed on Ayaka''s phone, but there would still be a record at the telmunication center!¡±

    How can you check such a thing? Isn''t that a crime?

    ¡°Aren''t you somewhat looking down on NEET detectives?

    Alice hung up.

    I stared at my cold phone for awhile. Which reminds me, I think she said that she''s a hacker or something like that. She could investigate my file even with Dr. Pepper in one hand, and humming a song through her nose, right? But shouldn''t it be impossible for her to investigate the records of the telmunication center?

    It''s useless if I worry. The only thing that I could do is to tell Ayaka about Toshi''s problem, at least telling her this is my duty. But how should I say it? Your brother is currently addicted to drugs so don''t go near him, could I tell her something like this?

    I don''t know. I don''t have the confidence to tell her about this.

    *

    On the day of the opening ceremony, Ayaka didn''t go to school. I was worried that she had a bad flu, but she didn''t answer the phone when I called. It couldn''t be helped. I could only take care of the garden and the nts alone, while ignoring the greenhouse.

    Ayaka didn''t go to school the next day either. Nor was she there when I went looking for her at the ramen shop.

    ¡°She doesn''t seem like a person who would be absent for no reason.¡± Min-san knitted her brows. As she was extremely busy serving and washing the dishes, I gave her a hand in washing up the dishes.

    The day when I finally saw Ayaka was the fifth day of the new semester, a Friday. I immediately went to the rooftop after school, and saw a familiar silhouette. With a ck armband on her left arm, Ayaka was watering the nts. I was taken aback when I saw Ayaka, who turned her head over. Obviously nothing changed for her, but she looked like someone else for a moment.

    ¡°I''m sorry for being absent without a reason.¡±

    ¡°Did you get the flu?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that''s right. It''s probably just the flu.¡±

    She gave me a faint smile, one that even I knew was fake.

    ¡°It seemed like you did the club activities properly when I wasn''t here.¡±

    ¡°I''m a club member, after all!¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Fujishima-kun.¡± Ayaka showed me a transparent smile that made people feel helpless. ¡°But if you would put on the armband, I would be even happier.¡±

    ¡°No, that''s too embarrassing. Hey! Stop that!¡±

    Ayaka took off her own armband and started to attack me, trying to put it on my left hand.

    ¡°You must wear it the whole day, that''s an order from the club president.¡±

    Ayaka looked really happy that day. She taught me a lot of things, like how to prune, pick seeds, types of fertilizers and floriography, until I almost couldn''t remember them all. Seeing Ayaka like that, I couldn''t help but have an urge to ask her for a few times: ¡°Did something happen to you?¡± I originally wanted to tell Ayaka about Toshi, but didn''t do so as I didn''t know how to tell that to her.

    Finally, it was already sunset. The clock on the school building opposite to this building said that it was four forty-five. We sat side by side on the railings and looked at the evening sky.

    ¡°Do you have any siblings?¡±

    Ayaka asked.

    ¡°A sister.¡±

    ¡°Really? How''s your rtionship with her?¡±

    ¡°Not really good. Recently I kept going homete, so I kept getting scolded. But sister would always make dinner for me, so it''s still okay, I guess?¡±

    ¡°Your sister is the only one cooking? What about your parents?¡±

    ¡°My father is only home for about five days in a year, while my mother''s already dead.¡±

    ¡°Ah - sorry.¡±

    ¡°Why is it that whenever I answer that my mom is dead, everyone apologizes to me?¡± I said. ¡°Why? I''m not even angry. Or is it only normal being angry now?¡±

    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡­ Hmm?¡± Ayaka''s eyes wandered. ¡°I don''t think you need to force yourself to get angry.¡±

    ¡°Really? I don''t know what they mean by normal.¡±

    ¡°You don''t need to feel that you have some kind of handicap!¡±

    ¡°That''s because your words made me feel handicapped.¡±

    Ayakaughed dryly.

    ¡°That''s just a lie. As I don''t really know how talk to the others, actually I only wanted to talk to you.¡±

    I felt Ayaka''s gaze on my face, but I couldn''t turn my face over.

    ¡°I didn''t go to school when I was in middle school, but just studied at home. After I went to high school, I just feel that¡­¡­ feel that I should start over. Until about May or so, I passed my time at the rooftop during recess and after school. After that, I tried to chat with the others and avoiding to the rooftop. But I still felt very lonely in my heart, and could only feel happy when I''m gardening.

    Ayaka raised her head to look at the setting sun.

    ¡°One day, I came back to the rooftop because of despair, but I found that you were here.¡±

    When did that happen, I wonder? Much earlier than when I noticed Ayaka, she already knew who I was.

    ¡°That time I wanted to look for you and have a talk, but I didn''t have a chance. So I moved a few nts to the rooftop and pretended to stay at the rooftop because of club activities.¡±

    I almost couldn''t breathe at this moment.

    ¡°I''m probably clumsier than you. Although you might not feel it, I''m really thankful to you. So, when springes ¡±

    Ayaka stopped and gazed at the soil full of weeds.

    When springes?

    What on Earth was the matter? Ayaka''s really strange today. Saying all these things that make people feel ufortable, something DID happen, right? I must ask her about this.

    But as I was about to speak, there was a sound that indicated that someone was opening the door to the rooftop.

    A person wearing a pale green coat and unforgettably long hear appeared at the door. It was the consultant teacher for the Gardening Club - Sayuri-sensei (since everyone calls her by her name, I don''t know what the teacher''s surname is).

    ¡°Ah, both of you are here.¡±

    Wearing high-heeled shoes, Sayuri-sensei ran unsteadily while waving at us.

    ¡°Shinozaki, did you take leave because of flu?¡±

    ¡°I''m okay already.¡±

    Ayaka showed a nervous smile while saying.

    ¡°Really? Then that''s great. That''s right, you should clear the nts at the rooftop.¡±

    Ayaka frowned and said: ¡°Are there going to be any activities there?¡±

    ¡°The group photo for the graduation yearbook. I''ve heard that we would assemble at the rooftop, and the photo would be taken from above on a helicopter.¡±

    Sayuri-sensei looked around the rooftop.

    ¡°But there are so many weeds here, we can''t just have you two clearing them.¡±

    As sensei has said, the weeds upied the whole rooftop just by growing in the cracks in the floor.

    She took out a tape measure and started to measure the size of the rooftop. There are about two hundred people or so graduating from our school (it''s actually rare for a school in this district to have so many people graduating). Would the rooftop be enough for that many people?

    ¡°That''s right, it''s already the season for graduation. Time really flies.¡±

    After Sayuri-sensei left, Ayaka said in a lonely tone:

    ¡°But there''s no problem if Fujishima-kun is here. We''re going to recruit a lot of new members next year!¡±

    Ayaka looked at the ck armband on my arm, and I nodded silently.

    Until muchter, I still remembered what Ayaka said that time - what did that mean?

    Does she mean that she''s okay if she''s with me?

    Or - does she mean that it''s okay if it''s just me?

    ¡°So, Fujishima-kun¡­¡­¡±

    Ayaka hesitated, staring at my face. That was the first time, and thest time, that Ayaka hesitated when speaking to me. That was obviously an unusual situation, why didn''t I notice it? Why?

    But Ayaka gave me, who was confused, a smile and shook her head.

    ¡°Sorry, it''s nothing.¡±

    *

    The club activities ended for that day. After that, we went to the ramen shop together. Ayaka was harshly scolded by Min-san for being absent without a reason, so she broke a pile of bowls due to being overactive.

    When I was trying the abnormally bitter mocha ice cream, Tetsu-senpai, Major and Hiro appeared, which was quite early for them.

    Hiro said: ¡°We visited the hospital just now.¡±

    ¡°Visited the hospital?¡±

    ¡°One of the kids in Yondaime''s organization got stabbed. He found the source of the drug, but that guy had a knife and he started to crave for his drug.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Anyhow it''s fine if he''s okay. He was my kouhai, too.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai sat on thedder and sighed.

    ¡°Now Hirasaka-gumi is murderously searching in the streets, so if Toshi is also a drug dealer¡­¡­¡±

    Senpai sneaked a peek at Ayaka who was in the kitchen, lowered his volume and said:

    ¡°He''ll probably get caught soon.¡±

    Major told us: ¡°It looks like Hakamizaka really is a researcher from our school.¡± ¡°Alice is on that trail, so we could probably catch him soon.¡±

    I sneaked a peek at Ayaka too, thinking that I don''t need to force myself to tell her about Toshi seeing as we''ll find him soon. I consoled myself that way, and didn''t want Ayaka to worry on the other hand.

    I just hope Toshi coincidentally got the drug from someone, and then was addicted.

    ¡°Good. Before Toshies back, let''s just teach Narumi first.¡±

    ¡°Let''s start from ying dices!¡±

    Eh? How did things turn up like this?

    But I could not refuse as I was surrounded by Tetsu-senpai, Hiro and Major. It was actually the first time that I was forced to gamble money in a game of dice. In the end, senpai owed me about two hundred and seventy thousand yen. Senpai who lost all of his money said to me halfway: ¡°Although I don''t have any money left, I''m still going to bet ten thousand!¡±, or ¡°I can''t pay all that anyway, so I''ll add twenty thousand!¡± What a ridiculous person.

    *

    On the way home, I walked to the busstop with Ayaka, but still couldn''t say anything. When we walked past the bridge, the bus coincidentally passed by us. Ayaka hurriedly chased the bus, and waved at me.

    I could still remember clearly Ayaka''s face at that moment.

    That was thest time that I saw Ayaka''s healthy smile.

    *

    In the cold air of the Tuesday morning, someone found Ayaka copsed at the garden in front of the school building. The teachers and students from the sports clubs formed a wall of humans, surrounding the blood that was sttered on the cement ground. Ayaka''s upper body was copsed on her garden that she tended to for ten months. She had a pale, green face and reddish ck marks could be seen clearly below her open eyes, making her look like she''s in the battle clothes of the natives.

    The girls turned their head around and threw up. Although the teachers were desperately shooing away the students, the crowd was still there. I also stood in the wall of humans, faintly hearing the sound of an ambnce getting closer.

    I kept staring at Ayaka''s small body being moved to a stretcher, until the white car swallowed her up and left. The sound of the ambnce rang again. I rushed to the parking lot for bicycles, opened the lock like I was going to break it, got on my bike and rushed out.

    I chased the ambnce that was rushing out to the road, the freezing wind scratched my ears, as if it''s going to cut my ear off.

    I don''t really remember what happened after I reached the hospital. I remember the white walls of the corridors, the lit light on top of the door of the surgery room, stretchers going here and there, and the footsteps of the nurses.

    Ayaka was sent directly to the ICU room straight after she went through surgery, while I was kicked out of the hospital. A crowd wearing familiar uniforms was gathered at the entrance, even though it was sote.

    ¡°Fujishima, how is Ayaka?¡±

    ¡°Has the surgery finished?¡±

    ¡°Hey, is Ayaka okay? Hey!¡±

    Surrounded by my ssmates, I could only shake my head while looking at the floor. The noise was painful to my ears. I pushed away the people and ran away.

    At the pitch ck bicycle parking lot, my bike was so cold that it was as if it had frozen.

    When I went home, I snuggled into my bed, imagining the moment when Ayaka crossed over the railings on the rooftop to jump of the building, but I couldn''t. What''s with this? What on Earth is with this? My tightly clenched hands started to tremble, and I started feeling nauseous. I fervently tried not to, and in the end I went into the realm when reality and dreams inteced and slept.

    *

    The next morning, the television broadcasted the news of a female student suiciding by jumping off the rooftop of M High School. It seemed like they found her shoes arranged tidily by the railings, but didn''t find a will. When the screen showed the familiar school entrance and buildings, I rushed into the washroom and threw up, but only gastric acid came out.

    ¡°I''ll help you call the school for sick leave!¡±

    My sister said to me, who closed myself in my room. It was only at these moments that my emotionless, stern sister with her sharp eyes made me feel a hint of gratitude. Finally, her voice saying ¡°I''m going out¡± and there were footsteps walking out of the entrance. I''m the only one left in the house.

    There''s only me left.

    I recalled the day on the rooftop. Did I say anything wrong? Was Ayaka trying to say anything to me? Why didn''t she say it? Did I miss something? If I asked her, would she answer? Why didn''t I ask? Why? My phone rang for quite some time, but I pretended not to hear it. My mind kept reying the few hours on that day at the rooftop.

    The only thing that Ayaka left me was the armband of the Gardening Club, printed with an orange logo on it. It''s the armband that she wore on her arm that day. After I was forced to put it on, I wanted to return it to her, and brought it back home straightaway.

    Had Ayaka already nned to suicide at that moment?

    I don''t get it.

    When I suddenly felt like opening the curtains, it was already dark outside. As soon as I turned on the lights, the ss windows reflected the pitiful face of a young man.

    That person was me.

    With my back on the blue skies of the evening, I squatted down on the mat. It was like my body belonged to another person, as I couldn''t even feel a hint of coldness.

    *

    When I finally saw Ayaka, it was two days after that.

    In the room that was colorless but exceptionally bright, Ayakaid on the mattress. I thought that Ayaka would be surrounded by many types of tubes and unknown machine, making her seem like a scary pincushion; but there''s really just an IV hanging on her hand. I only recognized Ayaka''s face. Her hair waspletely shaved off. Her tightly wrapped headid on the pillow looked very small inparison.

    I sat on the round stool, looking at the pale eyelids that wouldn''t open again. At the other side of the bed, the doctor was exining to Ayaka''s mother about the difference of a person in a vegetative state and brain death.

    I thought to myself: What''s the difference?

    Neither could talk norugh, so what''s the difference?

    Why didn''t anyone say anything to me, who''s present? I don''t get it. It''s probably because I came here early morning although it was already school time, so I was mistaken as her family? The doctor then started to exin the payment for euthanasia and life support system, but that might not be a doctor, but a merciless person from the insurancepany. You all should just shut up. Why could you say these things in front of Ayaka as if nothing had happened?

    Why did this happen to Ayaka?

    Anger suddenly surged inside of me.

    This is all someone''s fault, some person forced Ayaka to an impasse. What did God write in Ayaka''s page of His notebook? It was a dumb thought, but I couldn''t stop it. At a ce that I don''t know of, even if someone is stabbed, shot, or ran over, I don''t care, but not about Ayaka.

    I hugged my knees on the hard, round stool of the hospital, restraining the dumb thoughts that exploded in my heart.

    After that, my ssmates came to visit Ayaka for quite a few times. Compared with seeing Ayaka, they were even more surprised when they saw me. It seemed that they said stuff like cheer up, you can''t skip school or something like that, but I couldn''t really remember it.

    In the end, the only person in the ward was me. Only me and Ayaka''s empty shell were left. The winter sunlight that passed through the curtains was slow and weak.

    I couldn''t take it, so I dragged my stiff body and ran out of the hospital, went home, and closed myself in my room.

    *

    On the following two or three days, I didn''t even go out of my room.

    I didn''t feel like going to the hospital anymore, as I didn''t want to see my ssmates, and I felt sad when I saw Ayaka.

    My sister knocked on the door and said: ¡°You''ve skipped school for about a week now, huh?¡± I silently shook my head. Even though she couldn''t see my expression, she still ced a big bowl of porridge in front of the door and went to work.

    I didn''t even touch it, and left the porridge to cool. It was not until noon that I opened the window that I didn''t open for three days, and breathed in the outside air. My lungs and throat were burning, giving out white fumes so clear that you could even catch it with your hands. The sunny sky was so dazzling that even my eyes started to hurt.

    Thest moments that I went through with Ayaka on the roof, were also on a sunny day like this.

    Seeing the fact that I would turn out like this, I felt perplexed too. It was just someone other than me doing suicide, it was just someone other than me who wouldn''t smile or open their mouth again, that''s all.

    The me three months before would probablyugh at me right now, huh? Or -

    The doorbell suddenly rang, scaring me into hiding below the windows. At the moment when I froze, the doorbell rang twice, thrice, and then a whole lot more. The sharp sound of the electric doorbell pierced my eardrums. Who was that? Why did they do that? Was that a child ying a prank?

    The sounds of the doorbell finally stopped, and the sounds of an exhaust engine started. I peeked at the road outside the windows, and saw a skinny silhouette donning clothes for camouge driving away a motorbike, and disappeared at the corner.

    It was Major.

    Why did Majore to my house?

    I ran down the stairs and opened the door to the entrance. There was a ck box on the doorstep, and familiar words were written on it in white - Hanamaru. With trembling hands, I picked up the box, tore away the tape and opened it.

    White fumes rushed out. In the whitish solids - dry ice, there were two round, transparent stic cup, and there was ice cream sprinkled with chocte powder on top on it.

    Tiramisu.

    ¡®Give me a pull.''

    I moved the box to the kitchen and sat down on the floor. I took out a cup and ate a mouthful of the ice cream. Swallowing food was abnormally hard, I choked on my second mouthful of ice cream. The ice cream that was cold, sweet and painful.

    After finishing the two ice creams, I stared at the dry ice in the box until they finished subliming and disappeared. The weight and coldness on my knees finally disappeared after a long, long time.

    When I took a bath, I felt that my whole body had been refreshed.

    Finally, it was five in the evening. Afterwards, I dried myself and walked out of the door.

    *

    I just didn''t go to the ramen shop for a week, but everything seemed to have changed. The shop was full of customers, there were even people holding bowls on the chairs outside and on beer crates. It''s just the usual view of the ramen shop, but Ayaka was not there.

    Min-san looked at me, who was standing at the entrance, for a moment. The office workers who were chewing dumplings while reading the sports news were also staring at me.

    Min-san said: ¡°You''ve finished the two ice creams?¡± I nodded.

    ¡°Is that so? One of them was for Ayaka.¡±

    Min-san''s words pierced my heart.

    I left the bright entrance of the shop and went to the backdoor of the kitchen, but only saw Tetsu-senpai''s silhouette in the darkness. Senpai was sitting on the second step of the stairs, and was reading a magazine about pachinko machines. I didn''t even know what to say, so I could only remain silent, listening to the sounds of people ordering food and the sounds of cutlery colliding.

    Tetsu-senpai finally stood up. I was surprised, and hurriedly straightened my back.

    ¡°Narumi, you wanted me to teach you boxing, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Eh? Oh, Yeah¡­¡­ That''s right.¡±

    ¡°I owe you two hundred thousand, so I''ll teach you for free, a two years course.¡±

    ¡°Senpai¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Stand up, and take off your coat.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai''s words were hard to oppose. I stood up and took off my coat.

    ¡°Why did you want to learn boxing?¡±

    I stared nkly at Tetsu-senpai, then lowered my head and looked at my coarse hands.

    ¡°¡­¡­ It''s because I wanted to, be stronger¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Hmm, so what''s the fastest way to be stronger?¡±

    ¡°Eh? Isn''t it practice?¡±

    ¡°No, the correct answer is¡­¡­¡±

    Tetsu-senpai took out two rolls of bandages out of the bag beside him.

    ¡°Put on the bandages.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°The difference between a boxer and ordinary people is not being strong or weak, but they couldn''t hit other people meaninglessly. When you hit other people, your fists would hurt, and the other party would hurt too. When you think that the other person would hurt too, you couldn''t hit them anymore. Put on the bandages.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai wrapped up both of my fists firmly with bandages. My clenched fists didn''t even feel like my own. After that, senpai took out a punching bag and wore it on his hands.

    ¡°Come! Punch me! Anywhere is okay.¡±

    I lowered my head and started to hesitate. I was unable to raise my fists.

    ¡°Just start! Sometimes, it''s better for people to look for something to hit. Don''t think of anything, just start!¡±

    I raised my head and saw senpai smiling.

    ¡°I will ept your weak, powerless punches.¡±

    My shoulders trembled, and a viscous liquid rose from the upper part of my waist to my nks. If I just stood there without moving, I would probably just scream without a reason, so I flung out my tightly clenched fists.

    My outstretched right fist made a ¡®dong'' sound, and was absorbed by the boxing gloves. A numbing pain was transmitted to my elbows and shoulders. I didn''t care, andshed out with my left fist. Colliding with the punching gloves as soon as I straightened my hands, the pain could be felt even from my teeth. Right, left, right, I continuously hit Tetsu-senpai''srge silhouette. Even though I gave punched a lot, the tightly held boxing gloves would receive my fists, reflecting the attack back to my body. It hurts. When you hit people, your own self would feel pain. It''s a simple and persuasive fact. Did Ayaka feel pain at that moment too? Or did she have no time to feel pain? Sweat trickled into my eyes, blurring my vision. I could only hear my rapid breathing and the sound of me hitting the punching gloves. This is a real sound that belonged to me, and real pain.

    I don''t know how long I practiced, but before I knew it, I stood with my back bent, panting while holding the worn tires. As I worked out suddenly, my ears rang and my chest hurt. Sweat flowed from my forehead to my chin.

    It was then that I finally knew why I came to the ramen shop - for Ayaka, and for myself.

    I raised my head, and saw Tetsu-senpai looking rxed.

    ¡°Do you want practice some more?¡±

    I shook my head.

    ¡°Thank¡­¡­ you, that''s¡­¡­ all for today.¡±

    I took off the bandages and handed it back to senpai, my body still burning. That''s quite natural, it''s because I''m still alive. Ayaka might not feel this heat any more, but at least I could still stand up with my own two feet.

    ¡°I''ll go look for Alice.¡±

    *

    The room was dimly lit because of the tens of monitors in the room. Alice was sitting on the bedside. It might be because of her ck, luscious hair, but it made her silhouette look just like a vase, and the vase was filled with stars in the gxy.

    ¡°This is the way that I express my sadness, because I do not know of any other way.¡±

    Alice said with her back against me. In the darkness, the speed of Alice hammering on the keyboard was rapid, and the sound was like the rapid-fire sound of an automatic rifle used in a war that was at the other side of the Earth.

    ¡°I''ve checked Ayaka''s medical records, but actually I know that I didn''t have to do that. The one who understands the most that Ayaka could not recover ever again, would probably be you, who had seen it with your own eyes.¡±

    Could not¡ªrecover.

    Is that true? Although the doctors have said, Ayaka would probably need to lie on the bed all her life, passing her days in a vegetative state.

    ¡°But you still came to to look for me. I actually thought that you''d close yourself in your room, or attempt suicide.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    I sat down in front of the bed. Alice stopped typing on the keyboard and turned around. The colorful pajamas looked like it was the color of mercury due to the rays of light by the monitor, while the eyes looked as though they would crumble if you just touch it, and were emitting a weak ray of light.

    ¡°¡­¡­ You wouldn''t even get angry if I said that.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°No, nothing, it''s my bad.¡±

    I think I''ve heard something incredible, Alice actually apologized to me.

    ¡°I have no reason to get angry. If nobody cares about me, then I would probably turn out like you have said.¡±

    ¡°Really? Then you should be thankful to the shopkeeper who''s so good at making ice creams.¡±

    I nodded my head.

    ¡°Speak your request!¡±

    ¡°Alice, you''re a detective, right?¡±

    ¡°I''m not an ordinary detective, but a NEET detective!¡±

    ¡°One who could search the whole world without taking a step out of the room, and find out the truth?¡±

    ¡°It is as you have said.¡± Alice showed her sad eyes, smiling self-mockingly.

    Of course I don''t believe her exaggerated promotions, but I don''t have any other person to turn to.

    ¡°Then¡­¡­¡± I swallowed, ¡°I would like to request you to investigate something for me.¡±

    I spoke of it myself, but it sounded somewhat funny.

    At that moment, I was stared at by Alice''srge, deep eyes, and experienced the pain of a stopped breathing. The young girl said with a faint voice:

    ¡°What do you wish to know?¡±

    ¡°Why did Ayaka¡­¡­ turn out like that?¡±

    Alice drooped her long eyshes, looking as if she''s thinking, and also looked like she was listening to a sound that she couldn''t hear.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Do you still remember what I''ve said before? A detective is the representative of the deceased, looking for lost words from their graves, hurting the living for the sake of protecting the honour of the deceased, and condemning the dead for the sake of consoling the living.¡±

    ¡°I remember.¡±

    Alice opened her eyes.

    ¡°Then I''ll ask you once again, my investigation might expose what Ayaka wanted to hide, or even destroy your ignorant but peaceful life. Do you still want to know in spite of that?¡±

    Even so¡ª

    Even so, I--

    ¡°I still want to know.¡±

    Alice gave a huge sigh.

    ¡°I understand, then I ept your request. You don''t need to pay me, because I, too, wish to know the answer.¡±

    I widened my eyes.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Eh?¡±

    ¡°I''ve already figured out what you want to know, although all of this is toote¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°The- then¡­¡­¡±

    Alice''s sharp voice interrupted my words.

    ¡°Things are already clear, you don''t need to ponder why Ayaka wanted to die, the thing that I wish to know of is not this.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking abo¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°What I wish to know is, ¡®Why did Ayaka choose to die at school¡¯.¡±

    I was momentarily dumbstruck, and couldn''t understand what Alice wanted to say.

    ¡°The day before shemitted suicide was Monday, and Ayaka didn''t go to school, you know of this too. But ording to witnesses, Ayaka went to school after school finished for some reason, and didn''t go back home. On Monday night, Ayaka had already hidden herself on the rooftop, then waited until morning tomit suicide from the rooftop. Do you understand? Ayaka didn''t just impulsively run to the school rooftop tomit suicide, but chose tomit suicide at the school rooftop from the start. Why did she do so?¡±

    I felt a chill across my back.

    The reason that she chose to die at school. Choosing¡­¡­ the ce that she''d die?

    ¡°I don''t understand. I don''t understand why Ayaka wanted to die at school, but I must know. So I need your help, as the person who''s the closest with Ayaka these two months is you.¡±

    ¡°Me¡­¡­? Why? Why do you want to know about this?¡±

    Alice raised one side of her brows with her eyes widened, looking like she''s angry or mystified.

    ¡°Why? Why do I want to know about this? You''re asking me this question? You who wanted to know why Ayakamitted suicide, actually asked me this question?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Just like you, I must know the reason why Ayakamitted suicide, because I should be able to prevent her from doing that. If I knew about this earlier, knowing much more, I could prevent Ayaka frommitting suicide. It''s my fault that Ayaka turned out like that. Even if things have already happened, I must know about that still, although it''s already toote. If I don''t do that, I will, I will¡­¡­¡±

    Alice made a sound as if she was forced into a corner and said repeatedly. I suppressed the emotions umted at my chest. What are the emotions that the young girl in front of me showed me? Nostalgia, pain and helplessness.

    "Are you willing to help me? Let''s just make it as the payment for your request."

    Alice looked at me like a drowning person clutching at a straw, the faint rays of light, the stars in the ss, now looked as if they were going to shatter.

    The hands stretched towards my hand¡ª

    And I took hold of it.

    ¡°I understand, so I''ll be your assistant, right?¡±

    Alice heard my answer, and a surprised expression surfaced on her face.

    The cold fingers.

    The wet eyes filled with darkness.

    All of them melted in a warm smile.

 Volume 1, 4

    <h4>Volume 1, Chapter 4</h4>

    I looked at the sign, which was just a piece of coarse, white paper with ¡®No Entry¡¯ written on it, that was stuck onto the door of the rooftop, and suddenly thought of something meaningless. Some people say that there are some things in life that can''t be restored, and there are some people who don''t think so, but I would unquestionably support the former. If the ¡®something that can''t be restored¡¯ refers to death, the ¡®something that can''t be restored¡¯ theory can''t be established. Why is that? That''s because the moment when a person dies, does not count as his or her life anymore.

    But what about the deaths of other people? Are those things that could not be restored as well? Indeed, humans cannot revive from their deaths, so the emptiness that is formed in one''s heart is filled by some other people or things; or they can close their own heart, sealing it with tape. As for the people who couldn''t do that, they would choose tomit suicide, so life truly does not have things that can''t be restored. If it was me fromst week, I might have already let go, but after seeing a person who can''t even die, I learnt a terrible lesson.

    There are only things that couldn''t be restored in life.

    Although I don''t really know if it''s right or not.

    The only thing that I could make sure of is, the door to the rooftop has already been locked up. It seemed that the rooftop is being temporarily sealed off. The rooftop where Ayaka jumped off of was not the rooftop of the south school building where we tended to the nts, but the north school building in the opposite direction, but that''s not the point.

    I turned the handle, gave up on opening the door to the rooftop, and went down the stairs. I''m probably just not suited to being a detective. For a more capable person, they would probably think of a way to borrow the keys to the rooftop, or even just climb up the pipes to reach their destination!

    *

    A detective''s assistant.

    The employment contract between Alice and I was established the second day. Alice called me over and asked me to tell her everything I know about Ayaka. Geez, she''s such an inconsiderate person. After suffering for an hour, Alice said in a straightforward manner:

    ¡°Okay, I get it. All the clues have been tied up.¡±

    So what''s the answer? But Alice refused to tell me.

    ¡°What I know now is the truth, not the facts!¡± Alice''s words had me at a loss.

    ¡°The truth and the facts¡­¡­ What''s the difference?¡±

    ¡°Really, to put it bluntly it''s just my intuition. It''s enough if I alone knew the truth, but my pride does not allow me to just report the truth to my clients.¡±

    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡­ Is it because you don''t have evidence yet?¡±

    ¡°Well, that''s the case in short. So that''s why I told you to help do the chores around here, which is your payment for the information bybor work. If I told you about the information right now, doesn''t that mean that I don''t get an equal payment? If you want to gloss through the facts, and only know the truth, you could just investigate it yourself! Go! Just work hard like a mule that has its eyes covered!¡±

    The scene when Alice held my hand with tears in her eyes was like a scam. Today she used her usual tone and said to me:

    ¡°Just continue your activities in the Gardening Club as usual and observe closely the ces where Ayaka has been. That''s your first job.¡±

    *

    That was why I continued to walk to the garden.

    There was not even one person at the courtyard after school. It might be because it''s near the exams, or it might be because it''s winter right now, but another reason would be therge, ck stains spread on the ground between the garden and the school buildings. I stood beside the ck stains and looked for awhile. It was the first time I saw with my own eyes the true feeling of death, and it was still present at the scene. Rain or snow might wash it away eventually, but right now the stains are still on the ground.

    There''s nothing else.

    What could you do with this kind of thing? Alice had already exined that she''d already understood the reason for Ayakamitting suicide, but a will couldn''t be found, the police were staying silent, while the magazines were just targeting Ayaka''s family that couldn''t be said to be favorable. The things that other people could not see, could you see them from the small room that was full of machines?

    Just thinking about this is meaningless, so I walked towards my final destination¡ª the greenhouse behind the school building. That was Ayaka''s holy ground. I borrowed the keys to the greenhouse from the staffroom, and the strong smell of grass came upon me as soon as I opened the door.

    The area of the floor was about twice as big as my room, and was about twelve tatamis big. The greenhouse looked somewhat deste, I only saw a row of wilting tropical nts arranged on a rack, not even flowering. Probably someone sorted out the ce after Ayakamitted suicide?

    When I raised my head, I saw pipes intecing on the ceiling, and there were something that looked like a sprinkler. They probably spray fertilizers or water automatically? There were also additional lighting equipments. This is obviously just a normal high school, so why is there such an advanced greenhouse? Is the school budget that big?

    I sat down on the lower part of a rack and leaned against it. I closed my eyes, allowing my body to sink into the smell of the soil that was like warm water.

    We couldn''t find Toshi, and Ayaka was not even here anymore. There''s only me left in the ce that belonged to us, while only the drug addicts who were hospitalized or arrested increased gradually.

    My phone in my pocket suddenly rang. I was startled, and bumped my head on the rack on top of it.

    ¡®It''s me. Are you working seriously? You aren''t lying down thinking about meaningless things over and over again, are you? Although I''m a NEET, I''m very strict regarding other people''sziness, so please remember that.¡¯

    A young girl''s voice came from the other side of the phone. I couldn''t help but look around the greenhouse. There aren''t any surveince cameras over here, are there?¡±

    ¡®You''re probably still at school right now, right?¡¯

    ¡°¡­¡­ Yeah, I''m in the greenhouse. I followed your instructions to closely observe the greenhouse.¡±

    ¡®Good. I want to confirm something with you, are there two entrances to the greenhouse?¡¯

    I stood up. Two entrances?

    At the opposite of the door that I came in from, there is indeed another identical steel door.

    Why did Alice know about this? Is having two doors in a greenhouse thatmon? Or did she find out about that by searching the inte?

    ¡°Open the other door.¡±

    ¡°But it''s a wall at the other side of the door!¡±

    The greenhouse was at a corner of the school, and looked as if it''s squeezed by the surrounding walls.

    ¡®Do you think I don''t even know about something like that? Stop that nonsense, and just do it.¡±

    Opening the lock, a deep ¡®dong¡¯ sound came right after I turned the handle. I could only open it for about ten centimeters or so.

    ¡°Can''t open it!¡±

    ¡®¡­¡­ Do you hear it? Yeah, it should probably be at that part¡­¡­ A nk? It''s probably just that, right?¡¯

    Alice suddenly said some iprehensible words, and her voice sounded somewhat far. Ah, she might be talking with some other people. When I was thinking about meaningless stuff again, the door suddenly opened. Holding the handle, I was dragged forward and almost fell down.

    Outside the door was a silhouette. Raising my head, I crossed eyes with the sharp gaze of a beast, and my mind went nk momentarily.

    It was Yondaime.

    Why is it Yondaime? And why did the door open?

    Did something happen? I really don''t understand.

    Holding a phone, Yondaime said: ¡°The door''s open, yeah, that''s right. Hmm¡­¡­ No, they''ve been cleared away, nothing left. To continue tailing is just a waste of time.¡± I did just hear Yondaime''s answering voice just now.

    ¡®Then it''s up to you after this. There''s probably a surprised Narumi sprawled on the ground, so please exin things to him, I''m really busy, you know.¡¯

    ¡°He- Heyhey, Alice!¡±

    The voice stoppeding from Yondaime''s phone. After a moment, there was an ufortable silence between Yondaime and I. Yondaime walked into the greenhouse after tch-ing, and I hastily stepped aside. Even then, Yondaime just red at me, not saying anything. I shifted my gaze and looked outside the door, finally solving the mystery that was in front of me.

    A tower-shaped wooden signboard and dirty tombstones covered with dust could be seen at the other side of the door¡ª it was the graveyard beside the school. The wall that was close to the entrance of the greenhouse fell coincidentally, and was only blocked by arge nk.

    But why did Alice know of this shortcut? Also, why did Yondaime appear here?

    Yondaime ignored me, and used his phone to take photos of the interior of the greenhouse.

    ¡°Yondaime, why are you here?¡±

    ¡°Don''t call me Yondaime.¡±

    ¡°Err, then should I call you Sou-san?¡±

    ¡°When did you be a part of our group?¡±

    ¡®Narumi, Yondaime''s surname is Hinamura, so you can just call him Hina. He''ll be thrilled.¡±

    Uwaah, Alice didn''t hang up on me yet. With a ferocious expression, Yondaime snatched my phone and hung up on Alice. I though that he would just crush my phone.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Hi- Hina?¡± ¡°I''ll kill you!¡± Yondaime stuffed my phone into my mouth. What is this guy doing!

    ¡°Your job is to open the lock of the greenhouse, right? Just get out of here since you''ve done your job.¡±

    Facing Yondaime''sment, I could only stare.

    ¡°¡­¡­ What''s with that?¡±

    ¡°Didn''t Alice say anything to you?¡±

    Feeling miserable, I nodded. Yondaime heaved a long sigh.

    ¡°Then think about it clearly.¡±

    The connection between Yondaime and Ayaka¡­¡­

    ¡­¡­ is Toshi. Only Toshi, and Angel Fix.

    Then, did Ayakamit suicide because of Toshi? But what''s their connection with the greenhouse? Fragments of my memories swirled around in my mind, just like a puzzle that couldn''t bepleted.

    ¡°Wait, please wait!¡±

    I hurriedly called Yondaime who was about to walk out of the greenhouse. Yondaime turned around, his wolfish eyes looking even more vicious.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Is Ayaka rted to the drug? Why, is there¡ª¡°

    ¡°Of course they''re rted, you idiot! If it wasn''t because of that thing, you could still continue your peaceful activities of the Gardening Club. Can''t you see that something was wrong if things didn''t happen?¡±

    I didn''t know how to answer him.

    The door to the cemetery mmed shut, leaving me alone in the greenhouse along with the warm heat of the nts.

    Is it because of the drug? Did Ayaka fall into aa because of the detestable pink pills? Why? Is it because Toshi did something?

    It was all the fault of Angel Fix.

    No matter how I pondered, there was no progress. I gave up on thinking, went back to the staffroom and returned the key. When I was about to walk out of the staffroom, Sayuri-sensei called me.

    ¡°Although I know that it''s not appropriate asking you about this right now, but what are you going to do concerning the Gardening Club?¡±

    ¡°What to do?¡±

    ¡°After all¡­¡­ something like this happened, so you''re the only remaining member of the club.¡±

    Ahh, that''s right. I recalled the day when I met Ayaka, and our promise.

    ¡°Of course, I hope that you choose to continue, and I would ask other students if they''re interested in joining. Some teachers also said that the garden must have someone tending to it.¡±

    I was silent, in deep thought. To be honest, I don''t know a thing about gardening, so if I must continue club activities alone until April, when recruiting starts, it''s impossible. But I didn''t want to just let the garden and greenhouse stay bare, because those ces belonged to Ayaka.

    Even if she''s noting back anymore.

    It seemed that Sayuri-sensei misunderstood my silence.

    ¡°Sorry for suddenly asking you about things like this. You probably have your own thoughts about it. If you don''t want to continue being in the club, I won''t force you to.¡±

    ¡°Err¡­¡­¡±

    Sayuri-sensei had already been a teacher for five years now. Even though she''s single, there are rumors circting her as she looked extremely pretty. Giving out a charming expression with her bright eyes is her weapon. Being stared at with this look, I surrendered.

    ¡°It''s not that I don''t want to continue¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    A relieved expression appeared on Sayuri-sensei''s face.

    ¡°Those are Shinozaki''s precious flowers, so I hope that we can leave them alone. Additionally, the flowers in the greenhouse are about to bloom¡­¡­¡±

    ¡­¡­ About to bloom?

    ¡°Almost all of the nts in the greenhouse have disappeared, weren''t they disposed of by you?¡±

    Sayuri-sensei''s eyes turned round.

    ¡°Disappeared? Really?¡±

    She bnced her pen on her lower lip and thought for awhile.

    ¡°Could it be Shinozaki who disposed of them?¡±

    Ayaka disposed of them?

    It might be because of that, for taking care¡­¡­Wait, that''s not right¡­¡­

    I recalled the words that Yondaime have said. He said while talking to Alice on the phone: ¡°They were cleared away.¡±

    Ayaka and the greenhouse.

    Toshi.

    Angel Fix.

    The fragments in my mind started to piece together.

    *

    It was January when I rode my bike to the ramen shop in a frenzy, while the sun was setting quickly. Looking past the red rays bathing the curtains, there was not even one customer in the shop. I rode my bike until I collided with the stic barrel behind the shop, bnced my bike on the wall and ran to the stairs.

    Just when I was about to run upstairs, Min-san called me from the kitchen.

    ¡°Come in and sit down.¡±

    ¡°I''m busy right now.¡±

    ¡°Stop bbering and sit down, or I''ll hit you.¡±

    Because Min-san was waving her soupdle vigorously, I went into the shop obediently and sat on the seat in front of the counter.

    Min-san plopped a paper cup in front of me, a pomelo smoothie. The sour taste prickled my brain like frozen needles. It was as though the warmth of my body was absorbed by the smoothie, and then a mild spiciness came upon me, quite a mysterious vor. I suddenly remembered that it was winter right now, and my body started to shiver.

    ¡°I''ve put ginger in the smoothie.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡­¡± As she said, it was the spiciness of ginger. Surprisingly, the taste of pomelos and ginger blend quite well together¡­¡­

    ¡°It''s a dessert made specially for winter that makes the body feel warm.¡±

    Min-san smiled triumphantly, puffing up her sarashi-bound chest.

    ¡°My dad was an outdoor sports type of person who lived on due to his determination. He used to take me to snowy mountains or to swim in ice cold water, so I usually depended on chewing raw ginger used for cooking soup to support myself.¡± ¡­¡­ Was she training to be a ninja?

    ¡°But I was actually not that good at swimming when I was little.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°What''s with that expression, everyone has something that they''re not good at, don''t they?¡±

    Well, that''s not really wrong, but I absolutely can''t imagine how Min-san looked like when she was little.

    ¡°A person who can''t swim always ils in the water when drowning, right? I always got scolded by dad because of that. Don''t move if you don''t know how to swim, and you''ll float naturally. But for a person who''s drowning, you can''t think of these things.¡±

    At that moment Min-san stopped and stared at me. That was when I realized that Min-san was lecturing me, although she didn''t say so clearly.

    My brain calmed down.

    Indeed, I wanted to see Alice just minutes before, driven by impulse, and to grab the pajamas-d girl by her throat and tell her to exin things clearly. But I ampletely unsure of what to ask, as I haven''t even thought about it. What an idiot I am.

    My shoulders sagged. A person who can''t swim could just not move and float naturally, but what should I do?

    ¡°Min-san¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Min-san who was cutting onions stopped and raised her head.

    ¡°About¡­¡­ Ayaka not being here, what do you think about it?¡±

    ¡°Are you an idiot? You don''t need to ask another person''s opinion for this.¡±

    Min-san''s voice seemed as if she was really angry.

    ¡°If I tell you that I would go and visit her, crying my eyes out, would you feel that you would do that too? If I tell you that I feel okay about it, would you feel that it''s okay if you didn''t do anything?¡±

    Min-san''s words were like Yondaime''s fist, heavily pushing against my abdomen. I lowered my head while holding the cup of ice cream and felt that I kept repeating the same stupid thing these few months, surprising the other people.

    I lowered my head and stood up.

    ¡°I''m going to Alice''s office for awhile.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Min-san''s outstretched hands appeared before my eyes. She ced a paper cup that was closed with a lid¡ª a pomelo smoothie like what I''ve just eaten just now.

    ¡°Take it to that girl, I think she''s in a bad mood today too.¡±

    *

    As Min-san had guessed, Alice looked terrible. It was a cold month, but the air-conditioner was still going strong. Empty cans of Dr. Pepper were stacked in front of her bed like a beehive. The bed was led by Mocha Bear (Yondaime used his professional skills to fix the ears on again), while an army of other dolls and plushies surrounded her. A cooling paste was stuck onto her forehead, while ck circles appeared below her eyes.

    ¡°How courageous you are,ing into my territory wearing thick clothes like a Russian soldier. I''ll give you two choices, take off the sports get-up that makes people feel hot as soon as they see it, or you can get out of my room.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ I want to ask you every time, why do you make your room feel so cold?¡±

    ¡°Are the things that are at the two sides of your head handles used for moving? I''m asking if you''re going to get out or to take them off!¡±

    I glumly took off my sports jacket. Brrrrrr, it''s so cold. Alice waved at the wall that was full of machines.

    ¡°My eyes and ears would give off heat so long as they could move. Compared to the eternal darkness and silence, what''s a little coldness going to do."

    ¡°But I think that humans do not need to work in coordination with that.¡±

    My teeth ttered while I was answering due to the cold.

    ¡°How arrogant. You''re really a surprisingly self-centered human, and can''t be helped at all. Do you want the environment to cooperate with humans? That is a stupid behavior. ording to the Heisenberg uncertainty principle and G?del''s ipleteness theorem, from the moment when humans lost to God, they found that changing themselves would be better than using philosophy or natural science to change the world. Everyone has already changed direction, but you alone are still standing on a sinking ship, nkly waving the g of an alchemist. That''s rare. If I made your life into a movie, we''d probably get all the prizes.¡±

    ¡°Argh¡­¡­¡±

    Hehe, so I''m an arrogant and self-centered human. So that''s it, I''ve just noticed when Alice said that about me. Although all of that just sounded like Alice making excuses, I''ve already surrendered to the coldness and Alice''s articte debates.

    ¡°Okay, sorry. I''ll even take off the sweater, okay?¡±

    Alice widened her eyes.

    ¡°¡­¡­ What an oddball you are. An air conditioner is obviously one of the assets that humans use for the nature to coordinate with humans, but why did you give up on debating so quickly? You could at least say that I''m the one who''s self-centered.¡±

    ¡°No¡­¡­¡±

    I''ve suddenly realized that I feel better after Alice scolded me, and could not help but feel somewhat impatient. I''m a hopeless cause.

    ¡°I''m somewhat tired right now, so I don''t have the energy to rebuke you.¡±

    As Alice started to talk again, I hurriedly handed the smoothie to her so that she would shut up.

    After opening the lid, Alice''s eyes sparkled because of the sweet fragrance of the pomelo, but right after she ate a mouthful, she made a ¡®Wuwu~¡¯ noise, and her eyes squinted into a straight line.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°It''s spicy¡­¡­¡±

    Alice said with tears in her eyes. Is it so spicy that it could make people cry?

    ¡°Master is so impressive¡­¡­ An amazingness that even I could not predict¡­¡­ Wuwu¡­¡­~¡±

    ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ I''m alright. It''s just too tasty, I''m going to eat them all up!¡±

    Alice ate the smoothie with her mouth pouting, looking like she wanted to cry out. Her whole body contorted for each mouthful that she had.

    ¡°Don''t force yourself to do it. I''ll eat up the rest of them for you.¡±

    ¡°Why are you so greedy! You''ve already eaten some downstairs, but you still want to eat up my share. I won''t even give you one mouthful.¡±

    Alice stuck out her tongue at me, then used ten minutes to eat it all up. It seemed that the spiciness still lingered on her tongue even after she finished eating it. Alice pouted, her eyes almost squinted into a line. She waved her hands while sitting on the carpet like she wanted to say something, so I took out a can of Dr. Pepper and handed it to her.

    After drinking the whole can of Dr. Pepper in one gulp, Alice sighed, and seemed like her mood was much better.

    ¡°As my assistant, it seems that you''ve umted much experience. You could even finish your main job without me even saying anything. Your performance as an assistant is passable like this.¡±

    ¡°So the main job of an assistant is to get Dr. Pepper¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you think that I''m wrong about this?¡±

    No, it''s clear what you''re going to say!

    ¡°So next, let''s solve your problem! Yondaime probably didn''t exin anything to you, so just ask if you have any questions! Although I might not answer you.¡±

    Then what does this count as?

    I sank into deep thought. Indeed, I would be taken as an idiot by Alice no matter what I ask, and might not answer me. But sometimes, not answering is also an answer.

    And also¡­¡­

    I''m not always fumbling in the dark.

    ¡°Don''t you have something you wanted to ask me?¡±

    Alice bent her knees, ced her chin on them and tilted her head.

    ¡°I''m thinking of what to ask you.¡±

    ¡°Well, that''s some growth!¡±

    That''s probably because of Min-san''s pomelo smoothie. If I straightaway rushed in here, and said whatever I thought, Alice would probably make me as an idiot again.

    I thought for a long time and said:

    ¡°Can you give me a copy of the information about Angel Fix? The one with the photos.¡±

    The smile vanished from Alice''s face. She didn''t answer at first, and the room was just filled with the sound of the cooling fan of the CPUs. I thought in instinct: Ahh, I''ve asked the right question. At the same time, I felt as if my heart was stuffed to the bottom of my shoes.

    Finally, Alice muttered:

    ¡°Are you mentally prepared to dig the grave of the deceased?¡±

    I¡ª

    nodded slightly.

    Alice showed me her sad eyes, nodded and answered me.

    ¡°I understand, here''s the information. But before I give it to you, there''s something I need to ask you.¡±

    Being an assistant needs a heavy price. Alice sat on her bed and beckoned at me. Eh? Wait a sec? To the bed? Is she telling me to get on her bed?

    ¡°What are you dilly-dallying for? Are your hands so long that you could press the keyboard from there?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Keyboard?¡±

    ¡°The job that I''m requesting you to do requires the use of aputer, so I''m asking you toe over here.¡±

    ¡°Ah, oh¡­¡­¡±

    So that my embarrassing misunderstanding would not be found out, I turned around and stood up.

    ¡°Err, may I get on your bed?¡±

    ¡°Just hurry up.¡±

    On the nket, I politely shifted over to Alice''s side by using my knees. Being on the same bed as a girl, that makes me really nervous.

    ¡°You''re good at editing photos, right? Then I''ll hand this picture to you.¡±

    Alice pointed at the bottom of her screen. She had opened Photoshop, and a young man with a sharp chin was shown on the screen.

    ¡°Editing?¡±

    ¡°That''s right, because this information is going to be photocopied and distributed. Haven''t you heard of it before? Humans don''t remember things by their original appearance, so a person would have a stronger impression on something if the facial features are more emphasized. It''s the same with a portrait.¡±

    Ahhh, I think I''ve heard of that before. My gaze fell on the screen again.

    At that moment, a chill crept up my back. I''ve seen this man before. But where?

    ¡°¡­¡­ Who is this guy?¡±

    ¡°His name is Shirou Hakamizaka, a researcher.¡±

    I stared at Alice in surprise. Hakamizaka?

    I looked at the screen again. A sharp chin, a face that looks intellectual, this probably came from a driving license or something, huh? There isn''t even the hint of a smile on his face. I tried to put on a pair of frameless sses in my mind¡­¡­ I''ve got it! That''s right, on the day that Toshi disappeared, I spotted this guy who makes people feel uneasy near the zebra crossings.

    ¡°He enrolled into T Medical University seven years ago, not in Pharmacy, but Life Sciences. It''s somewhat strange if you say that it''s a subject for researching gic inheritance. I''ve heard that his results are quite good, and even went to Iran to study abroad. He probably found that there.¡±

    Found? Found what?

    ¡°That''s it!¡±

    Alice handed a pile of papers to me, and the photo of a red flower was on the topmost paper. It was the papers that I saw that time.

    ¡°Originally, the flowers on the photo aren''t that rare, and wouldn''t have any medical effects, so Hakamizaka probably found its mutated variety. At the research center, we found it from nts that had simr alkaloids. This is the payment for yourbor, I''ll just give it to you first! So let''s ignore the information for now¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Hakamizaka is not the only person that is rted to this incident. I''ve thoroughly investigated the people that might have rtions with him. I''m not sure if every one of them are rted to the drug, but anyways, this is a family business-type drug organization. Hakamizaka''s father is a powerful second-generation politician, so their modal probablyes from Hakamizaka''s usual pocket money. I''ve investigated the assets under his father''s name, but couldn''t find their current location yet. It''s both thoughtful and daring, a mere researcher starting from zero, looking for people online, nurturing the raw material, manufacturing, and then selling them cheaply. This is why they haven''t been caught until now.¡±

    Alice erged the other windows for me. Most of them are not taken from the front, and are parts of a group photo or some very unclear photos.

    ¡°Where did you find all this?¡±

    ¡°I''ve already said that I''m a NEET detective, right? The hardest thing was to find out Shirou Hakamizaka''s phone number, while the others were a cinch.¡±

    I was taken aback. So she DOES know how to check phone logs?

    ¡°So you''re really a hacker¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°I''m not a hacker. A hacker is originally a name the students in Massachusetts Institute of Technology gave to the people who dorge pranks. What you''re saying is probably a cracker who steals information. I''m different from a cracker, which I''ve told you a lot of times. I''m a NEET detective. So stop that nonsense and turn your attention to the screen.¡±

    Alice caught hold of my face and turned my head to theputer screen.

    I wouldn''t mistake the person on thest screen, it''s Toshi. With the same eyes as Ayaka, the same outline as Ayaka, I almost cried out loud. Even though I knew that from the start¡­¡­ Even though I knew that from the start¡­¡­

    ¡°Are you¡­¡­ sure?¡±

    In the end I still asked. Alice answered me with a gentle voice:

    ¡°We''re not sure yet. The world that I can see is only the limited scenes of the limitless small windows on thework. In chance, Toshi bumped into Hakamizaka at a drug discussing website, and then became friends. Toshi might have just gotten the Angel Fix straight from Hakamizaka, and did not take part in the manufacturing or dealing of the drug. I cannot deny the possibility of this.¡±

    Alice''s words were like she''s reading from a script, making people feel empty.

    ¡°There are a few ces in Toshi''s behavior that are perplexing. Additionally, when he came to the ramen shop that day, he probably wasn''t trying to get money from Ayaka.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Eh?¡±

    ¡°Toshi did ask you, right? If Yondaime came to my office or not. And then he said that it''s the only thing that he wanted to ask, right?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡±

    I remembered, Toshi DID say that. At that time, I wasn''t sure why Toshi wanted to ask that, but knowing what Toshi hid, I understand now.

    ¡°He''s here to check out¡­¡­ if Alice and Yondaime have started to investigate the matter about the drug?¡±

    ¡°This is still spection, and not the truth. But this hypothesis has a contradiction. Listen, if Toshi was already guarded against me, why did he still let you see the Angel Fix?¡±

    I became silent.

    It was indeed strange. If he felt that Alice had started to investigate the matter, he probably wouldn''t be so careless that he''d show me his confused look after he took the drug.

    Hakamizaka did say that he finally found Toshi or something like that, so that''s probably Toshi''s own free will?

    I don''t get it.

    If the person who heard about Angel Fix was not me, but a more sensitive person, they would probably think of Yondaime or Alice, who were investigating this matter, and it would not turn out like this. If it wasn''t me¡­¡­

    Why me?

    Why did Toshi¡ª

    I don''t get it.

    ¡°You don''t get it, and I don''t understand either, so¡­¡­¡±

    Alice lightly raised my hand and ced it on the mouse. The pointer on the screen shook.

    ¡°I''m the same as you. You wanted to use the information and your own eyes and ears to confirm the truth, and to learn the truth, I want to find Toshi.¡±

    Editing six photos andbining them into one took two hours. Alice squatted by my side, staring at the edited pictures on the screen. Usually, she would not stop talking even for a moment, but only at these times would she be silent. That made me so nervous. I tried not to look in Alice''s direction, and focused my attention on theputer screen. My neck aches¡­ This is the first time that I felt ufortable when the other party isn''t talking.

    ¡°Alice, I''m done.¡±

    ¡°Hmmmmmm¡­¡­ Mnn.¡±

    So she fell asleep. That''s why she was so silent.

    ¡°You''re so slow that you made me fall asleep. Hmm, that''s not bad.¡±

    Not even a word of constion. Never mind. Alice pushed me away, activated the mailing system and mailed the zipped folder. After that, she pulled out a phone from behind the messyputer rack.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Yondaime? Mn, it''s me. We''ve finished editing the photo, and I sent it there already¡­¡­ Hmm? That''s a zipped folder! Zipped. Eh? Just double click it with your mouse and print it in A4 size. Nonono, there should be paint on yourputer right? No? Ahhh, that''s right, yourputer was picked up by Major and then remodeled right, so at least just download a free editing software! What? You don''t get it? At least get me a person who understands¡­¡­¡±

    When she was talking on the phone, Alice''s voice was sometimes so low that it''s scary, and sometime it rose like she''s angry. In the end, Alice screamed: ¡°I had enough! Forget it! I''ll just tell Narumi to go there right now. Just you wait!¡± and then hung up. Eh? Wait a minute¡­¡­How does that concern me?

    ¡°So it''s like that¡­¡­¡±

    Alice looked at me and said determinedly. So what?

    ¡°The people in Hirasaka-gumi don''t even have basic knowledge aboutputers, it''s terrible. Even if it''s God who''s educating idiots, He would feel frustrated too. Therefore it''s better for you to go.¡±

    ¡°Err, no, wait a sec¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°This is also the job of an assistant, so hurry up and go.¡±

    Without giving me a chance to rebuke her, I was chased out of the detective firm.

    *

    ¡°I didn''t think that there would be a day when we needed your help¡­¡­¡±

    Yondaime said with a bitter expression. At the interior of Hirasaka-gumi, there were simple beds, a small kitchen, and a bridge, while there was a desk and an oldputer further inside the room. As though we were attracted to the rays of light emitted by the monitor, the followers were tidily arranged by my side, led by Yondaime, while I sat on the chair in the middle with my body curled up.

    ¡°Sou-san, we''ve already gathered down here.¡±

    Theckey who opened the door and went in reported.

    ¡°Hey! Hurry up and fix it!¡±

    The tallckey crossed over my shoulders and said with his eyes glued to the screen, and even knocked on my head. It was one of the bodyguards that I saw before, the one who was as tall as an electric pole.

    ¡°I''m downloading the file right now.¡±

    While thinking to myself why am I in such a mess, I opened therge enterprising website that provided free softwares and downloaded the simplest video processing software. It seemed that Major installed only the most basic applications on theputer. The hard disk was almostpletely empty, only the mailing software has any trace of usage. I thought that young people nowadays were all good at usingputers, but now I realized that wasn''t the case.

    As soon as I opened the picture that I''ve edited, the surrounding people made an astonished sound. You don''t need to be so surprised, do you? I adjusted the size of the picture to A4 size and then printed it out. While being guarded in bated breath by the men wearing the ck T-shirts with their emblem on it, the color printer slowly printed out the paper that had the faces of six people on it.

    ¡°Whoa!¡±

    ¡°That''s so incredible!¡±

    ¡°A miracle!¡±

    ¡°It''s so unbelievable that I don''t even understand what I''m seeing.¡±

    ¡°Wow, print five more¡­¡­ No, please print five more copies.¡±

    After six copies of the pictures were printed, the person who rushed me just now, Pole, was now clutching at my shoulders with his eyes wet.

    ¡°Sorry! As expected from Ane-san''s assistant! I''ve wronged you, aniki!¡±

    ¡°Thanks for your hard work, aniki!¡±

    ¡°Thanks for your hard work.¡±

    Nonono, don''t treat me like that. Yondaime took the six papers with a peeved expression on his face, distributed them to the others and said: ¡°Don''t be stupid. Take it to a convenience store and photocopy two hundred copies for each paper.¡±

    ¡°Understood! I shall go hone my manly aura right away.¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    *

    There were quite a lot of people gathered at the parking lot below the office of Hirasaka-gumi. The empty space that could amodate twenty cars at most was densely packed with people, who were muttering to each other in the darkness. They were all ordinary young people who could just hang out around the streets. A hundred¡­¡­ Two hundred¡­¡­ No, it should be more? The cold air of the winter evening waspletely chased out of the parking lot. All of them were men, so they emitted an odd atmosphere. The ce where the fans gather before a concert starts would feel like this too, probably?

    ¡°Aniki, please walk over here.¡±

    A man wearing a ck T-shirt pulled at my cor as I was standing at the entrance, flustered, and brought me to further in the right side. The guys with an emblem on their shirts were standing in a row like cheerleaders. But really, I''m just here to get back my bike. I''m now seriously regretting my decision. I should''ve parked outside!

    ¡°Does Hirasaka-gumi have that many people?¡±

    The person seemed to hear my mutterings.

    ¡°No, the people who are truly in the group are just twenty something, but the small groups over here listen to Sou-san. Sou-san looks after the jobless people over here, so they woulde over here if he called them.¡±

    I sighed and looked at the crowd. The heat that they were emitting was giving me a headache. When I started to straighten my back, looked around and was thinking:: ¡°I''ll get out of here double quick, after I find my bike.¡±, the noise suddenly piped down.

    The gazes of the people were all focused on Yondaime. With his back to the greenish white lights outside, Yondaime walked into the entrance of the parking lot from the slope. His crimson coat rolled up because of the wind formed by atmospheric pressure. It could be felt that everyone was waiting for Yondaime to speak, and the matter about my bike disappeared from my mind in a sh.

    .¡°Some people were throwing rubbish randomly in this area.¡±

    Yondaime said in a calm tone.

    ¡°It''s pink trash that has grown wings. The police didn''t do anything until someone was stabbed recently, because this kind of drug only appears on the streets, and is not sold in an organization. The people who made and sold it are nobodies like us.¡±

    Two hundred men nodded at the same time, forming a small wave.

    ¡°So we''ll just deal with this problem ourselves. Because the people who foamed at their mouths because of their addiction, the people who were hurt by the drug addicts who were clouded mentally after taking drugs, are all our mates. The police would only take action after four or five people have died, and it''ll be toote by that time. Who could prevent this from happening?¡±

    As an answer to Yondaime''s question, quite a few types of answers inteced in the air. Noise rang in the darkness as though an express train passed through, because of the angry shouts of the two hundred people with raised hands. Even in the din, Yondaime''s voice still rang clearly.

    ¡°That''s right, only us. If we handed things to the police, the stupid nobodies could continue their monkey business for a month or so, would be arrested and sent to the jail or youth detention center, and would be let out after three years or so.¡±

    Angry shouts of ¡®What a joke!¡¯, ¡®Kill them!¡¯ and so on could be heard. I shivered. Over two hundred vicious beasts would be let out the streets at the same time because of Yondaime''s orders.

    ¡°So have you got the photo already? We aren''t sure if the ones on them are rted to the drug, so don''t act recklessly after finding them. Getting the truth out of them is Hirasaka-gumi''s job, so don''t you guys risk getting arrested. Just looking for them is okay, photocopying them and giving them to other people is alright too. If you find a person who''s selling the drug, catch him even if he''s not on the piece of paper. When things end, Hirasaka-gumi will take care of things.¡±

    Yondaime looked at me¡ªNo, at the ck shirted men beside me.

    ¡°Give them a warning, let everyone know better than to do things on this street.¡±

    After the crowd of two hundred or so people went out, I copsed onto the empty parking lot and rested for awhile. Long shadows of the members of Hirasaka-gumi that were left swayed on the ground. It was as though the angry roars of the beasts were still remaining on the floor and the walls.

    ¡°Aniki, is this your bike?¡±

    One of the members pushed my bike from the depths of the parking lot here. I weakly nodded.

    ¡°Thank you for your help, we''ll take care of the rest. Don''t be a busybody, there''s nothing you can help with.¡±

    Yondaime said towards my back, and left.

    ¡°Hey!¡±

    I stood up and called Yondaime, who turned around and red at me wolfishly.

    ¡°If¡­¡­ you found Toshi¡­¡­ what are you going to do?¡±

    ¡°God knows, if he''s lucky he''d probably not be sent to the cemetery, but just the hospital.¡±

    Was that a joke? Don''t you know Toshi? But I couldn''t say it.

    ¡°Do you think I would have mercy on Toshi just because I know him?¡±

    Yondaime saw through my thoughts.

    ¡°One of my followers was stabbed, and his own sister has been harmed by himself and gone into aa. Can you still forgive him then?

    The words pierced deeply into my heart.

    Ayaka, was harmed by Toshi?

    ¡°I don''t care how you think, but taking care of the person we caught is our freedom, and our responsibility.¡±

    The other members of Hirasaka-gumi nodded seriously.

    After Yondime and the other members walked out of the parking lot, I caught hold of the handle of my bike and stood up.

    Ayaka was harmed.

    Ayaka¡­¡­ was harmed by Toshi.

    *

    The next day, I took the papers about Angel Fix I got from Alice to school.

    During recess, I went to look for Sayuri-sensei at the staffroom, who had juste back.

    ¡°What is it? Do you want to have lunch with me because you don''t have any friends? I''m sorry, but I have to prepare for my afternoon ss.¡±

    Sayuri-sensei is just as usual, I don''t know what she''s so excited for. Mind your own business, and stop fussing.

    ¡°I''m not here to have lunch with you, but to ask you something.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°You saw the nts in the greenhouse before right? During the second semester.¡±

    ¡°That''s right, I''ve gone into the greenhouse quite a few times.¡±

    I took a piece of paper out of my pocket. It''s the picture of the flower that I''ve cut out from the information about Angel Fix. After I handed her the photo, Sayuri-sensei tilted her head and looked at it for a moment, then nodded with an ¡°Oh~¡± sound.

    ¡°There were a lot of these flowers in the greenhouse before this, all nted using hydroponics. There was also a pile of boxes on the floor¡­¡­ But the color of the flower is bluer than in the photo.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ It''s probably a mutated variety.¡±

    My voice sounded like a bubble that drifted up from the bottom of a swimming pool. So the flowers there were a bluish color¡­¡­ Even if it''s Alice who seems like she knows everything, probably doesn''t know about this, right? In despair, I remembered the bluish purple flowers swaying in the air-conditioned greenhouse.

    The flowers that Ayaka nted.

    ¡°What type of flower is this?¡±

    ¡°I think its scientific name is Papaverbracteatum Lindl.¡±

    ¡°Uwaah, it sounds like you''re eating screws when you read its name, although the flowers are pretty.¡±

    Seeing as it''s a mutated variety and has been sessfully grown, it means that this is a new breed. Shouldn''t we have a new name for it? While thinking of this, I left the staffroom. A crowd of girls were holding their trophies from the Welfare Society, happily chatting away and walked past me.

    What name would Hakamizaka give them?

    Because of the flowers, Ayaka¡ª

    I subconsciously clenched the photo that I''ve cut down.

    *

    After school, I went to Hanamaru Ramen Shop. There wasn''t even a customer in the shop, and only Tetsu-senpai, Major and Hiro were doing something while surrounding the gas tank. I could hear crackling sounds and ck smoke wafting up from there.

    ¡°What are you guys doing?¡±

    ¡°We''re trying to raise a fire. We don''t know when we''re going to be vagrants, so this is a drill for that time.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai said with one hand on the gas tank. There were newspapers, dismantled chairs and table legs burning brightly.

    Major said: ¡°Next we just have to learn how to make a cardboard house, then we won''t have to worry when we be vagrants.¡± What an annoying drill, and it does seem quite realistic.

    ¡°Doing these things at the back of the shop would get you a scolding from Min-san!¡±

    ¡°Never mind, never mind. There''s no customers here anyways, and we''re burning the stuff to help clear up the shop. It''s the fifteenth of January today, coincidentally the festival of the dosojin.¡±

    ¡°It''s because of people like you that customers aren''ting.¡±

    Min-san''s scolding came from the kitchen, even saying that she''ll burn us altogether. It''s now just five in the evening, when the sun setster, there''ll be customers, right?

    ¡°Vice Admiral Fujishima, you could just throw anything you want to burn in here!¡± Don''t call me vice admiral¡­¡­

    ¡°I burned the posters of the girls that I went out with. I feel so contented right now.¡±

    ¡°I burned the horse racing tickets that I didn''t win for. The sted Japan Racing Association should remember this, I''ll definitely get back at them this year!¡±

    ¡°I wanted to burn my student ID, but was stopped by them¡­¡­¡±

    Don''t burn your student ID, Major. Did you encounter something annoying in school?

    I gazed at the crackling mes for awhile, then took a stack of papers from my bag and put it inside. The photocopied papers full of chemical equations and words disappeared in the mes in a sh, turning to ashes.

    ¡°That''s for the drugs¡­¡­¡±

    Hiro seemed to have noticed.

    ¡°Alice gave you that, right? Is it okay to burn it?¡±

    ¡°It doesn''t matter, things have already finished.¡±

    ¡°Have you found out about something?¡±

    I nodded dubiously, then squatted down due to a sudden wave of tiredness. Some warmth came from the surface of the gas tank, making the coldness even clearer.

    We silently surrounded the burning gas tank, until the sun slowly set. The sounds of customers ordering food from Min-san came from the shop, while the sound of the crackling mes eventually disappeared, as if absorbed by the dark air.

    ¡°I finally understand. You''re very simr to Alice.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai muttered. I was taken aback, and raised my head.

    ¡°Handling everything yourself, keeping everything to yourself, forcing yourself to the limits but not seeing the others, feeling that everything is your fault, so that''s why you resonate with each other.¡±

    Simr? Resonate? I, myself, don''t think so.

    ¡°But Alice is really capable, unlike Vice Admiral Fujishima.¡±

    ¡°Major, that''s too direct of you.¡±

    Tetsu-senpaiughed, but I didn''t. It is indeed as he had said.

    ¡°It''s about time we get inside.¡±

    Hiro said, and the customers came in threes and twos.

    We couldn''t move the gas tank for now, so we just left it there for now. We shifted to the backdoor of the kitchen. Tetsu-senpai said that he wanted to treat us all to ramen. It seemed that he lost money from gambling on horses and pachinkotely, so he''s treating us to change his luck. I ordered a Chinese garlic naengmyeon. Min-san was about to walk out andin about something, but went back into the kitchen to make it after she saw me. What acute sense she has.

    ¡°In this weather, you want to eat that¡­¡­¡±

    Tetsu-senpai looked at the dish on top of my knees and stuck his tongue out.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Major, do you remember the day that you ordered this?¡±

    Because of my question, Major and Hiro looked at each other.

    ¡°Major got some information from his school. Hiro, Ayaka and I were eating ice cream, then Alice called¡­¡­¡±

    I thought about that day¡ª when Ayaka was still healthily working in the kitchen and the shop.

    ¡°Hiro and I took some stuff to Yondaime, and Ayaka went home early when we came back. It''s probably been since that day that Ayaka''s behavior became strange¡­¡­¡±

    I knew that I shouldn''t do so, but I couldn''t help but look at Hiro.

    ¡°Ayaka saw the information of Angel Fix lying around, so she found out that the flowers that she were growing in the greenhouse are the raw material for the drug.¡±

    ¡°Is¡­¡­ it my fault?¡±

    Hiro started to moan. I shook my head while smiling. The smile is okay, probably?

    ¡°Leaving the information in the shop isn''t your fault, because the only person who noticed that we couldn''t let Ayaka see it was me.¡±

    ¡°But, Narumi¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°The following ones would just be my own spection. About summer or fallst year, Ayaka epted the request of Toshi who didn''t go home for a long time, to nt flowers in the school greenhouse. Toshi used the back door of the greenhouse to collect the nts on a regr basis. Ayaka knew a bit about Hakamizaka''s identity, so she thought that Toshi was helping in an experiment for the university or something like that¡­¡­ But, she found that things are not so that day.¡±

    My words stopped at this moment, then there was a silence. Behind us came the sound of bowls colliding, eating noodles, ordering and eating ice cream.

    And then? I don''t understand. What would Ayaka who found out that her own brother told her to nt drugs do? Probably she went to question Toshi about it? And then¡ª

    I don''t understand.

    Where did it go wrong, causing Ayaka tomit suicide?

    Alice said that she knew the reason. Did she have a piece of the puzzle that I don''t have? Or did I miss something? I don''t get it, why must Ayakamit suicide? Why did she do that without even saying something to me? Even though I''m so useless, there''s something¡­¡­ there''s something that I could help with¡­¡­

    ¡°Then it''s confirmed.¡±

    I raised my head because of Tetsu-senpai''s statement.

    ¡°It''s confirmed that Toshi is one of them.¡±

    I weakly nodded.

    Alice said that Toshi might have no connections with the drug dealing, but being unsure of Toshi''s reason he let me see the Angel Fix, everything is unsure.

    Yondaime also said that the person they were searching for might not have any connections with the drug.

    That''s quite the white lie that they fed us.

    Angel Fix.

    Growing pink wings, it took away Ayaka.

    ¡°So what are you going to do then?¡±

    I stared at Tetsu-senpai''s face with my mouth half open. There was not a hint of anger or pity on his face, his eyes were just like a crane game machine that takes coin without an emotion. I couldn''t help but shift my gaze, and lowered my head.

    What¡ª am I going to do?

    I don''t know. Because there''s nothing more that I can help with. If there''s something that I could help with, I should''ve done it earlier. Before Ayakamitted suicide, before Toshi''s disappearance.

    The only thing that I could do for Ayaka right now, is to find out the reason for her suicide, and to search for Toshi, who should know the truth.

    ¡°Is that really for Ayaka?¡±

    Tetsu-senpai''s words rang out. My back froze.

    For Ayaka?

    There''s no such thing, because Ayaka''s heart is already dead. Only her body is left in the ward, while her soul has already disappeared in the winter sky.

    That is why¡ª

    That''s why, the things that I''m doing are for myself. To relieve my own emotions, because I''m impatient right now.

    ¡°That''s great!¡±

    Tetsu-senpai said. I raised my head.

    ¡°I''ve said that before, right. I wouldn''t help a person who wouldn''t even ask for himself.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­¡­¡± I looked at Tetsu-senpai, Major and Hiro. Their faces were somewhat blurry for some reason. ¡°If I ask for help, you guys would help me?¡±

    ¡°Of course! Vice Admiral Fujishima is also a part of the Japanese army!¡±

    Hiro smiled and said: ¡°How could us NEETs not help each other?¡±

    But can three NEETs and an idiotic high schooler who might be a NEET in the future do anything? What can we do if we justbine four weak hands¡ª

    ¡°There''s definitely a way.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai said.

    I bit my lips. At this time, at such an important moment, I''m still a useless person who can''t even see them in the eye.

    ¡°Please¡­¡­ help¡­¡­¡±

    A sound like using a thread to rub my teeth came from my throat.

    ¡°Please help me.¡±

    I felt the three of them standing up.

    When I raised my head, I saw Tetsu-senpai on the phone. Alice''s voice could be faintly heard on the other side.

    ¡®I don''t think I''ve told you guys to help out.¡¯

    ¡°We''ve epted the request directly from Narumi.¡±

    ¡®Then there''s no payment this time. If you want payment, just get it from Narumi. You should know that he can''t pay, right!¡¯

    ¡°It''s okay, I''ll ask him to waive the money that I owed him from gambling in dices.¡±

    ¡°Eh? Wait a sec, then the only person who benefits from this is Tetsu!¡±

    Hiro interrupted.

    ¡°I''ll treat you all to roasted meat.¡±

    ¡°But that isn''t fair, right? A debt of two hundred and seventy thousand exchanged for only roasted meat.¡±

    ¡°The model gun that I wanted is eighty seven thousand.¡±

    ¡°Shut up! Those aren''t important!¡± Tetsu-senpai said, annoyed. ¡°You too, how long are you going to dawdle there, hurry up and stand up!¡±

    Catching hold of my hand, Tetsu-senpai dragged me up forcibly.

    Weakly raising my head, I was shocked when I saw the faces of the three people. In front of the dark ramen shop door, the eyes that exist for the sake of looking at pachinko machines, the eyes that exist for the sake of reading information about the militaries, the eyes that exist for the sake of looking at girls, they were all gleaming together.

 Volume 1, 5

    <h4>Volume 1, Chapter 5</h4>

    Beginning the next day, my school life became very busy. As soon as school was over, I had to take care of the garden. Sayuri-sensei helped out with that too.

    ¡°Before Fujishima-kun entered the Gardening Club, I came over here to help out asionally too.¡±

    Holding the pot of orchid, she said emotionally.

    You could just put the flowers aside in the winter season when the flowers don''t bloom, those were my thoughts before this; but now I know that if we didn''t prepare during the winter, the flowers wouldn''t bloom the next year.

    I, myself, don''t know why I''m continuing the Gardening Club activities, but I just felt that if I continued to take care of the nts that Ayaka nurtured, I might be able to know her thoughts better, albeit slightly. Those were my thoughts.

    After finishing the club activities, I went through the Shuto Expressway by the river, went past the station and arrived at ¡®Hanamaru¡¯. After greeting Min-san, I went to the back of the shop.

    The only person who was earlier than me that day was Hiro. He wore a coat with gold buttons sewn onto it with a pair of white jeans. I''ve never seen Hiro wearing the same clothes before, but they''ll probably be gifts from women anyways.

    Hiro was sitting on the charred gas tank with a phone mped between his shoulders and ears, and sending messages with the two phones on his hands. It''s just like the acrobatics people do on the streets.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Ah? Is this Mika? It''s me, yes yes, I''m Yumi''s friend, that''s right, Hiro. Nice to meet you. Hahaha, Eh? Really? Asking me out¡­¡­ Hmm, mmnn, what about this Friday? Are you free?¡±

    If other people who aren''t in the know heard him talking, they would probably just think that he''s flirting. But his words follow amon pattern, unknowingly changing the subject to the drug. ¡°Ah, I''ve heard about it. That''s right, a pink powder¡­¡­ Mnn, no, I''ve never tried it before, but I''ve heard from my friends that it''s great. Who''s the one who bought it? Mnn, mnn¡­¡­¡± just like that.

    I sat on the worn out tires, looking at Hiro, impressed. Hiro turned off the phone on his right and, hung up the phone that he was previously talking on and ced it into his pocket, then smiled at me. After that, his left hand continued it''s previous actions, writing something on a piece of paper with a pen.

    ¡°It seems like quite a lot of girls have bought it before, but they''ve bought it from their friends, so it''s hard to find the source.¡±

    I asked, purely because of interest: ¡°Hiro, how many girls do you know?¡±

    ¡°Mnnn¡ª¡ª I don''t know.¡±

    Just after Hiro answered me, his phone rang again. Hiro picked up the phone, and started his strawberry-like sweet talking, he really doesn''t have any free time. While he was talking on the phone, Hiro''s left hand didn''t stop at all. The thing that was ced on the table seemed to be a map of the ces nearby the station, Marui Supermarket, Balco Supermarket, Tokyu Home Center, First Bookshop¡­¡­ A red pen was used to draw another and another circle on the streets between the shop names that I''ve just seen.

    ¡°Phew!¡±

    Hiro finally heaved a sigh, ced a row of phones on the table (there''s not only three, but also two more in his pockets). He stretched and drank a cup of coffee.

    ¡°This one is for female high schoolers, this one is for wives; this one is for attacking thedies that I want to go out with, this one is for defending against thedies that I don''t like that much¡­¡­¡± Hiro exined the usage of his phones one by one. Attack? Defend?

    ¡°Whenpared to a gigolo, you''re more like a hustler¡­¡­¡±

    I was somewhat defeated by Hiro.

    ¡°Do you know what is the difference between a gigolo and a hustler?¡±

    Hiro asked. I tilted my head.

    ¡°A gigolo is exclusively locked onto someone, while a hustler must be loved at the same time by three people or above. I''m still a rookie, and dare not say that I''m a hustler.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡± What aplicated world. ¡°So, what about a man who is loved by two people at the same time?¡±

    ¡°A person who goes out with two women usually gets a knife in his chest by the women, so they don''t need a name.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Wait, why am I agreeing??

    ¡°But after starting the investigation, it really is muddled up. It''s no small wonder that Yondaime would have trouble with this.¡±

    Hiro turned the map over and said, filling the spaces with names of women and numbers.

    ¡°What is that?¡±

    ¡°The price is too cheap, they''ve bought them from people that they know, and also the price doesn''t even have a standard. This drug is too strange, it''s even somon too¡­¡­¡±

    Ah, so the numbers are prices. I have no idea about prices for drugs, so I''m not sure what they mean by cheap. There are even some zeroes on the map, does that mean that they got them for free?

    ¡°What about this side of the map?¡±

    ¡°Ah, that''s the ce they bought the drug. A double circle would mean that it''s suspected as the source of the drug.¡±

    I was dumbstruck, staring at the map that was almostpletely dyed red. It was not even three days after they vowed to look for Toshi, but Hiro, alone, had already gotten so much information from his five phones.

    ¡°Vice Admiral Fujishima is here! Just at the right moment.¡±

    A voice came from behind me. When I turned my head around, Major was standing behind me while carrying an enormous backpack that looked like a small hill.

    ¡°Help me to take the backpack down, this thing is broken.¡± Major said. So, I went over to help him, and spent a lot of effort before we lightly ced the backpack onto the ground.

    ¡°I stayed up for two days straight to finish that!¡±

    Major seemed quite delighted when he said that, took out small cameras from his bag and ced them on the wooden stand. The said cameras were just palm-sized ck cubes with a round lens on it. There were about twenty identical cameras.

    ¡°Major really went all out!¡±

    ¡°I''ve actually finished making the cameras a long time ago, just that installing a verifying software took a long time. There weren''t any missions for pinpointing a certain target until now, so there wasn''t any chance to use it, hehe.¡±

    ¡°So how do you use these cameras?¡±

    ¡°You''vee just at the right time, Vice Admiral Fujishima. Actually you look very nd, so using you for a test would be perfect.¡±

    I just feel that Major said something rude to me in a straightforward manner. Major borrowed the socket in the kitchen, connected it to the notebook-sizedputer, and arranged quite a few cameras in an arc to face my face. Then, he asked Hiro to raise one of them, looking at theputer screen while making adjustments: ¡°Shift it down a little, that''s right, okay, it''s done.¡± Then Major turned to me and said:

    ¡°Walk outside and then walk back again.¡±

    Completely befuddled, I acted in ordance with Major''s word, walked out and walked back to their side. As soon as I entered the shadows of the building, Major''sputer emitted the piercing sound of an rm. I was startled and took a step back. Hiro was so surprised that the camera on his hand nearly fell. Only Major wasughing sneakily while pping his knees.

    ¡°Hmm, its uracy is indeed higher if you take the photo from the front. Vice Admiral Fujishima, try to walk in with your head lowered this time.¡±

    After that, I followed Major''s instructions, keeping my head lowered, walked horizontally, or turning my head around while walking. I did these odd actions while walking from outside to the kitchen backdoor. Every time I walked in, Major''sputer would sound the rm. It was not until Min-san scolded: ¡°Shut up, keep quiet! And don''t just use my socket like you own it!¡± that things came to an end. However, Min-san didn''t really say anything about the camera and theputer.

    I finally realized after that¡­¡­

    ¡°The camera could recognize my face?¡±

    ¡°That''s right. If a photo is taken from a close distance from six sides, the uracy could be that high. When I went to the research room on summer, the professor was doing an experiment on this, so I just borrowed his idea.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that''s interesting.¡± Hiro went closer to look at the camera and the monitor. This really isn''t the standard of interest. Having such superb skills, why is he still a NEET?

    ¡°You''re going to use it to search for Toshi?¡±

    ¡°We don''t really have that big of a budget, so we have to lock onto some ces. This system really uses up a lot of power.¡±

    ¡°Never mind the battery, what about the information about Toshi''s face? You can''t use the system without it, right?¡±

    ¡°The surveince system in Alice''s room probably has information for about a month.¡±

    Ah, so Major was the one behind the surveince cameras too? I just feel that things are getting to arger andrger scale, I could only watch at the side with my mouth open like an idiot.

    ¡°Oh yeah, where''s Tetsu?¡±

    Major ced the cameras back into his bag and asked.

    ¡°He''s probably at the police station.¡±

    ¡°Ah, if we have the investigation report from the police, we could pinpoint a ce to set up the cameras.¡± Major said as if it wasn''t anything important.

    ¡°Tetsu-senpai¡­¡­ has connections with the police?¡±

    Hiro smiled wryly, is it because my surprised expression is that funny?

    ¡°Before he started boxing, he was always taken care by the police. I remember that it was the youth counselors who brought him to the boxing center while weeping and asked them to take care of him. After he started boxing, he stopped getting into fights.¡±

    In the end, he became a pachinko gambler right now¡ªthat was Hiro''s conclusion. I''ve never heard about Tetsu-senpai''s past, but he couldn''t just get information from the police, could he¡­¡­

    Right when I was thinking about that, Tetsu-senpai appeared at the ramen shop. It was about seven at night. He took out a notebook from his T-shirt, then put it in front of Major and Hiro with a thunk.

    ¡°Tetsu, you reek of smoke.¡±

    ¡°It can''t be helped, the only ce where the smell of cigarette is stronger than the pachinko shop is the police station. And the smell of smoke isn''t the main point. I tidied up the map a bit, so take out yours for a look.¡±

    Major skimmed through the notes while saying: ¡°There''s really not much progress for the police''s investigation.¡± Looking from the side, the notebook was scrawled full of words written with a pencil, probably Tetsu-senpai''s notes? He really did get news from the police?

    The three surrounded the old wooden stand and started to talk quietly. Hiro added the information from the police onto the map full of red marks.

    There''s really no room for me to take part in this anymore.

    When they were having a discussion over there, I went into the ramen shop and helped to wash the dishes. Min-san didn''t ask me for help, it''s just that I couldn''t idly stay at the backdoor of the kitchen anymore, so I willingly offered to help.

    ¡°¡ª wouldn''t it be better if we handed the information to Yondaime too?¡±

    ¡°I don''t want to borrow the strength of his gang.¡±

    ¡°But progress wille about faster if we share information.¡±

    ¡°I''ll take a copy of this over, and will go to the hotel as well. I have something to ask some of the girls directly.¡±

    ¡°Tetsu, so could you help me set up the surveince cameras?¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    When I was eavesdropping in the kitchen, the three finished their discussion and left. The customers came in like they were taking turns to eat. In the steam of the bustling shop, I felt as if I had been forgotten by everyone.

    Probably because of my dejected expression, Min-san patted me on the shoulders.

    ¡°¡­¡­ the three of them¡­¡­ seem very good at this.¡±

    ¡°Oh yes¡ª they''ve done these kinds of things before. Although they''re just helping Alice, I really think that they should go to work already if they can do things to this extent.¡±

    I think so too.

    *

    ¡°It''s because we couldn''t do it that we became NEETs!¡±

    Alice said jubntly. As usual, the air conditioning in room 308 is going strong. The pajamas-d girl was in a good mood that day, and even ate the soy sauce ramen with some noodles in it without even much grumbling.

    ¡°Most of the people in this world don''t understand NEETS. The qualities of humans are not determined by their quantity, but their direction. Even if people say something like everyone has their own strengths, their own ambitions, and life has limitless possibilities, they are still limited by the one dimensional world during actual evaluation.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Do you mean even Min-san can''t understand?¡±

    ¡°Master is different, because she wouldn''t say all that rubbish. The things that she taught us were after understanding all our fates, her innocent and true considerations. But people like Master are a minority, most people don''t really understand what ¡®infinite possibilities¡¯ mean. Because they couldn''t imagine what''s behind their ships, so some of them vigorously rowed against the flow. Isn''t that right? That''s because the direction in which they''re going forward is directly opposite to us.¡±

    Mnn¡­¡­ That might be right¡­¡­

    ¡°If I gave people like you a direction, you''ll turn out like that automatically. Tetsu, Major and Hiro might truly want to save Toshi, seeing as they''ve been partners who had been ying games of dice together. Even so, they just wanted to pretend that they''re cool, so they can''t take part actively. They were actually waiting for your help.¡±

    I recalled the burning passion in their eyes¡ª maybe it was all like Alice said.

    ¡°I speak of this like it''s none of my business, but I''m actually a person who likes to hide her own true thoughts too. The only worrying thing for NEETs is only one¡ª not knowing what to do.¡±

    Alice put down the bowl, holding her chopsticks weakly while spacing out with lonely eyes.

    ¡°After the big flood, God used four bases to engrave his best wishes and absolute orders for all living creatures, have you heard about it? ¡®You must live strong and breed to fill up the whole world.¡¯ But¡ª He forgot to write it on us.¡±

    Her words sounded just like a joke, but seeing Alice smiling as if she finally saw the beaming face of the sun after floating in the sea for three days while clutching on a nk, I couldn''tugh at all.

    ¡°¡­¡­ but, you''re the same right?¡±

    Alice said. She ced the bowl on her bent knees, gazing at me with white fumes of the hot soup swirling between us.

    ¡°Not knowing what to do, which is why you want to know something that''s useless even if you know, feeling very, very anxious, so anxious that you can''t stand it.¡±

    The truth is as Alice said, so I didn''t answer her.

    ¡°Why? Why is it that we can only see what we have lost?¡±

    Alice stopped talking then. She again picked up the chopsticks, temporarily focusing on her bowl. The room was filled only with the sound of Alice slurping her noodles, chewing on onions and the sound of arge number of cooling fans.

    When I stood up, took out a can of Dr. Pepper and ced it in front of Alice, she had just finished eating herst mouthful of noodles.

    ¡°You''re only clever when ites to these things.¡±

    Aliceughed while opening the can, while I squatted down at a corner of the bed, hugging my knees.

    ¡°I don''t have any other talents anyways, so I''ll just get cans of Dr. Pepper for you forever.¡±

    The words that I said only to ridicule myself felt as if they would be real after I said it. That made me feel even more hurt.

    ¡°Narumi¡­¡­¡±

    I raised my head because of Alice''s call.

    Alice was waving to me¡­¡­ Eh? What is it? Does she want me to go there? Feeling suspicious, I slowly edged there while kneeling.

    ¡°Good boy.¡±

    Alice patted my head.

    ¡°What are you¡­¡­¡± What are you doing? I couldn''t help but take a step back.

    ¡°That''s the first time I got that reaction. Hiro was delighted, while Yondaime showed an annoyed expression but didn''t run away.¡±

    ¡°No¡­¡­ I think it''s better if you don''t do these kinds of things to guys.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    Asking me why, I couldn''t answer.

    ¡°Didn''t you say that you''re useless? Didn''t you even listen to what I said just now? It''s so rare that I''m telling you meaningful things like people must have their own talents, humans have limitless possibilities and so on, too.¡±

    ¡­¡­ Didn''t you just say that those are meaningless statements?

    ¡°But no matter what you do, the person who will praise you is not here anymore.¡±

    Alice''s gentle voice made my whole body freeze.

    On the wall beside the entrance, I slowly slid down to the floor.

    ¡°Even if you have a direction¡ª there''s nothing at all in the direction that you''re going. The only destination is the cemetery. So at least let me touch your head as a constion.¡±

    Alice walked down from the bed and came closer to me. She bent down slightly so that her eyes were at the same level as mine, even as I was sitting down on the floor, and then again used her chilly hands to rub my hair.

    *

    There weren''t any news on the next few days.

    Although I went to the ¡®Hanamaru Ramen Shop¡¯ every day after school, I didn''t do anything special. Hiro went to the hotel every day. Major imed the gas tank in front of the stairs as his own, facing his notebook-sizedputer with a vicious expression on his face, causing people to stay away from him.

    I originally wanted to ask Min-san to let me give her a hand, but she seemed to have noticed my thoughts and said with a stiff expression:

    ¡°No, thanks¡­¡­ You just hurry up and find a wife that''s really good at doing housework, and steer clear of the kitchen forever.¡±

    Although her words were harsh, I couldn''t say anything to rebuke her. That''s because I created a new record that even Ayaka couldn''t achieve¡ª breaking five bowls in just two hours. Squatting down on the wet soil, I almost wept because of my own uselessness.

    Right when January was about to end, a big case urred. I saw it on the television when I was about to go to school. The middle-aged male broadcaster suppressed his feelings with skill, and only showed about a centimeter of regret on his face while broadcasting.

    ¡°¡­¡­ mass poisoning incident has urred. At about eleven at night, six people suddenly fainted at a night club that was open untilte in the night¡­¡­¡±

    The shop was just beside Balco Supermarket, a famous club that even I''ve heard of. Of course, the broadcaster didn''t say that the club was in any way rted to the drugs.

    But at about eight that night, Tetsu-senpai who didn''t appear at the ¡®Hanamaru Ramen Shop¡¯ for quite a long time came in and said casually: ¡°The mass poisoning incident is rted to Fix. Ah¡­¡­ Yeah, that''s what I heard from the police.¡± Is it okay for the police in this area to do this? Revealing information to a neen year old pachinko gambler, did they tell him that just because he''s Tetsu-senpai?

    ¡°Any news from Yondaime?¡±

    ¡°There''s probably more people than the police working on this. As it''s a human sea attack, we''ll probably find something soon¡­¡­ I gave them the information that I''ve tidied up. But the pills are already so widespread, why aren''t there any clues?¡±

    ¡°Erm¡­¡­¡±

    I politely interrupted. Tetsu-senpai and Major turned around to face me at the same time, making me feel somewhat nervous.

    ¡°¡­¡­ if we''re using a human sea tactic, can I help out?¡±

    Senpai cocked his head.

    ¡°How about you ask Yondaime about that? Although I think you''ll be refused.¡±

    ¡°Eh? Why?¡±

    ¡°That guy seems to hate you a lot, even though you''ve met for only two or three times.¡±

    ¡°Thi- this¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°No matter how Yondaime sees you, you can''t take part because you''re a high schooler. Although they are yakuzas, they''re actually quite decent. Those who are schooling can''t join them, their enemies would be enemies forever.¡±

    I see, it''s because I''m not even a NEET. Facing me, who was looking downcast, Tetsu-senpai showed a mystified expression.

    ¡°What is it? Just having another person to help wouldn''t improve things, and you''re the customer, so you don''t have to do anything except wait for the results.¡±

    That''s not the problem. Then what''s the difference with this and letting Alice handle all of it, while only being in charge of getting Dr. Pepper? There''s no difference asking for help from anyone, but I must depend on myself to find out the reason for Ayaka''s suicide. I could only tell myself repeatedly that I must find out the truth by myself, using the reason of doing something to help out Ayaka so that the emptiness in my heart could be filled.

    Even though I knew that it couldn''t be filled.

    It''s impossible to fill it, because Ayaka would not smile or speak to me anymore. Because I''m not doing anything by Ayaka''s request, she didn''t say anything¡ª didn''t say anything to me, and tried tomit suicide.

    To her, our friendship was just to this extent, huh?

    Now, it is already toote.

    The ringtone of ¡®Colorado Bulldog¡¯ rang as usual, stirring me from my indecisive emotions. Tetsu-senpai and Hiro stood up, but the only phone that was ringing was Major''s.

    ¡®It''s me, did you bring the recorder today?¡¯

    Recorder?

    ¡°Yes, but what do you want to do with it?¡±

    After that, Alice and Major had a conversation on the phone for awhile. After they hung up, Major looked at us and said:

    ¡°It seems that they''ve found the person who stabbed people in Yondaime''s shop. He was caught while drinking in a shop, and caused some trouble by taking out a knife.¡±

    I was taken aback and stood up. Now that we''ve found one of the drug dealers, we can start to take action.

    Tetsu-senpai said: ¡°Is that guy an idiot? At least get it clear that he''s on the turf of Hirasaka-gumi.¡±

    ¡°And he went into the shop when Tetsu and Hiro were investigating there, is this what they call finding something through sheer luck after looking for it for a long time ?¡±

    ¡°So what did Alice say?¡±

    ¡°She wanted to hear the contents of the interrogation, so she asked me to record it.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that''s why she asked you if you have a recorder on you. But Yondaime probably started to beat him up, right?¡±

    ¡°I heard that Yondaime isn''t there yet, so she wanted me to hurry there.¡±

    ¡°If you don''t hurry, the guy will get beaten up into a pulp. Yondaime is merciless towards people who make a move on his partners.¡±

    My back felt cold after hearing Tetsu-senpai''s words.

    ¡°I walked here today, because I came here directly from Akihabara¡­¡±

    ¡°Narumi, you rode a bike here, right? Take me there.¡±

    Eh?

    ¡°You want to help Yondaime, right? It''s probably okay if you just tell him.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Stop that nonsense and go! You''re not alright staying here anyways, are you?¡±

    Indeed, that is so. Why is Tetsu-senpai so clear about my thoughts? Or is my crestfallen expression that easy to read?

    ¡°Let''s go! Vice Admiral Fujishima, ride like the wind!¡±

    Major started to hit my bottom with his bag energetically.

    *

    Club Haploid Heart was located at a basement of a small building at the Snack Street behind Tokyu Shopping Mall. Yellow neon signs were hung on the cramped stairway leading to the basement, and the name of the shop was written in English cursive. I found a sticker with a swallowtail butterfly emblem on it stuck onto the lower right corner of the signboard. It seems that the shop was a franchising store. Is this shop really operated by Hirasaka-gumi? I always thought that Hirasaka-gumi was just a fake yakuza gang that was formed from NEETs, this is really getting more and more confusing. To be honest, I thought that Hirasaka-gumi was a motorbike gang untilst month.

    ¡°Are you going to wait outside?¡±

    ¡°Well, I''m here anyways, there''s no reason for me to just wait outside.¡±

    As it''s my first time entering a club, I was quite nervous. Two young men squatting down at the corner, ying games on their phones, turned around to stare at Major and I, as though they were looking at ostriches that escaped from the zoo.

    Walking to the end of the stairway, we opened the massive doors, seeing the walls and floor of the short passageway that were painted gold A counter was at the left, while there''s a door deeper in the room. The room looked just like a pressurized cabin in sci-fi movies. The high-pitched part of a dance song could be heard in here.

    ¡°High schoolers are prohibited from entering the shop.¡±

    Wearing a ck wired sweater, the male supervisor that looked somewhat like a woman said to us. He directly red at me, then shifted his gaze to Major, who was wearing a military uniform,pletely failing to fit in with the night club. At that moment, I just realized that I was still wearing my school uniform as I went directly to the ramen shop after school.

    ¡°We''re not customers, Souchiro asked us toe.¡±

    Major lied indifferently.

    ¡°Ah, Sou-san asked you toe, did he?¡±

    ¡°There''s a problem right now, so we¡ª¡°

    ¡°And when did I ask you toe again?¡±

    Major jumped about two meters because of the sharp voice. Turning around to look at the entrance that we''ve just came in from, Yondaime, who was wearing a crimson coat, walked towards us against the light followed by Rocky and Pole.

    ¡°Sou-san, thanks for your hard work.¡±

    The guy(woman?) behind the counter said in a high-pitched voice. I sneaked a peek at him, and found that his whole face was red because of nervousness, and only his eyes were glittering.

    ¡°Aniki, thanks for your hard work!¡±

    Rocky and Pole greeted me in a chorus with their heads lowered. Major stared at me with an astonished expression on his face. I, myself, don''t know how it turned out like this either!

    ¡°What are you doing here? Did Alice say something unnecessary again?¡±

    ¡°She just wants to know the contents of the interrogation.¡±

    Major shrugged, and showed Yondaime the palm-sized recorder. Yondaime made a ¡®tut¡¯ sound.

    ¡°And why is the Gardening Club kid here, too?¡±

    ¡°Vice Admiral Fujishima is Alice''s assistant.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡ª enough, I get it. It''s so troublesome.¡± Yondaime pushed Major and I away and said to the counter: ¡°Sorry for troubling you, the person that I''m looking for is inside, right?¡±

    When the door inside opened, Yondaime turned his head around and said to me:

    ¡°Gardening Club kid, at least take off your coat and your tie!¡±

    It was like the shop was in an alternate dimension. A slow song was being yed on the dance floor. An eerie orange color that appeared only at dawn in the ck seas surfaced in the middle of the dance floor; the strangely dressed DJ wore four different colored shirts, and was ying the six beat music that made people feel anxious. In the darkness, the crowd shook their head with the beat, jewellery and sses glittering due to the dim reflected light.

    With Yondaime in the lead, followed by Rocky, Pole, me, andstly Major, the peculiar group walked in a line further into the shop, pushing away the other people in the crowd.

    ¡°Ah! Sou-san!¡±

    ¡°Sou-san, good to see you again! It''s rare that you would appear at this time.¡±

    A row of officedies who finished work surrounded Yondaime.

    ¡°So sorry, but I''m busy right now. I''lle find youter.¡±

    ¡°Ehhhhhh¡ª¡±

    ¡°It was so scary just now! A crazy fellow took a knife and went on a rampage, it was so terrifying.¡±

    ¡°Good thing the show didn''t just stop because of this. The DJ today is great, Sou-san should listen together!¡±

    Rocky opened his mouth, showing his teeth to scare them away, while Major and I slipped through the gap. The suspicious gazes of the girls are really painful. After that, Yondaime had to deal with the girls who rushed over when they saw him every five meters. Finally, we reached an inconspicuous door in the shadows of the spiral staircase, and the words ¡®Staff Only¡¯ were written on it.

    At the moment the door was opened, the odd sound made by a man rang in the corridors. I couldn''t tell if it was a wail of distress or hisughter. I suddenly felt a chill on my back.

    Metal racks, wooden boxes, stacked round stools, the cement wall that was pasted full of faded Pepsi C posters, there was an ancient air to the room. The wide warehouse might be shared, because quite a few doors could be seen on our way here.

    ¡°Thanks for your hard work!¡±

    ¡°Thanks for your hard work!¡±

    A few men wearing ck T-shirts greeted Yondaime.

    ¡°Aniki is here too?¡±

    Even I, who was hiding behind Rocky, was found immediately.

    There was a tied up man lying on the floor at a corner of the warehouse. He wore a dark green hoodie with slightly dirty pants; His eyes that looked like a crow searching for trash in a junkyard were wandering under his unruly hair. His skin and lips were parched, so his age couldn''t be estimated, but he should be quite young.

    ¡°He had quite a lot of the pills on him.¡±

    One of theckeys handed a stic bag to Yondaime. They were pills ced into different packets. They were much redder than what I first saw, but the marking of the wings and the two letters¡ª A.F, I still have an impression on them.

    ¡°The amount that they''re selling is increasingtely.¡±

    ¡°It might be a stock-clearing sale.¡±

    ¡°Oh, oh, oh¡­¡­¡±

    The man lying on the floor twisted his body while trying to get a hold on Yondaime''s leg. The ck shirted guys kicked the man in the stomach.

    Yondaime took off his coat and handed it to Pole, who was behind him. He squatted down, caught hold of the man''s unruly hair and turned the man''s face towards his own shoulders.

    ¡°You recognize this emblem, right? You''re the one who stabbed one of us, right?¡±

    The man didn''t answer, but just foamed in the mouth. I was overwhelmed by Yondaime''s imposing aura, and could not even make a sound. I suddenly felt that the area was giving out a thoughtful air.

    ¡°How do you meet the people who made Fix? Where are they?¡±

    There were Yondaime''s low voice, and a high-pitched voice that almost buried Yondaime''s voice.

    ¡°Don''t even need to contact them, they are there, only we can see them. The top of their head is shining, have wings, can hear the song. We can hear¡­¡­ and can see, only we can see.¡±

    ¡°Stop that nonsense!¡±

    One of theckeys kicked the man''s back, causing the man to cough violently, but he didn''t stop talking.

    ¡°The wings that you couldn''t see, but we can see. In the crowd, the song guides us. You can''t hear it, right? Scum like you could never hear it. Dn, Bob Dn''s ¡®Knockin'' on Heaven''s Door¡¯ is sung, and the angels will correct us.¡±

    Angel Fix will not look down on anyone, that''s what Toshi said. I couldn''t help but push away the broad back of one of theckeys and ran towards the man. As soon as my face got close to him, I smelled the odor of blood that he coughed out.

    ¡°Do you know Shinozaki? It''s this person, this guy.¡±

    I took out a copy of the wanted poster with the photos of the six people on it, showed it to him and pointed at the bottom right corner.

    ¡°Have you seen this guy?¡±

    ¡°Aniki, it''s dangerous to get close. Please step aside.¡±

    The ck shirted man caught hold of my cor and pulled me away. The man didn''t look at the poster or at me, but continued with his weak voice that sounded as if he squeezed them out:

    ¡°You who cannot see the angels or hear the song should just die. Kill you, I want to kill you, I''m very gentle, so I just stabbed that guy in the stomach, the blood is warm¡­¡­¡±

    Veins showed on theckey''s forehead, and he raised his hand.

    With a ¡®thwack¡¯, his hand was stopped.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Sou-san!¡±

    Yondaime slowly put down the hand of his follower.

    ¡°Undo the rope on him.¡±

    ¡°We don''t know what he''s going to do!¡±

    ¡°Stop making a fuss. This type of scum needs a trial too.¡±

    Trial?

    After the man was free, he stood up stiffly like a robot. Yondaime took out therge saber searched from the man, pulled out the scabbard and looked at the de.

    ¡°Hey! The trials of Hirasaka-gumi have been suggested by a certain idiot following the customs of medieval Europe. They are also known as God''s Judgment; because God will let the right party win.¡±

    The man picked up the knife that was thrown to his side like a hungry wolf preying on sheep. I nearly cried out loud.

    ¡°Aniki, please go out.¡±

    A few ck shirted men formed a wall with their back, leading Major and I out of the warehouse.

    ¡°That''s really dangerous! K- Knives¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Vice Admiral Fujishima, Yondaime will definitely be okay.¡±

    At the instant when Major murmured that, the drug addict kicked the wall and leapt to his front. It was like we could hear the sounds of the de slicing the air. But Yondaime couldn''t be seen anymore, so we didn''t know how he moved. Yondaime stood in front of the drug addict leaping towards him, and he hit the man in the back of his head. When the man copsed, the sound of his teeth cracking echoed in the room.

    A ck stain spread from the head of the copsed man.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Thanks for your hard work.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for your hard work.¡±

    The members of Hirasaka-gumi solemnly bowed. Yondaime kicked over the motionless man, and blood could be seen on the man''s face.

    ¡°Gardening Club kid, get out of here. What goes on next isn''t something that a kid like you can see.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Aniki, sorry for this.¡±

    Before I could protest, twockeys pushed me out to the corridor. Just before the doors were closed, I saw Major who was starting the recorder, and the eyes of Yondaime who caught hold of the man''s hair.

    I was left alone in the cold corridor that was illuminated by shing neon lights.

    Wails of agony came from behind the door, and they lingered in my mind for a long, long time.

    *

    Squatting down on the corridors with my face buried in my hands, I raised my head when I heard the sound of the door opening.

    Yondaime walked out behind Major. I realized that there was blood on his fists.

    ¡°¡­¡­ How''s that guy?¡±

    ¡°He''s just bbering some things that people couldn''t understand, so I haven''t killed him yet. There are still some things that I have to ask him.¡±

    Haven''t? Haven''t killed him yet?

    What if he doesn''t have any information on him?

    ¡°Major, take this bag of pills to Alice.¡±

    ¡°The contents changed?¡±

    ¡°That''s possible. The people who are hospitalized increasedtely. Just a small amount of it could make them very high, causing the idiotic kids to be so happy. It seems that a lot of other chemicals have been added.¡±

    Other chemicals have been added. At this moment, I realized with shock that it''s because of the decrease in raw material.

    Because of Ayaka''s absence.

    Major took the stic bag from Yondaime and ced it into my hands.

    ¡°Vice Admiral Fujishima, help me take the pills to Alice. I need to go home for awhile.¡±

    ¡°Oi! Don''t ask a high schooler to send this type of thing!¡±

    Major turned to Yondaime and shrugged.

    ¡°It''s okay if it''s Vice Admiral Fujishima! His face and his appearance is nd to the extreme, even if a terrorist attack happened at the Imperial Pce, he could still go where he wants in the Chiyoda area without even being questioned.¡±

    Mind your own business.

    Yondaime made a ¡®tut¡¯ noise and said: ¡°Why aren''t you delivering it to her?¡±

    ¡°Because I have to go edit the audio! How could you let Alice hear the sounds of Yondaime dislocating the man''s arms, breaking his teeth and trampling on his hands!¡±

    ¡°You really are an annoying guy.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for thepliment.¡±

    Pole stuck his head out of the warehouse.

    ¡°Sou-san, we''ve finished bandaging his wounds. Should we bring him to the office?¡±

    ¡°I''ll hand it to you.¡±

    As Yondaime was about to walk further into the corridors,

    ¡°Erm¡ª¡±

    Yondaime is always so sensitive to my voice, like he felt that I was an irritating bug that stopped on his neck.

    My voice disappeared because of the re by the wolf, and made me unsure of what to say next. Indeed, I came here to help find Toshi, but the atmosphere at that moment made me unable to say that.

    This is really not a world that I could live in.

    *

    On the way back to the ramen shop from the night club, my phone vibrated suddenly when I was riding on the trails beside the park. I stopped, looked at the name shown on the liquid sma screen, and nearly cried out loud.

    Shinozaki Ayaka.

    With a ¡®Ker-plunk¡¯, pain came from my elbow and kneecaps. My bike fell onto the ground, while I, too, was sprawled on the road. Some drunk office workers scolded me when passing by, but my eyes were still glued to my tightly held phone. Ayaka, it''s Ayaka! How could that be? Why was Ayaka calling me?

    Lying on the asphalt road, I picked up the phone with trembling hands.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Hello?¡±

    ¡®¡­¡­ Hmm? Mnn? Oh, oho~ this number really is yours, ah, hahaha!¡¯

    A familiar voice came from the phone, the loud but somewhat hoarse voice of a man.

    ¡°¡ª Toshi?¡±

    ¡®There''s only your number and the ramen shop''s in Ayaka''s phone, ahaha, hahahaha!¡¯

    Toshi''s eerily piercingughter is obviously the kind he produces after he took the drug. Why would Toshi have Ayaka''s phone? The thought that Ayaka might have seen Toshi before she tried tomit suicidepletely missed my mind.

    ¡°Where¡­¡­ are you right now¡ª¡ª¡±

    ¡®There''s wanted posters everywhere, even Hakamizaka''s face has been found out. Haha, I''ve really underestimated Alice, she''s truly a freak.¡¯

    ¡°What did you do to Ayaka?¡±

    ¡®Why, why did it turn out like this¡­¡­¡¯ Toshi''s voice sounded somewhat listless.

    ¡®About Ayaka, I''m also¡­¡­ If I, I¡­¡­¡¯

    Sniffles came from the other side of the phone. Toshi was crying, he just couldn''t hear my words.

    ¡®We can''t run away anymore¡­¡­¡¯

    Toshi''s voice gradually became smaller.

    ¡°Hurry up and say where you are!¡± I shouted, as if I''m hammering him. Toshi started to mutter:

    ¡®¡­¡­ hey¡­¡­ Sa¡­¡­ save¡­¡­¡­ Me¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Are you joking! You¡ª¡±

    The noise of something suddenly came from the other side of the phone, interrupting my words. A man roaring: ¡®Idiot, who are you talking to!¡¯ and then a noise like a cab keeping cutlery was overturned sounded.

    When I shifted the phone away from my ears due to the noise, a familiar voice of a man came from the phone:

    ¡®¡­¡­ So you''re Alice, huh?¡¯

    A husky voice.

    ¡°Who are you¡ª?¡±

    I''ve already noticed before I asked him who he was, this is the voice of the man who stood beside me at the zebra crossings thest day I met Toshi.

    ¡°Are you¡ª Hakamizaka? Where are you? What did you do to Toshi!¡±

    ¡®You''re not Alice? Isn''t the detective looking for me? Do you know Alice?¡¯

    ¡°Answer me! Why did you take Toshi away?¡±

    I stood up, going forward while clutching at my bike with one hand, as though I''m clenching desperately at the neck of the man at the other side of the phone.

    ¡®Oh, you''re the high schooler who was chasing Shinozaki that time.¡¯

    The man wasughing. Hakamizaka wasughing at me through Ayaka''s phone. Anger that flowed in through my ears were like boiling blood, suppressing my breathing.

    ¡®Tell the detective, find me if she''s really that good. Come catch me. If even you guys found me, my experiment would be a sess.¡¯

    ¡°You¡­¡­What are you, trying to do?¡±

    ¡®Telling you would just be a waste of time. You don''t have a clue, so you won''t be able toe, I understood that when I saw you. But some people can, and many other people can too. I will correct those people. Even if there''s only one, I will bring them to heaven.¡¯

    Just when Hakamizaka''s voice raised all of a sudden, the phone was hung up.

    I redialed Ayaka''s phone number many times, almost to the extent of breaking my thumb. But I couldn''t reach the number. The cold tone of the voice mail said that there''s no signal or that the phone is off.

    I got onto my bike and pedaled furiously. While I was dashing on the road, I might have shouted some iprehensible words.

    *

    ¡°Alice!¡±

    I rushed inside the room like I was going to tear down the door of room 308, causing Tetsu-senpai, who was yawning in front of the bed, to jump in surprise. Sitting opposite to him, Alice''s hair flew up.

    ¡°Narumi, what''s with you? You even forgot to ring the doorbell¡ª¡±

    ¡°Toshi just called me. He''s carrying Ayaka''s phone right now, and is with Hakamizaka!¡±

    Alice and I looked at each other, and Alice understood my meaning in a sh. Alice closed her mouth, turning again to the keyboard and hammered it in a surprisingly majestic manner while calling people at the same time.

    Using a satellite to detect the weak electromaic waves from a phone and check one''s location originally requires the permission of the opposing party, but Alice is a cracker who could even find out the phone log of their phones.

    ¡°Narumi, calm down and sit down.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai forced me to sit down beside the fridge, as if he was going to tten my head. My head hurts, breathing felt difficult; My body below my neck felt freezing cold, but my face was burning hot. I saw stars, and my lips were trembling uncontrobly.

    ¡°Breathe slowly, you''re over-breathing. Listen¡­¡­ One, two, three.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai''srge hand slowly massaged my back. I felt air blocking my windpipe like a fist, but I still forced myself to coordinate my breathing with Tetsu-senpai''s beats. My chest that felt as if it was tied up at first, slowly felt morefortable.

    ¡°It''s no good, the phone isn''t turned on.¡±

    After about fifteen minutes, Alice finally turned her head around and said. I leaned against the side of the fridge, exhausted. My breathing was still very rapid, so I drank a mouthful of the sports drink that Tetsu-senpai bought me.

    ¡°Narumi, are you okay?¡±

    ¡°Urgh¡­¡­¡±

    I wanted to answer ¡®Yeah¡¯ but couldn''t talk properly. Tetsu-senpai sat at the end of the bed.

    ¡°Darn, I''ve forgotten that there''s still the trail of Ayaka''s phone.¡±

    ¡°I forgot about it too. If only I had noticed earlier¡­¡­¡±

    Alice''s face twisted because of hate, her thumb massaging her lower lip.

    ¡°But ording to the phone log, they''re still in the area.¡±

    ¡°They''ve probably ran away by now, haven''t they?¡±

    ¡°God knows. The facilities for manufacturing drugs are probably on this street, which is why they''re in this area. Leaving behind all of their stuff and running away requiresprehension¡­¡­ Narumi, what did Toshi say to you?¡±

    I nkly stared at Alice who was asking me a question, unable toprehend at that moment that she was asking me.

    Toshi. What did Toshi say in the phone again? He said that there''s wanted posters everywhere and they can''t run away now. And then, and then¡ª

    ¡°¡­¡­ He asked us to save him.¡±

    Although there was only a small shift in Tetsu-senpai''s expression, I still noticed it.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    I nodded.

    In the end, Toshi did say: ¡®Save me.¡¯

    ¡°Alice, I got it.¡±

    Because of my words, the ck hair swayed.

    ¡°You said that you didn''t understand why Toshi let me see the drugs, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Toshi didn''te to borrow money from Ayaka that day, and he wasn''t here to spy on your job, he''s actually¡­¡­¡±

    Although there isn''t any concrete evidence, I still know it.

    ¡°He''s actually here to ask for help, but he just couldn''t say it out loud, but hoped that someone, no matter who, would realize his plea for help, and then, and then¡­¡­¡±

    Did Toshi ask for help from Hakamizaka? Thus, the man used the pink pills to take the ce of a helping hand?

    Why is he so idiotic? Why didn''t he just say so in the first ce? Why now? ¡°It''s already toote! Idiot! He should say so earlier! Why didn''t he say so before Ayakamited suicide? Why did she try tomit suicide without even saying a word? Why? Why¡­¡­¡±

    I was truly angry at that moment, angry at Ayaka, and also Toshi. The two matters muddled into one in my brain, turned into words and spilled out from my mouth. But I couldn''t stop. You want us to save you only now? It''s all because of you that Ayaka fell into aa. What a joke! Stop joking!

    I supported my hands on the cold floor, and started to bellow as though I was throwing up.

    After I finished shouting wordlessly until I could not say anything anymore, the silence that was ttening us gradually lifted.

    In the frozen room, the first person to take action was Tetsu-senpai. He stood up from the bed and walked towards the entrance.

    ¡°So you''re finally serious?¡±

    Alice asked with a steady voice. Senpai ced his hand on the handle, saying without even turning his head back:

    ¡°Idiot, I''m always that serious, it''s just that I''m not in a rush.¡±

    ¡°Oh really? If you don''t hurry up, Toshi will either be swallowed up by the angels or ughtered by Yondaime.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    The sound of the closing door shook me to the core.

    It was only in these moments that Alice didn''t say anything, and even took out a can of Dr. Pepper from her fridge herself. Alice squatted down by my side. Although our arms were only separated by ayer of clothing, our body temperatures were very far.

    *

    The following day, after ss finished.

    I squatted down alone in a corner of the school garden and dug while thinking that I''m never going to Hanamaru Ramen Shop ever again. It was not only because I have nothing to do there, it was also because my very existence was getting in the way of everyone.

    Even if I don''t know anything, I still want to find something that only I could do. Even strolling in the streets the whole day while holding a poster would be fine. Just waiting on a gas tank made me feel like I''m going to be ttened.

    Something that I can do.

    Something that only I can do.

    Is there such a thing?

    When using the spade to turn over the decaying roots, the thing in my pocket fell onto the soil.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡±

    It was a small stic bag. There were four red pills in it, and on them were engraved the wings of an angel.

    It was the Angel Fix that Yondaime gave me yesterday. That''s right, I originally went back to the ramen shop to give the pills to Alice. I had actually forgotten all about it.

    I lifted up the bag and looked at it through the weak rays of the winter sun.

    The members of the baseball club ran through the courtyard, and two girls from the tennis club passed by them. Probably nobody would even think that I''m holding a drug that''s named an angel, right? Because of these tiny pills, quite a few people have already died.

    It''s because of them that Ayaka fell into aa.

    Anger surged in my heart all of a sudden. I held the stic bag tightly, used the spade to stab the soil forcibly, trying to restrain myself. It''s just a drug. A round object that got its contents from the fruits of some strange poppy flowers. Even if I tore them apart, ground them into powder and burn them into ashes, Ayaka wouldn''te back.

    Closing my eyes, I slowly breathed out.

    Then, I lifted the stic bag to eye level and again said to myself, this is just a drug.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Hmm?¡±

    I had a feeling that something was not right.

    I didn''t understand the reason. Raising the stic bag, I turned its contents over again and again, feeling that something was¡­¡­ off, but I didn''t know what was wrong with it.

    ¡°FU- JI- SHI- MA- KUN!¡±

    The voice of a girl interrupted my train of thought. I hastily stuffed the pills back into my pocket. Sayuri-sensei ran over to me from the school building wearing pure white clothing and a mini skirt.

    ¡°I''m sorry, can you please move the pots to another side?¡±

    Sensei pointed at the flowerpot that hadn''t bloomed yet.

    ¡°Is there¡­¡­ something wrong?¡±

    My answering voice sounded somewhat unnatural.

    ¡°As the rooftop is locked now, the graduation photo is going to be taken in the courtyard. We must find some space for that.¡±

    Ahhhh¡­¡­ So that''s why.

    ¡°So am I bothering them then?¡±

    Sayuri-sensei smiled wryly.

    ¡°Yeah, we can''t go through the activities of the Gardening Club today.¡±

    Anyways, I stood up. It was like someone told me, I had to walk somewhere, and not squat down and think of meaningless things. I sighed, stood up and patted away the soil on my knees. Because of Sayuri-sensei''s help, we moved all the nts to the entrance in five minutes.

    *

    In the end, I still went to the ramen shop. I couldn''t just disappear without even handing Alice the stuff.

    I originally nned to hand the pills to anyone and then walk away, but there''s not even a person at the kitchen backdoor. Am I too early? But I didn''t want to hand it directly to Alice. She would probably see through my thoughts as soon as she saw my face, and then give some hurtfulments.

    Thinking that I had no choice, I could only wait on the gas tank for everyone to arrive. Min-san who was busy preparing soup said: ¡°They''ve already gathered at the office.¡±

    They?

    As soon as I opened the door to the NEET Detective Agency, room 308, I heard the familiar voices of the guys from the inside of the office.

    ¡°¡­¡­ only we could find them, there are glowing wings on the angel''s head, and heard a song, we could hear, and could see, only us¡­¡­¡±

    Hiro and Tetsu-senpai sat at two sides of the bed while Major was sitting opposite to Alice. Arge amount of stic bags containing pink pills were stacked on the nkets. The voice came from Major''s recorder, which is the voice of the drug dealer we caught at Club Haploid Heart.

    Tetsu-senpai muttered: ¡°They''re saying the same thing as the guys caught by the police.¡±

    ¡°Because they have shining wings on their head, and Bob Dn''s song so they could find it immediately¡­¡­ (Sigh). If there''s really such an obvious person, Hirasaka-gumi would find them long ago.¡±

    Alice shook her head and turned off the recorder.

    ¡°Narumi, what are you spacing off at the entrance for? We''re having a meeting right now, so hurry up and close the door, then get me a can of Dr. Pepper.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡­ Mnn.¡±

    A meeting? I''m extremely getting in their way, so I''d better get out quickly.

    I handed the Dr. Pepper and the Angel Fix to Alice together.

    ¡°Hmm? Ahhh, it''s the thing that Yondaime gave you yesterday. You just keep forgetting important things easily.¡±

    ¡°Mnn¡­¡­ Sorry. I''ll just go home then.¡±

    When I was about to walk out of the room, Major grabbed my coat.

    ¡°Vice Admiral Fujishima, where are you going? We''re having a tactical meeting right now!¡±

    ¡°Well, it''s just that¡­¡­ I''m getting in the way, right?¡±

    ¡°Stop babbling and sit down. You''re my assistant, right? If you went home, who''ll get me my second can of Dr. Pepper after I finished my first one?¡±

    Alice spoke to me with an arrogant air as usual. Vortices of questions appeared in my mind, but in the end I just bit my lower lip, saying nothing and sat down beside Major, who offered me a seat. It''s too crowded. This really isn''t a room for the meeting of five people.

    Even though I would only get in the way, I might think of something after listening to the meeting. I changed my mind, and started to think of anything that I could do to help.

    ¡°These wings and the song might just be a code or something.¡±

    Hiro said while flipping through the information.

    ¡°The bones in his hands were fractured by Yondaime, is it possible for him to continue having that illusion? And the five people who were arrested said the same thing!¡±

    ¡°There''s nomon point for the drug dealers¡­¡­ And they''re not even drug dealers, but just people who bought them in pill shape, the ones we call the first customers.¡±

    ¡°Someone even got them for free, meaning that the organization is not after profits, but did this for an experiment.¡±

    ¡°Then the drug addicts gather at points where there are shining wings on the people''s heads and the music. Is it only them who could differentiate the markings? Is this a joke?¡±

    I could understand what everyone said for now. We still couldn''t find the person who directly took part in manufacturing. The man who was almost beaten to death by Yondaime some time ago bought a pile of drugs and sold them everywhere, but was clueless about things concerning the organization.

    Is there such a thing? If the police or Hirasaka-gumi tried to buy the pills, they should probably find out about it immediately.

    ¡°I''ve tracked down the girls who bought the drug too, but couldn''t find people of the organization.¡±

    ¡°There should be some kind of code. They''re having regr supplies too, and yet the police in in clothes couldn''t find them.¡±

    ¡°So the problem is with the wings and the song.¡±

    ¡°I really have no idea what that means.¡±

    While listening to Hiro, Major and Tetsu-senpai''s discussion, I observed therge amount of Angel Fix lying beside Alice''s foot. Again, I had that strange feeling that I had when I was at the school garden. What on Earth is it? What is the thing that keeps attracting me to them?

    I subconsciously picked up a stic bag. Alice noticed it and said: ¡°Narumi?¡± I indifferently held the stic bag and looked at it through the lights, and flipped it over to the back. At that moment I finally realized, the problem was not with the pills inside, but the bag itself.

    ¡°Alice¡­¡­¡±

    I knew that my voice was shaking.

    ¡°¡ª do you have a water based pen?¡±

    ¡°Water based pen?¡±

    ¡°It''s okay as long as it''s water based. Lend me one if you have it.¡±

    Not sure from what time, the other three were looking at me silently. I took the red pen from Alice''s hands, took out the pills, pressed the stic bag against the walls and started to scribble on it from the corner.

    ¡°AH!¡± ¡°AHHHHH!¡±

    I''m not sure whose shouts were those, and might even be my own voice. The transparent stic bag that was dyed red red¡ª a pair of open wings surfaced on it because of waterproof materials.

    ¡°This is almostpletely¡­¡­ drawn using transparent paint, right?¡±

    Major said in a low voice, and I nodded.

    The same drawing was drawn on each bag with the same material, and the picture surfaced on it because of the water based ink. Same as the wings carved onto the pills but with one of them facing the opposite direction, they were the wings of an angel.

    ¡°Narumi¡­¡­ This thing¡­¡­ You found it¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ But, what''s with this?¡±

    Hiro asked.

    ¡°These are the shining wings, and that''s why the police and Hirasaka-gumi didn''t notice it.¡±

    I answered, staring at a stic bag that I didn''t paint on. You really won''t find it if you''re not looking closely at it through a light.

    ¡°So these are the shining wings?¡±

    The statement of the drug dealer: ¡®Glowing wings on their heads¡¯ and ¡®A song that could be heard¡¯.

    Those were not hallucinations caused by the drug¡ª

    All of them were real.

    The same paint could be used on the face, and also on a cap; ying Bob Dn''s song non-stop, with their pockets full of the pink-colored magic drug.

    ¡°But why would the people who bought the pills realize it? It''s so strange.¡±

    ¡°The side effects of Angel Fix cause their vision and hearing to be extremely sensitive, so that''s why they found out about the signals, huh? Narumi.¡±

    Alice answered in my stead, and I silently nodded.

    ¡®It seemed that it had stopped¡¯, ¡®Could even see a slight movement¡¯ , ¡®Could win if I just close my eyes and listen to the sound¡¯.

    With just a correction¡ª you would see the angels.

    ¡°They just have to wait for the people who had their minds sharpened after taking the drug. Is there really such a stupid way of selling?¡±

    ¡°The way they sell them is indeed stupid, but what if that''s exactly their purpose?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ What do you mean by that?¡±

    ¡°The experiment! A human experiment to confirm how effective the drug is. Could they create believers who could find the angel wings and song on such a noisy street¡ª

    Alice caught a handful of the Angel Fix by her foot and spread them on her bed.

    ¡°¡ª and so his experiment is sessful.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai stood with his mouth open, unable to say even one word.

    After a moment of silence, Hiro said:

    ¡°¡­¡­ Are those your assumptions?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Alice said while looking at the small hill of pills.

    ¡°¡­¡­ So, what should we do then?¡±

    After Major''s words, the room sank into a silence.

    The silence was heavy, as though it was frozen petrol, flowing into the room through the windows, because the five who were present knew what wasing next.

    At that moment, I felt a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu that stiffened my whole body¡ª I saw this scene before, as if I knew it a few thousand years, tens of thousands of years ago. That was what I felt, but of course that was probably just my imagination.

    Even so, I still think that way right now. It might be because I saw my page on God''s notebook before I was born, forgetting about the rest but clearly remembering what I should say in this situation.

    Because, if there is a meaning for me to exist at this ce in this moment¡ª

    Probably it''s just for this purpose, right?

    Thus, I spoke.

    ¡°I''ll take the drug, and find the drug dealer.¡±

    Sitting beside me, Major gasped instead.

    Alice just continued to stare into my eyes.

    Tetsu-senpai heaved a long sigh and sat onto theputer rack.

    Hiro finally said.

    ¡°We can''t let Narumi do these kinds of things¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Then who else is going to do it?¡±

    I interrupted Hiro''s words unhesitatingly.

    ¡°Apart from myself, who else saw the drawing on the bag? People can''t see it just by taking the drug, can they? If anyone could see it, then we should have noticed it earlier.¡±

    ¡°No, aren''t those just your assumptions?¡±

    ¡°Then! Are there any other ways? The only thing I can do is this! Even if you stop me, I''m still going to do it.¡±

    I tightly held the stic bag containing the Angel Fix, so tight that it was almost torn apart.

    ¡°Some people even died because of it, so¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Hiro, shut up.¡±

    Alice''s majestic voice rang in the room.

    Hiro showed a dumbstruck expression for a moment, and then looked like he immediately became an obedient leopard and lowered his head.

    Alice stood up from her bed, ck hair flowing on her delicate shoulders. The small queen who forced the wall of machines to obey herself looked at me from above with an icy gaze.

    ¡°Narumi, there''s no difference with eating the pills and dying. Even if you are okay physically, you would also die mentally, do you understand? Never mind, I don''t think you would understand, you won''t get it if you didn''t take it. This is a helpless contradiction."

    I silently listened to Alice''s statement.

    ¡°But even so¡ª if you are still determined to do it, I won''t stop you, and will not let anyone stop you.¡±

    I felt that my decision has already been made tens of thousands of years before, so I answered unhesitatingly:

    ¡°I will do it, because that''s what I''ve decided.¡±

    A sad expression was shown on Alice''s face. Her long eyshes drooped, as if she was going to wipe away tears, and opened her eyes again.

    ¡°Major, prepare a mini-microphone, earphones and a camera that can be fitted into a cap. Hiro and Tetsu will decide on the ce and time. I''ll arrange all the information into a map.¡±

    ¡°Alice¡­¡­ Is this really okay?¡±

    Hiro looked at me and said restlessly. Alice just looked at him once and said:

    ¡°There''s no other way, we can only go forward on this road. This is¡ª¡±

    At that moment, Alice''s expression was really, truly lonely. The loneliness would make people feel as though their heart was directly entangled by thin threads as soon as they saw it, and an expression that would shatter into teardrops if too much force is used.

    ¡°This is the only feasible way. So don''t say anything, and do your own part.¡±

    *

    I was thest person out of the detective agency, because I was forced to stay and write Alice''s documents. The wind was so strong outside, even colder than the strong air conditioning inside the room. The brightness of the sleepless town shone onto the bottomless night. Not even one star was shining in the night skies.

    I turned my head and stared at the signboard of the agency.

    It''s the only NEET thing to do.

    Is that really so? I don''t know, either.

    But this is undeniably the only thing that I can do. It''s not for Ayaka, and not for Toshi, not for anyone, but for my own self.

 Volume 1, 6

    <h4>Volume 1, Chapter 6</h4>

    A strong tinge of purple pervaded the streets of that Friday night, the buses that bore their maws towards the bus stop were expellingrge amounts of purple spots that stuck onto people¡¯s faces. During the red light, the purple spots gathered at the zebra crossing, flowing slowly. Why is it that the street isn¡¯t destroyed because of the bruises? I stood before the road, breathing in the pungent odor of the exhaust gas while thinking.

    ¡®¡­¡­ Narumi, how do you feel?¡¯

    Alice¡¯s voice came from the earphones stuck in my ears.

    ¡°I feel like puking.¡±

    My voice had probably spread out through the microphone hidden in my muffler. The knitted cap on my head looked like a strangely shaped pot, and a camera was set up inside it; I¡¯m starting to feel as if I¡¯m not a person anymore. If I¡¯m a robot, I would probably be able to get the repulsive feeling to disappear after pressing a button.

    ¡®If the repulsive feeling disappears, you won¡¯t be able toe back anymore. Listen, don¡¯t think about negative things, even thinking of the ice cream that Master made would be okay, as you¡¯ll be devoured by the drug.¡¯

    Alice¡¯s advice is just useless to me. The dry, bitter taste of Angel Fix is still lingering in my mouth. Because it was too bitter, I bit my mouth to hide the taste with blood, but it became more terrible instead. After a few minutes, I realized that using the taste of blood to hide the taste of the drug is already an abnormal thought, and a chill came upon my back. At this moment, the sense of wanting to puke came upon me once again.

    I¡¯m being devoured by the drug.

    ¡°¡­¡­ I just feel that my eyes are strange today, it¡¯s like I¡¯m looking at everything through an infrared camera. Why is everybody wearing masks? Is there a festival today?¡±

    ¡®Narumi, calm down, nobody¡¯s wearing masks.¡¯

    ¡®But¡­¡­¡±

    The green light lit up, and someone was pushing against my back. The masked crowd flowed from two sides of the road to the dark, murky river of the asphalt road. I was drawn into the crowd, and took a step forward.

    Tetsu-senpai and Hiro should be tailing me somewhere, and that¡¯s my only constion. If I couldn¡¯t even remember that, I¡¯ll probably just drown in the streets, not able to float ever again, right?

    Hiro was in charge of tailing the drug dealer.

    Tetsu-senpai, on the other hand, was in charge of¡ª collecting my corpse.

    Nobody knows if I will be able to find them, and I might just die in vain.

    The horns of the cars are making my ears hurt. Going past the zebra crossing, in the crowd, the piercing music in the pharmacy is hurting my ears, and my head hurts too, the repulsive feeling is bing stronger.

    ¡®Walk onto the slope from the street center, and wander around the Hotel Street.¡¯

    ¡°Alice, why are you gnashing your teeth? It¡¯s so noisy, stop that.¡±

    ¡® What are you talking about? I¡¯m not gnashing my teeth.¡¯

    I only noticed after Alice said that, the teeth gnashing sound was the footsteps of high heeled shoes of a college student beside me who looked like a woman. I knotted my brows, stopped walking and kept my distance with her. But it¡¯spletely useless, footsteps came from all around me. I covered my ears, almost kneeling on the ground. Damn it! Why do women in the street always wear high heeled shoes, hurry up and change into t ones!

    ¡®What¡¯s with you, Narumi? Am I talking too loudly?¡¯

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡­ nothing.¡±

    I used the back of my palm to wipe away the spit at the corner of my mouth and stood up again. The officedies gave me a look and passed by me. Never mind, it¡¯s just footsteps. I breathed in deeply, and held in the gastric acid that felt like it¡¯s burning in my throat. How much time has passed since I took the medicine? Probably just twenty minutes? Or has two weeks already passed, and it¡¯s just that I couldn¡¯t remember? Angel? It¡¯s just a repulsive feeling.

    While moaning, I walked to the west of the street center. I felt terrible when I passed through the yground, the flood of noises made me feel that I was shot at from the side by a thousand air guns.

    ¡®Vice Admiral Fujishima, please take note. Your blood pressure is rising rapidly.¡¯

    Major¡¯s voice came from the earphones. I ced my hand on my left wrist. Not only did Major set up cameras, microphones and earphones, he even installed things to measure my pulse, blood pressure and body temperature. I feel like I¡¯m a robot that¡¯s controlled from afar.

    ¡®Narumi, you¡¯re probably going to cross the boundary between reality and hallucination soon, you must think of something happy!¡¯

    Something happy?

    Three uniformed girls passed by my side while exiting a HMV Record Store. It¡¯s our school uniform. Happy moments in my memory¡ª

    ¡®Don¡¯t think of Ayaka!¡¯

    Alice sensed my thoughts with her acute intuition, and tried to stop me with her piercing voice. But she was toote. I was forced to relive the moments with Ayaka on the rooftop that day, the night skies were at the other side of the railing. Ayaka was at my side, and the watering can wettened my hand. Ayaka said: Just wait until springes¡­¡­ and then it changed to spring. The night skies were chased away, and my body was surrounded by a gentle, gold radiance¡­¡­

    What is this?

    I stood at the center of the crossroad, the road was surrounded by buildings full of colorful neon lights. Raising my head to look at the sky, I saw it.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Angel?¡±

    ¡®Narumi, what did you see? Whatever it is, just tell me, try to describe it, and don¡¯t just sink in the feeling.¡¯

    I squinted, hugging the streetlight, because it seemed like I would be flushed away by the radiance if I didn¡¯t do so.

    ¡°Alice, hey, have you ever looked at the surroundings from the centre of an explosion?¡±

    ¡®Sorry, but I¡¯m a hikikomori, so I¡¯ve never seen an explosion before. But even if I have a chance to see it in the future, I¡¯ll politely decline your rmendation of how to watch it.¡¯

    ¡°Really? Because that¡¯s what I¡¯m feeling right now.¡±

    I stretched out my hand towards a light particle. The sweet flow of electricity passed through my fingers, my head.

    ¡°Ahhhh¡­¡­¡±

    I let out my hot breath. From god knows when, the repulsive feeling and my headache vanished. The sensation that took their ce filled my skull, the power that melted the snow umted through the winter, the power that pulled the sun out from the surface of the sea during a new day. I knew what that power was called, everyone knew it, it¡¯s just that the people who couldn¡¯t see angels have forgotten about it.

    I thought, Toshi probably saw the same scene, huh? If that is so, then I¡¯ll forgive him. I¡¯ll forgive Ayaka who jumped off the school building without saying a word, because she just went to see the angels. You see, if you just stretch out your hands, angels are around us. Forgive those faceless, purple patients who are just swept through the night, they just don¡¯t know the existence and the name of this light.

    ¡°Alice, do you know what this is called?¡±

    Even my own mutterings turned into brilliant light particles, intercrossing with my white breathing and spreading out.

    ¡®I know, it¡¯s love. Love makes the world go round.¡¯

    The sweet voice of the young girl was quoting the lyrics from Bob Dn¡¯s songs, yes, it¡¯s love. Before Dn gave it to us, he might not have known about its name, too. But we know, its name is love, so I am definitely not letting go.

    ¡®Narumi, but you¡¯re looking for another song, remember? It¡¯s Knockin¡¯ on Heaven¡¯s Door¡¯.¡¯

    Hearing Alice¡¯s words, I remembered. That¡¯s right, I¡¯ve forgotten. I have to search for heaven¡¯s door.

    I need to meet Ayaka.

    I stepped on the surface of the night river, every step turned into a ripple and spread to the whole world. The whole world is beckoning to me, saying that they exist because of me, and that we are one and the same. I raised my fist to the sky that was raining feathers of the angels, and felt that I had to sing. I was born for this moment, to ept the guidance of the rays of love, walk up the slope, and open the doors to heaven. Listen, there¡¯s a faint sound of the plucking of a guitar. The hostels arranged side by side are pces of gold, the sounds of footsteps, noises, the sounds of the engines of cars further away, the sounds of thousands of the outer unit of air conditioners, the sound of wet breathing due to lust, all of thembined into a chorus of holy music, getting close to Dn¡¯s husky voice.

    ¡® Knockin¡¯ on heaven¡¯s door¡­¡­¡¯

    I heard it. I could really hear it. In the tens of thousands of music that were gently caressing me, I could differentiate Dn¡¯s music. I found Dn¡¯s singing voice.

    ¡°¡­¡­ I found it.¡±

    At the instant when I was murmuring to myself, joy that was close to mncholy gushed out from my mouth and my ears, then sttered onto my skin.

    The man was leaning against the steel door that looked sticky and filthy because of spray paint, and gradually squatted down. His head was lowered, and he tapped his knees to the tempo of the holy music with earphones on his ears.

    ¡®Narumi, you found him? Really?¡¯

    Don¡¯t you know? Can¡¯t you see it? Shining wings are clearly drawn on both of the man¡¯s cheeks, it¡¯s so dazzling, too.

    ¡®Narumi, answer me if you¡¯ve found him, and don¡¯t get any closer!¡¯

    The voice of the young girl resounded in my ears. With my hands on the wall of the hostel, I slowly walked towards the angel. It felt just like stepping on clouds. Very soon I¡¯m going to reach him, very soon.

    ¡®Tetsu, catch hold of Narumi, and don¡¯t get caught! Hiro, you know it, right? He¡¯s the one who¡¯s wearing a leather jacket and squatting down with earphones on. You can¡¯t get caught by him! And don¡¯t let him run away! Narumi! Narumi! Get a hold of yourself!¡¯

    I pulled off the noisy earphone. The song of the angel flowed directly into my mind. This is the music of the song Knockin¡¯ on Heaven¡¯s Door. I¡¯ll get there soon. Soon I¡¯ll be able to see Ayaka again. Just as I was about to stretch out my hand, someone fiercely caught hold of my shoulders.

    Let go! Let go of me!

    I struggled until my wrist almost broke off. He¡¯s flying away, the angel is flying away. The door that was opening soon is closing. I clutched the asphalt road with my fingers, not noticing that I was lying on the ground. That¡¯s why the ray of light is above me, until darkness and the long, dark clouds gradually covered up my eyelids. I repeatedly knocked on heaven¡¯s door, again and again, again and again, knocked and knocked¡­¡­

    *

    I think everyone has thought at least once when they were little, why do humans continue to live, because there isn¡¯t a simple and clear answer written in the textbooks of this country (An answer existed in the past, but was burned down during the Second World War and the copse of the economy).

    Some people made a simple conclusion, that is to obtain happiness, and then stopped thinking about it; while the people who couldn¡¯t stop thinking about it realized that this answer is just another way of phrasing the question, and in the end they sank deeper into the swamp of questions.

    Some people were already satisfied with the answer on the P.E textbook during high school, the three main requirements of humans, a meaningless answer; And some people even answered it in a cycle¡ª living is to search for the meaning of our existence; there were also some people who started to read philosophical books just so that they could have a cool answer if they were asked, but in the end stopped after they read the first paragraph of the forth page, andpletely forgot about the question.

    I am not any of those people.

    Before I became an awkward high school student, I was a not so awkward middle school student. Those days, I skipped school before, and pondered about the question while sitting beside the riverbank.

    Because we don¡¯t want to die¡ª that was the only possible answer I could think of. Though this answered the question ¡®Why do humans want to live¡¯, it still couldn¡¯t answer the question ¡®What do humans live for¡¯. At least I still knew that when I was in middle school.

    Apart from that, I had a strong suspicion for the definition that to live means that you haven¡¯t died yet. That¡¯s because I knew that another type of iprehensible people who exists in this world¡ª those who aren¡¯t dead, but aren¡¯t really living either, for instance my father. From the day when my mom passed away because of an ident, it was like a part of my father was brought to a different world. This is one of the rare things that I agree with my sister. After that, father was almost never at home, and just mailed us money for our daily expenses.

    As long as you are living, you can¡¯t evade death. Some people could only reach this conclusion after a whole life of ignorance, so I, who understood this just by observing my rtives, am actually quite lucky.

    If there is no meaning to life, then why do we live? I, who was still thirteen at that time, was wearing my uniform with wet pants as the grassynd beside the river was wet with dew. After that day, I didn¡¯t take any step forward.

    But there is one thing that I can be sure of.

    There wouldn¡¯t be any answer no matter how I thought. Even if there¡¯s a form for solving problems, there are too many unknowns. But if I understood, it would probably a split second understanding, just like being struck by lightning.

    But what would I be after that?

    Would I still be myself?

    *

    When I woke up, I felt an extended, severe pain.

    When I tried to open my eyes, there was an ufortable resistance like I was trying to pick away a scab.

    It¡¯s so bright. The piercing lights hurt my eyes.

    There seemed to be a shadow in front of me. What is is?

    I didn¡¯t realize after quite some time that the shadow was the upside down face of a young girl.

    ¡°Narumi, wee back.¡±

    The young girl was smiling, her ck hair sliding from her shoulders onto my neck.

    I tried to sit, and felt the pain of my stiff back tightening. I frowned.

    I was sleeping on the bed in Alice¡¯s room, surrounded by the ck machines on the wall, the sound of the fan turning and the cold artificial air.

    It was obviously extremely cold, but there wasn¡¯t even a small reaction from my body.

    I looked at my palms, feeling that this isn¡¯t my body. I have obviously seen my skin and the wrinkles on it for thousands of times, but if you just lifted the thinyer of skin, it would feel like it is filled with an unknown liquid. That is what I felt at that moment.

    Then, where did my body go?

    `My soul¡ª where did it vanish to?

    I thought of the moment I saw the angel, the moment that it fused with the stunningly radiant world. Even so, all of that have vanished.

    No.

    They did not vanish.

    ¡°How do you feel¡­¡­ What a stupid question!¡±

    Alice murmured behind me.

    Asking me how I feel? Do you even need to ask?

    Terrible.

    My head didn¡¯t hurt, and I didn¡¯t feel repulsive, even the pain in my teeth vanished, and I couldn¡¯t even feel the cold. But, but¡ª

    I understood.

    I didn¡¯t even have to think about it. What have Toshi said to me at that moment? I think it¡¯s something like the reason that we continue to live is to stimte our nerves. But why did Toshi, the person who was directly stimted by the angels, and I feel so terrible? That quite clear, it¡¯s because Toshi¡¯s answer isn¡¯t the answer. Stimting our nerves for the sense offort is only a part of living, the pleasure is our goal and not just a trick, it¡¯s one of the reasons of the error in the form of its design. The one who I am right now¡ª the one who had been guided by the angel have seen that form. The variable of the red pills giving pleasure, it¡¯s just a simple calction, everyone knows the answer for that, everyone knows.

    The answer is zero.

    There is absolutely no meaning to life.

    Even breathing and heartbeats could make people feel painful, I tightly held the nket, my shoulders shaking, trying to contain the pain. No, why am I containing it? It¡¯ll be okay if I just stop, stop breathing, stop the flow of blood, stop thinking about everything. If the statement that people continue to live because they don¡¯t want to die is true, then the opposite must be correct as well.

    If only I would stop.

    ¡°¡ª Your request has already beenpleted, right?¡±

    It was Alice¡¯s voice. I turned my head over.

    I finally realized that Alice was not wearing pajamas, but a ck dress. The darkness thatcked luster wrapped her whole body, even her gloves were ck. She wore a bo, and a thin veil covered her entire face.

    They were clothes for people in mourning.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Request?¡±

    ¡°You gave me a request, right? It¡¯s because you wanted to know the true reason for Ayaka¡¯s suicide. You already know now, so the request has beenpleted, isn¡¯t that right?

    ¡°Wha¡­¡­¡±

    Looking at the back of Alice¡¯s shoulder, a switched offputer screen reflected my face¡ª a raised, crooked face. There wasn¡¯t even a hint of anger on it. The face looked like it belonged to a dead person, reddish ck markings surfaced below the eyes, as if it was drawn onto the face with charcoal.

    ¡°¡­¡­ ah, AAHHH!¡±

    I remember this face, I¡¯ve remembered. On that freezing dawn, blood spread in the garden, Ayaka who stared at the skies with ck eyes, there were those same markings on that face.

    The reason for Ayaka¡¯s suicide.

    I¡¯ve understood.

    Alice have said before this, there is absolutely no mystery concerning Ayaka¡¯s suicide, so I don¡¯t need to think why she wanted to die. As Alice have said, I don¡¯t need to think at all. The thoughts and emptiness in my heart are the answer.

    Because Ayaka knew it too.

    Living is meaningless.

    ¡°To exin in a scientific way¡­¡­¡±

    Alice said. The fuzzy face of the young girl gradually became clearer.

    ¡°Bruises like that appearing is a sign of being allergic to the contents of Angel Fix. There are some people who are not suited to taking the drug. Both you and Ayaka are this type of people, it¡¯s that simple. The signs of allergy would cause a strong sense of emptiness after the hallucinations fade, do you understand? What you are feeling right now is only a horrendous hallucination caused by the drug, that might be the facts but not the truth.¡±

    So¡­¡­ So what?

    Alice shifted her gaze away from me, as if she was pained.

    ¡°Another way of saying that would be, it is not the truth¡­¡­ but the facts. I know that this exnation is utterly meaningless. The despair and happiness that you felt, all of them are chemical reactions that are released by your nervous system due to the drug.¡±

    Is that so¡­¡­ Utterly meaningless. So all of our emotions: anger, sadness, happiness and emptiness, all of them are chemical reactions.

    So, all of them are true facts.

    ¡°The drug would amplify all your emotions, no matter how tiny your regret is, or even the guilt because of the sin of nting the flowers. Even if it isn¡¯t deliberate, there is no room for negotiation in front of the drug. In front of the facts, the truth could only stay silent. So¡­¡­¡±

    The dark eyes gazed at me.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say anything to stop you.¡±

    I gazed at the small, pale pink mouth.

    ¡°If you n to change into that, I have no power to stop you. However¡­¡­¡±

    The folded paper that was held in Alice¡¯s hands, is the will that Alice forced me to write the day that I decided to take the Angel Fix. At that moment, I waspletely clueless to the reason that Alice asked me to write it, so the contents in it were only hastily scribbled things.

    The one who wrote the will is not the person that I am now.

    ¡°But, I will definitely tell people about you. Telling people that you did indeed exist, telling them you were brave, telling them you finished the thing that you should do.¡±

    The thing I should do.

    The thing I should do?

    The sound of an opening door came from behind me.

    ¡°Hey! Alice! Why did you tell Yondaime!¡±

    It was Tetsu-senpai¡¯s furious voice. I turned around and met his gaze, and senpai who was about to walk into the room was taken aback, his whole body stiff.

    ¡°Narumi, so you¡¯re awake? Are you okay?¡±

    I weakly nodded.

    ¡°Has Hiro brought his car? We can¡¯t let Yondaime wait for so long, he¡¯ll be anxious. Let¡¯s go!¡±

    ¡°Alice, you¡¯re going too?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you understand after seeing my clothes? Yondaime can¡¯t be stopped if I don¡¯t go.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡­ Oi! Why did you tell Yondaime? The people from Hirasaka-gumi already surrounded their hideout, and would probably ughter everyone inside.¡±

    Ah, Toshi and the others were found?

    That¡¯s right, I ate the Angel Fix because of this I¡¯ve already forgotten about it. Now that I think about it, it felt like it happened a lifetime ago.

    Finished the thing that I should do.

    So what?

    Alice crawled to my side and walked down from the bed.

    ¡°There is a business contract between Yondaime and I. As a detective, I am responsible for providing all information about Fix. Furthermore, there¡¯s at least seven to eight people at their side, right? Anyhow, we must borrow the strength of Hirasaka-gumi.

    ¡°But¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°That is why I gave them a condition, they can¡¯t take action before I appear. I assure you, I have a n, and wouldn¡¯t let them do anything to Toshi.¡±

    Unsatisfied, Tetsu-senpai sank into a silence and walked out of the room.

    Alice turned around.

    Half of my face was buried in the pillow, but I felt her gaze through the ck veil.

    ¡°All of this is because of your contribution. To me, the things that happen after that are just gifts for our satisfaction, but to you¡­¡­ There¡¯s probably no difference, right?¡±

    No difference.

    ¡°¡­¡­ I¡¯m going out. You can just continue to sleep here if you want to, and if you want to jump off a building, please walk further to your right, move the rack and then you can open the windows to jump out of it. But it¡¯s just the third floor here, so it¡¯s not guaranteed that your attempt would be sessful.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Are you going?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve said so already, didn¡¯t I? I want to know why Ayaka wanted to jump from the school rooftop. Toshi and Hakamizaka should know something. For this reason, and only for this reason, I¡¯m doing things to this extent, even though it¡¯s meaningless even after I know it.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Are you just leaving me here?¡±

    I slowly got up, my voice like the buzzing of a mosquito. Alice tilted her head at me slightly.

    ¡°Do you want to go with me? Why? You really don¡¯t need to go along with my self-satisfaction.¡±

    I shook my head. I don¡¯t really want to follow her, and actually don¡¯t want to go anywhere or do anything. But¡­¡­

    ¡°Then¡ª¡°

    ¡°¡­¡­ Go yourself!¡±

    Alice¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you not to leave me alone and go yourself!¡±

    A hoarse shout came out from my throat.

    ¡°Always looking like you know everything, triumphantly saying all those devious things, but couldn¡¯t you understand such a simple thing if I didn¡¯t say so?¡±

    I didn¡¯t know why I was so angry, but was only venting my emotions, which felt like pieces of hot, scorching irons, on the fuzzy shadow in front of me.

    ¡°Just order me around as usual! Can¡¯t you see that I can¡¯t recover by my own? I feel all empty inside, and can¡¯t go anywhere! Just give me any order! If not, I- I- I¡­¡­¡±

    I tightly held the side of the bed, and coughed violently like I was squeezing out all the air inside of my body, and my bones felt as if they were all shattering. But, my body is already useless anyways. These hands, these feet, all of them are useless, and can¡¯t help anyone anymore. So no matter what, even if they be rotten, just pretend that they don¡¯t exist from the start. If even these people forgot about me¡ª

    A cold hand was ced on my neck.

    My body had a spasm, it was like the cold hand was absorbing heat, suppressing my trembling lungs, shoulders and heart.

    ¡°¡ª That¡¯s true, your request has already beenpleted¡­¡­ But you haven¡¯t given me my payment yet.¡±

    I bore the pain that felt as if my skin was being torn off, and raised my head. The first thing that I saw was Alice¡¯s smile that was framed with her ck hair that was flowing like a river.

    ¡°Then just work till you drop, because you¡¯re my assistant! Your hands, your legs, your eyes, your ears, your throat, your nails, your teeth, your tongue, and even yourst drop of blood¡­¡­¡±

    The diminutive queen pointed at my forehead lightly with her index finger.

    ¡°¡ª all of them are now my property.¡±

    *

    Gazing at the skies from the back seat of the car, I could see the crimson sun setting.

    Hiro sat on the driver¡¯s seat and said: ¡°You slept for about fifteen hours already.¡± Tetsu-senpai sat on the front leat, while Alice was stuck in the middle of Major and I. Alice tightly hugged her baby bear plushie that was somewhat smaller than her mocha bear, and was called Lyril. The blue foreign car set out with its back to the road beside the river, bringing an entric group of five and a bear, only the translucent, white moon was chasing us.

    ¡°I¡¯ve contacted Narumi¡¯s family. They weren¡¯t worried at all. By the way, do remember to introduce your sister to me after this.¡±

    Almost at the same time, Tetsu-senapi pulled Hiro¡¯s hair while Major aimed a kick at the driver¡¯s seat. But I didn¡¯tugh. After Hiro said that, I remembered fuzzily, so I have family. I just feel that thest time I went home, it was already three years ago.

    During our journey, Alice didn¡¯t say even one word. Hugging her plushie until even her fingernails turned deathly white, Alice was even sweating cold sweat.

    Well, this girl is a hikikomori, after all. Why must she go out even so? It was obvious that she could just hand it to Yondaime and Tetsu-senpai, and the matter would end.

    While looking at the moon, I thought, this problem is going to end soon.

    Meeting Ayaka¡ª when was that again? It was on November. January is going to end soon, so we¡¯ve known each other for about three months now. If I would describe this with old-fashioned terms, I would say that it was like I had a long dream.

    Everything had a sense of emptiness before I closed my eyes, so would it be even emptier after waking up?

    It¡¯s going to end soon.

    The car swayed with force and stopped.

    Themercial street without much business going on¡ª there were a noodle shop, a photo shop, a bicycle shop and a pet store. It¡¯s just five in the evening, and they¡¯ve already closed. It was just a five minute trip from the station, but it was so deserted that you couldn¡¯t imagine that they¡¯re in the same district.

    At the parking lot that was so big that it doesn¡¯t match with the destemercial street, there gathered young men who were wearing ck T-shirts with a swallowtail butterfly emblem printed on it. Hiro parked the car at the side of the parking lot.

    ¡°Ane-san, thanks for your hard work!¡±

    ¡°Thanks for your hard work.¡±

    Tens of vicious-looking yakuza shonens bowed to the young girl who walked down of the car with a plushie in her hands, and the scene was dyed orange by the setting sun. At this instant, I saw a supernatural scene that isn¡¯t strange even if the world ended.

    ¡°Aniki, thanks for your hard work too.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard, aniki gambled with his life to find this ce.¡±

    ¡°As expected of aniki.¡±

    Rocky and Pole surrounded me. I shifted my gaze and shook my head. I didn¡¯t do anything, and can¡¯t do anything as well.

    The wolf donning a crimson jacket separated the members of Hirasaka-gumi and came closer to us.

    ¡°Is it okay for you to go out¡­¡­¡±

    Yondaime looked at Alice with his head lowered, saying with a worried look on his face.

    ¡°Of course it¡¯s not okay, can¡¯t you see after seeing this?¡±

    Using the plushie to cover over half of her face, Alice was still determined to say those annoying words even though her hands were trembling slightly.

    ¡°Why are you deliberatelying out? It¡¯s the same with thatst incident, you alwayse out when things areing to an end.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m a NEET detective. No matter how arrogantly I leaned on an armchair, telling you my assumptions, I still have to fill my hands full of blood in the end. If I didn¡¯t do so, I would onlye into contact with the world of the dead forever.¡±

    Alice said with a pained voice, her lips turning purple. I didn¡¯t understand what she was saying. Yondaime ced his hand on his forehead and shaked his head.

    ¡°We¡¯ve surrounded them, but not even one person came out. However, it was so quiet in there since an hour ago that it makes people feel ufortable.¡±

    Yondaime used his chin to point at the four-storey building beside the parking lot.

    ¡°Have you entered it?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that I can¡¯t enter? We¡¯ve confirmed that there¡¯s at least six people in there. Hey! So we can attack right now, right? You should remember that we¡¯ve waited for a few hours already.¡±

    ¡°No, Toshi is our partner.¡±

    ¡°Do you think I would specially forgive anyone?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so, so¡­¡­¡± Alice hid behind Tetsu-senpai. ¡°So Tetsu will ept Judgment in ce of Toshi.¡±

    A shocked expression appeared on Tetsu-senpai¡¯s face. He heaved a sigh after his body stiffened for awhile.

    ¡°Saying something like ¡®I¡¯ve got a n¡¯¡­¡­ So that¡¯s how it is.¡±

    Like they¡¯ve confirmed with each other in advance, Yondaime sighed too.

    The said Judgment of Hirasaka-gumi is really just a fight.

    ¡°Oioioioi! Sou-san and Tetsu-san are having a fight to the finish!¡±

    ¡°How¡¯s the results right?¡±

    ¡°Forty three wins, forty nine losses, and three draws.¡±

    ¡°Then isn¡¯t the result clear already?¡±

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll bet five thousand on Sou-san.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll bet ten thousand on Tetsu-san!¡± ¡°You traitor!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no choice, how could the bet continue if I don¡¯t do that?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, toughen up a bit, Tetsu-san.¡±

    The ck shirted men suddenly started a bet.

    ¡°Oi! You guys¡ª¡± Yondaime hurriedly tried to stop them, but it was toote. They¡¯ve already decided on the dealer, and started to bet. Yondaime¡¯s followers formed a human wall, forming a temporary boxing ring at the center of the parking lot. Alice sneakily walked away from Tetsu-senpai¡¯s back, and only senpai and Yondaime were left in the centre to face each other.

    ¡°Oh, forget it. This type of idiotic end is just our style.¡±

    Senpaiughed wryly while tying bandages on his fists.

    With a bitter face, Yondaime bit back the words that he was going to say, took of his jacket and threw it behind him.

    ¡°Sou-san, please use your secret technique!¡± ¡°Tetsu-san, I¡¯m leaving my ten thousand to you!¡±

    Theckey¡¯s rough cheering inteced together. I was dumbfounded for a moment because of the idiotic end. Alice pulled the hem of my jacket.

    ¡°Narumi, we¡¯re going in, so don¡¯t space out. Major, hurry up and open the lock.¡±

    ¡°Ehhh? But Tetsu-senpai is stil¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you even have to ask? That¡¯s just a diversion. If you really wait until Yondaime goes in, he won¡¯t hear anyone¡¯s words.¡±

    Major was already taking out the tools for opening the lock. Yondaime¡¯s voice echoed over. So we¡¯ve still been noticed huh?

    ¡°Oi! Alice! You let me wait for so long, and then you¡¯re going in by yourself?¡±

    Alice slowly turned over and pointed at Yondaime.

    ¡°Oh? You¡¯re not giving up on the God¡¯s Judgment that has already started, are you?¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡­¡±

    Tetsu-senpai, who had already prepared his battle stance, smiled wryly while shortening his distance with Yondaime. Yondaime could only unwillingly raise his fists.

    ¡°Oi! You guys go too!¡± Yondaime ordered his followers beside him while keeping his eyes on Tetsu-senpai.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Eh? No no no, this match really can¡¯t be missed.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll regret it forever if we missed it.¡±

    ¡°My ten thousand.¡±

    ¡°Shut up! You idiots hurry up and go! If only they went in, what if something happens?¡±

    At the instant when the steel door was pried open, a strange smell rushed over and stimted our senses¡ª it was the smell of a type of nt, the choking, bitter and fresh smell of a nt. It was a familiar smell to me. Among the ten other people who went into the building, only I was familiar with the smell, as though it was still lingering in my mouth. As soon as we entered, we saw a cramped, dusty hall, and quite a few ragged sofas piled at a corner, as if it was an abandoned hospital.

    ¡°Alice, why don¡¯t you just wait in the car?¡±

    Hiro said in a low murmur. Alice pressed her bear forcefully onto my back, and shook her head while holding on to me. I turned my head over, and I could see that she looked even more terrible than just now.

    ¡°Do you want me to continue livingpletely withouting in contact with this world? Don¡¯t joke with me.¡±

    The ck shirted men passed by us an ran to the stairs.

    ¡°Four of you search the first floor.

    ¡°Can be just beat them up if we see anyone?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re being too aggressive!¡±

    Footsteps echoed in the building.

    I looked at my palm again. The feeling of being cut open both physically and mentally is still lingering in my body. The feeling will never disappear now. Do I have to continue to live, being imprisoned in a body that is not mine? Being unable to use my own hand to touch any object.

    The basement was arge, cubical space. There were facilities for factories used for manufacturing set up in the whole of the building. Walking down the stairs, the appearance of the factory could be seen from the handrail. The machines arranged side by side with its back to the walls were likerge fridges, sandbags were carelessly piled up at a corner, the table was full of test tubes, and the shing fluorescent light lit up the room ufortably. Water kept dripping into the sink from the open tap. The air of the basement was filled with a familiar smell. Hiro, Major and the ck shirted men frowned, used their sleeves to cover their noses, and walked down the stairs.

    ck sofas that had their legs cut off were arranged in a line as a recement for a beds, and quite a few men were stacked together on it.

    It was like an elephant had a rampage in the room, as quite a few racks were lying down on the floor. A man used his white robe as a nket, sitting on a nted rack, tiredly leaning his back against the bare cement wall, while fragments of ss were scattered around his feet.

    ¡°Heh¡­¡­¡±

    The man slowly raised his head, looked at me¡ª no, Alice, who was behind me, and showed us a disgusting smile. He was very much different from my memory of his appearance, and also the photos that Alice found. His hair so long that it touched his cor, his face was sunken, while his widened eyes behind his sses looked like they almost dropped out.

    But I immediately knew that he was Hakamizaka Shirou.

    ¡°What a delicate angel. Are you Alice?¡±

    Hakamizakaughed piercingly at the faraway ceiling.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard about you from Shinozaki¡­¡­ You¡¯re really a child. I¡¯ve never thought that you would find us so quickly, it¡¯s so delightful.¡±

    Hiro pushed me away and went closer to Hakamizaka to ask: ¡°Hey! Where¡¯s Toshi?¡±

    ¡°Probably somewhere over there! He took quite a lot too, I¡¯m not sure if he¡¯s alive or dead. Hmph, of course, we, ourselves, should enjoy ourst stocks.¡±

    A chill came over my back.

    This guy is hopeless.

    All of the things in this room has already died.

    Hiro and two back shirted men walked past the fallen racks and tables, and walked towards the room. Moans came from a sandbag nearby.

    ¡°Toshi! Hey! Toshi! Get a hold of yourself! Can you puke them out? Hurry up and throw up!¡±

    Hiro said in a pained voice.

    ¡°Oi! Get some water here.¡±

    It was the flustered footsteps of the ck shirted men. Hakamizaka looked at the smallmotion andughed through his nose.

    Alice tightly held my arms.

    ¡°Hakamizaka Shirou, do you think that your experiment has seeded?¡±

    Facing Alice¡¯s questions, Hakamizaka raised his eyebrow.

    ¡°Of course it¡¯s a sess, doesn¡¯t it seem like a sess to you? Haven¡¯t everyone seen the real world? An in reality, some people had been taken away by the angels too. Angel Fix used its own power to form a spreading system cycle, could other medicine do this? Only I did it! Thus, my experiment is a sess! I¡¯ve seeded!¡±

    The ufortableughter that was like the sounds of someone scratching his back came again. I don¡¯t want to hear him talk, and don¡¯t want to even hear his voice anyone. Anyone, just hurry up and take him away.

    But Alice asked again.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Do you think Ayaka is a sessful case too?¡±

    ¡°Ayaka?¡±

    ¡°Toshi¡¯s sister.¡±

    Hakamizaka¡¯s eyes lost its focus.

    ¡°Ahhh¡­¡­ That couldn¡¯t be helped. She realized the truth of the flowers, and said that she was going to call the police, so I could only force her to take the pills. Now¡­¡­ She fell into aa¡­¡­ right?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve forced her to take it?¡± Major jumped onto the rack, grabbing Hakamizaka¡¯s cor.

    `	¡°So what? Not taking it is a sin.¡±

    Hakamizaka¡¯s answer started to be garbled.

    ¡°Alice, can I try the interrogation methods of the People¡¯s Liberation Army on him?¡±

    ¡°Major, stop that. Don¡¯t dirty your knife with his flesh and blood.¡±

    I subconsciously held Alice¡¯s hand tightly.

    It¡¯s a simple thing, there¡¯s no mystery.

    Ayaka was just unable to take the hallucinations brought by the drug anymore, so she jumped off the building.

    It¡¯s that simple.

    The Fix amplified her guilt for nting the flowers that were used as the raw material that were used for manufacturing the drug, causing Ayaka to be engulfed by her own guilt.

    Hakamizaka¡¯s voice echoed in my empty mind.

    ¡°I feel sorry for her too, as I didn¡¯t mean to kill her at first.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯re saying you didn¡¯t mean to kill here?¡± Major interrupted with a livid voice. Even so, Hakamizaka continued to mutter.

    ¡°Shinozaki was a good girl. She thought that I¡¯m a specialist of poppy flowers, and chatted happily with me about gardening. I¡¯ve nned to give her money as payment, but she only said that it¡¯s okay if I gave her flowers¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Flowers?¡±

    Alice took half a step out from my back.

    ¡°Ayaka said that she wanted flowers?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. She said that she needed a lot of the same flower, so from the time she started to nt, she¡¯ve probably nted about a thousand or so?¡±

    ¡°What flower is it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a weed called long-headed poppy, quite a nice flower! She had the same interest as me. It¡¯s a pity that she went to hell. asionally, there would be people who mistake the angel as a reaper, those people are not qualified to pass through the radiant door.¡±

    Hakamizaka¡¯s red at me.

    ¡°¡­¡­ You¡¯re the same¡­¡­ You took the pills, right? Haha, it¡¯s as I¡¯ve said. It¡¯s such a pity, but unlike you, I¡¯ll be taken to the heavens!¡±

    His words chilled me to the marrows.

    As Hakamizaka have said, I felt regret.

    I couldn¡¯t reach the light, and couldn¡¯t catch the angel¡¯s hand. I have already lost it, and I will never have the chance ever again. What took its ce is an emptiness that was like a dry darkness sticking to my hands.

    ¡°You¡­¡­ What do you want to do?¡±

    I really don¡¯t need to ask, but my mouth acted without permission. Hakamizaka¡¯s eyebrows twitched like a mutated organism.

    ¡°Having seen it with your own eyes, shouldn¡¯t you already understand? Get it? There¡¯s a door at the other side of the dazzling whirlwind, it¡¯s a heavy door made of mahogany, and is always open for about two centimeters, and you could see the other side from there.¡±

    Hakamizaka¡¯s screeching voice became even more high-pitched.

    ¡°It¡¯s nighttime, an eternal night. It is like Greece from four thousand and five hundred years ago. The time forms a cycle, and flows eternally. The moon shines on the bricks that were corroded and mottled because of the sea breeze, and everyone are singing side by side on the pure white beach. I¡¯ve tried to put my fingers onto the door, but I was dragged back here every time. I couldn¡¯t reach it, as it couldn¡¯t be reached without a pile of corpses below me. I¡¯ll definitely be able to this time, this, time, definitely¡­¡­¡±

    I wanted to retort, but a fluffy thing was stuffed into my hands, interrupting my words. After handing the plushie to me, Alice walked out from my back. She walked to the gap between the fallen racks, reached the ce where Hakamizaka was at and stared at his face.

    ¡°Can you see me? Who do I look like?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Angel¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, I¡¯ve seen God¡¯s Notepad. I saw the namelist that consists of a hundred and forty thousand and four thousand people, but I didn¡¯t see your name on in.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Liar!¡±

    ¡°God did not summon you to his country, and didn¡¯t even record your name. Just pass yourst moments in this warm darkness! That is the eternal punishment that you deserve.¡±

    ¡°LIAR! LI- AR!¡±

    Hakamizaka¡¯s head sagged to the other side, his starkly pale Adam¡¯s apple was visible in the darkness.

    In the silence that was mixed with noise, Alice turned her head over. Her ck dress fused with the darkness, and only her white face was faintly visible behind her veil.

    ¡°¡­¡­ What did you say to him?¡± Major said with a tiny voice that was almost like the sound of him breathing.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything, because he made me angry, so I just said some empty words to upset the drug addict. How could we let these people off the hook?¡±

    Alice returned to my side, and snatched away her doll from me, who was at a loss. She returned to my back again, and tightly held the sleeve of my shirt.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go! Narumi, things have ended now.¡±

    A low murmur came from behind me.

    ¡°All the clues have lined up in a straight line, there¡¯s nothing left to see here. Just let Hirasaka-gumi handle the rest. My work is done, and there¡¯s no room for a detective right now.¡±

    *

    At the center of the parking lot that was dyed purple due to the setting sun, Yondaime and Tetsu-senpai sat face to face with their foreheads and fists close together. I really have no idea what they¡¯re doing. The two probably had a huge fight, huh? A few red scratches could be seen on their face, and their clothes were filthy. The bodyguards Rocky and Pole went closer to look, as if they were worried. When we had a closer look, we finally realized that they were finger wrestling.

    ¡°You guys are still at it¡­¡­¡±

    Alice said with a surprised tone.

    ¡°You¡¯re the one who told us to fight!¡±

    ¡°I will not give up so easily! You hit me about three punches more!¡±

    Sounds of footsteps entered the parking lot, interrupting Yondaime and Tetsu-senpai¡¯s extended match. Yondaime showed us a ferocious expression, patted away the sand on his knees and stood up.

    Rocky asked: ¡°So- Sou-san isn¡¯t going to continue, what about the bet?¡± and was immediately beaten up by Yondaime! ¡°Shut up!¡±

    Almost all the members of Hirasaka-gumi who went into the building had came back. Major and Hiro were there, and even Toshi, who was leaning on Hiro¡¯s elbow, was present.

    Yondaime asked: ¡°¡­¡­ So?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s eight people in total. There weren¡¯t anyone above the second floor, but almost all of them lost consciousness because of the drug. The only person who could talk is this guy.¡± One of the ck shirted men pointed at Toshi with his chin.

    ¡°Have you called the ambnce yet?¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    Yondaime nodded. I thought, surprised: So he really will save people?

    One of theckeys said quietly to me: ¡°It¡¯s useless to hit the drug addicts who lost consciousness. We¡¯ll have to wait till they¡¯re out of the hospital to beat them up.¡± What a polite yakuza shonen.

    ¡°Then what about Toshi? Stop your meaningless fight.¡±

    Yondaime shouted angrily at Hiro. Hiro shut his mouth, and slowly ced Toshi¡¯s body onto the asphalt road.

    Toshi was crying.

    His eyes seemed that they¡¯re conscious. His sses were crooked, face swollen, saliva and tears flowing to his chin, and he was muttering to himself.

    Do you have any right to cry? It was as though a viscous, cold magma-like liquid flowed into my empty body.

    ¡°Why¡­¡­ Why did you save me? Just leave me alone¡­¡­¡±

    I could hear Toshi¡¯s mutterings. Didn¡¯t you ask us to save you yourself? Are you joking?

    Yondaime red at Alice, who was behind me.

    ¡° ¡®Your fists do not exist just to punch these pitiful people¡¯, don¡¯t try to tell me meaningless stuff like this.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t say them. I don¡¯t hate decay as much as I hate ignorance, but I still hate it. But Yondaime, is revenge really that important to you? Would your world copse if you don¡¯t take an eye for eye, and a tooth for a tooth?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± Yondaime immediately answered: ¡°Don¡¯t ask questions that you already know the answer for, there¡¯s nothing more important in my world than revenge.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right! This is really a dumb question.¡±

    Alice looked as if she was smiling.

    ¡°But Yondaime, even so, revenge is not your mission this time. Do you get what I mean?¡±

    A shocked expression suddenly appeared on Yondaime¡¯s face, which turned into anger. In the end, he heaved a sigh and calmed down, scratching his head while saying:

    ¡°Ah¡ª Oh¡ª So that¡¯s how it is. Damn it, you really are a troublesome person. I get it, I get it! I¡¯ll just get back.¡±

    Finally, the wolf gazed at me.

    Putting on his jacket again, Yondaime turned his back to us.

    ¡°Gardening Club kid, there¡¯s no time to ask anymore. Settle things before the ambnce is here.¡±

    His words were like a signal, Tetsu-senpai and the ck shirted men, everyone kept their distance from me. Me? Why me?

    ¡°Narumi!¡±

    Alice, who stuck to my back, muttered.

    ¡°Just ask if you have anything to ask him, and just say if you have something to say. This is your request, so you should end things.¡±

    And then the temperature of her body left my side.

    The only people in the center of the circle were me, and the squatting Toshi.l

    Something I want to ask?

    Ayaka¡­¡­ Did she have anyst words?

    Do I really want to know these kind of things? Don¡¯t I already know the answer? She was blinded by the drug, so it¡¯s impossible for her to think of me. If she have thought, if she had thought about me¡ª

    She shouldn¡¯t just leave without saying anything.

    ¡°Oi, Narumi¡­¡­ Give me the pills. There should be some there¡­¡­ right? I¡¯ve just puked them all out¡­¡­ st¡­¡­¡±

    Toshi¡¯s unpleasant mutterings were like bubbles that popped out from the bottom of mud, jumping on the surface of my consciousness, causing me to be nauseous.

    ¡°I can¡¯t go on any more anyways¡­¡­Just let me die. Trash like me- like me- is- is already¡­¡­¡±

    I don¡¯t have anything to ask, or anything I want to know. Even so, even so¡­¡­

    ¡°¡­¡­ stand up!¡±

    My voice was garbled. It¡¯s just a simple sentence, but it made pain course through my windpipe. Toshi looked at me as if he was about to melt.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you to stand up.¡±

    Toshi was lying down unmoving on the asphalt road. I grabbed the back of his cor, and forcefully made him stand up. His body was so light that it¡¯s scary.

    ¡°Narumi, do you need the bandages?¡±

    Tetsu-senpai said behind me. I turned over and shook my head.

    After that, I faced Toshi again, took half a step back, twisted my hips and punched.

    At the instant when the punchnded on Toshi¡¯s face, the bones of my fingers and my wristmented in agony, the numbing pain echoed in my skull. Toshi spitted out saliva that was mixed with blood and copsed, lying down at the foot of the members of Hirasaka-gumi, who had formed a boxing ring. When you hit someone, you would feel pain yourself. I must use my own body and my bare fists, to confirm this simple fact again.

    ¡°Don¡¯t sleep! Stand up!¡±

    I caught hold of Toshi¡¯s wrists, and stepped on his foot, making him stand up. My left fist punched at his abdomen, and his body curved in an arc after being punched. He flew backwards, and Inded a right punch on his chin. Severe pain spread through my whole body. Not only my fingers were dirty because of Toshi¡¯s blood, my own bones might have fractured too. Because of my heartbeat, and even my eardrums were throbbing in pain. That is a real pain that belongs to my real world.

    Someone ced his hand on my shoulder. I only realized that the unpleasant sound, was the sound of my shoulders heaving because of my ragged breathing. Toshi was lying down on the asphalt road, weeping while trembling.

    ¡°Narumi, that¡¯s enough.¡±

    Hiro¡¯s gentle voice clearly rang on my back.

    Tetsu-senpai and Major squatted down and carried Toshi.

    Just like that, my sixteen year old winter came to an end like a long dream.

    After waking up, my soul felt empty, even hitting other people couldn¡¯t fill it up.

    The siren of an ambnce could be heard in a distance. I looked downwards, unfeeling, my hands were full of blood, and my fingers could only open halfway. Those are my hands, my pain, my body, they¡¯re finally back. It¡¯s something that I have to continue to drag on and continue to go forward¡ª myself.

 Volume 1, 7

    <h4>Volume 1, Chapter 7</h4>

    So I continued to live on hopelessly.

    Our resilience is just too meaningless, and cause us to be unable to escape from this world if the angels don¡¯t lend us a helping hand.

    Actually, the police had already grasped the clue about Toshi and Hakamizaka from the medication that they got from Ayaka¡¯s body, it¡¯s just because of the fact that Hakamizaka is the son of a politician, they¡¯ve handled the evidence that they collected very carefully. They never would¡¯ve thought that arge group of NEETs would barge in, and even turned the whole matter upside down. The CID who interrogated me seemed to know Tetsu-senpai as well, and he told me the whole truth dolefully.

    I was let go after just being interrogated once, while quite a few people from Hirasaka-gumi, led by Yondaime, were arrested. The reason that Alice and I were immediately released was probably because Yondaime hid a part of the truth, because he said to me when we separated: ¡°You owe me one.¡±

    Hakamizaka Shirou was dead even when the ambnce arrived at the scene; the other five who took part in manufacturing and selling the drugs also overdosed on the drug, and died in the hospital.

    Just like that, the angels¡¯ wings disappeared from the streets.

    A typical ending.

    I¡¯m not sure of the details of what urred after that, because I didn¡¯t show up at Hanamaru Ramen Shop anymore.

    *

    January ended, and February passed gradually. After a few snowstorms, I failed in three more subjects in the end of semester test at the end of February.

    I kept avoiding the Gardening Club, as I would think of Ayaka and get depressed there. Why was I depressed? I looked at the barren garden from the window of the ssroom. It¡¯s just that I¡¯ve returned to the days before I met Ayaka, the me at that time didn¡¯t feel painful when I was alone.

    The reason that I changed was of course, because I started to understand the warmth of having other people by my side, so I thought of ways to forget about it, and avoid talking to the others. To my ssmates who were worried about me and tried to chat with me, I just shook my head, refusing to say anything. Right after the make up examinations ended, I stopped going to school.

    It¡¯s just that I¡¯ve gone back to the days before I met her¡ª those are just lies.

    Ayaka¡¯s disappearance was like the wound of a scratch, deeply etched into my heart.

    *

    Sometimes, I would subconsciously remember things about Ayaka. Especially during midnight, when Iid on my bed, staring at the pitch ck skies at the other side of the ss window.

    Next, I would think of Alice¡¯s cold hands, Min-san¡¯s ice cream, and the sounds andughter of four people surrounding a bowl, ying a game of dices.

    But that did not exist solely for me. If I firmly deem that they exist solely for me, when I discover the truth, all of this would be taken away, defiled, vanish, leaving my own pitiful self.

    If the ending is like this, it¡¯s better if I don¡¯t get closer from the start.

    Those are my conclusions. Even if I would be alone like this, and nobody would ever speak to me or call my name again.

    *

    But one night, my phone suddenly rang. I kept skipping school, and just like that, the spring holidays arrived. On the first day of the spring holidays, my phone rang. It was because I was rolling around on my bed with the lights on, that I subconsciously picked up the phone.

    ¡®It¡¯s me, go to your school right away. I¡¯m waiting for you in front of the entrance.¡¯

    It was Alice. It was indeed Alice¡¯s voice.

    I couldn¡¯t believe it, and was dumbstruck, my phone pressed to my phone, and stared nkly at the ceiling.

    ¡®What¡¯s with you? Are you trying to tell me that you¡¯re going to sleep soon? Late night is the time that I move about. As my assistant, you¡¯re telling me that you want to sleep? Isn¡¯t it the spring holidays right now? Hurry up and make preparations toe out.¡¯

    ¡°Wh¡­¡­¡± Unable to speak properly, I choked. ¡°Wh- Why? The school?¡±

    Does Alice know what time it is?

    ¡®It is now three thirty five at night. Come here in thirty minutes. You are absolutely not allowed to let me wait for you outside.¡¯

    ¡°Why do I¡­¡­:¡±

    ¡®You just have to ask about everything, such an annoyance. You¡¯re my assistant, right? Or did you forget about our employment contract? I have something that I need you to see, so don¡¯t ask anymore, hurry up ande.¡¯

    I flipped over my phone and looked at it in great detail. I just have this feeling that the phone call was just my imagination, but the liquid sma screen did show a phone log.

    Something for me to see?

    As I was determined not to meet again, I originally wanted to just ignore Alice¡¯s phone call and sleep. But even when I closed my eyes and lied down on the bed to sleep, Alice¡¯s words still lingered in my mind.

    School. Something that I have to see.

    Would it be something about Ayaka?

    I got up from the bed and carefully tip toed downstairs to avoid waking my sister, and walked out of the entrance. Probably because it¡¯s already springtime, I could finally go out at night without wearing a sweater.

    I got onto my bike, riding in a zephyr in the night.

    *

    ¡°You¡¯rete by twelve minutes.¡±

    Alice was mad. Just like that day, she wore a ck, western dress, a bo with a veil on it, held a plushie of a baby bear in her hands, and was squatting down on the pir in front of the school gate.

    It was the first time I came to the entrance of M High Schoolte at night, white fluorescent lights on the walls surrounding the school faintly illuminated the campus. A corner of the ss window on the third floor reflected the moon. There wasn¡¯t anyone in there.

    ¡°Because you have this look of iprehension on your face, I¡¯ll just tell you first. I¡¯m a hikikomori, the degree of my pain of staying outside is like extending an exponential function. You might think that twelve minutes is not a big deal, but for me, you¡¯ll have to add the twenty five minutes of getting here from my room.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, but since it¡¯s alreadyte at night, it¡¯s better not to make a fuss out here.¡±

    Alice¡¯s shut mouth started to pout, and caught hold of my belt with trembling hands.

    ¡°Take me to the ce where the few potted nts are ced on the rooftop.¡±

    ¡°Rooftop¡­¡­? But¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a NEET detective. The rms have already been switched off, and I have the keys as well.¡±

    How did she get the keys?

    ¡°If you want to know, just ask Major. I¡¯m don¡¯t know about the details. Goodness knows how he got that.¡±

    Major¡­¡­ I had this feeling from before that he had criminal tendencies, but never would I thought that it was true. But why are we going to the rooftop anyways?

    Alice stopped answering my questions, showed me a ¡®you¡¯ll know when you see it¡¯ expression and pushed on my back forcefully. I sighed and epted the keys.

    After I opened the door, I stepped onto the nostalgic uneven ground of cement. As it was unlit, it was pitch ck at the rooftop. The streetlights were too low after all, while the brightness of the stars was too far away.

    The indistinct view of the night could be seen at the other side of the railings. Through the river, gazing at the direction of the station, the brightness of that area was like a desecration of the night. With its back to the station, the ambiguous boundary between the night sky and the earth were scattered with heamps and the lights that seeped out of the windows of the buildings.

    My thanks to the night sky. If it was daytime right now, I would probably think of Ayaka again, right?

    ¡°Ahhhh, there¡¯s something helpful here. Could we climb up there from here?¡±

    Alice said while tightly holding onto my belt behind me. Raising my head to look upwards, there was only the night sky and a huge, ck hole¡ª no, the shadow of the water tower.

    ¡°¡­¡­ are you climbing?¡±

    ¡°Being higher is better.¡±

    I had wanted to say that it¡¯s too dangerous climbing up in the dark, but was deterred by Alice¡¯s determined eyes. But even if I climbed up thedder, I still had to use up a lot of energy to drag the helpless Alice up.

    ¡°What is with thisdder, not even thinking for users who are my size, really!¡±

    Alice mbered up to the top of the water tower, sticking close to the surface that was uneven due to being slightly raised, andined while panting.

    ¡°You could just put the plushie at the bottom¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you think I can stand the horrors of being outside without Lyril? I know that you¡¯re both cold and insensitive, but I didn¡¯t know that you¡¯re that over!¡±

    ¡°Okay, I get it, I get it, sorry.¡±

    Alice soared angrily while clutching on my clothes for dear life, not even being slightly courageous.

    ¡°So what are we going to do next? Summon a UFO?¡±

    ¡°We wait till dawn.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Eh?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re waiting here until dawn.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t say anything for a moment.

    I had wanted toin, but after seeing Alice hugging her knees, burying her chin in her teddy bear while with her eyes glued to the floor of cement, I couldn¡¯t say anything.

    Alice said that she had something for me to see. She did this for me, and only me, and for that reason she came out from her shell¡ª the room that was full of machines, to wait for me, didn¡¯t she?

    I squatted down beside Alice, feeling the warmth of her body beside me.

    There was only the slight sounds of the wind, faraway exhaust pipes of cars, and the sound of Alice¡¯s breathing.

    Not knowing for how long, as if pure, clear water seeped into the bottom of the night, the skies gradually turned blue. The lights of the streetlights started to fade, while the darkness of the night gradually faded from the floors of the rooftop. Bunches of weeds could be seen on the cement floor.

    ¡°Ayaka¡­¡­¡±

    Alice said in a small voice.

    ¡°Did she really go away without telling you a thing?¡±

    I bit my lips and nodded.

    ¡°Really? Then I will tell you the words that have faded away in ce of the deceased.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Eh?¡±

    ¡°That would be the reason why Ayaka chose to jump down from the school building. It¡¯s going to be daybreak soon.¡±

    Alice said that it was the sole mystery.

    The mystery that connected me to Alice.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Do you understand now?¡±

    ¡°Ayaka jumped down from the rooftop so that the rooftop would be sealed off.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Wh¡­¡­What?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you understand? This is the sacred ce where you and Ayaka spent your time together. So that no other people would trespass in here, she chose to jump off here. The graduation photos were to be taken here, right? But if someonemitted suicide here, the school must seal off all the entrances to the rooftop because of safety reasons¡ª you see, it has started.¡±

    Started? What started?

    Following Alice¡¯s gaze, I looked at the floor of the rooftop.

    In the long, extended period of time, the sun rose behind me. The clear morning that gently blended together light and darkness, cold air filled my surroundings, and I realized at that moment.

    At the start, I thought that something was off, but the lush grassynd on the cement floor started to recover its greenery while bathing in the rays of sunlight, and a vivid red spread throughout the surrounding as if they were dyed.

    Flowers.

    In the dense grassynd on the rooftop, many flowers started to bloom, as though weing the morning sun.

    I almost cried out loud, a hot substance filling my throat. The red stars that surfaced from the greenery clearly drew out a picture.

    ¡°The flowers are nted in a circle¡­¡­ No, a double circle¡­¡­ or triple¡­¡­?¡±

    Alice said in a small voice that wasn¡¯t much different from the sound of her breathing. My fingers tightly clenched my knees, and shook my head. No, that¡¯s not a circle. The letter G was inside of C, while the letter M was engulfed by the letter G.

    It was our g.

    It¡¯s the symbol that connects Ayaka and I.

    In the light of dawn, it was as though the flowers used their faces to greet joy, blooming splendidly. How long did Alice and I stare silently at the flowers?

    ¡°Long-headed poppy.¡±

    Alice stared at our g while muttering.

    ¡°They bloom as soon as day breaks, and withers after a day.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t shift my gaze, and could only nod in agreement. My chest hurts like it was being held tightly, and heat rose in my body. I¡¯m the only one left, and there¡¯s nobody beside me. Why? Why did you leave this thing? Why are you letting me remember this?

    ¡°Ayaka might have been blinded by the drug, but she remembered this ce in the end, and jumped down to protect this ce.¡±

    Alice said with a small but determined voice.

    ¡°I know.¡± My voice that came from my throat was wet.

    ¡°Ayaka kept thinking for you.¡±

    ¡°I know!¡±

    So what? I don¡¯t need this thing, I only wish that Ayaka would continue to be healthy. My wish is so small, it¡¯s just that small¡­¡­

    ¡°Of course all of this is only my assumptions, but I don¡¯t really know if it¡¯s true. Digging out the words of the deceased from their graves¡ª¡°

    ¡°Shut up!¡±

    ¡°¡ªanyways, it is just a constion for the living. What Ayaka was really thinking of, I don¡¯t understand too. But¡­¡­¡±

    Alice stacked her hand on my hand that was on my knee.

    ¡°This beautiful scene is real, only this is a fact. So you must ept it, right?¡±

    The g of flowers in my eyes started to blur, and the rooftop melted in a sea on that morning. The first teardrop trickled down from my cheeks, and they couldn¡¯t be stopped anymore, and filled my whole world. That was the first time I cried after Ayaka¡¯s suicide.

    Why do people only leave memories? Isn¡¯t it better if they rook away the memories about them with their death? Memories can¡¯t be erased, my whole life before me would be used up to search for Ayaka¡¯s true message in this beautiful scene.

    ¡°Narumi, do you hate me for bringing you here?¡±

    Facing Alice¡¯s question, I shook my head, tears flowing down my face. How could I hate you?

    ¡°Then it¡¯s better if you just hate me. I¡¯ve told you before, Ayaka¡¯s suicide, your sadness, all of them are my fault.¡±

    ¡°Stop talking.¡±

    ¡°I can only use this method to connect with the world, so it¡¯s better if you hate me or reprimand me.¡±

    ¡°STOP TALKING!¡±

    I shouted harshly, turning around to face Alice. Herrge eyes seemed to have a hint of tears in it, but those might just be my own tears.

    ¡°Is there any meaning to that? Are you an idiot? Shout when you¡¯re angry like the others, andugh when you¡¯re happy like the others, speak your mind when you want something, why can¡¯t you even do such a simple thing?¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯m that kind of person, didn¡¯t you know?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡±

    I flung away Alice¡¯s hand that was tightly holding on to my shirt.

    ¡°Narumi, wait¡ª.¡±

    I jumped down from the water tower, bouts of achesing from my knees and my waist. I ignored Alice¡¯s words, rushed out of the door and down the stairs. I, myself, don¡¯t understand why am I so angry, but the anger was neither directed at Ayaka nor Alice, and not myself either.

    Tears choked my throat. I ran in the streets on this morning, my lungs hurting like they were burning. When I ran past the bridge, the morning sun illuminated my face from the side.

    I stood still temporarily, ced my elbows on the railings and looked downwards. I wept for awhile, the tears dropped down, and were absorbed by the billowing dust that was swept up by a truck¡­

    *

    Even so, I¡¯m still just a useless, brainless, insensitive and cold-blooded person. The meaningless anger vanished right that day, and tears couldn¡¯t evene out anymore.

    Humans could get used to anything.

    And they don¡¯t even feel that their habits are sorrowful things.

    The people who feel that it¡¯s sorrowful are probably those who are in heaven, huh?

    All of us are just manipted by the notebook that was scribbled on randomly by that guy, being a bit angrier every day, smiling some more, then regret some more, we could only strive to live on like this.

    *

    On the evening two days after that, I dragged my sluggish body, wearing a thick woolen jacket, and wobbly rode my bike to the hospital.

    Ayaka was still in aa.

    In the bright room that was so bright that it¡¯s annoying, the patient that is lying on the bed at the center of the room didn¡¯t even have a hint of blood in her face, and that person is Ayaka. The nurses told me: ¡°She¡¯s still breathing!¡± but I can¡¯t see any movement in her chest. The ward was so silent that I could almost hear the sound of the liquid in the IV drip trickling through the tube.

    I thought, Ayaka¡¯s body is indeed here.

    But her soul is at goodness knows where.

    At that time, light shone from the other side of the door that was forcefully opened because of the drug. The ce that I saw was probably not where Ayaka was, but my own; while the destination that Hakamizaka headed to was the darkness in his heart. We are all imprisoned in our own body, and probably couldn¡¯t go elsewhere.

    That¡¯s right, are you Fujishima-kun? I raised my head because of the nurse¡¯s question. I think that they are Ayaka¡¯s ssmates, they¡¯ve brought something and asked me to give them to you.

    The nurse took something out of the wardrobe at the side of the walls. It was a stic bag that was filled with ten colored papers. Words written with an oil-based pen was written on the stic bag: ¡®Fujishima-kun¡¯s ten papers¡¯.

    I nkly stared at the face of the nurse. The nurse smiled and pointed in the direction of the bed. At that moment, I realized that about a thousand paper cranes were hung beside her pillow, and the card that was nearby said that it was a gift from ss 1-4.

    Just call me if there¡¯s anything. The nurse left after saying that.

    I¡¯m alone.

    I looked at the stic bag with the colored papers inside with my head lowered.

    Why didn¡¯t they forget about me? I didn¡¯t even answer them when they talked to me, I didn¡¯t even go to school.

    I would probably cry if I continued to think about it, so I sat down on the round stool and took out the colored papers from the bag.

    It was just ten paper cranes, but it took me a long, long time. Each one of the paper cranes were all quite ugly due to them being crumpled up. To tie the cranes onto the thousand cranes, I went to the side of the pillow and suddenly found something.

    On the wardrobe at the other side of the bed, things that seemed like gifts from the visitors were stacked on it, forming an intriguingbination.

    A small wreath of flowers was ced in a transparent, palm-sized box.

    Beside the wreath of flowers was a stic tank model.

    The only normal present was a flower basket with dried up flowers.

    And there was also a 35 deep red can.

    At the side of the bed, which is also at the side of Ayaka¡¯s face, I bent down my back and looked directly at Ayaka.

    Saying that I can¡¯t go anywhere is just a lie, because I can still walk with my own two feet. Ayaka can¡¯t even use her legs to walk around now, but I have somewhere that I must go.

    After hanging the ten paper cranes with the thousand paper cranes, and was about to walk out of the ward, I suddenly stopped.

    It was like I¡¯ve heard something, like someone was calling me, so I turned my head around. Of course, it was just my illusion, as Ayaka was still frozen at the middle of the white ward. But I noticed the changes on Ayaka, hurriedly rushed to the bed and stared at her face.

    Ayaka¡¯s eyelids slowly fluttered open.

    I could see the color of Ayaka¡¯s irises, but she was not looking at me. Ayaka¡¯s eyes probably saw through my face, saw through the ceiling of the hospital, passed through the blue skies of the spring that was so sunny that it made people feel stupid, and was looking at that open door.

    My hand moved on its own, not sure of how many time I pressed the emergency button. The sound of many footsteps came closer to the ward and surrounded me. The nurses pushed me away and pressed herself close to Ayaka¡¯s face. As soon as she said to call a doctor, another nurse hurriedly ran out of the ward. The people wearing white robes finally surrounded the bed and started to argue after doing a brain wave examination, saying that it was the reflective action of the iris, then shooed me out of the ward.

    The white haired doctor walked out and started to exin about Ayaka¡¯s condition to me, who was sitting nkly in the sofa of the corridor. Everything isn¡¯t clear yet, as they won¡¯t know if they didn¡¯t do detailed examination. Although it¡¯s not too clear, conditions like this would ur asionally. Although the chances of her awakening are small, there is still a possibility.

    So go home for today.

    I once chose to cover my ears and just wait.

    But now I have a ce that I must go. So, I nodded and stood up.

    *

    Passing the bridge, passing through the Shuto Expressway, going around the station, I walked towards Hanamaru Ramen Shop that I didn¡¯t show up for about a month and a half already.

    ¡°I¡¯ve thought of a new dish: ¡®Sesame Butter Ramen¡¯, try it!¡±

    Min-san, who was about to start work, said as if nothing had happened. It was like I came here yesterday and the day before yesterday. Min-san¡¯s tone of speech made my chest hurt¡ª but they also calmed me.

    ¡°Sesame and butter are both good, but when mixed¡­¡­¡±

    I think that they¡¯ll be bad.

    ¡°Stop your bbering. It¡¯s going to be done soon, so eat it.¡±

    ¡°I have to go to Alice¡¯s ce for awhile.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡ª ? Ahhhh, that¡¯s right¡­¡­¡±

    Min-san stretched her upper body out of the counter and patted my shoulder.

    ¡°She¡¯s really mad, you should be mentally prepared.¡±

    Eh, she¡¯s really mad

    ¡°There¡¯s no ice cream to help you this time, so you¡¯ll have to put in effort yourself!¡±

    Min-sanughed evilly, and forcefully pushed at my back. It can¡¯t be helped, it¡¯s my fault, after all.

    *

    The air in the NEET Detective Agency was so cold that it could freeze people to death, and my feelings were also as sharp as the shards of ice that were given out by the air conditioner along with the cold air. Alice, who was wearing pajamas, had her back to me. Her ck hair that flowed on the nket like rivers looked like a sharp object made of ss that day.

    ¡°No need, you don¡¯t need to apologize to me, it¡¯s just a small thing. Forsaking me on top of the water tower at the rooftop that day, although I experienced two hours like I was an abandoned man-made satellite, I couldn¡¯t find any reason for you to apologize even after looking through the whole world. Being unable to climb down thedder myself ispletely my own fault. If you really want to apologize, then go look for Major. He was called out by my phone call early that morning, hid from the teachers on duty that day and fetched me from the water tower."

    ¡°¡­¡­ I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s all my fault. I apologize to you.¡±

    Alice didn¡¯t even turn her head over, harshly pounding on the keyboard. Empty cans of Dr. Pepper were stacked beneath the bed, forming a circr wall.

    She¡¯s obviously mad. Why am I so stupid?

    It¡¯s just because Alice was talking to me at my side, I vented my confused emotions on her, just like a kid.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I say you don¡¯t need to apologize to me!¡±

    Alice¡¯s voice that sounded like there were thorns in it came from my back.

    ¡°But abandoning you outside and running home is indeed my fault. Sorry, I won¡¯t do it again. When we go out next time, I¡¯ll take really good care¡­¡­¡±

    The ck hair suddenly moved. Alice turned her hair around, her face burning red.

    ¡°Th- th- that¡¯s just because you¡¯re coincidentally by my side! Don¡¯t talk as if I can¡¯t go out if you¡¯re not here!¡±

    ¡°Ah, so- sorry.¡±

    I curled up my body. I obviously didn¡¯t mean that too.

    ¡°What is the motive of youing here today, besides making fun of me? If there¡¯s anything else, hurry up and speak!¡±

    Alice swung her pillow around with her face red, hitting the carpet.

    Something else.

    The conversation just now was what I wanted to say¡­¡­ If I just said that honestly, I would probably just make Alice even angrier, huh? What on Earth should I say?

    Alice suddenly turned around to face the keyboard with her back against me.

    I pondered for a moment on what to say.

    Would this type ofme argument work?

    I don¡¯t know, so I could only try.

    ¡°¡­¡­ My employment contract¡­¡­ is it still effective?¡±

    The sound of the keyboard pounding stopped, the ck hair flowing to a different direction because Alice turned around to face me. Her brows were tightly knotted, and the corner of her lips moved slightly downwards.

    ¡°Of course it¡¯s finished, because the contract ends when I find out about the truth.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡­¡±

    I used my tongue to wet my lips, suppressing the nervous emotions in my heart.

    ¡° Alice said it before, but you¡¯re still not sure about the situation. So¡­¡­¡±

    I crudely pointed out the errors in Alice¡¯s words. If it¡¯s Alice, if it¡¯s the usual Alice, she would¡¯ve used fifteen times of her debating power to overwhelm me from the start. But the Alice at that moment suddenly froze because of my answer.

    ¡°So I¡¯m still Alice¡¯s assistant, right?¡±

    ¡°So I¡¯m here to apologize today, and from now on¡ª¡±

    Ayaka might awaken some day, and she might tell us the truth that day. So until that day, I will be Alice¡¯s assistant.

    My words were interrupted because Alice suddenly started to throw empty cans of Dr. Pepper at me. The pure ¡®dong¡¯ sound of the metal rang.

    ¡°Idiot! Get out!¡±

    Alice said with a slight red tinge on her cheeks. This was the shortestment that I¡¯ve ever heard Alice say.

    I lowered my head, paused my breathing, sighed and stood up.

    When I walked out of the room, actually I wasn¡¯t here for an apology, and neither here for the matter about being her assistant, and so I¡¯ve forgotten about it subconsciously because I thought that it was too stupid. Surely enough,the only words that I could say is just these.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Thank you, in ways more than one.¡±

    I said to the silhouette wearing teddy bear pajamas.

    Walking out of the room and closing the door, the sentence on the signboard came into my eyes.

    It¡¯s the only NEET thing to do.

    Shouldn¡¯t there be a better way of setting thing? But it can¡¯t be helped, I¡¯m just a useless, brainless, insensitive and cold-blooded kid. For me, this is already the best effort that I have. If this doesn¡¯t seed as well, the regret wouldn¡¯t get me anywhere.

    There¡¯s no reason for me to be here now.

    This is the result that I have chosen, because life cannot be turned back.

    *

    After I walked down the stairs and was walking towards the streets, I met a darkish person. It was Tetsu-senpai! I became harried. After just half a month, I didn¡¯t even know what to say at the start, I even thought of going past Tetsu-senpai and just runaway.

    But Tetsu-senpai spoke as if nothing had happened:

    ¡°Oh? Well if it isn¡¯t Narumi. You came at just the right time.¡±

    From behind Tetsu-senpai, Hiro, Major who had a model gun slung on his back, and Yondaime who was wearing a purple vest were noisily walking towards the kitchen backdoor.

    ¡°Narumi, it¡¯s been a long time. We¡¯re going to visit Toshi today! To the police hospital, the police hospital! It¡¯s at Iidabashi, have you ever went there before? No, right? It¡¯s my first time too.¡± Hiro showed us a hearty smile as usual. ¡°I never thought that Yondaime woulde too, I really thought that he¡¯d be locked up for five years or so too. I never would¡¯ve thought that he¡¯d be out so soon, so we¡¯re celebrating for him getting out of the jail.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say it like that, it¡¯s the end of my custody.¡±

    ¡°So nobody in your gang got caught? Congrattions. Because it¡¯s your treat, I¡¯ll go all out and order arge bowl of roast pork noodles.¡±

    ¡°Oi, wait a sec, why am I treating? Normally shouldn¡¯t it be the other way around?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the same when you get the ball into the hole when ying golf!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re so fussy, then how about the five of us y a game of poker, thest yer treats!¡±

    Tetsu-senpai took a pack of poker cards out of his pocket.

    Five of us?

    ¡°Narumi, what are you doing? Hurry up and sit down!¡± Tetsu-sempai sat down on the stairs and knocked on the ce beside him. Hiro who was sitting on the gas tank, Major who was sitting on the stacked up tires, and Yondaime who was sitting on the beer crate were all looking at me.

    ¡°¡­¡­ I¡­¡­ can join too?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± Hiro patted my back.

    I stood nkly there, lowered my head and closed my eyes, trying to suppress my tears from falling. Why? Why would I feel like crying because of this? From that day, it feels like somewhere in my heart was hurt. But it¡¯s okay even so, it¡¯s not like my heart is broken or something¡ª

    At that moment, the phone in my pocket started to vibrate.

    I used my rigid hand to take out the phone from my pocket.

    ¡®There¡¯s two orders for you right now.¡¯

    Alice said. It was indeed Alice¡¯s voice.

    ¡®The first thing, change your ringtone to ¡®Colorado Bulldog¡¯.¡¯

    My hand that was holding the phone was trembling. So that my tears would not fall, I forced myself to look at the sunny skies.

    ¡®The second thing, my stock of Dr. Pepper had finished. You¡¯d see Lowson Market after you turn right at the end of the road, hurry up and go buy a crate of Dr. Pepper here.¡¯

    ¡°Mnn, ah, that is¡­¡­¡±

    I said with tears in my eyes.

    ¡®I¡¯m not forgiving you, because I wasn¡¯t even angry with you, and you don¡¯t have to apologize to me!¡¯

    ¡°Mnn, I understand.¡±

    ¡®Write NEET Detective Agency at the end of the receipt.¡¯

    And then Alice hung up suddenly. I wiped my red eyes, and the four looked at me while smiling or in surprise.

    ¡°¡­¡­ I want a sports drink.¡±

    ¡°I want ck coffee from Wonder.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine as long as it¡¯s hundred percent fruit juice.¡±

    ¡°Oolong tea. I¡¯ll kill you if you dare to buy a brand other than Suntory.¡±

    And so I immediately became the errand boy. Well, it¡¯s okay even if it¡¯s like that. I might be a useless, brainless, insensitive and cold-blooded kid, but there¡¯s still something that I could do.

    Tetsu-senpai kicked my bottom, and I was kicked out. My pockets stuffed full of change, I ran towards the main street.

 Volume 1, Afterword

    <h4>Volume 1, Afterword</h4>

    Before this, my friend once told me some good advice that felt somewhat unpleasant to me. ¡®Not only do your novelsck content, even the afterwords areme. Your topics every time are empty and full of useless content that have absolutely no connection with your novel, do you actually think anyone wants to read this? Stop dreaming. A rich woman won''t appear and pity you just because you show how poor you are in the afterword, or buy clothes for you and give you financial assistance.¡± Although I didn¡¯t know why he knew my small dream in such detail, his words always made sense, causing me to be unable to retort. And it was because I loved to show off useless information: for instance, cup noodles that are soaked for twenty minutes would expand, filling the stomach easily; and they would make people lose their appetite because of its nasty taste, so a meal a day would be sufficient¡ª and that caused the others to suspect that there¡¯s a problem with my personality. So it¡¯s about time to change the subject.

    Then what should I write? My friend told me, the people who flip through books at a bookshop, most of them read the afterword. So I should introduce the contents of the novel in the afterword, and let people understand the contents at a nce. I agree. So that¡¯s why many books have things about the contents in the afterword.

    So here are the contents of the book:

    ¡°We are a group of dropouts known as people who only graduate from middle school, who don¡¯t want to study, have no intention to work, and arebeled NEETs by the government. We left the wings of our parents, and stayed at the ramen shop; but are not cooped up at the ramen shop doing nothing! As long as we are free, and depending on how good the payment is, we, the NEET N Squad, can do anything. Changing the possible to the impossible, crushing the calctions of the Labour Bureau! We are the jobless NEET N Squad!

    ¡®I¡¯m Shionji Yuko, a NEET leader. Everyone calls me Alice. My special skill is drinking a can of Dr. Pepper in one gulp and hacking intoputer systems. If not for a geniusmander like me, I wouldn¡¯t have the ability to be the leader of these useless NEETs.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m Kuwabara Hiroaki, everyone calls me Hiro. With my handsome appearance, women can¡¯t escape me. Because I¡¯m living a life of a gigolo, from bras to panties(as long as they¡¯re lingerie), I collect them all.¡¯

    ¡®Hi, sorry for the wait! I¡¯m Mukai Hitoshi, everyone calls me Major. My wiretapping and photo taking skills are top notch! You¡¯re saying that I¡¯m a Jojo¡¯s Bizarre Adventure otaku? A military otaku? So? So what?¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m Ichinomiya Tetsuo, everyone calls me Tetsu the Pachinko Master. I can beat up the police who are out patrolling, but don¡¯t y dices with me!¡¯

    We are the NEET N Squad who don¡¯t have any value for survival, bravely challenging the society that says we won''t eat if we don''t work! If you dropped out too, remember to look for us!¡±

    ¡­¡­ And that¡¯s how it is. Furthermore, although he¡¯s not in the summary, the main character is actually a male high school student.

    Because some professional nomenture often appears in my work, I¡¯ll exin to the readers here¡ª

    ¡®NEET¡¯ : The word is formed from the initials of the sentence ¡®Not in Education, Employment or Training.¡¯. The one that is most misunderstood is the first one, ¡¯unemployed¡¯. This is not rted to one¡¯s sry. Just like me, who is always showing off his poor financial status in the afterwords, dreaming of the day when a rich woman will feed me ¡ª although I have a sry, I¡¯m still a NEET.

    ¡®Dr. Pepper¡¯: A beverage that was released in America in 1885 and is nowmon everywhere, is the oldest carbonated drink of them all. In Japan, because there¡¯s only fivepanies that import Dr. Pepper, including the Coca C Company, the vending machines that sell Dr. Pepper can only be found in the Kanto, Niigata, Shizuoka and Okinawa districts.

    ¡®ying dices¡¯: A game that was yed in Japan since old times, the requirements are three dices. Arge profit can be obtained if yed as a gambling game, so it is against the hundred and eighty fifthw of Japan¡¯s gamblingw. I nearly went against thew too.

    ¡®You won''t eat if you don''t work¡¯: ording to the twenty seventhw of Japanesew, each and every person has the right and obligation to work. I¡¯ve asked my friend in thew profession: I don¡¯t need rights, so can I not have the obligation? Afterughing heartily for twenty minutes, he told me: ''If you want to return the rights, then you must first relieve yourself of the obligation to live.''

    Since the publisher said that I could write four pages for the afterword, I feel that I can put in some simple and useful information in it. Although people probably will write useless things if they have spare pages, there¡¯s still one page, so I would like to say something meaningful.

    About the starting point of the book: the idea of a ¡®NEET detective¡¯, I thought of it when I was chatting on a BBSte at night. The initial setting for the detective was a twenty eight year old jobless NEET man, even though he¡¯s a detective, he¡¯s reliant on the Inte and stays at home every day. If someone gave him a request, he would use Google to search, or post questions on major BBSes to search for an answer, a useless character.

    Although I say this every time, this book could only be published with the help of many people. A special thanks to Y-san who proposed that I change the detective to a girl, the responsible editor, Yuasa(?)-sama who edited my drafts repeatedly, Kishida Mel-sensei who gave life to the characters, here I give them my greatest thanks. Thank you.

    November 2006, Sugii Hikaru

 Volume 2, 1

    <h4>Volume 2, Chapter 1</h4>

    One day in the spring holidays, a client suddenly appeared at the NEET Detective Agency, an odd Thai girl who was always unusually excited.

    The bag that her father left behind after disappearing was filled with a hefty sum of money¡ª two hundred million yen.

    The girl¡¯s request was¡ª ¡°Please save my dad.¡±

    The young NEET detective, Alice, who wore pajamas and wouldn¡¯t take a step out of her room and I, as her assistant, borrowed the power of Tetsu-senpai, Major and Hiro of the NEET Detective Squad to start our investigation. Even the leader of the juvenile delinquents, Yondaime was dragged into it, the matter developed into an unexpected direction¡ª

    This is the second episode youthful NEET- Teen Story that was somewhat unbearable, somewhat funny but also with a hint of courage.

    Narumi Fujishima

    Untilst year, I was still an ordinary high school student.

    Due to the incidents that urred duringst winter, my whole third semester was ruined.

    Even so, I still managed to advance to second year, just like a miracle, but I still couldn¡¯t follow what the teachers taught, and failed in almost all of my exams. When I finally came to my senses, my tragic life was already at the edge of a cliff.

    I knew that I couldn¡¯t just be a useless bum, so I put in more effort and epted two part time jobs.

    One of them is a worker at a ramen shop, while the other is¡­¡­ a detective¡¯s assistant.

    ¡­¡­ It seems like I might have chosen the wrong ce to have a part time job, and one of my employers is a NEET too.

    Furthermore, NEETs walk all around at the ce where I work, everyone trying to bully me into being a NEET.

    As for who they are¡ª

    Alice

    This girl is a NEET detective, and is one of my employers.

    She¡¯s a hikikomori that almost never went out, so her way of ordering people around is quite impolite.

    She thinks that a detective¡¯s assistant (me) is just a useful vacuum machine that can talk.

    Being physically weak, she can¡¯t live by herself but she is good at arguing; whenever Iin even a bit, she immediately gives me a five thousand times scolding.

    Really, why must I do things for this fellow?

    Actually, I¡¯m not really sure myself, but if I¡¯m not at her side, she probably won¡¯t even eat her meals properly¡­¡­

    NEET Detective Squad

    Surrounding Alice¡¯s side, the group of people at the boundary of society who would not lose to Alice.

    No matter what difficulties they encountered, they still wouldn¡¯t give up, wouldn¡¯t turn back and wouldn¡¯t work; those are their principles. Sigh~ I really can¡¯t stand this.

    Tetsu-senpai

    He studied at my school a few years ago and dropped out, and is now an unbeatable pachinko master.

    He learned boxing before and has acute vision like a superman but it is only used to bet on slot machines.

    Although he¡¯s quite reliable sometimes, his view of money is absolutely terrible.

    Major

    Although he looked like that, he is definitely a university student, and an unbelievable military otaku.

    Has programming skills that even university professors admire, but it is only used on wire tapping and taking photos secretly.

    Hiro

    Though he is often mistaken as a model, he¡¯s actually just a gigolo who stays at women¡¯s houses.

    Has an appearance that makes people want to look twice at him and speaking skills that are like mellow wine, but they are only used to hit on girls.

    He made many women cry for him before, and really might be stabbed somewhere some day.

    Min-san

    The boss that opened a ramen shop below the detective agency, my second employer.

    She¡¯s one of the rare normal people around me. She kept taking care of me, so I really couldn¡¯t raise my head in front of her.

    Her temper is quite terrible, so I¡¯m somewhat afraid of her, and that¡¯s why I can¡¯t say that her ramen is actually not really good.

    Yondaime

    The leader of juvenile delinquents in the town, and has a deep connection with the people in the detective squad.

    He¡¯s very foul-mouthed and impatient, but I¡¯ve heard that he¡¯s very good at taking care of people, even better than the guys in the detective squad.

    His hobby is sewing, and he has professional-level skill. I might be killed by him if I identally said that out, so I dare not mention it to anyone.

    Meo

    On the first day that I started to work at the ramen shop, I was ordered around by Alice as usual, and was having doubts about my life. On that boring Saturday afternoon, she appeared before me.

    She¡¯s a girl who gets excited abnormally easily, and had lived in Thand. Also, she even asked the detective agency for help.

    Although I¡¯m a detective¡¯s assistant, I was still taken aback¡­¡­ I really didn¡¯t think that someone would actually have a request for us.

    I originally thought that it wouldn¡¯t be anything big since she looked for the NEET detective.

    In the end¡ª

    She brought a Boston bag that was stuffed full of reality¡ª

    Two hundred million yen.

    That amount of money could just mess up anyone¡¯s life.

    Meo said: ¡°Please save my dad.¡±

    And so¡ª the matter started to develop.

    Developing towards an unexpected, heartbreaking darkness.

    Miracles can happen once to anyone, but when it happens, they never notice.

    from "My Name Is Shingo" by Kazuo Umezo.

    A small portion of people misunderstood that the twenty third district of Tokyo is just a city full of buildings from north to south, and I was one of them before I moved here. In reality, the only ce where there are skyscrapers piercing the skies is the area near to the station, while t, short houses surround the ce. The asphalt road that was uneven because of the subsidence of thend, the smelly rivers that were emitting a pungent, sour odor, and the cultivated fields that I¡¯m not sure if anyone is tending to and the high school that I¡¯m going to, all of these are in a two kilometers radius of that area; but it was just separated by a street, the radiance of the neon lights couldn¡¯t be seen anymore.

    Though Hanamaru Ramen Shop is also at a ce five minutes from the station, it is also surrounded by broken down buildings, one of the shops that is shrouded in darkness. It is just a small shop that has only five tables in it, aside from the asional drunken people going inside the shop at night, I almost never see anyone going into the shop in the daytime.

    So my employment test was held on the thirty first of March in the spring holidays, at about one thirty in the afternoon when there was nobody in the shop.

    ¡°Listen, if even a little thing spills out, don¡¯t you even think that I¡¯ll pass you.¡±

    Min-san said while piling trays onto my hands; and bowls that were still puffing out white smoke were ced on the tray. She¡¯s the young owner of the Hanamaru Ramen Shop, with her long hair tied into a ponytail, wearing a T-back vest and showing her fit shoulders. White sarashi is used to bind her breasts. It really isn¡¯t hard to see that she went for body building sses, and is really not a person that a physically weak high school person can go against. But I still couldn¡¯t help but retort:

    ¡°Erm¡­¡­ Why am I doing a thing like this for my employment test?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know how many bowls you¡¯ve broken before!? You¡¯re just not concentrating enough! So if you can get all of these to Alice safely, I¡¯ll hire you.¡±

    I once helped the shop to do things like washing the dishes and serving them, I caused great losses at the same time. Actually, I should really thank the kind Min-san for giving me a chance by testing me.

    ¡°Ready, start. The time limit is five minutes.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s even a time limit!?¡±

    Being red at by Min-san, I could only carefully walk out from the kitchen backdoor.

    Alice lives in the eighth room on the third floor of the same building in Hanamaru Ramen Shop. You could reach it after walking up the stairs and then going about five meters in the direction of the corridor, using not even one minute when going there from the shop on the first floor.

    But at this moment, I used two seconds just to walk up a step, so my back was soaking wet when I reached the signboard with ¡®NEET Detective Agency¡¯ on it.

    As both of my hands were holding trays, I could only press the doorbell with my elbow. Nobody answered, but only a blue light shed.

    ¡°Alice, please, open the door for me.¡± I begged.

    ¡®¡­¡­ Just enter yourself. The door isn¡¯t locked.¡¯

    The impatient voice of a young girl came from the other side of the inte.

    ¡°I can¡¯t use my hands, I¡¯m holding two trays.¡±

    ¡®You could just ce them on the floor!¡¯

    ¡°No, it would definitely fall down.¡±

    ¡®What are you talking about? It¡¯s just cing the tray on the floor, don¡¯t you even know how to do such a simple thing?¡¯

    ¡°There¡¯s a tray on my head too!¡±

    Hearing my tragic shout, the door finally opened. A young girl stuck her head out of the door. She had long, ck hair that flowed to the ground,rge eyes that could sparkle, and wore pajamas with cute pictures of bears on it that showed her pale, sickly skin.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Are you performing an acrobatic stunt?¡±

    My hands were holding a tray each, and there was another on top of my head. Cooly looking at the trays that I was holding while trembling, Alice said in an annoyed voice:

    ¡°This scene is actually quite interesting. I feel like taking amemorative photo of this and showing it to Tetsu, Major and the others. They would be delighted. I¡¯ll get my digital camera, and you just maintain your current posture.¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not important!¡± I frantically called Alice who was about to walk into the room: ¡°Anyways¡­¡­ Erm¡­¡­ Can you please help me take it?¡±

    I used my gaze to point at the shaky tray on top of my head, but Alice shrugged.

    ¡°Please think of the difference in height between you and I, and of my arms. Isn¡¯t that just impossible? Just walk into the room and find somewhere to ce it! Remember to take off your shoes first. If you dare to spill anything, I¡¯ll have you in charge of cleaning the ce until you wax the floor.¡±

    As usual, Alice was still being merciless.

    I could only maintain the posture of my upper body, lightly take off my shoes, walk to the table in the small kitchen, ce the trays on my hands on it and then lightly take down the tray on my head. I heaved such a huge sigh that my soul almost came out, and I felt like curling up on the chilly floor in this air-conditioned room.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Ah, Master? Mnn, Narumi just came.¡± The sounds of Alice and Min-san talking on the phone came from the room: ¡°¡­¡­ No, I don¡¯t think he spilled anything. You¡¯re so kind, Master. If it were me, I would just tell him to take buckets and not bowls.¡±

    This girl really does like to joke around. Whileining in my heart, I ced the three bowls on the same tray and served it to the bedroom.

    Three walls in the room are covered with racks that are as tall as the ceiling, and some odd machines are ced on it, while countless wires tangled together around them. Arge bed is ced in the middle of the room, while teddy bears of various sizes and types are littered on the carpet; Alice sat in the middle of it, like she was surrounded by a sea of bears.

    ¡°You¡¯re not asking me to eat all three, are you?¡±

    Alice red at the bowls that I served her. Not only is this pajamas-d girl picky and have a tiny appetite, every time I have to put in a lot of effort so that she finishes all the food. A small amount of different-vored ramen were ced in the three bowls.

    ¡°Perhaps Min-san thought that I would spill one or two.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you spill them? You¡¯re even so slow that you wouldn¡¯t notice when a praying mantis stops on your nose too!¡±

    Why am I scolded even for this¡­¡­?

    I pulled out the moveable table that was like the ones in a hospital ward, ced the tray onto it and pushed it in front of Alice:

    ¡°Just choose a bowl that you like, I¡¯ll eat the other two.¡±

    The pajamas-d girl looked so closely at the bowls that her face almost fell into them, observing each bowl in detail.

    ¡°I would like the ramen to be lighter.¡±

    She looked at me with a pleading expression.

    ¡°I heard that all of them are new creations, so I don¡¯t know how¡¯s the taste.¡±

    ¡°Ngh¡ª¡±

    After wavering for a long time, she finally chose the bowl with a clearer soup. But after she took a sip, she couldn¡¯t say anything.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ so sour.¡±

    Sour? The ramen is sour?

    Ah! When I think about it, Min-san is indeed making odd ramen these days.

    ¡°Uuu¡­¡­ I¡¯ve been tricked by the color of the soup. I¡¯m too careless, there¡¯s actually such a trap in it.¡±

    Alice¡¯s eyes were full of tears, but she still ced one noodle after another into her mouth.

    ¡°These two seems to be more normal, do you want to change?¡±

    I held my portion of the ramen while sitting in front of the bed. But Alice red fiercely at me with her tearful eyes:

    ¡°How could I trust a person who can eat the bowl of noodles as if nothing had happened!? I chose this bowl myself, so if I listened to your advice and changed it, but still don¡¯t like it, wouldn¡¯t I be in a bigger predicament? How would youpensate for my reservations then?¡±

    I originally wanted to rebuke her: It¡¯s just a bowl of ramen, nothing special, but after seeing Alice sucking in the noodles while going ¡®Uuu¡ª Uuu¡ª¡®, I really felt that she¡¯s quite pitiful, so I shut my mouth. I speedily finished the two bowls of ramen and walked to the small kitchen.

    Opening the door of the fridge, I saw that the fridge was full of 350ml red cans of Dr. Pepper. I took out one of them and handed it to Alice. Recently, I¡¯ve learnt the subtleties of opening the can first before handing it to her. Alice snatched the can from me with trembling hands and drank it to the finish.

    ¡°Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.¡±

    Alice breathed out deeply, bing relieved as if her brain had melted. She continued: ¡°Narumi, get me another two cans .¡± and swung her empty can around. The eating habits of this pajamas d girl are terrible, and she almost lived on Dr. Pepper. Being said that my sense of taste shouldn¡¯t be tasted by a person who drank unhealthy drinks while eating ramen really is unpleasant.

    ¡°Humans can only live while supporting each other, I strongly feel I agree with this statement at this moment. Good thing you¡¯re at my side.¡±

    Alice said after finishing her ramen and her third can of Dr. Pepper, crawling into the mat while smiling at me. For such a sudden movement to happen, I was shocked and almost spilled the bowl with my elbow. Calm down. This fellow would always say these meaningful things once in a while, and besides I haven¡¯t even been supported by Alice before. No¡­¡­ Well, I can¡¯t really say that, but how should I say it?

    ¡°That¡¯s right, you said that you want to work at Hanamaru, so what brought you here today?¡±

    Alice said, with her head sticking out of the mat.

    ¡°I can assure you that you¡¯re a person thatcks any wish to work from the day you were born, so you don¡¯t need to trouble Master just to prove this.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need these assurances.¡± It¡¯s more like you¡¯re deciding on my life randomly. ¡°I really think that Min-san has too much work, and it¡¯s more convenient for me to work here.¡±

    ¡°Convenient?¡±

    ¡°Then I coulde here almost every day.¡±

    Because of the case that Alice solved this winter, I¡¯m now Alice¡¯s assistant. Although Alice is a detective, she¡¯s still a hikikomori who doesn¡¯t go out or meet society, and I¡¯ve never seen other clients having any requests for her. So the job of an assistant is usually to help to carry food and Dr. Pepper, and also to be bullied by Alice. Compared with this, it might be better if I find some other ce to work at, and wouldn¡¯t waste time so much.

    ¡°Hmph! I didn¡¯t even know that you were that passionate about your work as an assistant.¡±

    You¡¯re the one who told me toe everyday!

    ¡°Anyhow, not many people are willing to work at the ramen shop with such meager wages at this time, so it¡¯s a help to Master, at least. But as soon as Ayaka¡¯s out of the hospital, you¡¯ll get fired at once.¡±

    My hands that were collecting the bowls stopped.

    As I was unable to immediately respond to the name that Alice mentioned suddenly, I gazed at the soup in the bowl and turned my head away to look at the bed.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Aren¡¯t you just nning to work there until Ayaka returns?¡±

    ¡°No¡­¡­ Mnn, erm¡­¡­ I¡¯ve never thought about that before. Because¡­¡­¡±

    Ayaka.

    She jumped down from the top of the school building at the start of this year, and is still lying on a bed in the hospital, in aa. She¡¯s my ssmate, and also my only friend. It¡¯s just that she wouldn¡¯t talk right now, and couldn¡¯t walk around.

    Ayaka who¡¯s like that¡­¡­ would she stille back?

    ¡°The doctors said too that there¡¯s still a chance, didn¡¯t they? And weren¡¯t you the first person to hear that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not wrong, but¡­¡­¡±

    I did some research myself too. If Ayaka¡¯s current condition continued for three months and above, it would be called a continuous block of consciousness¡ª people in a vegetative state. If the doctors deemed that there¡¯s no chance of recovery, most hospitals would force their family to handle the necessary procedures for exiting the hospital. Although there were cases of recovery, most of them just recovered to the extent that they could use their facial expressions to convey their emotions, or use their mouth to eat food, that¡¯s it.

    If she could return to her normal life, THAT would be a miracle.

    ¡°You don¡¯t believe that miracles can happen?¡±

    ¡°Alice, so you believe in them?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Miracles can happen once to anyone, it¡¯s just that most people don¡¯t notice it when it happens.¡±

    I¡¯m not sure who said that, but it¡¯s a really stupid way of thinking. Telling me that miracles would never happen might make me feel better. If things go that way, doesn¡¯t it mean that the miracle of Ayaka and I has already been used up during the time that we spent on the rooftop, and things couldn¡¯t be turned back anymore?

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Since it happened the first time, it would happen a second time. Believe it!¡± A woolen mat was on Alice¡¯s shoulders, and she smiled while hugging her knees. ¡° Rainfall in the Sahara Desert, the Golden Gate in the United States and the Taj Mahal in India, test tube babies that are given birth after their parents pass away, Jimmy Hendrix and the Tower of Babel, all of them are miracles, miracles and miracles! So there would be one day when all of mankind would be friends with each other.¡±

    I still can¡¯t understand what¡¯s with Alice¡¯s habit of using allusions, but I still forced out a smile to answer her.

    ¡°Our meeting is one, the fact that you are willing toe here is another, and even the fact that you didn¡¯t spill any of the bowls and safely brought the bowls up here is one¡ª all of them are miracles.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Well, wasn¡¯t that smooth.¡±

    I stood up. That¡¯s right, since I¡¯ve passed the employment test, I should hurry up and get to where Min-san is! I can start work from today.

    As I was about to walk out of the room with the three bowls and trays, Alice halted me:

    ¡°Master said in the phone just now¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°What did she say?¡±

    ¡°She said, you must put the bowls on your head when you¡¯re going back too.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard about that!¡±

    *

    Even so, saying that encountering other people is a miracle is quite a nice way of putting it. Especially to Alice, a hikikomori, while I¡¯m about the same, as we would feel ufortable after speaking to a stranger for over twenty seconds.

    The people who I''ve met in the past had some influence on me, more or less, and it¡¯s because of this that I¡¯ve not fallen to even lower depths right now. Though I didn¡¯t be a decent person because of this, and I just lived groggily until my sixteenth year. In the wilderness that is filled with limitless possibilities, if I really lived up till now because of meeting other people, then these gs in my life are really precious¡ª although I don¡¯t really think that those are anything to be thankful for.

    So the girl that I met right on the day when I started working after passing Hanamaru¡¯s employment test, would probably be a miracle too?

    The girl appeared at about three in the afternoon, when I was melting pieces of choctes using the double boiling method in the kitchen. Min-san stood further inside, and was using an electric blender to blend egg white and make meringue. The true selling point of Hanamaru is actually the ice cream that is even tastier than the one made by a professional dessert chef. The sweet smell that fills the whole shop caused the whole shop to be unlike a ramen shop, and there was nobody on the seats anyway.

    And it might be because of this reason, the girl that kicked open the door while saying ¡°Sorry for bothering you!¡± stared for awhile after seeing the scene in the shop. She seriously stared at the steel pan that was filled with chocte for two seconds, and then took two steps back to reconfirm the portiere in front of the shop.

    She was a striking girl who had coffee-colored skin. She looked about one or two years younger than me, and her hair that reached her chest was casually tied into two braids. White words were printed on the blue shirt that she wore, it seemed like words used by a minority race; while very, very short Denim pants were on the lower part of her body. The girl¡¯s legs were long and slim, if she said that she just swam past the Pacific Ocean to the Tokyo Bay, I might have really believed her. A coffee colored Boston bag was slung on her shoulder, and it felt somewhat uncoordinated on her.

    When our gazes met, the girl pped her hands together , said ¡®Sawasdee¡¯ and nodded her head slightly. I subconsciously answered her with the same sentence. Eh¡­¡­ Where is she from?

    The girl reconfirmed the words on the portiere hanging on the door and asked:

    ¡°Erm, are these words supposed to be read as ¡®Hanamaru¡¯?¡±

    Her pronunciation of Japanese was quite urate. But the question suddenly made me feel somewhat guilty, and I could only hide the steel pan filled with chocte beside the sink and answer:

    ¡°Well¡­¡­ Probably?¡±

    ¡°Probably!?¡± the Boston bag on her shoulder almost fell down. "Sorry, I¡¯m not really good at reading kanji.¡±

    Huh? Is there even a kanji on there?¡±

    ¡°Oh? Then how should you read this?¡±

    The girl pointed at a corner of the portiere and asked.

    ¡°¡­¡­ That¡¯s a drawing of Naruto.¡±

    ¡°So you read this as ¡®Naruto¡¯ huh? Japanese is really deep¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Not really¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s odd, or did I just mistake the ce? I¡¯ve heard that it¡¯s a shop owned by an understanding, beautiful big sister.¡± The expression on the girl¡¯s face seemed troubled, and she looked around repeatedly.

    ¡°Mnn, then it¡¯s probably not this shop. Min-san is not understanding at a¡ª OUCH! That hurts!¡±

    Min-san who walked out of the kitchen vigorously knocked on the back of my head.

    ¡°What are you doing, why did you lie to her?¡±

    Min-san pushed me, who was hugging the bump on my head, away and put on her apron:

    ¡°Wee. It¡¯s still business time right now, so please have a seat!¡±

    ¡°Ah, sorry, I¡¯m not here for ramen.¡±

    And then the unbelievable words came out from her mouth.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that there¡¯s a detective agency above the ramen shop.¡±

    Min-san and I looked at each other.

    That was the first client of the NEET Detective Agency that I came into contact with.

    *

    ¡°It¡¯s rare that we have a visitor. Narumi, give her a can of Dr. Pepper too.¡±

    Although she never did offer me cans of Dr. Peppers (I don¡¯t really want them, either) , Alice told me to give the girl a can. She kneeled on the mat, probably because she thought that it was courteous when dealing with visitors?

    As she was about to step into the air conditioned office, the girl hesitated in front of the door because of the coldness of the room; while after she walked into the room and saw Alice¡¯s appearance, she was so surprised that her jaw fell open, the Boston bag on her shoulder dropping onto the floor. What an easily read girl.

    ¡°¡­¡­ You¡¯re the detective?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a NEET detective. I¡¯m Alice, and my assistant standing there is Naru¡­¡­ Uwaaa!¡±

    The girl supported both of her hands on the bedside and stuck her face close to Alice. She observed Alice in detail in an extremely short distance, and seemed like she was sniffing the smell of Alice¡¯s pajamas.

    ¡°Wh- What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Can I hug you?¡±

    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about!?¡± Alice pushed the girl away with her whole face red and stepped back a few steps.

    ¡°Sorry, because I¡¯ve never seen a detective like this, so¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°So what? A client should behave like a client!¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t I? What about just a hug?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not a doll!¡± Alice used the dolls nearby to build a wall and went back further to the direction of the bed.

    ¡°Really, Ayaka and Master are also like that, why do girls like to hug me so much? It¡¯s so iprehensible.¡±

    No, I can understand why it¡¯s like that. But I didn¡¯t want to change the topic, so I didn¡¯t speak.

    ¡°Hurry up and reveal your identity and the contents of your request. You aren¡¯t here to y, are you?¡±

    Alice said at the other side of the dolls while pouting.

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right!¡± the girl shifted her elbows away from the side of the bed and said: ¡°I¡¯m Meo.¡±

    When she was pronouncing her name, the tone of ¡®Me¡¯ was prolonged, while the end of the ¡®o¡¯ was closer to the tone of ¡®u¡¯, a pronunciation that isn¡¯t present in Japanese. Next, she ced her hands on the two sides of her head and waved, just like the ears of an animal.

    ¡°Meo? Is that your name?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but chip in.

    ¡°Yes, it means cat.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re from Thand, right?¡± After Alice finished saying that, Meo¡¯s eyes immediately widened:

    ¡°You know it? As expected from a detective.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just Thai. What does that have to do with being a detective?¡±

    ¡°The way that Thai people gave names is so strange.¡±

    Her name meant ¡®cat¡¯, is this amon thing in Thand?

    ¡°Narumi, it¡¯s called cheuulehn in Thai, and it means nickname. Most people in Thand call people by their nicknames, because the names of some people are too long. Their culture doesn¡¯t really care about names, and it¡¯s said that hiding one¡¯s true name could protect them from danger. As they didn¡¯t want to be caught by the devil, they would intentionally give names of animals or arrange meaningless tones for a name.¡±

    ¡°So it can protect us from danger?¡± Meo said in surprise: ¡°I didn¡¯t even know that.¡±

    ¡­¡­ Are you really a Thai?

    ¡°I came to Japan when I was about five, so I¡¯m not too clear of things in Thand.¡±

    ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s why your Japanese is that good.¡±

    ¡°I learnt Japanese from my dad, and the big brothers who live in the same block as us. There are manydies from Philippine and China there, but the big brothers there are mostly Japanese.¡±

    ¡°Mnn? You aren¡¯t staying at the ¡®Hello Pce¡¯, are you?¡±

    ¡°Whoaaa, Miss Detective knows everything!¡±

    Meo supported herself on the bedstead, her legs fidgeting non-stop.

    ¡°No, Hiro told me once before, he said that there¡¯s a unique worker¡¯s hostel there. What a small world this is.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯ve heard of this detective agency from Hiro-san.¡±

    Hearing Meo¡¯s words, Alice and I looked at each other. So that¡¯s how it is. Now we have some idea of what¡¯s happening.

    ¡°A big sister from China live next to me, and Hiro lived there for a month or so too. It¡¯s probably some timest summer? He taught me a lot of Japanese, and said that his job was difficult, and is called being a gigolo.¡±

    ¡°A gigolo is not an upation!¡±

    I unintentionally shouted out loud. Hiro is one of the NEETs who always hang out behind Hanamaru Ramen Shop, and is also a gigolo who always stays at women¡¯s houses. What strange Japanese did he teach Meo?

    ¡°After that, Hiro was found by the security and was chased out. He told me when he left: If I have any problems, I could just ask for help at Hanamaru Ramen Shop.¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is.¡± Alice sighed and shook her head: ¡°Well, just ask Hiro toe overter, I have something to ask him. Anyhow, tell me about your problem first! That¡¯s your reason for looking for me, right?¡±

    After Alice finished speaking, Meo¡¯s cheery expression suddenly clouded over.

    ¡°About noon, I received a phone call from dad.¡±

    Meo sat in front of the bed and started to exin:

    ¡°He suddenly told me ¡®Get the bag in the safe and look for a safe ce to hide.¡¯ I was really confused about the situation, but dad¡¯s voice sounded really fierce, so I could only obediently listen to him¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°This is the bag in the safe.¡± Meo pointed at the Boston bag at my foot and said.

    ¡°Mnn, it¡¯s so heavy that it made me exhausted.¡±

    ¡°Did you try to contact your father?¡±

    Meo¡¯s expression clouded up even more:

    ¡°He told me not to contact hispany, don¡¯t go home temporarily, and then I couldn¡¯t reach his phone anymore. Although he told me to hide, I didn¡¯t really have any ce to go to, so I remembered the detective agency that Hiro-san told me to go to.¡±

    ¡°What is your father¡¯s name? What is his job?¡±

    ¡°His name is Kusakabe Masaya, he¡¯s working at apany called Hello Corporation.¡±

    Alice knotted her brows.

    ¡°I think Hiro mentioned this name before. He said that a yakuza man and his daughter lived next to him, probably those are you guys.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not a yakuza anymore.¡±

    ¡­¡­ not one anymore?

    ¡°I think he entered the gang when we were at Osaka, but he said that he got out of the gang already.¡±

    A yakuza delinquent who exited his gang suddenly called his phone to hide, and to bring a big bag of luggage. This situation is unusual.

    I looked at the Boston bag again¡ª there wouldn¡¯t be a bomb inside, would there?

    ¡°Have you seen what is inside?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­¡­¡± Alice lowered her voice, and shifted her foot from her bed to the floor. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind showing me, then please open the bag. But I need to tell you two, opening the bag is like pressing a switch, and you can¡¯t turn back anymore.¡±

    Meo and I looked at Alice at the same time. She still likes to suddenly say iprehensible things that people don¡¯t understand.

    ¡°¡­¡­ A bomb wouldn¡¯t be inside, would it?¡±

    Meo and I asked at the same time. Alice¡¯s lips curled upwards and shook her head:

    ¡°What do you think the thing that made the most people die in the world? It¡¯s not a bomb or a poison, but information¡ª the people who know must die. Even so, I still need to know what happened to your father before I could help you. If you are firm about this, then open it.¡±

    It was as though I could hear the sound of Meo swallowing her saliva. The room was filled with an smell that was hard to describe¡ª I really can¡¯t differentiate the smell at that moment, was that the smell of danger? The smell of desire? Or is it what they call¡ª

    ¡°Uu¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Uwaa¡­¡­¡±

    Meo and I made a shocked noise at the same time. There were countless Yukichi Fukuzawas staring at us from inside of the dark bag , and the bag was stuffed messily full of wads of cash. Although I knew that the atmosphere of money that was spread in the air was just an illusion, it was still the first time that I saw that much¡ª probably about a hundred million in cash, so I couldn¡¯t help but feel slightly drunk.

    Meo¡¯s mutterings broke the silence.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Why is there so much money¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Is your family so wealthy that you have so much savings?¡±

    ¡°Our family is not rich!¡±

    ¡°Has this bag always been kept in the safe?¡±

    After interrupting, I immediately realized that it was a stupid question. If the bag was always in the safe, how would Meo know about it? Meo closed her eyes, used her index finger to massage her temple, giving out a ¡®Mnn¡ª¡® sound and said after that:

    ¡°Sometimes, I would see dad bring the bag from hispany¡­¡­ Ah, I think it¡¯s on each payday. I just felt: Wow, dad has so much wages! That¡¯s so awesome.¡±

    Who would have that much pay anyways!

    ¡°Alice, would this be thepany¡¯s money¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°There is a possibility.¡±

    A father who suddenly vanished told his daughter to hide with a hefty sum of cash, he¡¯s probably hiding somewhere himself¡­¡­ And this guy was once a yakuza too.

    ¡°That¡¯s bad, should we call the police?¡±

    I said lightly beside Alice¡¯s year. Meo seemed to have heard my words, and walked slowly towards me while holding onto the bedstead.

    ¡°What do you mean? How¡¯s my dad?¡±

    ¡°Nothing¡­¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t answer her for a moment, and stared at Alice.

    ¡°Your father might be involved in a crime.¡±

    Hearing Alice¡¯s words that were said in my stead, Meo¡¯s expression suddenly froze.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s better if we just tell the truth¡ª your father might have cheated thepany¡¯s money, and ran away because his n failed.¡±

    ¡°My dad would never do that!¡±

    Meo forcefully pushed the dolls away and leapt onto the bed, grabbing Alice¡¯s shoulders and shouting loudly.

    ¡°Please calm down, I¡¯m just saying that there¡¯s this possibility. Since your father told you not to get near your house or thepany, that means that he doesn¡¯t want anyone to know where you are, and there¡¯s no news about him either¡ª¡°

    Meo seemed to ignore Alice¡¯s words. She jumped down from the bed, grabbed the Boston bag and rushed to the entrance.

    ¡°Narumi!¡±

    Not waiting for Alice¡¯s words, I rushed over and caught hold of Meo¡¯s shoulders. I, who was usually somewhat slow, could actually take action reflexively, I, myself was somewhat surprised too.

    ¡°Let go of me! Freak! Pervert! Old lecythus man! Machikane Fukukitaru! Nagoya chicken meat!¡±

    Where on Earth did you learn these odd vocabries? And you even pretended to be bad at Japanese	! Is it Hiro? Hiro must have taught them to her! And the ones she mentionedst aren¡¯t even used to scold people! Ouch! st, don¡¯t scratch me! Calm down! Stop fidgeting!

    Although I was worried that the walls wouldn¡¯t filter noise perfectly due to them being too thin, but I still caught hold of Meo and shouted in her ears:

    ¡°CALM DOWN! You don¡¯t even know where your father is, so what can you do if you go out?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to look for him! My dad is not a thief!¡±

    ¡°What could you do even if¡ª¡°

    ¡°Let go of me¡ª¡°

    Her shouts then (probably) changed to Thai, so I really couldn¡¯t understand what she said. In addition, she was struggling frantically, and really stretched me to my limits as I wasn¡¯t too strong.

    ¡°Meo, have you forgotten about what your father told you?¡±

    Alice¡¯s loud voice came from behind us. Hearing her words, Meo froze instantly.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t he tell you to hide? I am sure that he¡¯s in some sort of trouble right now, and might even put your life into danger. If you just rushed out, wouldn¡¯t that be a waste of your father¡¯s effort?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ But!¡±

    Meo twisted her body and escaped from my hand. I could tell that she was crying.

    ¡°It¡¯s best if you just called the police, better than you rushing around like a deer in headlights.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Call the police?¡±

    Meo¡¯s face clouded over.

    ¡°Don¡¯t call the police, dad told me not to call the police too. Those people always do mean things just because of the difference in skin color. The people in our building have permits too¡­¡­¡±

    Meo¡¯s tone suddenly became solemn, like she turned into another person.

    ¡°¡­¡­ What happened?¡±

    I tried to observe Meo¡¯s expression, but she only shook her head violently:

    ¡°Because dad was once a yakuza, so that¡¯s why he¡¯s being suspected, that must be why.¡±

    Suddenly hearing the cruel fact, I could only stay silent.

    To people from south-east Asia, Japan is indeed not a country that they could live infortably. Take myself as an example, for instance, I¡¯ve just heard that Meo¡¯s father was once a yakuza, and I immediately thought that he would steal hispany¡¯s money. It¡¯s somewhat ill-conceived, but¡ª

    Don¡¯t call the police? Even telling her something like that, is there really something that couldn¡¯t be spoken of?

    ¡°That¡¯s why I have to look myself.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t even know where he is¡ª¡°

    ¡°Turn around and look over here. Shall I remind you who¡¯s the person in front of you right now?¡±

    Alice suddenly said.

    Looking back, Alice had got off her bed and was standing at the entrance of her bedroom, with her back to the light that was emitted by the countless monitors behind her.

    Being interrupted while speaking, I heaved a small sigh, then left Meo leaning beside the table of the small kitchen. I couldn¡¯t say anything to Alice who had gotten off her bed.

    ¡°Miss Detective¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not just an ordinary detective, but a NEET detective. Even if I stay huddled up in my bed, I can search through the whole world and find out about the real truth.¡±

    Meo kneeled on the floor, tearfully staring at Alice for awhile. Nobody spoke. Although I wanted to say something, I couldn¡¯t think of anything to say. Between a client an a detective, there¡¯s no room for a mere assistant to interfere¡ª Alice was not looking at me, but her expression said just that.

    ¡°Can you find my dad?¡±

    Meo¡¯s voice sounded like she was choking.

    ¡°Is that your request?¡±

    Alice¡¯s tone of speaking was still as cool as a cucumber.

    ¡°If a NEET detectives epts a case, he would search for the truth after going through three thousand worlds to look for an answer. If there¡¯s no request, I¡¯m only one of the countless windows that couldn¡¯t speak.¡±

    Meo wiped away the tears in the corner of her eyes with the back of her hand.

    ¡°I¡¯m giving you a request¡ª¡° She said clearly: ¡°Please save my father.¡±

    A relieved expression was shown on Alice¡¯s face, and I think I know why she felt like that. The hikikomori detective could onlye in contact with the outside world through cases. If there¡¯s no official request, she could only save the information alone on her bed. Alice¡¯s loneliness, and her fear of being unable to help out with anything although the world continues to change, I have heard of all of these during the incidentst winter.

    But¡ª

    I really couldn¡¯t stand aside without saying a thing.

    ¡°Are you really nning to solve this on your own without telling the police?¡±

    Meo and Alice looked at me at the same time, but the first to answer was Alice:

    ¡°A detective must act ording to his client¡¯s wishes.¡±

    While Meo just shook her head vigorously . I sighed again and scratche my head.

    ¡°So what if there¡¯s really a crime¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Dad is not a bad person.¡±

    Stop that, I get it already! But he could be involved in a crime even if he¡¯s not a bad guy! I just hope that Alice would not face something dangerous.

    But Alice said coolly:

    ¡°I¡¯ve already decided to ept the case, so there¡¯s no room for you to interfere.¡±

    A dizzy spell came upon me. This guy is serious, and doesn¡¯t even care that other people are worried about her.

    ¡°Think properly, why are you actually staying here?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Isn¡¯t it to serve food and Dr. Pepper for you?¡±

    ¡°If you really think that way, then you should hurry up and leave in my disdain.¡±

    That¡¯s what you said before! I wanted to say that but restrained myself. I sank into a temporary contemtion: No matter what, a detective¡¯s assistant exists just to aid a detective, and not to worry about the detective. Even so¡­¡­

    That made me think about the incident that urredst winter. At that time, I was to absorbed in my own thoughts and didn¡¯t notice, actually Alice and the others aren¡¯t just relying on the power of the police and were still doing dangerous jobs. Probably Alice, Tetsu-senpai and the others are already used to these dangerous things?

    Ah¡ª so that¡¯s why.

    I¡¯m not really worried of Alice. I¡¯m just worried that I can¡¯t follow their footsteps. To be exact¡ª I couldn¡¯t follow them at all. It¡¯s because I don¡¯t have knowledge, contacts or even talents.

    Actually all of this doesn¡¯t mean anything, it¡¯s just that I¡¯m cowardly.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Sorry.¡±

    Meo looked upwards beside me with an uneasy expression while Alice looked coldly at me while sitting on the bed. Paranoia started to form in my heart, and it felt like they were trying to tell me, a pawn, to shut up. I could only hide behind the fridge, showing only half of my body.

    ¡°The- then¡­¡­¡± I felt that aggrieved when I started to say: ¡°If we¡¯re epting the request, I have a condition.¡±

    ¡°Why are you giving a condition?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s because¡­¡­¡± Alice¡¯s gaze was like the freezing wind on February, tearing people to shreds. ¡°Since Meo¡¯s father wanted her to hide, what should she do after this?¡±

    Meo shook her head non-shop: ¡°I never thought about it.¡± You should think about it first!

    ¡°It¡¯ll be troublesome if she rushed out like just now, so if we can¡¯t ensure Meo¡¯s safety, we can¡¯t ept the request.¡±

    Meo looked at me doubtfully, her eyes fluttering. Searching for an ex-yakuza would probably be hard, but if it¡¯s just looking for a safe ce for a girl, I should be able to help with that. I looked guiltily at Alice¡¯s expression.

    ¡°Are you imagining despicably that you could just use Meo¡¯s safety as a shield on times of need, and then we can just give up on searching for Kusakabe Masaya?¡±

    ¡°Of course not!¡±

    Well, maybe a bit¡­¡­ Why is this fellow always so sharp?

    ¡°Forget about it, you¡¯re not wrong. Meo, so it¡¯s settled.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ How is it settled?¡±

    ¡°You just say that you wish to be protected, or I¡¯ll hand you to the police.¡±

    ¡°Wh- Why does this feel like a threat?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not threatening you, this is a necessary precaution to look for your father. So now you have three choices. First, you can just go back. Second, call the police. Third, hand it to us.¡±

    Meo stayed silent while hugging her Boston bag for a moment, then kneeled down and said:

    ¡°Please take care of useless ol¡¯ me in the future!¡±

    ¡­¡­ Where did she learn THAT? Really, who taught her these things? Was it Hiro? It¡¯s Hiro, isn¡¯t it?

    ¡°So¡ª Narumi, you¡¯ve started this, so hurry up andplete your mission?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that we should hide Meo? There should be some empty rooms at Master¡¯s ce, so you go ask her!¡±

    ¡°Ask Min-san?¡±

    Min-san lives at the ground floor of an apartment just behind her ramen shop. Since her father disappeared, she had some rooms empty. If we want to hide Meo, it would be suitable there. But¡­¡­ Must I be the one to ask her?

    *

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just call the police?¡±

    Min-san didn¡¯t even look at me when she answered, but just continued to cut the celery in her hands. I didn¡¯t know what to answer her all of a sudden, and Meo stuck her head from the kitchen back door, an uneasy expression on her face. I turned around and looked at her, then stared at Min-san again.

    ¡°Well¡­¡­ There are a lot of reasons.¡±

    ¡°What reasons?¡±

    ¡°Ngh¡­¡­¡±

    I told Min-san about the disappearance of Min-san¡¯s father and him telling Meo to run away, but how could I tell her about the next part?

    ¡°You¡¯re expecting me to give her shelter without giving me a reason?¡±

    When I think about it, it does seem like I¡¯m asking for a mile when I just took an inch.

    ¡°Forget it, my dad¡¯s room is still collecting dust anyways, just sleep there for now.¡±

    ¡­¡­ Huh? She agreed just like that?

    ¡°Erm¡­¡­ I might give you some trouble.¡±

    Meo¡¯s voice that was full of uneasiness came from my back. Min-san turned her head over only when she heard Meo¡¯s voice, and she said:

    ¡°Don¡¯t you mind, if there¡¯s any problem I¡¯ll beat up Narumi first. The room¡¯s a bit dirty, but you can use it as you like, as it¡¯s empty from the start anyways.¡±

    ¡°She said that¡­¡­¡± I turned my head over to look at Meo. Her face that had the color of coffee ole was immediately lit up with a smile.

    ¡°Thank you, Min-san.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯ll only get ramen for your meals. Narumi, get a nket for her from the storeroom in my room.¡±

    ¡°Ah, alright.¡±

    Thus, I brought Meo from the back of the kitchen to Min-san¡¯s house. Min-san ordered me quite naturally, and I didn¡¯t think much about it¡ª but is it really okay for me to go in and out of a girl¡¯s room like this?

    Min-san¡¯s father abandoned his daughter and the ramen shop and went missing until now, so his room is now being used as a storeroom, and it was stuffed full of bookracks and cardboard boxes that were once used to fill foodstuff. I randomly stacked together the cardboard boxes that were used to fill dried fish for soup, and finally managed to clear up some space so ce the mattress. Meo stood in front of the door with her Boston bag slung on her back, curiously looking around the room and said:

    ¡°Is it really okay? It seems like someone is using the room.¡±

    ¡°But you have nowhere else to go, right? And you can¡¯t go home too¡­¡­¡±

    Meo¡¯s expression turned gloomy, and I hurriedly continued:

    ¡°I¡¯ll go check out your hometer. And Alice knows a lot of busybody oddballs, so don¡¯t worry!¡±

    As I was about to leave Meo there and walk out of the room, She grabbed the sleeve of my shirt.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Hmm? What is it?¡±

    ¡°Everyone is so kind, Min-san, Miss Detective and also Mr. Assistant¡­¡­¡±

    Kind? Me?

    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry for just now, making trouble all of a sudden. So you were just worried of me¡­¡­ Thank you.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t say a word for a moment. Actually I wasn¡¯t worried about Meo, so her direct gratitude made me feel somewhat flustered, not knowing what to say.

    ¡°I¡¯m just feeling somewhat jealous. Hiro-san kept showing off to me, saying that he¡¯s a homeless gigolo, but he has Hanamaru. Because there¡¯s a beautiful and gentle Mother here, although she only knows how to cook ramen for him.¡±

    I really don¡¯t want a scary mother like Min-san¡­¡­ the thought suddenly surfaced in my mind.

    ¡°Then what is your mother doing right now, Meo?¡±

    Though it seems to be toote for this question, nobody asked this before anyways. Meo¡¯s expression suddenly froze. She lowered her head while sitting on the Boston bag on the floor, then raised her head to look at me.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Mother¡­¡­ she died due to an illness not long after she came to Japan.¡±

    I gasped. The strange thing is, the girl beside my foot smiled. Her smile was like fog on a summer morning, hiding a faint sorrow.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, I¡¯m still living with the big sisters in the same building.¡±

    People look lonelier when they smile, that was what I learnt from the winter this year.

    Though we might be able to find Kusakabe Masaya after calling the police, Meo might have to be all alone after this¡ª I¡¯ve only understood the fact at this moment.

    But then, what should we do? I have no idea. If we really could locate Kusakabe Masaya, if he really did take part in a crime, what should Alice do?

    As for me¡ª what should I do?

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mr. Assistant?¡± Meo looked up from below at me, who had shut my mouth and was not speaking. As I couldn¡¯t meet Meo¡¯s eyes, I turned my head to the other side and said:

    ¡°Nothing. Sorry for asking these strange questions.¡±

    *

    Not long after that, Hiro appeared at the ramen shop on about five in the evening.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Me-chan is here?¡±

    The person who ran into the shop was a tall, neen year old man, and he wore a beige denim jacket and a pair of white silk khaki pants. I¡¯ve never seen anyone more suited for wearing white clothes, including male artists. His appearance was like a model or a hustler, but he¡¯s actually just a NEET, and also a gigolo.

    ¡°Ah, Hiro-san!¡±

    Meo, who was eating ice cream in the kitchen, poked her head out.

    ¡°So you¡¯ve finished work?¡±

    ¡°Being a gigolo is a job that requires creativity, so our working time is more flexible.¡±

    ¡°Hiro, get over here. I want to make you unable to embarrass the Japanese anymore!¡±

    Min-san red at Hiro while holding a kitchen knife, scaring him so much that he rushed out of the shop and hid in the alley behind the ramen shop. The back door of the Hanamaru Ramen Shop kitchen was located between two buildings. There, it was stacked full of worn out tires,rge flipped over steel buckets, stic buckets and wooden stands that were used as tables. It¡¯s the best ce for the NEETs to gather.

    Although it¡¯s the time when I should prepare for opening time of the shop, since there¡¯s nothing much to do, I walked out of the kitchen backdoor to look for Hiro; Meo followed me outside too , for some reason.

    ¡°Alice told me about the situation on the phone¡­¡­¡± Hiro said while sitting on the stic bucket. ¡°But I¡¯m still not sure about some parts of it.¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°How much money is in the bag?¡±

    Hiro looked at Meo who sat beside him.

    ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t know. I didn¡¯t count¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Seeing as there¡¯s so much, I¡¯d wager that there would be about a few hundred million yen.¡± I answered for Meo.

    ¡°Is Me-chan that rich?¡±

    Meo shook her head frantically.

    ¡°That¡¯s true! Thepany isn''t big, and you even live in the same area as the people who left home to look for a living.¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s the money of theirpany?¡±

    ¡°Money of theirpany? Then how could he get out so much? And it¡¯s cash, to boot!¡±

    ¡°This¡­¡­ that is¡­¡­ that¡­¡­¡± I really don¡¯t know how to answer. ¡°Alice seemed to have found out something just now, that Meo¡¯s father is one of the Directors of thepany. If that¡¯s true, then isn¡¯t there a possibility?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Even if we say that he pocketed thepany¡¯s money, does thepany even earn that much anyways? I remember that the financial status of thepany isn¡¯t really that good.¡±

    ¡°What does ¡®pocketed¡¯ mean?¡±

    Meo¡¯s expression was truly innocent, and caused Hiro and I to be unable to answer her for a moment. I could only choose a more suitable way of answering:

    ¡°Erm¡­¡­ That means using his position to take away thepany¡¯s money.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re saying that again, Mr. Assistant! My dad would never do that!¡±

    Meo kept hitting my arm with her face red. Hiro tried to be the peacemaker at this moment, and forcefully caught hold of Meo¡¯s shoulders.

    ¡°Are you really sure that he wouldn¡¯t do that?¡± he asked in a solemn tone.

    ¡°Absolutely.¡±

    ¡°Do you trust him that much?¡±

    Medo nodded so vigorously that her neck almost snapped into half.

    ¡°Mnn, I get it.¡± Hiro¡¯s voice regained its gentleness. ¡°Trusting people is Me-chan¡¯s job, doubting people would be our job. There are many things that we can¡¯t be sure of if we don¡¯t doubt it, so just let us handle this nasty job!¡±

    Hiro met Meo¡¯s gaze for awhile, and then showed her a gentle smile.

    Meo hesitated for awhile, then nodded.

    This guy is really good¡ª I suddenly felt that. To be frank, I wasn¡¯t too sure about Hiro¡¯s statement at that moment, but he always had a way to make people calm down. He probably always uses this talent on indecent things, right? He¡¯s a public enemy for women.

    ¡°No matter what, we must still check out the condition of thepany and Meo¡¯s family.¡±

    ¡°Hiro probably knows the location of the building, right? And know the people there.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡ª me? The security there already remembered my face, and I¡¯ve already deleted the phone number of my ex-girlfriend.¡±

    When I think about it, he had been chased out by the security. Then what should we do now?

    Hiro stared at me silently.

    Meo stared at me without saying a word too.

    This is¡­¡­

    ¡°Should¡­¡­ I go?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no choice, there¡¯s nobody else.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind going, but I¡¯m currently at work.¡±

    ¡°What? At work?¡±

    Hiro¡¯s reaction was really too exaggerated, and really hurts my fragile heart. I tapped the words ¡®Hanamaru¡¯ printed on the ck apron.

    ¡°Mnn, Narumi, you¡¯re working here? Really? Why? Bing a NEET isn¡¯t an illness, so don¡¯t mind it, you don¡¯t need to force yourself to get therapy.¡±

    I¡¯m telling you I¡¯m not a NEET!

    ¡°And you don¡¯t even look like you¡¯re working right now.¡±

    Being said that, it made me speechless, because the truth is as Hiro have said.

    ¡°So what are Tetsu-senpai and Major doing right now?¡± I frantically changed the topic.

    ¡°I¡¯ve just called Tetsu, he¡¯s at the Tokyo Racetrack.¡±

    Ah, to today is racing day. Since it¡¯s the spring holidays right now, I even forgot what day it is today.

    ¡°He said that he lost the money used for taking the train on hisst match, so he¡¯s walking back. Really, he could just go bet at WINS, why does he need to specially run to that ce that haven¡¯t even started racing?¡±

    The hopeless gambler¡­¡­ Wouldn¡¯t it take at least four hours for him to walk from there to here?

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t find Major too, perhaps he¡¯s ying a survival game?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t I go after I finished work?¡±

    ¡°She works at night, so she¡¯ll be out if you don¡¯t go now.¡± Hiro said. I sighed. It¡¯s like there¡¯s a pair of invisible hands controlling me, not letting me work. I know, I know! I¡¯ll go right now.

    I walked back into the kitchen and asked lightly to Min-san who was concentrating on scooping out the dregs in the steaming pot.

    ¡°Erm¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re skipping work the first day at work? You really have some guts!¡±

    Min-san said without even looking at me. Probably she heard our conversation just now.

    ¡°So- sorry, just pretend I didn¡ª¡°

    ¡°There¡¯s no difference, since we¡¯re so free right now. But you¡¯re fired if you¡¯re not back by seven!¡±

    Hiro lent me a jacket and a pair of cool sses before I set off. Perhaps those have been given to him by his ex-girlfriend at that building?

    As I was about to bring my bike from the alley to the main road, I faintly heard the conversation between Min-san and Meo from the shop¡±

    ¡°Meo, would you like to work in my shop?¡±

    ¡°Eh, that won¡¯t do, I¡¯m working at a Thai restaurant right now¡­¡­ Ah, but I¡¯m on leave these days, so I might be fired¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Just tell me if you change your mind, I¡¯ll fire Narumi instantly.¡±

    That¡¯s just too much¡­¡­ She¡¯s so cruel. While suppressing my sorrowful feeling, I pedaled towards the road that was dyed red by the setting sun.

    *

    Pedaling from the southern exit of the station towards the slope, I turned right after passing through the post office. I got lost between a middle school and an embassy, and went back and forth on the same road for quite a few times, then I realized that the four storey building that was about as big as the school building further to my left was a collection of residential rooms, which is also my destination - Hello Pce. I stopped at the roadside, staring nkly on my bike with my jaw open. I¡¯ve heard that the people who live here are mostly women foreigners from south-east Asia, and thought that it¡¯s just a broken down apartment with seven or eight people squeezed in a six tatami room. I actually had that kind of prejudice, how impolite of me.

    So that I wouldn¡¯t be noticed, I parked my bike at a corner of a building that couldn¡¯t be seen from the guardroom.

    When I stopped my bike, therge amount of cash that Meo brought suddenly surfaced in my mind. It¡¯s too unusual, what if it really involved a crime? The police haven¡¯t came to Meo¡¯s house yet, have they? If so, I¡¯ll just act dumb.

    I took out the pair of sses that was used for ornamental purposes and put it on.

    The guards¡¯ restroom was beside the entrance of the building, and there was nobody in there. But for some reason I naturally started to walk on tiptoe, so what¡¯s the difference between me and a person who sneaks into other people¡¯s houses? I could only console myself that I¡¯m not doing anything, and walked to the forth room of the third floor. The words ¡®Kusakabe¡¯ were written on the signboard. Not even a person could be seen there, and that made me a bit more relieved. I pressed the doorbell, waited for about three minutes but there wasn¡¯t any answer; so I turned the handle and found that the door was locked.

    Actually, Meo handed me the keys to her house, but I really don¡¯t feel like going in. If I was spotted, I really couldn¡¯t exin why I have the key.

    It couldn¡¯t be helped, I could only press the doorbell of the room next to it, the house of the person that Hiro once lived in. After about twenty seconds, the door opened a crack, and a young woman was standing behind it.

    ¡°Hi¡­¡­¡±

    She sounded rather sleepy. Thedy wore a baggy T-shirt printed full of simplified characters and a pair of shorts, her long hair tied up messily with a rubber band. Although she didn¡¯t have any make up on, I could see that she was a Chinese beauty with a great figure.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Who are you?¡±

    ¡°Ah, so- sorry!¡± Was she sleeping just now? ¡°Do you know Kuwabara Hiroaki-san?

    When I mentioned Hiro¡¯s name, the woman¡¯s eyes finally focused.

    ¡°Hiro? Eh? ¡­¡­ Ah, that jacket¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Erm¡­¡­ Meo is at my ce.¡±

    The woman¡¯s brows suddenly twitched, then speedily shut the door before I even finished speaking. After that, the sound of her removing the chains on the door came, and then this time, the door was opened wide.

    ¡°Ah¡ª Mnn¡ª I¡¯ve heard about it, wait for awhile, I¡¯ll get it here.¡±

    Eh? Wa- Wait a sec, what¡¯s with this situation?

    When I was supporting the door, the woman walked into the room and took out a coffee colored paper bag.

    ¡°You can eat this directly, but it¡¯s even better after you heat it.¡±

    With my brain in a muddle, the paper bag was stuffed roughly into my hands.

    ¡°Eh, ah, erm¡­¡­¡±

    I¡¯m still not sure what was happening, but the girl hugged me all of a sudden. I immediately felt that she wasn¡¯t wearing lingerie, causing me to freeze. At this moment, she said quietly in my ears:

    ¡°I can¡¯t talk to you here, so just pretend you¡¯re just here to get the bag, go home for now!¡±

    I immediately came to my senses. The girl then let go of me, and said to me with a tone like a salesman: ¡°Say hi to everyone for me!¡± then pushed me out and closed the door.

    I was left alone in the corridor with the weight of the paper bag in my hands.

    Can¡¯t talk to me here?

    Does thatdy know of Meo¡¯s current situation? But what did she mean by can¡¯t talk to me here? Did she mean that there¡¯s someone in her room, and it¡¯s bad for our conversation to be overheard?

    I couldn¡¯t make head or tails of the matter from the start, but I still followed what she said, took the bag and left ¡®Hello Pce¡¯ obediently.

    After walking out of the entrance, I immediately tore open the bag. There was a small bun in the bag, while a business card was ced on it¡ª ¡®Exotic Pub, Shanghai Love¡¯. The logo on the card was a shining pink, while the name on it was a name written in romaji: Rin. There was also a sentence written below the name in an untidy scrawl¡ª

    Wait for me behind the shop at 4.00 am.

    It was written on the card that the pub¡¯s business time was until three thirty at night, so does that mean she¡¯s asking me to wait until she finished work? But why did she use so much effort to act out that y just now?

    I ced the business card into my pocket, walked to my bike parked at the side of the road and suddenly felt a chill on my back.

    I really shouldn¡¯t stop, and I should just ride my bike and leave ASAP; but I stopped walking because of that feeling. I saw two silhouettes from the corner of my eyes, and they were walking towards me from the direction of Hello Pce.

    One of the men was wearing a grubby leather jacket, while the other wore a purple flowery shirt that had zero fashion sense, with curly hair on top of his head. I pretended not to notice and sped up. When I reached the shadow of the building, I felt the chill on my back again.

    ¡°Oi, you over there!¡±

    One of the men shouted. Just like that, my intuition told me that these two are definitely not people to mess with. This is bad, I should really escape double quick. Just as I was about to ride away on my bike, the footsteps behind me quickened. I raised my head, only to see that the two men were horribly close to me.

    ¡°Kid, don¡¯t move!¡±

    Almost reflexively, I raised my hands and threw the bag that I was holding to them, then hurriedly pushed my bike down the slope and jumped onto my bike. I don¡¯t know what happened with the bag, but I could hear the furious roars of the mening from behind. I was afraid that they would quickly chase me down and grab my cor, so I elerated the rate of my pedaling, rushing down the slope without even pedaling and sharply turned right as soon as I reached the road. A car flew by my side, leaving behind only the loud sound of the horn.

    I steered clear of the main road and circled around the alleys that I didn¡¯t really know that well, and I only stopped and looked around after I reached the four linene(?) .Of course, the two people are already gone. I gasped for breath, trying to slow down my breathing and my heartbeat, and I felt bouts of paining from my lungs.

    Who are those two anyways?

    The reason that I wanted to run away was not only because the men¡¯s actions gave me a bad premonition, the attitude of the Chinese onee-san caused me to be suspicious as well.

    I took out my phone.

    ¡°¡­¡­ ah, it¡¯s me.¡±

    ¡®How was it? Did you see Yi Ling?¡¯ Hiro asked.

    ¡°Erm¡­¡­ Ah, yes, I did see her.¡±

    So that¡¯s why¡ª her name is Yi Ling, that¡¯s why her nickname is Rin. While thinking of these meaningless things, I adjusted my breathing rate and answered:

    ¡°Meo¡¯s house is under surveince.¡±

    Hiro, who was at the other side of the phone stayed silent.

    ¡°They might be yakuza. Hiro, you should really tell Meo not to go out.¡±

    ¡®Got it. Things are really not that simple, we might need to ask for Yondaime¡¯s help¡­¡­¡¯

    I told Hiro that I¡¯m going back right now, and hung up.

    We might need to ask for Yondaime¡¯s help. Although there¡¯s this possibility, I really don¡¯t wish for things to turn out like that. When the shonen yakuza leader of the juvenile delinquents start to take action, it would be hard to prevent bloodshed from urring.

    But my premonitions are the most urate in these bad situations, and of course it¡¯s the same this time, too.

    *

    The Hotel Street at four in the morning felt like an insomniac patient who couldn¡¯t sleep, its eyes swollen and bloodshot. Walking along the curved road on the slope, pirs of streetlights were towering over two sides of the road, illuminating the signboards with fee and service content written on it; the side view of a hotel that looked rather blurred due to the blue and pink rays of light shining on it was visible further up the slope.

    Walking alone in this ce at night, it felt like I would get crushed by the psychological pressure soon, so I forced myself to focus on the fees written on each hotel. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s because of the strongpetition, there¡¯s a lot of mystifying side services. It looks like not only each hotel provided a microwave, Dreamcast was written on some of the signboards! What type of couples are they trying to attract, anyways?

    I came here once before during that incident, but I don¡¯t really have much of an impression of it anymore. There really aren¡¯t much people at these ces at this time, so it was extremely quiet.

    Climbing onto the slope after walking out of the Hotel Street, I walked to an inconspicuous pub on the road. This ce is away from the dazzling grandeur preferred by the young people, a street that exists for the sake of ojisans (probably).

    ording to Hiro, due to the special revision of the industrialw, the pubs on the streets have decreased, and have now almost disappeared or have changed to providing various services for the hostels nearby¡­

    The pub that¡¯s like an endangered species, ¡®Exotic Pub, Shanghai Love¡¯, was just at the corner of the street. Having electric lights that are modeled on oilmps and an arc-shaped door, it feels just like a pub that any grown man could go. The pink neon lights weren¡¯t too shy , and it didn¡¯t feel like it¡¯s a suspicious shop. Is this really an indecent ce? But the signboard says that it¡¯s a pub.

    I looked at the time on my phone, the date had advanced a day, bing the first of April. It¡¯s now three forty five in the morning, that¡¯s early.

    A middle-aged man passed by my side, apanied by a woman wearing a low-cut shirt, and it looks like she¡¯s upational. Seeing the two walk to Hotel Street at the same time, I squeezed into the cramped alley beside the shop and hid.

    Just at that moment, I remembered the scene when I returned to Hanamaru in the evening. I showed the card given to me by the Chinese onee-san¡ª Yi Ling san, to Hiro and told him about what urred. Hiro showed me an awkward expression and said: ¡°I think it¡¯s better if I go. You probably won¡¯t be able to go out thatte, right?¡± Maybe his experience of breaking up with Yi Ling-san wasn¡¯t too good?

    Although I was worried that they would feel awkward if they met, but the main reason that I went was that I wanted to go. If I need to trouble Hiro for such a simple matter, then I¡¯m truly useless.

    To be honest, sitting on the separator of the charged parking lot, I was somewhat regretting my decision to ept this request. What if I were caught by the police and to ept counseling? They¡¯d probably inform the school, right? And I ran out without even telling my sister, what am I doing¡­¡­

    ¡°Waited for a long time?¡±

    Suddenly hearing the voice of a woman, it startled me so much that I nearly fell down. I raised my head to have a look, and I saw Yi Ling-san wearing an extremely short mini skirt that would be almost invisible in the morning streets and a light beige jacket. She bent down slightly and looked at my face:

    ¡°Sorry, are you okay? It¡¯s sote right now. I originally thought that Hiro woulde.¡±

    ¡°Hiro¡¯s because¡­¡­ erm¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°I know, he didn¡¯t want toe, right? Can you help me beat him up for me next time?¡±

    Yi Ling-san said while smiling.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that convenient talking out here, I think it¡¯s better if we go to a restaurant.¡±

    She dragged my hand and started to go forward. All of her actions were overly natural. Though I still felt uneasy, I could only follow her obediently.

    Then I slowly realized something¡ª the way that Yi Ling-san was walking was somewhat unnatural. You won¡¯t notice if you don¡¯t look closely, but her back was a bit bent when she walked, and the steps that she took didn¡¯t match.

    ¡°Erm¡­¡­ Are you sick? Or do you have a stomachache?¡±

    ¡°Eh? You can see that?¡± a wry smile was shown on her face. ¡°Well, since I¡¯m still the bread and butter of the shop, only my face wasn¡¯t beaten up.¡±

    ¡°Huh¡­¡­?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you ran away, didn¡¯t you? That wasn¡¯t good¡ª I even pretended that I knew you very well too, in the end I had to put in a lot of effort to exin, but they didn¡¯t even believe me.¡±

    ¡°Er¡­¡­ Were they the ones with the leather coat and the curly hair?¡±

    ¡°Correct. Those two are the racketeers of our shop, and they¡¯re monitoring the building to see if Meoes back.¡±

    Racketeers?

    ¡°They¡¯re yakuzas who collect protection rackets. I really don¡¯t know what they would do, so remember to tell Meo, don¡¯te back here for the moment.¡±

    They¡¯re indeed yakuza. But why are yakuzas looking for Meo? When I wanted to continue asking, a voice suddenly came from my back:

    ¡°Sorry for the wait.¡±

    ¡°Who is this child?¡±

    When I turned my head around, I saw two women who were dressed simrly to Yi Ling-san going past the buildings, and were walking to us.

    In the restaurant duringte night, at a the innermost table of the smoking area that didn¡¯t have any other customers there, I was surrounded by three onee-sans who work at a pub, and I sat among them with my body curled up. Yi Ling-san asked while eating arge bowl of tekkadon: ¡°So who are you, actually?¡±

    There were also a hamburger set meal, m spaghetti, tomato soup, French fries and a whole lot more food on the table, causing me to be rather shocked because of their astoundingly big appetite. The three of them were rather slim, how could they eat that much food?

    ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with Meo? Are you Hiro¡¯s friend?¡±

    Hua-san, who seems to have came from Taiwan, asked in a rapid fire tone.

    ¡°Middle schooler? High school?¡± the onee-san who seems to have came from Philippine interrupted, asking more questions.

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m a high schooler.¡± Do I even look like a middle schooler? Though I HAD been misunderstood sometimes. ¡°Erm¡­¡­ It¡¯s hard to say¡­¡­ Have you heard of the detective agency in the same building as the ramen shop?¡±

    ¡°Oh¡ª¡° Yi Ling-san nodded and said: ¡°I¡¯ve heard of it, I think the detective¡¯s a girl, right? What¡¯s she like?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s she like, huh¡­¡­¡±

    Actually I don¡¯t really know Alice that well, and I don¡¯t even know what age is she.

    ¡°She¡¯s a small, delicate girl who¡¯s about twelve or thirteen, wears pajamas and is cooped up in her room every day. Though she¡¯s quite malicious, her skill of using theputer should be quite good.¡±

    ¡°Really, she¡¯s that young!? How does she count as a detective then, it¡¯s so mystifying.¡±

    With an annoyed expression on her face, Yi Ling-san stayed silent for quite some time. Then, she relit her cigarette, breathed in deeply and then puffed out arge amount of smoke.

    ¡°She¡¯s really that young? Isn¡¯t she a detective?¡±

    ¡°Mnn, being a detective should be a self-proimed.¡±

    It should be normal when people have this reaction when they learn about Alice, right? The thought suddenly shed through my mind. But aren¡¯t they being a bit too surprised?

    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is, I actually lost to that¡­¡­ Uwaa, so Hiro is a lolicon! That¡¯s so hurtful¡­¡­¡±

    She muttered while looking at the ceiling, while the contents of her mutterings really couldn¡¯t be ignored. What does she mean? Does Hiro¡­¡­ No, how is that possible?

    ¡°Yi Ling, you should just forget about that gigolo.¡±

    Hua-san patted Yi Ling-san¡¯s head, meant as a constion but was pushed away by Yi Ling-san, and then she continued to ask:

    ¡°So Hiro is still helping that detective. Does that mean that Meo is there as well?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡­ yes.¡±

    This afternoon¡ª no, it¡¯s on yesterday¡ª I exined shortly how Meo went to the NEET Detective Agency, and while thinking about it, I really feel that it was really a long day.

    ¡°Is the ce where Meo is staying at safe?¡± Jennifer said.

    ¡°Mnn¡ª It¡¯s probably quite safe.¡± If Min-san agrees to help , she is quite reliable.

    ¡°Meo is just like our daughter¡­¡­¡± Jennifer continued: ¡°I originally hoped to marry someone like Kusakabe-san, and then give birth to a child like Meo.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t your husband get addicted to drugs? He¡¯s quite a match for you!¡± Hua-san said sarcastically at a side.

    ¡°I¡¯ve told him to stop, and Kusakabe-san helped me to beat him up already.¡±

    ¡°But he haven¡¯t found a job, have he?¡± Yi Ling-san frowned.

    ¡°Just tell him to get lost after getting the permanent resident visa!¡±

    The conversation started to stray towards a direction that I couldn¡¯tprehend, and was mixed with bits of English, Chinese and Filipino. While feeling pressured, I drank my iced coffee with a straw.

    ¡°Meo doesn¡¯t know what happened to Kusakabe-san, too?¡± Yi Ling-san steered the topic back to the main point.

    ¡°Nope.¡± I shook my head, and exined about the phone call from Meo¡¯s father.

    ¡°I wonder what Kusakabe-san did¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Maybe he got into trouble with Tabara-gumi? But didn¡¯t he leave the gang from Osaka already?¡±

    ¡°Those guys came to the shop just now. Our shopkeeper is an old friend of Kusakabe-san¡¯s from Kansai, so he kept being badgered, and was asked if he¡¯s keeping something for Kusakabe-san. Of course, he didn¡¯t say anything. Hmph!¡±

    The money is indeed thepany¡¯s¡ª no, perhaps it belongs to yakuza?

    I decided not to tell them about the bomb-like amount of money in Meo¡¯s hands. People who know must die¡ª I thought about what Alice said while interrupting them:

    ¡°Erm¡­¡­¡±

    I felt that my palm was sweating, but I must get this thing clear.

    ¡°Is the Hello Corporation¡­¡­ How should I say this, a criminalpany? Or yakuza?¡±

    ¡°Impossible!¡± The three instantly denied it.

    ¡°Then who in the world is looking for Meo?¡±

    ¡°I said that it¡¯s the racketeers from Tabara-gumi. It¡¯ll be troublesome if people make trouble in our business, so we hire yakuza racketeers. But those people are too avaricious, recently quite a lot of shops stopped working with them, but our shop¡­¡­ It can¡¯t be helped, there¡¯s too many foreigners.¡±

    This made me even more muddled up about Hello Corporation. They have connections with yakuza, opened a pub, and even rented some nice amodations for their female foreign workers.

    ¡°Although I¡¯m not that clear about it¡­¡­¡± Yi Ling-san continued: ¡°But those who are in our profession, more or less would have some connections with that side of the people. Hello Corporation. Hello Corporation providesbor services, and they even provide Japanese sses for us.¡±

    ¡°The pay is quite good too.¡±

    ¡°But we owe people quite a lot of money at first. Even if we send the money home, half of it would probably be taken away.¡±

    ¡°This is just an act of extorting money out of us.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no choice, because it¡¯s because of the help given by the guild that we can stay in Japan.¡±

    ¡°Guild?¡± I asked. Topics that I don¡¯t understand crop up one after another, and I almost couldn¡¯t follow it anymore.

    ¡°Hello Corporation is a cooperative guild that is formed from teams of women who work here, Kusakabe-san is the guild master, so he lives with us. Besides making it easier for us to get visas, the guild would also introduce marriage partners and so on.¡±

    I noticed something odd from Yi Ling-san¡¯s exnation¡­¡­ Wait a sec!

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this what they call a fake marriage¡­¡­?¡±

    Jeniffer and Hua-sanughed out loud at the same time and said:

    ¡°Well, we live together as well. If we don¡¯t live in harmony, we can¡¯t pass the visa check.¡±

    ¡°But how would this work out in the future? If Kusakabe-san is caught¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°If a delinquent reces him, I might not continue to work anymore. If it weren¡¯t for Kusakabe-san, I really couldn¡¯t deal with all this a long time ago¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Yi Ling, you¡¯re still single anyways, so it doesn¡¯t matter¡­¡­¡±

    The three ignored my presence and started to talk about solemn matters. I listened to their conversation from far away, and started to stir the ice cubes in my ss while rxing somewhat. Not only was I unable to find out anything about Meo¡¯s father, the outrageous topics that followed made me even more muddled up.

    The incident that happenedst winter was even simpler than this. Strictly speaking, it¡¯s just that some people reaped the evil fruit that they sowed. But it¡¯s different this time.

    Can Alice handle this?

    The horizon of the night sky was somewhat blue when we walked out of the restaurant. It was already near dawn. There weren¡¯t anyone besides us on the sidewalk, but even at this time, the cars and truck were still busy on the road.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, I forgot to ask what¡¯s your name.¡± Yi Ling-san said.

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m Fujishima. Fujishima Narumi.¡±

    ¡°How do you write that?¡±

    Yi Ling-san took out her phone, so I typed out my name on it.

    ¡°Oh¡ª so it¡¯s Ming Hai.¡±

    Hearing someone reading out my name in Chinese¡ª I feel that I¡¯ve read something like that in a manga somewhere.

    And so, Yi Ling-san and the others exchanged phone numbers with me while standing in the streets.

    ¡°Ming Hai, so you¡¯re helping by the detective¡¯s side too?¡±

    ¡°It seems that I¡¯m her assistant.¡±

    I, myself, feel embarrassed when I say that.

    ¡°Really? Then if you find Kusakabe-san, please save him. He should know yakuzas better than us, so it¡¯s improbable for him to make trouble himself. He probably did what he did because of some pressing matters.¡±

    Is that really so? If he knows of a way to stealthily take thepany¡¯s money but would not get noticed, the people who can do that would probably still do that¡ª I thought while nodding.

    ¡°Really, why didn¡¯t Kusakabe-san escape back to Thand with Meo.¡±

    Jeniffer muttered to herself.

    ¡°Yeah, although we¡¯ll be troubled if he isn¡¯t here, but looking at the situation right now, we can¡¯t bail at all¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Narumi, tell Kusakabe-san if you see him¡­¡­¡±

    Hua-san held my hand and said:

    ¡°He¡¯s working too hard at Hello Corporation, tell him to escape to somewhere else!¡±

    ¡°Really¡­¡­ huh?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s best if he takes the ashes of his wife back to Thand too¡­¡­¡±

    It was like cold water was sshed all over me. I looked at Yi Ling-san¡¯s face.

    Meo¡¯s mother died in a foreign country.

    ¡°I¡¯ll leave Meo to you.¡±

    The three said so, gave me a hug each and then left.

    After Yi Ling-san and the others left, I sat on the fence alone and stared nkly at the morning sky. I just felt that the sleepiness locked in my chest couldn¡¯t be released, and couldn¡¯t creep into my brain. Looking downwards, I could only see the slope that descended in a straight line from the southern exit of the station, and the city lights that were threatening the night sky along the slope.

    The matter is utterly out of myprehension, and it gave me a bad premonition. What should we do? Never would I have thought that both our client and the person that we¡¯re searching for would be wanted by the yakuza. What could I do to help in this matter? Thinking back on the scene when the yakuza were chasing me¡ª ahh, it¡¯s impossible. If I meet them next time, I¡¯d probably run away too.

    Why did Alice hire me as her assistant? She was just following the flow at first, I understand that. But what about after the Angel Fix incident ended? I, myself, told Alice that I wanted to continue to be her assistant, and she epted too. So what expectations do she have for me? I don¡¯t know.

    The noisy cries of a flock of crows surrounded me and bugged me. It wouldn¡¯t be any help if I continue to ponder about this.

    Anyways, this is my first official job since I became Alice¡¯s assistant.

    Could I still stay by Alice¡¯s side¡ª that would depend on this time.

    During the incident that happened during the winter, I actually didn¡¯t help out with much. Even so, Alice still said that I¡¯m her assistant; no matter how much she abused me, she didn¡¯t really abandon me. So I could only cling onto the small, hopeless possibility.

    It¡¯s the same even now.

    I can only do what I can do.

    Jumping down from the fence, I patted away the sand on me and took my first step on the sidewalk.

 Volume 2, 2

    <h4>Volume 2, Chapter 2</h4>

    Knowing that I wouldn¡¯t get a wink of sleep even if I went home anyways, I directly went to Hanamaru to check out the situation. The steel door of the ramen shop was unexpectedly half open even though it¡¯s so early, and trapezium-shaped light shone on the gray asphalt road. Squatting down to look at the interior of the shop, I could see a silhouette with small braids walking in and out of the counter. It was Meo. What in the world is she doing at this time?

    I really don¡¯t know how to mention her father¡¯s problem to her, and since I haven¡¯t sorted out my own feelings yet, I really don¡¯t feel like meeting her. However, Meo noticed me as I was about to leave, and she opened the door for me. By now, I couldn¡¯t escape anymore.

    ¡°You¡¯re up early, Mr. Assistant.¡±

    ¡°No, I just haven¡¯t slept yet.¡±

    In contrast with my mind, my body was already extremely tired, so I just sat down on the seat in the middle of the counter.

    ¡°Min-san is probably still sleeping, right?¡±

    ¡°No no, Min-san said that she always jogs at this time.¡±

    Oh? She¡¯s quite the athlete.

    ¡°In the end, I woke up too. I¡¯m making breakfast right now. Do you want to eat, Mr. Assistant?¡±

    I didn¡¯t really notice until she mentioned it. A fragrant smell was indeed floating out from the kitchen, and made me feel somewhat hungry. I was taken aback by the huge appetite of Yi Ling-san and the others, so I only ordered coffee, but I¡¯m feeling rather hungry right now.

    ¡°You cooked for me too?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s going to be done soon.¡±

    The bowl that she brought out was filled with clear soup, porridge, ms and prawns. It was also topped with sesame and leaves of spices. Although she didn¡¯t use any special ingredients (I should mention that most of them were from Hanamaru), the fragrance of foreign cooking filled the shop. She called it Khao Tom, which probably means Thai porridge.

    The next dish was a colorful veggie sd, emitting a sweet sour smell, and also had the fragrance of peppermint. This meal is actually quite rich for a breakfast.

    ¡°Your cooking is not bad.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m learning to be a good wife.¡±

    While washing the pot, Meo answered while smiling. Is she serious or joking?

    ¡°How old are you, Meo?¡±

    ¡°Fourteen.¡±

    She¡¯s two years younger than me, but she seems to be more energetic than I am.

    ¡°As long as your parents agree, you can marry after two years. But you don¡¯t have anyone you like, do you?¡±

    ¡°I do. My dad.¡±

    The green pepper in the sd jammed into my windpipe at that instant, causing myself to hack violently. Meo immediately handed me a ss full of water. She¡¯s so considerate. She¡¯ll probably be a great wife in the future¡­¡­ Ah, that¡¯s not the point!

    ¡°¡­¡­ Is it okay for you to still dream of being your father¡¯s bride even though you¡¯re already fourteen?¡±

    ¡°Why? We¡¯re not rted by blood, so we can marry!¡±

    Eh, is that so?

    ¡°My real father died before I was given birth. My current dad met mom at Thand, and they brought me to Japan after marrying there.¡±

    Aside from the skin colour ,Meo¡¯s features are actually quite simr to a Japanese person, I even thought that she came from mixed races. So since he¡¯s a stepfather, then they can probably marry¡­¡­ Wait, is that really the problem?

    ¡­¡­ Maybe it¡¯s this problem?

    Though I wanted toment that it wasn¡¯t that right, I really don¡¯ know how to say that.

    ¡°Hiro taught me too: ¡®You can just be my adopted daughter, then you can marry your father.¡¯ Then I¡¯ll be both his daughter and his wife! He was very excited when he said that.¡±

    What is that sex offender thinking of¡­¡­

    ¡°But I don¡¯t understand, why is Mr. Assistant so agitated too?¡±

    Now that she mentioned it, I don¡¯t really know myself. Well¡­¡­ It¡¯s just that¡­¡­ Is that really okay!?

    I swallowed my inexpressible feelings with the porridge, and calmed down after some time. Actually I don¡¯t really have to be agitated, as it¡¯s not my life anyways.

    ¡°I just don¡¯t know if dad is willing to marry me.¡±

    ¡°You can say that again¡­¡­¡± I would say that it¡¯s almost impossible. ¡°How old is your father?¡±

    ¡°Mnn¡­¡­ About thirty eight? But the big sisters who live in the same building said that they cannot see that dad is already at that age. Let me tell you, dad¡¯s face is as good looking as a mountain cat when he¡¯s sleepy. I love dad¡¯s sleepy face.¡±

    What does that mean! What kind of sleepy face is that? No, I should say that it¡¯s the first time I heard someone praising a man¡¯s sleepy face. No matter what, this way of saying it is really rare.

    ¡°I was not that good at cooking before, but dad would still eat up all my cooking, which is why I decided to work at a restaurant to improve my cooking. Oh yeah, is it good?¡±

    ¡°Mnn, it¡¯s great.¡±

    Meo¡¯s smiling face is just like a fresh tart, and made me rather envious of Kusakabe Masaya for a moment. He actually let such a girl bring along such a dangerous amount of money, where is he right now? What¡¯s he up to?

    I thought of ways to exin this dangerous situation. Things have changed so much that even yakuza are involved in it, and I felt moody just thinking about it. I really think it¡¯s better if we could convince her to call the police.

    ¡°Actually I want to learn more dishes from mom¡­¡­ Dad probably likes mom¡¯s cooking best.¡±

    It was as if Meo¡¯s eyes was looking at the skies of Thand far away. Her mother¡­¡­ Didn¡¯t she pass away already?

    I suddenly remembered the guild that Yi Ling-san and Jennifer spoke of. They introduce Japanese men to the foreign women working in the country, did Kusakabe Masaya do that too?

    ¡°I saw it on a photo, the fact that I look exactly like my mother. So dad¡­¡­ would probably like me¡­¡­ right?¡±

    Meo¡¯s voice quavered, as if she didn¡¯t have much confidence. Is that so?

    ¡°Did you tell your father about your thoughts?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Maybe you should ask him after hees back.¡± Perhaps she would get a scolding at that time?

    ¡°You say that like it¡¯s really simple. If you can say these things so easily, there wouldn¡¯t be so many troubled people in this world.¡±

    Mnn, that might be so. I, myself, experienced that first hand in the incident that happenedst winter, and I forgot all about it in the end because it didn¡¯t affect me much. While I think about it, why am I chatting with a girl about these meaningless topics in the morning?

    ¡°I wonder where dad is right now¡­¡­¡±

    Meo sat down on the chair in the kitchen with her chin on the table.

    ¡°Do you know where he might be?¡±

    Meo shook her head.

    ¡°I tried to call him from yesterday, but he didn¡¯t answer.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, tell me your dad¡¯s phone number. If his phone is on him, Alice might be able to find out his location.¡±

    Meo widened her eyes. That¡¯s quite an understandable reaction. But I¡¯ve heard that after three years, people would be able to confirm the location of each phone by using the inte¡­¡­ I just have this feeling that society would be even more perplexing that time.

    ¡°Oh, I see. I didn¡¯t know that because I don¡¯t have a phone.¡±

    It¡¯s rare for people not to have a phone these days.

    ¡°Dad says that children don¡¯t need phones. After I grow up, he¡¯ll give me back the phone that my mother used. But it¡¯s no trouble even if I don¡¯t have one, because the only person who I call is dad.¡±

    Meo fluently read out her father¡¯s phone number.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Mnn?¡±

    No phone?

    I was lost in thought. Because I thought that having a phone was natural, I overlooked something. Kusakabe Masaya couldn¡¯t contact Meo even if he wants to, while Meo can¡¯t reach him as well.

    It¡¯s almost like¡­¡­

    ¡°Mr. Assistant, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Eh? Ah! No, it¡¯s nothing. Sorry, please repeat the number again.¡±

    It¡¯s almost like Kusakabe Mayasa doesn¡¯t want Meo to know where he is, but I can¡¯t tell Meo about that.

    I entered the phone number that Meo said into the phone. The numbers of three foreign women who works in a special profession and an ex-yakuza¡­¡­ In just one night, my phone memory went through groundbreaking confusion.

    ¡°I just met Yi Ling-san and the others.¡±

    ¡°Were they worried of me?¡±

    ¡°Like a mother worried of her daughter.¡±

    Meo showed me a smile, but her expression immediately clouded over again.

    ¡° ¡­¡­ I want to go home.¡±

    I hesitated for awhile, but decided to tell her the conversation with the others in the end:

    ¡°Jennifer said¡­¡­ If we find your father, then go back to Thand. Since something like this happened, you can¡¯t go back to thepany or your apartment anymore.¡±

    Not only thepany, they may even have trouble living in the Japanese society. After hearing my words, Meo just stared at the table without saying anything.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be okay¡­¡­¡±

    She muttered while staring at the table:

    ¡°It¡¯ll definitely be okay, he¡¯ll definitely be back. The big sisters would be lonely without dad too.¡±

    No, you don¡¯t even understand what I¡¯m saying.

    ¡°There¡¯s no chance of recovery if the rtionship is damaged even once.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no such thing.¡±

    Being rebuked at once made an indescribable depression surface in my heart. I think I¡¯ve heard simr words somewhere recently.

    That¡¯s right, it was Alice. When we mentioned Ayaka, she said: ¡°Don¡¯t you believe in miracles?¡±

    It isn¡¯t really the problem of believing or not believing.

    At that moment, my phone suddenly started to vibrate, and the noisy guitar music of ¡®Colorado Bulldog¡¯ started to re from my phone, startling me so much that I almost dropped my phone.

    ¡°Hello¡­¡­¡±

    ¡®Why are you still dawdling down there? You should juste report at the office since you¡¯re already here. Didn¡¯t you just meet Meo¡¯s neighbor?¡¯

    Really, so that girl is already awake. Or did she even sleep? I really don¡¯t know what time she goes to bed.

    ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯ming.¡±

    I sighed and hung up.

    ¡°Miss Detective knows that Mr. Assistant is nearby? Does she have psychic powers?¡± How is that a psychic power?

    ¡°Although you wouldn¡¯t notice from its appearance, actually there are surveince cameras all around the building. If anyonees, Alice would be able to see him from the screen in her room.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see.¡±

    Meo looked around, but actually there aren¡¯t any surveince cameras in the shop.

    ¡°Is Miss Detective timid?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps.¡±

    What is Alice actually scared of? The whole world? Is that why she doesn¡¯t go out?

    Never mind, it doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s because of the fact that she doesn¡¯t go out that I could help, albeit a bit.

    *

    ¡°The circles under your eyes are really dark.¡±

    Alice nced at me from her bed, and immediatelymented. Because I kept going here and therete night, my body has already frozen, and I almost couldn¡¯t cope with the cold air-conditioner in the office.

    ¡°Is it really that bad?¡±

    ¡°It reminds me of the time you took the drug.¡±

    Alice said that, and made me recall the red markings caused by the Angel Fix. Will I have bruises on my face if I don¡¯t have enough sleep now? Please stop joking.

    ¡°If you still feel sleepy, then close your eyes and thank God for giving you a chance to sleep.¡±

    She said somewhat unhappily, and turned around to face the keyboard again. The sound of the air conditioner inteced with the light rhythm of Alice typing on the keyboard. I could still feel a hint of sleepiness, but it drifted about fifty centimeters above me, and doesn¡¯t have any sign of descending on me.

    ¡°Alice, what time do you usually go to sleep?¡±

    I suddenly thought of the question. As she¡¯s a hikikomori, maybe she¡¯s nocturnal?

    ¡°The moment when I sleep is when everyone in the world sleeps. If only there¡¯s even a single person who may threaten me awake, I will not hand myself to sleep.¡±

    ¡°Er¡­¡­¡±

    I still don¡¯t understand what she¡¯s trying to say.

    ¡°That means that I almost never sleep. The longest time that I have slept is probably about an hour. Some doctors say that it¡¯s an illness, while some doctors say that it¡¯s a physical condition, then expressed their strong desire of wanting to do research on me. That was one of the reasons that I ran away from home.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡­¡± Is that problem really okay?

    ¡°Strictly speaking, it seems that my brain would go into a half-sleeping mode from time after time. Hmph, it¡¯s the zenith of annoyance. That¡¯s why my life is confined to this small area on my bed. The only time when I can get some rest is when I lie down while tightly holding Mocha Bear. Even then, the fluttering wings of a tiny bug could bring me out of my temporary respite.¡±

    I looked at mocha bears that are muchrger than Alice around her. I¡¯ve remembered that Hiro once mentioned, if she didn¡¯t have those bears, Alice wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep. So this statement isn¡¯tpletely wrong.

    Even if she is cooped up in her room, surrounded by a wall of bears of various sizes, she is still unable to fall asleep.

    How would you exin that? It¡¯s definitely an illness!

    ¡°To me, the people who would uncaringly hand one third of their time to the darkness are the ones who¡¯s mystifying. Wouldn¡¯t you feel uneasy? The god of slumber and the god of death are brothers in Greek mythology.¡±

    ¡°Do you feel uneasy? Are you that afraid of the things around you?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Alice finally stopped typing on her keyboard and looked at me.

    ¡°I am afraid of all the things in this world that I am unable toprehend, preparing to make trouble at a ce that I cannot see, expanding and engulfing me.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡­¡±

    I subconsciously turned my head away.

    I could feel it, she wasn¡¯t joking.

    ¡°So you, who do not feel fear, just bluntly,zily sleep without caring about your image.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you that I can¡¯t sleep!¡±

    I kneeled in front of the bed and said:

    ¡°And I¡¯m here to report to you.¡±

    ¡°Mnn, it seems so.¡±

    ¡°The people monitoring Meo¡¯s house are indeed yakuza, and I¡¯ve heard that they¡¯re from Tabara-gumi.¡±

    I repeated what Yi Ling-san, Hua-san and Jennifer told me.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Hello Corporation is a puzzlingpany.¡±

    ¡°I still don¡¯t know what thepany does.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s apany that providesborers on the surface, but actually most of the workers are women from south-east Asia and China, and they¡¯re working in a ¡®special¡¯ trade. The reason for starting employment courses and so on, is probably for tax avoidance. If yakuza are involved too, it would be better to ask Yondaime.¡±

    ¡°But do we need to investigate the information about thepany in such detail?¡±

    Don¡¯t we need to find Meo¡¯s father first?

    ¡°The bag that Meo brought had two hundred million yen in it. How do you think that happened?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Didn¡¯t he defalcate thepany?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mean that, I¡¯m asking why is it filled with cash worth two hundred million yen?¡±

    I shook my head. I really don¡¯t know what Alice is trying to say.

    ¡°Are you saying that there aren¡¯t that much money in thepany? Or are you saying that it¡¯s strange for thepany to have that much cash?¡±

    ¡°Those are my questions too, but not only that¡­¡­ Forget it for now. The information that we have is too little. No matter what, the request that I epted is to protect Meo and to save Kusakabe Masaya. We can¡¯t just stop after we locate him, so we must first investigate what is happening with Hello Corporation.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Okay.¡±

    It seems that I can¡¯t help with this matter too. Even if I could, probably it¡¯s just telling Meo the bad news? For example, when her father is proven to be a criminal.

    Can I still be the assistant of the detective even then?

    ¡°Anyways, we have too little information. Indeed, we started the investigationter than Tabara-gumi, which is why they have more information than us. Thus, we can¡¯t avoid them just because they¡¯re yakuza. If we just investigate thepany or the actions of the gang, we might be able to get some threads of information from them.¡±

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. She told me the phone number of her father just now.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve already found out his number, and I¡¯m investigating his phone log. Doing this needs a lot of time, if the phone has GPS function, it would be better to locate him.¡±

    After hearing that, I lowered my head weakly. It it¡¯s Alice, it¡¯s not strange even if she checked the phone log from the start. But aside from the phone log¡­¡­ Have we forgotten about something? What is it? While hugging my knees, I thought about the doubt in my heart, but I just couldn¡¯t figure it out. A person like me, would I be in the heart of things, but still stare nkly with my mouth open like an idiot, looking at things until they turn into regret?

    ¡°What are you being autistic for?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not being autistic.¡± I lied: ¡°I¡¯m just thinking, there¡¯s really nothing that I can help with, even though I¡¯m so free during the spring holidays and only work on Fridays and Saturdays¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Maybe I don¡¯t sound convincing when saying this, but¡­¡­¡±

    Alice shrugged and said:

    ¡°Please don¡¯t mind your position as a detective¡¯s assistant too much. No matter you¡¯re on tiptoes or is standing upside down, you¡¯re still a high school student. But you¡¯re just going to be a NEET after you graduate anyways, so I advise you to treasure your ordinary life right now.¡±

    ¡°Wow¡­¡­¡±

    I covered my face with my hand and said:

    ¡°Having my employer say that to me really makes myself, who¡¯s in an abject situation although I¡¯m still in the grace period of my ordinary life, lose hope for my future.¡±

    ¡°You can still visit Ayaka.¡±

    My shoulders twitched for a moment. Alice stared at me with cold eyes and said:

    ¡°Why are you always so guarded each time you hear Ayaka¡¯s name? Do you really hate visiting friends that much?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that I hate it¡­¡­ It¡¯s just that¡­¡­¡±

    From that day, I didn¡¯t take even half a step into the hospital that Ayaka is staying at. I just couldn¡¯t bear to see Ayaka slumbering with her eyes open, and I¡¯m afraid that the miracle that made Ayaka open her eyes that day, is actually just a meaningless coincidence, so¡­¡­

    The ck hair on the bed swayed slightly.

    When I raised my head to take a look, I saw Aliceughing soundlessly.

    ¡°¡­¡­ What are youughing at?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. I just feel that you and I are very alike.¡±

    I shook my head.

    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m just mocking myself, so you don¡¯t need to think much about it. You don¡¯t know if miracles could happen but you are afraid of losing it, while I know that the world don¡¯t bear any hostility towards me but I am still afraid. But since you did not make fun of me, I will not make fun of you either.¡±

    Alice¡¯s words swirled in my mind, and I suddenly showed a rxed expression and nodded to her.

    Then, Alice turned her back against me, but the sound of her typing on the keyboard felt pleasing to my ears.

    ¡®You say that like it¡¯s really simple. If you can say these things so easily, there wouldn¡¯t be so many troubled people in this world.¡¯

    I recalled Meo¡¯s words. It is truly so.

    Suddenly assaulted by a hint of sleepiness, I lied down on the bedside, drifting into dreand.

    *

    I dreamt that I was chased by arge group of pink and purple bears.

    ¡°¡ª Uwaaa!¡±

    And I was woken up by my own shouts.

    As I was about to raise my head, I felt something on the back of my head and my shoulders fall down. Eyes made of small ck buttons were near my own eyes, shocking me into taking a step back subconsciously. It was after quite some time that I realized that it¡¯s only a teddy bear.

    The mat slid down from my back, and I sneezed because of the sudden chill. I fell asleep while lying on the bed, but was covered in bears of various sizes for some reason.

    ¡°So you¡¯re finally awake.¡±

    Raising my head, I saw Tetsu-senpai sitting at the edge of the bed, beside me.

    Even in the cold air conditioned room, he was still wearing only a T-shirt. His strong chest and muscr arms made me think of the crowd of bears in my dream.

    ¡°Erm¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Saying that you can¡¯t sleep but falling asleep right after that, you really are astounding. I apud you.¡±

    Alice said somewhat grumpily.

    Ahh, so I fell asleep. As I was about to stand up, the wall of dolls surrounding me copsed.

    ¡°¡­¡­ What¡¯s with all the dolls?¡±

    ¡°You were sleeping while mumbling something like patrasche and what what not, so I covered you with the mat, but you were STILL shivering. The problem is, there¡¯s nothing else in my room that can be used to keep out the cold, and I couldn¡¯t turn off my air conditioner, and it¡¯ll be troublesome if you just freeze to death here, so that¡¯s how it came to be.¡±

    ¡°Erm, Alice¡ª¡±

    ¡°Since Narumi¡¯s awake now, isn¡¯t it better if we tell him to go to the gang¡¯s ce?¡±

    Tetsu-senpai cruelly interrupted my words.

    ¡°Mnn, that¡¯s true, it is better this way.¡±

    A gang? They aren¡¯t talking about Tabara-gumi, are they?

    ¡°I¡¯m thinking of asking Hirasaka-gumi for help, but their inbox can¡¯t be opened. It seems that the machine broke down. You¡¯re probably more suitable than Tetsu for this job, so inform them about this while checking out what¡¯s wrong with theirputer.¡±

    Oh¡­¡­ So they¡¯re referring to Hirasaka-gumi. Now I have to go to the gang¡¯s office again.

    But it can¡¯t be help, I¡¯m indeed the most suitable candidate. As I suddenly had a new job, sleepiness gradually left me.

    ¡°I¡¯ll check out the police station, and maybe ask the delinquents over there if they know anything.¡±

    Apparently, Tetsu-senpai knows the police quite well.

    ¡°But this matter isn¡¯t really a case, so if the police got to know what is happening at Hello Corporation, it would go against our client¡¯s wishes. But of course, getting new information is nice. So what do you n to do?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll think of something. Narumi, let¡¯s go!¡±

    Still somewhat sleepy, I was dragged out of the office by Tetsu-senpai.

    As soon as I walked out of the room, rays of sunlight pierced my eyes. It¡¯s about noon right now, isn¡¯t it? Is this what they mean by a scorcher? I should really avoid burning the midnight oil¡­¡­

    Tetsu-senpai grabbed my cor while walking down the stairs. Eh, what is is? Is he angry? Did I do anything wrong?

    ¡°Senpai¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°You slept in Alice¡¯s room two times, didn¡¯t you¡­¡­?¡±

    Senpai said in a low voice. When I think about it, it seems that way. Though I didn¡¯t really fall asleep that time, but was unconscious due to the drug, but what about it?

    ¡°Why is that so, perhaps you have something special to you?¡±

    Tetsu-senpai didn¡¯t even nce at me, but continued to mutter to himself. I still don¡¯t understand what¡¯s going on.

    ¡°Never mind.¡±

    When we reached the end of the staircase, senpai finally looked at me.

    ¡°Oh yeah, Narumi, lend me some money!¡±

    Is it me, or is the change of topic too sudden?

    ¡°Refused.¡±

    ¡°Please, I¡¯m really confident with the Sakura Gallery. I¡¯ll give you back double the money.¡±

    ¡°The problem is I don¡¯t have any money, why don¡¯t you borrow from Alice? She¡¯s quite rich, actually.¡±

    ¡°How can I do something that embarrassing?¡±

    And borrowing from me isn¡¯t!?

    ¡°Really, I wonder how much money we can get from this case¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Tetsu-senpai, have you heard about the case this time?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard all about it when you were sleeping. Meo¡¯s problem, the matter about the Boston bag¡­¡­ Ah!¡±

    Tetsu-senpai suddenly widened his eyes. At that instant, I immediately knew what he was thinking of.

    I ran past the kitchen backdoor and entered the house behind the ramen shop before Tetsu-senpai could have the chance. ¡°Narumi, what are you doing, it¡¯s so noisy!¡± even though Min-san¡¯s scoldings could be heard, I ignored it. Meo was sitting in the house while holding a steel pan with her legs crossed, using an electronic mixer to blend fresh butter.

    ¡°Meo, hurry up and hide the bag!¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Suddenly hearing my shouts, a surprised expression appeared on Meo¡¯s face. Then, Tetsu-senpai pushed me away from the back and stepped into the corridor.

    ¡°Meo, can you lend me some money?¡±

    ¡°No, dad said to me not to have any money transactions with other people.¡±

    ¡°Then it¡¯s okay even if you don¡¯t lend me, you can just pretend that it¡¯s an investment, I guarantee you that the money would increase twentyfold after the Sakura Gallery next week.¡±

    ¡°Wait¡­¡­ Tetsu-senpai, what are you saying!?¡±

    ¡°Sakura Gallery¡ª?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s like this. Eighteen horses run around arge field for one and a half minute, then the money will increase.¡±

    Isn¡¯t that a bit too brief!

    ¡°Oh, so it¡¯s horse racing, dad told me about that many times. He said that many people who need money would always borrow money from him on each Friday during the days when he was still a yakuza, andter he could even tell this type of people from their eyes.¡±

    Meo used herrge, innocent eyes to look at Tetsu-senpai, and made him feel flustered, while I couldn¡¯t even get a word in.

    The tense atmosphere disappeared with the severe pain that assaulted the back of my head, and I could see stars dancing around my head.

    ¡°What in the word are you guys up to? Narumi, don¡¯t you need to work today? Stop being an eyesore here and get out!¡±

    Min-san grabbed my cor with the hand she used to hit Tetsu-senpai and I and threw me out of the house. Why did I get beaten up too! It¡¯s a pity that I don¡¯t even have a chance to protest.

    *

    Hirasaka-gumi is a self-proimed chivalrous organization, and speaking of what they do, they just (try to) deal with the street fights in a mild manner, taking care of the whole city like this. To be exact, they¡¯re just NEET delinquents.

    Many shops around this area has the Hirasaka-gumi emblem on it, for instance clubs, stores for sports goods, boutiques and so on. If you look closely at the corner of their signboards, you would probably see sticker with a swallowtail butterfly, the emblem of the Taira n, on it.

    It is said that these shops had connections to Hirasaka-gumi from the time the shops opened, but I, as a high school student, only heard rumors about this. In reality, the only person who¡¯s doing everything is Yondaime, the leader of the gang. The other members always look very free, cooped up in their office all day.

    Because of Alice¡¯s request, I had to go use the creaking elevator to get to the third floor of the broken down building, nervously open the iron door that the signboard of Hirasaka-gumi is hanging on, and then I saw the office stuffed full of members wearing ck T-shirts.

    ¡°Err, Alice told me toe¡­¡­¡±

    As soon as they saw me, almost all of them sprang up from the sofa. About eight people or so.

    ¡°A- Aniki, thanks for your hard work!¡± ¡°Thanks for your hard work!¡±

    These people should be older than me, and yet because of various incidents that happened in thest case, I am now worshipped by these people as their aniki. Most of the members in Hirasaka-gumi are very strong, so when they bowed at the same time, I just couldn¡¯t help but take a few steps back.

    However, I couldn¡¯t see the two who are particrly muscr among them, Rocky and Pole, meaning that Yondaime is probably not here right now. Those two are bodyguards, so they usually tag along his side.

    ¡°We¡¯re waiting for you, let¡¯s start.¡±

    ¡°Eh? Wh- What?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous.¡±

    ¡°Good thing aniki is here, now we can take it easy.¡±

    I didn¡¯t even know what was happening, but I was dragged to the dark study of the office. There were a wardrobes, bookshelves and a small bed used for resting, and there was a small table with an oldputer on it further inside.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to exin, but it just refuses to move.¡± One of them said to me.

    ¡°No matter how hard we hammered it, flipped it over, pulled the plug out and in again, it¡¯s useless, so we could only ask for ane-san or aniki for help.¡±

    What kind of idiot would think of hammering it? What if it breaks down!

    Windows of Inte Explorer kept opening in the screen, filled the taskbar with numerous windows. This is aputer virus that¡¯s lurking in the dark recently, and is a notorious, aggressive and indelible virus. But if they didn¡¯t open any strange files, theputer probably wouldn¡¯t get the virus that easily.

    ¡°Which website were you on when thep got infected?¡±

    ¡°Eh? About that¡­¡­ No clue.¡±

    They seemed to be smiling shyly like they were hiding something.

    ¡°This virus isn¡¯t really special technically, so there¡¯s little chance of being infected. What did you do online?¡±

    ¡°Oh, nothing really. Nono, we didn¡¯t do anything.¡±

    ¡°Of course we didn¡¯t search for a pornographic website.¡±

    ¡°And didn¡¯t click on a hyperlink that said ¡®180 minutes of uncensored blonde babe¡¯.¡±

    I sighed. I really should¡¯ve installed an inte child safety firewall before this.

    ¡°We can only reset theputer. The data inside would all disappear, is that alright?¡±

    ¡°What? We put in so much effort to search for an uncensored website too!¡±

    ¡°Idiot, don¡¯t speak of that!¡±

    ¡°No- no problem. Please take care of it before Sou-sanes back.¡±

    Oh, I see. They¡¯ll probably get scolded if Yondaime saw that. No wonder they¡¯re so agitated. I heaved a long sigh again and sat in front of theputer.

    When Yondaime returned, I was just reinstalling the programs in the operating system. Theckeys cheered beside me ¡°As expected of aniki!¡± ¡°The speed of aniki using the mouse is so quick that I can¡¯t even see it clearly!¡± Can¡¯t you guys pipe down? It¡¯s distracting.

    ¡°Sou-san! Th- th- thanks for your hard work!¡± ¡°Thanks for your hard work!¡±

    As soon as they heard the sound from the door, theckeys who were around me rushed to greet Yondaime.

    ¡°Gardening Club kid, what are you doing here?¡±

    While walking into the study, Yondaime red at me, as if his ferocious gaze was telling me that he¡¯ll cut off my finger if I move. He wore a crimson Chinese-styled coat with a picture embroidered on it. If other young people wore it, they would probably be said as showing off, but on this person, it feels rather scary. (I recently heard that the picture embroidered on the coat was sewed by Yondaime himself, so the fact that his sewing skills are at professional level is true.) Rocky and Pole stood behind him, the broadest and tallest men in the gang respectively.

    ¡°Well¡ª it seems like theputer has gone haywire.¡±

    Theckeys standing behind Yondaime were pleading with their palms closed, so I didn¡¯t speak the truth.

    Yondaime showed an uncaring expression and sat behind the short bookshelf behind me.

    He unwillingly thanked me.

    ¡°Erm, I¡¯m thinking of limiting the usage of theputer so that people wouldn¡¯t just use theputer as they like. Yondaime, so that you¡¯ll be the only one to use theputer, can you please decide on a password?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you not to call me that?¡± He red at me. Then how should I call you? You¡¯re not telling me to call you Hina, are you? I¡¯ll probably get beaten to death.

    ¡°I¡¯m not really good at these things, so just do as you like!¡±

    ¡°Even so, there should still be someone who knows how to operate all the functions!¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it okay if aniki could use it?¡± Pole said.

    ¡°I¡¯m not even one of your members¡­¡­¡±

    And if it¡¯ll be hectic if I keep getting called here when theputer has a problem.

    ¡°Sou-san, what do you think? Why don¡¯t you just use this chance to undergo the sake ceremony with aniki?¡± Rocky said. I nearly fainted. What is this guy saying!? Yondaime red at Rocky while frowning, but the otherckeyspletely ignored our reactions, and started to get excited.

    ¡°Aniki is good atputers, and he¡¯s got brains too.¡±

    ¡°And he¡¯s manly!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll follow aniki forever.¡±

    Wait a sec, what¡¯s with this situation!? Gimme a break!

    ¡°Shut up!¡±

    Yondaime¡¯s roar made the excitedckeys shut their mouths immediately.

    ¡°What are you guys thinking of? And this guy is still a high schooler too!¡±

    You can¡¯t enter the gang if you¡¯re not a NEET, it is said that it¡¯s the principle of their leader, Yondaime; And I don¡¯t want to enter anyways. But Rocky said at this moment:

    ¡°Really? But I heard Major and Tetsu-san(?) saying that his attendance iscking and fails almost all of his tests, and is almost confirmed to be kicked out of school¡­¡­¡±

    Don¡¯t listen to those idiots!

    ¡°If aniki joins us, it¡¯ll be an instant boost of our strength.¡±

    ¡°So noisy. Oi, Gardening Club kid! Hurry up and get into the main topic if you¡¯re finished with that.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Ah, yes, okay.¡±

    I handed the copy of information I got from Alice to Yondaime, a photo of what looks like a clever man was printed on it. That person is Meo¡¯s father¡ª Kusakabe Masaya¡¯s photo that Yi Ling-san saved in her phone, I told her to send it to me. You really can¡¯t tell that he¡¯s almost forty.

    Just likest time, I edited the photo to emphasize his face, and his face is really the cat-type.

    Yondaime nced at the photo for a moment and immediately passed it to the others.

    ¡°Make five hundred copies of this!¡±

    ¡°Understood! I shall go hone my manly aura right away!¡±

    After some detailed instructions, theckeys left the room. It¡¯s hard to imagine how quick the bunch of idiots from just now could finish their work that quickly. As long as their leader is present, all of them would be uptight.

    When only two of us were left, Yondaime turned around and said while looking at me:

    ¡°I¡¯ll distribute the photos to the people around this neighborhood, and tell them to keep an eye open, but we can¡¯t continue the investigation if there¡¯s no more evidence. I¡¯ll take a look at manga stores or hostels and so on, Alice should know that, right?¡±

    ¡°She said that would be enough.¡±

    Actually, it seems that Alice wants to know about the condition of Hello Corporation more. To the NEET detective who doesn¡¯t go out, collecting information from yakuza on the inte is much easier than doing a thorough search on the streets.

    ¡°Hello Corporation borrowed money from financialpanies when it first opened, so I advise you to hand the money and the cash to the police if you don¡¯t want to get hurt.¡±

    ¡°Financialpanies?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re thepanies who target people who can¡¯t borrow money from the bank, undergroundpanies who sometimes charge tenfold for their interest. Those people are important sources of money, and they even have close connections with Tabara-gumi, so it¡¯s best if you don¡¯t get involved.¡±

    So it¡¯s really not a normalpany. I recalled the two men chasing me at Hello Company and suddenly felt a chill on my back. If I was caught by them at that time, I wonder what would happen to me now? I might not get off the hook with just injuries. But¡ª

    ¡°But Alice said that this is a request.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll save anyone just because you epted the request? They¡¯re not even rted to you.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean that you don¡¯t save people unrted to you?¡±

    ¡°The only people that I will help unconditionally are limited to my people and the friends of my people. We should have a suitable borderline, or it¡¯ll be never ending. How many people on this street do you think have been forced to a corner?¡±

    There are about six billion people in this world. Saving all of them, not even God can do that, but¡­¡­

    ¡°Alice¡­¡­ She really ns to save all of humanity.¡±

    ¡°I know, she¡¯s an idiot.¡±

    I recalled what Alice had said.

    ¡®¡­¡­ escaping my own helplessness, escaping the world that continues to be lost because of my uselessness¡­¡­ But even so, I still cannot find the answer.¡¯

    It¡¯s not because of pity or her sense of justice, the detective only tries to solve the mystery entangling her clients to deny her own helplessness.

    ¡°Tetsu and Hiro help just because they like it, too. What a bunch of idiots.¡±

    Yondaime breathed in deeply, then stood up and said:

    ¡°What about you?¡±

    His words pierced deeply into my heart. Why am I taking action? Yondaime is asking me that. But the most regretful thing is, I could not find a suitable answer.

    ¡°Because¡­¡­ I¡¯m Alice¡¯s assistant.¡±

    The reason that I said after some thought was that. That¡¯s not an answer at all.

    Yondaime could probably sense that it¡¯s a meaningless excuse as well.

    ¡°Being ayman, you shouldn¡¯t push yourself so much. If a fight really happens, it¡¯ll be troublesome to us as well. So you should tell us the moment you feel something¡¯s wrong.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡­ Alright.¡±

    Yondaime was about to walk out of the study, but I suddenly halted him. He red at me as he turned around, making me regret calling him.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Yondaime, why are you helping us?¡±

    You¡¯re not even rted to us.

    ¡°I¡¯m not helping you. I¡¯m helping Alice.¡±

    That¡¯s true.

    ¡°Also¡­¡­ I owe you a favor.¡±

    I suddenly felt confused, and nkly stared at Yondaime¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Ah, no, isn¡¯t that matter already¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°I mean what I said, it isn¡¯t something you decide on.¡±

    Why am I being threatened? While thinking about that, I curled up in fright.

    ¡°Just scram if there¡¯s nothing else!¡±

    As I was about to walk out of the study with Yondaime, the ring ringtone of ¡®Colorado Bulldog¡¯ started to ring.

    ¡®Bad news. I asked Hiro to check out a few of Hello Corporation¡¯s shops, and their people are everywhere. They are truly looking for Kusakabe Masaya because they think that he ran off with the money. Ady working at a pub even heard the yakuza discussing ¡®a bag that can fill two hundred million yen¡¯, so these people are probably looking for Meo too.¡¯

    Alice said coolly, as if she knew that it would turn out like this from the start.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Then what should we do?¡±

    ¡®What do you mean what should we do? I just want toplete my mission. After we locate Kusakabe Masaya, we hand him to Meo, and the rest is up to Meo, as a person harboring a criminal can¡¯t really be med if he¡¯s rted to the person.¡¯

    ¡°Mnn¡­¡­¡±

    I hung up with a heavy heart. The person who would be in charge of telling Meo would probably be me, huh?

    Yondaime forcefully pushed me out of the steel door and walked out, locked it and said:

    ¡°You¡¯re not suited for these things. You should just stop.¡± He said in a low voice.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Why do you say that?¡±

    ¡°The most important thing when you encounter these annoying problems, is that you must be determined to finish it from the start. A person who doesn¡¯t have a strong resolve would just cause problems.¡±

    While waiting for the elevator, I repeatedly pondered Yondaime¡¯s words. Yondaime¡¯s borderline is very clear. He would help his people and the friends of his people no matter what, and ignore the rest. What about me? For instance, if Meo asked me to help her to hide her father or help her criminal father escape, what would I do?

    I really don¡¯t know. I would probably just let Alice handle it, while I¡¯d probably just stay out of it? Because I¡¯m just an assistant¡ª this sentence is so convenient that it¡¯s shameful.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m saying that you can¡¯t do it.¡±

    As soon as the elevator door opened, Yondaime kicked me inside.

    ¡°You¡­¡­ seem rather friendly today¡­¡­¡± I said while rubbing my bottom.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    I curled up my whole body after being red at by the sharp, wolf-like gaze. A cheeky person who doesn¡¯t have strong resolve, would indeed only drag them down. The strong sense of disgust directed at myself rose up from my body, and felt like it¡¯s forcibly stuffed down my lungs with the help of the elerating elevator.

    I parted with Yondaime after walking out of the building and walked down the slope alone. Walking to the sidewalk beside the road that was in a traffic jam, I supported myself on the railings and sighed, as I finally solved a troublesome matter. But at least I could still do these things, which made me feel that I¡¯m not really that useless.

    *

    ¡°Ming Hai! Over here!¡±

    Separated by a sidewalk that was crowded with a lot of people, Yi Ling-san noticed me and waved at me while holding her phone. The person who asked me out to the crowded bus stop at the west exit of the station on this Sunday afternoon was Yi Ling-san. She wore a yellow shirt that showed her shoulders with a pair of jeans. Her casual appearance was very different from what she wore at night.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t being followed, so it should be okay.¡±

    Yi Ling-san came closer to my side and grabbed my hand after saying that. Not expecting her action, I nearly fell down.

    ¡°It looks like those people are looking desperately for Meo, so we must be more careful.¡±

    ¡°Eh? Ah, that¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°You probably haven¡¯t had lunch yet, right? I¡¯ll treat you.¡±

    Though I wasn¡¯t too hungry, we decided to go to Rodran Coffee Shop. As it¡¯s still noon, there were a lot of people in the shop. I ordered only coffee ole and sandwiches, found a table by the windows, then Yi Ling-san walked over while holding a tter full of food, as usual.

    ¡°These are Meo¡¯s clothes, the ones that you asked me to get.¡±

    ¡°Sorry for the trouble.¡±

    Yi Ling-san and I sat opposite to each other, and she handed me arge paper bag. As I wasn¡¯t able to sneak into Meo¡¯s house yesterday, I handed the keys to Yi Ling-san and asked her to get Meo a change of clothes.

    ¡°I was just about to go out, and the yakuza came over again. I just live next to them coincidentally! They¡¯re really troublesome, so I told them that I was in a hurry and ran out.¡±

    ¡°What did they ask you?¡±

    ¡°They asked me, what did you say yesterday? Are you keeping something for someone? Do you know where he¡¯s hiding, and so on. They also asked about Meo, because they know that our rtionship is quite good. Shouldn¡¯t we tell Meo to call the police? But she¡¯ll get into trouble too¡­¡­ But not doing that might be even more troublesome¡­¡­ Hmm¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Meo detests the police.¡±

    ¡°I dislike the police as well.¡±

    Yi Ling-san covered her face and shook her head violently.

    To them, the Japanese police aren¡¯t people who just protect them, but¡­¡­

    I hesitated for awhile, then told her about the Boston bag. Yi Ling-san pressed her forehead with her hand and sighed.

    ¡°So he really did defalcate thepany?¡±

    Taking thepany¡¯s money and hiding it at home, but failed, so he told his daughter to take away the money. This is actually quite a simple story, but if this became reality, Meo would be an aplice (even if it wasn¡¯t deliberate). When I started to ponder about the question, Yi Ling-san suddenly asked:

    ¡°Would that be our wages this month?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ What?¡±

    ¡°Kusakabe-san gives us our wages himself each month, so it wouldn¡¯t be strange even if there¡¯s some cash at home. And you¡¯re talking about a Boston bag, right? I saw that before this.¡±

    ¡°Eh? Really?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Kusakabe-san brought the Boston bag to thepany sometimes. Because we learned Japanese using post, Kusakabe-sanpiled our sybus each month. I originally thought that he used the Boston bag to bring those to thepany.¡±

    Which means, he brought back the wages in the bag after leaving thepany?

    ¡°But¡­¡­ it¡¯s about two hundred million yen in total¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Almost all of the people living in that building are employees, so it¡¯s about right¡­¡­¡±

    Yi Ling-san stared at the sky while counting on her fingers, then heaved a sigh.

    ¡°Two hundred million yen is still too much.¡±

    And they even let people see the bag that holds the money? What a strangepany.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you all have bank ounts?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you look down on us!¡± Yi Ling-sanughed while flicking on my forehead: ¡°We keep the money in the bank after getting them. After deducting some automated charges, we have to send some money home; so probably there¡¯s not even half left. What a meaningless procedure.¡±

    ¡°Then why are they giving you cash?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡±

    ¡°Would that be¡­¡­¡± because it¡¯s easier to defalcate thepany this way?

    For example, even if it¡¯s their wages, he used his daughter to get the money from his house and run away, so there¡¯s probably still some hanky panky going on.

    ¡°You look like you¡¯re being suspicious of everything.¡±

    Well¡­¡­

    ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m a detective¡­¡­¡¯s assistant.¡±

    Yi Ling-sanughed heartily, but herughter soon stopped.

    ¡°I really don¡¯t understand. Why did that guy tell her daughter to do such a dangerous thing? He¡¯s wanted by the yakuza too.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Why is the yakuza looking for Meo too?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re asking me?¡±

    ¡°If it really is thepany¡¯s money, then how does it concern the yakuza?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps thepany hired yakuza to help?¡±

    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t they just call the police?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡­ Yeah¡ª you have a point.¡±

    Yi Ling-san spaced out while biting her straw.

    ¡°Is it because they don¡¯t want the public to know? Or that might not be ourpany¡¯s money at all, but the yakuza¡¯s money? But Kusakabe-san shouldn¡¯t be able to use the gang¡¯s money¡­¡­ I really don¡¯t understand.¡±

    I suddenly thought about Meo who was happily mixing the butter behind the kitchen of Hanamura Ramen Shop and felt a chill on my back. A young girl who doesn¡¯t know anything that has a bomb-like amount of money on her hands, is now in our hands.

    ¡°Please protect Meo.¡±

    Yi Ling-san pleaded in a low voice. I lightly nodded, but I didn¡¯t really feel confident about that.

    *

    It was about two when I finally reached Hanamaru Ramen Shop. I feel like I¡¯m practically living here right now. While I think about it, I didn¡¯t go home for two days straight, my sis would probably give me a huge scolding soon.

    Although lunch time was about to end, there¡¯s unexpectedly still three customers sitting on the tables. Min-san looked quite busy cooking.

    Walking into Min-san¡¯s living room and storeroom from the kitchen back door, I couldn¡¯t see Meo anywhere.

    ¡°Min-san, do you know where Meo is right now?¡±

    With her back against me, Min-san answered with her eyes glued to the fire:

    ¡°Ah, Meo is at Alice¡¯s ce.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    I pressed the doorbell of room 308, but there wasn¡¯t an answer. Usually, a blue light would light up, but at this moment only the sound of flowing water came from the room.

    Flowing water?

    Then, there came a voice saying ¡°Coming,ing¡ª please wait for a moment¡±. I was startled, and took a step back. It was Meo¡¯s voice.

    Meo opened the door and poked her face out of the door. Her hair was wet, the slight steam her body was giving off smelled of soap, while arge towel was wrapped around her body. My hand held the handle, while my body froze.

    ¡°Meo, don¡¯t open the door when you don¡¯t even know who¡¯s there, you¡¯re too careless! And my hair isn¡¯t clean yet, hurry up and help me. Uwaa! Shampoo trickled into my eyes, MEO!¡±

    Alice¡¯s hysterical voice came from the room, asking for help.

    ¡°Okay, okay. Ah! Would that be my clothes, by any chance?¡±

    She pointed at the paper bag on my hands.

    ¡°This¡­¡­ Er, ah , yes¡­¡­ That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Miss Detective is angry right now, so I¡¯ll have to close the door. Mr. Assistant, you cane in and wait for awhile.¡±

    I was about to say that it¡¯s better if I wait outside, but I was forcefully dragged into the room with the paper bag. Light could be seen from the bathroom close to the entrance (first time seeing that). I identally saw long, ck hair full of bubbles, so I hastily turned around and stuck my face to the wall.

    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ll wash your hair now!¡± Meo went back to the washroom, and I heard the sound of the misty ss door closing.

    ¡°Miss Detective, don¡¯t move around so much!¡±

    ¡°Uuuu¡ª my eyes hurt!¡±

    An iprehensible conversation came from the other side of the fog.

    `	In my sixteen years of living, I have never felt as ufortable as I am right now. The six minutes filled with the sounds of sshing water were probably the longest six minutes in my whole life.

    ¡°Since you¡¯ve waited until we finished bathing, you should probably have something to report, right? Hurry up, then.¡±

    Sitting on Meo¡¯s thighs, Alice¡¯s tone was extremely annoyed. Of course, both of them are now fully clothed. Meo used arge towel to wrap Alice¡¯s head and rubbed repeatedly.

    ¡°Miss Detective¡¯s hair is very long, so it¡¯s hard to take care of it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll dry naturally if you just leave it alone.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll get sick like that.¡±

    ¡­¡­ I feel like I saw this scene somewhere before. Does everyone feel like ying with Alice as soon as they see her?

    ¡°Narumi, stop thinking about Ayaka and start reporting!¡±

    Her pointed remark made me curl up my body. Why is this girl¡¯s sixth sense so urate when ites to meaningless things, really¡­¡­

    ¡°Ayaka?¡± Meo cocked her head.

    ¡°She¡¯s just like you, a girl who likes to wash andb my hair.¡±

    Eh? So she once bathed with Ayaka?

    ¡°I heard that Miss Detective doesn¡¯t know how to take baths.¡± Meo exined: ¡°Usually Min-san would bathe with her every two days, and help her to wash her hair. But Min-san seemed to be rather busy today, so I volunteered toe.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough. If Master is busy, she should directly forget about my hair.¡±

    I waspletely ignorant towards how busy Min-san was. And really, this girl¡¯s capability to survive is almost zero¡­¡­

    ¡°Narumi, what are you here for! Are you here to see my wet look so that you can make fun of me?¡±

    ¡°Ah, no, sorry.¡± I waved my hands in denial. As they didn¡¯t look nervous at at, it almost made me forget the reason that I was here.

    ¡°I heard something from Yi Ling-san about thepany, and I was thinking of telling you about that.¡±

    I reported the information about Kusakabe Masaya handing the people in Hello Pce their wages personally, thinking that it probably isn¡¯t rted to the case. However, Alice¡¯s gaze immediately sharpened after hearing that.

    ¡°She told you that Kusakabe Masaya gave out the wages personally? Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Yeah.¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is. Which means¡ª UWAA!¡±

    ¡°Dad wouldn¡¯t pocket the employee¡¯s wages, definitely not!¡±

    Meo said while tightly hugging Alice.

    ¡°Le- Let go of me, it hurts! I didn¡¯t even say anything like him pocketing the employee¡¯s wages!¡±

    Because of Alice¡¯s frantic struggles, therge towel fell down from her head.

    ¡°Even so, no matter how we think¡­¡­ I think the results would be as we expected.¡±

    ¡°Narumi, don¡¯t jump to conclusions so quickly¡­¡­¡± Unexpectedly, Alice was standing at Meo¡¯s side. ¡°There are a few problems regarding the theory that Kusakabe Masaya defalcated thepany. Firstly, the structure of thepany isn¡¯t so big that someone could just pocket two hundred million yen. Apart from that, the money is in cash. Besides that, the yakuza are looking for two hundred million yen, which matches the sum of money in the bag. But how did they know how much money was in it? Even if the pocketed money was confirmed by thepany to be two hundred million yen, why is the money still here?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡±

    She was right. It¡¯s indeed strange.

    ¡°Of course, there is a possibility that Kusakabe Masaya¡¯s hobby is saving money, or he likes to smell the money¡­¡­¡± ¡°My dad isn¡¯t that kind of crazy person!¡± ¡°Saving the money because of certain reasons, but couldn¡¯t use it because the amount of money is toorge¡­¡­ These reasons are usible too, but there¡¯s now a fact that overturns these assumptions¡ª the fact that only the yakuza are looking for Meo and Kusakabe Masaya.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­¡­¡± I don¡¯t really want to think about this possibility: ¡°Maybe he kept money for Tabara-gumi, then he ran away with it¡­¡­¡±

    I felt Meo staring daggers at me.

    ¡°There¡¯s that possibility too. If so, the question why he¡¯s keeping money for yakuza would arise once more. Anyhow, the information that we have is insufficient. Thinking about this is my job, so you can stop making unnecessary assumptions, and do your own job.¡±

    She actually said that I¡¯m doing unnecessary assumptions. Alright, alright. I¡¯m an idiot anyways.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Then my job is?¡±

    ¡°Call thedy, Yi Ling. Ask her who¡¯s she paying the automated charges each month. Or how she sends her money back to China. If there¡¯s a chance, then ask her about the other people living in Hello Pce.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ What?¡±

    Alice told me the things that I should ask in a rapid fire tone, but I don¡¯t get it at all. The public facilities maintenance fees, administrative fees, rental fees and even how much money Yi Ling-san and the others send home, are those even remotely connected to the case?

    ¡°It¡¯s because we don¡¯t know if they¡¯re rted that we should investigate it. Just hurry up and call her.¡±

    When Major arrived at the NEET Detective Agency, I was just using the fax machine in the room to receive the copy of Yi Ling-san¡¯s savings in the bank that she just faxed over.

    ¡°Why is there a faint smell of soap in the air? Vice Admiral Fujishima, please exin yourself!¡±

    He immediately pressed a model gun onto the back of my head as soon as he came in. Ahhhh, another noisy fellow came in.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t answer your phone at all yesterday, where did you go?¡±

    ¡°I was in ate night skirmish at Takadanobaba, but then the police came; I was just about to exin the dangers of having a gunfight in the streets, then I was brought to the police station with five of my mates. Hmph, the police are indeed useless.¡±

    You¡¯ll definitely get arrested that way. Are you an idiot? When I turned my head around, I saw a young man d in military clothing, while his figure looked like that of a primary school student. It¡¯s really surprising that someone like this is actually a college student. Major pushed his goggles onto his helmet, then looked into the bedroom.

    Meo was hugging Alice tightly, as though she wanted to protected from an assault, and stared at Major guardedly.

    ¡°Meo, don¡¯t just keep hugging my neck all of a sudden, are you trying to throttle me?¡±

    ¡°Because there¡¯s a suspicious person here.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, his attire can¡¯t bepared with the weirdness in his heart, so just rx.¡±

    Was¡­¡­ Was she even trying to defend him?

    ¡°So you¡¯re the client this time? I¡¯m Major. Vice Admiral Fujishima¡¯s superior.¡±

    ¡°I felt something strange from before, but isn¡¯t a Vice Admiral superior to a Major?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why they say rookies don¡¯t know anything.¡±

    Major showed us a casual expression while shaking his head, then ced his gun into his backpack.

    ¡°Actually, a Major has the most authority in the army, it¡¯smon knowledge. For instance, the Major in ¡®The Last Army¡¯ unhesitatingly killed his superiors.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a manga?¡±

    ¡°In theter stages of war in A Baoa Qu, didn¡¯t the Major kill the Major General? But he wasn¡¯t even interrogated.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s an anime!¡± And also it¡¯s because he lost the war.

    ¡°Oh yeah, did you guys find out where the office of Tabara-gumi is?¡±

    Completely ignoring my objections, Major changed the topic.

    ¡°Investigation must start from spying. Look at the pin-shaped spying device,pared to the onesst year, it¡¯s ability to receive sound andsting power has already tripled.¡±

    Major took out some suspicious devices from his backpack and arranged them on the ground.

    ¡°So Miss Detective is friends with a lot of bad people¡­¡­¡± Meo said in a low voice.

    ¡°This job can¡¯t be done by the kindmon people. Major, you should know the address of thepany, right? Then set it up there first. Though we only found out one of the locations of Tabara-gumi.¡± Major recorded the address that Alice said in his phone. ¡°Tabara-gumi is a yakuza gang at the bottom of the yakuza hierarchy, but if they have connections with other gangs of a higher rank , the time required for the investigation would increase drastically.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no problem even if we need to set up one or two hundred spying devices, but we need someone to listen to and reorganize the information, and I can¡¯t help out with that. So we can only set it up at two ces, at most. That¡¯s my job anyways.¡±

    ¡°We would know the identity of the people rted to this if only we know the source of the money. They probably know more about Kusakabe Masaya, too. Compared with chasing a hidden rabbit, it would be easier to follow the hunting hounds¡­¡­ Mnn.¡±

    Tearing down the paper from the fax machine, Alice looked through the contents for a few seconds, crumpled it up and threw it to her pillow, saying:

    ¡°Kusakabe Masaya did not take anyone¡¯s money.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Meo and I said at the same time.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get so happy so soon.¡±

    Alice pressed her head on Meo¡¯s chest as she started hugging Alice tightly again.

    ¡°If my assumption is correct, defalcating thepany wouldn¡¯t be so troublesome. What a pity.¡±

    ¡°What¡­¡­ does that mean?¡±

    The problem is, Alice would just say the lines that detectives from anywhere, anytime to answer my questions (as usual)¡ª

    ¡°I can¡¯t disclose that information as of now.¡±

    I sighed impatiently. Alice continued:

    ¡°I¡¯ve mentioned this before, the truths that I got to know is only a portion of what is in God¡¯s notebook, and ispletely meaningless to themon man. To make it into valuable facts, we need to give more effort.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Mr. Assistant, can you trante for me? My dad didn¡¯t do anything wrong, right?¡±

    Meo said on top of Alice¡¯s head.

    ¡°That means that we don¡¯t have enough evidence, so we aren¡¯t sure yet.¡±

    After hearing my statement, Major nodded and stood up.

    ¡°Then I shall go forward and put in my best efforts. I¡¯ve beente because there weren¡¯t any incidentstely, but I feel excited when I think that I can try out my new works! I guarantee you that I would even clearly record how many times the yakuza hupped for you to listen to.¡±

    After randomly saying some dangerous actions, the silhouette d in military clothing disappeared out of the room. Alice said:

    ¡°Narumi, please remember that we do not need facts in the case this time.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ What?¡±

    ¡°The case this time is different from what happened in Angel Fix. Our job is to protect Meo and to locate Kusakabe Masaya, isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    Alice raised her head to look at me, while Meo nodded in my stead.

    ¡°So we don¡¯t need to worry about digging out the truth from the grave. If the case requires it, you must be prepared mentally for the truth and facts to get twisted.¡±

    ¡°Do you mean making decisions without evidence?¡±

    ¡°You really are a person who only knows literary works.¡±

    About these matters, I already decided to do so even though I have not resolved to do it. I am different from Alice, I don¡¯t have a need to know every single thing, it¡¯s just that I don¡¯t know what I should do. And only at these moments, I would admire Alice for her resolve.

    ¡°If so, then take Meo back to Master¡¯s room.¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t do, I haven¡¯t dried your hair yet.¡±

    ¡°You hear that? She actually said something like that. I exined quite a few times that having hot wind blown on one¡¯s face is very painful, but she just wouldn¡¯t listen. Really¡­¡­¡±

    But I didn¡¯t listen to Alice¡¯s instructions this time. Isn¡¯t it better for Meo to finish taking care of her hair before leaving?

    ¡°Oi, let go of me, Meo! Narumi, don¡¯t move, why aren¡¯t you listening to me!?¡±

    Ignoring the noisy Alice in Meo¡¯s hands, I walked out of the office.

    *

    What should we do next? While walking down the stairs, I thought of what we could do, but it really seems that there¡¯s nothing else to do anymore. The small, dark space behind the kitchen backdoor was deserted, and that made me somewhat depressed. So I¡¯m a person who doesn¡¯t know what to do if other people don¡¯t order me around.

    Although I don¡¯t have to work today (As I¡¯m still on probation, I only need to work on Fridays and Saturdays), but since I was free anyways, I¡¯d just go help out Min-san. As I was about to open the backdoor, my phone started to ring.

    ¡®Narumi, please help me.¡¯

    Tetsu-senpai¡¯s agitated voice came from the phone all of a sudden.

    ¡°Wha- What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    It was the first time I heard Tetsu-senpai so agitated.

    ¡®Where are you right now? At Hanamaru?¡¯ ¡°Eh? Yeah¡­¡­¡± ¡®I¡¯ll tell you my location, juste here quickly!¡¯ ¡°Ah, wa- wait a sec¡­¡­¡±

    Tetsu-senpai started to tell me the address. I could hear the voice of another man near him, and there are also the sounds of things colliding. What¡¯s wrong? Where in the world is he?

    ¡®Don¡¯t mention this to anyone, or I¡¯ll get killed. Thanks for the help.¡¯

    He said something scary, then hung up. Though my question and queasiness swirled in my mind, I immediately started to pedal my bike.

    The building that senpai mentioned was a journey of about five minutes from Hanamaru Ramen Shop on my bike. As there weren¡¯t any notable shops or anything nearby, I only managed to find it after some effort. I rushed to the top of the seven storey building and pressed the doorbell of room 701.

    A pale man of about forty could be seen from the gap that opened. His lower eyelid sagged, and there was a deep scar beside his mouth and nose. I was so taken aback that I took quite a few steps back until my back bumped into the wall.

    ¡°Tetsu, he¡¯s a kid?¡±

    The man looked back into the room and said.

    ¡°He¡¯s the guy I mentioned, let him in.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai¡¯s voice came from the room, causing me to almost fall down onto the floor with relief after I heard it. That¡¯s a relief, he¡¯s still alive.

    The man pulled down the door chain and opened the door wide, poking his head out to observe the corridors, then red at me while raising his chin, telling me to go in.

    ¡°Come in!¡±

    ¡°Eh? Ah, erm¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Hurry up!¡±

    I stepped into the room with my whole body rigid. The scarred man closed the door, locked it then double locked it with the door chain. Eh? Wait, is there a need to be so cautious?

    Being brought into the innermost room of the room that had two rooms and a kitchen, I was dumbfounded by the hellish scene that I saw.

    There were three other men in the room surrounding a square table. They were Tetsu-senpai, an afro guy wearing a flowery shirt, and a muscr octopus-like person who had his brows and hair shaved off. And then they¡¯re¡ª

    ¡°Pong!¡±

    ¡°Too weak! Tetsu, don¡¯t you cry after this.¡±

    On the table that had ayer of some sort of wooly paper on it, a whole lot of mahjong tiles were ced on it.

    ¡°Narumi, you¡¯re just in time. Lend me two thousand.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai, who originally had his back to me, suddenly turned his head over, and stretched out his hand with an agitated expression on his face.

    ¡°Eh? Ah, okay¡­¡­¡± Because of his agitation, I subconsciously took out my wallet.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you that you could just borrow from me?¡± Octy said.

    ¡°Nemo-san, if I borrowed it from you, you might just demand for ten percent interest after ten minutes.¡±

    ¡°Even so, you don¡¯t need to borrow from some kid, do you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve already reached this state, there¡¯s no reason for me not to show my cards!¡± Tetsu-senpai snatched the two thousand yen, threw it down on the table and pushed down the rest of his tiles.

    ¡°You actually collected that much pins.¡±

    ¡°Which tile were you waiting for?¡±

    ¡°Though I¡¯m not too sure, but shouldn¡¯t I be able to call mahjong if I have a lot of pins?¡± Tetsu-senpai said.

    ¡°The 2,5,8 pins and 3,6,9 pins are six¡­¡­ Wait!¡± I unintentionally interrupted, then roared at senpai: ¡°What on Earth are you doing!?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you see? We¡¯re ying mahjong!¡±

    I flew over here just because I was worried about you, you idiotic gambler!

    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped, as I don¡¯t even have the money to call yaku. Whoa, tsumo! Dealer wins, three straight wins with three north winds (Z: Mahjong terms are making me dizzy)¡­¡­¡±

    What do you mean by it can¡¯t be helped? Tetsu-senpai had a hugeeback after receiving my two thousand yen, and ignored me, who was still furious. The gambling that took ce on the table was different from my understanding of mahjong. Not only that there¡¯s only three yers (The guy who brought me into the room only helps to pour the coffee and change the ten thousand yen, and is not taking part), directly using cash to rece tokens is also something to be in awe of. If anyone wins, cash flew all over the table. The method of calcting the points seemed to be different as well¡­¡­

    The two thousand yen that I provided increased drastically and halved again, making me tremble in fear.

    ¡°Tetsu, do you want to have lunch together? What about you, Gu-san?¡±

    After about an hour, Octy stood up. The afro guy called Gu-san shook his head.

    ¡°I have to look at some pawned items.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s too bad.¡±

    Listening to the conversation of the yakuza (probably) from afar, I felt somewhat dizzy because of the tiredness that suddenly welled up in me. Fortunately, senpai won some money. Thank God¡­¡­ I was just thinking that when¡ª ¡°Nemo-san, here¡¯s the two hundred thousand I owe you.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± He immediately handed the stack of cash that he won to Nemo-san.

    ¡°That¡¯s all of it.¡± Senpai¡¯s expression was like he got rid of a huge burden.

    `	¡°My two thousand yen¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah, just let me owe you that for the moment. If possible, just forget about it!¡±

    ¡°How can I forget about it!? Two thousand yen is a lot!¡±

    After walking out of the building, Octy brought Tetsu-senpai and I to a sushi shop for some reason. ording to him, it seemed like it was because they needed a yer to join their game, so he lent Tetsu-senpai two hundred thousand without interest, even promising him not to collect an entry fee and to treat senpai to lunch, so that he would join their game. That would mean senpai already lost two hundred thousand before I even reached there. It¡¯s too scary. Being squeezed in the middle of senpai and Octy in the sushi shop, my hand holding the cup trembled. And also, why are we sitting like this? Why am I in a pincer attack!?

    ¡°Oh, I see. So this is the guy who dealt with the kids who sold the drug. I¡¯ve heard of it before. I really can¡¯t tell that you¡¯re that audacious. I¡¯ll treat, so eat up.¡±

    It seems that the yakuza heard about the incident before this. Octy seemed abnormally friendly. Really, don¡¯t treat me like this. I could only timidly order kappa maki rolls and tamago sushis to eat. Then Octy asked me: ¡°Well? Why don¡¯t you just quit school and join our gang?¡± He actually asked me a thing like that. Senpai, help!

    ¡°Nemo-san, Narumi is a talented person who is shouldering the future of the NEETs, so please don¡¯t ask him to join your gang.¡± And don¡¯t just tell me to shoulder such a thing!

    ¡°So you two are old friends¡­¡­ right?¡±

    I frantically changed the topic like a coward.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s our first time meeting. You could say that we¡¯re friends of a friend. We just had our first conversation through the phone just now, and he said that they¡¯recking a yer.¡±

    I nearly spitted out the kappa maki roll in my mouth. The first time!?

    ¡°I was surprised too.¡± He doesn¡¯t seem to be surprised to me. ¡°He¡¯s quite famous, so I heard about him. I heard that he¡¯s a crazy idiot. I was just joking, but I didn¡¯t really think that he would actuallye, but that isn¡¯t really rted to someone¡¯s bravery or anything. What a pity, I wanted to let him owe us some money so that he would join our gang.¡±

    I stared nkly at senpai¡¯s face. Doesn¡¯t he want to live anymore?

    ¡°Our gang would grow, it¡¯s a share with potential. And you don¡¯t even have a job, right?¡±

    Ahhhh, that¡¯s bad, he came back to the same topic again.

    ¡°I¡¯m really good at palmistry. How about it? Would you like me to read yours?¡±

    Octy forcibly grabbed my right hand and touched the lines on my palm with his fingers.

    ¡°See? Your heart line is longer than your head line, this type of palm is extremely suited to be yakuza.¡± Are there even anyone whose head line is longer than their heart line!? Is this guy an idiot!? But I dare not rebuke him, for fear of being killed.

    ¡°I¡¯m good at astrology too. When is your birthday?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ October thirty first.¡±

    ¡°Then you¡¯re a scorphio. Scorpios are really suited! The people born between first of March and February twenty eighth are suited to being yakuza.¡±

    Just say that everyone are suited!

    ¡°Nemo-san, what¡¯s your horoscope?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a yakuza.¡± (Z: Horoscopes in Japanese have a ¡®za¡¯ behind them. Here, Nemo-san is trying to make a pun)

    ¡°I know that!¡±

    Ahhh, I¡¯m finished¡­¡­ My tongue slipped, so I¡¯ll get killed. Octyughed heartily while hitting my back, causing the counter of the sushi shop to sway.

    ¡°You really have potential Why don¡¯t you just join our gang with Tetsu?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not joining such a troublesome job.¡± Senpai answered. He¡¯s so calm that it¡¯s annoying.

    I ordered only kappa maki rolls. I frantically stuffed them into my mouth, focusing on the taste of the cucumbers.

    And so the two chatted beside me, and the conversation was steered to the direction of the case.

    ¡°Nemo-san, you know Kusakabe Masaya, right? He once worked in Osaka.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Are you involved in it?¡±

    Octy lowered his voice. I was surprised, and drank a mouthful of tea to dilute the taste of the sushi.

    Oh, I see. So Tetsu-senpai wasn¡¯t just ying mahjong for fun, but collecting information.

    ¡°Did you y mahjong with me just because of this? Idiot¡­¡­ It¡¯d be better if you don¡¯t meddle in this. Though only Tabara is involved for now, other gangs might be involved after this. This isn¡¯t a matter that you can get off the hook so easily.¡±

    ¡°You should¡¯ve told me such constructive advice much earlier.¡±

    Octy punched Tetsu-senpai from above my head. A ¡®thud¡¯ sound came from above. His punch was blocked by senpai¡¯s palm.

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Octy sat down again, and the chef looked at this side with a scared expression on his face from the other side of the counter.

    ¡°What is your rtionship with Kusakabe?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t say that. Nemo-san, please tell us everything you know about him.¡±

    ¡°Well aren¡¯t you greedy. I¡¯ve already told you all that I know.¡±

    I observed Octy¡¯s actions in fear. His shadow caused by his sunken eyes looked even more frightening from the side. As I was about to catch hold of Tetsu-senpai¡¯s hands and escape, Octy started to say:

    ¡°For what reason do I have to tell you that?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you undergo the sake ceremony with Kusakabe? Though you can¡¯t help in this matter because of your opposing stands, you can just tell me anything you know, you might be able to help him.¡±

    Octy squinted his eyes.

    ¡°Where did you learn about this?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s confidential.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai lightly brushed off the topic, tossing his sushi into his mouth. Then, he suddenly pushed me away and pleaded to Octy with his head lowered:

    ¡°Please.¡±

    At that moment, all was silent in the shop, even the chef was waiting with bated breath while holding his knife. As for me, I was so scared that I couldn¡¯t even look at Octy¡¯s face.

    Finally, Octy spoke:

    ¡°Do you have any proof you aren¡¯t Kusakabe¡¯s enemy?¡±

    ¡°Only my life.¡±

    I felt a chill on my back¡ª both Tetsu-senpai, who said those words, and Octy, whoughed after he heard that, made me feel ghastly.

    ¡°We talked on the phone. Though I wasn¡¯t the one who picked up the phone.¡±

    I nearly asked: ¡°When was that?¡± but forced myself to stay silent.

    As Octy looked at me with an expression that I wasn¡¯t sure if it was in anger or inughter, making me feel extremely intimidated.

    ¡°He called yesterday, so he¡¯s probably still in this area.¡±

    ¡°By phone? Why?¡± Tetsu-senpai asked.

    ¡°He asked me to help smuggle him out of the country, but I couldn¡¯tply with his request as it was too sudden.¡±

    Smuggle him out of the country?

    ¡°Is he thinking of hiding in another country?¡±

    ¡°It seems like he didn¡¯t just ask us, but other units as well. He¡¯s asking about Korea, Hong Kong or Singapore, so he¡¯s probably trying to run away.¡±

    Hiding in another country¡ª then what about Meo? I gulped down the bad thoughts and the taste of the kappa maki rolls with a mouthful of tea.

    ¡°With Kusakabe¡¯s contacts, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem for him to hide somewhere in Kansai. I really don¡¯t know what he¡¯s thinking, asking about this and that even though he¡¯s on the run. He¡¯ll die if a brainless guy tells Tabara-gumi about this.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s indeed strange. He could actually run far, far away by now.¡±

    ¡°As for you, you probably know where the girl and the two hundred million is, right?¡±

    Tetsu-senpai¡¯s eyebrows didn¡¯t even twitch because of this question. But when he saw my face, Octy suddenlyughed.

    ¡°Tetsu, you really have some guts, but this guy has the answer all over his face.¡±

    I was so abashed that I wanted to run away immediately from the scene, and I sneaked a peek at Tetsu-senpai¡¯s expression. Is this guy really okay? He wouldn¡¯t just sell us out, right? Octy smacked my back and suddenly recovered his solemn expression.

    ¡°It¡¯s not thepany¡¯s money, obviously.¡±

    ¡°Then what is the rtionship between thepany and Tabara-gumi?¡± Tetsu-senpai asked.

    ¡°You¡¯re meddling in this even though you don¡¯t know?¡± Octy wiped his bald forehead with a tissue. ¡°The current head of thepany is Mikawa, and he borrowed money from Tabara when he first started thepany with Kusakabe. Of course, the debts haven¡¯t been cleared yet, so they couldn¡¯t refuse any request from Tabara. Kusakabe was in the yakuza, so he knew from the start that it would turn out like that, which is why he dislikes that. But no money means no work done.¡±

    ¡°Which means, Kusakabe could only give in.¡±

    ¡°Probably.¡±

    ¡°Then where did the moneye from?¡±

    ¡°How would I know about that? I can only tell you about this.¡±

    After walking out of the sushi shop, Octy immediately lowered his voice and said:

    ¡°You should get this clear, you should first join them if you want to get information from a gang. Probably many people mentioned this to you before, right? You really should consider it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be a NEET forever!¡±

    Octy roared inughter, his voice so loud that it almost broke my back. He then pushed Tetsu-senpai in the chest and left after saying ¡®I¡¯ll leave Kusakabe to you¡¯.

    Seeing his silhouette disappear from the streets, I used all my energy to heave a sigh. Tetsu-senpaiughed while stroking my back.

    ¡°Narumi, you don¡¯t need to be that nervous.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Why did you let me sit in the middle?¡±

    ¡°Well, I heard that he¡¯s a gay. So that¡¯s just a precaution¡­¡­¡±

    Oh please, how is that a precaution!?

    ¡°Never mind, never mind. They have absolutely no connections with Tabara. Having connections with yakuza can be helpful sometimes.¡±

    Oh, I see. So Tetsu-senpai¡¯swork of contacts is formed like this. I felt extremely weak, and sat on the separator between the sushi shop and the parking lot. I¡¯d probably be unable to move for awhile.

    ¡°We had quite the haul today. Narumi, thanks. I was worried of what would happen if I didn¡¯t get a tsumo. I really don¡¯t want to owe them money the first time I meet them.¡±

    ¡°You actually found out that he¡¯s Kusakabe¡¯s friend, how did you do that¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Mnn? Oh, it wasn¡¯t that hard.¡± Senpai answered casually: ¡°I called all the Kansai yakuza that I know, and most of them went ¡®What? What nonsense are you speaking?¡¯ , until I hit the jackpot with Nemo-san. I gave a lot of calls, it¡¯s so tiring.¡±

    Is he kidding? This guy really don¡¯t want to live anymore.

    ¡°Not giving up is the key to being a good detective.¡±

    I never would have thought that a NEET would tell me to not give up, but I can¡¯t deny that he¡¯s right this time.

    ¡°At least we know that Kusakabe is still in the area. It¡¯s lucky that Nemo-san is a person that you can talk with, really.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡­ He seemed that he was quite decent.¡±

    He¡¯s unlike the yakuza who I had in mind, the ones who speak rudely and ask unreasonable demands, it¡¯s just that he looks somewhat scary. But senpai¡¯s expression suddenly became solemn.

    ¡°Narumi, listen, you have to remember this.¡±

    He caught hold of my hand and pulled me up.

    ¡°There is no good yakuza on this world, a good yakuza is a dead yakuza.¡±

    Is that so¡­¡­

    ¡°¡­¡­ Yondaime too?¡± I suddenly thought of him, and asked randomly.

    ¡°I killed that guy about fifty times already, so he should be a pretty decent yakuza.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai answered while smiling. Wasn¡¯t he killed for about fifty times as well?

    ¡°We could only wait for news from Yondaime now. If he¡¯s still in the city, then Hirasaka-gumi can find him.¡±

    *

    I was already deprived of sleep that day, and was also dead tired due to running around, so I fell asleep as soon as I got home.

    When I was woken up by a ring noise, it was already pitch dark. Not knowing that I fell asleep while lying on my stomach, I struggled quite some time even to stand up.

    I even forgot that I should just turn on the lights, but kept searching in the dark for the source of the loud noise. It was the music of ¡®Colorado Bulldog¡¯, which meant that Alice was calling.

    After locating my phone after some time, I saw that it was five minutes after midnight. Why is she calling me at this time?

    ¡®Someone reported that they saw Kusakabe Masaya. The photos Yondaime distributed finally worked, so we¡¯re starting to spy on him. Come here immediately.¡¯

    ¡°¡­¡­ Now¡­¡­? I¡¯m really tired.¡±

    My mind was still foggy, unsure of the situation. Someone saw Kusakabe Masaya? Didn¡¯t we just send the photos half a day before? Aren¡¯t they quick.

    ¡®I¡¯m telling you toe here immediately. Do you mean to say that sleeping for another hour means immediately in your dictionary?¡¯

    ¡°No, alright, I¡¯ming. But can¡¯t you just wait for another hour?¡±

    ¡®It can¡¯t be helped if you¡¯rete. But I would confirm that you got lost on the way here, then distribute the photo of you sleeping happily in my dolls with your mouth wide open to, for people to search for you.¡¯

    ¡°When did you take that photo!¡± Any hint of sleepiness immediately disappeared, then I jumped down from the bed.

    ¡®You know that I get nervous easily, so I will only wait thirty minutes because I¡¯m too worried of your safety.¡¯

    Then, she hung up. I threw my phone onto my bed, then put on a jacket.

 Volume 2, 3

    <h4>Volume 2, Chapter 3</h4>

    Standing in front of the door to the rooftop, I reconfirmed the time on the liquid sma screen of my phone in the darkness. It was two thirty at night. As I was badgered by Alice to wake up just now, so today, I have to work from dawn as well. When the spring break ends, would I be able to return to the normal days when I wake up every morning to go to school?

    This rooftop was quite cramped and was surrounded with a wire fence. Only a lone rack for drying clothes could be seen on the six meter area. Further at my right, a small silhouette appeared in the dim light.

    ¡°Vice Admiral Fujishima, you¡¯re so slow.¡±

    Major didn¡¯t even raise his head when I walked near. While munching on the German sausage in his hands, he kept his eyes glued to the telescope that was aimed downwards, and used his free left hand to adjust the wheel. The five small screens arranged in an arc around his feet became a faint source of light.

    ¡°I went to Alice¡¯s ce first.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t youe here directly?¡±

    ¡°Because Alice made a 3D model of Kusakabe Masaya¡¯s face with a simtion software, and even forced me to remember what he looks like from the side and the top.¡±

    As for why Alice has such a high tech-program, I heard that it¡¯s because it was stolen from a researchb from somepany.

    ¡°Oh, I see. That is indeed a mission that is suited for Vice Admiral Fujishima. Although I¡¯m still worried because you¡¯re in charge of this.¡±

    Major finally stood up after saying that, leaving me sitting on the floor while surrounded by monitors. In front of the telescope, there was a twenty four hours supermarket at a corner of the junction, the red and blue lights of the neon light illuminating the city at night. Though it was already past midnight, the flow of customers going in and out did not stop.

    ¡°Someone saw Kusakabe Masaya there?¡±

    It was somewhat distant from the station, but it is still in the same district.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. There were two witnesses, so it¡¯s worth a look. Running away from home and hiding in this area, these twenty four hours shops are indispensable.¡±

    ¡°But why did we get the information so quickly? Didn¡¯t we give the photo to Yondaime just yesterday?¡±

    ¡°They distributed the photo to the NEETs in the city, and they¡¯re usually quite free.¡±

    How many hundreds of NEETs are there in the city? While gazing at thete night crowd though the telescope, I thought to myself. These people are idle all day, and they form a strongwork of contacts after being handled by Yondaime.

    ¡°Even so, do we have to start fromte night?¡±

    ¡°You just think from Kusakabe¡¯s point of view. If he¡¯s really hiding in this area, if he wants to buy something, he would probably do so at dawn, when there are less people.¡±

    I was about to say: If he chose to do so atte night when nobody¡¯s out, it¡¯s easy for the shopkeeper to remember his face, so he would avoid it; but I didn¡¯t want to be misunderstood that I said that just because I wanted to continue sleeping, so I shut my mouth.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s start the discussion. This is a system that can do the spying work of six people with just one person, and as humans only have two eyes, you¡¯ll have to depend on your determination to increase it.¡± I¡¯d be a psychic if I can do that¡­¡­

    Major proudly exined the locations that have a spying device on it and the method to control the focal length of the camera lens, saying something like: ¡°From now on, Vice Admiral Fujishima might take part in these spying jobs more often, so you can just use this chance to get used to its method of operation!¡± It is said that he made these high tech devices personally, and I could only feel pity for him to waste his talent.

    ¡°What is this string for?¡±

    There were wool threads tied to each monitor and the stand of the telescope, while the end of the strings were tied together and vanished in Major¡¯s backpack.

    ¡°Oh, that is used for packing up all the tools in an instant to run away if someone reports that there are suspicious people on the rooftop and the police appears. You can just pull on this, and all of the things would pulled into the backpack.¡±

    ¡°Wa- wait a minute, you¡¯re using this rooftop without permission?¡±

    ¡°Duh, who can you ask for permission anyways?¡±

    That¡¯s not wrong, but¡­¡­

    ¡°But there¡¯s only one entrance, how can I escape then?¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re in a pinch, just jump down from here. Don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t die if you¡¯re patriotic.¡±

    I¡¯ll definitely die if I jump down!

    ¡°It¡¯s okay if Vice Admiral Fujishima dies in battle, but please take care of the devices. Break a leg. I¡¯ll go set up the spying devices now. I¡¯ll change shifts with you after four hours.¡±

    After saying a whole lot of irresponsible words, Major disappeared into the building. I really feel that he¡¯s rather active this time.

    So that it would be easier to contact people in an emergency, I took out my phone and ced it beside the telescope stand, then erected the cor of my jacket and started to stare at the screen. Although it was already April, it was still exceptionally cold on the rooftop at night because of the wind. The light of the monitor shone on my face, and I suddenly thought of the incident on the dawn of that day when I squatted down. It happened on a rooftop as well.

    The words that Alice dug out from the grave¡ª the words that Ayaka left.

    They are still burned in my mind.

    I tried to focus my attention on the faces of the pedestrians, but I couldn¡¯t do it.

    I recalled Ayaka¡¯s face, the face that was devoid of happiness, sorrow or even anger, lying weakly on the bed in the hospital.

    I wonder where Ayaka is right now.

    In the depths of the eyes that were open wide, was Ayaka¡¯s soul really in there?

    It¡¯s useless even if I think more about it. No matter where she is, it¡¯s impossible for her to return, and I don¡¯t even have the courage to visit her now.

    *

    The monitoring job is really tougher than what I first thought. One of the members of Hirasaka-gumi, Major and I had to take shifts of four hours each; but the four hours of sitting did not get us any new information, and time felt as though it was as long as the winter break. Drinking the canned coffee alone after changing shifts, its tasted like I was drinking newspapers.

    Even so, I really think that this job really suits me. That¡¯s because I don¡¯t have to think of what I can do and so on.

    The third time changing shifts¡ª Tuesday, a whole day after we started working, I felt like an empty shell. Not only my body, even my eyes don¡¯t have the energy to move anymore, so I could only repeatedly eat and drink. The stic bag of a convenience store was stuffed full of the packaging of onigiris and sandwiches.

    On my retina that had almost turned into a machine, silhouettes going here and there were reflected from the screens and the telescopes. Monitoring the people in a state of nkness might be more effective instead¡ª

    As it seems like something is happening.

    My consciousness was gradually pulled back to the rooftop before dawn, like it was struggling to slowly drift to the surface of a bottomless swimming pool.

    I wasn¡¯t sure how I stopped spacing out at first. There wasn¡¯t even a shadow of a person on the screens, so I hurriedly looked through the telescope to observe in more detail. A few people could be seen moving in the range of the shop, two workers were squashing arge amount of cardboard boxes behind the vegetable area, while another worker was behind the counter. And also¡ª

    No, it¡¯s impossible. I focused my whole attention to look at the face of the man who was paying his bill at the counter, from the side. The man in the photo I saw was not wearing sses, unlike this man, and he was wearing a baseball cap too, making him look even younger. What is he buying? I increased the magnification of the telescope to the max¡ª So it¡¯s a kitchen knife, and¡­¡­ hair gel? No, is it deodorant? Envelopes, a small item ced in a stic box, and a lot more odds and ends.

    Seeing the man walk out of the door after paying his bill, I felt even more certain of it. Other people would not notice it even if they put in more effort to see, but I was very sure of it.

    That man is Kusakabe Masaya.

    The man walked to a trash can near the shop, took out an item from his bag, tore apart the packaging and threw it; I realized at that moment that it was a disposable battery used for phones. Now I get it, I recall that the yakuza said that he was asking around about something on the phone.

    I never would¡¯ve thought that we could really find this person by just monitoring a shop. Kusakabe¡¯s silhouette was shown on the leftmost part of the monitor. Although I immediately focused on him, he vanished from the screen very quickly. I stood up¡ª I can¡¯t stay here anymore, for fear of losing his trail.

    Sprinting out of the door and running down the stairs of the building, I couldn¡¯t see Kusakabe Masaya¡¯s silhouette by the time I reached the junction. I ignored the red light of the traffic light, rushing in a nted path to the slope. As the lights of the store could not shine on here, the streets were suddenly plunged into darkness. I saw a silhouette with the corner of my eye, and I immediately chased the person to the alley after running through the road. The sounds of exhaust engines became fainter and fainter. I quickened my steps, going forward on the cold asphalt road. Did he really walk towards this direction? Actually, the silhouette of the man was long gone, so I could only chase him by intuition.

    Turning left after going past a few corners, a bone-colored wall appeared in the darkness. It was the sound insting wall of a construction site; the folding door opened merely thirty centimeters or so.

    I tried to have a closer look, and saw that the signboard that should have the names of the construction unit and project had rusted long ago, while the words on it were indiscernible.

    I stealthily poked my head to the other side of the wall. I couldn¡¯t have a good look as it was too dark, only the uneven ground could be seen. There wasn''t anyrge machinery in the construction site, and only a temporarily built hut made of steel tes was at the right corner of the site. It looks like there was some movement at the other side of the window.

    Is it there? Though it looks like it¡¯s suitable to be used as a hideout¡­¡­ But if that¡¯s just my imagination, what should I do? Besides, is that man really Kusakabe Masaya? I was getting more and more uncertain.

    Ah, this is bad! I forgot Major¡¯s telescope, his monitors and the power generator on the rooftop. I have to go back.

    Right at that moment¡ª a faint noise drifted over.

    Originally nning to leave, I stopped. The sound came from the construction site, and it seemed like it came from the hut.

    I silently stared at the windows of the hut that was shrouded in darkness. A silhouette was moving in it.

    There was someone inside.

    I gulped, and stepped into the construction site. The feeling of the sticky mud felt like a swamp that umted soft darkness. I lowered my body and went closer to the hut.

    This time, a clear voice could be heard.

    ¡°¡­¡­ please. No, not in the country¡­¡­ That¡¯s right. You probably have an ount in Singapore, right¡­¡­ I won¡¯t ask for all of the two hundred million, so please give me a hand.¡±

    The man said with a low voice.

    Two hundred million.

    It was Kusakabe Masaya. I found him. I actually found him!

    Indeed, he hasn¡¯t left here yet, but why? I listened closely to the contents of the conversation with bated breath. He¡¯s probably on the phone, huh?

    ¡°¡­¡­ No, it¡¯s the flight this weekend. Can¡¯t you help out with that¡­¡­ Yeah. No, it¡¯s me who¡¯s asking too much from you. Sorry for bothering you at this time.¡±

    The voice stopped, and the person in the house tutted. Listening to the faint sounds in the silence, it seemed like an impatient Kusakabe Masaya pressing the buttons of his phone appeared before my eyes. It¡¯s luckier for you to have someone on the phone at this time. Even so, what in the world is he trying to do? Is he really nning to escape to another country? And he even mentioned Singapore too¡­¡­

    Unknowingly, my knees that were in a squatting position started to tremble slightly. What should I do? I never thought that I could even find him, much less how to handle it when I find him.

    And I can¡¯t just barge in. He doesn¡¯t even know me, and just now¡ª he bought a kitchen knife. Is that used for self-protection?

    In the end, I could only think of calling Major or the others. I could just monitor him until reinforcementse, and I¡¯ll just let that person handle it. But I only realized in shock at that moment of my terrible mistake¡ª I forgot my phone on the rooftop too.

    Until a long, long time after that, I could still remember the mistake that I made. Does this count as a type of failure? If I didn¡¯t forget my phone, would the results be better? I don¡¯t know.

    Anyways, I have to go back. I slowly walked through the muddy ground in a squatting position, then left the construction site.

    Walking along the road that I came from, my leg tensed when I was passing through the road.

    On the sidewalk opposite to the slope, three silhouettes were walking towards this direction. The streetlights dimly illuminated the purple flowery shirt that was overly conspicuous, and I immediately retreated behind the walls of the house behind me.

    It was that guy¡ª one of the two men who chased me at Hello Pce. Though I¡¯m not sure about the other two, the person leading them is definitely that guy. I felt that my heart almost jumped to the bottom of my chin, while both of my legs were paralyzed.

    ¡°¡­¡­ near here, close to the house of Kishiwada¡¯s old man.¡± ¡°Did he please his old man?¡± ¡°Probably not?¡± ¡°Is construction work still done on the site?¡± ¡°No, it stopped for quite some time now¡­¡­¡±

    In the silence, the contents of their conversation could be clearly heard. They¡¯re here for Kusakabe Masaya, it can¡¯t be wrong. I must inform him¡ª tell him to run away quickly. But my legs couldn¡¯t move, as though they were sealed on the spot with cement.

    On the other side of the road, the three passed by me. It can¡¯t be helped now. It¡¯s toote to hurry back now, even I would be noticed by them. If they notice me¡­¡­ If even I was noticed¡ª

    I unknowingly squatted down, my hands tightly holding my thighs trembling violently. The footsteps of the three gradually disappeared.

    I stood up and ran for my life. I almost fell down due to a loss of bnce when sprinting madly down the slope, but I did not stop because of this. If the three went near him at the same time, Kusakabe Masaya would probably notice it, so it¡¯s okay, he¡¯d be able to escape, so it¡¯s fine even if I don¡¯t go back and tell him. While running away, I thought of reasons to exin why I ran away. Each time my feet stomped on the asphalt road, the pain that spread to my gut made me feel like throwing up.

    When I finally saw the lights of the twenty four hours supermarket, I stopped and hugged a tree beside the sidewalk, covering my mouth and swallowing the feeling of wanting to puke back into my stomach. Though I knew that no one was looking at me, I didn¡¯t feel like looking back.

    As the feeling of wanting to puke gradually vanished, disgust at myself spread through my whole body.

    Why did I run?

    Why didn¡¯t I turn back and inform him even though I saw those people?

    It was I who abandoned Kusakabe Masaya but it can¡¯t be helped, right? The opposing party is yakuza. What if the guy in the purple shirt remembers me? If I hurried back while Kusakabe Masaya had already escaped, and I was caught instead, wouldn¡¯t that be ironic? So it is better like this, that is¡ª

    I swallowed my bitter saliva, unsteadily walking past the junction while staring at my feet. The cars that drove on the road horned loudly, driving past my back while brushing against the back of my hair.

    When I returned to the rooftop, the monitors, telescope, backpack and my phone were still arranged neatly, awaiting my return. The screen showed the interior of the deserted shop, feeling as though it was ming me.

    I held back my tears that were about to fall and picked up my phone, dialing Alice¡¯s number after hesitating for a long time.

    *

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think that we would have trouble so soon.¡±

    Alice said coolly. The words that came into my ears along with the sounds of the cold wind from the air conditioner were extremely cold.

    When I went back to the NEET Detective Agency, the sun was already up. Alice used herputer while sitting on the bed,pletely ignoring me, who¡¯s squatting beside her.

    ¡°I sent a lot of things to Kusakabe Masaya¡¯s phone, elerating the rate of battery drain. This method is effective, but it¡¯s both good and bad.¡±

    So she can use this kind of trick? This girl¡­¡­ you really shouldn¡¯t make an enemy of her.

    It¡¯s just that all of Alice¡¯s borate nning, Major¡¯s high tech devices and Yondaime¡¯s contacts, all of them were wasted by me. I hugged my knees and buried my face between my arms, the cold wind on the back of my neck hurting me. And we found him after so much effort¡­¡­

    ¡°What is it? You¡¯ve been as quiet as an overcooked hermit crab. You aren¡¯t thinking that it¡¯s because of you that Kusakabe Masaya was caught by the people from Tabara-gumi, are you? And you aren¡¯t even certain if he was caught or not.¡±

    ¡°But, if I hurried back to find him¡­¡­¡±

    Alice finally turned her head over, frowning. Is she angry?

    ¡°Think about it calmly. Didn¡¯t those people urately walk to the construction site where he was hiding at? So it¡¯s probably the people who Kusakabe Masaya contacted who sold his hiding spot out to Tabara-gumi. Even if you hurry back and tell him¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°I know that.¡±

    ¡°You have a higher chance of being noticed by those people. So your decision was correct, it¡¯s just that the opposing party acted quicker than us. My response wasn¡¯t quick enough, so don¡¯t just shoulder my responsibility for the world.¡±

    My decision, is correct?

    So what? Being correct or not isn¡¯t important.

    It¡¯s just that I ran away, so the end result doesn¡¯t matter.

    ¡°Who says that it doesn¡¯t matter?¡± Alice¡¯s voice was quite stern: ¡°Why are you so dumb? If even you were caught by Tabara-gumi, how do you think the matter would turn out to be? Until now, if you are still ignoring this to show your meaningless courage, then I¡¯m firing you right this moment. Get out!¡±

    My jaw dropped in surprise, and I stared at Alice, who was so angry that her face was all red.

    ¡°¡­¡­ What are you doing? Why aren¡¯t you answering?¡±

    ¡°Err¡­¡­ I never thought that Alice was so worried about me.¡±

    ¡°Who says that I¡¯m worried about you?¡± A pillow flew over. ¡°Do you really think that I would be worried for your safety!¡±

    ¡°Well, didn¡¯t you say that you were worried for my safety yesterday?¡±

    ¡°I was being sarcastic, idiot! You don¡¯t even know that!¡±

    For some reason, Alice started to throw empty cans and remotes at me with her face red. So she wouldn¡¯t throw her dolls even when she¡¯s that agitated¡­¡­ Wait, why is she this angry anyways?

    ¡°A¡­¡­ Anyways, I¡¯m sorry, my apologies.¡±

    I retreated to somewhere near the fridge while covering my head.

    ¡°I had enough! You¡¯re a guy who¡¯s so stupid that it¡¯s unforgivable!¡±

    As there wasn¡¯t anything else near her that she could throw, Alice could only whack the mat repeatedly while her ck hair swayed around.

    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry¡­¡­¡±

    Though I wasn¡¯t sure if I was in the wrong, I still apologized to Alice in a small voice. Alice turned her head to look angrily at the screen.

    I collected the things that Alice threw over and picked out the trash, but Alice spoke again as I was about to ce the remaining items onto her bed:

    ¡°If you were caught, a useless person like you would probably b about Meo¡¯s hiding spot and the fact that we¡¯re helping her to investigate the matter with little effort from them. You should think of how terrible that would be.¡±

    Ah¡­¡­ She¡¯s right. But that made me sound really useless.

    Did Kusakabe Masaya really got caught? Major went to his hiding spot to have a look, but it was deserted, as expected. I should¡¯ve at least confirmed if he got away sessfully, then we could n our next actions quickly.

    ¡°I requested Hirasaka-gumi to monitor Tabara-gumi¡¯s office, and we have Major¡¯s spying devices. If Kusakabe Masaya has really been caught, we would know immediately.¡±

    Even though she had her back to me, she knew perfectly what I was thinking of.

    Then, I finally realized the reason for my depression, and it wasn¡¯t because of self-reproach for not saving Kusakabe Masaya.

    It was because I never even thought about things.

    What do I do if I find him? To what extent is my resolve to take part in things?

    When I met the yakuza, if I ran away because I determined that returning to Kusakabe¡¯s side would be dangerous, I might not feel so useless right now. In reality, it was just because my feet were paralyzed in fear.

    Yondaime¡¯s words were spot on. When people without strong resolve are present, it would just increase the others¡¯ burden.

    This made me feel extremely useless. Maybe I really don¡¯t have the right to stay by Alice¡¯s side as an assistant.

    I suddenly noticed Alice gazing silently at me.

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Instead of saying that she¡¯s angry, it¡¯s more urate to say that it¡¯s a shy reaction. ¡°You really are unbelievably stupid, actually thinking of this kind of thing.¡±

    ¡­¡­ Eh? Did I just talk to myself again? I was so embarrassed that I felt like dying.

    ¡°Okay, I get it, you¡¯re a useless person. Brainless! Coward! Fish brain! Working for a detective although you have no resolve, you have no right to be my assistant¡ª are you satisfied?¡±

    I was scolded for no reason. To Alice, the scolding that she gave me wasn¡¯t anything special.

    ¡°Though I don¡¯t know what Yondaime said to you, you can just feed the thing called realization to chickens. Have you forgotten what we should do?¡±

    I waspletely clueless to what Alice said at first.

    ¡°¡­¡­ To catch Kusakabe Masaya.¡±

    ¡°And to protect Meo. You actually forgot even though you¡¯re the one who suggested that, I¡¯m speechless. Listen, nobody cares if you have strong resolve or not. It¡¯s better for you to confirm this for me if you have time to think about these meaningless things.¡±

    My worries were denied by her in just a moment, causing me to be speechless. A photocopied paper flew to me, while I nkly stared at Alice for quite some time, even forgetting to pick up the paper.

    ¡°What are you spacing out for? If you want to make a performance of sleeping with your eyes open, then perform outside!¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡­ Mnn, sorry.¡±

    I picked up the paper, and saw that it was densely packed with a whole of what seemed like names of products, time and price.

    ¡°¡­¡­ What is this?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the POS system list for the supermarket that you were monitoring. Large chain shops have the information of the items sold in the branches all over the country, so it¡¯s pretty easy to check.¡±

    Saying that as if it¡¯s so simple, normal people actually can¡¯t do that, can they? Reading the list in detail, that¡¯s right, all of the items recorded on it was the same as the ones on the receipt of the supermarket.

    ¡°What are the ones circled with red pen?¡±

    Right after I said that, I realized the answer. The items Kusakabe Masaya bought were: a kitchen knife, an air freshening spray, envelopes, disposable chopsticks, disposable battery, thread and needle, lighter, scissors, bandage, and cellophane tape.

    ¡°This is¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°As there was only one customer at that time, it¡¯s probably urate; Those were the items bought by Kusakabe Masaya, right? Didn¡¯t you see him paying his bill?¡±

    Alice finally turned her head over to look at me. I nodded in response. I did see things like a kitchen knife and something like a spray.

    ¡°But why did you check out what he bought?¡±

    I saw a rare scene at that moment¡ª Alice turned her head to a side and stayed silent.

    She didn¡¯t answer for quite some time, so I couldn¡¯t help but tilt my head to look at the side of her face, then shifted my attention to the list of sold goods on my hands. What¡¯s with this? Did Kusakabe Masaya surprise Alice with the things that he bought?

    ¡°Oi¡­¡­ Narumi¡­¡­¡±

    Alice finally spoke with a faint voice:

    ¡°In this case, I don¡¯t want to be the detective.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Eh?¡±

    I even thought that I heard wrongly. But a familiar, fragile light could be seen from her eyes when Alice looked at the bookshelf that was almost t because of the weight of the machines on it.

    ¡°I¡¯ve told you before, the detective that I meant is actually a representative for the deceased. As for Meo, she doesn¡¯t need that at all. Though there aren¡¯t any deaths yet, my fingers have already started to search for the words that would be lost. I detest myself like this, and I don¡¯t want to do that either. Actually, just thinking of the people who are alive would be enough¡ª but I have no choice, my soul is constantly drawn by death. Protecting a person or saving a person, a NEET detective could never do that.¡±

    There¡¯s no such thing¡ª was what I wanted to say. But seeing Alice¡¯s sorrowful expression, I couldn¡¯t speak my mind.

    As for myself¡ª what do I think about this?

    Ayaka¡¯s words that were revealed by Alice that time.

    Wouldn¡¯t it be better if I don¡¯t know about anything? I have thought about that a few times before. But it¡¯s because of Alice that I can do these things now. What would happen if I was kept in the dark about the truth? In short, is knowing or not knowing better? For me, who knows the truth, this fact could never be understood.

    Even so, the person who pulled me out from a bottomless swamp was definitely Alice. I didn¡¯t know what to say. It is always at these critical times that I couldn¡¯t say a thing.

    I continued to stay silent, then Alice spoke while looking at her side:

    ¡°Even though I am not sure if he was caught by Tabara-gumi, I have already started to imagine the sound of myself tapping on the skull of the dead. What was the sum of money used for? Why did Kusakabe Masaya ask Meo to run away with the money? Why did he hide himself? I am actually more afraid of the truth slowly rotting while being buried in the ground.¡±

    Alice used the mat to wrap her body, then turned around to face me. I could see that she wanted to force out a self-ridiculing smile, but failed.

    ¡°Are you thinking: Why don¡¯t we just ask Kusakabe Masaya after we sessfully rescue him? I really think that it¡¯d be better if I could think like that, but the fate of a NEET detective is to connect with the world through death. So I could only frantically collect information, trying to reconstruct his words, guessing what he is thinking about.¡±

    I should really interrupt, or Alice would continue to split hairs. So I tried to think of something to say¡ª

    ¡°¡­¡­ Then did you find out?¡±

    But the question that slipped out was an idiotic question like that.

    ¡°I have my assumptions, but they have not been proven yet.¡±

    ¡°Maybe he wants to escape to another country? I remember that he mentioned something about a flight this weekend or something like that.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    I could not think of any other possibilities.

    ¡°Think about it, he stayed in the area even though he¡¯s wanted by the Tabara-gumi, so he probably has a significant reason. So I tried to filter the information to find out the rtionship between the surroundings of the construction site and Tabara-gumi, Hello Corporation, and even Kusakabe Masaya himself.¡±

    ¡°The problem is, do you know how many houses and buildings are located there?¡±

    ¡°After a thorough search of the rted addresses and categorizing them, then using a searching program to record the data of the connections and distance, the end result appeared here.¡±

    A second piece of photocopied paper flew over from Alice¡¯s hands. It¡¯s a simple, ck and white map. Therge, double circle in the middle is probably the construction site that Kusakabe hid at, and heading west from there¡ª about two hundred meters from there ording to the scale of the map, there was a ce marked with a big star.

    Eh? Isn¡¯t this near¡­¡­?

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this the high ss residential area?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. A yakuza boss lives in this ce marked with a star, and is handling a yakuza organization called ¡®Kishiwada-kai¡¯. It is a luxurious mansion surrounded by surveince cameras.¡±

    Kishiwada? Haven¡¯t I heard of this name before?

    ¡°This gang is a gang superior to Tabara-gumi. Which means, the boss of Tabara-gumi is an underling of Kishiwada-kai.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡± The three men who looked for Kusakabe Masaya seemed to have mentioned something about Kishiwada¡¯s old man, so they were talking about this.

    ¡°Which means Kusakabe Masaya¡¯s hideout is near the residence of a boss of a gang superior to Tabara-gumi. This matter cannot be handled so easily.¡±

    ¡°Wait a sec, I¡¯m a bit confused. Are you saying that the person who ordered the yakuza to look for Meo¡¯s father is among the top echelon of a gang superior to Tabara-gumi?¡±

    ¡°I am not sure about that. Tetsu is investigating the rtionship between Kishiwada-kai and this case, and it is still unknown as to how deeply are they involved in the case; but they probably do have SOME connections.¡±

    Deliberately hiding near the house of a yakuza boss who¡¯s searching for himself? Why did Kusakabe Masaya do that? It¡¯s inexplicable.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I investigated the items that he bought.¡±

    Hearing Alice¡¯s words, I again shifted my attention to the paper in my hands.

    The items that were bought atte night. Kitchen knife, air freshening spray, envelopes, disposable chopsticks, disposable phone battery, thread and needle, lighter, scissors, bandages and tape. What are these? The things apart from the battery baffles me. Buying a kitchen knife and a sewing toolkit, what in the world does he want that for?

    Hmm?

    ¡°Buying a kitchen knife¡­¡­¡±

    Concealing himself near the house of his enemy, and he prepared a kitchen knife and scissors. Might that be¡­¡­?

    ¡°He¡¯s probably not that stupid, that¡¯s your prejudice towards yakuza before this.¡±

    Alice saw through my thoughts.

    ¡°Trying to assassinate the yakuza boss with just a kitchen knife, it¡¯s meaningless as he would probably be caught before he even enters the house.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t say that you¡¯re wrong¡­¡­ Then what¡¯s with these things? What did he n to do with them?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s actually another hypothesis about this, but I¡¯ll keep it to myself for now since it¡¯s too stupid. Though this possibility exists, it¡¯s so stupid that going on a rampage with a kitchen knife would be better. Anyways¡­¡­¡±

    Alice showed me a wry smile and shook her head:

    ¡°Anyhow, it¡¯s meaningless now. Kusakabe Masaya¡¯s objective couldn¡¯t be achieved. This is only for a detective who¡¯s stepping on his footsteps that collected dirty rainwater to go forward for his own self-satisfaction.¡±

    *

    Walking out of the detective agency with a heavy heart, the sun was already high up in the sky.

    I was still confused about a part of Alice¡¯s words in my heart. It doesn¡¯t matter if I¡¯m resolved or not? What does that mean? It might actually make me feel better if she just reprimanded me for the mistakes that I made.

    As I was about to walk down the stairs, I bumped into Meo who was holding a paper bag. I was startled, and stopped while shifting my gaze. After something like this happened¡ª we lost news of her father that we located painstakingly. This made me unable to face Meo.

    ¡°Ah, Mr. Assistant. You came back from Miss Detective¡¯s house this morning too?¡±

    Please don¡¯t say that! You¡¯ll cause a misunderstanding.

    I was frantically thinking of other topics that didn¡¯t involve Kusakabe Masaya when I suddenly saw the clothes and towels in the paper bag Meo was holding.

    ¡°Having a bath again?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, because Min-san asked me to just train Miss Detective to take baths herself. It¡¯s like she¡¯s her mother.¡±

    Yeah, Min-san is practically Alice¡¯s mother right now.

    ¡°If I marry, I want to give birth to children as cute as Miss Detective.¡±

    ¡°What¡­¡­!?¡±

    Would that be fine? Though I might not be able to marry and have kids, even if I got married somehow, I wouldn¡¯t want children like Alice. They¡¯d hate eating and be fussy, so it would be hard to raise them.

    ¡°That girl is in a terrible mood right now, so she¡¯ll go on a rampage if you ask her to take a bath. It¡¯s better if you wait for about ten minutes! She¡¯s really a troublesome kid¡­¡­¡±

    I learnt something recently, Alice is more dangerous if she feels downcast than when she feels excited. But it seems that the condition would improve after using theputer for awhile.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you like kids, Mr. Assistant?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t like them¡­¡­¡± and I¡¯m a kid as well.

    ¡°My mother passed away when I was six¡­¡­¡± Meo started on the topic while sitting on the stairs. ¡°The sisters who live in the same building took care of me, because dad was usually out because he¡¯s busy. I like a lively atmosphere, so I¡¯m going to have loads of kids after I marry.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ marry your father?¡±

    Ah, that¡¯s bad! I tried hard to steer clear of this topic, but I, myself, broached it.

    ¡°Yeah, with dad.¡±

    And she even answered that immediately. Do you even know how to get kids? Do you think that you can just pick kids from a cabbage farm?

    ¡°I know that, the sister taught me how to. Do you know? Calcting the ovtion date isn¡¯t a method of birth control, but to ensure fertilization; Hiro-san taught me that.¡±

    ¡°UWAAAA!¡±

    I hastily covered Meo¡¯s mouth. What did that gigolo teach Meo!? Small girls shouldn¡¯t say those kinds of things outside in broad daylight!

    ¡°Though dad doesn¡¯t say much, he probably likes liveliness as well. So I¡¯m going to be a mother, then give birth to lots of kids.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ is that so. Then do your best to raise your children.¡±

    I started to think nkly, this is another person¡¯s life anyways. Being able to have this kind of life might not be half bad, and it seems to be more normal anyways.

    But her target is Kusakabe Masaya¡­¡­ Is that really okay? He¡¯s an ex-yakuza who let his daughter face danger while he ran far, far away.

    ¡°If I let them drink the soft drink with the special taste, would they look like Miss Detective?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± I should say that it¡¯s an act of child abuse.

    ¡°Are you an only son, Mr. Assistant?¡±

    ¡°Do I look like one?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you look like you don¡¯t have any family members.¡±

    Actually, she was half right. I sat down beside Meo and said:

    ¡°I live with my sister.¡±

    ¡°Then what about your father and mother?¡±

    I gave the same answer for this particr question that many people would ask:

    ¡°My dad is almost never at home, while my mother passed away.¡±

    Observing the response of the other people when I answer is actually one of my small hobbies. When sneaking a peek at Meo¡¯s face, I saw that she looked as though she was about to cry. What a moody girl.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Was it because of an illness?¡±

    ¡°Mnn? Oh, no¡­¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°How could you not know?¡±

    ¡°It means that my mother¡¯s passing away is somewhat muddled in my mind. Though the funeral had been held, I don¡¯t really remember the details on that day. So actually I don¡¯t really understand the reason for her death.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ I don¡¯t really understand what Mr. Assistant is saying.¡±

    Really. I didn¡¯t feel like exining, so I brushed it away with a smile.

    ¡°Won¡¯t you feel lonely? Not having your father or mother by your side¡­¡­¡± Nobody ever asked me that directly, so I was rather surprised at her question and couldn¡¯t answer. Why does Meo care so much about these tiny details?

    ¡°¡­¡­ I don¡¯t know, I never thought about it. Basically, having parents wouldn¡¯t mean that I wouldn¡¯t be lonely, right?¡±

    I actually said something like that. As expected, Meo showed me an expression that told me that she wasn¡¯t sure if she should smile wryly, and lowered her head. It¡¯s just because of that, that the people around me would stay away from me.

    Meo buried her face into therge towel, then said after ¡°Mnnn¡±-ing:

    ¡°Did I tell you that my dad was a yakuza before?¡±

    ¡°A little.¡±

    ¡°When dad was drunk, I often asked him why he quitted being a yakuza. Then he told me something. He said that he grew up at a youth centre, but the youth centre closed down when he was in high school. After that, he became a jobless person, and met people from a gang when he was hanging out in the streets, so he asked them to let him join.¡±

    She wanted to say why her father isn¡¯t a yakuza anymore, but Meo started to exin from Kusakabe Masaya¡¯s background.

    ¡°Do you know? It is said that yakuza is like family. The boss is like their parents, and the people who join first would be big brothers.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Yeah, I know that.¡±

    The people in Hirasaka-gumi truly consider Yondaime and even Tetsu-senpai and Hiro as their family, that really makes me somewhat envious.

    ¡°Dad said that it was because of this that he joined, because he thought that he would have a lot of family members after he entered the gang. But when his rank increased, he realized that all of them were lies. He said that they were only concerned about money.¡±

    The sorrowful moral of the story of the modern chivalrous person is that money is thicker than blood.

    ¡°He had a row with them after that, so he left the gang to have a break. He went to many countries nearby, and he met mom at Thand in the end.¡±

    Deliberately going across overseas to search for family? Is that even possible¡­¡­

    ¡°Then he married mom and came back to Japan, then the big sisters that dad came to know in his travels came to Japan one after another with his help. Working in Japan is very toilsome, right? To let these people work more freely, he cooperated with Mikawa-san that he came to know in Japan, to open apany.¡±

    Was he that popr? He¡¯s an ex-yakuza who¡¯s near forty now.

    I could not imagine Kusakabe Masaya¡¯s life as well. Predicting his thought would not only be unbeneficial, it made me more and more confused instead.

    ¡°So he brought me, who¡¯s about five at that time, to Japan. I think Dad wants more family members, including a wife and kids; he¡¯d feel happy if only he can stay with his family.¡±

    Is that really so?

    If he really values his family, then why did he run away while not letting Meo contact him? In the end, he should never have let his daughter get involved in such a dangerous matter. Is the two hundred million that important? Isn¡¯t that the pressure of money that he hated the most?

    And there¡¯s another thing that I don¡¯t understand.

    Should I verify it?

    I decided to ask.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Meo, do you have a visa?¡±

    ¡°Visa?¡± Meo tilted her head. ¡°For Japan? Of course.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mean that, I meant a passport for going overseas. For instance to Singapore.¡±

    ¡°Why? I don¡¯t have any ns to go overseas, I''ve never been there.¡±

    She¡¯s right.

    Kusakabe Masaya mentioned a flight on this weekend. Which means¡ª he wants to abandon Meo and run away? A bad premonition surged into my head. Letting his daughter hide with arge sum of money, but he doesn¡¯t seem to be interested in where she is hiding. Is he trying to make her the bait? To reduce the people chasing after him, so he left his daughter with arge sum of money then ran away. A hypothesis that is far from reassuring, but it¡¯s terrible of him if things are really like that.

    ¡°What of a passport?¡±

    ¡°Nothing, sorry.¡±

    ¡°Did something happen with dad? You¡¯re acting strange since just now.¡±

    It looks like it¡¯s really easy for me show my emotions on my face.

    If so¡ª should I just tell her directly? Even if it would hurt her, but the hurt would be less than when she found out through her father.

    ¡°¡­¡­ I found your father.¡±

    ¡°Really!? Where is he?¡±

    Meo¡¯s face was full of smiles, and I could not bear to look at her.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Because¡­¡­ Something happened¡­¡­ we made some mistakes, so we lost his trail again.¡±

    I really couldn¡¯t mention the fact that he might already been caught by the yakuza, and it wasn¡¯t even confirmed. Meo¡¯s expression changed again like the eyes of a kitten.

    ¡°Is he still okay?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    A wonderful smile bloomed on Meo¡¯s face.

    ¡°That¡¯s great¡­¡­¡±

    And there were even tears glistening in the corner of her eyes. Should Meo really be worried for a father like this? In contrast with Meo¡¯s joy, my feelings sank into a bottomless pit.

    ¡°I think your father probably wants to run away from the country.¡±

    I nced upwards, only to see Meo cocking her head.

    ¡°He mentioned something like that on the phone, so he probably wants to ask someone he knows to clear things up. And he didn¡¯t contact you.¡±

    ¡°So?¡±

    ¡°I think he wants to leave you here.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s impossible¡ª he wouldn¡¯t.¡±

    Meo¡¯s face became pale, but she didn¡¯t rebuke me immediately likest time. Probably because I really did find Kusakabe Masaya this time?

    I probably said something rather cruel that time.

    ¡°Think of this calmly. Your father did have a phone, so it¡¯s not that he couldn¡¯t receive your phone call, but he didn¡¯t. He didn¡¯t even nned to contact you.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Assistant, did you speak with Dad? Did dad say that to you?¡±

    Meo tightly held my arm, and I shook my head. I should¡¯ve walked in directly to look for him, I should¡¯veined to Kusakabe Masaya because of him abandoning his daughter, but I didn¡¯t have the courage.

    ¡°Dad would not abandon Meo!¡±

    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t he pick up the phone!? Don¡¯t you feel something off about this? It¡¯s him who didn¡¯t contact you!¡± I unknowingly raised my voice.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know what kind of person dad is!¡± Meo answered me in a raised voice as well: ¡°Why did you say that? Did dad say that? No, right? You didn¡¯t talk to dad, right?¡±

    That¡¯s right. It¡¯s because I was a coward, so not only did I not talk to him, I ran away without seeing his face because I was afraid of the reinforcements. What do you know? Do you really know how dangerous the world that your dad had a foot in is? All of a sudden, my anger almost leaked out, so I could only bite my lips to refrain from talking.

    When I came to my senses, Meo was staring at me while covering her mouth. I might have blurted that out already, I¡¯m really a big idiot.

    ¡°Sorry, but, it¡¯s just that¡­¡­¡±

    Meo¡¯s voice became unsteady. Though I knew she wasn¡¯t ming me, her expression made me feel hurt.

    ¡ª Then what do you want me to do?

    There is only one answer, to find Kusakabe Masaya; find him even if we have to tie him up and bring him to Meo. I don¡¯t care if the truth is as Meo believes, but if he is really trying to abandon Meo, we have to stop him even if we have to use brute force. I tightly clenched my fists on my knees. We found him after so much effort, we almost had him in our hands, just because of me¡­¡­ because of me¡ª

    ¡°Mr¡­¡­ Assistant?¡±

    Meo¡¯s voice seemed somewhat frightened.

    Probably because my expression was too scary?

    I stood up and walked down the stairs without even looking back. Actually I wasn¡¯t feeling impatient because of Meo, but I didn¡¯t understand until that time.

    *

    Major was standing at the kitchen backdoor. He nced at me, then said: ¡°Don¡¯t mind it so much, being able to locate his whereabouts is already quite good.¡± Even Major consoled me now, I feel so ashamed.

    Then Tetsu-senpai appeared too, and the two started to check out the contents of the recordings from the spying device.

    ¡°Err¡­¡­ I¡¯ll help out too. Three people would be triple the speed.¡±

    Major took off his earphones and stared at me with a disbelieving expression, while Tetsu-senpai just rolled his eyes, as if he wanted to say something.

    ¡°What¡¯s with you, Vice Admiral Fujishima? It¡¯s rare to see you so motivated. Are you sick?¡±

    ¡°No¡­¡­ Is that alright?¡±

    Though I felt angry because of my own helplessness, the things that I could help out with aren¡¯t much, after all. So¡­¡­

    ¡°I don¡¯t really mind, but don¡¯t leave anything out.¡± Major handed a pair of earphones to me.

    Using the power of three people to listen to the contents of the half day recording, we still used up more than two hours to finish listening to them. Major revealed that this job is actually the most tiring of them all.

    ¡°The one that Vice Admiral Fujishima listened to is a more recent one. Did they say anything about Kusakabe Masaya?¡±

    ¡°Not at the moment.¡±

    Talking about preparations of visas, having a shareholders¡¯ conference, the schedule of next month¡¯s conferences and so on, the conversations involved some deep contents, but they just didn¡¯t mention Kusakabe Masaya. Knowing of how tiring this job is after doing it, I started to regret taking the initiative to help out.

    ¡°It¡¯s strange. It seems that he wasn¡¯t brought to the office, while Hirasaka-gumi, who¡¯s on monitoring duty, don¡¯t have any news as well.¡±

    ¡°Maybe he wasn¡¯t caught?¡±

    Tetsu-senpai took off his earphones.

    ¡°Tabara-gumi has only one office, so they probably didn¡¯t bring him there¡­¡­ No, it¡¯s hard to say, and he might be imprisoned in a warehouse somewhere.¡±

    ¡°Tetsu-san, did the Kishiwada-kai take any action? Their ce is quite big, so there are probably a lot of ces to imprison a person.¡±

    ¡°No. Though they know about this, the one taking actual action are only the people from Tabara-gumi. We just don¡¯t know their rtionship with Hello Corporation, since not many people know of the internal matters about other gangs. If I had known this earlier, I should¡¯ve got acquainted with more members of Kishiwada-kai.¡±

    ¡°But Tetsu-san, don¡¯t you hate those enterprising yakuza?¡±

    ¡°Idiot, I hate them as long as they¡¯re yakuza.¡±

    So there are many types of yakuza¡­¡­ What a confusing world, and the topic of the conversation steered to an eerier side. The days when I went to school seriously seemed to have went further away from me (and it¡¯s the same in reality, as I almost never attended during the third semester) , I wonder how my ssmates are right now. I¡¯m fine today as well, and is currently listening to a recording of yakuza¡¯s phone calls.

    ¡°Okay, since there¡¯s no new information from the yakuza, maybe we can take action from thepany. We¡¯ll have to wait for news from Hiro then.¡±

    Hiro appeared at about two in the afternoon.

    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯mte. I heard all about it, thanks for your hard work. It¡¯s lucky that Narumi wasn¡¯t caught too. Have you guys found him already?¡±

    I gave the seat of therge steel bucket to Hiro, while I sat beside Tetsu-senpai on the stairs.

    ¡°There isn¡¯t any news from the office. How about you? Have you seen the secretary?¡±

    Secretary?

    ¡°Ah, yeah, up till morning. It¡¯s so tiring, I had to go back to have a nap, too. Though the secretary is somewhat cute, our topics of conversation didn¡¯t really match.¡±

    Yet another iprehensible world. Apanying the secretary till morning?

    ¡°The secretary of the Director of Hello Corporation. Though her job is officially a secretary, she¡¯s actually just a clerk working part time, as thepany is small.¡±

    Hiro sat on therge, steel bucket, and handed a long, silver object to Major from his pockets. So it¡¯s an IC recorder. Major connected the recorder to theputer.

    ¡°Did you get any new information?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, quite a lot. I¡¯d like to edit it somewhat before handing it to Alice. Can you y it?¡±

    ¡°Edit?¡± I interrupted from the side.

    Hiro wanted to answer me, but he stopped as the contents of the recorder started to y. At first, the noise of conversation and what seemed like the piano apaniment of a jazz music, sounds of ss bumping into each other. Probably it¡¯s a bar or some ce like that?

    ¡®Are you alone? Can I sit beside you?¡¯ It¡¯s Hiro¡¯s voice.

    ¡®Eh? Ah, o- okay.¡¯

    The voice of the young woman seemed to be somewhat surprised.

    ¡®Listening to music while sitting here is the best. Didn¡¯t someone y ¡®April in Paris¡¯ just now? It¡¯s April right now too, and I wanted to y the songs, but someone picked it first, surprising me quite a lot.¡¯

    ¡®Eh¡ª ? Haha.¡¯

    Ohhhh¡­¡­ So he hits on girls like this! I couldn¡¯t help but to be somewhat touched, though I¡¯d probably be unable to do that.

    ¡°Hiro, you seem to be quite knowledgeable about jazz music.¡±

    ¡°Not at all. I just asked the bartender in advance.¡±

    Speechless.

    ¡°Major, can you fast forward? The content in front isn¡¯t rted to the case.¡±

    After fast forwarding the recording, a blissful voice suddenly came from the speakers of theputer when we yed it again.

    ¡®¡­¡­ Hiro, you¡¯re quite strong. Though your legs are so slender, heh heh. You gave me quite a fright when you picked me up and took me into the bathroom to have a bath!¡¯

    ¡°No such thing, it¡¯s because you¡¯re light.¡¯

    Wait a sec! Just a little time had passed, and what happened!? Where is this!?

    ¡°Abducting her into a hostel after sweet talking her ten times per second, as expected of Hiro.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s probably because you hit the fast forward button.¡±

    ¡°But you don¡¯t need to go to a hostel, do you?¡± Tetsu-senpai said.

    ¡°Not really, I¡¯m just going along the flow.¡±

    What do you mean by going along the flow? You¡­¡­

    ¡°Fast forward a bit more. Ah, yeah, about this part.¡±

    As I was frantically thinking of how to interrupt, the voice of thedy made me focus my attention on the speakers.

    ¡®¡­¡­ going on a vacation is great, I want to go too¡ª best to a ce where there are hot springs. y at Fuji Q Hignd, then bathing in the hot springs and staying for the night! Is that okay?¡¯

    ¡®The haunted hospital attraction there is very scary, I¡¯d like to go once. I¡¯m free anytime, how about you? How about we go there for a four days three nights stay in the Golden Week?¡¯

    ¡®Ahh¡ª ourpany doesn¡¯t even let us take a break during the Golden Week, it¡¯s so disappointing!¡¯

    Tetsu-senpai and Major came closer as the conversation started to enter the main topic.

    ¡®¡­¡­ they owe a lot of debts, so I thought thepany would close downst year. Then¡ª I thought that I could leave after thepany closes down, but then the Director put in quite a lot of effort to save thepany. I really don¡¯t know what happened, maybe he won in a lottery?¡¯

    The debts of thepany¡ª disappeared?

    ¡®But if thepany closes down, won¡¯t your retirement pension vanish into thin air?¡¯

    ¡®Ah, you have a point. Oh yeah¡ª then isn¡¯t it better if I just leave right now? Thepany might have even more debts after this.¡¯

    ¡®It¡¯s possible. Why don¡¯t you be a NEET like me? Then we¡¯ll go have a trip for two weeks.¡¯

    ¡®Haha, that doesn¡¯t seem bad. Ah, look at that, there¡¯s a trip to Italy, and it says here that it¡¯s a twelve day trip.¡¯

    The sound of someone rummaging papers could be heard aside from the conversation, maybe they¡¯re reading magazines?

    ¡®But going for so many days, we¡¯d have a lot of luggage. I¡¯m really jealous of other people for being able to go for a vacation with arge bag, but I always feelzy every time I get to the ce where they sell the luggage bags. I¡¯m thinking if I should buy them on shopping channel¡­¡­ Ah, this Boston bag seems to be nice, I might be able to put in a month¡¯s worth of clothes.¡¯

    ¡®¡­¡­ Eh? I¡¯ve seen this bag before.¡¯

    I stared at Hiro in shock. What in the world happened?

    ¡°Aside from Meo¡¯s bag, I nted a traveling magazine in the room of the hostel, pretending that someone else forgot it. You can¡¯t ask these questions directly, so I used a lot of effort to get on the topic.¡±

    Hiro smiled wryly. I¡¯m really speechless. I always have this thought, it¡¯ll be so much better if he uses his efforts on other matters¡ª

    ¡®Didn¡¯t I mention the vice-chairman of ourpany just now?¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, the ojisan who¡¯s rather bad.¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s right, he¡¯s somewhat handsome actually. I heard that he was a yakuza before this. On the day when he pays us our wages, he would bring the bag to thepany, then when someone calls that day, he would go home directly after going out with the Director. Those two are really troublesome, never leaving a message as to where they went. I wish the Director would be more understanding, I have to answer a whole lot of phones about them too, really! Vice-chairman, too. He skipped work for the whole week. Maybe he went for a vacation?¡¯

    Unknowingly, my palm started to sweat. The conversation entered the critical part, and this could be seen from Tetsu-senpai and Major¡¯s excited expression.

    As Yi Ling-san said, the bag would be brought to thepany on a regr basis. Then the phone¡ª where did ite from? I listened closely to the conversationing from theputer speakers. The conversation ended without involving the case. Then, only shuffling sounds came from it, and the voice of a blissfuldy.

    ¡°Ah, sorry, this part ends here, because the second round is going to start.¡±

    ¡°You pervert!¡± ¡°Stupid hustler!¡± ¡°Public enemy of females!¡± ¡°Sex offender!¡±

    Tetsu-senpai and Major criticized Hiro in turn. As for me, I both admired Hiro¡¯s actions, and also felt an inexplicable sorrow. These people are so strange¡­¡­ Though I understand that, but there¡¯s really no room for me to say anything.

    Am I just using the name of an assistant to get closer to these people?

    ¡°Oh yeah, Major, can you edit out this part?¡±

    ¡°This is truly unsuited for Alice¡¯s ears, it¡¯d have a bad influence on her sex education.¡±

    ¡°Though I know a lot of things, but then things that I don¡¯t understand pop up as well.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai crossed his arms in front of his chest.

    ¡°It seems like those aren¡¯t the money of thepany, so maybe it¡¯s really money from yakuza?¡±

    ¡°It seems so, but why are they keeping the money for them?¡±

    ¡°And why did their debts disappear?¡±

    ¡°Anyways, Alice would get these things clear.¡±

    Major said in a sure voice.

    ¡°Having regr phone calls every time they pay wages, huh? Since the area of investigation is so small now, the rest is just to investigate their phone logs.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡­ That¡¯s right!¡± Hiro answered.

    Just like that, the threads have been connected.

    Hello Corporation, Tabara-gumi, and Kishiwada-kai, possibly a gang superior to Tabara-gumi.

    "But that doesn''t mean that we found Kusakabe Masaya." Tetsu-senpai said while frowning: "We can now get news from the yakuza, but we must still locate Kusakabe Masaya."

    That''s true. After all, we don''t even know if he''s caught or managed to run away to some other ce. If so, we have tounch a new investigation.

    "The only thing that we can be certain of is, the person called Mikawa is deeply involved in this matter, so we should test him."

    "We''ll let Hiro and Major handle that."

    "That''s fine, so we can finally take action--"

    At that moment, Min-san''s angry roar came from the shop.

    "Shut up. I told you that I don''t know! Get lost if you''re not here to eat!"

    I opened the kitchen backdoor for about three centimeters and cautiously looked at the situation in the shop. Two tall men were standing at the entrance, ring at Min-san behind the counter.

    After seeing the face of one of them, I nearly cried out loud.

    I subconsciously lowered my body, springing away from the kitchen backdoor.

    "What is it, Narumi?"

    Hiro asked me, and I signalled to him not to speak.

    It''s that guy. One of the two men who chased me at Hello Pce, the one with the leather coat. He was wearing the same clothes that he wore that day, which is why I recognised him immediately. The other one donned a dark gray suit, looking quite decent, but his dark brown sunsses gave him an unusual presence. Why? Why do they know of this ce? Were we followed? Surely not!

    "Isn''t this Hanamaru Ramen Shop? The phone number is xxx-xxxx, right?"

    Leather Coat leaned his elbow on the counter, sizing Min-san up with a suspicious expression.

    "That''s right. So what?"

    "She''s a dark-skinned girl, fourteen, looking for her father. Do you know what kidnapping an underage girl means? Don''t try to harbor her."

    I heard someone gulp behind me. Indeed, they know that Meo is here.

    "I don''t know her. Lunch time is already over, so please go."

    Min-san rebuked them fearlessly. I could clearly see veins appearing between the brows of Leather Coat, while Shades kept cool and silent.

    "You bastard, don''t pretend--"

    At this moment, the footsteps came from the stairs.

    "Ah, everyone is here! Miss Detective seemed to have fainted because of the heat from the hair dryer."

    My heart nearly stopped at that moment. Though we immediately closed the kitchen backdoor, it was toote. Meo''s clear voice caused the two yakuza in the shop to react, the tworge silhouettes appearing at the entrance between the buildings.

    "Meo, get in!"

    Hiro rapidly opened the kitchen backdoor, pushing Meo and I inside.

    "You two hurry up and hide, don''t be seen."

    After hearing Min-san''s voice, strong arms pressed my head under the counter, while Meo held my arm tightly behind me.

    "Stop!"

    Leather Coat could be seen walking into our territory from the crack of the door, while Tetsu-senpai was standing in front of him.

    "Who are you people!?"

    "That''s what we would like to ask you."

    Tetsu-senpai red at the slightly higher eyes of the man in the leather coat. As for me, I hid below Min-san''s hands, not daring to even move.

    "We''re here in Kusakabe-san''s stead." Shades said in a low voice behind the other man: "We''re here to get his luggage and his daughter."

    "Why isn''t Kusakabe-san here himself?"

    "Oioioi, shouldn''t you know? Kusakabe-san is a busy man."

    Compared with the sneering Shades, Leather Coat obviously gets angry more easily.

    "Get lost! We''re not here to y!"

    Tetsu-senpai blocked Leather Coat, who was about to walk in, with his muscr chest, while Leather Coat rammed Tetsu-senpai away with quite some force.

    "Oi, Tetsu! Don''t touch him!"

    Hiro rushed forward and caught hold of Tetsu-senpai''s hand. Leather Coat was also lowering his body, fists tightly clenched. I couldn''t help but close my eyes and turn my head around to avoid looking at this, then the sound of someone hitting flesh came to my ears.

    I opened one of my eyes to take a look, and could not understand what was happening all of a sudden. Tetsu-senpai was evidently stopped by Hiro, but the leather coat man was still hugging his abdomen, kneeling on the soil ground for some reason. The sunsses guy hit the leather coat man with his knees, that was what I learnt after quite some time.

    "Don''t hit ordinary citizens."

    Shades stood behind the Leather Coat, then mercilessly kicked the back of the Leather Coat''s head. With a thud, what sounded like the sound of bones cracking echoed between the buildings, causing myself to curl up. Blood and spit dripped onto the soil.

    "Sorry for that, we didn''t educate them well enough."

    While treading on the back of Leather Coat who was lying on the ground, Shades showed us a cold, cruel smile.

    "But can you tell me why Kusakabe-san''s daughter is in your care?"

    As his tone was much more polite, it pressured us more than Leather Coat. As Tetsu-senpai was about to answer, Min-san opened the kitchen backdoor and walked out. She pushed away Tetsu-senpai and Hiro, standing in front of the yakuza alone.

    "We don''t have anything to say to you, scram!"

    "Hmmm."

    Walking past Leather Coat, who curled up his body like a tortoise, Shades walked to face Min-san. Though she was red at from a distance of five centimeters or so, Min-san was still unmoved.

    "We''re here at Kusakabe-san''s request. It can be said that you people are kidnapping a teenager."

    "Don''t speak nonsense, bring her father if you can. You''re probably just spouting nonsense, right? Her father is now missing. If you have anything to say, you can call the police."

    "Oi oi, how do you think we would know of this ce?"

    Shades took out a ck phone and swayed it in front of Min-san. I nearly cried out loud.

    "Missed calls log. What a dutiful daughter, calling him so many times."

    Meo said that she called her father a lot of times, but nobody answered-- and she used the phone in the shop as well. Why? Why didn''t I notice? Why didn''t I realize this? My feeling right now is like the part of my body below my waist is buried in snow, while the blood flow to my brain is gradually lost.

    Kusakabe Masaya was indeed caught by these people.

    "Perhaps you should call the police? But if you call the police, you might not see Kusakabe-san anymore. He might just kick the bucket because of a sudden illness. I heard that their rtionship is very good, so it''ll be nice if they can meet alive."

    After saying that, Shades turned around and stamped on Leather Coat''s belly.

    "How long are you going to continue to sleep? You''ll trouble the shop owner!"

    Shades continued before leaving:

    "We''lle back and do business with you after this, so please take care of the girl and the luggage before that."

    *

    "Sorry, sorry¡­¡­"

    Meo kept sobbing. Six people were stuffed in the living room of Min-san''s house, Min-san sat beside Meo while I sat opposite to her. As there were only three chairs there, Tetsu-senpai and Hiro could only stand, while Major directly sat on the floorboard.

    "It''s not your fault, so it won''t help things even if we me you."

    Min-san said to Meo coolly. It was like my heart had frozen over. Is this all my fault? Talking to Meo so many times, I should''ve noticed it earlier.

    "Why didn''t you tell me that even yakuza are involved in this?"

    Min-san gave all of us a scolding. I covered my face, while Major stared at the ground with his body rigid; Hiro bit his lip with his head lowered, while Tetsu-senpai looked away with a displeased expression on his face.

    "This Alice¡­¡­"

    Meo sniffed.

    "I- It''s better if I just move out, I can''t trouble everyone anymore."

    "Why are you moving out for? To look for those guys? You don''t even know how they would treat you."

    "Bu- But if I stay here¡­¡­"

    "Those guys don''t dare to do anything. Didn''t one of them hit his partner just now? That is a threat so that their opposing party would know that there''s no difference even if they call the police. Because of the yakuza preventionws, the yakuza wouldn''t dare to take action in broad daylight, which is why they did that."

    Min-san petted Meo''s head. Meo was going to say something, but was stopped.

    At that moment, the telephone at the entrace of the living room rang, giving me a huge fright. In the space that felt as if time had stopped, Min-san slowly rose, passed by my side then picked up the receiver.

    Though I couldn''t hear the contents, I seemed to be able to see Alice at the other side of the phone, sitting on the bed, hugging her knees, and with her face clouded.

    "¡­¡­ I''m okay. Promising to help without even thinking is my own fault."

    This way of saying that felt even more hurtful than her directly ming us.

    Min-san''s kindness is kind of cruel.

    "Do you know of the current situation?"

    Alice seemed to have said something, causing Min-san to nce at me. If Alice had her eyes glued to the surveince cameras, she probably noticed what happened-- Kusakabe Masaya is already in the hands of the yakuza. I lowered my head due to the hopelessness in my heart. It''s my fault. At that time-- If I went back in time to warn him, then things wouldn''t turn out like this now.

    "Can we still do anything to deal with it? They''re yakuza, you know."

    ''We don''t have any choice but to continue. I''m a detective, and I epted a request. There is no other truth that is stronger than this on Earth.''

    The voice from the receiver, seemed to me like Alice forced it out.

    Min-san turned her head around again, but did not look at me this time. I felt a strange heat from behind me. When I turned my head around, I saw that Major stood up unknowingly, Hiro and Tetsu-senpai were looking here as well. The eyes of the three recovered their previous gleam. I gulped. It was the same as that time.

    "What do we do?" Min-san said, as if she deliberately wanted us to hear it clearly.

    Alice answered in a forceful voice:

    ''We have to get Kusakabe Masaya back.''

    Min-san put down the receiver, and said some vicious words: "What a bunch of idiotic kids."

    "Erm¡­¡­ It''s, better if¡­¡­"

    "The time when we call the police is the time when you leave this ce."

    Min-san answered quickly, and grabbed Meo''s cor as she was about to protest.

    "Don''t think that you would be okay if you go away. Didn''t you say that you don''t want to call the police? Don''t you want to save your dad? Meo, you, yourself raised the stakes, so we can only follow or bet some more. If you choose not to follow, those guys would probably be very happy."

    Min-san pressed the red-eyed, speechless Meo onto a chair.

    "And Narumi, you shouldn''t meddle in this anymore."

    I raised my head to look at Min-san''s face, unable toprehend her words for the moment.

    "Wh¡­¡­ Why?"

    I said in a somewhat sluggish voice.

    "These guys don''t matter, since they''re NEETs without a future, but you''re a high schooler! Don''t you understand? They''re yakuza!"

    An inexplicable feeling was stuck in my throat. But I''m an assistant detective! There should be something¡­¡­ something that I can help out with.

    But I couldn''t say anything.

    I truly felt, when Leather Coat and Shades walked between the buildings, that my feet were trembling, unable to move. I only thought in my heart at that moment, hoping that Leather Coat would not remember my face-- what a shameful prayer.

    I really don''t know what to do, and suddenly felt like crying.

    *

    The yakuza took action very quickly, and started to harass the shop from the evening that day. Four or five delinquents gathered outside the entrance of the store. Though the two from the afternoon weren''t present, you could see what type of people they were from their appearance and hairstyle.

    They''re so old-fashioned, really¡­¡­"

    Though Min-san said that, she didn''t really seem to mind it. They didn''t enter the shop or cause trouble, after all. They just sat on the beer crates outside of the shop, sending messages on their phone or ring at the pedestrians. It''s quite thoughtfully nned business obstructing operation, and the effect is quite good, as the customers were too intimidated to enter.

    Tetsu-senpai and I stayed outside the kitchen backdoor, but we could only look at their actions helplessly. It seemed to me that senpai wanted to go out and KO them at once, but he''s just restraining himself. If he really did so, he would fall into their trap.

    "st, these guys, these guys, these guys¡­¡­"

    While muttering to himself, Tetsu-senpai used his fist to hit his thighs repeatedly. The reason that he stayed, was to protect Min-san and Meo. Hiro told me to stay as well, probably because he''s worried that senpai couldn''t stop himself from hitting them if he''s alone?

    "Narumi, can I beat you up?" He actually said something like that.

    "As you wish."

    I answered randomly. Tetsu-senpai looked as if he was shot, and showed me a helpless expression:

    "What''s with you! You should just cooperate and do a tsukkomi, or I''ll really beat you up!"

    "I really feel like being beaten up."

    But even if I ask other people to beat me up, my helplessness still can''t be cured.

    Tetsu-senpai sighed after looking seriously at my expression:

    "I think you''d better go home."

    "If I go back, there''ll be nobody to stop you if you lose control."

    "Oh, please. If I really lose control, how could you stop me?"

    He has a point.

    "It''s not that, I meant that you don''t need to worry. I wouldn''t take action myself. Alice is collecting the videos of these people right now, and she would hand it to Yondaime. They would get people to follow them when these people go back. As for Hello Corporation, Hiro is on it, so we can get new information no matter what."

    Is that so? Yakuza have a lot of strongholds, so locating Meo''s father isn''t a simple ordeal. Especially at this time, the harrassment would only increase.

    Though I can''t help out with anything, a bad prenomition kept expanding in my mind.

    "Just go back. You always go homete recently, so your sister is probably worried, right?"

    That might be better. As I felt greatly ashamed of myself, it was like my body curled up in a ball.

    Looking at the situation in Min-san''s house before going home, I could only see Meo curled up in a corner, facing the outside while sitting in the corner of the study and holding the Boston bag in her hands. I couldn''t tell if she was asleep, but it really isn''t the time to talk.

    When I walked out of the ramen shop, Min-san didn''t say anything as well. So that the yakuza underlings gathered outside wouldn''t see me, I chose to walk away from the back of the building.

 Volume 2, 4

    <h4>Volume 2, Chapter 4</h4>

    On Wednesday morning, a bitter taste like when I first took the drug remained in my mouth. I started my day with that unpleasant taste. As I couldn''t sleep until three in the night, it was already half past eight when I woke up; my sister went to work ages ago.

    Walking downstairs to the living room and turning on the television, the news, of course, weren''t broadcasting the news that an ex-yakuza, currently the vice-chairman of apany, ran away with arge amount of cash. All of this started from darkness, and will end in darkness. To be honest, tragedies like this happening in the world, probably they happen more than someone being in the spotlight, right?

    I nkly stare at the television screen that is ying a TV drama for about fifteen minutes, then changed clothes and walked out of the door.

    The words that Min-san said yesterday were still echoing in my mind-- ''Don''t meddle.''Yondaime told me something simr to that before, but I just couldn''t stay at home, doing nothing.

    *

    A dead alley was formed in front of Hanamaru Ramen Shop because of the not-too-tall buildings surrounding the shop, and it was so silent there that it''s eerie. I parked my bike beside the main road, then inspected if there are any yakuza underlings in front of the shop, but I didn''t even see the shadow of a kitten. There weren''t even anyone in the windows and balconies of the surrounding buildings, but that might be just my imagination-- Isn''t it like that usually? Nobody was outside drying nkets or mats, and there weren''t any potted nts ced outside.

    The only thing that remained was a yellow stain on the steel door of the ramen shop and the road in front of it. Going to check out the ce because people thought that something happened there, only to see that the shop had been sshed with paint. What a malicious way of harassment.

    "Min-san, outside--"

    When I pulled open the sliding door and was about to walk inside, Meo and Min-san raised their heads at the same time to look at me from the other side of the counter, causing me to be somewhat surprised. Min-san had taken off her sleeveless vest, leaving only her white sarashi wrapped around her chest. From her right shoulder to the side of her abdomen and her arm, all of them were stained with blood. Meo was helping her with cleaning up.

    "What happened to you!?"

    "I was ambushed when I wasing back from shopping!" Min-san answered while frowning. "I was too careless. If it were to be me from the past, beating up two or three of them should be easy."

    Besides being shocked, I felt the mes of anger burning as well. A strong dizziness came upon me, making me feel as if the universe is warping.

    "It''s okay, they just pushed me a bit. And they ran away immediately as well, so it isn''t anything serious."

    "This is far from being okay!"

    Meo answered in a crying voice. From cleaning the wound until bandaging it, Meo continued to cry.

    "It''s so noisy! You''re not the one hurt, what in the world are you crying for!"

    "But, it''s because of me¡­¡­"

    "It''s not your fault. Listen, it''s obviously the fault of those guys. Making you feel that it''s your fault, that''s their aim. So don''t think like that!"

    I thought to myself, why is this person so tough? While I- I--

    Min-san turned her head over after hearing the sound of the kitchen backdoor opening.

    A young girl wearing pajamas stood in front of the door, staring at the notpletely-bandaged, painful-looking wound on Min-san''s body with widened eyes, causing her white skin to appear even paler than usual.

    "Hikikomori? What are you doing here?"

    Min-san said in a forced voice, while Alice stayed silent. Her upper torso trembled slightly all of a sudden, and I immediately ran into the kitchen past the counter, holding onto Alice before she copse.

    "Narumi¡­¡­ Sorry."

    Alice held me tightly while trembling non-stop and said:

    "I saw that Mastering back drenched with blood, so I came to verify the blood that flowed because of my own stupidity and idiocy, and also to confirm my own helplessness¡­¡­"

    "I''m not here for your viewing pleasure, so just stay obediently in your room, idiot."

    Min-san heaved a long sigh after saying that and sat on the the round chair. At the instant when she sat down, I saw her frown because of pain.

    "This isn''t¡­¡­ Miss Detective''s fault."

    Meo shook her head while wiping away her tears.

    "Meo, it''s alright, this girl is an incurable idiot, so our statements just now is useless to her. She thinks that all of the misfortunes that happens in the world is due to her being unable to solve them."

    Min-san said half-jokingly. But I understand that to Alice, that wasn''t a joke, but the truth. All of the sorrow in the world is because of her own helplessness-- and this caused Alice to y the role of a detective. My hands that were supporting Alice tightened subconsciously.

    "I checked the contact log of Hello Corporation. I finally understand."

    The words that slipped out of Alice''s mouth were such hollow words.

    "What do you understand?" Min-san asked expressionlessly.

    "The source of the money, the things that Hello Corporation did, and the reason that Tahara-gumi and Kishiwada-kai are involved in this. The only thing that I cannot understand is, what was Kusakabe Masaya trying to do?"

    I breathed in.

    "It''s only when everything is toote, when the veil of mystery is uncovered. Sitting alone in an empty cinema, such is the role yed by a detective. Even so, I still have to say this¡­¡­ Are you willing to listen?"

    "Suit yourself."

    "Narumi, please give me a chair. This matter is somewhatplicated."

    The delicate Alice hugged her knees while sitting ont the round chair, and started to exin theplicated story that she spoke of.

    "Hello Corporation is like arge filter, which is why many people who dirtied water approached them."

    I ced both of my hands on the table and cocked my head. I have absolutely no idea what she just said.

    "Have you heard about ''moneyundry''?"

    "Somewhat." Min-san answered, while Meo wore a mystified expression on her face. Actually, I''m not too sure as well, but the only thing that I could understand is that this is probably more serious than defalcation.

    "Simply said, that means tounder dirty money, allowing them to be used legally."

    "I still don''t really understand, are there dirty money and clean money?"

    This is also the part that I didn''t understand. Alice ''Hmmm''-ed while looking at the ceiling, then continued to exin:

    "Then I''ll exin from the beginning. There is a simple way that people can easily evade tax. Do you know how, Master?"

    "How would I know? Do you think that my shop is a famous shop that needs to evade tax?"

    "You have a point. But please remember this, it''s really very simple-- not reporting the money earned, and ''absolutely not using them''. That''s all."

    As Alice stopped exining after this, I asked after thinking for awhile:

    "But then¡­¡­ Wouldn''t the meaning of earning money be lost?"

    "That is correct, but tax evasion is mainly about this point-- how to pretend that they didn''t earn money, then pretend they don''t have money to spend."

    "Then, is moneyundering the same as tax evasion?"

    "Not so, it''s just that moneyundering canunder the money from tax evasion, and can also purify the money that cannot be released to the public, such as ie from drug dealing and so on; the basic concept is simr to tax evasion. To understand the need for moneyundering, you have to first understand two concepts-- the first one is ''there is no meaning if money is not used'', as for the second point, as the tax collection department in our country is very outstanding, so ''as long as someone is using money for certain purposes, they will sniff it out immediately''."

    "¡­¡­ Are they really that outstanding?"

    "Of course they''re outstanding. Using a sum of money on meaningful things-- such as buying houses, cars, shares, investment-- these activities must be done where people can see them. If there is arge flow of money, the Tax Department would know of it immediately, then they will start to investigate the source of the sum of money."

    ording to Alice, these people seemed to be people with supernatural powers.

    "Checking back on the flow of money, they will treat it as tax evasion if they found money that haven''t been reported, then ask for additional taxes; if they found out that the money came from shady sources, the people would be arrested. That is why these people try not to let them know how the money is obtained."

    "¡­¡­ Then what do they need to do?"

    "For instance, they can pay the money to foreign workers as wages, which will then flow out of the country."

    I breathed in.

    I think Min-san probably had the same reaction.

    "¡­¡­ Is it Hello Corporation?"

    "That''s right, that is why they directly give cash to the workers. The tenants in Hello Corporation are mostly female employees who came here to work from other areas in Southeast Asia. Just like that, thepany has another channel for moneyundering. To the female workers, it is easier for them to stay in Japan through the arrangements of the yakuza and theirpany, so it''s like killing two birds with one stone."

    I sneaked a peek at Meo. She was already spacing out with her face pale.

    "Kishiwada-kai probably gave financial assistance when Hello Corporation was established, and the money that they used was of course their dirty money. That is why they seem like they don''t have any connections, it''s just that Hello Corporation is doing the moneyundering through Tabara-gumi. I investigated all the regr phone calls from the phone log, so it''s definitely Kishiwada-kai who called them."

    After saying that, Alice heaved a huge sigh.

    It just feels-- This matter¡­¡­ is already¡­¡­ not something that we can handle.

    "¡­¡­ Do you have any proof?" Min-san asked calmly.

    "No." Alice said expressionlessly. "If there''s evidence, the government would have taken action already. All of these are my assumptions. Hello Corporation hid the matter quite well, and the only weakness of their moneyundering is that it''s not too efficient because of being much too careful. I''ve seen the savings that Yi Ling provided, and simply calcted the amount of money; No matter how I calcted, money of over a billion cannot be easilyundered. Since they didn''t publicize it, their deeds were not brought to light; but since the moneyundering was inefficient, they couldn''t deal with the money that Kishiwada-kai gave them. In this situation, what do you think Director Mikawa who was troubled because of theirrge sum of debts did?"

    The information that Hiro provided and Alice''s exnationsbined in my mind.

    "He defalcated the money¡­¡­!?"

    "That''s right, the defalcation wasn''t done by Kusakabe Masaya, but the Director himself-- as there''s still two hundred million cash that couldn''t be dealt with and was stored in a safe. I have no idea how he tricked Kusakabe, anyways, Mikawa used one hundred million to clear thepany''s debt, while the two hundred million left over is in the bag."

    Kusakabe Masaya knew that he was framed, which is why he ran away. But why didn''t he prove his innocence? No, he probably couldn''t do so. The one who is close to Tabara-gumi was Mikawa, and Kusakabe Masaya once left a Kansai yakuza gang. If only the Tabara-gumi and Mikawa agreed to say that it was the fault of Kusakabe, the chances that Kishiwada-kai would believe them is veryrge. Yakuza and the police aren''t the same, after all.

    "The problem is we can''t help out in this when we know it only now, so all of this is toote. The only thing that we can confirm right now is that Kusakabe is already caught by Tabara-gumi, and then-- he will be killed sooner orter."

    Meo stood up, her mouth trembling slightly. Min-san stood up as well, silently cing her hands on Meo''s shoulders. I stared at Alice, speechless. He''ll be killed sooner orter?

    "That is essential. Think about it, saying that he defalcated thepany is just a lie. If Kusakabe Masaya testified about this, the matter would be found out. To cover the truth, Tabara-gumi and Mikawa can only kill Kusakabe Masaya."

    I thought about Shades'' words, and suddenly felt a chill on my back.

    -- ''It''s nice if they can meet alive!''

    They''re yakuza. As long as they''re in the darkness, they can do anything.

    "And the truth that I am searching for will soon be buried in darkness."

    Alice jumped down from the chair.

    Her gaze didn''t look like a detective who epted a request anymore, but more like a doll who lost her soul, and is worried that the world will forget all about her.

    "-- How can we let this happen!"

    I chased Alice''s silhouette out of the kitchen backdoor, and shouted at the silhouette wearing teddy bear pajamas who was about to walk up the stairs. Her ck hair swayed, staring at me with her cold gaze.

    "What is it? It''s just walking up the stairs, I don''t need anyone to tail me."

    "No, I don''t mean that¡­¡­"

    Why? Why did I halt her? I, myself, didn''t even know what I wanted to say.

    "I advise you to change your personality of taking action without even thinking. You just go back and do your responsibilities as a high schooler, finishing your homework in the spring break!"

    Even Alice said that to me, it makes me feel utterly hopeless.

    "Are you trying to ask me if there is anything that you can help out with?"

    I could only bite my lips and nod silently as Alice have seen through my thoughts.

    "Nothing at all¡­¡­ If I said that, you''ll probably start to pity yourself, sinking into a swamp of self-disgust, then act like an idiot, right?"

    "So sorry for that!"

    "Narumi, let me tell you. In truth, we are all helpless. Being a detective-- the most that I can do is to collect the words of the deceased, rearrange them then search for hidden meanings. Aside from using our brains to ponder about things, do we have any other use?"

    "But I don''t even know what to think about."

    Resigning myself to beingughed at, I exposed the weak side of myself. But the Alice at this moment leaned onto the handrail of the stairs, looking at me with a kind, understanding expression on her face. Why does this girl like to make fun of me at unexpected times to pain me?

    "¡­¡­ Why do you think Kusakabe Masaya wants Meo to hide the two hundred million yen?"

    Alice''s gentle voice came over, but I couldn''t understand the meaning of the question she just asked at the moment.

    "You''re asking me why¡­¡­" I frantically recalled the question that Alice just asked and search for the answer. "Because he realized he fell into a trap, and then¡­¡­ so that people wouldn''t misunderstand that he defalcated it¡­¡­"

    ¡­¡­ Eh?

    Seeing me press down my lips, staying silent, Alice nodded.

    "That''s right, isn''t it strange? Because the things that he did cannot prove that he was not the person who defalcated thepany, but is instead emphasizing that he did it. If he just wanted to save himself, he could just take the two hundred million yen and escape. If he wanted to clear his charges, he could just hand the two hundred million yen to Kishiwada-kai or call the police. He actually has a lot of choices. Among them, the only inexplicable choice is to tell Meo to hide the two hundred million yen, and hide himself as well."

    It is indeed inexplicable.

    What can he gain from this? Causing his own daughter to be in danger, and getting caught in the end. There should be better ways that he could use.

    "Firstly, ''he did not leave Meo any way of contacting him''. As you have said, it''s like he abandoned the two hundred million yen along with Meo. Why did he do that? I don''t know. In this case where all the doubts have been clear, the only thing that I cannot understand is the key person, Kusakabe Masaya. This is the one and only mystery."

    I don''t get it either. Something that even Alice cannot exin, how could I understand?

    "However, I suspect that his reason is irrelevant to the nature of the case."

    Alice turned her face to a side, then said in a lonely tone:

    "It''s just like that time, I''m just trying to satisfy myself. As long as there is a hidden darkness, I cannot afford to not fill it in, what a sorrowful fate."

    And then she smiled at me, like a starry sky that I saw a certain day before.

    "And then the unneeded truth that I have dug out-- the true reason for Kusakabe Masaya''s actions might deeply hurt Meo, just like that time¡­¡­"

    She kept repeating that time, I really don''t know when that is. If she''s talking about the day when we greeted the breaking dawn on the rooftop that day, I really want to tell her that it''s okay.

    "¡­¡­ It doesn''t matter." I couldn''t suppress my emotions and the words slipped out of my mouth. Alice focused her wandering eyes on my face.

    "It doesn''t matter. Meo is strong¡­¡­ much stronger than me. She kept believing in her father. No matter what other people said to her, it didn''t affect her belief."

    Alice tightly held the rail of the stairs, silently gazing at my face for quite some time. I nearly had trouble breathing. Did I say anything wrong again?

    After that, a sigh came out from the peach-colored small mouth.

    "Meo might have realized the answer on instinct."

    ¡­¡­ answer?

    "The answer to what Kusakabe Masaya is trying to do. In theory, a hundred years would be required to reach the extent that we can build a fortress with a bridge leading to it, but the wings of faith can bring us there in just one night. But I am a NEET detective, a messenger of the death. I am not interested in emotions that cannot be expressed in words¡­¡­ So Meo, you can just keep your truth in your heart."

    I turned around in surprise. Skin with the color of coffee ole was hidden in the seams of the kitchen backdoor that was open for a few centimeters. Herrge, round eyes seemed to be blinking repeatedly in surprise.

    When I turned my head around after again hearing the footsteps leading upstairs, Alice''s silhouette had disappeared from the corner.

    I heaved a huge sigh and sat on the second step of the stairs.

    Meo slowly opened the kitchen backdoor and walked out. Feeling her utterly terrified gaze, I again felt angry because of the degree of my stupidity.

    Just saying things that would make Meo feel uneasy from yesterday, what am I doing? Maybe I''m really a big idiot?

    Though the person who''s in the most pain is obviously Meo.

    Being worried of her father''s safety, being wanted by the yakuza herself, and couldn''t even go home, she probably feels very uneasy. But at this moment, I still--

    Ah, so that''s how things stand. I finally understood, the words that Alice said yesterday--

    ''Nobody cares if you have strong resolution or not.''

    ''You can just feed realization to chickens, for all I care. What is the thing that we should do?''

    Having strong resolve or not is really just my problem, and isn''t Meo''s business. But my whole brain was stuffed full of myself, and I even said bad things to Meo. What assistant detective! I''m just a thoughtless kid.

    "Dad, would he be¡­¡­ alright? Probably¡­¡­ right?"

    Meo''s voice seemed that she almost can''t talk anymore.

    I silently stood up, caught hold of Meo''s shoulders and pushed her into the kitchen.

    "It''s okay, he''ll definitely be okay."

    I finally said some words of constions. Even so, I couldn''t even do such a simple thing yesterday.

    And then I continued with an empty promise.

    "-- We''ll definitely save your father."

    *

    Min-san told me not to go to the shop for the moment, and so I was chased out of Hanamaru Ramen Shop. Though I was worried about leaving the two there alone, Min-san said:

    "Listen closely, if something really happens, I can still protect Meo, but what would I do if I have to protect you too? So you''d better scram and go home."

    What a direct order for chasing people out.

    Not leaving me even one centimeter of space to protest, I could only leave Hanamaru Ramen Shop. As soon as I reached the main road, I immediately called Tetsu-senpai.

    ''Alice just called me, so I''ming to Hanamaru. st, I think I must keep guarding that ce for now.''

    Feeling as if he was saying ''Because you can''t'', I could only answer clumsily and hang up. Paranoia. Hiro and Major did not answer the phone, probably because they''re busy setting up spying devices and looking for information from girls? I know that I''m just a burden. It can''t be helped, I could only walk on the streets alone.

    At the station during the spring break, there were a lot of people who seemed to be high school students. ording to Hiro, a lot of kids from the countryside woulde here at this time, causing the whole city to look different.

    Anyways, I promised Meo to save her father.

    I don''t have any information on me, but I will not take action only when other people tells me to. I''ll call Yondaime first. He kept an eye open since some time before, so he might have got some new information.

    Just at that moment, the phone in my pocket started to vibrate.

    ''I heard that Min-san was ambushed, is that true!?''

    Hiro''s voice sounded rather agitated.

    ''Narumi, did you go to the ramen shop? How was she? What happened? I couldn''t reach the phone of the ramen shop.''

    "Er- erm¡­¡­" It''s rare to hear Hiro''s flustered voice. "She said that she was pushed a bit, and is just a bit hurt. Tetsu-senpai already hurried there."

    The reason that nobody answered the phone in the ramen shop, is probably because they''re taking care of the yellow paint. A sigh came from the other side of the phone. What''s with Hiro? It feels¡­¡­ unlike him. Of course, it would be hard to calm down after learning that Min-san was bullied by the yakuza, but¡­¡­

    ''Is that so? Lucky that it''s okay¡­¡­ Ah-- though I feel like going as well, I have some other ce to go to, so what should I do? Would Tetsu be okay alone?''

    Is it really okay? Though Tetsu-senpai is quite good at fighting, but the opposing party is the yakuza¡­¡­

    "Erm¡­¡­"

    I''ll try asking.

    "If there''s somewhere that you need to go, I can go for you. Min-san asked me not to go to Hanamaru Ramen Shop, but you can go."

    ''Ah-- Hmm¡­¡­'' Hiro started to hesitate, as expected: ''I need to go look for the women, so I must go myself. I appreciate your offer, but this time there''s probably¡­¡­''

    "Nothing that I can help out with?"

    Even I, myself, knew that my voice right now felt shameful.

    ''Mnn¡­¡­ The only thing left is to check out the situation at Hello Corporation. But there might be people from Tabara-gumi loitering there. All of us have been recognised, so it''s somewhat dangerous.''

    "They¡­¡­ probably won''t recognise me."

    Because I was trembling together with Meo.

    ''Eh? Ahhh, no¡­¡­ You''re right¡­¡­ But it''s really too dangerous.''

    "I''ll just go and have a look."

    ''Narumi, wait a!''

    I switched off my phone after hanging up. I just can''t wait here silently.

    *

    I''ve asked Major for the address of Hello Corporation before this, so I found it very quickly. It''s at a corner of the district office, about ten minutes distance on bike. It seems like a normalpany, and the signboard of thepany is hung at the side of the building. The temporary employmentpany, Hello Corporation is located at a rather new building, of course not the whole building, but only the third floor is rented as their office.

    I looked around themercial building before crossing the zebra crossings. The only people who still remember are probably just the leather suit guy and the purple shirt guy that I met at Hello Pce. I was wearing Hiro''s coat and sses that time, so they probably wouldn''t recognise me this time. And there''s also the man in the dark brown sunsses who came to Hanamaru Ramen Shop with the leather suit guy. I was hiding behind the kitchen backdoor that time, they probably didn''t notice me as well.

    But when the traffic light changed to the green light, my legs couldn''t move. A bloodied Min-san surfaced in my mind''s eye. Though I really feel ashamed about this, I feel really scared.

    Though I said that I would check this out here, I don''t even know what to do. Am I an idiot? What did Ie here for?

    I felt helpless about my own idiocy, then simply sat on the railings beside the road. Cars passed in front of me, while pedestrians walked back and forth behind me.

    If only I could see a familiar face, I might just get some information. Thus, I decided to observe the entrance of the building here.

    After sitting for awhile, my thoughts drifted back to the construction site at dawn. If only I could do something that time, the situation would not turn out like this. But what could I even do that time? Should I have just suddenly barge in the hut and talk things out with Kusakabe Masaya?

    Thinking about this right now is already useless, and he even had a kitchen knife as well.

    Kitchen knife, air freshening spray, sewing kit, scissors, lighter, two hundred million yen, Singapore, Thand, Tabara-gumi, Kishiwada-kai, moneyundering.

    I really don''t get it. What does Kusakabe Masaya want to do? In the incidentst time, even a person as dumb as me could figure out half of the truth that Alice found out.

    I suddenly noticed someone walking out from the entrance of the building, walking towards here after crossing the zebra crossings. Though wearing only a sporty summer shirt and jeans, the slender eyes really gave me a impression.

    "Eh? Ming Hai?"

    Yi Ling-san noticed me as well. It felt somewhat awkward.

    "What''s with you? What are you doing here?"

    "Erm¡­¡­ Uh¡­¡­" Really, what am i doing? "You can say that I''m observing the enemy."

    "Ah¡­¡­" Yi Ling-san''s face fell: "I heard that Kusakabe-san was caught, is it true? The people from Tabara-gumi mentioned that when they came over to have a drink."

    "¡­¡­ It''s true. Did they mention where he''s at right now?"

    "Sorry, I didn''t listen to them so closely."

    I felt somewhat disappointed. Of course things wouldn''t be solved that easily.

    "Yi Ling-san, why are you here?"

    "Didn''t I tell you I''m one of their employees as well? Being suddenly called out here, it didn''t bode well for me."

    Ahh, I nearly forgot. She''s one of the people who exists for moneyundering, an employee in name.

    If Yi Ling-san knew about this, what would she feel about that? Which means, they used the money that she sent home to make a false financial report, no wonder her wages are so high. Even so--

    "Ah!"

    Yi Ling-san noticed some other people at the entrance, and immediately turned around. It''s a tall man of about forty who''s wearing a bluish suit. His skin was whitish, and looked rather decent. Yi Ling-san nodded to him, and the man waved to her.

    "¡­¡­ Who is he?"

    "Our Director."

    Yi Ling-san answered me quietly, and I came back to my senses, and focused my attention on the man who was somewhat young for a Director. When the man opened the door of the ck imported car parked by the road, I nearly cried out loud when I looked into the car from the seams of the door.

    "Ming Hai, what''s with you? Your mouth''s open wide."

    "Eh? Ah! It''s nothing¡­¡­"

    The imported car left for some time, and the light on the traffic light changed, while other cars were now clustered on the road.

    There was another man sitting in the car. Isn''t that Shades? Though he wasn''t wearing the sses he was wearing that day, his sharp features were quite hard to forget.

    "What an easy job, he can already go home now.I heard the girls from General Administration say that he went home about noon yesterday too. Probably didn''t even stay at thepany for one hour?"

    "Yesterday too¡­¡­?"

    "What is it? Do you know our Director?"

    "Eh? Ah, no, I don''t know him. Oh yeah, do you know the the other man in the car?"

    "Mnn? I''m not really sure, probably a yakuza boss? It seems like he was talking to Director about something just now. Ah, that''s right. Ming Hai, can you listen to myints? They really went too far!"

    Yi Ling-san dragged me into a Mos Burger nearby. As usual, the table was piled full of burgers, hot dogs, sd and fries that were like small hills. Just seeing that would make people lose my appetite, so I just picked up an onion ring to eat.

    "We might not be able to stay in Japan anymore."

    After clearing away half of her food, Yi Ling-san finally said:

    "I was told about this matter just now, but not the reason. Saying something like don''t send the money back home anymore, and not continuing the contract anymore, it really troubles me, telling me all that all of a sudden."

    "This is really¡­¡­ bad."

    "Isn''t that right? It seems that most of the people in our building were called here to be told about this. They gained so much from us foreign workers too. It seems that thepany is trying to change its style and be a more legal temporary employmentpany, so they probably want to get rid of burdens like us? Ah-- if Kusakabe-san is still here, he''d probably think of something to help us."

    I sank into deep thought. Is this connected to the case? If Kusakabe Masaya is still here-- which means, it''s because Kusakabe Masaya is not here anymore? But why is that? Aren''t the women in Hello Pce just gears for the moneyundering?

    "And they don''t even let us work at other shops. Isn''t this my own freedom? But to tell you the truth, thepany handles the matters about our visas, so we might just have to go home. Ah-- Really-- angry!"

    Yi Ling-san then proceeded to stuff Mexican sauce hot dogs into her mouth.

    "It seems that the yakuza was here just now to talk about this matter, that was what the General Administration people told me."

    I subconsciously stood up, but my knee collided with the side of the table. Yi Ling-san hurriedly held the iced coffee that nearly toppled over.

    "What is it, what happened?"

    "No, nothing." It''s indeed rted to the case. "Erm¡­¡­ What were they talking about?"

    "I''m not too sure as I heard this from other people, but they mentioned something about checking the core or something. I wonder what that means. Maybe they thought that we ganged up with Kusakabe-san? Or maybe they thought we would call the police? But they don''t need to chase me out of Japan like this!"

    Checking the core?

    "Ah¡­¡­"

    While staring at the surface of the orange juice, I slowly sat down.

    I feel that-- I understand.

    Alice said this before, moneyundering through Hello Pce is inefficient, plus, thepany defalcated the yakuza''s money. Since the money was obtained from uwful sources, thepany mustunder the money to pay their debts. What should they do then? Of course, they used Hello Pce for this. The method that was already inefficient was no longer used for Kishiwada-kai, but for thepany''s own gains; and Kusakabe Masaya who was in charge of coordinating the n wasn''t here-- the moneyundering would of coursee to a standstill, unable to be used. At least it would look like this from Kishiwada-kai''s point of view.

    So what would happen next?

    To these people, the tenants of Hello Pce are like cotton filters that are full of grime after filtration (though this isn''t really a good way of saying this). If the government sniffed out the matter and went through investigation, it would be troublesome. And things might happen as Yi Ling-san said, some people might be arrested because of Kusakabe Masaya''s incident.

    So, things that don''t have any value would be tossed away.

    The unlucky thing is (it''s lucky for those people), the tenants of Hello Pce are all foreigners.

    If only they just fire all of them and send them back to their original countries, investigation would be unable to continue.

    Almost all of this is just my assumptions, but if it''s really true, things are really bad. Drinking a mouthful of orange juice, it tasted unnaturally bitter.

    "¡­¡­Hai. Oi, Ming Hai!"

    I was pulled back to reality from my thoughts by Yi Ling-san''s voice.

    "Eh? Ah, what is it?"

    "Ming Hai, how old are you now?"

    "¡­¡­ I''m sixteen this year." Why did she suddenly ask my age?

    "Two more years. I can''t wait two more years, and you need your parents'' permission. I can''t get a visa like this, and we have to live together. I thought that Ming Hai would be okay too¡­¡­"

    Eh, wait? What is she saying?

    "Ahh- I should''ve gotten a boyfriend from the start."

    *

    I parted ways with Yi Ling-san after exiting Mos Burger. Really, which were true? Probably all of them were jokes, right? I shook my head to fling out Yi Ling-san''s calcting smile out of my mind, and walked while thinking about the changes surrounding Hello Corporation.

    We must now concentrate on understanding the circumstances surrounding the matter.

    But when I passed through the crossroads of the district office and reached the front of Tobu Restaurant, my thoughts started toe to a standstill, and my footsteps slowed.

    I walked into a convenience store, pushed away an office worker who was taking lunch break and bought a can of coffee, then walked to the public phone in front of the shop to sit down and rest.

    Picking up my phone and flipping open the cover, but then closed it again immediately.

    Thinking about the matter of the young Director called Mikawa talking things out with the yakuza, Tabara-gumi, and the problem of the tenants of Hello Pce being fired and kicked back to their own country.

    This might not be rted with this case, and might not be directly rted to Kusakabe Masaya as well.

    Anyways, I would just need to send the information to Alice. I should just disregard if it is meaningful information, as she is much cleverer than me.

    But--

    Don''t do meaningless unting. After saying that to myself for about fifteen times and above, my fingers still could not move. I don''t really feel like calling Alice no matter what, but I''d probably get another lecture from her if I tell her anyter, something like ''Your slowness is really amazing, I''d say even the speed of Venus rotating would be quicker than you'' or something like that. Even so¡­¡­

    I finally understood that Alice knew that I would take action myself from the start, so I don''t really dare to call her. Aside from this, the days when she treat me as an idiot would be better.

    The empty cans beside my feet increased in twos and threes. The shopkeepers stared oddly at me, who just bought only one can of coffee each time.

    As I was about to open my forth can, my phone suddenly red the ringtone of ''Colorado Bulldog'', startling me into throwing away the can identally.

    ''Narumi, where are you right now?''

    Alice''s voice seemed very harried.

    "At a public restaurant, beside Tobu Restaurant. What is it?"

    ''Meo left!''

    I immediately stood up, and bumped my head on the public phone.

    "¡­¡­!"

    ''What was that noise?''

    "Nothing¡­¡­ When did that happen?"

    ''About thirty minutes before this, I only noticed when I checked the surveince camera just now. I only monitored the actions of the underlings of Tabara-gumi, what a mistake that was.''

    The taste of the coffee in my mouth became bitter like charred wood.

    ''Her bag disappeared too. Can you think of any ce Meo might have gone to?''

    "¡­¡­ What about her house?"

    ''I asked Hiro to go.''

    ces Meo might go to. Meo¡­¡­ left. Why? Unquestionably, it''s to meet her father. Or she would trouble Min-san if she continues to stay there.

    "Did she say anything to Min-san?"

    ''She took the chance to run away when Master was in the ramen shop, do you even have to ask? Master would stop her if she knew it from the start.''

    Left without saying a thing. i felt a ck, cold substance crawling up from the bottom of my foot, engulfing my throat at that instant. I could not continue to stand, tightly holding the public phone. Why? Why are they the same, leaving without saying anything? Thinking that they''re sympathetic towards us but disappeared without a word, don''t they know how much harm they did to us? Are they idiots!? What the heck! My anger that can''t be vented caused my hands holding the phone to tremble.

    ''¡­¡­mi, Narumi! What''s with you!? Can you hear me!?''

    Hearing Alice shout beside my ears, I came back to my senses:

    "¡­¡­ I''m okay. I''ll go search for her."

    But how can I find her?

    I stare at the dark skies, then shifted my attention to the busy streets. Looking for a young girl in the crowd of this city, is as hard as separating teardrops and raindrops that flow into the sea; and Meo doesn''t have a phone too.

    I suddenly thought of something at this moment, then turned around to look at the public phone behind me.

    "Alice, did you check Kusakabe Masaya''s phone log?"

    Perhaps I was too focused, but my voice was so loud that the couple entering the convenience store had a shock and stared at me.

    ''I almost checked all of it-- Ah, I see!''

    The rapid fire sound of someone pounding a keyboard came from the other side of the phone. Alice noticed what I was thinking about in just an instant. Meo chose to leave Hanamaru Ramen Shop because she didn''t want to trouble Min-san. To achieve her aim, what would she do? She can''t let people see her leave, and can''t be noticed by the yakuza monitoring the shop, so she must leave Hanamaru Ramen Shop stealthily. After she seeded, she must let the people in Tabara-gumi know that she isn''t in the ramen shop anymore. The only way that Meo can contact these people is--

    ''Stop talking, Narumi! She''s at Lowson Supermarket opposite to Quattro Restaurant, understand?''

    I started to run before Alice even finished talking. Passing through the crossroad for pedestrians, I entered the narrow alley beside Parco Supermarket.

    "How long was thest call?"

    ''About ten minutes before. Wait, Narumi, don''t go there. What if you meet the people from Tabara-gumi?''

    "What''s the use of saying things like this, is there even anyone else to help!?"

    ''It''s quite near to the office of Hirasaka-gumi--''

    I hung up and threw my phone into my pocket. Ten minutes before. Maybe she left the ce long before this? Can I still find her?

    Seeing the dark-skinned girl with a Boston bag in her hands standing below the signboard of Lawson Supermarket, I nearly shouted out Meo''s name from the other side of the road in excitement. After realizing that she seemed to be waiting for someone at the public phone, I immediately swallowed the words that I was about to shout out back into my stomach.

    I passed through the road and went nearer to Meo, only to see her looking extremely surprised, widening her eyes while tightly hugging her bag in front of her chest.

    "Mr. Assistant, why are you here?"

    I supported both of my hands on my knees with my back bent, trying to adjust my own breathing. As I ran suddenly, my head felt bouts of aches due tock of oxygen.

    "¡­¡­ Meo, let''s go back."

    Meo shook her head violently with her braids swaying along.

    "No, please leave, Mr. Assistant."

    "You contacted the yakuza, right?"

    Seeing Meo biting her lips without answering, my agitated heartbeat slowed helplessly. Meo ns to hand herself and the two hundred million yen to Tabara-gumi. Is her brain okay? Doesn''t she know what would happen if she did that?

    "You''ll know if you just think about it, how could they let you and your father who knows all about this go? What are you thinking!? Idiot!"

    "Bu- But¡­¡­!"

    "Anyways--"

    As I was about to stretch out my hands to pull the strap of the bag, the sound of emergency braking came behind me, then Meo''s expression went through a huge change: "Mr. Assistant, please let go!"

    Turning my head around, I saw that the back door of a ck van was open, and two men were walking over here from the van. One of them is the leather suit guy!

    "Run!"

    "Eh? Wa- Wait a minute!"

    I snatched the Boston bag from Meo''s shoulders and carried it on my shoulders, running away while holding Meo''s hands tightly. Harried footsteps and the sound of an engine starting came from behind us. "Both of you, don''t move!" ignoring the angry roars behind us, I dragged Meo into a slope in a narrow alley, jumped over a short wall, speedily going across the empty space in front of the entrance of a building.

    "Mr. Assistant¡­¡­ Do- Don''t do this!"

    Shut up and just run! Forcing out the sounds of the footsteps of the two men chasing behind us, my hands holding Meo''s tightened. The strap of the Boston bag slided down slightly, and my lungs burned in pain. Anyways, we have to find a way to mix with the crowd, anyw--

    Reaching a narrow road of a back alley after rushing down the slope, a loud horn sounded from the side, giving me a huge fright and stopped without being able to move. The ck van from just now blocked our vision. We''re surrounded! It was toote when I noticed it, and not waiting for me to turn my head around, the two from before reached our sides.

    "You troublesome fellows¡­¡­!"

    The leather coat guy said while panting. A chill rose from the bottom of my heart, and it felt as if the parts below my knees disappeared. So it still can''t be helped, it can''t be helped¡­¡­

    "Wait, this person isn''t involved in this, so¡­¡­"

    Meo''s pleading was blocked by the man''s hand. The door of the van opened: "Both of you, get on the car!"The rough voice of another man came from the van. I imagined ramming the stomach of the man on my right, then waving the Boston bag to hit the man on the left, finally running away hurriedly with Meo, but in truth, my hands couldn''t even move, as if they were frozen. The man in the van extended his hands to try to snatch the bag from my shoulders, while I reflexively tightened my hold.

    "sted kid, let go¡­¡­!"

    A hot fist punched my abdomen. Not even feeling the pain at first, a sense of wanting to puke started toe from my throat.

    "¡­¡­ (cough)¡­¡­(hack)!"

    `	The yakuza grabbed myself, who was about to copse, holding my shoulders and punching my belly again. It felt to me as if the sounds of my bones fracturing spread throughout my brain, and my mouth was filled with a sour taste. My vision turned blurry. What was Meo shouting about, I wonder? While being kicked by the two men beside me on the belly, I thought about Alice, not knowing why myself. Sorry, it''s because I didn''t listen to you, so I''m getting such treatment right now. I''m just too cowardly. A hand stretched out from the car behind me, trying to drag me inside.

    It was at this moment, there was a loud bang. The whole van moved to a side, and the man who was about to catch hold of me fell to a side. I was also thrown on the road.

    Showing a pained expression because of the pain on my whole body, a blue car was suddenly reflected in my eyes. From goodness knows when, a truck rammed into the back of the van, causing the bumper to be deformed, while the engine gave out white smoke.

    "Wha¡­¡­!?"

    While the yakuza were still confused, the door of the truck opened quickly, then three men in ck T-shirts jumped down from the seat beside the driver''s seat and the rear cargo racks, while a man wearing a crimson coat looked out from the driver''s seat.

    "Gardening Club kid, get to the back!" Yondaime pointed to the cargo rack with his thumb.

    "-- Damn¡­¡­ What are you doing¡­¡­!?"

    Other silhouettes rushed out from the van. Two-- no, three. Angry shouts and fists met. Though they were people from Hirasaka-gumi, who were still quite good at fighting, they were still rather overwhelmed when facing real yakuza, two underlings were copsed on the asphalt road in just an instant.

    "Don''t get so cocky, kid!"

    The yakuza mercilessly kicked the young ck shirted men. With my mouth full of blood of despair, I forcibly stood up and caught hold of Meo''s hand. Since the yakuza shifted their attention, do we still have a chance to escape?

    "Hurry up and get up!" I was grabbed from the back, and it felt as if someone forced an ice cube down my gut. "Oi, stop ying! We''re leaving!"

    A loud shout echoed, abut the members of Hirasaka-gumi were still fighting with the yakuza.

    "-- Get down!"

    A piercing voice echoed through the whole streets. It was Yondaime.

    His hands extended from the truck threw a small, unknown object, and rolled to the side of my leg after drawing an arc in the sky. I saw the men in ck T-shirts cover their ears and squat down. Thinking back on that moment, I still feel mystified now that I was able to do the same actions they did that time. Needless to say, I found out about the real identity of the small, cylindrical object very soon.

    Tightly hugging Meo''s head beside me and squatting down-- I didn''t have enough time to cover my ears. The small object emitted a deafening noise and a piercing light. My mind went nk¡­¡­

    It was a sh grenade specially made by Major.

    I didn''t know how long I lost consciousness for.

    Regaining consciousness because of the sounds of someone being beaten up, a weeping Meo was at my side, while the ck shirted men were around us. After swaing around for some time with the others, I realized that I was at the cargo rack at the rear of the truck.

    "Aniki, sorry for beingte."

    The underlings apologized to me with their face beaten ck and blue. I wanted to answer him, but couldn''t say a thing due to my dry mouth and trembling lips. My heartbeats brought about bouts of pain at my wounds.

    *

    There was a short bookshelf, a simple bed and a small table ced among some cardboard boxes in the dark study of the office of the gang, while only the monitor of theputer that hadn''t been switched off yet is emitting a faint light.

    The greenish white rays of light that shone on Meo, who was tightly hugging the bag to her chest, and made her face seem sickly. I found a bookshelf and sat down, not knowing what to say, so I just silently stared at the programs running on theputer screen. I now felt that Yondaime, who arranged us to have a talk alone, was rather over-sensitive. The pain on my belly due to the kicks from the yakuza just felt like an old wound that hurts asionally to me right now.

    I have absolutely no need to ask her why she left, as it wouldn''t help with anything. Since it''s Meo''s own body, her own life.

    But--

    "Mr. Assistant, is your wound still okay?"

    "Don''t worry so much about that, it''s just my own rashness. My own fault."

    Why do I sound so impatient every time I answer her?

    "Are you still angry?"

    Meo looked up slightly while saying. I sighed:

    "Why did you leave?"

    And in the end, she still gave the answer that was already clear to us.

    "¡­¡­ Because¡­¡­ if I didn''t go, my dad would be killed."

    Sniffs were mixed in between her words.

    "He might be killed even though you went, and you might get tortured too. You should''ve been more careful."

    I finished saying that while suppressing my emotions with some effort, my tone as t as ttened y.

    "But it should be okay after we returned¡­¡­"

    "They''re yakuza."

    I interrupted Meo, while she buried her face in the bag.

    "¡­¡­ I want to see dad. I don''t like this, dad being at a ce where I''m not there¡­¡­ These things, these things¡­¡­"

    Her words were soon reced by sounds of crying, but I answered mercilessly:

    "But you don''t need to leave even so. Do you know how worried Min-san was!?"

    "But¡­¡­" Meo raised her eyes swollen with tears: "If I said that I wanted to leave, you guys would definitely stop me."

    "Duh, of course!"

    I got angry unknowingly. Meo''s shoulders curled up in fright. Actually, I''m the one who''s the most surprised, I didn''t think that I would get so angry. Shifting my attention to the dusty floor, I adjusted my own breathing.

    Though I was obviously one of the people who forced Meo into a corner.

    Being angry wouldn''t help out with things, I probably have other things that I should tell her. How should I start? Forget it, it doesn''t matter even if she doesn''t understand. Anyways, I''ll feel like shouting at someone if I don''t express my feelings umted inside of me in words.

    Expressing in words.

    Where should I start?

    After thinking for quite some time, I finally opened my mouth. But it felt as if I wasn''t saying that to Meo, but to myself.

    "Have I told you about Ayaka?"

    Meo gazed at my face while answering: "Just the name."

    I couldn''t stand Meo''s innocent gaze, so I stared at theputer screen while saying.

    "We''re ssmates¡­¡­ and she''s my friend."

    Is the word ''friend'' right? I stopped for a moment, thinking about it.

    "I was a transfer student, and didn''t have much friends. Ayaka invited me to join the Gardening Club, and the one who brought me to Hanamaru Ramen Shop was also her. That''s why, it''s because of Ayaka that I can meet Meo."

    That should be-- a continuous miracle.

    "¡­¡­ Then where is she now?"

    "Lying on a hospital bed."

    Silence.

    Sounds came from the CPU.

    "She jumped down from the rooftop of our school. Though she didn''t die, she wouldn''t be able to wake up anymore."

    Until this moment, I started to gaze at Meo''s face. Her tightly closed lips, her attentive eyes.

    "Alice once told me the reason for Ayaka jumping down the building, but I don''t know if it''s true, and these matters are already meaningless anyways. Ayaka just jumped without saying anything, without saying even a word to me. Do you know how I became after that?"

    Meo silently shook her head.

    "I becamepletely helpless, nobody could help me. I couldn''t hate anyone, couldn''t be angry at anyone, it''s just that there''s arge hole in my heart, only the coldness in my heart increased. It was very painful."

    Meo nodded. White rays were reflected on her face, her face reflecting the weak rays of light form theputer screen.

    "That might be easier for the people to go without telling the others. Making a conclusion themselves, just agreeing with your own conclusion. But after we make friends, shouldn''t we leave some space in our hearts for our friends? After tidying all the matters, there''s a lot of space left. So don''t go without saying a word. If there''s nobody in the space left over, what should we do then? If the results are like this, it''s better if we didn''t even meet."

    Halfway through my words, I didn''t even know who I was speaking to anymore. The darkness in the study, the Ayaka in my memory, or even my own self, listening to my own words, all of them didn''t respond.

    The one who responded was instead Meo.

    "¡­¡­ Sorry."

    There''s nothing simpler than this word. After hearing this, the knots in my heart loosened. If we could simply express these simple words, Ayaka and I might be living a better life right now.

    "But you saying that it''s better not to meet, that''s probably a lie."

    I smiled wryly in response. It''s probably an okay smile, right? The surroundings were too dark, I couldn''t differentiate whether Meo was crying orughing.

    "But since you handed the case to the detective, you should believe in her until thest second. We might be just dying things right now, but we wouldn''t hand Meo to the yakuza no matter what, and we would definitely save your father."

    "Yeah¡­¡­" And I''m sure that she was crying this time.

    "Of course, choosing to leave is your own decision, we have no right to force you to stay. But if you really want to leave, remember to tell me first."

    Then--

    "And then you''ll stop me, right?" There were tears in Meo''s eyes.

    The person that felt relieved might not be Meo, but myself.

    I heaved a huge sigh and stood up.

    However, Meo halted me, who was about to walk out of the study.

    "What is it?"

    "¡­¡­ How did you know where I was so quickly?"

    I originally wanted to say something tofort her, but I really can''t think of anything.

    "Meo''s thoughts are really easy to guess."

    Meo showed me a shy smile, stood up and walked to my side, then caught hold of my left hand and raised it. My heart pounded for a moment, my spine touching the door of the room.

    "What¡­¡­ is it?"

    Meo wrote out a few words on my palm, aplicated shape made of squares and circles. I realized that it was probably Thai.

    "Charunee."

    "What?"

    "It''s my real name, only my dad knows about that."

    Meo closed my left hand, then tightly held my hand with both of her hands. Her hands were much warmer than mine.

    "So that Meo would not be caught by demons, please remember my name, okay?"

    Being stared at by the eyes that were wet because of tears just now, I could only feel a hot flow on my face. I shifted my gaze, and nodded.

    Hitting something when I opened the study door, I heard someone saying ''Ouch!''.

    "¡­¡­ What are you guys doing?"

    About four ck shirtedckeys were squeezed outside the door, eavesdropping. As I was about to walk to the office, all of them showed me an embarrassed smile and went back a few steps.

    "Well, it''s because aniki is alone with another girl."

    "That''s right. If anything happens, we have to report to ane-san."

    Huh?

    "We heard that you''ve already reached the state when you''re sleeping together on the same bed."

    "Second Brother Hiro said that aniki has potential, so it''s dangerous like this."

    What in the world are these people talking about!?

    "Erm¡­¡­ My rtionship with Alice isn''t what you imagined."

    "What happened?"

    Unable to exit the study, Meo asked behind me, while I turned my head around and waved my hand, telling her that it''s okay.

    "What are you guys doing?"

    The steel door opened, and Yondaime walked in with Pole and Rocky. I can finally rx. "I still have something to discuss with Yondaime, so you just wait inside for awhile." I pushed Meo back into the study and closed the door after saying that.

    "Gardening Club kid, finished talking to her?"

    "Finished."

    Yondaime sat on the sofa in the opposite. About ten members of Hirasaka-gumi surrounded us, and it made me feel as if I was at a deep, dark well.

    "I''ve contacted Hiro, he''lle get you guys immediately."

    "About this,¡­¡­ Mnn¡­¡­ I have a request."

    After I said that, Yondaime''s gaze sharpened.

    "It''s impossible for me to hide the girl for you."

    Whoa¡­¡­ I was rejected immediately. Am I really such an easy person to read? I feel that I''m living like an open book, it feels really depressing. But this time I continued to plead:

    "Can''t you do it?"

    "So what''s our rtionship with that woman? It''s because Alice asked me to save you just now that I let the girl tag along just now. Troublesome people should just scram!"

    His way of talking is really merciless.

    "But you said that you owe me one¡­¡­"

    "Do you think I have to do anything for you because I owe you? Are you an idiot? Didn''t I tell you before, the only people that I will help are my people and the their friends. I might just help you if you were in trouble, but I don''t care about that woman. I don''t have the obligation to fight things out with Tabara-gumi just to save her."

    I really have nothing to say. As Yondaime is a yakuza, he has a clear boundary between moral principles and his own people.

    I started to think with my fist supporting my forehead. I just need to talk things out, so I have to think of a reasonable reason.

    Seeing us in a silence, the ck shirts around us started to get anxious. But since they know that the end result of talking too much is to get beaten up by Yondaime, nobody dared to say anything. These people are rted in name in their world, so as the leader, Yondaime''s words are extremely powerful.

    ¡­¡­ Ah, that''s right.

    Examining all the reasons that I could think of. Is this reason okay? I might get beaten up, but since they''re not really yakuza, I could just pretend that we''re ying family.

    I crossed my arms in front of my chest, thinking carefully of the words to say.

    "Erm¡­¡­ Is it okay if it''s rted to me?"

    "Speak."

    "Please do that¡­¡­ what is it again¡­¡­? Undergo the sake ceremony with me."

    Yondaime''s brows twitched, while theckeys around me started to make amotion.

    "Aniki finally¡­¡­"

    "It''s great."

    "Sou-san, we beg you too--"

    "Stop joking!" Yondaime roared, and themotion stopped immediately. "I said this before, I will not let a high schooler join us!"

    "I don''t want to join your gang." I immediately answered: "It''s not that I want to join the gang, but to be sworn brothers. Please do it!"

    A shocked expression appeared on Yondaime''s face all of a sudden, then he started grinding his teeth.

    "Then we''ll not owe each other anything¡­¡­ Is that okay?"

    I continued in pursuit. But I could obviously see that as Yondaime''s degree of anger rises, I felt rather scared that I said too much.

    "So that''s it, bing sworn brothers."

    "Then we can''t call you aniki, but Second Brother(?)."

    "It''s easy to confuse it with Second Brother Hiro, aniki, so can we continue to call you aniki?"

    The friendship betweens sworn brothers. Just like this, Yondaime and I would be ''rtives''. Saving my friend-- the reason for saving Meo is thus born.

    As the members of Hirasaka-gumi were dancing in joy because of this, Yondaime stood up, and all of them became silent immediately. The sharp gaze of a wolf stared at me furiously, causing me to be unable to breathe.

    Even so, Yondaime said in an embarrassed tone:

    "Going through the sake ceremony with you would make us even, you''ll owe me one when I protect the girl for you, understand?"

    Unable to hide my excitement, I nodded. Thinking back about it calmly, isn''t it more terrifying to owe Yondaime one? But I just didn''t think of so much at that time. The ck shirts cheered.

    "It''s great!"

    "Let''s go celebrate!"

    "Shut up. It''ll be on tomorrow morning, hurry up and prepare!" Yondaime roared.

    "Understood!"

    "I''ll go hone my manly aura right away!"

    After that, Yondaime asked theckeys to do some stuff, then they rushed out of the office. As for me, I leaned against the sofa, staring at my palms. Things can''t be turned back anymore, it felt just like that.

    "Gardening Club kid, do you have Kusakabe''s phone number?"

    When all the people left the office, Yondaime sat on the sofa and asked.

    "Eh¡­¡­? Ah, I do."

    I opened my contacts in my phone and handed it to Yondaime, while Yondaime immediately dialled the number using the phone in the office.

    ¡­¡­ Eh? That''s not right, wait, what is he trying to do!?

    "-- I''m Hinamura from Hirasaka-gumi. Tell someone who''s in charge to answer the phone."

    I don''t know if the phone got through, but Yondaime said in a deep voice:

    "Shut up, who are you? Are you from Tabara-gumi? That''s right, I''m Hinamura Soichiro. You heard about the matter about the van, right? That''s even better, Kusakabe is probably still alive, right? What? Of course it''s for our ties of friendship. None of your business! The woman and the cash are on me. Listen closely, look for Hirasaka-gumi directly if you have any problems. Try to do anything to the ramen shop again, and I''ll exterminate you!"

    Yondaime hung up the phone and ced it back onto the table.

    He red at me with ferocious eyes, then said:

    "Are you sure that you can win?"

    I stared at the silent phone on the table, then shook my head.

    "You''re the one who raised the stakes, so think of something yourself."

    It''s the same words that Min-san said to Meo.

    I really don''t know what to do. It was only at times of need when I thought of solutions, not to mention matters of tomorrow. But I could only nod silently at this moment. The person who caused us to be unable to turn back is no longer Meo, but my own self.

 Volume 2, 5

    <h4>Volume 2, Chapter 5</h4>

    It was only until the day that Yondaime and I became sworn brothers that I found out that not only the third floor, but the second floor was also rented by the gang. The partitions in the second floor was broken down to be a hall of about twenty tatamis, the floor was covered with wooden boards, and there was an altar in the room. It looks just like a kendo dojo.

    Seven in the morning on Thursday, there were a lot of people gathered at the somewhat cold venue. Following Yondaime into the hall, I felt extremely surprised. So there were twenty¡­¡­ no, probably even more than twenty in the gang? Were they all gathered here?

    Almost all of them were wearing their uniform, the ck T-shirts, but only Rocky and Pole were wearing an odd costume. Arge shoulder pad cut out from cardboard was hung on their upper torso, like a cut out person used for advertisements, and also baggy trousers for students.

    "Oi, what are you wearing that for? Is that a joke!?"

    Yondaime red furiously at the two.

    "This is the haori for a kimono."

    "As today is a day worthy of celebration, it''s a pity that we don''t have traditional warrior clothings to wear, so we made it yesterday."

    Are these guys idiots¡­¡­? As expected, Yondaime tore up the cardboard cut out of traditional warrior clothing .

    "Ahhh, it''s so cruel, I stayed up all night to do that too¡­¡­"

    "Idiot! Our guests areing, do you want to embarrass us!?"

    Yondaime roared, then Pole and Rocky cringed. Guests?

    At this moment, the steel door was opened, and outside wind blew into the venue for the ceremony thatpletelycked a sense of nervousness.

    "Wow, it''s so big in here!" The first person to enter, Meo, shouted joyfully.

    "It''s been quite a while since I''ve been in here." The next was Tetsu-senpai, who was unexpectedly donning a zer. Is it going to snowter?

    "I think thest time that I was here was probably when Hirasaka-gumi was founded?" I''m not sure if Major misunderstood something, but he was wearing military clothing of the Japanese naval army with an armband. What''s with him? Is he here to act out a y?

    "It''s such a pity, you should really use this floor better." Hiro wore a pure white suit of a hustler.

    The most surprising person who came in was Alice, carried on Hiro''s back, and she was wearing a kimono too.

    It was a sumptuous, luxurious furisode that was dyed with ck edo yuzen dye, matched with pictures of pine, bamboo, plum and chrysanthemum. Even so, she was still holding her small, signature teddy on her hands. This scene really makes me speechless.

    As Alice stepped into the hall, theckeys immediately stood up and bowed to her at the same time:

    "Ane-san, Second Brother Hiro, thanks for your hard work!"

    "Thanks for your hard work!"

    "Oi! Who told you to call all of them here!"

    Yondaime''s brows raised because of anger.

    "Don''t be like that, Alice can''te here alone anyways. I''d get angry if you don''t tell me about such a fun thing." Tetsu-senpai pushed Yondaime in the chest after saying that. It''s only at these times that I feel empathy with Yondaime, as we sighed at the same time.

    Alice walked to my side and pulled on my sleeves:

    "Aren''t you working a bit too much? Things turning out like this, I really feelzy to even scold you that you do things without thinking¡­¡­ What is it? Why are you staring at me?"

    "Eh¡­¡­? Ah, it''s nothing." I shifted my gaze in embarrassment, it''s not that I''m really staring at her because I''m attracted to it. "So you have these clothes too?"

    I once saw her in mourning attire, but she was only in her pajamas the other times, so I was quite surprised. To be exact, it felt like the only person who''s wearing clothing suitable for the ceremony is Alice. Wearing a kimono, Alice had long, ck hair that could almost touch the floor. From any angle you look at her, she just looks like a Japanese doll that can move.

    "I was only in time to bring my formal clothings when I left my home."

    "Oi, you guys should first sit down." Yondaime said to us, who were gathered at the entrance.

    Of course, I have never seen a sake ceremony of yakuza, so it''s impossible for me to know how formal the preparations are. But to outsiders like us, it feels quite impressive. There were a row of cushions ced at the left and right side of the hall, while two seats of honor were ced for Yondaime and I, while there were also ceremonial objects ced in front, sake bottles, salt, and a living sea bream. There were also two wine dishes. Twelve huge candles were lighted in the ceremonial hall of the room, and there were also five scrolls hung behind them. These were written on them from right to left:

    ''Takeuchi Riki''

    ''The Current Emperor''

    ''Amaterasu''

    ''Emperor of the Five Grains''

    ''Edajima Heihachi''

    What is this¡­¡­?

    "You could say that Yondaime is a business-type yakuza¡­¡­" Alice told me: "The origins of the Emperor of the Five Grains is debateable, but he''s the third among the three sovereigns and five emperors. It is said that he gave mankind agriculture and medicine, and he invented strings for instruments and markets, so he''s undeniably a businessman, so the businessmen pray to him as their god. As for the other four, you probably don''t need me to exin, right?"

    Hey, I do need an exnation. I have absolutely no idea of what the leftmost and rightmost ones are¡­¡­

    "Takeuchi Riki is¡­¡­"

    "A Man." A man in ck T-shirt answered.

    "A man among men."

    "And Edajima Heihachi is¡­¡­?"

    "A Man."

    "A man among men among men!"

    I know that too¡­¡­ But I don''t really feel like knowing more about this¡­¡­

    "Oi, didn''t I tell you not to continue to misunderstand me?" Yondaime interrupted: "My family are just regr businessmen, not yakuza. If I''m really a yakuza, how can I inherit my father''s business?"

    Only at these times, Alice and the ck shirted men would pretend not to hear anything at the same time. Do they really want Hina to be the forth generation of a yakuza?

    Somewhat displeased, Yondaime said with a voice that prated the whole hall:

    "Let''s begin!"

    The sake ceremony was much simpler than I thought. As we''re going to be sworn brothers of equal status, we would only need to fill the two dishes with sake and drink it. Tetsu-senpai, as the person who filled the wine, filled up the dish, then Yondaime turned to me and said:

    "Do you know how the name ''Hirasaka-gumi'' came to be?"

    I shook my head. I never noticed before this, but it''s different from Yondaime''s surname

    "There''s this fellow called Hirasaka before this, he gathered the jobless people in this town to form a team. There wasn''t a title called NEET before this, and he''s not here anymore."

    Yondaime''s wolf-like gaze be slightly gentler.

    "He''s an idiot who loves movies. He named the gang, designed an emblem and set up tons of meaningless rules, settle arguements with fights, having a sake ceremony when joining the gang and the likes."

    "Is that so."

    "Often watching yakuza movies, the only Western movie Hirasaka liked was ''Ben-Hun''. Have you watched it before?"

    "Yeah¡­¡­"

    At that moment, I immediately realized what Yondaime wanted to say after that. Is it that? Are we really going to do that? Uwaa, that''s¡­¡­ really embarrassing.

    "To be sworn brothers, we must do that."

    "Wouldn''t thispletely destroy our Japanese culture?"

    "Shut up!"

    Yondaime picked up the wine dish in front of me. Having no choice, I could only pick up the dish in front of Yondaime.

    The scene when the main character in the movie ''Ben-Hun'' drank with hispanions-- taking the wine dish of the other, cross each other''s arms and drinking it directly. When the wine dish reaches the mouth of the two at the same time, the double loop formed from the arms, shoulders until the head would form a chain.

    The first time I drank wine was the wine in the sake ceremony with a yakuza, probably I''m the only one who did that in his high school life in Japan, huh? The sake was spicy and bitter, and it felt like my tongue was going to break off.

    After that, we stacked the dishes together after finishing them.

    "Alice, since you''re the go-between, say something."

    Yondaime said to Alice, kneeling at the highest ce of honor at my side, beside Tetsu-senpai.

    "Anything? I didn''t prepare a script for saying anything at any sake ceremonies."

    "Just say anything."

    "Regardless of health, illness, or joy, thou shalt--" "Stop joking!" "If anyone requests it, I can also perform Takasago (Note: It''s a song from a Japanese y)." "Stop ying around¡­¡­"

    When Yondaime was about to stand up in impatience, Alice smiled wryly and waved her hand:

    "Sorry, sorry. I''ll be serious this time."

    While hugging her bear, Alice walked towards us in small steps, and sat down when the three of us formed a triangle, pushing away her sleeve with an elegant posture.

    Firstly, she told this to Yondaime:

    "I hope that you can take care of Narumi. Though he looks like he''s unreliable on the outside, he''s even more unreliable inside. I''m guessing that he probably thinks that Hirasaka-gumi is just a game where kids pretend to be yakuza. Or he wouldn''t dare to make such a terrifying request, isn''t that right?"

    Then, she shifted her gaze from Yondaime to me. I was quite shocked. I was seen through again¡­¡­

    "I hope that your brotherhood would just end up only as a form. I don''t think you really understand, but Hinamura Souchiro would not just be sworn brothers with anyone just to impress other people or because he''s drunk¡­¡­ Anyways, he''s actually silently acknowledging your strengths."

    "Don''t speak of these irrvant things!"

    Yondaime shouted. I was startled and turned to look and him, only to shift my gaze again due to being red at.

    Yondaime-- acknowledges me?

    How can this be? Because¡­¡­

    "You don''t use your brain most of the times, but for some reason, when things be out of our control at thest second, your assumptions would instead make things seem quite logical."

    A warm smile appeared on Alice''s face.

    "Instead of being a detective, it''s better for you to get another upation."

    Another upation?

    After Alice''s speech ended, she stood up and turned to the others.

    "And so, hurry up and give apuse for celebration. Staying in such a big room gives me a headache, so please raise your hands¡­¡­"

    Before Yondaime even had time toin, everyone stood up, and an invigorating apuse rang in the hall.

    *

    "Mnn, this ce is more or less like my room, I can rx more here."

    After bringing Alice to the study, she immediately stretched out her feet on the bed, and looked around her as if she was in her own room. Hey hey, don''t forget that you''re wearing a kimono, this posture is really dangerous¡­¡­

    "Why didn''t you go home yet?"

    Yondaime walked into the crowded room. Meo and I sat at a side of the bed, Major sat on the table with theputer and telephone on it, while Hiro sat on the bookshelf near the entrance. Only Tetsu-senpai left immediately after the ceremony ended. He said that he was still worried of Min-san, so he would continue to guard Hanamaru Ramen Shop.

    "Don''t we need to have a tactical meeting right now? And now Yondaime''s involved in this too." Alice said.

    Yondaime red at Meo sitting beside me, while the best thing about Meo is that she could still face him with a smile in this situation. In the end, Yondaime sat on another bookshelf.

    "Uwaa! The US aircrafts wallpapers I saved in theputer are all gone! Vice Admiral Fujishima, look what you''ve done!" Major roared. Theputer was actually picked up by Major and randomly set up.

    "If you have time to collect wallpapers, can''t you please install Norton Antivirus first¡­¡­?"

    "Even if I installed it, nobody in Hirasaka-gumi could update it."

    He has a point, nobody here would think of updating the antivirus software regrly. Eh? Why is Major ying with theputer since just now? After a ce, it seems like he was printing information from his USB disk. And then, a sound came from the printer, and a paper was printed out.

    Major kicked the cardboard box beside his foot to the center and used it as a table, then ced the printed paper on top of it.

    "What map is this?"

    Yondaime pushed away Hiro and stared at the paper.

    "¡­¡­ Ahhh, it''s the strongholds of Tabara-gumi."

    Seeing the two ces circled with red pen, Yondaime seemed to realize it immediately.

    "As expected of Yondaime. This one is the office, while the other one is a room in a building used as a warehouse. Of course, we aren''t sure where Kusakabe is right now. Since it can''t be confirmed from the recordings, and the people in charge of monitoring the ces didn''t report any suspicious people brought there."

    Alice squeezed between Meo and I like a caterpir, and pointed at the red circles in turn while saying. Both of the ces were quite a distance form the station.

    "The case this time is quite special, because we have already grasped the true identity of the kidnappers. I would like to take the initiative to call them and request them to let Kusakabe Masaya answer the phone. No matter what, we must make sure if Kusakabe is alive or not. If we''re lucky, we might even be able to confirm his current location."

    "Can we talk to dad?"

    Blocking Meo who was about to go forward, Yondaime said:

    "Wait. Do you mean we don''t negotiate with these people? Just directly barge in and save him?"

    "Unfortunately, that''s correct."

    "It''s not that simple. Don''t look down on Tabara-gumi, this is different from ambushing them on the road. Don''t be so ridiculous even if you want to borrow our strength, I can''t let my underlings get caught."

    "Anyways, we must first make sure of Kusakabe''s location, then we can decide if we want to fight or not."

    Yondaime gnashed his teeth.

    "Sou-san, I''ming in."

    The door opened, and Pole poked his head inside.

    "There''s this thing in front of the entrance."

    A small box entangled with tape was held in Pole''s hand.

    "What''s that?"

    "It says ''Kusakabe'' on the lid."

    Yondaime''s expression changed immediately after hearing that, and he snatched the box. He ced the box on the cardboard box table and tore down the tape.

    After he looked at the contents of the box, his brows twitched. When Alice and Meo was about to check it out, Yondaime immediately closed the box.

    "Don''t look!"

    "What are you doing?"

    "¡­¡­ Don''t look."

    It''s more abnormal for Yondaime to be able to stay calm. Hiro''s face was pale, and I think I might be the same¡­¡­ That''s because I could clearly see the contents of the box from my position.

    The box was filled with the phone that I saw with Kusakabe Masaya, and there was also a human ear stained with blood.

    My hand tightly holding my knee could not move. They''re serious¡­¡­ Tabara-gumi is serious about this.

    "What''s inside?"

    "An ear."

    Alice hesitated.

    The phone rang, and my throat felt as if it''s being pulled at.

    "Major, get it for me."

    Yondaime caught the cordless phone that Major threw over. Major connected the phone to theputer, letting theputer speaker re out the conversation.

    "This is Hirasaka-gumi."

    ''I sent you a present. Is the girl over there?''

    Meo was about to stand up, but I stopped her.

    "Is Kusakabe still alive?"

    ''I feel like letting him talk to his daughter while his other ear is still here.''

    Major took a sleek, silver object and threw it to Yondaime. After picking it up, Yondaime stuck it to the receiver with a small piece of tape. It was an IC recorder. So Major nned to record the conversation. Understanding Major''s nimble actions in a sh, Yondaime sure has acute senses.

    "Kusakabe''s daughter is by my side right now, do you want her on the phone?"

    ''Tell her to pick up the phone.''

    Yondaime wordlessly handed the receiver to Meo, while Meo took it with her hands trembling slightly.

    "I''m¡­¡­ Meo."

    There was a silence at the other side of the phone for a moment.

    Then, the hoarse voice of a man came from the phone, and it was familiar. Oh yeah, I heard it that dawn outside the hut, it was Kusakabe Masaya''s voice.

    ''¡­¡­ Idiot. Why haven''t you escaped!''

    "Dad!" Meo shouted: "Dad, are you alright!? Are yo okay!? Where are yo--"

    ''Shut up! Stop caring about me! Just get all the money that you want, get rid of the rest and escape to Thand!''

    "What are you talking about? How could I do such a thing¡­¡­"

    ''You''re not my child, I don''t want to care about this!''

    Oi, what are you talking about!? Angry shouts and sounds of fighting came from the other side of the phone. Even so, Kusakabe Masaya continued to shout:

    ''Haven''t you realized yet? Your mother and I had a fake marriage. It''s just for the sake of fooling the customs that we''re living together, you''re not even my daughter, so just get back to Thand!''

    "Bu- But, dad¡­¡­"

    ''It''s a waste of time and effort anyways. Things have ended, so don''t meddle anymore!''

    Kusakabe Masaya''s voice became extremely solemn. A waste of time and effort? What does that mean? Since you risked the danger of being caught in the city, what are you trying to do?

    Lastly, a loud shout in anothernguage came from the other side of the phone, and it seemed like Kusakabe Masaya used all of his effort to shout that out. And what interrupted his voice after that was the sounds of something rolling about and angry shouts.

    What? What did he say?

    ''Talking time with papa has ended, now you''ll listen to me.'' The man just now picked up the phone again.

    "Let me¡­¡­ Let me talk to dad!"

    ''Shut up! You just take the cash and the phone that we sent you just now to the entrance of Tomin Commercial Building. There would be people from our gang watching over there, and we''ll keep in contact by phone that time.''

    Yondaime snatched the phone from Meo''s hands:

    "Damn, what are you talking about! You''re the ones forced to a corner, so don''t get so cocky!"

    ''sted kid, shut up! Who are you to think that you can talk things out with us!? We''re not ying around. If the girl doesn''te, I''ll cut off a finger from Kusakabe''s hands every two hours, and when there are no more--''

    "NO!" Meo shouted.

    At that moment, anothermotion started from the other side of the phone. Shouts of a somewhat feminine male voice came:

    ''-- Hey, who are you calling? Didn''t I tell you not to take action by yourself, listen to my orde--''

    ''Stop that noise!'' ''Outsiders should shut up!''

    ''I''ll call youter!'' And he hung up immediately after saying that.

    The room that was cold to the bones was only filled with sounds of weeping, and I only noticed at that moment that Meo was crying on my arm. The other parts of my body felt like a rusted machine, only the part that Meo was touching felt warm.

    I felt so lifeless that I couldn''t move.

    "¡­¡­ There seems to be arguments at the other side."

    Hiro''s words broke the silence.

    "Letting Kusakabe Masaya on the phone, this is an inexplicably dumb action. It might be the actions of the small potatoes in Tabara-gumi taking action by themselves." Alice smiled, slightly pleased: "The recording just now could prove that Kusakabe Masaya did not defalcate thepany. They probably never thought that we could record it immediately, I wouldn''t have done that if it were me."

    Indeed. Kusakabe Masaya ran away because his defalcation failed, that''s the version of the script that they want. It''s obvious from the recording that he was imprisoned by someone, so the recording has the power to overthrow the whole script.

    But Kishiwada-kai is different from the police, would they believe in things like evidence?

    `	The maniptor behind the scenes-- who is it? Is it the other person who gave orders to Tabara-gumi?

    "What if we use the recording to force them to negotiate with us?"

    Yondaime took down the IC recorder from the receiver.

    "A pity, but it can''t be done. After all, we can''t negotiate in this matter, Tabara-gumi is definitely nning to kill Kusakabe Masaya."

    "Then what should we do? We obviously have more trump cards than them, why do we still have to be limited?"

    Yondaime made an impatient noise, while our gazes naturally fell on Meo.

    The main reason that our options are so limited would be because of Meo''s unauthorized actions. Maybe she felt the atmosphere, she deeply pressed her face on my arm.

    "It''s because I''m too proud, so that I can seek happiness for all people."

    Alice said. Her words doesn''t seem to be polite constions for Meo. We raised the stakes ourselves, so we can''t give up right now.

    "Or we can do as Kusakabe says, just ignore him? Helping a woman to run away isn''t that hard. Didn''t you hear it just now? He didn''t even want to be rescued."

    After hearing Yondaime''s words, Meo''s shoulders trembled. At times like this, an inexplicable anger for Yondaime rose in my heart. Shut up! Don''t deliberately say these things like they''re confirmed.

    ''You''re not even my kid.''

    ''We just got together to fool the customs.''

    My anger even shifted to Kusakabe Masaya, who I never even met. Stop joking! Everyone- everyone''s trying to save you, how could you say such cruel words to Meo!?

    He said things like that-- does Meo even want to save her father anymore?

    The young girl tightly leaning against my arm stayed silent.

    "Major, please rewind the recording. I want to listen to Kusakabe''s words again to confirm something."

    "Alice, stop that." I spoke for Meo. Listening to that again? It''s too cruel. After ncing at me, Alice didn''t answer. Major connected the IC recorder to theputer speaker and rewinded it a bit.

    ''-- you''re not even my daughter, so just get back to Thand!''

    ''It''s a waste of time and effort anyways. Things have ended, so don''t meddle anymore!''

    The sound of Meo''s crying intensified, and Kusakabe''s suffocating voice came from the speaker at thest moment. Not Japanese, but some iprehensiblenguage, then a rough voice drowned it. I really couldn''t look at Meo right now, and rose to turn off the recorder; but Major switched it off one step quicker.

    The awkward silence stung as if there were metal fragments mixed in the air.

    Only Alice was indifferent to that, nodded and said:

    "-- I understand now. So that''s how things stand."

    "What do you know?" Hiro asked: "I think he said something at thest moment¡­¡­"

    "It''s Thai. Just like that, all the matters have been tied up."

    For some reason, Alice''s expression made people feel refreshed.

    I shifted my gaze from Alice to Meo, while she buried her face in her hands.

    "What is--"

    "We can''t say for the moment."

    Alice rapidly interrupted me.

    "And I might never be able to speak of this matter. And also, if we can''t save Kusakabe Masaya, this sentence would be brought to the grave with him."

    Don''t talk like that. I know that even if you don''t say so.

    "To save a person that doesn''t want to be saved, this isn''t our style." Hiro said with a hoarse voice.

    "But even so, my client isn''t Kusakabe Masaya." Alice said: "His stubbornness does not concern me. His despair, lies, excuses, abandonment, giving up, all of them cannot hinder the truth on my hands. I will definitely rescue him without so much of a scratch."

    *

    Alice went back to Hanamaru Ramen Shop on Hiro''s car, while almost all theckeys were out to check out Tabara-gumi''s strongholds. The only people left were Yondaime, Pole, Rocky, Major and I. As for Meo, we left her in the study to cool down.

    Looking at the clock in the office, it was already over noon; the long Thursday was only half over. Cutting off a finger every two hours-- what a random threat, Yondaime evenughed at that. But I couldn''tugh.

    Major upied the sofa of the office, calling someone while saving the recording to theputer with one hand, then said after stuffing his notebook-sizedputer into his backpack:

    "Alice would definitely be able to check out the phone log just now, but most probably it''ll be from a handphone, so we wouldn''t know the location just now."

    "Does that mean our only clue left is the recording?"

    "That''s right. I know someone in the Coast Guards who knows how to use the sonar, so I''m nning to ask him to check out if there''s anything that we can use as evidence. But there''s only one day left, so I don''t know if it would be on time."

    "Ten fingers would mean twenty hours-- one day left. If the threat was real, then we must find the location for Kusakabe Masaya''s confinement in a day, think of a n and barge in to save him.

    "I could confirm the pathway of our invasion of time is sufficient, but we don''t even know where he is right now."

    "But didn''t we lock on to two ces now? Can''t we start monitoring from now?"

    "But that would be assuming that he''s imprisoned at the offices of Tabara-gumi, right? There are countless ces that could be used to imprison someone. If they just imprison him in a basement of any building, we wouldn''t be able to find him."

    I bit my lips. Indeed, the only evidence that can be traced to Kusakabe Masaya is only the IC recorder in Major''s pocket.

    "Weren''t there some people arguing at the back? Something like outsiders shut up, so there might be people not from the gang present at that time."

    I felt an electric current flowing through my body.

    A panicked voice of a young man. A person not from the gang.

    "Major, lend me the recorder for a sec."

    "What do you want to do with it?"

    Lazy to even exin, I just took out my phone and called Yi Ling-san.

    "¡­¡­ Ah, it''s me. Sorry for yesterday. Eh? Ah, it''s okay. Can you¡­¡­"

    I felt my voice getting louder:

    "Yi Ling-san, would you be able to recognise Director Mikawa''s voice¡­¡­ That''s right, we have one. Please listen to this recording."

    Major widened his eyes in surprise. I snatched the IC recorder from his hands, then pressed the y button while pressing it to the receiver.

    I hung up after thanking Yi Ling-san, then immediately called Alice. My voice trembled when I wan exining, and my tongue became rather slow because of excitement.

    ''¡­¡­ I understand. I''ll ask Hiro to keep an eye on Mikawa''s side. Ask Yondaime to send a few people from Hirasaka-gumi to Mikawa''s home.''

    I''m not sure if it''s just me, but I felt that Alice was rather excited at the other side of the phone as well. When I was about to turn to Yondaime, he already picked up the phone on the table to give orders to hisckeys. He''s quick!

    And then, Rocky pushed open the steel door with energy that almost tore the door apart, and rushed in. Major already left for about ten minutes.

    "Sou-san, they sent something else again!"

    Yondaime snatched the coffee colored envelope from Rocky''s hands. The word ''Kusakabe'' that was written outside the paper with marker pen looked blurry due to something oozing out from the bag.

    When the tape was torn down, something like a coffee colored caterpir rolled out from it. A strangled sound came from my parched throat.

    It was a whole, cut out finger.

    Yellowish bones could be seen in the dried blood, and my vision suddenly blurred. "A- Aniki, are you alright!?" Rocky supported me, who nearly fainted, and brought me to the sofa. While sitting on the sofa, a sense of wanting to puke came upon me.

    "Did you see who sent this?" Yondaime threw the finger back to the paper bag and asked.

    "No. They stuck it to the mailbox with tape."

    "Hmph! Gutless people. Do you think I''ll get scared just like that?"

    Gutless? This is gutless?

    I really don''t know how insensitive Yondaime is.

    I raised my head to look at the clock, indeed, it has been two hours and thirty minutes from that time. They''re serious.

    "Oi, Gardening Club kid. Don''t get scared just from these meaningless performances."

    "His fingers might all be cut off, how is this gutless!?" I unknowingly stood up and shouted.

    "Calm down, it''s impossible that they would do that."

    "Why can you still say thi!"

    I didn''t even see Yondaime''s fistsing. The more surprising thing is, I almost didn''t feel a hint of pain at all. I just felt that my body became weightless, then I fell onto the sofa with a plunk. Bouts of pain gradually came from my chest, then I realized that I was punched in the heart.

    "I don''t think your job is to scream blue murder over here, is it?"

    The eyes of the wolf gazed directly at me.

    "Do you understand? We can''t just take action as soon as we know the location of Kusakabe. Some things can''t be handled just by getting a crowd. Listen, I''m only helping because that girl is your friend."

    Yondaime forcibly pressed my shoulders onto the sofa and said:

    "Think of some other way, bro."

    When I walked into the study, Meo was hugging her Boston bag on the bed, facing the walls, unmoving. I sat down in front of the turned onputer.

    Did she hear all that I shouted out just now? I thought while looking at Meo''s back. I''m just too careless. I could not tell her the matter about the finger being sent here, or she might just rush out again.

    I''ll have to think of some other way.

    I repeatedly thought of Yondaime''s words. I couldn''t think of anything. As Alice said, they don''t have any wish of negotiation.

    But if we continue to hide Meo like this, ignoring their wishes, what would happen then? Their condition is actually quite troublesome as well, so should we collect information as soon as possible when both parties are in trouble? I shook my head to fling out the thought that was too good to be true. These matters are just impossible. The opponents of Tabara-gumi aren''t just us, if Kusakabe fell into Kishiwada-kai''s hands alive, that would be fatal. They nned to kill him from the start. Might they have already killed him after the phone call? Cutting down fingers from a corpse would probably be easy. As my imagination kept running away to an exaggerated and bad side, I pressed my thumb onto my thigh with force.

    Is there a simpler way of knowing the ce of his confinement? Oh yeah, Mikawa isn''t a yakuza, so threats might work on him. He probably goes to work almost everyday, so it''s easier to find him as well. If we kidnapped Mikawa and used him as a hostage, would that be better? That won''t work, from the phone just now, Mikawa seems to be powerless, Tabara-gumi seems to have all the power.

    Suddenly noticing that I easily thought of ways like threats or kidnapping, I felt scared of myself. I looked at my palms. Right now, I might already be numb of my daily life. Or maybe I should just rush out myself, give Mikawa a punch and kidnap him? That''s not so, I probably just want to ask people from Hirasaka-gumi to do it? Self-disgust welled up in me. I obviously can''t do anything myself, and even so--

    I raised my head because I felt a gaze on me.

    Meo was silently looking at my face. Trails of tears were still on her face.

    Having her father say that to her, being sad is inevitable.

    And even so-- does she still want to save him?

    Oi, Meo. Things that have been damaged can never recover to it''s original state. Even if you and your father met again by some miracle, the dream that you''ll be a family again has alreadypletely disappeared.

    And the kind big sisters living at Hello Pce can''t live in Japan anymore. Everyone''s lives have been destroyed¡­¡­

    But Meo just smiled while shaking her head:

    "There''s nothing that can''t be recovered, it''s just that Mr. Assistant doesn''t know it."

    "¡­¡­ Mnn, I don''t know. I don''t know what Meo is talking about."

    Thest words that Kusakabe Masaya said.

    Those words-- are they the key? The thing that he wanted to do. His feelings.

    But for some reason, I couldn''t pursue the matter anymore.

    "Even Miss Detective doesn''t know about some things. I heard it that time, she said that she doesn''t know why Dad wants me to hide with the money."

    At that time-- the contents of the conversation Alice had with me. So she heard all that?

    ''--Among them, the only inexplicable choice is to tell Meo to hide the two hundred million yen, and hide himself as well.''

    This is the mystery that continues to tie Alice to the case.

    "I know the reason."

    I nkly stared at Meo''s lips.

    "I know why. Just as Meo love Dad, Dad loves Meo as well."

    Why?

    Why is this girl so--

    "¡­¡­ Having such cruel words said to you, do you still want to save your father?"

    "Yeah." Meo threw the Boston bag down the bed, at the side of my foot. "I don''t want the money, I just want Dad toe back."

    At this moment, something started to link up in my heart.

    Just want dad to be back.

    That''s what she wanted. Why did I make things soplicated?

    The context is simple.

    It''s okay if Kusakabe Masaya could juste back.

    And the money is now in my hands. The two hundred million yen--

    Kishiwada-kai, Mikawa, Hello Corporation, moneyundering. These factors resounded in my mind, intercrossed, and formed a concrete shape.

    The road that was so zigzagging and roundabout that it was stupid became straight. Will this really work? I poured water into the waterway in my mind to test it out. The first problem is time. Today is Thursday, and it''s already two in the afternoon. There''s still tomorrow left. It would be barely in time. Next up is the number of people. Though I have next to no friends, I could still borrow Hiro and Yondaime''s strengths. That''s right, I could also ask Yi Ling-san and the others for help. Of course, there are some ws in this. I should say that there''s a lot of ws. But Alice and Major should be able to close up the loopholes. Lastly, I could only rely on Tetsu-senpai''s fists.

    The rest is the arguments and timing.

    I stood up. The trembling of my knees are no longer caused by fear.

    "¡­¡­ Mr. Assistant?"

    Meo looked at me, confused, while I nodded in answer:

    "If you don''t want it, then I''ll take it then."

    "¡­¡­ What?"

    "I''ll spend it all, all of the two hundred million yen."

    Temporarily ignoring the wide-eyed Meo, I picked up my phone. Even my fingers pressing the buttons were trembling in excitement. Calm down, I need to calm down.

    "Is it Alice? I''m going to tell you my n right now. If there are parts that are too far-fetched, please say so."

    ''n? What are you talking about?''

    Interrupting the words of the impatient NEET detective, I started to exin my n. The feverish mutterings were fragmented at times, but the words continued to gush out form my mouth. It''s as if they weren''t thought out by myself. It might be possible that at this moment, I''m just reading out the contents in God''s notebook word by word.

    "¡­¡­ How is it?"

    Saying all of them almost in one breath, I asked her opinion and started to pant. Alice answered in a voice full of reluctance:

    ''Many parts are just too far-fetched, it''s quite a wonder that you could think of a n that''s so stupid.''

    At that moment, darkness appeared before me.

    "But--"

    And this time, Alice was the one to interrupt me¡­

    ''But I''ll help you to handle the far-fetched parts. Just do it. You''re in charge of the front-linemands, while my mission is just to hack in, right?''

    I gazed at the ceiling and heaved a long sigh. If I rx right now, I''ll feel so happy that I''ll shout (even in front of Meo).

    "Yeah. Please make arge-scale ruckus."

    ''I just have two requests.''

    "What is it?"

    ''The first is the matter about the remittance into the ounts.''

    The orders that Alice gave me that moment wasn''t something that I could easily understand.

    "¡­¡­ Why must we do that? They''ll know of the details easily like that."

    ''They don''t have that much time to check the ounts and the sum of money.''

    "But we don''t need to do that even the--"

    ''I already know what Kusakabe Masaya wants to do.''

    After hearing Alice''s words, I stayed silent.

    The thing that Kusakabe Masaya wanted to do- the only mystery that tied Alice to the case.

    The matter-- finally had an answer.

    But how is that connected to the inexplicable things that she wants me to do?

    ''I can''t exin right now.''

    "Yet again! You do that every time!"

    ''About this matter, the difference between the truth and the facts won''t be a problem. And I cannot exin the reason that I cannot exin this. So just follow my instructions about the remittance of money into the ounts.''

    It just gets more and more muddled. Feeling Meo''s worried gaze at the side, I repeatedly stood up and sat down again on the bed because of impatience.

    ''Narumi, didn''t I discuss with you about the helplessness of a NEET detective before this?''

    Alice continued to say, as if tightly holding the receiver:

    ''I am a NEET detective, I don''t have the power to protect or to help people from birth, and I probably wouldn''t have the power to do so in my life. Because that was written in my page of God''s notebook. Even so, Even if that''s so, Narumi¡­¡­''

    I suddenly thought, is she crying? Alice is crying? How is that possible? But listening to the voice that was gradually growing weaker, it was like my throat was throttled by someone.

    ''There are times that I have to bleed, letting my blood mix with old, dry bones, pulling myself back to the borders of the world. Even if it''s a fake magic that is meaningless to people other than me¡­¡­ Do you understand what I mean?''

    Of course I don''t understand. I stayed silent. I just felt that if I said something that I shouldn''t without thinking, Alice would devastated at the other side of the phone.

    "¡­¡­ I understand. I''ll follow your instructions."

    After awhile, it was like I saw Alice smiling at the other side of the phone.

    ''You''re really bad at lying, you know. Even though I can''t see your face, I know that from your voice.''

    "So sorry for that. What''s your second request?"

    ''You must remember to return the Boston bag to Meo.''

    My jaw dropped, and I looked at the Boston bag by my leg.

    "¡­¡­ Why? Well, it doesn''t matter, but is there anything else inside?"

    ''Yeah, all the answers are inside.''

    I couldn''t say a word. I don''t understand at all. Alice''s answer told me that she didn''t want to exin anymore. Besides, it would just feel like dumb questions if I continued to ask, so I answered in a small voice: "Got it."

    At the instant when I was about to hang up, I heard some rather rare words. Alice apologized.

    ''Sorry, I think I''m looking at you somewhat differently now. Thank you.''

    I stared at the now silent phone for awhile. It feels as if Alice''s slight warmth was on it.

    My conclusion is, about Alice''s thoughts and the feelings entangling her, I couldn''t understand a thing.

    Even so-- she still believed in my words as her assistant.

    That''s why I need to trust her as well.

    "Are you serious?"

    When I reported to Yondaime right after I walked out of the study, that was his reaction. Pole and Rocky said something like: "Erm, aniki¡­¡­ Can you exin it again?" "Forget it, idiots like us can''t understand aniki''s great n."

    "Indeed, an odd detective would have a strange assistant."

    Yondaime narrowed his eyes that were sleek like a wolf, and scratched his porcupine-like hair.

    "How many people do you need?"

    "Well, as much as possible, because there''s two hundred million yen. Ah, but we need people who have an identity card and an ount. They must also be people who would listen to instructions and ept it¡­¡­"

    "I know that, who do you think I am!"

    "And then¡­¡­ Lastly, people who can use force¡­¡­"

    Yondaime turned over and ordered Pole and Rocky behind him:

    "Get a car that can''t be traced, then find four people other than you two."

    "Understood! We''re going to barge into enemy territory, right?" "I''ll go hone my manly aura right away!"

    After the two walked out of the room, Yondaime nced at the door of the study and said quietly:

    "To Kusakabe, being caught by the people from Tabara-gumi might be better."

    I gulped, then raised my head to look at Yondaime.

    I have this feeling too. Though I don''t know why, I just felt that Kusakabe Masaya didn''t want us to save him. Is it connected to the reason that he stayed in the city while risking his own life?

    "If so, our enemies are not only Tabara-gumi, but himself as well. Understand?"

    After hesitating for a moment, I nodded.

    ''Narumi, you''re bing more and more like Alice.''

    Those were the first words that Hiro said to me after hearing my exnation on the phone. They said that again. I''m like Alice? How?

    ''Especially the point that you''ll talk nonsense seriously. But it feels quite fun. Okay, I''ll tell the girls that I know. Any other things that I can help out with?''

    "Erm¡­¡­ As we need to know where Mikawa would go tomorrow¡­¡­"

    ''Got it. I''ll keep an eye on him, so just rx.''

    ''Vice Admiral Fujishima is probably and-type. After boasting a whole lot of grand ambitions, then cooperating to dispatch manpower, this type of thinking is really iprehensible to marine-type people like me.''

    To me, what Major said was more iprehensible to me. What does marine-type mean?

    ''Then what''s my mission?''

    "This is actually a precautionary step, to block telephonemunications. Can you do that?"

    "Oh, I see, so you want them to be unable to confirm with the phone. This isn''t hard, but don''t you know where Mikawa would be that day? Where should I block the telephone?''

    "I''m guessing that he might be at thepany, but I''m not sure yet."

    Ah, no, wait. If Mikawa''s phone couldn''t call, he wouldn''t be able to give orders, then can the n still proceed? I felt a chill because of the rashness of my n. Major said at that moment:

    ''Mnn? Then wouldn''t it be okay if I just block the bank''s phones?''

    Ah¡­¡­ That''s right.

    I never thought about it, but it''s actually much better.

    Indeed, I can''t do anything alone, it''s a good thing that Major was here. But I couldn''t just frankly express my gratitude, but said something like this:

    "Major, it seems that you''re only good at thinking about these things."

    ''I''m not as good as Vice Admiral Fujishima. We''ll meet again at Yasukuni Shrine!''

    Exining the n so that the clueless Yi Ling-san would understand was really quite a trial.

    ''To be honest, I''m still not too clear about the current situation.''

    "I''m really sorry, I can''t exin all of it to you."

    It''s hard to exin the details on the phone, and I don''t really want Yi Ling-san and the others to know about the criminal part of this.

    ''All of this is for Meo, right?''

    "That''s right."

    ''I understand. I''ll exin things to the people in our building. Though it might be slightlyte, I''ll tell you how many people are willing to help today.''

    "Ah, it''s okay no matter howte."

    I''ll have to stay up all night today anyways.

    That night, Meo and I poured all the money in the bag onto the table, then packed them up in envelopes.

    Hiro and Yondaime gathered more people than I could imagine. Thinking that I''m involving hundreds of people in this stupid n, my hands filling the envelopes stared to tremble.

    During thest stage, my fingers and brain started to numb. Staring at the countless Fukuzawa Yukichis on the countless ten thousand yen notes in a dark room alone with Meo, my thoughts that time were that two hundred million yen seems to be not as much as I imagined. Divided by two hundred, it''d be a million, and it''ll be ten thousand if we divide it by two thousand. If we just divide it by two hundred million, it''ll be just one! I think I''m havingte symptoms. In reality, the sum of money can''t be obtained even if the office workers in Japan work for a lifetime.

    That is why, people would die for the money.

    The phone in the office would ring every few hours, and Yondaime tightly closed the door of the study so that we won''t hear him answering. They wouldn''t have killed Meo''s father because of impatience, would they? I tried not to think of the pain and terror of having fingers cut off one after another. I definitely can''t let Meo see through me.

    Thest job of the day was to think of an ''exnation'' for a hundred people.

    There must be a reason for the money to flow.

    I must do this.

    I don''t know if the n would seed. I whole-heartedly prayed that Kusakabe Masaya''s miracle would still be present.

 Volume 2, 6

    <h4>Volume 2, Chapter 6</h4>

    The next morning, I brought the money to Hello Pce myself. Besides cooling myself off with the cold air of the morning, I felt that I must thank Yi Ling-san personally.

    "Ah, you''re here,e in."

    Yi Ling-san pulled me into the room after opening the door.

    In the house that had two rooms and a hall, big for a singledy, there were about ten women in it. Because of the indescribable fragrance in the room, I could only stand nkly at the door. Some of them were even wearing sexy clothing, as if they just finished working. Their skin colors and outlines looked somewhat different, just like I''m looking at a thumbnail of Asia. Of course, Jennifer and Hua-san were among them.

    "So sorry, asking you people to help out with the strange problem."

    Yi Ling-san forcefully pped my cringing back.

    "But we don''t feel troubled about it. We just need to bank in the money, right?"

    I nodded, distributing the envelopes with the money in it while saying.

    "Do we have to bank them into our own ounts, then change it to another ount?" Hua-san asked.

    "Ah, that''s right. From the sum of money, you might not be able to bank them in using an ATM machine."

    "Though I don''t know what you''re trying to do, do your best!"

    "You''re doing this to save Kusakabe-san, right?"

    "Meo and Kusakabe-san are in your hands!"

    Being requested like that by the different people, a sudden happiness welled up in me, and I nodded.

    "Well, that''s all for now. The people from Hirasaka-gumi would be hereter."

    "To give you the receipt, right?" Yi Ling-san said. She''s indeed quick, so it''s quite reassuring.

    I called Yondaime after walking out of the building.

    ''My side is finished.''

    Isn''t he a bit too quick!? I couldn''t help but feel taken aback. Raising my head to look at the dark skies of April. It''s just past six right now, so probably he finished distributing themte night? The young people in this city really don''t sleep at night.

    ''We''ll be able to collect all of the receipts before noon. When are you nning to attack?''

    The timing is hard to grasp.

    "Two."

    ''You really know how to dawdle. Then who''s going to go?''

    "What do you mean who''s gonna go¡­¡­? Of course it''s going to be me. We must tell them about it clearly, the only people who know about the n clearly besides me is only Alice. You aren''t nning to tell Alice to go, are you?"

    ''You should get this clear, we''re going to the enemy headquarters. Think of how dangerous it would be. Do you think they''ll just let you walk out in one piece after saying all that?''

    "That''s why we''re going to contact Mikawa, and not Tabara-gumi. At least the yakuza wouldn''t be too daring in the office of Hello Corporation, right?"

    Yondaime stayed silent. I felt that I could heard sounds of teeth gnashing.

    ''I''m going too. Do you hear that?''

    "Eh? But aren''t you in charge of the action team?"

    ''Shut up! There wouldn''t be any problem there. Wouldn''t it be okay if we just meet upter? Stop fussing!''

    He hung up, and I sighed while looking at the screen.

    Well, it''s true that the n is rather far-fetched. But we can''t just inform them about it after sending over the information. This shallow method wouldn''t work at all, there must be someone willing to charge inside.

    The fact that Yondaime was willing to apany me bolstered my confidence a bit.

    I looked at the foggy sky. There''s no room for us to turn back now.

    ''Mikawa is now at Hello Corporation. The senior executives are at work now.''

    At eleven in the morning, Hiro sent the news. At that time, I had already returned to the NEET Detective Agency.

    "Nobody else is with him? For instance, people from Tabara-gumi?"

    ''No, just him. He can''t just bring bodyguards to work, right?''

    He has a point. That''s good.

    Turning my head around to took at the side of the bed, Alice was already giving orders to Major through the phone, probably because she heard the conversation between Hiro and I.

    "¡­¡­ Mnn, we''ll do it at Hello Corporation as nned. Please prepare to obstruct the phone signal¡­¡­ Hmm? No, the starting time is two in the afternoon. Standby before that."

    She put down her phone and turned to me:

    "We''re counting down now, are you ready?"

    I gave her the thumbs up. A screen among the many screens hung on the walls behind the pajamas-d Alice showed the bomb that Alice cooked up for Hello Corporation''s system.

    The red color painted on the whole screen. The abstract picture of the man with the little finger cut off his right hand and his right ear cut off. Though I finished it in just half an hour, I felt that it was actually quite good. Below these two pictures wererge words: 2.00 p.m. , no other words.

    The n for saving Kusakabe Masaya would start at two in the afternoon.

    The simple and clear symbols that only people who are in the know would understand, is now shown on the screen of theputers in Hello Corporation after Alice hacked into the system of Hello Corporation through the loopholes in their firewalls.

    The n had started. I only noticed after quite some time thatrge amounts of sweat was trickling down my hand holding the phone.

    It was already after noon when Yondaime brought a few of his underlings to the NEET Detective Agency. Large stacks of bank transaction records were taken out from bags or stic bags and were ced in front of me. I''m starting to have a headache.

    "I really should''ve asked you to sort them out first¡­¡­"

    "It''s toote for you to say that!" Yondaime''s attitude was cold.

    After using nearly thirty minutes, we finally got out the receipts used only for reference from the stack of over five hundred transaction records. I was too careless. Things would always turn out like this if we think of ways to solve problems only when the problem arises.

    After categorizing them, we filled the bank transaction records into the bag that we lent from Meo. Completely using up the two hundred million yen, leaving only papers recording the flow of money. Carrying the bag for awhile, it really felt much lighter than when it was filled with the twenty thousand pieces of ten thousand yen notes.

    Unreliable-- but it''s the only weapon that I have.

    No, the true weapon is some other thing, right?

    I stood up after picking up the bag.

    "Well, I''m off." I told the silhouette wearing the teddy bear pajamas.

    Alice turned her head over, kneeled on her bed and waved her hand, calling me over. Eh? What is it?

    When I went closer to her, I was lightly patted on the head like another time before this, making me spring back almost two meters in surprise.

    "Good luck."

    That''s quite a short sentence for Alice. And because of this, it continued to linger in my ears.

    "Hmm, what is it? You want it too, Yondaime?"

    She suddenly moved forward, waving towards Yondaime, who was behind me.

    "Stop dreaming."

    "Ane-san, please pat us too!"

    "Me too!"

    "Stop that idiocy! We''re moving out!"

    On therge steel bucket behind the kitchen backdoor of the ramen shop, Tetsu-senpai was sitting there with a displeased expression on his face.

    "Why am I the only one to be excluded¡­¡­" He said deliberately in an audible voice.

    "¡­¡­ Nobody is excluding you."

    "But you didn''t even tell me the details."

    "Didn''t I tell you about that on the phone yesterday?" I even asked your help for the bank transactions.

    "My mind is all muddled up, I really don''t understand."

    Oioi, is that really my fault? Did I do anything wrong?

    "So I''ll go along with Narumi, is that okay?"

    "Erm¡­¡­ But you''ll have to stay in the action group."

    "Can''t we just meet upter?"

    Why are those two so simr in these matters!? I turned my head over to look at Yondaime, who was leading his underlings down the stairs.

    "Second Brother Tetsu is going too!?"

    "Taking the strongest duo to charge into enemy ground, as expected of aniki!"

    "We''ll defeat all of the workers!"

    Theckeys were excited after hearing senpai''s words. No, no, are they misunderstanding something? We''re not there to have a fight!

    "Then we''re going first!"

    "Remember to change your clothes first, don''t take action with the group emblem on."

    "Understood!"

    Theckeys rode their motorbikes and left.

    "These guys really don''t have a sense of crisis." Yondaime muttered. I agree with that too.

    At that moment, Min-san poked her head out of the kitchen backdoor.

    "Hey, do you want to have something to eat before going?"

    "You probably haven''t eaten lunch yet, right? Narumi, why are you walking so unsteadily? You should at least have a meal first."

    There weren''t any people in the shop though it was lunch time. From left to right, Yondaime, me and Tetsu-senpai sat on the seats. Bowls emitting white smoke were ced in front of us. There weren''t any pieces of roast pork(chashu) on it, but thick slices of deep fried pork chop(tonkatsu).

    "This is for good luck. (Note: Katsu(victory) is part of tonkatsu)" Min-san said. "You''re probably going to take part in something dangerous again, right? Really, you''re just kids, too."

    I appreciate her thoughts, but who would ever put deep fried pork chop on noodles? This is really¡­¡­ But we still silently picked up the chopsticks. The strongest person in the city would not be the ex-boxer or the young yakuza boss beside me, but--

    "Ah, I deducted the fee for the meal from Narumi''s pay."

    So she''s not treating us!

    Using the chopsticks to slowly pick up the pork chop on top of the ramen, I realized that the soup of the ramen was stuffed full of pepper and garlic. Uwaa! I almost had a nosebleed just by seeing it. Sneaking a peek at Yondaime and senpai''s bowl, I saw that theirs were just ordinary soupd. Why do I have to undergo this torture? Are you really telling me to eat all this!?

    "You, have you forgotten what I told you? Didn''t I tell you not to meddle in this?"

    Min-san leaned over from the other side of the counter and came closer to my face. She caught hold of my chin, showing a cold smile that could even eat up a tiger. I froze, opening and closing my mouth again like a fish. I really did forget what she said. That''s bad, I''m going to get eaten up.

    "Listen closely, you- have- to- finish- all- of- them."

    With a tone like she''s holding a red hot metal stick to threaten me, Min-san released my face only after she said all that.

    "Tetsu, Sou, he''s my employee. Don''t let him get hurt."

    "We know."

    The two people who had speedily finished their pork chop ramen answered at the same time.

    *

    We reached the opposite of the office of Hello Corporation after passing through the Shuto Expressway at one forty five, slightly earlier than the scheduled time. Yondaime parked his ''Smart'' car by the road.

    Looking at the five-storey building from the window of the car, it felt evenrger than it was yesterday. No, calm down, this isn''t a bigpany at all, and the people supporting them are just a bunch of small potatoes; and the n that I''m going to execute isn''t arge bet at all.

    I leaned my back on the seat and heaved arge sigh. Ah, this is bad, my heartbeat is elerating.

    "Hey, aren''t you going down?"

    Tetsu-senpai said while sitting on the backseat:

    "My current posture is very ufortable."

    "You''re the one who wanted toe."

    Yondaime retorted with an annoyed voice:

    "I never nned to bring three people, idiot."

    Smart is actually a small, two-person car, but Tetsu-senpai just squeezed into the back of the car. I answered while trying to recover my breathing rate:

    "We can''t be too early. That''ll give them an opportunity to think. We have to wait till two."

    "Why must it be two?"

    "Because the bank closes at three. I think that an hour would be the most suitable time¡­¡­ Though it''s just my intuition."

    "How is this rted to the time that the bank closes?"

    "Well¡­¡­"

    Didn''t I tell you on the phone yesterday!? I really did exin it!

    I was about to think of something simple to say, indicating that it''s already two. "Let''s go!" Yondaime opened the door after saying that, and kicked me out to the road.

    There weren''t any services like ady waiting at the counter to wee us. Only a phone was in front of the ss doors of the office, used to ask about the appointment status.

    "Hello, is Director Mikawa in? No, we don''t have an appointment."

    The person at the other side of the phone seemed somewhat harried. That couldn''t be helped, as Alice already hacked into all of the systems in thepany and froze them.

    ''Excuse me, but who are you?''

    Yondaime snatched the receiver from my hands:

    "Just tell him that I''m Hinamura Soichiro."

    The effect was instantaneous, and we were invited inside immediately. Should I be more anti-social as well?

    "Listen, Tetsu. Don''t take action first."

    "Same to you."

    Tetsu-senpai brushed thement away lightly and pushed open the ss doors.

    A nervous man of about forty was sitting on the sofa of the reception room, waiting for us to walk in. It was the man that I saw yesterday-- Mikawa. But not only Mikawa was in the room. The person standing who was standing at the other side of the conference table, beside the windows was a man wearing a pair of light brown shades and two other men wearing simr attires. When I saw the scene, I couldn''t help but to stand at the entrance, shocked.

    So we still can''tpletely avoiding in contact with Tabara-gumi. Probably Mikawa called them here after seeing theputer screens? Hiro can''t grasp the locations of both Mikawa and Tabara-gumi alone, st!

    Yondaime pushed me into the room.

    Shades observed our faces in turn, and showed an eerie smile, but he didn''t speak. In contrast, Mikawa seemed to be rather flustered:

    "You''re the ones who did that?"

    Not a word of greeting, not asking us to have a seat, he went straight to the point.

    "Aren''t you all just students? Why are you meddling in this?"

    "Hinamura, haven''t you heard what I said!?"

    It seemed like Shades didn''t want to pretend to be anyone else anymore, and he said in a low voice. The yakuza walked around the conference table and surrounded us.

    "Damn, why are you holding the bag for? Do you think things will be alright if you just return the cash!?"

    One of the yakuza hit the bag in my hands. My ears are starting to ring. This is bad, I feel like I''m going to faint because of anemia.

    "We''re not here to negotiate with you."

    After saying that, Yondaime lightly pushed my back. I came to my senses, adjusted my breathing, then red at Mikawa. That''s right, just ignore Tabara-gumi for now.

    "I''ve brought the things that you wanted, Mikawa-san."

    "What? Where''s the girl!?"

    "Hey, don''t start a fight! We''re in thepany!" Mikawa said, flustered. "Please stop talking, I''ll handle this."

    Tetsu-senpai pushed away the men in ck suits, allowing me to sit on the sofa opposite to Mikawa. The sofa made of synthetic leather was colder than I thought. It felt as if my heart was going to melt, flowing out of my ears.

    From now on-- it''s my battle, nobody would help me anymore.

    I ced the Boston bag at the center of the ss table.

    "Just the money wouldn''t do, bring the girl." Mikawa''s attitude became rough. I shook my head:

    "Let''s talk about the money first. I''ve already handed the two hundred thousand yen to you."

    "What?"

    "I didn''t bring the cash. Don''t you have a guild formed from foreign workers? I banked in all the money into the ount of the guild."

    "What are you talking about?"

    A sense of stickiness could be heard in Mikawa''s voice, and his pale face started to redden.

    "It''s impossible for you to bank them in! It''s two hundred million, how do you tell that to the person at the counter? The lies of kids withoutmon sense are indeed absurd."

    Is that so? Then you would probably understand from now on, what absurd things that kids like this can do in arge group.

    I opened the zipper of the Boston bag.

    "I didn''t save them all in at the same time."

    I took out a stack of receipts inside and scattered them on the table. Mikawa took out one of them and read it out, then his face paled immediately. Another, and another¡­¡­ After confirming the ounts on the paper, Mikawa''s face became deathly pale.

    "¡­¡­ Wha- What is this!?"

    "It''s because we know a lot of people. They just have to go to the bank and bank them in. All of them were quite willing to help."

    "Idiot, why did you do that--"

    "And also, not only this¡­¡­" I interrupted Mikawa''s words, striking while he''s weak: "The money would probably flow overseas or to Kishiwada-kai, right? So we''ve eliminated the need for you."

    Ourst trump card. I took out a document from my pocket and showed it to Mikawa, and he took it with trembling hands, reading the contents again and again. Seeing his eyes moving uneasily, I could clearly see what he was doing.

    "Wh¡­¡­"

    "We''ve dealt with it, and about next Monday, they''ll transfer the two hundred million yen from the ount of the guild to the ount of the chairman of Kishiwada-kai as a donation."

    "Idiot, how could you do that? It''s a personal ount, and the one who owns the ount is Kusakabe!"

    Mikawa was in a hysterical state.

    "Oi, what did you people do! What is the meaning of this!?"

    Originally standing silently at a side, Shades started to be agitated as well. My heartbeat was already so loud that even I, myself, was almost unable to hear what I said. Now''s the time, it''ll be okay after we finish this.

    "So I advise you to learn more about inte security. Though it would probably be hard for people whoseputer systems are hacked into so easily to understand all this." Every time I said another sentence, my dry mouth would feel bouts of pain: "The system in the bank is connected through the inte as well. As long as they''re connected through the inte, there''s nothing that a hacker can''t do. Transferring the money wouldn''t even need the confirmation of the owner of the ount."

    "How can this be!? I- if something like this really happened--"

    Ipletely ignored Mikawa''s words, picked up the bag and stood up. We''ve yed all our cards, so it''s time to leave.

    "Don''t move! Do you mean that you''re running away just like that!?"

    "That''s exactly what we mean, scram."

    "Don''t spit, squirt."

    Tetsu-senpai and Yondaime protected me at my side.

    "What are you doing!"

    The sound of collision echoed in my stomach. Yondaime who was punched in the face, Tetsu-senpai who was hit in the stomach with a knee, both of them didn''t even flinch, but instead, I cowered on the floor with my eyes closed even though I wasn''t hit. A trail of blood trickled down from the corner of Yondaime''s mouth.

    The yakuza took a step back in surprise though they''re the ones who took action first. The man in the light brown shades widened his eyes, while Mikawa- sitting on the sofa- looked even more surprised. Even so, he still said:

    "Wait a minute, you haven''t finished yet, why are you doing such a meaningless thing!?"

    "I''ve finished. We''re just here to tell you that."

    So that they wouldn''t notice my trembling hands, I stuck my hands to the back and answered:

    "The transaction will ur on Monday, do you understand? Please release Kusakabe-san before that time. Just handing you the money is too dangerous for us, so we chose to do that."

    After I finished saying that, I walked past the chair and out of the reception room. "Wait, you people! Don''t joke with us!" The angry roars of Shades were blocked by Yondaime, thest one to walk out.

    "Let''s go back."

    While walking past the female employee who looked at us with a scared expression on her face, we ran in the corridors of the building. It was only after I rushed out of the ss door, that I noticed that my forehead and back was drenched in arge amount of sweat.

    "Damn, I''ll kill those people the next time I see them!" Yondaime said while wiping away the blood at the corner of his mouth.

    "Things haven''t finished yet, right? Don''t lower your guard."

    I bit my lips and nodded after hearing Tetsu-senpai''s words, then the three of us ran down the stairs.

    *

    "Oh yeah, Narumi. Why were those people so flustered?"

    Tetsu-senpai''s voice came from the back of the car. The Smart Yondaime was driving avoided the road in a traffic jam, then zigzagged through theplex alleys quite quickly.

    "Because I told them that I donated the two hundred million yen to Kishiwada-kai."

    Do they understand when I put it that way? I''m a bit worried.

    "Which means, if I moved the money in that way, the National Tax Department would notice it immediately. They''ll know after checking it out that the ount is connected to Hello Corporation. After they start investigating, the method of their moneyundering might be noticed. The thing that they want to protect is not the two hundred million yen, but Kishiwada-kai."

    "Wha?" Tetsu-senpai made an unsure sound: "So you wanted to expose their illegal activities, right?"

    "It''s not like that."

    If we just wanted to expose them, it''ll be quicker to call the police. But NEET detectives are not polices. They just do their best toplete their client''s request.

    "We''re here."

    The Smart was parked at the borders of therge parking lot. Looking like he doesn''t have much space, Tetsu-senpai stretched his head from the back to my side to look outside the windows. t buildings were at the opposite of therge space.

    "¡­¡­ The bank?"

    "That''s right. The branch where Kusakabe Masaya opened his guild ount."

    I noticed a white van parked at the other side of the parking lot.

    "Isn''t that Hirasaka-gumi''s van?" Tetsu-senpai seemed to have noticed it as well. Yondaime took out his phone:

    "We''re here. I see you. Standby to rush out at any moment."

    After the simple message, he didn''t hang up.

    "Oi, Narumi. I don''t get it, hurry up and exin! What have you done!?"

    Tetsu-senpai shouted in my ears.

    "Shut up, Tetsu! Keep quiet!" Yondaime said. So that he can give orders at any moment, he didn''t hang up on the phone just now. I quietly exined again:

    "The donation haven''t started yet. I told them that the transaction would ur first thing next Monday. It''s Friday today, so the bank is going to end its business this week. If the money is donated, the National Tax Department would get to know about it. What would you do if you are Mikawa?"

    "¡­¡­ Think of ways to cancel the transaction."

    "That''s correct. But the thing is, Kusakabe Masaya is the owner of the ount."

    "Ah¡­¡­"

    It seems that senpai finally understood.

    But all of these are empty talk. If we aren''t able to get the results that we anticipated, then it will still be meaningless. Looking at the watch on my hand, it was already two fifty. Again, I felt as if my gut was shrinking.

    Would it be sessful? Would there be any loopholes? Did I sessfully say what I should have? While opening and closing my sweaty palms, I siletnly stared at the cars driving on the road. Not yet? They''re not here yet? Maybe my method wasn''t right, is it because my method was seen through?

    "Hey, but how do you donate it? The owner of the ount is Kusakabe, isn''t that right? If he, himself, don''t go, how could you transfer a sum of money like two hundred million yen?"

    "Aren''t you listening?" YOndaime said: "Alice probably did something about that."

    Just at that moment.

    A car-- a ck van, drove into the parking lot. I nearly cried out loud. Arge part at the rear of the van was caved in. It''s undeniable that it was caused by the collision with the van of Hirasaka-gumi. I said a weak voice that sounded like breathing, and even more like I''m trying to control my heartbeat:

    "Even if it''s Alice, she can''t do that."

    My tongue is almost starting to tremble. Hacking into the information of the bank archives and moving the money in the ount, such a serious matter-- no, Alice might really be able to do it. But we don''t have the time, or even the need.

    The door of the van was opened forcefully. The silhouettes who walked down were wearing gray suits or some rather filthy feather jackets, there were four¡­¡­ no, five.

    "What I did was just to bank in the two hundred million yen into the ount. The others were just fabrications."

    Yondaime looked at me disbelievingly for an instant.

    That''s right , most of them were just bluffs. The golden rule for lieing to other people-- mix in a lie in a lot of truths. Using over a hundred receipts of bank transactions, with a truth like this, I covered the lie after that.

    Our aim is to ensure Kusakabe Masaya''s safety. Because we don''t know where he''s imprisoned at, at can''t charge into enemy territory; so it''s better to just let them bring him to a certain ce instead. Telling them that critical harm would be caused if Kusakabe Masaya didn''t appear himself, with this reason--

    "I think you wouldn''t be a NEET in the future, but a fraud."

    Yondaime muttered that, but I didn''t listen closely to him. Yondaime shortly gave amand again to the phone, then the sound of the backpartment of the car came. The door of the driver''s seat opened too, and the cold wind blew onto my face.

    The fifth man walked down from the van. I saw his face from a photo before this, but he looks extremely fragile at the moment, the capable look on his face gone.

    Meo''s father.

    At the other side, the doors of the Hirasaka-gumi''s van opened, and some youngsters wearing shades, safety helmets and masks that blocked their faces walked down. In the tense atmospheere, at the silent world of the other side of the car window, the yakuza started to fight.

    After that, I saw two other people rushing out from the driver''s seat and the seat next to it from the ck van, then my innards started to hurt like they''re entangled by steel wires. They have six people too, and they''re holding retractable batons. In a sh, two of theckeys in Hirasaka-gumi were lying on the asphalt road, while Yondaime and Tetsu-senpai were grappling with two other enemies, and were bing pulled further from the ck van. I opened the lock of the car. But when faint roars came from the slightly open door, I froze. What could I do if I go? I can''t help out with anything anyways.

    The two staying near the van grabbed Kusakabe Masaya''s cor, trying to pull him back into the van. That wouldn''t do, it''ll be game over if he''s back on the van, there wouldn''t be a second chance. I forcefully pushed open the door, rolling down onto the floor of the parking lot, piteous shouts and sounds of fighting came into my ears. At a distance of more than ten meters from the van, my legs- my legs couldn''t move at all.

    Just at that moment, my gaze met with Kusakabe Masaya''s for an instant, separated by some distance.

    All that surfaced from his expression were the two words: give up.

    He sighed while giving in to their pulls to get back into the car. What''s with him! At least try to resist a bit? We''re here to save you, don''t you understand!? While shouting in an iprehensiblenguage, I ran. In the hopeless distance between the van and I, the yakuza on the car were about to close the door. It''s over, we can''t make it--

    "--DAD!"

    A sudden shout came from a young girl in this tense situation. Coffee colored wind. I have absolutely no idea where Meo''s delicate body flew out from. It was as though her outstretched hand pierced through the body of the ck car, poking into the seams of the van that was about to close.

    The sounds of bone fracturing echoed over to my position, while Meo couldn''t even scream. A yakuza walked over and roughly pulled on her braids, nning to pull away from the van. Stop it! Stop it!

    Just at that moment, the shrill shout of a man came from inside the ck van. I nned to leap towards the yakuza holding Meo''s hair, but was knocked down by him, and rolled on the asphalt road while seeing the next scene.

    The door of the ck van springed open, only to see the men in gray suits kicked out of the van and the hand of the man that Meo was holding with her arms.

    "Dad!"

    In the confusing screams, for some reason, only Meo''s voice was the clearest. Jumping down from the car, Kusakabe Masaya used the opportunity to knock down the yakuza grabbing his daughter''s hair, while that guy''s body rolled towards me and ttened me into pancake.

    I don''t really remember what happened after that moment.

    I vaguely remember that Tetsu-senpai and Pole carried the father and daughter to the white van of Hirasaka-gumi; while I dimly remember Yondaime shouting in my ears as well.

    When I woke up, I was already stuffed into the seat beside the driver''s seat in the Smart. The ringing in my ears kept spreading to somewhere near my waist, and my scratched right cheek felt hot and wet, and even my breathing wasn''t smooth.

    On the driver''s seat, Yondaime seemed to be panting as well. The Smart suddenly elerated, while the time that passed in my heart seemed to feel the eleration as well. Vigorously turning the steering wheel, then both the white and ck vans vanished from my vision. When he drove to the driveway, the nostalgic sound of the city surrounded me.

    As if being absorbed by the elerating car, my heartbeat slowly, gradually slowed.

    "¡­¡­ Erm, where is Tetsu-senpai?"

    It felt like my voice was somewhat fuzzy.

    "He''s in the other car. We have to get Kusakabe in hiding for some time."

    Ahhh, that''s right.

    We saved Kusakabe Masaya. I, myself, wasn''t too sure about the things that happened just now. Why was Meo there? Is her hand okay? Did anyone get caught? Did everyone escape?

    Kusakabe¡­¡­ Did Kusakabe Masaya treat Meo--

    I sank into fatigue and slow aches, it felt as though nothing matters now. My task ispleted. Though it was really a win, I just felt like having a good nap at that moment.

    "Oi, get a hold of yourself. You used five hundred people to deceive the yakuza. Do you understand?"

    Yondaime''s voice seemed fuzzy as well.

    "¡­¡­ I know that. Though I didn''t really do anything, and I wasn''t even confident that we would seed."

    I wasn''t sure if it was my voice trembling, but I wasn''t even sure if it''s my consciousness that''s fading instead.

    "I never thought that it would actually seed. People probably feel like that when they''re deceived."

    "¡­¡­ Letting Alice hack into their system was to show our power. Because of that, those people misunderstood that we could even do something with the bank ounts. Asking Major to block the telephone signals was to ensure that our phone number wouldn''t be found out. I think they probably weren''tpletely intimidated by me, and they might be suspicious as well. But if things were really true¡­¡­ Then there''s no turning back."

    And then, we waited until time was almost up before we rushed in. This is to let Mikawa think ''To be safe, it''s better if we bring Kusakabe Masaya to the bank''. I was betting on his ''to be safe'' thought.

    With the help of arge amount of people, using their misunderstanding, suspicion, self-protection-- finally, we managed to achieve our objective.

    But it would''ve failed if Meo didn''t appear.

    What am I doing? Involving hundreds of people, but I only took action through other people. At thest instant, I couldn''t even do anything.

    I think, the person who won was Meo, not me.

    A ttened Boston bag was ced below the passenger''s seat. Alice said that before, we must bring the bag back to Meo, as all the answers are inside.

    But this doesn''t matter now.

    Anyways-- so tired. I''m just thinking that I want to have a break today. Leaning my head on the seat, I closed my eyes. While listening to the sounds of the engine of the Smart, I sank into a temporary slumber.

 Volume 2, 7

    <h4>Volume 2, Chapter 7</h4>

    Meo was joyously picking her clothes. She changed her shirt or the ribbon tying up her hair every two minutes, and kept opening the door of the study to ask: ¡°Mr. Assistant, what do you think about this?¡± Any one would do! Really.

    Pole and Rocky smiled wryly, while Yondaime was sitting on the table grumpily. The manly atmosphere that filled Hirasaka-gumi was all but destroyed (But it¡¯s already like this since Meo appeared).

    A whole night passed after the incident, and it is now Saturday morning.

    As I stayed up in the night and was hurt, I fainted in Yondaime¡¯s car, they said that they couldn¡¯t wake me even with an elbow attack, and was carried to the bed in the office. That¡¯s why I wasn¡¯t too sure about things that happened after that. Ahhh, it¡¯s bad. I stayed outside for two days without telling my sister, I¡¯ll get killed.

    ¡°Oi, any one of them would do, just hurry up and scram! Hasn¡¯t the matter been solved already? Don¡¯t just stay here, Kusakabe is waiting for you!¡±

    Not hiding his impatience, Yondaime shouted at the door of the study.

    ¡°Okay! Thanks, Mr. Boss! Wait for awhile!¡±

    What answered him was an innocent voice.

    ¡°Where is that person right now?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s at the ce where a doctor I know stays. Though he¡¯s a surgeon, there¡¯s no other ce that he can go, as the underlings from Tabara-gumi are looking for him. He¡¯s just a bit weak right now, not too hurt.¡±

    When I think about it, why was Yondaime so sure from the start that Kusakabe Masaya¡¯s fingers were safe? Not only his fingers, his ears were alright as well. After confirming his safety, we noticed that he wasn¡¯t hurt, though rather weak.

    ¡°Oh, please. You¡¯ll figure it out after thinking for a bit.¡±

    Yondaime rolled his eyes.

    ¡°Tabara-gumi wants to portray him as the person who defalcated thepany, right? If they wanted to pretend that hemitted suicide, what would Kishiwada-kai think about it if he¡¯scking an ear or a finger? Obviously they¡¯ll know that he was imprisoned and tortured. At that time, they might be asked why didn¡¯t they hand him in right after catching him. So they must ensure Kusakabe Masaya¡¯s body is unharmed. The ears and fingers were probably from the underlings who did something wrong.¡±

    It¡¯s no wonder that Yondaime said that it was a random threat. I only understood that it was only a simple thing after hearing his exnation. Though the world is usually like this, it feels as if we have to continue to greet the next morning after a lost fight.

    ¡°Did Kusakabe request to see Meo himself?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, and he said that he¡¯ll pay too. But not a word of thanks. That¡¯s why I hate the yakuza.¡± Yondaime seemed to be somewhat annoyed: ¡°Remember to tell Alice to charge him appropriately. We¡¯re not doing volunteer work.¡±

    Oh, I see. So he wanted to see Meo.

    Then¡ª Meo indeed won.

    Though this isn¡¯t really a matter of winning or losing now.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Did you guys ask Kusakabe?¡±

    ¡°About what?¡±

    ¡°Why did he ask Meo to run away with the cash?¡±

    Why didn¡¯t he use other methods? Even for self-protection, he should have other choices. Why did he use a method that caused himself and Meo to be unable to move, there¡¯s no such need, right?

    ¡°Why would you want to know that, is there a need? It¡¯ll only make Alice happy.¡±

    ¡°You have a point¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°And don¡¯t ask even though you already know the answer, you¡¯re only simr to your owner in this matter.¡±

    Being criticized like this, I cringed:

    ¡°Though we know about it, there¡¯s a lot of ces where we don¡¯t really understand as well.¡±

    To Alice, this would be the truth but not the facts.

    In addition, Alice was still determined not to tell me anything about her request in my n even after the matter ended.

    Yondaime tsk-ed, and ruffled his hair.

    ¡°Look at the items that Kusakabe bought when you were monitoring the supermarket.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Eh?¡±

    Isn¡¯t that¡­¡­

    The matter that Alice was investigating. Maybe Yondaime knew about the meaning of this?

    ¡°Well¡­¡­ Things like a kitchen knife, deodorant, sewing kit, lighter.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t there something like a pair of scissors or knives?¡±

    How did you know? I blinked in surprise.

    ¡°Won¡¯t you know after just looking at it? Those were the tools to cut down the fingers.¡±

    Fingers?

    ¡°Their fingers are cut down if they did something wrong. Do you need a more detailed exnation? Though not much people would do this themselves. The scenes in movies when the palm is upwards are all lies. Actually, they must curve the fingers upwards with the palm downwards, fixate it with a kitchen knife or something then cut it down.¡±

    Ah¡­¡­ So the disposable chopsticks and bandages were for this. I unintentionally imagined the clumsy and bloody scene and felt a chill on my back¡ª Kusakabe Masaya was alone in the dark hut, cing his little finger on the finger cutting device that was like a primary school project.

    ¡°He probably wouldn¡¯t be able to see a doctor at that time. The cut part of the finger couldn¡¯t heal because bones were still jammed there. So they must use scissors or a small knife to cut it short, then sew the surrounding flesh together. The air freshening spray is actually used as an anesthetic. They wouldn¡¯t be able to feel anything for some time after spraying the whole can onto their fingers.¡±

    My face was probably stark white when he finished saying that.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Why¡­¡­¡­ did he want to do that?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s probably why he hid near the house of the boss of Kishiwada-kai. Probably to negotiate directly with him if all his arrangements couldn¡¯t work?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡±

    The yakuza are really a bunch of idiots, Yondaime said.

    ¡°It¡¯s about time to prepare the car.¡±

    Yondaime stood up, and turned his head back to say while he was about to walk out of the office:

    ¡°Kusakabe probably wants to retain the method of moneyundering as well.¡±

    The steel door closed slowly. I sighed. Since Alice refused to exin, Yondaime looked more like the detective this time¡­¡­ Birds of a feather, I suppose.

    This is actually a simple reason, it¡¯s just that I¡¯m too dumb to notice it.

    Even so, the answer would probably be crossed out if it is directly written on a paper, huh? The way of expressing it is too ironic. Thinking of Kusakabe Masaya¡¯s tragic decision so that he could protect his family, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a chill on my back.

    Hiding in the city while avoiding his pursuers, he called numerous other people too. Actually, he didn¡¯t do that so that he could escape overseas, he was looking for a medium to send the money overseas.

    He was trying to finishundering the two hundred million that Kishiwada-kai gave him that he couldn¡¯t finishundering it.

    I looked beside my foot. The Boston bag was just like a shell that was left over after an organism shedded it. All the answers.

    ¡°I¡¯ve decided!¡±

    The door of the study suddenly opened, and Meo rushed out.

    It was an elegant white dress with frills on the side, daringly showing her shoulders. Though it¡¯s only April, is the brain of this girl in summer mode all year? As it was short sleeved, the bandages around her left wrist could be clearly seen¡ª her hand that tried to grab her father¡¯s hand at that moment.

    Meo¡¯s hand¡ª definitely caught it.

    ¡°Is your hand okay?¡±

    ¡°Eh? Ah, yeah. Though it still hurts a bit, the bones should be okay. It¡¯s my first time doing an X-ray, it¡¯s so fun.¡±

    This girl¡¯s life really seems to be quite happy.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Why did you appear there?¡±

    Telling you not to run out alone for so many times, but my requests were just useless. Meo¡¯s face clouded over for a moment.

    ¡°Erm¡­¡­ well¡­¡­ Sorry. But¡­¡­¡±

    Meo nced at Pole and Rocky standing at the entrance.

    ¡°I told them. Told them that I wanted to go. Then they brought me there.¡±

    I turned around to look at the two. Pole and Rocky lowered their heads with their faces red. Don¡¯t do that, it¡¯s disgusting. Don¡¯t they have any resistance towards women?

    ¡°Aniki, please forgive us. Sou-san scolded us because of this yesterday¡­¡­¡± Pole joined his palms together, lowering his head to apologize to me.

    I shook my head. Actually, I wasn¡¯t about to me them.

    Because the one who won was Meo.

    ¡°Mr. Assistant, is your wound okay?¡±

    ¡°Mnn¡ª ? I¡¯m okay, don¡¯t worry.¡±

    I used my hand to touch my cheek covered with gauze. You really can¡¯t say that I¡¯m hurt like this. Compared with the prices that the others had to pay, mine is more like dust.

    Compared with the burden that Kusakabe Masaya and Meo are shouldering¡­¡­

    ¡°¡­¡­ Meo knew it from the start?¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    ¡°Why did your father run away? Why did he tell you to hide the money? The reason he told you not to call the police?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t really understand things that are tooplicated¡­¡­¡± Meo tilted her head. ¡°But the building is where dad, mom and I lived. If dad is not there, the big sisters would be troubled too. That¡¯s why I believed that he woulde back.¡±

    Being able to continue to live at Hello Pce, Meo continued to believe this until now. Believing that everything will return to its original state.

    Kusakabe Masaya, himself, believed that such a miracle will ur as well.

    Thest words that he shouted out in that phone call¡ª the Thai that he said only to Meo.

    ¡°Those words¡­¡­ I¡¯m not really sure what that means. He said ¡®You have many mothers¡¯. Maybe he¡¯s talking about the big sisters in the building? Don¡¯t worry because there¡¯s a lot of people, does he mean that?¡±

    The words passed through Meo, and went into Alice¡¯s ears.

    Being able to read the meaning in those words like that isn¡¯t easy at all.

    He did all that just to protect that building.

    To protect the people gathered at his side from all parts of Asia¡ª his family.

    The matter that he is most scared of, is the dirty money of unknown sources in his hands¡ª he¡¯s afraid that the fact that the moneyundering ability of Hello Pce has reached its limits would be known by Kishiwada-kai. If Kishiwada-kai knows of this, they would definitely just abandon Hello Pce. If they abandoned the moneyundering too, the yakuza would probably get rid of Hello Pce that was their filter, while the people who lived there would be unable to continue living in Japan. Calling the police would have the same results.

    That¡¯s why he chose to run.

    The more surprising thing is, he really pretended that he defalcated thepany. Since he had no way of getting near to his home, he called Meo to take away the money. Mikawa and Tabara-gumi probably felt surprised too, huh? Because they didn¡¯t even know what Kusakabe Masaya¡¯s motive was.

    Which means, no that Kishiwada-kai would not realize that there are still ¡®¡®money that haven¡¯t beenundered¡¯¡¯, they pretended that he ¡®¡®did notunder the money, but took it¡¯¡¯. The only thing that he could do is to get more time. Frantically running away, struggling, praying and waiting for a miracle to ur. What an idiot, how could things return to its original state?

    But Meo shook her head while smiling:

    ¡°There¡¯s no such thing. Because Dad is still alive. It¡¯s okay as long as he¡¯s still alive. There would be a day when things would return to its original state.¡±

    As long as he¡¯s alive¡­¡­

    Meo squatted down with her back to me and opened the zipper of the Boston bag. Using her hands to search inside. All the answers are hidden in the secret pocket in the back of the bag. I searched for it and pulled out the thing hidden inside it.

    I saw this before, it¡¯s a pure white phone that was the same model as Kusakabe Masaya¡¯s. After I opened the phone, a group photo of a man and a woman at a beach somewhere appeared on the screen. The Kusakabe Masaya in the photo was probably just over thirty, while the woman beside him was the spitting image of Meo.

    The answers are always the simplest. Though I don¡¯t know how Alice noticed this.

    There was absolutely no need for Kusakabe Masaya to stay in touch with Meo. Because he knows of Meo¡¯s exact location anytime.

    Because at Meo¡¯s side¡ª Meo¡¯s mother is always with her.

    ¡°Mr. Assistant, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Meo tried to peek from the back, but I hurriedly stuffed the phone back into the hidden pocket and zipped it up. Because Kusakabe Masaya once said that he¡¯d give it back to her when she¡¯s older, so it¡¯s better to respect his wishes for now.

    While thinking about this, he¡¯s actually by his wife¡¯s side all along as well.

    Using this bag to carry the money used in moneyundering each month, probably it isn¡¯t just to prevent loss or robbery, huh?

    Meo and I walked out of the office in between Pole and Rocky, then took the elevator to the first floor. Gentle rays of light shone out from the scale-shaped clouds, it¡¯s just before noon on Saturday. Yondaime¡¯s Civic (how many cars does this guy have anyways?) was waiting for us on the slope in front of the building.

    At the instant when she got onto the car, Meo turned over her head and said:

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Mr. Assistant. I¡¯ll tell my dad about what you said to me.¡±

    My jaw dropped. Say what?

    ¡°If that¡¯s not okay, then I¡¯ll leave it in Mr Assistant¡¯s hands. When Meo is sixteen, you¡¯re probably eighteen already, right?¡±

    If it¡¯s not okay¡­¡­ What does that mean? And what does she mean by leaving it in my hands?

    ¡°Thank you so much. A huge¡­¡­ Thank you!¡±

    Looking at the Civic 3 driving away, Pole suddenly said.

    ¡°I really have to report this to ane-san. Betraying her is really bad.¡±

    Rocky answered:

    ¡°But as you¡¯re our aniki, it¡¯s better if other people talk behind your back.¡±

    What are you guys talking about?

    *

    I suddenly realized that my spring break is nearing its end, the week passed in a sh.

    Yesterday, I went back to Hanamaru Ramen Shop to continue my job after sending Meo away. I dragged my tired body back home. I haven¡¯t slept at home for quite some time now. I didn¡¯t wake up until the radiant sun shone onto my eyes from the seams between the curtains. Sleepily looking at the clock, it was already ten.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t make your breakfast.¡±

    Those were the cold words by my sister when I finished changing and walked down to the first floor. I could only fill my stomach with bananas and oranges, then went back to my room. I¡¯ve passed my probation and would start working officially today, so I¡¯ll just eat at Hanamaru as an employee then.

    To me, the matter had already ended, but I would sometimes search online for news rted to this.

    Until yesterday, my sense of danger had already numbed. When I calmly think back about things, the things that I¡¯ve done had already brushed past crimes. The employees in Hello Corporation saw my face too. It¡¯s okay for me, but the violence by Hirasaka-gumi might already beined now.

    Up till now, the assault at the bank parking lot yesterday hadn¡¯t been exposed yet, and there¡¯s no sign that the police are investigating the matter. But indeed, I did something that Tabara-gumi would mind (about this, Yondaime told me not to be so worried of it, and nothing would happen), would I really be okay? I really feel uneasy if I can really return to the ordinary life of a normal high school student.

    The bells of the school would ring at about half past ten.

    Ignoring that, I continued to browse webpages meaninglessly, and then I heard footsteps walking up the stairs.

    ¡°There¡¯s a frivolous guy called Kuwabara or something at the entrance, he said he¡¯s here to pick you up.¡± My sister said. I was taken aback and sprung up from the chair. Is it Hiro?

    A blue imported car was parked in front of my house.

    ¡°Your sister is so pretty, can you introduce her to me?¡±

    The first thing that Hiro told me when he saw me was that¡­¡­ This guy is really¡­¡­

    ¡°Erm¡­¡­ Is there anything wrong? Why didn¡¯t you call me before you came here?¡±

    ¡°You might run away if I called you.¡±

    The voice of a young girl came from behind Hiro. In shock, I straightened my back. The window of the backseat was open, and I saw a small teddy bear and lustrous ck hair. Why is Alice¡­¡­?

    ¡°Just get on the car first.¡±

    Hiro opened the car and forced me into the car, beside Alice. The dress that Alice wore was warm-colored, with a slight country style, having squarettice patterns on it and has frilly sides. She looks really like a doll in that.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that you have so many clothes.¡±

    ¡°If possible, I would wear mourning clothes when I go out. But I can¡¯t wear that because of our destination.¡±

    Today¡¯s destination?

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have to work part time at Hanamaru Ramen Shop today as well? Today is thest day of the spring break, so you¡¯ll only be free on today. Hiro, let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Erm¡­¡­ Where are we goi¡ª¡±

    Hiro¡¯s car elerated, and I was flung onto the seat, and couldn¡¯t even finish my question.

    ¡°Be careful! You¡¯ll squash the present!¡±

    After Alice said that, I immediately noticed the box. It was a ck box with Hanamaru printed on it.

    ¡°A present?¡±

    ¡°Master¡¯s special ice cream cake. You didn¡¯t squash it, did you?¡±

    The box was slightly squashed, and the lid was almost open. Looking into the box, there were four cake-shaped ice cream decorated with chocte and biscuits that were surrounded with dry ice.

    ¡°It seems okay¡­¡­ What a special ice cream.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s an Easter egg.¡±

    Easter egg?

    ¡°It¡¯s Easter today. Don¡¯t you know that? It¡¯s to celebrate Jesus Christ¡¯s revival three days after being executed on a cross. Almost all Japanese would celebrate Christmas, but not much people know of the exact day of Easter. It might be because this day is not just a celebration, since there were sufferings first, the miracle was more valuable. Even so¡­¡­¡±

    Alice closed the lid.

    ¡°I¡¯m a proud Japanese without any integrity. I just want to enjoy the taste of the ice cream. I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s Good Friday or Sabbath, just leave that to Kusakabe Masaya. We just need to celebrate the miracle of reunion.¡±

    The miracle of reunion?

    Our conversation stopped there.

    Alice gazed at the back of the driver¡¯s seat. Hiro silently steered the steering wheel. The posh imported car felt just like a deep sea fish that was well taught, silently sliding on the road. Where are we going to? From the direction, we¡¯re not going to the station or Hanamaru Ramen Shop.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Don¡¯ you have anything to ask?¡±

    Alice asked softly.

    ¡°Would you answer me if I asked?¡±

    ¡°No, I probably wouldn¡¯t tell you anything.¡±

    Hiro¡¯s shoulders seemed to shake for a moment. He wasughing. As usual, Alice is a really detestable person. I already knew what she was thinking about, so I wouldn¡¯t me her for not telling me anything at that time.

    ¡°Then can I say anything I want? These are just my sudden thoughts, but you just need to listen.¡±

    ¡°Suit yourself.¡±

    An expressionless answer, but through the small teddy bear, Alice was still holding the sleeves of my shirt tightly.

    ¡°¡ª I originally nned to deposit all of the two hundred million yen into Kusakabe Masaya¡¯s ount, but you stopped me, right? Then we deposited part of the money into the ount of the guild, while the rest, into other unknown ounts.¡±

    Alice nodded lightly.

    When I told her the contents of my n that time, the thing that Alice requested me to do was this. Which means, the donation to Kishiwada-kai wasn¡¯t the only lie that I told to Mikawa.

    Actually, there was only about ten million yen in Kusakabe Masaya¡¯s ount. Even though the receipts were only worth ten million yen, if only you ce arge stack of receipts before them as bait, it would be enough. Alice said that at that time, and it indeed happened as she said. I think they¡¯d probably don¡¯t have the time to check all of the receipts of the five hundred people, right?

    ¡°Though I didn¡¯t investigate this, and they¡¯re only my assumptions, all of the ounts are probably Kishiwada-kai¡¯s ounts opened everywhere using other people¡¯s names¡ª isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    The side of Alice face froze slightly. From this moment on, it would be the territory that Alice wanted to protect.

    ¡°Alice, you went through moneyundering as well.¡±

    I slowly said that, as though it was a sigh.

    I think, that is the only answer.

    Separate the dirty money from unknown sources, depositing the money using different names into a few hundred ounts, hiding the source of money and returning it to Kishiwada-kai. That is moneyundering.

    But why?

    The reason is actually really simple. Alice was just helping Kusakabe Masaya, who stayed in the city though he was at risk,pleting his task. To deal with the money that hadn¡¯t beenundered yet. So that Kishiwada-kai would not abandon Hello Pce. To protect¡ª the home of Kusakabe Masaya, Meo, Yi Ling-san and the others.

    This is already not what a detective does. As Alice have said herself. Besides¡ª

    ¡°Isn¡¯t moneyundering a crime? If you know their ounts, you would be arrested if you were exposed that you instigated other people to transfer the money. Though I¡¯m not too sure about this, this method is probably not too good, because the chances of getting exposed is quite high. So¡­¡­¡±

    I stared at Alice¡¯s face that was like a doll:

    ¡°So that¡¯s why you didn¡¯t tell me anything, isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    Transferring the money was Alice¡¯s own orders, I only followed her instructions. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t do anything wrong at all. I¡¯m not sure if it really is that great, but that was the way that Alice chose to protect me.

    I closed my mouth. Actually I really feel like saying this to her¡­¡­ You say that you don¡¯t have any way to save or protect anyone, those are all lies, but I couldn¡¯t say it out loud.

    What¡¯s the reason? I don¡¯t know.

    There was a long silence. Hiro¡¯s car avoided the road that was in a traffic jam, then drove to a wide road after passing by three traffic lights.

    ¡°¡ª Now, do you understand the emptiness of digging out the words of the dead?¡±

    Alice said with a hoarse voice.

    I nodded. These matters are meaningless to anyone, but there¡¯s no way of expressing it besides using words. Alice kept repeating this, hurting her own soul again and again.

    ¡°So it¡¯s meaningless now, isn¡¯t that right? Meo and Kusakabe Masaya, you and I are still alive, and must continue to live on. Kishiwada-kai probably knows of the truth of the defalcation now. Even so, the burdens that Kusakabe Masaya was shouldering will not disappear; the mess that Mikawa cooked up must be handled by him and hispany. Those are the rules of the yakuza. Additionally, the fact that the ability of their moneyundering had reached its limits cannot be changed, and the time that it copses can only be dyed. No matter how a detective ys his tricks, buying time, the things that had been damaged cannot be returned to its original state. Even so¡ª¡±

    Alice looked at the scenery outside the windows. The car drove onto the slope, and the scenery around us felt rather familiar.

    ¡°Even so, we have to continue to live on. Gather the fragments to cover up the cracks, using a broken oar to row in the water. We have to live on if we are still alive¡ª that is the order that God gave to all living organisms, and NEETs are not excluded from this. So let¡¯s think of people who are still living. See, we¡¯re here.¡±

    People who are still living¡ª

    Eh? We¡¯re here?

    The car stopped silently, it looks like a parking lot. There were countless white lines on the asphalt road, while there weren¡¯t many cars there. I went closer to the window of the car to look outside, and I could see quite a fewrge buildings at my left.

    I know this building. The name of the hospital that was hung on therge entrance was still fresh in my mind.

    ¡°Hurry up and get down, don¡¯t forget the present we brought for the patient.¡±

    Alice kept using the head of her teddy to push my head, while I opened the door and walked down unsteadily like a dolt.

    ¡°I heard that Ayaka regained consciousness yesterday.¡±

    I only understood what Hiro meant after a long time.

    Ayaka¡­¡­ Regained consciousness?

    ¡°What are you spacing out there for?¡±

    After walking down the car, Alice used the bear to push on my waist while pulling on my sleeve:

    ¡°Are you still going to say something like you don¡¯t want to see her or something like that?¡±

    ¡°Eh? Ah, no¡­¡­¡±

    Thinking of people that are still alive.

    Meo said this before, as long as we are still alive, it will definitely return to its original state. So that I would believe those innocent words, I¡¯ve already went through many meaningless things. Even so¡­¡­ Even so¡­¡­

    Even if I don¡¯t believe in it, miracles still mercilessly, uncaringly, unmovingly happens on any person. Even if nobody notices it, even if nobody is thankful for it.

    ¡°That¡¯s why we need four Easter eggs. Listen, if Ayaka can¡¯t eat the ice cream yet, I want two. Do you hear that, Narumi?¡±

    ¡°Mnn, I hear you.¡±

    I nodded weakly in answer.

    Hiro looked at us while smiling, then walked towards the entrance of the hospital. Alice pushed on my back. With her unreliable hands, her unreliable power.

    Then¡ª

    Let¡¯s just think about people who are still alive.

    I reconfirmed the weight of the box of ice cream in my hands again, and walked towards Hiro¡¯s silhouette.

 Volume 2, Afterword

    <h4>Volume 2, Afterword</h4>

    This year, it¡¯s the first time I reported what they call personal taxes. Since the taxes aren¡¯t much, since just one publisher published my book, the calctions are quite simple. The time for my job isn¡¯t set, and the Tax Office is only fifteen minutes from my house by bike¡ª with such great conditions, I only made my request at thest minute- fourteenth of March- because of myziness. I let my friends handle the calctions this time because of myziness, but I really don¡¯t know what to do next year. I originally had more fees to report, but I lost all the receipts for my electricity bills. And I even thought: can I im this fee or that fee as expenditure? As it¡¯s the first time that I had to take note about the concept of ¡®taxes¡¯, that was how the second story came to be.

    ¡­¡­ Actually, all of them are just lies, sorry. How could a story that I thought of in March be published in June? My writing speed is already so slow, too. Though this isn¡¯t really funny, since I have four pages this time too, I¡¯ll continue to write on.

    About how I thought about this story, actually it¡¯s because of my tax evasion¡ª oh, not really. From the point of tax saving, I feel that this is actually quite important.

    Let¡¯s say that I would publish a novel with music as its theme, then I bought the CDs that the songs appeared in to im it as expenditure. When the Tax Office finds the receipt of the CD, they might just say: ¡°You didn¡¯t just buy this because you wanted to use it as reference, but to im the fees of the CD as expenditure, which is why you just crammed the song into the song, isn¡¯t that right¡± or other suspicions like that. So that the truth wouldn¡¯t be seen through and then get chased for the taxes, I must first write this in the afterword as a precaution. For instance: I thought of the structure of the story on X day X month! Then, as long as the date on the receipt ister than the date in the afterword, it could prove that I bought it for reference.

    Actually an afterword is just what it seems to be, you write it afterwards; so you can¡¯t use it as evidence¡ª please don¡¯t tell the Tax Office about this.

    The story kept talking about dirty money from the start of the story, which means, this book is a story about money. If we change the two hundred million yen into concrete objects, what would you think of? If you answer, twenty million True(?) Choctes immediately, it feels like your age would be revealed at once; if you answer two twenty million umaibos, your background would be known as well.

    When I thought about using ¡®the girl who rushed into the detective agency holding two hundred million yen¡¯ as the start of the story, I recalled a client that would appear asionally at the mahjong parlor that I worked at before this. He said: ¡°Though human lives cannot be bought with money¡­¡­ But you can sell them. If you want to utterly destroy someone, the money that you can get from it would probably be twenty million yen. It would be the same even with poor people.¡±

    In reality, he was dead drunk when he said that, and his words could only be described as fragmented, so what he said was actually quite brief. ording to him, two hundred million yen would be equal to the value of ten people. Since his eyes were quite scary, I dare not ask him, how do you get twenty million yen from a person? So those might just be him talking nonsense.

    From that day on, I never saw him ever again. Maybe he spitted out twenty million like blowing out bubbles, sinking in the dark swamps of Shinjuku.

    As for the three man mahjong that appeared in the book, it was a rule that I learnt from a mahjong parlor, but when I checked from the inte recently, I realized that it was only used at the area that I worked in. There¡¯s another variation of mahjong that was quite simr to it, my boss probably improvised it to create his own version. Not using the North Wind tile as the Flower tile, but Field Wind, it seems that this was a special rule from Hokkaido, where my boss came from.

    As for why I¡¯m writing so much about things that most readers cannot understand, it¡¯s actually because of my personal expectancy. Awaiting some readers that would perhaps share the same knowledge of mahjong as me, and so would read more when he got this book.

    We might have already brushed past each other at a dark corner of the Shinjuku mahjong parlor, surviving in the swamp, but reuniting after years through the afterword of this novel¡ª that would really be a small but precious miracle.

    It might even be the him or him who disappeared after borrowing money from me. Though I said I wanted to write the afterword seriously, now it¡¯s ruined again. Please give me back my money!

    We obtained the help of my responsible editor Yuasa(?)-sama and illustrator Kishida Mel-sensei and the others this time as well, and we finished this novel after giving quite some effort. Ipletely, definitely, absolutely did not increase the chances for Yondaime¡¯s part just because I want to see the illustrations of him, I really didn¡¯t do it. But the drafts of Yondaime and Meo that I received matched the image of them in my mind very well, it really made me so happy. As usual, please let me use this chance to express my gratitude to all of you, thank you.

    April 2007 ,Hikaru Sugii

 Volume 3, 1

    <h4>Volume 3, Chapter 1</h4>

    Ayaka has returned.

    Many things have happened, but still, she returned.

    And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to evesting life, and some to shame and evesting contempt.

    --Daniel 12:2.

    When I pushed the rooftop door open, wind reached the dark, dusty stairs and my eyes met the y-colored light of the sky. It was as though the silhouettes of the buildings shot right through the dark clouds. The ramen shop and detective agency where I worked at was in this five floors high building, though it was only five floors high, thendscape waspletely different to the view from the ground and the view from the school¡¯s rooftop.

    ¡°Narumi, stop spacing out. Quick, look at the state of the nters.¡±

    After saying that, I was pushed from the back. Stepping out to the cramped rooftop, I looked around but there didn¡¯t seem to be anything on the bare concrete floor, so I turned around and asked:

    ¡°Where are they?¡±

    The girl with a teddy bear under her arm, wearing light-blue pajamas and having long ck hair that formed a shawl around her shoulders pointed at the ceiling above the staircase.

    ¡°Up there. It¡¯s where they get the most sunlight.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±

    I climbed the metaldder and looked at the small concrete roof. Long and narrow stic pots were lined up there. Above the soil there were narrow stems interweaving with leaves, and glossy bright red fruits dangling from them. Strawberries.

    ¡°They look ripe enough to eat.¡±

    I bent down to look at the door and report to Alice from between my legs, while she shoved a metal bowl into my nose.

    ¡°Well then, pick them. And take care of the stumps after that while you¡¯re at it. You¡¯re in the gardening club after all, right?¡±

    Apparently Min-san¡¯s growing method was good, since the harvest was quite plentiful. There were like, around a hundred strawberries there.

    As I carefully plucked them one by one, I asked Alice who was at my feet:

    ¡°Hey, but, weren¡¯t you talking about a payday? Why are we gathering strawberries?¡±

    This pajama-d, self-proimed detective little girl is my employer. Today, I came to the NEET detective office after school and she said she was going to pay me for my work as a detective assistant, bringing me along to the rooftop.

    ¡°What do you mean by why? Those strawberries are your payment.¡±

    I almost fell t on my back from the roof. My upper torso dangled in the air, but I held onto the concrete edge and avoided falling down.

    ¡°Be careful! If the bowl falls, the strawberries will be ruined.¡±

    I nced at the sulking upside-down Alice. Worry a little about me too, will you!?

    As I finished picking up my ruby-colored sry and climbed down the roof, Alice stared at the bowl.

    ¡°Just thinking that these are your sry makes people feel like eating them. How I should eat them this year? Anyways, just pluck off the stems first!¡±

    ¡°Hey, hold on! You¡¯re gonna eat them?¡±

    ¡°Well, you looked somewhat dissatisfied with the strawberries, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°No, that''s not the point¡­¡­¡±

    I nearly got serious there, the problem is I don''t want the strawberries as my sry!

    ¡°You have an ie, right? So, why strawberries?¡±

    ¡°Good grief. You have before your very eyes these beautiful fruits of the earth not evenparable to ten thousand stars, yet what you actually desire is some cold-hearted money? There are many things in this world that can¡¯t be bought with money.¡±

    ¡°Strawberries can be bought with money!¡±

    Alice took a brown envelope from behind her teddy bear and shoved it into my face, then pulled the bowl out of my hands.

    ¡°Congrattions. With this, you are employed. Now you won''t be a NEET even if you drop out of school. That''s all for now.¡±

    What the hell. Why don''t you just be honest and hand it to me? I sat on the doorstep, counting the contents of the envelope. The amount was far more than I had expected. Is it really okay for me to take this? It made the hourly 700 yen rate of the ramen shop¡¯s part-time job look meaningless.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. I earn more than that.¡± Alice said as she squatted beside me.

    ¡°Even though you¡¯re a NEET¡­¡±

    ¡°Like I always tell you, being a NEET and running an independent business does not contradict each other, because that''s how it''s defined.¡±

    ¡°Why did they make such aplicated definition anyway?¡±

    Since Alice was staring at me from a close distance, it made me feel rather embarrassed. I averted my eyes and fixed them on the concrete floor.

    ¡°¡­This word originated from Ennd. You know that much, right?¡±I nodded as Alice began her exnation.

    ¡°It all started in 1999, with a report presented by a part of the UK cab office called the Social Exclusion Unit named ¡®New opportunities for 16-18 year olds not in education, employment or training¡¯. That report¡¯s objective was to assess how many 16-18 year olds were not in education, work or training, analyze the reasons, and produce proposals to reduce the numbers. You see? It was necessary to count them first, so the overwhelming minority of people under 18 who were unemployed but actually had an ie weren¡¯t differentiated nor excluded from the counting process. Even Sid Vicious would have been considered a NEET if he had been born a quarter of centuryter. ¡°

    Alice and I both looked up to the cloudy sky that connected us with Ennd, thinking for a brief moment about that Punk Rocker who had died long before we were born.

    ¡°When the term reached Japan, the definition was altered, but the fundamental idea has not changed.

    ording to the book of Daniel, we are numbered, numbered, weighed, divided. I suppose that¡¯s the reason why we are ssified like that. Even so, we''re not being categorized due to a certain reason, so the term NEET is actually just like a randombel that¡¯s stuck on a shelf. It¡¯s more like a meaningless acronym. For this reason¡ª¡°

    Alice stood up, with the bowl on her right hand and the teddy bear on her left hand. Her long ck hair flowed over her shoulders and back like a river in winter, and a soft smile adorned her smooth, pale face.

    ¡°For this reason, I¡¯ve chosen this word: As a tetragramaton to define myself. As a way to not have to use my arms and legs in the name of the country. As a way to spread soil and nt seeds all over this emptiness.¡±

    And with that, Alice gave me that stern look again. I realized she was waiting for me to say something. I sighed and shook my head.

    ¡°Sorry. I don¡¯t get what you¡¯re saying.¡±

    She just smiled broadly again. Her long hair waved as she began to walk down the stairs.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t understand, it¡¯s one of the reasons why you¡¯re still by my side after all. You probably can¡¯t even guess how much you have supported me with your stupidity and insensitivity.¡±

    Uhh. Are you making a fool out of me or are you praising me?

    ¡°Both, of course.¡±

    ¡°I know that!¡±

    We took the strawberries to the ramen store on the first floor and Min-san decided to make jam out of them.

    ¡°This breed is rather sour, so they¡¯re perfect for jam¡±.

    She said, putting a pot on the stove. After sprinkling sugar on the strawberries to draw the juice out of them, she began heating them up, without stirring too much so as to leave some lumps.

    Min-san was the young shopkeeper of Hanamaru Ramen, the ce where I worked part-time. She usually wore a sarashi and a tanktop that made her look more like one of those Yakuza women who were at gambling rooms than a chef, but she was actually an expert in confectionery.

    A bittersweet scent filled the ramen shop¡¯s kitchen. It was already way past the opening time and the soup broth was also being cooked, but still, is this okay? Wouldn¡¯t the customers run away?

    ¡°Master, I want to eat it fresh.¡±

    Alice was sitting on the kitchen¡¯s backdoor step, pattering the door with her feet. She was actually a hikikomori, so it was quite unusual to see here to the store. Just how much is she looking forward to those strawberries?

    ¡°Is jam something you have to eat freshly made?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you can¡¯t find words in your vocabry to describe that vor.¡±

    She was actually right. She actually tasted the jam with warm yoghurt. The strawberry juice spreading through the whiteness made it look great.

    ¡°It¡¯s actually so delicious while it¡¯s warm¡­ I didn¡¯t know that.¡±

    ¡°Do you understand the reason why I left my fort to wait here now?¡±

    Alice was unimaginably picky with her food, but when it came to sweet stuff such as Min-san¡¯s ice creams, she would dly eat them without anyint.

    ¡°So, will this be Narumi¡¯s sry? Ahh, this month has been hard, so it¡¯s a relief.¡±

    I heard Min-san say that while I was carrying more yoghurt to my mouth, so I almost dropped the spoon from my hand. You too?!

    "Please pay me a proper sry! I work for you very seriously!"

    ¡°Fine, fine. Next I¡¯m going to put this in a jar¡±

    Just leave the jam already!

    But Min-san really started filling what looked like an empty kimchi jar, and then a smaller one, probably a menma jar.

    ¡°It will be better to eat this as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°Why are there two jars?¡±

    ¡°The smaller one is for Ayaka, isn¡¯t it obvious?¡±

    Alice who was now sitting by my side answered. I received the jar and ced it on myp. I looked at both Alice and Min-san¡¯s faces for an instant and then lowered my gaze to look at my own feet.

    ¡°Give it to her; it¡¯ll give you an excuse to bring her here.¡±

    Min-san said in a tone as if nothing happened. She might not even noticed me nodding faintly.

    Ayaka.

    The girl who was once a part-time worker at this shop, and also my friend. She jumped off the school¡¯s rooftop and had been slumbering for a long time, but she returned.

    If that was a miracle,then¡­

    Just how much of a cynic God is?

    Alice pulled my sleeve as if she was reading my thoughts.

    ¡°¡­Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Like I already told you, that¡¯s not a miracle.¡±

    I absent-mindedly looked at her face, tilting my head.

    ¡°She woke up. That¡¯s simply the reality. This is the reason that everyone can''t notice miracles,so your only choice is to ept it.¡±

    I turned my face away from Alice and fixed my gaze on the jar on myp. The light of the fluorescentmp gave the jam a pigeon blood-red glow.

    Reality¡­

    The shop¡¯s door opened, a regr costumer had arrived. He ordered a shio ramen while frowning at the sweet scent that filled the air, so I left the jar and got up.

    *

    Ayaka was absent for the whole first year¡¯s third academic term and didn¡¯t wake up until four months after that, so she also lost around three months of her second year.

    After being absent for such a long time, normally she wouldn¡¯t be able to be promoted, obviously, but she still ended up attending ss 2-4 with us because of special circumstances. I don¡¯t really know what kind of agreement the school had with Ayaka¡¯s parents and doctor. To be honest, I think it''s better if they directly let her repeat the year.

    The day after I got my payment, I put the jam jar inside my bag and went to school. I was running quitete but still somehow made it before the first bell. A group of girls were gathered three seats away from my seat. Among the crowd, I noticed a pair of metallic crutches. It was depressing just to look at them.

    ¡°Ayaka, your hair is growing really fast!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s almost the same length as before by now, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Did you really have your head shaved?¡±

    ¡°Yup, it waspletely cropped, I have a photo. See?¡±

    ¡°Uwah, is that really you?¡± ¡°Didn''t you see it already when you went to visit before this?¡±

    ¡°They say your hair grows faster when you¡¯re unhealthy.¡± ¡°They also say the faster your hair grows, the more perverted you are, right?¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t it be the opposite?¡± ¡°Ah, Fujishima is here, Ayaka.¡±

    Ah, they saw me. I pretended not to hear them, cing my bag on my desk while wishing for the bell just ring already.

    At that moment, the crowd broke up, revealing Ayaka sitting in the middle. She doesn''t look any different from before, as if the Angel Fix incident was just a lie.

    It might have been a lie as well, at least for Ayaka, it was as if it really never happened. After all, she¡ª

    ¡°Uhm. Good morning to you.¡± Ayaka said with an unnatural smile.

    The girls around us started to joke about her formal tone, and everyone in the ssroom looked puzzled by the situation, waiting for my response. Never mind the others, even I, myself, don''t know how to respond.

    I sighed,taking the jar out of my bag and handing it to her. Ayaka stared at the ruby red jam with her eyes widened.

    ¡°Uh¡­ This is from Min-san. She asked me to give it to you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Min-san is¡­?¡±

    I gulped as if I had just tasted rotten jam. It had been a week since Ayaka had returned to school but I hadn¡¯t talked to her about Hanamaru at all. It was painful having to exin her question, so I could only give her a short answer.

    ¡°She¡¯s the owner of a ramen shop.¡±

    ¡°The ce where you work, Fujishima-san?¡±

    You worked there too, Ayaka¡­¡­ I wanted to tell her that, but I couldn''t say it, so I just turned around and returned to my seat.

    The bell finally rang, saving me from my dilemma.

    *

    ¡°She speaks so formally to you and even calls you Fujishima-san, must be tough¡­¡±

    My ssmates who had pulled me to the bathroom during the break said that to me. I gave a faint nod. Her face was the same but not her memories and the way she talked to me, and that rendered me unable to respond to her.

    ¡°Ahh, she addresses me with san too so it¡¯s not that bad ain¡¯t it?¡± ¡°That''s because girls never spoke casually to you!¡±

    ¡°But why is it that Shinozaki actually remembers things like where the music room was and all that stuff?¡± ¡°They say that lifestyles can''t be easily forgotten.¡± ¡°She also remembered me as a kind and nice person.¡± ¡°She was just ttering you.¡±

    I read something like that somewhere too when I did a little research.

    Generalized amnesia. People who suffer this kind of memory loss forget about some things about their past entirely, but some other things are just partially forgotten or not forgotten at all. The special circumstances regarding her promotion to our ss were probably rted to her rehabilitation. It isn¡¯t going to be easy for her to regain her lost memories about the people she used to interact with. The only problem is, I still had to see her face every day and have unnatural-sounding conversations.

    I kept telling myself I had to endure it, because it is for Ayaka¡¯s sake and it would help her remember, but I couldn¡¯t help but find it depressing to go back to the ssroom.

    ¡°But y¡¯know, there¡¯s this rxed atmosphere in the ssroom when Ayaka is there, that hasn¡¯t changed.¡± ¡°She can¡¯t keep up with the ss, though.¡± ¡°She was already like that before this.¡±

    ¡°I did worse than Shinozaki in yesterday¡¯s quiz actually, what should I do?¡± ¡°Go take private lessons¡± ¡°Go back to first year¡± ¡°Actually, go back to elementary school¡±

    I absent-mindedly listened to my ssmates¡¯ conversation and began to think I was the only one who was bothered. Probably because only for me this meant losing so many things. The times I spent with Ayaka. The things weughed about and the things we cried about together.

    I want her to remember, do I have any other choice but to keep talking to her in the ssroom, keep spreading soil and watering the flowerbeds just like before, and wait for her memories toe back?

    *

    ¡°So, why don¡¯t you take her to that ramen shop?¡±

    Some ssmates suddenly started talking to me after ss, taking me by surprise.

    ¡°Yeah, you wanted to say thanks for the jam, right?¡±

    Ayaka was also confused nodded because of the atmosphere. Why is everyone in this ss so eager to meddle in other people¡¯s business¡­?

    ¡°Go, Fujishima.¡± ¡°Maybe I should go too, I feel like getting some ice cream from that sexy owner.¡± ¡°I also want to go worship the owner¡¯s sarashi-covered breasts.¡±

    Perfect, someonee along please, because this is really awkward. That was what I was expecting, but in the end everyone seemed to have misunderstood, and went to different directions, leaving Ayaka and me by ourselves.

    Our activities of the gardening club went smoothly. Fortunately, Ayaka remembered where the watering cans, fertilizers and tools were and how to use them.

    Lately our teacher/advisor Sayuri-sensei tagged along and helped with the gardening club activities, enthusiastically saying things like:

    ¡°Unlike Fujishima-kun, you''re really reliable!¡±

    I wanted to reply something like ¡®I don¡¯t want to hear that from someone whoes to meddle with soil while wearing a blouse and a tight skirt¡¯, but I really was in no ce to refute her ims. I wasn¡¯t capable of looking after the flowerbeds properly by myself, so she was a great help.

    Isn¡¯t this basically the same as before? I caught myself thinking that while I was washing the shovels.

    Of course, a few things weren¡¯t the same. For example, Ayaka and I weren¡¯t wearing the armband with the MGC¡ªM High School Gardening Club¡ª logo. I designed that logo and given that armband to her. Two days before she jumped off the roof, she left the armband in my care and I nned to give it back to her once she left the hospital, but there was no point in handing it to her now that she doesn¡¯t remember anything about it, so I kept it inside my zer pocket.

    ¡°Uh¡­ Won¡¯t I be a bother if I suddenly barge into that ramen shop where you work, Fujishima-san?¡±

    Ayaka asked anxiously. I shook my head and denied it.

    ¡°You won¡¯t be a bother.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    This is not the same as before at all. Keeping things the same way isn''t good at all! It just doesn¡¯t feel right for her to be worried about being a bother when going to hang out at Hanamaru, this is just in wrong!

    ¡°I¡¯ll be bringing Ayaka along now.¡±

    When I reached the school gates, I gave Min-san a call to let her know. When we got there, the ce was really crowded, even though it was only around 5 PM. But that might be because it''s a small shop that only had five counters.

    ¡°You really don¡¯t remember anything at all? I lent you 50000 yen before this too¡­¡±

    ¡°Lying bastard!¡± Min-san smacked Tetsu-senpai from behind the counter. Regardless of the season, he wore a T-shirt that showed off his perfectly toned arms. This guy used to be a student at my school and also practiced boxing, but now he was a good-for-nothing professional gambler.

    ¡°Sorry, sorry, I think it was just 20000 yen.¡±

    ¡°I-I¡­ Did I really borrow that much from you?¡±

    Ayaka actually took him seriously.

    ¡°Ah, you really believe me? I think it was a bit more than that¡­¡±

    ¡°U-uhm, like, 30000 yen?¡±

    ¡°More!¡±

    What do you mean by more! For an instant I seriously considered snatching away the miso ramen an office guy was carrying and pour it on Tetsu-senpai¡¯s head.

    ¡°Oh, my. I gave you a fully detailed exnation about how to defend yourself against hand grenades, do you not remember?¡±

    Sitting next to Tetsu-senpai was Major, who had taken his military cap off and was frantically scratching his head. Major had the appearance of an elementary school kid, he is a college student¡ªwell, more or less, since he was actually a good-for-nothing military otaku.

    ¡°That¡­ I don¡¯t remember at all¡­¡± Ayaka¡¯s eyes were filled with tears. ¡°How do you defend yourself against them?¡±

    Hey, don¡¯t ask! Sure enough, Major looked really happy and took a real (is it real?) hand grenade from inside his backpack and began exining.

    ¡°The explosive power of a hand grenade in itself is no big deal. What actually wounds and kills is the shrapnel, so you have to cover the grenade with something bulky, like a human body for example. Vice-Admiral Fujishima,e here for a second.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to, what are you thinking!? Hey, don¡¯t remove the pin please!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s one-third slower inparison than an original one, so don¡¯t worry.¡±

    ¡°What the hell are you talking about!?¡±

    ¡°The detonation time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant!¡± ¡°Get out of here!¡±

    Min-san yelled, kicking Major and almost even me out of the shop.

    ¡°We promised to stay together at a Disnend hotel this Christmas, do you remember about that? We even made reservations and everything.¡±

    Hiro-san nonchntly held Ayaka¡¯s hand as he talked to her, mumbling beside her ears. He was wearing a ck shirt unbuttoned to mid-chest and a tinum chain around his neck. He looked like he belonged to one of those fancy host clubs, but he was a good-for-nothing gigolo who leeched money off women.

    ¡°U-uh, uhm¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Ayaka¡¯s face turned red when her hand was held, she arched her eyebrows and nced at me with a troubled expression.

    ¡°Have you even forgotten that we''re going out together?¡±

    ¡°W-were we really?¡±

    ¡°Look, I even have photographs.¡± Hiro-san took out his cellphone. ¡°This one is from the time when we went to Hokkaido.¡±

    ¡°This girl isn¡¯t me, is she?¡±

    ¡°Ah, sorry, wrong photo. Here, here. At an Ikebukuro hotel.¡±

    ¡°This looks like another different woman.¡±

    ¡°Oh? How strange¡­ This one, maybe?¡±

    ¡°Why are you bathing with two women?¡±

    Hiro-san snapped his cellphone shut and airily drank a sip of beer, then let out a sigh, pretending to look all mncholic. You¡¯re going to get stabbed by a woman one of these days, you damn sex offender!

    I went to the kitchen and looked at everyone while I was washing the dishes. That group of NEETs who were hanging around at the back of the ramen shop¡­ Now that I think about it, Ayaka had known Tetsu-senpai, Hiro-san and Major for a longer time than me. The one who brought me here for the first time and let me know all these people¡ªit was Ayaka.

    And now, this same girl was standing in a corner of the shop, wearing an awkward little smile and slowly sipping c.

    I lowered my gaze and stared at a bowl inside the bubble-covered sink.

    ¡°Hey, Narumi.¡±

    ¡°Eh, ah, yes?¡± I heard Min-san calling me and lifted my head in surprise.

    ¡°Hand over the apron to Ayaka. Shift change.¡±

    Shift change? It took me a while toprehend what Min-san meant, so I was staring at her with a stupefied look and my hands under the running water from the tap.

    ¡°Come on, just do as I say. Ayaka, go to the kitchen. The only customers you¡¯ll have to serve now are these guys so don¡¯t worry.¡±

    ¡°E-eh eh?¡±

    Ayaka looked as bewildered as me, but I somehow had the feeling that I understood what Min-san was trying to do, so I untied the apron from my waist to hand it over to Ayaka and went back to sit in front of the counter. She entered the kitchen and nced at the stove, the sink and the piled-up tes with an ufortable look on her face.

    ¡°Narumi, order something.¡± Min-san said with her eyes fixed on the boiling soup and pointed at Ayaka.

    I thought for a moment and told the flustered girl:

    ¡°¡­Tsukemen, a big portion.¡±

    Ayaka blinked with surprise, and then turned her face towards Min-san.

    ¡°Uhm¡­ One big tsukemen.¡±

    ¡°Got it. Big tsukemen.¡±

    Min-san dropped the noodles into hot water and only said ¡°tes!¡±

    Ayaka was startled at first but soon after started moving on her own. She took square t tes from the rack and served roast pork fillet and menma on them. Then she skillfully spread shredded dried seaweed over the noodles Min-san had boiled. I looked at Min-san and noticed the dumbfounded look she had on her face.

    Before they knew it, Tetsu-senpai and the others had also stopped their noisy bber, and only the sound of the boiling soup and the exhaust fan¡¯s noise echoed through the shop. Min-san finally made eye contact with Ayaka and smiled gently at her.

    ¡°Serve it, it¡¯s gonna get cold.¡±

    Ayaka ced the te with the noodles and the bowl with the soup in front of me, and she said with a somewhat tearful business smile:

    ¡°¡­Sorry for the wait¡°

    I immediately averted my eyes. I picked up the chopsticks, feeling a warm pressure on my chest even though I had yet to take a bite.

    Ayaka returned¡ªshe returned to Hanamaru.

    Maybe everything wasn¡¯t the same as before, but still¡­

    Min-san served ice cream for all of us. We were eating without talking too much but enjoying a peaceful atmosphere when the kitchen¡¯s back door creaked. The closest one to the door was Ayaka, who was sitting on a stool eating vani ice cream with cranberry sauce, but Min-san noticed first.

    ¡°Ayaka, someone¡¯s behind the back door, open it up.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    Ayaka left the ice cream cup and timidly pulled the door open. Standing over there, taking a step back when the door was suddenly opened and frowning at the hot steaming smell of ramen was, of course, the NEET detective in bear pajamas and white socks.

    Alice looked up at Ayaka with cautious eyes while hiding half of her body behind the door. Ayaka had her back to us, but it''s not really hard to imagine her eyes glittering with curiosity.

    ¡°W-waa¡­¡±

    Upon hearing Ayaka¡¯s voice, Alice was startled and trembled like a stray cat.

    ¡°Waa! Waa!¡±

    Without giving Alice a chance to step back, Ayaka tightly hugged her little body, burying her face on her silky ck hair. Alice cried out, trying to shake Ayaka¡¯s arms off.

    ¡°See, Master!? It¡¯s exactly the same utterly amazed reaction as the first time we met, I''m speechless! If she were to be reborn 7000 times without her memories she would still do the same things. Ayaka, stop squeezing me! I¡¯m not a hugging pillow!¡±

    ¡°W-who is this child, is it Min-san¡¯s child!?¡±

    She dragged Alice inside the kitchen turning her head with her eyes sparkling as she inquired.

    Oh, so their first meeting had been like that, too. Now that I think about it, Alice had mentioned something like that before.

    ¡°As if that annoying brat could be mine!¡±

    Min-san said preparing an ice cream serving and a chair for Alice, but Ayaka sat Alice on her own knees and lifted the spoon with ice cream to her mouth while saying ¡°Ok, say ¡®aah~¡¯¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t treat me like a child! I¡¯ll let you stir it and I¡¯ll eat it myself!¡±

    Then stir it yourself too.

    Min-san put the spare chair away and Alice let out a sulky ¡°hmph¡­¡±, having to stay on Ayaka¡¯sp.

    In that moment, someone slid the shop¡¯s door open and entered. Wearing a ck sleeveless shirt under a deep red jacket and a menacing wolf-like expression was the yakuza boss, Yondaime.

    ¡°¡­What¡¯s with this noisy gathering¡±, he muttered in a subdued tone as he looked around. I stared at him in mute amazement. Even Yondaime is here?

    ¡°What¡¯s that, Gardening Club kid, got fired already?¡±

    Upon noticing Ayaka was the one in the kitchen and I wasn¡¯t wearing the apron, Yondaime shrugged his shoulders.

    ¡°Eh--ah, no, it¡¯s not that¡­¡± While I stammered my response, Yondaime gave something to Ayaka with a:

    ¡°Here, take this.¡±

    ¡°U-uh?¡±

    Ayaka opened the present in front of Alice. It was a triangr cloth with an odd design embroidered with beautiful colored threads. It was without a doubt handmade. He was really talented and expert in those kinds of handicrafts despite his appearance, after all.

    ¡°To congratte that you left the hospital. It¡¯s a charm from Africa or something like that; it¡¯s supposed to make your wounds heal sooner. But hey, are these crutches just for show or what? You aren¡¯t using them?¡±

    Yondaime moved aside the pair of crutches that were leaning against the seat where Ayaka had been until a while ago and sat down.

    ¡°Uh, y-yes¡­ Uhm, my legs have been getting bettertely, but I bring them with me just in case.¡±

    ¡°So considerate, aren¡¯t you, Yondaime? Why don''t you make me a charm that makes it easier to hit the jackpots as well?¡±

    Tetsu-senpai said, earning a re from Yondaime.

    ¡°Shut the hell up, why would I make something for you?¡±

    ¡°Why would you make something for Ayaka?¡±

    ¡°¡¯Cause she¡¯s a friend of my brother. Master, I want ice cream too.¡±

    With a dumbfounded expression, Ayaka was exchanging looks between the embroidery in her hands and Yondaime¡¯s face. Between Ayaka¡¯s arms, Alice said:

    ¡°He is the fourth generation of the Hinamura family, Souichirou. You called each other Hina-chan and Aya-chan respectively, so you should call him that from now on, too.¡±

    ¡°Hina-cha¡­?¡± Ayaka blinked.

    ¡°Alice, cut the bullsheet.¡±

    Hiro-san held his stomach,ughing at Yondaime¡¯s serious and threatening tone, and in the blink of an eye everyone wasughing too. Even Min-san started calling him Hina-chan, and I alsoughed. Of course, that caused Yondaime to hit me, but I was happy. That''s because Ayaka was finallyughing, too.

    *

    After Min-san closed the shop, Ayaka and I left together. It was quitete already, so the shopping district avenue we were walking on waspletely dark.

    ¡°Thank you, Fujishima-san.¡±

    Around two meters ahead of me, she turned around, and I felt a suffocating d¨¦j¨¤ vu from the first time Ayaka had brought me to Ramen Hanamaru. It was just like that day, only this time our positions were reversed. Hearing her say ¡°It was fun, they were really interesting people¡± as if it was the first time she had been there gave me a downhearted feeling.

    ¡°Take me along again some other time.¡±

    ¡°¡­Ayaka, you used to work there part-time.¡±

    When I said that, her smile stiffened.

    ¡°You were friends with those people before me. Alice can¡¯t bathe by herself so you helped her, washed her hair and all that.¡±

    ¡°I-is that so¡­?¡±

    Still facing in my direction, she began walking backwards. Even though she was doing something a little dangerous, the look on her face was calm.

    ¡°That''s great, so we got along before this.¡±

    A little embarrassed, Ayaka said that she had suddenly embraced Alice because she thought she was cute, but even though Aliceined, didn¡¯t she look a bit happy?

    So, it¡¯s okay for you to go to that ramen shop again, even if I don¡¯t take you along. Even if I get fired, it¡¯s okay. That¡¯s what I was thinking, but the words wouldn¡¯te out.

    ¡°Then, isn¡¯t it great?¡± Ayaka suddenly spoke.

    ¡°¡­Uh?¡±

    ¡°I was a bit like my old self, isn¡¯t that good?¡±

    Even though it was a May night, I felt a cold chill as I finally realized. Yes, Ayaka was that kind of person. So much stronger than I was¡ªpretending I wasn¡¯t a lonely person, blending into the ss and acting friendly with everyone.

    And now, Ayaka was the one pretending. The reason I sometimes felt sad when I looked at her was probably because I could somehow understand how she was feeling.

    Nevertheless, we started walking in silence once again.

    I want to believe that time would eventually ease the pain. Everything would be just like it was before, and Ayaka would remember everyone--that was the miracle I wished for.

    After we parted ways at the station after passing through the bridge, I suddenly recalled the Ayaka the day before she jumped off the rooftop, so I ignored her waving at me and turned around to run away.

    *

    The next day after school, Ayaka told me that she wanted to clean up the greenhouse.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it perfect for the gardening club? It¡¯s such a waste not to use such a wonderful greenhouse!¡±

    Sitting in the ssroom putting the textbooks into my bag, I averted my eyes without knowing what to say to her.

    Obviously, she doesn¡¯t remember.

    There was a big ss greenhouse in the school¡¯s courtyard, something umon for a public school. Ayaka no longer remembered the blue mutated flowers she grew in that ce. Those flowers were a variety of opium that had served as the raw material for the drug that had made a mess of the cityst winter, Angel Fix.

    Alice had said that the guilt Ayaka felt upon realizing she had been cultivating narcotics was the reason she jumped off the rooftop. Whether that was true or not, it was impossible to know now. A cruel miracle had painted out the truth.

    The group of drug manufacturers had been annihted and most of its members were now either dead or disabled so the raw material supply routes hadn¡¯t been elucidated, and almost no one knew that blue flowers with the power of invoking angels were grown in the school¡¯s courtyard.

    Because of that, Ayaka could smile without a trace of worry while saying she wanted to use that greenhouse again.

    I don¡¯t know if that is a good or a bad thing. I want her to remember me, but¡­

    ¡°¡­Alright. I¡¯ll borrow the key.¡±

    Last year end, there was no one left to take care of the greenhouse so it had became some sort of warehouse. Some chairs, desks and a ckboard had been brought there.

    ¡°Oh, why would they do something like this?¡±

    Ayaka got in a huff as she scanned the untidy interior of the greenhouse. Her angry gestures hadn¡¯t changed.

    ¡°But it makes me somewhat nostalgic to see desks and a ckboard here.¡±

    Sayuri-sensei who had came with us said.

    ¡°Nostalgic? But they brought them here recently¡­¡±

    ¡°No, I was thinking about the time when the gardeningmittee still existed and I was still new. There weren¡¯t many people serious about taking care of nts, and maintaining flowerbeds is still okay, but a greenhouse is hard work.¡±

    Sayuri-sensei looked up at the transparent ceiling.

    ¡°This ce became a gathering ce for delinquents, so I thought I should do something about it. I talked with the kids that hung out here and they can''t seem to keep up with the lessons, so I gave them supplementary sses here. I had been a tutor when I was a college student, so I can teach almost all subj¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s wrong to use a greenhouse for that!¡±

    Ayaka pped a desk and looked around thoroughly.

    ¡°It¡¯s such a nice greenhouse. It has sprinklers, a thermostat and even automatic skylight openings!¡±

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry¡­ But look, it has air conditioning, so it¡¯s reallyfortable.¡±

    Sayuri-sensei said as if nothing happened. But really, how did she manage to pull such a thing off? Maybe she was popr among the delinquents since she¡¯s pretty.

    ¡°I had fun, but many things happened¡­¡±

    Her face became clouded. I wonder what had happened.

    I suddenly remembered something: Ayaka told me that the gardeningmittee was abolished, but I didn¡¯t know the reason. Sayuri-sensei was probably around 26 or 27 years old, so themittee still existed until 4 or 5 years ago.

    ¡°But, why the greenhouse of all ces?¡± Ayaka said, puffing out her cheeks.

    ¡°I had to do it in secret and the greenhouse wasn¡¯t in use. Also, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s nice to have a ssroom full of flowers?¡±

    Ayaka muttered a ¡°That could be nice, but¡­¡±

    ¡°So, do you want to try it too, Shinozaki-san?¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°Your grades aren¡¯t good enough, so you need supplementary lessons.¡±

    Sayuri-sensei said with her eyes sparkling.

    *

    But, why do I have to join this ¡®ssroom full of flowers¡¯ too?

    ¡°You skipped ss a lot during the third term so your grades were bad, weren¡¯t they, Fujishima-kun?¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡° She has a point, so I couldn¡¯t say anything.

    From all the carelessly piled up desks and chairs, we only left three of each inside the greenhouse. We also moved the ckboard to a warehouse next to the staff room. The greenhouse supplementary ss from the past had used a ckboard, but this time there are only two pupils so it isn¡¯t needed.

    The day when we started ss, we lined up nters with flowers close to the wall so they wouldn¡¯t be seen from the outside. We only stayed for around two hours after school, but Sayuri-sensei taught us one-on-one behind the desk. Even though she was a Japanese teacher, it feels like she was also better at teaching English and Mathematics.

    ¡°Back then I had to teach arger group of people, so teaching two people is easier~¡± she said somewhat nostalgically. It seemed half of the reason that she taught us was because of personal interest.

    With Ayaka¡¯s desk right next to mine because we had to share the same textbook, I got a weird feeling. What was I to Ayaka right now? A person who wasfortable to be with, maybe?

    But if that was the case, it would be what she felt before losing her memories.

    What is Ayaka to me?

    What am I to Ayaka?

    I still didn¡¯t have a clear answer in the end. Even so--

    ¡°Fujishima-kun, you did bad on the recent quiz, didn¡¯t you? Ahh, you should motivate yourself already!¡±

    ¡°Fujishima-san, you have a bad memory, don¡¯t you? Sensei exined this the other day¡­ Ah, I¡¯m telling you that¡¯s not how you do it¡­¡±

    Hey, since when has this be a ce for these two to teach me?

    Well, whatever. They look like they¡¯re having fun anyway.

    From that time, Ayaka didn¡¯t show up to Hanamaru Ramen. It was a bit lonely, but that couldn¡¯t be helped. Min-san didn¡¯t tell me to bring her either.

    I think it''s better to wait until she decides to go by herself.

    I kept going to the greenhouse every day, trying hard to pretend that Ayaka¡¯s appearance and gestures as a whole were of someone I didn¡¯t know. I assiduously prepared for theing exams. Looking back now, that was probably the time I was the most diligent in my whole life. That was because she was by my side, but there weren¡¯t many things we could talk about, so we enjoyed the air conditioning like flowers swaying in the wind.

    ¡°It¡¯s a little weird how I¡¯m teaching you various things, isn¡¯t it, Fujishima-san?¡± she said with a smile, telling me about the different methods of watering and pruning for each kind of nt, temperature control, and even flowernguage.

    ¡°This big flowerbed has gone to ruin, I wonder what I should nt here¡­ There are so many choices.¡±

    Sorry, it¡¯s ruined because I didn¡¯t take care of it at all.

    But I was d that Ayaka hadn¡¯t forgotten about gardening, because the only time in school when Ayaka¡¯s smile wasn¡¯t forced was when she was at the flowerbeds and the greenhouse.

    We did our club activities and studied, catching up to the rest of the ss. By doing that, wasn¡¯t it like little by little we were getting back our old selves? That¡¯s what I thought.

    But of course, there''s no way those days that were like tea parties under fleecy clouds wouldst forever.

    *

    A Wednesday in the middle of May, immediately after ss ended, the school¡¯s announcement chime sounded, and a female student¡¯s voice came from the speaker.

    ''Fujishima-kun from second year, ss 4, pleasee to the student council room urgently. I repeat: Fujishima-kun from second year, ss 4, pleasee to the student council room urgently.''

    The ssroom became noisy, with my annoying ssmates trying to guess what I have done.

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t that the student council president just now?¡± ¡°Fujishima, what did you do?¡± ¡°Did they find out about you drawing porn in theputer room or something?¡±

    ¡°I stopped drawing long ago!¡± Wait, the problem is why do you all know about this!?

    ¡°Whatever, just go, that girl is scary when she¡¯s angry.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, and she also gets angry if you don¡¯t address her respectfully like ¡®Kaoruko-sama!¡¯¡±

    ¡°And her weak point is the mole below her lips, so if things get dangerous attack her there.¡±

    After my ssmates finished telling me a bunch of lies about that student council president whose face I didn¡¯t remember, they pushed me out to the corridor. What on earth is going on? What business does the student council have with me?

    The student council room (student council¡¯s general executive management room, to be more precise) was on the third floor of the north school building. The room was divided in half by a bookshelf, and apparently the other half served as the Inspection Committee room.

    ¡°Ah, the president is at the inspection half now.¡±

    A male member of the student council who was using the copying machine let me know that as soon as I entered the room. I nced the interior, there were piled up pamphlets, copying equipment and a big, sloppy desk that made it look like a field hospital. I somehow had a bad premonition.

    However, in sharp contrast to the disastrous other half, the inspectionmittee room was neatly organized. I knocked and the door was slid open by a bespectacled female student with a rabbit-like appearance. Judging by herpel badge, she was a third year, but I knew at first nce that she wasn¡¯t the president. There was another third year female student with long hair and a sharp expression sitting on a chair by a long desk. Her piercing look wasn¡¯t like Yondaime¡¯s¡ª it was more like a cornered look.

    The long-haired girl opened her mouth: ¡°Fujishima-kun from 2-4?¡±

    ¡°¡­Ah, y-yes, that¡¯s me. I¡¯m here because I was called.¡±

    The girl with sses by her side spoke: ¡°Sorry to make youe all the way here. Kaoruko-chan said that no matter what¡ª¡°

    ¡°Be quiet, Kousaka.¡± The student council president interrupted. The third year named Kousaka sullenly fell silent.

    Kaoruko¡­ I remember. Yes, if I¡¯m not mistaken, her name is Hayano Kaoruko. She assumed as student council president shortly after I transferred in Novemberst year.

    ¡°You¡¯re in the gardening club and theputer room, right?¡±

    She asked somewhat bitingly. I nodded, somewhat troubled. I wonder if I did something that made the student council president angry¡­ Then, Kaoruko-senpai¡¯s next words confirmed my bad premonition.

    ¡°Both are scheduled to be closed on the next student council general meeting.¡±

    ¡°It hasn¡¯t been decided yet.¡± Kousaka-senpai interjected.

    ¡°¡­Closed? But, why? They have the required two members.¡±

    ¡°Because rules are going to change on the next meeting. The minimum will be six members. By removing clubs like yours that don¡¯t do enough activities but still eat up the funds, the budget can go to clubs that are actually active.¡±

    ¡°Kaoruko-chan, you don¡¯t have to say it like that!¡±

    ¡°Be quiet, Kousaka. Didn''t the Inspection suggest the idea in the first ce? In any case¡±

    ¡°W-wait a second, please. The gardening club is active!¡±

    ¡°The flowerbeds and the potted nts were neglected for most of the third term. The student council had to dispose of the withered nts, you know?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    I had nothing to say in my defense. After the Angel Fix incident, Ayaka was hospitalized the whole time and I didn¡¯te to school at all. During the spring break, I got involved in Meo¡¯s case and Ipletely forgot about the gardening club. Only recently I have been doing it seriously.

    ¡°In the staff room they were even talking about taking the flowerbeds and the greenhouse away. It¡¯s pointless to waste electricity on a greenhouse that¡¯s not in use.¡±

    No, that¡¯s the ce that Ayaka, Sayuri-sensei and I use to study¡ªI had to keep my mouth shut. Sayuri-sensei had told me to keep it a secret, so I couldn¡¯t say it out loud.

    ¡°And because of that, the gardening club will be eliminated. The meeting won''t be held until the end of the month, but I think it''s better for you to clean up the things starting from now."

    ¡°No¡­ No, it''s not.¡± I suddenly stepped towards the president.

    ¡°Aren''t there any other ways? It hasn''t been decided yet, right? Ayaka''s back, so from now on we¡±

    My voice gradually faded because of my nervousness and I gulped without knowing what else to say, but Kousaka-senpai continued:

    ¡°He''s right, that''s really cruel, Kaoruko-chan, we won''t know if the changes will be epted until the meeting!¡±

    ¡°Kousaka, be quiet!¡± She said for the third time, a whole three times!

    ¡°There''s no way the changes won''t be approved. Even almost everyone at Management agreed.¡±

    ¡°Management only wants big clubs to remain, of course they would agree! To just ignore the opinions of the people concerned is¡±

    ¡°That can''t be helped, the general meeting''s purpose is to listen to people''s opinions. We can''t consider every single person from every single club.¡±

    ¡°Kaoruko-chan, have you seen the small culture club''s activities? You haven''t, right? I''m from inspection, so I have seen them. The Floral Arrangement Club, the Tea Ceremony Club and the Photography Club have only four or five members, but they all do their best!¡±

    I could just stand there bewildered while they started fighting in front of my eyes, ignoring my presence as though I was air. I couldn''t barge into their conversation either.

    It was then that Kaoruko-senpai noticed me again, using her hands to cover Kousaka-senpai''s mouth while coughing awkwardly.

    ¡°I-in any case, I called you here today so it wouldn''t be so sudden if the club is abolished. The change in the rules is practically decided already, so I leave in your hands the tasks of clearing away the flowerbeds and the greenhouse.¡±

    As soon as she finished saying that, Kaoruko-senpai walked away from the Inspection office. I lowered my head after seeing her slide the door close behind her back.

    ¡°Ahh¡­ Sorry about all this.¡±

    Kousaka-senpai sighed and sat down, offering me a chair too. Even though I only heard what Kaoruko-senpai had to tell me, I felt suddenly exhausted, so I sat down without even thinking twice.

    The gardening club is going to be abolished? The only ce Ayaka and I have left?

    ¡°It''s true that it was the Inspection''s idea, you know? This year I decided to investigate how every club used their budget, and found a lot of unknown charges after some investigation.¡±

    So, Kousaka-senpai is from the Inspection Committee¡­

    In the end, a huge fuss was made out of it by the people in charge of the Execution, no wonder nobody dares to stop them.

    "No¡­¡­ That doesn''t really matter actually."

    Six members are required for the club to continue.

    ¡°To avoid having "ghost members", the student council is nning to keep a close eye on the clubs and ask them to report their activities.¡±

    ¡°What''s the purpose of doing that with high school clubs?¡±

    ¡°I don''t really know, but Kaoruko-chan is determined to do it.¡±

    Then, what can I do? Last spring there wasn''t a single person who joined gardening club. Well, obviously people aren''t going to join if there aren''t any activities? They might not even know of the existence of the club.

    ¡°And in the staff room, everyone was really interested in the proposition of changing the rules¡­¡±

    So, I don''t really have anything in my favor.

    *

    ¡°Closing down the club¡­¡­ huh?¡±

    That same day during the greenhouse sses, Ayaka was on the verge of tears as I told her about my conversation with the student council. Sayuri-sensei also knitted her eyebrows and sighed.

    ¡°I also heard about that during the staff meeting¡­ It''s such a pity¡­¡­¡±

    Ayaka clung to Sayuri-sensei, saying:

    ¡°Isn''t there anything we can do? If the club disappears, who will take care of the flowerbeds and the greenhouse?¡±

    ¡°They won''t assign money to maintain them, so they''ll probably take the flowerbeds and the greenhouse away¡­¡± Sensei replied.

    ¡°That''s¡­ After all Fujishima-san and I have done¡­!¡±

    Ayaka choked on her own words and a heavy silence took over the greenhouse.

    I didn''t really feel like studying anymore, so I made up a lie about having to leave early because of my part-time job. If I talked to one of the NEETs about this matter, maybe I cane up with some idea.

    ¡°Fujishima-kun, do you know that students are not allowed to have part-time jobs in this school?¡± Sayuri-sensei said with an awkward smile. Damn, so there''s a rule like that?

    ¡°Auhh, uhm¡­¡±

    ¡°Well, it doesn''t matter for me. But make sure the student counselor and the other teachers don''t find out, okay? You''re not working in an arcade or something like that, are you? Arcades and karaoke centers are a no-no.¡±

    ¡°No, it''s a ramen shop¡­¡± That was good enough for her, apparently.

    ¡°Then, I''ll give you this so you''ll remember to do your homework¡± she said while pinning a clothespin with some sort of a tag to my shirt''s pocket.

    ¡°Don''t take it off until you''re home!¡±

    ¡°Why? What''s this for?¡±

    ¡°So you''ll see it when you arrive home and take off your uniform, then you''ll think ''Oh, I had to do this!'' I used to do it too when I was in high school.¡±

    That''s incredibly embarrassing. Going to Hanamaru with this¡­

    But I didn''t have the heart to protest, seeing Sayuri-sensei smiling with such sweetness and enthusiasm.

    As I was taking my bag and getting up to leave the greenhouse, I noticed Ayaka looking at me without saying anything. What''s wrong?

    ¡°Uh¡­ Do you want toe along, Ayaka?¡±

    ¡°Can I!?¡±

    Ayaka got up enthusiastically. Huh? If you wanted to go there you didn''t have to ask for my permission--

    No, of course she couldn''t just go by herself yet. I suddenly remembered those times when Ayaka and I had just met. It was because of Ayaka leading me there that I could blend into the radiance of Hanamaru Ramen. To a person that goes there alone, the shop is just too radiant, too warm.

    ¡°Oh my¡­ Do you two hate studying that much?¡±

    Sayuri-sensei joked, getting out of the greenhouse with us. When we were about to be separated, she whispered to my ear:

    ¡°Take her outside as many times as possible, okay?¡±

    As many times as possible, huh¡­ But Ayaka just wanted to see Min-san and Alice, it wasn''t like she particrly wanted to go with me.

    But if the Ayaka from before returned, if she regained her memories¡­

    *

    When we arrived to the shop, I took off my zer to put on the apron. Min-san gazed at my shirt''s pocket and tilted her head.

    ¡°What''s that?¡±

    I looked downwards and remembered the tag pinned to my pocket.

    ¡°E-eh¡­ Because of my homework, so I wouldn''t forget it and all that¡­¡±

    I blushed and removed the note, stuffing it back to my pocket. How unexpected, I forgot all about it so easily.

    ¡°Are you an elementary school kid or what?¡±

    It''s true. That person''s more like an elementary school teacher. I smiled weakly and started to chop onions.

    Min-san had asked Ayaka to take Alice her meal, to which Ayaka responded by taking the tray and exiting the kitchen looking extremely happy, not returning though it''s already half an hour. I saw Min-san say something to her before she got out, perhaps asking her to feed Alice or wash her clothes?

    While I was chopping some cabbage, I looked at Min-san who had her eyes glued to her soup from the corner of my eye. It might be that she cared for Ayaka, so she gave Ayaka work to do so that she could recover her memories earlier.

    ¡°I wonder if she¡¯ll return to work here soon¡­ She¡¯s 100 times more useful than you, Narumi.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the reason!?¡±

    I unintentionally said out loud. Okay, okay, I¡¯m dumb anyway.

    Even if the gardening club disappeared, Hanamaru would still be here. That¡¯s what I thought at first, but I shook my head. To Ayaka, this was Min-san and Alice¡¯s ce. But even if she remembered about this, her memories of me might still be buried¡­¡­

    That''s the reason why the Gardening Club must exist to us, right?

    Whatever the case¡­ Soon, the club will disappear.

    While I was thinking about that and putting vegetable scraps inside a tupper, the first customer of the day slid the door open, poking only her head in-- a surprising guest. I was dumbstruck as Min-san greeted the person with a ¡°Wee¡± and a business smile.

    ¡°A-ah, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m not a customer.¡± Kousaka-senpai lightly waved her hand. The steam of the shop fogged her sses, so she took them off to wipe them and put them on again.

    ¡°Ah, Fujishima-kun, here you are.¡± She said, showing a relieved smile.

    ¡°S-senpai¡­? Why?¡±

    ¡°Erm¡­¡­¡± Kousaka-senpai hesitantly looked around.

    ¡°Come in. Don¡¯t just stand there.¡±

    Min-san said as if nothing had happened, and Kousaka-senpai walked into the shop with unsteady steps.

    ¡°Here, free of charge. You¡¯re here to talk with Narumi? Don¡¯t worry, have a seat.¡±

    Ice cream with strawberries we picked before this was ced in front of Kousaka-senpai. Min-san always gave the first young customers some ice cream for free.

    ¡°Ah, th-thanks.¡±

    She sat down on a chair in front of me, looking like a rabbit trying to hide in its burrow.

    ¡°Sorry to bother you at work, Fujishima-kun, uhm, you see¡­¡±

    ¡°You should taste it before it melts.¡±

    Kousaka-senpai was acting weird, so I encouraged her to taste the ice cream first.

    ¡°Ah, o-okay¡­ Uwaah¡­ It¡¯s delicious!¡±

    As expected from Min-san¡¯s ice cream, it was like magic. Kousaka-senpai looked more rxed by the time she finished eating.

    ¡°So¡­ What¡¯s the matter? Is it about earlier?¡±

    I wonder if it is something urgent rted to the gardening club.

    ¡°Fujishima-kun, I¡­ have a favor to ask you.¡±

    ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Perhaps something can be done about the gardening club.¡±

    I leaned my body towards the counter. ¡°R-really!?¡±

    ¡°Uhm¡­ I know a senpai who¡¯s already graduated, he used to be in Inspection too, and he''s in¡­ What was it, again? That gang with ck T-shirts.¡±

    ck T-shirts gang¡­? Ah, Hirasaka-gumi. Led by Yondaime, the good-for-nothings of the city had formed a gang of young yakuza. Of course, some former students and dropouts from my school might be in the group too. Which meant¡ª

    ¡°ording to the rumors, Fujishima-kun the most trusted person in the gang.¡±

    Uwah, I knew it. I quickly hid my face behind my palm.

    Though I wasn¡¯t a member of Hirasaka-gumi, but by a twist of fate I had ended up sharing sake and bing sworn brothers with their leader, Yondaime. Even before that, everyone in the group had started calling me Aniki, even though they were older than me.

    ¡°I heard you could find out about anything just by asking you?¡±

    ¡°No, no, that¡¯s aplete lie.¡± Rumors are scary¡­

    ¡°Then, you¡¯re a client for the office?¡±

    Min-san said by my side. Taken aback, I nced at her and then at Kousaka-senpai, who had that scared look on her face again. I see, so that¡¯s it.

    Before I could say anything, Min-san picked up the phone of the shop.

    ¡°¡­Alice? A client ising. Narumi will take her there, so tell Ayaka toe downstairs. Ahh? Let Narumi do that. Ayaka is better? Duh, I know that!¡±

    So my existence is more useless than Ayaka with both of my employers¡­ Wait, Ayaka is going to rece me!?

    I looked at Min-san¡¯s profile as she was hanging up the phone, and I understood. She had been looking for a chance to dismiss me and get Ayaka to work here. I get it. I understand.

    ¡°Senpai, let¡¯s go upstairs.¡±

    I said to Kousaka-senpai, untying my apron.

    ¡°Upstairs? Uhm¡­¡±

    ¡°You were looking for someone who would investigate anything they¡¯re asked, weren¡¯t you?¡±

    After looking around restlessly, she nodded.

    ¡°Then I have a suitable candidate.¡±

    Ayaka and I passed by each other on the stairs at the back of the shop. Her hair was wet and there''s a fragrance of shampoo as well, so she probably just bathed with Alice.

    ¡°Uhm, Fujishima-san, her hair still hasn¡¯t dried, so take the hairdryer and¡ª¡±

    She noticed Kousaka-senpai behind me, and they both exchanged confused looks. It was too much trouble to exin the situation.

    ¡°Ah, yeah, okay.¡±

    Do I really have to do this? She hates the hairdryer, so she¡¯ll get violent when I try to dry her hair. While thinking that, I chivvied Kousaka-senpai to the third floor.

    Of course, just like everyone else who entered the NEET Detective Agency for the first time, Kousaka-senpai shivered upon feeling the coldness in the air-conditioned room and perplexedly looked at theputers and monitors filling the walls and then at the pajama-d ck-haired girl snugly seated on her bed.

    Furthermore, I casually opened the fridge as if I was in my own house, took out a Dr Pepper can and handed it to Alice, then I sat on the bed and turned the hairdryer on to start drying her hair, so Kousaka-senpai just stood there, speechless.

    ¡°Oh, uhm, senpai, this is Alice. She¡¯s a detective.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not an ordinary detective, I¡¯m a NEET detective. Inside this seventeen square meter fortress, the world dances on my palm. Narumi! Don¡¯t blow hot wind on my face! Ayaka is much more careful!¡±

    You¡¯re asking for too much. It''s because you''re drinking Dr. Pepper that it''s hard for me to move!

    ¡°Fujishima-kun, so y-you¡­ have these kind of hobbies!?¡±

    Kousaka-senpai finally spoke. What hobbies? What does she mean?

    ¡°Using the hairdryer on other people¡¯s hair is one of your hobbies? Waa, I told you not to blow hot wind on my face!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because you keep turning your face around!¡±

    As I held her head from behind so she¡¯d stay still, Alice let out a sulky ¡°mmh¡± and Kousaka-senpai said something like:

    ¡°With such a small little girl¡­¡± while covering her face with her hands. Hey, what¡¯s with the weird misunderstanding?

    ¡°You¡¯re a client, so start telling me the contents of your request.¡±

    Alice pointed at Kousaka-senpai who still wasn¡¯t able to catch on to the sudden situation and could only stammer a ¡°W-well, uhm¡­¡±

    Alice¡¯s next words, however, made senpai¡¯s expression freeze.

    ¡°I know you are Kousaka Yukari from M High School¡¯s third year, ss 1, head of the student council¡¯s inspectionmittee and friend of student council president Hayano Kaoruko since middle school.¡±

    Moreover, just like she had done with me when I first met her, Alice fluently spoke of senpai¡¯s height and weight, phone number and address, and even family background.

    ¡°You might be wondering why a detective would invade their client¡¯s privacy. The main point is to show you the extent of my abilities, and I didn¡¯t want you to waste time exining your background¡ª those were the two reasons.¡±

    Befuddled, Kousaka-senpai slumped down into the cold wooden floor.

    ¡°Briefly exin just the content of your request.¡±

    ¡°¡­A gardening club is a weird club to begin with, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Senpai started talking.

    ¡°There used to be a gardeningmittee before, do you know that?¡±

    I nodded. Ayaka had told me about that.

    ¡°About the reason themittee was abolished, back then I still hadn¡¯t enrolled at the school but¡­ Something terrible happened.¡±

    ¡°The death of a male student named Hayano Tomohiko, right?¡±

    Alice suddenly said, almost making me drop the hairdryer.

    A death incident?

    Kousaka-senpai also stared at Alice in astonishment. ¡°¡­Y-you know about that?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t take a NEET detective lightly. When you showed up on the security cameras, I confirmed your identity and subsequently made a brief search of information rted to you from a few years ago.¡±

    No matter how many times I see her do it, her information gathering skills will always surprise me. But more importantly, did she just say Hayano just now?

    ¡°So, you probably already know he was Kaoruko-chan¡¯s older brother, too.¡±

    ¡°I know. Go on.¡±

    Student council president¡¯s older brother¡¯s death¡­ Was that the reason of the gardeningmittee¡¯s abolishment?

    Kousaka-senpai gulped before she resumed talking.

    ¡°Apparently, the gardeningmittee had be something like a gathering spot for delinquents. Kaoruko-chan¡¯s brother was part of themittee too, but he had a weak heart so he skipped school often. When he asionally showed up, he was with those delinquents a lot, apparently as some sort of gofer. On an extremely cold day, it seems he was asked to run an errand as a form of bullying¡ª people found him copsed in the backyard in the end. He was taken to the hospital, but he died there.¡±

    So that¡¯s why the Gardening Committee was abolished?

    ¡°I heard that someone dropped out of school because of this, but nobody knows the details of the whole incident. Anyways, that was how the Committee was closed down, and the flowerbeds and greenhouse were originally nned to be cleared away as well¡­¡­¡±

    But¡­¡­?

    There are still flowers blooming in the school up till now, why is that?

    ¡±I¡¯m not sure about the reason, but the Gardening Club was founded that time.¡±

    I switched off the power switch of the hair dryer, nklybing Alice¡¯s hair while thinking repeatedly about what Kousaka-senpai said. The birth of the Gardening Club¡ª what is the reason for that?

    ¡±I¡¯m not sure as well. The fees for maintaining the flowerbeds and the greenhouse were then listed into the budget of the clubs in the Student Council, and the Gardening Club officially took over the Gardening Committee¡¯s jobs¡ª and that continued up till now. The reason that caused Kaoruko-chan to want to change the rules would probably be because of the budget, she thinks that letting the fees that were forcibly listed into the budget continue till now is very unreasonable; of course, this might have some influence from her brother¡¯s incident as well.¡±

    The Gardening Committee that caused her brother to die¡ª and the Gardening Club. She probably hates us a lot.

    But if she only cares about the budget, she would only need to cancel the name of the club in the budget, and doesn¡¯t really need to abolish the whole club.

    ¡±But the members of the Gardening Committee and the Student Council had already graduated, so we can¡¯t find any information no matter how hard we search in school.¡±

    ¡±Why are you investigating these things? What do you want to know?¡±

    Hearing Alice¡¯s inquiries, Kousaka-senpai stayed silent for awhile, and raised her head.

    ¡±I want to know of the reason. If we just count the budget of the clubs, I don¡¯t have a reason to object to the amendment of the case as a member of the Inspection if there¡¯s no proper reason. Additionally, the case would probably be passed since therger clubs agree about this. On the other hand, if there¡¯s a proper reason, I would think of a way to stop Kaoruko-chan, because¡­¡­¡±

    Kousaka-senpai fixed her gaze on her knees.

    ¡±Doing all this is just strange, Kaoruko-chan must have some problems. If we changed the rules, more than half of the cultural clubs would disappear. Even if the structure of the club is small, it might be important to someone.¡±

    My hand fell on Alice¡¯s thigh with a thwack.

    Even if the structure is small, it might be someone¡¯s¡ª

    ¡±¡­¡­ Narumi?¡±

    Alice turned over, facing my chest, then stared at me with herrge round eyes.

    ¡±¡­¡­ Mnn, sorry. It¡¯s nothing.¡±

    Alice rammed my chest away with her forehead, then turned over to look at Kousaka-senpai again.

    ¡±That¡¯s your request? You only wish to get information?¡±

    ¡±¡­¡­ Eh?¡±

    Kousaka-senpai raised her head, her eyes looking somewhat moist. Or maybe it¡¯s just because my own eyes were moist¡­¡­

    ¡±I am a NEET detective, the messenger of the dead. If only you would make a request, I would find out the truth even if I need to plunge into the Cocytus in the deepest depths of the underworld, but the only thing that we would gain in the end would only be the words of the dead. That might be able to console the living, but that¡¯s the most that it can do. However¡­¡­¡±

    Alice¡¯s cold hands grasped my wrist on her thighs.

    ¡±Narumi is here. He¡¯s my assistant detective.¡±

    I choked, unable to say anything, and could only look at Alice¡¯s luscious long hair silently. What¡­¡­ did she say about me just now?

    ¡±His ears aren¡¯t good, eyesight is bad, he¡¯s dumb and insensitive, and also helplessly slow. But he has something that I cannot achieve.¡±

    It seemed that senpai was already dazed by Alice¡¯s words,pletely clueless about what she said; I¡¯m the same about that. The things that Alice cannot do, but I can?

    ¡±The ability to crystallize truth in words from the core¡ª that¡¯s different from a detective¡¯s ability to understand words from reality, or you can say that it¡¯spletely opposite to it. Those are not even words that have faded¡ª but ¡®stories¡¯. The crystallization of happiness and despair in reality.¡±

    ¡±Alice, what are you talking ab¡ª¡°

    ¡±Only you are able to change Hayano Kaoruko¡¯s decision of changing the rules ¡®in a practical level¡¯. That was what I meant.¡±

    Alice did not turn back, continuing forcefully.

    Only me¡­¡­

    ¡±Kousaka Yukari, no matter how you request it, the results will not change. Narumi will fight to guard his kingdom. But I still have to ask you again, is information the only thing that you wish to gain?¡±

    Only the sounds of the cooling fans in the machines and the sounds of the air conditioning functioning remained in the room for a long time. Finally, Senpai raised her head.

    ¡±Please help me. I want to stop Kaoruko-chan.¡±

 Volume 3, 2

    <h4>Volume 3, Chapter 2</h4>

    ¡°Hayano? Hayano Tomohiko?¡±

    As soon as she heard the name, the middle-aged female teacher, Hirabayashi-sensei¡¯s face suddenly clouded over.

    The day after we epted Kousaka-senpai¡¯s request, I went to the staff¡¯s office after school with the excuse of wanting to borrow the keys to the greenhouse, and I asked her since she¡¯s there. She was once the advisor of the Gardening Committee four years ago.

    ¡°Mnn, yes, of course I remember him.¡±

    The teacher closed her ss namelist and crossed her arms after cing the namelist on the table.

    ¡°He wasn¡¯t so healthy, so he seldom came to the school. But I had no idea that time that he was treated like that in themittee. I was originally thankful that Sayuri-sensei could make them more obedient, really¡­¡­ But why are you asking about this?¡±

    ¡°Eh? W- well¡­¡­ Because I¡¯m in the Gardening Club, and I heard about this from a senpai.¡±

    I hurriedly made up a lie. Basically, there weren¡¯t any senpais from the Gardening Club that I know of, but Hirabayashi-sensei didn¡¯t get suspicious about that. It seems that I can¡¯t ask on anymore. As I was about to leave the office after bowing to her, the voice of a male teacher came from the other side of the partition.

    ¡°Even so¡­¡­ Though it isn¡¯t really nice to say this, but it¡¯s all thanks to that incident that those good-for-nothings drop out of school. So it¡¯s not that bad.¡±

    ¡°Really, please don¡¯t speak of these irresponsible things.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t Ichinomiya give you a lot of trouble? I won¡¯t be surprised even if he¡¯s arrested by the police.¡±

    Ichinomiya?

    This particr name kept lingering beside my ears as though I¡¯ve heard of it for quite a lot of times. When I recalled about it, I¡¯ve already ran towards Hirabayashi-sensei¡¯s desk.

    ¡°¡ª Wh- what is it, Fujishima-kun?¡±

    ¡°I- Ichinomiya? Does that mean Ichinomiya Tetsuo-senpai?¡±

    A middle-aged teacher with streaks of white hair among his otherwise ck hair had a rather awkward expression on his face, it seems that he¡¯s the one who spoke to Hirabayashi-sensei just now. Perhaps he thought that letting other people hear what he said just now isn¡¯t that good, he tried to smooth things over.

    ¡°So you know him? Mnn, it seems that he¡¯s rather well known. He was like a mad dog,shing out first before anything else whenever he does anything. His grades were terrible as well, and I¡¯ve heard that he¡¯s a rogue up till now.¡±

    Ichinomiya Tetsuo¡ª Tetsu-senpai dropped out from my school for four years now. Was that really the reason that he dropped out.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Ichinomiya was one of the delinquents who treated Hayano as a gofer!¡± The middle-aged teacher answered agitatedly. I felt a cold chill gradually rising from my toes.

    ¡°It was said that he wasn¡¯t caught because there were no evidence. Since he chose to drop out himself, it shows that he¡¯s really in the wrong. That means Hayano was killed by these people.¡±

    ¡°Tetsu¡­ senpai¡­¡­ Bu¡ª¡±

    I nearly blurted something out in agitation, but immediately swallowed it back again. Hirabayashi-sensei and the other teacher looked rather shocked. I immediately turned around and left, escaping the staff¡¯s office.

    The person who killed Kaoruko-senpai¡¯s brother was actually Tetsu-senpai?

    He dropped out because of that? How could this be possible? This must be a lie!

    I didn¡¯t say anything to Ayaka or Sayuri-sensei, but immediately rushed out of the school, riding to Hanamaru Ramen on my bike.

    *

    Of course, Alice knew of this long ago.

    ¡°Four students dropped out of their own ord after the incident, all of them were students who had contact with Hayano Tomohiko; this is the namelist. The only person who was confirmed to have contact with the victim that day was the fourth person.¡±

    Under the air outlet in the office, Alice spoke of that in a chillingly businesslike tone and handed me a photocopied paper. The names and sses of four guys were listed on the paper, while the fourth name was Ichinomiya Tetsuo. I stared at the name.

    ¡°Tetsu-senpai is¡ª¡±

    Though the words slipped out of my mouth, I didn¡¯t really know what I wanted to say.

    ¡°I already phoned him toe.¡± Alice said: ¡°I only knew of this today. Basically, us NEETs would not investigate the past of the others. Major, Hiro, and Yondaime might not know of this as well, but of course there¡¯s a possibility that they just didn¡¯t mention it.¡±

    This really doesn¡¯t matter. The main thing is, Tetsu-senpai actually bullied a sick student by asking him to be his gofer, and even caused him to die?

    That¡¯s impossible! I wanted to say that. Senpai isn¡¯t that kind of person!

    ¡°Narumi.¡±

    Even though Alice called my name, I couldn¡¯t even stand up for a moment.

    ¡°Narumi! Why aren¡¯t you moving? You can¡¯t even make good soup even if you cringe like a m, so why don¡¯t you hurry up and get me a can of Dr. Pepper!?¡±

    I slowly stood up, taking out a can from the fridge. When I opened the can, Alice extended her hands and said:

    ¡°Drink it.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Why? I don¡¯t want to.¡±

    ¡°Stop fussing and drink it. This is an order from your superior!¡±

    How can this count as an order from a superior? However, I couldn¡¯t help but take a sip as I was red by Alice with an icy gaze while I was in a stupor. It tasted even worse than thest time I drank this. This girl actually needs to drink three to four cans of this a day?

    ¡°How is it? Do you feel that your thoughts are getting clearer?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    Alice seemed rather displeased, drinking the leftover drink at the side of her table.

    ¡°Get another three cans over here.¡±

    As though she was protesting to me, drinking three cans that were 1.4 liters in total, all in one go. Then, she continued:

    ¡°Then let me tell you something so your mind will be clearer. Do you know why I didn¡¯t ask for payment from the client Kousaka Yukari?¡±

    ¡°How would I know¡­¡­¡±

    I nearly forgot before she mentioned that, but she indeed did not speak of anything about the investigation fee.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Firstly, Kousaka Yukari does not have the ability to pay as she¡¯s just a high school student. Secondly, isn¡¯t this your request as well? Isn¡¯t the fortress that is going to be taken away yours as well?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right, but¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Thirdly, you have the ability to pay. Didn¡¯t I pay you your wages a few days ago?¡±

    The investigation fee that Alice asked for at that moment was so expensive that it¡¯s scary. So she asks for such arge fee each time! Or am I just clueless about the fees? Hiring a detective might be as expensive as this. But I did indeed get my pay a few days ago, so I can still pay the money.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you wish to solve the mystery as well?¡±

    ¡°But even so, you don¡¯t need to expose Tetsu-senpai¡¯s¡­¡­¡±

    Exposing the truth of senpai¡¯s crimes. Do we really need to do it till this extent?

    ¡°Narumi, I already told you many times. A detective is a messenger of the dead, so the things that I do might hurt the living, and might shame the deceased; the things that we gain in the end might only be a meaningless constion, or just restoring someone¡¯s reputation. But I must still¡ª¡°

    ¡°Why can you still look as though nothing had happened!?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but interrupt with a harsh tone. As before, even I, myself, wasn¡¯t sure who my anger was directed at, but I just felt that I was unable to continue to listen to Alice speak in that chilly, emotionless tone.

    Just at that moment, I saw that therge eyes of the small NEET detective started to redden.

    ¡°I see! So I¡¯m that cruel in your eyes, huh!? Thank you for telling me that!¡±

    I really didn¡¯t know how to answer.

    That¡¯s right, Alice had been friends with Tetsu-senpai long before I knew him.

    How is it possible that she wouldn¡¯t feel anything about this? That¡¯s because, Alice had not mentioned even once from just now¡ª

    She didn¡¯t mention Tetsu-senpai¡¯s name.

    ¡°E- erm¡­¡­ Alice, sorr¡ª¡°

    ¡°Shut up, idiot!¡± Four cans flew in my direction. ¡°I¡¯m like that in your eyes anyways! I don¡¯t care about that at all, so why would you need to apologize!?¡±

    Sounds of metal rang around me. Alice stood straight on the bed, face flushed and trembling all over.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you clear things away already! The NEET detective who isn¡¯t affected by anything is going to pierce holes in herpanions¡¯ past with her optical eyes that could even pierce through the truth!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m h¡ª¡°

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing that you can help with now. That point is the same as usual.¡±

    Alice turned over to the monitor in a huff. I knelt on the cold floor, and had no other choice but to retract my arm that I extended towards Alice.

    Isn¡¯t it at these times¡ª an assistant detective has to help from the side?

    What in the world was I doing? Even if I vented my anger on Alice, it couldn¡¯t help things.

    Tetsu-senpai arrived shortly. The doorbell rang beside the bed. Alice shed the blue light as a response, and the door opened immediately.

    ¡°So Narumi is here too?¡±

    Tetsu-senpai was wearing a T-shirt as usual, and said after walking to the entrance of the bedroom, ncing at Alice and I.

    ¡°The only thing is the matter mentioned in the phone?¡±

    Alice nodded silently. That¡¯s unusual, this girl could actually express her opinions with her mouth closed.

    ¡°Is that so? Then¡­¡­ I have nothing to say.¡±

    Nothing to say?

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to exin anything?¡±

    ¡°Exin what? Didn¡¯t you investigate already?¡±

    ¡°Hayano Tomohiko, died because of a heart attack because of your inhumane actions¡ª someone proved that. Does that mean you admit all of it?¡±

    ¡°I dropped out already, so isn¡¯t that okay? I wouldn¡¯t have continued to study even if that incident didn¡¯t happen. I just left school two or three months earlier, it¡¯s no big deal.¡±

    I stood up to question senpai, and I might have rushed forward to argue with him long ago if not for Alice grabbing my wrist.

    ¡°Really? Then I would like to know the details of what happened.¡±

    ¡°I refuse.¡±

    Those words were like a devastating punch that could shatter one¡¯s chin, stopping Alice¡¯s words in their track.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing else about this matter, so stop digging here and there for information.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean you don¡¯t have any willingness for cooperation? Even for me?¡±

    ¡°Not only do I refuse to help out, if you dare to tell Narumi to poke around¡ª¡°

    Half though his words, Tetsu-senpai stuffed his hands into his pockets and red at me ferociously. It felt as though my whole body was going to get ttened by his re.

    What is this? Is this person really Tetsu-senpai?

    ¡°I will unhesitatingly beat you up!¡±

    The merciless words that Tetsu-senpai said rang in the room.

    Is this person really Tetsu-senpai? The good-for-nothing gambler? The person who would smile to brush away small maters, but would give me a hand during critical moments?

    He actually bullied a weak person and caused him to die?

    Lies, those must be lies!

    Crestfallen, I suddenly heard the sound of the door banged close. When I raised my head again, Tetsu-senpai had already disappeared.

    ¡°Senpai!¡±

    I hurriedly rushed out to the corridors. But even though I flew down the stairs, I wasn¡¯t in time. The atmosphere that was abnormally cold for May lingered at the gathering spot where everyone weed me warmly the ce withrge steel buckets, turned over beer crates and wooden stands.

    I sat on the second step of the backstairs.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Fujishima-san?¡±

    Raising my head slowly because of someone¡¯s voice, I saw Ayaka poking her head out of the kitchen backdoor.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡­ You¡¯re here¡­¡­¡± I don¡¯t want to let Ayaka see my depressed expression, so I shifted my gaze.

    ¡°Fujishima-san, you said you¡¯re going to get the keys, but didn¡¯te back at all¡­¡­ So I figured you might be over here.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Ah, I remembered. As I was startled by the contents of the teachers¡¯ conversation, I rushed directly out of school.

    ¡°What happened? The person called Tetsu-san left looking incredibly furious.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Nah. Nothing ha¡ª¡°

    How is it possible that nothing happened? And this matter might not bepletely irrelevant to Ayaka.

    I, who was helplessly dumb, learnt one thingst winter and this spring, sulking at a corner alone is just a waste of time.

    The reason that I want to save the Gardening Club is to regain the winter that I went through with Ayaka.

    But I couldn¡¯t just say that directly. What should I say first? I finally said after pondering for some time:

    ¡°¡­¡­ Do you know about the Gardening Committee?¡±

    Ayaka shook her head. She doesn¡¯t know? Or was the memory just sunk in her swamp of memories?

    Then let¡¯s start from that incident.

    There was a Gardening Committee managed by the school once¡­¡­ It was abolished after that because of a death incident¡­¡­ And Tetsu-senpai was involved in the incident¡­¡­ Though the Gardening Committee was abolished, its jobs were fully epted by the Student Council, and thus the Gardening Club was born.

    The Gardening Club was the ce where Ayaka and I gave each other support¡ª and it is going to vanish.

    As though she was listening to a movie summary that she waspletely disinterested in, Ayaka just nodded in response from time to time. Each time I spoke a word, heat seemed to dissipate slightly from my body.

    ¡°Then you¡¯re nning to¡ª¡° Ayaka bit her lips lightly. ¡°Think of a way to save the Gardening Club?¡±

    When I nodded in response, Ayaka¡¯s expression looked rather forlorn.

    ¡°Because it¡¯s a club¡­¡­ that you managed with me in the past?¡±

    ¡°What¡­¡­?¡±

    Though Ayaka wasn¡¯t wrong, why is she asking about that now?

    ¡°Did you argue with Tetsu-san just because of this just now?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®just because¡¯? This would mean that we won¡¯t have any ce to stay at now¡­¡­¡±

    A ce that was important to us, a ce where our fate started. I really don¡¯t know how to exin this.

    I suddenly recalled the armband that I kept in my pocket all this time. Would it help Ayaka to regain some memories if I hand it to her? But on the other hand, I felt terrified if it would not have any effect on her after I gave that to her, since the armband is too closely linked to Ayaka and I.

    As Ayaka was about to say something, we heard footstepsing. A shadow extended to my feet. I raised my head, seeing two silhouettes at the end of the alley.

    ¡°Alice called me just now, and I talked to Tetsu on the phone just now as well.¡±

    Hiro-san walked quickly to me and sat on arge steel bucket, while Major walked to my side and put down his backpack. After ncing at Ayaka, he looked at me again.

    ¡°This is great. I have something to tell you, Vice-Admiral Fujishima. Can you please tell Alice about this?¡±

    ¡°Tell¡­¡­ about what?¡±

    ¡°Concerning this case, we shall not assist Alice.¡±

    I stared at Major nkly. Will not assist?

    Hiro-san continued: ¡°If you want to investigate about Tetsu, we will not help out.¡± ¡°Tetsu said that he didn¡¯t want anyone to investigate about him, so we n to respect his wishes.¡±

    ¡°Even if it¡¯s Alice¡¯s request?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. But since it¡¯s rather hard to say to her¡­¡­ Please tell her about this.¡±

    ¡°Is Tetsu-senpai more important that Alice?¡±

    I only realized the stupidity of my question after saying it. Hiro-san just smiled faintly.

    ¡°That¡¯s not the problem. Though we might lose a client because of this, it¡¯s much better than losing apanion, that¡¯s all.¡±

    Companion. That¡¯s right, this isn¡¯t a rtionship that could be described by the word ¡®friend¡¯. Even so¡ª

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you guys tell this to Alice yourself!?¡±

    The cold words that slipped out of my mouth surprised even myself. Hiro-san¡¯s expression froze, and Major who was beside me sighed:

    ¡°¡­¡­ That¡¯s true. So sorry for asking you to do this.¡±

    As Major walked past me after taking his backpack again, the kitchen backdoor opened suddenly.

    ¡°P- please wait for a moment!¡±

    Major looked at Ayaka who just rushed out in surprise. I might be wearing the same expression as well, as Ayaka looked at me with her brows furrowed.

    ¡°Fujishima-san, this is just too much! Because¡ª¡°

    ¡°¡­¡­ Why?¡±

    Of course, I know that I said something that I shouldn¡¯t have said to Major and Hiro-san. But why is Ayaka angry?

    ¡°Alice would be sad too if they spoke of this directly to her! She¡¯s really just a child, why? Why are you so cruel to her!? Why don¡¯t you just tell her!¡±

    Does she really think that Alice is just a child? What are you interrupting for when you obviously don¡¯t remember anything! I nearly retorted in anger, but the words that I wanted to say froze in my mouth.

    I really would forget sometimes. Of course, Alice is just a child¡ª maybe not just a child- but she¡¯s still a delicate girl. Ayaka was right. How would that help anyone if Major or Hiro-san told Alice directly that they refuse to help out?

    After saying all that, Ayaka retreated to the kitchen with her face pale.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Ah ¡­¡­ Ah, so- sorry! Though I actually don¡¯t know anything¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­¡­¡±

    I hurriedly stood up, biting my lips and grasping my thighs forcefully with my fingers.

    ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s my fault. So sorry, Major.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t look him in the face, so I could only look at Major¡¯s military boots with my head lowered.

    ¡°¡­¡­ I¡¯ll tell her.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that¡­¡­ We¡¯re the ones who feel sorry about this.¡±

    Hiro-san answered with his head lowered as well: ¡°Sorry, asking for you to do something that you shouldn¡¯t.¡±

    I thought to myself: What¡¯s with this? No matter what serious incidents happened in the past,ughter could be heard in this alley.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s as you said, we chose Tetsu and not Alice this time.¡±

    ¡°Do you all trust Tetsu-senpai that much?¡±

    Facing my inquiries, Major and Hiro exchanged nces.

    ¡°You mean¡ª do we think Tetsu wouldn¡¯t bully someone to death, is it?¡± Hiro-san asked in a questioning tone, while I nodded weakly in response.

    ¡°This doesn¡¯t matter at all.¡±

    Hiro-san¡¯s short but strong answer caused me to raise my head in surprise.

    ¡°We are all NEETs, so we only care about the present. As for how Tetsu was in the past, it¡¯s none of our business. I just believe that the Tetsu right now isn¡¯t that kind of person.¡±

    Hiro-san looked at Major.

    ¡°Even if Tetsu-san is running away right now because of a murder, I would hide him with all my effort as well. If Tetsu-san is nning to kill someone, I would stop him with all my effort right now. That¡¯s why we¡¯re kin.¡±

    Kin. Companion.

    Then what would Alice be to these two?

    But I think that¡¯s a question that¡¯s off-limits¡ª I spoke, but the things that I said was other thoughts.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Then, I choose Alice and not Tetsu-senpai.¡±

    Not a friend, not apanion, it¡¯s something that could not be said in words¡ª

    Alice is a detective, while I¡¯m an assistant detective.

    ¡°I know.¡±

    Hiro-san nodded in answer. Some sorrow showed on his face, like a lily that hasn¡¯t bloomed.

    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean that we¡¯re going against her. Please tell Alice to just tell us directly if she wants us to investigate something other than Tetsu-san¡¯s past.¡±

    After saying that, Major immediately turned around and waved to me, walking away from the alley between the buildings with Hiro-san.

    It can¡¯t be said that I¡¯m standing on Alice¡¯s side, right? When the silhouettes of the two left, I suddenly thought¡ª actually Alice is the one who¡¯s helping me. If I withdraw my request, Alice would not need to continue to dig out the words of the deceased, and wouldn¡¯t need to worry that she would hurt Tetsu-senpai.

    But¡­¡­

    I raised my head, and coincidentally met Ayaka¡¯s uneasy gaze as she was tightly holding onto the kitchen backdoor.

    To me, there¡¯s something that I have to protect as well. Even if Ayaka had long forgotten how important those things are, even if it¡¯s only a mirage that exists only in my heart.

    *

    From the following day onwards, I would ask Ayaka to work in my stead at Hanamaru Ramen when I¡¯m busy with my work as an assistant detective.

    ¡°Ayaka is indeed ten thousand times more useful than you.¡±

    That¡¯s the same as Min-san originally thought. It seems that my chances of unemployment increased again, but it doesn¡¯t matter.

    ¡°If Min-san doesn¡¯t mind using me¡­¡­¡±

    Though Ayaka was rather hesitant, she still epted my request.

    Ayaka seemed to look forward to meeting Alice and Min-san as well. She might really recall Hanamaru Ramen if she keeps working there. I simply finished the work for the Gardening Club, thinking of this while looking as Ayaka left.

    But there are many things that would eventually disappear if you just leave it there, so I can¡¯t stop.

    That day, I went to the Student Council Inspection office.

    ¡°Fujishima-kun? Have you found out about anything?¡±

    Kousaka-senpai stayed alone in the dark, deserted Inspection office, and small books of past meeting minutes were piled on the table, while the monitor of an old model word processor was blinking piteously. Hustle and bustle from the office separated by bookshelves could be heard, which was in sharp contrast with the deserted feeling here.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Is there only a person in the Inspection?¡±

    ¡°Not really. There¡¯s actually five people, but the rest of them aren¡¯t really interested in the job except for me.¡±

    That¡¯s why Kaoruko-senpai would do as she like.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, didn¡¯t you say that a senpai from the Inspection is in Hirasaka-gumi? Ah, Hirasaka-gumi would be the ck T-shirt gang.¡±

    ¡°Eh? Ah, mnn. He¡¯s Miyabe-senpai.¡±

    ¡°That person should know more about the things when the Gardening Committee is still around, right?¡±

    Senpai nodded in response. I asked Kousaka-senpai to introduce me to Miyabe-senpai, but since the case is quite troublesome, it would probably be hard to tell him clearly about what urred even if I suddenly went to meet him.

    After I thanked her and was about to leave the Inspection office, Kousaka-senpai halted me.

    ¡°What is it?¡± I turned over and asked.

    ¡°Erm¡­¡­ Well¡­¡­¡±

    Senpai sat before the word processor and kept rubbing her hands.

    ¡°Sorry for asking you to investigate such a strange case. I¡¯ve brought you quite some trouble for my children¡¯s sake.¡±

    ¡°M- my children?¡±

    ¡°Ah, well¡­¡­¡± Kousaka-senpai used her hand to repeatedly fan her flushed cheeks. ¡°Sorry, that wasn¡¯t deliberate. There are some small cultural clubs that are facing abolishment, and many of them were founded when I was in first year, and I was in charge of inspecting them, so they feel like my own children.¡±

    Ah, so that¡¯s how things are. This person is the type that would swallow up the sorrowful things, shouldering them alone as well.

    ¡°Many people misunderstand that the Inspection exists just to abolish clubs.¡±

    I nonchntly shifted my gaze. Actually I thought so as well.

    ¡°In reality, we¡¯re indeed in charge of the follow-up work after the abolishment of a club, so some senpais had said that our job is to abolish clubs in the past. But the truth isn¡¯t like that¡­¡­ The Management has a lot of power, so I think that protecting the small clubs that can¡¯t protest is also the Inspection¡¯s job.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t look Kousaka-senpai in the eye.

    ¡°So this was actually something that I had to solve myself. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    I shook my head hurriedly.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t help just because I epted the request. I¡¯d be troubled if the Gardening Club disappears as well. Senpai, please don¡¯t worry too much about this. Alice epted the request for me as well. She¡¯s afraid that misfortune wouldnd on a ce where she doesn¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°The girl called Alice¡ª¡°

    Kousaka-senpai hesitated, looking up with her brows furrowed.

    ¡°¡ª is a rather unusual girl, right?¡±

    It felt as though she pondered some time for a suitable word to describe her, but it seems that she couldn¡¯t find one. It¡¯s actually more or less like that.

    ¡°How old is she? About eleven or twelve? Why is she nesting in a ce like that to be a detective? Is she really a hikikomori NEET? What are her parents doing right now?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡­ Erm¡­¡­ Well¡­¡­¡±

    So senpai didn¡¯t ask Alice these questions the first time she saw her because she nned to ask me after that? Unfortunately, I don¡¯t have answers for any of her questions.

    ¡°About these matters, I don¡¯t know even one.¡±

    Kousaka-san raised both her hands in a ¡®banzai¡¯ pose in surprise. That¡¯s rather simr to Ayaka.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know that? H¡­¡­ How is that possible? It seemed that you were quite close to her, isn¡¯t it strange that you don¡¯t know about that?¡±

    Is it really that strange? But when she said that, it really felt rather strange. Seemed that we were quite close? Having other people see us like that, it feels somewhatplicated. And actually I wasn¡¯t helping to take care of her just because I like it¡­¡­

    ¡°Then why are you continuing to do that for her? Helping a girl tob her hair too¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Mnn¡ª well¡­¡­ Because I¡¯m an assistant detective?¡±

    Whoops, I¡¯m starting to feel that something is off as well, why must an assistant detectiveb the hair of his boss!?

    ¡°Instead of saying that you¡¯re her assistant, aren¡¯t you more like her family?¡±

    ¡°Ohhh¡­¡­ Nonononono!¡±

    I couldn¡¯t defend myself against Kousaka-senpai¡¯s questions, and I might have said some strange things if the door behind me didn¡¯t open suddenly.

    A hint of tension suddenly appeared on Kousaka-senpai¡¯s face. After turning my head around, I realized that Kaoruko-senpai was standing outside the door.

    ¡°What are you doing? Do you still have anything to do with the Inspection?¡±

    I lowered my head, not answering Kaoruko-senpai¡¯s question. I wanted to walk out of the office directly, but then a voice came from my back.

    ¡°Fujishima-kun, please wait for a moment. Kaoruko-chan, please listen to m¡ª¡°

    Kaoruko-senpai looked at Kousaka-senpai the same time as myself. Kousaka-senpai covered the word processor, saying in a sincere tone:

    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m asking Fujishima-kun to investigate¡­¡­ the incident about your brother.¡±

    Kaoruko-senpai who was standing beside me widened her eyes.

    ¡°Why¡­¡­ are you doing such a thing?¡±

    ¡°Because the Gardening Club was founded after that incident happened, and the budget was decided that time, so the two must be rted somehow¡ª¡°

    ¡°There¡¯s absolutely no need for investigation!¡±

    Kaoruko-senpai¡¯s fingers were deeply clenched on her crossed arms, and she said while shaking her head.

    ¡°Don¡¯t do these pointless things, okay?¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t something pointless!¡±

    Kousaka-senpai walked over one step after another, and I saw that there was a danger of tears spilling from her eyes.

    ¡°Kaoruko-chan, didn¡¯t you find out a lot about this from the police that time? If it¡¯s possible, please tell Fujishima-kun¡ª¡°

    ¡°Get out!¡±

    Kaoruko-senpai suddenly grabbed the cor of my uniform, dragging me out to the corridor.

    ¡°Don¡¯t meddle in meaningless things anymore! The meeting is on the twenty fifth, please tidy up the Gardening Club before then!¡±

    Kaoruko-senpai forcefully pushed me out of the door, locking the door to the Inspection office with a bang, so that my view would be blocked. The sounds of vigorous dispute came from the other side of the door.

    I retreated to the windows, silently waiting for the pain because of Kaoruko-senpai¡¯s forceful push to fade. Now I understand, is this what they call the messenger for the dead? Being hated no matter you¡¯re in or out of a grave. How many times had Alice repeated this, and how many times had she been scolded?

    I think Kaoruko-senpai would definitely refuse to speak to me about her brother. Though it might help the case if I could hear something, the wound that was left because of the leaving of someone precious might not close up. I understand this the most, because even though that person is back, my pain has not faded even now.

    The meeting of the Student Council is scheduled on the twenty fifth of this month, and the ce where Ayaka and I supported each other is going to be closed down after about two weeks. I really can¡¯t bear to stop at this time.

    Right after I walked out of the school entrance, the ringtone of ¡®Colorado Bulldog¡¯ rang. I supported my bike by the school door, taking out my phone.

    ¡®Narumi? Don¡¯te here today first, go to¡ª¡®

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m going to Hirasaka-gumi right now.¡±

    Alice was speechless for a moment, how unusual.

    ¡®¡­¡­ Your recent diligence is rather disgusting, what happened? Maybe you¡¯re afraid that not only your job at the ramen shop, but even your job as an assistant detective would be taken by Ayaka?¡¯

    Why did you say that I¡¯m disgusting¡­¡­!

    ¡°You said that this case is my own case yourself, right?¡±

    ¡®That isn¡¯t wrong. I feel rather happy about this. Okay, rx. Though Ayaka is a hundred million times more considerate about small details than you, she doesn¡¯t have the talent to do a manzai, so she can¡¯t have the job of an assistant.¡¯

    ¡°So an assistant¡¯s job is to do tsukkomis with the boss¡­¡­?¡±

    ¡®Don¡¯t you think so?¡¯

    No, I should¡¯ve known that earlier, right?

    ¡®I investigated the personal information of those four dropouts in detail, and there¡¯s quite a lot, so I sent them directly to the inbox at Hirasaka-gumi.¡¯

    ¡°¡­¡­ Tetsu-senpai is among them?¡±

    ¡®Of course.¡¯

    ¡°Can I really read them? Those are all senpai¡¯s privacy¡­¡­¡±

    ¡®Hearing you say that, does that mean you can just read information other than Tetsu?¡¯

    ¡°Ehh¡­¡­ Ahh¡­¡­ Not really¡­¡­¡±

    Those are indeed his privacy. To be honest, I¡¯ve seen the personal information of total strangers being exposed by Alice¡¯s side, it¡¯s just that the one that¡¯s exposed is coincidentally Tetsu-senpai this time. Realizing about this at this time is really already toote.

    ¡®As long as you have the confidence that you could still hang out andugh together with everyone, including Tetsu, after the case has finished, then just read it.¡¯

    When the case has finished¡ª

    Can the days of the past still return?

    ¡°¡­¡­ Alice, do you have that confidence?¡±

    ¡®Of course. If not, I wouldn¡¯t be able to be a NEET detective. Knowing would indicate death, every file that I found out through a search engine are my bones.¡¯

    I somewhat regret discussing this topic with Alice on the phone, since I can¡¯t see her expression. Are those her usual banter, or did she just conceal her immense sadness with her flowery words?

    Now¡ª which is it?

    ¡°Hey, Alice.¡±

    ¡®Mnn?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m really okay. Only I¡ª¡°

    I switched the phone to my other hand, sighed and continued:

    ¡°¡ª won¡¯t leave, and wouldn¡¯t hate you if I know the cruel truth. I will always be by your side.¡±

    All of a sudden, only the sounds of the cooling fans in theputers could be heard on the receiver.

    Eh? That¡¯s odd. Did I say something that I shouldn¡¯t? I thought that Alice was feeling downcast because her NEETpanions kept their distance from her as she was determined to continue the investigation, which was why I wanted to use my own way tofort her.

    ¡®W- wh¡­¡­¡¯

    I finally heard Alice¡¯s unusually high-pitched voice.

    ¡®What are you bbering about all of a sudden!?¡¯

    Since her voice was rather piercing, I couldn¡¯t help but distance the receiver from my ears a bit.

    ¡®Why can¡¯t you get this clear? Wh- what about me? What are you talking about? Staying by my side is a given, you¡¯re my assistant!¡¯

    ¡°Erm¡­¡­ Sorry. But why are you so flustered?¡±

    ¡®I¡¯m not flustered! Don¡¯t just stand there speaking nonsense, hurry up and go to the office! If you¡¯re slower, the machine idiots team would break theputer, eating my email like ck goats!¡¯

    The phone was hung up harshly. I stared at the silent phone for awhile, turning it around in my palm. What¡¯s with that girl?

    Troubled, I tilted my head while stuffing my phone back into my pockets, riding my bike away.

    *

    The road extended from therge station like a vein, after climbing the slope that was connected to a TV station at the leftmost spot and turning left into a small alley, a broken down building could be seen. The third and fourth floor of the building would be the office of Hirasaka-gumi.

    As the sworn brother that underwent the sake ceremony with their leader Yondaime, I had some understanding about how the young yakuza gang was founded.

    Yondaime left his home at Kansai, arriving at Tokyo for quite some time now, and he once got along with a man simr to his age way before he knew Tetsu-senpai and Hiro-san. They were the most powerful ones in the city at that time¡ª some higher leveledckeys in Hirasaka-gumi told me excitedly, an embarrassing title called the ¡®Four Heavenly Kings¡¯ was once spread among the hot-blooded delinquents. One of the two remaining ones is Tetsu-senpai, while thest¡ª and the strongest one of them, seemed to be the shop owner of a ramen shop somewhere, but I might be mistaken about that. Why does these people like to have the strongest titles, names and things like that?

    Anyways, Yondaime and his pal gathered the good-for-nothings in the whole city in a sh. Yondaime¡¯s family had a business, though it doesn¡¯t seem so by his appearance, he¡¯s actually a person with constructive thoughts; and he uses violence to guide others as well. He¡¯s very clear about this: As long as you give a set amount of people a direction, it might have an economical effect.

    Just like that, a gang that gathers juvenile delinquents was born. Constantly gathering NEETs who were expelled from school, roaming the street, the gang grew and now became a force that even real yakuza gangs have to note¡ª that¡¯s what they said.

    The other man who once set the base for the gang, who was also Yondaime¡¯s inseparable friend¡ª disappeared not long after that. The reason for that wasn¡¯t clear, and only his name was left on the signboard of the gang.

    The namete on the letterbox of the first floor had ¡®Hirasaka¡¯ written on it. I closely observed Hirasaka-gumi¡¯s emblem that was exactly the same as the family emblem of the prestigious family during the olden times of Japan, ¡®Heishi¡¯, which was a swallowtail butterfly as well¡­¡­ The reason that I¡¯m thinking about these is just because the elevator still hadn¡¯te down. Did it break down again?

    It really can¡¯t be helped, I think it¡¯s better if I just use the emergency stairs. As I was about to walk out, I met a man in a ck T-shirt on the streets.

    ¡°Oh? Is there anything¡ª oh, isn¡¯t that the uniform of M High?¡±

    His hair was like a porcupine, and was bleached in an exaggerated way, quite an unusual type in Hirasaka-gumi.

    ¡°Ah? Would you be Fujishima?¡±

    After he suddenly said that, I nodded in surprise.

    ¡°Ahhh, mnn, Yukari-chan called me before this. And then Sou-san suddenly called me over, I wondered what was wrong.¡±

    Yukari-chan¡ª does that mean Kousaka-senpai? Which means¡­¡­

    ¡°Erm¡­¡­ Are you Miyabe-senpai who was once in the Inspection?¡±

    Kousaka-senpai said before this that though he was once in the Student Council, he became a NEET because he failed to get in a college. I couldn¡¯t imagine how he looks like, so he looks like this?

    ¡°Yes yes yes! Wow, you¡¯re actually a second year in our school. You could even address Sou-san as a brother, that¡¯s amazing!¡±

    While climbing the stairs, I heard Miyabe-senpai speak. It seems that he just joined the gang, and his understanding of myself is only from rumors. That¡¯s why Kousaka-senpai heard those untruths.

    ¡°Yukari-chan¡­¡­ how is she in the Inspection? Did Hayano bully her? Before I graduated, she almost threw all of the work in Inspection to Yukari-chan, she isn¡¯t still shouldering all the responsibilities herself, is she?¡±

    ¡°W- well¡­¡­ She seems okay¡­¡­¡±

    Since Miyabe-senpai¡¯s predictions were all spot on, that pained me a bit.

    ¡°Is that so? That¡¯s fine. That girl is the type that would worry about the others even though she, herself, could not go on, and finally cause herself to be unable to move.¡±

    The situation right now is just at senpai said.

    ¡°So you¡¯re investigating the Gardening Committee, right? That girl is really has a life of hard work.¡±

    I was rather uneasy about Miyabe-senpai¡¯s casual attitude. After climbing to the fourth floor, I walked into the rather eerie room.

    ¡°Good morning, everyone!¡± Senpai casually said.

    There were about five or six ck-shirted men in the office. A table was in the center of the room, while the two sofas that were ced opposite to each other were full of people. There are always so much people waiting here every time I¡¯m here. Is it because this is their job or they¡¯re just too free?

    Though I saw Pole (Two meters tall) who was Yondaime¡¯s bodyguard, the main point is their boss isn¡¯t at the desk at the innermost of the room.

    ¡°Oh, aniki, thanks for your hard work!¡±

    ¡°Thanks for your hard work!¡±

    Completely ignoring Miyabe-senpai¡¯s greetings, they stood up and bowed to me. Can you stop doing that? Doing that every time¡­¡­ Miyabe-senpai showed a rather startled expression, and he looked as though the stock that he was carrying suddenly turned into a venomous snake.

    ¡°W- well¡­¡­¡±

    I didn¡¯t know what to say, so I could only shift my gaze from Miyabe-senpai to Pole.

    ¡°Is Yondaime here today?¡±

    ¡°Sou-san is out right now.¡±

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right, aniki, theputer kept beeping just now, so I used the way that you taught me, hammering the power switch sixteen times, telling it to shut up!¡±

    I didn¡¯t tell you that! I told you not to touch the power switch when theputer is running! That was probably the email that Alice sent here, are the contents stillplete¡­¡­?

    I was invited into the study beside the desk.

    The room was used as a restroom and a store, so it was full of dust; it feels as though the cardboard boxes increase every time Ie here. I felt like tidying up this ce for them, but I¡¯m not a member of the gang after all.

    Hirasaka-gumi¡¯sputer was ced on a small table by a bed. Good thing Alice¡¯s email was still alright. I hurriedly printed out the files attached to the email. Apart from Tetsu-senpai¡¯s information, I browsed through the other contents. Not even one of them still lived at their old home, so there¡¯s no address to check out. Alice added on the information that she asked Yondaime to help with the investigation as well.

    ¡°Ohh, aniki, who are these people on the list? The people that we¡¯re going to beat up next?¡±

    ¡°Uwaa! Please don¡¯t look at the contents!¡±

    I hastily snatched the information from Pole¡¯s hands.

    ¡°¡­¡­ So- sorry!¡±

    Pole¡¯s huge body seemed to shrink in depression. After updating the softwares that hadn¡¯t been updated, I checked the other mails as well.

    ¡°Fujishima, so you¡¯re the one handling ourputer?¡± Miyabe-senpai looked at me from behind.

    ¡°Oi, Miyabe! Don¡¯t call aniki¡¯s name directly!¡± ¡°Aniki is Sou-san¡¯s brother, you know!¡±

    ¡°Eh? Ah, right¡­¡­ Sorry.¡±

    ¡°E- erm¡­¡­ It¡¯s fine, really, so don¡¯t mind about it.¡±

    Actually I want to listen to Miyabe-senpai¡¯s exnation earlier, but Pole stayed in the study for some reason, so I couldn¡¯t really say anything.

    ¡°I heard you¡¯re about two years younger than Tetsu-senpai?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, so I¡¯m probably four years older than you, Fujishima.¡±

    ¡°Oi, Miyabe! Didn¡¯t I tell you not to answer as you like? Aniki, sorry for this, it¡¯s all our fault.¡±

    Pole, can you stop interrupting already?

    ¡°That incident probably happened in winter, right?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s in December¡­¡­ Ah, it happened in December, about four years ago.¡± Miyabe-senpai said politely to Pole.

    ¡°Aniki, he said that it¡¯s in December four years ago.¡± Pole repeated to me.

    ¡°Are you in school when the incident happened, Miyabe-senpai? I¡¯ve heard that it happened on about five after school.¡±

    ¡°No, I went home already.¡± Senpai said to Pole again.

    Pole: ¡°He said that he went home already, aniki.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­¡­ that means, you don¡¯t know anything about the incident, right?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard of it from other people, so I know a bit about it.¡±

    ¡°He said that he knows a bit, aniki.¡±

    Please! Pole, can you please shut up already?

    Being troubled by a mystifying honorifics attack, I still managed to get some information, the incident would be¡­¡­ on a snowy Wednesday before the winter break, about half past five in the afternoon. Hayano Tomohiko was found copsed beside a wall not far from the right part of M High School¡¯s entrance, and there were signs of blood around it. Though the victim was immediately sent to the hospital for treatment, he still died that night because of a sudden heart failure.

    The ones who found out that something was wrong were some delinquents who often gathered at the Gardening Committee, and one of them was Ichinomiya Tetsuo who was not in the Gardening Committee. ording to their testimonies, they were led by Ichinomiya Tetsuo who was the first person who found the victim, forcing the sick Hayano Tomohiko to jog somewhere to buy something with his upper body bare, using the excuse of ¡®training his body¡¯ to repeatedly bully the victim in many ways.

    When Miyabe-senpai said till this part, Pole grabbed senpai¡¯s cor even faster than me.

    ¡°How would Tetsu-ojiki do such a thing!?¡±

    The tip of Miyabe-senpai¡¯s feet were raised about two centimeters from the floor. Seeing senpai suffocating because of his neck being throttled, legs iling non-stop, I hurriedly went forward to halt him.

    ¡°P- please don¡¯t do that!¡±

    Pole tutted in annoyance while unwillingly throwing Miyabe-senpai onto the bed.

    ¡°Bu- but¡­¡­ Tetsu-senpai said that himself¡­¡­¡±

    Miyabe-senpai exined while coughing.

    That¡¯s right. I sank into despair, sitting down on the chair once again. Tetsu-senpai admitted it himself¡­¡­

    But then¡ª why doesn¡¯t he want anyone to investigate?

    ¡°However, he didn¡¯t get arrested by the police.¡±

    Even the police couldn¡¯t prove that he did anything. Even so, the students that were rumored to mistreat other students dropped out of school; while the Gardening Committee faced abolishment.

    If there¡¯s any other secret that Tetsu-senpai doesn¡¯t want people to know of, that would probably be¡ª

    Perhaps he did reallymit a crime? How is that possible? Or maybe he didn¡¯t die due to mistreatment, but some other reason caused Hayano Tomohiko to die, and he did that just to hide the truth?

    I covered my mouth with my hand, swallowing the terrible imagination. It¡¯s useless even if I imagine these kind of things now. Additionally, there are some suspicious that we have to clear up right now.

    I thought of something to chase Pole out of the study, then started to ask again.

    ¡°And then¡­¡­ the Gardening Club was founded for some reason, right?¡±

    Miyabe-senpai nodded while answering:

    ¡°I was still a rookie Inspector that time, so I wasn¡¯t clear how the Management dealt with the matter. However, the money that was originally given by the school then given by the Student Council, and a new club thatpletely inherits the jobs of the Gardening Committee was founded. I think that affected the budgets of the other clubs more or less, so there¡¯s probably some effect that time. The one who talked things out with the people in the staffroom would probably be a superior in the Student Council, right?¡±

    ¡°Is this even possible?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ve seeded. That couldn¡¯t be helped. I asked my senpais in the Inspection about the same question as well. It¡¯s actually just that the teachers want to have an exnation for the outsiders, and it would be even trickier to clear away the flowerbeds or the greenhouse. So if there¡¯s a request from the Student Council, saying that they want to open a new club to handle the job, they can¡¯t say no. Since the students who caused the trouble left school after all.¡±

    No matter what, this was probably done by an extremely motivated leader in the Student Council.

    ¡°¡­¡­ By the way, might it be done by the leader of the Inspection?¡±

    I think I¡¯m asking too much.

    ¡°Ah¡ª that¡¯s possible as well, it seemed like he was rather friendly with the delinquents in the Gardening Committee. I heard that he was one of the pioneer members when the Gardening Club was first founded. I remember that he liked to trouble the teachers¡­¡­ But he left school in the end. I wonder what¡¯s he doing right now¡­¡­ It doesn¡¯t seem that he went to college or something.¡±

    The pioneer members of the Gardening Club?

    That would mean¡ª it¡¯s almost confirmed that this guy did it?

    ¡°T- that person is?¡±

    ¡°Eh? Ahh, hmm¡­¡­ I think it¡¯s Minagawa-san¡­¡­ His full name is probably Minagawa Kengo. But I¡¯m not sure of how to contact him.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, that¡¯s okay. I just need the name.¡± I¡¯ll leave the rest to Alice.

    I rushed out of the office after thanking senpai, and coincidentally met Yondaime who was walking upstairs. A bodyguard that looked somewhat like a wall was standing behind him¡ª Rocky.

    ¡°Aniki, thanks for your hard work!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re done with Miyabe already?¡±

    ¡°Ah, y- yes! Thank you very much.¡±

    ¡°It seems like you¡¯re running here and there recently.¡±

    ¡°As a NEET, aniki is unusually serious.¡± Rocky added. I¡¯m telling you that I¡¯m not a NEET¡­¡­

    ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t really do anything notable actually.¡±

    ¡°I know that, I wasn¡¯t praising you, and what you do is usually in vain, isn¡¯t that right? Running here and there enthusiastically, and getting satisfied because of this. A ssic idiot who likes to waste his time.¡±

    I felt rather annoyed because of his words, but I couldn¡¯t refute him since what he said is the truth.

    ¡°Miyabe wasn¡¯t present at that time anyways, why are you here just to listen to him? Why don¡¯t you just go and ask Tetsu?¡±

    ¡°But, if then¡ª¡°

    Why is he saying such things? Yondaime knows this, Tetsu-senpai said that he wouldn¡¯t say anything.

    ¡°Those are Tetsu¡¯s own thoughts, right? What does that have to do with you? If there¡¯s a need¡ª¡°

    Yondaime stepped closer to me, pressing a finger forcefully on my chest. It felt just like a sharp ice pir.

    ¡°¡ª you should ask him even if you have to punch him for it.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t answer him. The reason that Yondaime could say such a thing is because he¡¯s as strong as Tetsu-senpai. But I don¡¯t have that strength.

    ¡°Who says that you have to win against him in a fight? I said that you just have to give him a punch.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Is there a difference?¡±

    ¡°If you can¡¯t tell the difference, that means you¡¯re an idiot. Just run around like an idiot then!¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s better if I stay like that. Erm¡­¡­ Can you locate the other dropouts other than Tetsu-senpai? Almost all of them left their home now, so we don¡¯t know where they are. The namelist is in theputer.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡±

    ¡°So sorry for troubling you.¡±

    As I was about to walk down the stairs:

    ¡°Oi, Gardening Club kid! Wait a sec.¡±

    After pushing Rocky into the office, he threw something to me, and I only realized that it was a triangr cloth when I caught hold of it. I forgot when, but there was some embroidery simr to the ones on Ayaka¡¯s. I was confused, looking at the cloth that was probably sewn by Yondaime himself, and looked at him again.

    ¡°That¡¯s for you, remember to tie it on your head. That would cure your idiot sickness.¡±

    ¡°Thank you so much for that!¡±

    Did he really spend the night finishing that so that he could make fun of me? I¡¯m so touched because of this¡­

    *

    It was almost time for the ramen shop to open by the time I arrived. Min-san¡¯s silhouette could be seen at the other side of the half-open iron sliding door. She was wiping the counters with her ponytail swaying around.

    ¡°Oh, just at the right time. Ayaka is probably still at Alice¡¯s, so go and tell her that it¡¯s almost time to open the shop. The customers are increasing recently, so it¡¯s rather tiring doing this alone!¡±

    Min-san said that, not even ncing at me.

    ¡°Oka¡ª¡° Eh? Wait a minute! ¡°Erm¡­¡­ Aren¡¯t I supposed to be an employee as well?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Who are you? Our shop never employed a male employee before this.¡±

    I nearly wept. Though I know that it¡¯s reasonable if I¡¯m fired because of my recent performance¡­¡­

    ¡°You seem very busy as well! If Ayaka returns, wouldn¡¯t that help you as well?¡±

    ¡°T- that¡¯s right¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re fired. Thanks for your hard work!¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you say this any other way!?¡±

    ¡°Keep out of my territory.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s even crueler!¡±

    I climbed up the backstairs while beingughed at by Min-san. When I entered the NEET Detective Agency, Ayaka and Alice were sitting on the bed. Seeing Alice sitting obediently on Ayaka¡¯s thigh, beingbed, a nostalgic feeling surged from the depths of my heart.

    Thanks to Alice and Min-san, Ayaka cane here by herself now.

    Then, I hope the school and the Gardening Club can restore her memories of me.

    ¡°Min-san asked me to tell you that it¡¯s about time to open the shop.¡±

    ¡°Ah, right, sorry. It¡¯s going to be done soon.¡±

    Ayaka gentlybed Alice¡¯s silky hair, conditioners and what nots spread on the bed.

    ¡°It¡¯s all Ayaka¡¯s fault, making me bathe every two days. It¡¯s really troublesome.¡±

    Alice said while pouting.

    ¡°Alice, you should take care of your skin and your hair since they¡¯re so beautiful.¡±

    ¡°Even if I take care of them, who would feel happy because of this?¡±

    ¡°Everyone would feel happy. Right, Fujishima-san?¡±

    ¡°Eh? Huh? Ah, yeah!¡±

    Can you not suddenly focus on me?

    ¡°Narumi, don¡¯t just stand there and discuss meaningless topics. Dr. Pepper and the report! Hurry up!¡±

    Okay, okay. I took out a can from the fridge, handing the note with the news by Miyabe-senpai to Alice. There are still some things that I couldn¡¯t understand just by looking at the information. Though I had wanted to tidy up the contents first, in the end I still chose to tell Alice about all of it first.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Mnn, I get it.¡±

    Alice handed the note back to me after listening to my exnation.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you need it?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t Tetsu¡¯s personal information printed on the other side of the paper? Remember not to use these things to jot things down after this.¡±

    Whoops.

    ¡°So you still didn¡¯t look at the contents?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Yeah.¡±

    I still felt that I couldn¡¯t look at Tetsu-senpai¡¯s privacy.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t really matter. Though it¡¯s true that you could see what I missed sometimes, but from the meaning of words, those are physical visual assets. In the sea of knowledge and information, you are only a dumb fish that couldn¡¯t even see your own tail.¡±

    ¡°Sorry¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°You said that the Head Inspector might be involved in this¡­¡­ right?¡±

    When I nodded in response, Alice furrowed her brows.

    ¡°I recall that I¡¯ve seen the name of the Head Inspector before this.¡±

    Alice remembers this person? Would that be because Tetsu-senpai told her that? As Ayaka was stillbing Alice¡¯s hair, Alice pulled the moveable table by herputer desk to her side, then typed on theputer to bring out a the window of a search engine on one of her monitors. Sounds of typing that were like machine guns rang in the room.

    ¡°ording to the student handbook of your school, opening a new club must pass the Inspector¡¯s trials. As for the rude and puzzling process of the opening of the Gardening Club, the involvement of the Head Inspector is quite probable. It¡¯s like he¡¯s looking at a club that he¡¯s already decided to open. If this happens nowadays, it would be a huge joke.¡±

    ¡°Rude and puzzling?¡±

    Ayaka who was behind Alice stoppedbing, and her face fell. Though she didn¡¯t really understand what we were discussing about, Ayaka was rather sensitive about the words Gardening Club that kept appearing in the conversation, so she couldn¡¯t just ignore it.

    ¡°The club that you and Narumi are in is shrouded in mysteries.¡± Alice used the back of her head to lightly bump Ayaka¡¯s chest while saying: ¡°Do you remember a third year senpai when you first joined the Gardening Club in first year? Did you hear anything from him? There must be some students who joined the club at the same time as the Head Inspector, right?¡±

    Being asked a whole lot of questions, Ayaka looked at Alice and shook her head after closing her eyes looking rather forlorn. Even if she heard anything¡ª she probably doesn¡¯t remember it.

    ¡°Is that so? That¡¯s fine.¡± Alice continued to pound on the keyboard, wearing an unconcerned expression on her face. ¡°No matter what, the first party should understand that the most, so it¡¯s impossible that it¡¯s not connected.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean he might know about Tetsu-senpai as well? We can ask him as long as we find him¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Basically, it¡¯s like tha¡ª ahhh, no¡­¡­¡±

    The sounds of typing suddenly halted.

    Alice stared weakly at theputer screen.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Is there anything wrong?¡±

    ¡°It seems that we¡¯re toote, we can¡¯t question Minagawa Kengo about this now.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    I approached the back of the bed, looking at the monitor that Alice was staring at. Quite a few windows were on the screen, and one of them had a photo of a man with small eyes, a square jaw, and a pale face that was about twenty, and the information about him.

    ¡°He¡¯s dead. What a joke.¡±

    Alice¡¯s words hammered Ayaka¡¯s head.

    Among the words in one of the windows, two words were so clear to me as though they popped out of the screen. Choked breathing surged from the depths of my throat.

    ¡°Angel Fix.¡±

    The red wings of angels that fragmented our winter, the crazily strong drug.

    Why? Why? Why is this name here?

    Since the group that made and dealt the drugs was closed down, the number of people who died because of the drug shot up. Apparently, they hurt themselves because of the withdrawal of the drug. There were already thirty people in this city alone. Their names weren¡¯t in God¡¯s notebook, so the sorrowful people attempted to add it in with their own blood. Most of those people did not continue their studies or work, drifting meaninglessly in the night city¡ª NEETs.

    Minagawa Kengo¡¯s name was among them.

    ¡°Ayaka, ouch! It hurts!¡±

    Alice suddenly shouted. I turned around, seeing the pale Ayaka with her eyes glued to the screen, tightly hugging Alice until the back of her hands turned white.

    ¡°Ah, no, no¡­¡­ Noooo¡­¡­!¡±

    A terrifying sound was emitted from Ayaka¡¯s half-open mouth, her eyes that had lost their radiance were staring at the words ¡®Angel Fix¡¯ that caught my attention just now. I pounced on Ayaka, shaking her shoulders frantically, trying to pull her away from Alice.

    ¡°Ayaka, calm down! Please calm down!¡±

    ¡°N¡­¡­No! Nooo¡ª!¡±

    A piteous scream echoed through the cold room. Ayaka buried her face in Alice¡¯s hair, her back convulsing repeatedly. Her force was so big that I could almost hear the sounds of Alice¡¯s bones fracturing. I tried to stick my arm between them both, but was violently pushed down the bed.

    ¡°No! N- no! D- don¡¯te here! NO! Ah¡­¡­ Ahh¡­¡­!¡±

    Ayaka finally let go of Alice, but she was curled up on the bed, starting to scratch the bed sheets and her own arms. Alice coughed while saying:

    ¡°Narumi, wrap her in the carpet so that her hands can¡¯t move!¡±

    Being frozen, I sprang up and forcibly wrapped Ayaka¡¯s hands with the carpet.

    ¡°Master, sorry, but it¡¯s an emergency. Can youe up here immediately?¡±

    I heard Alice¡¯s hoarse voice on the phone, looking at Ayaka whose lips were trembling non-stop, color drained from her face. It was like the bruises that were like the battle attire of native people that appearedst winter morning surfaced below her eyes again¡ª the reddish ck bags under her eyes. My back trembled as though it was about to break, but those were actually hallucinations. Opening my eyes after closing them for awhile, I saw that Ayaka¡¯s face was just pale. She widened her eyes while looking at me. Perhaps she had a hallucination, seeing me after taking the Angel Fix, the chilling markings¡ªI saw that her gaze froze because of terror.

    I don¡¯t even know who to curse now.

    Ayaka still retained some memories. Nothing disappeared, it¡¯s just that the thread that tied it was cut, and it was buried deeply in the swamp of memories.

    But they¡¯ve linked now in this way.

    I caught hold of Ayaka¡¯s hands forcibly on the carpet. If I didn¡¯t do that, I¡¯m afraid that I would have problems as well. I couldn¡¯t even differentiate whether the moans that resounded in the room were mine or Ayaka¡¯s. Standing below the air vent of the air conditioner, I waited while biting my lips forcefully.

    Suddenly, I felt someone beside me. If not because of the stream of heat, I might have hugged my own head, copsing on the bed with my eyes closed.

    After raising my head, I saw Alice standing by my side, tightly holding the sleeve of my shirt, gazing at Ayaka¡¯s face with her eyes that were as dark as the deep sea.

 Volume 3, 3

    <h4>Volume 3, Chapter 3</h4>

    It¡¯s hard to believe that there would be a day that I would feel depressed to go to Hanamaru Ramen.

    That¡¯s because the ramen shop right now doesn¡¯t have its usual warmth. Having said those words, Tetsu-senpai probably wouldn¡¯t go there for quite some time now. Major and Hiro-san probably feel awkward, so they wouldn¡¯t go. Coupled with Min-san¡¯s stern expression when she was asked by Alice to take care of Ayaka yesterday, I don¡¯t feel like going just by thinking of that.

    But there¡¯s still a reason that I have to go there.

    ¡°Do you really have to go?¡±

    Sayuri-sensei sat on the teacher¡¯s chair in the greenhouse, a lonely expression on her face. The seat at my side was empty because of Ayaka¡¯s absence as well. That means the supplementary ss would end for the day when I leave.

    ¡°I originally nned to teach you all of the English grammar from the third semester too, what a pity¡­¡­¡±

    Can you please not speak such scary words with such a piteous gaze? The unmarried Sayuri-sensei was often said to be a widow, because of her unique maturity, but she was actually more like an innocent college student up till now. I know that you¡¯re worried about my grades, but¡­¡­

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll give you a lot of homework!¡± After saying that, she immediately stuck a note on my pocket again.

    ¡°Do I really have to wear this?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Sayuri-sensei smiled while taking out the clothes peg. I still have a lot of ces to go to¡­¡­

    I slowly rode my bike, passing through a road, going past the police station, a whole row of empty houses of vagrants arranged at my left. I rode along the steel road to an alley that was surrounded by blocks of short buildings. I started to feel depressed when I faintly saw the portiere of Hanamaru Ramen, and my feet that were pedaling started to turn heavier as well.

    At least let there be someone waiting at the space behind the kitchen backdoor¡ª

    ¡°Judging from Major¡¯s personality, it must be a bluff. Show! Two pair!¡±

    ¡°What a pity, mine is three card. Tetsu-san, you¡¯re too na?ve.¡±

    ¡°Ahhh, why didn¡¯t you change even though you have three card!?¡±

    ¡°Because Hiro-san and Tetsu-san just changed a card, that¡¯s a basic tactic.¡±

    ¡°Major, sorry for saying this while you¡¯re happily exining away, but mine is a straight flush.¡±

    ¡°Why¡­¡­!?¡±

    ¡°Why is my line! Why are you three over here!?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but say. Tetsu-senpai, Major and Hiro-san who were surrounding a wooden stand ying poker turned around and looked at me at the same time.

    ¡°So it¡¯s just Narumi. Don¡¯t talk to me right now, I¡¯ve just lost twenty thousand yen!¡±

    ¡°Vice Admiral Fujishima, please stand behind the super lucky Hiro-san and signal to me his cards with semaphore.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve asked the girls out, treating them to roast meat. Are you going too, Narumi-kun?¡±

    Hearing Hiro-san say so, Tetsu-senpai and Major acted like a king kong and a gori respectively, repeatedly hitting their chests. I really didn¡¯t know what to say, so I could only squat down behind the kitchen backdoor.

    What¡¯s with these people? They¡¯re the same as usual.

    Just at that moment, the door at my back suddenly opened. I flopped directly onto the ground after being punched.

    ¡°Oi, Narumi. Just ignore these mites(dani) of themunity, hurry up and help out in the shop! Didn¡¯t Ayaka take sick leave today?¡±

    Min-san looked at me with a cold expression. Didn¡¯t you say that you fired me just yesterday!?

    ¡°Oi, we were called mites.¡±

    ¡°But it seems that we¡¯re not fleas in themunity.¡±

    ¡°Maybe mite sounds cooler?¡±

    In the end, the three started to sing the Irnd folk song ¡®Danny(dani) Boy¡¯ at the same time.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Why are the three of them here?¡±

    I asked Min-san while taking off my zer, putting on an apron.

    ¡°Why do you ask that¡­¡­?¡±

    Min-san tilted her head while stirring the food in herrge pot, and it was like her expression said: what is this guy talking about?

    ¡°Min-san, you know it as well, right? Tetsu-senpai refused Alice¡¯s request, while Major and Hiro-san wouldn¡¯t help out in the case¡ª¡°

    ¡°Those are two different matters, aren¡¯t they? They¡¯re not rted at all.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean? Not rted¡­¡­?¡± But really, it does seem that they¡¯re unrted. Even if they don¡¯t assist Alice in investigation, they don¡¯t need to stay away from Hanamaru Ramen. But this is still¡­¡­

    ¡°¡­¡­ I can¡¯t separate them that well.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Tetsu and Hiro just went to see Alice just now too. I heard that they got a gift from ying pachinko, and there¡¯s a doll that Alice would like.¡±

    I even thought that ¡®healthy¡¯ words like pachinko gifts can¡¯t be linked with Tetsu-senpai. So that¡¯s not all, they even went to see Alice? What are they thinking of¡­¡­?

    ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s thinking too much.¡± After saying that, Min-san threw a cabbage to me. I caught the cabbage and washed it, cutting it while muttering:

    ¡°Is that so? Alice must mind it a lot, right?¡±

    ¡°About what you¡¯re thinking of, she doesn¡¯t really mind about that.¡±

    My jaw dropped, and I stared nkly at the side of Min-san¡¯s face.

    ¡°The thing that she¡¯s concerned of is that Tetsu might be arrested because of her investigations¡­¡­ Meaningless matters like that. She doesn¡¯t care if they¡¯re helping her or not. This is also the only merit of thosemunity mites.¡±

    Min-san who was looking at her pot suddenly raised her head and smiled at me.

    ¡°She¡¯s just worried about other people. If she¡¯s a person who just worries for herself, she wouldn¡¯t be living in a rubbish dump like that ages ago.¡±

    I held the kitchen knife, not moving.

    So that¡¯s why. Min-san was right.

    The reason that some NEETs whose lives are facing despair can enjoy themselves together is probably because there¡¯s someone by their side worrying for their future¡ª even though they look as if they don¡¯t care about it.

    Of course, many NEETs aren¡¯t that lucky as well. When those people are alone in a cold night, they might grasp the merciless hand of the ¡®red angel¡¯.

    Minagawa Kengo might have been one of them.

    Dropping out of school in the middle of high school, drifting to a dark corner in the city, the body and mind falling onto the asphalt road¡ª

    And then they met the ¡®angel¡¯.

    I once experienced a small part of what the drug could bring. The only word that could express the feeling¡ª though I really really feel that it¡¯s extremely dumb, there¡¯s truly only one word that could describe it¡­¡­ that is ¡®love¡¯.

    It felt as though the whole world loved yourself, imagining that the whole world would ept yourself.

    I think that nobody in this world could live on without having these fantasies. Because of that, many peoplemitted suicide when the supply of love by ¡®fix¡¯ stopped when the flowers that Ayaka nted disappeared and Hakamizaka died. A person who tried the drug would know the whole truth during the instant when he wakes up.

    The whole world doesn¡¯t love him at all.

    But I still came back. Thanks to Alice and Ayaka¡¯s help.

    ¡°¡ªmi! Oi, Narumi!¡±

    I was pped, and was brought back to the kitchen that was full of heat from the sea of memories. The first thing that came into my view was Min-san¡¯s brows that were arched in anger.

    ¡°Eh? Ah, erm¡­¡­ Thanks to your help as well?¡±

    ¡°What gibberish are you spouting? Alice ordered something, hurry up and send it there!¡±

    Min-san handed a bowl of bean sprouts ramen without meat or noodles on a te to me, then knocked me on the back with her knees. That hurts¡­¡­

    ¡°Look, most cat dolls in the market are quite ugly, but this could be said as a chef d''oeuvre! Good thing Tetsu saved it out from the gift cupboard in the pachinko shop, I really don¡¯t know how to thank him.¡±

    A broad smile was Alice¡¯s face, repeatedly showing off the present that Tetsu-senpai gave her. Just like that, a new kitten joined the doll army on her bed. I see, so this girl really doesn¡¯t mind.

    ¡°What¡¯s with that gaze? Perhaps you have something to say about me naming the cat Patronius¡±

    ¡°Not really.¡±

    I ced the ramen bowl onto the moveableputer desk.

    ¡°Judging from your personality, you¡¯re probably thinking about meaningless things because you saw that Tetsu and the others looked for me, right?¡±

    ¡°Mnn¡­¡­ A little. I thought for a bit about problems about ¡®love¡¯.¡±

    Alice¡¯s expression looked as though she identally swallowed a bug. After staring at me for awhile with herrge, bright eyes, she got off the bed, slowly walking to the kitchen. When she was back, her hands were full of Dr. Pepper, and she handed one of them to me.

    ¡°It is said that Dr. Pepper was originally sold as medicine, though I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s effective as brain damage treatment.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your concern!¡±

    Alice who walked back to the bed shoveled the ramen and the drink in the dark red can in turn into her mouth while saying:

    ¡°Don¡¯t think about these things that you don¡¯t understand, you just have to take care of Ayaka and yourself.¡±

    ¡°I know that it¡¯s the best if things can be like that¡­¡­¡±

    While sighing, I turned the cold can in my hands.

    ¡°How was Ayaka after that?¡±

    Why are you asking me? Logically speaking, Alice would have asked Min-san or investigated herself, so she probably knows about Ayaka¡¯s condition already, right?

    But at that moment, I realized that she wanted me to speak.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Her condition stabilized when she arrived at the hospital. Her mother fetched her. Though she said Ayaka took leave today, she would probably be well enough to go to school tomorrow.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡±

    Alice¡¯s sincerely happy expression made me feel shy for awhile.

    It¡¯s great that a tragedy like her needing to stay in the hospital again didn¡¯t happen, but I still recalled Ayaka¡¯s terrified expression that time.

    At that moment, the screams that Ayaka made because of her memories.

    I really wish that she would remember about me¡ª but that wish started to waver. That¡¯s because her memories about me would be entangled with the drug. If she¡¯s in such pain, is it better if she doesn¡¯t get her memory back?

    Facing the silent me, Alice said in a businesslike tone:

    ¡°Yondaime called me just now, saying that though he hasn¡¯t found the other three dropouts, he contacted some of the members of the Gardening Committee. It seems that Yondaime asked those people to look for him, so you¡¯d better go and get some information as well.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Right now?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Yondaime is different from you, he likes to finish things fast.¡±

    ¡°But I still have to help out at the ramen shop¡­¡­¡±

    Alice picked up the phone before I even finished talking.

    ¡°Ah, Master? It¡¯s me. Didn¡¯t Narumi quit the job at Hanamaru Ramen already? Yeah. So you mean that he¡¯s just helping as a volunteer right now? I understand. Then of course his work as an assistant detective is given priority, right?¡±

    The matter was dealt with in less than twenty seconds. So I¡¯m just helping as a volunteer¡­¡­ But she wasn¡¯t wrong, since I¡¯m now fired.

    ¡°Then¡­¡­ Please go there immediately. They might already be there now.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Where¡¯s the location?¡±

    ¡°A shrine.¡±

    Shrine?

    *

    Though Japan is proimed as a country with no religion, there are actually lots of religious ces in the city. Most of them are small shrines that most people don¡¯t even know the names of.

    Besides visiting there during the New Year or during rituals, almost nobody would think of these ces. But sometimes it might also be an unforgettable ce for a small amount of people.

    And to me, the shrine gave me that kind of feeling that day.

    The shrine was located at the borders of a neighboring district, and it took about ten minutes to ride over there from the ramen shop. Cheap and broken down apartments surrounded the woods nearby, and the forecourt of the shrine was located there; there was also a ratherrge cemetery that was surrounded by a cement wall beside the shrine.

    A silver Civic car was parked on the road in front of the shrine. Yondaime didn¡¯t bring his bodyguards here, perhaps taking the location into consideration. He wasn¡¯t wearing his crimson coat that day, so his whole attire was ck; and there was a bottle of sake squeezed under his arm as well.

    ¡°Sorry for beingte.¡± I parked my bike at a side of the road that had some distance with the car.

    ¡°Those people have already arrived.¡±

    I looked at the forecourt of the shrine.

    The temple that was surrounded by woond was more majestic than I expected, and the stone path was rather clean as well. A small path leading to the cemetery was on our left, and we saw the silhouette of a columbarium after we passed the woods.

    Three young men had gathered in front of a small tombstone earlier than us, and they were about the same age as Yondaime. One of them was wearing a suit, another was wearing casual attire of a Polo shirt and khaki trousers, while thest one was wearing the uniform of a construction site. When we approached, the three bowed to Yondaime at the same time.

    ¡°Sorry for calling you here suddenly.¡±

    Yondaime said in apletely unembarrassed tone, opened the bottle of sake and poured it on the tombstone. The sake that flowed down gradually dyed the word ¡®Minagawa¡¯ on the tombstone ck.

    The man in the casual attire answered: ¡°It¡¯s okay, I was free anyways.¡±

    ¡°I was visiting a client, so I could get here sneakily. Of course we muste when Sou-san is looking for us.¡±

    After the man in the suit finished saying that, he immediately poked the construction worker by his side: ¡°While it¡¯s unusual for you to be able toe.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any breaks at all, and I did not even know Minagawa was dead. I actually squeezed in some time to get out, but thank you for contacting me.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank me.¡± Yondaime answered expressionlessly, cing his palms together vertically in front of Minagawa¡¯s tombstone. I hurriedly stabbed the incense that I bought just now into the ground, closing my palms as well.

    The victim in the ¡®Angel Fix¡¯ incident might be the founder of the Gardening Club as well¡ª Minagawa Kengo.

    ¡°I never would have thought that he would touch drugs.¡±

    ¡°He even looked rather unconcerned when he dropped out.¡±

    ¡°Do you remember? His parents divorced long ago, and his pop is rather¡­¡­¡±

    The three who once used the Gardening Committee as a secret base discussed in a pained tone behind me. It seemed that they had never met Yondaime, but heard about him before, and that¡¯s why we managed to call them out like this. The fact that Yondaime created a chance for them to pray to Minagawa like this shows that a rather attentive mind was hidden behind his stern appearance.

    ¡°Then today is for¡­¡­?¡±

    The man in a suit sized me up while asking.

    ¡°You¡¯re our kouhai? I heard you have something to ask us?¡±

    ¡°Ah, y- yes!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s better to speak over there.¡± Because of Yondaime¡¯s suggestion, we returned to the woods, sitting on the wooden steps in front of the temple.

    ¡°Eh? Isn¡¯t that¡­¡­?¡±

    The construction worker who was sitting above me suddenly noticed the clothes peg on my pocket and pointed while saying:

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that belong to Sayuri-chan?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Do you know Sayuri-sensei as well?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean do we know her? We once went to her lessons in the greenhouse.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s so nostalgic. She probably used this to make sure you don¡¯t forget about your homework, right? It¡¯s so embarrassing.¡±

    ¡°Is it possible¡­¡­ that she gave you guys supplementary lessons before this as well?¡±

    I nodded in surprise, recalling Sayuri-sensei¡¯s words. That¡¯s right. Some delinquents gathered at the Gardening Committee¡ª she once said that she hanged out together with those people for some time, and started to give them supplementary lessons after ss for some reason.

    ¡°Heh. That does indicate that you¡¯re really our kouhai in some way!¡± The threeughed while saying.

    People are connected to each other in intriguing ways sometimes.

    ¡°I often skipped sses to smoke behind the greenhouse, and I was caught by Sayuri-chan one day.¡±

    ¡°She wasn¡¯t scary at all though she was angry, and she had just joined the school recently at that time.¡±

    ¡°Why did she start the supplementary lessons? That¡¯s quite puzzling.¡±

    The expression of the three while they were chatting lookedfortable like someone bathing in the warm sunlight during winter.

    ¡°But it¡¯s all thanks to those supplementary lessons that I could graduate.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe until now that you actually got into college.¡±

    ¡°I retook the exam a year. I also can¡¯t believe that you actually found a job.¡±

    ¡°It would be better if Kanegawa didn¡¯t drop out half way.¡±

    ¡°Eh? Did he take the lessons in the greenhouse as well?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but interject.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. As I recall, there were about ten people there.¡±

    ¡°Sayuri-chan worked hard to move the ckboard in as well.¡±

    ¡°But since the incident happened, we couldn¡¯t continue.¡±

    ¡°Is it¡­¡­ the death incident of Hayano Tomohiko?¡±

    ¡°Ah, so you know about it. That¡¯s right, you wanted to ask about this?¡±

    It was as though the surrounding air suddenly chilled down. The man in a suit answered in a low voice:

    ¡°Tomohiko was in the supplementary sses as well. It was because he wasn¡¯t that healthy and kept taking leave. Though it snowed on the day that he died, I think he still did go to the lessons.¡±

    ¡°But I really didn¡¯t notice that he was bullied by anyone.¡±

    ¡°Then, Tetsu-senpai¡­¡­ Did Ichinomiya-senpai have lessons in the greenhouse as well?¡±

    ¡°Oh yes. The ones who dropped out were all from the greenhouse group, all Sayuri-chan¡¯s students.¡±

    ¡°Though only Tomohiko¡¯s personality was different form the others, it wasn¡¯t until the extent that people would bully him¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Does speaking of this now have any use?¡±

    To hide the trembling of my fingers, I clenched my hands, fixing my gaze on the ground with my lips tightly closed. Yondaime who was sitting beside me didn¡¯t say anything at all, and his expression didn¡¯t change at all.

    There were once lessons in Sayuri-sensei¡¯s ¡®ssroom full of flowers¡¯.

    And it was destroyed from the inside by Tetsu-senpai and the others in the end¡­¡­ Did Tetsu-senpai really do such a thing?

    I still think that there¡¯s something off. That¡¯s right, Hirabayashi-sensei who was the advisor at that time and the people who gathered in the greenhouse didn¡¯t know of the mistreatment at all. How is this possible?

    ¡°It¡¯s great that we didn¡¯t be NEETs already.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I think I¡¯ll visit Sayuri-chan with a present during Obon.¡±

    ¡°To be frank, I¡¯m quite embarrassed to go to M High now, but I really feel like seeing Sayuri-chan.¡±

    ¡°I wonder if she didn¡¯t marry until now because of us.¡±

    The threeughed in a lonely way.

    The three of them refused Yondaime¡¯s suggestion to drive them back, but that¡¯s quite normal. They would feel nervous, and though they were asked out, they probably didn¡¯t want to owe Yondaime any favors.

    ¡°Do you want to go back to Alice¡¯s now? Isn¡¯t Tetsu at the ramen shop as well?¡±

    After sending them away, Yondaime asked me at the entrance of the shrine.

    ¡°Well¡­¡­ Is there something wrong?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re my brother after all, so if there¡¯s a need¡­¡­¡±

    Yondaime leaned on the car with his elbow on the top of the car, showing the expression of a hungry wolf in an instant.

    ¡°I can help you to beat him up.¡±

    Shocked, I hastily shook my head in response.

    ¡°T- there¡¯s no need. I can¡¯t ask other people to do such a thing.¡±

    ¡°Then are you preparing to do it yourself?¡±

    Why do you keeping to these conclusions?

    ¡°I can¡¯t possibly do such a thing, and I don¡¯t want to owe you any more favors.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s just beating up that guy, it¡¯s no big deal actually.¡±

    To be honest, is Tetsu-senpai or this guy the stronger one? Though it¡¯s unrted to this, I couldn¡¯t help but feel somewhat curious about this. Yondaime probably has an advantage in speed, but Tetsu-senpai would probably have an advantage in strength and stamina¡­¡­ I think it¡¯s safer for me to put this meaningless curiosity aside.

    ¡°You did me a big favor for today already.¡±

    ¡°This is not a favor, I¡¯ll im my payment from Alice.¡±

    Ah, I see. As expected of the fourth generation of a businessman family, having such principles. However, would the fee be counted into my request fee in the end?

    After Yondaime drove his car away, I pushed my bike onto the slope while thinking of Tetsu-senpai¡¯s matter.

    I¡¯m sure that he¡¯s hiding something. He doesn¡¯t want to say anything though he¡¯s one of the people involved, so that troubles me. The reason for beating him up is quite good, so it¡¯s quite enough.

    Though it¡¯s rather odd, beating him up for something like this, but should I be more determined to pester him until he gives in? Alice yielded the very moment when Tetsu-senpai refused, why is that?

    I suddenly recalled my conversation with Hiro-san.

    ¡®Though we might lose a client because of this, it¡¯s much better than losing apanion.¡¯

    So I chose not to touch Tetsu-senpai¡¯s past again.

    Alice might have the same sentiments as well. Not asking for Tetsu-senpai¡¯s help might make us lose the power of the detective squad, we wouldn¡¯t need to lose apanion because of this.

    But I still find something odd. Is this kind of thought really better for all of us?

    If we¡¯re truepanions¡ª

    Should we give him a vicious punch instead?

    Perhaps this was Yondaime¡¯s true intentions? ¡®If I were you, I¡¯d definitely beat him up.¡¯ Something like that.

    Unknowingly, I clenched my fists.

    *

    The next day, I had an opportunity to interact with Sayuri-sensei alone in the greenhouse.

    ¡°What is it, Fujishima-kun? You look like you¡¯re spacing out, or is there something on my face?¡±

    After she said that, I hastily turned my attention back to the textbook on the table.

    ¡°You really can¡¯t concentrate when Shinozaki-san isn¡¯t here, can you?¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡±

    Two days passed since Ayaka fainted in Alice¡¯s room, but she continued to take leave, and nobody picked up the phone; her mother did say that she probably coulde to school. Though I was worried of Ayaka, I was actually thinking of the information about Sayuri-sensei in my bag.

    After I reported to Alice about the things that I heard at the shrine, she immediately investigated Sayuri-sensei¡¯s background in detail, then handed the information to me; and I finally found out that sensei¡¯s surname was Kuroda. As for the other contents, I really didn¡¯t feel like reading it in detail. She¡¯s a teacher that I meet everyday at school! I would feel embarrassed if I know too much about her.

    Even so, I still couldn¡¯t resist checking if she was unmarried. I¡¯m really too curious for my own good.

    ¡°She probably knows about the situation that day as well, so you¡¯d better question her about it.¡±

    Alice said in a nonchnt tone.

    While sneakily observing sensei¡¯s expression, I pretended to concentrate on taking notes, but the things that I read actually didn¡¯t get absorbed into my mind as well.

    ¡°There¡¯s a staff meetingter, so I need to go first. You can revise what I taught before this first, I¡¯lle backter.¡±

    After saying that, Sayuri-sensei stood up and was about to walk past the racks and tables full of flowers, out of the greenhouse. Ahh, it¡¯s myst chance. I pulled away the chair and stood up as well, running frantically out of the greenhose.

    ¡°Fujishima-kun, what is it?¡±

    Sensei walked while looking back to ask me.

    Err¡­¡­ Where should I start from? Though time was short, I couldn¡¯t just start questioning her out of the blue, right? And if she found out that I was investigating the death incident, it would be hard to exin things.

    ¡°Well¡­¡­ I heard that sensei did such a thing before this, right? Supplementary lessons after ss.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, there were even more people before this¡­¡­¡±

    Sensei¡¯s expression at that moment looked rather sad, perhaps she recalled her dead student?

    ¡°Err¡­¡­ I wore the clothes peg that you use to remind me of my homework when I went for my part time work yesterday, and I coincidentally met some senpais who graduated.¡±

    I finally thought of a lie. Sensei looked rather curious about that.

    ¡°They said that they recalled you as soon as they saw the note, so it seemed that they went for your sses as well.¡±

    ¡°Is that so¡­¡­ Who are they?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡­¡± I spoke out their names as I recalled them.

    ¡°Uwaa, that¡¯s so nostalgic! Are they alright these days?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. One of them was in college, while another started working now.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Ah¡­¡­¡±

    When we reached a school building, a joyful smile that looked as though she was dreaming appeared on Sayuri-sensei¡¯s face while she was walking up the stairs.

    ¡°Doing this is actually right¡­¡­ Though I really regretted it when that happened.¡±

    Sensei seemed to be mumbling to herself.

    That happened¡­¡­ The incident that made her regret teaching in the ¡®ssroom full of flowers¡¯, That was probably¡ª

    ¡°I heard from the senpais about the reason why the greenhouse lessons had to be canceled.¡±

    Sensei suddenly stopped while she was climbing the stairs, while I hurriedly stopped in front of her and turned back.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡­ Mnn, that¡¯s sure to happen, talking about things like this. It really¡­¡­¡±

    Sensei covered her mouth with her hands, her face turning pale. I just felt as though my gut was in pain as though a block of ice was stuffed into it. Do I have to continue to ask? To send messages for the dead, but hurt the ones who are still living?

    But I have to do this.

    ¡°The person called Hayano¡­¡­ Did he go to the supplementary lessons that day as well?¡±

    Sensei stared at my face for awhile and nodded.

    ¡°But why are you asking about this?¡± Sensei said weakly.

    ¡°N- no¡­¡­ Well, it¡¯s just that¡­¡­¡± I answered with the lie that I cooked up after a night¡¯s though: ¡°Since senpai were discussing about thest person Hayano-senpai talked to, so that made me rather curious¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Eh, ah¡­¡­¡±

    Sensei¡¯s expression turned even more clouded. Though I felt like telling her ¡®It¡¯s okay, please forget all about this!¡¯ and run down the stairs, away from there, I refrained myself from doing so and waited for an answer.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Mnn, yeah. That¡¯s right, only Hayano-kun was there that day, and since it was about time for the staff meeting, I asked him to do revision and I went back to the school building¡­¡­ I was tidying up my desk after the meeting ended when I heard the sounds of the ambnce, and in the end¡­¡­¡±

    Sensei¡¯s voice sounded like the moans of a patient that time. I really couldn¡¯t bear to continue listening.

    ¡°¡­¡­ So- sorry! I shouldn¡¯t ask these strange questions¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°I had no idea that Hayano-kun was bullied. I¡­¡­ I saw that he was quite friendly with Ichinomiya-kun and the other, but- but¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Sensei, please stop! Sorry!¡±

    ¡°I nned to resign after that incident. The principal found out about it and gave me a huge scolding¡­¡­ He said that giving these kids lessons was just a waste of time, and I used the school facilities without permission as well. Because of me¡ª¡°

    That wasn¡¯t your fault, so please don¡¯t say things like this.

    Sayuri-sensei kept trembling while leaning on the walls of the stairs. I couldn¡¯t help out regarding this matter, so I could only stand there and stare nkly at sensei¡¯s face that was pale like a morning moon.

    Was Tetsu-senpai the one who destroyed Sayuri-sensei¡¯s ss? Is that really true?

    I really don¡¯t know, and don¡¯t dare to believe it. So I must confirm the truth.

    With my own¡ª fists.

    *

    I decided to ask him out to the park beside the railways where vagrants usually stay. I originally thought that asking him out to Hanamaru Ramen might be okay as well, but when I thought of the fact that I might need to do a lot of exnations if I was noticed by Alice through the surveince machines; and the things that we were going to talk about was dumb contents that I¡¯d rather Min-san didn¡¯t hear.

    The southern side of the small park had a five-person team ser field surrounded with a green wire fence, Tetsu-senpai was waiting there while leaning against the goalpost. That was a cloudy afternoon, there weren¡¯t anyone there, and the tents that I¡¯m not sure if anyone inhabited them were unusually quiet as well. The whole park seemed to have been infected with a virus, a piteous atmosphere drifting in the air.

    ¡°¡­¡­ What is it? Calling me out to this kind of ce.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai red at me while kicking around a ser ball left there. I really wished that someone would apany me there, but I felt that it¡¯s better if I go alone as well. My feelings were ratherplicated, and I couldn¡¯t talk for awhile.

    In the end, I swallowed my mixed-up feelings, and said:

    ¡°¡­¡­ I heard it from Sayuri-sensei and the others.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai shrugged, as though he was saying ¡®so what?¡¯.

    ¡°Did you really bully the guy called Hayano together with the others?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you already? You¡¯re so fussy.¡±

    ¡°I want an urate answer.¡±

    ¡°I often asked him to be my errand boy. Though I didn¡¯t really take off his shirt or anything, who knew he would freeze to death.¡±

    I felt a stab of pain, as though a freezing spearhead was pierced into my armpit. I really felt like covering my mouth and my stomach with my hands, and nearly squatted down, too weak to continue.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Is that¡­¡­ true? Please tell me the truth!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you that it¡¯s true.¡±

    Lies! You¡­¡­ You obviously aren¡¯t that kind of person!

    ¡°Sayuri-sensei said that as well, Hayano was quite friendly with the others. How woul¡ª¡°

    As I approached Tetsu-senpai, he suddenly grabbed my cor, pushing me viciously onto the goalpost; hot air was squeezed out of my mouth. After some time, my body started to feel bouts of pain.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you before this? I¡¯ll beat you up if you continue to investigate!¡±

    I saw vicious mes of fury in Tetsu-senpai¡¯s eyes, but I did not avert my gaze.

    ¡°Then¡ª try it!¡±

    Yondaime said so as well, just do it if you can. Do it! Senpai clenched his fists so hard that the sounds of his joints cracking could be heard. If it were Yondaime, he would¡¯ve done it ages ago. Though I wasn¡¯t as strong as him, I was still his sworn brother after all¡ª the bond that was formed with the sake that was thicker than blood.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay even if you want to have a fight.¡± I forcibly squeezed out a voice from my throat that was tightly throttled. ¡°I drank the sake in Hirasaka-gumi after all, of course I have the resolution to deal with things with a fight!¡±

    That¡¯s right, the judgment of Hirasaka-gumi is God¡¯s Judgment (It¡¯s just a normal fight). As long as you¡¯re in the right, God will allow him to win. But that¡¯s probably just a meaningless belief¡­¡­ It¡¯s impossible that there would be such a thing. God wouldn¡¯t be that free that He¡¯ll meddle in kids¡¯ fights, and I¡¯m not a person in that world with a clear borderline as well, but still¡ª

    There are some times when I have to do it!

    ¡°If senpai isn¡¯t lying, you¡¯ll win. I think¡ª I won¡¯t lose to you!¡±

    That¡¯s because I believe in senpai. He¡¯s definitely not a person that would mistreat other people, causing them to die!

    Definitely¡ª he¡¯s definitely hiding something, and that¡¯s why he lied. Even if that¡¯s only an empty truth that would hurt the living and shame the dead¡­¡­

    I must expose it!

    ¡°If you win, I¡¯ll stop investigating this. But if¡ª¡°

    Senpai narrowed his eyes

    ¡°If?¡±

    If I win? Would this really happen?

    But I must still do that. I must expose his lies, proving senpai¡¯s innocence.

    Also, the Gardening Club would be abolished after two weeks. If only senpai would speak the truth¡­¡­ If only we could find the true reason for the Gardening Club¡¯s existence¡­¡­

    ¡°If I win¡­¡­ Please tell me the whole truth.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by truth, I¡¯ve said all I knew at the police station.¡±

    ¡°Then why?¡± I straightened my back and left the goalpost, pushing away senpai¡¯s hand. ¡°Why did Minagawa Kengo forcibly open the Gardening Club? You must know the reason, right? Because you¡¯repanions who were in the greenhouse together!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Senpai looked rather awkward. Lies! Those were lies! He must know something!

    ¡°Are¡ª are you really unable to tell me that? Why? Why are you lying? Sayuri-sensei, the advisor and the previous members of the Gardening Committee all said that they didn¡¯t know senpai once mistreated other people, right until the incident happened. How could that be!? Senpai is¡ª¡°

    I heard the sounds of senpai gritting his teeth, and even thought that he would bite me to death¡­¡­ But then he finally said:

    ¡°¡­¡­ So what does that mean?¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want people to know, then just defeat me in a fight!¡±

    ¡°Fighting these meaningless fig¡ª¡°

    ¡°If you can¡¯t tell me¡­¡­¡± I continued hurriedly: ¡°To Alice¡­¡­ At least tell it to Alice. She probably knows all about it now. So please just answer one question from Alice frankly, that¡¯s all!¡±

    ¡°Do you really think you can defeat me?¡±

    Of course I never thought of that, but I still continued:

    ¡°Even if I can¡¯t now, just give me two weeks¡ª¡°

    I suddenly felt that the world in front of me spun rapidly, and then a piercing light shone into my eyes, the taste of mud and iron filling my mouth. I only realized after quite some time that Tetsu-senpai hit me, causing myself to be sprawled on the ground.

    ¡°¡­¡­ I got it, Narumi.¡±

    Senpai answered me with a hoarse voice. My ears and my eyes felt bouts of pain.

    ¡°When you¡¯re ready, challenge me anytime. I¡¯ll kill you¡­¡­¡±

    *

    Min-san handled my would in the kitchen of the ramen shop.

    ¡°You¡¯re pretty badly beaten up, even having bruises.¡±

    Quite a few sters were stuck onto my neck. I didn¡¯t really notice it since I was too agitated, but they say that both my lips and the back part of my neck were bleeding.

    ¡°W- well¡­¡­¡± I didn¡¯t know how to answer. ¡°I just fell down from my bike.¡±

    ¡°Oh please, do you really think that I can¡¯t tell these are bruises from a fight?¡±

    Uwaa! So she could tell just by one look?

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell a lie if you can¡¯t, remember that.¡±

    ¡°Uuuu¡­¡­¡±

    Only the two of us were in the shop, so it¡¯s hard to escape from her questions.

    ¡°How could you win when you¡¯re against Tetsu? Are you an idiot?¡±

    ¡°No, I just got assaulted this time.¡± Why does she even know who hit me? She would probably beat me up immediately if I tell her that I¡¯m going to have another fight with Tetsu-senpai.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t your only virtue your mouth that¡¯s unusually good at bluffing? What are you fighting for?¡±

    ¡°So Min-san thinks that as well¡­¡­¡±

    She was spot on. But you don¡¯t need to keep emphasizing that it¡¯s my ¡®only virtue¡¯, do you? At least say that it¡¯s one of my ¡®less virtues¡¯?

    ¡°But don¡¯t you think that sometimes you just have to do it?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not.¡±

    She refuted me immediately. That¡¯s so depressing.

    ¡°You only think that there¡¯s a necessity because you¡¯re just a dumb kid. What are you so impatient for? You seem to be like this recently.¡±

    I¡¯m impatient¡ª really?

    With my hand on my lips that were still aching faintly, I thought. It might be so. When did it start? Probably from the time when Ayaka came back? It just feels as though I was mystifyingly running around here and there, doing a lot of meaningless things. Yondaime seemed to have said that as well. Wait, wasn¡¯t the one who told me to beat Tetsu-senpai up Yondaime in the first ce? Wait a minute, why am I listening to him so obediently? And did Yondaime really mean that?

    My wounds were slightly hot, and that made my consciousness fade slightly, so I lowered my head again.

    ¡°I feel¡ª that would make me feel better. Beating him up or getting beaten up by him.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯spletely meaningless. If you have the time to do such dumb things, it¡¯s better if you use the time to keep Ayakapany.¡±

    That might be the case, but¡­¡­

    ¡°I¡¯m really confused right now. To senpai, and to Ayaka as well¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Tetsu¡¯s problem is Tetsu¡¯s, Ayaka¡¯s problem is Ayaka¡¯s, aren¡¯t they just different?¡±

    ¡°Senpai¡­¡­ It might be so. But Ayaka¡­¡­ I kept herpany at school, but she just calls me ¡®Fujishima-san¡¯, always speaking politely in front of me or squeezing out a smile. It¡¯s just too¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Did you speak of this to Ayaka?¡±

    ¡°How could I say that to her!¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because it¡¯s already hard on Ayaka to take care of herself, how can I be so selfish?¡±

    ¡°Why are you NEETs always meddling in other people¡¯s business, not worrying about yourselves?¡±

    I stared nkly at Min-san. I didn¡¯t even have the energy to rebuke her ¡®I¡¯m not a NEET¡¯. Min-san smiled while washing her frying pan.

    ¡°You really don¡¯t have any progress. Why don¡¯t you just act as you usually do? Ayaka is the same here as well. Seriously¡­¡­ Looking at your actions, it made my shoulders ache as well.

    ¡°Act as I usually do¡­¡­ The problem is Ayaka doesn¡¯t know how to deal with me.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because, Ayaka doesn¡¯t say anything to me¡ª¡°

    Ah!

    I pped my thigh forcefully.

    So that¡¯s why. Ayaka didn¡¯t know what to do because I didn¡¯t say anything to her.

    If that was so, both of us¡ª really didn¡¯t have any progress at all, staying at the same ce. Even so¡­¡­ Because of that¡­¡­

    Start from the beginning¡­¡­ Could we start over from the time when we haven¡¯t grown? Starting from the October that we haven¡¯t known each other yet. Ayaka was the only one observing me at that time, even though it was like that in the beginning, we still became friends after some difficulties.

    It¡¯s just that I¡¯m the only one knowing Ayaka right now instead. If so, isn¡¯t it the same as that time?

    If so, is there a way to start over without having a need for her to regain her memories? Using the same way¡­¡­

    I felt rather embarrassed to raise my head. It felt as though the sound of Min-san cutting the onions was like herughing at me. No, she might really beughing at me.

    Just at that moment, the door of the ramen shop was opened.

    Raising my head, I saw a silhouette wearing a sailor¡¯s uniform behind the portiere. Pinning a side of her hair up with a pin, the slightly coffee colored fringe, the friendly eyes blinked repeatedly below her determined brows. After that, she suddenly blushed, going backwards rapidly, nning to close the door again.

    I wanted to stand up, but Min-san who was beside me suddenly waved, throwing something with a lightning speed. A clumped up ck object hit Ayaka¡¯s face.

    ¡°Uwaa!¡± Ayaka made an odd noise, then kept iling her hands, frantically trying to pat away the ck apron covering her face.

    ¡°Are you trying to go back right now? We¡¯re preparing to open the shop right now, wash your hands!¡±

    ¡°Erm¡­¡­ Well¡­¡­ Fujishima-san is here.¡±

    With an apologetic look, Ayaka bent her back while walking into the shop.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you that this guy was fired.¡±

    What a cruel way of putting it.

    When I passed by Ayaka at a counter, she suddenly saw my wounds.

    ¡°Hurt!? H- how are you? A- are you okay!?¡±

    ¡°Eh? Mnn, it¡¯s nothing much. I¡¯m alright, Ayaka¡­¡­ Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°Eh? Erm¡­¡­ Sorry for not picking up your calls.¡±

    I shook my head weakly. It¡¯s okay as long as she is still willing toe to Hanamaru Ramen.

    ¡°¡­¡­ You, why are you wearing a uniform?¡± She didn¡¯t even go to school today.

    ¡°W- well¡­¡­¡± Though there was obviously not much dust on the skirt, Ayaka kept patting it. ¡°A lot of flowers are going to bloom soon, so I went back to take care of them. Though I didn¡¯t go to sses, I thought that I should at least attend Sayuri-sensei¡¯s supplementary lessons.¡±

    Ah, I see. After I ran away without doing revision, Ayaka went there. Because of that, Sayuri-sensei probably wouldn¡¯t get so depressed.

    I stood at the seams between the counter in the kitchen and the customer seats, nkly looking at Ayaka putting on her apron with unustomed movements.

    I originally thought she woulde back¡ª wouldn¡¯te back to Hanamaru Ramen and the greenhouse¡­¡­

    ¡°W- what is it?¡±

    Ayaka raised the side of the apron to cover half of her face, asking in a rather embarrassed tone.

    ¡°Nothing!¡± I shook my head while denying, and suddenly felt pain on my neck. ¡°Ouuchhh¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Fujishima-san, are you really okay? Why is your wound¡ª¡°

    ¡°It¡¯s just from a fight with kids, just let them fight. Letting Tetsu and Narumi fight might cure them of their idiot illness.¡±

    ¡°With Tetsu-san? Y- you really fought? Why?¡±

    Why¡­¡­ Hearing Ayaka ask the same question again, I really didn¡¯t know how to answer. I think all of this was done for Ayaka and myself, though I couldn¡¯t really tell how they¡¯re connected¡ª

    Though I¡¯m not sure how they¡¯re connected, I could only answer frankly:

    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m a bit muddled up right now, so I¡¯m not sure why¡ª but if Tetsu-senpai doesn¡¯t tell me the truth, the Gardening Club might just be abolished. So¡­¡­¡±

    To protect the ce that belongs to Ayaka and I.

    ¡°I¡­¡­ Is it because of me? Because I can¡¯t remember the past, so you¡¯re so stubborn about the Gardening Club because you want to keep things the same way as it wa¡ª¡°

    No. It¡¯s not that. Though I thought that in my heart, I found that I couldn¡¯t say it out loud.

    I clenched the armband that I kept in my pockets that I didn¡¯t hand it to Ayaka for a long time.

    I did think of that before. But now that Ayaka said it out directly, it just made me feel that my reason for protecting the Gardening Club is not only to get her memories back.

    Then why am I so determined to protect the Gardening Club?

    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best!¡± Ayaka made a sound that was close to pleading. ¡°I would definitely do my best to remember! I¡¯ll help out at the ramen shop as well, and wouldn¡¯t take leave again! So please don¡¯t do such dangerous things! It¡¯s okay even if the Gardening Club is not here, if only you¡ª¡°

    I felt like there was an impact on my face by arge steel ball. She would do her best? Ayaka said that she would do her best?

    Why? Why is she saying that? I actually don¡¯t wish for her to say these things. So she was thinking of such grievous things beside me all along¡­¡­?

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do that just for that¡­¡­ I don¡¯t know how to say it. Ayaka, you don¡¯t need to¡­¡­ And I¡¯ve decided already, so¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Fujishima-san!¡±

    ¡°Ayaka, forget it. It¡¯s useless.¡±

    Min-san looked at the pot while saying:

    ¡°He didn¡¯t do it just because of you. Men are a type of creature like that, an idiot when they¡¯re born, an idiot when they¡¯re born, and an idiot when they¡¯re dead as well. Don¡¯t bother about him.¡±

    I looked at Min-san who was icily looking at me from the corner of her eyes, and looked at Ayaka who was in tears. As I was about to open the door, the door of the ramen shop was forcefully opened.

    ¡°Aniki! Is it true that you and Tetsu-ojiki are going to have a fight!?¡±

    A crowd of tall men wearing ck T-shirts squeezed into the ramen shop, almost crushing the door¡ª so they¡¯re Pole, Rock and other men from Hirasaka-gumi, about six or seven of them. I just felt that the color in my face instantly drained out.

    ¡°E- erm¡­¡­ Why do you know about this!?¡±

    ¡°Tetsu-ojiki called Sou-san just now, asking him to be the witness.¡±

    What¡¯s with this person? Rushing forwards without caring about anything!

    ¡°We could finally see aniki¡¯s true powers!¡± ¡°If he ties in Tetsu-ojiki, he¡¯ll be able to fill in the vacancy in the Four Heavenly Kings for Hirasaka-san!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be invincible then!¡±

    ¡°See, they¡¯re all idiots.¡± Min-san said to Ayaka beside her. But Ayaka¡¯s eyes were full of tears, and she shook her head helplessly.

    ¡°Oi, you kids! Get out if you¡¯re not ordering anything! Make trouble outside if you¡¯re going to do that!¡±

    Min-san shouted while banging her pot with a spoon. The young yakuzas stood up straight, then politely sat on the seats together. Evidently, the others could only be chased outside to sit on the beer crates.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll have a tonkatsu ramen.¡±

    ¡°Tonkatsu ramen!¡±

    ¡°I want tonkatsu ramen as well!¡±

    Tonkatsu ramen was specially made by Min-san to wish us luck before this, but the taste wasn¡¯t that good¡­¡­ I just feel that I¡¯m going to have a headache.

    ¡°It seems that the odds will increase drastically this time!¡± ¡°Oi, who¡¯s going to be the dealer?¡±

    ¡°Okay! I¡¯m betting on Tetsu-ojiki, ten thousand!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m betting on Tetsu-ojiki as well, ten thousand!¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll bet on Tetsu-ojiki fifteen thousand!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going all out! Twenty thousand on Tetsu-ojiki!¡±

    ¡°Using up the determination for entering a bear¡¯sir to bet twenty thousand on Tetsu-ojiki!¡±

    ¡°With the resolution to jump down from the stage of Shimizu Tower, I¡¯m betting fifty thousand on Tetsu-ojiki!¡±

    ¡°Eh? Aniki, are you okay? You look rather pale. Please show us more vigor!¡±

    It¡¯s all your fault! Okay, I get it, I don¡¯t have any chance of winning!

    ¡°We can¡¯t bet like this.¡±

    ¡°Then should we change it to how many minutes the fight willst?¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we change it to how many seconds?¡±

    ¡°Or change it to how many meters will aniki will fly away to?¡±

    ¡°Or how many months will it take for aniki to heal?¡±

    ¡°Or how many rib bones of aniki will be broken?¡±

    Please stop, my fighting spirit dropped to zero a long time ago already!

    As I was seriously considering whether I should run away from the kitchen backdoor, I suddenly heard the door open, and a voice drifted in along with the chilly wind outside.

    ¡°¡ª I¡¯m betting as well. Five thousand on Vice Admiral Fujishima.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯m betting ten thousand on Narumi-kun as well. I¡¯ll be able to get two times more than Major, right?¡±

    The members of the gang stared nkly at them with their mouths wide open. I think my expression might be the same as well.

    Major had arge backpack on his back, and he pushed his goggles onto his forehead. Hiro-san who was by his side wore a tailored coat with tight-fitting jeans. The two of them stood in front of the entrance of the ramen shop.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Ojiki, are you serious?¡± Pole asked doubtfully.

    ¡°Of course I¡¯m serious. Isn¡¯t it a fight between Narumi-kun and Tetsu?¡± Hiro said while winking at me.

    ¡°Gambling doesn¡¯t only take in ount winning or losing, we must observe the odds as well. However small the chances for Vice Admiral Fujishima to win¡ª¡°

    Major dropped his backpack onto the cement floor with a thud, then looked at the others.

    ¡°If the odds are eight times, I will bet on Vice Admiral Fujishima. Because¡ª¡°

    ¡°Because we¡¯ll provide support from now.¡±

    ¡­¡­ Provide support?

    Does that mean Major and Hiro-san would support me?

    The members of Hirasaka-gumi sitting in a row on the seat exchanged gazes and started to whisper to each other, but still nobody had the courage to bet on the other side. Well, this is quite normal, Major and Hiro-san are the ones who are strange. Helping me? Why? What would they get from this? Why is that?

    ¡°Of course it¡¯s to get money.¡±

    Hiro-san showed a casual smile, and brought me out to the gathering spot outside the kitchen backdoor. Though there wasn¡¯t much sunlight here, it was the small kingdom of NEETs that was full of warmth. Major sat on a beer crate while Hiro-san leaned against arge steel bucket.

    ¡°You guys¡­¡­ Didn¡¯t you guys say that you wouldn¡¯t help Alice and I?¡±

    ¡°That is that, this is this.¡±

    ¡°I just said that I wouldn¡¯t involve myself in Tetsu-san¡¯s past.¡±

    The two got even more enthusiastic, vigor filling their eyes. That was when I understood something.

    They couldn¡¯t just wait there silently without doing anything. Just because they¡¯re Tetsu-senpai¡¯spanions, they couldn¡¯t get involved if senpai isn¡¯t willing, and cannot take part in the investigation. Even so¡­¡­

    ¡°Narumi-kun, of course, we wouldn¡¯t force you if you say that you don¡¯t need it.¡±

    Hiro-san suddenly showed a rather lonely expression.

    For money, and for themselves. The rough NEETs in this city are so useless that they must use such a forced excuse to hide their own kindness¡ª even so, even if it¡¯s only for this reason¡­¡­ As a response for their kindness, it has value even if I were to be beaten up by Tetsu-senpai.

    ¡°Tetsu and I hung out together for a long time, and I saw quite some fights as well. I can tell you his habits when he¡¯s fighting or the blind spots of his attacks!¡±

    ¡°Vice Admiral Fujishima, I can let you test the fighting stimtor that I modified from a Wii.¡±

    The silhouettes of the two came into my view, but I felt my vision blurring. The hot tears almost gushed out, so I hurriedly lowered my head.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Narumi-kun? You¡¯re really¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°I- it¡¯s okay, nothing¡¯s wrong. I¡¯m okay.¡±

    I bit my lips, trying hard not to let my voice tremble.

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    The heat on my face passed through my throat along with the pain on my body. I silently waited for the heat flow to fade, and raised my head after staring at my open palms:

    ¡°¡ª please help me.¡±

    The two stood up at the same time.

    ¡°Min-san, I want a tonkatsu ramen as well!¡±

    ¡°I want arge tonkatsu ramen as well!¡±

    Major and Hiro-san poked their heads into the shop to order. I repeatedly opened and clenched my fists, confirming the head lingering in my wet palm.

    At that moment, the prelude of ¡®Colorado Bulldog¡¯ rang in my pocket.

    ¡®What were you doing just now? A bunch of people from Hirasaka-gumi are gathered below as well, why aren¡¯t you here to report to me?¡¯

    ¡°¡­¡­ Okay, I¡¯ll be over there right away.¡±

    ¡°A fight with Tetsu?¡±

    After Alice who was sitting on the bed finished saying, her jaw dropped. It¡¯s quite an aplishment for her not to drop her Dr. Pepper in her hands onto the floor.

    It was quite an expected response. After I collected the dirty clothes scattered all over the floor and threw them into the washing machine outside, Alice started to grumble:

    ¡°I really cannot understand the mental structure of your mind. Compared with your brain, ¡®Finnegans Wake¡¯ is easier to understand. Deciding the results with a fight with Tetsu? If your aim is to increase your intelligence by letting your skull withstand arge impact, it would be better if I just introduce you to a person who specializes in removing buildings.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡­ Erm¡­¡­¡± Since I knew that I couldn¡¯t exin, it was even harder for me to say anything. ¡°Did you read the tranted version of ¡®Finnegans Wake¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Of course it¡¯s the original one! And don¡¯t change the topic!¡±

    Alice hit her nkets repeatedly in annoyance. Why does it seem that it¡¯s easier for her to get angry these days? What¡¯s wrong?

    ¡°Listen, in your knowledge, Tetsu is probably just a good-for-nothing gambler who wastes his life on pachinko and horse races¡­¡­¡± Is that wrong? ¡°Look at this so your mind will be clearer. Change your opinion of him!¡±

    Alice pointed at the right side of the bed with her fingers, the monitor that was ced crookedly on a rack nearest to me, then typed speedily on the keyboard with one hand while saying.

    After some time, rough ck and white footage was yed on the screen. I realized that it was a rather old recording, because the kitchen backdoor was not too simr to what it looks like now. The wooden stands that were used as a table were not present, while therge steel buckets haven¡¯t rusted yet, and were glittering. The only thing that was the same was the silhouette of a man. His muscr back could be seen even through a T-shirt, and his powerful, toned arms that were like cable car wires. Tetsu-senpai.

    The more surprising thing was, the ones opposite him were Pole and Rocky. Though only the chest of the T-shirt of Hirasaka-gumi could be seen, there probably weren¡¯t any otherckeys that were fitter than them.

    Since there were no sounds in the footage, their next movements couldn¡¯t be predicted at all. It looked like Poleshed out first, while Tetsu-senpai¡¯s strong body was light as a falling leaf, evading his attack in millimeters, then punching the abdomen of the ck shirt. The vibrations from the punch seemed to float out of the screen, Pole who didn¡¯t fall even though he was punched really should be apuded. At that moment, senpai noticed Rocky going to his back carefully, so he sprang back a few steps.

    Up till now, I still thought that Yondaime should have the advantage in speed, while senpai should be more ustomed to brawls, attacking with his raw power and stamina. But that waspletely wrong. Against the two bodyguards of Hirasaka-gumi, senpai didn¡¯t even give them the chance of getting near, viciously hitting the opposing party from outside the attacking area of the enemy as though he was using magic, and even making people feel as though his attacks are a kind of art.

    So¡ª he was a boxer.

    ¡°¡ª that¡¯s right, this is a boxer.¡±

    After Alice finished saying that, the footage vanished.

    ¡°Though this was footage from three years ago, you shouldn¡¯t expect his skills to be rusty. You should know that Tetsu still keeps his boxing equipment, right?¡±

    That¡¯s right. When I suddenly asked him to teach me boxing, Tetsu-senpai immediately prepared boxing gloves, bandages and a sandbag.

    That means, senpai is still a boxer right now.

    ¡°He¡¯s what we call a boxing fighter, having both speed and destruction, an all-rounder that could deal with any enemy. If they fought on a ring, Yondaime would probably lose to him as well. As for you¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°I understand that.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand! The fist of a boxer is a killing weapon, it can kill, understand!?¡±

    ¡°Erm¡­¡­ Well¡ª¡° I stared at Alice whose brows arched in anger. ¡°Are you worried about me?¡±

    ¡°W- who¡­¡­ who¡¯s worried about you!¡± Alice¡¯s face was flushed, her hair even stood up as though it went through an electric current. ¡°Who¡¯ll be worried about your things!¡±

    In the end, she just threw items by her side at me just like thest time she got angry. Pillows, remotes, empty cans, printers, and so on¡ª Oi, oi! Don¡¯t throw the printer!

    ¡°Why must I worry about you!¡±

    Alice¡¯s angry roars caused the wall of dolls to copse, scattering all over the floor with dull thuds. Also because she was frantically waving her pillows, hitting her bed, an avnche of dolls happened once more.

    ¡°I just couldn¡¯t forgive your dumb actions! As for how low your intelligence is, it¡¯s so despairing that even touching the Monolith for seventy thousand times couldn¡¯t raise your intelligence to the level of monkeys!¡±

    Being shouted at like that, it made me feel rather embarrassed as well. After I picked up the dolls scattered on the floor and ced them back on the bed, Alice scattered them again with a swing from her pillow. I don¡¯t have any choice but to kneel on the bed.

    ¡°Some people say that ¡®Idiots would stop being idiots after they died once¡¯, if you want to prove this saying that only idiots would believe in, then please¡ª¡° I caught hold of Alice¡¯s wrists so that she would calm down.

    ¡°W- what are you doing? Let go of me!¡±

    In front of me was a NEET detective with a flushed face, tears swirling in her eyes.

    ¡°Erm¡­¡­ Sorry for always acting like an idiot.¡±

    ¡°I- if you have the time to apologize, then don¡¯t keep doing dangerous but meaningless things every time!¡±

    ¡°I know that I keep worrying you, but that¡¯s all that I can do.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not worried!¡±

    Alice¡¯s hands were tightly held by me, but she still used her head to repeatedly ram into my chest. I thought nkly, would Tetsu-senpai¡¯s fist be a thousand times as painful as this¡­¡­?

    ¡°You¡¯re my assistant, and the more terrible thing is that I only have one assistant, and don¡¯t even have a recement! But you just like to act tough every time!¡±

    Alice leaned her cheek on my chest, raising her head to say to me tearfully. Heat seeped into my clothes.

    ¡°Mnn.¡±

    My answer was somewhat like a sigh. And then, I let go of Alice¡¯s hands, lightly patting her hair.

    Thinking alone wouldn¡¯t help things, but I¡¯m not alone anymore. So I tried to change the thoughts in my mind into words:

    ¡°Doing this might be stupid, but I really can¡¯t differentiate things clearly. I actually felt quite sad when senpai said that he wouldn¡¯t tell us anything about him. So it¡¯s impossible for me to hang out with him as usual at a ce unrted to the incident. I¡¯m not that mature yet.¡±

    But I didn¡¯t mention the matter about Yondaime asking me to do it. Because it isn¡¯t the reason anymore, I decided to do so myself.

    ¡°Of course, I know what Major and Hiro-san meant, but¡­¡­ Sometimes, because we¡¯repanions, we shouldn¡¯t pretend that nothing happened; get angry when you¡¯re angry, isn¡¯t that right? That was why I asked Tetsu-senpai out, and it identally turned into this situation¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°What do you mean identally? Is this a matter that can be simply brushed past?¡±

    In the end, it turned into the situation when I have to prepare for battle¡ª the main point is because I was rather scared of facing Tetsu-senpai, and senpai was just too kind.

    ¡°But actually I don¡¯t think it¡¯s wholly useless, not a meaninglessly dangerous action as well. Tetsu-senpai promised that he would answer your questions honestly if only I win.¡±

    Actually he didn¡¯t promise things, it¡¯s just that I believe he would definitely answer.

    A boxer probably wouldn¡¯t lie because of the results of a fight with his own fists.

    ¡°Though I never thought that I would win from the start, but if I never tried, the chances would definitely be zero.¡±

    ¡°Just because of that!? There should be a more intelligent, detective-like solution!¡±

    ¡°Mnn¡­¡­ Sorry.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Whatever, do as you like.¡±

    Alice pushed me away with her head lowered, then turned over, ignoring my presence.

    ¡°Though I obviously have a lot of detective work piled up¡­ I really don¡¯t have the energy to scold you anymore.¡±

    As I was about to answer, the hurricane-like typing sounds rang again. I could only retract the hand that I extended towards Alice¡¯s back.

    That¡¯s right. I¡¯m an assistant detective, and the first party in the incident. But I did as I liked this time, it¡¯s understandable that Alice is angry.

    Can I still apologize to her when things end? Would she even forgive me?

    Or¡ª

    Thinking about this wouldn¡¯t help things at all. As I was about to leave the bedside and walk to the entrance¡ª

    ¡°Where are you going? I didn¡¯t say that you could go back!¡±

    I turned my head over because of Alice¡¯s displeased voice.

    ¡°I¡¯m burning a DVD right now, wait there.¡±

    DVD?

    After a while, Alice took out a disc and ced it into a transparent stic box, then handed it to me.

    ¡°This one is the recordings from the times when Tetsu was fighting. He often fought near the building before this, so there is still some footage about this. There is also footage of Master and Yondaime. y it in slow motion and see if it helps. For some reason, only your eyesight is okay. And speaking of which, it only has meaning if you can dodge it even if you can see it¡ª w- what¡¯s with your smiling expression!?¡±

    ¡°Eh? Ah, n- no, nothing!¡±

    After looking at the DVD-R in my hands, I looked at Alice¡¯s face.

    ¡°And are you nning to go after you finished speaking of your meaningless things? I still have matters to exin to you! And there¡¯s a lot of things for you to investigate at the scene as well!¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡­ T- that¡¯s right.¡±

    I frantically suppressed the urge of my mouth curling, and walked back to the bedside.

    Alice exined to me the long-winded work contents while being angry, as usual.

 Volume 3, 4

    <h4>Volume 3, Chapter 4</h4>

    Below the ginkgo tree that grew beside the walls extending from the school entrance¡ª in the middle of the pathway that leads to the courtyard between the school buildings and the exterior walls, and also from the boundary between the tiled floor and the soil ground extending inwards from the za in front of the school entrance. I leaned against the wall of the school building, staring at the ce where the roots swelled.

    The sports clubs in the middle of their jogging passed by in front of my eyes with a rhythmic and loud noise while the long shadows of the ginkgo tree branches slowly extended to my feet along with the afternoon sunlight in May.

    If it were to be a winter evening, this area would be shrouded in shadows because of the walls blocking the sunlight ages ago, turning into a chilly pathway. I unmindfully imagined Hayano Tomohiko copsed in the thickyer of snow. Though it was winter, the sleeves of his shirt were unreasonably rolled up, and it was said that there were signs of vomited blood on his chest as well.

    But no matter how I imagined, the silhouette in my mind who was copsed on the snowy ground would turn into the Student Council president Hayano Kaoruko-senpai. When I think about this, I havepletely no idea what Hayano Tomohiko-senpai looked like

    As for Tetsu-senpai who was squatting beside the cold body of the victim, I could clearly imagine him, but he was wearing his usual short sleeved T-shirt. How is that possible? At that time, he should be obediently wearing his school uniform as well.

    I stopped imagining the scene that I never saw before, and picked up my phone to take photos of the surroundings. I sent them to Alice immediately after I finished taking them, and then I walked to the courtyard.

    A ss roof reflecting the dazzling sunlight could be clearly seen at the other side of the narrow, dark courtyard, and that is the greenhouse. The day that the incident happened, Hayano Tomohiko was doing self revision there. It is said that it was snowing heavily that day, so the surroundings of the greenhouse should be pitch ck as well.

    Even so, a crowd of boys went there¡ª the delinquents who used the greenhouse as their secret base, the Gardening Committee members who took Sayuri-sensei¡¯s supplementary sses after ss.

    Tetsu-senpai¡ª he was one of them as well.

    With the excuse of coldness endurance training, they told Hayano Tomohiko to jog out and buy something in the falling snow, while they stayed warm in the greenhouse. Since a really long time passed, Tetsu-senpai went to the entrance of the school to have a look, and found Hayano Tomohiko copsed at the roots of the ginkgo tree.

    Hayano Tomohiko¡¯s cardiopulmonary functions were naturally weak, and he had primary pulmonary hypertension as well; His blood pressure rose rapidly because of the sudden cold, and his symptoms worsened, causing pulmonary hemorrhage, and he died that night in the district hospital.

    After collecting all the information about the incident that day and piecing them together, that was the conclusion that Alice and I formed.

    The guitar melody of ¡®Colorado Bulldog¡¯ rang in my pocket.

    ¡°Did you get the photos?¡±

    ¡®I received it, but there¡¯s something strange.¡¯ That was Alice¡¯s answer at the other side of the phone.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡®The location where the victim copsed. It should be on the way to the greenhouse after passing the courtyard from the school entrance, but¡­¡­¡¯

    ¡°Is there anything strange about that?¡±

    ¡®Wasn¡¯t it so cold that it was snowing that day? Then why didn¡¯t he just enter the school building from the school entrance, isn¡¯t walking past the corridors to the entrance nearest to the greenhouse from the courtyard?¡¯

    I moved the phone away and checked out the school building.

    That¡¯s right. There were two entrances to the courtyard, and the one inside is very close to the greenhouse. That means, one could reach the greenhouse while avoiding the snow outside as long as he enters the school building. However¡­¡­

    The image that drifted into my mind at that moment made me feel a chill on my back.

    ¡°¡­¡­ The person that told him to be the gofer might be the one who told him to run back in the heavy snow.¡±

    I hoped for Alice to deny the suggestion, but she answered nonchntly:

    ¡®That is certainly possible. The other point is the direction of him copsed.¡¯

    Direction?

    ¡®From the testimonies of the witnesses who saw Hayano Tomohiko copsed, there were a few more versions besides Tetsu¡¯s. Before the ambnce reached, actually quite a few students and teacher saw him. The advisor of your club¡ª Kuroda Sayuri saw that as well. ording to the testimonies, Tomohiko copsed while facing the direction of the ginkgo tree, that statement is consistent.¡¯

    ¡°¡­¡­ Does that really matter?¡±

    ¡®Think carefully about it by yourself. Is empty space the only thing in the middle of your eyes and ears?¡¯

    I was rather unhappy because of her saying that, and closely observed the ginkgo tree again. Since his head is facing the tree, that means his legs were pointing towards the school building or the courtyard. And he¡¯s lying down¡ª

    Hmm?

    ¡°¡­¡­ Does that mean he copsed on the way outside and not after he finished buying the things?¡±

    ¡®That assumption can be established. Don¡¯t you feel that it¡¯s strange?¡¯

    ¡°Why? Even if he didn¡¯t copse when he¡¯sing back¡ª ah, no, sorry. I get it, I get it.¡±

    I realized the contradiction before Alice started to scold me, and hurriedly corrected myself:

    ¡°The timing doesn¡¯t match, right?¡±

    ¡®That is correct. Seriously, please develop the habit of sitting down and thinking carefully before saying you don¡¯t know.¡¯

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m wrong¡­¡­¡±

    ording to Tetsu-senpai¡¯s testimony, he went to the school entrance to look for Hayano Tomohiko because he came back toote. If that is true, that should happen some time after Hayano Tomohiko went out. Assuming Hayano Tomohiko copsed before he exited the school, he should be in the heavy snow for quite some time.

    Just like that, there¡¯s a suspicious contradiction. Why wasn¡¯t Hayano Tomohiko noticed by the other people before being found by Tetsu-senpai? Even if it¡¯s snowing heavily that day, the ce that he was copsed at was beside the school entrance, and it was just after school, when there are the most people going out.

    ¡°Is it possible that he copsed when he came back? Maybe something happened that caused him to copse in that direction.¡±

    ¡®What would the something happened that you spoke of refers to?¡¯

    ¡°I have no idea¡­¡­¡±

    ¡®The situation that you spoke of isrgely possible, because it¡¯s just the direction that he was copsed. Even if it¡¯s when he came back, there might be some reason that caused him to copse facing the school entrance. In any case, the thing that we are certain of is that something happened there. A detective cannot miss these clues, and also cannot dismiss them and forget them.¡¯

    I grunted in agreement. We must remember them no matter how little they are.

    ¡¯There¡¯s another thing that I can¡¯t confirm here. So I wish for you to question Kuroda Sayuri about this.¡¯

    ¡±Mnn, what is it?¡±

    And Alice gave me an odd question that I found hard to say.

    ¡±¡­¡­Must I¡­¡­ ask this?¡±

    I think Sayuri-sensei probably doesn¡¯t want to recall anything about Hayano Tomohiko anymore. But if I ask her this kind of question¡­¡­

    ¡¯If you know any other witnesses, feel free to ask them.¡¯

    That kind of person¡ª only Tetsu-senpai is left. I get it now, there¡¯s really no other alternative. And there¡¯s not much time left.

    Coincidentally, both sensei and Ayaka were in the greenhouse.

    ¡±Though you said that you¡¯re going to save the Gardening Club, Fujishima-kun doesn¡¯t join the club activities or supplementary lessons often¡­¡­¡¯

    Ayaka looked rather downcast. It seemed that she was still rather concerned about our unfinished conversation because the guys from Hirasaka-gumi, Hiro-san and the others suddenly came and made trouble.

    ¡±It¡¯s okay even if the Gardening Club disappears, I just hope you cane here everyday¡­¡­¡±

    It¡¯s okay¡­¡­ even if it disappears. My chest was painful after hearing Ayaka say that.

    For who, and for what reason am I protecting the Gardening Club for? In the end I have to have a fight with Tetsu-senpai too. I suppressed the doubs in my heart and answered randomly:

    ¡±Err¡­¡­ Sorry. It¡¯s because I¡¯m busy with my part time job.¡±

    ¡±But I heard that you were fired from your job at the ramen shop because of Shinozaki-san, wasn¡¯t it?¡±

    Sayuri-sensei picked at my wound with a smile, and told me to quickly take out a textbook and sit down. So you even talk about these things? When I¡¯m not here¡­¡­

    ¡±To be honest, if Ipare Fujishima-kun with Shinozaki-san, isn¡¯t itpletely iparable? Fujishima-kun isn¡¯t serious, and doesn¡¯t work, and isn¡¯t considerate, and isn¡¯t serious¡­¡­¡± She actually said that I¡¯m not serious twice!

    ¡±Erm¡­¡­ Min-san probably saw Fujishima-san¡¯s strong points, right?¡±

    Ayaka hurriedly exined for me.

    ¡±Is that so¡­¡­? For example?¡±

    ¡±W- well¡­¡­ For example, you would help to taste the new products even if you¡¯re already full, saying honestly that it¡¯s bad even though you know you¡¯re going to get beaten up, and you would take the initiative to try the taste even if Min-san didn¡¯t ask you to.¡±

    ¡±Fujishima-kun, aren¡¯t you an employee? Why did you just taste the products?¡± Sensei interjected.

    ¡±Of course it¡¯s not just that!¡± If you¡¯re helping me like that, it¡¯s better if you don¡¯t speak¡­¡­

    I weakly sat on the seat beside Ayaka, nearly forgetting the reason that I came here for.

    ¡±Actually, it¡¯s my other job that I¡¯m busy with.¡±

    ¡±Oh? So you actually have two part time jobs? It¡¯s no wonder your grades were so bad. What¡¯s your other job about?¡±

    ¡±Well¡­¡­¡± I really feelzy to exin¡­¡­

    ¡±An assistant detective, right?¡± Ayaka added while looking at my face.

    ¡±Detective?¡±

    Sayuri-sensei widened her eyes in surprise. I think this is a rather natural response.

    ¡±Wait a minute, it wouldn¡¯t be dangerous work, would it? Like searching for missing people, catching adulterers in the act and the likes?¡±

    ¡±Ah, that¡¯s not it¡­¡­¡± I see, so the impression of most people on detectives is like that? ¡°We don¡¯t ept cases like that, and I¡¯m really just doing odd jobs there.¡±

    ¡±It¡¯s a dangerous job. He often gets hurt.¡±

    Ayaka said grumpily, while I hastily interjected to prevent her from continuing:

    ¡±That means, the detective would investigate a lot of cases through the inte, but there are some cases when we must go to the scene to investigate, and those are what I¡¯m usually doing.¡±

    ¡±For example, what case do you investigate?¡± Sayuri-sensei tilted her head in puzzlement.

    There¡¯s no other choice, since the topic is on this now¡­¡­ I gulped and continued:

    ¡±Now¡­¡­ we¡¯re investigating the incident on that snowy day. The case about Hayano Tomohiko-senpai¡­¡­¡±

    Sayuri-sensei¡¯s expression didn¡¯t undergo drastic changes this time, it¡¯s just that her expression was rather unnatural, and she bit her lips lightly.

    ¡±The detective told me to ask you something. Sensei, you probably saw Hayano Tomohiko at the scene, right? Before the ambnce came.¡±

    When sensei nodded lightly in confirmation, I continued to inquire:

    ¡±Then please think back on the situation that time, was there any signs of bleeding at the spot where the victim was copsed?¡±

    I noticed a queasy expression on Ayaka¡¯s face, while sensei¡¯s expression was pale as snow.

    ¡±Well¡­¡­ Mnn¡­¡­ Probably not¡­¡­ Because it was snowing heavily that time, so we would have noticed if there was blood on the ground. But why are you asking about that?¡±

    Sensei¡¯s answer sounded like she was mumbling to herself, while a chill came on my back because of her answer.

    No signs of blood? Hayano Tomohiko should have vomited blood that time.

    This might be a point that had been overlooked, because the snow that kept falling buried the signs of blood. That would mean Alice predicted that I would get this answer even before this. I finally understood what she wanted to express.

    What¡ª does this mean?

    ¡±Why are you investigating this? Quite a few passed now.¡±

    Sensei looked like a withered flower when she was asking me that.

    ¡±¡­¡­ I remember that I told you about the matter that the Gardening Club is going to be abolished, right?¡±

    I nced at sensei and Ayaka.

    ¡±The Gardening Club is actually a rather odd club, and was forcibly founded by a member of the Inspection called Minagawa Kengo in a short time. It¡¯s obviously a small club, but its budget isn¡¯t small, and it requires arge maintenance fee, and that¡¯s why the Student Council is trying to solve this problem. But if there was a reasonable reason when it was founded¡­¡­¡±

    ¡±Minagawa-kun? Does it refer to that Minagawa-kun?¡±

    ¡±Sensei taught them in supplementary sses before this, right?¡±

    ¡±That¡¯s right¡­¡­ But the supplementary lessons had to stop after that, while Minagawa-kun repeated the year and then left school¡­¡­ Though I¡¯m not sure what he¡¯s doing right now, I still know how to contact him. Why don¡¯t you just ask Minagawa-kun directly? Why are you doing so much to ask me about Hayano-kun?¡±

    Just at that moment, I noticed that Ayaka¡¯s condition started to be unstable. Whenever she hears the word Minagawa, her shoulders would tremble. But I must still tell sensei the truth¡­¡­

    ¡±Minagawa-senpai¡­¡­ He already passed away¡­¡­ Because of the drug incidentst winter.¡±

    Sensei covered her mouth with both her hands.

    ¡±How can this be¡­¡­¡±

    ¡±But I think there¡¯s definitely a link between this¡ª about the incident on the snowy day and the reason for the establishment of the Gardening Club. That¡¯s why I must know about Hayano-senpai and Minagawa-senpai.¡±

    And about Tetsu-senpai as well¡­¡­

    Even if I have to hurt the living to speak for the dead, I have to get this clear.

    ¡±Mina¡­¡­ Gawa¡­¡­¡±

    A voice suddenly came from beside us, it was Ayaka. She stared at thin air, her half-open mouth breathing in and out lifelessly.

    ¡±Ayaka¡­¡­ What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±

    ¡±Minagawa¡­¡­ Mnn, mnn, it¡¯s nothing¡­¡­ No¡­¡­¡±

    Perhaps she knows him? Does Ayaka know Minagawa Kengo? I suddenly recalled how Ayaka looked like when she suddenly copsed after looking at the monitor in Alice¡¯s room. I thought that it was because she had a bad memory about ¡®Angel Fix¡¯ at the time, but there¡¯s actually another possibility, which is Minagawa Kengo¡¯s name.

    ¡±Do you know Minagawa Kengo?¡±

    Ayaka covered her ears and shook her head violently in denial. That¡¯s right, even if Ayaka hasn¡¯t lost her memory, it¡¯s impossible that she knows him. That¡¯s because Minagawa Kengo was in the same year as Tetsu-senpai, so he should be about six years older than us. Besides, he left school already, so it¡¯s impossible that he could stay at school along with Ayaka. However¡ª

    ¡±Ayaka, please tell me if you know!¡±

    I grabbed Ayaka¡¯s shoulders and started to shake her violently.

    ¡±I- I don¡¯t know! Don¡¯t know! I can¡¯t remember¡­¡­¡±

    ¡±Please, remember it¡ª¡°

    ¡±Fujishima-kun, please stop that!¡±

    Suddenly the piercing metallic sound of a chair being overturned rang through the whole greenhouse, while I kneeled on the ground. Sayuri-sensei was ring viciously at me with her whole face reddened. Sensei squeezed between Ayaka and I, forcing us apart. When I realized that, regret started to well up in my heart as well.

    What¡ª did I do to Ayaka just now?

    ¡±It¡¯s okay if you want to y detective, but please think while putting yourself in Shinozaki-san¡¯s shoes.¡±

    Sensei squatted beside me, saying in a tone that¡¯s so gentle that it¡¯s somewhat cruel. At the other side, Ayaka stared at me while being separated by sensei, trembling while supporting herself on the table.

    ¡±So¡­¡­ rry¡ª¡°

    ¡±If you want to apologize, please say it to Shinozaki-san.¡±

    While avoiding Sayuri-sensei¡¯s gaze, I stood up.

    ¡±Ayaka, Sorry, I¡¯m¡­¡­¡±

    ¡±I- it¡¯s okay, I¡¯m the one who feels sorry. Not remembering anything, and I kept bringing trouble to Fujishima-kun¡­¡­¡±

    ¡±There¡¯s no such thing. It isn¡¯t like that, erm, well¡­¡­¡±

    I heard my own voice, but it was empty. Harming the people who are still alive just to protect the deceased¡¯s name¡ª just as Alice said. I don¡¯t have that resolution, but I kept harming Ayaka repeatedly¡­¡­

    Sensei gently ced her hands on Ayaka¡¯s shoulders, speaking quietly in her ears. I really couldn¡¯t bear to look on, so I scarpered from the greenhouse after picking up my bag on the floor. As I was about to walk to the school entrance through the courtyard, I noticed a silhouette at a corner of the greenhouse, where the flower racks formed a blind spot. The person seemed to have noticed me as well, and hurriedly left the greenhouse.

    After I met the person¡¯s gaze, I realized that she was Kaoruko-senpai.

    Seeing me being dazed, senpai sighed, as though she gave up on something.

    ¡±I didn¡¯t eavesdrop on your conversation deliberately¡­¡­¡±

    So she heard all of it¡­¡­ But from when?

    ¡±Are you still investigating this meaningless thing? Please don¡¯t investigate Tomohiko because of your personal interest, okay?¡±

    It wasn¡¯t hard to see how sad she was from Kaoruko-senpai¡¯s expression. To search for Hayano Tomohiko¡¯s forgotten words, how many people must Alice and I continue to harm?

    ¡°I¡¯m not doing this because of personal intere¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Sayuri-sensei seems to be inside as well. I wanted to ask you to hurry up and tidy up the greenhouse, but since it looked like you¡¯re busy inside, I¡¯m telling you here. Please don¡¯t drag things on anymore! The general meeting is on next week, while the effective date of the resolution is on next month!¡±

    As I was thinking of how to answer her, Kaoruko-senpai turned around and walked away to the direction of the school buildings. I hurriedly chased her and said:

    ¡°P- please wait for a minute! Things haven¡¯t been decided yet, have they?¡±

    ¡±Listen, the club president meetings passed the resolution, so it¡¯s useless no matter how hard you and Kousaka work. Most of the clubs will agree with this during the plenary meeting.¡±

    Without even turning around, Kaoruko-senpai answered me coolly.

    ¡±Hayano Tomohiko-senpai¡ª¡°

    When I blurted out the name, Kaoruko-senpai finally stopped, standing at the corner of thedder at the west side of the school building.

    ¡±Didn¡¯t die from being tormented¡­¡­ by Tetsu-senpai and the members of the Gardening Committee.¡±

    Kaoruko-senpai turned around. Her long hair swayed because of her movement like a pleated skirt, while the piercing radiance of the desert sun shone in her eyes.

    ¡±What are you talking about?¡±

    I¡¯m not sure, actually. Even Alice haven¡¯t grasped the truth, so of course I¡¯m not certain about this as well. But there is ava hot truth that hasn¡¯t cooled down into facts in my heart¡ª Tetsu-senpai is definitely not a person who would do this kind of thing. If so, that means that someone in the case that we¡¯re discussing about is lying.

    ¡±Then why would Tomohiko¡ª¡°

    ¡±I don¡¯t know yet.¡±

    With her eyes widened, Kaoruko-senpai heaved a long sigh.

    ¡±Is there something wrong with your brain?¡±

    That might be the case, it¡¯s not strange even if people think that there¡¯s something wrong with my brain.

    ¡±I¡¯m investigating about this. Senpai might not be able to forgive the Gardening Club, but the person who founded the Gardening Club might have his reasons¡­¡­¡±

    ¡±That¡¯s irrelevant to this!¡±

    After shouting that unconsciously, Kaoruko-senpai clenched her hands and bit her lips, trying hard to refrain her emotions that could explode at any time.

    ¡±Are you an idiot? I¡¯m not abolishing the Gardening Club because of this kind of reason. Isn¡¯t Tomohiko irrelevant to this matter¡­¡­?¡± Senpai¡¯s voice trembled slightly, and it was evident that she was lying. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you misunderstood, but that¡¯s not my own decision. The teachers were talking about removing the greenhouse as well, while the General Executive division was diligently preparing to take care of these foamy clubs all along. It¡¯s toote no matter how much you investigate, so that¡¯s why I told you to prepare to clear away your stuff.¡±

    Among senpai¡¯sst few words, I could feel the pity and sorrow in her voice. But seeing me continue to look at her unhesitatingly, senpai flung her hair again, turned around and left.

    It¡¯s toote no matter how much you investigate¡­¡­ Irrelevant to this matter¡­¡­ Useless no matter what you do¡­¡­

    It really might be so. No, it¡¯s probably like that now. I remember that Alice once said that I would think of something about Kaoruko-senpai wanting to abolish the Gardening Club. In the current stage, I haven¡¯t done anything yet. Then what am I running here and there for? Even hurting Ayaka, and having to brawl with Tetsu-senpai¡­¡­

    I think this is probably because¡ª because of the uneasiness for the ce that I want to protect. Because I don¡¯t even know why I want to protect it. Is the Gardening Club really a ce that I should protect even though I have to dig out secrets from other people¡¯s graves? I want to be certain about this.

    Because there¡¯s Ayaka and I. Is this reason not enough? I asked and answered myself, so the answer was revealed immediately. If I could continue my battle with just this reason, Ayaka and I wouldn¡¯t turn out like this now. It¡¯s the same for Alice. If things can resolve themselves, unresistingly epting everything on this word, she wouldn¡¯t need to shut herself in that cold room full of dolls.

    And that¡¯s the reason that we continue to be detectives.

    *

    ¡±Does Ayaka know Minagawa Kengo?¡±

    Even Alice was surprised by my statement. She sat on the bed in the office that was always had the air conditioning on, holding a can of Dr. Pepper while turning around to look at me with her eyes widened.

    ¡±¡­¡­ It isn¡¯t certain that things are like that.¡±

    ¡±Oh, I see, indeed¡ª there is a possibility.¡± Alice hugged a smaller sized bear while staring at thin air.

    ¡±But it seems that Ayaka doesn¡¯t remember it¡­¡­ And he¡¯s a person who dropped out too.¡±

    ¡±He¡¯s an ex-member of the Gardening Club, so it¡¯s possible that he got to know Ayaka by going back to school for a few times.¡±

    ¡±That¡¯s not wrong, but¡­¡­¡±

    I sat in front of the bed, hugging my knees while staring at my toes.

    I couldn¡¯t just ask Ayaka about that, because Minagawa Kengo¡¯s name might just be linked to her past memories.

    I raised my head and observed Alice¡¯s expression stealthily. She might just tell me ¡®If you¡¯re still a detective, then you should mercilessly dig out Ayaka¡¯s thoughts hidden in her heart¡¯¡­¡­ Probably?

    ¡±That¡¯s right, usually I would probably have no choice but to say that.¡±

    Alice smiled in self-deprecation.

    ¡±But I don¡¯t want to see Ayaka like that anymore. When you aren¡¯t here in the room recently, I kept thinking in my room. Before being a NEET, before having the identity of a detective, being able to y a certain role should be a great thing, right?¡±

    ¡±¡­¡­ A certain role?¡±

    ¡±That¡¯s right, a certain role for other people. Tetsu, Major, and Hiro could be said aspanions, Yondaime could be said as a brother, while most of the people in this world would probably be said as friends. This is a rtionship that can only exist between a person and another, or that might be what we call ¡®human¡¯, right?¡±

    The smile on Alice¡¯s face at that moment looked as enigmatic as the morning fog. I could only feel a pain on my chest, and I couldn¡¯t say it though I wanted to speak something.

    ¡±As for what Ayaka is thinking of, it has already sank into the sands at the depths of the river, nobody could know that. But I am afraid that digging it out again would hurt Ayaka, so I n to just let it be sunk¡­¡­ That way, I can still hire you with a dirt-cheap price. Do you still remember the employment contract?¡±

    Alice leaned her face on her bent knees, smiling happily with her head tilted. Though Alice confused me by suddenly saying that, I remembered my previous lesson, and thought before I questioned her.

    ¡±¡­¡­ Ah, ahhh, mnn.¡±

    I remembered it. Didn¡¯t I suggest that myself?

    Last winter, it happened during the Angel Fix incident. Alice¡¯s aim was not to expose the truth of the situation, and was not to exterminate an organization that creates drugs, but for Ayaka. Why did Ayaka jump down from the top of the building? Only that suspicious point confused the NEET detective who imed to be able to see through everything while being in her room.

    The end of our contract was until ¡®the mystery was solved¡¯.

    Since Ayaka hasn¡¯t recovered her memories yet, the answer that Alice found was not confirmed by Ayaka, so that¡¯s why I¡¯m continuing to be her assistant detective¡ª things should be like that in name.

    ¡±Besides, Minagawa Kengo¡¯s trails could be located from other ces.¡±

    ¡±¡­¡­ Eh?¡±

    ¡±You can¡¯t do anything about this matter. I will ask Yondaime to help. It might proceed unsessfully, and it might evenpletely overthrow the hypothesis that I suggested just now in the worst cases, so I can¡¯t tell you about this yet.¡±

    ¡±¡­¡­ I understand.¡±

    The detective already said that she ¡®can¡¯t tell me right now¡¯, so that means she absolutely wouldn¡¯t tell me anything. This is also a basic principle that I as her assistant detective must carve in my heart.

    ¡±So it¡¯s okay if you just do what you¡¯re supposed to do.¡±

    ¡±Er¡­¡­ Is there anything that I must investigate?¡±

    I¡¯ve already told her about the contents of the conversation between Sayuri-sensei and I, though she just nodded with an expression that looked as though she knew it long ago¡­¡­

    ¡±What are you talking about? Don¡¯t you have to meet Hiro? Why don¡¯t you hurry ang go?¡±

    ¡±Ah, that matter¡­¡­¡± I recalled our promise, and felt rather depressed all of a sudden.

    ¡±What do you mean by ¡®that matter¡¯!?¡± Alice suddenly shouted while kneeling on her bed. ¡°Isn¡¯t that about your own body!? What¡¯s with your dazed look? Do you think you¡¯re listening to news about a disaster that happened at the other side of the globe!¡±

    ¡±Nothing really, sorry¡­¡­ I¡¯ll go right away.¡±

    I stood up and walked towards the entrance.

    ¡±I am supremely uninterested whether you win or lose. But you have to remember this, you¡¯re my assistant detective. That means every piece of fingernail, every fragment of hair, and every drop of blood of yours are my tools! If you have the audacity to let them get hurt, I won¡¯t forgive you!¡±

    Alice¡¯s zing mes of fury was directed at my back, and I could only walk out of the office while sighing.

    *

    The ces that provide sexual services usually starts work atte night, so I originally thought that they only opened at night. But I¡¯ve heard that most of these shops usually start business ten in the morning, and there are even women who work in the morning. On the other hand, the closing time is limited by thews rted to hotels, and they im to the public that they open till midnight, but they actually open till five in the morning or so.

    The soand that called me to in the phone was at the corner area of the end of the hotel streets after walking all the way to the end of the main streets. Since it was already in the evening, there were quite a lot of customers inside. I hesitated for almost fifteen minutes on the road, and finally went to the back door in the end.

    Hiro-san said this in the phone: ¡®To win Tetsu, you have to undergo special training from today! I prepared a lot of secret stratagems, and along with Major¡¯s help, you¡¯re sure to win!¡¯

    Why must he choose to train at the soand? I really don¡¯t get it¡­¡­ Stepping into the corridors in the shop, I saw two bags stuffed so full of towels that they were almost as tall as me, while there was a metal door that had almost all of its paint faded. I pushed it open.

    ¡±Erm¡­¡­ Sorry for disturbing.¡±

    Theughter of a lot of girls came from further inside the right corridors with the odor of chlorine drifting in the air, and there was also a familiar voice among them.

    ¡±Ah, ah, ah, sorry, I think he¡¯s here. I¡¯ll go take a look.¡±

    A slim, thin man appeared in the corridor, a smile on his face. It was Hiro-san! My uneasy heart finally settled down, and I heaved a long sigh.

    ¡±Wee, Narumi-kun. Hurry up, get in and close the door.¡±

    With a smile on his face, Hiro-san waved to me, while a crowd of bubble princesses (the employees) poked their heads out of the room behind him to stare at me, making me feel rather embarrassed for a moment.

    ¡±Erm¡­¡­ Why did you ask me out to a ce like this?¡±

    ¡±Didn¡¯t I tell you that you¡¯re having special training? Wait a minute, I¡¯ll call the shop owner.¡±

    The shop owner is an okama. It¡¯s unmistakable, he¡¯s a ssic okama who makes people feel like framing him and sending him away for appraisal, and he¡¯s a muscr guy as well. His chest was so muscr that it almost burst the shirt he was wearing and shot the buttons on his ck vest away.

    ¡±So you¡¯re Hiro-kun¡¯s friend? You¡¯re so cute~¡± The muscled male shop owner observed me from head to foot, causing cold sweat to break out from my whole body. ¡°Kid, remove your tie and your zer and keep it somewhere. The police mighte if someone sees a high school student in the shop. If something like that really happens, remember to say that you¡¯re my brother.¡±

    ¡±O- okay¡­¡­¡±

    What a strange situation. I was really unwilling to stay even one second more in a ce like this, but I could only take off my zer unwillingly.

    ¡±If you¡¯re willing to, it¡¯s okay if you take off your shirt and your trousers as well.¡±

    ¡±Oh, no no no no no.¡±

    His smile is so scaryyyyyyyyyyyy! I frantically shook my head until my neck almost broke off.

    So the special training that Hiro-san spoke of was actually a normal cleanup of the bathroom.

    ¡±Listen, the basics of boxing is in guarding. Though that¡¯s what Tetsu told me as well¡­¡­¡±

    Hiro-san exined at the entrance.

    ¡±So you must ovee something first, and that¡¯s the pain when you¡¯re blocking the opponent¡¯s attack with your hands. To fight is topare whose inner heart is tougher, so you must be used to the pain first. Even so, letting you join a real battle training all of a sudden is too hard, so it¡¯s better if you start from cleaning up the bathroom.¡±

    And then Hiro-san forced a long handled brush, a sponge brush and other cleaning equipment into my hands.

    ¡±I can¡¯tprehend this at all!¡±

    ¡±That¡¯s why, I¡¯m going to turn off the cold water in this bathroom from now, and you¡¯ll have to clean up with only hot water. Your hands would redden a lot, but if you get used to it¡­¡­¡±

    ¡±I don¡¯t want to! Have mercy!¡±

    But Hiro-san mmed the door shut in my face, and stood at the other side of the matte ss.

    ¡±Also, the bathroom is quite slippery because of lubricants and so on, so if you can walk on it without falling down, you can train your feet or movement as well¡­¡­ probably?¡±

    Is he kidding? Is it really true? And didn¡¯t he just say ¡®probably¡¯ just now?

    ¡±C- can this really achieve the effect of practice!?¡±

    ¡±Not really, most of what I just said was a joke.¡±

    ¡±I¡¯m going back, please open the door! Now, immediately!¡± I used the long handled brush to hammer the door.

    ¡±Calm down a bit. Cleaning this ce up is actually your learning fee, the main point is¡­¡­ You saw the shop owner just now right? He¡¯s a boxer before this as well, so I asked him to be your practice opponent.¡±

    The brushes and detergents slipped from my hands and fell onto the tiled floor.

    ¡±Just treat the cleaning up as a warm up! I¡¯m counting on you.¡±

    The size of the bathroom was about two timesrger than my bedroom, so it¡¯s quite tiring having to clean it up. Since it was linked with the bedroom, instead of saying that it¡¯s just a bathroom, it¡¯s more like a hotel room with an extrarge bathroom. There was arge pad dirtied by a sticky unknown substance in the bathroom, and also an oddly shaped chair that sank down in the middle. When I cleaned up these things with hot water, a question suddenly surfaced in my heart¡ª where did my life go wrong?

    I originally thought that I only had to clean up one, but I was dragged away to clean three more. Judging from the smells, heat and water vapor filling the bathrooms, it¡¯s unmistakable, a couple probably did something in this space two minutes before I came in to clean up! I suddenly thought seriously that I should just go die.

    The final fatal strike happened when I was cleaning the third bathroom, and the shop owner suddenly appeared. He wore boxing shorts with a sports vest that faintly showed his hairy chest, while boxing gloves were on his hands. The shop owner threw simr gloves and shorts to me while saying:

    ¡±Kiddy, hurry up and change your clothes! Do you know how to wear the knee pads? Do you need me to help you?¡±

    Hiro-san, don¡¯t justugh secretly while standing at the entrance! Hurry up and save me! And why must we battle in the bathroom!?

    ¡±Because there¡¯s arge mat in here, so it¡¯s safer even if you fall down.¡±

    ¡±That¡¯s right, I will think of ways to make you fall down many times~!¡± The shop owner said while winking at me, making me feel defeated even though I haven¡¯t started fighting yet.

    It was about six in the evening when I was exhaustedly thrown out of the back door to the street full of neon lights. Hiro-san who walked out with me patted my shoulders while saying:

    ¡±Find me about this time this whole week.¡±

    ¡±Do you want me to die!¡±

    ¡±If you don¡¯t have the resolution to kill, you would not be able to win against Tetsu.¡±

    I sighed for the umpteenth time that day, and followed Hiro-san closely on the pavement. Since my eye swelled up because of being punched, the lights on the street looked rather foggy.

    ¡±Narumi-kun, didn¡¯t you ask Tetsu to teach you boxing before this? If the disciple tries only in areas that the master taught, then he would never be able to defeat him. That¡¯s why I feel that the shop owner there is the most suitable, and he even agreed to my unreasonable request.¡±

    Though Hiro-san¡¯s thoughts touched me so much that I almost cried, is he really okay? Was he asked by the shop owner to marry him?

    ¡±Hey, if there¡¯s anything else that I can help out with, just say it. You know it as well, since we told Alice that we wouldn¡¯t help out this time, we¡¯re super free right now.¡±

    Hiro-san might have tried to show an ironic smile, but because of his face, it had a hint of kindness in it no matter how hard he tried.

    ¡±Apart from Tetsu¡¯s matter¡ª I want to do all I can for Ayaka as well.¡±

    ¡±Thank¡­¡­ you.¡±

    I weakly nodded to Hiro-san in gratitude.

    But there¡¯s nothing that I have to ask him for now. That¡¯s because I haven¡¯t decided what to do yet.

    ¡±Is it possible that you haven¡¯t decided yet?¡±

    Being asked by Hiro-san again, I really didn¡¯t know what to answer. I could only shut my mouth, following the crowd down the slope to the station.

    ¡±¡­¡­ Narumi-kun, do you like gardening?¡±

    Hiro-san asked me while we were walking through the underpass.

    ¡±Eh? No¡­¡­ It¡¯s still okay, I don¡¯t like it particrly much.¡±

    ¡±Though you say that, you still stayed in the Gardening Club for quite some time, right?¡±

    ¡°Mnn?¡± That¡¯s because the club would be closed down if I leave.

    ¡±If the Gardening Club is abolished, would you feel troubled?¡±

    ¡±Of course.¡±

    ¡±Why?¡±

    ¡±Well¡ª¡°

    I swallowed the words that I originally wanted to say. That was a question that I have been setting aside.

    Ayaka once said that I really don¡¯t need to fight with Tetsu-senpai if it¡¯s just to protect the scenes of the past so that she could recover her memories, and she said that she would use her own power to work hard and recover her memories, and so she wishes that I wouldn¡¯t do such dangerous things anymore.

    That was what I thought at the start¡ª I thought that I tried with all my effort to protect the ce that only belonged to us so that Ayaka would remember her memories. Until Ayaka said that, I finally understood that things weren¡¯t so. Working hard so that Ayaka would remember me would be too stupid.

    That¡¯s because Ayaka is already back, and is by my side right now.

    As for the memories of the past¡ª what does that matter?

    Even so¡­¡­

    ¡±Because when Ayaka is at school¡­¡­ It seems like she¡¯s only happy in the Gardening Club.¡±

    I finally answered in a low voice in the crowd, while Hiro-san nodded while smiling.

    ¡±So you¡¯re doing thispletely because of Ayaka, right? It¡¯s not for yourself.¡±

    That¡¯s right. The reason is actually just that simple.

    Ayaka looked really happy when she¡¯s taking care of the flowers. Even if she lost her memories now, she would smile naturally when she was picking seeds and pruning the nts. That¡¯s why I want to protect the flowers in the flowerbeds and the greenhouse, and Ayaka who was among them. That was why I wanted to fight Tetsu-senpai as well.

    I finally understood now¡ª understanding what the thing that I wanted to protect is.

    I actually found out only now¡­¡­

    I suddenly stopped walking when we were at the center of the zebra crossings. Hiro-san hurriedly rushed bag and grabbed my hand after realizing that.

    ¡±Narumi-kun, what¡¯s wrong? The lights are turning red soon!¡±

    ¡±¡­¡­ Eh? Ah, th- that¡¯s right, sorry¡­¡­¡±

    I felt a st of wind on my back because of the passing cars when I was walking past the road. I drew out my emotions just now with my fingers again.

    Kaoruko-senpai and the otherrge clubs wanted to abolish the Gardening Club, which had a small structure but used arge budget, while I wanted to protect the flowers and Ayaka.

    If that¡¯s so¡­¡­ There¡¯s actually a way that the club could continue while not going against the Student Council.

    Wait¡­¡­ Could that really work? Or is it more realistic to look for Kaoruko-senpai directly and ask her to revoke her suggestion of the amendment of the rules?

    As I hesitated about the answer, the lights on the ¡®Hanamaru Ramen¡¯ signboard could already be seen in front of us.

    ¡±This program is called the ¡®Boxer in a Week using Arm Casts¡¯, a software that I programmed called ¡®Wii Tetsu¡¯. It¡¯s a game that can be used with boxing glove sensors. With this game, the boxing game in Wii Sports is far inferior to this, because you can battle Tetsu-san at home.¡±

    Major started to stack a pile of stuff on the wooden stand behind the kitchen backdoor.

    ¡±¡­¡­ Why can you make the software of a Wii game?¡±

    ¡±I know quite a lot of people working at gamepanies. The toolkit for making Wii games is really easy to use but quite useful.¡±

    Then why don¡¯t you just go work at a gamespany¡­¡­?

    ¡±The word ¡®work¡¯ does not exist in my dictionary. What does that mean, actually?¡±

    ¡±Okay, okay¡­¡­¡± I could only sigh because of his answer.

    ¡±Major, isn¡¯t this thing a bit tight? Could you really wear this?¡±

    Hiro-san pointed at the arm cast¡ª the thing that looked more like some straps entangled with strong springs, while saying.

    ¡±It¡¯s hard to put on or take off if two people aren¡¯t helping. Hiro-san, please help out with this. Vice Admiral Fujishima, hurry up and take off your coat.¡±

    ¡±I don¡¯t want to!¡±

    In the end I was pressed down by the two who hadpletely entered training mode, and was forced to wear the arm cast without wearing anything on my upper torso. The stranger thing was, there was even a part used for the lower body (Since I can¡¯t just take off all my clothes, they put it directly outside my cks) The spring pinched my flesh, it hurts!

    ¡±This cast is really excellent, it could pull you up forcibly even if you¡¯re knocked down by the opponent, making a pre-battle stance. Since it¡¯s still in the experimental stage, please be the guinea pig, Vice Admiral Fujishima.¡±

    ¡±Don¡¯t y around with other people¡¯s body!¡±

    ¡±Heh! This thing is actually quite fun!¡± Hiro-san said while pounding my shoulder. At the instant when I almost fell, the springs on the cast started to take action, changing my body back to a battle stance without my permission. I feel that my muscles are screaming for help¡­

    ¡±Fujishima¡­¡­ san?¡±

    Major and Hiro-san turned their heads over after hearing the voice, and saw Ayaka standing at the end of the alley, poking her head inside hesitantly.

    ¡±Ah¡­¡­ Is the supplementary lesson over? Was sensei angry? Because I left without permission¡­¡­¡±

    ¡±She said that she¡¯ll give you twice the homework tomorrow. W- what¡¯s wrong with you!? Your face is swollen again¡­¡­¡±

    ¡±Ah¡ª it¡¯s okay, this is just a slight boxing practice. Ayaka, you¡¯re here to see Narumi-kun¡¯s majestic stance as well?¡±

    Since it was hard for her to refuse Hiro-san¡¯s enthusiastic invitation, Ayaka walked cautiously into the small alley.

    ¡±Erm¡­¡­ Well¡­¡­ Just now¡ª¡°

    ¡±I¡¯m really sorry for just now.¡±

    ¡±It¡¯s fine, I¡¯m the one who¡¯s at fault, I¡¯m really sorry.¡±

    ¡±Narumi-kun, sorry for interrupting when you¡¯re discussing things, apologizing with your current stance looks really dumb.¡±

    ¡±So that¡¯s why I¡¯m asking you to hurry up and take it off!¡±

    After having a closer look, I noticed that Ayaka was trying hard not tough as well. Sigh, I really feel like crying¡­¡­

    ¡±Erm¡­¡­ What are you guys doing?¡± Ayaka asked Major.

    ¡±We¡¯re doing special training for Vice Admiral Fujishima. We¡¯re using the power of science to obtain victory!¡±

    The kitchen backdoor suddenly opened, while Min-san poked her head out of it.

    ¡±Don¡¯t you guys keep harassing Ayaka, hurry up and scram! Narumi, you¡¯re not an employee anymore, so¡ª¡°

    Seeing my hands with the boxing gloves on it raised to my chin, (appearing to be) full of confidence, Min-san couldn¡¯t help but furrow her brows.

    ¡±Narumi? What is it, do you want to have a fight?¡±

    ¡±Ah, no, that¡¯s not it¡­¡­¡±

    My words werepletely ignored, and I was pummeled to the floor. Even so, Major¡¯s gadget was really effective. I stood up again with my hands raised and a pre-battle stance.

    ¡±What¡¯s with your resisting attitude! Perhaps you¡¯re bearing a grudge on me because I fired you?¡±

    ¡±Ah, no, it¡¯s because of the gadget¡­¡­¡± ¡°Shut up!¡±

    And I was covered in dust and soil once again, but was pulled back because of the spring.

    ¡±Your tenacity is quite good. I¡¯ll beat you up until you can¡¯t stand up anymore!¡±

    ¡±I¡¯m telling you that It¡¯s because of the gadget¡­¡­¡±

    After she finished beating me around like a tumbler(?), she brought Ayaka back into the kitchen.

    I was really badly beaten up. At the instant when I was about to lose consciousness but still stood up in a battle stance majestically, Major muttered to himself in self-satisfaction:

    ¡±I¡¯m really too excellent. You can just wear this thing the whole week!¡±

    Are you insane!? Take it off! Please help me take it off! I¡¯m begging you guys¡­¡­!

    It was quitete when Tetsu-senpai came to the shop, it was about nine or so.

    ¡±Master, can you give me some shaved ice?¡± Senpai poked his head into the shop after pushing away the portiere.

    ¡±You¡¯re not eating ramen?¡±

    ¡±I¡¯m on a diet.¡±

    Senpai walked to out of the kitchen backdoor, sitting right in front of me.

    ¡±Can you eat ice even when you¡¯re dieting?¡± Major asked.

    ¡±Shaved ice is the secret weapon when you¡¯re on a diet, don¡¯t you know that? It can hydrate you, and it easily makes people feel full because of the sugar.¡±

    ¡±Heh, so that means you can eat it when you¡¯re on a diet? I¡¯m going to tell the girls next time.¡± Hiro-san answered.

    Nobody asked senpai for the reason that he¡¯s dieting, because there¡¯s really nothing to ask. Even so¡­¡­

    ¡±Erm¡­¡­ Is that for boxing?¡± I asked in uneasiness.

    ¡±I don¡¯t really mind the weight. I just feel that my movements will turn slow if my weight doesn¡¯t decrease.¡±

    Please don¡¯t let his movement be even faster than now¡­¡­

    ¡±By the way, what is this thing?¡±

    Tetsu-senpai looked at the gadget on the wooden stand while asking.

    ¡±Fufufu, I can¡¯t sell out information to the enemy, I can only say that this is a secret weapon for Vice Admiral Fujishima to defeat Tetsu-san after a weak.¡±

    You¡¯ve already told him some information¡­¡­

    ¡±Hmph, is that so. This is probably for muscle training, right? Oh, those things that you put on your limbs.¡±

    ¡±Tetsu, you can¡¯t wear that alon¡ª¡°

    Hiro-san¡¯s voice diminished as he saw Tetsu-senpai pulling away the spring easily, putting it on his upper torso.

    ¡±This thing is quite tight.¡± Though he said that, Tetsu-senpai made a banzai pose, then stretched out his hands, dumbfounding the three of us. Even worse, senpai wasn¡¯t even a bit affected by the cast on him, eating the almond shaved ice that Ayaka took out like nothing happened.

    And he even took it off himself, cing it on the wooden stand in the end. At that moment, Major suddenly stood up and shouted: ¡°I must increase the strength of the spring fifteen times more!¡± while I frantically stopped him.

    ¡±That¡¯s right, Narumi, when are you nning to fight?¡±

    ¡±Well¡­¡­¡±

    I couldn¡¯t answer. When am I able to defeat him? I should say, can I really defeat him?

    I have no other choice but to defeat him, but there¡¯s no more time now.

    ¡±How about next week?¡± Hiro-san answered for me. ¡°We¡¯ll decide the ce as well.¡±

    ¡±I don¡¯t really care. What about you, Narumi?¡±

    I nodded after thinking for awhile. The Student Council meeting is on next Friday, so many things would end if I don¡¯t win by Monday.

    ¡±By the way, what would happen if Narumi-kun wins?¡± Hiro-san stared at my face.

    If I win¡ª

    ¡±¡­¡­ That would prove Tetsu-senpai¡¯s innocence.¡±

    ¡±See? I have no idea what this guy is talking about.¡±

    ¡±Really? I understand that just fine.¡±

    ¡±Me too.¡±

    The three of themughed together after looking at each other. Being able tough at this time is also their strong points. I couldn¡¯tugh at all¡­¡­

    *

    Unusually, I stayed until the closing time of the ramen shop as well, so I took Ayaka to the station.

    ¡±If there¡¯s not a reasonable exnation, I¡¯ll be angry.¡±

    As usual, Ayaka walked at a position about three steps in front of me, asking me while walking backwards.

    ¡±Why must you fight Tetsu-san? I heard that he was a boxer in the past. Fujishima-san, you¡¯re just an indoors-type who would pant even when you move a bucket, isn¡¯t that right? You might not get off the hook with just some injuries¡­¡­¡±

    ¡±Not really, it isn¡¯t really a fight¡­¡­¡±

    Then what is it? It¡¯s really hard to exin.

    ¡±Don¡¯t just brush it past like this, please tell me the true reason!¡±

    Ayaka looked as though she was going to cry, so I could only stop, sigh and gulp.

    I¡¯ll just start from the beginning.

    ¡±Do you remember the matter about the Student Council that I¡¯ve mentioned before?¡±

    Ayaka nodded while walking backwards.

    ¡±Hayano Tomohiko-senpai¡ª the incident of the death of the Student Council president¡¯s brother, that¡¯s the reason for the Gardening Committee¡¯s abolishment. Because Tetsu-senpai and a few others abused Hayano Tomohiko, he died.¡±

    Ayaka supported herself on the railings while standing in the lights of the streetlights, staring at me.

    ¡±Actually, the ones who forced the opening of the Gardening Club was the people who bullied Hayano-senpai¡­¡­ The Student Council and the others think that these people must have an unspeakable reason for the founding of the club, but¡­¡­¡±

    Someone must have lied in the process. That was what I believed.

    At least, Tetsu-senpai is definitely not a person who would do these kind of things.

    ¡±I¡¯m thinking¡ª to senpai, there might be a truth that he couldn¡¯t tell anyone. It was on the day of the incident¡­¡­¡±

    To senpai, that might be a serious blunder that he couldn¡¯t forgive himself for even if he dropped out.

    ¡±But I still wish to know the reason that the Gardening Club was forcibly founded. If this reason is reasonable, then I would talk things out with the Student Council president no matter what, and ask her not to abolish the club.¡±

    ¡±Why must you do this?¡±

    Why? You¡¯re asking me why?

    If it was Alice, she would probably answer like this: Because I¡¯m a detective, and I¡¯ve epted a request.

    Then, how should I answer as an assistant detective?

    I stood outside the range of the rays given out by the streetlights, silently epting Ayaka¡¯s gaze, and said:

    ¡±Actually¡­¡­ I have absolutely no interest in the activities of the Gardening Club, and I didn¡¯t even go to take care of the flowerbeds during the spring break; and I¡¯m even clueless about the structure of a greenhouse, not even touching it. However¡­¡­¡±

    I recalled the promise that I made to Ayaka on the rooftop that day. It had been sealed, and I¡¯ve only went there once since then.

    ¡±I¡¯ve promised this to Ayaka, though you probably don¡¯t remember this. We promised each other to join each other¡¯s club¡ª the Computer Club where only I was left and the Gardening Club where only Ayaka was left¡ª so that we would not lose the ce that we support ourselves on.¡±

    Ayaka bit her lips while closing her eyes and shook her head.

    ¡±¡­¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Ayaka stood on her original spot while using her hands to hug her own body.

    ¡±Was I the one who suggested that first?¡±

    ¡±Yeah¡ª ah, but it¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t remember it. I don¡¯t mean that. To me, going to theputer club or not doesn¡¯t matter now, but I still continued the activities of the Gardening Club. Because you looked happy when you taught me things.¡±

    ¡±Eh¡­¡­?¡±

    ¡±Don¡¯t you like taking care of flowers?¡±

    The long wait made people think that the sky is getting breaker. Ayaka finally nodded lightly after hesitating for a long time, and I finally sighed in relief. This is the most important reason. I finally realized that when Hiro-san asked.

    ¡±If that¡¯s so, then let¡¯s go on. I¡¯ll think of a way to let the club continue to exist.¡±

    ¡±You¡¯re¡­¡­ going to fight Tetsu-san because of this reason?¡±

    That¡¯s right. I¡¯m going to fight Tetsu-senpai because of this.

    ¡±But¡­¡­ It¡¯s just for my interest. Just for such a small matter¡­¡­¡±

    ¡±That¡¯s not a small matter. If there aren¡¯t any flowers in the school, it would probably be very lonely.

    ¡±Even so, there¡¯s only two members in our club, and it¡¯ll still be¡ª¡°

    I stuffed my hand into my pocket, taking out the object in it and handed it to Ayaka to prevent her from continuing.

    Ayaka¡¯s expression was as surprised as it was on a certain day. She took the thing and opened it. A ck armband with an orange logo printed on it. The letter in C was G, the innermost one was a circled M.

    ¡±This is¡­¡­?¡±

    Of course Ayaka doesn¡¯t remember that, but it doesn¡¯t matter. The meaning of me handing this to her is different from before, after all. And then, I continued to take out a few more simr armbands from my pocket.

    ¡±The armband of the Gardening Club, that¡¯s Ayaka¡¯s. And there¡¯s a lot more too. We¡¯ll look for more members after this, but if the flowerbeds and the greenhouse are gone, we can¡¯t recruit more members then.¡±

    Ayaka stared at the pieces of ck cloths in my hands, and pressed her own armband to her chest. With her eyes closed, it seemed as though she was holding back tears, and also like she was trying to think of something to answer.

    ¡±¡­¡­ W- why?¡±

    Ayaka asked with her head lowered.

    ¡±Why¡­¡­ are you doing so much for me? B- because, I just can¡¯t remember things about you¡­¡­¡±

    The words that she said froze in the air, gradually dropping onto the dark asphalt road.

    ¡±But when I tried to remember, it felt like I was going to remember something just now¡­¡­ I probably know this person called Minagawa. He¡¯s¡­¡­ an ex-member from the Gardening Club, right? With a square face and sleek eyes¡­¡­¡±

    She indeed knows Minagawa. However¡ª

    ¡±Ayaka, just forget about it. Don¡¯t worry about this anymore.¡±

    ¡±But whenever I try to think of it, it¡¯s like there¡¯s a huge ck hole in my heart. I felt like looking inside, but I¡¯m afraid of being sucked inside¡­¡­ So scared, I¡¯m so scared. Even with my back to it, I¡¯m still scared¡­¡­ I don¡¯t know why, but I actually did such a thing, actually¡­¡­ Jumping from the building¡­¡­ but¡­¡­¡±

    ¡±Don¡¯t say anymore! It doesn¡¯t matter now, I don¡¯t want you to remember anything¡­¡­¡±

    ¡±Then¡­¡­ Then, what whould I do?¡±

    Ayaka said to me with tears glistening in her eyes:

    ¡±I- I kept saying cruel things to you¡ª¡°

    ¡±No. You didn¡¯t do anything bad.¡±

    Didn¡¯t you get healthy again ande back to see me?

    It¡¯s already enough for me. It¡¯s really enough¡ª but why did it make her show such a sorrowful expression? I don¡¯t know what to do as well¡­¡­

    It felt as though I should say something more. But at that moment, the noisy sounds of an exhaust and sounds of pebbles being crushed came from my back with a strong light.

    The bus drove past our sides. Ayaka looked at its silhouette with tears in her eyes, and ran towards the sign of the bus stop ten meters or so in front of us. In the process, she turned around to look at me for a few times, but I did not continue to speak to her.

    *

    When I went to school the next day, I immediately walked to the greenhouse. The matter that Alice asked me to help out in her message¡ª she originally wanted me to investigate the manufacturer of the greenhouse and the model, but I couldn¡¯t find the information anywhere. I wanted to ask at the staff¡¯s office, but I really didn¡¯t know who to ask, so I could only wait in front of the entrance. Finally, I could only look for Kousaka-senpai at the Inspection¡¯s office to ask for her help. In the end, I didn¡¯t even have any time to see Ayaka.

    After ss, I immediately rushed to the building where Hanamaru Ramen was at.

    As I was about to open the door to the office, the sound of conversation between two people came from inside.

    ¡±¡­¡­ This is obviously a gift from ying pachinko, how could it be sewn tightly?¡±

    ¡±But¡­¡­ I never thought that its eyes would drop out just one time after I hugged it!¡±

    Alice hugged her nket on her bed, looking like she was going to cry, while Yondaime in a crimson coat was in front of her. The object that was on the knee of the young yakuza was the kitten doll that Tetsu-senpai gave Alice, while the button that was his eye was about to drop off.

    At the instant when he noticed me entering the room, Yondaime widened his eyes and sewed on the button with lightning speed, then pushed the doll back to Alice, stuffing his portable sewing kit back into his pockets immediately.

    ¡±Why didn¡¯t you press the doorbell before you entered!¡±

    ¡±S- sorry, I didn¡¯t think that Yondaime would be here.¡±

    It seems that I¡¯ve been going in and out of the office as I like recently, but when I think closer about this, this is actually a girl¡¯s room¡­¡­ Mostly.

    ¡±As Patronius almost lost its sight, I asked Yondaime toe over. Thank you for saving my new friend. Thank you very much.¡±

    Alice hugged the kitten doll while smiling gently. After a ¡®Hmph!¡¯, Yondaime stood up and leaned on the wall at the entrance of the bedroom.

    ¡±I helped out about that voluntarily. But don¡¯t forget the true jobs of you and I.¡±

    ¡±I know. For your help, I will repay it by transferring some money to your ount. This is a thread that we can¡¯t follow without your help after all.¡±

    ¡±Did you find out about something?¡± I interjected.

    ¡±We found out a bit about what Minagawa Kengo did after he dropped out.¡±

    Really? Doesn¡¯t that mean that we found out about quite a lot? But even so, Yondaime red at me with a stern gaze. Does that mean that it¡¯s a bad news?

    The news that came from Alice the next moment almost made me forget how to breathe.

    ¡±He had contact with ¡®Angel Fix¡¯ from an early stage. The time when Hirasaka-gumi found out about its danger and started to clear the streets wasst September, but he was addicted to it even earlier. And then he got into contact with the manufacturers and dealing organization led by Hakamizaka Shirou. He was one of the said people who could ¡®see angels¡¯ as well.¡±

    Yondaime red at me while nodding.

    ¡°During that time, Hakamizaka and co. were looking for ces that they could use to nt the nt. Using only Hakamizaka¡¯s greenhouse could not amodate the need of the market, while Minagawa Kengo appeared that time. He was only one of the old customers that time, and did not actively provide assistance. But Minagawa Kengo identally exposed the news that ¡®there¡¯s a high ss greenhouse at M High¡¯, and there was also a path near the greenhouse leading outside the school¡ª knowing that would be enough. That¡¯s because¡­¡­¡±

    Wait a minute¡­¡­! I wanted to interrupt Alice, but I couldn¡¯t say anything.

    What does this mean? No matter how great Yondaime is, he couldn¡¯t get so much information that it was like he saw it with his own eyes, could he? No matter it¡¯s Minagawa or Hakamizaka, all of them were already¡ª

    I suddenly thought of something¡ª Minagawa Kengo, Angel Fix, M High¡ª the vital clue that connects these things, there was another person other than Ayaka.

    Alice continued to say:

    ¡°Because Toshi is here.¡±

    ¡°All of this¡­¡­ was heard from Toshi-san?¡±

    Yondaime answered in displease:

    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me how I asked this¡­¡­¡±

    Toshi-san, Shinozaki Toshio, Ayaka¡¯s brother. He was once one of the members of the Angel Fix drug dealing organization, the man who asked Ayaka to nt the poppy nts. I heard that he¡¯s already out of the police hospital, and is currently under custody.

    Perhaps Yondaime had contact with Toshi-san? I suddenly felt a chill in my heart.

    He actually found so much information¡ª using his sharp wolf ws.

    ¡°As for how the drug organization found out about the ce leading to the greenhouse entrance, we don¡¯t know that yet. The siblings don¡¯t usually socialize much, so it¡¯s impossible that Ayaka told her brother. But that exnation would be reasonable¡­¡­¡±

    Alice¡¯s face fell, and she stared at her fingers on the bed.

    ¡°The source of the information was from one of the early addicts of Angel Fix, Minagawa Kengo. Toshi couldn¡¯t count as a member of the organization, but one of the usual customers. But he was noticed by Hakamizaka Shirou. To find a person who could assist him in the nting of poppy nts in the M High greenhouse, there was no other way.¡±

    Angel Fix, Hakamizaka Shirou.

    Even though he already turned to dust, he¡¯s still making trouble. Why don¡¯t he just disappear quickly? It¡¯s better if he didn¡¯t exist in the first ce.

    ¡°I heard that Minagawa Kengo often went back to the school even after he dropped out. Toshi said that he probably met Ayaka a few times, right?¡±

    Facing Alice¡¯s questions, Yondaime nodded silently.

    ¡°Back to school¡­¡­ Why?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not sure about that yet.¡± Alice answered weakly.

    Not sure¡­¡­ Only two people know the truth, one died because of drug overdose, the other one jumped down from the top of a building.

    Nobody continued to speak. As for how we could know more, the three in the room knew of it very well.

    And they knew that there were no other way as well¡­¡­

    Yondaime and I walked out of the office at the same time. For some reason, I felt somewhat weak, and I held the railings of the stairs, squatting down after that.

    ¡°Gardening Club kid, what are you doing?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Nothing, it¡¯s just that I¡¯m a bit tired because of business.¡±

    When I think about it, Yondaime¡¯s title for me seemed to have been fixed now. If he starts to call me by another name right now, I probably wouldn¡¯t know what to do.

    ¡°The things that I can investigate end here. I really didn¡¯t think that he would ask me such an exaggerated thing.¡±

    ¡°How¡¯s Toshi-san right now?¡± Can he still speak?

    ¡°I heard that he wasn¡¯t too good with his dad, and he started to close himself away again.¡±

    I heard that Ayaka and Toshi-san¡¯s parents were on a divorce case right now, and are living separately right now. Toshi-san and Ayaka both lived with their parents before this, but after he got out of the police hospital¡ª so that he would not affect Ayaka, Toshi-san was brought to his father¡¯s house.

    ¡°I forced him out of his room and beated him up, but he still had some energy to speak.¡±

    This person really does too much.

    ¡°But that guy seems to know almost nothing. You¡¯ll have to think about the rest yourself.¡±

    Me, think of something myself? I walked here and there already, but there was still no progress¡­¡­

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you nning to beat Tetsu up to ask something?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡ª er, it¡¯s not wrong¡­¡­¡± I looked at my fists. ¡°But I don¡¯t think that I can defeat him, and even if I could defeat him, it¡¯s no guarantee that I could get any important news.¡±

    And besides, the person who¡¯s asking is not me, but Alice. Even if senpai really hid something, he might really not know anything about the situation.

    Yondaime ced his elbows on the rails, looking at me with the expression of a dead cricket.

    ¡°Are you an idiot? Then what are you fighting for?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡­¡±

    No matter how I exin, I would probably be scolded or being treated as an idiot, right?

    ¡°Even if senpai doesn¡¯t know anything about the incident, as long as I win, he¡¯ll probably tell me the truth, right? Then, that would be able to prove that the fact that senpai abused Hayano Tomohiko to death was a lie. That¡¯ll be the best if so¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh please, do you really know what you¡¯re talking about? Where are there idiots like you in this world, using a fight to prove the other party¡¯s innocence?¡±

    ¡°Well¡ª¡° That may be so, but there¡¯s really no need for Yondaime to repeat that. The thing that I am about to do, is really stupid to the max.

    ¡°Then what would you do, Yondaime?¡±

    ¡°I would beat Tetsu up as well.¡±

    Then isn¡¯t that the same as me!

    ¡°Who¡¯s the same as you! I¡¯m beating him up because I¡¯m annoyed that he lied, and it¡¯s unrted to the case that Alice is investigating.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­ not wrong, but¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°And if you only want to prove that Tetsu is innocent, you won long ago.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Huh?¡±

    I stared at the side of Yondaime¡¯s face with my jaw open.

    ¡°Because he already epted your challenge. If he didn¡¯t lie, why would he ept a challenge like this? Wouldn¡¯t he just refuse with a smile right there and then?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡±

    I see, so that¡¯s why!

    ¡°If you don¡¯t know even that, and even gave the condition of ¡®not meddling again if you lose¡¯. You¡¯re really an incurable idiot. If there aren¡¯t any information on Tetsu¡¯s hands, wouldn¡¯t you waste your effort? Why don¡¯t you just force the information out from Ayaka? Didn¡¯t she remember Minagawa¡¯s name already?¡±

    ¡°Yondaime, you¡¯re really a logical type! Maybe you¡¯re more suited to being an assistant detective than me¡­¡­?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not doing that. Oi, don¡¯t change the topic! Why are you taking action for? If this goes on, wouldn¡¯t the Gardening Club be abolished for no reason at all? And don¡¯t you wish for that girl to recover her memories as well? If she remembers it, wouldn¡¯t all of this be solved now?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not wrong, but¡­¡­¡±

    I stared at the sky that was dyed red between the two buildings.

    ¡°If Ayaka isn¡¯t willing to remember it because it¡¯s too painful, then I think it¡¯s better to just forget it. Besides, being friends once again would be okay, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±

    In the incident during the summer break, Meo once told me that things that have been lost would note back again, but as long as we¡¯re still alive, the new sprouts will be able to cover the previous sorrow one day.

    Yondaime suddenly interrupted my thoughts, silently pointing at a ce out of the railings below me and him.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just tell her yourself?¡±

    I saw Ayaka poking her head cautiously between the buildings, approaching therge steel buckets and beer crates that nobody were there, and she opened the kitchen backdoor. I was startled, and immediately squatted down to hide myself.

    ¡°Min-san, is Fujishima-san over here?¡±

    The sounds of the conversation could faintly be heard.

    ¡°If you want to, I can push you down from here immediately.¡±

    ¡°No, no thanks, no need for the trouble!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re really an incurable idiot. Didn¡¯t you say it yourself? Just hurry up and tell her everything, and start again.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡­ I haven¡¯t prepared myself mentally yet.¡±

    Yondaime turned around, preparing to walk down the stairs, and left me aside after saying:

    ¡°What an unproductive fellow.¡±

    Yondaime was right. Hearing the cking sounds of him walking down the stairs, I started to think of how to leave without being noticed by Ayaka, because I really don¡¯t know what to say to her.

    After the battle ends¡­¡­ Will that day really arrive?

    ¡°Then, there¡¯s only one way left.¡±

    Yondaime turned around and said.

    ¡°Beat Tetsu uppletely, until he spits out all of the truth.¡±

    After raising his fists highly, my sworn brother disappeared from the stairs. Until his silhouettepletely disappeared, I finally raised my fists in response.

    To the dumb me right now, the only thing worth trying¡ª is defeating Tetsu-senpai.

    There¡¯s only one week left. What else can I do?

 Volume 3, 5

    <h4>Volume 3, Chapter 5</h4>

    Ichinomiya Tetsuo.

    The eldest son of a carpenter. Because of his father¡¯s acts of violence, he epted the protection of the Social Welfare Committee a few times before he even graduated from primary school.

    His father vanished when he was only twelve, and his family owed loan sharks a debt of over four million yen that time. His mother was hospitalized because of a mental breakdown, and thus Ichinomiya Tetsuo was moved to his mother¡¯s elder brother¡¯s house. However, he did not get along with his rtives who took him in, became a delinquent student in middle school, and once epted counseling over twenty times.

    During his second year in middle school, the police officers in the Youth Criminal Bureau introduced him to boxing. The head of the boxing alley realized his natural talent, and thus he left his uncle¡¯s house to stay at the head¡¯s house. From that day on, Ichinomiya Tetsuo turned over a new leaf, sessfully furthering his studies by entering M High.

    ¡±The part that I want you to read is the next one. And there¡¯s a medical report enclosed as well.¡±

    Alice said while sitting on her bed.

    After I returned from school, Alice called me to the detective agency, and she ordered me to closely read through Tetsu-senpai¡¯s personal information that I did not read before this.

    I held the stack of information while leaning against the fridge, and couldn¡¯t help but gasp when I read the information written on the next page.

    ¡±Do you understand why I forced you to read this now?¡±

    My eyes werepletely glued to the paper, and I nodded while reading it.

    Indeed, there is a reason for her request. If so, Tetsu-senpai¡ª

    ¡±To your actions that could only be exined as imbecilic no matter which angle you look at, it should help more or less, right?¡±

    ¡±Well¡­¡­ That¡¯s not wrong, but¡­¡­¡±

    Do I really have to use this? Or should I say I have no other choice but to use this? Even so, it¡¯s undeniable that to a person as weak as me, I¡¯ll have to do things by hook or by crook.

    Alice kneeled, saying in a frustrated tone:

    ¡±Didn¡¯t you mean this when you said that you wanted to confirm the truth about Tetsu?¡±

    I nkly stared at the NEET detective¡¯s face for awhile, then shifted my gaze to the papers in my hands and nodded. Now I see, things are indeed so.

    ¡±Of course, wanting to use that could only be said as empty talk. It¡¯s the same no matter how good your observation power is. And that means, even after I used this software that I pilfered from a certain research centre to analyze Tetsu¡¯s fighting actions, that was the conclusion formed. This stack and that stack are sets of advice that I obtained from a boxing expert I got to know from the inte, while this is an emergency first aid manual, this stack contains ways of begging for mercy in sixty fivenguages, and here¡¯s a set of references of reasons for running away at thest second.¡±

    I was still clueless about the situation, but Alice still ced stack after stack of thick information onto my leg.

    ¡±These might still be insufficient, so please do some thorough research, and look for a way for you to go survive the battle!¡±

    ¡±Errr¡­¡­ I¡¯m really grateful for you being so worried about me¡­¡­¡±

    ¡±Didn¡¯t I tell you quite a few times now? I¡¯m not worried about you!¡±

    Alice was so furious that she almost rushed over from the bed to bite me.

    ¡±Even if you¡¯re beaten ck and blue by Tetsu, the detective¡¯s investigation and the client¡¯s life still continues, and there¡¯s still a lot of matters for you to investigate!¡±

    ¡±Ahhhh, mnn, sorry¡­¡­¡±

    I stood up after putting down the stacks of information. The face of Alice, who was kneeling on the bed, was about in front of my chest.

    ¡±I promise you.¡± I ced my hands on Alice¡¯s shoulders. ¡°I will not die for no reason at all.¡±

    ¡±W- what nonsense are you spouting!¡±

    Alice pushed my hands away, huffily turning to the monitor.

    The ways of begging for mercy probably isn¡¯t much use, but the analysis of Tetsu-senpai¡¯s movements should help more or less. But since they were veryplicated information, I might not be able to understand it.

    ¡±Cleaning up the mess that your moronic actions brought about ends here. Don¡¯t forget your own job.¡±

    ¡±What else do we have to investigate?¡±

    ¡±Some matters about the crime scene. Go take some photos at the greenhouse.¡±

    ¡±Again? Why? Didn¡¯t we take some in the Angel Fix incident?¡±

    And what¡¯s with the crime scene?

    ¡±This time, please check out the floorboards and the walls thoroughly as well. There shouldn¡¯t be any flowerpots on the ground currently, isn¡¯t that right? I want to look for blood stains.¡±

    ¡±Blood stains? Whose?¡±

    ¡±Of course it¡¯s Hayano Tomohiko¡¯s.¡±

    My mind sank into confusion, so I could only lean against the wall at the entrance of the bedroom while pondering Alice¡¯s words.

    ¡±¡­¡­ Does that mean Hayano Tomohiko fainted at the greenhouse?¡±

    ¡±That¡¯s right. There aren¡¯t any blood stains at the ce by the school entrance where he copsed at, isn¡¯t that right? That indicates that the ce that he fainted at wasn¡¯t there, but another ce.¡±

    ¡±That¡­¡­ Isn¡¯t wrong, but¡­¡­¡±

    Another ce? In the greenhouse?

    ¡±But that doesn¡¯t seem right as well. Tetsu-senpai and the others should have asked Hayano Tomohiko to be their errand boy, buying things for them, while they stayed in the greenhouse to wait.¡±

    ¡±Have you even forgotten what you, yourself, had said? Tetsu is definitely hiding something, you said that yourself.¡±

    ¡±Ah¡­¡­¡±

    That¡¯s right, my thoughts are built on the basis that Tetsu-senpai¡¯s testimony was a lie. However¡ª

    ¡±What does that mean? Does it mean someone moved the unconscious Hayano Tomohiko to the school entrance? Why?¡±

    ¡±That¡¯s a possibility as well, and Tetsu might have been the person who moved him. That way, you can exin the contradictions of the direction that Hayano Tomohiko was copsed and also the reason that nobody noticed him before Tetsu.¡±

    Why was that done? Who did it? Was it senpai?

    ¡±I don¡¯t know the answer as well, so that¡¯s why I¡¯m asking you to investigate.¡±

    ¡±¡­¡­ But it can¡¯t be in the greenhouse. The greenhouse has a cement floor after all, and rainwater can¡¯t flow inside. If there was really so much blood, stains should still be there even now.¡±

    I recalled the location where Akaya jumped down to. The ground that was paved with cement located between the garden and the school buildings. That happened during January. It snowed and rained quite a few times after the incident, but the stains were still there. Things like blood stains are hard to erase both from reality and from our hearts.

    ¡±Anyways, just hurry up and investigate it. If the ce where Hayano Tomohiko was copsed at was not the location where he was first found, then the chances of him having copsed in the greenhouse increases drastically. By the way, go ask your advisor if anything was spread or ced on the greenhouse floor that time.¡±

    ¡±¡­¡­ Got it. I¡¯ll go check it out tomorrow.¡±

    ¡±There¡¯s another matter apart from that, one that even I cannot find out. That is the teaching equipment management list.¡±

    ¡±¡­¡­ Eh?¡±

    ¡±Buying or getting rid of teaching equipments would leave a record, right? I wish to know of the changes in amount of this. This information can probably be obtained from the school¡¯s Management office. Your school is too outdated, not even storing data in theputer folders, so that¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t find out about it.¡±

    ¡±This¡­¡­ What does that have to do with this?¡±

    ¡±Can you please get rid of your bad habit of asking the detective the reason for her investigations in each and every matter?¡±

    Alice turned her head around and looked at me with a thoroughly annoyed expression.

    ¡±I don¡¯t know if there are any connections, so that¡¯s why I¡¯m investigating. My assumptions and thread of thoughts spread out to weave a web of ten thousand possibilities, liquefying all of them to make it easier for your brain of sponge to absorb is too much of a hassle. I¡¯ll say it¡¯s better if you just shut your mouth and take actions.¡±

    Okay, okay, I get it.

    While holding the digital camera that Alice lent me and the massive pile of information of how to cope with Tetsu-senpai, I walked out of the office. It was just a bit cloudy when I came, but now it¡¯s pouring. Drops of rain hammered on the emergency stairs that was made of metal, harrying people with its noisiness.

    It was then the monsoon season, near the end of May. At the same time, Ayaka¡¯s and my shelter was about to be trampled on, torn apart, vanishing without a trace.

    When I walked to the kitchen backdoor, Major and Hiro-san were already waiting there, and that made me lose my energy.

    ¡±Here, we¡¯re having special training today as well. The shop owner praised that even though your boxing skills aren¡¯t much, your actions of cleaning is quite thorough!¡± Hiro-san said with a smile on his face. I don¡¯t feel happy at all being praised in such a matter. It seems that I have to undergo three hours of hellish training today as well¡­¡­

    ¡±Since the weather is so bad today, you might be asked to clean up the entrance.¡±

    ¡±¡­¡­ Why do I feel like the job is deviating from its original purpose?¡±

    I even feel like I¡¯m being treated as a free cleaning tool¡­¡­ Hiro-san smiled while saying ¡®I¡¯ll go get the car then¡¯, then walked out from the alley. This time, it was Major¡¯s turn to lean over with a smile on his face, taking out a box from his backpack after pulling me to the rain shelter.

    ¡±I made a super enhanced version of ¡®Wii Tetsu¡¯. Tetsu-san¡¯s movements will be three times his usual speed, and his punch is seven times the original version, so you can rest assured!¡± What nonsense.

    ¡±Ah, that¡¯s right, Major¡­¡­¡±

    I nearly pulled out the papers that Alice gave me, but I hesitated.

    Major should be unclear about Tetsu-senpai¡¯s past as well, especially regarding ¡®that matter¡¯¡­¡­ I wanted to speak of the information that Alice found out, but I just couldn¡¯t do so.

    ¡±Hmm? What is it, Vice Admiral Fujishima? What are the papers in your hands?¡±

    ¡±Ah, no, this¡­¡­ I think it¡¯s better not to¡ª¡°

    ¡±You really don¡¯t need to worry so much. Vice Admiral Fujishima, you can be said to be a martial artist, right? So you must have the determination to use each and every resource to attain victory.¡±

    Who are you calling a martial artist? I wanted to rebuke him, but hesitated, sinking into deep thought in the end.

    Things might be as Major had said, this is a fight. Besides, the reason that I started the fight was to expose the truth that Tetsu-senpai wanted to hide in the first ce. Even if anything happened in senpai¡¯s past, I probably don¡¯t have the spare time to worry if that matter would be known by Major.

    ¡±Erm¡­¡­ Alice told me something just now¡­¡­¡±

    I handed the papers about Tetsu-senpai to Major. Major¡¯s expression was unchanged after he looked through it.

    ¡±¡­¡­ Hn hnn? Now I see. This might be a breakthrough.¡±

    ¡±Can you enter this information into the stimtor?¡±

    ¡±Vice Admiral Fujishima truly likes to ask for the impossible, yournd troop qualities hasn¡¯t changed at all.¡±

    Major smiled incence.

    ¡±I will try to finish installing it by tomorrow. This will be the specially upgraded version of ¡®Wii Tetsu¡¯. However, you should know that you can only grasp the overall feel with this. As for where Tetsu-san¡¯s blind spot is in reality¡­¡­¡±

    Major jabbed at my chest.

    ¡±It looks like you¡¯ll have to get the feel from the real process.¡±

    I nodded in answer, blocking Major¡¯s third straight punch.

    *

    The rain did not stop even until the following day.

    I could not ride my bike, and added with the fact that I heard that the rain might be heavier and heavier, so I must finish the matters at school ASAP and leave the school, going to the detective agency in advance. The first ce that I had to go would be the Inspection office. Among the matters that Alice wanted me to investigate, I asked Kousaka-senpai for her help for the part about the amount management of teaching equipments. After all, the staff probably wouldn¡¯t let me see such a thing even if I went to the Management office.

    ¡±Mnn? Eh? What do you want that for?¡±

    As expected, Kousaka-senpai was taken aback because of my request.

    ¡±Well¡­¡­ Actually I¡¯m not sure what it¡¯s for as well.¡±

    ¡±Is it what the girl called Alice asked you to investigate?¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡±Though she looks like that, she¡¯s still quite a somewhat skilled detective. I¡¯ll be counting on you.¡±

    ¡±¡­¡­ It feels like the both of you trust each other very much. A rtionship like yours is rather enviable.¡±

    ¡±W- what¡­¡­!?¡±

    Does it seem like that? Isn¡¯t it more like Alicepletely doesn¡¯t need to rely on me?

    ¡±That¡¯s because Fujishima-kun is too close with that girl. I can tell in one look.¡±

    They¡¯ve just met for one time, what is she talking about?

    ¡±So I¡¯ll trust you guys as well. So it¡¯s just a request for the Management office, right? I¡¯ll think of an excuse.¡±

    ¡±Thank you. Erm¡­¡­ If you find out about anything, can you fax it to Alice¡¯s ce? I have to hurry and leave the school.¡± After saying that, I passed a note with Alice¡¯s fax number to her.

    ¡±Got it. I¡¯ll fax it over as soon as I can, I hope that I can settle it by today.¡±

    ¡±Sorry for giving you trouble.¡±

    ¡±It won¡¯t, as this is my request after all.¡±

    ¡±But¡­¡­¡± I stammered, and still spoke in the end. ¡°If we continue to investigate like this, even if we find out the reason of the establishment of the Gardening Club¡­¡­ Is there a possibility that it would make what the Management is trying to do more justified?¡±

    Kousaka-senpai stayed silent.

    Actually, that is quite a usible possibility. That¡¯s because the club is founded for a certain reason, and was formed through Minagawa Kengo¡¯s connections by talking things over with the Student Council and the teaching staff. The people who want to change the rules would rejoice even if this got out. We might have been doing meaningless things¡ª the cold, empty feeling haunted me.

    ¡±That¡¯s okay, we¡¯ll see when that timees. It just depends on how you use the information, and I will definitely hang on until thest second. We¡¯re now discussing thest part of the amendments with Kaoruko-chan. Even if we can¡¯t protect all of them, I will do my best to let the extant clubs continue.¡±

    This person seems to be tougher than she appears to be¡­¡­

    ¡±However¡­¡­ Though it¡¯s a bit embarrassing to say this when Fujishima-kun had been doing all of this, but the Gardening Club¡­¡­ has only two members, so it¡¯s in more danger¡­¡­¡± Kousaka-senpai looked rather subdued.

    Among the amendments that Kaoruko-senpai suggested, a club must have at least six club members, and Kousaka-senpai is working hard to lower the number. But even if she achieves that, keeping the Gardening Club is next to impossible.

    ¡±No, that¡¯s not senpai¡¯s fault¡­¡­¡±

    I suddenly thought of the matter that I talked over with Hiro-san on the way back from the soand. The most important thing is not the existence of the Gardening Club, but the flowers in the school.

    ¡±Erm¡­¡­ I¡¯m not sure if this would work, but I thought of something before this.¡±

    After I told Kousaka-senpai what I thought of, a slight radiance illuminated her face.

    ¡±¡­¡­ I see¡­¡­ Hmm¡­¡­ It¡¯s not impossible.¡±

    ¡±R- really!?¡±

    ¡±Yes. Compared with what Minagawa-senpai did, this should be much simpler.¡±

    That¡¯s true. Because the method that Minagawa Kengo used was an even more impossibly forced way, andpared with that¡­¡­

    I could only depend on Kousaka-senpai for the rest.

    ¡±We must have the support of the teachers for this, and the more the better. I wonder would support this. There isn¡¯t much time left¡­¡­¡±

    Senpai muttered to herself. It looks like she¡¯s reminding herself of what to do.

    ¡±Mnn, this method is worth a try. Shinozaki-san probably doesn¡¯t wish for the Gardening Club to vanish as well, joining a club that she¡¯s uninterested in, right? She probably wishes for the Gardening Club to continue, isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    ¡±¡­¡­ Hmm?¡±

    Senpai¡¯s words made me think that something was wrong. What did she say just now?

    ¡±W- what is it?¡±

    ¡±What did you say just now?¡±

    ¡±Are you referring to Shinozaki-san¡¯s matter? Not wishing for the Gardening Club to vanish?¡±

    ¡±No, not that.¡±

    My expression that time should be rather scary, because senpai looked rather frightened.

    ¡±Having to join a club that she doesn¡¯t wish to join¡­¡­ is that it?¡±

    ¡±Ah¡­¡­¡±

    All of a sudden, a lot of thoughts that surfaced in my heart joined together. The thing that Kousaka-senpai ns to do, the matter that Kaoruko-senpai is trying to force through, the thing that I am trying to protect¡ª all of them formed a story.

    Is this really possible? It¡¯s possible in theory. If that¡¯s it¡­¡­

    ¡±Erm¡­¡­ I suddenly thought of something¡­¡­¡± Kousaka-senpai looked extremely troubled, while I carefully exined in discretion. ¡°You¡¯re nning to negotiate with Kaoruko-senpai to ask her to lower the lowest number a club must have, right? There might be something that we can do about this, saving the Gardening Club in the process.¡±

    ¡±Wha¡­¡­ What are your ns?¡± Kousaka-senpai leaned towards me.

    ¡±Instigating the teachers, and it¡¯s best to be the sports teachers. Ah, and the club presidents¡¯ meeting. If so, someone might object to the Student Council.¡±

    After hearing my detailed exnation, Kousaka-senpai stood up in obvious excitement.

    ¡±Why don¡¯t we try this? I never thought about this. You¡¯re really something, Fujishima-kun.¡±

    ¡±Do you think it can work? We might get scolded instead¡­¡­¡±

    ¡±How would you know that it wouldn¡¯t work if you haven¡¯t even tried it? If we start the Student Council¡¯s general meeting in this situation, all of this would be over.¡±

    ¡±That¡¯s¡ª right.¡±

    I suddenly recalled Major¡¯s words¡ª ¡®You must have the determination to use each and every resource to attain victory.¡¯

    ¡±I think it¡¯s better if I go. Fujishima-kun, it seems that the teacher doesn¡¯t have a good impression of you.¡±

    Those words were spot on, and I could only smile wryly. Senpai rushed out of the Inspection office, leaving through the chaotic corridors, while I watched at the sidelines.

    She is now fighting to protect a ce belonging to someone, and I need to battle with my own way as well.

    The lights in the greenhouse were lit, and could be clearly seen through the rain. It looked just like the gingerbread house in a certain fairy tale.

    ¡±Fujishima-kun! So you finally feel like studying? The tests are approaching.¡±

    As soon as I stepped into the greenhouse, Sayuri-sensei who was originally reading some textbooks happily raised her head.

    Ayaka just nced at me, then showed an embarrassed expression without saying anything.

    There was always inexplicably confusing thoughts shrouding Ayaka and I. Even when we meet in the ssroom or met each other¡¯s gaze in the ramen shop with a counter separating us, neither of us knows what to say. Would just smiling without doing anything or lowering one¡¯s head without saying anything suffice? I really don¡¯t know. Even so, I can¡¯t just avoid going to the greenhouse.

    ¡±Erm¡­¡­ I¡¯m just here to investigate something.¡±

    ¡±Really, you¡¯re ying your detective game again? And you¡¯re even holding such an expensive camera.¡±

    Though I felt guilty in my heart, I still took photos here and there in the greenhouse so that there wouldn¡¯t be anything left out.

    ¡±Shinozaki-san, show Mr. Grasshopper who¡¯s just ying around here Miss Ant¡¯s fruits ofbor in this test, okay?¡±

    I didn¡¯t even see Ayaka¡¯s reaction to sensei¡¯s words.

    There weren¡¯t any flowerpots on the ground. In the past, this ce should be full with flowerpots of the poppy flowers used as the raw material of Angel Fix, but since the drug dealing organization moved them away, only the racks by the walls have any flowerpots on it. Therefore, looking through this ce thoroughly isn¡¯t that hard.

    And the said blood stains couldn¡¯t be seen on the floor at all.

    ¡±Sensei, I want to ask something.¡±

    ¡±Hmm? Do you want to study now?¡±

    ¡±Not really. Were there flowerpots or something like that on the ground when you were teaching the people here before this?¡±

    ¡±No. The members of the Gardening Committee didn¡¯t even nt anything here, so that¡¯s why it¡¯s so easy to move tables, the ckboard and so on in here.¡±

    Ah, so things are like this? Then, assuming Hayano Tomohiko really vomited blood and copsed here, his blood should be on the cement floor¡ª wait, perhaps they might be on the tables? But even so, some blood should still spill onto the ground. Besides, if things really like that, the bloodstained tables should be noticed after that.

    Perhaps Alice¡¯s assumptions are wrong?

    Anyways, there should be bloodstains somewhere. There weren¡¯t any signs of blood on the snow by the school entrance, so that¡¯s not the ce, but somewhere else.

    Of course, assuming his blood was left on snow somewhere else, the blood might have seeped into the soil with the melted snow, and we can¡¯t get to know anything more¡ª

    All of a sudden, the whole greenhouse sank into darkness. Through the viewfinder of the camera, it was pitch dark in front of me as well. I raised my head in surprise after hearing Ayaka¡¯s cry and could only see the dark rainy skies outside the skylight of the greenhouse. The lights were off. Perhaps it¡¯s just my imagination? The sounds of rainfall were so clear that it was like they were directly pounding on me.

    ¡±¡­¡­ Ahhh, it happened again.¡±

    Sayuri-sensei¡¯s unconcerned tone made people feel even more uneasy, and then she stood up.

    ¡±Shinozaki-san, can you help me to support the table?¡±

    ¡±Wh- what is it? A ckout?¡±

    ¡±No, it¡¯s just the lights. It would turn out like that asionally when it rains.¡±

    Sensei took off her high heeled shoes and jumped onto the table, while I, who was startled into lying down on the ground, hastily distanced myself from the table. Oh please, you¡¯re wearing a skirt right now, other people would see if you¡¯re not careful!

    ¡±It¡¯ll brighten after you take this off and shift it a bit¡­¡­ Ah, that¡¯s right, Fujishima-kun, can you please turn off the circuit breaker? I once tried to fix it without turning it off, some sparks frightened me so much that I almost fell from the table.¡±

    As Sayuri-sensei¡¯s descriptions were rather scary, I hurriedly turned off the circuit breaker, and sensei took down therge light bulb that was like a hanging oilmp along with its holder. The ceiling of the greenhouse was sleek, crisscrossing metal beams, and there were sprinklers and a box shaped device about the size of a primary school student¡¯s bag installed on it. After hanging the light bulb onto the box, the circuit breaker was turned on once more. When the lights recovered once more, the sounds of the raindrops were gradually lost in the warm glow. Ayaka looked relieved as well and sat down.

    ¡±Okay, it¡¯s lit again.¡± Sensei looked rather triumphant.

    ¡±This ce¡­¡­ Feels somewhat like sensei¡¯s house.¡± I suddenly said.

    ¡±Though it¡¯s quite nice having so many flowers here, having no bathroom is somewhat of a hassle.¡±

    As sensei answered in a solemn manner, Ayaka couldn¡¯t help butugh out loud.

    ¡±Would it leak water here?¡±

    I asked while continuing on my work of taking photos. The lights went haywire because of the rainy day, so does that mean the ceiling is damaged?

    ¡±Ah¡ª Mnn, this ce had already passed its prime, so it wouldn¡¯t be strange even if there are some leaks over here.¡±

    If so, even if Hayano Tomohiko vomited blood and copsed here, the blood stains might have been washed away because of the water¡ª No no no, what am I talking about? It was snowing that day, and how could the dripping water wash the blood stains away? While going into wild flights of fancy, I took photos of the condition of the ceiling.

    To avoid the digital camera from getting wet, I ced it back into my bag after wrapping it with twoyers of stic bags, and nned to leave after making a ¡®Sorry¡¯ gesture to Sayuri-sensei.

    ¡±Ah, ah, Fujishima-kun.¡±

    Hearing Ayaka¡¯s voice, I turned my head over.

    ¡±You¡¯re going to ¡®Hanamaru Ramen¡¯, right?¡±

    The pleading expression on Ayaka¡¯s face made her look a few years younger. I nodded in answer.

    ¡±Then, then¡­¡­ I¡¯m going with you!¡±

    Ayaka took her bag and stood up.

    ¡±Fujishima-kun, you always bring Shinozaki-san away every time youe. It¡¯s all Fujishima-kun¡¯s fault if the both of you fail your exams.¡±

    Sayuri-sensei teased me half-jokingly, switched off the lights and chivvied us out of the greenhouse.

    Ayaka and I held an umbre each, nning to walk to Hanamaru Ramen slowly. As we couldn¡¯t find anything to say to each other, we walked forward in silence. I was even somewhat thankful for the rainy day, as the sounds of rainfall helped to break our silence. But when we were squeezed into the underpass along with the crowd, the rain started to diminish. There was only a small distance to the building where Hanamaru Ramen is at.

    The sounds of rainfall couldn¡¯t stop our voices anymore.

    ¡±¡­¡­ Are you still nning to fight with Tetsu-san? Seriously?¡±

    Ayaka finally broke the silence.

    ¡±Yeah.¡±

    ¡±¡­¡­ Even if I say that you don¡¯t need to do that? It¡¯s meaningless to me no matter how the Gardening Club turns out to be.¡±

    ¡±Mnn.¡±

    I could only answer her weakly.

    ¡±Were you like this even before this?¡±

    Ayaka suddenly asked when we were passing by the small path beside the park.

    ¡±¡­¡­ Before this?¡±

    ¡±Eh? Ah, erm¡­¡­¡± Ayaka¡¯s face reddened slightly before she turned around to look at me from below her umbre. ¡°I just thought you didn¡¯t speak much to me in the past as well.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t bear to continue to stare at Ayaka¡¯s face. I really wish she wouldn¡¯t use theparison of herself before and after she lost her memories to talk to me.

    ¡±There¡¯s probably not much change. I¡¯m not really much of a talker from before this, and can¡¯t find anything to say as well.¡±

    Eh, hmm? Why do even I, myself, feel embarrassed after saying that?

    ¡±T- then!¡± Ayaka held her umbre higher, causing rainwater to ssh everywhere. ¡°Then please tell me in the future. If there¡¯s anything that you want to say to me, please speak your mind! I will tell you if I have anything to say as well!¡±

    ¡±Ayaka, what are you trying to say¡­¡­?¡±

    ¡±Aren¡¯t I telling you this right now!?¡±

    Ah, that¡¯s right. I understand. Then¡ª is it my turn? To be honest, it¡¯s hard. As she said before this, shout when I¡¯m angry,ugh when I¡¯m happy, speak out when I want something, I couldn¡¯t do it even though it¡¯s so simple.

    ¡±¡­¡­ It was so hard for me to get that to you, so why don¡¯t you at least wear the armband during club activities?¡±

    I asked as the thought suddenly came to me.

    ¡±That thing¡­¡­ It¡¯s embarrassing for me to wear it alone. Fujishima-san, you¡¯re not wearing it as well, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡±It''s embarrassing for me as well, so I don¡¯t feel like wearing it.¡±

    Ayaka furiously emphasized that I was the one who made it, then took out her ck armband from her bag and pinned it on her arm with a safety pin.

    ¡±I¡¯m wearing it! Is there anything else!?¡±

    I shut my mouth once again. Actually, there are still a lot of things. For instance, you don¡¯t need to be so polite when talking to me, don¡¯t add a ¡®-san¡¯ behind my name and so on. But since these requests felt like I was forcibly pulling Ayaka back to the past, I couldn¡¯t bear to say it.

    ¡±What about you, Ayaka? Is there anything else?¡±

    I asked her back in the end. Ayaka looked obviously annoyed, and answered after staying silent for awhile:

    ¡±Please don¡¯t get into a fight with Tetsu-san.¡±

    ¡±No. Can I still run away when things havee to this point?¡±

    ¡±Don¡¯t push yourself!¡±

    ¡±You¡¯re the one who¡¯s pushing yourself!¡± I didn¡¯t think that she could actually be more troublesome than Alice, not giving up even till now.

    ¡±I definitely won¡¯t see you!¡±

    After shouting at me, Ayaka bit her lip and stayed silent.

    When we reached the front door of the ramen shop, the rain stopped.

    ¡±It¡¯s better if the rain can keep falling, so that the rainwater can flush away your ns of fighting.¡±

    Ayaka started to say something like that again, making me stare at the side of the face while thinking of how to refute her. Separated by the closing umbre, Ayaka¡¯s face was then blocked by the portiere, vanishing into the ramen shop.

    As I couldn¡¯t take a step into the shop, I could only walk around to the back alley.

    ¡±You¡¯re really bad at using cameras. Can¡¯t you take better photos?¡±

    Alice moved the photos I took into theputer while scolding.

    ¡±That¡¯s because it was the first time I used such arge camera¡­¡­ And also, why do you have so many cameras, Alice? Don¡¯t you just stay in this room?¡±

    ¡±Of course they¡¯re used for taking photos of my good friends.¡±

    Alice pointed at the hill of dolls. Oh, so that¡¯s why¡­¡­ She doesn¡¯t only cherish these things. With a triumphant expression on her face, Alice even nned to pull out a few GBs of photos out from a file, and I hastily stopped her. Shouldn¡¯t we prioritize our detective work?

    ¡±Mnn, that¡¯s right. Then I¡¯ll let you admire my private photo collection next time. Ah, let¡¯s just use these photos as your payment next month, what do you think?¡±

    ¡±I don¡¯t want them, give me cash¡­¡­¡±

    While scolding my prose personality, mammonism, and desecration of art, Alice turned around to go through the photos of the greenhouse.

    ¡±I¡¯m asking you because I trust your observation power. Didn¡¯t you find any blood stains?¡±

    ¡±Mnn¡­¡­ Of course, there¡¯s a lot of ck dirt, but I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s blood. But indeed, there aren¡¯t any particrlyrge stains.¡±

    ¡±Hmm, things should be so.¡±

    ¡±What do you mean by things should be so¡­¡­?¡±

    ¡±If such a thing exists, it would be noticed ages ago when the case happened. I¡¯m just reconfirming the fact.¡±

    ¡±So that means that the ce that Hayano Tomohiko copsed at was not the greenhouse, right?¡±

    ¡±No¡ª¡°

    Originally nning to answer, Alice suddenly stared at one of her monitors without saying a thing. It was a photo that I took of the greenhouse.

    ¡±¡­¡­ What¡¯s with you?¡±

    ¡±What is this thing?¡±

    ¡±What thing¡­¡­? Ah, that¡¯s¡ª¡°

    I started to exin the things that urred in the greenhouse. Alice widened her eyes, and narrowed them again.

    Suddenly, an electronic sound rang in the room. It was the fax machine on the topyer of the cupboard on our right. One paper after another were expelled from the fax machine, dropping directly onto the bed.

    My phone rang.

    ¡¯Ah, is it Fujishima-kun? I am Kousaka. I finally convinced one of the staff to let me have a look, and I¡¯m faxing them right now. As I¡¯m not sure how much information you need, I¡¯ll just fax all of them there though there¡¯s quite a lot.¡¯

    I almost didn¡¯t notice what Kousaka-senpai spoke of, and wasn¡¯t even sure of how I thanked her and hung up.

    Alice picked up the stack of fax papers, stood up and stared at the list. For some reason, her expression would make people feel refreshed and full of vigor.

    ¡±¡­¡­ Alice?¡±

    ¡±I understand now.¡±

    The mumblings of the NEET detective spread to me along with the cold wind.

    ¡±You understand now?¡±

    ¡±Mnn, I understand almost all of it now.¡±

    Alice raised her head to look at the ceiling. Tens of fax papers dropped from her hands like snowkes and scattered by her leg.

    ¡±The things that Tetsu did, the thing that Hayano Tomohiko wanted to do, and the suspect, all of them are connected now. But regarding Minagawa Kengo¡ª I still don¡¯t understand. He¡¯s obviously connected to the same truth, but I still don¡¯t understand the reason.¡±

    Why did Minagawa Kengo create the Gardening Club? This is the most important truth to me, to Kousaka-senpai and to Ayaka. And it happens that¡ª we can¡¯t know the reason for this?

    ¡±He did things alone, not letting the others see it, and vanished silently in a quagmire.¡±

    Alice sat on her bed again. I noticed that the vigor and energy on her face just now was reced by a damp sorrow, making me feel somewhat short of breath as well.

    ¡±Tetsu-senpai must know something. As long as I can defeat him, you¡¯ll be the one to question him, Alice.¡±

    Not only for Ayaka and I, the battle is for this delicate detective as well, that was what I told myself.

    Alice rubbed her eyes and furrowed her brows while thinking. Not long after that, she crawled to my side along the nkets, giving me a punch each with both of her hands. It was weak and unenergetic, and it might not even kill a water flea, but it wasn¡¯t clear how much words of the deceased were exposed by the hands, and were dirtied by blood because of bogus magic.

    ¡±You¡¯re still thinking of such dumb things even now? Who would anticipate your opinionated, moronic actions? Whatever, it¡¯s best if you regret only when your teeth or bones are broken.

    *

    The day that the current president of the Student Council came to look for me at my ss was Monday¡ª the day when I was prepared to have a fight to the death with Tetsu-senpai, and it was right after the bell signifying the end of the fourth period rang.

    ¡±Is Fujishima-kun here?¡±

    The slender-bodied, long haired Kaoruko-senpai was standing outside the ssroom door, and the ss sank intomotion.

    ¡±O- o- o- oi, Fujishima! Kaoruko-san is calling you!¡±

    ¡±It seems like Fujishima¡¯s misdeeds would have to end here.¡±

    ¡±Why don¡¯t you pounce on her to hug her before you¡¯re killed!¡±

    Shut up. And also, don¡¯t tail me!

    It felt as though the air by Kaoruko-senpai¡¯s side was electrified, it could obviously be seen that she was tremendously furious. After a ¡®Pleasee over here!¡¯, I was brought to the corner of a staircase.

    ¡±¡­¡­ I- is there anything wrong?¡±

    There were countless matters that could make her angry that I could think of, so I had no idea how I annoyed her¡­¡­

    ¡±Ushijima-sensei discussed some matters with me just now. It¡¯s about the amendment of the rules.¡±

    Isn¡¯t Ujishima-sensei the boss of the sports teachers? It has been said that he once took the second ce in the Judo event of the National Games.

    ¡±I really don¡¯t understand why he only has something to say now. He even said that he¡¯s going to discuss the details with me after school. However, it seems that you¡¯ve done something ording to Kousaka.¡±

    ¡±Ah, ahhhhh, y- yes.¡±

    Why didn¡¯t Kousaka-senpai exin things herself¡­¡­?

    ¡±And the club presidents were informed of an emergency meeting as well. You¡¯re probably the instigator, isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    Saying that I¡¯m the instigator might be too over, but the initiator was indeed me. So how should I exin this now? Judging from Kaoruko-senpai¡¯s gaze, it seems that she indeed wants to beat me up. Oh well, even if I ignore her now, I would be beaten to death by Tetsu-senpai in the evening anyways.

    ¡±I asked Kousaka-senpai to go the sports teachers¡¯ office, and it¡¯s the same for the club presidents¡¯ meeting. That means, I asked her to exin how much trouble it might bring if the Management¡¯s proposal of the amendment of rules is epted.¡±

    ¡±What trouble would it bring to the teachers?¡±

    As Kaoruko-senpai kept getting closer to me, I was forced to lean against the wall.

    ¡±Isn¡¯t there a rule in our school that every student must join at least one club? ording to your amendment proposal, the existing clubs with five members or less will be abolished. If so, about eighty club refugees would appear! Though putting it like that isn¡¯t that nice, that¡¯s the whole truth.¡±

    Kaoruko-senpai wore an expression as though she was stabbed, showing that she probably didn¡¯t think about that situation¡ª most people doesn¡¯t know that the weeds that they are stepping on have names as well, but the weeds still bloom during the spring.

    ¡±After that, the eighty people will join the otherrge clubs. Using sports clubs as an example, they might ept a crowd of new members who don¡¯t concentrate on practices. Wouldn¡¯t this bring trouble to the sports teachers acting as the adviser or the coach? That¡¯s why the club president meeting cannot put this aside as well.¡±

    ¡±Ah¡­¡­¡±

    I don¡¯t know if it will turn out like that in reality, though there is a possibility, so much of what I have said was just improvised. But that¡¯s the only weapon that I have, and this weapon seems to be quite effective on the sports teachers.

    Should I continue to speak? Though I hesitated, I still spoke in the end:

    ¡±Everyone probably wants a ce that belongs to themselves, right? They probably hope to be able to at least choose a club that they¡¯re interested in. Nobody will be happy if they¡¯re forced to join a club that they¡¯re uninterested in.¡±

    Unexpectedly, Kaoruko-senpai actually leaned against the wall by my side, sinking into deep thought while covering her mouth.

    ¡±That¡¯s right¡­¡­ But¡­¡­¡±

    I originally thought that I would be strongly rebuked. Is she really thinking things over properly?

    ¡±¡­¡­ Even so.¡± Kaoruko-senpai seemed rather helpless. ¡°The ounting division of the Management definitely won¡¯t stand for this. And this problem arose because of the unfair budget in the first ce. Now¡ª¡°

    ¡±That¡¯s why I¡¯m telling you¡ª¡±

    I bit my lip, and hesitated whether I should continue to speak. This is the second best n. Moreover, things can¡¯t be turned back anymore if I fail now.

    Even so, there¡¯s probably no ways other than this.

    ¡±Lower the minimum number club members to about four¡­¡­ Kousaka-senpai said that this might be better as well. If you do that, over half of the clubs would avoid abolishment, but as senpai wishes for, the Gardening Club will still be abolished. Though it isn¡¯t that nice phrasing it like this, but we¡¯re willing to be the scapegoat who convinces the others during the Student Council general meeting.¡±

    Kaoruko-senpai furrowed her brows.

    ¡±Why? Didn¡¯t you put in a lot of effort running here and there so that the Gardening Club would not be abolished?¡±

    I shook my head.

    ¡±Actually, the club isn¡¯t that important.¡±

    The thing that I wanted to protect is the ce that belongs to Ayaka.

    ¡±I wish to restore the Gardening Committee.¡±

    Kaoruko-senpai nearly cried out loud, while I continued my exnation to prevent her from shouting:

    ¡±Because things should be like this in the first ce. Since this concerns the facilities of the school, shouldn¡¯t the school use its own resources? It¡¯s because some people wants to forcibly abolish it, while some other people wants to maintain it that abnormal budgets like this would appear. So why don¡¯t we return it to its original state? And there shouldn¡¯t be anything wrong with a Gardening Committee¡ª¡°

    I stopped. It seemed like the zing mes of fury in Kaoruko-senpai would liquefy, spilling out at any moment.

    ¡±Restoring the Gardening Committee? Something like this¡­¡­ You¡¯re actually telling me to agree to this!?¡±

    ¡±I¡¯ve asked Kousaka-senpai about this already. If it can work, as long as the Student Council agrees to it, I think the staff probably¡ª¡°

    ¡±Stop messing with me!¡±

    Kaoruko-senpai banged the wall forcefully, it¡¯s a good thing that there is next to no one who walks around the stairs at the edge of the school building. I never thought that she would be that angry.

    ¡±You¡ª didn¡¯t you find out a lot of things? Even though you know everything, you¡¯re still giving me such a request?¡±

    ¡±Then¡­¡­¡± I¡¯m a really cruel person. While thinking of that, I spoke out the truth that I learnt ages ago: ¡°Senpai, you truly wish to abolish the Gardening Club because of personal vengeance, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Kaoruko-senpai red at me with her eyes full of tears.

    ¡±¡­¡­ That¡¯s right, you¡¯re absolutely right. Can¡¯t I even do that? Those people are the ones who caused Tomohiko to die in the first ce! The person called Minagawa is definitely involved in this! Tomohiko always mentioned his name. He was really so stupid, believing that those people were his friends even though he was bullied¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡±Wait, please wait a minute!¡±

    I interrupted Kaoruko¡¯s deration that was like hot molten metal.

    ¡±Had your brother ever mentioned Tetsu-senpai¡ª Ichinomiya Tetsuo?¡±

    ¡±He often mentioned that person, saying that he¡¯s friendly with him, but how could that be possible? Tomohiko was rather unhealthy, and he didn¡¯t have many friends at school, so that¡¯s why¡­¡­¡±

    ¡±Tetsu-senpai, he¡­¡­¡±

    Our voices interweaved in the air, turning garbled.

    ¡±I¡¯m thinking that senpai really was your brother¡¯s friend.¡±

    ¡±What are you talking abo¡ª¡°

    I mmed my palm beside Kaoruko-senpai¡¯s face with a bang as she was trying to interject.

    ¡±The reason that Tetsu-senpai chose to drop out was definitely not because he caused Tomohiko-senpai to die. He has other reasons. I have no concrete evidence right now, so I can¡¯t say anything about this right now, but¡ª¡°

    ¡±What are you trying to say?¡±

    ¡±But I¡¯m going to prove this right now!¡±

    I clenched my fists while standing in front of Kaoruko-senpai. Those words were actually for myself. If I don¡¯t say that, I¡¯m afraid that I wouldn¡¯t have the courage to face things.

    I must now beat Tetsu-senpai up¡ª and then prove his innocence.

    Kaoruko-senpai pushed my arm away with her face red and ran towards the stairs, turning around to say along the way: ¡®Whatever, idiot!¡¯ Not long after that, senpai¡¯s footsteps vanished in the corridors.

    I continued to support myself on the wall with my palm, opening my fists to take a look for awhile, and tightly clenched it once more.

    *

    On the level of building below the Hirasaka-gumi¡¯s office was arge ceremonial hall with wooden floorboards. I once entered this ce before this, as it was the ce where Yondaime and I underwent the sake ceremony.

    On the big day, arge tatami mat was spread at the center of the ceremonial hall, while candles and scrolls of Hachiman Great Bodhisattva were hung in the restroom. A crowd of men in ck T-shirts were kneeling around the ce with their hands on their knees. Just by entering from the steel door, it made me feel my will of battle start to dissipate.

    ¡±Aniki, thanks for your hard work!¡±

    ¡±Thanks for your hard work!¡±

    Oh please, can¡¯t there be less people here?

    ¡±Tetsu isn¡¯t here as well.¡±

    Yondaime spoke while standing by my side. As the witness, Yondaime was garbedpletely in white¡ª a white jacket and trousers, but it was different from the feel of Hiro-san in white¡ª he was like a grim reaper.

    ¡±Erm¡­¡­ You don¡¯t need to make things this big, do you¡­¡­¡±

    ¡±But there¡¯s no other ce that can let people fight until they¡¯re hurt.¡±

    That¡¯s not wrong, but¡­¡­ Well, this ce is spacious enough. But do they have to invite such arge audience?

    ¡±Aniki, we¡¯re counting on you today!¡±

    ¡±I¡¯ve bet ten thousand yen!¡±

    Rough voices came from the surroundings. I¡¯m not sure if it was because news of Hiro-san and Major giving me special training got out, but it seems like people started to bet on me as well. Or maybe it was because the odds on Tetsu-senpai were too low? Since this caused the number of people betting on me to increase drastically, it raised the odds on the people supporting Tetsu-senpai instead. I really don¡¯t have the courage to ask about the final odds¡­¡­

    ¡±I¡¯m getting this clear first. When should I stop you two? For instance, how many times you¡¯re beaten down? Or if arge impact hits the head¡ª¡°

    ¡±Please don¡¯t stop us.¡±

    I stared at the corner of Yondaime¡¯s mouth, answering determinedly. Seeing his gaze that had the sharpness of a wolf, I suddenly got weak again.

    ¡±That¡¯s true, it¡¯s a waste of effort. This is a fight after all.¡±

    Yondaime turned over to face the restroom, the scroll of Trilokavijaya behind his jacket looking as though it was ring at me.

    ¡±Then let it be a fight to the finish.¡±

    I nodded in answer.

    When Tetsu-senpai arrived at the scene, I was wrapping the bandages onto my fists.

    ¡±Oh¡ª it seems that quite a lot of people gathered here.¡±

    As usual, senpai was wearing a T-shirt, but a set of red boxing gloves were hung on his shoulders. His looked rather casual as though he was just here to do some fishing, and he looked around the whole ceremonial hall.

    ¡±Ojiki, thanks for your hard work!¡±

    ¡±Thanks for your hard work!¡±

    All of the members bowed at the same time.

    ¡±Hmm? Why is Narumi wearing gloves?¡±

    Tetsu-senpai asked after looking at the coffee-colored gloves that I was about to wear.

    ¡±Aren¡¯t we going to box?¡±

    ¡±Senpai, didn¡¯t you bring gloves as well?¡±

    ¡±Oh, this one?¡± Senpai patted the gloves made of synthetic leather that was hung on his shoulders while saying: ¡°From before this, I didn¡¯t dare to use my full power when fighting, as I might really kill someone if I use my fists to hit directly. The gloves¡ª¡°

    Senpai stopped for awhile, and looked downwards at my fists, his gaze full of loneliness.

    ¡±Are worn for me to fight the opponent with all my strength.¡±

    It¡¯s over¡­¡­ My knees started to tremble. I tried hard to refrain the terror surging from my heart.

    ¡±So that¡¯s why¡­¡­ I¡¯m not here to box as well. This is one of my battle strategies.¡±

    ¡±Is that so.¡±

    After that, the two of us did not speak anymore.

    The next person who walked in was Major, who was carrying a tripod and a video recorder on his shoulders.

    ¡±Sorry for the wait, we¡¯re about to start soon.¡±

    ¡±Isn¡¯t Hiroing?¡± Tetsu-senpai asked.

    ¡±Hiro-san is at Hanamaru Ramen right now. He¡¯s going to bring Ayaka over if she changes her mind. But I think that it would probably be toote by then, isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    Ayaka.

    As the day of my fight with Tetsu-senpai approached, Ayaka wasn¡¯t even willing to speak to me anymore. And she especially emphasized that she wouldn¡¯te and see me¡­¡­

    Alice wasn¡¯t at the scene as well, probably because she thinks that I don¡¯t have a chance of winning?

    That¡¯s fine with me as well. This isn¡¯t a scene that I want them to see. Tetsu-senpai was willing toe, while I did not choose to run away as well. Just because of this, thest possibilities had already joined together.

    ¡±Let¡¯s start.¡±

    After saying that, Tetsu-senpai turned around, using his fist to punch the other, giving out a ¡®thud¡¯ sound, so that his gloves would fit more. While Yondaime stood in front of the altar¡ª

    ¡±There¡¯s no starting gong, you idiots can start if you want to.¡±

    Those words signified the starting gong.

    I had just raised my hands to my chin position when Tetsu-senpai approached in an extremely low posture in a sh. It was all thanks to the reflex I trained out using Major¡¯s stretching machine, or my defenses would probably be broken immediately, hitting my chin. Arge impact then came from my front, and I felt that my hands almost broke. My whole body was knocked backwards, the friction caused between my back and the tatami mat was burning hot.

    I didn¡¯t see anything! Did he really punch me? He wouldn¡¯t have rammed into me with his body, would he! As I was trying to stand up to maintain distance, arge shadow was already shrouded over me.

    I was forced to raise my elbows to block the rapid fire bombardment of shells, but the impact still spread to the side of my abdomen in the end.

    It burns! It was as though the position that was hit almost drifted out of my body. Calm down, remember to use the eyes to catch the opponent¡¯s silhouette, I have no other weapons other than this.

    ¡±Aniki, stop acting like a turtle and attack!¡±

    ¡±Beat him up directly, Ojiki!¡±

    I heard the cries of the irresponsible members from afar.

    A shadow suddenly dashed into my field of vision. I hurriedly raised my hands and extended it forward slightly. The first thing that the muscled shop owner taught me was that keeping my hands closely pressed to my body in self defense because of fear would only cause the death sentence to be earlier. That¡¯s because the damage by the opponent would be more than expected, and it would also cause myself to lose the sense of distance with the opponent.

    That means¡ª don¡¯t use the hands as armor, but an obstacle.

    Ka-bam. There was a chilling ring as the shells that were shot at me squeezed through my arm in an attack. I see it! At the instant when I thought that, the right part of my vision was already dyed with a red color along with a charred smell. My ears started to ring along with the shouts of the surrounding people, and I felt a pain spreading to my teeth after a moment. I nearly kneeled down right then.

    The next punch hit my head. No, shouldn¡¯t it have grazed the corner of my eyes? I wasn¡¯t sure of how serious my injuries were, I only knew that I couldn¡¯t stand up so steadily any more.

    However¡ª

    Between my hands, senpai¡¯s silhouette could now be seen clearly. I see it! I brushed off the next wave of attack with the back of my hand, and I suddenlyunched my first wave of attacks from the right. Thud! Tetsu-senpai easily blocked my attack, andunched a kick at my abdomen¡ª that¡¯s right, a forceful kick! That¡¯s because we¡¯re not boxing right now. I rapidly went backwards, evading the counter attack.

    ¡±Oh? So you only learnt how to defend?¡±

    Tetsu-senpai shrugged.

    ¡±I¡¯ve learnt another secret technique as well.¡±

    After hearing my words, Tetsu-senpai raised his brows slightly. Is he thinking that I¡¯m bluffing? Whatever. In reality, I only have a tiny chance of victory in the first ce, it¡¯s better for me if the opponent believes that. As Major said, in this battle, even if I¡¯m badly beaten up, I still have to search for something¡ª Tetsu-senpai¡¯s blind spot.

    Senpai¡¯s upper torso started to move left and right. The rhythm of him twisting around corroded my pulse step by step.

    He¡¯sing! When I realized it, senpai¡¯s face was already by my side. I rapidly squatted down, while senpai¡¯s elbow attack grazed past the hair on the back of my head like a sickle. So he nned to use his elbow to attack my head. While rolling on the tatami mat, I felt as though an ice block of terror was stuffed into my stomach. I was too naive, this person really nned to kill me.

    As I was about to stand up, my lower abdomen was hit by a certain object.

    ¡±¡ª Cough!¡±

    I could heard my own moaning along with the sound of the bloody saliva being spat out of my own mouth. Tetsu-senpai¡¯s kick was so forceful that I almost sprang up from the tatami mat.

    ¡±What are you lying down for! Hurry up and stand, it¡¯s hard for me to beat you up like this.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai¡¯s shouts descended on me like acid rain, burning into my ears. I pressed one of my hands on my abdomen while using the other to support my body. My chin was trembling¡­¡­ This is bad! My whole body is shuddering. Whenever I saw Tetsu-senpai coldly rolling his eyes, I would give off a hup from my throat, my body going backwards by itself.

    Is this person really Tetsu-senpai?

    My thoughts were just too naive. Thinking that this is just a fight between kids, thinking that he isn¡¯t a person to hate. I tried to cease those thoughts, but they still remained in a corner somewhere in my heart. I remember that Tetsu-senpai once said, if you imagine that the opponent would be hurt, we can¡¯t attack the others. Now, I could fully understand the meaning of those words. In the process of fighting, the thing that is most required is theck of a certain imagination.

    I couldn¡¯t do it at all.

    ¡±H- hey, Aniki is in trouble.¡±

    ¡±His eyes are already dead.¡±

    Unknowingly, the apuse of the audience couldn¡¯t be heard anymore, and what took its ce were murmurs. It¡¯s noisy, shut up! I¡¯m the clearest about this!

    Tetsu-senpai approached with apletely unguarded posture. He knew that it would strike the most terror in people¡¯s heart. I kept going backwards to the edge of the tatami mat, almost falling down, and was soon forced to a corner. Senpai raised his gloves¡­¡­ I¡¯ll get caught! I reflexively pushed away his hand, and at that moment, something pounded onto my unguarded face. My world turned utterly white in a sh, only my consciousness was still wavering, and when it returned to my flesh once more, I was already sliding slowly onto the floor with my back to the walls. Something warm seeped out of my injured forehead, flowing down at the two sides of my nose. Though it did hurt, it didn¡¯t feel as though it was my own. So I was hit on the head¡­¡­ I could actually think so in an abnormal calmness.

    On the next second, Tetsu-senpai¡¯s finger stabbed between my rib bones.

    ¡±¡ª *Cough*! *Hack*!¡±

    I copsed while vomiting blood. A second, a third, it felt like my innards were directly kicked at. My vision blurring because of blood, I frantically tried not to faint, thinking of a way to grab¡ª to grab Tetsu-senpai¡¯s leg.

    ¡±Stop that!¡±

    My neck was hit with an attack that was like a scimitar, while my body copsed onto the floor directly because of the attack. I just feel that it really isn¡¯t simple for my head and my body to stay connected right until now.

    ¡±Oi, Narumi, you¡¯re already done? You¡¯re the one who asked for a fight, and you¡¯re nning to just take a nap after being beaten senseless? If you don¡¯t say anything, I¡¯ll trample on your ribs until they break!¡±

    I suddenly thought that it might be fine like that as well. I suppressed the pain in my whole body and tossed them aside, continuing to lie down with my teeth clenched. Never mind if he wants to break any bone, I don¡¯t want to fight anymore! I can¡¯t stand up anymore!

    My back was assaulted with a blow that was like blocks of steel, while the air that I spat out had a rusty feel to it.

    ¡±Vice Admiral Fujishima! Oi, Tetsu-san! Aren¡¯t you hitting a bit too hard!¡±

    I heard Major¡¯s shouts. When I opened my swollen eyes, a small silhouette was about to rush over to my side, but was stopped by the tall person garbed in white standing behind him¡ª Yondaime.

    That¡¯s right, the person who asked him not to stop the match no matter what was me.

    The following blow hit the side of my abdomen. Pain seeped into my spine. I rolled on the floor, thinking of a way to roll back to the center of the hall where the tatami mat was spread. When I heard footsteps once more, I stood up in a defensive stance with both my fists clenched, as though I was pulled upwards by an invisible spring.

    ¡±¡­¡­ Ugh.¡±

    Because of my swollen eyes, my field of vision was less than half of my usual, while Tetsu-senpai who was only one step away from me looked rather surprised.

    ¡±So you can still fight? Narumi, I never knew that you¡¯re a guy with so much spunk.¡±

    Senpai raised his hands once more as well, recovering his expression of a boxer.

    ¡±Is there a need to do this? Why do we have to do such an idiot thing?¡±

    I started with a jab with my left hand, and followed up with a right uppercut, treating it as a recement for the answer. At the instant when senpai leaned backwards slightly, sessfully evading my attack, a tremendous force assaulted me with a ¡®bam¡¯, and something warm spurted out. I jumped backwards, the kneecap of one of my legs feeling as though it was going to break. So I was instantly countered. Blood trailed continuously from my nose, dripping onto the tatami mat.

    ¡±¡­¡­ Because senpai is so strong.¡±

    ¡±I don¡¯t get it!¡±

    I was suddenly aware of the silence in the ceremonial hall. Except for Major who was struggling while being pressed down by Yondaime, nobody dared to move except for senpai and I, and nobody dared to speak half a word as well.

    ¡±You¡¯re obviously so strong, but why did you give up on boxing? Why are you ying pachinko?¡±

    I once again asked the question to which I already knew the answer for, while senpai¡¯s expression changed slightly.

    ¡±Even if I don¡¯t continue to box, nobody would feel troubled at all. But if I don¡¯t y with the steel marbles, I would feel very troubled.¡±

    Senpai showed a shallow smile. On the other hand, I continued to go forward, stubbornly assaulting him with jabs and uppercuts. Facing senpai¡¯s steel-like defense, my attack was obviously negligible.

    I think that he¡¯s lying. There¡¯s probably someone who feels sad because he isn¡¯t boxing anymore. Right, right. Continuously repeating the movement of going forward and backward, one time after another, aiming at the same spot, I could only use the only boxing skill that I knew of. Not knowing how many times I went forward for, my leg at the front suddenly experienced a huge pressure like that of a guillotine and nearly sank into the tatami mat. It was stomped on! I couldn¡¯t escape¡­¡­ Everything is toote! Senpai¡¯s elbow was highly raised¡ª

    Bright red.

    The ceiling slowly swirled in my vision.

    I did fall down on my back, the back of my head should have banged on the tatami mat, but I almost couldn¡¯t feel anything. Only a lethargic feeling was present. Where have my hands and legs run off to? Indeed, I still can¡¯t do it, it seems like I can¡¯t stand anymore. I probably did quite well already, didn¡¯t I? It had just been two weeks¡­¡­ I underwent the hellish training of cleaning and spring machine, but still failed. For what purpose am I getting beaten up for? What would I lose if I give up here? It feels like all of those don¡¯t matter anymore. The aches and pain everywhere in my body surfaced one after another, the blood dripping down seemed that they¡¯re about to trickle into my eyes soon. Now, if I would just go along with the flow and pass out, I can easily¡ª

    In my upside down vision, the silver-gray metal door was suddenly opened, the rays of light outside piercing my eyes. As I was nning to close my eyes, I saw a silhouette whose long hair was whirled upwards by the wind in the opposing light.

    ¡±¡ª Narumi!¡±

    The girl¡¯s voice resounded in the hall. My consciousness blurred, my heart thinking: Is she still wearing pajamas because she rushed outdoors too quickly? I could faintly feel Alice running over here.

    ¡±Alice, no!¡±

    A long arm tightly held Alice from the back. It was Hiro-san. He pressed his hands on Alice¡¯s shoulders, half of his body already in the hall.

    ¡±I¡¯m telling you that you can¡¯t do it! They¡¯re fighting!¡±

    That¡¯s right, don¡¯t bother us¡­¡­ I¡¯m going to get trampled to death by Tetsu-senpai right now. Pain that was as though I was pierced by a scorching iron rod came from the side of my abdomen. I cried in pain, rolling on the tatami mat while vomiting blood and saliva. Tetsu-senpai stood by my side.

    ¡±Tetsu! Just try it! Continue to hurt Narumi and I¡¯ll break up all rtionships with you!¡±

    Alice screamed in Hiro-san¡¯s arms.

    ¡±Whatever. We¡¯re having a fight right now, stop meddling¡­¡­¡±

    I heard the chilling words that came from Tetsu-senpai, and the energy in my whole body trickled out from my hands and feet. It¡¯s probably ending soon, right? How many more kicks would suffice? I was nning to close my eyes yet again, and at that moment¡ª

    ¡±Narumi, you huge idiot! Are you trying to take away a good friend and assistant from my side once more!? If you dare to do such a thing, I won¡¯t ever forgive you! Even if it¡¯s in my next life or the next, I will never forgive you!¡±

    Alice¡¯s words surged through my whole body like an electric shock.

    When I sprang up yet again, Tetsu-senpai¡¯s foot stepped on nothingness. I rolled away on the tatami mat to maintain distance. It felt like almost all of the muscles in my body were going to peel away from my bones, but I still gritted my teeth and stood up.

    That¡¯s right, I must beat him up. Using the ability trained out by the spring training caused myself to make a battle stance once more. Once again, I fought to reim that ce. Using my fists to confirm Tetsu-senpai¡¯s kindness.

    I spat out my saliva that was mixed with fresh blood onto the tatami mat. Tetsu-senpai approached while crouching. Just crossing my arms to block assaults from below caused my bones to scream for help, even my feet left the floor slightly. The two of us entangled and almost fell down, then there was immediately another jab. I frantically evaded it and used my shoulder to block the attack, and it felt like my joints were smashed to pieces. But that was my left shoulder. Just my right hand would be okay, it¡¯s okay if I couldsh out with a punch with my right hand. My scratched cheek was spurting blood. I forcefully stamped on senpai¡¯s thigh, causing the muscled upper torso to shake slightly. I continued tosh out with my left hand that had almost no energy left. My assault was like a balloon waving in the wind. After easily blocking the attacking with the back of his hand, he nned to directly use his right fist to hit my face.

    Now!

    I crouched down, curving my upper torso in an almost couching angle. Senpai¡¯s counterattack brushed past my face and shaved off ayer of skin, but my right hand waved by itself at that moment.

    The emptiness in Tetsu-senpai¡¯s vision¡ª I can clearly see his blind spot!

    The blow that Ished out diagonally upwards at the same moment when I fell down to the floor was neither powerful nor speedy, and it was myst attack. People could probably evade it no matter who it is¡ª even if it were to be me, I probably could look while evading the weak punch.

    However, Tetsu-senpai did not see it.

    My fists reached the sturdy chin directly. I straightened my arm as well, and with a ¡®thud¡¯, an indescribable sense of invigoration was spread to the back of my head. Though my eyes were wide open, I couldn¡¯t see Tetsu-senpai¡¯s silhouette, there were only shadows and a blood red color. Something suddenly pounced on me. So heavy! I was nearly squashed to death. I frantically struggled to free myself from that thing, and I only understood when I felt something falling on the surface of the floor by my foot¡ª

    Along with the headache and the serious ringing in my ears, I just stood at a side while looking at that thing. At that moment, I even thought that my soul was out of my body, looking at myself copsed on the floor. But there was still the hot breathing belonging to me in my throat, and there was indeed the painful feeling on my kneecaps that had almost fractured that belonged to me as well.

    The person who was lying by my foot was not me, but Tetsu-senpai.

    How is that possible?

    Such a thought suddenly arose, but of course that was because my fist crushed Tetsu-senpai¡¯s chin. I felt like blood almost spurted out from my ears and my eyes, if I breathe in gently, the bones and muscles in my body seemed like they would burn up. Apanied by my foggy consciousness and the aches consuming my whole body, I only raised my head slightly after a lot of effort, using only my eyes to look around. The first thing to enter my field of vision was Alice whose face was damp with tears and was running over to me, and then there were the numerous ck shirted men who sprang up almost at the same time, the shrugging Yondaime, and also Hiro-san and Major who were holding each other¡¯s hands tightly.

    Where is this ce? I pondered at the center of the world that was starting to blur.

    Should I really stay at this ce? Why do I feel like this battle hasn¡¯t ended yet?

    However, it seems like¡ª

    I¡¯ve won¡­¡­ Kind of.

    Not earning anything, and not protecting anything.

    It¡¯s just that I¡¯ve once again reconfirmed the truth that I knew from the start. Even so¡­¡­

    So that means I can probably lie down now, right? With my feet trembling non-stop, my eyelids unbelievably heavy, my face burned as though it was swollen to twice its size, and I couldn¡¯t breathe because of the blood blocking my nose as well.

    A certain petite body hugged my leg. I slid my fingers among the silky hair, leaning onto the person¡¯s body and curved my knees to sit on the floor, copsing onto the floor in the end.

    *

    I stood on the rooftop of the school, a concrete floor before my eyes, while the limitless evening sky of the winter reigned at the other side of the short wall. Long-headed poppies that had not bloomed grew in the seams between the tiles, their pale green stems and leaves swaying in the bone-chillingly bitter wind.

    There was a warmth by my side, it was Ayaka. She curved her knees and sat by my side, coincidentally touching my arm while putting on her armband on her arm.

    ¡±Fujishima-kun, I might be even clumsier and more useless than you. To be honest, I¡¯m really thankful for you, but maybe you don¡¯t really feel it. So, when spring arrives¡ª¡°

    Ahhh, this is¡ª this dream is¡­¡­

    The words that Ayaka did not finish that day.

    Just before she jumped off the building, thest day that we underwent club activities while wearing the armband together.

    ¡±When spring arrives?¡±

    The question that I could not ask that day. If it¡¯s just a dream, I should probably ask this bravely.

    ¡±Yes. When spring arrives, we must speak of the words hidden in each other¡¯s ¡®stomachs¡¯.¡±

    ¡±Shouldn¡¯t it be in our ¡®hearts¡¯?¡±

    ¡±Mnn, eh?¡±

    Ayaka looked at me while smiling.

    ¡±I have to put it in my stomach because my breasts aren¡¯trge enough.¡±

    No no no, Ayaka probably wouldn¡¯t say such tasteless words. Please be more dignified, my dream.

    ¡±After that, speak your words clearly and build normal interpersonal rtionships.¡±

    Ayaka stuck out her index finger, saying in a mischievous tone.

    ¡±But if you say that, doesn¡¯t it feel like my rtionships right now are rather abnormal?¡±

    ¡±Aren¡¯t they abnormal from the start?¡±

    Ayaka hugged her knees while leaning against the wall.

    ¡±Fujishima-kun, you probably don¡¯t know what I think about you until now, isn¡¯t that right? It¡¯s the same for me. But since we¡¯re so close to each other, this is really strange.¡±

    Is that so? Even if it were to be Alice and I or with Tetsu-senpai and the other, it feels something like that as well.

    Ah, but it might be slightly different with Ayaka. That¡¯s because we began with Ayaka clearly speaking out her request and looking for me. If that¡¯s so, I can¡­¡­

    ¡±¡ª I can speak it out as well.¡±

    ¡±Eh?¡±

    ¡±I can speak it out even if spring hasn¡¯te yet. If it were to be now¡­¡­¡±

    Because I defeated Tetsu-senpai. Before this, Alice and Ayaka kept worrying about me, were angry at me, didn¡¯t want to care about me, but I am still alive. So the me right now can speak it out.

    ¡±I had only Ayaka as a friend before this. If it wasn¡¯t because of Ayaka giving me a hand, I might still be alone. I was really lonely when Ayaka got angry at me and nearly disappeared. And actually, when you disappeared, it was like I was only an empty shell left. I couldn¡¯t believe that I could actually have such a feeling as well.¡±

    Wow, I actually dare to say anything. It¡¯s better if I can tell the Ayaka right now about this when I wake up too.

    ¡±¡ª I¡¯m happy¡­¡­ to have met you, Ayaka.¡±

    My words disappeared, being taken away by the ss-like winter skies.

    After some time of silence, Ayaka sighed.

    ¡±¡­¡­ That¡¯s all?¡±

    ¡±Eh? Mnn, erm¡­¡­¡±

    I looked at Ayaka who looked slightly lonely. The Ayaka right now felt rather unfamiliar to me all of a sudden, it felt somewhat off somewhere. It seemed like something doesn¡¯t match the Ayaka in my memories, but where?¡±

    ¡±However, I just think that you¡¯re always angry at me.¡±

    ¡±There¡¯s no such thing¡­¡­¡±

    I swallowed the words that I half-said. Unknowingly, the setting sun of winter disappeared, pitch-ck darkness surrounding us. There wasn¡¯t a hint of happiness on the side of Ayaka¡¯s face anymore.

    ¡±You should honestly tell me for what reason you¡¯re angry for, but you pretend not to care every time, that¡¯s why I¡¯m sad. I¡¯m even unclear of how to handle everything anymore¡­¡­¡±

    ¡±Aren¡¯t you the one who pretends not to care!?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but cry out loud. ¡°Why did you leave without telling anyone? You could try to say something to me! Actually jumping down alone like that¡­¡­ Go¡­¡­¡±

    I thought in my heart: ¡®Don¡¯t say anymore!¡¯, the scratches on my face hurt because of my own voice.

    ¡±Sorry¡­¡­¡±

    Ayaka¡¯s face sank into darkness. It was not the rooftop under the setting sun anymore, but a small, cramped, and dark room somewhere. The hesitation that was unique to Ayaka who lost her memories filled her eyes.

    ¡±¡­¡­ I don¡¯t remember anymore. I- I¡¯m probably just caring about myself¡­¡­¡±

    Her answer was rather heartrending. Why did I ask her such a question? And that was also the final mystery that bound me at a dark corner, connecting Alice to this case.

    But something like this¡ª it doesn¡¯t matter now, does it? The most important thing is, Ayaka is still here right now.

    ¡±But whenever the me right now talks to you, you would look mournful.¡±

    ¡±That¡¯s¡­¡­ irrelevant to the Ayaka before this. It¡¯s just that you always add a ¡®-san¡¯ when talking to me, and act all polite, everyone would feel like that no matter who¡­¡­ Ahhhh, forget it. All of this doesn¡¯t matter now, anyways¡­¡­¡±

    ¡±How can that be¡­¡­¡± Why can¡¯t we just speak out the thoughts in our hearts frankly? ¡°Ayaka, you don¡¯t have to try to do anything for me. Because you¡¯re already back here, that¡¯s enough.¡±

    ¡±But!¡±

    Ayaka finally raised her head, glittering beads of water flying in the air.

    ¡±But I¡­¡­¡±

    The words after that started to blur, my back and my abdomen started to ache faintly, and I suddenly felt a coldness as though I was thrown into a pool of water, while I was plunged into darkness once more¡ª

    *

    When I opened my eyes, a coffee colored fluffy thing was blocking my sight.

    ¡±Guwagh!¡±

    When I tried to push the thing away, bouts of pain immediately came from everywhere on my body, I could only sigh and rx.

    ¡±Look, he¡¯s awake! Lyril¡¯s power is indeed great!¡±

    Alice sat by my side, shouting while jumping. Don¡¯t jump anymore, my wounds hurt!

    I only raised my head slightly, but I felt like my skin was about to crack to my back, an unbearable pain; it took me quite some effort before I was aware that I was lying on a bed. Alice sat by my side, and kept trying press the medium-sized teddy bear onto my face. What on earth are you trying to do!

    Alice looked at me in tion:

    ¡±Yondaime used his fastest elbow attack, Hiro let you drink the lotion that¡¯s best for the caring for the skin, while Major used the electric charge of a military stun gun. Everyone tried to use their own way to awaken you, but only my Lyril is the most effective in the end, so you have to thank me properly.¡±

    ¡±Are you people trying to kill me!?¡±

    I sat up forcibly. Full of short bookshelves and cardboard boxes, it was a room full of dust. So it was the study in Hirasaka-gumi. Yondaime sat by theputer table behind Alice, Hiro-san sat at the stacked together cardboard boxes, while Major sat on a solitary cardboard box. And also¡ª

    Tetsu-senpai sat on the short shelf with wheels on it by the entrance.

    ¡±Though you won, you¡¯re even more badly beaten up.¡±

    I could tell that Tetsu-senpai¡¯s tone was rather bitter, while Majorughed in secret at a side.

    ¡±Ah, no, it¡¯s still fine¡­¡­¡±

    I looked at my own body. My shirt was probably taken off because of being torn and bloodstained, and I could see my arms and chest that were bandaged and stuck full of sters.

    I looked around the room once again, but Ayaka¡¯s silhouette couldn¡¯t be seen. That¡¯s right, it was only a dream. But each and every word that Ayaka said was abnormally realistic. She was already very angry when she heard that I was going to have a fight with Tetsu-senpai, so of course she isn¡¯t going to appear here right now.

    I¡ª really defeated Tetsu-senpai?

    Victory. Is it true? I really couldn¡¯t be sure.

    ¡±You won.¡±

    Yondaime didn¡¯t seem quite happy.

    ¡±Gardening Club kid, you¡¯ve been waiting for that chance from the start, haven¡¯t you? What kind of bad uppercut is that? Were you gauging the distance with your first punches?¡±

    ¡±Ah, n- no¡­¡­¡±

    I looked at my right hand that still felt rather numb.

    ¡±I wasn¡¯t gauging the distance, but the location and the angle.¡±

    Yondaime raised one of his brows, turning around to look at Tetsu-senpai.

    ¡±So you knew it all along?¡± Tetsu-senpai said in bitterness. ¡°Ahhh, I understand now. Alice found out about it, didn¡¯t she? Seriously¡­¡­ I think you probably dug out even the medical report that you can¡¯t understand, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡±Tetsu, it¡¯s better not to discuss this here¡ª¡°

    ¡±Whatever, it¡¯s okay even if people know about this.¡± Tetsu-senpai stopped Alice from continuing to speak. My heart ached somewhat.

    ¡±¡­¡­ Your eyes, do they have some kind of problem?¡±

    Yondaime inquired. I turned around in surprise, he knows about this? Just looking at the match¡­¡­

    ¡±Is there anything not to know? He couldn¡¯t even dodge a weak attack like that, is there any other reason?¡±

    ¡±That¡¯s right.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai supported his elbows on his thighs, looking at the floor with his palms pressed together:

    ¡±It¡¯s a. A part of my visual nerves was severed, so I can¡¯t see in a certain range.¡±

    That¡¯s right, that was Tetsu-senpai¡¯s blind spot that Alice found out about. a. Because of damage in the visual nerves, as he exined just now, an obstacle that caused the blind spot in our eyes to spread.

    ¡±So the coffee-colored gloves were used for this?¡±

    Yondaime¡¯s voice was full of helplessness, and I could only nod weakly in answer.

    Actually it was a color for camouge. I knew long ago that the battle would be done in that dark room with wooden floorboards, the coffee-colored gloves were used to let my fists blend in with the colors of the walls and the floorboards. Of course, doing this is meaningless on other people. But to Tetsu-senpai¡¯s sick eyes¡ª

    ¡±¡­¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    The words popped out unknowingly from my mouth. Senpai smiled ironically.

    ¡±Why are you apologizing? I don¡¯t mind it much.¡±

    But I used senpai¡¯s weakness, and even told Major about this.

    I was beaten up and trampled by Tetsu-senpai, even if I crawled here and there, I still continued tosh out with a right uppercut, searching for that ¡®spot¡¯¡ª the angle where senpai¡¯s reactions slowed, when the movement of his eyes were abnormal.

    Only this was the reason that senpai lost.

    And this¡ª was the reason that Tetsu-senpai had to give up on boxing.

    So I have to continue to torment senpai about his hurt eyes. That¡¯s because I battled just for this.

    To convert the truth that I knew long ago into facts.

    ¡±¡­¡­ The time when the doctors told you about this was probably October four years ago, isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    A bout of pain came on me when I questioned senpai, I think it¡¯s not only a pain from the wound in my mouth.

    ¡±Probably.¡±

    ¡±Deciding to give up on boxing, and then requesting to drop out from school¡­¡­ And the request was denied by the boxer that you treat as a father, it should be around October as well, isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    ¡±So what?¡±

    ¡±Actually, senpai, long before Hayano Tomohiko fell into that ident¡ª you wanted to leave school.¡±

    It was a truth that I confirmed with my own fists.

    The person who pulled senpai out of a dark swamp and encouraged him to continue to high school was the owner of the boxing hall. When the bridge that connected the two was lost¡ª boxing, senpai chose to leave. Leaving from the boxing hall, leaving from school.

    ¡±That should be how things are, isn¡¯t that right? Everyone thought that you dropped out because of causing Hayano Tomohiko to die, but long before that, senpai already¡­¡­¡±

    ¡±So what?¡±

    ¡±So I¡¯m saying that senpai didn¡¯t cause Hayano To¡­¡­¡±

    ¡±That¡¯s enough.¡±

    The girl¡¯s firm voice interrupted my questions.

    ¡±This doesn¡¯t matter anymore, Narumi. We know it already.¡±

    I sighed and nodded. We¡¯ve talked this out long ago, it¡¯s the territory of the detective from now on.

    ¡±Tetsu, I only want to know one thing. What did Minagawa Kengo try to do? You would probably have the pride of the defeated, answer me everything honestly, right?¡±

    We waited for a long long time, and nobody made any movements in the process.

    ¡±¡­¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Finally, Tetsu-senpai answered in a small voice.

    ¡±It¡¯s true. Minagawa always acted alone, doing something in the dark. He¡¯s that kind of person¡­¡­ As for what he did, I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡±Don¡¯t you know that he often went back to school even after he dropped out?¡±

    ¡±So you¡¯re talking about that. No¡­¡­ He didn¡¯t go back to school.¡±

    Hearing Tetsu-senpai¡¯s answer, Alice¡¯s hair shook for awhile, and I nearly pounced on him as well. Not the school?

    ¡±After dropping out, Minagawa and I met near M High a few times. He said that he was going to a shrine.¡±

    ¡±¡­¡­ Shrine? Do you mean the shrine next to M High?¡±

    ¡±Probably? I don¡¯t know about the rest.¡±

    To the shrine? For what? To visit someone¡¯s grave? But Hayno Tomohiko¡¯s greave is somewhere else¡­¡­ What is with this?

    ¡±His motive¡ª was it the same as you all?¡±

    ¡±That¡¯s right.¡±

    Alice stared at somewhere near Tetsu-senpai¡¯s forehead. After that, she walked down her bed, walking towards senpai with the bear in her hands.

    ¡±I understand. The questions end now, and we don¡¯t need to cut off all rtionships. Let us use our unique privileges as NEETs¡ª using movements as light as Karyoubinga to restore our former friendship!¡±

    Alice extended a small hand to Tetsu-senpai. Seeing this scene, everyone¡¯s expression seemed to rx in an instant. Yondaime, Major, Hiro-san¡ª and even Tetsu-senpai.

    After ncing at her hand, Tetsu-senpai turned away and said:

    ¡±What are you talking about? What cutting off rtionships? How could I just leave an interesting kid like you? Even if you did cut off rtionships with me that time, I would still visit you at your ce!¡±

    ¡±¡ª W- w- what are you talking about!? You rotten egg!¡±

    The furious Alice kept bashing the small teddy bear onto Tetsu-senpai¡¯s face.

    ¡±I- I thought of so much for you, and even prepared to shake hands to resolve our previous misunderstandings, but you¡­¡­ Has your conduct and sensitivity been covered by the smoke in the pachinko shop, buried in the nicotine!? This is too annoying! You should send your brain away from dry cleaning¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡±Ah¡ª Mnn¡ª Okay, okay.¡± Tetsu-senpai stood up and patted Alice¡¯s head. ¡°It¡¯s my fault, so can you please let me go home? I¡¯m bearing a two-thousandth part of Narumi¡¯s injuries after all.¡±

    Laughter finally rang out, it was Hiro-san and Major. Only Alice was still extremely annoyed.

    ¡±Tetsu, I wasn¡¯t finished yet. You kneel there first, I must teach you a good lesson¡ª¡°

    ¡±That¡¯s right, Yondaime, sorry for bothering you.¡±

    ¡±There¡¯s no next time. Think of something yourselves if you get into a fight next time.¡±

    The two talked over Alice¡¯s head, and then Tetsu-senpai opened the study door and walked out.

    ¡±Hey, shouldn¡¯t we go back soon? Min-san is probably very worried.¡±

    Hiro-san pulled Alice¡¯s hand, while Major started to stuff things into his backpack.

    ¡±Really! Whatever, I¡¯ll say the rest back at the office. Narumi, you can probably walk now, right? So why don¡¯t you hurry up and wear your shirt to prepare to go back!?¡±

    What a reckless person. But since Yondaime already kicked me off the bed, I could only put on my T-shirt, putting on my shoes with my brows furrowed. This is bad, with the muscle pains tomorrow, I would probably be in so much pain that it would feel like hell, wouldn¡¯t I?

    As we were about to get kicked out forcibly by Yondaime, Alice looked around the cramped room full of ck shirted men.

    ¡±¡­¡­ Mnn? Where had Ayaka gone to?¡±

    Huh?

    Ayaka?

    ¡±Erm¡­¡­ She ran out just now.¡±

    Rocky looked rather apologetic.

    ¡±Ah¡­¡­ So Ayaka came before this!?¡±

    Hearing my surprised voice, Alice answered in an unfazed tone:

    ¡±Then who do you think bandaged you? Really¡­¡­¡±

    I touched my cheeks that were stuck full of sters.

    ¡­¡­ Was that just a dream?

    Ayaka¡¯s voice, Ayaka¡¯s words, and my answer.

    At that moment, I suddenly recalled the strangeness that I felt in the dream, and immediately rushed forward to ask Alice.

    ¡±Oi oi, was Ayaka wearing an armband? It¡¯s ck in color.¡±

    Annoyance was written on Alice¡¯s face, and Hiro-san answered instead.

    ¡±That¡¯s right, she said that she ran over here right after club activities ended.¡±

    I was speechless. So the thing that I felt odd about was this. Because on the evening that day¡ª thest time Ayaka met me on the rooftop before she jumped off the building, she handed the armband to me.

    But in the dream, she kept wearing the armband. If so, perhaps that wasn¡¯t a dream¡ª

    Ayaka still came to see me, and even bandaged me, and then¡­¡­

    *

    The next morning, Ayaka did note to school, and nobody answered when I dialed her phone number. I had an uneasy premonition, and was thinking if I should call her house and ask, so I walked towards the staffroom. Coincidentally, I met Sayuri-sensei who looked extremely uneasy in the corridors, and almost even bumped into her.

    ¡±AH, Fu- Fujishima-kun¡ª what¡¯s with all those injuries!? What happened to you!? Your whole appearance changed!¡±

    ¡±Eh? Ah, it¡¯s nothing, no big deal at all.¡±

    ¡±How can this be no big deal!? Oh my god, they turned purple already!¡±

    ¡±Ouch! Please don¡¯t touch me, no, erm¡­¡­ Sensei, are you okay?¡±

    ¡±Eh? Erm¡­¡­ Well¡­¡­ Let me ask you this, did Shinozaki-san contact you?¡±

    Cold sweat poured down my back.

    ¡±No¡­¡­¡±

    ¡±I heard that she didn¡¯t go home from yesterday.¡±

 Volume 3, 6

    <h4>Volume 3, Chapter 6</h4>

    Alice, Tetsu-senpai, Hiro-san, Major, Min-san, Yondaime and I frantically called everywhere we could think of, but not even one person knew of Ayaka¡¯s whereabouts. Yesterday, she disappeared after leaving the office.

    Ayaka vanished into thin air.

    Just likest time, she didn¡¯t leave me with even one word.

    Right until Wednesday, Ayaka¡¯s location was still a mystery.

    ¡°Why did she disappear all of a sudden?¡±

    As soon as I entered the Inspection office, Kousaka-senpai asked me immediately.

    ¡°We just don¡¯t know where she is right now, and she disappeared from the day before yesterday. Even though everyone helped to look for her.¡±

    ¡°Fujishima-kun, is this rted to you being so seriously hurt?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡ª Actually¡­¡­¡± Though I can¡¯t say that it¡¯spletely unrted, it¡¯s really hard to exin.

    ¡°Err¡­¡­ Well¡­¡­¡± Kousaka-senpai leaned against the back of her chair once again. ¡°Fujishima-kun, we¡¯re having the general meeting the day after tomorrow, this is not the time for us to do these things with you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m very sorry¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Are you okay? Not only do you look seriously hurt, you look terrible as well, and your eyes are swollen.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because I kept running around.¡±

    I asked for sick leave yesterday as well, using the power of Hirasaka-gumi to search for Ayaka¡¯s location. Though it was hard for me to walk because of my injuries and muscle pains, I still ran directly to his father¡¯s ce to have a look. I didn¡¯t see Toshi-san there though.

    I felt weary from my heart. Even so, I couldn¡¯t just ignore the Student Council. If I continue to do nothing, all that I did for Ayaka before this would be wasted.

    ¡°So you still can¡¯t persuade the Student Council president?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it seems that she¡¯s even more stubborn now. She might continue with a six person limit after this.¡±

    That¡¯s true. That person started to be stubborn. Even if she got into a direct confrontation with the sports teachers, I think she would probably still forcibly pass the rules amendment in the general meeting. Besides, she has far more influence in the club president meeting than Kousaka-senpai.

    ¡°If that¡¯s true, restoring the Gardening Committee might be really hard¡­¡­¡±

    Kousaka-senpai said in a small voice, while I could only nod silently.

    Though I didn¡¯t mention it to Kousaka-senpai, but for the Gardening Committee to be restored, lowering the lowest limit of the clubs is a mandatory condition. If not, many people would suspect why only the Gardening Club is given preferential treatment as the abolished clubs increase. Just imagining it would inform people of how hard things are, if a simr objection is raised, thinking of going up shore is even harder.

    So it¡¯s already¡ª

    ¡°Sorry for saying all those opinionated things.¡±

    ¡°W- wait a minute, Fujishima-kun, you don¡¯t need to apologize since you¡¯ve already put in a lot of effort. And besides, there are still two days left, so I will do all I can.¡±

    Kousaka-senpai hopped around while supporting herself on the table with her hands, forcing out a strong look. Her heartyugh resounded in the hollowness in my body, making my heart ache.

    Ayaka left without saying anything again, and the Gardening Club is facing abolishment. What is with this? What in the world is with this situation? I put in so much effort and ran around so much, screaming in my heart, struggling painfully and even hurt my ownpanion, causing scars to umte on myself¡ª

    And the results was actually this, it just doesn¡¯t make any sense.

    I walked out of the school while holding my bike. When I stepped on the pedal, the gentle wind of May pierced my wounds.

    That time, did I say something that I shouldn¡¯t?

    Alice once told me, Ayaka was bandaging me at the time, and I kept mumbling when I was lying on the bed¡ª while Ayaka answered me as well.

    After that, I sank into deep slumber once again, while Ayaka walked quietly out of the room.

    If so, the dream of the rooftop¡­¡­

    I really wasn¡¯t sure. And can such a thing happen anyways? I couldn¡¯t have spoken out loud what I said in my dream, while I can¡¯t prove that Ayaka did say anything as well.

    Even so, I still tried hard to think back, did I say anything that might cause a misunderstanding?

    But I still couldn¡¯t make anything clear in the end.

    Shedding tears while riding my bike, I could only hope that it was the wind that hurt the wounds on my face. If not, my tears might not be able to stop.

    I parked my bike carefully when I reached the ramen shop, and I spaced out in front of the portiere for quite some time. Though I didn¡¯t have much expectations, I immediately found out that Ayaka was not in the shop. There was only one silhouette left at the other side of the portiere¡ª Min-san.

    I really wasn¡¯t in the mood to open the door and walk in, so I just walked around to the back alley. There wasn¡¯t anyone at the kitchen backdoor.

    Everyone was probably looking around for Ayaka today as well. I sat alone on the second step of the back stairs, taking out my phone to check for messages. Of course, I didn¡¯t receive Ayaka¡¯s message, while there were a lot of messages from the gang members who helped to search for Ayaka instead. When I realized that there was no progress after I finished reading all of the messages, I heaved a long sigh.

    Alice sealed herself in her room from that day on, and didn¡¯t let even me inside. To her, Ayaka¡¯s disappearance might be a huge blow to her.

    Because of that, there was still a piece of the puzzle that wasn¡¯tplete in Hayano Tomohiko¡¯s case, causing the truth to be unable to be revealed. Of course, that¡¯s a thoughting from Alice¡¯s perspective, while to me, I wasn¡¯t sure of the whole matter from the start.

    What did Tetsu-senpai do?

    Was the greenhouse really the ce that Hayano Tomohiko copsed at?

    If so, who moved him by the school entrance?

    Who is the killer?

    Killer? I suddenly thought of something. I recall that Alice once mentioned this particr word. Does that mean Hayano Tomohiko might have been murdered? By whom? And for what purpose?

    And the matter about Minagawa Kengo.

    Though there were a lot of questions in my mind¡ª all of them don¡¯t matter now.

    I feel as though everything will disappear from my side. Not only Ayaka, but also my NEETpanions and Alice.

    Why did it turn out like this? Did I do anything wrong?

    I repeatedly thought about all of the possibilities, but no matter how I thought about it, my thoughts still returned there.

    It¡¯s probably written like this in my page of God¡¯s notebook: ¡®Just die in loneliness.¡¯

    Even so, I met Ayaka. That was a miracle that almost overthrew God¡¯s n, so that¡¯s why Ayaka had to face a cruel, inescapable fate, having to jump down from the top of a building. Even when a second miracle happened, causing her to open her eyes, because she got closer to me once again, it was as though all of her white pieces were turned ck in thest few steps in a game of Othello. Many things were pieced together, causing Ayaka to go missing in the end.

    God won. What a joke!

    Why was the n not better thought out from the start? Why did the miracles happen!?

    From the moment that I was given birth until I die, You should have let me be alone! If so¡­¡­ If so, Ayaka wouldn¡¯t need to undergo this kind of treatment¡ª

    All of a sudden, the sound of the door opening interrupted my thoughts.

    ¡°What are you doing? There aren¡¯t any customers here right now, so you cane in the shop.¡±

    I turned around slowly. Min-san poked out half of her body out of the half-open door, her bare shoulders a piercing sight.

    Would this person disappear one day as well? While thinking of such a thing, I shook my head.

    Min-san knitted her brows slightly and walked into the kitchen again, walking out some time after that. She suddenly pressed the cup of ice cream in her hands on my injured cheek.

    ¡°It huuuuuuuuuuuuuuurts! What are you doing!?¡±

    Because of the extreme fright, coldness and pain, I nearly did a somersault when I jumped.

    ¡°That¡¯s because you look somewhat forlorn. How is it? Have you cheered up yet?¡±

    I sighed and sat down once again.

    Min-san came closer, sitting at a distance so near that she could almost touch my shoulders. The ce that she touched felt rather hot. I deliberately thought that it was caused by Tetsu-senpai¡¯s punches. I couldn¡¯t look Min-san in the face.

    ¡°Oi, why don¡¯t you hurry up and eat it?¡±

    I didn¡¯t even have the energy to scoop the ice cream into my mouth, so I could only watch them melting gradually in the cup.

    ¡°Let me tell you something.¡±

    Min-san said dismissively after eating her portion of the ice cream:

    ¡°Believe it.¡±

    I finally raised my head slowly to look at Min-san. Looking at her fiery eyes, I fell into dejection once more.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Believe what?¡±

    ¡°Everything.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡­ not as strong as you, Min-san¡­¡­ I can¡¯t do such a thing.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re very strong! Though you might not know it yet, I know.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re talking about the matter that I¡¯m now known as one of the Four Heavenly Kings because I defeated Tetsu-senpai, then please don¡¯t. It feels really idiotic.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not talking about that. Think about it yourself¡­¡­¡±

    Min-san¡¯s cold hand caught my wrist.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you still alive right now?¡±

    I lightly raised my head and saw a pair of kind eyes.

    ¡°You encountered so many terrible things, both your body and soul were harshly attacked, and you even saw so many poor souls who were dragged to hell without a reason, but you¡¯re still living your life properly.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because¡ª¡°

    Being stared at by Min-san, I felt a hot emotion being transmitted to me, causing myself to be unable to speak.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m strong. That was because there was someone by my side supporting me each time.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine enough. Don¡¯t people often say that luck is a type of strength? Though that¡¯s a lie, this is true¡ª havingpanions is one of your strengths. It¡¯s a strong point that belongs to your world.¡±

    My world¡¯s¡ª strong point¡­¡­

    But my world is actually facing utter dissolution.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m telling you to believe it.¡±

    Min-san held my wrist tightly.

    ¡°Your world isn¡¯t as fragile as you imagine.¡±

    Even though I heard such kind words, it was as though I was a kid who was near tears after being blown down by wind, tightly clutching at Min-san¡¯s warmth with only one finger, unable to speak even one work. How am I supposed to believe this!?

    At that moment, the phone in my pocket started to ring. The rousing guitar prelude of ¡®Colorado Bulldog¡¯ rang, sounding as though it threw fear, uneasiness and questions into a steaming pot at the same time.

    To muster the courage to pick up the phone, I must once again ask Min-san to hold my hand tightly. How can I be said as strong like this?

    ¡®Prepare to take action tomorrow at six.¡¯ Alice ordered.

    ¡°¡­¡­ What does that mean?¡±

    My voice was so hoarse that even I, myself, couldn¡¯t hear it clearly. Take action?

    ¡®Do you even have to ask? Of course it¡¯s the results of our investigation.¡¯

    Investigation? Since it¡¯s already toote now, it doesn¡¯t matter at all.

    ¡®Everything is clear now, there¡¯s not even one question left now.¡¯

    ¡°Is that so? Then congrattions.¡±

    ¡®What is with your weak answer? I¡¯m telling you that everything is clear now. As an assistant detective, you should feel happier or more joyful about this!¡¯

    What do you mean I should feel happier about this? So what if the mystery is solved now? Hasn¡¯t Ayaka already gone missing!?

    ¡®So are the holes at the two sides of your head an entrance and an exit? Haven¡¯t I told you that everything is clear now?¡¯

    ¡°So wha¡ª¡°

    ¡®And I know how Ayaka is right now as well.¡¯

    I stood up. Even though Min-san was angry because of me pushing her down, her cup full of ice cream spilled onto the ground, I didn¡¯t notice it. What did Alice say just now?

    ¡°A- Ayaka, she¡­¡­?¡±

    ¡®Are you looking down on me? A NEET detective is ¡®omniscient¡¯, she can see through everything, but cannote in contact with anything¡ª¡®

    ¡°W- where is she right now? Is she okay?¡±

    ¡®Prepare to take action at six tomorrow.¡¯

    ¡°Oi, Alice! Don¡¯t mess around! Hurry up and tell me! Alice! Alice!¡±

    She hung up. Though I knew that it was fruitless, I continued to dial Alice¡¯s phone number repeatedly. Of course, no one answered. I really couldn¡¯t take it anymore, and was about to rush up the stairs, Min-san suddenly twisted my ear forcefully at a side.

    ¡°Oi, Narumi, don¡¯t you have anything to say to me?¡±

    ¡°Ouch ouch ouch ouch ouch ouch ouch! Sorry! I¡¯m sorry! Thank you, Min-san!¡±

    At the moment when I was about to cry, Min-san finally loosened her hand. I thought that the skin on my face would be peeled off from my wounds¡­¡­

    ¡°Think about it, it¡¯s useless even if you go to Alice¡¯s ce right now. It¡¯s impossible that she would let you in.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­ That¡¯s not wrong, but¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°Just go home for today. You should sleep earlier when you¡¯re injured. Don¡¯t you have to wake early tomorrow?¡±

    Min-san flicked on my forehead.

    ¡°And you should really believe in Alice.¡±

    After hearing that, I forcibly swallowed my agitated emotions surrounding me that were about to erupt.

    Why didn¡¯t Alice exin immediately? Nothing happened to Ayaka, did it? Unlucky thoughts filling my mind, I pondered while riding home.

    And of course, I couldn¡¯t sleep at all.

    *

    Half past five early morning next day.

    Looking at the sky with approaching daylight at my right, I rode my back into the alley between the buildings. My sleep-deprived mind was still foggy, and I felt that the sky was exceptionally piercing though the sun hasn¡¯t risen yet.

    A petite silhouette was sitting on the lowest step of the emergency backstairs. It was Alice in mourning attire.

    ¡°I never thought that once again, I have to rely on the barbaric transport from primitive times known as a bicycle. Though I¡¯m really unwilling to, there is no other choice. I decided not to ept Hiro¡¯s help, after all.¡±

    Alice used her ck veil to cover her green face, voice trembling slightly. The small teddy bear on her knees was already half-squashed.

    "Oi, where is Ayaka? Can¡¯t you at least tell me if she¡¯s okay?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you yet.¡±

    ¡°Why!?¡±

    ¡°From this moment on, the unraveling of the mystery is irrelevant to Ayaka. You¡¯ll know when it ends.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re always being so roundabout every time!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t scream piteously like that of a zombie, if you faint because of anemia, I¡¯m going to be very troubled. Did you not sleep yesterday?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s more surprising if I could!¡±

    ¡°Are you really so worried of Ayaka?¡±

    For some reason, the NEET detective looked at me from below the shade of the thin veil with a sincere gaze.

    ¡°Why? Why do you care so much about Ayaka?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the one who should be questioning you why you¡¯re asking me so many questions! Of course it¡¯s because I¡¯m worried about her! Because Ayaka is my¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°Your¡­¡­?¡±

    ¡°My¡ª¡°

    My voice choked in my throat. What is Ayaka to me? A friend? Is that term really appropriate? If it¡¯s appropriate, why was Ayaka¡¯s expression so sad in my dream? No, was that really just a dream? Was it truly a dream? I¡¯m starting to get confused.

    Alice stood up. With a dull thud, she pressed her doll on my belly.

    ¡°Being unable to express this in words is a type of answer as well. Go. We might have to pass through quite some ces without rooftops, I wish to end this matter earlier.¡±

    Though it was already near the end of May, riding a bike in the cracks of dawn is still quite cold. A doll separated the warmth of Alice¡¯s body and my back, but it still felt exceptionally clear.

    I turned my head over to ask when we were crossing the bridge:

    ¡°So everything ends just like this?¡±

    When the NEET detective is in mourning attire¡ª that would signify the revival of the words of the deceased, and they are spoken through other people, restoring the reputation of the dead while harming the living. From now on, all of the mysteries will be unraveled by Alice¡¯s hands.

    Alice said¡ª everything is linked to Ayaka. Why?

    ¡°Is Ayaka really so deeply involved in this matter? Because¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t- don¡¯t you keep speaking to me.¡±

    Alice¡¯s answer was apanied with sounds of her teeth chattering. Perhaps it¡¯s because the road in this area is rather uneven?

    When I rode to the main road, Alice finally answered:

    ¡°Everything ends today. Isn¡¯t it the Student Council general meeting tomorrow? We might still make it.¡±

    The Student Council general meeting. I nearly turned my head around to look at her while pedaling again.

    ¡°H- hey! Please look forward when you are riding? Not only you are on the bike!¡±

    ¡°S- sorry!¡±

    I never thought that Alice would actually mind a thing like this. I thought she was only interested in unraveling mysteries. For whom did she do this for? For Ayaka? Or for me?

    Or to speak for the dead?

    I rode down the gently curving path. There weren¡¯t any houses at the two sides. A factory was on my left, a shrine was on my right , while therge school building of my school is blocking the nascent rays of sunlight.

    ¡°Don¡¯t ride to the school, just stop at the shrine.¡±

    ¡°Stop at the shrine? Why?¡±

    ¡°Just stop there. I have an appointment with someone.¡±

    The shrine. I remember that Tetsu-senpai once said that Minagawa Kengo often went there even after he dropped out.

    Is there something of note there?

    I parked my bike by the entrance of the shrine. Alice nearly fell down from the backseat with her doll, and I hastily held onto her. Does this count as carsickness? Usually, her face was already stark white, but now it glowed with the unfortunate green that appears when ss is stacked together.

    ¡°Can you still walk?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Yes.¡±

    ¡°Are you really okay? I think it¡¯s better for you to hold on to me.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Uuuu¡ª¡°

    As before, Alice tightly held on to my belt.

    I walked forwards while being pushed by her, passing through the entrance of the shrine. It was a broken down shrine that had so sign of an abbot. There was a path leading to a cemetery at our left, while a uniform-d silhouette was standing there. When we met each other¡¯s gazes, both of us shouted at the same time in shock.

    ¡°Fujishima¡­¡­ kun? S- so it really is you!?¡±

    ¡°Kaoruko-senpai!? W- why?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s my line, why are we gathering at a ce like thi¡ª¡°

    Kaoruko-senpai stopped halfway through her words, because she saw Alice walking out from my back.

    ¡°Narumi was not the one who asked you out. The message was sent by me. Nice to meet you.¡±

    ¡°You¡­¡­ sent it? Who are you? Wh- why do you know so much about Tomohiko and I?¡±

    My mind was in a confused state as well, but I could grasp the current situation more or less. Alice probably sent a message to Kaoruko-senpai in my name, asking her out. It probably contains some personal information that she couldn¡¯t ignore in the message as well.

    But why is the person here Kaoruko-senpai?

    Alice¡¯s left hand was tightly holding on my belt, while her right hand cuddled her doll, speaking in a determined tone that doesn¡¯t match her appearance:

    ¡°I am a NEET detective, a messenger for the dead. I havee to locate Hayano Tomohiko¡¯s lost words, conveying it to the ce that it should be.¡±

    ¡°Wha¡ª¡° Kaoruko-senpai looked rather displeased, and red at me. ¡°What is with this situation? Is this a prank? Fujishima-kun, who is this little girl?¡±

    ¡°Hayano Tomohiko was murdered.¡±

    That was Alice¡¯s response. Even for Karouko-senpai to stay quiet, the help of an assistant detective isn¡¯t required at all. That¡¯s because I don¡¯t know what to as well.

    ¡°He was¡­¡­ murdered?¡± Senpai inquired.

    Was he really murdered?

    ¡°From a certain perspective, he was. At least, Hayano Tomohiko understood that there was a possibility of such an interpretation, so that¡¯s how the first changes in the case were caused. If not, the truth of this case is actually quite simple, and should have been revealed four years ago. Because of the ovepping thoughts of many people, the truth was hidden. As for me, I am going to expose the buried words of the deceased under the sunlight right now. Hayano Tomohiko, and also Minagawa Kengo¡ª there are two people in total who should hear their words. One of them is you¡ª Hayano Kaoruko.¡±

    I wonder if she understands what Alice is talking about.

    I asked for Kaoruko-senpai who couldn¡¯t move at all:

    ¡°¡­¡­ Then who is the other?¡±

    ¡°The murderer.¡±

    A chill came upon my back.

    Alice started to push on my back, pushing me towards the cemetery.

    ¡°Senpai?¡± I asked timidly. ¡°Why don¡¯t we set out? You can probably find out something important. Though I¡¯m not sure if it would be good or bad for you to find out about this.¡±

    Kaoruko-senpai¡¯s originally nk gaze suddenly recovered its radiance, and she stared at me.

    ¡°That is something that you must know.¡±

    Going along with Alice¡¯s pushes, I passed by the tombstones and columbariums. Looking back slightly, I saw that Kaoruko-senpai seemed to be following with uneasy footsteps.

    ¡°¡­¡­ But why the cemetery?¡±

    Senpai¡¯s voice was trembling slightly. The cemetery seemed to have been long forgotten, weeds growing all around, while each tombstone was covered with dust, even the names on them were faded as well.

    ¡°Being a cemetery or not is insignificant. The most important thing is, it¡¯s directly next to M High.¡±

    Alice exined while standing at my back. The school grounds of M High was at the other side of the wall. The triangr greenhouse roof dazzling because of the morning sun could still be seen in front of the school building as well.

    When we continued to walk towards the cemetery, the barren state was even more horrendous. Dried up grass grew everywhere, while there wasn¡¯t even stones paving the ground, the soil directly exposed. The amount of rubbish like damaged water tanks and charred blue stic pads increased visibly as well. There wasn¡¯t even a tombstone at the corner position, and was like a building construction site abandoned halfway through the process.

    ¡°That¡¯s the one.¡±

    Alice pointed at a corner of the cemetery while saying. In front of the wall that had weeds gathering in front of it, there was a certain object¡ª it looked like a very broad board.

    When we slowly approached the target, Kaoruko-senpai found something odd even earlier than me.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Is it a ckboard?¡±

    That¡¯s right, it was indeed a ckboard. When I swept aside the grass, a ckboard stained with dirt and mud appeared. It seemed like it was a dismantled ckboard, as the rack with the wheels were ced behind the board.

    ¡°Narumi, please turn it over.¡±

    I followed Alice¡¯s instructions, toppling it by pulling on the top of the board. There were signs of what looked like red paint painted from the middle of the ckboard back right until the upper right corner.

    ¡°¡­¡­ What? What does this thing mean?¡±

    Kaoruko-senpai asked in an anxious tone.

    Alice chose not to answer, continuing to order me: ¡°Narumi, clean away the paint.¡±

    I wasn¡¯t sure what was happening as well, but I still took out the turpentine from my bag as Alice ordered. The paint seemed to be painted on quite some time ago, so it was somewhat hard to remove itpletely. In the acrid smell that pervaded the air, ck stains appeared below the removed paint.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine already, Narumi. The things that had been hidden in the past arepletely clear right now.¡±

    When I was going on with my work, Alice said while using one of her hands to hold on to Kaoruko-senpai while the other to cover her nose.

    ¡°What¡­¡­ is this? What¡¯s wrong with this ckboard?¡±

    ¡°The ck stains that you see right now is the blood that Hayano Tomohiko threw up.¡±

    I heard Kaoruko-senpai gulping.

    ¡°Wh- what are you¡­¡­ talking about?¡±

    Looking at Alice who was leaning closely to her, senpai said in agitation.

    ¡°When I looked through the teaching equipment management list of M High, I noticed that a moveable ckboard disappeared without a reason three years ago. This is the one.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean Hayano Tomohiko copsed here?¡± I inquired. Why this ce? Besides, this ce is quite some distance from the ce where he was found.

    ¡°Wrong wrong wrong. Haven¡¯t I told you before? The ce that he copsed at was the greenhouse. Simr to Hayano Tomohiko¡¯s situation, this ckboard was moved as well. As for the reason that there weren¡¯t any bloodstains at the ce where he was found and the crime scene, that¡¯s because Hayano Tomohiko¡¯s blood was left on this ckboard and the snowy ground.¡±

    ¡°Snow? Why? He was obviously in the greenhouse¡ª¡°

    Alice shook her head. Standing beside her, Kaoruko-senpai¡¯s face was stark white long ago, staring at the ckboard by her feet¡ª eying the old bloodstains made by her own brother.

    Alice raised her head to look at Kaoruko-senpai and started her exnation:

    ¡°I¡¯ll just exin this in order. The reason that this case is soplicated is because there are three facilitators out of the murderer¡¯s expectations, while these three people contributed to the hiding of the truth in apletely unexpected manner. The first person¡¯s role was to move Hayano Tomohiko by the school entrance, causing the others to mistake the crime scene.¡±

    ¡°The facilitator that you spoke of¡­¡­ Who is it?¡±

    ¡°The said first facilitator was actually Hayano Tomohiko himself.¡±

    ¡°You¡­¡­ Don¡¯t mess with me!¡±

    Kaoruko-senpai screamed. If senpai didn¡¯t do so, I might have already pounced on Alice to get things clear.

    ¡°Why? Why would Tomohiko do such a thing? Do you mean Tomohiko who copsed because of his illness could actually crawl on the snowy ground to the school entrance without assistance?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Why!?¡±

    What is Alice talking about? Hayano Tomohiko crawled to the school entrance himself? Why? Even though his own life was in danger?

    I didn¡¯t have the confidence to listen silently till thest second. And are all these connected to Ayaka? Will I get to know about all of this after things end?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll exin all of this togetherter. The second facilitator¡¯s role was to pretend that he was the main reason that caused Hayano Tomohiko to die, and his aim was to hide the true killer.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Was it Tetsu-senpai?¡±

    I asked in surprise.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, it was Ichinomiya Tetsuo. But Tetsu wasn¡¯t in the greenhouse that day at all. I¡¯m thinking that the gathering of the Gardening Committee delinquents in the greenhouse to bully Hayano Tomohiko together was probably a lie that they concocted together, as there isn¡¯t any concrete proof at all. And that means, not one fact can prove that Tetsu did ask Hayano Tomohiko to be his gofer that day. He¡¯s just the first witness, seeing Hayano Tomohiko crawl to the school entrance with his own determination. He probably heard all about the truth from Hayano Tomohiko, and decided to be the scapegoat after calling the ambnce.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai¡ª he was indeed lying.

    But why did he do so? He might even be arrested if things aren¡¯t clear.

    ¡°That¡¯s not wrong. But to Tetsu that time, he had nothing to lose anymore.¡±

    Alice looked upwards at the sky with a mncholic gaze.

    ¡°That time, Tetsu had no other alternative but to give up on because of a. Narumi, you revealed that using your fists. The owner of the boxing hall treated him like his adopted son, allowing him to further his studies to high school. At the moment when Tetsu found out that he couldn¡¯t repay him for raising him with his fists, he already nned to leave school and the boxing hall to be a NEET. So¡ª¡°

    Alice looked at Kaoruko-senpai¡¯s face once again.

    ¡°He inherited Hayano Tomohiko¡¯s dying wish, unhesitatingly sacrificing himself.¡±

    ¡°Wh¡ª at¡­¡­¡±

    Kaoruko-senpai¡¯s expression was tangled together long ago, and her voice became erratic as well.

    ¡°¡­¡­ This¡ª must be¡­¡­ a lie. What dying wish. Why would Tomohiko, for something like this¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°The next one is the third person¡¯s role. I¡¯m guessing that he either found Hayano Tomohiko along with Tetsu, or he was informed by Tetsu about this, and rushed to the greenhouse that became the crime scene, and perceived one fact after looking at the condition of the scene. He decided to dispose of the evidence right after that.¡±

    Alice pointed at the greenhouse separated from us by a wall not far from here, and pushed Kaoruko-senpai forward. Senpai¡¯s face was still pale, and she walked rather unsteadily. I hastily put away the turpentine into my bag as well, chasing them hurriedly. Disposal of evidence? Does that refer to the ckboard?

    ¡°Narumi, look. You¡¯re probably quite familiar with this, are you not?¡±

    We walked about ten over meters along the wall. There was arge board about my height covering the wall. I nodded in answer, toppling the board onto the barren ground.

    Arge missing b of bricks was covered by the board, and couldn¡¯t even be described just by saying that it¡¯s a hole. The wall was destroyed to the extent that a person could easily pass by it, while steel bars were exposed all along the gap.

    And this gap was coincidentally located opposite to the greenhouse backdoor.

    I am very familiar with this secret path.

    That¡¯s because everything started from here. The poppy flowers that became the raw material of Angel Fix, and Ayaka who cultivated them unknowingly. Ayaka¡¯s brother, Toshi, smuggled out the raw material from this path.

    ¡°What¡­¡­ is this? Why is there a path like this? But then, so what?¡±

    Kaoruko-senpai said in contempt. That¡¯s right as well, senpai doesn¡¯t know anything. This is just a whole lot of empty words. That¡¯s because the only people who know of this secret route are the organization manufacturing Angel Fix, the NEET Detective Squad who went after them and Hirasaka-gumi. Even the police don¡¯t know about it.

    ¡°Actually, there¡¯s another person who knew about this.¡± Alice answered my mumblings. ¡°¡­¡­ The person who created this path.¡±

    The creator?

    Ah¡­¡­ No, wait a minute. The reason that the drug manufacturers knew about this path in the first ce was because¡ª

    ¡°¡­¡­ Was Minagawa Kengo the one who created it?¡±

    I never thought about it before this¡ª the existence of this possibility. But this path was indeed man-made.

    ¡°He was the third facilitator.¡±

    Alice said in a small voice.

    ¡°He had only one motive, to get rid of the ckboard stained with Hayano Tomohiko¡¯s blood, and it in a short time after the case urred. The ckboard was an old modeled wooden ckboard, so the blood probably seeped into the ckboard already, and it¡¯s useless even if it was washed. Being aware about that fact¡ª it¡¯s my assumptions starting from now¡ª he opened the backdoor, stuffing the ckboard between the small slit between the wall and the greenhouse.¡±

    Alice pointed at the wall while saying.

    ¡°But it was only an emergency act. As the outer wall of the greenhouse is made of ss material, even though the inner part of the greenhouse can¡¯t be seen clearly because of the surrounding racks, the ckboard could still be seen. I¡¯m thinking that this board was probably ced at the other side of the wall that time, and was used to block the ckboard from the outside.¡±

    ¡°So does this mean that this hole was opened to move the ckboard?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Witnesses testified that Minagawa Kengo still frequented the school even after he dropped out because of ack of credits. However, he wasn¡¯t actually going to school, but was secretly damaging the wall from the cemetery.¡±

    I fixed my gaze on the metal door at the other side of the wall once again.

    ¡°As long as that object is in the greenhouse, there is a chance that it would be found out. But moving such arge item out of the school is too hard, so that¡¯s why he made a hole in the wall. I¡¯m guessing that this part of the wall was already nearing copse, because it would always be rammed on every time the backdoor is opened. But erging the hole so much that even a ckboard could pass through was probably done single-handedly by Minagawa Kengo.¡±

    Because¡ª nobody knew about what he did. A lonely expression suddenly appeared on Alice¡¯s face.

    The lost words of the dead that nobody could find, Alice found them. Using Tetsu-senpai¡¯s words, piecing together the numerous fragments.

    ¡°As such, the reason that Minagawa Kengo took over the jobs of the Gardening Committee and forcibly established the Gardening Club¡ª do you understand it now?¡±

    Did Alice direct those words at me or at Kaoruko-senpai? I just don¡¯t know. Holding onto Alice whose body was much smaller than her, Kaoruko-senpai finally stood up after some effort, while her gaze was fixed on the greenhouse entrance at the other side of the huge hole.

    Which was also the thing that Minagawa Kengo used all his effort to protect.

    ¡°He did it¡­¡­ only to prevent other people from finding this thing?¡±

    Senpai asked weakly.

    ¡°That is correct, everything was done for this matter. If the greenhouse is torn down, everything that Minagawa Kengo did will be exposed under the sunlight. Arge object like a ckboard cannot be handled by one person alone, so he could only move it to the deserted boundary of the cemetery, letting it rot naturally. If the secret pathway is found out, someone might just reach this ce, so that¡¯s why he founded the Gardening Club. Besides that¡ª there¡¯s probably another symbolic reason that they must protect the greenhouse for.¡±

    Alice looked at the top of the triangr greenhouse roof, a sharp expression on her face.

    The thing that Minagawa tried to much to protect is actually¡ª

    Finally, something was about to get pieced together in my mind.

    The victim and the witnesses twisted the truth of the case just to hide the murderer.

    The thing that they wanted to protect.

    ¡°Why!? I don¡¯t understand, why did they try so hard to protect a greenhouse? Besides, if¡ª if things are really as you said, does that mean even Tomohiko was one of the facilitators? Wasn¡¯t he murdered? Why did he still¡­¡­?¡±

    ¡°You are absolutely correct. The thing that Minagawa Kengo, Ichinomiya Tetsuo and Hayano Tomohiko was the same. Look.¡±

    The arm that was ck because of the mourning attire pointed at the sky¡ª right at the greenhouse roof reflecting the rays of the morning sun.

    At that moment, a weak sound suddenly rang. It was the sound produced when a motor undergoes friction with metal.

    Just when Kaoruko-senpai and I narrowed our eyes to look at it, the sunlight suddenly scattered disorderly, starting to change their angle of reflection as well. The roof of the greenhouse was moving. The skylight fell into the greenhouse, opening slowly.

    Like a pair of hands preparing to catch something, holding it in one¡¯sp.

    Like a pair of ss wings.

    After that, the sunlight that was not hindered by anything shone in directly, causing the colors of the floral vegetation to be even more dazzling.

    The drops of water from the rainst night flowed along the open skylight, falling into the rays of sunlight while glittering.

    ¡°This thing killed Hayano Tomohiko.¡±

    Alice¡¯s soft exnation melted into the tranquil dawn.

    ¡°Do you see the gray box below the framework? That is a temperature and sunlight detector controlled by a thermostat. I think you can probably see a roundmp hung below it as well. If a heat or light source is ced near the detector, the thermostat will activate mistakenly, closing the heater while opening the skylight. It¡¯s the same no matter it¡¯s the morning, or a snowy day.¡±

    A snowy day¡ª

    I started to imagine the snowy scene that day.

    Snow was umted on the ss roof. There were only two people in the greenhouse that had the heater turned on and a warmly lit light. A ckboard, tables and chairs, and textbooks. Hayano Tomohiko was the only student present that day. The electric light in the greenhouse suddenly stopped shining. Probably one of the circuits short circuited because of snow.

    A smile showed on Sayuri-sensei¡¯s face.

    That¡¯s okay, please wait a moment. It¡¯ll light up after moving it slightly. Hayano-kun, can you please turn off the circuit breaker? Mnn, that¡¯s fine. It¡¯s lit, it¡¯s lit!

    Sorry, I have to go for a staff meeting, can you please do revision by yourself for now?

    After that, Hayano Tomohiko was left all alone in the greenhouse, while the thermostat heated by the electric light activated in mistake. The heater was turned off¡­¡­

    The skylight opened¡­¡­

    Arge pile of snow fell on him¡­¡­

    The ckboard copsed¡ª

    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Narumi.¡±

    I felt a hand gripping my arm tightly, slender fingers in a ck glove sinking into my skin.

    It was Alice.

    I shifted my gaze from the greenhouse roof mysteriously reflecting the rays of sunlight, turned around, and saw Kaoruko-senpai squatting by Alice¡¯s side while covering her ears. Her shoulders, back, and ck hair were all trembling.

    ¡°Tomohiko, he¡­¡­ Actually¡­¡­¡±

    I could only stand there nkly. I didn¡¯t just say everything out, did I?

    Or maybe Kaoruko-senpai saw the exact same thing that I did?

    Alice said while cing her hand gently on senpai¡¯s back:

    ¡°Of course, that¡¯s just an ident.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t see the detective¡¯s face from my position. What expression is on her face right now?

    While what kind of expression is on my face as well?

    ¡°Though your brother coughed out blood, he still understood the reason for the ident. If a person has problems with one¡¯s heart, he would probably have something to be used in emergencies, but he was aware of what would happen if he was found in that situation, so he did not ask for help from anyone, but went outside by himself. Perhaps he deliberately avoided the school building, passing through the courtyard? Leaving the greenhouse as far as possible without letting anyone realize it, that was your brother¡¯s aim.¡±

    ¡°And then¡­¡­ And then he just died. Idiot, isn¡¯t that just in stupid!?¡±

    Kaoruko-senpai raised her head, tears drawing out a bright streak on her face.

    ¡°That might be so. But your brother¡¯s efforts were not wasted, because the first people to find him were Ichinomiya Tetsuo and Minagawa Kengo.¡±

    That was an indescribably chilling miracle.

    ¡°The three had the same sentiments. That¡¯s because they were all students from the mystical ss full of flowers, even if they had to give up on their futures, the thing that they wanted to protect was the same¡ª the one and only teacher who didn¡¯t give up on them.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but kneel down by Alice¡¯s side as well.

    Something seemed to be overflowing soon. As though seeing a scene made of light rays, colors, flowers andughter, the conversation between the graduates from the ssroom full of flowers that I met in front of Minagawa Kengo¡¯s grave was mixed in it as well, and the sorrowful gaze when Tetsu-senpai was beating me up¡­¡­

    Ayaka, who smiled while being surrounded by flowers¡­¡­

    And finally, Sayuri-sensei who showed the same dazzling smile opposite to her.

    Everyone wanted to protect all of this. If the truth is found out, even though it was only an ident, Sayuri-sensei would probably still lose her job. That¡¯s why¡­¡­

    So many things were sacrificed. The reason for concealing the truth was to protect her.

    ¡°Why? W- Who are you? Why do you know even this? Why didn¡¯t you¡ª Why didn¡¯t you just hide all of this from other people? Why did you¡­¡­!?¡±

    Kaoruko-senpai stood up, shouting loudly while holding Alice¡¯s shoulders.

    Alice extended her hands gently, covering Kaoruko-senpai¡¯s face.

    ¡°I repeat . I am a NEET detective, a messenger for the deceased. Digging other people¡¯s graves to locate words lost; harming the living just to protect the honor of the dead, shaming the deceased to console the living. Because you cannot be ignorant of this matter¡ª which is also what your brother wanted to protect.¡±

    ¡°Why? I don¡¯t want to know!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re asking me why? Didn¡¯t you n to destroy the ce that your brother was trying to protect without knowing anything?

    Kaoruko-senpai stayed silent.

    ¡°But you know of Hayano Tomohiko¡¯s words right now. The thing that he wished to protect waspleted by Minagawa and Tetsu, so that¡¯s why the greenhouse could continue to exist, and there are still flowers blooming in this school. This is an undeniable truth.¡±

    Alice closed together her palms, lightly putting it in front of Kaoruko-senpai¡¯s chest.

    ¡°So you must ept this matter, isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    Kaoruko-senpai couldn¡¯t give any response. After leaving Alice¡¯s side, senpai stood alone on the dry, cracked ground, looking at the greenhouse roof. The senpai right now looked like she didn¡¯t want to suppress herself anymore, tears falling non-stop.

    ¡°¡­¡­ The problem is, there is only one day left.¡±

    After that, senpai¡¯s tearful voice rang.

    ¡°What you want me to do? There¡¯s no other choice. And I¡­¡­ don¡¯t have that intention¡­¡­¡±

    Alice took one or two steps back weakly.

    I supported her small body lightly from her back.

    ¡°Narumi probably told you of the way before this.¡±

    Alice¡¯s voice lost its gentle feel.

    ¡°The mission of the detective is already aplished. Hayano Kaoruko, the rest is up to you to decide.¡±

    Senpai bit her lips, gripping her own hands tightly.

    Why did Alice choose Kaoruko-senpai to be the target for the words of the dead?

    That was just because she is Hayano Tomohiko¡¯s sister¡ª because she has the ability to ept his thoughts, protecting it as well.

    I said while holding onto Alice¡¯s delicate body:

    ¡°Senpai, on the day of the general meeting, I will still suggest an amendment for your suggestion. Even if you could finish counting the members of a club with one hand, to some people, that might still be a very important ce.¡±

    Just like the greenhouse was important to Hayano Tomohiko.

    To Ayaka and I¡ª

    ¡°Just as I said on Monday, can you please restore the Gardening Committee? If you would agree¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°How is that possible!¡±

    Kaoruko-senpai covered her ears once again:

    ¡°Please, don¡¯t speak anymore! I¡¯m almost at my limits right now, and am very confused! Originally¡­¡­ Originally, I didn¡¯t know anything!¡±

    Kaoruko-senpai immediately turned around and ran away from the scene. I looked at her silhouette passing through the weathered tombstones and columbariums, and she was then lost in the forecourt of the shrine.

    After watching her leave, Alice and I were still closely huddled together, standing there silently for quite some time. I could really understand senpai¡¯s pain. The things that are umted unknowingly after a long time cannot be gently melted by the truth.

    That is why it is better not to find out about most of the things buried deep under the ground.

    To know is to die.

    Even so¡ª

    ¡°Hey, Alice.¡±

    ¡°Mnn.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that there are two people who must know of the truth?¡±

    One of them is Kaoruko-senpai. Then the other one is¡ª

    ¡°Mnn, I don¡¯t know as well.¡±

    Alice answered softly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I should tell Kuroda Sayuri about this matter.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s unusual. Usually, you would definitely say that a detective cannot protect or help anyone or something like that, telling the other party immediately.¡±

    No matter how cruel the truth is, it is only a choice. Because of that, Alice would tell the words that anyone is unwilling to know of to the surviving people. However¡­¡­

    ¡°But if she knows of the truth, Kuroda Sayuri might resign.¡±

    ¡°Mnn, my thoughts exactly.¡±

    In sensei¡¯s heart, Tetsu-senpai and Minagawa Kengo are still the sinners who bullied Hayano Tomohiko, causing him to die. If we don¡¯t expose the words of the deceased, their honor cannot be restored. Even so, does doing this right now have any meaning? It would only hurt sensei even more.

    ¡°So that¡¯s why I¡¯m only telling you. I¡¯m leaving the rest for you to decide.¡±

    Alice raised her head and looked backwards at me. Separated by a ck veil, Alice¡¯s face turned around. Even so, a faint sadness was on her face, so I couldn¡¯t answer her at all.

    If I tell Sayuri-sensei about this truth, exposing the thing that Minagawa Kengo wanted to protect under the sun, and then asking the teachers to support the reestablishment of the Gardening Committee¡ª such a thought suddenly flitted past my mind.

    But this is just like ckmail. How can I do this?

    Besides, it might not make it now. The Student Council general meeting is on tomorrow.

    Even if the Gardening Committee is established once more like this, Ayaka is still¡ª

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Alice.¡±

    ¡°Mnn?¡±

    ¡°Where is Ayaka? You said that she is connected to everything, what does that mean?¡±

    Her name did not appear from the start to the end. What is with this? Where did Ayaka run off to?

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re talking about that.¡±

    Alice turned around, shrugging in a helpless manner.

    ¡°I never thought that you would actually be ignorant about this right until now.¡±

    ¡°What¡­¡­ does that mean?¡±

    ¡°Really. I suggest that you¡¯d better increase your observation sensitivity, and try to shift your attention to illogical matters. Aren¡¯t you an assistant detective?¡±

    ¡°So what does that mean?¡±

    ¡°Who do you think found the ckboard first, and confirmed if it was covered in paint? Also, who hung the electricmp onto the thermostat beforehand? Of course it couldn¡¯t be me, Major or Hiro.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡±

    Facing the dumbfounded me, Alice pointed at the other side of the gap.

    ¡°Ayaka is just behind that door.¡±

    ¡°Alice¡ª! Really!¡±

    The metal door suddenly opened, fragments of bricks dropping from the gap. I saw Ayaka d in her uniform, standing there with her brows raised while cing her hand on the door handle. I couldn¡¯tprehend the truth all of a sudden.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you not to say it before this!? I am not mentally prepared yet!¡±

    When our gazes met, Ayaka was so embarrassed that her whole face was red. With a ¡®bam¡¯, the door was forcefully closed, while Ayaka¡¯s silhouette disappeared without a trace once more.

    ¡°E- Erm¡­¡­! S- Sorry! Th¡­¡­¡±

    The voice separated by a door felt unusually agitated. It¡¯s Ayaka! So she¡¯s okay?

    I truly thought that she disappeared again.

    ¡°Where¡­¡­ did you run off to? Everyone¡ª Everyone was worried of you!¡±

    Alice blocked my path as I was about to rush to the door.

    ¡°Sorry for making you look for her here and there. That day¡­¡­ The day when you and Tetsu had a fight, Ayaka suddenly ran over to the office atte night, and then I kept sheltering her.

    Alice¡­¡­ Actually sheltered Ayaka?

    So that¡¯s why she didn¡¯t let me enter the office. But who would have thought that Alice would actually hide someone in the office.

    ¡°But why? What in the world happened!?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not too sure about this as well. Why don¡¯t you ask her yourself? It was so hard to convince her to go back today, what a relief. She even nned to ask me to bathe every day, what a pain.¡±

    ¡°So¡­¡­ Which means¡­¡­¡± A voice came from the other side of the metal door. ¡°It¡¯s a bit¡­¡­ Please wait until I¡¯m mentally prepared fir¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°No, erm¡­¡­¡±

    I felt that the reason is absolutely unimportant. Because Ayaka is back already.

    ¡°S- Sorry. I won¡¯t disappear without a reason again.¡±

    ¡°Mnn.¡±

    ¡°Then it¡¯s about time for me to go to the staff office now! I have a lot to exin to the teachers!¡±

    Footsteps rang, and then there was the sound of the metal door at the other side being closed.

    Even when the sounds disappeared, I still stood there nkly.

    Should I feel happy because of this?

    Ayaka is back. Is that true? I underwent a lot of piteous events, but I still understand that happiness can onlyst for a moment. So if there isn¡¯t anyone at the other side of the door, that must be because from the start¡ª

    As I was about to extend my hand towards the door handle, my belt was pulled on from my back.

    ¡°¡­¡­ W- What is it?¡±

    ¡°Where are you nning to go to? Are you thinking of leaving me alone here?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡ª¡°

    I originally nned to walk directly to the ssroom to wait for Ayaka toe back, but Ipletely forgot about Alice.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Do you want to go to the ssroom with me? Everyone would probably be happy to see you.¡±

    ¡°Stop joking! I¡¯m going back. On your primitive transport!¡±

    ¡°Do you want me to teach you how to ride it?¡±

    ¡°Stop the nonsense! Of course you¡¯ll be the one riding it!¡±

    Alice frantically hammered my back.

    ¡°Really, though you wore a sorrowful expression like you were abandoned by the whole world an hour before this, but you have the energy to make fun of me right now. How dumbfounding.¡±

    That¡¯s because¡ª

    The case ended now, and Ayaka is back as well.

    Even though there is no way everything can return to its original state, it¡¯s fine as long as she¡¯s okay.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Hey, so the detective¡¯s task has ended now, right? So shouldn¡¯t the promise not to help have ended as well? Should we call Hiro-san here?¡±

    Alice thought for awhile while frowning, and shook her head:

    ¡°No, I¡¯m a detective right until I return home.¡± So you¡¯re here for a pic?

    ¡°¡­¡­ If you like riding the bike together so much, I¡¯m fine with that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not saying that I like it! There are no shelters, and it would wobble, and your skills are terrible!¡±

    ¡°Then why do you still want to¡ª¡°

    ¡°Shut up! Just hurry up and send me back!¡±

    Alice was so annoyed that her whole face was red, and she frantically pushed on my back with her doll, right until the entrance of the cemetery. What an odd fellow. I would use up a lot of time sending her back to the office and riding back again, but when I said that, Alice gave me the unreasonable request of ¡®don¡¯t wobble, don¡¯t ride too quickly, but please ride faster!¡¯

    But when the bike continued to go forward, she would hug me silently from the back. So I don¡¯t really dislike riding in a pair like this. Whenever the bike elerates when going down a slope, Alice¡¯s trembling could be felt even through the teddy bear, that felt rather fun.

    Of course, when we reach Hanamaru Ramen, I would have to ept her rapid fireints after she calmed down even slightly.

 Volume 3, 7

    <h4>Volume 3, Chapter 7</h4>

    In the end, the Gardening Committee still couldn¡¯t be reestablished.

    On the other hand, the Gardening Club was abolished as well. That was the results that we obtained.

    On the Friday a whole week after the Student Council general meeting ended, I finally showed up at the Inspection office during lunch break. As usual, Kousaka-senpai was eating her bento alone in front of the word processing machine in the dark room. As soon as she saw me entering, she shouted ¡®Fujishima-kun!¡¯ and stood up looking rather happy.

    ¡°The both of us were busy before this, so it¡¯s quite some time before we met, isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    ¡°T- That¡¯s right¡­¡­ I should have thanked you properly before this.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t even do anything. All of it was done by you, Fujishima-kun¡­¡­ and Kaoruko-chan.¡±

    Senpai enthusiastically asked me to sit down, and I had no other alternative but to sit down though I nned to leave quickly. Separated by a bookshelf, hubbub came from the Management office.

    ¡°It seems that they¡¯re still quite busy.¡±

    ¡°Mnn, having a general meeting is hard work, and it¡¯s the same with the tidy up work that follows. For me, only five clubs were abolished, so I finished it in a jiffy. Fujishima-kun, you seem to have worked hard as well.¡±

    It was only a week after the Student Council¡¯s general meeting, but it was still rather unbelievable for me, and felt like a month had already passed.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m still fine. The person who¡¯s really teaching is Ayaka, after all. Actually, I am utterly clueless about gardening.¡±

    And just because of that, I didn¡¯t really speak much to Ayaka after meeting at the greenhouse backdoor. But her manner when she was speaking to me in the ssroom was rather normal, so she probably didn¡¯t avoid me deliberately. She said that she had to prepare herself mentally, but what does that mean?

    ¡°Shinozaki-san is a meeting president now.¡±

    ¡°Why the strange name?¡±

    I spoke the question that swirled in my mind for quite some time now.

    The Gardening Club has disappeared. That¡¯s because the minimum number of club members in a club is raised to four in the rules amendment. Though the Gardening Committee can¡¯t be reestablished, a mysterious division known as the ¡®Central Gardening Meeting¡¯ appeared. Today is the first day that the division starts its activities officially. The Central Gardening Meeting is formed by a member from each ss, while their job is to handle the garden and the nts in the greenhouse. To be precise, it¡¯s just the Gardening Committee with another name. But why Meeting? And why Central?

    Though I could understand the reason for the change of name. After all, it is amittee that is connected to a death incident before this, and was abolished because of that. So perhaps it¡¯s hard to restore it with its original name?

    But why the name called ¡®Central Gardening Meeting¡¯?

    ¡°Ah¡ª You¡¯re talking about that? The president requested that herself.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Ayaka¡¯s request?¡±

    ¡°Mnn. Everyone said that the name was strange, but they didn¡¯t have any other suggestions, so the motion was passed. But if you really want to know about the reason, why don¡¯t you go ask Shinozaki-san directly?¡±

    Because she wants to be the meeting presiden¡ª or something like that? She¡¯s Ayaka after all¡­¡­

    ¡°Fujishima-kun, it seems that you aren¡¯t a member, are you?¡±

    ¡°But of course, Ayaka is the representative for our ss, after all.¡±

    Being in charge of teaching a bunch of unskilled members how to take care of nts, no other people can do that other than her.

    ¡°But is this really okay? Didn¡¯t you put in so much effort so that you could undergo club activities with Shinozaki-san?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not the case.¡±

    So what did I want to protect in the end? Since I have to use the words of the deceased to exin this point, I just waved my hands and brushed the matter past.

    ¡°It¡¯s enough as long as flowers are blooming in the school.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Kousaka-senpai shook her head in puzzlement.

    ¡°Fujishima-kun¡ª¡° She suddenly called me when I thanked senpai once again and was about to walk out of the Inspection office.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Have you chosen a club yet?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡ª no, not yet.¡±

    What should I do? The Gardening Club and the Computer Club had already been abolished, so I have to find a club to join.

    ¡°Really? Then let me tell you¡­¡­¡±

    Kousaka-senpai walked out to the corridors and spoke to me:

    ¡°We have a vacancy called the ounting Inspector, as long as the Inspection wishes for it, you can take the position even without a vote. And we¡¯re strongly recruiting right now!¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Which means, as long as take part in the Student Council, even if you don¡¯t join any club, the teachers won¡¯t force you to. For instance, I am not in any club as well¡­¡­ The ¡®Central Gardening Meeting¡¯ probably has this kind of feeling to it, does it not?¡±

    ¡°So¡­¡­ Which means¡­¡­¡± Is she asking me if I want to join the Inspection?

    ¡°That¡¯s right! Fujishima-kun, you¡¯ll definitely be suited for it!¡±

    ¡°Erm¡­¡­ But the teachers have their eyes on me already, and I am not too serious, and coupled with the fact that I have my assistant detective part time job, so I might be so busy that I have to skip sses¡­¡­ So isn¡¯t it impossible for me to be in the cadres of the Student Council?¡±

    ¡°You can! Because you¡¯re a detective, and you¡¯re smart, so let us protect the clubs from the domineering Kaoruko-chan¡¯s hands!¡±

    ¡°Who are you calling domineering?¡±

    I turned around and jumped. The person standing by the windows was Kaoruko-senpai. She red at me with a ferocious gaze as usual, and pushed me away, saying to Kousaka-senpai:

    ¡°Seriously. Though you asked me to do all that, you actually don¡¯t believe me right until now.¡±

    ¡°Be- Because the Inspection and the Management should be taking an opposing stand in theory, needing to keep an eye on the other party. So that¡¯s why I think that we must get some new forces for the following battles¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Even so, you don¡¯t need to let this thinge in and out whenever he likes.¡± The Student Council president pointed at me while saying. I was actuallybeled as this thing. It seems like she really hates me a lot.

    But I can count as a mature adult now, so I should still thank her.

    ¡°Thank you for helping out so much in the general meeting for a thing like me.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do all that for you.¡± Kaoruko-senpai wasn¡¯t merciful at all. ¡°Since all of it turned out as you said, so it¡¯s somewhat displeasing.¡±

    That¡¯s right. I really felt like recording the ¡®key point¡¯ that Kaoruko-senpai spoke of during the general meeting, giving it to Alice. Letting the opposing party who wants to cut the budget shut up in an instant, causing the atmosphere to change drastically, and allowing the new amendment case pass as well.

    As Kousaka-senpai said, it¡¯s all thanks to this person¡¯s help.

    But that was Kaoruko-senpai¡¯s choice as well, so maybe I really don¡¯t need to thank her.

    Sounds of conversation came from below the window. Kaoruko-senpai looked towards the courtyard, while I followed her gaze and saw Ayaka whose sleeves were rolled up was holding a small spade in the sun bathed garden below the school building opposite to us. On the other hand, beside her was Sayuri-senpai, now the advisor of the Central Gardening Meeting, who was wearing a shirt and a tight fitting skirt, helping to tidy up the courtyard with that careless attire.

    The target that the deceased and the living sacrificed a lot to protect.

    I think that it was not any person or not any ce, but a warm feeling like this.

    Because of that, I sneaked a peek by my side. Some gentleness showed from Kaoruko-senpai¡¯s gaze while she looked at Sayuri-sensei¡¯s back at that moment; while Kousaka-senpai who didn¡¯t know anything just looked curious.

    *

    Though it was quite early when I reached Hanamaru Ramen, the shop was already quite crowded.

    ¡°Min-san, Min-san. Please give me a bottle of Kubota¡¯s Manjuu sake! I¡¯m going to drink a liter with Major!¡±

    ¡°No no no, Hiro-san. We should have a bottle of champagne at these times, and it must be pink.¡±

    ¡°All the champagnes in the shop are used for ice creams, not for your consumption!¡±

    ¡°Hey, why don¡¯t you let me drink a little? I lost to Narumi in the end, so that¡¯s a good reason.¡±

    ¡°Tetsu, since you lost to the Gardening Club kid, that means your position is lower than me by two levels.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about!? Get out!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m betting ten thousand on Yondaime.¡±

    ¡°Me too, me too. Twenty thousand on Yondaime.¡±

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t anyone betting on me!¡±

    ¡°Because Tetsu is even weaker than Narumi-kun.¡±

    ¡°Hiro, get over here as well! I¡¯ll let you be unable to speak foreve¡ª¡°

    ¡°What are you guys doing¡­¡­?¡±

    Poking my head into the alley, I waszy to even say anything more.

    Hiro-san, Major, Yondaime and Tetsu-senpai. The four of them surrounded the wooden stand used as a table, while arge amount of sake bottles were already on it.

    ¡°Ohhh, you¡¯re here, Vice Admiral Fujishijma? Then let us drink a toast to Vice Admiral Fujishima!¡±

    ¡°Cheers!¡± Only Hiro-san and Major raised their sses. On the other hand, Tetsu-senpai red at me with an expression that looked as though he wanted to pounce on me, making me feel like turning right quickly and leaving the ce.¡±

    ¡°What are you doing, Gardening Club kid! Where are you going?¡±

    As Yondaime called me, I was unable to slip away.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Well¡­¡­ Is there anything wrong? Why are you drinking in broad daylight?¡±

    ¡°The members of Hirasaka-gumi originally weren¡¯t willing to pay up their debts, so Hiro-san and I sold the debt to Yondaime with a twenty percent discount. It¡¯s better for us as we saved the trouble of collecting the money from them.¡±

    ¡°And of course, I collected the money immediately.¡± The smile of a carnivore appeared on Yondaime¡¯s face. That¡¯s scary¡­¡­

    I remember that Hiro-san and Major both had a huge profit out of the gamble during Tetsu-senpai and my battle. It¡¯s just that I didn¡¯t dare to ask them how much profit they had¡­¡­ It just feels as though they¡¯re going to drink all of the money away today.

    ¡°Oi, Narumi! Have another fight with me!¡± Tetsu-senpai moaned.

    ¡°I¡¯m not having another fight even if I die!¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about!? Are you trying to run away right after you win?¡±

    Is there anything wrong with that!? You don¡¯t have so much as a scratch on you though you lost, while there are still a whole lot of injuries and bruises on me right now!

    ¡°Tetsu, just give up. You¡¯ll be a loser forever.¡± As Yondaime was still fanning the mes of Tetsu-senpai¡¯s fury, Tetsu-senpai nearly rushed over to me. If there weren¡¯t any sake bottles on the table, things might just turn out like that.

    ¡°Narumi-kun, aren¡¯t you still injured? Maybe next time!¡±

    What do you mean next time!? I won¡¯t do something like this again, ever!

    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you just battle in a way that you won¡¯t get hurt? Vice Admiral Fujishima, you can just battle using dices.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not really good at dice.¡±

    ¡°Oi oi oi, you aren¡¯tcking the confidence to win against my brother in a game of luck, are you?¡±

    Yondaime, please don¡¯t annoy Tetsu-senpai anymore.

    ¡°Narumi, sit down! Min-san, please lend us a bowl!¡±

    Senpai didn¡¯t even drink any sake, but his expression was extremely vicious when he held the three dice. Please, I don¡¯t want to y anymore!

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Gardening Club kid, just y. Didn¡¯t Alice just give you your wages?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Narumi-kun. Just sit down for awhile.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Hiro-san and I will join this as well.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean don¡¯t worry!? This obviously raises the risks!¡±

    I was nked to the seats of the emergency stairs and was forced to sit down.

    ¡°Let¡¯s decide who¡¯s going to be the dealer.¡± After saying that, Tetsu-senpai immediately tossed the dice into the bowl.

    For some reason, I won each and every time. After an hour, my wallet bulged to an unbelievable extent. And I almost never touched the wages that Alice gave me.

    As Yondaime lost too badly, he left halfway. On the other hand, Major and Hiro-san had arge blow because of the loss, and rapidly finished the sake, and were lying down, being asleep on the table. Though it was only five in the evening.

    The one who was still okay was the green-faced me who kept getting four, five and sixes and leopards, and Tetsu-senpai who didn¡¯t even drink a drop of sake.

    ¡°Narumi, why won¡¯t you lose even in dice¡­¡­?¡±

    ¡°No¡­¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡±

    It feels like I¡¯ll just go bankrupt at a certain time. That¡¯s so scary, I don¡¯t think I want to continue.

    ¡°Whatever, I get it now, I¡¯m a loser, while you¡¯re really strong.¡±

    Senpai sighed at the sky, lying down on the cement floor below the emergency backstairs. It felt like senpai was saying that sincerely, making me unable to meet his gaze.

    Because I used a cowardly way to attain victory.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. You should really learn more despicable things. It¡¯s the same in dice. Since you¡¯re winning already, isn¡¯t that fine? Be happy. If you really do mind, then just treat these people. If we were really people who cared about the wins and losses in gambling betweenpanions, we wouldn¡¯t have became NEETs.¡±

    Senpai stared at the sky while saying. Things might be so.

    Even if those things happened, senpai would still fool around with me as though nothing happened. As Min-san said, the damp warmth and casualness in this back alley is the strong point in my world.

    But I still can¡¯t handle them carelessly. That¡¯s why I gazed at the same sky as Tetsu-senpai while saying:

    ¡°Sayuri-sensei, she¡¯s the adviser for the newly formed Gardening Committee as well.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Yeah.¡±

    Senpai answered blurrily.

    ¡°The Student Council president¡ª she¡¯s actually Hayano Tomohiko¡¯s sister. She put in a lot of effort for this. The greenhouse and the flowerbeds are well kept, and Ayaka is teaching everyone about gardening right now. That¡¯s why¡­¡­¡±

    That¡¯s why¡ª what? What should I tell Tetsu-senpai?

    It¡¯s actually quite simple. The Ayaka in my memories once told me: Fujishima-kun, you can do it as well. Shout when you¡¯re angry like the others,ugh when you¡¯re happy like the others and speak when there¡¯s something when you want.

    But Ayaka, this matter really isn¡¯t that simple.

    When I was about to lose consciousness because of the inability to say anything, Tetsu-senpai lightly punched the side of my belly. I know it, idiot. His fist seemed to say that.

    So I continued to lie down on the cement ground as well, allowing the words to drift in the air. It¡¯s quite unusual that there¡¯s a sunny day in the monsoon season, the blue skies giving people an exceptionally piercing feeling.

    ¡°W- w- wow, what is with this!?¡±

    A voice suddenly came, startling me into jump and raise my head. A silhouette wearing the sailor uniform of our school was at the end of the alley. Short hair that was near the color of coffee, hair that was pinned up one side using a pin, friendly eyes below determined brows¡­¡­ It was a familiar face that still made people feel nostalgic.

    ¡°Min-san, Min-san, the four of them are all drunk! Really, the shop hasn¡¯t even opened!¡±

    The door opened as Ayaka spoke to the kitchen backdoor. Min-san nced at the four of us corpses.

    ¡°Ayaka, throw these guys into mmable materials before you wash your hands. And please wash the sake bottles as well.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the different for the others, but if we throw Mukai-san into mmable material, wouldn¡¯t that cause a chain explosion?¡±

    Mukai is actually Major¡¯s real name, and the only person who would call him that is Ayaka.

    ¡­¡­ Eh?

    Doesn¡¯t this feel a bit odd? Ayaka noticed me crawling up slowly, and she started to speak to me while unsteadily holding the sake bottles, causing the odd feeling to fade.

    ¡°Really¡ª It¡¯s so tiring! There are twenty four people in the Gardening Meeting in total! It¡¯s hard to teach them all in one day, and there''s a lot that I don¡¯t understand about the greenhouse as well¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡­ Hey, that¡¯s right.¡±

    I suddenly recalled what Kousaka-senpai said, so I asked Ayaka while raising my upper torso.

    ¡°Why did you name it the Central Gardening Meeting?¡±

    ¡°Hmm? Oh, that¡¯s because¡­¡­¡±

    Ayaka stammered while answering, a shy smile on her face. She continued for hesitating for a moment:

    ¡°It¡¯s the Central Gardening Meeting in English, right? That would be the CGM. Fujishima-kun, look. I¡¯m nning to use the armband that you made again. I think the amount should be insufficient, so can you please make some more?¡±

    Ahhh, so that¡¯s why. It¡¯s the armband. As Ayaka¡¯s tone was too natural, I nearly lied down without a second thought.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Ah, Ayaka?¡±

    As I was nning to stand up, Ayaka was about to walk into the kitchen backdoor, her hand full of sake bottles. ¡°Min-san, where should I put these?¡± ¡°Just put them in the corridors for now!¡± ¡°Understood~¡± something like that came from the other side of the door. I stopped my hand that I was about to open the door with.

    Ayaka¡ª What did she call me just now?

    I squatted down on the cement floor, reconfirming it in slight fear. It felt as though the miracle would vanish if I open the kitchen backdoor and see Ayaka¡¯s face.

    Perhaps Ayaka¡¯s memories had recovered? Because she called Major with his real name just now as well.

    No no, even so¡­¡­

    This is too strange. If her memories had recovered, if Ayaka really remembered about everyone¡ª

    She should know that the words on the armband should be read from in to out: MGC.

    Then¡­¡­ So this is what it means?

    The things that was lost, damaged and hurt did not change, but we¡¯re still by each other¡¯s side right now, so that¡¯s why we act like we did before, gradually getting closer once more.

    That¡¯s all.

    The door before my eyes opened once more.

    ¡°Fujishima-kun, this¡­¡­¡±

    Ayaka did call me that, and handed me a tray with arge bowl on it.

    ¡°This is for Alice.¡±

    Even after I took the tray, I still stared at Ayaka¡¯s familiar but nostalgic face. As the door was about to close, I unconsciously called her.

    ¡°¡­¡­ What is it?¡±

    Ayaka shyly poked out her head from a small slit. I really didn¡¯t know what to say. The thing that I wanted to say in my mind was probably ¡®Shout when you¡¯re angry like the others,ugh when you¡¯re happy like the others and speak up if you want something.¡¯ But the words that came out after some effort was¡ª

    ¡°You haven¡¯t told me why you hid at Alice¡¯s ce, have you?¡±

    Ayaka widened her eyes, and narrowed the slit even more.

    ¡°That¡¯s because¡­¡­!¡± She suddenly said in a startlingly loud voice, and lowered her volume once again.

    ¡°W- Why do you want to know of secrets between girls so much!?¡±

    ¡°What secret¡­¡­¡± Did something happen with Alice?

    ¡°It¡¯s¡ª Erm¡­¡­¡± To hide her embarrassment, Ayaka kept opening and closing the door. ¡°I heard a lot from Alice, like things about you, Fujishima-kun, and things about thepanions at Hanamaru Ramen¡­¡­¡±

    About me?

    Ayaka suddenly opened the door and said:

    ¡°Be¡ª Because you know a lot about me, but I don¡¯t know anything about you, that¡¯s very unfair. And I can only ask Alice about this¡ª Why are you forcing me to say all this!?¡±

    Two whole days. So they were just talking about all this?

    Was it to search for the her before she lost her memories?

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you that it¡¯s not that!¡± Even her ears reddened. ¡°Fujishima-kun, why do you make things soplicated each time? Fujishima-kun, I just want to be more¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Eh, ah? S- Sorry¡­¡­¡±

    Ayaka is right. No matter how her memories of the past are, we actually don¡¯t need to think so much about this.

    It¡¯s okay as long as the distance between the two is shortened. I was facing Ayaka, while Ayaka was facing me. We were getting closer step by step. That¡¯s why we¡¯re standing at a ce where we could touch each other by extending our hands right now.

    My left hand holding the tray, I tried to extend my right hand to Ayaka in reality; Ayaka cautiously extended her left hand in response. It seemed that our fingertips lightly touched each other.

    What should I say? I finally spoke after thinking for a long time:

    ¡°¡­¡­ Wee back.¡±

    With a shy smile on her face, Ayaka answered: ¡°I¡¯m back.¡±

    After seeing the kitchen backdoor close, I walked towards the emergency backstairs.

    Ayaka found her answer through Alice. If so, there¡¯s only ast bit of uneasiness left.

    ¡°I heard that the Gardening Committee is starting its activities from today, is that right?¡±

    While moving the onions into her mouth with her chopsticks, Alice gushed them down with Dr. Pepper. For some reason, she kept facing me with her back, and ate while staring at the innermost monitor in the room. Perhaps I¡¯m thinking too much? It seemed that most of the dolls on the bed had their backs to me as well, and the air conditioning was terribly cold.

    ¡°Ahhh, yeah. Though the name isn¡¯t the same.¡±

    ¡°Is that so. Then we can say that the case is closed this time, isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    I thought to myself, why is she unwilling to look over here?

    But I just couldn¡¯t ask her. Since Ayaka and Alice talked for two whole days, perhaps not only did Ayaka ask Alice about a lot of things, Alice might have asked Ayaka about something as well?

    I prepared the second can of Dr. Pepper and sat at the end of the bed, closely listening to the continuous sounds of typing. To be frank, I really didn¡¯t know how to ask as well.

    ¡°Are you feeling uneasy?¡±

    Alice asked without turning her head around.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Uneasy about what?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Ayaka still can¡¯t remember anything.¡±

    I thought about the words that Alice said. Does that really count as ¡®nothing¡¯? I don¡¯t know.

    ¡°So I¡¯m telling you that the mystery already sank into the deep sea, to a ce that I cannot touch.¡±

    In the incident that happened during winter, the thing that pushed Alice. ¡®Why did Ayaka jump down from the school rooftop?¡¯

    The answer was already lost before the truth was converted to facts.

    ¡°Also, you probably don¡¯t need the answer of that incident as well. You¡¯ll know when you look at Ayaka right now.¡±

    I thought to myself, this girl really did change a bit.

    Before this, she wasn¡¯t afraid of hurting anyone just to convert the truth to facts¡ª a detective that wouldn¡¯t mind even if she harms herself.

    ¡°So the contract that I had with you ends here.¡±

    I really wanted to know how Alice¡¯s expression was that time. The contract. The reason that I became an assistant detective was to pay off my debt for hiring Alice , while the time was until Alice found out the truth. And everything ended already now.

    Because Alice gave up. Because Alice found an answer through Ayaka as well.

    I¡ª don¡¯t have a reason to stay here anymore.

    Alice finally stopped her movements of pounding on the keyboard, moving the moveable desk with the tray on it aside, and turned around to look at me. She covered the lower part of her face with the small teddy bear on her chest, stars sparkled in her eyes.

    ¡°Alice, do you think that this is okay?¡±

    I asked the question unconsciously.

    ¡°What do you mean is this okay?¡±

    Bewilderment could be seen in her eyes.

    ¡°Do you think that I would feel pity because of losing a useless assistant like you!? Don¡¯t be so full of yourself, I¡¯m now repenting for giving a person who only knows how to serve Dr. Pepper such a high sry! Dumb and blunt, with bad riding skills, having a lot ofints, and even letting yourself get hurt without consulting other people! Being so blunt that you aren¡¯t aware of what I¡¯m thinking about, asking Major to make a robot might be better than yo¡ª¡°

    ¡°Erm¡­¡­ Sorry for my bluntness. So¡­¡­ Alice, what are you thinking about?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter now! The contract is over anyways!¡±

    Alice was in a fit of fury on her bed, and was so angry that her whole face was red, while her hair was so messy that it was like a typhoon just passed by. Err¡­¡­ She seems really angry. But not even knowing the reason for her anger, I¡¯m really an unbelievably dumb person.

    So what should I do?

    ¡°Anyways! I¡¯m collecting payment from you this time. Don¡¯t you have cash on you? I¡¯ve just given you your sry.¡±

    ¡°Eh? Ah, mnn.¡±

    I weakly extended my hand towards my back pocket. The cash in my wallet was so much that it almost overflowed.

    I even thought that I helped Alice at least a little. Thoughpared with the detective¡¯s ability, my ability was a far cry from hers, but I just felt that I might be able to help her, albeit a little, if I stayed by her side.

    But those were just my thoughts¡ª when was that? My promise to Alice to ¡®keep staying by her side¡¯, but was harshly scolded by her. Ahh, that¡¯s right. I finally understood. What Alice thinks is absolutely not important at all.

    I am the one who wants to stay by Alice¡¯s side.

    I want to continue to be an assistant detective but it is ending now, so I feel an inexplicable uneasiness and loneliness.

    I suddenly thought of something and then I stuffed my wallet back again.

    ¡°Erm¡­¡­ I yed dice with them just now.¡±

    Alice frowned. I swallowed before continuing:

    ¡°I lost terribly. I lost all of the money you gave me, so I can¡¯t pay you. So¡ª¡°

    The detective¡¯s expression changed drastically, and she tried to use the small teddy in her hands to cover her face.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be your assistant detective to pay for that again. Is that¡­¡­ okay?¡±

    Alice was speechless. After a moment, at a ce slightly above the doll¡¯s head, the stars in the two eyes started to waver. After that, she swayed her long hair, having her back to me yet again. After that, there came the thorned words:

    ¡°Unbelievable! I let you experience the normal rtionship between a superior and a staff so that you won¡¯t be a NEET, and in the end you¡¯re telling me that you lost all of it!? You¡¯re really a hopeless NEET from your bones. I will never hand you arge amount of money ever again!¡±

    ¡°S- Sorr¡­¡­¡±

    Eh? What was thest sentence she said?

    ¡°That¡¯s fine as well. I will let you know how terrible it is to owe me two favors. I will torture you with a meager sry that would make you want to be amunist forever, so you¡¯d better prepare yourself!¡±

    I was so happy that I jumped, and almost fell as well. I barely supported myself by using the side of the bed.

    ¡°Erm¡­¡­ Thank you! This¡ª I¡ª Really¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Then go to the Lawson Supermarket and buy two crates of Dr. Pepper first. Didn¡¯t I often tell you before this, remember to stock up when there are less than a dozen left? How many times do I have to tell you!¡±

    Alice continued to say without turning back. I was so happy that I couldn¡¯t say a thing, and I still looked back repeatedly at the pajamas d silhouette.

    After walking out of the door and wearing my shoes, I saw a tiny shadow hung below the rain shelter when I was about to stand up. That was one of the surveince cameras that Alice set up throughout this building.

    A surveince camera. I nearly cried out loud.

    Alice should have seen that through her monitors. Seeing Hiro-san, Major, Yondaime, Tetsu-senpai and I y dices, and the fact that I won spectacrly. Having evidence of my lies, she¡ª

    I looked back.

    The words on the signboard hung outside the NEET Detective Agency came into my eyes.

    This is the only thing worth trying.

    It¡¯s the only NEET thing to do.

    Though that wasn¡¯t really a good way.

    I don¡¯t know why Alice didn¡¯t expose my lie as well.

    But to me, this is the only thing worth trying, while Alice is still by my side right now.

    Though it¡¯s impossible for everything to recover its original state, even so¡ª

    We must still work hard to live on, continuing to walk forwards with our own feet.

    So isn¡¯t this fine already?

    I used my fingers to draw on the words on the signboard. These words don¡¯t have any warmth, and are not the words of the dead. They were the words of life that she wrote in fresh blood.

    Neither truth nor lies, the form of happiness, despair and reality¡ª

    This is Alice¡¯s story.

 Volume 3, Afterword

    <h4>Volume 3, Afterword</h4>

    A few days ago, it was my second time paying my personal taxes¡ª after writing that, I found that this is almost the same thing that I wrote in the afterword of the second book. And that means, all of you readers waited a whole year, I¡¯m very sorry.

    A lot happened this year. Moving¡­¡­ Moving¡­¡­ Err¡­¡­ And moving. I thought that I might feel a lot of regret as I had to say farewell to my house that I lived at for eight years, but that kind of feeling did not ur to me after I moved out. Maybe I¡¯m just this kind of cold-blooded person?

    In the room that I lived for eight years, the wallpapers on the wall were already badly torn. Being able to dig out a lot of treasures when I was packing made me feel that it was interesting as well. For example, a mummified insect (thrown away), a poem collection that I read before this (thrown away immediately without hesitation). Actually, it¡¯s better not to touch these things that had been hidden for so many years already, the world would be more peaceful like this.

    The structure of this story was actually buried in myputer for quite a long time. Probably during summerst year, I suddenly thought about the structure of the story, as for what I did after that¡­¡­ The people who knows probably knows, throwing ¡®Kamimemo¡¯ aside, writing another story. So sorry¡­¡­

    Thus, when my editor said that I should write the third book, I was shocked because of the story structure that I sent there. Because there wasn¡¯t even a solution in the contents. This was written on the email that I sent that time: ¡®Just like the first book, I wish to listen to everyone¡¯s thoughts after I finished the whole draft, so only the solution wasn¡¯t written.¡¯ And there was a lot of excuses as well. Hikaru Sugii half a year ago, what are you doing? Why didn¡¯t you finish it! Or perhaps you just didn¡¯t have the inspiration that time? Seeing the title of ¡®A interweavingplex past, a nervous exciting school mystery¡¯ that I wrote, it was quite annoying!

    But I must exin a bit (Though I¡¯m not sure who I¡¯m exining to), a proposal is probably something like this, bluffs. If I¡¯m a person that could predict the pain after I write, I don¡¯t need to be a NEET at all.

    Because of that, theter half of the January this year was just like hell. And the only constion was that other fellow novelists are experiencing a more terrible hell at the same workce.

    To sculpt Ayaka¡¯s story again, Yuasa-sama who patiently changed the draft with me, and the illustrator Kishida Mel-sensei who loves Ayaka far more than me and is waiting for her return, I use this chance to express my deepest thanks. Thank you very much.

    February 2008. Hikaru Sugii.

 Volume 4, 1

    <h4>Volume 4, Chapter 1</h4>

    Farewell, red-haired alien. Put in lots of love in the rocket that you made¡ª ¡°Rocket Dive¡± hide/ Hotei Tomoyasu

    When a long-awaited client arrived at the agency, I was having a fierce battle with Alice, and thus did not notice anyone enter.

    ¡±You actually wished to bathe my good friends, causing them to suffer the third-most cruelest method of torture in this world! Though I have long known that you are a cold, unjust person, I never thought that it was actually serious till this extent!¡±

    Standing on her bed in the six tsubo room, Alice looked just like Nio as her luscious hair that was like ck honey fluttered, while her skin so white that it looked sickly was slightly flushed in anger. Teddy bears, dolphins, kittens, andrge quantities of other dolls were copsed on the sheets. The reason that she was so agitated was just because I asked her if I should wash the dolls. Though she is a self-proimed detective, always speaking a huge ton of principles, actually, her personality is as her appearance suggests, that of a vexatious little girl.

    ¡±Then what about the second and the first?¡±

    If I seriously answer herints, I might continue to be terribly scolded, so I directly changed the topic.

    ¡±The second-most cruelest thing to endure is to answer questions by foolish people. The cruelest thing would be to endure the fact that the foolish person is actually my assistant!¡±

    ¡±Alright, I¡¯m sorry. So that you won¡¯t suffer anymore, I¡¯ll just take the ice cream that Min-san made back.¡±

    ¡±Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier.¡± Alice jumped down from the bed and ran towards me. ¡°You actually kept silent all this time, how despicable.¡±

    ¡±Is this really okay? Min-san said ¡¯Alice will happily dash down from the bed if you use ice cream as bait, and you can use that opportunity to take the dolls and the sheets¡¯. It really turned out as she said.¡±

    ¡±MMNNNNNNNN!¡±

    Alice sat at the edge of the bed, shaking her legs repeatedly while gnashing her teeth. Taking that chance, I ced the cup containing the ice cream into the fridge, taking out a can of Dr. Pepper by the way.

    ¡±In any case, my good friends and the sheets are not dirty at all. Look, they are as new as the moon when it was first born.¡±

    ¡±It indeed appears to be so, but since it¡¯s almost summer now, you probably sweated when you were sleeping.¡±

    ¡±If you really don¡¯t believe it, just sniff it and you¡¯ll see.¡±

    I almost dropped the Dr. Pepper that I was about to open onto the floor.

    ¡±No¡­¡­ Wait a minute, what are you talking about?¡±

    ¡±You¡¯re the one who said that they¡¯re dirty, so you have the obligation to prove that they are dirty. Hurry up and prove it!¡±

    Alice stepped on my thigh as I was coincidentally kneeling before the sheets to prevent me from escaping and shoved a huge teddy bear into my face.

    ¡±S- Stop that!¡±

    ¡±Just say it, how does it smell like?¡±

    I really couldn¡¯t say something like ¡¯It smells like Alice¡¯. As I fell on my back in near suffocation, my gaze met the sharp, wolf-like eyes above me.

    ¡±What the heck are you doing?¡±

    ¡±¡ªYondaime?¡±

    I immediately sprang up. As the speed when I raised my knees while standing up was too fast, I identally toppled Alice, causing her to protest loudly, but I really didn¡¯t have the time to care.

    ¡±W- W- When did you arrive? When did you start watching us?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but kneel down in front of Yondaime. The leader of the young yakuza gang was d in clothes for the summer¡ª ck, webbed vest on his upper torso that showed skin, and a pair of painted loose denim pants.

    ¡±Probably from the time you started to sniff the sheets.¡±

    ¡±I did not sniff the sheets!¡±

    ¡±Though I am not sure what you two are here for, I wee you to help chase the fussy assistant before me away.¡± Alice sat on the sheets once again. Two? I turned my attention behind Yondaime and saw a person with slightly dyed hair smiling at me with his pearly teeth.

    ¡±Even Hiro-san is here. Y- You saw it as well?¡±

    ¡±Ahh¡ª Yes.¡±

    With a wry smile on his face, Hiro-san walked to Yondaime¡¯s side. He was wearing clothes with a daring style as well, with a chili red T-shirt and a dazzling gold ne on his neck that would make anyone think that he¡¯s a gigolo on first sight.

    ¡±It seemed like you were having fun, so we didn¡¯t want to disturb you.¡±

    ¡±If it seemed so fun, please change ces with me!¡±

    ¡±But isn¡¯t that Narumi-kun¡¯s privilege?¡± What kind of privilege is that! I have to worry about Alice¡¯s baths, wash her clothes, feed her and so on. I would have quit long ago if I could!

    ¡±Just sniffing it doesn¡¯t really matter, but washing my clothes is a definite no. Hiro, it¡¯s the same for you!¡±

    ¡±Erm¡­¡­ Alice, that isn¡¯t so¡­¡­¡±

    Hiro-san approached the bed by my side, squatting down by Alice.

    ¡±I suggest you don¡¯t let Narumi-kun sniff even the smell of yourself.¡±

    What is this guy talking about? From just now, Yondaime¡¯s gaze that was fierce like that of a wild wolf, and was narrowed so much that it almost pierced through my face. Can we please not continue to discuss this topic?

    ¡±Why not? Narumi is already so slow that I cannot let himprehend with words. What I mean is that I wish to turn the words that I wish to speak of into data, uploading it into his brain after connecting a USB cable to his nostrils.¡±

    ¡±No, think about it. Aren¡¯t the pajamas and sheets things that Alice is always in contact with?¡±

    ¡±Uh huh?¡±

    ¡±So aren¡¯t the dolls like another part of Alice as well?¡±

    ¡±So what?¡±

    ¡±How will you feel if you let Narumi-kun sniff the smell of your skin directly?¡±

    I waspletely speechless, while Alice¡¯s face underwent different shades of red, and had the vibrance of a red chili in the end.

    ¡±Narumi! You shameless fellow!¡±

    ¡¯The shameless one should be you!¡± And you only realized that after people exined it so clearly to you!?

    When I retorted, I was immediately assaulted with numerous cans of Dr. Pepper. Unable to face the attack, I had no other choice but to hide behind Yondaime. Having supernatural reflexes, the wolf mmed all the empty cans away with only one hand.

    ¡±Stop ying the fool. Hiro, don¡¯t start a lesson of morals and ethics at this time. I am here for official business.¡±

    ¡±Ahhh, that¡¯s right, I almost forgot.¡±

    Hiro-san answered while pressing on Alice¡¯s shoulder with his hand¡­¡­ Official business?

    ¡±It¡¯s best if it is serious work!¡± Alice spoke in a furious tone. Steam almost puffed out from her face. ¡°Please continue after chasing that shameless rogue out of my office!¡±

    Why am I scolded to this extent¡­¡­?

    ¡±That¡¯s fine. Yondaime said that he wants to borrow Narumi-kun for awhile. It might take up the whole summer vacation.¡±

    The steam suddenly disappeared from Alice¡¯s face without a trace, while her dancing ck hair drooped on the sheets as well.

    ¡±¡­¡­ You wish to borrow Narumi? Why?¡±

    ¡±I spoke of this to you before this. I epted the job of doing promotion for an indie band.¡±

    Yondaime forcefully pushed me aside and walked into the bedroom to exin.

    ¡±At the end of August, they will have a few continuous concerts in Tokyo.¡±

    ¡±Ahh¡­¡­ Would it be that band? I can¡¯t remember the name for now, but it should be the one whose members are all girls.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but interrupt.

    ¡±See, Narumi-kun indeed knows of it as well.¡± Hiro-san approached me. ¡°There are already quite a lot of people discussing this band on the inte now.¡±

    I often saw the Mad Movie that was released as a promotional video on the official website, but since I never heard of the original songs in the first ce, it¡¯s really nothing to boast of.

    ¡±¡­¡­ Are you referring to this?¡±

    Alice¡¯s fingers moved quickly on the keyboard, showing the results of her search on one of the monitors that covered the walls. As expected of the NEET detective who holds the massive amount of information floating in the inte sea in her weak hands, she¡¯s absolutely unbeatable if she¡¯s in an online state. I think I watched the video yed as well. It was a pv that gave a deep impression to the people viewing it. The female lead singer was strumming a ck Gibson Les Paul guitar in the video.

    ¡±I never thought that Yondaime would actually ept jobs in the entertainment industry as well. What in the world is happening?¡±

    ¡±Stop talking as if I work because of my interests. This is business.¡±

    Yondaime crossed his arms in displeasure, ramming the back of his head into the wall.

    ¡±We can¡¯t earn our livings just by being a delinquent. It¡¯ll be over if we don¡¯t expand our business. I¡¯ve started a newpany for event coordination, and I¡¯m going to use this as a stepping stone.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but start to listen closely. Yondaime is the king of the NEETs in this city, but his true identity is that of a true businessman.

    ¡±The guys in our gang arepletely useless in matters like this, so it¡¯s not enough when I am doing this alone. I¡¯m directly borrowing Hiro, but since the Gardening Club kid is Alice¡¯s only assistant, I¡¯d still have to ask.¡±

    ¡±Well, I understand the reason that you¡¯re borrowing Hiro-san for, but why are you using me as well?¡±

    Hiro-san is really good at coping with girls. If Yondaime wishes to promote the indie band by word, Hiro-san would be the prime candidate. But what about me?

    ¡±I¡¯m thinking of doing promotion using the inte and contact with DJs, but there aren¡¯t any other people I know that are good in this.¡±

    ¡±Oh, so that¡¯s why you¡¯re here?¡±

    Indeed, I¡¯m slightly more knowledgeable about public culture. Though there is no match for Alice on the inte, the fact that she doesn¡¯t have any enemies means that she doesn¡¯t have anypanions as well. The only person left would be me.

    ¡±Does that mean that you wish to dispatch Narumi to various ces during the whole summer break?¡±

    ¡±That¡¯s the main gist of it.¡±

    ¡±Don¡¯t joke with me, who will do the chores in my office then?¡±

    Didn¡¯t you just ask people to chase or kick me out of here?

    ¡±It isn¡¯t like he wouldn¡¯te back. Wouldn¡¯t he still be your assistant when school starts?¡±

    ¡±Uuuu¡­¡­¡±

    It feels like Alice isn¡¯t that quick-witted today, as her opponent kept getting the upper hand.

    ¡±Why must you use both Hiro and Narumi? Is it not just an indie band? Even if there is not too much funds, don''t they know any cheap event coordinators?¡±

    ¡±The event this time will definitely be a hit, so I¡¯m hoping that a veteran won¡¯t barge in from the start, and let us handle all the promotions.¡±

    Hearing such forceful statements, Hiro-san and I couldn¡¯t help but stare at Yondaime¡¯s face. Though his lips were tightly closed while his eyes were narrowed in a line as usual, it was like there were transparent mes surrounding him, dazzling all of us.

    ¡±Why are you so certain that they will be a hit?¡± Alice asked with her brows furrowed while shaking her head.

    ¡±You¡¯ll know when you listen to them. Not the music yed on the, but the recording of a live concert rehearsal.¡±

    After saying that, Yondaime immediately took out something from his pocket and tossed it to Alice. As the sports skills of the girl was equal to zero, of course it¡¯s impossible for her to catch it. Thus, the tiny object hammered on her forehead, dropping onto a pile of dolls after that¡ª it was a USB stick.

    ¡±Barbarian! Why did you not just hand it to me?¡± Alice furiously plugged in the USB stick.

    It was not until that moment that day that I noticed the speakers and amplifiers installed in the NEET Detective Agency. When the room was filled with pink noise that was like hot steam, I noticed two huge sound sources at the two sides of the walls covered with ck machines. What followed was the strong feedback of the resonance between a Les Paul electric guitar and the Marshal amplifiers.

    A feeling as though one was beaten up by music¡ª such a thing really did exist.

    There were vibrations that felt as though they were going to gorge out one¡¯s heart. Unclear mumblings turned into dream-like prayers, the singing voice dashed in a vast, endless wilderness. A guitar riff that was cruel at times, and sweetly cuts one¡¯s flesh and body at times.

    The music that overwhelmed me that time was something like that.

    It was just after noon when Yondaime, Hiro-san and I walked out of the detective agency. The burning sun of the early summer mercilessly roasted the roads between the long buildings.

    ¡±Haven¡¯t you nned an outdoor concert or the like? It seems like this summer will have a strong feeling of summer.¡±

    Hiro-san turned around to ask Yondaime while walking down the emergency backstairs.

    ¡±Where can we n them?¡±

    ¡±At the Hibiya theatre, perhaps?¡±

    ¡±Isn¡¯t it a bit toote to reserve the Hibiya theatre?¡±

    The Hibiya Outdoors Theatre is a sacred ground for outdoor concerts. However, since it is only open to the public on weekends, the reservation schedule is so full that we can only use it next year if we book it now.

    ¡±Hmmm, that¡¯s a pity. The band really is¡ª¡°

    Hiro-san muttered in a singsong voice.

    ¡±Wish I could hear it outdoors¡­¡­ It would be exhrating.¡±

    I somewhat understood what Hiro-san meant. Being immersed in that song with our backs to the sun of real summer that has the color of fresh blood, it would probably be a whole three days before we could return to reality. And I finally understood why Yondaime was so resolute about this as well.

    Besides, even Alice fell into a silence after listening to the recording of the rehearsal, agreeing to rent me out after that.

    The song is the real thing.

    ¡±I will be responsible if it is not sessful.¡±

    Yondaime shifted his gaze opposite to the railings. They were not words that one can easily speak of.

    After that, we walked to the empty space between the buildings below the emergency backstairs and started a tactical meeting after sitting on the beer crates, old tires and gas tanks surrounding a decaying wooden stand. Large amount of steam because of the simmering ramen soup puffed out of the kitchen backdoor, causing the surroundings to be slightly hot and blurry. The summer heat was really overwhelming.

    ¡±There is one other thing that I didn¡¯t mention to Alice just now,¡± Yondaime¡¯s tone suddenly turned heavy. ¡°¡­¡­ We caught a whiff of dispute. It¡¯s very possible that conflicts will happen.¡±

    ¡±Why?¡±

    ¡±The job was originally taken by other event coordinators, a rotten organization supported by a yakuza gang known as Yanagihara-kai. As they were sloppy with their work, the head of the band broke the contract in a rage and brought the case to me.¡±

    Whoa! That wouldn¡¯t just be a whiff of dispute, the thick smoke of battle could already be felt.

    ¡±Among the venues that we reserved, one of them can¡¯t be used now. It seems like they¡¯re deliberately looking for trouble.¡±

    ¡±Is that really okay? The mes of battle are already lit.¡±

    ¡±Though Yanagihara-kai isn¡¯t getting involved personally, the situation is still rather unfavorable. That¡¯s why I¡¯m giving you the request.¡±

    Which means, the detective will have to get involved in the most critical moment, is that so?

    ¡±If so, won¡¯t telling Alice from the start be more appropriate?¡±

    ¡±If I really did that¡ª disregard Hiro for the moment, it isrgely probable that she won¡¯t let me borrow you. That girl worries too much, after all.¡±

    Would she really be that worried? But since the yakuza is involved this time as well, it indeed feels somewhat dangerous¡­¡­

    ¡±I¡¯m not really suited for a job like this as well, but it doesn¡¯t seem like you¡¯re worried about me.¡±

    ¡±No one will be worried of you or have expectations of you. A gigolo should just do as a gigolo does.¡±

    ¡±Fine, fine. Then I¡¯ll just have to poke around for news at the clubs nearby as usual, right?¡±

    ¡±There will be no need for that. You don¡¯t need to go to the shops. Just go look for any woman to find out information. We aren¡¯t clear which type of people knows about the band yet.¡±

    ¡±Oi oi, you¡¯re still at this level though there¡¯s only two months left? Aren¡¯t they going to release an album as well?¡±

    ¡±Didn¡¯t I tell you that I epted the case recently? It can¡¯t be helped!¡±

    ¡±Erm¡­¡­ Then what about me?¡± I couldn¡¯t speak up because of the rapid-fire conversation of the two, so I could only interrupt weakly. Yondaime red at me.

    ¡±Go search for people simr to DJs who have their own websites or are doing a web radio.¡±

    ¡±Seems to be a refined, exhausting job¡­¡­¡±

    ¡±Let¡¯s talk about your payment before this¡­¡­ Would a monthly sry be okay?¡±

    ¡±Huh¡­¡­ Ah, it¡¯s fine.¡±

    ¡±As expected of Yondaime, you n your finances really carefully. As expected of a person from Kansai.¡±

    ¡±It¡¯s irrelevant to Kansai. It¡¯s just that the concept of money of you NEETs is too bad.¡±

    The others assume that Yondaimees from a yakuza family, but it is said that his true identity before this was a sessor of a prestigious family of businessmen in Osaka. Though he was long chased out of the family, the blood flowing in his veins is still that of a businessman¡¯s.

    After hearing the lucrative sry that Yondaime spoke of, I gave him my okay while feeling shocked. Though the two had long wandered out of the back alley, I still sat nkly on therge steel bucket with my head drooped for quite some time.

    ¡±Sorry, sorry. It¡¯s a bitte for me to take your orders¡ª Hmm?¡±

    The kitchen backdoor opened, while the short-haired person wearing the cute expression of a deer and her sailor¡¯s uniform for summer who emerged was Ayaka. Along with the steam that flowed out of the kitchen, her ck apron fluttered as well.

    ¡±Aren¡¯t Hiro-san and Yondaime here?¡±

    ¡±Ahh, yes. They said that they still have work to do, so they already left.¡±

    ¡±NEETs have work?¡± That¡¯s right, they have work though they¡¯re obviously NEETs. ¡°In the end, Fujishima-kun is hanging out here as a NEET reserve even though the summer break hasn¡¯t officially started? Do you want to eat anything?¡±

    ¡±Don¡¯t say that I¡¯m a NEET reserve again! And I don¡¯t have any appetite right now.¡±

    ¡±What¡¯s wrong? Ah, I know. You were given a huge scolding by Alice when you wanted to collect her dirty clothes just now, isn¡¯t that right? I¡¯m telling you that there¡¯s a technique for it. Min-san taught me about it before this. The back of Alice¡¯s neck is especially weak. You can just hug her from behind and blow on it, and use the chance to take off her pajamas and sheets. Eh? Fujishima-kun, are you listening?¡±

    ¡±Yes, yes¡­¡­¡± That¡¯s assuming I can do something like that!

    ¡±Why is it that you seem listless about life in general? It seems more serious than usual.¡±

    ¡±Your statement of life in general is redundant!¡±

    ¡±Yes, that¡¯s right. I¡¯m sorry! It is the truth after all, so it¡¯s fine even if I don¡¯t say it.¡± Hey! Isn¡¯t that way of putting it way crueler!

    ¡±Well, that¡¯s not it¡­¡­ Ayaka, how much is your hourly sry at Hanamaru Ramen? Is it about the same as me?¡±

    ¡±Hah? What?¡±

    That moment, a tall female walked out after pushing Ayaka aside. With a ponytail and a fierce expression on her face, she wore a gray tank top that showed her firm arms. It was the owner of Hanamaru Ramen, Min-san.

    ¡±850 yen. Is other people¡¯s wages any of your concern?¡±

    ¡±W- Why is it 150 yen more than mine?¡±

    ¡±Ehh? You actually have the nerve to ask for the reason? Don¡¯t you remember how many bowls you broke? As I recall, didn¡¯t you once spill a bowl with ramen in it? Will you only remember if I spill hot soup on your head?¡±

    ¡±No, no, no¡­¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡±Ah¡ª So it¡¯s because of Fujishima-kun that the apron is so filthy. The stain already seeped in and can¡¯t be removed anymore.¡±

    In a daze, I stared at the apron on Ayaka, whose cheeks were puffed out. The white logo with ¡®Hanamaru Ramen¡¯ printed on it was dyed the color of coffee, almost blending in with the surrounding ck cloth. As I recall, I spilled the soup about twice¡­¡­

    Sigh, it¡¯s just 150 yen anyways, so it¡¯s no big deal. Besides, the daily sry that Yondaime is going to pay me can almost hire five Ayakas and still have some money left. It was for that reason that I was assailed by a strange sense of emptiness.

    However, that might be quite reasonable¡ª Because Yondaime is actually making arge gamble. He said that the starting event coordination was too sloppy, causing the lead singer of the band to fly into a rage, firing the original event coordinator, sending the case directly to Yondaime on the way. Yondaime even helped out with the payment after taking a fancy to their vigor. So I believe the high sry unmatched with my identity should probably be a kind of investment as well. It¡¯s not like the norm, when one gauges how capable you are and pays you that much, but instead, it means that he¡¯s giving you so much money, and that¡¯s why you have to raise your capability and use it on work¡ª the theory would be something like that.

    The said lifestyle of ¡®daring to risk¡¯ is one that I cannotprehend in my whole life. When I think about it, I might not even have the rights to be a NEET.

    ¡±By the way, did you wash the sheets and dolls for Alice?¡±

    Min-san knocked on my head, dragging me out from my delusions.

    ¡±Ah¡ª Sorry. As she flew in a rage just now, I had no other choice but to retreat temporarily.¡±

    ¡±Do you have any self-consciousness? You have no use at all besides tending to Alice¡¯s troublesome needs!¡±

    So sorry for still having the nerve to be alive.

    ¡±There¡¯s no such thing! Fujishima-kun is always useful each time the roast pork brined god knows when appears in the fridge, because his stomach can stand the stench.¡±

    So sorry for actually epting hourly sry as high as 700 yen¡­¡­ Though I was already fired. Being utterly shamed, I could only stand up silently and walk towards the emergency backstairs once more.

    Before having any expectations or being surprised because of Yondaime¡¯s sry, I think it¡¯s better to finish my own work first, because I am an assistant detective.

    When I held the railings, I suddenly thought of a critical question¡ª

    ¡­¡­ Is washing clothes part of an assistant¡¯s job?

    When I arrived at the tform between the first floor and the second, seemingly dangerous sounds of machines and water came from above, while noises of something being hit could be heard as well, with the sounds of moaning closely following. Is it Alice? I hurriedly ran up the stairs. When I saw two knee-high socks on slender feet poking out of the washing machine in front of room 308 while iling frantically, I couldn¡¯t help but make an odd cry, and quickly ran over. As my whole being fell into confusion that time, I actually didn¡¯t even think of turning off the power switch, directly pulling out the plug in the end so that the machine would stop. Then, I immediately grabbed Alice¡¯s waist, pulling her out from the tank.

    ¡±Alice! Oi, Alice!¡±

    When I pushed away the water-sodden, long, ck hair, the face of Alice, who was seeing stars, appeared.

    ¡±Uu- Uuuuuuuuuuu¡­¡­ The water¡­¡­ The water¡­¡­¡±

    ¡±It¡¯s okay now, you can breathe!¡±

    Alice finally stopped struggling after I wiped away the pink detergent on Alice¡¯s cheeks and gently patted her back. She forcefully hugged me, panting repeatedly before my chest.

    ¡±¡­¡­ Th- This is- thergest crisis- in my whole life¡­¡­ The continually expanding Sahara desert, the emperor penguins that lost their home and the Middle East that is currently under air assault, all of the sorrows in the world that I am unable to save shed past my mind in an instant.¡±

    ¡±You should think of a way to climb out before thinking of these! I never heard of anyone who drowned in their own washing machine!¡±

    ¡±Please consider my wrists first. In such a posture, how can I have the energy to raise near to half of my weight?¡±

    And you¡¯re actually saying that in a noble manner?

    ¡±Speaking of which, what on earth are you doing in the washing machine?¡±

    ¡±Washing my clothes, of course!¡±

    Alice suddenly flung her hair to her back and sat down, starting to rock her body after pushing me aside. The water on her continued to drip on the surrounding pajamas, towels and sheets.

    ¡±W- Who would allow a rogue like you¡­¡­ T- To manage the items that had contact with my skin? I realize that this is argely immoral mistake! In the future, I will manage it by myself!¡±

    You only realized that now? I always felt troubled about that!

    ¡±I really don¡¯t want to see an ident like that happen every time, so it¡¯s better if I handle the clothes. Alice, it won¡¯t do for you.¡±

    ¡±What are you talking about, don¡¯t look down on me. I know how to operate a primitive machine like this as well!¡±

    ¡±You have no idea how to use it at all, even your height isn¡¯t enough!¡±

    Perhaps that was the reason she fell into the washing machine? Though it¡¯s rather unbelievable, I really cannot think of any other reason.

    ¡±Plus, you can¡¯t keep adding the fabric softener from the start. You¡¯ll have to add it after adding water.

    ¡±Uuuuuu¡­¡­¡±

    Looking just like a drowned rat, Alice sat on the corridors with her whole face red while she iled her hands in indignation.

    ¡±E- Even so, how can you touch my clothes¡­¡­¡±

    ¡±No, erm¡­¡­ I won¡¯t especially sniff if they have a smell or not.¡±

    ¡±Well of course!¡±

    Alice forcefully flung my hands away, trying to pick up the clothes scattered on the floor.

    ¡±Just let me handle this. How about you go take a bath and change your clothes?¡±

    ¡±I am nning to do so even if you did not say that. Call Ayaka here for me!¡±

    As the NEET detective who only had her sharp tongue left is not good at it, that would be Ayaka¡¯s job. When I stood up while sighing, Alice ran by the washing machine with her face pale.

    ¡±My Lyril!¡±

    The teddy bear of moderate size that she would always hold when she goes out rolled by the washing machine. Alice immediately noticed that the stitches on its head were already loose when she picked it up, while one of the buttons that formed its eyes was missing. Perhaps it was caused when she almost fell into the machine?

    ¡±Hurry up and fetch Yondaime, hurry!¡±

    Nearly bursting into tears, Alice hugged her bear while shouting loudly.

    *

    Disregarding the incident for the moment, my journey of walking the Yamanote Line began from the next day.

    Though the band hasn¡¯t released any albums, all of the part time musicians that I came in contact with through the inte answered ¡®Yes, I know them¡¯, and caught the bait just like that. What an unbelievably greatwork age.

    We had a meeting with Yondaime untilte at night, excluding the people who just want to look at pretty girls, dismissing the methods that are bad for our finances, we decided on the target of our request just like that.

    ¡±These people will have a function in July, so we can request to perform with them.¡±

    ¡±But they have a parentpany supporting them, so it¡¯s somewhat difficult.¡±

    ¡±You¡¯re thinking of pocketing the profits alone again¡­¡­¡±

    ¡±Well of course! It¡¯s meaningless if we don¡¯t get all the profits.¡±

    ¡±But merchandises other than the songs might cause the image of the band to drop, so we should be more careful about this. If so, what do you think about selling the songs on a USB stick?¡±

    ¡±I¡¯ll have to calcte for a bit.¡±

    I spoke of anything that came to mind. Though they were dismissed by Yondaime one by one, I feel that it¡¯s quite interesting for some reason. It might just be my illusion, thinking that I¡¯m doing a meaningful job.

    How good would it be if the location of our discussion isn¡¯t at the office of Hirasaka-gumi. The room that we used as a conference room was the storeroom/ lounge/puter room at the bottomyer of the office. Some members gathered at the anteroom outside while watching us chatter. To be honest, that¡¯s really quite vexing.

    ¡±As expected of Aniki, he keeps talking about things that we don¡¯t understand with Sou-san.¡±

    ¡±Look, he can talk while typing! Absolutely god-like!¡±

    ¡±Look, he¡¯s using goggle search as well!¡± ¡°We couldn¡¯t do it even after three hours!¡±

    Idiotic conversation like that kepting in from the crack of the door. Can you guys please be silent? And also, it¡¯s not goggle, but google.

    ¡±Don¡¯t you need to give them any work?¡±

    So that the guys behind me won¡¯t hear it, I asked Yondaime softly, while he just frowned.

    ¡±¡­¡­ They¡¯re probably just handling the decorations, security and trash collection there!¡± Whoa! Hepletely treated them as the people doing odd jobs.

    ¡±Oi! You guys, stop making noise over there! Hurry up and take a look at the handbook!¡± Yondaime roared at the door.

    ¡±Understood! Very sorry!¡±

    Though the door was closed, the voices could still be heard.

    ¡±Listen, you can¡¯t take any action even if detestable guests arrive. Hurry up and practice.¡±

    That was the voice of one of Yondaime¡¯s generals, Rocky.

    ¡±Okay, you¡¯ll act as the guest.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Say something in a detestable manner!¡± ¡°Oi, I want to take a dump, where¡¯s the toilet?¡± ¡°Do it in your mouth!¡± ¡°Oi, what do you mean by doing that!¡±

    Yondaime and I exchanged looks, and sighed in turn. Would the event this time be okay?

    ¡±I¡¯m going home for a moment. I¡¯ll leave those idiots to you.¡±

    Yondaime stood up and put on his coat. After ncing at the clock on the monitor, I found that the date had already changed.

    ¡±You¡¯re leaving me here alone? Those people are still here! Those guys would ask me about kanji that they can¡¯t read every ten minutes, but you¡¯re asking me to face them alone?¡±

    After I cried out in a tone that even I felt embarrassed for, Yondaime answered with his brows furrowed:

    ¡±Don¡¯t you have a lot of emails to reply to? And I still have yet to finish the job that Alice asked me to do.¡±

    ¡±Ah, ahhhh¡­¡­ So it¡¯s that?¡±

    Surprisingly, Yondaime¡¯s interest was in sewing, while his skills would awe even professional-level specialists. The job that was given priority over work was actually the fixing of a small teddy bear.

    ¡±The extent of the damage is quite serious, and I couldn¡¯t find a suitable eye for the button as well. Tell Alice that it might be a bit knotty.¡±

    After saying that, the busy yakuza leader walked out of the study. When I returned to theputer while sighing, I heard the small voice of Yondaime¡¯s other general, Pole,ing from the other side of the ipletely closed door.

    ¡±Sou-san, the livehouse of Ikebukuro called just now.¡±

    ¡±Is there trouble?¡±

    ¡±They say that someone keeps asking the employees about us. I heard that they wanted to chase him away, but he protested.¡±

    ¡±¡­¡­ A grunt from Yanagihara-kai? Isn¡¯t there a handbook for dealing with yakuzas? Spread it out.¡±

    ¡±No, well¡ª I heard that they¡¯re kids about the same age as us. And there were about five or six of them.¡±

    Yondaime narrowed his eyes in consideration, and opened the door all of a sudden. While unintentionally standing up to peek, I was so startled by the sudden action that I bumped into the bedstead behind me.

    ¡±What are you being so furtive for? This isn¡¯tpletely unrted to you, so listen closely.¡±

    ¡±Ehh, ah, erm¡­¡­ Sorry.¡±

    That moment, the crowd of ck shirted men who were originally fooling around behind the door looked at me solemnly.

    ¡±Those guys still dare to look for trouble even when they know that Hirasaka-gumi is in charge, huh?¡± Yondaime spoke.

    ¡±They even spoke of Sou-san, my and a few others¡¯ name, and kept asking on.¡±

    ¡±Completely out of the situation!¡± ¡°They have guts!¡± ¡°To heck with him, just let me teach him a lesson!¡±

    While listening to the annoyed voices of his underlings, Yondaime thought while pressing a fist on his forehead.

    ¡±Daring to look for trouble even though they know of our names, such a gang shouldn¡¯t exist now.¡±

    The ck shirted men then looked like castrated dogs, falling silent at the same time.

    ¡±¡­¡­ That¡¯s true.¡± Rocky answered in a low voice. ¡°People like that should have been disposed of by Sou-san long ago.¡±

    ¡±I didn¡¯t do it alone¡ª¡°

    Yondaime hesitated.

    ¡±¡ª Disregard this matter for now. In any case, Gardening Club kid, you¡¯ll have to be careful as well. You¡¯re just a newbie, so don¡¯t get involved if there¡¯s anything wrong. Just do your job properly.¡±

    I hesitated for a moment, but still nodded in response. What is this? Why did Yondaime hesitate just now¡­¡­?

    As Yondaime said just now, I told myself to just focus on my own jobs, and walked out of the study after that.

    *

    After ss ended next day, I started to interview various livehouses, clubs and advertisingpanies. The design of all the advertisements of the whole event was handed to the professionals, but the management of the website fell on my shoulders for some reason. How should I say this, I really can¡¯t face this as though I¡¯m preparing for a school festival anymore. As my sry is so high, I can¡¯t be sloppy when doing things as well.

    Yondaime said: ¡°If let web designers do it, they would usually just fill the website with a huge ton of morous sh effects, causing the servers to shoulder a heavy burden. I hate that, so I¡¯m putting you in charge of that.¡± Though it was somewhat of a forced reason, I agree with him more or less.

    Just like that, from the Kichijiyou temple from the west to Ueno at the east, the range of my job covered the whole Tokyo. The busy days caused me to feel that I might be able to earn a living from a normal job even if I don¡¯t be a NEET in the future.

    The first time that I met Renji-san would be on a Friday in the middle of that overwhelmingly busy July.

    I arrived at Harajuku on the evening that day. During the continuous concerts held on the end of August, the event that gathered the most attention was the Harajuku concert. Thus, more work had to be done on theyout there and the like. The venue was located at a space between a livehouse and a concert hall at a building in Meiji Road. I was actually nning to just have a look and take some photos.

    After entering the entrance that used silver and blue as a keynote, the lively sounds of a loud guitar riff directly pierced through the skin on my whole body. The lit stage was like an aquarium at night, while repeatedly waving outlines of hands and hair of the audience could be seen as the arrogant-looking band members wearing clothes of Harajuku fashion were singing on the stage loudly.

    I approached the bar surrounded in pirs of white light and shouted out my order of tomato juice. When I took out my digital camera, a young female worker looked at me in displeasure.

    ¡±It is forbidden for photos be taken here!¡±

    ¡±I have permission!¡±

    ¡±What¡ª? What did you say?¡±

    ¡±I¡¯m Fujishima who called yesterday! Can you call the chief over here?¡±

    ¡±I¡¯m telling you that taking photos here isn¡¯t permitted! We forbid that!¡±

    ¡±But I have special permission!¡±

    Because of the loud performance, we couldn¡¯t hear each other clearly. As the two of us were trying in vain to converse, I clearly heard that voice through the din in the dark livehouse.

    ¡±I¡¯m tellin¡¯ ya that my memory ain¡¯t that good, so sorry for that. How are ya rted to me again?¡±

    I immediately turned around.

    Part of his hair was highlighted like a streak of lightning, andplemented with his tall figure, he could be clearly seen even in the darkness of the livehouse. With his goggles shaped shades and confident smile, he was a sharp looking man. He would be about twenty, I suppose?

    ¡±Hmm, did I owe ya money or somethin¡¯? Or did I miss an appointment with ya?¡±

    ¡±Stop faking!¡± ¡°We remember it quite well!¡± ¡°You broke someone¡¯s nose, and it hasn¡¯t recovered till now!¡±

    Sounds of abuse rang. The ones who surrounded the man in shades were a bunch of vicious looking people whose hair were bleached too much and their faces were full of piercings.

    ¡±I¡¯m tellin¡¯ ya that thest time I came here was five years ago! Ya don¡¯t remember who the prime minister five years ago was, do ya? Anyways, being able to meet here is some kinda fate as well, so why don¡¯t we mend our ties? I¡¯ll treat ya.¡±

    He spoke in a Kansai ng that was rather memorable for some reason. After that, the man in shades approached after weaving through the crowd. I hastily made space for him.

    ¡±Gimme four cups of whiskey with water.¡±

    The waitress at the counter served him just that with a look of annoyance.

    ¡±Oi, stop that pretense!¡± ¡°What are you running for!¡± ¡°Get out!¡±

    The troublesome trio still persisted, chasing him through the crowd.

    ¡±Well well, why don¡¯t we just be friends after havin¡¯ a cuppa beer?¡±

    Is there something wrong with his brains? Is this really the time to say a thing like this? So that I wouldn¡¯t get involved, I decided to look for the person in charge by myself, and thus left the conversation of the person with Kansai ng at the bar that was almost swallowed by darkness.

    At that moment, the word ¡®Hirasaka¡¯ came into my ears. I indeed heard that. I turned around and saw that the person in shades and the thugs in piercings were still in an argument at the other side of the crowd. Which?

    Which of them said it? Does Hirasaka refer to Hirasaka-gumi?

    As I knew Hirasaka-gumi for quite some time now, I recognize all of the faces of the members. Thus, I could quickly confirm that all of the four are not members of the gang. However, since Yondaime¡¯swork of contacts is so wide and Harajuku is his territory as well, they might be people rted to the gang.

    Uh oh. What if they really are rted? If people rted to Hirasaka-gumi make trouble at the venue of the concert, all of Yondaime¡¯s efforts would go to waste.

    This time, I clearly heard the word ¡®Hirasaka¡¯ from one of the men in piercings, but thetter part of their conversation was doused by the performance. I made an effort to push the crowd away, hoping to get closer to the counter.

    ¡±You bastard!¡± ¡°Stop talking glib¡ª¡°

    Just when the man speaking in Kansai ng held a cup of beer in both hands, two of the men in piercings tried to grab him that instant. The sound like the bursting of a paper balloon was made simultaneously by the two men, and they crouched down in agony while holding their right hands with their left. Screams echoed all around, while the side of the guy with Kansai ng was naturally vacated. I really couldn¡¯t believe what my eyes saw¡ª using a high side-spin with overwhelming precision, the man kicked the palms of the two men who rushed over, while the more terrifying thing was that not even half a drop of beer in his hands spilled out.

    ¡±Whoops. My leg moved by itself. Are ya okay? Forgive me!¡±

    The man with Kansai ng ced the sses back onto the bar, and was nning to squat down by the two men.

    ¡±T- That hurts!¡± ¡°Are my fingers broken¡­¡­¡± ¡°Y- You bastard!¡±

    The remaining thug pushed away hispanions, nning to hit the shoulders of the man with Kansai ng. That moment, I saw it. The Kansai ng guy rose while pulling his sunsses down to this neck position.

    It was a gaze as cold as steel that underwent numerous hardships.

    Uh oh, that was my immediate instinct.

    I didn¡¯t really think of a n, but my legs moved by themselves. When a person¡¯s thoughts fall into confusion at the moment he is cornered, he might make the most suitable judgment instead, while that was what happened to me. I poured the tomato juice I was holding onto the Kansai ng guy¡¯s chest from a side.

    ¡±¡ªNooaaaaaaaaaa?¡± The Kansai ng guy made an odd screech, while the man in piercings jumped backwards in fright. At that instant, I rushed to the middle of the two.

    ¡±Ahhh, s- s- s- s- sorry, are you okay?¡±

    I noticed that the speed of my speech became quite rapid as well.

    ¡±Are you wet? You¡¯re probably drenched huh my apologies I¡¯llpensate you for this so please follow me outside, outside!¡±

    ¡±Wai¡­¡­ Uwaa! Stop pushin¡¯ me!¡±

    Like a sumo wrestler, I frantically pushed the Kansai ng guy to the entrance. ¡°Bastard! Wait a sec!¡± The wall of humans that reformed blocked the angry roars of the man in piercings. When we pushed on the thick, soundproof door, even the Kansai ng guy started to run whileughing as well.

    When we escaped to Matsumoto Pharmacy at Takesheeta, we finally slowed our footsteps after running into a small alley.

    ¡±Narumi? So yer called Narumi? Does that count as a surname? Ah, so it¡¯s yer name. I¡¯m Renji, as in striking gold in the east next time. So that¡¯s why I returned to Tokyo.¡±

    I really don¡¯t get his way of exining, but I still couldn¡¯t bear to say that to Renji-san, who wasughing alone.

    ¡±But speaking of which, I was saved all thanks to ya, Narumi.¡±

    ¡±Well¡­¡­ I didn¡¯t really save you, Renji-san. It¡¯s more like I saved them.¡±

    Renji-san suddenly froze, pushing his sunsses onto his forehead after that. While wiping the sweat on my arms on my jeans, I asked:

    ¡±You probably nned to hammer him on his head, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡±How did ya know?¡±

    ¡±Usually, people would shift goggles-shaped onto their forehead if they wish to move it away, would they not? They won¡¯t particrly pull it to the position of the neck.¡±

    Besides, I heard them saying something like breaking others¡¯ noses. I will be very troubled if someone is hurt there.

    ¡±Oh¡ª! Oh¡ª Ohhhh!¡±

    Renji-san kept stroking my head. Please don¡¯t do that, it¡¯s embarrassing.

    ¡±It seems like I¡¯m somewhat detestable.¡±

    Actually, the true reason that I wished to stop the battle wasn¡¯t because of such detailed thoughts, but because of the murderous intent from Renji-san¡¯s gaze. Though seeing himughing happily away now made me think it was all just my imagination¡­¡­

    ¡±Actually, it¡¯s really easy for me to lose control.¡± Renji-san exined. ¡°So I originally wanted ta live more tastefully. I¡¯ve decided in my heart that I ain¡¯t gonna lose control again no matter what, but my subconscious caused my legs and my head to lose control. How pathetic!¡± Renji-san started tough. What a dangerous person.

    After that, I exined to him that I wouldpensate him for ruining his T-shirt¡ª ¡°Really! Then let¡¯s go right now! It¡¯s been a while since I went shoppin¡¯.¡± In the end, he actually agreed happily. No, erm¡­¡­ Though I don¡¯t have a right to say so from the perspective of a perpetrator, shouldn¡¯t people usually refuse politely?

    I never thought that he would tell me to buy him three new shirts after visiting five or six boutiques to try on a bunch of clothes.

    ¡±Thanks! Shoppin¡¯ without caring for the price really feels refreshin¡¯!¡±

    Renji-san walked out of the shop wearing a brand new orange shirt and said to me with a smile while patting my back. I did frantically say that the more expensive clothes are pletely unsuitable!¡¯, advising him not to buy them, but my wallet still couldn¡¯t be saved.

    ¡±The third-most happiest thing in the world is buyin¡¯ stuff with other people¡¯s money.¡±

    I think I heard of a sentence like that before this, so I sighed and ignored it.

    ¡±The second would be eatin¡¯ with other people¡¯s money.¡±

    ¡±I didn¡¯t ask you about that.¡±

    ¡±And then, the first would be going to Disnend with other people¡¯s money.¡±

    ¡±Why? How did you form such a conclusion?¡±

    ¡±I returned to Tokyo so painstakingly, I really should go out and have fun.¡±

    ¡±It¡¯s already seven, where do you think Disnend is at?¡±

    ¡±Isn¡¯t it at California, USA?¡±

    ¡±Then what for did you mention returning to Tokyo so painstakingly!¡±

    ¡±Very good, our partnership for doing tsukkomis is improvin¡¯.¡±

    ¡±Before doing research on tsukkomi partnerships, shouldn¡¯t you pay more attention to the topic first!¡±

    Completely ignoring my anger, Renji-san said something like ¡®Let¡¯s go have a drink. My treat.¡¯ Instead. As the weather was extremely hot, while I was rather thirsty as well, I decided to ept his offer. I should say¡ª Think of a way to get back the money for buying his clothes. And I have to inquire about his rtionship with Hirasaka-gumi as well.

    After wandering Harajuku for quite some time, we finally found a seat for two at the crowded Dotoru Coffee after quite some effort.

    ¡±Do you need me to send the dirty shirt for cleaning?¡±

    The shirt that I dirtied using tomato juice was in a bag below the table. As the white clothing was dyed red, it seemed like it would be hard for the stains to be removed by normal washing.

    ¡±It¡¯s fine, ya don¡¯t need to be so worried.¡±

    ¡±I really wish that you showed me that kindness an hour ago.¡±

    ¡±Ya won¡¯t buy clothes for me if I do so!¡±

    That¡¯s true! I knew it!

    ¡±I¡¯ll treat ya in this shop instead. Order any drinks or food you like.¡±

    Telling me this in Dotoru is a bit¡­¡­ Even so, this person doesn¡¯t seem to be a cheapskate. Perhaps he just doesn¡¯t know how to manage money properly?

    ¡±It seemed like you nned to treat the three looking for trouble beer as well, didn¡¯t you? What were you thinking?¡±

    ¡±Wasn¡¯t it an opportunity of a lifetime? I was thinkin¡¯ of treasurin¡¯ the opportunity of us meetin¡¯.¡±

    ¡±Didn''t it seem like they¡¯re looking for trouble no matter how you look at it? Please don¡¯t treasure a meeting like this!¡±

    That moment, the gaze hidden under Renji-san¡¯s sunsses suddenly softened.

    ¡±Each encounter is important¡ª someone once said that to me.¡±

    It was like he suddenly deted. Looking at my own nted reflection on Renji-san¡¯s shades, I gently held my cup of iced coffee.

    ¡±Well, I always lose things quickly¡­¡­¡±

    Renji-san exined in an expression that was hard for me to differentiate if he wasughing or in convulsions.

    ¡±Though most of it was my fault¡ª havin¡¯ super bad memory and ain¡¯t good at managing money. There ain¡¯t even one friend left in Tokyo, so that¡¯s why I¡¯m reflecting on this right now. It can¡¯t be helped that the friendship that I once had was destroyed, if not, I¡¯m still wishin¡¯ that we can still be friends when we meet.¡±

    How can he speak of such a gentle thought using a tone like incense that had already burnt to ashes?

    ¡±¡­¡­ There¡¯s nothing that ¡®can¡¯t be helped¡¯.¡±

    The words unintentionally slipped out of my mouth.

    ¡±Hmm?¡±

    It felt like Renji-san was staring directly at me, causing me to avert my gaze to the surface of the cold coffee instead. Why did I say something like that? I don¡¯t understand as well.

    ¡±As long as we are still alive¡­¡­ There is nothing that can bepletely destroyed.¡±

    ¡±¡­¡­ There probably is, for a few times now, I already¡­¡­¡±

    ¡±No.¡±

    As long as we are still alive, even when something appears to be different, it is still¡­¡­

    ¡±What a strange fellow. Why are you being so resolute in front of someone you just met?¡±

    That¡¯s right. Even I felt so as well, making me feel embarrassed, frantically stirring my iced coffee with the straw. Speaking of which, for what reason did we enter Dotoru Coffee again? That¡¯s right, isn¡¯t it to find out the rtionship between this person and Hirasaka-gumi? That¡¯s why¡ª

    And then, Renji-san¡¯s voice ovepped with my thoughts.

    ¡±If so, why don¡¯t you let me try bein¡¯ yer friend, Narumi?¡±

    I raised my head, while Renji-san showed me a mischievous smile.

    ¡±I¡¯m somewhat of a rascal, so the friendship would probablyst only for a month or so.¡±

    Just at that moment, I saw a trace of loneliness in the eyes covered by the goggles-type shades, and could only respond with a weak smile.

    ¡±To tell ya the truth, though I¡¯m sayin¡¯ something like it¡¯s the opportunity of a lifetime, I¡¯m actually a worthless wretch. I can do it no matter how ruthless things are! If ya still insist that the friendship won¡¯t be destroyed, then let¡¯s try to be friends.¡±

    ¡±No, erm¡­¡­¡±

    To search for a suitable answer, I crossed my arms and switched them for quite a few times.

    ¡±We shouldn¡¯t ¡®try¡¯ to be friends, should we?¡±

    ¡±That¡¯s true¡­¡­¡± Renji-san smiled wryly. ¡°My bad. Just forget about it!¡±

    ¡±Erm¡­¡­ I don¡¯t mean that. I meant we shouldn¡¯t just try, wouldn¡¯t it be fine if we just be friends?¡±

    Isn¡¯t it fine if we just exchange phone numbers normally here? Isn¡¯t it fine if we just be friends? As I was about to express my thoughts, Renji-san¡¯s gaze shifted upwards, and stared at the entrance across me. After that, he frowned, showing a visibly displeased expression.

    When I turned over, the automatic doors made of ss already opened, while a few dark-skinned young men appeared continually. The two men in front pointed in our direction, and gavemands to the people behind them. They were the men in piercings that we met before this, and they probably found people to help out, causing their numbers to increase. At the instant when I found that something was off, a silhouette already passed my side. It was Renji-san.

    I didn¡¯t have enough time to stop him this time. Renji-san just said faintly: ¡°What a drag.¡±, while the man in piercings already grabbed Renji-san¡¯s shirt from his chest as I was about to stand up clumsily. What urred next was blocked by Renji-san¡¯s wide back.

    A dull thud rang in the shop, while the man in piercings leaned weakly on Renji-san and promptly copsed onto the ground right after that. Screams echoed in the shop.

    ¡±Bastard, what are you trying to d¡­¡­!¡±

    This time, I could clearly see Renji-san punching his opponent¡¯s face. One of the thugs rushed forwards while roaring in anger, but he was beaten up by Renji-san, blood spurting out of his nose. The more astonishing thing was that Renji-san actually had the time to readjust a crooked table beside him.

    I, who was paralyzed with fear, felt a familiar sense of terror instead.

    The fighting style that is strong until this extent¡­¡­ Did I see it before somewhere?

    When the thugs moaning on the floor were about to stand up, Renji-san focused his attention outside. A few blue silhouettes could be seen outside the ss door. The police.

    ¡±Uh oh!¡±

    Stepping over the copsed thugs, Renji-san rushed to the crowd looking here from afar, running to an exit leading to a side alley. The sounds of his footsteps were blocked by the closing door, while a hugemotion started in the shop that moment. When I saw the policemen in uniforms walking in, I unhesitatingly decided to flee as well. When I was walking to the entrance, my feet stumbled over something.

    When I had a closer look, I realized that it was the stic bag below the table.

    After escaping from Dotoru, I headed directly for livehouse, and suddenly felt that I really have guts, as my appearance might have been remembered by the thugs in piercings there after all. But since I originally went there for work, I have yet to take any photos, so I have no choice but to go there once more.

    The audience there seemed to have changed, while another band was already performing on the stage. I hid alone at a crowded corner full of heat with my back against the wall, letting myself drift in along the flow of surging music, weakly pressing the shutter of the digital camera for a few times.

    My gaze fell onto the ground¡ª onto the bag containing Renji-san¡¯s clothes. What should I do with this? I haven¡¯t asked for a way to contact him, so I can¡¯t return them to him at all. Even so¡­¡­

    After taking out the shirt and spread it out, I noticed that only the cor and sleeves were ck. There were Japanese styled patterns printed on the shoulder, back and side abdomen. ck and purple were radially scattered in an unorganized way, forming a wondrous pattern. Hmm? It doesn¡¯t seem like fireworks, while I seem to have the impression that I once saw the picture before. After I pondered while drawing on the pattern with my finger, I realized that it was not printed, but sewed. It¡¯s really surprising. I am not sure of how many threads it tooe to sew a picture asplicated as this, but probably it should be quite expensive.

    So that I can return it to him when we meet again, I should send it for cleaning¡­¡­ Suddenly realizing that I was actually thinking of such a thing surprised me slightly. I am still thinking of meeting a person like that? Really? I don¡¯t know.

    He¡¯s really a strange person. But since the people that are not strange among my friends is an extreme minority, it¡¯s really quite sad. However, the way of Renji-san¡¯s strangeness isrgely different. Mnn, a strangeness both far off and dangerous. It felt much like a strong acid and a strong alkali being filled in the same ss bottle at the same time, separated only by a piece of thin paper. Though the time that I hung out with him was short, I still felt quite uneasy.

    In any case, he is indeed a resident in the world of violence, a person that one would do better not to approach.

    Even so, when I raised my head to look at the stage so that I would focus my attention on the performance, I suddenly realized that my ears could not amodate any music as the exaggerated Kansai ng, sunsses that concealed the beast-like gaze, and the cordial, seemingly smile kept swirling in my mind.

    In the end, I still didn¡¯t manage to ask if he had any rtionship with Hirasaka-gumi. But if he is truly rted, I feel that no matter if I wish for it or not, we will meet again one day.

    On that moment, would I be able to continue my words not yet spoken?

    Though it was something that I found out after a long time, it seemed like our encounter was not just a coincidence. Thus, I really met Renji-san again after that¡ª and it was in a way more bizarre that I had imagined.

    *

    The summer break officially started from the next day, but my daily life did not seem to have any significant changes, while the only thing different was the fact that the time for me to arrive at Hanamaru Ramen was advanced to about noon.

    Though it was summer, there were so many customers that they had to wait outside. It¡¯s true that the taste of the soup improved quite a lot, causing quite a stir, but the main reason would be because of the ice cream.

    ¡±I¡¯ll have a citrus sherbet.¡± ¡°Chocte peppermint ice cream.¡± ¡°Vani vor for me.¡±

    ¡±This is a ramen shop!¡± Min-san roared at her usual customers while standing behind the counter. ¡°Order ramen and I¡¯ll throw in some ice cream as dessert.¡±

    ¡±We¡¯re starting to sell cold Chinese noodles as well!¡±

    Sweating profusely, Ayaka served the dishes and washed the cutlery in turn, a satisfied smile on her face. The ossans started tough as well, and started to order ramen. The two cooperates quite well, being a far cry from a certain useless NEET reserve. Stop calling me a NEET reserve! While doing a tsukkomi on myself, I opened the kitchen backdoor, stepping into the steamy kitchen right after.

    ¡±Have you finished washing the clothes?¡±

    At the corridor at the end of the kitchen, a wall of dolls was piled up at a position invisible to the customers, while Alice asked in a slightly thorny tone behind the wall.

    ¡±Ahh, mnn. It¡¯ll be done after about thirty minutes.¡±

    ¡±You did not peek or touch the articles in theundry, did you?¡±

    ¡±I¡¯m telling you that I won¡¯t do that!¡±

    Ever since Alice fell into the washing machine, she started to mind things like this a lot. As her height does not allow her to operate the washing machine, she would now stuff the clothes she wants to wash into aundry, throwing them into the washing machine after that, so that¡¯s quite an improvement. On the other hand, I would take the opportunity to change the sheets and clean the room, but she used ¡¯I will definitely not allow you to wash my good friends!¡¯ as an excuse, taking refuge at the ramen shop with her army of dolls.

    ¡±But what will you do when you want to dry the clothes?¡± I suddenly thought of that question.

    ¡±I¡¯ll dry them myself. You wille in contact with my clothes if I put you in charge, is that not right?¡±

    Ah, that¡¯s true. But even if she tosses them into a dryer, they probably won¡¯t dry if they¡¯re in a.

    ¡±Then I¡¯m going out earlier today. I¡¯m going somewhere quite far today.¡±

    ¡±So you are trying to slip away early today as well?¡±

    Hugging a bunny doll, Alice approached while kneeling, slight suspicion in her gaze.

    ¡±Mnn¡­¡­ Is there anything wrong?¡± Alice hugged her doll tightly, hopping around while squatting. What a nimble person. ¡°You are my assistant, are you not? Do you not have other more important tasks? Pulling the ring of the Dr. Peppers for me and the like, for instance.¡±

    ¡±That¡¯s a headache. Or should I just open all of the cans in the fridge directly? Nono, I¡¯m just joking.¡±

    With her whole face red, Alice randomly picked up a bottle of beer to throw at me, but fell backwards because of its weight. I hastily shifted my focus.

    ¡±Erm¡­¡­ Ayaka, can you show up at Alice¡¯s when you¡¯re free?¡±

    ¡±Asking Ayaka for help so that you can loaf off, has your mind short-circuited! Even phytosma are more decisive than you!¡±

    Alice pounded on the wooden floorboards of the corridor. Shouldn¡¯t phytosma be the name of parasitic bacteria? Aren¡¯t I oftenpared with various things.

    ¡±E- Erm¡­¡­ Must it be me?¡±

    ¡±M- Must it be you!? Wh¡­¡­ Who was the one who said so!¡±

    She was actually so agitated that the wall of dolls copsed. So that the dolls would not roll into the kitchen, I slipped away by Alice while picking them up. What¡¯s up with her¡­¡­

    ¡±Fine, I understand! Go wherever you want! By the time youe back, I would have learnt how to pull the plug in the bathtub, tie up a stic bag and fold my pajamas by myself! You will never have any work to do in your life! I advise you to hurry up and listen to a talk about how to im unemployment insurance at the Bureau of Labor!¡±

    You don¡¯t know how to do even this? And when did I join the Bureau of Labor? Though I thought of a lot to rebuke, since Ayaka was signaling to me with her gaze, I could only stay silent and walk back to the kitchen backdoor.

    ¡±I can help after the prime time after noon. However¡­¡­ It seems like it really must be you, Fujishima-kun.¡±

    Why? Isn¡¯t it the same no matter who fetches her Dr. Pepper?

    As I was about to walk out of the kitchen, I was called by Min-san again.

    ¡±Where are you going to fool around today? Ueno? Ahh, that¡¯s nice. I want to you to go somewhere for me along the way.¡±

    ¡±At Ueno?¡±

    ¡±No, Kitasenjuu.¡±

    How is that along the way? The distance from Kitasenjuu to Ueno is not ¡®along the way¡¯ at all!

    ¡±Do you have anything to say? It¡¯s all because of you making the apron filthy and tattered, so it won¡¯t do at all if we don¡¯t get a new one. The newly made one seems to be already done, so help me fetch it back.¡±

    As I was thinking of retorting her for asking me to go to Kitasenjuu just for an apron, Min-san forcefully stuffed a note into my hands. An address, a phone number and the name of ¡®Wakagi Crafts Store¡¯ were written on it.

    ¡±It¡¯s my friend¡¯s shop, and I specially ordered it. Though he said that he was going to mail it to me, I want to get it today, so go fetch it for me.¡±

    I was pushed out of the kitchen backdoor, and the door before me was immediately locked.

    Wakagi Crafts Store is located at a dingy two-storey building by the Marui Supermarket in front of Kitasenjuu station. When I heard the words ¡®Crafts Store¡¯, I thought that it would be the extension of a fashion essory store, but when I saw the huge wooden cabs tall as the ceiling as soon as I stepped into the shop, filled with arge assortment of clothing material of linen and hemp at the two sides of the shop entrance, I felt that the shop was more like a wholesaler.

    A crowd of girls were gathered at the corner where ribbons and embroidery threads, which was more or less as I expected. There were quite a lot of people there. It was like people like me shouldn¡¯t appear at a ce like this, so I tried to walk into the shop while following the edge of the wooden cabs so that the customers wouldn¡¯t notice me.

    At the other side of the counter, there stood the young shopkeeper(probably) wearing an apron with the logo of the shop sewn on it, a graceful looking man with short hair and sses that looked suitable for him. Ah, I see. His appearance seems like it would be popr with females. No wonder a crowd of what seemed to be high school girls kept ncing at the counter from time by time. Though the reason for the booming business probably isn¡¯t just that¡ª I approached the counter while thinking of that, I suddenly noticed a man talking to the shopkeeper over the counter, causing me to freeze immediately.

    ¡±¡­¡­ told you before, a Chinese pattern is too fine, it¡¯s impossible to make an embroidered patch like this.¡±

    ¡±What about using aser type? Our shop has it as well.¡±

    ¡±How about a Chidori stitch? I don¡¯t wish to run a few more rounds when it¡¯s nearly don¡ª¡°

    The man who was speaking raised his head halfway through his conversation. As I met the beast-like gaze, I had long forgotten that I was at a crafts store, and only felt that I was about to be killed.¡±

    ¡±Y¡­¡­ Yondaime?¡±

    ¡±¡­¡­ You¡­¡­ Why are you here?¡±

    Even though he¡¯s a young yakuza leader who underwent hundreds of battles, his face was slightly green because of the suddenness of the matter, and could only manage to say those words. On the other hand, the shopkeeper curiously looked at Yondaime and I in turn.

    ¡±Erm, well¡­¡­ Err, eh? Well, Min-san told me toe.¡±

    Of course, Yondaime was the one who came back to his senses first. After that, he approached while wearing a ferocious gaze,pletely ignoring the voice of the shopkeeper calling him ¡®Hina?¡¯, dragging me out of the door behind the counter after grabbing my cor.

    ¡±Wai- Yondaime, w- wait a minute, it¡¯s painful.¡±

    When I was dragged to the dark, hot stairwell, I was finally released after being flung to the wall.

    ¡±What are you doing here! How did you know of this shop?¡±

    ¡±N- Nothing much. I¡¯m telling you that Min-san asked me toe here.¡±

    ¡±Ahhh¡­¡­ So it¡¯s Master. st¡­¡­¡±

    Yondaime showed a bitter expression as though he swallowed a cigarette whole.

    Though on the surface, this person has the coldness of a sniper wolf who prowls the concrete jungles (Even I, myself,ughed when I wrote this), he actually has a cute side for liking to sew in private. Not only does he have to frantically hide this from his underlings, he was always treated as aughing stock by Alice and the others.

    ¡±Listen closely, do not speak of this shop to anyone.¡±

    Yondaime caught hold of my cor, while the words that he spoke were like a sharp knife pressing on my abdomen.

    ¡±¡­¡­ Who else knows?¡±

    ¡±Only Min-san.¡±

    This is quite a headache. For some reason, everyone seems to think that I am a tight-lipped person, but actually it¡¯s just that I won¡¯t deliberately speak of matters concerning other people, but my thoughts are often exposed as I talked to myself when listening to other people¡¯s conversations.

    ¡±I¡¯ll kill you if you dare to speak of this.¡±

    ¡±I- I get it¡­¡­¡±

    ¡±Hurry up and scram when you finish your job!¡±

    ¡±Hina, what are you doing? Remember not to cause trouble for the customers.¡±

    We heard a call. Yondaime released me and turned around. The door was slightly opened, while the shopkeeper poked his head out from the gap.

    ¡±And this child is¡­¡­? Did I hear you say something about Min-san or something?¡±

    The shopkeeper smiled while saying to me.

    ¡±Anyways,e into the shop first, it¡¯s so hot here!¡±

    Though it was already surprising to me when the shopkeeper called Yondaime ¡®Hina¡¯, the more surprising thing was that Yondaime actually called him ¡®Yoshiki-san¡¯. It¡¯s the first time I heard this person use an honorific.

    ¡±I really can¡¯t find a button suitable for Alice¡¯s doll, and the stitches are all scruffy now, so I have to give it aplete overhaul. That¡¯s why I came here for Yoshiki-san¡¯s help.¡±

    We sat together at the space behind the counter with our knees touching, and couldn¡¯t be seen from the shop. An unfinished embroidered patch on an embroidery hoop and a pin cushion stuffed full of colorful thread and needles was disyed on the workbench.

    ¡±Though it¡¯s so far away here, Hina still frequents this ce.¡± Yoshiki-san said while smiling. As he has to manage the business in his shop, he sits at a position where he can see the whole shop from.

    ¡±A lot of fabrics and threads can only be found here, after all.¡±

    In slight displeasure, Yondaime stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jeans.

    ¡±That isn¡¯t really true. You can probably find them at the center of the cities, at shops like Yuzawaya and so on.¡±

    ¡±There¡¯s no difference, buying it anywhere is the same.¡±

    I thought while gazing at the two: What kind of rtionship do thesz two have? The texture of Yoshiki-san¡¯s skin is extremely good, so his age couldn¡¯t be judged at all. From the impression that the end of his eyes give, perhaps he¡¯s in theter part of his twenties? Though he¡¯s charming, it doesn¡¯t really seem faked. If I say that Hiro-san¡¯s appearance is like champagne, Yoshiki-san¡¯s would probably be natural mineral water. Even so, he could still make other people¡¯s heart pound when he smiles.

    ¡±Erm, Fujishima¡­¡­kun? Is that it?¡±

    ¡±Eh? Ah, yes. Just call me Narumi, everyone calls me that.¡±

    ¡±Why does Hina call you the Gardening Club kid? What kind of rtionship do you have with him?¡±

    ¡±Ah¡ª That¡¯s a long story.¡±

    ¡±You¡¯re probably not from the gang, are you? You look like you¡¯re still in high school to me.¡±

    I nodded furiously. Yoshiki-san gave me a hearty smile.

    ¡±Hina doesn¡¯t have many friends from before, only those who do mischief with him and his silly underlings. That¡¯s why a friend like Narumi-kun is hard toe by.¡±

    ¡±Yoshiki-san, please stop that. I don¡¯t have that kind of rtionship with the Gardening Club kid.¡±

    Yondaime denied rather earnestly.

    ¡±Not that kind of rtionship? Which are you referring to?¡±

    ¡±This guy is Alice¡¯s assistant. You know, Alice, the kid that specializes at collecting information. Because of some troubles before this, we underwent the sake ritual just like that.¡±

    ¡±Sake ritual? Eh? Didn¡¯t you say that he¡¯s not from the gang just now?¡± Yoshiki-san looked somewhat confused.

    ¡±¡­¡­ Sworn brothers.¡±

    ¡±Doesn¡¯t that mean you¡¯re friends?¡±

    ¡±I¡¯m telling you that¡¯s not it, we¡¯re sworn brothers!¡±

    ¡±Then your rtionship is closer than friends.¡±

    Seeing Yondaime standing up while roaring like a beast, Yoshiki-san couldn¡¯t help butugh out loud. When Yondaime was about to talk back, the calls of a high school girl came from the other side of the counter, causing Yoshiki-san to turn around immediately. That moment, Yondaime red at me with a gaze that was like a freshly sharpened knife.

    ¡±Don¡¯t you talk so much.¡±

    ¡±But the ones who were talking the most were you and Yoshiki-san¡­¡­¡±

    Yoshiki-san turned around soon after that. Helping his customers and chatting with us while sitting there, he was just like the guardian of a sentou.

    ¡±The girls were all looking at Hina! I told them that you¡¯re like my younger brother.¡±

    ¡±You¡¯re spouting nonsense again!¡±

    ¡±But there isn¡¯t much difference, is it?¡± Yoshiki-san pushed Yondaime¡¯s shoulders andughed again. The gaze of the wolf sharpened.

    ¡±W- Well, doesn¡¯t that mean Yoshiki-san is like my brother as well?¡±

    The words that I randomly said to ease the atmosphere were actually a huge miscalction. Not only Yondaime, even Yoshiki-san was in a daze.

    ¡±S- S- S- S- Sorry! I got carried away!¡±

    I hurriedly retracted my feet, but they were forcefully stamped on by Yondaime.

    ¡±Ahh, no, I don¡¯t mean that. Hina, you should stop using violence. Seriously, you were a person who uses your fists along with your mouth from before this¡­¡­¡±

    ¡±I¡¯m living in a world where punches and kicks are necessary.¡±

    ¡±Narumi-kun, though he¡¯s so arrogant now, there was a time when he was quite childish as well. Though he likes dolls a lot, his skills of operating crane machines were terrible, and he even cried while borrowing money from me.¡±

    ¡±I did not cry! Stop that!¡±

    ¡±And also, his tolerance of alcohol was terrible before this¡ª¡°

    Yoshiki-san spoke of shocking facts about Hina-chan one after another, while I could only smile while being flustered, and could only sit straight with my knees closed, looking at the faces of the two in turn. What kind of rtionship do these two have? Is Yoshiki-san a senpai who once joined Hirasaka-gumi? But as I recall, isn¡¯t Yondaime the first leader of the gang?

    ¡±Hina, can I tell him about our true rtionship?¡±

    ¡±Stop messing around!¡±

    ¡±Isn¡¯t it fine¡­¡­¡± Though Yoshiki-san smiled wryly, he still unintentionally blurted it out. ¡°Let me tell you, Hina¡¯s past girlfriend was quite fond of sewing, and was a regr customer of our shop as well.¡±

    So Yondaime had a girlfriend? Eh? Ah? O- Of course, having a girlfriend isn¡¯t strange, but I really can¡¯t imagine it. Completely ignoring the displeased expression of ¡¯Just stop already!¡¯ on Yondaime¡¯s face, Yoshiki-san continued in full flight.

    ¡±Because of his girlfriend¡¯s requests, Hina frequently came to the shop. After that, Hina started to get interested in it after getting taught by his girlfriend. Now, he¡¯s a regr customer as well.¡±

    After a huge sigh, Yondaime crossed his arms.

    ¡±Gardening Club kid, I will beat you up until you lose your memory after this.¡±

    Being told such a frightfully horrendous news made me seriously consider if I should immediately abandon the job that I was given and run away. If so, I will definitely get beaten up by Min-san as well. Not only my memory, I might lose even my life.

    ¡±Ah, Min-san¡¯s request? An apron, is it? It¡¯s done. Yes, yes, you came here for this. HIna, can you get it for me at the back?¡±

    While muttering to himself, Yondaime took out an apron filled in a stic bag from the back of the shop.

    ¡±I modified the logo of the shop slightly. By the way, please tell Min-san that I can charge her less if she wants me to redo the portiere as well.¡±

    ¡±¡­¡­ Ah, so you were the one who designed that, Yoshiki-san?¡±

    ¡±That¡¯s right.¡±

    Though it¡¯s a seemingly ordinary shop, their products are quite tasteful. I really admire the sharp design on the ck apron.

    ¡±Hurry up and scram since you already got what you want. Shouldn¡¯t your main focus be in Ueno!¡± With a ferocious gaze, Yondaime forced me to stand after kicking my shin.

    Yondaime¡¯s dark green Maserati was parked in the parking lot by the building. If people not in the know saw the teddy bear doll wrapped in thick material, they would probablyugh for a whole week.

    ¡±You probably aren¡¯t sending me to Ueno¡­¡­ Are you? Fine, fine, I get it.¡±

    ¡±I don¡¯t have time to go to Ueno!¡±

    As I was about to walk towards the station, the phone in Yondaime¡¯s pocket rang. After picking up the phone, Yondaime¡¯s face clouded over, while I couldn¡¯t leave as though I didn¡¯t see anything as well. What happened?

    ¡±Gardening Club kid, change of ns. Get on the car!¡±

    Yondaime stuffed his phone into his pocket, a look of displeasure on his face, and immediately sat on the driver¡¯s seat.

    ¡±Huh? Ehh?¡±

    ¡±Just get on the car! Cancel the ns for the livehouse for now, I¡¯ll apologize to them after this.¡±

    ¡±W- What happened?¡±

    I got on the car, inquiring to Yondaime while buckling the unfamiliar seatbelts of the imported car.

    ¡±Someone in the gang caused trouble at Akasaka., at the ce where the concert is going to be held next month.¡±

    I got in contact with the Alice and the gang and gave them orders in ce of Yondaime.

    ¡±Mnn, that¡¯s right, Pole will get you the videoter, so you can just analyze it for a bit? EH? Lyril? That teddy bear? Ah¡­¡­ Mnn¡­¡­ Well¡­¡­¡±

    ¡±Tell her that I got the materials and will fix it tomorrow! We don¡¯t have the time to worry about a friggin¡¯ doll right now!¡± Yondaime roared on the driver¡¯s seat.

    ¡¯Actually calling my precious Lyril a ¡®friggin¡¯ doll¡¯! Is there any difference between the concern for your gang and me being concerned for my good friend!¡¯

    I seem to feel like Alice is being furious at the other side of the phone.

    ¡±Even if you say that to me, I¡¯m troubled as well¡­¡­¡±

    The two made amotion with me between them and hung up after that. That time, the car was just about to go on the Shuuto Expressway. The inertia from the eleration caused me be pressed on the seat as the other cars with 100 km/h gradually shot backwards in my view.

    I nced at the driver¡¯s seat. Originally, Yondaime¡¯s expressionless face was like a foggy ss, but it already turned into the fierce gaze of a wolf. Should I speak? I hesitated for quite some time.

    Therge livehouse at Akasaka was originally one of the main venues in our whole n. It is said that tens of men in ck shirts iming to be from Hirasaka-gumi came barging in, forcing the shop owners to let them see the workers¡¯ lounge, and they actually used violence when the workers refused their entry using theck of an appointment as the reason. The thugs ran away from the scene immediately after that. I don¡¯t know whether to say that it¡¯s lucky or unlucky, but the workers haven¡¯t called the police yet. That would probably be thanks to Hirasaka-gumi¡¯s bad name. As they were scared of actions being taken in revenge, they called the leader of the gang before calling the police.

    The thought of ¡¯How is this possible?¡¯ surfaced in my mind. No matter how dumb the members of Hirasaka-gumi are, it¡¯s not until the extent that they would do something so stupid as shaming their leader at such a critical time¡ª I should say that it¡¯spletely impossible, because those people probably don¡¯t even know where the venue is.

    ¡±¡­¡­ Rocky said he already called all of the members to the office.¡±

    I told him anxiously.

    ¡±That part doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Yondaime answered in a rigid voice. ¡°We¡¯re going directly to Alice¡¯s right now.¡±

    To Alice¡¯s? I stared at Yondaime¡¯s face once more.

    The video of the thugs from the surveince cameras at the scene were taken by Hiro-san using his contacts. The video is currently under analysis by Alice. Who would do such a thing?

    That moment, I finally realized something. So Yondaime didn¡¯t feel that it was done by his underlings. If he suspected one of his own, he wouldn¡¯t need to collect the video through Hiro-san, and could just question them all one by one.

    Because he did not suspect his people¡ª He is going to give the detective a request.

    When I came to my senses, the Maserati already left the Shuto Expressway. Using shortcuts that were not in traffic jams, we entered the small streets with familiar scenery. The brilliant sun of summer was just setting, while short shadows extended from the squat buildings at the two sides of the road. There were girls wearing clothes that showed their shoulders and thighs wandering the boutiques, coffee shops and galleries on the street. Yondaime drove his Maserati slightly roughly, while the surrounding people looked at us with strange gazes, as though they saw a car carrying a ticking bomb pass by.

    After that, Yondaime parked his car into the parking lot before the alley. Walking down the car, it was like the hot smell of asphalt mixed together with the sweat on our arms, sticking close to our skin. The two of us ran towards Hanamura Ramen opposite to us.

    We ran upstairs after greeting Min-san shortly, and pulled the door of the NEET Detective Agency open. When I stepped into the extremely cold room, I even felt dazed because of the difference in temperature.

    ¡±Did you really find a recement for Lyril¡¯s eye? If his profound, endearing radiance cannot be recovered, I will not ept it, so you¡¯d better let me have a look before putting it on.¡±

    Sitting on her bed, Alice turned around and inquired. While her eyes were gazing at Yondaime, her fingers pounding on the keyboard did not have any sign of stopping. Yondaime sighed and took out a button in a small stic bag, while the detective nodded in satisfaction and turned around to stare at the monitors after ncing at it.

    ¡±Have you finished your analysis?¡±

    Yondaime quickly walked into the bedroom, kneeled directly at the edge of the bed, and looked at one of the monitors as well. The video yed was probably taken from a surveince camera, as a coarse monochrome video was shown by the screen¡ª the silhouettes of men in ck T-shirts. One of them was facing the camera, and the white logo could be clearly seen on his chest. A swallowtail butterfly was printed on the center of the arc, meaning that it¡¯s Hirasaka-gumi¡¯s emblem. As the video was soundless, though I could see the men in ck shirts attacking the workers and pedestrians, knocking them on the ground, I did not feel any realism in the scene.

    A ck T-shirt worn by the members of Hirasaka-gumi was spread on the sheets.

    It is indeed the same thing. Which means:

    ¡±Though the quality of the video isn¡¯t that good, we can still ovey andpare them after analysis.¡±

    Alice spoke in a faint tone, while Yondaime nodded in answer. Even I noticed two things¡ª After ncing at my sworn brother, the both of us confirmed the truth with our silence.

    The emblem is the real one. It is indeed the uniform of Hirasaka-gumi. And also¡ª

    The ones wearing the clothes aren¡¯t among the gang at all, all of them were unfamiliar faces.

    That moment, a phone rang, while Yondaime took out the phone in his pocket.

    ¡±¡­¡­ Mnn, we saw the video. No need, you don¡¯t need to gather them, it¡¯s not a problem of our gang¡­¡­ I know¡­¡­ So they disappeared? What about the keys? ¡­¡­ Oh, mnn, okay. I¡¯ll ask Major to investigate. Alice is taking action now, so we¡¯re definitely digging those guys out.¡±

    Yondaime ended the call. From the movements of him keeping his phone, I finally sensed the wavering and signs of anger in his heart. Up till now, Yondaime might have more or less a little doubt on his underlings. To suppress that emotion, he kept his face emotionless. But now¡ª the burden is gone.

    ¡±Was it¡­¡­ Rocky? I heard a bit.¡±

    Yondaime nodded in response.

    ¡±Do you still remember the storeroom at the second floor?¡±

    The floor below the office of Hirasaka-gumi. I stepped into that ce twice, and both of the times were for meaningless but unforgettable ceremonies.

    ¡±The spare T-shirts we kept there are gone.¡±

    I swallowed as silently as I could. It¡¯s unmistakable. It¡¯s a nned crime. Obviously, someone wishes to frame Hirasaka-gumi.

    ¡±Who else holds the keys there?¡±

    Alice asked with her back to us.

    ¡±Only me¡ª¡°

    Yondaime suddenly paused as he was talking. The words that he was about to say suddenly turned hesitant, aplicated expression on his face. What is this? Did he think of something?

    ¡±¡­¡­ Yondaime? What is¡ª¡°

    ¡±Nothing!¡±

    Yondaime forcefully shook his head in answer, covering my voice directly.

    ¡±I¡¯m thinking of borrowing Major as well. I¡¯m going to investigate the route of their entry. Actually looking down on us. We¡¯re definitely going to dig them out!¡±

    Leaving Alice and I, Yondaime left the detective agency alone. For a moment, only the sounds of the old air conditioners mixed with sounds of typing surrounded me.

    When I turned around, Alice stopped typing to turn around as well. Our gaze met, while Alice seemed somewhat embarrassed, lowering her head to look at my knees.

    ¡±Are you still¡­¡­ Going to ept the job Yondaime gave you?¡±

    ¡±Yes¡­¡­ Why?¡±

    ¡±There is a case of violence, so I have a bad feeling about this. A sorrow that I cannot stop¡­¡­ It is like I can hear the sounds of the vertical and horizontal lines weaving the fabric of this beautiful world being corroded, polluted.¡±

    Though I couldn¡¯t hear the sound that she spoke of, I could see what was hidden in Alice¡¯s eyes. Helplessness the color of a corpse¡¯s skin.

    ¡±Besides, in this incident, the malicious intent directed at ourpanions this time can be clearly felt.¡±

    ¡±¡­¡­ Mnn.¡±

    That¡¯s right. All of the previous incidents ended in either tragedies or a good ending, not having the space for anyone to get involved. The people standing on the stage were only people who lost their ways and clowns.

    But it¡¯s different for this incident.

    Someone is deliberately harming the others. Just thinking of it made me shiver.

    ¡±Even so, you still wish to¡ª¡°

    Halfway through her words, Alice turned to a side.

    ¡±Hmph! It is useless to speak of this to a money-faced person whose eyes can only focus on a high daily sry. I understand now.¡±

    ¡±No, I¡¯m not really doing this for money.¡±

    ¡±Indeed, doing odd jobs at my office will not bring you any money, so it is fine no matter how much you neglect it. Even so, I will still not give you a fixed sry, as I have my modesty as a NEET as well.¡±

    Please get rid of that modesty immediately. But why did she get so angry? It¡¯s the first time I saw Alice like this. I slowly climbed up the bed, walking into Alice¡¯s field of vision.

    ¡±Erm¡­¡­ I think that Alice is very important as well?¡±

    Alice¡¯s face reddened in an instant just like a kaleidoscope that had a petal of rose thrown in.

    ¡±¡­¡­ W- W- W- What are you talking about!?¡±

    Alice jumped for quite a few times, going backwards while swinging her long hair.¡±

    ¡±W, W- W- W, What on earth are you doing!? Saying strange things like this all of a sudden!¡±

    ¡±Alice, wasn¡¯t it you who said that I can¡¯t neglect you?¡±

    ¡±That was not what I meant!¡±

    Then what does it mean? Alice built a wall between us using arge number of dolls, shouting repeatedly behind it.

    ¡±My point is, you overlook even your own safety, so do you really have the right to worry about the others!¡±

    ¡±Ahhh¡­¡­ I¡¯m sorry. Sorry for making you worry every time.¡±

    ¡±I have never been worried for you in my whole life!¡±

    The wall of dolls copsed just like that.

    ¡±L- Listen well! The matter that I am worried about is whether the investment I made on you can be regained! Your debts are currently paid using your sry, do you not remember!?¡±

    ¡±I didn¡¯t forget. Mnn, don¡¯t worry.¡±

    I picked up the bunny and dolphin dolls rolled onto the floor from the sheets and ced them by Alice¡¯s side.

    I am an assistant detective. For this ce, and for this small detective, I must use up all the blood in my body.

    Alice red at me with a gaze as though she was about to burst into tears, and immediately turned around to face her keyboard again. Her ck, silky hair flowed along with the movement of her head, gently touching the back of my hand.

    After that, a window popped up on the monitor, signaling thepletion of a software execution. That moment, the printer activated silently, printing out flyers with photos of the wanted suspects in order.

 Volume 4, 2

    <h4>Volume 4, Chapter 2</h4>

    After one passes by therge bus terminal filled with people and the scorching heat of summer, climbing a little of the slope extending towards the direction of the TV station and turns left, the broken down building where the headquarters of Hirasaka-gumi is located could be seen. The office and study forms the third floor, while the second floor would be a part-hall, part-store.

    Today is the day after the incident happened at Akasaka. Yondaime and I decided to meet before the steel door on the second floor where I usually steer clear from. Though it was just ten in the morning or so, the zing sunlight of July roasted the cement fall so much that it almost melted, while the steel door was so hot that an egg could almost be fried on it.

    However, the summer heat was not the sole reason that caused difort. Each and every one of the members of Hirasaka-gumi lined up before the stairs in an orderly fashion, baring their upper torso, allowing their muscr bodies to be clearly seen.

    ¡±E- Erm¡­¡­ Why are you all not wearing shirts?¡± Are you having a celebration or something? Your actions will intensify the greenhouse effect, so can you please stop that?

    ¡±Yes, sir! It¡¯s our fault that the T-shirts were stolen!¡±

    ¡±We returned our shirts to Sou-san! We are too ashamed to wear them before we catch the criminal!¡±

    ¡±Aniki, please take a look. We put on sunblock in the shape of our emblem, so it¡¯ll be the same as the time when we¡¯re wearing the T-shirts after some time!¡±

    I extended my hand to block the summer sunlight, tried not to let an expression of pity surface on my face after ncing at the sun, and turned around to look at Yondaime. I wonder what he had to do to collect so many idiots.

    ¡±If anything happens to me, I¡¯ll count on you to handle these idiots. Allowing idiots to do as they like will cause a lot of troubles in society.¡±

    ¡±Definitely not! I¡¯ll be the one troubled if so!¡±

    Yondaime snorted in contempt after hearing my rebuttal. However, he suddenly looked at my chest with a solemn expression, stretching out his fist and thrust it at me. It was as though the touch reached my heart directly, while I couldn¡¯t help but look back at Yondaime.

    What¡¯s with this? Is it possible that¡­¡­ He was serious about that?

    Fortunately, the third person who agreed to meet here¡ª Major arrived soon after. A yellow-brown cap with a star-shaped badge appeared below the stairs, probably the camouge uniform of the People¡¯s Liberation Army used in the desert? After that, a man even shorter than me with skin as smooth as a primary school student¡¯s appeared. The jet ck military backpack he was carrying did not match him at all.

    ¡±What¡¯s this? Having a simtion practice of a battle in the desert in broad daylight? Just as well, I¡¯ve brought military knives enough for everyone, so let me distribute them.¡±

    Major squinted at the gang members whose upper torsos were bare. As expected of the professional level military otaku.

    ¡±Absolutely not. I should tell you not to wander around with military knives, as thew is quite strict right now.¡±

    ¡±Rx. So that I can dispose of the evidence before the authorities find them, I¡¯ve installed a time bomb on each of the daggers.¡±

    ¡±I can¡¯t rx at all! A dangerous person like you should just hide in aboratory forever!¡±

    ¡±But I¡¯m here because of Souichirou¡¯s request.¡±

    ¡±Ah¡ª Uuu¡ª That¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡±He said that they¡¯re knives that can explode!¡±

    ¡±I want it¡­¡­¡± ¡°On which desert would you need such a thing?¡±

    ¡±Idiots! Observe the outside closely, the vast desert of Tokyo!¡± Nude n, can you please shut up?

    ¡±Listen closely, return upstairs, and also, put on some clothes!¡±

    Yondaime¡¯s orders immediately caused theckeys to shut up, and he turned to Major, pointing at the steel door with his chin after that.

    Though he looks like a child, simr to Alice, the specialized skills of Major in mechanical engineering cause even university professors to feel pity, because his skills were only used in criminal activities like taking photos secretly without permission, spying, survival games and illegal trespassing. Since they¡¯re birds of a feather, that would be the main reason that he was recruited. Major squatted down before the keyhole, taking out what seemed to be a small magnifying ss. With the side that was fine as a funnel, he stuck it into the keyhole.

    Not long after that, Major stood up as his face clouded over.

    ¡±Take a look at the windows as well.¡±

    Yondaime nodded while opening the steel door. Eh? What¡¯s wrong? Why didn¡¯t you tell us the results of the investigation? I walked in while thinking in my heart. Since Alice already asked me to, I must remember to take some photos of the possible routes of entry.

    Inside, there was an empty room with wooden floorboards. Apart from some tatami mats piled up at a corner of the room, there really wasn¡¯t anything else. Opposite to us was the sliding door leading to the storeroom. The odor of what seemed to be pesticide spread out as soon as the door was opened. There were quite a few rolls of tatami mats propped on the wall, cardboard boxes stacked high, and even a few safety helmets used at construction sites hung on the hooks on the wall. Including the articles in the storeroom, sturdy bars of iron were installed on all of the windows.

    Major shook his head after checking out three windows.

    ¡±Souichirou, were the T-shirts really ced here? Is it possible that someone in the gang took them for changing?¡±

    ¡±If I don¡¯t say so, they won¡¯t even know if there are holes on their own clothes.¡±

    ¡±Then what about the keys?¡±

    ¡±I keep it by my side.¡±

    ¡±Spare keys?¡±

    ¡±None present.¡±

    ¡±Isn¡¯t it impossible that there aren¡¯t any?¡±

    ¡±I¡¯m telling you that there aren¡¯t!¡±

    I really don¡¯t know how to describe the expression that surfaced on Yondaime¡¯s face that moment. For example, it¡¯s like a person tried hard for two days to make a bamboo raft, and realized only then that the sea already dried up¡ª an expression like that.

    ¡±In any case, the keyhole doesn¡¯t have any sign of damage.¡±

    Major shrugged. ording to him, tiny traces will always be left in the keyhole if one tries to force the lock open.

    ¡±Of course, there is a chance for traces not to be left if he¡¯s an expert in illegal intrusions like me. Which means¡­¡­¡±

    Major looked somewhat triumphant.

    ¡±The person who did it would be me or Souichirou, one of the two.¡±

    ¡±You can go back now. I¡¯ll clear the payment with Alice in one go, so you can get it from her that time.¡±

    ¡±I originally wanted to throw in a little deduction services. I really can¡¯t stand an old Japanese relic like you.¡±

    ¡±I¡¯ll call you if I need your help again, so beat it for today! And also, I can¡¯t seem to contact Tetsu. Do you know where he is?¡±

    ¡±ording to Tetsu-san, he hitched a free ride to Niigata for the summer horseraces.¡±

    Yondaime made a ¡®tut¡¯ in impatience. Simr to Hiro-san and Major, Tetsu-senpai is one of the members of the NEET Detective Squad as well. His fighting skills might be equal or even more than Yondaime. For an unusual case like this, his skills would be reliable, but since he¡¯s a fanatic gambler, whenever he checks in at a racetrack, he won¡¯t return for at least two days.

    ¡±Anyways, I¡¯ll tell you immediately when Ie in contact with him.¡±

    Major walked out of the room after saying that. That moment, a shout came from the other side of the shut steel door.

    ¡±Training start! Rollcall!¡±

    ¡±Shut up! Stop pretending to be an instructor, pipsqueak!¡± ¡°Hurry up and give us the knives!¡±

    The point different from Hiro-san and Tetsu-senpai is that Major ispletely not respected by the Hirasaka-gumi members. I have a feeling that I heard an explosion as well, but I think it¡¯s better to treat it as my imagination.

    I looked at Yondaime once more. His hands were still stuck in his pockets, staring at the storeroom.

    ¡±The T-shirts¡­¡­ I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that much of a special design, you might be able to buy it anywhere.¡±

    ¡±They¡¯re all ordered. Even the size and position of the emblem is the same, so it¡¯s unmistakable.¡±

    ¡±Even so¡­¡­ That doesn¡¯t mean that it can¡¯t be replicated¡­¡­ Right?¡±

    As the uniform of Hirasaka-gumi is somewhat famous in this city, it might have been photographed and replicated, or if someone finds one at the garbage dump of this building, they would be able to replicate it.

    ¡±I know that.¡±

    Yondaime directly dropped the conversation.

    Is it really true that nobody else has the keys to the room¡ª For some reason, I just couldn¡¯t ask that question.

    When we walked out of the room, Major¡¯s silhouette and the members of the muscle fest already disappeared. Shouts of the slogans ¡®Hira¡ª! Saka¡ª!¡¯ ¡®Fight!¡¯ ¡®Hira¡ª! Saka!¡¯ ¡®Fight!¡¯ gradually became distant. Oi, is it possible that they ran outside without wearing shirts? They¡¯d really get arrested, you know? Even so, Yondaime walked upstairs with his lips tightly mped. As I felt that I haven¡¯t gotten things clear, I nned to follow and was stepping on the second step of the staircase when Yondaime turned around.

    ¡±Hurry up and deal with your promotional work. You shouldn¡¯t have time to meddle in a matter like this.¡±

    ¡±But¡­¡­ I¡¯m an assistant detective after all, so investigation about matters like this should be my true priority.¡±

    ¡±Shut up. Haven¡¯t you watched the tape from the surveince camera? A matchstick like you would be sent into the hospital if you get involved.¡±

    ¡±You don¡¯t need to be that worried¡ª¡°

    ¡±Nobody is being worried of you. As Alice lent you to me, it would affect my credibility if something happens¡­¡­ What¡¯s with your idiotic face!¡±

    ¡±Nothing, really¡­¡­ I¡¯m just curious why you have exactly the same reaction as Alice.¡±

    Yondaime¡¯s fists shed before I even finished my words. Before I felt any pain, I experienced the sense that my body was floating and the impact of my body crashing into something, all of the air in my body being spat out of my mouth, and I realized that I flew to the railings of the stairs because of the impact in the end. I stared to cough repeatedly, the taste of gastric acid in my mouth.

    ¡±Stop talking so much and scram to Ueno! I did a lot to ask the person in charge to extend the appointment.¡±

    I rubbed my stomach while watching Yondaime leave. What¡¯s with this?

    But it seems like the words ¡®Not being worried of you¡¯ are true.

    *

    ¡¯I heard you¡¯re going to Ueno! Go to the zoo for me along the way.¡¯

    When Alice called me, I was coincidentally looking at the lush lotus leaves floating on the Shinobazu Pond. The lotus leaves reflected the dazzling sunlight of summer, almost causing people to be unable to open their eyes.

    ¡±Erm¡­¡­ Actually, I¡¯m already at Ueno. Why the zoo?¡±

    ¡¯To take photos of capybaras, of course! Aren''t you still holding the digital camera? Remember to take a close shot of it so that I can feel its fluffy touch just from the photo. You can pat them in my ce as well.¡¯

    ¡±I¡¯d rather not. I¡¯m telling you that I¡¯m very busy, having to go to both the advertisingpany and livehouses today.¡±

    ¡¯Did you not say that you will not forget your job as an assistant detective? Even naria remembers its own soul, but I never thought that you are inferior to even a low ss species like this.¡¯

    Why must I be scolded like this¡­¡­? Even so, at least I can still learn from my mistakes, thus I swallowed myint of ¡¯How is this the job of an assistant detective?¡¯ into my stomach. Besides, I got Alice into a bad mood just yesterday, so it made me feel more relieved that she can treat me as usual now.

    ¡¯Your appointment with the advertisingpany should be on twelve, while the appointment with the livehouse should start at five in the afternoon, is it not? Does that not mean that you have enough time to visit the zoo?¡¯

    ¡±Eh? You¡¯re telling me to go there between meetings, and not after they end?¡±

    ¡¯You reallyckmon sense. These animals will enter a slumbering state in the evening, and the zoo will have closed for the day by then.¡¯

    I don¡¯t want a hikkikomori NEET with an abnormal body, sleeping less than an hour a day to say that to me!

    ¡±My main point is, why must I take photos of capybaras? Aren¡¯t they justrge, sleepy-looking rodents with prickly-looking fur? How is that good? And shouldn¡¯t we take photos of pandas if we go to Ueno?¡±

    Alice¡¯s sounds of ridicule after hearing that had long exceeded the range that can be described in words, thus I am not nning to record itpletely here.

    ¡¯If you cannot understand the adorable appearance of a capybara, fine, but you actually have the nerve to mention pandas! If you can only experience the little charm owned by a ck and white bear like that, you should just use bamboo as an offering during Obon and pray for it to be reborn! The pandas in Ueno have long died.¡¯

    ¡±Eh? R- Really?¡±

    But isn¡¯t a panda the mascot of Ueno up till now?

    ¡¯That is why it has such a miraculous effect on people whock information like you, because as the word suggests, the panda is just a mascot to attract customers. In any case, just focus on the capybara and remember to buy a doll of it along the way.¡¯

    After that, I had to suffer over ten minutes of instructions with meticulous details on the phone, such as from which angle should I film it from until how many photos I should take, but Alice still hung up while sighing in the end. Uh oh, it¡¯s almost time for my appointment with the designer.

    In the end, the appearance of a dancing capybara kept surfacing in my mind during the meeting, and my concentration was quite bad from the start. Actually, part of it was because the workshop of the advertisingpany was too messy, dolls piled up on cabs and the desks, causing me to recall Alice¡¯s words no matter where I looked. The designer in charge is a youngdy called Mika-san. She dyed her hair blonde, wore long fake eyshes, put on thick mascara, painted all of her fingernails, and spoke in the tone of a high school girl, all in all the type that I am the worst at dealing with. It was hard for me to speak while looking in her eyes.

    ¡±Fujishima-san, you were the one who designed the website? It¡¯s brilliant, totally brilliant! It¡¯s simple, and is a top hit on inte search engines!¡±

    Though she should be older than me, I almost got pummeled by the sense of youth she was radiating.

    ¡±Why don¡¯t you just refine the logo of the band as well, Fujishima-san? I think the concept of the original design is okay, just that it doesn¡¯t give people much of an impression.¡±

    ¡±Me? No, erm¡­¡­¡±

    ¡±This is the logo designed by the drummer of the band, but the focus is a bit¡­¡­ Since they¡¯re a girl band, the deliberate emphasis of the cute feeling of kitsch and pop seems to be somewhat of a mismatch. Fujishima-san, have you listened to their songs before? Didn¡¯t they give more of a sharp, strained sort of feeling?¡±

    I just feel that her words seem to be somewhat reasonable, so I just nodded for now.

    ¡±Ah, but I¡¯m hoping that you will keep the bird, as the whole design is based on the bird.¡±

    Wait a minute, please don¡¯t speak like I¡¯m definitely epting the request! While thinking of that, I stared at the paper spread on the reception table. On the logo of the band that was formed by English alphabets, the dot on the letter ¡®i¡¯ was reced with the picture of a small bird. Such a design is indeed somewhat cute.

    That moment, I suddenly thought of something and asked:

    ¡±Shouldn¡¯t there be merchandise of T-shirts made? They probably aren¡¯t finished yet, are they?¡±

    ¡±We¡¯re probably dealing with this next month, as the rights of the merchandise are tooplicated!¡±

    ¡±It¡¯s like this, I know a friend working in a shop selling second hand clothes. The shop is called ¡®n Garba¡¯, and it became quite famous recently.¡±

    Though I¡¯m saying that he¡¯s a friend, the truth is Alice and I did the owner of the shop arge favor during a case before this. Describing that case would take up a long time, so please allow me to exin this some time after this. When she heard the name of the shop, Mika-san¡¯s eyes suddenly brightened.

    ¡±Yes, I know! I went there a few times. I heard that it reopened recently, right?¡±

    ¡±So won¡¯t it achieve a promotional effect if we add the band logo and date of the event onto the shirt and sell it everywhere?¡±

    Mika-san started to dance in joy. It¡¯s somewhat worrisome for me to see her express her rich emotions so readily.

    ¡±Okay, let¡¯s do just that! Ah, but¡­¡­ What to do? It wouldn¡¯t work if we don¡¯t start from now, do we? If we design it right away and send it to a manufacturer, that would be¡­¡­¡±

    ¡±I know a manufacturer as well, though it¡¯s a different person.¡±

    ¡±Ehhh¡ª!?¡±

    Mika-san leaned forward while supporting her hands on the table in surprise. I opened the website of Wakagi Crafts Store, Yoshiki-san¡¯s store, using a notebook. The range of their products is actually too widespread for a ¡®crafts store¡¯, having self-made original essories and even epting orders from clients. The introduction page of the products listed out samples of unique essories in exotic or Japanese style, textiles and embroideries.

    ¡±That¡¯s won~derful! The designer is really good. What? You know him? Fujishima-san, what are you, really? A mere high school student being acquainted with Sou-san is already inconceivable, but you actually have contacts everywhere!¡±

    ¡­¡­ What am I, huh? I want to know that as well.

    However, Mika-san already picked up her phone and dialed the number of Wakagi Crafts Store when I was about to exin that I don¡¯t know if Yoshiki-san will ept the order.

    ¡±¡­¡­ Hello, I am¡­¡­ The reason I called you is because I wish for you to help with the design of some clothes. With Hinamura Souichirou-san¡­¡­ That¡¯s right, Fujishima-san introduced you to me¡­¡­ Yes, yes, that¡¯s right, uwaaa, really!? Yes, yes, that¡¯s the band, yes, yes¡­¡­¡±

    I really wish to emte her ability to take action. While thinking of that, I started to worry about theplicated rights of the merchandise that we spoke of just now. Is it really okay for us to decide things in private like this?

    ¡±Then I¡¯ll get Fujishima-san on the phone!¡±

    The phone was stuffed into my hands, and I took it in surprise and apprehension.

    ¡±Erm¡­¡­ Fujishima speaking. Fujishima Narumi.¡±

    ¡¯Narumi-kun? It¡¯s been a while¡­¡­ Not really.¡¯

    Yoshiki-san¡¯s gentle voice that was slightly hoarse could make people rx just by listening to it. Though I was suddenly forced to pick up the phone, it¡¯s a good thing that I didn¡¯t say anything embarrassing.

    ¡±So sorry, it turned out like this all of a sudden¡­¡­ Well, asking you to handle such a thing though we just met once¡­¡­¡±

    ¡¯It¡¯s okay, really. It¡¯s my pleasure to ept jobs concerning clothes. As for the design, shouldn¡¯t we arrange for a meeting to discuss about it?¡¯

    ¡±That¡¯s right. Of course, it¡¯d be the quicker the better. When would it be more convenient for you?¡±

    ¡¯Any time would do, just that I might need you to visit the shop. Very sorry, because I can¡¯t go too far away.¡¯

    Ah, that¡¯s right. He can¡¯t just leave the shop there.

    ¡¯It¡¯s rted to Hina¡¯s job, right? Can you bring him along as well? It was the first time I saw him so shy, it¡¯s just too interesting.¡¯

    Oh, so he was being shy that time? They say that a dog owner can discern the expression of a dog when he rears it for a long time, so perhaps it¡¯s the same for wolves?

    ¡±Erm¡­¡­ I don¡¯t want to die yet, so let¡¯s forget about it for now. Yondaime is probably busy right now as well.¡±

    Right after I said that, heartyughter came from the other side of the phone.

    I returned the receiver to Mika-san, and she hung up after confirming the details of the project.

    While walking out of the workshop, Mika-san¡¯s face clouded over, and asked me in a low voice:

    ¡±Yesterday, I heard someone say that Sou-san¡¯s team is involved in strange issues. Apparently, it has something to do with violence¡­¡­¡±

    ¡±Ahhh, well¡­¡­ Erm, that incident¡­¡­¡±

    Though the police weren¡¯t called, news of the incident indeed spread quickly, giving me slight difort. I stood in a daze at my original spot for quite some time, mumbling to myself, and spoke again after that:

    ¡±I think it¡¯s unrted to Yondaime and Hirasaka-gumi. It doesn¡¯t matter.¡±

    In the end, what I blurted out were polite words of constion.

    In my opinion, there is nothing more sorrowful than heading towards the zoo below the zing summer sun.

    From the time I lined up at the entrance to buy tickets, there were already quite a few happy families wearing straw hats passing by, while I had to do my best to exin things to the oba-san at the ticket office: ¡°Please give me a receipt for the ¡®NEET Detective Agency¡¯. Well¡­¡­ N- E- E- T- Detective- Agency¡­¡­¡± I feel like dying.

    As the discussion we had at the advertisingpany took longer than I expected, there really wasn¡¯t much time until the appointment with the livehouse. After setting the rm of my phone to ring after an hour, I first headed to the souvenir corner to buy a listless-looking set of capybara dolls stacked together, asking for a receipt for that as well. The female cashier¡¯s smile was painful to me.

    I don¡¯t wish to slowly admire the animals on a hot day like this, so I immediately dashed towards the ce where the capybaras were located after confirming its location on a signboard. Along the way, I brushed past various couples and kids with their skin dark because of the sun, faintly hearing the conversation of the people that had no content. The penguins are so cute¡­¡­ The pr bears are so cute¡­¡­ A pity that there aren¡¯t any pandas now, but at least the lesser pandas are cute¡­¡­

    At the section with mas and tapirs, there was a clump of an animal that could be held in one¡¯s hands, while another smaller fellow could be seen beside it, probably a capybara family. The expression of the capybaras seemed to be innocent and naive, apart from the mas and tapirs living with them, they were even frightened by crows flying in, and could only walk alone. I hurriedly took photos of the scene with the multi-functional digital camera that Alice lent me, and suddenly felt that the camera was somewhat wet. I thought that it was because of my sweat, but I only realized after turning my face away that they were my tears. I felt like crying more because of that.

    I thought to myself, so the capybaras live on the world so resiliently as well. mas eat grass, tapirs eat dreams, while capybaras live on by eating the sorrows of uninteresting, unimportant people like me. A mystifying emotion assaulted me like pouring rain. If I continued to stay by the fence, I would definitely stand there, unable to move, so I silently packed up the camera, leaving the animals.

    When I walked towards the exit, I suddenly thought of something. The designer seemed to have told me that the bird on the band logo was called¡­¡­ What is it again? A ck thrush? Perhaps it can be found in the zoo? Would a photo of the real thing be helpful when I discuss about this with Yoshiki-san? Thinking of that, I immediately walked towards the park navigation signboard again.

    The cage for bird species that was about four-storey high was filled with branches, while the ones in it were all raptors. I inquired the ojisan that seemed to be the manager there about the matter.

    ¡±Thrush? ck thrush? Hmm¡ª We probably don¡¯t have this. There¡¯s a section formon birds in Japan, so there¡¯s probably white¡¯s thrush if you¡¯re looking for it.¡±

    He said while fanning his face with his hat.

    ¡±ck thrushes usually aren¡¯t imported to Japan, as they¡¯re not really rare in Europe. For instance, ck thrushes in Ennd would be like sparrows in Japan.¡±

    So things are like that? That can¡¯t be helped then, I have no other choice but to check online. It¡¯s just that photos ofmon items are usually hard to find online.

    ¡±Are ck thrushes popr right now? Because of a puppet show or something?¡±

    ¡±Eh?¡±

    ¡±A young man asked me if there are ck thrushes here just now as well. Ah, look, the young man over there.¡±

    I looked in the direction that he gestured at with his chin and saw a tall man whose hands were on the railings by the penguin cage. Having an extremely distinct streak of blonde on his hair, and that shirt¡ª that¡¯s right, it was the shirt that I bought before this.

    ¡±¡­¡­ Renji¡­¡­ san?¡±

    There was some distance between me and the penguin cage, and the birds there were chirping loudly, but even so, the man seemed to have heard my call, turning around to face me. With quite some effort, I saw the widened eyes hidden by the goggles-shaped sunsses. That¡¯s right, it was indeed Renji-san.

    ¡±Whaddya know, if it ain¡¯t Narumi¡ª!?¡±

    After saying that, Renji-san immediately approached inrge steps, grabbing my shoulders.

    ¡±This ain¡¯t just an unexpected meetin¡¯! I never thought I would see ya in the zoo!¡±

    Me too. What on earth were you doing?

    ¡±T-shirt! My T-shirt, did ya take it, Narumi? I went back to Dotoru for a spin, but didn¡¯t find it.¡±

    ¡±Ah, t- that¡¯s right.¡± Eh? I recall that I took it back, but where did I ce it again?

    ¡±The shirt is very important to me. I cried for three days when I thought I lost it, good thing¡ª! Thanks!¡±

    Renji-san held my shoulders while shaking me forcefully in gratitude, while the oji-san left with a shallow smile that said ¡¯thoughi¡¯mnotsurewhatyou¡¯redoingitseemslikeyou¡¯rebusysodoyourbest¡¯.

    ¡±Seriously, I was really worried of ya. Actually draggin¡¯ ya into a fight, but not knowing yer number, while ya have a really nd look that I probably won¡¯t notice even though ya passed by me, givin¡¯ off a feeble aura like yer gonna kick the bucket after three days because of food poisoning¡­¡­¡±

    ¡±None of your business!¡± Though I thought someone was finally caring about me, but it turned out to be like that in the end!

    Renji-san took out a pen and copied my phone number onto his palm. It seemed like he doesn¡¯t have a cellphone.

    However, I had a strange feeling about this in my heart¡ª how did we meet again in such a short time in an incredibly huge ce like Tokyo? Perhaps this is what they mean by a bad tie can be formed in just a short time? When I think about the time when we got separated, we were talking about odd topics like trying to be friends, reaffirming if it would get destroyed¡­¡­

    It won¡¯t be strange even if our rtionship turns sour.

    I couldn¡¯t ask immediately about the matters that I didn¡¯t manage to finish that day, and was thinking if I should continue the chat in a ce like this¡­¡­ In the end, we still talked about meaningless trivialities.

    ¡±Erm¡­¡­ When should I return the T-shirt to you? And what are you doing, Renji-san?¡±

    ¡±Lookin¡¯ at penguins, pr bears¡­¡­ And exotic animals such as lonely high school students who seem to have nothin¡¯ to do in the afternoon.¡±

    ¡±Shut up! You don¡¯t have the right to say that to me at all! I was asking about your upation!¡±

    ¡±As ya can see, I¡¯m a NEET.¡±

    That¡¯s true. I¡¯m the dumb one for asking a question like this. I can sense a presence simr to Hiro-san and Tetsu-senpai¡¯sing from him, and was thinking if it would be true. However, I really don¡¯t want to imagine that I¡¯m turning into a NEET detector, and that was why I asked him about his job while wishing that he had a proper upation.

    ¡±I actually had another task forin¡¯ to Ueno, but I came to the zoo since it¡¯s such a rare opportunity. Since I just found out that the name of a band that I¡¯m takin¡¯ note of means ck thrush, I came here to see what kinda bird it is. And there ain¡¯t no bird like that here in the end.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but stare at Renji-san once more.

    Doesn¡¯t that mean¡­¡­ It¡¯s the same reason as mine? It seems like not all of this is a coincidence. So the origin of that band¡¯s name is so famous? Though they¡¯re just an indie band, and haven¡¯t been exposed at too many public events¡­¡­

    ¡±And they said that there ain¡¯t any pandas as well, dead, apparently. A lesser panda is now actually livin¡¯ in the cage for the panda, making me think that Rin Rin turned brown after gettin¡¯ older and even split into two!¡±

    Yeah, right.

    ¡±Tokyo changed a lot as well.¡±

    Looking at the surface of the water that the sea lions were in, a lonely expression appeared on Renji-san¡¯s face.

    ¡±¡­¡­ You¡¯re originally from Tokyo as well, right? How long did you go to Kansai for?¡±

    Renji-san stared at me after pushing his goggle-styled sunsses upwards. Unexpectedly, his gaze was that of one who was moved to tears.

    ¡±Did I ever tell you that I came from Tokyo?¡±

    ¡±Ah, no¡­¡­ Isn¡¯t that right? I just feel like your Kansai ng is somewhat unnatural.¡±

    That¡¯s right, I finally remembered. The impression that this person gives me is neither simr to Tetsu-senpai nor Hiro-san¡­¡­

    ¡±It¡¯s more like you¡¯re deliberately speaking it to ease the atmosphere.¡±

    He resembles Yondaime more. If Yondaime tries from the start till the end to make peopleugh¡­¡­

    He would probably turn out like Renji-san.

    Because his true gaze hidden by the shades was like that of a wild wolf.

    ¡±I once lived at Kansai as well, so I knew it when I heard it. Renji-san, your Kansai ng would be mixed with standard Japanese when you¡¯re not careful, isn¡¯t that right? It would be the exact opposite if it were to be people who grew up in Kansai. They would sound like they¡¯re speaking in standard Japanese, but Kansai intonation would sometimes slip into it.¡±

    I only noticed then that my tone was rather self-righteous, and suddenly felt flustered.

    ¡±E- Erm¡­¡­ If it¡¯s not that¡ª¡°

    ¡±It ain¡¯t wrong that I came from Tokyo. I was still livin¡¯ here until four or five years ago. Though ya look like a dopey capybara, yer particrly sharp in strange aspects.¡±

    Renji-sanughed while lightly thrusting at my chest with his fist. That was the first time I saw Renji-san smile naturally as well.

    ¡±Even so, I actually didn¡¯t go to Kansai either. Just loitered around the Chiba district.¡±

    I shook my head, troubled. If so, why does he speak in Kansai ng?¡±

    ¡±Because I borrowed money here and there, bin¡¯ a jobless bum in the end. Chiba is much warmer.¡±

    ¡±Erm¡­¡­ Why didn¡¯t you stay at your old home then?¡±

    ¡±My parents were gone long ago.¡±

    Ah, I see. I frankly epted the truth and leaned my back against the railings, while I stared at the primary school girls walking out of the seating area while holding shaved ice in excitement.

    Renji-san looked at my face with his head cocked.

    ¡±¡­¡­ What a strange fellow. Don¡¯cha have more ta ask?¡±

    ¡±More to ask?¡±

    ¡±Usually, people would at least say that they¡¯re sorry for askin¡¯ about this. Was it because of an illness? Or an ident¡­¡­ Something like that.¡±

    ¡±But don¡¯t you find someone asking you such a question annoying?¡±

    Renji-san¡¯s eyes twinkled, and he had his back on the penguins after putting on his sunsses. A few kids shouting in excitement passed by us, and then only the blurry, weakening sun of the afternoon sun in summer and the faint odor of animal waste remained.

    Renji-san spoke suddenly:

    ¡±Narumi, yers were gone as well?¡±

    I looked at my feet with my head lowered.

    He can see it? From such a short conversation?

    Perhaps he really could see it? I think it¡¯s possible that we¡¯ve experienced the same matters, swallowing our sense of difort. I suddenly felt somewhat ufortable. Is it possible that I spoke too bluntly, angering Renji-san because of that? ¡¯Don¡¯t you find someone asking you such a question annoying?¡¯ I might feel displeasure when I¡¯m asked such a question, as it¡¯s rather selfish after all. It¡¯s like a wound in one¡¯s mouth, and would hurt no matter whether you touch it with your tongue or your teeth.

    ¡±¡­¡­ My mother already passed away. My dad doesn¡¯te back often.¡±

    ¡±Ya don¡¯t seem like yer good at taking care of yerself, what to do?¡±

    Renji-san asked with a wry smile, giving me a sense of relief more or less.

    ¡±I have a sister as well. She¡¯s much morepetent than me. And dad still gives us money for our daily expenses.¡±

    ¡±Yer definitely on the way to be a NEET.¡±

    Even a person I met for the second time feels that? I¡¯m really starting to worry for my future.

    ¡±Your dad¡­¡­ Did he love you?¡±

    ¡±¡­¡­ Why ask this all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡±No particr reason. When I grew up, my old man already ran away with another woman, so I don¡¯t get it. I¡¯m curious of how fathers treat their kids.¡±

    ¡±I¡¯m not sure as well. But basically, they would probably love them.¡±

    ¡±Whoa! An unexpected answer.¡±

    ¡±Because, people say that the love from parents is unconditional love without asking anything in return.¡±

    ¡±Stop speakin¡¯ lines that would give people goosebumps in a news broadcaster¡¯s tone.¡±

    ¡±I heard this from other people as well. They say that children are gathered in a certain room in heaven before they are given birth, everyone having happy, fluffy days, but the parents pulled us down from there without permission and gave birth to us. If they aren¡¯t so nosy, we wouldn¡¯t suffer on the ground at all, and don¡¯t need to face death.¡±

    ¡±What are ya talkin¡¯ about?¡±

    That¡¯s right, what am I talking about? Even I wanted to do a tsukkomi on myself. In such sunny weather, under the gaze of birds from the north-most and south-most ces of earth, I¡­¡­

    ¡±I¡¯m just exining why parents have the obligation of raising children.¡±

    ¡±I¡¯m not that bright, so put it in a simpler way.¡±

    ¡±Well¡­¡­ That means, parents owe their children from the time they give birth to them, so giving them unconditional love is reasonable¡­¡­ Something like that.¡±

    Renji-san looked at me with a gaze as though he was looking at the timetable from the other side of the railway station tform.

    ¡±Narumi, ya usually think about these things? If so, I can understand why your pop doesn¡¯t want to go home then.¡±

    ¡±Indeed, I often thought about things like this when I skipped sses before this. As for now¡­¡­ Probably not.¡±

    ¡±Why? Ya became happy, so ya don¡¯t need to continue to y the fool there?¡±

    Renji-san poked the side of my abdomen with his elbow while speaking in a jokingly tone. Even so, shouldn¡¯t the truth be something like that? I met a lot of people, making me a little¡­¡­ Though it¡¯s only a little, I still had some growth.

    ¡±So ya¡¯d think I¡¯m kind no matter how much I joke? How mature you are.¡±

    ¡±Please be more modest since you understand that!¡±

    Renji-san raised his head to look at the zing sun of July that had long set andughed. After that, he bought two cups of beverages at the vendor¡¯s and walked back.

    ¡±I¡¯ll treat ya to a drink, and we¡¯re even.¡±

    ¡±So I¡¯m so cheap in your eyes?¡±

    ¡±Narumi, I specially bought arge one for ya.¡±

    ¡±Thank you so much then!¡±

    I snatched the paper cup from Renji-san¡¯s hands. At the instant when I bit the straw, Renji-san asked suddenly:

    ¡±Narumi, did ya live around here five years ago as well?¡±

    ¡±¡­¡­ No. My dad often transfers to other posts. Though I don¡¯t really remember the location, it¡¯s probably not in Tokyo.¡±

    ¡±So I didn¡¯t have the chance to meet ya at all.¡±

    ¡±Meet¡­¡­ what?¡±

    ¡±If I met a person like ya that time, I might not have left Tokyo¡­¡­¡±

    Renji-san mumbled. ¡°¡­¡­ And I might not return like this as well.¡±

    To be honest, this person looks more fragile when he¡¯s wearing his sunsses.

    ¡±Actually, I didn¡¯t wannae back at the start. Forget it¡­¡­ I found an interesting fellow anyway. I¡¯ll just write it off.¡±

    Renji-san held his paper cup again, showing his teeth, but it was a lonely smile.

    What was the reason that caused him to abandon Tokyo, and what was the reason that caused him to return again?

    ¡±¡­¡­ You really don¡¯t have any friends over here?¡±

    Though I knew that it was a cruel question, I still had to reaffirm it.

    ¡±Yeah. Well, a lot of fair-weather friends, but no true friend. Every one of them are just moneyless, jobless, unreliable NEETs.¡±

    ¡±That¡¯s because you keep saying something like trying to be friends.¡±

    ¡±Perhaps.¡±

    Renji-san¡¯sughter sounded like the front tire of a bike turning in the air.

    ¡±¡­¡­ That¡¯s why I¡¯m telling you that you don¡¯t need to try to be friends. Erm¡­¡­ I might not be free any time because of my work, but since it¡¯s the summer break right now, you can call me if you¡¯re free.¡±

    ¡±Yer gonna let me borrow cash?¡±

    ¡±No! I meant that I can apany you if you want to shop anywhere!¡±

    Renji-san lightly patted my shoulders with his lips curled slightly. I thought, perhaps that¡¯s his original smile?

    ¡±Duh. I still have to get back my T-shirt. And if I¡¯mckin¡¯ a mahjong partner, I¡¯ll call ya out even if it¡¯ste night.¡±

    ¡±I¡¯ll pass, that will trouble me very much.¡±

    ¡±Not just trying to be friends, ain¡¯t it? It¡¯s true, right?¡±

    He suddenly looked at me seriously, making me swallow before nodding in answer.

    I suddenly thought, was he once betrayed before this? If not, he probably shouldn¡¯t be so suspicious. However¡­¡­ Why isn¡¯t he like the me before this, cooped up in his own world? Is it because he is a person that can¡¯t do even this, lonely to the extreme?

    ¡±Then, Narumi¡­¡­¡±

    Renji-san pressed the white paper cup enveloped with numerous beads of water near to my face.

    ¡±¡­¡­ What is it?¡±

    ¡±It¡¯s like this. Narumi, your hand, like this¡­¡­ cross it over here.¡±

    I nkly followed Renji-san¡¯s instructions, our hands holding the cups hooked together.

    ¡±And then drink it.¡±

    When the both of us touched our straws with our mouths, our hands formed a chain-like ring.

    I know this ritual¡ª and indeed became sworn brothers with someone as well.

    ¡±Though we can¡¯t be born on the same year, month and day¡­¡­ Something like that. There should¡¯ve been witnesses, a mediator and all that, but let¡¯s just ask the pr bear to be our mediator. Only animals won¡¯t lie after all.¡±

    Renji-san finished his whole cup of c after finishing.

    ¡±Well, from the bottom of my heart¡ª I don¡¯t believe in a thing like friends.¡±

    Renji-san¡¯s voice disappeared in the air between us along with the bubbles in the carbonated water.

    ¡±So¡­¡­ That¡¯s why we¡¯re bing sworn brothers, huh?¡±

    ¡±So ya know that?¡±

    I didn¡¯t know what to say anymore. That was a ritual that appeared in the movie ¡®Ben-Hun¡¯¡ª though it¡¯s not really from the movie, but just a way to express friendship between men when having a toast. That¡¯s right, it means¡ª

    I can¡¯t just say that he¡¯s rted to Yonadime.

    However¡­¡­

    ¡±I know that losin¡¯ friends was mostly my fault.¡±

    Renji-san said while scrunching his paper cup.

    ¡±I was hesitant, without self-restraint, and I don¡¯t think before I speak as well. Before this, I had a great friend in Tokyo, but thinkin¡¯ that I would probably break all connections with him because of a small matter, I would feel sad. So, how should I say this, that¡¯s why I¡¯m thinkin¡¯ it¡¯s better to at least leave a form.¡±

    I stared at the hard cup that was gradually warming while emitting gas bubbles.

    ¡±I thought that no matter how long I live, I probably won¡¯t be able to have a more important friend than that guy. That¡¯s why I thought we should directly be sworn brothers.¡±

    ¡±In the end¡ª¡° My throat was suddenly dry. ¡°Did something¡­¡­ Happen?¡±

    ¡±Ah ha ha! In the end, it was as I expected, we got in a fight and broke off all connections. After that, we could only say goodbye to the idiotic game of loyalty of being sworn brothers. Well, a fate like this is probably destined for me.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but feel from the bottom of my heart that it¡¯s a good thing Renji-san was still wearing his sunsses. If I saw the despair umted in his eyes, I probably would have run away from the scene.

    ¡±For some reason, now I have to make a mess of the guy,in¡¯ back to Tokyo especially for this. What¡¯s with this? Why do I¡­¡­ Every time¡­¡­¡±

    Each and every word that Renji-san spoke fell on the burning asphalt, as though they¡¯re being burnt. He shook his head and swallowed them again.

    ¡±Sorry for makin¡¯ ya y this game with me. Thanks!¡±

    ¡±¡­¡­ No, there¡¯s no need.¡±

    ¡±Let¡¯s just treat this as a dream before the wine dries up. Ya probably won¡¯t wanna get close to me after this, isn¡¯t that right, Narumi?¡±

    ¡±Of course not!¡±

    Sh- Should I say something right now? But what to say? Though I just drank some c, my mouth was parched. As I was trying to think of something to say, the phone in my pocket started to vibrate. It was my rm. Uh oh, it¡¯s almost time for my appointment. What should I do? I still have a lot to say to Renji-san. Is he really rted to Hirasaka-gumi? I recall that I heard something about Hirasaka-gumi when the men in piercings at the livehouse in Harajuku were looking for a fight with him. It was indeed not just my imagination.

    ¡±Do ya have another appointment?¡±

    Renji-san asked while throwing the ttened paper cup precisely into the trash can a few meters away.

    ¡±Eh? Ah, no¡­¡­ Yes, I need to go to a livehouse right now, well¡­¡­¡±

    ¡±Livehouse?¡±

    Renji-san approached solemnly once more. My face turned somewhat pale, but I still squeezed out the name of the livehouse, while Renji-san¡¯s brows immediately locked at that moment.

    ¡±It¡¯s best if ya don¡¯t go there.¡±

    ¡±¡­¡­ Eh?¡±

    ¡±Just don¡¯t. Ya can¡¯t go there today.¡±

    ¡±W- Why?¡±

    ¡±Just don¡¯t.¡±

    It was as though Renji-san¡¯s words pierced into my heart, and an indescribably odd feeling remained between my ribs even after he left.

    After I exited the zoo and was walking along the path by Shinobazu Pond, I kept thinking of Renji-san. Though he said all that, I can¡¯t just not go, so I still headed towards the livehouse.

    I felt some difort in my heart. Though there were some good ways to confirm Renji-san¡¯s connection with Hirasaka-gumi, while the simplest one would be to call Yondaime and ask him directly, I just couldn¡¯t do it.

    If I just ignored it, he¡¯s just a strange older friend that I got to know coincidentally on a hot summer day.

    Just ignoring the matter seems to be the best way of handling the matter.

    Thus, I let the numerous questions that were like entangled seaweed swirl on my tongue, being unable to spit it out or swallow it, and directly stepped into the crowd at the American street of Ueno, walking in the direction of Okachimachi after passing by the railways.

    And just because of that, I didn¡¯t notice that there were sirens ringing.

    Piercing red sirens hurriedly dashed past the right part of my vision. It was a fire engine. I saw ck smoke puffing out of the building that I was headed for the moment I raised my head. Shocked by the scene before me, I immediately fished out the map that I printed before this from my pocket and reaffirmed it.

    Indeed, it was the building where the livehouse was at. I quickened my footsteps, but the people crowding out from the shops nearby to watch blocked the small road, causing me to be unable to move. I tried to push away the crowd, and finally arrived before the building after some painstaking effort. Puffs of thick smoke came from the stairs leading to the basement, and a few young men and women could be seen climbing out of it while coughing.

    ¡±Please go back a bit! Back!¡±

    ¡±Hey! There¡¯s a power shortage inside right now!¡±

    ¡±Let the injured pass by first!¡±

    Voices of firefighters or the ambnce crew could be heard, but I anxiously stared at the signboard at the side of the entrance to the building. I am certain that the first floor of the basement is the livehouse where I am headed to, and I hurried over after seeing a crowd of people who seemed to be the employees wearing red, open-cored shirts squatting down on the asphalt road.

    ¡±E- Erm¡­¡­ I¡¯m Fujishima who called yesterday, the one who asked for a meeting with you!¡±

    A man whose hair was tied in a ponytail raised his head to look at me with a gaunt expression.

    ¡±¡­¡­ Meeting? Hey you, it¡¯s obvious that this isn¡¯t the time to be talking about something like this.¡±

    ¡±What happened over here?¡±

    ¡±God knows.¡± ¡°The power failed all of a sudden¡ª¡° ¡°Seems like someone in the kitchen spilled something.¡±

    ¡±Someone damaged the power distribution board!¡± A man that seemed to be an employee as well rushed out from the thick mes, shouting at the firefighters with his face full of tears and soot. The power distribution board was damaged? What¡¯s with this? What in the world happened?

    ¡±It¡¯s just a small fire, so it¡¯s fine!¡± ¡°The fire has been put out now.¡±

    ¡±There are still quite a few people trapped in the lift! Please save them first!¡±

    Numerous piteous shouts interweaved in the air, while Renji-san¡¯s voice resounded in my mind¡ª

    ¡¯Just don¡¯t. Ya can¡¯t go there today.¡¯

    A thing like this¡ª How is it possible? Per haps¡­¡­ He was referring to this matter?

    I hugged the bag containing the doll while squatting down by the road. Silhouettes in silver firefighters¡¯ clothes kept passing by my view, and I was even stepped on by them at times, but Renji-san¡¯s words, wolf-like smile, normal smile and the taste of the c we drank kept swirling in my mind. Not only the roars of the firefighters, pain, and odd atmosphere, I couldn¡¯t even feel my own heartbeat.

    It was not until sounds of emergency braking rang and heat from an exhaust pipe blew on my face that I came back to my senses. When I raised my head, my whole field of vision was filled with a luscious blue. I have an impression of this¡ª it was a car very familiar to me. After that, the door of the driver opened, while a silhouette wearing a beige coat and suit pants dashed out.

    ¡±Narumi-kun! Phew, it¡¯s a good thing that we found you so quickly!¡±

    ¡±¡­¡­ Hiro¡­¡­ san?¡±

    Why is Hiro-san here? I haven¡¯t recoveredpletely yet. After looking at my surroundings, I found that I was before a rolling door by the road at a slight distance from the building that was on fire. How long did I go in a trance for? Though the spectators surrounding the scene already disappeared, the entrance to the building was still sealed with tape, while policemen in uniforms could be seen at the scene as well.

    ¡±Are you hurt? You¡¯re inside just now, right, Narumi-kun?¡±

    ¡±N- No. When I arrived, it was already¡ª¡°

    The back door of the car opened while shaking, shocking me out of words. In her pajamas and long, knee-length socks, without even wearing shoes, Alice was trying to use her weak hands to push open the door, preparing to walk on the road.

    ¡±W- Wait a minute!¡±

    I hastily sprang up, running towards the car and pushing Alice inside.

    ¡±W- Why are you here, Alice?¡±

    ¡±You actually have the nerve to ask me ¡®why¡¯!?¡±

    Sitting on the car seat, Alice looked at me with her tearful eyes while holding her fists on my chest.

    ¡±I called you when I saw the news about the fire, but not only did you not answer the phone, your GPS signal waspletely motionless at the scene, and you still have the nerve to ask me why!?¡±

    ¡±Ahh¡­¡­¡± I stretched my hand into my pocket. So there was a call¡ª but I didn¡¯t notice it vibrating at all.

    ¡±A person like you, a person like you! I thought that you would get burnt to a crisp, and was thinking of checking out if your brain would melt like butter so that your thoughts would be smoother, but you were actually just hugging your knees, practicing how to be a tramp by the road, it really made me so speechless that I do not know how to scold you!!¡±

    Alice, who should have been speechless to the extent that she couldn¡¯t talk, was instead giving me a rapid-fire scolding, shedding tears while scolding as well, making my mind sink into confusion as though it was about to spit fire, so I could only push Alice back into her seat, while I entered the car and locked the car as well. It won¡¯t be nice if people saw or heard anything about this. Hiro-san returned to the driver¡¯s seat as well and buckled his seatbelt.

    ¡±It really gave me a huge shock. Calling me to Hanamaru Ramen all of a sudden, and Alice actually ran to the ramen shop in an attire like that.¡±

    ¡±Hiro! Idiot! Do not speak out of turn!¡±

    Alice pounded on the back of the driver¡¯s seat while shedding tears, while I just felt that it was somewhat unbelievable while staring at the NEET detective whose face was red because of crying.

    Though she¡¯s just a serious hikkikomori who will feel shortness of breath when she goes outdoors.

    ¡±E- Erm¡­¡­ I¡¯m sorry. Sorry for making you worried about me.¡±

    ¡±How many times do you want me to repeat this!? A matter that is a waste of time like being worried about you is definitely not allowed to exist in my life!¡±

    Alice repeatedly hammered my thigh.

    ¡¯T- The matter that was worried of¡­¡­ Uuuuu¡­¡­ Was the capybara doll that I told you to buy!¡±

    ¡±Okay¡­¡­ Fine¡­¡­¡±

    If she keeps worrying about an ipetent assistant like me, it wouldn¡¯t be enough no matter how many hearts she has. Just thinking of it made me feel apologetic.

    ¡±Erm¡­¡­ The doll is fine. I remembered to buy it, it¡¯s fine and well.¡±

    When Alice saw the coffee-colored object that had threeyers that I took out from the stic bag, she suddenly got angry, flying into a rage.

    ¡±This one is Mr. Capybara, not a capybara, you nitwit! Though I have known for a long time that you cannot even differentiate the full moon and a melon bun, I never thought that it is actually serious to this extent!¡±

    ¡±Huh? Eh? What? Isn¡¯t this just a capybara?¡±

    ¡±They¡¯repletely different! This is just a cartoon merchandise created using the doodle of a person who does not know of capybaras! The one that I want is the one who resembles the real one with an over-square nose!¡±

    Alice was so furious that her whole face reddened, and she pranced on her seat while I waspletely speechless. What the heck? Aren¡¯t they about the same? Hiro-san smiled wryly while saying: ¡°I¡¯m going to drive soon, so help Alice to buckle her seatbelt.¡± As the car suddenly elerated, my body was pushed back onto the seats. I only noticed at that moment that my heart was pounding quite seriously.

    ¡±Disregard Mr. Capybara for now, hurry up and report to me what happened at the scene. Do you know the reason for the fire? Was it done by the people who imed to be from Hirasaka-gumi?¡±

    ¡±Ahh¡­¡­¡±

    I choked over my own voice.

    That¡¯s right. There is such a possibility. I heard someone say that the power distribution board was deliberately damaged¡­¡­

    That moment, the image that gave off piercing sounds of friction and odor of metal gradually formed a concrete film in my mind.

    Renji-san once mentioned the band that Yondaime and I are in charge of promoting, and made a strange response to the name of the livehouse. Which means¡ª

    Our reunion at Ueno was not a coincidence.

    The scorching sunlight, taste of c that remained on my lips, and the warmth of Renji-san¡¯s wrist when our hands crossed gradually awoken from my memories, while I started to tremble because of a chill. I think it isn¡¯t just because of the strong air conditioning on the car.

    I really don¡¯t wish to believe this. But¡­¡­ All of the deductions match.

    My phone rang¡ª just in my pocket.

    ¡±¡­¡­ Hello?¡±

    ¡¯You¡¯re at Ueno, right? Did you see the fire? Was the damage serious?¡¯

    Yondaime¡¯s voice at the other side of the phone was unexpectedly calm.

    ¡±No, when I reached the scene, it was already¡­¡­ The fire didn¡¯t seem to be too big. I heard that there was a power failure, and the power distribution board seemed to be damaged as well.¡±

    I gulped. I should tell him about Renji-san as well, but how should I say it? I don¡¯t have any concrete evidence, and nobody actually saw who did it as well.

    Anyhow, I must think of a way to say it. When I was about to speak, Yondaime started first:

    ¡¯Did you see it?¡¯

    ¡±¡­¡­ See what?¡±

    ¡¯I¡¯m asking you if you saw the person who ran away after damaging the power distribution board!¡¯

    ¡±N- No. I don¡¯t even know who damaged it¡­¡­¡±

    ¡¯That¡¯s fine. You don¡¯t need to mind about this anymore.¡¯

    Yondaime¡¯s voice was like a small bubble that drifted to the surface from the bottom of a sea full of oil, deep and turbid.

    ¡±¡­¡­ Eh?¡±

    ¡¯I¡¯m telling you to just take care of the promotions! I caught a whiff of the people who took the T-shirts now. You and Alice should just keep out of this.¡¯

    ¡±You caught them? Who¡ª Who did it?¡±

    Bleached hair and goggles-shaped sunsses surfaced in my mind once again.

    ¡¯None of your business!¡¯

    ¡±W- Wait a minute, please wait!¡±

    He hung up. I nkly stared at the silent phone on my palm for awhile, and my gaze then wandered in the car full of air conditioning.

    I only stopped when I met Alice¡¯s gaze.

    I closed the phone as though I was about to crush it.

    ¡±The person who did itst time¡­¡­ He said that he found him. Yondaime told us not to meddle anymore.¡±

    How on earth did he find him? Only two days passed from the day.

    ¡±The wanted poster that I made yesterday has already spread through the whole Yamanote Line. Besides, they are in an organization as well. Hirasaka-gumi will definitely find them if they use all of their men. As for you, what do you wish to do?¡±

    What to do? Perhaps I should just do as Yondaime said, ignoring the piteous cries and sirens, continuing with my promoting job?

    How could I do a thing like this?

    ¡±I want to talk directly to Yondaime. Hiro-san, I¡¯m very sorry, but can you let me go off the car near the station before going back to Hanamaru Ramen?¡±

    Hiro-san nodded in answer while staring at the windscreen.

    ¡±I¡¯ll send you directly to their office.¡±

    ¡±Well¡­¡­ But you have to hurry up and send Alice back.¡±

    The NEET detective who has a serious ¡®outdoors-phobia¡¯ cannot stay out of her office for a long time. However, Alice tightly hugged her capybara doll until it changed shape, softly saying in a rigid tone near Hiro-san¡¯s neck:

    ¡±I am going as well.¡±

    I was taken back and kept staring at Alice, but was answered with a re in the end.

    ¡±Even if you go there alone, you will be chased back by Yondaime immediately We must use up all of our sophistry so that they will ept the legitimacy of letting us know of the message.¡±

    ¡±On the phone¡ª¡°

    ¡±Narumi-kun, if you go alone, Yondaime might beat you to death. She¡¯s probably worried of you going there alone.¡±

    ¡±I am not worried! Hiro, please shut up!¡±

    Hiro-san did not answer her, but just pretended not to hear her words while stepping on the elerator.

    ¡±Didn¡¯t I tell you not to meddle?¡±

    Yondaime sat behind his desk in the Hirasaka-gumi office, a look of displeasure on his face. Though it was already summer, he was wearing a coat embroidered with a Chinese dragon, and that meant that he already entered the state of war preparation.

    ¡±Nee-san, Aniki, Ojiki, thanks for your hard work!¡± ¡°Thanks for your hard work!¡±

    Members of Hirasaka-gumi lined up at the two sides of the room, and greeted us in a low voice with their heads lowered when Alice, Hiro-san and I walked inside. Though it¡¯s the same every time, I really wish they wouldn¡¯t do that. It¡¯s a good thing that they¡¯re at least wearing clothes today. As they were forbidden to wear the uniform before the incident ended, all of them were wearing different personal clothing today.

    ¡±Why is even Alice here? In pajamas, as well.¡±

    Separated by the desk, Yondaime red furiously at Alice¡¯s small body.

    ¡±I am a detective, and I epted a request. There is nothing more important than this.¡±

    Though her tone was still self-righteous, Alice was hugging the doll with her left hand, clutching on my sleeve with her right while trembling non-stop behind me. It seems like she lingered outside too long.

    ¡±Who cares about your rubbish reasons. I just requested you to analyze the photos, wasn¡¯t the matter long resolved? We caught a grunt thanks to you. I¡¯ll deposit the money for you next week, so hurry up and get back to your ice vault.¡±

    Alice¡¯s small hand tightly held my wrist. It was unclear as her skin was just too white, but her face paled long ago.

    They caught a grunt already. Does that mean they caught one of the people making trouble in the name of Hirasaka-gumi so quickly? It seems like I¡¯ve underestimated Yondaime¡¯s mobility too much.

    ¡±Does that mean¡­¡­ Your request has ended?¡±

    ¡±Yes. The only thing rest is a conflict in our own gang, and we will handle it ourselves.¡±

    An internal conflict? What does that mean?

    ¡±But I have the obligation to confirm if the message that I gave is true, confirming if the results avoided innocent people from getting harmed.¡±

    ¡±That isn¡¯t a reason at all. I confirmed the person in the video myself as well.¡±

    ¡±That will be my judgment to make.¡±

    Yondaime looked slightly impatient.

    ¡±We¡¯ve already thrown the guy into the second floor vault, and had already beat him up until the extent that you will faint over ten times because of anemia. You aren¡¯t going to ask him to meet you like this, are you?¡±

    ¡±That is why I brought my assistant as well, right? Narumi¡¯s eyesight is the only thing that I trust.¡± Only my eyesight? I see, but that¡¯s true as well. ¡°I am putting Narumi in charge of judging if the person in the video matches the real person.¡±

    ¡±One stupid excuse after another¡­¡­¡±

    Yondaime red at me with a ferocious expression as though he was about to pounce on me, while I could only turn around and pretend not to see it.

    In the end, Yondaime still stood up, gesturing with his chin for me to follow. On the other hand, Alice stuffed an IC recorder into my hands while saying something like ¡¯Record the man¡¯s testimony by the way¡¯. What ¡¯¡¯confirming if they match¡¯? What a bad excuse.

    Even so, I wish to learn of the truth that had nearly formed¡­¡­ And also, the reason that Yondaime is handling this as an internal strife, and must exclude us from this.

    Hiro-san remained to keep Alicepany, while Yondaime and I walked to the second floor along with Pole and Rocky.

    At the instant when we opened the steel door, a low moan that sounded as though it came from the deepest depths of the throat could be heard.

    ¡±Did he spit out any new information?¡±

    Yondaime quickly walked past the wooden floorboards, asking the two people by the door to the storeroom.

    ¡±He said that he doesn¡¯t know about their hideout nor the phone number.¡±

    The gang member on the left shrugged. Pole curved his body that was over two meters to enter the storeroom, while Yondaime closely followed. I suddenly remembered the drug dealer who was caught by Hirasaka-gumi during the Angel Fix incident and couldn¡¯t help but gulp. I turned on the power source of the recorder Alice gave me, and the sounds would be sent to the office on the third floor wirelessly, and will be recorded as well.

    There was a man tied up with a ck stic bag. I stepped into the room while trembling, and the man finally raised his head.

    Though there weren¡¯t any injuries that were particrly visible, I could still see that he was very badly beaten up. The corners of his eyes and lips twisted in pain, while his saliva that was mixed with blood had long dried up by his mouth. Perhaps the attacks were concentrated on the stomach because he wouldn¡¯t be able to speak if they hit his face? I covered my mouth, standing nkly at the entrance of the storeroom in fear.

    ¡±¡­¡­ I¡¯m telling you¡­¡­ I really don¡¯t know anything¡­¡­¡±

    The man sounded like he was about to cry.

    ¡±The other party called me actively every time, and he doesn¡¯t have a phone as well.¡±

    ¡±Haven¡¯t you met before?¡± Pole asked in the tone of a delinquent. Lying horizontally on the floor, the man answered while trembling:

    ¡±We met a few times at a shop¡­¡­ A- At Ikebukuro.¡±

    ¡±Sou-san, what should we do? It seems like we wouldn¡¯t know anything even if we hang him up.¡±

    Rocky asked by Yondaime¡¯s ears.

    ¡±Do we need to put him into a bag and throw him on a hill?¡±

    ¡±P- Please don¡¯t!¡±

    The tied up man wriggled like a caterpir, spraying saliva everywhere.

    ¡±Sou-san, I- I heard that if I fight with you, you¡¯ll let me go if I win, right? Hirasaka-san said that, isn¡¯t there a rule like that? Please!¡±

    Hirasaka¡ª the word forced itself into my ears, breeding in huge numbers like the spawn of spiders.

    Yondaime narrowed his eyes, approaching the man step by step.

    ¡±¡­¡­ Really? So that guy didn¡¯t even forget about such a meaningless thing?¡±

    The wolf answered softly, looking at his opponent frightened out of his wits.

    As I was about to interrupt, Yondaime turned around and said while ring at me:

    ¡±Gardening Club kid, get out for a moment, we¡¯re having a judgment. This is very meaningless, so don¡¯t let Alice hear this.¡±

    Hirasaka-gumi¡¯s judgment.

    That¡¯s right, Yondaime once told me when we became sworn brothers¡ª about the two men who founded the gang.

    As the leaders, they were Hinamura Souichirou who still leaded the juvenile delinquents, and another man¡ª setting up a lot of rules, leaving his name on the signboard of the gang, disappearing without a trace after that.

    Rocky kept silent, pushing me out of the room. I didn¡¯t even have the energy to resist. I saw Pole releasing the man and dragging him to the wooden flooboards. After that, the huge body of Rocky blocked my vision, and I was pushed out to the staircase. At the instant before the heavy steel door closed, I heard the sounds made by Yondaime¡¯s fists.

    Yondaime walked out after about two minutes, ncing at me while wiping away the blood stained on his fingers. After that, he leaned against the railings of the stairs, and heaved a long sigh. Pole and Rocky just stood at the two sides of the steel door.

    ¡±Sorry for not telling you before this.¡±

    Yondaime spoke to me in a low voice. I blinked.

    ¡±¡­¡­ About what?¡±

    ¡±The guy who stole the T-shirts. Actually, I knew who he is long ago.¡±

    Yondaime sat by the railings and extended his hand towards his pocket, taking out a key. ¡®2F Storeroom¡¯ was written on itsbel.

    ¡±Another guy has this as well. He was the one who did it¡­¡­ Just that I never thought that he would actually keep it until now.¡±

    Veins appeared on Yondaime¡¯s right hand. Thebel was immediately torn down, and the key was bent by his fingers. Compared with his horrifying grip, the enigmatic expression on Yondaime¡¯s face was scarier.

    ¡±Sou-san, I still can¡¯t believe it, is there some kind of misunderstandi¡ª¡°

    Pole stepped forwards, but was red to immobility by the ferocious gaze of the wolf.

    ¡±This is definitely not a misunderstanding. Having an odd surname like that, how could there be any other person who came back to Tokyo recently just to look for trouble with us?¡±

    Yondaime turned away after throwing the unusable key onto the floor, the pictures of the rising and descending dragons ring at me in his stead.

    ¡±¡ª Renji was the one who did it.¡±

 Volume 4, 3

    <h4>Volume 4, Chapter 3</h4>

    That time, Hirasaka Renji was just fifteen, recently graduating from middle school. He did not continue his studies at a high school, but formed a juvenile delinquents¡¯ gang known as the ¡®Shura-dou¡¯. It¡¯s hard to imagine that the name was thought of by a city boy, and was said to be taken from a yakuza movie starring Aikawa Shou.

    ¡±In any case, that guy is super strong, as he¡¯s one of the Four Heavenly Kings.¡±

    One of the most experienced persons in Hirasaka-gumi¡ª Pole said that to me.

    ¡±He might even be scarier than Sou-san. Because he fights with a smile.¡±

    ¡±I¡¯m not too familiar with matters that happened during that period of time.¡± Hiro-san answered on the driver¡¯s seat.

    We were on our way back to Hanamura Ramen from Hirasaka-gumi. As he was too tall, Pole¡¯s head bumped onto the top of the vice-driver¡¯s seat.

    On the other hand, Alice and I sat at the back with a wall of dolls between us while the both of us stayed silent.

    ¡±At least Ojiki still went to high school.¡± Pole said.

    ¡±Just for a year. And I mixed with Tetsu right after that¡­¡­ Hirasaka-gumi had already been founded that time.¡±

    ¡±The delinquents nearby weren¡¯t originally in any gang at all, as they still thought that forming a gang is stupid.¡±

    That¡¯s true. It¡¯s still fine if it¡¯s the early Chiba and Kanagawa districts, but such an era is already over. Forming a gang would usually require an imaginary enemy, but the adults don¡¯t even have the time to be children¡¯s enemies anymore.

    ¡±But Hirasaka-san kept saying something like ¡®Let¡¯s help the others¡¯, and everyone were like, ¡®What are you talking about?¡¯, but the ones who didn¡¯t listen to him would be badly beaten up.¡±

    Pole wasn¡¯t a member of Shura-dou himself, so he was quite displeased with Hirasaka Renji who barged in his territory, but actually he was just a drop outining at a convenience store.

    And just at that moment, another problematic issue arose from Osaka.

    ¡±I heard that Sou-san lived with a woman when he first came to Tokyo.¡±

    ¡±Ehhhhhhhhh!¡± And he actually lived together with a woman? My previous impressions of him copsedpletely. I wonder how that guy is before his girlfriend. Or perhaps he still had his brows locked constantly?

    ¡±Ah, I¡¯ve heard about that a bit¡­¡­¡± Hiro-san suddenly interjected. ¡°He depended on women before this as well, and she¡¯s ady working at a pub or something. As the shop that his girlfriend worked at shed with Renji¡¯s team, Yondaime dashed over there¡­¡­ Something like that.¡±

    ¡±Ah, that¡¯s not right. I heard that they didn¡¯t sh!¡± Pole corrected at a side. ¡°I heard it from Sou-san after that as well. He ran over to the ce that Shura-dou gathered and took revenge after that, teaching them a lesson, asking them if they¡¯re idiots, leading so much people and actually daring to make trouble at a shop that had the support of yakuza.¡±

    ¡±Isn¡¯t that just a sh!¡± Hiro-san couldn¡¯t help but do a tsukkomi on him.

    ¡±But Hirasaka-san was quite forgiving. After that, the two of them started to cooperate, chasing away the delinquents from the gang called Godouda or something away, taking charge on the shop themselves.¡±

    How is that possible¡ª If I¡¯m not too familiar with Yondaime, I would probably have such a reaction. Logically, how would a bunch of kids dare to look for trouble with the yakuza, snatching away part of their territory in the end?

    ¡±I heard that Sou-san seemed to have some rtions with a house intermediary who did quite a lot of dodgy business. I¡¯m not sure as I¡¯m not really bright, but it seems like they tinkered with the data ofnd or the building, and took charge of the shop in the end.¡±

    Indeed, tricks like this again. I don¡¯t know how he feels himself, but he really has the potential to be the intelligent-type yakuza.

    ¡±And then, he formed a gang with Hirasaka-san. Ever since Sou-san got serious, our territory increased rapidly. The name of the gang changed after that, and we rented an office as well.¡±

    ¡±That¡¯s right, I was always curious about this, but why the name Hirasaka?¡± Hiro-san inquired.

    ¡±Sou-san said something likepanies still keep their name after they are merged¡­¡­¡±

    Wow! That seems to be a verymercialized reason. As expected of Yondaime.

    ¡±And also, I heard that Hirasaka-san said that the name Hinamura is fine as well, but Sou-san hates his own surname.¡±

    It is said that Yondaime¡¯s family at Osaka is an old yakuza gang doing business on the road, probably using the name Hinamura-gumi, Hinamura n or the like? If so, not wanting to use the word Hinamura is quite understandable.

    ¡±However, the sake cup was half filled when they underwent the ritual, so there¡¯s no such thing as one who is on the top. We were present when they underwent the ritual as well, and we felt that we¡¯d probably be unbeatable as long as the two are here. Plus, it seems like Sou-san and Hirasaka-san didn¡¯t only share sake, they exchanged something important as well.¡±

    ¡±¡­¡­ Something important?¡± I muttered the words again.

    ¡±As for what it is, the both of them won¡¯t tell us at all, so we all say that it¡¯s a ¡®super sake ritual¡¯. All of these are legends, you can only say that they¡¯re legends.¡±

    Sake thicker than one¡¯s blood¡­¡­ And a certain thing even thicker than that that ties the two of them together.

    I tried to recall the taste of c that remained on my lips, and the ritual sake that had already turned faint.

    ¡±I heard Renji say something about this as well.¡±

    Hiro-san¡¯s voice was sweet but clouded.

    ¡±I asked him what kind of important thing that is, but he said that it¡¯s a formless thing that people can¡¯t see so easily. And Tetsu said in the end: ¡®Are you guys gay?¡¯, while Renji said whileughing as well: ¡®A rtionship closer than bein¡¯ gay.¡¯, making Yondaime extremely annoyed, and they got in a fight, spilling the ramen, causing everyone to be scolded to death by Min-san.¡±

    So such a scene once appeared behind the portiere¡­¡­ A dream from a long time ago.

    ¡±But¡­¡­¡± Pole lowered his voice. ¡°The two had already done things to this extent, why did they¡­¡­?¡±

    In the end, I still couldn¡¯t tell Yondaime this¡ª

    Meeting Renji-san at Ueno before this, and the fact that he told me not to get near the livehouse.

    Even if it is already certain that he is Yondaime¡¯s pastpanion, Hirasaka Renji¡­¡­ No, it should be because it is already certain, I cannot speak it out.

    Why did Renji-san¡ª A person who once created Hirasaka-gumi along with Yondaime, do such a thing?

    ¡±You guys in the gang, does anyone know the reason Hirasaka Renji left Tokyo?¡±

    Alice kept her chin buried in Mr. Capybara from just now, but suddenly inquired, breaking the silence. I was taken aback, and stared at her face separated by the mocha bear.

    ¡±¡­¡­ No. Nee-san, do you know about it?¡±

    ¡±I do not know right now either. Besides, Hirasaka Renji already left Tokyo when I got to know Yondaime. But I know the way¡ª including which grave I should dig.¡±

    ¡±Sou-san would promptly beat people up when he hears Hirasaka-san¡¯s name, so nobody dares to ask him¡­¡­ Perhaps¡ª they were already enemies when they parted five years ago?¡±

    ¡±I am not sure about this as well.¡±

    Alice¡¯s words stopped there, and only a dark silence was left after that.

    A truth that only the detective can find¡ª However, there is no reason for her to verify, because nobody made such a request.

    ¡±Ojiki, so sorry for asking you to send me here.¡±

    Pole immediately bowed deeply after walking out from the car parked before the ramen shop, bumping into the top of the car in the end.

    As for why we let him tag along, it was because Pole said that he had something to do at Hanamura Ramen when we was about to leave. At first, he still refused when Hiro-san asked him if he wantsd a lift, but since we have something to ask him along the way as well, we just dragged him into the car. Even so, what business does he have? I thought while looking at the huge silhouette that passed through the portiere.

    ¡±It is so hot that I feel like I am going to get cooked.¡±

    Alice frowned while looking at the hot air that entered from the seams of the door. Though the sun was about to set, the asphalt road was emittingrge amounts of heat stored before this, causing it to feel much hotter than noon. It seems like the ramen shop would be packed with people who want to eat ice cream tonight as well. Even the seats formed of overturned beer crates were full of people outside the ramen shop.

    ¡±Narumi, help me to order red bean ice cream from Master. And also, though I have no intention to have dinner right now, order cold tsukemen without the ramen if she wishes for me to eat. Hiro, remember to move my good friends back to the office.¡±

    When I walked down the car while holding Alice¡¯s hand, I heard amotion from the ramen shop. Turning around to have a look, the surprising thing was that Pole actually kneeled down before the portiere. The srymen customers stood up while holding their bowls, distancing themselves from Pole.

    ¡±¡­¡­ A- Ah, you can¡¯t do this, at a ce like this¡­¡­ I- In any case, can you go to the seats at the back first? I¡¯ll get you an ice cream.¡±

    Ayaka, who was serving the customers outside, seemed to be struggling, showing me a troubled expression, but I was so surprised that I couldn¡¯t move as well.

    ¡±What is the meaning of this? There are other customers over here, you¡¯ll trouble the others like this!¡±

    Min-san frowned at the other side of the counter. After that, Pole raised his head.

    ¡±Hirasaka-san came back.¡±

    Min-san just moved her face slightly.

    ¡±He¡¯s now the gang¡¯s enemy.¡±

    ¡±So what? Who cares about the idiotic fights of you kids?¡±

    ¡±No matter how great Sou-san is, if he goes against Hirasaka-san, who knows how the results will be. And we don¡¯t wish to see them fighting each other as well.¡±

    Min-san stood behind the Chinese frying pan emitting fire and smoke with her head lowered in silence.

    ¡±But Sou-san said that this is an internal problem of the gang, and said that he¡¯s not asking for Nee-san and the others¡¯ help. He might have already found out Hirasaka-san¡¯s current location, thinking of ending the past grudges alone. If his opponent is Hirasaka-san, I think that it¡¯s hard for Sou-san to get out without a scratch as well.¡±

    I gulped.

    ¡±If it¡¯s Master, you¡¯ll definitely be able to stop Hirasaka-san and Sou-san, so please!¡±

    ¡±Why must I do such a thing? What are you thinking? Idiot!¡±

    Words that sounded extremely cold and cruel. Even I almost felt like adding some words after Pole.

    ¡±But Master is stronger than them both, and nobody else can stop them at all.¡±

    ¡±I still have other customers, so stop fussing. And aren¡¯t you a bit mistaken? I¡¯m a ramen shop owner.¡±

    Min-san¡¯s answer was quite justified, and she handed the Chinese fried rice to Ayaka. ¡°Sorry for the wait~¡± Ayaka served the food outside with a look of fear.

    ¡±If Sou or Renjies to the shop, I¡¯ll treat them to ramen and ice cream as well. If they have anything to say, I¡¯ll listen, but if they continue to do these useless matters, I¡¯ll beat them up¡ª this probably counts as my job. However¡­¡­¡±

    Min-san finally turned her gaze to Pole¡ª or I should say, Alice and I, Hiro-san on the driver¡¯s seat, Yondaime at a faraway ce separated by the railways and the station, or perhaps Renji-san somewhere in Tokyo? That moment, Min-san¡¯s gaze was soft like candy made of white snow.

    ¡±Isn¡¯t bringing them here your job?¡±

    Pole¡¯s hands fell onto the asphalt road with a thud. Alice looked at therge, downcast silhouette.

    ¡±Let¡¯s go, we have our work to do.¡±

    Alice pulled on my sleeve, and we walked towards the back of the ramen shop. Alice stood while holding the tray to her chest, looking at us with a confused gaze. However, Ayaka was much stronger than me, and she walked to Pole¡¯s side with her head lowered.

    ¡±E- Erm¡­¡­ Do you want to order anything? I¡¯ll get another beer crate for you to sit on.¡±

    As Alice forcedly pulled on me to go forward, that was all I heard. The two of us walked silently on the emergency backstairs, letting the lights, steamy air, sounds of conversation and the fragrance of soup fade gradually.

    Such a kind ce was here from the past until now, so there should have been a ce for Renji-san here once before as well.

    And he actually had to abandon such a ce¡ª What in the world happened?

    Alice stepped into the office that had the air-conditioner going strong, causing goosebumps to rise at once, and immediately copsed on her bed. Since she went out for so long, perhaps she already reached her limits?

    After the process of moving the dolls wasplete, Alice just turned around to look at Hiro-san.

    ¡±It is fine now. Please tell Master for me: Very sorry for troubling her.¡±

    Hiro-san, who seemed to be convinced, nodded in response, and returned to the entrance after cing the dolls by the bed.

    ¡±I¡¯ll go to Yondaime¡¯s again for a spin.¡±

    Hiro-san turned again.

    ¡±I¡¯ll reaffirm if he¡¯s truly not going to give the detective a request. Yondaime¡¯s mind is full of the hereditary genes of the yakuza, so it¡¯s easy for him to think of useless matters like the gang¡¯s pride and the like. Actually, he¡¯s already busy with his job, so let us NEETs handle the troublesome matters.¡±

    ¡±As you wish.¡±

    Alice¡¯s answer was unexpectedly cold. My thoughts were the same as Hiro-san¡¯s, thinking that Alice should be like this as well.

    ¡±Ahh¡ª st! That Tetsu, not knowing where he ran off to at these times! It should be his turn to appear.¡±

    If Tetsu-senpai is here, even if he goes to beat Yondaime up¡ª No, that would probably make matters more serious. But in incidents of violence like this, his absence is quite troubling.

    ¡±Alice, don¡¯t force yourself as well.¡±

    Hiro-san reminded her while putting on his shoes.

    ¡±I have never forced myself in my whole life.¡±

    Alice raised her body by supporting her hands on the bed, answering softly.

    It seems like letting her calm down would be better. As I was about to follow Hiro-san out of the room, a shrill voice came from behind.

    ¡±Why are even you going out? Come and kneel over here.¡±

    Alice was buried in a pile of dolls while being covered in a nket. As her eyes were somewhat foggy, I could only do as she said, kneeling down by the bed.

    Alice pressed the doll of Mr. Capybara that I bought for her before her chest, hiding half of her face, making me feel that her gaze was even sharper, strongly fixing me there like a nail made of ice.

    ¡±The job that I epted from Yondaime was only to make the wanted fliers of the T-shirt thefts.¡±

    Alice looked at me with a gaze as though she was typing with only her thumb.

    ¡±The task has already beenpletely. The man who was caught was confirmed by you as well, confirmed to be in the criminal organization. The current me is only one of the eyes drifting in the vast sea of information, without power or a will, so I have no obligation to answer your questions. But I still have to ask: ¡®What do you know?¡¯¡±

    I suddenly felt a sense of weakness, almost copsing on the floor. I tried to support myself with my palms, trying not to fall, but I really couldn¡¯t meet Alice¡¯s gaze. Though the air-conditioner was going strong, my neck felt really hot.

    ¡±Perhaps you did not realize yourself, but you are among the few who can look into Hinamura Souichirou¡¯s eyes directly, but you did not dare to look at him directly today. What happened at Ueno? What are you concealing?¡±

    That moment, words shed past my mind. I thought, how nice it would be if I could cry or fly into a temper right now? However, I could not find a reason to do so.

    Because Ick the courage, I did not speak.

    ¡±To know is to die.¡±

    Alice¡¯s words pierced into my heart, while I could only raise my head after her words.

    ¡±That part of you has long died, and nobody can heal it, but I am a NEET detective, a messenger of the deceased. If you wish to share death, I can do it.¡±

    In my trembling lips, my frozen words gradually thawed.

    I should have learnt a lot of lessons already. Not saying anything¡ª that is a matter that hurts the people around us the most, and even I was once one of the victims. However, I still had to be reminded by Alice till this extent, or I would only continue to cower in my own small world.

    ¡±¡­¡­ I met¡­¡­ Hirasaka Renji.¡±

    I spoke those words after some effort, and tightly bit my lip.

    Alice just ced her doll on her knee. The ckness that lingered in her eyes¡ª I think that is a color that anyone who once looked at the sky alone in a silent night saw it before.

    Thus, I told her about all that had urred, including the fact that I met Renji-san at the location where I headed to on Yondaime¡¯s request. Which means, those were not coincidences at all. It is certain that Renji-san and I will meet, and we did indeed meet twice.

    Being close friends in the past¡ª Renji-san told me, he returned to Tokyo just to beat up his previous sworn brother to pieces. When he said that, it was like his eyes were sucking all shadows in it.

    ¡±¡­¡­ I don¡¯t know what he is nning to do, but¡­¡­¡±

    That person¡ª seems very sad.

    Having to y the fool or beating people up, if he doesn¡¯t do one of those two, he probably can¡¯t continue to breathe¡ª that was what his expression said.

    Even after I spoke of what I knew, Alice still maintained the silence for quite some time. The doll that I bought her was mped between her knees, thus being ttened and changing shape. Her gaze contained neither reproach norment¡ª

    It was just understanding.

    ¡±Dr. Pepper¡­¡­¡±

    After a long, cold silence, Alice finally spoke.

    ¡±¡­¡­ Get one for me.¡±

    I took out a red can so cold that it almost stuck onto my fingers from the fridge, and after handing it to Alice, she did something that she never once did to me before.

    After taking a sip, she passed the can to me.

    ¡±You drink it as well, all of the rest.¡±

    I was troubled, breathless and couldn¡¯t speak. After drinking a small sip of the beverage, its taste mixed with the taste of the c that I shared with Renji-san in my memory.

    As I slowly drank in small sips, the bubbles had long dispersed when the can became light. Thus, I drank the remaining in one go, and felt the taste of sweetness and spice trickling down the interior of my throat.

    I stood up while holding the can, feeling as though Alice¡¯s blood was silently absorbed into my body from my gut, and couldn¡¯t look into her eyes at all.

    ¡±I¡¯m sorry¡­¡­ And thank you.¡±

    ¡±The one that you should apologize to should not be me, should it?¡±

    ¡±That¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡±No matter, I do not wish for my assistant to keep being so useless as well. Treating this like I am training a dog, even if I have to do it a hundred or a thousand times, I will still teach you the same thing.¡±

    ¡±I will try my best.¡±

    ¡±No matter how hard I try to take root, grow buds and spread the tender leaves of words, the real world that I cane in contact with is still limited, after all.¡±

    That moment, a trace of moistness finally surfaced in Alice¡¯s eyes.

    ¡±And you are a part of that limited world.¡±

    I nodded.

    If we cannot express things in word, we can only wait for our world to wither away in those small palms.

    They must be expressed in words.

    After I walked out of the detective agency, and was walking on the dark emergency backstairs, it was coincidentally the closing time of Hanamaru Ramen. Min-san took off her tanktop, her upper body wrapped only with a white sarashi, and was washing arge pot, while Ayaka who had long removed her apron was scrubbing the floor in the kitchen.

    That¡¯s right, I wonder what happened to Pole after that. He didn¡¯t use violence or cry while begging, did he?

    ¡±He ate five bowls of ramen and went back on Hiro¡¯s car.¡±

    ¡±Is that so¡­¡­ That¡¯s fine.¡±

    Having a healthy appetite is a proof of health, I suppose? While thinking of that, I suddenly realized that I was quite hungry as well. Unfortunately, drinking a can of Dr. Pepper cannot sate my hunger at all. The shop already closed for the day? I originally wanted to go back after eating a bowl of ramen. I looked at therge pot that was still smoking while touching my stomach. Perhaps my expression that time was somewhat sorrowful, as Min-san spoke after she noticed it.

    ¡±Huh, so you¡¯re hungry?¡±

    ¡±Err¡­¡­ That¡¯s right¡­¡­ Lately, my sister keepsing back ratherte, so there isn¡¯t any dinner.¡±

    ¡±That¡¯s fine. Why don¡¯t you take this back?¡±

    Min-san tossed a food container with three soy eggs in it to me.

    ¡±Err¡­¡­ Thank you.¡±

    ¡±Don¡¯t you give it to your sister! You eat them all up.¡±

    ¡±Expired food again! I¡¯m very sorry, but I¡¯m not a rubbish bin!¡±

    ¡±At least rubbish bins can still be used to pickle vegetables or let children y hide-and-seek in.¡±

    ¡±Min-san, aren¡¯t you treating me especially cold these days?¡±

    ¡±It¡¯ste now, hurry up and send Ayaka back properly!¡±

    She actually didn¡¯t even listen!

    As I was squatting down on the asphalt road before the ramen shop in frustration, chewing on the extremely salty soy eggs, Ayaka walked out as she finished cleaning up. ¡°Min-san, good night¡ª!¡±

    ¡±Be careful! See you tomorrow!¡± Min-san waved behind the portiere.

    ¡±It¡¯s fine even if you don¡¯t wait for me!¡±

    Looking rather happy, Ayaka pranced around me while walking.

    ¡±Well, I¡¯m going to the station anyway.¡±

    ¡±But this is the first time you sent me there!¡±

    No, there should be five or six more times now. Before the winter break, I was always free, and Ayaka¡ª

    ¡±Ah, s- sorry, perhaps this isn¡¯t the first time you sent me?¡±

    Ayaka opened her arms and blocked me.

    ¡±Ah, no. Actually, I¡¯m much more considerate that you think, Ayaka.¡±

    ¡±N- Nobody said that Fujishima-kun isn¡¯t considerate or doesn¡¯t work or does work sloppily¡­¡­¡±

    ¡±I never said that as well.¡±

    Ayakaughed while escaping about five steps in front of me, turned around and said while walking backwards:

    ¡±Is that so¡­¡­ So this isn¡¯t the first time, then¡­¡­ I¡¯m even happier!¡±

    Her words did indeed make me happy, but I still couldn¡¯t ept it. Though Ayaka¡¯s face was somewhat dim below the streetlights at night, she was unbearably dazzling to me, causing me to be unable to look at her directly.

    Ayaka lost a lot of things in the incident that happenedst winter, including the memories when we first met. Even so, she still returned to Hanamaru Ramen, returning to my side.

    The Ayaka right now can already face the matters that had turned into nothingness with a smile, but if it were to be me, I probably couldn¡¯t do it. That was why I felt that she was dazzling.

    ¡±But¡­¡­ It¡¯s fine that you¡¯re okay, because you looked terrible when you returned to the ramen shop just now, Fujishima-kun.¡±

    ¡±R- Really?¡±

    It seems like I¡¯m really easily read. This is not a good situation.

    ¡±But you looked much better after returning from Alice¡¯s ce.¡±

    ¡±Mnn¡­¡­¡±

    So sorry, I¡¯m a simple man.

    ¡±If it were to be me, I probably can¡¯t do it. I don¡¯t know what I have to do for Fujishima-kun to be willing to confide so many things in me. So Alice is really great!¡±

    ¡±Erm¡­¡­ Well¡­¡­¡±

    Can you please not speak as though I¡¯m a troublesome rare beast?

    ¡±I¡¯m just a student working part time at a ramen shop, so I don¡¯t understand things that are too hard. That can¡¯t be helped as well.¡±

    ¡±It¡¯s not much, Alice didn¡¯t do anything special as well. She just treated me to a can of Dr. Pepper. After taking a sip, she gave the rest to me. To be honest, it doesn¡¯t really taste good and felt sorrowful, but well, it¡¯s like I just calmed down.¡±

    ¡±Ehhhhh¡ª!?¡±

    Ayaka suddenly made a pose of surrender, looking extremely taken aback. Her way of expressing her shock was still the same as the time before she lost her memories.

    ¡±You were forced to drink it all? The one that Alice took a sip out of?¡±

    ¡±Eh? Mnn, that¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡±T- T- That! Tha- That won¡¯t do! Fujishima-kun, what were you thinking!¡±

    Ayaka suddenly approached, frantically hitting my arm. What the heck? What happened?

    ¡±Please take out your phone and call Alice!¡±

    Ayaka¡¯s expression scared me, so I hurriedly called Alice as she instructed me to. As soon as the call went through, the phone was immediately snatched away by her.

    ¡±Is it Alice? It¡¯s me, Ayaka! I heard from Fujishima-kun about the matter that you lethim drink Dr. Pepper!¡±

    Ayaka started to lecture her through the phone:

    ¡±Listen closely, even if it¡¯s indirect, things that can¡¯t be done just can¡¯t! Don¡¯t you realize that Fujishima-kun touched the can that you drank from with his mouth? Think about it in detail what that means!¡±

    I finally understood the topic that they were talking about and fell into a daze. Ayaka pressed my cellphone on my ear in anger.

    ¡¯Narumi! You- You shameless fool!¡¯

    Again? If you didn¡¯t notice from the start, why don¡¯t you just be ignorant about this forever!

    After I was scolded by Alice with tons of iprehensible words, Ayaka finally hung up for me and stuffed the phone into my pocket.

    ¡±Fujishima-kun, please take more notice of these things as well!¡±

    ¡±Okay, fine¡­¡­ But is this really a matter that you have to mind so much? Like Tetsu-senpai and Major, they steal my ramen from a side when they don¡¯t have money on them as well!¡±

    ¡±But Alice is a girl!¡±

    On the course of being scolded, we unknowingly arrived at the station. Coincidentally, a bus was shing its blinding backlights as well, and was about to stop by the road. Though Ayaka seemed to have something more to say, she just sprinted towards the station after a goodbye in the end. Therge, dusty bus sprayed out exhaust gas on my face, and it gradually left while going along the river.

    Today was a long day. The me right now shouldn¡¯t actually be a character who lives in the dreams of the capybaras at the Ueno zoo, right? And perhaps I was about to be eaten by the tapirs as well. While imagining idiotic matters, I walked towards the dark streets with my back to the rivers.

    It was already past midnight when I finally returned home. Though it was thest attack of the day¡ª as soon as I walked into the entrance, I was given a punch by my sister.

    ¡±Though nobody cares how long you don¡¯t go home or which street you die of starvation on, you should at least handle the clothes that you wash. How long did you hang them there for? And also, remember to clean up the house!¡±

    While rubbing on the bruise on my head, I walked to my bedroom on the second floor. The bed was piled up with underwear with square pegs sill on them, shirts, towels and other garments. When I saw the scene, lethargy because of overwork for the day (probably) caused my brain that was in denial to spread to my eyelids, neck, shoulders, arms, abdomen, thighs, calves and other locations, making me copse directly into the hill of clothes. I can¡¯t go on. Though I haven¡¯t bathed or brushed my teeth, and was quite hungry as well¡­¡­ Good night, I¡¯m going to sleep.

    However, the touch of protruding threads on my face caused my nearly closed eyes to open once more.

    It was a white T-shirt. Only the cor and the sleeves were ck, while the shoulder and abdomen part were spread with colorful, radial embroidery. It was the shirt that Renji-san wore that time. Ah, I brought it back for washing.

    I pushed the other clothing away, lying down on my bed and spread the T-shirt open under the lights. I remember that he said that this is a very important shirt, so I must return it to him. But how can I meet that person again? Besides, I don¡¯t even know if he would contact me again. Since Renji-san kept investigating Yondaime, learning of our rtionship is only a matter of time.

    Knowing that I am a person helping Hirasaka-gumi.

    Him and I¡ª are actually enemies.

    After some thought, I realized that this was the point that I was so worried of¡ª I do not wish to go against that person. This is different from the time when I fought Tetsu-senpai, because it¡¯s obvious that Renji-san is deliberately making trouble. Because of that, it made me feel even sadder.

    But the saddest person would probably be¡ª

    As I was about to throw the T-shirt aside, I suddenly saw something with the corner of my eye. On a triangr hanger not far from me, there was a ck T-shirt. Hirasaka-gumi¡¯s uniform.

    ¡±Ahh¡­¡­¡±

    I sprang upwards, taking the ck and white shirts, spreading them open.

    The swallowtail butterfly emblem printed in front of the ck T-shirt and the embroidery on Renji-san¡¯s shirt¡ª after the two ovepped, I finally realized it. This isn¡¯t a radial embroidery at all, but is actually a part of the swallowtail butterfly emblem. Perhaps this is an iplete work? As a lot of colored threads must be used, such a mystifying state that looks like fireworks would be presented if the product hasn¡¯t been finished yet.

    This shirt is important¡ª I remember that Renji-san once said that.

    He was probably referring to this, right? The ¡®thing most important to each other¡¯ that Yondaime and Renji-san exchanged. Because Yondaime¡¯s tailoring skills are great, he made this himself¡­¡­ But that doesn¡¯t seem right. ording to Hiro-san it is something formless that people can¡¯t see so easily.

    How confusing. I ced the two shirts on my knee and lied down again.

    ¡¯I thought that no matter how long I live, I probably won¡¯t be able to have a more important friend than that guy.¡¯

    The words that Renji-san said and the taste of the c that we drank kept swirling in my mind.

    If that¡¯s true¡ª

    The person who is the saddest should be Yondaime, right?

    Because he hid the matter of the storeroom key for quite some time as well. I think he is a calm person who would think carefully of all possibilities before taking an appropriate action, and might even be a more suitable candidate to be a detective than me. But such a person actually¡­¡­

    Perhaps he did not wish to believe such a truth? I hope that¡¯s so.

    If so, what should I do then?

    I already reached my limits when I thought about that. The lethargy frozen in my body started to thaw, assaulting my eyelids like an avnche caused when spring arrives. I slept so well that I didn¡¯t even dream.

    After noon next day, the weather gradually turned bad, and the wind started to strengthen as well. It felt like there would be a thunderstorm after noon. Because of that, I ced the T-shirt that Renji-san asked me to keep into twoyers of stic bags and kept it in my backpack, walking outside after that. Just updating the promotional website of the band and the blog took me the whole morning, so it wasn¡¯t too long until the appointed time for a meeting.

    Yondaime stayed at the innermost room of the Hirasaka-gumi office¡ª a storeroom having beds, not-too-tall moveable bookshelves, desks, chairs and other articles kept messily in the room. He was typing on the keyboard while talking on the phone. Before this, Yondaime was clueless about the usage ofputers, but after I gave him some lessons, he improved so much that he could handle theputer of his own gang. That was why the time he stayed in the room increased quite a lot recently, allowing us to meet alone. That would be a great opportunity.

    ¡±Aren¡¯t you going to a CD firm four in the afternoon? You¡¯re going with the designer, right? Don¡¯te here if you don¡¯t have any business to do with me.¡±

    After hanging up, Yondaime continued to type with his eyes glued to the monitor. Grasping even my own schedule, he¡¯s such a scary person.

    ¡±I have some business with you!¡±

    ¡±If it¡¯s about Renji, I don¡¯t want to listen. Hiro came over here and made a huge fuss yesterday, so you¡¯re probably lectured by Alice as well, right? This is none of your busine¡ª¡°

    ¡±I met Renji-san.¡±

    While I was thinking that Yondaime¡¯s seat turned around, I was grabbed on the cor the next instant and was flung to the wall. The eyes of a wolf zing with strong mes of fury appeared before me.

    ¡±When? Where?¡±

    ¡±¡­¡­ Very¡­¡­ Sorry¡­¡­ For not telling you this, but¡­¡­¡±

    ¡±I¡¯m asking you when and where you met him!¡±

    ¡±About Renji-san¡­¡­ Yondaime probably didn¡¯t request anything to Alice, right? So I don¡¯t have any reason to tell you about this.¡±

    Vigorous pain caused my vision to blur, and my legs were already touching air. Yondaime lifted me, causing the back of my head to hit the wall behind.

    ¡±Enough with the chatter! Speak!¡±

    ¡±Then please¡­¡­ Request¡­¡­ Al- ice¡­¡­¡± My voice was disconnected. ¡°We are detectives, and we exist just for these times.¡±

    Yondaime flung me to the bed.

    ¡±Stop the fuss! How can I allow a matter of my kin to spread like this!¡±

    ¡±Aren¡¯t I one of your kin as well!¡±

    I unconsciously raised my voice in answer, causing my hurt throat to ache and then cough vigorously.

    ¡±So you can¡¯t say anything to me? Aren¡¯t you and Renji-sanpanions? I heard that even the sake that you shared was equal, but what happened after that? Did you really break off all rtions with him?¡±

    ¡±That¡¯s right, it happened long ago. We aren¡¯t brothers anymore.¡±

    ¡±Why!?¡±

    ¡±Because of a failure to keep promises, it¡¯s the same for the both of us. That¡¯s why Renji couldn¡¯t stay in the gang anymore, that¡¯s all. If he¡¯s still hating me until now, that¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll just kill him!¡±

    ¡±Renji-san¡ª¡°

    Hates him? He still hates Yondaime right now?

    I don¡¯t understand. I don¡¯t even know what happened, so how could I understand how much sorrow was engraved in the eyes hidden below the goggles-styled sunsses?

    However, when I spread out the item covered in a stic from my backpack, it was like cracks appeared on Yondaime¡¯s face.

    ¡±You probably know this T-shirt, right? Renji-san forgot to take it away. We just met each other in coincidence, so I almost didn¡¯t ask him anything, but¡­¡­ But that person said that this shirt is very important, and that I must return it to him.¡±

    Yondaime heaved arge sigh and leaned on the back of the seat, while I crossed the bed to sit by Yondaime.

    ¡±I heard that you exchanged things important to each other, right? Was this shirt sewn by you?¡±

    ¡±Who did you hear this from?¡±

    Pole once said that this had almost turned into a legend now, while Hiro-san knows it as well.

    Yondaime threw his cellphone to the bed and spat out: ¡°Useless.¡±

    ¡±It¡¯s not something that is visible at all. It¡¯s something done just for looks, and Renji should have forgotten it long ago.¡±

    So the T-shirt is indeed not it? But I still continued.

    ¡±But wasn¡¯t this sewn by Yondaime? It¡¯s the emblem of the gang!¡±

    ¡±It was not me.¡±

    Is it possible that he just doesn¡¯t want to admit it? However, Yondaime pointed at the abdomen and shoulders part of the T-shirt in my hands and said:

    ¡±Look closely. The pattern on the side abdomen is 1.3 timesrger than the part of the shoulders, and so that the tone of the colors would look the same, the arrangement of the embroidery has some changes, and it¡¯s formed by uploading the pattern of the embroidery into aputer and erging it. How could I do such a thing?¡±

    I looked at the unfinished emblem in a daze, and looked at Yondaime¡¯s face after that.

    Yondaime was right. To Yondaime, who did not know how to use aputer before I taught him to, it¡¯s impossible for him to do such an embroidery. However¡ª

    Yondaime indeed knows about the embroidery on the T-shirt.

    ¡±The person who sewn this was a woman called Hison.¡±

    Yondaime turned his face away.

    ¡­¡­ A woman? And Hison¡­¡­ Is she a Korean? She¡¯s¡­¡­ the person living together with Yondaime, his girlfriend?

    ¡±This woman isn¡¯t here anymore. I couldn¡¯t protect her, and Renji couldn¡¯t do that as well. That¡¯s all.¡±

    When Yondaime stopped talking, I couldn¡¯t continue my questions as well. It¡¯s the same for the questions about Renji-san and that woman. After that, there was a soft silence, as though the floorboards in the room wereyered with chilly mercury.

    ¡±Can you contact Renji?¡±

    I didn¡¯t realize that it was a question directed at me for a moment.

    ¡±¡­¡­ Eh? Ah¡­¡­ Well¡­¡­¡±

    If I shake my head right now, it seems like even my bones would be bitten to pieces by him.

    ¡±He doesn¡¯t have a phone, but I told him my number before this.¡±

    ¡±Tell me if he calls. I want to kill him.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but gulp, but I truly shook my head in refusal.

    ¡±No.¡±

    Yondaime red at me with his mouth closed.

    ¡±Renji-san¡­¡­ is a friend that I met coincidentally at Harajuku and reunited at Ueno, that¡¯s all. To me¡­¡­¡±

    ¡±Stop your bbering. Don¡¯t you know that he¡¯s going against us?¡±

    ¡±I will reconfirm this with Renji-san myself. I still don¡¯t wish to believe this.¡±

    ¡±You just met him twice, so what do you know?¡±

    ¡±Didn¡¯t you refuse to believe this at first as well, Yondaime? That was why you hid the matter of the storeroom key.¡±

    After I finished speaking, my vision immediately shook vigorously. An impact caused hot air to be spat out from my mouth, my body was bent into half, and I finally felt the vigorous pain on my abdomen that moment. Yondaime¡¯s iron punch hadnded on my stomach, making me feel nauseous, and could only suppress the pain while trembling with one hand on the bed.

    ¡±You just need to do your own job. Tell Alice and Hiro about this as well!¡±

    After that, Yondaime walked out of the room. The room was filled with a powdered darkness and solemnity, but I lied down on the bed, unable to move for quite some time.

    I searched for the T-shirt that I kept for Renji-san.

    My job¡ª

    Pretending that I cannot see a dark world like this, only looking at the silhouette of the band that is about to step into the spotlight, and then awaiting Yondaime to break Renji-san¡ª Or Renji-san to break Yondaime to a state impossible to save, and only wait. Is this really my job?

    I definitely won¡¯t stand for such a thing!

    ¡±So this is the building of Sou-san¡¯s office? That¡¯s cool!¡±

    Mika-san looked at the signboard of Hirasaka Office hung on the building, crying out in excitement. She was the young female event nner. She wore a tight fitting shirt and a miniskirt, making me regret a lot that I asked to meet her before the office. But Mika-san did wish to see what kind of ce Hirasaka-gumi is, so it couldn¡¯t be helped. After all, the CD firm that we were going to was quite near, so meeting here was quite convenient as well.

    ¡±And we have bodyguards as well! Fujishima-san, you¡¯re really awesome! You¡¯re giving off the presence of a bigshot!¡±

    ¡±Not really, this is¡­¡­ Well¡­¡­¡± I turned around in a headache.

    ¡±Yes sir! We will protect Aniki and the client!¡± ¡°We shall now hone our manly aura!¡±

    They were the number one in height, Pole, and the number one in width, Rocky, from Hirasaka-gumi. If the two take action at the same time, they might be able to block even nuclear bombs, but they were extremely visible. Added with the fact that they were forbidden to wear their ck T-shirt uniform, the two of them wore idiotic clothes with ¡®Courage¡¯ ¡®Chivalry¡¯ and the like on it. How can I bring these kind of people out to the streets? However, the two said that it was an order from their leader,pletely refusing to leave. Yondaime thought that I might already be treated as one of the aplices helping Hirasaka-gumi by Renji-san and the others, so going out might be dangerous. Treating me so coldly before this but doing this right now, I really don¡¯t know what he¡¯s thinking of.

    In any case, he¡¯s just too much of a busybody¡ª And there isn¡¯t just me today as well.

    ¡±Erm¡­¡­ We¡¯re visitingpanies and shops today. They¡¯ll be scared, so please don¡¯t follow us.¡±

    ¡±We¡¯ll definitely do our job as a bodyguard properly!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll definitely re at them until they don¡¯t dare to say even one word!¡±

    I didn¡¯t even want to answer them. When we visited Tower Records, I took the chance to slip away with Mika-san, sessfully throwing Pole and Rocky off our track.

    ¡±Aniki! Where are you, Aniki!¡± ¡°Idiot, calm down. Hurry up and ask the shopkeepers!¡±

    ¡±W- What¡¯s the matter? What are you looking for?¡±

    ¡±Fujishima, Fujishima Narumi! What? Type? What type?¡±

    ¡±Aniki should be, erm¡­¡­ the same type as Takeuchi Riki-san and Aikawa Shou-san!¡±

    ¡±¡­¡­ I- Is that so? Then he might be in the drama, songs, or movie soundtrack department¡­¡­¡±

    ¡±Okay, let¡¯s go to the drama department!¡± ¡°Aniki isn¡¯t here!¡± ¡°You guys, actually lying to us!¡±

    The people at Tower, so sorry. We hurriedly dashed into a door with ¡®Staff Only¡¯ writted on it, and could finally greet the person in charge of indie bands peacefully. And of course, we escaped from the scene from the back door after our discussion ended as well. Judging from the two¡¯s brains, thinking of a solution like calling us directly would probably take half a day.

    ¡±Is it really fine leaving the bodyguards there?¡±

    Instead of saying that she was worried, Mika-san looked more disappointed instead. Is bringing hooligans around really so fun?

    ¡±It¡¯s okay, the people in the gang are just too worried. I¡¯m just a high schooler working part time.¡±

    ¡±But Fujishima-san is indeed talented, so it¡¯s really too much of a pity for you to be a student working part time. To be honest, are you interested in jobs like this after you graduate?¡±

    When Mika-san said that, we were just passing by a crowded station, making me stare at her as I thought I heard wrong.

    ¡±We¡¯re going to thepany making merchandise, and they¡¯re interested in the T-shirts with the band logo on it as well. The ck thrush can be sold as a cartoon character as well¡­¡­ And then, some blogs are really interested as well.¡±

    ¡±Isn¡¯t that just fine? I just wrote all of the things that happened on it.¡±

    ¡±But for example, the capybara article, all of the workers in ourpanyughed so much about it! I thought that it was contentpletely unrted to the band, making me worry whileughing, but it actually had some connections in the end, giving me a huge shock!¡±

    It¡¯s an official blog informing the others of the event news after all¡­¡­

    ¡±You¡¯re probably suited for writing essays, huh?¡±

    ¡±Huh? Erm¡­¡­¡±

    ¡­¡­ Aren¡¯t I more suited for bing a sryman? That was just a conclusion inparism, but I never thought of such a thing before¡ª never thinking that I might have other choices other than bing a NEET.

    ¡±I can understand the gang worrying for you. If anything happens to Fujishima-san, they¡¯ll be very troubled.¡±

    ¡±Not really, they just like to y yakuza games. I¡¯m not a bigshot that needs bodyguards to protect me.¡±

    However, my opinion seemed to be wrong. I should have trusted Yondaime¡¯s intuition instead.

    After passing the Shinjuku south exit, the pedestrians on the street decreased visibly. I heard that thepany making merchandise made merchandise of characters of gamepanies as well, and its structure was quiterge. I never thought that it would be near the neighboring Hachimanjuu, a peaceful area unlikemercial districts.

    We turned left at Meiji Street, and was passing by Wins, a horse bettingpany. As it was a normal day, it was rather dark and empty, without any other pedestrians there except for us. Even so, I didn¡¯t notice the gradually approaching footsteps as I was thinking of what Mika-san said.

    All of a sudden, silhouettes appeared at both of our sides, and started to chase us. I stopped because of a bad feeling and pulled on the string of Mika-san¡¯s handbag.

    ¡±Eh? What¡ª¡°

    As Mika-san was turning around, I felt a huge impact on my abdomen. I nearly fell down, but my shoulders were forcibly grabbed and pulled up. What came into my view was a ck uniform with a white swallowtail butterfly emblem printed on it, frizzy long hair bleached blonde with the ck visible that looked like pudding, a muddy gaze and noserings. The person who seemed to be a delinquent wore a nauseating smile, and caught hold of my shirt, adding a kick on my abdomen with his kneecap.

    ¡±¡ª Ugh!¡±

    As my body bent in pain, my back was assaulted with a follow-up attack that seemed to have been from an elbow, and I could only squat down on the road. I was about to guard with my arms, but was kicked by my opponent on my side abdomen through the cracks, making me feel that my gastric juices were about to spill out.

    ¡±S- Stop that! What are you doing!¡±

    I suddenly heard Mika-san¡¯s wails, and tried to stand up. My arms seemed to be bleeding because they scratched the asphalt road. In my vision that blurred because of pain, I saw a handbag and high heeled shoes flying away, while Mika-san¡¯s small body could not be seen as she was pressed down by two men in ck shirts. I only understood on that moment that there were actually three assaulters.

    ¡±Y- You guys! Let go!¡±

    I shouted with blood mixed in my saliva while preparing to grab the man from his back, but was kicked on my head, and I copsed into a garden by the road. Only swallowtail butterfly emblems came into my view¡ª it¡¯s them, the ones who stole the uniforms and made trouble everywhere¡ª Renji-san¡¯s¡ª

    I struggled to crawl out from the garden but my neck was immediately grabbed and I was pressed on the scorching road. On the other side of my view, I saw Mika-san frantically iling her hands with her mouth covered. It looked like she was hurt somewhere, as the blood flowing to her neck stained her shirt red.

    ¡±What now? Should we break a few bones first?¡±

    ¡±Aren¡¯t these two in charge of promotion? Shouldn¡¯t we make them unable to talk?¡±

    ¡±What should we do if we kill them identally? Hirasaka-san didn¡¯t tell us to do things till this extent.¡±

    ¡±Then let¡¯s just hospitalize them for two months.¡±

    The ck shirted men spoke chilling words while wearing ominous smiles. While feeling that the heat in my body seemed to be flowing out from my body along with the blood on my hand, I understood one thing.

    They came for Mika-san and I¡ª Which means, we were followed, and might already be targeted from the moment we walked out from the Hirasaka-gumi office. Yondaime¡¯s worries were urate. I underestimated our enemies too much, and that was how I ended up like. I was forced to stand after my hand was twisted to my back, the joints of my shoulders screeching. As I was about to call out for help, the tip of a shoe flew towards my mouth once again, while the taste of blood covered my cry. The sounds of Mika-san¡¯s sobbing pierced into my ears. What am I doing? Go! Struggle! Must I keep getting beaten up like this!? Severe pain surged from my scap to the top of my head, crushing my resolution. Once again, I copsed on the road stained red because of my blood, while the ringing noise of my bones seemed to have came into my ears through my muscles.

    All of a sudden, the weight restraining me disappeared.

    The ground shook. A shadow flew and fell by my side. It was one of the nasty men in ck T-shirts¡ª he lied there with the whites of his eyes showing.

    I looked upwards in surprise, and half of my vision blocked by blood was carved open by the strong sunlight. The silhouette of arge person blocked the sunlight, standing between Mika-san and I.

    ¡±You guys, what are you doing in front of the holy Wins?¡±

    Strong muscles caused the back of the shirt to appear tight, while his arms were thick and sturdy like wires used in lifts. Horse magazines and pachinko magazines were stuffed in the back pocket of the creased jeans.

    ¡±Oi, Narumi. I don¡¯t think I saw these guys before, are they new members?¡±

    ¡±Tetsu¡­¡­ Senpai!?¡±

    I made an odd cry. The face that turned around to look at me was indeed Tetsu-senpai¡¯s.

    ¡±Why are you fighting with the men in Hirasaka-gumi at a ce like this in broad daylight? Is it because of that? Being unpopr with girls, so you guys are letting it out on Narumi¡ª¡°

    The man on the right who was holding Mika-san twisted her hand to an unnatural direction in tension, while Mika-san, whose mouth was covered, twisted her face because of the severe pain and moaned. That moment, Tetsu-senpai¡¯s fistsshed out, hitting the man¡¯s face urately with a clear, chilling sound, while the man copsed on the ground with blood spurting out, releasing his hand grabbing Mika-san as well. On the next instant, the man on the left was punched on the neck and copsed on the asphalt road as well.

    ¡±What the heck! Oi, miss, are you okay? Oi, Narumi, you¡¯re really badly beaten up! Hey, don¡¯t sleep! Thisdy is bleeding as well, hey! My phone number was cut as I don¡¯t have any money right now, so hurry up and let me borrow your phone. Do we need an ambnce?¡±

    Tetsu-senpai¡¯s slightly rough voice was especially pleasing to the ears that moment, and I never felt that before or after that. Senpai called people after fishing out my phone from my pocket, and almost directly hauled Mika-san and I towards the direction of the station.

    ¡± Niigata Horse Racing Alley is overwhelmingly beautiful. Well, the grassynes seemed to keep extending and extending towards the blue skies! And there wasn¡¯t much of an audience, so it was quite cool. As it was toofortable, I slept in a sleeping bag for ten days or so in front of their entrance.¡±

    ¡±Tetsu, it seems like you¡¯re already prepared to step into the ranks of vagrants.¡±

    Hiro-san smiled wryly.

    ¡±If I lost thest bet yesterday, then I really had to walk back to Tokyo.¡±

    ¡±Why don¡¯t you just live directly in Niigata?¡±

    ¡±I¡¯ll freeze to death in winter.¡±

    As for me¡ª I shivered while sitting down on a hard chair, staring at the door of the treatment room, not in the mood to chatter along with them at all.

    As Mika-san was so hurt that she couldn¡¯t walk, Tetsu-senpai asked Hiro-san to fetch us, sending Mika-san to the hospital nearest to us after that, which would be therge hospital that Ayaka lived in before this. My injuries weren¡¯t too serious, but Mika-san¡¯s treatment hasn¡¯t ended yet. Being bathed in the smell of disinfectants all around us, I felt a pain as though my whole body was ttened.

    ¡±Well¡­¡­ I was already used to sleeping on a pile of horse betting coupons. When I went back to Tokyo, I was unconsciously attracted nearby Wins again, and in the end, I noticed Narumi with an unfamiliar woman being beaten half to death by people in the gang. Tell me, how can you do a tsukkomi on him in such a situation?¡±

    ¡±Narumi-kun, it¡¯s fortunate that your luck is good¡­¡­¡±

    Hiro-san said in a sighing tone and looked at me.

    That¡¯s right, it was just good luck. If Tetsu-senpai wasn¡¯t there that time¡ª How would the situation turn out? I tightly held my arm bandaged because of my injuries.

    I was too naive. Saying something prideful like ¡¯I count as a person in the gang as well¡¯ to Yondaime, I actually dared to think that I wouldn¡¯t get involved in acts of violence?

    ¡±Then what now? Why didn¡¯t you contact Yondaime? Isn¡¯t this a dispute in the gang?¡±

    ¡±Ahhh¡­¡­ Well¡­¡­¡± Hiro-san winked at me. As Tetsu-senpai waspletely clueless about the situation, he thought that the men in ck shirts were members of Hirasaka-gumi.

    I really didn¡¯t want to exin, and informing Yondaime of such an incident made me feel downcast as well.

    However, both of them were still my jobs.

    I told Tetsu-senpai about the ins and outs of the matter, and it was already twilight when the three of us walked out of the hospital. On the way to the parking lot, we did not say even one word. Hiro-san¡¯s expression was quite heavy as well, as it was the first time I told him the fact that I actually met Renji-san some time ago.

    Hiro-san finally spoke when we were in a traffic jam while passing through Meiji Street.

    ¡±I¡¯m going to the hospital tomorrow as well. What about you, Narumi-kun?¡±

    Sitting by the driver¡¯s seat, I looked at the band-aids and bandages covering my hand and shook my head.

    Just to be safe, Mika-san had to stay in the hospital for one day for further observation, as it seemed like she had symptoms of internal hemorrhage. The one who listened to the doctor¡¯s report was Hiro-san, so I wasn¡¯t too sure about the details. As it wouldplicate matters if I, as a high school student, appear, I just stayed at the waiting area like a turtle.

    I really don¡¯t know how I am going to face Mika-san now.

    I heard Tetsu-senpai heave a long sigh on the back seat.

    ¡±It seems like things are turning out to be quite troublesome! Speaking of which, why didn¡¯t Yondaime ask for my help? If he just told me about this, I¡¯d have dashed back here immediately.¡±

    ¡±I gave you quite a few calls! Running off to a faraway ce like Niigata, and your phone number was cut as well!¡±

    Hiro-san repeatedly pounded on the steering wheel.

    ¡±Well, that¡¯s true. Ahahaha¡­¡­ Hiro, why did you do a tsukkomi on me! Isn¡¯t that Narumi¡¯s job¡­¡­? Oi, Narumi, what¡¯s wrong with you? You don¡¯t look too good. Is your head hurt as well?¡±

    ¡±¡­¡­ How can I still look good¡­¡­?¡±

    Even I felt unmotivated when I heard the weak voice that I spoke with.

    ¡±Why does this guy look so dejected?¡±

    ¡±Probably because a girl saw him looking weak?¡±

    Of course not! However¡­¡­ That might have a slight truth in it.

    ¡±I just feel like¡­¡­ I¡¯m just all talk and no action.¡±

    ¡±You¡¯re talking about this only now? Narumi doesn¡¯t have any strong points other than his talk, everyone knows about that!¡±

    ¡±Hey, Tetsu, don¡¯t speak of things so inly! Narumi-kun is about to cry now.¡±

    Hiro-san, you¡¯re cruel as well! I hugged my knees on the seat.

    Hiro-san suggested to pass the message to Yondaime in my stead, but I shook my head in refusal. Tetsu-senpai is right. If I don¡¯t even dare to speak out loud, I¡¯d really be a useless person. I must do this myself. But what to do after that?

    ¡±Narumi-kun, are you still going on with the job? I suggest that it¡¯s better for you to stop.¡±

    I shook my head in response, but actually, I know that it¡¯s just a useless show of strength.

    ¡±¡­¡­ Hmm, is that so? Then I won¡¯t say anything more. After all, it¡¯s Narumi-kun¡¯s own decision.¡±

    I thought to myself, what did I decide?

    When I used my hands to cover my face, the injuries on my neck and my hands started to ache faintly.

    Those people took action because of Renji-san¡¯s orders. The fact stuck in the depths of my throat.

    Up till yesterday, I kept wishing to convince Yondaime to request Alice to handle the case. Now that the time for the concert is approaching, it is a very important time to Yondaime, and I think that he doesn¡¯t have the time to handle such troublesome matters as well. If he acts recklessly, his credibility will be doubted as well.

    But if he hands the case to the detective¡ª Not only Alice, even Tetsu-senpai, Hiro-san and Major could help. The problem is, the stubborn NEETs could only pretend that nothing happened before that. Actually, it was a matter of personal pride as well, as the small,fortable world that is direct, and does not ask the others of their privacy has a delicate bnce, so that¡¯s why it turned out like this.

    But even if Yondaime hands the case to Alice right now, so what? If Renji-san isn¡¯t caught, the case cannot be closed. But if it¡¯s for a result like this¡ª Can I still continue the job as an assistant detective?

    You just met twice, what do you know? Yondaime¡¯s voice resounded by my ears again. That¡¯s right. That person is just an enemy¡ª how nice if I could just think like that?

    The disputes in my head did not have any trace of loosening, and I heard Tetsu-senpai¡¯s mumblings that moment.

    ¡±Oi, Narumi. Renji¡­¡­ Does he look okay?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t raise my head at all. Meeting senpai¡¯s gaze if I turned around, facing his gentle words¡­¡­ It scared me.

    ¡±That guy¡¯s view of money is almost zero. Does he look like he¡¯s still eating right? Or does he still like to crackme jokes like before?¡±

    ¡±¡­¡­ That¡¯s right.¡±

    I squeezed out an answer in a hoarse voice with some effort.

    ¡±That¡¯s fine. No matter how bad his environment is, it¡¯s unreasonable no matter how you look at eat¡­¡­¡±

    I felt Tetsu-senpai forcefully press his fist on the back of my seat.

    ¡±It¡¯s fine as long as we¡¯re still alive. We can still fight.¡±

    ¡­¡­ That was what Narumi told me! Hearing Tetsu-senpai¡¯sst words almost made me cry.

    As long as¡­¡­ We¡¯re still alive.

    When I got down from the car at the charged parking lot near Hanamaru Ramen, I met Major coincidentally. ¡°Eh? So it wasn¡¯t Vice Admiral Fujishima who got hospitalized?¡±

    How can anyone say such a thing to the others straight on!

    ¡±Oh, Tetsu-san, so you¡¯re really back? How¡¯s the Niigata Horce Racing Alley?¡±

    Major repeatedly shook his military backpack almost twice the size of his small body, walking to the back door of the car after that.

    ¡±I originally thought that it would be a world of ice and snow, but the temperature was quite normal. I could sleep on the streets thanks to that.¡±

    ¡±To me, who once underwent a week-long simted battle of defense at Goryoukaku, Niigata is a southernnd that is fine to me even if I go out naked.¡±

    Is there something wrong with your brain? Goryoukaku is a national monument, don¡¯t treat it as a site for your survival games!

    ¡±I saved the money for the lodgings and Shinkansen, betting all of it on the Four Boxes of the Triple Team, and the difference of thest match was so small that it had to be determined with a video. I¡¯d have jumped directly into the Sea of Japan.¡±

    ¡±The coupon that you bought was the Ten Thousand Horses Coupon, right? How much did you win?¡±

    ¡±I got my money back just by winning one match, so I came back in a luxurious businesspartment. It¡¯s because of this that horse racing is so irresistible!¡±

    I stared at the silhouettes of the three walking towards the ramen shop, not moving even an inch.

    I would get filmed by surveince cameras if I approach the building, but I don¡¯t want Alice to see me. I got quite a few calls from her when I was in the hospital, but I didn¡¯t pick up the phone as I didn¡¯t know what to say to her.

    ¡±Oi, Tetsu, I heard that! You won a bet using a Ten Thousand Horses Coupon?¡± Min-san¡¯s voice echoed from the ramen shop. ¡°Hurry up and clear your tab for the ramen!¡±

    ¡±No, they¡¯re funds for the future!¡± ¡°Shut up and stop fussing! Pay up!¡±

    Tetsu-senpai was caught by Min-san, who rushed out from the kitchen backdoor, with a head locking technique, and was directly dragged into the ramen shop, while Major and Hiro-sanughed while following.

    On the other hand, I nkly stood by Hiro-san¡¯s car, silently listening to the conversation of the NEET Detective Squad from the gap between the buildings.

    ¡±st, my wallet turned really thin¡­¡­ Go, call Yondaime here for a gamble. Doesn¡¯t he have quite some money on him recently?¡±

    ¡±I¡¯m telling you that he¡¯s in a critical time right now! Weren¡¯t you listening to Narumi-kun?¡±

    ¡±He didn¡¯t request Alice, did he? Then let¡¯s not care about him.¡±

    ¡±Tetsu-san, calling someone over here and swindling his money, this can¡¯t count as ¡®not care about him¡¯.¡±

    ¡±Tetsu swindles the others as natural as breathing, so isn¡¯t that the same as not caring about him?¡±

    ¡±Strictly speaking, Yondaime is quite stingy recently. For instance, I was just called to check out the locks in his office, and didn¡¯t get much of a payment.¡±

    ¡±Eh? Even Major isn¡¯t doing anything? Like wiretapping and the like?¡±

    ¡±I didn¡¯t get any request.¡±

    ¡±That can¡¯t be helped.¡± ¡°Yeah, can¡¯t be helped.¡± ¡°If so, bothering him in such a critical moment isn¡¯t too good, so why don¡¯t we y three-man-mahjong?¡± ¡°Great! I have a new winning theory recently¡ª¡°

    The seemingly happy conversation came into my ears. They were still the same¡ª Though they werepanions with Yondaime and the Renji-san before this, they looked as though they didn¡¯t care at all.

    I realized that I was rather irritable. You guys really n not to do anything? If he doesn¡¯t give you a request, you¡¯ll just continue to stay idle? When you¡¯re doing such a thing, Renji-san¡ª

    I bit my lip. I knew that it was useless if I did such a thing, and the anger was just directed at myself. The reason that Tetsu-senpai and the others do such a thing is because of their pride as NEETs. What about me? Not only being unable to do anything¡­¡­ It¡¯s possible that I don¡¯t even know what I want to do.

    *

    That night, I kept looking at my phone while lying on my bed after I returned.

    Alice would call me each hour, and there were five in total. She even left a message on herst call.

    ¡¯Why are you not picking up the phone?! Listen well, remember to report to me on a regr basis, a regr basis! I do not know what happened to you, but since you were not hospitalized, you can at least call me back!¡¯

    You obviously know what¡¯s with me¡­¡­ Besides, I never heard of a rule asking me to report to her on a regr basis. I really wasn¡¯t in the mood to call her back, so I just sent her a short message with the words ¡®I¡¯m fine¡¯.

    After that, I sent a message to Mika-san as an apology. Though there were only three short sentences, it took me an hour. If she wishes to see the message, she¡¯ll have to wait until she returns to herpany even if she goes out from the hospital tomorrow. If so, why didn¡¯t I just look for her at the hospital directly? But I couldn¡¯t do it. Though I was the person who dragged her in this¡­¡­

    As I tossed my phone aside, and was lying on my bed without even turning off the lights, Renji-san called.

    Though it was a private number, intuition told me that it was most probably from Renji-san.

    ¡¯Narumi? Is this Narumi¡¯s phone?¡¯

    A slightly hoarse voice that was good to hear came from the phone.

    ¡±¡­¡­ Yes.¡±

    ¡¯Oh, good. Though I look like this, I actually like cleanliness quite a lot. I washed my hands a lotta times, nearly washin¡¯ away yer number that I copied down as well. In the end, the number couldn¡¯t be seen, and I tried for almost twenty times now. Yahoo¡ª Great, great!¡¯

    I had the feeling that something that couldn¡¯t be melted in my heart was about to thaw, so I could only suppress the impulse, switching my phone to my other hand.

    ¡¯How are yer injuries? Are they serious?¡¯

    Being asked like that so directly, I could only suppress my convoluted emotions.

    ¡±¡­¡­ I¡¯m fine, not too badly hurt. I just had some scratches and cuts.¡±

    ¡¯Really? That¡¯s fine.¡¯

    ¡­¡­ That¡¯s all? I nearly blurted that out. However, his actions were correct. If he really apologized to me, how should I answer him?

    ¡¯So the fact that we met twice weren¡¯t coincidences, it¡¯s the same for Harajuku and Ueno¡ª because our aims were actually the same. I wonder, is such a fate good, or is it bad?¡¯

    Renji-san¡¯s tone was the same as yesterday, as though we don''t known each other¡¯s identities yet, and can joke while hitting the other. I couldn¡¯t differentiate whether it was his merit or his weakness. It might be both of them. Actually, there are things that are both of them in this world in the first ce.

    ¡¯That¡¯s right, Narumi. When are ya free?¡¯

    I suddenly thought, this is probably time for the dream of a capybara to stop, right? From the second time that I met Renji-san, the dream still continued, but is it finally time for us to wake up on this instant? Including the fire rm at the livehouse, the assault when I was with Mika-san, all of them were¡ª

    But my cheeks that had a phone pressed to it still ached, so this isn¡¯t a dream.

    Thus, I tried to speak in a rigid tone.

    ¡±I¡¯m free any time, tomorrow is fine as well.¡±

    ¡¯Then let¡¯s meet tomorrow. Mnn¡ª¡¯

    The tones of Renji-san and I were like we were trying not to touch the wounds just formed, and were just washing the wound with water, confirming a time and location for us to mee.

    ¡¯Don¡¯t tell Sou about this¡­¡­ Actually, this should be an unreasonable request, huh?¡¯

    The end of Renji-san¡¯s sentence was soft and tender.

    ¡¯It¡¯s fine if ya bring a few more people, but remember to bring the T-shirt! That thing is really important.¡¯

    ¡±Disregard Hirasaka-gumi for the moment, aren¡¯t you worried that I might call the police?¡±

    As my voice turned husky, I could only swallow frantically to wet my throat.

    ¡±Why meet face to face? You can just tell me to send it somewhere¡­¡­ Or something like that.¡±

    ¡¯That¡¯s true.¡¯

    A silence followed after the echo. What is he hesitating for? At the same time when I was thinking, a question seemed to seep out from my tongue¡ª Do I really want to do such a thing?

    ¡¯That¡¯s true, but I can¡¯t see Narumi if ya just send it over.¡¯

    I stood up from my bed, sitting down on my wooden floorboards while hugging my knees, thighs tightly pressed against my abdomen. If I didn¡¯t do that, the heated emotions that surged to my throat would have directly shot out.

    ¡¯I¡¯ll have to meet again to exin properly.¡¯

    ¡±That¡¯s¡­¡­ True.¡±

    I nkly stared at the white, embroidered T-shirt spread messily on the floorboard.

    ¡±I will go alone. I have something to say to Renji-san as well.¡±

    ¡¯Thanks.¡¯

    After hanging up, I finally stood up and picked up the T-shirt I was keeping for Renji-san. The butterfly that cannot fly because of ack of wings spread on white snow.

    It was quite some time until daybreak.

    However, I still folded the T-shirt and stuffed it into my backpack, walking outside. The warmth of the afternoon sun still lingered faintly on the seat of my bike.

    ¡±You actually dare to appear before me with a look like this!¡±

    With a look of displeasure, Alice stood on the bed in the NEET Detective Agency that had the air conditioner going strong, just like Nio.

    ¡±Disregarding my warnings, you came in contact with the world without order, was involved in an incident of violence as though it was natural, and put on bandages as well! And you actually dare to appear here shamelessly. Even though it is already this time.¡¯

    ¡±This time? Alice, aren¡¯t you always awake?¡±

    As Alice¡¯s attitude was as usual, my relief caused me to blurt out a small tsukkomi.

    ¡±This is the time when the servers are undergoing maintenance, a golden time for cracking passwords. I have no time to care about a person whose brain is only filled with daydreams like you.¡±

    ¡±Is that so¡­¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­¡­ Well, actually I am not here because of anything special at all.¡±

    After hearing my words, even the intelligent Alice looked rather dazed. After all, since it¡¯s two in the morning, it isn¡¯t a time when one can visit the others without a reason.

    ¡±I don¡¯t know why¡­¡­ But I just wanted to see Alice.¡±

    ¡±W- W- W- What are you talking about!¡±

    Alice sprang to the other side of the bed.

    ¡±I am very busy right now. If you wish to look for someone to y with you, are there not many night owls before the station or at the center of the city?¡±

    I never thought that I would actually get such a serious scolding, how depressing. However, it¡¯s quite normal when I think about it. Actually, the true reason that I came here was because I already don¡¯t know how to deal with Renji-san¡¯s matter, and was thinking that talking things over might clear away the confusion in my mind¡­¡­

    ¡±Sorry, I¡¯ll just go back then¡­¡­¡±

    When I carried my backpack and stood up, Alice immediately crawled over from her bed.

    ¡±What do you mean by going back right now? Useless fellow! At least think of a better excuse and answer me on the spot!¡±

    ¡±But¡­¡­ Aren¡¯t I being an eyesore? Didn¡¯t you ask me to scram?¡±

    ¡±I neither said that you are an eyesore nor told you to get out!¡±

    ¡­¡­ I really don¡¯t understand you.

    ¡±S- Since you are here now!¡±

    Alice continued to sit on her bed, prancing on it as though it was a trampoline.

    ¡±You get three cans of Dr. Pepper over here¡­¡­ Ahh! T- They are not for you! I shall drink them all!¡±

    I know that! Alice drank all of the nauseating carbonated drinks that I brought out from the fridge and opened for her, piling the empty cans on a small table at a side after that.

    ¡±My main point is, what were you doing? Living like an eel out of season rolling in a quagmire, going on without a purpose. Did you not know long ago what you should do?¡±

    That¡¯s right, I should have known it long ago. Convincing Yondaime to request for Alice¡¯s help, thinking of a way for us to step into the battle between him and Renji-san after that.

    But¡ª!

    ¡±Perhaps you did not believe it although I said it so many times, and is feeling the terror of violence after a few jabs, and is nning to draw back?¡±

    ¡±No, that¡¯s not true¡­¡­ Well, perhaps just a little.¡±

    Indeed, after I was beaten up, I finally understood something.

    That would be the profound hatred between Yondaime and Renji-san that almost reached despair. Both of them treated destroying the other party as their aim, and the hatred directly involved me, and even Mika-san was dragged into it¡ª I finally realized that it was really hard to turn back.

    If Yonadime really requested Alice to handle the case, Tetsu-senpai, Hiro-san, Major and I must dash with the purpose of defeating Renji-san. Can I really handle such a thing?

    With a speechless expression, Alice sighed and spoke again:

    ¡±¡­¡­ At the south of Ikebukuro, there is a sporting goods store called Ex Area.¡±

    I looked at the detective in confusion.

    ¡±It is a shop opened by a young man who is only twenty five. The man was still leading a criminal organization formed of nameless small potatoes a few years ago, but he shed with Hinamura Souichirou who came to Tokyo not long ago, and his organization was vanquished just like that.¡±

    What is she talking about? I kneeled down and supported my hands before the bed.

    ¡±Hirasaka Renji is in that shop. I think the owner himself is probably working together with Hirasaka.¡±

    To stand up, my kneecaps almost turned the bed over.

    ¡±¡­¡­ Renji-san!? W- Why do you know about this?¡±

    ¡±Why do I know? Of course, I investigated it. Who do you think the person before you is?¡±

    The NEET detective, Alice¡ª having control of the massive information flowing in the whole world in her fortress that is smaller than six-tsubos, she is a diminutive queen.

    ¡±Did you not tell him how to contact you? I just checked the log of iing calls. Long before I knew Tetsu and Yondaime, Hirasaka already disappeared from Tokyo. Which means, he does not know that there is an omnipotent detective here that can search for the source of the signal though his number is private¡ª but I am very familiar with that man.¡±

    Alice¡¯ voice sounded like footsteps on the cold soil by a cemetery.

    ¡±Of course, I know how cruel and avaricious he is as well. He searched for scum to hinder the event, and all of them were members of other gangs exterminated not long after Hirasaka-gumi was founded. Listen well, they are people that Yondaime and Hirasaka chased out of the city together, but now, all of them follow Hirasaka. He only drew out and expanded the hatred of Yondaime and fear of him, and that was proven by the man Yondaime caught as well. I understand people who can unhesitatingly do these things very well. They are dangerous beasts.¡±

    ¡±Renji-san, he¡­¡­!¡±

    I opened my mouth in agitation, but I met Alice¡¯s cold gaze, and could only freeze on the spot.

    Renji-san, he¡ª What? What did I want to say? A person like me, how can I understand what urred between him and Yondaime? Yondaime was right. I only met him twice, and chatted a bit. What do I know like this? I¡ª

    If I don¡¯t know anything, I have no other choice but to reaffirm it.

    I pulled my backpack behind me over and opened it, taking out a grubby white package, cing it by the bed. Alice shook her head slightly, showing a sorrowful gaze at the same time.

    ¡±Can you help me keep this for the moment?¡±

    ¡±¡­¡­ What is this?¡±

    ¡±It¡¯s Renji-san¡¯s T-shirt. To ask me to return this to him, he called me to ask me out just now. I¡¯ll go as soon as dawn arrives.¡±

    ¡±What!? Why were you asked out so honestly? Have you forgotten that the one who was dealt with violently in broad daylight was you? And it was an order by Hirasaka as well.¡±

    ¡±I know, but this shirt is something very important to Renji-san. He called me out just to get this back, so he won¡¯t make any trouble!¡±

    ¡±God knows! And if so, why are you asking me to keep¡ª¡°

    Alice¡¯s face almost reddened because of anger once more, but the heat suddenly evaporated.

    ¡±¡­¡­ You mean, using it as a hostage?¡±

    ¡±Mnn¡­¡­ Though it¡¯s a bit different, the feeling is somewhat simr.¡±

    I stared at Alice picking up and spreading the T-shirt open.

    ¡±If I return this to him, the rtionship between Renji-san and I will bepletely over.¡±

    And I have no reason to speak with him face to face as well.

    An unfulfilled promise¡ª No matter how bad the premise is, I¡¯m treating this as an anchor in my heart. As long as we follow the chain, no matter how many times, we will still meet.

    As long as we are still alive.

    So I decided to meet Renji-san with my body, words and ears once more.

    ¡±¡­¡­ You are¡­¡­ The same each time.¡±

    Alice stuttered through her words, her eyes full of tears.

    ¡±How stupid are you going to be? Even a gori can still be intelligent to eat the ants in an anthill, knowing to use a stick, but why do you always shave off your own bones to stab into the anthill?¡±

    ¡±Mnn¡­¡­ Sorry. Because I¡¯m dumb¡­¡­ I can¡¯t find any other why.¡±

    So angry that she could not speak, it was as though a lot of emotions flitted through Alice¡¯s face in an instant. As I was nning to nce at her from below because of worry, she suddenly turned around, her ck, silky hair that rose because of her action touching the tip of my nose. After that, Alice crawled to the innermost part of her bed, as though she was looking for something, and she came back once more.

    And the item that was pressed on my nose was¡ª

    ¡±¡­¡­ An owl?¡±

    A fluffy, egg-shaped plushie that I could hold with both of my hads¡ª It was indeed an owl.

    ¡±That¡¯s right. Her name is Minerva, a guardian goddess of soldiers. She is much more reliable than those baseless, ignorant assessments of safety of yours.¡±

    ¡±Mnn¡­¡­ Okay.¡±

    I looked at Alice¡¯s expression, and looked at the owl¡¯s wise, solemn eyes.

    ¡±¡­¡­ Thank you.¡±

    ¡±Listen well, I am just borrowing her to you! You would better prepare yourself mentally for a punishment more severe than a deduction of your sry if you do not bring her back!¡±

    I nodded in answer, keeping the doll carefully into my backpack. That moment, something suddenly covered me from behind, blocking my vision.

    It was a nket. I was taken aback and threw it aside, turning around to look at the bed.

    ¡±Since you are finished with your words, hurry up and sleep.¡±

    From some time before this, Alice had already returned to her keyboard, saying while ring at me with her eyes narrowed.

    ¡±Compared with your face, the color of the mud at Tokyo Bay looks healthier. You probably did not sleep well, right? And you actually rode here while your body is in such a condition atte night, how moronic.¡±

    ¡±Ah¡­¡­ Mnn.¡± The attack of words really made me feel sleepy.

    ¡±Well¡­¡­ Sorry for bothering you then, let me rest for awhile¡­¡­¡±

    Though sleeping in such a cold room is somewhat uneasy for me, since I did bring a sweater when I left home, it would probably be fine if I borrow the nket as well. It¡¯s much better than going home to sleep. But where should I sleep? If I sleep by the fridge, perhaps it can reduce the assault of the air conditioning? As I was about to walk out of the bedroom with the nket, Alice halted me in an embarrassed tone.

    ¡±¡­¡­ If you promise not to sniff the sheets¡­¡­ Actually¡­¡­ You can sleep at the edge of the bed.¡±

    That was actually a choice that made me struggle, but because of my injuries and fatigue, the scales in my heart nted very quickly. I went on this bed quite a lot of times anyway. Thus, I lied down in a ce that was an extremely short distance from Alice¡¯s back, and being surrounded in a familiar smell, I fell into a short moment of respite.

 Volume 4, 4

    <h4>Volume 4, Chapter 4</h4>

    I don¡¯t often go to Ikebukuro, so I was somewhat surprised at the scene before my eyes¡ª Even though it was near afternoon in the holidays, the people on the whole street reduced visibly after I was about one street¡¯s distance from Meiji Road. After walking by a road with numerous ramen shops lined up together and reaching a corner with a Gusto Italian restaurant, a park appeared before my eyes. There was a fountain spouting murky water, a public restroom with outer walls spotted because of the sun, a sakura tree growing lush leaves, working hard to create a shade, and a crowd of senior citizens silently ying Chinese chess on a bench with the sun shining on it.

    I picked up the backpack holding an owl plushie with my sweaty hands and carried it on my back once more.

    There was a tall silhouette before the fountain, his hair dyed blonde looking as though it directly stuck the scorching rays of sunlight onto his hair. Below the sunny skies, his sunssespletely covered his gaze. Eh? I suddenly noticed the cellphone in Renji-san¡¯s hand. Possibly because he noticed me, his speed of talking elerated.

    ¡°¡­¡­ I¡¯m hanging up now¡­¡­ Just think of a thing like this by yourself, I didn¡¯t say that it must be today¡­¡­ Someone¡¯sing! Shut up, I¡¯m going back soon.¡±

    Renji-san hung up right after that. So this person speaks in standard Japanese on the phone¡­¡­ He didn¡¯t seem like that when he spoke to me, and sounded like two different people.

    ¡°I bought a new cellphone, as I had some ie. Everyone said that it¡¯s inconvenient when workin¡¯ and kept telling me to buy one.¡±

    Renji-san beamed and waved the cellphone in his hand.

    ¡°I told my number to a whole lotta people, and it kept ringin¡¯, it¡¯s just in annoyin¡¯. That¡¯s why I don¡¯t like to use cellphones.¡±

    I stopped about five steps before Renji-san and lowered my head. Renji-san¡¯s job¡ª Is it to hinder Yondaime¡¯s job?

    There were just too many things to ask, but I still wished to change them to words and sentences.

    ¡°Well then¡­¡­ Please tell me your number.¡±

    Renji-san smiled while spinning his light blue phone with his finger hooked on his phone strap.

    ¡°Ain¡¯t that useless? This is probably thest time we¡¯re meetin¡¯.¡±

    He stopped spinning his phone and tilted his head in puzzlement.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t thest time. Because I didn¡¯t bring the T-shirt.¡±

    Renji-san narrowed his eyes, and it felt as though his gaze was cutting my face like a wire saw.

    ¡°If I return it to you right now, doesn¡¯t that mean we can¡¯t meet each other anymore? That¡¯s why¡­¡­¡±

    However, after thinly piercing my face, he opened the cover of his light blue cellphone.

    ¡°I¡¯ll send it to ya by infrared.¡±

    I stared at the liquid sma screen after exchanging numbers. ¡®Hirasaka Renji¡¯. I suddenly thought, it was the first time that I saw something that could be used to distinguish that he was Hirasaka in a nce.

    The emotions of disbelief that was hidden in my heart had long been extinguished.

    ¡°If so, what¡¯re ya doin¡¯ here, Narumi?¡±

    Renji-san¡¯s tone didn¡¯t seem to mind, and he continued to wave his phone, but his gaze hidden behind his sunsses had long lost its smile.

    ¡°I¡¯m here¡­¡­ to talk to you. Isn¡¯t it the same for you, Renji-san?¡±

    ¡°In a scorchin¡¯ ce like this? I was nnin¡¯ to finish this quick.¡±

    ¡°You said in the phone that you have something to speak to me of¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°There are just two matters.¡±

    Renji-san made the gesture of two to stop me from continuing.

    ¡°Firstly, thank ya. The only thing that made me happy for returning to Tokyo was only meetin¡¯ you, Narumi.¡±

    I tried not to avert my gaze from the pair of sunsses strongly reflecting the summer sun.

    ¡°In the end, it turned out as I said, my rtionship with Narumi got broken.¡±

    Renji-san¡¯s faint smile disappeared in the end as well.

    ¡°Another thing. Secondly, I¡¯ll kill ya when I meet ya.¡±

    Hot sweat erupted in my clenched fists.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Is it because¡­¡­ I¡¯m helping Yondaime out in his job?¡±

    ¡°In Tokyo, is it popr for people to ascertain long established facts under the burnin¡¯ skies?¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t met Yondaime even once when you were here, right? After all, didn¡¯t you part without saying a word to each other?¡±

    ¡°Look here. I came here to thoroughly break my old acquaintance. How can I show up before him like this?¡±

    If so, why did you appear before me? Even though you already know that I¡¯m a person standing on Yondaime¡¯s side.

    In truth, aren¡¯t you still connected to each other?

    ¡°Although you shared sake with Yondaime, what on earth happened after that? Apart from sharing sake, it seemed like you exchanged something even more important with each other as well, but even so¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Even though chivalry ismonly joked of by other people, those ck shirted muscled blockheads still remembered this, but this doesn¡¯t really matter. Sou probably forgot about this as well.¡±

    Aren¡¯t the both of them still remembering this, that was what I thought. Although it can¡¯t be seen with the naked eye, the thing that you exchanged is still the most important to you. When Yondaime or Renji-san heard of this from me, they averted their gaze and spat out ¡®Stop saying these useless words¡¯. Even so, they did not deny it.

    They haven¡¯t forgotten about it.

    ¡°Although we once shared sake, our bonds had already been cut. What, do you think I will go easy on Sou? There ain¡¯t such a nice thing.¡±

    ¡°Why? ¡­¡­ If there¡¯s any reason for this, pray tell.¡±

    ¡°There ain¡¯t any obligation for me to tell ya about this, Narumi.¡±

    ¡°Of course there is! Aren¡¯t we sworn brothers!¡±

    That moment, Renji-san¡¯s smile seemed like it was melted by the summer sun, and was gradually lost in sand.

    ¡°Sou and I argued just for a woman¡ª Do ya think ya can believe in that?¡±

    Behind the sarcastic tone, I felt the bitter taste of metal shavings.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Is that the person called Hison?¡±

    ¡°Oh? So ya heard of her?¡±

    ¡°Just her name. Yondaime just wouldn¡¯t say anything about her.¡±

    ¡°Ain¡¯t knowing about that enough already? About the name Hison, only Sou and I¡­¡­ and Min-san know about her, even though the rumor that Sou had a woman was quite widespread.¡±

    ¡°Is she the person that Yondaime lived with when he first arrived at Tokyo?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Which would be the person who made the T-shirt embroidery?¡±

    ¡°She died before finishin¡¯ it. She said that she came to Japan from Korea alone, not havin¡¯ any rtives and was staying here illegally as well. And since the reason of her death ain¡¯t really legitimate, there wasn¡¯t a burial as well. Even I don¡¯t know where she was buried¡­¡­ Even though such a thing is quitemonly heard of.¡±

    An illegitimate reason of death. I didn¡¯t even know where the sweat from my body flowed out from, and what sort of temperature I was bathed in anymore. Probably, it wasn¡¯t only because of the hot temperature.

    ¡°She was a strange woman. Even when we went back utterly bruised orpletely bloody due to fightin¡¯ outside, she didn¡¯t seem to mind. And I was the person who wanted to bring the person Hison was workin¡¯ for down as well! In the end, she actually allowed me to go in and out of her room just like that. Not only did she teach Sou how to sew, she thought of teaching me as well. So idiotic. Who would do such a thing?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Why does it seem like the three of you were living together?¡±

    ¡°In fact, it was something like that. But Sou and I spent most of our time outside, while Hison wasn¡¯t at home at night because of work, so we didn¡¯t meet often. And she was really hot as well, people who often stay with her would definitely fall for her. I really can¡¯t believe that Sou actually never went for her.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡ª This¡­¡­¡± As the topic suddenly turned realistic, I could only shift my gaze towards the ground. ¡°Well¡­¡­ Um¡­¡­ Nothing happened between them? Even though they were living together?¡±

    ¡°Because he promised me¡­¡­¡± Renji-san smiled weakly. ¡°As we were already sworn brothers, bin¡¯ brothers in a way like that just didn¡¯t feel right! So we promised not to go for her before one of us found a woman better than her.¡±

    ¡°This, ah¡­¡­ Um¡­¡­¡± Should Iugh at this moment?

    ¡°As she was workin¡¯ at a night club, it was somewhat dangerous for her. The only people who could go for her were Sou and I, and we¡¯ll beat them up if any other men dared to approach. We definitely wouldn¡¯t let anyone touch her¡ª That was our promise.¡±

    That moment, I remembered Yondaime¡¯s words¡ª

    I couldn¡¯t protect her¡­¡­ It was the same for Renji.

    ¡°But why¡ª Why did she die?¡±

    ¡°D¡¯ya really wanna know? What can ya do even if you know? It can¡¯t help anyhow.¡±

    Indeed, he was right. Being in the steaming hot air, I just felt as though my innards were substituted by chilly blocks of lead.

    I think that was probably what tied Alice to her bed, a sense of emptiness.

    Both the words of the deceased or the words of the living said for the dead would hurt someone. The cost of doing so would not turn into something that is better, while the words that are dug out from the grave are just ordinary words.

    Even so, we still have to extend our hands.

    If not, we wouldn¡¯t know where to go.

    ¡°Those times, our gang shed with a true yakuza gang known as the Gotouda-gumi. As we chased away the head of the shop and snatched away their territory, it¡¯s normal for somethin¡¯ regretful to happen. Hison was killed by the yakuza.¡±

    My teeth chattered in my mouth.

    ¡°Sou was there that time. Not only that, I heard that that guy formed an alliance with the yakuza after that, and even epted their money.¡±

    ¡°What¡­¡­?¡±

    ¡°If the media broadcast the fact that Hison was killed, the delinquents would have a headache as well. And since she was an illegal immigrant, nobody would notice if they kept quiet about it, so it ended up like the woman called Hison did not exist from the start. I couldn¡¯t even see her corpse, so probably she was buried somewhere in the middle of nowhere? Sou made a great deal.¡±

    ¡°How can this be¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Besides, I heard from Gotouda-gumi¡ª Though it was a given, the one who was supposed to be stabbed was Sou. He was assaulted at his apartment, and used Hison who was by his side as a shield.¡±

    ¡°You actually believe in such a thing!? Yondaime¡­¡­ How could he have done such a thi¡ª¡°

    ¡°Sou admitted it himself, and looked like he didn¡¯t care in the process. The opposin¡¯ party gave him ten million yen to shut his mouth as well.¡±

    I bent my back, mped my fingers between my knees, and heaved a long sigh.

    Yondaime admitted to it? And epted other people¡¯s money?

    ¡°Actually, I nned to rush to their office and ughter the person who killed Hison. It was toorge of a blow for me. Actually, beatin¡¯ Sou up wouldn¡¯t do me any good, but I still couldn¡¯t help but beat him up.¡±

    ¡°That person¡­¡­ Isn¡¯t the type of person that you spoke of.¡±

    ¡°What do ya know?¡±

    Below the strong rays of sunlight in the summer, Renji-san¡¯s voice suddenly turned into a chilly de.

    ¡°You¡¯re just a kid runnin¡¯ around by Sou¡¯s side, whaddya think yer talkin¡¯ about?¡±

    That¡¯s right. I really don¡¯t know anything. However¡­¡­

    ¡°I¡¯m not just staying by his side. That guy sweated and bled by my side for quite a few times. Although I¡¯m just a regr kid without many strengths¡­¡­ Yondaime was willing to be sworn brothers with me.¡±

    It was as though a crack appeared on Renji-san¡¯s originally frozen face.

    ¡°The both of you said that your bonds have been severed and attacked each other¡ª Perhaps you might think that your whole face has already turned bloody and can¡¯t even see the opposing party, but there¡¯s still me between you.¡±

    I felt like my throat was about to get burnt because of my own voice.

    ¡°Because of my existence, you are still connected.¡±

    Didn¡¯t the two be sworn brothers with me because of a lie slightly thicker than water?

    Renji-san stood up and pulled his goggles sunsses down to his throat, and what appeared after that was a pair of cold wolf¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°So what?¡±

    I forcefully gulped down the saliva that had a slight taste of blood.

    So what? Even though he looks as though he was going to cry every time he mentioned Yondaime, does he think that he could conceal it with his shades?

    Renji-san probably hates Yondaime quite a lot, and even I could see that. But so what if that¡¯s true? People like us live side by side in a bustling, crowded world, so it¡¯s natural that such a matter would be encountered. Even though they were close to each other, they couldn¡¯tmunicate, and could only extend their ws to hurt each other. Being forced to part because of unreasonable reasons, both goodwill and malicious intents were stuck and fixed by the mud called misunderstanding. However¡ª

    Such a truth is just too strange. Such a way of doing things probably has a fault somewhere around.

    ¡°¡ª How much money did you take?¡±

    Hearing my question, Renji-san¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. It was the first time that I saw Renji-san looking as though he took a serious blow.

    ¡°If you really hate Yondaime, you could just beat him to death directly, but this way of doing things is just too strange. You took action just to interfere in the event from the start, so it¡¯s obvious from first nce that you¡¯re not the one who wants to do this. Who did you ept money from? How much did you get? Is it the organization called Yanagihara-kai?¡±

    ¡°Oh, aren¡¯t ya smart? I¡¯ve underestimated ya.¡±

    Renji-san viciously showed his teeth.

    ¡°Even if I¡¯m hired by the yakuza, so what? Do you think I will stop if ya give me more cash?¡±

    ¡°How can this be¡­¡­¡±

    Just when I was nning to speak, I stopped once more.

    That¡¯s right, things should be so. If giving him money could solve the problem, it wouldn¡¯t turn out like this¡­¡­

    ¡°Are ya an idiot? Who would ept money just for a dumb job like this?¡±

    Renji-san answered in scorn.

    ¡°I nned to do this from the start. I want to break everything that Sou umted, it¡¯s just a coincidence that my wishes coincided with my customer¡¯s. Since I can get money by the way as well, why won¡¯t I continue? Saying something like Sou and I are still connected? Yer thinkin too much of yerself. I didn¡¯t return to Tokyo just to y a game of brothers.¡±

    Renji-san slowly raised his hand holding the light blue cellphone, veins surfacing on the back of his hands, while the skin on his fingers tightened so much that it turned white. A sound like bones breaking rang, and then the cellphone was torn in half, the outer shell of the liquid sma screen falling onto the ground. When I heard that sound, I realized that I was so scared that I almost couldn¡¯t breathe anymore. The bent, broken cellphone fell onto the floor, exposing its innards.

    ¡°What did ya say was connected again?¡±

    Renji-san¡¯s voice was like the moaning of soil that was about to freeze.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let me see ya again, I¡¯ll kill ya.¡±

    Even when his silhouette and footsteps disappeared from my view, I still stood nkly below the scorching sunlight. The sweat on my forehead trickled into my eyes, hurting me.

    I directly returned to my home and took a bath. After all, I went out from the previous night. Lying on the bed while wearing only a pair of jeans, I thought if I should just go to sleep. After I wake up, would everything end just like that? Let¡¯s just pretend nothing happened, and I¡¯ll start school on the first of September again, and I¡¯ll go to Hanamaru Ramen asionally, going upstairs to take care of Alice, seeing Tetsu-senpai, Hiro-san and Major gambling over there even though they didn¡¯t have any money, and Yondaime would appear¡ª

    I mbered up and dried my hair that was still wet with a towel.

    It¡¯s better if I just face reality¡­¡­ Firstly, since I returned from the station directly, my bicycle was still at the ramen shop, I still had to return the owl plushie to Alice, and I still had to talk things out with Yondaime as well.

    Even if I cover my ears and eyes with a towel, the world still wouldn¡¯t change. It would only change from summer to autumn, and from autumn to winter¡ª And the cycle continues thus.

    There were already guests at the detective agency.

    ¡°Narumi! Hurry up and save me! These two probably think that I am a potted nt or something!¡±

    ¡°Alice, don¡¯t move. Hiro-san, what do we do with the stic wrap?¡±

    ¡°Mmm-hmm, Alice almost has next to no splits in her hair, and doesn¡¯t dye her hair as well, just this ce is slightly dry, so we¡¯ll have to put on more conditioner and cover it with stic wrap for one night.¡±

    Ayaka and Hiro-san mped together Alice who was throwing a tantrum between them, and were undergoing a hair treatment lesson. There werebs, towels, hair dryers, conditioners, professional hairstyle magazines, clothes pegs and other articles on the bed.

    ¡°Ah, do you want to try this as well, Fujishima-kun? I heard that Hiro-san once taught me about this, but I forgot.¡±

    Ayaka gave me a radiant smile.

    ¡°If you dare to teach even Narumi, do not think that you can ever step into this office!¡±

    I sighed and sat by the fridge outside the bedroom. The reason that I was relieved was probably not only because of the extremely cold air conditioning in the room.

    ¡°Ayaka, just follow my instructions after this, I have something to discuss with Narumi-kun.¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    ¡°Uuuu, it hasn¡¯t ended?¡±

    Ayaka forced the tearful Alice to sit on herp and happily picked up ab.

    On the other hand, Hiro-san left the bed, walked through the door of the bedroom and said softly after squatting down by my side:

    ¡°Thepany of the designer seemed to have called just now. Do you know about this, Narumi-kun?¡±

    It was Mika-san¡¯spany. I wonder how Mika-san is right now. From Hiro-san¡¯s heavy voice, I felt a hint of coldness and couldn¡¯t help but raise my head.

    ¡°I heard that thepany wants to withdraw from this job, if it¡¯s really rted with acts of violence¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°At¡­¡­ Such a critical moment?¡±

    ¡°Nnn, it couldn¡¯t be helped. After all, someone was hurt so much that she was hospitalized.¡±

    ¡°What about Mika-san? How is she? Is it possible¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°She dealt with all the procedures and already got out of hospital. I nned to visit her just now, but I was toote.¡±

    I was slightly relieved. Good thing her wounds didn¡¯t worsen or she had to continue to stay in the hospital.

    ¡°Eh? Narumi-kun, don''t you know? Didn¡¯t Yondaime contact you? Mii-chan didn¡¯t call you directly as well?¡±

    ¡°No¡­¡­¡±

    Probably it¡¯s because Yondaime doesn¡¯t want to speak to me? Anyway, he knows that I would know of it if he tells Hiro-san, and I¡¯m just in the lowest level, only in charge of advertising on the inte. Although I sent a message to Mika-san, it was sent to the number at herpany as well, so she might not have seen it if she just got out of the hospital.

    No, it¡¯s possible that she doesn¡¯t want to read it nor reply me. As I caused her to be dragged into an incident like that, perhaps she doesn¡¯t want to have any connections to us anymore?

    That meant that the influence of Renji-san¡¯s medding gradually intensified.

    ¡°What should we do now? Anyway, I know Mii-chan¡¯s phone number as well, so let¡¯s just use this chance to get her, and using my sweet talk to convince her to continue. Ah, but since she is still hurt, she probably can¡¯t be so active on the bed.¡±

    I hugged my knees while listening to him bluffing, but Hiro-san suddenly approached.

    ¡°¡­¡­ If you don¡¯t do a tsukkomi on it, it feels somewhat awkward.¡±

    ¡°Eh? A- Ahh, fine, fine¡­¡­ I thought that you were serious.¡±

    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m always serious when ites to women.¡±

    Is this the time to act cool?

    However, Hiro-san is better at me in that aspect. Actually, all of the members in the NEET Detective Squad were like that. Even though they had an excellent engine, and their fuel¡¯s full, the key was usually not inserted.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Um, what are Major and Tetsu-senpai doing right now?¡±

    ¡°Ah, Major¡­¡­¡± Hiro-san shifted his gaze apologetically. ¡°He went to Ikebukuro with some fans of survival games, saying that there¡¯s an important battle.¡±

    I sighed. ying survival games while holding an air gun in such stifling weather? How leisurely of him.

    ¡°Tetsu is borrowing money from underground banks right now, saying that the police was looking for him as well.¡±

    ¡°Eh? What¡­¡­ What did he do this time?¡± Commiting crimes because of ack of money?

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but you probably don¡¯t need to worry so much.¡±

    Although Hiro-san¡¯s smile was extremely radiant when he said that, it would probably still give the person listening an impression of this.

    You don¡¯t need to worry about this.

    You still don¡¯t have the right to worry about this.

    I kept rubbing my forehead on my knees and sighed for quite some times, and even started to suspect if my gut and intestines were going to flow out from my mouth.

    ¡°You went to see Hirasaka again, right?¡±

    Hiro-san asked nonchntly. Why did he know? That¡¯s right, he probably heard from Alice.

    That moment, I finally understood that what I did was actually a kind of betrayal to Yondaime. Yes, I went to see him again. Seeing Renji-san, and parting after saying something meaningless.

    ¡°Did you get a way of contacting him? Because he still owes me some money¡­¡­ Actually, he haven¡¯t returned me the money for losing at dice. So I was thinking of calling him to Hanamaru Ramen so that I can have a chance to get my money back.¡±

    I really don¡¯t know why he can stillugh like this, as it¡¯s already impossible for such a warm promise to still exist. I should have first reported this to Yondaime to allow arge number of members in Hirasaka-gumi to conceal themselves at the ce we promised to meet at, catching Renji-san in one go. Thus, everything would be solved perfectly¡ª Because that person came alone without being guarded as well.

    I felt a hot flow in the interior of my nose¡ª a sign ofing tears.

    That person did indeed go alone. Was it because of his trust in me? Or was it because it didn¡¯t matter even if he was caught?

    Why was the person stuck in this position me?

    The person mped between Yondaime and Renji-san is just a lost, flustered, incapable kid.

    When I was about to hug my knees again, a roar suddenly rang.

    ¡°Narumi, hurry up and bring me back my Minerva! And your report!¡±

    When I raised my head, I saw the NEET detective who was sitting at the edge of the bed with her feet stepping on empty space. Akaya, whose hands were full with ab and a towel, was still happilybing the long hair that was like ck honey.

    ¡°Why do you think you are staying here? Is it possible that you will forget that you are my assistant if I do not remind you of it every thirty minutes?¡±

    ¡°Eh¡­¡­ Ah, nn¡­¡­ Nnnn.¡±

    I stood up while grabbing the hand of Hiro-san, who was smiling wryly, while Alice wore an annoyed expression, rapidly snatching away the owl that I took out from my backpack.

    ¡°And also, this is your lost belonging. Really, you kept wailing out that it was so cold, so cold, when you were sleeping, and in the end, you kicked away your sweater and the nket when I just raise the temperature slightly. You are so spoiled that I am speechless.¡±

    Alice tossed the sweater that was scrunched into a ball to me. That¡¯s right, I wore it yesterday night, and left it here in the end without taking it out. That moment, Ayaka looked rather shocked.

    ¡°Fujishima-kun, you slept here yesterday? Eh? Eh? On Alice¡¯s bed?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Eh? Mnn, uh huh. Since it was alreadyte night, and Alice said that I could use the very edge.¡±

    ¡°T- That won¡¯t do¡ª! Why are you so insensitive every time?¡±

    As Ayaka suddenly stood up, Alice nearly fell from herp, while I hastily held onto her.

    ¡°What are you doing! That was dangerous!¡±

    Alice, who fell on myp, turned back in anger.

    ¡°It¡¯s only dangerous for Alice! Listen, in any case, Fujishima-kun is still a boy! Although he¡¯s so slow that he¡¯spletely untroubled with anything, and doesn¡¯t mind even if he eats soy eggs fromst month, he¡¯s still a boy. If you sleep together on the same bed, there¡¯s no guarantee that nothing would happen!¡±

    What harsh criticism. Wait a minute¡­¡­ Oi! What were you saying!

    ¡°U- U- Uuu¡­¡­ What do you think would happen?¡± Alice widened her eyes. ¡°I have lent my bed to Narumi twice, but nothing happened.¡±

    ¡°But wasn¡¯t it like he was unconsciousst time?¡±

    While smiling wryly, Hiro-san added at a side.

    ¡°Sleeping together on the same bed under normal circumstances really isn¡¯t too good.¡±

    ¡°What, even Hiro¡­¡­ Uwaa! Ayaka, do not do that, I am not a kitten!¡±

    Ayaka grabbed the back of Alice¡¯s back and dragged her to the innermost side of the bed. Hiro-san walked over after that as well, and the two exined to Alice who was between them: ¡°Actually, sleeping together actually means¡­¡­¡± ,while Alice¡¯s face slowly turned redder and redder like the setting sun on the Caribbean Seas.

    ¡°Narumi! You shameless fool!¡±

    The third time!? Can you please not give Alice strange ideas?

    ¡°From now on, you are not allowed to pass this absolute line of defense without a visa!¡±

    Alice piled up her dolls at the edge of the bed to form a wall, while I was so speechless that I could only scratch my head.

    ¡°Erm¡­¡­ It¡¯ll be inconvenient if I have to send meals or Dr. Pepper to you.¡±

    ¡°Uuu¡­¡­ The said visa would be the red cans in the refrigerator!¡±

    So I¡¯m allowed to cross the borders just by holding Dr. Pepper? Whatever, do as you wish!

    ¡°Fujishima-kun, please be more careful as well! Alice is still young!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t treat me as a child!¡±

    How mystifying. Although Hiro-san still saved me in the end. He told Ayaka that we probably had some official business to discuss, and kidnapped her out of the office.

    ¡°Is this really fine? Letting Fujishima-kun stay alone with Alice?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, fine¡­¡­¡± Hiro-san answered while holding in hisughter, and I could see that the back of his silhouette was shaking as well. Ayaka seemed to be truly worried, but Hiro-san really just wanted to look at the show. What an annoying fellow.

    When the two of them walked out of the corridor and closed the door, the detective agency finally recovered its usual nostalgic silence, with the sounds of many cooling fans ovepping together.

    I faced the annoyed Alice who was looking at a side, and started my report.

    And of course, the contents would be of Renji-san. Alice¡¯s chilly gaze only returned when I spoke of him undergoing his job of hindering because he received money from the yakuza.

    ¡°It is somewhat iprehensible¡ª Hirasaka Renji¡¯s motive.¡±

    Alice said while tapping on the keyboard on the moveable table by her side with one hand.

    ¡°Hasen¡¯t his motive been said already? It¡¯s topletely destroy the event Yondaime is preparing for right no¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°In my opinion, it does not seem like it is done just to destroy the event.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    Alice just ignored the confused me, and continued to speak.

    ¡°For instance, the reserved event location at Shinjuku. After the incident at Akasaka urred, Hirasaka Renji once visited there. And he brought along a few people who assaulted the Akasaka music hall as well.¡±

    I could only stay speechless.

    ¡°Why¡­¡­ do you know such a thing?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by why? Because I investigated about it. The said live house always uploads a lot of clips of concerts. Of course, since the video that was uploaded online cannot be used due to low distinguishability, I hacked into theirputer to steal the original file. It was taken quite clearly.¡±

    To her hacking and searching ability, I could only say that it was stunning.

    ¡°However, they did not do anything that time. Regarding their poprity, the venue at Shinjuku is not worse off than the live house that got its power distribution box damaged by them. Why do you think this is so?¡±

    I could not answer. How can I know a fact that even Alice doesn¡¯t know of?

    ¡°Of course, I do not know the reason as well, but I can still make assumptions of a few possibilities. The venue at Shinjuku is where thest performance will take ce, and the booking of tickets has not started yet. I am thinking, is this reason possible?¡±

    ¡°Because the booking of tickets¡­¡­ Hasn¡¯t started yet?¡±

    ¡°That is correct. The tickets for the Akasaka and Ueno concerts have already been sold out, so the performance will not be halted even if those ces had some trouble. However, if trouble is made at ces where the tickets have not been sold yet, the performance might really get cancelled.¡±

    I crossed my arms and pondered about Alice¡¯s words. They were indeed quite reasonable.

    ¡°However¡­¡­ These can only count as circumstantial evidence. It¡¯s possible that they¡¯re just thinking of making trouble, only that some trouble urred at Shinjuku, causing them to be unable to y out their n.¡±

    ¡°Of course, such a possibility exists as well. But speaking of circumstantial evidence, there is a more pressing matter. If their motive is just to halt the event, why didn''t the people who could unhesitatingly resort to violence assault the performers beforehand?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡±

    I opened my palm to cover my mouth. Indeed, that¡¯s true.

    ¡°In fact, the only ones assaulted were you and the designing executive. As a result, the advertisingpany would not ept the case anymore, and it will indeed cause a great blow to the event, but the designers that can take their ce are like stars in the sky. If they are aiming to halt the event, should they not attack a more irreceable part?¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡­ Isn¡¯t the party supporting Renji-san the previous organizers? To those people, the band is merchandise that can be snatched back, right? So that¡¯s why they¡¯re not hurting them¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Your assumption cannot stand as well. If so, Yanagihara-kai would have long sent a threatening letter so that Hirasaka-gumi would return the job.¡±

    I crossed my arms yet again and fell into silence. The branches of my assumptions werepletely snapped.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Frankly speaking¡­¡­ Renji-san probably isn¡¯t going to stop the event itself, right?¡±

    Or perhaps he¡¯s allowing it to proceed as usual, and on the day of the event¡ª Starting a serious incident that would cause victims to appear?

    The thing that that person wanted to destroy¡ª It¡¯s everything that Yondaime umted up till now. That thing definitely isn¡¯t the event nor the event coordinationpany. Yondaime¡¯s ¡®reputation¡¯¡ª the thing that was built after a long time¡ª his credibility, right?

    ¡°Those are just assumptions. Deciding things like this is very dangerous. Besides¡­¡­¡±

    Alice looked at the row of monitors lined up behind her and exined in a self-deprecating tone:

    ¡°We did not ept a formal request. I can only ce my fingers on the cover of a coffin and squat at a side, silently awaiting the dawn that will nevere.¡±

    I sat at the border of the bedroom and corridor, raising my head to look at the detective¡¯s face.

    ¡°¡­¡­ You can investigate¡­¡­ Right?¡±

    The ck hair fluttered. Alice looked at me with a gaze full of doubt.

    ¡°Alice, if you¡¯re willing to, even if Yondaime did not put in a request, you can still find out everything that urred between him and Renji-san by using Tetsu-senpai, Major and Hiro-san¡¯s powers, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course. But what about it?¡±

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you doing so?¡±

    ¡°Are you trying to tell me that I should do that?¡±

    ¡°Not really¡­¡­ I know that you won¡¯t do that. I just want to hear a concrete reason from you.¡±

    Because you¡¯re a NEET, because of your pride as a detective¡­¡­ Can you ignore this just for reasons like this?

    Even though it could be seen from a nce that her heart is in pain.

    Alice grabbed a few plushies from her hill of dolls and pressed it to her chest, causing a hole to open up in the wall. Chilly wind blew between us.

    ¡°¡­¡­ The so-called thoughts are things that are not concrete.¡±

    The softly spoken words fell onto my knees along with the air conditioning.

    ¡°If it is only in the frames of thoughts, even contradicting matters can co-exist. However, I know howrge the distortion and pain would be when they are directly reflected in the real world. It is the same for you. When Ayaka thought of leaving the world without saying anything, how did you, who just nkly came in contact with those thoughts, turn out in the end?¡±

    Because of the question, I was pulled back to the cold, bitter days.

    Ayaka, who jumped down from the rooftop of the school without saying a word. I, who felt as though my heart was torn, and could only be miserable alone for a few days.

    And what sewed my heart together once more was Min-san¡¯s cold dessert, Tetsu-senpai¡¯s fists, and¡ª

    Alice¡¯s words.

    ¡°That is why words are required.¡±

    Her words ovepped with my thoughts.

    ¡°Words can indeed reach a cruel state. They will cut reality open, causing them to turn into a set of nes, causing contradictions to be unable to exist. That is why words are the most important thing in the world.¡±

    The most important, and cannot be seen.

    ¡°However, words are like a sharp de as well. They will turn thoughts into reality, but will unhesitatingly obliterate parts that have not been formed, so that is why detectives must keep ying the role of a messenger, and drag the words that sank under the dark chasm to the sunlight. This is a detective¡¯s responsibility. Other people¡¯s thoughts that have not been formed cannot be changed to words.¡±

    I hugged my knees with my hands, silently thinking of Alice¡¯s words.

    And the thoughts that have not been formed in Yondaime¡¯s heart.

    In the office of Hirasaka-gumi, a few stout gang members unhappily sat on the sofa or the desks.

    ¡°Aniki, thanks for your hard work!¡±

    ¡°Thanks for your hard work!¡±

    I still haven¡¯t got used to being greeted by so many people. After I looked around for a bit, I found that Yondaime, Pole and Rocky couldn¡¯t be seen.

    ¡°Aniki, it¡¯s great that you¡¯re okay!¡± ¡°If we were by your side¡­¡­¡±

    They approached, and held my bandaged hand as well, making me unable to respond.

    ¡°Those guys, actually daring to attack Aniki!¡± ¡°Those sted fellows¡­¡­¡±

    However, the hot-blooded Hirasaka-gumi members, who would have usually got so mad that red steam would almost be emitted from their mouth, could only suppress their anger this time.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Why is Hirasaka-san doing this?¡±

    ¡°Aniki, is this true? Is it possible that they¡¯re just lies?¡±

    ¡°Sou-san won¡¯t tell us anything¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it said that they exchanged something more important than their lives when they underwent the ritual? All of us know about this, and we kept believing that Hirasaka-san woulde back one day.¡±

    ¡°How can this be! He¡­¡­ He came back after so much!¡±

    I could only lower my head and look at my toes.

    ¡°Is it true that Aniki already met Hirasaka-san?¡±

    ¡°Aniki, what¡¯s with this? Hirasaka-san is really nning to do us in¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Nn, nnnnn¡­¡­¡± I walked back a few steps and leaned against the steel door. ¡°I didn¡¯t speak much to him, so I''m not too clear about things¡­¡­¡±

    I could only change the topic with a cowardly excuse.

    ¡°Why! We originally thought that we would be invincible if Hirasaka-san returns.¡±

    ¡°Aniki, what should we do? We don¡¯t want to go against Hirasaka-san.¡±

    ¡°That person and us are like sworn father and sons. He¡¯s the same as Sou-san, and is our senior. Why¡­¡­¡±

    I don¡¯t have any idea even if you ask me¡ª But I could only swallow those words back into my stomach. Speaking of all this is no help at all. I think they probably know that as well, but they couldn¡¯t avoid themselves from discussing it.

    ¡°Excuse me¡­¡­ Where is Yondaime?¡±

    ¡°Sou-san said that he¡¯s going to visit apany or the like.¡±

    ¡°Recently, he often goes out without saying anything.¡±

    I felt that I was really useless when I realized that I felt relieved. I had to report to Yondaime about meeting Renji-san once more and some other matters. Though I had such ns in my heart, when I thought of the scene when we converse, my heart sank once more. Just because of that, I came to the office without even giving them a call¡ª And prayed for him to be out coincidentally.

    After Alice said so much, I was still afraid of ¡®words¡¯. I¡¯m so useless.

    Walking into the dark study of the office and telling them to allow me to be alone, I sat before theputer without even turning on the lights. When I checked my inbox online, I noticed that there weren¡¯t any replies from the advertisingpany. What does Yondaime n to do after this? The direction of the design has almost been finished, and the ones left are only some odd jobs. Perhaps he¡¯s going to look for anypany to do the follow up work? He won¡¯t tell me to do everything, will he?

    I stood up from the chair and lied down on the bed used for short breaks. There was a smell of dry dust.

    Oh well, why don¡¯t I just give up already?

    Although I haven¡¯t got my sry yet, it isn¡¯t like I¡¯m in a state where I won¡¯t be able to cope without getting the money. As long as I am not rted with this matter, I won¡¯t need to be troubled or get beaten up anymore. Besides, Alice and Yondaime told me not to meddle anyway.

    As for the reason I¡¯m feeling downcast¡ª Probably it¡¯s because not only did the things that I did not help, I caused the matter to develop towards a bad direction as well. Self-righteously thinking that there¡¯s a deep misunderstanding between Yondaime and Renji-san, and kept firmly believing that they exchanged something important that cannot be seen with the naked eye¡ª Such stories that were like fairy tales.

    The thing that once existed between them had already vanishedpletely due to critical damage. Only I was standing in the middle of a sandbank that was about to sink, swirling the sand below my feet.

    The identities of the people assisting Renji-san had already been mostly made clear. No matter which side bleeds, it isn¡¯t something that a dazed high schooler should meddle in.

    So I should just groggily go back to my holiday.

    As long as I stuff everything to the other side of the ring sunlight, my world can be like eggshell that was soaked in vinegar, maintaining a soft, sticky, but seemingly unblemished appearance.

    However, when I picked up my phone, it was like my whole hand froze, and couldn¡¯t even press one button.

    When did it start? Me being unable to even lie to myself.

    In the past, it should be easy for me to change my way of separating the things by my side, renaming them, and use a thought to cover the previous one. However, I came in contact with too much passion, and knew that some things will still spread to me through the earth and air even when I cover my eyes and ears in a starless night. So¡ª I cannot ignore this.

    What should I do? Is there anything¡ª

    ¡°¡ª Hello, everyone! Is Fujishima-san here?¡±

    A voice suddenly rang behind me, making me almost fall down from the bed.

    Is it possible that the voice just now is¡­¡­? The voices of the confused gang members rang faintly at the other side of the door.

    ¡°So sorry for disturbing you all of a sudden. I heard that Fujishima-san is over here?¡±

    Using the faint illumination of my cellphone screen, I ran towards the door while dodging the hill of cardboard boxes. As soon as I pushed the door open, my eyes were assaulted by strong light without prior warning.

    ¡°Aniki, um¡­¡­ A strange woman¡­¡­¡± ¡°Suddenly barged inside.¡±

    ¡°Fujishima-san!¡±

    Coffee-colored curly hair and a shout jumped at the same time. It was Mika-san. The person standing at the entrance of the office was indeed Mika-san¡­¡­ And she ran in my direction. She was wearing a miniskirt with a transparent shoulder strap. However, the bandages on her arms and kneecaps looked quite painful.

    ¡°Fujishima-san, are you okay? Waa! You¡¯re so severely hurt!¡±

    ¡°N- Not really, your are more severe, Mika-san.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m in tip top shape, and I can walk as well! Since the cane was too troublesome, I left it at home.¡±

    Errr¡­¡­ That can¡¯t count as being fine, can it?

    ¡°Speaking of which, our boss arbitrarily decided to stop our coboration, so sorry for that!¡±

    As Mika-san apologized while lowering her head in the speed of a hammer, the Hirasaka-gumi members around me and I were overwhelmed by her imposing manner and stepped back three steps.

    ¡°It seemed to be a decision that was made when I was still in the hospital. I was extremely furious! Earlier today, I rushed to thepany from the hospital and talked things out with the boss. Fujishima-san, you¡¯re probably troubled as well, right? This is something that we came up with together! I really had my life on this case!¡±

    ¡°Err¡­¡­ Well¡­¡­¡±

    I repeatedly blinked and stared at Mika-san¡¯s face.

    Which means¡­¡­

    ¡°Are you¡­¡­ willing to continue the case¡­¡­?¡±

    ¡°But of course! It¡¯s more like I was slightly sad as you didn¡¯t contact me immediately¡­¡­ Eh? Fujishima-kun, what¡¯s wrong? Eh, uh, eh? U- Um¡­¡­ Is it because I¡¯m not reliable enough? You don¡¯t need to look like you¡¯re going to cry, do you?¡±

    ¡°N- No¡­¡­ Not really.¡±

    I hurriedly wiped my face with my palms in force and pretended that nothing happened while fanning my face with my hands¡ª Although the thing that rushed to the depths of my throat almost couldn¡¯t be suppressed already.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Is it really fine?¡±

    ¡°About thepany, I¡¯ll try to convince them, and I heard from the boss that Sou-san apologized at thepany himself as well. How can I leave this case at the side like this!¡±

    The Hirasaka-gumi members sank into a slightmotion, while I widened my eyes as well. Yondaime apologized to thepany himself? No, that person does indeed know the ways of the world very well, and doing such a thing is a given, however¡­¡­

    Until just now, I was still lying in the dark room, and was even considering to leave all my work aside and escape.

    ¡°Fujishima-san? Uh¡­¡­ Sorry foring here without prior notice, as I just know the email address you use for contact¡­¡­ And since thepany gave me a week¡¯s break because of me getting hospitalized, I was too free, so¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Nono, I don¡¯t mean that.¡±

    I pushed Mika-san out of the office while the sun setting in the west shone on us diagonally at a side. It felt as though we just woke up, and the innocence that originally stuck onto our skin was gradually vaporized by the scorching sunlight.

    ¡°I¡­¡­ should apologize instead.¡±

    ¡°But you didn¡¯t do anything wrong, did you?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just because I didn¡¯t do anything, but I caused Mika-san to get involved all of a sudden¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah, no, there¡¯s no such thing!¡±

    Mika-san forcefully thumped my shoulders. As my injuries hadn¡¯t healed yet, I nearly made an odd cry, and could only suppress myself.

    ¡°I heard that Hirasaka-gumi seemed to be in trouble¡­¡­ But it¡¯s hard on ourpany as well. Since ourpany is so small, it isn¡¯t often for us to get such arge case¡­¡­ In the end, the president and the boss actually said that they don¡¯t want to have any trouble with the yakuza! Even though I already told them that Sou-san isn¡¯t a yakuza! How could it be possible for such a young, good-looking yakuza to exist? Fujishima-san, why don¡¯t you scold me as well? Something like ¡®What the heck is yourpany doing!¡¯ or the like. Don¡¯t be so mindful!¡±

    Mika-san¡¯s smooth shoulders that reflected the sunlight and her arms wrapped in bandages were quite sharp, so I could only shift my gaze.

    ¡°Then that¡¯s that. I¡¯ll count on you once more when your injuries get better. I¡¯ll have to trouble you to update the blog as well! And I¡¯m going to n Garba right now as well!¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°The idea that you proposed, the T-shirt used for promotional purposes! It won¡¯t do if we don¡¯t hurry!¡±

    Oh yeah¡ª Using a friend¡¯s famous second-hand clothing shop n Garba to print the event on the shirt, and selling them to the young people on the streets. Even though it was my idea, I forgot about itpletely as I was busy dealing with other matters.

    ¡°Then¡­¡­ Allow me to go as well. It should be easier for you to discuss with me present, right?¡±

    After all, the owner of the second hand shop would feel bad refusing my request because of certain reasons.

    ¡°But Fujishima-san¡¯s injuries are still so serious¡­¡­¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t your injuries more severe than mine?¡± ¡°What a quick tsukkomi!¡±

    ¡°Ah¡ª Sorry, in any case, let¡¯s hurry!¡±

    I breathed in deeply, and relocated my pace.

    Do things that I can do now.

    ¡°Because this is my job.¡±

    Mika-san nodded while smiling.

    It was already evening when we finished our discussion and walked out of the shop. n Garba was packed with young women. Since it was only a street away from the busy district, and there was a Yoshimoto Kogyo performance hall by it as well, customers kept gushing inside right until closing time. It seemed like Mika-san wanted to pick out some clothes as well, as she kept looking back, but she still reminded herself to prioritize her work in the end, and picked up her phone after that.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡­ The calls to Sou-san just wouldn¡¯t get through.¡±

    She ced her phone by her ear for quite some time and showed me a troubled expression after that.

    ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be much trouble with the T-shirts, so I wanted to report this to him.¡±

    ¡°Allow me¡ª¡° To tell him¡­¡­ I wanted to say that, but I stopped after that. Is Yondaime still willing to speak to me? It just seemed like I damaged the trust that he had for me after some time because of my insensitivity. After all, the past that he wasn¡¯t willing to mention was dug out by me¡­¡­ Including Renji-san and the woman called Hison.

    ¡°That won¡¯t do. The one who epted the case was me, I¡¯ll report it to him. Spinach is a basic condition for working in the society. ¡±

    ¡°Meaning, report, contact andmunication?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes. In any case, taking the initiative to speak is very important. I¡¯ll send him a message first.¡±

    Actually, it¡¯s probably the most important thing while doing anything in this world.

    Actually having so many people say the same thing to me, is it possible that I¡¯m a person bad atmunicating in other people¡¯s eyes?

    ¡°That¡¯s why, remember to contact me after you finish the discussion of the design tomorrow!¡±

    ¡°I understand¡­¡­ Report, contact andmunication, I¡¯ll remember it.¡±

    Although we had to ask Yoshiki-san to sew the design onto the T-shirt immediately, Mika-san said that she had a meeting that she must go to the next day, so I had no other choice but to head to Kita-Senju alone.

    ¡°I heard that the shop owner is really good looking. Is that true?¡±

    ¡°Eh? Ah, yes¡­¡­ Well¡­¡­ He¡¯s quite good looking.¡±

    ¡°Having a name like ¡®Yoshiki¡¯, it sounds like he¡¯s the Yoshiki in the visual kei band ¡®X¡¯! So does that mean he has a sickly beauty like that of visual kei bands?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯spletely different. Their names are written differently as well.¡±

    If I¡¯m not mistaken, the Yoshiki in X should be written as ¼ÑÊ÷, whileÉÆÏ²was written on Yoshiki-san¡¯s card that I handed to Mika-san.

    ¡°Whoa! This name seems to be quite candid!¡±

    As you said, he¡¯s indeed a candid, good-looking man.

    ¡°I want to go as well! What a pity! But if I don¡¯t defeat president in the meeting tomorrow, this case would be closed. They¡¯re probably letting me continue my break, deciding on things by themselves.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but think: If anything wrong urs, the efforts that we put in till now might be lost¡ª Why can this woman still be so energetic? However, I hoped that she would help out more. As for me¡ª I should at least send a message to Yondaime.

    I sat on the sailings of the road and took out my phone, and Mika-san said at a side while I was pondering of what I should write:

    ¡°Are you sending a message to Sou-san? Well then¡­¡­ Why don¡¯t you add more emoticons? And add a heart at the end!¡±

    ¡°Wait a minute, please don¡¯t do that!¡±

    Such an embarrassing message was nearly sent. So close¡­¡­

    ¡°At these times, you should be more open about these, then you can speak whatever you want to when you meet.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d have been killed before I speak whatever I want!¡±

    ¡°But emoticons can express the emotions that cannot be said in words¡­¡­¡±

    Nonono, even if you speak in words like those from a love poem, I won¡¯t be fooled. However, if there are really such emoticons, I would really like some.

    What should I say to Yondaime? How can I start the topic? After going round in a circle, my thoughts still returned to that point.

    After the next afternoon, I went on the Chiyoda Line from Omotesando Station. From what I remember, Chiyoda seems to be near the Saitama Prefacture, but it wasn¡¯t as far as I thought, as I reached it after about thirty minutes of taking the subway.

    ¡°Narumi-kun, I¡¯ve been waiting for you!¡±

    When I reached Wakagi Crafts Store, Yoshiki-san was chatting with two girls who seemed to be college students. He immediately stopped chatting when he saw me and waved at me. His slim figure wearing a pair of tight fitting jeans looked even slenderer while being covered by an apron with the name of the shop printed on it. How crazy would Mika-san go if she sees him, I wonder. After that, I walked around the counter and sat on the chair that he handed to me. Who is that person? What¡¯s his rtionship with the shop owner? All the females in the shop shot me such nces non-stop, making me feel extremely ufortable.

    ¡°Very sorry¡ª Let¡¯s chat againter!¡± Yoshiki-san consoled the girls slightly and turned around after that. Basically, Yoshiki-san kept staying in the counter, and it felt like he was a rental books owner from olden times.

    ¡°About the design of the logo, I made about eight of them.¡±

    A whole stack of Cham papers withrge, trendy band logos drawn on them were handed to me. Except for the same ck thrush on the letter ¡®i¡¯, there was a variety of pictures, with pictures that had a sense of trendiness and even those that had a somewhat mechanical look.

    ¡°How is it?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but moan.

    ¡°¡­¡­ It doesn¡¯t seem right?¡±

    ¡°Nono¡­¡­ To be honest, each one is great.¡±

    If time allows for it, I would even think of putting all of them on the website to allow everyone to vote. Regretfully, the promotional T-shirts had to be made as soon as possible, or the effect would drastically decrease, so there¡¯s not too much time.

    ¡°If you really want me to pick one¡­¡­¡± ¡°Nnn, if you want to choose one out¡­¡­¡±

    Yoshiki-san and I pointed at the same picture at the same time, a slightly Japanese styled picture. Weughed out loud after ncing at each other.

    After that, I used theptopputer that I brought to edit the logo and the promotional text, pasting them on the sample T-shirt. There were five colors in total, and each of the lines were simple and clean. Since there isn¡¯t much time anymore, let¡¯s just decide it like this?

    ¡°So we¡¯re going with this? But this picture will be more sharp if you use embroidery instead of printing it on.¡±

    ¡°Nonono, our budget wouldn¡¯t be enough for that.¡±

    Yoshiki-sanughed while saying ¡®That¡¯s true¡±. Even if they¡¯re printed on, it should look quite cool as well.

    ¡°The girl called Mika called me, saying that I can decide it by myself. Is that really fine? I heard that even the band members said that they¡¯re letting me handle things.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just because the band members let us handle everything that makes me feel uneasy.¡±

    I heard that it¡¯s because the previous organizer was too terrible. Possibly because of that, we got theirplete trust just because we handle things normally. That made me slightly troubled as well, though it isn¡¯t anything bad.

    ¡°Have you met the band members? I saw them on the, and every one of them was quite cute.¡±

    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t met them in reality, but Yondaime probably meets them quite often.¡±

    ¡°Nnnnn, is it really fine if we handle things?¡±

    Do we need to listen to Yondaime¡¯s opinion? I thought while taking out my phone, but did not have the courage to press the button, and could only sigh after reaffirming that I didn¡¯t receive any message. After seeing my expression, Yoshiki-san seemed to have something to say, but since there was a female customer calling him at the other side of the counter, he just slid over with his chair after apologizing to me.

    ¡°Yoshiki-san, was this on a rack? Can I take it directly?¡±

    ¡°Nnn, sorry for the trouble.¡±

    Eh? Looking at Yoshiki-san¡¯s silhouette, I suddenly thought¡ª Why does he allow customers to climb on adder to take the merchandise at high ces? When I think about it, this person almost always sits on a chair¡­¡­

    ¡°¡­¡­ Do you have trouble with your feet?¡±

    I only thought after I asked Yoshiki-san in a low voice, isn¡¯t this way of asking somewhat rude?

    ¡°Ah¡ª Nnn¡­¡­¡± He looked slightly embarrassed, but he still answered. ¡°It¡¯s not like I have trouble with my feet. It¡¯s just that I had some of my innards removed in a surgery, so the doctor told me not to stand while working if possible.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Eh?¡± Then he was probably hurt badly that time?

    ¡°I originally worked at a night club, and I couldn¡¯t continue it in the end. At first, I thought that it¡¯ll be fine if I just sit down while making crafts work, but it isn¡¯t like that at all.¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t like that from the start!¡±

    It just seems like this person is a bit out of touch with society. Talking with him is slightly tiring. He probably used up quite a lot of money when he started his shop, how can it be decided by such a simple reason? I¡¯m not too sure of this person¡¯s background, but since he¡¯s senior to Yondaime, is it possible that he was a NEET in the past? Although he doesn¡¯t seem like one, it¡¯s really hard for one to ask the other person if he is such a person in person. That¡¯s right, I remember that he knows Min-san as well, right? Let¡¯s just ask her directly next time.

    ¡°Hina helped me out in the busiest times when the shop just opened, and now the customers are helping me out, so it still counts as passable.¡±

    ¡°Eh? What? You¡¯re talking about Yondaime? Isn¡¯t that guy really mindful of money? Wouldn¡¯t he ask for a high sry?¡±

    ¡°But I asked him to help me for free?¡±

    I breathed in deeply to express my helplessness. Although he¡¯s a senior who knows him from long ago, I really can¡¯t think of another person who can treat Yodnaime like this, and I¡¯m slightly envious¡­¡­ Nonono, and I actually imagined myself calling Yondaime ¡®Hina¡¯, it¡¯s just too impossible.

    ¡°Actually, I feel stranger seeing everyone scared of Hina to death.¡± Yoshiki-san gave me a smile.

    ¡°My impression of him is that he probably started to threaten and scare people from the time he was born¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Haha, there¡¯s no such thing. When Hina wasn¡¯t too familiar with Tokyo, he was scared like a small rabbit as well. And he evenined to me that the messy subway structure makes people feel lost, there aren¡¯t covers on the lights in the trains and the like. So cute.¡±

    Does this count as cute?

    ¡°He probably did a lot of things that forced himself, huh? That guy is a bit too tough, and he¡¯s slightly too good at taking care of other people, so naturally many people followed him. However, these people probably aren¡¯t thinking of relying on him, but want to beat him up instead.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Then what about Yoshiki-san?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m the type that wants to rely on him, you know when you take a look at my body!¡± Heartyughter, ¡°Actually Hina only has one true friend that can support him when he¡¯s in trouble, but they got in arge fight. I wonder what that person is doing right now.¡±

    So he knows Renji-san as well? But it doesn¡¯t seem like he knows that he¡¯s already back. Probably Yondaime didn¡¯t tell him about it? If it were to be me, I probably won¡¯t say anything about it as well, because I wouldn¡¯t be willing to see such a bright smile being clouded over.

    There is only one true friend.

    ¡°¡­¡­ He probably has a girlfriend as well, right?¡±

    Yoshiki-san once mentioned that she was a frequent customer as well, so he should know her as well.

    ¡°I heard that she¡¯s called Hison¡­¡­ Couldn¡¯t she have be Yondaime¡¯s pir of support?¡±

    Although Yoshiki-san¡¯s expression did not have too much of a change, it was as though I could hear the sound of an old book turning into powder after being touched with a finger.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Ahh, hmm, about Hison¡­¡­¡± Yoshiki-san¡¯s voice sounded slightly rigid. ¡°She couldn¡¯t help it. Although she could help out a bit with their daily lives, she wasn¡¯t a reliable person, and it felt like she was somewhat unconcerned as well, and couldn¡¯t even handle her own matters. Besides¡­¡­ She isn¡¯t here anymore.¡±

    I bit my lip. Perhaps that wasn¡¯t a question that I should ask. It seemed like I made him recall something sorrowful.

    If so, was Yondaime always alone? Faces of Tetsu-senpai, Hiro-san, Major, Min-san, Alice and others surfaced in my mind, but it doesn¡¯t feel quite the same. Although they won¡¯t rely on Yondaime, they won¡¯t be his supporting pir as well.

    Because he¡¯s just too tough. Yondaime is just too tough, and can handle anything by himself.

    ¡°That¡¯s why Narumi-kun, you must do your best!¡±

    ¡°Erm¡­¡­ What must I do my best for?¡±

    ¡°Do your best to be Hina¡¯s sworn brother.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a thing that can¡¯t be done by just doing one¡¯s best? I don¡¯t know what to do at all.¡±

    Right now, I can¡¯t even find a topic to talk to him about, and I almost can¡¯t believe in it now¡­¡­ Believing in the thing that should exist between Yondaime and Renji-san up till now.

    ¡°Perhaps you can try practicing manzai with him?¡±

    ¡°Um, that shouldn¡¯t be so, right?¡±

    As I was about to be pulled back to reality by my real troubles, Yoshiki-san forced the topic to another direction. How tiring.

    ¡°So Narumi-kun will of course be the side doing tsukkomis, right?¡±

    What do you mean of course! Although I¡¯m a bit self-conscious that it¡¯s like this¡­¡­

    ¡°Hina spoke in Kansai ng in the past as well, so he can probably act as the boke? And your group¡¯s name would be ¡®NaruHina Brothers¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Why are you giving us such a cute name!? Please don¡¯t joke anymore, I¡¯m full just hearing the name¡ª¡°

    Just at that moment, my words werepletely absorbed by the air and stopped.

    Yoshiki-san shook his head before me. It seemed like he asked me something, but his voice couldn¡¯t reach my ears at all.

    Words.

    The answer that was suddenly grasped.

    Although it cannot be seen with the eyes, it¡¯s something that is more important than anything else.

    I stood up, tripping the round stool along the way. Yoshiki-san and the customers in the shop got a shock and looked back at me, but I didn¡¯t have the time to care about them.

    ¡°E- Excuse me¡­¡­ I¡¯m very sorry, but I have to make a call!¡±

    I rushed to the dark stairway behind the counter and hurriedly pressed the buttons after picking up my phone. The repetitive dial tone kept ringing in my ears. The call hasn¡¯t gotten through? Is it because I¡¯m calling, so you¡¯re deliberately pretending not to see, and not to pick up? Please, hurry up and pick up the phone!

    If I don¡¯t speak it out, nothing can be expressed. I must express this in words, or we will only be lone shadows in a dark fog far away for eternity. So¡ª Please pick up the phone. As long as this answer can be expressed, no matter what des you use to carve your own emotions, I will ept it openly. So right now¡ª

    The dialing tone stopped in a sh.

    ¡¯What?¡¯

    Yondaime¡¯s voice came from the receiver. Up to a hundred words mbered up my throat in one go, causing me to be unable to speak.

    I could only tightly hold my phone while squatting on the floor that was full of dust, pressing my chest while breathing in deeply repeatedly at the same time.

    ¡¯Hello? Hurry up and speak if you have anything to say! I have to go apologize to the sponsors after this.¡¯

    I frantically suppressed my charred emotions that was about to spill out.

    ¡°¡­¡­ I went to see Renji-san today again.¡±

    ¡¯I already saw your message just now. So what? It¡¯s not like we found their hideout. Just now, I called my men to the sports shop at Ikebukuro just now, but they¡¯re not there anymore. Then there¡¯s no reason I should listen to yo¡ª¡¯

    ¡°Can you please listen to me first!¡±

    The vibrations of my loud roar spread to my abdomen, giving me no choice but to support myself on the floor with my palm.

    ¡°Renji-san¡ª He¡¯s still speaking in Kansai ng up till now.¡±

    No response could be heard for quite some time, but I know¡ª I know very clearly, that¡¯s the answer. Alice once said, words are like a sword, and I truly felt the de of the sword sinking in my blood. The thing that Yondaime and Renji-san exchanged when they shared sake, the important thing that can¡¯t be seen¡ª Those are words. The two gave the words that they use from the time they were given birth to the other¡ª

    And they¡¯re keeping it up till now.

    It¡¯s true for Renji-san, and the same for Yondaime as well.

    So¡­¡­

    ¡¯So what?¡¯

    The voice of the wild wolf that answered after some effort sounded somewhat shaken.

    ¡¯It¡¯s just ame game.¡¯

    As I recall, Renji-san spoke in standard Japanese when giving orders on his phone, but he spoke in a strange Kansai ng when he talked to me, as though he was showing off photos in a photo album. Perhaps it¡¯s something that can only be shown to friends¡­¡­ A true thing?

    ¡°That person¡­¡­¡± I chose my words carefully, and squeezed out my voice from my scorching throat. ¡°¡­¡­ told me this. No matter how many years he continues to live, he cannot make a friend more important than that guy¡ª But he has no other choice but to do in that person that gave him such a feeling. He¡¯s just hired by someone, and doesn¡¯t really want to do this, that person actually doesn¡¯t want to fight with y¡ª¡°

    ¡¯Shut up!¡¯

    The words that were squeezed after some effort stemmed the flow of words gushing out from the depths of my throat.

    ¡¯So what about it! Then what do you think we should do? In truth, he is now my enemy, and I can only actively try to break him¡ª¡¯

    ¡°Please give Alice a request!¡±

    I stood up and shouted out my thoughts.

    ¡°This is definitely wrong! Even though you¡¯re friends and you¡¯ve reunited after so long, up till now¡­¡­ The two of you haven¡¯t forgotten about the most important thing! Healthily¡­¡­ Living on¡­¡­ As long as you¡¯re still alive.¡± It was as though my overheated voice was about to sink into the damp mes climbing up my windpipe. ¡°As long as you¡¯re still alive, you canmunicate with each other, but why¡ª why are the two sides bruising each other from head till toe?¡±

    ¡¯What do you kno¡ª¡¯

    ¡°I don¡¯t know anything, but it¡¯s the same for Yondaime and Renji-san! Definitely having lies somewhere around, having unfortunate coincidence, so our¡­¡­ our rtionship wouldn¡¯t have dissolved so easily¡­¡­ If so!¡±

    Beads of particles scattered in the darkness along with each word and sentence that I spat out, and I realized that I already couldn¡¯t hold back my tears anymore. Even so, I still struggled to speak out the thawing words:

    ¡°Please give Alice a request!¡±

    Steaming breath fell onto the filthy floor.

    Detectives¡ª exist just for these times.

    I closed my eyes, holding my phone that was almost melted by sweat while pressing my aching side abdomen. I awaited the answer.

    The words¡ª Were they sessfully transmitted? To where?

    Are there only clips of emotions that have long died due to being cut, left at the ce that they are transmitted to? Because I arrived toote? Even though I was always between them¡­¡­ Even though I could have told them even more even earlier¡­¡­

    ¡¯You just need to finish your own work.¡¯

    Yondaime¡¯s sharp but weak voice sounded like ttened aluminum foil. ¡¯You¡¯re just too nosy. Don¡¯t be so alike your employer only in these ces.¡¯

    After hanging up, I still squatted at the stairway, staring at the cellphone in my palm. The fragments of myself that couldn¡¯t be transmitted still seemed to tangle up my fingers, making me feel bouts of pain. Sweat dripped onto the dust time after time, but I still felt cold.

    Sounds of metallic friction suddenly shed past my neck. The door was opened. I slowly raised my face and saw Yoshiki-san before me.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    My voice had already turned hoarse, so I could only nod in response.

    ¡°Renji¡­¡­ He¡¯s back?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t answer the following question.

    ¡°Sorry. I didn¡¯t have any intention of eavesdropping, I just heard it on coincidence.¡±

    As I was about to stand up, I suddenly forgot how to apply force with my feet, and could only hug my knees and pull them close to my chest. I even felt as though I might even have difficulties in breathing if I don¡¯t contract my body.

    Even so, I still forced myself to stand up and look back when Yoshiki-san walked away from the door and towards me step after step by leaning against the wall.

    ¡°You can¡¯t even walk?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯mpletely unable to, walking slowly is not a problem. The main point is about Renji.¡±

    I really couldn¡¯t meet Yoshiki-san¡¯s gaze as he reached my side.

    ¡°Hina seems to be somewhat grumpy recently, so it¡¯s because of this? So it¡¯s not just because he¡¯s busy with his event organization?¡±

    So Yondaime never mentioned anything to this person. Because he didn¡¯t want him to worry.

    So I squeezed out a smile with all of my might and shook my head in denial. But how should I justify myself? I was alreadycking energy, and couldn¡¯t even think of a harmless lie anymore.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Renji-san, has returned.¡±

    I could only speak of the truth.

    ¡°They didn¡¯t make peace with each other because of the matter before this. After all, both of them are stubborn people.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­ True.¡±

    ¡°It seems like there¡¯s nothing to do anymore. If so, at least¡ª¡°

    At least¡ª What? What should I do? Follow what Yondaime said and do my own job?

    It seems like there¡¯s only this step to take now.

    I supported Yoshiki-san back into the shop. The cold wind dried my sweat. Yoshiki-san still seemed like he had something to say when he sat back onto his chair, but I immediately asked:

    ¡°About when will the design of the T-shirt picture be done? Is it possible to be done by today? Please send it to me in psd format, and then¡­¡­ We¡¯ll have to send it to n Garba. I¡¯ll use it directly on the shop website and pop out ads. As for the fees¡ª¡°

    I tried to pretend that I didn¡¯t see his sincere gaze, and continued the topic of work.

    If not, I would definitely forget how to speak, directly burying myself into the gentle atmosphere of silk and wool.

    *

    After the discussion ended, it was already four in the afternoon when I returned to Hanamaru Ramen by taking the subway from Kita-Senju. Along the way when walking back from the station, I reported the results to Mika-san through phone, and in the end, my remaining vigor was drained by the woman that was as energetic as a high school girl.

    When I finally saw the portiere of Hanamaru Ramen that looked like a mirage at the end of the alley through the heat given off by the asphalt road, I suddenly felt like crying.

    It seemed like I turned fragile. After frequenting the shop, I turned more fragile than before. Just like a block of dried up brick that fell into the water, absorbing a lot of water.

    But I don¡¯t regret it, because it¡¯s the same fact that there aren¡¯t any hearts in this world that can¡¯t be broken.

    However, I really wish that I could be stronger, at least to the extent that I don¡¯t need to keep walking with my head lowered. While thinking of such matters, I was attracted by faint sounds of conversation, and continued to walk forward while stepping on the asphalt road that seemed to be sticking onto my feet as it melted. After that, I heard the sounds of conversation even clearly.

    ¡°I want cards of both wool and malt! Who can give that to me?¡±

    ¡°I can provide it if it¡¯s just malt.¡±

    ¡°If steel ore can count as a thousand yen, I¡¯ll provide both.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s too expensive!¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s use five hundred yen in cash, and I¡¯ll provide malt only.¡±

    ¡°What are you doing¡­¡­?¡±

    As usual, I looked in the back alley behind the kitchen backdoor. Tetsu-senpai, Hiro-san and Major were passionately ying a game around a wooden stand, and didn¡¯t even give me a nce. There was a board full of hexagonal blocks, colorful cards and wooden pieces on the stand. This should have been a board game that I¡¯m quite familiar with¡­¡­

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it clear in a nce? It¡¯s The Settlers of Catan.¡±

    Major answered me in a somewhat scornful tone and confirmed the wad of cash by his hand. The Settlers of Catan is the most famous board game in Germany, and was brought into Japan as well¡ª But¡­¡­

    ¡°As I recall, this game doesn¡¯t use cash, right?¡±

    ¡°This is a way of ying that we thought of, and it¡¯s called Cash Catan. What differs from the normal way of ying is that cards can be traded in cash. ¡°¡­¡­ Won¡¯t Germans be angry if they see this?¡±

    ¡°There will be an extreme struggle in our hearts whenparing the cash obtained after winning and the cash paid when doing deals in the game, so this is a game that requires intelligence.¡±

    ¡°There won¡¯t be any driving force to y if money isn¡¯t involved.¡±

    ¡°Tetsu, you wasted Major¡¯s exnation!¡± Hiro-san smiled while standing up, giving me the seat of the gas tank. ¡°Well then, Narumi-kun, why don¡¯t you join and let us start again?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s too devious, Hiro-san! Just getting cash with deals, but not even building one street!¡±

    ¡°Then why don¡¯t we let Narumi join directly? Hurry up and ce two cities and streets somewhere you like. And there¡¯s an entrance fee of two thousand yen.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a fine idea. Indeed, The Settlers of Catan is more enjoyable with four people.¡±

    ¡°Fine my foot! Doesn¡¯t that mean that only I have a setback, and am in a bad position?¡±

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll give you an advantage. Only Narumi can throw five dice at once.¡±

    ¡°That isn¡¯t an advantage at all!¡±

    Hiro-sanughed out loud. The rules of the game state that we can gain crops from the boxes that we stop at, so it isn¡¯t much of an advantage.

    ¡°It is fine even if you join halfway through, Narumi. Just y. I shall support you and provide you with the funds.¡±

    ¡°¡ªWhy is even Alice over here?¡±

    But there¡¯s some problem with me as I didn¡¯t notice her here at all. The kitchen backdoor was about half open, and a ck-haired silhouette donning light blue pajamas stood in the middle of it. Alice pressed an ice pack on her forehead and her thighs, and looked as though she returned from going somewhere to put a curse on someone. Why must she force herself to stay in the stiflingly hot ramen shop?

    ¡°Master said that she is making ice cream puffs, which is why I am waiting here. Eating ice cream puffs is all about experiencing the taste of crispy cream puff that is just done and the feeling of the ice cream slowly melting inside! Unfortunately, it is eternally impossible for me to experience the said taste if I stay in the office, so that is why I am tolerating the scorching heat over here. Despite the fact that I requested to join their ranks of ying the game, these people actually excluded me from them.¡±

    ¡°Because Alice¡¯s financial status is a far cry from ours!¡± Hiro-san consoled her. ¡°If you buy away all the resources each time in the end, we definitely can¡¯t win.¡±

    ¡°So that is why we are having apromise, asking the stupid Narumi to be my representative, and having the handicap of joining in midway as well. Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go!¡±

    To be frank, I wasn¡¯t in the mood to y games at all, but I was still forced to sit down and pick up the dice in the end. Alice gave me a huge scolding behind me, saying that I¡¯m untalented, have no observation powers, and no negotiation ability; and was forced to see Ayaka rolling her eyes, having my crops cards taken by Hiro-san because of his negotiation, being beaten up by Major with special cards, and even being forced by Hiro-san to lend money to him with the stupid reason of ¡¯Forget about the game, just lend me some money¡¯ that waspletely unrted to the game¡ª

    In the end, Min-san served us a whole hill of soft cream puffs on a tray along with a punch on each person¡¯s head, warning us not to gamble too much as well. After the hands of unequal sizes were extended to the tray, the hill of cream puffs disappeared without a trace in a sh. Being surrounded by vani ice cream that gave a refreshing sense of coldness, hot wind with the fragrance of chicken soup from the kitchen, and chatter of the strangely bright NEETs, I experienced a pain differing from the usual sweetness of wounds, and nearly forgot about the strong emotions burning in my heart, and the feelings when I shouted at Yondaime through the phone.

    However, silence suddenly descended. Between I, who stared at the cards and wooden pieces on the stand, and mypanions, who stared at me, a time that seemed to have difference in temperature passed, and there was a rustling simr to someone crying.

    The sounds of the water used by Ayaka to clean the pots in the kitchen and Min-san cutting onions or celery came from the kitchen.

    Just at that moment, thoughts formed in a slow speed that almost made people lose their senses.

    ¡°¡­¡­ I failed.¡±

    The first, and the most useless statement.

    Unknowingly, Alice ced a chair away from the kitchen backdoor at a position near to me and sat down while hugging her knees. Her direct gaze assisted me in squeezing out the words.

    ¡°I¡¯ve said everything I can¡­¡­ Both to Renji-san and to Yondaime, but it¡¯s useless. I think Yondaime probably wants to finish everything by himself. I really can¡¯t see how they¡¯re enemies, and even think that they¡¯re still friends, so¡­¡­ If it¡¯s Alice¡­¡­ If only he would give Alice a request. I kept thinking about this, and said a lot of useless stuff in the end. Is it possible¡ª All of this are just my delusions?¡±

    Nobody present could give me an answer, while my words were gradually buried by the humid air.

    ¡°Having once yed a game of yakuzas, and having owed each other favors, and having asked me to work for him, I even thought¡­¡­ I understood Yondaime a bit more. In the end, I just did a lot of meaningless stuff, and dragged him down¡­¡­ I don¡¯t actually know anything at all.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±

    The detective covered me with her gentle voice.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know the person called Hinamura Souichirou at all.¡±

    As I was about to crush signs of tears with my eyelids, Alice¡¯s hands came in contact with my arm.

    ¡°That person is not such a low person. He will definitely return things that he keeps for the others, look.¡±

    Alice¡¯s chilly fingers sank into my skin. I suddenly heard faint sounds of footstepsing from afar and raised my head.

    The setting sun inserted in the alley brought a long shadow to my toes.

    Tetsu-senpai turned around and shrugged, Major smiled wryly and pushed his goggles up, while Hiro-san stood up, carrying Alice along with her chair, making space for one person.

    While I¡ª I just stared nkly at the gray hair, sharp gaze of a wild wolf, and the shoulder with the picture of a swallowtail butterfly sewn on it.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Why are all of you ring at me?¡±

    Yondaime said while stepping on the soil of the back alley. He just nced at me, shifting his gaze to the NEET detective by my side immediately after.

    ¡°Why are even you over here?¡±

    ¡°I am a NEET detective who has nothing worthplimenting, so I do not need a reason to participate in parties.¡±

    Yondaime snorted at Alice¡¯s answer.

    ¡°I''m here to give you a request.¡±

    ¡°What a joyous event. I am happy to interrupt the party to listen to your emotionless exnation.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t even suppress the trembling of my knees. Yondaime gave the detective a request:

    ¡°An old friend returned. Because of timing, we can¡¯t even talk to each other properly. But I still owe him something, and he has something to return to me as well.¡±

    When I heard Yondaime¡¯s words, I unconsciously held Alice¡¯s hand. I needed something to hold on.

    ¡°As for the way, I¡¯ll leave that for you to handle¡­¡­ Just think of a way to bring him to see me.¡±

    My throat was full of the impulse to speak.

    Even so, the detective still added thest words.

    ¡°I am a NEET detective, the messenger of the deceased. My hands might destroy the tranquility based on ¡®ignorance¡¯. ¡°

    My hands temporarily recovered its grip.

    ¡°¡ªAre you fine with that even so?¡±

    Yondaime shifted his gaze in embarrassment.

    ¡°I¡¯d be lying if I¡¯m fine with that. Don¡¯t investigate meaningless matters. I¡¯m telling you to think of a way to stop him and to bring him before me without killing him.¡±

    Alice sighed.

    ¡°Although I have received up to a hundred types of requests, only you dare to deny my question in face.¡±

    ¡°So what? Who cares about your sickly curiosity?¡±

    ¡°So that means you are asking me to preserve the cruel misunderstanding without touching it?¡±

    ¡°That isn¡¯t your job. I¡¯ll decide what to do myself.¡±

    My tightly gripped hand was trembling non-stop.

    ¡°If so, Renji-san would still hate Yondaime¡ª¡°

    ¡°You shut up!¡± ¡°Narumi, please shut your mouth!¡±

    The words that the both of them spoke at the same time pierced into my chest, and I could only stop.

    ¡°However¡­¡­ Yondaime, we shall dig open graves, digging out the words of the dead. If the person in the coffin is still alive, I am afraid that our pickaxes cannot harm them. And we will be stained with their blood as well. It is an unavoidable fact.¡±

    We gazed silently with bated breath, while Alice just looked directly at Yondaime.

    ¡°Do you understand what I mean?¡±

    Yondaime red furiously at Alice while gritting his teeth.

    Would he cancel the request because of that? My heart was filled with uneasiness. Even though¡­¡­ Even though we came in contact after so much effort.

    However, the trace of anger in Yondaime¡¯s eyes suddenly disappeared on the next second.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Whatever. Anyway, if you dare to investigate things that have passed, I¡¯ll beat people up.¡±

    ¡°In my whole detective career, it is the first time I met such an uncooperative client.¡±

    In contrast with her words, Alice showed a relieved smile.

    ¡°Very well, I ept.¡±

    Alice jumped down from the chair, and her ck, silky hair fluttered because of that. As for me, I puffed out the air that I held in for a long time. We can finally take action. For Yondaime¡­¡­ I couldn¡¯t sit still just thinking of that, so I stood up.

    However, I was not the only one to await the sign of confirmation. Major stood up first and opened the backpack by his side, taking out a stack of papers with photos attached to them and forcefully threw them at the game board.

    ¡°I predicted that such a thing might happen, so I already installed spying cameras and bugs at Renji¡¯s hideout. But he doesn¡¯t stay at the same ce, so I couldn¡¯t grasp his movementspletely. I¡¯ve already finished doing Ikebukuro.¡±

    Yondaime seemed to be slightly surprised, while I think I probably had a simr expression on me as well.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Ikebukuro? So you weren¡¯t there for a survival game?¡±

    ¡°Hmm? Of course, I installed them along the way in the battle, and I used the support of my men as well. Installing arge amount of spying devices while wearing normal clothing would definitely be suspected, but it won¡¯t be so if one wears camouge clothing and is geared for battle.¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t people be more suspicious because of that?¡±

    As I was about to do such a tsukkomi, Tetsu-senpai opened up a grubby notebook on the wooden stand.

    ¡°This is the incident in Akasaka, and this is the incident in Ueno. ording to the investigations of the police, the fire was probably just a concurrent event, as the people actually damaged the power distribution box only. The police is quite troubled as well, as the people who can¡¯t get together at normal times actually cooperated under Renji¡¯smand, and they don¡¯t know their true motives as well.¡±

    Yondaime and I looked at Tetsu-senpai with bated breath at the same time.

    ¡°However, the one supporting Renji has already been confirmed. That idiot, he owed the loan sharks operated by the yakuza at Chiba quite a few million, and he was transferred to Yanagihara-kai. It¡¯s unmistakable that the organization supporting him is Yanagihara-kai.

    So he looked for loan sharks and the police because of this? And he actually put up an act before this like he didn¡¯t want to get involved when we didn¡¯t get a request.

    ¡°And also, I¡¯ve already known which shops Renji often goes to.¡±

    Even Hiro-san said such things and showed the names of shops recorded in his phone to Alice. I could only stare at the things urring before me.

    ¡°I heard that Renji¡¯s underlings are the delinquents near Ikebukuro, right? A girl that I know searched for a bit and found it. She knows about the sports goods store, and found out from quite a few people about sightings of Renji. If so, we can probably find out who¡¯s assisting Renji, right?¡±

    I looked at the faces of the three, but since Major and Tetsu-senpai gave me somewhat triumphant gazes, I couldn¡¯t continue to look.

    How could I have forgotten? How could I have thought that they were just waiting at the back alley without doing anything? Even though I came in contact with this for so many, so many times¡ª When in need, the flourishing vigor that called one to stand up.

    Why¡­¡­ couldn¡¯t I have believed in them?

    ¡°¡­¡­ You guys¡­¡­¡±

    Yondaime looked somewhat bitter. Perhaps because he didn¡¯t want people to see his expression, he extended his head into the kitchen.

    ¡°Oi, Master, can I order something?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m doing the preparations right now, you can see at a nce! You¡¯ll have to wait for some time for the water to boil as well.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter, it¡¯s fine as long as there¡¯s sake. Anyway, the ramen here is¡ª It hurts! Why are you hitting customers?¡±

    ¡°Guys who don¡¯t order don''t count as customers!¡±

    ¡°In any case, just hurry up and get us some sake. My treat.¡±

    Five cheap sses with brewed sake were served, and a can of Dr. Pepper as well.

    This is a ce that exists for us. In the past, it was probably a gentle ce that existed for another person as well.

    Such a thing will never disappear, but people can get lost. I firmly believed in that. Thus, we raised our sses in toast and drank. Smoke arose. It wasn¡¯t to signal a battle that was starting¡ª But to give that person at a ce far away a chance to find this ce.

 Volume 4, 5

    <h4>Volume 4, Chapter 5</h4>

    Even though I hadn¡¯te here ever since spring break, I still stopped subconsciously in nostalgia as I saw the entrance of the aggregative apartment that had a sign with Hello Pce written on it. It felt like the incident that time happened two years ago already.

    It was the first case I came in contact with after officially bing Alice¡¯s assistant, and even developed into an incident when we shed severely with a yakuza organization¡ª a case rted to moneyundry. The stage of the incident was the apartment before my eyes. However, never would I have thought that I would still have a chance to visit again.

    I took out my phone to reaffirm the time. Five in the evening. Same as the time that we agreed on. Although the scorching heat of the afternoon still remained in the roots of the trees in the streets, the connection point of the pavement railings and inside the cavities on the asphalt road, it was quite cool in the shadow formed by the rectangr, four-storey building.

    Even so, quite arge amount of courage was needed for me to step into the entrance of the building. After all, the one that I am nning to meet is¡ª

    ¡°¡ª Mr. Assistant!?¡±

    All of a sudden, a girl¡¯s voice rang behind me, making me turn around after getting startled. Before my eyes, there was a girl whose eyes were widened and hair was tied into three locks. With an extremely tight fitting T-shirt with short sleeves and long hot pants, her coffee colored skin that radiated a sense of health felt unbearably dazzling.

    ¡°Meo?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Assistant, it¡¯s been a while! How are you how are you?¡±

    Meo ran over and hugged my arm. As usual, she was a girl full of energy when doing anything and was unguarded from head to toe. This girl whose name is ¡®cat¡¯ would be the client in the incident during spring break.

    ¡°Are you here to see Meo?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡­ No¡­¡­¡± The current me can¡¯t look at her sincere gaze directly, and thus averted my gaze. ¡°Actually¡­¡­ I¡¯m here to see your father.¡±

    ¡°Ehhhh¡ª!?¡±

    Please don¡¯t prance all around while holding on to me, my shoulder is going to be torn off soon.

    ¡°Then it¡¯s almost the same asing here to see Meo!¡±

    I wish quite a lot that she could share with me a tenth of her optimism. But not more than a tenth.

    ¡°But what are seeing Papa for? Is there anything wrong? Perhaps it¡¯s that? ¡®Please allow me to marry your daughter!¡¯ or the like?¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about? That¡¯s not it!¡±

    Meo¡¯s father¡ª the ex-yakuza that I saved with my bluffs and deception, Kusakabe Masaya.

    As for the reason that I still need to deal with this person, of course it¡¯s because of Yondaime.

    ¡°In any case, hurry up ande up! Mr. Assistant, have you eaten dinner yet? Meo is going to cook dinner. Do you want some?¡±

    Meo happily pulled me into the doorstep. How should I get into the topic when I meet Kusakabe Masaya? While thinking of questions like this, I thought of the matters that urred after Yondaime gave us the request.

    After watching Tetsu-senpai and the others spread out to the streets as they received Alice¡¯s orders, I gave Yondaime a report, regarding the matters that I heard from Renji-san.

    That person hated Yondaime because of a female called Hison, because Yondaime caused her to die as he used her as a shield, and he epted a sum of money from the yakuza as a deal not to speak of that anymore, taking charge of the role of an aplice who wiped out evidence of Hison¡¯s existence as well. That was what he believed in.

    ¡°Renji-san said, Yondaime admitted to it as well. But how can this be possib¡ª¡°

    ¡°He¡¯s right. That time, I didn¡¯t want to die, so I hid behind Hison when the opposing party stepped into the room with a knife. And she was stabbed to death in my ce.¡±

    Lies! I originally nned to shout that out, but it distorted in my throat and stopped.

    ¡°So what? It does not concern you. Didn¡¯t I tell you not to investigate irrelevant matters? You just focus on thinking how to stop Renji and how to deal with the advertisements.¡±

    Yondaime forcefully pressed his fist on my chest, giving me a warning by my ears with the voice that was like a sharp de, and walked out after that.

    When only I was left, I directly sat on the emergency backstairs. Yondaime¡¯s words and my sweat were stuck on my face.

    Because he didn¡¯t want to die, he hid. A person was stabbed to death in his ce.

    Are you really telling me to believe in such a thing?

    Although this might be a despicable action, let me propose a request to Alice about this then.

    ¡°Why do you need to know about the woman called Hison?¡±

    Alice, who returned to her bed in the office, asked while pounding on the keyboard. She spoke in a tone that sounded somewhat deliberate, which means it was her habit of asking about something that she already knows about acting up again.

    ¡°Because Yondaime is lying.¡±

    ¡°Not so.¡±

    With her back on me, Alice answered firmly.

    ¡°Think back on what urred to Tetsu. You said that same thing as well.¡±

    What urred to Tetsu-senpai. In the death incident that became one of the reasons for the abolishment of the Gardening Committee, he lied that he was the one that caused someone to die¡ª

    ¡°Which means, before you and I expose the truth, those do not count as lies at all.¡±

    Alice¡¯s words interrupted my thoughts.

    ¡°As you believed that those were lied, and I added some words as well, it turned into lies. In that incident¡ª half of it should not count as the job of a detective. A type of element that only exists in humans was too firmly nted in my head.¡±

    Alice¡¯s voice sounded extremely heavy. Perhaps she is in repentance?

    ¡°That quality of yours is a power that I do not have. The form that you make sometimes invites more resentment. You executed the things that one cannot do as a detective in a careless manner. That is ¡®story¡¯. Although you might not notice it yourself.¡±

    I felt a pain from my chest and pressed my fist on my ribs. Alice turned around, and her ck hair fluttered as well.

    Her smile was so gentle.

    ¡°However, that is fine as well. If an assistant detective does not do something that a detective cannot do, there is no meaning for his existence. The request that you have proposed is for your friend, Hirasaka Renji, is that right?¡±

    I suppressed my feelings of joy and apology in my heart and nodded in response. The pointer moved speedily, and a file was opened on one of the monitors.

    ¡°The Korean female called Hison had once worked at a night club called Lou Lan at Shin-Okubo. As her name is the same as a famous Korean female artiste, it seems like she directly used her own name as her nickname. The shop was once assaulted by Shura-dou that was led by Hirasaka Renji, and the case was broadcasted in the news and was recorded in the police¡¯s files as well.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Why¡­¡­ have you already investigated this?¡±

    ¡°I just found out about this.¡±

    The detective spoke as though it wasn¡¯t anything to be awed about.

    ¡°As for which part I need to investigate, I actually knew from a long, long time ago.¡±

    Facing Alice¡¯s understanding words, I couldn¡¯t help but sigh.

    ¡°As for the rest, please collect information by yourself. Fortunately, the shop is more or less connected to us.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Eh?¡±

    ¡°This¡­¡­ is a night pub where Asian women work at. You probably have an inkling now, right?¡±

    My hand that searched in my memories seemed to have bumped into something. In surprise, I could only feel as though my jaw was about to drop.

    ¡°Here, this is Kusakabe Masaya¡¯s phone number. Hurry up and give him a call.¡±

    Kusakabe Masaya was one of the key members in a yakuza organization in Kansai, but he got out due to his dissatisfaction of the organization¡¯s way of dealing with things. After that, he went to various countries in Asia, bringing his marriage partner back to Japan. In the process, the many females that he got to know went to Japan with his help to work, and without an alternative, Kusakabe Masaya even started a newpany.

    Actually, when I think about it, the extent of his poprity made me feel like Hiro-san is just a small potato. After all, arge crowd of females did indeed go overseas and followed him to Japan, so it really wasn¡¯t simple.

    Thest time that I saw him, since he was running away, his charisma couldn¡¯t be felt at all. However, not only did the Kusakabe Masaya that spoke to me while being separated by a table wear a mboyant purple suit, he wouldn¡¯t give people an impression of frivolity, and he was like what Meo once said, a dangerous middle-aged man that was like a wildcat, having a trace of sweetness in wildness. He wasn''t just a baddie, but aplete arch-viin.

    ¡°It¡¯s time for me to work soon, so keep things short.¡±

    The venue of our meeting was not in the ce where Kusakabe Masaya and Meo lived at, but an office at the first floor of Hello Pce. I heard that Kusakabe Masaya recently started a high-ss club, the job of a night owl in its entirety. I heard that he was really, really busy, so busy that we could only meet at this time before he goes to work.

    ¡°How is Hello Corporation right now?¡±

    ¡°Thepany is still present, but I let go to show my responsibility. Is this still the time for us to chat about all this?¡±

    I contracted my neck. I wasn¡¯t too sure about what urred after the moneyundry incident, but since the apartment was still there, perhaps the matter had already passed? Or is it possible that there is just a shortg before the incident sinks?

    In any case, I must focus on things that I should do.

    ¡°I¡¯ve mentioned at the phone as well, it¡¯s about the night club at Shin-Okubo called Lou Lan. You¡­¡­ probably know about it, right?¡±

    Kusakabe furrowed his brows slightly and nodded in response.

    ¡°It¡¯s our system. It was under Tabara-gumi, and was taken by Gotouda-gumi after that, but it went solo quite a long time before.¡±

    I sighed softly.

    ¡°It¡¯s like this, right? There was a conflict with a gang consisting of juvenile delinquents, and the gang seized the shop away.¡±

    ¡°Why do you know¡ª¡°

    Kusakabe¡¯s expression changed drastically. His gaze turned into that of a ferocious beast.

    ¡°You know the person who did that, right? The one called Hinamura.¡±

    ¡°Y- Yes¡­¡­ Actually¡­¡­¡±

    It wasn¡¯t called Hirasaka-gumi that time, and most of the ones who did that were probably Renji-san¡¯s underlings, which means, Kusakabe Masaya still hadn¡¯t found out about that up till now. The young yakuza who saved him a few months ago was actually the main culprit who seized his shop, how can this be possible¡­¡­

    Of course, Yondaime hadn¡¯t realized that as well. For the moneyundry, Hello Corporation and Tabara-gumi supporting it, and also the otherpanies rted to them, had already developed into a convoluted organizational structure. If not for Alice, who searched for clues, would anyone ever find out about such a strange connection?

    I heard Kusakabe cluck his tongue twice.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Whatever. It already passed, and does not concern me anymore. What about Lou Lan?¡±

    As it was a shop that he let go of long ago, I wondered if he still remembers it. Thus, I asked in a respectful tone:

    ¡°The Korean person working in the shop that time who was called Hison.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ The woman who was killed?¡±

    So he knows about it as well. Even knowing the fact that she was killed. I used my hands to lean forward while supporting the table.

    ¡°Do you know who killed her?¡±

    ¡°God knows! One of the underlings from Gotouda-gumi. That was why they wanted to seal people¡¯s mouths. I only heard of this from the others.¡±

    I forlornly lowered my head. That¡¯s true. So that nobody would be aware of it, they had long buried this incident in the darkness, and knowing that she was murdered was already quite impressive.

    ¡°That means that Gotouda-gumi is having revenge on Yondaime in vengeance, right? Because their shop was stolen away.¡±

    ¡°If Hinamura was the mastermind, that should be so. But is there really a need for them to kill him?¡±

    ¡°I heard that Yondaime once lived with Hison-san. On the day of the incident, they were in the same room as well. Was it because Hison-san went forward by her own ord, or some kind of ident urred? These are still not clear.¡±

    ¡°Why are you investigating this? Aren¡¯t you only in high school? Do you want to die young?¡±

    ¡°A previouspanion¡­¡­ Is still in doubt. He thinks Yondaime used Hison-san as his shield.¡±

    ¡°You should ask Hinamura himself.¡±

    I did that long ago. And I don¡¯t want to remember his heartbreaking answer right now.

    ¡°Then isn¡¯t it as he said then?¡±

    ¡°He isn¡¯t a person who would do something like this. He must be hiding something, that¡¯s why¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Are you an idiot? It¡¯s not like he¡¯s framed by the cops, right? If it¡¯s just an inner conflict between you, then fighting or talking it out among yourselves would solve it.¡±

    As though all the gas in my body was let out, I copsed on the chair and thought: ¡®That¡¯s absolutely right.¡¯

    If it could be solved by talking things out or by fighting, it would still be fine. It¡¯ll be great if we could just drag Renji-san to the stage where Yondaime is standing on. However, it¡¯s impossible for that to be achieved ording to the current circumstances. It¡¯s evident that Renji-san does not n to ept the challenge head on.

    If we just need to bait Renji-san out, he can actually be forcefully dragged out by using Tetsu-senpai, Major and Hiro-san¡¯s power. But I¡¯m hoping for Renji-san to make his own choice. Making a choice once again after knowing the truth. Would he choose to go face to face with Yondaime? Or would he choose to continue with his back to ours?

    To know the truth is to face death. I recalled the words that Alice was always saying.

    I am chasing this truth, and I think I still might lose someone forever. Including Yondaime, including Renji-san, and including me.

    Even if that¡¯s true, I still can¡¯t stop.

    Kusakabe Masaya stared at me at a side as I stayed silent, and snorted.

    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m not too sure about the rted details. As I owe you a favor, I can help you to ask the people from Gotouda-gumi, but they definitely wouldn''t say anything.¡±

    ¡°It¡­¡­ Should be so, right?¡±

    If they could simply speak of this to outsiders, they wouldn¡¯t have needed to hide the details concerning the case with so much effort.

    ¡°And then, we¡¯ll probably be able to find out some things if we check out the flow of the money.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Money?¡±

    ¡°If Gotouda-gumi really did give money to Hinamura, we can definitely find some traces even if they gave him cash. Aren¡¯t you really good at finding out about these things?¡±

    I nodded furiously with my jaw agape. I think my expression that time was probably quite idiotic.

    I understand now. I never thought of it.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give it a try, thank you¡ª¡°

    ¡°You will have no friends.¡±

    I was stopped by Kusakabe¡¯s words, making me unable to speak anything.

    ¡°The so-called flow of money is the true personality of that guy. Do you really understand?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ I understand.¡± I stared at the back of my hand. ¡°However, if we don¡¯t do anything, we¡¯ll lose even our other friends.¡±

    If we just silently waited, everything would leave to a ce that can¡¯t be touched by our hands. If so¡ª

    ¡°You¡¯re really a persistent fellow.¡±

    As Kusakabe said that as well, I really couldn¡¯t rebuke him at all.

    ¡°After this, don¡¯t get near Meo. It¡¯s already enough when she has one useless person like me by her side for eternity.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­¡­¡± Why did he mention Meo all of a sudden?

    When Kusakabe Masaya reaffirmed the time on his watch and stood up, the sounds of the door opening rang behind me.

    ¡°Kusakabe-san, I heard that Ming Hai is here, is it true?¡±

    When I turned around, I met the gaze of a female wearing a miniskirt.

    ¡°¡ª Ming Hai!¡±

    The female walked around the desk and ran to the chair by my side and sat down with a ¡®thump¡¯.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to see me at the shop? You never showed up at all!¡±

    ¡°No, well, I¡¯m just sixteen after all¡­¡­¡± Besides, it¡¯s evident that your shop is a pub that one can bring thedies out of.

    The Chinese beauty is called Yi Ling-san, and she¡¯s a pubdy who took good care of me when we investigated Kusakabe Masaya¡¯s case. With her young appearance, most would probably believe it if she said that she¡¯s a college student, and as I heard that she already arrived at Japan for quite some time, her Japanese is quite fluent. But for some reason, she uses Chinese intonations when calling only my name.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to work right now, do you want to go with me?¡±

    ¡°Please listen to me properly, I¡¯m just sixteen!¡± And please don¡¯t grab my hand, I¡¯ll get a fright.

    ¡°If you¡¯re not here to apany, then what are you here for? Ah¡ª Is your target Meo? Why are there so many lolicons in this modern world?¡±

    Kusakabe-san, please save me. I don¡¯t even know how to speak so that women can understand me!

    ¡°Yi Ling, weren¡¯t you living near Shinjuku five years ago?¡±

    Kusakabe spoke in a low tone as he ignored my words.

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you helped out a few times at Lou Lan of Shin-Okubo as well?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes¡­¡­ Eh? You aren¡¯t telling me to help out again, are you? But is the shop still here?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that, this guy has something to ask of you. Do you remember a Korean woman called Hison?¡±

    Yi Ling-san looked at Kusakabe and I with a curious gaze and nodded slightly.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Yes yes yes. She was an extreme beauty, and she¡¯s the number one over there. I remember it clearly, and I often chatted with her as well.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but grip Yi Ling-san¡¯s hand tightly.

    ¡°What kind of person was she?¡±

    ¡°What kind of person? Wasn¡¯t Ming Hai just in primary school that time? Eh? What? What kind of rtionship do you have?¡±

    ¡°Erm¡ª That female called Hison¡ª Her boyfriend is my friend.¡±

    ¡°Hison¡¯s? This¡­¡­ Ehhhhh!? But shouldn¡¯t that girl¡¯s boyfriend be Gotouda-san? Narumi, you¡¯re an acquaintance of Gotouda-san?¡±

    I fell into a daze with my jaw wide. What? What did she say? Gotouda?

    Kusakabe Masaya stood up as well, and questioned Yi Ling-san in my ce as I had already lost consciousness.

    ¡°Gotouda, does that refer to the boss?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Nnn, uh huh. Weren¡¯t you talking about this? Hison said that she¡¯s Gotouda¡¯s mistress as well.¡±

    Mistress.

    The yakuza boss that originally tookmand of the shop, his mistress.

    Strangely, my mind started to cool down. I understand now. No wonder nothing happened between Yondaime, Renji-san and her, living together like three siblings. Do they know about this? Nono, it¡¯s impossible for them do make such an innocent promise if they knew. Or perhaps, the thing that Yondaime is hiding is this?

    How would this turn out to be if this continues?

    Or is itpletely different from the drawing sketched in my mind? A drawing that had more unpleasant elements added, and had colors of desires mixed.

    ¡°Mr. Assistant, won¡¯t you have dinner before going?¡±

    Meo sent me out while pulling on my sleeve.

    ¡°Oi, Meo. Don¡¯t let people that you don¡¯t know in when I¡¯m not home.¡± Kusakabe Masaya poked his head out of the driver¡¯s seat and cautioned her repeatedly.

    ¡°Mr. Assistant isn¡¯t a person that I don¡¯t know!¡± ¡°Just be obedient.¡±

    Ignoring the squabble between the father and daughter, Yi Ling-san approached my side and said softly before sitting in the back seat of the car:

    ¡°I¡¯ll help you to ask people that I¡¯m familiar with that time. It¡¯s just that many of them already changed shops or jobs, or even quitted and returned to their mothend, so I can¡¯t be sure about this. As I recall, a few girls should have lived in the same apartment as Hison that time, it¡¯s just that I don¡¯t know how to contact them.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ So sorry. I¡¯m counting on you then.¡±

    ¡°Let me ask you, it¡¯s a murder case, right? Wouldn¡¯t it be better if you don¡¯t meddle in cases like this?¡±

    In the end, I had no other choice but to inform Yi Ling-san of the news of Hison-san being stabbed to death, and as I predicted, she immediately started to worry about me.

    ¡°I¡¯m hoping that I can do that as well.¡±

    I think so from the bottom of my heart. Why can¡¯t we just be normalzy NEETs? Why couldn¡¯t we have met at the back alley behind the ramen shop because of us fooling around?

    The car that had two people on left after leaving a hint of warmness, and Meo pulled on my hand once again that moment.

    ¡°You¡¯re really not eating before going?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Nnn, sorry.¡± I don¡¯t have an appetite at all, and as her father said, doesn¡¯t allowing me to step into the room feel a bit wrong?

    ¡°But weren¡¯t you always staying in Miss Detective¡¯s room?¡±

    ¡°Nnn¡ª But that¡¯s¡­¡­ The detective agency office.¡±

    Even I, myself, thought that it didn¡¯t exin anything at all. It was indeed Alice¡¯s bedroom, and she did indeed wear pajamas all day long. I only felt it then, should I take more note in this aspect?

    ¡°Meo is ok anytime as well!¡± What ok? ¡°If you¡¯re in a bad mood, you cane over no matter it¡¯s my house or the restaurant I¡¯m working at. Because I haven¡¯t paid you back for your help.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but berate myself. Couldn¡¯t she have answered in a more cheerful tone? But Meo was still looking at me with a smile on her face, a smile so radiant that even rays of sunlight can¡¯t bepared with it.

    ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you!¡±

    Yoshiki-san did things quite quickly, and sent us T-shirt with the band logo printed on it at the start of August. Mika-san and I were called to the designer¡¯s workroom to get the sample.

    ¡°This¡ª is really extremely awesome! Super cool!¡±

    The workers in the workroom started to put on the T-shirts with the band logo printed on it, including Mika-san. Even the QR code of the official website didn¡¯t feel off on it, and was sessfully fused into the Japanese pattern. It could only be said as a piece of work at the level of a master.

    ¡°Fujishima-san, how many would you need? Thirty or so? Just take it. Since your web of contacts is so wide, you can definitely distribute a lot of them.¡±

    Nonono, I don¡¯t have so many contacts. However, as Hiro-san requested me beforehand, I still took thirty of them gratefully.

    ¡°And this. Yoshiki-san told me to give this to you.¡±

    After saying that, Mika-san took out another T-shirt with the logo of the band that was carefully contained in another stic bag from another bag.

    ¡­¡­ Wait, that doesn¡¯t seem to be the same. Although the picture was exactly the same, this¡­¡­

    ¡°Embroidery?¡±

    I curiously opened the package and touched it to reaffirm the fact. It wasn¡¯t printed on. Including the QR code, the surrounding picture waspletely sewn on.

    ¡°Eh? W- What is this? Why is this here?¡±

    ¡°I heard that this is the ¡®original¡¯.¡±

    Original?

    ¡°Yoshiki-san said that he wanted to try making an embroidered pattern, so he made this himself. He said something like it was made by editing the original design and the scan, just that I didn¡¯t really get it.¡±

    I was totally speechless. He actually did it till this extent? Although he said that the picture would be more visible if the picture was sewn on. I touched the surface of the T-shirt once again. Like tatami, the embroidery was densely packed and had a sense of luster. It couldn¡¯t be imagined how long a time would be required for it to bepleted.

    ¡°¡­¡­ B- But, why is this here?¡±

    ¡°Yoshiki-san told me to hand this to you.¡±

    ¡°Whaa¡ª!?¡±

    ¡°Because this T-shirt was Fujishima-san¡¯s suggestion in the first ce! Besides, you¡¯re the boss of the advertising department, so there is no person more suitable than you to wear this shirt!¡±

    I seriously got an iparably valuable thing, and don¡¯t really dare to wear it easily. But I can¡¯t just return it to him, so I could only ept it and walk out of the workroom. If I bid it online after the concert ends, how much money would I get, I wonder? As such an instant shed through my mind in an instant, I should really beat myself up properly.

    I speedily rode my bike back to Hanamaru Ramen. Hiro-san had already arrived before the kitchen backdoor. I immediately handed the sample T-shirts to him.

    ¡°This is quite nice. They can probably count as the first self-made T-shirts that n Garba released. If I tell the girls that they can get them two days earlier than the shops, they would definitely be extremely happy.¡±

    Hiro-san happily filled the colorful T-shirts in numerous stic bags, saying that he was going to give them to girls that he knew well as additional service.

    ¡°These would probably be on a magazine next month or so, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡­ It turned out like that somehow.¡±

    The more surprising thing was, there was actually a request from a fashion magazine unrted with the band for us to ept an interview. As Yoshiki-san said that he didn¡¯t want too much publicity, firmly refusing to get interviewed, Mika-san and I were thinking of a way to refuse them nicely the previous day. Although the magazine would go on sale after the concert, to increase CD sales and publicity, having such chances won¡¯t be bad. After all, it could achieve a promotional effect without having to pay, and that made me understand deeply the importance of the public media. We sent emails to news websites or magazinepanies, and what¡¯s left was just to wait for them to take the bait. It seemed like we were starting to go on track.

    It was still fine when my schedule was full with my job of advertising, but when I returned to the back alley after the job ended, I started to feel gloomy again. After all, not only Hiro-san, Major and Tetsu-senpai woulde over most of the time as well. That day, two of them appeared after noon passed as well.

    ¡°This gang actually dissolved long ago, and seemed to have been gathered by Hirasaka. The guy who was originally their leader is currently working at a lotives¡¯ firm, so we can ambush him when he goes home from work.¡±

    ¡°Do we have the time to go slow and steady like this? How many people are there in the gang that you spoke of?¡±

    Tetsu-senpai looked at Major¡¯sptopputer while retying the bandages on his hands. It felt like Tetsu-senpai seemed to have been injured more recently.

    ¡°There are about five who go for regr gatherings. I¡¯ve just heard Hirasaka¡¯s instructions, and they¡¯re probably having a meeting at the karaoke at the east pass.¡±

    ¡°Then why don¡¯t we barge in right away? That would be quicker. Bringing them down one by one is just too tiring.¡±

    ¡°Do we need to use shock shells?¡±

    ¡°Idiot, isn¡¯t that a karaoke? Someone will call the police.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s use tear bombs. There won¡¯t be sound nor brilliant light.¡±

    ¡°The problem is, there¡¯ll be smoke!¡± ¡°And tears as well¡­¡­¡± ¡°And snot!¡± ¡°But basically, those are basically trickled down from the face, so it won¡¯t be too dirty. Some people would even pee their pants if shock shells are used.¡±

    The two who ended their discussion(?) stood up, and were nning to pass by me and Hiro-san¡¯s sides. However, Tetsu-senpai seemed to have noticed that my gaze was like that of a lostmb, so he stopped and gave me a wry smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like we¡¯re sending them all into the hospital, as we¡¯ll need to talk to them after beating them up.¡±

    ¡°Really? You won¡¯t beat them up so much that they can¡¯t even open their mouths, will you?¡± Hiro-san showed a doubtful gaze.

    Major took out an IC recorder, ying the contents of the so-called ¡®discussion¡¯.

    ¡¯¡­¡­ What? That person¡¯s gaze is dangerous. If he just takes down his shades, you¡¯ll think that he¡¯ll kill you. Get it? I heard that he originally disappeared somewhere around, and was quite relieved.¡¯

    ¡¯Of course, I¡¯m quite annoyed with Hirasaka-gumi, and we were forbidden to get in a lot of shops, so of course, there¡¯s bad blood between us. And Hirasaka-san is quite free with his money as well. But that isn¡¯t the problem. Anyway, that person is scary. I can only obediently do as he says. Attracting the police? But of course, wasn¡¯t there a fire as well? But that person is scarier.¡¯

    ¡¯Ouch! Okay, okay, we won¡¯t take action anymore. Who would want to get involved with people like you!¡¯

    The voices of quite a few men could be heard at the same time, so the situation couldn¡¯t be clearly grasped. But It seemed like they were the people who attacked the live house at Ueno.

    To make them obey him, Renji-san used money¡ª And also, fear.

    ¡°But nobody actually said that they were beaten up by Renji.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai spoke in a soft voice.

    ¡°In the end, it was really effective when I beat them up, and they became really submissive.¡±

    Recently, senpai and Major¡¯s actions really can¡¯t be said as those of a detective squad anymore, which would be spying on the den of Renji-san¡¯s underlings, and trying to convince (Tetsu-senpai was in charge of this part) them.

    ¡°Yondaime is currently busy with the critical stage of his official business, and those from Hirasaka-gumi are workers for the event as well, so they can¡¯t just do as they like. That¡¯s why they¡¯re leaving me the good stuff.¡±

    ¡°If we don¡¯t catch Hirasaka, it would have the same meaning as picking up trash, Tetsu-san.¡±

    ¡°Even so, we don¡¯t know where he is, so what choice do I have? I want to have a showdown with him as well. That guy probably changed phones again, huh?¡±

    ¡°In the past, Hirasaka was indeed the one with the most potential to be a wanderer among us.¡±

    The two walked out of the back alley, while I picked up the list of facilitator that Major left. Almost half of them had already been crossed off. What chilling efficiency.

    However, as Hiro-san looked at the list from behind, his tone turned heavy.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Since he can mobilize such arge amount of people, why didn¡¯t he directly take action?¡±

    I nced upwards at Hiro-san and looked at the name list once more.

    Hiro-san was absolutely right. Renji-san repeatedly instigated his underlings to undergo small hindering acts. All of the booked venues for the concerts were assaulted in some way, and there were some where only the garbage dump was ruffled.

    Yondaime, who heard the report, said in a tone full of sarcasm that it was probably just a wild dog peeing to guard its own territory. However, it was exactly for that reason that some members of the gang were put in charge of each event venue in the end, which would mean that a web of security would have to be spread for almost twenty four hours a day.

    It was quite a knotty problem for Hirasaka-gumi as well, but it still returned to the previous question.

    Renji-san¡ª What is he nning to do?

    If he just wants to hinder the event, there are still many other ways as well. After all, we already know that his funds are probably quite sufficient. If he just wants to lower Yondaime¡¯s credibility, there are probably more weaknesses to exploit.

    Why did he only takeme actions?

    ¡°In any case, let¡¯s leave it to Alice to think of the reason. We¡¯ll just have to obediently be her hands and feet to continue investigation.¡±

    Hiro-san stood up and added:

    ¡°Ahhh, that¡¯s right. Yi Ling called for you.¡±

    ¡°Ehegh!?¡±

    I made a strange noise identally. Yi Ling-san was Hiro-san¡¯s ex-girlfriend. Since that person was always deceiving women, without exception, it isn¡¯t that happy when he breaks up with girls. I recall that Yi Ling-san told me that she should have deleted Hiro-san¡¯s number from his phone.

    ¡°She said that she got in contact with the girl living next to the woman called Hison.¡±

    When I stood up, my knees idently banged on the corner of the wooden stand with force.

    ¡°Wa¡­¡­ Wa- Wait a minute! Why did she contact Hiro-san! Why not me!¡±

    ¡°Probably because she still can¡¯t let go of me?¡±

    WHAA¡ª! What sort of optimistic thought is that!?

    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this for now. Narumi-kun, I think it¡¯s about time you remembered the fact that you¡¯re a high schooler, right?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve almost forgotten about itpletely.¡±

    During the spring break, I once had the same feeling as well. Am I able to go back to my normal school life when the new semester starts? I won¡¯t continue to live on directly in this back alley, would I?

    ¡°In any case, this is a killing incident rted to the yakuza, so you shouldn¡¯t poke your nose into this so much, Narumi-kun. It¡¯s dangerous. Actually wanting to fish out such profound things out of a girl that you met for the first time, that¡¯s my job, of course.¡±

    I sat down, heaving a long sigh on my knees. Hiro-san was right. Perhaps Yi Ling-san handed the matter to Hiro-san because of worry that I would get in trouble?

    ¡°Narumi-kun, you did well, so it¡¯s fine.¡±

    Hiro-san¡¯s unexpectedly forceful hand came in contact with my shoulder.

    ¡°The event seems to be getting more heated as well. Didn¡¯t Mii-chan praise you as well?¡±

    ¡°However, no matter how heated it is, if a bomb falls, everything would be destroyed.¡±

    Since I already met Renji-san for three times, perhaps¡­¡­ I am able to do more?

    ¡°Regarding these parts, you don¡¯t need to be so simr to Alice.¡±

    Hiro-sanughed at me from the bottom of his heart.

    ¡°Simr¡­¡­ to Alice?¡±

    ¡°Thinking that everything is her fault, she said that she would feel more easy like that. Actually, what truly requires courage is to allow someone to keep custody of something.¡±

    Hiro-san exined with a gentle gaze, making me feel as though I fell to the bottom of the ground.

    When Hiro-san left the kitchen backdoor, I sat alone on the old tires, pondering while listening to the weak cicada cries. Staying here alone won¡¯t do any good. Right now, Renji-san and I have a point of connection. I can only mull over this myself.

    When I was in deep thought with my head lowered, Min-san poked her face out of the kitchen backdoor.

    ¡°Oi, Narumi. Alice¡¯s lunch is done. Chinese cold noodles without noodles, egg and ham. Get it to her, please.¡±

    I thought, what would be left if so much has been taken out? In the end, I saw that there were just small pieces of cucumbers floating in the cold soup. What kind of dish is this!? I¡¯m already feeling downcast, so can you not ask me to deliver this kind of thing? Just looking at it made me unhappy.

    ¡°I have already found out about the personal money and movements in a few ounts belonging to the leader of Gotouda-gumi.¡±

    Alice exined while munching on cucumbers on her bed. Numbers were densely packed on the monitors behind her.

    ¡°A sum of money obtained by the shop manager each month was stopped along with Hison¡¯s disappearance. Although it might just be an outsider¡¯s testimony, she might indeed be the mistress of the male party.¡±

    ¡°Nnn¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°And on the month that Hison vanished, there was an unknown expense of twenty million yen.¡±

    I felt chilled and recalled Kusakabe Masaya¡¯s words. The flow of money is the true nature of mankind. It is indeed so. When the NEET detective gets involved, everything will be exposed under the sun.

    ¡°Among this, ten million yen was for a doctor.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Doctor?¡±

    ¡°The identity of the doctor was easily found out¡ª A surgeon Gotouda-gumi is particrly fond of using. Probably because they tried to cure Hison? It is possible that the fees were used to shut his mouth, or as the fees to take care of the corpse¡­¡­ But the regretful thing is, that doctor was already quite old that time, and has currently passed away.¡±

    I swallowed the saliva in my mouth after some effort.

    ¡°The other ten million was deposited to a real estate agent at the Adachi district.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Real estate?¡±

    ¡°And the said agent was a scoundrel working with Yondaime as well.¡±

    As I recall, Pole seemed to have mentioned something simr as well. When Gotouda-gumi that was in charge was chased out, Yondaime once worked together with a real estate agent to do something on the rights of the building andnd.

    ¡°So the ten million yen was to let Yondaime shut up?¡±

    ¡°There is such a possibility, because Yondaime should not have had a proper bank ount at that time.¡±

    I sighed, and took out a can of Dr. Pepper from the fridge.

    So he really did ept such a sum of money? If the flow of money is properly proven, it seems like he doesn¡¯t have a choice but to admit it.

    Yondaime¡¯s¡ª true nature.

    ¡°Allow me to confirm this once more. These are probably Hirasaka Renji¡¯s thoughts, correct? A member of Gotouda-gumi infiltrated Yondaime¡¯s apartment just to kill him, but because Hison, as the person living together, wanted to protect Yondaime, or he used her as a shield, in any case, she was mistakenly killed. After that, Yondaime epted a sum of money, and treated it as though the woman called Hison did not exist from the start.¡±

    I felt an ache in my heart and nodded in response. However, Alice, who finished her Dr. Pepper in one go, spoke with her eyes narrowed.

    ¡°I am already unlike you, who use the intangible thing known as ¡®virtue and righteousness¡¯ as a foothold to judge Yondaime. However, my conclusion is the same as yours. There seems to be something off with this case, a point of uncertainty.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Eh?¡±

    ¡°Pray tell, why did Gotouda-gumi not kill Yondaime directly?¡±

    I looked at the detective¡¯s cold, expressionless face. The meaning of those words slowly seeped into my skin along with the cold wind.

    That¡¯s right. It¡¯s indeed strange.

    Because of Hirasaka-gumi that was led by Yondaime, Gotouda-gumi lost the protection racket of the night club Lou Lan. Besides, Yondaime was the secret lover of the said organization¡¯s leader, so it isn¡¯t strange even if he was targeted. That was what I originally thought.

    If so, why did they allow Yondaime to live¡ª Even giving him the sum of money?

    ¡°¡­¡­ The matter of wanting to kill Yondaime, perhaps it was just an action taken without permission, and wasn¡¯t instructed by Gotouda-gumi?¡±

    ¡°Is there a need to use up tens of millions to help such an underling? Even if they were just trying to protect the name of the organization, there should have been other ways.¡±

    That¡¯s true. It was even more unreasonable than the reason of the organization wanting to kill Yondaime in the first ce.

    ¡°I think¡­¡­ Probably, the former basis of the hypothesis was wrong.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Which part?¡±

    I asked while thinking.

    If Yondaime and Gotouda-gumi weren¡¯t enemies from the start¡ª won¡¯t that be more logical?

    However¡­¡­ IS that possible? If so, there¡¯s even less of a reason for Yondaime to be killed.

    ¡°It cannot be known right now, but it is possible that everything is correct as well. In any case, we can only wait for the news found out by Hiro.¡±

    Alice¡¯s mutterings were like the remains of nkton, umted below frozen air.

    ¡°If this is done to hide a certain lie, the truth hidden below will definitely be even worse than the current situation.¡±

    *

    It was already a week after when Hiro-san returned to Hanamaru Ramen. That time, Major and I were analyzing arge quantity of surveince records behind the kitchen backdoor.

    ¡°How¡¯s the situation? I asked for some ice cream from Min-san.¡±

    From Hiro-san¡¯s tone as he walked into the shade from the sun, I perceived an unnatural sense of unhappiness. Major might have noticed it as well.

    Even when I took the cup with the vani ice cream from Hiro-san, he didn¡¯t seem happy at all.

    ¡°Currently, we¡¯ve closed down on five ces where Hirasaka might be staying at.¡±

    A rigid, business-like tone.

    ¡°We couldn¡¯t grasp the location he¡¯s staying at. If we know his phone number, it¡¯ll be okay when we check it out through the GPS, but it seems like he changed phones again, and would often turn off his phone as well.¡±

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t already know that Alice can locate him by tracking his phone signal, does he?¡±

    Major sighed.

    ¡°It¡¯s possible as well. After all, we¡¯re almost too invincible in this city, and are too famous. If anyone tells Hirasaka that we have overwhelming skills, it won¡¯t be strange.¡±

    Regarding Alice¡¯s detective skills, most of the weight was ced on phones, an item that is filled with important personal information. When she is facing an opponent whose phone signal can¡¯t be detected, she¡¯s actually not that great.

    ¡°Besides, Hirasaka and co. hasn¡¯t taken action since August. Both preemptive and follow up attacks were put on hold.¡±

    ¡°Might they be nning to make trouble on the day of the concert itself?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a possibility. We can¡¯t loosen our guard¡ª In any case, the people in Hirasaka-gumi basically don¡¯t have anything to do as well, so it probably doesn¡¯t matter. But speaking of which, what has Hiro-san got?¡±

    ¡°Ahh, yes.¡±

    Hiro-san approached the wooden stand, taking out a silver object from his pocket. It was an IC recorder. As Major was in charge of modifying it, its reception was excellent. One of the must-have tools of the NEET Detective Squad.

    However, Hiro seemed to be hesitating if he should hand the recorder to Major. He stood nkly by my side while staring at the recorder on his palm.

    I thought, so even this person can show a look of sadness when he sees something?

    ¡°So you¡¯re letting us listen to this before Alice?¡±

    Major asked. Hiro-san finally nodded.

    ¡°Nnn. I hope that you can listen to it first, and then decide if we¡¯re really going to let Alice listen¡ª Ah, no. Of course, we¡¯re definitely letting her listen, but anyway¡­¡­¡±

    Hiro-san stammered. Major nodded silently, connecting the recorder to hisptopputer. Sounds came from the speaker, and sounded like aches that spread to the eyelids when one takes an injection.

    ¡¯¡­¡­ Say, so you¡¯re really not from the organization?¡¯

    It was the voice of a woman that sounded rather exhausted. The both of us nced at Hiro-san.

    ¡°It¡¯s the person who lived by Hison before this. I searched for her for a whole week. She¡¯s an ordinary srywoman right now.¡±

    I swallowed. He found her? ording to Yi Ling-san, she was the person who lived by the room where the incident urred.

    ¡¯They told me that I absolutely can¡¯t speak of this¡­¡­ Eh? N- No! Not to thepany! Don¡¯t tell them, f- fine, I¡¯ll tell you.¡¯

    ¡°¡­¡­ I was slightly anxious as well. I¡¯m quite sorry for that.¡±

    Hiro-san smiled wryly. Such threats shouldn¡¯t be those of a gigolo.

    ¡¯But I know next to nothing. I was sleeping that time¡­¡­ Yes. It was some time before work, in the evening.¡¯

    Hiro-san¡¯s questioning voice could be faintly heard.

    ¡ª You worked in the same night club as Hison, right?

    ¡¯Yeah¡­¡­ But Hison was almost fired that time.¡¯

    ¡ª Why?

    ¡¯She said that she was going to ask for a month¡¯s leave because of her body. She probably lied. As the shop owner asked me to check it out, but I didn¡¯t see any tampons in the trash, but it was probably true that she was sick. It looked like her hip hurt so much that she couldn¡¯t stand.¡¯

    ¡ª Is it because of illness?

    ¡¯I don¡¯t know. I heard that she almost couldn¡¯t walk, and a guy would asionally go to take care of her.¡¯

    ¡ª Did that person have his hair bleached white?

    ¡¯Nnn, that¡¯s right. Do you know him? ¡­¡­ Sorry, I won¡¯t ask anymore ¡­¡­ Hmm, that guy seemed to have came that day as well. All of a sudden, a huge noise came from the next room, and a girl¡¯s scream could be heard¡­¡­ A car came immediately, including a few men in ck that I once saw. I sneaked a peek through a small slit through the door, and I saw Hison being hauled away while being covered in blood. The knife was directly stabbed in her stomach. ording to the men in ck, the blood wouldn¡¯t stop if it¡¯s pulled out.¡¯

    I subconsciously tightened my grip on the edge of the gas tank so that I won¡¯t just copse.

    ¡¯And there¡¯s the guy as well. His shoulders kept bleeding¡­¡­ Yes¡­¡­ The person who stabbed him? Hmm, I didn¡¯t see it, but I might not be able to keep my life if I saw him¡­¡­ Yes. Nnn.¡¯

    ¡ª Apart from Hison¡¯s scream, did you hear other people¡¯s voices?

    I felt that Hiro-san¡¯s questioning voice was getting weaker.

    ¡°Eh? ¡­¡­ Nope, it wasn¡¯t Hison. That wasn¡¯t Hison¡¯s voice.¡±

    I widened my eyes, and shifted my gaze to Major and Hiro-san¡¯s faces.

    ¡¯It was another woman¡¯s voice. Saying something like ¡®I won¡¯t forgive you, I¡¯ll kill you, you thief¡¯ and the like.¡¯

    Woman.

    The person who stabbed her was a woman?

    The recorder finally stopped, while a heaviness that caused us to be unable to move even a finger filled the valley formed by the buildings.

    Three people could listen to the details of the death that was recorded. Is this a good thing? Major took action first. He moved the data from the recorder to hisputer, and returned the silver recorder to Hiro-san after ejecting it. After taking it, Hiro-san stood up while exposing hesitant looks for a few times, walking towards the emergency backstairs after that.

    On the other hand, I sat on the gas tank, and was unable to move.

    It felt as though Hiro-san¡¯s footsteps were extremely far from me. Major put on his earphones once again and started to type. It seemed like a hole was opened somewhere, and warm water flowed out. However, the desert was still boundless, and we must still continue to walk on. Thus, I was shrouded in a strange feeling.

    I stood up. It seemed like Major called me, but I flung the voice away, dashing out from the gap between the buildings. The ring sunlight of August shone in my eyes. My whole body was sweating, while what stuck onto my neck area was the voice of the woman recorded in the recorder.

    I moved my bike parked at a corner of the charged parking lot to the road, forcefully kicking up the stand. Each time I stepped on the pedals, the voice of the woman was swallowed by the choppy wind, and gradually moved further.

    In the Hirasaka-gumi office, only Yondaime was left. It was the first time I saw that there wasn¡¯t even one person on the sofa separated by a desk. As people were put in charge of guarding the five pre-booked concert venues, there wasn¡¯t any spare manpower to chill out at the office.

    Yondaime was battling with a stack of bills, and just nced at me when I entered the room. When our gazes met, I couldn¡¯t help but lower my head.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Sorry foring here without permission.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re one of our own, and you have the key as well, so what about permission? Don¡¯t you have an appointment for a news interview today as well?¡±

    ¡°Ah, I already handed that to Mika-san.¡±

    ¡°Then you can take a rest for two or three days. Renji isn¡¯t moving right now as well, so only Major and Alice can find his den. You¡¯re on a daily sry, so you can just take breaks when you can.¡±

    ¡°Yondaime, you¡¯re really stubborn regarding money.¡±

    ¡°I was raised by cheapskate parents, after all.¡±

    How was he raised to form such a materialistic person with a twisted personality?

    I closed my eyes, tightly gripping the sweat in my palms and raised my head again, moving to Yondaime¡¯s side after walking around the sofa and the desk. As he usually dons a webbed vest with his shoulders bare, the tattoo of the emblem on his arm could be clearly seen.

    I unconsciously extended my hand to touch it. Yondaime shifted his gaze from the bills to me.

    ¡°Have a problem?¡±

    When I silently touched the emblem, Yondaime stood up and flung my hand away. My hand that was flung away felt a slight pain.

    However, my fingers did indeed feel it. A scar. A deep scar covered by the tattoo.

    ¡°Why you¡ª¡°

    Although my cor was gripped, I looked directly into Yondaime¡¯s eyes filled with anger.

    ¡°So the one who was supposed to be stabbed wasn¡¯t Yondaime.¡±

    In the eyes of the wild wolf, mes of fury continued to burn, and changed into scorching charcoal.

    ¡°What are you trying to say!?¡±

    ¡°Hiro-san went to see a girl that seemed to have lived next to Hison-san, and found out about the day of the incident as well.¡±

    Yondaime gave a low roar in anger. I felt a pain as though the interior of my vicle was going to snap. I gritted my teeth and thought of my next words. Hison reached a state of immobility because of her hip and abdominal pains, and probably didn¡¯t have the energy to protect Yondaime, causing her to be stabbed. Then, after the incident urred, Gotouda-gumi¡¯s odd actions. Why didn¡¯t they kill Yondaime?

    There is only one simple answer.

    ¡°The person who was supposed to be stabbed was Hison-san from the start.¡±

    While speaking such things, I didn¡¯t dare to look at Yondaime¡¯s face.

    ¡°Yondaime¡¯s shoulder was shed to protect her, but even so¡­¡­¡±

    You still couldn¡¯t protect her.

    Those words couldn¡¯t be spoken, and kept piercing me in my body. ¡°Those are just your delusions.¡±

    Yondaime pushed me away and sat on the chair.

    That¡¯s right. I just pieced them together randomly. However, such a truth cannot help at all. Can we say this to Renji-san? Impossible. That¡¯s just too heartbreaking.

    ¡°So didn¡¯t I tell you not to investigate as you like? Idiot.¡±

    Yondaime¡¯s words felt as though they were flipping my vicles around. Would maintaining my original ignorance be better? I don¡¯t know, because Renji-san is troubled in his ignorant state as well.

    Say, Alice. I probably can¡¯t be a detective anymore. Although I rushed out without telling you anything, I have no idea what to do at all. Should I tell something to that person who liked Hison-san very much? Or perhaps, I should give him a lie that is not funny?

    ¡°Even I don¡¯t know, so it¡¯s best if you know.¡±

    I leaned my back against the wall, and nkly stared at Yondaime¡¯s face. Those were the gentlest words that I heard from him up till now. I was ashamed, and wanted to walk towards the exit, but I could only lie on the back of the sofa.

    I even thought if I should continue treating Renji-san as an enemy, going into a showdown, and getting both parties injured. Would that be better?

    No, what am I thinking? Have I forgotten the words that I shouted at Yondaime? The T-shirt embroidered with the emblem is still in Alice¡¯s custody. It was just because of a frantic attempt to maintain the connection between Renji-san and I that I did such a thing.

    I can¡¯t let everything end without telling anything, right?

    ¡°I¡¯m not too sure about that guy as well.¡±

    Yondaime spoke faintly.

    ¡°We always fooled around and fought together, while the favors that we owe each other are numerous as well. But he¡¯s a person whose thoughts aren¡¯t clear as well.¡±

    ¡°But you became sworn brothers with a person that you don''t know so well, and made a promise to each other as well. So you carried all the dirty stuff on your shoulders for a person you don¡¯t understand, making such a stupid lie as well?¡±

    ¡°Just shut up if you know it!¡±

    After I stepped out of the Hirasaka-gumi office, I did not return to Hanamaru Ramen, but went home straightaway. I updated the official website for the band, uploading as many happy words as possible to promote therge celebration held the next week. It was quite miraculous. Even though my mind was in such a confused state, I started to calm down when I was typing out an essay, and it won¡¯t be a problem no matter how many lies I need to say.

    It might be as Mika-san said, part of me is probably suited for writing essays. But even so, I don¡¯t n to take part in a humble job that requires me to lie forever as well.

    After ending the updating of the messages, I lied down on my bed.

    Alice has probably finished listening to the recording Hiro-san brought by now.

    As for her, what sort of conclusion would shee to? She isn¡¯t the Alice of the past anymore. Knowing the importance of stability based on ignorance, and knowing that the vengeance that Renji-san holds is actually a misunderstanding.

    Should we tell Renji-san and hurt him?

    Or should we stay silent and let him wither naturally?

    I don¡¯t want to hear either answer from Alice.

    ¡¯Since you had already reached Hanamaru Ramen, you left without showing up. What were you thinking!? And you did not pick up the phone even though I called so many times! You are probably relishing the short time of wanting to stay on the bed, right!?¡¯

    Early next morning, I was awoken by Alice¡¯s furious phone call.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Uuu. Haaa¡­¡­¡±

    When I was about to say something, I could only make unclearments as I still wasn¡¯t fully awake.

    ¡¯Can you at least use anguage known to mankind.¡¯

    ¡°Erm¡­¡­ Is there anything wrong? ¡ªAh, oof¡­¡­ Sorry.¡±

    I was nearly scolded again. Even though there¡¯s nothing special, you should at least show up as an assistant detective!¡¯

    ¡°Erm¡­¡­ I just feel like, after listening to that¡­¡­ Well¡­¡­ It was hard for me to meet Alice face to face.¡±

    Just imagining that we would have to listen to the recording once again made me feel pained.

    ¡°No matter how one gets along with anyone, in truth, this will not decrease. It will only be slowly umted, absorbing moisture, and expanding non-stop.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what¡¯s making me feel pained.¡±

    ¡°You coward. Even daphnia can tolerate water pressure and osmotic pressure, but what about you?¡±

    So sorry for that. ¡°¡­¡­ I was wrong. I¡¯ll head over right away.¡±

    ¡°M- Mmph, I did not tell you toe over.¡±

    Why are you calling me then?

    ¡°Fine, I feel bad troubling you as well. I¡¯ll just sleep for the whole day.¡±

    ¡°I do not care, hurry up and buy a crateful of Dr. Pepper for me right away!¡±

    So what do you want really? I finally remembered when she hung up that I wore the clothes that I went out with and slept until now. Uh oh, if I don¡¯t hurry up and bathe, I¡¯ll smell terrible. And theputer still wasn¡¯t turned off as well. The screen was stuck on the page when I finished updating the blog.

    There were already a few responses on the blog. There were someizens who logged in while wearing the T-shirt as well. There were somements on the page with n Garba¡¯s photo as well.

    The celebration is starting. The embers that I started were already spreading in the city, reaching an unstoppable state.

    After bathing, I returned to my bedroom and took out the luxurious embroidered T-shirt that Yoshiki-san gave me. I was the one who started the fire. So indeed, it won¡¯t do if I don¡¯t wear it myself, huh?

    The inner side of the embroidered shirt stuck closely to my skin that was just bathed.

    I went to a familiar wine seller to stock up on Dr. Pepper, and went to Hanamaru Ramen right after that. When I finished parking my bike by the shop and was about to head to the kitchen backdoor, I met Ayaka, who was sprinkling water at the shop entrance.

    ¡°Good morning, Fujishima-kun! This¡­¡­ Wow.¡±

    Ayaka continued to stare at my T-shirt, and hurriedly spoke after staying silent for some time.

    ¡°Your shirt is so cool!¡±

    What do you mean by speaking of only my shirt?

    ¡°This should have been made by Yoshiki himself, right?¡± Min-san added behind the portiere.

    ¡°Ehhh?! You know just from a nce?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. It doesn¡¯t suit you at all. It¡¯s too regretful for the shirt, since so much time was spent. What a waste.¡±

    Shut up! What are the two of youmenting for!

    When I appeared at the detective agency office, Alice, who was sitting on her bed, assaulted furiously after turning around.

    ¡°And I was thinking why such a magnificent T-shirt is floating in thin air, so it is just Narumi? After all,pared with the shirt, the sense of your presence is equal to zero, causing me to be mistaken.¡±

    What the heck? Isughing at my clothing together bing something like a trend? I made a sour face and ced the Dr. Peppers from the crate into the fridge.

    ¡°Where did you steal the shirt from?¡±

    ¡°Yoshiki-san made that for me! So sorry, but this one is especially for my use!¡±

    As I was quite annoyed, I carried five cans of Dr. Pepper to the small table in one go, opening all of the cans together as well.

    After that, I sat at the edge of the bed, having a slight sense of shadiness in my heart while observing the response that Alice would give. In the end, she actually finished all of the five cans in one go. In such a small body like hers, which part can still contain two liters of liquid?

    Alice piled up the empty cans like a tower and showed a lonely expression.

    ¡°¡­¡­ You are indeed working hard.¡±

    ¡°Eh? Eh?¡± What are you saying all of a sudden?

    ¡°If it is just for helping Yondaime, it has long exceeded the extent of simply helping. It is the same even if one looks from an objective perspective, and would even have some sort of illusion that you might have another road other than bing a NEET to choose from.¡±

    ¡°Erm¡­¡­ Actually, you don¡¯t need to treat it as an illusion.¡±

    Never would I have thought that Alice would say such things to me. However, why is she wearing an expression like that of ice cracking?

    ¡°I would sometimes think so. Was tying you to the position of an assistant detective a wrong decision? Perhaps you can actually be another type of person?¡±

    Why? Why are you suddenly mentioning such a thing?

    ¡°Erm¡­¡­ As I didn''te yesterday, are you angry?¡±

    ¡°Not angry.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re indeed angry¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°I am not! I am just having second thoughts.¡±

    Just at my side, Alice kneeled down and pressed her hands on her knees, looking at a side in displeasure. On the other hand, I felt my heart ache. Why did I make her show such an expression?

    ¡°Sorry, I was wrong. Indeed, I¡¯m always busy with the event, and as for Alice¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°What does that mean!?¡± Alice flushed while her hair and voice shook. ¡°I am not a little rabbit that will die when nobody takes care of me!¡±

    ¡°Ahh, mnn¡­¡­ That¡¯s not it, I don¡¯t mean that.¡±

    ¡°That should be my line! Listen well, what I meant by having second thoughts is regarding me easily allowing a boy without strong mental strength to shoulder the heavy burden caused by the words of the deceased.¡±

    Alice used her slender fingers to point at my chest.

    Easily allowing me to shoulder the heavy burden caused by the words of the deceased? But isn¡¯t that just my role? An assistant detective just needs to stay by a detective¡¯s side¡ª

    Being tied to the position of an assistant detective? Does that refer to me? Is that really true?

    I turned around to look at Alice¡¯s moist eyes.

    ¡°I probably¡­¡­¡±

    I chose my words carefully.

    ¡°I probably can¡¯t be a detective anymore. After this incident, I understood.¡±

    It seemed as though Alice¡¯s gaze was about to melt into the sea.

    ¡°Indeed, I¡¯m not as tough as Alice. Whenever I encounter unfavorable matters, I would get flustered, and run in the bamboo forest by myself, causing myself to be wholly injured and bruised. I¡¯m clumsy, and don¡¯t have enough foresight. However¡­¡­¡±

    I unconsciously gripped the edge of the bed tightly.

    ¡°As long as I can continue being an assistant detective¡­¡­ Half or a third, although I don¡¯t know how much I can shoulder. Because¡­¡­ Because even Alice can¡¯tpletely¡­¡­ Are you okay?¡±

    Alice suddenly closed her eyes, using her forehead to ram into the chest part of my T-srhit.

    ¡°¡ªOuch! Alice?¡±

    ¡°What!¡± Alice¡¯s voice shook even more than just now. ¡°Being so self-righteous. Thinking that you know everything, saying that you want to shoulder my burden.¡±

    Alice¡¯s words that were full of emotions continued to fall onto my knees, causing my skin to feel scorched.

    ¡°How thick-skinned are you? Even though you are so slow that you will not feel anything even if explosives are ced in your shoes. Stop being so opinionated. Saying something like half? A third?¡±

    ¡°E- Erm¡­¡­ Sorry¡ª¡°

    A small fist was closely pressed below my vicle. Alice did not raise her head and continued:

    ¡°¡­¡­ With your narrow shoulders, it is only five percent at most¡­¡­ But it is still better than none¡ª I cannot find any other descriptions fitting of this.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡±

    My voice nearly shook in relief and joy as well. It¡¯s better than none, it¡¯s fine even so. As long as I can reduce the pain on the thin shoulders even slightly.

    I supported Alice¡¯s slight weight with my chest, listening to the inorganic noise ringing in the air-conditioned room, awaiting Alice¡¯s next words. Waiting for her to shift the five percent to me.

    After that, Alice pushed my chest away with her hands and raised her head.

    ¡°I have investigated the roots of the leader of Gotouda-gumi.¡±

    ¡°Nnn.¡±

    ¡°The said leader¡¯s wife divorced with him five years ago and went back to her mother¡¯s home, and is currently staying in a hospital for mental illness.¡±

    ¡°Nnn.¡±

    ¡°Since Gotouda¡¯s main physician already passed away, there is only circumstantial evidence. For instance, the divorce was some time after Hison was killed, and the sounds that the ¡®girl¡¯ living next to Hison heard.¡±

    But those are the truth, right? If not, Yondaime probably wouldn¡¯t have made such arge sacrifice, just to hide the truth from Renji-san.

    Thus, I gave another question. I think, this is probably that five percent of mine, right?

    ¡°¡­¡­ In Hison-san¡¯s abdomen, there was child of the boss¡ª Isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    ¡°That should be so.¡±

    Alice¡¯s hands that were supported on my chest trembled slightly.

    ¡°So that¡¯s why the boss¡¯s wife aimed for her abdomen?¡±

    There is no need to continue. I almost said so to Alice. But this must be changed to words. After all, this is Yodnaime¡¯s pain. Even if he isn¡¯t at the scene right now, we must still bear it with him together.

    The thing that Yondaime wanted to protect, but was unable to.

    And then? What should we do?

    ¡°¡­¡­ Should we tell Renji-san about this?¡±

    As I was really unable to find out the answer, I could only ask Alice the question. I thought in my heart, even she is probably unable to find the answer, right?

    Alice shook her head while supporting herself on my chest with her hand.

    ¡°Regarding this part, I cannot¡ª¡°

    That moment, Alice widened her eyes, while the words that she was about to say froze on her lips. Alice¡¯s small hands, the slender fingers, continued to touch¡ª the band logo on my T-shirt.

    ¡°¡­¡­ This thing¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    Alice¡¯s hand gripped the T-shirt. I sensed the body temperature that was originally used to maintain her own life seemed to have seeped into the material, almost copsing me in uneasiness, and thus caught hold of her wrist. However, Alice flung my hand away, and stood on the bed.

    ¡°¡­¡­ S- So¡­¡­ So this is how things stand.¡±

    ¡°Alice?¡±

    ¡°I understand. I understand now.¡±

    Understand what? I swallowed the question. As I looked at Alice¡¯s green face, I noticed that something was being emitted from her body.

    ¡°We must inform him.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Eh?¡±

    ¡°We must inform Hirasaka Renji of this truth. Yondaime is wrong. Even if it is quite a sorrowful matter. Sealing up the wounds, even though he would feel better like this¡ª It is still wrong.¡±

    Alice squatted down, and used her hand to gently hold my shoulders.

    ¡°We must find Hirasaka Renji!¡±

    When I walked down the emergency backstairs after leaving the detective agency, three silhouettes were gathered before the kitchen backdoor. The more surprising thing was, Hiro-san, Tetsu-senpai and even Major were wearing a T-shirt with the band logo printed on.

    ¡°¡­¡­ I- It feels a bit disgusting.¡±

    My true thoughts that I couldn¡¯t conceal identally slipped out from my mouth.

    ¡°And you dare to say that even though you¡¯re wearing the same T-shirt?¡± Tetsu-senpai shrugged.

    ¡°Just wearing this on the streets is good promotions. Although there¡¯s less than a week left, we¡¯re thinking of doing something to contribute.¡±

    Hiro-san showed his pearly teeth.

    ¡°I think, if we hand these T-shirts to the patrioticrades that I know, and we undergo a shooting match at Shinjuku in broad daylight, it would probably be arge hit.¡± Major seemed to be full of vigor.

    ¡°Please remember to take off the T-shirt when you¡¯re caught by the police¡­¡­¡±

    I sighed and sat on the second step of the emergency backstairs by Hiro-san.

    ¡°Did something happen at Alice¡¯s ce?¡±

    As Hiro-san asked while staring at my face, I was startled, and prepared to stand up.

    ¡°Why do you ask¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°After all, it¡¯s quite rare that Narumi-kun looks full of vigor.¡±

    ¡°Ahhh¡­¡­¡±

    Is it really that rare? That¡¯s true. And I would only seem full of vigor at these times?

    I really wish to be a person full of vigor.

    ¡°Alice told me that we must find Renji-san.¡±

    She did not tell me the reason, and I¡¯m not too sure what it was as well. What did Alice realize? And it was after she looked at the T-shirt.

    The truth that we must tell Renji-san about.

    ¡°That¡¯s all?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean that¡¯s all? ¡­¡­ Um, yeah. That¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°Hmmm?¡± Why does Hiro-san look somewhat evil?

    ¡°Saying that we must find him. It¡¯s easy for her to say, but he really didn¡¯t have any movements recently.¡±

    While showing a displeased expression, Tetsu-senpai roughly stuffed red bean ice cream into his mouth. His arm was full of bandages, band-aids and the like. Recently, it does seem like he doesn¡¯t have any new bruises.

    ¡°So it seems like we¡¯ll have to hide and wait on the big day? Although it can¡¯t be certain if Renji would appear himself.¡±

    ¡°On the day of the concert, ourrades will gather all skills to form a strict guard. It will be so strict that we¡¯ll bomb anyone that enters to death.¡± Don¡¯t do that, idiot! Why are you nning to kill our customers!?

    ¡°Will they really make trouble on the day of the concert?¡±

    Hiro-san crossed his hands before his chest.

    ¡°What does Renji want? We are still ignorant of this even at this time. Even though they didn¡¯t need to make so many small problems, as long as they damage the electrical system ormit arson, the blow on us would be bigger. Them doing all this would only cause security to be more guarded.¡±

    Although I don¡¯t wish for him to say such unlucky things, Hiro-san ispletely right. I used my elbow supported on the wooden stand to think of the actions that Renji-san took up till now. The results? He just assaulted each concert venue, and did made some small problems. Just that point made people curious about that.

    No¡ª Actually, there¡¯s a stranger thing before that.

    That would be judging that Renji-san was the main culprit from the start.

    This matter started from the time he stole the T-shirts from the Hirasaka-gumi storeroom. Although I didn¡¯t think back on this properly up till now, such an action was already strange. Because of that, we found out who did that. Among the people outside, the only person who has the key is just Renji-san.

    Why didn¡¯t he even n to hide his identity? If he allowed everyone to think that only small fries were making trouble, that would make us loosen our guard even more. Since we already know that our enemy is their past leader, it forced Hirasaka-gumi to stay in an extremely guarded state. Making all of the underlings security guards¡ª

    ¡°¡­¡­ Ah.¡±

    I idently made a noise, while the three raised their hands to look at me. However, I did not have any time to care about their gazes, and I pieced out aplete hypothesis in my mind, making a loud roar.

    But what if this is exactly Renji-san¡¯s motive?

    Assaulting each venue, causing the gang members to disperse. If so, of course, it would be harder for them to assault the live houses, but on the other hand¡­¡­

    I stood up and took out my phone. ¡°Narumi?¡± Tetsu-senpai curiously called me. I dialed Yondaime¡¯s number, and with my hand full of sweat, I moved my phone to the side of my ear. Hearing the waiting tone that gave people a sense of emptiness ring repeatedly, it caused my heart to throb while I got short of breath. Nobody answered¡­¡­ Please pick up, hurry up and pick up the phone. When I was about to give up and hang up, my phone rung in my hands once again.

    It was Pole. Uneasiness condensed in my throat.

    ¡°¡ª Aniki, Sou-san¡­¡­¡±

    My rapid heartbeat almost covered Pole¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Sou-san was attacked! Now¡­¡­ He¡¯s in the hospital!¡±

    Before I finished listening, I was already starting to run. ¡°Oi! Narumi!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Vice Admiral Fujishima?¡± I escaped from the voices that rang behind me, and immediately kicked up the stand of the bicycle.

 Volume 4, 6

    <h4>Volume 4, Chapter 6</h4>

    When I reached the hospital, almost all of the members of Hirasaka-gumi were present, and upied the corridor filled with the smell of anesthetic.

    ¡°Aniki!¡±

    Pole noticed me first and ran over immediately. The bandage on his head was still seeping fresh blood.

    The tough juvenile delinquents were like mice that had their nest trampled on, and were all looking quite haggard. I think my face might have looked even more terrible. When I thought about that, I couldn¡¯t even answer.

    ¡°Ojiki is here as well!?¡±

    Tetsu-senpai and the others¡¯ footsteps rang behind me. Hiro-san drove and came over while chasing my bike.

    ¡°How is Yondaime right now!?¡± Tetsu-senpai questioned Pole while almost clutching on him.

    ¡°He¡¯s in the ICU right now.¡±

    ¡°I heard he was hurt by a baseball bat!¡± ¡°He¡¯s still unconscious.¡±

    ¡°st, it¡¯s all because of us¡­¡­¡± ¡°If only we were by his side¡ª¡°

    My bnce disappeared as though it fell into a quagmire, and I nearly copsed. If not for Hiro-san supporting me from behind, I probably would have fallen straight onto the corridor. I was brought to sit on a sofa made of synthetic leather. The chilly sense of the wall touching my back made me feel strangelyfortable.

    Major frantically consoled the gang members so that they would calm down, and I could faintly hear him inquiring about the case. When Pole and Rocky returned to the office, they saw that the entrance was wide open, while the interior of the office was utterly trashed as well. On the other hand, Yondaime was being assaulted in the study. ording to them, it seemed like there were about five or six assants. The injury on Pole¡¯s head was caused by a blow with a baseball bat when the opposing party was retreating.

    ¡°Hirasaka-san wasn¡¯t there. He ordered hisckeys to ambush him together.¡±

    ¡°Those trash, if I were there, how could I have let them touch Sou-san!¡±

    ¡°Unforgivable!¡±

    ¡°If there wasn¡¯t an order¡­¡­¡±

    The voices of the gang members repeatedly sprang away from the borders of my inner consciousness and outer senses.

    That¡¯s right. Yondaime stayed in the office alone, because all of the gang members were out to stay guard at the concert venues. This¡ª would be Renji-san¡¯s motive.

    Why didn¡¯t I realize this? Even though it was just a simple matter. Renji-san once said so as well, that he came back just to kill Yondaime. However, some part in our hearts¡ª including me, and probably Yonadime as well¡ª we underestimated him too much.

    Thinking that Renji-san probably wouldn¡¯t directly assault Yondaime.

    Actually, it was only an illusion reflected in a ss of wine. The ones who believed in that were the idiots. Renji-san probably took this point in consideration as well. I, who could not find out about this, am really a huge, incurable idiot.

    We kept staying at the hospital until the sun set. Although the doctors and nurses told us to hurry back, not one of us was willing to leave. When we heard that the treatment had ended, although he was still in a state where visitors were prohibited, Pole and Rocky still insisted on visiting Yondaime, so we were just allowed to see him for two short minutes. His whole body was hurt, and there were a few bone fractures as well. There were hemorrhages in his organs as well. His head was harmed as well, so he still hadn¡¯t regained consciousness. The doctor just coldly exined that he was still unable to speak, and still wasn¡¯t out of danger.

    The Yondaime lying down on a single bed made me recall Ayaka from that time. His pallid face covered with an oxygen mask, his head wrapped in stic bandages, his eyes tightly shut without moving. The aura of a wild wolf couldn¡¯t be seen at all.

    As some of the gang members behind me were calling Yondaime, while some were agitatedly saying that they won¡¯t forgive them, they¡¯ll kill them and the like, we were thus chased out of the hospital.

    ¡°Tetsu-san, haven¡¯t you already found out the location of their hideout?¡±

    At the dark hospital entrance, Rocky approached Tetsu-senpai and asked in agitation.

    ¡°Kill them all!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think you can live on after touching Sou-san!¡±

    ¡°Oi, calm down, you all.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alreadye to this, and you tell us to calm down!?¡± ¡°We won¡¯t hold back even if our opponent is Hirasaka-san!¡±

    The angry roars of the gang members sounded exceptionally piercing. With heavy footsteps, I walked on the asphalt road that was still hot while I headed towards the ce where I parked my bike. I stood up straight after clutching the handle with some effort, and I took out my phone after that. While muttering ¡®Report¡¯, I sent a message to Mika-san. To myself, who could still worry about the event at these times, I couldn¡¯t help but feel that it wasughable. However, Yondaime was the person in charge. I had an obligation to inform her of this. After that, I called Alice.

    ¡¯¡­¡­ Nnn. I heard of it. How is the situation?¡¯

    Even Alice¡¯s businesslike tone made me feel warm at these times.

    ¡°He still hasn¡¯t regained consciousness¡­¡­ The doctor said that he¡¯s still in danger.¡±

    ¡¯Is that so¡­¡­ We were too foolish. I feel like vomiting when I see my own actions.¡¯

    After conversing simply for a while, she hung up.

    But the miraculous thing was, I did not even feel a shred of anger towards Renji-san. That person just did what he should have done¡ª That was what I thought in my heart. My anger was directed at myself. Kicking up the bicycle stand, my feet stepping on the pedals ached so much that it was as though they were going to fall off.

    Where should I go?

    I tried imagining myself holding a baseball bat, rushing to Renji-san¡¯s ce, and swing it directly on his head, but the warm wind dispersed such a scene. It¡¯s impossible. I don¡¯t know where he is, and I don¡¯t have such power in me as well.

    Or should I return to Alice¡¯s ce? Why not? Then I¡¯ll be a true scum. Even though I¡¯ve long decided that I¡¯m staying by her side just to help shoulder a tiny bit of her pain. If so, how could I bring back the pain that I am unable to bear back, because of my own meagerness?

    Think by myself, and decide by myself! While forcefully stepping on the pedals, I told myself that.

    *

    The first thing I did when I went home was to update the blog. It¡¯s on this weekend! The debut will be at Akasaka! For the audiences who cannote to the scene, we shall update the blog straight from the venue, providing the wildest on-the-scene situation! The words of advertisement that continue to flow out from my fingers felt disgusting. But this is my job, so I can¡¯t just quit doing it. I couldn¡¯t pick up the phone from Mika-san, while Hiro-san and Major called as well, but I could only pretend as though I didn¡¯t see them. After all, if I speak to someone right now, I don¡¯t know what kind of things I would shout out.

    As there was coincidentally arge number of requests for interviews on the day of the concerts, I sent timetables and various other data to them, and rearranged the schedule as well. Just like that, the date changed to that of the next day very quickly. When I finished dealing with all the work on hand, I stood up from the chair before theputer, and was finally aware of the stifling heat filling the room.

    I opened the windows. A cold breeze suddenly came into the room, causing my eyelids to feel a prickle of pain.

    Even though there wasn¡¯t even one star in the skies, the ground was bathed in light. Probably, at the other side of the globe, the sun is still illuminating the earth while pretending that nothing happened, allowing days to pass just like that.

    The odd jobs done to evade the pain in my heart were allpleted. Thus, I clearly understood that there was an agitation that was about to explode before my eyes.

    Yondaime¡¯s face that was as lifeless as soil surface in my eyelids, and it was the same even if I didn¡¯t think of it deliberately. My stomach was in pain as though I swallowed mercury.

    Finally, I realized the true identity of the heat. It couldn¡¯t be described by the emotions fear or dissatisfaction. The me right now is very clear that Renji-san was the one who caused Yondaime to turn out like this¡ª Hating him, hoping for him to get a treatment simr to what Yondaime went through. Clenching my fists that werecking in energy, I still continued to shudder.

    It was the very first time I felt like killing someone.

    Renji-san once said, in the seeable future, our friendship would be destroyed as well. He was absolutely right. As he said, it was instead in such a pathetic form.

    I¡¯ll kill you the next time I see you. That should be my line. I¡¯m killing you! You actually did this to my bro¡­¡­ My fists recovered their energy. It felt as though blood was going to seep out from my fingers. I must kill you. Renji-san¡ª

    Kill him? How?

    The trembling continued to rise to my lips. I frantically bit it.

    Am I out of my mind? What am I thinking? Having strength on par with Yondaime¡¯s, and owning violence that Yondaime does not have, facing such a person, what in the world can I do?

    In my palms that my fingers were sinking into, the hate fell after being melted by heat.

    The night wind that entered through the windows caused my ears to gradually cool down. Even my own heartbeat felt unfriendly.

    I have never known that the emotion known as ¡®hate¡¯ can be so strongly glued in one¡¯s heart. So Renji-san kept such an emotion these five years? Even though washing it away with tears would make people feel much better.

    I definitely can¡¯t do it.

    Maintaining such a hate, using it as a de.

    I don¡¯t have any need to think of what I should do anymore. I am just a high schooler, and shared sake with Yondaime just because we have some connections. When the world over there shows its violent side, I can only cower, at a loss.

    I sank my body onto the bed.

    If there really is something I can do¡­¡­

    I think it should be staying by his side in the ward. I already came in contact with various ways of death, so I have already gotten used to it. The so-called getting used to death means that one is dying little by little as well. If Yondaime is really unable toe back after this, can the spacious room in my heart be forever locked up in its empty state?

    Even so, I should keep staying by Yondaime¡¯s side.

    After all, I have already gotten used to pain.

    *

    When I woke up the next day, it was already near noon. My mood was terrible. I even felt like throwing up, while my vision was still hazy.

    With some effort, I picked up the iing call from Mika-san.

    ¡¯Is Sou-san okay!? Which hospital is he in!? H- Hello¡­¡­!¡¯

    Oh yeah, I forgot to tell her which hospital he was in. As Hirasaka-gumi sank into confusion, Mika-san is probably worried to death as she couldn¡¯t get in contact with anyone, huh? I feel bad for her.

    ¡°He¡­¡­ Doesn¡¯t seem to be too well.¡±

    ''¡¯¡¯How can this be?¡¯

    ¡°I¡¯m not too sure as well.¡±

    ¡¯What about you, Fujishima-san? Are you okay?¡¯

    Am I okay? What sort of question is this? However, I couldn¡¯t give any response. I¡¯m fine¡ª The depths of my throat moaned faintly. I¡¯mpletely fine, as I wasn¡¯t the one who was beaten up. If I never realized it at all, everything would have already ended.

    ¡¯Well¡­¡­ In any case, I¡¯ll ask our boss about the nning of the event that day. Fujishima-san, don¡¯t you push yourself, and please keep me informed of Sou-san¡¯s condition in detail!¡¯

    After hanging up, I suddenly felt relieved. I felt that I had already done everything that I can. So can you temporarily not bother me? Everyone seemed to have forgotten that I¡¯m just a high schooler on vacation.

    I¡¯m already really exhausted, so can you let me sleep for awhile?

    However, my phone continued to ring non-stop.

    ¡¯¡¯I heard that we sessfully tracked Renji¡¯s phone. He called the Hirasaka-gumi office before the assault. Confirming whether Yonadime was there, perhaps?¡¯

    ¡¯Alice is currently analyzing his phone log and the GPS location. We can find out where Renji is within toda¡ª¡¯

    ¡°¡­¡­ Is that so.¡±

    His hiding spot had been found out. Why at such a time? After all, that person had been really careful, and repeatedly changed his phone, while the power source wasn¡¯t always on as well¡ª

    Whatever, this doesn¡¯t matter anymore.

    ¡¯Are you okay? You don¡¯t sound so good.¡¯

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t feeling good in the first ce.¡±

    ¡¯About Yondaime¡­¡­ I think that isn¡¯t your fault, Narumi-kun.¡¯

    Hiro-san¡¯s words passed through the differently colored stove in my heart, turning into irrational emotions in the end. Although I gripped the phone forcefully, I still couldn¡¯t suppress the words in my heart.

    ¡°Although I only lived for ten over years, I¡¯ve already heard these same words for about five hundred times and above.¡±

    I could clearly feel Hiro-san¡¯s expression change drastically at the other side of the phone.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t your problem, you¡¯re not wrong. My dad often said that to me. However, that doesn¡¯t matter anymore. It can¡¯t help at all. We¡¯re not undergoing a trial right now, so even if one says such words, will Yondaime wake up? Can we pretend he never got hurt? If I¡¯m just a bit more clever¡ª¡±

    I used my fingers to forcefully clutch my thigh, and stemmed the flow of words after some effort.

    What am I doing? Is there any use if Iin about this to Hiro-san? These are the true words. I really can¡¯t be cured anymore.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Sorry.¡±

    My words were full of stutters.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what came over me.¡±

    After saying that, I suddenly felt so ashamed that it was as though hot water was about to spurt out from my eyeballs. What to do? I should¡­¡­ I should have asked something more meaningful.

    ¡°¡­¡­ After that, how¡¯s the situation?¡±

    Hiro-san seemed to be somewhat hesitant, but he finally spoke after struggling for some time.

    ¡¯Everyone in the gang stayed in the hospital. I heard that they slept at the parking lot. What a bunch of idiots, right?¡¯

    Laughter that sounded full of bitterness.

    ¡¯This morning, I went over to the hospital, and they were still there. And since they were arguing with the doctor that they want to visit, I went over to stop them. Just at that moment, Alice called. When they found out that they might be able to find out Renji¡¯s location, only a few people were left there, while the others all squeezed over to the detective agency.¡¯

    I adjusted my breathing. The gang that lost their leader and was continuing to struggle. Most probably, nobody knows what to do, huh?

    ¡¯But there¡¯s a troublesome problem. If those guys know where Renji is hiding at, they might really kill him.¡¯

    To be frank, I¡¯m helpless if you tell me all this right now as well. The members of Hirasaka-gumi are workers for the event as well. If they make trouble at such a critical moment, it will definitely affect the event. Even though I knew that it would turn out like that, I did not have the energy to stop them anymore.

    Just let them do as they like. After all, blood had already been spilled. No matter wheter the smell on the body is washed off with rainwater or with more blood, the injury will not disappear.

    Hiro-san told me that he would call me if he had more developments, and hung up after that. I prepared to mber into my bed again. When I noticed a message from the advertisingpany, it was just when I was about to throw my cellphone back onto the bed.

    ¡ª Please send over the bills. Things like the newest version of the time schedules, the duties of the workers and the like can probably be gotten only from Hinaura-san. Very sorry, but can you please send the above data over?

    I sighed. Yondaime kept handling such matters alone. After all, he¡¯s always very obstinate with money, so he didn¡¯t dare to allow the others to handle them, I suppose? Apart from that, quite a lot of information was only in his hands as well. It was just because of that that the people around him would have a headache when such an incident urs.

    It can¡¯t be helped then. I could only pick it up at the office. After that, I¡¯ll treat it as though my job has already been done. As for the solution for the interviews and the blog, asking Mika-san to deal with it would be fine.

    There was a small bloodstain at the entrance of the Hirasaka-gumi office. The ck stains of blood even sttered on the stairs. Most probably, those would be Yondaime¡¯s blood dripping down from the weapon of the escaped suspect. I spaced out while supporting myself on the railing for a moment, and could even feel as though I could smell the odor of rust as well.

    How long had he been beaten up? Even that person only has a body made of flesh and blood, so he couldn¡¯t do anything if he was surrounded by arge crowd of armed opponents. If the opposing party did an ambush, it would be even harder for him to escape.

    It¡¯s possible that I might turn out like that as well. Such a thought suddenly surfaced as I stared at the bloodstains.

    I should stop this job. After sending the paperwork to the workroom, I¡¯ll tell them this. Since the matter had already developed to this state, my presence doesn¡¯t matter at all. Yondaime can just stay in the hospital as well. If so, he won¡¯t be beaten up by a crowd of people anymore as well.

    The steel door wasn¡¯t locked up. When I stepped into the office, I found that the electric lights were still on, while the air conditioner wasn¡¯t turned off as well. From the time the incident urred, not one gang member returned. The sofa was toppled, while documents were scattered on the ground. The doors inside were open as well.

    The condition of the study was even more terrible. The bookshelves in the pitch-ck room were toppled and stacked together, squashing the cardboard boxes. The sheets on the bed were sttered with blood as well.

    Only theputer on the desk was still unaffected, its monitor glowing in the darkness. An unsent email was shown on the screen. When I saw the familiar email of the recipient, I felt surprised from the bottom of my heart.

    It was my email address.

    Not even one word was contained in the email, whereas arge amount of files were attached to it. ount books, organizational charts, timetables, contact information and a table of things to do in emergencies.

    I extended my trembling hand to the keyboard.

    I felt heat on my chest, making me unable to breathe properly.

    Of course, backing up important data ismon sense. That was why he nned to mail the files to me, and he was assaulted right that moment. That¡¯s all, isn¡¯t that right?

    I clicked the send button. Yondaime¡¯sst will flowed into my body with the speed of light through the electronic circuit. Such a pain was different from the one that I previously shouldered. It felt like it would expand in my innards if I don¡¯t touch it, and would explode in my body in the end.

    I rushed out of the office and ran down the stairs. When I reached the steel door of the third floor, I stopped. The scene, the sounds in my memories vividly surfaced. That¡¯s right, this is the ce. The gang members were here as well. And then Yondaime said¡ª

    ¡¯If anything happens to me¡ª¡¯

    Those words should have been a joke.

    However, now that they are clearly resounding by my ears, I cannot abandon them anymore.

    ¡¯¡ª I¡¯m counting on you to take care of these idiots.¡¯

    He picked up the phone when the waiting tone rang for the second time.

    ¡¯¡­¡­ Aniki? Is this Aniki?¡¯

    A voice as rough as a telephone pole immediately rang by my ear.

    ¡¯I was really worried of you for suddenly disappearing yesterday! Hiro-ojiki said that you looked sick. Are you okay? Where are you right now?¡¯

    ¡°I¡¯m in the office. Where are you?¡±

    ¡¯At Ane-san¡¯s ce, of course!¡¯ That would refer to Alice. So they¡¯re still at Alice¡¯s ce? ¡¯Now that we¡¯ve almost located Hirasaka¡¯s den, we¡¯re preparing to rush over there!¡¯

    ¡°That won¡¯t do. This is not the time to do such a thing.¡±

    ¡¯What are you talking about! Sou-san was beaten up like that, how can we stay put!?¡¯

    I could hear the gang members roaring behind Pole even through the phone. We must kill him! Make him pay five times over! Send them all into the hospital! How can we stop just by beating them up!

    My body heated up.

    ¡°You shut up!¡±

    I roared furiously at the phone.

    ¡¯¡ª A- Aniki?¡¯

    Pole¡¯s flustered voice.

    ¡°I¡¯m heading over right away, and you all just stay put over there!¡± Without even listening to his answer, I stuffed my phone back into my pocket and dashed down the stairs.

    I rode into the alley almost without braking. I saw about twenty burly men gathered in front of Hamaru Ramen. I jumped down from my bike, pushed it down immediately and ran over.

    ¡°Aniki!¡±

    I was mped in between Pole and Rocky, while the gang members around me gradually increased.

    ¡°Aniki, what¡¯s wrong? Ane-san and Major are searching for Hirasaka¡¯s hideout right no¡ª¡°

    ¡°War! This can only be war!¡±

    ¡°Beat them up so much they¡¯ll turn up like Sou-san!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re already prepared for the police to arrest us!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you that you can¡¯t do this! You¡¯re all workers for the event, so if you¡¯re arrested for acts of violence, the security that day will be¡ª¡°

    ¡°Who cares!¡±

    ¡°We must let them know what¡¯ll happen if they dare to touch Sou-san!¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t wait anymore, and we definitely won¡¯t forgive them!¡±

    ¡°WHAT¡¯S WRONG WITH YOU!¡±

    I screamed, unable to suppress my emotions anymore. The gang members were all startled at the same time, giving me sharp looks without reserve. However, I did not cower, and continued:

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know Yondaime gambled his all for this job!? Starting apany, recruiting employees, thinking of a way to gather funds, bowing down to people everywhere¡ª It¡¯s- It¡¯s nearly bearing fruit, and you¡¯re actually thinking of destroying all his efforts just for meaningless matters!?¡±

    The gang members surrounding me paled, and my critiques continued.

    ¡°Why do you think Renji-san¡¯s phone could be tracked at such a critical moment? You were all deliberately baited. You didn¡¯t even realize this!? Think about it, if you make trouble while wearing the emblem, the event will definitely be cancelled! Why can¡¯t you understand even such a simple matter!?¡±

    ¡°A- Aniki¡­¡­¡±

    I used my shouts to cover Rocky¡¯s moans.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you all bearing Hinamura Souichirou¡¯s name?! It¡¯s the same for me! You can¡¯t have forgotten about this, can you?!¡±

    The faces of the burly men gathered around me gradually twisted, but I don¡¯t know if it was because of me scolding them or if it was because of their inability to suppress their surging emotions. However, I still finished my words.

    ¡°I am that person¡¯s sworn brother. That is why¡ª¡°

    Ahh, it¡¯s indeed because of the tears. My voice was engulfed by the surging emotions.

    ¡°Before hees back, I¡¯m taking charge of the gang. Stand out if you have anything to say about this!¡±

    My voice spread with a sense of swollenness. My fists and lips continued to shake, while tears filled my eyes. I used all of my energy to stand in the center of a crowd of burly men, trying to re back at the angry gazes of over forty men in bravado.

    Sweat that felt strangely cold trickled down my back.

    When I was stating my thoughts, a strange pulse flowed in my limbs. Now that I already spoke out all of them, I lost all my energy, and felt as though I was going to be crushed by the silence.

    Did I say anything inurate? Even if it¡¯s true, do I even have the right to say all this? After all, I¡¯m just a powerless¡ª

    Pole¡¯s body bent into half. It gave me a huge fright, almost making me puff out all of the breath in my body, escaping from the scene.

    However, Pole was not walking forward. He bowed down on the spot, his legs the width of his shoulders, his elbows on his knees, and he lowered his head after that.

    Standing by his side, Rocky made the same pose as well. Like receding waves, the surrounding gang members bent down with their heads lowered as well.

    It was a rite of men.

    ¡°¡ª My apologies. I didn¡¯t know Aniki thought for us so much.¡±

    Pole¡¯s deep voice.

    ¡°We were too dumb.¡±

    ¡°We nearly let Sou-san down.¡±

    ¡°We believe in Aniki.¡±

    ¡°As long as Aniki is here.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll follow you forever.¡±

    After that, the gang members raised their heads, mes of vigor burning in each of their eyes.

    ¡°¡­¡­ We¡¯re leaving our lives in Aniki¡¯s hands.¡±

    ¡°Understood, in Aniki¡¯s hands.¡±

    ¡°In Aniki¡¯s hands.¡±

    The voices spread.

    The energy supporting my body nearly flowed out along with my sweat and tears, from my ears, from my lips, from my eyes. I supported my fists on my thigh, trying hard not to let myself copse. That won¡¯t do. My bravado must continue.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Nnn. I understand.¡±

    The voice that came from my parched throat did not even sound like my voice anymore.

    ¡°Leave them all to me. Thank you.¡±

    ¡°I saw it all from the surveince cameras. Your disy was not bad.¡±

    Alice showed a speechless expression while sitting on her bed. Around the building where the detective agency is at, a few surveince cameras that are able to inspect the surroundings were installed, allowing the detective to check out the situation outside on her bed.

    Which means, the idiotic game of loyalty was clearly seen by her from head to toe.

    ¡°You are really a very special man. As long as your brain is filled with blood, you can reach the truth in the shortest distance for some reason. Why can you not do it usually?¡±

    ¡°No¡­¡­ I didn¡¯t realize it myself¡­¡­¡±

    I hugged my knees while sitting before the bed, feeling the cold air from the air conditioner on my head. As I was too nosy, and forced myself too much, I waspletelycking in energy. When I think about it, it was actually quite scary. Facing Hirasaka-gumi that was somewhat famous as juvenile delinquents in the past, I could actually still criticize them like that. As Alice said, when my blood fills my brain, even I, myself, don¡¯t know what I will do.

    No, actually, I know it. Like just now, I can only resort to such ways. It¡¯s just that sometimes, the worries of ¡¯What should I do if I fail?¡¯ would disappear to goodness knows where.

    ¡°That is a power that you can take pride on.¡±

    Alice responded expressionlessly. But I don¡¯t need such a thing. It¡¯s not like I can save anyone, it¡¯s just that I can act quicker on decisive moments¡ª No matter if it would end in happiness or despair.

    ¡°You are quite impressive, actually knowing that being able to track the phone signal is actually a trap by Hirasaka.¡±

    Alice¡¯s voice melded with the sounds of typing.

    ¡°I just thought of it all of a sudden, just to convince the gang members.¡±

    ¡°You really got me. Are you seriously listing fraud syndicate as a choice for your future?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it¡­¡­¡±

    I hugged my knees even harder.

    ¡°But that was really a trap.¡±

    I raised my head.

    ¡°Major contacted me just now. The location we found out from the GPS satellite signal was a short-term apartment. Over ten armed men were waiting there, but Hirasaka was not among them. What a devious man.¡±

    Which means, he nted his phone in the room, while he hid somewhere else?

    I really couldn¡¯t connect such a despicable action with the smiling face that I was familiar with. Just because of that, I wished even more for a chance to speak with him once more.

    ¡°Thus, Hirasaka¡¯s true aim is probably this.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­Eh?¡±

    ¡°The thing that Yondaime umted, the whole Hirasaka-gumi.¡±

    In the past, Renji-san started the gang with Yondaime, and it grew so much that it had an influence on the city after five years¡ª theirpanions and the gang emblem.

    ¡°I am thinking, he was probably nning to make them lose the head of the gang, dissolving it while it is truly decapitated. In truth, it should have turned out like this as well. The only miscalction that Hirasaka made was¡ª you are here.¡±

    I¡­¡­ am here.

    Even though I couldn¡¯t do anything, and could only stay here.

    ¡°But I think Hirasaka will probably not stop. He knows that Hirasaka-gumi is taking charge of the security of the concerts, so if he cannot bait them to attack, he will probably attack actively. It is impossible for him to lose the great chance of causing confusion on the day of the event, because we must still maintain our pride.¡±

    I hope to talk things out with Renji-san once again. Telling him not to do this anymore. Even though I know his number, it couldn¡¯t get through at all. What on earth should I do?

    ¡°It is unknown if he, himself, will be present on the day of the event itself. It is possible that he ns to allow his underlings to take action after this no matter if they are continuing their harassment or not, because it has been so up till now.¡±

    I breathed out with my mouth, a long, faint puff.

    ¡°How can we allow him to do so? I will definitely drag him out.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Alice, what do you want to tell Renji-san?¡±

    The detective still had her ck, silky hair facing me. The light on her hair gently fluttered along with her voice.

    ¡°The words of the deceased, of course. Words that were identally eradicated.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not nning to tell me now?¡±

    ¡°I wish to be pained only once as well.¡±

    I thought in my heart, what sort of expression was Alice¡¯s face that was facing the screen wearing? Hoping to be pained only once. Even if she tells me right now, I still cannot reduce her pain. Is that what she means?

    Is that really that deep of a scar? Or is it because I¡¯mpletely usele¡ª

    I shook my head, flinging away the useless self-deprecating words.

    ¡°If you tell him¡­¡­ It would mean even Renji-san would be in pain as well, right?¡±

    ¡°That should be so. And it includes you, and includes Yondaime.¡±

    Even so, you still have to dig such a grave?

    ¡°The Hirasaka right now is like a rat in a hole, being unable to go anywhere. The request that I have taken is, bringing him before Yondaime. It is the same even if my skin might be scorched by sun, even if my eyes might get blind because of this. I must pull him back from the dark ignorance.¡±

    The ck hair finally shifted to a side. Alice turned around. In the eyes filled with sorrow, a luster, like soft moss covering old wells, was umted.

    ¡°That is why I am nning to unhesitatingly use despicable tricks as well.¡±

    ¡°Despicable tricks?¡±

    ¡°After all, there is still a captive in my hands.¡±

    Alice¡¯s hand extended towards the hill of dolls, pulling out that thing. It was a white T-shirt tidily folded. Hirasaka-gumi¡¯s unfinished mental trademark. The important thing that was left by Hison.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Can we really bait him out just by using this?¡±

    ¡°We are not going to use this directly. The bait must first be manipted.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡­ The main thing is, how are you nning to contact Renji-san?¡±

    Alice kneeled down, her eyes at the same height as me, and she pressed my chest with her small hand. As though she was confirming something.

    After that, she spoke again:

    ¡°What is your current job? You are not just an assistant detective, are you?¡±

    The words spread through my body, along the chilly air, along the fingers that had the warmth of a body.

    My current job.

    Originally, I was just nning to ept Yondaime¡¯s request, helping him manage things rted to the inte. But unknowingly, it got the support of numerous people, and in the end, I focused almost all of my attention on this matter, up till now.

    My job.

    I took out my cellphone and called Mika-san.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Yes. Fujishima speaking. Sorry for yesterday¡­¡­ Yes, okay. I¡¯ll send it to you together. No, the condition is still bad¡­¡­ Yes, and then¡­¡­¡±

    As Mika-san still seemed to want to say something, I halted her words with a forceful tone.

    ¡°On the day of the event, I¡¯ll be in charge of the coordination. Yondaime told me to do so¡­¡­ Yes. That¡¯s right. Anyway, I¡¯ll go for the meeting. Yes¡­¡­ I¡¯m counting on you. Yes. Including the updates of the website up till the big day, yes, that¡¯s right¡­¡­ Every day, right? I¡¯ll be in charge of them all. No. That¡¯s fine. Please allow me to do so. Because¡ª¡°

    I continued after gulping.

    ¡°¡­¡­ I¡¯m in charge of the advertising.¡±

    After ending the conversation with Mika-san, I looked at Alice. We just nodded, as no words are required between a detective and an assistant detective.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Is this Major? Nnn, that is correct. My apologies, but we still need you to continue the surveince and spying up till the day of the concert. How many people are needed for the shifts? ¡­¡­ Three? I understand, I shall tell Narumi to arrange for this.¡±

    While listening to Alice converse with Major through the phone, I dialed Pole¡¯s phone number.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me. That¡¯s right, please send three men to Major¡¯s ce. And about the security that day¡­¡­ I¡¯m guessing that Renji-san will probably take action that day. Nnn. I¡¯m going over to inspect things again. We¡¯ll need to rearrange areas for security¡­¡­ I¡¯m counting on you.¡±

    With our backs to each other, Alice and I hung up at the same time, and started moving towards our goal.

    *

    Only four days were left before the celebration.

    Even in the evening, the heat of the summer day was still present. A colossal quadrteral silhouette surfaced in the darkness, blocking the rays of light from therge building behind. Steel could be seen exposed from various positions of the building. This strange-looking building would be the famous live housergest in Akasaka, Tokyo.

    Illuminated by lightings, all that could be seen before the entrance were people, people and people. The workers shouted their voices hoarse just to inform the guests at the very end. It felt as though the heat of the crowd was going to form a cloud. Among the gathering guests, T-shirts with the band logo that I made could be seen on an indefinite basis.

    I touched my chest. The T-shirt specially embroidered by Yoshiki-san for me and the other shirts, they were all connected.

    Therge screen at the entrance was ying a video of rehearsals on the stage. Although there was no sound apanying the screen, it showed the sharp beauty of the Gibson Los Paul guitar that the main female vocal was strumming even more. The long ck hair with two its that were like the tail feathers of flying birds danced under the light that was full of vigor.

    The inte should be ying video clips simr to this as well. I wonder if Renji-san is watching, the trap that Alice set up.

    The clothing that the main female vocal was wearing was just a white T-shirt that had a cor and cuffs with ck material.

    While feeling that it was unbelievable, I stared at the picture on the shoulder and side abdominal part of the T-shirt. Alice said that she would manipte the bait. I wasn¡¯t told even till today as well. What did those words mean?

    Why can she do such a thing?

    However, I did not have the time to solve the question. It was starting. I clutched the leather box in my pocket and ran towards the backdoor for workers. What was kept in my pocket was Major¡¯s specially made multi-functional walkie-talkie. It was connected to the gang members positioned elsewhere and the NEET detective squad.

    ¡°It¡¯s starting.¡± I reported into the headset microphone.

    I saw the guests starting to move slowly with the corner of my eye, and I rushed into the door. When I entered the pitch-ck corridor, I suddenly heard my own heartbeat.

    ¡¯I found three enemies mixed into the guests.¡¯

    Major¡¯s voice came from the headset. After that, Rocky¡¯s voice ovepped.

    ¡¯I am currently at the entrance of the hall. There are some familiar faces, including the ones who attacked Sou-san. Do we need to catch them?¡¯

    ¡°No, you can only tail them. Don¡¯t make trouble at ces where guests are present. I¡¯m guessing that a few more of them came as well, and will probably gather at the restrooms or somewhere else. Anyway, we already knew that they woulde, so just let them wander around.¡±

    ¡¯What if they make trouble as soon as they get in?¡¯

    ¡°If it turns into a situation when guests are harmed, you don¡¯t need to hold back. You¡¯re among the security, after all.¡±

    My voice would still tremble. They won¡¯t do things that are so dumb, will they?

    ¡°I¡¯ve already said that those people¡¯s target is very clear. They are not here to destroy the event. They are preparing to use the confusion of the concert to defeat the members of Hirasaka-gumi positioned elsewhere in the venue one by one.¡±

    Even so, we must still use them. In any case, in such arge event, security guards are absolutely needed.

    ¡°That¡¯s why we need to bait them up, surround them and defeat them all. Do not attack actively.¡± ¡¯Understood.¡¯ Rocky firmly cut off the signal.

    ¡¯Narumi-kun?¡¯

    Hiro-san spoke. He should be with the band members right now.

    ¡¯Can I walk out of the lounge now?¡¯

    ¡°No problem. Sorry for the trouble.¡±

    A row of people passed by the short passage for business use that was filled with heat. The uproar of the audience was not with their voice, but in the form of vibrations. Just by touching the cement wall with one finger made one feel as though the whole building was a balloon that was about to break. Closely after that, clear cheers spread to us from below.

    The ensemble of dazzling guitars , jazz drums and bass whirled themotion together and stepped away after that. The opening song kicked off. My footsteps quickened as well. It felt as though boiling blood was directly filled into my heart. I opened the lock of the door at the innermost of the corridor. The person in charge of the live house reminded me a few times to lock the lock for the passage for business use, and the workers were asked to follow itpletely as well. Because of that, I must do this job by myself.

    Following my footsteps¡ª he would probably appear. If he got the secret message.

    I opened thest door. Pale rays of light, band music loudly yed, a vigorous chorus, all of them assaulted me from the front. It was the side of the stage. Quite a few thick cables were fixed on the ground. Colorful spotlights were shone from the stage, causing ProAudio machines and guitars ced next together to form differently shaped shadows. There was a shortdder on the left, while in front of that would be another door connected to the audience seats.

    No workers could be seen over there. I asked the party in charge to keep this ce empty.

    My gaze shifted to the rays of light. The cymbals of the jazz drums kit was dancing repeatedly, shattering the neon lights into fragments counted by ten thousands. And somewhere over there, the tall main vocal could be seen. With the white T-shirt, her long hair looked like the tail feathers of a flying bird.

    ¡°Major, I¡¯ll have to bother you for a moment.¡±

    I spoke into the headset microphone.

    ¡¯Roger. Good luck for your battle.¡¯

    I removed the headset. Along with the song and the vigorous rhythm, blood filled my mind. I felt like crying. The illumination lit up at the same time as the song reached the interlude, and the surrounding turned into the South China Sea in an instant. The lingering aftertaste of the rhythm was continued by the cheers of the overwhelmingly enthusiastic audience.

    I ced the headset unit on the amplifier by my side. I could even feel the slight virations in the air. I stood alone in the darkness, awaiting the cheers to descend onto the sand, turning in to sand, changing to mud.

    ¡ª Everyone, thank you foring today.

    The unexpectedly gentle voice of the main female vocal spread through the silent air.

    ¡ª I could only be here because of many people¡¯s help. Thank you very much.

    Just at that moment, I heard the sound of the door handle behind me turning.

    I stopped breathing, closed my eyes and counted to three silently in my heart.

    ¡ª Songs can be spread no matter how far it is, it¡¯s great. It¡¯s the same even for that person who is no longer by our sides.

    I breathed out and turned around.

    Before the open door and the long, slender ray of blue light extended from the stage, there stood a silhouette. Step by step, he slowly approached. His goggles-styled sunsses reflected the light over.

    ¡°What? Yer specially waitin¡¯ for me over here?¡±

    Renji-san stood at the dead center of the pir of light.

    ¡°I invited you here after all.¡±

    My answering voice was still indeed unsteady.

    ¡°I saw it on the. The shirt that woman¡¯s wearin¡¯.¡±

    Renji-san gestured behind me with his chin.

    ¡°I thought that it¡¯s a careless invitation, but that thing is my important belonging. And I have somethin¡¯ to ask ya as well.¡±

    ¡°d you cane.¡±

    ¡°Ya can actually say something like this when it¡¯s alreadye to this. The extent of yer foolish kindness is quite scary.¡±

    That¡¯s true. I¡¯m thinking if I¡¯m a fool as well. Even though mypanions and I were so terribly tortured.

    ¡°The matter that you want to ask¡ª It¡¯s regarding the emblem on the T-shirt, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    I took a step forward.

    ¡°Why is itplete?¡±

    I nced at the stage. The main female vocal was in a silent exnation to the audience. The logo on her shoulder and side abdomen wasn¡¯t an iplete picture that was like fireworks.

    It was a swallowtail butterfly with a fewyers that was full of vibrant colors.

    That which should have already been lost¡ª

    ¡°To be frank, even I don¡¯t know, because nobody told me about this at all.¡±

    Renji-san frowned.

    ¡°The person who asked you out actually isn¡¯t me.¡±

    ¡°What are ya talkin¡¯ abou¡ª¡°

    Renji-san stopped in the middle of his words, as a small silhouette hidden in the shadow of the neighboring amplifier stood up from the side of my feet, into the light.

    Her long ck hair slid down from her shoulders. A silhouette donning a furisode with patterns of pine dyed with ck Edo Yuzen while holding arge stuffed teddy who surfaced against the light was reflected in Renji-san¡¯s sunsses.

    I was still quite doubtful about that. Isn¡¯t that a kimono?

    As I recall, this petite detective wears clothes for mourning when she is preparing to tell the opposing party the truth when the case ends, isn¡¯t that right?

    ¡°First, I must erase your worries.¡±

    While holding my belt, Alice spoke to Renji-san.

    ¡°That T-shirt is a fake. It is not embroidered, the picture was printed on. I think you probably could not realize that from afar. At the end of the concert, the main vocal might take it off and throw it to the audience, but no worries. I have kept your most precious real one very properly.

    In the darkness, Renji-san¡¯s expression that was blocked by the sunsses couldn¡¯t be seen at all.

    ¡°Who are ya¡ª¡° Renji-san hesitated. ¡°So yer the detective. I just heard of it, yer a nasty kid with strange skills.¡±

    ¡°I am not an ordinary detective. I am a NEET detective, the messenger for the deceased.¡±

    Alice¡¯s voice was extremely steady.

    ¡°Doing everything just to harm the living to uphold the honor of the dead, or to shame the deceased to console the living.¡±

    ¡°Ya don¡¯t need to exin your identity. Where did ya get that picture from? That is¡ª¡°

    ¡°I have told you, those are the words of the dead.¡±

    Being interrupted by Alice, Renji-san¡¯s face started to twist as he finally saw through it.

    ¡°I obtained it from the female most important to you.¡±

    ¡°How!? Hison was long dead¡ª¡°

    ¡°She is still alive.¡±

    The air that was supposed to be full of heat froze in an instant and cracked.

    I bated my breath and stared at Alice, who was by my side. Her gaze raised, and met mine. Her hand that was gripping my belt loosened, and she touched my chest instead. Touching the embroidery of the band logo on my chest.

    ¡°This thing is thest key.¡±

    Alice¡¯s voice resounded.

    ¡°This web-shaped embroidery that looks like tatami is called chasu. It is a traditional embroidering skill that exists only in Korea.¡±

    I gulped. Alice¡¯s gaze returned to Renji-san once more.

    ¡°On the day of the incident five years ago, Hison was severely hurt due to her being stabbed on her abdomen. She was sent to a tight-lipped surgeon, and the surgery was sessful as well.¡±

    ¡°What¡­¡­ did ya say?¡±

    Renji-san moaned. I unconsciously clenched my hand on Alice¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Hison was saved. However, a few of her innards were taken out because of the sever injury. I am guessing that her uterus and ovaries were all taken out. Hison lost her bodily functions as a female, and her body could not move like before as well, while Gotouda paid arge sum of money to shut people up. The said ten million yen that Yondaime allowed you to see was that sum of money. The target of the deposit was a person familiar to Yondaime, a real estate agent at Adachi, and the ten million were used to rent a certain building before the Kita-Senju station, and also as the deposit of one of the floors.¡±

    It was not hard for me to imagine the transparent smile that did notst long below the sses.

    ¡°Hison could not continue her job as a pubdy anymore, but she obtained the shop that she dreamt of. She abandoned everything in her past, even herself as a female, and hid all of the memories that existed between you and Yondaime. Switching the order of the two kanji of her name, now¡ª she is living on with the identity of a male.¡±

    Renji-san pulled his goggles sunsses onto his forehead. In his eyes with light shining on it, I cannot find out what sort of emotions were contained in them, as my gaze was covered with something that was about to spill out.

    Under the gentle smile, the true name hidden under wounds. Hison.

    ¡°She is still alive. You already know it now. Therefore¡ª¡°

    ¡°Why!?¡±

    Renji-san¡¯s voice pierced through the night.

    ¡°Why¡­¡­? Then Sou, why¡ª¡°

    The end of his sentence was swallowed up by sharp intakes of breaths.

    ¡°Why, you say? All of it was for you and Hison. Hison¡¯s sole wish is for you not to know. Including the fact that she was someone¡¯s mistress¡­¡­ And the fact that she was pregnant.¡±

    Don¡¯t say anymore. I used my voice that was barely formed to warn her. So what if you tell him about this? Nobody will attain happiness, isn¡¯t that right?

    Then why?

    ¡°However, such a thought is just too disappointing.¡±

    Alice stated in a chilly tone.

    ¡°I am nning to break the taboo of a detective. Words of the deceased, you say? Rubbish! Tarnishing the power that mankind chose just for a miniscule part of constion, such a matter is not allowed. After all, we are still alive. Living on in the real world. If so, meaning in words can be transmitted any time. Should you reim your connection? Or should you continue to break your rtionship? Those can all be chosen. No matter how painful it is, humans can probably ept and choose. No one has the power to erase those choices. Is that not right?¡±

    I was suddenly aware of the pain in my throat and gulped, raising my head after that, because I noticed that Alice¡¯sst words were not directed at Renji-san.

    The door that was opened blocked the side of the extending light.

    Renji-san, who turned around to look, saw the silhouette. The hair bleached white, the swallowtail butterfly tattooed on the bare shoulder, all of that froze at the point of intersection of the blue lights.

    I was nning to run over, but Alice hugged me from behind, and halted me.

    ¡°Do not go. This is not the time for you to show up.¡±

    ¡°B- But!¡±

    Even though his body shouldn¡¯t be able to move, as he was in aa.

    ¡°Sou¡­¡­¡±

    Renji-san softly called the name, taking off his goggles sunsses and tossing it on the floor. Yondaime slowly stepped into the light with his back towards the door. How on earth did he manage to escape the hospital in this condition? The shirt bloodied by blood was worn when he was assaulted. It should have been ced by his bed. Which means, he came directly here from the hospital?

    In the darkness, I heard the sounds of Yondaime gnashing his teeth.

    ¡°You told him everything?¡±

    The voice fell onto the floor full of cables. The wild wolf¡¯s ferocious gaze that still wasn¡¯t lost passed through Renji-san¡¯s shoulders, ring at Alice.

    ¡°That is correct¡­¡­ You are toote.¡±

    Alice¡¯s answer.

    All of a sudden, heated cheers rang behind us again. Perhaps the time forments from the band had ended? Yondaime closed his eyes. After shaking his head, he raised his gaze and looked directly at Renji-san¡¯s face this time. Among this, the two did not converse at all. Only charred air was left.

    ¡°¡­¡­ It¡¯s really miraculous.¡±

    Renji-san spoke. Although he had his back to me, I could clearly see the sorrow in his smile.

    ¡°I thought that more things would fly over if we meet, likeints, grudges, roars or the like. I wanted to live more tastefully, so I didn¡¯t wanna meet ya. Haha. But well, how should I say this? Ca¡ªn¡¯t think of anything at all.¡±

    ¡°If I take away your foul mouth, what¡¯s left? Won¡¯t there be only your bad habit of fighting be left?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true. No money, no women, no friends.¡±

    I thought, why are things so peaceful? Even though screams of the audience, sounds of feet stepping on the floor, apuse and whistles kept ringing behind us. Why does the conversation of the two make my ears hurt so much, why is it so peaceful? Why doesn¡¯t the band hurry up and sing the next song? Singing a song that can sweep this loneliness away. I could only pray.

    ¡°¡­¡­ I¡¯m really jealous of ya. Will yaugh at me if I say something like this?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not funny at all.¡±

    ¡°That ain¡¯t wrong, but it¡¯s true. I don¡¯t have anythin¡¯ at all.¡±

    ¡°My sworn brother standing nkly over there¡­¡­ Didn¡¯t you meet him as soon as you came to Tokyo? Seems like you still have luck the size of a pea left, huh?¡±

    ¡°That ain¡¯t wrong.¡±

    While listening to the conversation of the two, I almost cried out in Alice¡¯s clutch.

    ¡°Why don¡¯cha buy a lottery ticket? If ya win a hundred million yen, yer rotten life might turn for the better.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll consider it. Can you tell me which betting centre I should go to, by the way? Which numbers should I buy?¡±

    ¡°Buy all of the numbers at the betting center, ya¡¯ll definitely win like this.¡±

    ¡°Why are you still so smart?¡±

    The words after that dried uppletely.

    Renji-san and Yondaime approached each other step by step.

    ¡°What should we do? I¡¯ve already been too careless. It¡¯s fine as long as I can get back my thing.¡±

    ¡°Even though it¡¯s a gang that you founded yourself, the rules that you set. You, yourself, should stick to it more closely.¡±

    ¡°True. God, who will He support?¡±

    I struggled in Alice¡¯s clutch. Why? Why is it that only at these times, I cannot slip away from these slender hands?

    ¡°P- Please don¡¯t do this! Yondaime is badly hurt!¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡±

    The roar of a wolf. The both of them raised their fists to face-height at the same time. Just at that moment, a smooth, explosive guitar solo rang. Lighting up turbulence that was released, it vigorously spread mine, Alice¡¯s, Renji-san¡¯s and Yondaime¡¯s shadows on the floor and the walls. The rhythm of the music and the bass apaniment ovepped, heating up the air together.

    A rion singing voice rang. Two shadows jumped at the same time and interweaved. I flung away Alice¡¯s hands and was nning to run over, but my knees were hugged from behind, and I fell down on my face. In my blurry vision, I saw one of the shadows falling slowly onto the floor.

    The song rained down even more vigorously, pping on my back and shoulders. The continuous beats of the drums that were like thunder, the bass movements that pounded on my whole body, the guitar music that was intertwining like a snake with ming scales, all of thembined with the voice, corroding my world drop by drop to the finish.

    After that, the standing silhouette shakily approached the copsed party. However, he did not stop, and headed in the direction of the door after walking over the other¡¯s body. The silhouette on the floor asked:

    ¡°How many feints did you make just now? Two?¡±

    ¡°Three.¡±

    The silhouette standing by the door answered without turning back.

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you got worse at this or anything? How boring.¡±

    ¡°Ya were toocking in practice yerself.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    I thought, who were they? My vision was long immersed in water, and was unable to determine who won.

    After all, the two reunited. Only at this moment, they can return the most important thing that they exchanged together when they shared sake to each other¡ª their words, and reaffirming it once again.

    ¡°Yer really an idiot.¡±

    ¡°I know¡­¡­ But there¡¯s no other choice. You probably won¡¯t understand.¡±

    ¡°Of course I understand, idiot.¡±

    The door connecting to the corridor opened.

    ¡°I¡¯m seriously hopeless.¡±

    Swallowing up the shadow and his unsteady footsteps, the door closed.

    In the darkness, another shadow stood up, and picked up the goggles sunsses lying on the ground. I wanted to say something to him. However, Alice tightly held on my hand, interrupting my voice.

    Footsteps rang along the shortdder next to the audience seats. The door was opened, and loud cheers flowed inside.

    When that sound was halted by the darkness once more, only the vigorous ensemble of music that rang on the stage remained by my side, as well as the temperature of Alice behind me.

 Volume 4, 7

    <h4>Volume 4, Chapter 7</h4>

    When the concert at Shinujuku ended on the fifth day, I couldn¡¯t even get up from the sofa with my remaining energy. The so-called event coordination means that there is an obligation to solve various problems that cannot be predicted. In the organization consisting of mostly newbies, the vast amount of workload couldn¡¯t be dealt with even if one has three bodies.

    ¡°Fujishima-san, today is thest day, right? Why don¡¯t we go celebrate? To celebration! The band members said that they want to celebrate with Fujishima-san as well!¡±

    Rushing into the lounge, Mika-san said in excitement while flinging my hand repeatedly.

    ¡°No, I really can¡¯t do it. I have to go back to sleep. And also, I still haven¡¯te of age.¡±

    ¡°The shop is at the east pass! We¡¯re getting slightlyte now, so I¡¯ll go over first!¡±

    Did you even hear what I was saying?

    ¡°Then how about I go in your ce?¡±

    Hiro-san said while cleaning up the lounge.

    ¡°Ohh, I¡¯ve already suppressed myself for five whole days not to flirt with them as we¡¯re on a job. But since its already ended, the ban is lifted. The girls in the band are so cute, it¡¯s hard for me to decide.¡±

    ¡°What on earth are you thinking!?¡±

    ¡°Good, good. Hiro-san is wee to go as well! I¡¯ll go book additional seats!¡±

    Mika-san rushed out like that. To guard the innocence of the band members, I had no choice but to drag my exhausted body there just to apany him.

    ¡°If there¡¯s free booze, I¡¯m going as well. We¡¯ve worked hard for so long.¡±

    ¡°Tetsu-senpai, you didn¡¯t help out much, did you!?¡±

    ¡°I baited the people to the air conditioned room all by myself.¡±

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t that just on the first day? On the others, you kept going to y pachinko, even though you¡¯re among the security! I know everything!¡±

    ¡°Ohh¡ª Ohh¡ª Narumi, as expected of the person in charge of the system. Actually, it can count as a business loss.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t joke with me

    ¡°Of course I¡¯ll take part as well.¡±

    Can the money lost in pachinko be counted as expenses? That probably won¡¯t do, right?

    Major reimed the walkie-talkies from the members in charge of security and returned to the lounge.

    ¡°Which means, we¡¯re using Yondaime¡¯s money for booze. We can¡¯t see such a great party so often.¡±

    ¡°Major, weren¡¯t you always mistreated as a primary school student each time at chain wine stores? Shouldn¡¯t you just give up?¡±

    Tetsu-senpaiughed at Major.

    ¡°Ha! Ha! Ha! Actually, I¡¯m already two thousand years old! And I have a student ID to prove that for me as well!¡±

    That isn¡¯t anything worthy of showing off to other people. I should say, so even such a person can be an adult? Duh. I, myself, will turn into an adult inw, although I have neither awareness nor resolution for this.

    The restaurant that Mika-san reserved for us was a trendy restaurant with numerous stand-alone rooms. If it were to be just the band members consisting of female college students or Hiro-san, it does match them quite well. However, the ones who sat by my side were Tetsu-senpai, Major, Pole and Rocky respectively, making mepletely speechless. Although the dishes weren¡¯t too bad, there was too little of them.

    However, the sake seemed to be quite nice, which was why Tetsu-senpai was so happy.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we get Yondaime some sake as well? We can order a whole bottle of Juyondai sake as well.¡±

    ¡°Nononono. I¡¯m telling you that he¡¯s an injured person. He said something like he was scolded to death by the doctors, his ward was locked and the like.¡±

    After all, he was a severely injured person who entered ICU for less than five days, but he slipped out of the ward, having a fight with someone else as well. If someone finds out that his visitors smuggled wine in, he¡¯ll probably be thrown into a ward with steel windows.

    However, it¡¯s fortunate that we can be so busy.

    That would be due to the fact that I didn¡¯t have the time to think back on Renji-san these four days.

    Just like that, with the smell of barbecue and cigarette smoking my face, I counted the numbers of bubbles in my ginger soda while immersing myself in themotion exclusive to the restaurant. At these times, it¡¯s hard for me not to me to think back on it. The highlighted hairstyle that had a sense of frivolity, the gaze blocked by the goggles sunsses that was like thin needles, the evidently fake Kansai ng, the slightly hunched way of walking, the penguins and pr bears that we watched together, the sweet taste of the c that we drank when we became sworn brothers.

    That person, what happened to him after that? Nobody was willing to tell me.

    Just like that, I had lost consciousness before I went home from the restaurant. I was already on my bed at home before I realized it. ording to my sister, ¡®A frivolous-looking man from god knows which age¡¯ escorted me back home. I had to trouble Hiro-san to send me home, huh? Wait, doesn¡¯t that mean he drove after drinking alcoholic drinks? No, that person was really just pretending to be drunk when he flirted with them while drinking wine, wasn¡¯t he?

    Oh well, whatever. I¡¯m tired.

    There was less than a week of the summer break left. However, I was still wasting my time lying on my bed a whole two days after the celebration party ended.

    It was already thest Tuesday in August when the lethargy in my body gradually disappeared, and I was able to show up at Hanamaru Ramen once more. When I walked into the empty ramen shop that was in its preparatory phase, I saw a brand new red portiere spread out on the counter table, giving me quite a fright.

    ¡°Ahh, seems like it was made by Yoshiki for us free of charge. And it¡¯s sewn on as well. It feels somewhat too mboyant, but it¡¯s still quite nice, right? I¡¯m nning to use the new one from today.¡±

    Min-san, who was cooking soup, spoke in a nonchnt tone. Somewhat too mboyant? It couldn¡¯t be described with these words at all. It¡¯s a masterpiece that requires top-notch skills and timing. I checked out the texture with my hand. Simr to the T-shirt that was given to me, it was detailed embroidery simr to the webbed state of tatami. Using red thread that has slightly more luster than the clothing, the picture that seemed somewhat like embossment, taken from Chouju-jinbutsu giga, perhaps? The background of the portiere was a picture of frogs, eels and monkeys frolicking, while the words Hanamaru Ramen were sewn in the middle using white threads.

    I leaned my exhausted body on the back of the chair, shifted my gaze from the portiere, and stared at Min-san, who was busy moving here and there in the kitchen.

    That person should have known long ago as well. Yoshiki-san¡¯s¡ª true name.

    ¡°What? You won¡¯t get anything to eat even if you keep staring at me. Even though you know we¡¯re in preparations, what on earth are you here for? Why don¡¯t you learn from Ayaka? Staying at home, doing homework for the summer holidays.¡±

    ¡°W- Well¡­¡­ Alice called me over.¡±

    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you hurry up and get up?¡±

    However, I still had something to ask.

    I lowered my head. I took the chance of her shifting her gaze to ask:

    ¡°Did¡­¡­ Hison-san say anything?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°For example, things about Yondaime¡­¡­ or Renji-san?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    Is that so? I slowly breathed out. That¡¯s true. How could she have said anything?

    Even so, Min-san extended her hand from behind the counter and pointed at the lower right corner of the portiere.

    I noticed two foxes¡ª No, wolves, in the crowd of rabbits and frogs, and let one of them wear a pair of shades in great detail. I felt as though something was surging in my body, and immediately folded the portiere.

    So, this is that person¡¯s answer?

    Without saying a word, folding everything together, and continue ying that person¡¯s current role.

    ¡°¡­¡­ You knew about it long ago, right?¡±

    For quite some time, I could only hear the sounds of the soup boiling and the cooling fan spinning. Thus, I didn¡¯t even dare to raise my head.

    I was afraid to see what expression Min-san was wearing.

    ¡°I knew.¡±

    Min-san¡¯s voice mixed with the moist air full of fragrance. I clenched my fists on my knees. Although I knew that it was a dumb question myself, I must still ask on.

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you thought of doing anything?¡±

    ¡°What does ¡®doing anything¡¯ mean?¡±

    Min-san¡¯s voice that seemed somewhat displeased burned directly into my ears. After that, my fringe was suddenly grabbed, and I was pulled over to her.

    ¡°Listen well, I¡¯m opening a ramen shop.¡±

    Min-san¡¯s furious gaze was just before my eyes. My voice shrunk while being stuck somewhere in the depths of my throat.

    ¡°I won¡¯t and can¡¯t do anything other than letting other people eat. Isn¡¯t that a given?¡±

    I was attacked with a flick on the forehead that was visibly her going easy on me, and I was thrust out of the counter just like that. That¡¯s right, it¡¯s a given. After all, there weren¡¯t any other ways at all. We are all insignificant. Since we already can¡¯t take care of ourselves, we can only be in pain alone, survive alone, and die alone.

    The main reason that I still felt that Min-san¡¯s words were cold was because I came in contact with it slightly, Alice¡¯s unanticipated passion.

    Because we are still living on, we must make choices.

    Those words were just like a scream from the sorrow of Alice¡¯s body. What in the world happened? In that small body, how much more darkness that I cannotprehend is hidden?

    Alice did not tell me the truth beforehand. She said that it would be enough for her to experience the pain once. Does that mean that the current me cannot be the one to share her pain as well? Even if it¡¯s only five percent, I still wish to help shoulder her pain¡ª Are these thoughts only my own delusions?

    It was like Min-san, who could only allow the others to eat ramen and ice cream. Does a so-called assistant detective have to obediently stay by a detective¡¯s side, epting the words that she spoke because of her inability to tolerate the pain?

    If that¡¯s true, it¡¯s just too sorrowful.

    However, when I silently stood up, something flitted past the corner of my vision. I supported myself on the chair and blinked repeatedly.

    The very edge of the counter. It was hung on one of the sake bottles that were tidily arranged. I picked it up with trembling hands. It¡¯s unmistakable.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, he came yesterday.¡±

    I raised my head to look at Min-san, while she smiled wryly as she stirred the souop.

    Looking at the goggles sunsses. I ran over.

    ¡°That annoying dolt just remembered the taste five years ago. Saying to me something like ¡¯This definitely ain¡¯t Hanamaru¡¯s taste¡¯, ¡®Give me back that awful taste!¡¯ and other idiotic stuff. And he even nned to eat ramen while wearing his sses. He just wouldn¡¯t listen no matter how many times I scolded him, so I just beat him up.¡±

    And his bad habit of forgetting things easily hasn¡¯t changed at all, Min-san chuckled heartily.

    Why don¡¯t you give this back to him when you see him next time?

    I rolled the goggles sunsses on my palm, reaffirming its touch.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Did he¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Did he?¡±

    ¡°Did he mention anything else? Like what he¡¯s going to do after this?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you that he was just here for ramen. I gave him a bowl of specially made ramen. Apart from that, do you need anything else?¡±

    I shut my mouth and clenched the goggles sunsses.

    ¡°Too slow! What were you doing at the ramen shop? You should have came upstairs right away when you arrived!¡±

    When I stepped into the detective agency, Alice¡¯s angry roars blew over along with the air conditioning. The detective wearing pajamas stood on her bed while frowning.

    ¡°Sorry¡­¡­ I was talking with Min-san about something.¡±

    ¡°Not much time is left until the train departs. What if we arete?¡±

    ¡­¡­ Train departs?

    ¡°The Shinkansen line that Hirasaka Renji is going on. Departing from Shinagawa at four in the evening.¡±

    I widened my eyes.

    ¡°Why¡­¡­ do you know?¡±

    ¡°He booked the tickets using his phone. I grasped it all. Fortunately, the object that we asked helped for has arrived, which would be the item that he forgot. Why don''t you take it over to him?¡±

    As I couldn¡¯t catch the package that Alice threw over, it hit me right in my face.

    ¡°What is it? You seem even more sluggish than usual. Your energy burned out after all the effort you put in, perhaps? If you wish to investigate the empty rooms for nursing homes, I can ept the request with an extremely low price.¡±

    ¡°N- Not really, I don¡¯t mean that.¡±

    I pressed the package closely to my chest and approached Alice on my knees.

    ¡°Well¡­¡­ That time¡ª¡°

    Halfway through my words, the words bent, snapped, was heated up and melted, and finally reversed its flow into my lung. Even I, myself, didn¡¯t know. What did I want to say? What did I want to ask? What did I want? Being stared directly at by Alice¡¯s clear gaze, the troubles and doubts in my chest were squeezed together.

    After all, I only didn¡¯t want the cold, blowing wind and the sttering rain to snatch the temperature on Alice¡¯s body, only wanting to stay by her side.

    I just don''t want to see Alice feel sad, seeing her swallowing her bitter memories alone. However, I¡¯m so insignificant that I can¡¯t even share five percent of her pain.

    ¡°It might not be convincing if I say this¡­¡­ But I will do my best. Because I want to keep staying by Alice¡¯s side. So that Alice can feel that I can stay by her side as well.¡±

    Alice went into a daze for a moment, pushing away the hill of stuffed animals behind her, retreating to the innermost side of her bed.

    ¡°W- W- Wh¡­¡­¡± Her face slowly reddened. ¡°What is wrong with you, suddenly¡­¡­ What are you talking about!? You are extremely odd recently! Is it because of your inherent NEET traits, your brain broke down when your workload became too much!?¡±

    ¡°Eh¡­¡­ Ah, no, sorry¡­¡­ Well¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°What about me? A- Asking me, w- what I feel about my assistant detective by my side who is as slow as nkton. You can actually be ignorant of this even though you were with me for so long, I am seriously speechless! To you, to you! That I am so¡ª¡°

    ¡°¡­¡­ So¡­¡­ Erm¡­¡­ What?¡±

    As I was afraid of being pummeled, I covered my head with my hand, and I still felt a need to ask even though I was scared. Alice flushed, and as usual, empty cans of Dr. Pepper started to fly over.

    ¡°In any case, just hurry over!¡±

    With her long hair fluttering, the NEET detective pointed at the entrance.

    ¡°What if you do not manage to arrive in time? Do you know how much energy would have been wasted then?¡±

    I stuffed the goggles sunsses and the item handed to me into my backpack together and flew out of the office.

    I found the hair highlighted blonde at the waiting area of the number 23 line of the Shinagawa station. He leaned on the wall behind a shop, forlornly eating his train bento. Bells of train reaching the station and the voice of the announcer kept interweaving, while sounds of the trains on the railway rang non-stop.

    ¡°¡ª Renji-san!¡±

    I ran upwards along the stairs, passed through the gaps between the passengers pulling along luggage, and shouted out loudly. After raising his head and ncing at me, Renji-san refocused his attention on his bento. His speed of eating seemed to have slightly quickened as well.

    When I ran to his side, adjusting my pace of breathing by supporting my hands on my knees, Renji-san snapped his chopsticks and ttened his bento box, walking over after throwing them into the rubbish bin.

    ¡°I was thinkin¡¯ that Tokyo is really a desert, since nobody came to see me.¡±

    The smile on his face was simr to that of the first time I saw him. However, there were red and green bruises on the two sides of his face. Possibly because I kept staring at him, Renji-san covered his face with his hands after noticing it.

    ¡°Ahh, about this? Narumi, ya probably saw the right one huh? It was Sou¡¯s fist. The left was given my Min-san. I¡¯m not even a Christian¡ª Just thinking that my present foring to Tokyo is these makes me want to cry.¡±

    It felt like a rough flow of breath was stuck in my lungs.

    ¡°That guy, even though he was just a beaten up person, in the end, how were his fists? I underestimated him. I forgot how many wins and losses we had. If I lost more than I won, I feel even more like cryin¡¯.¡±

    I asked hesitantly:

    ¡°What are you going to do after this?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m thinkin¡¯ of hidin¡¯ near Osaka. It feels morefy.¡±

    Renji-san smiled with his teeth showing, and immediately frowned because of the pain on his face.

    ¡°Didn¡¯cha beat up my underlings half to death at Akasaka? Actually there was a superviser from Yanagihara-kai among them, and I could only run away thanks to ya. Seriously, my personality is unsuited for paying back my debts steadily.¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t¡­¡­ it be better if you just stay in Tokyo? If all of us help out, your debts will probably be¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°I must take responsibility.¡±

    He showed a gaze as though he was correcting me, and since he wasn¡¯t wearing shades to block it, I couldn¡¯t continue to respond.

    ¡°There¡¯s no difference. Didn¡¯t I tell ya before this? It¡¯s enough that I could meet Narumi. Though the panda ain¡¯t there anymore, we still saw penguins and pr bears. And also, the band¡¯s songs ain¡¯t bad as well. I¡¯ll definitely buy their CDs if they¡¯re out. I stayed in Tokyo for two months. Compared with my useless life, I already got a lot. Although Ipletely lost my sunsses and my friends, and the woman that I once loved. So when ya think about it¡­¡­¡±

    I really couldn¡¯t bear to continue listening. Because of that, I extended my hand into my backpack, taking out the goggles sunsses. After that, Renji-san¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Ah¡ª Ahhh¡ª So it was at Hanamaru? So I left it over there? Rea¡ªlly, thank ya. I¡¯m saved.¡±

    Renji-san¡¯s eyes were hidden under the ck sses of the goggles sunsses yet again.

    ¡°No.¡±

    I shook my head weakly. I just think I have more to help out with, but that would probably be just my own delusions. Every one of us can only be in pain alone, survive alone, and die alone. If wee in contact with each other because of certain urrences, how can we do anything for the others? Just the useless frame of ourselves was more than we can handle.

    Thest thing that the dumb assistant detective could do, was only to be an errand boy.

    I took out the paper package and handed it to Renji-san.

    ¡°A present?¡±

    ¡°No, I heard that you forgot this as well.¡±

    Renji-san opened the package. The wind that blew on the station tform all of a sudden blew the paper packaging open. In the nick of time, his fingers caught the contents in the package, and then, pure white clothing material waved along the wind.

    It was a T-shirt. With white background, only its cor and cuffs were ck. There were detailedyers of embroidery on the shoulders and side abdominal part of it, which would be the emblem of Hirasaka-gumi. It wasn¡¯t just scattered fireworks anymore, but a swallowtail butterfly soaring in the skies.

    I understand now, so it¡¯s such a thing. Alice asked Yoshiki-san to do this, I suppose?

    ¡°I forgot even about this.¡±

    Renji-san¡¯s smile was only on his mouth this time.

    ¡°When we decided on this emblem, Hison said that she wanted to help do embroidery of this. It¡¯s just that I was too poor that time, so there¡¯s just this one T-shirt.¡±

    The moist voice seeped into the T-shirt along Renji-san¡¯s fingers.

    ¡°So I just asked her to sew it on bit by bit when I went to hang out at the apartment, but in the end, Hison¡­¡­¡±

    While speaking hesitantly, Renji-san¡¯s face sank in a shadow. I tried to give him a smile and shook my head.

    ¡°Until itspletion, five years had passed.¡±

    Renji-san responded with a forced smile as well.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Maybe she had a crush on me¡ª¡°

    He stopped halfway through his words. Renji-san covered his nose with the T-shirt.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Sheesh. So it wasn¡¯t Hison who finished the remaining part?¡±

    I shook my head in puzzlement.

    ¡°It¡¯s full of the smell of anesthetics. If you see that idiot after this, remember to tell him to be less restless in the ward.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡±

    My throat was burned by tears.

    I felt that it was quite unfair that only Renji-san was wearing sunsses. Even though he was in tears, when he had his back on the Shinkansen that just arrived and was leaving me step by step, it was like¡ª he looked like he was just smiling.

    An intrusive wind remained. Even after the train left, I still grabbed onto the thick railings by the railway, waiting for my flow of tears to be stemmed. The sunlight was reflected from the walls of the building, scattering colorful particles of light on my wet eyshes. The scene that came into my view felt like everything was going to be burnt into the sunny skies, and it was in an afternoon with dazzling sunlight in August.

 Volume 4, Afterword

    <h4>Volume 4, Afterword</h4>

    Thest male panda in Japan, Rin Rin, died at the Ueno zoo a month and a few days before the third episode of this series was released¡ª the end of April 2008.

    As it can be said that I¡¯m living a life with no chance of using the television, I never found out that such a thing actually happened for nearly a year. That might be because I¡¯m not particrly interested in ck and white pandas. When I went to the Ueno zoo two years ago, I was probably standing behind the children on the ss of the panda hall who were looking at the still-present Rin Rin, but I have no memory of it at all right now. In my mind, there is only the happy look of a small panda shaking its fluffy tail, walking here and there under the shade.

    In any case, when I found out about his heath, it was coincidentally the time when I was writing the forth episode, and I still can¡¯t recognize this truth. Although I say that I¡¯m uninterested in it, in my subconscious, I still think that pandas are indistinguishable from Ueno. Besides, there are still panda statues at the Ueno station, while the names ¡®Panda Pass¡¯ and ¡®Panda Bridge¡¯ and the like are still kept.

    They¡¯re guides for people to think back on their memories one day, perhaps? To keep a certain ce for certain people, the most important thing is to give it a name, and continue to treasure it.

    The content of the four books in the Kami-sama no Memo-chou series are stories simr to this. To treasure the ces named for a certain person, until that person returns¡ª they are stories like that. If everyone can use this chance to look back in detail, I think it¡¯s not hard to notice the theme lying under the story.

    After my previous series wasplete, I once discussed with my editor about my next work. As there was already two or three new ideas, I originally nned to write a brand new series, but he told me this in the phone instead¡ª

    ¡®Remember to think about the contents of Kamimemo 4 as well!¡¯

    As I¡¯m a ssic Japanese who just can¡¯t say no, I actually answered like this: ¡°Then I¡¯ll send a few proposals over including Kamimemo 4.¡±, when I actually never thought of continuing.

    I thought to myself: ¡®Whatever, let¡¯s just send them the proposals for the new series, and it¡¯ll be fine as long as one gets through¡¯

    However, things didn¡¯t go as I expected. When I sat before my desk, the new proposals that I was originally confident ofpletely disappeared, and could not be given form. When I came to my senses, I realized that my mind was filled with Narumi, Alice, Yondaime and ¡®Him¡¯ when I was staring at the nk document.

    After that, I took out the first novel and flipped open the 215th page.

    Up till now, the memory is still fresh in me. When I was writing Yondaime¡¯s lines, I did indeed think of ¡®him¡¯¡ª the story of ¡®him¡¯ parting with Yondaime, and not knowing if I could write the story that must be faced, the story of ¡®his¡¯ reunion with Yondaime.

    Thus, I kicked away the new proposals that were in my mind, andpleted the main structure of this story. I nned to write the proposal for Kamimemo 4ter, but it was sent to my editors the earliest instead.

    In the end, as you can see, of course, it passed.

    Probably because the ce named for Yondaime and ¡®him¡¯ still exists in my editor¡¯s heart¡ª and in my heart as well? After all, this series has stories just like this.

    Although I¡¯m speaking somewhat triumphantly, actually, I just thought of the speech above just now, ramblings that I thought of after that. If any reader really flipped through the previous books because of my words, I¡¯m so sorry. Although I wasn¡¯t really ¡®deliberately spouting nonsense about the main theme of the story in the afterword of the forth book¡¯, my illness of rambling on hasn¡¯t seem to be cured, and I actually did it for two pages, speaking as though it¡¯s really true¡­¡­ If anyone throws the book directly on the wall after reading the afterword, I can¡¯t have anyints as well.

    Although I, who kept ying the role of the boy who cried wolf, might not be trusted after this anymore, the part regarding ¡®him¡¯ is actually true. I kept nning to write this from before, and I finallypleted my task, so I really have mixed feelings about this.

    It feels like I should apologize for many things, so please allow me to express my most sincere apology for making everyone wait for a whole year. As for what I did in this period of time, people who once read my previous works should have known that Ipletely ignored kamimemo, and went to write other stories. Very sorry.

    Speaking of which, regarding the second hand shop that appeared a few times in this story, there are some stories that will be released along with the novel as drama CDs.

    This is the longest afterword that I have written in my whole life. Inavoidably, I¡¯ve brought various troubles to my editor, Yuasa-sama, when I was writing the drafts of the story, and dyed the deadline of other short works, so I¡¯m expressing my deepest apology over here. I¡¯ll have to thank Kishida Mel-sensei for creating beautiful illustrations for me in his business. Apart from that, NoSeul-ki-sensei helped me out as the trantor for the Korean version when I was gathering information, so please allow me to use this chance to express my deepest gratitude.

    May 2009 Sugii Hikaru

 Volume 5, Prologue

    <h4>Volume 5, Prologue</h4>

    Everyone, let¡¯s y with our chests raised. The uniform numbers that you are currently wearing are all the eternally saved numbers of the Kintetsu Buffaloes! ¡ª Nashida Masataka

    What in the world does a so-called assistant detective do? People would ask me such a question asionally. It really gives me a headache thinking of how to answer.

    As a normal high schooler, although I head to the ramen shop and the detective agency in the same building, living a meaningless life by washing bowls, washing pajamas, buying Dr. Pepper, trying out new ramen, being brought to arcades, standing nkly, being dragged away to apany gamblers, most probably, almost no one would believe it if I say that those are the jobs of an assistant detective.

    The sole thing that I can say that it¡¯s my job as an assistant detective with my chest raised would probably be to create records of incidents.

    ¡°Oh, then hand it over for me to have a look.¡± The detective said.

    The detective who was my employer was called Alice, and was a girl about the age of a primary school student. Having lustrous, almost leg-length ck hair coupled with bear-patterned pajamas, she has an appearance that people won¡¯t forget as long as they see it once.

    ¡°No, because that isn¡¯t something for people to look at.¡±

    ¡°The sentence not something for people to look at is a shame onnguage, the greatest weapon of mankind! Listen well, Narumi. It¡¯s because there is a way of transmitting messages between people that we can continue to live on as humans. So let me have a look.¡±

    Just like her mystifying way of speaking, the detective was actually extremely obstinate.

    ¡°But¡­¡­ I didn¡¯t even bring it here! It¡¯s just stored in myputer at home.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you please say things like this earlier!¡±

    Uh oh! Before I could stop her, Alice had long started to pound on the keyboard by her bed like a piano, opening a folder on the monitor. This little detective had first-rate cracking skills, so hacking into myputer was a piece of cake to her.

    ¡°W- What is this!¡±

    After browsing through my work records, Alice jumped from the bed and turned around to re at me.

    ¡°From your way of writing, doesn¡¯t our agency look as though we were always cleaning up messes made by foolish people making stupid mistakes?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Isn¡¯t that the main gist of it?¡±

    ¡°What in the world do you see the NEET Detective who speaks for the dead as!¡±

    Alice was so annoyed that her long ck hair was continually shaking, while her hands thumped the bed sheets non-stop.

    ¡°Haven¡¯t we faced a fewrge cases where quite a few people were hurt or even died, and even you were left with wounds, being unable to move because of your used up energy? Why didn¡¯t you record all that!¡±

    ¡°Because I don¡¯t have the strength to do that at all!¡± And didn¡¯t you say yourself that my energy was used up?

    ¡°In any case, I do not acknowledge these records. I shall rewrite this.¡±

    While saying that, Alice started to add a few MBs of content and closely described her own room (especially therge crowd of dolls). I sighed, pulled the loudly protesting detective away from the keyboard and returned the file to its original state. This is a file in my ownputer, so please don¡¯t change it by yourself!

    ¡°I got it already! I¡¯ll record them in more detail.¡± I consoled Alice. ¡°Perhaps these cases were indeed meaningless¡­¡­ But they should have once been important in certain people¡¯s lives! There was always people working their best in each of the cases, you should be very clear about this, isn¡¯t that right, Alice?¡±

    That was one of the most important facts that I learnt after bing an assistant detective.

    Completely irrelevant to most people, but irreceable to an extreme minority of people¡ª most of the things that happen in this world are like this, so sometimes, the cries of a person cannot enter the ears of the surrounding people at all.

    Just at these times, there would be a crowd of NEETs who usually perks up their ears to the sky to while off their time clearly hearing the sounds of crying.

    That is why we work as detectives.

    Alice red at me in extreme dissatisfaction, and suddenly pressed her index finger on my chest in the end.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Fine! But be sure not to record only the process of the incident!¡±

    It was as though she was taking a glimpse into my eyes through the strange, colorful bottom of a sea.

    ¡°Just recording what you did, met and experienced in the case would be fine. Since you are using the precious time on my sry to record, only recording these things would be meaningful. Do you understand?¡± After thinking for quite some time, I nodded in the end.

    Indeed¡ª because these cases are still my story in the end.

    And here, four extremely meaningless and ordinary cases are recorded. No drugs, no bag with two hundred million yen, no murder or gang disputes. Even so, to some people living in this world, these incidents are still iparably real.

    Of course, as I am typing on the keyboard right now, I am one of those people as well. I truly hope that you can realize that you are one of them as well when you read.

 Volume 5, The Origins of Hanamaruâ€™s Soup

    <h4>Volume 5, The Origins of Hanamaru¡¯s Soup</h4>

    Everyone, lift your chest up and y.

    The numbers on your backs will be retired numbers of all the Kintetsu Buffaloes.

    Nashida Masataka

    This was the third case that I encountered after bing an assistant detective¡ª In other words, it urred after the Angel Fix uproar. As it happened when I had just started to record the cases, it was really hard to name that incident appropriately. The whole case was like the thin noodles of ramen tangled with the straps of a bra. Even though it didn¡¯t take a long time, it was extremely confusing and idiotic. I changed the title to the aforementioned only because of Alice¡¯s criticism that the earlier names were toocking and tasteless.

    A lot of things did indeed happen in this period of time, but speaking from the results, it was actually just a story that happened before the ramen soup waspleted.

    *

    The Yamanote Line and other private railways converged untidily at therge station near Hanamaru Ramen. One could find the shop in a dead alley with bad airing between short buildings just six minutes from the station on foot. As soon as night fell, srymen would gather here, crowding up the shop in an instant, while the leftover customers would have to im foldable chairs or overturned crates outside the shop¡ª that was how the shop was.

    Although the owner¡¯s skills improved substantially recently, it was still really hard to say that the shop¡¯s ramen was ¡®tasty¡¯ even in politeness. One of the reasons that this shop could still barely continue its business in such bad conditions was because the ice cream that the owner made due to personal interest was exceptionally scrumptious, and another was because the owner¡¯s breasts were reallyrge. Well, that was what I personally think, anyway.

    Min-san, the owner of the ramen shop, was a young woman. Standing in the kitchen, she kept her long hair in a ponytail, her chest wrapped in a sarashi, and a long apron tied around her waist, covering the tank top she was wearing. Nobody knew Min-san¡¯s real name and age. A rude customer once asked for her age, and she promptly beat the person up. An even ruder customer asked for the size of her bra, and she said ¡®I don¡¯t buy these things¡¯, and beat the person up. And I had to wash bowls and cut onions beside such a person, earning a daily pay of 700 yen with my life on stake.

    Speaking of which, I would asionally think of this¡ª Is working under a person whose name you don¡¯t know really in line with social norms? The school rules stated explicitly that part time jobs were forbidden, so I never mentioned this at school, and added with the fact that both of my parents weren¡¯t at home, while my sister who was in charge of looking after me was a permissive person, she didn¡¯t have anything to say even if I didn¡¯t return for two days¡ª To put it bluntly, nobody actually cares who I work for at all.

    This was what Alice told me when I mentioned this to her.

    ¡°I do not know Master¡¯s name as well, but I know her father¡¯s name. Her father was Hanada Masaru, the exact same name as the 66th yokozuna, it seems. At first, he nned to use his name directly as the shop¡¯s name, but someone said that the name sounded weak, and so he removed the tones of ¡®da¡¯ and ¡®sa¡¯ , thus forming the current name ¡®Hanamaru¡¯¡ª that is how things are said to be, but I cannot affirm to its validity.¡±

    On the third floor of the building with the ramen shop, there was a room with a signboard saying ¡®NEET Detective Agency¡¯, while the owner of the room was this strange girl who called herself Alice. The room had air-conditioners going strong in all seasons, while the walls were full ofputers and equipment. The low hum of machines functioning shrouded the whole room. Arge bed was at the center of the room, while the girl who wore teddy-patterned pajamas, had long ck hair andrge doll-like eyes, Alice, usually sat on the bed with her slender legs extended.

    I got to know Alice because of the incident that happened in winter. From that time on, I was in charge of sending ramen to the picky hikkikomori girl¡¯s room, making her eat them all up. Unknowingly, it seemed to have turned into my daily routine as well.

    ¡°Why do you only know her father¡¯s name?¡±

    I estimated the time for Alice to finish her ramen, took out a can of Dr. Pepper and handed it to her while asking.

    ¡°Why? Because he is the person who signed the rental contract! Of course his name is on the contract.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Contract? Oh¡­¡­ So Min-san¡¯s dad is the owner of this building?¡±

    So that¡¯s why a ramen shop that had long got out of fashion was here¡­¡­ Just when I finally understood slightly, Alice spoke:

    ¡°No no, I am the owner of the building.¡±

    I nearly fell on my back.

    ¡°Why are you so surprised? If I am not the owner, can I still modify the room and install surveince cameras as I like? You¡¯ll know this just by using your brain a little.¡±

    Giving me a disdainful look, Alice shrugged and pointed at the sixth small monitor arranged by her bed. The monitor was connected to the high-functionality surveince cameras recording at all times that were set up around the building. Indeed, disregarding those in her own room, setting these things outside the room as she liked was a bit overboard¡­¡­

    ¡°Seriously, you reallyckmon sense of themunity.¡±

    You as a hikkikomori don¡¯t have any right to say that! But I couldn¡¯t talk back, and thus stayed mute.

    ¡°Strictly speaking, I did not sign the contract with Hanada Masaru-shi directly as well. He was already living here when I took over the building with illegal means.¡±

    You took over the building with illegal means¡­¡­? Then I think it¡¯s better not to ask how.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Which means, you kept living on the rent for the rooms, huh?¡±

    I nodded in understanding. After all, I thought that the source of ie for this hikikomori girl was a mystery from a long time before. However, Alice immediately flew into a rage when she heard my words.

    ¡°What sort of rudement was that! The rent for the building is directly deposited into the ount of the legal owner, and I never even touched it! I just required an office! Although I know that your brain of sponge will notprehend this no matter how many times I speak of it, let me speak of this once again¡ª I work as a NEET detective, and earn a considerable amount of pay as a detective!¡±

    ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s my fault, I apologize!¡±

    Seeing that an empty Dr. Pepper can was about to fly over, I hurriedly covered my head and maintained a low position. The girl in pajamas is really a prideful (self-proimed) detective.

    ¡°Actually, it is fine with me even if I don¡¯t collect rent for Master¡¯s store, but she is a prideful ramen shop owner as well. Even if we don¡¯t know each other¡¯s true names, we still respect each other very much. That is why I allow her to meaninglessly continue depositing rent into the ount of a shellpany.¡±

    Speaking of which, I don¡¯t think I know Alice¡¯s real name either. I just heard that her name was Yuuko¡­¡­

    ¡°Even so¡­¡­ With your capabilities, aren¡¯t you able to find out Min-san¡¯s real name with just a little investigation?¡± I asked randomly while looked at the machine rack that loomed so tall behind her that they almost covered the whole wall.

    ¡°She never spoke of her name, which means she has no intention of letting me know. Don¡¯t you even know the concept of privacy?¡±

    ¡°A person who steals files from other people everywhere online doesn''t really have the right to say that to me¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°That is all the more reason I cannot investigate! Even in her room, the NEET Detective can still search the whole world. Before such a detective, every personal message is like a naked body. That is why I must decide on a boundary that I must follow with my strong will.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t say¡­¡­¡± You¡¯re saying it like it¡¯s real.

    ¡°Of course, there is some privacy that I do not respect. For instance, the names of the anime that you rented at Tatsuya yesterday are all in my grasp. Although I cannot say that it¡¯s bad taste, the standard of moral ethics is really baffling as people under eighteen are actually able to rent videos with such content¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°GYAAAH, you wait just one minute!¡±

    In a huge shock, I frantically grabbed the edge of the bed.

    ¡°Is my personal privacy really that meaningless!¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you rent the videos along the way when you went out yesterday to buy things for me? I only started investigation because you came back toote. This is an evident case ofziness while on duty!¡±

    ¡°Ngh¡­¡­ But you didn¡¯t have to check out even the contents!¡±

    ¡°If I did not investigate the contents thoroughly, I would have been unable to berate you effectively!¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you just looking for a fight? And how was Izy while on duty! Is even going out on errands for you my job as well?¡±

    ¡°Is that wrong? From a long time ago, the job of an assistant detective was already to run errands for the detective and being bullied by the detective to reduce the detective¡¯s stress!¡±

    I weakly fell onto my knees. That¡¯s right, I¡¯m indeed this person¡¯s assistant. Although I had no other choice due to various circumstances, currently, I regret it very much¡ª and I don¡¯t have a pay as well.

    ¡°You¡¯re getting better at talking back recently, so it¡¯s worth it for me to bully you. I¡¯m really happy, you know! After all, you¡¯re the only person who visits me here everyday like this.¡±

    While saying that, Alice rested her chin on her raised kneecaps, her wordspletely unsuited with the innocent smile on her face. Seeing her look, I couldn¡¯t say anything more as well.

    *

    Late that night, I packed away the portiere and lowered half of the steel gate. When I was noisily washing the tes and bowls, Min-san walked in from the kitchen door while carrying a cardboard box.

    ¡°Narumi, stay here for tonight.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ What?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m changing the soup for the ramen. We¡¯re going to cook soup the whole night!¡±

    The cardboard box fell onto the desk with a ¡®thud¡¯. Inside, there were onions, carrots, dried mushrooms and thick rib bones. After that, Min-san took off her tank top, leaving only her sarashi on her upper torso¡ª She entered battle mode.

    ¡°Um¡­¡­ But I still have to go to school tomorrow¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°You can stay at my ce for the night. I already called your sister. She even said that this will save her a meal¡¯s worth of money!¡±

    What¡¯s wrong with this diplomacy without regard for the party concerned!

    ¡°Is it possible¡­¡­ that you¡¯re asking me to go to school tomorrow directly from here? No no no, how can this be possible¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine, you can bathe at my ce.¡± Min-san said while pointing at the door exiting the kitchen. The interior of the ramen shop connected directly to her room. Erm¡­¡­ But it¡¯s inconvenient in a lot of ways for young men and women to stay together under a roof for a night¡­¡­ Can you please not do this, Aneki!

    ¡°¡­¡­ Why are you changing the soup all of a sudden?¡±

    I asked cautiously. Min-san stopped peeling the onions and red at me.

    ¡°Do you remember the customer who came in at about eight tonight and ordered miso ramen? The one on the chair at the side.¡±

    I pondered for a moment and remembered the customer that she spoke of.

    ¡°The one wearing shades?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I saw him at the shop for the first timest week. It¡¯s the third time this week.¡±

    ¡°Well aren¡¯t you clear about this¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°That guy ordered soy sauce, salt-vored and miso ramen in turn, but he actually left them alone after just one mouthful. Although I don¡¯t know what person he is, but an action like that is just in challenging me!¡±

    If he thought that it was bad after just a mouthful, he shouldn¡¯t have came back again. That person was indeed rather mystifying, but how did she see that as a challenge?

    However, I did not have any room for rebuke. After all, I owed Min-san too much, and even if that weren¡¯t so, this person wouldn¡¯t have talked things over with me nicely as well. After all, she was an action-type person who would first beat people up to shut them up.

    I sighed and took out a new soup pot from under the desk to wash it.

    *

    It was alreadyte night when I heard that noise. I was sitting before therge pot that was stewed by a gentle fire, weakly stirring the ingredients inside.

    I raised my head and looked around the dark ramen shop. The aroma of the rib bones soup was almost suffocating, and only sounds of showering water came from behind me. Min-san handed me the job of looking after the pot when she went to bathes, but I started to doze off during that time.

    An odd noise rang out with the sound of water once again. At first, I thought that it was Min-san¡¯s footsteps¡ª but the sounds of the shower did not stop, and the direction of the noise wasn¡¯t right as well.

    The sound came from the deepest part of the corridors, the direction of the front door¡ª

    And it was approaching the sounds of showering?

    I was shocked. In the house¡ª someone else was there.

    I lightly rose from the round stool, took off my shoes and walked towards the dark corridors, exiting through the kitchen door. An orange light was lit a few steps in front. It came from the bathroom. Apart from that, there was a shadow blocking the light from the bathroom, stirring at the entrance of the changing room.

    I was in too much shock to remember that the wall was just behind me, and took a step back without further thought. With a ¡®thud¡¯, a light impact came behind me. A sound of something falling came by my foot as well. It was a beer bottle¡ª and not waiting for me to remember the fact, the shadow already jumped.

    ¡°¡­¡­ W- Who¡¯s there!¡±

    As though sted away by my voice, the shadow almost flew away. The footsteps were devoured by the darkness in the corridors in an instant. The sound of the front door being roughly pushed open broke the spell. I finally came to my senses and chased the silhouette.

    The door was still open. Outside, it was the parking lot at nighttime. The light of the streetlights barely shone in the space surrounded by buildings at three sides, and the silhouette just now had long disappeared without a trace.

    He escaped. I weakly knelt on the cement floor of the entrance. What person was that? A thief?

    ¡°¡ª What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Sounds of speaking suddenly rang behind me, and I hurriedly turned around in shock, but instead stumbled into a sitting position on the floor.

    Min-san¡¯s face was just before me, a red flush on her skin after her bath. As she bent down to look at me with only a towel on, those breasts¡­¡­ Um¡­¡­ Wouldn¡¯t it be harmful for your health if you keep things of that size wrapped in a sarashi? No, now isn¡¯t the time to think about that, I have to calm down.

    ¡°Well¡­¡­ W- Why don¡¯t you put on some clothes first?¡±

    ¡°Nn? But it¡¯s really hot recently!¡±

    Stop fanning yourself by pulling on the towel before your chest!

    I first locked up the front door before pushing Min-san into the corridors to exin what happened just now.

    ¡°¡­¡­ A thief?¡± Min-san wiped her hair with a raised eyebrow. ¡°I don¡¯t even have anything valuable to steal over here!¡±

    Shouldn¡¯t you be more concerned of your own safety? Someone actually barged in while you were stark naked! This person really didn¡¯t have any sense of danger¡­¡­

    ¡°Anyway, we¡¯ll have to do some investigations. And also, please lock the front door well!¡±

    ¡°I did lock it! And besides, nobody even uses the door over there.¡±

    That¡¯s true. If so, where did that guye in from?

    ¡°Ahhhhh!¡± Min-san suddenly cried out when she returned to the changing room.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    Her eyes burning with the mes of fury, Min-san rushed out and finally crashed into me.

    ¡°My sarashi that I left there to dry disappeared!¡±

    *

    The next afternoon.

    ¡°Narumi? You look really bad. Didn¡¯t you sleep?¡±

    Tetsu-senpai asked the instant he saw me cleaning up the road in front of the ramen shop.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Really? I was sleeping through every period¡­¡­¡±

    Recently, I kept thinking of why I go to school.

    ¡°Just hurry up and drop out! It¡¯ll be a miracle if you can move up sessfully.¡±

    Although I was rather unwilling to admit it, Tetsu-senpai was right. After all, I barely went to school during the third semester, so it was not easy at all for me to pass the make-up exam that was like a raging hurricane.

    ¡°You can always ask me if you want to know how to drop out! After bing a NEET, you can sleep until noon everyday, and that¡¯s better for the health as well!¡±

    ¡°It seems like senpai is healthy every day¡­¡­¡±

    Tetsu-senpai dropped out of the high school I am currently studying at three years ago. It is said that he was once a boxer. This person had brown skin, a thick chest, while his exposed arms were unbelievably muscr. I met him for the first time in Novemberst year, and he was in this short-sleeved get up through the whole winter. The few people who usually haunted the ramen shop were usually oblivious to the seasons when ites to their clothing, and senpai was one of them.

    ¡°Master, I¡¯m starved today, so I¡¯ll gobble up even failed works! Anything good to eat?¡±

    Tetsu-senpai triumphantly strolled into the ramen shop that was in preparation stage and there still weren¡¯t any customers, but ran out immediately after being roared at by Min-san: ¡°SHUTUPANDGETOUTYOUJOBLESSBUMINDEBT!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Say, she seems to be in a particrly bad mood today. Did anything happen?¡±

    Senpai hurriedly pulled me to the special seat made of worn out tires, gasoline tanks and stic baskets for beer that was at the back of the ramen shop and continued his questions.

    ¡°And also, why is Master¡¯s sarashi blue today? What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡ª That? I heard that it was a piece of cloth left over from the portiere. Well, her sarashi went missing.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai tilted his head in puzzlement, and I had no other choice but to exin things that urred the day before. After hearing my words, an expression that was between a wry smile and confusion surfaced on his face. It was rather strange.

    ¡°I say, that person¡­¡­ probably wasn¡¯t a thief, but a stalker, isn¡¯t he?¡± He said, ¡° If he wanted to steal something, he would¡¯ve ran off when he heard sound of water from the bathroom. Not only run away, he would¡¯ve probably be afraid ofing in if he saw lights in the bathroom, wouldn¡¯t he?¡±

    That sounded reasonable.

    ¡°Did you see his face?¡±

    ¡°It was rather dark in the house that time¡­¡­¡±

    Judging from build, it was probably a man.

    ¡°Master, did he sneak a peek in the bathroom?¡±

    Tetsu-senpai poked his head through the kitchen backdoor.

    ¡°No matter how dense I am, I would have noticed if someone was peeking from the door, okay!¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t that count as failing to peek? But why would he steal a sarashi of all things?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, when you mention it¡­¡­¡±

    Min-san¡¯s hands that were cutting the cabbage suddenly stopped. She raised her head to stare at thin air.

    ¡°My sarashi going missing seemed to have happenedst week as well. I even thought that I mistakenly threw it away that time.¡±

    Wait a minute. That means¡ª

    Tetsu-senpai and I met gazes. At these times, senpai¡¯s movements would be especially quick. He immediately took out his cellphone and started dialing.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Is this Alice? Yeah, it¡¯s me. Have you heard of Master¡¯s issue? Not yet? Is that so, uh huh¡­¡­¡±

    He quickly exined the entire matter.

    ¡®I understand. Call Major and Hiro over right away. Tell Master toe over to the office when the two of them reaches.¡¯

    After saying that, Alice hung up.

    *

    ¡°Vice-admiral Fujishima, it¡¯s been a while! I heard that you¡¯ve sessfully advanced in your education, is that true?¡±

    After thirty minutes, those were the first words that Major spoke to me when he reached Hanamaru Ramen on his scooter. And the Vice-admiral Fujishima that he spoke of would be me.

    Although Major was the same age as Tetsu-senpai, he was of a much smaller stature than I, and his skin was white and smooth like that of a primary student. That day, he was wearing his camouge shirt and hat with baggy military trousers that had loads of pockets. A pair of goggles-styled sses hung on his neck.

    ¡°Vice-admiral Fujishima, I¡¯m so disappointed in you! Getting red in five subjects is an incredible chance! Not having any experience of staying the year will set you back on being an excellent NEET!¡±

    ¡°No, I''m not nning to be a NEET at all!¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about! Vice-admiral Fujishima, you don¡¯t have any choice other than being a NEET in the future, you know that as well, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Yeah yeah, hurry up and get upstairs! Alice is asking for you.¡±

    Major¡¯s butt was kicked by Tetsu-senpai, and he reluctantly walked into the gorge between the buildings, mbering up the emergency stairs. I could only sigh. For some reason, these people kept thinking of pulling me into the path of a NEET. Having school attendance that barely passed the school rules and five subjects to retake for the semester finals¡ª does my future really look so dim to the others like this? Perhaps that¡¯s exactly it in the others¡¯ eyes, huh? But that was a given.

    ¡°It¡¯s best if Master and Narumi goes as well.¡±

    Hearing Tetsu-senpai¡¯s words, Min-san and I nced at each other, some distance apart.

    ¡°Why must I go as well?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the victim! And Narumi¡¯s the eyewitness! You might notice something if you see the video recording. Just leave the shop to me!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m making a new soup!¡±

    ¡°Which one is more important, your own safety or the soup?¡±

    ¡°The soup, of course!¡±

    Seeing that a mystifying fight was about to ur, I hurriedly wedged myself between them.

    I exined to Min-san that it probably wouldn¡¯t take a long time and finally convinced her to head to Alice¡¯s office with me.

    Major sat on the cramped space before the bed with hisptopputer open, and was talking to Alice about something. The moment we stepped into the room, Alice immediately raised her head.

    ¡°Why hello there, Master. It¡¯s been a while since you came to my house¡­¡­ Waaa!¡±

    Min-san unhesitatingly walked to the bed and pushed Major away, extended her arm to pass through Alice¡¯s armpits and raised her small body.

    ¡°W- What are you doing! Hurry up and put me down!¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you grow at all? Did you really eat everything obediently? I even secretly put some more meat in themtely!¡±

    ¡°What? That is just too despicable! Everyone has a size suited for themselves, so don¡¯t think that you can increase their volume just by adding carbohydrates!¡±

    Alice struggled frantically with her feet bare, but since she was a weak hikkikomori, she was still raised high in the air for quite some time.

    ¡°Whatever, I¡¯ll slowly increase the portion for the food after this anyway. Narumi, you¡¯re in charge of making her eat them all up!¡±

    With that, Min-san finally put Alice down on her bed, while Alice puffed out her cheeks in displeasure.

    ¡°So? What did you call me up for?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re searching for the images recorded by the surveince cameras.¡± Major answered while his eyes were still glued to the monitor. ¡°You said that there was a thief before this as well, didn¡¯t you? How long ago was that?¡±

    ¡°A long long time ago! Do you still have a record of something that happened such a long time ago?¡±

    ¡°We have records of thetest two months!¡± Major answered triumphantly. It was said the surveince camera system was made by Alice and Major.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡­ When was that again? I seem to recall that it wasst week¡­¡­?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll take a long time if you can¡¯t remember it. After all, it¡¯s really hard to determine a range for the search on the screen.¡±

    ¡°Ah! I remember now! It was the day when the guy with shades came for salt-vored ramen. That night, I went back to the shop again to try making soup after washing my clothes, and it went untilte night.¡±

    ¡°The guy with shades? Who¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Oh nothing, just a customer who annoyed me somewhat.¡±

    That was how Min-san answered.

    I suddenly felt a sense of strangeness.

    The intruder¡ª assuming that the one who stole the sarashi the first time was the same one¡ª had twice broken in on a night when the peculiar customer who ordered ramen but only ate a mouthful showed up.

    What sort of rtionship existed between the two? No, the man with shades was rather stocky. I thought back on the thief that I saw in the darkness. Although his facial features couldn¡¯t be clearly seen, from his overall silhouette, it was indeed quite far apart from that customer.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t it happen on Thursday?¡± ¡°What time did that happen?¡± ¡°God knows!¡± Can you recognize that person from the video?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t film the shop, how do I know?¡±

    Min-san poked her head out from behind Major while muttering.

    ¡°The entrance of Min-san¡¯s house and the shop¡­¡­ wasn¡¯t filmed?¡± I tried to ask Alice.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I already say this? I respect personal privacy a lot. Besides, these surveince cameras are here to prevent uninvited guests froming to my house, so nothing is filmed except for the road outside and the area near the stairs.

    Alice shrugged.

    In the end, the recording was only seen about once before Min-san¡¯s limited patience was used up. Nothing of value was discovered. Thus, she left Major and went back to the shop.

    ¡°Why you, who gave you permission to eat it?¡±

    In the kitchen, Tetsu-senpai was holding a steaming bowl, causing Min-san to explode the instant she saw him. So Tetsu-senpai cooked some ramen to eat¡­¡­ Oh please, and you actually put so much chashu!

    ¡°What matter does that make! Just treat it as my pay for taking care of the shop.¡±

    ¡°It matters a whole lot! And you actually ate my new work? I haven¡¯t even tasted it myself!¡±

    Tetsu-senpai lightly evaded Min-san¡¯sshing fists, finishing up the food in the bowl in an instant. As expected of an ex-boxer.

    ¡°Thanks for the meal!¡±

    ¡°st¡­¡­¡±

    After kicking Tetsu-senpai out of the kitchen, Min-san took out two new bowls, poured soy sauce soup and broth, making two bowls of soup.

    ¡°Narumi, you try it as well.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡­ Okay.¡±

    I moved to the outer side of the counter and sat down by Tetsu-senpai¡¯s side. After that, I picked up the spoon and swallowed a mouthful.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Hmm¡ª¡°

    The fresh taste of kelp and fragrance of dried mackerels immediately spread out in my mouth, so it wasn¡¯t really bad. But even though it wasn¡¯t bad¡­¡­

    ¡°How is it? Say it clearly!¡±

    It was really a taste hard toment on. Min-san picked up the bowl for a sip as well, and her mouth immediately bent into a ¤Ø.

    The one who first broke the silence was Tetsu-senpai.

    ¡°If you¡¯re aiming at a Japanese vor¡­¡­ Your old man made it better.¡±

    Min-san¡¯s shoulders shook visibly. As she had her head lowered with a bowl in her hands, the expression on her face couldn¡¯t be clearly seen.

    ¡°This new soup is probably made in imitation of your old man, isn¡¯t it? I think the previous soup tastes better.¡±

    Min-san neither got angry nor rebuked him, but just poured away the soup in the bowl. I was rooted to my original spot, and could only look at the expressions of the two in turn.

    Her old man¡¯s soup?

    Min-san wasn¡¯t a talkative person, but she once talked to me about her father as well. I heard that her father suddenly left her daughter and the ramen shop, disappearing just like that. Because of that, Min-san gave up on her dream to be an ice cream chef, choosing to inherit Hanamaru Ramen instead.

    It was a long time after that when I came to the shop. That was why I could not know what kind of taste the soup had when Min-san¡¯s father was the chef there.

    ¡°¡ª Narumi, what do you think?¡±

    My gaze fell on the amber soup in the bowl, and I raised my head to look at Min-san after that.

    ¡°The taste doesn''t seem well-matched¡­¡­ But that might be because I was looking at the process of its production, so I just had this feel that I could recognize the ingredients inside.¡±

    But there wasn¡¯t any ¡®ramen soup¡¯ feel.

    ¡°Is that so¡­¡­¡±

    Min-san pursed her lips in slight self-deprecation, took down therge pot from the stove and poured the whole pot of soup and ingredients away. For a moment, the kitchen was filled with thick puffs of heat.

    ¡°So I just can¡¯t make it as good as my old man¡¯s! And I never asked for the recipe and method as well¡­¡­¡±

    While stuffing the remains of the soup into a stic bag, Min-san said while shaking her head.

    ¡°But my old man probably never thought I would take over the shop as well¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s why?¡±

    ¡°Ever since I entered a confectionery school, he seemed to have given up already, and never mentioned the matter at all. He probably thought that it didn¡¯t matter any more. Both me and the shop, we didn¡¯t matter to him anymore¡­¡­¡±

    It didn¡¯t matter anymore¡­¡­

    So that was why he suddenly left everything and went missing? Well, I can¡¯t say that I¡¯m really clear of the process of Min-san¡¯s father going missing as well.

    ¡°He might juste back one day!¡±

    Tetsu-senpai muttered. Min-san smiled while shaking her head.

    ¡°He won¡¯te back anymore! It¡¯s already been five years. He might not even remember me anymore. Or he might have died long ago!¡±

    That was the first time I saw Min-san wearing a lonely expression.

    *

    That night, when the seats in the shop were all full and the customers were bursting out of the shop, Hiro-san hurriedly rushed into Hanamaru Ramen.

    ¡°I heard that Min-san got targeted by a stalker?¡±

    A customer nearly stood up, another nearly spat out his ramen, while another spilled his teacup. Min-san¡¯s hand that was holding the kitchen knife stopped, and she stared nkly at Hiro-san, who was standing at the shop entrance.

    That day, Hiro-san was wearing a beige zer with a Polo shirt and a single-colored tie. As usual, his trendy get-up waspletely out of ce in the ramen shop far away from the busy districts. Actually, this person was just a NEET who was the same age as Tetsu-senpai and Major.

    ¡°¡­¡­ What are you talking about? Hurry up and scram to the back. Don¡¯t bother the customers over here.¡± Min-san said in annoyance.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t Hiro-san a bitte?¡±

    Major just left Alice¡¯s office and poked his head in from the backdoor.

    ¡°Sorry, I was driving thedies who were drinking with mest night back to Chiba, and just came back. Ah! Sheesh, so Tetsu is here as well?¡±

    Hiro-san said while moving to the back of the ramen shop.

    Three sides of the dark space behind the ramen shop was surrounded by buildings, while there were gas tanks, old tires, stic baskets and a wooden stand that was a recement for a table there. It had long turned into the gathering spot for NEETs.

    ¡°So the idiots are all here?¡±

    Min-san shook her head somewhat unhappily. But since they were customers as well, I pushed the back door open and took their orders.

    ¡°Narumi, why don¡¯t you sit down as well! We¡¯re starting our tactical meeting.¡±

    ¡°Ack!¡±

    Tetsu-senpai pulled my apron and forced me to sit down on the gas tank.

    ¡°But¡­¡­ I still have to work¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°As there was a limited number of surveince cameras, we just couldn¡¯t get a clear image¡­¡­¡±

    Completely ignoring my protests, Major started to exin by himself. Hiro-san and Tetsu-senpai leaned forward as well, staring at theptopputer on the center of the wooden stand.

    ¡°I¡¯m checking out a silhouette that kept loitering near the ramen shop these two weeks. He always appeared at night, about one in the morning.¡±

    ¡°But his face couldn¡¯t be seen?¡±

    ¡°Well, the distance was too far, and the light was too dim!¡±

    I took a look from behind at the video taken as well. Videos of the surroundings of the building appeared in a few windows, and almost all of them were so dark that they were really unclear. Only the legs of the person spying in the shadows of the opposite building shone on by the streetlights could barely be seen, or a few unnatural shadows moving in the darkness.

    ¡°Is that really the stalker?¡± Tetsu-senpai asked.

    ¡°Hiro-san, you understand stalkers very well, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Of course! Night clubdies and those in the ¡®special¡¯ profession always face them! I even met a few stalkers directly when I stayed at women¡¯s houses before this as well.¡±

    As expected of a gigolo.

    ¡°Min-san, have you ever received any silent phones recently? Or did you see anything strange in your mailbox?¡±

    Hiro-san directed his question into the kitchen through the backdoor. Say, if there were really such obvious movements, Min-san should have realized that there was a stalker no matter how dense she was. Just when I was thinking that, Min-san answered directly:

    ¡°Silent phones? Ah¡­¡­ I¡¯m getting those quite often recently.¡±

    What did you say?

    ¡°And also¡­¡­ I found a lot of my photos in my letterbox as well.¡±

    That reeks of a stalker no matter how you look at it! I could almost hear everyone doing tsukkomis in their hearts. Seriously, why does this person ignore abnormal situations like thispletely?

    ¡°W- Wait a minute, you said photos¡­¡­ What kind of photos are they?¡± Hiro-san started to get anxious.

    ¡°Nn? Nothing really¡­¡­ Just some photos of myself working in the shop or going out to buy stuff asionally! Who on earth would take photos like this? There are really some strange people who would really do meaningless things like this.¡±

    ¡°It seems like the opposing party¡¯s stealthy photo-taking skills aren¡¯t much¡­¡­ Hmph! An unprofessional stalker!¡±

    Major muttered to himself somewhat triumphantly. Can you please not feel triumphant because of things like this!

    ¡°Oi, you bunch of jobless bums, hurry up and let Narumie back for his work if you¡¯re not ordering! There¡¯s almost a hill of cutlery here now!¡±

    Min-san roared.

    ¡°But we can¡¯t pretend we don¡¯t know anything in such a situation¡­¡­¡±

    Hiro-san lowered his voice. He was right, it was already an obvious criminal act.

    ¡°Do we need to call the cops?¡± Major asked somewhat unhappily.

    ¡°A stalker doesn¡¯t count as a stalker if the party concerned didn¡¯t notice him, does he?¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s why the few of us have to think of something!¡±

    ¡°But that person doesn¡¯t seem like she would give us a request! She doesn¡¯t feel like she¡¯s a victim at all, does she?¡±

    These people who took pride in being hardcore NEETS¡ª although they would be bored to death without a job, they would only take action when they received a request. Or else, they would rather mutter in a dark alley, cocking their ears to listen to the voice of the city.

    Thus, the gazes of the three naturally focused on myself.

    Ah, here we go again¡­¡­

    Now that I think of it, that time, I still wasn¡¯t ustomed to my role as an assistant detective, and seemed to be always given troublesome jobs. (Um, why does that still seem to be the case right now?)

    I returned to the kitchen with the gazes of the trio outsidepletely focused on my back. I picked up the sponge and started to clean the bowls in the sink while asking softly.

    ¡°Erm¡­¡­ Min-san¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°What!¡±

    Min-san was staring at the ramen dancing in the water with a solemn gaze.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better if you request Alice and the three to look into this?¡±

    ¡°Look into what?¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯re asking me what to look into¡­¡­ Didn¡¯t your house get broken in recently?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll lock the doors and windows properly! If they can still break in even so, wouldn¡¯t beating them up suffice?¡±

    I could only sigh. As I saw Min-san knocking out four drunken thugs looking for trouble with my own eyes, I knew that the reasoning of ¡®a woman living alone will often encounter dangerous situations¡¯ could not convince her.

    So what should I do?

    I pondered for some time and finally steeled myself to speak.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Your sarashi¡­¡­ Wasn¡¯t it stolen?¡±

    Min-san¡¯s brows furrowed when she heard those words when she was piling up a small hill of onions and bean sprouts.

    ¡°Right now, the offender must be using the sarashi in disastrous matters.¡±

    ¡°Huh? What kind of disastrous matters?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Say, something like picking it up and sniffing it?¡±

    Min-san¡¯s expression changed visibly.

    ¡°Shut up! Why are you saying such disgusting things!¡±

    ¡°Sheesh! So the thief only stole her sarashi?¡± a frequent customer with his face red because of the consumption of two bottles of beers started tough. As the shop was quite small, even conversations in a low voice could be clearly heard by the customers on the counters.

    ¡°So that¡¯s why you¡¯re wearing a sarashi with color?¡±

    Another frequent customer on the neighboring seat stared at Min-san¡¯s breasts.

    ¡°That¡¯s true¡­¡­ Stealing a thing like that, it can¡¯t be used in any way other than sniffing it¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°For me, I¡¯ll sniff it as well.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s Min-san¡¯s, count me in.¡±

    After gulping down alcohol, the drunken customers started to say so one after another. Min-san cried out with her face green:

    ¡°Why are everyone saying that! Shut up, it¡¯s really gross!¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡­¡± want to sniff too¡ª I nearly said that out loud with them, but fortunately stopped myself in time. I won¡¯t do something like that. Of course not.

    After that, Min-san stayed silent, but would asionally lower her head to look at her breasts while cooking ramen. It seemed like my words had an effect on her.

    But I really couldn¡¯t say it was something to show off for.

    Min-san only muttered while keeping the poached eggs in a container when the customers on the seats gradually left, and the peak hour of business passed.

    ¡°¡­¡­ I get it already! If you can find a way, do whatever you like!¡±

    Just when I was about to forward the words to them after opening the door, Tetsu-senpai, Major and Hiro-san had long stood up energetically. Hiro-san held his cellphone by his ear and was happily talking on the phone: ¡°Oh, Alice? Yeah, it¡¯s me. Min-san gave us the request. Yeah, we¡¯re starting right away¡­¡­ Yep, yep, we¡¯re counting on you then.¡± Seriously, so these loafers kept eavesdropping with their ears perked up?

    Anyway, the NEET Detective Squad started moving just like that. That was on the second night after the incident happened.

    *

    Speaking of which, though they started their movements, I didn¡¯t have any particr task. I still had to go to the ramen shop after school as usual, stay up to apany Min-san who was making a new soup, send food to Alice, and being bullied by her along the way.

    ¡°It¡¯s natural that an assistant detective is like this! The word ¡®useless¡¯ is included in its definition as well.¡±

    Alice said such overboard things without even batting an eyelid.

    ¡°And also, do not think that you can contribute anything to the world. Perhaps you care for this world very much, but this world actually does not particrly care for you.¡±

    Holding a can of Dr. Pepper, Alice waved her sockless legs on her bed while sneering at me.

    ¡°That thought is really too much¡­¡­¡±

    I leaned my back on the side of the fridge and sat on the floorboards while stirring the vani ice cream with cranberry sauce in the paper cup, muttering to myself in despair.

    ¡°But this is the truth! Humans can only grow after learning about this. Well, many people do not realize this in their whole lives, dying in vain just like that as well¡­¡­¡±

    If so, continuing to be an innocent child seems fine as well. Speaking of which, why must my life be criticized by a hikkikomori NEET like this?

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Narumi. Even if everything else in this world ignores your existence, only I will still be worried for you.¡±

    Those words really couldn¡¯t help but make people¡¯s hearts elerate, but Alice continued after that:

    ¡°After all, if you do note here anymore, I will have to get the Dr. Pepper from the fridge by myself.¡±

    I sighed and leaned my head on the fridge.

    ¡°You can pick a better way of saying things if you want to console me. Do I really have nothing else that I can do?¡±

    ¡°I was not consoling you, but merely describing the truth. That¡¯s right, hand the ice cream over after you finish stirring it!¡±

    I somewhat unhappily handed the paper cup containing ice cream to Alice. The girl in pajamas really had weak arms, as the action of stirring the hard ice cream with a spoon was enough to make her breathless.

    ¡°Try thinking of the conditions that God bestowed upon you that Tetsu, Major and Hiro does not have. Please do use your brain sometimes.¡±

    Conditions that the three did not have, and was only owned by me.

    I thought for awhile and thought of something.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Only I am working at the ramen shop?¡±

    ¡°Exactly. Which means, you are the closest with the target that we are protecting. Well, although you had next to no effect when the intruder appearedst time¡­¡­ That is why I am telling you to keep your ears peeled, eyes open and focus on washing the dishes. If you notice anything or see any strange people, tell me immediately.¡±

    After that, I remembered the odd customer in shades that only came ate a mouthful after ordering miso ramen who came to the shop on the day the burr appeared. Speaking of which, it seemed like I had not mentioned that to Alice yet.

    ¡°Although this might be somewhat unrted¡ª¡°

    When I spoke of the matter, Alice¡¯s brows immediately twitched.

    ¡°You¡­¡­ Why did you not speak of this earlier! Your denseness makes me speechless. The decay of protons is fastpared with the speed of your brain moving. On what basis do you judge that the person is irrelevant to the matter? How do you know without further investigation? If you continue to keep your mouth tightly closed like a m¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡­¡±

    If I left her alone, I would probably get a twenty minutes scolding, so I could only interrupt Alice and apologize, while she immediately turned her head around to face the monitor.

    ¡°Anyway, I will have to search first. Although a recording of the shop premise does not exist, he should be captured on a surveince camera when he enters or exits. As we can lock on to a date and time, things will be much simpler.¡±

    *

    It was already over five in the evening when I left the detective agency and returned to the lower floor. Min-san was about to flip the wooden sign on the door with ¡®In Preparation¡¯ to ¡®Open Now¡¯, while by her side was Major, who was unusually early. He knelt on the floor, holding a peculiar gadget that looked like a mini magnifying ss, checking out the sliding door of the ramen shop entrance.

    ¡°Major, what are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Investigating the invasion route of the criminal.¡±

    It takes a thief to catch a thief, the words suddenly floated into my mind.

    ¡°He didn¡¯te in from the shop, because I was sitting right over there that time.¡±

    I pointed at the counter.

    ¡°You were probably dozing off while sitting there, weren¡¯t you?¡±

    Min-san was spot on, and I could only shrink my neck.

    ¡°Hmm, he would probably be filmed on the surveince camera if he came in from the front, so it¡¯s actually quite impossible. But to be sure, it¡¯s best if we check it out.¡±

    Major spoke while standing up.

    ¡°The door at the back didn¡¯t have any sign of being pried open as well¡­¡­ Min-san, have you ever dropped your keys?¡±

    ¡°But all of my keys are here.¡±

    ¡°Then perhaps he came in from the windows? How puzzling¡­¡­ Vice-admiral Fujishima, did the suspect immediately throw the front door open and scarper? Did he take a long time to open the door?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡­¡± I tried hard to recall the situation that night. ¡°He did indeed open the door to run away right away.¡±

    ¡°If one chose to climb in from the windows, an expert of illegal infiltration like me will definitely affirm a route of escape, that ismon sense. But to a guy who¡¯s spying on people when he couldn¡¯t even take photos without permission¡­¡­ It¡¯s hard to imagine that he has such intelligence!¡±

    Hey hey hey, I won¡¯t pretend I never heard that, you know? A person like you¡­¡­ actually avoided capture up till today, you¡¯re just too lucky.

    ¡°In any case, let¡¯s strengthen the security first! We can start by pasting anti-theft film and installing an anti-theft bolt on the windows. It¡¯s safer to change the lock of the front door as well.¡±

    ¡°The front door?¡±

    Min-san crouched through the counter to return to the kitchen and frowned when she was tying up her apron.

    ¡°The lock of the front door¡­¡­ can¡¯t be changed.¡±

    ¡°Why? Even though the lock didn¡¯t have any signs of being pried open, such an outdated spring lock is still very unsafe!¡±

    ¡°Just don¡¯t. Do whatever you want with the windows, just don¡¯t touch the front door.¡±

    Min-san¡¯s tone was rather stern. Major and I exchanged nces. Why? Was it because she didn¡¯t want to deal with it due to being troublesome? But thendy was Alice, so we didn¡¯t need to tell her all of the details at all. Besides, wouldn¡¯t it be fine just to hand it all to Major?

    ¡°Narumi, prepare to start work!¡±

    ¡°Ah, okay.¡±

    I only rushed into the kitchen in a fluster when Min-san started to roar at me.

    *

    That night, I was still apanying Min-san in her quest to make a new soup. It felt like I didn¡¯t go home for a whole week already. I had almost forgotten what my sister looked like.

    Late night, only the low hum of the venttor could be heard in the kitchen. The Rishimi kelp (specially for business, the type that¡¯s cut into thin strips) had long been half used up, as she had to use a whole pot of kelp to stew her new soup.

    ¡°¡­¡­ It stinks of seaweed.¡±

    After adding some soy sauce, I sipped a mouthful of soup and immediately expressed my thoughts. Min-san¡¯s expression clouded over, but it seemed like she felt unsatisfied as well, so she did not get angry.

    ¡°The taste of kelp seems more obstructive now. Would it be better if we don¡¯t add in dried mushrooms?¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°It feels less and less like soup for ramen. Did the ones made by your father taste like this?¡±

    I only realized my mistake after asking, and could only sneak a peek at Min-san¡¯s expression. Her gaze was full of confusion, like a cheetah mistakenly kept in an elephant zoo. It was the first time I saw her with an expression like that.

    ¡°Actually I don¡¯t really remember them now.¡± Min-san said while showing a slightly lonely smile. ¡°Before this, I kept making ice cream and would get into fights whenever I meet my old man, so I didn¡¯t eat his ramen often at all.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s already nice that you can squabble with him. I don¡¯t even have any impression of having spoken to my dad at all.¡±

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Min-san smiled coldly. ¡°So you want to change dads with me? Let me tell you, that guy always acts impulsively! Once, he suddenly said that he felt like fishing on a Saturday night, and then dragged me to run all along to a beach at Chiba¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°R¡­¡­ Ran all along?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s an idiot who likes to work out!¡±

    Min-san said while narrowing her eyes in nostalgia.

    ¡°Why¡­¡­ Now that I think back on it, maybe he just didn¡¯t know what to say to me? My mom died quite suddenly as well. It just feels like¡­¡­ he only started to be more oppressive when only the two of us were left.¡±

    Hearing those words, I suddenly realized that Min-san¡¯s circumstances were quite simr to that of mine. My mother passed away long ago, and my father turned strange after that as well.

    ¡°Even though he knew that I didn¡¯t like it, he still forced me to follow him everywhere. If it¡¯s not a snowy mountain somewhere around, it would be a super faraway ind.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s probably because¡­¡­ he was lonely, huh?¡±

    When the words came out, Min-san suddenly showed a gentle smile.

    ¡°That might be so! Men are really stupid. Won¡¯t saying it out be fine!¡±

    I thought that nobody was harder than frankly expressing our own troubles. That was one of the facts that I learnt using a whole winter.

    ¡°Actually going missing all of a sudden as well¡­¡­ Then why did he insist that I had to inherit the ramen shop before this! In the end, he just thought that it didn¡¯t matter what I did!¡±

    With her hands on the chopping block, Min-san lowered her head. Did she still resent her father?

    Or perhaps¡ª she actually wants to see him again?

    My gaze fell on therge amount of kelp swimming in the pot. His father¡¯s soup¡ª Min-san couldn¡¯t inherit its taste.

    Perhaps because she realized my thoughts, Min-san raised her head.

    ¡°Enough about my old man, he¡¯s irrelevant to this matter. It¡¯s just because the appraisals on his ramen¡¯s taste wasn¡¯t bad.¡±

    Min-san smiled faintly and poked my forehead.

    That moment, the ringtone of ¡®Colorado Bulldog¡¯ rang. It was Alice.

    ¡®Come over to the office for a moment. I have something to confirm with you.¡¯

    I looked at Min-san. She said : ¡°It¡¯s fine, just go. I¡¯m going to take a bath after clearing away the stuff.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go right away.¡±

    I answered. After that, I put away my phone.

    ¡°I¡¯ve watched all of the recordings and noticed something peculiar.¡±

    On the bed in the detective agency, Alice told me with her back on me while typing on the keyboard.

    ¡°Regarding the strange person with shades that we mentioned before this, he did indeede to the shopst Thursday and Monday the week before, correct?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    Alice turned over and pointed at the six monitors arranged on the floor by the bed.

    ¡°But the surveince camera did not capture such a person at all. Did you mistake the date? I even checked out the recordings one day before and after as well.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Eh? Why¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I want to ask you! From the recordings, I lifted the features of the men in the shop. You can confirm if the person is among them.¡±

    Alice waved at me. Although I was somewhat nervous, I still mbered onto the bed, approaching her side. One of the monitors disyed a full screen of portraits.

    ¡°These are the customers who came to the shop these few days. Do not miss anything. It is possible that the person put on his sunsses only after he entered the shop.¡±

    I repeatedly looked through the portraits of the tens of people for about half an hour. As they were images lifted from a recording, some people were not facing the camera, and the quality was rather rough as well, so it was quite hard to identify anyone.

    ¡°¡­¡­ I don¡¯t see that person.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Fine, I shall trust your eyes and ears for now. After all, you barely have any other strengths. Your good eyesight and hearing might be gifts from God to you.¡±

    Oh, shut up.

    ¡°However, there is something that I am puzzled about.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that there aren¡¯t any surveince cameras directly facing the interior of the shop? Besides, that person could avoid the other surveince cameras deliberately while entering and exiting.¡±

    ¡°Although it is not impossible, people who can do so must clearly know the positions of the six surveince camera. Regarding the instation of the cameras, I only told the tenants of the building. Basically, it is not likely for outsiders to know of this.¡±

    But¡­¡­ It¡¯s possible that he just wasn¡¯t filmed on coincidence, isn¡¯t it? Alice seemed to have seen through my na?ve thoughts, and she spoke:

    ¡°I shall consider the possibility. I just feel that this matter is not like a simple theft, so the inability to attack actively is very vexing. Currently, I can only ask Hiro and Tetsu to help keep an eye open, and ask Major to strengthen the security measures. The lock of the front door was just an ordinary spring lock, so it will be easy to pry it open if one wishes to do so.¡±

    ¡°But Major said that there weren¡¯t any signs of it being pried open after he checked it out. Does any other people have keys to Min-san¡¯s house?¡±

    ¡°I have a spare key on me over here, and Master should have two there instead. Why are you looking at me with this gaze? Are you perhaps suspecting someone of stealing the spare key from me?¡±

    ¡°No¡­¡­ Not really, I¡¯m just thinking of the possibility¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Please do not look down on the security system of my room. Bringing Persephone back from the underworld will be easier than taking the spare keys away from me.¡± Alice said while puffing out her t chests triumphantly. ¡°But still, changing the lock will be more appropriate. Didn¡¯t Major say that he could do that already?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true¡­¡­¡± I thought back on Min-san¡¯s odd reaction that time. ¡°But Min-san wasn¡¯t willing to do it, so we couldn¡¯t change the lock.¡±

    Alice¡¯s eyespletely lost its color in an instant. Then, herrge eyes widened even more.

    ¡°¡­¡­ I see¡­¡­ So that¡¯s why. I understand now.¡±

    Alice nodded by herself, as though she just realized something.

    ¡°So that¡¯s why things are like this¡­¡­ The door was open in the first ce. The surveince camera didn¡¯t manage to film him as well. So that¡¯s why¡­¡­ Hmm¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ What is is? Did you think of something?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I have understood everything.¡±

    The detective proimed thus directly. I was dazed, and could only stare at the side of the doll-like face.

    Understood¡­¡­ everything?

    ¡°What¡­¡­ happened?¡±

    ¡°Just that. The features of the case have surfaced more or less, oh¡­¡­¡±

    Seeing that I was about to open my mouth once again, Alice suddenly pressed her index finger on my lips. I was shocked, and reflexively swallowed my questions while taking arge step back.

    ¡°Do not ask now. I have once said, the NEET Detective can grasp the truth even when she is on this bed, but that is the truth, but not the facts.¡±

    ¡°But¡ª¡°

    ¡°And there is another thing. Unfortunately, the truth that I have just obtained ispletely unhelpful to the victim, Min-san. And telling her would cause her to scold you as well. Hoho¡­¡­ Facing the people happily living below the sunlight, the messenger of the dead is helpless to the extent of despair, because we can only dig out words that were lost.¡±

    Alice¡¯s gaze moved away from my face.

    The helplessness of facing the world.

    The shadow of fate in Alice¡¯s heart¡ª I once got a glimpse at it during my previous cases as well. But she didn¡¯t need to be so self-berating even with such a small matter, did she? At least, that was what I personally thought.

    She extended her small hands and covered her eyes, staring at nk air while muttering:

    ¡°That is why¡­¡­ You must call me when you catch the criminal. I must once again reaffirm if I am able to muster whatever courage I have to step out of this castle, touching this world with my own hands, and to turn the truth to facts through questions and the answers of the criminal.¡±

    After a long time, Alice finally turned around to face me.

    ¡°This is a promise.¡±

    Those eyes looked wet because of the overflowing of tears.

    I stayed silent for some time, and finally lightly held the hand that Alice extended.

    *

    About eight that night, the man in shades appeared in Hanamaru Ramen for the fourth time.

    That afternoon, I yed handball for two consecutive hours during P.E period, and I rode my bike to a handicrafts shop to buy new cloth to be used as Min-san¡¯s sarashi before my part time job started, so I was tired to half death when I returned to the shop. It just had to be on this kind of day that there were a lot of customers. The customers sitting outside ordered beer and fried dumplings one after another, so I didn¡¯t notice for a moment that the man was already sitting on a temporary beer crate seat.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Ah, wee.¡±

    It felt like my gaze met the guy in shades¡¯ directly. The man before my eyes was about fifty something. He was stout as a bear, while his shoulders and chest were quite muscr as well.

    When I sent iced water to him, I only managed to control the trembling of my hands after a huge effort.

    ¡°Sesame ramen!¡±

    The man ordered ramen in a rough voice.

    Back in the kitchen, I signaled to Min-san, and she immediately nodded, signifying that she already noticed long ago.

    What kind of person was he?

    After sending him the sesame ramen, I originally wanted to continue staring at him nonchntly, but there were just too many customers in the shop, so I couldn¡¯t manage to notice so much at all.

    I poked my head out of the backdoor to take a look at the area near the emergency backstairs, but only saw Hiro-san texting on his cellphone, sitting on the gas tank by himself.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    Hiro-san noticed me and shifted his gaze form the liquid sma screen. I tried to tell him that the man in shades was in the shop with only my physical movements.

    Hiro-san nced at the front of the shop from the corner of the building and seemed to have understood. He nodded and said in a small voice:

    ¡°Got it, I¡¯ll keep an eye on him. I¡¯ll tail him after he¡¯s done as well.¡±

    After about five minutes when I was sending arge bowl of chashu ramen to the customers outside, the man had long disappeared. There was only a bowl of barely eaten sesame ramen and 800 yen coins left on the beer crate.

    Hiro-san was missing as well.

    Geez, what kind of person was that? What sort of rtionship does he have with the stalker as well? Or did hee for a different purpose? I couldn¡¯t help but get startled at my own thoughts. Although I wasn¡¯t doubtful of Hiro-san¡¯s stalking skills¡ª after all, I myself had experience of being tailed by him as well¡ª that person was extremely good at it. However¡­¡­

    If there wasn¡¯t only one stalker? I heard that there were some situations of criminal organizations as well. He might not even be a stalker, but appeared for a more deplorable motive¡­¡­

    I still couldn¡¯t rid the meaningless delusions in my mind when I cleared away the empty bowls and was washing my hands full of bubbles. Although I was at Min-san¡¯s side, I could only look at the others taking actions.

    After about an hour, Hiro-san returned to the ramen shop. That time, the crowd of customers had already returned, while the shop turned much quieter.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been had! He gave me the slip.¡±

    Hiro-san sat down on the gasoline tank, pounding on his thigh with clenched fists. After that, he raised his head to look at me and said in a small voice:

    ¡°That guy might just be a professional.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Professional? What kind of professional?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve once tailed a professional private detective. It made me think of the situation that time when I was tailing that guy today¡­¡­ st! Even though I¡¯m so familiar with this area that I can go around in a circle with my eyes closed¡­¡­ That guy must have discovered me. If not, he wouldn¡¯t have especially waltzed into Hands, slipping away from another side exit!¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but recall the maze-like floor n of Tokyo Hands.

    ¡°In the end, I was given the slip after arge circle when we reached the station again. Ahhhhh, st, how unfortunate!¡±

    ¡°What kind of person is he?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I want to know!¡±

    Why would such a person be interested in Min-san? I was already unclear of everything, and couldn¡¯t help but start feeling rueful towards Alice, who looked all-knowing but wouldn¡¯t tell anything.

    ¡°In any case, let me call Tetsu and Major over first!¡±

    Hiro-san said while taking out his cellphone.

    ¡°That guy appeared two times before this, and there was a thief twice. Perhaps the thief will appear tonight as well.¡±

    That moment, the prelude of ¡®Colorado Bulldog¡¯ suddenly red from the phone Hiro-san was holding.

    ¡®It¡¯s me. You lost the guy in shades?¡¯

    ¡°You saw it huh. Was he caught on camera?¡±

    ¡®No, he avoided being filmed perfectly. I only saw Narumi say something to you with his face green, and then you scuttled away, so I guessed if it was so.¡¯

    This person is still so ufortably sharp. Speaking of which, the surveince cameras still couldn¡¯t film him? Is it possible that he really had a way to avoid the cameras?

    Or was it because he was indeed as Hiro-san said, a ¡®professional¡¯?

    ¡°And also, the thief might appear tonight as well, so I¡¯m nning to call Tetsu and Major over¡­¡­¡±

    ¡®No!¡¯

    Alice unhesitatingly interrupted Hiro-san¡¯s words.

    ¡°Why!¡±

    Hiro-san raised his voice as well.

    ¡®And you still ask why? If the three of you hide in a dark spot with your eyes sparkling, the prey definitely won¡¯t fall into the trap!¡¯

    ¡°Even so, we can¡¯¡­¡­¡±

    ¡®Like the thief¡¯s previous entry, just leave it to my assistant, who is currently in a daze by your side. He is a very good mosquito light. If my assumption is correct, everything will end tonight.¡¯

    Just when Hiro-san was about to say something else, she hung off.

    Hiro-san red at his phone for some time, snapped his phone closed and spun it in his hands, then sighed magnificently in the end. After that, he raised his head to look at me.

    ¡°¡ª And there you have it. All the best!¡±

    Hiro-san patted me on the shoulders, infecting me with his sigh as well.

    *

    Eleven in the night, after business hours ended. Once again, only Min-san and I were left in the kitchen full of steam.

    ¡°Sesame ramen won¡¯t do as well huh¡­¡­¡±

    Min-san sat on the round stood, muttering to herself with her shoulders slumped. Sesame ramen was a popr new vor that appeared this year, and was the masterpiece Min-san was most confident in so far. However, the man in shades still stopped eating after only a mouthful.

    ¡°Um¡­¡­ Well¡­¡­ But that man was really just too suspicious! Perhaps he didn¡¯t leave them just because it tasted bad, and maybe he didn¡¯te to the shop to eat ramen at all?¡±

    I frantically consoled Min-san. Compared with the previous ones, the taste of the sesame ramen wasn¡¯t really so bad that she would need to despair over it.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter at all! It¡¯spletely irrelevant to the man in shades, I¡¯m the one who¡¯s feeling unsatisfied.¡± Min-san said while shaking her head. On the small stove, arge number of kelps were swimming in the steaming hot soup bowl.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Is it better to stew the kelp soup longer? Or would changing the ratio to 4:1 be better? Changing the other ingredients to sesame oil and onions¡­¡­ Not putting the whole chicken but just the bones¡­¡­?

    Min-san continued to murmur about how she should mix and match the many ingredients and suddenly stood up.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go take a bath first to clear my mind.¡±

    Seeing her take off her hairband holding her hair in a pony tail and swing her hair, my heartbeat couldn¡¯t help but elerate, nearly making me stand up.

    ¡°What are you blushing for?¡±

    ¡°Eh? Ah, n- nothing. Oh yeah, please be careful, because there might be strange people lurking around.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter at all! I¡¯m leaving the soup in the pot to you.¡±

    Min-san disappeared from the kitchen after leaving the words. That person really thought nothing except for ramen¡­¡­ A young girl saying ¡®I¡¯ll go take a bath¡¯ (even when there isn¡¯t any special meaning) will have a bad effect on teenagers! Can you please think for me albeit slightly?

    I shook my head, flinging away the idiotic thoughts and continued sitting on the chair.

    Simr to that night, I was the only one in the kitchen once again.

    I heaved a deep sigh.

    All the lights in the shop were switched off. The only radiance that came in view was the blue me of the small gas stove.

    Only the boiling sound of the soup and the dull noises uniquely owned by the gas stove of the restaurant could be heard. Not long after that, sounds of the shower came from behind as well.

    After dimming the stove me, the noise of the pot got even smaller. Then, I closed my eyes.

    Narumi, only your powers of hearing is okay. So, you don¡¯t need to approach the front door, just take note of the sounds from the surroundings¡ª I recalled Alice¡¯s words.

    Mosquitomp.

    Deliberately making people feel that security wasx to lure the criminal into the trap. As for why¡ª this was what Alice said:

    Because I have questions for the criminal. To solve the mysteries thatplicate the world, that is why I do so¡ª

    I put my hand into my pocket, grabbing the thing about the size of a cellphone.

    Finally¡ª my ears and the edge of my consciousness registered a faint noise.

    The sound of the front door opening.

    How odd¡ª I couldn¡¯t help but think. Why didn¡¯t I hear the sound of the door unlocking? But now, I don¡¯t have any time to feel surprised for such a small matter. Some slightly drifting footsteps¡ª the pitter-patter footsteps, as though someone was unsteadily walking on the wooden floorboards on tiptoe, gradually approached, while my heartbeats elerated along with it as well. Is it okay with me alone? What if he had weapons on him? One step, two step¡­¡­ I could clearly hear the footsteps getting nearer to the sound of water in the bathroom. After that, the footsteps stopped, and at that moment, I could almost see the silhouette of the criminal extending his hand towards the bathroom handle.

    I sprang up and rushed into the corridor. Through the rays of light that came through the foggy ss of the bathroom door, I could see the unsteady silhouette turn around, flustered. I rapidly took out that thing from my pocket and threw it at the silhouette, and immediately turned around to face him with my back, shut my eyes and closed my ears.

    A colossal sound that almost uncovered my hands sted there, while blinding white light spun away the whole darkness in the corridor in an instant.

    It was a Stun Shell that Major carefully concocted.

    *

    ¡°You¡¯re just in harassing the neighbors!¡±

    Min-san swung her steel fist down on my skull, and then added another hit on Major¡¯s head, as he looked quite delighted that his trusty handmade weapon had such a great effect. Due to her threatening aura, even Tetsu-senpai and Hiro-san reflexively flinched.

    The criminal hunt ended in an instant. Rushing in from the front door, Tetsu-senpai defeated the criminal in one punch, tying him up with the wire Hiro-san provided with no further trouble. My pain only started when Min-san ferociously dashed out of the changing room with only a towel wrapped on her.

    ¡°People not in the know thought that it was a gas explosion! Can¡¯t you people have a slight bit of socialmon sense!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not it¡­¡­ Min-san, don¡¯t be so agitated! The Stun Shell will only cause arge bang and lights to throw the target off bnce for a short period of time. It is purely used for threatening purpose, and does not have power to harm¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Shut up! That isn¡¯t the main problem, is it?¡±

    Major¡¯s head was pounded once again.

    ¡°Why do you always do such things¡­¡­¡±

    Having only a towel on her after just finishing her bath, Min-san started a long lecture with such careless attire. I could only shrink on the corridor floorboard like a tortoise, secretly questioning Hiro-san behind me.

    ¡°Um¡­¡­ Wasn¡¯t it said that you guys don¡¯t need to supervise today?¡±

    ¡°Alice did say so¡­¡­ But we couldn¡¯t just leave things like this! We were really worried¡­¡­¡±

    Hiro-san answered in a small voice.

    ¡°So we kept you on surveince through binocrs from the neighboring building.¡±

    Well aren¡¯t your reactions quick¡ª I couldn¡¯t help but think so, and at the same time totally understood the fact that I waspletely untrusted.

    Min-san¡¯sints were like an evesting rain, but was suddenly interrupted by the voice of a girl.

    ¡°¡ª Master, please stop just right there!¡±

    Everyone looked at the front door almost at the same time.

    With teddy bear pajamas and ck hair almost reaching the floorboards floating along the wind¡ª a girl stood outside the open door.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Even you came? Seriously, what amotion!¡±

    Min-san red at Alice while saying sarcastically.

    ¡°You really caused a huge stir. I could hear it even from the third floor. Narumi always forgets to get me, so I could onlye down by myself. Master, sorry for intruding.¡±

    Alice said while stepping into the corridor.

    ¡°What did youe for!¡±

    ¡°Master, please do not forget the case that you entrusted to us. I am here to conclude the case. I have only two things to ask the paralyzed stalker over there, and what happens after that is none of my concern.¡±

    That moment, moans came from below Tetsu-senpai¡¯s butt, and we finally remembered the man¡¯s existence.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Kimura Tomio, hmm, thirty¡­¡­ thirty eight? It says that he¡¯s the head of a Development Department. Wow, what a bigshot!¡±

    Hiro-san fished out an employer¡¯s ID from the tied up man¡¯s pocket and read out the information it contained.

    ¡°But I never heard of thispany¡­¡­ What does it do?¡±

    Tetsu-senpai interrupted and asked.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know? They¡¯re a super famous lingerie manufacturer! This person is a designer of lingerie. I¡¯ve bought some from them as gifts for other people!¡±

    I lowered my head to look at the middle-aged man that was currently squashed beneath Tetsu-senpai¡¯s butt. With his sleek face, healthy skin color and strangely child-like gaze, it was really hard to see that he was already thirty-eight.

    This guy was obviously not the man in shades. Not only was their face shapes and buildpletely different, the man also had a suit that looked extremely expensive on him.

    ¡°P¡­¡­ Please, c¡­¡­ can you not inform mypany of this matter?¡± Kimura Tomio-san pleaded in extreme subservience. ¡°I have a reason for it as well¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°A stalker saying that he has a reason¡­¡­?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not a stalker! I¡­¡­ I just want to look at how that female looks in private¡­¡­¡±

    Even though his back was pressured, causing his body to arc in agony, Kimura-san continued to stare at Min-san, who was still only in a towel, with an ufortably passionate gaze. Min-san stuck out her tongue in apparent disgust.

    ¡°You look like a stalker through and through!¡± Tetsu-senpai kept poking Kimura-san¡¯s head with sparse hair.

    ¡°You¡¯re just ming us for your actions¡­¡­¡± Major said.

    ¡°No! Actually, my aim was not to stalk her. As my objective was alreadypleted, I swear that I will never do such a thing ever again! I swear! So please¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°What kind of rubbish did you say just now! Wasn¡¯t you the one who stole my sarashi?¡±

    ¡°That was for a reason as well¡­¡­ AHHHH! THAT HURTS! Nghh¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you want to die, stalker? Why don¡¯t you shut up already!¡±

    ¡°Tetsu, wait!¡±

    Seeing that Tetsu-senpai was almost snapping Kimura-san¡¯s neck, Alice¡¯s words caused him to loosen his hand. Alice walked to my side and squatted down, matching Kimura-san¡¯s gaze. It was as though the lewd gaze that contained a slight heat licked Alice who was wearing pajamas, making even me feel likending a punch on his face. However, Alice seemed to bepletely unconcerned, and calmly asked:

    ¡°One of the questions that I wish to ask you is regarding this. Why did you steal the sarashi? Tell me the truth ording to its importance, and you might be dealt with in an appropriate manner.¡±

    Kimura-san¡¯s eyes widened, as though stupefied by Alice¡¯s arrogant tone that was in sharp contrast with her young appearance, and only spoke slowly after that:

    ¡°Because¡­¡­ I- I wanted to see how thatdy looks without a sarashi!¡±

    ¡­¡­ What?

    At the same time when everyone was stupefied, Kimura-san continued in a sincere tone:

    ¡°I am a designer, and I hope that you will treat me as a designer of lingerie who has artistic upbringing. Listen well, lingerie can support the delicate body of a female, while the delicate body of a female can highlight the finer points of lingerie¡ª that is my belief. I hope for everyone to wear lingerie with an ideal design suitable for herself, that is my vision as well. I believe that nobody can be my rival in custom making lingerie. Themon man might not believe it, but I will know the size and design that is most suitable for her as long as I see her body.¡±

    ¡­¡­ Knowing the size just by a look?

    ¡°You can see it? Even through clothes? Then do you know the size of my jeans?¡±

    Hiro-san asked in curiousity.

    ¡°But of course. It¡¯s 31-2 of London Slim, correct? However, the crotch area of the jeans is actually higher than you imagine, so you should buy a female version two sizesrger, or custom make it.¡±

    ¡°Ngh!¡± Hiro-san was shocked into standing.

    ¡°This oji-san looks like the real thing!¡±

    ¡°Hurry up and tell us why you stole my sarashi!¡±

    The impatient Min-san stepped on Kimura-san¡¯s head.

    ¡°Just wrapping it with cloth will not do! That will cause the breast to change shape, an attire that goes against the nature of the human body, so it just won¡¯t do. Ever since I saw you, who were in the midst of shopping, I kept feeling heartbroken as you treat your cup size bestowed upon you by God so carelessly! To release your beauty, I have understood that my mission is to design wonderful lingerie for you!¡±

    Min-san stayed rooted with her mouth open.

    This person¡­¡­ is an idiot. Just an incurable idiot, actuallying over to steal just because of this¡­¡­

    ¡°Which means, I have just grasped the shape of your breasts. They are 70 below 95 above, G cup, and is known in our industry as a miraculous shape at the level of Taj Mahal, and is even the most precious of all mankind!¡±

    Kimura-san stared at Min-san¡¯s well-endowed breasts with his bloodced eyes, and cried out as well.

    ¡°I have to get back to mypany to design! P¡­¡­ Please, let me go for this reason, and please don¡¯t mention this to mypany¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ I remember now. This guy is the idiotic customer who asked for my breast size before this.¡±

    Min-san¡¯s voice was so weak that it was like a sigh. I started to remember as well. So he was the idiot that time¡­¡­

    ¡°Were you behind the silent phones and Min-san¡¯s photos?¡± Hiro-san asked gently.

    ¡°It¡­¡­ It was done by me. But I really didn¡¯t mean any harm, and just wanted her to know what she looked like without wearing proper lingerie¡­¡­¡±

    My head hurt all of a sudden, please don¡¯t say anything anymore¡­¡­

    Under the extremely awkward atmosphere in the house, only Alice¡¯s voice was cool as usual.

    ¡°Then, another mystery is solved. Lastly, I have another thing to ask.¡±

    Squashed beneath Tetsu-senpai¡¯s butt, Kimura-san shook.

    ¡°Instead of saying that I am asking you, it is more like a confirmation. As to how you broke in the house¡­¡­¡±

    Tetsu-senpai, Major and I were all startled and raised our heads. Indeed, that was the most basic question of this whole matter.

    ¡°Wh¡­¡­ What broke in? The front door wasn¡¯t locked at all.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about? I did lock the front door!¡±

    When Min-san was about to roar, she was stopped by Alice¡¯s raised hand.

    ¡°Tell me the truth. You keep this house on surveince almost every night, so you probably nned to peek from the windows when Min-san took a bath, whenever you had the chance, didn¡¯t you? However, sometimes, an even better opportunity arose¡ª someone just opened the door and entered the house before your very eyes. Is that correct?¡±

    Kimura-san¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.

    ¡°That¡­¡­ That¡¯s right, but how¡­¡­ how did you know?¡±

    ¡°Oi, what¡¯s wrong with this?¡±

    Alice continued to coldly ignore Min-san¡¯s questions.

    ¡°Of course, you thought that the person was Master¡¯s cohabitant, didn¡¯t you? Thinking that he only returnedte at night, and always carelessly forgot to lock the door. You thought to yourself that it was a chance of a lifetime, and thus snuck easily into the house through the front door, nning to peek directly outside the bathroom. In the end, it was just too hard to pull off, and thus you could only run away after stealing just the sarashi¡ª and it happened thus not once, but twice.¡±

    ¡°Why¡­¡­ Why are you speaking as though you saw the whole process?¡±

    Kimura-san¡¯s face paled.

    ¡°Hoho¡­¡­ However, that person was not living with Master at all! In fact, he was an intruder like you.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t forget to lock the door, but just left the door unlocked to leave a path open so that he could escape at any time.¡±

    ¡°Oi! Alice, you exin things properly to me!¡± Min-san roared by my ears. ¡°You mean to say that that guy broke in even before this stalker?¡±

    ¡°That is indeed so. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    Seeing Alice smile at him, Kimura-san could only nod frantically.

    ¡°Wait a minute, if so, is the other person still hiding in the house?¡±

    Tetsu-senpai asked a scary question, but Alice shook her head while smiling.

    ¡°It is most probable that he already left when we caused such arge hustle. After all, that sly and thorough guy could evade all of y surveince cameras, and even gave Hiro the slip as well.¡±

    ¡°Was it the man in shades?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but interject.

    ¡°Who else can it be?¡±

    ¡°Oi! Alice, I don¡¯t get what you are talking about at all. Speaking of which, who was that guy in shades anyway? Why did he keep leaving after eating a mouthful of ramen, and even snuck into my house?¡±

    Alice stood up and immediately spoke after turning around to face Min-san:

    ¡°I heard that you were not willing to change the lock of your front door.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Ah?¡±

    ¡°So that is the answer. Master, your choice was correct.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking abo¡­¡­¡±

    Half through her words, Min-san froze with her eyes wide.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡­ No, but¡­¡­ How can this be? Even though he¡­¡­¡±

    Min-san muttered incoherently. She leant against the corridor wall with a look of disbelief, sliding onto the floor in a sitting position.

    Alice bent down and gently patted Min-san¡¯s shoulders.

    ¡°Why do I feel like we don¡¯t understand what you guys are talking about at all¡­¡­? More importantly, how do we deal with this idiot?¡±

    Tetsu-senpai spoke, while Kimura-san gave an odd shriek beneath him.

    ¡°I do not have anything else to ask him anymore. I shall leave him to you. It is up to you to decide, even if you wish to cook him for dinner.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean cook him for dinner¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Please, I¡­¡­ I¡¯ll pay you however much you want, so please don¡¯t call the police! Okay? I beg of you!¡±

    Tetsu-senpai, Hiro-san and Major gathered with looks of disinterest and discussed for awhile. In the end, Hiro-san finally pped his thigh forcefully.

    ¡°Oji-san, we have something to ask you¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°What¡­¡­ What is it?¡±

    ¡°You can know the size of their lingerie just by looking at their figure, right? What if¡­¡­ I¡¯m saying what if. What if that person was a girl withpletely nonexistent breasts? Can you see that even so?¡±

    ¡°Of course I can! In truth, something like ¡®nonexistent breasts¡¯ ispletely impossible. There only exists themon man who does not know how to admire the beauty of slightly smaller breasts. Wearing lingerie correctly can release the beauty of the breasts¡¯ shapes itself¡ª¡°

    ¡°And if she is wearing pajamas, can you see it as well?¡±

    ¡°But of course.¡±

    Hiro-san and Tetsu-senpai came to a consensus with just an exchanged look.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡­ Kimura-san, to be honest¡­¡­ We have a request to ask of you, and if you are willing toply, consider this matter forever buried in the depths of our hearts.¡±

    ¡°Rea¡­¡­ Really? I will do anything!¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡­ Anyway, it¡¯s somewhat inconvenient over here, so let us talk outside!¡±

    Carrying Kimura-san¡¯s thin body¡¯s left and right side respectively, Hiro-san and Tetsu-senpai dragged him out of the front door just like that.

    Only lukewarm air remained in the house.

    ¡°¡­¡­ What are they going out to talk about?¡±

    Alice¡¯s head tilted in puzzlement, while I troubled over whether I should exin it to her¡­¡­ Or would it be safer not to exin? But that wasn¡¯t the main point¡­¡­

    ¡°Alice, I still can¡¯t understand what happened.¡±

    ¡°As I thought so.¡±

    ¡°What as you thought so!¡±

    ¡°Let us have a look at the shop. I think the answer should already be ced there.¡±

    A tumbler was ced on the table in the kitchen. Major was the first person to notice it.

    ¡°This is¡­¡­!¡±

    Looking strangely excited, Major picked up the tumbler wrapped in a sunflower yellow cover. I did not have any impression of having seen that object before. There shouldn¡¯t have been something like that tumbler in the kitchen just now.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this a tumbler for use of the Americannd army! Hmm¡­¡­ And it isn¡¯t a fake as well!¡±

    You can actually see if it¡¯s a fake? As expected of a military otaku¡­¡­ Um, no¡­¡­ The thing is, why did this thing appear here?

    ¡°Give me that!¡±

    Min-san changed into her casual attire of a tank top and jeans, and after entering the kitchen along us, she snatched away the tumbler Major was holding after that.

    She poured the contents of the tumbler into a bowl. Puffs of steam wafted from the amber liquid.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Soup?¡±

    Min-san raised the bowl to her lips with trembling hands and gulped down a mouthful.

    ¡°After five years of not tasting Hanada Masaru¡¯s soup, how does it feel?¡± Alice asked while sitting on the stool with her hands around her knees.

    ¡­¡­ Hanada Masaru?

    After putting down the bowl, Min-san¡¯s eyes seemed to be faintly glimmering with tears.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Haha¡­¡­¡±

    Unclear words poured from her lips.

    ¡°Indeed, this is the taste my old man cooked out¡­¡­ Even so¡­¡­ It isn¡¯t as tasty as I imagined!¡±

    Hanada Masaru¡ª Min-san¡¯s father.

    That¡­¡­ That guy in shades¡­¡­ was Min-san¡¯s own father¡­¡­? How can that be? Why?

    ¡°Master, that is just because you were hoping that your father cooked it better than you.¡±

    ¡°Shut up! Idiot!¡±

    Min-san fell on the stood by Alice¡¯s side.

    ¡°What the heck! Going missing all by himself,ing back just to send this thing to me? What was that guy thinking? Is he an idiot? What a joke!¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t he have his own reason for doing so? Well, it is indeed hard to imagine. What follows are my own baseless guesses. He is probably epting a vigorous special training, doing stic surgery so that even his own daughter couldn¡¯t recognize him, and even avoiding all of the cameras so that he wouldn¡¯t be filmed¡­¡­ But doing all that just toe back here.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ stic surgery?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but gasp.

    First going missing, then going for stic surgery? Wouldn¡¯t he havepletely turned into another person then? What sort of reason would require him to do things to this extent? No matter how I thought, such a reason was just too unreasonable.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to me what reason he had!¡±

    Min-san said in annoyance.

    ¡°Since he already came back, then just drop me a word! What was he being so secretive for? Coming back just tough at the ramen I make?¡±

    Just then, I suddenly recalled Alice¡¯s words.

    ¡®I heard that you were not willing to change the lock of your front door.¡¯

    ¡®So that is the answer. Master, your choice was correct.¡¯

    I finally understood what those words meant. Min-san was waiting for the other person who was holding the keys toe home, so that was why she was so firm in refusing to change the lock.

    In these five years¡ª she were always waiting.

    Major picked up a spoon and secretly scooped up a mouthful of soup.

    ¡°Wow¡­¡­ This really is the taste of Hanamaru¡¯s ramen from before!¡±

    I picked up the bowl as well. Thick fragrance of the kelp and dried mackerel wafted from the soup, and was so clear that it allowed people to see the pattern of the base of the bowl. Containing a mouthful of soup in my mouth, a nostalgic taste spread out, giving me the feeling of watching a ck and white movie.

    However¡­¡­

    I still thought that the current Min-san¡¯s soup was tastier.

    I secretly looked at the side of Min-san¡¯s face. She had her head lowered, looking like she was crying, but she looked like she only had her eyes closed as well. I barely knew how her rtionship with her father was in the past, and was thus unable to console her easily.

    Even so¡ª

    I didn¡¯t think that this was the only reason her father came back. To tell her that the taste of her own food was better? A sample to let her remake the taste of the past? I think those weren¡¯t the reasons.

    Although I didn¡¯t know what reason Hanada Masaru was willing to abandon the past himpletely for, he was definitely once a prideful ramen chef like her daughter now. If so, he must have realized long ago that the Hanamaru ramen right now isn¡¯t worse off than it was in the past.

    A chef definitely won¡¯t deceive his own sense of taste.

    That is why¡­¡­

    There should be something that we have not found.

    I breathed in deeply and stood up.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Narumi? What is it?¡±

    I drove my usually dense brain on with all my power, Alice¡¯s voice almost lost at the back of my mind. When did Hanada Masaru sneak in the kitchen? After I stepped into the corridor when I noticed the stalker, he shouldn¡¯t have had the chance to go in. As the corridor was a straight line, there weren¡¯t corners for him to hide at all. If so, the only chance for him to sneak into the kitchen was when I switched off all the lights in the shop. When I was concentrating on listening to the footsteps of the stalker, Hanada Masaru was already in the kitchen.

    I checked out the kitchen backdoor, and finally noticed that the door was not locked! That strengthened my belief that my assumptions were not wrong. He slipped away through here while there was amotion in the corridor. If so, if he left anything here, he would definitely put it in this shop. Where would it be? Min-san and I had long since be extremely familiar with the shop, and could navigate it freely even with our eyes closed. If there were anything unfamiliar at visible positions, we would definitely notice it immediately. But he probably didn¡¯t have time to hide the thing at hard to find ces, and besides, hiding it at somewhere people can¡¯t find would be meaningless.

    Where is it¡ª

    There was a spare stove on a table in a corner of the kitchen, while cardboard boxes with kelp stuffed inside was below it. I stopped before the cardboard box.

    I pulled out the box¡ª I was indeed right. The kelp that had been half used-up increased.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Narumi? What in the world are you doing?¡±

    I ignored Alice, who was approaching my side, and took out the bundled up kelp and stacked them on top of the table.

    Finally, I saw what was hidden below.

    ¡°Min-san!¡±

    Even I noticed that my voice was full of excitement. Min-san raised her head and looked at me with a gaze of confusion.

    ¡°This weren¡¯t bought by you, were they? All of them are materials we never used before!¡±

    Min-san stood up from the stool as though she was shocked, pushed aside Major and Alice who were sneaking peeks at the cardboard box, and then looked into the pile of kelp.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Hah? Ah!¡±

    Min-san¡¯s voice sounded like old air squeezed out from the base of her body.

    ¡°¡­¡­ It¡¯s Turtle¡¯s w! And there¡¯s¡­¡­ dried abalones? These scallops are really big! What type are they?¡±

    The cardboard box containing kelp was stuffed full of rare ingredients. Min-san took them all out one by one to check them out and arranged them by her feet.

    ¡°That sted guy, he never used any of these at all¡­¡­¡±

    The addresses, numbers ,pany names and other information, probably names of vendors were written on the stic bag stuffed full of various ingredients.

    ¡°His writing is terrible as usual, who knows what he¡¯s writing!¡±

    Min-san wiped her swollen eyes with the back of her hand, butughed out loud.

    ¡°His personality is terrible as before, deliberately hiding it at a ce like this, wanting us to discover them only after finishing up the leftover kelp¡­¡­¡± Alice smiled in slight sarcasm as well. So he nned to let Min-san continue on trying out using kelp to cook, being mistaken to the end?

    ¡°He was like that from before.¡± Min-san said. However, when she took out all the ingredients and saw the bottom of the box, she couldn¡¯t say those annoyed words anymore. I could see that she was biting her lips, frantically trying not to let something flow out.

    There was some untidy writing on the base written with marker pen¡ª

    ¡®Next time, let me try out the ice cream you made as well!¡¯

    *

    In the end, my ¡®Life Staying At Hanamaru Ramen¡¯ continued for about a week. Although I said that I was staying there, actually I almost never slept at all, because I had to take turns taking care of the pot of soup on the stove along with Min-san. Each ingredient that Hanada Masaru-san sent had its own specialties and wasn¡¯t easy to cook, and so we usually had to use a few days to do mistakes. The stench of the Turtle¡¯s w was particrly hard to clear away, but those hardships weren¡¯t in vain.

    On the evening of the Wednesday next week, I finally returned to my house. ¡°Who are you? Can you not break into other people¡¯s house as you like? I¡¯m calling the police!¡± Not only did my dear sister make a dig at me like so, she never even prepared dinner for me. Because of that, I could only fill my belly with cup noodles with tears that night.

    No matter how you look at it, the whole incident waspletely meaningless to me, so that was the obvious oue.

    However, at least the souvenir I brought back especially¡ª Hanamaru Ramen¡¯s new soup, was greatly praised by my sister, causing her lose all anger at me the following day.

    ¡°I went to the ce you¡¯re working part time at for ramen before¡­¡­¡±

    She made a startlingment once more. I waspletely unaware of such a fact. When did she go? Before I went there to work part time?

    ¡°The taste right now is much better!¡±

    ¡°But you can still taste that it¡¯s from the shop, can¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I can.¡±

    It was a taste that Min-san came up with after five whole years. Even though its features had changed, the most important thing was never lost.

    *

    It would never be more perfect if the story ended just here. However, there was still more to this incident.

    That day, after the club events at school ended, I went to Hanamaru Ramen somewhat earlier. As soon as I entered the kitchen, I saw Min-san looking at something in her hands.

    ¡°Hello, Min-san¡­¡­ Is anything the matter?¡±

    ¡°Hmm? You came at just the right time¡­¡­¡±

    Min-san shoved the thing in her hands in my face, scaring me into stepping back reflexively. It was what seemed to be a rather high ss silk bra.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Um¡­¡­ This¡­¡­ Well¡­¡­ Where did you get it from? Why would something like a bra appear?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I just received from the mail. Since it was tightly wrapped up, I haven¡¯t the faintest clue what it was! And when I unwrapped it, it was actually something like this. What in the world do I use this for?¡±

    I took a closer look at it. The bra before my eyes was just so small that it wouldn¡¯t be able to bear Min-san¡¯srge breasts no matter how it tried to. To be exact, it was a delicate mini bra that was far smaller than the usual standards.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give this to you! That can probably be used as an eye mask, so it¡¯s really convenient if you¡¯re feeling sleepy in ss!¡±

    ¡°My high school life will be totally ruined if I do that. Speaking of which, who sent this thing to you?¡±

    ¡°Who knows. It wasn¡¯t written on the package.¡±

    The mystery was only solved when I sent dan-dan noodles to Alice¡¯s office at night.

    ¡°Oh? It¡¯s you. Just at the right time.¡±

    Alice waved to me on the bed, a bra in her hands as well

    ¡°Tetsu and Hiro sent me this just now, saying that it¡¯s a gift. I only realized that it was actually such a thing when I opened it. What do you think this means? I ampletely clueless.¡±

    There was a bra of arge size in Alice¡¯s hands, sorge that it could contain a whole melon. I used up all my energy just trying to contain my sigh.

    ¡°I have no use for something like this. Let it be a present for you! You can use it as a waist bag.¡±

    Was it Kimura Tomio or Hiro-san and Tetsu-senpai who made a mistake with the contents of the parcels, I wonder? I don¡¯t know, and don¡¯t want to know. In the end, the only one who could correct this mistake was only me, but I really didn¡¯t have the energy for it.

    Due to the above reasons, a pair of high ss brassieres that are like the ratio of Venus and Mercury were slumbering in my wardrobe.

    And when my sister noticed the two bras after that, there was a hugemotion as well. However, that would be a story for another time.

 Volume 5, The Detective and the Love Professor

    <h4>Volume 5, The Detective and the Love Professor</h4>

    Actually, there were times where I was curious as to how old Alice was. I heard that she never attended elementary school, but I had never heard about her not attending middle school, so I guess she should be around twelve or so. She was always saying all sorts of big stuff with a haughty attitude, stunning me, so maybe that was the reason why I never thought of her to be that old. Also, with those ridiculously poorly eating habits and undeveloped body, she might not be as young as she appeared? In any case, she didn¡¯t seem to be older than me.

    Alice¡¯s the girl who lived in the room above the ramen shop I worked at. The Room 308 had a stupid ¡®NEET Detective Agency¡¯ signboard, and every day, she was holed up alone in the room. Alice called herself the NEET detective, but she was always dressed in pajamas, sitting on the bed, facing the keyboard; in fact, she was merely in charge of hacking passwords on the inte. She hardly had a tan, didn¡¯t exercise, and had an unbelievably small appetite; her limbs were astonishingly white and thin.

    I didn¡¯t know the environment Alice grew up in, and I didn¡¯t know her real name, family and age; even I found that part unbelievable. I get tired whenever I was around Alice, due to various factors, so I didn¡¯t have the time to ask personal information like her name and age, things that I should logically know.

    Despite this, there were times where I would be curious about them. Like this one time,

    On a certain evening in the beginning of May, I, working at ¡®Ramen Hanamaru¡¯, entered the shop, and was ordered by thedy boss Min-san to deliver a takeout to Alice.

    ¡°It¡¯s Chinese don. She doesn¡¯t like rice, so if she doesn¡¯t eat, tie her up and stuff it into her mouth.¡±

    Min-san¡¯s dressed as a fighter, the sarashi wrapped around her, and a tank top over it, her hair tied in a ponytail; she might be acting as Alice''s mother, but she often said some overbearing things. It''s no wonder, for if she did not force Alice to eat, thetter would spend the rest of her days living on Dr. Pepper. I didn''t know when it started, but the job to get Alice eating had be a daily routine for me.

    Min-san doused soup on the rice that was the size of a baby''s fist, and I put the bowl of mini Chinese don on a tray, carrying it to the detective agency on the 3rd floor.

    "Alice, I''m going in. It''s time to eat."

    The office''s a one room t, and there was a little corridor from the entrance. The bedroom acted as an unpleasant server room, three walls were buried behind various equipment. The strong cold winds were blown downwards, and on this day, Alice was sprawled on the bed, typing at the keyboard, her long ck impressive hair like a nt growing in the shadows, and the bare slender legs beneath the pajamas suddenly reached towards me just when I was about to enter, and I turned my face aside.

    "¡­Put on some clothes before you work."

    "I''m busy now. Electronic signals pass through the circuits at lightspeed, and this is a absolutew in the universe. Ordinary values will not put on my clothes for me.

    Alice said without giving me a nce. A torrential downpour of keyboard tapping could be heard along with the words.

    "No, won''t you catch a cold if you don''t put on socks?"

    A pile of previously used pajamas was on the floor at the end of the bed, and the brand new white knee socks were taken out and tossed aside. This room filled with electronics had air conditioning on the entire time, so it was really cold. Even if her tolerance to the temperature was inhuman, she should be feeling cold since she''s barefoot, right? Alice actually said this to me at this moment,

    "Put the socks on me. My hands aren''t avable."

    "Ehhh? Me?"

    "Who else is around? Don''t ask the obvious."

    "No, but."

    "Even if I do exin, I think you won''t understand. Time is of the essence when I hack in while the system is undergoing maintenance. Miss by a second, and the fate will differ. You aren''t telling me to wear my socks and have me verballymand you on how to operate? Considering the work efficiency, you should know this isn''t possible!"

    Nobody thinks that, okay. I''m telling you to pause and wear your socks.

    "Narumi, hurry up."

    Alice''s eyes never left the monitor as she kept kicking her legs to prompt me. I sighed, hesitated for a long while, picked up the socks, and climbed onto the bed.

    Good thing she was wearing shorts. That made me relieved.

    Objectively looking however, this really isn''t good. So I put the socks on Alice without touching her skin, somehow. If there just so happened to be someone entering the room while I was putting her socks on, I would have been punched all the way to India.

    "And wash my clothes."

    Once she''s finally done with dress up, Alice ordered me as she continued to tap at the keyboard. I lowered my head, and could vaguely see some frills under the pile of pajamas, probably underwear or camisole. I''m a guy after all, doesn''t she have a sense of shame or something¡­?

    So on that day, I dumped the clothes into the washing machine of the office, thinking about something. I guess she never thought of the opposite sex as she''s still a kid. No, Alice never thought of the concept of a boy because it''s Alice we''re talking about here. Likewise, I never really thought of her like that, I guess?

    "What? Why are you looking at me? You really like watching others eat. I''m toozy to correct that tant habit of yours."

    "Eh¡­ah, no, sorry."

    Alice was seated on the bed, holding a spoonful of the Chinese don that cooled off. (but had no intention to put into her mouth)

    I stared nkly at her, not realizing this at all.

    "And I ordered for Chinese don without rice¡­"

    Alice continued to grumble away, not willing to eat a mouthful, so I could only take out a can of Dr. Pepper and hand it to her. I guess it''s not that farfetched to say that half of Alice''s body was nurtured through this carbonic drink.

    Alice pulled the ring, and was suddenly giving a pained look as she raised the can up high, intending to pour it onto the rice. Hold it right there! That''s desecrating 4000 years of Chinese history!

    Luckily, Alice put away with those thoughts before that, and I heaved a sigh. I turned my back on Alice, who was by the bedside, and started pondering.

    Alice¡¯s a NEET, one who never left the house, but she was surrounded by guys of all kinds¡ªthe ex-boxed Tetsu-senpai, college military nerd Major, gigolo Hiro, and the young yakuza gang leader Yondaime.

    Hm, all of them are older than me, and always enter this room at well, so they¡¯re already used to Alice¡¯s antics¡ªI guess that¡¯s why they never thought of her as a dating partner? These NEETs¡­why are they so careless about this?

    ¡°It¡¯s all because of you.¡±

    The sudden voice from behind caused me to turn around in shock. Alice was grimacing bitterly. Eh, me? Eh, what, what did I do?

    ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re watching me eat nowadays that Master¡¯s been ignoring my orders, always adding noodles, rice, causing trouble for me!¡±

    Alice continued with tears in her eyes,

    ¡°Ah¡­that.¡±

    I dropped my shoulders hard.

    ¡°What¡¯s with the gaudy look? You¡¯re acting stranger than usual today.¡±

    ¡°Shut up.¡±

    Once she cooled down, she realized she was embarrassed, and could only retort haughtily. Goodness, I was really off on that day. Maybe it was because I had anticipated what was going to happen, I guess?

    *

    I took the empty bowl and tray back to ¡®Hanamaru¡¯, which had began operations for the day. There were already people at the seats of the cramped counter soon after business started; that was a rare sigh.

    ¡°¡ªSo I guess I had to close the shop.¡±

    ¡°Since you¡¯re closed for the time being, go on a trip! Bring your mom along!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have that money! Eh, this is troublesome.¡±

    Conversing with Min-san across the counter was a young man. He was probably of the same age as her, about 25, 26. His energetic, bearded face gave a wild impression. I would guess he¡¯s her acquaintance.

    I entered the kitchen from the back door, ¡°wee¡±, nodded towards him, and put on the apron.

    ¡°Uh, huh? You hired a new part-timer? A boy this time? Hello there.¡±

    This man before me showed a hearty smile, so hearty he was unlike those loitering around ¡®Hanamaru¡¯, and that surprised me.

    ¡°Hello.¡± I responded politely, and nced aside at Min-san.

    ¡°He¡¯s my ssmate in high school, Tomozou. What¡¯s your family name again? I forgot after calling you Tomozou, Tomozou all the time.¡±

    ¡°How cruel of you. Okabayashi. Same as the shop name.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I see.¡±

    I stared nkly at Min-san, who was exchanging looks and smiling with Tomozou-san. Min-san during high school? I couldn¡¯t imagine¡­no, even if Min-san did have her youthful teenage time, it¡¯s just¡­woah! I got a lot of questions to ask, what kind of girl was she like during high school? Did she have a sarashi wrapped around her chest since then? ¡°Ow!¡± I got punched in the back of the head, and squatted due to the pain.

    ¡°What was that about!?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re thinking about something stupid again, so I¡¯ll just beat you up.¡± Min-san responded with such harsh words. But well, she¡¯s right.

    ¡°You know the Okabayashi Sundries? It¡¯s a little hostel, near the high school you¡¯re at. He¡¯s the boss there. A shoddy little shop, but it has all kinds of imported alcohol. Back in high school, I was always drinking what¡¯s stolen from his shop.

    No, erm, shouldn¡¯t you be at least twenty?

    ¡°My dead dad always went to ces like USA all the time! It¡¯s troublesome to keep importing for personal use, but I did inherit this business. The most expensive ones always end up finished by me though.¡±

    Tomozou-san exined with apprehension. I see, so this hearty attitude¡¯s due to his non-NEET background, huh?

    ¡°Troublesome? I see that you¡¯re enjoying yourself there, aren¡¯t you? This guy¡¯s always boasting about his knowledge on booze all the time, even called the booze professor. Once we talk about booze, there¡¯s no stopping him.¡±

    Min-san interjected, and Tomozou-san grimaced.

    ¡°If you want to try your first wine in life,e look for me! I¡¯ll pick a strong one for you, not so much that you¡¯ll die, but that you¡¯ll understand how terrifying it is.¡± The booze professor kindly told me, ¡°Did Hanada get your drunk before? She¡¯s bad at holding her liquor, so be careful.¡±

    Hanada, so I momentarily wondered who it was. I guess it¡¯s Min-san¡¯s name?

    ¡°Tomozou, one more word and I¡¯ll beat you up. Your shop¡¯s doomed if they find out you¡¯re selling booze to underaged kids. Anyway, your shop¡¯s about to close, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    You¡¯re saying that¡­wait. Close down?

    ¡°Ah, yes.¡±

    Tomozou-san gave a wry expression, scratching his head.

    ¡°There¡¯s a supermarket opening next door. Some strange things happened recently, so I had to close for the time being.¡±

    ¡°¡ªSomething weird happened?¡±

    ¡°Something strange¡ª¡± I asked, only for the back door to the left of the kitchen to open suddenly. Steam floated outside, lifting the long ck hair.

    ¡°Tomozou, you could have said you wereing! Why didn¡¯t you discuss such an urgent matter with me? Didn¡¯t I say I¡¯ll do anything as long as it¡¯s for you? Don¡¯t you trust me?¡±

    ¡°What! Even Yuuko was told¡­?¡±

    I could hear Tomozou-san grumbling as I stared nkly at Alice. It was the first time I saw Alice rush downstairs for a customer, and someone actually addressing her by her given name. Also, erm, anything for you¡­what¡¯s with that? Anyway, I was so shocked that I turned around, momentarily rooted, only to recover when Min-san hit me in the back of the head.

    *

    The following day, I took a detour to Okabayashi Sundries to have a look.

    So I had seen this shop often, and it was a five minute distance from the back door of my high school. It sells beer, cold drinks, miso, sauces and other condiments, a little, old-school merchant shop. While I had rode past it a few times, high school students would never enter this shop, and the signboard was long faded due to the sun, so I had no impression on the shop¡¯s name at all.

    Next to the Okabayashi Sundries was the new supermarket, ¡®Rart¡¯, the banners at the door promoting its special prices fluttering around, with lots of cars at the parking lots nearby. I was thinking that such a strongpetitor wasn¡¯t a good thing, but I parked my bicycle at the parking lots of the supermart opposite.

    Okabayashi Sundries just so happened to be located at the supermart deep inside. I tapped at the ss door with the ¡®closed¡¯ sign, and heard some movements before the door opened.

    ¡°Righto¡­huh, isn¡¯t this Narumi?¡±

    Appearing at the door was not Tomozou-san.

    ¡°Senpai? What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°Testing the goods.¡± Tetsu-senpai said as he pointed at a dark corner of the shop. Soon after, I saw Tomozou-san excite with an apron wrapped around his waist.

    ¡°You¡¯re not exactly helping out when you¡¯re dropping by uninvited, aren¡¯t you? Just trying to steal a drink while I¡¯m not around?¡± Tomozou-san grinned as he tapped at Tetsu-senpai¡¯s shoulder.

    Tetsu-senpai once studied at my high school before dropping out, and he¡¯s a pachinko yer. While Tomozou-san¡¯s pretty sturdy looking, he does look a little weaker when standing side by side. As to be expected of a former boxer, I guess; those firm muscles are really different from ordinary people.

    ¡°You know Tomozou-san too, senpai?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. He¡¯s the master who taught me how to drink.¡± So senpai responded. Aren¡¯t you supposed to be 19?

    ¡°Did Yuuko ask you toe over?¡±

    Tomozou-san asked, and I hurried shook my head. Actually, I was curious about Alice¡¯s attitude, and wanted to know what kind of person Tomozou-san was, but I really couldn¡¯t mention this reason.

    ¡°I decided to drop by. I wanted to figure out what¡¯s going on here¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh,e on in.¡±

    The shop, with air conditioning ring, felt extremely cooling, while the cupboards and fridges were covered with cloth, making them seem lonely. There were Japanese wines, fruit-based wines, whiskeys and all kinds of various wines lined neatly in rows.

    ¡°Oh? Another customer?¡±

    A middle-ageddy poked her head out from the noren at the counter, and once she noticed me, she immediately turned around, entered the house, and soon returned with three sets of cups and tes.

    ¡°My apologies, this shop will be closed if left unmaintained, yet you came all the way here¡­¡±

    Thedy served three cups of Oolong tea on the counter, and Tomozou-san took one to drink, yapping unhappily,

    ¡°And that¡¯s why we can¡¯t leave this be! Alright, mom, enough with that. Go do the ounts.¡±

    Yes yes, so the olddy said as she returned inside. So she¡¯s Tomozou-san¡¯s mother?

    ¡°Only the two of you in this shop?¡±

    I asked Tomozou-san, trying to do some detective work. I did remember he said that his father passed away.

    ¡°Yeah. But I¡¯ve always been out delivering stocks, and mom can¡¯t stay in the shop to keep watch, so we don¡¯t know when that happened.¡±

    Tomozou-san looked really grim as he looked towards the wine lined on the floor.

    ording to Tomozou-san, it was first discovered by an old customer who would order crates of Japanese wine every month.

    ¡°I heard that he assumed the color and taste was different without drinking it. As a seller of wine, it¡¯s really a humiliation for me to not notice it.¡±

    It seemed something ck (probably soy sauce) was added in. The bottle¡¯s brown, and it was to be expected that he could not tell from the appearance.

    ¡°How did the culprit mix it in?¡±

    ¡°Opened the cap and poured it in. Look.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai picked up a bottle by his feet, and handed it over. The bottleneck was made of a normal, thin metal, and there was a little round hole at the bottom, such that it would be pried out upon squeezing it, allowing it to turn.

    ¡°¡­Ah, was it held down by duct tape?¡±

    It was a simple method. After tightening the opened the opened cap, a quick adhesive was then added at the seal. It could be discovered on a closer look.

    Surely it was the sign of someone destroying it.

    ¡°This is a terrible thing to do to such wonderful wine. I found five bottles like this.¡±

    Tomozou-san said with a dejected look. I see. So that¡¯s why he closed down, and even Tetsu-senpai dropped by to test the goods?

    ¡°Do we call the cops¡ª¡±

    But before I could finish my words, Tomozou-san and Tetsu-senpai shook their heads in unison.

    If possible, try not to let the police know. Even I understood this situation immediately. If matters got out of hand, the shop¡¯s reputation would also be affected.

    But who exactly would do such a thing, for what reason? If it was just a prank, that would be too much effort, wouldn¡¯t it?

    ¡°Any threatening letter received or anything?¡±

    Tomozou-san gave a wry smile, shaking his head,

    ¡°Why threaten this poor wine merchant? No goodes out of this. Seriously, I don¡¯t understand why this happened.¡±

    While the three of us went silent, the shrill, rock n¡¯ roll styled guitar roll suddenly red in the dim shop. I flusteredly removed the cellphone from my pocket. The ¡®Colorado Bulldog¡¯ ringtone clearly indicated that the caller was Alice.

    ¡°You¡¯re done with school today, right? Tetsu should be at the scene now, so before dropping by the office¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ah, yeah. I¡¯m at Okabayashi Sundries.¡±

    I cut off the NEET detective, and she, on the other end of the phone call, was momentarily left speechless.

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s rare to see you so sharp this time. Did something happen?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing¡­¡± I tried to y dumb, ¡°Anyway, I heard the details from Tomozou-san.¡±

    I narrated to Alice about how the wine was tampered.

    ¡°Hm¡­I understand. Anyway, bring one of the tampered bottles back; I want to have a look. Also, I called Major and Hiro toe over, so tell Tomozou that.¡±

    ¡°Hey, wait, Yuuko. I don¡¯t remember asking you for anything. Don¡¯t escte matters this time. This is our shop¡¯s issue!¡±

    Tomozou-san growled as he approached my phone.

    ¡°Are your problems not mine as well!?¡±

    Alice was not going to back now as she yelled back, as I instinctively moved the cellphone away from my ears.

    ¡°You¡¯re trying not to pretend how much I value you? If it¡¯s just to protect your shop, you won¡¯t have to submit a request to me. ¡±

    She hung up, and I stared nkly at Tomozou-san¡¯s face for quite a while.

    ¡°¡­She¡¯s the same as before.¡±

    ¡°Well, since we got nothing to do, leave it to us. We won¡¯t charge you for this Tomozou-san. Don¡¯t mind.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not about the money.¡±

    ¡°Just give me a bottle of Hennessey as reward.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not giving you one drop at all, so go back now.¡±

    I casually overheard their conversation, still unable to believe what Alice had just said. She said that¡­how much did she value Tomozou-san?

    ¡°¡­mi? Hey! Narumi!¡±

    Tetsu-senpai pped me on the face, getting me to recover.

    ¡°Eh? Ah! Wh-what?¡± I didn¡¯t know why I was this stunned myself.

    ¡°What are you spacing out for? Here, it¡¯s the wine with other stuff inside. Didn¡¯t Alice tell you to bring it to her? She¡¯s gonna be angry if you keep dilly dallying here.¡±

    Senpai stuffed the brown bottle into my hands, and shoved me out of the doors.

    ¡°I¡¯ll continue to inspect the goods here.¡±

    ¡°¡­Ah, okay.¡±

    ¡°What? You¡¯re acting weird today, Narumi? You alright? Did the NEET virus finally get to you.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine, I¡¯mpletely fine.¡±

    What¡¯s the rtionship between Alice and Tomozou-san? I swallowed this question back in. It¡¯s really hard to ask Tetsu-senpai about this.

    But I really should have asked at this point. It would have made the ending a little better.

    As I was too dumbfounded, I did not notice the white foreign car while exiting the parking lots of the supermarket, and so the front wheel clipped the bumper, causing me to tumble hard.

    ¡°¡ªAre you alright?¡±

    A woman with long hair opened the door, and poked her head out of the door. I had fallen on my backside, and kept nodding away.

    The woman parked her car at the outer end of the parking lots, and hurried out of the car. She was dressed in a white one piece suit, with a beige cardigan over her. She¡¯s a posh, prettydy.

    ¡°Are you hurt? Fine?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m alright. Really sorry about that.¡±

    I suddenly remembered the wine bottle on me, and patted my bag. Good thing it wasn¡¯t broken.¡±

    ¡°Thank goodness¡­¡± The woman let out a sigh.

    ¡°Sorry for being careless¡­¡± I lowered my head repeatedly, and got onto the bicycle again.

    I was about to cross the road, and casually turned back to look, only to be more confused.

    ¡°Hello, is Tomo-kun in?¡±

    The youngdy who was driving knocked on the door of Okabayashi¡­who¡¯s she? Tomozou-san¡¯s friend?

    *

    After having a whiff of the Japanese wine, Ugh, Alice stuck her tongue out, and immediately corked the bottle, returning it to me.

    ¡°It is said that humans began brewing wine once they discovered cereal, but I do find that iprehensible. Why would people think of drinking such things?¡±

    The girl saying such things was surrounded by walls of stacked Dr Pepper, and thus, her words were not convincing in the slightest.

    ¡°Anyone will have the urge to get drunk once in a while¡­¡±

    I tightened the cap, saying pretentiously,

    ¡°Oh? It does sound like you seem very experienced?¡±

    Alice draped her nket on her shoulders, giving a mischievous smile, and I could only look aside awkwardly.

    ¡°I guess. Like when my mind¡¯s in a mess.¡±

    ¡°Will it not mess with your mind further?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­I forgot if it was in ¡®The Little Prince¡¯ or something, but drunkards drink to forget all that¡¯s embarrassing to them.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s embarrassing?¡±

    ¡°Like getting drunk, for one.¡±

    Aliceughed out loud, her long hair sprawled upon the bed.

    ¡°That is amazing. Is life not like this?¡±

    She said as she wiped the tears from her eyes. Was it that funny? As I stood amidst the cold wind blowing his, I gradually felt that my messy thoughts were meaningless.

    ¡°I really do what to see a drunkard fall into that trail of thoughts as a bystander. While that is a precious bottle, you can finish it youself, Narumi.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± And anyway, isn¡¯t there supposed to be soy sauce mixed inside or something? ¡°And, you can¡¯t be saying such things to other people so carelessly. Even I don¡¯t know what I¡¯ll do if I get drunk, you know?¡±

    ¡°Then give one example. What will you do?¡±

    This one here actually asked with a bemused look,

    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡±

    Why ask me with such a serious look!? I¡¯ll end up thinking about all kinds of this here!

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. No matter how ugly you may be, I will record it all down with this highly potent digital camera, and upload it into the vastwork to be promoted as your digital history.¡±

    ¡°Please stop.¡±

    I sighed, and put the bottle back into the fridge. It really did seem that lots of things did not matter.

    ¡°Anyway, are we sure the Japanese wine isn¡¯t the only thing touched?¡±

    ¡°Eh? Ah, ah, well, no.¡±

    Alice suddenly reverted back to the topic, and I was a little giddy,

    ¡°Not just the Japanese wine. The whiskey and rum have been tampered with.¡±

    ¡°Hm. That eliminates the possibility of the imports being tampered en masse. Looks like they were tampered after they entered the shop.¡±

    I see. It seemed the wine Okabayashi Sundries imported would vary based on type. If the Japanese and Western wines were both tempered, it¡¯s easy to think that they were tampered after entering the shop.

    ¡°But¡­what¡¯s the purpose of doing this here?¡±

    ¡°Who knows? It¡¯s hard to tell before we analyse what was mixed into the wine? If it¡¯s not to harm the drinker, it is to harm something else.¡±

    ¡°¡­The reputation of the shop?¡±

    ¡°This is currently the only possibility I can think of, and also a chance of the culprit to do this again. We got to get Major involved again.

    Like Tetsu-senpai, Major¡¯s one of Alice¡¯s coborators, an expert at taking illegal photos, eavesdropping, and trespassing, so naturally, he¡¯s capable of self-defense. Looks like we need him to contribute again.

    As usual, there¡¯s a drop in what I can do now.

    ¡°It¡¯s unforgivable to do anything to Tomozou-san¡¯s shop. I¡¯ll give it my all to find the culprit¡±

    Alice seemed really riled up. Goodness. It¡¯s for Tomozou-san¡ªright?

    In other words, she had special feelings¡ªfor Tomozou-san, right? Well, it¡¯s nothing strange, since Alice¡¯s a girl after all¡­

    Feeling really sulky, I exited the office.

    *

    It was the following morning, and Golden Week was in itstter part. I had to drop by school to take care of the flower garden (it might sound unlikely, but I¡¯m a member of the gardening club after all). Once I left, I dropped by Okabayashi Sundries again.

    The opposing (?) shop ¡®Rart¡¯ remained rife with business, and the parking lots were filled, so much so that some vehicles were parked before Okabayashi Sundries¡­huh? Didn¡¯t I see this white foreign car before?

    Right when I was about to approach the ss door and knock on it, I heard a sharp voice of ady,

    ¡°¡­Why didn¡¯t you tell me? Y-you asked those children to help you out?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡± Tomozou-san¡¯s voice followed, ¡°And this is my family issue, nothing to do with you.¡±

    ¡°You always say this! Nothing to do with me, all the time! Whatever, I get it.¡±

    I was wondering if I should drop by at ater time, but the ss door before my eyes opened abruptly, and a woman stormed out, ¡°Keep on acting tough! I¡¯m not going to help you when it¡¯s toote!¡± She stated with a huff, not noticing me, and not bothering to evade,

    ¡°Kya!¡±

    The woman knocked me down from the front, and a cloud of dust wiped out, as all I saw was stars floating around.

    ¡°¡­So-sorry, are you alright?¡±

    ¡°Eh, ah, yes¡­¡±

    Before I could finish, I could taste iron in my mouth. Guess I had a cut somewhere. The woman quickly got up, dusted off her short skirt, and held me by the arm, pulling me up.

    ¡°¡­Oh, you¡¯re from yesterday.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    She was the woman who was driving and collided into me at the parking lots. It¡¯s the second time we crashed. Both of us averted our eyes in embarrassment.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Tomozou-san poked his head out from the door, ¡°Nothing!¡± and thedy replied, running back to her car parked by the road.

    ¡°Ahh, looks like you saw something embarrassing.¡± Tomozou-san scratched his head in frustration.

    ¡°How is it possible for a nice princess to be dating my son ehre¡­?¡±

    We were at the counter inside the dim shop. Aunty served me malt tea as she noted,

    ¡°Goodness, if you don¡¯t treat her well, she¡¯s going to run away. How did you end up like your father here?¡±

    ¡°Shut up.¡±

    ¡°The only one worried about you would be thatdy, isn¡¯t it? Think about her, and just leave this shop already. It¡¯s weird to say this¡­but you can use this chance to close shop and marry her.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s nonsense. We aren¡¯t done paying the loans.¡±

    ¡°Besides, the neighbour wants to convert this ce into a parking lot, so you should just sell the shop¡­¡±

    ¡°Alright, just drop this matter.¡±

    ¡°Goodness, you should seriously think this through!¡± The olddy raised her voice.

    ¡°Shut up. I¡¯m thinking now, no?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m saying you should hear out what a woman is suggesting! You¡¯re always deciding things on your own, like a certain someone.¡±

    ¡°In that case, don¡¯te to this shop anymore, mom! Go retire and enjoy your tea. I¡¯ll handle everything in the shop alone.¡±

    ¡°That isn¡¯t what I¡¯m saying! You should have discussed this through with Yumi-chan¡ª¡±

    I shrank my neck back as I overheard this conversation happening before me. It seemed aunty finally remembered my existence as she nced aside at me, closed her mouth, coughed lightly, and averted her eyes, quickly darting into the house deep behind the right side of the counter.

    Business, marriage¡­I guess the life and work of ordinary people isn¡¯t easy either.

    ¡°¡­Is that person just now your girlfriend, Tomozou-san?¡± I whispered.

    ¡°Yumi? Ah, hm, well, sorta.¡± Tomozou-san seemed to have difficulty in saying this as he answered. I see¡­so he has a girlfriend? I guess Alice¡¯s feelings¡­yep, in other words, just a one-sided crush? I see¡­but why am I sighing in relief? I was taken aback by my own feelings, and took up the malt tea, drinking it.

    ¡°What¡¯s it about selling thend?¡±

    ¡°The shop next door feel that the parking lots aren¡¯t enough. There was an old geezer, probably the shop owner or something, asking us before they began work¡­¡±

    I began to think. The location for this shop is a hinderance (for Rart), and if the ce can be converted into parking lots, the space will be much spacious. I guessed they started work after all the surroundingnd was bought and scrapped.

    In that case, we got one party that can directly benefit once this shop closes down. But would they really tamper with the wine bottles for such reasons?

    ¡°Anyway, thinking about this is getting me all the more angry¡­I¡¯m selling wine not for business, but that I like them, and want to share them¡­¡±

    ¡°Too bad the security of this shop is as non-existent as the Italian army.¡±

    A voice suddenly popped up, causing Tomozou-san and I to nearly jolt in surprise.

    ¡°¡ªMajor? Where did youe from?¡±

    Tomozou-san eximed. A diminutive figure dressed in the camouge colors of the People¡¯s Liberation Army, along with a safety helmet, appeared between us without us knowing.¡±

    ¡°I pried the back door open and enter, no more than 5 seconds even. The thieves on this world are too arrogant and ruthless. You reallyck a sense of security.¡±

    Thieves like you?

    ¡°Well, since Vice-Admiral Fujishima is here, help out. I¡¯m going to install surveince cameras and strength the locks.¡±

    Major¡¯s the only one who would call me ¡®Vice Admiral Fujishima¡¯. He rummaged for various parts from his bag, grinning as he ced the items on the table, one by one. He¡¯s simr to an elementary schooler in height, and was born a babyface, but he¡¯s really a college student.

    ¡°Hey, Major, wait! Aren¡¯t these equipment pricey or something? I don¡¯t have that much money on hand.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Tomozou-san, I will not take a single Perica from you, all these will be on Alice¡¯s tab. This time, I prepared a highly unnecessarily potent surveince system that is exceptionally practical, to be tested while using it. It¡¯s of this size, but very capable of detection within 1000 meters, and even lets you know if it¡¯s Osugi or Peeko.

    Even I can¡¯t distinguish between them from 3 meters out. Wait, that¡¯s not the problem. Alice is paying? This is a sacrifice worth crying over.

    ¡°It really does seem like the real deal.¡±

    So we began to install the surveince cameras, while aunty kept watch worriedly inside the house. There¡¯s a corridor from the back of the counter, leading all the way to the storage, and on the left side, there¡¯s a back door for goods movement. This would be the most probable point of entry, so we had a surveince camera installed at the door frame, another three right outside the main door of the shop, and one right above the shop so that everywhere could be seen.

    Major then opened a notebook PC, happily checking if all the surveince cameras were working normally; Tomozou-san, whose shop had stuff installed everywhere, was looking displeased.

    ¡°Just in case, I want to install one more in the warehouse¡­¡±

    Major stood at the end of the corridor, pushing the storage door aside as he poked his head to look inside the dark room.

    ¡°It¡¯s really dark.¡±

    ¡°Hm? No lights?¡±

    ¡°There are, just that we normally don¡¯t switch them on. Actually, we can¡¯t have lights around when storing wine.¡±

    Heh. Now that he mentioned it, wines are typically stored in the cer. So other forms of alcohol need to stored in dark ces?

    ¡°Eh, but to prevent theft¡ª¡±

    ¡°No problems here. There aren¡¯t any other entrances here.¡±

    Tomozou-san switched on the lights, and led Major and me in.

    The lights of the store were rather dim, and the air was dry and cool, probably due to the air conditioning. The undecorated metal racks were lined up, each level filled with various kinds of alcohol. Even so, not all could be stored, as there were cardboard boxes and stic basketsid out all over the floor.

    Major scanned the storeroom, but could not find a single window. There was a duct on the ceiling, but it was impossible to climb in from there.

    Positioned at the innerside of the shelves were wines, and other various goods like soy sauces, miso, and sd dressings, but I noticed something really intriguing over there.

    There was something short, plump and round at the left side of the bottom shelf. I bent down to look, and found myself staring at a pair of round eyes, causing me to nearly tumble over in shock.

    It¡¯s about the size of two hands sped together, something made of ceramic. Komainu¡ªI guess?

    ¡°That¡¯s not a Komainu, it¡¯s a Shisa.¡± Tomozou-san noted, ¡°This is something my dad left me. It was covered in dust on the shelves, and I just found this recently.¡±

    After hearing that, I again stared at that strange, humorous face. A Shisa should be a guardian beast from Okinawa, right? I remember it¡¯s simr to a Komainu,es in a pair too, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. It¡¯s a limited edition though, since so few of them are made¡­dad tried finding them through various means, and seemed to have gotten one; he died before he could find another one. So now it¡¯s my turn to look for it¡­¡±

    Tomozou-san kneeled down, and took a stic wrapper to cover it.

    ¡°Good thing this one here¡¯s safe. I¡¯m still hoping to find the other one by the Sunday two weekster.¡±

    The Sunday two weekster? May 13th¡­some special day?

    ¡°It¡¯s a secret.¡± But Tomozou-san noted as he stood up. Major climbed up the shelves, checking with a serious look to see if the vents could be entered, but Tomozou-san dragged him out, nudged me out of the storage, and switched off the lights.

    While Major¡¯s promoting and boasting about how capable his cameras were, I left him at the shop. Go on for the rest of your life.

    I went to the back of the shop for my bicycle that was parked there, and a blue one-piece dress entered my sights. It¡¯s the woman from before. She scurried off from the back door, and entered the white car parked by the roadside¡ªthe car that was parked there the entire time. What¡¯s with her? Didn¡¯t she head back?

    The woman, seated at the driver seat, seemed to have noticed me too. She hurriedly started the engine and left, disappearing soon after.

    ¡­Or so I thought, yet she returned. What¡¯s with her? The car was parked right before this dumbfounded me, and the window opened.

    ¡°Eh, e-erm¡­sorry, I thought¡­¡±

    The woman poked her head out, looking back and forth between me and the rearview mirror as she spoke.

    ¡°Are you, Tomo-kun¡¯s underssman?¡±

    ¡°N-no?¡±

    ¡°Erm, then, well, maybe, the Ramen shop¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes, that¡¯s right.¡±

    I¡¯m one of those kids who¡¯s up to something you don¡¯t know , those you mentioned just now. But I could not bring myself to say so.

    The woman nervously held the steering wheel, bit her lower lip, and struggled a bit, before she finally lifted her head.

    ¡°Eh, I¡¯m really sorry, but may I have some of your time?¡±

    ¡­Ehhh?

    It was the first time in my life that I entered a caf¨¦ with a woman. We were led to the innermost seats of the shop. Once the waitress left, the woman handed me a namecard.

    Wakui Food Corporation Pte Ltd, Public Rtions

    Wakui

    I heard of thispany name. There¡¯s a lot of their adverts aired on TV.

    ¡°Hm? Yourst name¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes, father¡¯s the chairman.¡±

    I looked back and forth between the namecard and Wakui Yumi-san¡¯s face. So she¡¯s the princess to the chairman? It¡¯s the first time I saw one. Ah, I see. Hmm, she does have the princess vibe.

    ¡°¡­Whaaat is it?¡±

    ¡°Ehh, no, nothing¡­¡±

    Yumi-san tilted her head in confusion, but she chose to continue with what we were discussing.

    It was about three years since Tomozou-san and her were dating. Back then, Wakui Food Corporation was just a small level sundries wholesale distributor, and Okabayashi Sundries already had business dealings with them. It was said that whilepanies would purchase food products from Wakui Corporation, they would never purchase the alcohol products. Thus, when the next head of Okabayashi Sundries took over, Yumi-san, who was still working at the shop, went over to coax him, hoping and they would purchase some alcohol products.

    ¡°That was the first time I met Tomozou. He said that all the wine products we imported were terrible, and that he¡¯ll never buy some, so we had a tiff.¡±

    That man¡¯s upromising when ites to wines, huh?

    ¡°And after that, lots of things happened, and then we started dating.¡±

    Ehhhhh?

    ¡°¡­Erm, sorry. I don¡¯t know how it all led to that.¡±

    ¡°I guess. I myself don¡¯t understand very well why am I with him. Also, we¡¯re always quarrelling, every day, even until now.¡± Yumi-san chuckled. Seriously, are these two actually dating? Anyway, Tomozou-san¡¯s mom did say she hoped for them to get married or something, so I guess they¡¯re close enough to be at that stage, huh?

    But Yumi-san showed a wry smile upon hearing these words.

    ¡°We did quarrel over that matter a few times. I was always prepared to take over Wakui¡­but Tomo-kun didn¡¯t want to. He said he still had his shop.¡±

    So she hoped to marry and have him take over? Ahh, so I guess getting married will basically meant closing shop for him¡­

    ¡°Also, recently, I have been feeling uneasy.¡±

    The waitress just so happened to serve tea and coffee, interrupting Yumi-san¡¯s words. Thetter¡¯s long eyebrows drooped, her eyes fixated upon the amber fluid in the filled cup. As for me, I took a sip of ck coffee, with no sugar.

    Why would I be discussing such a thing with a woman I had just met for the first time¡­?

    ¡°So, I do have some things to ask.¡±

    Yumi-san lifted her head, earnestly looking at me.

    ¡°It is about the people gathered at the ramen shop Tomo-kun always shows up at. How are they like?¡±

    What is she asking?

    ¡°Tomo-kun wouldn¡¯t tell me anything. So, I have to ask.¡±

    ¡°Erm¡­¡±

    If we¡¯re talking about those people there, that¡¯ll probably be the ex-boxer and pachinko expert Tetsu-senpai, the military otaku Major, and the gigolo Hiro. Also, there¡¯s the young yakuza boss Yondaime who would drop by from time to time. All these guys are NEETs, not in education, and not in employment.

    ¡°¡­Are they all men?¡± Yumi-san looked really disturbed as she continued to press on.

    Ah, I see. So she¡¯s worried about that? Seriously, there¡¯s nothing much to worry about¡ªso I thought, but I suddenly thought of someone else.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like there aren¡¯t women¡­¡±

    Yumi-san¡¯s face changed. Uh oh, how could I have told her that?

    ¡°How¡¯s she like?¡¯

    ¡°Well¡­she¡¯s a NEET detective, always surfing the inte in her pajamas?¡±

    Yumi-san¡¯s mouth was agape. It¡¯s a normal reaction.

    However, after everything happened, I reflected on my actions, and could only say that I was being paranoid. The onedy at ¡®Ramen Hanamaru¡¯, the one who would be suspicious¡ª

    One would not be thinking of Alice, but Min-san instead, right?

    The reason why I first thought of Alice was because she showed much affection to Tomozou-san several times before me. It¡¯s scary to think too much into this.

    After exiting the caf¨¦, we bade farewell to each other.

    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry for discussing such strange things to you during our first encounter.¡±

    Yumi-san seemed really sorry as she said this, while I merely shook my head. I¡¯m probably destined for such a fate in life, I guess? I¡¯m like a trash bin at a park. Anyone I meet the first time, they will voice out to me like rubbish.

    ¡°Please do not tell Tomo-kun what we just talked about.¡±

    Saying that, Yumi-san got into the car.

    I watched the white cardrive down the road, towards the station, and walked off in the opposite direction.

    Things were really gettingplicated. The sense of helplessness piling up within me got increasingly dire, but why? I really couldn¡¯t bring myself to deal with this case. No, I should say this goes for every case, but this time, it¡¯s so serious that I can¡¯t think of an excuse to motivate myself.

    Was I so peeved that Alice was going to do everything for Tomozou-san¡¯s sake? Why?

    Even I felt I should not let this go on. It¡¯s work, and I¡¯m the detective¡¯s assistant.

    *

    The following day was Friday, a work day for me. I had some matters to settle at home, so I was a littlete; I arrived at the ramen shop, which would be opened an hourter. I was way toote, and had to be told off by Min-san.

    There was a blue van parked before the ramen shop, with the white words ¡®Okabayashi Sundries¡¯ upon it.

    Never thought the shop¡¯s opened. There were the voices of a few men. I got to the back door, and slipped into the kitchen.

    ¡°You¡¯rete, Narumi.¡±

    Min-san yapped as she kept watching the Chinese wok atop the strong mes, and I shrivelled back in shock.

    ¡°Sorry for disturbing you when you¡¯re not opened yet.¡±

    Tomozou-san, seated at the counter, grinned away, while two uncles, our regr customers, were next to him, already drinking as they ate the dumplings. If I remembered correctly, one of them was a (self-proimed) antique car dealer, while the other¡¯s a (self-proimed) real estate manager.

    ¡°Wee.¡±

    I quickly washed my hands, and put on my apron.

    ¡°Tomozou-san, is it fine for you to be drinking when you drove here?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not drinking at all. And I¡¯m at work here. I¡¯m not going to do such a stupid thing. Since I can¡¯t open my shop now, I need to deliver to earn some money.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, drink up, young man.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, drinking. Might as well drink up when you don¡¯t know when the shop will be closed.¡±

    The two red-faced uncles were seated to the sides of Tomozou-san, yapping away.

    ¡°These are my regr customers. They caught me while I was doing my deliveries.¡±

    Tomozou-san said with a wry look.

    So the beer we sell was delivered from Okabayashi Sundries? I didn¡¯t know about this at all.

    ¡°Nabeshima and Kubota rice wine just came in. I wanted to have a few sips at the back, but these guys came running after smelling it. Seriously, I¡¯m still preparing.¡±

    Min-san grumbled away as she stir-fried some pork liver, tossing it about.

    ¡°But speaking of which, it¡¯s too bad Okabayashi Sundries is going to close down¡­¡±

    The sun had yet to set, but he real estate dealer waspletely red faced, sprawled over on the counter, muttering away.

    ¡°Oh yeah, that, vodka with the skull logo on the bottle, what¡¯s the name again? Your shop is the only one that sells it, boss. I still want a few drinks.¡±

    ¡°I too started buying alcohol from Okabayashi¡¯s since your father¡¯s time. Don¡¯t forget to look for me when you¡¯re closing down. I¡¯m going to drink a 4 ton truck there. Sell me at half price.¡± The antique car dealer quipped,

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not closing down. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Tomozou-san smiled, looking sheepish.

    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll have a drinking party to mourn over Okabayashi¡¯s closing!¡±

    ¡°Alright! Drink on! Min-san, bring in all the beer you bought today!¡±

    Tomozou-san¡¯s words fell on deaf ears as the two uncles created a ruckus. I continued to chop the onions and cabbage, staring at this scene dryly.

    Finally, both of them were sprawled upon the counter. It¡¯s only 5pm, you know?¡±

    ¡°Narumi, wring the wallets out of these two and throw them out. They¡¯ll obstruct our business.¡± Min-san coldly stated,

    ¡°Ehhh¡­that¡¯s impossible.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s with you, Tomozou? Why are you spacing out here?¡±

    ¡°Hm.¡±

    Tomozou-san had his hand on his face, his head lowered in silence, only to lift it once he heard Min-san¡¯s voice. For a moment, I was taken aback, as it seemed Tomozou-san was crying. However, it was just an illusion due to the shadows.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m just thinking that these drunks are hoping for me to import some fine booze, I can¡¯t let the shop close down¡­¡±

    ¡°Say it isn¡¯t so.¡±

    Min-san retorted, and served a ss of ice cream to Tomozou-san. It¡¯s cr¨¨me br?l¨¦e with caramel sauce on it. Though this is a ramen shop, it¡¯s famous because of Min-san¡¯s handmade ice cream.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say so at your dad¡¯s funeral? That you¡¯re going to keep selling booze so that you can send a bunch of drunks into hell, that your dad won¡¯t get lonely in the other world?¡±

    ¡°Did I really say something that embarrassing?¡±

    ¡°Of course, but only I heard that.¡±

    Tomozou-san chuckled, scooped a spoonful, and put the cr¨¨me br?l¨¦e into his mouth.

    ¡°Why exactly? Before dad had that ident, I intended to go to college like an ordinary person, find a job after I graduate, like that. But after seeing so many of our old customers at the funeral, and mom saying that we can¡¯t keep the shop running, I¡ª¡±

    Tomozou-san¡¯s eyes looked as bleak as the winter.

    ¡°Ahh, when I thought that the shop¡¯s gone, I just, well, made up my mind.¡±

    ¡°You sure shocked the teacher guiding you on your prospects, so much that a house visit was made. Your grades were good.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that happened alright. Shocked my mom too.¡±

    Both of them looked at each other, andughed.

    ¡°Actually¡­on the day before my dad got caught in that ident, I was drinking with him, for the first time in my life. He was all drunk, even telling me his ideals of selling alcohol, ¡°Anyone has a bottle of wine that really suits him. No matter the customer, I hope to sell him the bottle that belongs to him¡± that¡¯s why he had so many brands crammed in that little shop. I dismissed him as spouting nonsense, that he just wanted to drink. Who knew he would die the following day? Despicable, isn¡¯t it? Saying such words to me means that I have to take over now, right?¡±

    Tomozou-san said with a slightly agitated tone, and sighed hard. Min-san in turn narrowed her eyes, nonchntly stating,

    ¡°Well I¡¯ve been thinking that even if uncle didn¡¯t die from that ident, you would have taken over the booze business. You did like that shop, didn¡¯t you, Tomozou? That¡¯s the reason.¡±

    Tomozou-san widened his eyes, seemingly surprised, and then nodded his head lightly.

    ¡°I guess¡­probably due to this reason.¡±

    These two are so simr, so I thought.

    Just like her father, who abandoned his ramen shop and vanished, Min-san continued to run this ¡®Ramen Hanamaru¡¯. To be honest, the fact that they had something worth protecting left me a little envious.

    But Min-san again looked down at the chopping board, and muttered,

    ¡°To be honest, you don¡¯t have any workter, right?¡±

    Tomozou-san widened his eyes, and then inserted his spoon into the ice cream, sighing,

    ¡°Your instincts are as sharp as before.¡±

    ¡°If you had any work, you wouldn¡¯t be spending the time here with those two geezers, would you?¡±

    Tomozou-san grimaced, as though he had bitten charcoal.

    ¡°We have been receiving fewer orders recently. Maybe the customers nearby heard that our wine got mixed with stuff. Even if I can keep the shop opened, it doesn¡¯t look good¡­and if that happens again, I really don¡¯t know how to go about apologizing.¡±

    Tomozou-san lowered his head, and ced his elbows on the counter, looking as though he had shrank some.

    ¡°So I say, Tomozu.¡±

    Min-san showed a nice, kind smile I had never seen before.

    ¡°if you got some troubles, look for these guys. These guys are all useless dropouts, but they do have the time and determination to handle those rough things.¡±

    Min-san grabbed my head and ruffled it. I was rooted to the spot, and looked back and forther between Min-san and Tomozou-san.

    Thetter scratched the tip of his nose awkwardly,

    ¡°You guys¡­are detectives?¡±

    I hesitated for a moment, and nodded.

    I¡¯m not an ordinary detective, a NEET detective. Even in this vast, we¡¯re still able to hear the voiceless words of a certain person.

    ¡°I see. Understood.¡± Tomozou-san stood up from the chair, ¡°I shall leave it to you. Please help assist to ensure that it doesn¡¯t happen again.¡±

    I took a deep breath, and nodded again.

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    This time, I had no hesitation in my reply.

    It¡¯s no longer ack of motivation being the matter here. That little wine shop had the wishes of the dead, and the wishes of the living; I do want to chip in an effort, all to protect this wishes.

    ¡°So it¡¯s decided. The one fooling around down there cane out and y detective now.¡±

    Min-san suddenly said this as she looked beyond my shoulder. I turned around in surprise, and found a pair of eyes peering in through the door gap 15cm wide, taken aback as they blinked, before leaving the door.

    I nudged aside the back door of the kitchen, and Alice, who came down in her pajamas, pouted as she lowered her head.

    ¡°What are you doing¡­no need to hide around, right?¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t hiding around. The shop reeks of alcohol, and I don¡¯t want to go in!¡±

    A blushing Alice hollered as she remained red-faced, and behind me, Tomozou-san chuckled.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get these two drunks out then. Thanks Hanada. Nice ice cream.¡±

    ¡°Wait a minute, Tomozou, pay up.¡±

    ¡°Eh, I have to pay?¡±

    ¡°The beer you brought got them drunk, so it¡¯s your responsibility.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s with that logic?¡±

    While Min-san and Tomozou-san were bickering away, Alice¡¯s legs probably went numb with the waiting as she suddenly shoved me aside and barged into the shop,

    ¡°Listen up, Tomozou, I¡¯ll quickly settle this request and make you regret not asking me earlier. Prepare yourself.¡±

    With Alice pointing at his nose, Tomozou-san blinked in surprise, and smile, saying,

    ¡°Right, got it. Never thought I¡¯ll actually bother you, Yuuko. Leaving it to you then.¡±

    Alice turned to leave the kitchen, her long ck hair making an arc, ¡°Narumi,e to the office for a meeting once you¡¯re done with work!¡± She said to me.

    *

    Two dayster, on Sunday, there was finally progress. After receiving Alice¡¯s call, and without finishing my lunch, I got onto my bicycle and rode to Okabayashi Sundries.

    I spotted the signboard of the shop, followed by Tomozou-san¡¯s angry growling, and I had to brake abruptly.

    ¡°Shut up, you¡¯re annoying. How many times did I say that I¡¯m not going to agree? I¡¯m busy.¡±

    The door open, and a short middle-aged man dressed in a grey suit hurriedly exited.

    ¡°No, not at all. Ourpany does understand your predicament well, Okabayashi-sama.¡±

    ¡°Enough already, go back.¡±

    The man kept lowering his head apologetically, and Tomozou-san tossed the namecard back at him, mming the door hard. The piece of paper floated forlrning.

    Fuu, the man sighed, and took out his handkerchief to wipe his sweat. Once he spotted me, he was taken aback, and hurried towards the supermarket.

    ¡­Who is he?

    ¡°Ahh, what, you¡¯re here?¡±

    A little crease opened, and Tomozou-san poked his head out of the door.

    ¡°That guy¡¯s not wandering around anymore, right?¡±

    ¡°Eh, ah, y-yes.¡±

    ¡°Hurry in now.¡±

    Tomozou-san grabbed and pulled me into the shop, and quickly closed the door.

    ¡°Who was that just now?¡±

    ¡°The store manager next door. I did mention him before, right? He¡¯s the one going around trying to get us to sell thend. I don¡¯t know how many times I shooed him, but he just kepting back. Seriously, I¡¯m not in the mood to deal with him.¡±

    It seemed Tomozou-san was really peeved. It¡¯s no wonder however, as there were a few sample of wine on the floor, like thest time.

    Someone tamped with them.

    ¡°My mom found out this time. Good thing I haven¡¯t caused any inconvenience to the customers.¡±

    Tomozou-sanid out the bottles one by one, looking depressed as he said,

    ¡°Last night, before I went out, I had the wine I wanted to deliver ced there. This morning, my mom had a look, and found that there¡¯s oil or something mixed inside. Argh, I wanted to open shop this week.¡±

    ¡°Where were they ced?¡±

    ¡°In the storage, of course.¡±

    I stared at the corridor reaching deep behind the counter. So even the stuff inside the storage was tampered? The culprit went that far? For the sake of obstructing business?

    Aunty appeared from behind the counter.

    ¡°Tomozou, did the shop manager show up?¡±

    ¡°I chased him away.¡±

    ¡°Seriously, how can you? Always chasing other people away without hearing them out¡­I should go over to apologize.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t do anything unnecessary. Why listen to them? They¡¯re aiming for our house. Are you really intending to sell the shop to them?¡±

    ¡°Instead of fighting on for the sake of pride, why not sell thend to use as a parking lot?¡±

    ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    Tomozou-san approached the counter, utterly fuming. I really could not remain in the shop, and was seriously thinking of slipping away.

    ¡°This shop was opened out of your dad¡¯s own interest, right? You¡¯re causing trouble for your customers, and making Yumi-chan go through so much¡ª¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s why I¡¯ll can¡¯t give up here.¡±

    ¡°Ahh goodness, I¡¯m going to go over to apologize¡­¡±

    Aunty removed the apron, and went into the house again. It seemed Tomozou-san wanted to yell something at her, but once he nced aside at me, he was a little hesitation, and merely returned to testing the items.

    After aunty entered the house, Major showed up.

    ¡°I was too careless. I should have defended the base for the entire night.¡±

    Major gritted his teeth with much regret, and at the same time, took back the contents of the cameras installed at the three locations.

    ¡°Vice-Admiral Fujishima, bring these back to the office. I will stay here to strengthen the security, and not let a single ant in. I will dig up foxholes and set up booby traps, and make sure anyone approaching will be wiped out.¡±

    ¡°Enough already, you criminal.¡±

    Good thing Tomozou-san retorted here, or nobody¡¯s going to cut out on Major¡¯s boasting.

    ¡°Erm, do I help out?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s more important to deliver the footage to Alice. Aren¡¯t you more adept at handling video footage, Vice Admiral Fujishima? Tetsu will drop byter, so leave it to us.¡±

    It just seemed like I was kicked out from the scene and acting as gofer for some reason, but Major¡¯s right. I could only put the video memory card into my back, and left the shop.

    There was a small white piece of paper on the floor outside the door; it was the card Tomozou-san just threw out. I picked it up to have a look, and found the words ¡°Rart Holdings Private Limited, Business Promotion Chief Hotta Kiyoshi.¡±, along with thepany address and phone number. I only heard that he was the store manager, but he¡¯s pretty much an executive big shot in thepany¡­

    ¡°¡­Hm?¡±

    I had a look at the namecard, and felt that something was amiss. I tried flipping the namecard over and over again, even checking from various angles, but I could not figure out what was amiss.

    What was it? While I was finally about to figure out something.

    ¡°Huh, you¡¯re heading back?¡±

    I heard a voice, and hurriedly stuffed the namecard into my pocket. I lifted my head, and saw aunty returning from the supermart.

    ¡°Sorry for having you witness something embarrassing. We have been arguing recently.¡±

    She shook her head, giving a wry smile. Truly, I did not know how to answer. Did I reallyck presence?¡±

    Aunty stood at the door for quite a while, and lifted her head at the signboard, before lowering her head again, sighing. She probably felt awkward, I guess. They just had a quarrel, so it¡¯s no wonder she¡¯s like this.

    ¡°But it¡¯s just some small, meaningless shop¡­¡±

    Aunty¡¯s smile was filled with mncholy.

    ¡°Alcoholics really aren¡¯t suited to manage wine shops. That husband of mine, and Tomozou, both of them paid no thought to anything other than the shop.

    Aunty let out a deep, reluctant sigh.

    ¡°Was his father¡­like that too?¡±

    I asked without thinking too much. Aunty¡¯s sidelong face was too depressing.

    ¡°Yes¡­while we did not have many customers, he would drive the truck everywhere, looking for the goods as long as he was requested. He never had a good sleep, and ended up in that ident. It¡¯s stupid. I don¡¯t want his child to end up like that either.¡±

    I gulped.

    ¡°I should have struggled on alone and made sure that child went to college.¡±

    Aunty shook her head,

    ¡°He probably had lots of things he wanted to do, yet he just kept working, and working every day after he left high school.¡±

    I guess men are fools, no? Aunty muttered to herself, and I could not answer, except to nod politely, and escape to where I parked my bicycle.

    I entered the office, and found Alice, along with another visitor.

    ¡°Oh, Narumi-kun, nice timing.¡±

    Seated on the near side of the bed was the posh-looking, host-like youth Hiro, who was dressed in cream-colored short blouson, and grey cks. He was holding a bath towel, holding a pair of scissors and hair care, gentlybing Alice¡¯s long hair.

    ¡°What are you doing¡­¡±

    ¡°Taking care of the hair. This room is dry, and there is a need to moisten.¡±

    ¡°Hiro, are you done yet? I¡¯m feeling stressed now that I can¡¯t move my head around.¡±

    Alice, facing the screen, did not sound too happy.

    ¡°How about you learn how to take care of the hair too, Narumi-kun? I can teach you.¡±

    ¡°Why do I have to do this?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the detective assistant?¡±

    Yeah, I¡¯m the detective assistant. So what?

    ¡°Am I going to experience such suffering every day if you teach Narumi? Stop that already!¡±

    Alice kept tapping at the keyboard. So everyone thinks that I have nothing better to do?

    ¡°But hair needs to be cared for every day. Alice, your long hair is a work of art, and it doesn¡¯t just belong to you.¡±

    ¡°If it doesn¡¯t just belong to me, then who else?¡±

    Hiro¡¯s sweet talk should be able to sink the hearts of manydies, but it seemedpletely ineffective on Alice. I was a little relieved.

    ¡­Why am I feeling relieved?

    ¡°Actually, I got the camera recordings. Don¡¯t you want to check them?¡±

    The only thing I could assist Alice with was to handle the footage. Hiro gave me some room, and I was nudged the pile of dolls aside, finally having space on the bed.

    When was it that I could get onto the bed and approach like that? While I was wondering, the mouse was moved over to me.

    ¡°You¡¯re in charge of watching the video. If you see anyone on the TV, extract that part.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    *

    Late at night, once all the customers at ¡®Ramen Hanamaru¡¯ had finally dispersed, the NEET detective team gathered at the back door. It was a long time since the trio were gathered. Tetsu-senpai looked grim.

    ¡°We figured out the likely period the wine was tampered.¡± Senpai said, ¡°Only one was affected this time. We searched through all the stocks in the shop too. I don¡¯t want to do this a third time.¡±

    Speaking of which, it did seem senpai did help out with the testing the first time. To do the same thing twice in a short period of time is mentally draining.

    ¡°The tampered wine was one of those Tomozou-san brought out yesterday evening, to be delivered to the customer. Aunty discovered it this morning, so it¡¯s like that¡¯s the period it was tampered.¡±

    ¡°I had a rough check through all the footage, but the problem is that nobody actually approached the warehouse though?¡±

    ¡°And there aren¡¯t any other cameras in the storage. I should have splurged and installed infrared cameras.¡±

    Major obviously looked peeved, for despite installing the high grade equipment he was confident in, the shop was broken into.

    ¡°Are there any other entrances to the storage?¡± Hiro asked, but Tetsu-senpai shook his head.

    ¡°Then how did the culprit get in? Are we sure it was fine when Tomozou-san put it there? Was it tampered before he did so? Like if he missed out during the first tests¡­?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± Tetsu-senpai concluded.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be too hasty to conclude. Think about it again. Thest time Tomozou-san saw those bottles of wine, they were fine, and nobody actually approached the storage until aunty found it. Didn¡¯t you see it too, Narumi-kun?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± I nodded.

    ¡°Then isn¡¯t this an impossible crime? There¡¯s no other way to slip into the warehouse.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai and Major appeared to have issues with Hiro¡¯s ideas, but they remained silent.

    ¡°Erm.¡±

    I suddenly thought of something, and voiced out. The trio turned to look at me in unison, and I was a little scared, but I took out a printed footage of the camera in the shop, and ced it on the wooden stool in the middle.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a way to enter the storage without being seen on the camera.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Major asked, looking displeased.

    ¡°What method?¡± Tetsu-senpai folded his arms.

    ¡°Well¡­in other words¡­I pointed at a corner of the printout, the part where the cupboards of the shop was taken, ¡°Isn¡¯t there a blind spot behind the counter? If you bend down, head past the counter, and enter the corridor¡­¡±

    The ck noren and the back of the counter formed a blind spot the camera could not capture.

    ¡°But even if there is a blind spot, if you enter from the door inside, you¡¯ll be seen on the cameras¡­ ahh.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai swallowed his words.

    ¡°So the culprit entered from the house?¡±

    Hiro continued. I nodded.

    To the right of the counter was Tomozou-san¡¯s house. If one ducked down to evade from the camera, it would be very possible to enter the corridor leading to the storage.

    ¡°Okabayashi Sundries is closed for now, and it¡¯s not like there¡¯s anyone in the shop at all times. Anyone can enter if they want to, I guess?¡±

    ¡°Wait, Vice Admiral Fujishima.¡± Major cut me off, ¡°We can¡¯t just decide if it¡¯s possible or not. This isn¡¯t a quiz. If anyone¡¯s to enter like that, he has to figure out where the cameras are set.¡±

    Ah¡­I see.

    My thought process was always based on ¡®it¡¯s impossible to be caught on camera¡¯, but that¡¯s only if there¡¯s anyone who knows what¡¯s going on in the shop. As Major said, this isn¡¯t a quiz. To enter this way, one would have to know where the cameras are set, and also know ¡®I won¡¯t get caught on camera if I head at the inner side of the counter¡¯.

    ¡°But right now, the only usible method is suggested by Narumi-kun.¡± Hiro supported my idea.

    ¡°But Hiro, if we can¡¯t be sure of where the cameras are set, it¡¯s impossible to enter like this.¡±

    ¡°Got it, the culprit is Major.¡±

    ¡°Right!¡±

    Tetsu-senpai concluded, and Hiro added fuel to the fire, resulting in a short skit. Hiro and Tetsu-senpai acted as constable,wyer and judge, while Major half-jokingly protested his innocence. Finally, the cruel verdict was a denkianma for three straight hours, before the trio before me returned to reality and sighed hard. These guys really look like they¡¯re having fun all the time¡­

    So Major was trying to clear the mood as he suddenly changed the topic,

    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about how the intrusion was down. Hiro, didn¡¯t you say the outside camera caught a suspect?¡±

    Hiro nced aside at me, and went from one folding leg to another, nodding away. I ced the printed pictures on the table; these were the footages I extracted from the front and back doors.

    There were eight photos in total, all of them catching sight of the same middle aged man, the unimpressive looking supermarket manager.

    ¡°He was wandering around Okabayashi Sundries the past two days, twice per day.¡± I exined.

    ¡°Who¡¯s he? Did you find out about him, Hiro?¡±

    ¡°Yeah I did. I went to the supermarket, checked with thepany too. He should be innocent though.¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s why you¡¯re in a suit.¡±

    After the footage was checked at noon, Hiro changed into a suit and went out to investigate, only returning just a moment back. He¡¯s a gigolo who had nothing to do, yet quick on the go at such matters.

    ¡°Hotta Kiyoshi, the business growth manager of Rart. He¡¯s high ranked, but it¡¯s the first shop they established, and they needed to get operations up and running, so he¡¯s shop manager too. It seemed he¡¯s dropping by the head office every alternate day, and showing up at the shop on other days. He¡¯s really busy.¡±

    ¡°So he¡¯s trying to get Okabayashi Sundries bankrupt so that he can get thend for parking lots?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s too far-fetched. He¡¯s an executive of a bigpany here. If news get out, his life will be ruined.¡±

    ¡°But he¡¯s really as annoying as a stalker here, telling Tomozou-san to sell thend every day. He just have the criminal feeling to him.¡± Major said.

    ¡°He was wandering around the shop over the past two days, and to be honest, he¡¯s a little weird. But¡­even if the shop closes, thend won¡¯t necessarily be sold. Is he that stupid?¡±

    Hiro folded his arms again,

    ¡°Do you know when this Hotta went to the shop, and to the corporate office?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Hm? He was at the shop yesterday, and the day before. Three days ago, he was at the corporate office. Why?¡±

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s not.¡± I was dejected, ¡°I was wondering if he did see Major installing the cameras¡­doesn¡¯t seem that way though.¡±

    The cameras were installed three days ago. If he did go to the corporate office that day, it would be impossible.¡±

    ¡°Are you still harping on the idea that anyone can duck under the counter to hide from the cameras, Vice Admiral Fujishima?¡± Major sounded a little impatient. Is that a bad thing?

    At that moment, I suddenly thought of something.

    Suddenly, I thought of something.

    There was someone else who could have seen the instation of the cameras-.

    Yumi-san.

    She just so happened to be leaving Okabayashi Sundries when I arrived, and wandered around for a moment. Maybe she saw Major installing the cameras.

    Also, she had a motive.

    Once Okabayashi Sundries go down, the shackle preventing her from marrying Tomozou-san will be gone.

    I swallowed this bitter feeling. So being a detective¡¯s such an annoying thing?

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    Hiro suddenly noticed me being silent, and looked at my face. I brooded for amoment, and finally spoke up,

    ¡°Erm¡­please don¡¯tugh if you hear this. It¡¯s the same thought, but just a guess.¡±

    I tried to defend myself before sharing my suspicions about Yumi-san. Major rolled his eyes at me, Hiro looked startled, and Tetsu-senpai just burst outughing.

    ¡°I said it was a guess¡­¡±

    ¡°Hm¡­ahh, sorry forughing. Yumi-san¡¯s fine though. Definitely not her. After Tomozou-san sorted out the wine, he went out with her, until this morning.¡±

    ¡°Eh¡­?¡±

    A perfect alibi.

    I hunch over, and sighed, wanting to stick my head between my thighs. Actually, I too heaved a sigh of relief. I really didn¡¯t want to suspect Yumi-san.

    ¡°He said they had a quarrel. Maybe it¡¯s because they were dating? At this critical moment¡­¡±

    ¡°No, I heard it¡¯s for work. Said that there¡¯s some wine tasting. Even the businesses from Okinawa participated, and he had some wine he wanted to import. That¡¯s why he had aunty watch the shop, and went out.¡±

    I see. Since both of them couldn¡¯t open a shop, and there¡¯s no orders to deliver, so he could only focus on importing? Well, these two are kinda hardworking¡­

    Hm? Okinawa?

    ¡°So both of them kept drinking until the next morning?¡±

    ¡°I really don¡¯t know whether those two are on good terms or not¡­¡±

    ¡°Well, whatever. I¡¯ll go have a chat with Yumi-san. Maybe she saw something on the day the cameras were installed?¡±

    ¡°Hiro, you know her?¡±

    ¡°No need to know a prettydy beforehand if I want to hear her out.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t hear her out in a hotel though. Tomozou-san¡¯s going to kill you.¡±

    ¡°Well, got to look at the mood first. I can¡¯t give any guarantees~¡±

    Tetsu-senpai smacked Hiro in the back of the head, and they stood up, along with Major. The trio bumped fists right above the wooden, and quietly departed the valley between the buildings.

    I was left behind, and was left strangely helpless, unable to escape the third floor of the emergency staircase, and could only look down at the ground nkly.

    If Okabayashi Sundries goes down, will Tomozou-san and Yumi-san get married? I suddenly had this thought. Alice might be sad, right¡­? Speaking of which, that¡¯s the reason why Alice¡¯s working hard to investigate this, isn¡¯t it?

    So what should I do?

    A thought suddenly appeared in my mind, but I didn¡¯t know how to handle to. It was really way out there, such that I sensed that I could not just leave it as it was, that I had to investigate.

    While the foolish thoughts in my mind kept swelling to the point of explosion, an icy object suddenly approached my face.

    ¡°¡ªWoah.¡±

    I tilted back in shock, and rolled down the stairs.

    ¡°Shut up. Keep it down, will you?¡±

    It was Min-san. It seemed the ramen shop had closed for the day. Min-san had taken off her tank top, and was in a sarashi again. She shoved the cup of ice cream into my hands, and sat next to me. You know, I really had been thinking about this for a while, but I really don¡¯t know where to look at when you¡¯re like that.

    ¡°You¡¯re not eating? I¡¯m going to finish both.¡±

    Min-san said as she put a spoonful of her portion into the mouth. I hurriedly picked up my spoon.

    ¡°This¡­is Japanese wine vored?¡±

    ¡°Yep. Tomozou-san delivered some nice sweet wine, so I tried it out. I always wanted to, but it¡¯s too bad I couldn¡¯t find a matching Japanese wine¡­¡±

    The ice cream melted on my tongue, and the scent of rice whiffed past my nostrils.

    ¡°Nice?¡±

    I nodded. I really was grateful this person here did not give up her dreams on making ice cream while focusing on cooking ramen.

    ¡°I have a request too.¡±

    ¡°¡­Eh?¡±

    ¡°I will be bothered if that shop closes down too. Go help him out.¡±

    I stared nkly at Min-san¡¯s sidelong face, and after a long while, I nodded firmly.

    Why say such things to me? I couldn¡¯t help but wonder. But actually, there¡¯s no need to think much into this problem. Min-san probably understood that I was brooding over such a stupid issue, I guess.

    I really owed a lot of favors. I took another mouthful of this ice cream with aplex taste. Due to the alcohol, the warmness grazed my throat.

    I¡¯m a detective assistance, and had epted Tomozou-san¡¯s request. I swallowed the ice cream that was as sweet and bitter as this fact, and stood up.

    *

    That night, I did my own investigations in my room, a rarity at that. While it¡¯s investigating, I might say that I was just searching the inte. I was being a small time NEET detective. Truth be told though, it¡¯s better than relying on Alice all the time.

    There were two name cards on the table, side by side. One of them was Yumi-san¡¯s while the other¡¯s Hotta Kiyoshi¡¯s. The address of bothpanies were on the same floor. This was the strangeness I sensed when I picked up Hotta-shi¡¯s namecard.

    And I quickly found the answer.

    The parentpany of Rart so happened to be Wakui Food Corporation Pte Ltd, Yumi-san¡¯spany.

    It¡¯s hard to imagine it being a coincidence, but the rtionship between Hotta Kiyoshi and Yumi-san was established. I camped in this bedroom without lights sighing at the monitor.

    There was something else I was concerned with. The Shisa disy. Didn¡¯t Tomozou-san visit the Okinawan businessman to find the other matching Shisa?

    That answer remained hidden within the vast inte.

    ¡°¡­Ahh. May 13th. So that¡¯s how it is, huh¡­?¡±

    I recalled all the things Tomozou-san said, and muttered to myself as I nodded always. While this probably had nothing to do with the case, it blew at the necessary truth I was trying toe up with.

    I guess that kind of a nice shop shouldn¡¯t close down after all.

    *

    The following day, after school.

    ¡°The parentpany of Rart?¡±

    I finally summoned the courage to ask, while Alice, holed up under the nket on the bed of the detective agency, nonchntly responded.

    ¡°Wakui Food Corporation. Wakui Yumi¡¯s father is the chairman.¡±

    ¡°So you found out already¡­?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    I was feeling really jumpy, but I barely managed to continue my exnation. Yumi-san might have witnessed the cameras being installed, but had an alibi on the day the wine was tampered. On the other hand, while Hotta Kiyoshi didn¡¯t see the instation, but he had been wandering around Okabayashi Sundries when the incidents happened. In other words¡­

    ¡°If both of them have colluded, that Wakui Yumi informed Hotta Kiyoshi of the installed cameras, and there might be a possibility of a break-in, so I may say.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Why was she able to remain so calm? While nodded away, I was left confused.

    ¡°So what should I say? How short-circuited your thought process is has left me speechless. Are those two the only suspects in your mind?¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­well, it¡¯s too much to dismiss it as a coincident.¡±

    ¡°How is this just a coincidence? Have you forgotten? Wakui Food Corporation and Okabayashi Sundries have been on familiar terms with each other since thest generation. In any case, that ¡®Rart¡¯ might have been opened as ordered by Wakui Food Corporation, aiming for Okabayashi Sundries.¡±

    Opened--aiming for the shop?

    Wh-what does this mean? A massive g raised just to topple over a little wine shop? What¡¯s with that? Isn¡¯t that more ridiculous than my guess.

    ¡°But there is something I need you to handle. With that, you can get rid of that utterly pessimistic doubt.¡±

    It appeared from Alice¡¯s tone that my suggestion was an irrational delusion not worth considering.

    She waved her hand, and so I got onto the bed with an abnormally tense heart.

    ¡°Erm.¡± So I asked without thinking.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°About that, well, you don¡¯t think of anything when I¡¯m just getting onto the bed as I please, do you?¡±

    Alice widened her eyes, blinking, tilting her head in confusion,

    ¡°Ah¡ªno, sorry.¡±

    If she was concerned, she wouldn¡¯t have let me onto the bed, I guess? I sat down at the keyboard, right beside Alice, and appearing on the many screens were the surveince footages of Okabayashi Sundries.

    ¡°Based on your assumption, nobody can be caught on camera if they bend down behind the counter and head to the storage. Am I correct?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±

    ¡°But is it really aplete blind spot?¡±

    Upon hearing Alice¡¯s words, I tried erging the image of that part. As expected of a high definition camera from Major, even after erging, there were no mosaics.

    There was a dark blue noren hanging at the entrance to the corridor at the back of the counter, and if something ducked down and slowly approached there to enter, the cameras shouldn¡¯t be able to pick it up.

    ¡°No¡­it¡¯s not apletely blind spot, I guess?¡±

    The noren did notpletely cover the corridor, and there was a gap between the walls, and also a partition between the norens, which I could vaguely see what was behind. If someone passed through the corridor, there should be some movements on the teeny gaps shown on the footage.

    ¡°So now, let¡¯s start searching using the possible times the crime could have been done. I¡¯ll edit the code, and you figure out the footage you can identify.¡±

    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡±

    If we¡¯re going to narrow our search for any particr range over a long time, it¡¯ll be easier to write a code than it is to observe with the naked eye.

    The search time would be the twenty hours since Tomozou-san was done assembling and left the storage.

    About 20 hours passed until the following day, when aunty found that the wine was following day.

    Within 30 seconds, the code Alice write quickly scanned through the footage over the past twenty hours.

    But it did not stop.

    ¡°You know what this means, right?¡±

    She muttered by my ear, and I could only nod nkly.¡±

    ¡°Oh, we got mail.¡±

    She turned to the other screen. I really could not believe this oue, so I ran the script again. The results were the same. A calctor could never make a mistake; the one at fault every time is a human.

    Nobody approached the storage during thest 20 hours.

    In that case, how did the culprit do it?

    How did the culprit enter the storage?

    ¡°Hm? Sesame oil? Perfect.¡±

    Alice suddenly noted. I looked over at the screen, and saw her close the email.

    ¡°¡­What was that?¡±

    ¡°The analysis of the impurities mixed into the wine. It¡¯s said that it¡¯s just sesame oil. Alright, time to see how to end this¡­¡±

    How to end this¡­?

    ¡°The truth is out, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Ehhh?¡±

    Alice shrugged.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t make a fuss out of everything. Do you think that¡¯s a prerequisite of a detective¡¯s assistant or something?¡±

    ¡°No, but.¡±

    ¡°The path leading to the truth is always so simple, but the detective¡¯s job happens after the truth is discovered.¡±

    Alice took off the nket draped over her shoulders, and opened the cupboard. It was the first time I had looked into the cupboard, and colourful dresses were hanging neatly there. So she has so many clothes after all¡­?

    Finally, she took out one set, andid it out on the table. It was a in, ck, nothing fancy on it.

    The mourning clothes I always saw.

    Alice returned to the bedside, and started undoing her pajamas, starting from the top button.

    ¡­W-wait a sec. I hurriedly got off the bed.

    ¡°Voice out before you change clothes!¡±

    ¡°Hm? Where are you going? It¡¯s hard to pull the zip on the back of this dress. Wait, you.¡±

    I say,

    Anyway, it¡¯s pointless to say anything more, so I hid in the kitchen and waited for Alice to be done changing. After a while, I heard her giving a call to someone else.

    ¡°Tomozou? It¡¯s me. Come over to ¡®Hanamaru¡¯¡­hm? With your girlfriend? It¡¯s fine, perfect. What¡¯s with the courtesy¡­no, it hasn¡¯t ended. Just a little longer.¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes, gather at ¡®Hanamaru¡¯. Tomozou seems free at 9 or so, so that time¡­yes, it¡¯s over. I understand.¡±

    She put down the receiver.

    ¡°Narumi, the zipper on the back, please.¡±

    Alice probed her face from the other side of the freever. I sighed, and stood up.

    Alice was wearing her mourning clothes.

    In other words, the case was going to end.

    *

    It was 9pm when Alice and I left the office. We descended the emergency staircase, and heard the voices of manying from ¡°Ramen Hanamaru¡¯.

    ¡°Never saw you go all out in a while, Tomozou-san.¡±

    ¡°No no, don¡¯t tempt me.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, tempt him, that¡¯ll be good for business here. Hey Tomozou, drink up as much as you want. I¡¯ll send you back home.¡±

    ¡°So who¡¯s better at holding liquor? You or Yumi-san?¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s only Sh¨­ch¨±, I am better than Tomo-kun.¡±

    ¡°Stop lying. I¡¯m better here. Bring them all here.¡±

    ¡°So a drinking contest?¡±

    ¡°Wait, I can¡¯t drink much recently. Sorry¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Open that bottle I just sent over. I¡¯ll finish it all.¡±

    ¡°Tomozou-san¡¯s a goner!¡±

    Yumi-san¡­you called us ¡°the kids who¡¯s up to something¡±, but you sure got them familiar, I guess? Beer¡¯s really powerful. I was about to approach the back door of the kitchen, but Alice tugged at my sleeve.

    ¡°We¡¯re leaving from the back door.¡±

    ¡°Eh? Aren¡¯t you looking for Tomozou-san?¡±

    ¡°Be quiet. Let them drink all they want. We¡¯re headed for Okabayashi Sundries.¡±

    I didn¡¯t know why at all. Then why call Tomozou-san over?

    We passed through the buildings, and went to the parking lot at the back. Once she saw my bicycle that was parked there, Alice looked really mortified,

    ¡°¡­We¡¯re going on a bicycle?¡±

    ¡°Not like we got any choice?¡±

    How am I supposed to ferry this one here dressed in a fluffy skirt and holding a bear doll? What if my ssmates see me?

    ¡°Can¡¯t we get Hiro to drive you there?¡±

    ¡°Hiro¡¯s the only one that if he¡¯s gone, Tomozou will be suspicious.¡±

    Alice sat sideway on the back rack, holding my waist with trembling hands. The bear doll was pressing firmly on my back.

    ¡°¡­Y-you hear me? Slow down. As slow as possible, and no sudden turns. If the ground is uneven, warn me beforehand.¡±

    Good grief, I shook my head, and kicked the bicycle stand off.

    *

    Okabayashi Sundries was already buried in darkness. In contrast, the supermarket next door was lit, making this ce a lot darker. I got off the bicycle, and the arms wrapped around my waist suddenly loosened, causing me to hurriedly reach for Alice, who nearly fell from the rack.

    ¡°¡­You okay?¡±

    ¡°Uu¡­yeah.¡±

    Even through the ck veil, I could see Alice¡¯s pale face. Stop forcing youself.

    ¡°Do you ride such a barbaric transportation tool to school every day? This is unbelievable.¡±

    ¡°Your first time riding a bicycle?¡±

    ¡°I honestly wish this is the first and thest time.¡±

    ¡°We still have to ride once back, don¡¯t we?¡±

    ¡°Uuu¡­¡±

    As usual, Alice had the teddy bear pressed on my back as she grabbed my belt firmly.

    ¡°Let¡¯s hurry, I have difficulty breathing at a ce without a ceiling.¡±

    We went to the back of Okabayashi Sundries, and pressed the doorbell.

    ¡°I¡¯m here¡­oh?¡±

    Aunty came to the door, and was mystified once she saw Alice behind me. It¡¯s wonder though.

    ¡°¡­Tomozou went to the ramen ship.¡±

    ¡°E-erm, we¡¯re aren¡¯t here to look for Tomozou-san. I want to check the storage again. As for the one behind me, please don¡¯t mind.¡±

    Aunty remained perplexed, but she let us into the house.

    ¡°Are you Yuuko-chan? I heard from Tomozou¡­you look pale. Are you fine?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s always like this, don¡¯t mind.¡± I spoke up for Alice.

    We entered the corridor, and Alice nearly copsed on the floor, so I just grabbed her and pulled her up.

    The lighting in the storage was darker than usual, and the air inside was rather chilly.

    ¡°And then? What are we looking for?¡±

    ¡°Sesame oil.¡±

    Sesame oil?¡±

    ¡°That sesame oil mixed with the wine? Over here? Maybe the culprit took it away?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s definitely here. Don¡¯t ask, just look.¡±

    It seemed Alice did not intend to take action personally. Well, she¡¯s dressed like that, and can¡¯t really be looking around like that, but for me, I don¡¯t really mind¡­

    The daily necessities were ced at the innerside of the racks. Sauces, mirin, sd oils, wheat, potato starch¡­these things were all stacked on the racks in boxes, unpacked, and finally, I found the box of sesame oil before me.

    I opened the cardboard box, and immediately found it. A stic seal on a bottle of sesame oil was ripped aside. I took it out, and found that the content had been reduced.

    ¡°¡­This one?¡±

    I took the bottle out to Alice, and she nodded, looking pleased.

    ¡°Then it¡¯s all solved.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s solved? Why don¡¯t I get anything? You know the culprit?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Don¡¯t you understand? The culprit can only tamper the wine in the storage, because that thing has to be in the storage.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because of the camera.¡±

    ¡°Camera? Didn¡¯t you just write the code? Nobody actually approached the storage.¡±

    ¡°Think about it again. The time Tomozou sorted the wine, left the storage, and until the time the wine was found to be tampered with. You did check through the footage with me, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°So I say, nobody approached the storage¡­¡±

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t there someone?¡±

    Someone.

    But of all the recordings I searched through, from the moment Tomozou-san left the storage, until the following day¡ª

    I nearly blurted out.

    Right.

    There was someone.

    The answer was so easy, I took it for granted. That answer was something nobody had realized.

    No, but, why?

    ¡°The other possibilities do not tally, and while the one possibility left might seem unbelievable¡ªit is the undisputed truth. Don¡¯t you think so?¡±

    Alice¡¯s final words were not directed at me. She slowly turned towards the entrance of the storage.

    Standing there with a pale face was aunty, who then tumbled and fell on her back.

    ¡°But¡­why did you do this?¡±

    I eked out a voice, and it shook the silence that had gathered in this icy storage.

    Aunty covered her face with both hands, her shoulders shivering.

    It was aunty who found that the wine was mixed with impurities on Sunday. In other words, this person here caused themotion by boldly entered the storage before the cameras, added sesame oil into the wine so boldly, and dered that someone tampered it.

    But nobody suspected her.

    Other than Alice.

    The problem is¡ªwhy do this?

    ¡°You probably want to close this shop in a way Tomozou won¡¯t find out, I guess? There¡¯s no other reason.¡±

    Alice¡¯s voice was colder than the air in the storage.

    ¡°That¡¯s because¡­I¡­¡±

    Aunty stammered,

    ¡°It¡¯s because that boy wouldn¡¯t ept my pleas, always suffering for this shop¡­he-he has done enough, right? Why can¡¯t he let himself rx a bit? Yumi-chan has been waiting for him all this time, no?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it¡­you want to close the shop personally, just because of that reason?¡±

    A strange sobbing sound could be heard from aunty¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°He gave his dreams of college for this shop. It¡¯s harder to do business now with a supermarket next door. There¡¯s no need¡­to hang on to this torn little shop. He should just get married to Yumi-chan¡ª¡±

    ¡°That should be for Tomozou-san to decided, right?¡±

    ¡°At first.¡± Aunty¡¯s voice was quaking, ¡°I thought that if the shop couldn¡¯t be opened for the time being, Tomozou would slowly change his mind, so I just¡­took action without thinking¡­¡±

    Without thinking? She actually said she took action without thinking?

    ¡°But that boy¡¯s so stubborn, always thinking about this shop. That Yumi-chan already¡­so¡­so I just thought this shop isn¡¯t¡­¡±

    That¡¯s it? That¡¯s the reason? You rather close this shop Tomozou-san¡¯s working hard to save?

    The silhouette of the girl in mourning clothes stood forlornly before the sobbing aunty, not saying anything. I too didn¡¯t know what to say. What do I do?

    At this moment, something at a corner of my eye got my attention.

    The ck silhouette about the size of two hands sped together was lying at the bottom leftside of the bottom rack. It was wrapped in stic, and was a lotrger than thest time I saw it.

    Tomozou-san found it, the other missing one.

    I closed my eyes, and started to think.

    Alice must have faced such issues lots of times before this, I guess? Do I have to break through certain people¡¯s hidden heartfelt words with a detective¡¯s arrogance? Is this really the right thing to do?

    Or is there no need to?

    I didn¡¯t know. I might think it was a lie. But I really couldn¡¯t think of anything, or maybe there wasn¡¯t an answer no matter how much I thought into it. That¡¯s the pain the speaker of the dead should bear.

    ¡°Narumi?¡±

    Alice seemed to have noticed something as she turned her head towards me, but I shook my head towards her, knelt down and unravelled the stic wrap. A colourful porcin beast appeared before me¡ªno, there was another. A pair of Shisas.

    I carefully carried the two Shisas, and they were a lot heavy than I thought. Maybe it was because they carried some people¡¯s thoughts?

    I ced the Shisas before aunty, and they let out a clunk. She lifted her head upon hearing it, her eyes already red and swollen from the crying.

    ¡°Aunty, you remember this?¡±

    My voice got softer.¡±

    ¡°¡­This¡­is¡­¡±

    Aunty lowered her hands that were covering her face, and gazed at the Shisas.

    ¡°My husband¡¯s¡­but why are there two?¡±

    ¡°This is the one uncle bought¡­and left behind as a memorabilia, right?¡±

    I stroked the head of the left Shisa.

    ¡°I think this one here was the one Tomozou-san bought on Saturday¡±

    The Shisa on the right looked a lot kinder.

    ¡°Actually, uncle wanted to buy a matching pair, but it¡¯s said that he could only get one due to shortage. That¡¯s why Tomozou-san has been looking for the other one, and found it on Saturday.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­?¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t just a decoration. It¡¯s a wine sk. It contains the wine brewed in Okinawa.¡±

    Aunty¡¯s eyes widened a lot, and Alice gave a little gasp.

    ¡°Look, this is the cap. This wine is brewed by apany in Okinawa called Nakijin, and these two¡­are said to be husband and wife.¡±

    Aunty¡¯s handsnded weakly on her thighs. At this point, my eyes weren¡¯t on aunty, but at the pair of Shisas before my eyes, and I was practically talking to them.

    ¡°I heard that Tomozou-san¡¯s father once said, ¡°Anyone has a bottle of wine that really suits him. No matter the customer, I hope to sell him the bottle that belongs to him¡±.¡±

    That became the one wish he couldn¡¯t finish. But¡ªTomozou-san¡¯s here.¡±

    ¡°His father died without finding the female shisa, so Tomozou-san kept look. To look for that personal bottle of wine before May 13th¡ªso he told me.¡±

    The second Sunday of May, to offer this bottle of wine to his mother, in ce of a red Carnation.

    ¡°So this is actually the wine bottle belonging to you, aunty.¡±

    ¡°Belonging¡­to me¡­¡±

    I thought of something else I should do, and took a deep breath of icy air.

    ¡°Also, there¡¯s another bottle.¡±

    I took out another Shisa deep within the rack. Right before aunty were three Shisas resting on the icy floor of the storage. I stared at thest one, made up my mind, and said,

    ¡°This is probably for Yumi-san. I heard they went together to buy it.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    Aunty lifted her face up towards me,

    ¡°These three Shisas represent family, right? What uncle left behind symbolizes Tomozou-san.¡±

    I quietly waited for the meaning behind these words to sink into aunty¡¯s heart.

    ¡°So that means, that boy, and Yumi-chan will¡­¡±

    I nodded to aunty, my heart aching. It was no longer speaking for the dead.

    ¡°I¡ª¡±

    I started, only to swallow my words. Could a detective express his own views? However, Alice kept looking at me, as though nodding. So I continued.

    ¡°I can¡¯t drink. I did try once, but I didn¡¯t know how to enjoy the taste. I don¡¯t know if the ¡®bottle that belongs to a single person¡¯ uncle really exists. But¡­¡±

    But I hope it really does.

    For that represent Tomozou-san continuing his father¡¯s wishes.

    ¡°I think this shop is great, to be looking all over the world for that one bottle of wine. I don¡¯t want it to close before I can enjoy it, so¡­¡±

    I looked at aunty¡¯s face, which for some reason look hazy. Was she still crying?

    ¡°So, aunty, if you agree to it, please pretend not to notice this Shisa and put it back. Wait until next week, and when you receive it from Tomozou-san¡¯s hands, when you show that look of surprise again¡ª¡±

    Continue to run the shop with him.

    Aunty slowly reached out towards the Shisa, stroking the smooth surface of the porcin. She brought it before her eyes, mumbled some words as she kept nodding towards me. Drops of tears kept falling upon the matching Shisas.

    As I left Tomozou-san¡¯s house, it seemed the neighboring supermarket was closing as the shutters slowly fell. The lighting shining upon the parking lots shortened as the shutters fell, finally vanishing, leaving behind a cold unbefitting of the start of summer. For a moment, I was unable to move when I was in the storage. If it wasn¡¯t for Alice reaching her hand out to tap at my shoulder, I might not be able to stand up.

    So we left aunty behind. I wonder if my words did reach her?

    ¡°Of course they did.¡± Alice chuckled, ¡°You really aren¡¯t suited to be a detective.¡±

    ¡°¡­Eh?¡±

    ¡°And because of that, I¡­¡±

    It was rare to see Alice stammer, and she shook her head, making herself more vague.

    ¡°Now then, what do you think we should do?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean we should do?¡±

    ¡°Case is closed, and the NEET detective job is done for now. There is something else we have to do, as a normal detective.¡±

    That was to inform the client, Tomozou-san, that the case was settled.

    ¡°I¡¯m the speaker of the dead. Once I haveplicated feelings to the living¡­I don¡¯t know what to do.¡±

    Alice, who was behind the doll, seemed so small and helpless. Her voice was right next to me, yet it seemed she was so far away from me.

    So I sighed, and answered,

    ¡°I think I just need to report half the truth.¡±

    I could not lie, but I could not state all the truths. So¡­

    ¡°I¡¯ll report to him, okay? I¡¯ll just say that we found out who the culprit is, and that the culprit won¡¯t do this again. We can¡¯t reveal the name though.¡±

    But Tomozou-san might figure out who the culprit was if he heard that.

    ¡°I guess¡­well, I shall inform Tomozou instead. A detective¡¯s reputation will be ruined if such an important job is left to the assistant, and furthermore,¡± with a thud, Alice patted me on the back, ¡°You really can¡¯t lie.¡±

    Aren¡¯t you the same? I wanted to retort, but whatever. Even if Alice did not lie, she could simply dismiss any questions with that arrogant attitude of hers; it¡¯s something this useless assistant here will never be able to learn.

    ¡°But¡­I just said a huge lie.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I know.¡±

    Alice showed a kind smile, and I sighed with relief, nearly crying,

    ¡°It just so happened to be one female and two male Shisas. It¡¯s too much to say that thest one is meant for Wakui Yumi.¡±

    ¡°You realized¡­?¡±

    Tomozou-san kept looking for the female Shisa for his mother; there was no doubt about that. About Yumi-san and the restter one, it was all nonsense on my part.

    ¡°The other male Shisa just happened to be an extra, no? Very few will buy a female one, so by buying a pair representing husband and wife, there will naturally be an extra male. That¡¯s just all, right?¡±

    I knew that very well.

    But my words distorted the truth. It became a lie made to touch aunty¡¯s heart.

    And even so, Alice showed an understanding, weing, kind smile,

    ¡°But, Narumi. That is not a lie. That is a ¡®story¡¯.¡±

    Story?

    ¡°Yes, it is a sculpture of the happiness and despair of reality. One day, it will take form as something. Before then, it cannot be considered a lie, just words you blurted out. You can just wait for Tomozou and Wakui Yumi¡¯s marriage. There is no need to feel guilty.¡±

    As usual, I didn¡¯t get what Alice was saying¡­no, but¡­

    ¡°Those two can¡¯t get married, right?¡±

    And¡­wasn¡¯t Alice working so hard to prevent their marriage?

    ¡°Not let Tomozou get married? Why would I bother with such a stupid thing?¡±

    Alice widened her eyes in surprise. Eh?

    ¡°The main point is, Wakui Yumi is three months pregnant, you know? Even if we let them be, they will get married.¡±

    ¡°Ehhhh?¡± Ho-how do you know that!?

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you suspect Wakui Yumi before? I did consider that possibility before, but that was way before you did. So I sent Hiro to investigate, and found that she had been visiting the gynaecologist regrly.¡±

    So the situation between them got that serious and urgent? No, but¡­

    ¡°¡­Is that okay? Don¡¯t you feel anything about this, Alice?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°No, nothing at all.¡±

    All I knew was that I was gravely mistaken about something. But, no, what¡¯s with Alice¡¯s attitude towards Tomozou-san? My mind waspletely confused, yet Alice kept nudging at my back, prompting me to head towards the bicycle parked forlornly in the shadows of the roadside.

    ¡°Right, let¡¯s get going. If we don¡¯t hurry, those drunkards might go crazy and get a pregnantdy drunk.¡±

    ¡°Ahh¡­yeah.¡±

    Alice cautiously sat on the rack, wrapping her arms around my waist as she made this unreasonable request, ¡°Listen, don¡¯t shake, and hurry.¡± Suddenly, I had a mischievous thought in my mind. Perhaps we could take the longer road¡­

    Two people riding together doesn¡¯t feel bad.

    *

    Okabayashi Sundries opened shop again the following day. After school, I took a bundle of celebratory flowers and went to the wine shop. They were Tulips grown by the gardening club.

    I opened the shop door, and immediately heard Tomozou-san growl, shocking me enough to jolt back.

    ¡°How many times have I rejected you? What do I have to do with yourpany¡¯s business?¡±

    ¡°No, erm, so I say, we won¡¯t be bothering you over thend. About setting up a branch in our shop, please listen.¡±

    ¡°Impossible. Do we look like we have enough staff on hand?¡±

    In front of the counter, kneeling before the round table Tomozou-san was at was that Hotta Kiyoshia-shi. Why¡¯s he here again? Hasn¡¯t he learned his lesson? Anyway, while this guy has nothing to do with the case, he is way too annoying, isn¡¯t he?

    ¡°Ah-ah-ah, you do seem to have a guest. I shall take my leave for today. Next time, I shall return if there is an opportunity¡­¡±

    ¡°I told you not toe back already. Hey, dispense with the door gift. Take it away.¡±

    Tomozou-san took out a long, narrow bag.

    ¡°Yah, I thought you would be delighted with it, Okabayashi-sama. It¡¯s Moriizou.¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    Tomozou-san¡¯s expression changed. Morrizou¡¯s a famous, premier, Shouchuu.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think you can bribe me with wine.¡±

    ¡°No no no, I definitely do not have such intentions My foresight is no match against yours Okabayashi-sama. I shall take back this terrible gift then.¡±

    ¡°No, wait, since you brought it here, I shall ept graciously, but don¡¯te back.¡± So you¡¯re epting?

    So Hotta Kiyoshi-shi exited the shop in what could be described as a very artistic bunch.

    ¡°Ahh, why do you always see something embarrassing from me¡­¡±

    Toozou-san slipped the bag under the counter as he said this,

    ¡°You say that, but aren¡¯t you butting heads against the supermarket people?¡±

    ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t look like they want ournd now. They want our shop.¡±

    ¡°Shop?¡±

    ¡°Not really.¡± Tomozou-san looked away awkwardly, ¡°He said he wishes for us to open a stand inside the supermarket.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡±

    ¡°Seems like their alcohol sales aren¡¯t too good, and they need our shop¡¯s procurement routes and professional knowledge. That uncle really has it tough. I really am grateful that I didn¡¯t choose to be a sryman in the first ce¡­¡±

    At this point, I finally realized. Alice did mention this, that ¡®Rart¡¯ opened shop, aiming at Okabayashi Sundries. So that¡¯s what she meant? Wakui Food Corporation had gone a long way back with Okabayashi Sundries, so they had seen the true value. Looks like things gotplicated. It was slow of me, but I handed the flowers.

    ¡°Oh, what is it?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s to celebrate the reopening.¡±

    ¡°Thanks. Mom went out to deliver, and can¡¯t serve you tea. Sorry.¡±

    What happened to Tomozou-san and aunty? Did he figure out the truth? Ultimately, I did not know. As for whether there were any customers at Okabayashi¡¯s, that¡¯s not for me to be worried about. As for how Tomozou-san, hard at work, and Yumi-san would deal with the pregnancy, I didn¡¯t know.

    But even so, I returned to this shop. That was because I was curious about the reaction from Alice. How should I ask?

    ¡°Thanks to you guys.¡±

    Tomozou-san merely said this, and heartilyughed. I guess he found out who the culprit was, so my instincts told me. It¡¯s only at such useless points that my instincts never went wrong.

    ¡°You had it tough too, being Yuuko¡¯s assistant. While Tetsu and Hiro have known Yuuko for a long time, they never approached her as much as you did. I guess that¡¯s a first for her, to have someone like you remain by her side.¡±

    I see¡ªso that¡¯s it?

    ¡°Tomozou-san.¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    ¡°Why do you call Alice, Yuuko?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯ll get angry if I call her by her family name. She probably hates her own family.¡±

    I see¡­no, this isn¡¯t what I mean!

    ¡°No, erm, what I mean is, why her actual name?¡±

    ¡°Eh? Ah, you¡¯re asking this? Before she started the agency, she came over to our shop to buy stuff, and left it on her tab. That¡¯s why I know her name.¡±

    ¡°Alice? Buying things here? But she doesn¡¯t drink alcohol, right?¡±

    Tomozou-san immediately widened his eyes, and then chuckled as he pointed behind my back. I turned around, saw a ss fridge upying a corner of the shop, and understood everything.

    Behind the ss door were rolls of neatly arranged 350ml Dr. Pepper cans. There were themon crimson Dr. Pepper, low calorie Dr. Pepper with red outline and white words, violet berries and cream Dr. Pepper, brown decal Dr. Pepper, and red striped cherry vani Dr. Pepper.

    ¡°Eh¡­¡± My throat just let out a strange sound, ¡°So many types¡­?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s normally impossible to get them in Japan. Got to import them. We¡¯re probably the only shop that provides all kinds of Dr. Pepper.¡±

    That¡¯s the reason? That¡¯s why Alice would go ¡°I¡¯m willing to do anything for this shop¡±, that¡¯s all?

    My face reflected on the ss panel of the fridge just broke into an unnatural smile. How else can I react other than tough?

    At this moment, the cellphone on my chest pocket vibrated, and the ¡®Colorado Bulldog¡¯ ringtone echoed.

    ¡°Narumi, you¡¯re about to leave school now, right? Okabayashi just reopened today, so beforeing over to the office.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, yeah. I¡¯m at Tomozou-san¡¯s ce.¡±

    I cut off Alice, who was talking faster and faster, unable to hide her tion. If I had rxed, I probably would have burst outughing.

    ¡°Really? Great! I want¡ª¡±

    ¡°How many cans of each? You want all the types, right?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s with you? Did you get infected with an illness that made you smarter?¡±

    Shut up. None of your business.

    ¡°So, one case of each vor.¡±

    ¡°Wha!?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget the receipt.¡±

    She hung up.

    Tomozou-san quickly brought out the cases from the storage.

    ¡°Cash¡­probably not. I can give you a receipt.¡±

    ¡°Pkay¡­please leave this on the tab.¡±

    I was nning to buy some for her to drink, but I lost the mood.

    ¡°You can¡¯t carry all these cases with you, right? Maybe when my momes back, she¡¯ll deliver to you?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I can move them all.¡±

    Tomozou-san widened his eyes in surprise. At this point, I just wanted to punish myself.

    I stuffed a case of drinks into my backpack, and the others were barely tied down onto the rack. I supposed the weight of these drinks was probably 3 times Alice¡¯s weight.

    But someone¡¯s waiting for them. This isn¡¯t a bad feeling. Let¡¯s keep this thought in mind.

    So I convinced myself as I kicked the bicycle stand off, and pedalled hard.

 Volume 5, Here Comes the Idiots of Justice

    <h4>Volume 5, Here Comes the Idiots of Justice</h4>

    When hearing the term Yakuza, what would people associate it with? Guys with pompadours, bald heads, or a slick back haircut, savage looking eyes, light-colored sunsses, always dressed in aloha shirts, strangely colored suits, or logo T-shirts all four seasons, and whenever the shoulders bumped, raise their eyebrows tauntingly. Well, that¡¯s how it seems, I guess.

    But this is just the biased interpretation as depicted by TV and movies.

    While I¡¯m just studying in an ordinary prefecture high school, and would move on to being an ordinary sophomore¡ªI don¡¯t know if it¡¯s fortunate of me or not, but loads of people I know are from the yakuza. I guess it¡¯s unfortunate that I can¡¯t be certain that I knew them¡­really unfortunate. I was often bailed out by them, and often helped them out, so I really did understand some bits about the yakuza no ordinary person would know of.

    ¡­I always wanted to write such a prologue, but such words isn¡¯t to give a trivia that ¡®the real yakuza won¡¯t dress so oundishly to garner attention¡¯. The yakuza I know of might be way different from the country¡¯s norm.

    What I know of the yakuza, to be honest,

    They¡¯re just a bunch of idiots.

    Why do I know so many useless people at a mere age of sixteen? It¡¯s all because I started working part-time that Winter.

    It¡¯s a bicycle ride no more than ten minutes from my house to my workce. It¡¯s in a corner of a residential block, not too far away from the station, and I could see a cluster of shopping buildings standing amidst the skies above the city; next to a dead end alley with poor venttion was a five-storey building. At the first storey, there was a ramen shop with a fancy looking red noren, a shop I was very familiar with, called ¡®Hanamaru¡¯. My workce¡¯s at that very building, on the third storey. There are two days of summer vacation, but my employer wouldn¡¯t let me off the hook, so I had to hurry here on such a hot, sweltering day.

    I parked my dear bicycle by the entrance of the shop, and slipped between the buildings. Scent of the chicken soup drifted from the kitchen, and filled the dim corners of the emergency staircase, forming what might be a distition of the sweltering, relentless heat ofter August. The heat waves on the asphalt were unbearable, and I really had the urge to head back home upon seeing that, but the consequences would be really dire if I did so. I reluctantly wiped my sweat away as I approached the stairs. At this moment, the back door of the ramen shop opened.

    ¡°Oh Narumi, you¡¯re here? Come here.¡±

    Poking her head out of her door was the big sister dressed in a tank top, an apron around her waist, hair tied in a ponytail, with a healthy looking appearance, and exposed shoulders. She''s the owner of ''Ramen Hanamaru'', and everyone called her ''Min-san''.

    "Oh, go bring this to Alice."

    "¡­Wait, is this the reason why I''m called over?"

    "Probably."

    I was seething, my shoulders shaking, but I received the tray from Min-san. Alice''s living on the third floor of this building, and Min-san could have brought it to her. This Alice is my employer, a bonafide NEET, and would summon me for various trivial matters. Her pickiness of food andck of appetite was also beyond expectations, so she would order stuff unbing of food, like ramen without noodles, or a Chinese bowl without rice. What did she order? So I wondered as I had a look at the bowl on the tray--and found nothing. I had to bring my face over to the bowl, and look intently.

    ¡­No, strictly put, it''s not exactly nothing.

    With a nonchnt look, Min-san said,

    "She ordered salted butter ramen without ramen, butter, char siew, leek, seaweed and soup."

    "That leaves the spring onions!"

    "There''s also salt you know?"

    "This isn''t the problem!."

    I nearly flipped the bowl onto the concrete floor. Spring onions is food, and food shouldn''t be wasted. But¡­

    "I''ve been holding back on the various weird stuff Alice orders, but this is ridiculous! Salted butter ramen with no ramen, butter, char siew, leek, seaweed and soup. What the hell is that? That''s basically getting a not-handsome poor, unknown guy from the streets whose wife isn''t Shizuka Kudo and calling him Takuya Kimura! That''s not Takuya Kimura, that''s just an ordinary passer-by!"

    The usually poised and decisive Min-san too was gobsmacked, her mouth agape as she stared at me.

    "¡­Ehh, why are you so mad? Too hot? Hungry?"

    "Not at all!"

    "Don''t get angry now. You can sing, have a nice face, and if you put on sunsses and not say anything, you''ll resemble Gackt."

    "Gackt talks too!" Please don''t console me with this weird way of putting it.

    "Okay okay, enough yapping and bring this up."

    I got beaten up.

    "I too want her to eat something nutritious, but it seems she got heatstroke recently, andck appetite."

    "She got heatstroke¡­?"

    It''s true that it''s so hot, breathing is an annoyance.

    "If we can''t get her to eat solid foods, her stomach might shrink and disappear. Better to have her eat spring onions than nothing now, right?"

    Min-san patted me on the shoulder, returned to the kitchen, and closed the door. I could only ascend the emergency staircase unwillingly.

    There was a silver te hanging on the door of the 8th room, level three. Written on the te were the words ''NEET detective agency''. This room''s the workce of my employer, and her residence.

    "Alice, I''m going in."

    Recently, I had been used to entering without pressing the doorbell, and the moment I entered, there was a long, narrow corridor, with a kitchen to the right. The strong cold gusts blew in, immediately freezing the sweat on my body.

    "It''s so hot that I''m melting¡­uuu¡­"

    The feeble voice of a girl came. The racks covering three walls reached the ceiling, and the various apparatus, including theputers, monitors and other devices were lined up upon them, the messy cables all curled out. There was also a bed in this bedroom filled withputers and cables, and this bed took up almost the entire floor space. Arge number of dolls were scattered on the bedsheets, and a petite girl was buried under them. Her ck hair was about as long as her height, and the slender arms exposed under the sleeves of her light blue pajamasid weakly on the bed, together with the slender legs under the white stockings.

    "Why do the seasons change so regrly? Because Hades always send his bride back to his inws obediently."

    Alice lifted her head, grabbing the bedsheet as she uttered this ridiculous line.

    "How about you migrate to the South Pole?"

    "I don''t want to! I''m not leaving this room at all. Bring the South Pole over to me!"

    This pipsqueak of a pajamas girl hated the heat, and that''s why she remained in this air-conditioned room all year, surfing the inte.

    As indicated on the namete, she proimed herself as a ''detective'', and I became the assistant to this detective. As for how this NEET functioned a detective, I shall borate furtherter.

    "Great¡­it''s not like the South Pole can''t be brought here¡­"

    "What did you say?" Alice suddenly jolted, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. "Are you sure it''s big enough to enter my room?"

    "Yes, of course. It''s a little different from the dolls you love¡­more like love dolls. Number 1, number 2."

    Once I mentioned that, i really felt a sense of regret. Since when did I be the type of person to make dirty jokes? Alice did not know what I was talking about, and she tilted her head in confusion. Then, she tapped at the keyboard diagonally behind her, and began to search the inte.

    With her face beetroot, she turned around--

    "Narumi¡­you shameless cad!"

    Following that were arge bunch of cans flying at me,

    "I''m sorry, I''m sorry! I was joking!"

    I had to bear the brunt of the concentrated fire, so that I could continue to be employed.

    "I guess those two milligrams of things you were born with dropped in your diapers? How about you go retrieve them now!"

    "Sorry! Seriously¡­"

    I wanted to tease Alice, but she waspletely agitated, her shoulders heaving as she huffed. After that, shended on the bedsheets with a plomp.

    "Seriously, what brought you here? If you''re just here to make fun of me getting too hot, I shall terminate your employment right now! Scram!"

    "You''re asking me what am I here for? Aren''t you the one who called me here, Alice?"

    "I was calling for a responsible detective assistant! Not a high school kid who loves to make crude dirty jokes!"

    "And that''s why I apologized¡­brought your food too."

    It''s very unfortunate, but the main job of this detective assistant is to take care of Alice''s dietary habits. Also, there''s also theundry and the housework. She''s basically a Dr. Watson without a doctor''s license, knowledge, social standing, and life experience. Wait, that''s not Watson, that''s just me! I told myself off as I put the bowl on the table. Alice, with ck rings around her eyes, red at me.

    "Because of your uncouth actions. I have no energy to dine anymore!"

    "¡­I see. How about I feed you? Here, open wide. Ahh--"

    "Enough with such tomfoolery!"

    Alice was so furious, her long hair was shaking as she snatched the spoon from me.

    She chewed at the salt-coated spring onions, and there was a lonely sound echoing in the room. Is it¡­really nice to eat?

    "Narumi, get me Dr. Pepper."

    I was ordered to take out the dark red can from the refrigerator. She had no appetite, but she was still able to gulp down this disgusting carbonic drink. Her dietary needs really seemed to be based on Dr. Pepper itself.

    "Phew--"

    Once she cleared the contents of the bowl and the tin can, Alice let out a long sigh, and sank into the hill of dolls again.

    "This body really does annoy me from time to time¡­"

    She buried her chin in the nket, muttering,

    "I really wish i can be an electric signal swimming in the sea of the Net. There is no need for this physical body that is so feeble, and cranky.

    "¡­But if that happens, I won''t be able to meet you, Alice."

    Alice widened her eyes, her lips remained pouted as she stared at me.

    "No¡­what I mean is¡­even a NEET like you who doesn''t step out of the house¡­do actually live here, and I''m able to meet you. It''s notpletely a bad thing now. Don''t say something that lonely."

    "Wh-what''s with you? You sounded so frustrated when I called you."

    "Hm, well, it''s because it''s too hot out there, and I didn''t want to go out."

    In fact, I wouldn''t say that I hated to take care of this little detective who had zero survival skills.

    "There''s no reason for me to hate you, right? I''m your assistant after all."

    I implied nothing else as I said this, but Alice''s eyes went red as she retreated into the hill of dolls, showing only her head.

    "¡­Y-you''re saying that again?"

    "Eh? So-sorry, did I say something i shouldn''t have?"

    "Even if it isn''t something you shouldn''t have said, there''s something wrong with that! How do you not understand this!?"

    Alice was so agitated, she knocked down the pile of dolls, and they fell off the bed.

    "Think about what you say before talking, and take responsibility of what you say! You''re not a talking robot!"

    "E-erm? I''m not your assistant just because I like it or not. Besides, since I''m receiving pay, I''m really treating this as a job¡­"

    "This has nothing to do with it! Whatever!"

    Alice turned her back on me, and tapped at the keyboard like a shredder. I sighed, and ced the bowl back on the tray. In any case, I should shut up and quietly retreat. Better wait for Min-san to appease her with ice cream. The daily life of a detective''s assistant ended just like this.

    But the events on this day did not end. While I was about to head to the door, someone kept pressing the doorbell.

    "Some rare guests we have."

    Alice muttered as she stared at the six monitors lined side by side away from the bed. There were surveince cameras all over this office, and she could identify the visitors ording to the clear color visuals. Once I saw it, even I was taken aback.

    I could not determine any face, and saw that it waspletely dark. Immediately, I realized it was the torso of a ck T-shirt, and understood who the visitors were despite not seeing their faces. Given the massive figure, it had to be him.

    "Nee-san,ing in now!"

    "We''reing in!"

    I opened the door, and a booming voice rang. Entering the house and bowing deeply was a guy 2m tall, along with another obese enough to block the door. Their chests, shoulders and arms were filled with massive muscles, nearly ripping the ck T-shirts apart.

    "Aniki, you''re here too?"

    "Hello! Good work!"

    Once they noticed me standing at the door, the two of them bowed to me, as though delivering hheadbutts.

    "Be quiet when youe by next time! My office is a sanctuary!"

    "Apologies for this, ane-san!"

    "We''ll keep that in mind!"

    They ended up louder than when they entered. After much reflection, they knelt down at the floor before the kitchen.

    The tall guy was Pole, and the fat one was Rocky. Those were what I called them by (and speaking of which, I never knew of their actual names). As for why they call Alice ''nee-san'', and me as ''aniki''.

    "Well, the office is a mess without Sou-san around. Thendlord even said that if the gang leader isn''t around, they won''t pay the protection fees¡­" Pole wiped away the sweat on his forehead.

    "Yeah¡­are they looking down on us? Aniki, we need you to go around everywhere and tell off these guys!" Rocky said, his saliva spouting everywhere.

    These two guys are members of the yakuza.

    The Sou-san (or Yondaime as we call him) they speak of had gathered a bunch of delinquents off the streets, and formed this ''Hirasaka-gumi''. Normally, the gangsprised of city kids would have some western-sounding name, but these guys just love their chivalry, gang rules, and brotherhood. They spent a lot of effort imitating the yakuza.

    Alice and I are acquaintances of their gang leader, Sou-san, or Yondaime as we call him, and that''s why we were given such respect, which was unsettling to us.

    "If you are here to grumble, I can loan you the toilet to puke into."

    Alice red at them indifferently as she spat back. I supposed I should follow up here.

    "Erm, well, did something happen? Yondaime''s still in the hospital, and I''m still not very sure of what''s going on here, so I might not be able to help¡­"

    The gang leader they speak of was heavily injured in a previous incident. As for what happened then, I suppose I should talk about it next time."

    "Yes! It''s a situation where nee-san and aniki have to save us right now."

    Pole''s words caused Alice and i to exchange looks. While I was wondering that it was a bad thing, Rocky then followed up,

    "Theputer can''t connect to the inte."

    At that moment, Alice''s eyes became so cold, I felt that in the next thirty years, the world did not need any air conditioning.

    "You could have left such a crude issue to that uncouth, uncivilized assistant of mine! I have more important things to do."

    There were some ice speckles mixed in Alice''s voice, and I sighed. Well, I can sorta understand her reason¡­

    "Eh¡­I understand, but you could have just given me a call here, right?"

    "No no, how can we ask both of you to drop by¡­?"

    "That''s why we brought theputer here!"

    Rocky started taking it out from under his T-shirt. "¡­Why did you bring it here! And how am I supposed to deal with just the monitor? It''s so hot out there, and you put it on your stomach and brought it here? What are you thinking¡­?"

    "Isn''t it better for aputer to be warmer? And it''s always hot anyway¡­"

    "Both of you, kneel down to the pioneers of theputer world, starting with ude Shannon! Heating aputer is a cardinal sin!" Alice was so furious, she was seething.

    "Sorry, Shannon-san."

    "Sorry."

    "And I figured out why you can''t use the inte. You never paid the bills!"

    With a hand on my forehead, I sighed. I see. Yondaime had been hospitalized through the end of the month¡­couldn''t he have set it to auto transfer?

    "So it''s not broken? As to be expected.of nee-san. We spent two hours wondering, smacking it, and it wouldn''t work, yet you figured out the reason immediately."

    "Don''t hit it." What happens if it actually breaks down?

    It''s not worthing all the way here just to settle this, so the anxious duo immediately hurried back. Feeling a little worried, I stood behind Rocky, and asked,

    "So, are you able to reconnect the cables?"

    "Don''t worry!" Rocky confidently showed me the back of theputer, "We wrote ''ck'' on all the ports in permanent marker.

    "¡­Why ck?"

    "Because all the cables are ck!"

    "¡­Then it''s pointless to remember them like that now, right?"

    "Ahh, you''re right!" "As expected of you, aniki!"

    As expected, my foot! What did these idiots eat to be this stupid!?

    *

    And as expected, I had to head down to Hirasaka-gumi''s office to connect theputer. If I let those brawny idiots in ck T-shirts do this on their own, they might end up connecting the inte cable into the power port.

    Thinking back about it, that was the start of the incident that ruined myst two days of summer vacation.

    The Hirasaka-gumi office was located in a shorter building, behind the office block next to the nearby train station. I leaned over to the letter box, and saw bills from various enterprises. The gang''s like this all because the leader wasn''t around until the end of the month. Seriously, it doesn''t sound like that guy trusts the bank automated transactions.

    I was about to turn around and head upstairs, only to be reminded of something.

    "You haven''t paid rental for the office, right?"

    "Yes, only Sou-san gets to use the money."

    I guess. So I brought Pole and Rocky to the back. I heard the owner of this building once opened a shop on the first floor, but I didn''t see the shutters rolled up. I guess the owner had been living on rental ie. Better apologize to her.

    "Oh? Isn''t this, the leader''s recement?"

    A lively looking middle-aged woman came to answer the door. Jinnai-san, thedyndlord, seemed to have known who I was despite me not talking with her.

    "Rental? Well, it''s fine. A few days won''t matter. I heard the gang leader is hospitalized now. He certainly has it tough too."

    "We''re sorry, owner!"

    "We''ll definitely pay immediately if we can, but we don''t have any money on us now. We''re really sorry."

    Pole and Rocky stood by my left and right, shouting.

    "Ah yeah, do you mind giving a gift to the owner? It''s not something valuable, but it should be pretty good for the body."

    And the aunty went back into the house, returning soon after with korean ginseng marinated in honey.

    "¡­Eh, no. We can''t really ept something this pricey, right?"

    "It''s fine. I haven''t been able to open the shop ever since my waist been aching. I wanted to have my daughter manage it. She said she wanted to open a convenience store too."

    Since she said so, I really couldn''t really.

    "Thank you very much, owner!"

    "Thank you very much!"

    We came to apologize and exin our reasons for thete payment, only to be given a get-well gift. All three of us bowed profusely, and unexpectedly, thendlord kept bringing out what should be some really pricey Chinese medicine.

    "No no no. We really can''t ept this."

    "My my, don''t worry about that."

    And while both of us remained in an impasse, our savior arrived on the corridor.

    "Mum, if you give that many gifts, the ward room can''t really store that much, right? Also, it''s not easy to bring them all there at one go."

    Walking out of the door was a big sister dressed in a blue camisole and a really short white miniskirt. I remember she''s called Kaori-san, and she''s thendlord''s daughter. As they watched her put on her shoes, I hurried Pole and Rocky out of the house. The tworge guys were obstructing the corridor.

    "How long will Sou-kun be hospitalized?"

    Kaori-san, who was heading out, asked.

    "The doctor said it''ll be two months forplete recovery, but Sou-san is immortal."

    "So he''ll be back in a week."

    "Ahaha he''s the same as usual. Since he isn''t around, nobody''s in charge of cleaning and tidying, right? Do you need me to help us?"

    "No no no no, thank you for that."

    I hastily refused her. This had to be handled by the gang itself.

    "We have a really reliable substitute gang leader. No problems."

    Pole answered as he grinned at me. So your substitute gang leader is in charge of cleaning the ce?

    "Substitute gang leader? Are you that amazing? Well, speaking of which, aren''t you still studying in high school? It''s one thing to get involved with the yakuza, but you might dropout if you don''t study well, just as I did."

    Kaori-san tapped at my forehead. I had to remember these words well.

    As I returned to the stairs, Pole and Rocky were musing,

    "That mother and daughter are both really kind people."

    "They didn''t hate useless people like us¡­"

    Seriously, if I were thendlord, I would have chased you guys out. So I thought as I opened the door to the gang office on the third floor.

    "Good work, aniki!"

    I entered the reception room of the office, and the burly guys in ck T-shirts, who werezing around there, got up in unison and bowed to me. I really disliked them doing this every time, beside the fact that they were all older than me.

    We passed through the idiots, and entered the library cum restroom cum PC room. Did they not clean up the ce without their leader around, as Kaori-san had said? There''s cardboard boxes on the bed, and half-emptied PET bottles on the shelves. It''s a mess. Well, whatever, I''ll clean upter. I moved aside the trash on the table, and started attaching the cables of theputer again.

    "Amazing! As to be expected of you! Godlike!"

    "One right hand and you managed to connect it!"

    "And you didn''t need to read the instructions!"

    Shut up! If you have time to make noise, start cleaning up!

    And so, nobody looked like they wanted to take action. After connecting the cables, I ended up cleaning the room myself.

    I was clearing up the books in the room, only to hear the telephone ring outside.I then opened the door, poking my head out, and found that Pole picked up the call. Is he alright? If the office receives a call, it''s probably work-rted, right?

    "¡­Hello! Huh? Yeah, this is Jinnai Building."

    Jinnai Building, the name of this office building. Once he heard the reply, Pole gave a grim look.

    "That woman''s voice¡­what''s going on? Who are you?"

    I was taken aback, got the other ck shirted guys to quiet, approached the phone, and started recording.

    "¡­Our daughter? Bed? Nee-san, you mean? Hey! What do you want to do to her!? What¡­five million? You got to joking you bas¡­no, wait¡­shut up¡­hey, you''re going to hang up now? If you dare touch a hair on nee-san, I''m not going to forgive you!"

    With everyone listening to this conversation with bated breath, I saw Pole m the phone down hard.

    ¡°Nee-san got abducted!¡±

    Pole looked around at everyone, dering this.

    ¡°What!?¡± ¡°Who did it!? Looking down on us, eh?¡±

    ¡°5 million yen ransom?¡±

    I stood amongst the chattering gang, and was left speechless. Alice¡ªwas kidnapped? No, wait a moment, you guys, let me calm down first. I was trapped in the vortex of rage as I took out my cellphone.

    ¡°¡­Ahh, Alice? Erm, well.¡±

    I thought it was too stupid to ask, but I had to be certainly.

    ¡°You¡¯re not, erm, kidnapped, are you?¡±

    ¡°What nonsense are you saying now?¡±

    I could hear the utterly bewildered voice of the detective from the other end of the call, and sighed.

    ¡°Alice got kidnapped? For real?¡±

    A muscr big brother couldn¡¯t contain his excitement as he barged into the Hirasaka-gumi office. It¡¯s Tetsu-senpai, who used to study at my high school. He kept training at the level of a sportsman every day, yet his job was a pachinko pro. In other words, he¡¯s a NEET. Tetsu-senpai would asionally assist Alice in the investigations, and he¡¯s part of the detective team.

    ¡°Good work, ojiki!!¡±

    ¡°Good work!¡±

    Tetsu-senpai was old friends with the leader of Hirasaka-gumi, Yondaime, so the gang would call him respectful. Unlike me however, he could ept the respect without flinching.

    ¡°I went over to the ramen shop, and heard Alice say ¡°Was I kidnapped?¡±. I thought it was interesting, so I dropped by.¡±

    ¡°No, erm. This isn¡¯t a joke. Seems like someone really got kidnapped.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai remained bemused as he sat on the desk. I yed the phone recording, and midway through, senpai could not help but smirk. It¡¯s no wonder however.

    This was the call.

    "¡­Your daughter is already with us here. Listen up. Don''t call the police. If you make noise to the police, everything she did on the bed will be made known."

    "¡­Our daughter? Bed? Nee-san, you mean? Hey! What do you want to do to her!?"

    "¡­Y-you''re not her father, but her brother? Yeah! Anyway, this woman is with me here, and you heard her, right¡­ahhh, you''re noisy there. Tell them to shut up. Listen up, I want 5 million. You can get it ready immediately, right?"

    " What¡­five million? You got to joking you bas¡­"

    "You don''t care if she remains alive or not?"

    "No, wait¡­shut up. Damn it, I get it."

    "Hey, I''m the kidnapper here. Can''t you show some courtesy here?"

    "Shut up."

    "Whatever, just prepare the money first. I''ll call againter."

    "¡­Hey, you''re going to hang up now? If you dare touch a hair on nee-san, I''m not going to forgive you!"

    "How did this weird conversation go so well anyway?"

    Once he was done listening, senpai burst outughing.

    "The second call reached us too¡­"

    The culprit called for Pole to be in charge of the transaction, along with the location and time. Tetsu-senpai nearly fell off the table,ughing,

    "Erm, but, this probably isn''t a joke. Seems like someone really got kidnapped."

    "Speaking of which, I did hear a woman''s scream, but it definitely didn''t sound like Alice."

    Now that he mentioned it, that''s true.

    "And how did they manage to continue the conversation even after the mistake? Didn''t they check the name the first time around?"

    "Ah, yeah, is this the Jinnais, he asked. So Pole answered, yeah, this is ''Jinnai Building''."

    "This is probably where the misunderstanding started."

    Senpai tilted his head in confusion.

    "The first floor of this building always has its shutters down, but it''s actually a medicine distributor managed by thendlord. Her name is Jinnai."

    "So, the one kidnapped is her daughter?"

    Soon after, I got a call from Alice.

    "So what''s the situation now? Exin clearly now. What is the misunderstanding, and how did it happen? How did the abduction of a non-blood rted woman involve you guys?"

    "All for justice, nee-san! We can''t just ignore this." "Kaori-san and thendlord always took care of us, how can you say they aren''t rted?"

    Pole and Rocky shouted at the phone from both sides. I had to shoo them off before exining to Alice,

    "Well, it seems the one that made the mistake was the kidnapper."

    It seemed he didn''t know the Jinnais'' number, and had to search by address and building name, and ended up calling the third floor, where the Hirasaka-gumi office was.

    "Such an unbelievable mistake."

    "What happened after that was more unbelievable."

    "Why didn''t those heroes of justice shouting away behind you call the police directly? Did they continue to bluff the kidnapper?"

    "As you guessed¡­"

    "They didn''t inform the Jinnais?"

    "That''s how it is¡­"

    Alice, usually snappy with her retorts, was immediately left speechless. I too was shocked as I had just known about it, but I had to exin to Alice,

    "Erm, as for why they didn''t ask the police, the kidnapper asked for it, actually. And as for how Kaori-san was kidnapped, it''s said that she went to a hotel after a call was made, and they took her off like that."

    "Uh huh."

    "So in other words, Kaori-san''s job is actually, well, that kind of a unique massage work."

    "I do know of Delivery Health services. You don''t have to put it in a roundabout manner."

    "Ah, so you heard of it? Sorry. That Number 1 and Number 2 thing to the South Pole became sexual harassment, so I''m kinda sensitive about it."

    "So in other words, they''re wondering that if things get out of hand, the kidnapped woman''s job as a prostitute will be known to all? Seriously, always with the chivalry in such unnecessary areas, just like you."

    It really hurt me gravely to bepared to the Hirasaka-gumi.

    "I have a rough idea of what''s going on now. I thought nobody will be bluffed into ransom at this day and age when it''s high risk low reward. So he guessed they wouldn''t call the police."

    "Well I thought it''ll be better to call the police directly¡­"

    "I feel the same. Even if the police is to handle this, and if news of this made it to the media, they won''t actually report everything about the victim, including her profession. The culprit''s too naive to think he can hold her reputation as hostage."

    "No! It''ll be really shocking if thendlord knows that her kin is secretly doing this kind of thing!"

    "Yeah! Aniki, if you know Alice nee-san is secretly doing such things, won''t you be shocked?"

    "H-how can I possibly do such a thing? Anyone with such imagination should just worry about their future that''s bleaker than a desert on the moon!"

    Alice''s growl entered my ears. Also, Pole and Rocky, stop sticking so close to my face!

    "And so? Are you going to help them? Leaving aside your duty as an assistant?"

    "Hm, got no choice but to carry on here¡­Alice, erm¡­you''re not going to help, right?"

    "If an official request is made with payment, I am willing to ept this as a job. To preface, searching by GPS signal will take lots of time, and won''t guarantee sess, so even if we can''t find her, I do demand payment for the job. "

    This NEET detective''s best weapon is her outstanding hacking skills. She can read into the GPS signal or cell site through external means, and can lock into that position immediately to solve this kidnapping case. Who''s going to pay up for this stupid case though?

    Since you can''t pay, forget about it. Alice blurted as she hung up on me.

    No choice here. Including Tetsu-senpai, everyone else''s a fighter, and couldn''t do any information gathering.

    Got to ask Hiro.

    "Sounds interesting here."

    An hourter, Hiro said as he entered the office. He was dressed in a fitting suit of rough texture, his smile so refreshing on his boyish looks, and as he entered, he seemed to have blown aside the steam in the small reception room full of guys dressed in ck T-shirts.

    "I''ll go ask the women I know of. Probably can get a clue there."

    Hiro took out his four cellphones and shook them about. This guy has the aura of an actor, or model, or even a host, but he''s actually a gigolo who leeches on women everywhere, and a NEET. Like Tetsu-senpai, he''s a member of the detective team who goes about doing investigations.

    "Good work, ojiki!"

    "Good work!"

    It seemed this greeting was already customary to them. Hiro noticed Pole and Rocky, and burst intoughter.

    "What''s with the nametags?"

    "Righto, I''m acting as the hostage''s little brother, in charge of picking the call!"

    On the chest of Pole''s ''T-shirt'' was a ''Jinnai''s little brother'' card. It was made out of torn cardboard.

    "I''m in charge of negotiations."

    On Rocky''s chest was the card ''giator''. He''s probably hoping to do the job of negotiating with the culprit, I guess? He''s too pitifully stupid that I couldn''t retort saying that it should be ''negotiator''.

    "And then? Why the ''SAT'' on Tetsu?"

    "Of course it''s to break in when we find the culprit. Seems like I''m the leader too." Tetsu-senpai flicked at his nametag, grimacing.

    "On Tetsu ojiki''s orders, we''ll charge in after him!"

    "We''re going to wipe out the culprit!"

    "He dare to kidnap thendlord''s daughter. How can we let him leave alive!?"

    The ck T-shirts around me were all riled up, and I really wanted to let this be and go home already, but for some reason, I had the nametag ''chief inspector'' on me. Hiro saw me, andughed it off. Please, justment on this.

    It''s an abduction, but why is the mood so rxed? Thinking about it--

    First off, the kidnapper sounded really young. When Pole sounded a little menacing on the call, the culprit clearly sounded rattled. It seemed he''s no less an idiot than these Hirasaka-gumi guys, and didn''t seem like he''ll be the type to hurt Kaori-san. Also, whenever the kidnapper called, I could hear Kaori-san, or a woman at least, screaming stuff like ''untie me'', ''I need the toilet'', ''don''t do anything stupid and let me go already.

    There wasn''t any tension at all, either because something did happen, or that she''s still save.

    "What? You don''t seem enthusiastic about this, Narumi-kun."

    Hiro sat down on the sofa, asking me. He was soposed, it was annoying.

    "Has the kidnapper made any demands at this point?"

    "Yes! I giated about ransom during the third phone call."

    Rocky said proudly.

    "I agreed to 2 million."

    "We can''t possibly pay 2 million now, right? Looks like we have to find the ce and save her."

    The other members of this temporary SAT team nodded.

    "Jinnai Kaori-san¡­right? I did check on her before. She does work at a sexual massage services parlor called ''Tokyo Nameco Club''. Her alias is Yuuka."

    A few calls to his acquaintances, some casual mentions, and he got far more Intel than us. This guy''s intelwork of women on the streets is really not to be underestimated.

    "Now we can find the culprit quickly." Tetsu-senpai said, "We''re going to find her today. This is too easy."

    "Not really. It''s not that easy to find information on her customers."

    "She''s working at s sexy massage parlor. Beat them up and they''ll confess right away!"

    "Absolutely not. The people at the parlor have nothing to do with this. We can''t cause them trouble here."

    Pole was told off by Hiro, and was really dejected. I too was wondering if I should hand over the ''chief inspector'' tag to him.

    "If Alice was willing to investigate where the call came from, we would have settled this immediately."

    "But we can''t hire nee-san even with all the money we have!"

    With that, Tetsu-senpai immediately looked towards me, followed by Hiro, who wanted to say something, but didn''t. After them, the gang looked towards me. Hey! What are you thinking? What are you hoping for? Don''t do this to me man!

    "Erm, but I don''t have an idea here."

    "If you''re willing to ask, nee-san will be willing to do anything, right?"

    "Yeah. If you speak up, aniki, she might be d to¡­"

    ¡°Because nee-san obeys you all the time, aniki.¡±

    ¡°Me? No no no, what are you saying? Alice never listens to me, you know? W-wait a moment, Hiro. What do you know? It¡¯s pointless to just smile and pat me on the shoulder.¡±

    Even Tetsu-senpai pat me on my other shoulder, giving me a thumbs up too.

    ¡°Enough already, just coax her like usual. Isn¡¯t this your specialty?¡±

    Can you stop talking like I¡¯m a con man already? I care about this!

    ¡°How is it possible to ask Alice to investigate without us paying up?¡±

    ¡°So your job is to think of a way to get her to investigate for free, since you¡¯re the detective¡¯s assistant.¡±

    What do you think a detective assistant is? What¡¯s impossible is impossible.

    ¡°Guess we got no choice but to do our own investigations. So then¡­I¡¯ll look for thendlord, and act as though nothing happen while asking about her daughter.¡±

    Saying that, Hiro got to his feet.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll think of Hiro¡¯s nametag. What¡¯s good?¡± Tetsu-senpai said. Aren¡¯t you guys going to work or something?¡±

    ¡°How about CIA? Ojiki¡¯s intel is great.¡±

    ¡°Do you know how to write CIA?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s short for Completely Innovative Assumption!¡±

    That¡¯s not hour it works! No, this isn¡¯t the problem! I could only feel ashamed for quietly retorting at others and at myself. I really couldn¡¯t remain where I was, so I grabbed the nametag, and followed Hiro out of the office.

    ¡°Eh? You¡¯reing along too, Narumi-kun?¡±

    ¡°Staying here for long will get me infected with idiocy.¡±

    It¡¯s cruel to say that, but it¡¯s undoubtedly what I thought. Hearing that, Hiro chuckled as he went down the stairs. Of course, it¡¯s best not to rm thendlord when hearing from her. Should we exin that her daughter was kidnapped? Surely she will call the police.

    ¡°I just had a talk with Major. He¡¯s really excited, moving all his equipment here now.¡±

    Major¡¯s another member of the NEET detective group. Seriously, is everyone this free?

    ¡°I say, aren¡¯t the detective members hardboiled? I thought you guys won¡¯t take action if there¡¯s no request, right?¡±

    ¡°Not at all? This doesn¡¯t seem like a huge case. They were able to haggle to two million on the third call, you know? The kidnapper seem amateurish. Might be a student even.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re just fooling around, Hiro¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes yes.¡±

    How am I supposed to be motivated for this?

    ¡°So Hiro, you can be the chief inspector.¡±

    I stuffed the nametag that was in my fist to Hiro¡¯s chest pocket.

    ¡°I¡¯m not suited to be a controlling mastermind here. You¡¯re more suited, Narumi-kun.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to do this either!¡±

    ¡°As for me, chatting with women happily is the only thing I know.¡±

    And so I immediately realized that he didn¡¯t just ¡®know¡¯ that thing.

    ¡°Oh my, Hiro-kun, you¡¯re here? Plenty of candidates today. A party?¡±

    Thendlord aunty hurried out to wee us. They met only once or twice, and she still remembers Hiro?

    This time, she treated us differently from when Pole and Rocky visited. We were weed into her living room. This is the first phase of ady killer.

    ¡°I heard you gave lots of get well gifts to Yondaime. I haven¡¯t sent anything to him, but I¡¯ll like to give you a gift in return.¡±

    It¡¯s really amazing how he immediately thought of a reason to visit. He even had it prepared beforehand.

    ¡°It¡¯s embroidery from Yondaime himself. It¡¯s, well, the cover used for the toilet paper roll.¡±

    ¡°Wow! It¡¯s pretty! That gang leader¡¯s really great at handicrafts. Can I really ept this?¡±

    ¡°I guess females pay more attention to these little things, right? Since the Hirasaka-gumi is full of guys, it¡¯s unusable even after he made this. Your household is full ofdies, and the windows are clean andfy looking. The office¡¯s been hot and sweaty, so I hope to visit if possible, is that alright?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely, any time. Since my husband died, Kaori and I were the only ones left, and it¡¯s been quiet here¡­this won¡¯t be the case if she had a brother, but unfortunately, Kaori¡¯s an only child. The more the merrier.¡±

    ¡°Eh? Oh, yes. I don¡¯t see Kaori-san anywhere. Does she have work? Isn¡¯t it a rest day?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­that child often goes out to do massages. Ever since I hurt my hip, she found this job where she could apany me at home. Heard the pay¡¯s good. She really helped me out.¡±

    Seeing how Hiro easily diverted the topic to thendlord¡¯s daughter, I felt really conflicted. Kaori-san started working in the sex industry because of this? What will be of aunty if she knows the truth?

    Maybe Pole and Rocky¡¯s worry was valid. I thought we could have left it to the police. Thinking about it, it was really embarrassing.

    ¡°But, soon after, our house will be really lively.¡±

    Thendlord suddenly sounded cheery.

    ¡°Kaori¡¯s getting married this year, to a Mitsuo-san. Do you know thepany Mitchell Toys? He¡¯s the president there.¡±

    I was shocked, and turned to Hiro. Thetter didn¡¯t show a change of expression, his eyes on thendlord, but he obviously fidgeted forward.

    ¡°I heard it¡¯s apany that imports cute groceries from Sweden and other countries. I did visit it once, and they had some decent shops in Tokyo. Mitsuo-san had discussed with Kaori to renovate the first floor of this building along with our house, to be their shop.¡±

    I see, so this is why. So I thought.

    The culprits probably knew this. This would be the biggest reason why the police couldn¡¯t get involved.

    That chairman would know of his fiancee¡¯s kidnapping, and would want to know the reason for that. With that, Jinnai Kaori¡¯s real job would be exposed.

    That reality might actually result in their marriage annulled.

    ¡°Kaori always dreamed of having her own shop¡­such a nice fellow she met. Mitsuo-san even asked if I was willing to stay with them.¡±

    As I saw thendlord mutter dreamily, I felt an uneasy chill, and could only keep my head lowered, staring at my knees.

    ¡°I did say I¡¯m doing this for fun, but it¡¯s embarrassing to reflect on it.¡±

    As we left the Jinnais¡¯ and returned to the third floor, Hiro muttered on the staircase.

    ¡°No matter how trivial and foolish this case is, a person¡¯s happiness can still be crushed. To think I actually forgot about this.¡±

    Actually, I too had forgotten. The bnce of kindness, malice and desires on this world remained so delicate.

    No matter how silly it might seem to the onlookers, everyone did their best, Jinnai Kaori, the Hirasaka-gumi, and even those foolish kidnappers.

    ¡°Erm, Hiro.¡±

    On thending between the second and third level, I spoke up as I faced the back dressed in leather suit. Hiro stopped in his tracks, and turned back to look at me. Though he wasn¡¯t smiling, his eyes appeared to have seen through my intentions, or it was just my own self-victimizing delusion.

    But even so, it required a lot of courage to convert my feelings into words.

    ¡°¡­Please return me the nametag.¡±

    Hearing my eyes, Hiro answered with a sincere smile.

    ¡°Understood, chief inspector.¡±

    ¡­It really sounds embarrassing. Can you please stop calling me that!?

    6pm, and Major, thest to show up, appeared in the Hirasaka-gumi office that had be his search HQ.

    ¡°Great air. With the atmosphere of the old Japanese army headquarters.¡±

    This little babyface of a guy, dressed in camouge army attire, opened the metal doors and said so as he looked around at everyone. He might look like an elementary school kid, but he¡¯s a college engineering student. He¡¯s a military nerd through and through, so everyone called him Major instead of his actual name.

    ¡°I¡¯ve basically analysed the recording.¡±

    Major took his earphones out from his backpack, and shook it about.

    ¡°There should be three culprits.¡±

    ¡°You can tell?¡±

    I was really impressed. Major¡¯s the gadget expert amongst the NEET detective team, and he¡¯s able to decipher loads of information through a single, simple phone recording.

    Behind the male caller, I could hear anyone one yelling at the woman to shout up, the woman¡¯s voice, and another one who got scolded. I couldn¡¯t hear any other voices. It¡¯s been the same all three times, no doubt about it.¡±

    ¡°Three¡¯s easy to deal with. Let¡¯s hurry up to beat them up.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai¡¯s words aside, even I had the urge to do the same. The culprits were already impatient, and so were us.

    ¡°Know where it is?¡± Major asked.

    ¡°Probably a hotel room. They called for service, and locked her in the room, I guess?¡±

    A short time transpired from the moment Kaori-san left home, to the first call from the culprits. That¡¯s the only possibility.

    ¡°Not to their houses?¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s impossible.¡± Hiro continued. ¡°That service provider only epts business in hotels, and I guess it¡¯s somewhat a mix of a hotel delivery and health delivery. It¡¯s so that the girls can work at ease.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, so it¡¯s unlikely a love hotel can amodate three guys. Probably a city hotel. That narrows things down a lot.¡±

    Major sat next to Hiro, and officially began discussing the details.

    ¡°But anyone can hire that Delivery Health service within all the three zones of Tokyo, right?¡± I started to ask, ¡°We can¡¯t determine where the ce is now.¡±

    It¡¯ll take us days to search through all the hotels in Tokyo.

    ¡°Is there nothing else about the culprits? Those guys know the hostage very well, right? There should be one who knows her, at least. Can¡¯t we begin investigations from there?¡± Tetsu-senpai asked.

    I folded my arms before my chest, and went into deep thought.

    As Hiro said, this case wouldn¡¯t have happened if the culprits didn¡¯t understand the hostage well. Surely they had to know Kaori-san engaged in sexual services, that her job was to head off from her home to the designated location, that they knew she was going to get married, or they wouldn¡¯t have chosen her.

    The problem is, chasing this lead would be too much time.

    ¡°Amazing, aniki, you guys are talking at a really high level¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t get what they¡¯re talking about¡­¡±

    I could hear chatter from the ck T-shirts gathered at the wall.

    ¡°Anyway, we¡¯re just in charge of barging in and beating people up.¡±

    ¡°Can you let us go in faster?¡±

    ¡°Ah, about this.¡±

    I suddenly thought of something, and had to exin, so I turned towards Pole and Rocky.

    ¡°Even if we do figure out where they are, it¡¯s better to have fewer people go in to save Kaori-san. If possible, Tetsu-senpai alone should be enough.¡±

    ¡°Aniki, that not good enough!¡±

    ¡°Why? You¡¯re saying we¡¯re useless here?¡±

    Yeah. You guys figured that out?

    ¡°We wanted to wreck that hotel too!¡±

    ¡°We want to beat those three into minced meat!¡±

    ¡°What I¡¯m saying is that you guys can¡¯t do that!¡±

    Without thinking, I started yelling.

    ¡°If things get out of hand, what if the hotel staff reports to the police!?¡±

    The ck T-shirts were deted.

    Our objective here was so that aunty Jinnai wouldn¡¯t be too worried as the mother, and solve this incident without knowing that her daughter¡¯s kidnapped. But even so, the situation wouldn¡¯t allow for us to orchestrate and take action. Thendlord will still worry if her daughter doesn¡¯t return home in time, and might even call for the police. On the service side, they might get suspicious if they can¡¯t contact Kaori-san.

    We had to settle this quickly. In that case.

    I got up from the chair at the table, and picked up the chief inspector nametag. What are you going to do now? Hiro seemed to have sensed something for now.

    ¡°Back to being a detective¡¯s assistant?¡±

    ¡°Just for a moment. Please stay guard here.¡±

    I got onto the bicycle, and raced back to ¡®Ramen Hanamaru¡¯. The sun had just set, and the heat gathered upon my skin like flies. I cycled into the cool area of the building, and the sweat stuck onto me, making me feel greasy. Even so, I hurried up the emergency stairs, to the third floor, and took no time to catch my breath.

    ¡°Got the money?¡±

    I hurried into the office, and that was the first thing Alice said.

    ¡°¡­How did you know I¡¯vee to make a request?¡±

    ¡°My assistant who¡¯s always fooling around suddenly runs up the stairs, panting like mad, so I can guess what he wants me to do. Hiro just happened to make a call, and exined what has happened, even though we weren¡¯t actually requested.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re waiting for me? Great.¡±

    ¡°Who said I¡¯m waiting for you? Listen to me already, will you?¡±

    Alice suddenly hopped off the bedsheets, and stared at me. I got to the bedside, grabbed the bedframe, and slowly approached her.

    ¡°Eh, I really can¡¯t get the money for this. Really, I can¡¯t ask you?¡±

    I was slowly closing in on Alice, and she appeared a little intimidated as she backed away, though still pretending to be uncooperative.

    ¡°What now? Are you intending to use your pay as a detective¡¯s assistant to pay in instalments? If you dare have such intentions, I will set it at high interest and have you chase after debt for eternity¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ahh, no, erm, that¡¯s not what I mean. You know the Mitchell Toyspany? It¡¯s apany that imports groceries, it seems.¡±

    For a moment, Alice looked stunned, and then, she instinctively reached her hands for the keyboard, and started searching the inte. ¡°The one abducted, Kaori-san, is going to be married to the boss, it seems. Once they¡¯re done, they¡¯re going to start up shop at the first floor of the Hirasaka-gumi office.¡±

    ¡°¡­And, so?¡±

    It appeared all the pretentious spite she had in her tone was long gone.

    ¡°They do import dolls from Northern Europe. Heard that other shops can¡¯t get them. Isn¡¯t it convenient if there¡¯s one such shop here?¡±

    The little face of the NEET detective betrayed various emotions, which then vanished. Without waiting for the changes to change, I continued on,

    ¡°But, if Kaori-san¡¯s fianc¨¦ knows that she does special services, that shop might not open. Better save her before anyone knows about it.¡±

    Alice¡¯s cheeks were flushed, as she angrily puffed her cheeks.

    ¡°¡­Such a cheap taunt. To think that you will actually do such a despicable thing. I¡¯ve seen it all now.¡±

    Sorry, erm, but, we¡¯re not treating you as a fool here, Alice. I can¡¯t bring myself to see thendlord being unhappy.¡±

    ¡°Whatever.¡±

    Alice turned her back on me, and kept typing at her keyboard. The long ck hair covered her face and her petite bodypletely. I sighed. Was it too much too think it would end up perfectly? Leaving aside this time, I did owe her a favor, and that¡¯s why I¡¯m still working as her detective assistant, to slowly repay the debt.

    Well, no choice but to search the city hotels here through human wave tactics, I guess. Can we make it in time? So I thought as I intended to head for the door, but¡ª

    ¡°The phone the culprits used belongs to a college boy called Matsunaga Kouta, who¡¯s probably one of them. They¡¯re near the Hirasaka-gumi office, and might have encountered JinnaiKaori.¡±

    I turned my head around abruptly, and nearly slipped and fell, before I hurriedly supported myself off the kitchen floor.

    ¡°¡­Eh? What?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no GPS function on the phone, so I could only investigate the data in the cell site. This alone allows me to secure a range and find the hotels they might be hiding in, I guess. I sent the data to Hirasaka-gumi.¡±

    ¡°¡­You investigated beforehand? You could have said so, you know?¡±

    ¡°I just found this.¡±

    Alice hastily turned her head around, her long hair overflowing.

    ¡°But didn¡¯t you say it¡¯ll take a long time to check the call logs?¡±

    ¡°Your brain is smoother than the cross-section of a Mica, yet why do you keep remembering this fine details? It doesn¡¯t matter, right? Scram back to the office and perform your role as chief inspector.¡±

    Hiro, you informed her of this embarrassing thing? But it doesn¡¯t matter. All I felt a burning tion at the bottom of my belly, like liquor.

    ¡°Eh, erm, thanks Alice.¡±

    ¡°No need to thank me. Listen up, when that shop opens up, use that slick tongue of yours to gain a favour from Jinnai Kaori. A Cadic of Northern Europe dolls. I¡¯m not going to work for charity.

    ¡°¡­Yeah, got it.¡±

    ¡°And anyway, once the hostages are rescued, the culprits will be left to Hirasaka-gumi, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, should be.¡±

    We couldn¡¯t leave them to the police, so the gang had to punish them instead.

    ¡°I want something then.¡±

    ¡°¡­What/¡±

    ¡°The phone the culprits used to contact you.¡±

    ¡°Phone? Why?¡±

    ¡°A few doubtful points here. I want to know the answer.¡±

    Doubtful points?

    It¡¯s just a case of an idiotic bunch of kidnappers who just happened to make a wrong call to an idiotic bunch of yakuza, and we¡¯re going to end this?

    Alice looked at me, and shook her head wordlessly.

    ¡°That phone might be the crux behind this. We can¡¯t know the full truth without getting that.¡±

    With those words, I as the detective assistant couldn¡¯t say anything more. The detective knew more than anyone else the pain of words, whether they were the sour, unpleasant truths, or the bitter lies.

    So, until all the mysteries are solved, the detective can only reject the assistant¡¯s doubts with the line that was practically carved in stone.

    ¡°I can¡¯t say yet.¡±

    Thus, I could only leave the office quietly. I descended the stairs, and gave Major a call.

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s me. Received it yet? Let¡¯s start investigating. Also, tell all members not to do anything once we find them. Yeah, got it. Please.¡±

    I folded the phone, slipped it back into my pocket, and hopped onto the bicycle. The wind got chilly after the sun set, but my body was getting increasingly hotter.

    *

    I returned back to the office, exined the situation to everyone, and Rocky spoke up.

    ¡°I know that Matsunaga!¡±

    Next to him, Pole nodded.

    ¡°I know him too!¡±

    ¡°Yea yeah. He said he wanted to join us Hirasaka-gumi.¡±

    ¡°Eh¡­when was that?¡±

    I looked over at the gang¡¯s faces. The detective team trio and most of the gang was on the streets, starting to search for the hideout, while I had to do the intel gathering and sorting myself.

    ¡°He came by quite a few times.¡±

    ¡°He came by oncest month. Sou-san said he wouldn¡¯t ept students, but that Matsunaga wouldn¡¯t listen.¡±

    ¡°He said that if he joined us, he won¡¯t get bullied.¡±

    ¡°Some casual bastard he is.¡±

    ¡°He even brought a resume here. We¡¯re a gang, not a part-time servicepany.¡±

    One of the gang members went into the study, and rummaged around. Feeling curiously, I saw him take out a paper of B4 sized paper. A resume, of all things. Matsunaga Kouta in the photo seemed like the weak nerdy student, and though I can¡¯t say it¡¯s impossible for him to abduct someone, he didn¡¯t seem like the type. Even at his reasons for wanting to be hired, he wrote, ¡®I really admire seeing everyone so carefree when working in the office¡¯. Actually, he¡¯s just implicitly saying that the gang members are all idiots, right?

    ¡°Hm, so, he came by this building lots of times?¡±

    In that case, the person who really knew about Kaori-san¡¯s background was that Matsunaga Kouta?

    ¡°Definitely!¡±

    ¡°So he¡¯s not just a stalker?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. If he gets toe into this office, he might approach Kaori-san without raising suspicion here.¡±

    Stalker, that¡¯s one possibility. Might even exin how he knows about Kaori-san¡¯s background so well, yet did that stupid mistake.

    ¡°But the one who called isn¡¯t Matsunaga, you know?¡± Pole quizzed. ¡°The voice¡¯s different.¡±

    ¡°That guy doesn¡¯t seem like he has the guts. Probably got someone else to use his phone, I guess?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. He doesn¡¯t seem like the type to be a mastermind.¡±

    At that moment, the phone in the office rang. The tension in the room escted. I gave Pole a look, and wordlessly informed him the ransom wasn¡¯t raised yet.

    ¡°¡­Hello? Jinnai here.¡±

    ¡°Is the 2 million ready?¡±

    The culprit¡¯s voice came from the speakers. I put on the headphones, and listened attentively to the background noises for any possible clues.

    ¡°No, not yet. Not that fast. Next week at least¡­¡±

    ¡°Hey. Stop joking around. This woman sent all the money she earned from her ero massages home, right? She should have two million on hand anytime, right?¡±

    I bit my lips. He asked such things too? No wonder he was being so forceful. Seeing that Pole¡¯s veins were popping, I hurriedly raised my hand to stop him, ¡°Tell him the excess money was stored as fixed deposits.¡± and wrote on the notebook to him.

    ¡°The money¡¯s used for fixed deposits. I¡ª¡±

    ¡°Huh? You haven¡¯t informed the parents, right? It¡¯s a waste of time talking to you now, damn it!¡±

    Argh. Should I bluff him saying that the parents aren¡¯t around? But if they had investigated beforehand, it¡¯ll be seen through surely. What do I do? I kept thinking, and the culprit sounded more vicious.

    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t think we¡¯ll just wait!¡±

    The next moment, the woman¡¯s scream stung at my ears, and I instinctively removed the earphones.

    ¡°What did you do!?¡± Pole yelled at the receiver.

    ¡°Just broke a tooth or two. Don¡¯t forget, this woman¡¯s with us here. Take it slow, and we¡¯ll kill her.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll call again tomorrow. Get the money ready!¡± After saying these words, the culprit hung up.

    ¡°Damn you, I¡¯ll kill you!¡±

    Pole grabbed at the receiver, growling. The other gang members stood up, some frustrated as they mmed the sofas, and some cursing at the floor.

    We really underestimated them. So I swallowed my bitterness. Those guys were stupid, and starting to get anxious. Are they really students/ Matsunaga Kouta¡¯s just a college student, but he¡¯s not going to kill her off, right? Is it too na?ve to think of this? He might be ackey, and we don¡¯t know anything about the other two.

    I don¡¯t know if thendlord knows this guy called Matsunaga. But could I ask her as nonchntly as Hiro did? So I wondered as I descended the stairs, and just so happened to meet her on the first floor, while she wasing out from behind me.

    ¡°Ah, hey¡­erm, you did chat with Kaori outside, right? Did she say anything else? She told me she had a customer today, that she¡¯ll be back in the evening¡­but she hasn¡¯t picked up my call.¡±

    Thendlord¡¯s looking really worried. Damn it.

    ¡°Eh? No, I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s not even 8 yet. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s time to worry.¡±

    The unnecessary concern slipped out of my mouth. I¡¯m an idiot. What if she realized?

    ¡°But Mitsuo-san just called too, saying that they¡¯re going to call and discuss about tomorrow. He¡¯s feeling worried because he can¡¯t find her.¡±

    ¡°¡­Tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°Our shop renovations. He wanted to have a look.¡±

    That¡¯s really bad. The fiance¡¯sing.

    ¡°E-erm, when¡¯s heing?¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    Thendlord tilted her head. What am I doing? Calm down already? Can¡¯t be too direct when asking! It¡¯s too unnatural!

    ¡°E-erm, actually, tomorrow, we¡¯re going to clean out the storeroom on the second floor, so it¡¯s not convenient for the chairman to drop by tomorrow, right? It might noisy, and we¡¯re going to move the stuff out.¡±

    I desperately fumbled about for an excuse.

    ¡°Ahh, don¡¯t worry about that. You don¡¯t have to mind. Mitsuo-san he¡¯s just dropping by in the morning before going to work, and he¡¯ll be off to the office. But it¡¯s worrying, Kaori hasn¡¯t returned¡­¡±

    I couldn¡¯t drag this any further. If Kaori-san¡¯s not back by tomorrow, we can¡¯t do anything to conceal the fact that she was kidnapped.

    ¡°Erm, that thing that shows the location, what is that again? I can¡¯t use that. Is it because the culprits aren¡¯t any dumber to use Kaori-san¡¯s phone instead? We could have solved it then.¡± I suddenly had a thought.

    ¡°Erm, since she¡¯s working as a masseur, it¡¯s probably an extra few customers, right? Also, there¡¯s not a lot of people avable at this moment. She needs to switch off her phone when working¡­¡±

    The victim never realized that she was a victim, and I could only attempt to console her. I could do nothing, but it¡¯s an important job for this chief inspector.

    It waste at night when I received the call from Major. I was waiting in the office¡¯s reception room the entire time, and was too excited when I heard the phone rang, nearly snapping the phone in half.

    ¡°Found where there are. A certain hotel in Shinuku, sixth floor. Tetsu-san will be with me immediately.¡±

    The gang members left in the office stood up. Again, I checked the phone on my watch.

    ¡°What time did they check in until?¡±

    ¡°11pm.¡±

    This is bad. There¡¯s not much time left. 20 minutester, we can¡¯t enter the hotel legally, and if this drags on until the next morning, thendlord will take action. The biggest issue is that if we leave the culprits alone, what will happen to Kaori-san.

    ¡°Aniki, ojiki called!¡±

    Rocky handed me another phone.

    ¡°I¡¯m with Major. What do we do? Do we barge in? If they have a hostage, even I can¡¯t take them down immediately.¡± Tetsu-senpai¡¯s voice came.

    ¡°Major, any way to sneak in? Try to get Kaori-san away from them¡­¡±

    With two phones in one hand, I tried to engage in a three way call.¡±

    ¡°Not immediately. I got some stun grenades, so if needed¡­¡±

    ¡°No, absolutely not.¡± If that thing explodes, the hotel staff will find out immediately and call the police. What do we do?

    Or do I just let Tetsu-senpai barge in? No, there¡¯s three of them, and from the phone call, Kaori-san¡¯s with them. If they leave her just a second, no, it¡¯s pointless if they can¡¯t grasp the timing. There¡¯s no time to install a bug and see the best time to barge in. What do I do? I instinctively reached for the nametag before my chest. I¡¯m the chief inspector, everyone¡¯s waiting for me to give the go signal. I can¡¯t continue to space out. I have to decide on something immediately.

    At that moment, my eyesnded upon the B4 paper on the table.

    I didn¡¯t know that piece of paper attracted my attention initially. However, as I tried to divert my attention between major and Tetsu-senpai¡¯s voice, something in my ears left me curious.

    Alice¡¯s words.

    Something¡¯s suspicious about that.

    The many blocks of puzzles collided in my mind, gradually forming shape.

    Yes. Matsunaga Kouta knew of the Hirasaka-gumi existence.

    And with an assumption as basis, I put these words on the nk canvas.

    Can it work?

    I didn¡¯t know. But I had to try.

    ¡°¡­Hey, Narumi. Hey!¡±

    ¡°What happened, Vice Admiral Fujishima? If we don¡¯t hurry.¡±

    I finally recovered as Tetsu-senpai and Major¡¯s voice entered my ears.

    ¡°¡­Ah, so-sorry.¡±

    I coughed twice to clear my dry throat,

    ¡°Let¡¯s barge in.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Check in immediately, and get up to the level where the culprits are. But don¡¯t barge in immediately. Erm, at 11pm sharp. Not a second earlier orter.¡±

    ¡°Why¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll exinter. Hurry. Senpai, just think of to get Kaori-san out. Major, get away once you break the lock. Also, you there, Hiro? Please get the other gang members to wait outside, and once they get out, please nab them.¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    I put the connected cellphone by my ear as I went to the PC in the restroom. I opened the email, affirmed the phone mail address Matsunaga Kouta wrote in his resume, and entered my final gambit. The messages that appeared in my mind were so smooth, even I was in disbelief. I had no hesitation in pressing the ¡®send¡¯ button.

    Following that, there was nothing this chief inspector could do. I grabbed the nametag on my chest, held it in my left palm, and brought the second cellphone to my ear, hearing the background sounds of the footsteps, the elevator, Tetsu-senpai¡¯s heartbeat, and Major¡¯s calls, quietly praying.

    The time on theputer was 10.59pm. Major muttered the final words,

    ¡°Begin operation.¡±

    Clenching my sweaty hands, I answered,

    ¡°¡ªGood luck.¡±

    At 11pm sharp, the sound of metal and cracking bones formed a terrifying noise, dispersing from the phone into my ears.

    *

    The long night ended, and the next morning arrived.

    August 31st. For a summer vacation without rest nor y for me, it was a terribly fitting ending. I weed that morning on the sofa of the Hirasaka-gumi office.

    To the left and right of me were massive bodies that contorted the sofa; snoring away in unison and their mouths open were Pole and Rocky.

    The nametags ¡®Jinnai¡¯s little brother¡¯ and ¡®giator¡¯ were already removed.

    On the sofa opposite me were the other gang members on standby, sleeping in an unsightly manner. The blurry heat remained atop the ss table, and the morning sunlight shone through the window, forming a clear silhouette on the ground.

    The high heat and stench of sweat seeped into my consciousness, gathering upon me.

    But I had no strength to stop up.

    I could only move my eyes to look at the clock. It was 9am.

    It was ten hours since the operation ended.

    I could feel the pores all over my body being sleepy, but I really felt uneasy sleeping between the stupid giants again, so I had to pry myself off the sofa, and stood up.

    There was the sound of a car parked before the building. I gently nudged the metal door aside, and went out, trying my best not to wake up the men in ck T-shirts. There was a shiny Lexus sedan parked by the roadside, and a posh looking man dressed in a grey suit, in his mid-thirties exited the driver seat.

    ¡°Sorry for making you worry yesterday, Mitsuo-san. I got hurt while at work, but I¡¯m fine.¡±

    A gentle voice followed, and before my eyes was Kaori-san running onto the road.

    Ten hours or so passed since the case ended, I believe. It¡¯s amazing that she could act like nothing happened.

    And nothing did happen after all. We piled upon loads of lies and unwise actions, all to wee such a morning.

    When I got back home, I was told off by my older sister for staying out the whole night. I went to take a shower, and wash away the sweat sticking all over my body. I was halfway through changing my clothes when I fell asleep, and it was evening when I showed up at ¡®Ramen Hanamaru¡¯.

    ¡°5 seconds in and those two were swallowed up, those two! Major, recorded any footage of them?¡±

    ¡°No, After picking the lock, I got out of the hotel as fast as I could.¡±

    ¡°I had it tough too. Those Hirasaka-gumi guys were so excited, I really gave my all to stop them¡­¡±

    The summer sun was hanging in the west, but Tetsu-senpai, Major and Hiro were gathered around the rotting wooden table before the emergency stairs, stacking up empty beer cans as they discussed their heroic exploits.

    ¡°Ohh, herees the chief. Good work there, chief.¡±

    ¡°No, please don¡¯t call me that already¡­¡±

    I waved my hand in response to Tetsu-senpai¡¯s joke, and sat on the old tyre seat between Major and Hiro.

    ¡°You seem really tired, Narumi-kun, even though it¡¯s the next morning after yourplete victory.¡±

    ¡°We should have celebratedst night, but you said you wanted to sleep, Vice-Admiral Fujishima, and that¡¯s why we dyed it till today. You should be pumped up here.¡±

    You guys haven¡¯t slept at all, right? How are you still so energetic?

    ¡°It¡¯s aplete victory, and I¡¯m not exactly unhappy at all¡­¡±

    ¡°What? It¡¯s because of that work you did beforehand, Narumi. When I barged in, the hostage just so happened to be in the toilet, and keeping guard at the door was that Matsunaga kid.¡±

    Is that so? In other words, the message I sent worked.

    Even though it was apletely baseless gamble.

    ¡°Narumi-kun, what did you do?¡±

    ¡°I sent a message to Matsunaga¡¯s cellphone.¡±

    The trio widened their eyes. But that¡¯s really it.

    ¡°I sent a message while posing as Yondaime, ¡®2300, August 30th. It¡¯s the entrance test. Show me your guts¡¯.¡±

    ¡°¡­What was that about?¡±

    Tetsu-senpai groaned with confusion.

    ¡°Erm, if I sent a message to Matsunaga, all three culprits would have seen it, right? So I sent a message only Matsunaga could understand, that the Hirasaka-gumi would take action at 11pm.¡±

    And Matsunaga did react.

    So that¡¯s why he sent Kaori-san to the toilet.

    ¡°Eh, eh, wait a moment.¡±

    Hiro looked at me with surprise.

    ¡°So, in other words, that Matsunaga was helping us?¡±

    ¡°Results-wise, that was the case.¡±

    ¡°But please don¡¯t ask me why, because I really didn¡¯t understand. I just decided on that operation instinctively.¡±

    To be honest, I took action based on some really, really stupid reasoning. It might be better to call it a hunch, so I didn¡¯t say the reason.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand at all.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai ruffled the short hair on his head.

    ¡°So, in other words, like usual.¡±

    Hiro rummaged his pocket as he said,

    ¡°Only Alice understands everything, right?¡±

    He pulled out a phone I had never seen before.

    ¡°Eh¡­that¡¯s the phone the culprits used, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Didn¡¯t Alice ask you for this?¡±

    That¡¯s true, but I had long forgotten about this. I received this phone Alice called ¡®the crux to everything¡¯.

    The fragments of empty knowledge.

    Meant for nothing other than to satisfy the detective¡¯s craving.

    ¡°So Hiro, what about those three?¡±

    Tetsu-senpai suddenly mentioned this.

    ¡°They got locked in the Hirasaka-gumi¡¯s storeroom. Probably will have some divine judgement on them tonight, taken out one by one, and beaten up.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s just a waste of time and effort, right? We should have stripped them and thrown them onto the main street yesterday.¡±

    Major bluntly retorted.

    ¡°Well, they still have to settle this. Those guys are all about chivalry, so they¡¯re going to settle this their own way.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai patted Major on the shoulder as he said this.

    Right, we still had to end this. Even after everything went well, that everyone was happy, cheering and celebrating, the detective¡¯s not overwhelmed with tion. Even at the height of the feast, she¡¯s watching the numbers, utensils, and the number of invitations.

    Such was the oue Alice sough.

    So I took the cellphone, and turned towards the emergency staircase.

    Alice, holed up in the pile of dolls on the bed, grabbed the phone from my hands, stared at the crystal screen for a moment, and nodded. She then sighed, and without a word, turned to the monitor.

    ¡°¡­Erm, you figured out something?¡±

    I asked cautiously.

    ¡°Yes. Everything.¡±

    Everything¡¯s revealed. The detective¡¯s job ends here. Alice practically earned nothing from this job. The only materialistic proof she got should be the truth recorded in the phone.

    ¡°But you don¡¯t seem happy about this.¡±

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m really miffed about this.¡±

    Alice actually didn¡¯t deny, and that took me by surprise. Miffed?

    ¡°I worked so hard to stack up the blocks, slowly crawling like a caterpir, and ended up right at the same ce as you when you jumped off with a parachute and your eyes closed.¡±

    I sighed, and gently sat by the bed.

    Through logic, Alice obtained the same answer as I, when I did so through a blind guess, but her method couldn¡¯t solve this in time.

    I understood very well how helpless she was.

    ¡°¡­You¡¯re not going to tell me?¡±

    The ck hair swayed.

    ¡°It¡¯s pointless to tell you alone. At least¡ª¡±

    The doorbell rang at this moment. Alice kept quiet, and stared at the surveince footage by her beside.

    ¡°¡ªThey¡¯re here. Go out and wee them.¡±

    I got up, and nced aside at the monitor. The surveince cameras outside the office were blocked by the chests of the ck T-shirts, just as this all started yesterday. Today however, there¡¯s one thing that wasn¡¯t there yesterday¡ª

    Brown fringe, thin eyebrows, and two eyes.

    ¡°Kaori-san¡­?¡±

    I muttered, was nudged forward by Alice, and hurried to wee her at the door.

    Kaori-san left Pole and Rocky on the corridor, and entered the office alone.

    ¡°Sorry for dropping by unweed. I wanted to thank you, and they said you¡¯re here, so they brought me here.¡±

    She said as she entered the bedroom, and like everyone else who entered this room, she was dumbfounded to see Alice on the bed.

    ¡°¡­Erm.¡± It¡¯s tooplicated to exin this. ¡°This one here is Alice, and she¡¯s¡­our brains, you can say. We found the hotel you¡¯re at thanks to her.¡±

    Alice shrugged, and said,

    ¡°No need to make thingsplicated. Just call me a detective.¡±

    ¡°¡­I really don¡¯t understand.¡±

    Kaori-san sounded really confused as she continued.

    ¡°Erm. Then, I should be thanking this littledy, right?¡±

    ¡°Not at all. Most of the credit goes to this chief inspector.¡±

    Mind not calling me that now? But Kaori-san kept looking at me, and lowered her head.

    ¡°¡­Thank you for saving me. Last night was myst day at work. I originally intended to resign earlier, but I was told there wasn¡¯t enough people, so I had to help. So¡­I never expected that to happen. ¡­you never called the police, nor notify my mother, right?¡±

    ¡°No, erm, well.¡±

    I really didn¡¯t know how to answer.

    The secret we worked so hard to hide wasn¡¯t exactly anything good, so Kaori-san lowered her head sheepishly.

    Alice broke the silence.

    ¡°¡­One of the culprits is Matsunaga Kouta. You know him?¡±

    Kaori-san didn¡¯t say anything, her eyes hesitant for a while, before she nodded.

    ¡°He¡¯s a frequent customer of yours, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­You seem to know everything?¡±

    ¡°This is only my guess. I can¡¯t think of any other reason why Matsunaga Kouta got involved with you.¡±

    Kaori-san sighed, and nodded.

    ¡°That guy¡¯s a poor student, yet he kept asking for me. He just wouldn¡¯t do anything, just sit on the bed, chat with me. It¡¯s easy for me, but he was a strange customer. So I got too rxed, and started talking lots of things with him. He started stalking me, and even did what he didst night. It¡¯s unforgivable.¡±

    Why, exactly? I just had to wonder.

    And the detective, who did apprehend the culprits and should have revealed the truth, was giving a gentle look in her eyes for some reason.

    ¡°Yesterday, I was in the hotel. Those two were hiding in the hotel, and came out. I tried to get away, but it was toote. I heard they graduated from Matsunaga¡¯s college. They knew¡­that I was about to get married. It seemed the two seniors thought it was fun, and called me over.¡±

    ¡°So they never intended to kidnap you initially?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Those two adults were so old, yet they were trying to coax Matsunaga into doing it once with me before I got married, like he¡¯s a baby. But Matsunaga kept backing off, and they got sick of him. They even threatened to ransom my family. How terrible.¡±

    Kaori-san grabbed her shoulders that were still shivering. I had to interrupt.

    ¡°That Matsunaga was simply forced by his seniors to get involved, I believe.¡±

    ¡°Maybe, but!¡±

    Kaori-san red at me, yelling.

    ¡°He just kept watching quietly. He¡¯s no different from the others! If he hadn¡¯t made the wrong call, I wouldn¡¯t have known what to do! Seriously, I shouldn¡¯t have gotten involved with someone like him!¡±

    ¡°But he hasn¡¯t been watching quietly.¡±

    Alice¡¯s sudden words left Kaori-san covering her move, and she looked at the detective¡¯s face.

    ¡°He wanted to save you the entire time. He didn¡¯t have the courage to go against his seniors, but he fought on.¡±

    ¡°¡­What¡­are you saying?¡±

    ¡°You did mention to Matsunaga that you¡¯re the only daughter, right?¡±

    Kaori-san¡¯s face froze.

    ¡°¡­Ah, but.¡±

    ¡°So Matsunaga knew that you have no little brother. The first call our subordinate received called himself as your brother. If Matsunaga had been implicit in this, he would have pointed it out since it was a mistake, right?¡±

    ¡°Th-that¡¯s impossible!¡±

    Kaori-san looked distraught as she continued to refute.

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible too. That phone cannot possibly make a wrong call.¡±

    The expression on Kaori-san¡¯s face froze.

    ¡°Even in the same building, on the third floor, there was no way such a mistake could be made. That was a trap Matsunaga had set up. He had the Hirasaka-gumi number stored in his cellphone, under the name ¡®Jinnai¡¯.

    ¡°You¡¯re¡­kidding.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s true. Look.¡±

    Alice opened Matsunaga¡¯s phone, and brought it to Kaori-san¡¯s face. Thetter¡¯s eyes were turned towards the screen.

    ¡°¡­M-maybe Matsunaga entered the wrong number when he was looking for my house? Isn¡¯t that it?¡±

    ¡°Not at all. He did change the name. Look at the reading.¡±

    Alice pointed at the bottom of the screen, where the reading was.

    ¡°Hirasakagumi¡±

    Kaori-san gasped.

    ¡°When entering the name of this ¡®au¡¯ phone, the reading will be automatically added. But if the input is changed, the reading will not be changed. It¡¯s a lousy function, but it did work out this time.¡±

    It proved the moment of courage from a useless bum. So Alice muttered as she put the phone in Kaori-san¡¯s hands.

    He had initially pressed the wrong button, or not. It was a little trap. That trap was not pointless. For he called¡ª

    ¡°¡­Why? Why do this? He could have.¡±

    Kaori-san muttered to herself, her voice shaking.

    ¡°Yeah, there might be a better way. It¡¯s possible to trap them and send them to the police station, and that could have settled things easily. But¡­¡±

    Alice nudged herself on the bedsheet, and lifted her head towards Kaori-san¡¯s face.

    ¡°Matsunaga chose the Hirasaka-gumi. Do you know why? Because there¡¯s no one else who can protect your happiness as it is. Neither a detective nor the police could do it, only these idiots of justice.

    Kaori-san seemed like she had something to say, but didn¡¯t voice out. All her words seemed to be absorbed into the phone she was gripping.

    ¡°Matsunaga really hoped that you¡¯ll be happy. That thing in your hand is the proof.¡±

    After a long, long time, Kaori-san¡¯s words sank through the silence,nding upon the bedsheets.

    ¡°¡­But even so.¡± Her eyes were look back and forth between the detective¡¯s slender thighs, ¡°What am I supposed to do with this thing?¡±

    ¡°Make your choice.¡±

    Alice¡¯s voice was devoid of warmth, the kindness bleached away.¡±

    ¡°Those were the feelings conveyed to you. It¡¯s your choice to abandon or trample upon it. You can¡¯t give up on the choice.¡±

    Kaori-san¡¯s lower jaw was shivering.

    She appeared to be nodding, and shaking her head.

    Until she left the office, I sat by the bedside, thinking about this.

    Matsunaga at this point should be beaten up good by Hirasaka-gumi, along with the other two guys. Even after they got beaten up, they¡¯ll be let go anyway. He¡¯ll start to look for the lost phone, and call the cellphone that¡¯s in Kaori-san¡¯s hands, right?

    So what would Kaori-san do? To abandon it, or trample upon it?

    Or throw it back?

    I didn¡¯t know. That¡¯s her choice.

    The job of the detective and this chief investigator was already done.

    So, should I return to being a high school student? There¡¯s less than ten hours until the end of summer break, and I had not prepared myself for school, let alone touch a single assignment. So I thought as I went towards the door, but Alice spoke up.

    ¡°There¡¯s also something I want to ask.¡±

    Alice sounded really miffed, and I had to stop by the fridge, looking back at her timidly.

    ¡°¡­Erm, what?¡±

    ¡°So I say, how did you manage toe to the same conclusion as I did? Did you expect Matsunaga to help save the hostage? And you figured it out faster than I did! I can¡¯t believe a fool like you took the lead on me. What did you discover?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­I didn¡¯t really discover something. I just had a hunch.¡±

    ¡°Even if it¡¯s a hunch, you¡¯re too trusting of Matsunaga.¡±

    ¡°Ah, what I believed in wasn¡¯t Matsunaga. I never met him anyway. I just believed that no one can be as stupid as those guys of the Hirasaka-gumi.¡±

    Alice¡¯s mouth was half opened.

    It was awkward, but I continued.

    ¡°Think about it. This incident started because some idiot made a wrong call, and the idiot Pole picked up the phone, making a mistake, and the idiots Rocky and the others added on to the mess¡­how¡¯s that miracle possible?¡±

    It¡¯s impossible to have a situation where a tray carrying coffee and milk toppled over, that instead of the cups breaking, coffee milk was found.

    But if someone knew about these guys¡¯ idiocy, and bet on it¡­

    The calendar. Matsunaga knew about the Hirasaka-gumi¡¯s existence, that they¡¯re all idiots.

    If that¡¯s the case¡ª

    I just bet on this possibility.

    Maybe this was the limit Alice couldn¡¯t cross? Betting on a ¡®possibility¡¯ isn¡¯t exactly a detective¡¯s job here.

    I carelessly looked back, and found Alice sprawled on the bedsheet, her long ck hair like soaked seaweed, scattered apart.

    ¡°Wha-what¡¯s wrong? You alright?¡±

    ¡°This is the first time in my life that I feel so defeated¡­¡±

    No, you don¡¯t have to be shocked by this, right? It¡¯s just instinct.

    And at that moment, the office door opened behind me, the two voices bellowing,

    ¡°Aniki, Kaori-san has gone back. We got nothing to do.¡±

    ¡°Aniki, today¡¯s yourst day of summer vacation, right? We¡¯ll continue to y the game of finding the HQ. I think I might be a giator at this.¡±

    ¡°You two, sit in a seiza!¡±

    Alice hopped off the bed, shouting.

    ¡°There¡¯s not enough space.¡±

    ¡°You can sit on top of each other, I don¡¯t care. And Narumi, where are you trying to run to? Sit down too. I¡¯m going to start researching into the thought process of idiots, and you¡¯re going to trante it for me.¡±

    Spare me already. But with Pole and Rocky¡¯s massive bodies blocking, I, standing by the side of the bed, couldn¡¯t budge an inch.

    ¡°First question. Tell me, what is the prefecture capital of Miyagi?¡± ¡°To the East!¡±

    ¡°Idiot, that¡¯s Miyazaki Prefecture!¡± ¡°What Miyazaki Prefecture, that¡¯s not even a name!¡±

    And I had to retort. Thus, I apanied Alice with her idiot counsel tillte at night.

    This summer vacation full ofmotions continued into thest night full ofmotion.

 Volume 5, The Twenty One Balls on that Summer

    <h4>Volume 5, The Twenty One Balls on that Summer</h4>

    At the end of summer, the white ball seemingly absorbed by the blue sky of the field captured my heart.

    My summer vacation was wrecked by work. It was not about wasting my life fooling around with the NEETs or helping Alice move the Dr. Peppers around. It was actually about coordinating an event. Including the prior kidnapping incident,my summer vacation slipped away while I was running around.

    I couldn''t say that such a summer vacation was not fulfilling, but as a 16-year-old high school boy, I do want to lose myself in some things a typical high school student would do.

    Entering November, this youthful passion continued to erupt and expand, seeking a ce to vent, and then it exploded.

    ¡­At the game center.

    As my dad was often deployed everywhere for work, I never made many friends from elementary school to middle school--if I did write such things, Alice would probably have chided me "Think about how emotionally retarded you are instead of ming your dad''s redeployment!" But in any case, I did have a period when I spent my time after school alone, at the game center

    Such an illness (I don''t think it''s wrong to call it an illness) eased up a lotter on, one because the fighting games fad cooled off, and two was because my older sister started managing my finances, and I had no money to spend.

    In other words, the passionate mes in my heart were never vanquished. With a battlefield and fuel, surely it will be zing again.

    "You''ll be addicted anyway! Starting now, Vice-Admiral Fujishima?"

    Soon after the second semester started, Major invited me to y an online baseball game called ''Power yball''. Like an arcade game that can be connected to others, this game required lots of money. Thanks to the sry Yondaime gave me, my wallet became a lot fatter.

    ''PWLB'' (This shorthand''s weird, but it''s a given terminology) requires many yers to register their teams with their identification cards, and battle online in the entire country. The best concept of this game is the massive yer database. Unlike ordinary baseball games where only a few actual baseball yers are avable for choice, one an automatically generate a yer with unique values and fitting name just by entering a person''s name. It appears to beposed based on the massive amount of online data.

    For example, by entering the name of a famous racer like Senna, Prost or Schumacher, a character with high speed will be generated, while a characters named based on a professional golfer will have higher contact and arm uracy stats, while a pro wrestler will be a power hitter. If the name entered was that of a politician or artiste, the yer character generated would have unique values that ''might seem fitting''. Thus, it was a major topic on the inte, and attracted the attentions of yers who weren''t that familiar with baseball. Even if the name entered was an anime or manga character, the unique values generated can be rather believable; it''s really amazing. If the name entered is a baseball yer''s, the character will naturally have the corresponding values. Even the little details like Kuwata Masumi muttering to the ball before pitching, or Kiyohara Kazuhiro dealing with dead balls will be reflected on the characters, so there had been decent revivews on it. However, the higher the values of the yers in game, the higher the cost needed, so it''s unlikely to put all stars like Suzuki Ichiro, Ochiai Hiromitsu, Oh Sadaharu and Nagashima Shigeo into the batting lineup. Besides, entering names of ordinary people will create characters that are somewhat decent, so quite a few people named the characters based on their own names.

    The appearance temtes of the yers in the game are all fixed, but the uniforms can be customized with different patterns, and I too got a unique ce in the game through the inte; it''s not an overstatement to say that my team''s famous. I had all the heroines from the Dragon Quest I to IX as my starting yers, and had the image of my customized characters stered on the uniforms, resulting in it being a subject of report by a few blogs and news stations (just to note, the team''s very weak).

    "As to be expected of you, Vice-Admiral Fujishima. Our ''Drive a Phoenix'' team uniform shall be in your care."

    "Please deal with that questionable team name first. I don''t want a picture I draw be famous for that kind of team¡­"

    "What''s wrong with this name? It means ''Driving a Phoenix! Of course the Phoenix here refers to the F-14 Tomcat fighter jets missiles, nothing to do with a team that couldn''t be created after losing to Rakuten in a trial¡­"

    "Who are you trying to bluff here!? Isn''t your ace pitcher called ''Horie''?"

    "His strongest weapon is a forkball that falls like the stockmarket!" Hey! watch your words! "Anyway, a Phoenix has a fiery, ferocious feeling, so a dazzling golden glowing bird pture!"

    So I had an Oyakodon picture pasted on the uniform, but Major was infuriated. Didn''t you want a fiery, dazzling bird!?

    *

    ¡°You have beenx recently. What do you think the job of a detective assistant is?¡±

    On a certain Friday in mid-September, I was nagged at by Alice. I was always loitering at the game center, and it had been a while since I showed up at the agency.

    ¡°Yes, Fujishima-kun! It¡¯s the assistant¡¯s job to take care of Alice¡¯s hair! Do remember how to take care of it¡­ehh, seriously! Didn¡¯t I tell you tob it gently? Like this¡­¡±

    Even Ayaka was fuming. The three of us were on the bed on the Detective Agency, and Ayaka handed half of Alice¡¯s long hair to me, teaching me how to take care of the hair. Ayaka was giving all kinds of criticism at mybing and conditioning techniques.

    ¡°But I never asked you two to take care of my hair!¡± Alice hated the idea of people toying with her hair, and was unhappy about this.

    ¡°I rather have Ayaka or Hiro handle this, if it¡¯s up to me.¡±

    Ayaka¡¯s my ssmate, working part-time at ¡®Ramen Hanamaru¡¯ in this building. She¡¯s a lot more capable than me when ites to handling with Alice¡¯s needs.

    However, she does act airheaded at times, saying some troublesome things like this,

    ¡°But won¡¯t both of you be moving to arger office and living together, Fujishima-kun and Alice? That will be more troublesome now.¡±

    ¡°Wh-why do I have to live together with Narumi?¡±

    Alice tried to turn her head around, but scowled as her hair was stuck in theb. Her ears were blushing. Did it hurt that much? Ah, no¡­so I turned to Ayaka too. What do you mean, living together?

    ¡°Holmes and Watson have always been together! Poirot and Captain Hastings! Don¡¯t a detective and assistant have to live together?¡±

    ¡°Who taught Ayaka such nonsensical knowledge? You don¡¯t read any detective novels, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°¡­Not on me!?¡± I had no knowledge on foreign mysteries at all.¡±

    ¡°Hiro told me.¡±

    ¡°Ayaka, think about it. Don¡¯t get too close to that gigolo! He¡¯s the guy who¡¯ll try to woo any nurse the moment he¡¯s born! Always with the useless words!¡±

    Alice was so furious that she was patting her thighs. I too was taken aback. Living together with Alice? This isn¡¯t good, is it? Bad in all kinds of ways, so please don¡¯t joke about this. However, Ayaka did once tell off Alice for being careless about the rtionship between male and female. Why mention that out of a sudden.

    ¡°Hiro and I have discussed over it, and we decided it¡¯s time to change Alice¡¯s education. Since both of you are going to live together, might as well go with the flow¡­¡± Who¡¯s going to live with her? What kind of education is this?

    ¡°Enough! Narumi! You don¡¯t have to learn how to take care of the chair!¡±

    I was tapped on the shoulder, so I handed theb to Ayaka, and had her do the rest. I should have done so right from the beginning.

    ¡°Listen up, Narumi! I can live by myself even without an assistant like you! Your current job involves only the ironing of clothes. Remember this!¡±

    ¡°Yes yes yes¡­I get you.¡±

    Alice had been a little more self-aware, realizing that it¡¯s embarrassing for others to strip her. However, I was still the one in charge of ironing her pajamas, for it seemed she was scared of touching it.

    ¡°Why is Alice so scared of the iron?¡± Ayaka continued tob. It seemed Alice had a phobia as she had once touched it after I had used it.

    ¡°Correcting the shape by applying heat. This short-term manner of thinking is truly the terrifying bit. It is barely eptable if used only on clothes, but imagine¡­there may be fools who will think of ironing the winkles of a human.¡±

    ¡°Oh yes, Alice. Do you know about a hair iron? It¡¯s used to iron the hair.¡±

    Once Ayaka whispered this exnation to Alice, thetter¡¯s ck hair jolted like electricity. Alice reached her right hand out towards the keyboard by her side, and the search result appeared on a screen.

    ¡°¡­Wh-wh-what is this device?¡±

    After reading the description of the hair iron, Alice shrieked. So she didn¡¯t know about such a thing before? She got a whole bunch of weird knowledge in her head, and nomon sense at all.

    ¡°Heats up the hair? That looks like a torture tool used to interrogate criminals! An Iron Maiden is a massage chairpared to this!¡±

    Apologies to all hair iron manufacturers, I guess our detective here has no malicious intent. Alice wiped off Ayaka¡¯s hand, and snuggled into the pile of dolls. Her buttocks were still shaking. Is it that scary?

    ¡°Narumi! Never ever use the iron to tten the creases on my pajamas! Such terrifying devices should be exterminated.¡±

    ¡°How am I supposed to tten your pajamas¡­without an iron?¡±

    ¡°Use your hands to tten my pajamas one by one! Consider yourself lucky to spend an uninteresting life on this!¡±

    ¡°You got to be kidding! I have my own things to do!¡±

    ¡°Oh? What is it? Say it.¡±

    And with her actually mentioning this, I was a little disturbed.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not trying to say that you¡¯re revising or reading ahead? Don¡¯t make meugh. You¡¯re definitely repeating the year.¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­I!¡± I retorted, ¡°I do some sports after school.¡±

    ¡°So, ¡®Power yBall¡¯?¡±

    ¡°You know about that?¡±

    ¡°The NEET detective knows all ipetence. Furthermore, you are a highly popr creator on the inte. How can I not know? I do know you have been designing crude uniforms that show lots of skin, and got a bunch of high sry yers, but you never won at all because of your utterck of team bnce.¡±

    ¡°How is that crude? Many people requested me for such things! What can I do?¡±

    See, even Ayaka, who doesn¡¯t know anything, is giving me a weird look here!

    ¡°E-erm? What is it? Fujishima-kun? You¡¯re unable to graduate because youck credits, and now you¡¯re drawing eros to earn a living because you don¡¯t want to work?¡±

    ¡°I have no idea where to begin retorting, so I¡¯ll stay silent.¡±

    ¡°But you aren¡¯t. You said something.¡±

    ¡°Ahh yeah.¡±

    ¡°¡­Actually, Fujishima-kun, you¡¯ll say everything and anything to yourself, and that¡¯s why we¡¯re having this conversation. You haven¡¯t realized?¡±

    ¡°¡­Ayaka, you can¡¯t mention that to him directly! Look at his devastated look. It¡¯s like a worm on the asphalt exposed to the sunlight the entire morning, no?¡±

    ¡°I-it¡¯s okay, I¡¯m not that devastated¡­¡± I weakly refuted. ¡°It¡¯s not the first time Ayaka said this about me¡­¡±

    Ayaka had first said this about me before the Angel Fix incident. In other words, I was told off by two different people, and this was a lot worse than before. She couldn¡¯t remember, and yet that¡¯s what she said of me¡­whatever, in the future, I¡¯ll just work in a job that doesn¡¯t require me to talk to others. Maybe I should just live as an illustrator¡­

    ¡°Eh¡­but¡­since you are earning, that means your illustrations are amazing, aren¡¯t they, Fujishima-kun?¡±

    Ayaka tried to speak up for me, but she ended up wrecking me instead.

    ¡°it¡¯s not real money, just in-game currency.¡±

    Alice coldly noted as she tapped at the keyboard, showing the ¡®PWLB¡¯ forums. Shown on it were the illustrations I put up for auction. Most were already sold out.

    ¡°Did you draw these, Fujishima-kun? Eh? Looks like some anime illustration I saw before.¡±

    Ayaka looked back and forth between me and the monitor.

    ¡°The one at the tope right was used in a movie poster, isn¡¯t it? I can see it that everywhere on the inte.¡±

    ¡°it¡¯s not that simple. Actually, this game doesn¡¯t have a function to upload pictures, and he had to used the tool provided by the maker to do all these.¡±

    Alice began to exin gleefully.

    ¡°If current avable pictures can be uploaded, there¡¯ll be a controversy over copyrights. That¡¯s why the game maker provided this outdated drawing tool. So outdated, ovals can only be drawn.¡±

    ¡°Eh? Ehhh?¡±

    Ayaka pointed at the monitor, looking bbergasted. Shown on the monitor was a swimmer girl with glittering skin.

    ¡°In other words, the bored people in this country really have too much unnecessary stubbornness and skills that surpassed the make¡¯s expectations. By changing the diameters of the ovals, any straight lines and curves can be made. The drawing process can be reyed. You can see by looking.¡±

    Alice pressed a key, and the image on the monitor was refreshed immediately. Ovals of various colors and sizes gathered, gradually forming that swimsuit girl.

    ¡°It¡¯s a fast forward. Probably takes about three to four hours toplete.¡±

    No, I spent about 8 hours actually.

    ¡°Amazing¡­so there are really such bored people on this world!¡±

    ¡°That assistant of mine sprawled on the floor happened to be one of them.¡±

    ¡°You two nag too much!¡± I hammered at the corner of the bed, trying to refute. Alice gave me a cold look, and even Ayaka looked at me with pity.

    ¡°Eh, well¡­it¡¯s fine, Fujishima-kun!¡± Ayaka stammered, ¡°Drawing a swimmer girl with ovals is pretty impressive too!¡± That¡¯s not a job! Stop trying to console me in such a strange manner.

    At this moment, the bell to the office rang. My savior appeared. It¡¯s Major.

    ¡°Vice-Amiral Fujishima, you¡¯re here? We¡¯re deploying to ¡®Game Nishimura¡¯ today.¡±

    I hurried out, and nearly crashed into theputer rack. Game Nishimura was the yground we deemed as our battlefield. Don¡¯t say that we¡¯re being deployed. This isn¡¯t work.¡±

    ¡°Stop creating a fuss when you enter.¡± Alice red at Major, ¡°Narumi¡¯s doing work as a detective assistant. Go look for someone else.¡±

    ¡°What work? It¡¯s Ayaka¡¯s job to take care of your hair, Alice.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s in charge of being bullied by me.¡±

    ¡°Major, let¡¯s go.¡±

    I sighed, and hurried out of the office.

    It was evening, and the setting sun was finally behind the building, the heat seeping from the asphalt mixed with some coolness. There were a few trendy shops on the road, and as usual, few passers-by as we went our way from the office to the station. There were a few stalls selling ice cream and crepes that livened the mood. The low-rise buildings and the stout culture hall could be seen, and the passers-by started to increase in numbers. ¡®Game Nishimura¡¯ was opposite the culture hall, next to the batting practice centre. The slender and long apartments seemed to be ttened by these two buildings, and the windows from the first to the third storey were covered with morous gaming posters. Like usual, there were a few customers moving in between the crane games at the entrance.

    ¡°Major! There¡¯s quite a few retro games on the second floor after renovation. Mind checking it out for us?¡±

    Once we entered the shop, a nervous looking bespectacled man walked out. This Nishimura-san is the shop owner. His dad is the boss, but as thetter has been hospitalized for long, he ended up running this business at a young age.

    ¡°Oh? I¡¯ll have a look.¡±

    Nishimura-san had been asking Major, a fellow gamer, for suggestions. Major gleefully looked into a corner deep inside the second storey, acting like a consultant, only to be arranged.

    ¡°This much, and you say that you gathered all the retro games? What do you want me to say?¡±

    ¡°Is-is that so?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t import any ssic shooting games. They don¡¯t attract young people, are toomon for retro games, and nobody¡¯s interested in them. At least bring in Bomber Jack or Libble Rabble.¡±

    ¡°Uu, yes, I understand.¡± Hey! You¡¯re really going to do what he says?

    Speaking of which, Nishimura-san seemed to have aged quite a bit since summer break. Therge gaming consoles on the first floor are one thing, but there¡¯s hardly any customers on the second and third floor. Probably having difficulty doing business.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you import six ¡®PWLB¡¯ during summer break? Hasn¡¯t that improved things?¡± Major asked, and Nishimura-san¡¯s shoulders dropped.

    ¡®The only ones popr arerge online games. Everything else, best not to talk about them.¡±

    Nishimura-san looked around at the retro games, and sighed reluctantly.

    ¡°The manufacturer has been going about promoting new gaming consoles, and we had to do discounts like the others¡­the highly anticipated games were soon pushed for home port¡­I heard that ¡®PWLB¡¯ will be moved to home port soon. The future sure is bleak¡­¡±

    I guess so. You can say that the glory days of game centers is starting to end with the advent of family gaming ports and inte.¡±

    ¡°Wait a sec, Major.¡± You shouldn¡¯t be saying that here. Nishimura-san started to cry as he wiped at the screen of the console.

    ¡°Even the part-timers quit very soon. The batting centre next door¡¯s closed down.¡±

    I was about to mention that it was quiet next door. So they had closed down?

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if our shop canst through the winter,,,¡±

    ¡°I-it¡¯s that bad?¡±

    Whenever I came by to y ¡®PWLB¡¯, I had to queue, so I never had to worry about that. Thinking about it, given the space, there isn¡¯t much earnings.

    ¡°Owner, mind if this thirty year veteran at the game center say something here?¡± Aren¡¯t you just twenty a few days back? Major leaned on the chair, a leg resting on another as he looked proud. Nishimura-san kneeled on the floor, and mly said, ¡°Please do!¡±

    ¡°The most important part of managing a game center, is to not bother with what the gaming maniacs say.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have the right to say that, you gaming maniac!¡±

    ¡°You see, Vice Admiral Fujishima¡­¡± Major pointed at the empty second floor, ¡°Gaming maniacs are maniacs, and no matter how wein, we can¡¯t leave our games. Normal folks have many ways to enjoy life however. When they feel that game centers are boring, they¡¯ll walk away silently. If we¡¯re going to change this shop by our wishes, we¡¯ll have the crane and gacha games disappear, and install various retro fighting games. This will result in worse performances.¡±

    ¡°Now that you say so, that is correct¡­¡±

    ¡°Now what am I supposed to do¡­?¡± Nishimura-san asked as he sat down next to Major.

    ¡°Anyway, why do you want to continue this decadent business?¡±

    Major never minced his words the entire time. Seriously, if this shop closes down, won¡¯t you and I have issues with that?

    ¡°It¡¯s my dad¡¯s shop. I like games too, so naturally.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t a trade that can be done naturally. Do you know that every year, the current gaming industry will continue to evolve the business models, and yet therge games that use hundred yen coins like before¡­¡±

    Major continued his spiel of words, and I had to hurry down the stairs. There were people gathering around therge pachinko-like ¡®PWLB¡¯ machines.

    ¡°Narumi! Didn¡¯t Major just drop by too? What are we waiting for? Registration for the Tokyo Open Preliminaries is open.¡± The college students gaming with us kept waving to us.

    ¡°Are you done with the full Morning Musume team?¡± So asked one of those in high school¡­probably a senior. We met in the gaming club, and to be honest, I really did not know his name.

    ¡°But¡­that team is really weak, you know? I did make the illustrations¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, show it now. Nobody¡¯s looking forward to seeing how strong your team is.¡±

    Amidst theughter, I was shoved to the side. We inserted our identification cards, and the teams were decided. The 360 degrees monitor showed the dazzling green of the Tokyo Dome, ¡°Hey! The opponent are all from Johnny¡¯s!¡± ¡°This Morning Musume group can match up against them, I guess.¡± ¡°Wait, Nakai¡¯s a baseball nerd. He¡¯s strong!¡± ¡°Hey! Isn¡¯t that Mori there? Now he¡¯s treated as a racer! Super fast now!¡± ¡°That Kimura¡¯s basically a baseball yer!¡± and the spectators roared. I was choosing the starters using the touch panels, feeling the passion oozing from the bottom of my heart. Game centers certainly were bing a thing of the past, but I kept visiting to experience this passion.

    For the following few hours, we kept inserting coins into the ¡®PWLB¡¯ console. Midway through, Major joined the battle, and after four months into the pennant race, the firefly lights told us it was time to close shop.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell the shopkeeper to keep it open the entire night!¡±

    Major never won a single game the entire night, and tumbled out as he tried to look for the shop owner. I hurriedly stop him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget what you just said before!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just an ordinary situation, nothing like the current situation. A customer has to be loyal to his own desires, and give stubborn requests to the shop owner!¡±

    You know you¡¯re stubborn, so keep it in check! Besides, running a shop tillte at night can mean getting their license revoked! Major ignored me, stormed past the empty shop as everyone else had went home, and head off to the back room.

    ¡°No! Nishimura-san¡¯s busy too¡±

    The door to the back room was slightly opened, and there was amotion heard at this moment.

    ¡°¡­You should be thinking about your own future now, right? This shop has no future. You know how the previous manufacturers bully the shops when they don¡¯t get payment, right?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t think we¡¯ll keep giving you such good conditions here.¡±

    Major and I stopped immediately, and we exchanged looks. There were two fierce sounding men, along with the timid voice of Nishimura-san.

    ¡°But¡­I can¡¯t decide on this alone¡­¡±

    ¡°In that case, how about we pay a visit to the hospital?¡±

    ¡°N-no, please don¡¯t. My dad¡¯s really not in a good condition. He can¡¯t take any more shock.¡±

    ¡°So can¡¯t you decide on this now?¡±

    I tried to lean by the door, but my legtched onto the chair identally. The chair I kicked over collided into a game console, causing an unexpectedly loud noise. Major, who was next to me, widened his eyes at me.

    The door to the back room opened, and a tall young man dressed in a ck suit and light brown sunsses appeared, the red shirt under his cor clearly showing a pattern.

    ¡°What are you eavesdropping about, you brat?¡±

    Major and I stumbled back.

    Behind the red shirt guy was a middle-aged man dressed in a white suit. There was a footprint by the edge of the desk, his hand on Nishimura-san¡¯s shoulder, thetter all curled up.

    ¡°Ah, so-sorry, but¡­¡±

    I had a look at those two, and looked over at Nishimura-san.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. We¡¯re just talking business here. Okay, hurry home now.¡±

    Nishimura-san barely forced a smile. ¡°Tch.¡± The red-shirt man clicked his tongue, red at us, and shoved the door aside.

    The white lights of the fireflies continued to flicker incessantly above our heads.

    *

    The following day, after school, I came to ¡®Ramen Hanamaru¡¯, spotted Tetsu-senpai slurping the Chinese cold noodles at the back door, and immediately mentioned this to him.

    ¡°Those guys are yakuza, surely?¡± senpai immediately responded.

    ¡°¡­I guess so! So¡­¡±

    I put my bag down, and sat on the tire opposite him. The heat ofte-summer never faded, and the sweaty short-sleeved shirt was sticking onto my head, just like the duo yesterday I could not forget.

    Next to that area was one of the bustling streets in Tokyo, and I could see such vicious looking people practically every day. However, I knew very well they were really members of the yakuza. I really didn¡¯t want to have this instinct of identifying yakuza, but I did have a few close encounters with the violence gangs, so I figured it out immediately.

    ¡°Now the question is, why did Nishimura-san get involved with the yakuza? Did he owe some money to some badpany?¡±

    ¡°Maybe that is the case¡­¡±

    Nishimura-san did say business was tough. Based on what we eavesdropped upon, it appeared things were a little moreplicated. Since the yakuza had proposed some good conditions, I¡¯m guessing Nishimura-san promised them something.

    Anyway, Major and I escaped with our tails behind our back. Nobody asked us to stay behind and be a busybody, but it didn¡¯t seem good to leave others behind and run away.

    ¡°So? Where did Major go?¡±

    ¡°He said he¡¯s still worried. Once ¡®Game Nishimura¡¯ opens up, he¡¯ll drop by to look.

    ¡°It¡¯s about 4pm. Since he¡¯s going to ask about what¡¯s going on, I guess it¡¯s about time he would show up now?¡±

    ¡°What about Nishimura?¡±

    Min-san, who was preparing to open shop, suddenly pushed the back door aside and poked her head out. It¡¯s hot, and there¡¯s no customer, but just wrapping a sarashi around your chest without wearing a vest is too stimting now, isn¡¯t it? So I thought.

    ¡°So that guy¡¯s shop is going to close down? Haven¡¯t seen him drop by for a few drinks recently¡­looks like he went about borrowing money everywhere.¡±

    ¡°So it¡¯s that bad that you heard of it, Min-san?¡±

    Nishimura-san¡¯s Min-san¡¯s ssmate in high school. He lived near Tomozou-san from Okabayashi Sundries, and they inherited their fathers¡¯ shops after they graduated from high school. It seemed even in recent times, they gathered together to drink.

    ¡°I heard him mention about managing the game center in high school¡­¡± Min-san muttered.

    ¡°Eh, that much money is needed to run a game center? And he had to borrow?¡±

    Tetsu-senpai put down the empty bowl on the table, looking up at Min-san.

    ¡°Of course he needs to. You NEETs won¡¯t be able to understand though.¡±

    Min-san sounded really frustrated as she answered,

    ¡°A new game tform needs millions of yen. There¡¯s also the logistics and the utilities bills. The hundred yen coins I get from the loafing brats.¡±

    ¡°The game centers have been closing down one after another when I was still in school, I think! Might as well pack it up.¡±

    ¡°If he ended up having to borrow money from the yakuza, he might as well close shop¡­¡±

    While Min-san was muttering to herself,

    ¡°No¡­erm¡­I didn¡¯t borrow from them.¡±

    Suddenly, there was a voice from the alley. We turned around in unison, and spotted a tallnky figure standing between the buildings,

    ¡°Nishimura!¡± Min-san widened her eyes, ¡°Don¡¯t you have to take care of the shop?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­well, Major said he can take over for the time being¡­¡±

    We entered the ramen shop that had yet to open, and took up half of the 5 seats at the counter, facing Min-san in the kitchen

    ¡°It seemed they wanted to move their office to the fourth floor of our building.¡±

    ¡°You were threatened by them?¡± Min-san was chopping the onions, only lifting her head slightly to nce at Nishimura-san.

    ¡°Yes. It seems they want to modify the ce into a pachinko parlor, and want to chase us away. Well, it¡¯s more like if we don¡¯t move, we¡¯ll have to pay for protection fees.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s being involved with civilians.¡± Min-san impatient swept the chopped spring onions into the Tupperware, ¡°Since it happened, couldn¡¯t you have reported it to the police and have them deal with it?¡±

    ¡°But¡­it¡¯s not that simple¡­¡±

    With a bitter grimace, Nishimura-san ruffled his soft, natural perm hair.

    ¡°My dad¡¯s on somewhat good terms with thendlord, so back then, thendlord charged us little for rent, and that¡¯s why we managed to keep running until now. It seems thendlord owed the yakuza lots of money, and demanded money from us. In name, he said he wanted to increase the rent.¡±

    ¡°And then he¡¯ll pay the excesses to the yakuza directly?¡± Tetsu-senpai asked.

    ¡°Hm, I guess¡­¡±

    As long as thendlord wouldn¡¯t say anything, this roundabout way of earning money would make it hard to disprove that the yakuza did anything violent against the civilians. Recently, the yakuza has been bing smarter.

    ¡°What do we do now?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do. That¡¯s why Major called me toe here to discuss it with you guys¡­¡±

    So was that the ¡®good conditions¡¯ mentioned?

    ¡°Eh? Th-then ¡®Game Nishimura¡¯ will have to close down.¡±

    I grabbed Nishimura-san by the shoulders, and shook them hard. That¡¯s our precious court!

    ¡°So I don¡¯t what to do either¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re really indecisive!¡±

    Min-san pped the chopping board, and Nishimura-san jolted back in shock, all shrivelled up.

    ¡°Narumi, bring him over to Alice to talk. Also, check on thendlord and the yakuza. Not much loss if we check them out beforehand. I always hated this guy¡¯sck of decisiveness. Really, he annoys me so me, I want to beat him up.¡±

    ¡°No, wait, master.¡± Tetsu-senpai interrupted, ¡°How are you going to ask Alice to handle this? Nishimura-san hasn¡¯t decided on what he wants to do. Also, Alice isn¡¯t someone to act on sympathy or justice.¡±

    ¡°Hm¡­well¡­you¡¯re right¡­¡±

    Min-san folded her arms. The bespectacled shopkeeper looked crestfallen as he sat on the middle chair. Naturally, all three of us looked at him, and saw him lower his head, muttering,

    ¡°Erm¡­actually¡­I wanted to discuss this with you¡­I haven¡¯t exactly figured out how to deal with this¡­¡±

    Min-san¡¯s eyebrows rose, and so did her hand.

    ¡°No, Min-san! You still have a chopper!¡±

    I hurriedly stood up to stop her.

    It was after Nishimura-san scampered out of the shop that Tetsu-senpai noticed her.

    ¡°What are you doing there?¡± he said as he looked towards the corner of the kitchen in the back, the door at the back. Min-san and I too noticed that there was an opening at the back door, a petite silhouette. Min-san darted over and pushed the door aside. ¡°Woah!¡± Alice, dressed in pajamas, iled her arms.

    ¡°It¡¯s damn hot out there. What brings you here?¡±

    Min-san grabbed Alice by the shoulder, to prevent thetter from falling over.

    ¡°Narumi just wouldn¡¯t bring the client upstairs.¡± Alice puffed her cheeks as she said so.

    ¡°Eh? Why?¡±

    I poked my head out from the counter, and stared at Alice, who was outside the door.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t the owner of ¡®Game Nishimura¡¯ show up looking glum? I saw that on the surveince camera. NarumI! Why didn¡¯t you bring him up¡±

    Alice entered the kitchen, and looked around, only to remain silent. That¡¯s a rare reaction from her. Her skeptical look remained as she stared back and forth between Tetsu-senpai and me.

    I had a bad feeling, but I cautiously told her,

    ¡°If you¡¯re looking for Nishimura-san¡­he went back, you know.¡±

    ¡°What!?¡± Alice¡¯s face was immediately flushed. ¡°Th-then hurry back to the office!¡±

    ¡°Bring her upstairs, Narumi.¡± Min-san said with a sigh, ¡°Since she¡¯s scared of being lonely like an ordinary person, why does she choose to be a NEET instead of going out?¡±

    ¡°Who said I¡¯m lonely!¡±

    ¡°Alright alright, let¡¯s go! You¡¯re not looking so good!¡± if you have agrophobia, don¡¯t force yourself here! I went to the back door, grabbing the furious detective by the shoulders, and nudged her up the stairs.

    *

    The following day was a Saturday, and I did not have to attend school, so Major and I went to ¡®Nishimura Game¡¯ that morning, and we even asked Tetsu-senpai along. Tetsu-senpai was worried something bad might happen, and he also did say ¡°I haven¡¯t showed up there in a while. Let¡¯s go set a new record at the punching machine. But I think I did set thest record, right?¡± I really didn¡¯t dare to tell him that the punching machine was removed as it was not doing well.

    It was a holiday, and there was quite a crowd next to the ¡°PWLB¡¯ soon after the shop was opened.

    ¡°What. It¡¯s doing well.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai stood at the entrance, looking around at the human wall that had gathered, noting leisurely.

    ¡°The customers are only visiting the ones withrge online gamey.¡±

    ¡°Goodness, gaming noobs sure are troublesome.¡± Major frowned, giving such a look.

    ¡°There are no customers on the second and third floor.¡±

    ¡°In that case, how about you put such baseball games on the third floor?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a ssic case of rookie game center managers failing. It¡¯s not nice to hear this, but baseball games are just a fad. The game elements ¡®PWLB¡¯ hasck originality, and this fad will die down once the online discussion cools off.¡±

    I was really annoyed to hear these words. Words aside, the tone alone was infuriating.

    ¡°When ¡®PWLB¡± was introduced, it was a no-name game, and themon criticism is that baseball games are no longer trendy. The shop owner liked it a lot, and bought in four sets, but it¡¯s because of them that this pitiful game center had a stable crowd. This was the only ce to y ¡®PWLB¡¯ back then, so everyone gathered here. Now it¡¯s just barely hanging on because it¡¯s the earliest to start the trend.¡±

    I see. I didn¡¯t know that.

    ¡°Once the trend fades, if the third level is all ¡®PWLB¡¯, the customers will be gone. Without customersing in, the game center can¡¯t do anything to get them back, unless there¡¯s a brand new, popr game introduced¡­the shop might close down by then though.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? It¡¯s useless to work hard? So why were you gleefully talking about game center management?¡±

    ¡°What I mean is that we can only work hard to prevent a loss of customers.¡±

    I nodded away without thinking. I see. It hurts, but it¡¯s really convincing.

    ¡°So why do you twoe to this shop every day? There are many ces with these game tforms though. There are a lot of ces with such games, you know? Your school has a few game centers nearby, Narui.¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡± I folded my arms without thinking. Yeah, why? I never thought about gaming at another shop.

    ¡°You too, Major. You badmouthed about Nishimura-san the entire time, so you could have gone to other shops too.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not really the case, Tetsu-san¡­¡±

    Major gave a gentle look, one that was unlike the usual him.

    ¡°You know who badmouths the Hanshin Tigers the most? Obviously it¡¯s the fans. You always grumble about how the ramen of ¡®Hanamaru¡¯ tastes bad, but how many years have you been there, Tetsu-san?¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­yeah¡­¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s how it is.¡±

    Major raised a finger as he said that. At that moment, there were a few gamers queuing and watching, waving towards us once they noticed us.

    ¡°Major, there¡¯s an opening in the mini link Central League. Did you form a team filled with 9 batting pitchers? Come join in already!¡±

    ¡°You came by too, Narumi? I bought the RPG character and design book. Please draw them on the uniform.¡±

    I waved back at them with a smile, and followed Major as I broke away from the crowd, into the area with therge silver balls machine. So that¡¯s how it is; because we feel at ease here. There¡¯s us, everyone, and the field, but that¡¯s all.

    Rain or shine, even if we doin from time to time, we will return here. This is what we call ¡®home field¡¯.

    ¡°Just one game.¡± Major was yapping away, queuing up at the game, but I dragged him off to the back room. I was about to knock on the door, and there was a loud shout behind the door, as loud as the background music in the shop.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think we¡¯re going to keep a low profile like this.¡±

    ¡°Seriously, Nishimura-san, it¡¯s useless to not mention it to anyone else, you know? Your rental agreement will run out next year, and you will be chased out by then. We are being kind in our proposal here.¡±

    Major and I were shocked, and we exchanged looks. It¡¯s those two yakuza members. They showed up in broad daylight? We never expected to meet them directly.

    ¡°¡­Is it them?¡± Tetsu-senpai leaned over from behind. I nodded, and he reached for the door. I couldn¡¯t stop him from pushing the door in.

    The air inside the cramped back room seemed alit. Nishimura-san, crouched before the desk, turned towards Tetsu-senpai, and so did the two yakuza members nking him from front and back.

    ¡°What do you want?¡±

    The young red-shirt man tried roared, trying to scare.

    ¡°I¡¯m Nishimura-san¡¯swyer.¡± Tetsu-senpai gave a bare-faced lie, and took a few more steps into the room.

    ¡°Wa-wait a sec, Tetsu, don¡¯t do thsis.¡± Nishimura-san panicked, ¡°We¡¯re busy¡­¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s why I showed up. You can¡¯t do anything alone, Nishimura-sa¡±

    Midway through, Tetsu-senpai stopped. His eyes were not looking at the two yakuza guys, and not at Nishimura-san, but to the left of the door. What? My vision was blocked by senpai¡¯s burly, and I could only lean my upper body out to see what was going on.

    There were lots of chassis, nks and cleaning too, and amongst the items, there was someone leaning on a folded chair. Once his eyes met mine, I nearly eximed,

    ¡°Oh? Isn¡¯t this Tetsu? Oh? And Narumi?¡±

    The massive body nearly bursting the floral shirt, his brows and hair shaved off, giving a weird look, and the eagle eyes deep in his sockets were sizing us up.

    ¡°Nemo-san¡­¡± Tetsu-senpai uttered.

    I remembered him. I couldn¡¯t forget that Octy¡¯s face. He was one of the yakuza, and one of Tetsu-senpai¡¯s mahjong pals. It¡¯s my third time meeting him, and I really wanted to get rid of this rtionship.

    So Octy smirked, baring his uneven teeth.

    ¡°Looks like things gotplicated here, huh? Hey boss, this ce is too small. Not a good ce to discuss something important.¡±

    ¡°Eh? Ah, ye-yes, after the shop closes then.¡±

    ¡°You idiot. You think I got the time? Close shop now, ya.¡±

    ¡°Eh? Eh?¡±

    Nishimura-san widened his eyes. Octy stood before him, reached his hand out for the wall opposite the desk, where the power switch was at.

    ¡°Wa-wait a moment! What are you¡±

    ¡°Tak.¡± The sound of the switch pulled down echoed, and I cringed, closing my eyes. I had the feeling of a torn Achilles.

    ¡°Oi!¡± ¡°What is this!?¡± ¡°A power outage!?¡± ¡°You¡¯re kidding! We¡¯re having a match now!¡±

    There were growlsing from the other side of the door, and thus, I opened my eyes. There were the sounds of footsteps of chairs being toppled over in the darkness. For a moment, cold sweat trickled down my skin, either because the air conditioning was switched off, or my heart was racing.

    ¡°¡­Ne-Nemoto-san, what did you do?¡±

    Nirshimura-san feebly protested, but Octy shoved him aside, went by Tetsu-senpai and me, and walked out of the rest room.

    ¡°A power outage. We¡¯re closed for the day!¡±

    The loud roar caused the rowdy shop to quiet down.

    ¡°You hear me? Scram. We¡¯re closing.¡±

    Octy dered with a hiss. The few people ying ¡®PWLB¡¯ just a moment back saw this unfriendly bald head, and backed away with pale faces, while the customers standing further away probably couldn¡¯t see Octy, even protesting.

    ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Hey! We¡¯re ying!¡± ¡°Refunds!¡±

    ¡°Nemoto-san, please, don¡¯t trouble the customers¡­¡±

    Nishimura-san was begging, basically in tears, but Octy raised his trunk-like arm, and grazed it past Nishimura-san¡¯s nose.

    A loud thud echoed through the shop, shutting the growls of the customer. I couldn¡¯t gasp. Octy¡¯s fist sank deep into the silver machine of ¡®PWLB¡¯, the tiny cracks appearing in a radial manner, as though an asteroid had appeared on the cover.

    Nobody said anything, and there were gulps of fear.

    ¡°Need me to repeat myself, you sheetty brats?¡±

    Octy¡¯s voice was like icy cement burying the floor of the game center.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me tell you to scram?¡±

    I stood behind Octy, and saw the customers disperse, suddenly reminded of what Tetsu-senpai once said.

    There is no good yakuza on this world.

    A blunt sound came from behind, and I turned around to look. Apletely dumbfounded Nishimura-san had copsed on the ¡®PWLB¡¯ console, nearly falling onto the floor, while Octy grabbed him by the cor. Nishimura-san had passed out.

    ¡°This is unsightly. Hey, get him in a lie down.¡±

    Octy tossed Nishimura-san to his underling, the young man in the red shirt. I hurriedly returned to the back room, only to be grabbed by Octy.

    ¡°You got some things to say to us too, right? Whatever, let¡¯s go.¡±

    There was no other customer in this dark room, and Octy had his white suit underling stand behind him, while he sat on the game console, facing us.

    ¡°Seriously, what¡¯s your deal with the owner, Tetsu, Narumi? Why stand up for him, ya?¡±

    Tetsu-senpai folded his arms, wondering how to answer, and I couldn¡¯t help but remain worried about Nishimura-san in the back room.

    ¡°That brat with the visor has been poking around for no good reason again. Better go back to elementary school now, brat.¡±

    Octy tapped Major on the helmet. It seemed those words caused Major to flip out.

    ¡°I¡¯m a college student! Didn¡¯t I mention it thest time!?¡±

    Major was seething as he shoved his student card to Octy, who was about four heads taller than him. I looked on, feeling terrified.

    ¡°Oh? Really? Wow, nice college you¡¯re at. Stop following around at this scrap of a game center. Study well and get a good job. It¡¯s pointless to be unemployed like these bums here.¡±

    Wait. Don¡¯t look at me right after you look at Tetsu-senpai. I¡¯m still a high school student.

    ¡°Unfortunately, I have no wishes to be employed.¡±

    Major gleefully replied. Octyughed it off, and the white suit man behind him looked incredulous.

    ¡°Of course, being in college means I have toze around for eight years, and put my student card to good use. But, to make it seem like I graduated top of the ss, I have to take leave starting in February, in my fourth year. During my school days, I¡¯ll start to write programs, earn money to set up a gamepany, and bymanding my underlings, I can climb up the industry, and be recognized by Forbes and the president as ¡®the Japanese Bill Gates who doesn¡¯t work at all¡¯, always thinking about how to y!¡±

    ¡°Nobody asked you for such dream-like life n.¡± I pped Major on the back without thinking.

    ¡°So basically, I¡¯m not exactly fooling around at game centers for no reason.¡±

    Major continued to refute. Octy, whose stance had been ambiguous the entire time, suddenly showed a friendly side, so I let Major continue to express himself.

    ¡°I¡¯m here not just to y, but also to observe the industry as a maker.¡±

    ¡°What nonsense is that!?¡± When did you be a maker? But Major ignored me.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what the owner thinks, but this shop is a stepping stone to our future. One day, I will build a headquarters seventy levels tall, and if the legendary game center this superstar CEO Major Histoshi Mukai visited is no longer around, it¡¯ll be pretty troublesome.¡±

    ¡°The one troubled should be Nishimura-san!¡±

    ¡°¡­And then?¡±

    Octy narrowed his eyes into a slit.

    ¡°I know this shop from the inside out, so I came by to negotiate with the temporary owner. Tetsu-san¡¯s just my bodyguard, and Vice-Admiral Fujishima is my bag carrier. Now then.¡±

    Major pulled a chair over, and sat before Octy.

    ¡°It¡¯s preposterous to raise rental by 250%, and they can¡¯t continue to run this shop like this. We got no other choice, so, I got no choice but to ask you to lower the price.¡±

    ¡°Wait, Major¡­Nishimura-san¡¯s lying on the bed. Deciding this on your own is¡­¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, decide on your own? Whose shop do you think this is?¡±

    ¡°Of course it¡¯s Nishimura-san¡¯s!¡±

    Octy burst outughing as he lifted his head, and his underling behind him looked concerned.

    ¡°¡­Ojiki, who are these brats? They seem familiar with you¡­¡±

    The white suit guy whispered at Octy¡¯s ears, and Octy took turns to look at us, before turning around to ask.

    ¡°You heard of the Tabara-gumi incident? They did it.¡±

    The white suit guy paled.¡±

    ¡°Also, the second-hand clothes shop ¡®n Garba¡¯? This brat got involved thest time, so remember him well. His actions are more unpredictable than the other two. Even I owed him a favor.¡±

    I felt goosebumps. It¡¯s hard to exin the specifics, but I was dealing with that Octy in the quarrel over ¡®n Garba¡¯. I managed to scare him after lots of nonsense. Eh, so the ¡®favor¡¯ he talks of is basically about that?

    ¡°That second-hand shop is doing really well now. Your bluff actually came through Narumi. Got to thank you for that.¡±

    ¡°Eh, yes.¡±

    I lowered my head. Better to not owe a favor to the yakuza, and never to have the yakuza owe me a favour. That was a lesson I had learned many times, but never applied.

    ¡°Since you have asked, I can¡¯t say that I won¡¯t consider it at all, ya. Tell me, how much until it¡¯s affordable?¡±

    ¡°How can we show our cards here? Of course, our request is the same rental.¡±

    ¡°Ohhh, nice going there, Major.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai seemed to be annoyed by this, and he ended up leaning on the game, cheering.

    ¡°You brats sure are cocky there. What kind of negotiation is that? That¡¯s a no go.¡±

    The smile vanished from Octy¡¯s face. It seemed I was the only one able to stop them. So I thought as I tried to get up, but Octy leaned his torse forward.

    ¡°So, how about a wager?¡±

    ¡°¡­Eh?¡±

    Without thinking, I stared right at Octy¡¯s bald head.

    ¡°Wager? You guys like to gamble, right?¡±

    ¡°We love it.¡± ¡°What are we betting on now?¡± Major and Tetsu-senpai¡¯s eyes were glittering. Don¡¯t you guys realize you¡¯re dealing with the yakuza here!?

    ¡°If you win, I won¡¯t raise the rental, and I¡¯ll continue to lease out to you guys. If I win, you guys have to move away, unconditionally. Whatcha think?¡±

    ¡°Sounds good. What are we betting on?¡±

    ¡°Of course it¡¯s mah-jong.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m in!¡± Tetsu-senpai grinned as he rolled up his sleeves.

    ¡°Wait wait wait senpai! You¡¯re bad at mah-jong. Let¡¯s get someone else to y, okay?¡±

    ¡°Then you and Major¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t wanna! I don¡¯t want to be grouped with people talking about some dragon pulse or some Koumei¡¯s stratagem! There¡¯s no chance of winning here! Our opponents are mah-jong experts who y with tens of thousands of yen here.¡±

    ¡°Well, only the owner will have issues if we lose, so no biggies?¡±

    ¡°What no biggie!¡±

    ¡°How about we bet on something else? With horoscope?¡±

    ¡°How are we going to bet on horoscope?¡±

    ¡°Of course, the one with the better horoscope wins!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Virgo, and my Masami Kuramada is the strongest.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m Sagittarius!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m yakuza.¡±

    ¡°Enough with this pun already, and aren¡¯t all of you yakuza? Think about it properly!¡±

    ¡°Then, how about rock-paper-scissors?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re intending to get someone without a pinky or an index finger, so that we can¡¯t decide if he¡¯s throwing scissors or paper here, right?¡±

    ¡°Vice-Admiral Fujishima¡¯s, you tongue¡¯s on real fire today.¡± ¡°You¡¯re pretty scary, Narumi.¡± ¡°How are you seriously so amazing in these unnecessary areas? Goodness.¡± Why are you three so impressed by me!?

    The guy in white suit shrugged, and tried to step forward and intimidate us, only for Octy to raise a hand to stop him.

    ¡°In that case, let¡¯s do something you¡¯re good at.¡±

    ¡°¡­Good at? You mean.¡± Major tilted his head.

    Octy pointed at therge ball-shaped machine of ¡®PWLB¡¯.

    ¡°How about baseball?¡±

    ¡°Is that alright? You know the rules?¡± Major looked excited.

    ¡°Of course. Don¡¯t underestimate the yakuza.¡±

    ¡°It was pretty unexpected. This hardboiled Octy ys this online game too?¡±

    ¡°Alright. The game¡¯s decided.¡±

    Major nodded firmly, and I had no disagreements. I think we have a bigger chance of winning here, right? To be honest, I didn¡¯t know why he would be so kind to give us a free service¡­

    ¡°So we¡¯ll decide this on one game?¡±

    ¡°No problems.¡±

    ¡°So let¡¯s settle the conditions. If you guys win, the rental contract and fees remain. If we win, you guys will shut up and immediately; ah, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s possible to do so immediately, right? Alright, close shop and move out in a month then.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    At this moment, I should have thought a little deeper into this. Major and Octy quickly agreed however, and I went along with their decision, and thus I did not realize something.

    That we were had.

    ¡°So it¡¯s decided. Right, we¡¯re leaving ya.¡± Octy said to the white suit. He then hollered to the back room ¡°We¡¯re going back!¡± the red suit then showed up.

    ¡°¡­Ojiki, i-is this really alright? Aren¡¯t you giving them too much leeway?¡± the white suit guy remained concerned.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±

    ¡°So we¡¯re just going back? We don¡¯t mind settling this here. It¡¯s a little sad that we don¡¯t have spectators, but we can have a real go here.¡±

    With a confident smile, Major frisked out his IC card, pointing his chin at the silver ball machine.

    But Octy then gave a mysterious smile.

    ¡°We can¡¯tpete now though? Got to book the grounds. The riverside grounds seem good, ya?¡±

    ¡°¡­Grounds?¡±

    Major looked stunned.

    I supposed the expression I showed back then was the same.

    ¡°Yeah, and there¡¯s four of you now. You need nine for a baseball match.¡±

    *

    The following day was a Sunday, another rest day.

    ¡°I heard that everyone¡¯s going to y baseball against the yakuza?¡±

    Hiro hurried into the office, looking either bemused or shocked. I was kneeling before the bed, while Alice continued to berate me.

    ¡°Not only did you not bring a potential customer up, you made the situation worse! And you made your own negotiations while the customer is unconscious? It is so foolish that I do not know what I should say to nitpick your stupidity. A monkey typing on a keyboard for thirty minutes might write a smarter AI than you!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m reflecting on my actions.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Seems serious here.¡±

    Hiro passed me by, and sat down next to Alice.

    ¡°Here! This is some of Min-san¡¯s purple sorbet. Have some and calm down.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t a question of whether I¡¯m angry or not! Don¡¯t think you can coax me with some sorbet!¡±

    Though she said so, Alice snatched the cup and spoon from Hiro¡¯s hands. In an instant, the rustling sound of ice delivered into the mouth echoed in the cold air.

    ¡°Erm, so, Narumi-kun, you and Major and Tetsu all got fooled?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well¡­you can say that.¡±

    Of course, after that, all over us protested, saying ¡°We said it¡¯s a baseball game, not a real baseball game.¡± However, once the yakuza catches you with something, it¡¯ll be really scary. The joking atmosphere from just a moment ago vanished without a trace, and Octy¡¯s eyes became as heavy as a lead ball.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you agree to this yourselves? Now you want to renegade on your words, brats?¡±

    After hearing that, Nishimura-san, who had just recovered, passed out again.

    Because of this, Major probably went down to ¡®Game Nishimura¡¯ to check out what¡¯s going on. Should I go down too to apologize with him?

    ¡°What can be aplished with your apology to owner Nishimura? How about you tackle the realistic issue instead?¡±

    Alice coldly noted.

    ¡°Boss Nishimura will contact the yakuza himself, saying the promise has nothing to do with the shop, so it probably won¡¯t happen anyway.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­but¡­¡±

    We¡¯ll be right back at where we started. It¡¯s only a matter of time until the shop closes.

    ¡°Did you think that since the conditions are fair, that if you participate in the match as told and win, it¡¯ll all work out?¡±

    ¡°I did think of that, maybe¡­¡±

    ¡°As an assistant to this NEET detective, speaker of the dead, have you not any self-awareness?¡±

    The empty sorbet cup was thrown at me.

    ¡°Try thinking of how to solve this issue with intellect and words instead. Settling this with some baseball match¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate baseball! A baseball match requires thinking and talking too.

    ¡°You¡¯re just ying it for fun. On what basis are you acting like professionals?¡±

    ¡°Narumi-kun, if we¡¯re settling this through baseball, Alice can¡¯t help. She¡¯s angry because she¡¯s lonely.¡±

    ¡°Why talk about loneliness?¡±

    ¡°Because, this has nothing to do with you when nobody made a request, Alice. And you interrupted.¡±

    ¡°Uuu, that¡¯s because¡­hey, where are you going, Narumi? I¡¯m not done talking!¡±

    I decided to leave Alice to Hiro, and escaped the office. In any case, I should look for Nishimura-san and discuss things with him. We¡¯re the ones who agreed to y baseball, but as Alice had said, Nishimura-san should be the one asking Octy to cancel the bet. He won¡¯t ept those conditions anyway.

    But once I reached ¡®Game Nishimura¡¯, I found that the shutters were down. I took out the phone to check the time, and found that it was 11am, Sunday. The shop should be open at this time, and a few usual customers were wandering before the shop.

    ¡°Ah, Narumi.¡±

    ¡°Is it closed for the day again?¡±

    ¡°Those guys yesterday were yakuza, right? Did the owner rile them?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s scary, but I¡¯m worried about him, so I came by today. Why is it still closed?¡±

    ¡°Did the owner get beaten up and sent to hospital?¡±

    The usual customers asked me various things.

    ¡°W-well, he¡¯s not hurt, actually¡­I don¡¯t know why it¡¯s still closed though.¡±

    Was he still unconscious after passing out the second time yesterday? Probably not.

    ¡°Anyway, Major isn¡¯t here?¡± I asked, and everyone shook their heads.

    Guess I got no other choice. I got to the back of the building. There was a door leading to the back room, and it wasn¡¯t locked.

    ¡°¡­Excuse me¡­Nishimura-san, are you in?¡±

    The lights in the rest room were lit, and theputer at the desk was on. In other words, Nishimura-san was already in the shop. I entered cautiously, and heard a voice from the second floor.

    ¡°Oh? It¡¯s you, Narumi? Sorry for yesterday. I passed out.¡±

    Nishimura-san was holding a pail and cloth,, preparing to tear down the posters off the second floor window.

    ¡°No no no, we should be the ones apologizing.¡±

    I immediately waved my hands profusely.

    ¡°Since you¡¯re always with Tetsu and the others, you might be sued to this, Narumi-kun. However, it¡¯s better not to get involved with the yakuza, if possible.¡± Saying that, Nishimura-san smiled weakly. ¡°It¡¯ll be bad if bigshots like that one came by, causing trouble for the customers, so I decided to close shop for the time being, until it all settles down.¡±

    Hearing these words left me really pained. This man¡¯s always worried about others. Maybe it¡¯s for this reason that this shop gives such a homely feeling? And we,

    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry for us making that weird decision. Major and I mistook it for a video game, and we let our guard down. Erm, sorry, I guess. It was impulsive of us.¡±

    ¡°Ahahaha. That bald yakuza can¡¯t possibly be ying ¡®PWLB¡¯. For some reason, he really hates that game.

    ¡°¡­Eh? Nemo-san?¡±

    He didn¡¯t seem to have any interest in games, yet he hates ¡®PWLB¡¯?

    ¡°The first time Octy came by, his initial condition was that the game center can continue to run. But his condition is to remove ¡®PWLB¡¯¡­¡±

    ¡°But¡­why?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t they going to renovate the fourth floor into an office? He said that every time, he¡¯ll hate brats in the shop downstairs talking about baseball when they don¡¯t know anything about it, that it angers him.

    ¡°So he hates baseball? No, he¡¯s angry because he likes it?¡±

    ¡°But if we move ¡®PWLB¡¯ away, there¡¯s no point in continuing the game center. That¡¯s why I considered epting the prior proposal.¡±

    ¡°To turn the ce into a pachinko parlor?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, my dad will probably agree to it. There are a few game centers nearby, and unlike before our ce isn¡¯t the only one where ¡®PWLB¡¯ can be yed at.¡±

    Nishimura-san opened the window, and pulled down the poster facing out, only to suddenly stop and not say anything, widening his eyes as he looked downstairs.

    I too approached the window.

    ¡°¡­Why¡­those guys.¡±

    Nishimura-san muttered. The usual customers wandering at the shop entrance never left, and instead, multiplied.

    ¡°Hey, heard this shop isn¡¯t doing well.¡± ¡°Is it closing?¡± ¡°Should havee often.¡±

    ¡°Well, how about we hold an event?¡± ¡°How about a ¡®PWLB¡¯ tourney?¡±

    ¡°Sounds good.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll promote this on the inte.¡± ¡°Get Narumi to provide illustrations.¡±

    Such a conversation happened downstairs. Nishimura-san leaned by the window, not moving at all.

    Suddenly, an intriguing silhouette appeared in my line of sight. I could tell from the camouge helmet that it was Major. He was carrying a backpack as big as he was, with a few baseball bats in the pockets.

    ¡°You guys! We¡¯re starting trials for the team!¡±

    Major yelled, and put down the items at the entrance of the now-defunct batting center.

    ¡°What trials?¡± ¡°Why bring bats over?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll be having a baseball match that determines the survival of ¡®Game Nishimura¡¯, so now we¡¯re going to start choose yers!¡±

    Major continued to exin, and thezing customers were increasingly excited, a crowd moving into the batting center that was forced open. Major, you haven¡¯t learned your lesson?

    ¡°I¡¯ll go stop them.¡±

    I hurried down the stairs, and darted out through the back door.

    ¡°Listen up, the key to us amateurs winning is defense! Right now, we¡¯re going to test catching. I don¡¯t have enough mitts, so we¡¯re share! I¡¯m starting the machine!¡±

    Major started the pitching machine, swinging the bat as hemanded everyone. These guys are all amateurs though, and the direct pitches all ended up on the floor.

    ¡°Those without mitts are to try batting! We¡¯ll start with 100kmh pitches!¡±

    ¡°Major, what are you doing?¡±

    I darted past the group excited topete, and finally found Major, who was behind the.

    ¡°We need to gain some forces capable of fighting, or we can¡¯t achieve victory in this battle for ¡®Game Nishimura¡¯.¡±

    ¡°No, anyway, Nishimura-san hasn¡¯t given the okay.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter now, does it? If we lose, the owner can just go ¡®I don¡¯t know about this, so it¡¯s invalid¡¯. It¡¯s a zero risk high reward bet, so why not?¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± So I had such a thought in my mind. That was embarrassing.

    ¡°How¡¯s such a twisted facy able to work the yakuza?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, join in too, Vice Admiral Fujishima. Your mobility and vision should be good. Looking forward to your performance.¡±

    ¡°Hey Major, help us set up the machine here!¡± ¡°¡±Set it to 120kmh already.¡±

    The contestents swung the bats, and Major immediately got the machine up and right.¡±

    ¡°Too fast!¡± ¡°But we could hit them in game!¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t hit them at all!¡±

    ¡°You guys are too useless!¡± Major tapped the bat in his hand on the ground. ¡°With suchx defense, a bunt can be a homerun!¡±

    ¡°Bring it!!¡± ¡°Louder!¡± ¡°Come on! Louder!¡±

    ¡°Enough, everyone.¡±

    I was abou to say so, only for the batting center to quiet down.

    I turned around, and saw the metal doors of the entrance opened. A bespectacled frail body with natural perm entered. It¡¯s Nishimura-san.

    ¡°Nishimura-san, say something. It¡¯s a batting center that¡¯s closing down, so using this ce is.¡±

    But Nishimura-san raised his hand, stopping us, and even said,

    ¡°Lend me a bat. I¡¯m taking part too.¡±

    I was gobsmacked. The customers, covered in dirt, were also dumbfounded.

    Nishimura-san received the bat from Major¡¯s hands, and raised it over the batter box.

    ¡°Set it to 140kmh. 10 shots, continuous.¡±

    Nishimura-san raised the bat, and stood his ground like arge wooden block. There was a tense atmosphere filling the ce immediately.

    And over the next fifty seconds, our eyes remained fixed on Nishimura-san¡¯s swinging. The white balls that were knocked aside let out a crisp sound, perfect arches and high into the.

    I thought Nishimura-san was a weak, bespectacled nerd, and even I was so taken aback. I nced aside at Major, who too shook his head, giving a ¡°I didn¡¯t know he¡¯s that strong.¡± Look.

    After batting away ten balls, Nishimura-san sheepishly put the bat by his leg. For a moment, nobody in the arena could say anything.

    ¡°¡­Everyone, thank you.¡±

    Nishimura-san lowered his head, muttering. And then, he looked around at the dozens of people in the batting center.

    ¡°But, we¡¯re dealing with the yakuza, real yakuza. I don¡¯t want you guys to get involved to me. All of you are my customers¡­Sorry, I¡¯ll open the shop now. You can y as you want. I¡¯ll be happy with this.¡±

    So a flock left the batting center, while Nishimura-san hurried to the back of the building, into the back room.

    The metal shutters opened slowly, and the noise of the game consoles weed us.

    Major and I stood at the entrance, watching everyone enter the lights and sounds of the shop, and then Nishimura-san, now changed into his uniform, walked out from the crowd.

    ¡°Major, there is something I want to ask of you.¡±

    Nishimura-san lifted his head, showing an expression as clear as the pebbles at the bottom of a riverbank, and Major nodded, his lips still pursed.

    ¡°Please find enough team members to face off against the yakuza.¡±

    ¡°Your request is understood.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll to ask Hanada and Tomozou.¡±

    Nishimura-san turned around, returned to the shop, and muttered,

    ¡°We just need to win.¡±

    *

    It was at ¡®Hanamaru¡¯ that night when I learned Nishimura-san was a member of the baseball club.

    ¡°Our school¡¯s club wasn¡¯t really strong, but that guy was the ace pitcher who led them into the semifinals of the city tournament. There was quite amotion too.¡±

    Tomozou-san of the wine shop had not dropped by at in a while, eating and drinking shouchuu as he mentioned the past.

    ¡°He really loved baseball back then¡­¡±

    I kept refilling for Tomozou-san as I nodded away understandingly. It¡¯s because of this reason that he brought ¡®PWLB¡¯ into the shop soon after they were sold, and never thought if they would be a fad.

    ¡°Semifinals, so they made it to the first two rounds of the Koshien? I really don¡¯t know if that¡¯s amazing or not.¡±

    Min-san, frying pork liver and leek behind the counter, asking,

    ¡°The other members weren¡¯t practicing though? So it¡¯s all because of Nishimura that they won all those matches. That¡¯s pretty impressive.¡±

    We say so, but it¡¯s not that easy. It¡¯s been a while since Nishimurast y, and the opponent probably won¡¯t be looking for weak opponents¡­even if Tetsu and I are to be second base and shortstop¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re pretty pumped up for this, Hanada.¡± Tomozou-sanughed. ¡°Tetsu can¡¯t be the catcher?¡±

    As for the Tetsu-senpai they were talking of, he was seated on the beer crate outside the shop, going through a personal rundown on the baseball rules with Hiro.

    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s the infield fly rule about? Why is this rule made?¡±

    ¡°So that there won¡¯t be a deliberate double y.¡±

    ¡°So what do you do?¡±

    ¡°Well, you know anything about fielding out?¡±

    ¡°No I don¡¯t.¡±

    It appeared Hiro was having trouble on his side. I didn¡¯t know about Hiro¡¯s athleticism, but since he¡¯s in good shape, he should be more useful than me, I guess.

    ¡°Which position will you y, Fujishima-kun?¡±

    Ayaka, who was washing the dishes, asked me excitedly.

    ¡°The scorer, of course.¡± Min-san coldly retorted.

    ¡°Which base does the scorer defend?¡± ¡°The scorer¡¯s the one recording on the bench¡­¡±

    Faced with Ayaka¡¯s cruel ignorance, I had to answer politely.

    And when ¡®Hanamaru¡¯ was about to close, the main star finally appeared, as Major brought an amazing special guest.

    ¡°Found a perfect shortstop here!¡±

    Major entered the shop with a grin, and once I saw the person lift the noren behind him, the ramen in my mouth nearly sputtered out.

    ¡°Heard some idiots got involved in some dumb stuff?¡±

    ¡°Yondaime!? Y-you¡¯re discharged!?¡±

    I screamed, only to be red at by the wolf eyes beneath the grey hair. He was dressed in a ck vest, his arms and shoulders wrapped in an astonishing amount of bandages, but he seemed to be in good spirits, and the killing intent he had was back. He sat on the chair next to me, and ordered a bowl of char siu ramen from Min-san.

    ¡°Eh, well, you¡¯re joining the team too, Yondaime?¡±

    ¡°Major said he¡¯ll pay. I rested for far too long, so this is good activity for rehab.¡±

    Is it really already to do that after being discharged? So I wanted to ask, but Tetsu-senpai¡¯s voice came from outside the door.

    ¡°What? You guys are joining too? Rockys¡¯s suitable to be the catcher.¡±

    ¡°No Tetsu! Catcher¡¯s the most difficult position! The catcher¡¯s themander of the team, someone who has to be familiar with the rules.¡±

    Taken aback, I lifted the noren, On the dark streets, there were two slowly moving silhouettes behinds Tetsu-senpai and Hiro, and they¡¯re Pole and Rocky. They too were called in?

    ¡°Ojiki, ah, aniki too. Please take care of us!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll beat them in one hit!¡±

    The two guys in ck shirts bowed deeply, and I was strangely uneasy about this.

    ¡°Erm¡­you guys don¡¯t know¡­the baseball rules, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, not at all!¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know how many points we get for beating the pitcher!¡± Points, my head.

    ¡°You idiot, the only sport you can earn points from knocking down someone else is hockey!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not hockey!¡±

    ¡°Stop fooling around here! These guys are dumb as bricks, but even idiots know that they have to run after batting, right? Don¡¯t talk too deeply about baserunning.¡± Yondaime said, ¡°And more importantly.¡±

    I was dragged by the cor along with the chair, and stopped before Yondaime.¡±

    ¡°You guys found good umpires? Need four of them.¡±

    ¡°Umpires? Erm? Yeah, so what about them?¡±

    Octy was to book the baseball field, and I naively thought I could leave everything to him. Hearing my honest remarks, Yondaime sighed hard.

    ¡°Seriously, you¡¯re dealing with the yakuza here. The yakuza will use any underhanded means necessary. Which idiot who have the opponent control the umpire? Get an impartial third party. Of course, someone who isn¡¯t scared of the yakuza will do.¡±

    ¡°No, who am I supposed to look for?¡±

    ¡°Enough already, give that Kusakabe Masaya a call.¡±

    ¡°Eh, ehhh!?¡± Why mention his name now?

    But Yondaime¡¯s right. That guy knows Octy, and is calm in nature. Also, he owes Yondaime and me a favour, so he shouldn¡¯t be too biased to Octy.

    Yondaime prompted me to call, and I had to take out my phone.

    Of course, once Kusakabe Masaya heard about this, he was bbergasted, and clicked his tongue about twenty times or so.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you deal with this in a smarter manner? You thought you have a chance of winning?¡±

    ¡°We heard the owner of that game center did pretty well in the city tournament, and the others are pretty athletic, so we should barely¡­¡±

    ¡°Are you guys idiots? Nemoto was a pitcher who won a few times at the Koshien.¡±

    ¡°Ehhhhhhh!?¡±

    You bastard, stop screaming at my ear. I got scolded. It was really hard to imagine so however. That Octy used to be a baseball yer?

    Ah, that¡¯s why he hated ¡®PWLB¡¯? No, that alone shouldn¡¯t be enough reason. Nishimura-san really loves ¡®PWLB¡¯ for simr reasons.

    ¡°I knew Nemoto when I was still in school, and was often dragged along to watch the Hashin Tigers. He¡¯s a hopeless baseball manic, and really wanted to make it to the pros. To be honest, there were scouts who eyed him¡­¡±

    I switched the phone to my left hand, and rubbed my sweaty right palm on my thigh. Since he really loved baseball, why did he end up with the yakuza?

    ¡°How would I know? It¡¯s been thirty years ago! Anyway, his fastball¡¯s ridiculously fast, though he often lost control¡­there were few who could hit his pitches even when he was in high school, let along you guys.¡±

    ¡°But he hasn¡¯t actually pitched for a long time, right? So we should be able to¡­¡±

    I said so, but my heart was sinking. Nishimura-san too hadn¡¯t pitched in a while.

    ¡°Eh, well¡­we need umpires who won¡¯t be intimidated by the yakuza, and we really couldn¡¯t think of anyone other than you, Kusakabe-san.¡±

    ¡°Got it. This is thest time I¡¯m helping you brats out. I¡¯ll find four guys who knows baseball from a few different gangs. That works?¡±

    ¡°Sorry to trouble you. Oh yeah, erm¡­we¡¯ll pay the full amount.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    The phone was hung up on it, and once I mentioned ¡°Octy was a winning pitcher in the Koshien¡±, there was quite argemotion. Major, get some muscle training regiment here! Understood, I¡¯ll get them here. Let¡¯s practice throwing at an octopus head. Tetsu, can¡¯t you be the pitcher? I¡¯ll throw the bat¡­

    Dumbfounded, I listened to their conversations, and suddenly had a thought.

    It certainly feels like an all-star game in February.

    So, we had the following starting lineup.

    1.	Min-san (Second Base)

    2.	Yondaime (Shortstop)

    3.	Nishimura-san (Pitcher)

    4.	Tetsu-senpai (Third Base)

    5.	Rocky (Right Field)

    6.	Hiro (Center Field)

    7.	Major (Left Field)

    8.	Tomozou-san (Catcher)

    9.	Pole (First Base)

    This starting lineup certainly seems strong, especially from the first to the fourth batter. The eighth and ninth batter can also work as cleanup spots. This lineup doesn¡¯t seem like it¡¯ll have any weaknesses!

    Me? I¡¯m a bench yer.

    ¡°Fujishim-san, shall we make preserved lemons?¡± Ayaka asked me for some reason.

    *

    The batting center next to the game center ended up as our practice ground. I arrived there after school, and found Major, Tetsu-senpai and Hiro there, being coached by Nishimura-san.

    ¡°Use more of your nk, and not swing your wrists. Turn your waist around, and use all the strength in your body, like you¡¯re squeezing cloth. Yes, now swing the bat forward like that¡±

    Nishimura-san, who¡¯s being our batting coach for some reason, was enjoying himself, and I (as a bench yer), joined after changing into my school gym uniform. I started swinging as a pinch hitter would work as a trump card. On the first day, I got blisters on my hands.

    It was the second day after our team was formed when Octy dropped by.

    ¡°Oh? You guys aren¡¯t backing out? Struggling like amateurs.¡±

    He was looking beyond the, into the batting center, right at me in the eyes as I made arge swing, chuckling. The young man who apanied him that day came along, and since it didn¡¯t look like he¡¯ll wear anything other than suits, he was not on the baseball team. The man wearing sunsses and an aloha shirt was someone I had never seen before.

    ¡°Sorry to invite you over here.¡±

    Nishimura-san lowered his head nervously as he went outside. Tetsu-senpai and Hiro paid no mind to them as they kept stretching.

    For a moment, I didn¡¯t know what was going on, so with bat with hand, I went out of the door, and kept watch behind Nishimura-san. The yakuza will use any underhanded means necessary, Yondaime¡¯s words kept lingering in my ears.

    ¡°We got the date and location.¡± Octy said. One weekter, at the baseball field by the riverbank.

    ¡°Sorry to trouble you for this.¡± Nishimura-san kept his head lowered.

    It was strange to see such an honest response, but Nishimura-san earnestly thanked him.

    ¡°To be honest, I thought you would pretend not to know as the owner.¡±

    Octy¡¯s ferocious re looked back and forth between Nishimura-san and me.

    ¡°Why decide on the match?¡±

    Nishimura-san gave an apprehensive smile.

    ¡°¡­If this can be settle by baseball, I think it¡®s good. The shop that was about to close is barely hanging on because of a baseball game, and we¡¯re settling its fate with a baseball game¡­doesn¡¯t seem bad.¡±

    Octy coldly snorted, and spat on the ground. I stumbled in shock. His eyes were giving a lead-colored glint.

    ¡°Absolutely disgusting.¡±

    The usual customers frequenting the game center might have heard this howl, and they all looked over in shock.

    ¡°What do you mean, baseball is fun? What baseball game? Always with the na?ve attitude¡­I really want to crush this shop.¡±

    Nishimura-san¡¯s sidelong face looked really tense. Again, I cautiously looked towards Octy. Why did he hate baseball games, or despise it, even?

    ¡°¡­Nemo-san, you did win a few times in the Koshien, right?¡± I said. Octy immediately widened his eyes.

    ¡°So what?¡±

    ¡°No, nothing.¡± My voice was stuck in my throat. ¡°I just heard that a few profession teams scouted you. So why do you look like you hate it. And if you really do, why settle this with baseball?¡±

    Before I knew it, the browless, vicious face was before me. I couldn¡¯t breathe, for he had already lifted me by the cor.

    ¡°Enough with the know-it-all words, you amateur.¡±

    ¡°Nemo-san.¡± Nishimura-san said with a pale face, but was hushed by a re. Octy¡¯s eyes looked back at me as he gripped at my cor harder.

    ¡°So what if I made it to the Koshien? Look, how many winning pitchers in the high school tournaments can you remember? One¡¯s good enough, because everyone forgets what happens after that summer. Do you know how many people make it to the Koshien? Anyone who hasn¡¯t made it as a pro will be forgotten as trash once a summer¡¯s over. Listen up, any form of baseball that doesn¡¯t earn money is trash. I¡¯m willing to y this game of baseball because there¡¯s money involved. That¡¯s it.¡±

    Octy tossed me aside on the asphalt. All I could feel was the air squeezed out of my body, and for a moment, I could only remain copsed on the floor, unable to move. Nishimura-san, and even the two yakuzackeys behind Octy were utterly terrified.

    Octy bent down, picked up a body that rolled out from the opened doors of the batting center.

    And he swung his right arm.

    Something let out a boom, and a few customers in the game center eximed in shock.

    ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°Hey! Look at this!¡± ¡°A ball?¡± ¡°It¡¯s sunk in!¡±

    I personally witnessed that amazing pitch. The bullet-like fastball struck the ¡®PWLB¡¯ unit furthest inside the shop, and there was another dent on it, as deep as the dent Octy caused that day.

    Octy turned away, leaving behind the chattering customers and the dumbfounded us.

    But his words kept lingering in my ears.

    Everyone forgets what happens after that summer--

    *

    ¡°--But even so, we can¡¯t leave it as it is.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai said during the meeting at ¡®Hanamaru¡¯ that night.

    ¡°If things get out of hand, drag them out to fight and beat them up.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re dealing with nine yakuza members here. Ah, no, including the bench, that¡¯s twenty of them. You can¡¯t beat them all no matter how strong you are, Tetsu.¡± Hiro corrected as he sat by the side.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like one pitch or two will settle this.¡± Yondaime drank his Japanese wine as he said this, ¡°Age will affect physicality. We get a chance to counter in theter half.¡±

    Those words were probably meant for Nishimura-san, who was seated in the middle. Our ace yer blinked with some surprise, and then nodded, not looking very confident.

    Behind us, there was the voice of Major cheering on Pole and Rocky. They couldn¡¯t remember the baseball rules, so he could only use a portable baseball game to get them to remember.

    ¡°This beer is on the house!¡± Tomozou-san dragged the beer crates out from the back door of the kitchen. ¡°Win and you can pour it all over yourself!¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it too early to be happy?¡± Min-san, who was stir-frying, looked on wryly.

    ¡°Ah, right, we got that thing hidden there too.¡±

    ¡°L-let go of me, I¡¯m not a cat!¡±

    Dragged in by Tomozou-san on the cor was Alice in blue pajamas. She was holding arge bear doll, and a baseball cap on her head for some reason.

    Everyone present gathered their eyes upon the ck hair of Alice, who was outside, and for a moment, silence lingered amongst the steaming scent of chicken bone stock.

    ¡°What? If you got anything to say, say it!¡±

    Alice finally turned her head around, blushing as she said this. Why re at me?

    ¡°If you feel lonely for being excluded from your friends, just say so. Ayaka¡¯s making sweetened lemons for everyone.¡±

    Min-san said, and Alice immediately grabbed the baseball cap, looking really agitated.

    ¡°Who¡¯s feeling lonely here!? Listen up. Narumi¡¯s my assistant. Don¡¯t dispatch him whenever you want!¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    There were looks from everyone going ¡°Say something, you.¡± And I could only speak up.

    ¡°Alice, are you unable to say that you want to join the team?¡±

    ¡°Of course I¡¯m joining.¡±

    Enough with the jokes I can¡¯tugh at! This isn¡¯t some hyperbole, it¡¯s a fact, you never lifted anything heavier than chopsticks in your life, have you?¡±

    ¡°I asked her.¡± Ayaka poked her head out from the corridor, ¡°Alice has been looking lonely, and with another girl present, everyone should be motivated, right? No need to worry about the expenses. I agreed with her that when showering, she¡¯ll wear a shower cap. Payment is waived off.¡±

    What¡¯s with the unnecessary actions? I turned back to the detective, who was dressed in pajamas, puffing her chest proudly,

    ¡°Eh, erm. You don¡¯t have to force yourself there. Also, a position that suits you is,¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t there a position for me?¡±

    Alice pointed a finger right between my eyebrows.

    ¡°I¡¯m the manager, of course.¡±

    The silence was as awkward as the stench of an old apple that had turned bad.

    ¡­Manager. Alice, manager?

    ¡°You serious, nee-san?¡± From my right was Pole¡¯s voice, ¡°Manager?¡± and there was Rocky from the left.

    ¡°No way you can be a baseball manager, Aice?¡± Tetsu-senpai sounded really incredulous. However, Alice pointed hard back at him.

    ¡°You¡¯re the third batter. Tomozou will be fourth. Boss Nishimura will be fifth. Rocky and Pole will be sixth and seventh.¡±

    ¡°Why? It might sound like boasting, but I should be the one most suited for cleanup right, if we¡¯re considering explosiveness and hitting rate? Nishimura-san¡¯s the best hitter, so he has to be third, and we still need some impact from the bottom of the order.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk based on your feeling here. Does the explosiveness of a boxer guarantee that the ball will fly further? Of us here, only Boss Nishimura has the skill to hit homerun. Your assumed power hitters, Tetsu, Yondaime, Mastter, and Tomozou all simply have a higher chance of getting on base, and that¡¯s why we set them all before the homerun batter. It¡¯s a passive batting order.¡±

    ¡°How do you know of everyone¡¯s on base percentages?¡± I had to ask Alice.

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s because I had a look at the footage Major recorded during practice.¡±

    I nced to the back, and found Major giving a stunned look. It appeared Alice had hacked into hisputer and obtained the footage. Why go this far?

    ¡°Also, your tactics are mind-bogglingly terrible. Improving the batting strength after the sixth batter is something pro teams will do, if they have sufficient yers, that is. They can ignore the defensive liabilities there, and put the power batters on seventh and eighth instead of the usual defensive yers. But a team formed of a ragtag bunch doing this? This is ridiculous. Isn¡¯t it more appropriate to have the stronger batters get on first?

    Alice rattled away, and Nishimura-san, the only one with baseball experience, scratched his head saying, ¡°Well, she¡¯s right.¡± The others too could only lower her head.

    But even so, I never epected Alice to be so serious about the match.

    ¡°Please, nee-san! No, manager!¡± ¡°Please!¡±

    Though I was taken aback by Pole and Rocky, I hesitantly looked over to Tetsu-senpai and Yondaime. Everyone present were giving wry looks, shrugging, and Nishimura-san, our team leader, asked Alice,

    ¡°¡­Can you give instructions during the match?¡±

    A few intrigued looks swung between Alice and Nishimura-san.

    ¡°Of course. Hiro, remember to drive that day. I¡¯m going to givemands from the car.¡±

    Hiro didn¡¯t answer, instead raising the cup filled with Japanese wine.

    ¡°Then I shall leave this to you. This shall be a request from me.¡±

    Nishimura-san¡¯s words dictated everything. The detective firmly nodded.

    ¡°I will be the brains of the team, since all of you have air for brains. Katsuya Nomura did say that baseball is a sport that relies on brain. First, I¡¯ll show you the signs for baserunning.¡±

    ¡°Righto!¡± ¡°Sharpen our manliness!¡± ¡°Shut up and get out!¡± ¡°Master, you¡¯re a yer too, right? Everyone, remember this.¡±

    Alice climbed onto the kitchen table.

    ¡°Listen up. You can¡¯t remember anything too difficult now, right? If you see me p my cap on my chest twice, it means everyone is to ¡®advance base¡¯, one time ¡®don¡¯t move¡¯, or ¡®run back¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Ane-san, you don¡¯t have any chest there.¡± ¡°they¡¯ll sink in if you keep hitting them.¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Alice¡¯s ears were flushed as she hopped off the desk, ¡°If you have time to worry about my chest, worry about your brains! Next, the batting signs¡±

    And as expected, after hollering and pointing in the steaming kitchen, Alice, who hated the heat, soon fainted. I could only carry the limp, flushed detective back into her office.

    ¡°Uu¡­this is embarrassing. I cannot give actualmands during the actual match.

    Alice crawled onto the bed in the bedroom with strong air conditioning, muttering,

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to force yourself there. It¡¯s not like we have to have a manager during the match¡­¡±

    ¡°Nemoto Kiichi was a baseball yer from a famous school in Kyoto, and in his second year, he became their ace pitcher.¡±

    Alice buried her face in the pile of dolls, and after a while, I turned back, and saw her eyes. Nemoto Kiichi. Nemo-san, so she¡¯s referring to that Octy?¡±

    ¡°His team was defeated in the quarterfinals of the summer Koshien. Soon after, there were news of him being involved in baseball gambling and match fixing with a gang, and soon after, he dropped out of school.¡±

    ¡°Match fixing¡­in high school baseball?¡±

    ¡°There were still records in the magazines and news. It was said that a rtive of Nemoto Kiichi owed the gang lots of money, and he had to obey. The details of how the match fixing happened came out too.¡±

    Alice showed the results of her investigations on the screen. I had a look, and gasped.

    ¡°¡­Is this¡­form of match fixing even possible?¡±

    ¡°He did it. Nemoto Kiichi was a pitcher with such an ability, but he had to do so to earn money.¡±

    Startled, I recalled what Octy had said.

    ¡°Any form of baseball that doesn¡¯t earn money is trash.¡±

    So that¡¯s what he meant? He might have gone overboard with it, but it¡¯s true. His dreams of bing a pro yer were crushed, and he gave up and joined the yakuza.

    ¡°That¡¯s all I managed to find out.¡±

    Alice¡¯s voice was filtered through the dolls.

    ¡°It was thirty years ago, and there was no scorebook. There is nothing to indicate Nemoto Kiichi¡¯s pitching profile. What pitches does he have? How much he sweated, what he said; everyone had long forgotten about him.¡±

    It¡¯s true that there were a thousand baseball yers gathered upon that passiondened Ma every spring and summer, and other than the winners, everyone left behind will be defeated, crying, and going their separate ways, forgotten.

    Most failures will not exist in anyone¡¯s memories.

    Ironically, the reason why Octy was remembered was because of his sin of defying the spirit of the game. Because he yed for money.

    Everyone had forgotten about the rest.

    ¡°But even so, we know one thing.¡± Alice muttered coldly, ¡°He¡¯s not an easy opponent. You guys need my brain.¡±

    I nodded.

    To be honest, I wasn¡¯t feelingfortable after Octy lifted me by the neck, so I was actually happy when Alice volunteered to help, and that I actually felt that the yers on the field aren¡¯t alone.

    What about you, Octy? You aren¡¯t fighting by yourself, right? Your battery behind the facemask, the seven teammates standing behind you, and the guys on the bench were looking at you, right? Is it true that nobody actually remembers you?

    At that moment, I thought of a possibility.

    I stood up, practically without thinking, and I was the one startled when gave a startled cry.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°Eh? Ah, yeah, right.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but look down at my limbs, and my toes were already turned towards the door. There was some anger in my fingertips, blowing aside the cold air of the air-conditioner.

    I couldn¡¯t remain anymore.

    ¡°I want to check on sometime.¡±

    Since I¡¯m a bench yer, I had to make the trip.

    I left the office, looked down the corner of the emergency staircase, and found my teammates drinking and chatting away around a faint circle of light.

    *

    Looking up at the clear skies and the sun shining upon the ground, I finally got the feeling that summer wasing to an end. The sun dangling in the middle of the sky, but it didn¡¯t feel hot; sometimes, there was the gentle breeze grazing my cheeks.

    It was a certain Sunday, at 11am inte September.

    I pedalled my bicycle to the ballpark by the riverbank, and found that there were a few cars parked there. The was so broken, and the dirty bench was covered in dust. The bases were buried in the ground, and there were weeds in the outside. All I could see was the white ball flying between the men spread all over the grounds.

    Looking afar, I could see at that ones present were yakuza with either punch perm haircuts or bald guys with tattoos on their heads. They had no uniforms, and were dressed in aloha shirts or vests, but the team colors gave an intimidating vibe.

    Octy was standing on home te, holding the bat and hitting pitches away for his teammates to practice. Everyone seemed crisp in their movements, and I was increasingly uneasy.

    ¡°Narumi-kun!¡± waving his hand from a familiar looking blue foreign car was Hiro, waving at me. It drove down the slope covered with shrubs. The back seat behind him was stuffed with dolls, and I barely managed to see the head of ck hair there.

    ¡°Alice, are you seriously givingmands from the car?¡±

    I asked as I looked through the car window, and Alice, who was seated in a seiza, lifted her head, and picked up the baseball cap.

    ¡°Of course.¡± She stared at me with a pale face, ¡°The opponent¡¯s not the team; the sun, atmosphere and earth are all my enemy. But I won¡¯t run away.¡±

    No, you can run away now. If you¡¯re suffering that much, just go back to the office.

    Following them was Yondaime, driving by them in his Coupe. He was dressed in a baseball cap, and for some reason, he looked as amusing as Alice and Hiro.

    ¡°Major isn¡¯t here? Isn¡¯t he in charge of bringing the equipment here?¡±

    ¡°He was ying ¡®PWLB¡¯ tillte at night. Probably overslept.¡±

    ¡°That idiot! Why game the day before the match!?¡±

    While we¡¯re talking, a few members on the yakuza team were approaching Yondaime from behind.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re Narumi?¡± Eh, me?

    ¡°Heard you¡¯ve been giving lots of suggestions there, ya?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you crush the Tabara-gumi?¡±

    I was surrounded by a bunch of hunky yakuza members, and wilted away like a dried flower. How much have rumors of me spread in this world? I heard that the Tabara-gumi wasn¡¯t doing so good after that, but please don¡¯t me me for that.

    ¡°Hinamuraaa, heard you haven¡¯t been doing well recently.¡±

    They looked towards Yondaime, and mocked him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think we¡¯ll y around if you guys like today.¡± ¡°Thank Nemo-san for his kindness.¡± ¡°Sounds like he hasn¡¯t decided to end the match here and then by a few points. But you probably don¡¯t want to be beaten by twenty or so, right? If you want to give up, you can lower your head anytime you want.¡±

    ¡°Stop touching me as if you know me.¡± Yondaime retorted without backing down, ¡°You should worry about heatstroke or ack of breath in the second half.¡±

    ¡°Huh. Your tongue is as sharp as ever.¡±

    I watched them bicker worriedly, and at this moment, another car appeared by the riverbank. It¡¯s a white wagon, and when the door opened, there were four middle aged men dressed in floral shirts. From what I could tell, they too was yakuza. A man wearing a cream-colored summer suit and sunsses stood out; it was Kusakabe Masaya . So, these guys are the umpires? It might sound recreational, but this certainly seemed formal. They even had their umpire gear and facemasks prepared.

    But once I saw thest person hop out of the wagon, I was dumbfounded.

    ¡°Mr Assistant!¡±

    iling her arms and twin braids, and running down the slope was a girl with coffee-brown skin. Why is Meo here?¡±

    ¡°I heard from dad, so I came to cheer you on! It¡¯s my first time seeing a baseball match!¡±

    She grabbed my arms as she said so, while Kusakabe Masaya eyed us unhappily.

    ¡°Assistant-san, which position are you ying?¡±

    The bench there, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to say so. While I was wondering how to exin, a bicycle rushed down the cycling road, and glided down.

    ¡°Fujishima-kun, I brought drinks and preserved lemons!¡±

    Hopping off the bicycle with the ice bucket on her back was Ayaka, who met Meo. ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± both of them gave each other confused looks. Oh yeah, it¡¯s the first time both of them met. It¡¯s too troublesome to exin matters, so I hastily broke free from Meo¡¯s hands. Major just so happened to carrying arge pile of stuff in his bag, down the stone steps, so I hurried over towards him.

    Behind me, I could hear the car door opened, followed by Meo shouting, ¡°Woah! Miss Detective! It¡¯s been a while!¡±

    ¡°Woah, why out of a sudden!? Let go of me, Meo! S-stop, ahh!¡± Alice made a strange sound.

    ¡°Alice¡¯s weak point is the neck. You can¡¯t touch her like this!¡± Ayaka chided. We¡¯re deciding the fate of a shop here, but these girls don¡¯t have any sense of urgency here.

    After 11am, Nishimura-san was the only one not present. We were feeling uneasy as we began to practice. Yondaime in in charge of pitching. His batting control was pretty good. Octy looked towards us, and showed a smirk. Feeling uneasy, I returned to the bench, and was about to give a call to Nishimura-san, only for the phone in my hand to vibrate.

    ¡°Sorry, I have to make a trip to the hospital.¡±

    Nishimura-san seemed like he¡¯s panting. Hospital? Is his dad critically ill?

    ¡°My dad just called, saying that the yakuza has visited him at the hospital, and is forcing him to stamp the contract.¡±

    ¡°Eh? What? Contract?¡±

    ¡°They want him to sign the contract, ept the money, and hand over the shop. I wasn¡¯t willing, so they went to convince my dad. I told him not to talk to them until I reach there, and I¡¯m going to stop him. I¡¯ll hurry over before the match starts!¡±

    The call hung up. Giving a look of disbelief, I looked over at Octy, who was on the first base bench.

    Why? What¡¯s going on? Didn¡¯t we say they didn¡¯t have to move if they win? Our eyes met for a moment, and after seeing the smile on his face, I felt a shiver.

    We¡¯re dealing with the yakuza, they¡¯ll do anything dirty if necessary.

    They forced our hand, just in case they lost the match.

    I hustled over to the batting batter, and exined matters to Yondaime. Tetsu-senpai and Min-san too came to home te to understand the situation.

    ¡°So Nishimura¡¯s heading over now? How long to the hospital? 30 minutes to and back? Or more?¡±

    ¡°Might not be able to make it back by 12. Are we going to change the batting order?¡±

    Rocky, standing near first base, seemed to have understood what was going on, as he pointed his finger under the glove at Octy, who was on first base. ¡°What did you do?¡±

    ¡°What? Who would I know?¡±

    Octy spat on the ground. But he certainly knew. He stood up, walked towards the umpries who were behind the, and said this,

    ¡°We got nine on both teams now! It¡¯ll be a waste of energy to keep practicing, so let¡¯s begin now, shall we?¡±

    ¡°W-wait a moment!?¡±

    I got around the back, and stood between Octy and Kusakabe Masaya .

    ¡°Nishimura-san isn¡¯t here yet, and we agreed that the match will start at 12!¡±

    ¡°Huh? Kusakabe, did I mention this to you?¡±

    Kusakabe Masaya too narrowed his eyes behind the sunsses, and shrugged.

    ¡°Never heard of it. All I know was that you called us to be here at 11.¡±

    ¡°This¡­but!¡±

    ¡°And also.¡± Octy continued with an indisputable fact, ¡°I booked this ce till 1pm. We can¡¯t finish if we don¡¯t hurry now.¡±

    ¡°Wha¡ª¡±

    I was speechless. Yondaime, who hurried, too remained rooted to the ground ¡®we¡¯ve been had¡¯.

    We left the important booking of the field to the enemy, and that was the grave mistake we made. It was all Octy¡¯s n. Kusakabe Masaya gave a look at the four umpires, who from afar had such a conversation, ¡°Guess we have to start now.¡±

    Thus, even if they lost, they wouldn¡¯t be gravely affected, and they could eliminate our best yer, Nishimura-san. This was a double y on Octy¡¯s part.

    ¡°Hey brats, hand over the batting order!¡± The home te umpire shouted. Yondaime dragged me by the cor, and pulled me to the cars parked behind our third base bench.

    ¡°Nishimura isn¡¯t picking up the phone.¡± Tomozou-san¡¯s face paled as he said. Yeah, he¡¯s in the hospital, and has to switch off his phone. This sly ploy had my legs wobbling.

    ¡°What do we do now?¡¯

    ¡°No choice but for Yondaime to be the pitcher, Tomozou-san be the shortstop, Rocky as third baseman.¡±

    ¡°What about the batting order? Nishimura-san¡¯s fifth.¡± ¡°Major is ninth. Everyone to advance.¡±

    ¡°¡ªNarumi!¡±

    A girl¡¯s voice came, and all the members huddled together looked over to the car.

    The window was opened, and Alice revealed her face. Her dazzling ck hair flowing down from the baseball cap.

    ¡°Go to the hospital and get the owner back!¡±

    I stared at Alice wordlessly.

    ¡°What are you spacing out for? Go! If we can¡¯t call him, we just have to go down. He¡¯s going to the hospital with the yakuza havingid the trap for him, and there¡¯s no way they will let him back. They¡¯ll surely try to buy time! You¡¯re the most useless fry on the team, so hurry off.¡±

    ¡°Eh, no-no, don¡¯t we need nine yers to y?¡±

    ¡°Ayaka!¡±

    Alice suddenly shouted, and she, seated next to Meo on the back, jolted in shock.

    ¡°You¡¯re the ninth batter, the right fielder.¡±

    ¡°Eee? M-me?¡±

    ¡°Until the owneres back. Hurry, Narumi! We can¡¯t waste a single second!¡±

    I, unable to react for a long time, remained rooted to the ground, and only after Yondaime smacked me in the back of my head did I hastily run for my bicycle. I kicked the stand, grabbed the handlebars, and pushed the bicycle up the grassy slope, running down the cycling track. Only as I ran against the oing wind did I slowly understand what Alice intended. This was really the only thing we could do. We couldn¡¯t send Ayaka to the hospital when she doesn¡¯t know anything, so I had to go.

    And behind me, I could hear the loud voice of the umpire.

    ¡°y!¡±

    With my back covered in sweat, I huffed and puffed through the hospital, the voices of the nurses trying to stop me left behind as I stormed into the ward room, and at this moment, the few men gathered around the middle bed to the right turned around.

    It¡¯s so damn hot out there, and these guys are all dressed in suits, revealing floral shirts and gold chains, and faint-colored sunsses. Nishimura-san was seated on the other side of the bed, and once he spotted me, he too stood up in surprise. The frail, bearded bed got up to look at me.

    ¡°¡­Narumi-kun¡­why?¡±

    Nishimura-san groaned. There were four of the yakuza, and unfortunately, it seemed these guys knew me, for they exchanged words. ¡°Hey! This guy¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Hinamura¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°The guy Nemoto-san spoke of?¡±

    I went through the ward room filled with disinfectant scent, and hurried towards Nishimura-san. There were five other beds in the room, but the patients either had their curtains pulled up, or pretending not to notice. It¡¯s no wonder, since we got four yakuza guys storming in for a visit.

    ¡°The match has started!¡±

    Just saying these words left my parched throat stinging. Nishimura-san widened his eyes, and turned to the four yakuza guys.

    ¡°¡­Are you seriously deciding this with baseball?¡±

    The old man on the bed groaned. He should be Nishimura-san¡¯s dad, I guess? Looking at him, I guess he¡¯s not really old, but just feeble due to his long term illnesses.¡±

    ¡°How stupid are you? That shop¡¯s just a bother! Didn¡¯t I tell you to let go of it already!?¡±

    ¡°Nishimura-san, look, even you dad says so.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re just the owner. You dad¡¯s the boss, right? Why talk further?¡±

    ¡°Hey brat, what are you doing here? Can¡¯t you see we¡¯re busy?¡±

    One of the yakuza guys approached me. It¡¯s a hospital, and they probably won¡¯t beat me up or something, so I convinced myself as I darted by the yakuza, to the other side of the bed. There was a piece of paper on the table, and that¡¯s probably the contract. Even the stamp¡¯s ready.

    ¡°The match¡¯s started. You have to go, Nishimura-san¡­¡±

    ¡°Hey, you.¡±

    One guy grabbed my shoulder, his fingers sinking deep into my felsh, but that¡¯s all. Nishimura-san looked over at me, and towards his dad on the bed.

    ¡°Dad, please! Just let me try. I want to continue running the sjop!¡±

    ¡°So what happens if you lose? You¡¯ll get chased out without earning anything. That¡¯ll make it all for nothing, right?¡±

    ¡°Your dad¡¯s right! Don¡¯t do anything silly!¡±

    ¡°Dad!¡±

    Nishimura-san ced his hands on the bed, shouting,

    ¡°Please, I don¡¯t want to lose withoutpeting, and that¡¯s why I decided to settle this with baseball. I¡¯m not good at anything other than baseball, and you know that, dad. If you see a nice pitch to bat at, aren¡¯t you going to swing at it?¡±

    ¡°hey, this is the hospital! That¡¯ll trouble everyone else.¡±

    ¡°Your dad will be disturbed by this too, right? Go back already.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s long decided. You¡¯re not a kid now. Face reality¡±

    The yakuza gang members swarmed together on Nishimura-san, but I did see what happened behind their arms.

    The bearded, wrinkled face was suddenly full of life, his eyes widened. The frail, scaly arm reach reached for the side table.

    ¡°--Dad!¡±

    Nishimura-san groaned loudly, and right when his father ripped apart the contract. The yakuza members gathered their eyes upon the white piece of paper that was ripped apart, and the arms grabbing Nishimura-san and me lost strength.

    I immediately grabbed Nishimura-san by the arm, barged into the yakuza standing next to me.

    ¡°--Oof.¡± ¡°you!¡±

    We darted past the beds, and went for the door.

    ¡°If you lose, I¡¯ll beat you up, you hear?¡±

    We heard Nishimura-san¡¯s dad behind us as he shoved us onto the corridor. Four sets of footsteps immediately hurried off after us, and I kicked the door close, running off.

    We went by the hospital, with the nurses and doctors shouting at us, and all I could feel was sweat oozing.

    ¡°This is bad. They¡¯re catching on to us.¡± Nishimura-san grabbed me by the shoulder as he stopped. There weren¡¯t many cars parked at therge carpark, so I could see a red car near the entrance, and a few people smoking on the hood and the trunk. The yakuza was already there, and surely it was a big trapid by Octy. My brains, nearly fried by the heat, started to thinking. If we¡¯re to wait for a taxi, we¡¯ll be discovered by the four running out of the ward room. In that case--

    ¡°I cycled here.¡±

    Nishimura-san nodded, and immediately got over to the other side. The bicycle waiting for us at the park was scorched by the sun, the handlebars and seat nearly sticking onto my skin

    ¡°I¡¯ll ride, you sit at the back.¡±

    Before sitting on the back, I nced at the time on the phone. It¡¯s almost noon, can we make it? how many innings? However, I didn¡¯t have the time to contact the rest. With my arms wrapped around Nishimura-san¡¯s waist, the elerating breeze blew at my sticky, sweat skin.

    The headwind came down the cycling track by the riverside, and finally brought us cheers and the sound of the bats. I could only sense Nishimura-san¡¯s body heating up. The bicycle ferrying both of us went down the green, grassy slope, and we both hopped off, falling over. The brown skinned girl seated at the bench was the first to notice us, ¡°Mr Assistant!¡± and she stood up, waving at us. However, I looked past Meo¡¯s shoulders, towards Kusakabe Masaya , and was gasping for breath.

    ¡°¡­One run difference¡­?¡±

    Nishimura-san muttered. Latter half of the eighth inning, our team on offense. It seemed to be a pitcher¡¯s deadlock. There were zeroes everywhere.

    2-3. We¡¯re losing.

    I looked around the field. Major was standing on first base, and Ayaka was holding the bat, shrivelled on deck. Before her was Hiro, who swung at a foul tip, and catching this ball with amazing reflexes was Octy, wearing his mask.

    ¡°Batter out!¡±

    The umpire shouted.

    ¡°Umpire, we¡¯re changing yers. Nishimura will take over from Shinozaki.¡±

    Alice shouted from the car window. We just arrived, and she noticed us?

    ¡°Nishimura, is it okay for you to pinch hit?¡± Min-san immediately went over to hand her cap to Nishimura-san, who caught his breath and nodded.

    ¡°¡­That guy has been the catcher the entire time?¡±

    Nishimura-san bit his lips as he looked towards Octy.

    ¡°Since the first inning.¡± Min-san answered.

    ¡°Then¡­he¡¯s holding back his arm. This one run¡­is a huge difference.¡±

    I felt ringing at my ears. Nishimura-san¡¯s voice wore off.

    ¡°So-sorry, I¡¯ve beenmitting errors¡­¡±

    Seeing Ayaka on the verge of tears, Nishimura-san patted her on the head, and took the bat. I checked the batting order against. Nishimura-san was moved aside because of their ploy, and we had to change the batting order

    1.	Min-san (Second Base)

    2.	Tomozou-san (Catcher)

    3.	Tetsu-senpai (Shortstop)

    4.	Rocky (Third Base)

    5.	Yondaime (Pitcher)

    6.	Pole (First Base)

    7.	Major (Left Field)

    8.	Hiro (Center Field)

    9.	Ayaka (Right Field)

    The situation¡¯s one man out, and a man on first base. Once Ayaka¡¯s subbed out, we just need to get Major to advance, so that Min-san will start again. A sacrifice bunt might work too. That¡¯s why Nishimura-san decided without hesitation to pitch hit.

    ¡°Huh, you made it?¡±

    Octy removed his mask, grinning at us.

    ¡°Hey, we¡¯re switching positions too. Don¡¯t you dare think of stepping onto second base now.¡±

    Saying that, Octy tossed the catcher mask to the man who had been pitching the entire time.

    Looking at his practice pitches, we realized that Octy¡¯s fastballs were terrifyingly sharp. Furthermore, they were often out of control, and the catcher dropped a few pitches despite there not having any batter in the box.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t look like a pitch from a forty year old¡­¡± Tetsu-senpai muttered.

    Just keep your eyes peeled and hit, Min-san said as she ushered Nishimura-san into the batter box. That wasn¡¯t the problem though. The terrifying fastballs left Nishimura-san and Min-san striking out.

    ¡°Is he looking down on us here?¡±

    Yondaime sat next to me, grimacing,

    ¡°Those guys swung quickly when I pitched, and that¡¯s why they only got 3. They probably wanted to make this game quick.¡±

    I nodded. If Nishimura-san had wasted more time at the hospital, it would be over, and we wouldn¡¯t catch up to this one run led. If he really did, Octy, who had been holding back, just had to fend him off. A one run lead was sufficient for them.

    Octy was about to get off the mound, and my stare just happened to meet his. The sweaty face was neither sneering nor ring away, just looking lethargic.

    So I stepped into the fair zone, and called out to him.

    ¡°¡­Why?¡±

    Octy stopped in his tracks, and turned towards me.

    ¡°Why? You could make such amazing pitches. You¡¯re probably a lot better in the past.¡±

    ¡°What are you saying?¡±

    ¡°Alice investigated your past. About the baseball gambling.¡±

    Octy showed a frown between his brows.

    ¡°You were fixing games that year, right? Not to lose on purpose, but to win deliberately by one. Betters can include such details, so you did the same move over several matches, since the payout¡¯s much higher. Most importantly, this wouldn¡¯t leave any proof.¡±

    ¡°You brats are really annoying. You investigated such useless details? So what if you did?¡±

    Octy spat on the pitcher mound, and turned back to frown at me. However, I continued to talk.

    ¡°That should be a lot harder than deliberately losing, yet you could manage this as a pitcher. Nemo-san, since you had the ability, why did you get involved with the yakuza? There should be a more proper way of earning money, right? Also, there¡¯s definitely no way to find proof of you fixing matches. If you hadn¡¯t dropped out, pretended not to know anything about this, and continued to y baseball.¡±

    ¡°Shut up, you damn brat.¡± Octy¡¯s words cut me off like an axe, ¡°Ability? What nonsense! There are monsters like me all over the Koshien! Those guys will get messed up by the real monsters in the pro league! Look at the sry of the top-tier yers, and you can see it¡¯s a world filled with lots of monsters there, right?¡±

    I gulped the sandy spit. Overwhelmed by Octy¡¯s vigor, I had to force myself not to step past the foul line.

    ¡°With that level of skill, someone of my level can only earn money by doing that, so I did. Nobody remembers the pitches I made, and everyone remembers me for being involved in somerge gambling ring, because money¡¯s the most important! That¡¯s why I feel sick when I see you guys fooling around on the field. Any amateur who can¡¯t earn money can just enjoy themselves watching baseball at night!¡±

    Octy turned around and returned to the first base bench. I, and even Nishimura-san standing next to me watched his back silently. I couldn¡¯t refute. What words could I say that could reach him? I¡¯m just a detective¡¯s assistant, unable to do anything other than digging up and burying the words of the Dead. That man¡¯s pitches are still alive, preserved in that summer thirty years ago.

    Nishimura-san might have something to say to Octy, since they both stood on the pitchers¡¯ mound before.

    Top half of the ninth inning, and Nishimura-san easily got three outs with his terrifying pitching. His pitches were different from Octy¡¯s, not particrly fast, and not really breaking. However, he kept pitching at the inside corners with a bamboozle of breaking pitches, not giving the opponent any time to rest, andpletely sealed off the opponent¡¯s offense.

    However, I, seated on the bench, sensed that uneasiness.

    It wasn¡¯t because of Nishimura-san, but from Yondaime, the shortstop. He wasn¡¯t moving really well, or to be honest, his catching seemed weird, maybe because he was deliberately protecting his right arm and leg, and when throwing to first base, he was grimacing. Min-san too noticed what was going on. The pinch runner for the third batter tried to knock into Yondaime up front, and the ball popped out from his glove. Luckily, Min-san reacted fast enough to save the ball from rolling to the scenter, and threw towards first. After a terse moment, the umpire deemed the batter out, and the yakuza on the first base bench got up tosh out at the home te umpire, who ignored thispletely as he announced a change over.

    Octy, kneeling on one knee in the deck, looked over at Nishimura-san for a moment, I didn¡¯t know what expressions they showed when they passed by each other, and I had no time to bother about this, for Yondaime knelt down at second base.

    ¡°You alright?¡±

    I hurried over, put his arm over my shoulder, and stood up. ¡°Sou-san!¡± Clumsy footsteps followed as they gathered to my sides. Pole and Rocky.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Just some heatstroke.¡±

    Yondaime was clearly lying, and I carried him over to the third base bench. The door of the blue foreign car opened up, and Alice, in pajamas, rushed over, shouting,

    ¡°Get that stubborn guy into the car! Ayaka,e here. Get him some ice packs.¡±

    ¡°Shut up. I¡¯ll be alright.¡±

    ¡°Your talent at being stubborn is really vexing. And you dare continue to pitch while saying you¡¯re alright.¡±

    We brought Yondaime onto the car, and found the wounds on his arms and legs bleeding. Even Ayaka, who was about to bandage him, was shocked as she covered her mouth with both hands. I shivered. Yeah¡­this guy was beaten up badly and concussed when he went to the hospital. He just got discharged recently. I forgot.

    ¡°Oi Gardening Kid, watch the match and forget about me. There¡¯s another three batters until my turn.¡±

    ¡°You still have the time to care about the match!? How can you possibly bat when your body¡¯s like this¡±

    ¡°Shut up. Anyway, watch that bald¡¯s pitches, and don¡¯t lose sight of them.¡±

    ¡°Narumi, Yondaime¡¯s right.¡±

    I was kicked out of the car. Though angry, I stood up. Watch Octy¡¯s pitches? So what if I go back to look? The second half of the ninth inning is ourst chance to attack, and furthermore, there¡¯s no point for me going--

    Suddenly, I thought of something, and checked the batting order again.

    First up, the second batter Tomozou-san, who blocked the fastballing right at his chest with the base of the bat, causing it to roll out, be picked up by the pitcher, and thrown out at first base. Following that, the batters were Tetsu-senpai at 3, and Rocky at 4.

    Someone had to be on base so that the match wouldn¡¯t end. With that, the fifth batter Yondaime could step up. The problem¡¯s that Yondaime¡¯s injured, and couldn¡¯t stand in the batter box. In that case.

    Tetsu-senpai used his good eye reaction as a boxer to seize the moment to hit, and managed to remain alive as he barely managed to hit a few foul balls. On the ninth pitch, the full powered fastball broke Tetsu-senpai¡¯s bat. Once that critical sound was heard, I raised my hands, and cupped my head. The ball flew back, into the catcher¡¯s glove. Octy, standing on the mound, removed his glove to wipe off the sweat on his forehead, and I, who didn¡¯t get to exercise, was already soaked in sweat. Two men out. We¡¯re cornered. One more out, and we lose. Our home field would be wrecked.

    Rocky, standing in the batter box, turned around, and said to me,

    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to get the bat to you, aniki.¡±

    I lowered my eyes. If Rocky really got on base, the next up would be the one recing Yondaime, me. I didn¡¯t have the mettle to prepare myself for this, shoved onto the battlefield, and had to stand before that Octy. At that moment, I started praying, even though it¡¯s useless.

    Time passed by just like that, and when I lifted my head, it was over.

    So I missed that moment.

    All I heard was a blunt sound of thick flesh being struck, ¡°Dead ball!¡± And the umpire shouting.

    I lifted my head, and found Rocky stumbling towards first base. Octy, standing on the pitcher¡¯s mound, looked impatient, and tossed the rosin bag about like a bean bag.

    Rocky got on base. This fact overwhelmed my consciousness.

    He really took the brunt of the pitch with his entire body. Meo hopped about happily on the bench, Major and Hiro nodded away in unison, while Pole yelled. Looking back at me first was Min-san, followed by Tomozou-san; everyone¡¯s eyes were gathered upon me.

    No, wait. Am I really next? I don¡¯t have athleticism, or explosiveness. I¡¯m just a bench yer, only able to watch. I never thought I would be in the batter box! My legs are still weak and unable to stand.

    Behind me, the car door could be heard opening.

    ¡°Umpire, batter change!¡±

    Our little manager called out from behind me.

    I stood up, and turned around.

    Maybe I was showing a hapless look, on the verge of tears. When my eyes met Alice¡¯s, her face showed some despair, pity, and anger.

    And at the next moment, I heard her say something unbelievable.

    ¡°I¡¯ll bat.¡±

    The long hair grazed by me. The petite figure in pajamas, knee socks, and a baseball cap stepped onto the scorching field with trembling footsteps, grabbed the bat, and went further away.

    ¡°¡ªAlice!¡±

    I recovered, and hurried over. The ck hair fluttered as she turned around with a pale look, pointing the bat at me

    ¡°What? Are you nning to stand in the batter box now? Given how fragile you are now, you¡¯ll most likely end up with three strikes. Back down.¡±

    ¡°No, but, even you can¡¯t do anything.¡±

    ¡°Nee-san!¡± ¡°Alice, you¡¯re not looking too good. Don¡¯t force yourself.¡± ¡°Get back in the car now.¡±

    The little detective supported herself off the bat, and shouted at my teammates who went over to stop her,

    ¡°Don¡¯t defy the manager¡¯s orders!¡±

    Amidst the flying dirt, Alice turned her back on us, and stumbled into the batter box. Even the home te umpire and catcher were looking at us, ¡°Is this really okay?¡± so they seemed to imply.

    ¡°What kind of a joke is this!?¡± Octy, standing on the pitcher¡¯s mound, spoke up, his face devoid of a smile.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t a joke. I¡¯m a yer-manager. Nemoto Kiichi. You¡¯re a baseball yer from Kansai, you should be very familiar with the first Mister Tigers, Fujio Fujimura. Now experience the terror of the words ¡®I¡¯ll pinch hit¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Respects, nee-san!¡± Rocky shouted from first base.

    ¡°How bold you are. Let¡¯s see if you can talk after a high inside pitch¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ump! Start y again!¡±

    The home te umpire put on his mask unhappily, pointed at Octy, and said,

    ¡°y!¡±

    Octy narrowed his eyes, and a bullet fastball went right above home te,nding a crisp sound in the catcher¡¯s mitt. Alice¡¯s ck hair fluttered with the wind. I thought she would have passed out there and then.

    But after hearing the decision by the home te umpire, I understood her intentions.

    ¡°Ball!¡±

    ¡°What!?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t it go in!?¡± ¡°Where are you looking at, umpire?¡±

    A few yakuza members, including the catcher, stood up furiously, but the home te umpire remained unmoved.

    ¡°¡­That was right down the middle, right?¡± Tetsu-senpai muttered next to me. It¡¯s true that if it was any other batter in the box, that would have been a strike.

    Standard baseball rules 2, use 73.

    A strike zone refers to the area above the home te, the top of the shoulder, the middle of the uniform waist, and above the knees.

    In other words, the strike zone for Alice, who¡¯s less than 130cm in height, the strike zone¡¯s very low and narrow.

    ¡°Is she aiming for ball four? That¡¯s testing her luck too much.¡± Nishimura-san blurted in disbelief, ¡°But what happens after that? If we really amange to get onto first and second, we can¡¯t turn this around.¡±

    A blunt sound caused the dirt to fly andpletely cover Alice, and she kept coughing. I forgot the match was still going on, and nearly rushed over to Alice, only to be pulled back by Tetsu-senpai. ¡°Ball!¡± The umpire called again, but as the pitch was flying low, it bounced off the ground. The dust settled, and there was a dent on the dirt before home te, terrifying me.

    Alice, please, stand a little further away from home te. Don¡¯t swing! That pitch isn¡¯t just going to break your bones.

    But my prayers were practically crushed as Octy threw the third pitch, right at Alice¡¯s nk, or so it seemed. All I felt was my organs being torn upon. Alice fell on her backside.

    ¡°Strike!¡±

    Once the home te umpire yelled his decision, I called for time, ran into the batter box, and lifted Alice. The shivering white fingers were grabbing onto my arm.

    ¡°¡­You¡¯re just a batter yourself. Why call for time?¡±

    ¡°Enough already. You¡¯re already feeling unwell outside, and the weather¡¯s so hot.¡±

    ¡°Let go of me! This is a battlefield!¡±

    An unbelievable strength shoved me out of the field. The home te umpire indicated for the match to continue.

    Shockingly, when Octy made the fourth pitch, Alice actually swung. The bat weakly whiffed at the air two balls above the pitch.

    ¡°Strike two!¡±

    Alice¡¯s body spun away as the umpire made the call, and she copsed onto the ground again. She couldn¡¯t control the force of the bat swinging forward. I already knew about it, but I was speechless at seeing how feeble she was. Why swing? So what if she swung? And then, I was terrified by what I thought. So what if she swung? She came to pinch hit in thetter half of the ninth inning, with two men out. If she couldn¡¯t do anything, it¡¯s all over.

    The fifth pitch again formed a huge arc on the ground, bouncing in the catcher¡¯s glove. This time, Alice hastily checked her swing.

    Time seemed to have stopped at this moment. The slight breeze lifted some dirt, as Alice and the catcher looked towards the home te umpire in unison. Our eyes too were probably gathered there. What¡¯s the decision? Strike three? Does it end there?

    The home te umpire didn¡¯t say anything, instead pointing at the first base umpire. A checked swing. It was impossible for the home te umpire to see if the batter did swing, so it was for the base umpire to decide.

    ¡°Swing!¡±

    The base umpire stretched his fist out, saying this. My eyes suddenly went dark.

    ¡°Strike three!¡±

    The home te umpire responded with the same action, and I nearly copsed to the ground.

    It¡¯s over, the game¡¯s over. The sweat¡¯s falling like a frozen waterfall, and from a corner of my eye, I saw Alice throw the bat onto the ground, remove the helmet, pat it on her chest twice, and pulled aside the long hair covering her face, ¡°Where are you looking!?¡± She eximed as she walked towards first base.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t swing! Take back what you said!¡±

    The yakuza members wereughing away. The outfielders were preparing to return to the first base bench, and the catcher threw the ball aside, removing his mask, grinning as he wiped his sweat.

    ¡°Well, that was tiring.¡± ¡°Good exercise there.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go back and have some drinks.¡±

    ¡°You got to be joking!¡±

    Alice stepped onto first base, and saw him shrugged. She was so livid, she threw her helmet onto the ground, and started point at the second base umpire, walking over.

    ¡°You¡¯re standing right behind the pitcher. You can see, right? I didn¡¯t swing at all¡ª¡±

    At that moment,

    Octy, who was about to leave the mound, seemed to have noticed something. He turned towards second base, and then scanned the entire field. At that moment, I too noticed, and Nishimura-san next to me probably did so to.

    Octy was probably looking for Rocky, who should be on first base.

    Rocky was about to step onto third base, probably intending to return to our bench at third base, or not. From a corner of my eyes, I did see Rocky step on second base once. Octy¡¯s forehead was popping veins as he hollered,

    ¡°Get the ball to me! You idiots, we¡¯re still in ce, don¡¯t leave your positions! Third¡ªno, second. Get the ball to second!¡±

    Alice¡¯s paled as she ran. Given her leg strength, there was a devastating amount of distance between her and second base. Octy too kicked off the pitcher¡¯s mound as he hurried towards second base, and the catcher fumbled around, picked the ball up, and tossed it towards him

    Octy¡¯s massive body, the white ball, and Alice¡¯s little blue body joined together on second base.

    The dust scattered. The long ck hair resembled seaweed dried on the shore pathetically, scattered all over the field. Octy, twisting his ankle towards second base, reached his glove out to tap at Alice¡¯s head, and her slender hand was already grabbing onto a corner of the base.

    ¡°¡­Safe.¡± The base umpire dered, and a deafening silence echoed through the field. Octy was holding the ball, stumbling to his feet as he returned to the mound. How many present actually knew what happened?

    ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t it a strikeout? Isn¡¯t the match over?¡±

    Min-san stood behind me, asking. Nishimura-san shook his head, his eyes clearly effervescent with excitement.

    ¡°An uncaught third strike.¡± I too couldn¡¯t contain my excitement as I eximed.

    ¡°Uncaught third strike¡­doesn¡¯t that mean the catcher didn¡¯t manage to catch the ball?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not it. That goes even when the ball bounces once off the ground. As long as the catcher doesn¡¯t catch the third strike, it¡¯s the same as the batter hitting the ball out, and bing a baserunner.¡±

    But who would have thunk it? Two men out, an uncaught third strike, the baserunner walking up to first base by pretending to look for the first base umpire. Alice too had the time to pat the helmet on her chest, showing the sign that it¡¯s time to run. If it wasn¡¯t for Rocky being the one on first base, nobody would have noticed that was a sign. That idiot spent an entire week remembering these two actions, so while he wasn¡¯t sure what was going on, his body naturally responded to Alice¡¯s intentions.

    Octy, returning to the pitcher¡¯s mound, clearly looked regretful as he kept stomping on the mound. The heartless breeze got stronger, and my pulse got faster.

    It was likely Alice had been aiming for this right from the start, and not a ball four walk.

    If it¡¯s a ball four walk, the runners could only move to first and second. This was the only way to send both within scoring position.

    Alice slowly climbed towards second base, and finally stood up, her face covered with dirt. When did this NEET detective ever dirtied herself like this in her life?

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    Meo looked shocked and excited as she hopped out from the spectators stand, and ran onto second band. I nced aside at Kusakabe Masaya who was behind the, his sunsses unable to disguise his heinous look. The home te umpire too looked back at him, but he did not indicate anything; perhaps he agreed to let her participate.

    A gaudy looking Alice returned to the bench, with everyone rushing forth to wee her.

    ¡°As to be expected of you, nee-san!¡± Pole rushed over, nearly quashing Alice.

    ¡°Such a daring move¡­¡± Major too was dumbfounded. Min-san grabbed Alice, and shook her body.

    However, Alice lifted her head, and turned back to look at the batter box.

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s not, not over yet.¡±

    ¡°Alright, get on the car first. Your face is as pale as a candle.¡±

    Min-san said worriedly, but Alice pushed her aside on the chest, and stood up on her feeble legs.

    Her eyes were staring right at me.

    ¡°¡­You understand now, right?¡±

    I nodded towards her.

    Two men out, men on second and third. Looking at the batting order, the sixth batter Pole will be next, and the opponent might send him on base to have Major batting with the bases loaded. This is why I have to appear now, during this perfect chance when we won¡¯t be . If Octy¡¯s willing to settle this with us seriously, the opponent has to be me, the weakest.

    So I took the bat from Pole, had Tetsu-senpai put the helmet on me, and walked to the batter box. Alice informed of a change in batter, and pushed me in the back.

    ¡°You¡¯ve given us the turnaround here. Don¡¯t you dare think that can work a second time.¡±

    Octy, on the pitcher¡¯s mound, frowned and red at me.

    ¡°This will end in three swings.¡±

    Great, so I thought as I gripped the bat. If he¡¯s willing to settle this with me, I got something to give right back to him, though I didn¡¯t know if that would work.

    Until I swung at the iing white ball head on, I wouldn¡¯t be able to convey my words towards him. This was the one thing I was certain of.

    So I swung on the first pitch. The impact was so strong, the base of the bat could have exploded, and it reached through my arms, shoulders, and teeth. The ball I hat grazed my fact, hitting the, and giving off a sound.

    Octy frowned. It appeared he wasn¡¯t too happy about that fastball, but never expected me to seize the timing and swing the bat.

    ¡°Ain¡¯t your specialty about talking and scaring people?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yeah. Getting up to work my body isn¡¯t that anyway.¡±

    I answered as I stared at Octy. Suddenly, I recalled the words Alice often said about me, ¡°The only thing good about you is your eyesight.¡± How long can I hang on? No, I have to. The second pitch was a fastball to the inner corner. I instinctively lowered my shoulder, and the pitch was half a ball away from the zone. The third pitch swung in from the outside corner, and I swung. A simple fastball, and my bat whiffed the air 5cm before the ball.

    I called for time, wiped at the sweat that was trickling down the helmet. The ringing in my ears got worse, and I couldn¡¯t hear anything. Looking far behind Octy, Meo¡¯s brown silhouette seemed blurry. To the extreme left of my eyes was Rocky¡¯s massive body, and he was far from third base, preparing to run forward.

    I couldn¡¯t let it end here.

    ¡°Just give up and admit defeat already. You¡¯re seriously scrappy.¡±

    Octy said as he ttened the mound with his feet.

    ¡°What¡¯s with that look? Still think you can change anything? What¡¯s with the ridiculous confidence of yours when you¡¯re all talk? Are you telling me it¡¯s all from that stupid baseball game?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. It might be some stupid baseball game to you, Nemo-san.¡±

    The fourth pitch, a low fastball, interrupted me. The bat grazed the white ball. Once I saw the catcher¡¯s glove reach for the deflected ball, my heart froze. However, the ball popped out from the catcher¡¯s glove, and rolled out of the. My eyes slowly got used to the fastball, and I could see it. Octy¡¯s starting to get in his groove too, his control and precision improving. Following that were two pitches just out of the zone that were aimed to get the batter to swing, but I managed to hang on with foul balls. My finger were numb, and I practically lost all feeling. I could see the ball, but I could do nothing about the fastballs that kepting at the same high school. Octy began to pitch in the eighth inning, and still had some gas in the tank.

    Thus, I tried to set a trap. Before he pitched to try and get me to reach, I would feint a bunt before pulling it back at thest moment. Two balls. Octy frowned, and he nced aside at Rocky on third base. Right, please focus your attention on the runners. Two men out, but I could try to bunt or get them to steal home.

    The eighth pitch was a fastball high and in, and yet I barely managed to hit it. The bat was knocked aside, and I fell back, but I stared at the ball rolling into foul territory, and stopped myself from falling over. I still had strength to hang on. Octy¡¯s pitching style had changed. Before he pitched, he would check his grip in his glove.

    The next pitch was a fastball way inside, but I swung. I couldn¡¯t let it be a full count, lest Octy would simply send me on base. I had to keep taunting him, and stoke the mes of passion that remained hidden over thest thirty years.

    And so, the sign came. While Octy got ready to pitch, he did something for the first time in the entire match. He nced at Meo, who was on second base.

    That was the only change however. Octy raised the ball above his head, and swung his arm down in the same motion, and that caused my confidence to be rattled. Any form of baseball that doesn¡¯t earn money is trash; the words Octy once said echoed in my mind. However, we were just so mesmerized by this trash, and kept investing our time and money into it. It¡¯s just a virtual reality baseball field created through aputer program, yet we were really having a showdown over this. That ce belongs to us, and many who are like us, who are willing to embrace the passion of us trash. Were you not the same back then? Right? I firmly believe that the ball you pitched was once in the worthless garbage, that the wonderful part that can¡¯t be turned into money once reached a certain person, and remains till now.

    With a calm feeling, I quietly waited for that ball to appear.

    I remembered seeing this line in a certain book, that a straight ball is a type of breaking ball.

    The pitch will sink due to gravity, which naturally would happen. A straight fastball that uses a lot of backspin to remain straight is not a natural pitch. A forkball was a natural pitch, for it kills off all spin and drops straight down. That was what was written in the book.

    Thus, all I had to do was to wait, watch where the ball was going, and swing.

    A numbing sweetness reached my hands, and it was a long, long while until I heard a sound. Following that was a feeling of my bones shaking. A tremendous cheer struck the back of my neck. I saw a coffee-colored silhouette pass by, and to my distant left, there was a massive ck silhouette there. I followed through, tossed my bat aside, and ran, feeling as though I was stepping upon the clouds.

    I did not notice where the ball flew. By the time I realized it, the first base in the dirt flew by my feet. My tense emotions finally snapped, and my legs wobbled as I nearly fell face first into the dirt. I barely supported myself off the ground with both hands, and turned around to grab first base. My brain was aching due to oxygen deprivation, and I finally had a chance to look up at the ce I was at just seconds ago.

    Meo¡¯s petite body dashed past home te, and into the clutches of Rocky who was waiting there. The ball thrown back in from the outfield rolled to the pitcher¡¯s mound.

    Goodbye, game. We won. Sweat sputtered from the pores all over my body, even through my ears and eyes. I guess it¡¯s my tears and snot following out. I leapt to the ground, grabbed first base, and from afar, watched my teammates at home te. The scoring runner Meo was petted and ruffled by everyone else weing her home.

    Erm¡­was I forgotten? Did everyone ignore me because they¡¯re too excited? Winning felt so surreal to me, and even after the umpire had determined the ball game over, and the te umpires returned behind the, nobody noticed me. How cruel. I was the batter who did that clutch hit.

    So, the first to pull me up, or rather, grab me by the cor and dragged me up, was Octy.

    I did not dare to look at him, and I could not run away. ¡°Ah, er, erm.¡± After stammering for a long while, I could only lower my head. I had no guts to determine the look Octy was giving me.

    ¡°Mr Assistant!¡± ¡°Fujishima-kun!¡±

    Meo and Ayaka seemed to have remembered me, and were shouting with excitement, about to run towards me. Pole and Rocky were about to follow suit, but saw Octy standing next to me. Was he giving such a scary look? I probably would never lift my head again.

    But this time, I did crush his confidence.

    Thus, I could only ept this oue. I could not keep my head low and not look at him the entire time.

    I lifted my head, and spotted a sweaty, reddened octopus face, his eyes glittering with remorse.

    Octy red at me, as though wanting to crush me into paste with his re.

    ¡°You were waiting for the forkball the entire time? How did you know? Even the moment I would throw it too?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes. I knew.¡±

    I answered, and my throat was in great path. It felt as though hot sand was poured into my throat.

    ¡°But I had no actual proof. All I knew is that you would settle for the forkball, and know that you have a habit of ncing towards second base if there¡¯s a runner behind you, to prevent the ball path from being read.¡±

    Octy¡¯s eyes were wide, his fingers sinking deeper into my shoulders.

    ¡°Impossible. It¡¯s been thirty years since I participated in an official match, and there was no game log. It knows my pitching habits too? How¡¯s that possible!? How do you know?

    ¡°Of course there was a game log.¡±

    I shook of Octy¡¯s hand, and stared at him right in the eyes.

    ¡°The record is in the baseball game you hated.¡±

    Octy¡¯s half-opened mouth was shaking. Perhaps he really didn¡¯t want to believe this. But I did find the record in the game. Entering the name Nemoto Kiichi in ¡®PWLB¡¯ would result in a yer profile, and that was our intel.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly.¡± Octy spat hoarsely. ¡°How can the game¡­possibly have data on me? I just pitched a few times in the koshien¡­¡±

    ¡°That game has a public database. Do you know that everyone can add new data into the database? In other words, someone added a ¡®pitcher Nemoto Kiichi¡¯ into the database.¡±

    I shut up, and watched Octy¡¯s face clear like the dispersing clouds.

    ¡°That¡¯s probably someone who remembers you, Nemo-san, and probably saw you pitch before. You say that nobody remembers, that everyone will be forgotten, but it¡¯s all a lie, right? There¡¯s no way such an amazing zing fastball. You haven¡¯t forgotten about baseball yourself, have you? Even now, you still have such skill. So¡­¡±

    --As long as you don¡¯t forget, the god of baseball will never forget the summer you pitched.

    My final wordsnded upon the sweat-filled dirt, vanishing.

    Octy and Nishimura-san brushed by each other at the mound. The winning and losing pitchers interacted in a manner much simpler than a self-conceited detective assistant, yet more convincing.

    Nishimura-san merely picked up his cap, and bowed deeply towards Octy.

    And Octy picked up the winning ball that just so happened to be at his feet, and tossed it back.

    Nothing else. Not a single word.

    After the battle, I guess this isn¡¯t a bad way to end this. Right, it¡¯s like how the online y of ¡®PWLB¡¯ ends. Both sides will only go ¡®Nice Game¡¯, or sometimes exchange uniform pictures. That¡¯s all.

    As for what¡¯s different between the virtual baseball written in a program and the real baseball field we stood, maybe it¡¯s just the zing heat of battle and the cooling breeze, I guess? Basking in theforting breeze is the privilege only a sportsman can have.

    Thus, I wanted to continue enjoying this for a moment.

    *

    A weekter, the office was moved into the fourth floor of ¡®Game Nishimura¡¯.

    After school, I went to the shop alone. The noisy game sounds was mixed with the sound of drills and hammers. Construction work somewhere?

    ¡°Those guys paid to have stairs at the back.¡±

    I entered the back room, and Nishimura-san informed me of this.

    ¡°Nemoto-san said, I won¡¯t want to see a bunch of brats whenever I enter and leave the office.¡±

    But, I stood at the entrance of the back room, observing the shop on the first floor, and thought of something. Was Octy trying not to scare the brats who dropped by to y ¡®PWLB¡¯. If the yakuza caused a decline in customers, and caused ¡®Game Nishimura¡¯ to close down, that will vite the agreement ¡®for the shop to continue running¡¯.

    I tried to ask Nishimura-san, ¡°Maybe.¡± So he answered.

    ¡°But really¡­thank you. Thanks to everyone.¡±

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s nothing. Please don¡¯t thank us.¡±

    I hurriedly got up from my chair.

    ¡°We just did what we wanted, and Major was the one who stoked the mes¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine! I did make the request. I¡¯ll definitely pay.¡±

    ¡°Major paid Yondaime, Min-san and Tomozou-san. He was the one who called them.¡±

    ¡°He paid for me first? I¡¯m sorry¡­I have to pay for the chassis this week, so I¡¯m a little tight on cash this week. But please tell Major to bill me¡­¡±

    ¡°We discussed this, and we hope that you won¡¯t ept anything in cash¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­Do I have to pay in goods? What? In that case, game medals?¡±

    ¡°Erm, actually, we hope for you to be our baseball coach.¡±

    Nishimura-san widened his eyes.

    ¡°I think us NEETs with nothing to do got addicted to baseball¡­other than Rocky and Pole, everyone in the Hirasaka-gumi wanted to y¡­¡±

    But it¡¯ll cool off soon, I guess. Nishimura-san showed various expressions on his face. I guess he¡¯s happy, or at least, I could tell. His hand on his thigh was holding a non-existing baseball, affirming its presence.

    ¡°You can¡¯t possibly find a team to y against now, right? There¡¯s 18 if we count the Hirasaka-gumi guys, but only a few can be pitchers and catchers¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t they have a lot of equipment at the batting center next door?¡±

    Once Nishimura-san mentioned this, I tilted my head in confusion.

    ¡°Now that you mention it, they¡¯re finally moving?¡±

    ¡°No, seems like they¡¯re doing refurbishing. A real estatepany involved with the yakuza bought it.¡±

    ¡°HuH?¡±

    ¡°There has been some weird rumors recently. A guy looking like an octopus has been batting there alone in the middle of the night. It¡¯s just a weird rumor though.¡±

    After thinking for a moment, I finally understood what Nishimura-san meant, and I looked up at the ceiling, shaking my head and hands.

    ¡°No no no no no, spare me already! I want to y against normal people.¡±

    Nishimura-sanughed.

    ¡°But Narumi-kun, your team isn¡¯t normal either. That¡¯s hypocritical.¡±

    It¡¯s true, I guess¡­Min-san and Tomozou-san are proper, working adults, and since they always have to work, they can¡¯t y baseball from time to time. So this team has to be formed with NEETs.

    ¡°But, I understand. I¡¯m willing to be coach. Ah, yes. While real-life baseball is fun, doe to our shop to y ¡®PWLB¡¯, okay? I hear there¡¯s a new editioning out next year.

    I nodded, shook hands with Nishimura-san, and left ¡®Game Nishimura¡¯.

    ¡°¡­Because of this, we don¡¯t have any earnings, and there¡¯s no payment to you, Alice.¡±

    I showed up at the office, and cautiously informed Alice of this. Naturally, the detective¡¯s rage was not abated in the slightest.

    ¡°How na?ve. This is absolutely unforgivable! I did this much, and I don¡¯t have a reward?¡±

    The ice bag on Alice¡¯s forehead slipped off. She had been lying on the bed ever since the match effort. It seemed her efforts on the field had overburdened her body, whether it was standing in the batter box, or sliding head first into base.

    ¡°I acted as manager, deputed as a hitter, saved a shop, and I got no reward! Ants and cockroaches have more economical sense than you people.¡±

    ¡°Well, you really enjoyed yourself, so what¡¯s the problem¡­also Major paid off those not in the agency. You can deduct my pay for your reward, Alice.¡±

    I always wanted to say this, but this fellow here¡¯s unexpectedly petty about finances.

    ¡°The problem isn¡¯t about deducting from your pay! In a capitalist society, the weightage between pros and cons is very important¡±

    ¡°So I said that Nishimura-san is willing to be our coach. Don¡¯t you like to y baseball too? I won¡¯t ask you to go out there and pinch hit again¡­but you can be coach too.¡±

    ¡°I am not going to involve myself with such a barbaric sport. I made an exception to help because you epted this job! Don¡¯t think too much into this.¡±

    Alice turned her head aside, and looked towards the screen by the bed.

    ¡°Anyway, the reward is still most important. Since you say you want me to deduct yourself sry, don¡¯t regret this. Katsuya Nomura¡¯s annual sry as yer-manager was 5 hundred million yen, and my contributions are the same as his, so if I count my actualbor time of one and a half hours¡­¡±

    Thus, Alice started deducting my sry in a ridiculously terrifying manner I did not know of. Nothing good woulde of this if I stayed around, so I hurriedly gathered all the empty Dr. Pepper cans, and slipped out of the office.

    However, Alice did personally stand on the field, basked in the breeze, and engraved her blood and sweat on the white ball. She definitely would not forget.

    The proof of it was a baseball cap on one of the teddy bears.

    *

    After a while, there was a rumor regarding ¡®PWLB¡¯ on the inte. There was an amazing team that kept winning on the inte, and even scaled the national rankings. However, the yer names were all ordinary. Strangely, this strong yer¡¯s identity remained unknown, and nobody could figure out which game center he was at. Themon consensus was that he was a rich guy with arge console in his house, or that he hacked directly into the main console at the gamepany.

    The name of this team was ¡®Hanamaru NEETTeens¡¯.

    And the uniform logo was a cute teddy bear.

 Volume 5, Afterword

    <h4>Volume 5, Afterword</h4>

    During the 2004 offseason, the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes sold management rights to Orix, ending its 55 year history. Thest manager happened to be Nashida Masataka. For both the Buffaloes and coach Nashida, the team ended its history regrettably without being able to conquer Japan.

    Five yearster, winter 2009. Coach Nashida led the Nippon Ham Fighters against the visiting Yomiuri Giants, only to be defeated, and unable to attain their dream. A monthter, I visited the Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto for vacation. I saw the famous senbon tori, and there were thousands more inside the shrine, each of them carved with the name of the person praying, and the date. I just happened to find one with the words written,

    ¡°Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes, Nashida Masataka.¡±

    That offertory was dated October 2006, two years after his final match.

    After returning to Kyoto, I began drafting a short story close to the deadline. It was different from the draft I had initially submitted to the editor, so I ended up writing another story from scratch. I had to write a story about baseball. In that case, I had to put it at thest chapter of the short story anthology. So I thought.

    It was my first time submitting a short story on the magazine, to bepiled in an anthology, and somehow, the earliest work was written three years ago. Looking back, I found that Alice and Narumi are greatly different from the present. Despite this, I tried to minimize the edits, and fixed certain plot points that did not flow well. In this story, it had been a year since Narumi started getting involved, and many things around him had changed greatly. Changed, but never vanishing. This was everything I believed in as I wrote, and I believe the future shall be the same.

    The Kintetsu Buffaloes no longer exist. However, its life takes shape in a different form, breathing through many teams, the hearts of the fans, and even in my novel.

    If I could end off with such a touching episode, I suppose the editor will forgive me for not only changing the entire plot, but also for submitting itte?

    This volume¡¯s sold along with the drama CD at the same time, and I am d to participate in the writing of the audio drama. The manga by Tiv-san will also begin serialization in the June edition of ¡®Monthly Comic Dengeki Daioh¡¯. Also, to the editor Yuasa-sama, illustrator Kishida Mel-san, and also to everyone who bought this work, I will like to really express my thanks.

    February 2010, Hikaru Sugii

 Volume 6, 1

    <h4>Volume 6, Chapter 1</h4>

    "Who knows? Maybe we still feel things, after our death. I¡¯d like to rest, considering that ¡®rest¡¯ is the right word, in that little cave up on the tall mountain, overlooking Verri¨¨res."

    ''Le Rogue et Le Noir'' Stendhal/ Tranted by Kobayashi Masaki

    The protagonist of the story I am going to say next was a man who really amazed me.

    To be honest, I am not too familiar with this man, and I never met him and talked with him. Moreover, the little information about him was all rumors. The most ridiculous thing is that he practically never appeared in this story. Even so, this is still a story that belongs to him.

    His nickname was the ¡°Bear Punch¡± (Bare Knuckles), and it was said that he earned this ridiculous nickname because he once beat a bear to death with his bare hands. However, that was what everyone called him as, no matter whether he was in Afghanistan, Yugovia or Congo. Perhaps that is because Japanese names are harder to pronounce?

    He used to be a mercenary that went through many countries, but retired once when he was in his thirties, the age of his physical prime. That was because, when he returned to his hometown of Japan, he met a woman, and fell in love.

    Nobody granted their blessings for this romance, but they still conceived a girl. He could not engage in illegal acts while raising a child, so he decided to wash away the stench of cigarettes and the stains of blood as he settled down in Tokyo.

    Nobody knew why they chose to run a ramen store. Perhaps there might be some sort of significance to it. The history of Japanese ramen was that it inherited the essence of Chinese ramen, came over from the maind, from the seas, but the soup absorbed the food cultures from all kinds of different countries, and finally became an authentic Japanese cuisine. Unexpectedly, this matched the background of the daughter both of them had.

    However, after his wife died earlier, he abandoned his daughter and the ramen shop on a certain day and went back to the battlefield as the ¡°Bear Punch¡± again. The only proof of him staying in this peaceful country, running a ramen shop, was the shutters of the shop.

    His actual name was Hanada Masaru.

    It was said that when he thought of using his own name as the shop¡¯s name, his wifein that it was too ¡®primitive¡¯, and got rid of the ¡®da¡¯ and ¡®sa¡¯. .

    ¡ª¡°Ramen Hanamaru¡±

    The story of Hanada Masaru began and ended here, at this shop with that name.

    In any case, though I had forgotten about it recently, I was a high school sophomore, about to turn 17. I only recalled that when chatting with my ssmates in the ssroom. This is ridiculous. Do I have a psychological disorder.

    Anyway, the conversation was as such.

    "So Fujishima-kun, one monthter, pleasee help out too. Don''t spend too much time on your part time work in October."

    The bell indicating the beginning of lunch break started, and I heard to voice of a girl. I lifted my face, and saw a short haircut, feisty eyebrows and friendly looking eyes. It was Ayaka. I was sleeping throughout the morning sses sleeping, and my head was in a daze. Thus, I could not understandpletely what she was saying, and also, the reason why Ayaka and the other girls gathered around my desk.

    "¡­One monthter?" Will something happen?

    "Listen to what I say! You were sleeping during homeroom period again, weren''t you, Fujishima-kun? Why do you alwayse to school just to take a nap?"

    I''m tired from all the troubles recently,, I tried to retort, only for the girls to interrupt.

    "Doesn''t look like it''s a nap anymore when he''s been sleeping since morning, right?"

    "Sometimes, he sleeps till 7pm, after school."

    "I heard he sleeps through PE too."

    "Really? That''s amazing! How do you do that?" I want to know too. That''s quite some exaggerations from you guys."

    "Fujishima-kun''s really talented when ites to sleeping"

    For some reason, Ayaka raised her chest proudly.

    "There was once when we had a conversation while he was sleeptalking."

    "You should have woken me up!" I retorted inadvertently, as if it was about someone else. "Erm, back on topic, next month? Is there something?"

    The girls'' eyes immediately descended into the ice age, and I shunned them by looking at the table, desperately trying to remember.

    Today''s thest day of September right? Erm, if it''s one monthter, in October¡­the end of October¡­

    "Oh, my birthday."

    "I didn''t know that!" "Yes yes congrattions." "How old are you? Looks like you''re an old man with onset dementia, are you seventy-seven-years-old?"

    Why are they ganging up on me now?

    However, thanks to that, I remembered. I would be seventeen soon. Come to think of it, I''m still a High School student, right? Merely a year had passed since I transferred to this high school.

    It''s a long story, but I''m doing a part-time work to a private detective agency, serving as an assistant. Looking back at the case files that I myself wrote, it seemed that over the past year, I was involved with more than 10 disputes that would have required prosecution. There''s still half of my high school life to go. Looking at this pace, I estimate that I''ll be involved in another 15 cases or so before graduation. I''m starting to feel dizzy about this. What would I do if I graduate into life before I graduated high school?

    However, Ayaka brought her face to me, dragging me back to reality.

    "It''s not about you, Fujishima-kun! It''s about the 3rd of November. Do you know what that day is?"

    "¡­A day of good birth?"

    "It''s the culture festival! I guess you aren''t sure when the public holidays are held anymore because you''re on holiday all year long like a NEET." "I don''t have the right to forget a little anymore¡­?" "But you don''t remember when the culture festival is!"

    Eh, culture festival?

    The detective agency that employed me was located in the same building as the ramen shop where Ayaka worked part-time. To the east of a massive station where the JR, the private railways and the subway intersected, I head past a park filled with stragglers, to a backalley that was sparse in numbers. The shop itself was located at a diminutive, unimpressive gray multi-tenant building. Thendmark here was a red curtain with amazing embroidery, unraveled at the front of the first floor. The words "Ramen Hanamaru" were written. There were only five counter seats in this small shop. The owner, Min-San, had her hair tied in a pony tail, a ck apron over her a tank top, and a sarashi wrapped around her breasts. She was a dazzlingly, healthy older sister.

    "Ayaka said she would be a littlete these days because of the preparations for the Cultural Festival. So Narumi, why are you here so soon after school?"

    I showed my face at 4pm, and Min-San asked me from behind the counter.

    "Is it because there''s no ce for you in ss?"

    "Th-that''s not it! I raised my voice anxiously. "What the ss will do was decided when I was sleeping, they told me that I didn''t have to do anything, and my table''s used as a cutting table. That''s why that''s not the case!"

    For some reason, there are tearsing out. Is that because of the onions Min-san was chopping?"

    "There''s no use of you staying in my shop either. If you''re not going to order, scram. You''re interfering with my preparations."

    Why are you saying this to me when I''m an ex-employee? But But I can''t leave just yet.

    "Eh-eh well, you see, I''m here today with a request for the Cultural Festival, Min-san."

    "For me?"

    "Our ss is doing an Ice Cream Shop."

    Min-san stopped the hand holding the chopper.

    "Hanamaru" was a strange ramen shop, famous for its ice cream dessert rather than its ramen. I heard that before her father disappeared and she inherited the shop, Min-San had been training hard to be an ice cream maker.

    "Well, it''ll be reassuring if Min-San will teach us how to make ice cream, that''s what the girls in ss said."

    "¡­I don''t have such time avable. What about the shop?"

    Min-San said with an exasperated look, and the sound of onions being chopped echoed again.

    "No, won''t it be fine if everyone went to "Hanamaru"?"

    "Are you an idiot? That''s the same thing. If I''m stuck with dealing with a bunch of brats, who''s going to make the ramen?"

    "E-erm, then I''ll do it--"

    "What are you saying? What are you going to do, Narumi, when your specialty is dropping and breaking a bowl every thirty minutes?"

    "I''m sorry, please forgive me. I won''t say anything else."

    Right. I knew that it would end up like this. She''s not pulling any punches.

    In other words, this was the one job I was assigned with for our Culture Festival preparations. Convincing Min-San.

    "Anyway, our shop has always been a ramen shop, not not ice-cream shop. I do have some pride as a ramen shop owner, you know? It''s done. Bring this to Alice."

    Min-San poured into the bowl a dash of chopped green onions, and pushed the bowl to me. All I could see in the bowl were cooked beansprouts and onions added in. This was always the case, but Min-san would always exin it to me.

    "Onion miso ramen without noodles, soup, roast pork, bamboo shoots, or miso."

    "There goes your pride!"

    I got beaten up.

    This Alice would be my employer, and she stayed on the third storey of this building. The door of room 308 had a signboard of it that read ''NEET Detective Agency''. Recently, I had been entering the room without knocking on the door, for I started to think of it as a hassle. The heat ofte summer was about to end, yet the air conditioning in the room was chilling to the bone. I passed through the right, a narrow corridor in the kitchen, and inside there was a little room.

    "Alice, I brought food."

    "Wah! Wahwah!"

    I brought the tray with the bowl on it into the room, only to hear a flustered voice from the bed. What''s she doing?

    The three walls of the bedroom were crammed with shelves, and theputer equipment on the shelves covered everything to the ceiling, while most of the floor was upied by the bed. On the bedsheet were cute bear, dolphin, cat, capybara dolls, stacked in a hill. A petite girl was sprawled on the bed, trying to backtrack into this pile of dolls. We exchange looks, and the pale face under the ck cap was instantly flushed red.

    "N-next time, don''t juste in so suddenly! I do have personal privacy to be respected too!"

    "Eh, a-ah, sorry."

    I nearly toppled the tray in my hand, and hurriedly turned my back on the bed as I return to the kitchen.

    This little girl was the private detective who employed me--Alice. She was always living in this room, dressed in pajamas, but I had a peek at the clothing she was wearing just now¡­and for a moment, I was in disbelief.

    She was wearing a ck Tricorne, and a ckced shawl was draped over her shoulders. I guess it''s not my eyes, but why would Alice be dressed up like that? Does she not wear only pajamas, mourning clothes or rich looking Japanese clothing?

    "Woah, I''m caught by the zipper! U-uu, my hair, hurts. Narumi! Narumi!"

    Hearing the call for me, I got to my feet.

    "Don''te here! Don''t look! Hurry up and get me out somehow!"

    "What do you want me to do?"

    Alice was in agony under the pile of dolls, and not only was the hair caught by the hook of the garter-belt, the zipper on the back was caught in the eye button. Truly a deplorable state.

    Hurry and get me out, and don''t hurt my friends (those dolls) no matter what, cover your eyes! Alice gave me one difficult task after another, and I decided to ignore thest one as I crawled onto the bed to carefully remove her long hair from the hook, freeing the dolls.

    "Stay out there, ande in only when I tell you to!" Just like that, I was shooed out of the office. A few minutes passed, and Alice looked peeved as she opened the door and poked her head out, now dressed in the usual blue bear pajamas.

    I was invited back into the bedroom, and for a moment, I could not say anything. Alice too curled her lips as she took out her chopsticks, stirring the onions and beansprouts in the bowl.

    "What? If you have anything to say, say it."

    Right behind a fuming Alice was a ck hem revealed under the towel. I guess she hurriedly stuffed them underneath.

    ¡°Erm¡­is that some new mourning clothing?¡±

    ¡°If these look like mourning clothing, your funeral''s going to arrive soon. Death by dementia.¡±

    Is it trendy to deem me as having dementia recently? That''s heartbreaking.

    Speaking of which, those clothing certainly don''t look like mourning clothes. There''s no way there is such a strange hate. I guess it''s more like a witch that appear in American cartoons.

    ¡°Enough already. Forget everything you just saw! Your specialty is at forgetting things, right?¡±

    Alice finished the food in the bowl, and angrily turned her head away from me. The slender shoulders werepletely submerged in the rich ck hair.

    Finally, the sound of rapid-fire typing echoed, and a messy garble of text appeared on the many monitors on the walls. Only when Alice reaches out for the crimson can ced on the side table¡ªDr Pepper would the typing stop. This hikikomori was so picky with her food, it''s unbelievable. Every day, she would eat a little amount of vegetables, and it wasmon of her to order ramen that could not be considered ramen at all, no noodles and soup added. I was told that she could obtain most of her nutrients from Dr Pepper alone.

    Alice''s not an ordinary detective, but a NEET detective. She hardly leaves this cramped server room, but she''s able to hack into all kinds of sites, and extract massive amounts of data all day long. And I''m the assistant to this detective.

    As for what a detective''s assistant does--

    ¡°Narumi, stop spacing out there! First off, clean up the bathroom!¡±

    I started to feel skeptical about my work as a detective''s assistant and my own future as I scrub the bathtub with sponge in hand. At this moment, a doorbell rang outside the ground ss.

    ¡°Alice, I bought all kinds of them!¡±

    A boy''s hearty voice could be heard, followed by footsteps and the sound of a paper bag being ruffled. It''s Hiro. Most of Alice''s acquaintances were NEETs with no livelihoods, and amongst them, Hiro is one of the more approachable ones. I guess Alice requested him to go buy something?

    I switched the shower on to wash away the cleaning fluid in the bathtub, and once I stepped out of the bathroom, I saw his back, dressed in a strap-jacket, taking out something from the bag andying it out on the bed. Alice saw me standing behind Hiro-san, and immediately jolted.

    ¡°Hiro! Narumi''s here! Hide it!¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    Hiro-san turned around, spotted me, and quickly kept the thing on the bed back into the bag.

    However, I saw it, even if it was just for a moment. Clothes wrapped in a vinyl pack. The coloring''s really bright too. Wonder what''s that?

    ¡°Oh? So you''re here too, Narumi?¡±

    ¡°¡­Clothes for Alice? Hiro?¡±

    ¡°Eh? Well, yeah.¡±

    ¡°Narumi! This has nothing to do with you!¡±

    Alice said as she snatched the bag from Hiro''s hands, and stuffed it under the towel. Why''s she being so sneaky about this?

    ¡°You''re starting to get interested in fashion trends now? There''s no need to be so embarrassed about it now, right?¡±

    ¡°Stop spewing nonsense there. Once you''re done cleaning the bathroom, clear up the empty bowl!¡±

    And so, Hiro and I were chased out of the office. What was that about?

    ¡°So now Alice''s starting to get interested in clothing other than pajamas? Did you select those weird clothes for her, Hiro?¡±

    I tried asking Hiro as we descended the emergency staircase. This guy may be a NEET, but he''s a gigolo who would take advantage of his good looks and bluff women to maintain a livelihood, and he''s very sharp on current fashion trends. It''s hard for me to believe that those weird clothing were chosen by him.

    ¡°Ah¡­hm?¡±

    Hiro finally gives off a snicker, but his answer was vague.

    ¡°Well, it''s Alice''s request! Don''t get too deep into this, please!¡±

    Then, he patted me on the shoulder.

    ¡°Alice''s starting to think of how to attract looks from the opposite gender now.¡±

    No, I don''t think that''s the case here.

    If I had thought about it a little deeper as to why Alice''s actions were so strange, maybe I would have realized. Back then, what Hiro took was not a bag from a clothing shop, but a bag from Tokyu Hands.

    However, back then, I forgot that I had to think deeply. As Alice said, my specialty is forgetting.

    We returned to the old gathering spot at the dark bottom of the emergency staircase, and I exined the matter of the culture festival to Hiro, quietly discussing about how to convince Min-san. Hiro folded his arms in front of him, ncing back at the shop from time to time as he answered,

    ¡°I guess it''s going to be difficult. See, for Min-san, ice cream is well,plicated, in many ways. A lot of things happened back then.¡±

    ¡°Yep, that''s right.¡±

    Min-san had to give up on her dream, for the sake of taking over the ramen shop, which her father left behind without saying anything.

    ¡°If you''re to do it, Hiro, are you able to convince her somehow?¡±

    ¡°I don''t have the sweettalking abilities you have, Narumi. Also, I think it''s bad to coax a woman with empty words.¡±

    ¡°Aren''t you the gigolo? Whose mouth is that talking here?¡±

    While we''re trading remarks, the autumn sun descended quickly, and Ayaka came by.

    ¡°Ah, Fujishima-kun. You''re here too, Hiro? I''ll take your orderster. Sorry for beingte today. I''ll go in first¡±

    Ayaka energetically greeted us, and entered the kitchen from the backdoor. Soon after, the sound of water rinsing something could be heard.

    ¡°Yes, Min-san, did you hear from Fujishima-kun? We really hope that you help us.¡±

    I could hear such a conversation, and pricked my ears.

    ¡°I heard that.¡± Min-san''s voice could be heard. ¡°Unfortunately, I don''t have the time for that, and I''m not a professional ice cream maker. I really can''t afford the time to teach others now.¡±

    I lowered my shoulders dejectedly, and Ayaka suddenly opened the back door, walking out.

    ¡°Fujishima-kun, can you think of some way to coax Min-san? You really have the talent to be a conman, so you can probably say some strange chant by her ears or something.¡±

    ¡°That''s no longer conning, that''s a magi.¡±

    ¡°So you aren''t denying that you''re a conman?¡±

    ¡°I can only retort one by one! I''ll be able to win 2 M-1 Grand Prix championships If I''m able to retort more than once!¡±

    ¡°Narumi, that little retort seem to be a little difficult to understand, you know?¡±

    ¡°You can stop nitpicking too, Hiro!¡±

    ¡°Hmm, I thought it''ll be fine if you were requesting, Fujishima-kun. What do we do now? I already went ahead to invite our ssmates to Hanamaru tomorrow. If they''re here to eat ice cream, I think we can learn something.¡±

    Ayaka frowned, and was about to return to the kitchen, only for Hiro to immediately show the eyes of a hunting bird.

    ¡°Your ssmates areing? To Hanamaru? Girls?¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡± Ayaka turned her head around. ¡°Well, yes. I thought that we could get Min-san to teach us how to make ice cream, but we can''t let her leave the shop alone. I guess there''s no way¡­¡±

    Hiro folded his arms in front of his chest, and pondered a little.

    Then, he suddenly stood up, blinked at Ayaka with enough charm to overwhelm 500 girls at once, before heading into the kitchen.

    Hiro passed by Ayaka, and even bothered to cautiously close the door. Thus, we didn''t know what sweet talk he would bask Min-san with.

    After that, what we heard was an unbelievable line from Hiro,

    ¡°Wee! Please have a seat inside! Your order please. Yes, one roast pork ramen. Eh? Yes, I''m a new employee. Yes, starting from today. But it''s a probation period since it''s the first month¡­¡±

    Dumbfounded, I stealthily nudged the door aside. Ayaka and I could see Hiro wearing an apron, tossing the ramen skillfully at the same time.

    October began, and ''Ramen Hanamaru'' was engulfed in a strange passionate vortex of pink.

    A group of high school girls began invading after school, and also, even the number of female customers have obviously increased. Initially, most of Hiro''s girlfriends wanted to see this strange scene of ''Hiro working'', but through word of mouth, more girls were lured into seeing this handsome chap who cooks ramen.

    ¡°¡­In other words, Hiro, you gave up on the NEET lifestyle and proudly began work to interact with many high school girls?¡±

    One weekter, Major finally popped by at the back door of ''Hanamaru'', asking this in displeasure as he red at the girls of our girls hollering and crowding the kitchen.

    ¡°Hm, yeah, that''s the case.¡±

    ¡°You''re so weak!¡±

    Major reached his hand out for the goggles, shaking his head.

    This baby-faced guy, wearing a splinter camouge helmet and a deep green army jacket may look like an elementary school kid, but he''s actually an active college student. His nickname is Major, one of the irresponsible people around Alice.

    ¡°You sought the path of a hikikomori, Hiro, and now you are willing to turn yourself from being the one who leech a woman dry into someone who is leeched. You disappoint me.¡±

    Well, I didn''t find it disappointing, but I did find it strange somewhere. Was Hiro the kind of person who would ignore his own image for the sake of wooing girls? Well, speaking of which, starting work is a good thing, but I just couldn''t help but wonder if there was some other intention to it.¡±

    ¡°Vice Admiral Fujishima, why didn''t you stop him? Hiro''s one of the important leaders to us NEETs. Now he''s going to disappear due to the bubble called capitalism!¡±

    ¡°It''ll be better for this world if that vanishes, right¡­¡±

    As his attire might imply, Major was a bonafide military nut, and for some reason, he kept calling me Vice Admiral. Despite the rank of a Vice Admiral being higher than that of a Major, I never saw him show me any respect (and if he did, I''ll be really troubled.) Major rattled off on me, and suddenly mmed the kitchen door, saying, ¡°I shall go save Hiro myself.¡±

    ¡°Min-san, is the meringue hard enough now?¡±

    ¡°I added too much lemon juice by ident!¡±

    ¡°Wait! Didn''t I say not to squash the strawberry? The juice will dampen the cheese''s vor.¡±

    ¡°There''s quite a lot of liquor here. Is it alright to sell this at the culture festival?¡±

    ¡°It''s fine. It''s delicious after all!¡±

    ¡°Hiro~ Two more tes of fried dumplings please!¡±

    ¡°Okie! Ayaka, three bowls of Tsukemening up!¡±

    ¡°Okay. Sorry to keep you waiting!¡±

    There were cheers of girls who seemed to be optimistic about their lives filling the steamed scent of ramen, and Major literally fainted on the spot.

    Even Alice was caught amongst the coteral.

    ¡°Listen, Narumi! Don''t ever let those girls near the office from now on!¡±

    Alice said as she stood on the bed, her hands on her waist, fuming so badly her ck hair was trembling.

    Ayaka would asionally mention Alice in the ssroom, and our ssmates felt interested as a result. Those girls got increasingly daring, barging into Min-san''s house to learn how to make ice cream, and also entered the NEET detective agency on the pretense that they wanted to bring their ice cream to Alice. Well, that happened yesterday.

    ¡°I admit that it was my failure to be lured by the temptation of sweets and let them in. However, have they really gone through the necessary education of a cultured civilization? Your ssmates couldn''t distinguish between me and the dolls!¡±

    Whenever they saw Alice, the girls eyes sparkled, eximing things like ¡°So cute!¡± ¡°Like a doll!¡± ¡°Let me hug you!¡± and leapt towards her, cuddling her.

    ¡°Goodness! Master, Ayaka and even Mao are all the same. Why do girls want to hug me the moment they see me?¡±

    ¡°¡­Well, I guess that feeling is understandable. After all, you''re cute, Alice.¡±

    I tried exining, and Alice froze up, her face reddened immediately, steam rushing out as though there was a whistle.

    Her lips were quivering.

    ¡°¡­Wh-wh-wh-wh-what did you say?¡±

    Now she''s not speaking in proper Japanese. Seriously. What''s with her? If she''s still embarrassed, I can understand, but why is she so agitated?

    ¡°What did you just say? Wh-what did you say about me?¡±

    ¡°Well, you''re as cute as a doll, so it''s no wonder the girls want to hug you¡±

    ¡°Wh-wh-wh-wh-what delusions are you thinking about you?¡±

    ¡°That''s not a delusion. Didn''t I say that about you before?¡±

    ¡°I never heard of it!¡±

    Eh? Really? Now that she mentioned it, I guess I never actually told Alice this straight to the face. But did she never have any realization of her own appearance?

    ¡°I-I-I never thought you would say that, yo-you want to embrace me.¡±

    ¡°No no, what are you saying now? That''s impossible.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by impossible?¡±

    Why are you getting angry because of this? There''s reason for girls to say that, but if a guy is to say that, that''s criminal.¡±

    However, Alice started throwing empty cans of Dr. Pepper at me, and I had no choice but to run away from the office.

    On October this year, the final month of my birthday, a lot of shocking things did happen. A week after Min-san started teaching my ssmates how to make ice cream, an incident happened on Monday.

    That day, I came to ''Hanamaru'' immediately after school.

    ¡°What? So you''re even shunned by everyone during your culture festival preparations?¡±

    ¡°That''s not it.¡±

    I mmed the counter table hard to refute Min-san''s im.

    ¡°My work''s mostly about making posters and pamphlets, so I need to go home and work on theputer!¡±

    ¡°Perfect timing though, Narumi. Come try this new ramen vor I developed.¡±

    Hiro, dressed in an apron, poked his head out from the kitchen to say this.

    ¡°Looks like you''re already adapted to working here already¡­¡±

    ¡°I never thought this guy would be able to take over the preparations.¡±

    Min-san shrugged as she said this.

    ¡°If you have the ability, why didn''t you start working in the beginning?¡±

    ¡°I had a thought before that I would practice in case there''s such a chance! It''s ''Hanamaru'', so I''m willing to help. It''s not because I have any intention to work, you know.¡±

    ¡°Do you really like the idea of having a group of high school girlse here? So the reason behind your actions is just for the sake of women?¡±

    ¡°Of course it''s for the sake of women.¡±

    And so Hiro got a flick on the forehead from Min-san, the smile on his face brighter than I have ever seen.

    However, I tried eating the Cantonese noodles Hiro made, and the doubt in my heart grew. Why was Hiro willing to go this far? If he started showing off his abilities as a gigolo, it wouldn''t be difficult for him to woo many high school girls on the main streets. Even if he does intend to know many girls by working at a ramen shop, he didn''t have to develop a new ramen dish, did he?

    It seemed like,

    He intended to run the ramen shop along with Min-san in the future?

    No no no. That''s impossible, right? Min-san can''t possibly continue taking care of this irresponsible gigolo.

    Right when I''m about to finish the sample ramen, the girls from my ss arrive at ''Hanamaru''.

    ¡°Hello, Hiro~!¡±

    ¡°Ayaka told us! We heard that you developed a new ramen dish?¡±

    ¡°I want to try it too.¡±

    ¡°d to hear that, but too bad I didn''t cook that much today. How abouting over to my house next time? Next time, I''ll treat you out for a meal, and then we''ll go out together, okay?¡±

    ¡°I''ll definitely go!¡±

    I never thought there''ll be someone who would woo girls as naturally as it would take to breathe. I had the intention of putting the bowl discreetly on the counter, only to see Ayaka and the culture festivalmittee member approaching Min-san awkwardly.

    ¡°Min-san, there''s something, we have some apprehension talking about¡­¡± Ayaka fidgeted as she rubbed her hands.

    ¡°What is it again?¡±

    ¡°The Student Council People seemed to have been notified by the health department, that no food other than instant heated food can be sold.¡± The culture festival member said.

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    ¡°Erm, so for raw foods, we need someone with some food license who can sell them.¡±

    ¡°Ah, someone in charge of food hygiene?¡±

    Min-san scratched her head.

    ¡°A lot of raw ingredients in my ice cream, huh?¡±

    I inadvertently leaned over the counter, listening intentively. Does that mean our ss'' activity won''t be approved? Why didn''t they say so?¡±

    ¡°We''re troubled to be notified now!¡± ¡°The student council members said that they got careless in their checks.¡± My ssmates added on.

    ¡°Now then, what will you do? Stop selling?¡±

    ¡°Erm, about that.¡±

    Ayaka lifted her eyes.

    ¡°Min-san, you have a chef permit, don''t you?¡±

    ¡°¡­So I''ve to do it?¡±

    ¡°Please do so!¡±

    Ayaka, themittee member girl and a few girls who may or may not know what''s going on, a dozen of them or so immediately p their hands together and bowed.

    A chef could be in charge of preparing the ingredients, and at the same time, did not have to attend the relevant lectures. In other words, all we could was to boldly ask Min-san and hope that she woulde to M high school and help man the ice cream stall on the day of the school festival.

    ¡°But that is your school activity. There''ll be issues if an outsider like me is to be in charge, right?¡±

    ¡°We really did our best to fight this one from the student council. It all started with their neglect, so it looks as though they''ll specially amodate this for us.¡±

    Ayaka''s methods are as amazing as ever, but is this request really alright?¡±

    In any case, Min-san folded her arms together, and looked up at the oil stains in the ceiling, letting out a sigh. After that, she said to Ayaka,

    ¡°¡­November, 3rd and 4th, I guess?¡±

    Ayaka''s face immediately dazzled like a strawberry.

    ¡°Thank you very much, Min-san.¡±

    The incident happened a few minutester. Maybe it was not something that could be considered an incident, but it was a trivial matter nobody ever thought of being confirmed.

    However, that major incident that upied the final month of my 16th year did start off on this very day.

    Before the lesson on how to make ice cream began, the culture festivalmittee told Min-san,

    ¡°We''ll need the student council and the teachers to watch. Min-san, can you lend us your chef license to photocopy?¡±

    ¡°Okay. Narumi, go copy this.¡±

    Of course, she called me. I appeared to be the one with the least to do, and I was already used to being a runner. Thus, I had a chance to first witness that fact.

    Chef Permit.

    Main Residence, Tokyo.

    »Æ Ã÷û

    I widened my eyes, and started at the 3 words beside the residence. At first, I didn''t understand the meaning of that line of words.

    ¡°What is it? Hurry up!¡±

    ¡°Eh, well¡­¡±

    I stammered as I pointed at that part on the permit, and Min-san frowned for a moment, before she appeared to have understood.

    ¡°Speaking of which¡­you guys never knew my real name, huh?¡±

    ¡°¡­Real name¡­¡±

    I see, so this is the real name¡­well, I suppose. Anything printed on a license has to be a real name. Ayaka and Hiro leaned over, looking confused as they peeked at the documents in my hands.

    ¡°My mom''s from China! This name is really inconvenient though, so I always told everyone else my dad''s family name, Hanada.¡±

    I had a peek at Hiro, and even he widened his eyes. Looks like even those that knew her for a long time did not know. Min-san too looked awkward, probably because both Ayaka and I were giving unnatural looks, and Min-san could only turn her head aside.

    ¡°I wasn''t deliberately trying to hide it! It''s troublesome to exin, and I didn''t really have to, so I didn''t!¡±

    ¡°¡­Hm, yeah, I guess¡­¡± I muttered to myself. It''s true that there was no chance for Min-san to actually mention it, and even if we already knew, it wouldn''t be much different from now.¡±

    ¡°How do we read you name, Min-san?¡±

    Ayaka went straight to the point and asked.

    ¡°Huang Ming Li.¡±

    ¡°So that''s why everyone calls you Min-san¡­¡± Hiro said with a sigh,

    ¡°Ah¡ªseriously, why is this happening? Is there really something to hoorah over? Have you heard any Japanese with the name ''Ming''?¡±

    She''s right, now that she mentioned it. I knew her for a year, but I never noticed this.

    ¡°Alright! Go photocopy this now!¡±

    Min-san obviously was unhappy, and tilted her head as she went down the corridor where her listeners were waiting, vanishing. I guess she''s frustrated about this because she encountered this situation so many times in her studies? I barely managed to eke out a wry smile at Hiro and Ayaka, and left ''Hanamaru'' for the convenience store. I felt that I was doing something wrong here. No matter whether Min-san was a Martian or an Earthbound, it wouldn''t matter to our past or futures. At least, that was what I assumed back then.

    Back then, we did not know something. We did not know the heavy significance of the family name ''Huang'' Min-san bore.

    Only on the next day did we thoroughly realize it. That man came to our NEET detective agency.

    It was 4pm when those men suddenly entered ''Hanamaru'', and back then, only Hiro and I were in the shop. Hiro was preparing the roasted pork, and I was on the corridor linking the kitchen to the house, taking photos for the menu to be used for the culture festival.

    The shutters could be heard sliding aside, followed by Hiro''s voice.

    ¡°Wee! Sorry, but we have yet to open shop¡±

    That voice was overpowered by the sound of a bowl breaking on the floor.

    Shocked, I poked my head into the kitchen, and saw three men outside the counter. There were two men dressed in ck suit, hunks with muscr faces, and the young man leading them was standing in the middle, reaching his hand out, grabbing Hiro by the cor.

    ¡°Hey! Where''s Ming Li? Who are you? Her man?¡±

    ¡°No no no, unfortunately not. Min-san isn''t someone like that! Oh, and who may you be?¡±

    Hiro answered with a nonchnt tone. I really didn''t have such reckless guts, and I guess that my legs might quiver, and I wouldn''t be able to say anything.

    Who are these people¡ªYakuza? They did mention Min-san''s actual name, and though their Japanese in fluent, but the name ''Ming Li'' was clearly of Chinese pronunciation. Even I, who didn''t know Chinese, could hear. Are they from China?

    ¡°What else? What do you mean? Hey, are you nning on putting a move on her?¡±

    The young man growled. He had a slick hair, and eyes as sharp as a raptor. He''s wearing a branded suit, but clearly, he was a shady person.

    ¡°Young Lord, this isn''t the time to say such things now, right?¡± The men in ck suits behind the young man both chimed in advice.

    At that moment, I heard a voice from the other end.

    ¡°Hey! What are you doing? Let go of him!¡±

    The man in suit let go of Hiro, and turned around. Min-san was standing at the door, holding a grocery bag, her eyes widened as she saw his face.

    ¡°¡­Hong Lei? Why are you here?¡±

    ¡°Ming Li!¡±

    The man with the slick hair sounded ted, and deliberately flicked his hair back.

    ¡°Did you juste back? It''s been a while. How have you been recently? You should have paid us a visit from time to time. The Dragon Head, grandfather and everyone was worried about you.¡±

    ¡°Why do I have to show up at the Huangs? I got nothing with them. Anyway, why are you here?¡±

    Min-san shoved the trio aside, and entered the shop, past the counter, and into the kitchen. The man with slick hair shrugged.

    ¡°Don''t say that now. How many years has it been since youst came back? Oh yeah, I''ll be in Japan for a while recently¡­¡±

    ¡°Young Lord, we aren''t here to look for Miss Ming Li.¡±

    ¡°Please don''t forgot the reason why we''re here? We''re looking for Masaru.¡±

    ¡°Shut up! I understand.¡±

    The man retorted unhappily, and kicked at the thighs of his subordinates.

    ¡°Masaru? ¡­What about my dad?¡±

    Hearing that, Min-san could not help but ask. Min-san''s disappeared dad, yeah, I remember his name is called Masaru.

    ¡°Masaru hasn''t been here?¡±

    The man with slick hair asked, his eyes narrowed. I was scared. For a moment of breath, I saw the atmosphere surrounding this man to drop below freezing point.

    ¡°He came by once in April, and vanished without saying anything.¡±

    ¡°I''m not talking about that long back. I''m referring to yesterday or today.¡±

    ¡°No. What happened to my dad.¡±

    ¡°Ming Li, I guess you may not know about it, but Masaru''s hired by the Dragon Head, acting as a bodyguard for the main family in Hong Kong.¡±

    Dragon Head? Hong Kong? Bodyguard? What''s going on? Who are these people? From Min-san''s family? This guy probably knew Min-san for a while, so I guess they''re rtives? Hiro and I exchange looks, and we could only gulp as we watch Min-san''s sidelong face.

    ¡°I don''t know about this¡­when did it start?¡±

    Min-san''s voice sounded bitter.

    ¡°5 years ago. Our standing in Hong Kong was not very stable, and the Dragon Head was often targeted¡­¡±

    5 years back. That was about the time when Min-san''s dad abandoned the ramen shop and vanished. Right, I remember. Hanada Masaru once snuck back in April, and even showed up at the shop. ording to Alice, he had a surgery to change his appearancepletely, and ''went through intensive, unique training''.

    In other words, he''s one from the criminal society?

    ¡°What about that bastard? Did he just sneak back to being involved with them again?¡± Min-san stirred the soup in the pot impatiently. ¡°Why did he just vanish without saying anything? Can''t he just think about how much trouble it would have cost me?¡±

    ¡°Masaru had a deal with the Dragon Head.¡±

    The man with slick hair said, and Min-san frowned.

    ¡°A deal? What do you mean?¡±

    The Dragon head really admired Masaru''s abilities, and felt that it was a waste for him to be the boss of a ramen shop¡­¡±

    ¡°So I''m asking, what deal is that?¡±

    ¡°That is to not bother with you, and at the same time, Masaru is to be a personal bodyguard for the Huangs.¡±

    Min-san''s ck ponytail fluttered in the air, and then leaned on the cutlery rack weakly.

    ¡°¡­Who asked that bastard to do such a thing!?¡±

    ¡°Masaru doesn''t want you to get involved with them, I suppose?¡±

    ¡°Enough with that nonsense! In that case, I don''t have any rtion with you, and you guys probably know him better now, right? Why are you looking for me now?¡±

    ¡°Because that Masaru vanished again.¡±

    ¡°Vanished?¡±

    This time, the man shot a sharp look at Hiro and me, and coughed,

    ¡°I revealed too much. This isn''t for any outsider to know about. We''ll have a word.¡±

    Min-san was silent for a moment, and finally nodded, taking off her apron before handing it over to Hiro.

    ¡°Take care of the shop for me.¡±

    I felt a chill from the bottom of my gut. Is this really fine? Would be fine to let her go alone? Those men didn''t look decent, and even if they were Min-san''s acquaintances--

    ¡°Don''t worry. He''s my cousin.¡±

    Min-san pointed her chin at the man. She probably read my emotions because of my teary looking face, I guess?

    ¡°Understood. Be careful.¡±

    Hiro replied with a smile.

    ¡°I''ll prepare the dumpling ingredients for you as well.¡±

    An hourter or so, Min-san returned. By this time, Ayaka and the other girls from our ss came to the shop.

    ¡°You''re back, Min-san!¡±

    ¡°Where did you go?¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah, Hiro tried making some ice cream. Try it out, Min-san.¡±

    Min-san merely answered them carelessly however, Ahh, yeah and stuff like that. Soon after, I heard her act as though nothing was wrong,Sorry for beingte. We''re making Parfaits today.

    After that, Min-san walked out of the back door of the kitchen with a beer case in tow, and our eyes met while I was squatting on the emergency staircase.t

    ¡°¡­Did something happen?¡±

    I asked cautiously, but Min-san merely shrugged.

    ¡°Nothing happened. Don''t worry!¡±

    If nothing happened, why are you showing such a tired face? I really wanted to ask her, but I couldn''t. I wasn''t trying to lecture her, and if I did so, she definitely would not answer me.

    Then, what shall I say?

    I didn''t know.

    It was only when Hiro served the ramen I ordered that I whispered softly to him,

    ¡°Min-san looks like she''s in some big trouble, doesn''t she? That cousin of hers doesn''t look like an ordinary person either¡­¡±

    ¡°Who knows? I didn''t ask¡­¡±

    All Hiro could do was shake his head.

    ¡°Since she said it''s fine, we shouldn''t be poking our noses and asking her! It does look like something between them.¡±

    My sigh was mixed with the steaming up from the roasted pork ramen.

    The NEETs that gather at this shop really respected each other''s privacy, to an unbelievable degree. This was the case even for Hiro and Alice, and thus, nobody knew of Min-san''s real name and family background. They cared about the distance from each other with the frosty, sweet aloofness of an ice cream; this was the little piece of survival wisdom in this city. Sometimes, I would be envious about this, and other times, I would be infuriated.

    However, the day didn''t end as such. At 11.30pm, shop closing time, another rare guest came to visit ''Hanamaru''. This time, Ayaka and the other ssmates had already left for home, and Hiro was preparing the ingredients for the next day, while I was in the corridor, cleaning up the items used for the ice cream making lessons.

    ¡°Sorry to bother. Is Ming Li around?¡±

    The sound of the door being slid aside could be heard, followed by the voice of a youngdy. Hiro, chopping the cabbage at the basin, and I walked into the kitchen because I heard the name ''Ming Li''.

    Standing at the door was a woman dressed in light brown suit, probably of a simr age to Hiro. She had short ck hair with a neat fringe on her forehead. The face with a terrifying stare seemed familiar to me.

    ¡°¡­She''s not around? May I know who are you? An employee? That''s strange. I heard that the one working here is a high school student?¡±

    The woman looked around the dim shop in surprise, and questioned Hiro without courtesy. Since she''s calling Min-san as ''Ming Li'', I suppose she has something to do with those yakuza-like men in the day? There was some anxiety in her words, and I could not help but stand up and look at her face.

    ¡°Ah, I was just hired recently.¡± Hiro answered. ¡°Min-san''s off to the beer shop now. Eh¡­are you her rtive?¡±

    Hiro too seemed to have noticed. The man who came by this morning was the same; there seemed to be something they had inmon with Min-san. It''s like a heroine in a kung-fu flick who has some stunning valor to them.

    ¡°Are you really just an employee?¡± Thedy ignored Hiro''s question, and questioned back.

    ¡°Do you really have this kind of rtionship with Ming Li? Are you her boyfriend or something?¡±

    The man who came by in the day was concerned about that too, and why''s that? ¡°Well, Min-san''s some powerful enemy who I still can''t capture¡±, Hiro in turn responded, and thedy raised her eyebrow once she heard that. I had no choice but to enter the kitchen, and interrupt,

    ¡°Erm, who are you again?¡±

    ¡°A-are you the high school student working part time?¡±

    ¡°Eh, no, I used to work here, but I''m just an ordinary customer. That''s not important, so please¡­¡±

    ¡°Why is it that there''s still an ordinary customer here sote at nigh? Isn''t this supposed to be Ming Li''s house?¡±

    Eh, that''s the case, but why are you so angry?

    At this moment, a voice from behind rang, ¡°What are you doing? You''re going to disturb the neighbors!¡± Our savior has arrived. Min-san walked in, lifting the curtain, only to meett the eyes of thedy who turned around.

    ¡°¡­Xiao Ling? Why are you here?¡±

    ¡°Ming Li! What are you doing? Why did you leave this stranger of a man in your house before going out? And what''s with your outfit? Your breasts are exposing!¡±

    ¡°How are they exposed? I keep them under wrap. You''re nagging at the small stuff like usual.¡±

    Min-san noted in amazement as she pushed thedy into the shop.

    ¡°You''re always like that, seriously.¡±

    ¡°Hong Lei came by in the day. Same topic, I guess?¡±

    Min-san said, and thedy covered her mouth in shock. She nced at Hiro and me, before turning to look at Min-san aside.

    ¡°¡­R-right. Sorry. I shouldn''t be nagging at these details right now.¡±

    Huang Xiao Ling, that was the name of thedy, Min-san''s cousin.

    ¡°I don''t know anything, and I said that to Hong Lei. He didn''t tell you that?¡±

    Min-san said as she put the beer bottles into the bridge. The man in suit, Huang Hong Lei appeared to be the older brother of Xiao Ling-san.

    I was seated at a chair by the back door, peeking as I leaned on it, and saw Xiao Ling-san with her arms folded. Looking at the tone of the conversation, it appeared that they haven''t met in a while. Min-san seemed to be distant from her old family.

    ¡°¡­What does Hong Lei n to do with Masaru?¡±

    Xiao Ling-san asked, and Min-san''s shoulders shivered a little, her hand movements ceased as well.

    ¡°Who knows? I never asked him. They probably will catch him, interrogate him, and kill him, I guess?¡±

    Suddenly hearing these words from Min-san''s mouth caused me to shiver. They''ll capture him and interrogate him?

    ¡°Why can you be so nonchnt about this? He''s your dad!¡±

    ¡°What else do you expect me to do? My dad deserves that, right? Hired by the mafia, and betrayed them. He knows exactly what would happen to him, right?¡±

    Mafia¡­

    So Min-san''s mom''s family¡­was a member of the Chinese mafia?

    Hiro and I could only overhear the conversation of the two women quietly, and we had no thought on leaving our seats politely.

    He was a bodyguard of the Chinese mafia, and betrayed his employers. In that case, the man called Hong Lei came by in the day for this particr reason? All I could feel was a chill climbing my spine. What did Hanada Masaru do exactly?

    ¡°I have no involvements with the Huangs anymore. Right now, why are you still looking for me, Ming Li¡±

    ¡°Masaru-san, contacted me yesterday.¡±

    Min-san widened her eyes. It appeared she mmed the fridge door hard, and turned around, supporting herself on the counter as she leaned forward.

    ¡°Why did he contact you alone?¡±

    ¡°If he contacted you directly, those guys would have involved you when they came looking! So,¡±

    ¡°He already did!¡±

    Min-san could no longer contain her voice.

    ¡°If he didn''t want to cause me trouble, he could have surrendered himself to the police! He''s just sneaking around, hiding somewhere, right?¡±

    ¡°So listen to me already! Masaru-san requested me because of you!¡±

    Min-san gulped stiffly. Hiro and I probably had the same reaction.

    ¡°¡­Requested you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that''s what Masaru-san said. There should be an amazing private detective in this building, right?¡±

    We were speechless.

    Min-san left the ramen shop to Hiro, and brought Ming Li-san to the emergency staircase at the back of the shop. Of course, I intended to follow.

    ¡°Why are youing along?¡±

    And I was caught by Ming Li-san.

    ¡°Actually, I''m the assistant to that detective agency.¡±

    ¡°Aren''t you still a high school student? Stop spouting nonsense. It''ste, and you aren''t going home? What are you thinking?¡±

    Well, what can I say? I guess it was surreal because nobody actually looked down on me from above and formally lecture me on my lifestyle. Even so, I can''t just turn around and leave.

    ¡°Narumi, don''t get involved.¡±

    Even Min-san said so.

    ¡°It''s fine if Alice alone knows, since she''s just going to stay at home, check stuff on the inte, and won''t show up. You''re going to barge in on the scene however you want, right?¡±

    ¡°You don''t have the right to say that about me, Min-san.¡±

    I argued back.

    ¡°In any case, it''s Xiao Ling-san''s request, isn''t it?¡±

    ¡°You''re great at such uselessebacks, huh?¡±

    Min-san spat those words impatiently. My neck shrank back as I ducked beneath her, and I climbed up the stairs. Unlike Hiro''s straightforward tendencies, I would only cling onto the flimsy fact that ''a detective epts requests, and I''m her assistant''. Ultimately, I still want to know what happened.

    ¡°This isn''t something we can let a high school boy partake in so casually. You don''t understand our family''s situation, right?¡±

    Xiao Ling-san said as she stomped up the stairs to give chase, letting out a loud sound.

    And despite being a cautious person, the moment Xiao Ling-san stepped into the NEET detective agency and saw Alice on the bed, she was left dumbfounded for a moment. Well, it was to be expected, since Alice certainly looked like an elementary school kid.

    ¡°It''s rare for Master toe up personally, and rarer to have a gueste along.¡±

    Alice-san stared at Min-san and Xiao Ling-san''s faces as she said this. Thetter said to Alice what nobody else have ever said.

    ¡°Y-you''re dressed up like that!? That''s not an attire to be shown to others, right? There''s also a boy here. Don''t you find it embarrassing?¡±

    Such words shocked Alice.

    ¡°Wh-what do you mean? What''s embarrassing about?¡±

    ¡°That''s to be worn when sleeping, right? Your thighs are exposed!¡±

    Xiao Ling-san went around the bed, and drapped a nket around Alice''s body, wrapping her up.

    ¡°Wah! Wh-what are you doing!? This is the first time I''m seeing a visitor say such a thing!¡±

    ¡°You can''t be showing your pajamas randomly to anyone else, other than your boyfriend or husband!¡±

    Alice''s face immediately turned as red as Arashiyama inte Autumn. What''s this woman saying? I felt danger, and hurriedly went to the kitchen to hide.

    ¡°Uuu, I-I never heard of that one before!¡±

    ¡°Even if you have a rtionship with that boy.¡± Xiao Ling-san pointed at me. ¡°You should only be wearing this when both of you are alone!¡±

    ¡°Wh-wh-wh-wh-what are you saying!? Narumi and I don''t have that kind of a rtionship! What are you here for!? If you''re here for a request, act like you have one!¡±

    Back then, the situation was dire. If I was at the bedside at that inopportune moment, there would be an empty can of Dr. Pepper thrown at me. Unable to watch on anymore, Min-san finally pped Xiao Ling-san hard on the back of the head.

    ¡°Is this the time to bother with others? Someone''s already dead, what are you thinking?¡±

    Shocked, I turned to look at Min-san. Someone''s dead?

    ¡°Ah, th-that''s right, but this kid is really,¡±

    ¡°That brat in pajamas is the detective you''re looking for! Get straight to the point!¡±

    Xiao Ling-san pointed at Alice as she turned back to look at Min-san. Her mouth was half ajar, and she was at a loss of words.

    ¡°¡­Th-this kid? Isn''t she in elementary school? Such a little kid''s actually a detective?¡±

    ¡°I''m not an ordinary detective.¡± Alice, curled up in the nket, pouted unhappily,

    ¡°I''m a NEET detective, an observer who is all knowing and without power. Huang Xiao Ling, I know a lot about you. I know the 6 crippling weaknesses of the securemunications program yourpany developed, the malfunctioning issue of yournguage identification system, more than the developers you hired.¡±

    Xiao Ling-san was really stunned.

    After a while, she turned to Min-san with a slightly perturbed look.

    ¡°Ming Li¡­did you tell her that? No¡­it''s impossible for you to know that so well¡­¡±

    Min-san shrugged.

    ¡°She specializes in such things! She''s not just a pale brat.¡±

    Alice then followed up on what Min-san said,

    ¡°The monitor there shows the visuals of the surveince cameras set up in this building. When Huang Hong Lei and you came to ''Hanamaru'', I saw your faces. I checked up on you through the inte, and learned that you are the grand niece of the leader of a Hong Kong mafia caled the Huang Coalition, the Dragon Head. Master never told me anything, and she probably doesn''t intend to do so.¡±

    I could not see Xiao Ling-san''s expression as she watched Alice. Was she showing fear, or faltering because she was at a loss of what to do? No matter her reaaction, I could only remain sprawled on the icy floor in front of the fridge, unable to say anything.

    ¡°So, Huang Xiao Ling, please reveal all the details. Do not worry, for I''m merely a pair of eyes drifting in the sea of information, and I shall not interfere with anything. That dumb-looking high school boy sprawled there may be of no use to anyone, but he has spent more than 10 years with loneliness as his only friend, and he understands the importance of silence more than anyone else.¡±

    I got the feeling that Alice was really badmouthing me. Thanks to her, I was barely able to grab onto the fridge and get to my feet.

    Xiao Ling-san knelt by the side of the bed weakly, and from her back, I could see Alice gave an unbelievably gentle expression, saying,

    ¡°I can assure that I won''t say anything about this.¡±

    The Dragon Head seems to refer to the leader of a Chinese mafia, or that was the meaning I could derive from Xiao Ling-san''s words. Min-san''s the granddaughter to that Dragon Head.

    ¡°Ming Li never told you anything about the Huangs?¡± Xiao Ling-san again looked back and forther between Min-san and Alice''s faces.

    ¡°Because there was no need to mention about this before now!¡±

    Min-san had her arms folded in front of her chest as she leanded on the bedroom door, and could only turn to Alice wordlessly.

    ¡°Anyway, Masaru-san used to be a mercenary who went about fighting in Center and South Americas, and the Middle East. He met Wen Li-san in Japan, and they got married, so he decided to settle down here¡­that was more than 30 years ago.¡±

    Huang Wen Li, the youngest daughter of the Chinese Mafia ''Huang Coalition'' that was based in Hong Kong.

    And Hanada Masaru was a wandering mercenary.

    And between them, born was--

    ¡°Heh, looks like you understand my dad better than I do, huh? Mercenary? That bear bastard told me he was a ninja! He treated me like an idiot.¡±

    Min-san pointed her finger out to roll an empty can of Dr. Pepper, but from her tone, it was unknown if she was being sarcastic or furious.

    ¡°Yeah¡­Masaru-san often came to y with me when I was younger, and he said he was a ninja too. I really believed it.¡±

    ¡°He has always been like this. Always omitting the important part, getting us all confused. That stupid dad of mine never considered the feelings of others.¡±

    ¡°Masaru-san!¡±

    Xiao Ling-san inadvertently raised her voice.

    ¡°Masaru-san isn''t that kind of person.¡±

    It was unexpected that Xiao Ling-san would show such an expression. Was she so close to Hanada Masaru?

    ¡°What do you mean? You don''t know anything, do you?¡±

    Min-san frowned.

    ¡°But I knew Masaru-san longer than you do, Ming Li.¡±

    Xiao Ling-san''s voice got softer.

    ¡°When I was a child, we practically lived together. Later on, when he was hired by the main family, we usually met¡­¡±

    Min-san didn''t seem surprised as she looked aside.

    And Alice''s monotonous voice broke this awkward silence.

    ¡°So Master once stayed at the Huangs?¡±

    ¡°At Shinjuku only. I''ve never been to Hong Kong.¡±

    Min-san replied with a vague tone.

    It was said that the Huangs were divided into the main family in Hong Kong, and the branch family in Japan. The head of the main family in Hong Kong was Min-san''s maternal grandfather, the Dragon Head. The head of the branch family in Japan was his younger brother, Xiao Ling-san and Hong Lei''s grandfather. It was said that both families often had intermarriages, so not only are Min-san and Xiao Ling-san cousins, their preceeding generation were cousins. This family rtionship is probably asplex as spagetti jumbled together, I guess?

    Min-san''s mom was born to the main family in Hong Kong, but back then, the underworld in Hong Kong was rife with bloodshed, so she kept staying in the branch family in Japan. Min-san thus lived in Japan, and grew up with Hong Lei and Xiao Ling-san.

    ¡°Over there, we had brats around my age like Xiao Ling and Hong Lei, and my dad''s often out, while my mom wasn''t feeling well, so when I was younger, I was practically staying at the Huangs the entire time. I was still a brat, but at the very least, I could tell that it was a yakuza family. Whenever something happened there, there would be a whole bunch of savage looking people gathering.¡±

    ¡°To be precise, the Huang Coalition can''t be considered Chinese Mafia nowadays, I guess? They''re chased out of Hong Kong, and the Dragon Head and his subordinates have moved to Shinjuku over the past few years.¡±

    Alice continued on with a monotonous tone,

    ¡°The Huang Coalition was excluded from the Triads for a long time, and most of their earnings were from finance management andmunication services. You should have heard of the Zodiac Group? Ahh, I guess Master wouldn''t know. What about you, Narumi?¡±

    I nodded. Zodiac''s apany that had been growing rapidly recently, and they not only developed the most advancednguage identification software, they bought a certain portal site, and if I remember correctly, they opened a securitypany. Eh? So these are all managed by Chinese mafia?

    ¡°Recently, there has been a few cases of Chinese mafia members migrating here and setting up businesses. Almost no different from ordinary mercahnts too.¡±

    ¡°No¡­that''s naive.¡±

    Xiao Ling-san shook her head.

    ¡°We do not traffick or sell drugs, but the Dragon Head and my grandfather have lived in the underworld for many years, and will ultimately resort to violence to solve problems. More than a hundred are armed with guns, searching for Masaru-san.¡±

    Guns? Then, even during the day?

    In this chilling air, I opened my palm, and closed it into a fist, barely realizing that my body retained its senses.

    I once heard that the Chinese mafia were ruthless, to the point where the Japanese yakuza could be considered charity organizations. It was to be expected that Min-san and Xiao Ling-san warned me sternly ''not to interfere''.

    ¡°¡­So, what did Hanada Masaru do?¡±

    Alice''s hissed voice seemed to pass through the cold air in the room.

    Xiao Ling-san and I nced aside at Min-san, but thetter merely looked away, giving a look that was saying, just say whatever you want.

    Xiao Ling-san lowered her eyes, biting her lips several times, and said,

    ¡°He murdered the Dragon Head''s granddaughter, and ran away.¡±

    A fatal metallic sound echoed. It was the sound of Min-san crushing an empty can beneath her feet.

    ¡°I''m fine. I knew about this already. Hong Lei told me.¡±

    Min-san threw the ttened can to the door, and the faint metallic sound echoed in the cold air of the detective agency.

    Xiao Ling-san finally spoke up again.

    Huang Hong Lei.

    Xiao Ling-san''s older brother was the man with slick hair and sharp eyes who barged into ''Hanamaru'' during the day.

    He was the eldest son of the branch family of the ''Huang Coalition'', and though he was born with the blood of the branch family, he was destined to return to Hong Kong and rejuvenate it.

    ¡°However, isn''t Huang Hong Lei the founder of Zodiac? It looks like he got quite a few brilliant technications. Is he really going back to the underworld?¡±

    Alice''s words shocked me, and I could nto help but turn to Xiao Ling-san. That savage looking man, who had no intention of hiding his true nature as a member of the underworld, was actually the boss of an IT startuppany with rising reputation?

    ¡°He''ll probably hand Zodiac over to me, and take over the ¡°Huang Coalition'' himself, I suppose?¡±

    I see, so she''s an employee there too? Speaking of which, I guess there''s a ferocious predator face beneath her smart officedy facade? I felt goosebumps rising up my arms as I rubbed my palms together, thinking about this.

    ¡°The Huangs'' thinking are more old-fashioned than you can ever imagine, and there is no other organization in Hong Kong that values the concept of bloodline more than it. The problem is that the main family couldn''t give birth to a male heir that could continue the family business, so when Hong Lei was born, grandfather-sama seemed to have pinned him to continue leading the ''Huang Coalition''.¡±

    Suddenly, I remembered a friend of simr circumstances. He''s the son to a Kansai Tekiya, and everyone half-jokingly called him the Fourth. The impression I had of him might be simr to Hong Lei, and if he did not run away from home and was thoroughly trained to take over, would he be like Hong Lei?¡±

    ¡°Because of this, Hong Lei was destined to marry a girl from the main family, the granddaughter of the Dragon Head, Xiang Yu. They only met twice, and had to marry, which is really unbelievable. I really can''t ept that rule. What do they think marriage is about?¡±

    Was the branch family in Japan nning such a political marriage to strengthen the bond with the main family in Hong Kong, to seize the authority? This overly dated thinking still exist the world we live in, and really befuddled me.

    ¡°So, so that woman called Xiang Yu¡ªshe was killed?¡±

    Hearing Alice''s question, Xiao Ling-san nodded with a pale face. Right, they mentioned that someone died. Min-san''s dad killed the boss'' granddaughter, and escaped. But why?

    Xiao Ling-san continued,

    ¡°About Hong Lei and Xiang Yu getting married, the family intended to announce and invite everyone. However, Xiang Yu was going out with someone else¡­¡±

    That''s¡­not something that can be handled easily, is it?

    ¡°Of course, this was discovered, and the Dragon head wanted Xiang Yu to leave that man. However, that man was a hoodlum who has a drug addiction, and they were fearful of him taking revenge. That''s why they requested Masaru-san, who just returned to Japan, to be her bodyguard.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­¡±

    Alice''s voice was as deep as the bottom of the sea.

    ¡°Why would Hanada Masaru kill that woman?¡±

    Xiao Ling-san discreetly nced aside at Min-san, and lowered her head.

    ¡°I don''t know¡­the details. But¡­¡±

    She appeared to be forcing her voice out.

    ¡°I heard that the hoodlum went to Xiang Yu''s cest night, armed with a gun. He was in a shootout with Masaru-san¡­I suppose Xiang Yu went to stop them, and they¡­¡±

    ¡°They were killed by Hanada Masaru?¡±

    Alice''s words were like a blowtorch closing in, and Xiao Ling-san could only nod as he chin shivered. At this moment, I started to sense something was amiss, though I couldn''t describe it.

    What''s going on? Something felt amiss.

    ¡°The helper taking care of Xiang Yu said that Masaru-san dumped their bodies into a car, and drove off.¡±

    ¡°Why did he have to take the corpses away?¡±

    Alice asked, but I wanted to ask something else. However, the doubt in my heart could not take shape, as I didn''t know where exactly did it seem strange. What was it that caused me such concern?

    ¡°This is Hong Lei''s guess. Maybe it''s to hide the fact that Xiang Yu died. If Xiang Yu''s still alive when she was taken away, the Huangs would be more cautious when looking for Masaru-san.¡±

    ¡°Pretending to take Xiang Yu as a hostage¡­is that what you mean?¡±

    ¡°It''s likely¡­but there are blood stains in Xiang Yu''s room, and a helper as the witness. I don''t think such a n would work.¡±

    ¡°You said that Hanada Masaru once contacted you alone, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, this morning.¡±

    Xiao Ling-san took out something from the inner pocket of her coat, a smartphone. She gripped firmly onto it, clutching it at her chest.

    ¡°Why did he contact you, Xiao Ling?¡±

    Min-san muttered.

    ¡°Actually, you don''t know about this, Ming Li, but I do talk about a lot of things with Masaru-san. I suppose he knows that I hate being involved with the underworld.¡±

    ¡°So he thinks you''ll definitely help him? And killed a woman? You got to be kidding. Is he insane?¡±

    ¡°I said it appears to be an ident!¡±

    Xiao Ling-san could not help but turn to Min-san and argue back. At this moment, Alice''s cold voice rang.

    ¡°An ident, or was that what Hanada Masaru himself said? Is he asking that you help him because he killed someone due to his negligence?¡±

    Xiao Ling-san turned back to look at Alice, and shook her head.

    ¡°He wouldn''t tell me anything about what happened. Just that¡­¡±

    She hesitated, and was then able to barely carry on.

    ¡°He said that it is something troublesome that would definitely bother Ming Li if she was involved, and told me to do my best to help. He said that it would be fine if I''m to ask the detective agency here¡­¡±

    ¡°That''s it? That''s all that you were requested to ask?¡±

    Xiao Ling-san seemed hesitant as she nodded.

    Alice let out a long sigh, and from the nket, she reached for arge bear doll, cuddling it.

    ¡°In that case, I won''t be able to ept the request.¡±

    I heard a little gasp, and it probably came from me. Xiao Ling-san continued to keep her lips sealed.

    ¡°Your exnation is basically asking me to barricade the entire world with a wall to prevent a meteorite from crashing somewhere. That is the job of a religious teacher or politician, not a detective.¡±

    Xiao Ling-san remained silent as she bit her lips.

    It''s true that this wouldn''t be enough to warrant a request. Min-san was hardly in any danger, and if we didn''t know what would happen, we wouldn''t know how to avoid it. In this situation, it''s asking too much for us to ''find some way to help''.

    I believe Hanada Masaru and Xiao Ling-san should know this very well. In that case, why did she stille here?¡±

    The answer itself arrived when the cellphone rang in Xiao Ling-san''s hand. It was a ringtone from her smartphone.

    ¡°¡­It''s from Masaru-san!¡±

    Alice was taken aback by Xiao Ling-san''s voice, and she suddenly threw something over. It was the end of a cord.

    ¡°Switch on the speaker!¡±

    Xiao Ling-san hesitated slightly, but nodded as she attached the cord to the smartphone port. A secondter, Min-san snatched the phone from aside.

    ¡°Hello? Dad?¡±

    A shrill static could be heard in the room, followed by a man''s growl.

    ¡°¡­Ming Li?¡±

    ¡°Dad? Damn it, dad, where are you now? What are you¡±

    ¡°I''m on the run. Can''t talk for much more. Listen. The Huangs might give lots of excuses ande look for you. Ignore them all.¡±

    ¡°What nonsense are you spouting now? Who''s the one causing all this trouble!?¡±

    ¡°Anyway, I just need a week. Wait for me for a week! I''ll contact youter. If anything happens, ask Xiao Ling, or the detective and the brats who tag along with her.¡±

    ¡°Hey dad! Dad!¡±

    The man''s voice suddenly stopped, and left behind was a weak beeping. Min-san was so furious, she nearly threw the smartphone onto the floor, only to recover at thest moment, and stuffed the phone hard into the pocket at Xiao Ling-san''s chest.

    ¡°What kind of nonsense is that!? Does he not understand what he did? He''s telling me to wait a week? What can he change in a week? Is he nning to fly to the sky?¡±

    ¡°Ming Li, Masaru-san¡±

    ¡°Shut up. Just go back already, Xiao Ling.¡±

    Min-san left those words as she stomped the floor and stormed out of the detective agency.

    Only Xiao Ling-san''s sigh broke this frigid silence.

    The next day, I was worried about Min-san, and so I skipped the 6th period and hurried from school to ''Hanamaru''. When I went through the red curtains, I heard this converation,

    ¡°Well, she might look aloof, but she''s cute. And she kept telling me off.¡±

    ¡°Heh. Does she look like Min-san?¡±

    ¡°She does she does. You''ll know when you see her, Tetsu. Even therge breasts.¡±

    ¡°Hiro-san, don''t tell me you bedded her while sending her home?¡±

    ¡°No no no no. Even I would have a look at the situation first! Besides, after talking about that kind of thing¡­¡±

    ¡°Wh-what are you guys talking about.¡±

    I stopped at the door without thinking.

    There were only two people in the ramen shop, after the lunch peak period. One of them was Hiro, wearing an apron and cleaning the air purifier behind the counter. In front of Hiro at the counter was a muscr guy seated there, with wire-like short hair and tanned, bulging muscles. It''s Tetsu-senapi. 5 years ago, he dropped out from M High School where I study, and now he''s a pachinko pro.

    ¡°Yo, you''re early, Narumi. Oh yeah, you saw her yesterday, didn''t you? Min-san''s rtive¡­the young one. You saw the guy too, right?¡±

    ¡°Eh, ah, yeah.¡±

    He started asking without holding back his curiosity, and I really didn''t know how to answer.

    ¡°Listen to me, that Hiro sent that woman, erm, it''s Xiao Ling, right? Anyway, he drove her home.¡±

    ¡°Ehhhh!?¡± Aren''t you going too fast? No, the atmosphere yesterday wasn''t like that, right?

    ¡°No, I just sent her home. I''m serious okay?¡±

    Hiro smiled as he exined himself.

    After asking, I learned thatst night, Min-san stormed downstairs in a huff, quickly tidied up the shop, shooed Hiro out, and brooded alone at home. Soon after, Xiao Ling-san came down from the third floor.

    ¡°She looked a little devastated¡­it was already past midnight, and I was driving, so I had to ask if she wanted a ride! It''s gentlemanly courtesy.¡±

    I sat down on the chair next to Tetsu-senpai, and could only sigh. I was really like a fool to think too much into this.

    ¡°That woman surprised me too. Didn''t expect her to dare take Hiro''s car home.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that''s actually, it looks like she''s curious about my rtionship with Min-san. She kept asking if I''m her boyfriend, or that I had any intention to be that, whether I have such thoughts, stuff like that.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of which, she seems to be very curious about this. Why''s that?¡±

    Also, that mafia heir Huang Hong Lei seemed to be obsessed with this too.

    ¡°I don''t know why either? Anyway, I told her that she could talk on the car, and since it waste, I''ll send her home¡­and she did.¡±

    Err. This woman''s very particr about etiquette, but very careless.

    ¡°And then you went to the hotel?¡± Tetsu-senpai asked.

    ¡°I told you I didn''t! She told me a lot of things about Min-san''s childhood; I never thought Min-san would be so cute before¡­¡±

    ¡°Erm, was that only all you talked about?¡±

    I interrupted, and Hiro and Tetsu-senpai widened their eyes, going silent.

    ¡°E-erm, about Min-san''s father, you didn''t ask anything about this incident?¡±

    ¡°¡­I did try to ask casually.¡±

    Hiro noted vaguely.

    ¡°Then¡­then!¡±

    I leaned my upper body over the counter, inadvertently raising my voice. Aren''t you going to help? However, I didn''t say those words, and that notion remained stuck in my throat.

    Again, I sat on the chair.

    Min-san has yet to encounter any trouble, and Xiao Ling-san didn''t make a formal request, so we had no idea of what to do. Hiro and the others were in the right.

    But even when looking up at the clear skies, I still fretted over whether there would be something falling, faltering in my heart. I had a feeling that Hiro and Tetsu-senpai were still too aloof. If this kept up, Min-san would definitely be involved in something troublesome. Hanada Masaru said to wait for a week. What would happen in a week''s time? There was no guarantee that the situation wouldn''t take a turn for the worse, right?

    Furthermore, Hanada Masaru himself was on the run, pursued by the underworld, and nobody could assure that he woulde back safely¡ª

    ¡°¡­Ah.¡±

    At that moment, I suddenly realized what that irregrity in Xiao Ling-san''s words were.

    Xiao Ling-san and Hanada Masaru were rather close, so she should be worried about his safety too. However, she never once requested for us to ''save Hanada Masaru'', even in front of a detective.

    Was it because Hanada Masaru never requested her to do that?

    No, that was impossible. If Xiao Ling-san was that cold hearted, she probably would not have showed up. Was it because she didn''t trust the NEET detective agency? If that was the case, she wouldn''t have talked to us with such great detail, and wouldn''t have let us hear that phone call.

    Then why?

    It was a baseless instinct, but there was something more to that woman.

    Most likely¡ªshe was hiding something.

    What''s she hiding? I was taken aback by my own imagination. Xiao Ling-san didn''t seem to be that kind of person. She seemed to be concerned about both Hanada Masaru or Min-san¡­

    ¡°¡­Oh yeah, where''s Min-san?¡±

    This was where I realized that I''ve yet to see Min-san.

    ¡°She went out. I think that man called Hong Lei gave her a call.¡±

    ¡°Eh? What?¡±

    I leaned forward to approach Hiro. Min-san was invited out by that savage-looking mafia man?

    ¡°Wh-why are you able to remain so calm, Hiro? Aren''t you worried?¡±

    ¡°Worries are just worries. The issue is that we can''t interfere, right?¡±

    The frustration seemed to twirl my gut in a twist.

    There was no request. Are you just going to let things be? An absurd sense of rage suddenly arose in me.

    However, the developments progressed beyond my expectations. After 3pm, Min-san finally returned to ''Hanamaru''. She wordlessly folded her arms and stood in the kitchen for a while, either because she was fuming or brooding, and had no intention to start work. What did Hong Lei say to her?

    I stayed at the gathering spot at the back door of the kitchen, peeking at Min-san discreetly. Increasingly worried, I nudge the door slightly, preparing to call out to her. However, Min-san pushed the back door aside, and spoke up before I could.

    ¡°I''ll talk to you first, Narumi. Will inform Ayakater¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­Is there something?¡±

    ¡°Your culture festival is on the 3rd and 4th of November, right? I won''t be able to make it on the first day.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡±

    For a moment, it appeared that Min-san didn''t know where to begin with. What''s going on? What happened? Did something happen with her family? Right when I intended to ask her, Min-san spoke up first,

    ¡°Just now, Hong Lei called me to the Huangs, and requested me to do something.¡±

    ¡°Requested¡­what?¡±

    ¡°Well, isn''t Hong Lei''s fiancee¡ªdead already?¡±

    Min-san spoke, and at this moment, Hiro, who was preparing in the kitchen, stopped what he was doing as he lifted his head,

    ¡°Well, the invitations were already sent out to inform everyone to attend the wedding, so there''s no way to cancel it at thest minute. They want to keep their pride, to the point of hiding the fact that something happened to the bride¡­¡±

    I blinked, momentarily unable toprehend the meaning of those words.

    ¡°So Hong Lei asked me to be a substitute.¡±

    I was dumbfounded.

    ¡°Bride?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I''ll say first that it''s just a substitution! I''ll just help to make sure that wedding goes smoothly, and not really to marry him. Hong Lei said that it''s just a meeting for the rtives, for the old heads with not many days left to rx.¡±

    ¡°Why do they want you to be the subtitute, Min-san?¡±

    Min-san looked really displeased.

    ¡°I heard that it''s because I have the blood of the main family anyway¡­but I don''t want to be a recement for the dead! Hong Lei said that it all started from my dad, and I really had a hard time refusing¡­that''s basically a threat!¡±

    Min-san said, and sighed.

    ¡°Then, you promised?¡±

    ¡°I had no choice. The unveiling ceremony will be held on the 3rd of November, so I can''t help you guys with the culture festival.¡±

    Once she said that, Hiro, who had been eavesdropping from behind, suddenly dashed to the corridor leading to the inner house without removing his apron. What? Did something happen? Min-san too widened her eyes as she entered the kitchen.

    ¡°Hey Hiro, why this out of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, I got a call to make¡­¡±

    Hiro took out 4-5 phones from his pockets.

    ¡°¡­Ah, Xiao Ling-san? It''s me, Hiro. Thank you for yesterday. No no, I''m happy. You''re wee to look for me. Hm, alright, yes¡­¡±

    Xiao Ling-san? He got her phone number immediately. That''s impressive. No, wait, why a call to Xiao Ling-san out of a sudden?

    Min-san and I remained rooted, nkly listening to Hiro''s voice from the corridor.

    ¡°¡­Ah, Yondaime, are you free today? It''s fine if you''re veryte. Minding to the detective agency? Yes, right, not ''Hanamaru'', but the office.¡±

    ¡°Major? Are you able toe by today? Um, got it. Yes, yes. Right, no, it''s about me. I''ll pay everything. No, I haven''t told Alice. Yes, I''ll leave it to you.¡±

    That night--

    There were 6 people in the NEET detective agency.

    First, the owner of the room, the NEET detective Alice.

    Me, the detective assistant.

    The organizer, Hiro.

    The pachinko pro, Tetsu-senpai.

    Fully armed military maniac, Major.

    Andst of all, a dangerous looking man with the eyes of a wolf, whose hair was bleached nearly white. He''s called Yondaime, the teenage underworld leader who ruled the group of delinquents here.

    ¡°Unlike you guys, I don''t have that much time.¡±

    Yondaime said as he bared his eeth.

    ¡°Hiro, do you really have enough money to pay?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. If there isn''t enough, I''ll sell the car.¡±

    Hearing Hiro''s words, some were bbergasted, and some gulped nervously.

    It''s true that we were called here because Hiro had ''something to request of everyone''.

    ¡°¡­What request is it this thing?¡±

    Alice was buried in the hill of dolls in the innermost part of the bed, looking up at Hiro as she asked.

    ¡°Hiro, your motivations arepletely based on women, right? I guess we won''t be able to help.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well, of course, this is for a woman.¡±

    Hiro replied nonchntly, and then, took out a piece of printed paper andid it by the bed.

    Printed on it was a young man with ck hair neatlybed back.

    ¡°¡­Huang Hong Lei. What about him?¡±

    In the midst of this silence, I asked.

    ¡°Min-san appeared to have been requested by her family to take over for the fiancee in this heir''s wedding.¡±

    ¡°I just heard of that.¡±

    ¡°What''s going on? Why rece the fiancee?¡±

    Major practically didn''t know anything, and frowned as he asked. Thus, Hiro exined everything from the beginning, including how the fiancee called Xiang Yu was killed, that he requested for Min-san to be a subtitute for a day to hold the wedding, and how the killer was Min-san''s dad, that she was unwilling and yet unable to refuse, everything.

    ¡°Just a day? Are they idiots?¡±

    Yondaime spat.

    ¡°Even if they intend to pull a fast one, what else after that? Isn''t that a wedding ceremony? If they can''t marry, isn''t it more embarrassing? How can the heir of a mafia be so stupid?¡±

    I was dumbfounded, and then looked towards Tetsu-senpai and Major, who were simrly stunned. Yondaime''s right; thinking about it carefully, we know that it''s impossible.

    ¡°Right.¡± Hiro muttered. ¡°It''s impossible for him to do something that stupid. Min-san seemed to have believed his words, thinking that it''s just a little family gathering to let their grandfathers let a future couple and get them to believe.¡±

    Hiro looked around at everyone, and when I saw the atypical earnest eyes of his, I suddenly realized a certain possibility.

    No way, but, that''s impossible, right?

    ¡°I confirmed it with Xiao Ling-san. It''s not just a simple family gathering; there are many people from the financial hubs and the top underworld leaders, and it''s a very formal wedding ceremony. Huang Hong Lei never hid his fondness for Min-san even before she left the Huangs. After the Hanadas left the Huangs, he kept looking for all kinds of excuses to find Min-san.

    In that case¡ªthat means.

    ¡°So, what?¡± Tetsu-senpai asked, ¡°She''s not really being a substitute, right?¡±

    ¡°That''s likely it.¡± Hiro''s start was fixated on Huang Hong Lei''s photo. ¡°Hong Lei intends to use the wedding to establish a fact, and in the midst of the confusion, get married with Min-san for real. But that''s¡­¡±

    Hiro mmed a fist onto the photo, startling Alice. Even I was taken aback. I''ve never seen Hiro being so agitated.

    ¡°I won''t ept it, no matter what. I''ll do anything to stop it. So, Alice.¡±

    ¡°¡­H-hm?¡±

    In the face of this unexpected development, the petite NEET detective could only give a nk stare from beneath the hill of dolls.

    ¡°This is my request, and I''ll pay how much it needs to be. Wreck Min-san''s marriage.¡±

 Volume 6, 2

    <h4>Volume 6, Chapter 2</h4>

    A long time back, I once asked Hiro about the difference between infatuation and love.

    Hiro was a thorough gigolo--he could be wearing a Cartier ne from his ex-girlfriend together with the Rolex from his second ex-girlfriend and Arnami clothes from his third ex-girlfriend, driving a BMW from his fourth ex-girlfriend, and then have a lover''s tiff with his fifth ex-girlfriend. To be expected of a men amongst men (though there are people who call him a scumbag).

    ¡°You''re in your Sophomore year of high school, Narumi, and you showed more talent than I did. I really want to teach your some skills here!¡± Hiro once said that when I was holed up at the usual gathering spot outside the back door of the kitchen, wolfing down the salt-vored ramen.

    ¡°Let''s promote the way of the gigolo and rope in more buddies!¡±

    ¡°That''ll cause a disturbance to society as a whole, so please don''t. And having gigolos as buddies isn''t really a good thing, right? Won''t you be troubled if there''s more of them?¡±

    ¡°That won''t be the case. Didn''t Motonari Mori once say that it''s easy for a rope to snap, but difficult for three to break?¡±

    ¡°It''s easy to break 3 too!¡± He''s talking about arrows, not ropes!

    Because of Hiro''s personality, he had a unique viewpoint on rtionship between males and females.

    ¡°In the trade of being a gigolo, the most important thing is how to control a girl''s feelings!¡±

    ¡°You''re talking about how to make her think of you as a boyfriend at one moment and a partner in another, depending on the time and ce?¡±

    Hiro widened his eyes, his lips quivering with emotion.

    ¡°I didn''t teach you anything, and you already understood the ultimate skill behind this¡­you are a genius after all! There is nothing else I can teach you!¡±

    ¡°Didn''t you tell me that when you were drunk!?¡±

    ¡°No, I guess that this definitely is something I learned from you!¡±

    This guy''s starting to make up memories now!

    ¡°How do you make a girl treat you as a boyfriend? Don''t you often stay over at a girl''s ce and take their money, Hiro? That makes you look like a lover there, you know?¡±

    ¡°This has nothing to do with money! The target of infatuation is a boyfriend, but for love, it''s a lover.¡±

    ¡°Oh, so anyway, what''s the difference?¡±

    ¡°You''re saying that there''s a difference in infatuation and love?¡±

    I guess the only one I know who would say such a disgusting line unabashed would be Hiro. It was too embarrassing, and I decided to lower my head and not look at him.

    However, Hiro answered without a second thought,

    ¡°There''s nothing different. Both of them are lust.¡±

    ¡°That was unfiltered.¡±

    Then what was with that tall talk?

    ¡°For example, no matter how you look at me, from right or left, I''m still Hiro Kuwabara, you know? That''s the case. Infatuation and love are just two sides to lust. My job is to show women the side they want to see.¡±

    He was able to round things off so perfectly. Of course, there was a likelihood that all of it was nonsense he believed.

    Thinking about it, the words Hiro added on at the back was probably his true feelings.

    ¡°So¡­I''m unable to face them directly. If I meet someone I can face directly, I probably wouldn''t be a gigolo.¡±

    The reason why I thought of this was because Hiro''s eyes were ever so serious when he said this.

    Hiro went about at an abrupt speed, trying to convince everyone who was at the meeting at the bed in the NEET detective agency¡­he asked us to wreck the marriage, but how are we supposed to do that? What if that Huang Hong Lei has already set up a sweet trap for Min-san to fall into? If us getting involved was to be found out by her, she''ll definitely ignore you, right? There''s no meaning to this. Min-san only intended to be a recement and didn''t want to marry for real. In that case, shall we spread rumors of Min-san''s ws to the old heads of the Huangs? Like how her hands are hands and feet aren''t clean, or that she can''t hold her liquor? No, that''ll make Min-san very pathetic. Shall we barge in on the marriage like Dustin Hoffman and swoop away with the bride! Idiot, they''re mafia! We''ll just end up getting carted out with holes all over us¡­

    I stared at the sidelong face of Hiro wordlessly, and was only able to listen to their passionate discussion quietly. I didn''t have the strength to interrupt. Why wasn''t anyone retorting about this? Why was Hiro being so seriously?

    Finally, Yondaime spoke,

    ¡°So basically, master was forced to be the substitute because of the debt her dad owes? In that case, can''t we just find her dad and tell him to clean up his own mess?¡±

    The surrounding stares gathered upon Yondaime, and the echo of the air conditioning temporarily overwhelmed the silence that filled the room.

    ¡°Our specialty is in finding people.¡±

    Major nodded.

    ¡°But wait.¡± Tetsu-senpai interrupted. ¡°So that means we''re handing Masaru-san over to the mafia? He''ll get killed, you know?¡±

    Amongst everyone, Tetsu-senpai was the only one who saw Hanada Masaru''s face. Yondaime shrugged.

    ¡°He gets what he deserves, I guess.¡±

    ¡°Can''t say that now? He''s master''s dad.¡±

    ¡°Definitely can''t let Min-san shed any tears.¡± Hiro tersely stated.

    ¡°You idiot, how can master probably cry? Her dad''s practically nothing to her, or even a load.¡±

    ¡°That''s impossible. Min-san has tears and blood unlike you, Yondaime.¡± Hiro said. ¡°And Masaru-san''s going to be my sparring partner in the future!¡±

    I felt a bowling bowl hurled right at the back of my head. Hiro''s¡­for real. He''s serious about Min-san. How''s that possible? Wasn''t he someone who was called a gigolo by everyone? Nobody actually retorted him. Does this mean everyone knew?

    ¡°Is this the time for such nonsense? This is your request, right? Calm down!¡± Yondaimeshed back.

    ¡°Eh, erm, wait¡ª¡±

    I was finally able to interject, yet Alice, who remained silent all this while, suddenly spoke up.

    ¡°No, let''s do this.¡±

    Everyone turned to look at Alice. The petite detective had her nket draped over her shoulders, looking at me, before staring at Yondaime opposite her, and then to Hiro at her left.

    ¡°Let''s do as Yondaime said. We''ll look for Hanada Masaru.¡±

    ¡°¡­Why? Didn''t you hear? Hiro said not to.¡±

    ¡°Don''t you understand. I''m helping Hiro with the request, to look for Hanada Masaru.¡±

    Alice''s eyes were filled with starstreams that filled that night, that might break upon contact. I did see such eyes before, and so, I did not know what to say.

    Work was quickly allocated, and once that was done, everyone left the agency. Alice and I were the only ones left in the cold server room. Dejected, I sat in front of the bed, staring nkly at the closed door.

    ¡°What are you spacing out for?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡ªerm.¡±

    This series of sudden scare rendered me unable to speak clearly. Hiro suddenly revealed his true feelings, and Alice''s reversal of the request caused me to feel as though I was lost in a world of mirrors. Well, I would say that Hiro''s reaction wasn''tpletely unexpected. Without knowing, he suddenly became an employee of Min-san at ''Hanamaru'', but¡­

    ¡°Hurry up and work! Move 20 cans of Dr. Pepper over here. No need for them to be chilled.¡±

    ¡°20 cans¡­¡± Was she nning to drink them all? 7 liters of Dr. Pepper is about the total amount of blood within Alice!

    ¡°It might be fatal for me if I leave the bed now. This is an all out battle.¡±

    ¡°¡­All out battle?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I''m hacking into Huang Xiao Ling''s system.¡±

    I was shocked, and stared at the ck hair covering the back of Alice''s figure. Huang Xiao Ling, the one who came immediately to the office to put in a request after receiving contact from Min-san''s dad, but her motivations and thoughts were still vague.

    ¡°You started to realize something too, right? That woman''s hiding something.¡±

    ¡°Hm¡­I guess so.¡±

    ¡°She''s probably still in some form of contact with Hanada Masaru. Probably knows where he is right now.¡±

    Where Hanada Masaru was.¡±

    And so, this became the current objective of our NEET detective agency. Alice made a request that Hiro agreed with.

    ¡°¡­What was that all about?¡±

    I could only ask her. Typically, it was illogical for the detective to be the one asking.

    ¡°I''m not an ordinary detective. I''m a NEET detective.¡±

    ¡°I know that¡­¡±

    ¡°Once I receive a request, I can be the all-seeing eye that oversees the ends of all 3,000 worlds. Without receiving a request, I am merely an empty, silent window.¡±

    ¡°I¡­know that too.¡±

    ¡°This matter is a little strange. There are too many words shrouded in darkness, and Hanada Masaru is hidden at the center of it. I''m afraid that everything might be buried along with him, slowly rotting in the mud. Without receiving a request however¡­¡±

    Alice''s voice seemed to be yearning for something, only to vanish in the strong cold breeze.

    I sighed, and went back and forth between the fridge and the bed, moving arge number of Dr Pepper, and stacking them in a pyramid.

    She couldn''t help if there was nobody who made a request.

    A request would be the reason why this NEET detective would take action, and the shackle that bound her down. Alice said many times that the detective had to be limited to the position of a representative. The power of words is too powerful, it can shred, carve, sculpt, or even shape a person''s heart.

    But despite this, I often saw her leap beyond that boundary, and got deeply hurt as a result. As I was as useless as a tattered stic umbre.

    I knew how useless I was, but I tried saying to her,

    ¡°I once had a thought, I was sure that NEETs had to be either like this or that. Isn''t it stupid that NEETs have to take action only when they''re asked? That''ll only make thingsplicated. I don''t know how to stop Min-san from being coerced into getting married, and I don''t know what we can do if we find Hanada Masaru¡­bu-but, we can''t just leave this aside, right? He''s Min-san''s dad after all, you know? Isn''t that enough reason to help him?¡±

    I said that unabashedfully, and lowered my head, rubbing my palms on the pants of my uniform. I didn''t spill anything, yet there was a moist feeling. Maybe it was the humidity from the depressing words I said?

    What was the point of saying such words? I could not help but wonder, and I did not dare look up at Alice''s face.

    ¡°¡­Sorry for getting too carried away.¡±

    ¡°Whoosh!¡± a little air could be heard rushing out. It was the sound of a Dr. Pepper can being opened. Following that was Alice''s unexpectedly gentle voice.

    ¡°It''s fine. That''s your job!¡±

    ¡°¡­Eh?¡±

    I lifted my head. The stars were no longer to be seen in Alice''s eyes, just a white moonlight at the cusp of dawn.

    ¡°Us NEETs are too used to not knowing what to do, and too used to thinking that all will be fine if we do this. A car without a steering wheel needs a rear view mirror.¡±

    Then isn''t it useless even if there''s a rear view mirror? I wondered, but I nodded silently.

    ¡°One day¡ªone day, I might be able to break out of this prison, ovee the tall walls I built up, and step out to the vastnds without having to protect anything. Until that day arrives, only you¡ª¡±

    Alice swallowed her words, and I still remained silent.

    ¡°Just take it that I didn''t say anything,¡± Alice shook her head, and wrapped herself in the nket as she turned her back on me. The tapping of the keyboard again separated us.

    ¡°So what do we do once we find Hanada Masaru? Any way other than to hand him over to the Huangs?¡±

    Alice did not answer immediately as she merely gulped down an entire can of Dr. Pepper. The gulping heard from her throat seemed to change the tense atmosphere in the office.

    ¡°Right now, I don''t know. Maybe there''s another way.¡±

    The detective lowered her head, putting her fingers together as she said this.

    ¡°We know too little about this incident, so there are a few points I can''t ept. Amongst them, the strangest part is Hanada Masaru''s motives. Why did he run away? If Huang Xiao Ling''s words are to be trusted, Hanada Masaru''s murder was on ident, right?¡±

    ¡°Uu¡­¡±

    That was the case.

    A man acting as a bodyguard shot an intruder, and unfortunately killed Huang Xiang Yu who protected that intruder. If this statement was correct, Hanada Masaru''s sin was not unforgivable, but taking the two corpses away would be really suspicious. Was it because he ran away that others suspected him, and wanted his head, and even his daughter Min-san got involved? Why run away?

    ¡°Maybe¡­even if it''s out of carelessness, the mafia will continue to persist until the very end, so he can only run away?¡±

    ¡°Maybe, but that''s just a guess. Anyway, the truth lies in Hanada Masaru himself, and we have to find him. Listen, our aim is ultimately to prevent master''s marriage, and there''s no need to settle the entire incident. We just need master to understand that she doesn''t have to oblige with the Huangs.¡±

    Dejected, I sat on the floor in front of the bed. So that''s it, that''s how it was. In that case, we needed to know the truth, and then we figure out the rest once we sort everything out.

    ¡°In other words, once we find Hanada Masaru, the real battle follows. Right now, we don''t know who the enemy really is, and even Hanada Masaru himself may be on the same side as us¡­¡±

    I nodded firmly.

    Right, there''s a chance the Hanadas will be reunited! I suddenly thought. But does Min-san really want to see her dad, or not? She likes to act tough aft all. However, Hanada Masaru had a promise with his daughter. In April, when he slipped back to ''Hanamaru'', I saw the words he left us. ¡°Next time, let me try out the ice cream you made as well.¡±

    Finally, I thought of a future development that might be a little better, and my lips could not help but curl into a smile. Min-san probably wanted to let her dad taste her ramen, and not just the ice cream. Maybe she might even tell him that she found a reliable partner who would make ramen with her? No, I seemed to be imagining too much. But if this keeps up¡­

    ¡°What? Why are you leering away?¡±

    Alice''s voice caused me to cover my mouth in shock.

    ¡°Ah! Just had a thought, the one who''ll ask everything from Hanada Masaru, might be Hiro.¡±

    ¡°Hm? Why''s that?¡±

    ¡°Eh? No, well, you see, didn''t Hiro just say that Min-san''s dad will be his sparring partner in the future?¡±

    ¡°Speaking of which, he seemed to have mentioned it before. What does that mean? Does Hiro have some grudge with Hanada Masaru?¡±

    Dumbfounded, I stared at Alice. Right, this girl seemed to be very dull about this aspect, I guess?

    ¡°Eh, erm, anyway, that''s it. ''Dad, please hand your daughter to me!'' or ''who''ll marry his daughter to someone like you!'' and something like that¡­¡±

    Speaking of which, Hiro himself never admitted that he was serious.

    Alice was dumbfounded, her mouth agape for a while, and then, she sighed with much reluctance.

    ¡°That''s an exaggeration. A daughter doesn''t belong to a dad! And no matter what Hiro thinks of master, eh, no matter how much he likes her, he doesn''t intend to get married with her, right? That guy''s an unanchored yboy by nature.¡±

    ¡°Bu-but he started work recently, and it seems that he was already learning how to make ramen for a long time already. I''m thinking that this, well, he intends to run the ramen shop along with Min-san?¡±

    Alice was dumbstruck, unable to say anything.

    ¡°¡­Hiro? Umm¡­impossible¡­no, but¡­¡±

    All kinds of inexplicable emotions were shing on Alice''s childish face.

    ¡°Erm Alice, don''t tell me, that you don''t know Hiro''s serious about Min-san?¡±

    ¡°Hm? Wh-what are you saying!? I knew that already! I could tell from his demeanour!¡±

    For some reason, there was some obvious panic in Alice''s answer. She should have known about this, right? She knew Hiro for a longer time than I did. Tetsu-senpai and Major, and even Yondaime never showed much shock. Was it because nobody was shocked about this? Speaking of which, I suddenly remembered something. When Min-san was attacked by the yakuza and got hurt, I remembered Hiro panicking, right? Maybe there had been many simr cases of such incidents.

    ¡°In that case, why hasn''t there been any development between those two?¡±

    ¡°Development? What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Haven''t they known each other for a long time? If he likes master, can''t he just confess to her? Don''t you find Hiro to be a little useless?¡±

    ¡°Hm? U-uu?¡±

    ¡°Does the one being crushed on not know anything at all? Even though they were together for a long well¡­¡±

    ¡°Mmmmmm¡­¡±

    ¡°And they''re still buddies! They probably assisted each other in many ways, not just in work alone, but if she didn''t realize her buddy''s feelings for her, isn''t that too much? Eh, is it that Min-san''s very sharp when she is, but very dull at boy girl rtionships. What''s wrong Alice? Your face''s red.¡±

    Alice''s fingertips were quivering, and it appeared that she was crushing the empty can of Dr. Pepper. However, because of her feeble strength, the can showed nary a budge. And at that moment, Alice suddenly threw the empty can in her hand right at me.

    ¡°D-do you have the right to talk about others like that?¡±

    What''s with that? I hurriedly ducked my head as I evacuated to the back of the fridge.

    ¡°Someone without senses like you can''t determine the difference between a male peacock and a female, and you''re gleefully talking about rtionships between men and women? Unforgivable!¡±

    ¡°I-I get you! That''s not something I should be yapping about, but you don''t have to be so angry, right? This has nothing to do with you.¡±

    ¡°You''re saying that it has nothing to do with me?¡±

    ¡°¡­Probably not?¡±

    ¡°Uuuuu, fo-forget about it!¡±

    Alice turned her face to the monitor on the screen, and the hill of plushies fell.

    ¡°Anyway, I''m going to go through a long battle of endurance on the inte. Get out and stop disturbing my work!¡±

    ¡°Do you have to be so agitated?''

    ¡°Our opponent''s Huang Xiao Ling, the developer of the Zodiac Group''s Security system.¡±

    Alice''s voice was rather agitated, her eyes flickering with dangerous excitement. One of the monitors right in front of her showed the portal site of the Zodiac group, the Chinese Astrological Signs that signified the group''s name. The logo of the website was showing different signs based on the month, and right at this point, it was Libra. I was already well acquainted with it. It was said that there was a daily increase in the number of people using this site as a search engine, currently closing in on yahoo and google.

    It''s true that till this point, Alice was invincible when it came to the inte, and only in this case did she finally meet a formidable opponent. If the other party was deliberately hiding some message, it would likely be a troublesome one.

    In any case, and I started to doubt, if Xiao Ling-san already knew Hanada Masaru''s whereabouts, what was the reason for her withholding it from us? If she told us directly, the matter would have been a lot easier, and we would be able to help Hanada Masaru. Thinking about this, I started to wonder if Xiao Ling-san really didn''t know anything.

    ¡°Enough. Stop thinking too much and do what you''re supposed to do.¡± Alice seemed a little peeved as she said that. ¡°Also, listen up. I''ll keep reminding you this. You might end up dealing with more than Huang Xiao Ling. The opponent is the Chinese mafia. We don''t know what''ll happen if they got their eyes on you. That dangerous man especially, Huang Hong Lei, don''t ever get near him.¡±

    ¡°Right. Got it.¡±

    I heaved a sigh, and dragged my feet out of the office. It was the night of a slightly breezy early winter, but due to the frigid cold in the office and the difference in temperature outside, I felt as though I was surrounded in a warm sense of security. Far away, I could see the bright lights of the skyscrapers in front of the station. It waste.

    I went down the emergency staircase to the back door of the kitchen, and just so happened to encounter Min-san moving the beer crate out. There were the sounds of drunk customers in the shop, and Hiro being a listener. I nodded to Min-san, and intended to step on the bicycle. We made a decision during the meeting not to let Min-san know that the NEET agency would be taking action, because if she knew, she would be utterly furious, and would yell at us, why are you getting involved with the mafia, you brats.

    However, Min-san put down the beer crate by the wall, and turned to call me.

    ¡°What are you nning again?¡±

    I held the handles of the bicycle, rooted to the ground. This is bad.

    ¡°Why are you anxious to get away? You don''t want to answer my question?¡±

    I was about to get onto the seat of the bicycle, only for my belt to be grabbed from behind.

    ¡°N-nothing? Nothing at all!?¡±

    Even I realized that nobody would believe such nonsense. Min-san dragged me to the back door, grabbing me by the cor.

    ¡°Those useless guys, and even Sou came by. How''s it possible that there''s nothing? Is it something to do with the Huangs again? Don''t you guys ever learn? Listen, they''re the Hong Kong mafia, you know? They''ll chop limbs and tongues without warning, without flinching!¡±

    ¡°Erm, well.¡±

    Min-san''s furious re was right in front of me, and I could only think of what to say. She would definitely find out, so I guess I should tell her mostly truth? Just hide the critical matters first.

    But before I spoke, I had to be sure.

    ¡°¡­Did you hear anything from Hiro? Well, the request this time is by Hiro, so I have an obligation to keep it a secret for him.¡±

    Min-san nced aside, through the back door that was ajar, at the kitchen. Hiro, wearing a ck apron around his waist, was drinking with the regr customers. I didn''t know if he noticed me, or if he pretended not to.

    ¡°That guy never said anything.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I see. Well, I expected that.¡±

    Hiro probably wouldn''t be that careless,

    ¡°Though he did tell me to get married with him.¡±

    ¡°Ehhh!?¡±

    ¡°Saying that he''ll run the ramen shop with me forever, and got Alice and Sou involved to woo me. Stop trying to pull a fast one with such unimportant stuff.

    Hiro¡­you''re really serious! You were being honest all the way, and she wouldn''t believe you. Well, it''s an oue to be expected, but even you proposal was ignoredpletely. That''s too pitiful. Was that karma for fooling around with the hearts of so many girls?

    However, since this was the current situation, I probably knew how to continue. Taking a deep breath to calm myself somewhat, I spoke up again,

    ¡°Well actually, he''s beingpletely serious.¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Min-san frowned.

    ¡°Min-san, you''re going to be a substitute for the wedding ceremony, right? But that guy called Hong Lei might be using this chance to force a marriage with you. That''s why everyone''s worried.¡±

    ¡°Are you guys idiots? How''s that¡ª¡± Saying that, Min-san stopped herself.

    Then, I saw something very rare. Min-san looked aside, and even curled her lips. Was she embarrassed?

    ¡°You probably had an idea about that.¡±

    ¡°No¡­but that was when we were kids. Back then, Hong Lei and I were still brats in middle school.¡±

    ¡°See, I guessed so.¡±

    ¡°Like that''s the case, you idiot.¡±

    I got flickered on the forehead. I couldn''t see very well due to the dim lights all around, but I got the feeling Min-san was looking red.

    ¡°Me getting married has nothing to do with you guys anyway?¡±

    ¡°Well, you''ve been taking care of us all this while, so nobody wanted to see you being harassed by some strange guy and be in some unhappy marriage. That''s why we needed to investigate in many ways. Like whether he has other women, whether there''ll be domestic violence, things like that¡­¡±

    ¡°That''s enough already.¡±

    Min-san pushed my chest heart, and entered the kitchen without looking back.

    ¡°I said that they''re mafia. Someone died, and my dad''s on the run. If you''re going to investigate such useless stuff, what''ll happen if Hong Lei and his cronies set their eyes on you? Stop butting in!¡±

    Min-san''s tone was like a master telling off a pet cat, and I reached out to close the back door, heaving a sigh. It looked like I managed to get through somehow.

    I went to the front of the ramen shop, and exchanged looks with Hiro who was moving some ramen out of the shop. He waved at me with a wry smile, and I too raised my hand in return, before stepping firmly on the pedals. The chilly night breeze tickled my neck.

    Of course, I did not go home. During the prior meeting, I was assigned only one job, to obtain more information from Xiao Ling-san. Thus, I went up the Meiji Street, towards Shinjuku.

    Behind me was a tall standing skyscraper, and the right side was the Shinjuku garden. I cycled for approximately 3 minutes, and a 7 level building appeared at a cross junction with little traffic. All the lights from the 4th level and above were lit, and they looked as mysterious as a UFO floating above. The name of thepany was printed on the ss panel, Zodiac.

    I parked in front of the building, and took my cellphone up. I wonder if she would be willing to meet at this time.

    ¡°How did you obtain my cellphone number?¡±

    Xiao Ling-san''s voice stabbed at my ear through the speaker.

    ¡°Well, actually, I guess it''s better to find some intel that''s not really hard to find, and easier to talk about proper business. No, it wasn''t me, it''s the detective.¡±

    I inadvertently lifted my head, trying to find someone from through the windows. I got the feeling someone was looking down, ring at me, though I did not tell her that I was at the ground floor.

    ¡°Haven''t you heard the rumors about the Huangs? This isn''t a ce where a high school kid can just snoop around!¡±

    It''s my job to provide the retorts. I nearly spat out those words, but I guess this person probably wouldn''t bother with thisme joke of mine.

    ¡°We aren''t here to obstruct or influence the Huangs. Please understand!¡±

    There was a deep sigh from the speaker.

    ¡°Erm, sorry to disturb at such ate hour, but I''m actually in front of yourpany. There''s something I''ll like to request, so I''m wondering if you''re avable at the moment?¡±

    Saying that, I realized very well that this job was tough to deal with. The one most suited for this job would be Hiro himself, but he could only be asked to be an obedient employee so as not to let Min-san find out, and I was in charge of asking.

    ¡°What''s wrong? Didn''t that kid already reject the request?¡±

    ¡°Actually, you should know where Min-san''s dad is now, right?¡±

    ¡°Didn''t I say that he didn''t tell me?¡±

    She denied it immediately. Unlike me, it looked like everyone knew how to ask. What do I do? Try talking to her again? Erm¡­

    ¡°Well, as you know, that detective''s a hacker, and she managed to hack into your cellphone and obtained the call record from Hanada Masaru-san.¡±

    After saying that, I immediately regretted it. Nobody would record a phone conversation, right? That would certainly be seen through.

    However, something unexpected happened. Xiao Ling-san did not speak up for another 2 seconds, and clearly she was startled by my bluff.

    ¡°How''s it possible to record a phone conversation? Stop spouting nonsense.¡±

    Did she really record the conversation? If Alice was able to hack into her phone, we''ll find some clues. After hearing those words from me, I guess she probably deleted it? Alice at this point should be tussling with the security system, so I''ll continue talking. I summoned my courage, saying,

    ¡°How about you consider exchanging information with us? Regarding Hanada Masaru-san, I know some things even you don''t know about, Xiao Ling-san. That man came back to ''Hanamaru'' this April, and said a few things.¡±

    Those words werepletely made up, but Hanada Masaru did show up a few times in Spring, and Xiao Ling-san knew about that. Within this lie was 80% fact.

    At that moment, while looking up, I spotted a figure at the windowside of the 6th level. Due to the backlight, I could not see clearly, but the profile appeared to be female, and she''s holding the phone by her ear. I could even sense her lowering her head, looking down at me.

    A sigh came from the cellphone, followed by a hushed voice.

    ¡°Continue on in the phone. There''s nothing much to answer since what I know isn''t any more than what I didn''t.¡±

    Baited. So, did I realize my true potential as a con artist? For a moment, I was really amazed, and then I clenched a fist and punched my thigh to recover, switching my phone to the left hand.

    ¡°Before exchanging intel, tell me your group''s motives. What do you intend to do? Will it not affect the Huangs at all?¡±

    I gulped. Right, this was the point, the hardest one. Alice mentioned this in the meeting. How much information you want to inform Huang Xiao Ling of, that''ll depend on your talent as a con artist.

    ¡°Actually, I want to know more about your motives, Xiao Ling-san.¡±

    I hushed my voice as I said this. I really could not help but feel that it was inconvenient not to be able to see her expression at this moment, but at the same time, she couldn''t see mine.

    ¡°Alice and I couldn''t interpret your feelings, since you don''t seem worried that Hanada Masaru will be killed by the mafia. When you made the request, you never mentioned the need for us to help him, did you? I don''t know what your true intents are? You probably don''t want Masaru-san to get caught, right?¡±

    Following that, Xiao Ling-san began to ponder. This rally of guessing each other''s feelings really drains the brain cells. Assuming that she already knew where Hanada Masaru was, there might be a few reasons why she wouldn''t tell us, and the most definite reason would be that she didn''t trust us. If she told us, there might be a chance someone would slip up, and the mafia would obtain the news. However, if she didn''t trust us in the first ce, why did shee to the detective agency?

    ¡°¡­Masaru-san, he probably won''t get caught. Do you know how terrifying were his experiences? Even if all the members in the Huang Coalition is to be mobilized, it''ll be useless, probably.¡±

    There was a strange feeling in Xiao Ling-san''s voice as she said this. She was quivering slightly due to some uneasiness, but there was a firm conviction. It was really paradoxical.

    ¡°There''s no need to worry about Masaru-san. I just want to let things develop as he hoped, and not get Ming Li in some misfortune.¡±

    She was simply repeating what she said in the detective agency.

    I closed my eyes. Surely this person was hiding something, but her saying that it was for Min-san''s sake, that she hoped to respect Masaru-san''s wishes were both probably true.

    Let''s trust her. Or else there would not be any developments.

    ¡°Understood.¡± I continued. ¡°Now then, I''ll state our aim.¡±

    I opened my eyes, searching the darkness, took a deep breath, and thought of how I wanted to start off.

    ¡°Your older brother¡ªHong Lei-san intended to have Min-san take over for his murdered fiancee¡ªXiang Yu-san. Did you hear that?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I heard from Hong Lei.¡±

    ¡°It appeared Hong Lei-san used to have some feelings for Min-san. Is this still true? Erm, in other words.¡±

    ¡°Will he really use this as an excuse to get married with Ming Li for real? I''m wondering if that''s the case too.¡±

    Even his little sister feels this way too? So our guesses were right?

    ¡°Erm, is such a n really usible? I heard that it''s a political marriage between the main family and the branch family. Is it really alright to have someone be a substitute for such important wedding?¡±

    ¡°Wen Li-san¡ªMing Li''s mother was the daughter the Dragon Head doted on. Back then, when it was known that she wanted to marry Masaru-san, it was said that the Dragon Head sent a few assassins after him.¡±

    My jaw near dropped when I heard that. Doting on a daughter that much would be another level, right?

    ¡°However, it appeared Masaru-san took down those assassins, and finally gained the Dragon Head''s consent. After Ming Li was born, the main family in Hong Kong wanted to take her back to raise her. So¡­I''m guessing the Dragon head would be really delighted with this.¡±

    I could not help but sigh. That man called Hong Lei probably anticipated matters to such a level.

    ¡°If Min-san''s to be married with your brother, I don''t think she''ll be happy, right?¡±

    ¡°About that, I don''t know. I''m guessing it''s up to Ming Li.¡±

    ¡°No, Min-san¡ª¡±

    At that moment, I recalled.

    Before leaving the ramen shop, I had a little chat with Min-san, and mentioned the possibility of her getting married with Hong Lei.

    Min-san never said that she didn''t want to get married with Hong Lei.

    ¡°Masaru-san once asked me to see if Ming Li has any suitable partner, whether she''s living a happy life.¡±

    ¡°Haa¡­¡±

    So that''s why Xiao Ling-san went to ask Hiro directly? That Masaru-san killed someone, and is on the run, yet he''s still able to worry about this, I could not help but wonder. Maybe this is the heart of a parent. Speaking of which, there''s a likely chance that he won''t be able to see his daughter again.

    Min-san''s happiness.

    That¡ªshould be up to Min-san to decide. Objectively, Hiro''s in a disadvantage right now. One side''s Min-san''s childhood friend and the boss of a startup, and wholeheartedly devoted to Min-san (I guess). The other one''s a gigolo, the number of female he caused to cry in triple digits.

    I continued to m my thigh. Wake up already. What stupid things am I thinking of now? The one requesting this time is Hiro! I don''t need to think of whether Hong Lei can bring happiness to Min-san, and I don''t need to worry about Hiro''s gigolo antics having a high chance of making Min-san unhappy. The important thing now is to get Xiao Ling-san to trust us, to tell us the truth and help us.

    I gulped, and said,

    ¡°Actually, we''re looking for Hanada Masaru-san.¡±

    I said it. There was no room for me to regret at all.

    ¡°It''s unreasonable to force a marriage because of a debt her dad left behind. Right now, Min-san has her own life. That''s why we intend to bring Hanada Masaru back, and have him settle the issue he caused.¡±

    I paused, waiting for Xiao Ling-san to speak up, but she didn''t say anything.

    ¡°In other words, we''re on the same side as the Huangs, and we won''t get in your way. But¡ª¡±

    Taking a deep breath, I continued,

    ¡°Our ultimate aim is the same as yours, Xiao Ling-san. We definitely don''t wish for any unhappiness to happen to Min-san.¡±

    Saying till this point, I went silent again.

    The cars and motorcycles continued to race down the Shinjuku street, and the exhaust gases tickled my neck along with the icy night breeze. By the time I realized it, the figure at the windowside had vanished, and the lights on the 7th and 4th levels vanished.

    In the end, I stated most of the truth. I thought.

    After a long while, I heard Xiao Ling-san mutter,

    ¡°How are you kids going to find Masaru-san? He might not be in Japan anymore.¡±

    ¡°Xiao Ling-san, if you''re willing to reveal what happened at the scene, or the vehicle that was used in the escape.¡±

    ¡°Don''t be silly. If any outsider is to know of this, Hong Lei will definitely kill me.¡±

    And so, the call ended.

    Not willing to go through the Meiji street that was filled with exhaust gases again, I chose to cycle slowly through the Gaien West path. I decided not to think about it, but I had a feeling that if it was Hiro, he might be able to get Xiao Ling-san to help. However, Xiao Ling-san''s right in that the mafia intended to handle this murder case themselves. If any information was revealed to the outsiders, that Huang Hong Lei would not spare even his own sister. It was really unwise to request her of this.

    Right when I could vaguely see the massive shadow of the National Olympic Stadium on my left, my cellphone rang suddenly. I parked at the side of the pedestrian path, and found an anonymous number shown on the screen. Who''s calling?

    ¡°¡­Hello?¡±

    ¡°¡­Are you the high school kid at the detective''s ce?¡±

    The voice from the phone was as raspy as rusted metals rubbing each other, and I could hear immediately that it was Hanada Masaru. Why call me on my phone?

    ¡°Ho-how did you¡ªwhere are you now?¡±

    The sound of the bicycle toppling cut off my words. Now''s not the time to panic. Calm down. I reached my trembling hand to press the record button.

    ¡°Listen. Leave the interaction with Hong Lei to Hinamura Souichiro. This isn''t something to involve him with in the first ce, but that guy''s too obvious¡­ ¡±

    ¡°Ho-how did you know of Yondaime''s past?¡±

    ¡°The Huang Coalition has eyes around ''Hanamaru'', and they saw Hinamura and the others going in and out of the agency. You guys are being too careless here!¡±

    How? How''s it possible for him to know all this so well? Did he just contact Xiao Ling-san?

    ¡°Now that he''s seen, forget about it. Let Hinamura meet Huang Hong Lei. Have him say that he''ll fully assist in looking for me, and tell them everything. For the time being, that will make sure they won''t get suspicious.¡±

    ¡°What are you intending to do?¡±

    The phone line was suddenly cut off, and a ringing continued on for a while. No matter how I tried moving my phone away from my ears, or I took a deep breath, that sound never vanished. I looked down, and found that the wheels of my bicycle were spinning loosely. I stepped on the pedal to stop it, and dialed Alice''s number.

    ¡°H-Hanada Masaru just called my phone!¡±

    The detective gasped, and immediately hung up. Hanada Masaru knew of Alice, and probably wouldn''t be so stupid to have her investigate the GPS signal, but just in case, there was a chance.

    I lifted my bicycle, and slowly stepped on the pedal. At the same time, I tried reaching for the swirling doubts lingering in my mind, only to find that it was in chaos. What was Hanada Masaru intending to do? Why give us suggestions? Did he wish to be caught? Impossible. If that was the case, he might as well show up instead.

    Right, the first time Hanada Masaru called over, he did tell Min-san to ''wait for another week''. What''s he doing now? Raise enough money and get far away? Does he intend to use the NEET detective agency to mess up the mafia''s sights. You got to be kidding! I really had the urge to say that to him. I don''t know what you''re doing, but it''s because you never showed up that things aren''t developing at all! Please show up and settle this, so that Min-san won''t have to worry again.

    Suddenly, I thought of a possibility.

    Was Hanada Masaru running around because the reason of that killing wasn''t due to carelessness?

    It was just a baseless feeling, but if that was the case, what we''re doing right now would be making the worst case scenario even worse, and might even end up trapping Min-san further until she''s unable to escape.

    I exerted strength as I pedaled, elerating the bicycle. The chilly bright grazed my ears, but it could not erase this chill in my heart.

    Two dayster, after school¡ª

    On that day, I did not pass by the east entrance of the station where ''Hanamaru'' was, but instead, I went west.

    On both sides of the slope filled with many pedestrians, there were office buildings and all kinds of restaurants mixed among the many random buildings. There were already a few shops pedalling for businesses, probably because it was almost dusk. I tried to avoid the crowd as I pedaled hard up the slope, and at the Tokyu department store standing majestically afar, I turned at the left.

    My destination was a short building. The first floor was a small convenience store, and the shop front was covered with white and pink artificial flowers that were obvious from afar. The 3rd floor of this building was the office of Hirasaka-gumi.

    ¡°Good work today, Aniki!¡±

    ¡°You''ve worked hard, Aniki!¡±

    I opened the metal door and entered the office, finding some gnarling, savage looking men inside who suddenly stood up to greet me. We''re about to enter the season of leaves wilting, yet they''re all wearing short sleeved ck T-shirts.

    The Hirasaka-gumi was a gang of delinquents on this street. The leader, Yondaime, and a few other important members were at the age where they could no longer be called youths, and it''s really ufortable hearing these people call me aniki, when I''m just a 16-year-old high school boy. Rather than being used to it recently, I guess I gave up.

    ¡°Eh? Where''s Yondaime?¡± I scanned the office. There was a ss table in the middle of two sofas facing each other, right in the middle was a clunky table, and there were some framed calligraphy writings on the wall. This really was an impable gang office, but the most important leader wasn''t around. In the study inside?

    ¡°Sou-san''s off to get a car.¡±

    Answering me was a hunk in a ck T-shirt who''s probably above 2m tall, nicknamed Pole.

    ¡°Aniki, are you two going somewhere to beat people up today?¡±

    ¡°No no no, we''re not going to fight.¡±

    If they knew that we''re headed to the house of a Chinese mafia young lord, these guys would definitely be utterly mistaken and get ridiculously excited. Thus, I decided not to say anything more.

    The reason was due to the call from Hanada Masaru two days ago. We took the initiative to request Huang Hong Lei to conduct a coboration in the investigations. The risks were great, but it was worth a gamble¡ªso Alice said. Thus, we had Yondaime call Xiao Ling-san. While I was feeling worried through it all, things got negotiated quickly.

    However, I really could not shake off my doubts about Hanada Masaru. Why was he guiding us? To use us as a smokescreen for his escape?

    I was really curious about this, but I decided to follow to Huang Hong Lei''s house. Of course, I did not tell Alice about this. The meeting time was 4.30pm, about time then. I was feeling so tense, I was gasping for breath.

    At this moment, I found a book on the desk, and the title was ''Crash Course! Wedding Ceremony Manners''. That was really a title that invited uneasiness.

    ¡°¡­What''s this?¡±

    I actually asked, using up all my luck. Pole answered with a grin on his face.

    ¡°Everyone''s discussing about what to say at the ceremony.¡±

    ¡°E-erm, wedding ceremony? Whose?¡±

    ¡°Who else? Master and Hiro''s, of course! We heard it all. It''s on the 3rd next month!¡±

    Where did they hear that from? And how did they end up misunderstanding like that?

    ¡°Alright, you guys, repeat what you just thought of and have Aniki hear them out!¡±

    ¡°Right! We''ll train our manliness here!¡± One of the guys in ck T-shirt opened a folded piece of paper.

    ¡°Ehh, congrats on getting married, Hiro-san, Min-san. People say that there''s a need for three ''bags''. First, you need the ''stomach bag''.¡± ¡°A stomach''s needed even if you aren''t married!¡± ¡°Next, full ck bags.¡± ¡°Your T-shirts are alreadypletely ck!¡± ¡°Finally, Uniqlo.¡± ¡°Why are you helping with promotion here!?¡±

    ¡°Isn''t there the three ''Saka'' version?¡± Once those words were said, I decided not to retort anymore. If this kept up, it''ll be endless.

    ¡°Three ''Saka''? Which three?¡± Pole asked.

    ¡°The first is Hirasaka, right?¡± ¡°That''s referring to us!¡± ¡°What''s next?¡± ¡°Akasaka?¡± ¡°Right, there''s a lot of weddings held there!¡± ¡°Right, what''s thest one?¡± ¡°Otokozaka?¡±

    ¡°Definitely not Otokozaka!¡± This is bad, I instinctively retorted again. Stuff that are on hiatus orpleted are taboos to wedding. Speaking of which, nobody said anything about holding a marriage!

    ¡°What are you guys yapping about?¡±

    The savior''s voice entered the office along with the sound of the metal door being opened.

    ¡°Sou-san, good work.¡±

    ¡°Good work there!¡±

    I turned my head around, and saw Yondaime dressed in a blue suit walk over to me, rounding around the sofa. The white bleached hair caused his savage re to intensify by another 30 percent or so, and I cringed back in shock, only able to nod at him timidly. This time, we weren''t going to y. Better maintain some tension.

    ¡°Do you have time to bother with those idiots? Hurry up and move!¡±

    The glittering, posh body of a Mercedes Benz CL was parked in the narrowne in front of the building.

    ¡°Wh-what''s with this?¡±

    Yondaime had a few foreign cars that ranged from pricey to cheap, but this was the first time I saw him drive a benz. Really, this car really was a dissonance from the alley and Yondaime himself. It felt as disgusting as having foie gras with sushi.

    ¡°I''ll only drive this kind of car when dealing with such annoying stuff.¡± Yondaime said as he shoved me from the back into the co-passenger seat, while he went for the driver seat. This annoying thing he''s referring to, I wonder if that referred to him having to show off his capability as a yakuza gang, and not letting himself be underestimated?

    ¡°¡­Having you on the co-passenger seat is enough to have anyone looking down on us even if I''m driving a Porshe or Rolls Royce, right?¡±

    I feel the same. Sorry.

    Yondaime stepped on the elerator, and the car immediately sank, instantly rushing out to the road outside.

    The Huangs'' vi was located in a quiet part of Shimo-Ochiai, a unique, luxurious mansion built with hundreds of thousands of t tiles stacked together. It was also built on a slope, and one had to wonder how many floors there were. The siblings Xiao Ling-san and Huang Hong Lei lived alone in this ce, but it would not be strange to say that this ce wasrge enough to house the entire n.

    ¡°Are you reallying along?¡±

    Yondaime asked me at the entrance,

    ¡°You definitely came here without telling Alice, didn''t you? That girl''s going to bawl her eyes out if she knows you sneaked into the den of a Chinese mafia.¡±

    ¡°Ehh, well¡­that''s true.¡±

    Don''t approach Huang Hong Lei. Alice did warn me harshly before.

    ¡°I''m scared of a future mafia boss remembering my appearance! But I look like a high school kid, and he''ll probably think of me as yourckey, Yondaime. I guess I probably won''t be in any danger?¡±

    ¡°Whatckey? I seriously have no idea if you''re either scared or reckless.¡±

    ¡°My uneasiness is directed at Hanada Masaru. I just find that there''s something I couldn''t ept, and I don''t know what he''s nning anyway. If we''re going to negotiate with Huang Hong Lei, that means involving him, right? We don''t know what he''s thinking. You don''t mind about that yourself, Yondaime?¡±

    ¡°What''s there to mind? No matter whose thoughts are they, we just need to make it work, right? Besides, if we don''t do this, we''re at our wits end. Alice couldn''t hack into that woman''s phone, right?¡±

    ¡°You''re right¡­¡±

    In any case, I just couldn''t rx. I had a thought, that if I could personally hear what Huang Hong Lei had to say, I might be able to grasp Hanada Masaru''s n. That was why I came along.

    In other words, Ipletely directed my attention on Hanada Masaru, andpletely underestimated Huang Hong Lei.

    Yondaime nced aside at me, ring, and with a snort, he pressed the inte button. I could only sense the numerous surveince cameras hidden somewhere watching all over us.

    Surprisingly, it was Huang Hong Lei himself who personally came to invite us. He had that slick ck hairbed back, the color of his hair akin to iron. The deep, wine red shirt under the white suit had three buttons unbuttoned, revealing his chest. This was the second time I saw a man who''s so suited to wearing white. However, the white on Hiro was of a warm glow, while the white on this person was a chilling, flickering light that was like a de. Huang Hong Lei red at Yondaime, the Benz, and me in turn, before telling us e in.¡± Why did he not call in his subordinates or servants to open the door? Feeling startled, I followed him into the mansion. Speaking of which, did he not mind that I came over while wearing my school uniform?

    Unexpectedly, the interior of the mansion was of Western furbishing. The waiting room too was the same, as there was a beige carpet on the floor, and a simple volume sofa was ced in the middle The surroundings were nts for viewing, and it was a simple yet ssy Western-styled room. One of the 4 walls was a b of ss, and I could see a garden of green grass carpet and potted Azalea. I originally assumed that the walls would have vibrant colored dragons, or that it would be a ce filled with mafia goons. Unexpectedly, it was just an ordinary house, I guess?

    ¡°Is it that rare?¡±

    Huang Hong Lei asked with an intimidating voice, nearly jolting me from shock.

    ¡°You aren''t here just to sightsee, are you?¡±

    He sat on the sofa opposite us, his sharp re on me for half a second before he turned to Yondaime.

    ¡°Er-erm.¡±

    I would be fine keeping my mouth shut, but I just had to yap and exin.

    ¡°I just feel that this isn''t a ce a Chinese would live in. There''s no decoration on the walls, and the lights are normal¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you Japanese all live in ninja houses? Enough with the crap.¡±

    Hong Lei''s words struck me right in the chest, and I could only shrink back into the sofa. After that, Hong Lei didn''t say anything else to me. I''ll leave the rest to Yondaime then! I guess I''ll just shut up and pretend to be ackey here.

    ¡°Hinamura Souichiro. I suppose you''ve heard of me from Xiao Ling-san.¡±

    To be honest, this was the first time I heard Yondaime speak to anyone else with a respectful tone, and I sincerely hoped it was thest time. His tone and ent were not really that strange, but hearing it gave me a feeling of identally gulping down coffee powder. My mouth and throat felt really ufortable.

    Hong Lei narrowed his eyes as he sized up Yondaime.

    ¡°Enough with that stupid polite tone.¡± Hearing Hong Lei say this, I inadvertently widened my eyes, ¡°I find you to be an eyesore anyway, and since I''ll figure out a way to crush you, let''s save the hassle and just speak normally.¡±

    Yondaime heaved a sigh.

    ¡°Well, guess you knew about me.¡±

    ¡°Having set up a business on such a scale, of course I would have made my investigations.¡±

    ¡°That''s an honor. I already knew what kind of person you are, so let''s stop wasting time and get to the main point as soon as possible. I don''t want to work together with you again, so better to settle this as soon as possible.¡±

    I overheard the conversation from beside Yondaime. What''s with these two? Why do they look like they want to brawl upon meeting each other for the first time? Well, it''s true that they couldn''t treat each other as friends¡­

    ¡°I heard of it somewhat from Xiao Ling today.¡± Hong Lei spoke up first, ¡°And then? Why are you guys going to help find Masaru?¡±

    Yondaime suddenly nudged my shoulder with his own. Eh? He wants me to talk? He got to be kidding! I turned my head at Yondaime, who red at me as though he wanted to gnaw me to death. I frantically turned forward, and didn''t expect even Hong Lei to be staring at me. I want to go home¡­

    No, but, he''ll be suspicious if I don''t say a single thing. Guess I got no choice here.

    ¡°¡­Erm, well, we got a member called Hiro. You know, right?¡±

    I stammered, my mind again recalled what I should take note of.

    First, Hong Lei probably knew that Xiao Ling-san came to ''Hanamaru'' on that day. But I can''t let Hong Lei know what Xiao Ling-san requested, or else the matter of her receiving contact from Hanada Masaru would be revealed. So, I just needed to tell him that Xiao Ling-san went to ''Hanamaru'' that night because she was worried about Min-san. Alice, Min-san and I never heard the content of the call from Hanada Masaru, and never heard that he would call back a weekter. Right. Most importantly, I couldn''t let Hong Lei know that I received a call from Hanada Masaru. If I let it slip, I don''t know what''ll happen to me, and I might be interrogated, and my brain might get dug out.

    As for anything else¡ªas for what Hanada Masaru warned me¡ªI guess I should be honest.

    I cautiously began to exin.

    Hiro has feelings for Min-san too, and he''s worried that you''ll try to have her pretend to be the bride before marrying her for real, so he''s thinking of some way to prevent it¡ªafter I foolishly revealed it all, I realized, in my astonishment, and inadvertently shut up as I lowered my head.

    Hong Lei''s intentions were merely our guess right now, and I said it to him!

    I timidly raised my head, and saw Hong Lei raise a leg over his other one as he gave me a stoic look. On first nce, he didn''t appear to be angry, but he was more terrifying than just angry.

    ¡°Hmph. If you think you can bring Masaru back, I''ll just give up on Ming Li, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­Eh?¡±

    ¡°Well, whatever. I already know what you stupid brats are thinking already. But Hinamura, your situation is different. Given your identity, I don''t think you''ll be bored out of your mind as to y along with these kids? Why must you get involved?¡±

    ¡°This is worldly loyalty. I don''t think you understand how the people in this country behave.¡±

    ¡°Hmph.¡±

    Hong Lei again turned to me, and I was so nervous, sweat was trickling out between my fingers.

    ¡°And then? How much have you learned? Since you know the information we have, you have to show your cards.¡±

    Hong Lei suddenly leaned towards us, shocking me enough to lean back, and I found my chest being ttened. Why ask me? Please just continue to talk with Yondaime!

    ¡°E-erm, anyway, there''s not much news we have that we can report to you¡­¡±

    ¡°Don''t underestimate me now. Hinamura, the other hoodlums, and even you''re taking actions openly. Obviously, you got some news on Masaru, don''t you?¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°I know that you aren''t just some ordinary high school student.¡±

    ¡°I''m really a normal high school kid! Just as you''re seeing!¡±

    ¡°Are you intending to pretend not to know anything about Hello Corporation and the Tahara-gumi incident?¡±

    I was at a loss of words.

    On Spring this year, a Thai girl barged into the NEET detective agency with 2 hundred million yen in tow, and the incident that originated from this event ended up folding due to an auxiliary group of a certain gang.

    This isn''t good. I really shouldn''t havee along. I guess I was too naive to think that I could pretend to be ackey. What do I do? I couldn''t just lie to him, and besides, my lying skills are atrocious to a point of despair. My own voice echoed earnestly in my mind. I had to say some truth.

    ¡°Around April or so¡ª¡±

    Saying that, I was praying that my voice could reach out sessfully.

    ¡°¡ªMasaru-san once sneaked in to ''Hanamaru''. I guess he had some stic surgery on, and even Min-san couldn''t recognize him. However, he left a lot of ingredients that could be used for new soup making, and even wrote the address of the importing shop. These import shops probably involve where Masaru-san''s hiding now. I guess that''s something you don''t know?¡±

    I lowered my head and peeked up at Hong Lei''s eyes. There was no lie mixed in, but that information was probably useless. However, he didn''t know this.

    ¡°That''s all?¡±

    With Hong Lei interrogating me, I could barely nod my stiff jaw.

    ¡°Once you get back, send me a mail.¡±

    I could only hold in a sigh of relief to prevent Hong Lei from noticing. Then, Hong Lei drew out something from his pocket, and threw it onto the table.

    ¡°First, for you.¡±

    Two photos that were attached together with a clip.

    ¡°Photos of Xiang Yu, and her lover.¡±

    Photos of their corpses? I was taken aback, but Yondaime reached out for them without a second thought. In the end, both photos were simply normal head photos. It was to be expected. The corpses were taken away by Hanada Masaru, and there was no way any photos could be left behind.

    Huang Xiang Yu really didn''t seem simr to Min-san or Xiao Ling-san in appearance. She''s pretty too, but there was a sick gloominess to her. I felt that she would be seated on a Wisteria chair in the concubine quarters, with the female attendants serving her as shemented ¡°His Highness hasn''t been seeing me recently.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­erm. It might be a littlete, but, well, my condolences.¡±

    Suddenly, I recalled that she was dead, and so, I shrank my head back, trying to express some grief.

    ¡°Enough with that nonsense. The other guy''s a lowlife called Umeda Kouji.¡±

    Yondaime took out the second photograph, and it appeared to be ripped off from a driver''s license, for the photo was terribly taken. Umeda Kouji''s hair was dyed blond, and though he should be a young guy, his skin was rough, and his lips were drooping. His eyes alone looked slender, and did not seem to match his other organs.

    ¡°So this lowlife barged in to snatch your fiancee back¡ªand they were shot by Hanada Masaru. Is that it?¡±

    Yondaime said as he lifted his eyes from the photo.

    ¡°Right. I''ll show you the scene. Follow me.¡±

    Hong Lei got to his feet, while Yondaime and I followed suit. We passed through a simple, wide corridor, down several flight of stairs that were not too steep, and brought to a vi that should be located at the bottom of the slope. It was eerily quiet, and I could not sense anyone else around. I recalled the scenes after entering the house, and certainly, I didn''t see anyone other than Huang Hong Lei.

    ¡°I don''t think I saw a single house-servant or member here?¡± Yondaime asked. Huang Hong Lei merely snorted.

    ¡°This isn''t an office. How can I let my subordinates in? The fewer people that enter, the safer it is, and I can take care of myself. Xiang Yu said she doesn''t like to see the gang members, andter, she was left here. That''s why the Dragon Head said to hire a bodyguard to protect her, and hired Masaru.¡±

    I see. So the granddaughter of the boss was a youngdy in her youth, and I guess she probably didn''t wish for anyone to bring guns, walk around in ck suits, wielding some green dragon de or having bald heads with scary looks lurking around?

    ¡°Over here.¡±

    Hong Lei stopped in front of a simple cream white door, and turned around. The door opened, and inside was a luxurious bedroom as fine as a hotel suite. Opposite the bed was an entire ss window, and outside it was an unfurbished garden.

    ¡°Where was she attacked? Doesn''t the room look neat here?¡± Yondaime muttered.

    ¡°Obviously the ce was cleaned up, right?¡±

    Hong Lei took out a photo from his chest pocket, and brought it to us. I guessed. That photo was taken from where we were, and the look in reality seemed to ovep with the disaster that was printed out.

    The bed in the photo was covered in blood, and there was arge hole in the ss window, with scattered ss fragments all over the floor.

    ¡°It was already like this when I got Xiao Ling''s call. Masaru, Xiang Yu, and that Umeda Kouji all vanished. Masaru''s car was gone too.¡±

    Hone Lei coldly stated, and put the photo back into his pocket.

    ¡°E-erm, do you mind showing that photo? Just to investigate¡­¡±

    ¡°Don''t be stupid. Can you assure that you won''t bring it to the police?¡±

    I won''t do that¡ªthe moment I was about to say those words, Hong Lei''s hands shed by. I could barely see a sharp metallic glint, and Yondaime''s arm passing the corner of my eye.

    However, while Yondaime intended to grab Hong Lei by the cor, his hand remained frozen in the air. I felt that even his facial muscles were stiff. There was an icy pain spreading on my tongue, and a heavy breath of gastric arose, stuck in my throat.

    There were suddenly daggers in Hong Lei''s hands, and the de in the right hand was on Yondaime''s neck¡ª

    While the de in the left hand was in my mouth.

    If any part above my head moved by a single millimeter, my tongue and inside of my face would have been cut apart. Time seemed to freeze, and I could only hear Hong Lei''s hoarse voice.

    ¡°Listen up. Once you find Masaru. Report back immediately! Try any funny thing, and I''ll kill you.¡±

    I returned to ''Hanamaru'' alone, and the curtains were pulled up, indicating that business was running as usual. I could see customers through the opened door, and theughter of many girls could be heard from within.

    Thinking about that blood stained room alone was enough motivation for me to return home. The taste of the dagger lingered in my mouth, and my tongue got cut; it bled. Thinking back about that moment, I felt as though my throat got wringed out.

    Alice was right. I shouldn''t have just showed up so proudly. No, Hong Lei already knew of my identity, it seemed. I guess maybe it would probably end up as how it is now. I don''t know.

    It appeared like it would be impossible to gain a foothold over the Hong Kong triad. Even if we did find Hanada Masaru, we could only hand him over to the Huangs, and even if did nab him, it appeared Huang Hong Lei had no intention on giving up Min-san. What''s the meaning of our actions till this point then?

    However, the situation had developed to a point where we could no longer stop. By now, Yondaime probably spread the information of the escape vehicle he obtained from Hong Lei. Even though the official numbers in Hirasaka-gumi was less than 30, if Yondaime was willing, mobilizing all the NEETs in the neighborhood would not be a problem. Furthermore, his territory was not limited to this area, but even the entire Yamanote line.

    Maybe we could really find Hanada Masaru.

    I slowly parked my bicycle in between the buildings, kicked the stand down, and heard the sound of the back door opening behind me.

    ¡°Fujishima-kun, wee back! You kept us waiting!¡±

    I turned back to see a girl dressed in uniform rush out. The brown short hair fluttered vibrantly. It was Ayaka.

    ¡°¡­I''m back¡­what are you waiting for?¡±

    ¡°You don''t look energetic at all. What''s going on? You look like the entire world has no need for you or something.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for the detailed exnation¡­¡± and she basically got it correct.

    ¡°It''s fine. I need you anyway, Fujishima-kun. Come in!¡±

    Just like that, I was dragged into the kitchen. There were so many girls from our ss that the corridor was filled; Min-san continued to flip the wok in front of the furnace, looking gloomy, while Hiro was washing the dishes, a smile remaining on his face.

    ¡°Hey, it''s impossible even for Narumi! Give up already.¡±

    Min-san frowned as she said to Ayaka.

    ¡°Fujishima should be able to ept this, right?¡± ¡°But even if Fujishima can ept it, it''s pointless if we can''t sell it to the customers!¡±

    The girls whispered to each other.

    ¡°Eh¡­what''s going on?¡±

    ¡°We win you to try it!¡±

    Ayaka suddenly shoved a te towards me, and a sweet fragrance entered deep within my nostrils. There was some mysterious object on the te, and it appeared to be some burnt metal smile, currently corroding too.

    ¡°¡­What''s this?¡±

    ¡°Fried ice cream.¡±

    ¡°Haa.¡± Apologize to the ice cream.

    ¡°But Min-san won''t be able to make it to the first day of the culture festival.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± On that day, she was forced to participate in Huang Hong Lei''s marriage.

    ¡°So we don''t have a food preparation chef on that day.¡±

    ¡°That''s right.¡±

    ¡°In that case, we can only sell food that''s heated right before they''re served. That''s why I thought of ice cream!¡±

    I suddenly felt pain in my neck, and had to hurry out of the kitchen. Sorry Ayaka! I got stabbed in the mouth just a while back. I''m not in the mood for retorts now!

    ¡°I heard everything from Yondaime, you idiot!¡±

    I entered the detective agency, and Alice''s growl came flying at me along with empty cans of Dr. Pepper. All I could do was cup my head.

    ¡°What do you think you''re doing? You went to Huang Hong Lei''s house without knowing the situation at all! What do you think the Hong Kong mafia is? Do you think they''re as much of a gaming club as Hirasaka-gumi?¡±

    After she threw a dozen of empty cans or some, a voice came from Alice''s bedside, stopping her.

    ¡°Alice, that one''s not finished yet. It''s a waste to throw it.¡±

    It''s Tetsu-senpai. However, he wasn''t stopping Alice, unfortunately for me, and instead was just handing the empty cans to her. Thus, the barrage continued for a while.

    ¡°Narumi! Kneel down there! What did you discuss with Huang Hong Lei? Tell me everything to thest detail!¡±

    I climbed to Alice''s bedside, and handed the two photos I obtained from Huang Hong Lei to her, exining everything that happened, including Huang Hong Lei leading us to the scene, the bloody photo of the incident, and how I had a dagger in my tongue. Hearing this, Alice''s eyes suddenly widened as she pried my tongue open, and then, she shrieked with a pale face,

    ¡°Your tongue got cut! Tetsu, get some Dr. Pepper to disinfect it!¡±

    ¡°That can''t be used for disinfecting, right!?¡±

    I shoved Alice aside, and escaped from Tetsu-senpai who approached me half-jokingly with a can in his hand.

    ¡°Sorry. I''m reflecting on my brash actions too. Don''t give me Dr. Pepper! It''s sting the cut!¡±

    ¡°Your imagination is inferior to a snail, and you''re saying that you''re reflecting? Funny. If your tongue really got tongue, you won''t have the ability to even talk about such useless retorts. Do you really understand?¡±

    Upon seeing me look so dejected, Tetsu-senpai let out a snicker, saying,

    ¡°I say, Narumi¡­you should more or less realize that you''re very famous, you know?¡±

    ¡°I don''t want to ept this as fact, you know¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah! Right¡­the rumors out there say that the one who dealt with Hirasaka and chased a bunch of guys out of Tokyo was you, Narumi.¡±

    ¡°That''s just some baseless rumors now, isn''t it!?¡±

    ¡°I think there should be some basis, you know. Besides, you beat me.¡±

    ¡°No, that was, well, wasn''t there a lot of other reasons too¡­?¡±

    I could only cup my knees and grumble.

    ¡°Tetsu, ignore that blockhead for now. Report the police''s investigation now.¡±

    Senpai nodded, and took out a tattered notebook from the belly under his T-shirt.

    ¡°Shinjuku is outside our territory, so it took a longer time to investigate. The incident happened in Shimo-Ochiai, right? It''s true that someone did report sounds of gunshots and ss breaking to the police, followed by a growl from a young man.¡±

    I didn''t know the means Tetsu-senpai used, but he was often able to obtain intel from the police. He''s able to ask for the important information easily every time, and I''m starting to be a little worried about the security of this country.

    ¡°How many gunshots?¡±

    Alice asked as she continued to tap at the keyboard while looking at the screen.

    ¡°4 times.¡±

    ¡°Isn''t that enough to be considered a criminal case?¡±

    ¡°The cops are doing a thorough search as we speak, and even requested Huang Hong Lei to let them in to investigate. In the end, nothing.¡±

    I felt a chill, and inadvertently recalled the sight of that photo ovepping with reality, causing the cut on my tongue to burn with a stinging pain. How long did it take for the police to respond to the gunshot? Was it possible to clean up the ss and bloodied bed so thoroughly before they arrived? I guess the mafia''s probably very familiar with such scenes¡­maybe there are people who specialize in handling them. Even my arms were starting to shiver at this point.

    I didn''t want Alice to notice that I was shivering, so I treaded off the bed lightly and left the office. The air surrounded my skin like warm water.

    I continued to sit on the turnabout of the stairwell, and tucked my head between my knees, sighing hard. If I continued to shiver inside the office, Alice would say those words again,

    ¡°Don''t get involved.¡±

    I didn''t have the conviction, and I''m not used to picking fights with others. It was to be expected that Alice would say this.

    If this kept up, I would simply be repeating my past failures! Got to pull myself together! Don''t act rashly without being prepared! I continued to tell myself this, grabbing my thighs.

    At this moment, the sound of someoneing up the stairs caused me to lift my head.

    ¡°What''s the matter, Narumi? Heard your mouth got cut?¡±

    It was Hiro. He had already taken off the apron at his waist. I wiped my lips with the back of my hand. Did he notice something?

    ¡°No, it''s nothing. Nothing at all.¡±

    Hiro sat down beside me, and sighed hard.

    ¡°I get the feeling that our positions are different. I don''t think I''ll be able to tell you not to force yourself like usual, you know? I''m the one making the request. It feels weird.¡±

    Now that Hiro said so, that did seem to be the case. When we received his request, we didn''t know how to face him. Luckily¡ªor maybe not, we were so busy that we hardly had the time to talk, so we hadn''t realized our issues before this.

    I really wished that Hiro would continue to be that irresponsible gigolo of a big brother, alwaysforting others with a kind tone¡ªthat was what I really hoped¡ªbut even Hiro, who was so frivolous, would seriously fight for important things in his life.

    ¡°Erm, it may seem inappropriate to ask now, but, ¡° I said, ¡°Hiro, you''re serious about Min-san here, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Hiro smiled heartily.

    ¡°Please don''t get angry.¡±

    ¡°Angry about what?¡±

    ¡°I still can''t believe that you''re for real.¡±

    ¡°Min-san doesn''t seem to believe either¡­because I''m like the boy who cried wolf.¡±

    So he knew that?

    ¡°So, well, I don''t think I''m acting because of your request, Hiro. To be honest, I''m doing this for Min-san, and for Alice. You don''t have to worry about me.¡±

    ¡°It hurts having you state so bluntly.¡± It''s because this guy always said such words with a smile that nobody ever thought he was serious, I guess. Thinking hard about it, this guy really had it tough.

    ¡°I''m being very serious here, you know? There isn''t a woman better than Min-san out there, you know?¡±

    ¡°See? That''s what I''m talking about.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, yes. I see. I''m reflecting on that.¡±

    ¡°Why didn''t you confess to Min-san right from the beginning? You starting learning how to make ramen since a long time back, didn''t you? When Min-san was going out hiring employees, you could have signed up for it, couldn''t you, Hiro?¡±

    ¡°The problem''s that I didn''t look like someone who''ll work! That''s why I kept waiting for the chance, and then I thought that if I can pretend to interact with girls, I''ll be able to naturally work at ''Hanamaru''.¡±

    I looked up at the evening sky, and sighed longingly. I see. So this is basically the ''my own kind of cage'' line from a certain lyric, right? I''m guessing that it''s a Mr. Children song.¡±

    ¡°It''s because you keep insisting on such things that nobody thinks you''re being serious, right?¡±

    ¡°I know that too¡­but when I said that I''m aiming for high school girls, it''s partly true¡­¡±

    This guy''s really hopeless.

    ¡°Speaking of which, Hiro, your gigolo lifestyle hasn''t changed at all. You''re still staying at that bartenderdy''s ce, right? How is that going to make Min-san think that you''re serious?¡±

    ¡°You''re right¡­¡±

    I inadvertently tossed aside my shame, and had the desire to tell Hiro off. At this point, I guess I gave up on myself, no? I didn''t have the right to tell others off, and I''m just bullying the weak to make myself feel better. I''m really terrible.

    ¡°Actually, I went to see Huang Hong Lei today.¡±

    ¡°Eh-ehh? Then, the mouth injury was.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, no, it''s nothing much. The problem is that it looks like he really wants to marry Min-san.¡±

    Hiro frowned as he gave a bitter smile.

    ¡°And he said that even if we did find Hanada Masaru, he doesn''t intend to let go of Min-san. He''s an entrepreneur, has an amazing number of assets, and probably isn''t as much of a yboy as you. I''m guessing that he isn''t the type to fool around like you. It looks like Xiao Ling-san and him were the only ones living there, so he does seem to be able to do some housework at least¡ª¡±

    I suddenly stopped, and covered my mouth.

    Something seemed amiss, but what? I instinctively stood up on the stairs. ¡°Narumi?¡± Hiro called out to me in surprise. However, I continued to stand still and look up high. What did I think was amiss?

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    I turned around, and opened the detective agency door before rushing in. Alice, sitting on the bed in the room, was taken aback as she jolted, while Tetsu-senpai beside her widened his eyes.

    ¡°What''s with thatmotion¡ª¡±

    ¡°Alice!¡± I leapt to the beside. ¡°Remember when Xiao Ling-san came here? She described what happened that night, and said, ¡°The helper taking care of Xiang Yu said that Masaru-san dumped their bodies into a car, and drove off.¡±

    Alice widened her eyes, answering,

    ¡°¡­She did. So what?¡±

    ¡°Only Hong Lei and Xiao Ling-san live in that house. There''s no helper around!¡±

    Alice''s expression changed drastically, and she immediately went for the phone.

    ¡°¡­Yondaime? It''s me. Check everywhere for a doctor, from near Shimo-Ochiai. I''ll exinter! Hurry!¡±

    Doctor? I see. A doctor¡­

    The sound of the door being opened could be heard from behind, ¡°What''s wrong, Narumi?¡± It was Hiro''s voice. Before I could turn my head back, Alice hung up the phone, and stood up.

    ¡°Perfect timing, Hiro. Gather all the Chinese girls you know. We''re looking for every single doctor near Shinjuku, and list them all whether they''re private or unlicensed.¡±

    ¡°Do-doctor? Why?¡±

    ¡°Hurry! If the Huang Coalition get a move on us, it''ll be all over. We need to hurry.¡±

    Overwhelmed by Alice''s tone, Hiro nodded, and hurriedly left the office. Right, Hong Lei must have noticed this soon. He''s sharper than us all. That''s why we have to be quick.

    ¡°Hey! What''s going on? Why are we looking for a doctor?¡±

    Tetsu-senpai, seated by the bed, raised a question, but Alice was already forced on the monitor in front of her, tapping at the keyboard like rain in a thunderstorm falling. She probably didn''t hear Tetsu-senpai''s voice, so I could only answer her,

    ¡°Hong Lei and Xiao Ling-san are the only ones living in the vi in question, no servants at all.¡±

    ¡°H-hm?¡±

    ¡°So when she said that the helper saw it, that was a lie. Don''t you understand? In other words, ''only Xiao Ling-san'' said that Hanada Masaru killed two people and drove off to escape.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai''s eyes popped.

    I didn''t know how much of those words were a lie, but that amount of blood, gunshots, and a young man''s growls were true. If she had to lie that two people were dead just to cover up the truth, the truth should be¡ª

    ¡°Huang Xiang Yu might still be alive¡­¡±

 Volume 6, 3

    <h4>Volume 6, Chapter 3</h4>

    The hospital we were looking was located in a corner of the buildings located in Shinjuku Hyakunincho. The abandoned building was practically devoid of any human traces, and the disy board with broken, faulty neon lights were mostly filled with Korean words. It was nearly evening, and entering my ears were the sounds of the people in the pachinko parlors by the roads, with some squabbles in Korean and the exhaust gases echoing. This ce was a station away from Shinjuku, yet it felt so different.

    ¡°Over here? Really? I don''t see a hospital signboard here.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai was the first to get off the car, and said this as he lifted his head up to look at the building.

    ¡°Most likely, he''s without a license. Of course he can''t possibly hang his signboard out there!¡±

    Major said as he slipped to the side of the building''s shutters, and scanned his surroundings before reaching his right arm gently for the keyhole. It felt as though there was a sh between his fingertips before the shutters opened with a ttering sound. Major''s a military nut, and also a specialist at gadget creation and illegal intrusion. Amongst us in the NEET detective agency, he''s the closest to being a criminal (or I''ll say, he is a criminal). It''s way too easy for him to unlock the doors of this abandoned building.

    Inside the basement carpark was a wagon car covered in blue vinyl sheet, and one could be certain of who the owner was without looking at the license te. We lifted the sheet to look at the car, and found an entire ck stain on the chair of the co-driver seat.

    Blood marks. They could be seen on the seat, and the floor leading from the bottom of the car door to the stairs .

    I gulped hard.

    ¡°We''ll stay put here. Go upstairs to look.¡±

    Yondaime said to me, and beside him were a few Hirasaka-gumi members d in ck T-shirts nodding at me. Hiro had already gone for the stairs, and I again lifted my head to look at this building that was covered with ck stains on the wall.

    Having obtained news of the escaped vehicle from Huang Hong Lei, we immediately deployed Hirasaka-gumi and thework of the many female friends Hiro made, and spent two days to find this ce. Of course, locating the doctor would help improve efficiency, but the scale of ourwork was still rather surprising.

    ¡°Why choose such a nearby ce? Even without us getting involved, if he''s hiding here, he''ll be found out immediately, right?¡±

    Tetsu-senpai muttered as we went up the stairs. Actually, I was a little curious about that. The ce was a ten minute walk from Kabukicho in Shinjuku, and this ce was really too dangerous a hiding ce for someone trying to hide from the Chinese mafia.

    ¡°This ce is Korea town, that''s why. The Huangs are from Hong Kong, and they probably won''t be able to take action too easily, right?¡±

    Hiro said as he walked in front of us.

    The reason why we were able to find this ce was due to an eyewitness ount from a Korean girl Hiro knew. On the night of the incident, a car drove into this building, and on the third floor, that typically didn''t have any lights on, there were a few shadows.

    The fireproof door on the third floor of the building was tightly shut, and Major spent a lot of work just to unlock it. We entered the pitch dark floor, and immediately scented a whiff of disinfectant. The long and narrow corridor was made even more narrow due to the crude ck sofa and the stacked cardboard boxes. Major entered the room first, and came out again.

    ¡°Nobody inside at all.¡±

    So, all members of the detective agency entered at the same time.

    In front of us was a messy, filthy hospital room,and we couldn''t tell where the clinic was, where the bed was, where the toilet was. The fact that there was electricity and potable water avable was surprising in itself. The shelves, tables and desks were all covered in dust, but at the basin, there was clearly signs of blood that was washed away recently.

    ¡°They dealt with the wounds here, and drove off in another vehicle?¡±

    Tetsu-senpai flipped through what appeared to be a patient log as he asked this.

    ¡°That should be the case, right? Now, the problem is, where''s the doctor? Did he run away as well?¡± Major answered as he rummaged all over the tables.

    ¡°Narumi, have you contacted the mafia?¡±

    Hiro asked me, and I shook my head.

    ¡°No. I want to try finding all the beneficial evidence and hide them, so after aplete search I''ll give a call.¡±

    We''re only pretending to help the Huangs because we didn''t want to help them, and that was why we asked about the escape vehicle. Because of that, I hoped to use that little extra time we had.

    ¡°It feels like you''ve been saying a lot of scary stuff recently, Narumi¡­¡±

    ¡°Eh? R-really?¡±

    ¡°If the mafia finds out that you''re acting on your own like that, you''ll definitely be killed.¡±

    ¡°Ah, ye-yeah, but¡­¡±

    ¡°Don''t worry.¡± Hiro smiled. ¡°I''m the requesting party this time, so I''ll bear half of that price.¡±

    ¡°Hiro¡­¡± Even if that was a joke, this guy''s really kindhearted.

    ¡°I''ll just take half of your chopped body then!¡± I''m an idiot for trusting this guy!

    ¡°Speaking of which, how did you know that the girl who should have been dead is still alive?¡±

    Tetsu-senpai asked, I want to know too, and Hiro gave me such an expression. Everyone had been running around over the past two days, so I didn''t have the time to exin the details to them.

    ¡°It''s not that I''mpletely certain she''s still alive, but,¡±

    I turned to look out of the dim window.

    ¡°It''s just that Xiao Ling-san definitely lied.¡±

    Back then, what she told us was this,

    Hong Lei''s fiancee, Huang Xiang Yu was staying in the house of the siblings Huang Hong Lei, Huang Xiao Ling in Shimo-ochiai. However, this marriage was a political marriage by the Chinese mafia to establish bloodline rtionships. In fact, Xiang Yu had another boyfriend, and a few days ago, that boyfriend, the man named Umeda Kouji held a gun and barged into the Shimo-Ochiai residence. Hanada Masaru, hired as a bodyguard to Xiang Yu, killed them in ident because Xiang Yu got up to protect Umeda Kouji. He then loaded their corpses onto the car and drove off, and these events were witnessed by the helper in the house.

    ¡°I heard that too.¡± Tetsu-senpai nodded.

    ¡°But the problem here is that the siblings don''t have a helper in their house.¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    ¡°So in fact, the real witness of the incident was Xiao Ling-san. Hong Lei only returned home after receiving Xiao Ling-san''s call, so back when the incident happened, she was at home.¡±

    ¡°The why did she have to lie that a helper saw it?¡±

    ¡°Because she''s a fan of Ichihara Etsuko?¡±

    ¡°Major, stop interrupting!¡± This is serious business I''m talking about!

    ¡°You really like humor like usual, Vice-Admiral Fujishima. You just shot down this deliberate joke from me with the precision of an M24 sniper rifle.¡± He''s annoying. I guess I shouldn''t bother with him.

    ¡°As for the reason why Xiao Ling-san would lie, it''s still a guess for now¡­¡± actually, everything after this was just a guess, ¡°Hanada Masaru killing Xiang Yu might be just Xiao Ling-san lying.¡±

    ¡°Lying? Then, that guy with the slick hair was fooled as well? Tetsu-senpai said as he folded his arms in front of his chest.

    ¡°That''s likely the case. But Alice is a detective. If Xiao Ling-san has to lie about a witness in front of her, it''ll be troublesome if that''s to be seen through or suspected. That''s why she went ahead to create a fake witness.

    ¡°No, but¡­¡±

    Hiro lifted his head and stared into space.

    ¡°But this lie can only work once, right? If her exnation doesn''t tally with what her older brother said, it''ll be seen through. In fact, you saw through it, Narumi. That person doesn''t look stupid, and probably won''t be so careless as to believe such words, right?¡±

    ¡°I''m feeling strange about this too. I grabbed my hair messily. ¡°That person''s words and actions were really too weird. Even till now, I still can''t figure out why she came to look for Alice, and I don''t know what she hoped for us at the NEET detective agency to aplish. She said that she''s very close to Hanada Masaru, but she didn''t look as though she was worried about him. She heard from us that we wanted to assist in looking for him, and immediately got us to Hong Lei without hesitation.¡±

    ¡°But Narumi, you can more or less guess the reason for that, right?¡±

    ¡°Hm, I guess.¡± I really had no confidence at all, and could only look down at my toes.

    ¡°As Hiro said, that lie could only work once. I guess this might be what Xiao Ling-san''s real objective is? In fact, she remains in contact with Hanada Masaru, and even knows his whereabouts, and assisted him fully. The reason why she came to the office was to let us know what happened, and for us to do whatever we wanted. I guess that''s to buy some time? That was a flimsy lie she made, but she got the time she needed. It probably doesn''t matter even if everything was seen through now.¡±

    ¡°Buy time? For what?¡±

    ¡°Probably¡ªto get Xiang Yu as far away as possible.¡±

    Hiro remained rooted, Tetsu-senpai''s mouth remained ajar, and Major, flipping through the patient log, stopped.

    ¡°¡­Eh? Eh? Erm?¡±

    The first to recover was Hiro.

    ¡°So it''s the fiancee who escaped willingly?¡±

    ¡°That should be the case. She probably doesn''t want to marry Hong Lei, whom she doesn''t like anyway, right?¡±

    ¡°Were Masaru-san and that woman Xiao Ling secretly helping?¡±

    Tetsu-senpai asked, and I nodded.

    Xiao Ling-san and Hanada Masaru-san coborated in establishing a lie that Huang Xiang Yu was killed, and other than that reason, I couldn''t think of anything else. Xiao Ling-san probably hated such political marriages that were unbefitting of the times. When Hanada Masaru got married with Min-san''s mother, he suffered a lot due to the Huangs'' pickiness.

    ¡°You too are really something to be able to continue deducing like that, as if it''s the real thing¡­¡± Tetsu-senpai seemed to have given up.

    ¡°Erm, no, that''s.¡±

    ¡°Do you guys really think Narumi''s smart now? What he said were all my hypothesis.¡±

    Suddenly, I heard Alice''s voice, and literally jolted.

    ¡°Ahh, sorry that I didn''t mention it to you. I''m connected to the voice channel from the detective agency.¡±

    Major pointed at the mini-device hanging at his waist as he said this. Eh? Th-that means, did Alice hear everything I just said?

    ¡°Stop wasting time and get to work. Crafting the truth based on facts is my job, and your job is to copy everything you see as fact. Also, what was with that exnation, Narumi? Couldn''t you have been more orderly with what you said? Your points are as erratic as the mosquitoes inte Autumn flying around, and you even put your hypothesis up front as though it really happened¡ª¡±

    Alice continued to rattle on, but we still had to continue work. The sound of exhaust gases from the cars could be heard outside, followed by some frantic footsteps running up the stairs.

    The boors to the clinic was mmed open roughly, and Yondaime barged in.

    ¡°Huang Hong Lei found us! They''re here!¡±

    Everyone present was startled by those words, and the files, notes and patient records in our hands nearly fell to the floor. I didn''t contact them.

    I heard the voices of the Hirasaka-gumi members downstairs, and this time, a few of them could be heard running up the stairs. mming aside the clinic door and shoving aside Yondaime was Huang Hong Lei, dressed in a gray suit and long coat. The men following behind had either shaved eyebrows or bald heads, and clearly, they were not decent people.

    The long narrow eyes under the slick head scanned the room like a Qinglong sword, and stopped the moment they spotted me. Huang Hong Lei tookrge strides towards me, and I shrank back in fear.

    ¡°Hey, wait¡ª¡±

    Tetsu-senpai noticed that something was amiss, and wanted to shield himself in front of me, only for Huang Hong lei to knock him aside with his shoulder as he closed in in my. Sparks seemed to fly in my vision, and my back was mmed into the wall as I was unable to breathe. There was a scorching burn on my face, followed by pain, and my brain finally understood that I was beaten up.

    ¡°You bastard!¡±

    Tetsu-senpai yelled, but I hurriedly reached out to stop him.

    ¡°Wait, stop, calm down, senpai!¡±

    Something seemed to be busted in my mouth At first, I felt the taste of blood stinging my mouth. Tetsu-senpai frowned, and I cautiously turned to look at Huang Hong Lei.

    ¡°Since you found this ce, why didn''t you contact me immediately?¡±

    Hong Lei''s words seemed to stab deep into my nks and organs. I could only look away, because there was no point in giving any excuses.

    ¡°Hey! Drop everything you have in your hands!¡±

    Hong Lei turned to yell at Major and Hiro, and thetter silently put the info they had in their hands onto the table and shelf respectfully. Hong Lei then turned to me, tilting his head with a stoic look.

    ¡°I told you that if I''ll kill you if you dare do anything funny, right?¡±

    He grabbed my shoulder.

    ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°You bastard!¡±

    Tetsu-senpai and Yondaime''s voices echoed. At this moment, the voice of the girl suddenly came from Major''s waist.

    ¡°Huang Hong Lei.¡±

    The shoulders under the longcoat reacted. After calling him, Alice started rambling a bunch of words, but I could not understand anything at all. She was (probably) speaking in Chinese.

    Alice''s voice continued for a while, and themunicator went silent. Hong Lei immediately lifted his head to look at Major.

    ¡°¡­What was that?¡±

    Major leaned on the wall, reaching for the equipment hanging on his waist.

    ¡°That''s ourmander, the NEET detective. She''s somewhere else right now, only connected with us through voice.¡±

    Hong Lei frowned.

    ¡°Is that the kid hacker Xiao Ling mentioned?¡±

    Major nodded. Hong Lei spoke a few words of Chinese to themunicator, and after a few exchanges, Hong Lei shoved me to the wall, and turned to leave.

    ¡°I won''t kill you yet. Now scram.¡±

    ¡°¡ªYou idiots! Do you have to understand only when you''re killed?¡±

    We returned to the detective agency;I was caught by Min-san at the emergency staircase, and took a beating from her.

    ¡°Didn''t I warn you that they''re mafia? They''ll dig out eyeballs without flinching!¡±

    ¡°Sorry, erm.¡±

    It appeared that Min-san already knew where I came back from, and what I encountered too. I was shaken by her by the cor, and suddenly heard a rattling of the emergency staircase as footsteps came downstairs.

    ¡°Narumi!¡±

    I turned back to look, and found a figure dressed in blue pajamas leapt towards me with the light behind her.

    ¡°You were beaten? Did you suffer any fracture? Do you need the hospital?¡±

    Alice hugged my waist, and asked with a teary look on her face. I was taken aback, and for some reason, my mind thought of something ridiculous. Hasn''t she been running outside for a while recently?

    ¡°Alice, ca-calm down! I haven''t had any major injuries, just another cracked skin in my mouth.¡±

    ¡°I was careless of our actions! I didn''t notice that Huang Hong Lei already knew of our actions! I won''t be sending you over to such dangerous ces again. Stay inside the ICU obediently for the rest of your life!¡±

    ¡°What are you thinking of my life as!?¡±

    ¡°You two idiots. Now''s the time for idle chit-chat, huh?¡±

    Min-san proceeded to exert more crazy strength on us, and hung both Alice and me on her shoulders.

    ¡°Woah!¡± ¡°Wahhh!¡±

    And just like that, we were carried off into the agency, and thrown onto the bed. With Min-san''s anger showing no signs of subsiding, Alice and I immediately got to our knees.

    ¡°What about the other idiots? Didn''t youe back together?¡±

    Min-san went straight to the point and asked that. She clenched her fist as she asked, and I could only pull my head back in as I answered obediently.

    ¡°Well, we''ll definitely get scolded by you when we return to ''Hanamaru'', so Senpai, Major and Hiro went straight home first, and left the job of being scolded to me.¡±

    ¡°I see!¡± Following that was another punch. The wound in my mouth ached again.

    ¡°Master, if you have to beat him up, please beat the stomach! What''ll happen if Narumi won''t be able to talk again? It''ll be troublesome when he has to order full packs of Dr. Pepper!¡± ¡°There''s more troublesome things than that, right?¡±

    ¡°And then? What were you investigating that made Hong Lei rough you up? Was it that you''re looking for my dad?¡±

    ¡°Actually, that''s right.¡±

    The moment I said it, I instinctively cupped my head. Min-san merely sighed.

    ¡°And even if you did find him¡­what can you do?¡±

    Min-san''s voice sounded like water that had umted for quite a while, trickling from a crack.

    I nced aside at Alice, and the petite detective nodded. She lifted her head, and said to Min-san.

    ¡°Master, actually, Hanada Masaru didn''t kill Huang Xiang Yu.¡±

    Min-san widened her eyes slightly, and for a moment, was silent. I stared at her face, not daring to gulp for breath.

    ¡°Hanada Masaru and Huang Xiao Ling put up an act to get Xiang Yu to escape from the marriage she was unwilling to participate in.¡±

    ¡°¡­Why did he do such a stupid thing?¡±

    ¡°Because Hanada Masaru''s wife too did the same thing when she chose between the Huangs and her love. You should know this better than anyone else, Master.¡±

    Min-san looked aside. I stealthily peeked at Alice''s sidelong face. Didn''t she tell me not to state my guesses as though they''re reality? Now she''s concluding everything from the beginning to the end. Is this really alright?

    ¡°And then? What can he aplish by doing this?¡±

    Min-san spat.

    ¡°Didn''t he betray the Huangs again? He left his job and ran away, didn''t he?¡±

    ¡°But Master, at the very least, you don''t have to feel guilty over it, and you don''t have to let Huang Hong Lei have his way with you.¡±

    ¡°Stop acting like you know what''s going on.¡±

    She hissed her voice.

    ¡°Do you know why I''m really feeling guilty? It''s debt.¡±

    ¡°¡­Eh? Debt? I exchanged looks with Alice beside me, and saw that she was biting her lips. It appeared she knew nothing, just like us.

    ¡°When dad and mom opened ''Hanamaru'', they took a loan from a creditor.

    ¡°Creditor? What''s that?¡±

    ¡°Chinese who came to Japan to develop came together to establish a credit association. When the business first started out, or whenever there was any emergency, they could borrow money from them. I didn''t know about this at all. It was only recently that I learned about it from Hong Lei.¡±

    I was inadvertently speechless.

    ¡°The one running that credit association is the Huang Coalition, which means that our shop still owes the Huangs money! That bastard went ahead and disappeared while hiding such an important thing!¡±

    Saying of that, and it might be embarrassing for him, but I guess Hanada Masaru vanished and returned to the underworld because the ramen shop hasn''t been earning much money?

    ¡°B-but, recently, ''Hanamaru'' has been doing well. If you continue on, you should be able to pay back the debt, right?¡±

    ¡°The term had already expired a long time back. The reason why they haven''t been asking for money is because my dad has been acting as a bodyguard there. That''s the main reason why my dad told them not to target me. As long as the Huangs had that intention, they could take back ''Hanamaru'' as interest!¡±

    I sighed weakly, and copsed onto the bed. I just felt that I had no strength to continue kneeling.

    ¡°In other words¡­Min-san, you can only let the Huangs do as they please/¡±

    ¡°Why do you say that?¡±

    Min-san shrugged.

    ¡°What do you mean letting the Huangs do as they please? Hong Lei hasn''t asked for anything that outrageous. I just need to dress formally and have a meal with grandpa''s generation! Since I have a debt with them, I should help them that much at least, right?¡±

    ¡°No, but that Hong Lei''s actually¡ª¡±

    ¡°Using this as an excuse to force me into marriage is just your own nonsense, right? Hong Lei hasn''t said that!¡±

    Of course. If the n went well, he could marry her. It would be too early to tell her that.

    ¡°So stop being a busybody here!¡±

    Min-san said these words, and was about to leave the office, only to be called by me.

    ¡°What now?''

    ¡°Ehh, well.¡±

    I sped my hands together, and separated them, cautiously picking my words.

    ¡°Just in case¡­if Huang Hong Lei really ns to marry you, what do you intend to do?¡±

    Again, Min-san turned her face away and bit her lips, showing¡­quite an adorable face. Was she really being bashful?

    ¡°How would I know? Who''ll really think of such wild guesses anyway?¡±

    Min-san''s back vanished outside the door of the agency, and I slumped onto the bed as though my shoulders were weighed down by the cold air of the air conditioning. Alice, who kept silent beside me till this point, sighed.

    ¡°It''s rare to see you being quiet for so long.¡±

    ¡°Looks like I still can''t imitate you.¡±

    Alice curled her legs, her chin leaned on her thighs as she said weakly.

    ¡°Imitating me?¡±

    ¡°Right? The ''story''.¡±

    ¡°Oh, just now?¡±

    What was Hanada Masaru trying to aplish? And was Huang Xiang Yu really alive? These two weren''t confirmed facts, but Alice told her as though they were truth.

    They were not lies, but neither were they truths. One they, they would be a certain thing''s¡ªmold, a mold of reality, happiness and despair. Alice called it a ''story'', a fragile dream that would break apart upon contact from the tip of a rake. It was no different from the things a graverobbing detective would be unable to deal with.

    ¡°Once ites out from my mouth, that story would just be a lie nobody can reallyugh at. It''s really strange. What''s the difference between you and me saying a story?¡±

    ¡°Uh? Nothing?¡±

    In fact, I really didn''t get what Alice was trying to imply, so I could only give vague, casual replies.

    ¡°Maybe it''s because, I don''t have a future in me, I guess?¡±

    I was shocked. No future?

    ¡°A story needs an ending before it can be recited, but I can''t write out thatst page. Do you know? Actually, I don''t really have any hope on what Master would do. I simply have an unmatched thirst for the truth, the water from the sea of curiosity that could kill if I continued drinking. For this world, I''ll probably forever be a reader¡­¡±

    Alice continued to stare at my backhand that was holding down the bedsheet. The air conditioning continued to breathe. It appeared that she was waiting for this foolish detective assistant to start talking, like before.

    ¡°So, I''m thinking, well, can I think of that, right?¡±

    The shoulders under the blue pajamas shook slightly, and a few strands of hair drooped upon them.

    ¡°Back then, I was so terrified of being beaten up by Master, but now I''m being so boastful now, am I not?''

    ¡°Ah, erm.¡±

    ¡°Well, whatever. I have an endless curiosity, and this is Hiro''s request. I don''t care how much beating you take, but we need to proceed with the investigation. We got to the scene first, and there are a few useful bits of information we obtained.¡±

    ¡°Really? We were chased out by Hong Lei after not too long. We practically found nothing there, you know?¡±

    Alice turned around to face the monitors behind her, and began tapping at the keyboard.

    ¡°First, the obvious facts¡ªthe escape vehicle was certainly there, which means that Hanada Masaru once hid at that ce. The hospital phone still works, and I can begin tracking the records from here.¡±

    I see. A phone can reveal the location, so it''s not good to use for escape. A fixed family phone wouldn''t have such issues however. It can be used to contact and make preparations for escape.

    ¡°Who exactly is that doctor anyway?¡±

    ¡°A Korean called Choi, and if I may guess, a doctor without a license. It''s just a rumor, but I heard that he handles some indecent work.¡±

    ¡°Indecent work?¡±

    ¡°Wounds that can''t be openly dealt with, like gunshot wounds, abortion, falsification of patient records¡­and even dealing with corpses.¡±

    I inadvertently frowned.

    ¡°He''s also someone of the underworld, and probably someone Hanada Masaru knew when he was a mercenary. Anyway, his whereabouts now are unknown. It''s said that he''s often not at home, and intel states that thest time he was seen at home was during the weekend.¡±

    ¡°This guy¡­I guess it''s better for those mafia guys to look for him, right?¡±

    It''s a little strange to say such words now, but things seem to be perilous all around. Alice nodded stoically.

    ¡°What we investigated about this doctor won''t be as much as what the Huang Coalition knows, so it will be wiser for us to begin investigating in other areas. Besides, I still have a foolish assistant who barges in without thinking of any possible dangers¡­¡±

    I inadvertently lowered my head.

    ¡°Leaving that aside, the second important point is that there''s blood on the co-passenger seat only.¡±

    ¡°So¡­what does that mean?¡±

    ¡°I saw, your brain is more hollow than three degrees of vacuum! Can''t you just think for yourself?¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­erm.¡±

    I sat on the bed, and folded my arms.

    ¡°At the very least, I can be certain that Xiao Ling-san was lying when she said ''Hanada Masaru killed them both''.¡±

    ¡°Right. That''s the first ce. There isn''t a dummy in the world who would put a corpse, or even two into the co-passenger seat. Thinking more about it, there should be 2 people on that car.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Assuming that there''s 3 people on the car, and one of them is wounded, would anyone let the wounded sit in the co-passenger seat?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­yeah, I guess.¡±

    And also, Huang Xiang Yu and that thug whose name I forgot are lovers. If they both got onto the car, and one of them was wounded, they would both be in the back seat, right? There''s a need to stop the bleeding or obvious. However, the co-passenger seat''s the only one with blood on it, so this excludes the fact that there were any more than two people riding in the car.

    ¡°But there''s something I really can''t believe about this guess.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°Even if there''s only the wounded and the driver, it''s more logical to put the wounded in the back seat. With that much blood flowing out, someone might find out about them in their middle of the ride. Furthermore, it was because he put the wounded at the co-passenger seat of the car that the lie was seen through¡­¡±

    ¡°Hm, that makes sense.¡±

    I put my hand at my chin, pondering for a while.

    ¡°Is it possible that there were actually three people on the car, but they just pretended that there were two instead?¡±

    ¡°What''s the point of pretending that much? On the night of the incident, the nearby residents heard the growls of a young man, so there should be someone barging in. Was it really that thug called Umeda Kouji? What happened after that? We don''t know about that.¡±

    ¡°Uu¡­¡±

    What exactly happened on that night? This doubt became the knot on our theories.

    ¡°Looks like we can only get Huang Xiao Ling to tell us. At this point, she should be willing to tell us a few things.¡±

    ¡°Will she really tell us? That person doesn''t trust us at all.¡±

    ¡°That woman has no choice but to tell us the truth now, right? Huang Hong Lei already has the information we found.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    I see. Huang Hong Lei isn''t as stupid as me. He probably would have immediately realized that Xiao Ling-san was lying, just as Alice did.

    ¡°So¡­why did she lie anyway? To hide the fact that Xiang Yu''s still alive and make sure nobody looks for her?¡±

    ¡°That''s the motive I thought of immediately.¡±

    ¡°But if Hong Lei knew that Xiang Yu isn''t dead, he''ll send in all his men to track her down, right?¡±

    ¡°That''s why Huang Xiao Ling really believes that her brother would help her let Huang Xiang Yu escape.¡±

    ¡°Eh? Ehhhh?¡±

    What does that mean? That Huang Hong Lei would help Huang Xiang Yu to escape? Wasn''t she his fiancee¡ª

    ¡°¡­Ah!¡±

    ¡°I see.

    Hong Lei had been aiming for Min-san all this while. The actual fiancee got killed¡ªthat situation was the perfect oue for Hong Lei.

    Thus, he would help out.

    In other words, Xiao Ling-san''s lie was just to bluff the old men of the Huangs? Their parents and granddad and such?

    ¡°That''s just the ''story'' in your heart, right?¡±

    Alice turned back to look at me before I knew it, smiling at me.

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    ¡°Then let''s have it take shape now. See, she came to look for us now.¡±

    Alice said as she pointed at the surveince monitors ced by the bedside. One of them showed a woman wearing a light-colored coat, standing at the entrance of ''Hanamaru'' on the first floor. From the dark night, she entered through the curtains, and into the gentle light, showing her face. It was Xiao Ling-san.

    She came over to us, so that meant that she was willing to tell us the truth? In that case, we finally had a chance to move forward.

    A while after Xiao Ling-san vanished from the monitor, Alice suddenly remembered something as she turned her head around abruptly.

    ¡°Narumi, go wee the guest!¡±

    ¡°Wee? Why? You never did so before.¡±

    ¡°Hurry up and go!¡±

    I got kicked off the bed. I left the agency, and peered back to look. Alice took out a set of clothing from the hill of dolls. Oh, I see. She wanted to change her clothes and avoid having Xiao Ling-san nag at her for wearing pajamas? The problem''s that she only had mourning clothes and Japanese clothing. What would she do?

    And just like that, two minutester, when I brought Xiao Ling-san back to the office, I was left in a scenario where I waspletely speechless. Alice was on the bed, wearing a light blue dress with a white apron. Though it was not tied in a butterfly knot, wasn''t that the costume of the famous Disney movie ''Alice in Wondend''? Hm? Did she dress up as Alice because she''s called Alice? Speaking of which, is this cosy?

    Xiao Ling-san''s fiery re hit me right in the cheek.

    ¡°¡­Is that your fetish? Making a little girl wear such clothing in the middle of the night?¡±

    ¡°Why is it that your retorts seem to end up with more misunderstanding!?¡±

    ¡°Isn''t that because you have beenining about my thighs every time we meet?¡±

    Alice and my growls echoed. I see. So, since Xiao Ling-san once chided Alice for being rude by appearing in front of her guests in her pajamas, Alice decided to change clothes? But¡ª

    ¡°Is that all the clothing you have?¡±

    ¡°It''s just a dress up. How can I possibly be always dressed up in such a stupid manner!¡± Alice huffed and puffed. So she was just cosying? Has she been addicted to this recently? As an assistant, well, I had conflicted feelings about this. Xiao Ling-san turned her stare towards me, and frowned.

    ¡°And why are you staying in a girl''s room at such ate time?¡±

    ¡°I''m the detective''s assistant! It''s work!¡±

    ¡°What work? Aren''t you just fooling around outside in the middle of the night!? Don''t your parents have anything to say about that?¡±

    As a member of the NEET reserve forces, I was really troubled to have someone ask me such a question so formally.

    ¡°My parents aren''t at home¡­¡±

    For a moment, Xiao Ling-san couldn''t reply. Luckily, she did not apologize, and that caused me to heave a sigh of relief. I heard that despite this reaction, that would be for the best.

    ¡°Anyway, hurry up and state the reason why you''re here! You didn''te all the way here just to correct Narumi''s living attitude, right?¡±

    ¡°That''s¡­right.¡±

    Xiao Ling-san sighed, and seemed to be a little lost as she scanned the freezingputer room. There was nothing like a chair in this room, so it was rather troublesome when guests showed up. Because of that, they could only stand.¡±

    ¡°Regarding the matter of lying to you in the beginning¡­I do apologize for that. I was the one who kept Xiang Yu hidden, but I can''t tell you where. Also, I have no idea whether I can trust you.¡±

    I could not help but sigh. So she was involved right from the beginning?

    ¡°Do you intend to inform your brother?¡±

    ¡°I won''t say anything.¡±

    Alice suddenly raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Your brother already knew that you''re lying.¡±

    ¡°I know. But even if he asks me, I won''t say anything. Hong Lei will have to continue pretending not to know anything in front of our grandfather, and the elders. Thus, I wasn''t lying, and Hong Lei didn''t find out about anything. The situation has to continue like this.¡±

    Alice narrowed her eyes, and kept staring at the chest of Xiao Ling-san''s coat. She then slowly got off the bed, went to Xiao Ling-san, and suddenly reached her hand for thetter''s chest, grabbing the coat and the cor of the shirt underneath, tugging hard at them.

    ¡°Wh-what are you doing?¡±

    Xiao Ling-san shook off Alice''s hand, and darted back towards the kitchen. However, I, who remained seated by the bedside, already saw it. Xiao Ling-san''s shirt was seeping with a scarlet red, and there should be some bandages wrapped around them, below the corbone. It wasn''t obvious, but it appeared her nks were wounded too.

    ¡°So even when interrogated or beaten up, you wouldn''t talk. Is that what you mean?¡± Alice''s voice was several times colder than the air conditioning.

    ¡°Even when interrogated, you can''t answer. Is this unspeakable truth so important for you and your brother?''

    ¡°Since you know, why do you keep asking?¡±

    Xiao Ling-san tugged at the front of her coat, and turned her head aside. Even against his own sister, Hong Lei wouldn''t hold back? Did this person quietly ept that as a necessary ritual just to maintain her silence? This sensation was beyond mindboggling or astounding for me, and I was starting to respect her for that. She looked like a well-educated careerwoman, but she certainly had guts, to be expected of someone with the bloodline of a mafia.

    So Hong Lei left it as that. He merely punished her, and epted her lie.

    In that case, Alice''s prediction came true. Hong Lei assisted Xiang Yu in escaping¡ªbecause he was aiming for Min-san.

    Alice returned to her bedside, and sat down beside me as she stared at Xiao Ling-san.

    ¡°What about Umeda Kouji? Was it true that he barged into the house that night?¡±

    Xiao Ling-san raised an eyebrow, and immediately nodded.

    ¡°I initially wanted to chase him away, but Xiang Yu said that she wanted to meet him no matter what, and that man looked rather normal back then. He did not appear to have been drinking or taking drugs, and with Masaru-san around, I thought it would be fine¡­¡±

    ¡°So when Huang Xiang Yu and Umeda Kouji met, was Hanada Masaru present?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I was in one of the rooms, and I wasn''t sure of what they were talking about. After that, I heard gunshots, and I when ran to Xiang Yu''s room to have a look, I found blood on the floor and the ss shattered¡­¡±

    Hanada Masaru instructed Xiao Ling-san to hide Xiang Yu, and bluffed everyone into saying that he killed the duo, before taking the grievously wounded Umeda Kouji away to escape¡ªor so we were told.

    ¡°Why did he fire at Umeda Kouji?¡±

    Xiao Ling-san shook her head, indicating that she did not know.

    ¡°Anyway, Hanada Masaru''s actions were too quick. It felt as though he already decided to help Xiang Yu escape.¡±

    ¡°Well, that isn''t impossible. Masaru-san had been Xiang Yu''s bodyguard for a long time, and he was living with her the entire time. I think they chatted about many things. Xiang Yu too told me that she didn''t want to marry because of the Huangs. I personally feel that such traditions are so dated¡­and she has a boyfriend, which would be harder for her to ept this.¡±

    ¡°So you don''t know what happened to Hanada Masaru and Umeda Kouji?¡±

    Xiao Ling-san shook her head.

    ¡°Masaru-san told me that he would contact me once everything''s settled, and I''m to hide Xiang Yu the entire time. As for Umeda, I heard nothing about him.¡±

    Speaking of which, when Hanada Masaru mentioned to ''wait for a week'', did he mean to wait for him to prepare an escape for Huang Xiang Yu? Alice narrowed her eyes, and muttered,

    ¡°Maybe Umeda Kouji died.¡±

    Xiao Ling-san''s face paled slightly.

    ¡°Impossible. Didn''t Masaru-san take him to a doctor?¡±

    ¡°That doctor doesn''t have a license, and even deals with corpses. How can you be certain that Hanada Masaru took Umeda Kouji to treat his wounds?¡±

    ¡°That''s because¡­¡±

    ¡°There''s also another possibility, that to make it look as though Huang Xiang Yu died, there had to be a lot of blood trails. So Hanada Masaru had Umeda Kouji¡ª¡±

    ¡°Masaru-san definitely won''t do such a thing!¡± Xiao Ling-san leaned over to the bed, her face reddened as she said. I was shocked to a point where I was at a loss of words, and could only watch Alice, and back at Xiao Ling-san again.

    ¡°How can you be certain?¡±

    Alice''s questioning voice was like a sigh. Xiao Ling-san''s voice was quivering slightly.

    ¡°Because Masaru-san¡­isn''t that kind of person.¡±

    Why? I could not help but wonder. Why would this person show such unrestrained feelings from time to time? She could lie to us and her brother so nonchntly, yet when Hanada Masaru was mentioned, she would show a fragile side. Were they so intimate? I really had difficulty trying to piece aplete image of Xiao Ling-san in front of me. There seemed to be something missing.

    ¡°That man called Umeda might look indecent¡­but Xiang Yu had been telling Masaru-san the entire time that she wanted to elope with Umeda, so Masaru-san must have let him escape somewhere first, and when the situation calms down, reunite them. That has to be it!¡±

    After a while, both Alice and Xiao Ling-san were simply staring at each other''s thighs, not saying anything at all. I sat by the bed, gulping, holding my breath as I sorted out the thoughts in my mind.

    Assuming that everything Xiao Ling-san had said was correct.

    They were pretending that Huang Xiang Yu died, but had her escape. There was arge amount of blood, a powerful evidence, and Hong Lei appeared to be helping in concealing the truth. The escape itself would be handled by Hanada Masaru. What? Isn''t this going well? In that case, what are we doing? Running around, getting beaten, threatened, scolded. For whose sake are we suffering so much for?

    Of course it''s for Hiro, I answered myself. For the sake of that unbefitting love that gigolo deemed for himself.

    ¡­But was there a need to go this far?

    This fatal doubt rose in my heart.

    ¡°In that case¡­¡±

    Alice''s muttered, and it seemed she read my mind.

    ¡°Why did youe here? What are you here to do? What do you want us to do, having us tear apart the lies little by little with the sharp de of truth?¡±

    Xiao Ling-san hesitated for a while. It appeared she sensed the dissatisfaction in Alice''s words.

    ¡°I want you to help Ming Li. This is Masaru-san''s wish.¡±

    ¡°As I said, we can''t ept such vague requests. Master never indicated that she needed our help, and never once did she say that she hated this marriage or didn''t want to get involved with the Huangs. Do you want us to make the conclusion that Master''s troubled about this, and take action? That''s beyond the duties of a detective.¡±

    ¡°But, you may be the detective, but aren''t you Ming Li''s friend? If you just go up to her and chat, ask what she intend to do¡ª¡±

    ¡°Who''s her friend?¡±

    Shocked, I nced aside at Alice.

    ¡°If a request is made, I''m the detective, and Master''s the requestor. Without her making a request, our rtionship is just tenant andndlord. I''m unable to be so defenseless to interact with this world without a contractual rtionship!¡±

    Xiao Ling-san was startled, and with her arms firmly folded, she retreated to the corridor. Alice covered her mouth, and lowered her head sadly, shaking her head as though saying. It''s all useless now.

    ¡°Well, whatever. I have a rough idea.¡±

    ¡°Wh-at?¡± Xiao Ling-san seemed to be groaning.

    ¡°The Objective of youing here. That''s to ''pass the message''. It was the same thest time out, right?¡±

    An unspeakable, frozen expression appeared on Xiao Ling-san''s face.

    ¡°You intend to tell us some information and achieve some objective. I don''t know if it''s Hanada Masarumanding you or of your own will, but there''s some other fact you''re hiding, right?¡±

    Alice''s words echoed in the absolutely freezing air, like an icicle hitting the asphalt.

    ¡°If you don''t have anything else to tell us, just leave already. Also, from now on, remember this. We''re acting based on Hiro''s request now, and we''ll prevent Master and Hong Lei''s marriage no matter what, no matter how unscrupulous the means. If we have to, I can choose to tell the Huang elders that Huang Xiang Yu is still alive.¡±

    Xiao Ling-san red at Alice with a sharp re.

    ¡°I can''t let you do it. Also, there''s no way grandfather and the others will believe your words. Hong Lei and I will testify to say that she''s dead.¡±

    ¡°That may be the case, but who knows if we don''t give it a shot?¡±

    Hearing Alice''s words, Xiao Ling-san bit her lips, and then turned to leave.

    Only after Xiao Ling-san left the office without saying a word did I finally heave a sigh of relief, and slid from the side of the bed onto the floor. Just hearing the conversation beside Alice was enough for me to be so tense my joints ached.

    I lifted up my eyes slightly, and the petite detective continued ring at the door.

    ¡°¡­Do you really, intend to say that the fiancee''s still alive?¡±

    I asked softly. Not only would Hanada Masaru''s hard work be for naught, a girl we never met would be pushed back into an abyss of unhappiness. Even if we were toplete Hiro''s request, it''s not a good feeling.

    Alice shook her head.

    ¡°That''s thest, worst resort. I don''t want to do that either. As she said, the Huang elders might not believe us. Doing this may end up bringing unnecessary wrath from Huang Hong Lei, which may end up causing Master more trouble.¡±

    I let out a huge sigh.

    ¡°You really care about Min-san!¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    ¡°You just said that she''s not your friend, or something.¡±

    Alice pouted her lips, and turned her head away.

    ¡°She''s not my friend in the first ce. I don''t have any. But Master has been taking care of me all this time, you know? Of course I''ll try my best not to cause her any trouble.¡±

    Alice turned her back on me, but her slender fingers on the keyboard didn''t move. I suddenly felt a little sad.

    There were a lot of people around me that I was able to befortable with, and so I often forgot about this. This strange girl often had ayer of loneliness around her, as untouchable as amnion.

    What about me?

    From her perspective, was I, who often stayed beside Alice, merely a detective assistant who shared a rtionship of employer and employee with her?

    That might be the case. Even in such a moment, I didn''t know what to say.

    But despite this, I closed my eyes a little, and tried to continue on with some words.

    ¡°Hey Alice.¡±

    ¡°¡­What?''

    ¡°Well, I''m not sure how to say this.¡±

    I intertwined my fingers, and released them again, opening my eyes as I continued,

    ¡°At the very least, when I''m with you, I hope that you can let your guard down, somehow.¡±

    ¡°What!?¡±

    I could hear Alice''s voice trembling somewhat behind me.

    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±

    ¡°Ahh, sorry. I''m not too sure what I''m saying either¡­¡±

    ¡°T-think of what you want to say before talking! What? What do you want me to do? I don''t understand.¡±

    I could vaguely see Alice grabbing the bedsheet tightly, and I was increasingly unsure of what to do. I hesitated for what felt like an eternity, and Alice suddenly shook her long, ck hair as she turned around.

    ¡°Can''t you finish what you say? Do you even know that I''m waiting for you to speak!?¡±

    ¡°E-eh? Ah-ahh, sorry. My mind''s in a mess. So¡­¡±

    ¡°Y-you idiot! I had enough of you already!¡±

    And for the next few moments, Alice continued scolding me with some rather weak vocabry. What happened to her usual feistiness when she scolds me? Was she really so angry that she''s at a loss of words? I was starting to worry about that.

    ¡°If you are going toe up with some words you shouldn''t say, get out right now! I want to change out of this stupid outfit!¡±

    ¡°I think this is fine¡­¡± This costume really fit her. However, the moment Alice heard this, her face was as red as ground cherry.

    ¡°Li-lik-like this? Are you saying that you''re going to keep staying here? Wh-when you said that I can let my guard down, do you mean that you want me to change clothes in front of you?¡±

    Hey! What''s with that misunderstanding? Please calm down! Alice was flustered by the words she blurted out, and started spewing more really ridiculous words. Because of that, I could only jump off the bed and leave the office.

    After walking down the emergency staircase and reaching the floor, I heard the sound of the shutters being pulled. The only light in front of me was from the gap of the back door. It was closing time.

    I was about to walk down the alley between the buildings and head to the front of the shop, only to meet Min-san who just returned. It was a little awkward, and I nodded and tried to leave by the side. At this moment, Min-san spoke up.

    ¡°Xiao Ling just came by, didn''t she?¡±

    ¡°Eh? Ah¡­y-yeah.¡±

    Did she notice? I guess it''s easy to be noticed? Besides, anyone entering the agency would have to pass by the front door of the shop.

    ¡°You guys are still sneaking around with something? Seriously, and I''m busy with those brats from your ss!¡±

    ¡°Eh, erm.¡±

    I was at a loss of words, and I was pushed on the shoulders as Min-san went off to the back door by herself.

    ¡°That damned dad of mine''s always giving me trouble too. When hees back, I''m going to beat him real good¡­¡±

    ¡°Masaru-san,¡±

    I instinctively turned back, only to meet the eyes of Min-san who stopped. Why? What am I trying to say? Am I going to tell her that Hanada Masaru didn''t kill anyone, that Alice''s guess was correct? What can happen? It doesn''t change the fact that Hanada Masaru''s running around, and caused Min-san trouble.

    "What? What did my dad do again? Do you know something?"

    "No¡­it''s nothing."

    I shut my mouth and lowered my head.

    Suddenly, I was a little upset at Hanada Masaru. In the end, aren''t all the problems caused by you running around and hiding? Shouldn''t dealing with troublesome underworld stuff be your specialty? Why are you able to hide without a care in the world and push all your problems to your daughter? You work so hard to protect someone else''s daughter, but let Min-san alone to fend for herself, and even requested for us to help her. Isn''t that too irresponsible of you?

    I turned my back silently on Min-san, and was about to walk onto the road when the cellphone in my pocket rang. I took it out, and found that it was from a private number.

    ¡°Is that the high school kid at the detective agency?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡ªit-it''s you again!¡±

    Hanada Masaru''s voice. Why call me again? I barely managed to recover, and wanted to switch on the recording function.

    ¡°Call Ming Li over. I got something to say to her.¡±

    ¡°If you got anything,e out and¡ª¡±

    I was about to yell back, only to hear stamps behind me, and the cellphone in my hand was snatched away. I turned back to look, and it was Min-san.

    ¡°It''s me¡­ahh? You got to be kidding! Think of whose fault it is here! I''m not forcing myself! I don''t need you to worry¡­what are you trying to say? Hey! Hold it! Damn dad!¡±

    It appeared he hung up. Min-san looked utterly furious, and I thought she would throw the cellphone down onto the ground.

    ¡°That damned bastard caused me so much trouble, and now he''s trying to y the good dad?¡±

    A boiling soundnded by Min-san''s feet. She stuffed the cellphone into my hand crudely, and I,pletely bbergasted, could only see the back door in front of me being mmed shut.

    The next day, after school, I made a trip to the game center, and dawdled around in the bookshop and the records shop for half a day, before finally making my way to ''Hanamaru''. After what happened the previous day, I thought it would be awkward to meet Min-san.

    I parked my bicycle right by the shop, and behind the curtains, I could hear many girls, and the steamed scent of chicken bone stock filled the shop.

    ¡°So there''s still these ingredients inside the shop!¡±

    ¡°If we can prepare them just the day before, won''t it be easy?¡±

    ¡°Min-san, did you develop this soup stock along with Fujishima-kun?¡±

    ¡°Really? So he''s not just being the test taster?¡±

    ¡°Ah, the miso ramen recently is a soup I thought of! I guess soy sauce is fine too.¡±

    ¡°What? Don''t get cocky there, Hiro.¡±

    ¡°You can''t use two kinds of soups, right?¡±

    ¡°But I prefer the soup stock Hiro made!¡±

    ¡°Me too!¡±

    I didn''t know what happened in the shop, so I discreetly ducked past the curtain. When I opened the door, I found all the girls in ss staring at me, which startled me. One moment, everyone was on the corridor making ice cream, and today, everyone''s in the kitchen. Some of them are stirring the stock in the pot, and someone''s holding a chopper.

    ¡°Ah Fujishima! The taste tester Fujishima''s here!¡±

    ¡°What test tester¡­eh, erm?¡±

    I surveyed the shop again, and found the cramped kitchen filled with figures of sailor uniforms, Min-san frowning slightly, while Hiro looked delighted.

    ¡°Why is everyone making ramen?¡±

    ¡°You see, Min-san can''t make it to the first day of the culture festival, right?¡± Ayaka said.

    The first day of the 2 day school culture festival, November 3rd, and on that day, Min-san had to y the substitute of Hong Lei''s fiancee, so she wouldn''t be able to be in charge of food hygiene in our ss 2-4''s shop.

    ¡°The school said that heated items can be sold, so I thought we might as well sell ramen for the first day!¡±

    Ayaka puffed her chest proudly.

    ¡°Why!? Isn''t that crazy already? What kind of weird shop in this world sells both ramen and ice cream at the same time¡ªwahwahwahwah, sorry, Min-san, I was joking!¡±

    Min-san raised the chopper, appearing as though she was about to flip the counter, scaring me so much I had to cup my head and apologize.

    ¡°Hmph!¡±

    Min-san snorted unhappily.

    ¡°I don''t want to either! Making ice cream is one thing, but our ramen isn''t that delicious that we can just teach others. I don''t want to teach, but what to do? The pamphlets were already printed¡­¡±

    ¡°Pamphlets?¡±

    Ayaka took a few printed copies of the pamphlets and showed them to me. They were to be ced at the school entrance on the day itself.

    The super famous ''Hanamaru''!

    Premieres for the first time!

    ¡­Well, those were the words written.

    ¡°We printed a few pieces, and ''Hanamaru'' is actually rather famous!¡±

    ¡°It''s famous because of the ice cream, right?¡± Min-san pouted. ¡°Customers definitelye by for the ice cream. Won''t they get angry at you for selling ramen?¡±

    ¡°No way. Your ramen''s good too, Min-san.¡±

    ¡°Though it was somewhat bad in the past¡­¡±

    ¡°You can''t just be honest like that.¡±

    ¡°We''ll be selling ice cream the next day anyway.¡±

    ¡°Even though we are selling ramen, it''s ''Hanamaru'' vor, so it''s not conning them, right?¡±

    Hearing the girls'' honest feedback, all Min-san could do was to scratch her head reluctantly. Well, to be honest, I didn''t know whether this was okay or not¡­Hiro could only give a wry smile.

    I returned back to the old gathering spot outside the back door, and sat on an old tyre, letting out a long sigh. It''s thanks to Ayaka that the awkwardness between Min-san and me was resolved. That really helped me out.

    ¡°What''s with you, Vice-Admiral Fujishima? Forced out by the happy atmosphere in the kitchen?¡±

    Saying that as he walked in front of me was Major, wearing camouge clothing and carrying a huge backpack.

    ¡°It''s a good thing. If you participate in the culture festival, you won''t be able to be a capable NEET. When I was in high school, I was always skipping sses and staying at home to do proxies and programming.¡±

    ¡°Don''t lump me together with you, Major. I''m just waiting to taste test the ramen.¡±

    And speaking of which, how was this guy like during High School? I got the feeling that I could imagine, and yet at the same time, I felt a little terrified.

    ¡°Right, now back to the main point. The analysis of the recording''s almost done.

    Major sat down opposite me, took out a notepadputer from his backpack, and switched it on.

    ¡°It feels weird. The voice in the recording is clear enough to assume that a noise suppressor was used. Maybe he used a phone with some simr function to prevent anyone from knowing where he was, or maybe he was in the basement¡­?¡±

    Major''s current job was to analyse Hanada Masaru''s phone recording. Maybe he might be able to obtain some clues from the background, so he had earphones on to be sure.

    After Min-san had her phone call with Hanada Masaru the previous day, I listened to the recording again. Thinking about that caused me to feel heavy-hearted.

    What Hanada Masaru said was,

    ¡°Don''t worry about me. You don''t have to care about anything!¡±

    ¡°There''s no need to keep running the ramen shop. Just do whatever you want!¡±

    ¡°Just think of what''s the best life for you!¡±

    The conversation didn''t mesh, and the phone call suddenly cut off. No wonder Min-san was so furious. What''s he thinking, saying such selfish words?

    Soon after, Tetsu-senpai appeared at the gathering spot in front of the emergency staircase.

    ¡°I found Umeda Kouji''s hideout. As expected, there wasn''t anyone there.¡±

    Senpai noted confidently, and it terrified me.

    ¡°Is he a member of a gang?¡± Major asked.

    ¡°Right. He''s a member of a gang in Kabukicho called the Daisei Association, and was in charge of collecting debt. I went to ask them, and heard that a few years back, he went out with a great beauty from China. Both of them had a long distance rtionship.¡±

    ¡°That Daisei Association didn''t help them to escape?¡±

    ¡°I heard not! He brought a gun to a squabble with some Hong Kong mafia, and was expelled. Even if the Huang Coalition don''t kill him, the Daisei Association will take action, right?¡±

    ¡°Hm, well, yeah¡­¡±

    ¡°But in the past few months, he had been very effective in collecting debts, and he even got rid of the drugs. I heard that he saved quite a bit.¡±

    ¡°Was he preparing to elope?¡±

    ¡°It''s possible¡­¡±

    I heard Major and Tetsu-senpai carry out such a dangerous conversation, and at this moment, Hiro took off his apron and exited the back door. The members of the NEET detective agency were gathered. Is it fine for him to leave his work behind? However, Ayaka''s in the shop, and there''s a lot of attendants helping to work for free. I guess it''s fine for him not to be around?

    ¡°And then, what do you intend to do, Hiro?¡± Tetsu-senpai asked. ¡°You''re the requestor this time, so you decide what to do this time, you know. We found all we could investigate. If you don''t figure out where do we investigate, it''ll just be a waste of time.¡±

    ¡°That''s right.¡±

    Hiro sat on the first step of the emergency staircase, dropping his shoulders lethargically.

    ¡°There are a few ways next¡­¡±

    Major raised 3 fingers as he said to Hiro,

    ¡°First, we find Huang Xiang Yu and return her to the Huangs. That''ll make us enemies with Huang Hong Lei, but it''s effective.¡±

    ¡°I can''t let another girl cry because of my love now, right? Besides, she''s Min-san''s cousin, and should be a beauty too¡­¡±

    ¡°The next one is to find Hanada Masaru and hand him over to the Huangs. It''ll be the same goal as Hong Lei, but finding him might not improve the situation.¡±

    ¡°If Masaru-san can''t bear responsibility, there''s a high chance of the situation being worse.¡±

    ¡°The third is just to return the money.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Hiro scratched his head. ¡°Will Min-san allow anyone to help her return the money?¡±

    ¡°Hiro. Do you have any? I don''t¡±

    ¡°Tetsu-san, this isn''t something you can say proudly. But I''m broke too¡­¡±

    ¡°Nope, but if I sell the Ferrari¡­ah, the Ferrari isn''t bought under my name. How much can I earn by selling that BMW? I had that car for quite a while, so around 6 million Yen or so? But¡­¡±

    I interrupted.

    ¡°Hiro, you seem tired. Did you get scolded by Min-san?¡±

    We''re being busybodies due to Hiro''s request. If Min-san''s going to scold, she''s going to start from Hiro first. However, Hiro merely shook his head.

    ¡°I didn''t get scolded¡­but I just felt that there''s nothing to worry. Masaru-san didn''t kill anyone, and Hong Lei doesn''t want to pursue that eloping couple. Even Min-san herself doesn''t look like she detest that cousin¡­¡± Hiro''s voice got less lively. ¡°It''s because of my own selfishness that things got soplicated, right?¡±

    ¡°N-not at all. Hiro, about Min-san,¡±

    ¡°Well, you''re right, Hiro!¡± ¡°There''s a fourth way, and that''s to get Hiro to shut up.¡± ¡°You two are terrible! Are you even friends!¡±

    ¡°Narumi, think about it! We''re just paving the road for Hiro to trick a woman again.¡±

    ¡°Ahh¡­no, well¡­¡±

    ¡°Right. Actually, I feel that if this keeps up, I''ll be the one troubled.¡±

    Hiro actually saying those words himself really disturbed us.

    And there was something I was particrly concerned with. Was it really just Hiro being the only one troubled? Min-san might get married with Hong Lei for real, actually. Are we going to let her be?

    Right when I was pondering, a shrill guitar riff entered my ears. ''Colorado Bulldog'', the personalized ringtone of Alice. I lifted my head in surprise. So all the members in the agency had the same ringtone.

    The first to pick up the call was Hiro, and the other phones went silent.

    ¡°Hello¡­yeah, everyone''s present. Eh? Do we connect? Can''t we just head up to the office? Right¡­I know.¡±

    Hiro took out a cable, and Major connected it to hisputer. With this, everyone could connect to Alice without having to listen to the phone.

    ¡°Report your findings to me.¡±

    ¡°Why report here?¡± Tetsu-senpai grumbled, and Alice immediately retorted harshly,

    ¡°For the time being, I''ve decided not to let that shameless assistant of mine enter the office.¡±

    The trio''s eyes gathered upon me, and I could only look aside and lower my head. I said it''s a misunderstanding! It''s Alice who misunderstood. However, exining this would require me to start from the beginning, including the moment when Alice was dressed up as Alice¡­ah, forget about it. I''m starting to be confused about what''s going on.

    ¡°I analyzed the phone called from Hanada Masaru¡ª¡± Major was the first to report, and I heaved a sigh of relief. Couldn''t hear the background, and the sound quality''s good; couldn''t find any hints of a location. Major''s report was basically simr to before. Tetsu-senpai then reported, and Alice cleared her throat, saying,

    ¡°I''ve check the call records from the doctor''s phone, It appears that Hanada Masaru was in the clinic for a long time.¡±

    ¡°E-erm, Alice.¡±

    Hiro interrupted,

    ¡°Are we still going to track down Masaru-san?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Looking from a logical or risks standpoint, the most ideal method will be to find Hanada Masaru and have him clean up the mess.¡±

    ¡°Well, that''s logical¡­¡±

    I knew what mood Alice was in when she decided this. Hiro made this request based on Alice''s request. Alice just wanted to know the truth, what happened on that day, what Hanada Masaru was thinking, and where he was, what was he doing. That was why she had to be so decisive in convincing the rattled requestor.

    ¡°I shall continue to exin then. On that night, Hanada Masaru called two ces. One of them was Huang Xiao Ling, and it was for three hours long.¡±

    ¡°3 hours¡­¡± Major folded his arms.

    ¡°If he intends to bluff everyone and have the couple elope, 3 hours of conversation is considered normal, right?¡± Tetsu-senpai asked.

    ¡°But despite so, personally, I feel 3 hours is too long. Huang Xiao Ling probably is hiding something else, but I don''t intend to pursue the matter. The second phone call was made to a shop in Yokohama called Matsugahara Tradings.¡±

    Major and Tetsu-senpai tilted his head, and only Hiro''s mouth remained open. I too had an impression on that shop name.

    ¡°It appears to be a shop that sells dried goods and flour.¡±

    ¡°¡­That''s our supplier.¡± Hiro muttered. Right, I remember that shop. Back in April, when Hanada Masaru slipped back into ''Hanamaru'' and left a bunch of rare ingredients, that supplier was one of the shops mentioned.

    ¡°Yes. That may be a shop Hanada Masaru knew of when he ran the ramen shop¡­but why called the supplier at such a moment? Did he intend to request the supplier for something¡ª?¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    I suddenly recalled something, and inadvertently stood up.

    ¡°This is bad, Alice! I-I told Hong Lei that shop name!¡±

    The trio of the detective agency went pale, and I could even hear Alice gasp from the speakers of the notepadputer. Hiro immediately got up and ran past the back door of the kitchen.

    ¡°Sorry, let me through! Min-san, do you have the contact to Matsugahara Trading? By the phone? No, it''s fine!¡±

    I peeked in from the back door, and saw Hiro dash out of the corridor. The girls from my ss peeked at the corridor nervously, and after a while, there was the sound of the phone being mmed, before Hiro shooed aside the many sailor uniforms as he went out of the back door.

    ¡°I couldn''t contact him! I''ll go have a look!¡±

    ¡°Ah! I-I''ll go with you too!¡±

    Hiro drove the car down the Tomei Expressway, and I was in the co-passenger seat, exining the situation to Alice. When I went to Huang Hong Lei¡¯s house and requested to investigate the scene, they asked for information regarding Hanada Masaru as coteral, so I informed him that Hanada Masaru brought some rare ingredients from a few suppliers to ¡®Hanamaru¡¯.

    ¡°I-I never expected that information to be rted to this incident! Hong Lei was pressuring me back then, and I just said a few random things about Hanada Masaru, trying to throw him off¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not berating your cowardice since I already knew about it. Why did you only mention it at this time!¡±

    Alice¡¯s fury was no lesser than the turbulent headwinds that rattled the car windows.

    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry!¡±

    I hung up the phone, and groveled into the seat. I nced aside, and found Hiro holding the steering wheel, looking on grimly.

    Hong Lei must have questioned those suppliers one by one. He asked them whether they had received contact from Hanada Masaru.

    I never expected that Hanada Masaru actually gave a call to the suppliers. Why? What did he want with the suppliers? Did the suppliers tell Hong Lei about this? What will happen after he knows? A nauseous feeling rose up along with the unrest within me, only to be pressed down by the car elerating again.

    We got off the expressway at the Yokohama-Aoba interchange, and followed the traffic signals down the riverside. The short sunset in October was about to fade into the West, and simply opening the car window of the co-passenger seat was enough to let the frozen air in. Many cars and Middle School students released from school passed us by, and we barely managed to glide into an alley that might be too narrow for a foreign car to drive through, meandering around the residential area that was devoid of crowds.

    Matsugahara Tradings was located in a back alley next to the shopping street in front of the station, and would look like a rusted, dated garage if not for the old carved wooden signboard. The shutters of the shop were closed, and Hiro parked his car in front of it.

    We went to the back of the shop , and pressed the doorbell there. After a while, there was still no response, and Hiro, being impatient, yelled.

    "We''re employees of ''Hamamaru'' in Tokyo! Is Matsugahara-san in there? We''re from Tokyo, and we just called over."

    The door opened slightly, while Hiro and I remained rooted there. Appearing there was a diminutive man entering old ages, a jumper draped over his shoulders. His lips were cut and bruised purple, while there were bruises around his eyes. It wasn''t obvious, but it appeared that he was unable to move his right arm, and he could only open the door weakly with his left hand.

    "Please go back!" The man eximed, "You''re Hanada-san''s men, aren''t you? Go back!"

    "Erm-did something happen? Your wounds¡­"

    "Don''t worry about that and just go back already. I''ve known Hanada-san for a long time already, but I won''t be doing business with you ever again."

    "Wait!" Hiro begged earnestly. "Please, just tell us what happened."

    "Enough! Go back! I don''t ever want to get involved with you people ever again! l had enough of some Yakuza or Chinese mafia already. I only helped out because Hanada-san requested me, so why did I end up getting involved with them?"

    The door was mmed shut, and following that was the sound of the door being locked, followed by a chain.

    "Matsugahara-san, did Hanada-san request you to do something? Please tell us that at least!"

    Hiro continued mming at the door.

    "I have nothing to say to you anymore, if you aren''t going to leave, I''ll call the police!"

    We heard this voice from beyond the door , followed by the furious footsteps gradually fading. Hiro mmed at the door, gasping hard, and I could do nothing to console him.

    Chinese. Did the Huang Coalition drop by? The boss even said that Hanada Masaru did request him.

    Suddenly, I felt a sensation, that the ground beneath became liquid.

    It was all my fault.

    I had a feeling that my careless giveaway of the information to Huang Hong Lei resulted in ruining something- Hanada Masaru nned, and even resulted in an ordinary civilian being hurt. It was all my fault.

    Let''s go back, Hiro said. I was spacing out, so Hiro''s words sounded like the strange sound of a cassette recording being reyed.

    The sun had already set by the time we returned to ''Hanamaru'', and all that was left was the light in the shop shining onto the street through the windows. The customers dressed in working attire was crammed outside the shop, and a group of people were seated on overturned beer crates and chairs, slurping their ramen. I could hear the sounds of drunk people ordering more gyoza or beer.

    ¡°Ah, Hiro, you''re back? I had to stay and help because you ran out just now! I''ll be collecting pay from youter!¡±

    Ayaka, dressed in a ck apron, walked out of the shop as she said that. She then looked at me, and then at Hiro, blinking as she tilted her head.

    ¡°¡­Did something happen? Both of you look weird.¡±

    I shook my head weakly, while Hiro forced a rather perfect smile.

    Between the buildings, at the gathering spot outside the back door of the kitchen, Tetsu-senpai and Major were facing each other, eating a bowl of ramen each. They noticed Hiro and me, put down their chopsticks, and lifted their heads.

    ¡°So how?¡± Senpai asked.

    ¡°Eh? Well¡­¡±

    Hiro''s voice was as shriveled as ever, and he sat on a beer crate. I felt that I wouldn''t be able to stand again if I sat down, so I could only lean on the wall beside the back door.

    While exining the events at Matsugahara Tradings, and Tetsu-senpai and Major silently stared at the surface of the steaming salt-vored ramen. Once Hiro was done, everyone went silent, and theughter of the drunk customers, Ayaka''s cheerful voice and Min-san''s growls felt so distant.

    Tetsu-senpai lifted his eyes slightly.

    So, what do we do? I couldn''t hear the voice, but it seemed he was asking that.

    ¡°Sorry, everyone.¡±

    Hiro muttered.

    ¡°I want to cancel the request.¡±

    I got up from the wall, and Major pushed his goggles up onto his forehead, while Tetsu-senpai kept staring at Hiro''s eyes.

    ¡°It''s because of my stubbornness that got innocents involved¡­I can''t take this anymore. This isn''t some great request, and even if I give up, I''ll be the only one troubled¡­¡±

    ¡°Wait, please wait!¡±

    I inadvertently approached Hiro.

    ¡°It''s not just you, Hiro. Everyone''s troubled. If Min-san''s really going to marry that mafia heir¡ª¡±

    Min-san''s voice could be heard from the back door.

    ¡­Yes, spring onion and salt ramen and gyoza. Ice cream today is raspberry vored. Anyone wants it? Raise your hands. Why everyone? This is a ramen shop! Seriously¡­

    ¡°If they really got married, Min-san won''t be able to run ''Hanamaru'' anymore.¡±

    A damp silence filled our surroundings. Tetsu-senpai and Major curled their lips and stared at the lighting out from the back door.

    Finally, Hiro stood up, smiling as he shook his head. He reached his arm out to me, patted me on the shoulders, and passed by me to walk out of the alley. I saw him take his cellphone out of his pocket, talking on the phone.

    ¡°¡­Alice? It''s me. There''s something I got to say¡­yeah, it''s about that.¡±

    The white half-coat became as distant as Hiro''s voice.

    ¡°Let''s stop with the investigations. As for the expenses¡­you can calcte it, and I''ll pay it all¡­no, I''m serious. Yeah¡­don''t be so angry. Yes, I''m really sorry¡­¡±

    Starting the next day, there was an abnormal ceremonious atmosphere in ''Hanamaru''. Starting off was the Hirasaka-gumi.

    ¡°So Master''s marriage partner to be isn''t Hiro-ojisa?¡±

    ¡°I heard ''Hanamaru''s going to close down. Is it true?¡±

    ¡°That''s what Tetsu-ojisa said.¡±

    ¡°Master, I don''t know what''s going on, but first off, congrattions!¡±

    ¡°Congrats!¡±

    ¡°Scram back right now!¡± Min-san red at the many guys in ck T-shirts, lined in a single file, and frowned.

    ¡°It''s a joyous asion, so let''s drink up!¡± Pole was the first to speak up. Min-san ruled that the Hirasaka-gumi members were not allowed inside the shop, so everyone was seated outside on beer crates. Even so, that wasn''t enough, and most of them could only order while standing up.

    ¡°I''ll have some wedding ramen!¡±

    ¡°Wedding ramen too!¡±

    ¡°Me too!¡±

    ¡°Min-san, I don''t know why, but 23 people ordered wedding ramen!¡±

    Ayaka returned to the kitchen, saying so happily.

    A furious Min-san prepared 23 bowls of terrifying ramen with lots of garlic topping (most likely, it''s probably called wedding because it''spletely white). However, those Hirasaka-gumi members were dumb, and their tongues were insensitive as they slurped up all the ramen delightfully. After finishing the ramen, they ordered beer and gyoza. It''s only 5pm, and the doors of ''Hanamaru'' suddenly became a monkey hill in a zoo. If I showed up, I would have been dragged off by them for some unbeneficial conversations, so I decided to hide in the kitchen.

    ¡°But who exactly is Master going to marry?¡± Rocky''s voice could be heard.

    ¡°I heard it''s the heir of a certain n.¡±

    ¡°So isn''t that referring to Narumi-aniki?¡±

    ¡°That''s it!¡±

    ¡°Isn''t aniki just 16?¡±

    ¡°You idiotic bastard, some big shot like aniki will be fine!¡± How''s that fine!? Speaking of which, how did the misunderstanding up like like this?

    The sun set, and the usual customers of real estate agents and used car dealer uncle were at the shop.

    ¡°Are you really getting married, Min-san?¡±

    ¡°So will the shop be closed?¡±

    ¡°I forced myself to finish the ramen here just to see your boobs, Min-san.¡±

    ¡°What did you say, you bastard?¡± Min-san angrily raised her chopper and swung it around. Employees from thepanies nearby began to visit, and even a flower shop sent a flower ring for some reason. Until thest order time, the shop remained buzzing.

    ¡°Which idiot started spreading such rumors? That''s enough already! Is it you, Narumi?¡±

    After closing time, Min-san was busy washing the dishes, her face flushed red from anger, and I beside her could only shake my head frantically. The dirty tes and trash were 5 times the usual amount, and Ayaka alone wasn''t enough to handle them all, so even I had to stay behind to clean up.

    ¡°Min-san, the talk about your marriage isn''t real?¡±

    Ayaka brought a whole stack of bowls over as she asked.

    ¡°Didn''t I say that I don''t have any intention of getting married? Hong Lei never mentioned it at all¡­¡±

    ¡°But if you''re really going to marry that man, you won''t be able to continue running the shop, right?¡±

    Ayaka looked a little forlorn.

    ¡°Stop spouting nonsense and get to work! Where did Hiro go off to? I thought he''ll work for real, and he''s absent without a valid reason¡­¡±

    ¡°I couldn''t get through with him on the phone either¡­¡± I answered. Since yesterday, I was unable to contact him.

    ¡°Most likely, the rumors were by Tetsu and Hiro. When I see them, I''m going to beat them up good. Narumi, don''t you dare spread the rumors!¡±

    But contrary to Min-san''s expectations, the one who escted matters further was actually Ayaka. Practically all the girls from ss 2-4 came to the shop.

    ¡°Min-san, you really aren''t going to run ''Hanamaru'' anymore?''

    ¡°You can continue after your marriage.¡±

    ¡°We''lle by more often!¡±

    ¡°It''s fine if you don''t make ramen, but at least continue with the ice cream.¡±

    Min-san replied impatiently,

    ¡°You girls are annoying. I''m not closing down. Hey Ayaka,e here for a while!¡±

    ¡°I-I just told everyone that the shop might close down.¡±

    Min-san grabbed a scampering Ayaka, and flicked her forehead hard a few times, before summoning the girls into the kitchen and taught them how to make ice cream like usual. Hiro didn''t show up again, so I had to prepare the ingredients.

    That night, most of the customers visiting were female, cabaret girls, hostesses, officedies, and high school girls.

    ¡°We heard from Hiro. Is this ce really going to close down?¡±

    ¡°When are you getting married? Where''s the ceremony?¡±

    ¡°Min-san, you should just get married with me.¡±

    All kinds of customers entered the shop, and I couldn''t help but wonder, the regr customers here reallye in all shapes and sizes! The night got darker, and there were not only street workers and security guards but even homeless wanderersing all. In the end, all Min-san could do was to give a wry smile, and served up all kinds of ridiculous ingredients to serve the customers.

    And upon closing time, I, Min-san and Ayaka were lined side by side at the basin, washing, wiping and keeping the utensils in order. At this moment, three shadows appeared outside the metal shutters that were half closed.

    ¡°¡­Those idiots of mine caused you guys much trouble, didn''t they?¡±

    Yondaime was dressed in a fancy jacket as he ducked under the shutters and entered the shop. Following him were Testu-senpai and Major.

    ¡°What? Are you guys here to celebrate the closing of the shop or my marriage? I''m going to beat you up.¡±

    Min-san puffed her cheeks, saying that,

    ¡°No, well, we never expected rumors to be that ridiculous.¡± Tetsu-senpai scratched his head, ¡°I just had a chat with the uncle next to me when I was queuing at the pachinko parlor.¡±

    ¡°I just mentioned it carelessly at the researchb in college.¡± Major too was terrified.

    At that moment, Min-san actually showed a smile, having worked out a sweat after some satisfyingbor. She stopped herself from wiping, and looked around the greasy shop. Ayaka and I too followed her stare.

    This was no longer a ce Min-san simply inherited from her dad, but a shop she carefully protected and managed. To us, this was an irreceable ce.

    ¡°Oh yeah, where did Hiro go to? Thosedies of all professions must have came by because of his nonsense, right?''

    ¡°But we couldn''t contact him at all.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai shrugged, and sat on the guest chair.

    ¡°Tetsu-san too?¡± Major said. We exchanged looks. Speaking of which, none of us have seen Hiro since two days ago. I thought of Hiro''s figure that seemed to be transparent as he vanished, and even his voice when he called Alice to cancel the request sounded fractured.

    ¡°Where did he go¡­¡±

    Ayaka''s voice again caused everyone unrest.

    ¡°This is worrying. Is Alice able to track him on the GPS?¡± Tetsu-senpai asked. Right. There''s that move, right? I gave Alice a call immediately.

    ¡°Him? ¡­Got it. I''ll find out immediately.¡±

    I waited slightly as I kept the line active, and heard an immediate response. ¡°Shinguku.¡± Alice spoke on the other end of the phone.

    ¡°Shinjuku?¡±

    I responded. My throat was parched, a little pricky.

    ¡°In Shimo-Ochiai. Hiro''s phone is in Huang Hong Lei''s house. Hurry!¡±

    I gulped, and shut the phone.

    ¡°Hiro''s in Hong Lei''s house.¡±

    Min-san widened her eyes.

    ¡°Sou, the car?¡± Min-san asked Yondaime, who nodded. Min-san leaped over the counter, ¡°Get me there now. Hurry!¡±

    I frantically gave chase after Min-san, and dashed out of the shop. Why¡ªwhy did Hiro go look for Huang Hong Lei? When did he go? Two days ago, after he left? If that was really the case, did he stay there the entire time? A fearful premonition seemed to ooze out from my ears. The bandage on Xiao Ling-san chest, the thoroughly wounded boss of Matsugahara Tradings being beaten up, and the numbing taste of the knife jammed into my mouth; such terrifying memories became a dense vortex in the gloomy darkness.

    Yondaime raced the Mercedes under the dim streets lights of the Shimo-Ochiai residential area, and stopped in the middle of an uphill road.

    On the other side of the wall was the Huangs'' residence shrouded in the darkness of the night, and the ominous cut was like a rotting elephant carcass. Min-san got out of the co-passenger seat, and mmed hard at the interphone by the door.

    The lights between the main gate and house doors lit up. After the gate was open, Huang Hong lei, dressed in an opened ck shirt and a purple suit, walked down. He did not have slick hair this time, probably because he was on vacation, but that only served to emphasize the viciousness of his eyes. Once the door opened, Min-san immediately ran into the garden and grabbed Hong Lei by the corner.

    ¡°What? You haven''t been at my house for quite a while, and now this is a passionate greeting¡­¡±

    Hong Lei narrowed his cold eyes, saying so,

    ¡°Where''s Hiro?¡±

    ¡°Oh? You tracked him down here already? He came in the evening, and is lying in the garage. Good timing, I can save the hassle of contacting you. Take him away, he''s in my way.¡±

    Min-san knocked aside Hong Lei, and sprinted to the right of the dim garden, while Yondaime and I hurriedly gave chase. The cool, intimidating footsteps from Hong Lei followed suit.

    At the very end of the concrete slope leading underground was a shutter, and Min-san pulled it up violently. Yondaime caught up, searched the entrance, and switched the lights on.

    In front of us was a rather spacious garage. The spotlights gave a chilling re, and there were two cars to the right, and one to the left, but there was enough space to hold a few more cars. What appeared to be a human was copsed in the deepest part of the garage. Min-san and Yondaime went running over. I too instinctively hastened my steps.

    ¡°Hiro! Hey! Hiro!¡±

    Min-san got on her knees and carried the copsed Hiro, and the sight in front of me was bone-chilling. His cream colored jacket was covered in blood patches, and the source of it was obviously from his nose. Also, his eyebags and cheeks were swollen purple. He showed no reaction even when leaning on Min-san''s thighs, probably because he passed out. I remained rooted, unable to move. A set of footsteps went by me from behind. It was Hong Lei.

    ¡°Just a bare fisted confrontation. He won''t die.¡±

    ¡°You bastard!¡±

    Yondaime turned around, ducked low and stamped on the concrete floor. ¡°Sou, stop it, you idiot!¡± Min-san yelled. I widened my eyes, dumbfounded by this unbelievable scene. I barely saw a punching motion from Yondaime; a feint with the right to Hong Lei''s face, and the real target was a left to the chest. However, I couldn''t see Hong Lei''s punches at all. I felt an electric jolt-like power pass through Yondaime''s elbow.

    By the time I recovered, Yondaime was already on his knees in front of Hong Lei, his limbs quivering slightly.

    ¡°Wha¡­¡± A dumbfounded Yondaime eked out a voice of disbelief, while I couldn''t even voice out. He dodged Yondaime''s swift attacks, and even struck Yondaime with such precise strikes¡ªprobably on the shoulders.

    He was trained in some special martial arts. At the very least, I could understand that.

    ¡°You idiot.¡± Min-san spat as she chided Yondaime. ¡°You''re no match for him. Are you looking to get killed? Hey Narumi, hurry up and bring Sou to the car!¡±

    ¡°¡­Eh, ah, y-yes.¡±

    I ran over to Yondaime and carried him by the shoulder, and I found that his arm was still numbed. I tried my best not to meet Hong Lei, who was in front of me, right in the eyes, and supported Yondaime to his feet.

    ¡°Hong Lei¡­¡±

    Min-san carried Hiro as she stood up, her eyes filled with a firm will.

    ¡°¡­You aren''t nning to have me as a substitute fiancee, but looking to get married with me for real?¡±

    Unexpectedly, Min-san''s voice and expression had no anger in them. Hong Lei too stared right at Min-san''s eyes without averting them.

    ¡°If I wasn''t nning on that, I wouldn''t have gone for a one on one duel with that small fry of a host, right?¡±

    It took me a lot of strength to let out a heavy sigh. Why did Hiroe to this ce alone? Did he really do it to see who could take Min-san''s hand, for this really dumb reason?

    ¡°I won''t be able to find a fine woman like you anywhere now. This is a great chance, of course I would do anything.¡±

    At this moment, I felt a strange chill rising from deep within my abdomen, and strangely, there was some pleasantness in this chilling feeling. Hong Lei basically said the same words as Hiro.

    Min-san looked down at the bloodied face in her clutches, and back at Hong Lei again.

    Her face was smiling.

    ¡°In that case, are you prepared to run the ramen shop with me?¡±

    And more shockingly, Hong Lei actually smiled back at Min-san.

    ¡°You said the exact same thing as that small fry of a host!¡±

    I gasped.

    ¡°That idiot said that if I don''t intend to run the ramen shop, he won''t agree to our marriage. Who does he think he is? I''m going to be the one inheriting the Huang Coalition, and I''m going to expand it to at least 5 times the present before attacking Hong Kong again. Ming Li, for this objective, I''ll need your strength. I don''t have the time to manage some ramen shop.¡±

    ¡°¡­I see.¡±

    Min-san looked down at her toes. When she looked up again, her eyes were staring at me for some reason. In other words, at this detective assistant.

    ¡°Narumi, give Alice a call. Here''s a request form me.¡±

    And Min-san said,

    ¡°Wreck this marriage.¡±

 Volume 6, 4

    <h4>Volume 6, Chapter 4</h4>

    Hiro started plying his trade of fooling girls ever since he was in Middle School, and that the number of girls he caused to cry was in triple digits, so I heard. Of course, this number was going to increase, but it seemed there were a few exceptions. In other words, though they were rare in numbers, a few women would make amends with him again.

    Like for example, Yi Ling-san.

    ¡°Seriously, I never thought you would actually do such a stupid thing, Hiro. What if there''s a scar left on your face? Your livelihood depends on your face!¡±

    Yi Ling-san continued to grumble, but she continued to change the bandages of Hiro, lying t on the bed, and applied ointment on his wounds.

    ¡°Ow ow ow! Be gentle, Yi Ling. I was always being gentle to you on the bed!¡±

    The swelling on Hiro''s face never subsided, yet he was already joking.

    ¡°After I''m done with your wounds, shall I stitch your mouth?¡± Yi Ling-san narrowed her eyes.

    ¡°Then I won''t be able to kiss you!¡±

    ¡°A light one will do. That''s fine, right?¡±

    It seemed they were ying p and kiss. Also inside this cramped bedroom was my existence, so I really hoped that they show some restrain. It was a little old-fashioned, but I cleared my throat to remind the duo that I was present.

    ¡°So, can we have Hiro stay here under your care, Yi Ling-san?¡± I said as I scanned this apartment of two bedrooms and one living room. This was one of the rooms located beside the Embassy, called the Hello Pce, and the owner Yi Ling-san was a hostess from China, Hiro''s ex-girlfriend. After some questioning, I heard that Hiro had been here recently, asking everyone to investigate on the Hong Kong mafia, so naturally, he often ended up dating Yi Ling-san and living in her house. Looks like these two haven''t learned anything¡­

    ¡°Didn''t I just start a fight with Huang Hong Lei?¡± Hiro muttered. ¡°After such a tough situation, you''re the only one I can rely on, Yi Ling.¡±

    Hiro nonchntly touched the back of Yi Ling-san''s arm as he said this, and she, who showed an impatient look, couldn''t help but be flustered. This guy''s a natural gigolo after all!

    ¡°Oh yeah, I heard that¡­Min-san, made a request to Alice?¡±

    Hiro aside. I nced aside at Yi Ling-san, and nodded without any doubt. Was it really fine to mention this in front of his ex?

    ¡°Speaking of whihc, Hiro, I heard you proposed to her?¡±

    Right when I was feeling skeptical, Yi Ling-san suddenly took the initiative and attacked Hiro first.

    ¡°Hm? But when I propose to you, I''ll definitely book a ssy restaurant in Hilton beforehand!¡±

    Ah, so this can be resolved just like this¡­I really learned quite a bit. No, I don''t think this is necessary! ¡°Enough already, you''re always being so cheeky!¡± Yi Ling-san said as she stuck another gauss on Hiro''s face, before wrapping up his naked chest with bandage again.

    ¡°So, what happened during the two days I passed out?¡±

    Hiro exhaled, and asked me. Yi Ling-san too was sitting by the pillow on the bed, giving me a look that practically says, I have the right to know too, right? Of course, I didn''te here just to visit Hiro, but to brief him on the situation. However, where do I begin?

    It had been two days since Hiro barged into Huang Hong Lei''s house and got beaten up. Actually, a lot of things happened during two days.

    First off, the detective agency began talking action because of Min-san''s request. Tetsu-senpai and Major were going around in an unusually active manner, but at this moment, I had yet to hear of any specific n.

    Ultimately, Min-san decided to participate on the first day of our culture festival. November 3rd, the day Huang Hong Lei nned to hold the wedding. ¡°Since Hong Lei intended to pull a fast one on me, I have no obligation to help him now, right?¡± so Min-san said. For Hiro, this was good news.

    However, the biggest news would probably be that we received contact from Umeda Kouji.

    ¡°Umeda¡­that thug of a boyfriend?¡± Hiro asked.

    The biggest cause to this incident was because Huang Hong Lei''s actual fiancee¡ªHuang Xiang Yu had a Japanese boyfriend, the man called Umeda Kouji.

    ¡°So he''s still alive?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I heard he went to Kobe.¡±

    Hanada Masaru pretended to kill Umeda Kouji, but in fact, had him escape to Kansai. It was said that thetter had been looking for a ce to elope to, and just the previous day, he gave a call to Xiao Ling-san. Rather, it would be more precise to say that he gave a call to Huang Xiang Yu, who was audaciously hidden by Xiao Ling-san in the Zodiac Entertainment Company.

    ¡°From what Xiao Ling-san said, Umeda said something to the line of ''I''ll be picking up Xiang Yu soon''.¡±

    ¡°What do they intend to do after they elope? Have they found jobs?¡± Hiro folded his arms, feeling quizzical. At this moment, Yi Ling-san, who remained silent the entire time, suddenly interrupted.

    ¡°That girl called Xiang Yu will go out to earn a living, right? There''s a soand in Fukuhara at Kobe.¡±

    ¡°Ehhh¡­then wouldn''t that be a gigolo? That Xiang Yu is the princess of the Huangs. Ah, no, I don''t have any intention to criticise you, Yi Ling-san.¡±

    ¡°I''m born in a poor family and background anyway.¡±

    Yi Ling-san spat a tongue out at me, and then reverted back to a serious look.

    ¡°But, it doesn''t matter even if she''s a princess. Women are often a lot stronger than men when ites to being in an environment of no support. Even the Huang Coalition had to rely on the women to send their men over to Japan, and finally establishing their territory.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    Speaking of which, if I recalled correctly, she''s from Hong Kong, right?

    ¡°These creatures called men will just die by the roadside if they sudden move to a ce without any support, right? Women can continue living on even when alone. All men are just leechers.¡±

    These words certainly seemed convincing,ing from Yi Ling-san.

    ¡°Even now, the situation remains the same. The Chinese women in Kabukicho outnumber men 5 to one!¡± Hiro said so proudly for some reason. ¡°Most of them do all kinds of businesses, and have unstable ies, so that''s why they would work together and form a trust fund together.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, I heard about that from Min-san.¡±

    The trust fund itself is a civilian style of financial system, a pool of money with contributions from everyone, that could be used by anyone in times of need. It''s said that many Chinesedies living in Japan participate in such funds. This fund itself was managed by the Huang Coalition, and was said to rival the major banks.

    ¡°I participate in one too!¡± Xiao Ling-san said. ¡°I''m thinking that if I get married one day, I''ll open a shop.¡±

    So she intended to work in all kinds of professions to earn enough money to open a shop. That''s dedicated of her. Why would such a firm-willed person be attracted by a scumbag like Hiro? This is really unbelievable. Hiro himself showed a perfect smile, answering,

    ¡°It''s love!¡±

    ¡°What love?¡± Don''t you talk to me about love! And you have the cheek to freeload here all you want. Yi Ling-san shot him a cold look.

    However, Huang Xiang Yu really had no hesitation in betraying her mafia family just to elope with the man she loved. Maybe, like Yi Ling-san, she was prepared to live on in a city of night life?

    In any case, these aren''t things I should be worrying about.

    I walked out of Yi Ling-san''s room, and heard quick footstepsing from the other end of the corridor.

    ¡°Mr. Assistant, Mr Assistant!¡±

    The voice of a girl of tender age reached me, and I found a brown shadow flinging at me.

    ¡°Wah!¡±

    It was Meo, the Thai girl who lived in an apartment here together with her dad.

    ¡°This is bad this is bad! A lot of girls are trying to enter! It looks like they know that Hiro''s here!¡±

    ¡°Ehh?¡±

    Meo pointed at the outer corridor handrail, and I hurriedly poked my head out to look. There were a few cars parked in front of the apartment, forming a human sea of vibrant colors. I guess that''s almost 20 of them? They''re all females, and of different ages and profile. The onlymon point I had a bad feeling about, was that they were all finely dressed, holding paper bags and carriers. The chatter was mostly Chinese, it seemed, and I could only identify Yi Ling-san and Hiro''s names.

    ¡°Meo told them already! Meo said that Hiro wanted Meo to keep it a secret and not let anyone know he''s here! But they definitely wouldn''t leave!¡±

    If you say that, they''re definitely not going back¡­

    Finally, the manydies finally be impatient and broke through the doors. I clearly heard a rash of fierce footsteps passing by below up, and they scaled the staircase, closing in on us. Seeing the massive army appearing on the other end of the corridor, Meo ducked behind me, cowering in fear.

    ¡°Hiro! Where''s Hiro?¡±

    ¡°He''s definitely hiding in Yi Ling''s room, right? I head that he''s hurt!¡±

    ¡°Why did hee over to Yi Ling''s ce? Didn''t Hiro break up with her?¡±

    ¡°We''re just here to visit him. Why chase him away?¡±

    After observing from up close, I noticed that most of the furious lookingdies closing in seemed to be rich wives, and I nearly blurted, If he hides in your houses, you''ll get caught by your husbands!

    Hearing the conversations of mixed Japanese and Chinese, I could vaguely hear that a girl working in the same shop as Yi Ling-san leaked the news about Hiro. In other words, amongst the hundreds of lovers Hiro had, only the Chinese girls knew of his whereabouts. Guess this really is a silver lining. If everyone knew that he was here, Hello pce would end up in an endless hell.

    ¡°Well, Hiro''s hiding here and told Meo not to say anything, so he''s not here!¡± Meo said as she hid behind my back. I put a hand on my forehead, sighing. You should have just kept quiet.

    ¡°He doesn''t spare such a young girl either?¡±

    One of the madames was huffing her shoulders in fury, while Meo clung to my back tightly, swaying her twintails.

    ¡°That''s not it! The only ones able to get Meo to confess are dad and Mr. Assistant!¡±

    ¡°Stop talking, Meo! This will only make things moreplicated!¡±

    I took a step forward, racking my brain at full speed as I thought of what I wanted to say. All I could do was pray that saying some logical words would convince them.

    ¡°Eh actually, Hiro''s really injured badly. I guess he''ll be very happy that everyone''s here to visit him, but you know, he really has a sense of responsibility. He''ll definitely hear you out when he meets you, and might say that he''ll take you out without caring about his own injuries. So, erm, if you really care about Hiro, can you please wait until his condition improves?¡±

    I said as I looked up at the madames expressions. Their agitated looks obviously looked a lot more rxed, and I discreetly heaved a sigh of relief.

    ¡°¡­Alright, I understand.¡±

    ¡°Well, I can rx if he''s in Yi Ling''s care.¡±

    ¡°Then, can we hand over our gifts to you?¡±

    ¡°Ah, sure.¡±

    Hiro''s lovers left arge pile of gifts even I couldn''t handle fully, and finally returned back. It''smon to see melons and Muscat grapes, but there were also Asian Ginseng, Cordyceps, snake galldder, fois gras and crab oil. Rather than have him recover, I wonder--

    ¡°Mr Assistant, Mr Assistant. How do I read these words?¡±

    Meo pointed at the box of Chinese medicine with the words ''peerless vitality'', asking me,

    ¡°Meo, it''s alright for you not to know how to read this¡­¡±

    I got the feeling that handling these matters alone were tiring me out.

    I turned around to nudge the door slightly, seeing Yi Ling-san put her hands together and telling me, ''thank you''.

    Outside the back door of ''Ramen Hanamaru'' was an unapproachable atmosphere.

    The gap between the buildings was narrow enough, and at this point, there were massive 3-4 figures d in T-shirts, members of the Hirasaka-gumi;

    ¡°Aniki, good work!¡±

    ¡°Good work!¡±

    Upon seeing me approach the shop, the few of of them came to me and greeted me. The shop was yet to begin business at 4pm; Ayaka and the other girls from my ss were wearing the school sailor uniforms like usual, with aprons on, happily making ice cream. The atmosphere inside and outside the shop was really different; it felt that my left eye was seeing a different world altogether.

    ¡°Nothing strange at the moment!¡±

    ¡°With the few of us over here, we''re like an iron wall.¡±

    ¡°If anyone approaches the shop, we''ll beat them all up and shoo them off!¡±

    Now no customers will die to approach.

    ¡°Ah, erm, have the guys from the Huang Coalition been watching this stretch?¡±

    I had the Hirasaka-gumi send a few over to avoid anyone from obstructing the business. The few guys in ck T-shirts nodded.

    ¡°Haven''t seen anyone today.¡±

    ¡°But they dide by yesterday.¡±

    ¡°Their faces were obviously Chinese.¡±

    ¡°In that case, please continue to be on the lookout.¡±

    I stepped on the emergency staircase, and suddenly, light footsteps were running up to me.

    ¡°Fujishima-kun!¡±

    Ayaka caught up to me at the stairwell.

    ¡°Min-san said that she''ll being on the first day of the culture festival, but is that fine? Does she have any issues with her family?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yeah¡±

    I was a little hesitant, not knowing how much I should exin to Ayaka.

    ¡°It''s fine! She definitely won''t cause our ssmates much trouble.¡±

    ¡°That''s not what I''m worried about! I''m worried about Min-san and you, Fujishima-kun.¡±

    I shrank my neck back.

    ¡°Sorry, but I''m really fine¡­¡±

    I wasn''t confident at all, but this was all I could only answer.

    ¡°Is there anything you need my help with?¡±

    Ayaka was being so close, her knees were practically touching mine as she earnestly said this.

    ¡°No, Ayaka. There''s nothing you can¡ª¡± I was about to reply this, but was startled by Ayaka''s serious expression, and suddenly thought of something. ¡°Ah, right, there seems to be something. Well, about the one in charge of food hygiene, does the person need to be present all day?¡±

    ¡°Eh? Probably not? Right now, I''m not too sure¡­¡±

    Min-san just needed to show up if someone was to inspect, and at other times, it''s safer to hide her. Nobody knew whether the Huang Coalition would take action.

    ¡°I''ll rify with themittee. Anything else?''

    ¡°Anything, erm¡­¡± There''s nothing I thought of, so I said half-jokingly, ¡°Personally, I hope that we can have tiramisu in the menu.¡±

    ¡°Got it!¡± Ayaka flipped her apron as she teetered down the stairs lightly.

    Obviously, Alice was being unhappy.

    ¡°I never thought that everyone would be so focusing on breaking up; where have we abandoned our pride as NEET detectives at?¡±

    The tapping at the keyboard sounded like an ice block being shaved. We were enteringte October, and the temperature had decreased quite a bit. Even if it was to match the temperature outside the room, the air conditioning in the detective agency was a lot colder than usual. Only recently did I realize this, that when Alice was feeling moody, she would set the air conditioning temperature to a very low level.

    ¡°Tetsu and Major said that they wanted to forge proof of Master''s divorce, or that they''ll throw tear gas at the ceremony. They were even nning this so seriously that they went off to scout the location! This is too unbing of them!¡±

    ¡°But you''re now working for Min-san''s now, aren''t you, Alice?''

    ¡°It''s not for Master. Shouldn''t I have just rejected that kind of request straight away?¡± Alice continued to turn her back on me. ¡°What I''m investigating now is for Hiro''s request.¡±

    I sighed.

    Alice''s definition of a NEET detective was one who dug for the truth, to be the speaker of the dead. That was why she would not ept requests a private investigator would take up, like wrecking marriages. Despite this, Alice continued tapping at the keyboard, all for the sake of Hiro''s request¡­ No, to be precise, for the request she asked Hiro to make.

    This strange girl really had all kinds of self-restraining rules in her lives. She wouldn''t take action until there was a request, and that itself was another shackle she ced on herself. The truth a detective finds would dig up, decipher and sculpt a certain person''s life, and create a fatal change.

    Furthermore, Alice had an obsessive concept¡ªthough I didn''t know if this was the right way to put it¡ªanyway, she had a strong fear of the unknown. Sometimes, this would sink her into despair, and she might even crumble.

    That was why Alice had to beg Hiro to make a request to her.

    ¡°Alice, do you really just want to know what''s up with Hanada Masaru?¡±

    ¡°Haven''t I said this countless times already?¡±

    Alice dejectedly noted.

    ¡°I have no interest in such a stupid weddingmotion. The only thing that attracts me is Hanada Masaru. I have no idea of that man''s intentions, his whereabouts. What does he intend to do? I really have no idea.¡±

    And I didn''t know why Alice was so obsessed with Hanada Masaru. It was infuriating that he created this unavoidable mess, and I couldn''t agree with him dragging his own daughter down even if it''s to help someone else elope. However, it appeared Alice wasn''t obsessed about that.

    But that there was a firmer discord.

    The crux to this issue was likely to be Xiao Ling-san.

    I too felt that she had some unspeakable doubt to her. She was not a party involved, yet was so closely involved in this, and I couldn''t determine her actual objective, or how did she intend to direct this scenario to a certain oue. Furthermore, she didn''t seem to have any malice to her, which made things more ufortable.

    ¡°The fact Huang Xiao Ling''s hiding is likely to be the crux to this incident. However, it appeared she already knew that this hacker here exists. As to be expected of the Zodiac system developer. I couldn''t investigate on news about Hanada Masaru no matter where I struck. Even the call log Hanada Masaru made was hidden by her with some unknown method¡­¡±

    This too was another reason why Alice was frustrated. The NEET detective had always been invincible in the ocean of electronics, only to be on her back foot in the face of awork security specialist.

    Alice suddenly lifted her head to look at a monitor high up a rack, and on it was the simple Zodiac portal site. Every month, the site logo would switch constetions, and at this point, it changed from Libra to Scorpio. October would be over, and soon after, the culture festival.

    ¡°However, I do have some clues on Hanada Masaru''s whereabouts.¡± Alice muttered.

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    I inadvertently leaned my upper body forward while holding the frame of the bed. This was the first time on this day that Alice turned back to look at me, the faint smile on her face clearly showing reluctance and fatigue.

    ¡°Do you remember the doctor Hanada Masaru went to on that night? The family name''s Choi, a Korean doctor without a license. I tracked down his whereabouts.¡±

    ¡°You''re amazing¡­¡±

    ¡°Found it in a jiffy. He booked a ticker on the inte, and two days after the incident, flew to Hong Kong.¡±

    Hong Kong. Why Hong Kong?''

    ¡°Back to the Huangs'' headquarters.¡±

    ¡°That''s not the Huangs'' headquarters, or it can be said that it''s the most suitable ce on Earth to hide from the Huangs. The Huang Coalition lost territory in the n wars, and was finally removed from the Hong Kong Triad, chased out of their hometown¡­ This means that practically all of them moved to Japan. The territory, headquarters and houses were practically taken over by an enemy force called the Bengya Association.¡±

    Right, I believe Huang Hong Lei said something simr too, that he wanted to expand the Huang Coalition in Japan several times before counter attacking on Hong Kong again.

    ¡°So Hanada Masaru went to Hong Kong as well?¡±

    ¡°That''s a likely possibility.¡±

    Alice again turned back to face the screen.

    And then? I swallowed those words.

    If he really flew to Hong Kong, then not only would the Huang Coalition be unable to do anything, but the NEETs who could only grumble in a corner of Tokyo couldn''t do anything either, and it was pointless to inform anyone of this.Even if we were to tell Min-san, you can rx now, your dad is in Hong Kong where nobody can catch him, I didn''t think she would be happy about that either.

    No matter how unbearable the truth might be, Alice had no qualms in digging it out.

    ¡°I know¡­¡±

    Alice muttered. It seemed her voice was unable to withstand the cold air too, and was about to be snapped apart.

    ¡°Actually, I know very well in my heart that this fact is just firewood for a cremation. A detective can''t possibly do anything for the living.¡±

    I merely shook my head. Alice could not see. Even though she denied it, I had no choice but to admit, till this point, Alice saved me several times, but no matter how much I tried to express it, it was useless. In fact, I mentioned it to her several times, but my feelings probably never touched the inner most part of her heart.

    Why was that?

    I did not speak up, and merely stared at the petite figure under the ck hair, quietly asking,

    Why must she lock herself in this cramped, cold ss shoe-like ce? Why must you always wait so bitterly for the dawn that would nevere? What exactly robbed the rhythm of life from her petite body, and swapped it for the premonition of death?

    I counted my pulse in the breeze blown by the air conditioning, seeking the suitable words.

    ¡°Alice, that''s¡­¡±

    The shoulders beneath the blue pajamas shook beyond the curtain of ck hair.

    ¡°Can you think of Min-san''s request as being epted by me? Besides, I''m a member of the agency¡­¡±

    I uttered these words one by one, peering at Alice''s back.

    ¡°¡­And also, when we have lots of cases in the future, we can work together. Won''t that be convenient? Maybe you can leave some of the work to this subordinate of yours.¡±

    Alice shook her head slightly.

    ¡°Whatever!¡±

    This isn''t it, Alice,, I didn''t mean that. It''ll be meaningless. If I''m to do anything by myself, nothing will change. Even if it''s a little trick. I hoped to be the link between Alice and this world.

    ¡°Can''t just let me do whatever I want. You need tomand me as the leader.¡±

    ¡°You''re too noisy!¡±

    Alice shook her long hair as she turned her head around.

    ¡°Speaking of which, didn''t you say that! I rejected this request already, so now¡ª¡±

    Once Alice''s eyes met mine, she was suddenly at a loss of words. Herrge eyes reflected my earnest expression, and I knew that a certain truth behind my lousy lie was figured out. Her pale face was like a brand new candlestick, and at this moment, it was slightly reddened. She seemed a little sorry as she lowered her head.

    I hesitated slightly for a while, and continued,

    ¡°If it''s not work you ordered us to do, the payment Min-san gives will be split equally between Major, Tetsu-senpai and me. Is that okay?¡±

    Alice grabbed the doll lying beside her, one, another, and another one. She hugged the dolls in front of her chest, blocking her reddened face as she answered,

    ¡°Didn''t I tell you not to taunt me in such a stupid manner? Now I''m embarrassed!¡±

    ¡°Hm¡­then shall I be a little more honest? I think you''re important to me, Alice, so, even if it''s just to encourage you, I hope¡ª¡±

    Alice continued to il her legs, and grabbed another two dolls to hug.

    ¡°Argh, I''m getting embarrassed here as well¡­¡±

    I guess¡­even I''m starting to be embarrassed too.

    ¡°Whatever. You only pay attention to such details in such unnecessary ces, and careless in important moments. Since you''re going to handle it as a job the agency epted, all the reward goes to me, and you all will just ept your meager pay that''s lesser than alms! Exin this to Tetsu and Major!¡±

    I held in the urge to broke out a grin, and nodded before I stood up.

    ¡°Got it. Thanks.¡±

    ¡°Why are you thanking me?¡±

    Alice again turned her back on me in a huff, and through her long hair, I could only see her reddened ears. However, right when I got up and was about to exit the door, Alice again called me with a stern tone,

    ¡°About that Doctor Choi¡­¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡± I turned my back back. What about that?

    ¡°Go tell Huang Hong Lei about that.¡±

    ¡°Er, eh, why?¡±

    Wouldn''t that basically be telling the Huangs about the clues to Hanada Masaru? Maybe Huang Hong Lei would have secretly agreed to have his fiancee elope on him, but he might not let Hanada Masaru go, right? This concerned the Huangs'' pride after all.

    ¡°The Huangs can''t do anything in Hong Kong right now. I think I have a rough gauge on Hanada Masaru''s intentions too.¡±

    Surprised, I walked back to the bed.

    ¡°¡­What do you mean? Didn''t you say that you don''t understand his objectives at all?¡±

    ¡°I don''t know what he''s intending to do! But I know what he wants us to do. Think about what happened in April. That guy had stic surgery to alter his appearance, and even avoided all the surveince cameras around and in the building so that we couldn''t catch him. He was so cautious interacting with us, and yet there are too many signs in this case.¡±

    ¡°Uu¡­¡±

    Speaking of which, that certainly seemed to be the case¡­

    ¡°He didn''t just give a phone call to Huang Xiao Ling, but also called you and had you record his voice. He abandoned the bloodied car after escaping to that hospital, and left records when he booked the ne ticket for the doctor. Even if it was carelessness due to the suddenness of the situation, these acts were too careless of him. It''s almost unnatural. I feel that it was deliberate of him.¡±

    ¡°Deliberate?¡±

    ''¡±Hanada Masaru''s is making use of us through Huang Xiao Ling, so we can just reveal any filtered information to the Huang Coalition.¡±

    ¡°Erm¡­¡±

    Was it possible to really do that?

    It was true that we managed to track down Hanada Masaru a little earlier, and knew of the truth that happened that night, so we managed to avoid the worst case scenario, that of the Huangs knowing that Huang Xiang Yu was still alive. It wasn''t imusible however. As long as we report, the only one knowing the truth would be Huang Hong Lei himself. But this was just a guess.

    ¡°I can''t eliminate the possibility that it''s just a guess. A man as amazing as Hanada Masaru probably wouldn''t have to spend so much effort to escape to Hong Kong and manipte the information from afar. Even if he stayed in Tokyo, there''s a while to help others to elope and protect ''Hanamaru''. In any case however, reality''s reality. He''s not here now. It''s an unpleasant feeling to be moving and controlled on his end however.¡±

    ¡°If we tell Hong Lei that the doctor flew to Hong Kong, what''ll happen next?¡±

    ¡°At the very least, the Huang Coalition will divert its attention to Hong Kong, and the watch here will be rxed.¡±

    The problem was that even if they turned their attention away, they couldn''t send so many people back to Hong Kong just to find Hanada Masaru, right? That wouldn''t be too meaningful, would it? Or did he have another objective to this?

    Seriously, this was really troublesome. Why did Hanada Masaru run away! He''s an amazing mercenary, so in that case, he should at least take some risk toe back and exin to Min-san, right? It''s because he wouldn''t show that that we''re being stifled here!

    My impatience wilted in the stiff winds of the air conditioning.

    Finally, Alice lifted her head and looked at me with a stoic look.

    ¡°Anyway, it''s your choice as to whether you want to inform them. This is your case now.¡±

    I boldly dered that I was going to ept Min-san''s request, but I didn''t know whether to inform Huang Hong Lei of the doctor''s whereabouts, even until the next day after school. In that end, i had to discuss this with Tetsu-senpai and Major at the back door of the shop, which made me feel helpless.

    ¡°It''s doesn''t matter, right? Just tell him! Masaru-san will definitely be able to do something. Even if a hundred of those mafia goons are to go find him, they''ll definitely just be sent back all shaved and packed in containers.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai answered with a rxed tone.

    ¡°Haa¡­¡±

    Senpai spent the longest time here at ''Hanamaru''. It seemed he knew best how amazing Hanada Masaru was.

    ¡°I agree.¡± Major chimed in too. ¡°As Alice said, the Huang Coalition will divert their attention. Even if there are people staying behind to investigate that hospital or keep watch there, there''ll be fewer numbers. It''ll be easier for us to begin our operation.¡±

    ¡°Begin operation¡­what do you mean?¡±

    With a beaming smile on his face, Major opened a small notebookputer. The screen showed the blueprint of a certain building or something.

    ¡°Right now, we''re still investigating any possible entry routes and target locations¡­¡±

    ¡°W-wait wait wait, what do you mean by entry? What building is this?¡±

    Why are you asking such a question? Major''s face was practically crying this out.

    ¡°We''re checking on all thepanies under the Huangs and the Zodiac! Won''t things be settled if we steal the documents that proved Master''s loan?¡±

    ¡°That definitely won''t work!¡±

    We don''t know where they''re hidden, and furthermore, this is criminal, isn''t it?

    ¡°You''re right¡­¡± Senpai nodded. I was about to say that it''s a good thing this guy wasn''t as immoral as Major, but he unexpectedly followed up with, ¡°I''m still able to handle opponents wielding Qinglong swords, but facing handguns will be a little problematic¡­¡±

    ¡°Both are tough to deal with! Anyway, that''s not the problem!¡±

    I mmed Major''sputer hard, and he curled his lips like an elementary school kid.

    ¡°It''s fine as long as we aren''t found out!¡±

    ¡°You idiot, you''ll definitely be found out!¡±

    A voice suddenly rang from the kitchen''s back door, and Major nearly rolled over from the old tire he was sitting on. Unbeknownst to us, Min-san opened the door and poked her head out.

    ¡°Say, I did make the request, but I''m not telling you to do anything criminal.¡±

    ¡°No, but that''s the easiest way.¡± Major was about to say, only to be smacked by Min-san.

    ¡°I want to continue running ''Hanamaru''! I prefer my current lifestyle now. What can you do when you steal and forge documents? That''ll make the Huangs more unwilling to let me go, right?¡±

    Min-san''s proper words were right on the money, and I thoroughly realized we need people like her around us to remind us.

    ¡°What do you intend to do, Narumi?¡±

    Tetsu-senpai asked, and Major too turned towards me. Even Min-san did.

    ¡°Alice doesn''t want to handle the request, so you''re now taking over, Narumi? I heard from Alice yesterday. How are we going to take action anyway?¡±

    I leaned my back on the wall, and slowly slid down, before squatting on the damp dirt, sagging my shoulders. My boastful words from before left me with no choice but to think of a solution. I didn''t have that kind of time on hand, but I spent an entire day just thinking of whether I should provide the information to Hong Lei.

    In the end, I didn''t think of anything.

    ¡°So Min-san, let''s give up on the n A to steal the document, and go with n B, right?¡± Major.said.

    ¡°What''s the n B?¡±

    ¡°Get married with Hiro as soon as possible. Then you won''t be able to get married with Huang Hong Lei, right?¡±

    ¡°Are those all the stupid ideas you can think of? Hong Lei will just add another request for me to ''get a divorce''. Think harder.¡±

    ¡°I thought it was a good n¡­¡±

    Tetsu-senpai too felt dejected.

    ¡°Oh yeah, where did Hiro go?¡± Min-san suddenly asked. ¡°After that incident, I handed him over for Sou to handle, and now he''s ying dumb with me. Which hospital is he at now? He should be fine, right? Did he get hammered in the head too much?¡±

    ¡°Ahh¡­¡±

    Tetsu-senpai and I exchanged nces. We had to keep Hiro''s current whereabouts a secret from Min-san; this was something we realized we didn''t have to talk about. That guy went to propose to Min-san, and now he''s hiding in another woman''s house¡­

    After seeing us give ignorant looks, Min-san said.

    ¡°Haa, I guess he''s probably staying at some woman''s ce.¡±

    ¡°Eh? N-no, that''s not true¡­Hiro didn''t go to any woman''s ce, and well, Yondaime had him at a doctor he knew. That doctor has aplicated background, so we kept it a secret and didn''t tell you¡­¡±

    ¡°Narumi, you really can''t lie. Mind realizing that?¡±

    Min-san shot me down with that one line. Major and Tetsu-senpai gave up on trying to lie and cover this up as they reined back their necks.

    ¡°Whatever. His wounds aren''t that serious, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­Eh? Ah, yeah¡­he''s a lot better now.¡±

    So much better that he''s able to say some cheesy lines to his ex, I nearly blurted.

    ¡°Good enough then. Next time, when I see him, I''m going to beat him up good.¡±

    Min-san lectured everyone, but as she returned to the kitchen, she looked over her shoulder, saying,

    ¡°I''ll leave it to you guys think of some way to get me out of this.¡±

    The ice cream making lessons our ss 2-4 girls were participating in finally ended yesterday, and the preparations for the ramen shop finally gained some peace. The school festival loomed, and everyone was in the ssroom, helping to decorate. On this day, Ayaka had to stay tillte at school, so I had toe and help open the shop.

    And because of that, when business started at 5pm, a rare customer came.

    ¡°Wee¡ª¡±

    I greeted the figure ducking under the curtain and into the shop, and at the next second, I was rooted in shock.

    Walking in was Huang Hong Lei, with slick hair, sharp eyes, a dark colored suit under his suite coat, and a bright opened sleeved shirt. Furthermore, what was surprising, or if I thought hard about it, wasn''t really surprising, was the other person behind Hong Lei¡ªXiao Ling-san. Thetter was holding what appeared to be arge, t box.

    ¡°What? You came to this shop¡­¡±

    Min-san walked out from the corridor, asking in confusion, Xiao Ling-san stood behind a stoic looking Hong lei, nced aside at me, and whispered to Min-san. ¡°Sorry foring uninvited¡­¡±

    Hong Lei took the box from Xiao Ling-san''s hands, and opened the lid slightly.

    ¡°This is the custom made dress. Just made today.¡±

    Min-san merely nced at the box.

    ¡°Sorry, but I don''t need to wear this. Didn''t I say that I''m attending the school festival on that day?¡±

    Was that the dress to be worn at the wedding ceremony? I noticed it slightly. Speaking of which, back then, when Min-san was called over by Hong Lei, did they have it custom tailored back then? Back when Min-san was in the dark, naively thinking that she was just a substitute.

    ¡°I don''t care what you intend to do on that day. I''ll be picking you up at 11.¡±

    Min-san had already stated it so clearly, yet Hong Lei ced the box on the counter, and showed the content within. As he was pinching the side and pulling it out slightly, I only see the shoulders and the torso part, but I could immediately tell that the purple dress was of top notch quality.

    ¡°Why not a Chinese dress¡­¡±

    ¡°Even though we''re Chinese, we don''t have to be wearing that, right?¡±

    ¡°But is that able to support Master''s huge breasts?¡±

    ¡°I think she needs to wear a cosette underneath.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai and Major peeked in from the gap in the backdoor, and Min-san heard their chatter, looking furious as she mmed the back door hard, and turned back to Hong Lei.

    ¡°How did you exin it to the guests? Nobody had anything to say when you said you''re going to bring me along?¡±

    ¡°It was originally a ceremony where I am announced as the Hong Lord. The wedding''s just a side event.¡±

    The Hong Lord here would refer to the leader of a Chinese mafia. In arger organization, there''s the Dragon Head who''s higher ranked than the Hong Lord, and at this point, the Hong Lord is the equivalent of a Japanese yakuza lord. Because of this case, I learned a lot of unnecessary knowledge.

    ¡°I''ll just introduce you to the guests as the granddaughter of the Dragon head, since that''s a fact. Practically nobody in Japan knows your background, or Xiang Yu, so there''s no real need to exin.¡±

    ¡°What about grandfather and the others?¡±

    ¡°The Dragon Head was really positive about it, especially since he never took a particr liking to Xiang Yu, and preferred you instead. My father and grandfather weren''t too willing, but since only I can take over the Huang Coalition, nobody can grumble. Once lunch''s over, it''ll be a meeting with the rtives, and you''ll have to show up. I''ll make sure everyone epts you at the wedding.¡±

    ¡°But I''ll grumble!¡±

    ¡°At that moment, you won''t.¡±

    Xiao Ling-san appeared to be sighing. Min-san merely shrugged.

    ¡°Whatever. You got nothing else for me, right? If so, hurry up and scram. Don''t stop me from opening my shop and doing business.¡±

    ¡°No¡­¡±

    Hong Lei kept the clothing back in the box, closed the box, and sat down by the counter.

    ¡°Serve something. I''m here as a customer.¡±

    I inadvertently widened my eyes, yet Min-san pretended to remain calm as she asked,

    ¡°What are you nning exactly?¡±

    ¡°This shop''s going to close because of me. Thus, I have an obligation to taste the vor here?¡±

    Min-san turned her eyes to the entrance of the ramen shop.

    ¡°You too, Xiao Ling?¡±

    ¡°¡­yeah, it''s a rare chance.¡±

    A conflicted look remained on Xiao Ling-san''s face, and she sat down beside Hong Lei.

    The next 20 minutes was likely the most surreal time I ever experienced working in ''Hanamaru''. The siblings who were to inherit a mafia were seated on rtively unclean, cramped counter seats, and Min-san was opposite them, watching the noodle strands fly in the boiling water, while I was beside her, tentatively preparing the roasted pork, the boiled onions, and chopped green onions.

    ¡°Kept you waiting.¡±

    Min-san served two bowls of soy sauce ramen, and Hong Lei practically finished one entire bowl in one shot. Beside him, Xiao Ling-san was slowly moving her chopsticks, yet he finished even the stock in the soup, down to the veryst bit.

    ¡°The vor now feels different from Masaru''s.¡±

    Hong Lei muttered as he put down the bowl. I stared at Min-san face from the side in shock.

    ¡°You ate my dad''s ramen before?¡± Min-san asked.

    ¡°Xiao Ling and I knew him for a longer time than you do. I ate the ramen he cooked a few times when I was a brat.¡±

    ¡°¡­I see.¡±

    ¡°If he''s to eat this, he''ll definitely be happy. Such a fool.¡±

    Hong Lei waited for Xiao Ling-san to finish, and get up, put a few notes and coins on the counter, and put on his coat.

    I simply felt some unknown heat burning deep within my heart. Huang Hong Lei was supposed to be a man who would kill anyone if he found it to be necessary, yet I saw something so clear and transparent in his heart. If I were to express it in a word, it could only be described as ''sincerity''. Maybe, on the other end of the sea, there''s a better term that would describe this unique characteristic.

    So I hesitated.

    Just this current situation alone cornered me, and in fact, I didn''t have the time to worry about the man who was supposed to be our enemy. However, I couldn''t help but think, if we''re to wreck Min-san''s wedding, this guy will be utterly humiliated, right? I''m an idiot. Got to pull myself together. How can I be worried about the enemy?

    But right when I peeked at Min-san from the corner of my eye, I found that she seemed to be thinking the same things as I did, for she was staring at the back of the coat that was holding the curtain up, about to leave the shop.

    ¡°Erm¡­¡±

    I called out without thinking. Xiao Ling-san, who was about to get up, looked and me, and Hong Lei too turned his head back.

    ¡°¡­Ah, ahh, erm.¡±

    I was so nervous, the words that were stuck in my throat were finally squeezed out.

    ¡°We might be able to find out where Masaru-san is. That doctor flew to Hong Kong.¡±

    Hong Lei''s response was unexpectedly calm, and I could clearly hear Min-san gulp.

    ¡°Hong Kong? Humph¡­¡±

    I ducked under the counter, and chased after Hong Lei out of the shop.

    ¡°Aren''t you going to send people after him?¡±

    ¡°I''ll do that without you telling me to do it. I don''t know what you''re nning, but my ns won''t change.¡±

    I lowered my shoulders dejectedly. He''s right; it''ll definitely take a lot of time if he couldn''t send lots of people back to Hong Kong. By then, even if they did find Hanada Masaru, Hong Lei would have gotten married with Min-san, and ''Hanamaru'' would close down.

    So, what was the purpose of that?

    As Alice had said, it was a mean Hanada Masaru was using to manipte information, but what was he¡ª

    The answer soon came. Huang Hong Lei was about to drive the car off, only to reach for his cellphone in the inner pocket of his suit, giving a perturbed expression.

    ¡°Yes¡­Huang Hong Lei speaking¡­Masaru? Is that you, Masaru?¡±

    I was taken aback, or rather, I felt something a bit off about it. Hanada Masaru? Did that man really call? Why would Hanada Masaru choose to contact Huang Hong Lei at such a moment? Did he really have an eye on everything, and was watching us from the opposite coast?

    ¡°Why are you calling from the main family''s phone¡­oh¡­I see. The Bengya Association? You''re thinking that I won''t be able to take action in Hong Kong?¡±

    I heard some footsteps, and turned back to look. Min-san came running out of the shop.

    ¡°Hey! Did my dad call? Hey! Hong Lei!¡±

    Hong Lei nced aside at Min-san, nodding as he continued to talk on the phone.

    ¡°¡­Ha. I understand. I''ll let you do whatever you want for the time being. However, I won''t be staying in Japan forever. Remember, once Ind on Kowloon again, that day will be your day!¡±

    Min-san snatched the cellphone from Hong Lei''s hands, and ced it by her ear.

    ¡°Dad! Where are you? In Hong Kong!?¡­I know that. Stop joking around. Are you an idiot? You''re still worrying about others¡­for such a stupid reason! Hey,, hey! What nonsense are you saying? Dad! ¡­dad!¡±

    Gasping, Min-san reigned in her urge to yell, and once the phone call was over, she stuffed the phone back into Hong Lei''s hands.

    ¡°I give up. Forget about that guy. Just think of him as dead already.¡±

    Min-san muttered with an utterly repressed voice.

    ¡°This is my shop, and it got nothing to do with that man now. I''m definitely not going to let this shop close.¡±

    The frown on Hong Lei''s forehead eased slightly, and he continued,

    ¡°The wife of the Hong Lord is very busy, but if you insist to continue keeping the ramen shop running, just hire people. Your ramen tastes won''t vanishpletely.¡±

    ¡°You really don''t understand me.¡±

    Min-san showed a faint smile.

    At this moment, two construction workers and a few tired looking srymen in suits were chatting andughing as they crossed the road.

    ¡°Oh? What now? Still busy?¡±

    ¡°You haven''t opened the shop yet, Min-san?¡±

    ¡°I''m so hungry that I''m all weak here!¡±

    ¡°It''s fine,e in and wait. I''ll get ready immediately.¡± Min-san ushered the customers into the shop, and merely turned back to look at Hong Lei.

    ¡°To be honest, if you had said that you wanted to run the ramen shop with me, I would have considered it a little.¡±

    Leaving those words, Min-san''s ponytail vanished behind the curtain, and Xiao Ling-san walked out.

    ¡°¡­Let''s go, Hong Lei,.¡± Xiao Ling-san grabbed her older brother''s arm to prompt him to drive. She passed by me, and again nced at me, seemingly intent on wanting to say something.

    It waster that night when I was briefed by Alice of the contents of that phone call. Alice hacked into Hong Lei''s phone, and extracted the call record.

    After the audio was yed, Alice and I never recovered for a while as we heard the sound of the air-conditioner buzzing. All I felt was the fatigue seemingly about to trickle out for my ears along with my blood.

    ¡°The call log definitely originate from Hong Kong¡­¡±

    Alice muttered, breaking the deadlock.

    ¡°It was called from the Huangs'' old residence in Kowloon Tasi. But¡­this kind of phone call is easy to fake.¡±

    ¡°In other words¡­Hanada Masaru betrayed the Huangs and defected to the enemy?¡±

    ¡°If we believe what he says, then yes¡­¡±

    The Huangs'' house in Hong Kong was upied by a rival group called the Bengya Association, and Hanada Masaru called Huang Hong Lei from the phone there.

    Hanada Masaru was a mercenary, and had rtionships with mafias everywhere. He probably defected to the enemy with intel on the Huang Coalition, and served under them. Truly, this was an unscrupulous betrayal.

    ¡°The truth doesn''t matter now.¡±

    Alice''s wavering eyes turned towards me.

    ¡°Anyway, there''s only one thing he wants to tell the Huangs, and he has already escaped to a ce they can''t get to him.¡±

    Alice revealed that the whereabouts of the doctor who flew to Hong Kong, and that made things much more convincing.

    ¡°But here''s the problem.¡±

    Alice suddenly said, and I, pondering deeply, lifted my head.

    ¡°¡­Where?¡±

    ¡°This is the strangest part to me. Don''t you find the timing to be too coincidental?¡±

    ¡°Timing?¡±

    ¡°You informed Huang Hong Lei of the news that the doctor went to Hong Kong, and then Hanada Masaru, who was supposed to be in Hong Kong, called immediately, right in front of Master¡­¡±

    I folded my arms, and groaned. Speaking of which, that certainly seemed to be the case.

    ¡°There might be another catch to this. The timing''s too coincidental, it''s intriguing.¡±

    ¡°You''re saying that¡­Hanada Masaru might still be in Japan?¡±

    ¡°That''s a possibility.¡±

    Not only in Japan, but even observing the actions of Min-san and the Huangs, and calling asionally to control the entire situation? If that really was the case, then it''s a bigger question mark as to what Hanada Masaru was really nning.

    ¡°Well, whatever. Huang Xiao Ling continues to remain mmed up, but Huang Hong Lei has a few weaknesses to capitalize on. I''ll continue investigating, and you just need to do your work.¡±

    My work¡­

    I cupped my legs as I stayed by the side of the bed. Alice suddenly stopped typing and turned her head back to look at me, looking a little displeased as she narrowed her eyes.

    ¡°I guess you still have no idea of the work you took responsibility for.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°If we can''t finish the request and receive the payment from Min-san, we still need to pay Tetsu and Major their sries. That money is going toe from you since you agreed to it so brazenly! Once you understand, get up. And throw the empty cans outside!¡±

    I was given a verbalshing, and I hurriedly stood up, cleaned up the empty cans of Dr Pepper scattered all over the bed and carried them in my clutches. I left the agency, and leaned on the door, sighing.

    It seemed senpai and Major were serious in trying to use illegal means to get rid of the loan evidence. Even Hiro too was going around, trying to amass money when he just recovered a little. I wanted to say, stop, these ideas won''t work! But I couldn''t think of any alternatives. Did I really have the right to stop them?

    3 dayster, Umeda Kouji returned to Tokyo. It was early in the morning on a holiday, and I was woken up by Yondaime on the phone, so I could only move out to the Hirasaka-gumi office.

    ¡°Morning, aniki!¡±

    ¡°Goodwork!¡±

    Almost all the members were squeezed inside the small room, and Yondaime to stood up from the desk.

    ¡°Things are as how I exined to you on the phone just now. Who do you think is most suitable as bait?¡±

    I did a rough scan of the ck T-shirted guys, and chose someone most simr to Min-san in body size, and another two as smokescreen.

    Yondaime nodded, and brought the 3 chosen people out of the office along with me.

    ¡°Where''s Min-san?¡± I asked as I went down the stairs.

    ¡°I gave her a call.¡±

    ¡°Is there a need to protect her with that much effort?¡±

    ¡°It''s possible that there are mafia members keeping watch on ''Hanamaru''.¡±

    I see. If they realized what was going on and tailed us, there would be a chance of the news being leaked. Better be careful just in case.

    The 5 of us sat in a wagon car, and we drove off to ''Hanamaru''.

    It was a bright morning, and the slightly dirtied buildings and concrete bridge looked so dazzling. The rare few pedestrians had their hands on the front of their coat, their backs arched as they walked down the street. The car windows became foggy in an instant. October was about to end, and Autumn was about to descend into Winter.

    We reached the ramen shop, and didn''t enter from the front entrance, but to the residence entrance at the back of the building. I brought the 3 guys in ck T-shirts into Min-san''s house, and she too walked out from the corridor.

    ¡°Good morning, Master!¡±

    ¡°Good morning!¡±

    ¡°Be quiet, you idiot! Where''s my T-shirt?¡±

    I handed a ck Hirasaka-gumi T-shirt over to Min-san. On that day, Min-san had her sarashi tied really tightly, and the busty chest really leftrge lumps on the shirt. She put down her hair into the cor, and put on the gang''s baseball cap. In other words, she was disguising herself as one of the members. I wonder if this disguise could work.

    The remaining two members nked Min-san in the middle, and the trio walked out at the same time. We quickly sat in the wagon car at the parking lots in the back, and Yondaime immediately drove off.

    Yondaime''s preparation was more cautious than usual. Once we approached the boutique he ran, he had everyone switch over to another car he had prepared beforehand in the basement parking lots. After lots of this troublesome process, we arrived at a certain building that was a little away from the office area in Shinjuku.

    We entered the basement parking lots, and Xiao Ling-san immediately came out to greet us. It was a holiday, but she was still dressed in a tidy business suit. There were two people behind her. I couldn''t see the faces clearly under the dazzling sunlight, but I could barely make out a man and a woman.

    Min-san was the first to get off the passenger seats, and I followed suit.

    ¡°Thank you foring all the way here, Ming Li. Xiang Yu said that she wanted to meet you no matter what, so¡­¡±

    Min-san shoved aside Xiao Ling-san who approached her, and went right at the duo, grabbing the baseball cap on her head.

    I once saw the duo on the photos. The woman was wearing a cheap half-coat and faded jeans, and didn''t have the princess-like presence seen on the photo, but I could tell that it was her.

    ¡°¡­You''re Xiang Yu.¡±

    Min-san''s voice and face showed utter impatience.

    ¡°Yes, I''m really sorry that we''re meeting in such a situation.¡±

    The woman who started this entire chain of events lowered her head, answering this.

    The man beside her held her by the shoulders. This unimpressionable looking man had eyebags filled with fatigue, and looked as though he wanted to say something to Min-san, only to hold back as he bit his lips.

    This guy was Umeda Kouji, right?

    Once he saw Yondaime in the driver seat, he immediately left Xiang Yu and went over to bow deeply towards thetter.

    ¡°Sorry to cause you trouble, Hinamura-san.¡±

    ¡°It''s fine. I just brought them along.¡±

    I heard their conversation. So the friend taking care of Umeda Kouji (probably another yakuza) was a friend of Yondaime in Kansai.

    ¡°I told you not to mention the past, right?¡± Yondaime told me. ¡°Don''t ask me anything.¡±

    I gulped, and nodded before turning back to Min-san. Thetter continued to stare at Huang Xiang Yu with wide eyes, the expression on her face not of utter fury or reproach, but more like despair or of one who gave up.

    Huang Xiang Yu looked at Xiao Ling-san, and then at Min-san, timidly asking,

    ¡°Erm, what happened about that, between Hong Lei and me?¡±

    Min-san let out a long sigh, and shrugged.

    ¡°Nothing much. It''s still not confirmed, but this isn''t something you should worry about.¡±

    ¡°But, but! Masaru-san¡ª!¡±

    It appeared Xiang Yu wanted to continue saying something, but Xiao Ling-san grabbed her shoulders firmly, showing an unbelievably vicious expression as she shook her head. Xiang Yu remained teary as she muttered,

    ¡°I think I should just return to the Huangs once, and exin everything to grandfather and everyone else to avoid causing you trouble, Ming Li.¡±

    Xiang Yu''s voice stopped as her throat let out a whimper, for Min-san grabbed her by the cor.

    ¡°Hey, you got to be kidding!¡±

    Min-san brought herself close to Xiang Yu as she red, saying with an axe-like voice. Even Xiao Ling-san, who wanted to step forward and stop Min-san, was terrified by the beast-like face, and stood rooted there.

    ¡°You''re dead! You''re killed by my dad! I know that my dad''s always been thinking about you, and he did everything for you sake! Now you''re saying that you''re going to show up and ruin all his hard work? Enough with that nonsense! If you really feel sorry for me, y your role as a dead person! And then forget all the Huangs and live a new life!

    Min-san vented, and shoved Xiang Yu over to Umeda Kouji. She picked up the baseball cap on the floor, put it on, and went back to the car. Xiang Yu continued to whimper in Umeda Kouji''s clutches, thank you, muttering over and over again.

    When I recalled this incident a long timeter, I realized that Min-san might have realized the truth at that moment. She''s a smart one, but so smart that it was sad.

    Back then, I didn''t realize this.

    Until the very end.

    On the car ride back, Min-san showed what could be described as a look of despair, and she merely stuck her cheeks by the windowside. I was seated beside her, staring at my own knees, not knowing what I should think.

    The next day, Hiro finally returned to ''Hanamaru''. Min-san and I were preparing the ingredients in the kitchen, and the back door sudden opened, followed by a familiar, carefree grinning face.

    ¡°Sorry to make everyone worry.¡±

    Hiro said as he entered the kitchen. He was wearing a host-styled white suit, and the swelling was finally gone from his face. I really couldn''t tell that he was just beaten up a few days back, lying limp on the floor like a puppet with strings snapped.

    ¡°Nobody''s worried about you at all. You disappeared just like that. You hid in a woman''s house, didn''t you?¡±

    Min-san stopped her hand from twirling the soup as she lifted her head up to look at Hiro, saying this unhappily.

    ¡°And what''s with that gaudy get-up? Since you''re all recovered, hurry up and head to the kitchen. Having Narumi help worries me too much.¡±

    ¡°Ah, right, before I work.¡±

    Hiro entered the kitchen, took out a folded piece of paper from his pocket, and handed it over to Min-san. Thetter opened it, and immediately frowned.

    ¡°What''s this?¡±

    ¡°The valuation slip of that BMW. I went to a few second-hand car dealers, but the prices on an online auction were better. Also, I auctioned all those watches, but the money earned isn''t much¡­I have around 5 million Yen in savings¡­¡±

    ¡°Why mention this to me?¡±

    ¡°It''s the money owed by this shop¡­16 million yen, right? If you pay the money, you won''t have to let the mafia do anything to you.¡±

    Min-san tore the valuation slip into the trash bin, and right when Hiro wanted to say something, she rewarded him with a p. I cringed back in shock, and Hiro too lifted his face in shock.

    ¡°Did anybody ask you to do that? Or do you really want me to owe you a favor?¡±

    ¡°¡­That''s not it. Once I get married to you, the debt owed by ''Hanamaru'' will basically be mine. It''s to be expected that I''ll pay it off with my own money, right?¡±

    This time, there was none of the sweet talk in Hiro''s words. Thus, Min-san looked at her raised palm, and again looked at Hiro''s eyes, asking impatiently,

    ¡°Are you serious when you say you want to get married with me?¡±

    ¡°Right, very serious.¡±

    Hiro nodded. At this moment, the smile on his face, not the honey wine-like smile that caused the hearts of the triple digit number of women to flutter, but that of a teary youth who experienced something new and harsh.

    That was why he did it, right? Min-san averted her eyes with some awkwardness.

    ¡°Alright, I''ll beat you up at least. Hurry up, change up and get in.¡±

    I handed the apron over to Hiro. Right when he stepped into the corridor, Min-san muttered,

    ¡°It''s not an issue of money.¡±

    Min-san lowered her head at the wok sadly, while Hiro and I stared at her sidelong face at the same time.

    ¡°You guys dealt with the yakuza many times already, and you guys should know, right? The Huang Coalition found my weakness. Actually, they don''t care about the initial reason. They''ll just attack the weakness for their own objectives. That''s how the yakuza y. Repaying the debt won''t solve anything. If we''re not careful, they''ll set another trap to trip us again.¡±

    That was why Min-san made a request to the NEET detective, and I epted it.

    Hiro and I exchanged a nce, and we silently went out from the back door. I sat at the emergency staircase, my cheeks on my knees.

    Min-san became weak.

    But it was not because the yakuza got a hold on her weakness, but because the incident caused by her own dad caused her own life much turmoil, and she was mentally worn out. I could tell from her face. That person, who I knew was stronger than anyone else, was actually¡­

    She might tell him off harshly, but Min-san probably left arge space for her disappeared dad in her heart, I guess? That space would give off a cold, empty feeling from time to time. I knew that feeling very well.

    What could I do exactly?

    What could I do for the woman who was so important to me¡ªfor us?

    Think. Think. Think of something.

    As Min-san said, there was a ''trap''id out. Right when I was leaning by the railing of the emergency staircase, Min-san''s anxious voice could be heard from the back door.

    ¡°¡­What''s going on? ¡­How can you do this without a reason? ¡­No, no, this isn''t an issue of repayment. We worked so long together, so at least exin this to me! Please wait! I''ll go over now!¡±

    Following that was the phone receive being mmed. What? Did something happen? I nudged the back door slightly, and saw Min-san hurriedly put on a shirt, about to duck out of the counter and leave the shop.

    ¡°Hiro, I''ll leave the preparations to you. I''ll be right back!¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes.¡±

    Min-san''s footsteps could be heard leaving, and I asked Hiro.

    ¡°What happened? Did something¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah, yeah. The noodles weren''t delivered, so Min-san called the noodle manufacturer Okada, but it seems that they don''t want to do business with us anymore¡­¡±

    ¡°Ehh?¡±

    Don''t do business?

    The noodle manufacturer Okada had been working with ''Hanamaru'' ever since the shop opened. Why did this happen?

    And right when Min-san personally went to the manufacturer to negotiate, the situation got dire. The food suppliers called one after another, causing Hiro much distress.

    ¡°Please listen, our owner isn''t around right now! It''s difficult for us to ept such a sudden request. Do you mind exining the reason to us?¡±

    I heard Hiro continue to question them on the phone, thinking that I should at least do what I could do, and I went ahead to prepare the ingredients.

    However, it was all a waste of them. Min-san returned from Okada noodle manufacturing, and once she heard Hiro''s exnation, she remained by the phone, negotiating with the suppliers.

    The sun set, and all the members of the NEET detective agency were gathered at ''Hanamaru'', a rarity.

    ¡°I never thought that they''ll pull this method. I thought they would be more direct¡­¡± Tetsu-senpai folded his arms, showing a grim look.

    ¡°Thinking about it, this is the most direct method¡­¡±

    Major took off his military cap, and scratched his head.¡±

    ¡°The problem now is that we have no proof that it was them who did it¡­every supplier remained vague and refused to exin. But there''s no doubt about it.¡±

    Hiro looked extremely frail.

    All the suppliers to ''Hanamaru'' requested not to provide the ingredients. Some of them angrily indicated, This will cause us distress, so stop calling us again. Some suppliers begged, We didn''t hope for this to happen, so please understand. However, when the reason was asked, all of them remained silent.

    We looked at the kitchen through the opened back door. Min-san was twirling fried rice in the Chinese work, nonchntly chatting with the customers.

    But for the time being, the shop wouldn''t be able to open tomorrow.

    It might not even be temporary¡­the shop might never be opened again.

    Hiro cleaned up after our finished bowls, and Tetsu-senpai suddenly brought his forehead over to me, saying,

    ¡°Looks like we can only attack head on!¡±

    ¡°To where?¡± Major asked. ¡°To the mafia''s base? Negotiate with them?¡±

    ¡°That''s all we can do now, right? I don''t know if the Chinese mafia has a tradition for one on one battles¡­¡±

    ¡°But I heard that Huang Hong Lei went barefisted and beat that Yondaime with speed.¡±

    ¡°You idiot bastard. Do you think I''ll be weaker than Yondaime? I''ll definitely beat that bastard of a slick hair and show you.¡±

    Right when the duo bickered, a long figure appeared in the alley. Speak of the devil, it was Yondaime, followed by Pole and Rocky.

    ¡°Are you going to fight, Tetsu-ojisa?¡±

    ¡°Time to take action! We''re not going to lose to some Chinese mafia! We''ll send them packing back to Hong Kong?¡±

    ¡°Speaking of which, where''s Hong Kong?¡±

    ¡°In the North, I guess? Isn''t there a nursery rhyme that the snow continues to rain, and so is the ice?¡±

    ¡°Hong Kong''s a lot more south than Okinawa¡­¡±

    ¡°What''s the matter, Vice-Admiral Fujishima? Your retorts are slower and weaker than usual.¡±

    ¡°No, I''m not it the mood¡­¡±

    I knew I shouldn''t have said anything. Yondaime beat up Pole and Rocky, getting them t shut. He sat down beside me, and I couldn''t help but ask,

    ¡°Since you came all the way over, did you think of a good n?¡±

    ¡°Are you an idiot? That''s your job.¡± Yondaime spat back. ¡°I came by since I thought that since I might never get to eat the ramen again.¡±

    For some reason, Yondaime''s response was the most reassuring to me. Just a bit moreforting though.

    Starting from the next day, I went home immediately after school. There was a logjam of people preparing for the culture festival, and even though it waste, many ssrooms remained lit. The corridors and the back of the stairwells were littered with cardboard and decorations used for the outside, the arts-type clubs took turns rehearsing in the school, themittee members with armbands were patrolling the school, and the entire school was filled with a vibrant atmosphere. However, I was so busy with my part-time work the entire month that I didn¡¯t participate in the set up of ss 2-4¡¯s tent, so there was no need for me in the ssroom. Furthermore, if I remained in school, I would be questioned by my ssmates, ¡°Fujishima, why is ¡®Hanamaru¡¯ closing down?¡± ¡°Is it our fault?¡± ¡°Is Min-san feeling alright? Did we tire her too much?¡± but I couldn¡¯t exin matters to her, and it as really tough on me. That was why I immediately went home after sses ended.

    Also, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to show up at the detective agency. For some reason, I knew I¡¯ll see a notice the words ¡®we¡¯re temporarily closed¡¯ pasted on the shutters of ¡®Hanamaru¡¯. Seeing that would certainly depress me. That also didn¡¯t take into consideration that as a member of the detective agency, I proudly epted the case, but I couldn¡¯t think of any solutions, and I couldn¡¯t bring myself to see Alice¡¯s face.

    I cupped my knees as Iid on my bed, pretending not to notice the winter that was slowly closing in as I draped the nket over my shoulders as I tried to figure out everything that had happened in this messy situation.

    And so, the sun set, the days passed by, and October was about to end.

    I heard on the phone that Hiro had been going around looking for new food suppliers, but at this point, ¡®Hanamaru¡¯ used rare ingredients for its ramen soup, and so the search wasn¡¯t going on.

    ¡°But what¡¯s more serious now is.¡± Hiro said, ¡°Min-san hasn¡¯t been able to cheer up recently.¡±

    If it had been the usual Min-san, she probably would have charged up to Hong Lei, beat him up good, and warn him not to do anything to the suppliers. At this point however, it¡¯s good to have a little break, she merely smiled and said that.

    I hung up the phone, andid on the bed.

    That person had always been supporting us, and we never expected a day when she would show weakness and ask us for help.

    That person was our sun, and it was at this point that I realized this fact emphatically. Once she hid in her cave, we could only remain in the dark day, unable to adapt, moving around without a cause, not knowing our rhythm or hearing any music.

    I buried my face into the pillow, crushing away at these useless thoughts.

    On thest day of October, I remained groveled in my room, letting time pass by meaninglessly, only to hear a hard knock on the door. I got up from my pillow, and stopped ying the music from theputer.

    ¡°Narumi? Have you woken up? You got guests!¡±

    It was my older sister¡¯s voice. Maybe she realized that the music had stopped ying, since she opened the door and stepped in.

    ¡°I think that guy came before, that dropout called Kuwabara. He¡¯s really wearing some tacky clothes.

    ¡°Hiro?¡±

    I went down to the first level, and opened the door at the corridor. Once I saw Hiro standing there, I was left speechless.

    He was wearing a cocktail suit and a silk hat, holding a short staff with a golden ball, and said something like ¡®bonsoir¡¯ while dressed like that, which caused me to instinctively retreat and close the door.

    ¡°W-wait a sec! Sorry for shocking you, but I¡¯ll exin! Wear this, Narumi!¡±

    Hiro slipped through a hat and some folded clothes through the gap at the door.

    ¡°¡­Well, no need for that. I don¡¯t know whose Princess¡¯ party are we going to, but you can ask someone else¡­¡±

    ¡°No no. It¡¯s Halloween today, you know?¡±

    Halloween.

    October 31st.

    I see, it¡¯s Halloween. My slow consciousness was able to digest this fact. And then what? Why did I have to celebrate this pumpkin festival? The clothes handed to me were too heavy, and my doubts were gradually sinking in fatigue and helplessness.

    ¡°Change up ande out. I¡¯ll be waiting.¡±

    A few minutester, I was wearing a frock coat and a round bowler hat, and this made me look like a proper English gentleman as I exited the house. There was a deep blue foreign car parked outside, and Hiro, dressed up in an idiotic manner, opened the back seat of the door. I looked inside, and was immediately left speechless.

    ¡°¡­Hiro¡¯s the one who chose it!¡±

    Alice was seated there, looking really displeased as she wore an Inverness coat and a wide cape, a deer fur hunting cap, and holding a thick, short cigar in hand. The bear plushie pressed on her tummy looked more outstanding than usual.

    ¡°Ahhh¡­¡±

    I could only feel that my consciousness was about to drift to thend of the elves, and to drag myself back into reality, I turned my eyes to Hiro to be sure.

    ¡°Alice is dressed up as Sherlock Holmes, so this in attire of mine is Watson, right?¡±

    ¡°Correct! Detective and assistant. I thought of other clothing to fit the Halloween theme, but Alice¡¯s so cute wearing this that it¡¯s not fun at all!

    Speaking of which, I guess the reason why Hiro bought a whole bunch of clothing for Alice was for her to wear it this Halloween? Exins all the Tokyu Hands bags.

    ¡°So, I thought of having a detective dress up as a detective. I think that¡¯s an innovative idea.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s innovative about this?¡± Alice muttered. ¡°What¡¯s with this crude getup? This is a humiliation to Conan Doyle. Who wears a hunting cap in town? More like Jeremy Brandt.¡±

    ¡°But if you don¡¯t dress up like that, nobody¡¯s going to tell that you¡¯re Holmes. It¡¯s a festival, and the most important thing is to identify easily.¡±

    Hiro chuckled as he slipped back the driver seat, and I sat down beside Alice.

    ¡°And then? Why are you dressed up as Arsene Lupin?¡± It¡¯s like there¡¯s some rtionship between him and Holmes, and not at all. Really interesting.

    ¡°Nothing much. Just for easy identification too. If I¡¯m to dress up as Professor Moriarty, nobody can tell, right?¡±

    Right¡­I was starting to feel that nothing really mattered at this point.

    The car drove off, and Alice remained furious and silent. It seemed she really didn¡¯t like her dress-up, so I tried saying this to her,

    ¡°Actually¡­you kinda look cute.¡±

    ¡°Wh-wh-wh-why are you saying this out of a sudden? How can I be thinking about that kind of that!¡±

    And so Alice lowered the hunting cap further, covering her entire face.

    That night, the devastation at ¡®Hanamaru¡¯ was akin to a witches¡¯ party celebrating the return of demons to the mortal realm. The entire shop was lit, and at the ce where the curtains used to be, there were a few pumpkinnterns hanging there, while girls wearing maid outfits and bunny ears were giggling and having fun. I really wanted to hide in the car along with Alice until daylight, but s, it was a pity that Hiro, who first got out from the car, immediately yelled out, ¡°I brought them here!¡±

    The real identities of the bunnies were the girls from our ss. Ayaka came hopping to us happily, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel a migraine.

    ¡°Fujishima-kun! ¡­Erm.¡± Ayaka said, only for her smile to be frozen on her face, and she looked aside, not wanting to see my gentleman garb. ¡°Your hat¡¯s as cute as a steamed chocte hat.¡±

    Couldn¡¯t you just say that it didn¡¯t suit me? I looked at my ssrooms, and said,

    ¡°Why is everyone dressed up as bunnies?¡±

    ¡°Eh? I didn¡¯t tell you? That¡¯s the waitress attire for the culture festival.¡±

    I didn¡¯t know¡­even though the culture festival wasing up in 3 days.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have any awareness as a member of the ss.¡± The girls in my ss noted.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been going home recently.¡±

    ¡°But you had nothing to do if you stayed behind, and you¡¯ll get in everyone¡¯s way.¡±

    The vicious bunnies surrounded me, at for a moment, I was on tenterhooks. I slipped to the back alley, and found Major dressed up as Nazi soldier, which Tetsu-senpai was dressed as the Incredible Hulk (more or less, since his outfit didn''t look any different from usual, just that his skin got colored green), licking away at ice cream.

    ¡°What''s with that get up of yours? A mook in a Ghibli film?¡± Tetsu-senpai asked.

    ¡°It''s Watson!¡± As expected, nobody could recognize this outfit if I didn''t exin.

    ¡°My get up''s the most unique today.¡±

    Major gleefully noted. Diminutive he might be, he had a uniform cap with a crossbone marking on it that really seemed off.

    ¡°Such a shallow get up will normally beughed off by me, but it does fit in the atmosphere for this festival.¡±

    But in Halloween, we have to dress up as ghosts or demons, right? If we''re dressed up like this, it''ll just be an ordinary clothing party! I looked aroundd at the buzzing crowd that''s enjoying themselves, and inadvertently felt really relieved that Yondaime wasn''t here.

    ¡°If we invitied Yondaime here, there''ll definitely be 20 or so guys who don''t need to dress up just to look like King Kong or Chewbas, so I didn''t tell him about this.¡± Tetsu-senpai noted proudly. Smart move.

    I looked at the back door through, and Min-san was dressed up like her usual self, the tank top, a ck apron around her waist as she continued cooking. I heaved a little sigh of relief. This person was still most suited to work in the kitchen.

    However, I was a little sad that the food she was preparing wasn''t ramen.

    ¡°You''re not dressed up, Min-san?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. What a stupid question. How am I supposed to work in a kitchen wearing such crazy things?¡±

    Min-san retorted as she continued stirring the contents of the pot. Hiro stood beside her, and said,

    ¡°I''m Lupin, and Min-san''s dressed as Mine Fujiko.¡±

    ¡°It''s just the hair let down!¡±

    ¡°Look, big breasts too!¡±

    ¡°My chest''s always like this, you idiot.¡± Min-san sent Hiro flying with a kick.

    And so, Tetsu-senpai suddenly grabbed me by the cor.

    ¡°Hey Narumi, go get Alice here, alright? We''re really excited to see her!¡±

    ¡°Narumi, it''s Watson''s job to escort Holmes, you know?¡± And now even Lupin''s saying that while standing at the back door. I had a look at the parking lot, and it appeared the hunting hat was still in the car. I could only sigh, and stand up.

    I brought Alice over, and the bunnies were strangely agitated. Alice was hugged and fondled by the girls, appearing to be on the verge of tears.

    ¡°So cute! Who''s this who''s this?¡± ¡°Let''s take a photo together!¡±

    ¡°Let go of me! I''m not a doll!¡±

    ¡°I know! You''re cosying as Conan!¡± ¡°Detective Conan, right? It''s exactly the same!¡±

    That''s not it. It''s the original Conan. Young people nowadays¡­

    ¡°Narumi, aren''t you the same age as them?¡± Tetsu-senpai pointed out, and that really devastated me. Now that he mentioned it, it''s true, but I really, really forgot about it.

    ¡°Oh yeah, how old are you already, Narumi? 17? Right¡­you''re in high school!¡±

    Hiro said this, and the atmosphere quiet down for some reason. My ssmates, with Ayaka leading them, Alice surrounded by my ssmates, and even Min-san, standing at the kitchen counter, was looking at me.

    ¡°¡­Eh¡­ah?¡±

    ¡°It''s your birthday today, right?¡±

    Birthday. October 31st. It''s definitely my 17th birthday today.

    ¡°You see, Fujishima forgot about it after all.¡±

    ¡°You were right, Ayaka!¡±

    ¡°Don''t tell me you forgot which month is it tomorrow?¡±

    The bunnies'' mutters entered my ears. Despite this, I couldn''t rte myself to today''s date being both Halloween and my birthday, merely twirling around in my mind.

    At this moment, Ayaka dragged Alice along and opened the back door.

    ¡°You ready, Alice? 1, 2, 3¡ª¡±

    The crackers in their hands exploded, and the ribbonsnded on my face.

    ¡°Happy birthday, Fujishima!¡±

    And once Ayaka said that, my ssmates pulled the crackers in their hands, and I was immediately covered with thin ribbons.

    And as the explosive smoke lingered, I sat on an old tire, stunned, not knowing how to react, and suddenly, Min-san served a tray ofrge orange blobs.

    ¡°20 servings of pumpkin ice creaming right now!¡±

    The girls cheered.

    That night was the first time I saw Min-san beingpletely wasted.

    All my ssmates had already left, while Tetsu-senpai and Major were holding empty bottles of rum, sleeping on the emergency stairs. A little brandy was used in the ice cream, but it''s now empty, so I guess Min-san drank it all. Completely red faced, she was cuddling Alice firmly, rubbing her face on thetter''s cheek as she muttered some words.

    ¡°Narumi, hurry up and drag her away from me! She reeks of alcohol! It stinks!¡±

    Alice stumbled and fell on the corridor, appearing to be on the verge of tears. She was fondled by the girls in our ss, and was embraced firmly by apletely drunk Min-san. The cape on her Inverness coat waspletely crumpled, and the hunting cap fell who knew where, and even her long, ck hair was ruffled into a mess. It was no wonder then she was about to cry. However, both Hiro and me alone weren''t able to pull Min-san out, and whenever we touched her shoulders or arms, we would be kicked away.

    ¡°Stop messing around, you bastards! Don''t touch me!¡±

    ¡°Are you treating me as a bolster or something?¡±

    ¡°How can you be one when you''re so skinny? I should have fed you more.¡±

    We had no choice. We could only drag Alice and Min-san together to the bedroom and put her on the futon.

    ¡°I''ll get some water.¡± Hiro went to the kitchen.

    ¡°What''s wrong, Master? Are you fine letting us see how unrestrained you can be?¡±

    Alice fiddled with Min-san''s hair that was let down, asking with a gentle voice of disbelief.

    ¡°Nnn.¡±

    Min-san rubbed her cheek on Alice''s thigh. To be honest, I never saw Min-san being so rxed.

    ¡°I just had a little thought.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°That I might as well stop running the ramen shop, and that I should just, make ice cream or something. I epted the ramen shop begrudgingly, so now, I can change it to the ice cream shop I wanted to open¡­right?¡±

    Alice and I exchanged looks, and we never said anything. Hiro just so happened to return to the room, holding a cup as he stood at the door.

    ¡°¡­Narumi.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°The photo album¡­on the table there¡­¡±

    Min-san remained sprawled on Alice''s legs, weakly raising her hand as she pointed at the table.

    We saw a photo under the faulty, flickering light, and there appeared to be a mother and a daughter in the photo, beaming away. The teenage girl was obviously Min-san, but surprising to me was the mother. When did I have an impression of her?

    ¡°This is¡­?¡±

    ¡°My mom. Really resembles that woman, right?¡±

    I nodded. Alice and Hiro looked at me, the expressions on their faces clearly asking, Like who?

    That was the woman I only met once. The one who triggered this entire sequence of events and was most likely on the way to Kansai to live a new life, Huang Xiang Yu.

    Again, I stared at the little Min-san bending down in the photo, and the smiling Huang Wen Li. She was exactly the same in appearance to Xiang Yu, Thinking about it, she was the aunt to Xiang Yu, so it wasn''t strange for them to look so alike.

    ¡°That''s his reason. That damned dad of mine was willing to cause me so much trouble because of this reason, all for the sake of letting the woman he was protecting leave the Huangs!¡±

    I didn''t know what I should say.

    Did he leave his own daughter and the shop he left behind be in jeopardy just because the woman he was protecting resembled his deceased wife? Because he recalled his younger self? Was that simply all? A strange feeling arose deep within my throat.

    ¡°Thinking about this¡­I really am stupid. There''s no reason for me¡­to cling onto this ramen shop.¡±

    Hiro crouched by Min-san''s pillow. Min-san turned around, met Hiro in the eyes, and smiled, saying,

    ¡°It''s just a passing thought! Don''t give me that look. I''m not serious here. I''ll think of something, either to make Hong Lei kneel in front of me, or that I''m going to cry to grandpa who I never met over thest 10 years or so¡­¡±

    Min-san reached her hand out, patting Hiro''s face lightly.

    That hand lost all strength, and fell.

    We left the sleeping Min-san to Hiro, and I decided to escort Alice back to the detective agency. The emergency staircase waspletely pitch dark, and after climbing halfway through, the detective wearing the Inverness coat muttered,

    ¡°Narumi¡­¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    ¡°I understand now.¡±

    ¡°¡­I see.¡±

    I didn''t ask her what exactly it was. Having passed my 17th birthday meant that I knew Alice for an entire year. I was used to doing many things, and used to the work of a detective assistant.

    Rather than ask stupid questions, it was more important for me to stand beside the detective and shield her from the chilly night breeze.

    ¡°I know where Hanada Masaru is now, and what he intends to me. I know it all.¡±

    Alice''s voice was as usual, no, a little more delicate this time, appearing to break down at any given moment.

    ¡°But this truth, is meaningless to Min-san, just like the tens of thousands of cases handled in the past. Don''t be surprised, just listen to me. Actually, I don''t want to lose ''Hanamaru'' either.¡±

    ¡°I''m not surprised. What are you saying?¡±

    I patted Alice''s trembling shoulders. It had been 4 seasons since she met me, and she probably changed somewhat, right? When she again ascended the stairs slowly, I could see her faltering from behind.

    When we arrived at the door to the agency, Alice turned back, her hands pressed on the torso of my flock coat.

    ¡°Watson.¡±

    ¡°¡­Eh? Ah, me?¡±

    ¡°John H Watson is a doctor, and an author. You should know that, right?¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡°And on the other hand, Sherlock Holmes is a detective. Nothing but a detective.¡±

    What''s she trying to say? Were those words really appropriate?¡±

    ¡°In his life, Holmes only wrote two novels, but he alwaysmented, ¡°I miss my Watson''. It''s boring without Watson around, no surprise without Watson always asking questions, and unable to convert the thoughts perfectly into words.¡±

    I sighed. Alice moved her hands away from me, and leaned on the door to the detective agency.

    ¡°A detective can only face the world as a reader, only able to ept theplexity of this world, and read it as fact, analyze, digest and ept it. But¡­¡±

    Alice lifted her head.

    ¡°But an author''s different. I once read a bulletin written by an author on how to write a manuscript, and what he wrote was, a novel can be written in reverse from thest scene¡ªor to be precise, this is the right way to write a story. Do you understand? An author can deduce the world.¡±

    Deduce the world, the author could piece together all the paths leading to the ending for the sake of his expected ending, and connect it to reality.

    Alice uttered each word forcefully,

    ¡°I can''t do it. Only you can.¡±

    Those words reached my heart after a very long time. Alice quietly waited for it to enter my heart, and opened the door before letting her petite frame slip through the gap, whispering to me in the end,

    ¡°Good night, my Watson.¡±

    My elbows were leaning on the railing of the stairwell, staring nkly at the night scene between the buildings, pondering over what Alice and Min-san said. The chilly breeze of the night caused the tips of my nose and ears to be chilly.

    Deduce.

    Not to makeplicated matters simple, but the opposite.

    From the simplistic final scene, I should direct what we should do.

    Of course, what we wanted to protect are Min-san and ''Hanamaru''. In other words, to continue with that boring, steady yet warm life, the usual life of boiling chicken bones, dicing onions, cooking noodles, marinating roasted pork, frying vegetables.

    And the ones posing a threat to our daily life is the Hong Kong Mafia, the Huang Coalition, the yakuza. How it all started didn''t matter anymore, and in any case, Huang Hong Lei intended to have Min-san to himself.

    The chilly winds blew upon my head, and I had a strange feeling of my brain cells almost bing crystalline.

    Right, this matter itself was all because the yakuza wanted trouble with Min-san. There was no need to solve any mystery, and also no risk of misidentifying the enemy. The enemy was crushing us with brute force and economic power, so we just had to shut them up, and make them unable to speak up with a power that surpasses them. This was the only method.

    A power to surpass the Huang Coalition?

    Starting from the Hirasaka-gumi, I started listing out all the gangs I could think of. It''s not a good thing, but I did know of a few delinquent gangs. However, these powers alone probably won''t be enough, since we''re dealing with the Hong Kong mafia here. Then¡­do we call the police? If we exined thoroughly that the gunshot incident that night was¡ªno, this won''t do. News of Huang Xiang Yu and Umeda Kouji being alive would be revealed. Didn''t Min-san say that to Xiang Yu? Forget everything about the Huangs, and live a life anew? Even if Min-san did say that in the spur of the moment, I couldn''t just trample on her feelings. Also, that wouldn''t guarantee that ''Hanamaru'' would remain fine in the future. Maybe they might look for trouble through other excuses?

    If we could throw out something that was purely stronger and make Huang Hong Lei give up. But where exactly could we find this strength? The power that could overwhelm the king of Kabukicho was¡ª

    ¡°¡­Ah!¡±

    Suddenly, I thought of something. Right. There was something within my reach. But¡­would that really work?

    I quickly descended the emergency staircase, jumped over Tetsu-senpai who was lying on the floor, and Hiro, dressed in a cocktail suit, walked out from the back door of the kitchen.

    ¡°Min-san''s asleep now. She doesn''t look ufortable in any sense, so don''t worry.¡±

    ¡°E-erm, Hiro.¡±

    Seeing how anxious I was, Hiro tilted his head in confusion.

    ¡°I want to ask you something, or rather, affirm this with you. I want you to do something, but if things don''t go well, it may be bad for you. You might not be able to follow Min-san¡ª¡±

    ¡°Narumi, calm down.¡±

    Lupin''s hands were on Watson''s shoulders. He removed his monocle and silk hat, his face showing an honest smile befitting of his usual self as a gigolo.

    ¡°¡­You thought of something?¡±

    I nodded frantically. There were only 3 days left, not enough time at all. With a searing tone, I exined to Hiro, and the cheerful smile gradually became a wry smile of grimace.

    After finishing my exnation, I finally heaved a sigh, and I lifted my eyes to observe Hiro''s face. The dark shadows under the dim road lights meant that I couldn''t see his face clearly. I inadvertently felt a distinct chill climbing from my arms to the pit, and anxiety rose into my heart. I exerted myself and exined the entire time, but I didn''t know if his could work. I didn''t know how many people I could mobilize for this, and I didn''t know whether it was a power that had enough stopping power.

    However, the worry on Hiro''s face vanished in front of me, and appearing next was a smile I never saw before.

    As expected¡ªthis guy could still smile in such a moment.

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    Hiro took the silk hat and ced it on his head, the inexplicable smile hidden under the shadow.

    ¡°I''ll try. Nobody else other than me can do this.¡±

    The figure in the cocktail suit vanished into the night, and I felt two presences getting behind restlessly behind me.

    ¡°And I thought you finally had some motivation, Narumi.¡±

    ¡°You want us to do clean up work?¡±

    I turned back to look, and found the little Nazi and the Incredible Hulk leaning by the stair railing, gulping down the rum in their bottles. I couldn''t help but give a wry smile.

    ¡°You heard it all?¡±

    ¡°We did. Really to be expected of you, Narumi, it''s not a healthy one¡­¡±

    ¡°Can''t ept the fact that Hiro just needs to stand by the sidelines and get all the goodies.

    ¡°What''s bad about it? He''s the one talking all the bad too.¡±

    ¡°That''s true. ¡°I nodded. ¡°The protagonists in the story are Hiro and Min-san¡­¡±

    But I was wrong. It was only muchter on that I realized this.

    The protagonist of this story had been Hanada Masaru all this while.

    To make it to the appointment, Min-san was dressed up in the purple dress, tied her hair into an elegant knot, and appeared like a Hong Kong movie star.

    ¡°¡­What? Why are you spacing out? Is anything weird about my outfit?¡±

    Min-san lowered her head awkwardly as she looked at her clothing, and red at me. I flusteredly shook my head.

    November 3rd, the day the culture festival of M high school was to be held, and also the day Huang Hong Lei was to hold the wedding ceremony, and I dropped by at ''Hanamaru'' early in the n.

    Based on the n I came up with, the first step was to have Min-san attend the ceremony as usual. Soon after, Huang Hong lei would be there to get her.

    ¡°That Hong Lei had the dress tailored so nicely. I''m never going to wear this again.¡±

    ¡°Eh? That''s a pity though.¡±

    ¡°What pity, you idiot?''

    I got flicked hard in the forehead. Strictly put, Min-san''s dress up was really a stark unbefitting contrast to the ramen shop.

    ¡°Anyway, isn''t it your school culture festival today? Is it really alright for you to be here?¡±

    ¡°Erm¡­yeah, I guess.¡±

    I had Ayaka tell my ssmates that Min-san was in a little difficulty. Thus, everyone had amon understanding and indicated in unison, ¡°Then let''s have you focus on Min-san''s stuff, Fujishima.¡±

    ¡°You really got left out by the ss.¡±

    ¡°I wasn''t! A-anyway, didn''t they celebrate my birthday with me!?¡±

    At this moment, the phone in my uniform pocket vibrated.

    ¡°Fujishima-kun?¡± It was Ayaka''s voice.

    ¡°How''s the situation over there?¡±

    ¡°Business is great! We prepared a lot, but we probably will be sold out in the afternoon¡­¡±

    ¡°Sorry for being unable to help¡­¡±

    ¡°Don''t worry! It''s fine even without you around. Nobody''s really bothered by it!¡±

    Ayaka¡­you don''t really mean anything with those words, right?

    ¡°But we got ourselves a little problem here¡­what time can Min-san make it?¡±

    ¡°Eh? Erm¡­around 3pm or so?¡±

    Did something happen? Didn''t they say that the teachers woulde by to inspect after the activities were done? The food hygiene specialist just needed to be there for a little while, right? (even though in theory, she should be there the entire time)

    ¡°The principal and the educationmittee inspectors heard of the rumors and wanted to visit our shop, saying that they want to meet Min-san personally! What do we do? I lied to them saying that we don''t have enough ingredients, so Min-san went out to buy, and they said they''ll be back in the afternoon¡­¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Now this is troublesome. I had a look at the clock, and it was almost 11. ¡°I''ll think of something.¡±

    I hung up the phone, and informed Min-san, who merely shrugged.

    ¡°I should have left earlier anyway, so it''s fine for us to go early, right? Speaking of which¡­¡±

    Min-san grabbed my cor.

    ¡°What are you nning? You aren''t saying anything even at this point?¡±

    ¡°Eh? Ehh, no, that''s¡­¡±

    I wanted to avert my eyes, but my face was being mped such that I had to look right at Min-san. Such a terrifying expression¡­

    ¡°Hiro never contacted me ever since that day, while Tetsu and Major pretended not to know anything. You''re not going to say anything?¡±

    ¡°Well, that''s because, we''re trying our best to solve this without worrying you, and we aren''t sure whether it will work¡­Anyway, we''ll send someone to the scene first, so just go along with his instructions.¡±

    ¡°Didn''t you ask Sou for help? Are you intending to charge into the ce?¡±

    She''s really sharp. Guess it''s hard to hide everything from her.

    ¡°It''s fine. We won''t be that reckless.¡±

    Thinking about it from another perspective, our n might be more reckless. To be honest, I really hoped for everything to be settled down. If possible, I really hoped to tell Hong lei before the ceremony and settle this peacefully. Too bad I only thought of this n 3 days ago, and didn''t have enough time to n, so I had to take action first.

    Furthermore, even if the n goes well, the oue was meaningless.

    Min-san red at me fiercer than ever, and nearly lifted me by the cor. At this moment, a heavy exhaust sound on the other side of the ramen shop shutters echoed, and Min-san clicked her tongue, shoving me into the back door of the corridor.

    ¡°Not a good thing to have Hong Lei see you now, right? Get out by the back door.¡±

    I pushed the bicycle between the buildings, and when I got out to the road, I nced back. There was a ck foreign sedan parked outside ''Hanamaru'', and the chauffeur dressed in a ck suit and white gloves opened the door. I didn''t know whether it was a coincidence, but Huang Hong Lei got out from the back seat, dressed in a flock coat, much grander than I did when I wore it on Halloween, and I felt so sheepish I wanted to die. Seeing him standing alongside Min-san in the purple dress, it really resembled a scene in a movie.

    I turned my bicycle handle around, and pedalled hard. The gloomy skies appeared to snow, and as I sped up, the cold seeped into my body.

    The Zodiac Group manages an Esth¨¦tique and a sports gym, and it owned a very tall building in Ebisu. The wedding would be held at the hall at the highest level of this building.

    I parked my bicycle by the roadside, and discreetly observed the entrance, only to felt such great despair I was giddy. A few savage looking men dressed in ck suits were clearly standing at obvious ces, two of them guarding the atrium, while another two were standing guard at the reception and the elevator respectively. It felt as though they would draw their Qinglong des at any given moment and pull of some stunt, and seemed that they had no intention of keeping a low profile as it was their own turf. Ordinary civilians were so terrified, they avoided the elevators and took the stairs. It''s bad, could we achieve our objective?

    I took out the transmitter microphone, put on the earphones, and called for major.

    ¡°Everything at hand is ready. We''re ready to take action.¡±

    ¡°There are 4 mafia guys at the entrance. Switch to the stairs.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai''s voice interrupted.

    ¡°We got people watching the stairs too! I''m hiding in the toilet now. Every corner at the corridors of the roof is guarded. I just saw Master and Hong Lei enter.¡±

    ¡°Eh¡­this is¡­¡± really troubling. How many men did he arrange for? Added security was to be expected to protect the guests attending the ceremony, but the savage nces at the lobby entrance were obviously not guards. It appeared that Hong lei understood that we wouldn''t go down easily.

    ¡°Take the emergency staircase.¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    And then, Yondaime''s voice too could be heard,

    ¡°Looks like there''s a lot of Chinese outside watching the vehicles parked. We can only drive around before we take action.¡±

    ¡°I''ll leave it to you. Min-san will escape from the back of the building where the emergency staircase is.¡±

    ¡°Anyway.¡± Tetsu-senpai interrupted, ¡°Why did you tell Master to join the party? Couldn''t you have ignored them and get her to attend the school festival?¡±

    ¡°We aren''t just dealing with the Huang Coalition here. We got a lot of topshot Chinese who were invited. If Hong Lei''s going to get embarrassed in such a moment, this won''t be a problem he alone can settle. If the Huang Coalition continue to cause trouble, the situation will get tougher for us.¡±

    ¡°Mm¡­¡±

    That''s why we couldn''t embarrass the Huangs during the lunch gathering. However, the gatheringter would be between rtives, and there was no need to y nice. Of course, he wouldn''t let her leave that easily either.

    That''s why we''ll just have to kidnap the bride.

    ¡°¡­Hong Lei''s speech is beginning.¡±

    Major muttered. I folded the map back into my pocket, and stood up.

    At exactly 1pm, Yi Ling-san called. I was at the Starbucks opposite the building, and immediately got up from my seat.

    ¡°We''re in the restroom. Min-san said she isn''t feeling well, and slipped out with me.¡±

    My heart was starting to kick at the inside of my ribs. Yi Ling-san''s our first trump. We had her on standby deep in the enemy camp by registering and be a receptionist for the ceremony.

    ¡°Once the power goes out, run to the emergency staircase, about two minutester!¡±

    I exited the shop, went across a road, and ran to the back of the building. I switched on the wireless microphone, and spoke to Pole.

    ¡°Target''s at the emergency staircase. I''m betting that there should be mafia guarding the back. Once you see Min-san get down, start causing disturbance.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Allow us to refine our manliness!¡±

    Don''t be so loud, you idiots! Right when I went around to the road at the back of the building, I saw a few Hirasaka-gumi members in ck T-shirts scurrying towards the Zodiac building like cockroaches.

    Next, Yondaime.

    ¡°Drive the car over!¡±

    ¡°On it!¡±

    And finally, Imunicated with Tetsu-senpai and Major at the same time,

    ¡°Its time. I''ll leave it to you!¡±

    ¡°Oh!¡± A baritone echoed back. Once Min-san and Yi Ling-san escaped, he''ll be in charge of guarding the emergency stairs. As for Major¡ª

    ¡°Let''s begin. We''ll meet at Yasukuni.¡±

    I looked up at the roof of the building overlooking the gloomy skies. At that moment, I saw all the lights at the roof go out.

    A ck sedan ran by me while I ran. It was Yondaime. At the back of the Zodiac building was a wide green patch, and visibility was bad. Furthermore, the emergency staircase wasn''t outside the building itself, and we couldn''t tell if Min-san managed to escape sessfully. The intense heartbeat meant that I couldn''t hear my own footsteps. Yondaime''s car was parked by the fence of the greenery, and I caught up, holding my breath as I watched.

    From a corner of my eyes, I saw several ck figures, and my impression of the ground was contorted. They were not Hirasaka-gumi members. The ck T-shirt guys had already passed through the woods, and was about to assault the back door of the building, while the many strong ck figures closed in from the nks of the buildings, seemingly intending to surround them. Seeing this, Yondaime wanted to open the door immediately.

    ¡°N-no, please stay in the car!¡±

    I shouted as I ran to the greenery, towards the back door. I felt the melting brain juices spurting from my ears. 5-6, no¡ªthere were more of them. Why were there so many people? There shouldn''t be a lot of people standing guard at the back of the building, right? My mind was filled with skepticism, confused by the growls of Chinese and Japanese.

    I went across the green patch, and in front of me was the end of the fence. The emergency staircase to the building was right within my reach. At this moment, a person in cream colored suit barged into my sights, and I nearly fell limp immediately.

    Huang Hong Lei passed through the potted nts, grabbing a Hirasaka-gumi member by the shoulder, and mmed him down with a punch. He turned back, and knocked down another.

    Why¡ªwhy''s Hong Lei here? Didn''t Major stop the elevator?

    Right when I tumbled as sat by the fence, the door to the emergency staircase opened. Yi Ling-san showed up first, her facepletely frozen as she stayed rooted. Min-san in her Chinese outfit shoved her aside, and walked out from the back door.

    ¡°Hold it!¡±

    She bellowed sharply.

    ¡°Don''t move, you brats! Do you want to die?¡±

    Some of the ck T-shirt guys were trampled onto the brick floor, some were shoved into the potted nts, and some had their arms locked by the mafia, frozen there. At this moment, the number of mafia members was at least ten or so, double that of the number of Hirasaka-gumi members. All of them stopped kicking and punching, staring at Min-san silently.

    Huang Hong Lei moved past his subordinates to approach Min-san. I copsed on the floor, backtracking, calling for Major in the transmitter. There was no response. Why?

    Hong Lei suddenly turned towards me.

    ¡°Hey! What are you yelling for?¡±

    He said as he red at me, raising a hand. I saw him holding the inte with the goggles on, and felt darkness appear in front of my eyes, my organs practically froze. That was Major''smunicator. Was he found out in the electrical room? How? Is he safe?

    ¡°I thought you wouldn''t be so stupid¡­¡±

    Hong Lei tossed away the goggles in his hands, and narrowed his eyes as he sized me up.

    ¡°What''s with thismotion? Do you think you can aplish anything with these brats?¡±

    Min-san too gave me a scathing look, practically saying, isn''t this just a reckless scuffle? No, this isn''t what you think. I wanted to exin, but I couldn''t let out a voice. Min-san appeared to have given up as she looked at the floor, and apologized to Hong Lei. Sorry, I''ll go back with you, so let go of these brats! You can''t do that! All our efforts will be wasted. But what do we do now? I intended to start a scuffle first before rationalizing everything. Everything still waiting to sprout, and they''re going to be trampled before they''re discovered. What do I do? Come up with excuses to pull a fast one? But I don''t have anything at all. It''s impossible. If I try to bluff, I''ll be seen through. See. My legs are so weak, I can''t even stand up right.

    But at this moment, someone spoke up.

    ¡°¡ªYoung Master.¡±

    Hong Lei looked away from me towards the voice. Min-san was about to return to the emergency staircase, and stopped, while the mafia members holding down the Hirasaka-gumi members too lifted their heads.

    Gentle footsteps entered the thick shadows of the trees and the building. Appearing around the corner of the building was a group of middle aged women wearing posh semi-formal dresses with a corsage and scarf.

    ¡°My apologies, madams.¡±

    Hong Lei sighed, and tidied his ruffled clothing.

    ¡°It is my inappropriate service that you saw such an unruly scene, so i do apologize for that. Ming Li and will return immediately.¡±

    Those middle aged women were here to attend the ceremony, and I could tell from their faces that they were all Chinese. There were 10 of them¡­maybe more of them? The dangerous charisma emitting from their eyes showed that they were rich, but not ordinary women, and furthermore, there were some faces I seemed to recognize.

    Ah, right, I met them at ''Hello Pce''¡ªthey were the group of olderdies who went all the way to the entrance of Yi Ling-san''s room.

    So¡ªthey made it?

    ¡°No¡­please allow Ming Li-san to return¡­¡±

    One of thedies said this. The fins she showed when she smiled resembled a raptor, and I wiped my sweaty palm onto my pants. Hong Lei frowned.

    ¡°¡­May I inquire what you just said?¡±

    ¡°Actually, we intended to inform you a few dayster¡­¡±

    Another madam hushed her voice.

    ¡°We hope that you reconsider your marriage with Ming Li-san.¡±

    ¡°Why mention that now?¡±

    Hong Lei''s voice became that of a dying beast groaning. Despite that, the madams never once frowned. As to be expected of the queens ruling Kabukicho at night.

    ¡°This is an internal matter for the Huangs. There is no need to abide by your wishes.¡±

    One of them, an oldest looking plump madam in a red ruqun, walking to the front of all thedies.

    ¡°We heard that Miss'' father has returned to Hong Kong, and is hired by the Beng Ya Association. If you are so insistent on getting married to someone of that indecent organization, we can no longer believe in the Huangs or even hand our funds over to you. I want to void my contract with the Coalition.¡±

    Hong Lei widened his eyes in shock, and thedies voiced their threats one after another.

    ¡°Ourpany and employees are all looking to void the contract.¡±

    ¡°Right, our retail chain will do likewise.¡±

    ¡°Our family members too will like to void the contract.¡±

    ¡°Impossible.¡±

    Hong Lei appeared to be impatient, and he cursed quietly.

    ¡°Ming Li already broke all ties with Hanada Masaru, and has no contact with him. How can she possibly have any rtion to the ¡±

    He stopped midway through, sensing something was amiss, and shut up. After pondering for a little while, he spoke up unhappily.

    ¡°¡­No, that''s just an excuse, right? What is the real reason?¡±

    The atmosphere shook slightly, and the temperature seemed to rise.

    The madams looked at each other, and snickered.

    ¡°Always the sharp kid there.¡±

    ¡°Young Lord, we can''t exin the real reason. This is shameful for us after all.¡±

    Huang Hong Lei really had a keen, wire cutter-like instinct. He turned back, and red at¡ª

    Me, lying limp by the fence.

    ¡°¡­Did you do this?¡±

    His voice and expression terrified me, and it felt as though I had a frozen ice pir impaled at my gut. Hong Lei, and even Min-san widened their eyes at me. I really regretted not running away earlier, but it was all toote. If I remained silent, I definitely wouldn''t be able to settle this situation.

    Thus, I pulled myself up from the fence, barely straightening myself, and my limp knees were limber as I stood up.

    ¡°What did you do?¡±

    Hong Lei approached me, and I hastily lifted my chest proudly as a facade, staring at him right in the eyes.

    ¡°I didn''t do anything.¡±

    My voice was trembling. Calm down. Think what I have to say first. It doesn''t matter whether I anger him now; I need to agitated him some more, and deliver the final blow.

    ¡°Just request all the madams earnestly, and ept their goodwill.¡±

    ¡°What¡ª¡±

    ¡°Actually, it wasn''t me.¡±

    Hong Lei stood still, the skeptical look on his face spreading into frozen astonishment.

    There was no need to exin, Hong Lei probably knew what we did exactly, and understood where his weaknesses were.

    You guys now looked as though you own everything as you walk down the most bustling area in this country, but you were just hoodlums in the past. You were chased out of your hometown, went far beyond the seas to a foreign country where you had no support, and could only rely on yourpatriots¡ªthe women who lived on strongly in the night cities, using their bodies as weapons. No? And so you guys protected them from violent threats, and absorbed wealth, solidified your territory, regrouped your organization, and built your own fortress. However, just by looking down at your feet, you''ll understand that the ones supporting you till this point had been the women making a living through the night lives. You guys still remain under their control, and this is the power I found, the power that surpassed yours.

    ¡°Please don''t forget.¡±

    I uttered each word, and felt heartbroken at the same time. Despite this, I continued staring at Hong Lei, saying.

    ¡°You need to trample those women below your feet to survive, but in this city, there''s one person who can bring several hundred women like them to heaven with a single smile.¡±

    I didn''t say that person''s name, but Huang Hong Lei probably knew who it was.

    Please don''t forget,

    The name of the man who opposed you.

    We were on a car headed towards M High School, but Min-san was utterly fuming.

    ¡°So what''s different from charging in and causing a ruckus? You idiot!¡±

    I, seated at the co-passenger seat, pulled my neck in. Luckily, Min-san was driving, and had no hands to beat me.

    ¡°Tetsu''s probably caught now, and Major''s definitely going to get murdered. Couldn''t you have thought of a better n?¡±

    ¡°Sorry¡­¡±

    Again, I underestimated Huang Hong Lei. That man''s instinct was way beyond our imagination. He probably understood what was going on the moment the electricity went out, contacted the people on the first floor to provide support in the basement. I wonder if Major''s okay? The Hirasaka-gumi members were also trounced badly, and Yondaime''s still there to clean up the mess. Because of my clumsy n, everyone involved got battered hard. Luckily, those madams showed up to save us.

    ¡°So, where''s Hiro?¡±

    ¡°I really don''t know. Hiro''s not in the operations, and I didn''t tell him the n on that day. But, he''s probably¡ª¡±

    At that ceremony. That was the only logical exnation.

    Besides the few madams, there were a lot of Hiro''s female friends in the weed guests, so it probably wasn''t hard for him to sneak in as one of the supposed guests.

    It had been 3 mere days since I thought of the ''kidnap the woman'', and Hiro no only contacted all the Chinese madams he had affairs with, and even boasted that he was going to start new rtionships. However, even Hiro had targets he couldn''t contact, or couldn''t invite because they were busy. 3 days soon passed, so I had intention to forcefully interrupt the wedding on the day itself, stop the Huangs'' wedding gathering at at night, and a few dayster, bring the madams along to negotiate.

    But Hiro didn''t think of this way.

    He was a natural at wooingdies, a hunter of love, and of course, he would choose the perfect opportunity when all the targeteddies were gathered, today''s gathering, to take action. It was probably during the short time, less than two hours, that he would duck through thedies at the crowd, say a few words to get on their good side, and sessfully get everyone to opposite this wedding. This godly act was really unbelievable, but I couldn''t think of any other possibilities.

    However, that godlike skill was a double-edged sword.

    ¡°That irresponsible guy!¡±

    Min-san mmed the steering wheel a few times.

    ¡°He actually proposed to me so earnestly, and to think¡­thosedies were all married too! What was he thinking!?¡±

    Well, it''s true that this would surely wreck Hiro''s love, and that both him and Huang Hong Lei took their losses. When I first thought of this n, I really didn''t know how to request Hiro.

    ¡°Seriously! I saw he was doing decent in the ramen shop, and thought he had a real change of heart to do well. And then, argh, ahh damn it.¡±

    However¡ªI nonchntly heard Min-san''s grumbles, and thought,

    He probably still had a chance, I guess?

    At this point, Min-san showed no signs of hating him, and was simply, justpletely furious. If she had no feelings for a man, she wouldn''t be so angry at himying his hands on a few hundred women¡­right?

    ¡°Narumi! What are you grinning away for?¡±

    Min-san''s growl his my right ear.

    ¡°Call Ayaka right now! I''m going to speed up and reach in 15 minutes or so!¡±

    ¡°Ah, ye-yes.¡±

    The car elerated, and I nearly dropped my phone.

    We reached the school in less than 10 minutes. The school gate was morously decorated, and the banners hanging from the roof practically covered all the walls of the school. There were the sses'' booths in the yard, and the visitors packed the ce so much it was impossible to get through. The bustling school broadcast had some background music ying, but I couldn''t tell what it was at all. There were sandwich men and bunny girls holding cards to attract customers, even touting outside the school.

    The bustling celebratory activities were about to begin, and I had a feeling that I was going to faint.

    Min-san and I got out from the car at the parking lot, and we attracted a lot of attention. Min-san came directly from the wedding, and she was wearing a morous dress no inferior to a Bond girl.

    The moment she stepped into the ssroom of 2-4, themotion increased by 5 times, or even 10 times.

    ¡°What''s with that dress up, Min-san?¡±

    ¡°Did you participate in a photo shoot?¡±

    ¡°I want to take a photo! Is that fine?¡±

    ¡°Shut up. The customers are queuing up! Hurry up and work!¡±

    The problem here is that the customers were excitedly drawing their cellphones out and taking photos of Min-san too¡­

    As for me, I copsed at the front end of the ssroom that was segregated as the work ce. The bunny maids holding the trays and going in and out were giving me stinging looks, but it was really worn out.

    ¡°Wee back, Fujishima-kun!¡±

    The bunny ears and the hem of the apron dress swayed as Ayaka came running towards me.

    ¡°Thank goodness Min-san made it in time. I''ll go get the principal and the teachers.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, made it¡­can I have a little break ? Is there still some work for me?¡±

    ¡°Ah, it''s fine. You can sit for your next work, Fujishima-kun. Actually, themittee wanted to do a review writeup for all the sses, so you can try all the ice cream our ss made and write something like a food report?

    Ayaka said that the review would affect the performances tomorrow, so I had no choice but to take this job. Back then, Ipletely forgot something critical. Our ss 2-4 had 31 different vors of ice cream sold.

    And so, after eating the 5th ice cream, I had such a severe migraine that I copsed, and had to finish the report in the infirmary.

 Volume 6, 5

    <h4>Volume 6, Chapter 5</h4>

    After the culture festival ended, our usual daily lives did not return immediately.

    The shutters of ''Hanamaru'' remained closed, and the signboard with the words ''Temporarily Closed'' continued to flutter in the freezing winds of November.

    The only thing that continued on like usual was the scene at the back door of the kitchen. I parked my bicycle by the shop like usual, and casually poked my head to look between the buildings. Tetsu-senpai was wearing a half-sleeved shirt with no regard for the season, while Major''s face waspletely covered in bandages. Both of them were seated there, the horse racing news columnid out as they excitedly talked about their predictions for the GI race in Autumn.

    ¡°Oh? You came back, Vice-Admiral Fujishima? Time to give us our pay for this case now, right?¡±

    Major and Tetsu-senpai reached their hands out to me at the same time, and I could only avert my eyes.

    ¡°Well, actually, I haven¡¯t received the payment from Min-san either¡­¡±

    ¡°What? We worked so hard there! I should have shown you that zing solo escape operation I did, Vice Admiral Fujishima!¡±

    In the end, Major managed to escape by himself from the electrical room in the basement that was filled with the Hong Kong mafia, and it was said that he sprayed arge amount of tear gas in his escape. Major¡¯s the one who usually does the preparation work, so I was worried if he would be in any danger if there was any direct confrontation. However, this military nut wasn¡¯t just for show.

    ¡°Seriously, good work there. I¡¯ll try to haggle for more when I meet Min-san.¡±

    ¡°What has Master been doing recently anyway? She¡¯s been going around riding on Hiro¡¯s car¡­¡±

    Tetsu-senpai shrugged,

    ¡°Is it possible that since that crazy n worked, those two are going out together for real?¡±

    ¡°No, how¡¯s that possible?¡± I shook my head. ¡°They¡¯re just going to the Suppliers together to apologize.¡±

    Huang Hong Lei was no longer intimidating the suppliers, and all they had to do was to apologize to these suppliers that got involved before ¡®Hanamaru¡¯ could continue operations again. However, this probably would take quite a long time, since they¡¯ll have to convince the manypanies that the mafia wouldn¡¯t be looking for them, and that they would be able to continue doing business with ¡®Hanamaru¡¯ without any worries. In such situations, Hiro, ever the smooth talk, was very important.

    In other words, the rtionship of those two was just employer and employer. Up till now anyway.

    ¡°Huh? You don¡¯t think they can hook up for real, Narumi?¡±

    ¡°Who knows? Hiro still gets involved with so many girls he has to break off with¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll bet that they won¡¯t get together then, five thousand yen!¡± Major put in a wager.

    ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll bet that they won¡¯t get together for ten thousand yen.¡± Tetsu-senpai joined in.

    ¡°In that case, I bet that they won¡¯t get together for one thousand yen.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t a proper bet now, right?¡± Senpai chuckled.

    Hiro¡¯s car came back at sunset, ferrying Min-san.

    ¡°We¡¯re mostly done with our trip, and we should be able to open our shop again next week.¡± Min-san said, and everyone heaved a sigh of relief. Thank goodness, I had no intention of pushing her to pay the detective fees and tell her, Just pay when the business stabilizes.

    Min-san began dealing with the ingredients along with Hiro in the dim room, and suddenly sighed as she said,

    ¡°All that¡¯s left is the issue of the dried stuff. The reserves here won¡¯tst us for 2 months. Matsugahara Tradings¡¯ still the most convenient one¡­the quality and prices of the other shops aren¡¯t that good.¡±

    Hiro and I exchanged nces. Matsugahara Tradings. Due to my careless slip of the news, the boss was beaten up and interrogated for Hanada Masaru¡¯s whereabouts. Ever since then, he wouldn¡¯t do business with ¡®Hanamaru¡¯ again.

    ¡°Erm, I-I¡¯ll go apologize as well.¡±

    I made this request in a self-reproaching manner. Hiro ced his hand on my shoulder as he looked up at Min-san, and thetter could only nod with a reluctant look on her face.

    Before we made a call, Min-san gave a call to Matsugahara Tradings. ¡°Eh? Ah, I see¡­yes.¡± It seemed she heard some unexpected response.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting. That¡¯s what he said.¡±

    Min-san said as we got onto the car. Both Hiro and I exchanged shocked looks.

    The car raced down the Tomei Expressway for more than an hour, and finally reached the reclusive street located in the suburbs of Yokohama, parked at the door of the trading house that looked like a garage.

    ¡°Oh? Hanada-san. It¡¯s been a while. Looks like you¡¯ve been busy recently.¡±

    The boss of Matsugahara went out of the shop to wee us. There was no doubt that he was the one who shooed Hiro and me away half a month ago. Something must have happened.

    ¡°A few days ago, that, somewhat young yakuza looking Chinese came by again, and even brought arge box of sweets and apologized to me over and over again, so I was starting to feel sorry¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­Hong Lei?¡± Min-san widened her eyes.

    ¡°Ah, yes, those kids seem to call him that too. I heard about it.¡±

    ¡°About what?¡±

    "Actually, I forgot which dayst month it was, but Masaru-san suddenly gave me a call after we haven''t met for so long, and it really shocked me. He said he had something to request me, and sounded really serious."

    I gasped.

    It was on the night of the incident. Right, when he made his escape to the doctor, he made two phone calls. One of them was to Huang Xiao Ling-san, and the other one was to this Matsugahara Tradings.

    "Dad, did he say anything?" Min-san sounded slightly agitated as she pressed on, and the Matsugahara Tradings boss handed the parcel over to her."

    The parcel was delivered from Hong Kong. As expected, Hanada Masaru did go to Hong Kong.

    "He said that in a week''s time, he''ll send something over to you, and have me keep it for the time being. Also¡­"

    ording to him, Hanada Masaru said this as well,

    "If Ming Li is toe to this shop, and ask you to continue supplying her, if she intends to continue running the ramen shop¡ªcan you please hand this parcel over to her?"

    While we were on the way back, Min-san opened the parcel with shaking hands. It was wrapped inyers of oil paper. She took out the contents, and gasped. I, seated beside her, was at a loss of words.

    "What''s¡­this¡­why¡­"

    Min-san muttered, sounding teary as the tearsnded on the parcel, the thick stacks.

    How many were there? All the notes were 10,000 Yen each. These 1cm bundles were wrapped in white tape, and there were 16 of them in all.

    16 million Yen.

    That was the exact amount¡ªas the debt ''Hanamaru'' owed.

    "What''s with this?"

    Min-san continued to mutter.

    "What was dad thinking in the first ce¡­he actually hid such arge sum of money. But why? Why now¡­?"

    I had the exact same thoughts at Min-san at this point. Why did he only send the money over at this point? Was that the money he saved up from working in the Underworld? But why¡­why didn''t he return it to the Huang Coalition soon? Min-san didn''t have to go through so much!

    Hanada Masaru, where are you right now? What are you doing?

    What is your objective?

    Min-san again wrapped the stacks of bills, and embraced them at her chest, averting my eyes as she pressed her cheeks on the car window, looking at the clouds.

    Hiro did not say anything as he stepped on the elerator. The eleration forced our unspoken words to the distant past.

    The next Monday, ''Ramen Hanamaru'' celebrated its grand opening.

    Though I might say this, the furbishing inside and the menu did not change. It was mostly the same as usual, the only change being the employees. Hiro was fired because of his womanizing habit, and Ayaka returned to work.

    The number of customers that showed up on that day was a lot more than the two days when it was rumored ''Hanamaru''would close down, and it was said to have easily surpassed the most number of customer visits.

    It was great that everyone could live happily ever after¡­if the endings to all stories were like that, how easy would it be for us?

    However, I remained a detective''s assistant, so the story Iposed was fated to have a detective show up.

    On a certain chilly Sunday night in November, Alice summoned me over. I rode my bicycle to ''Hanamaru'', and on the way there, I had a feeling.

    I nodded to Min-san, who was busy going around in the kitchen, and darted up the emergency staircase. I opened the door to the detective agency, and found Alice getting off the bed. Unlike the usual, she was not wearing pajamas, and the lights in the bedroom showed a pitch ck figure.

    Alice''s face was hidden under a ck veil, and I could not decipher her appearance.

    "You don''t look surprised." The detective said.

    "I think I have an idea as to what it''s about."

    "Being my assistant, you seem to have grown a little bit, huh?"

    This time, I realized Alice was being sad behind the veil.

    The detective was wearing mourning clothing.

    That meant that she had dug up the words of the dead buried deep within the ground, and was to speak for the case, this incident that had not progressed.

    "But are you serious about riding my bicycle there?"

    \line "If you aren''t happy about it, go get a driver''s license when you''re 18. Get this clear now, I''m 5,000 times more upset about riding on that bicycle than you are!"

    Then don''t ride on it.

    ""S-shut up! Alright, let''s go!"

    We walked down the emergency staircase, and the back door opened.

    "Hey Alice, it''s about time to go¡ª"

    Min-san poked her face out, and upon seeing Alice''s mourning clothing, looked confused.

    "Aren''t you tired of wearing such clothing? And you''re going to wear that while riding on a single-seat bicycle with Narumi? Don''t you feel embarrassed?"

    "What are you saying! This is the most formal clothing for a NEET! You don''t have the right to criticize my attire when your shoulders are always exposed, Master!"

    "Shut up and let me be! This is the battle attire of a ramen shop own! You''re going to look for Xiao Ling, right?"

    Alice nodded as she curled her lips in annoyance.

    "Have you made the gift, Master?"

    Wait a moment, Min-san said, and went into the kitchen, soon appearing again with a little box in hand.

    "It''s a special. It probably won''t melt in this cold weather, but it''s best if you send it over quickly."

    Physically or mentally, it was torturing to ride a bicycle with a girl wearing a long skirt down the Meiji Highway. I guess those without the experience wouldn''t understand, huh? The pedestrians were looking at us, and we had to cycle into a side alley when we encountered the traffic police. Furthermore, when we were at ces of different elevations, making emergency brakes or sudden turns, Alice would keep on grumbling, and yet cling onto me firmly when I elerated. I really started to doubt if there were scars forming on my chest.

    "I-I don''t want to ride on such a barbaric transport again!"

    I think you said these words before¡­

    From the corner of my eyes, I nced at the vehicles and the headlights moving along the roads, and i started to think. I might have changed slightly over this one year; this might be true for Alice too.

    At the very least, she had been going out recently. When we first met, she was aplete shut in.

    Also, whenever she went out, it seemed to always be with me. Could I really be gleeful for this? I didn''t know how much of the ugly truth Alice would reveal, and I couldn''t really understand the emptiness in her heart, but just having her cling onto me to shield her from the wind was delightful enough for me.

    All the floors on the building located near the Shinjuku garden were lit, and the logo of the Zodiac Company appeared in the night sky.

    It seemed Alice did arrange for an appointment beforehand, and after the receptionist made a call, it was actually Xiao Ling-san who came out to greet us. Seeing the mourning clothes on Alice, she was again speechless, but this time, I didn''t mind.

    "Ah, well, please don''t mind. This is just a little ceremony."

    "Seriously, you, since you''re going out with her, at least give her some normal clothing already, okay?"

    Again, XIao Ling-san said such unnecessary words, and it infuriated Alice so much she was steaming, howling, "Wh-wh-wh-who''s dating who? Be clear on this!" I could only prompt Xiao Ling-san to bring us into the elevator quickly. If any other visitor was to see someone in such clothing yelling in front of the reception counter, it would be hard to exin.

    XIao Ling-san''s room was 3 times bigger than the NEET detective agency, and was tidy, but there was a presence simr to Alice''s room. Thepletely practical metal rack were stacked with all kinds of electronics, and it certain felt like a room belonging to a tech wiz. I thought there would be no decorations in the room, but I found a little doll ced at the side of the rack. Before we were prompted to sit, Alice had already taken a corner of the sofa and heaved a sigh of rlief.

    "This room''s reallyforting. It feels kind of familiar."

    "Then try cleaning up your room until it''s like this."

    "You should say this to Narumi."

    "Do some cleanup yourself!"

    "You can just argue all you want, but I still have lots of things to do. If you have something, make it snappy."

    XIao Ling-san said as she sat opposite us, and I could only pull my neck back in as I sat beside Alice.

    After peering into the coffee cup, Xiao Ling-san stammered as she began.

    "Xiang Yu called meter on, and kept on telling me to keep thanking Ming Li and yu two¡­her life right now probably isn''t easy, but she neverined at all. They were practically penniless when they eloped, but Xiang Yu was pampered since young, so i don''t know how long they canst¡­"

    It sounded harsh, but Xiao Ling-san''s tone was really gentle.

    "Since this is Xiang Yu''s own choice, she can''t me others for this. Even if her life won''t be as pleasant down the road, that will be their responsibility."

    Xiao Ling-san suddenly nced up to look at me.

    "You''re pretty good there¡­"

    "Eh? Ah, well, it''s nothing."

    "After that, the entire family had quite a few meetings. Back then, Hong Lei''s reactions were so agitated, and grandfather fainted from anger a few times¡ªto be honest, I was really wondering whether I should tell you that, but whatever. It''s our shame as the Huangs."

    No, you saying it¡­is basically reporting it to us now, right?

    "Oh yes, has that unrestrained gigolo been dumped by Ming Li?"

    "That appears to be the case, more or less."

    "Then, that''s good."

    Hong Lei probably wouldn''t just give up like this, and would go for a direct proposal, right? Xiao Ling-san chuckled as she said. To be honest, I was one of many who felt relieved seeing Min-san break away from Hiro. The best oue for Min-san''s happiness was for Huang Hong Lei to give up on being the triad boss and promise Min-san to run the ramen shop together. But this probably won''t happen¡­

    After chatting a while about the Huangs'', XIao Ling-san said.

    "Now then, is that anything from you two?"

    Her eyes went from looking at me, to Alice.

    "Narumi, the present from before."

    Ah, I forgot about it. I handed the box of ice cream over to Xiao Ling-san.

    ¡°Heh? From Ming Li? Do I open it?''

    Xiao Ling-san opened the box, and some white mist from the dry ice floated out, revealing the ice cream cake beneath it. There was ayer of vani ice cream, with lots of purple, red fruits and nuts all over it, and same brown sauce doused over.

    ¡°Doici dei Moriti¡­¡±

    Alice peeked at the contents in the box, muttering.

    ¡°Oh? An Italian dessert? Sounds delicious. I''ll try itter. And then?¡±

    Xiao Ling-san closed the box, and gave Alice and me a cold look.

    ¡°Are you just intending to send ice cream over to us? What about Ming Li herself? Hong Lei and I caused her much trouble, so if there are still any issues¡­¡±

    ¡°No, we''re just here to deliver the ice cream.¡±

    Xiao Ling-san widened her eyes, and I too couldn''t help but turn my head towards alice.

    ¡°But not to you, Huang Xiao Ling. It''s for Hanada Masaru.¡±

    Xiao Ling-san again narrowed her eyes.

    ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I''m a NEET detective, a speaker of the dead. A person who strives to dig up the truths hidden under the graves, and reim the honor off the dead, to hurt the living¡±

    ¡°What are you trying to get at?¡±

    ¡°In other words, I''m here to see Hanada Masaru.¡±

    ¡°What did you say?¡±

    Xiao Ling-san was trembling for some reason. Perhaps it was because I, listening in on this too, was rattled as well?

    ¡°Didn''t he fly to Hong Kong? I don''t know whether that''s true, but he can''t possible be,:¡±

    ¡°He''s right here.¡±

    Alice slowly raised the hand under the ck sleeve and pointed at Xiao Ling-san''s chest.

    ¡°Hanada Masaru is in your pocket, the cellphone in your pocket. Am I correct?¡±

    What felt like the pain of all the ss windows in the world shattering descended upon the atmosphere in the room. Xiao Ling-san''s eyes too showed a frozen skepticism. I did not understand the meaning behind Alice''s words, and I turned to stare at her sidelong face again.

    ¡°What¡­do you mean?¡± I couldn''t help but ask, unable to hide my rattled emotions in my words. The detective''s sullen face turned towards me.

    ¡°Narumi, you did see Huang Xiang Yu and Umeda Kouji personally, right? Think about it. Among those two, who looked injured?¡±

    The ck veil swayed ording to Alice''s question. I held my breath as I recalled. When we received Xiao Ling-san''s contact, Yondaime, Min-san and I went to the Zodiac employee dormitory, and in the basement parking lots, met the duo who intended to elope.

    ¡°Injured¡­well¡­they didn''t look really injured there¡­¡±

    ¡°Right, that''s the answer. There were gunshots heard on that night, and there were blood stains in the room and the co-passenger seat, but Huang Xiang Yu and Umeda Kouji werepletely unscathed¡ªin that case, there''s only one possibility, that the one who was shot was Hanada Masaru.¡±

    I held my arm firmly, trying to suppress the chill rising up my body. Xiao Ling-san''s face paled, and she bit her lips hard. Alice continued,

    ¡°That''s the reason why the co-passenger seat had blood traces on it. Hanada Masaru himself couldn''t drive, so he could only give instructions on the co-passenger seat, and had Umeda Kouji drive him towards the clinic in Ookubo. And then, he died there.¡±

    Died.

    Hanada Masaru was dead.

    Did he really die?

    No, wait. Alice¡­this is weird. This oue''s really weird.

    ¡°I can only deduce the truth that happened on that night. The one who fired at Hanada Masaru was Huang Xiang Yu, right? Since Hanada Masaru''s a mercenary, there was no way he could have let Umeda Kouji slip through. Xiang Yu might have misunderstood that her bodyguard would kill her bodyguard, and in her haste, shot Hanada Masaru from behind.¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡±

    I interrupted Alice''s words without hesitation.

    ¡°No, wait, this reasoning''s too weird. I-I,¡±

    I did feel my cellphone vibrate in my hand, and I did personally hear his voice.

    ¡°I did receive calls from Hanada Masaru! Not only me, even Min-san and Hong Lei did!¡±

    Right, even Xiao Ling-san seated there did receive calls.

    Alice''s eyes remained gloomy, and shook her head.

    ¡°Think back about it. Wasn''t the timing almost too perfect when Hanada Masaru called?¡±

    Timing.

    It''s true that whenever we got new information, Hanada Masaru would call to guide us. It felt as though he was watching over us by the side or something.

    But that was not the case.

    The one watching over us the entire time wasn''t Hanada Masaru.

    I lifted my eyes. Xiao Ling-san was seated in front of me.

    Xiao Ling-san was always around. When Hanada Masaru first called the office, it was through her phone. When the call was made to me, it was after I visited her. When the call was made to Hong Lei in front of the ramen shop, Xiao Ling-san was present.

    ¡°So Hanada Masaru was there.¡±

    Again, Alice pointed at Xiao Ling-san''s chest. Thetter curled her lips, reaching her hand out, and touched the protruding thing at her chest.

    ¡°That night, Hanada Masaru knew that he likely would not survive from his gunshot wounds, and had the doctor try to extend his life for a little longer, using his final moments to give a phone call to Huang Xiao Ling, you. His aim was to have you record his voice. He thought of the possibilities that might happen after he died, trying his best to ensure that Huang Xiang Yu could continue on the run, and leave a message to us without involving ''Hanamaru'' was by pretending to be alive. Huang Xiao Ling, it''s because of your careful editing and voice maniption based on the moments that you managed topletely hide the fact that Hanada Masaru was dead.¡±

    Xiao Ling-san remained silent, and would not make any reply, a stoic look remained on her face.

    Thus, I instinctively realized that whatever Alice said was the truth. Despite this, I could not help but be skeptical, for I was unwilling to believe this truth.

    ¡°Why? Why did he have to do that much? Isn''t that too weird?¡±

    ¡°Is there any other reason to it?¡±

    At that moment, Alice suddenly grabbed my thigh firmly. The pain in her heart entered my heart directly.

    ¡°There''s only one reason to pretend that he''s still alive. He didn''t wish for anyone to know about this, and more importantly, didn''t one a certain person to be sad about this. He felt that , rather have that person cry for him, he might as well have her hate him forever.¡±

    Because,

    He didn''t want Min-san to know.

    He hoped that Min-san would continue to think that he remained alive. To fulfill Hanada Masaru''s wish, Xiao Ling-san kept using random phones to revive in front of Min-san, to have her hear his voice.

    But I could only continue to shake my head. This truth was too tragic. No matter what happened, nobody could change it¡­

    ¡°This is just¡­¡±

    My stammering voice slipped out from my throat.

    ¡°It''s just your own deduction, right? Alice? Like what you said, it''s an unconfirmed truth, or something, just a meaningless theory, right?¡±

    I really wished Alice would tell me that, and that she would agree with my words. However, the detective pinched my thigh harder, looking at the floor as she shook her head.

    ¡°Think about it carefully, that money that was ced at Matasugahara Tradings, where was it sent from?¡±

    16 million yen.

    That money could clear all the debts ''Hanamaru'' owed, and was thest gift from Hanada Masaru.

    ¡°Wasn''t it from Hong Kong? It proves that he''s there, and still alive, right?¡±

    ¡°Actually, the Bengya Association always had a bounty on Hanada Masaru, who used to work as a bodyguard for the Huang Coalition.¡±

    My throat was stuffed by a scorching breath.

    ¡°That doctor called Choi went to Hong Kong alone, probably bringing a part of Hanada Masaru''s body himself, something that could be used as prove. That money was¡­¡±

    ¡°That''s enough, Alice, I understand now.¡±

    I couldn''t listen on anymore. Even through the ck veil, I couldn''t look at the detective''s face again, and I couldn''t look at Xiao Ling-san''s face, while she continued to remain quiet.

    What kind of feeling was that? I couldn''t help but wonder.

    When the scorching bullet was in his heart, when he could practically hear death sneaking up on him, what was Hanada Masaru thinking? Was he thinking of the woman who resembled the wife he so loved, and the daughter he bore with the wife he so loved? He departed for the afterlife, breaking away from his daughter when they did not understand each other, and he never was able to speak to her again. Yet he saved his own voice as data, imagining the moments when he would temporarily revive, conveying his voice, yet his daughter''s reply would never reach his ears again. Are you really¡ª

    Are you really satisfied with just this?

    I sat back dejectedly, but I could feel Alice beside me standing up.

    ¡°Thus, I''m just here to deliver that serving of ice cream. That''s thest promise made between the Hanadas.¡±

    Hearing those words, my consciousness nearly melted. It was that moment, back when Hanada Masaru came back to visit ''Hanamaru'' in April, that he left the final message under the cardboard box.

    Next time, when Ie back, I''ll try some of your ice cream¡ª

    In the end, in such a cold ce?

    Xiao Ling-san never did respond to any of Alice''s ims. Right when we were about to leave the room however, she raised the box of ice cream cake, saying.

    ¡°Thanks. I''ll definitely deliver it to Masaru-san.¡±

    We exited the building, and the night air was colder than before. The exhaust noises of the cars pricked my feeble ears. Under the dim road lights, I held the bicycle saddle, and stood there for a long time. Alice grabbed the belt of my duffle coat, and like me, stared silently deep into the dark forest of Shinjuku garden.

    The headlights and taillights of the cars passed by in front of us many times, leaving behind scars of light in the dark horizon. A scar vanished, and another would appear, and this continued on over and over again. I didn''t have the strength to kick the stand of the bicycle.

    ¡°Narumi.¡±

    Alice''s feeble mutter felt as though it would be crushed by the car noises.

    ¡°It''s cold.¡±

    Feeling disbelief, I lowered my head to look at Alice''s face.

    ¡°¡­This is the first time I''m hearing you say those words from your mouth, Alice.¡±

    I always thought her body functions might havecked some sensors to feel cold.

    ¡°It feels like, there''s arge empty block right in the middle of my body, and that you seem really distant from me. I guess this feeling too can only be described as cold?¡±

    Thinking hard about it, wouldn''t running around in fluttery mourning clothes on a November night be a stupid way to getting colds immediately? I removed my duffle coat, and had Alice wear it. Therge eyes under the veil looked skeptical.

    ¡°U-u? I-I didn''t ask you to do this! I''m just saying that it''s cold.¡±

    No, I don''t understand what you mean. Just wear it.

    ¡°And this clothing has some of your body warmth left. It feels disgusting!¡±

    ¡°What''s bad about that! It proves that people are alive.¡±

    ¡°What nonsense are you saying?¡±

    After chatting some useless words, I finally had some drive to get up on the bicycle. I kicked the stand off, and Alice continued grumbling as she got up onto the back seat, her arms wrapped around my waist.

    The pedals of the bicycle were as heavy as frozen concrete, so we continued forward little by little. The night breeze meeting us from the front wiped my tears into the darkness, and all that was left was regret.

    ¡°Oh yeah, Alice¡­¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Alice''s voice was right by my ear, and I was slightly relieved.

    ¡°So what was the significance of that anyway?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Everything Hanada Masaru did.¡±

    ¡°For self-satisfaction. So that he''ll be able to die happy. I guess he''s satisfied now.¡±

    Alice conveyed those words, and truly, those were the worst words from the dead.

    ¡°If it''s just to protect those still alive, there are other better methods to that. He actually wanted to continue lying, and had everyone be a little hurt.

    ¡±Yeah.¡±

    ¡°And Master definitely figured it out a long time ago.¡±

    I felt the hands holding the handlebar freezing, and that they would shatter on first contact. I barely managed to steady the wobbly bicycle, pressing down the brakes as we slowly passed a dark downslope.

    ¡°¡­She knew?¡±

    ¡°Probably¡­¡±

    ¡°How, w-why¡ª¡±

    ¡°That ice cream cake is called Dolci del Morti. The malt represents the body of Jesus Christ, the grape juice represents the blood of Jesus Christ, while the pomegranates and walnuts represent life and death. It''s a pastry the Italians offer to the dead during funerals.¡±

    I gulped.

    A pastry for the dead.

    Min-san already knew, she knew that the thing Alice requested her to do was for Hanada Masaru, who was no longer on this world.

    But even so, she showed a usual expression, like it was a favor, and she handed the cake over to me? . That fortitude caused me to nearly shed tears again. What was that? Really? Why''s everyone like this.

    ¡°Speaking of which.¡±

    Likely, I was pedaling on the bicycle, and Alice wouldn''t be able to hear me sobbing.

    ¡°Actually, whatever Hanada Masaru did was for nothing, right? He died like an idiot, and never left, left anything behind.¡±

    ¡°That may be the case.¡±

    But as we passed by the train tracks, around the park, and into the familiar dead end of an alley , I inadvertently stopped pedaling.

    A few figures could be seen through the light in the night shining past the red curtains.

    Nothing was left behind, no, that was a lie. Even this stupid, dull-witted me figured it out.

    I heard Ayaka''s voice as she repeated the customers'' orders, the unrulyughter of the drunk customers, and the mesing out from a Chinese wok. I approached the shop, and through the gap in the curtain, I could see the gray tank top, the beautiful, bare shoulders, and hear that family voice. Kept you waiting! It''s your soy sauce ramen! We have only matcha ice cream today. Anyone who wants it, please raise your hands! You drank too much! I''m not serving you beer anymore! Hey, Ayaka! The gyoza''s done! Thank you very much, pleasee back again¡­

    ¡°it''s strange. For some reason, today,¡±

    I could hear Alice mutter,

    ¡°I suddenly thought of having some scalding ramen.¡±

    ¡°¡­Yeah, me too.¡±

    And just like that, the story of the man called ''Bear Knuckles'' came to an end. I only have a little story about him to tell everyone.

    This is a little story born because of him, so I wish to say this ending as discreetly as possible.

    During the time Christmas was about to arrive, there was some discussion on the inte regarding Zodiac''s portal site. Once Sagittarius was over, the logo on the site changed. It was supposed to be time for Capricorn, but there was the constetion of the Big Dipper, and this caused many inte users to discuss the reasons behind it on the news websites, and message boards.

    It seemed however that nobody knew the reason behind it.

    The Big Dipper, the ''Ursa Major'', was holding a Christmas cake in its clutches, with pomegranates and walnuts toppings. Those that realized that was even fewer.

    Every year end, if you''re to head to a certain little ramen shop in Tokyo, you''ll be able to try this Christmas cake that differs from the usual. If anyone who finishes this story is interested, I do hope that you''ll make a trip there. Even till now, the real name of ''Bear Knuckles'' remain on the shops'' curtains.

 Volume 6, Gigoloâ€”sensei, the Last Lecture

    <h4>Volume 6, Gigolo-sensei, the Last Lecture</h4>

    Shionji Gorou, a name said to be neither an artiste''s name or an alias, but the man''s actual name. It appeared that his reputation as a gigolo (Gorou) was not because of his own will, but of a divine will.

    In any case, he really was a peculiar man. Even discounting that he''s Alice''s rtive, it would be hard to think of him as a normal person. He had professed himself to be of an age where he was a little hard of hearing, yet there were times where he would suddenly show a boyish smile, sometimes appearing like a celestial who lived in a different worl for thousands of years. He was a thorough scoundrel that even his disciple Hiro was a lot cuter in that case, but he had some unique charismatic element to him (or he wouldn''t be able to live on as a gigolo). Thinking that I wouldn''t be able to meet him again, and that I had no chance to talk to him, I felt somewhat mncholic.

    And upon hearing me say that, Hiro teased,

    ¡°If it had been you instead of me who met Gorou-sensei in middle school, I wonder how good you''ll have it, Narumi?¡±

    I pondered slightly.

    ¡°No, I''ll pass on that. Please spare me already. I still treasure my life dearly.¡±

    Hiro could not help butugh out loud.

    It was in mid-November, when the days were frosty enough, when Gorou-sensei dropped by at ''Ramen Hanamaru''. Back then, Min-san was out to buy ingredients, and Ayaka was left alone in the shop to prepare. I too went to the kitchen to prepare the ingredients, and after peeling the onion skins, I was chopping the cabbage.

    ¡°Excuse me.¡±

    The door opened, and a diminutive figure in a trenchcoat walked in.ThThe door opened, and a diminutive figure in a trenchcoat walked in.

    When I first saw him, I assumed that he was a retired college professor. He was wearing a round wool cap a Russian would wear, and the soft greyish-white hair was poking out. The round sses rested on the thin nose bridge, and he looked really unreliable.

    "Wee. Erm, sorry, but we''re only opened at 5¡­"

    Ayaka said as she lifted her head from the basin.

    "No no, I''m not here to have a meal."

    The man, early into his old age, took off his cap, and smiled.

    "I''m here to visit a little Miss here. I heard that she''s the boss here¡­"

    "Are you looking for Min-san? Sorry, she just went out. It''s cold outside. Do you want toe in and wait?"

    Thank you. The old man said, and closed the door behind him. I stirred the sesame, thinking that it was a rare sight. that someone would visit Min-san. Ayaka went around the counter, took a tablecloth to wipe the counter, and ushered him, saying, Please have a seat. It''s a little dirty though, so don''t mind.

    "Oh? Isn''t that a Holly?" Saying that, the man reached his tiny hand for Ayaka''s ear.

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    Ayaka cringed back in shock. The old man''s fingertips grazed her hair and skin lightly.

    ¡°See? There are a few flowers on your head.¡±

    A tiny white flower was tucked between the fingers of the old man.

    ¡°Ah, they probablytched onto me when I was pruning at school¡­¡±

    ¡°You have interest in botany, don''t you?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes. I''m also in charge of leading everyone in school at that.¡± Saying that, Ayaka was a little gleeful.

    ¡°It''s really rare to have such charming women so suited for wearing such white flowers! I suppose this flower heretched onto you because it likes you.¡±

    ¡°Eh-eh?¡±

    ¡°Well, it is to be expected. If I''m a flower, I too would do the same.¡±

    ¡°th-that''s.¡± Ayaka''s cheeks were blushing.

    ¡°Hahaha, please don''t mind! I''m just grateful to spend some waiting time with a girl like you. Besides the Holly, what other flowers do bloom in this season? Since it''s a school, I''m guessing there should be Camellia, Cydonia, and Loquats, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. The Camellias are blooming beautifully now¡­¡±

    Soon after, Ayaka was chatting with the old man. I eavesdropped on their conversation, and Ayaka was enthusiastically chatting on the type of boy she liked, as though they were already on familiar times.

    However, I remained wary against that old man, for I personally witnessed his shocking finger actions. The issue at end was the Holly that established the topic. If the white flower was on Ayaka''s head, I would have discovered it first beforehand. In fact, the Holly was on Ayaka''s shoulder, on the school blouse, but he was like a magician; he pinched the flower, and ced it on her hair, acting as if it was there the entire time, and took it off from her.

    Why did he have to do this?

    In any case, this man was no ordinary person, so my instincts told me. There''s a dangerous presence on him, and he was very simr to a certain someone I knew. Who was it?

    At this moment, there was a terrifying ringing in my pocket. The guitar riff of ''Colorado Bulldog'', a phone call from Alice.

    ¡°Tie up that lowlife in front of your eyes right now!¡±

    The astonishing growl from the phone hit my brain. I hurriedly covered the phone and ran to the back door to prevent the old man from hearing it, but it was toote.

    ¡°Don''t let him approach Ayaka! Do anything you have to do, best if you mobilize a strike team or the JSDF! Get Major here and shoot him with a stungun!¡±

    ¡°N-no, calm down, Alice.¡±

    Ayaka''s eyes widened greatly, and I peeked at her as I answered Alice. Ayaka probably heard anything.

    ¡°What? Didd something happen?¡±

    ¡°Hahaha. It appears I was found out. Speaking of which, I did hear that there were surveince cameras installed around this building.¡±

    Saying that, the old man picked up his cap. I covered the phone speaker and stared right at him.

    He knew that there were cameras all around the detective agency? Speaking of which¡­

    ¡°¡­Erm, are you rted to Alice?¡±

    ¡°Sorry for thete introductions. I''m Shionji Gorou.¡±

    The old man reached his hand over the counter to me.

    ¡°I''m Yuuko''s great uncle.¡±

    ¡°Which countries have you been wandering around at!?¡±

    The moment Gorou-sensei stepped into the detective agency, Alice, seated on the bed, mmed the mattress hard as she hollered.¡±

    ¡°Why, all kinds of ces. You''ve be prettier there, Yuuko. My biggest pride is that I knew you would be a pretty one when you were 3 years old¡ª¡±

    ¡°That''s not important! I got a lot of things to ask you, so sit down there! Narumi, get some Dr. Pepper for him!¡±

    I see, so she treats him like a valued guest¡­for Alice, serving someone Dr. Pepper was the best form of courtesy. However, Gorou-sensei saw the red can I took out from the fridge, and shook his head.

    ¡°You don''t have to. I can''t possibly drink that¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah, I see. You Well, I guess. Shall I brew some hot tea for you?¡±

    It''s been cold recently, and though Alice had beenining, she allowed me to brew tea in the office. However, sensei shook his head.

    ¡°No, I don''t need a drink.¡±

    But before he could finish, he covered his mouth, and started coughing, his arched back cringing

    ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    ¡°Feeling unwell?¡±

    Even Alice got off the bed to Gorou-sensei''s side. Sensei lifted his head, and smiled weakly behind those round sses of his.

    ¡°It''s nothing. I''m just getting old. Speaking of which, you''ve really be prettier¡­¡±

    Sensei patted Alice''s head gently, and unexpectedly, she wasn''t resisting nor angry about it, merely displeased as she sat beneath sensei''s little hand. She really hated being treated as a kid though.

    ¡°You''re really starting to resemble your mother. I really hope to see you in 5, 10 years time, but I don''t know if I''ll be able to meet you again.¡±

    ¡°What now? Did youe all the way here to inform me about the Shionjis?¡±

    Alice waved off sensei''s hand, and said,

    ¡°This isn''t my main objective, I should at least mention that. Oh yes.¡±

    At this moment, sensei''s stare was suddenly directed at me, standing beside the fridge.

    ¡°As for this boy, I suppose he''s your lover, Yuuko?¡±

    Alice''s face immediately turned beetroot, and I hurriedly squatted in a corner of the kitchen, and covered my ears. The nking sounds echoed continuously in the room like a machine gun.

    ¡°Narumi, get out right now!¡±

    I was chased out of the office, and sat on the stairwell of the emergency staircase, mumbling away as I thought.

    Alice''s rtive? Didn''t shee here because she cut off all ties with her family? Was it really fine to invite him inside directly? Speaking of which, who is that old man? He did something strange to Ayaka, and even got Alice to let down his guard. What''s he working as? Maybe he might have the appearance of a college professor, but was actually a member of the yakuza?

    All the questions were soon answered. Frantic footsteps could be heard from the emergency staircase, and there was a tall, slender body beneath the handrail,dressed in a posh cashmere coat.

    ¡°Narumi, I heard Gorou-sensei came by?¡±

    It was Hiro.

    ¡°Sensei¡­in other words, of gigolo antics?¡±

    ¡°Ahh, yeah, you can say that.¡±

    Hiro, seated beside me, gave a bashful grin.

    ¡°But it''s not just in bluffing women! Sensei''s my teacher in life too.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°When I was in middle school, I was already living in the house of a hostess, and I didn''t go to school at all. One day, the big sister who took care of me the entire time never returned home, and I went to the shop to ask mama, only to hear that a man lured all thedies in the shop to a certain resort.¡±

    ¡°Is that man actually?¡± I pointed at the door of the detective agency behind me.

    ¡°Right. It''s Gorou-sensei. That was the one and only time my woman got stolen by someone else.¡±

    I had so many things I wanted to ask Hiro, like, what happened to that shop? Did it close down? Or, if he took all thedies to the same vi, won''t they get jealous and start fighting? But what intrigued me most was¡ª

    ¡°I heard that he''s the, erm, younger brother of Alice''s grandfather?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. But I hardly heard her mention about this.¡±

    As long as Alice herself refused to mention it, nobody would be certain on her family. There probably was a major reason as to why she left home at such a young age, but the NEETs who lived and supported each other in this city wouldn''t inquire about each other''s past. The NEETs understood this better than anyone else, and that gentle nonchnce really left me at ease. I wordlessly stared at the scenery between the buildings, and Hiro continued to talk about himself.

    ¡°As for what I just said¡­I didn''t have a ce to stay at, so I had to woo the one mama left behind at the shop, to see if she was willing to take me in.¡±

    ¡°You''re terrible.¡± Though I already knew that.

    ¡°But mama had a yakuza man, so I got into a fight with him, my ear nearly got chopped off.¡±

    Wah, your childhood''s crazier than I thought.

    ¡°That yakuza guy eemed to believe that I stole all the women in the shop, but more than half of that''s true, so I couldn''t push the me. At that moent, sensei just so happened to arrive at the shop, and I didn''t know how he managed to pull a fast one on the man, but he managed to save me.¡±

    ¡°I see, so anyway, why did sensei return?¡±

    ¡°Same return as me. There was only mama left in the shop, so he came back to woo her.¡±

    As for the ending to this shop, it was said that mama and all thedies in the shop moved to Kamakura along with master, and managed another bar there. In other words, they escaped the yakuza and left Tokyo, moving their shop to a new haven. Congrats.

    ¡°¡­That''s impossible!¡± I retorted without thinking.

    ¡°There is such a thing in the world. There are gigolo techniques in this world none of us can imagine¡­¡±

    Hiro looked afar.

    ¡°Later on, I was taken care of by sensei, and learned a lot from him.¡±

    A lot about love. Hiroughed.

    ¡°For every woman I woo sessfully, I have to to make her happy. This is the most important teaching from sensei. He said that as long as I made one unhappy, I couldn''t be called a gigolo.¡±

    ¡°Hiro, I don''t think you actually did that.¡±

    ¡°Well yes. I still can''t match up to sensei. Because it''s really unbelievable. Such a kind, understanding person who can take care of others and able to act and emphathize¡ªwould not work and have his women earn money for him.¡±

    ¡°That''s really unbelivable! I never thought there''s such a person on this world! Let alone two of them around me!¡±

    ¡°Ahaha.¡± Hiro patted me on the back. ¡°But you got too be thankful for sensei. It''s thanks to him that Alice got to know me, and why I''m here.¡±

    ¡°Eh¡­ah.¡±

    So those two things were rted?

    ¡°It seemed the Shionjis were rather prestigous, and whenever there was a birthday party, they would invite important officials and even the chairman of the Japanese Business Federation. Gorou-sensei was alwaysmitting debauchery, and never paid heed to his family, so Alice was more willing to ept him, I guess? When Alice left hom, she had no one to rely on except for Gorou-sensei.¡±

    However, Gorou-sensei wasn''t in Japan at that time, so he could only contact his number 1 disciple and leave Alice to him. Hiro here then left Alice to the most reliable of the friends¡ªin other words Min-san. They''re just passing the buck! What taking care? Those two are gigolos though, so thye probably would only be serious towards those they pursue, I guess. Alice''s too young, and sensei''s rtive.

    ¡°Speaking of whic, why did he show up again?¡±

    ¡°Right, he said he was going to visit Min-san or something.¡±

    Hiro''s face showed a drastic case, as though he swallowed an eel whole.

    ¡°¡­Really? Sensei, probably doesn''t know Min-san, right? This is bad. I have a bad feeling about this. If possible, I really don''t want them to meet¡­¡±

    Hiro''s wariness was clear to see, and it was one wary of another man. In Hiro''s position, Min-san was the woman he loved, yet sensei was the woman killer he couldn''t match up to.

    No no, he''s probably thinking too much.¡±

    ¡°You''re thinking too much.¡±

    ¡°Wah!¡±

    I stood up, and turned around. Gorou-sensei opened the office door without me knowing, and was standing behind us. Behind the round lenses of the sses were a pair of soft, narrow eyes.

    ¡°Sensei! It''s been a while!¡±

    Hiro stood up, and gave a deep bow. Gorou-sensei reached his little hand out, and grabbed Hiro''s hair.

    ¡°Hiro-bou, you look really energetic there. So, how about it? How many women did you make happy after I left?¡±

    Hiro lifted his head slightly, and looked slightly ashamed as he answered,

    ¡°None at the moment. I''m not working hard enough.¡±

    Sensei showed a gentle smile, and nodded.

    ¡°Very good. That''s good. I''m here to expel you, Hiro-bou.¡±

    ¡°¡­Eh?¡±

    I widened my eyes as I looked at sensei''s face.

    ¡°I heard from a fewdies that you found the fated woman for yourself? You''re unable to continue freeloading off them anymore. I do find it a pity to end this skill in my generation¡­but I''m expelling you.¡±

    However, Gorou-sensei immediately retracted his words. As we were walking down the emergency staircase, Min-san poked her head out from the back door of the kitchen. It was already mid autumn, and the bare shoulders looked so bright. As usual, she was in her tank top.

    ¡°I heard a customer''s looking for me? Who?¡±

    Upon seeing Min-san, sensei mmed a fist at Hiro''s chest, muttering,

    ¡°I''ll take back what I said about expelling you.¡±

    Hiro''s expression had been so gloomy till this point, but now, he''s so shocked and stunned.

    ¡°You''re able to find such a fine woman for yourself. Now you''re no longer expelled, but ''graduated''.¡±

    Soon after, Tetsu-senpai and Major showed up at ''Hanamaru'', surrounding sensei as they began drinking. As Hiro''s master, it seemed he was acquianted with the members of the NEET detective agency.

    ¡°Sensei, didn''t you say you''re going to stay in Monaco often? And woo an actress there?¡± Tetsu-senpai asked as he raised a ss full of beer.

    ¡°I couldn''t get used to living there! I got the feeling that I''ll fall into the sea whenever I sleep. I had no choice, so I had two girls sleeping by my sides, and they got angry.¡±

    I didn''t know if what he said was real¡­Min-san in the kitchen too looked on in frustration.

    However, sensei didn''t take a sip of beer, didn''t eat any ramen or dumplings, and didn''t take a sip of water. Furthermore, he went to the bathroom often, and I could hear some faint coughing. These really concerned me.

    It was until sunset, when the other customers started to enter the shop, that sensei got up and took his coat and cap.

    ¡°Now then, having met some people I haven''t met in a while, I shall take my leave.¡±

    For some reason, sensei was staring at me as he said this. The eyes behind the round lenses were zing, as though they were trying to say something to me, and also saying, You don''t have to take my hint.

    ¡°Ah, I''ll send you to the station then.¡± I said as I took my duffle coat. Of course, Hiro did the same.

    The day in November was short, and the dark blue hue of the night was already dangling down low, while the lights of the buildings and the passing car lights shone coldly upon the night. I took the front end of my coat, walking behind sensei and Hiro who were walking side by side. Looking from behind, those gigolos looked like father and son.

    ¡°Where are you staying now, sensei?¡± Hiro asked.

    ¡°I''ll be staying in Tokyo for the time being. There are a few things I have to settle.¡±

    ¡°I see. If you''re free, please drop by. I''m a disobedient disciple who got expelled though.¡±

    Hiro actually admitted that he was expelled. Sensei and I stared at him.

    ¡°Have you made up your mind?¡± Sensei asked.

    Have you decided to settle down? That was the implication.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Hiro nodded.

    Sensei slowed down, and said each word with emphasis.

    ¡°When I first met you, Hiro-bou, I saw your eyes, and I really believed that you will inherit my mantle¡­People do change with their surroundings. I''m ted, and yet a little disappointed.¡±

    ¡°In fact, he''s still living at other girls'' houses. He hasn''t changed at all.¡±

    ¡°No, I can tell. Hiro-bou has a different sprout in his garden, and won''t grow roses of Don Juan again.¡±

    We walked along the railroads, towards the bustling streets. Right when we arrived at the Homeless Park, sensei finally turned back to look at me.

    ¡°Oh yes, young man, I forgot to ask your name, I believe?¡±

    ¡°Eh? Ah, yes. Fujishima. Fujishima Narumi¡±

    ¡°Yuuko''s partner?¡±

    ¡°¡­Eh, yeah.¡± I''m the detective''s assistant. It wouldn''t be out of line to be called her partner.

    ¡°IS there something you want to ask me?¡±

    It appeared my attitude and eyes betrayed what I was thinking.

    ¡°Erm, well¡­I do, actually¡­¡±

    ¡°It''s about Yuuko, right? That girl will grow up to be prettier, andplicated.¡±

    ¡°No, I do want to know about Alice, but I don''t intend to ask for the time being. If there''s something I should know, I guess that she''ll tell me herself. Or else, anything I ask will just anger her.¡±

    ¡°Hm.¡±

    In that case, what did I want to know by tailing them?

    This old man, Gorou-sensei really interest me.

    I decided to ask,

    ¡°Erm, when you came to this shop, you spoke to Ayaka, didn''t you?¡±

    ¡°She''s a nice girl. I''m envious of you, young man.¡±

    ¡°But before talking to her, you, well, quickly removed the flower on her shoulder and put it on her hair, right? Eh, I''m not scolding you, but, I don''t know the meaning behind that.¡±

    Gorou-sensei widened his eyes, and was silent for a moment. Beside us, Hiro looked back and forth between sensei and me in surprise.

    Finally, Gorou-sensei reached his hands out, and patted me twice on the shoulders.

    ¡°A basic to the art of a gigolo is to control the human distance.¡±

    ¡°¡­Haa.¡± Why tell me that?''

    ¡°It''s a method to ''remove the paranoia''. There''s a most fragile ce by the human neck, and if you can touch that ce urately, you can remove the distance between people in a short time.¡±

    I was really overwhelmed by him, and couldn''t help but look at Hiro, what''s this sensei saying now? Hiro however narrowed his eyes at me, probably looking at something stinging.

    I''ll be back sensei told us, and vanished in the crwd at the east entrance of the train station. We watched him leave from behind, and Hiro suddenly looked up at the Winter sky, muttering,

    ¡°You really do have talent, Narumi. To be expected of sensei to figure it out on the first meeting.¡±

    Oi, what are you saying?

    And starting from the next day, Gorou-sensei would often show up at ''Hanamaru''.

    ¡°Hiro isn''t here today¡­¡±

    ¡°It''s fine, young Fujishima, I''m here to see you.¡±

    Sensei said as he went to the gathering ce outside the back door of the kitchen, and we talked our hearts out until the sun set. Min-san stared at me, and Ayaka too looked confused as she watched me, but the conversation with Gorou-sensei was really too interesting that I was mesmerized. For example¡ª

    ¡°Boy, are you good at maths?¡±

    ¡°No, not really?¡±

    ¡°But this is a basic concept in geometry. If you specify a t surface in a 3 dimensional space, how many vertices do you need at least?¡±

    ¡°3, I guess?''

    ¡°Yes. This is an understanding that a gigolo has to have at least 3 women.¡±

    That line was such a ssic I couldn''t retort at that. And also, there was this conversation as example,

    ¡°When loving many women at the same time, where they are, and where they''re facing will all be different. When you approach you, you''ll definitely be distant from another. Try getting one to turn around, and others will turn away. Boy, in that case, what do you do?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± it felt like a question on Zen. ¡°Stand in the middle and yell to get around toe close, is it?¡±

    ¡°That''s incorrent. Unfortunately, everyone has their own lives, and they can''t change that easily. The correct answer is¡­¡±

    Gorou-sensei pointed his middle finger to nudge his round sses, and then pointed to the gentle November sun behind between the buildings.

    ¡°Get as high up as possible, and be as bright as possible. Then all the stares will gather, and you''ll be able to share your light with everyone.¡±

    There was once when Hiro took listened to sensei''s words, and when sensei went to the toilet, hemented,

    ¡°He never went that in-depth when he first taught me¡­¡±

    No, erm, that should be just some speaking training, right?

    ¡°Listen, boy, a gigolo relies on women to support him, and not leave a single cent. There is a reason to that. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°I don''t want to understand. Erm, it''s just because you don''t want to work?¡±

    ¡°Wrong again. The art of Gigolo is a work that takes a lot of brainpower. You need to show care for her at all times, sense her heart, prepare beforehand, choose the right choice of words, and also seize the opportune timing to talk. Seeing Hiro-bou, you do often think ''in that case, why didn''t he just go to work?'' don''t you?¡±

    Well, it''s not just twice or thrice, at least.

    ¡°The reason why we don''t give thedies a single cent is because, if we give a tangible, or calctable item, there will be unfairness. There''s a need to love every woman equally, and by devoting everything to every single world, you can treat everydy fairly as an invaluable one. That''s why you can''t give a single cent, and only ept their money. Remember this well.¡±

    I don''t want to. This really is something only a lowlife will do. Hiro, why did you learn from this guy? This isn''t something to be respected.

    However, Gorou-sensei really was a sharp one.

    ¡°Young Fujishima, you have an older sister, but your other family members aren''t with you, right? You don''t appear to be capable of talking well, but you''re actually adept at handling them.¡±

    ¡°Eh? H-how did you know?''

    ¡°You asionally receive calls at night, and observing you, it''s not hard to figure it out.¡±

    Well, it''s true. Only when my sister calls me will I answer I''ll be backte or I don''t need dinner.

    ¡°That''s why you need to observe carefully. Also, absorb the information. The most important thing is to find joy in it. For a gigolo, that''s the most important thing.¡±

    ¡°Ah, erm, please wait, sensei. Why do you want to make me a gigolo?¡±

    ¡°I never thought I''ll find a boy with much more talent than Hiro-bou did in my old age, and I want to treasure this miracle. I''m already 62. You''re likely to be myst disciple.¡±

    ¡°I guessed so. I thought you''ll be good at wooing women, Narumi.¡± ¡°But Vice-Admiral Fujishima has no awareness at all, and is more terrifying at this then Hiro.¡± ¡°When did you guys show up!?¡±

    Tetsu-senpai and Major popped by without me knowing, and sat down beside Hiro to listen to sensei''s teachings. Sensei suddenly posed a question to the audience.

    ¡°Besides Yuuko, there are a lot of fine women around this boy, right?

    ¡°You three are already counting with your fingers?¡±

    ¡°I don''t know whether this or that counts?¡±

    ¡°I know 8 of them.¡±

    ¡°On my calctions, about 25 of them.¡± How did you count them?''

    ¡°Edison once said this.¡± Gorou-sensei said, ¡°A gigolo is 99% of hard work and 1% of luck with women.¡±

    Who said such nonsense before? Wasn''t Edison an inventor?

    Suddenly, a woman''s voice could be heard from outside the shop, interrupting Gorou-sensei''s lesson.¡±

    ¡°Sorry to bother, did my fathere to visit¡­?¡±

    Gorou-sensei suddenly went silent, grabbed his coat, put on his cap, and stood up. Between the buildings were Min-san and someone else.

    ¡°Old man, she said she''s here to take you back.¡± Min-san said.

    ¡°Sorry that my dad caused such trouble.¡±

    Thedy in front of us bowed deeply. She was dressed in a ck peacoat, a beige wool skirt, and had long fur boots on, dressed up like a college girl. She looked really cute. Gorou-sensei''s daughter?

    ¡°Sensei¡­you have a kid?¡±

    Hiro''s tone showed no signs of hiding his shock.

    ¡°Um, yeah. I''ll introduce. She''s Akiko.¡±

    Sensei introduced in a rather gaudy manner.

    ¡°I''m Shionji Akiko. Sorry to have you¡­take care of my father all this time¡­¡±

    Akiko-san continued to apologize to us profusely, we''ll take our leave them, and saying that, held sensei by the arm and left.

    ¡°I never expected sensei to have a kid.¡±

    Hiro muttered as he frowned, tilting his head the entire time.

    ¡°He has so many girlfriends, so, I don''t think it''s strange to have a kid on ident, right?''

    ¡°But sensei had always taught me this beforehand. The number one rule of being a gigolo is to avoid pregnancy at all times. Once she gives birth, I''ll have to prioritize that woman for the rest of my life.¡±

    I see. While this reasoning would definitely have everyone viewing him as a public enemy ofdies, but I could understand what they were trying to convey, and I inadvertently nodded. At this moment, Min-san suddenly nced aside and red at me.

    ¡°Hey! You''re not nning to actually listen to that old man''s words, are you?¡±

    ¡°No no, how can you say that?''

    ¡°¡±You can try! But if you make Alice cry, I''m going to beat you to near death.¡±

    ¡°No, wait, Min-san. The path of being a gigolo exists to prevent women from crying.¡±

    ¡°Shut up, Hiro! Have you reflected on your actions? I''m still ffurious!¡±

    Min-san grabbed Hiro by the back of the cor, and dragged him into the kitchen. During themotion over that arranged marriage, Hiro went straight to the point and proposed to Min-san, but that was the result due to him fooling around with other women too (despite the n being thought up by me), so it seemed Min-san was still angry about it. I really made up my mind never to be someone like Hiro.

    And besides, I didn''t know what she meant by making Alice cry. Even if I really stray away from the path of a detective''s assistant and be a gigolo, she''ll probably be either shocked or angry, right?

    ¡°Both! I''ll be shocked AND angry! Do you get it!?¡±

    When I entered the office and served dinner, I mentioned to Alice what just happened. In the end, Alice was so furious, her hair was shivering.

    ¡°Shionji Gorou''s a lowlife amongst all lowlives, the enemy of half of humanity! That kind of skill should have been buried in darkness forever, and you want to inherit it!?¡±

    ¡°Rx, the talk about me being the disciple''s just a joke, you know? Hiro''s the real disciple, and you didn''t say anything about him. I just listened to what he said anyway. Why are you being so clingy?¡±

    ¡°B-because you''re my.¡±

    Midway through, Alice was already grabbing the side of the bed, utterly furious.

    ¡°Assistant, right? I know that! If the assistant''s just going around wooingdies and not doing his job, you''ll be really bothered, right? That''ll affect the reputation of the office, and the female clients won''te by¡­¡±

    ''You don''t understand! That''s not what I''m worried about!¡±

    ¡°Eh? Then what?''

    ¡°Whatever.¡±

    Alice suddenly turned her face towards the screen, her petite bodypletely covered under the rich hair.

    ¡°¡­You don''t like Gorou-sensei?''

    I ced the ramen on the table, and cautious asked her this.

    ¡°That''s not it.¡±

    With her back still turned on me, Alice answered in a somewhat displeased manner.

    ¡°In some sense, I really do respect him, and also grateful to him. Amongst all the Shionjis, great uncle Gorou''s the only one I feel fine to meet.¡±

    I slowly retreated to the entrance of the room, and silently stood there, waiting for Alice to say anything. I felt that she might tell me some things about the Shionjis.

    And Alice seemed to have read my thoughts, for she turned her head slightly towards me, saying,

    ¡°But right now, I have nothing to say to you¡­¡±

    Those words, coupled with an unexpected gentleness in her tone, delighted me suddenly. I waited for her to finish the food in the bowl, and took the tray out of the office.

    I saw the white presence of the moon shining upon the city, merged into the night.

    When Alice said I don''t have anything to say now, it meant there might be a chance she would tell me. Keeping this possibility alone allowed me to feel my raison d''etre.

    After that, Gorou-sensei''s lessons continued during various days. Whenever the sun set, that Akiko-san would definitelye by to bring sensei home, and when the weather''s cold, I could see sensei learning on Akiko-san, getting onto the taxi with much effort. The back of this ailing old man realy was diforting.

    Sometimes, sensei never came by to ''Hanamaru'', but once the sky got dark, Akiko-san would stille by to look for him. Thus, I seized the opportunity to ask.

    ¡°Is sensei feeling unwell?¡±

    ¡°He''s been coughing often, hasn''t he?¡± beside me, Tetsu-senpai asked.

    ¡°He wouldn''t eat anything, wouldn''t drink anything. It''s worrying.¡± Major too was frowning. With a grim look, Akiko-san nodded.

    ¡°E-ehh¡­it''s true that his organs, aren''t good¡­but he''s been wandering around every day, and wouldn''t contact me. Erm, it''s a little too muching from me, but I''ll like to ask something of you, Fujishima-san.¡±

    Akiko-san took out a small white bag from her handbag. A packet of medication.

    ¡°Dad should be taking this every day, but he hates eating it, and often lef thome while leaving the medication behind. If hees by, can you please have him take his medicine?¡±

    ¡°Me? Well, he doese by every day¡­but isn''t it more appropriate to leave it to Min-san?''

    ¡°No, I guess a woman probably won''t be able to get my dad to listen up¡­¡±

    Hmm, that''s right.

    ¡°My dad seems to be fond of you. If you have him take his medication, I guess he''ll listen.¡±

    Since she said, it was hard for me to refuse.

    The packet had drug tablets packaged together, with the word ''Âè¸»Â¡'' written on the prescription sheet. It''s probably some Chinese medicine, I guess? Each pill had a date every week written by the side, probably to remind him not to forget?

    However, the medicine left with me was of no use. Entering thest week of November, sensei never showed up at ''Hanamaru'' again.

    ¡°Wonder how that old man''s doing? Hiro, do you have his phone number?¡±

    Even Min-san''s starting to worry. Really, that man had some inexplicable charisma to him.

    ¡°Sensei said that as a gigolo, he wouldn''t just give his contact to others, so he wouldn''t tell me at all.¡±

    Hiro said as he shrugged.

    I sat down at the emergency staircase, looked up at the gloomy sky between the buildings, filled with the presence of winter, and looked down at my hand again. The medicine package was of no use at all. Sensei suddenly vanished without contacting us.

    I nced aside at Hiro, and found that he too was thinking of the same thing as me. If only we had Akiko-san''s contact before this¡­

    No, he probably was just busy going out with other girls, right? He''s been coughing often, but he didn''t look too bad, and he was in his early sixties yet about to be so sharp in his words. Those were what I kept telling myself, but while my mind thought this, my heart had an ominous premonition. He suddenly came by to visit a former disciple, was hastily seeking a sessor, and was so worried that his skills would die out¡­

    Having painfully experienced this many times, my premonition was most precise at its worst.

    It waste November when Akiko-san personally came to ''Hanamaru'' to deliver sensei''s obituary. The sky looked aas though it was about to snow, and it mad Akiko-san, dressed in ck, all the more gloomy. She was dressed in a thick coat, ck tights and long boots. It was an ordinary outfit, yet so resembling mourning clothes.

    Sensei''s will was that he didn''t want the women he loved so much cry in front of him, so only Akiko-san attended his funeral. That was 3 days ago.

    ¡°Thank you for taking care of my dad while he was still alive.¡±

    Hiro and I, and even Min-san bowed down to Akiko-san.

    ¡°Dad has been happy ever since he came by often¡­¡±

    Hiro and I were seated side by side at the counter, and we''re speechless. Min-san, standing in the kitchen behind us, remained silent for a long time.

    Min-san silently took out the most expensive wine in the shop, and Hiro and Akiko-san were seated side by side at the counter as they toasted with grim looks. I too went along with them, but with oolong tea instead.

    For some reason, i didn''t feel sad at all. Sensei probably knew that he would die, and Akiko-san, who should be the saddest amongst us, merely looked lost, as though her tears dried out.

    ¡ªListen, young Fujishima¡­

    Sensei''s hyperboles appeared in my mind one by one.

    ¡ªYou need to have at least three women around you.

    ¡ªNever ever approach a woman on your own volition. Smile at them from high up.

    ¡ªNever give a single cent. Only take from now.

    While he continued to teach me as though it was nothing, did he hear the countdown ticking in his body the entire time?

    Suddenly, Hiro looked up at the sky in an exaggerated manner.

    ¡°¡­That guy''s probably wooing Marilyn Monroe or Jean Harlow right now, right?''

    I suppose this would be the most apt line to describe Gorou-sensei''s death. As expected, Hiro''s his prized disciple, and I''m lesser than a page at this point, though I had no intention of being his disciple, I think.

    However, Akiko-san slowly finished the wine in her cup, and suddenly turned towards me.

    ¡°There is something I''ll request of you, Fujishima-san. This is my dad''s will.¡±

    ¡°¡­Y-yes?''

    ¡°He once said that he hope for you to deliver his belongings.¡±

    Stunned, I was at a loss of words, and could only look at Hiro and back at Akiko-san. I deliver? Why me and not say, Hiro? Did he really pick me as the sessor? Did he not say those words for fun?

    ¡°This is it. He said that you''ll understand his intentions if I hand this to you¡­¡±

    Akiko-san took out arge case with purple nnel from the paper bag at her feet, and ced it on myp. I opened it, and the glitter of tinum was so bright, I couldn''t open my eyes. The morous, delicately crafted necktie pins lined up. They were of eaxt sizes, and had Turkish stones. I counted, and there were 14 of them.

    ¡°¡­Why, so many off the same?¡±

    ¡°Dad only said that you''ll understand his intentions, Fujishima-san, and deliver these ordingly¡­¡±

    ¡°E-erm, to whom though? Hiro has one, of course, right? And then there''s Tetsu-senpai and Major, right? But there are too many of them. I don''t know who''s with sensei¡­¡±

    ¡°I''m not too sure either. Dad has a lot of friends everywhere.¡±

    Leaving this job to me''s really troublesome. She said it''s sensei''s will, and I couldn''t just refuse.

    I continued to stare at the jewel case in front of me, even after Akiko-san left. Hiro took a necktie pin, flipped it around, and observed quietly.

    ¡°Look, the jewellery''s detachable, and can be used as a brooth or a pendant. This probably is to be sent to many of them¡­for women to use, I guess?¡±

    ¡°Anyway, take one, Hiro. This is troublesome. Who do we deliver this to?¡±

    Min-san interrupted from the side.

    ¡°Won''t you know if you ask Alice? They''re rtives.¡±

    I see. I nodded. But would Alice tell me that? I couldn''t ask.

    ¡°Maybe it''s not for me either. I never heard sensei mention this.¡±

    Hiro put the necktie pin back into the case.

    ¡°Maybe someone wille for it?¡±

    And so, Hiro''s prediction came true in the worst way possible. The next day, ''Hanamaru'' was bombarded with phone calls all day along.

    ¡°Yes¡­ehh, this is ''Hanamaru''¡­eh? Gorou? Gorou, as in that old man? Ah I know him, oi, it''s me. Hello1 Listen to me! I have nothing to do with him! Fujishima? Ah, you''re calling for Narumi? I''ll call for him, so quiet! Narumi! Hey! Narumi!¡±

    Hearing Min-san''s yell, I hurried through the back door of the kitchen and into the corridor. Min-san shoved the receiver into my hands, and from the receiver, I could hear a woman''s sobbing.

    ¡±G-Gorou-chan¡­I heard about him¡­yes, I know¡­I don''t have the right to send him off¡­and¡­his, erm, daughter¡­uuu¡­he has a daughter¡­so I wish to have some of his inheritance¡­eh, yes, yes, at least¡­ahh, uuu.¡±

    ¡°E-erm¡­¡±

    I could barely hear what was going on, but thedy who called was unable to speak properly, and was wailing again, so I could only ask her to calm down and call againter before hanging up. What''s going on?

    However, this didn''t end. Every 15 minutes, there was a call to Min-san''s house, and I was again loudly called out to pick up the phone and forced tofort the weepingdies.

    ¡°Gorou-sensei, it-it''s impossible! Since he''s back in Tokyo, u-uu, he could have called fore he died!¡±

    ¡°Papa Gorou died, what? Hey, is this a lie? When he went to Gram with me thest time before he died, he was looking really energetic! You''re lying! Tell me that''s a lieeeee!!¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, I understand now¡­Gorou-san''s a woodpecker, and I''m just a rotting wood. But, yes, at the very least, I wish to say something¡­leave a message for me¡­yes? Yes, I heard about the inheritance¡­¡±

    After a few phone calls, Min-san''s angry breath seemed to have taken form as the steam in the kitchen, and I could sit down obediently in front of the phone. Most of the women were so agitated, they were unintelligible in their words, and I could only get them to calm down before calling again, before hanging up the phone. As for those I could get through him, I had them record down a possible contact, make arrangements, and call backter on. I kept receiving calls until midnight, and was not only fatigue, but my phone log had phone numbers of all the deceased''s lovers.

    What am I doing¡­

    I returned home, and tried sorting out all the names and calls. There were 13 of them. Seriously, that old man''s able to get a double digit number of girlfriends even when he''s at that age? I took out the purple box ced by my side, and resisted the urge to throw it out of the window before opening it.

    There were definitely 13 necktie pins¡ªno, 14 of them. There''s still one more. Will someone else call?

    I recalled the women who called one by one, and found a peculiar issue.

    Everyone said that they received contact from Gorou-sensei, and called ''Hanamaru''. Wasn''t that strange? Akiko-san said that she didn''t know who to deliver the inheritance to, right? Did she receive so many of the lovers'' calls that she left it to ''Hanamaru''¡­or was Akiko-san lying? For what? She had no reason to lie? Something''s fishy, and I was curious.

    I took out the necktie pins andid them out of the table, inspecting them one by one. They were all the same. Right when I was about to plut them back into the box, I noticed something.

    The inside of the box was dented.

    I gently took the cardboard covered in nnel, and found a stack of paper underneath. It was a purchase order. The tinum necktie and the Turkish stones were bought at the same store, but by different people. ''Ah'', I eximed, and picked up Gorou-sensei''s lover list topare. 13 lists altogether, with 13 names, exactly the same.

    What inheritance is this¡­they''re basically the presents from his lovers! Does he want to return these presents he received when he was alive? Will they be happy? And why did they all have the same thing?

    At this moment, a few words sensei said echoed in my mind¡ª

    I suddenly understood.

    To be honest, I really didn''t want to understand, and neither did I ever want it to be discovered. Despite this, I could understand why Gorou-sensei left the necktie pins to me, and what he intended for me to do.

    I looked up at the ceiling, and again stared at the dazzling Turkish stones, before looking back at the gloomy scenery outside the winddow, and sighed. I took out my cellphone, hoping to settle this within a day, and had to carefully arrange the schedule. This was the first time in my life that I was so serious in making phone calls, and I hoped it would be thest. For a 17-year-old high school boy, 13 lovers were a huge burdern.

    Winter appeared to be around the corner on this bright, cloudless sunny Sunday . 9am in the morning, I was cycling towards the detective agency.

    ¡°Why do I have to do this with you?¡±

    Alice was very unhappy, but she put on her mourning clothes. I didn''t say this as it really wasn''t much of a praise, but Alice was really suited for wearing mourning clothes.

    ¡°You''re Gorou-sensei''s rtive, Alice. Of course you have a reason to meet them.¡±

    I answered. Actually, I knew very well it was just an excuse, and Alice certainly must have seen through my thoughts.

    ¡°You feel that it''ll be awkward for you to talk with the women you don''t know alone, right? Are you banking on me to recap great uncle Gorou''s life to fill in the moments when you can''t talk?''

    No, everything''s as you said.

    ¡°The important thing is that I hope you''ll stay by my side.¡±

    ¡°M, mmmmm.¡±

    Alice pulled her veil down to hide her blushing cheeks, and hid behind the plushies. It seemed she misunderstood in some strange way again.

    ¡°In other words, I''ll be speaking for the dead for the first time, so I want you, the professional Alice, to watch. This is my request as your subordinate.¡±

    I too wore a ck suit and tie I borrowed, the official outfit of the NEET detectives.

    ¡°What speaker of the dead? You didn''t figure out the most important part.¡±

    ¡°¡­Eh?¡±

    ¡°Whatever. Looks like the first one''s already here. Pick up the tie pin now.¡±

    It''s true that there was a woman in mourninglothes shown on a corner of the surveince camera,ing through the front door of the building we hardly went by. I hurriedly adjusted my ck necktie, and put on the Turkish stone necktie pin.

    The doorbell rang.

    I opened the office door, and on the corridor was a woman about 40 years old, giving off a radiant presesnce. Hiro led thedy up, and was standing beside her, telling her, please go in.

    ¡°I''m Fujishima, who spoke with you on the phone. Thank you for taking your time toe bay today¡­¡±

    I lowered my head towards her as apology, and weed her in.

    Soon after, I regretted choosing the NEET detective agency as the venue to deliver the inheritance. It was already Winter, and the air conditioning was switched on, so I had to apologize to her. We entered, and she stopped in shock due to the monitors in the room, so I had to calm her down. When I introduced Gorou-sensei''s great niece Alice, she went ¡°Well, so cute¡­resembles Gorou-sensei there¡­¡± and tried to hug Alice, so I had to split them up. Realizing that I might have to repeat the process another dozen times, I had a fainting sensation.

    It was only when the visitingdy sat on the cushion opposite me did she realize,

    ¡°That necktie pin.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± I put my hand on my chest. ¡°This is the present you gave Gorou-sensei, right? He told me this. The birthday stone he received on the birthday in ecember¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes¡­that''s right.¡±

    Thedy nodded with tears in her eyes. I felt Alice''s icy re on my back, and my organs were in a knot due to the guilt. At this point, there was no turning back. I took out the purple nnel, andid it out in front of thedy.

    It was the same tinum ornament and Turkish stone as the one on my chest¡ªexcept the pin was removed and the brooch remained.

    Wasn''t it too much? The moment before I spoke up, this thought nearly tore my heart apart. However, I did my best to say those words.

    ¡°Sensei bought the same ornanment in the same shop, and wanted to give it to you. There''s a purchase invoice, so I''m guessing it was for you. Gorou-sensei was often taken care of by thedies, but never repaid them. However, for you, and you alone, well.¡±

    Thedy in front of me reached her trembling hands out for the brooch, and bent over to weep.

    I looked up at the sky, and for the first time since I was born, I wanted to repent to God.

    This Fujishima Narumi was often used of being a con artist ever since he got involved with the NEETs. However, I can''t deny anything this time. I''m sorry.

    Right when I was wondering what I should do so as not to make this woman cry, something terrifying happened. The conversation skills Gorou-sensei taught me awoke in my mind.

    ¡°Gorou-sensei always said that he has nothing, and doesn''t know anything other than to love, so all he can only do was to smile back when he receives. Please do the same for him.¡±

    Even I was terrified that those words came out from my mouth. I finally escorted the woman, who stopped weeping, to the door, and handed her over to Hiro. Hiro''s job was very important. He''s in charge of getting the visitingdies to leave quickly through the emergency staircase. Of course, all this was to prevent her from meeting the nextdying through the front door.

    ¡°I never thought you would say such chilling lies with a straight face. And you said the same lines 30 times.¡±

    After delivering the 13 gifts, Iid sprawled on the floor, worn out. Alice stood in front of me, speaking to me with a reluctant tone.

    ¡°If you intend to spend the rest of your life to repent to God, I''ll be d to rmend you a monastery.¡±

    ¡°Sorry. I thought of bing a monk myself. Stop scolding me¡­¡±

    Suddenly, the door could be heard being opened, and some slow footsteps approached. Finally, Hiro''s voice rained down on me.

    ¡°You''re amazing, Narumi! To be expected of how Gorou-sensei viewed you favorably. Even I couldn''t think of such shameless words.¡±

    ¡°I had no choice!¡±

    I sat up, and mmed the floor. The guilt and self-reproaching echoed in my heart, finally bing anger.

    ¡°What else do you want me to do? If I said the truth, that''ll just hurt them more!¡±

    ¡°You see! The thinking to ''lie to women rather than make them cry'' is something Gorou-sensei taught. He definitely knew you''ll be able to do it, and that''s why he left the mission to you, right?¡±

    Again, I copsed on the floor.

    ¡°Don''t give women a single cent, and not make them cry. Humph. That''s what great uncle would think. Looks like I have to reconsider my assistant. I never thought you''ll be this indecent.¡± Alice continued to berate me.

    I kept telling Gorou-sensei''s lovers that ''this is bought just for you'', ''he intended to give this to you alone'', but the sweet talk was all a lie. Gorou-sensei insisted on his own beliefs, never to spend anything on a single woman. The brooches given to all his lovers were all given to him by his other lovers. The reason why he wanted everyone to buy the same one was probably to avoid a tragedy of being spotted wearing a gift from the other women, right? Of course, none of the 13 women realized that there were exactly the same gifts given to him by others, and that''s why my bluffing worked.

    Gorou-sensei provided a wonderful memory to all the lovers without spending a single cent, and left the stage. For that purpose, he used thisst disciple that''s me for this brilliance.

    ¡°Oh yeah, there''s 14 of them. Thest one should be for Narumi, right? Shall I praise you for being a one of a kind gigolo?¡±

    I guess? Actually, that''s what I thought.

    At this moment, Alice suddenly rushed off the bed, grabbed my shoulder, rolled me over on the floor, and grabbed my necktie pin.

    ¡°¡ªWh-what? You want this, Alice?¡±

    ¡°Enough with the nonsense!. Return it to its proper owner.¡±

    ¡°Proper owner? Who?¡±

    ¡°Who else? Great uncle Gorou''s wife!¡±

    ¡°Sensei''s wife? He has one? Ahh, Akiko-san''s mother, right? Oh yeah, I forgot.¡±

    ¡°Seriously, have you not realized? You''re so stupid it''s amazing. Even when the day of the Final Judgment arrives, I bet you''ll be stupidly checking the mailbox, wondering why the newspaper hasn''t arrived.

    ¡°Eh?¡± I don''t understand. Erm, what didn''t I realize?

    ¡°That woman called Akiko is great uncle Gorou''s wife.¡±

    ¡°Ehhhhh!?¡±

    All my fatigue was instantly blown afar. I immediately nudged my body over to Alice.

    ¡°Wh-what do you mean?¡±

    ¡°That''s what I mean. Great uncle Gorou''s still alive!¡±

    I was shocked, so stunned, my mouth was wide open.

    ¡°What kind of prank is this to y dead and get someone else to deliver the inheritance? He''s just trying to wash his hands off and draw a line from all his lovers while he continues with his monkey show?¡±

    ¡°¡­How did you figure it out, Alice?¡± Hiro seemed to have some sense left, so he asked in my stead,

    ¡°Narumi, you received some medicine from Shionji Akiko, and she told you that it''s the medicine he has to take, right?¡±

    ¡°Eh? Ah, ahh, yeah.¡±

    Gorou-sensei wouldn''t take medication often as he hated taking it, so Akiko-san requested me to remind him to take it when he came to ''Hanamaru''. I didn''t have the chance, and didn''t get to meet sensei again.

    ¡°Think back to what was written on the packaging of the medicine.¡±

    ¡°Eh? Erm, well, looks like it''s some Chinese medcine. There are three Chinese words I couldn''t read¡­erm.¡±

    I fumbled through the pocket of my duffle coat, and took out the medicine. ''Âè¸»Â¡''. Alice spotted the three words through the ck veil, and snorted.

    ¡°That''s read as ''Marvelon''. A contraceptive drug.¡±

    My jaw dropped once again.

    What? A contraceptive drug? Why would Gorou-sensei take it?

    ¡°I stated it so clearly, and you still don''t understand? That woman and great uncle Gorou teamed up to lie to you. They said he''s sick, need to take medicine every day. That conceptive drug is something Shionji Akiko takes every day, right? The week''s dates were printed on it, and the instructions were written in Chinese you don''t understand. That''s what they used to fool you two.¡±

    ¡°¡­Everything, was a lie? Eh¡­then¡­his incessant coughing was faked?¡±

    ¡°Of course it was faked! He pretended that he wasn''t feeling well, had the fake medicine at your ce; all that was for the sake of making you guys think he''s dead.¡±

    It was because we believed¡ªthat the 13 lovers who came to visit sensed the heavy atmosphere, and believed¡ª

    They believed that the unrivalled lover hunter, Shionji Gorou died.

    I weakly lowered my head and stared at the medicine package in my hands. Contraceptives. Hiro''s words again appeared in my mind. First rule of being a gigolo, avoid pregnancy.

    Gorou-sensei couldn''t possibly have any children.

    In that case, the woman with the same family name was¡ª

    ¡°You should have realized when you saw the 14 necktie pins, right!?¡±

    Alice gave an impatient look as she stabbed her index finger at my chest.

    ¡°Great uncle Gorou can''t possibly spend a single cent on a woman, so in other words, there were 14 women who sent him the necktie pin. Of course, the 14th is that Shionji Akiko!

    And she continued stabbing her index finger at my chest.

    ¡°So return thest one to that woman right now! He lied to my assistnat, and decided for himself that my assistant will be the sessor to being such a wretched gigolo. Totally unforgivable!¡±

    Alice threw the necktie pin to Hiro.

    ¡°I already tracked down where those two are through the GPS. They''re currently at a hotel in Ueno, and booked a flight for Australia tomorrow. I''ll send the address to your phone. So return it to them now!¡±

    ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°Who else? I won''t let Narumi meet him again. I don''t want that kind of man to be near Narumi again!¡±

    Until Hiro left the office, I was basked in the emptiness of the strong cold breeze of the air conditioning. I simply felt that there were hundreds of mice jumping around in my mind, toppling everything I had stacked up all over the floor.

    But despite this, I barely managed to understand the entire situation.

    In other words, Gorou-sensei chose the ''only one'' that was Akiko-san. In a certain sense, he, as a gigolo, died.

    However, his heart that treasured women never died. He wasn''t willing to go against his belief of ''not making women cry'', and didn''t wish for the art of wooingdies to die off.

    Perhaps he originally intended for Hiro to deliver his inheritance? Besides, Hiro was once his disciple whom he suffered with, and if he was honest and came up witht he n to fool the lovers, Hiro would most likely cooperate. Otherwise, hoping that Hiro would realize his intentions by delivering the pins was way too risky.

    However, Gorou-sensei met me, Fujishima Narumi, at ''Hanamaru''.

    So this act of delivering the inheritance was a test he gave me?

    ¡°Alice¡­since Gorou-sensei''s still alive, why didn''t you tell me that right from the beginning?¡±

    I asked with a feeble voice. The figure in mourning clothes was already back on the bed, facing the screen again.

    ¡°If I told you from the beginning, the lovers might figure it out! I want them to believe and go back, or else they''ll idle around in the office and make a ruckus. That''ll cause trouble for me too.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yeah, I see.¡±

    ¡°But I never thought that you could say out such tant lies. Looks like great uncle taught you well! You honed your conman skills so well, so identical to him, it''s disgusting.¡±

    ¡°Sorry¡­¡±

    I exhalted the heavy breath that gathered in my chest onto the floor, and remove my tie.

    ¡°I didn''t intend to actually learn, and I thought it was fine to just listen¡­but the way Gorou-sensei talks really made me want to remember his words. It''s like there''s some magic.¡±

    ¡°Forgot about it all right now. I don''t want to hire an assistant that''s some rotting leftovers.¡±

    Such harsh words. But, well. Even without Alice telling me that, I''ll slowly forget, right? It''s some useless knowledge I''ll never ever use in my life. The one I found most useful was the ''25 dearest lines that''ll definitely make someone happy'', but these were only effective to women, and I probably won''t need it¡­

    ¡°Mm, hmm? You forgot those too?¡± Alice suddenly turned back.

    ¡°What? I can''t?''

    ¡°N-no, just out of curiosity. Those words that''ll definitely delight people, what are they, for example?¡±

    ¡°Well, ''I''m not sure if I''ll definitely make you happy, but as long as we''re together, I believe that I''m definitely happy''.¡±

    Alice began to blush, even on her ears, and she copsed onto the bed. The hill of plushies fell on her, and they scattered onto the floor. Wait¡­this is just a ripoff linefrom the manga ''Tsuribaka Nisshi'', right? Gorou-sensei likes to quote others.

    ¡°U-uu, and then?¡± Alice again lifted her head. I couldn''t see clearly through the veil, but it seemed her face was still a little red. Why continue asking?

    ¡°I guess, and¡­ ''I''m always thinking of what to say when I meet you. But when I see you, I''m so happy that I forget everything¡­''.¡±

    And this time, Alice herself fell down between the bed and the racks.

    ¡°Narumi! Y-you shameless idiot!¡±

    ¡°Aren''t you the one who told me to say that? And I don''t normally say those words!¡±

    Just saying these words alone is embarrasssing!

    Alice continued rolling around like yudedako, but she insisted on me to finish the 25 lines for some strange reason. What kind of punishment game is this? Please spare me already.

    At the end of the year, I received a postcard from Gorou-sensei.

    Of course, he didn''t know my address, so he had it sent directly to ''Hanamaru''. Because of this, Min-san, Tetsu-senpai, Major, and even Hiro saw the postcard with the scenery and the words ''passed. You have seeded me''.

    ¡°You guys might as well open a gigolo tuition center. Gather a whole bunch of scumbags, and it''ll be easier for the police to prosecute.¡±

    Min-san didn''t really sound like she was joking.

    ¡°Alright! To celebrate Narumi seeding the line, let''s roll some dice.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai cheerfully took out a bowl and som dice.

    ¡°Since we''re celeberating Narumi bing a gigolo, let''s set a rule that rolling 4-5-6 will mean a big treat!¡±

    Major too joined in excitedly.

    ¡°So rolling 2-5-6 will mean 10 times the earnings!¡±

    Wait, why''s Hiro joining in too?

    ¡°Dealer this time will be Narumi, of course! Get rolling! We''ll start with the usual max.¡±

    But on the first roll, as if it was to be expected, I rolled a 4-5-6. The trio squealed, took out 10,000 yen notes and threw them at me. All I felt was fate being sarcastic to me.

    As for Alice, of course, I never showed her the postcard. If she was to see the content, I wouldn''t know how much she would nag at me. Even so, I had no intention of destroying the postcard, so it remained nailed in a corner of my room''s wall with thumbtacks.

    On every chilly night, I would asionally think of Gorou-sensei.

    I would lift my legs onto the table, lean back on the chair backrest, and look up to see the photo on the postcard. It''s a distant scenery of the seaside at night, with a few rows of footsteps carved on the beach blown neatly by the winds. At the far end of the photo was a vague white figure, and when I looked closey at it, I would find that it''s a white wedding veil flying due to the sea breeze.

    There were a few things at the bride''sfeet.

    A white morning coat that was taken off, a bouque that was scattered all over, boots that were overturned, and round sses buried in the scene.

    Whenever I saw this scene, I inadvertently smile.

    This too should be an act too, right? He gave me a final lesson, for me to understand that a gigolo should be like this, and for that purpose, had Akiko-san involve to take a photo of such ame joke, right? I had this thought, but I couldn''t stop thinking that he really ran away from the wedding. That man might really do that after all.

    Whenever I looked away from the photo and out of the winow, I would suddenly have an image of Gorou-sensei in his underwear, running away on the beach. He jumped onto an old open car, race down the seaside road, down past the clothes shop, gas station, McDonalds, and never once passing up the opportunity to woo thedies, and in the end, drive off into the sunrise with a car full ofdies. He steps on the gas, res the car''s stero, and ys the Beach Boys soongs, dodging the headlights, moving forward, never stopping¡­

    There was one strange detail however. In my imagination, the Gorou-sensei with his elbow on the driver seat door, holding the steering wheel wasn''t an old man. His face resembled a high school boy who just had his 17th birthday, smiling as he goes towards the wind.

 Volume 6, Afterword

    <h4>Volume 6, Afterword</h4>

    I had mentioned this in many interviews, but actually, I''m not good at writing short stories. I couldn''t remember how many of them I wrote, it felt that the time it took for me to finish a short story was the same as finishing a long one, and it was really inefficient.

    So this year, in Spring, when the editor-in-charge said, ¡°the manga''s about to be serialized, so let''s use this time to submit to Dengeki Bunko, shall me?¡± and I immediately answered,

    ¡°But I don''t want to write any short stories, you know?¡±

    ¡°So then, what do you want to write?¡±

    I answered that I didn''t want to write, but it was interpreted as, anything other than short stories will do. This really was an impressive way to look at things. Left with no choice, I pondered for a little while, and answered,

    ¡°Erm, then, let''s write a long story of decent length. How about serializing it as four chapters? The time taken will be about the same as usual, I can finish all the manuscript before serialization begins, and read through it first¡­¡±

    Thinking back about it, it was really embarrassing for me to say without such basis. I was always one without any ns, and never actually followed through with my ns. As everyone could expect, I wasst on the submission deadline for two whole months, and onlypleted this story in 4 parts.

    The content of this volume, the ''Hanamaru Wedding'' serialized in the Dengeki Bunko Magazine from the 14th issue to the 17th issue, caused every party involved much trouble, and at the same time, a brand new short story is included. It''s the first time I serialized a novel in a magazine, and I learned a few lessons, so for the time being, I won''t do that again. Right now, I''m reflecting hard on it.

    Also, the actual story, whenpiled into a book, was divided into 5 chapters, but the 5th chapter was actually a third of the final chapter that was split apart. I tried finishing the work in the 4th serialization, and the final chapter ended up being double in length of the first three chaptersbined. Thus, whenpling, I did a little tweak to it.

    When I submitted the manuscript for thest volume, I said to the editor-in-charge, half jokingly,

    ¡°How about we have the serialization end at this particr scene (the ending of what was the 4th chapter), and then have brand new content dering the case closed in the book itself, ok?¡±

    Actually, that was a little suggestion due to my greed of wanting the easy way out, but I never thought the editor-in-charge would go, ¡°hmm, we can think about it¡± and really started looking into the possibility. My suggestion might have appeared to leave a distinct segment in the story, but it was really an iinsult to the readers who bought the magazine. So I hurriedly retracted this suggestion.

    The Gigolo-sensei who appeared in the short story was a character I vaguely thought up of when writing the final chapter. If there was a moment for this character to debut, I suppose this would be the most appropriate, and so, it seemed decent.

    The short story included was about Hiro and his master, and I guess many readers felt that the 6th volume was centered around Hiro in the first ce, right? To be honest, before I started writing, I had a concept of having Hiro and Min-san be the protagonists and develop them greatly, but after writing, I found that it wasn''t the case.

    I recall back to when I wrote the first volume of the ''Kamisama no Memochou'' series. Surprisingly, it was 4years ago. Back then, I wasn''t used to writing, and needed the editor-in-charge to review the plot progression, and after a few corrections, it was finallypleted. Till now, I still remember the long, arduous editing process. For example, at the earliest part, when I wrote about Ayaka bringing Narumi to ''Hanamaru'', there was no such character as Min-san. The original version of the ramen shop boss was a grizzled old bear uncle without a name or a part, and when the editor-in-charge saw that, hemitted, cking in beauty'', and suggested that I follow the proposal during the nning phase, and change one of the 3 NEET detective agency members to a girl. However, I refuted, saying, ¡°This is something I definitely won''t change.¡± I also insisted that Tetsu, Major and Hiro had to be male. However, it''s true that we''recking in some beauties in the story, so by process of elimination, I had the bear uncle change into a boisterous big-breasted onee-san with a sarashi around her chest. This was how Min-san was born.

    As for that bear uncle, what next?

    Well, he didn''t get erased in the wastnd of destroyed ideas. In my mind, this bear uncle just went on a trip. The Chinese work in his hand became a rifle, and the apron at his waist became a bullet chain as he starts wandering around in warzones like Afghanistan, Yugovia, Congo and China or such.

    And so, ''Ramen Hanamaru'' became a ce named because of him, and left for his sake. In that case, I had to write a story of him returning to the ramen shop, a story written for him. Maybe this idea had sprouted unconsciously in my mind.

    I wrote this at the beginning of the story, and I shall repeat it again. This volume 6 is a story dedicated to Hanada Masaru.

    His life journey was filled with ash, chicken bones, blood and sweat, and where shall it lead to? I hope that everyone would look on until the very end.

    Soon after this volume is published, the manga volumes illustrated by Tiv-san will be released. The TV animation is currently in the nning phase. I''m really delighted. Please look forward to further news.

    Thanks to all those involved, especially the illustrator Kishida Mel-san and the editor-in-charge Yuasa-sama, Narumi was finally able to wee his 17th birthday. Please allow me the chane to express his thanks for him. Really, thank you everyone.

    December 2010, Sugii Hikaru

 Volume 7, 1

    <h4>Volume 7, Chapter 1</h4>

    Take me to your heart

    Feel me in your bones

    Just one more night, And I''min'' off this, Long & winding road

    I''m on my way, I''m on my way-- Home sweet home¡­

    "Home Sweet Home" Nikki Sixx

    Having lived for 17 years, I lost a lot, but never did I once thought of myself as unfortunate. Those things that hurt me were all failures I caused, damage caused by my bones piercing through my skin, caused by me scratching my parched throat. These aren¡¯t considered misfortune. What really forces people down the abyss of misfortune is something more realistic, a w in reality that renders people powerless. Simply put, it¡¯s money, health, and the loss of family.

    That 17th Winter, I spoke with quite a few homeless folk.

    ¡°Some call us wanderers, unemployed, or beggars. Some stand up for us, saying that those are words of prejudice, that we should be called street buddies.¡±

    One of the homeless ones said to me.

    ¡°But I think calling us ¡®homeless¡¯ will be the most urate in this case.¡±

    He pinched the cigarette that¡¯s as short as a fingernail, staring at the smoke as he mutters.

    ¡°There¡¯s also those without a house, but that doesn¡¯t refer to us.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡±

    He rolled his sleeves, showing the red pellet marks on his arms. Those were the scars caused by the BB bullet attacks.

    ¡°Whether we have a home or not, we don¡¯t have a ce to go back to. Those brats are the same. That¡¯s why they can only wander the streets at night, and shoot us with the air guns. I really want to beat them up really good, but I can¡¯t say that I don¡¯t understand the feelings of those brats.¡±

    ¡°You¡­understand?¡±

    ¡°Of course. The part that they have no ce to return to.¡±

    That¡¯s what it means to have no ce to return to. His mutter vanishes into the cigarette smoke, drifting with the wind to the metal fence opposite, crushed by the iing train.

    I could not imagine how it felt to have no home to return to. It was because we have a ce we belonged to that us NEETs could easily give up on ourselves and run away, lost and not knowing what to do. For those who lost the ce they belong to, what environments do they enter dreand, and what are the scenes they see in the dreams?

    ¡°It¡¯s not that hard. That¡¯s just all.¡±

    His voice sounded as though it came from a distant ce.

    ¡°It¡¯s just that we have no ce to return to. That¡¯s all.¡±

    I recalled the words of my employer, the detective when we first met, what she said to me.

    Just as earthworms do not fear darkness and penguins are not ashamed of their inability to fly. That¡¯s the meaning of life, is it not?

    At that moment, I could not answer.

    Early Winter, everyone was busy preparing for the change in weather, and even the NEET detective who heads in the dark, server room that had air conditioning blowing all day long was no exception.

    A certain day after school inte November, I received an order from my employer to head to Tokyu Hands and some electronics shop to purchase arge amount of stuff before heading to the office. The office¡¯s a fair distance away from the bustling area near the station, located at the 3rd floor of a building crammed with all kinds of shops. One of the doors had the disy ¡®NEET Detective Agency¡¯ on it, and that would be my workce. No matter the season, the air-conditioning would always be switched on, and once I entered the corridor, I felt my nose would crash into something cold. The 6-tatami sized room beyond that was crammed withputers and all kinds of gadgets. The three walls were filled with shelves of cases, monitors and cables that reached the ceiling, and the ce was way beyond cyberpunk, almost a religious ce even. However, the most eye-catching thing was the petite girl in pajamas seated at the center of the bed.

    ¡°Watch the windows; don¡¯t let a single flea jump in. Put up 3yers of soundproof curtains, and amplify the speakers! y Haydn¡¯s Oratorio all day long, make sure it¡¯s loud enough for the brain cells to shrink!¡±

    The girl continued tomand me on the bed. She has sickly white skin, ck hair that flows like a river at night, and was dressed in teddy print pajamas and white socks on her slender legs. She¡¯s my employer, Alice.

    ¡°Hey, why must you lock yourself in that much?¡±

    I asked as I pasted duct tape at the narrow space behind the shelves.

    ¡°Why? You ask? I¡¯m a NEET.¡±

    Alice proudly lifted her chest as she answered.

    She dered herself as the NEET detective, and would rather keep herself confined to this cramped detective agency than to head outside due to her fear of doing so. But what¡¯s the reason for her being so wary?

    ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s November 23rd. Got to increase the thickness of the wall.¡±

    ¡°So I say, what¡¯s November 23 about?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Labor Thanksgiving Day tomorrow, of course! That¡¯s when everyone start praising each other wildly, the day where NEETs are robbed of their rights to even breathe.¡±

    ¡°Ahh¡­¡± Labor Appreciation Day wasn¡¯t some major festival, so I often forgot about this vacation.¡±

    ¡°Us NEETs end our year on this very day, so we have a duty to spend this most important day praying, like the Jews celebrating the Passover. After enduring this Labor Appreciation day, the next day will be a new beginning.¡±

    ¡°Stop enduring and express your thanks to theborers.¡±

    ¡°Shut up and get working!¡±

    Yes yes, but it¡¯s way too much of an exaggeration to say that it¡¯s the end of a year. The moment I had such a thought, you¡¯re an idiot, Alice gave me such a look, and said,

    ¡°What¡¯s exaggerated about this? You¡¯re the one being ignorant. For the Japanese, Labor Thanksgiving day is supposed to be a festival to celebrate the end of a year.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    With duct tape in hand, I turned my head around.

    ¡°The reason why November 23rd was chosen as the Labor Thanksgiving Day was due to it being a Royal Family festival, the New Rice Tasting Festival. As to why the weird name of Labor Thanksgiving was given, it was because the Allied General Headquarters after the war wanted to lower the Royal Family¡¯s Shinto influence.¡±

    ¡°Rice Tasting Festival¡­¡± I seemed to have heard of it, or not.

    ¡°Simply put, when the harvesting season ends, that¡¯s the Rice Tasting festival. Even someone as royal as the Emperor himself can¡¯t taste the rice harvested this year before this day. Using the Lunar calendar, most of the time, the New Rice Tasting festival is around winter or so. That¡¯s why the timing of this festival is as implied as its name, a New Year festival. It¡¯s also an important festival for Japan, so dependent on the harvesting of rice, to celebrate the end of a year, and the beginning of a new one.¡±

    ¡°Haa.¡±

    ¡°So us NEETs have to stay still and not do anything for the entire day.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t work at all for the entire year anyway.¡±

    ¡°Who do you think gives you your pay!?¡±

    The following day was November 23rd, and naturally, there was a school vacation. I was summoned by Alice early in the morning, and I rode my bicycle to the office.

    Alice¡¯s room was located in a building with many shops, and at the first floor of the building was a ramen shop called ¡®Hanamaru¡¯. The owner¡¯s a young woman called Min-san, and before she inherited the ramen sop, it was said that she was aiming to be a ice cream maker, so her ice cream was of professional standard. Even till this day, she has been researching on it. The ramen shop enjoyed a rare holiday due to the Labor Thanksgiving Day, but the electricity in the kitchen was in use, and the venttion fans were spinning as there was a sweet fragranceing out from the back door. It looks like Min-san¡¯s busy making ice cream this year.

    ¡°Excuse me¡­¡±

    I opened the back door and sat on a round seat. Min-san, with her hair tied in a ponytail, turned towards me.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you, Narumi. You¡¯re early today.¡±

    Min-san said as she ced the bowl she was holding onto the table. On this day, Min-san wasn¡¯t wearing a tank top, just a sarashi wrapped around the breasts, and I didn¡¯t know where to look as a result. Like usual, she¡¯s really defenceless. Thisdy with G-cups should at least know that just wrapping a cloth around herrge chest will show a huge cleavage that¡¯ll really garner attraction.

    ¡°The ice cream isn¡¯t done. You cane by at evening.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not here at 10am in the morning just to eat ice cream.¡±

    ¡°You came to help too, Fujishima-kun?¡±

    A girl with short brown hair suddenly popped her head out from the kitchen corridor. She¡¯s Ayaka, my ssmate, an employee of this shop. The ramen shop¡¯s closed today, but the boss and employee are both here, and I really don¡¯t know for what purpose they¡¯re closed for. The only thing different is that Ayaka¡¯s wearing a purple one-piece dress. I guess Min-san has no interest other than making ice cream.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go to Alice in a while.¡±

    ¡°Why do you have to go to her at such an early time?¡± Ayaka tilted her head in scepticism as she held onto the blender.

    ¡°Ah, because it¡¯s Labor Thanksgiving Day, right?¡± Min-san said. ¡°Oh yeah, thank goodness we have Narumi starting this year.¡±

    ¡°What about Labor Thanksgiving Day?¡±

    Min-san started to exin to Ayaka how on this day, Alice would shrink up in a corner of the room or on the bed and not move at all. She typically would not eat much, and would rely on the potent carbonated drink Dr. Pepper alone as nutrition, but on this day, she would not drink any. Thus, she would end up as a living corpse, and for every trivial matter, she would call Min-san for help. Starting this year, this would be my job.

    ¡°So-so that means Fujishima-kun gets to spend the entire day with Alice on the bed?¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s right¡ªwait, what do you mean on the bed? I can¡¯t do anything if I get onto the bed, right?¡±

    ¡°You canb her hair and keep it nice.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s your job, Ayaka.¡±

    ¡°Or you can hug her and take a nap with her.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what you want to do, Ayaka!¡±

    Min-san gave a mischievous smirk as she interrupted,

    ¡°Alice today is very interesting; she¡¯s as obedient as a cat with flu. If you hug her today, she¡¯s not going to make a fuss. You can try, Narumi.¡±

    No way. What¡¯s interesting about that?

    It seemed that if I continued to stay in the kitchen, we would be getting further away from the topic, so I hurriedly climbed the emergency staircase towards the detective agency office on the 3rd floor. Alice was dressed in mourning clothes, knelt in front of the bed as she prayed. Why¡¯s she wearing mourning clothes? Because it¡¯s a rest day and she wanted to create a Church-like atmosphere? Also, the newly installed 5.1ch amplifier was ying Haydn¡¯s Oratorio. My head ached as I heard it, and I hurriedly got onto the bed to lower the volume.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Alice lifted her ck veil, raising an eyebrow as she asked.

    ¡°Nothing much. It¡¯s noisy, that¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you hear thementations of all the NEETs outside the wall?¡±

    If I could, I wouldn¡¯t be here. I¡¯ll be looking for an ENT doctor.

    ¡°I was downstairs, and heard that Min-san had been taking care of you up tillst year?¡±

    ¡°Master¡¯s different from you. She pressed the air conditioner remote without me having to say a word.¡±

    That¡¯s because you¡¯re so demurepared to usual that Min-san found it amusing.

    ¡°Or are you going to ask Min-san for help? I¡¯ll just call her in then.¡±

    Like usual, I returned with a sigh, and right when I was about to leave the bed, I found the sleeve of my shirt being tugged at. Shocked, I turned around to look, and saw Alice give me an earnest look.

    ¡°Are you really serious about going back?¡±

    ¡°Eh? You wish for me to go back, so I will. I¡¯ll get Min-san up.¡±

    ¡°Did anyone ask you to do so!?¡±

    ¡°Nope, so you prefer me?¡± Was she really scared of being yed like a fiddle?

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say you¡¯re better!¡±

    I ced my hand on my forehead. What in the world.

    ¡°So you want me to go back without calling Min-san up?¡±

    ¡°How did you end up deriving such a conclusion!?¡± Alice mmed the mattress hard as she yelled. At this point, I started to feel that nothing mattered.

    ¡°Erm, then, what do you want me to do?¡±

    Alice puffed her cheeks, pulled the hem of her mourning skirt, and pointed at theputers behind her.¡±

    ¡°Start shopping on the inte.¡±

    I had been Alice¡¯s assistant for almost a year, but I was not sure how Alice would spend her days if there were no cases present. Until this Labor Thanksgiving day, that was.

    Alice shoved the keyboard to me, and ordered me to search information on all kinds of dolls on the inte, and post on the forums. She really reviewed the designs of the dolls, the feeling when she hugged it, and the sewing.

    Following that, it was to collect all kinds of information regarding Dr. Pepper. I had to search through everything about Dr. Pepper, and even spend wildly on it. Thus, Alice did not like the band Guns and Roses, but she had 5 copies of the ¡®Chinese Democracy¡¯ album. If she found any message criticising Dr. Pepper for not being nice or too medicinal, she would refute him in a logical manner (on first nce). Of course, Alice only narrated this today, and I was in charge of typing at the keyboard.

    ¡°¡­You do this every day?¡±

    I asked in a worn out voice, and my fingers on the keyboard were already trembling.

    ¡°Of course! I have to protect the reputation of Dr. Pepper no matter what!¡±

    Isn¡¯t the beveragepany protecting that already? I really wanted to retort back, only to swallow my words back in. Even if I did say the appropriate things, it did not mean that people would be happy. This was a fact I learned, having worked as a detective¡¯s assistant for a year.

    But even so, why did I have to type instead of Alice?

    ¡°God decreed that nobody is to work the Sabbath, so we can¡¯t operate any machinery. It¡¯s said that the Jews can¡¯t press the elevator buttons.¡±

    ¡°¡­Isn¡¯tmanding me verbally about the same thing?¡±

    ¡°Actually, the work here refers to the ¡®Assembly of the Tabernacle¡¯ mentioned in Exodus Chapter 35. The only taboo the Bible originally stated was that we cannot create fire, and not much exnation to anything else. Thus, the schrs are confused about this exnation. However, the chapters listed after the Sabbath records lots of work about setting up the Tabernacle, so the schrs felt that it¡¯s a ¡®job¡¯ forbidden by God. Of course, after 3,500 years, the definition of work expanded, sometimes stricter, sometimes looser.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡± And so?

    ¡°Work doesn¡¯t include talking. I¡¯m just talking now.¡±

    ¡°You really can wiggle your way out of this!¡±

    And with Alice bombarding me, I left my mark on various websites. At this moment, I decided to seize the opportunity to ask something I had always been curious about, but was unable to do so for some reason.

    ¡°Alice, are you a Christian?¡±

    ¡°Impossible.¡± Alice shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m an Atheist. This so-called religion is something created to answer the doubts of little children, like why we can¡¯t kill, why we can¡¯t steal, why do we go to Church on Sunday. Belief can give a clear answer to these questions. In other words, we¡¯ll be lectured by a certain Someone stronger than we are. But when our adolescence, we need to bid farewell to religion.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    It was an ironic viewpoint, I felt, but really how Alice would look at things.

    ¡°So why are you going about with that Sabbath?¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯m a weak kid too. I need to make use of it from time to time.¡±

    ¡°Make use?¡±

    ¡°Right. The definition of religion is ultimately to get us to rx, to entrust our thoughts and frustrations to an Absolute Entity. Even you probably had someone you prayed too.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­I did, actually.¡±

    ¡°So I say, my definition of religion is the same as most Japanese. I don¡¯t think religion is something special. God should be an absolute existence, but both of us aren¡¯t so free that we can be caring for each other all day long.¡±

    ¡°So today¡¯s the day we pay attention?¡±

    ¡°Right, just as how you will only care about God on Christmas and Hatsumode, I spend November 23 living in purity.¡±

    I felt that I was forced to listen to an answerpletely unrted to me, but I mostly agreed. However, there was something I was curious about.

    ¡°Speaking of which, Alice, you don¡¯t seem to care if what form God appears in, do you?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t. Even if it¡¯s a sardine head.¡±

    ¡°But you really use a lot of Bible scriptures.¡±

    Hearing that question, Alice immediately quit down, and averted her eyes. It was a rare reaction.

    ¡°Back when I was at my old home, I was forced to recite them.¡±

    Old home. Alice¡¯s old home¡­

    I had no idea about how Alice end uping to this room on the 3rd floor of a building filled with shops, and she only indicated that she wanted to leave her family. In the end, I was unable to rify about it, not simply because Alice showed a smile as gloomy as a cloudy day in November, and also because Ayaka suddenly opened the door.

    ¡°Alice, Fujishima-kun, here¡¯s some ice cream!¡±

    Bursting into the office with life was Ayaka, holding the tray of ice cream with one hand, her round eyes widened as she stood at the bedroom room.

    ¡°Fujishima-kun, you said all that, but you spent the entire day on the bed, you know?¡±

    ¡°Eh? Ah, ahh, no, Alice asked me to do a lot of things.¡±

    ¡°W-well, how do I put it.¡± Alice pushed her aside, and ducked under the bed to hide from Ayaka. ¡°I didn¡¯t let him smell me, didn¡¯t let him sleep with me, didn¡¯t let him touch my underwear, socks and pajamas. You don¡¯t have any reason to lecture me.¡±

    Those words really hurt my pride as a human. Can you please don¡¯t refute to that specific level¡­

    ¡°Really? Not even a cuddle?¡±

    ¡°O-of course not!¡± Alice kicked my leg away, avoiding me. Even beyond the ck veil, I could tell that she was blushing furiously.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll cuddle you instead!¡±

    With tray in hand, Ayaka got onto the bed, left it on the side table, and rushed towards Alice. Before thetter could resist, she was turned around, and seated on Ayaka¡¯s thighs.

    ¡°Why do you have to hug me every single time?¡±

    ¡°Because this is the only position I can feed you ice cream.¡±

    ¡°I can eat it by myself.¡± Alice was furious.

    ¡°And when I¡¯m hugging you, Fujishima-kun won¡¯te over to hug you.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s with that weird reason!? And why do you look like you ept that exnation, Alice!?¡±

    I mmed the bedsheet a few times, but the two girls had already diverted their attention towards the ice cream.

    ¡°This ice cream is made from rice.¡±

    ¡°Hm. It¡¯s really rice. I never thought that I would one day be move by the taste of rice.¡±

    Alice muttered, I can only be amazed by Master¡¯s techniques

    ¡°You see, today¡¯s that new tasting day or Rice Tasting day or whatever, right? That¡¯s why Min-san made this rice voured ice cream.¡±

    ¡°So it¡¯s thanks to that that we get this nice Eye?¡±

    ¡°Eve?¡± Ayaka looked confused, and Alice turned around to meet Ayaka in the eyes, repeating everything she had told me.

    ¡°I see. That means you can¡¯t be a detective today, Alice?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Alice shrugged. ¡°For a Sabbath, any work that result in reward is a taboo.¡±

    ¡°So what happens if a customer visit?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯ll have to return for the day.¡±

    ¡°Ehh? But isn¡¯t that a pity? Isn¡¯t there Fujishima-kun? He¡¯s an assistant.¡±

    ¡°I rather have them do a phone call consultation than leave Narumi to the customers.¡±

    For Alice, this level of spite was courteous of her. For Alice, that is,

    ¡°First, a detective¡¯s assistant is only an assistant, and not a recement detective, just like how the moon can¡¯t rece the sun. I told Naurmi 500 times or so that he¡¯s not suited to be one.¡±

    ¡°Then, then, someone just needs to be the recement detective, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­Hm?¡±

    ¡°I want to be a detective for a day!¡±

    And so, on this day, Ayaka was in charge of being the substitute NEET detective, and my first order of business was to stick a ¡®fake¡¯bel at the front of the ¡®NEET detective agency¡¯.

    ¡°If the customerse by thinking that I¡¯m a real detective, it¡¯ll be fraud!¡± Ayaka said, ¡°I¡¯ll be a detective, you¡¯ll be a doll, Alice. Try your best not to talk or mouth.¡±

    ¡°Mmmm.¡±

    Alice, dressed in mourning clothes, sat obediently on Ayaka¡¯sp, really resembling a doll. As for why Alice would agree to this proposal obediently, it was because Ayaka threatened Alice, that if she didn¡¯t get to be a detective for a day, she¡¯s going to make Alice take a bath.

    ¡°Well, whatever. I decided to have a rest day today. Customers won¡¯te by that easily.¡±

    ¡°Then, Fujishima-kun, how about making a few promotional calls?¡±

    ¡°Promotional!?¡±

    Both Alice and I eximed in madness.

    And thus, I exited the office, down the emergency staircase to the first level. The first one I called was Tetsu-senpai. He dropped out from the high school I was studying at, and a Pachinko pro now, an undisputed NEET.

    ¡°Ahhn!? A request? ¡± senpai¡¯s disgruntled voice could be heard from the cellphone.

    ¡°Yeah. If you got any troubles right now, fake detective Ayaka can solve it for you, it seems.¡±

    ¡°Hey! What day do you think it is today? It¡¯s Labor Thanksgiving day, you know? The day us NEETs stay at home and shiver. Tell Ayaka that I¡¯ll y with her tomorrow.¡±

    I could only hang up the phone and give up on Tetsu-senpai. Up next was a call to Hiro, a gigolo who specializes in conning girls for a living.

    ¡°Eh? Now? I¡¯m in a hotel. Yes, I won¡¯t be going out. Ahh, that girl¡¯s bathing now. No, I met for the first time today. She asked me out. Right, it¡¯s Labor Appreciation day, so I won¡¯t take the initiative to ask girls out, I¡¯ll just ept.¡±

    I sighed, and hung up the phone. Next was a phone call to Major. He¡¯s a college student, but always skipped sses, so he¡¯s partially a NEET.

    ¡°I won¡¯t take a single step out of the house. Of course? If I¡¯m to identally do somebor, I¡¯ll be thanked. Then I¡¯ll lose my right to be a NEET, right?¡±

    I had enough, and hung up. Finally, after much deliberation, I called Yondaime. He¡¯s yakuza.

    ¡°Idiot, a holiday¡¯s a holiday.¡± Guess it¡¯s a holiday.

    He hung up on me. I exhausted all my options. Whatever, not having any customer now is a sign of peace. Iid down on therge wooden stool ced at the empty space outside the back door of the ramen shop, staring at the greyish skies. The atmosphere of Winter appeared as though it¡¯s going to fall from the clouds. As Alice said, I should be spending my time peacefully on such a holiday.

    But after the sun set, there was a customer who came by. It¡¯s Meo.

    ¡°Excuse me!¡­Huh?¡±

    I heard a girl¡¯s voice from the entrance of the ramen shop. I put the broom and the dustpan at the door, and went to the road. The thick bouncing braids and the coffee-colored skin were coupled with a beaming smile that got bigger once she saw me.

    ¡°¡­Meo?¡±

    ¡°Assistant-san!¡±

    Meo turned towards me happily, and hugged my arm. She¡¯s wearing a thick jumper on top, but like usual, she¡¯s wearing denim hot pants. It¡¯s already November. I started to worry if she¡¯ll be cold.

    ¡°Why is ¡®Hanamaru¡¯ closed? Did something happen?¡±

    ¡°Ahh, it¡¯s closed for today. Min-san went out to drink.¡±

    ¡°Mmm, too bad. I wanted to have some ramen and ice cream.¡± Meo curled her lips, staring at the pulled shutters of the shop. Suddenly, she tugged my arm towards her, ¡°Good thing you¡¯re already, assistant-san!¡±

    Meo¡¯s two years younger than me, born in Thand. Her mom remarried a Japanese, so she came to Japan in her youth. Her Japanese¡¯s a little weird at times, but there¡¯s no realmunication problem. Because of a certain incident, she came to request us, and after it was solved, she asionally dropped by at ¡®Hanamaru¡¯.

    ¡°What about papa?¡±

    Meo¡¯s papa wasn¡¯t really a member of the yakuza, but he got some involvement. His main job was to take care of the foreigners working in the brothels. To be honest, I¡¯m not willing to meet him.

    ¡°Papa has to go around to all the shops he often goes to today and have some thanksgiving feast. Because of that Labour Thanksgiving or something? Right now, he¡¯s going around to the shops Meo can¡¯t enter.¡±

    I see. So the world of yakuzas too have a Labor Thanksgiving day.

    ¡°I want to meet detective-san! Let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s go!¡±

    Meo dragged me by the arm towards the emergency staircase. I didn¡¯t even have the time to say that Alice wasn¡¯t avable.

    ¡°Chairman-san¡¯s here too? Wah! Why¡¯s detective-san dressed in a c, pretty dress? Meo wants to hug too!¡±

    Once we entered the detective agency, Meo got really excited. Alice, in her mourning clothes on the bed, was on tenterhooks like a cat, and Ayaka inadvertently hide Alice behind her.

    ¡°Meo-chan, you need to wash your hands before hugging Alice!¡± Ayaka said, ¡°Okay!¡± And Meo went straight for the basin.

    ¡°Don¡¯t say it like she can hug me just because she washed her hands!¡± Alice was furious, but Meo was already running back and got onto the bed.

    ¡°Chairman-san, did youb detective-san¡¯s hair?¡±

    ¡°I did. It¡¯s my job after all.¡±

    Their first encounter was during the basement match back then, and ever since then, Meo often came by to y, so they¡¯re on very good terms. The reason why Meo would call Ayaka ¡®chairman-san¡¯ was because Ayaka proudly introduced herself as ¡°I¡¯m the chairman of the school gardeningmittee!¡± In Meo¡¯s imagination, it seemed all the nts in school would greet Ayaka whenever thetter stepped into school.

    ¡°But chairman-san, why do you have detective-san¡¯s pajamas on you today?¡±

    Very good question, Ayaka immediately leaned forward. The blue bear pajamas on her shoulders fell off.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to be a detective for an entire day. Though I¡¯m just pretending.¡±

    Meo¡¯s eyes dazzled.

    ¡°Then, chairman-san, please do something like detective-san!¡±

    Ayaka opened her legs wide and stood on the bed, tugging Alice under her armpit like a doll, and lifted her chest proudly saying,

    ¡°I¡¯m the NEET detective, the sheetter of the dead.¡±

    ¡°Speaker.¡± The dead can¡¯t poop anyway

    ¡°And you¡¯re remarking on this, assistant-san! This is great!¡±

    She¡¯s actually delighted¡­Alice too was unable to speak due to shock and despair as she remained limp under Ayaka¡¯s armpit. I guess there¡¯s no point for me to be here anymore. As the kanji infers, 3diesing together causes a lot of noise. I felt that it was time for me to go home, and so I stood up, only for Alice to lift her head andment.

    ¡°Narumi, why are you trying to go home!?¡±

    ¡°No¡­well, right now, I don¡¯t feel okay staying around.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the same here. You¡¯re nning to push all the suffering to me and run away? Who¡¯s going to stop these two from going crazy if you go back?¡±

    I shrugged, and sat down on the icy floor in front of the friend.¡±

    ¡°So, Meo-chan, what¡¯s your request?¡±

    ¡°Anything goes?¡±

    ¡°Leave it to this fake NEET detective!¡±

    ¡°Then, I wanna get married to papa!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll need to ask stork-san.¡±

    Why ask the stork? Isn¡¯t that too much of a leap!?

    ¡°Then, I want to get married to assistant-san.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s only one Fujishima-kun around, so no.¡±

    ¡°Ehh!¡±

    Don¡¯t you feel there¡¯s something strange with the whole conversation!?

    Meo and Ayaka returned home, and I stayed behind to handle the duties of the assistant. Thus, the sky waspletely ck when I left the office, and even the breath exhaled was solidly white. I checked the time on my watch, and found that it was already 1am. I heard an entire day of ¡®Oratario¡¯ and ¡®The Four Seasons¡¯, so I was feeling groggy, so much that I couldn¡¯t describe it other than suffering.

    I walked down the emergency staircase, and casually looked over to the train station beyond the low buildings. On the other end were bustling streets, and the shop lights continued to dazzle, the passers-by moving about. The lights shone upon an actress on a building billboard, holding a chocte product and smiling at everyone. The red and green lights hanging on the trees by the road flickered, and Jingle Bells could ostensibly be heard.

    November was coldly forgotten by the city.

    It was to be expected. Once Halloween was over, the merchants waved their gs, directly everyone¡¯s attention towards Christmas. Well, Winter was beginning.

    I brought my bicycle between the buildings, and tugged at my duffle coat.

    I pedalled my way out of the alley. Once I got out, I found a group of people huddled around, seated on the road, chatting furiously. The wine cups and cans of beers dazzled in their hands, and at the center of it was an oil can lit with leaves and newspapers.

    ¡°¡­So I say, that old man¡¯s inside intel can¡¯t be trusted.¡±

    ¡°Shut up, yuou idiot. I was winning until the fourth race.¡±

    ¡°But didn¡¯t you believe in that weird level 6 information and run around since morning, Tetsu?¡±

    I found that one of the 4 men was Tetsu. Leaving aside his physique, there weren¡¯t many who would wearing just a short-sleeved shirt in this weather of howling winds. The other three old men were dressed in a worn out jumper, a thin dean¡¯s jacket or an oil-stained trench coat.

    ¡°Oh? Narumi, you¡¯re still around?¡±

    Tetsu-senpai was the first to find me, and raised the wine cup towards me. The others too turned to look at me. They¡¯re all tanned rather dark, and their untrimmed moustaches had some white in them. I suppose I saw their faces before.

    ¡°What are you doing here? The fire department might be called here because of you setting a fire in the middle of the night.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so stuck up. Labor Thanksgiving Day is over, and we¡¯re having a party here. We were betting at the race tracks. Pe-san took a huge loss, and Mori-san got a huge win, so it¡¯s like we¡¯re celebrating and consoling here.¡±

    ¡°Heh, why do I have to toast with gutter water in such a cold weather?¡±

    The Pe-san Tetsu-senpai mentioned was dressed in a Hiroshima Carp cap, grumbling softly. On a closer look, I found that the PET bottle that was supposed to contain tea waspletely clear.

    ¡°If only ¡®Hanamaru¡¯s open, we¡¯ll be able to have some ramen.¡±

    Mori-san was a strange looking man with a few band-aids stered on his bald head. He had a beer can in one hand, and grilled chicken in the other.

    These guys are the homeless ones close to Tetsu-senpai and the rest of the NEET detective agency. I remember they stayed at a nearby park, but I had not seen them recently.

    I was not too familiar with them, and nodded, ready to cycle off. However, ¡°Come here for a while, Narumi.¡± Tetsu-senpai suddenly grabbed me by the cor.

    Left with no choice, I could only park my bicycle by the road, and crouch down beside Tetsu-senpai, looking around at the trio. Pe-san didn¡¯t looked happy, while Mori-san¡¯spletely drunk red. What did he want me to do, asking me to join in on their drinking party when I couldn¡¯t drink?

    And they¡¯re all homeless, the kind of people I didn¡¯t want to get close to. Tetsu-senpai, Major and Hiro¡¯s always able to chat with them so easily though. What were they talking about?

    There was an awkward atmosphere as nobody spoke up, so I broke the silence.

    ¡°¡­E-erm, it¡¯s been a while. I thought you moved somewhere else.¡±

    ¡°We did.¡±

    The 3rd person spoke quietly. He had sses, messy hair, and a whisky sk in hand. If he had a white coat on, he would resemble a reviled college professor. I remember this man as Ginji-san, one of the leaders of the tent city.

    ¡°Some weird people came to the park and forced us out. Construction should be starting.¡±

    ¡°Construction?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know, Narumi? You see, that ce¡¯s about to be renovated into a ¡®Hercules Park¡¯. Looks like the entire park¡¯s going to be rebuilt into futsal courts.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    I remembered. So it¡¯s that park?

    That incident warranted a fiery discussion in the media. The multi-national sportswearpany ¡®Hercules¡¯ bought the park from the town council, hoping to rebuild the ce altogether¡ªor so it was reported, ¡°But what about the homeless living there?¡± and the residentialmittees began to protest.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s the oue of that?¡±

    ¡°None.¡± Ginji-san curled his lips, and took a swig of whiskey. ¡°Can¡¯t do anything about it. All we could only do was wait and get chased away, that¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you all go protest or something, Ginji-san? Something about human rights.¡± Senpai asked.

    ¡°How can we possibly do such a thing?¡±

    Ginji-san stared back at Tetsu-senpai, and took another swig.

    ¡°What¡¯s the point of protesting? It¡¯s just adding on to our troubles. All we can do is wait and have others kick up a fuss for our sake to dy the construction instead. We don¡¯t have to do anything.¡±

    I felt that he seemed to be talking about someone else¡¯s matter entirely. No, maybe I should have said that he¡¯s being rational. He¡¯s right anyway,

    ¡°And there¡¯s some conmen amongst the volunteers.¡±

    I looked at GInji-san¡¯s face.

    ¡°Conmen?¡±

    What could the conmen gain by scamming the homeless? They don¡¯t have money anyway.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t have an address, and are unable to obtain living protection fees.¡±

    Mori-san smiled at us saying that,

    ¡°Some people pretended to be kind to us, saying that they¡¯ll provide a ce for us to stay, but actually, they¡¯re nning to trap us and take the welfare money that was supposed to given for our sakes. A few of our buddies got duped, and it¡¯s thanks to Ginji-san keeping an eye on those conmen that they¡¯re finally gone.¡±

    ¡°Su-such things actually do exist?¡±

    In this world, there are such people who woulde up with such devious ideas.

    ¡°There are also those who wanted us to take up queuing work, but instead, we end up paying for stuff.¡±

    ¡°Ginji-san¡¯s very familiar with such matters, so he negotiated these for our sakes.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re too ignorant that you¡¯re duped by them.¡±

    This queuing work refers to the people who are called in to queue up on the day some popr game or product¡¯s being released However, there are some scampanies who wouldn¡¯t pay the homeless money to buy. Just hearing everyone mention this caused my heart to feel heavy, and even the saliva stuck deep within my throat was in lumps.

    In any case¡ªthey¡¯re homeless, so the weight they bear is obviously much more than the happy-go-lucky bunch of NEETs. I felt that there were a lot of things I couldn¡¯t ask, and just approaching them was causing me to feel depressed.

    ¡°It¡¯ste. I¡¯ll make a move first.¡±

    And just when I said this, a strong light shone in from behind me.

    ¡°You guys already gathered!? I want a toast too!¡±

    The light vanished, and there was a diminutive person entering the softer street light. He has a baby face of an elementary school kid, wearing goggles and a helmet with camouge colors. It¡¯s Major.

    ¡°Captain GInji! Pe-san! Mori-san! Vice Admiral Fujishima too! This painful day of November 23rd is finally over, so let¡¯s get down to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Wealt and bombard it with 21 cannons!¡± Somebody, hurry up and arrest this guy.

    ¡°You¡¯re carrying a lot of stuff, Major.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai noted as he stared at therge backpack Major was carrying. That backpack seemedrge enough to stuff another 3 of him.

    ¡°Our team¡¯s going to Mt. Fuji this winter for a month to engage in arge scale gun battle, so I¡¯m starting my training now.¡±

    He¡¯s talking about survival games. Just to note.

    ¡°Is it really okay for a college kid to not show up for sses?¡±

    ¡°That is that. This is this.¡±

    ¡°Hitoshi, didn¡¯t you say that you¡¯re nning to be a technician? Did you take the exam this year?¡±

    Ginji-san¡¯s sudden words caused me to turn around in shock.

    ¡°That¡¯s too troublesome, so I gave up on that. The professor has been telling me to study, but setting up a business is better than doing research.¡± Major came to my side and reached out for the fire.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s right. You¡¯re still in your 3rd year, aren¡¯t you, Hitoshi? That professor will just use you as a free maintenance worker, and you¡¯ll just be his servant when you enter theb. That professor won¡¯t help you, and will steal the authorship of your thesis.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not so terrible that I need you to lecture me, Ginji-san. I won¡¯t be going to work though.¡±

    I looked back and forth between the duo. Hitoshi¡¯s the Major¡¯s given name, right? I didn¡¯t know they were on such good terms, and though I couldn¡¯t understand their conversation, Ginji-san might have done some research rted matters before, right?

    ¡°Major, didn¡¯t you say that you want to make a missile or something?¡± Pe-san then interrupted.

    ¡°I want to invent a fighter jet nobody can see or touch.¡± Then nobody¡¯s going to sit on it.

    ¡°Then help us uild a machine that¡¯ll kill those damn brats for us when we sleep.¡±

    Mori-san, seated on the other side of the fire, leaned forward, looking serious as he told Major this.

    ¡°¡­Did something happen?¡± Major asked.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear? It¡¯s about the attacks on the homeless. Didn¡¯t the news report about them?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    Major nced aside at Tetsu-senpai and me. Speaking of which, I supposed I saw it on the inte. I hardly watch the TV, so I¡¯m not so familiar with the current news.

    Inquiring further, we learned that the homeless around the station had been bullied by some scoundrels. Sshing cold water or throwing rocks into cardboard houses would be child¡¯s y of a prank; others threw firecrackers, sparklers, or even scatter nails and thumbtacks. It¡¯s said that some were already seriously hurt.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you call the police? You can¡¯t just let it go on like this.¡±

    ¡°The police did do something, but we¡¯re homeless, and the police can¡¯t be patrolling for our sake for entire nights. The pranks have been escting recently. I went to the area below the railway as it¡¯s getting harder to stay in the park, and then 7-8 of them attacked me together. I heard some really loud sound, and then my head seemed to be burning.¡±

    Mori-san said, and Major lifted his goggles, moved around the fire, and went to Mori-san. He reached his hand, and grabbed Mori-san¡¯s bald head.

    ¡°O-o-ouch! What are you doing, Major!?¡±

    Major peeled off a bandair on Mori-san¡¯s head, and touched the wound with his hand. He licked his fire, and we¡¯re unable to say anything.

    ¡°¡­This is probably the 031g semibio super fine bullet sold by the ¡®Hiraya Model shop¡¯.¡±

    ¡°What are you saying?¡±

    Tetsu-senpai stared at Major¡¯s face worriedly.

    ¡°I¡¯m talking about the bullets that hit Mori-san. Production of these bullets stopped two years ago. This is unbelievable.¡±

    What¡¯s unbelievable is your observation skills. No, that¡¯s not the important part.

    ¡°¡­Bullet?¡±

    ¡°Probably fired from an air gun, looks like it¡¯s a wound from a modified gun.¡±

    ¡°Hey, stop touching my head already.¡±

    Mori-san shook off Major¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Those homeless guys should be armed, right? What about your numbers and equipment?¡±

    ¡°How do I know? I suddenly something stinging on my head in the darkness, and when I got up, I found the others rolling about, yelling that it¡¯s painless and such. Didn¡¯t see anyone other than us.¡±

    ¡°Long ranged sniping, huh? If it¡¯s the 0.31g, it¡¯s possible. Looks like they got some nightvision scope ready too. I need to have a look though.¡±

    ¡°Hey, Hitoshi, this has nothing to do with you, right?¡± Ginji-san said, and Major turned around, sliding his goggles down again. Under the lenses were a contorted, icy re.

    ¡°It has something to do with me. This concerns the pride of a soldier.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that about?¡± Tetsu-senpai muttered, and Major continued,

    ¡°Attacking nonbatants is the worst sin a soldier canmit. As someone who also wield guns, I never, ever forgive them for this.¡±

    However, I¡¯m not a soldier (and there¡¯s doubt as to Major can be considered one), and I don¡¯t really have deep ties with the homeless.

    For me then, the real start of the incident was a phone call that urred a few dayster¡ªafter school, on the first Wednesday in December. I was in ¡®Ramen Hanamaru¡¯ when that happened, and I parked my bicycle at the back of the shop, taking out my cellphone with my hand that was holding the handlebars before this.

    Calling me was a rare customer. I took a deep breath, looked up at the clear winter sky, and opened my cellphone.

    ¡°Boy? It has been a while. How are you doing? I sent you a ticket for our October performance, and you didn¡¯t show up. We¡¯re lonely, you know.¡±

    ¡°Ah, so-sorry about that. I¡¯ve been busy.¡±

    In the prior Summer, I was asked by Yondaime to coordinate a concert event, and the one calling this time was the vocalist of that band. She¡¯s an interestingdy, but when she continued to yap on, the listeners will be easily brainwashed by her, so I really had to exert a lot of effort just to talk to her. Again, I took a deep breath, and switched the phone to my left hand.

    On the other hand of the phone, she lowered her voice, saying,

    ¡°It¡¯s another investigation request from me this time. For my friend.¡±

    I parked my bicycle with my other hand, and returned to the back door of ¡®Hanamaru¡¯, sitting at the pile of old, worn out tires.

    ¡°Eh? For someone in the industry?¡±

    ¡°Yes. She heard rumors about you, and want to ask you about something.¡±

    I drew a few circles on the dirt with my foot. Because of rumors about me.

    Once, I was introduced by this person to solve another artiste¡¯s problem. It involved a threatening letter and some illicit photographs taken, and it was an incorrigible event. In the end, I had to solve with ast resort, but I¡¯ll leave the details to another day. The most important matter at this point would be that the detective agency¡¯s famous in the entertainment circles for some weird reasons.

    ¡°Hey, someone once said that the industry¡¯s filled with cold, bright lights and sounds. In this world, all pleas for help will be drowned out painfully, and nobody can hear us.¡±

    With bated breath, I heard the voice over the phone. Her voice¡¯s really unique, and not limited to her singing alone; even when talking, I could feel her voice as being akin to snowkes seeping into skin before they melt.

    ¡°That¡¯s why we need someone like you guys, who are willing to listen to us.¡±

    The client she introduced to us dropped by at ¡®Ramen Hanamaru¡¯ at midnight. The shop was about to close, and both Min-san and I were cleaning the kitchen. There¡¯s a polite knocking on the shutters that were halfway down, and when I lifted my head, I could find a slender figure.

    ¡°¡­Erm, is this Hanamaru?¡±

    I could hear a female voice from beyond the ss.

    ¡°We¡¯re closed¡ª¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s likely to be my customer.¡±

    I cut off Min-san¡¯s voice, and went off to open the door. I ducked under the shutters, and found a face right in front of me. Stars scattered as we knocked into each other.

    ¡°¡­Ouch.¡± ¡°Oww.¡±

    I fell on my butt, and rubbed my forehead. Seeing that she too fell onto the floor, I realized that we knocked into each other because we wanted to duck under the shutters. The young girl put on the sunsses that slid off, ¡°S-sorry, are you oka¡ª¡± Saying that, she wanted to stand up, only to stop on her own muffler and trip over again.

    ¡°A-are you okay yourself?¡±

    I pulled the girl up, and she blushed as she picked up her sunsses, lowering her wool cap to hide her face.

    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry. Really sorry. I really am.¡±

    The girl lowered her head about 7 times or so, and after that, she kept rubbing her hands together, not looking at me at all. Her fluffy hair¡¯s dyed a bright brown, and I couldn¡¯t tell the age due to her lowering her head and wearing sunsses and the wool cap, but I guessed that she¡¯s probably the same age as me, or a year older.

    ¡°I heard on the phone. Erm, you¡¯re Natsuki Yui-san, right?¡±

    ¡°Y-yes.¡±

    At this moment, she finally lifted her head. She was wearing a pair of light brown sunsses, but when our eyes met, I felt a sugary pir hitting at my chest. She¡¯s an idol. I could tell on first nce. She¡¯s not just an ordinary beauty, she exudes a mor that could only be refined under the stares of thousands of people, at least.

    Also, I had an impression on her face, but where exactly? Normally, I hardly watch TV, and I only learned of her name on this day.

    It¡¯s probably because I was brazenly staring at Yui-san¡¯s face that she lifted her jacket cor and hid her blushing face and retreated. At this moment, Min-san¡¯s voice could be heard from behind me.

    ¡°Hey, Narumi, what are you doing? Oh, a customer?¡±

    Min-san pushed the shutters up, ¡°Huh?¡± and muttered upon seeing Yui-san. ¡°You¡­have been on the posters at the station recently.¡±

    ¡°N-no, no no no, that¡¯s not me.¡±

    Yui-san jolted in shock, her hands raised to her face as she iled them about. Even her face was increasingly red.

    ¡°No, well, that¡¯s actually me, but please don¡¯t say that to me directly.¡±

    And so, I recalled. Recently, there has been posters on the station¡¯s pirs and walls with her photos on them. They¡¯re probably from a certain sportswear manufacturer. No wonder I knew despite not watching any TV or reading magazines.

    ¡°I¡¯m not too used to being recognized on the spot. Erm, can you please pretend not to know me?¡±

    Yui-san¡¯s voice was so soft. Min-san and I exchanged looks. She¡¯s an idol, right? Was such a bashful person really suited to be an artiste?

    ¡°E-erm, may I enter the shop? If others are to find me now, I might cause you much trouble.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes. Please do so.¡±

    Min-san stared at me surprise. I pped my hands together in apology, and brought Yui-san to the back of the shop. Climbing up the emergency staircase in the darkness, I heard interrupted footsteps behind me. The silence made the atmosphere unbearable. Before bringing her to Alice, I was hoping to exin to her the agency¡¯s background and ask what her request was about, and thinking that, I turned around at the stairwell.

    ¡°Erm.¡± ¡°E-erm.¡±

    It was at that moment that Yui-san lifted her head as she wanted to ask me something. As we spoke in unison, I could tell, even in the darkness, that her face was turning red, iling her hands wildly. Thus, she lost her bnce, and stumbled backwards, nearly falling over. I hurriedly grabbed her hand, and pulled her back.

    ¡°So-so-sorry.¡±

    Yui-san grabbed my arm firmly. I had been wondering if this person was fine all this while. Once I pulled her up to the stairwell, she hurriedly let go of me, and retreated to the handrail.

    ¡°Erm, I guess you think, tha-that I¡¯m a strange one, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, definitely.¡± Oops, I actually let loose what I was really thinking. Yui-san covered her face with both hands, and copsed on the spot.

    ¡°I-I-I¡®ve always been prone to getting nervous. An-anyway, well, I heard that the Fujishima-san I¡¯m going to askter is some really amazing freeter.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not a freeter. How exaggerated have the rumors spread?¡±

    ¡°Eh? Eh?¡±

    ¡°Ah, no, well, sorry for thete introductions. I¡¯m Narumi Fujishima.¡±

    The weak lights from afar shone upon the emergency staircase, and a cold silence immediately enveloped us.

    And immediately, Yui, squatting on the floor, finally lifted her head, asking me with a look of one seeking the Pole Star.

    ¡°You? Erm, Fujishima-kun, I heard that you¡¯re able to summon about 500 men on a singlemand, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s just apletely baseless rumor!¡±

    ¡°B-but, I heard a lot of things about you, like how the hoodlums who came to mess up a concert ran away terrified once they heard your name, that you crushed a Chinese mafia bank, and managed to figure out a drug trade before the police could¡ª¡±

    ¡°Please use somemon sense. I¡¯m just a high school boy!¡± I pped my own zer. I heard a little of the details, but I was sure what she was referring to, and it really troubled me. Now there¡¯s an additional tail to the story, and also a whole lot of feathers, propellers and machine guns added to it.

    ¡°I-is that so?¡±

    Yui-san grabbed her ears with her hands, and took an exaggerated deep breath, allowing herself to calm down.

    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯mpletely confused. I¡¯m always¡­prone to panicking so quickly.¡±

    ¡°All the time? And to think you¡¯re able to work on TV.¡±

    I really tried to endure the urge, but I let out an annoyed tone. Yui-san shrank back once she heard that.

    ¡°During live shows, my head will always nk out. I have to perform in front of arge group of strangers during concerts, and sometimes, I would faint.¡±

    There has to be a limit as to how terrified you can be, right? Why¡¯s such a person working as an idol that requires more people to look at her? Was it that the job request was to change the bad habit of her being easily tense?

    ¡°So, the freeter we¡¯re going to find isn¡¯t you, but someone else, Fujishima-san?¡±

    ¡°As I said, it¡¯s not a freeter. A detective.¡±

    ¡°Detect¡­ive?¡±

    Right when I was about to ask how the NEET detective agency was introduced to Yui-san, I could hear a fric sound of the door being opened above me, and so Yui-san and I were quiet. Soft footsteps stopped at the stairs before they could descend. Appearing in front of us were blue pajamas and glossy ck white reflecting the weak street lights. It¡¯s Alice; her eyes were widened as she stared at Yui-san and me, her face showing the gradation of a sunset.

    ¡°¡ªWh-what are you dithering for? You should hurry up and bring the customer up to the office.¡±

    ¡°Ah right, doing so now. You don¡¯t have to wee us.¡±

    Hasn¡¯t she beening out more often recently? So I thought.

    ¡°Who¡¯s weing you now?¡±

    ¡°Am I wrong? Then why did youe up?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because you didn¡¯t bring the customer up that I came out to call you.¡±

    Wouldn¡¯t that be weing us?

    ¡°U, uu, anyway, hurry up.¡±

    Alice swung her hair, turned back to return to the office, and mmed the door hard. I sighed, and turned around to look at Yui-san.

    As I expected, Yui-san was rooted to the spot, ck-jawed.

    Following this would be the one most important job for me as a detective¡¯s assistant, even though it¡¯s really, really stupid.

    ¡°Erm, I know it¡¯s really impossible to believe, but she¡¯s the detective.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not just a detective. I¡¯m the NEET detective.¡±

    I could hear Alice¡¯s voice from behind, and I turned around in shock. A tiny slit was opened at the office door, before it closed.

    ¡°¡­E-e-erm, that little girl?¡±

    Yui-san finally spoke up, pointing at the door with the number 308 on it.

    ¡°She¡¯s little, but she¡¯s reliable in her work, so don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Exining this, I thought,

    If Alice¡¯s willing to wear the Sherlock Holmes outfit as she did on Halloween, the customers will be more inclined to believe her.

    I led Yui-san into the office, into the bedroom located deep inside the office, and she removed her sunsses, widening her eyes. However, her gaze was not stuck on the air conditioning howling cold winds like Mount Rokko, not the monitors that filled up three different walls, but at the pile of dolls on the bed.

    ¡°¡­Woah, this is a Steiff Peter rabbit! I-is it authentic? Woah! This white bear! Is that a new product by Kosen? It¡¯s supposedly not sold yet!¡±

    ¡°H-hm? You know?¡±

    Alice was seated on the bed, and put down her keyboard as she stared at Yui-san¡¯s face.

    ¡°My room¡¯s about the same too! But you have a lot of dolls I want but can¡¯t get! This is great! This ck cat is a limited edition product by Jellycat, right?¡±

    ¡°I got it by using an automated bot on an auction. A prize I won after 7 days of continual battles.¡±

    Alice proudly puffed her chest.

    ¡°How nice. Can I touch it?¡±

    ¡°Sure, of course. Get on.¡±

    Yui-san got onto the bed cautiously, and raised the rabbit, kitty, bear and dolphin dolls, hugging them firmly in order.

    ¡°This doll here has a tag, and is old. It¡¯s pretty expensive, right?¡± ¡°Fabrics invented after the Sixties are really rough. I don¡¯t like them.¡± ¡°A serial number!? Ehh, how do I buy one?¡± ¡°I got a Norwegian buyer¡­¡±

    The two girls started to get excited over something I couldn¡¯t understand. Can I just go home already?¡±

    ¡°I got a new color version from this bunny series.¡±

    ¡°Hmm? How did you get it? I didn¡¯t know they released a new color.¡±

    ¡°A coordinator I know has a rtive who designed this bunny. Do you want one?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± Alice was jumping about. ¡°If you have any dolls you want, just tell me. As exchange.¡±

    ¡°Then, I want the same owl doll here!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll contact you when the goodse in. If there is, it¡¯ll reach me directly.¡±

    ¡°Great!¡±

    Yui-san rolled about on the bed. Seriously, what¡¯s she here for?¡±

    ¡°Ohhh, I always wanted to live in such a room! Having a pile of dolls, rolling around on the bed, with bear-san, cat-san and rabbit-san¡­¡± ¡°L-let go! I¡¯m not a doll here!¡±

    Ah, she ended up hugging Alice after all. I thought she wasn¡¯t that kind of person.

    Finally, Alice noticed my stare, and calmed down, deliberately coughing.

    ¡°You didn¡¯te all the way here for the dolls, but something else, right? Let¡¯s hurry into the issue.¡±

    ¡°So-sorry.¡±

    Yui-san got off the bed with a teary face, and again stepped onto the her skirt, tripping over. ¡°Woah!¡± I hastily went forth to support her, and she kept apologizing as she slid down my body, sitting on the floor.

    ¡°I-I really do trip often¡­¡±

    Isn¡¯t it better for you not to go out? I nearly let slip those words. And to think she¡¯s able to make it to the entertainment industry. By the time I realized it, I found Alice ncing aside at me, giving me a cold re.

    ¡°You¡¯re usually so dull, so what¡¯s with that reaction?¡± Alice puffed her cheeks.

    ¡°Wh-what are you being angry for?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not angry. Get Dr Pepper for the guest and me.¡±

    No, she¡¯s angry, right? But I knew that if I said it, I would just make her angry. I moved away from Yui-san, and went to get the drinks from the kitchen. Yui-san saw the red can of 350ml liquid, ¡°Ah, I don¡¯t need it.¡± And smiled as she said it. It¡¯s to be expected.

    ¡°If not, I¡¯ll drink both. Tell me your request.¡±

    Alice drank the two cans of carbonated drinks, and Yui-san fidgeted about, putting her hands together, and opening them. I suppose she was sorting out her thoughts. Only when Alice finished the second can of drinks did she finally speak up.

    ¡°¡­There¡¯s a town park around here, right?¡±

    I sat near the door of the room, leaning my back onto the fridge, and cautiously listened to the conversation.

    ¡°The park near the railway, that ce is going to be built as a ¡®Hercules Park¡¯. I came by a few times for photo shoots and activities.¡±

    ¡°Um. You¡¯re the campaign girl for ¡®Hercules¡¯ this year, right?¡±

    ¡°Y-you know?¡±

    ¡°Of course I do. Even though I¡¯m not a NEET detective who can survey all three thousand years, just a simple search on the name Yui Natsuki gets me thousands of sportwears poster images.¡±

    ¡°Ah, ahh, p-please don¡¯t look.¡±

    Alice was shocked to see Yui-san blushing and waving her hands.

    ¡°What are you saying? It¡¯s your job to be watched. Stop dancing, keep talking.¡±

    ¡°O-okay. Right, and then, when I passed by my park that day, I saw dad¡­or at least, someone who looks like me dad.¡±

    I stared at the back of Yui-san¡¯s head that was covered by the wool cap, and I couldn¡¯t understand what she was saying. What happened to her dad?

    But Alice seemed to realize what Yui-san was getting at, and coldly stared at her, asking,

    ¡°So you¡¯re saying that one of the homeless folk is your father?¡±

    Yui-san nodded quietly. I gulped, and looked back and forth between the brown hair under the wool cap and Alice¡¯s ck eyes.

    Yui¡¯s father was one of the homeless¡­?

    ¡°¡­He left home when I was very young, and I didn¡¯t see him for a few years. It¡¯s only a while back that I so happened to spot him at the park.¡±

    Yui-san grabbed the leg of the bed, and her words were filled with sobbing as she got agitated.

    ¡°I went to look for him several times, but the homeless in the park are gone, and I couldn¡¯t find him. So¡­¡±

    Yui-san¡¯s unable to continue, and Alice stared at her for a while, before saying,

    ¡°Can you please tell me the reason why your father left home?¡±

    Yui-san¡¯s eyes were wandering in the cold winds, seemingly seeking the lead cast by Alice.

    ¡°My dad once ran a spare partspany, and thatpany went bankrupt¡­I guess it¡¯s because of this, and all the creditors kepting to our house, even stationed here long after he vanished.¡±

    ¡°I see. You¡¯re from Aichi prefecture, right? So your father came to Tokyo to escape from the creditors, and there¡¯s a high chance that he¡¯ll be a homeless, but is that really your father?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t be mistaken. That¡¯s really dad.¡±

    ¡°And so?¡±

    ¡°¡­I want to talk to him. Please look for him.¡±

    Alice stared at Yui-san¡¯s face, and turned her face to the keyboard by her hands.

    ¡°Do you have a photo of your father?¡±

    ¡°From more than 10 years back.¡±

    Yui-san took out arge, old photo from her handbag, and on that photo were a few men in uniforms, standing side by side. Yui-san pointed at the man in the middle, and I peered in from behind.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    I let slip a voice.

    I did see that person before. I etched the face of a middle-aged man with healthy skin color and brimming with a rational mindset upon the gruff, arduous image of a man who wandered and suffered for more than 10 years.

    ¡°¡­Ginji-san?¡±

    Yui-san was shocked, and turned around to look at me. Alice too lifted her eyes slightly, and turned around to face the screen. The slender fingers danced upon the keyboard as she used the hi-specs application to find the specified person in the images. There were 6 surveince cameras set up near the office, so the fortress ofputers shielding Alice could search 2 months worth of images.

    ¡°¡­This man?¡±

    Alice turned around, and pointed at a crude, erged figure on the monitor.

    Ginji-san and his homeless friends at the park would asionally drop by at ¡®Hanamaru¡¯ to eat, so there was such a distinct image left behind.

    Ipared the image on the monitor to the photo crumpled by Yui-san. Are they realy the same person? Looks simr, but might not be the same. But Yui-san nodded several times.

    ¡°¡­Dad¡­¡±

    Yui-san¡¯s murmured vanished in the strong breeze of the air-conditioning.

    Alice set the keyboard again, hugged arge bear doll and turned to Yui-san.

    ¡°Before I ept this request, there is something I need you to decide on.¡±

    The ball of wool on Yui-san¡¯s cap sook uneasily.

    ¡°¡­What is it?¡±

    ¡°How much do you want us to help? The homeless call this man Ginji, and he¡¯s one of our friends¡¯ acquaintances. If you simply need me to find him today and tell you where he is, I can do so with a snap on the fingers.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Yui-san leaned forth, her hands on the edge of the bed, and she sounded optimistic.

    ¡°But if you want to bring him to you, that¡¯ll be a different case.¡±

    Alice¡¯s eyes were pointing right at Yui-san¡¯s eyes, and thetter¡¯s eyes lost luster due to her perplexed emotions.

    ¡°Your father left you on his own will, right? He might not be willing to meet you.¡±

    ¡°Uu¡­¡± Yui-san lowered her shoulders dejectedly.

    ¡°The price will be determined on the scope of the work. Decide then. What do you want?¡±

    I could tell from the back that Yui-san was pondering with bated breath, and turned my eyes to Alice¡¯s cold expression.

    Alice today seem a bit like the day when Meo came running in with 200 million yen in her clutches, I thought.

    Alice would only ease upon on the cramped jail or borders in her whenever she epts a Alice. Despite this, she would cautiously swing the sword of words to avoid the de from intruding upon a designated boundary. In contrast, even if some things would hurt certain areas within her, she would reveal the truth.

    Alice wanted Yui-san to determine this boundary, but I guessed Yui-san probably couldn¡¯t understand the intend behind Alice¡¯s words.

    She nodded, albeit in confusion,

    ¡°¡­I want to talk to dad. I have a lot to talk. Please bring him to me.¡±

    Alice briefly looked at me, probably seeking my opinion as the detective¡¯s assistant, I guess. Before nodding, I turned back to look at Yui-san.

    The petite detective buried her chin into the head of the bear doll, and softly noted,

    ¡°Understood. I ept.¡±

    The hour hand ticked towards a new day, and I sent Yui-san to the station.

    The area near this ce was the bustling area in town, but the East exit, where ¡®Hanamaru¡¯ was located, had no night attractions to mention, and only the lonely streetmps stood by the roads with few people. The weather was so cold, my ears were hurting, and I pulled up the cor of my duffle coat.

    ¡°E-erm, that girl.¡±

    Yui-san, walking beside me, nced aside at me as she said,

    ¡°Is a girl like her really a detective? Her room¡¯s filled with dolls. Ah, but I too got excited about dolls like an idiot¡­also, why¡¯s she wearing pajamas.¡±

    ¡°Hm, well.¡±

    It appeared she really wanted to ask Alice, but never did, and held it in. But even though she asked me, I didn¡¯t know how to answer.

    ¡°As you can see, she¡¯s a NEET, and a hacker. She can infiltrate all over the inte to gather information, but this time, she can¡¯t really use this ability.¡±

    ¡°Is¡­that so? I¡¯m really surprised. A little girl like her¡­¡±

    I understand.

    ¡°I saw a lot of beauties since entering the entertainment industry, but this is the first time I saw someone with such zing eyes.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± I seemed to understand, and yet not.

    ¡°If the chairman is to see her, he¡¯ll definitely scout her.¡±

    You got to be kidding. No, Alice certainly appears interesting. I suddenly had an imagination of Alice appearing on Tamori¡¯s afternoon show ¡®Iitomo¡¯, and if Tamori asked her, ¡°Did you cut your hair?¡±, she would certainly snap back, saying, ¡°I have never had my hair cut, not since I was born. You should at least consider my age and the growth speed of the human hair¡±, and all I could do was shiver in fear andugh sarcastically.

    Yui-san¡¯s voice beside me interrupted my stupid thoughts.

    ¡°But why would such a little girl choose to be a detective?¡±

    ¡°Ah, erm¡­I''m not actually sure myself."

    "Aren''t you her assistant, Fujishima-san?"

    "No, but, first,"

    The saliva and disorientation swirled in my mouth in unison.

    "Please stop calling me Fujishima-san. I''m younger than you, right?"

    "But I heard that you''re the go-to freeter here, Fujishima-san."

    "I said I''m not a freeter! Are there really such rumors spreading in the entertainment circle? Did you mishear it?"

    "Then¡­are you a boxer?" "I''m not a boxer!" Even though I did once!

    "A victor?" "That''s thepany releasing your CDs, isn''t it!?"

    "Uuu, I''m sorry, I''m sorry. A minor character like me can''t y dumb in front of you, Fujishima-san."

    "I''m not an entertainer! Is that dumb act of yours just an act?"

    Yui-san looked really terrified, probably because I went overboard with my retorts. Reflecting slightly upon it, I went silently, and turned to look at the dark street, where two long shadows shone upon.

    "Actually, I''m just an ordinary high school boy. If you''re nervous, I''ll get nervous too. Just stay normal."

    "But if you''re just an ordinary high school boy, why did you be¡ªher name''s Alice, right? Why did you be her assistant?"

    "Let''s just say things turned out that way."

    If I were to really exin, the story would be long enough for Arabian Nights.

    "Is that so?" Yui-san nced aside at me, "¡­Good thing we''re of the same age. I thought it would be some terrifying ce like a yakuza den, filled with scary muscr men."

    How much has the detective agency been misconstrued as? However, it''s true that I do know of such people.

    "And that detective''s so cute. We even agreed to exchange dolls. I''m really looking forward to it! Oh yes, I forgot to ask for her contact!"

    "Ahh, then, you can give me a call if you need something." I stopped, and was about to fish out my phone, only to stop. She''s an idol. She can''t be exchanging numbers with ordinary people, right?

    "It''s fine, it''s fine."

    Yui-san smiled, and started the infrared transmission.

    "¡­Narumi? That''s a unique name." Yui-san said as she stared at the data shown on her phone.

    "Everyone calls me Narumi."

    "I see¡­Narumi, kun? Can I call you that?"

    Woah. I''m embarrassed to be called that now. I kept my cellphone in my pocket, and continued to move down the dark pedestrian pathway towards the station.

    The pedestrian pathway''s finally approached the railway, and the ck trees in the park entered my eyes. Yui-san inadvertently hastened her steps, and walked in front of me. Her eyes remained upon the yellow, ck fence in the forest, and in the shadows, one could see some abandoned sheds of cardboard and blue vinyl sheets. There were no residents to be seen from the sheds, and they probably would be torn down and redeveloped into futsal courts.

    For me, that was a ce I had some painful memories of. Back then, due to the issue over taking down the gardening club, I called out Tetsu-senpai and we had a fight on this futsal court to settle things. Thinking back about it, it was embarrassing, and I didn''t want to approach this park. Thus, I never paid attention to the homeless living here.

    "I came here a few times, but after that, I never saw him again."

    Yui-san muttered.

    "¡­So I''m a little worried, worried if he''s really my dad¡­"

    The silhouette stopped at the stairs branching off from the trees in the park, and the ball on the wool cap shook and stopped in a forlorn manner.

    "¡­Once you meet your father, what do you intend to do?"

    I could not help but ask. The wool ball shook to the right.

    "E-erm, I might, if you do meet Ginji-san and get a chance to talk to him, what do you intend to say to him then, Yui-san?"

    "I earned a little bit of money."

    Yui-san said, her back still turned on me.

    "I guess I can help pay off dad''s debts."

    So pleasee back, was it really such a simple wish? I kept hoping for Yui-san to continue, but answering me in turn was silence. The night wind brought over the exhaust sounds of vehicles from opposite the railway, coupled with the music from thete night bars and drunkards making ruckus, sounding really forlorn when they passed through the filter of the fence.

    "¡ªI don''t know."

    Finally, Yui-san spoke with a feeble voice that could be blown away by the freezing winds.

    "I don''t know what I''ll do once I meet my dad. When he left, I was still in elementary school; we were harassed by the creditors, and pushed around by our rtives. Until the very end of her life, mom was badmouthing dad."

    Yui-san continued, her tone akin to dried dirt.

    "So, I don''t know what I''ll do. I don''t know what I should say."

    Whether to hate him, or to reunite with him; that certainly applied to Yui-san''s predicament.

    For some strange reason, I could understand her feelings. if I were to return home and find my dad there, if someone''s to ask me what I would say to him in such a situation, I probably would leave the living room without a word, and grovel in my nket. After such a long absence, our hearts would have been so stubborn.

    "¡­Ah."

    Yui-san inadvertently muttered, and looked towards me. Even with the backlight on, I could see her blushing.

    "What happened?"

    "it''s nothing! Let''s hurry!"

    She didn''t look fine to me. Yui-san mmed my chest with both hands, but I looked over at where she was looking¡ªthe top of the fence separately the park and the railway, and I found my answer. Shown in my eyes was a huge billboard at the top of the building, and on it was a sidelong image of a determined looking woman bending down to tie her shoces and the logo of Hercules. There was no lighting, probably because it was not fully set up. Despite this, I could determine the female artiste on it.

    "So-so I say, please don''t look at me!''

    Yui-san grabbed my shoulders with both hands, trying to change where my body was facing. Despite this, Ipared the hidden, bashful face under the wool cap with the determined face floating in the night sky. Though not to the point of misidentifying them as two different people, I was impressed that there was such a huge contrast in demeanour.

    "There''s already arge-scale promotion activity near the station with lots of my photos. I''m feeling more embarrassed than ever."

    Yui-san covered her face with the muffler, even her mouth. Really, could she actually handle the work in the entertainment industry?

    Suddenly, I realized something.

    "¡­When did the promotion begin?"

    "Eh? Ah, ahh, yes, it started aroundst month when the billboard was up there."

    If it startedst month, it meant that Ginji-san could have seen it.

    Did he find his daughter? They never met since her days in elementary school, so it''s a little tougher now, right? It''ll be great if he found out that it was his daughter. Even if he wanted to y dumb, he might let slip due to a moment of carelessness.

    I instinctively realized that even if Ginji-san was Yui-san''s father, he probably wouldn''t be too willing to meet Yui-san. Thus, I had to cautiously ask him, but how? Was it really okay to ask about the homeless'' past?

    While ponder and walking behind Yui-san, a sharp re of light stung my eyes, and the shrill braking sound hit the guardrail.

    "¡ªYui! What are you doing here!?"

    A blue-purple car immediately parked right by us, and appearing was a tall, skinny man in his thirties or so. He shoved the door of the driver seat, and stormed out. A ck shirt was matched with his leisure suit, and frosty eyes were behind the pale green sses. He didn''t appear to be an enemy, but he was fuming, and I inadvertently took a few steps back. Yui-san cringed back, wanting to cover her face with her muffler.

    "B-b-b-b-b-but I''m on leave today!"

    "I said that you have a rehearsal early in the morning tomorrow. There''s a need to have a meeting!"

    The man red at me angrily.

    "Who are you? Yui, did you¡­what are you thinking, having a boyfriend at such an important moment?"

    "That''s not it! Erm, Narumi-kun is erm, well, Pixar?" Pixar''s an animationpany, but this isn''t the main point here. I exchanged looks between Yui-san and the sses guy''s faces, trying to grasp the situation as well as possible. He''s probably someone rted to the animation industry, I guess? Is he Yui-san''s manager?

    "Anyway, get onto the car! The chairman''s worried too! Hurry back first. We''ll talk on the car!"

    The sses guy grabbed Yui-san by the shoulder, and dragged her into the co-passenger seat. He then gave me a threatening nce, and went to the driver seat.

    The blue-purple car drove off, leaving only the stench of car exhaust all over the ce. I sat on the railing, and sighed.

    I assumed it would be a very simple request, but at this point, I had an annoying premonition. The entertainment industry''s a messy world, putting billions of corporate funds into unstable personalities. This weight will unknowingly torment the idols, and then crush them at a crush point, an abrupt moment.

    Thinking about how I didn''t want to get too involved with him, I couldn''t forget Yui-san''s helpless expression when she failed to close the co-passenger seat.

    I returned to the office, and Alice kept her scowl as she went to the corridor, saying,

    "Why are you here? Didn''t you go home?"

    "Eh, eh? Why? My bicycle''s still parked here at ''Hanamaru'', and I still need to report something to you."

    "And you were sending her off so happily¡­"

    Alice immediately returned to the room. I just got the feeling that she was feeling under the weather, but why?

    I too followed her into the bedroom, and reported about the sses guy.

    "He''s probably Natsuki Yui''s manager, called Washio Kazuto."

    Alice simply answered as she tapped at the keyboard, her back facing me.

    "It''s this man, right?"

    She pointed at the monitor at the top left. Shown on it was a crude image, probably a magazine photo. On the top left was an erged Yui, and there was a man in suit behind her, about to exit the ss door of a building. The sharp re under his sses really was unique, and I could identify him despite the crude image. I guess he''s Yui-san''s manager after all. Doesn''t look decent. Did he remember my appearance?

    "Did you inform the manager of the request?"

    "Of course not." I answered, somewhat peeved. A detective''s most important duty would be to maintain a client''s secrecy.

    "Good. Remember to remain so at all times."

    "right. Understood."

    "A noble NEET like me typically wouldn''t ept this kind of cases, but we''re looking for someone. I shall let you handle everything about this case. I don''t have any affinity with the entertainment industry, after all."

    Once she said that, I recalled what Yui-san said.

    "Maybe you do have some affinity, Alice."

    "What are you saying?''

    I stated how Yui-san felt that the chairman would invite Alice into the entertainment industry, and thetter stopped what she was doing, turning around to face me. She looked as though she had just swallowed a live chick whole.

    "¡­Wh-what nonsense are you saying?" Alice uttered those words, "Even if I do reincarnate 7,000 times, I can''t possibly enter the entertainment industry."

    "Well, I thought so, but you might be unexpectedly suited for it."

    "Wh-what?"

    She hugged thergest teddy bear, and buried her face into it.

    "In other words, you''ll go buy idol magazines with photos of me, fill my A1 posters to the ceiling, and preorder limited editions DVDs of me being filmed for 90 minutes?"

    "I don''t need to. The actual one''s in front of me."

    "Or are you going to bid for clothes I wore, queue overnight for a handshake meeting with me, and buy wax figurines of me?"

    "I''ve never seen wax figurines of idols."

    "Y-y-you just said such a long spiel of shameless folly!"

    "You''re the one talking about it!"

    Alice hide behind the doll, huffing and puffing. She rubbed her palms onto her reddened cheeks, "Anyway, stop thinking about such stupid things."

    "I just thought of it though. If you''re to appear on TV, you might start some strange topic there¡­I wasn''t being serious there, you know?"

    "Of course. I''ll be scared just thinking about thousands of anonymous people seeing me through the television. How am I able to speak out? A NEET detective''s words don''t exist for the sake of appearing on television."

    Alice''s words caused me to imagine her appearing on ''Tetsuko''s Room'' . If Kuroyanagi Tetsuko is to ask, "What interesting things shall we discuss today?", Alice would surely reply, "A detective is the speaker of the dead, only able to hurt the living, and humiliate the dead. Are you willing to listen?" All I could do would be to break out in cold sweat and force a smile.

    "Well, it''s not a good thing for you to show up in public, so you can continue being my detective, Alice." I was saying that she would cause trouble for the likes of Tamori and Kuroyanagai Tetsuko and the other televisionwork people, the hill of dolls suddenly copsed. It was due to Alice rolling about on the bed.

    "Y-your detective? Wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-what are you saying?''

    "What I''m saying¡­just what I think." If you''re going to talk to others with the same tone you talk to me, you''ll definitely anger them.

    Alice looked up, a rare act in that, and tried to probe me, asking,

    "¡­I-is that how you view me?"

    "Well, sorry for saying the truth."

    "Why are you apologizing!?"

    "Why are you angry!?"

    Alice stuffed her blushing face into the dolls, and ducked under the nket.

    "Even without you saying, I''ll support you for the rest of your life with meager pay! I don''t intend to increase the number of stupid assistants!"

    "Alright, I get it." It would be great if there were bonuses. Anyway, what were we talking about?

    "If you understand, go home. I''m not giving any overtime pay."

    Aliceshed out as she peeked out from under the nket. Sighing, I ced the scattered dolls back onto the bed, and walked out of the door. If I had to continue working and talking like this for the rest of my life, I guess it would be a wonderful life. At this point, all I could do was grimace and sigh.

 Volume 7, 2

    <h4>Volume 7, Chapter 2</h4>

    Thus, we soon found Ginji-san. Sunday afternoon, at around 4pm or so, right when I took a step out from the door and was about to ride on my bicycle, the cellphone in my pocket rang. It was from Major.

    ¡°Ginji-san, Mori-san, Conductor and Marienkhof-shi are together with me under the bridge. I only intend to chat with everyone. Oh, remember to buy some beer.¡±

    But I¡¯m underaged. Right when I was about to protest, the phone line got cut off. It appeared everyone forgot that I was still in high school, though there were times even I would forget.

    Leaving aside the fact that I¡¯m underaged, Conductor and Marienkhof-shi should be the names of some other homeless folks. That¡¯s what they would casually call each other. Right, if Ginji-san¡¯s really Yui-san¡¯s dad, he probably has a real name.

    I would be meeting himter, and I had to be cautious when I affirm this.

    Are you Katsuragi Genji?

    I bought cans of coffee from the convenience shop, and went towards the station. The world under the railway was a strange world; every 30 seconds, the train could be heard passing by above, and there were a lot of small bars and stalls cramped there. The sun had yet to set, and most shops had yet to open. The nauseating stench from the hill of trash bags, the crows pecking at the trash, arge number of abandoned, rusted bicycles, homeless seated on them, smoking, being like the precipitate of the city. All these scenes hastened a pedestrian¡¯s footsteps.

    However, the situation today differed slightly. There was the face of an elementary school kid tucked amongst the homeless, dressed in camouge suit and a helmet.

    ¡°Vice Admiral Fujishima! Over here!¡±

    Major spotted me opposite the road, and waved at me. The quartet of men chatting away turned to look at me. While wary of the surrounding stares, I pulled the cor of my jumper, and hurried across the road.

    ¡°Everyone, please have some coffee.¡± The old men reached into the convenience store bag I opened for them, including Ginji-san.

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t it beer?¡± ¡°Well, good for this cold weather.¡±

    ¡°Why are you treating us now, Narumi? Are you nning to end up homeless anytime soon?¡±

    ¡°You can follow Hiro and be a gigolo yourself, guhaha.¡±

    I was nked by two men, and they ribbed me. Conductor-shi¡¯s was dressed in a suit, his hair a color of ck sesame and salt, and might be mistaken for a sryman. The one with the little beer bottle behind his overalls was probably Marienkhof-shi. I could only obtain a vague impression of everyone, but everyone could remember my appearance and face. What¡¯s going on?

    ¡°Narumi, which yakuza are you going to challenge next?¡±

    ¡°The payout was 24 times thest time you challenged the Chinese mafia. Thanks to you, I made a killing.¡±

    ¡°Gamble? I¡¯m not a race horse!¡±

    ¡°Eh? You aren¡¯t talking about that today?¡± ¡°We heard from Major that you¡¯ll provide us some intel.¡±

    Shocked, I turned to Major. He seemed to be discussing something furiously with Ginji-san and Mori-san, and only for a moment did he look up at me. Through the stare under the visor, I could tell he wanted me to make up something. This guy spread lies using my name to gather the homeless. Left with no choice, I could only speak up.

    ¡°Eh, there hasn¡¯t been much going on recently. When we took on the Huang Coalition thest time, Hiro¡ª¡±

    I made up some heroics, and peeked aside at Ginji-san. Really, I couldn¡¯t help but be curious about what they were talking about.

    ¡°¡­I see. Those living in the park and under the bridge were already wiped out. Nobody heard any gunshots, so we can¡¯t tell the gun make from the sounds and the frequency there¡ª¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s able to tell! It¡¯s not like everyone¡¯s a military nut like you.¡± Ginji-san noted.

    ¡°And it¡¯s so dark. Who¡¯s able to tell whether it¡¯s an air gun or something. I thought I got hit by nails.¡±

    Mori-san rubbed his shoulders as he answered,

    ¡°Let¡¯s go check the scene of the crime. Do you know what shoes and equipment were worn?¡¯

    ¡°As we said, it¡¯s too dark, and we can¡¯t see.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not soldiers. Who cares about such things?¡±

    ¡°In that case, can everyone please carrying this recorder along with you.¡±

    Major seemed to be investigating something with the homeless, and Ginji-san cautiously inspected the watch-sized recorder Major took out from his backpack.

    ¡°What¡¯s this? How many microphones have you set up inside?¡±

    ¡°16 directional microphones. I caliberated the angles; it¡¯s my best work.¡±

    ¡°This is too much cost. If you want to mass produce this, you should modte the recorder and the power source at least.¡±

    ¡°Your thoughts are really profit-oriented, Ginji-san. I never thought of that.¡±

    ¡°How about using the electromaic reception from before?¡±

    ¡°Ohh, that can work.¡±

    It sounded as though they were happily chatting. I approached Major silently, pretending to be interested in the conversation, and stared at the devices in their hands.¡±

    ¡°¡­Ginji-san, you seem to know electronics well. Did you study engineering before?¡±

    It was a straightforward question. Major inadvertently stared right at me; it was a taboo to ask a homeless¡¯ past.

    But Ginji-san merely snorted, and answered,

    ¡°It was a long time back. Technology has advanced so much though, and I can¡¯t catch up to Hitoshi now.¡±

    ¡°But the thought process will never age. It¡¯s after hearing your words that I¡¯m starting to think going to a research university might be a good idea. Though this will dy my time as a NEET¡­¡±

    Hearing these words, I suppressed the shock and conflicted feelings within me. Major wanted to go to a research university? He originally dered that he would keep repeating his year until he couldn¡¯t, drop out and be the strongest NEET. On the other hand, it felt as though we were talking about someone else¡¯s matter entirely, as Ginji-san was calling Major Hitoshi. No, the important thing wasn¡¯t about Major, but to hear out from Ginji-san.

    ¡°Do you know how to make a recorder, Ginji-san?¡±

    I nced aside at the recorder in Major¡¯s hand, and nonchntly asked,

    ¡°I can, but it¡¯s not in my expertise.¡±

    ¡°E-erm, your expertise?¡±

    ¡°Making spare parts for cameras.¡±

    I gulped. It was as Yui-san told us, that he worked in a spare parts factory.

    ¡°You also mentioned cost and such¡­were you the owner of apany or something?¡±

    ¡°I did run a business before alright. But why do you seem as though you know?¡±

    ¡°E-erm?¡± I coughed a few times to hide the awkwardness. It appeared I asked too much, ¡°Just thought of it.¡±

    ¡°If there¡¯s something you want to ask, do it.¡±

    My voice was frozen deep within my throat, bringing some pain. I barely forced myself to swallow it.

    I nced at Major, and found that he had already slipped off to the abandoned bicycles where Mori-san, Conductor and Marienkhof were, exining how easy it was to picklock them. He sounded aloof, but he was serious in assisting the investigation.

    Again, I faced Ginji-san, and quietly inhaled.

    One day, I would have to state the truth to him. Better give up on any tricks now. I rather gain his trust and continue with the investigation than find definite proof on him before exining about Yui-san.

    ¡°Erm, actually, I¡¯m the assistant to a private detective.¡±

    ¡°I know, and so?¡±

    Ah, I guessed so. He knew my name after all.

    ¡°A while back, our agency had a customer called Natsuki Yui-san. She¡¯s an artiste. Her actual name is Katsuragi Yuina¡­she requested us to search for her father.¡±

    I stopped, and watched Ginji-san¡¯s expression. However, his face only showed a stoic look.

    ¡°Katsuragi Keiji, that¡¯s the name of the father she told us.¡±

    Again, I paused, waiting for Ginji-san to reply. However, he would not say anything, and I could only hear the noise from the train, the voices of hawkers in cellphone shops, background music from the drug store, exhaust sounds of the passing vehicles, and countless footsteps.

    ¡°Yui-san said that she once saw you when she went filming at the park. She suspected that you¡¯re her father.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Ginji-san sounded as though he was crushing a ball of dirt onto the wall. I was certain that this man was Yui-san¡¯s father.¡±

    ¡°Yui-san says that she wants to be reunited with you.¡±

    ¡°I have no daughter.¡±

    ¡°Just meet and have a talk.¡±

    ¡°I told you I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Yui-san said that she doesn¡¯t hate her father. She just wants to meet you again. Right, she said that she can help repay the debt.¡±

    Ginji-san threw the empty can of coffee into the basket of a abandoned bicycle, got up, and wrapped the muffler around his neck.

    ¡°Thank you for the invite, but I¡¯m leaving.¡±

    ¡±Wait! Please wait!¡±

    I wanted to give chase after Ginji-san only, to hit my thigh onto the bicycle, and nearly toppled over an entire row of them as I barely managed to hold onto it.

    ¡°Ginji-san, where are you staying right now?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a ce to stay. Are you an idiot?¡±

    ¡°I-I know that. That¡¯s not what I mean. I¡¯m asking how to contact you again.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t allow the conversation to end in such dire situation. Even though I felt that I could be rejected, I had to seize my only chance.

    ¡°Go ask Hitoshi.¡±

    Ginji-san straggled a trolley of dirty bags, and went towards the shadows under the bridge. For every step he took, I felt the silhouette of his back shrinking. Thus, I could only stop my hands from holding the bicycle and watch him leave beyond the horizon.

    Ginji-san¡¯s departing footsteps were finally ovee by the noises of the train.

    I inadvertently hugged myself and shivered. Was the sudden cold due to the buildings, or because I just recalled that it was Winter already?

    ¡°Ginji-san left already?¡±

    I turned to look at the source of the voice, and found that Mori-san and the others were already behind me.

    ¡°It¡¯s rare to have a young guest treat us, and he went off.¡±

    ¡°That man¡¯s always scowling.¡±

    ¡°I never saw him smile before.¡±

    ¡°When was that time when Ginji-san went to the job agency in all our stead, and we treated him? Even then, he wouldn¡¯t smile¡­¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s have a bet! First to make Ginji-san smile will take all.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯ll be a huge wager!¡±

    The old men stared at everyone¡¯s tanned faces, and grinned.

    The trio probably sensed that Ginji-san and I were talking about something serious, but nobody asked us. Everyone¡¯s deliberate obliviousness gave me a real sense of warmth, which I guess would be simr to keeping something warm with vacuum? Impossible. What exactly was I thinking?

    Immediately afterwards, someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around, and found Major with his goggles and helmet lifted, looking on with innocent eyes.

    ¡°The sudden investigation failed?¡±

    ¡°Well, yeah¡­¡± I lowered my shoulders. I felt apologetic to Major, who finally managed to bring Ginji-san to me. ¡°Ginji-san can¡¯t go back to the park now, can he? Hasn¡¯t the construction work started?¡±

    ¡°No, he¡¯lle by once in a while. It¡¯s a littleplicated though.¡±

    Major started to exin the situation of the park to me.

    The construction started 4 days back. There were still many homeless huts in the park, and they started work in a somewhat threatening manner. It¡¯s only due to the civilian groups increasing the frequency of protests that the construction work got dyed again. At this point, the park was fenced up, and the n to modify it to a sports park was paused again.

    ¡°Hercules can¡¯t possibly give up on its business ns just because of some protets, and it¡¯s now the cooldown phase. They¡¯ll start work again, so Ginji-san had to move away before then.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯ll be bad. If they move, how can I find them?¡¯

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Major tapped me on the shoulder.

    ¡°I¡¯ve grasped the waste recyclingpany and the shops Ginji-san frequent, and I have Mori-san¡¯s contact, so I¡¯ll be able to find out where everyone lives. Also, for the time being, I¡¯ll be patrolling around specific ces.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡± I stared at Major¡¯s face. Specific ces here would refer to the ces the homeless stayed at. ¡°Why patrol? Because of this request?¡±

    ¡°What are you saying now? I¡¯m investigating on the one who shot the homeless.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    I nced aside to peek at the three old men, holding coffee and chatting about gambling eagerly.

    ¡°I investigated all the ces this week, and obtained lots of evidence.¡±

    Major took out a few transparent stic bags filled with BB bullets and dirt-covered metal scraps.

    ¡°These aren¡¯t things any ordinary person will throw. Must be some maniac who loves to y survival games. This is a small world for us gamers, I¡¯ll be able to catch him soon.¡±

    I felt something was amiss. Why was Major so insistent on figuring out who shot the homeless? He was on good terms with Ginji-san and the others, and he naturally would be angry about it.

    But despite this, it wasn¡¯t like Major.

    ¡­Why was Major not being himself?

    I shook my head to shake off such thoughts. What did I know about Major? We only knew each other for more than a year, and only met at the detective agency. How could I possibly understand the passions and darkness hidden inside his diminutive body.

    ¡°¡­Anything I can help with?¡±

    Major stopped, and turned his head back.

    ¡°I can¡¯t ask you for help, Vice Admiral Fujishima. This isn¡¯t a request.¡±

    ¡°I know it isn¡¯t, but¡ª¡± I was at a momentary loss of words, and tried to find excuses, ¡°Anyway, I just hope that you¡¯ll let me participate. If we can nab the culprit¡­it¡¯ll be like owing a favour, but I guess Ginji-san would be more willing to talk to me.¡±

    It was an excuse based on the heart. But actually, what I was really curious was¡ªwhy was Major being so anxious?¡¯

    ¡°Vice Admiral Fujishima, have you heard of the organizational theory by General Hans von Seeckt?¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± I muttered. Why this out of a sudden.

    ¡°Yourck of hard work really is something toment. Seeckt was limited by the harsh regtions of the Treaty of Versailles to downsize the military, but with his intelligence and indomitable will, he managed to rebuild the German Army, and insisted on the military being a pir of civilian governance. He resisted defied Hitler until the very end.¡±

    ¡°W-wait, Major. Don¡¯t make a speech in the middle of the streets. Everyone¡¯s watching.¡±

    Major ignored my protests, and raised 4 fingers in front of me.

    ¡°ording to Seeckt, soldiers can be ssified into 4 different kinds. Thezy and smart, the hardworking and smart, thezy and stupid, and the hardworking and stupid.¡± For every category he listed, Major bent a finger.

    ¡°¡­Ah.¡±

    ¡°Thezy and smart ones are suited to lead the frontlines. Scared of death, that guy will try his best to think of a way to win easily. For example, I¡¯m of this category. The Major¡¯s a campmander.¡±

    In other words, a willing NEET. Anyway, what¡¯s Major talking about? Did this have to do with me?¡±

    ¡°The hardworking and smart are more inclined to be advsiors. They need smarts toe up with ns, and willingness to work hard for the preparations . For example, Yondaime¡¯s this kind of person.¡±

    Really? Right when I was being sceptical, Major pointed at my nose.

    ¡°As for thezy idiots, they¡¯re suited to bemanders. Never doing anything, and just need to nod and what others say. In other words, you¡¯re the type of person, Vice Admiral.¡±

    I gulped, unable to refute. In any case, I let Major finish what he wanted to say.

    But despite this, I cautiously asked,

    ¡°¡­Then, what about the fourth kind? The hardworking idiots?¡±

    ¡°it¡¯s better if they don¡¯t exist. They work for the wrong purpose, and only serve to spread the damage. What I want to say is that I don¡¯t want you to go from being azy idiot to a hardworking idiot.¡±

    I knew I shouldn¡¯t have asked¡­feeling limp, I sat down on the backseat of a bicycle.

    ¡°Well, only the Japanese would have known of such stupid words. Guess it¡¯s made up.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s with the long talk then!? You wasted my time!¡±

    Major waved at me, and left. I watched him vanish down the path below the bridge, and again sat back on the back seat of the abandoned bicycle. Looking back, I found the 3 other homeless folk had vanished. The sun was setting, and the long shadows of the bicycle and I fell onto the railway. A chilling wind ruffled the convenience store bag.

    I buttoned up my duffle coat, and stood up.

    I waited until the following day, after school, before deciding to give Yui-san a call.

    She¡¯s the client this time, and no matter the oue, I had to report to her. However, when I went to ¡®Hanamaru¡¯, there would surely be people trying to talk to me. Thus, I called Yui-san immediately once I got out of the ssroom.

    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m on the road now!¡±

    I could hear the noise of a road in the background of Yui-san¡¯s voice.

    ¡°I¡¯ll call you againter. Sorry.¡±

    I stared at the phone right after the call ended, and reflected on my actions. She¡¯s a blooming idol, and very busy at that. Calling her at this point would be harassing her.

    I sent her a message, briefly reporting on Ginji-san. It was about how I confronted Ginji-san about Yui-san, only to be denied. However, we got intel on his whereabouts, and I would continue to try and convince him. These words were difficult to express directly, but after conveying into a message, I could easily send it to her.

    I rode the bicycle out of school, and the cellphone in my pocket vibrated. This time, it¡¯s from Yui-san.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have some timeter. I¡¯ll be going to the ramen shopter. I have something to hand over to you.¡±

    I remained leaned on the pir of the school gate, bending over from the bicycle as I read the message thrice. I sighed, and closed the phone.

    I guess I had to exin to her directly after all.

    There was the silhouette of a tall,nky man in the kitchen of ¡®Hanamaru¡¯ that was preparing to open. ck rubber bands were used to roll up his lemon yellow shirt, and he was sorting out the dried goods in the cardboard boxes. Only Hiro could wear such a striking shirt without feeling out of ce, and even in the entertainment industry, not many could do so.

    ¡°Narumi-kun! I heard that there¡¯s some really amazing person with the request this time?¡±

    Hiro noticed me pass through the curtains, and lifted his head, saying,

    ¡°Alice told me, and I was shocked. When that girl debuted on a gravure photo on Young Jump, I knew that Natsuki Yui would strike it big one day.¡±

    Hiro¡¯s the only one in my circle of rtions who was familiar with the entertainment circle, I think I should really leave everything to Hiro, for a moment, that was my thought.

    ¡°I¡¯lle back to work again. This time, I¡¯ll be able to get a chance to meet Yui-chan.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m definitely not letting you to meet her¡­¡± I sighed, and sat in front of the counter. ¡°So you aren¡¯t going to be a gigolo leeching on Yi Ling-san now? She¡¯ll be angry knowing that you¡¯re popping by at ¡®Hanamaru¡¯ often, right?¡±

    ¡°Ahh, I was shooed out from Yi Ling¡¯s room.¡± Hiro chuckled, ¡°Well, I know a Chinese madame, you know? Right now, I¡¯m living in an apartment she bought for me. I haven¡¯t lived alone for quite a while, so I got really bored.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re utterly terrible!¡±

    ¡°No, Narumi-kun, I pale inparison to you.¡±

    What? Don¡¯t say such things that can be misunderstood, okay? However, Hiro went back to the cardboard boxes.

    ¡°Min-san, do I wash the turtle leg? I can grill the fish jaw.¡±

    Hiro shouted into the corridor of the kitchen, and at this moment, ady with a ponytail showed up from there. It seemed Min-san was inside, preparing the broth.

    ¡°Then you can boil the pork belly¡ª¡± Min-san instructed, only to stop midway through and walk out to the kitchen, ¡°¡­No need for that. Why did you enter the kitchen again, you gigolo bastard?¡¯

    ¡°No, I just thought I should help you with work.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re no longer an employee. And how are you able to just show up in front of me without a care in the world?¡±

    ¡°Why not? That madame bought an apartment for me, but my heart belongs to you, Min-san.¡±

    After that, Hiro got chased out, literally kicked up and sent rolling from the back door. I hurried out, and went to the back.

    ¡°Ow.¡±

    Hiro rubbed his backside, and I helped him up onto the old stack of tires.

    ¡°That punch from Min-san¡¯s really powerful. That¡¯s worse than when I got beaten up by Hong Lei.¡±

    ¡°You reap what you sow¡­¡±

    Didn¡¯t he propose to Min-san? What was he thinking?

    ¡°Well, as long as I don¡¯t give up, Min-san will understand my feelings.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re saying such innocent words for a gigolo.¡±

    A fuming Min-san suddenly rushed out from the back door, and Hiro instinctively raised his hands to protect his head.

    But Min-san did not show up to beat him, instead putting arge metal bowl on the wooden table between Hiro and me. There was a hill of garlic there, some even falling out.

    ¡°Hiro, peel them all! Narumi, don¡¯t you dare help him. Let him finish.¡±

    And then, she mmed the back door with enough force to rattle the entire building.

    Hiro-san cautiously lowered his arms, and heaved a sigh of relief, before he began to happily peel the garlic.

    It¡¯s a strange rtionship between those two. Nobody around us gave Hiro a chance of seeding in his pursuit of love, but Min-san never rejected him outside, and seeing them like this, I felt a vague feeling of both gaudiness and relief.

    I felt that Hiro would continue wandering around the many girls out there, and asionallye back to ¡®Hanamaru¡¯ from time to time. In other words, this is Hiro¡¯s home. It¡¯s not the posh apartment the filthy rich madame bought for him, and neither was it the simple apartment of a hostess. His home was at Min-san¡¯s shop.

    Thus¡ªthis was the difference between the NEETs and the homeless.

    ¡°¡­Did you talk to Ginji-san?¡±

    Hiro stopped, and asked me.

    ¡°Eh? Ah, yes. Sorta.¡±

    It seemed Hiro already knew about the request somewhat, and I didn¡¯t have to exin.

    ¡°Is he really the father?¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t be sure. Ginji-san insisted that he didn¡¯t know, that he doesn¡¯t have a daughter. Looking at his reaction though, I guess it¡¯s him.¡±

    I added on to convince Hiro, and looked down at the ground between my shoes. A brief silence was interrupted by the peeling sounds of garlic.

    ¡°That¡¯s tough.¡±

    Hiro muttered. I lifted my head.

    ¡°It¡¯s been 10 years since he left his daughter and home. It¡¯s going to be difficult for her to salvage anything now.¡±

    I too understood this logic. Time would gather all kinds of precipitates, bury wounds and ws, and coagte them. It waspletely impossible to revert matters to normal. By removing the burden of the wounds, all that would be revealed would be more wounds.

    ¡°Even if Ginji-san¡¯s really Natsuki Yui¡¯s father, the daughter earns enough money for her dad to pay off the debts, and start a new life, it won¡¯t be settled that easily.¡±

    I know. Right when I was about to answer, I swallowed back my words. Did I really understand? What feelings did Ginji-san have when he left home and wandered all the way to Tokyo? What feelings did he have when I mentioned about Yui-san to him while he was holding that can of coffe? I didn¡¯t understand anything at all, I guess.

    I guessed Hiro would be more suited for this case. I never heard Hiro mention about his family situation, but he was always wandering around like a drifting nt, and probably understands the homeless better than I do. I guessed he¡¯ll be able to exin the conversation Ginji-san and I had to Yui-san without much difficulty.

    At this moment, Hiro patted my shoulder,

    ¡°But you¡¯re the detective¡¯s assistant, Narumi-kun.¡±

    Hearing that, all I could only do was nod deeply. I felt ashamed for trying to toss a hot potato to Hiro.

    ¡°But Major¡¯s helping with this case, right? Both Tetsu and I aren¡¯t taking action because Alice hasn¡¯t told us to, and it looks like Major has been running around alone. I haven¡¯t been able to get him on the phone recently.¡±

    ¡°Ah, erm, that¡¯s because.¡±

    I exined to Hiro the cases of the homeless being shot at, and his beautifully shaped eyebrows scowled slightly.

    ¡°Looks like Major¡¯s involved in some trouble again.¡±

    ¡°What was he really serious about? I thought he was joking about the pride of a soldier, but he looked really angry about what the culprit did.¡±

    ¡°Really? I always thought he was serious.¡±

    ¡°Always? He said that attacking nonbatants is the worst possible crime, but this is 21st Century Japan, and an airgun was used.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s for real, but¡ª¡±

    Hiro stopped peeling the garlic, and his eyes drifted coldly, aimlessly.

    ¡°I guess this isn¡¯t the only reason as to why he¡¯s so furious.¡±

    I followed Hiro¡¯s stare, and the grey sky between the buildings got gloomier.

    I did see a strange, dangerous presence in Major¡¯s eyes, despite him trying to bluff with some crazy general¡¯s talk.

    ¡®Hanamaru¡¯ was at its busiest after 8pm, filled with all kinds of customers, including the srymen returning from work, the workers at the construction sites, the guards, the college students headed for the next stall, the old man managing a block of apartments, and some hoodlum-like property dealers. The 5 seats in front of the counter were upied by the regr customers of drunkards, and the customers unable to enter had to sit on beer crates turned upside down. The cold drafts from the buildings blew in, and only a small electric heater provided some warmth. Despite this, the lights and red curtains at the doors seemed to attract lots of pedestrians. The crowd showed no signs of abating, and Ayaka alone could not cope with them. Thus, when Min-san popped out of the back door, stating that she was willing to hire for 700 Yen per hour, Hiro giddily put on the short ck apron and ran into the kitchen. I guessed the rumors spread fast, for an hourter, arge group of young women came byter.

    Yui-san just so happened to show up at the ramen shop¡¯s busiest moment. Outside the lights of the shop was a silhouette looking around. Looking at the shape of the wool cap, I could tell it was here.

    ¡°Over here, over here.¡±

    I waved my hand from between the buildings.

    ¡°Narumi-kun!¡±

    Yui-san called me with a voice audible to everyone else, probably because she was relieved to see me, and came running over. I put a finger at my mouth to shush her, dragged her to a dark corner at the back door, had her sit on the old tires, and peeked into the shop. Some customers noticed the back door, but none of them noticed that it was Natsuki Yui.

    ¡°You can¡¯t be loud now. What¡¯ll happen if others notice you?¡±

    ¡°So-sorry.¡±

    Yui-san shrank back, lowered her sunsses slightly, and looked up at me, apologizing. I grabbed Yui-san by the shoulders just when she wanted to peek into the shop, dragged her back, and had her sit on the tires.

    ¡°The one who drove you off on that day was your manager, right? Did he say anything?¡±

    ¡°A lot of things. Is that your boyfriend? It¡¯s a crucial moment now. What are you thinking?¡±

    Ah, I guessed so. She¡¯s a rare breed of proper idols in this day and age after all.

    ¡°Bu-bu-but don¡¯t be mistaken! You really aren¡¯t my boyfriend though.¡±

    ¡°I know. I¡¯m the victim here!¡± Why exin this to me?

    The back door suddenly opened, and the humid air suddenly blew at my neck.

    ¡°Fujishima-kun, is that a customer? Anything she¡¯ll like to order?¡±

    Yui-san lifted her eyes, and just so happened to exchange looks with Ayaka, poking her head out of the door.

    ¡°H-huh? E-eh? Th-this is, Natsuki¡ª¡±

    I frantically got to my feet and blocked Ayaka¡¯s line of sight.

    ¡°So-sorry, Ayaka. Please pretend that you didn¡¯t see anything.¡±

    And appearing beyond Ayaka¡¯s shoulder was Hiro.

    ¡°I heard Yui-chan showed up? Take my ce in the kitchen, Narumi-kun. I¡¯ll take over.¡±

    ¡°You guys.¡±

    While Ayaka and Hiro stood side by side, a terrifying growl could be heard behind them, and a fuming Min-san came out to grab her two employees by the back of their cors.

    ¡°No skimping on your work! We¡¯re not done delivering the customer¡¯s dishes! She¡¯s not one of our customers!¡±

    Hiro and Ayaka were dragged back into the kitchen, and I really expressed my thanks to Min-san before closing the back door.

    ¡°¡­Sorry, everyone wanted to get involved.¡±

    ¡°W-was I found out? That¡¯s weird. I switched to yellow sunsses on this day though.¡±

    That makes it more obvious! I really wished Yui-san had some awareness as a celebrity. I brought her to the first stairwell of the emergency staircase.

    ¡°But this ramen shop owner really seems amazing.¡±

    Yui-san muttered as she leaned her back on the handrail.

    ¡°What¡¯s amazing?¡±

    ¡°Thedy with the ponytail¡¯s the shop owner, right? I met her thest time I came by. She¡¯s really a beauty.¡±

    Beauty¡­? Hm, well, Min-san¡¯s pretty, no doubt about that. I recalled the image of her wearing the wedding dress when she got engaged, and if I did help take a photo of her, it¡¯ll be beautiful. Photos can¡¯t talk or beat people up after all.

    ¡°The girl helping at work¡¯s cute too, and there¡¯s also that employee who looks like a Johnny.

    ¡°Erm, I¡¯ll be serious about this, don¡¯t you ever approach that guy. He¡¯s not a Johnny, just a gigolo.¡±

    Yui-san blinked a few times, probably overwhelmed by my serious expression, and smiled. I then added on,

    ¡°No, this isn¡¯t aughing matter. He¡¯s really a terrible gigolo.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯mughing because you said the exact same words as Washio-san.¡±

    Washio would refer to that fierce looking manager, right?

    ¡°He said he could tell from your face that you¡¯re a gigolo, Narumi-kun, that I shouldn¡¯t be approaching you.¡±

    ¡°From my face!? We only just met!¡±

    ¡°Ahh, I don¡¯t have the time to chat. I came out for a while after an event ended. I still have to rush backter.¡±

    ¡°Next time, say that earlier! Erm.¡±

    I hurriedly pondered about what to say next, and continued on,

    First, about that homeless man called Ginji-san.

    I did tell Ginji-san that we epted a request from Natsuki Yui¡ªKatsuragi Yuina.

    And Ginji-san¡¯s response were, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°I have no daughter.¡±

    And finally, though he had no fixed ce to live at, we could find him if we did some investigations.

    Yui-san kept biting her lower lip as she listened to my report quietly. Once I was done, she merely nodded,

    ¡°I¡¯ll go back to talk to Ginji-santer. Anything you want me to say to him? Oh yeah, didn¡¯t you say you have something to pass to him?¡±

    Yui-san reached her hand into her handbag, and took out a box smaller than a palm. She opened the box that was wrapped in red velvet, and there was a ring embedded halfway in it.

    ¡°¡­So the thing you said you want to hand him is this?¡±

    ¡°Yes. This is my dad¡¯s wedding ring. He left this ring by my bedside before he left home.¡±

    The words ¡®Kenji Katsuragi¡¯ were clearly imprinted on the inside of the ring. I looked up at the side of Yui-san¡¯s face; did she see her dad leave home?

    ¡°I was awake back then, but I overslept, and I wasn¡¯t sure what dad left behind, or why he left home¡­and I just went back to sleep.¡±

    Yui-san¡¯s eyes were hidden under the sunsses, and she looked up at the distant night sky.

    ¡°Every day, he would work until it waste at night, and mom and I were used to sleeping early. My biggest impression of him would be him sliding the fusuma slightly to peek in, and see my upside down face. He would head to the factory every morning, and it wasn¡¯t umon to not see him for 3 days straight.¡±

    Her voice sounded as though it was beyond a curtain.

    ¡°But back then, I was just a kid, and I didn¡¯t know the factory was in dire states, or that I ever thought that dad would vanish. It was almost Christmas, and I kept telling him to stay at home when it was Christmas. Ahaha, I was like an idiot.¡±

    Yui-san wiped her eyes with her fingers a few times.

    ¡°Mom seemed to have known too. She knew immediately what happened on that day. There was the ring by the bed, and the money at home was gone.¡±

    But she didn¡¯t request to look for him. Yui-san showed a hollow smile.

    ¡°After dad vanished, mom spent the next 3 days spaced out on a chair, sometimesughing. She hardly did anything, and the people at the factory helped report to the police to search for him.¡±

    The weather got colder, and I looked away from Yui-san¡¯s face as I leaned on the handrail. The bustling lights between the buildings looked surreal.

    ¡°So, please hand the ring over to him.¡±

    Yui-san pushed the box to me.

    ¡°And told me that mom¡¯s ring is with me.¡±

    I heard from Yui-san that her mother kept cursing the husband for leaving such a huge debt behind and abandoned the factory and family. I firmly held onto this hard sensation in my palm, and it still continued some warmth from Yui-san.

    ¡°I know it¡¯s bad to ask you to lie, but please ell dad that mom wasn¡¯t angry with him, that she wanted to meet him until the very end.¡±

    Yui-san and I looked over at the night sky, in the same direction, and I nodded to her.

    Azy idiot like me would be more suited to convey such a stupid, harmless lie. It would be great if Ginji-san could open his heart a little to me.

    The sound of a cellphone echoed in the chilly night, and Yui-san¡¯s shoulders shook in shock as she hurriedly took it out. However, she merely stared at the phone, and did not receive the call.

    ¡°¡­Ahh, what do I do? Washio-san¡¯s definitely angry with me now.¡±

    ¡°You got to go back now, I just said that there¡¯s still things to do, more or less.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­that¡¯s right.¡±

    Yui-san closed her phone, and slipped into into her handbag.

    ¡°What do I do? Do I have some ramen before going back? I heard that the ice cream here is really good, right?¡±

    ¡°What are you saying? Your manager¡¯s going toe right at us!¡±

    ¡°Well, I have to go back, I guess¡­¡±

    Yui-san leaned her back on the backrest, and bent down. What¡¯s with her? Did she not want to return to her manager than much? I couldn¡¯t see her expression, but that ball of wool on her cap was still bobbling.

    On the other end of the silence were the cheerful sounds of the customers, mixed with the vibration of the phone. Yui-sna shrank even further, and waited for it to stop.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll rest for a while longer. Washio-san won¡¯t know that I¡¯m here.¡±

    I sighed, and scratched my head.

    ¡°Erm, Yui-san, did thepany issue the phone to you?¡±

    I asked, and Yui-san tilted her head slightly towards me, showing a shocked look.

    ¡°Yes¡­but why?¡±

    ¡°I guess thepany had a GPS function installed in the phone.¡±

    ¡°G¡ªP¡ªS?¡±

    ¡°A function that uses the satellites to check on a phone¡¯s location¡ªerm, anyway, the manager can figure out where you are through this function, Yui-san.¡±

    If this idol talent was being so unstable, there would be no doubt she would be forced to use this phone, and thus, it would exin why the manager would suddenly show up in front of us that weekend night. Hearing this from me, Yui-san got pale, and stood up.

    ¡°Wh-what do I do? Just destroy the phone?¡±

    ¡°I said, just hurry back now! Also, give a call to your managerter!¡±

    ¡°U, uu, yes, I guess¡­¡±

    Yui-san lowered her shoulders dejectedly, and began walking down the stairs.

    She¡¯s a dangerous one, I thought as I watched her leave from behind. Her emotional state was highly unstable, and how was she like in front of the cameras? I never saw her on TV before, but I could imagine her going crazy. I got increasingly worried, hoping that she could report good news to me next time.

    I looked back at the little box in my palm. Thinking about it, I was really entrusted with something really significant. Would Ginji-san really ept this? Even if I made a wless lie, he might be able to see through it.

    I supposed I should at least report to Alice, but right when I was about to head up the stairs, I heard frantic footsteps from above. Following that was a blue petite body, and glossy ck hair swaying in the night.

    ¡°Narumi! Why are you taking your t¡ª¡±

    Alice exchanged looks with me, and stood on the taller stairwell, looking too embarrassed to say anything. She looked beyond me, and down the stairs. I turned around to look, and saw Yui-san peeking outside before walking out of the alley.

    ¡°¡­You spent time talking with the client again?¡±

    I turned back due to the seething anger in Alice¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Seriously, you would rather talk to Natsuki Yui than report to me whenever she shows up¡­¡±

    ¡°Not at all. Yui-san didn¡¯t have much time, and I didn¡¯t have anything to report to you directly, so we had a talk here.¡±

    ¡°Nn, mph.¡±

    ¡°You threw a tantrum and came running out of the office thest time.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t angry.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, maybe, I get it.¡±

    I had an idea, and after peeking at the back door of ¡®Hanamaru¡¯, I found that Yui-san was gone.

    ¡°W-what is it?¡±

    Alice¡¯s voice got shrill.

    ¡°You¡¯re Natsuki Yui¡¯s fan, right? You wanted to talk to her, right?¡±

    Alice froze, her mouth partially agape, and evente at night, I could tell her face was turning beetroot.

    ¡°¡­I-I had enough! Why are youing up with such stupid ideas!? Even a Russian who drank two bottles of Vodka is able to talk better than you!¡±

    ¡°I just had a thought¡­¡±

    ¡°Whatever, don¡¯t you enter the office for the time being. Report to me through mail, so that I won¡¯t be infected by your stupidity!¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡± I shrugged. I was always infuriating Alice for some strange reasons anyway.

    I heard Alice teeter up the stairs, and turned my back on her before returning to the back door. I would not do as she told me, to send her a mail once I got home. Having been her assistant for a year, I could deduce what she would do next. Thus, I sat on a beer crate in the cold, damp darkness between the buildings, wheezing.

    And as I expected, 5 minutester, I had the intro melody to ¡®Colorado Bulldog¡¯.

    ¡°I ran out of Doctor Pepper. Get me two crates of them ande back! Ah, I didn¡¯t call you because I knew you were downstairs, and not because I was watching you on the surveince cameras!¡±

    Okay, okay, I said as I stood up. Even I was feeling confused as to why I was relieved by this.

    The next day, after school, I met Ginji-san at the park. A fence was set up at the steps of the park entrance, but there was a man in trench coat opposite the abandoned cardboard house. I parked my bicycle by the road, and wanted to slip in through the fence, only to find someone else talking to Ginji-san.

    ¡°¡­So right now, it¡¯s an important moment for Yui. Do you understand?¡¯

    I heard a man¡¯s harsh voice, and stopped going up the stairs to crouch down instead.

    ¡°Getting suspected would be a bad thing. I don¡¯t want someone like you to show up beside her now!¡±

    ¡°I said that I understand, didn¡¯t I? This has nothing to do with me.¡±

    ¡°Then, please hurry up and leave. If the civilian groups start protesting again, the TV stations will start filming here again.

    ¡°So what?¡¯

    ¡°Don¡¯t you understand? Hercules is promoting Yui heavily right now! Soon after, there¡¯s going to be arge disy out there airing advertisements and promotional videos of Yui. If you got caught on camera, anyone who knows you may recognize you as Yuio¡¯s father.¡±

    The man closed in on Ginji-san, and only then did I see his face clearly. It was the manager, Washio-san.

    ¡°You¡¯re annoying. Just go back already.¡± Ginji-san shoved him on the shoulder.

    ¡°Is it money? If it¡¯s money, I have as much as you need.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need it. I do have my own situation. It¡¯s not as simple as me moving just because you say so.¡±

    But despite this, Washio-san took out arge bundle of notes from his wallet, and shoved it into Ginji-san¡¯s coat.

    ¡°Anyway, hurry up and go! Don¡¯t show up in front of Yui-san again.¡±

    Washio-san poked a finger at Ginji-san¡¯s chest, and then turned around to head down the stairs, resulting in me being unable to hide. He got down the stairs, and stopped in his tracks, meeting me in the eyes while I was foolishly trying to hide by getting down onto the ground.

    ¡°Are you still doing your investigations?¡±

    Washio-san nudged his sses, sounding really frustrated. He walked towards me, and I could only stand up to dust the dirt off my knees.

    ¡°Yui told me everything the previous day.¡±

    ¡°Everything, as in?¡±

    ¡°Whatever Yui requested to you. Don¡¯t go overboard in your detective games, we¡¯re being serious about work here. It¡¯ll probably get Yui hundreds of millions.¡±

    I merely shrugged. As a detective assistant, I had an obligation to keep secrets for my clients. It was possible that the manager was just trying to fish something out from me. He coughed, and returned to the stairs.

    ¡°It would have been fine if Yui was mistane, but that homeless man really appeared to be her father. Damn it!¡±

    Washio-san bitterly grumbled, and turned back to look at me.

    ¡°Listen, there¡¯s a lot of ways to get you to shut up.¡±

    He went by me, and descended the stairs. During the entire time, I did not look back, and quietly stood on the stairs, waiting for the footsteps to depart. Only when I heard the sound of a car engine being activated did I turned around, and the blue-purple car, parked at the dirt road at the bottom of the hill, exited through the pedestrian walkway, elerated, and shrank.

    I continued climbing the stairs, and saw Ginji-san standing under a treet, his hands in his pockets as he watched the car leave.

    ¡°What do you want?¡±

    Ginji-san said those words, and returned to his cardboard house. I ducked past the fense, and caught up to him. There were lots of evergreen trees grown in the park, and between the trees were plywood, blue vinyl sheets and cardboards everywhere. The sun shone above us, but the ce was filled with a gloomy atmosphere. The water cooler in the middle of the park oozed no water, for the tap was wrapped in metal wire and tape. There was no other person to be seen around here.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to say the same things as him, right? Stop bothering me, leave.¡±

    Ginji-san said, and ducked into the entrance of the cardboard house, starting to sort the empty cans he picked up from the ck trash bags. I slowly approached his slender self.

    ¡°Yui-san¡ªYuina-san asked me to give something to you.¡±

    The figure dressed in the trench coat did not waver because of my words. He maintained his usual poise, and continued searching for empty cans from the trash bags, and once he found some, he put them into a transparent stic bag. I sat down beside him.

    When I took out the ring box to show Ginji-san, he finally stopped. The heavy look in his eyes caused me to be unable to open it.

    ¡°You left this behind when you left the house. To give it to dad, she said.¡±

    The ck stained hands started sorting the empty cans. I ostensibly tasted aluminium as I continued,

    ¡°Do you know¡­that Yui-san¡¯s mother has already passed away?¡±

    Ginji-san again stopped what he was doing, and stared at my face.

    Hebed his messy hair backwards, stood up, took out a cigarette from his mouth, stared at the metal fence, and had a smoke. I waited for a while, and he remained silent. The purple and white smoke remained stuck on the thin lens of his sses and the dried hair, almost in a longing manner.

    ¡°Yui-san¡¯s mother didn¡¯t begrudge you for leaving¡­she always wanted to meet you again.¡±

    ¡°Did Yuina ask you to make such a stupid lie?¡±

    I gasped, and swallowed a sigh. As expected, I was seen through.

    No, well, there was still some development. At the very least Ginji-san admitted that he¡¯s Katsuragi Yuina¡¯s father.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know whether that¡¯s a lie or not.¡±

    I continued on with a stoic face,

    ¡°But Yui-san really wanted to meet you again. Even if it¡¯s just once, please meet her again and talk with her.¡±

    Ginji-san slowly puffed out some smoke, gnawed at the cigarette, squatted down, and ced the stic bag full of cans onto a cart.

    ¡°Do you want to know why I left home?¡±

    ¡°¡­I heard that it was because of the debts. The factory didn¡¯t seem to be performing well.¡±

    Ginji-san turned his face away from me, and snorted,

    ¡°Because I got sick of it all.¡±

    I stared at Ginji-san¡¯s sidelong profile.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t as bad as being unable to issue payslips to the employees, and I didn¡¯t exin to them about it. I could try and go to a few more loan sharks, but I got sick of it. I left simply because I got sick of bearing responsibility for my family andpany.¡±

    Ginji-san threw the cigarette onto the sofa, and stomped on it a few times.

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll be happy to meet her again? Don¡¯t be stupid.¡±

    Ginji-san pulled his muffler up, and pushed the cart towards the stairs at the exit of the park. I gave chase after him.

    ¡°Please wait, at least¡ª¡±

    ¡°Stop pestering me.¡±

    ¡°The ring! It belongs to you, at least. I was told to hand it over to you.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡±

    At this moment, I finally found myself to be slightly furious. You¡¯re the one who abandoned your family, took a huge debt and ran off, right! Do you know how much that mother and daughter suffered? It¡¯s all your fault, and you¡¯re acting like that! That Yui-san too, why didn¡¯t she request us just to be able to beat her dad up and grumble a bunch? If she said that, I could have gotten Tetsu-senpai involved without worry to tie him up alive. Why did she just want to meet her father and talk a little?

    The unexpected surge of rage left me speechless. Ironically, what I did this time was exactly the same as that manager Washio-san. I merely grabbed at the hem of Ginji-san¡¯s coat, and shoved the ring box into the pocket.

    Ginji-san raised his hand, and pped my hand away.

    His dirty eyes were ring at me, and I, left with nothing to say, could only retreat. He nced at the pocket that was a lump at this point, and turned his back on me, lifting the cat as he headed down the stairs. The sound of cans shing echoed emptily, gradually departing.

    The next day, the homeless returned to the park. I received a notification from Major at around 8pm, and brought some Japanese beer and ¡®Hanamaru¡¯ dumplings to the park. I could see a weak light shining on the blue vinyl sheets and several people beyond the fence that to cordon people away.

    Even till this point, I was worrying, Is it fine toe in? We won¡¯t get scolded by the police?

    ¡°Vice Admiral Fujishima! Over here!¡±

    The smallest silhouette waved at me. I had no choice but to duck under the fence, and climb up the stairs.

    ¡°Oh, Min-san¡¯s dumplings.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t the dumplings made by Hiro nowadays?¡±

    Major and the homeless scented upon the fragranceing from the stic container in my hands, and approached me.

    ¡°Beer too. You¡¯re getting smart there, Narumi.¡±

    ¡°Erm¡­where¡¯s Ginji-san?¡±

    I scanned the dark park, and found that the tent vige was still quiet. The only ones present were Major, Mori-san and Pe-san.

    ¡°He went somewhere to do some teardown work.¡± Pe=san said. It appeared that he was lucky enough to have some work on this day.

    ¡°I too finally managed to get a picking job at a logistics center.¡±

    Mori-san patted his bald head with his hand, and grumbled,

    ¡°There wasn¡¯t much work, so I was shooed back before noon, and got only half the sry. I was so angry, and I could only snatch lots of cardboard from the furnace.¡±

    Looking down, I found that there were a lot of cardboard that were slightly charred in Mori-san¡¯s cart. The homeless were really a bunch of determined people. It was only recently that I realized that the homeless were really hardworking, not to be lumped with the NEETs.

    ¡°Will Ginji-san return here after he¡¯s done with work?¡±

    ¡°Probably, but I don¡¯t know what time it will be.¡± Mori-san scratched his head as he said this.

    ¡°He was sick, so he didn¡¯t have to force himself to do manualbor. He could work as an instructor instead.¡±

    Hearing Pe-san¡¯s words, Mori-san and Major nodded. Ginji-san was sick? He didn¡¯t look well, but Mori-san and Pe-san both had wrinkles and ash on their faces; they didn¡¯t look healthy either.

    ¡°Ginji-san hasn¡¯t had a fixed home these days. When he can¡¯t sleep because it¡¯s too cold, he would just walk around.¡±

    Major grabbed a dumpling with his hand and gnawed at it as he said this. I widened my eyes; no wonder he was sick.

    ¡°We can only stay here until next week.¡±

    Pe-san said that, and turned around to inspect the tents behind him.

    ¡°No matter how dyed the work is, they¡¯ll definitely start work at the end of the year,test.¡±

    ¡°How¡¯s the situation of the park now? Any developments?¡±

    Major shrugged upon hearing my question.

    ¡°Sooner orter, they¡¯re going to use the administrationws to lock down the park, remove the fence and start work. It might look like it has nothing to do with the protests, but Hercules said that they would keep the old name of the park.¡±

    ¡°¡­Why¡¯s everyone so against rebuilding the park?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Ask them.¡± Pe-san chuckled. Mori-san looked a little gloomy, and told us the details,

    ¡°This ce has always been like this, and not really a park. The only area that could be used was the futsal court, and at night, we would be the only ones passing through. The city council had been trying to chase us out for a while already, actually.¡±

    Mori-san took out a wrinkled cigarette, lit a fire, and took a smoke.

    ¡°It probably started from Sprig this year, when the city council started beautifying the park. You see, the streetmps are new now, aren¡¯t they?¡±

    I lifted my head up, and looked at where Mori-san was pointing. The mini crystal-likemps were glittering atop a tall pir beside the fence. It was true that it felt out of ce here.

    ¡°They cleaned up the graffiti on the wall, the murals and had more flower beds nted here. Of course, we wouldn¡¯t move away that easily.¡±

    ¡°This guy here is really stubborn. Pe-san pointed his chin at the tents, ¡°They can¡¯t be moved easily, and the city council hasn¡¯t really chased us away, so we ignored them.¡±

    ¡°But the town council only started chasing people away for real after the fire in August, right?¡±

    Major interrupted,

    ¡°Ahh, yes. It¡¯s probably due to the fire in August.¡± Pe-san said, ¡°The trash, cardboard, and a house got burned down. So this fire was med on us¡­¡±

    The homeless felt that the city council hardened their stance after the fire, and quickly sold thend to Hercules Company as a park in name to renovate into a sports park.

    This announced n for this area was to develop this ce into ¡®an area for youth culture to be expressed¡¯, and the renovation of the park itself was probably part of it. Ironically, the spokesman for this n was Natsuki Yui, the daughter of a homeless, Ginji-san, who had his home robbed by the n.

    ¡°If they really start tearing down the ce for real, what will you do?¡±

    Major lowered his voice, saying this,

    ¡°If you need any weapons to fight back, I can lend you some and teach you some fighting techniques.¡±

    ¡°Idiots, we won¡¯t be doing anything.¡± Mori-san puffed some smoke out of his nostrils. ¡°Once our houses are taken down, we¡¯re running away.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re running away? But isn¡¯t this your home?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not a home. We¡¯re homeless. Listen. We¡¯re home, less.¡±

    I was taken aback due to Mori-san¡¯s sudden aggressiveness, and stared at his face.

    ¡°Some call us wanderers, unemployed, or beggars. Some stand up for us, saying that those are words of prejudice, that we should be called street buddies. But I think calling us ¡®homeless¡¯ will be the most urate in this case.¡±

    It was about half an hourter when Ginji-san returned to the park. Mori-san, Pe-san, and Major gulped down what was about a liter of beer, and they, being all drunk, were starting to excitedly discuss exaggerated topics like covering Himeji Castle with carboard, building a Rolls Royce with vinyl sheets, and empty cans to build an F-22 and so on. I had enough of it, and got up to turn away, only to hear footsteps.

    The silhouette entered my sights, and I saw messy hair and the sses reflecting the flect.

    ¡°What are you doing? Stop fooling around.¡±

    ¡°Ah, Captain Ginji¡¯s back! Sorry for finishing all the rations!¡±

    Major saluted to Ginji-san with a reddened face. They really did finish up all the dumplings. Ginji-san nced at the drunkards, and nced at me.

    ¡°¡­What? More things to talk to me?¡±

    ¡°N-nothing.¡±

    I averted my eyes swimmingly. I did say what I had to, but I had yet to report to Yui-san.

    ¡°Can I message Yui-san right now? Tell her that you¡¯re here, Ginji-san?¡±

    ¡°You can, but I¡¯ll be gone after this.¡±

    Ginji-san looked annoyed, and sat on a cardboard boxid on the floor. Mori-san and pe-san were drunk and copsed onto the floor, while Major offered the bottle of beer that was almost finished to Ginji-san. Thetter received it, pulled his muffler down, and took a swung at it. I, still perturbed, continued holding the phone.

    ¡°You¡¯re being foolish here. Couldn¡¯t you have just sent it discreetly?¡±

    Ginji-san lifted his eyes and said to me, but I shook my head. Even if I did send the message discreetly, it was pointless. Yui-san¡¯s request wasn¡¯t just about us finding someone. I sighed, and closed the phone. With Yui-san being so busy, she wouldn¡¯t be able to make it in time even if I did send a message to her.

    ¡°Just ignore the obtuse Vice Admiral Fujishima for now.¡±

    Major pushed me aside, and sat in front of Ginji-san.

    ¡°I have something ask of you, Captain Ginji.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s about the shooting of the homeless, of course!¡± Major took out a tptop from his backpack, and the monitor showed a map near the station. ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to gather the intel sessfully. I can¡¯t grasp where all the homeless are, and everyone isn¡¯t willing to help you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because everyone feels that you¡¯re like those brats, Hitoshi. When you¡¯re dressed up like that, you¡¯ll be mistaken, and your bag definitely has a whole lot of air guns.¡±

    Major was shocked, and lowered his head to look at his military getup, furiously patting the chest of his camouge uniform.

    ¡°Don¡¯t lump me with them! This is the uniform of the famous British Army!¡±

    ¡°Who knows?¡±

    ¡°Anyway, Ginji-san, can you please help me sort out every homeless around here? They¡¯re your subordinates.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not my subordinates.¡± ¡°I¡¯m willing to be a military advisor and exin what to do when they¡¯re attacked, so please lead them.¡± ¡°I said they aren¡¯t my subordinates.¡±

    Suddenly, a sound interrupted that conversation that was going nowhere. The dried pelting sound could be heard in the knight, flicking the sand grains. Major was the first to react, and put his little body in camouge suit onto the ground.

    ¡°Get down!¡±

    Major shouted, and I too cupped my head with my hands, while Ginji-san clicked his tongue and hid at the trees. Major remained on the ground as he dragged Mori-san and Pe-san, still rolling about on the ground, to a cover of the shelter. A dry sound again grazed by my ear, and I found a stinging hot pain from my neck to my shoulder, causing me to copse onto the sandy ground.

    ¡°Vice Admiral Fujishima!¡±

    Major came running over, grabbed my arm, and at the next moment, I was dragged forcefully into the shadows. I remained lying on the ground, touching my aching neck. Was that really the damage from an air gun? I could feel an icicle stabbing at me despite me wearing a duffle coat. Was that really just a toy gun?

    The shooting sounds got dull, and I found that it was because the bullets were shooting through the wall on the other side. At this moment, I was startled, the other side? Opposite the fence was the railway! Where¡¯s the shooter firing from?

    The sounds of the passing train overwhelmed the gunshots. I stopped breathing, closed my eyes, and quietly waited for the passing train to move down the tracks. Finally, it was quiet all around again.

    I opened my eyes.

    5 people frozen in fear were hidden in a corner of Ginji-san¡¯s tent. Major was the first to stand up, and he poked his head out from a corner of the tent to observe the railway opposite the fence; beside me, Ginji-san coughed a few times.

    ¡°U¡­n?¡± ¡°It¡¯s noisy¡­¡±

    And the two drunkards continued stleeping, rolling about.

    ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous. Don¡¯t show yourself now.¡± Major said, ¡°Ginji-san, can I check your tent?¡±

    ¡°What do you want?¡±

    The bullet shot through the tent, and I want to take back the bullet. Looking at the angles they¡¯re fired, I can guess where the shots came from.¡±

    ¡°Do whatever you want.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re probably fired from a building opposite the railway¡­¡± Major red at the shadows opposite the fence, and I felt a chill.

    ¡°Can an airgun really fire that far?¡±

    I rubbed my aching neck as I asked. Major turned around, pulling down his goggles for some reason, and narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°Thergest effective range of an air gun is 50m, and impossible to shoot through cardboard. In other words, they aren¡¯t using toy guns now.¡±

    Major grabbed my cor, opened my coat. From the reflection of his goggles, I could see red marks on the neck.

    ¡°Looks like there¡¯s another reason as to why I can¡¯t ignore this.¡±

    That Saturday evening, I received a message from Yui-san.

    Ever since thest time I reported to her, I couldn¡¯t call her, and I did not receive a reply to my message. I thought I finally managed to get through to her, but the message stated ''Come to the studio so that we can talk directly¡¯. What was she thinking? I¡¯m not involved in the entertainment industry.

    But it was a request from the client, and I couldn¡¯t ignore it. If I went off without telling Alice, she would be infuriated for some strange reason, so I decided to report beforehand.

    ¡°Then hurry up and go! Enjoy yourself while you watch an idol live performance.¡±

    Alice, still on the bed, red at me as she said this,

    ¡°I won¡¯t. I¡¯m not interested in that. I¡¯m going to work.¡±

    ¡°How passionate you are about work.¡± There was spite in her words, ¡°Then bring these things over to her.¡±

    I tucked the things Alice prepared into the bag, and left the office.

    The slope linking to the west side of the station was filled with lots of people and vehicles, and as I rode the bicycle up the slope, I got honked at, while the hem of my duffle coattched onto some pedestrians from time to time. A slight turn to the left in the middle of the slope was the office of Hirasaka-gumi, so I was familiar with the area. However, I hardly went beyond there. I made a wrong turn, and was lost for quite a while.

    By the time I arrived at the studio building, it was way beyond the 5.30pm meeting time we agreed on. The intimidating, new building was at least 10 levels tall. I could not find a parking rack, and could only park my bicycle by the road before entering through the automatic doors. Once I entered, I felt stares from the people I passed by, and I was inadvertently grateful that it was a Saturday. If it had been an ordinary weekday, I would be chased out due to my school uniform.

    The atrium hall was 3 levels high, akin to a posh hotel, and there were severalrge chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. The four esctors right in front of me reached high up like ck waterfalls. I saw the bulletin board, and found that not only were there studios, but also event stages of all sizes, offices and gyms. Many people were passing each other in the hall, and I was momentarily overwhelmed by the atmosphere in the hall, unable to move.

    I recovered, and went to the reception to the right. Thedy receptionist nodded at me with apletely professional face, but when I timidly said, ¡°Erm, I¡¯m looking for Natsuki Yui-san. This is Fujishima.¡± The receptionist¡¯s smile seemed to be stained by a fog.

    While the receptionist was making a call, I leaned at the edge of the counter, watching the crowd moving in the hall. Suddenly, I heard a voice behind me, ¡°Hey, you.¡±

    Me? I turned around, wondering, and found a fierce looking man with light shades standing behind me. I was so startled, I nearly eximed and jolted in shock.

    ¡°Quiet. Come with me.¡±

    It was Washio, the manager. He was dressed in a cream colored suit and a mustard colored shirt, not wearing a tie. He really resembled a yakuza member. I never expected him to show up out of a sudden, and cringed, only to be grabbed by him on the arm and dragged to the elevator.

    ¡°Eh, ah, I-I just so happened toe by today.¡±

    ¡°Enough with those stupid excuses. Yui ltold me.¡±

    ¡°Eh? Eh?¡±

    We were the only two inside the elevator, and Washio gave me a bare-faced re.

    ¡°I thought it was strange. Why would she make a request to you, an unknown high school boy ying detective?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Listen up. From now on, don¡¯t you meet up with Yui outside. Only when I allow you to meet her.¡±

    I didn¡¯t know what Washio was getting at. What exactly was going on? This man hated the idea of Ginji-san and me getting involved with Yui, so why did he be so straightforward?

    The elevator stopped at the 9th level. Washio led me to a restroom around the corner of the corridor, and there were several chairs in the cramped space, arranged in 3 sides of a rectangle. On the right were lockers, and there were 3 dressing tables to the left. There was no one in the room, just a 40 inches or so TV on the room opposite me, airing a music vido. IT seemed theughter and image visuals on the other side of the corridor were connected here, which means it was a live telecast of the studio. I endured the displeasure in my heart, and went for one of the chairs.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare get out from here.¡±

    Washio said those words, and left the room.

    I had nothing to do, so I watched the monitor. There were many young men and women seated in a fan shape, while a veteran host and a particrly eyecatching girl were seated in the middle of the first row. I was wondering where I met this girl before, before realizing it was Yui-san. She had her hair tied up, her shoulders exposed in a sporty manner, and with some suitable amount of makeup, she looked more dazzling than she did at the ramen shop. She wasn¡¯t wearing sunsses too.

    But that was not the only reason why I couldn¡¯t recognize her immediately. Yui-san on the monitor was being sexually harassed by the host, but she easily sidestepped it and directed the topic to herself, before diverting it to others again; she could smile at the harsh retorts, always giving an adorable charm. For the first time, I understood that Yui-san was a professional idol, understanding this clearly without the posters and word of mouth. To be honest, Yui-san was more interesting that the host talking.

    I guessed the cut was shouted, since the actors began leave their seats. Someone probably opened the door to the studio, since I could hear buzzing and apuse from the audience.

    I was frozen.

    I sensed that there were two sets of footsteps approaching behind me, followed by the sound of the door knob being turned.

    ¡®Listen. You get only 15 minutes.¡±

    The manager leaned in from the door, and sternly warned a certain person on the corridor. Once door, he escorted her into the room.

    Yui-san, who was just on the monitor moments ago, entered the room, and upon seeing me, gave a look of relief.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let anyone else hear your conversation. Talk, and don¡¯t do anything funny.¡±

    Washio pointed at me, gave Yui-san a nudge on the back, closed the door, and went out. I couldn¡¯t understand what was going on. Why was Washio-san helping us out of a sudden?

    ¡°Narumi-kun, I¡¯m really sorry about this!¡±

    Yui-san stumbled into the room, and sat on the chair beside me. Our knees touched, and I jolted in shock, causing the chair to make a weird sound.

    ¡°I was busy, and Washio-san was monitoring the phone and messages, so I couldn¡¯t contact you.¡±

    ¡°E-erm, so, why did he allow it today?¡±

    ¡°E-erm, that¡¯s.¡±

    Yui-san¡¯s eyes were swimming around.

    ¡°Actually, Washio-san was suspecting if you are, erm, my boyfriend, Narumi-kun.¡±

    ¡°I guessed, so why¡ª¡±

    ¡°So I just lied to him and said that, yes, you¡¯re my boyfriend.¡±

    ¡°Ehhhhhh!?¡±

    I could not help but exim madly, and Yui-san panicked, covering my mouth with both hands.

    ¡°So-sorry.¡±

    My heart raced due to Yui-san¡¯s soft hands, and I left the chair.

    ¡°B-but, why did you do that?¡±

    ¡°I told him I felt lonely not meeting my boyfriend, and looked a little broken down. I even stubbornly said that I couldn¡¯t sing if I can¡¯t meet my boyfriend. So I just so happened to be able to meet you.¡±

    Stunned, I look up at the ceiling.

    I see. Looking at how well it worked on this day, that really was a great idea. This could exin the change in the manager Washio¡¯s attitude. That really was kind of bold.

    Ahh, this isn¡¯t the time to be moved. I got only 15 minutes.

    However, I didn¡¯t have the courage to move on to the main topic. First off, I handed what I received from Alice to her. Yui-san opened theyers of protective papers, and appearing there was a little owl doll.

    ¡°Wah¡­wahhh!¡±

    Yui-san¡¯s eyes dazzled, and she pressed her cheeks onto the owl up. This was something she requested from Alice, and I knew the name and origin of it.

    ¡°This owl is called Minerva, right? The goddess of wisdom and courage.¡±

    ¡°Alice-chan still remembers our promise. I¡¯m happy. I couldn¡¯t get my side quickly enough, so I guess I¡¯m just receiving now. Please thank her, Narumi-kun.¡±

    UnderstoodI nodded. An awkward silence descended on us.

    For we both knew what we had to talk about next,

    ¡°¡­I wonder, if Alice-chan isn¡¯t the detective, and I¡¯m the requestor, and that if we¡¯re both friends who bond over dolls¡­¡±

    Yui-san showed a faint smile as she muttered to the owl doll.

    ¡°But we¡¯re can¡¯t just be that though. I was the one who requested Alice for help.¡±

    I nced at Yui-san¡¯s sidelong face, and realized immediately. She had already known I came to deliver bad news.

    But I had to tell her,

    ¡°¡­I gave the ring to Ginji-san¡ªahh, no, Kenji-san. He wasn¡¯t willing to take it, so I shoved the ring box into his pocket.¡±

    Most of the efforts of a detective assistant would be devoted to delivering painful news.

    ¡°I told him about your mother, but,¡±

    He found everything to be a hassle, and ran off, leaving his family and factory behind.

    At this point, he did not want to reunite with his daughter again.

    I ryed what Ginji-san said, and heard Yui-san squirm, nodding as though her neck was frozen.

    ¡°B-but¡­at the very least, there are two good news.¡±

    Saying that, I peeked at Yui-san¡¯s face. As she appeared on TV, her face had some make up on, but even though she had a smile on, there was some frostiness.

    ¡°Ginji-san won¡¯t deny that he¡¯s your father, and it¡¯s not like he¡¯s trying to hide it now.¡±

    ¡°I-I see.¡±

    Yui-san again looked at the owl on her knees.

    ¡°Another good news is that Ginji-san seems to be returning to the park recently. The protests caused the work to be dyed.¡±

    ¡°Then.¡± Yui-san lifted her head, her eyes regaining life.

    ¡°If you have time, please notify me when you can go meet him at the park, if he¡¯s there.¡±

    Yui-san nodded.

    I probably had no more opportunities to show up, since I was an outsider. I had no weight in my words, and all I could only do was to honestly convey the necessary, tragic steps for a detective to take.

    ¡°If you find that there is no further progress after meeting him, this request will be considered over. You just need to make the day payment. We won¡¯t be collecting the sess bonus.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Thank you.¡±

    It was troubling that the client would thank us at such a moment. Yui-san had her hands ced on mine, which were on the table, and this left me speechless.

    I took out the phone, and checked the time. It was almost 15 minutes, about time for me to leave, and if I continued to drag on, Washio-san would get impatient.

    But Yui-san¡¯s fingers continued totch onto my backhand, not letting go.

    ¡°¡­Yui-san.¡±

    ¡°Eh? Ah, y-yes.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s about time.¡±

    ¡°I-I, see. Yes.¡±

    Yui-san stood up, and ced the owl doll on the table. She was dressed in a bareback dress and a short skirt, rendering me clueless as to where to look. However, this petite body would have the stares of thousands, the cameras and the spotlights on her.

    Yui-san ced her hand by the edge of the table, not moving at all. What¡¯s the matter?

    ¡°¡­Yui-san, are you?¡±

    ¡°Wh-what is it?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re being nervous, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Y-yes. But I¡¯m always like this. Deep breathing, deep breathing.¡±

    Yui-san kept tiptoeing over and over again. I saw the gloomy figure on her neck, and found that what was tormenting her wasn¡¯t tension. Why did she look so simr to Ginji-san from behind.

    ¡°When you said you aren¡¯t feeling well, you¡¯re for real, right?¡±

    Yui-san stumbled back onto the chair, and turned her head slightly, giving me a feeble look.

    ¡°¡­Did you find out?¡±

    ¡°I had a feeling.¡±

    ¡°I guess I¡¯m not feeling well after all.¡±

    The slender neck turned side to side for a few seconds.

    ¡°Narumi-kun, have you taken a boat before?¡¯

    ¡°¡­Eh?¡±

    ¡°Have you taken a boat for an entire day?¡¯

    ¡°If it¡¯s a ferry, then yeah.¡±

    ¡°After wobbling on the boat for an entire day, you¡¯ll feel like you¡¯re wobbling at night, right? On a night after skiing all day long, you feel like you¡¯re always skiing in your sleep, right?¡±

    While I did understand that feeling, why did she mention this out of a sudden?

    ¡°Right now, I have that feeling going on. After entering the entertainment industry, whenever I close my eyes, or sleep, I just feel like I was dragged elsewhere against my will.¡±

    Yui-san rubbed her bare shoulders, muttering,

    ¡°I don¡¯t know whether this is a good thing or not, but I don¡¯t know where I am, what I¡¯m doing, whether I¡¯m sleeping or awake. When I look at the recordings, I find a different girl there, that the one who¡¯s been kindly treated by everyone else is a girl who¡¯s simr to me in appearance and name. Where¡¯s the real me, and what am I doing?¡±

    I stood being Yui-san, trying to think of words to console her. I felt that she was stumbling towards a dangerous cliff, unable to hear anyone¡¯s voice. I felt that my chest was being clogged.

    I forced myself to exhale somewhat, and said to Yui-san,

    ¡°I.¡±

    Yui-san turned her head around, her little ear facing me. I sorted my messy thoughts into words, and continued,

    ¡°I like any aspect of you, Yui-san.¡±

    Saying that, I felt ridiculously remorseful. Yui-san stared right at me, showing a perturbed look, and immediately blushed.

    ¡°Ah, no, that¡¯s, well, I say that you look pretty on TV, but you¡¯re cute wearing the wool cap and the sunsses though.¡±

    I kept rambling excuses, and Yui-san got increasingly reddened. She waved her hands, and said,

    ¡°Y-you can¡¯t be saying such words without thinking it through!¡¯

    ¡°Sorry, I couldn¡¯t exin myself very well. Anyway, I hope that you don¡¯t be too stubborn, and, in other words.¡±

    At this moment, a heavy door knock could be heard.

    ¡°Yui, they¡¯re done with the settings.¡±

    Never had I been grateful for Washio-san¡¯s appearances like I did at this point. Yui-san lowered her eyes as she hammered my shoulder, and I could not see her expression.

    ¡°¡­Thank you, Narumi-kun.¡±

    She whispered her thanks to me, and turned around to leave the rest room.

    Washio-san poked his head through the ajar door, and red at me,

    ¡°Stay here. It¡¯ll be troublesome if you¡¯re spotted wandering around. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±

    He closed the door hard, and left me alone in the room. I could only sit on the chilly seat weakly.

    The noise of the crowds, the drums and bass could be heard from the floor.

    I turned around, and found there to be a different studio from the monitor before. At the bottom of therge stage were people in ck. The blue lights shed across the scene, and the spotlights crossed as the cheers echoed. Yui-san ran under the lights, showing a smile clear of any fog. Again, I realized the fact that she was a professional idol. The rhythmic bell sounds ovepped with the riffs. A snow crystal shone upon the stage. Yui-san held onto the microphone, beginning to sing as though she was exhaling.

    That evening, when I walked out of the studio and head for the office, I again spotted Ginji-san at the park. As the days were short and nights were long in December, it was dark. I could see a silhouette under the dim streetmp, but upon noting the unkempt long hair and the muffler, I realized it was Ginji-san.

    I parked my bicycle by a pedestrian pathway with few people, crossed the guard fence, scaled the stairs and entered the park. I unwittingly hushed my footsteps, but he noticed me immediately. Ginji-san stopped what he was doing, and his hand was holding tape. Due to the reflection, I could not determine the expression of the eyes under the sses. He continued his work wordlessly, seemingly trying to patch up the holes caused by the air guns. In other words, he would keep the tent here for the time being, and I heaved a sigh of relief.

    Next, all I had to do was to leave things to Yui-san herself, and I probably had no chances to show up again. Thus, I wordlessly nodded to Ginji-san, and walked out of the park.

    I cycled slowly towards ¡®Hanamaru¡¯, and suddenly, I heard a melody from afar. I stopped, and turned to the darkness to my left.

    On the other side of the railway, there was arge rectangr block of light to be seen in the middle of the buildings. I did not know when, but there was arge TV disy on the wall of the building. Shown on the screen was a snowy background, and the girl was singing the song I just heard in the studio.

    NATSUKI YUI NEW ALBUM 12/24 ON SALE¡­

    A Christmas song.

    The passing train blew aside the weak singing voice.

    I affirmed my white breath, kicked the asphalt, and pedalled hard again.

    ¡°It seemed you don¡¯t know what is going on.¡±

    Alice was seated on the bed of the office, tapping at the keyboard as she said unhappily,

    ¡°Us NEETs pride ourselves on a 100% sess rate, and use that as a guarantee. I left the case to you, and this is how you end up as.¡±

    I reported to Alice that it might be impossible to fulfil Yui-san¡¯s request, and wasmbasted to such an extent. I was forced to kneel before the bed.

    ¡°And yet you act so shamelessly in asking for payment by days. Did anyone tell you to do such a shameless thing? If you fail, of course you won¡¯t get a single penny!¡±

    ¡°Ah, is that so? You said that there¡¯s a payment by days, so I thought I would get some.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s payment on the basis of sess.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­you would pay Tetsu-senpai and me by days every time, so I thought that has to be included.¡±

    ¡°Of course I¡¯m paying you based on what I earn. If you really want money, I¡¯ll ssh the cash now. Experience the humiliation of daring to im money despite your failure!¡±

    After being told off to such an extent, all I could only do was shrivel into a ball under the chilly winds.

    ¡°Of course, there was no time limit in the request, so you should continue to try until the client tells you to stop. You decided to stop this case without reporting to me. What were you thinking?¡¯

    ¡°Yeah¡­that¡¯s right.¡±

    Upon hearing my feeble voice, Alice stopped typing, and turned towards me.

    ¡°What? You have been as limp as boiled seaweed. It looks like you have given up any hope onpleting this job. Did that manager obstruct your work?¡¯

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡±

    I see. So I looked really looked dejected after all. Even I got to realize it.

    I supposed that was because I saw that cold, dazzling world, where Yui-san was about to melt like a snowke in front of me, only to show up under the spotlights minutester, giving an elegant smile that could be seen thousands of kilometres away. Yui-san could take it, and yet I could not despite watching from the sidelines.

    I reported everything to Alice. I was called to the studio, dragged by the manager Washio to the rest room, and saw the live recording.

    ¡°Rest room?¡±

    Alice raised an eyebrow as she drank a sip of Dr. Pepper.

    ¡°Why did the manager allow you into the rest room? Hearing your report, that man called Washio probably wouldn¡¯t want you to meet Katsuragi Kenji or Natsuki Yui. Why did he help you today?¡±

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s because.¡± It was a little difficult for me to exin, so I paused, ¡°Yui-san said that I¡¯m her boyfriend for some reason.¡±

    The crimson red can slipped from Alice¡¯s hand, and the drink inside was sttered onto her knees. ¡°Hyaa!¡± she let out a strange noise.

    ¡°Alice, yo-you alright?¡±

    I got up, and Alice quickly ced the can back onto the side table, before throwing the soaked nket at me. Good thing it was just the nket, socks and pajamas, and not the bedsheet.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get new pajamas for you.¡±

    ¡°Y-you don¡¯t have to do that!¡±

    ¡°No, but your pajamas are soaked in Dr. Pepper. Ants might crawl on you.¡±

    ¡°Someone like you can just agonise 3 days and 3 nights by therge ants of South America! My wet pajamas don¡¯t matter; more importantly, wh-what did you just say, that you¡¯re Nasuki?¡±

    ¡°So I said, I¡¯m her boyfriend for the time being.¡± Isn¡¯t it more important for you to have your pajamas washed instead of this? So I thought.

    ¡°Yo-you dare do such uncouth things on the basis of your work? You shameless scoundrel!¡±

    Alice¡¯s ck hair was levitating as though it was powered by static electricity, and she was furious.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t see you being determined enough to work towards your goals. I underestimated you!¡±

    The little fists smacked the pillow a few times, ruffling up dust.

    ¡°C-calm down, Alice. I said that Yui-san made such a lie.¡±

    Alice¡¯s fists lost strength, and sank into the pillow, her alreadyrge eyes widened further.

    ¡°¡­Lie?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s an idea she came up with to bluff her manager and continue contacting me.¡±

    I tried to exin, and Alice showed a perplexed look, before her face becamepletely beetroot.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say that at first!?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because you always kick up a fuss without listening to others!¡±

    ¡°U, uu.¡± Alice patted her knees and groaned, ¡°It¡¯s because your reporting method is too terrible! Next time, do it orderly! Repeat again.¡±

    ¡°Ah, right. But before I do that, there¡¯s something more important to do.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You need to take a bath and wash your clothes! Your feet and pajamas are sticky now.¡±

    Alice¡¯s lips were quivering, and the dolls behind her copsed like andslide.

    ¡°Y-yo-you¡¯re going to bathe me?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that. I¡¯ll get Ayaka here.¡±

    I walked out of the office, hearing Alice¡¯sshings behind me that were no longer Japanese. The nighd winds cooled my heated ears, and I could see lights afar. I could hear bells for some reason, and felt a pious heart.

    I shall pray for the father and daughter who had to be separate from each other, hoping that they could have some moment of peace in their sleeps.

    And unknowingly, December passed little by little. Yui-san was so busy, she practically forgot how to breathe, and I could only contact her by messages. She only told me that I was to contact her once I saw Ginji-san. We also had to continue sending messages as apparent lovers so that we could continue bluffing the manager Washio.

    ¡°Are you free to meet now?¡± Whenever I sent such a message, it was an indication that Ginji-san was at the park.

    ¡°I want to, but it¡¯s impossible now!¡± Yui-san would answer in an exaggerated manner. For some reason, I felt embarrassed, and shut my phone after readin it.

    However, it seemed the manager Washio understood the hidden meaning behind the messages, and called to scold me.

    ¡°Are you still thinking of ways to get Yui to meet her father? Stop right now.¡±

    His growls stabbed at my ears, and even after pulling the phone 15cm away from my head, I could hear him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you understand how important this is for her now? As least think about Yui for a moment!¡±

    ¡°E-erm, what do you mean?¡±

    ¡°¡±

    I felt that it was pointless, but I continued to y dumb.

    ¡°That homeless man is still wandering around the park. The manufacturer decided to ignore the protests and continue work. If the photos capture them while he¡¯s being chased away, what will you do?¡±

    ¡°No, but I don¡¯t think this has got to do with me.¡±

    ¡°You know you, don¡¯t you? Convince him to leave right now, and exin to Yuiter.¡±

    Why do I have to be the one exining? I thought of saying it, but I felt it was a bother, ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± So I answered.

    ¡°¡­Damn it¡­that old geezer. Why has he been staying there all this while? Anywhere¡¯s a good sleeping ce for the homeless, right? Is it because of the money? Money?¡±

    Washio-san muttered as he hung up the phone.

    In fact, the rest of the homeless were no longer present at the park, and only Ginji-san would drop by at the park to rest from time. I met Pe-san and the others under the railway, and they too looked worried.

    ¡°We aren¡¯t going anywhere near there because of the airgun shootings recently.¡±

    Pe-san said, his face red from drinking,

    ¡°I got rid of my tent.¡± ¡°Ginji-san¡¯s left.¡± ¡°Well.¡±

    Conductor and Mori-san too nodded at each other with some intrigue.

    ¡°But Ginji-san¡¯s tent is quite big, and can¡¯t be moved away that quickly.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re going to start work soon however. What if he gets crushed by the bulldozer?¡±

    ¡°In any case, there¡¯s no way this can happen.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯ll be beaten up by the cops, right?¡±

    ¡°I did say to Ginji-san to head to the Central za.¡± Mori-san, ¡°Those guys know him, and won¡¯t dispute over territory, but he just wouldn¡¯t move.¡±

    The train moved by above us, and the uncles looked up at the dark ceiling.

    ¡°We should start finding a ce to pass the winter then.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s likely to be cold this year.¡±

    ¡°How long does Ginji-san intend to hold out there?¡±

    They tugged at the dirty jumpers and coats, dragged the carts and wagons, and walked towards the night streets again. I turned around, stared at my white breath, and walked to the crowd in front of the ticketing gantries.

    I passe the East exit, and the frosty winds blew at me along with a familiar singing. It was Natsuki Yui¡¯s Christmas song.

    I suddenly thought of what she said. What was her father¡ªGinji-san thinking when he promised to spend Christmas with his daughter? Did he decide to abandon his family back then? Did his wife figure it out beforehand? If that was really the case, the adolescent, innocent Yui-san was too pitiful.

    Right, I did lie to Ginji-san, and he probably realized it.

    I should have conveyed the two facts to him.

    Your wife hated you and grumbled about you until the very end of her life.

    Your daughter never hated you, and wanted to meet you again.

    The second one was an idealization of mine. Yui-san kept it vague the entire time, but I guess she really missed Ginji-san. If she never missed him, why would she work so hard?

    I lifted my eyes towards the dark sky, and the starry light overpowered the bright lights on the ground.

    However, I thought about how I did not actually ept this request. I was the detective assistant, and Yui-san was the client. Alice warned me time and time again that my words were a double-edged de. It could sever and cause a person¡¯s words to form shape, and at the same time, wipe out the parts that were yet to be tangible. Thus, a detective could only be a spokesman, and not create new words.

    Alice¡¯s voice, Yui-san¡¯s teary face, and the Christmas song I kept hearing continued to merge and rub at my heart. I was not sure about my next step, and I walked into the icy night.

    However, that answer would forever remain an unknown.

    On a certain Sunday morning in the middle of December, I was woken up by the iing ringtone. It was dark all around, and only the LCD of the cellphone by my pillow was lit. It was Major.

    ¡°Get down to the park immediately.¡±

    Major¡¯s voice was filled with overly dire bitterness, as though a caterpir had trekked onto an electric pole.

    ¡°¡­What¡­happened? It¡¯s so early¡­¡±

    I rubbed my sleepy eyes, and checked the time. It was only 5am.

    ¡°Ginji-san is dead.¡±

    I fell from my bed.

    I changed my clothes in the darkness, unable to see my limbs, put on my jumper and rushed out. The bicycle rolled down the slope, and the white breath floated from my lips to the cheeks and neck, before vanishing. The sun had just shown itself, and the streets were so dark, it felt as though they were submerged in blue ink. The weather was so frigid, I could hear my joints creaking. I felt that my consciousness was drifting 15cm away from my body, and Major¡¯s words continued to echo in my mind.

    Ginji-san was dead. That Ginji-san.

    I approached the building by the station, my consciousness still groggy. There were few vehicles, sparse crowds, and only the crows were pecking at the trash bags. Once I got to the roads by the railway, I heard the sirens of the patrol cars, and I felt a shiver.

    Considering this time, there were quite a few onlookers at the park. There were the homeless, hostesses who just got off work, the working ss headed for the first train to work, and the employees of the convenience store nearby. I spotted Major, threw my bicycle onto the pedestrian pathway, crossed the fence, and rushed up the stairs.

    ¡°Leave, don¡¯te in!¡±

    Two young policemen charged at me at the same time, and their arms were spread wide, shouting something into themunicators. The onlookers backed away¡ªexcept for Major, a small fiure who was dressed in a grey trench coat and goggles, staring at the intersection between the concrete and the dirt. His lips were squirming. I got to his side, and stared at where he was looking.

    There was a man copsed on the metal floor decking sheet used for construction.

    Ginji-san, I immediately thought. He was wearing the usual oil stained coat, his hands, stained in blood, were holding the ends of the muffler I was familiar with. Despite this, I could not be certain that it was him, for I could not see his face.

    No¡ªthat was not the case.

    I gulped, and stared at the cor of the blood-stained coat.

    It was gone.

    What should be a human head was empty.

    Disgust, nausea, and heat that suddenly came arose from my organs to my throat.

    ¡°I told you two to leave! Get out now!¡±

    One of the policemen pulled Major and me by the shoulders, but I couldn¡¯t move, merely staring at the corpse from beyond the policeman¡¯s shoulders.

    There was no head. The body vanished.

    The policeman¡¯s growl, what sounded like a siren, and my own nauseating heartbeat corroded my consciousness. My knees wobbled, and I was about to copse to the floor, only for Major to grab my arms firmly. The eyes under the goggles continued to stare in the direction of the corpse.

 Volume 7, 3

    <h4>Volume 7, Chapter 3</h4>

    When Tetsu-senpai was in his first two years of Middle School, he had a glorious record of attending more than 30 counseling sessions. He kept fighting every day until the president of the boxing club spotted his potential. He was already a legend by the time he was 15, and the legends got more exaggerated; for example, he single-handedly sent 50 people to the emergency ward, or that he crushed an entire school year of students. It got to a point that whenever there was a gang fight involving middle school students, the police would first haul him in for questioning. All in all, the total number of times he had been taken to the police station was more than 50.

    Tetsu-senpai spent such a life unbefitting of a teenager, but he got a rare lead as a result--he became good friends with the local policemen.

    Once, Pole of Hirasaka-gumi told me excitedly.

    "Tetsu-aniki is really strong! He''s able to knock down a bicyle just by breathing at it! I heard that the stripes would look for him whenever they had trouble."

    I didn''t know how much exaggeration there was, but it was certain that the police, especially the investigators, seemed to owe Tetsu-senpai a favor, His links with the police hade with handy in several cases for the NEET detective agency.

    But this time, the situation was different.

    "¡­The police aren''t talking. It''s a murder case after all¡­"

    On the afternoon following the incident, a weary looking Tetsu-senpai was seated on a beer crate used as a chair, patting his shoulders. There was a rich stench of tobo smokeing from his shirt.

    "You came back from the police station?"

    At the same time, Hiro showed up. Tetsu-senpai nodded, saying,

    "It''s tense there, and I got chased out immediately."

    After that, he turned to me.

    "Narumi, you saw everything, didn''t you?"

    I nodded silently.

    The previous morning, I was the first to respond to Major''s call; Tetsu-senpai and Hiro only got there after the police cordoned off the scenepletely, so Major and I were the only ones who got to see the corpse."

    "¡­Was it really Ginji-san?"

    The corpse was beheaded, but the clothes and body profile were familiar to me.

    "Not sure. I''ll try to get them to talk."

    I rubbed my roughened face with my hands, still unable to digest the reality. What''s going on? Why was Ginji-san murdered? How do I exin this to Yui-san?

    "What''s going on with Major now? I couldn''t contact him on the phone." Hiro said worriedly.

    The police took Major away afterwards. Major and I hardly spoke, so I wasn''t too sure as to what was going on. I guessit was because he was the first one to discover the corpse, Also, I saw a few other homeless folk being pushed into the police cars.

    "They''re just being taken in for questioning, right? There''s no need to detain them for investigations."

    "Ahh, I heard of the reason why though." Tetsu-senpai answered, "There were some metal bullets found in the corpse''s hand."

    "Metal bullets?" Hiro frowned.

    "Right, the investigator said those were metal BB bullets."

    Hiro and I both gasped in unison. BB bullets?

    "There are such things around?" Hiro asked. Tetsu-senpai grimaced, shaking his head,

    "Of course, there aren''t those kinds of BB bullets sold in the market. Maybe they were modified from ball bearings."

    "Can they be fired from an air gun?"

    "I don''t know either. However, I guess Major should be able to figure out whether they can be shot. He''s always modifying them."

    "If those are metal bullets, they can kill."

    Only after he said this did Hiro realize the gravity of the situation, and he hurriedly covered his mouth.

    In fact, someone was killed. This wasn''t to be taken as a joke.

    "And that''s why Major is a suspect here."

    "Looks that way."

    I felt a little intimidated as to how those two were able to continue with the conversation so jovially.

    "I-isn:t there a group out there shooting at the homeless? They should be the ones who did that, right?"

    But despite my interruption, Tetsu-senpai didn''t react much, "Maybe." saying that,

    "But there''s another reason. The head was severed, right?"

    Hiro said with a frozen look, and I gulped down the sour saliva.

    "A human head isn''t something that can be chopped off that easily. ording to the investigators, it appeared the neck of the corpse was hit by a powerful trauma, and the severed part was worn out. Maybe it was done by a shovel car. Anyway, human strength alone isn''t enough to do that, so Major might know something, I guess."

    A shovel car? There wasn''t any such giant machinery in the park. The constructionpany wanted to build up the foundation, but they had to stop work temporarily because of the civilian protests.

    Why? Who did this, and for what reason?--And also, how?

    "Even Major can''t figure out how to bring a shovel car around in his pockets."

    "That''s what I said to the police too."

    "¡­Still yet to find the head?"

    "Nope."

    The conversation between Hiro and Tetsu-senpai sounded vague, as though it came from the bottom of the water. Why could they both continue talking like this? Everyone knew Ginji-san. He''s not dead, right? Just the head got lobbed off. My thoughts started to be mired in mud."

    Suddenly, there was something hot on my shoulder.

    I turned to look up, and found that it was Tetsu-senpai. I recovered, and found that it wasn''t that hot. It''s just human warmth, the warmth of flesh and blood.

    "Narumi, it''ll be fine once you calm down."

    Tetsu-senpai said tenderly with a stoic look on his face.

    "Just think of the client''s matters, and don''t think about anything else."

    I was already worn out just trying to hold my lips from quivering.

    "We too found it ridiculous, since this is the first time everyone encountered such a case."

    I gulped.

    As a detective assistant, I encountered several cases of death. Not the medical term of death, but actual deaths.

    But this was the first time I personally witnessed a corpse.

    I found myself to be--unexpectedly calm.

    This calmness left me more terrified than anything. I guess I was deliberately trying to get myself to puke, giving that gaudy look. When Tetsu-senpai grabbed me by the shoulder, my body chilled. To be precise, I found out that my body wasn''t being hot in the first ce.

    I took a deep breath, and exhaled all the air vented in my throat. Once my chest rxed slightly, I started to think of the requestor. Right, I just needed to think about Yui-san''s matters. What do I do? First off, we could only wait for the reports toe in. We can''t be sure that it was Ginji-san''s body. Maybe someone deliberately had his shawl and clothes ced on him, and chopped the head off so that nobody else would find out¡­

    Who did it? And for what reason?

    I buried my face in my hands; there were too many mysteries. There was nothing I could report to Yui-san, and since the matter did not appear on the news, I could only remain silent.

    At this moment, I head little footsteps from between the buildings, and lifted my head.

    "Yo? What happened to you? Scared out of your wits when the police detained you? Had a good night sleep at the detention cell?"

    Tetsu-senpai asked,

    "It''s heavenpared to the camp at the foot of Mt. Fuji in the winter."

    Major shrugged as he answered, and sat beside me. Like the day before, he was dressed in a trench coat and a Russian styled cap covering the ears, and the eyes under the goggles seemed to have thick ck rings beneath them. Major put his hands in his pocket, and scanned us three.

    "I have something to report to Alice. Come along."

    It has been a while since the NEET detective agency was filled with five people. The tall Tetsu-senpai and Hiro stood at both sides of the bed, and the room looked as though it had shrunk by 10 times. I sat by the bed, and Major was at the fridge, not far away from the bedroom.

    "You didn''t inform the police that that was Katsuragi Kenji''s body, didn''t you?"

    Alice nced aside at Major when she said this, and Major replied,

    "They kept pestering me about the identity of the corpse, but there aren''t any documents proving Ginji-san''s identity. Pe-san and the others didn''t know anything,so I yed dumb as well."

    I looked back and forth between the duo, looking skeptical. Why did Alice and Major not affirm that it was Ginji-san''s body beforehand?

    Alice gave me a cold look, saying,

    "Did you think that Major was just fooling around after calling you?"

    "¡­eh?"

    "Fingerprints." Said Major. "I collected them from the corpse and the camera belonging to Ginji-san, and sent the files to Alice. When I found him, there wasn''t a head, and no passers-by around, so collecting fingerprints was the only thing I could do."

    "You''re fast. Were you discovered by the police, and detained for a day as a result?"

    "Of course I was. I had chalk all over me, and even my backpack was checked throughpletely."

    Major snorted, but I felt a chill. Major was actually able to do such a thing to a headless corpse, and even managed to carefully touch a corpse''s fingerprint."

    "I only got released once I used Tetsu''s name."

    "What''s going on? Is it because you''re my friend that those idiot investigator friends of mine think it isn''t strange for you to do this?"

    "I guess that''s what it means. Thanks to your infamy, I was saved."

    "I wasn''t fooling around¡­"

    Tetsu-senpai ruffled his needle-like hair. I looked back and forth between the sidelong, gloomy face of Major, and the stoic face of Alice as she continued to tap at the keyboard.

    "In other words." The voice pricked at my throat, "That really was Ginji-san''s corpse, wasn''t it?"

    "Yes."

    Alice''s reply echoed heavily in the dried, frigid winds of the air conditioning.

    For a moment, there was silence everywhere, only countless fans spinning, their noises booming.

    "Alice, what do you intend to do next?"

    Hiro asked in a reluctant tone, and the ck hair swayed,

    "Of course, I''m going to continue investigating. We epted the request after all."

    Continue investigating? Investigate what? The man''s dead, what else is there to investigate?

    Alice seemed to have detected my voiceless question, for she turned her eyes towards me.

    "Right now, the objective we are seeking has changed to the words of the dead, and that means it''s no longer just your words. Following this, it will be like before; I will take over."

    "What?"

    My voice got incessantly anxious. I suppressed this emotion, and continued,

    "The client requested for us to reunite her with her father, didn''t she? That father''s¡­dead now. What are you going to do right now?"

    "And so what if he''s dead?"

    With a cold tone, Alice continued,

    "We''ll simply have her meet the dead."

    I felt a voiceless emotion coagte, stuck inside my ribs.

    Being a detective was such a profession. They are the reviled grave diggers, unearthing the words of the dead nobody looked forward to encountering.

    "¡­Where do we start?" Tetsu-senpai asked in a business-like tone, "Find the culprit?"

    Culprit The term caused the frosty atmosphere in the office to be really stinging.

    Who exactly was the culprit who murdered Ginji-san and chopped his head off? And why did he do such a thing?"

    "Are we going down the line of tracking the homeless?" Hiro spoke stiffly, "Ginji-san was attacked by BB bullets, and this line is the most probable."

    Alice too nodded in agreement,

    "For the time being, this is the case. Tetsu, continue to coax the police into talking. Hiro, search for any witnesses on that day. I heard there are some hostesses in the busy crowds. Major, help analyze the surveince visuals for me--"

    "I''m working independently this time."

    Major hissed. I was startled, and looked at his face. Tetsu-senpai and Hiro too were looking over at the little soldier standing outside the door."

    "Maybe I''ll be able to provide some intel."

    "¡­And your reason?"

    Alice''s voice got harsher.

    "I''m not saying." Major noted quietly.

    Surprisingly--no, maybe I shouldn''t have been surprised by this--but the detective merely nodded,while Tetsu-senpai and Hiro watched Major walk out of the office. The little body in the trench coat vanished behind the door, and I shrank back as the door closed.

    "I''ll be off then. I''ll try my best to get the damned police to talk¡­"

    |I better get ging too. It''ll be great if there are some people I know who were there."

    I watched Tetsu-senpai and Hiro head for the corridor, "Erm," and inadvertently called out to them. The duo turned their heads around in unison, looking nonchnt, and I was left stammering, not knowing what to do.

    "¡­What''s with Major''s attitude? Don''t you find anything strange about this?"

    "We''re curious too." Hiro answered, "But he''s unwilling to talk, and we can''t do anything about this."

    "He had been like this for this particr case. He probably has something on his mind, I guess." Tetsu-senpai shrugged/

    I felt a headache; this always happened. The NEETs gathered at Hanamaru were like splinters gathered together. I thought they would be on close terms with each other, but through a magnifying ss, I could find a void bigger than an astronomical unit. No matter how many times I experienced this, I couldn''t get used to this.

    Tetsu-senpai and Hiro left the agency, and I squat down beside the bed.

    Should I get used to this?

    I lifted my eyes slightly, and saw the long ck hair draped and scattered on Alice''s back, shaking slightly as she continued to tap at the keyboard. Every single time, I was scolded for simr reasons, causing others to be dumbfounded for simr reasons, pitied for simr reasons. But despite this, I was hoping for Alice to say something to me.

    But when Alice stopped and turned towards ne, my consciousness rippled on the surface. By the time I realized, I was already standing, meeting Alice in the eyes, and at that moment, I realized that she was hoping for me to do. With a sigh, I pulled the cor of my duffle coat.

    "I get it. My job is to ask Yui-san now, right? ASk her not to remove the request, isn''t it?"

    Being a detective was a shackle that bounded Alice. What terrified Alice would be ignorance. The only things able to fill this void would be the requests.

    |Right."

    Alice looked at me weakly, and nodded. I wanted to tell her to stop, to not look at me like a drowning person grasping for straws, tomand me like usual with her usual haughty tone. Ask me not to get Yui-san to remove the request? Are you kidding me? Ginji-san''s already dead. How do Imunicate this to her?

    Ah--I got it. I just had to continue hiding this from Yui-san. Even if it appears on the news for a while, nobody knew whose body it was. Yui-san would only hear that one of the homeless died, and she just needed to think someone else died instead.

    I sighed, and shook my head. I wasn''t sure if I could continue bluffing her until the very end. The reality was that Ginji-san''s dead. Where''s my father? If she''s going to ask me that, how should I answer?

    He''s not around.

    He''s no longer around.

    The frosty air of the air conditioning finally got through my sense of surrealism, seeping into my skin. I grabbed my shoulders, and shivered. He''s dead, he was murdered. Who did this atrocity? And why?

    "¡­Why?"

    Alice muttered, and I lifted my head,

    "Why was the head chopped off? Why¡­"

    Why was the head chopped off? Is that the point you''re most curious about? But it was to be expected, since Alice''s the detective. If it had been a normal death, there wouldn''t be a need to solve this mystery. My heavy heart sank to my gut. Why chop the head off? It''s the 21st century in Japan, not the Edo period! Who knows?

    But at this moment, I suddenly recalled something.

    Major said that the police still couldn''t identify the corpse, and there was nothing left behind to prove the identity of the corpse. How was that possible? That was strange. What about the ring I left to Ginji-san? The ring has his full name engraved on it, and is an important clue. Did Ginji-san throw it away? Or--

    Was it stolen?

    Again, I lifted my head, and found Alice staring at me the whole time,

    "Maybe the head was chopped off--so that nobody would realize that it was him."

    The petite detective shrugged a little,

    "That''s a possibility too, but I can''t be sure of that now."

    There wasn''t enough information, so we couldn''t be too sure about that. The detective was as cool and collected as the frosty winds. I went away from Alice''s back, and head towards the corridor of the office. Right when I was about to put on my socks, Alice said,

    "Narumi, there''s always been something I''m apologetic to you about."

    With socks in hand, I turned around. Alice was seated on the bed, covering most of her face with arge bear as she stared right at me.

    Thinking about how there was something she wanted to apologize to me for at this particr moment, I could only let out a wry smile.

    "What is it? You did too many bad things that I don''t know which one is it."

    I joked, and Alice, hiding behind the doll, chuckled,

    "I always need an excuse just to see a certain person lower his head, hear the sound of the train at dawn and touch the water by the ss windows."

    "I know."

    I answered, it was cold of me, I thought, and so I continued,

    "Me too. I was always using you as an excuse, Alice."

    I felt slightly embarrassed to continue on like this, and so I averted my eyes.

    "I''m the detective assistant hired by you Alice. There aren''t that many facts out there¡­more obvious than this now."

    I left the office, and went down the tracks towards the station, and then, I stopped in my tracks at the stairs of the park, for there was something I never saw before. I initially assumed it was a flower bed, but on a closer look, I found three pots of flowers lined by each other.

    The first were dried flowers ced in a normal basket, and the next were white Pansies in a stic case with the shop name of Pachisuro. The third one was an old Japanese military helmet used as a flower pot, containing Christmas Roses.

    I stood at the stairs, and stared at the flowers for a while. My feelings were as rock solid as frozen wax, trickling from my ears.

    When would it be that I could be as strong as the others, I thought. Could I really hold in the pain in my heart and continue taking action to investigate the actual problem? Could I really be this strong?

    Already, I could not summon my courage to open my cellphone. I wanted to create a new message for Yui-san, but I did not know how to do so. How do I go about doing this? No matter how I would start off, it would end up hurting her in the end. Better exin everything by mail then. I can settle this without meeting her. No, what am I doing? I should be thinking about Yui-san''s feelings.

    And so, I could not write the message. Guess I had no choice, better do it the next day. I closed the cellphone, and intended to go on, only to hear footsteps running towards me.

    "Fujishima-kun?"

    I turned around, and found Ayaka. The winter uniform on her had a bright cream colored coat on her, and she was holding 4 bottles of beer under her armpits.

    "Ah, these--" Ayaka noticed my stare, and said, "Min-san told me to bring them here as an offering. I heard that someone died here¡­someone who frequented our shop, right?"

    Ayakaid out the beer bottles by the flower pots, and pped her palms together before praying. I looked up at the stairs, and could see the police pulling the yellow cordon tape and some figures in deep blue clothing taking action. How much did Ayaka know exactly? Even if the incident did not make the news, anyone could tell that there was a questionable death here, and it''s likely that the rumors of a head being severed was spread. But so what? If there was nothing else she could do, she could only pray. I had better knowledge of this incident than Ayaka, but was this not what I could only do too?

    I went next to Ayaka, lowered my head next to her, and pped my hands together.\

    However, I, who knew more than Ayaka did, was not praying towards the flowers, but towards the space I front of the stairs, towards the ground where the bloodied Ginji-san had fallen towards.

    I really wanted to talk with him some more.

    I wanted to ask about everything he lost, everything he rejected.

    I pretended to know everything, but I knew nothing. Why did he abandon his family and child? Why did he refuse to meet his daughter? And why did he choose to live in the chilly atmosphere of the streets?

    Everyone lost the opportunity to the answers of these questions.

    Ginji-san was murdered, and this incident waspletely different from what I experienced, since the head was chopped off from the corpse. This met that the killer undoubtedly wanted to do the job. With a shiver, I opened my eyes, and climbed the stairs. Appearing in front of my eyes was the cloudy sky, the bare ground, and the ominous yellow cordon tapes cutting through the trees.

    Did I really want to know?

    The outstanding police of this country would definitely unearth everything and put the culprit in prison. But did I really want to know?

    "¡­Fujishima-kun?"

    "Eh?" Ayaka called for me, and I turned towards her, who was showing an anxious look on her face.

    "Are you investigating?"

    Ayaka pointed at the scene.

    "Nn¡­" I averted my eyes from Ayaka, hesitant as I replied. From the corner of my eyes, Ayaka''s face got gloomier.

    "It''s a little inappropriate for me to say this¡­but isn''t this dangerous?"

    So Ayaka too knew that it was a murder. Trying not to let her suspect anything, I gave a little sigh.

    Strangely, I was not terrified by this.Seeing a headless body seemed to have robbed all form of reality from by body over time. I guess it was probably because I did not see the severed part though. If I did see the disgusting bit, I probably would have gone crazy. However, the corpse I saw beforehand had faded in my mind, like a sculpture with no concern of life and death. That was not a corpse without its head, but one that did not have any--

    I shook my head to rid myself of the useless delusions.

    There was someone with a murderous intent, still on the run from thew. This was the unchanging fact.

    "It''s dangerous." I answered nonchntly,

    "But you''ll continue to investigate, right?"

    My eyes gave chase after the white breath as Ayaka spoke, and slowly nodded,

    "Because we have a request."

    Of course, this was a lie. Nobody asked us to investigate a murder. Was my answer not simr to what Alice would do? Fear trickled down the darkness of ignorance, and I could not move forth on my own limbs, only able to continue investigating based on a certain person''s wishes.

    "You''re bing more and more like Alice now."

    I was seen through by Ayaka, and I covered my face with my hands.

    "Eh? Eh? You aren''t happy about it?" Ayaka peered at my expression from below.

    "Why would I¡­?"

    "Because you''re just like Alice! Don''t you really admire her?"

    "A-Admire? When did you have such thoughts?"

    "Didn''t you be her assistant because you wanted to be more like her?"

    I sighed into my hands, put them into the pockets, and looked at my own feet.

    "¡­I can never be a detective. After being an assistant for so long, I understand this. I can''t be like Alice, but it''s just¡­"

    I just wanted to be by her side, bear the burden she couldn''t; that''s all.

    So, ahh--I see. That would be ample reason. I did not want to see her show the lonely expression of a desert at midnight. No matter how hollow the reason would be, I would always but in, digging for the truth everywhere like a dog.

    Before I knew it, Ayaka narrowed her eyes and stared at my face, agreeing with me. Embarrassed, I turned my back on her, and took out my cellphone. I sent a message to Yui-san, with only one message, I want to meet you. Are you free?

    I was about to close the cellphone, only to find Ayaka staring at my palm.

    "¡­So, the client this time¡­"

    "Wah!" I hurriedly stuffed my cellphone into my pocket, turning away.

    "So this time, it''s that person who came by our shop, that Natsuki--"

    "E-erm, Ayaka, forget about that. Just pretend that you didn''t see anything, and don''t say anything about that."

    "I won''t say anything, but then, actually,"

    "You know that artistes are really cautious about various things, don''t you?"

    "I know that, but at least be aware of Alice''s feelings, Fujishima-kun."

    "¡­Alice?"

    "If she wants to, Alice can check the phone logs, Fujishima-kun. That message might look like it''s an invitation for a girlfriend!" Then don''t look at it. I have my rights to maintain my privacy.

    "We''re pretending to be lovers because her manager might be checking on us, so we''re sending vague messages."

    "So you''ll care about the client''s feelings, and not Alice''s? Anyway, delete that message. I''ll warn Alice not to check on your phone too."

    I''ll be going back to work then! Ayaka shouted, and ran back to the shop. If she''s going to warn Alice, then Alice''s just going to do it, right? This was the job Alice instructed me to do, so there''s nothing to hide in any case¡­

    Well, whatever.

    I sat down on the stairs facing the park, and my backside felt the concrete, causing my body and my head to chill. Well, I already sent my message to Yui-san, and there''s no turning back at this point. Got to sort my feelings out.

    First, I had to tell her that Ginji-san died. However, I couldn''t tell her that he was murdered. Looking at the body, the only conclusion would be that he was murdered. However, the police might not have disclosed that the head was removed, so I shouldn''t try to shock her too much.

    And then, I had to tell her that we intended to continue with the investigations. That we wanted to discover the words of the dead, that we want to be his messenger.

    But if she refused, what should I do?

    In any case, it would be expected that she would reject us.

    I suddenly had a thought of getting Alice to continue with the investigations alone, and then, maybe I should pay for this out of my own pockets, I guess?

    However, I cupped my knees, and pondered a little, before shaking my head. If that alone would have been enough, Alice would have swung her sword around without any restraint right from the beginning, just to satisfy her own curiosity. Right now, I knew that the reason the petite detective chose to do all these was to save anyone. She had no friends, and said that she had no power to save anyone, but she was a humanist who really liked people. That''s why she would always dress up in mourning clothes at the very end, leave her room, and personally face the particr people she might end up mortally wounding. This was neither out of reservations nor courtesy, but that she wanted to alleviate some of the pain by bearing it.

    However, Alice was unable to interact with anyone. She did not know how to help anyone. She did not know where her battlefields were. To make up for the deficiencies, shebeled herself as 4 letters of the alphabet, and sealed herself in the office of the same name. For she did not know what other methods she could use.

    And thus, this was where Ie in.

    Even if it was a clumsy reason, I want Alice to interact with the world.

    Looking at reality, there was a huge possibility of Yui-san recalling the request. The one she hoped for us to find and bring to her had died. If she chose to give up, what do we do? Who should we continue investigating for?

    Mori-san and Pe-san really admired Ginji-san, and they probably wanted to know who murdered him. It would have been fine if we could investigate for their sakes, but they were penniless, unable to request us. One of the self-imposed rules by Alice was to be a professional detective; she would never work for nothing.

    I looked up at the grey, gloomy skies, letting out white breath.

    Right, there was Major too. He had been working for Ginji-san''s sake, and was working alone. I didn''t know what he was hiding, but he too probably wanted vengeance.

    At this moment, another chill engulfed me.

    At the very least, Major should know something about the culprit. He was the first to discover the corpse, and had the time to collect the fingerprints of the headless corpse, but would not exin the situation back then. Also, he had been investigating on the culprits who shot at the homeless. If the culprits were the murderers, Major should have gotten quite a fair bit of information, so why did he hide them from us. I rubbed my arms on my duffle coat, wanting to rid myself from the cold.

    Thinking harder about it, I really didn''t know anything about Major. Even Tetsu-senpai and Hiro knew nothing of what Major was thinking, or his past, and they never tried to. The NEETs just wanted to remain as buddies,zing around at the back door of ''Hanamaru''

    But I''m not at NEET, just a brat, someone who had meaningless pebbles and crystal balls in my drawer that I couldn''t throw. Thus, I had to really ask Major what exactly he was thinking about. What did he see, what did he know, and--if there was anything we could help with.

    I stood up, patted the sand off my frozen arms, taking out my cellphone as I went towards the station, but unable to think of whatever message I should send to Major.

    The next day, events developed in a way I did not anticipate. Around 8 p.m. or so, the manager gave me a call,

    "Where''s Yui?"

    I heard him shriek the moment I picked up the phone, and in my shock, I nearly fell from the beer crate that was a makeshift chair. I was worried that Min-san or Ayaka would overhear us, so I peeked back up the kitchen through the back door of ''Hanamaru''. Luckily, they were busy dealing with the shop full of customers, and had no time to bother.

    "¡­Di-did something happen? Yui--"

    "She didn''t look for you?"

    "No, she didn''t."

    " it''s the live broadcast today! Rehearsals start at 8:30! Ahh, where did she run off to? Do you really have no idea?"

    "The cellphone GPS--"

    "The settings were changed! When did that happen? I didn''t tell her about this!"

    I pressed my hand on my chest. I was the one who taught her how to do that. However, why did Yui-san run away?

    "What happened? Why do you think she''ll look for me?"

    "Well, aren''t¡­you are boyfriend? I thought you''ll know, more or less."

    "Of course, I''ll go look for her, but do you know why she disappeared?" At the very least, I needed some clue."

    "I guess¡­eh, well¡­"

    "But what? rify that."

    I started to get anxious. For some reason, Washio-san was acting a little strange.

    "I told him the homeless man died."

    The buzzing of the drunkards that were beside my ears suddenly became distant and vague from me. The sound of my gulping my saliva sounded as loud as a woknding in a hole.

    "Wh-what, what the?"

    "I had no choice! The stalling of the construction at the park caused an activity to dy, and even the police dropped by once. This incident will probably be on the news tonight. No way can it remain under wraps."

    I suppressed my fury. At the very least, let her be mentally prepared!

    "I told Yui that person might not be her father! That man might not be her father! Just have her think of the murdered homeless man as someone else, and forget about it."

    "You said something that stupid? That he got murdered too?"

    Washio-san went silent on the other end of the phone,

    "I''m definitely wrong about this. I never thought that she''ll disappear before the start of the show."

    "I''ll go look for her. Where was she before she vanished? When did she disappear?''

    ording to him, it was at the studio in the luxurious building I was at, and thest time she was seen was at 7.30pm or so, when the receptionistdy noticed her. I asked what attire Yui-san was in, and gave Alice a call.

    "Yui-san''s gone. Mind tracking her cellphone GPS?"

    I seemed to hear a gasp, but Alice merely replied, "Understood. I shall notify you.", and hung up. I then gave Yui-san a call, but as expected, she didn''t pick up the phone. How did she feel after being notified by her psychotic manager that her father just passed away? And furthermore, murdered--

    Suddenly, an ominous feeling filled my entire body.

    Something seemed really strange. Was it because of Washio-san? No, it''s normal for him to panic when an idol under his charge vanished right before a live broadcast. However¡ª

    I didn''t have the time to think of this chilling uneasiness, and hurriedly shook my head before rushing out of the back door. It took me less than two minutes to run from the ramen shop to the district park. I got up the stairs, and went around looking in the wide park surrounded by the yellow cordon tape. The policemen red at me, but I could not see Yui-san. In any case, she was not here, so where else could she have gone to? Did she lose her mind? Because the impact of her father dying was too much¡ªlike she climbed up to to roof of some building, or rush out onto the road¡ªI suppressed such negative thoughts, and ran down the stairs. Maybe I shoudl visit the studio first, since she was gone for just 30 minutes or so. Perhaps she was still nearby.

    I ran past the station, and was about to climb up the overhead bridge, but the cellphone in my pocket vibrated. I took it out, and found that Alice sent a message to me. Attached to the message was a map, and an arrowhead at the intersection of the central, arge red circle there. Alice then called me immediately.

    ¡°Did it reach you? Alice hurriedly said.

    ¡°I see it.¡± The slight despair twirled along with the saliva in my mouth.

    ¡°The GPS error from Natsuki Yui''s phone is about 30m in radius or so. I marked it with a red circle.¡±

    ¡°So that means she''s probably somewhere in the building, right?¡±

    ¡°That should be the case. It''s up to you to look for her. I''ve narrowed her down to a building, so you should be able to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don''t make it sound so easy¡­ Do you know where that ce is!?¡± I was about to burst into tears, ¡°That''s the ''Tokyu Hands'' building,!!¡±

    I forgot when it was when Major once said,

    ¡°All the directors will choose the ''Tokyu Hands'' building when there''s a need to film a movie of terrorists upying an area.¡±

    The Tokyu Hands building is arge department store so many varieties of products, it''s a whoozy. It''s built on an uneven slope, and the inside of the building has skip levels based on the slopes, so the structure''s a mess. There''s already 3 entrances at the ce, and anyone just wandering inside for a while will get lost as to which floor it is. Also, there''s a lot of customers and products crammed in there, the ce so messy that it won''t be strange for a circus or a huge procession to pass through. How in the world was I supposed to find a girl amongst them in an hour?

    I climbed up the overhead bridge, and looked down at the massive cross junction beneath me. Lots of vehicles were crammed there, like a pulse beating. I hesitated for a moment, and fished out my phone to call Yondaime.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Are you in the office? How many people can you deploy right now?¡±

    ¡°12. Why?¡±

    ¡°I need to look for someone. At Tokyu Hands!¡±

    I waded through the crowd on the overhead bridge, and quickly exined what happened.

    ¡°I''ll be right there. Wait for me at the cross junction.¡±

    Once Yondaime said that, he hung up. I ran to the stairs on the opposite side of the bridge, and the stench of the exhaust gases blew at me along with the chilly night breeze.

    There were already intimidating looking ck figures crammed at the entrance of Tokyu Hands. One of them noticed my arrival, and everyone immediately bowed to greet me in unison.

    ¡°Good work, aniki!¡±

    ¡°Good work!¡± ¡°Good work!¡±

    These burly men were all dressed in ck long sleeved shirt, and were 12 years older than me. Their ferocious looking eyes and atmosphere would definitely terrify everyone from entering the Tokyu Hands in fear. They''re the Hirasaka-gumi members, the gang led by Yondaime.

    ¡°Where''s Yondaime?¡±

    ¡°Sou-san went to park the car.¡± Pole answered. Right, once we find her, we have to get her to the studio immediately!

    ¡°Erm, well, does everyone know Natsuki Yui¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°I got all her CDs!¡± ¡°I got her photo collection!¡±

    Unexpectedly, everyone was interested in an idol, but in this situation, it really helped me. It meant that everyone knew who to look for.

    ¡°Listen up. She should be wearing a white one-piece, a fluffy ck coat, and some sunsses. Everyone spread out. Once you find her, don''t approach her. Call me immediately. Don''t let her or anyone else know.¡±

    ¡°Right!¡±

    ¡°Can I have her autograph?¡± Did you just hear what I said?

    ¡°Are you an idiot? Of course we can''t!¡± That''s it! Rocky told them off good. ¡°Our shirts are ck, no way can the signature be seen.¡±

    ¡°That''s not the problem here!¡±

    ¡°Tokyu Hands stationery shop sells pens that can be written on shirts!¡± ¡°It''s Tokyu Hands! They sell everything!¡± ¡°Even machine guns!¡± ¡°They don''t sell them! Hurry up and go!¡±

    It''s awkward having the passers-by and the customers stare at me, but I did my best tomand them. The Hirasaka-gumi members went out in three groups. One went to the entrance in front of me, while the other two went to the other entrances.

    ¡°You go to 1A, you go to 2A, I go to 3A.¡± ¡°Right!¡± ¡°Right!¡± The ck-shirted members obeyed Pole''smand and spread out, while I went down the path to the roof, looking for Yui-san. I still could not forget this possibility of a fragile heart Yui-san doing anything possible because she lost it. Oh, better get Alice to affirm her position.

    Alice quickly texted me that Yui-san was still in the building, and my cellphone rang immediately.

    ¡°Aniki, we found her. Eh, which floor is this¡­4th? The ce selling furniture and lights.¡±

    ¡°I''ll be right there.¡±

    A man dressed in ck shirt waved at me from short staircase between 4B to 4C. It was the gang member who just notified me.

    ¡°Over there.¡±

    He pointed at a corner of the shop selling decorative shelves and lights, and standing there was a figure I was familiar with. She was standing in the bustling forest of various Christmas trees, staring at the lighting. I felt a huge relief, and nearly tumbled over on the chair.

    ¡°Please call Yondaime and tell him that we found her.¡±

    I whispered to the gang member, and with bated breath, walked up the stairs, gently approaching the slender figure. There were few customers here, probably because the products were too pricey, or that it was almost closing time. Even though there was a shop attendant, he was serving another customer at the shelves area.

    Despite this, as I approached the lighting corner, I stopped.

    For I was dumbstruck. The lonely looking sidelong face of Yui-san mesmerized me as she stood under the red and green lights. Even with the dark colored sunsses, I could tell snowkes were falling from her eyes.

    Yui-san had noticed me beforehand, and turned towards me, lowering her sunsses. Her face showed surprise, reluctance and relief in order, before those emotions vanished.

    ¡°¡­I was found. How?¡±

    Yui-san asked bashfully.

    ¡°I got a lot of buddies who are good at finding people.¡±

    I deliberately hushed my voice, and answered as such.

    ¡°Really? Like that detective? You have a lot of acquaintances?¡±

    I never thought I would be found so quickly, Yui-san said feebly. I could not look at her, and could only approach her little by little. The ss angel sculpture spun on the massive shelf, glittering.

    ¡°There has been a lot of fine lighting, and I find every one of them to be nice. But when I buy them home to decorate, I just feel lonely.¡±

    Yui-san said as she scanned the lighting. Colorful lights sparkled on her sunsses.

    ¡°Because¡­there''s only me at home.¡±

    With her fingers, she touched the pure white lighting that was shaped like a tree.

    ¡°I always wanted to live such a Christmas, that when I return home, the Christmas tree is dazzling at the entrance. Mother and I making dinner, and father returning homete with arge package of a present¡­¡±

    The room was so warm, yet I felt a chill.

    ¡°But my dream can no longer be fulfilled¡­when I heard father passed away, I thought that my dream will never be fulfilled again. I just feel, just feel¡­by the time I noticed it, I found myself running out of the studio.¡±

    With both hands, Yui-san cupped a reindeer decoration with a a shining nose, muttering,

    ¡°I know that there will be real trouble when I run out of the studio. But even though I know¡­¡±

    She hugged the decoration in her clutches, and knelt down in front of the shelf.

    ¡°But I just feel that even if I''m not around, during the rehearsals and live airing, there''ll be another obedient me running out to finish all my performances¡­¡±

    The back draped in ck tweed coat seemed as though it would crumble upon contact. I was left helpless, and could only kneel down beside her. I could not see her face as I did so behind her, and appearing in my eyes were the frame of the sunsses and the nicely shaped ears.

    ¡°Was Washio-san angry?¡±

    ¡°Most likely¡ªwell, the rehearsal started. But it''ll work out somehow.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes.¡±

    Yui-san smiled feebly, and put the reindeer back onto the shelf. However, she had no intention of standing out, and as she knelt down, she did not tremble.

    Her father died; right before they talked, right before she decided on whether to forgive him or continue hating him. Once there was a huge hole in the human soul, once a little hit crumbled a person, the only thing one could do was to shrink back and remain silent. Even I knew this very well.

    So I said to the back in ck coat.

    ¡°It''s fine. You don''t have to go back.¡±

    The hair at the back of Yui-san shook slightly.

    ¡°I''m not going to watch the TV or hear any music, and I didn''te here looking for you because of Washio-san''s request. Even if you fail to show up for the live broadcast, lose your chance to work in the entertainment circle, unable to release any CDs, it has nothing to do with me. Once I''m sure that you''re safe, my work today is considered done. Tokyu Hands is about to close for the day, but if you want to continue Christmas shopping, I can apany you. Do you want to have a meal once we''re done? You haven''t had ''Hanamaru'' ramen and ice cream before, right?¡±

    Yui-san lifted her face. Her sunsses nearly slipped off, and I could see herrge, moist eyes.

    ¡°¡­You''re unexpectedly kind, Narumi-kun. I thought you would tie me up and drag me back to the studio.¡±

    Yui-san said that in a half-joking manner, and rage slowly arose within me.

    ¡°I didn''t say this just to be kind. It''s what I really think. I don''t know how your moment of stubbornness will cause trouble for others, but those are issues for Washio-san and the TV broadcasters to handle, nothing to do with me. You might think I''m stupid, but I was really worried as to whether you went to jump off a building. I''ve seen too much people who didn''t care about their lives, and requested a whole bunch of people to look for you. I didn''t look for you for your sake, or for others.¡±

    I kept quiet, and waited for Yui-san''s response. However, she merely took off her sunsses, and stared at me. Her eyes were as dark as a starry night.

    Your dad''s dead, I thought. His neck got chopped off too. Why are you able to remain so calm? Any ordinary person will cry out in sadness, or yell angrily. Just say whatever you want to say, why can''t you do it? Is it because you''ll ruin your makeup just because you cry?

    For no reason, I felt anger venting up within me as I silently took Yui-san''s stare. Why do people get angry at others for doing what they couldn''t do? Was this too some form of self-loathing?

    ¡°¡­Sorry for such stupid words.¡±

    Saying that, i looked down between my legs.

    ¡°No, thank you.¡±

    Why thank me? Didn''t you hear what I said?

    ¡°You''re really a kind person after all, Narumi-kun.¡±

    I shook my head, my forehead almost touching my knees. Don''t care about me here. It''s your dad who died.

    ¡°I-I¡­don''t really know, what should I do¡­¡±

    Yui-san''s voice was sinking in icy water. It''s fine. I thought. It was such a dire situation, and even if the bottom of the water was cold and hard to breathe in, sometimes, people could only sink.

    But at this moment, a bell rang in our ears.

    I lifted my face, followed by Yui-san. A familiar melody and percussions ovepped each other, followed by a singing voice.

    It was Yui-san''s voice.

    We looked around, searching for the source of the voice. Finally, at the top of the shelf, we found the TV monitor airing an advertisement of a Christmas product. Yui-san on the monitor was seated on the railing of an ice rink, singing, looking so dazzling and transparent. I understood that it was an illusion caused by make-up, camera technology and the music, but my heart could not help but clench.

    I found sense Yui-san standing up beside me, but I continued to stare at the TV monitor.

    ¡°¡­I should get going, I guess.¡±

    Yui-san muttered.

    ¡°Thank you, Narumi-kun.¡±

    I turned my head around to look at Yui-san''s face once she called me. Before she putt on her sunsses, I seemed to have seen tear marks beside her eyes. The figure in ck coat walked towards the stairs, out of the shop, and I hurriedly gave chase after Yui-san.

    It''ll be great if you don''t make it in time, I prayed quietly.

    I followed Yui-san out of Tokyu Hands, and ushered her to Yondaime''s car that was waiting at the cross jution. I continued to pray as I watched the car''s taillights vanish. If Yui-san could not make it for the live performance, she would probably be scolded by the producer or a fuming artiste, and chased out of the entertainment world. This was the rule I understood. Or perhaps, in this world where a flying kiss or wink from a certain person would be worth millions, there would be a special rule to overturn this? If that was the case, the eyes under those sunsses did not seem to belong to the residents of that world.

    Yondaime drove the Maserati off, vanishing in the sea of flickering lights, and I put my hands into the pockets of my coat, walking off.

    ¡°Aniki!¡± ¡°Pleasee to the office with us, aniki!¡±

    Some people called me from behind.

    I turned around, and found men in ck shirts swarming out of the Tokyu Hands that had closed for the day. I forgot about them, and really, I wished I did.

    ¡°Good work, everyone. Thanks for your help. I should be going home now.¡±

    Contact Alice, contact Washio-san, I had a lot to do. At this moment, the one thing I really wanted to do was to lie on the bed.

    ¡°No, Sou-san want us to calcte the pay from you this time, aniki.¡±

    Ah, settle the bills. No matter how I remained on good terms with the Hirasaka-gumi, I could not let them work for free. Yondaime really drew a line here.

    I led the hunks of the Hirasaka-gumi down the bustling night street, and at that moment, it probably was a necessity. The sharp res from the passers-by got me to think that I should not fret the deatils. Even if I did tell them to return to the office first, they would say stuff like ¡°We can''t return and leave you behind, aniki.¡± or ¡°We''ll be by your side, aniki¡±, and so, they followed me in single file.

    ¡°But that Natsuki Yui''s really pretty. I heard Pole and the others mutter this between them.

    ¡°As to be expected of you, aniki.¡± ¡°Are you aiming for the entertainment world next¡­?¡± ¡°Aniki''s really popr, able to make any beauty pregnant within two seconds of looking at them.¡±

    ¡°This has nothing to do with poprity! Anyone who can do that is a demon, okay?¡±

    I could not help but turn around to retort.

    It was an hourter when Yondaime returned to the office. During this hour, I was teaching the Hirasaka-gumi members on basic sums. No matter how I exined to them, they couldn¡¯t understand how to write a request bill, so I asked them if they knew how to do basic sums. Pole said ¡°I don¡¯t know how to do sums at all.¡±, while Rocky gleefully answered ¡°I know how to do addition of points¡±, and someone else pointed out ¡°Then what about subtraction?¡± Those words left the 12 ck-shirted men, intimidating enough to shut up a crying kid, grimace in agony.

    ¡°Aniki, why do you need to reverse the numerator and denominator?¡±

    ¡°erm, well¡­¡±

    ¡°If you reverse it, you can easily change the numerator and the denominator over!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re good!¡± ¡°6 became 9!¡± ¡°Amazing!¡± ¡°Won¡¯t our sry increase then?¡± ¡°6000 Yen became 0009 Yen!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that a decrease, you idiot!?¡±

    I had enough. I want to go home. Right when I began to start packing up, Yondaime, dressed in arge red Chinese jacket, opened the metal door, and walked in. At that moment, the office went down to below freezing point. The ice cold young gang leader nced at the stupid sight of several of his subordinates at the sofas behind the table, and wordlessly kicked at it.

    ¡°Wooah.¡± ¡°Wah!¡±

    Pole and Rocky copsed onto the floor, letting out loud thuds.

    ¡°No time for you guys to y. Gardening boy,e here, I got something to say to you.¡±

    Yondaime led me to the door to the left of the table, the room that was a storeroom and the ce for sleeping in. The room was filled with bookshelves, and unopened boxes, the ce was so crammed it was hard to breathe in. There were a simple bed by the wall deep inside, and the little table beside it had aputer with some dust on it. Yondaime sat on a chair, while I sat on the bed.

    ¡°How¡¯s Yui-san? Made it in time?¡±

    Yondaime shrugged, and opened the cellphone. He showed me the TV programme that was airing. There was the word ¡®live¡¯ shown at the bottom right of the screen, and I could see the camera move around the scene along with the introduction of the emcee. The camera scanned the audience filled with young men and women, and finally stopped at the stage. Waving at everyone under the many spotlights was definitely Yui-san.

    I bit my lips, and averted my eyes. Like before, Yui-san was standing in the rectangr dazzling world, giving a smile that did notprehend any tears. Just an hour ago, she was knelt before me, almost crushed by anguish.

    Yondaime closed his phone.

    ¡°Tetsu already briefed me on the killing of a homeless.¡±

    Killing of a homeless., the term left my entire body frozen. This guy never beat around the bush when talking.

    ¡°Alice hasn¡¯t given us themand. What do we do?¡¯

    ¡°Just¡­like before.¡±

    Slowly, I stammered as I exined. There was no reason to continue investigating, but I wanted to find an excuse to continue helping Yui-san.

    ¡°Still the same old idiot, huh.¡±

    Recently, I found that the word ¡®idiot¡¯ Yondaime would use recently had a certain gentleness to it, so I nodded.

    ¡°What do you want to do?¡±

    I did not know how to answer, and I clenched my fists hard on my knees. I already made up my mind, yet I had no self-confidence. It was all because I just saw Yui-san on that screen. Should I really go save her? I don¡¯t know where I am, what I should do¡ªShe said several times before. I always thought that the knit cap and sunsses covering the pretty face of Yui-san as she tried so desperately to wipe her tears was the real her. Maybe the Natsuki Yui shown on the TV however might be the real her, and that Katsuragi Yuina was just a shadow of her. If that was the case, I guess all the efforts I put in was for not. Better not get involved with her; I should just forget about her.

    No, I weakly clenched my fists.

    The world I interacted with was small and limited. Thus, I could not do anything other than to set a destination, close my eyes, and head out. Even if I did do this, I might end up hurting the client or my friends.

    But did I not do this several times already?

    When I lifted my head, Yondaime, who got impatient form waiting, spoke up, and our voices ovepped,

    ¡°About Major.¡± ¡°Listen, Major.¡±

    We kept quiet at the same time. With a bitter grimace, Yondaime averted his eyes.

    ¡°¡­What, did you know already? Why are you pretending to give that confused look.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not pretending. I¡¯m really confused.¡±

    However, that was only all I could do. Could I only go to check on what exactly Major knew? And what was he hiding?

    ¡°Do you know what¡¯s the worst possible situation now?¡±

    ¡°Eh? I do! I¡¯m guessing that the worst would be that Major won¡¯t trust me again. I¡¯ll just bear that sin though.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m getting at.¡± Yondaime gave a frustrated look, and ruffled his hair, ¡°He¡¯s a suspect.¡±

    Shocked, I stared at Yondaime¡¯s face.

    ¡°¡­No, I already knew that the police is suspecting him.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand where the problem lies here. I don¡¯t care what the police is thinking. Tetsu and Hiro are doubting Major, and so am I. He¡¯s the first one to discover the corpse, is a military nerd, familiar with airguns, and should know how to chop a head off. How can we not suspect him?¡±

    I was speechless, and my mind kept repeating Yondaime¡¯s words.

    ¡°Are you¡ªserious?¡±

    My throat felt pain from the increasing dryness.

    ¡°Why, why would Major want to kill Ginji-san? Ginji-san really likes Major, they¡¯re on good terms, and Major isn¡¯t the type of person to do this. Everyone is friends, so why couldn¡¯t trust each other?¡±

    Yondaime¡¯s icy galre caused me to shut up, and I understood what stupid words I just said. I sighed, and sat back onto the bed again.

    ¡°Based on your definition, I do not trust Major.¡± Yondaime asked, ¡°But we don¡¯tpletely understand major as a person, so why can you say that he didn¡¯t kill?¡±

    I shook my head, but I did not understand what I was trying to deny.

    What Yondaime said was right. I understood this really well. Tetsu-senpai, Hiro, and even Alice were doubting Major. It¡¯s like back when we investigated on Tetsu-senpai¡¯s past; nobody said that ¡®Tetsu won¡¯t do such a thing¡¯. Trusting others and trusting their innocence were two different cases.

    If Major¡¯s impulsive actions were based on selfish immaturity and simple trust, no matter how many crimes he made, the NEETs should have a strong trust that he would not be abandoned.

    But I couldn¡¯t do it. I could not make such a clear distinction.

    ¡°if it¡¯s me, I¡¯ll beat Major up.¡± Yondaime said.

    He said the same thing during the situation about Tetsu-senpai. Maybe he was just joking, but I could notugh. Once I calmed down somewhat, I spoke up.

    ¡°I have been thinking.¡±

    ¡°Thinking about what?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re smart, and strong, Yondaime. If you¡¯re Alice¡¯s assistant, I guess all the cases can be solved in 3 days.¡±

    ¡°You got to be kidding.¡± Yondaime scowled. ¡°Who else can serve such a troublesome person except for you?¡±

    Even I couldn¡¯t do it that well.

    ¡°You¡¯re different from me, and different from Alice and the other NEETs in the first ce. You can barge into other people¡¯s inner hearts without any care, and we need someone crazy.¡±

    I lowered my eyes, and sighed. I was this kind of character anyway.

    At this moment, Yondaime narrowed his eyes, and stared at me, saying,

    ¡°If a stray cat slips in through the gap in your window, will you get angry and tell it off to note in with dirty feet?¡±

    ¡°Eh¡­?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the kind of feeling you give. I can¡¯t get angry at you even if I want to.¡±

    I blinked, and lowered my eyes, before lifting them again to look at Yondaime¡¯s face.

    ¡°You¡¯re like a poet today.¡±

    ¡°Shut up, you bastard.¡±

    Yondaime gave a ferocious look. Recently, I figured out that whenever he shout the word ¡®bastard¡¯, it really indicated that he was angry.

    The surroundings was filled with darkness as I walked out of the Hirasaka-gumi office, and the weather got colder. The narrow alley was divided from the outside road, and few people went by this ce. Down the steep slope, there were a few flickering streetmps. Under one of the lights that were about to be extinguished, I took out my cellphone, and decided to call Major before I changed my mind.

    However, the word ¡®suspect¡¯ by Yondaime again lingered in my ears, and I could not open it.

    I¡¯ll call tomorrow. It¡¯ste already.

    Right when I was about to slip the cellphone back into the pocket, the cellphone suddenly rang in my palm.

    ¡°I have something to request from you, Vice-Admiral Fujishima.

    Major said on the phone, and I leaned my back on the icy wall, unable to let out a breath.

    ¡°You may think it¡¯s a little strange from me, but mind listening?¡±

    I never expected Major to actually take the initiative, and all I could only do was to look up at the night sky devoid of stars, saying, ¡°right, anything I can help with?¡±

    After some silence, Major started to exin. It really was a strange request.

    I had not shown up at the student council office for a while, and the student council office was more empty than a beachside inte Autumn. There were crumpled posters and pamphlets on the desks, two printers whose rollers were spewing out papers, and the boxes lined side by side contained promotional bulletins for the stalls and stage performances.

    There was a petite, bespectacled girl at the desk, carefullypiling the documents and putting the rubbish into a stic bag like a squirrel preparing for the winter.

    ¡°Fujishima-kun!¡±

    She noticed me enter the office, and lifted her head to call out to me. This girl¡¯s called Kousaka Yukari, the inspectionmittee chairperson of our school¡¯s student council.

    ¡°Sorry to ask you for such a strange favour.¡± I bowed to apologize.

    ¡°It¡¯s really a strange favour. I was shocked.¡±

    Now that she mentioned it, all I could feel was trepidation.

    ¡°Do you mind telling me the truth? Does it have something to do with that detective?¡¯

    ¡°That¡¯s how it is. Sorry.¡±

    Atually, it was not that I chose not to say it, but that I really did not know. Major would not exin, and merely requested me.

    ¡°Do you know R High School? It¡¯s a private boys High School near the M High School you study at. Think the students can visit at certain times. You know the people in the student council, don¡¯t you? Ask them if we can visit R high school.¡±

    I merely ryed Major¡¯s request to Kousaka-senpai, and I thought it could not be done. The next day, when Kousaka-senpai said that it was already done, I was shocked.

    ¡°We¡¯ve known the student council of R High School for a while, and recently, we just had a change, so I thought we should go visit. Your request just so happened to be at the right moment.

    ¡°Eh? Change?¡±

    Once I mentioned it, Kousaka-senpai immediately jumped up.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you know? Our school just had a student council votingst month. Our student council has a change of personnel every year after the culture festival, and we¡¯ve retired.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know¡­¡±

    The school had a student council voting? I didn¡¯t really remember much about the culture festival, so naturally, I didn¡¯t know an election was held. I didn¡¯t know whether I voted, so I guess I skipped sses on that day. Last month, I was quite busy due to Min-san¡¯s engagement.

    ¡°What¡¯s this about retirement?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re already in our 3rd years. We need to prepare for the Test.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, I see.¡±

    I almost forgot how a high school student should be living their lives.

    ¡°Then why are you cleaning up the student council office?¡±

    ¡°The new members andmittee don¡¯t seem to be able to clean up, and the office has been messy for a while, and the 3rd years have fewer lessons¡­right, don¡¯t you have 6th period lessons?¡±

    ¡°Eh? No, it¡¯s so happened to be self-study.¡± I barely managed up a lie; of course, it was obvious that it was a lie.

    ¡°You skipped sses anyway, right?¡± Suddenly, a voice rang behind me, causing me to jolt up in shock. I turned around, and found a long haired girl standing at the door of the office, with a hairclip, and a sharp re. She¡¯s the student council president, Hayano Kaoruko-san. No, I should say she¡¯s the ex-student council president.

    ¡°Listen up, you¡¯re representing us to R high school, so don¡¯t do anything unruly. Right, go visit the teachers at the office to greet them, and then, greet the new student council president of R high school and the culturemittee members. This is our report for the culture festival and sports festival, so remember to exchange it with them. This camera belongs to the student council¡­¡±

    Kaoruko-senpai tasked me with several frivolous stuff, and stuffed lots of stuff into my bag.

    ¡°Kaoruko was the one who helped with the procedure this time.¡± Kousaka-senpai whispered at my ear. I see. I could not bring myself to lift my head at senpai.

    ¡°You couldn¡¯t tell us the reason anyway, right?¡±

    Kaoruko-senpai folded her arms as she said this.

    ¡°Yes, sorry¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­Is it about the incident that happened at the park in front of the station?¡±

    I was shocked, but did my best not to show it on my face. Kaoruko-senpai was exceptionally sharp at strange aspects. The murder incident of a homeless at the park was already reported on the news¡ªexcept for the strange state of the corpse. I might have been seen hanging out with the homeless by the other students, and the smart ones might have noticed.

    ¡°Try working a little harder and do some things a high school student should be doing, you know?¡±

    Kaoruko-senpai sighed as she said, obviously because she had enough. Kousaka-senpai did not seem to understand what Kaoruko-senpai was saying, and turned back and forth between her and this intimidated me.

    ¡°Can this guy really represent us M high school?¡± Kaoruko-senpai asked Kousaka-senpai.

    ¡°Fujishima-kun is fine! He¡¯s in charge of taking over from me, so he should get used to dealing with outside work.¡±

    ¡°¡­Take over from you, senpai?¡±

    ¡°Eh? Didn¡¯t I tell you? You¡¯re chosen as a inspectionmittee member.¡±

    ¡°Ehhhhhhhhhh?¡±

    This was the first time I heard that. No, I think senpai mentioned it before summer break, but I never thought she would be serious.

    Right¡ªour M High School has a very troublesome school rule, that the students had to join a club, and because I never participated in any club activities, it was breaking the rules. I thought nobody bothered me because they never pursued the matter, but it was because I became an inspectionmittee member. I heard that by participating in student council activities, I didn¡¯t need to participate in club activities.

    ¡®The newmittee leader may be looking for you, so do your best!¡±

    Shocked, I walked out of the school in a daze. I was more stunned to see Major¡¯s attire when I found him waiting outside the door.

    ¡°What happen? You look like your head got sted by a 84mm Carl Gustav.¡±

    ¡°If I really had my head blown apart, how would I have a face? And that¡¯s not the important point!¡±

    The dark blue zer was matched with grey pants, loosened tie, and a shirt that was not tucked in. It was clearly our school¡¯s boys uniform.

    ¡°Why are you dressed like this?¡±

    ¡°You can buy this thing on the inte.¡±

    So anyone could buy it¡­

    ¡°They have sizes for an elementary school kid?¡±

    ¡°Enough jokes. Time to get down to business.¡±

    Major pointed his chin at the station, and walked on.

    R High School was located about 2 subway stations away from our school, a Boys High School located in a quiet residential area. It¡¯s one of the rare few schools in Tokyo with a high rate of those that advance to college, and even I, who transferred schools, and was unfamiliar with the high schools in Tokyo, heard of it. When the school grounds facing the trees by the pedestrian pathway entered my eyes, I was already overwhelmed by its majesty. For some reason, the school had ss walls, and 8 tennis courts, and therge school grounds probably could allow the baseball club, ser club, handball club, volleyball club and track and field club to practice without any arguments. I really had to wonder if this ce was really Tokyo.

    ¡°What are you scared of? If you¡¯re a representative of the student council, act like one.¡±

    Major patted me on the back as I stood still in front of the gates, but it was impossible not to be scared. Once I entered, the massive, gradual slope reached the second level of the school, and there were sculptures and g poles by the sides. It looked like an art museum, or a foreign embassy. Also, it just so happened to be after school, and there were many students around.

    Major nudged me to the guard house by the right. I showed my student handbook, and finished the guest registration. Major quickly shuffled into the school, and in a very familiar manner, took out the guest slippers from the shoe locker.

    ¡°The staff office is on the west side of the second floor.¡±

    I let Major wait for me as I entered the offices to greet the teacher in charge of the student council. Once I got out, Major leisurely walked out from the staff toilet.

    ¡°Next, to the student council office. It¡¯s on the second floor of the middle block.¡±

    ¡°Why are you so familiar with this ce?¡±

    ¡°Of course it¡¯s because this is my alma mater.¡±

    Shocked, I stood on the corridor, and the few R high school students passing us by stared at us.

    ¡°¡­This is your alma mater? Th-then why didn¡¯t you just go in yourself?¡±

    ¡°Shh, quiet.¡±

    Major dragged me to the stairs were few people were at, and exined the reason.

    ¡°It¡¯s a little awkward for me to say this, but anyone, I¡¯m not someone who should be in this high school.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Back when I was a student, I left a lot of rumors as Mukai Hitoshi. For example, I added res to the bonfire during the culture festival, used the tables and chairs at school to create mobile suits, took photos of the P.E. teachers drinking hard in the staff room and spreading them out, and so on.¡±

    ¡°So to sum it up, the teaching staff really remembered you well¡­¡±

    ¡°Right. When I graduated, the past teachers-in-charge and the club advisor finally got together and celebrated with tears.¡± I guess they¡¯re happy that the problematic student graduated. ¡°That¡¯s why I can¡¯t show up in my past uniform and sneak into school. Just my back alone might cause people to notice me.¡±

    So do you think you can slip past them wearing a different school uniform? With that unique body shape of yours, you¡¯ll be discovered soon enough.

    ¡°But illegally sneaking in is already something really easy for you.¡±

    Once I said that, Major shrugged,

    ¡°I can do it when it¡¯s in the night, but it¡¯s too bad that I need to do this during club activities.¡±

    ¡°Club activities?¡±

    ¡°This time, my mission is to enter when those guys are gathered in the clubhouse, so that¡¯s why I need your help, Vice-Admiral. I¡¯m grateful for your help, and you can go home once you¡¯re done with the student council matters. What are you going to do next?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re still asking this now?¡±

    At this point, I could not bring myself to get angry.¡±

    ¡°When you¡¯re not telling me anything, of course I¡¯ll go along!¡±

    ¡°I knew it.¡± Major showed a forlorn smile.

    Who are these guys he referred to? Looking at the faint smile on Major¡¯s face, I doubt he would tell me even if I asked him now.

    The student council president of R High School was a shoddy looking boy with dyed hair, earrings, and a bright red T-shirt under his open uniform. Shockingly, he¡¯s only a first year. Throughout this time, he was going ¡°Ahh, too bad Kaoruko-senpai is about to graduated. I had my eyes on her during the culture festival, but looks like she¡¯s going to a girls college.¡± I had assumed the president would be some aloof, elite bespectacled boy, and thus, I was shocked. But thinking about it again, this was Major¡¯s alma mater. The school might be filled with students wasting away their intelligence.

    Once I was done with business, we went to the clubroom building. I saw that their clubroom building was a majestic 3 level building like their schoolpound, and when I recalled how the little clubs in M High School were bullied, I could not help but shed some tears. The 3rd floor was filled with culture clubs, and Major went to the room at the corner.

    There were all kinds of stickers on the door of that room, ranging from a golden eagle of the American army, the lion and crown crest of the English army, the Swastika of Nazi Germany and the g of the sun, to a warningbel of dangerous items and radioactive stuff, to stickers of helicopters, fighter jets or missiles, and even a sticker with some mantra or a heart sutra. Amidst the messy stickers, there was a little white doorte with the words ¡®History Research Club¡¯.

    History Research Club? Leaving aside the name of the club, it was obviously¡ª

    Major indicated for me to remain silent, and quiet his footsteps as he approached the door. There seemed to be people inside, not just one. I scanned the corridor, making sure that there were no passers-by, and held my breath to concentrate and eavesdrop on the conversation inside.

    ¡°¡­Stop it. I really don¡¯t want to do this.¡± ¡°I never thought¡­it would really end up like that.¡± ¡°Did you see the news?¡± ¡°The police¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­fault!¡± ¡°No¡­fault!¡± ¡°¡­anyway¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°¡­In that case.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t joke around.¡±

    Were they arguing? Police? News? What were they talking about? Why did Majore all the way here?

    At this moment, Major knelt before the door, gently inserted a crooked piece of handle into the knob, and spent only 10 seconds or so to open the door.

    Major got up, and opened the door.

    There was the sound of chairs colliding, frantic footsteps, magazines being torn up, and even muffled voices stick in the throats from the room.

    ¡°Such poor security from you. Didn¡¯t I say this is an armory, that you need triple locks?¡±

    Major said as he scanned the clubroom.

    Looking at the devastation in the room, I could imagine how messy the clubroom was. The shelves were crammed with magazines and mangas, while the TVs had many game consoles gathered around them, the CDs and DVDs could be seen being left everywhere, and there were all kinds of weapons, either model guns or air guns by the wall, hanging under the ceiling, or stuffed into cardboard boxes. There was also the stench of cigarette linger. In this chaos, there were some chairs. 3 of the 4 students in uniform were seated on the chairs, and thest one was surrounded by the trio, copsed on the floor.

    ¡°Mukai-senpai?¡±

    Two, three of them asked with shrill voices. Major kicked aside the rubbish on the floor, and I could even sense his killing intent from behind him.

    ¡°Why are you looking sozy? Have you forgotten the basics of managing your guns? Don¡¯t eat in ces with guns and bullets, and no smoking.¡±

    ¡°Senpai, why did youe today¡ªwhat¡¯s with your uniform?¡±

    The boy standing at the frontmost, taller than Major by two heads asked. His messy hair covered half of his spectacles, the eyes under the shadows giving an unhealthy glint.

    ¡°I wanted to say that I want to retrain your morals and patriotism, but there¡¯s no time for this today. Anyway, what is Private Hirabayashi doing?¡±

    Major asked as he pointed at the youngest looking boy. The boy at the deepest corner of the room was buried in trash, copsed on the floor.

    ¡°Nothing!¡± ¡°I just got a little angry, and wanted to teach him a lesson.¡±

    The boys standing at the front seemed to be the seniors, and impatiently answered Major¡¯s question. The boy called Hirabayashi awkwardly got to his feet, and patted off the dust on his arms and knees. If all of Major¡¯s self-confidence was stripped away, I guess this boy would resemble him. Hirabayshi¡¯s a diminutive, baby-faced boy who looked really weak.

    ¡°¡­Senpai, erm.¡±

    Hirabayashi wanted to say something, but someone beside him gave him a whack.¡±

    ¡°Enough with the unnecessary stuff¡­¡±

    ¡°Mukai-senpai, I don¡¯t know why you came here today, but your sudden appearance will cause us trouble.¡±

    Near to Major was a tall boy. He nced aside at me, and then at the uniforms we were wearing, giving a troubled look.

    ¡°Which school uniform is this? They¡¯re watching every outsider closely, whether they are alumni or not. It¡¯ll be troublesome if the teachers find out. Please leave.¡±

    ¡°Answer my question, and I¡¯ll leave. How many of you in the club now? Not just the 4 of you, right? What about the chairman?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s 8 of us altogether. The third year seniors didn¡¯te by as they¡¯re busy preparing for exams.¡±

    ¡°Is there anybody from outside school who join in on the mock battles?¡±

    ¡°¡­Eh, sometimes, yes.¡±

    ¡°Where are your main fields?¡±

    ¡°The ce in Saitama you rmended us, Mukai-senpai, and my dad¡¯s building.¡±

    ¡°You also did some illegal survival games on the streets, didn¡¯t you? Stop fooling around with me. If you yed in those fields, you wouldn¡¯t need these tools to unlock.¡±

    Major kicked at a ck leather pouch that was rolling on the floor, and wires and pliers rolled out from the opened bag. The boy near Major turned beetroot.

    ¡°So what, this has nothing to do with you, right, senpai? Please don¡¯t bother with that too much.¡±

    ¡°Late at night, December 16th, you had another mock battle, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    I was quietly startled.

    December 16th, the day Ginji-san was murdered.

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember much. Recently, we¡¯ll just go out to y as long as we have numbers, and we didn¡¯t really specify any dates. I guess we yed like 3, 4 times a week?¡±

    The boys tried to act calm, but I did not miss out on the members ncing at each other, giving signals the moment Major stated that date. I felt a chill up my spine; did Major get some evidence? Did hee to R High School for this reason? Did these people really¡ª

    Did these people really kill Ginji-san?

    So Major posed as a student of M High School, and visited them during club activites, all for the sake of uncovering the plot these guys have?

    ¡°Let me have a look at thetest bullets you guys are using.¡±

    I stood behind Major, and thus, was unable to see his face. However, the boys who were 20cm taller than him looked really terrified as they shrugged took out the bullets from the paper-wrapped bags on the shelves or in the stic bags. I guess he really was giving a terrifying look.

    Major nced at the 5 types of BB bullets, and asked them,

    ¡°Are these really all you used?¡±

    The club members nodded unnaturally a few times. Major snorted, and walked deep into the ssroom. I spotted some things that was inserted along with the umbres, and inadvertently held my breath.

    Japanese swords.

    Major took them out one by one, unsheathed them, and checked the des. Those were fake. Everyone knew that, but upon seeing the des reflect the ceiling lights, nobody in the room could move. Major checked them again, put the swords back into the shelves, and turned around to check the shelves. Amongst the many magazines introducing survival games and air guns catalogues, there were a few terrifying books regarding swords and the murder methods the USSR special forces employed.

    Major scanned the members, and asked,

    ¡°You didn''t put any real swords, did you?¡±

    ¡°¡­There''s no way we''ll have them.¡±

    Once he heard the reply, Major turned around.

    ¡°Vice-Admiral, we''re done here. Let''s go.¡±

    I signed out at the school gate, and Major immediately removed his clothes, scaring both the guards and me. Under the shirt and pants were the usual camouge army jacket Major would wear. Once he was done, Major rolled the uniform up, stuffed it into a trash bin, and stormed out of the school gate. I had never seen Major so angry before.

    On the way back, Major remained silent as he sat on the train. I held the onto the straphanger, unable to say anything. I had so many questions, my head was about to burst, yet I was unable to convert them into words. I was yet to be mentally prepared on how to hurt Major, and where.

    Major is a suspect. My mind again recalled the words from Yondaime.

    I had a premonition that the truth would be more shocking than I thought. My mind kept switching perspective, recalling the history research clubroom filled with killing toys, and the expressionless boy.

    We got off, and passed through the crowd towrds the East gate. At this moment, the short day of Winter had vanished to the opposite side of the station building, the streets covered with long cold shadows. The colorful lights were like fake stars, flickering sharply above our eyes. I seemed to hear Yui-san''s Christmas song from somehwere. It''s a topseller now.

    We passed by the bottom of the overhead bridge, and Major muttered,

    ¡°They''re my juniors.¡±

    I walked silently beside him.

    ¡°I taught them everything from guns to wars to army, and they''re wonderful subordinates. 2 years after I graduated, I still continued to check on them, and whenever I return, the club would have new members.¡±

    I looked forward, and nodded. The passers-by on the road by the railway were fewer in numbers. At the tall ce, I could seerge ck shadows, shadows that surrounded the forest in the park. The few street lights taller than the trees were dark, and one could sense that life was gone from them.

    ¡°So, their wrongdoing is my responsbility as amander.¡±

    Major stopped at the short staircase leading to the park, and turned around to face me, holding some little things in his hand.

    Little beads contained in a stic bag. Were they bearings?

    I lifted my eyes to look at Major. I guess this was the first time I saw his face up close without his visor or goggles. It was a baby face that had forgotten what aging was.

    ¡°When I found Ginji-san''s corpse, I took the fingerprints and these things from the marks on his palm.¡±

    I exhaled the stiff air inside it, the breath filled with the taste of metal.

    ¡°Ginji-san had bullet marks on his hands, probably because he was trying to protect his face. The metal bearings can be fired from toy guns in the shop, but the power and precision isn''t that strong. This indicates that they illegally imported guns, and the sources of such guns are few in numbers. Also, every time they attack the homeless, the guns will improve as they continue.

    Major''s knowledge of the rted realm was not to be underestimated. Given the clue that there was progressive improvements in the guys¡ª

    One could be certain which people bought which guns.

    ¡°I went there today to be sure of this. Thanks for your help.¡±

    ¡°Then¡ª¡±

    It''s those brats from the history research club? Those high school kids killed Ginji-san?

    ¡°I''m not too sure.¡± Major answered. ¡°You can deal with that evidence however you want, but you do not do anything to the R High School history research club. The wrongdoings of the squad is something the leader has to deal with.¡±

    Major turned around, and walked off towards the dark street. The wavy street lights continued to shin on his back, until the camouge pattent became a little stain in the darkness, vanishing before my eyes.

    I put my hand on the railing, the other hand gently holding the stic bag containing the bullets. Major had been saying everything the entire time, and I could not refute. He came to raid my base, and I could not squeeze the trigger.

 Volume 7, 4

    <h4>Volume 7, Chapter 4</h4>

    The next day, Yui-san gave me a call.

    ¡°Sorry for causing you trouble recently, I suppose?¡±

    Yui-san¡¯s cheerful voice seemed bubbly, but in turn, that made me uneasy. At that moment, I was standing in front of the student council office, reading a report on R High School, and to avoid their eyes, I ran to the corridor to pick up the phone.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡¯

    I put my elbow on the handrail, asking this. Under the cloudy sky, there were still a few leaves on the ichiyou trees in the atrium.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, more or less. I went around apologizing, and most importantly, to Washio-san! Ahaha.¡±

    Her cheerfulness in turn left me with a chill.

    ¡°And also, sorry. I should be apologizing to you directly instead of calling you.¡±

    I knew what Yui-san wanted to say next, and tried my best to think of how to cut her off. However, everything I did was futile.

    ¡°You knew, didn¡¯t you? My father¡­is no longer around. Thank you for everything till this point. You can simply message me the investigation fee.¡±

    ¡°Wait a moment.¡±

    I said without thinking,

    ¡°If you cancel the request now, we¡¯ll be bothered too. Right now, Alice¡ª¡±

    My voice trailed off into the void on the other side of the handrail, as I seemingly heard Yui-san¡¯s perturbed sigh.

    ¡°What¡­are you saying?¡± Yui-san said. ¡°Isn¡¯t he already dead? My dad had his head chopped off by someone! What are you saying now, really? Hey, he¡¯s still unidentified, right? I say I want to go to the police station, but Washio-san and the chairman begged me not to.¡±

    ¡°¡­Sorry.¡±

    ¡°What are you apologizing for, Narumi-kun? You didn¡¯t do anything bad, you know? I don¡¯t have anything to request from you, so, so¡­¡±

    Yui-san¡¯s voice abruptly wilted due to a loss of heat, as though ripped apart by the Northern Winds. I could hardly hear thest few words from her before she cut the line.

    Hey, Yui-san, don¡¯t you want to know? I asked the quiet phone. Don¡¯t you want to know who chopped your dad¡¯s head off, and for what reason? Don¡¯t you want to curse at the culprit? Don¡¯t you think they should pay for their crimes? Don¡¯t you want revenge?

    It was a pitiful rhetoric. I had no energy to answer.

    I closed my cellphone, slipped it into the pocket, grabbed the handrail with both hands, and squat down. I understood that there was nothing I could help with, but we continued to investigate. Like an amputee who hallucinate pain from the limbs that weren¡¯t there, I scratched away emptily at the lost arms.

    The NEET detective agency was located in a 5-storey tall building, there were 6 surveince cameras set up all around it, so there would be visual recordings of the surroundings. This time, they came into use in an unexpected manner; the 6th camera set at the roof took a visual of the road right before the public park.

    ¡°It¡¯s still too far though. No matter how much I try to erge the visual, the passers-by are just bean size. I can tell how many there are, but not their genders.¡±

    Alice shrugged as she sat on the bed.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a huge progress.¡±

    Typically, we would ask the experts in college to clean the image for us through Major¡¯s connections. However, Major obviously wanted to take action alone, so we spent a lot of time trying to get others to do so. The 8 hour video was finally cleaned and sent to us today. Alice and I hurriedly checked on them.

    As Alice had mentioned, the video showed us some little bits of intel. Despite this, we got something important. The park couldn¡¯t be seen as it was covered in the thick forest, but the road in front of the park was clear to see. The other side of it was the railway, so anyone entering and exiting the park would certainly be caught on camera.

    ¡°December 16th, thest one to enter the park was¡ª¡±

    Alice tapped at the keyboard, rewinding the video.

    ¡°This man, at 10pm or so.¡±

    The shadow, the size of a little finger, climbed up the stairs.¡±

    ¡°This one¡¯s Ginji-san, I guess.¡±

    ¡°Logically, that should be the case. The next one was at 4.40am, the next morning.¡±

    Alice opened the search column at the bottom of the screen. The visual got a little brighter, and there was a little ck dot on the other stairs close to the station.

    I checked my call log; Major called me at 5am, on the morning of 17th December. Ginji-san died, he said. If that was the case, the ck shadow should be the first one to find him, Major. 10 minutester, other people entered the park, probably the other homeless.

    ¡°This is you, right?¡±

    Around 5.30 or so, there was a figure in the video who parked his bicycle by the roadside, and ran up the stairs.

    ¡°I guess. I don¡¯t remember seeing any other bicycles there.¡±

    At that moment, the sky started to brighten, the patrol cars arrived at the scene, and the park was filled with onlookers. I personally witnessed what happened next. Alice stopped the video.

    ¡°The mystery is now an actual fact.¡±

    I nodded.

    Typically, the park would be empty at night, and even during the period of the reconstruction being stalled, there were fences around the entrances. Nobody entered over the past few days, and the only exception was Ginji-san, thest resident there.

    On the night of that incident, nobody, other than Ginji-san, entered the park from the moment he returned till the next day, when Major found the corpse. Then who was it who chopped Ginji-san¡¯s head off, and for what reason? I couldn¡¯t determine any traces of any tools used to chop a head off being lead into the park.

    ¡°How was it done? And why?¡±

    Alice muttered.

    I opened my mouth, hey, Alice, you can¡¯t bring yourself to stop, right? Yui-san called me the previous day, and told us clearly to stop the investigation. No matter how hard you try to unravel the mystery, everything is useless Just stop it.

    But I couldn¡¯t bring myself to say anything, and never told Alice this. While I was at a loss of words, Alice stood on the bedsheet.

    ¡°It¡¯s only 8pm now, still too early. Narumi, your sister must be worried about you, so you can go back now. Come here at 2.30am.¡±

    I lifted my eyes at the detective and blinked,

    ¡°2.30?¡­no, I¡¯m fine with that, but why?¡±

    ¡°There are times when I feel like doing some things an ordinary detective would do.¡±

    Modern medicine still refuses to admit the term ¡®agoraphobia¡¯, but Alice imed herself to have such a term. She didn¡¯t believe it to be a w, as she hated going out, and would merely spend days cooped up in the office. It was a choice in life, like a short person not joining the basketball club or someone with short hair not tying a ponytail.

    In any case, this probably wasn¡¯t a disease. The reason why I felt this way was because, though there was no other way, Alice had been going out recently.

    ¡°Yes, but God wrote in that page of my notebook that the sun, moon and stars hate me.¡± So Alice said, ¡°I don¡¯t mind though. If I really have to go out. I¡¯ll just curse at all the lights in the world before opening the door. The scene of the crime is nearby, so I¡¯ll force myself out.¡±

    Alice sounded haughty, but she wouldn¡¯t go out without grabbing onto the hem of my duffle coat. The dim road lights shone upon us, and the uneven shadows of the two of us reached deep into the darkness of the park. Alice wore a thick gown over her usual pajamas, and the strangebination left me unable to exin. More than that however, just walking into the park was already a bad thing, and it was pointless for me to care.

    Thinking about it, this was the first time I actually went for a search ever since I became Alice¡¯s assistant. The police continued to forbid everyone from entering the police, and we chose to visitte at night to hide from time. Thest train ride was gone, and there was silence in the stretch near the park. The park was filled with the aura of death, as though within reach. The reconstruction work had stalled the entire time, and thus, the ce had areas covered by metal sheets, ground that was dug up, and dried grass. It looked like some tragic piece of puzzle art.

    ¡°Can you recall how the corpse was lying down?¡±

    I nodded in response to that question, and stepped into the darkness. There were still traces of ck blood beneath my feet, and I didn¡¯t have to work hard to recall that Ginji-san fill in the middle of tworge, rusted sheets of metal with dust all over them.

    ¡°His head was facing this way, like this¡ª¡±

    I exined what I witnessed that morning to Alice in depth. But despite doing so, it felt so surreal to me.

    Even till now, the police has yet to find Ginji-san¡¯s head. Also, since Major probably never stated who it was when he was investigated, the identity of the corpse remained unknown. Yui-san wanted to contact the police, but was cut off by her managingpany. Currently, society only knew that an elderly homelessmonly known as Ginji was murdered.

    That alone would be enough, right? We could simply let the matter be buried just like this. Even if we do dig up the truth, who¡¯ll be happy?¡±

    ¡°Narumi, take out the tablet.¡±

    Alice¡¯s words caused my thoughts to be disrupted, and I took it out. There were panorama videos divided into 3 hours on the monitor. The visual was optically corrected, but it was still too crude to be seen.

    ¡°If we enter the park from here¡­hm, we¡¯ll still be seen.¡±

    The tablet in my hands was connected in sync to the surveince cameras in Alice¡¯s office, so that we could affirm that anyone entering the park would be caught on the surveince cameras. Also, this allowed us topare with the recording visual. It¡¯s true that this person parked the bicycle at that ce, and ran up the stairs to the park. With that, it¡¯s certain that the figure at 5.30pm was me.

    Alice knelt down near the metal sheets, and found a H-shape ditch the size of a palm at the barren ground in the middle of a grass patch. What was this mark?

    I was too bored, and rewound the visual to 10pm or so at 10pm or so. After having a little, I eximed. Alice got up, and frowned at me.

    ¡°What is it?¡¯

    ¡°There¡¯s a car here.¡±

    I expanded a portion of the screen, and Alice too leaned over. It was somewhat far from the park, but I could see a vague silhouette of a roof under the shadows of the building. Following that, what appeared to be Ginji-san got off the case. We didn¡¯t find this car back then. Which direction were the parking lots at again?

    I switched the monitor over to the current visual, and tried walking out of the forest to affirm my position on the monitor. The car was parked on a slope. I gasped. That was a ce I was familiar with.

    ¡°Narumi. W-wait!¡±

    Alice could out anxiously from behind me, but I rushed down the stations, headed towards the pathway that was the other way from the station. At the left side of the end of the pedestrian pathway, there was a slope that was slightly lumped and exposed with holes of dirt. This was the ce; the car in the visual was parked here.

    I knelt down, searching for tire marks. The parking lot was really cramped, and only the front end of the car could go in. The front wheels entered like this, and when going out, it would reverse¡­

    Two sets of tire tracks.

    With my fingers, I touched the tire marks that were clearly engraved onto the dirt ground.

    ¡°¡­Narumi, why did you suddenly run away!? Why did you leave me behind?¡±

    Alice¡¯s frantic footsteps stopped beside me, and she then knelt down behind me. Her ck hair and hem of her gown were touching the back of my hand.

    ¡°Two sets of tire marks.¡± I said. Alice lifted her head, ¡°This one probably belongs to the car we caught on camera.¡±

    Then, we checked on the other crushed, dried tire marks eroded by wind under the streetmps.

    ¡°It¡¯s the same set.¡± Alice muttered. I too nodded.

    I once spotted the car that was parked here, and that was a week ago. In other words, that car was probably the same as the one caught on the camera that night.

    ¡°It¡¯s Washio-san¡¯s car.¡±

    ¡°Natsuki Yui¡¯s manager, huh?¡±

    Alice said, and I nodded, erging the visual to the maximum possible. I couldn¡¯t determine the car make, probably it was because the visual was too crude. Was it really Washio-san¡¯s ? Then why did Ginji-san get off Washio-san¡¯s car? Was the figure down there really Ginji-san? Washio-san might be the culprit, right?

    The memories reached out tentatively in my mind, trying to chain everything together.

    Right. At that moment¡ªwhen Yui-san disappeared, I remembered something was amiss in the phone call from Washio-san. Now, I finally understood.

    Back then, Washio-san said, ¡°that person might not have been her father.¡±

    Back then, I assumed that he was referring to the homeless Ginji-san not possibly being Katsuragi Kenji. In fact, it was impossible for Washio-san to say this, for he personally interacted with Ginji-san, and was sure he was her father.

    Thus, ¡°that person might not have been her father.¡± there was another meaning to those words. In other words, that need not be the corpse of Ginji-san, or Katsuragi Kenji.

    For the corpse was without a head.

    Washio-san already knew that the corpse was beheaded.

    How did he know? The police never publicly reveal this, and it was not reported on the news.

    At this point, a possibility appeared in my mind. Washio-san personally witnessed the corpse, so in other words, he personally watched Washio-san¡¯s beheaded corpse, as the culprit.

    I rattled off this spiel of hypothesis to Alice, and a chill crawled through my skin like a centipede as I did so.

    But the detective¡¯s expression was theplete opposite to my tone; the more agitated I got, the calmer she was.

    ¡°Oh? I see.¡±

    Once she was done hearing me out, Alice frowned, and said,

    ¡°I¡¯ve always forgotten how stupid you are, so I won¡¯t scold you today. This is an area of death, and I don¡¯t want to broke the peacefulness.¡±

    Her voice was several times frostier than the night air.

    ¡°And if you want to say that the culprit¡¯s Washio, mind exining why the head was chopped off/¡¯

    ¡°I¡ªguess.¡±

    It¡¯s just my simple guess, but that man was very terrified of having everyone find out that Ginji-san was Natsuki Yui¡¯s father. If the tabloids were to find out that a rising idol¡¯s father was a wanderer who dithered at the park, it would be some really juice gossip material. Thus, he killed Ginji-san, and cut the head off to hide the identity.

    ¡°So how did he do it?¡± Alice asked as she looked at me with sleepy eyes.

    ¡°So hemitted the crime somewhere else. Once he chopped the head off, he took the corpse to the park, and dumped it there. The person caught walking out of the car on the surveince camera was Washio, who came to dump Ginji-san¡¯s corpse. He dropped it in the park, and hid there till morning. Once he saw the onlookers, he came over, hid in the crowds, and escaped¡­¡±

    I went on a lot passionate rant of guesses, but Alice merely sighed hard, saying,

    ¡°Have you heard of the saying that the Bible is infallible?¡¯

    ¡°Infallible¡­what?¡±

    ¡°It is the insistence that the Bible is without any errors, and there¡¯s no need to think and exin, just read it literally. If we believe in such sayings, the Earth should have been created by God in 7 days, at BC 4000 years. As you know however, by checking the fossils and crust, you¡¯ll find that there is life long before God indicated. How do you think those that insist the Bible is infallible will exin the existence of the fossils and crust?¡±

    I could only blink, unable to understand why Alice started talking about this out of a sudden?

    ¡°Because God buried those things that might cause humans misunderstandings into the ground 6,000 years ago.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± If such things could be believed, anything can be exined, ¡°So why did God do such a thing?¡±

    Upon seeing my expression, Alice¡¯s eyes were as frosty as dry ice.

    ¡°So I want to ask you, why would Washio do such a thing?¡±

    I finally understood the intent behind Alice¡¯s words, and in the frosty winds, I could feel my cheeks and ears heating up in embarrassment. As she said, why would he do such a thing? If he wanted to chop off the head so that the corpse remains unidentified, couldn¡¯t he just hide the corpse? Why chop the head off and drag the body to the park? The thought of settling a doubt coincided with the idea that the Bible is infallible. In fact, there was no benefit at all.

    ¡°This really sounds like some delusion you would weave about the world. You really aren¡¯t suited for the profession of a detective.¡±

    ¡°Sorry¡­¡±

    I was dejected, and nced at Alice,

    ¡°B-but the possibility of that isn¡¯t zero either! Washio-san¡¯s a prime suspect right now. You saw his car on the camera too.¡±

    Alice shrugged.

    ¡°If you really want to investigate Washio, do as you please. I have no interest in that.¡±

    I was stunned. How did Alice end up having such a reaction?

    ¡°So you think the homeless killed Ginji-san? He got attacked by BB bullets, so I guess there¡¯s a higher possibility of that.¡±

    ¡°Major said that he wanted to bear responsibility for this and make this his duty to deal with those brats ying soldier. We can leave those people to Major, I don¡¯t have any interest in any of them.¡±

    ¡°No interest¡­huh?¡±

    Alice¡¯s words were too aloof for my tastes, but the petite detective grabbed the hem of my coat firmly, and gently nodded.

    ¡°I just want to know the reasons, and how the head was chopped off. I have no interest in the criminals.¡±

    I let out white breath from my lips.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Until I get the truth, I can¡¯t exin.¡±

    I waspletely befuddled. She just wanted to know how the head got chopped off, and why? Didn¡¯t need to know who the culprit is? What exactly was Alice trying to say?

    ¡°I came out of the walls to dig up the truth. Let¡¯s continue investigating.¡±

    Alice stood up, and tugged at the hem of my coat. With much scepticism, I brought Alice up the stairs, and returned to the park.

    We passed through the blood stained metal sheets, and into the darkness.

    There was a massive shadows under the ck thick forest. It was the hut made of vinyl sheets, plywood and cardboard, Ginji-san¡¯s house. On a closer look, Ginji-san¡¯s house was ratherrge. The height was about as taller as Alice, and the area was no lesser than the NEET detective agency. There was also a few ropes made of nylon strings and tape holding down the ce; it seemed it would not be easy to remove it.

    Ginji-san probably insisted on not moving because his hut really couldn¡¯t be moved easily. They¡¯re homeless, so if they can move anywhere, they can go anywhere.

    In ordance to Alice¡¯s instructions, I opened the plywood doors to check the inside. All possible clues for identification were taken away by the police, and there were only a few towelsid out on the cardboard.

    We went to the back of the hut, and found tape of uneven lengths pasted on the walls of the cardboard. I guess Ginji-san probably taped them on to repair the damage from the airgun attacks from the other side of the railway. Alice pointed a finger at one of the marks that were not repaired, and turned to look at the railway. There were trendy street lights at the fence, and on the other side, there was an uneven stretch of darkness. The lights of the bustling streets at the other side was really far away.

    Looks like Alice is searching for something, I thought.

    Was she trying to estimate where the bullet was fired from? Was there a meaning to that? Can an airgun really kill someone from the other side of the railway? More importantly, Ginji-san was beheaded, so how can that be exined?

    Assuming that those kids in military gear killed Ginji-san with modified airguns¡ªand left bullet marks on the head, they chopped off his head to hide the evidence. Was that a possibility?

    A high school kid? With a Japanese sword?

    I started to feel that this theory was as stupid as the one I said about Washio-san being the culprit, and I shook my head. I really was unsuited to be a detective.

    Alice tugged at the hem of my coat, and caused me to recover. She wanted me to bring her to the fence.

    ¡°What are you looking for?¡±

    I wanted to ask, only to meet her in the eyes, and I stopped.

    Of course, Alice was seeking the words of the dead. That was simply the job of a detective. Once found, the detective would then reconstruct the words in the heart, and would not exin until she found the person to convey them to.

    Thus, I merley apanied Alice through the forests, and walked to the metal fence by the railway. I felt that the weather got colder, probably due to theck of shelter.

    ¡°There¡¯s a hole here.¡±

    Alice muttered, pointing at the feet. There was a little hole at the corner of the fence,rge enough for a cat to slip through.

    ¡°If the culprit chopped off Ginji-san¡¯s head and escaped from here, it¡¯s true that the cameras won¡¯t be able to capture it at that angle.

    But I could not imagine the hole being big enough for a person to get through.

    ¡°I never said it was for a person.¡±

    Then what? A shovel car? I stared at the other side of the hole, and there were a few short tracks of rust on the sandy grass patch. Alice remained speechless as she lifted her head up to look. She was staring at a chandelier-like streetmp, but there was no light on this night.

    ¡°¡­There was a fire in the Summer, right?¡±

    ¡°Eh, eh?¡±

    Alice¡¯s sudden words left me taken aback.

    ¡°The homeless mentioned to you that there was a little fire in the park, right?¡±

    ¡°Y-yes.¡±

    I did remember Pe-san saying such a thing. Everyone med the fire on the homeless for their vinyl bags andbustible huts, and it was increasingly difficult for them to stay there.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡±

    Alice leaned on me as she said,

    ¡°Is this really fine? Don¡¯t you have anything else to investigate?¡¯

    ¡°No need for that. I already understand.¡±

    I stared at Alice¡¯s face, and felt a chill run down my spine. Her eyes were filled with terrifying fury, and caused my throat to stiff.

    How much did she know? Did she link all the clues together? Or that she already knew who did it, and why?

    Tens of thousands of doubts rose up my throat like revolting gastric juices, and I did all I could to suppress it back in.

    These shouldn¡¯t be the words to be mentioned here.

    No, these words might not be able to reach out to anyone, and rot in Alice¡¯s heart.

    I quietly asked Alice, You aren¡¯t suited to be a detective yourself, right? Every time you find an answer, you just look sad, wilted. Every time you¡¯re done with your work, you always end up arriving at a dried desert. Even so, you continue to work your way towards the mirage of truth, never stopping. But that¡¯s strange; humans can¡¯t survive in a dry barrennd. Is it because you¡¯re a NEET, that if work is about creating valuable happiness, but you won¡¯t be able to get that happiness when you cocoon yourself up, right?

    At this moment, I was so helpless, and I could only nod my head silently, holding Alice¡¯s hand as I walked on.

    To one to convey the words to. That would be¡ª

    ¡°Yui-san said that she wants to stop the request.¡±

    Once I saw the shutters of the ramen shop, I said that.

    ¡°¡­I see.¡±

    Alice stiffly answered.

    ¡°Sorry. I wasn¡¯t able to convince her.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯ll deduct a whole lot from your pay. I¡¯m used to work without an oue.¡±

    ¡°Looks like Major too¡­wants to settle things by himself.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, because it concerns his pride.¡±

    Then what should I do? With this bloody truth in mind, what could this useless detective do when she can¡¯t be fertilizer or fuel?

    At the dark corner of the emergency staircase, Alice stopped in her tracks, saying,

    ¡°We can only wait.¡±

    ¡°For what?¡±

    ¡°A miracle.¡±

    Alice mentioned about miracles a few times, and the first time I heard of that, was during the incident involving Meo.

    ¡°Miracles can happen once to anyone, it¡¯s just that most people don¡¯t notice it when it happens.¡±

    Alice insisted that she¡¯s not a Christian, but such a notion should be simr to religion in itself. In other words, for the Japanese who typically don¡¯t have much religious belief, a miracle would be like hitting a home run at the bottom of the ninth inning, or a ne ident that ended up with everyone still alive. For the Christians, without any hope, little things that happens to us are considered miracles. Not because of whosever prayers, not because of an ovepping coincidence, but that God wrote every miracle in the notebook.

    But I had no religious belief, and could not wait.

    The following afternoon, I gave the manager Washio a call, but it was mostly just to escape from reality. Even if it was for just a moment, I wanted to forget that I had no reason to continue investigating.

    ¡°I got something to talk to you about. Erm, Mori-san, Conductor and Marienkhof-shi¡ªah, sorry, about the homeless who know Ginji-san. R-right, that¡¯s it. They know Ginji-san¡¯s real name. We¡¯re wondering if we should tell the police. Please lower your voice. I¡¯m still in school. Yes, yes. Eh? Today? Meet today? Got it. I¡¯ll try asking them¡­money? About that, please ask them directly. 8pm? Okay, I understand. Location¡ª¡±

    Once we agreed on the rendezvous at night, I hung up, leaned my back on the icy wall, and sighed. Conning people really was a tiring thing to do, especially when I didn¡¯t have any trumps. Of course, the intel about Mori-san and the others telling me everything was a lie; I then gave a call to Tetsu-senpai.

    ¡°Can you get Mori-san and the others today¡­? Sorry for asking you do such a strange thing out of a sudden. Ah, it¡¯s fine. Just to scare him; don¡¯t worry if you can¡¯t get them all. Actually, it¡¯s fine even if nobody¡­really? Y-yes, thanks.¡±

    I hung up the phone, and just at that moment, the prep bell rang. The students were running down the corridor, and I looked out of the windows. There were only 5 minutes left for break time; should I give Major a call? I don¡¯t care about that weird pride of yours; hurry up and spill the beans. How are you going to punish those brats from R High School alone? Should I interrogate him with that.

    I didn¡¯t know.

    I recalled every word Alice said. She had she had no interests in criminals, only about how the head was chopped off, and why. I didn¡¯t know what that meant. Couldn¡¯t she get the answers to both as long as we found the culprit? Or is it that we can¡¯t catch him without knowing how?

    Of course, we can¡¯t find the reason and method. There is norge machinery in the park, and the surveince cameras never caught sight of any machinery that were moved in and out. No matter who we suspected, we would end up with these two issues. With that, it would be a waste of effort for this stupid detective assistant to act independently without a client¡¯s request.

    While I hesitated, the prep bell continued ringing. The teacher could be seen around the corner of the corridor, so I kept my phone, and walked into the ssroom.

    ¡°¡­So, how¡¯s the jail food?¡±

    ¡°Who knows? What about you, Tetsu? You know?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t. Hey, I haven¡¯t been to a Boys¡¯ Home, I¡¯m a good kid! Were you caught and put somewhere before, Mori-san?¡¯

    ¡°Nope. Only the detention center.¡±

    ¡°The food there is the worst of all. They gave me two straight days of the same thing.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no budget.¡±

    The conversation could be heard from the concrete arch beneath the bridge of the railway. I looked around, and peeked in.

    ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t that Narumi? Brought food over?¡±

    Mori-san was the first to discover me, and lifted his head. Gathered at the scene in a circle were 4 of the homeless and Tetsu-senpai. The chilly breeze could not enter between the 4 pirs supporting the railway, and it was rtively warm with everyone huddled up.

    ¡°Sorry for having to get everyone here.¡±

    I lowered my head, and at the same time, handed the convenience store bag to the older men; the fragrance of yakitori and meat buns filled the cramped ce.

    ¡°Everyone got arrested before?¡±

    Recalling the chilling conversation from before, I cautiously asked,

    ¡°Only Major got taken back, we just answered the questions on the spot.¡± Conductor answered. Every time, he was dressed in suit, and polite in tone. He might have the appearance of a higher management member of apany, but he was really an actual homeless folk.

    ¡°We went over because Major called us over.¡± Pe-san answered.

    ¡°Called? As in cellphone? You have one?¡±

    ¡°Oho, you¡¯re treating us as idiots now, Narumi?¡± ¡°Let us teach you the harshness of reality!¡±

    ¡°If you want to do day jobs, a cellphone is a must!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have since I can¡¯t pay the phone fees¡­¡±

    ¡°So-sorry.¡±

    I was too ignorant. So in such times, even the homeless needed a cellphone, huh?

    Mori-san nodded.

    ¡°Ginji-san was already like that when he arrived.¡±

    ¡°But in any case, there¡¯s no need to kill him like that¡­¡±

    ¡°Wat¡¯ll happen to the corpse?¡± ¡°Probably dissected, and he¡¯ll be a lonely ghost.¡± ¡°We might end up like that too.¡±

    Everyone¡¯s voice got weaker, and finally silence. The train passed by from time to time, letting out a resounding boom that wiped out the sound of everyone chomping on cup ramen and fried chicken.

    For them, Ginji-san was someone very important. Thus, his death brought about such a deep, impressionable emptiness, and also proved that he wasn¡¯t alone when he was alive.

    ¡°Narumi, aren¡¯t you trying to find out who killed Ginji-san?¡±

    Mori-san asked quietkly. That bald head was dyed red due to drunkenness.

    ¡°¡­Yes. I invited everyone here to assist in this. You don¡¯t have to do anything much. I just need an excuse and threat.¡±

    ¡°Hm? Tetsu, you too?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine with not looking for the culprit. I don¡¯t get any pay out of this.¡±

    Senpai¡¯s tone was kind enough as it was.

    ¡°It¡¯s just that I have sharp instincts, and I guess you called me here to scare some people, right, Narumi?¡±

    Senpai directed his stare at me, and I nodded,

    ¡°Did that guy kill Ginji-san?¡± Pe-san asked.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not yet¡ª¡± while I was about to say that I was still uncertain, footsteps and a long slender figure appeared behind me. I turned around, and found a savage looking young man dressed in a white down jacket. It was the manager Washio. He removed what was likely a pair of in lens sses, and put them into the chest pocket, stepping into our gathering spot.

    ¡°A lot of you here.¡±

    Washio-san sounded somewhat spiteful, red at us, and stared at me,

    ¡°I¡¯ll state beforehand that I have no money. If you¡¯re intending to extort me, I¡¯ll start off stubborn.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s with that out of a sudden?¡± Pe-san said, ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°I saw him a few times at the park.¡±

    ¡°He spoke with Ginji-san before.¡±

    The homeless men¡¯s conversation left Washio-san a little startled. It was unsurprising as he had assumed the homeless would try to extort him, but nobody recognized him. I stood up, and retreated slightly so that Washio-san could enter the space.

    ¡°Sorry, I lied to you on the phone.¡±

    Washio-san¡¯s face gurned.

    ¡°I just want to talk to you about something, and lied to you to get you out.¡±

    Suddenly, I noticed that Tetsu-senpai had walked towards the path leading outside, his arms folded as he stood behind Washio-san. He probably did that to prevent Washio-san from turning away and running in shock. Really, I was grateful to him about that.

    ¡°What is it that you want to talk to me about?¡±

    ¡°I want to ask you about this; on December 16, the night before the incident, you drove out to bring Ginji-san back to the park, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    I kept quiet, and watched Washio-san¡¯s reaction. His face looked as thoug there was a thinyer of dirt sticking onto it, for he became stoic-faced.

    ¡°¡­Erm, I¡¯m not trying to fish something out of you, or that you need to make an excuse. We got all the necessary evidence, and the surveince cameras recorded images of your car and Ginji-san doing the same.¡±

    What I said was a lie. The tire marks could only be considered as weak evidence, and the visual of the car was too small to be seen cleanly. Hearing this, Washio-san sighed, his shoulders rxing.

    ¡°Yes, I did send him back to the park. So what?¡±

    Like him, I too felt relieved. Ever since I became a detective assistant, I started picking up ways to lie that should not be done. Then, I spotted senpai behind Washio-san giving a sneaky grin.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re guessing, but I just so happened to meet that man when I was on the way back to the park, and brought him back. On the car, I was just begging him to leave the park, and I did notify the police about this.¡±

    Washio-san started to speak faster, probably because he was pressurized by the stares of Mori-san, Pe-san, Conductor and Marienkhof-shi staring at him.

    ¡°I too was shocked¡­to hear of his passing. I didn¡¯t expect you guys to suspect me. I don¡¯t have a reason to kill. Why would I want to do such a stupid thing?¡±

    ¡°Then, how did you know that¡­Ginji-san¡¯s head was chopped off?¡±

    Washio-san immediately widened his eyes, his throat croaking.

    As I asked him, I started to sense my voice calming down. I instinctively realized that he wasn¡¯t the culprit. He lowered his eyes, and nudged his toes into the dirt as though he wanted to crush something.

    ¡°Of course, it was the people at Hercules who told me that. The reconstruction work is started by the town council, and of course, the police informed them of the details. I¡¯m not sure of the source, but it¡¯s likely the people at the town council informed the people at Hercules.

    I sighed, and lowered my shoulders. At this point, it all made sense, fifty thousand times more usible than the theory of Washio-san being the culprit I said to Alice.

    ¡°Is that all you want to talk about? Why bluff me out just for this little thing?¡±

    This time, I lowered my head. However, I had a feeling I had something to ask about.

    I heard a voice behind me.

    ¡°You¡¯re thest one to meet Ginji-san, right?¡±

    Mori-san asked. Washio-san frowned, and put on the in lens sses.

    ¡°Is that so? I don¡¯t know. I didn¡¯t intend for that. I¡¯ll say it again, I just wanted to discuss things with him.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not ming you here. What did Ginji-san say to you at the end?¡±

    They want to know what he said at the end? I turned around to look at Mori-san. Pe-san, Conductor and Marienkhof-shi were seated cross-legged on the floor, staring at him intently.

    ¡°Like our conversation from before. I said I was willing to take care of him for a moment, but that stubborn man said that he would never leave the park, even if he died. He insisted that it had nothing to do with Yui; he didn¡¯t want to recognize his daughter, and didn¡¯t want to meet her. So why did he want to remain in the park? Is there a treasure there or something?¡±

    Washio-san said, and looked away, probably realizing how agitated he was. The four homeless looked at each other, and nodded in unison.

    ¡°¡­Then¡­¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°He found it, huh?¡±

    ¡°Hey, you know something?¡± Washio-san went towards my side, and bent down to ask Mori-san.

    Thetter merely nodded, and Pe-san beside him answered.

    ¡°Ginji-san found his home.¡±

    Washio-san snorted, and got up.

    ¡°¡­How foolish.¡±

    He said, and retreated to the road, ring at the homeless who were squatted around the warm air.

    ¡°You guys are wanderers, no ce to call home. No matter where you stay at, it¡¯s¡ª¡±

    Conductor and Mori-san got up, wanting to argue back, but Washio-san¡¯s cellphone suddenly rang. He retreated to the fence, and fished out his cellphone.

    ¡°¡­Yes, eh? Yui? Sorry, can¡¯t hear you. It¡¯s noisy behind me¡­eh? Yes, yes¡­I-I¡¯ll be right there!¡±

    Without realizing it, I hurried after Washio-san while thetter was leaving.

    ¡°Why are you following me? Aren¡¯t we done?¡±

    ¡°What happened to Yui-san?¡±

    Washio-san stopped, and red at me, giving a look of one looking to strangle someone else.

    ¡°She copsed. She¡¯s in the hospital.¡±

    I don¡¯t suppose anyone had any good memories of the hospital, but my own memories of the hospital were all really terrible. Every time, it¡¯s always about dying people lying on the bed, and I could only shrink on the round stool, being all helpless. On that day, it was the same.

    ¡°¡­She didn¡¯t eat well, did she? Are you her older brother? Her manager!? Please take care of her living conditions. If you underestimate anaemia¡­¡±

    The doctor told off Washio-san on the other side of the bed as I was copsed on the chair by the bedside, staring at Yui-san. Her face was pale, her messy hair looking like hard wax, her closed eyelids not twitching. She really looked like a corpse if not for the chest huffing as she breathed.

    A burly man in his 50s or so, dressed in golf wear suddenly mmed the door open and barged in. Please calm down, chairman. Washio-san immediately stood up, and the duo got into any argument. Is Yui fine? How is she? Hey, who¡¯s that brat? Please don¡¯t raise your voice, we¡¯re in the hospital. Is that brat Yui¡¯s boyfriend? How didn¡¯t I know about this? Chairman, please head outside the ward room¡ª

    Amidst thismotion, Yui-san opened her eyes slightly.

    ¡°Yui!¡±

    Washio-san immediately noticed her waking up, grabbed the bed frame, and stared at her.

    ¡°¡­Eh¡­I¡­¡±

    Yui-san poked her hand out from under the nket, trying to block out the light, probably because it was too bright. However, her hand trembled feebly, andnded on her forehead. She ended up shaking the drip tube, and the metal frame let out a sound.

    ¡°Why¡­huh? Narumi-kun?¡±

    ¡°You idiot!¡± Washio-sanshed out, ¡°Good thing it was a recording. What if it had been a live show?¡±

    Yyu-san snuggled back under the nket in fear.

    ¡°Please get out if you want to make amotion!¡± The young doctor told the duo off harshly, shoving them out of the room.

    ¡°How dire is her situation now? Does she need to stay in? If there¡¯s a way to get her discharged.¡±

    Washio-san asked as he grabbed the doctor by the cor. They¡¯re basically arguing. You all can vanish for all I care, malicious thoughts appeared in my mind.

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t need to stay in the hospital, but you can tell that she needs rest for the time being. Hey, you too! Get out!¡± The doctor turned around to me.

    At this moment, I subconsciously blurted,

    ¡°Please let me be able to with Yui-san for the time being.¡±

    The eyes under the in lenses of Washio-san widenedrgely, and the chairman in golf wear was looking flushed. The doctor scowled.

    ¡°Just for a while. I¡¯ll talk a little, and if she calms down, I¡¯ll go back.¡±

    Unexpectedly, Washio-san was the first to budge. He tugged at the sleeve of the chairman, saying this brat is okay. Let him try talk Yui out of it and get her to calm down. Once done, he led the chairman out of the room while thetter continued to utter something. Finally, ¡°Just 5 minutes.¡± the young doctor said with a scowl on his face, and vanished behind the door.

    The silence finally came upon us, like an ice block crushing at my throat. I sighed, and turned to the top of the bed.

    With a look of disbelief, Yui-san stared at me.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t eat? That¡¯s what the doctor said.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any appetite.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t sleep much either, did you? Your make up is a little hick.¡±

    ¡°Nooo, you shouldn¡¯t have said it even if you noticed it!¡±

    Yui-san probably wanted tough, but her face was showing a cracked expression.

    After some silence, she asked,

    ¡°¡­Why did youe along too, Narumi-kun?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­I just so happened toe by with Washio-san.¡±

    ¡°Just so happened?¡±

    I was a little hesitant, but discussed to spill the beans.

    I told her that on the night before the incident, Washio-san met with Giniji-san. To affirm if he was the cuklprit, I called him out. Thus, I had to report to her about their conversation. Ginji-san did not want to meet Yui-san, and did not want to recognize her. Once she heard that, her expression did not change.

    ¡°Why are you continuing with the investigation?¡±

    Yui-san stared at the ceiling, asking with a parched voice,

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I say that I want to cancel the request? Why are you still continuing with it? And if Washio-san really was the culprit, you could have been killed?¡±

    It appeared Yui-san wanted to joke with me, as once she was done, she patted me on the shoulder. However, her overly cheerful voice left me uneasy.

    Why did we want to continue with the investigation?

    I stared at the gap beween the round stool and the bed, hearing the groaning of the warm air as I pondered over the reason.

    ¡°¡­Knowing the truth is as good as dying.¡±

    Yui-san turned her head around slightly.

    ¡°That¡¯s Alice¡¯s mantra. She always said that there¡¯s no turning back once we know, and in other words, that part of the other person. If nobody requests anything from her, she won¡¯t dig up ther truth.¡±

    Yui-san¡¯s troubled eyes were wavering between the ceiling and my face.

    ¡°Her way of action as a detective will always end up hurting a certain person deliberately. It¡¯s like there¡¯s a locked room, yet she went to open it, to show you that it¡¯s empty inside. However, nobody will be happy by her actions, and instead, a certain part of everyone¡¯s hearts die off.¡±

    Because I was the same, and Tetsu-senpai, Yondaime, Min-san and the others were the same. I opened my hands, seeking traces of blood. I could no longer see them, but I clearly remembered them.

    ¡°Bu-but.¡±

    Again, I clenched my fists slightly.

    ¡°Just a bit¡ªmy heart just feels a little more rxed than before. It¡¯s just a little, but we can again take a step forward. The hole in the heart remains, but even though it remains we can go forward even with this hole inside.¡±

    I bit my lower lips. As expected, I could exin it well. After I was done, I couldn¡¯t sense Yui-san¡¯s response. It¡¯s like trying to sculpt something in the water, trying to create some kind of image.

    ¡°This is what being a detective is about. If you find that it¡¯s pain¡ª¡±

    I stared at Yui-san¡¯s expression face.

    ¡°No matter when, you can ask us for help.¡±

    Once I said that, I found something was strange. It felt that I was the one pleading to be saved. Yui-san¡¯s face changed expressions a few times.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    She sounded as though she was on the verge of tears.

    ¡°Why am I feeling sad? Why is it, when the one vanishing is someone who never existed?¡±

    I really wanted to cover my ears. Saying that, Yui-san stared at the ceiling silently.

    I wanted to cover my ears. Once she was done, Yui-san again stared at the ceiling silently.

    I too wondered why we felt so sad. It was just the death of someone who never existed, so why did we feel sadness when God created us? Unable to understand, I stood up from my chair, and went for the door.

    The NEETs, starting with Alice, have a narrow-minded belief of not taking action without any request. After what I experienced this past Winter, I understood really well that it was a reasonable idea. Without apass, navigation map and a sextant, I would be drifting in the oceans with a drift board, and it really was taxing. In some cases, I might end up drifting further away fromnd.

    However, this stupid and paranoid me was a brat who couldn¡¯t be a NEET, unable to remain still. The following day, after school, I had Kaoruko-senpai create an excuse for me to head to R high school. This time I went to the student council office to greet them.

    ¡°You have your graduation ceremony on the 24th? Us too. Let¡¯s go for a gathering once the graduation ceremony ends! I¡¯m a tinum member of the Karaoke shop, so it¡¯s going to be cheap. Remind to call Kaoruko-san along. I¡¯ll get the student sof T Girls High and Y Girls Academy toe along. I¡¯ll be counting on you, Fujishima-senpai.¡±

    I went to exchange the club activity pamphlets with the student council president of R High School, who was as enthusiastic as usual.

    I pretended to stare at the introductory pamphlets stacked on the table in a nonchnt manner, and asked,

    ¡°I heard your school has a strange club called the History Research club.¡±

    I could sense everyone else other than the president wince.

    ¡°You know a lot.¡±

    ¡°Ah, erm, one of my friends is a graduate.¡±

    A third year reading manga in a corner of the room nearly fell off from the chair.

    ¡°That graduate you talk of, eh, is that¡­that Mukai¡­¡±

    ¡°Right, Mukai Hitoshi. You know him?¡±

    Was he around when the 3rd years first entered? Maybe he might be way older? As I started guessing Major¡¯s age, there was already amotion amongst the student council members.

    ¡°So you¡¯re an acquaintance of Mukai-senpai, Fujishima-senpai?¡± ¡°No wonder.¡± ¡°The atmosphere, somehow.¡± ¡°Mukai-senpai? ¡°I heard he¡¯s the guy who caused the college schrship budget of our school to be cut by half¡­¡± ¡°Ahhh¡­¡±

    What kind of urban legends did he leave behind? I wondered with a hand on my forehead. With a disgusted look, the student council president said, ¡°I guess you know the history research club is just a resting ce for military otakus, a survival game club.¡±

    ¡°I do. Right. They have a member called Hirabayashi, right? Heard he¡¯s just a first year.¡±

    ¡°¡­Hirabayashi is in my ss.¡± The president said.

    ¡°A-ahh, I-I see. Erm, I only know of his name, that¡¯s all.¡±

    Even I too felt that the topic was too forced, and hurriedly tried to round things off.

    ¡°Well, that Major¡ªno, about that Mukai-san told me that if I am to drop by at R High School, I¡¯m to visit Hirabayashi since the guy looks like he has some troubles and has been taking breaks. Speaking of which, did Hirabayashie to school today?¡±

    ¡°He did! Probably to attend make-up sses.¡±

    I was lying when I said that he was taking breaks, and I didn¡¯t expect that to be the case. Hirabayashi had been taking makeup sses after school to catch up on his academics.

    The ssroom of 1-7 on the third floor was located closest to the stairs, and to avoid others, I sat at the stairwell, waiting for his lessons to end.

    This is a strange way of avoiding reality, I muttered to myself as I felt the cold concrete under my backside.

    A detective would act as one because one because he wanted to avoid the truth nobody else wanted to understand.

    After the bell at 5pm rang for a while, I spotted a teacher entering his old age open the door and walk out, followed by the back door opening. A diminutive figure in uniform walked onto the corridor, and it was clearly the first year student I spotted at the club. He had the appearance of a middle school student, probably because of how small he looked. There were some bruises at the edge of his lips, his eyes had some ban aids. I ran down the corridor, and called for him.

    ¡°Erm¡ª¡±

    Startled, he turned around. At first, he could not recognize me, and once he saw my uniform it appeared he recalled. He showed a skeptical look on his face.

    ¡°¡­You¡¯re the one who came to our club¡­is there anything you need?¡±

    ¡°I want to ask you about the night of the 16th.¡±

    He put his bag on his shoulder, and started running, jumping down the stairs two steps at a time. I hurriedly gave case, but he was not headed for the clubroom, but towards to the entrance.

    ¡°Wait, I just want to ask something. Just want to ask!¡±

    He continued ignoring my shouts as he darted down to the entrance, put on his shoes, and ran out. Despite the surrounding stares of the R High school students leaving me awkward, I hurriedly put on my shoes and ran out. His back, dressed in uniform, had already ran off to the back door.

    ¡°I told you to stop!¡±

    I caught him near the back door, and luckily, it was a quiet residential area with few people.

    ¡°What do you want?¡±

    He waved my hand off.

    ¡°This has nothing to do with you!¡±

    ¡°The police has specified the type of gun used. It¡¯s only a matter of time.¡±

    I quietly noted. Of course, it was just my threat, but he went silent. The bag nearly slipped from his shoulders, and he carried it again, turning his back on me.

    ¡°¡­What do you want exactly? Mukai-senpai too came to look for me¡­¡±

    ¡°The homeless guy who was killed is someone we know, and we¡¯re investigating.¡±

    I tried my best to speak with a gentle tone, exining to the back of the uniform that appeared to be on the verge of snapping.

    ¡°Major¡¯s a maniac, and he found you out faster than the police.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°I think you may be mistaken. I¡¯m not here to pursue responsibility. I don¡¯t care whether you¡¯re the culprit. I just want to know what happened that night.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡±

    Again, Hirabayashi tried to walk on, and I grabbed the belt of his bag. He turned around to yell,

    ¡°LET GO OF¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªVice-Admiral Fujishima?¡±

    I heared a sudden voice from behind me, and following that, a figure in camouge colors entered my sights. The little hand in leather glove grabbed my arm firmly, and the eyes under the visor were narrowed, red at me in rage.

    ¡°Major¡­¡±

    ¡°Why are you here? What business do you have with Private Hirabayashi?¡±

    I could not answer Major, and so I avoided his eyes. He then grabbed my arm more forcefully, causing me to let go of Hirabayashi¡¯s bag.

    ¡°I told you this is our internal matters. Don¡¯t interrupt.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t your matter alone, Major! This is a case the client asked us to handle!¡±

    ¡°I heard she cancelled it.¡±

    I was left speechless as Major saw through my lie. It was all my selfish motivation. Hirabayashi¡¯s just a stranger, and I had no right to question him.

    ¡°Private Hirabayashi, why are you running away?¡±

    Major grabbed Hirabayashi by the cor, and dragged him over.¡±

    ¡°I came here today to ask you personally. All prior contacts had some failure, and I found that the gas, batteries and bearings were all bought under your name. Did you attend every mock battle?¡±

    ¡°It has nothing to do with you, senpai.¡±

    ¡°Who took part in the mock battles on the night of the 16th? I asked you especially because you bought so much consumables, but not the guns. Your personal gun should be the Uzi sub machine gun for beginners you bought at the Mukai seminar when you first joined, and unable to fire bearings.¡±

    I was stunned. Did Major find out that much?

    ¡°Were you set up?¡±

    ¡°¡­It has nothing to do you you.¡±

    ¡°Who shot?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Stop fooling around and answer. Did theymand you to keep quiet? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m going to punish them.¡±

    ¡°Please, leave me alone!¡±

    Hirabayashi waved off Major¡¯s hand.

    ¡°You¡¯re no longer a member, senpai. Please don¡¯t say anymore.¡±

    ¡°Why are you protecting them? This isn¡¯t even a notion ofradeship. Have you forgotten the rules of a soldier?¡±

    ¡°I said I don¡¯t know!¡± Hirabayashi suddenly knocked Major aside on the shoulder.

    ¡°I¡¯m yourmander! Trust me! I¡¯ll ensure your safety!¡±

    ¡°How do you intend to get me to trust you? You graduated for who know how long, and you don¡¯t know how the club is right now! Why did you encourage me to join the history research club? I don¡¯t want to y any survival games. I shouldn¡¯t have joined.¡±

    Just looking at Major¡¯s back was enough for me to understand how dejected he was, and he even let go. Hirabayashi put his bag onto the shoulder, turned around, and walked away. Major and I could only watch the back of the ck uniform. The right hand of Major, covered in leather glove, quivered as it remained clenched, and then let go again.

    I felt that I had to say something.

    ¡°¡­You knew that first year for a long time?¡±

    ¡°During summer break, we would get along with the elite students of the affiliated middle school for some study meet, and we yed together then.¡±

    Major sensed that he let slip of something, and kept quiet. He gave a look implying that he should not have told me, and continued on,

    ¡°If I can report, I will. Go finish your mission, Vice-Admiral.¡±

    ¡°What do you intend to do? What if they are the real culprits?¡±

    ¡°I told you I¡¯ll handle it by myself!¡±

    ¡°Then how¡ª¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know, Vice-Admiral.¡±

    Major said as he pointed a finger at my chest, and turned around to leave. I bent down, took a deep breath, and wanted to yell at the back of the small figure dressed in camouge jacket. However, I could not say anything, and merely gather my emotions in my palms as I pped at my thighs.

    What finish my mission? If I could, I would have done it. Right now, I don¡¯t have apass, navigation map, and no sextant. I¡¯m unable to finish the mission Alice tasked me with, and I don¡¯t know what to say to Yui-san when she¡¯s hiding under the wrinkled clothes. Major, what are you feeling actually? Are you trying to protect your formerrades, or not hoping for their sins to beid out under the sun? I did say that to Hirabayashi to scare him, but the police aren¡¯t idiots; they¡¯ll figure out this clue soon. Why exactly do you insist on your ideals? Why does everyone bend down and cover their ears? What do I do exactly?

    This inexplicable rage became dust that seeped through the gaps between my fingers. The frosty northern winds pricked at my ears, and at this point, I realized that I left my coat in the student council office. I put my hands into my pocket, and went towards the back door.

    It waspletely dark when I arrived at Hanamaru. It¡¯s the season where the day is shorter after all. It was yet to be evening though, and there were no customers to be seen behind the curtains, only Min-san alone busy with the preparations to open the shop.

    Right in front of the back door, I spotted two figures seated, facing each other in front of a wooden table.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to attack this piece. Mine is Major!¡±

    ¡°Too bad. Mine¡¯s andmine!¡±

    ¡°Again? Youryout is really annoying.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to start attacking from the right then. I¡¯m attacking here. Mine is Vice-Admiral.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Major!¡± ¡°Ahh damn it!¡±

    ¡°What are you two doing¡­?¡¯

    It¡¯s Tetsu-senpai and Hiro, and there was something simr to a shogi tableid out between them, with several thousand yen notes by the side. These damned NEETs only know how to gamble, goodness me.

    ¡°Wee back, Narumi.¡± Hiro-san looked away from the board, beaming.

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me, or else I¡¯ll forget myyout.¡± Tetsu-senpai again stared at the board.

    ¡°Shogi?¡­doesn¡¯t look like it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s soldier shogi. Do you know?¡¯

    I know soldier shogi. It¡¯s a game using the ranks of the soldier to attack and defend. However, there are a dozen or so pieces thatppeared dead, and I felt weird.

    ¡°Why only ¡®Major¡¯ and ¡®Vice-Admiral¡¯?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the ¡®Hanamaru soldier shogi¡¯ we came up with.¡± Tetsu-senpai gleefully answered, ¡°Only Major, Vice-Admiral andndmine.¡± What is this¡­

    Hiro exined,

    ¡°Major beats Vice-Admiral, because he doesn¡¯t think of Narumi as much.¡±

    ¡°Ehh, well¡­¡±

    ¡°But Vice-Admiral beatsndmines, because you always trample on them, Narumi.¡± ¡°What do you mean!?¡±

    And thus, the Vice-Admiral piece in senpai¡¯s territory got trampled by Hiro¡¯s Major piece, so the former had to fork out money bitterly.

    ¡°Argh, I¡¯ll stop wit this. This Vice-Admiral is really useless,pletely useless.¡± You¡¯re referring to the game, right? Senpai? Is it just me, or is there spite in those words?

    ¡°Hey, you NEETs!¡± Min-san poked her head out from the back door. ¡°I¡¯m not charging you for that, but try out a new vour.¡±

    A delighted looking Hiro and a reluctant Tetsu-senpai walked into the shop, while I sat on a beer crate chair, spacing out. Again, Min-san opened the back door, saying,

    ¡°Hurry in! Or it¡¯s going to clump together.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­yes.¡±

    At the very least, trying out new vors would require me to use my tongue. Thinking about that, I got up, and walked into the shop.

    The new vour was a meat miso ramen, a rtively standard one for Min-san. Tetsu-senpai kept praising it, while Hiro advised that it might be too sweet. I took a bite of noodles and drank some of the soup, remaining still as I held onto the hot bowl.

    The icy feeling I felt when I met Major was practically melting away in other ways.

    Tetsu-senpai ordered some beer, and started drinking with Hiro. Min-san lowered the volume of the TV, and started washing the pot. The steam covered her upper body, yet I felt exceptionally cold, so I took another gulp.

    ¡°Narumi.¡±

    Min-san¡¯s words caused me to lift my head.

    ¡°Seriously, I won¡¯t be helping you again.¡±

    ¡°¡­Eh?¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t let you have any more free ice cream. Given ow thick-headed you are, how many times do you want me to repeat it?¡±

    ¡°¡­Oh, eh?¡±

    ¡°It means people view you favourably, Narumi. You should try and improve your stock, Narumi.¡±

    Hiro added as he gave a mischievous smirk.

    ¡°Hiro, you y stocks?¡±

    ¡°Not me, but the madams.¡±

    ¡°What did you say about the madams again?¡±

    ¡°Min-san, you¡¯re holding a chopper! It¡¯s scary!¡±

    ¡°Oh really? As long as you keep saying the wrong things, I¡¯ll start doing the wrong things.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll start buying stocks too. Can I buy with three different bills.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not horseracing.¡±

    I nonchntly listened in on their conversation, slurping at the increasingly cold ramen. What was everyone hoping about me? There was a clear antagonist in every case before this. I knew who I should punch, and who I should run away from. This time, it¡¯s different. Nobody made a request to me, and nobody hated me. I was just a g bearer, a pipe, a detective assistant who was powerless to do anything other than words.

    At this moment however, a sound attracted my attention.

    I lifted my head.

    I looked around, seeking the sound that rattled my heart. It¡¯s not Min-san, she¡¯s cutting the onions silently; Hiro and Tetsu-senpai are discussing about horse racing enthusiastically. Who exactly was it?

    I finally realized that it was the television. There was a homely looking set of a studio with sofas and a round table on the screen. On the right side was a famous manzai pair acting as hosts, and the left side was¡ªYui-san who was seated there. She was dressed in a turtle neck sweater, a short wool skirt, and long white boots. She was oozing with sexiness on the channel, chatting with the two hosts. There was the word ¡®live¡¯ at the bottom right corner of the TV, indicating that it was a live broadcast. I guess it was a special programme to have a live airing at this time. 24 hours ago, she was as good as dead, and now she¡¯s able to smile so heartily in front of the camera. All I could wonder was whether she needed my help. For her, the rectangr world of light was her home. Once she returned to the studio, no matter when it was, she could forget her tears and smile to the tens of thousands of people out there. Why did youe to the NEET detective agency? You alone could have¡ª

    I stared at the bottom left corner of the small TV screen.

    Yui-san, seated on the sofa, had a brown little thing ced by her waist.

    It was an owl doll.

    Once I noticed the tail of the owl Yui-san¡¯s right hand was gripping, I immediately left the bowl of ramen on the counter, and ran out. ¡°Hey, Narumi?¡±Min-san called out for me, but her voice vanished behind the door. I got to the back door, and ran up the emergency staircase. I knocked on the door leading to the NEET detective agency, and opened it without pressing the inte.

    ¡°What, Narumi? You should at least press the bell!¡±

    Alice, seated on the bed, turned around to re at me, and I rushed into the room, saying,

    ¡°TV! Switch on the TV!¡±

    ¡°TV?¡±

    ¡°Just switch it on.¡±

    Alice frowned, and tapped at the keyboard, one of the monitors on the rack at the wall showed a TV show. There were the sofas, round tables, two hosts and Yui-san. Alice¡¯s eyes widened slightly.

    ¡°¡­I heard you have dolls in your room, Yui-chan?¡± One of the manzai members asked.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t help but buy them on the inte.¡±

    ¡°I have a lot of them in my room too!¡± ¡°How unexpected.¡± ¡°I have 5 Gachapins and a Mukku propeller.¡±

    ¡°I want to buy Mukkus dolls too! Propellers are just ordinary fans! ¡± ¡°Ahahaha.¡±

    ¡°What dolls do you have, Yui-chan?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t talk much when I don¡¯t have any dolls with me.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, that one you have. An owl? Owl? Right? It¡¯s really rare.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s rare, isn¡¯t it? I got it from a friend, and she has double the dolls I have! She really is knowledgeable about them, and I heard this owl is the goddess of wisdom and courage.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re courageous yourself. You were smacking at my head without holding back.¡±

    ¡°Ahaha. That was out of my own impulse. Actually, the real me is always scared and nervous, and I¡¯m always shivering at the rest area in the backstage. Without the dolls, I really can¡¯t appear on shows¡±

    ¡°Ah, I just saw you holding the doll and muttering alone.¡±

    ¡°No, please don¡¯t mention that!¡±

    ¡°What were you muttering? A mantra?¡±

    ¡°Of course not! I was saying, pleaes save me¡±

    Startled, I turned towards Alice.

    The lights on the monitor shone on Alice¡¯s face, showing a ting little shadow, and Yui-san in her eyes were staring at the Minerva in the hands, again muttering,

    ¡°I just said to the doll ¡®please save me¡¯, just¡ªsave me.¡±

    Alice¡¯s hands slipped off the keyboard, and she switched off the monitor. Again, there was only the silence mixed with the noise of the fans in the room, and with bated breath, I stared at Alice¡¯s sidelong face, waiting for the detective¡¯s words.

    Alice lowered her head, her flowing ck hairpletely covering her face. However, she immediately stood up again, and turned towards me.

    Her eyes were filled with ring anger.

    ¡°Narumi.¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°Did you tell her¡ªthat I¡¯m the speaker of the dead?¡±

    Again, I nodded firmly.

    To know is to die, that was what I told Alice. Once I said that, her face was filled with life.

    ¡°Got it. Good work. You did well.¡±

    Again, Alice knelt down on the nket, and picked up the phone. Through the doors, walls and concrete floor, I could hear the ¡®Colorado Bulldog¡¯ ringtone downstairs.

    ¡°Tetsu? It¡¯s me. we received a request again. Right¡­right, yes. Pass the word to Yondaime. The more people we have, the better.¡±

    Again, I listened to Alice¡¯s voice, and sped my hands together, filling the warmth and sweat on my palms. Alice hung up, and again looked at me.

    ¡°There¡¯s only one thing left.¡±

    ¡°¡­What is it.¡±

    ¡°I understand it all, except for one final piece I¡¯mcking.¡±

    To connects facts with truths, Alice muttered.

    ¡°We may lose a friend or so for the sake of that one piece. However¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    Alice looked up from my chest, and I took it head on, saying,

    ¡°Let me beat up Major.¡±

 Volume 7, 5

    <h4>Volume 7, Chapter 5</h4>

    Non-mainstream culture clubs would typically have activities far differed from their group¡¯s name, like our school¡¯s ¡®Onsen Travelling Club¡¯ actually being a gathering for those who like the train schedules. There¡¯s also a certain school¡¯s ¡®cultural music research club¡¯ being actually a full blown rock and roll club. Obviously, the reason why they woulde up with such funny names to pull bluffs on the teachers just to set up their clubs.

    However, the history research club was a serious club researching on 19th century European history, as its name implied. As to why it ended up being a survival game club full of gun techniques and military nerds, well, the reason¡¯s obvious. A certain member 6 years ago turned the club from one filled with loads of history book into an armory.

    ¡°As expected, the period with the most members was when Major was in school, and now there are only 8 of them. Half of them are in their 3rd years, and they hardly participated in club activities.¡±

    Alice said as she stared at the monitor.

    It was the day after Yui-san made a request to us again, December 23rd¡ªthe birthday of the Emperor, and also the day I had to go to school for makeup due tock of attendance in the 2nd semester. I spent half the day in school for makeup sses, and only arrived in the office at evening. By this point, Alice had already investigated lots of things. Shown on the monitor were the files with the erged passport photographs of all the members in the R high school history research club, and I didn¡¯t know how she managed to obtain such investigation. I scanned the 4 files shown on 4 different monitors, and they were the ones I met when I went to R High school with Major.

    Kirayama Takuji, Second Year, the sick looking sses guy who talked with Major.

    Ooshima Kunihiro, Second Year.

    Tadokoro Shinya, Second Year.

    And Hirabayashi Minoru, First Year.

    So back then, the guys were actual club members?

    ¡°Some graduates would will drop by from time to participate in games. They usemercial fields for y, so there will be records. Probably spare time after entering college.¡±

    Alice¡¯s fingers raced on the keyboard, and following this, there were the faces of three young men.

    ¡°The seven of them went about buying and modifying metal bullets and gun technology that allows them to fire from afar, and we know for sure that they fired from outside the park, so for the time being, investigate on them first.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re¡­the culprits?¡±

    I could not help but try to affirm this, and Alice showed a vexed look.

    ¡°I told you that I have no interests in criminals. I want to investigate them because they have the final piece to the puzzle, the moment Katsuragi Kenji died.¡±

    I didn¡¯t know what Alice meant at all. In that case, did they mean that they weren¡¯t the culprits? We¡¯re already sure that they fired from afar, but why chop the head off? They never entered the park.

    But Alicepletely ignored my doubts, and turned to face the keyboard.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know who among the seven were shooting at the homeless, but the frequency of them going out at night had increased. The dates they went out are aligned, so I guess there¡¯s a high chance of them going out shooting together.¡±

    I sighed.

    ¡°You really obtained a lot of information over the past two days.¡±

    Or I guess she had already investigated on them beforehand, like usual.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t find out about this. Alice merely shrugged. ¡°Someone already did it, and all I did is to have a peek at hisputer.¡±

    ¡°Investigated¡­who?¡±

    Before Alice could answer, I could hear the door being opened violently. Shocked by the violent footsteps, I turned around to look, and found my answer standing there. The camouge suit with holsters all over it made Major look fatter than he was, and the helmet andrge visor practically covered his small face. I could clearly sense anger from his eyes. He pushed me aside, went to the bed, stared at the files of the R high school history research club, and red at Alice.

    ¡°You hacked into my system?¡±

    ¡°I did? You investigated thoroughly there.¡±

    The fist covered in leather glovesnded hard on the mattress, and Alice continued staring at Major with a stoic look.

    ¡°You were really careless there. If you wanted to duel against me, you should have unplugged all the inte cables.¡±

    ¡°I have no intention of battling you.¡±

    ¡°Most wars in history are started from those who never intended to be enemies; you should know this better than I do.¡±

    Major left the bedside angrily.

    ¡°I respect your insistence as a soldier. From now on, it¡¯ll be a race to see who¡¯ll be the first to discover the truth hidden by the history research club.¡±

    ¡°Hmph.¡±

    Major snorted, and turned to head for the corridor. I called out for him.

    ¡°Anything you want, Vice Admiral?¡±

    ¡°Why¡ªaren¡¯t you willing to help us? We¡¯re already at this point.¡±

    ¡°I said it, didn¡¯t I? Any trouble caused by the subordinates should be dealt with by the superior.¡±

    ¡°How much longer are you going to insist on maintaining that stupid pride of yours?¡±

    ¡°If I didn¡¯t have to bear any stupid self pride, I would have skipped grades to graduate from the researchb and work at arge car manufacturer.¡±

    Major tapped my chest hard with his fist.

    ¡°My conquest is based on unbeneficial, pointless and ack of duty.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand that you¡¯re saying.¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t, it¡¯s fine. It means that you aren¡¯tpletely a lost cause.¡±

    I grabbed Major¡¯s arm with my left hand, and swung my right fist at him. I really wanted to punch him, but I couldn¡¯t move at all due to the hard, icy thing on my abdomen.

    Major had a TV remote control-sized in his other hand, pressing at my abdomen. There were two sharp electrodes on it, and it was a taser.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t force me. I did set it to a point where it won¡¯t kill, but I did modify it.¡±

    Major muttered, and I could sense the furying from those electrodes. Do it if you dare, you bastard! I thought.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    I could hear Alice¡¯s voice and frantic footsteps from behind. She wrapped her slender arms around my waist, and pulled me away from Major.

    ¡°Wh-what are you nning to do to my assistant? If we still have some form of friendship left, get out of here!¡±

    Stunned, I stood by the fridge, and watched Major walk out of the office with hisrge backpack. Alice¡¯s arms continued to remaintched around my waist.

    ¡°If you¡¯re my detective assistant, you should have fought more rationally! If you actually punched him, do you know what would have happened?¡±

    I nodded, and broke free from Alice¡¯s arms, ring at Major as he closed the door. I wondered why Major dropped by, and if it was just to say some meaningless things, why did he make a trip here? He could have just said it elsewhere. Don¡¯t mislead me into thinking that I can talk sense into you.

    I leaned my back on the wall, stumbling back onto the floor. Alice curled her lips, and returned to the bed.

    30 minutes after Major left, the office doorbell rang. Running in was a pale faced Hiro, who appeared to have called many people downstairs¡ª

    ¡°They didn¡¯t return homest night.¡±

    Upon hearing Hiro¡¯s words, Alice turned around, frowning,

    ¡°¡­Who, you say?¡±

    My scepticism sounded really stupid in this tense atmosphere of the detective agency, and Hiro raised a finger to point at the 7 youths on the monitors.

    ¡°I already checked with their parents. Those kids never contacted their parents, and they aren¡¯t picking up their phones.¡±

    After some rifications, I learned that one of the R high school student¡¯s mom was Hiro¡¯s mistress. Hiro begged her to contact the parents of the history research club, originally intending to hear their whereabouts since the night on December 16. Unexpectedly, he found that the 4 club members and the 3 graduates, the ones we were investigating, did not return home since the previous night.

    ¡°Did the parents feedback to the school or call the police?¡±

    ¡°I heard that it isn¡¯t the first time they went out all night without notifying their parents. Today¡¯s a holiday too, so their parents aren¡¯t too worried, it seems.¡±

    Saying that, Hiro covered his mouth hard. I recalled the words Mori-san once said to me.

    ¡­We don¡¯t have a ce to go back to Those brats are the same. That¡¯s why they can only wander the streets at night, and shoot us with the air guns¡­

    However, the way the seven of them vanished at this time certainly wouldn¡¯t be just high school kids going on a night outing.

    I heard intensive typing on the keyboard, followed by a click of the tongue. Alice gave a grim look as she stared at the screen.

    ¡°¡­They switched off their cellphones, but if I can find one of them¡­¡±

    ¡°Their parents said that they couldn¡¯t obtain intel from the GPS.¡± Hiro answered, ¡°They probably switched off their phones to avoid letting their parents know where they are.¡±

    Alice nodded with a frozen look, and picked up the microphone.

    ¡°Tetsu? Where are you now? R-right¡­military shop ¡®Dragon yer¡¯ in Roppongi. Right, a shop Major used to frequent. You showed them the photos? They showed up? How many of them¡­4, got it. Did they say where they¡¯re headed? Really? Right, good work.¡±

    Alice hung up, and turned around to face us. The ck silky hair fluttered for a moment, andnded again.

    ¡°We found their whereabouts at noon, and it looks they were at the Roppongi shop they usually visited. I heard there were only 4 real members, and they left some time after 2pm.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t they have another gathering spot?¡± Hiro asked.

    ¡°The student in charge of leading everyone¡¯s called Kiriyama, the son of the Kiriyama Construction firm. Thus, they often y survival games at a building in Kita-Shinjuku built by thepany, basically home court for the club. The other away courts are located in a shooting range located in Kanagawa, and an abandoned building in Saitama Major had told them about. However, I don¡¯t know where the building is located.¡±

    At this moment, a shrill electronic tone rang. There¡¯s a beeping from the monitor on the top left, and a messy wall of text appeared there.

    ¡°What¡­is this?¡±

    ¡°The hacking process. Finally got their position.¡±

    Alice shoved the side table with the keyboard over there.

    ¡°Where are they?¡± I leaned over at the bed.

    ¡°It¡¯s the SNS they often ue. They probably contact each other through amunity site.¡±

    The monito showed the messages they left behind, and Alice quickly scrolled down for the text log. Hiro and I stood by her, staring at the screen, and we inadvertently gasped.

    ¡°I heard that the police visited the shop.¡±

    ¡°What do we do? I already decided on the rmendation.¡±

    ¡°Hide the guns.¡±

    ¡°Shall we just surrender?¡±

    ¡°You go then.¡±

    ¡°Just push all the me to Hira.¡±

    ¡°Hira won¡¯t kill himself right now, right?¡±

    ¡°Push the me to Hira¡±

    ¡°Tell Hira to hide the guns. Let him be bait.¡±

    ¡°Tomorrow? What time?¡±

    ¡°Anyway, remember to bring the guns. Don¡¯t get caught.¡±

    ¡°Where are we going? Kiriyama building?¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t gather in the city now.¡±

    ¡°Saitama.¡±

    ¡°Send Hira a message that we¡¯re gathering at Saitama.¡±

    ¡°Tell Hira to prepare batteries and food.¡±

    Thest line was sentst night at 9pm. After reading it, I felt a chill all over. Kill himself? Push the me?

    ¡°¡­Who¡¯s the Hira here?¡± Hiro muttered.

    ¡°Probably Hirabayashi Minoru. He¡¯s the only one not in this chat.¡±

    ¡°This is bad.¡± Hiro¡¯s voice was trembling. ¡°They¡¯re already cornered into despair.¡±

    They want to push the guilt of killing Ginji-san to Hirabayashi alone, and force him into suicide. I couldn¡¯t help but shiver all over due to this overly direct thought process. Are you guys idiots? Do you think this kind of game can bluff the police? I¡¯m going to stop them. There¡¯s still time, right? But where are they? In Saitama? If it is, it¡¯ll be the abandoned building Major informed them of, but where? Can¡¯t the location be more descriptive? I again read the text, and grabbed the side of the bed. Then, my fingertip touched something hard.

    I looked down, and found a narrow and long shaped item ced in the gap between the bedsheets.

    It¡¯s a ball-point pen.

    This pen¡ªI recalled that when Major just arrived, he pinched at the bed, probably around this area. Did he leave it here? Right when I was about to pick it up, I found it to be abnormally heavy. In the next moment I understood the real purpose of this ballpoint pen, and nearly eximed.

    Why did Majore to the office? It wasn¡¯t just because he wanted to vent at Alice for hacking into hisputer, but also because he wanted us to experience the same thing. I pondered hard, and gulped, before saying,

    ¡°Alice, about the Kiriyama Building that was just mentioned¡ª¡±

    Alice showed a look of surprise at my sudden question.

    ¡°I guess. It¡¯s probably the Kiriyama building in Shinjuku, right?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll gather there, right?¡±

    Alice raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°What are you saying, Narumi, can¡¯t you see¡ª¡±

    I cut off her words, and quickly wrote words on my palm for her to see.

    ¡°Major is listening. y along.¡±

    Alice¡¯s face instantly showed various expressions. I pointed at the ball-point, which was strangely heavy due to the battery, mic and signaller inside. She nodded immediately.

    ¡°¡­Right. It¡¯s near Shinjuku. You should hurry there.¡±

    I threw the pen onto the bed, and got up to run by Hiro, still unsure of what was going on, darting out of the corridor.

    Deep down the roads from the Meiji Highway in Kita-Shinjuku was an area filled with lots of love hotels, and the Kiriyama Building was a seven storey office located in this area. There¡¯s no lighting in the building, and the sky just got dark, causing the building to basically the same color as the faint ck sky. The disy board of the building didn¡¯t have apany or shop name, and the ss windows forlornly reflected the neon lights of the hotels opposite.

    I dumped my bicycle by the road devoid of crowds, and leaping over the bushes, I found a small figure standing at the corridor of the pitch ck building like a stain. I pulled the automatic door that wouldn¡¯t move, and entered the hall. Even in the darkness, I could tell that it was Major from the silhouette. He noticed me too, put the goggles back onto his helmet, and said.

    ¡°¡­So I¡¯ve been had by you, Vice-Admiral. I really underestimated you.¡±

    Major muttered, his facepletely flushed. He probably ran all over the building, looking for the members. Of course, he won¡¯t be able to find them thanks to my n.¡±

    ¡°Those guys are in Saitama, probably¡­at the abandoned building you told them.¡±

    Only Major knew the exact location of this abandoned building, and though we could find it immediately, every second counts. Nobody knows what cornered kids will do, so I went the other way around to bluff Major intoing here. Good thing I made it here in time. The icy northern winds in the evening were really ripping my ears apart.

    ¡°You¡¯re too na?ve, Vice Admiral. You came alone. Even if I have to fight you, I¡¯ll use the taser without hesitation.¡±

    ¡°Lead us to the abandoned building in Saitama right now.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what I said?¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s the one who didn¡¯t hear? Those guys have guns with them. They¡¯re in a state where they¡¯re cornered and might do anything now. What can you do by going alone!?¡±

    I yelled back at Major, and at the same time, warned myself to remain calm. Major again pulled down his visor.

    ¡°I was the one who taught them how to modify guns illegally.¡±

    Faced with Major¡¯s confession, for a moment, I couldn¡¯t say anything.

    But thinking back about it, it wasn¡¯t that strange. Major never had any ideals of obeying thew. He breaks thew in every way, whether it¡¯s making his own transmitters, grenades, or amplifying the power of a taser, even modifying air guns wouldn¡¯t be beneath him.

    ¡°Do you understand? I taught them not to give any regard to thews of this country, and saddled them with the rule of not attacking nonbatants. Who¡¯s willing to hear out such words? It¡¯s all idealistic from me. Nobody listens. This ends up happening. Ginji-san¡¯s basically killed because of me.¡±

    ¡°So¡­so what?¡±

    Step by step, I approached Major.

    ¡°You say that you want to settle things on your own, but you¡¯re just trying to satisfy yourself here.¡±

    At that moment, Major¡¯s right hand shed. I barely managed to grab his arm, and pulled it before my eyes. Sparks flew from the taser, several centimeters before me. I shivered. Major was for real, not intending to hold back.

    ¡°I intend to deal with this alone. What¡¯s wrong about this? If I can¡¯t do this, I won¡¯t be able to forgive myself.¡±

    Major exerted more force in his hand, and the tips of the taser trembled before us.

    ¡°Besides¡ª¡±

    I could no longer hold my emotions in.

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t forgive yourself anyway!¡±

    ¡°Ginji-san is already dead, and he won¡¯te back. Even if you kill those kids or force them to surrender, you¡¯ll just be burdened with the guilt of killing someone. Why don¡¯t you understand this?¡±

    Major¡¯s face got twisted, his lips caused out. He agitatedly said some really blood curlding things.

    ¡°But even so, those of the same kind should deal with kids who pretend to be soldiers! If I don¡¯t do this, I will¡ªnever ever be able to enjoy holding guns, memorize model numbers, wear camouge suits or smell gunpowder.¡±

    Under the thick lens of the goggles, Major¡¯s eyes were on the verge of breaking into tears. The brat pretending to be soldiers had fragile pride left, almost unable to support his small body. However, the enhanced grip on my arm was about to break it.

    ¡°Who¡¯s the one who intend to tase to death now!?¡±

    I yelled at the goggles.¡±

    ¡°What do you call me every time? You tell me!¡±

    Major looked somewhat perturbed, and the force pushing at my hand weakened slightly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare say that you forgot! I¡¯m one of the brats who yed soldier with you, a uselessmander! Didn¡¯t you call me that yourself!?¡±

    The taser dropped onto the floor, letting out a shrill sound.

    For a moment, I thought the goggles were snapped by the grip, only to realize it was just my imagination. Major merely pushed me aside, and I could only watch him kneel down to pick up the gun. I started to shiver, my body seemingly sensing a cold.

    Why was I saying such useless retorts? Was that any difference from Major¡¯s stupid pride? I can¡¯tin even if I¡¯m attacked with several million volts.

    However, Major kept his head lowered as he held the taser, remaining slightly. I couldn¡¯t endure this silence that was crushing my heart, and spoke up.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯ming even if you tell me not to.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the point of youing then, Vice Admiral? You won¡¯t be of any use.¡± Major sighed. He¡¯s right; I¡¯m just a detective assistant. I don¡¯t know how to wield a gun.

    Major walked by me, and pulled hard at the automatic door. The frosty air blew into the hall, and I got up to give chase after the small figure in camouge suit.

    He stopped, turned around to look, still holding the taser.

    The goggles reflected the light from the streets, and I couldn¡¯t see his expression. The tightly curled lips gave me a feeling that there was nothing more we could talk about.

    The same thing repeating again? Communication failed, and violence again isted us.

    Major knelt down, stuffing the taser into the holster. I saw that Major didn¡¯t want to use violence on me, and him ignoring me was despair for me. I could only feel a chill.

    But at this moment¡ª

    A strong light appeared beside Major and me. At the same time, there were the sounds of some engines and braking. Major covered his eyes with his hands, and turned to thend leading towards the Meiji Highway. 3 heavy looking vehicles came out from the dark alley, and the first one was parked right before me. The tall, massive figure got out from the co-passenger seat, blocking the car headlights, hispletely bleached hair and hem of his crimson jacket were fluttering under the backlight.

    ¡°Are you done with punching each other out now?¡± Yondaime asked. ¡°If you haven¡¯t, get punching. My subordinates are all so bloodthirsty it¡¯s noisy bringing them around. On to Saitama!¡±

    ¡°Aniki!¡±

    ¡°Aniki! Good work!¡±

    The Hirasaka-gumi members got out from the wagon cars one after another. Everyone looked really massive because they were wearing double jackets and not the usual ck T-shirts.

    ¡°Stop yapping away and order that shorty of amander.¡±

    Yondaime spat. I merely bit my lips and lowered my head. If I was careless with my words, I might really cry. Again, I faced him, but he remained knelt down. The goggles reflecting the light also meant that I wasn¡¯t able to see his expression clearly. I guess he too was like me, trying his best to contain his feelings.

    ¡°This is an order from the Vice Admiral to the Major. Lead 20 reinforcement soldiers to the frontlines ASAP.¡±

    ¡°You got to be kidding.¡± Major¡¯s voice was quivering. ¡°The bullets are metallic. If they¡¯re to charge without any equipment¡­¡±

    ¡°We all got full face helmets ready.¡±

    Yondaime answered without waiting for Major to finish. At this moment, I realized that all the members had motorcycle helmets tucked under their armpit. I gulped stiffly; I never thought of preparing such things. Really, Yondaime¡¯s a lot smarter than me, and as Major said, I alone won¡¯t be of any use.

    But it doesn¡¯t matter for me. I¡¯m the detective assistant. It¡¯s my job to get everyone involved.

    I heard a few blunt sounds, and found Major smacking his thigh with his fist. Only on the 6th hit did he finally stand up.

    His eyes were glittering with moisture under the visor.

    And after exhaling some white breath, hemanded,

    ¡°¡ªI¡¯ll drive the first car! Everyone, follow me. If you¡¯rete, it¡¯ll be 200 push-ups!¡±

    The abandoned building in Saitama was an old folks home that was halfway built, and as it was located near to the highway, it became a spot for supernatural hunting. However, as the interior furbishing was really nd, the trend faded after a while. Major spotted this ce right after he graduated from high school.

    ¡°There¡¯s a security system I set up near the highway back in the day. Those guys might have noticed us by now.¡±

    Major got off the driver seat of the wagon car, and said this to Yondaime in the second car.

    The exhaust sounds from the vehicles moving down the highway seemed so far away from us at this point. Right beside us was a forest as ck as the dark night, and as we walked down the wide path tiled with cobble, we spotted a darker shadow. I guess it¡¯s because we¡¯re in the hills that I could feel the air and cold on the skin and losing aspared to when I¡¯m in Tokyo.

    I looked at the cellphone, and affirmed that it was almost 6. Also, I found that Alice had been trying to contact me for quite a while. I hadn¡¯t noticed them till this point.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to go too! You¡¯ll just get in their way!¡±

    ¡°What if a bullet hits you in the eye? Just leave everything to Major and Yondaime. Come back.¡±

    I heard almost half of the voicemails Alice left me, and closed the phone before anyone realized. How could I possibly back away at this point. I was the one who riled everyone up.

    Yondaime got out from the driver seat of the second driver seat, and asked Major,

    ¡°Are those brats really inside?¡±

    Major took out a pair of night vision goggles, and stared at the stone road in front of him. Looking on from it, it appeared the old folks home was like a stream stopping under the night sky, devoid of any light. However, Major kept his goggles, saying,

    ¡°They¡¯re here, and it¡¯s not just one of them. No doubts. They aren¡¯t using any lighting at all, but they do use heaters.¡±

    I got off from the co-passenger seat, and heard the footsteps of the Hirasaka-gumi on the stone path that sounded like an afternoon rain. Looking back, I found that everyone already had their helmets on. These guys look like an army able to reduce a town of 2,000 people to nothing in less than an hour, really terrifying.

    ¡°Been a while since we struck first!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m shaking with excitement.¡± ¡°Aniki has been settling everything with his mouth recently!¡±

    ¡°Can we beat them to near death?¡±

    Everyone¡¯s voices was contained in the helmet, and the conversation got more intense.

    ¡°I¡¯ll say to everyone first.¡±

    Major stood in front of this helmet squad, and spoke clearly,

    ¡°As much as you can, do not hurt the enemy.¡±

    ¡°Are you kidding?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s able to do that?¡± ¡°We came here to beat people up!¡±

    ¡°Quiet! This is an order! If you can¡¯t do it, you aren¡¯t a soldier, and you should go home now!¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°Who has to listen to your orders!¡±

    ¡°Aniki is the one who ordered us. We¡¯re all elite soldiers!¡±

    ¡°Do you know how much we outrank a Major?¡± You guys are 8 ranks below him¡­

    ¡°An-anyway.¡± Unable to take this anymore, I decided to speak up, ¡°Everyone, obey Major today.¡±

    ¡°Right!¡± ¡°If you say so, aniki!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll leave our lives to you!¡±

    ¡°Quiet, get moving. If we waste more time, that Hirabayashi brat might really get killed.¡±

    Yondaime quietlymanded, put on his goggles, and walked towards the stone path. The Hirasaka-gumi members and Major too gave pursuit in a rush.

    ¡°Listen up, when I say get down, lie down on the floor. Anyone shooting at us, hide behind cover, and if you can¡¯t, move side to side towards the enemy¡­¡±

    Major advanced along Yondaime as he exined to the Hirasaka-gumi members. At this moment, my gut seemed to wince for some reason. However, I could only pull down the goggles I borrowed from Major, pull my knit cap down to my eyes, and be at the back of the group.

    I kept checking the taser in the pocket of my coat; it was an enhanced modified weapon Major lent me, but to be honest, I really didn¡¯t want to end up using it.

    ¡°Just follow behind us, aniki.¡±

    The gang walking in front of me said to me,

    ¡°Just 5-6 brats ying with air guns. We¡¯ll handle them quick.¡±

    But despite hearing this, I felt an inexplicable sense of uneasiness.

    We walked out of the forest, and saw the ominous silhouette of the old folks home. In fact, it was the front side that was built into a building, and the back area was still mostly steel frames, as though there were numerous crosses under the night sky.

    Right at the top of the corridor was a tall second level without any ss panes installed, and I could see that one window as lit, while the other was dark. Major quickly reacted like lightning, and immediately took out a miniatureuncher before firing it at the window. mes were ignited from theuncher, and the bright tail from the shot flew into the window. At the next moment, a loud boom and bright lights, followed by the sound out many birds pping their wings, flying out from the surrounding forest. It was a stun grenade fired by Major.

    ¡°Mukai Hitoshi. Surrender now.¡±

    Major¡¯s voice echoed all around. The Hirasaka-gumi led by Yondaime went past Major, and charged into the corridor.

    ¡°Watch the stairs. 8 of you go up! Don¡¯t leave the walls!¡±

    Yondaime¡¯s voice rang by my ears, and numerous shes and footsteps crossed each other. After a while, there was a groaning voiceing from the second floor.

    ¡°¡ªyo¡­¡± ¡°¡­gah!¡±

    I cautiously entered the corridor, unable to see clearly in the darkness, and all I could see were the in decorations on the concrete walls and ceiling. The long, narrow windows didn¡¯t have any ss windows installed, so the ce was as cold as it was outside. The floor too had a thickyer of wilted leaves and dust.

    ¡°The room at the corner of the U-shaped corridor on the second floor is sheltered from the wind. They¡¯re probably hiding there.¡±

    Major turned around to say as he climbed up the stairs. Yondaime nodded, and began scaling the stairs. He was only wearing a pair of goggles, and I could not help but worry for him. I knew that he hated having his vision and voice blocked, but he didn¡¯t have to be the first one in at this moment!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate us!¡±

    ¡°You brats!!¡±

    Again, the growls of the Hirasaka-gumi members could be heard right before the stairs, with some weak sobbing mixed in. I shrank my neck back in, and was thest to climb the stairs.

    The surrounding darkness everywhere meant that I couldn¡¯t determine the structure, but it seemed this ce was a wide lobby. It¡¯s probably an elevator hall, I guess. Looking down from the windows, I could see a massive atrium before the main corridor, and there were a few hulks there wearing full face helmets. Through some light from the shlight in my hand, I could barely something twitching under their feet.

    ¡°What are you doing? Seriously, what are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Ow ow ow, stop trampling! Ugh! Please! Stop stepping on us!¡±

    Two young men were trampled under the feet of the Hirasaka-gumi members, their camouge jackets making them look as though they had swelled in size. I shone my shlight on their faces, and found one of the history research club members I met at R high school.

    ¡°How many of them left?¡± ¡°Where are they?¡±

    The duo was unable to answer the questions in the face of these face creaking voices. The guns fell by their sides, but there was no gunshot to be heard. Even for students who often yed survival games, they wouldn¡¯t be able to react calmly when suddenly attacked by a stun grenade and a squad thrashing them.

    Suddenly, I heard a loud bang from behind, and I turned around to find a sh deep down the corridor. Yondaime kicked down a door, and a whole squad of people in helmets roared and rushed in. At this moment, a soft metallic sound could be heard in my consciousness. It was a little different from the BB bullet sound I heard before, and the hard bullet hit the concrete wall and ceiling, bouncing off them.

    I leaned my back on the wall and advanced deep into the corridor, peeking in at the devastation in the room through the damaged door. There¡¯s antern and something glowing red, probably an electric heart. I couldn¡¯t tell whether the ones rolling on the floor in the darkness were the Hirasaka-gumi members or the ones in camouge. A terrifyingly soft gunshot rang again, and I hurriedly retreated.

    ¡°Damn it damn it damn it, just die already, all of you!¡±

    I could hear a boy yelling in madness. I remembered hearing this voice before, it¡¯s the leader Kiriyama.

    ¡°Surround him!¡± ¡°Take his legs out!¡± ¡°You guys are willing to attack your allies too? Calm down!¡±

    The Hirasaka-gumi members hollered.

    The gunshots finally stopped, and with bated breath, I covered my head before entering the room again.

    The room was a lot spacious than I imagined, and there¡¯s a sweet, rotting stenching from the trash at the wall. The wall had a human shape and a bullseye target spray painted onto it, with hundreds of holes due to the bullet marks. Kiriyama¡¯s back was against the wall, holding the airgun firmly. The remaining trio were struggling on the floor, held down by the Hirasaka-gumi members.

    ¡°Don¡¯te near me, you bastards, or I¡¯ll shoot!¡±

    Kiriyama¡¯s gun was pointed right at the back of the crimson jacket with the dragon patterns.

    ¡°Souichirou, don¡¯t be reckless!¡±

    Major shouted from the other end of the room. However, Yondaime approached Kiriyama. It was obvious thetter was increasingly nervous as he raised the gun.

    ¡°Ahhhh!¡±

    Kiriyama let out an ear-piercing shriek, and Yondaime immediately swung his arm. The red jacket flew in the face of the fully automatic fire, and I could only widen my eyes and gulp. However, Yondaime had already vanished, leaving only the jacket on the floor. At the same time, he had already ducked past the fire, andnded a punch on Kiriyama.

    Kiriyama fell to the floor, rolling in pain. Yondaime grabbed him by the parka cor, and asked,

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare go to sleep now. Where¡¯s Hirabayashi?¡±

    ¡°¡­Ah, gak¡­ugh.¡±

    Kiriyama was choking really hard, gastric juices mixed with his saliva as they flowed out from his mouth. It¡¯s not unexpected that he wouldn¡¯t be able to talk after taking a punch in the gut from Hinamura Souichirou, who¡¯s able to dent a metal block. However, Yondaime didn¡¯t care as he pressed Hirayama¡¯s head down onto the floor, speaking with a more heinous tone.

    ¡°I¡¯m asking you where Hirabayashi is. If you¡¯re not going to talk, I¡¯m going to snap your fingers one by one.¡±

    I shivered in shock due to Yondaime¡¯s threat. Sometimes, I would forget that he¡¯s dakudou thorough and through.

    ¡°Souichirou, don¡¯t hurt him.¡±

    ¡°Shut up.¡± Yondaime red over his shoulder at Major. He grabbed Kiriyama firmly by the arm again, and thetter couldn¡¯t help but scream in pain,

    ¡°¡­Ro-ro-roof! He¡¯s on the roof!¡±

    Another one right under Pole¡¯s feet said sobbingly,

    ¡°Hira? He-he¡¯s on the roof. We didn¡¯t do anything. He ran up there.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Major went running to the roof immediately.

    I ran up the stairs, pushed aside the door leading to the roof, and heard a sharp sound from the concrete below me. The reflected bullets grazed by my cheeks, and I could feel warm liquid oozing out. I held the handle, lowered my body, and got up to the roof. My injured cheek was pricking in pain due to the icy feeling.

    There was no shelter on the roof, only a wide night sky. The concrete extended everywhere, striking an abrupt boundary in the distance. The Northern winds were howling at the trees, forming swaying shadows. I stared intently in the darkness, looking around. There was only a low chest-level wall, without a fence.

    I walk out of the door, and looked to the right, and found Major¡¯s little body there. He wasn¡¯t moving, and due to the strong Northern breeze, the short hair on the back of his hair and the helmet strap were swaying.

    ¡°¡­Why are you here?¡±

    There was a young voice from the silent darkness opposite us, almost overpowered by the sound of the wind. I started looking from behind Major, began seeking in the darkness, and found another little figure from the wall opposite.

    ¡°What do you mean? What exactly do you mean? You came here. I told you not to bother about me!¡±

    It was Hirabayashi. The one wailing was Hirabayashi. His little body was dressed in a deep blue duffle coat that was pping strongly in the Northern winds, looking as though he would be blown up into the sky. I guess he never went home after school yesterday, and was dragged all the way here.

    But¡ª

    If that was the case, why was he aiming the assault rifle at Major?

    ¡°Go back! This has nothing to do with you, senpai!¡±

    Hirabayashi sounded as so he was on the verge of tears.

    ¡°How does it have nothing to do with me? My own squad broke the roles, and themander has to take responsibility. I¡¯m just fulfilling the responsibility I should be showing.¡±

    ¡°Shut up! I don¡¯t want to y this soldier game anymore!¡±

    Major continued to approach, one step after another.

    ¡°right. This is a military game. Kiriyama and the others aren¡¯t ying a fun game anymore. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here to guide everyone back.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t act as if you know anything. You don¡¯t!¡±

    ¡°I do! I saw their SNS chat group. They wanted to push the me to you!¡±

    ¡°But I did shoot back then.¡±

    Major stopped, and I, who was approaching as well, stopped in my tracks. The strong winds blew at us, and I, stumbling away, could only lean to the short wall by the side.

    ¡°You lent me a gun, senpai¡ªso-so I fired. When I shot with the normal BB bullets, I couldn¡¯t even hit anything. Kiriyama-san said that I wouldn¡¯t be able to hit anything even with metal bullets, and so the 5 of us shot at that old man together¡ª¡±

    I grabbed the rough, thin and long handrail of the wall, barely holding myself from nearly falling over. Tears and winds practically covered over Hirabayashi¡¯s voice.

    ¡°We aimed at his ears and eyes, and practically hit them all. We watched him bleed out on the night vision goggles.¡±

    There was ttering in Hirabayashi¡¯s voice, and I realized that it was his teeth trembling. The gun pointed at Major was shaking heavily too.

    ¡°So-so it¡¯s pointless for you toe here too, senpai!¡±

    Pointless. The word echoed emptily in the darkness.

    What was Major¡¯s expression at this point? What feelings did he have as he went forward?

    ¡°Don¡¯te over! I¡¯ll shoot!¡± He said.

    ¡°So what?¡±

    Major stopped a few steps away from Hirabayashi, and asked,

    ¡°And why did youe here?¡±

    ¡°How would I know?¡± Hirabarayashi was already breaking down in tears. ¡°Kiriyama-san said that everyone was to get to together and deal with the guns¡ªbut when I came here, nobody was talking. They were just shooting at wild dogs to pass the time¡­¡±

    Because they couldn¡¯t do anything. The brats whomitted a crime of murder had no ideas. The result of them running away was the roof as the Northern winds howled.

    ¡°So what? Are you going to jump off here?¡±

    Major coldly asked, and Hirabayashi¡¯s throat trembled.

    Numerous footsteps could be heard behind us. The gang in helmets mmed the roof door violently, and dashed out. Yondaime broke out from the terrifying gang, nced aside at Major, me and Hirabayashi in turn, and immediately raised his hand to stop the gang from moving.

    ¡°Do-don¡¯te near me! If you do, I¡¯ll really shoot! I killed the old man; of course I¡¯ll kill you!¡±

    ¡°Shoot it then.¡± Major said.

    I gasped. Major took off the helmet, and tossed his goggles aside. The soft natural hair fluttered in the night breeze.

    ¡°I¡¯m a Major, abatant. I came here today, prepared to die, so if you want to shoot, shoot it. Then you¡¯ll get back your honor as a soldier, and if you want to jump after that, do it.¡±

    ¡°Wh-what are you saying? I don¡¯t understand!¡±

    ¡°Hey Major.¡± Yondaime kept his voice down, ¡°Stop ying around. That brat¡¯s cornered already. He¡¯ll really shoot.¡±

    ¡°I said it¡¯s fine.¡±

    ¡°Major¡ª¡±

    I spoke up without knowing what I wanted to say, and Major, with his back turned on me, raised his hand, saying,

    ¡°Vice-Admiral, we¡¯ll meet at Yasukuni!¡±

    Again, Major took a step forward.

    ¡°What do you mean? What do you mean!?¡±

    A teary voice echoed in the wind,

    ¡°Stop. Don¡¯te here. Stop, stop, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Hirabayashi¡¯s voice started to have some madness mixed in. He continued to aim the gun at Major¡¯s chest as he backed himself against the wall. I could even see that he was exerting strength on the trigger. A chill surrounded me, and this was the worst possible oue. These guys are all idiots. If they want to die, they can die alone for all I care. If this guy shoots now, Major will have his brains blown out, and he¡¯ll fall because of the recoil. It¡¯s all because Major insisted on his own stupid pride that things turned out into this unsalvageable mess. If that guy¡¯s the only one able to save himself, we can onlyugh at this. Of course, we know very well that if someone jumps off the roof of a three level building, God will enact his cruel stubbornness, and result in the worst possible oue. Damn brat, you cannd on the hard asphalt and die all you want. and an evil feeling repeated itself in my consciousness.

    But the moment Major took off his camouge jacket and stepped forward again, my consciousness of madness started to break. No, wait! What am I doing! I can¡¯t let them die, not like this. Why did Ie here?

    My right hand subconsciously touched the pocket of my coat, and my left hand held firmly onto the short wall. The railing was made of two long and thin metal rods.

    Two long and thin rods that goes around the entire roof¡ª

    ¡°Don¡¯te near me!¡±

    Hirabayashi screamed, and the trembling gun calmed down at that moment.

    An electric current flowed through my hand. I took out the taser from my pocket, stabbed the two electrodes at the two metal rods, and pressed the witch.

    I couldn¡¯t see any sparks, nor hear any discharge.

    Only the button in my hand let out a click.

    At the far end of the roof, the little body in dark blue duffle coat jumped up, and fell. The rifle too slipped from his hands. Major got up from the concrete, leaned over, and grabbed Hirabayashi by the arm as thetter was falling off, immediately pulling him back.

    The riflended on the concrete floor, giving off a hollow sound.

    Hirabayashi¡¯s little body fell by Major¡¯s feet, and the sound of the breeze swept at the intensely rising dust.

    Another sharp sound rang by my ears; it turned out to be the taser falling out from my hands. After a while, I realized it.

    The Northern winds got increasingly stronger, and the rustling of the forest got louder.

    The helmet team led by Yondaime approached Major like a team sending off someone on a funeral. I wasn¡¯t the one who got electrocuted, but my legs were shaking.

    I head a sobbing voice echo with the wind.

    It¡¯s over, I thought.

    I held onto the handrail, copsing over at the wall.

    Everything was over. The Hirasaka-gumi led by Major went on a suppression operation, and achievedplete victory, which is something to be happy over. However, I didn¡¯t have the strength to stand up. Why exactly was that? For whose sake, and why, did we do such a stupid thing? For Major¡¯s stupid insistence on his pride? Or for the sake of getting the brats who shot at the homeless with airguns for fun? Why couldn¡¯t we just leave everything to the police? It doesn¡¯t matter to me how ugly their deaths will be.

    Hot air was oozing from my ears,nding on my neck. My head gradually got clearer.

    I remembered my job; being a detective assistant.

    I didn¡¯te here for anyone else, but for¡ª

    Suddenly, I heard the door open.

    ¡°¡ªNarumi!¡±

    The long ck hair fluttered around, and the girl ran through the Northern breeze, calling for me. It¡¯s Alice, it¡¯s really her. She, dressed in a coat over her pajamas, frantically ran towards me. It felt so surreal, I was a little dizzy. Was I dreaming?

    ¡°Narumi, y-you!¡±

    Alice¡¯s petite body leapt into my arms, and I could feel her warmth. She knelt down, her knees basically touching mine as she kept caressing my neck and face. Once she found that I had a graze due to a reflected bullet, she turned pale.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you already, you idiot!? You should leave such gruff work to the goris, Major or Yondaime!¡±

    ¡°Wait, Alice, it hurts! I just have a cut. Don¡¯t touch it.¡±

    ¡°I called you about 300 times or so, and you ignored them all!¡±

    She noticed the footsteps behind her, her hand jolted upright in fear, and she hurriedly turned around.

    ¡°¡­Ahh, nee-san, good job.¡±

    ¡°Good job.¡±

    Turned out it was the Hirasaka-gumi members, who were still wearing helmets from some reason. Alice was obviously terrified, and hurriedly hugged me.

    Yondaime walked out from the ferocious crowd, his coat was tattered by the bullets during thest battle, and he looked cold wearing only a shirt on top.

    ¡°You showed up again.¡± Yondaime frowned, ¡°Why did youe here? You too, Hiro. Don¡¯t drive all the way here just because Alice begged you.¡±

    Yondaime looked back at the door leading to the roof, and I realized that there was Hiro at the stairs, giving a wry smile. So Alice too Hiro¡¯s car here.

    ¡°She was on the verge of tears because she couldn¡¯t contact Narumi-san, and I can¡¯t refuse her.¡±

    ¡°Who was crying?¡±

    Alice stood up, andshed out angrily.

    ¡°I didn¡¯te here for Narumi! Wh-why do you think I came all the way here into the hills?¡±

    ¡°¡­For a test of courage?¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re serious, I¡¯m going to fire you right now!¡±

    ¡°Just joking, sorry.¡±

    Themotion that urred on the barren rooftop again vanished in the winds.

    A rustling sound rang by my ears, and it seemed somebody was dragging something here.

    A path opened in the human wall of helmets behind Alice, and appearing in front of me was an elementary school-like boy, not wearing a helmet, goggles, or a camouge jacket. He was dragging a corpse by the cor of the deep blue duffle coat.

    No¡ªthat wasn¡¯t a corpse. Hirabayashi Minoru was still alive. His eyes remained lifeless, and there was traces of dried spit at his mouth, but he was still alive.

    Major dragged Hirabayashi before Alice, and spoke with a worn out voice,

    ¡°¡­Detective time next. Do whatever you want.¡±

    Hirabayashi¡¯s dirty eyes were twitching, and Alice gasped in shock, grabbing the sleeve of my coat. I stood up to support her.

    Of course, Alice came here to investigate. She came all the way to this dried up battlefield, where nobody won, for despite it going to dirty her hands, she wanted to personally dig up the truth.

    ¡°Hirabayashi Minoru. Stand up.¡±

    Hirabayashi¡¯s eyelids twitched a few times due to Alice¡¯s call, his eyes, sunk in the world of death, flickered sceptically.

    ¡°¡­Who¡­are you?¡±

    A cracking voice oozed out from his lips.

    ¡°I¡¯m the NEET detective, speaker of the dead. That¡¯s not the name I should be saying to you, so you can forget about it. Once you reveal the truth, I will have no interest in you, and you can spend the rest of your life repenting, regretting, escaping or despairing.¡±

    Alice¡¯s tone was so cold, the air could be heardpressing, and she focused on Hirabayashi¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°¡­W¡­wh-what¡­?¡±

    ¡°I just want to ask you something.¡±

    Alice coldly cut off his words.

    ¡°That night, you shot at the homeless with a modified gun, right? Did the old man wear a muffler back then?¡±

    A chill ran from my arms to my neck. I stared at the aloof sidelong face of Alice, and Yondaime too stared at Alice with widened eyes. I guess Hiro too was the same.

    Wear¡ªthe muffler?

    The deep blue duffle coat at my feet twitched, and the parched lips tried their best to answer,

    ¡°¡­He¡­did. But, why¡­¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    The ck hair covered my vision, and Alice turned to the door leading to the stairs.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Narumi. Everything is solved.¡±

    A breath was caught in my throat, and I, without thinking, let out all scepticism in one exhale.

    ¡°Wait, Alice, is this really fine? What do you mean?¡±

    I grabbed her by the shoulder, and stared at her face,

    ¡°Didn¡¯t wee here to investigate why they had to chop the head off, or how they did it?¡±

    Alice merely lowered her eyes, and the duffle coat at my feet started to rub against the concrete floor.

    ¡°¡­Head¡­?¡±

    Hirabayashi¡¯s groan caused me to turn around and look at him in shock, my eyes meeting his corroded ones.

    ¡°¡­What¡­about¡­the head¡­? ¡­Chopped off¡­?¡±

    I widened my eyes, and felt queasy, as though thousands of worms were crawling all over me. What¡¯s going on? Didn¡¯t you guys do it? Didn¡¯t you guys kill Ginji-san? If¡ª

    Suddenly, someone grabbed my arm. I turned my head around, and met a pair of eyes filled with the starry night. Alice was staring at my eyes, and shook her head.

    ¡°So I say, the head wasn¡¯t chopped off by them. We¡¯re done here, so let¡¯s go.¡±

    But despite Alice saying this, I couldn¡¯t move at all. Or to be precise, nobody except for Alice could move. She lowered her eyes, and seemed to have given up on us as she turned around, and walked towards the door alone.

 Volume 7, 6

    <h4>Volume 7, Chapter 6</h4>

    The starless night sky had the color of a TV switched off.

    The lights shining through the windows of the buildings, the neon LED lights on the trees nted on the pedestrian pathway, and the vehicle headlights packed in front of the station; these corrosive lights shone upon the sky from the ground. A singing voice with bell chimes could be heard from somewhere, and it was the Christmas song I had heard a few times this Winter.

    However, there was a river of darkness splitting us from the world of light, and that was the railway.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t bad.¡±

    Alice grabbed at the hem of my coat, and muttered as she stared opposite the track.

    ¡°How pretty. It really is appropriate to dub this the Holy Night. This name has broken free from many beliefs, merely retaining its actual name. I do feel this name really signifies the nature of the night of December 24th.¡±

    ¡°Nature?¡± I asked Alice. I thought that she, so familiar with the Bible, would mock the Japanese for their partying during the Holy Night, so suchments surprised me.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know that Christmas Day actually has no relevance to Christ himself?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­I think I heard of it.¡±

    ¡°There are many spections as to why Christ¡¯s birthday was set as the 25th of December. One of it was that the Christians during the Roman Empire wanted to attract the worshippers of Mithra, god of light, and set their day of worship as Christ¡¯s birthday instead. In any case, Christmas is already a Winter Solstice Festival, the original holiday for the Northern Hemisphere¡¯s farmers to devote their offerings.¡±

    ¡°So it¡¯s the same as the Labor Thanksgiving Day.¡±

    ¡°More or less.¡±

    Alice raised the doll in her clutches, and said with a faint smile,

    ¡°The sun that graces thend for a year dies on this day, and a new sun is born on the following day, so this is a day celebrating death and revival. There¡¯s no need for the Father, Son, Holy Ghost, Divine Mothers, three Magi of the east, and the pitiful aliens getting involved in some gctic explosion far above the skies of Bethlehem; this night itself is already sacred. Us atheists can just party as we please.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Alice¡¯s words throbbed at my parched soul, causing it to echo somewhat.

    This was really strange. Just 20 hours and so, I was involved in a gun fight, and now I¡¯m together with Alice, staring at the streets of the Christmas Eve. Her voice justcked a sense of reality for a while, probably because of the ck veil. She, dressed in mourning clothes, had half of her body in the world of death.

    It was the time when the detective was dressed in mourning clothes.

    This was an indication that it was the moment to dig up the dead¡¯s grave, and to make up and exin with the shame and pain of the living. This indicated the end of the incident, a festival of death and revival. Even though it was a miracle, nobody hoped for it, and nobody discovered it.

    Alice held my hand, and walked on. There was a flight of stairs on the uphill slope to the left side of the pedestrian pathway, and we climbed it together, ducked under the yellow cordon tape, and entered the dark park. It seemed the time in the park had stopped, and everything was frozen. This included the forests devoid of light, the streetmps that were extinguished, the tents upying the darkness, the barren grasnds, the bare sandy ground, and the blood trails on the metal board.

    Alice stood on it, staring at the ominous ck figure spreading below her feet. I tried my best to recall the sight of Ginji-san who copsed here, but I couldn¡¯t. My memory was the product of something already bleached by the many things that urred.

    ¡°I checked the surveince visuals with you.¡±

    Alice stared at the blood, and muttered.

    ¡°We know that there wasn¡¯t a tool that could chop off a human head being moved in and out of the park. Katsuragi Kenji was still alive when he returned to the park.¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°In that case, Katsuragi Kenji was beheaded in this park, and the tool is now in this park.¡±

    ¡°¡­Where?¡¯

    I gulped, and looked around in the darkness.

    Alice merely pointed below us.

    ¡°This metal sheet used for construction is used as a guillotine de, so nobody else found out. The ded part that beheaded should have some blood left behind, but this time, the de is where the corpse fell on, so the truth was hidden in this fact.¡±

    I was left speechless, and looked back and forth between the blood and Alice¡¯s face.

    ¡°N-no, what are you saying? Using the metal sheet as a de? How many kilograms do you think this is?¡±

    ¡°Given the size of this thing, I guess it¡¯s probably around 200kg or so.¡±

    ¡°200kg? How is it possible to lift such a heavy thing for a guillotine? It¡¯s impossible!¡±

    ¡°And I never said that it was lifted by head. I said that it¡¯s a guillotine. Look.¡±

    Alice backed away from me and walked away from the metal sheet. There¡¯s a little H-shaped ditch, something I found when I came to investigate with Alice.

    ¡°What¡­is this?¡±

    ¡°The matching marks should be on the other side, under the metal sheet.¡±

    ¡°So what¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°These are marks of a guillotine pir.¡±

    ¡°Pir? Where¡ª¡±

    Startled, I shut up. I could see metal wires through the gap in the forest behind Alice. Right behind the metal fence was the railway.

    During that time, Alice found a hole justrge enough for someone to put an arm through the metal fence, and on the other side of the hole was an abandoned rail.

    The rails were the long and narrow metallic pirs with sawed off H-shape protrusions.

    ¡°Yes, thsee rails can be used as a pir for a de to slide down.¡±

    With an anguished voice, Alice said, and looked down again.

    ¡°The edges of the metal te have holes to hook onto and move it, and they probably put some rope in through them.¡±

    Erect a rail, fasten the metal te between the rails, raise a metal sheet from both sides, ce a corpse right below it, let go of it, and a de 200kg heavy will slide down several meters.

    ¡°Alice, wait.¡±

    I could not stop myself form shivering, and grabbed my shoulders, eking out a voice, asking,

    ¡°I understand¡ªwhat you¡¯re getting it, but to do this¡­¡±

    Alice raised her hand to cut me off. At wherever she was pointing it, behind my shoulder, there were footsteps to be heard stepping on wilted grass.

    I turned around, and found the person making this sound slowly move from the darkness into this dim light. I let out a dry breath, and saw Mori-san with some band-aids on his bald hand, his oil-stained down jacket was buttoned firmly, and a little bag tucked under his armpit.

    ¡°¡­Yo, Narumi. And then, erm.¡±

    Mori-san turned his eyes towards Alice, who was behind me.

    ¡°Nice to meet you. I am the NEET detective, speaker of the dead.¡±

    Alice answered with a really tender voice. Mori-san curled his lips, and nodded,

    ¡°Well, Tetsu and the others did mention this, but I never thought I would meet the real one¡ªah, no.¡±

    Mori-san shrank back due to the cold, and scanned the dark park. At this ce, both the lights in the sky and above the ground were too distant.

    ¡°Actually, I did feel that someone was already waiting was waiting for me.¡±

    Alice stepped forward beside me, close enough for me to feel her warmth, and again grabbed my coat.

    ¡°I want to be sure of one thing.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Mori-san muttered.

    ¡°For the rope, did you use vinyl string for it?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. There¡¯s a whole pile of them left in Ginji-san¡¯s hut. Rope made of vinyl strings are rather sturdy.¡±

    Mori-san¡¯s exnation stabbed right at my chest.

    ¡°So it was you, Mori-san.¡±

    I could no longer say anything. If it were as Alice had said, the culprit behind this was not just a single person, and not Mori-san alone. There had to be two people to lift the railways, 2, or even 4 people to pull the rope, and someone to bring Ginji-san¡¯s corpse to hold behind at the bottom of the de¡ª

    ¡°Yes. This is the answer, Narumi.¡±

    Alice ced her hand on my back.

    The ones who chopped off Ginji-san¡¯s head were the homeless who gathered that morning, Ginji-san¡¯s friends. How? How¡¯s that possible?

    ¡°But isn¡¯t that strange? If that¡¯s the case, Major should have seen what happened, right? He¡¯s the first one to arrive, but when he arrived, he said that the corpse was already beheaded.¡±

    I really wanted to take back what I just said.

    Was Major an aplice too? Did he participate in the beheading?

    Alice lifted her head at me, and shook it.

    ¡°Major did lie. This lie caused us to make a a decisive, basic error. However, his lie was not what you think.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­then, what is it?¡±

    ¡°Major wasn¡¯t the first to discover the corpse.¡±

    I stared at Alice¡¯s lips, reflecting on what she meant.

    ¡°The first one to appear at the park in the visual at 4.30am wasn¡¯t Major.¡±

    ¡°That will be me.¡±

    Mori-san said.

    ¡°I was the first to find out, and call Major.¡±

    I stared at Mori-san¡¯s face. So the order was reversed. It wasn¡¯t that Major notified Mori-san and the others. Major received Mori-san¡¯s call, and contacted me immediately. Before he could enter the park, Mori-san and the others had let down the guillotine de.

    ¡°When Major arrived¡­we havepleted everything.¡±

    ¡°In that case¡ªat the very least, Major lied to hide the crime Mori-san and the others did. Isn¡¯t he an aplice here?¡±

    I muttered, and Alice shook her head.

    ¡°You¡¯re wrong. Don¡¯t you understand? Major took fingerprints and bullets from Katsuragi Kenji¡¯s corpse right in front of them. If the police asked, and he answered honestly, what will happen?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why he lied, saying that he came first, before the homeless friends did.¡±

    Alice looked down at the blood at the feet, and continued muttering,

    ¡°Major doesn¡¯t know the truth behind the beheading, so this lie has no significance. He just made a little lie because he didn¡¯t want his friends to be harassed by the police.¡±

    But it was because of this lie that hid the truth. Alice added on with an almost inaudible voice. I bit my lower lip, suppressing this feeling of disgust, and turned towards Mori-san.

    ¡°Why¡­why? Why did you, and everyone too? Why did everyone chop off Ginji-san¡¯s head? Were you lying to me? Why did you do such a thing?¡±

    Mori-san¡¯s face remained frozen, and he looked away from me, remaining silent.

    ¡°Because this is his wish.¡±

    Alice¡¯s frosty voice rang beside my ear, and I stared at her face in disbelief.

    ¡°¡­Eh?¡±

    ¡°This is Katsuragi Kenji¡¯s wish, and his friends simply fulfilled that wish.¡±

    ¡°W-what? His own wish? The head¡ªlike that?¡±

    ¡°Think about it. Didn¡¯t you see the corpse for yourself? His hands were holding onto his muffler, right?

    Because of Alice¡¯s words, that blood-curdling, freezing sight that morning that looked so surreal, devoid of all color, and something I didn¡¯t want to recall became more striking.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    Right. It¡¯s true that the hands of the decapitated body were holding onto the muffler. The memory unlocked more memories, linking them together. This was the final question Alice asked at the roof of the pitch ck abandoned building. She said she just wanted to know something, and for the sake of knowing this answer, she became antagonistic towards Major, and sullied his honor as a soldier.

    Was Katsuragi Kenji wearing a muffler?

    Ginji-san¡ªremoved his own muffler, and made it easier to chop his head off? I shivered at this terrifying notion, and it felt as though I found my body was amputated and reced with crude concrete.

    Then Ginji-san¡¯s head¡ª

    ¡°I put it in this bag.¡±

    Mori-san spoke with a terse voice.

    ¡°Even when we¡¯re holding dirty bags, nobody will pay us any mind, or rather, I should say that nobody will care about¡­¡±

    The final words vanished from Mori-san¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°So you cremated him at the incinerator at your workce or somewhere?¡¯

    Mori-san lifted his head upon hearing Alice¡¯s question. His eyes sparkled in the darkness.

    ¡°¡­You really do know everything. It¡¯s really terrifying¡­I took it to the rubbish incinerator of the remation nt. It took me about a week.¡±

    Mori-san lowered his head as he looked at the bag under his armpit. That was¡ªthe ashes of Ginji-san.

    ¡°So you have alreadypleted your duty.¡±

    Why did Alice sound so kind that her words were about to melt?

    ¡°You cut the head off, hid it, and waited until the Holy Night to to bring it here and fulfil the wish. Is that correct?¡±

    Mori-san gently hugged the bag with both hands, and stared at it.

    ¡°Right. I don¡¯t know whether he¡¯ll be happy or not. When I found him on that day, he was a lost cause. He had an eye beaten out, holes on his neck, and he was bleeding¡­he was still able to say this much¡­¡±

    I really wanted to cover my eyes, and kept shaking my head, not knowing what I was trying to deny. Why did he leave a dying message in such a situation? And to cut off the head too. There¡¯s probably more important things to talk about, right?

    ¡°¡­So I say, why?¡±

    Disgust and a groan leaked out from my throat.

    ¡°Why did Ginji-san want to this?¡±

    ¡°So then, Narumi, what do you think will happen when a headless corpse is found.¡±

    Something that will happen because of such an incident?

    I scanned the dark park that was only filled with the presence of death.

    A strange corpse would cause the park to be closed, the reconstruction dyed, and Ginji-san¡¯s hut to be protected.

    His house still remains in the park.

    ¡°Right.¡± Alice muttered. ¡°Katsuragi Kenji couldn¡¯t have died off just like that. He had to think of some way to cause a biggermotion that would dy the reconstruction. He also didn¡¯t want others to find out his real identity, but he wants to return to the park on the Holy Night. That¡¯s why he asked his friends to fulfil his wish, the only method he could do that was worth trying.¡±

    Alice looked away from me, and towards Mori-san, towards the little stic bag in his hands.

    ¡°And he did, though in the form of ashes.¡±

    Mori-san curled his slightly ckened lips, and merely handed the bag over to us.

    However, Alice shook her head.

    ¡°The ones who should ept this aren¡¯t us.¡±

    Alice turned her head aside, and I followed her nce. At the entrance of the park, before the stairs was a slender figure who had appeared there without us knowing. I felt my chest being suffocated for some reason. How many times does the detective have to repeat this process again? She¡¯s only going to reveal the words of the dead when the cruel stage is set?

    Yui-san approached, but I couldn¡¯t see her expression due to her sunsses. As usual, her hair was hidden under the kni cap, and she was dressed in a tight-fitting peacoat, her slender figure looking more helpless than usual.

    I only got to see her face when she entered the area where the dim street lights shone upon her. The moist eyes were filled with scepticism, looking as though it would shatter at any given moment.

    ¡°Did you hear everything?¡±

    The detective ask the client. Yui-san responded, but it was unclear if she was nodding or shivering due to cold.

    ¡°In that case, we are done with your request. Are you satisfied now?¡±

    ¡°You have to be kidding.¡±

    Yui-san stared at the bag Mori-san was holding out.

    ¡°I-I didn¡¯t ask for this. I said I want to meet my father. I don¡¯t want this.¡±

    Right, Alice. This is too much. This twist of words will only cause everyone to be hurt. Why did you have to do this? Ginji-san too. Why? Why¡ª

    ¡°Why, papa.¡±

    Yui-san¡¯s voice was filled with intense anguish.

    ¡°Why? Why did you have to do this? Is this ce that important? Do you really want to keep that tattered house? Why? Why? Aren¡¯t you dead because of this? Why?¡±

    ¡°Right.¡± The detective softly answered, ¡°It¡¯s all because this ce is his home.¡±

    Yui-san shook her head to hold in the tears that were about to flow out, she didn¡¯t notice the sound caused by her sunsses falling onto the metal sheet.

    Alice took the bag from Mori-san¡¯s hands, went towards Yui-san, and grabbed her arm.

    ¡°I¡¯m the NEET detective, speaker of the dead. I am going to convey to you the words of the dead. Follow me.¡±

    The tent was pitch dark, chilly, with a bittersweet smell. As seen before, there ere only some futonsid out on the floor. Alice brought apletely devastated into the wide space of a ce nobody would except to be a homeless¡¯ home, and she too went in. Despite this, there was a lot of space inside.

    But what was inside? Just the presence of death lingering. I stared at the opened entrance, thinking.

    ¡°What now? What¡¯s with this ce?¡±

    Yui-san asked in an agitated manner.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t say something stupid like I should stay here for a night to understand how papa will think.¡±

    But the detective didn¡¯t answer, and asked Yui-san.

    ¡°Do you know the origin of the word camera?¡±

    Yui-san¡¯s eyes were moist due to tears and scepticism as she stared at Alice, and I took stared at the ck hair under the ck veil in shock.

    ¡°Wh¡­at?¡¯

    ¡°The origin of the word Camera. Camera Obscura¡ªin Latin, it means ¡®a dark house¡¯.¡±

    Narumi, close the entrance when youe in. I suppressed my doubt that appeared in response to Alice¡¯s words, ducked down, and entered.

    The plywood doors let out a dry sound.

    However, once I did so, the room didn¡¯t bepletely dark. A strange warmth and light shone upon, so I could vaguely see Yui-san¡¯s blushing face and Alice¡¯s pale face. Why? Where is this lighting from?

    ¡°Look. This is what Katsuragi Kenji is trying to protect.¡±

    Alice muttered. Her finger pointed at the floor between her and Yui-san, and I could hear Yui-san and me gasp in the darkness.

    There was a light on the ground, an oval-shaped light. However, the light was clearly projecting a certain image.

    ¡°¡­Why¡­is-is that me¡­?¡±

    Yui-san¡¯s mutterednded upon her smile. That image did appear to be Yui-san; no, it definitely was her. Projected on the floor of cardboard was Natsuki Yui, singing a Christmas Carol in the middle of the snow. The singing voice should have been blocked out by the walls, yet my ears could hear that Christmas carol in my ears.

    Why?

    I sought for the source of the light.

    There was a little hole in the cardboard wall facing the railway, and the light shone in from there. That was the only bullet hole not patched up by tape.

    ¡°Camera Obscura.¡± Alice again muttered, ¡°By using a really small hole to align light into the dark room, one can clearly see a visual at the point of projection. Even the distant stars are within grasp.¡±

    Your father has always been with you.

    This was the house he finally obtained.

    Alice muttered, and drips of water appeared on the cardboard floor, contorting Yui-san¡¯s smile. I finally noticed that it was a projection of the PV of Natsuki Yui set up on the wall of the wall opposite the railway. I saw it several times, and even recalled the song; thus, I knew this song wasing to an end. The camera got closer, and I could clearly see the fluttering snowkes. Once Yui-san was done with her singing, she closed her eyes in the midst of the melody, as though sleeping, hiding under the fur, entering a blissful dreand. This miracle caused Ginji-san to remain here, and allowed him to return to his home through this way. It¡¯s too much; there¡¯s no need for the world to have such a cruel, kind and perfect miracle happen. However, I understood that miracles would happen one to anyone, just during the moments when we never realize.

    ¡°¡­I.¡±

    Yui-san¡¯s sobbing dampened the cardboard floor.

    ¡°I am here.¡±

    I shook my head. No, I wanted to say, but even I didn¡¯t know what I was trying to deny.

    ¡°I have been here with papa the entire time¡­he¡¯s despicable.¡±

    Yui-san put a hand on the floor, her shoulders shivering.

    ¡°You¡¯re horrible, papa. I always wanted to be reunited with you, but you¡¯re the only one who would say me¡­it¡¯s unfair.¡±

    The ck veil shook in the corner of my eyes, and Alice appeared as though she wanted to say something, only to stop. It¡¯s only at such moments did I understand what Alice was getting at.

    The words of the dead are simply tofort the living. Nobody else knows what your father is thinking.

    However, this beauty is real, and it¡¯s the only fact.

    That¡¯s why you have to bear all of this, right?

    Alice never raised any cruel scepticism to Yui-san, and merely handed the stic bag over to her. This bag continued the ashes Mori-san handed to us. The tape sealing it was torn us, and the ashes inside the bag scattered on the floor. Suddenly, there was a sh in the ash, and it was the tinum ring that melted due to the cremation, the alphabet ¡®K¡¯ barely to be seen.

    This was¡ªthe only thing left.

    What remained of Ginji-san were only this house made of cardboard, plywood and vinyl sheets, some ash, and a melted ring.

    The warmth of the memories warmed my heart, and I supposed I could finally understand Ginji-san¡¯s wishes. He wanted to protect the dream of Natsuki Yui, for it was an identity his daughter could not separate herself from. He kept seeking, feeling his blood, warmth and life, that were following through his eyes, neck, and body. He had to die as a homeless, but had to protect this home until the Holy Night, and return here again.

    So he entrusted two things to his friends.

    The prove that he was Katsuragi Kenji¡ªhis ring, and the head.

    All the elements came together in a cruel fashion to great sess, triggering the incident. The corpse lost its name, and the body left behind caused the park to be filled with the presence of death, causing everyone to leave, and protected this home as a realize. After hiding for a while, he returned to the park, had his ashes scattered on this ground as was agreed upon¡ªthe promised homnd. This was the one method worth trying that he chose.

    Ginji-san, are you¡ª

    Really happy with this?

    I wordlessly asked the letter ¡®K¡¯, these words unknowingly filled with an equivalent amount of fury for a certain person.

    He became ash, and returned to his home in this mirror-like manner, sote that almost all his memories were wiped out¡ªbut there had to be a better, better way of doing this right?

    I bit my lips, and shook my head.

    This was his choice, and his choice on who to hurt or protect. The job of weighing the pros and cons will be up to a certain person up there casually writing in the notebook.

    We could only ept this.

    I gently inserted my finger into the ash scattered around; it was neither hot nor cold.

    Wee back, Ginji-san.

    And also, good night.

    I pushed the plywood door aside, grabbed Alice by the hand, and pulled her out. The frostiness of December dragged us back into reality. The sounds of the train could be heard, heard, and it was probably thest ride. I guess it was already the next day, time for Jesus to be crying in the manger.

    ¡°See, that is the real miracle.¡±

    Alice pointed at the metal fence as she muttered. I turned around, and found her pointing at the street light at the top of the tall pole. At this point, it was extinguished.

    ¡°¡­Street light?¡±

    ¡°Right. That street light isn¡¯t in the air. When it extinguishes, it has the effect of a lens. Without that, the television visual far down the streets will never reach this dark room.¡±

    ¡°Heh. I see.¡±

    I nearly let out such sarcastic words, and hurriedly covered my tracks. What Alice said next was more sarcastic than my words,

    ¡°The fire that started in summer is likely caused by that.¡±

    ¡°¡­Eh?¡±

    ¡°If the lens gathers all the sunlight, there should be enough heat gathered to trigger a fire. There was probably a ck box or something positioned right at where the sunlight¡¯s gathered at.¡±

    ¡°Ahh¡­¡± So that¡¯s the experiment we did for our physics sses in elementary school. These meaningless ss bits are the culprits causing the fire in this park, and also the helpers who created Ginji-san¡¯s wonderful memory.

    ¡°It¡¯s probably going to be taken down.¡± Alice appeared to have read through my thoughts as she said this, ¡°These lights don¡¯t go well with a sports park.¡±

    ¡°I guess.¡±

    At this moment, a scenery appeared in my mind. Under the scorching sun would be a desert that would burn everything to the ground, living onto a streetmp in the middle.

    Alice grabbed my hand, and walked away, the scenery of the desert seemingly shattering in my heart, and the white breathes of hers and mine dissipated in the air.

    We passed through the forest, arriving at the center of the park, and found that Mori-san had vanished. His job was done, and there was no need for him to remain here. I started to wonder a little, what would that man do from this point? The police would probably find out about them and deliver justice. But under what charge? They were simply fulfilling what they had to do.

    I sighed, and turned my back on the darkness, pulling Alice by the hand as I walked on. The detective work waspletely done.

    I walked out, and turned back, hearing that Christmas song again from behind the forest and the metal fence.

    ¡°We should let loose as much as we can.¡±

    Alice muttered.

    ¡°Us of no religious faith should just dump all miracles into a trashbin and enjoy ourselves all we want.¡±

    I nodded, and walked down the stairs. I got the feeling that the world got clearer than before. In this frosty wind, Yui-san¡¯s singing voice, and even the noises from the vehicles, trains, people crossing each other at the station staircase, shop attendants trying to sell off their remaining cakes, and the hoarse voices of the drunks could be heard as clearly as a clock¡¯s second hand. All the hustle on this night felt so adorable for some reason, and it was truly a strange Holy Night.

    And so, the construction of the park started soon after the new year.

    I was not in the mood, so I had no interest in such news, but it appeared the students who went about shooting the homeless with their modified airguns had given up. This was trending furiously on the inte, and I couldn¡¯t ignore itpletely either. Also, the guys of the Hirasaka-gumi too continued with some baseless rumors.

    ¡°Aniki flicked back a grenade with a finger flick and blew up all the enemies!¡±

    ¡°Aniki stuffed his hand into a rocketuncher and blew it up, and blew up all the enemies!¡±

    ¡°Aniki directed a missile with a little blow, and blew up all the enemies!¡±

    Those Hirasaka-gumi guys should just turn themselves in too, their crime being a parade of barbaric goris.

    And behind the rumors that spread like a gue, there were many other things that weren¡¯t mentioned. Only Tetsu-senpai knew the fate that befell Mori-san and Pe-san.

    ¡°Heard that the food at the detention center is good, and they¡¯re able to spend the Winter at a ce with a roof, so those guys are really happy. Good work.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai dropped by at ¡®Hanamaru¡¯ in January, and told me this.

    ¡°Will they be charged?¡± Hiro could not help but ask worriedly.

    ¡°Who knows? Probably under the crime of abandoning a corpse or damaging it or something.¡±

    Hearing their conversation, I seemed to understand what Alice would always say, ¡°I have no interest in criminals.¡± I too had no interest in them.

    But Mori-san and the others merely fulfilled the wishes of their once living friend, and us detectives can only reveal and humiliate the words of the dead, yet they fulfilled it without a word. Who could reproach, judge and punish them?

    The cruel incident was coupled with a cruel oue, like snow in the desert, finally left with nothing. Thus, Ginji-san¡¯s little hut was torn down at the end of the year, while the streetmp vanished as the construction trucks buzzed around the park.

    If there was something I wanted to say that lingered in my heart, it would be the same as Alice.

    Why did they have to do this¡ªjust this reason alone.

    Major returned to ¡®Hanamaru¡¯ right when my winter break was about to end.

    ¡°The police abuse of authority is really, really, really violent! All the gun technology used by the history research club was taught by me, and the ways to purchase them were mostly retailers I know. I told them everything, and the investigators got really excited, so they went searching from my house to the college research room!¡±

    Major kept devouring arge bowl of miso ramen and told us excitedly.

    ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t keep any illegally modified weapons in ces the police can find, so I was acting obedient in the interrogation room andughing inside my stomach. Ah, right, they didn¡¯t give me pork cutlet rice. I can have it, but I need to pay.¡±

    Major was being so upbeat that it shocked me. It seemed Tetsu-senpai¡¯s happy to finally have arade who was arrested, and after that, those two started chatting about their experiences in detention. Those two idiots.

    ¡°They¡¯ll definitely do urine checks, and if they did it on Narumi back then, it¡¯lle out positive and he¡¯ll be arrested.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll check for tattoos too! Yondaime¡¯s out too!¡±

    But this was just an act, and even I could tell. Ever since that incident, Major never brought out any air guns or modified guns. In ces of them was an M14 that was broken into two and ced on both sides. If anyone were to ask ¡°What¡¯s the matter¡±, he would simply answer that it¡¯s ¡®in repair¡¯. However, I know that he always had this gun in his backpack.

    Everyone has a different way of making up and forgetting their past.

    Finally, I want to talk about Yui-san¡¯s ending.

    A month and a halfter, the NEET detective agency received arge cardboard box directed at Fujishima Narumi, and the sender was Katsuragi Yuina.

    ¡°Why is my thing sent to you, Narumi?¡±

    Alice was already in a bad mood, but once she took out the 4 bunny dolls, she changed her mind.

    ¡°Mmmm¡­these aren¡¯t sold; they¡¯re colored versions that haven¡¯t been released¡­these definitely are prototypes, so that means she has links with the designers. Uu, I¡¯m so envious!¡±

    Alice embraced the 4 bunny dolls of different colors and rolled about on the bed, while I read the letter Yui-san sent to me.

    ¡°This are the bunnies I promised before. I¡¯m really sorry to deliver it sote after I received Minveva.

    I have deposited the investigation fees into your ount. Please confirm.¡±

    I¡¯ll drop by to y next time.

    ¡°My detective agency isn¡¯t a ce to y at¡­but it¡¯s rare to have a doll enthusiast I can get on with so well¡­mmm.¡±

    Alice buried her face in the 4 bunnies, really bothered by this, and I couldn¡¯t help but grin as I watched her. There were dolls, and also a CD and a letter directed at it. I started up the CD yer, and read the letter to Alice.

    ¡°Thank you very much too, Narumi-kun. It¡¯s thanks to you that my album became a bestseller. Huh? It¡¯s weird to be thanking you for this.

    To thank you, I sent the uing single to you, Narumi-kun. This is a song for someone very important to me, and I hope you¡¯ll be the first to hear it, so I made it into a CD. I guess Alice-chan will be angry upon hearing this letter, so please don¡¯t let her see this letter.¡±

    ¡­Eh? But I just read it to her.

    ¡°W-wh-wh-what¡¯s with this letter!?¡±

    Alice tossed aside the bunnies and leapt at me, pulling the letter from me. After reading it, she blushed.

    ¡°Wh-what¡¯s with this!? Youid your hand on a woman using your duty as an excuse, y-you shameless fellow!¡±

    ¡°No I didn¡¯t! Calm down. Just listen to the song and you¡¯ll understand!¡±

    Argh seriously, why write such a vague letter? Alice threw a bunch of empty Dr. Pepper cans, causing me to escape from the office, sit at the emergency stairs, and put the earphones into my ears. An untimely bell chime echoed in this clear frosty sky of January, and after that, Yui-san¡¯s singing voice began with a guitar riff.

    It was another Christmas song, one that was a monthte.

    That single would be officially released on January 24th. I saw it on a news website.

    When Yui-san was interviewed, naturally, she was asked why she came up with a Christmas song again, and she answered,

    ¡°It¡¯s a very personal song.¡±

    ¡°I really wanted to release this single, so I pestered the manager and begged the producer, before finally releasing it as a limited single on the inte. Yes, I did the lyrics.¡±

    ¡°I promised that person that I¡¯ll meet on Christmas.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a man. Rest is secret ughs)¡±

    ¡°This promise happened a long time back, back when I was in elementary school. Right, so everyone, please rx ughts)¡±

    ¡°I waited so long, so long that even I was shouting. I can¡¯t wait any more!¡±

    ¡°So in response, I decided to dy my Christmas gift by a month. Yaah! This is payback!¡±

    The song title is ¡°I¡¯m here¡±.

    This single¡¯s way better than the Christmas songst December. Even though Christmas was long over, there were times where I would take it out to hear. A person¡¯s way ofughing, crying, and wiping their tears really differs from person to person.

    <End>

 Volume 7, Afterword

    <h4>Volume 7, Afterword</h4>

    That winter, after celebrating my 33rd birthday, I had a chat with many homeless folk.

    I live in Ikebukuro, and honestly, this ce is not as modernized as everyone would imagine. At the office streets to the East entrance of the train station in particr, there were no people to be seen once it was midnight. Whenever I reach a bottleneck when writing in the middle of the night, I would leave home to wander around the streets, and at this moment, all I would see were the road workers, the patrol guards, some youths practicing breakdancing and skateboarding, and old men hiding in cardboard boxes, sleeping.

    ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s very cold.¡±

    One of the old men said as he held onto the coffee I served him.

    ¡°The ground¡¯s the coldest ce on earth. It¡¯s useless no matter how I paved the ground. Whenever I sleep, I feel my body warmth being sapped away, little by little.¡±

    I tried lying on the ground after the old man left, and spaced out for a while. That night was a cold night, so frigid was stuck to the ground. I looked back, and found that there was nary a star to be seen in the Ikebukuro night. It was the 3rd Winter I spent in Ikebukuro after moving there, and never once did I look up at the sky until then.

    This was how the story of the 7th volume began, and it ended at the same ce. The same thing repeats itself again. Even the part about returning home was about the novel.

    It has been 5 years since I started writing the ¡®Kamisama no Memochou¡¯ Series.

    Lots of things were erased through these 5 years, and the park that is the setting for the 7th volume is one of them. I had an actual park as the setting, but it is no longer around, and there is none of the tent vige to be seen.

    When I saw the news to reconstruct the ce, I had a thought that I would write a story about this part. The construction of the plot was harder toe up with, and I only managed to sort it out at the beginning of this year. I suppose some readers will understand that this is an unprecedented field from what I have written before.

    While I was dragging my feet, reality overtook the pace of the novel, and it was almost exactly the moment I submitted the first manuscript that the reconstruction of the park ended. All the tent viges were torn down, concrete was paved on the floor, and there were a futsal court, a skating pit, and a rock climbing wall. Thendscape waspletely toppled, and the past scenery nowhere to be seen.

    Only the name of the park remains till this day.

    It just so happened that it was the same as the theme I repeatedly emphasized in this series, and it really was a peculiar feeling. Perhaps I was attracted to the park because it was the kind of ending I hoped for. However, the real world is not as romantic as how it is in novels.

    The 7th volume depicts a story of people who lost their ¡®homes¡¯, and the home I was born in vanished during those 5 years.

    I was born and raised in a in a town south of Tama, and my house was by the cliff. My parents moved away from there a few years back, and sold the house along with thend.

    The transportation at that quiet town was really inconvenient. I suppose only those nothing better to do would want to develop for ce, and wondered if the hills at the back, farming fields and houses remained the same as before. A while back, I had such thoughts as I returned back to my hometown, and found the scenery had changed. The road I had to pass through when I was in elementary school was once a dim, long, narrow slope, and it¡¯s currently built as concrete stairs. The bamboo field I once used as a secret base waspletely levelled, and the pumpkin field became houses. The house I once lived at was divided into two plots ofnd, two brand new terrace houses side by side. The Lily Tree where with snakes and stray cats yed at vanished without a trace.

    Taken aback I was, on a second thought, it was to be expected. For those who never went back, buildings themselves could neverst forever. Only when humans and buildings coexist together can there be aplete family.

    However, I did not feel lonely. The house vanished, but my hometown never did. My heart shall always treasure the vibrant summer scenery of those years.

    The ce I should return to would obviously be the path leading home, however, that road was a little longer than it was during my childhood, reaching all the way back to Ikebukuro. That was simply it however.

    Recently, I have been changing my memories and insisting that I grew up in the city! I never went out from the Yamanote Line! So I insist, and I don¡¯t have any feelings for my hometown, I guess. I shall reflect on that a little.

    As this volume is released, the TV animation should be airing now. Please enjoy these works together. It is thanks to the editor-in-charge Yuasa-sama and the illustrator Kishida Mel-sama and everyone¡¯s assistance that the world of this work is able to expand till this point. I am really grateful. Really, thank you everyone.

    May 2011, Sugii Hikaru

 Volume 8, 1

    <h4>Volume 8, Chapter 1</h4>

    It''s said that they aren''t clinging onto the bamboo poles, but gliding along them. In any case, living on and doing something wouldn''t be as bad as how it was at that moment.

    Dragonflies are dragonflies. Every year, they merely glide from the North end of the Street to the South, down the lined bamboo poles

    ''The Blooming Flowers in the Underpass'' Irokawa Butai

    I have a blood-rted older sister, and an older brother not rted by blood. If I told them that, most people would then conclude something like "I see, so your sister is married", but my sister is actually unmarried. In fact, my sister and my brother are not rted whatsoever. That man and I ended up bing sworn brothers through a ritual based on yakuza movies.

    It''s been a little more than a year since that autumn when I moved to this city. Back then I was just an inconsiderate brat, but I learned many things during all this time. For example, that there are bonds much more stronger than bonds merely formed by blood, but that doesn''t mean blood ties are weak, either.

    My mother died a long time ago and my father almost neveres home, so I don''t quite understand what it means to have a family. When I asked Alice about it, she replied with her usual calm tone:

    "Family is the smallest, most unconditional reciprocal union in which everything can be forgiven. For this reason, things like hiding a criminal or destroying the evidence of their crime stops being a sin in their eyes. Something simr to an unscrupulous debt in an unwritten contract, don''t you think so?"

    What a nonsensical answer, really. On second thought, she had left her family behind and ran away from home, so a sarcastic reply on her part was to be expected. However, she thenughed softly and added, with distant eyes:

    "It''s this world''s most beautiful illusion."

    *

    In an old building five stories tall next to an alley, pretty far away from the station, there''s a ramen shop signaled with a red sign. That ce, Ramen Hanamaru, is where we always hang out. The owner is Min-san, a young woman with a ''nice big sister'' spirit. I got to know that ce because of a ssmate named Ayaka, who works there part-time. The only ''good citizens'' of the gang are those two, while the rest are NEETs who don''t work or study.

    "I failed at the Arima Kinen and the Tokyo Daishouten¡­ I lost around 100.000¡­"

    Squatting on the concrete floor in front of the backdoor with a resigned epression was Tetsu-senpai, the ex-boxer who had became a good-for-nothing gambling addict and had ended the year by wasting a huge amount of money.

    "Narumi, you got a lot of New Year money, right?", Tetsu-senpai spoke to me. "Lend me some."

    "I don''t want to. And I didn''t receive New Year money from anyone in the first ce.", I replied while eating myte lunch. Senpai looked surprised, so I went on:

    "If I had parents or rtives to be with I wouldn''t be here the second day of the year."

    "Well, I''m so sorry that you have to be in this ce, huh. You don''t have toe if you don''t want to."

    Upon hearing that voiceing from the kitchen, I got startled without letting go of the bowl. The woman with a ponytail opened the back door.

    "Ahh, no, uhm, I didn''t mean that--"

    "Here, Tetsu, your ramen''s ready." Min-san quickly turned her gaze away from Tetsu-senpai to re at me while giving him a ramen bowl with just soup and noodles, a menu so poor that one could almost cry.

    "I can''t really say much, but, you guys really don''t have parents or rtives to spend time with? Would they go to your funeral if you died? Tetsu, if you''re not careful enough you could end up without anyone to tend your grave.", Min-san said, folding her arms and leaning against the door. Tetsu-senpai slurped some soup and shrugged.

    "It''s not like I care about what happens to me after I die. More important than that, the New Year money--"

    "Talk when you can pay your tab, you good-for-nothing!", Min-san pulled Tetsu-senpai''s ear.

    "Ow ow ow ow ow ow!"

    She was wearing a tank top and he was wearing a short-sleeved shirt without a sense of the season. I tilted my head and looked up at the winter sky, cloudless regardless of the cold weather. It didn''t feel like New Year at all.

    "Happy New Year!"

    A refreshing voice was heard and a tall figure approached from the alley. That young man dressed with a cashmere coat and a long beige scarf so refinedlybined that it made him look like a model got closer to the back door. Hiro-san is one of the NEETs that always hang out on that alley. With his handsome appearance and rhetorical abilities, he lives as a gigolo who tricks and leeches off women.

    "Oh? Narumi-kun''s here too. Don''t you spend time with your family to receive New Year money and all that?"

    You too? I gave him the same exnation I had given to Tetsu-senpai.

    "Aah, I see.", he made an apologetic face for an instant, but his smile quickly returned. "Then, this is from me."

    To my surprise, he handed me a 10.000 yen bill.

    "Hiro, me too! I want money too!"

    "Tetsu, you''re the same age as me, aren''t you?"

    "No, my birthday''s three monthster, so I''m younger! Give me money!"

    Min-san smacked Tetsu-senpai and turned to see Hiro-san.

    "Hiro, being a NEET gigolo, are you in position to give money to others?"

    "Well, yes. I received quite a lot of money from thedies. For example, there was this time when we went on a holiday overseas without her husband knowing or--"

    Hiro-san was also smacked by Min-san. With a bump on their heads each, they kept eating their first ramen of the year.

    "We do the same every year¡­"

    "It''s fine that way, isn''t it? We have nowhere else to go. When you try to be a good son, your parents are already gone."

    "Do you want to be a good son, Hiro?"

    "No, not at all."

    Both Tetsu-senpai and Hiro-sanughed. I never asked much about their family situations, but apparently Hiro-san didn''t grow up on easy circumstances.

    In the end, we looked like a parentless bunch. Now that I remembered, Min-san doesn''t have a mother either, and Ayaka''s parents are divorced.

    "What''s with you, Narumi? What a gloomy face. If you''re not gonna eat that I will.", Tetsu-senpai pointed at the bowl on my knees. I had left my chopsticks still, with the noodles extended.

    "N-no, I''m still eating."

    "Coming here on the second day of the year, it seems like he''s going topletely be one of us. How terrible, Narumi-kun."

    Hiro-san''s teasing words were quite cruel. Tetsu-senpai knitted his brows.

    "He''s not going to be one of us. It''s toote for him already."

    "Well, that''s true."

    I choked with the soup in my throat.

    "I-it''s not that!", after wiping my chin and mouth with a napkin, I kept talking. "I was just thinking that none of us has parents¡­ Quite the coincidence, isn''t it?"

    Hiro-san and Tetsu-senpai stopped eating and looked at each other. The first one to open his moth was senpai.

    "¡­Not a coincidence, probably."

    "Eh? Ehm¡­?"

    What does that mean? Something like "Birds of a feather flock together?" NEETs end up together? Please, no. I''m still a high school student. My grades are pretty bad, but I still go to ss.

    "It''s not a coincidence.", Hiro nodded. "If you don''t have a family, you have free time, don''t you? And if you have free time, you end up hanging out here 24/7."

    True. The main reason why I was in this ce in the middle of the New Year celebrations was because I have a lot of time to kill.

    Tetsu-senpai suddenly spoke:

    "Yondaime does have his parents, doesn''t he?"

    "Ahh, yes, I think so.", Hiro-san replied.

    Yondaime is that person who ended up doing the sake ceremony with me by a twist of fate, bing my sworn brother. His weird nickname was given to him because he''s the son of a family who manages a stall-keepers business in Kansai.

    "His parents are in Kansai, so he doesn''t see them much, does he?"

    "Is he in touch with them?"

    I couldn''t imagine Yondaime being in contact with his family, since I remember hearing that he had ran away to Tokyo because he didn''t want to inherit his family''s business.

    "I wonder how Yondaime''s old man looks like."

    "I picture him looking like Aikawa Show."

    "Ahh, you think so, Hiro? I imagine him with a more stern look, like Takakura Ken or something like that."

    Both of them then started to picture him like different actors, manga characters, Dragon Quest Monsters (Why?), etc. I would get to meet that personter on, and he would bepletely different to any of theirparisons.

    After finishing my ramen and enduring Tetsu-senpai being annoying with his "Give me cash!" again, I quickly went up the emergency stairs. In the third floor of the same building of the ramen shop there was a room with a sign that read "NEET Detective Office", my employer''s shelter.

    "Happy New Year¡­"

    I opened the door and greeted in a small voice as I entered. It was colder inside the room than outside.

    "What is there to be happy about? Here and there, the new year just brings inconveniences."

    I heard the sulky voice of the little girl. Across the kitchte and the narrow corridor a room with three sides of the wall covered with monitors,puters and cables could be seen; such a cybeic room. Sitting on a bed in the middle was the girl with long and splendid ck honey-colored hair that flowed like a river. She was wearing light-blue pajamas with teddy bear patterns, her stocking-covered legs were worryingly thin and her skin was really pale. No matter how you looked at her, her appearance was worrisome. Shionji Yuuko--AKA Alice. The detective who employes me.

    "Observe, Moggadeet''s ear hase unstitched."

    With teary eyes, Alice thrust her big teddy bear against me. Some thread was hanging from its little ear.

    "This happened because I hug him too tightly every day even when I''m sleeping! I wanted to ask Yondaime to repair it but he''s busy with the new year and he doesn''t answer the phone. Even though he usually answers quickly¡­"

    I was about to tell her that she could just leave the teddy bear alone for one or two days, but I decided not to say anything. That teddy bear with a strange name was her favorite, and apparently she couldn''t sleep if she wasn''t hugging it.

    "Uhmm¡­ Then, how about I take his ce?"

    When I said that, Alice blushed so hard that she looked like a habanero pepper.

    "W-w-what are you saying? Why would I hug you to sleep!? I could never do such a shameless thing--"

    "That''s not what I meant. I meant to say if you would like me to fix it."

    Alice''s face was practically emitting steam.

    "¡­You should have said that from the start!"

    "You''re the one who misunderstood!"

    Alice puffed her reddened cheeks and turned to the monitor.

    "Can you even sew? You look so clumsy that it wouldn''t surprise me if you weren''t even capable of tying your own shoces. More importantly, there''s no more Dr Pepper left."

    On the floor at her feet there was a pyramid of purplish-red 350 ml. cans. She doesn''t eat properly, and the base of her entric diet is actually this carbonated drink. Sadly, my main task as a detective''s assistant is taking care of her daily dose of Dokupe.

    "Go buy two packs at the convenience storeter, since the liquor store is closed and it''s not delivering either. I don''t see what''s so special about the New Year. Isn''t just the year changing?"

    "Don''t you do anything typical of the New Year?", I asked. "Like, visiting the shrine, or eating typical foods, or going back to your parents'' house¡­ Ahh, no, I''m sorry. That was a stupid question."

    Alice red at me and let out a childish "hmph", then she turned back to the keyboard once again.

    "The first two would imply that I return to the Shionji house anyway and that''s not likely, even if the house is reduced to ashes and their affiliated business all fall into bankruptcy."

    I tilted my head at her tone of voice, as sharp and cold as an icicle.

    For some reason, around five years ago, Alice ran away from home. I don''t know her exact age, but she looks really young now; five years ago her age probably had a single digit. That''s not normal. Because of that, she spends her days shut away in her room, with countless security cameras installed in the whole building out of fear of someoneing to get her.

    What could have possibly happen in her parents'' house? What kind of person are her parents? Are they alive and in good health? I''d like to ask her all these questions, but it''s better if I don''t. It must be a delicate situation.

    My cellphone''s ringtone broke the silence. Upon looking at the screen, I noticed it was a call from Yondaime.

    "Happy New Ye--"

    ''Don''t bother with the greeting.'', Yondaime sharply said on the other side of the line. ''I have a job for you. It''s urgent, soe right away. Do you know where the mahjong parlor Tenhou Club is?''

    "Uh, ah, yes."

    ''It''s about what I told you about at the end of the year.''

    *

    Mahjong parlors are highly active during thest days of the year and the New Year. It''s because of the same reason we hang out at Hanamaru: People with free time. Since there are lots of people who like gambling and don''t give a damn about spending New Year with their families, mahjong and pachinko parlors be packed with people.

    That mahjong parlor called Tenhou Club is at Shinjuku''s Kabuki-cho and it''s one of the most popr and sessful parlors of the neighborhood.

    On the second day of the year, Kabuki-cho''s streets were full of noisy barkers promoting bars and host clubs seemingly having a shouting contest.

    After bumping into lots of passers-by because I was carrying a huge cardboard box, I finally reached the building. I raised my gaze to the parlor''s banner and took a breath.

    When the elevator''s door opened after reaching the fifth floor, the sounds of tiles cking against each other could be heard, and a strong tobo smell was filling the air. The ce was quite big, a little bigger than two ssrooms, and there were around 10 mahjong tables, all full.

    "Wee!" An employee with an apron turned around cheerfully but his expression became confused when he looked at me, alternating stares between my face and the cardboard box.

    "U-uhm¡­ I''m not a client, is Yondaime--Uh, Souichirou-san here?"

    The employee widened his eyes, surprised, and worried about the clients'' gazes, he quickly guided me to the backroom.

    Inside the small office there was two men. One of them was sitting on a pipe chair, had a hoodlum-like appearance and his hair was punch-permed. He was probably part of the staff of the parlor.

    The other young man was sitting on the desk, his hair was bleachedpletely white and a he had a sharp wolf-like gaze--Yondaime. He was wearing a red jacket with an embroidery of a chinese dragon that made him look even more menacing. His real name is Hinamura Souichirou, and he controls quite a lot of the juvenile delinquents of the Yamanote zone. None of the street gangs ignores the existence of the gang he leads, Hirasaka-gumi, and even some legit yakuza organizations acknowledge Hirasaka-gumi''s power. Lately, they have been gaining influence in Kabuki-cho little by little, so these kind of mahjong parlors relied on them in case of trouble.

    "What''s with that box?" Yondaime red at the cardboard box in my arms.

    "Ah, this¡­ A teddy bear. Its ear--"

    Yondaime stepped up, shocked, and pulled my cor, grabbing the box that was about to fall from my hands with his own free hand. He whispered onto my ear with a cold, piercing voice:

    "Don''t talk about that out loud, what if the manager hears?"

    He pointed at the guy with the punch-perm with just his gaze and I tilted my head to the side to see him, putting the box down. The manager was looking at us with a confused expression.

    Even though he''s so aggressive, sewing is Yondaime''s hobby, and his skills are top-notch. He has taken care of Alice''s stuffed animals many times, but of course, having such a cute hobby doesn''t really fit his image, so he would obviously get angry if this was mentioned in front of other people.

    "I called you because of work, why did you bring that thing here?", Yondaime said, ring at the box with the teddy bear. The manager nervously looked at us from behind the desk, without understanding the situation.

    "Alice told me to bring it to you immediately¡­ I''m sorry."

    "That brat¡­"

    With a defeated expression, Yondaime ruffled his own hair and sat on the desk again.

    "Whatever. Let''s talk about work."

    "Sou-san, err¡­ Who is he¡­?", the manager behind Yondaime asked. He had been looking at me for a while now, probably because he didn''t imagine a brat would being.

    "He''s Fujishima Narumi. You probably heard his name before."

    "A-ah, uh¡­ From the detective''s office¡­"

    My name being known in this dishonest world made me worry about my future, but I can''t refuse when Yondaime asks me a favor.

    "Are there bears or something like that?"

    Mahjong bear is a term originated in a novel written by Asada Tetsuya, and it refers to the people who earn money tricking inexperienced yers at mahjong parlors. At the end of the ear, Shinjuku seemed to be full of people wanting to make easy money.

    "There''s some suspicious guys, but it''s not really clear so I called you. y on the same tables as them and observe their actions."

    I ced my palm on my forehead and sighed. So it was about that.

    "Sou-san, excuse me, but, why¡­? I mean, he''s a high school kid, isn''t he?"

    I made a faint affirmative sound in reply to the manager''s anxious voice. It made sense that the mahjong parlor with the highest rates had a reputation to uphold.

    Why did he call me? Surely there was something morepetent, wasn''t it?

    Yondaime red at the manager and me so sternly that it fell like he was hammering a nail with just his gaze, then he grabbed my wrist and pulled me to a shelf nearby. He took just the suited tiles from the piled up mahjong sets, putting them face down and mixing them on the desk, then he picked thirteen of the tiles without turning them over. He lined them up in a straight line and grabbed them with both hands, picking them up and showing them to me just for a short instant, then putting them back as they were before.

    "Did you see them?"

    "Eh? Ah, yeah, more or less¡­"

    "Was it tenpai?"

    "It was isshanten, wasn''t it?"

    "Which tiles should you draw and which ones should you discard to get the highest tenpai?"

    "If I take the 5 and I discard the 9 I''d get 147 and 25 points, I think."

    Yondaime showed the thirteen tiles to the manager. The manager then aligned them in numerical order, and upon recing and ordering them, an expression that said ''I can''t believe it'' appeared in his face.

    "It''s correct¡­ H-he just saw them for a short while, didn''t he?" The manager sounded nervous. Taken aback, I hurriedly replied:

    "E-eh, well, anyone can do this, really¡­"

    Yondaime lightly punched my back.

    "Let me tell you something, since it seems you haven''t realized it yet.", he said, pushing my body to the back room¡¯s exit. "From all the people I know, you''re the best mahjong yer. That''s why I called you. Whatever, just go. I''ll take care of the betting and the losses money."

    *

    And just like that, the second half of my winter break sumbed to the sound of the tiles mixing in the automatic mahjong table. Even if I loudly yelled that I was merely a 17-year-old high school student, no one would hear me. In that world, only words such as ron, pon, and reach are listened to.

    After spending the whole night and going back home with my whole body smelling like tobo, I lied down on my bed with the question what am I doing? invading my mind.

    What am I doing¡­ ying mahjong, of course, but I also had to see if some suspicious people were actually cheating or not. Not only I had to do this at Tenhou Club, I was also taken to several other Kabuki-cho''s mahjong parlors, joining the tables in which someone was winning big.

    "How does it feel to work at a mahjong parlor?", Alice said sarcastically when I showed up at the detective office after being absent for three days.

    "Do I look like a regr yer that much with this suit and gray hair?"

    If they found out I was a high school student they would probably close the ce down, so I had made an improvised camouge.

    "Is this how you use the sry I pay you?"

    "The money I bet is not even from my own wallet in the first ce¡­"

    Yondaime covered 100% of the costs. It didn''t matter whether I won or lost, the important thing was observing the suspicious clients ying in the same table as them.

    "Even if that''s the case, you have won in all the parlors, haven''t you? And Yondaime didn''t tell you to return the money he gave you if you multiplied it."

    "Ahh, yeah¡­ Unexpectedly, in those clubs with high rates the yers are pretty bad. A-aah, no, I''m telling you that I''m not ying mahjong to make money."

    "Then for what reason did Yondaime include mahjong tiles in Moggadite''s box?"

    That was the first time I had heard about that, so I was surprised. Alice then took out a ck case from below the neatly ced teddy bear. Inside the case there was a set of mahjong tiles. So now I have to see tiles in the office too? I don''t even like mahjong that much.

    "It''s because I owe Yondaime.", Alice sulkily hugged her giant teddy bear. "If he asked me to give these to you I couldn''t say no, but you never showed up since the beginning of the year¡­"

    "I''m sorry I didn''te to keep youpany, really."

    "W-what are you saying?"

    Alice pped the case with the palm of her hand, and the tiles inside it fell down, scattering on the nkets.

    "Stop saying that like I was feeling lonely! If you don''t show up who will bring my Dr Pepper? Who will clean the office and do theundry? That''s what I meant!"

    "Oh, well excuse me¡­"

    I picked up the scattered tiles.

    "You kept winning on the spur of the moment, but you''re still a beginner. You lost ryankan chances every time, and you couldn''t see the indications of chitoitsu tenpai at all."

    I was bewildered, and the tiles slipped out of my hands.

    "¡­E-eh? Alice, you know how to y mahjong? And you saw me ying? Why?"

    "I watched the security cameras'' tapes."

    I stood there open-mouthed. Yondaime had secretly installed those cameras to observe the suspicious clients'' behavior while we yed, but there was no reason to show those to Alice. She had probably cracked the cameras.

    "E-eh, uhm¡­ W-why? Why have you been watching the matches I was ying in?"

    "Mh, hmph¡­ To check on my assistant''s work, obviously."

    Really? Did she even see the way I yed? That''s a little embarrassing.

    "You''re a really bad yer and if you lose you''ll cause Yondaime trouble, so, from now on I''ll be your coach!"

    Saying all that, Alice started lining up the tiles on the side table. What''s with all this enthusiasm¡­

    Around thirty minutester the inte rang and a short-haired girl entered, eximing "Happy New Year!"

    My ssmate, and Hanamaru''s employee, Ayaka.

    "E-eh?"

    Ayaka looked at us, speechless. In that moment, Alice took around 10000 points from me,pletely destroying my self-confidence, and I just let my head fall on the mattress.

    "T-that''s no good, Fujishima-kun!" Ayaka rushed up and pulled me up. "Don''t make Alice y mahjong! Alice is still a little girl so it''s a no-no!"

    "W-what''s the matter?" Alice blinked as Ayaka was taking the tiles away from her. "Mahjong doesn''t have anything to do with age, it''s just a game."

    "But, don''t you have to take off your clothes if you lose?"

    "Wha-Where did you get that twisted information from!?"

    "In the first ce, taking your clothes off is my job! Come on, let''s take the first bath of the year!"

    "Let me go-"

    Ayaka pulled Alice, who hated bathing, to the bathroom. That detective incapable of taking care of herself can''t bathe alone.

    I sighed, looking at the tiles that had fallen to the floor, and exited the office. The evening sun looked like thousands of crystals iid on the winter sky.

    Yondaime couldn''t have possibly known. From all our acquaintances, the best mahjong yer is definitely Alice.

    *

    But it wasn''t like I was going to the mahjong parlor everyday to win. I was just doing my job.

    Since I went everyday, I could find out some things about the suspicious clients. In the morning, I confirmed it with the security camera''s footage at Hirasaka-gumi''s office. I cropped and erged the pictures of the clients so I could ask the manager his opinionter.

    "These three¡­" At the office, I showed the pictures to Yondaime and started exining to him. The people on the pictures were all young men.

    "Around the end of the year, the three of them have been winning big at different mahjong parlors."

    "Together?"

    "No. They were never seen entering the same ce together."

    "Any other reason to be wary of them?" Yondaime asked, fixing his gaze on me.

    "There''s a weirdmon trait with the way they all win¡­"

    "Common trait?"

    "Frankly, the three of them are unskillful yers."

    I yed on the same tables, but I also observed them from behind. Their abilities were student-level, but they kept ying for a long time without losing. Just when one would think they wouldn''t stop ying, they suddenly did, even having the right tiles, and then they left the table.

    "Isn''t that to pass to their partners?"

    Passing is a general term which means secretly exchanging information between swindlers.

    "It''s possible. The three of them usually sit to y close to the toilet. Whenever they finish ying, they enter the toilet. Maybe they contact their partners via cellphone once they''re there¡­ But I don''t know from where could they see the tiles. They get winning sprees even when they''re on different tables, too."

    "In any case, you must keep observing.", Yondaime said. "I''ll find out where do those guyse from. If we don''t have proof that they''re cheating I can''t move."

    That''s true, they could just be some clients with insanely good luck. If they were''nt guilty and Yondaime used them, it would damage the parlor''s reputation.

    "What does your intuition say? Are they just some lucky fellows, or are they really bears?"

    "¡­Do you trust my intuition?"

    "Intuition is important in mahjong after all, isn''t it?"

    I lowered my gaze to the floor. After some time, I replied:

    "My intuition¡­ is dark. There''s just something unnatural about the way they y."

    *

    I met that man for the first time on thest day of my winter break. He showed up when I was ying at Kabuki-Cho''s Tenhou Club in

    broad daylight. I heard the sound of the doorbell, and then a carefree voice.

    "Shall I enter now?"

    It was a middle-aged man wearing a white down jacket, he had a slight stoop and long limbs, and his droopy eyelids gave off a charm simr to that ofedians such as Akashiya Sanma or Tokoro George.

    "Wee!" The manager''s brother rushed up to the man and handed him a wet towel.

    There were only two active tables in that moment and I had just finished a round, so the man was guided to the seat on my right.

    After around twelve rounds, I drew the Green Dragon tile. The man on my right then spoke:

    "''Scuse me, I''m still gettin'' used to Kantou''s rules, so¡­"

    "Uh?"

    "Can you do double and triple Yakuman here?"

    "E-err¡­ There are yakuman duplications in this ce, yes."

    "I see. So both tsuiso and su anko count, huh. Ron."

    The man revealed his hand. North, South, East and West wind tiles were neatly aligned, three of each kind.

    "96,000 points."

    That was the first time in my life I saw a daisushi. They said it''s a hand you only see once in a lifetime, after all.

    After two hours, the ce fellpletely silent and that big winner left, so I immediately got up and brought my palms together as a sign of apology to the manager.

    "S-sorry, I''m a little uneasy about him so I''m going to watch him, I''m leaving for today¡­"

    "A-aahh, okay, see you."

    The elevator was already going down, so I rushed to the stairs. I ran among Kabuki-Cho''s nighttime current of noise and neon lights, looking for that white down jacket among the crowd. He was on a pedestrian crossing at Yasukuni Dori, walking in the direction of Yamada Denki''s huge building. So I wouldn''t lose sight of him and he wouldn''t notice me either, I followed him while keeping a certain distance. Blending into Shinjuku''s West Gate''s congestion sounded like a good idea.

    I didn''t know if that man was rted to the bears or not. In fact, with such a fancy way of winning it was safe to assume he was unrted to them, but--I just felt uneasy. I suddenly lost sight of him near a boutique. I difficultly pushed through the crowd, looking for the down jacket. He was really tall, so I couldn''t have lost him just like that¡­

    "What''s this? Am I that suspicious?"

    I heard a voice behind me and I literally jumped. When I turned around, I saw that man with both hands inside his pockets, grinning from ear to ear.

    "E-eh, ah, n-no, I''m just¡­"

    So he had noticed me when I was following him. I felt like sweat was dripping even from inside my ears, but the man just pped my shoulders in a friendly manner.

    "Ya make me feel a bit uneasy too, boy. Why is a high schooler doin'' this kind of thing?"

    I wiped the sweat out of my face.

    "Eh, h-high schooler? U-uhm, what are you talking about?"

    Even I noticed how bad and desperate my lie was.

    "No need to y the fool there. I''m just an expert with the tiles. I also have a young kid¡­ Well, soon you''ll understand."

    I was already quite worried, but the man''s next words made my blood freeze.

    "I didn''t left evidence of my cheatin''. I noticed the cameras."

    "Eh¡­?"

    "Ya wanted to see if I had talent or not, didn''t ya? Even letting me see yer hand¡­ Thanks for that. That camera inside the flower vase was pretty well hidden."

    My face was probably incredibly pale by then, judging by the looks the passerbies were giving me.

    He found out about my observer role and he even noticed the cameras¡­

    Just who is this man?

    "Hey, no need to be so tense.", he said, lightly pping my cheek with the back of his hand. "I arrived to Tokyo just today. This man you were frantically chasin'' is a good fellow. I just like mahjong. I''ve been yin'' here and there but the most interestin'' opponent was you, boy."

    "Uhh¡­"

    "This year I came to Tokyo to make a decision that''s been quite buggin'' me. When these things happen, I use mahjong to read my luck. So, if I got a daisushi, everythin'' would work out fine. Well, in the end I got a triple Yakuman. Seems like this year will be packed with good stuff."

    The manughed, and I didn''t even know what to reply or what face I should make anymore.

    At that moment, I heard the sounds of footsteps approaching us among the crowd.

    "Gen-chaaaan!"

    I turned around upon hearing the female voice and I saw someone running from the Alta Studio, pushing her way through without caring about the perplexed looks of the passerbies.

    She had wavy hair that was slightly bleached and was wearing a mink jacket and a miniskirt regardless of the winter cold. Because of her thick fake eyshes and lip gloss, she gave off a hostess-like aura, and she looked like she was on her twenties.

    For some reason, I felt I had seen her face before.

    "Wow¡­ Yerte! They came to flirt with me four times while I was waiting for ya, Tokyo''s so hectic it''s hard to stand. Aren''t we goin'' to see Tamori even though we''re at the Alta?"

    The woman hugged the white down jacket-d man''s arm, and then she noticed me.

    "Eh- W-what''s this? Gen-chan, ya went flirting while I was waitin'' for ya? And with a man? Yer a homo? I can''t believe it, let''s get separated!"

    The woman shut up when the men flicked her forehead.

    "Ouch! Be more gentle!"

    Ah, no, she didn''t shut up.

    "I''ll be gentle tonight at the hotel. This boy''s just a friend I made at a mahjong parlor."

    "Ohh¡­ Thanks for takin'' care of Gen-chan."

    The woman suddenly bowed, and then she furtively stepped closer to me.

    "Now that I look at ''im closely, he''s quite a cute boy! Gen-chan, this is bad, I''m seriously thinkin'' yer a homo."

    "Idiot. Yer the only one I like, Rikako. Whatever, let''s go. Did ya find out about the ce?"

    "Can''t do, Tokyo''s subway''s like spaghetti. If we get on the wrong train we could end up at Aomori or Los Angeles."

    It was hard for me to keep up with that situation and I could only stand there.

    That woman must be her lover or something like that, right? Well, he is good-looking, and as I could see at the mahjong club, his purse is also quite full.

    "Ah, boy." The man suddenly talked to me again.

    "Y-yes?"

    "We wanna make the first visit to the shrine, do ya know where Suitengu shrine is? We''re not really familiar with Tokyo¡­"

    "Ah, y-yes."

    I took out my cellphone and checked the route from Shinjuku''s station to Suitengu-mae station.

    "Do you know Soubu line''s tform? Entering JR''s ticket office from the East gate, uhm¡­ If I remember correctly, the first entrance. Then you switch trains at Kinshi-cho¡­"

    Even me, who had been living in Tokyo for and year and a half still got a little lost at Shinjuku Station, so I exined really carefully.

    "Thanks a lot, boy!"

    "Really, thanks!"

    The weird couple waved goodbye and they walked the pedestrian crossing in front of the Alta, disappearing from my sight among the crowd as they reached the East gate.

    With my hands on a railing, I took a deep breath. It felt like suddenly all the pores in my body were emitting tiredness.

    Who was that man?

    His mahjong abilities were from another dimension, but that wasn''t the only thing that made me feel uneasy. The same happened with the woman; even if I had seen her for only five minutes, I felt a weird sensation in my chest. She reminded me of someone, but, who?

    When I returned to Tenhou Club, the manager approached me with a gloomy expression and told me in a low voice:

    "Uhm¡­ Fujishima-san."

    Don''t call me ''san'', I''m just a high school student¡­

    "That man from before, he has been winning big at several parlors since this morning¡­"

    Yondaime had formed a formidable web of contact between all the parlors he had been taking care of, so the information had spread in a short time. The manager lowered his voice again:

    "But he''s a new face, from Kansai. Just who was that man?"

    "Mnn, I don''t know. I''ll report to Yondaime, for now."

    It was then when I realized what the reason of my uneasiness was. Yondaime. When I saw their faces, for some reason I was reminded of Yondaime.

    *

    The next day, I went directly to Hirasaka-gumi''s office to tell Yondaime about what had happened.

    The office of the strongest gang of the zone is on the opposite side of the NEET Detective Agency and the station, across themercial district. It''s a small building; in the fist floor there''s a fancy store where they sell various imported goods, and the group''s office is on the third floor.

    "Aniki, thanks for your hard work!"

    "Thanks for your hard work!"

    When I entered the office I was greeted with throaty voices from left to right, and the delinquents in ck shirts with an emblem on the chest were aligned, bowing. Yondaime was sitting behind the desk across the ss coffee table.

    Even after bing their boss'' sworn brother, the members of the group kept calling me Aniki. I''ll never get used to that way of greeting, so I wish they''d stop doing it.

    "We have to greet Alice-neesan for the New Year, what should we give her as a present?"

    "If it''s for Ane-san, a plushie would be perfect!"

    They also refer to Alice as ''ane-san'', a high hierarchy title towards yakuza women surpassed only by ''oyabun''. As for why do they respect the tiny detective so much, I really don''t know.

    "Let''s give her a plushie of this year''s animal from the chinese calendar!" "That''s perfect!"

    "Which animal is it this year?"

    Yondaime pped the desk just once making his followers shut up immediately, and spoke to me as he signaled me to get closer with his hand:

    "I just spoke a little with Tenhou Club''s manager. I guess I''ll see the security camera''s pictures soon but, what did that guy look like?"

    When I physically described that ''Gen-chan'' and told him about his behavior, Yondaime''s expression darkened, and when I told him a young woman that looked like his lover or something like that was waiting for him and they called each other ''Gen-chan'' and ''Rikako'' respectively, Yondaime suddenly grabbed my cor.

    "You sure? Did they really called each other that?"

    "Eh, a-ah, y-yes¡­" That hurts¡­ Why is he doing this all of a sudden? Does he know them?

    At that moment the steel door cracked open, and one of theckeys poked his head in.

    "Sou-san, some weird guy came here saying that he has business with you--Ah, oi, you bastard!"

    Apparently there was someone else behind the steel door, as theckey looked behind him and then was pushed inside the office. A man in a white down jacket forced his way in.

    "What the hell are you doing, you bastard?!"

    "Do you even know where you are?!"

    Theckeys inside the office suddenly got up upon seeing the intruder. I nearly cried out: It was the man from the day before. He looked around the interior of the office with his sleepy expression caused by his droopy eyes.

    "I ain''t interested in small fry, I wanna see Souichirou."

    Ignoring the man''s words, the ck shirts went against him at the same time. What happened after that is difficult to exin. One by one, someckeys were thrown against the wall, while others flew spectacrly, falling face first onto the sofas. I could barely see the man''s movements. When I took a deep breath, feeling quite tense, none of the ck shirts were left standing.

    "¡­You bastard"

    "Son of a¡­"

    They were getting up to attack once again, but Yondaime''s sharp voice resounded inside the office:

    "Stop. Stay away from him."

    The man snorted, stepping over the copsed group members, and sat down on one of the sofas with his legs together.

    "Yer men are rude and the office is dirty¡­ I''m disappointed."

    "Why are you here?", Yondaime asked, ring at him, to which the man responded by pushing his lower lip out in a mocking way.

    "Well, I came to see ya, Souichirou."

    "Get lost."

    "Hey, yer father is--"

    "Just go."

    With my jaw open, I could just look at Yondaime and the other man again and again,paring their faces. When he noticed, Yondaime clicked his tongue and asked:

    "This was the guy at the mahjong parlor?"

    Words wouldn''te out of my mouth, so I just nodded. With a disdainful voice, Yondaime said:

    "He''s the third generation of the Hinamura family, Genichirou."

    All theckeys were ordered to exit the office, and only I was left in the middle of that strange father-son reunion. I sat next to Yondaime on the sofa and observed Hinamura Genichirou''s face once again.

    He didn''t look like a business person at all, he really looked more like aedian. But his abilities a while ago had been definitely the real thing, and his enthusiasm for mahjong was also legit as far as I had seen.

    "Fujishima Narumi, aren''t ya? Souichirou''s sworn brother." Genichirou-san suddenly brought up the subject, making me shiver.

    "Eh, ah¡­"

    "You know about that?" Yondaime asked, sulking.

    "I found out lotsa things about my cute only son. Did ya drink sake with him? Ya said ya hated that all that stuff but ya seem to be caught up on ''em, aren''t ya?"

    "Shut up. Where''s mother? I heard you brought her along."

    "Ahh, Rikako''s at the hotel''s spa. We walked a lot yesterday so she''s tired."

    ¡­Wait a second. Wait a second! I can''t ignore that!

    "Yondaime¡­ T-that woman is¡­ y-your mom?"

    "Ain''t she a beauty? Souichirou looks a lot like his mother."

    "H-how old is she?"

    "Forty-three.", Yondaime answered.

    "Eeeeeeeeeeh!?"

    That''s impossible. It can''t be!

    "Every night in bed I tell ''er how cute she is, that''s why she keeps lookin'' young."

    "Please don''t unt your sexual harassment in front of your own son."

    "But if it wasn''t for my sexual harassment Souichirou wouldn''t have been born."

    "The ''harassment'' part wasn''t needed!"

    "Souichirou, this lil'' brother of yours is a good tsukkomi. I should take him back home with ya so ya both can be a manzai duo and make yer debut at Yoshimoto."

    "We''re not a manzai duo! ¡­I-I mean, e-eeh?"

    Take him back home?

    I looked at Genichirou-san''s face and averted my eyes from Yondaime''s gloomy expression.

    "Yer gonna have to start studying to inherit the business. Go back to Osaka."

    "As if, you idiot."

    "Yer room looks the same as ever. Every night, Rikako smells your sheets and cries."

    "I don''t wanna know about that!"

    Yondaime lost hisposure and replied violently, putting a regretful expression immediately afterwards.

    "I was lyin'' though."

    "Shut up! Then don''t say it!"

    "But I was serious about ya returnin'' home. Ya''ve yed in Tokyo enough."

    "I''m not ying."

    "Oh~?"

    A smile appeared on Genichirou-san''s face, and I shuddered. He had the same look on his face he had that time at the mahjong parlor, when he showed his hand.

    "How much was yer taxable ie thisst year?"

    "Just the personal ie?"

    "Yeah."

    "108,000,000."

    I gasped without letting Yondaime and Genichirou-san hear me; I knew he earned quite a lot but that amount was beyond my imagination.

    "See? Yer just yin''."

    "So what? You can''t take me by force. There''s no way I''d lose against a sheetty old man like you."

    "I''m an adult. I can''t just go punchin'' and dodgin'' and throwin'' people to the floor."

    "You did all that just now."

    "His tsukkomi timings are perfect! Yer little brother''s really somethin''."

    I covered my face with one of my hands. I subconsciously rebuked him¡­ Are all people from Osaka really boke?

    "Buy ya know¡­" Genichirou-san resumed his talk. "Yer within the reach of my hands now, too, since yer not just yin'' yakuza like a brat like ya''ve been doin'' ''til now."

    "What do you mean?"

    "Ya have apany. Now yer also a part of the financial world."

    I could almost hear the sound of my own back freezing. The malicious gaze that appeared on Genichirou-san''s face was definitely a wolf gaze.

    Like father, like son.

    "Money is everythin'' in this world. I can easily break into yer territory. Ya know what that means?"

    *

    At that time I didn''t quite understand what he meant, and it wasn''t until the next day that everything finally dawned on me.

    Because of the third term''s opening ceremony we only had sses in the morning, so after school I went to the bank, holding a heavy suitcase. By the end of the year several bills to pay had umted in Hirasaka-Gumi''s ount, so Yondaime asked me to take care of them as usual.

    When I was waiting by the bank''s box office, a door at my right opened and my breathing stopped for a second when I saw the person that came out.

    Genichirou-san.

    Behind him there was a suit-d middle-aged man (most likely the manager), and upon seeing them, the employees of the bank bowed several times.

    Genichirou-san noticed I was there, too. With a mysterious smile, he turned to the manager.

    "Well, I leave it in yer hands."

    "Understood, sir."

    A bad feeling rushed up my throat. I stared at Genichirou-san as he crossed the automatic door, leaving. Why was he here? Was it because of something rted to Yondaime? This was the main bank Yondaime used to manage his ies after all.

    An uneasiness feeling took over my body, and the words Genichirou-san had said the day before resurfaced in my mind. Money''s everything in this world. Being at the reach of his hands.

    I hurried back to Hirasaka-Gumi''s office and noticed Yondaime was talking on the phone.

    "¡­But! If you don''t let me talk about it soon it''ll be a problem, no, but¡­ Yes, okay¡­ No, in any case, please let me just ask one thing¡­What are you talking about? That''s not it!"

    Apparently the person on the other side of the line hung up, so Yondaime angrily threw the receiver back into the base. Theckeys inside the building passed their worried looks to me.

    "¡­U-uhm, I went to the bank."

    "Ah, sorry for the trouble." Saying that even when he was visibly angry, Yondaime rested his whole back on the back of the chair.

    "I saw Genichirou-san at the bank. He looked like he was asking something to the manager."

    When I said that, Yondaime suddenly stood up, but he sat down again and sighed.

    "¡­I see. So it was indeed that damn bastard''s doing."

    "Did something happen?"

    "They stopped financing me."

    I gulped and sat on the back of a sofa.

    Yondaime''s event coordinationpany had started justst year and it had already sessfully promoted various concerts, but it was still a growing business, so if they stopped financing it, it would go bankrupt.

    "¡­Genichirou-san stopped it? Can he really do that?"

    "Hinamura can do that, yes. He''s the president of the chamber ofmerce and industry, and he also has several branches in Tokyo."

    I hadpletely underestimated the Hinamura family. I has just heard that they had a family stall-keeper business, so I had arbitrarily imagined a chain of small, old stores that had been barely subsisting for a while. But they were actually really far from that, they had arge-scale businesspany.

    Yondaime had already set foot in the financial world when he started his own business, and that was the reason the bank had been providing him funding. And that money with overwhelming liquidity and an anonymous nature was actually connected with a blood rtionship.

    ording to Pascal''s theory, wherever a pressure is applied, it will be exerted evenly in all directions. And that had been proven by a phone call just now.

    "This is my problem, so it has nothing to do with you. That man is a good-for-nothing so stay away from him. He''s not rted to the mahjong group either. You just focus on that."

    After he said that, Yondaime kicked me out of the office. With my chest still filled with feelings of confusion, I walked to the exit of the building, when I heard the footsteps of a number of people walking down the stairs.

    "Aniki! Please wait, Aniki!"

    The giants in ck T-shirts appeared one by one by the stairs. Between them there were two men even bigger than the rest, the longest standing members of the group, Rocky and Pole.

    "Uhm, we don''t know what just happened and we can''t really ask Sou-san about it, could you please tell us?"

    We were obstructing the way and we couldn''t talk like that, so I guided them back upstairs.

    "The man from yesterday is Yondaime''s dad¡­ Did you hear about that?"

    "Yes!"

    "Sou-san''s father could kill us instantly!"

    "He was really strong!" "He hit me too!"

    "It looks like his dad wants to take him back to Osaka."

    "Really!?" "We will expand to Osaka!" "Soon we will conquer the whole country!"

    "No, it''s not that¡­ Thepany that Yondaime founded could copse, do you understand? And if his other source of ie disappears, Hirasaka-Gumi will have to be dissolved, too."

    "That''s impossible!" "We left our lives in Sou-san''s hands when we drank sake with him, so nothing can get us apart!" "We have decided to follow him for the rest of our lives!"

    The dumb Hirasaka-Gumi''sckeys were really optimistic this time, but reality was crueler than that.

    "If thepany bankrupts the ie will be negative, generating debts. That man has the power to stop his financiation, so if Yondaime goes bankrupt, he''ll disband the group so he won''t cause trouble to all of you."

    "S-sou-san¡­"

    "For our sake, uuuh¡­¡­"

    "He disbanded the gang for our sake¡­"

    Hey, he hasn''t done it yet.

    "Then--Then, Aniki!" Pole grabbed both of my arms. "What shall we do!? We''re stupid and don''t understand, should we hit his father? We don''t have a victory spirit, but we''re willing to die."

    The otherckeys got closer to me with serious looks on their faces. I was beginning to feel overwhelmed and I gently brushed Denchu''s arms off my shoulders.

    "I¡­ don''t know what to do either."

    January''s days are short, so when I reached Hanamaru it was already getting dark. The three guys from the NEET Detective Squad were together in the alley in front of the kitchen door.

    "Vice-Admiral Fujishima, it''s been a while! How about we visit Yasukuni Shrine for the New Year?"

    Major was the first one who got up when he saw me, dressed in a military jacket with a camouge pattern. Because of his short height and child-like face anyone would think he''s an elementary schooler, but he''s actually a university student who has already repeated a year. Because of his notorious military-mania, he calls me Vice-Admiral for some reason.

    "If we''re going to go to a military-rted shrine, why don''t we go to Tougo instead?" Tetsu-senpai interjected. "The gods of gambling are there, if I remember correctly."

    "Believing that His Excellence Tougou was merely lucky is in wrong! His Excellence was a unique strategist who was able to miraculously obtain victory and returned alive, an ordinary lucky person would have died a hundred times in the sea--"

    "I''ve had enough with visiting shrines¡­" Hiro-san interrupted Major''s passionate speech. "I even went to the shrine at Narita mountain. Each girl picked a different shrine¡­"

    "You could just gather everyone at the same ce. Koufuku-ji would be a good pick because of the Ashura statue. It would be aplete bloodbath."

    "If I do something so dangerous, they could stab me to death."

    The NEETsugh irresponsibly. Exhausted, I sat on the beer crate we used as a seat, unable to keep up with their sense of humor.

    Hiro-san nced at me.

    "What''s wrong?"

    I squeezed my eyes shut and opened them again, thinking. Should I talk about that with them? And how much should I talk? It was a private matter so I couldn''t talk about it easily, but I didn''t want to carry all the burden alone either.

    I chose my words carefully and started talking.

    I told them I had met Yondaime''s parents. I didn''t tell them about the rtionship between him and his dad, I just mentioned that Genichirou-san wanted to take Yondaime back by force, and about Hirasaka-gumi''s difficult situation.

    When I finished speaking, after a moment of silence, the first one who opened his mouth was Tetsu-senpai.

    "¡­So, Yondaime''s mother looks young and pretty, doesn''t she?"

    I raised my gaze and nodded faintly.

    "So if Hiro seduces her¡­"

    "No, even for me, seducing a friend''s mother is a bit¡­"

    "If he were to be sessful, Hiro-san would be Yondaime''s father. That would be incredible." Major added.

    "If Yondaime would call me ''dad'', I could just die fromughter."

    I hid my face on my knees. I was an idiot for trying to consult with them. It was none of my business in the first ce, Yondaime had said that himself, this was Hinamura family''s problem.

    I felt a hand on my back. When I raised my head, I saw Hiro-san smile, then Tetsu-senpai grinning with folded arms, and Major''s ironic expression as he pushed his goggles up his forehead.

    "¡­Come on, Narumi-kun, don''t let something like this get you down." Hiro-san said.

    "Eh¡­?"

    "You don''t intend to ignore Yondaime''s family situation anyway, do you?"

    I gulped, reflecting on Hiro-san''s words. Of course, he was right. I didn''t want to ignore his situation.

    "If you need an excuse, I can give you one." Tetsu-senpai said. "You''re Yondaime''s sworn brother. So, his family problems are your problems too."

    I felt those words directly on my chest. I nodded and got up, brushing the dirt off my trousers.

    "I''m going to see Alice."

    "I''ll find his whereabouts immediately." Alice said while incessantly typing on the keyboard. "But, what are you going to do when you meet the Hinamuras?"

    "I haven''t decided yet." I frankly answered. "I don''t understand Genichirou-san''s intentions yet."

    "Hmm" Alice turned around. "You mean that you don''t quite believe Hinamura Genichirou''s words abouting to Tokyo to take his son back."

    I nodded.

    "It''s just that, pressuring Hirasaka-gumi and thepany to go bankrupt won''t make Yondaime want to inherit the family business. Even if he ends up covered in debts, he definitely won''t cast his pride aside."

    "I agree."

    "I don''t understand why Genichirou-san came here in the first ce. He wanted Yondaime to go back to Osaka from the start, why did hee to Tokyo just now? I think he''s hiding something. Maybe he came here to negotiate something in person."

    If that was the case, he would want to be in a favorable position beforehand.

    Alice shook her shoulders, chuckling.

    "The true reason they came to Tokyo just know¡­ I already know that reason, more or less."

    "E-eh?"

    "He told you about that himself. He came to visit the shrine."

    I blinked a few times. Visiting the shrine? He had told me about that, yes, but, what did she mean by saying that was his true reason?

    "Forget about that for now. I don''t have enough proof so I can''t give you that information. About the hotel where they''re staying¡­"

    Alice''s hands slid over the keyboard, and the monitors around the bed on the upper right side blinked. Data from guests staying at Tokyo''s hotels were obtained by cracking.

    Alice mentioned a hotel in Akasaka.

    "Room number 3301. Do you want me to find out his cellphone number too?"

    "Ah, no, it''s okay. I''ll go there directly without saying anything."

    "Hmm. Because the price would be higher if I found out a cellphone number. Wise decision."

    Even if it was a favor to her assistant, she mercilessly charged for her investigation.

    "My detective work ends here. Do you best for your sworn brother''s sake. Yondaime is my favorite client, so if he goes bankrupt it will be a problem."

    I opened my mouth, without knowing if I should say it or not.

    "No--Alice, I think you can cooperate a bit more."

    A hint of perplexity appeared on her big, round eyes.

    "Why? I don''t have a right to get involved beyond this."

    To tell the truth, a n consisting in suggesting a deal to Genichirou-san was slowly appearing in my mind. It was an undeniably stupid n, but I had the feeling that something like a miracle could happen. And Alice was needed for that. For that reason, I proceeded to convince her using a fake argument.

    "Because, you see, Alice, you''re Hirasaka-gumi''s anego, aren''t you?"

    Her bewildered face at that moment was such a rare sight that I even thought about taking a picture.

    "So this is your problem too, Alice."

    Contrasting its luxurious exterior, the first-ss hotel was a ce where it was almost insultingly easy to sneak into. When it got dark, the lobby got packed with foreigners carrying suitcases with airport tags, so I entered without being even barely noticed. The receptionist was really polite and greeted even a brat like me with a smile.

    "I''d like to announce myself to Hinamura-san who is staying at room 3301. Uuhm, I''m Fujishima and I came in behalf of Souichirou¡­"

    The young receptionist picked up the phone and I skimmed through pamphlet from the hotel that was lying around, and I learned that room 3301 was a suite that took up the whole floor. Well, I had imagined something like that to be honest.

    Okay, what should I say? I need to concentrate¡­

    "Hinamura-sama will be here soon." the receptionist said. "Please wait over there for a while."

    Ah, so he''sing here? Well, obviously he wouldn''t let someone he only saw two times into his suite. I sat down on a sofa in the lobby and waited.

    After two minutes--

    "Naru-chan!"

    A female voice broke the calm atmosphere of the lobby. Employees and guests were equally startled and turned to look at the elevator. I also quickly got up.

    "I''m so d ya came, Gen-chan''s not here so I was gettin'' bored."

    Rikako-san rushed up to me. She was wearing a light purple dress and a long translucent stole. I took a step backwards; I didn''t foresee Rikako-san being the one who woulde.

    "¡­A-ah, sorry for showing up so suddenly."

    I sat down once again.

    So Genichirou-san is not here¡­ I''ll have toe here again some other time, then.

    Meanwhile I had no other option than to talk to Rikako-san, even though she made me kind of nervous (and she''s Yondaime''s mother!)

    However, before I could say anything, Rikako-san grabbed my arm, saying "let''s have some tea, c''mon" as she pulled me to the cafeteria at the right of the lobby.

    Sitting in front of Rikako-san, I looked at the menu with its prices such as 1400 yens for a cup of coffee. What am I doing? I scolded myself.

    When I raised my gaze. I saw Rikako-san dialing a number on her cellphone.

    "Ah, Gen-chan? It''s me. Ya know? Naru-chan just came here. Yeah. We''re at the lounge in the first floor. Yeah,e back soon, okay? Fine. Love ya. See yater!"

    After she snapped her cellphone shut, Rikako-san ordered two pieces of cake and two cups of coffee and she leaned her body forward with sparkling eyes.

    "I''ll hear eeeeverything ya have to say, Naru-chan. Gen-chan wants to bully Sou-chan so he''s been investigating lotsa stuff about Hirasaka-gumi. But it was such a coincidence to meet ya as soon as we arrived to Tokyo! Thanks again for helpin'' us with Suitengu, Naru-chan."

    "Eh¡­"

    I wish she would stop calling me Naru-chan. Many people has called me many different names, but this nickname is particrly embarrassing.

    "Uhm, you both came here because Yondaime--I mean, Souichirou-san¡­"

    "Yondaime sounds cute.", Rikako-san said. "I like that nickname. I wonder if I should start callin'' ''em Sandaime and Yondaime too¡­"

    Aren''t they your own husband and son?

    "Ya guys drank sake together, didn''tcha? That''s so cute¡­ Since he was little, Sou-chan has always been so stubborn and cute¡­"

    And with that, she spent 45 whole minutes telling me lovely stories about Yondaime''s childhood. He would ughter me if I dared to mention one of these stories concretely, so I won''t write them here.

    "Is Sou-chan doin'' fine here? Is he takin'' good care of himself? Is he eatin'' right? He''s quite skillful, does he cook his own meals?"

    "Eh, ah, well¡­ I don''t know that much about his personal life¡­"

    She really is his mother, I thought as I looked at her closely. Her makeup was applied with utmost care and her skin was really smooth, that''s why she looked like she was still on her twenties.

    She then looked at me. Oops, that was close.

    "Ya know, I ain''t a good cook. Even if we go back together to Osaka, I don''t think he misses mom''s cookin'' or anythin'' like that."

    "Aah, uhm¡­" Finally there was an excuse to start talking about that matter, so I held onto that. "Did you reallye here to take him away?"

    "I have that intention, yeah", Rikako-san said as she poked her own cheek with her index and ring fingers in an adorable gesture. "But I don''t know about Gen-chan."

    "You don''t know?"

    "To Gen-chan, he''s not his kid but Hinamura family''s sessor. He''d need his consent to take ''im back, wouldn''t he? If so, why is he picking a fight investigatin'' and all that?"

    Not his son, but his sessor¡­ I scratched my head. Investigating? Is that something that can be easily done? Isn''t Yondaime''spany so new that it''s practically growing by word of mouth and trustworthy people only, and if its financing were to be taken away it would just disappear?

    "If Sou-chan goes back, will ya feel lonely, Naru-chan?"

    "Lonely? Well, yes, I would, but what I''m trying to say is--"

    "Why don''t yae with him?"

    "Eh?"

    "Ya two are sworn brothers. Doesn''t that make ya my son too? Doncha wanna live with us? Ya will be wee in this family!"

    "Nonono"

    "Havin'' a family of 4 is a dream of mine. We could all y family mahjong!"

    With my mouth half open, I stared at Rikako-san as she was daydreaming. I had initially thought my n was absurd, but an opportunity was unexpectedly presented. Maybe I could carry on.

    "U-uhm, so¡­"

    Rikako-san suddenly stood up and waved her hand, facing the cafeteria''s door.

    "Gen-chan! Over here!"

    I sighed and turned around, seeing a surprising scene.

    On the opposite side of the spacious lobby, outside the hotel, men in suits that made no effort at all in concealing their identities as Yakuza got off from a row of parked imported cars and bowed at the same time. From the side door of one of those cars, a man in a white down jacket got off too--Genichirou-san. There were lots of people registering at that time, so the lobby broke into murmurs. It looked just like a scene from Minbo no Onna. The old hotelier''s face paled. But the only one who entered the lobby was Genichirou-san, and the rest of the men dressed in ck returned to their cars. Apparently they were just there to escort him.

    "Boy, I heard ya came here at midnight to steal my wife so I had toe runnin''. I even thought about sendin'' one or two of my men to greet ya."

    After saying those scary words, Genichirou-san sat by my side for some reason.

    So he won''t let me run away¡­ Just as I thought, this man is half yakuza.

    "Yer sayin'' that as if I wasn''t faithful. Gen-chan''s the only one I blindly love."

    "So ya unblindly love other men?"

    "Wouldn''t that be ya?"

    "Even at the top of Tsuutenkaku tower, I wouldn''t see anyone except for ya."

    If he had to listen to this kind of stuff everyday, I understand why Yondaime ran away from home. They went on for a while, and my head was starting to hurt already.

    "I don''t understand what you''re saying anymore!"

    "Oh, the boy started with his specialty again."

    "I didn''te here to do manzai! I--"

    I became exasperated and got up from my seat just when the waiter came to take Genichirou-san''s order, so I sat down again. Some of the clients had noticed and they were looking in our direction. I''m sorry.

    Once I cooled down, I carefully chose my words, took a deep breath and let my voicee out:

    "It''s about Yondaime. I''ll get straight to the point: Leave thepany linked with Hirasaka-gumi alone, please."

    Genichirou-san squinted by my side.

    "Boy, ya don''t have a reason to meddle, do ya?"

    "I''m his sworn brother."

    "Oh? If ya say so." Genichirou-san raised his eyebrows showing an amused expression. "But that sounds like yer just openin'' yet mouth to spout a frivolous excuse. I wanna hear a concrete reason."

    "Even if you make hispany go bankrupt and cover him with debts, he''s not the kind of person who will obediently return to his parents. No matter how you look at it, what you''re doing is meaningless. Please, stop."

    "Did I say I wanted to make thepany go bankrupt so Souichirou would return home?"

    "¡­Eh?"

    Genichirou-san''s mocking gaze felt burning like cold fire.

    "B-but, you made the bank stop financing him¡­"

    "Listen, I can crush anyone when I get mad, even my own son, and demonstrating that is not somethin'' meaningless in this world. Brats shouldn''t be talkin'' as if they knew everythin''."

    I shivered.

    Maybe my senses were already numb. Maybe I was already used to step on territories I shouldn''t be familiar with. But that man wasn''t ''half'' yakuza, he was aplete, legit yakuza. Not because he was part of a group of gangsters or anything like that, but because in his soul''s stairway, he was someone who could ignore the other party''s pain when he used his own fists to hit them--Hinamura Genichirou was a genuine yakuza.

    My hands were trembling over my knees. What else should I say?

    "That''s not all, though. There someone else who could be Hinamura family''s heir.", Genichirou-san suddenly spoke. "I couldn''t decide if I should pick Souichirou or this other person. That''s why I came to Tokyo, to see how far Souichirou''s talent goes. So it''s kinda the opposite of what ya were thinkin'', boy. I ain''t interested in entrustin'' the family to someone who would go bankrupt just because of this."

    I was in mute amazement. Wasn''t that much worse? If Yondaime could manage to keep thepany they would make him go back, and if he went bankrupt they would just abandon him like trash.

    "In that case, all the more reason--"

    "All the more reason what? I have to see if he can go on with thepany or not. Do ya have a better idea to make him demonstrate he can keep the business goin'' in the real world?"

    I couldn''t say anything, so I lowered my gaze.

    "Gen-chan, yer bullyin'' my Naru-chan. I forgive ya if yer a homo, but if yer a sadist then I want the divorce."

    "So if I''m just gay it''s okay?"

    "So ya were gay!? Let''s get separated!"

    I was feeling utterly depressed and I didn''t have energy to open my mouth, so the person who interrupted their manzai routine this time was the waiter bringing the coffee. Genichirou-san flicked his wife''s forehead to make her shut up and drank a sip of coffee, talking to me once again.

    "Ya ain''t no idiot, boy. What are ya nnin'' to do? C''mon, tell me."

    "N-no, nothing¡­"

    "Ya can say it."

    I balled into fists my sweaty hands over my knees. I can''t take this anymore.

    At that moment, Rikako-san spoke:

    "How ''bout we y mahjong?"

    My shoulders shook because of my surprise. Genichirou-san brought the cup to his lips, frowning.

    "Mahjong?"

    "Yeah. Just a moment ago I was sayin'' it would be nice to y family mahjong and Naru-chan''s eyes were sparklin''"

    Ugh. Did I really make such an easily read expression?

    Genichirou-san let out a guffaw and settled himselffortably in his chair beside me.

    "Then, uh, even if Yondaime''spany goes bankrupt there''s nothing you gain with that, right? So, how about we have a match and make a bet? Uhmm--"

    For example, if I lost I would pay him whatever amount he wanted, and if I won he would have to leave Yondaime alone. I was intending to reach a simple conclusion. However, Genichirou-san wouldn''t stopughing, but unexpectedly Rikako-san interrupted.

    "What? I don''t see what''s so funny. Dontcha use mahjong to make yer decisions, Gen-chan? Sayin'' stuff like ''if I make a daisangen I''ll expand to Italy'' and all that. It''s also the first time we have four yers¡­ And, wouldn''t it be good if we set a really high rate so we can take all of Sou-chan''s money? Way better than coercin'' the bank."

    "Well yeah, that''s right."

    Hey, wait a second. Was thatst thing something a mother should say? Don''t turn the conversation that way please, I would be willing to bet all that money if it was just me, but I can''t afford to risk making Yondaime go bankrupt.

    "How''s that idea sound to ya, Souichirou?" Genichirou-san said out of the blue. I was startled and followed Genichirou-san''s gaze--There was no one there. But when Rikako-san got up with her eyes sparkling eximing "Sou-chan!", I realized. Nervously turning my head around, I saw the sleeves of a crimson jacket.

    "What the hell are you doing? I thought I told you not to get involved."

    Yondaime''s voice was sharp as a knife. Since when is he there? And does Genichirou-san have eyes on his back or something? He could also easily see the cameras that time when we yed mahjong.

    "What ''bout ya, why are ya here?" Genichirou-san said in a calm manner as he raised the cup to his lips, without turning around. "It''s past midnight. Brats should be sleepin'' at home."

    "I came to put an end to this." Yondaime just stood there behind Genichirou-san and me with his hands inside his pockets. The waiter nced in our direction from time to time with a worried expression. "I might not be able to avoid your dirty hands now, but I know quite a lot about the Hinamura''s shady stuff. I can make us even."

    "Shady or not, it doesn''t matter. That''s how money''s used. I told ya already, it''s the most effective thing to crush others."

    "Like I care. I''ll go to Osaka''s public prosecutor''s office and I''ll tell them to call the bank."

    "C''mon, both of ya¡­" Rikako-san said.

    Genichirou-san finally supported his elbow on the back of the chair and turned around. Both wolf gazes shed with each other.

    "Do as Rikako said. Siddown."

    "I didn''te here to have tea. Unlike that kid, I don''t feel like babbling nonsense with an annoying fellow."

    "Oh, it''s nothin'' like that.", Genichirou-san saido. "We were talkin'' about settling this with a mahjong board. This boy came all the way here to talk about that. Quite the cute lil'' brother, ain''t he?"

    I sighed and looked at the three. Rikako-san was exchanging nces between his husband and his son with the serious expression of a middle school girl who just hid a love letter in a shoe locker. Genichirou-san had turned his gaze to the cup of coffee on the table again. Yondaime had fallen silent with his gaze fixed between my shoulder and Genichirou-san''s.

    "¡­Did he really suggest a mahjong match?" he finally sat down, poking my head. Rikako-san nodded, and I didn''t say anything since it wouldn''t make a difference anyway.

    For an instant only, Yondaime looked at me. Just by looking at his eyes I understood what he was trying to ask me: Do we have a chance of winning?

    I nodded just with my gaze, without letting Genichirou-san notice. Yondaime then looked at Genichirou-san.

    "¡­What will be the rate?"

    A slight smile appeared on Genichirou-san''s lips.

    "5 points would be nice."

    "Cash payment?"

    "Of course. As I already said, ya and I ain''t father and son anymore. deferred payment is okay too, since I''m gonna crush ya."

    I felt rxed upon hearing that. After that, they kept talking about terms and conditions of the match that I couldn''t understand at all, but there was no ce for me to mention the victory condition I had thought about anymore.

    "I never thought of you as a father in the first ce, you bastard. I cut off my ties with you long ago.", Yondaime said, taking a deep breath. "Let me decide the minor rules."

    "Fine. In exchange, I will decide the ce. I''ll also buy brand new tables. Tokyo is yer territory, so I won''t let ya cheat."

    Yondaime and I left the hotel together. The lights of the luxurious Akasaka buildings spread on the night sky and the wind was blowing, mixing with the smell of the exhaust pipes as we were going down the slope of the vehicle entrance, cooling down my face that was burning because of my nervousness and excitement. I had been worried about how things would turn out, but Rikako-san had saved me.

    "Why did you look so relieved?" Yondaime muttered under his jacket''s cor.

    "Eh? ¡­Ah, well, I didn''t quite understand what I heard about the terms of the match, but I didn''t think the rate was that high. It''s just 5 points, isn''t it?"

    In mahjong, 5 points normally means that 1000 points=50 yens. In a 30 minutepse, even without ying very well we would only lose around 3000 yens, not really an amount to worry about. It really wasn''t an amount that would make someone say ''I''ll crush you'' with a scary face.

    However, Yondaime heaved a long sigh and started walking faster.

    "Are you an idiot? Do you think that damn yakuza would y with those student mahjong rates?"

    "¡­E-eh?"

    "5 points to the Hinamura family means 5000 yens for each point."

    I froze in the middle of the slope that led to the main street. A broken calctor was giving off sparks inside my head. My calctions had beenpletely wrong--In the most literal sense.

    One point=5000 yens?

    I saw Yondaime''s back as he was walking away.

    Right. Didn''t Rikako-san say so herself? That thing about taking all his money.

    5000 yens for each point. If we lost all of our points, the payment would exceed 100.000.000.

    *

    "¡­So, I''m your trump card? Way to count your chickens before they hatch!"

    Alice''s voice was colder than the conditioned air inside the room.

    "Y-yeah¡­ I also thought it was wrong to make this n without saying anything to you, but I wasn''t sure I could manage to arrange a mahjong match."

    "You just didn''t want to deal with me telling you that your idea was naive, am I mistaken?"

    She was right. From the other side of the bed, I hung my head, defeated.

    The day after talking with Genichirou-san, I showed up at the NEET Detective Agency immediately after school, just to be scolded by Alice. Not that I didn''t deserve it, I had gotten her involved in my irrational mahjong n. Genichirou-san''s abilities were way far from average, so most likely he thought his victory was assured. But he didn''t know about Alice''s existence, so that gave us the possibility of having an advantage.

    "In short, you''re saying I should y mahjong with the three members of the Hinamura family?"

    "¡­Well, yes, basically. Yondaime absolutely has to y."

    Alice sighed. "It''s true that I''m unbeatable and currently undefeated at online mahjong, but that doesn''t mean anything in front of someone who is able to cheat."

    "But you''re much better than me, aren''t you? Even if I worked hard and we managed to find a way to y without letting him cheat, I still wouldn''t stand a chance against Genichirou-san at normal mahjong. But if you''re the one who ys¡­"

    "You''re worse than a chimpanzee. At least a monkey has the brains to run away when he''s in front of an opponent he can''t win against!"

    The detective was as harsh with me as usual.

    "Not to mention, what''s with that ridiculous rate? Have you lost all sense of money because you''ve been ying with someone else¡¯s money for too long?"

    "I know, but¡­"

    Before parting ways with Yondaime the night before, I had asked him about that strange rate with numbers that could easily send one to bankrupt. In the first ce, we didn''t want money, we needed Genichirou-san to stop pressuring the bank, so the betting rates shouldn''t have mattered that much. If our side won Genichirou-san wouldn''t interfere with Yondaime anymore, and if we lost we would have to pay--That was the original agreement. But Yondaime answered this:

    "Do you think that bastard will just obediently leave me alone if he loses the match? He''ll keep bothering for as long as he can. So, there''s no other option than to solve this with money. The best way to do that would be taking away enough money from him to make him unable to stay in Tokyo. He might be rolling in cash back at Osaka, but I don''t think he has more than 100.000.000 in cash over here, so he will have to leave."

    Alice stared at the roof like she was praying.

    "I understand the reasoning, but it''s not normal for a father and a son to want to cannibalize each other like that."

    "Yeah, it seems like those two don''t think of each other as a father and a son respectively. They said they had cut their ties."

    Now that I thought about it, not even once I had heard Yondaime refer to Genichirou-san as his father.

    "And, will Yondaime really let us take part of this outrageous bet?"

    "Yes. If I tell him you''re better than me, I''m sure he will make a formal request."

    "Good grief. I was under the impression that he was a shrewder man than that, but it looks like his stupid sworn brother has weakened his rationality."

    Yondaime came as soon as it got dark, and once again I realized my own stupidity.

    "Genichirou sent the ce he chose."

    I took the fax paper Yondaime held out to me and noticed there was a map printed on it below the designed date and all that. There was a ced in the middle marked with an X.

    "This is¡­ Near the Arakawa river, isn''t it? What ce is it exactly?"

    "It''s not near. The ce is Arakawa''s riverbed."

    My jaw dropped and I was unable to move. Alice snatched the paper away from my hands.

    The river bed? Outdoors?

    "Were you really thinking about asking Alice to be your recement?" Yondaime asked with an astonished expression. I nodded, still bewildered.

    "Hmph. Genichirou said we would do it outdoors so we wouldn''t cheat, but his true intention was to leave Alice out of the game."

    "E-eh?" I stared at Yondaime with my eyes wide open. "He said he had investigated lots of things, but he had no way to know Alice was good at mahjong, had he?"

    "He probably knows that we know a highly intelligent agoraphobic shut-in, there''s also the fact that she''s considered Hirasaka-gumi''s anego, and your unusual confidence. Genichirou''s way of doing business basically consists in crushing his opponent, with utmost efficiency."

    I looked up at the roof and sighed. I had been too naive.

    "Why do you both think I''ve been only listening quietly?" Alice said, looking displeased, hugging a teddy bear against her chest."I''ve been able to go out a bittely. And ying mahjong is not a tough exercise."

    Even though she had just told me that my n of her taking my ce was ridiculous, what had really bothered was the fact that I had left her out. She wanted to be involved in this as much as me. The problem was that her way of expressing it wasn''t honest at all.

    "It says we''ll be starting tomorrow at 13:00. If it was nighttime it would be a different thing, but sunlight''s really bad for you."

    "U-uuuh! If the sky is as clouded as the day the dinosaurs became extinct I might be able to make it."

    Yondaime flicked Alice''s forehead. "Stop that, you idiot. Have you already forgotten about the time we yed baseball? Weren''t you ill for three whole days just for going to bat once?"

    "I''m still in better shape than my assistant who is inferior to a monkey and can''t even grab a tile without having his breath weakening because of his nervousness even while sitting down." No, I''m pretty sure I''m in better shape than you.

    "Listen, Yondaime. I think I''ve already told you this a while ago, but your sworn brother is so hopelessly optimistic that it''s like tomatoes and cucumbers were growing inside his skull."

    "I''m also pretty sure I told you this before, but your assistant has less sense of crisis than someone who climbs the Himya wearing a short-sleeved T-shirt and pants."

    Why are they bothpeting to see which one of them makes more fun of me?

    "Anyway, since Alice can''t go out and we can''t cheat¡­ I need to find a way to annihte him so he''ll lose his cash-"

    "By the way," Alice interrupted. "Your father is here because he wants to make sure you''re worthy of bing Hinamura family''s sessor. If you win against him in a spectacr way, won''t you intensify his tenacity?"

    Yondaime made an expression that looked as if he had drank the coffee before the powder had entirely dissolved.

    "I don''t give a damn. That''s his own problem, I don''t intend to inherit the business so it has nothing to do with me."

    That made me remember something.

    "Genichirou-san said there''s another candidate for bing the heir, and he couldn''t decide if he should choose you or that person."

    "¡­Another candidate?" Yondaime cocked his head. "I don''t have any other close rtives, is it someone from thepany? That anachronistic bastard is gonna let someone that''s not from the family run the business? Hmm."

    After muttering a ''Well, whatever. It has nothing to do with me'', Yondaime looked at Alice and then at me once again.

    "This is a formal request from me. Use whatever method you want. Think of a way to drive that stingy bastard to the wall."

    We started by carefully watching the video Yondaime had brought, the footage from the security cameras from the day Genichirou-san beat me at the mahjong parlor.

    "At the moment he cheats, his fingers are never caught on camera. That''s important.", Alice pointed out.

    "He steals tiles from the wall, no doubt about that, but he does it so spontaneously that I can''t know exactly when he does it.", I said, remembering my dreadful experience.

    Genichirou-san''s trick was stealing tiles from the pond--In short, it''s a technique in which you pretend to take one of the piled up tiles that are facing downwards, but you actually steal one of the visible tiles discarded by the other yers. There''s no way a beginner can win against that.

    Mahjong is a strange game. There are historical reasons, and also the influence of countless fiction works based on Asada Tetsuya''s novel, but cheating actually tends to be tolerated. Well, it''s more like cheating can beplimented despite being called a dirty tactic. Even if there''s circumstantial evidence that tiles have been reced, unless you get caught red-handed, the fraud won''t be condemned, and they can evenment on how good your cheating was; it''s that kind of environment.

    "Does he use any other skills?", Alice asked Yondaime.

    "Just stealing tiles, as far as I know."

    "Well, that trick is effective with automatic tables. If he''s able to sessfully carry on that trick, there''s no need to use riskier ones. Okay, what can be done? Since it''s going to be held outside, we can''t prepare a gadget to see the opponents'' hand beforehand¡­"

    Yes, if we were on a closed space, Major who is an expert in spying devices could ce mini-cameras so we could see Genichirou-san''s hand without him noticing, but since the match was arranged to be outside that was impossible to do. Hiding cameras on the riverbank, or installing super telephoto lens in the surrounding buildings would also be useless because we couldn''t know where the tables would be nor where everyone would sit down until the day of the match. Genichirou-san would buy a brand new table and wouldn''t open it until that day, so we couldn''t alter the table either. And even if we couldpletely see his hand, in the first ce mahjong is a game when one needs to have the right tiles to umte points, and Genichirou-san''s skills were faster in that aspect too. How could we win? A n not only to defend ourselves, but to win and take his cash--

    "¡­¡­Hm?"

    I suddenly realized something and covered my mouth with one of my hands.

    Genichirou-san''s quicker hand. Outdoor mahjong.

    "What''s the matter?" Yondaime slightly tilted his head. I raised my hand to stop him from talking and thought.

    Is it possible?

    Theoretically, it was. There were so many necessary things that it made me feel dizzy. Preliminary work, tactics to withstand until they fell into the trap, tactics to make sure they could effectively fall into the trap, and more than anything, coordination.

    I finally came to, and I organized my thoughts. There were too many missing pieces, but I wasn''t alone. Alice and Yondaime were here. So I made up my mind, gulped, and spoke:

    "¡­Our side gets to decide the minor rules, right? In that case, there''s some rules I''d like to add."

    "What? Obviously Genichirou won''t ept any rule that will only benefit us."

    "No, there are special but impartial rules, because they''re only rted to the point exchange. Two rules."

    "Speak."

    "The first one is, we won''t use chips, whoever wants to raise the bet will do it with cash."

    Yondaime arched one of his eyebrows. "That''s a disadvantage to me. Do you understand? Measuring out points with chips we can payter so we can continue even if we exceed our cash halfway, but if we have an exact amount it will be all over once we spend it all."

    "I understand, but it''s necessary. Besides, if it doesn''t sound advantageous to us it''s more likely that Genichirou-san allows it."

    Yondaime snorted and folded his arms. "And what''s the other rule?"

    "There won''t be a ''father''. Everyone will earn dealer points."

    "What the hell?" Yondaime ruffled his silver hair with his hand.

    In mahjong, one of the yers is the dealer or father, and that position rotates in each round. The dealer gets more payment if he wins and has to pay more if he loses; it''s a high risk-high return position. But with my n, everyone would be ''fathers''. Everyone would earn 1,5 more if they won and would have to pay double if they lost.

    "Isn''t that a disadvantage for us too?" Yondaimeined. "Well, whatever. I''ll tell him. Now, exin that strategy of yours already. Why do we need those rules?"

    I gulped and started talking, sitting at the edge of the bed. Alice''s big eyes were getting more and more round and Yondaime was frowning more and more.

    When I finished exining everything, Alice sighed and told Yondaime:

    "I take back what I said a moment ago. Your sworn brother is nothing but a hopeless dreamer."

    "You''re right, that''s a good way to describe your assistant." "You don''t need to keeppeting! We better hurry with our preparations!"

    Yondaime sighed and removed his back from the wall. "True. It will be a disaster if we lose, so let''s do this thoroughly. I''ll talk to Major. So, Alice--" As he was walking to the door of the office, he pointed at the detective on the bed. "Think of a way to make him fall into the trap."

    After the door closed, Alice red at me from the corner of her eye, hugging his teddy bear to her chest and pressing her jaw into it.

    "Is it impossible?", I asked, feeling anxious.

    "It''s not impossible. I have thought of a strategy, more or less¡­ But it''s a lost cause. You see?"

    And with that, Alice started talking. Her strategy was as ridiculous as mine.

    *

    In the clear winter sky, many kites of different colors could be seen, and the cheerful voices of the children could be heard on the riverbank.

    "So nice, the kids are havin'' fun¡­", Genichirou-san said with his eyes half-closed and his down jacket blowing in the wind.

    "When Sou-chan was that age he ran outside everyday¡­" Rikako-san muttered by his side. As expected because of the cold, she was wearing a simple but thick coat, and her hair was tied in a bun.

    "Stop bbering. Start the preparations already.", Yondaime said, ill-humored.

    Various men that one could realize with just a nce that they were yakuza took a huge box and some suitcases from inside a truck. Carefully unpacking, they arranged a simple automatic table, a small dynamo, four stools and two small desks on the surface covered with pebble and surrounded by overgrown grass.

    Our luggage was a bag that Pole was in charge to bring. A mountain of rolled bank notes were ced on the two desks. I had already seen 200.000.000 yens in cash with my own eyes some time ago, but it was still quite a sight. Pole''s hands were shaking a little.

    Our cash was 160.000.000 yens. Almost all the cash Yondaime had on him had been already invested in business, so the bank notes in front of us had been loaned. Genichirou-san''s side had more or less the same amount.

    "Let''s reconfirm the rules.", Genichirou-san said as he was setting up the mahjong table. "No chips, was it?"

    The four sides of mahjong tables have slots than automatically open and close. That''s where chips are normally put, but they were going to be empty that day because we were going to use the money on that desk in front of us directly.

    "So are ya really gonna be payin'' in cash? Ya run out of money and yer done for."

    "Shut the hell up. Worry about your own wallet." Yondaime cussed and Genichirou-san snorted. The money on their side wasn''t necessarily all they had, but as for us, those rolled bank notes were our life line. We were really on the edge of the cliff.

    "Next one, no father?" Genichirou-san took the yellow te with the East wind sign and threw it to the cardboard box that served as a garbage bin. That te is normally used to signal the dealer, but we wouldn''t have to use it this day either.

    "Such a weird rule. Does it mean that there ain''t no parents and children rtionships here anymore?"

    Genichirou-sanughed. That wasn''t the reason I had made that rule, but maybe it was inevitable for him to interpret it like that. Yondaime just gave him a disdainful gesture. Well, in a way I was d they had misunderstood, although Rikako-san''s sad eyes made me a bit uneasy.

    "Aight, ya guys get back to the car.", Genichirou-san turned to the men who had brought all the stuff. "And keep an eye on Souichirou''s car, if someonees, let me know."

    Yondaime also talked to Pole: "You go back to the car too. Don''t leave until the game is over."

    "Understood!"

    Only the four of us were left around the mahjong table. The voices of the children were now distant, and the sound that prevailed was the wind blowing against the grass.

    What a strange situation, I found myself thinking, because if it was a bet involving money, I would generally be just an observer.

    "Family mahjong!", Rikako-san said with a cheerful voice that sounded a little forced.

    "Shall we begin?" Genichirou-san pressed the button on the table.

    When you y mahjong in pairs, you have to sit in front of the person you''re teaming up with, so I had Genichirou-san at my left and Rikako-san at my right.

    As soon as we started, Genichirou-san noticed our strange way of ying.

    "I was wonderin'' what yer n could be, but what''s with this? Just child''s y.", he said,ughing¡­ And in the blink of an eye he earned 18000 points. With a sulky face, Yondaime transferred part of his money to the other desk.

    Our n didn''t change by the next round. This time, Rikako-san won with the maximum amount of points.

    "Just as the Thirteen Orphans are called matchless, what ya guys are doing should be called useless¡­" Rikako-san smiled. "But, ya two really get along, that''s nice!"

    Genichirou-san himself was an opponent to worry about, but Rikako-san was also quite dangerous. In just two rounds, they had practically seen through our objective.

    However, that was part of the strategy that Alice had taught us.

    "Aiming to Thirteen Orphans in all rounds¡­"

    Two nights before, Alice had exined.

    "It might seem ridiculous, but it''s a strategy that has worked in several tournaments."

    Thirteen Orphans is a winning hand in which you need a tile of each one of the dragons and the winds, the tiles 1 and 9 of each suit, and an extra tile of any other terminal or honor tile. Non-dealers would win 32.000 points with this hand, but since with our rules everyone had ''father'' points, everyone would win 48.000. That means that if you had this tiles, you would obtain the maximum amount of points.

    "This tactic has three advantages. First, of course, is the high amount of points. The second one is that in case you can''t seem to obtain a favorable hand, it''s easier to get an unusual evasive hand."

    In any case, many tiles would be discarded during the second half of the first round, reducing the danger of making the opponent win. In theory, it''s a perfect defensive-offensive tactic. In practice, that hand is hard toe by, so even if you aim to get it in all the rounds, the opportunity might juste once.

    Even so, we chose that strategy.

    "The third advantage is-" Alice smiled at me. "It''s the tactic that fits the best with the n you thought of, of course."

    For that reason, Yondaime and I focused on the disposable tiles, and Mr. and Mrs. Hinamura kept winning. The bank notes on Yondaime''s desk were quickly decreasing. The idea of paying directly in cash that I had suggested myself was difficult to stand mentally. Each one of Genichirou-san''s winning hands was worth around the same amount a normal person earns in a whole year.

    Where on earth is the ''family mahjong''?, I thought to myself. My fingertips had numbed. The usually talkative Genichirou-san had fallenpletely silent when Yondaime''s money was reduced to half. Rikako-san''s usual happy expression had turned gloomy.

    Why is this happening even though they''re linked by blood? Even knowing they would destroy their ties and each other, they calmly kept doing it.

    An hourter, our funds were already at their limit. The money on Yondaime''s desk could be counted with just a nce, while the money on Genichirou-san''s side was a high mountain that looked like it was about to copse.

    "Oh well. Everythin'' will be over next round¡­", Genichirou-san said, looking at Yondaime from the corner of his eye.

    "It''s cold, so I can''t wait to go back and take a bath¡­"

    "Quit bbering. I still have 200,000,000 stored.", Yondaime answered in an unfriendly way. He was actually just bluffing, but the look on Genichirou-san''s face changed. As soon as the next round began, I understood that he had epted Yondaime''s taunt.

    The discarded tiles that were lined up on the table were disappearing one by one without us noticing. He had started doing his special cheating skill, stealing from the pond. Rikako-san apparently noticed to and immediately started aligning tiles so they were easier to steal.

    Genichirou-san was aiming to do Thirteen Orphans. He started preparing his double yakuman. If he showed us his Thirteen Orphans he would take all of my points or Yondaime''s with one of the tiles that we had discarded. If by some twist he''d won with a tile taken by himself it would also be the end. Only a couple of millions were left on Yondaime''s desk anyway.

    Even in the cold wind of January, my fingertips holding the tiles were sweaty. If I lost that opportunity I would simply die. Only the tiles would tell. I desperately checked which tiles had disappeared.

    Three tiles until Genichirou-san''s hand isplete.

    Now''s the time.

    I took off my jacket and put it behind the stool. That was the signal. Nothing changed around the table. There was just the sound of the wind and the tiles cking. The person who had to interpret my signal from above had to notice my deep red T-shirt.

    Genichirou-san stole another tile.

    Only two more left.

    One more left.

    Hearing the wind in my ears, I slowly adjusted the coordination of my next move.

    Genichirou-san announced tenpai. Without a doubt, it was going to be the Thirteen Orphans.

    Yondaime discarded hisst tile without giving it a second thought. End of the turn.

    At that moment-

    An intermittent sound made itself audible from far away among the sound the wind. Genichirou-san stopped his extended arm for an instant and frowned.

    But he didn''t know that sound was the rotor of a helicopter, and he didn''t know the fate that sound would carry either. Genichirou-san''s stopped hand got close to the mountain of tiles again, and the sound of the rotor and its des cutting through the air was now just above our heads. Rikako-san raised her head with a darkened expression. Just when Genichirou-san was about to exchange his Green Dragon tile with one of the discarded ones, a huge shadow surrounded the mahjong table and the four of us. The surrounding grass shook violently and a whirl of wind was formed. The helicopter was flying so low that it looked like it was going to crush us. Then the hatch opened, and a backlit short human silhouette stuck out his upper body. Said silhouette was holding a long, rod-shaped object--The barrel of an M14 assault rifle.

    Another sound soon followed, even louder than rotor. It was, without a doubt, a gunshot. At the same time, Genichirou-san sprang up from his chair, but his next action was something that I couldn''t have predicted. He grabbed Yondaime, who was sitting at his right, by the shoulders, and pushed him to the ground. I heard the sound of sand scattering at one side of the table. The noise of the rotor grew gradually distant and the shadow over us became smaller and smaller until it disappeared, but my heart was still pounding heavily inside my chest, and I felt the dry, cold wind brushing my ears once again.

    "¡­What on earth was that?" Rikako-san wondered out loud, unburying her head from under her arms and standing up from her chair to look up at the sky.

    "A hitman from somewhere¡­? But he went away without doin'' anythin''¡­"

    Yondaime stood up and patted the dust from his sleeves, speaking in a very clear voice:

    "It was a bad prank from a friend¡­ Just discard that tile you were about to discard."

    Still holding the Green Dragon in his hand, Genichirou-san stared at the table''s surface.

    It was then when he finally understood anything. And he startedughing, his shoulders shaking.

    "I see. It was for this. It was all for this. Not usin'' chips, and not havin'' a dealer¡­ It was all for this reason."

    I firmly swallowed and lowered my gaze to my tiles. Yes, everything had been prepared for this very moment.

    Still standing up, Genichirou-san ced the Green Dragon tile on the table. I felt my body drenched in sweat and my eardrums pounding.

    "Ron."

    Trying to control the shaking in my hands, I turned my tiles, showing them.

    "¡­Thirteen Orphans--Double Yakuman."

    Rikako-san blinked, showing a surprised expression.

    "¡­W-what''s this, what''s goin'' on? Gen-chan?"

    "Ya''ll understand by just lookin''." With a transparent smile, Genichirou-san looked at the table. "When I panicked and stood up, the boy turned the table itself around."

    I wiped the sweat off my hands on my jeans. It was just like Genichirou-san had said. When they both got distracted by the helicopter, I turned the table 90 degrees counter-clockwise. Genichirou-san now had Yondaime''s hand, full of useless tiles, and the hand with the Thirteen Orphans that had been obtained through his cheating tactics was now mine. The dangerous rule of paying the bets with cash, and the no-dealer rule, I made them both for the sake of this n. Since no one would have individual chips, nothing would be signaling the points of each yer, so they wouldn''t be direct evidence that the table had been turned around.

    Just looking at the dramatic change in the tiles, the circumstantial evidence was incredible, but there was no concrete proof to me me of cheating. That was this strange game''s unspoken rule.

    The greatest contributor to this incredible trap weren''t me or Alice, but the one who had to see my signal, Major, who was able to perfectly coordinate the moment when he had to fly above us with the helicopter.

    Yondaime let out a sigh.

    "It''s over¡­" His voice somewhat sounded like that of a tired lost child who was on the verge of tears.

    "Let me ask ya one more thing." Sprawling in the chair and stretching both of his legs, Genichirou-san spoke in a calm tone.

    "What?"

    "I bought this table brand new. Since it''s round and monopod, it''s light and easy to turn around, but what if it had been a table difficult to move?"

    Yondaime nced at me for a moment and then lowered his gaze.

    "Tokyo is my familiar territory. You said so yourself, didn''t you?"

    Genichirou-san slightly tilted his head, and Yondaime continued talking without raising his gaze.

    "Very few storekeepers can deliver a mahjong table in just two days. I contacted all of them and bought all the tables from them, except the ones of this type."

    That''s how money is used. You were the one who taught me that, you idiot.--When Yondaime muttered this, the velvet surface where the mahjong tiles and Genichirou-san''s legs were resting shook a little.

    I will never forget the smile that appeared on Genichirou-san''s face at that moment.

    "Between the charter of the helicopter and buyin'' all those tables, didncha exceed the budget quite a bit?"

    "Shut the hell up. None of your business. Worry about your own deficit. If you don''t have the cash, then write an IOU right here and now. Put the annual interest rate on the bankruptcy of the third generation of the Hinamura family."

    "Ah yeah, that¡­" Genichirou-san turned his gaze to my double yakuman. "A dealer double yakuman is worth 96.000 points, so it''s 480.000.000 yens, huh? 160.000.000 ain''t enough."

    I didn''t know if I should speak or not, but in the end the words came off from my throat to my lips.

    "Ehmm. Non-dealer is fine."

    Yondaime and Genichirou-san looked at me at the same time. For a second, their faces looked exactly the same.

    "It doesn''t have to be a dealer score. Non-dealer score is 64.000 points."

    "Why?"

    "Just before, when the guy in the helicopter pointed his rifle, you covered Yondaime¡­"

    Yondaime showed his teeth.

    "I''m sorry. That guy is actually one of ourpanions, Major. And of course, that rifle was just a model gun to distract you. But, you protected Yondaime."

    "Dunno, I don''t remember doin'' that." "What''s with that selective memory!"

    But I had understood already. Regardless of all the hateful things they had said to each other--

    "Genichirou-san, you truly think of Yondaime as your son. I''m Yondaime''s sworn brother, that means that in a way I''m also your son. So, it''s 64.000 points. The money on that desk is enough."

    Alice had also told me. The family is the smallest social union in which everything can be forgiven. I have nothing more than a broken family, so from the bottom of my heart, I thought: I don''t want to see them covering each other in debts like that. This battlefield in which we had fought for millions of yens hadn''t been exactly the cleanest fight, but still¡­

    Genichirou-san didn''t even try to conceal hisughter. Yondaime made a sulky face and looked away. Rikako-san grabbed my arm and Yondaime''s with both of her hands, pulling us closer.

    "Yer both my kids! I love ya!"

    "Shut up!" Yondaime brushed his mother''s hand off.

    "Souichirou, ya okay with that stupid thing he just said?" Genichirou-san chuckled as he pointed at me. Yondaime turned his back to us.

    "He was the one who raised the bet.", he started walking, making his way through the overgrown grass. "Do as you please."

    *

    Genichirou-san called me two days after the mahjong match, just when Yondaime had came to the Detective Agency to discuss how to manage the troublesome ounting process. How could heunder 160.000.000 yens obtained through a gambling bet? In the middle of the conversation, my cellphone rang. The screen disyed an unknown number.

    "¡­Hello?"

    "Boy? We''re goin'' back to Osaka. Thought I''d say goodbye."

    I could only hear his voice, but his smile surfaced immediately in my mind. Genichirou-san. I nervously looked at Yondaime for a second and went to the kitchen so he that he wouldn''t hear our conversation.

    "Eeh, uhm, uhhh¡­ Thank you for your hard work." I didn''t know what else to say. "How do you know my number?"

    "Did some research. I know Souichirou''s number too, but he''d get all grumpy if I called him."

    Probably, buy why would he call me? What did he want to talk about?

    A noise was heard on the other side of the line, followed by a cheerful female voice.

    "Naru-chan? It''s me, it''s mom! It''s a bit sad but we''re goin'' back to Osaka like good losers. Take good care of Sou-chan! By the way, he''s there with ya ain''t he? Sou-chaaaaaan ya hear me!? Mom loves ya a ton!!"

    I distanced my phone around 40 centimeters away from my ear.

    Wow, he''s really going to hear at this rate.

    "Stop makin'' a fuss, ya idiot. Give it back."

    When I heard Genichirou-san''s voice, I brought the phone to my ear again.

    "Well, it''s been fun. ''Til now, nothing interesting had happened whenever I came to Tokyo, but it was nice meetin'' ya, boy. Let''s y mahjong together again some other time."

    "No no no. I''ve had enough with mahjong. Please give me a break."

    "Hey, have ya forgotten already?" Genichirou-san''s voice turned cold, just like it was when he was sitting at my right at the riverbed. "The one who stole my Thirteen Orphans wasn''t Souichirou but ya, boy. Ya''ll have to let me take revenge on ya. Give me a call whenever ya visit Osaka."

    I think I''ve decided to never go to Osaka in my life.

    "Ahh yeah, by the way" Genichirou-san''s normal tone of voice returned. "Tell Souichirou that there''s no way I''m gonna let someone who hangs out with such a naive, simpleton sworn little brother be the Hinamura family''s sessor. He can keep bein'' a NEET in Tokyo ''till he drops dead if he wants to. I decided to pick the other candidate."

    "Huh¡­"

    I raised my head to look up at the dark roof. Everything turned out okay in the end¡­ So it seems. Thatment he made was insensitive, though.

    Genichirou-san hung up after a ''see ya'', and I timidly walked back to the room. Yondaime red at me, sitting on the edge of the bed.

    "What did that damn yakuza want?"

    Well, it was obvious he was going to notice.

    "Aah¡­ Ehm, well¡­"

    When I told him that Genichirou-san had decided to choose the other sessor, aplicated expression appeared on his face, as if the saliva inside his mouth had turned sour.

    "What the heck. The other sessor? He should have chosen that one from the start instead of making all this big fuss. What did that idiot couplee from, really?"

    At that moment, Alice who was in her bed chuckled, her shoulders shaking.

    "As I said, Mr. and Mrs. Hinamura came here to visit the shrine. Everything else was secondary."

    Yondaime knitted his brows and cocked his head, looking at Alice. "To visit the shrine?"

    "That''s right. Narumi, do you remember what shrine did they want to go?"

    The sudden turn of the conversation confused me.

    "Ahh¡­ Uh, If I remember correctly, Suitengu?"

    Alice nodded.

    "Yes. Suitengu shrine at Nihonbasho is famous in Japan as a ce to pray for a childbirth without anyplications."

    Yondaime and I probably looked at Alice with the same surprised face.

    "¡­C-childbirth?"

    "Hinamura Rikako is probably pregnant. The other candidate to be the heir would be the child inside her womb."

    Yondaime stood up with apletely astonished look on his face, snatching my phone away from me and redialing from the call history.

    "It''s me. ¡­You bastard, why didn''t you say anything!? About mother, is she really going to have another brat? Aah? You''re out of your mind, idiot! ¡­The charms of a pregnant woman? No, why the hell would I know about that? That''s disgusting, so shut up! Hey, bastard, where are you now? I hear some kind of announcement on the background. Haneda? You imbecile, what are you thinking? She''s not even in the stable period of her pregnancy yet, why are you going by ne? Take the bullet train! She''s forty-three years old, she might look young but she''s still an old bat, it''s surprising that she''s pregnant in the first ce! ¡­No, I''m notplimenting you because of that, stupid! ¡­Aah? What are you talking about? ¡­Soujirou? Soujirou? You idiot, what if it''s a girl? A name is for life so think about it more seriously! Ah, and don''t do anything stupid with inheriting the business and all that. Learn a bit of what happened with me!"

    His way of talking was so scary that I was getting worried that he would break my phone. I was still bewildered and could only exchange absent looks between Alice''s long hair and Yondaime being a victim of teasing on the phone.

    I see, they came to Tokyo to visit the shrine. Alice casually mentioned it some time ago.

    "If I had exined it from the beginning, you see, since Hinamura Souichirou is actually such a kind man¡­" Alice chuckled. "I think he wouldn''t have fought as seriously as he did."

    The detective''s maliciousness dilemma, I suppose.

    During fifteen more minutes, Alice and I continued listening while sitting on the bed to the manzai routine between father and son. We could only hear the tsukkomi, but it was incredibly easy to imagine what the boke lines were. Probably because of Yondaime''s Osakan blood.

    *

    Three dayster after school, I was called by Yondaime to show up at Hirasaka-gumi''s office.

    "Send this to Rikako on your name.", Yondaime said, putting a small cardboard box in front of me.

    "¡­Why don''t you send it yourself?" I knew it was because he was too shy to do it, but I still wanted to hear his reply. Maybe I am as malicious as Alice.

    "Shut up. Just send it. And don''t look inside the package."

    If you tell me that, I can''t help but open the box as soon as I get home. I have something called curiosity. Also, I have to write what the product is in the voucher of the express home deliverypany.

    Inside the box, there was a sash made of silk with a splendid design of a wolf embroidered with festive-colored threads. It was a bellyband.

    With just looking at it, one could tell it was handmade. So far, I haven''t seen anyone else capable of making such a perfect embroidery in such a short time.

    Since female dogs give birth withoutplications, they''re used as a symbol to pray for a safe childbirth. Suitengu at the center of Japan has a Day of the Dog, honoring pregnant women, that has extended all over the country.

    I apologized around ten times to Yondaime in my heart and put the sash back in its package.

    When I was writing ''To Hinamura Rikako-sama'' and the address, I started thinking about Hinamura Souichirou''s soon-to-be-born little brother who would be 21 years younger than him. I wonder if he would be consider my sworn brother too. She might be a sister.

    Someday, when that child grows up, it would be nice if the four blood-rted members of the Hinamura family would sit together around the kotatsu with a mahjong board. They wouldn''t y for money, but for something trivial like who would get to use the remote control. That''s what family mahjong really is.

    *

    On the weekend, I finally showed up at the mahjong parlor Tenhou Club again. I had been prioritizing my schoolwork so once the winter break had ended I hadn''t been concerned with all the mahjong bears matter, but after the problem with Genichirou-san came to an end I thought I couldn''t let that other matter unsolved forever, so I went to see how things were going.

    "Ah, Fujishima-san, thank you for your work."

    The punch-permed delinquent manager greeted me. I wish he wasn''t so formal, because a young employee that didn''t know I was a regr customer kept giving me suspicious looks, but he let me enter the office and even served me tea.

    "The guys from Hirasaka-Gumi told me about what happened with Sou-san''s father and all that. Must have been though."

    "Ah, haha, haa, yeah well¡­"

    I''m sure those idiots in back T-shirts said something exaggerated.

    "But you''re really something, Fujishima-san, undergoing a 60-40 sake ritual with a yakuza boss from Kansai¡­"

    "That''s a lie!" I knew they would say something like that!

    "But yeah, since it was Sou-san''s father, he was clearly unrted to the mahjong bears¡­"

    I nodded.

    "If he hadn''t been unrted, it would have been unmanageable for Yondaime and I."

    The manager also smiled bitterly.

    "Certainly, that person''s so strong that he''s like a monster. Compared to him, these other guys are just kids. They''re just strong enough to make easy money."

    "Ahh, have those guys came recently?" I asked. The manager scratched his chin.

    "Yesterday, that guy who wears sses and is as skinny as a burdock came. But he just yed for a round. He hadn''t been showing up at all at the other parlorstely. I was thinking it would be nice if they just disappeared altogether, but¡­"

    "He won big and went home yesterday too?"

    "Midway through, he started winning by continuously making tsumo, but he suddenly looked ill, like he was about to puke, and went home."

    He showed me the footage from the security camera. Since it was a hidden camera, the image wasn''t too clear, but I could still see one of the three suspicious customers. His figure was weird because despite the heat inside the parlor, he was still wearing a jumper. The way he moved was somewhat scary.

    "Fujishima-san, are those guys really a group? Not even once have they entered the parlor together¡­"

    "Probably¡­ Because they do the same strange things when they y. For example, here", and I pointed at the footage. "On his turn, he has a pair of number 1 circle suit tiles and a pair of West winds, Dama-Ten on his eight turn. You can see he has four number 2 circle suit tiles. There''s no way he would keep his number 1 tiles."

    "Certainly."

    The conversation with the manager was quick. "Something tells you to keep the right tiles" sounds like something out of a mahjong manga, and the actual situation was more like "when you''re ying, you have to get rid of the tiles that won''t help you win first."

    When you y Shogi, once you''re checkmated there''s nothing you can do to avoid it, no matter how good you are. But a skilled yer won''t let the circumstances lead him to get checkmated, and will probably lead his opponent to checkmate. Mahjong''s the same.

    Yet, if someone could avoid being checkmated, that would be--

    "I wonder what kind of trick is he using.", the manager murmured. "I also looked carefully if there was someone spying from a window or something, but¡­"

    "He probably looks at the tiles'' ws."

    My words made the manager knit his brows.

    "No way. We don''t use those kind of cheap tiles here."

    That trick consists on telling the tiles apart because of their small cracks and so. There''s also people who do their own marks to the tiles. Of course, even knowing how to tell just some of the tiles apart is still overwhelmingly advantageous.

    "But I can''t think of anything else. Keeps losing but starts winning halfway through, constantly making tsumo, seeing through the probabilities with the double pairs, and all that¡­"

    When I exited the parlor together with the manager, I checked all the tiles that had been used by the skinny sses guy from yesterday.

    "They''re as good as new, you see? I even buy new tiles to rece the old ones quite often.", the manager said as he stroked one of the brand new tiles in his hand with a finger.

    The feeling that something just wasn''t right was curdling in my stomach. I took the number 1 suit tile, thoroughly scanning it.

    I felt like I had already experienced this same feeling that something wasn''t right before.

    But, it''s impossible--

    I stood up, still holding that tile, and walked to the counter. I borrowed a water-based sign pen from the employee and scribbled over the back of the tile.

    "¡­Ah¡­¡­"

    A dry groan escaped from my throat.

    A transparent part that couldn''t be scribbled over with the ink surfaced on the tile.

    I ran back to the board to check the other three number 1 suit tiles. They all had the same sign.

    "¡­Fujishima-san? That''s¡­"

    I interrupted the manager''s words by standing up once again. The toilet. The other strange thing about those guys was how they often went to the toilet. I rushed to the toilet and crawled on the tiled floor and looked under the washbasin and the urinals.

    And then I found it. Under the water closet, there was a red fine powder.

    I couldn''t breath for a moment. Unable to get up yet for some reason, I held onto the wall of the private room. Finally, I supported myself with the urinal and got up.

    I took out my cellphone. My hands were shaking so bad that I almost dropped it.

    What the hell is this? It can''t be.

    Why are you here? Why are you still here!? Weren''t you supposed to have been reduced to ashes, withered, vanished without a trace already?

    My throat was trembling. The bitter taste, the taste of blood and the electrifying pleasure came back to my mind. Even though it should have all remained deeply sunken. Now, the memories of the pain, the fever, the singing voice were all gushing out, overflowing like wounds throughout my body.

    Yet, my thoughts were eerily calm. The first person I called wasn''t Yondaime or Alice, it was Major.

    "¡­Ah, it''s me. Pleasee to Tenhou Club. Oh, and, you have tools to pick up a spilled drug from the floor, don''t you? ¡­Yeah. ¡­Uhm, err, it''s a powder. It''s an extremely small quantity. ¡­Yes, yes¡­ Please, I want you to examine it as soon as you can."

    My request of having him examine it immediately was probably involuntary. I wanted my conjecture to be proven wrong. That''s why I thought about Mayor first.

    After hanging up, I took a deep breath, and this time I called Yondaime.

    "I''m at Tenhou Club. ¡­Yeah, it''s about the mahjong case. ¡­I think I might have understood those guys'' modus operandi. Using the toilet¡­ Yes. ¡­No, it''s still just a theory, but it''s probably--"

    I bit my lip, feeling unable to breath, resting my back on the wall, and I nced down, looking at the filthy, dim red under the urinal.

    It''s not a conjecture. I know it even know. My body remembers it more than anything.

    "--Angel Fix."

 Volume 8, 2

    <h4>Volume 8, Chapter 2</h4>

    Hakamizaka Shirou.

    He was born as the son of a Gunma''s second generation Diet member.

    Eight years ago, he enrolled into T Pharmaceutical University. When he was 19, he went studying abroad to Iran. That''s where it all started for him, when he happened to encounter a mutation of a poppy flower. No one can know what name did he give to that flower anymore.

    When he returned home, he extracted and purified an alkaloid from that flower, making a new psychotropic drug. That drug that could make you see angels and hear the music from Heaven, those pills with wings carved on them, were scattered on the streets we lived in.

    Unlike the sorrowful flower that served as the raw material, people actually knew the name of the drug.

    Angel Fix.

    ¡°I wonder why he named it that¡­¡±

    Holding that deceased person''s printed data, I asked Alice that question.

    The girl on the bed turned her face from the faint light of the countless monitors.

    ¡°This is a very unpleasant guess, but¡­¡±

    Alice started talking with a voice colder than the conditioned air.

    ¡°It''s probably taken from a James Tiptree Jr. short story. It seems like that man, Hakamizaka Shirou, had the same strange tastes as me.¡±

    ¡°¡­Is it a story about narcotics?¡±

    ¡°No. It''s a story about aliens who take only good people with them to another world. It''s a wonderful story, but I don''t really know if he thought about it that far.¡±

    Sighing, I threw the data to the bed.

    Anyhow, Hakamizaka wanted to be taken by the angels. Most of hispanions have also died from overdosing, so his thoughts will remain in the dark for all eternity.

    It should have ended that way. Everything should have died out already.

    ¡°Two people survived.¡±

    Alice''s mutterings made me raise my head.

    ¡°Don''t you remember? From the seven people of the group in charge of manufacturing and selling Angel Fix, five of them died in the hospital after the incident. But two of them survived.¡±

    Two people.

    I knew one of them. Shinozaki Toshio¡ªAyaka''s older brother.

    ¡°Tetsu went to talk to Toshi. The other person is Chigasawa Teruhiko. Yondaime is going to find his whereabouts.¡±

    ¡°¡­To ask them if there are leftovers of the drug, right?¡±

    ¡°It would be good if it''s just that.¡±

    Saying that, Alice turned her back on me and started typing on the keyboard.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°It''s been a year since then. Why has Angel fix appeared now, after a whole year? If those mahjong bears just found a stock by chance, it will be okay once that stock is used uppletely.¡±

    I understood what Alice was trying to say. The season would change, the flowers would bloom, their petals would scatter and they would finally bear fruit.

    Maybe someone was manufacturing it again: That''s what she meant.

    I shivered and felt goosebumps, so I rubbed both of my arms with my hands.

    That red powder I had asked Major to examine was indeed Angel Fixed. My wishful thinking had been useless, and the nightmare was still stuck somewhere in the darkness.

    ¡°There''s a big possibility that the mahjong group is in contact with the manufacturer group.¡±

    Letting my eyes wander, I nodded at Alice''s voice.

    Those guys cheated by marking the back of the tiles with a transparent ink. They kept winning at the parlor because of that. They probably stuck the ink with their fingertips. What a time-consuming underhanded trick.

    Angel Fix greatly enhanced their visual sensitivity. In that world where one could see angels, a mark that should be colorless and transparent rose to the surface, guiding them.

    That special ink was probably the same ink that was used by the people who sold the Fix directly during that incident a year ago.

    What kind of connection do they have?

    Possibly the mahjong bears weren''t the only ones on the move, the manufacturer group too. Why did they start breaking into mahjong parlors this time?

    I don''t understand. There''s not enough information.

    ¡°Right now, there''s nothing we can do.¡±, Alice muttered. ¡°We won''t have enough information unless we found the group of manufacturers or the mahjong bears. We''ll have to wait for Hirasaka-gumi''s results.¡±

    I squatted on the cold floor and stared at Alice''s dimly lit back, asking her yet another question.

    ¡°Shouldn''t we leave this to the police?¡±

    ¡°Yondaime and Tetsu won''t allow that.¡±

    Without turning her back, Alice answered me with a dry voice.

    ¡°Have you forgotten? Fix is a bitter enemy for those two. They''re not taking part on this for profit, but for their anger and their honor.¡±

    I nodded.

    A Fix addict once stabbed one of Yondaime''s underlings.

    Tetsu-senpai once lost one of his friends because of the drug.

    However, there was also another deeper and more ambiguous reason. Those red angel wings had corrupted the lives of the NEETs of this city¡ªoutcasts just like Senpai and Yondaime, that in a way were like siblings to them.

    Senpai and Yondaime didn''t me the people who reached out their hands to the drug on their weakness or stupidity. If the cycle changed only slightly, the darkness they would fell into would probably be themselves.

    Maybe they even wanted to rescue Hakamizaka Shirou.

    But that was beyond their power, so they could only keep running¡­ To the angels.

    ¡°So, do you intend to poke your nose into this again?¡±

    Alice''s voice finally had a little bit of feeling in it. An ill-humored feeling.

    ¡°Don''t tell me to retreat.¡±

    ¡°Hmph. It''s pointless, so I won''t say it.¡± Alice puffed out her cheeks. ¡°Meddle all you want. With your learning abilities, I''m sure that if you were burnt to death and then reborn as a chicken, you''d dly jump into an oven.¡±

    I scratched my head.

    ¡°But, aren''t you the same, Alice?¡±

    ¡°What!?¡± Alice sprang up on the bed and quickly faced my way. The mountain of stuffed toys crumbled.

    ¡°No, I mean, don''t you get involved no matter how dangerous some things are? It''s the pot calling the kettle ck, isn''t it?¡±

    ¡°I do not do that kind of stupid things, if I had to look for something in the fire, I''d make sure to use pliers!¡±

    ¡°Then, those ''pliers'' would be me, right?¡±

    Alice froze for a few seconds with her mouth half open.

    ¡°I was thinking it was unusual for you to try to win an argument against me, but just now the grip on your fists disappeared inside your heart, didn''t it?¡±

    She trembled and spoke in a spiteful way, with her cheeks flushed.

    ¡°Not true.¡±, I lied. I wasn''t thinking about disproving her, though.

    ¡°But what are you saying? That sounds like I''m leaving all the dangerous things in your hands while I shut myself in a safe ce, doesn''t it!?¡±

    ¡°It''s not like that¡­ Okay, maybe it is like that, but, ahh¡­ Uhm, you see¡±

    I outstretched my hands to calm the furious Alice down and chose my words.

    ¡°It''s fine that way. I think you and I are fine like this.¡±

    ¡°What''s fine?¡±

    ¡°You''re worried because I always end up at the crime scene, but you know¡± ¡°I''m not worried, I''m just amazed!¡± ¡°Don''t you asionally show up there too? That''s really worrisome.¡±

    ¡°M-mh?¡±

    Alice hugged her teddy bear, leaving only her eyes unhidden.

    ¡°So, let me handle all the dangerous stuff. I''m happy to do that for you, because I''m your assistant.¡±

    She stamped both white sock-d feet.

    ¡°Limit those embarrassing lines of yours to your poorly written chronicles!¡±

    ¡°Embarrassing, why? I''m just saying that for your sake I¡±

    ¡°Idiot! Don''t repeat it!¡±

    Alice hid herself under her mountain of stuffed toys. It was a little fun to see her, though I really didn''t understand what part of what I said was so embarrassing, but then Dr Pepper cans started flying, so I decided to leave that matter alone already.

    When I finished picking up the empty cans, I left the Detective Agency. The quickly setting sun of the winter afternoon was awfully bright.

    ¡°Fujishima-kun, you skipped the afternoon ss again!¡±

    When I went down the emergency stairs, the kitchen door of the ramen shop I was in front of opened, and light brown hair and lifted eyebrows came in sight. Ayaka appeared in front of me, tying up a ck apron to her hips.

    ¡°Shouldn''t you be careful with your attendance? What if you repeat the year?¡±

    ¡°U-uhmm? I have my absences well calcted, so it''s okay.¡±, I lied.

    That''s right, it''s the third term already. At this rate, I won''t be able to be a third year student.

    It was just that the results of the investigation of the powder woulde out today and I wanted to know it as soon as possible, so I ended up skipping all the afternoon sses.

    ¡°I was absent during most of the first term, but I already caught up!¡± Ayaka puffed out her chest with pride. That made me feel taken aback, and my body stiffened.

    Yes, from January ofst year, Ayaka spent four months slumbering in a hospital bed. Vegetative state. Not only those four months were stolen away from her, but also all of her memories.

    Angel Fix.

    Those angel wings had harmed her, hurt her.

    She would no longer be able to remember. That''s why when Ayaka asked ¡°Are you getting into something troublesome again?¡±, I spoke deceiving words naturally, surprising even myself.

    ¡°Yeah, something like that. Yondaime earned quite a lot with that mahjong matter, so he has tounder that money¡­ Ayaka, do you know what moneyundering means?¡±

    ¡°No clue.¡± Ayaka hit her temples with her index fingers and rolled her eyes.

    ¡°Oh. Well, anyway, it seems like Yondaime really needs a hand. I can''t tell you much more than that.¡±

    ¡°That''s fine, but¡­¡±

    There was some surprise mixed in Ayaka''s tone, and that made me feel relieved. Surprise is always good. Since what I said wasn''t aplete lie, and in fact about 80% of it was the truth, my lie went smoothly.

    I''ve been lying quite a lottely, I thought.

    I really didn''t feel good about deceiving Ayaka.

    ¡°So it''s not particrly detective work, is it? You coulde to ss, right?¡±

    ¡°Ah-- Well, yeah¡­¡±

    Right, I did say something like that originally.

    ¡°Everyone in ss were talking about how you''re going to be our kouhai and started discussing how they should greet you when they run into you on the corridors! That''s so mean.¡±

    Yes, that is mean, so don''t tell me about it.

    ¡°I wonder if I should just drop out now¡­¡±

    ¡°What are you saying? No, don''t!¡± Ayaka hit my arm. ¡°At least keep going until the end of the term¡­ The homeroom teacher always goes through the trouble of collecting the prints to hand them over to you and all that¡­¡±

    ¡°I can just pick them up the next day, so isn''t it okay?¡±

    ¡°Not if youpletely skip that next day!¡±

    I curled up.

    ¡°And someone from the Student Council was looking for you today. You weren''t there, so she was very troubled.¡±

    ¡°Student Council?¡±

    ¡°You''re also in the Student Council, I didn''t know.¡±

    ¡°Aah¡­¡± Right. She didn''t know I had joined the Inspection Committee. The person looking for me was probably the head of themittee, Kousaka Yukari-senpai. ¡°A petite, rabbit-like girl?¡±

    ¡°Yes, exactly. She was with a girl with long hair that was wearing a headband showing her forehead. They said they were from the Student Council.¡±

    Kaoruko-senpai too? That kinda makes want to vanish from the schoolpletely. Well, it''s not like I hate her or anything like that, but she''s so stern that I can''t really deal with her.

    ¡°It seems like they wanted to ask you favor, so go to school tomorrow and show up at the Student Council, okay?¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­¡±

    ¡°And Sayuri-sensei said that she wanted to help us studying again. I''m also still doing pretty bad, but let''s do our best so we can graduate together!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, let''s, I guess.¡±

    ¡°I can''t hear you!¡±

    ¡°Let''s do our best¡­¡±

    Ayaka firmly raised her thumb and then went back to the kitchen.

    I sat on the bear crate and looked up at the winter sky, sighing.

    So, getting my head filled with concern about narcotics in a mahjong parlor is easier for me than worrying about studying for high school¡­ This is a serious illness already.

    *

    The next day during the lunch break, I showed up at the Student Council room. The number of people in the Student Council had increased since thest time I had been there, so there was a lot of unfamiliar faces. Looking at their sspel badges, I noticed there were a lot of first year students. Neither Kousaka-senpai nor Kaoruko-senpai were there.

    ¡°Fujishima-senpai!¡± The short girl with short hair who was sitting closest to the door eating her bento looked my way and sprang up. ¡°You came all the way here!¡±

    She ran up to me, so I stepped back to the corridor.

    ¡°You left early yesterday, what happened? Were you feeling bad? Are you okay already?¡±

    ¡°Eh? Y-yeah¡­ They told me someone was looking for me.¡±

    ¡°Ah, that would be me.¡±

    Eh? Wasn''t it Kousaka-senpai? Well, this girl is certainly small, and Ayaka didn''t ask me about my abstract ''rabbit-like'' description¡­ Was it because of that rabbit-shaped barrette?

    At that moment, someone who was sitting in a desk further into the room got up and ran up to us. She was a long-haired first year student.

    ¡°Chinatsu, Fujishima-senpai is here?¡±, the long-haired girl said, and then she pushed the girl with the rabbit barrette aside and went out to the corridor. When her gaze met mine, she made a sullen face.

    ¡°You''re in the Inspection Committee but you don''t show up at all, what are you thinking!?¡±

    She suddenly thrust her finger in front of me, so I bent backwards.

    ¡°Kaya-chan, he finally came here, so don''t be mad¡­¡± The short-haired girl nervously interposed.

    ¡°You''re the head of themittee, do something about it!¡±

    ¡°Kaya-chan, you''re not even in the Inspectionmittee, so there''s no reason for you to be mad¡­¡±

    ¡°I''m the Student Council president, so it''s my duty to oversee everything!¡±

    Student Council president. Is she the Student Council president? I see, just as Ayaka said, she was a girl with long hair and a headband, showing her forehead.

    Right, both Kaoruko-senpai and Kousaka-senpai have long retired already to fully concentrate on their university entrance examinations. I borrowed the power of the Student Council a few times because of an incident at the end of the year, so I was under the impression that I would still see those two there.

    Hereupon, this girl called Chinatsu was now the head of the Inspectionmittee. She gave out a simr aura to that of Kousaka-senpai.

    She hesitatingly spoke to the student council president:

    ¡°We have a favor to ask Fujishima-senpai, so¡±

    ¡°Chinatsu, be quiet.¡± the president said tly. My jaw dropped at the intense feeling of deja vu.

    I was dragged to the Inspection room that was beside the Student Council room. There was no one in that room. It was surrounded by coarse steel shelves, and the heat didn''t reach, so it was also unpleasantly cold.

    ¡°By the way, Fujishima-senpai, you really don''t remember us, huh.¡±

    Saying that, the president red at me.

    ¡°Eeh, well¡­¡±

    I''ve seen them before somewhere, right?

    ¡°I see. It''s just like Hayano-senpai said. He just doesn''t care about anything or anyone rted to school.¡±

    ''Hayano'' is the former Student Council president, Kaoruko-senpai. Seems like there''s no decentments about me at all¡­

    ¡°Senpai only came to help out at the Inspection room oncest year!¡± Chinatsu-chan said, looking like she was about to cry. ¡°Even though Kousaka-senpai took the trouble to introduce us! Even though you gave me your autograph!¡± I''m sorry, my memory is bad¡­ Wha- Autograph!?

    ¡°I''m Kenzaki.¡±, the Student Council president said in a sullen manner. ¡°Kenzaki Kayako. The Student Council President. And this is the head of the Inspectionmittee, Ayukawa Chinatsu. She''s your superior, so at least remember her name, please.¡±

    ¡°I''m Ayukawa! Don''t forget anymore, okay?¡±

    I looked at them and nodded faintly, thinking about what should I say in response.

    ¡°¡­You''re both first years. Isn''t it tough to be the president and the head of amittee?¡±

    ¡°Second year students like Fujishima-senpai are unreliable.¡±, Kenzaki-san replied immediately, not losing her chance to criticize me again.

    ¡°Kaya-chan, this isn''t the time to be bullying senpai¡­ The main problem, the main problem!¡±, Chinatsu-chan grabbed Kenzaki-san''s arm.

    Kenzaki-san cleared her throat and looked at me again.

    ¡°You''re right. I''m sorry, senpai.¡±

    ¡°D-don''t worry¡­ But, main problem?¡±

    ¡°Senpai, do you deal withpensated dating?¡±

    ¡°¡­Excuse me!?¡± I unintentionally let out a weird cry.

    ¡°Wait, Kaya-chan, don''t ask it like that!¡±

    ¡°Be quiet, Chinatsu.¡±, Kenzaki-san pushed the short-haired head aside. ¡°Fujishima-senpai, you have connections with a gangster organization, so you must manage many love hotels, clubs, karaokes and the like, right?¡±

    I looked up at the two dust-stained fluorescentmps on the ceiling. Instead of repeating the year, I should just quietly drop out, I decided in my heart. I don''t want to be thrown into these weird rumors for an extra year.

    ¡°Err¡­ It''s nothing like that. I''m just a high school student.¡±

    ¡°But Chinatsu said¡± Kenzaki-san red at Chinatsu-chan who was by her side.

    ¡°I-I didn''t say that! I only said that Fujishima-senpai was the number two of a gang that manages all the night shops!¡±

    Isn''t that pretty much the same? In fact, that way it sounds like I''m showing off!

    I felt like I didn''t have the energy to exin, but I didn''t want the first years to keep spreading that big lie, so I summoned up my patience and spoke:

    ¡°You know, Hirasaka-gumi is not a gangster organization. It''s more like a delinquent-vignte group. They''re all in their twenties, and I''m not a member, I just help them out from time to time.¡±

    ¡°But, they do manage clubs and things like that, don''t they?¡±, Chinatsu-chan asked.

    ¡°Aah¡­ I think so?¡±

    I help Yondaime out with his business really often, but I don''t know much about them. He''s a VIP at lots of clubs, so it wouldn''t surprise me if he actually managed two or three of them.

    ¡°So you are well informed about paid dating, right? Right?¡±

    Please stop asking like that. Do I look like someone who would know about paid dating?

    ¡°No, I''m not informed at all. What about it?¡± These two couldn''t possibly involved in something like that, right?

    ¡°We heard a rumor.¡± Kenzaki-san sat on the long desk and lowered her gaze, muttering. ¡°Someone from this school meets up with¡­ An adult man, at karaokes and ces like that¡­¡±

    I breathed out from my nose and scratched my head.

    ¡°That''s, uhm¡­ Uh, why is the Student Council worried about that?¡±

    ¡°Doesn''t it worry you, senpai!?¡± Kenzaki-san pped the desk. ¡°It''s illegal!¡±

    ¡°Uhh, w-well¡±

    Come to think of it, I have been involved in several illegal matters, so I''m really not in a position to go proudly preaching about morals.

    ¡°Uhm, besides¡­¡± Chinatsu-chan couldn''t help opening her mouth to interpose. ¡°If she''s found out, she''ll be suspended from her club activities, the teachers won''t shut up about it, and it will be really troublesome. Right now, the female basketball, tennis and softball clubs are doing really well, so¡­¡±

    Even so, is that something the Student Council should be concerned about?

    ¡°And what do you want me to do?¡±

    I noticed after I spoke that my way of talking had been extremely cold.

    ¡°W-well, I was wondering if you could use your connections to check up on the karaokes and clubs and all that¡­ We still don''t know if someone''s doing paid dating or not¡­ And if you found someone doing it, you could indirectly warn her¡­¡±

    Do you even know how many karaokes and clubs this city has? I was about to tell her that, but actually, if I asked Yondaime, maybe he could do something.

    ¡°Please.¡± ¡°Please!¡±

    They both bowed their heads at the same time.

    ¡°¡­Did anything else happen?¡±

    It''s just, no matter how you looked at it, something was weird. It didn''t seem like these high school girls were poking their noses into something like this just because of their sense of duty as members of the Student Council.

    Chinatsu-chan and Kenzaki-san exchanged nces and hesitated, staying silent for a moment. The first one who decided to finally open her mouth was Kenzaki-san.

    ¡°Haven''t you heard, senpai? About¡­ That.¡±

    She hesitated midway through her words, so it was difficult to understand what she was saying, but I had a hunch that I knew what she meant.

    --She was talking about those assaults.

    They both exined alternately.

    Since the winter break, there had been several rape attempts, the targets being high school girls from the neighborhood. Two of those incidents had ended in an uproar, so quite a lot of rumors were spread. All of the perpetrators had escaped and none of them were arrested.

    ¡°But, it''s more than just a rumor.¡± Chinatsu-chan said, knitting her brows.

    The victims were all previously flirted at and had epted money: In other words,pensated dating. If the girls reported the crimes they would be found out by their parents and their schools, so they could only resign themselves, and the police didn''t move.

    ¡°Do you know the victims?¡±

    When I asked that, both of them shook their heads.

    ¡°But, there''s actually someone who was present at the crime scene.¡±

    Just when Chinatsu-chan said that, I heard the sound of a door opening behind me.

    ¡°Sorry I''mte. Still working?¡±

    I turned around upon hearing the voice of a girl, and my eyes met a figure in an awfully short uniform skirt. Her hair waspletely bleached into light brown, and she was wearing shy lip gloss. She covered her mouth with a hand when she saw me; her fingers were adorned with nail art. She looked liked one of those stylish girls you usually see loitering around the city center.

    ¡°Ah, Hana-chan, sorry for calling you all the way here! This is Fujishima-senpai whom I told you about earlier.¡±, Chinatsu-chan said. It seemed like this other girl had been called on the phone before I came to the Inspection room. When she saw me again, she put a inly frightened expression.

    ¡°Eh- F-fujishima? ¡­Uhm, -that- Fujishima from Hirasaka-gumi?¡±

    The fact that a high school girl I was meeting for the first time had that impression about me me made me feel depressed.

    ¡°Senpai, you''re famous!¡±

    Chinatsu-chan looked happy for some reason. Kenzaki-san cleared her throat in displeasure again, making Chinatsu-chan shut up instantly. The light brown-haired stepped back to run off the Inspection room.

    ¡°W-wait, Hana-chan!¡±

    Chinatsu-chan hastily rushed through my side and grabbed the wrist of the girl who was trying to run away.

    ¡°It''s okay, senpai is a tight-lipped person!¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    ¡°Come on, just enter!¡±

    Chinatsu-chan pulled her back into the Inspection room and closed the door, introducing us. Her name was Hishida Hanae, and she was Chinatsu-chan and Kenzaki-san''s ssmate who had been helping out with the Inspectionmitteetely.

    ¡°Since Fujishima-senpai doesn''t do anything, there''s lot of work piled up.¡± Kenzaki-san said, ring at me.

    ¡°¡­Eh? Fujishima-senpai was on the Inspectionmittee?¡±

    Hishida-san widened her eyes.

    ¡°Yes, but since senpai can''t do Inspection work at all, I''ve been asking you to do the tasks he should be doing¡­ Sorry about that!¡±

    Upon hearing Chinatsu-chan''s words, Hishida-san looked at her and me in turn a few times.

    ¡°More importantly, Hana-chan, uhm, you see! About¡­ That incident. I was wondering if you could talk to senpai about that¡­¡±

    With a look of uneasiness on her face, Hishida-san intermittently nced at me.

    ¡°Talk? Is that okay¡­?¡±

    ¡°It''s fine, you can trust Fujishima-senpai!¡± Chinatsu-san, what do you know about me? ¡°Senpai is so awesome that not even the police could catch him!¡±

    Chinatsu-chan, that''s¡­ Kinda wrong. Yeah, well, I still don''t have a criminal record even though I asionally do some stuff that couldnd me in jail, but it''s still wrong! Look, Hishida-san is looking discouraged already.

    ¡°Mmh.¡± Hishida-san pursed her lips. ¡°But I was actually just being a rubberneck back then¡­¡±

    ¡°With just the time and the ce, Fujishima-senpai will definitely settle this, so don''t worry! That''s why he''s called the No Hint Detective.¡± You got only the first N and thest T right!

    ¡°U-uuhm, senpai, so you look for criminals and all that?¡±

    ¡°No, well, I don''t think I could go so far, but I might be able to investigate things like who was the victim, or if she was a student from this school¡­¡±

    In the end, I got carried away because Chinatsu-chan and Kenzaki-san insisted.

    ¡°Uhm, when you investigate, please don''t tell anyone I was the one who spoke¡­¡±

    I nodded at Hishida-san''s words. He could trust me on that one. Hishida-san''s eyes wandered, then she took a deep breath and began speaking while twisting up her light brown hair.

    ¡°The third day of the New Year, when I went to the karaoke with a friend¡±

    *

    After school, I went directly to Hirasaka-gumi''s office. All of the men in ck shirts were absent, which was unusual, and just Yondaime could be seen inside in his desk.

    ¡°High school girls that were attacked?¡±

    When he heard what I said, Yondaime knitted his brows.

    ¡°You mean the one attacked at the karaoke during the third day of the year, or the one that was attackedst week at the hotel behind E-Space?¡±

    I widened my eyes. Not only he already knew about the incident I was told about, he also knew about another case. Right, Chinatsu-chan did say two of the cases had ended up in an uproar.

    ¡°Aah, uhm, the karaoke one. A kouhai from my school happened to see the disturbance.¡±

    I didn''t inquire about Hishida-san''s story as there wasn''t anything conclusive. She was singing with her friends and heard the sound of a ss breaking, and then the loud noise of something copsing. When she went out to the corridor, the door at the end was broken, and inside the room there was a girl with her clothes roughly torn apart who had broken down crying. An employee rushed in immediately, but the criminal had ran away already. The employee was then going to call the police, but the victim persistently said ¡°It''s nothing, don''t call them¡±.

    ¡°I''m listening. So what?¡±

    ¡°These girls asked me if I could find out if the girl was a student from my school, and¡­¡±

    Yondaime snorted.

    ¡°So no one knows who the girl they attacked was?¡±

    ¡°She said she caught a nce of her uniform, but couldn''t see her face clearly. There''s no way she would know the faces of all the students, anyway¡­¡±

    ¡°Hmph. If you want to prevent those crimes, call the whole school to an assembly and tell them ''wear your uniforms when you''re doingpensated dating''.¡±

    ¡°¡­Why?¡± I seriously asked that question. As if I could do something like that!

    ¡°If they wear their uniforms, at least they can''t be taken to hotels against their will. Or they end up like that girl at the karaoke, mere attempts.¡±

    I see. I haven''t thought about it that wait. ¡­Wait, that''s not the point!

    ¡°Err, then, what about the incident at the hotel behind E-Space? I don''t know about that case, though.¡±

    ¡°It was a simr incident.¡±

    That other case happened at midnightst weekend. The receptionist heard a scream, so when he broke into the room, he found a girl who had copsed with red strangling marks on her neck and wrists. The bed stand and the modr sound system had been knocked over, and the ones who cleaned up the disastrous scene also saw her. Since the girl was a high schooler, the hotel didn''t contact the police.

    It was indeed a simr incident.

    ¡°This is just a guess based on rumors, but the girl from the student council told me that the criminals could actually be the same person in both cases¡­¡±

    Yondaime red at my face in a bad mood.

    ¡°Do you know themon methods inpensated dating? The first one or two times are usually consented, then they force them to drink alcohol and suddenly attack them¡­¡±

    ¡°Wow, you''re way better informed than me¡­¡±

    As expected from the king of the street youth. Obviously he would know about that kind of stuff.

    ¡°That''s just what I heard. None of the shops told me to do anything about that so I won''t meddle. It''s not my problem if dumb girls want to sell themselves cheaply.¡±

    As usual, he drew a cool-headed line.

    ¡°If you want to investigate, go ahead and do what you want. I don''t have connections with the karaoke, but I know the people from the hotel so you can talk to them.¡±

    ¡°Really? Thank you.¡±

    I didn''t know why he was being so kind, so I was perplexed. Then, he added in a low voice:

    ¡°Compared to be poking your nose into the Fix matter, it''s a lot less troublesome for you to investigate some unrted pervert.¡±

    I bit my lower lip and fell silent, then I let my words out together with a sigh.

    ¡°¡­This time, I''ve been wondering if I shouldn''t get involved too much on that¡­¡±

    ¡°That''s strange. Thought you''d want to meddle.¡±

    ¡°I''m bad with secrets, so if I help I could end up blurting out something to Ayaka¡­¡±

    Yondaime snorted.

    ¡°I don''t care about your boring problems. I''ll report my progress to you, too. We don''t know what could happen so you have to be aware of the situation.¡±

    I sighed and nodded. Helping Alice to arrange the news was my duty as an assistant, huh.

    ¡°Chigasawa Teruhiko is missing. Hisst trace of activity was a phone call to his parents in November ofst year.¡±

    I raised my head and was pierced by Yondaime''s drilling gaze.

    Chigasawa Teruhiko.

    Thest survivor of Angel Fix''s production group.

    ¡°He wasn''t involved in the production because he was just an underling of the group, so he''s on probation. He dropped out of university, so he was a NEET living only on allowance in an apartment bought by his parents. My men are searching that apartment now.¡±

    And don''t even ask how we got Chigasawa''s parents to hand us the key, he said in a lower voice.

    ¡°I heard about Toshi from Tetsu.¡±

    This time, I couldn''t nod nor shake my head.

    Toshi-san¡ªShinozaki Toshio.

    Ayaka''s older brother who was involved in the selling of Fix. He was the only member of the group who was less than 18 years old at the time of the incident, so he was now put on probation. Since their parents are divorced, Ayaka lives with their mother while Toshi-san lives with their father.

    ¡°Anyway, we still know next to nothing. The guys from the mahjong parlors have also disappeared. No matter how many pictures from the security cameras we printed and distributed to look for them, it''s a war of attrition.¡±

    ¡°¡­Has the drug appeared again since then?¡±

    ¡°I still won''t talk about that, I only said I''d tell you about the information at hand.¡±

    You said you wanted to chase after that pervert so go focus on that, you idiot, he said and then kicked me out of the office.

    When I showed up at the NEET Detective Agency, Tetsu-senpai was already there, sitting on the edge of the bed. Alice nced at me and typed on the keyboard. It seemed like they were ying an audio file. The file was rewound and a voice was heard.

    "Again¡­?"

    "No, I don''t know¡­ They''re selling it? Isn''t it someone buying stockpiles?"

    That hoarse, slightly loud voice made my memories creak like a dusty splintered old door opening. Toshi-san. Toshi-san''s voice.

    "The other guys¡­ Chigasawa-san? Isn''t he the only one alive¡­? A-ah, ah, yes, right. ¡­No, I don''t know him at all. I only told him guided him to the greenhouse."

    "It''s true. I don''t know anything!"

    "Hakamizaka-san¡­ He was not right in the head. It was kinda like he¡­ Yeah, like he wanted to create a religion. I didn''t know what he was thinking."

    Toshi-san''s voice gradually turned into whispers to the point I couldn''t hear him quite clearly. Alice let out a small sigh and stopped the file.

    ¡°This information is practically useless, huh¡­¡±

    Alice shrugged when she said that, and Tetsu-senpai nodded.

    ¡°But, well, I made him promise he would call me immediately if something happens.¡±

    ¡°Since it''s Toshi, he''s probably shut in alone.¡±

    ¡°I go to see him once in a while. He neversts long at part-time jobs and all that and mostly stays shut in.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai got up. When we passed each other near the fridge, he grabbed my shoulders and pushed me aside.

    ¡°Leave this Fix thing to me. If possible, you don''t do anything.¡±

    Not doing anything if possible.

    That choice of words had a weird feeling of kindness, so I couldn''t say anything.

    ¡°That thing is my prey. To be honest I didn''t want Yondaime to take part on this either, but as expected, it''s impossible not to rely on Hirasaka-gumi''s power.¡±

    The sound of Tetsu-senpai''s footsteps walking away behind my back grew distant until they were cut off by the sound of the door opening and closing.

    Tetsu-senpai lost one of his friends¡ªMinagawa Kengo, to the Angel Fix.

    His hatred for those red angels might be even stronger than Yondaime''s. Only once I caught a glimpse of Tetsu-senpai''s inner beast. It was the first time I felt real murderous intent directed towards me.

    ¡°Yondaime told me on the phone just now. It seems like you''re moving onto a different case, huh?¡±

    I came to when I heard Alice''s voice and I entered the bedroom.

    ¡°Y-yeah¡­ Some kouhais asked me.¡±

    ¡°Is there a remuneration?

    ¡°No, it''s just a favor. Since I never do anything at the Student Council, I couldn''t exactly refuse.¡±

    ¡°Be a little more conscious about your job as a professional detective''s assistant.¡±

    Alice turned around. There was no anger in her big round eyes, just surprise.

    ¡°Well, it doesn''t matter, as long as you give priority to your tasks here. If you need me to cooperate with that other case, I''ll deduct the investigation fee from your sry. With interests and in advance.¡±

    No matter how you look at her, this NEET Detective is a really greedy person. I sighed. Wouldn''t it be easier to just tell me that it''s absolutely unthinkable for me to neglect my work as an assistant?

    Now that I thought about it, being busier meant less time to think about unnecessary stuff. If Ayaka gets suspicious about the NEET Detective Squad being on the move and asks ''Another case?'' I could just say ''We''re chasing after a pervert''.

    When I knelt in front of the bed, Alice opened her mouth again.

    ¡°I understand the reason why you changed your mind.¡±

    ¡°¡­Eh?¡±

    ¡°You have decided not to get too involved in the Angel Fix matter, haven''t you?¡±

    ¡°Ah, y-yeah.¡±

    When I came here yesterday, I told Alice that I would be her hands and feet for this case and showed her a great fighting spirit, but today I was saying the exact opposite. And now it seemed like the guilt smoldering inside my chest had been seen through.

    ¡°It''s for Ayaka''s sake, isn''t it?¡±

    ¡°I''m d I have such a sharp employer.¡±

    I tried to make fun of her, but it didn''t go well.

    ¡°I don''t need your boring sarcasm. I''m simply lost.¡±

    ¡°Lost?¡±

    ¡°To know is to die. But a part of Ayaka is already dead already. What should I, a NEET Detective, do? Should I use my words as a sword and kill Ayaka once again?¡±

    I ced my hands on the edge of the bed and stared at the detective''s face without understanding.

    ¡°¡­What are you talking about? Killing Ayaka again? It''s fine if we just don''t let Ayaka know anything, what are you saying?¡±

    Alice brought a roon stuffed toy and a nket close to her chest.

    ¡°For now. And I also pray that it continues that way forever.¡±

    ¡°You mean, without having to get Ayaka to remember something about Fix?¡±

    ¡°In other words, it means the possibility exists.¡±

    I climbed up to the bed and edged close to Alice.

    ¡°Why? That''s impossible, isn''t it? And the guys that made the drug that Ayaka had contact with were also Toshi-san''s acquaintances, so what Ayaka would know, Toshi would know it too. There''s no need for Ayaka to cooperate.¡±

    ¡°That''s why I''m praying that it stays that way.¡±

    Alice hid her expressionless face under her ck hair and turned her back to me.

    I exited the Detective Agency. The short winter day was quickly ending and it was already getting dark. As I was going down the chilly emergency stairs, I thought back upon every single word Alice had said.

    A part of Ayaka was already dead.

    Killing her again.

    Possibility?

    The possibility¡­ of making Ayaka remember things rted to those red angels? What the hell. I don''t understand.

    I shook my head. My white breath coiled as I sighed, and ran down thest steps of the stairs.

    *

    From the next day on, I immediately started investigating the assault incidents, because I really didn''t want to think about Ayaka and the possibility that Alice had talked about.

    Yondaime had told me he knew the people from there, so I skipped the afternoon sses and went to the hotel where one of the incidents had taken ce. It was on the outskirts of the city center, in a noisy, crowded corner. I''m not old enough to be allowed in a love hotel, but I''ve walked this hotel district countless times already, andtely, for some reason I''ve unfortunately been remembering the names and locations of the hotels.

    The love hotel Juliana had a tasteless European castle-styled exterior, but if you went around it, you could see it was a sloppy, dirty building with cracked concrete, as if the facade was some kind of splendid papier mache. A great number of vinyl bags were piled up on the side of the back door squeezed inside a linen sack.

    They should have brought this case to Yondaime by the time of the incident, I thought. If they had moved faster, maybe the identity of the victim would had been found out in the blink of an eye.

    If I go right now, there might still be something left.

    On the way, I started doubting. I''m just a high schooler. I really don''t want to be seen around love hotels in broad daylight, let alone at said hotels'' back doors.

    When I mustered up my courage and stepped in front of the steel door, I heard a heavy and loud cracking noiseing from above that caused me to look up and gasp. It came from the window of the second floor. The window''s frame was entirely bent from the wall, and something that looked like sand -rust, probably- was sprinkling down.

    ¡°Iyaaaaaa!!¡±

    The voice of a young woman surged through the crack of the window frame. The next second, the sash creaked loudly and came offpletely. A half-naked girl fell down together with the ss and the sash. For a moment, I was unable to move my legs or any part of my body.

    Fortunately for her, the linen sack was right below. The stiffled collision sound echoed, and I quickly turned my face away. The metal and ss continued creaking, so I rushed in hot haste.

    ¡°Are you okay!?¡±

    The girl in underwear was copsed face up over the broken ss, and she looked in my direction. Her back had probably collided strongly against the window, and then the sash came off.

    When I got closer to her, I noticed she looked really young; she was either a university student, or in the worst-case scenario, a high school student. Blood was flowing from under her shoulders, she had probably been cut by the ss. I lifted her up from the sash by the armpits.

    I heard a small ''hih!'' from above and looked up at the hole in the wall, result of the disastrous circumstance, and saw a fat middle-aged man peeking in with a frightened face. He was naked, abnormally goggle-eyed, his lips were purple and he had thick reddish ck bags under his lower lids. When his eyes encountered mine, he let out a high-pitched cry again and ducked his face.

    What''s with that guy? Was he¡­ The one who attacked this girl? Should I chase after him? But what should I do with this girl? It could turn out bad if I call an ambnce.

    With those thoughts in my head, I finally called Yondaime.

    ¡°Yes, in that hotel''s back door¡­ It''s seems like a girl has been attacked.¡±

    In the middle of my conversation on the phone, the back door opened abruptly, and a man in a shirt and a vest appeared; probably an employee from the hotel.

    ¡°What happ¡±

    The employee halted mid-sentence and was startled when he saw the girl in my arms, then he quickly looked up and noticed the hole in the wall.

    ¡°Please catch that guy!¡± I shouted, pointing upwards, and the employee went back inside.

    The girl squirmed, and I covered her body with my duffle coat.

    ¡°Uuh¡­¡­ Nnh¡­¡±

    She opened her eyes and quickly tried to get up, moaning because of the pain in her back.

    ¡°Don''t move! You might have broken bones.¡±

    The girl bit her lip and shook her head, supporting herself with her hands to try to get up again. She rose her upper body and looked around restlessly, like she couldn''t ept what had just happened. She had ck hair and wore light makeup; I assumed she was probably around a year younger than me. Her whole body was trembling because of the cold.

    ¡°Ah¡­ M-my clothes¡­¡±

    ¡°Let''s go inside for now¡­¡±

    ¡°I have to escape¡­ gh, ugh¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°No, you can''t!¡±

    Was she doingpensated dating? Does she want to run away so badly because it will be bad if she''s found out? Anyway, she might be rted to the case so I can''t let her get away.

    ¡°I won''t call the police and if your wounds aren''t serious I won''t call an ambnce either! Calm down!¡±

    My words didn''t quite seem to get to her, and she started crawling on the concrete floor, dragging my duffle coat.

    At that moment, I heard a voice behind me.

    ¡°Aniki!¡±

    When I turned around, I saw two huge men in ck T-shirts running to me from the top of the deserted slope. I let out a sigh of relief: I''m saved.

    Yondaime and the owner of the hotel who was a skinny man with a ''rural yakuza'' aura also appeared at the same time. The girl was taken to a tight-lipped doctor Yondaime knows.

    The young man I had seen for just a moment on the back door seemed to be the receptionist, and he was between Yondaime and the owner in the office.

    ¡°Sorry, the man ran away¡­¡±

    The receptionist looked depressed as he said that.

    ¡°Oshima!! You idiot, that was a high schooler again, wasn''t it!? Imbecile! Just reject them at the entrance! Are you blind or what!?¡±

    The owner flew into a rage and scolded the receptionist, then he turned to see Yondaime and bowed his head to him.

    ¡°Sou-san, I beg you not to say anything about this. They''d cancel my business permit¡­¡±

    ¡°More importantly, do you remember the face of the man?¡±

    ¡°Eh, ah, no, not much¡­¡±

    The receptionist curled up.

    ¡°I saw his face. I''ll draw a portrait.¡±, I interjected.

    Yondaime red at me, and then he told ¡°get us some pen and paper¡± to the young receptionist called Oshima.

    I took the pen and paper and calmly started to reconstruct the face of that middle-aged man from my memories in my mind.

    ¡°We should have footage from the security cameras from the time he walked through the front right?¡±

    ¡°Ah, right, I''ll rewind it now.¡± Oshima ducked his head.

    ¡°Do you have any footage of the other uproar left?¡± Yondaime inquired.

    ¡°Y-yeah, there should be a week worth of footage, probably.¡±

    ¡°Let''spare it with that, then. It could be the same man.¡±

    Could it really be the same man? I mean, after causing an uproar with a paid date and running away from this hotel, would hee back and do the same thing again?

    ¡°T-that, I-I''ll look for that too, right now.¡±

    I''ll make it up to you, he said with his face pale, bowing his head countless times.

    When I grabbed the pen nib and stared at the white paper while hearing them converse, I suddenly got a feeling of uneasiness. The face of the man who was peeking out from the hole in the wall caused by the torn of window frame. There was something about his face. Trying to find that clue, I remembered his face. I started sliding the pen nib over the paper. A gourd-shaped face, double chin, slightly pushed out thick lips and sunken eyes, and his lower lids---

    His lower lids.

    My hand froze on the spot. I closed my eyes and recalled that instant once again. The man had pronounced bags under his eyes. Dry blood-colored, reddish-ck bags.

    The bitter taste inside my mouth was revived. My brain had shbacks of that feeling of intoxication, that feeling of being peeled off the reality, and that tremendous brightness.

    It can''t be.

    Are you rted this time, again?

    ¡°¡­What''s wrong, Gardening Club kid?¡± Yondaime said.

    The chair rattled as I stood up.

    ¡°Was the man like this?¡± I showed the portrait to Oshima.

    ¡°A-ah, aah, yes, that looks like him.¡±

    Hearing his answer, I quickly pped the paper against the desk and drew over the lower lids with so much strength that I almost broke the pen nib.

    ¡°He had blood congestions on his lower lids.¡±

    Yondaime lowered his brows in a grim expression.

    That reddish-ck blood congestion on the lower lids is the evidence left on the people who can''t understand the angels'' whispers--

    Angel Fix''s rejection.

    *

    The night of the same day, the whole team was reunited at the NEET Detective Agency for the first time in a while. Tetsu-senpai was at the right side of Alice''s bed, Hiro-san at the left, Major was sitting at its feet, and Yondaime was standing by the bedroom''s entrance with his arms crossed. There was no more room, so I was sitting on the bed by Alice''s side.

    ¡°Once again, this is a request from Yondaime. We have to catch the paid dating molester.¡± Alice said, looking at all of us.

    ¡°Since the group of mahjong bears couldn''t be caught, the investigation resources are no longer unrted. Tetsu, Major, Hiro, you three focus on the molester. If he''s rted to the Fix, that might lead us to the mahjong group.¡±

    ¡°Is it confirmed that the same pervert rapist bastardmitted all the crimes?¡± Crossing his arms too, Tetsu-senpai asked in a low voice.

    ¡°Not confirmed yet.¡± Yondaime answered. ¡°Two of the incidents were at that hotel Juliana, so the guy from the hotel said he was gonna look for the footage of the case from before. Hiro, you look for the victims of the other times and confirm it.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Narumi-kun, you said you knew a girl who heard rumors about one of the incidents, right? From the Student Council, was it? Tell me her name.¡±

    ¡°Ah, y-yes.¡±

    Chinatsu-chan''s ssmate who helped out at the Inspectionmittee, I think her name was Hishida Hanae-san.

    ¡°But I can talk to her when I go to school¡­¡±

    ¡°No, leave it to me. This is my field of expertise.¡±

    That shine in his eyes is incredibly suspicious. This guy is definitely taking advantage of the circumstances. I should warn her not to get close to Hiro-san.

    ¡°There''s also the girl who was attacked today¡­¡±

    ¡°I''ll go see her. I want to find out about her identity.¡± Major said.

    ¡°I''ll go to the police again. If they know his face, they can try tailing this guy too.¡± Tetsu-senpai''s gaze fell into the copy of the portrait I had drawn.

    ¡°I wonder if this old man decided to take the Fix and attacked the girl by himself, or there''s someone behind this¡­¡±

    ¡°There might be a crazy person ying god and distributing it again¡­¡± Hiro-san said. ¡°They could be intending to get people to take the drug and assault people, or something like that¡­ Didn''t that Hakamizaka have that kind of motives?¡±

    ¡°We can''t know what that man was thinking anymore. We can only specte.¡± Alice bluntly interrupted Hiro-san''s words.

    ¡°Yondaime, go to the hotels, karaokes and clubs and thoroughly find out if there have been simr incidents. The victims could have arranged theirpensated dates through their cellphones or the, so I''ll look into that, it should be easy.¡±

    Long hair slipped off the light blue pajama-d shoulders. The detective stood up. When she turned around, her hair spread up like a jellyfish, gently brushing my cheek as I was still squatting by her side.

    ¡°I won''t tell you to cast your hatred aside. I can''t do something like that. But threaten the secondw of thermodynamics, and efficiently change that hatred into your ability to take action.¡±

    The four people surrounding me nodded at the same time.

    ¡°Oh, and leave from the front.¡±

    Upon hearing the words Alice added, everyone''s gazes turned to the monitors of the security cameras for a moment.

    ¡°Yeah¡± ¡°Understood¡± ¡°Alright¡±

    The four backs full of confidence were sucked into the darkness of the door frame of the entranceway.

    No one asked the reason they should leave from the front door that was never used. Everyone knew already. I also saw the silhouette of the person reflected in the security cameras: Ayaka was carrying empty beer bottles and trash bags from the kitchen door.

    If they used the emergency stairs that gave onto the kitchen door and passed in front of Hanamaru, Ayaka would see the furious-looking detective squad and would surely sense the tension. She''s always been sharper than me. If possible, I didn''t want her to see anything concerning this case. The others wished the same.

    ¡­At least in that asion.

    Yondaime pierced me with his gaze before leaving, and I was left behind in the cold darkness by Alice''s side.

    Wouldn''t it be better if I wasn''t here?, I suddenly thought.

    If I returned to my normal existence for a while, going from home to school and from school to home, I''d end up not keeping up to date with the progress of the investigation, and I could smile naturally to Ayaka every morning when I saw her in the ssroom. I wouldn''t need to nervously chose my words as if I was picking them up with tweezers from a printed paper. And there was nothing I could do, anyway.

    ¡°What''s the matter? Are you that displeased by the fact that I didn''t assign a task to you?¡± Alice said, still by my side.

    ¡°Didn''t you say you wanted to stay as less involved as possible with anything rted to the Fix? You have contributed to the investigation with your portrait anyway, so you can be proud of yourself.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ Mh, you see¡­¡±

    When I told her I was thinking about noting to the Detective Agency for a while, Alice''s ck hair suddenly sprang up, hitting my cheek. It was because she had abruptly turned around. Various facial expressions danced on her face, and a sullen one remained in the end.

    ¡°D-do as you please!¡±

    Alice turned to the keyboard.

    ¡°If you want to return to your useless, meaningless, lethargic, Mughal Dynasty existence, then by all means, do it!¡± ¡°What was that about Mughal?¡± ¡°That was just an alliteration!¡±

    The keys being hit started to sound as if she wanted to punch a hole in concrete.

    ¡°For each day that you don''t show up here, I''ll deduct it from your sry, your debt will swell up as gloriously as the Napier Number.¡±

    What the hell. If you want me toe everyday you could just say it.

    ¡°N-nobody said such thing! I''m just talking about money!¡±

    Uwah. It''s been a while since thest time I identally leaked out my thoughts out loud. ¡°Aah, okay¡­ Sorry.¡±

    ¡°Whatever. If I use a stool I''ll be able to do theundry without falling into the washing machine, if I use the handle of a spoon I can easily pull the tabs of the Dr Pepper cans, and if I use Major''s specially designed hydraulic chopstick splitter I will be able to split the chopsticks myself!¡±

    ¡°No, well, if you grab the end of the splittable chopsticks and open them slowly, you''ll easily split them.¡±

    ¡°Wha, y-you should have said that sooner! Do you know how much money I invested in the development of that equipment¡ªNo! That''s not the point!¡±

    ¡°Sorry. I was really being an idiot. I''ll surelye over to help you from tomorrow on, Alice.¡±

    ¡°When did I say I was lonely!?¡±

    ¡°I didn''t say that either. You just said it, actually.¡±

    ¡°A-a-ah¡­¡± Alice turned dark red and trembled, embracing Lililoo and hiding her face behind it. ¡°F-forget about that immediately!¡±

    Why? Doesn''t everyone already know you''re lonely?, I thought, but if I carried on with this subject, it would turnplicated, so I cleared my throat and spoke again:

    ¡°Anyway, I reconsidered. I said it was for Ayaka''s sake and all that, but I can''t skip my duties as an assistant.¡±

    Because I have to be a windbreak for Ayaka''s sake. If I just cover my own eyes and shrink down, what good will that do? I have to stand up and see what the wind brings with my own eyes.

    ¡°Hmph. Are you saying you just want to wiggle up and down? If you want to be a street performer, then do it in front of the station. Go knock some empty cans, I don''t care in the least.¡±

    ¡°I said I''m sorry¡­¡±

    But when I turned around and walked to the entrance, I heard Alice''s voice behind my back.

    ¡°Stay until 19:00 when youe. If you don''t, Ayaka will ignore my orders and bring me whatever food she wants, so she will force me to eat a lot of noodles and meat.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    She suppressed the happiness in her voice, trying not to sound cheerful, but she still did.

    *

    The next day after school, I went to the Inspection room in order to talk to Chinatsu-chan once again. The Inspection room and the Student Council room are on the third floor where are the first year ssrooms are, and a rxed atmosphere could be felt on the corridors after the bell rang. Watching my innocent juniors happily chatting anding and going at a quick pace, I once again thought I really can''t afford to repeat the year.

    I was surprised by the face I saw at the entrance of the Inspection room. The one who wasing out was Hishida-san, the witness of the karaoke incident. Well, it wasn''t really unexpected. She did say she helped out at the Inspectionmittee.

    ¡°Ah, Fujishima-senpai¡­¡±

    Hishida-san was more surprised than me. She closed the door behind her in confusion. Why are you so scared?

    ¡°Is Chinatsu-chan here?¡±

    ¡°No, she''s not¡­ Didn''t she go back to the ssroom?¡±

    Should I wait then? No, I can just talk to Hishida-san.

    ¡°Uhm, you only told Chinatsu-chan, Kenzaki-san and me about the incident you witnessed, right?

    Hishida-san nodded with dubious eyes.

    ¡°That''s good. Please don''t talk about it to anyone else. Specially at school.¡±

    I said that because I didn''t want anything to appear in front of Ayaka''s eyes, but Hishida-san suddenly drew closer to me.

    ¡°I-isn''t that obvious!?¡±

    The raising of her voice made me step back, surprised.

    ¡°Of course I won''t say anything, I wasn''t even sure I should tell you, senpai!¡±

    ¡°S-sorry¡±

    I extended my hands to calm her down. Hishida-san bit her lip and lowered her gaze. I felt her anger vaporizing from her shoulders.

    ¡°¡­I''m sorry.¡±

    Muttering that, she went running through the corridor. I thought about chasing after her, but then again, I just wanted to warn her.

    I blew it. I should have let Hiro-san deal with it using his skills. I really don''t know what to say to people I don''t know, but Hiro-san had always been a lot better than me at it.

    But what the hell was that? Was what I said really something to get so mad about? I really don''t understand the first year girls'' involvement in this matter at all, like Chinatsu-chan and Kenzaki-san---

    ¡°---Fujishima-senpai?¡±

    When I turned around at the lively voice, Chinatsu-chan was skipping towards me, with her bunny barrette in her hair.

    ¡°You came to report your progress!? I''m thrilled!¡±

    ¡°Aah, yeah¡­¡±

    Right, I don''t fully understand the reason behind Chinatsu-chan and the other girls'' request. The other day, I got carried away with the serious topic about the serial paid dating incidents, so I can''t really ask any further anymore. Well, it could be a simple school-loving spirit.

    Chinatsu-chan entered the Inspection room with me.

    ¡°I didn''t make any important progress, but before that¡± I closed the door behind me. ¡°I don''t think you have told anyone, but don''t tell anyone else about this case. I don''t want rumors to keep spreading anymore¡­¡±

    When I showed up at Hirasaka-gumi''s office, I was greeted by two of the ck-shirted men with an ¡°Aniki, thanks for your hard work!¡± and a respectful bow. Lately, theckeys are always out and the office is really quiet.

    ¡°Just now, a guy called Oshima brought a DVD, saying that you or Sou-san would understand or something like that.¡±

    Oshima? DVD?

    ¡°He said something about a hotel and paid dating, so it must be a video from that, uhehe¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    I remembered. The receptionist from the Juliana hotel where the assaults happened. He probably brought the footage from the security cameras.

    ¡°That Oshima was a youngster, his eyes were all red and he had green bags under his eyes, so he probably spent the whole night making this video¡±

    ¡°No, he probably spent the night looking for the corresponding section¡­ Where''s that DVD?¡±

    ¡°Ah, everyone''s watching it inside.¡±

    The men in ck shirts were swarming like cockroaches around the PC desk of the storage room/bedroom.

    ¡°It''s been showing the front for some time now, what is this sheet!?¡± ¡°Get to the stripping scene already!¡±

    ¡°Shouldn''t we just hit the H key?¡± ¡°Alright, leave it to me!¡± ¡°Click on the woman''s tits!¡±

    ¡°What are you doing¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah! Aniki, perfect timing! Please use your god hand to make the high school girl from the video strip!¡± ¡°It doesn''t ever get to the sexy scene!¡± ¡°Aniki, we beg you!¡±

    I first thought about using my expulsion method on the ck shirt men: Drawing a woman in a sexy pose on a piece of paper, show it to them and throw it out the window. But I wasn''t in the mood to do that, so I took out my cellphone.

    ¡°Ooh! Aniki took out his cellphone!¡±

    ¡°Awesome! He''s writing a mail with just his thumbs!¡± Using other fingers would be difficult, you know.

    ¡°He''s writing a mail to Sou-san that reads ''Pleasee right now''!¡± ¡°As expected from Aniki!¡± ¡°The only people in this world who could send such a mail to Sou-san are Nee-san and Aniki!¡± ¡°Sou-san wille running!¡±

    Nine minutester, Yondaime really dide, and the men in ck shirts were knocked out one by one without exception.

    ¡°Stop cking off, you good-for-nothings! Didn''t you have to ask around the hotels?!¡±

    As I saw the guys scurrying away, I started to worry that their stupidity was growing bigger every day.

    ¡°Have you watched the footage already?¡± Yondaime said, ring at me.

    ¡°Ah, n-no, not yet, I was about to.¡±

    When I yed it on the PC, I noticed it was a really short video.

    ¡°What? Did that receptionist take the trouble of editing it?¡± Yondaime let out a shocked voice.

    The image projected in the monitor was of a rough ck and white. The front counter of this love hotel looked like a ticket seller from a zoo, and it was filmed obliquely from above. The date and the hour disyed at the lower right were from a Saturday a week before, at midnight.

    Perhaps this is the time when the incident happened.

    The person paying at the front and taking a key was the plump middle-aged man I had drawn. He had a gray down jacket and old-fashioned corduroy pants. Standing at a little distance was a shy young woman with sun burnt shoulders; a different girl from the one I had seen yesterday, of course. The video stopped when the couple that looked like a parent and a daughter because of the age difference disappeared at the right side.

    After some static, the image started again. The date and hour were yesterday''s early afternoon. The middle-aged man paying at the front was wearing a worn out trench coat and a suit. With the exception of the ck-haired girl that was now in the video, it was the same as the first half; obviously, since the camera had a fixed position.

    That ck-haired girl was without a doubt the girl who had fallen from the window.

    Yondaime who was standing beside the PC desk stretched his hand and stopped the video.

    ¡°Same guy?¡±

    ¡°Looks like it. But, why would he go to the same hotel twice¡­?¡±

    ¡°Maybe he''s just stupid, I don''t know.¡± Yondaime said. Then he told me about the girl from yesterday. After she was attacked, she was examined by the underground doctor Yondaime is acquainted with. Her only injuries were bruises andcerations, nothing serious, so she could go home.

    The doctor then exined the situation to Yondaime. The girl''s name was Toritani Shinobu, a 17-year-old who attends an all-girls private school in the metropolitan area. Her connection with the man who was with her couldn''t be known at all, and what was worse, the cellphone he had left at the hotel room had disappeared.

    ¡°Did the offender dispose of it?¡±

    ¡°Do you think he could be so calm to do that in that situation? And he''s someone stupid enough to use the same hotel after causing an uproar a week before, too.¡±

    I nodded at Yondaime''s words. He was possibly high on Angel Fix, and even if he wasn''t, he had been seen by me, so he was in a situation when he could only think about running away quickly. The thought of disposing of the girl''s cellphone should have slipped off his mind.

    ¡°Anyway, that man won''t sneak out that easily. Alice is now tracking the log of the dating web site Toritani Shinobu used, so it''s just a matter of time.¡±

    At that moment, the throaty voices of theckeys were heard from the other side of the office.

    ¡°Ojiki, thanks for your hard work!¡± ¡°Thanks for your hard work!¡±

    The one who opened the room''s door was Hiro-san, d in a cashmere coat.

    ¡°Wow, it''s been a while since I came here¡­ Oh, Narumi-kun is here too.¡±

    So as to not make Ayaka feel nervous, this time the investigation headquarters wouldn''t be the NEET Detective Agency but Hirasaka-gumi''s office. Hiro-san sat on the bed and took off his scarf, showing Yondaime and me a cellphone memo. A profile with the address of someone called Fukamachi Hitomi was disyed on the screen.

    ¡°I finally found one of the attacked girls. I''ve been really busy with madamstely and I haven''t been ying with high school girls, so it was hard to warm up the line here and there.¡±

    I couldn''t help but to feel admiration. From yesterday to today? That''s quite a discovery.

    ording to Hiro-san, Fukamachi Hitomi had epted a just holding hands for 20,000 deal with a man in a club''s toilet, but then he suddenly strangled her neck and tried to undress her. Other people saw them, so the man escaped. Seems like it''s the case from the end of the year.

    ¡°So, I showed the portrait to Hitomi-chan, and bingo.¡±

    Yondaime and I looked at each other.

    ¡°Then it''s settled.¡±

    ¡°ording to the rumors, not many girls have been attacked yet, with the exception of Hitomi-chan.¡±

    ¡°It has been happening in session. And we already know the face of the victim of the hotel.¡±

    ¡°I know, I know. Then we have our infiltration tactics and approach, so we''ll find them.¡±, Hiro-san said, looking at the paused video on the PC. ¡°We kinda know that old man''s job, and Narumi-kun saw his face and drew him so he can''t run away.¡±

    Hiro-san saved a picture of the girl from the footage of the earlier week''s incident and left the office at a quick pace.

    I pulled out the DVD from the PC and put it in my bag, straightened the sleeves of my duffle coat, and sat down again.

    This is full of tricks. Moreover, because of a countless number of little thorns, I can''t be certain.

    ¡°What''s wrong?¡±

    Yondaime looked over his shoulder at the storage room''s door.

    ¡°Go and take the DVD to Alice. Reporting to Alice is your job, isn''t it?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ have a feeling that something''s weird.¡±

    Yondaime narrowed his eyes and red at me steadily, and immediately leaned his back against the wall, folding his arms.

    ¡°Anything in concrete? Tell me.¡±

    ¡°No, I can''t say it clearly, but there''s something weird about what this man''s doing. There''s the thing about using the same hotel twice, but first of all, even though he caused several uproars, was discovered and had to run away every time, why would he do it again? And how did he sessfully run away each time? And being high, too. All these little things are making me uneasy.¡±

    There was something else that didn''t fit, but I was unable to put it into words. Yondaime snorted sullenly and said:

    ¡°Go to Alice''s ce.¡±

    ¡°¡­Eh? Ah, o-okay.¡±

    ¡°You might not notice, but since I''ve been hanging out with Alice for more than three years already, I know. Thisst year, the speed with with she solves the cases has increased dramatically.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± What is he talking about?

    ¡°And that''s because she made friends with an idiot who jumps into the river holding a rope in his mouth before the bridge is hanged.¡±

    I blinked, and then I finally understood what Yondaime was saying.

    ¡°If some silly thinges to your mind, don''t tell me. Tell your owner. That''s your way of doing things.¡±

    Yondaime opened the door to the main room with his foot and nodded over at me. I ducked my head and pushed the PC''s power button, exiting the store room.

    When Yondaime opened the office''s iron door, his cellphone rang.

    ¡°¡­What? ¡­You found it? ¡­No, don''t bring it here, take it to Alice''s ce directly, I''ll be there in a minute.¡±

    After hanging up his phone, Yondaime looked at me.

    ¡°They found Toritani Shinobu''s cellphone.¡±

    I opened my eyes. Toritani Shinobu¡ªYesterday''s victim.

    ¡°It had fallen under the hotel''s bed, it seems the receptionist found it first. It looks like they didn''t dispose of it after all.¡±

    With this, if Alice analyzes the phone''s history, the identity of that middle-aged man will be discovered easily.

    Yondaime and I exited the building and got into a car. When I leaned my back against the cold passenger''s seat, my impression that something wasn''t quite right felt stronger than ever.

    ¡°Ah, Fujishima-kun!¡±

    When I passed in front of the ramen shop''s kitchen door to go up the emergency stairs, Ayaka came out from there. She wasn''t wearing her ck apron yet, so she had probably got there just now.

    ¡°It seems like you''re doing your work properly at the Inspectionmittee, Chinatsu-chan looks really happy.¡±

    ¡°Eh? Ah, y-yeah.¡±

    ¡°You''re practicing to not be a NEET, right? Do your best, Fujishima-kun!¡±

    Sorry, Ayaka. The job Chinatsu-chan asked me to do is a yakuza-like business that will make me a NEET at full speed. I joined my palms together in my heart.

    ¡°Well, I also have something to ask you¡­¡±

    ¡°W-what?¡±

    ¡°I was wondering if you could make armbands again¡­¡±

    Ayaka was the leader of a Student Council organ going by the weird name of Central Gardening Meeting¡ªWhich was in fact just the Gardening Committee¡ªso she wore a ck armband with an orange logo.

    ¡°Huh? There were forty of them at the start¡­ Are they no longer there?¡±

    ¡°You see, they¡­ Somewhat disappeared.¡± Ayaka said, making an apologetic frown. ¡°They were together with the copying equipment and the activity diary, but god knows where the case is now. I was sure I had left it in the Inspection room''s shelves, but¡­ I wonder if it''s in the Student Council room¡­¡±

    ¡°I can do those armbands anytime, so it''s okay. And I''ll look for the case in the Inspection and the Student Council rooms when I have free time.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Fujishima-kun!¡±

    Ayaka immediately cheered up and went back through the kitchen door. I softly stroked down my chest. I had gotten here on Yondaime''s car, and Yondaime had entered the Detective Agency through the building''s front so that Ayaka wouldn''t notice him. Ayaka didn''t suspect anything about this case.

    I went up the emergency stairs while thinking It would be nice if this case gets solved quickly. I hope everything goes as expected, without Ayaka knowing anything. But with every step I was taking, that feeling of uneasiness was sticking to my shoe soles, like an ivy sprouting and spreading, twining around my feet. What is this? There was some kind of connection, but I couldn''t find the clue.

    Yondaime was sitting in the kitchen of the Detective Agency, talking to someone on the phone.

    ¡°Right. Mi-ya-gi-shi No-bu-o, Miyagishi Nobuo. I mailed you his address, it''s in Oota. Send four people go there and thepany he works at too, it''s possible he arrives carefreely. Alice is now tracking Miyagishi''s cellphone''s GPS. It''s just a matter of time.¡±

    Is he giving instructions to his subordinates? Yondaime nodded at me and I passed through, entering the bedroom. Alice was on the bed with her gaze fixed on the monitors.

    ¡°As you can see, we''ve found that man''s identity.¡±

    Alice said with her back turned at me. I gulped. They just brought the girl''s cellphone here and she already finished cracking it and analyzing it? A phone is a cluster of private information, and a seriously dreadful amount of information can be obtained through it.

    ¡°Miyagishi Nobuo works as a designer at a design office called Meguro.¡±

    Above Alice, the best monitor in the room disyed Miyagishi Nobuo''s private information. There was also a picture of his face. The second monitor at the left disyed showed a still from the love hotel''s front security camera''s footage. It was the same man on both pictures. It was the same face.

    ¡°He earns a great ie and is single, so he''spletely absorbed intopensated dating.¡±

    I sat on the edge of the bed and sighed.

    So, once she finishes cracking his GPS, Hirasaka-gumi''s men will probably break into his house and hispany and Miyagishi will be found and done for.

    The conditioned air revealed the outlines of the bad feeling sticking to my arms. It''s definitely weird.

    Alice turned around:

    ¡°You think it''s strange, too?¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°Me too. I''m unable to stomach this conclusion. We''re progressing at an incredibly good timing.¡±

    Alice''s words forcibly thrust the cold into my skin. Yes, everything is going too smoothly. Something''s weird. We''re overlooking something.

    That something was on the upper left of my field of vision.

    I held my breath and raised my gaze. The bedsheets got stranded in my knees as I stared at the monitor: The security camera''s video from the front.

    ¡°Alice, rewind this.¡±

    ¡°Hm? I''m in the middle of an operation, do it yourself.¡±

    She left the mouse to me. I moved the video''s seek bar from left to right countless times to be certain.

    There''s no doubt.

    ¡°Alice, there.¡±

    I pointed, and Alice turned her body and followed my gaze.

    ¡°There''s a potted nt in the entry hall on the video.¡±

    ¡°What about it?¡±

    ¡°This potted nt''s shadow is almost directly on the right, on the video from yesterday and onst week''s too.¡±

    ¡°Well, obviously, it''s a fixed camera¡±

    Alice gulped down halfway through her words. Her gaze met mine for just an instant, and then she jumped at her keyboard. A heavy rain of key hitting started. She scrolled through a great number of characters on the monitors.

    Just when Yondaime finished his long phone conversation and entered the bedroom, Alice''s hands had already stopped. Alice and I were staring at the expanded reality in the monitor.

    ¡°Miyagishi Nobuo has been absent without permission since yesterday. A guy from thepany said that they can''tmunicate with him either. His house is alsopletely empty. He ran away¡­ Were you able to get into his cellphone''s GPS?¡±

    Alice answered Yondaime''s question with her back at him.

    ¡°I was. Miyagishi''s cellphone is at his house, so we can''t use it to pursuit him.¡±

    Yondaime slightly tilted his head and clicked his tonge.

    ¡°He left his cellphone behind and ran away? We''re at the starting point again? Where could he ran off to?¡±

    Just like Alice, Yondaime probably noticed upon following my gaze, and he was quiet for a brief moment.

    ¡°¡­What''s that list?¡±

    Disyed in that monitor there was a list of eight girls, their names, phone numbers and schools they attended.

    ¡°A list of the paid dating women?¡± Yondaime said. I nodded slightly. We already knew three of the names on that list:

    Toritani Shinobu: The girl who feel down the window.

    Fukamachi Hitomi: The one Hiro-san found, the club victim.

    And the third one¡­ Hishida Hanae.

    Alice began hitting the keyboard with both hands again.

    ¡°We can find Miyagishi. From now on I''ll deal with everything rted to machines and focus on cracking GPS; Yondaime, prepare the car and urgently meet everyone at Hotel Juliana! I wonder if we''ll be in time¡­¡±

    ¡°Oi, what do you mean? Did Miyagishi do something?¡±

    ¡°I''ll exinter, hurry up!¡±

    Yondaime clicked his tongue at Alice words and quickly turned to the Agency''s entrance. I dialed Hiro-san''s number on my cellphone and went behind Yondaime.

    The car we were chasing after was going towards South Sakurada Avenue, near Meiji Gakuin University. I was on the passenger seat of Yondaime''s Maserati, and Hiro-san''s dark gray BMW was a bit ahead.

    ¡°I saw it, the number is¡­ From Shinagawa¡­¡±

    The short day was ending, and I was reporting to Alice while looking through binocrs in the twilight-drenched road. I had this hands-free system for a while, but I never thought I would find it so useful. After a short silence only crushed by the sound of the elerating vehicle, Alice''s voice came back.

    ''That''s the car, there''s no doubt. Do you see who''s on that car?''

    Among all the tail lights that were like banks of fish at the bottom of the sea, Hiro-san''s BMW swiftly got closer to the targeted car by the left side. Said prey was a red Suzuki Alto Works.

    ''There''s a girl on the passenger''s seat.''

    ''That''s probably Toritani Shinobu.'' Alice said. From all the paid dating girls, she was the only one whose whereabouts couldn''t be confirmed. ''This is bad, she''s also in danger. Can you look a bit more into the car''s interior?''

    ''It''s a bit dark¡­''

    None of us could see clearly inside the car.

    I heard Tetsu-senpai''s voice, as he was on the same car as Hiro-san.

    ''A huge man in a suit got into the car.''

    I gulped, briefly exchanging nces with Yondaime on the driver''s seat. Is it Miyagishi? Yondaime pressed the elerator, meandering through the width of the road and surpassing car after car. When we saw the Alto Works small rear and the big BMW''s back, we heard Hiro-san letting out an ''Ah-''.

    ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Yondaime asked.

    ¡°They saw me. I''ve been noticed, kinda.¡±

    It was as Hiro-san said. The Alto Works quickly elerated, its rear lights bing smaller. Yondaime clicked his tongue and slowed down. The Alto Workspletely ignored the traffic lights changing to red and rushed through the intersection.

    ¡°Hiro, I''m going to kill you! If you don''t wanna die, get back!¡±

    Yondaime shouted. I knocked the back of my head against the seat''s head rest. The cars rushed away side by side from left to right on the intersection, and the bank of headlights advanced on. The noisy car horns beat my consciousness. Hiro-san didn''t say anything in reply, but the car that was ahead of our Maserati and crossed over the traffic light was the big BMW''s back. Before that, its back lights that were like hidden in the darkness had caught a glimpse of the red Alto Works. Avoiding the cars ahead of us on the left and the right, Yondaime lowered his speed almostpletely.

    I was feeling as if I had been thrown into a washing machine. I didn''t really feel dizzy, but it was as if my brains and my gastric juices were mixing and blending together, I couldn''t know for sure if I was having nausea or a headache.

    Before long, we passed Hiro-san''s BMW. What was unbelievable, however, was the Alto Works running away. Although it was a light motor vehicle, it forcibly made its way through the small space between both cars in front of it, making it impossible for us to chase after it. Isn''t he scared to cause an ident?

    The second time it ignored the traffic light there were cars turning to the right, so it simply thrust its muzzle, forming a perfect letter S and running through. The horns increased, obviously sounds of collisions were heard, and I ducked my head.

    As expected, Yondaime put his foot on the brake. He elerated again throwing his Maserati into the messy row of cars from the left. As if it was sneering at us, the twilight-colored Alto Works'' back approached another traffic light. Driving recklessly was now out of the question.

    ¡°That bastard, is he stoned?¡±

    Yondaime cursed. I was taken aback¡ªThat possibility existed. Angel Fix sharpens every sense to its limits. If that was the case, the fellow passenger was in even greater danger.

    The Alto Works''s back quickly slipped into the darkness and disappeared, narrowly turning to the left. The GPS pursuit application in the car navigation system''s marker blinked.

    ''Yondaime, stay there, Hiro, go to the bypass, we''re going to narrow down his route!''

    Alice shouted. Yondaime turned in the direction of a building on the left, and the tires made a shrill noise. I bumped my head against Yondaime''s left shoulder. The tail light concealing itself in the darkness was dimly visible. Cutting a swath through the on-street bicycle parking, the Maserati elerated again.

    The Alto Works'' movements were strange; even though it was a straight road, it kept scraping against the roadside trees.

    Is it because of the drug?

    I shivered.

    What will happen if an angel takes him away while he''s driving? Do we¡­ Do we have a way to stop him?

    ¡°--Alice!¡±

    I squeezed out my voice.

    ¡°Can you crack that guy''s cellphone? Can you tamper with his ringtone?¡±

    ¡°Ringtone? What are you¡±

    ¡°Bob Dn''s! The one that calls them!¡±

    I heard the detective letting out a small gasp. Holding the steering wheel, Yondaime''s face contorted. The sound of the keys being hit was stirring up my consciousness, but it ceased before long.

    In the stifling silence, the Alto Works slid into an alley at its right, disappearing from our field of vision for a moment. The instant the Maserati turned to the right street, time stopped inside me.

    Like diluted ink, the small red car''s right tire emerged from the darkness and could be seen dimly, unmoving. It was almost inaudible, but the piercing guitar and organ of Knockin'' on Heaven''s Door''s intro could be heard resounding from the cellphone. It pierced through me, knocking the door of a far-off memory. I couldn''t breath.

    The Alto Works'' body started leaning to the left, by inches. The bass pulsed, the chorus heaped. Soon, Dn''s singing voice reached out to me from that distant, distant night.

    I breathed out. At that instant, time melted at once.

    The fierce fricative sound was piercing my ears, and the small red car swung and spun. Yondaime stepped on the brake. I covered my face with my hands. From the gaps between my fingers, I saw the Alto Works crashing sideways into a concrete wall.

    Under the dim fluorescentmps of the narrow alley, the red light motor vehicle was caught between the BMW and the Maserati, its hood showered with fragments of the concrete wall.

    Tetsu-senpai was the first to rush out of the BMW''s passenger''s seat, thrusting his hand into the Alto Work''s torn window and unlocking the door, dragging the fat man out from the back seat.

    ¡°Oi, Narumi, what is this? No one exined anything to me!¡±

    Tetsu-senpai cursed, looking down at the suit-d middle-aged man who had tumbled off the car. He leaned over, unfastening the tower that was gagging his mouth.

    Miyagishi Nobuo. That man whose face I saw only once at the hotel, and then two times on the security camera''s footage. His hands seemed to be tied behind him, and he was coughing violently, twisting his constrained body.

    ¡°Isn''t this old man the criminal? Why is he all tied up? Why¡±

    Tetsu-senpai looked at the Alto Works driver seat. It was the exact part that had crashed into the wall, so it was the part that was crushed the worst.

    Hiro-san turned to the passenger seat and opened the door.

    ¡°¡­It''s alright now. Are you hurt badly? It''s okay, you can get off.¡±

    Saying those kind words to the girl in a uniform, he reached his hand out to her and helped her out of the car.

    It was indeed the high school girl who had been hurt for falling off the hotel''s window, Toritani Shinobu. She was looking downwards, embracing her own chest, trembling like a rabbit drenched in the rain.

    Lastly, Yondaime went into the car from the empty passenger''s seat, dragging out the body on the driver''s seat. His deep blue jacket, his hair, forehead and nape were covered in blood.

    That person was Hotel Juliana''s receptionist, Oshima.

    ¡°Why is this guy here?¡±

    Yondaime said along with a rough sigh, ring at me as I was getting off the Maserati.

    ¡°Because that Oshima is the real criminal.¡±

    My dry voice seemed to vanish, mixing up with the wind blowing on the city''s night into the alley.

    Yondaime, Tetsu-senpai and Hiro-san looked at me with bewildered eyes.

    ¡°Are you saying this guy is the one who assaulted all those girls?¡± Hiro-san inquired, quickly ncing at Oshima.

    ¡°No. This isn''t a case of serial assaults in the first ce.¡±

    While I was speaking, I nced at Toritani Shinobu''s face.

    ¡°Then what is it?¡± Tetsu-senpai asked. I let out a warm exhtion and gulped down.

    ¡°It''s a systematic badger game.¡±

    Toritani Shinobu''s shoulders shook, suddenly but subtly.

    Hiro-san took Toritani Shinobu and the still blood-drenched Oshima aboard his BMW''s back seats. I was also transferred to that car''s passenger seat.

    Miyagishi''srge body was corked up on the back of the Maserati, and Tetsu-senpai was sitting beside him.

    I heard Yondaime talking with Hirasaka-Gumi''sckeys, giving them instructions to deal with the broken car left behind. With that, both cars got going.

    Toritani Shinobu had Oshima''s head on herp, showing a pitiful look as she wiped his blood with a handkerchief.

    They''re probably lovers, I thought. It''s possibly one-sided on the girl''s part, though.

    Shortly after the car had started, Hiro-san said with a sigh:

    ¡°¡­It was all a frame-up from the start, then?¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°Oshima probably managed thepensated dating group. That''s why all the incidents were simr in prices and conditions. Then, he thought this method would be far more profitable than normal prostitution. He made him assault girls in ces he knew, using the camera''s footage to ckmail.¡±

    At any rate, if it was made public, it would be a criminal case, making it a much more effective threat than a normal badger game.

    To go that far, he must have wanted arge sum of money sooner rather thanter, I thought. Why? What on earth stimted Oshima that badly?

    ''Hey, wait a second.''

    I heard Tetsu-senpai''s voiceing from the speakers. The voice system was still connected with the car behind us.

    ''Why were the men conveniently violent every time? Did he only pick perverts with a hidden sadistic side or something?''

    ''Are you an idiot?'' Yondaime interjected in a shocked tone. ''They were drugged.''

    ''Ah¡­''

    Tetsu-senpai became speechless.

    ¡°He made them take Angel Fix!?¡±

    Hiro-san turned his gaze to the reflection in the rear mirror, looking at Oshima on Toritani Shinobu''sp.

    ¡°Is he stupid? That''s incredibly dangerous. Did he want money that badly? What was he thinking?¡±

    ¡°Oshima-san was¡±

    For the first time, Toritani Shinobu''s voice was heard.

    ¡°¡­Whenever we met with men, he always stayed in the room next door and things like that, and immediately went to stop them, so¡­¡±

    ¡°The one who turned the cameras and also hid the men when the disturbances urred was Oshima, right?¡±

    I confirmed it with her.

    Her ck haired suddenly fell to her face. She must have nodded. When the incident at the karaoke happened, the paid dating man using the room at the end ran away sessfully, probably because Oshima probably let him into his room next door and hid him.

    But this risky thing wouldn''t go smoothly forever. Before long, Oshima got the joker. I became an eye witness¡ªIn yesterday''s incident.

    The way the man attacked the girl, and the fact that the window would break wasn''t expected at all.

    It was just bad luck to Oshima; the eyewitness was me, Yondaime''spanion, so in the blink of an eye, the danger of Hirasaka-gumi investigating the matter rose to the surface.

    ¡°And then, Oshima thought about making it look like serial paid dating assault incidents, framing Miyagishi Nobuo as the criminal.¡±

    A throaty cry came from the speakers. Was it Miyagishi, who was on the other car?

    ¡°The scheme consisted on making it seem like there was no such thing as a paid dating group, but a single perverted man who assaulted the girls he went out with one after another.¡±

    ¡°¡­So, that security camera footage was made up by Oshima. I''ve been careless too, huh.¡±

    Yondaime said in a pained voice. It was just as he said.

    The video from Hotel Juliana where two of the incidents took ce that Oshima submitted saying it was footage fromst week''s incident was fake. First, the paid dating group members called a different girl, threatened Miyagishi Nobuo who was confined, and made him act with the girl in the front.

    ¡°It''s like that, right, Miyagishi-san?¡±

    When I inquired, a twitchy cry came from the speakers again.

    ''¡­Y-yes, but, who are you guys¡­?''

    ''Don''t say unnecessary stuff'' Tetsu-senpai interrupted in a threatening tone. ''So, they framed this perverted old man as the criminal, they were going to take him out and disappear with him, but what did they intend to do after that?''

    Who knows, I don''t know that either. Perhaps they didn''t even think about it.

    Oshima might have been just walking a tightrope, but he did it quite well. Hiding Toritani Shinobu''s cellphone at once, deleting all the dangerous messages and the received calls history and reporting to Hirasaka-Gumi that he had found it today was a really clever n.

    Because of that information control, Yondaime and I half believed that Miyagishi was the only criminal.

    ''Gardening Club kid, when did you notice?''

    Yondaime''s questioning voice oozed bitterness.

    ¡°No, well, I didn''t really notice until thest moment. It was when I looked at the video from the security camera again in Alice''s room. The shadow of potted nt in the entry hall was the same on yesterday''s andst week''s video.¡±

    ''The potted nt''s shadow? What the hell?''

    ¡°Don''t you get it? Last week''s incident was at midnight. There wasn''t light from outside, so the potted nt shouldn''t be casting a shadow to the opposite side of the entry hall. That was the evidence that it was a fake video filmed at daytime.¡±

    The sound of a deep exhtion came from the speakers; most likely from Yondaime. His admiration probably wasn''t aimed towards me but to Oshima. The desperate measures he took were a big deal. Even if it was just for a moment, he deceived Yondaime, Alice and me.

    But that wasn''t all.

    I heard an ''U-uh'' voice from behind. Oshima was trying to lift his head from the girl''sp. He opened his bloodstained eyelids just a little, peeking at the cloudy light.

    ¡°¡­Money, need money¡±

    Oshima groaned.

    ¡° Money- ¡­¡­To Shushuri, money¡­¡­¡±

    What? What did he say just now? I turned my body from the passenger seat, trying to look at Oshima''s face, but he had lost his energy and had fallen into the girl''sp again.

    I sighed and returned to my seat, pressing my back against it.

    Sobbing reached my ears from behind.

    ¡°¡­I told you¡­ We should stop¡­¡±

    Holding Oshima''s head in her arms, Toritani Shinobu muttered while weeping.

    ¡°You can''t run away anyways, you were even stopped¡­¡±

    Oshima probably knew more than anyone that he couldn''t run away. That''s why he had been relying on Angel Fixtely.

    A faint connection noise came from the speakers.

    Soon, the voice of a little girl was heard.

    ''¡ªIs Oshima conscious?''

    ¡°No¡­ Just now he opened his eyes for a moment, but¡­¡±

    I answered that to Alice, and gazed at Oshima''s face on the girl''sp.

    Under his eyelids, there were distinct reddish-ck blood congestions.

    He might not be able to turn back¡ªI had that feeling. His wounds might not be serious, but his soul has been probably rejected by the angels already, thrown away into the depths of the earth. Those words have been probably lost for all eternity.

    What was he saying just now? I clearly heard something about money. Then I heard some unfamiliar words¡­ --Shushuri? Or something like that.

    Once again, Alice''s voice resounded from the speakers, interrupting my thoughts.

    ''Well then, Toritani Shinobu, do you hear my voice?''

    The girl hugging Oshima''s head trembled.

    ¡°¡­What¡­ What? T-this voice, no¡­¡±

    ¡°She''s just talking through the radio, so it''s okay.¡± I said,forting her. My words were just a reverberation inside an empty shell, serving no purpose.

    But Alice''s words were different, because they were des.

    ''Toritani Shinobu. I only have one question for you. After you answer it, you can either surrender, or spend the rest of your life as a grave keeper¡ªDo as you please. I''m personally not interested in the slightest.''

    Alice''s cold words minced the girl''s body. She just shook her head. Her muffled crying voice had already ceased. Only the roar of the car running on the night street remained.

    ''Are the members of thepensated dating group socially linked with each other? Do you know Hishida Hanae from M High School?¡±

    Toritani Shinobu fell silent. Then she raised her knees, bringing Oshima''s face closer to hers, letting their foreheads touch.

    It didn''t seem like she had nodded, and Alice couldn''t have seen her either, however, the detective carried on with her questioning.

    ''That being the case, you probably know about a favor Oshima asked Hishida Hanae. Somethingpletely unrted topensated dating, something that only Hishida Hanae could do.''

    Silence again.

    Holding the steering wheel, Hiro-san quickly nced at the back seat. The car made an abrupt turn to the left, entering the national highway. It was noisy, and the night outside the window was studded with the lights of the cars that were running parallel to us.

    ''If you keep silent, Oshima''s wish will keep buried at the bottom of the trash. His feelings will remain unreachable.''

    The detective''s sophistry, I thought.

    The detective can''t guarantee that she can reach the exact ce where those feelings are. We don''t know what kind of man Oshima is, pr what is he thinking, we know nothing.

    What was he so impatient about? If he continued managing the paid dating group, and if it gave him a stable ie, why would he kill the goose thatys the golden eggs? Something must have driven him to the wall. Just who, and with which words did they let him hear the whispers of the red angels'' wings?

    I don''t know.

    In the first ce, we don''t have a reason to give form to his words.

    But--

    Before long, she opened her mouth.

    ¡°¡­Oshima-san is¡­¡±

    *

    I like the fifteen minutes after the bell that signals the end of the ss rings.

    When everyone draws their chairs back, sounding like they''re hitting a galvanized te, reverberating like a sudden shower rain; the footsteps and friendly chatting voices gradually filling the corridors; when the bell rings, the atmosphere changes into a rxed mood¡ªThe kind of feeling you get when you''re gazing at the ebb tide rising in the shoal.

    The thing was,tely I had been feeling nothing but this outside the ssroom. I skipped the sixth period again.

    When I gazed at the corridor, students wereing out one by one from the doors of the first year ssrooms aligned on the left side.

    With my back against the Inspection room''s door, as if I was hiding my body within the shadows of the lockers, I waited. The scenery in sight from the third floor''s window that was partly the sky and partly the city wasn''t calm.

    ¡°Fujishima-senpai¡­ What is it? Geez.¡±

    When I separated my body from the door upon hearing a voice, I saw the Student Council president, Kenzaki-san, rushing over my way, holding her bag.

    ¡°Sending something like e immediately after ss''¡­ How do you know my mail address in the first ce¡±

    ¡°Aah, sorry for looking it up without permission. You see, there''s a reason for it.¡±

    I had to get Kenzaki-san to be the only person toe in front of the Inspection room, so I asked Alice to find out her cellphone''s mail address.

    ¡°You''re not going to enter the Inspection room?¡±

    ¡°I sent Hishida-san out to fetch the key just now.¡±

    When Hishida-san''s name was mentioned, Kenzaki-san''s facial expression clouded slightly. What a sharp perception this girl has. She sensed the reason why I had called her to talk.

    I took a deep breath and continued talking.

    ¡°I solved the case you asked me to look up.¡±

    ¡°W-wait a minute, please, talking about this in this ce is¡±

    Kenzaki-san looked around nervously.

    ¡°It''s okay, the talk will be short. The manager has been caught, so the group is done for.¡±

    Kenzaki-san''s gaze fell to her feet. The fact that no questions were asked even after I said such ambiguous words were more evidence than anything.

    ¡°Kenzaki-san, you knew already, right? Chinatsu-chan knew, too.¡±

    Her gaze turned to my face again. Her facial expression looked as she was holding back any sentiment from taking form.

    ¡°Hishida-san wasn''t a witness of the karaoke incident. She was the victim.¡±

    There weren''t any eyewitnesses, just the victim herself¡ªBecause she was also part of thepensated dating group managed by Oshima.

    Kenzaki-san tightly caught hold of her left arm with her right hand, turning her face away from me.

    ¡°¡­It''s just¡­ Isn''t that just wrong? It happened to her, but she talked as if it was someone else''s business, saying things like ''I''ll consult it with my friends''¡­ We went along with that. I somehow understand that much, because we''ve been friends with Hanae since a long time.¡±

    I nodded.

    Those were the true colors behind the uneasiness I felt towards Kenzaki-san and Chinatsu-chan''s motives.

    The Student Council members'' wanting to do something about the paid dating rape attempts urring in the city was indeed something unreasonable.

    But these girls didn''t do it to protect the peace at school in their role of staff members.

    They just wanted to help their friend.

    Bowing her head and saying ''Thank you very much, excuse me'', Kenzaki-san entered the Student Council room.

    Once I made sure the door had been closed, I turned on my heels and pulled the Inspection room''s door open.

    Sitting on the desk surrounded by steel racks of the Inspection, Hishida-san was sobbing. A little earlier, I had called her here, telling her to wait. I''m d that my words reached her.

    I closed the door behind me, waiting until her weeping was almost indistinguishable from the after-school noise.

    I don''t know the details about how he got to know Oshima and started doingpensated dating.

    Alice or Yondaime probably would be capable of squeezing out more information about her connection to Oshima, but right now I don''t have the willpower to do so.

    Hishida-san wanted to quit doingpensated dating, but she couldn''t speak her mind about it to anyone, so to ease her pain, she decided to talk to her two friends pretending it had happened to someone else. That SOS signal properly reached her friends.

    For that reason, no detective-like words woulde out of my mouth at that moment.

    Hey, Hishida-san. You started helping out at the Inspectionmittee under Oshima''s orders from the start, right? He ordered you to steal something that was stored somewhere within M High, right?

    That question withered inside my throat.

    ¡°Are you going to continue helping out at Inspection?¡±

    With her eyes red from crying, Hishida lifted her head, just a little.

    ¡°You were helping out to make everyone happy¡ªYou told a lie of that kind, right?¡±

    For that reason, I want her to continue helping out at the Inspectionmittee. I want the lie she told Chinatsu-chan to not be a lie. Besides, I can''t do Inspection work at all.

    Hishida-san jumped off the desk, passing by my side, and she walked out of the Inspection room at a quick pace. That''s still fine for now, though. It''s just a matter of time until her tears dry.

    After that, I heard the sound of the contiguous Student Council door opening vigorously, and a voice resounding clearly from the other side of the wall.

    ¡°Kaya-chan! Is it true!? Is the case closed!? ¡­Uwah, awesome! As expected from Fujishima-senpai! I have to tell Hana-chan right now!¡±

    It was Chinatsu-chan''s voice. Kenzaki-san''s rebuking voice was also heard immediately. Yes, if you suddenly go and tell her so joyfully, the effort you put into pretending you didn''t notice she was lying will go to waste.

    It would be bothersome if Chinatsu-chan saw me now, so I also left the Inspection room. Straightening the sleeves of my duffle coat, I carried my bag on my shoulders and started going down the stairs, passing by the the cheerful first year students.

    ¡°¡­Sorry, I couldn''t confirm it with Hishida Hanae.¡±

    As soon as I showed up at the NEET Detective Agency, I reported to Alice.

    ¡°I thought so.¡± She said with her back turned on me.

    ¡°What do you mean by ''I thought so''?¡±

    ¡°Your employer can''t properly calcte your bottomless softheartedness. The information obtained through Toritani Shinobu is enough. In addition, the Gardening Committee''s armbands were found in Oshima''s room, so it''s settled.¡±

    I sighed, leaning my back on the bedroom''s doorframe.

    ¡°How''s Oshima''s condition?¡±

    ¡°He''s still unconscious.¡±

    As I thought, huh. My mood became dark.

    ¡°That''s why we still don''t know who gave it to him. Anyway, inside the case found in Oshima''s room, there was the armbands, a pen, vinyl tape and safety pins only. The copy of the activity journal from the Gardening Club times haspletely disappeared. There''s hardly any doubt¡­¡±

    Alice turned around, her cold gaze piercing through the pit of my stomach.

    ¡°--Their objective is the cultivation notes for the poppy flowers Ayaka grew.¡±

 Volume 8, 3

    <h4>Volume 8, Chapter 3</h4>

    Toshi-san, who I hadn''t seen in a year, was like the root of a tree that can''t rot, twisting and drying uppletely in the soil.

    ¡°¡­Aah. Narumi, huh?¡±

    Switching his gaze from the TV to my face, Toshi-san spoke in a hoarse voice.

    ¡°Why the hell is everyone like this? Dad''s the same. I told you not to enter, what the hell?¡±

    When he clutched his face, some hair between his fingers came out, falling onto the dark floor.

    I gulped and looked around inside the room. Magazines, convenience store bags, half-eaten snacks and opened videogame packages were lying around, and I almost couldn''t know where the bed or the chair were.

    Dust wasnguidly floating in the light that slipped off from the hem of the opaque curtains.

    ¡°You''re alone?¡±

    ¡°No. Tetsu-senpai is waiting outside.¡±

    Toshi-san made an ominous sound and coughed, then he opened his mouth again.

    ¡°Ayaka¡­ Does she still not remember me?¡±

    I nodded, remembering the dull pain in the pit of my stomach.

    Toshi-san''s surname is Shinozaki, the same as his sister, Ayaka. After their parents'' divorce, the siblings had been under the custody of their mother, but since the Angel Fix incident a year ago, Toshi has been living in this apartment in Sedagaya, with his father who had a different surname. Just because of that, one can imagine their everyday life must be suffocating.

    That twisted daily existence was for Ayaka''s sake. Because of Toshi-san¡ªwell, actually, it can''t be stated definitely whose fault it was, since it was aplicated incident, though¡ªShe was injured and lost her memories.

    Toshi-san was part of the Angel Fix''s manufacturing and selling group, so he had been taken by the judicial authorities and then put on probation. His mother was deemed unable to take care of him as she didn''t have enough parental authority, so a number of adults discussed the matter and took this desperate measure.

    ¡°Ayaka must be having fun, huh. It''s such a pain in the ass that I''m here, and it''s such a pain in the ass that she can''t remember a thing.¡±

    Toshi-san muttered, looking at his own knees. Since he was wearing a jersey and was sitting all curled up on his chair, he resembled the shell of a bug.

    ¡°So, why are you here? You''re one of them, so you probably want me to talk about something?¡±

    An unpleasantugh came from his throat. I licked my lips; they tasted like aluminium.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    I replied in a hushed voice. Seeing Toshi-san acting like that, I couldn''t rx. He raised his gaze. Those two eyes were staring into nothing.

    ¡°I don''t care about you, Toshi-san. The only thing I want is information.¡±

    I''m not interested in how many times they fired you from your part-time jobs, or how long did you have to crawl in the mud until you could wash it away.

    I let my voice out, adding:

    ¡°Weren''t you in contact with Chigasawa Teruhiko?¡±

    Chigasawa Teruhiko is the other survivor of the group of Fix manufacturers and sellers. Just as Toshi, he was in a low position within the group so his sentence was suspended, but he was now missing.

    ¡°I already said I know nothing. I lost count on how many times I told Tetsu-san that.¡±

    ¡°Wasn''t there any other people rted to the group? Someone who could have stored some Fix somewhere.¡±

    ¡°I told you I don''t know anything. I only sold the thing to people that approached me on the city center. That was the use that guy had for me. Anyway, the police must have told the whole story already¡­¡±

    ¡°But, in the end nobody understood Hakamizaka.¡±

    He was the son of a Gunma''s second generation Diet member. He had graduated with honors and they had great expectations on his future. He received arge allowance, lived in an apartment in Nerima and did as he pleased.

    This superficial information was bbered about in variety shows and weekly publications, but no one was interested in talking about what he was thinking, or with what purpose did he distribute the Angel Fix in the city.

    ¡°Toshi-san, don''t you know anything? You talked to him face to face.¡±

    ¡°I don''t know. Who cares either way? He''s dead.¡±

    ¡°Maybe he''s not dead.¡±

    Toshi-san''s dull gaze focusedpletely on my cheeks and my eyes.

    ¡°That man might still be alive inside someone else. What I''m saying is, that man''s words, his wishes, his desires, maybe they''re still living somewhere.¡±

    ¡°¡­The hell are you saying?¡±

    ¡°It just feels that way, somehow. In this case, the people using Fix are doing it under the pressure of necessity, to earn money. Moreover, they''re all doing it just now. We don''t know where the money that person earned through threats is yet.¡±

    ¡°Didn''t he use use it to buy Fix?¡±

    ¡°If he was just buying it, wouldn''t he just need to manage apensated dating group normally? Why would he use Fix to buy Fix? It doesn''t make sense. That way of doing things wouldn''tst long.¡±

    ¡°Well, I already say I don''t know anything at all! If that''s all, just go home already!¡±

    I firmly swallowed my words.

    Indeed, that''s all. To hell with you. That time, the wounds carved on my fists were the very cause of Toshi-san being imprisoned in the dirty mud, but I don''t regret it, I''m not thinking about apologizing or making up for it. For no one else''s sake but for myself, I hit him, hurting him and getting hurt.

    Even then, I still continued my words:

    ¡°Doesn''t Hakamizaka Shirou still live inside you, Toshi-san? Stuck, obstructed, unable to move?¡±

    Toshi-san''s gaze crept about my face like a sea louse.

    ¡°To know is to die. Shouldn''t you die one more time?¡±

    There was no answer for some time. A rebroadcast of a police drama was being transmitted on the TV. A gunshot resounded, but there wasn''t a single drop of blood on our side. When I gave up and was standing up, Toshi-san opened his mouth.

    ¡°¡­Yeah, that''s right. Hakamizaka-san didn''t tell me anything.¡±

    Half-kneeling, I drew a few centimeters closer to Toshi-san.

    ¡°That''s why even now, I''m still thinking. Why didn''t he take me with him? Where did he go?¡±

    He died, I answered in my heart. He vomited everything in the concrete, and writhed in pain in a hospital bed until he died. Then he revived through you, the two survivors. Why won''t you notice that?

    ¡°Why was it scattered in that city? Was it? Was it there? Oi, what the hell? Why did you leave me behind¡­?¡±

    My throat stiffened and I stared at Toshi-san.

    Why was Angel Fix scattered in our city¡­? Even now, that question hasn''t been solved.

    Did they want to lead the metropolitan area''s business districts? If so, then why didn''t they spread it around Shinjuku or Ikebukuro?

    Hakamizaka Shirou''s home was in Nerima, so he wasn''t particrly near our streets.

    ¡°Toshi-san, was Hakamizaka''s father the owner of the building where the drug was refined?¡± I inquired, sidling up to the chair. For a moment, Toshi-san didn''t seem to understand the meaning of the question, pping his mouth open and closed a few times.

    ¡°¡­No. I heard he rented it.¡±

    ¡°Did he rent it because you joined him?¡±

    ¡°What the hell? That''s not important¡ª¡±

    ¡°Please answer me!¡±

    ¡°The factory was there before I entered¡­¡±

    Toshi-san drove me away with his hands, looking annoyed.

    So, it wasn''t a building he owned but an especially chosen and rented ce. If it was prepared before Toshi-san joined, then it couldn''t have been because it was near the ce were the poppy flowers were nted, M High.

    Why did they use that ce to purify the drug? Why did he chose our streets for his experiment? Did it have a particr meaning?

    The question Toshi-san dropped from his lips started to swell up inside me.

    ¡°Shushuri. Hakamizaka-san, you surely went to see Shushuri long ago¡­¡±

    I stood up and grabbed Toshi-san''s shoulders.

    ¡°Shushuri? You just said Shushuri, right?¡±

    I shook his shoulders, and Toshi-san curved his lips, looking displeased.

    Shushuri. That word, I''m sure I heard it from that Oshima''s mouth.

    ¡°What''s Shushuri?¡±

    ¡°It''s the angel''s name. Hakamizaka-san always said that.¡±

    A connection. Hakamizaka and Oshima are connected. I knew it, Hakamizaka''s words and desires were alive inside someone.

    My voice trembled.

    ¡°Angel? Wha-what do you mean?¡±

    I unintentionally strangled Toshi-san''s neck a little. He made a fed up face and brushed my hands off.

    ¡°I said I don''t know. I was just an underling. Other guys from the group said that they could actually see Shushuri sometimes.¡±

    They could see Shushuri sometimes? Does that mean the angels they saw when they were high? But wasn''t Toshi-san high really often?

    ¡°System, my foot. Why was I the only one that wasn''t taken? Only me¡­ Me¡­¡±

    Toshi-san''s voice sank in a sea of bubbling oil.

    Hakamizaka Shirou didn''t distribute Angel Fix in the city with the goal of making money. I also heard some of the words that came from his mouth with my own ears: They used a system, he said. A system that made the drug circte by its own power.

    How stupid, I think even now. Cirction, my foot. Wasn''t that just advancing a spiral of neglected junkies? Would something happen beyond that point? Is there still other goal left?

    ¡°Where? Where''s Shushuri? Is Shushuri in that city? Is that why you scattered it there? Hakamizaka-san¡­¡±

    Toshi-san was hanging his head, so I stared at the nape of his neck.

    Shushuri. The name of the angel.

    But I thought Oshima said ¡°Money, to Shushuri¡±. Does that mean Shushuri is not something abstract, then?

    Could it be¡­ Someone''s given name?

    No matter how much I waited, inquired, or shook him up, Toshi-san wouldn''t answer any more than that.

    I put on my duffle coat and stepped off the room.

    Toshi-san''s father was watching TV and smoking a cigarette in the small dining table, and turned his head when he noticed me.

    ¡°¡­Seems like you talked a lot with Toshi. Uh, you don''t seem like a violent guy. If you can, would you drop by and talk to him from time to time?¡±

    ¡°¡­Eh, ah¡­ Okay.¡±

    ¡°It''s getting difficult for me to keep supporting him. If he doesn''t start working again soon¡­¡±

    Toshi-san''s father turned towards the ashtray and let the smoke out along with a sigh. I bowed and exited the apartment.

    The clouded sky that was announcing a lot of snow increased the darkness; the day was already ending.

    I took an extensive view of the residential area from the second floor of the cheap apartment building, and just about everything looked like it was covered with ashes.

    Tetsu-senpai was leaning against a roadside tree, staring at a notebook written in his own handwriting. He was wearing a jacket over his T-shirt, which was unusual for him. His muscr arms and shoulders made his body look around a size smaller. He raised his gaze as I was arriving, closing his notebook and stuffing it into his back pocket.

    ¡°How did it go with Toshi?¡±

    ¡°¡­I talked a bit with him.¡±

    ¡°Is that so¡­¡±

    Gloomy words flowed from senpai''s mouth.

    ¡°I see, I should have taken you along from the start, Narumi. I was thinking it might be tough for you to see him and stuff.¡±

    ¡°Well, it was tough to meet him. But¡­¡±

    Ever since I beat him up until his face was distorted, we had been separated. I never thought I would see him again after that. We didn''t have anything to talk about. But in this suffocating second reunion, the Toshi-san in my heart and the me inside Toshi-san''s heart knew that they couldn''t let things that way forever.

    ¡°I should have came even earlier.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai nodded and started waking.

    ¡°I''m no good. Toshi just curled himself up. Every time I spoke, he had this scared expression that said are you going to hit me? Seems like you got a little closer to Toshi.¡±

    Even though you''re stronger than me, Narumi, Tetsu-senpai added,ughing.

    ¡°Let''s not bring up that subject¡­¡±

    ¡°But you still stole a win from me!¡±

    Tetsu-senpai hit my shoulders. I didn''t really want to remember that boxing match, so I forcibly went back to the main topic.

    ¡°As I was saying, I heard something rted to Fix from Toshi-san.¡±

    However, Tetsu-senpai stopped walking, made a curious face and looked my way, perplexed.

    ¡°¡­Aah, yeah. Right, Fix. You came here to get information about Fix out of him, my bad, my bad.¡±

    ¡°Why does it look like you are remembering that just now?¡± I was shocked. Tetsu-senpai slipped his hands into his jacket''s pockets and started walking again, outdistancing me.

    ¡°It''s just that I was satisfied just knowing that you talked with Toshi. So I couldn''t think about anything but when and how would I take you again, what kind of conversation did you guys had and all that.¡±

    While walking half a step behind Tetsu-senpai, I sighed without letting him notice.

    This person is also softhearted. Even though his hatred for Angel Fix would make him show his teeth, right now the feeling of concern for Toshi-san was taking precedence.

    ¡°So, what did he say? He''s not doing Fix again, is he?¡±

    Come on. The first conclusion you draw is something that worrisome? I shook my head.

    ¡°Of course not. Not at all. It seems like he remembered a few things about the manufacturing group.¡±

    I briefly spoke to senpai about how Toshi-san had said something about Shushuri.

    ¡°¡­Shushuri? What''s that?¡±

    ¡°I don''t know, but Oshima mentioned that very same name. Only me and that girl Toritani could hear him back then so I can''t really say for sure, but¡­¡±

    Tetsu-senpai''s face clouded, and he took out his cellphone.

    ¡°¡­Hiro? Where are you now? ¡­Aah, I see. ¡­No, we already finished with Toshi. Yeah, he was fine I guess. ¡­Yeah, with Narumi. ¡­Yeah, got it. By the way, can you tell me where''s Toritani Shinobu staying?¡±

    Shushuri''s matter was exined to Hiro-san on the phone.

    After Tetsu-senpai hung up, I asked:

    ¡°The paid dating case hasn''t gone public yet, right?¡±

    ¡°No, not yet. Oshima is napping at the ce of that unlicensed doctor that Yondaime knows. The car of the ident was somehow dealt with, and the girls who were doing paid dates are attending school as usual.¡±

    Hiro-san reunited with the eight high school girls from the paid dating group and got information out of them. They only knew that Angel Fix was a drug that made you lose your mind, and didn''t know anything rted tost year''s incident either. However, now we probably had new information that would help us to ask further into Oshima''s connection to Hakamizaka.

    At any rate, as long as Oshima was still unconscious, we could only hold on to this thread.

    ¡°Should I leak this to the police¡­¡±

    Tetsu-senpai made a reluctant face.

    ¡°If you do that, won''t you and Yondaime get arrested?¡±

    ¡°No, I''d limit the information. I''d tell them there wasn''t paid dating, and that it was confirmed that Oshima was taking Angel Fix¡­¡±

    Can you really lead the police on like that?

    ¡°I''ve done it countless times already.¡± Tetsu-senpai quickly said. ¡°I have failed some other times too. Well, Yondaime and I are already used to get arrested anyway.¡±

    I only sighed in response. I wouldn''t be able to do that at all. I don''t have neither the ability, nor the courage, nor a reason.

    Tetsu-senpai and I parted ways at the train station; he said he was going to the police station.

    After I saw senpai''s back slipping into the crowd, I directed my steps to the Detective Agency.

    The night had fallen already, and I walked along the freezing asphalt.

    The thought it would have been good if I had talked a bit more with Toshi-san was now surfacing in my mind.

    If things had been a little different, the one hugging his knees going crazy in a room filled with garbage could have been me. I just had good luck. I just met the right people at the right time.

    I want to help Toshi-san. It was an absurd thought, but I wanted to continue talking until it became a forgotten thing, sinking in the bottom of my heart. I''m really selfish, aren''t I?

    ¡°¡­Shushuri?¡±

    Alice said, turning around while taking a swig of Dr Pepper. With my report interrupted halfway through, I nodded. Her expression was indescribably bitter.

    ¡°I see¡­ It seems like my worthless conjecture was correct.¡±

    ¡°Conjecture?¡±

    ¡°I told you about it before. About the name Angel Fix being based off Tiptree''s short story. Shushuri is the name of the alien that shows up in that story¡ªIn other words, the name of the angel. It doesn''t feel good to have the same tastes as that man¡­¡±

    After that, Alice''s gaze fell to her own kneecaps.

    ¡°However, it''s not likely that the Shushuri that settled down on our streets was an alien or an angel. Why in this city¡ªIndeed, we overlooked that.¡±

    ¡°So what could Shushuri mean? The name of a person?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps. I am now following the the flow of Oshima''s saved money.

    Alice''s eyes were fixed on one of the monitors where a bunch of numbers were disyed.

    ¡°Based on the information Hiro got through the women, he should have earned approximately 8,000,000 with the badger game. However, at least in his ount there hasn''t been movements. There was almost no cash in the apartment where he lived, either.

    ¡°¡­Right, he said¡­ ''money, to Shushuri''.¡±

    It wasn''t some metaphor? Was it something real, was it someone? Was Oshima earning money for the sake of that someone? Were the guys from the mahjong parlor and the like the same?

    ¡°Why was on these streets? And why did they let a year pass?¡±

    Alice ruminated over my words.

    ¡°There''s still not enough information. Did Toshi look like he knew anything else?¡±

    ¡°Eh? A-aah, no¡­ He probably didn''t have anything else to say.¡±

    That was my wishful thinking, if anything. I didn''t want to mince Toshi-san anymore.

    ¡°Hmph. Then it''s no longer necessary for Tetsu and you to go back to Setagaya. We''re extremely short-handed now, and now you¡±

    ¡°Ahh, actually, I''ve been wondering if I should go to Toshi''s ce again¡­¡±

    Alice looked at me with steady eyes.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Well, because it''s worrisome and dangerous. He stays confined indoors and all that.¡±

    ¡°I''m also a shut-in, what''s so dangerous ording to you?¡±

    ¡°No, you''re different, Alice¡­ Or not?¡± Or maybe his danger had a different meaning. ¡°Anyway, that''s not the point. Toshi-san is in a more critical condition. I think he needs someone to talk to.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Alice turned her back on me. ¡°Do as you please. Of course, prioritize your duties when you have them.¡±

    That''s so cold, I thought. I assumed it was because he once turned into our enemy.

    ¡°Alice, you still can''t forgive Toshi-san?¡±

    ¡°Forgive? What are you talking about?¡± The sounds of keys being pressed started, strings of characters appearing in the monitor. ¡°I''m not a judge nor a priest. I''m not a victim nor an assant. I''m a detective. I don''t forgive nor I am forgiven. If hees here and says he needs help, I''ll ept the request. If he stays confined in his room, it''s not my problem.¡±

    ¡°¡­But, he used toe to Hanamaru often, right? He was one of your friends. You don''t care that he''s became like that?¡±

    ¡°He''s not my friend.¡± Alice said. ¡°How many times do I have to tell you the same thing? I don''t have friends. That kind of ambiguous bonds of ambiguous sentiments are unneeded for me.¡±

    I took a step back from the bedroom and leaned my back on the side of the refrigerator.

    That''s right, when Min-san''s case happened, she clearly said Min-san was herndy and her tenant, but not her friend.

    She lives concealing herself under unnecessary shells. Is it because she''s not even able to stand up without those shells?

    But, thinking about how Alice was before, I suddenly ran into a memory about the people surrounding her.

    ¡°¡­Didn''t you say Tetsu-senpai was a close friend?¡±

    Alice''s shoulders twitched, and looked at me from the spaces between her hair.

    ¡°¡­Me? When? There''s no way I''d say¡ª¡±

    ¡°Come on, when the boxing match happened, and you intruded¡­¡±

    ¡°M-muh¡­¡±

    Alice hugged a frog stuffed toy to her chest and hid half her face.

    ¡°Y-your memory is worse than that of a goldfish, why do you remember all that useless information with such detail!?¡±

    ¡°I think it''s important, actually¡­¡±

    ¡°T-that was a state of emergency, so I had to choose short and concise words!¡±

    Making that terrible excuse, the NEET Detective looked at me for the first time, and then she turned her back again.

    The state of emergency made you blurt out your real feelings, right?

    ¡°Tetsu, Hiro and Major are just detectivepanions, they''re not my close friends. This is unnerving so stop already!¡±

    I sighed and scratched my head. Then, something came to mind and I asked.

    ¡°And me?¡±

    ¡°Mh?¡± Alice stopped typing and looked my way.

    ¡°Well, I was just thinking ''what am I to Alice?'', you know.¡±

    A copsing sound rumbled, the bed shook, and a great number of stuffed toys rolled on the floor. Alice had suddenly jumped back, and her back hit the mountain of stuffed toys.

    ¡°W-w-what is this all of a sudden!?¡± That''s my line. What is this all of a sudden?

    ¡°It''s just that, we see each other really often, but I''m not sure of what you think about me.¡±

    Alice''s face turned deep red like a habanero pepper.

    ¡°A-about you? W-why are you asking this now!? you''re my assistant, an assistant detective! From the day you were born until the day you die, you''re my assistant!¡± No, I was just a baby when I was born.

    ¡°I know that already, but I don''t mean that- In other words, uhm, it doesn''t seem like we''re friends, right? And we''re kinda different frompanions, it doesn''t feel quite the same as with Tetsu-senpai and the others¡­¡±

    Alice spoke, burying most of her body among the stuffed toys:

    ¡°What is this? D-do you want me to think differently about you?¡±

    Being asked that felt bothersome.

    ¡°No¡­ Sorry. Sorry for bringing out this topic.¡±

    I picked up the empty Dr Pepper cans to step out of the bedroom.

    ¡°Carry on! U-um.¡±

    When I turned around at the voice, the blushing Alice with only her eyes visible in the stuffed toy rampart spoke:

    ¡°What do you think?¡±

    ¡°¡­Eh?¡±

    ¡°I-I''m just curious. What do you, uhm¡­ think¡­ about¡­¡±

    ¡°You mean, what do I think about you?¡±

    When Ipleted her question, Alice hid her facepletely behind a bear and a dolphin.

    ¡°It''s nothing! Just get going!¡±

    What the heck?

    With the cans still under my arms, I pondered for a short while on the side of the refrigerator, and said:

    ¡°I can''t really say it in one word. I''m really grateful to you, but that isn''t all. And of course, it''s not just because you employ me. Anyway, I''m with you because I want to be with you.¡±

    Alice pushed out the stuffed toy mountain and stamped her feet. What? Just get out of here? You were the one who asked. No, actually, I was the one who started with the subject, but oh well.

    Just when I stepped out of the agency to the corridor, I noticed a figure on the other side. Bleached white hair and a red jacket were made visible under the weak fluorescent light. Yondaime.

    ¡°We caught hold of some Chigasawa Teruhiko''s movements.¡±

    Yondaime said that and pushed me back into the Agency with just his gaze.

    ¡°He sold his car? For how much?¡± Alice turned around on the bed.

    ¡°He made an individual deal for 1400,000. Chigasawa was rich, so he had a used Jaguar.¡±

    Yondaime threw a report with photographs on the sheets.

    ¡°Is this that transaction?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. It was with a guy Chigasawa knew from University. It seems like he was in a hurry to find a buyer. 1400,000 is considerably cheap.¡±

    I don''t know much about the market price for foreign cars, but it did seem like he wanted to sell it cheaply and get the full payment.

    ¡°Did you find out how that money was used?¡±

    ¡°Not yet.¡±

    ¡°Hm. A great sum of money is vanishing into the darkness. And the whereabouts of the cultivation notes from M High''s Gardening Club that was stolen under Oshima''s orders is unknown.¡±

    Alice looked at Yondaime and then at me, who was sitting on the edge of the bed.

    There was no more words after that, but we knew what she wanted to say. There''s someone out there growing those poppy nts again. I shivered.

    The scene of the blue flowers I had never seen swaying in the wind of a greenhouse appeared on the monitors of Alice''s bedroom.

    Alice let out a small sigh and turned her gaze to Yondaime again.

    ¡°Do you have a cruel request for me beyond this point?¡±

    ¡°¡­Don''t say stupid things. I''ll do it myself.¡±

    I looked at their faces in turn without understanding what they were talking about. Cruel?

    Yondaime turned his gaze from the monitors on the side of the the bed to the screens of the security cameras on Hanamaru''s surroundings.

    Sitting on the bear crate by the kitchen door, Ayaka had already untied her apron.

    ¡°Is Ayaka staying until the shop closes today?¡±

    When Yondaime asked that, I blinked.

    ¡°No¡­ She''s probably staying until nine.¡±

    I saw Yondaime''s face from the side after he gave a small nod and turned to the door, and I sprang up from the bed.

    ¡°W-wait! Please wait!¡±

    I quickly grabbed the sleeves of the red jacket. With dreadful strength, he shook me off, making my hand hit the wall. The wolf''s gaze sew me to the wall. I finally understood the meaning of their conversation. They were going to ask Ayaka for information about the poppy flowers'' cultivation.

    ¡°It''s useless to ask Ayaka, she doesn''t remember anything!¡±

    ¡°I won''t know until I actually ask her.¡±

    ¡°Please don''t make her remember! She''s able to live peacefully because she forgot about everything!¡±

    ¡°Not my problem.¡±

    ¡°Wh¡±

    For a second a pitch-ck crack appeared on my field of vision.

    ¡°Are you going to tell Ayaka what''s going on to chase after the drug!?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Any problem with that?¡±

    My face was covered in raging fire. In just an instant, Yondaime caught hold of my cor and forcefully pushed my back against the wall.

    ¡°What are you doing!?¡± Alice tumbled off the bed and rushed to us. Yondaime red at her and said ¡°you shut up¡±, then he fixed his gaze on me again.

    ¡°That''s not some club activity. This is an important matter. I don''t have time for your stupid concern for a ssmate.¡±

    I gritted my teeth and tried to remove Yondaime''s hands from my throat, but I couldn''t make him move one finger. Alice grabbed the cuff of his jacket and screamed with teary eyes:

    ¡°You barbarian! Get your hands off my assistant!¡±

    The pressure on my neck disappeared. I copsed on the floor with my back against the wall.

    Choking, I looked up at Yondaime.

    ¡°If you''re going to defy me, at least be resolute.¡±

    ¡°I''m not defying you¡­ I just want you to be kind to Ayaka¡­¡± I answered in a choked voice.

    ¡°I''m just gonna talk to her.¡±

    ¡°That''s why I''m telling you to stop, Ayaka finally returned to her ordinary life!¡±

    ¡°So, what do you wanna do? Are you gonna stop me with your fists?¡±

    My words were blocked. I felt the weight and the heat of another body on the left half of my body. Alice was clinging to me. But even then, I couldn''t take my eyes off of Yondaime''s gaze.

    From the beginning, him and me didn''t have the same views.

    He''s the king of the street youth, Hinamura Souichirou.

    If I stood in his way he was going to beat me to death right now, and he made me fall silent with just his re, but he hesitated a little.

    He averted those eyes from me to the monitors of the security cameras and clicked his tongue. 9 o''clock in the evening had long passed, so the monitors showed Min-san delivering ramen by herself; in other words, Ayaka had gone home already.

    Yondaime lifted that strong pressure on my chest, turning to the entrance.

    Narrowly opening the door, he turned around just once.

    ¡°We went through a sake ritual together, so I''ll give you a little more time. Are you gonna be my enemy, or are you gonna keep trembling in a corner? Take your pick.¡±

    Just those words were enough to throw me to the frozen floor. When the door closed, only Alice and I were left under the cold wind. Alice transmitted me her shaking from her arms. Unconsciously, I gently patted her head to calm her down.

    ¡°¡­I''m sorry, Narumi.¡±

    A frail voice sounded under my hand. I couldn''t reply.

    ¡°I won''t say anything. I don''t approve nor disapprove of Yondaime''s words. I don''t choose, I don''t know. As I am a detective, I would normally be willing to hurt someone for the sake of the truth. But this is Ayaka. And Ayaka is my¡­ what? I don''t know, but I won''t choose.¡±

    She is your friend, I informed with my silence. Ayaka is your friend. Isn''t that fine?

    I knew those words wouldn''t reach the detective, so my voice wouldn''te out.

    If you thought about it, Alice has been with Ayaka for a much longer time than me. Ayaka took care of her, touched her skin, shared her warmth with her. But Alice was a detective who had epted Yondaime''s request. She couldn''t choose to go far off the truth to protect Ayaka.

    If that''s the case, what should I do?

    Indignation was filling my heart. Opposing Yondaime to protect Ayaka, or letting Ayaka be hurt?

    Why do I only have those two choices? There must be something else I can do.

    Isn''t it fine if we investigate only the people rted to Ayaka? Do we really need to crush thest remnants of some drug producers that quickly? Is a matter of pride more important than Ayaka?

    The answer to that question was already swirling like deep ck smoke inside my chest.

    ¡°Narumi, t-that hurts.¡±

    Alice groaned under my arm.

    ¡°Ah, s-sorry.¡±

    I had unintentionally pressed my fingers tightly on Alice''s arm. When I let go of her, she pushed my body with a jerk and returned to the bed.

    ¡°¡­You decide.¡±

    Sitting in front of the stuffed toys, Alice muttered.

    ¡°I think it''s unfitting for a employer, but I won''t choose.¡±

    I silently nodded, but I didn''t know what to choose either.

    *

    For that reason, I didn''t go directly to Hanamaru after school, but I appeared at the Central Gardening Meeting first.

    ¡°Fujishima-kun, are you going to help out? Why? What''s with this curious turn of events?¡±

    With exaggerated surprise, Ayaka took me along to the greenhouse.

    ¡°It''s winter so there''s not much to do, but there''s lot of people who haven''t grown ustomed to the greenhouse yet!¡±

    Inside the greenhouse, there was several students on duty wearing the armbands. They were mostly first years, and they bowed when Ayaka and I entered, whispering things like ¡°Oh, look¡­¡± ¡°Aah, Fujishima-senpai¡± ¡°Shinozaki-senpai''s friend¡± ¡°This is unusual, what''s going on?¡±

    ¡°Fujishima-kun came to help out! Even though he looks like this, he used to be a member of the former Gardening Club, so ask him whatever you want!¡±

    Oi, don''t hurdle me up. It''s obvious there''s nothing I can teach to the first years.

    ¡°Senpai, if you water them too much, the stems of the flowers won''t grow, you just have to spray them a little!¡±

    ¡°Senpai, don''t cut it to the stalk!¡±

    ¡°Senpai, it''s winter, so increase the concentration of the liquid fertilizer, please!¡±

    I could no longer put up with all the things they were trying to teach me. Ayaka was looking at me, giggling.

    ¡°It''s seems like Fujishima-kun forgot¡­¡±

    No, it''s obvious that I never knew anything from the start.

    When the maintenance finished and the first years left, Ayaka spoke, taking an extensive view of the neat greenhouse:

    ¡°It must have been a while since you worked in the greenhouse, right, Fujishima-kun? It''s somewhat refreshing!¡±

    I hesitated, staying by Ayaka''s side.

    It hasn''t been a while, it''s the first time. Because when the Gardening Club still existed, Ayaka tended the greenhouse by herself, and I wasn''t allowed to enter. The reason was because Hakamizaka Shirou had asked Ayaka to cultivate those poppy flowers in secret.

    That memory was sunk at the bottom of the sand.

    ¡°--But, why did youe to help out today? Could you possibly want to join the Central Gardening Meeting? Sorry, but only one person for each ss is allowed to enter, and you also have your duties at the Inspectionmittee and as Alice''s assistant¡­¡±

    ¡°No, of course not. I was just thinking it would be good to go to Hanamaru with you from time to time, and I didn''t want to be waiting around like an idiot so I came to help.¡±

    ¡°E-eeh?¡±

    Ayaka''s face reddened in shyness, diagonally leaning her upper body forward and looking at me from below.

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°Uuhm, you see¡­¡±

    Then, I used my special swindling technique: selfishly conveying a part of the truth.

    ¡°I don''t know why, buttely the guys from Hirasaka-gumi have been starting to show interest in gardening. I identally told them you taught me lots of stuff, and they were even in the mood to intrude into the school. If those guyse here it would be troublesome to Ayaka¡­ So, if theye¡ªIt''s not like I''m a bodyguard or anything like that, but I thought I should drive them away.¡±

    My muscles froze as I was talking. Every single word I said was nothing but a lie. Ayaka smiled bitterly.

    ¡°But I don''t really mind? But those people seem awkward, so teaching them might be hard.¡±

    When we were going to Hanamaru from school, I was walking beside Ayaka while pushing my bicycle, harboring the feelings of guilt and that something wasn''t right about the things I couldn''t say.

    Walking by her side, I observed Ayaka''s transparent smile and I couldn''t say anything in return, only postponing my conclusions.

    When we were reaching Hanamaru, my cellphone rang. I looked at the name disyed on the screen: It was from Yondaime, so I stuffed the phone back in my pocket.

    ¡°¡­You''re not going to answer?¡±

    Entering the kitchen from the door, Ayaka tilted her head.

    ¡°Ah, no, it was just a text.¡±

    Ayaka stepped inside with a face that said ''ohh''. I sat down on the old tire while feeling the phone vibrating. It felt like there was a living scorpion wriggling inside my pocket. I didn''t know if I should pick up or not, so I could only ignore it.

    What do I do? He told me that he was going to give me a little more time, but still.

    By the time when the winter sun was looking like it was hiding behind the shadows of the buildings in front of the station, Tetsu-senpai and Hiro-san arrived.

    ¡°I got something about Oshima from the police. They still don''t know he''s sleeping.¡±

    ¡°Where''s Oshima? Shinobu-chan, Hitomi-chan and the others are worried.¡±

    Hiro-san''s current task was asking the girls that were doing paid dating under Oshima''s instructions their situation, but apparently Hiro-san was inferior to Oshima regardingdy-killing.

    ¡°He was transferred to the general hospital ages ago already, but don''t tell the girls. It seems like the police hasn''t found out about the paid dating and the badger game stuff.¡±

    ¡°I know. I''ll fill the cracks on those eight high school girls'' hearts in his ce.¡±

    ¡°Don''t forget your own work. And Min-san is going to hear.¡±

    ¡°Ahaha, it''s okay. I saw her inside making sherbets so it''s unlikely that she''ll hear¡±

    ¡°I am hearing though, Hiro.¡±

    Min-san''s face appeared from the kitchen door, and Hiro-san slipped down from the bear crate where he was sitting.

    ¡°What was that about eight high school girls?¡±

    After hitting Hiro-san who could only smile bitterly without replying, Min-san returned to the kitchen.

    ¡°I offended Min-san, so it doesn''t seem like I''ll be able to fill the holes in her body¡±

    Hiro-san muttered words he shouldn''t have, so the kitchen door opened once again and Min-san''s kick thrust Hiro-san''s back.

    ¡°Senpai, Hiro-san, are you going to order something?¡± With her ck apron, Ayaka poked her head from the back door too.

    ¡°It''s cold, so, miso ramen.¡±

    ¡°Ahh¡­ Me too.¡±

    ¡°Okay! Miso is the most popr in winter! Fujishima-kun, are you going to eat too?¡±

    ¡°Ah, no, I''m fine. I''m not hungry.¡±

    I looked over my shoulder, Ayaka smiled and nodded and then she returned to the kitchen. When the door was closed, Hiro-san and Tetsu-senpai turned their gazes at my face at the same time.

    ¡°¡­Do you know already? ¡­About Yondaime?¡±

    I asked in a way that gave myself an unpleasant feeling. Tetsu-senpai nodded imediately, while Hiro-san showed a facial expression like he was hesitating about which words he should use, but he nodded silently in the end. My gaze fell to my own feet.

    I couldn''t help but asking Tetsu-senpai and Hiro-san what should I do. However, unlike those two, my investigation abilities weren''t anything special, and I could only waste my time, so I needed to face my own problems.

    When both of them were slurping their miso ramen, I suddenly remembered something and stood up.

    ¡°I''m going to see Toshi-san.¡±

    With his bowl on the wooden table, Tetsu-senpai arched his brows.

    ¡°Didn''t we go just yesterday?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but I found something I can ask him.¡±

    I shifted my eyes to the kitchen door. The irregr sound of a kitchen knife wasn''t from Min-san but from Ayaka. I was worried that she would hear, so I lowered my voice.

    ¡°Toshi-san actually received the harvested poppy flowers from someone else. In that case, he might know something about the cultivation.¡±

    Hiro-san and Tetsu-senpai looked at each other''s faces.

    ¡°¡­Yes, could be.¡± Hiro-san said.

    ¡°I''lle along too. Someone has to restrict him if he starts to get violent.¡± Tetsu-senpai muttered. I shook my head.

    ¡°I''ll go alone. It would be easier to get Toshi-san to talk that way.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    If I found out information connected to the production of the narcotic through another route, it could alle to an end without having to get Ayaka involved. For that purpose, I felt that I was even able to hit Toshi-san again.

    ¡°We''re obeying Alice.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai said that, and Hiro-san nodded with a solemn expression.

    ¡°In other words, everything depends on Narumi-kun.¡±

    Hiro-san said like he was talking to himself.

    ¡°Because we''re NEETs. We don''t know what to do at times like this.¡±

    I heard those same sad words before. Even if they knew how to start rowing, these people were at a loss about how to grab the oars.

    So, it was up to me, the only one who wasn''t a NEET.

    ¡°¡­See youter.¡±

    I dragged out my bicycle and sat on the saddle.

    Toshi-san''s face looked better than the former day. There were several PET bottles of carbonated drinks lined up on the desk. But when I opened the curtains, I noticed his cheeks looked gaunt.

    ¡°¡­You haven''t eaten?¡±

    ¡°Not hungry.¡± Toshi-san crushed one of the PET bottles with his hand.

    ¡°You kinda look like Alice¡­¡±

    I didn''t want the exchange of words to turn oppressive, so I started with striking some frivolous conversation on purpose. Toshi-san snorted and thew the PET bottle to the trash bin. There was a lot of trash already, so the pitiful green stic that resembled a caterpir tumbled on the floor by my side.

    ¡°What do you usually do? Do you watch TV all the time?¡±

    I looked around the inside of the messy room.

    ¡°I mostly sleep.¡± Toshi-san replied, raising his knees to the chair. ¡°I also surf the, y games, and I go to the convenience store from time to time.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you''re a bit healthier than Alice.¡±

    Toshi-san didn''t smile, but he narrowed his eyes as if dazzled, and unnaturally cleared his throat a couple times.

    I could have a conversation without being told to leave, so I was relieved.

    ¡°Isn''t this Powerebo GR?¡±

    I picked up a game software package that was lying around. It was the home version of the baseball game that Major, the others and I got into duringst summer.

    ¡°Do you y it at the arcade too? Short Pennants are very mainstreamtely, but since Hiroshima is really strong, there''s nothing but Hiroshima in the high scores.¡±

    ¡°No, I only y here online. Huh, so you y Powerebo too, Narumi.¡±

    We started talking about the baseball game for a while. I was a quite well-known uniform designer there, so he seemed to know my designs and my nickname, and he was surprised when he found out it was me.

    ¡°If you''re okay with a simple emblem, I''ll draw it right away.¡±

    ¡°Really? I''ve been losing a lot and I don''t have points at all, so I can''t buy an emblem. Can I ask for it now?¡±

    Then, I borrowed Toshi-san''sputer, and when I showed him the emblem that looked just like Apple Corp.''s mark, he finally smiled.

    After that, we talked a lot about games.

    I can''t stay like this forever, I told myself in my heart, but I didn''t want to destroy conversation that was like a bncing toy on top of a soap bubble, so I continued talking about Toshi-san''s hobbies.

    But the end woulde soon.

    ¡°--So, let''s go together to the arcade like before some other time. Powerebo 2MAX wille out soon, and it seems like you will be able to import your data.¡±

    When I said that, the expression on Toshi-san''s face disappeared. Aah, I crossed the line, I felt.

    Toshi-san''s face steadily darkened.

    ¡°I''m sorry.¡±

    Why am I apologizing? Am I stupid? Can''t I resume the conversation?

    ¡°¡­Well then, what do you want to ask today?¡±

    Toshi-san spoke in a sinister voice. His eyes were firmly staring at the thirty centimeters of empty space before my face. I turned my gaze away, hesitating.

    ¡°There''s something you want to ask again, right? ¡­About Fix, huh?¡±

    ¡°No¡±

    I started talking and faltered. What do I gain denying it? Why am I lying? This isn''t the way. I came here to find a clue to unravel this incident. I didn''te here to happily talk with Toshi-san. I was so indifferent yesterday, why am I forcing myself tough today? Of course, that''s because my sense of purpose is a lot clearer than yesterday. Because I was thinking about deceiving him to get information out of him.

    ¡°¡­Yes. It''s about Fix.¡±

    I didn''t look at Toshi-san''s face anymore, I turned my gaze to my ownp and released my words.

    ¡°Toshi-san, you entered M High''s greenhouse through the back door and talked to Ayaka, right? Did you talk about something rted to the cultivation?¡±

    There was no response for a while. A strange feeling of disgust was seeping, and I twisted my body to brush it off. I heard a snort, a violent cough, and the creaking of a chair.

    ¡°I didn''t do anything. I was just an underling, I already told you.¡±

    ¡°But you entered the greenhouse lots of times when they were being cultivated.¡±

    ¡°Just ask Ayaka.¡±

    ¡°I''m asking YOU because I can''t ask Ayaka!!¡±

    My voice suddenly turned rude. I sat back on the floor and hung my head in shame.

    ¡°Sorry for shouting.¡±

    Toshi-san wiped my saliva with a tissue and threw it in the round trash bin.

    ¡°I don''t want to make Ayaka remember. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. That girl''s quite lucky. Hanamaru''s favorite.¡±

    Toshi-san spoke in a dispiritedining voice.

    ¡°I couldn''t do anything. Anything at all. Things just¡­ turned out that way.¡±

    They didn''t ''turned out that way''. You took the drugs yourself. I pushed the need of telling him that back into my throat, and inquired with all my patience:

    ¡°Anything about the greenhouse will do. Whatever you remember, please tell me.¡±

    ¡°Nothing at all. I don''t know anything you would want to know. I only passed over the reports that Ayaka wrote every time to Hakamizaka-san. Then the guy plucked the flowers that had turned blue and that was it.¡±

    ¡°Reports? About what?¡± I sprang up again.

    ¡°I caught a glimpse once but I didn''t understand a word. I know nothing about botany. Obviously.¡±

    I chewed up the words and sat down once again.

    ¡°Hey¡­ You get it, right? I was treated as small fry under Hakamizaka-san. He never entrusted me with anything important. Haha. That''s why I didn''t take thest amount of drug left, I was put on probation, and now I''m like this, alive. I survived. Sheet. What a joke. Why? Why¡­?¡±

    Toshi-san buried his face in his kneecaps. His voice that didn''t turn into words fell to the floor.

    When I exited the apartment, I noticed another call from Yondaime. Hearing the ''Whatever, I''ll go to Hanamaruter'' recorded in the answering machine, I squatted at the side of the bicycle and hid my head under my arms.

    Cold was started to creep up, so I straightened my duffle coat.

    After meditating for a while about my behavior, I thought I''m the worst no matter how you look at it.

    I informed Alice about my conversation with Toshi-san by mail, and then I decided to go home.

    ¡°Why are you here so early? I didn''t cook for you.¡±

    As soon as I opened the front door, the cold words of my sister flew to me. However, since I''m so disastrous that it was indeed unusual for me to return home early, I couldn''tin.

    Slurping cup noodles while leaning on the kitchen''s sink, I felt extremely regretful. What am I running away from? What do I gain by running away? Would the current situation change for the better if I dy it?

    I nced at the cellphone on the table. I won''t get a phone call from anyone. No one else except me would make a choice to speed things up. But now I can only keep this stubborn silence stretching tortuously. Alice, Tetsu-senpai and the others told me that the decision was up to me, so since right now I haven''t chosen, I obviously don''t have any words to say.

    When I finished eating, I crushed the cup and threw it to the trash bin and fell prostrated on the sofa. In my fatigue, I got immersed in Toshi-san''s sticky eyes and Yondaime''spletely passionless voice mixed together.

    Like that, I fell asleep.

    *

    The next morning, when I showed up at the ssroom of the 2-4 ss, Ayaka noticed my evident mood change.

    ¡°Good morning, Fujishima-kun.¡±

    I was just being greeted, but an uneasy feeling crept up my back.

    ¡°¡­Morning.¡±

    I know this fake cheerfulness quite well, I thought.

    The way she smiled while slopingly turning her body around, I''ve seen that gesture some time ago. Oi, please stop that, I thought. The slow me from the past wouldn''t have noticed, right?

    ¡°You didn''t go back to the shop and went home directly yesterday, right?¡±

    ¡°Ah, y-yeah.¡±

    ¡°Everyone was worried about you, Fujishima-kun.¡±

    ¡°Worried? ¡­Why?¡±

    ¡°Because, you know¡±

    When Ayaka said that, the bell rang.

    The ssroom was filled sounds of the chairs being pulled back, making us swallow our conversation. I reluctantly sat down.

    While in ss, Ayaka nced at me from her seat looking like she wanted to tell me something, but that day we had P.E. and elective sses, so in the end we didn''t get a chance to exchange words until school ended.

    ¡°Fujishima-kun, Fujishima-kun¡± Ayaka called me. ¡°There''s no activities at the greenhouse today, so let''s go to Hanamaru together.¡±

    I mumbled, but didn''t say anything in the end.

    ¡°Those two are getting along really welltely¡­¡± ¡°It feels like a stable period¡± ¡°But Fujishima-kun should be more¡­¡± ¡°No, he seems more like a lolicon.¡± ¡°I heard he''s gay, though.¡±

    Turning me back on my ssmates'' inexcusable conversation, Ayaka pulled my arm.

    ¡°Hey, hey, Fujishima-kun, why do you never bring your bag?¡±

    As soon as we passed the school gates, Ayaka indiscreetly asked something ridiculous.

    ¡°That''s not true, I do bring it from time to time.¡± I replied while pushing my bicycle. ¡°It''s just that I overslept and left home as quickly as I could. All the textbooks are at school anyway.¡±

    ¡°If you don''t review the lessons, you''ll repeat the year!¡±

    Ayaka showed me her knitted brows as if purposely, and then she immediately patted my shoulders with a broad smile.

    ¡°What are you going to do if you really repeat, Fujishima-kun?¡±

    ¡°Hmm. I''ll probably drop out¡­¡±

    If you have something to tell me, why are you going around in circles?, I suspected, but on the other hand I felt relieved that she didn''t get straight to the point.

    ¡°You''ll drop out and be a NEET? A gigolo like Hiro-san? If you''re going to do that, I''ll tell Min-san so she''ll give you a huge scolding.¡±

    ¡°Why do you take bing a gigolo as my first option!? It''s obvious I couldn''t do that!¡± I made a displeased look. ¡°Well, I don''t really have a clear aim, though.¡±

    ¡°Aren''t you going to continue your job as an assistant detective?¡±

    ¡°You can''t call that a job. It''s not stable at all. Alice apparently earns quite a lot, though.¡±

    ¡°But, but, Fujishima-kun, everyone''s been relying on you a lottely¡­¡±

    Ayaka''s tone of voice and the color of her smiling face changed just a little.

    ¡°You''re already a splendid assistant detective. If you be a NEET like this, that job is perfect for you.¡±

    I''m not splendid at all, I replied in my heart. I even ran away from Yondaime yesterday. Even though I''ve been entrusted with a decision that only I could make, I''m still running away. It''s always like that. I''m unable to hide this weakness at the most crucial times. I''m only capable of deceiving and deceiving, and that won''t make the world Alice lives in any gentler.

    ¡°That''s why, I¡­ Won''t stand in your way anymore.¡±

    ¡°¡­Stand in my way? What are you¡±

    ¡°I won''t say things like ''it''s dangerous, so stop'' anymore. In exchange for that, I want you to solve this case quickly, there are things that only you can do to help, aren''t there?¡±

    I stood still. Walking three steps in front of me, Ayaka looked over her shoulder with a curious face.

    ¡°Fujishima-kun?¡±

    ¡°Help? Why? Why are you saying that, Ayaka?¡±

    My ears buzzed, and the sounds of the world felt far off.

    ¡°You know, everyone reunited yesterday, and Yondaime came too, and asked me lots of things. About the time I grew those poppy flowers, and about that florist that used¡±

    I grabbed both Ayaka''s arms. The bicycle lost its support and copsed on the sidewalk, but I didn''t feel like stopping it from falling. Ayaka''s face half buried in the scarf stiffened, and she widened her eyes.

    ¡°Yondaime asked what!? About¡­ The past? But Ayaka, Ayaka is¡±

    ¡°I-it hurts, Fujishima-kun.¡±

    Ayaka twisted her body, escaping from my hands and she picked up the bicycle. With her eyes averted, she spoke difficultly:

    ¡°¡­You see. ¡­I remembered a little bit. I used to take care of the greenhouse, and¡­¡±

    She was remembering. Little by little, Ayaka was remembering those days. Up to what point?

    ¡°I was really surprised when he told me that I have brother¡­ Ahaha. I do, huh¡­¡±

    I snatched the bicycle''s handle from Ayaka''s hands and jumped upon the saddle.

    ¡°Fujishima-kun, what''s going on!?¡±

    I rejected Ayaka''s voice behind me, and turned to the opposite direction of Hanamaru. In the cold wind, the pedals felt as heavy as packed snow.

    Yondaime was at Hirasaka-gumi''s office. When I pushed the iron door open and rushed into the reception room, therge underlings who were surrounding the executive desk turned around, bowing at the same time.

    ¡°Aniki, thanks for your hard work!¡± ¡°Thanks for your hard work!¡±

    Sitting further in the middle of the ck-shirted men, Yondaime red at me, making me freeze.

    But Yondaime immediately removed his gaze from me and returned to give instructions to his underlings.

    ¡°These are pictures of the whole crew. This is Hakamizaka, this is Chigasawa, and these are the mahjong bears. Ask around thoroughly. Don''t assault the florist.¡±

    ¡°Understood!!¡± ¡°We shall now hone out manly aura!¡±

    Theckeys took a step back and nced at me. I gulped and mustered up enough courage to get close to Yondaime.

    ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    ¡°What did you ask Ayaka?¡±

    ¡°Didn''t she tell you herself? Isn''t she your ssmate?¡±

    ¡°Didn''t I tell you that I didn''t want to get Ayaka involved!?¡±

    ¡°I also told you I''d give you time to make a choice.¡±

    Yondaime stood up. I realized the noisy ck shirts behind me were stepping back closer to the wall.

    ¡°You didn''t answer your phone, and I stayed at Hanamaru until 24:00 but you didn''te. How would I know what you had to say?¡±

    I bit my lip until it bled. It''s true. I ran away.

    ¡°Cool your head. What''s so bad about her getting her memories back? Leaving that aside, Fix¡±

    My field of vision was dyed red for a second. I pped the executive desk with both hands. Yondaime didn''t move an inch, but Pole and Rocky were startled and jumped up.

    ¡°¡­You''re saying that because you didn''t see how Ayaka was back then!¡±

    A threatening voice that made even myself shiver leaked out from my throat.

    ¡°That''s true. I don''t have time to waste caring about leaving things out. I asked you why are you here.¡±

    Why¡ªWhy am I here? I hardened my fists on the desk. Did Ie to moan in anger like a brat? No, that''s not it. It''s Ayaka. It''s for Ayaka. Didn''t Ie here to know what I could do for Ayaka''s sake?

    But the words wouldn''t leave my throat. The sound of the iron door being opened hit my withering back.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡± The ck-shirted men groaned.

    ¡°Ane-san.¡±

    ¡°Ane-san, Ojiki, thanks for your hard work!¡±

    ¡°Thanks for your hard work!¡±

    I widened my eyes and straightened my body, turning around. Walking forward dressed in a gown, Alice''s swaying ck hair didn''t have a sense of reality at all. Even though she came by my side and tightly grabbed the hem of my coat, her warmth seemed far away, making me feel like Alice wasn''t really here.

    I looked at Hiro-san who was leaning against the side of the entrance and I understood that he probably took her along in his car, but I still couldn''t recognize Alice''s existence in this reality.

    Why¡ªWhy is Alice here?

    ¡°Ayaka called me on the phone. You fool.¡±

    Alice muttered, leaning closely, and I averted my gaze from Yondaime.

    ¡°Why are you here too? You came to fetch your pet cat?¡±

    Yondaime cursed, correcting his posture on the chair.

    ¡°I only came to ascertain my assistant''s decision.¡±

    Alice answered in a shaking voice. After that, she looked up at me, and spoke in a tender voice:

    ¡°It''s okay, Narumi. It''s your own decision and that''s fine. We are failures anyway. This is what was written on our pages in God''s notebook. Nevertheless, you can decide.¡±

    What the hell is this? I thought. Why did it turn out like this? Why don''t we have an option other than being cornered in that hopeless ce?

    Why, indeed¡ªAlice''s following words soaked my overheating heart.

    ¡°Because this is your case. A case you still haven''t put an end to. Isn''t that correct? So, go ahead and choose.¡±

    My problem.

    In order to end the sequel of the winter when I was sixteen, I can only make a decision. Even if my only choices were immensely stupid.

    I firmly swallowed. My dry throat felt rough. I stared at Yondaime right in front of me, epted the de of his gaze, waited for the pain to be deeply impressed in my heart, and released my words:

    ¡°If he intends to get Ayaka involved beyond this point, Yondaime is my enemy.¡±

    I heard Pole or someone else gasping. Yondaime spoke:

    ¡°I won''t adhere to your stupid assumptions. We''re still not at thest stage, of course I intend to involve her.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Why did it turn out like this? Shouldn''t it be other ways to handle things? Those thoughts washed away that empty anger.

    ¡°I take back our sake ritual.¡±

    ¡°Aniki!¡± ¡°Aniki, that''s!¡±

    Pole and Rocky edged closer to the right and left side of the executive desk and looked at me with pales faces.

    At that moment, Yondaime swung his fists downwards on the desk. The dreadful sound of wood cracking made the whole office gasp.

    ¡°Silence.¡±

    The wolf eyes turned to Alice.

    ¡°Fine. The go-between is also here.¡± His gaze returned to me. ¡°From this moment on, you''re aplete stranger. Hurry up and get lost.¡±

    ¡°Sou-san, please calm down!¡±

    The instant Pole spoke, Yondaime''s fists punched his bulky chest, making hisrge body hit the wall, and a picture frame fell with a crash. The sound of broken ss made me draw back my body.

    ¡°Our business haven''t finished yet.¡±

    Alice said peacefully.

    ¡°What are you going to do with my request?¡±

    ¡°Isn''t it obvious it''s canceled? Calcte the research expenses.¡±

    Alice''s hands weakly tightened their grip.

    ¡°Understood. Give back the manuscripts and the original data, please.¡±

    Alice picked up the profile sheets from Hakamizaka, Chigasawa and the mahjong bears and a DVD-R, handing them to me. Those were all things that came from the Detective Agency.

    ¡°I already printed and distributed them.¡± Yondaime narrowed his eyed.

    ¡°I don''t mind. Let''s go, Narumi.¡±

    As soon as we stepped out of the office, I heard the sound of rough footsteps going down the stairs.

    ¡°Aniki!¡± ¡°Aniki, please wait!¡±

    The ck shirts stepped into the road and surrounded me. I got scared and pushed Alice into Hiro-san''s car.

    ¡°Aniki, what''s going on!?¡± ¡°What''s that about taking back the sake ritual!?¡± ¡°Did something happen with Sou-san!?¡±

    I hesitated. I''m not your Aniki anymore, I said in my heart. When Yondaime told me that I was aplete stranger, it felt like rain was pouring in my face, but now I felt tormented by the downhearted feeling of loneliness.

    ¡°I''m sorry.¡± I bowed my head.

    Why am I apologizing? This is nothing I should apologize for, what good will apologizing do? I condemned myself again and again.

    ¡°Please, don''t apologize, Aniki!¡±

    ¡°Let''s apologize together to Sou-san instead!¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    Without raising my head, I shook it in refusal.

    ¡°No one did anything wrong. Please stop.¡±

    I rushed to the roadside where my bicycle was parked. When I passed by Alice in the car, her eyes met mine for a second.

    I threw the bunch of documents and DVDs into the basket and sat on the saddle.

    If I had gone to Hanamaru and exchanged words with Yondaime, answering all his questions¡­

    I changed the events countless times in my head, repeated them, ruminated. There weren''t mistakes anywhere. I made the right choice, and the regrets were necessary.

    The pain oozing from my ribs rose to the surface.

    I knew it quite well, the pain of a loss carved deep in my body and my heart.

    Before I knew it, being that person''s sworn brother became something so important inside me, huh, I thought.

    It all started with¡­ Oh yeah, a y of words to get him to shelter Meo.

    When did I start to depend so much on him? Always giving me his support without asking anything in return.

    And like that, I destroyed that bond myself.

    I destroyed it. I am now that person''s enemy.

    Unable to control my pain, I grasped the handle tightly and slowly slid downhill. Soon I became unable to straighten my body, and felt like I was going to fall into the basket. I couldn''t care about the puzzled gazes of the people that passed by me from time to time.

    When I reached Hanamaru''s kitchen door and pushed my bicycle further inside, the door opened and Ayaka rushed in with her ck apron.

    ¡°Fujishima-kun! Wh-what''s wrong? Did you go to Yondaime''s ce?¡±

    ¡°A-aah¡­ Yeah¡­ It''s nothing.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by ''it''s nothing''?¡±

    ¡°It''s okay, I already talked to Yondaime. It''s nothing you should be worried about, Ayaka.¡±

    ¡°What happened? W-was it something I said¡±

    I shook my head and pushed my bicycle further between the buildings and Ayaka rushed over and caught hold of the basket to restrain me.

    ¡°Wait! I won''t understand if you don''t tell me anything!¡±

    Why are you trying to make me exin something I can''t exin? When I turned my back to Ayaka and forcibly turned the handle, the tire slipped, and the bicycle copsed sideways. The documents and DVDs that leaped out of the basket were scattered on the ground.

    ¡°Ah, I-I''m sorry.¡±

    Ayaka became pale and leaned over to pick up the documents.

    I was taken aback and tried to avoid it, but it was toote. Ayaka''s hands holding one of the papers were shaking. Her eyes widened unnaturally.

    The profiles printed on the paper were from Hakamizaka and Chigasawa¡ªMembers of Fix''s manufacturing/selling group.

    ¡°Uh¡­uh-eugh¡­!¡±

    Ayaka let out a strange cry. I snatched those documents away from her and crushed them with my hands.

    ¡°A-are you okay!?¡±

    Ayaka curled up, frightened.

    There was a picture of the very person who once forced her to take the drug.

    Even though I knew that she would end up remembering if I was too careless¡­

    ¡°Oi, Narumi, what are you d¡±

    The kitchen door opened vigorously and Min-san appeared.

    When she noticed Ayaka having muscr convulsions and vomiting gastric juice on the ground, she rushed in immediately and rubbed her back.

    She red at me and yelled ¡°Take that stuff away already!¡±

    For a while, my knees were shaking and I couldn''t move. I finally straightened my body when Min-san pped my cheek, and I rushed up the emergency stairs as if running away.

    The Detective Agency was locked; they hadn''t returned yet. The traffic in the highway was probably congested.

    I leaned over in front of the washing machine.

    Until Hiro-san brought Alice back, I squatted on the corridor, drenched in lethargy.

    Sitting on the bed of the Detective Agency, under the wind of the conditioned air, I hugged my knees.

    Alice who had just returned was facing the keyboard without saying a word. Hiro-san returned from the kitchen with two cups of hot coffee, handing me one of them.

    ¡°Did something happen with Ayaka? She didn''t look good, and Min-san seemed angry.¡±

    ¡°¡­Y-yeah. Just a little something.¡± I lied. I didn''t know how to exin it. I drank a sip of coffee. The heat only reached the base of my tongue.

    I certainly picked the worst choice for Ayaka.

    Well, what do I do? Should I chase away the Hirasaka-gumi''sckeys who will probablye to get more information from Ayaka? What should I do if Yondaimees himself? Who would be able to stop him?

    Should I tell Ayaka to stoping to Hanamaru? How stupid. I don''t have the right to do that. What good will it do to meddle into Ayaka''s daily life?

    I pressed my forehead in my arms, hearing the sound of Alice typing.

    What in the world have I done? What was the meaning of this? I turned Yondaime into my enemy, satisfying my own ego with the excuse of not wanting Ayaka to get involved so she wouldn''t be harmed, but didn''t that go nowhere? Where would my choice lead?

    I wasn''t thinking at all. I only discharged my fury. I snatched away Alice''s reason to seek for the truth, because if there wasn''t a request, the detective would remain a powerless bystander.

    Sinking deeper and deeper into the mud, the surface of my heart was scratched by a shrill noise.

    I raised my face and looked around, my head unable toprehend what sound it was at first. But when I noticed Alice''s gaze had turned towards the entrance, I understood it was the sound of the inte.

    Hiro-san rushed to the entrance with an ''I''ll get it'' and opened the door.

    With both hands in his jacket''s pockets, Tetsu-senpai''s figure appeared.

    When senpai pushed Hiro-san aside and entered the bedroom, he looked at me for an instant and immediately gazed at the small back wrapped in ck hair.

    Slipping his hands out of his pockets, he threw something by Alice''s side.

    I gasped. When Alice turned and saw what that something was, she frowned.

    ¡°¡­What is that?¡±

    ¡°Take care of that for me. Don''t ask how I gathered it.¡±

    It was a roll of 10,000 yen notes tied with a rubber band.

    ¡­How much money is there? It looks quite thick.

    ¡°I am a NEET Detective, a messenger of the deceased. Not a bank.¡±

    ¡°It''s an advanced payment for the investigation expenses. If I keep it I''ll end up wasting it on horse racing betting tickets, so you keep it, Alice.¡±

    Alice and I stared at Tetsu-senpai''s face at the same time. A weak smile came from him.

    ¡°This is a request from me. Destroy Angel Fixpletely.¡±

    Alice picked up the roll of banknotes, pushing it against her pajama-d chest.

    ¡°¡­Senpai¡­¡±

    A gooey voice overflowed from my throat.

    ¡°What''s with that disheartened face?¡± Tetsu-senpai turned to me and showed his teeth. ¡°This is not only your case, and it''s not only Yondaime''s case either. Don''t you guys look down on me.¡±

    ¡°Quite the arrogant wordsing from someone who just got covered in debts.¡± Hiro-san said,ughing.

    ¡°Oh, shut up.¡±

    Debts¡­ He got in debt to pay for the request fee?

    ¡°Hmph. Don''t underestimate a NEET Detective either. This amount will vanish in a second.¡±

    Alice threw the roll of banknotes to my knees.

    ¡°Hurry up and count it, Narumi.¡±

    ¡°¡­Eh¡­ Ah- okay.¡±

    ¡°However, since we won''t use Hirasaka-gumi, it mightst. Very well, I ept.¡±

    We won''t use Hirasaka-gumi?

    I stared at Alice''s face, and she looked back at me with an amazed expression.

    ¡°Why are you giving me that stupid look? Do you still not understand the way we do things? If we locate Angel Fix''sst remnants without relying on Hirasaka-gumi, we will end this casepletely. There is no other option.¡±

    Alice''s words slowly soaked into my swelled up consciousness.

    Yes. It''s just like that. There''s no other way.

    We need to force out the truth with our own hands before Yondaime.

    I quietly picked up the roll of banknotes. Those scraps of paper drenched in Tetsu-senpai''s blood and will felt incredibly heavy.

 Volume 8, 4

    <h4>Volume 8, Chapter 4</h4>

    Angel Flowers'' Workshop was the peculiar name of that flower shop.

    The roof of a greenhouse could be seen on the wide garden of a single house located near a high-rent district''s main street.

    Greenhouse, I thought. It shouldn''t be strange for a gardening enthusiast to have a greenhouse in their house, but even so, I gazed at the ss-sided triangr roof basking in the winter sun with aplicated feeling.

    The gatepost had a copper te with a sculpted relief of an angel; a lovely angel spreading his wings and blowing a trumpet.

    It didn''t seem like a coincidence anymore.

    I remembered the design of the wings carved on the red pills.

    Aren''t they really simr to the wings on this doorte? Did Hakamizaka Shirou decide to give the drug the name of an angel upon seeing this? I don''t know. I might be jumping into conclusions.

    I looked behind the fence. In the spacious front garden, I saw a tiered stand full of poinsettias. There were several female customers in the verandah that served as the open shop. Friendly chatting with the customers in the middle, a woman who specially stood out was facing this way. She had neatly arranged short hair, big earrings, and exotic features that somehow gave the impression that she was Greek or Turkish.

    Without even needing topare her to the data, I knew who she was at first nce: Iharagi Junko.

    I remembered Alice''s words from the NEET Detective Squad meeting we had had the former day.

    *

    ¡°Using the information Yondaime got from Ayaka might beplicated for you¡± Alice quickly nced at me. ¡°But it''s a potential clue, so we must use it.¡±

    After that, Alice''s fingers ran over the keyboard. The profile of a woman was disyed on the monitors surrounding the bed.

    Iharagi Junko. 38 years old. Mother of one child, divorced from her husband. As a gardening researcher, she has appeared on TV a number of times, she also wrote numerous books. She manages a shop named Angel Flowers'' Workshop, ten minutes away from M High.

    Back when the Gardening Club existed, Ayaka relied on that shop to cultivate those unique poppy flowers.

    ¡°Is it a shop Ayaka knew from before? Or did Hakamizaka Shirou tell her about it?¡±

    I asked, caught between the feeling of not wanting to touch the subject and wanting to dig up the truth.

    ¡°It seems like she doesn''t remember. Almost all the memories rted to Fix have vanished inside her.¡±

    Hakamizaka Shirou¡­ And Toshi-san. Ayaka''s memories about being entrusted with the sin of growing those blue poppy flowers.

    But they might return, I thought. It''s obvious. She''s been living just like before, taking care of the nts in the greenhouse, so there''s a connection with the past somewhere.

    ¡°However, there''s a high possibility that Hakamizaka introduced the shop to her. Ayaka apparently purchased quite a few unusual and expensive gardening medicines from that shop. It was unlikely that the school''s Gardening Club had that many medicines. They barely use them now, actually.¡±

    It would be better to confirm more with Ayaka--No one said that. We had chosen that winding road on our detective work to avoid that, after all.

    ¡°So this woman is Hakamizaka''s acquaintance? If so, the police might have tracked herst year.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai folded his arms.

    ¡°See if you can find out anything, Tetsu. We also need to meet Iharagi Junko in person, we have no time to waste.¡±

    ¡°If she''s a widow, then it''s my turn. Since she''s so beautiful, I''m itching to put my skills to use.¡±

    Smiling brightly, Hiro-san raised his thumb and pointed at himself.

    ¡°No, I''ll go.¡± I interjected, and Hiro-san widened his eyes exaggeratedly and looked at me.

    ¡°Why? I mean, I know your gigolo skills have far surpassed mine, Narumi-kun, but you''re not even 18 yet, are you?¡±

    I had so many things to retort that I gave up and began exining instead.

    ¡°I''m an M High student and I was in the gardening club, so I can easily make up an excuse to enter that shop. If you approach her as an outsider, even if you get close to her it will take time.¡±

    Well, that''s true¡­ Hiro-san muttered.

    ¡°So, will I be informed when you enter the widow''s bedroom at least, Narumi-kun?¡±

    ¡°Hiro, that''s enough!¡± ¡°I''m being serious now!¡±

    Hiro-san pursed his lips and shrugged. Hasn''t he learned a lesson after all the times Min-san hit him?

    ¡°Okay then, I''ll ask thedies I know if they know something about Iharagi Junko and all that.¡±

    ¡°Alright, let''s go.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai and Hiro-san turned to the entrance.

    ¡°By the way, where''s Major?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I talked to him on the phone just now. He''s installing bugs and cameras in Iharagi Junko''s house.¡± Alice nonchntly answered.

    ¡°That''s, uhm¡­ Well, it''s toote to say this, but¡­ Isn''t what Major''s doing a crime?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, it''s toote to say that, Narumi-kun.¡± ¡°Hiro''s existence is a crime in itself.¡± ¡°Tetsu, aren''t you a genuine criminal? You even have a criminal record.¡± ¡°It''s not a criminal record, it''s just a correctional guidance history.¡±

    They both exited the Agency while arguing. I watched them leave, still sitting on the bed.

    Yes, it''s toote to think about it now, but we are doing illegal acts.

    The reason I was worrying this time was because we weren''t certain that this woman, Iharagi Junko, was our enemy.

    Since our partners are always yakuza/mafia hoodlums, the reluctance to brush with thew is numbed.

    ¡°Hmph. How foolish. A crime is a crime, no matter who your partner is. It''s seriously toote to think about it.¡±

    Seeing through my thoughts, Alice looked at me with scornful eyes.

    ¡°No, I know, but¡­¡±

    I still didn''t feel convinced. Iharagi Junko seemed like an ordinary person.

    ¡°Iharagi Junko had a reason to ept money from the Fix manufacturing group, at least.¡±

    Alice said, staring at the monitor.

    ¡°If those poppies are being cultivated again now, then she might be like Ayaka was before, thinking the fertilizers are something necessary.¡±

    ¡°So¡­¡± I gulped, looking at the neat smile on the photograph. ¡°Could that woman be Shushuri?¡±

    ¡°There''s a possibility that it is indeed that person''s nickname.¡±

    I folded my arms, breathed through my nose, and then exhaled.

    ¡°If that''s the case, then it would exin why the drug was scattered on these streets, right¡­?¡±

    Because Shushuri is in this city. Hakamizaka and the others got together near Shushuri''s flower shop, they created the narcotic factory, then they noticed the greenhouse in the school that was really near, so they got closer to Ayaka''s brother, Toshi-san.

    ¡°Let''s not jump into conclusions so hastily.¡±

    Alice nced at me from the side, taking a sip of Dr Pepper.

    ¡°There are still lots of questions. If we don''t disentangle them one by one, we''re going to misread the truth.¡±

    But we were indeed pressed for time. Yondaime''s intense gaze and Ayaka''s uneasy eyes flickered somewhere in my head. I licked my lips and asked:

    ¡°What are those other questions?¡±

    ¡°First of all, why now after a whole year.¡±

    ¡°Aah¡­¡± I also wondered the same before. Why did people with saved up fix suddenly started to move at the same time? And they all seemed to need to get money urgently. Now, after the four seasons passed, something set in motion that incident, which should be immersed in the darkness already, for a second time. But what?

    ¡°And there''s something else¡­¡±

    Alice''s voice became deeper and more majestic.

    ¡°I''m curious about why Hakamizaka Shirou needed Ayaka''s greenhouse.¡±

    ¡°¡­Eh?¡±

    I took a good look at the detective''s face.

    ¡°What do you mean? Isn''t that because he needed to cultivate the flowers that served as the raw materials?¡±

    ¡°There were lots of Angel Fix supplies before Ayaka and Toshi took part on the manufacturing. Hakamizaka had otherrge-scale cultivation ces. The police made that public on their investigation. M High''s greenhouse wasn''t such an important area. Why did he use it?¡±

    ¡°Weren''t the raw materials insufficient? Maybe he wanted to increase the production a bit more¡­¡±

    ¡°That reason was satisfying for mest year, but the circumstances are different now. There''s the fact that Ayaka frequented Angel Flowers'' Workshop, and more importantly, Toshi''s testimony.¡±

    Toshi-san''s testimony?

    ¡°He said he periodically went to the greenhouse and took a report written by Ayaka along with the flowers that had turned blue.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but, wasn''t that also because of the raw materials? I can''t think of anything else.¡±

    ¡°No¡±

    Alice shut her mouth mid-sentence, and her face clouded.

    ¡°Let''s drop this subject. Now is not the time to turn it into words.¡±

    The detective forsook my doubts with cool-headed words.

    ¡°Anyway, Iharagi Junko. We should look for her connection with Hakamizaka.¡±

    ¡°¡­Alright.¡±

    I stood up from the bed and hung my head in shame, cing my hands on the wall.

    ¡°What''s the matter?¡±

    ¡°¡­Aah, well¡­ I said all those courageous words to Hiro-san, but I have no idea how should I get information out of her.¡±

    Alice sighed unnaturally.

    ¡°You can just ask. For example, ¡äwere you an acquaintance of the main criminal responsible of the narcotic manufacturing, Hakamizaka Shirou?¡ä, and the like.¡±

    ¡°Eeeeeh?!¡± I unintentionally let out a hysterical voice, turning my head back at Alice. The detective shrugged.

    ¡°It''s not a situation where you have to do cunning questioning. Trick her into telling the truth with whatever method you please. Isn''t lying through your teeth your signature move? If she contacts anyone or disposes of anything, it will be caught in Major''s antennas. Right now, that''s what should get us the best results.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    That''s right. So that''s why the bugs were prepared so quickly? Sounds somewhat tiring. In the end, my only duty is making up an excuse to shake up Iharagi Junko, huh? And even Alice has clearly told me that lying through my teeth is my signature move.

    But it can''t be helped. Because it''s indeed the only thing I can do.

    *

    Standing in front of Angel Flowers'' Workshop, after I finished remembering every word Alice said, I looked at the garden behind the gate once again. The leisureddies were holding potted nts in their hands, asking things to Iharagi Junko. To make matters worse, there were also two young girls inside, wearing light blue aprons with a picture of an angel printed on them. They were probably from the staff of the shop.

    What should I do? There''s no atmosphere to ask her if she''s acquainted with the main criminal responsible of the narcotic manufacturing, and it doesn''t seem like thedies are going to leave soon.

    Aah¡ªNo, I don''t have to worry so much, I realized. I should attack as it is. I only have to shake her up.

    Even though I was reassuring myself in my head, it took me a while to finally take action. I took four deep breaths, removed the gloves from my sweaty palms, opened my duffle coat feeling the cold wind on my chest, and upon calming down, I walked through the gate.

    ¡°Excuse me¡­¡±

    ¡°Wee.¡± ¡°Wee!¡±

    The two young employees saw me first. Iharagi Junko turned her gaze at me next, and all thedies looked our way. Their facial expressions fell a little. It wasn''t a ce that many high school boys in uniforms visited.

    ¡°Go ahead, feel free to look around as you please.¡±

    Iharagi Junko''s gentle smile returned as she said that. I looked at the other women and took a step closer to Iharagi, beginning to talk:

    ¡°Uhm, I''m from M High''s Gardening Club. Do you remember a girl who bought lots of things and asked advice from youst year, Shinozaki Ayaka?¡±

    Her face wasn''t clouded, just genuinely pensive.

    ¡°¡­Aah! Shinozaki-san. I remember her, yes. However, I haven''t seen hertely, could it be that she stopped working with flowers?¡±

    I felt a little disappointed. So she admits knowing Ayaka so easily?

    ¡°How can I help you today?¡±

    When I was asked that, my suspicions started to grow thin. Isn''t this person just an horticulturist? Isn''t she just a good citizen unrted to Hakamizaka who knew Ayaka beforehand? Aren''t our deductions wrong? But there''s no time. In this very moment, those poppy flowers are being cultivated, their juices are being extracted, purified and made into pills, and Hirasaka-gumi is sniffing around for that ce.

    With those thoughts racing, I squeezed out my words.

    ¡°¡­Do you know a man called Hakamizaka Shirou?¡±

    Iharagi Junko''s smile cracked. I was even more surprised.

    ¡°Y-you¡­ Hakamizaka-san¡­ Are you¡­ Hakamizaka-san''s¡­¡±

    The words in her question vanished into nothing.

    ¡°Sensei, what''s the matter?¡± ¡°Is something wrong?¡±

    The customers spoke with suspicious faces. Iharagi Junko bowed at them, then she turned around to look at the employees on the sides of the verandah.

    ¡°Please, look after the customers for a minute. I need to help this person.¡±

    She turned around at me again and took a step closer, pointing at the front door of the house.

    ¡°¡­Please, let''s talk about this inside.¡±

    I entered the bright living room. The walls were covered with hung baskets with dry flowers. It was an elegant but unsettling room. A strong herbal fragrance was also hanging in the air.

    ¡°Please have a seat.¡±

    Iharagi Junko ced a cup of ck tea on the table. I sat in front of her, and the silence mixed and danced mid-air along with the steam of the ck tea.

    ¡°¡­Sorry for suddenly barging in and saying weird things.¡±

    I suddenly t-out apologized.

    ¡°No, it''s nothing¡­¡±

    Iharagi Junko casted her eyes down. I just couldn''t see her as someone rted to narcotics manufacturing at all. Our deductions must be wrong indeed¡­

    ¡°So¡­ Were you an acquaintance of Hakamizaka Shirou?¡±

    I couldn''t hold it anymore, so I inquired directly. Her shoulders twitched when she heard the name Hakamizaka. With a hesitation that didn''t match her 38 years of age, she raised her gaze again.

    ¡°Before that, uhm, are you really from M High¡­?¡±

    ¡°Ah, I-I''m sorry. My name is Fujishima Narumi.¡± I bowed my head. ¡°I''m Shinozaki-san''s ssmate, and I used to be in the Gardening Club with her.¡±

    ¡°I see, but, how do you know about Hakamizaka-san?¡±

    ¡°I''m an assistant detective.¡±

    Iharagi Junko tilted her head. She probably wasn''t used to hearing the term ''assistant detective.'' I continued talking:

    ¡°There was a disturbance rted to narcotics a year ago¡­ I''m investigating that.¡±

    ¡°Wh¡­Why? Aren''t you a high school student? And the police has dealt with that incident a long time ago¡­¡±

    ¡°Manypanions of mine had died because of that drug. Even a person that was rted to the group of criminals is dying and still suffering now.¡±

    A part of that wasn''t a lie. She lowered her gaze at the serious subject.

    ¡°¡­I see¡­ Hakamizaka-san also died because of that¡­¡±

    She won''t even feign ignorance about that, I thought.

    ¡°How did you get to know Hakamizaka?¡±

    I patiently repeated my question. Iharagi Junko finally raised her head.

    ¡°He was a regr customer. He started using them by the time he went to Iran, but since he was a graduate from a Japanese university, there were many fertilizers he couldn''t buy, he used my shop.¡±

    ¡°Is¡­ that all?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    Iharagi Junko tilted her head with a doubtful expression.

    ¡°I told all that to the police. They also inspected my shop and my greenhouse. Why are you investigating now¡­? It''s been a year, hasn''t it?¡±

    So the police also found out about this woman? I was a little surprised, but I concealed that feeling. It was obvious if you thought about it. If the fertilizers used were so unusual they would obviously leave clues, and the police definitely wouldn''t overlook them.

    If despite that the crime wasn''t solved, then this person really isn''t Shushuri?

    No, I reconsidered. There''s still one source of the raw material that the police didn''t find out. Ayaka.

    ¡°Do you know what kind of rtionship did Hakamizaka and Shinozaki-san have?¡±

    When I asked that, Iharagi Junko''s facial expression didn''t change much.

    ¡°Hakamizaka-san introduced this shop to Shinozaki-san¡­ And they bought almost the same fertilizers.¡±

    Iharagi Junko stopped mid-sentence and gasped.

    ¡°¡­It couldn''t be¡­ Shinozaki-san was involved in that incident? Aah, but, right, was she growing the same flowers? I can''t believe it¡­¡±

    I was almost equally surprised. Is she only realizing now that Ayaka was growing those flowers that served as the narcotics raw materials? Does she really not know anything, or is she acting? Should I insist on talking about Ayaka? No, I shouldn''t expose myself so fecklessly.

    ¡°So, Ayaka hasn''te here at all, right? Until when did Hakamizakae? Hasn''t any of Hakamizaka''s acquaintancese heretely?¡±

    I half rose from my seat, interrogating her. Iharagi Junko cast her eyes down, shaking her head many times.

    ¡°No one came. I already told everything to the police a year ago.¡±

    When I was about to question further, I heard tapping footsteps behind me, and the sound of a door being vigorously opened.

    ¡°Mama! A friend of Shirou-san came again?¡±

    Iharagi Junko widened her eyes and stood up. I gasped and drew my chair back, turning around. A little boy carrying a backpack on his back and wearing a jumper came rushing into the living room.

    When his eyes met mine, he stood still and bowed his head with a ¡°Good afternoon¡±. After that, he shifted his focus to Iharagi Junko.

    ¡°Are you Shirou-san''s friend?¡±

    ¡°Wh¡ªWhat is this boy saying?¡±

    Iharagi Junko went around the table and rushed to the little boy, catching him by the shoulders and pushing him to the door.

    ¡°Go wash your hands and go to your room, okay?¡±

    ¡°He''s Shirou-san''s friend, right? Thedies outside were saying he said something about Hakamizaka Shirou.¡±

    ¡°Tomoki!¡± Iharagi Junko shrieked. ¡°W-what are you saying!? Anyway, just go!¡±

    I approached that boy named Tomoki, but Iharagi Junko stood in the middle.

    ¡°P-please leave! I have nothing else to tell you!¡±

    Tomoki-kun looked like he had something to say behind her mother.

    ¡°Tomoki, do as I say!¡±

    With her mother''s scolding voice, the back carrying a satchel disappeared through the door again.

    When I stepped out of Angel Flowers'' Workshop, I stopped the IC recorder in my breast pocket. My suspicions had now turned into pitch ck clouds, covering my thoughts.

    That boy¡ªIharagi Junko''s son¡ªsaid ¡äA friend of Shirou-san came again?¡ä

    In other words, someone came before.

    So, is this woman indeed Shushuri? The angel who haunted these streets, scattering words of temptation and death through those red pills?

    I didn''t know how to corner a person that not even the police investigation could catch, but I had the Detective Squad who didn''t mind doing illegal activities. It wasn''t like their purpose was being dragged to the court, but they had to do something by any means.

    When I went back to the crossroad corner where my bicycle, I saw a silhouette approaching a few meters ahead. I practically copsed over the bike, and I put my arms on the hedge to support my body.

    It was Yondaime.

    His hair that was usually standing on end was down, and he was wearing a tidy gray jacket, but his sharp gaze wasn''t concealed at all.

    Why is Yondaime here¡ªAhh, no, Yondaime does know about Iharagi Junko. He must have came to observe the shop and get information.

    When Yondaime walked closer, my eyes fell to the asphalt under my feet as I picked up the bicycle.

    I didn''t raise my head. I could only count his footsteps. After all, I had gotten separated from him like that, so I didn''t know what face I should make. I didn''t have the energy to walk away, either.

    When Yondaime passed by my side, my whole body stiffened and I held my breath. When the footsteps disappeared behind me, I finally stomped on the asphalt as if trying to kick it away, and stepped on the pedals. The cold wind cut my ears and pierced the gap between my scarf and my head.

    We didn''t say anything to each other and our eyes didn''t meet. That was a given because I said he had turned into my enemy, but my heart still ached as if it was about to get twisted off.

    Needless to say, the one who had broken things to that extent had been me.

    ¡°The identities of the three mahjong bears has been found out. Tetsu and the others went to confirm that just now.¡±

    When I showed up at the Detective Agency, Alice said that. I was surprised and climbed up the bed with my coat and my scarf still on. Three monitors disyed a photograph and a profile each. They were indeed the three young men I had suspected and kept an eye on.

    ¡°So you found them.¡±

    Didn''t Alice instruct the NEET Detective Squad to focus on the paid dating incident and give up on chasing after the mahjong bears? How did she find them?

    ¡°I''m afraid I wasn''t the one who found them.¡± Alice shrugged. ¡°Yondaime sent me an email.¡±

    I was dumbfounded.

    ¡°W¡­Why?¡±

    Weren''t we enemies now?

    ¡°Even if Hinamura Souichirou is your enemy, if we progressed with our investigation based on this information, Hirasaka-gumi could approach Shushuri once again.¡±

    I looked up at the roof and sighed.

    ¡°You must be thinking ¡äSo am I the only one opening wounds everywhere because of my insignificant stubbornness?¡ä, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­Don''t go assuming what other people are thinking on your own¡­¡± You''re basically right, though.

    Alice pursed her lips and continued:

    ¡°But, you''re not the only stubborn one. I am your employer, and an enemy of yours is an enemy of mine. Of course, I can no longer obtain all of Yondaime''s information, and I can''t ask him to fix my stuffed toys anymore, either.¡±

    ¡°Why¡±

    I swallowed my words. I felt a creaky pain on my throat. This was the consequence of our decision. Alice left the decision to me, and I chose to oppose Yondaime. I severed the mutual trust and affection between Yondaime and Alice with my own hands.

    Stop, don''t think about that, I told myself. I was aware of the magnitude of the wounds, but I had the feeling that the blood flowing from them was increasing. I bit my lips and swallowed my iron-vored saliva, then I slowly opened my mouth and began my report as an assistant detective:

    ¡°I met with Iharagi Junko. She''s quite suspicious.¡±

    Alice nodded, hiding her loneliness behind her long eyshes.

    ¡°Well done. Speak.¡±

    I described in detail what happened at Angel Flowers'' Workshop. About how Iharagi Junko said she knew Hakamizaka Shirou and Ayaka and didn''t deny it, and how she said she had told everything to the police and even let them inspect her shop and her greenhouse. And then her son had revealed that an acquaintance of Hakamizaka Shirou hade before.

    ¡°I see¡­ Then we can focus on various questions, if she''s Shushuri.¡±

    Alice stared at the empty Dr Pepper can in her hand.

    ¡°But there''s still not enough information. If Iharagi Junko orders her gardening fertilizers online, we could find out her background right away, but it would be good to know what kind of fertilizers Hakamizaka used¡­¡±

    She hesitated, and I also lowered my gaze to the sheets.

    Ayaka would know about that. More precisely, Ayaka before leaping from the rooftop would know.

    As of yet, that information was buried somewhere among Ayaka''s memories, and maybe they could be dug up. But we fought with Yondaime to not let him do that.

    The phone rang. Alice bent her body and pushed the talk button, switching to hands-free.

    ¡äThe three mahjong bears are missing.¡ä

    Tetsu-senpai''s voice resounded inside the bedroom.

    ¡°Missing? Since when?¡± Alice inquired in a tense voice.

    Missing? Again?

    ¡äDunno. Hiro is now looking for thest people who saw them. The three live alone, so no one noticed they were missing for a while.¡ä

    As soon as she finished talking with Tetsu-senpai, Alice called Major.

    ¡°Did any of the mahjong bears visit Flower Angels'' Workshop?¡±

    ¡äNot presently. However, the surveince started yesterday, so we can''t know if they went there before.¡ä

    ¡°Hmm. How many people are rotating? I want to calcte thebor costs.¡±

    Since we couldn''t ask Hirasaka-gumi now, Major''s survival game partners had been asked to rotate in order to keep watch 24 hours a day. Of course, that should be quite expensive.

    ¡äEight people. Is Tetsu-san''s money enough?¡ä

    ¡°That''s my own problem. All of you continue keeping watch.¡±

    Alice took a deep breath and started her next can of Dr Pepper.

    First the survivor of the Fix''s manufacturing group, Chigasawa Teruhiko, and now the three people who used Fix to earn money on the mahjong parlors, had disappeared.

    Where did they all vanish to? And where is all the money they gathered?

    ¡°Do we know how those three are connected to Hakamizaka?¡±

    Alice shook her head.

    ¡°Not yet. We don''t know the link between Oshima and Hakamizaka either. Had they contacted each other online to get the drugs I could investigate everything, but since the people who took Angel Fix had that surrealwork¡­¡±

    I hade in contact with that surrealism once for just a moment, so I understood the meaning of Alice''s words. Those red angels'' pills enhanced your senses and let you experience great happiness, giving you a dreadful mental sharpness. In the middle of this city''s torrent of lights and noises, one could discern Bob Dn''s songing from a portable music yer, finding the dealers. There was no need to use the inte or cellphones.

    Maybe Hakamizaka Shirou told those people something when they met, a way to meet Shushuri? And then after a year they had to visit her, gather money and set off on a trip?

    ¡°Why now? What made them do it?¡±

    Alice muttered. I looked into her eyes, then I picked up the empty cans and got up. As I had been her assistant for some time now, I knew that once she sinks in the swamp of her thoughts, she won''te to the surface for a while.

    When I was throwing the empty cans into the dumpster in front of the kitchen''s door I heard a voice saying ¡°Fujishima-kun!¡±

    When I raised my head, Ayaka approached the back alley with long steps. She had just arrived, judging by the coat she was wearing over her uniform.

    ¡°I went to Yondaime''s ce!¡± Ayaka said, raising her eyebrows, and I was taken aback.

    ¡°Eh- w-why!?¡±

    ¡°Because you won''t tell me anything, Fujishima-kun.¡±

    Ayaka pushed both her gloved hands against my chest.

    ¡°Yondaime wasn''t there, but the men from the gang told me lots of things!¡±

    My head started to hurt. Why did she do that? I took back the sake ritual just so Ayaka wouldn''t be involved with Hirasaka-gumi or the investigation¡­

    ¡°I couldn''t understand most of what they said, but I understood when they said Fujishima-kun severed his bonds with Yondaime. Hey, is that true?¡±

    Ayaka looked like she was about to cry. I gave up on trying to think, so I forced a smile.

    ¡°No, you see, that''s¡­ That brotherhood sake ritual was just a game of make-believe. Kinda like turf wars between delinquents and all that. You shouldn''t worry about that, Ayaka.¡±

    ¡°I am worried! I can easily tell you''re lying, Fujishima-kun. He was an important older brother to you, wasn''t he? I can''t just ignore that gloomy face of yours. Hey, is it my fault? B-because I told you that Yondaime had interrogated me¡­?¡±

    ¡°It''s not that!¡±

    I suddenly pushed back Ayaka''s shoulders. The empty cans at my feet rolled, making a metallic sound.

    ¡°It''s not your fault, Ayaka. It''s something I decided on my own. It has nothing to do with you.¡±

    Being unable to exin anything felt irritating. Because my wish was that she didn''t know anything, and she didn''t remember anything.

    The only thing I could do was running away. I hopped on my bicycle and left the back alley.

    ¡°Fujishima-kun!¡±

    Ayaka''s serious voice mangled my back, and my feet pedaled faster.

    What am I doing? Seriously, what am I doing? Just a stubborn bluff after another. Would it have been better if I didn''t do anything from the start? I don''t know.

    My head was aplete mess.

    *

    I skipped school the next day. I did it because I didn''t want to meet Ayaka, but I lied to myself with the excuse of having to focus on my assistant detective work. I slept until the afternoon. I''m the lowest.

    ¡äYou''re already bing a NEET at full speed. How about you proudly drop out of school already? It would be a magnificent celebration.¡ä

    Those were the cold words Alice told me when I called her.

    ¡°I don''t want to be aughingstock, so please stop¡­ More importantly, did you find the ce?¡±

    ¡äYes. It''s surprisingly near. I''ll send you the address by email.¡ä

    The ce Alice had asked me to investigate was the elementary school that Iharagi Junko''s son attended. I was indeed surprised when I read the mail. It was really near the Detective Agency.

    I left home and rode my bicycle. The sun was already setting, making me feel apologetic towards society. The sky was clear, but the wind was colder than the former day.

    When I parked my bicycle next to a park, I was surprised by the crowd gathered there. That ce that had been the stage where we spent most of our December didn''t seem like a homeless park anymore.

    No, there are no homeless people anymore. I didn''t see any construction vehicles either, and the guard fences had been removed. Now there were only young couples and parents with their kids in sight. Cheerfulughter came from the grass slopes, while sounds of skateboards sliding on the concrete and a ser team ying were also heard.

    I see, today''s the inauguration, I realized.

    This public park was now called Hercules Sports Park, and it was an admission-payed athletic institution. Neither the smell of blood nor the darkness of the groves that kept people away were there anymore. It didn''t seem like a weekday with all the congestion.

    Everything changes, I thought, flooded with a meaningless sentimentalism. There''s nothing that stays still forever. Nothing ever vanishes. Things simply get washed away, moving from ce to ce.

    Even a few broadcasting vehicles from TV stations stopped, so it didn''t seem like there was a ce to park on the street. I turned my back to the park, crossed the road, and I parked my bicycle under the shade of a small building.

    The elementary school was just ahead. The school building could be seen beyond a tall fence, a grove of trees, and the courtyard. It was really big and near the station, so it was probably a private institution.

    I arrived in time for the end of the ss of course, but I stood there looking at the children on the school gates. About half of them weren''t carrying backpacks but bags such as the ones that middle school students use.

    A sign of the times, it seems¡­ No, this is not the time to be admiring that, what should I do now? How will I find Tomoki-kun, and what should I say? This is an elementary school, so if I''m to careless, I could end up beingbeled as a suspicious person.

    My usual ineptitude made me feel down. A bus approached the school gates and I also saw some people that looked like part of the school staff, so I ran away along the fence.

    But before I reached the corner of the school, I stopped on my tracks, dumbfounded.

    Beyond the fence, there were many flowerbeds with thickly grown, tall sunflower-like nts. On that corner, there was a small silhouette squatting with a shovel in his hands. When I got closer to see him better, the fence creaked, so the silhouette raised his head and turned around.

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    The boy opened his eyes and mouth in perfect circles¡ªhe was without a doubt Tomoki-kun.

    ¡°¡­You''re the person from yesterday!¡± Tomoki-kun said, pointing at me.

    I quickly put my finger to my lips, going ¡°shhh¡±, but he left the shovel, the watering can and the toolbox behind and rushed up.

    ¡°Are you Shirou-san''s friend?¡± Tomoki-kun asked, clinging to the wire mesh. I was about to say ¡°no¡±, but then I realized it would be a good excuse to talk to him, so I nodded.

    ¡°So, are you an angel florist?¡±

    I didn''t really understand, but I nodded again.

    ¡°Then I''ll let you in!¡±

    Tomoki-kun quickly opened a small back gate on the left. I wanted to say ¡°No, wait a second¡±. I was thankful for the weing mood, but no excuse would suffice if I was caught inside the school territory.

    However, before I realized, I was entering anyway.

    This isn''t the time to be whining, I won''t have many opportunities as this one. I have to take the risk. As soon as I hear what I need, I''ll run away.

    ¡°Hey, Tomoki-kun.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡± The boy''s sweetness was just like his mother''s, and it made my heart hurt a little.

    ¡°If a teacher or someone like that sees us, uhm, could you tell them that your mom asked me to deliver something and help you out a little?¡±

    ¡°You''re going to help out!?¡± Tomoki-kun''s eyes sparkled. Hey, don''t stray off from the subject. Well, it can''t be helped, he''s just a seven-year-old boy.

    I helped out with weeding, watering and pruning. I had a little knowledge about it, after all. I had no other choice either, since I had to get along with him to get the information.

    Of course, my attention was mainly focused on checking the surroundings in case someone was watching us, and because of that I dropped the shovel onto my tiptoes several times. Even so, Tomoki-kunplimented me with a ¡°you''re so skillful!¡±

    I didn''t understand what I was doing anymore.

    ¡°Tomoki-kun, you''re really skillful too, and your tools are really good.¡±

    The way he cut the tip of the nutrient ampoule reminded me of Ayaka''s technique.

    ¡°Tomo wants to be an angel florist like mama and Shirou-san.¡± Tomoki-kun smiled, holding the shovel full of soil in his hand.

    ¡°Hey, uhm, what''s an angel florist?¡±

    ¡°Someone like mama and Shirou-san.¡±

    I put a hand on my chest and took a deep breath. It can''t be helped, he''s just a seven-year-old boy.

    ¡°That''s why mama is teaching me. The teacher praised me a lot for how I took care of the flowers!¡±

    I see. I took an extensive view of the garden again. There were several warm-retaining sheets on the soil, and tall nters were put together. There was also a big metaltticed drainage. The nts were really well looked after. Even though he was only a second year, he was the son of an horticulturist, after all. Thanks to that, I had an excuse to talk to him.

    ¡°Shirou-san said he had flowerbeds way way bigger than the ones at home and at school. He promised he''d show me, but he hasn''te here at alltely.¡±

    ¡°Uhm, did he use toe often?¡±

    ¡°From time to time, when Tomo was in first grade.¡±

    In other words, when he was still alive.

    I gulped, and discreetly tried to get to the core of the subject.

    ¡°¡­And what about Shirou-san''s friends? Have they beeningtely?¡±

    ¡°Yup.¡± Tomoki-kun nodded, gently filling up the roots of the flowers with mulch. ¡°Various people came to y here. Teruhiko-san and the others yed a lot with Tomo.¡±

    Teruhiko. Chigasawa Teruhiko?

    This¡ªThere''s no doubt about it anymore, isn''t it?

    Fragments of uneasiness started growing inside me like small fireworks.

    What is this?

    I had the feeling that everything is going a little too smoothly.

    Am I thinking too much?

    ¡°Do you know why those people came?¡±

    ¡°Uhmm?¡±

    Tomoki-kun spun the shovel in his hand, staring into thin air while pondering.

    ¡°¡­Will you keep it a secret from mama?¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°Mama scolded me a lot after that.¡±

    Ah, yesterday? When I went to ask if she knew Hakamizaka, Tomoki-kun talked too much to me, and Iharagi Junko turned pale and made him shut up.

    ¡°It''s okay. I definitely won''t tell your mom.¡±

    I felt gloomy when I promised him that. It made me feel guilty having all the confidence of this elementary schooler who still didn''t know distrust. Also, if his mother turned out to be a criminal, there was a possibility that this boy was in danger.

    However, I crushed those feelings, waiting for Tomoki-kun''s next words. Before long, he raised his gaze and opened his mouth:

    ¡°They all brought a lot of money. You see, the flowers need a medicine. It''s very expensive. Mama told me not to say anything no matter what¡±

    I stood up. Tomoki-kun stopped talking and raised his head nkly.

    There''s no doubt anymore. Iharagi Junko must be Shushuri.

    But the uneasy feeling lingered on my tongue. Is everything really that obvious? Is there a trap somewhere?

    At that moment, I saw two or three silhouettes beyond the campus, pointing this way. Uh-oh, they must be teachers or people from the school. And they''re approaching really quickly.

    ¡°Thank you, Tomoki-kun, bye.¡± I said, turning on my heels to the back gate.

    ¡°You''re leaving already?¡± Tomoki-kun grabbed the hem of my duffle coat. ¡°But everyone stayed longer¡­¡±

    ¡°I have an urgent task, see youter.¡±

    I gently stroked Tomoki-kun''s head and rushed out the back door.

    I bumped into Tetsu-senpai running down the emergency stairs in front of the ramen shop''s kitchen door. He looked like he was in a real hurry, and we almost collided.

    ¡°Wh¡ªWhat''s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Oshima has disappeared.¡±

    I widened my eyes. That Oshima? The head of the paid dating group?

    ¡°Disappeared? Didn''t Yondaime have him captive?¡±

    ¡°No, he was transferred to the general hospital.¡± True, they did said that before. ¡°He regained consciousness and fled from the ward. I''m going to look for him with Hiro. Without Hirasaka-gumi I don''t even know where should we start looking for him though¡­ Ask Alice for the details.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai talked fast and ran away. I rushed up the emergency stairs and entered the Agency. Alice was talking on the phone.

    ¡°¡­Yes, does everyone have Oshima''s pictures?¡±

    ¡äIf we set up two people 24 hours a day thebor costs will increase, is that okay?¡ä

    Major''s answering voice was heard. I silently listened to their conversation in front of the bed. They were probably talking about emphasizing the surveince system around Angel Flowers'' Workshop in case they saw the missing Oshima around.

    ¡°I don''t mind, he should appear today or tomorrow.¡±

    ¡äWhat about Oshima''s house?¡ä

    ¡°Hirasaka-gumi is there. We don''t have spare power to go there. You just fully concentrate on the Iharagi residence, Hirasaka-gumi will stake out there soon, so if Oshima appears, we absolutely need to be the ones who make the first move.¡±

    ¡äRoger that. By the way, Iharagi Junko did some slightly suspicious actions.¡ä

    I held my breath, taken aback, and knelt on the bed, leaning forward, closer to the speaker.

    ¡äSince yesterday, she let her employees handle everything and didn''t show up at the shop. Sounds of a cab being opened and closed and some luggage being raised and lowered were heard for some reason.¡ä

    ¡°Hm.¡± Alice held her chin with her hand.

    Iharagi Junko has been moving since yesterday¡ªAfter I interrogated her and Tomoki-kun revealed that they knew Hakamizaka. Was she destroying some evidence?

    ¡°Understood. Anyway, if something happens contact me again.¡±

    Alice hung up. As soon as she turned around, I opened my mouth impatiently:

    ¡°I talked with Iharagi Junko''s son.¡±

    When I reported everything I heard from Tomoki-kun, deep wrinkles appeared between Alice''s brows, and she stared at the pit of my stomach. It was an unusual expression for her.

    ¡°There''s just something that doesn''t fit¡­ You are thinking the same, aren''t you?¡±

    ¡°¡­Eh? Ah, y-yeah.¡±

    ¡°I am a detective who uses words as a de so I don''t want to say this, but something''s vague.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±

    So Alice is also feeling this uneasiness? That made me feel a little relieved.

    ¡°However, now''s the time to find the missing pieces. People are disappearing in session too quickly. Human beings don''t simply vanish into thin air that easily. Where could they be?¡±

    ¡°Tetsu-senpai and Hiro-san said they were going to look for them, but where are they going to search? If also help out¡±

    Alice shook her head.

    ¡°There is no need for you to go. Iharagi Junko has an office in Aoyama and a vi in Tochigi, so Tetsu and Hiro are going there. If Iharagi Junko is Shushuri, and her followers are gathering under her wings, there must be a ce to shelter them. Of course, it''s possible that said ce isn''t one of her properties, but since we don''t have other ces to look for them, we have no choice but to run around randomly.¡±

    ¡°nnh¡­ I see.¡±

    At these times we would normally rely on Yondaime''s infiltration tactics to push through, since his influence for this kind of practical things is huge.

    ¡°And that sheltering ce might not be necessary in the first ce.¡±

    Alice muttered with her face bathed in the dim light of the monitor.

    ¡°¡­eh?¡±

    ¡°There is also a big possibility that there is a ce to hide corpses.¡±

    I heavily gulped down, remembering the conclusion of the incident a year ago. All members of Angel Fix''s manufacturing/selling group overdosed on the drug, and five out of the seven people died. The sixth person went missing this winter, and the seventh person was still dyed in despair, secluded in his room. Everyone was charmed by the hands of the angels, unable to think about anything but running away from this world.

    For that reason, perhaps the missing people we''re looking for are long dead already. That possibility has to be taken into consideration.

    But they shouldn''t just be dead. Oshima said he needed money to Shushuri. If he just wanted to die, he could just wait in his bed. Did they all disappear because they went to see Shushuri? Did they go to spend theirst moments under Shushuri''s wings? What was Iharagi Junko doing on the second floor, without showing up at the shop? Was she disposing of the corpses?

    ¡°Narumi. This is your duty.¡±

    ¡°Eh? Ah¡± Alice suddenly spoke to me, so I raised my head.

    ¡°You''ll have to face those fools.¡±

    With a shocked face, Alice pointed at one of the monitors of the security cameras; two huge silhouettes could be seen entering Hanamaru. I only saw their backs for a second, but I instantly knew who they were.

    Pole and Rocky. I ran to the door of the Agency in confusion.

    When I went down the emergency stairs and entered the shop, Pole and Rocky were sitting in front of the counter, while Ayaka was holding a first-aid kit, disinfecting the wounds on their faces. They both looked weird, with their eyes and cheeks red and swollen.

    ¡°You''re scaring everyone walking on the streets looking like this!¡± Ayaka was sticking adhesive sters on their faces while scolding them.

    ¡°So sorry, Ayaka-neesan.¡± ¡°So sorry.¡±

    I stood stock still under the awning, looking at the mayhem.

    What on earth happened to those two? And since when do they refer to Ayaka as nee-san? By the way, it will be awkward if Ayaka sees me here even though I skipped school¡­

    All those thoughts kept swirling in my mind, making dizzy, and I felt like I was going to copse.

    Ayaka looked at me for a second, but then she put a sullen face and continued healing those two.

    ¡°What are you doing, Narumi?¡± Min-san said behind the counter, stirring the contents of a stock pot. ¡°Don''t just stand on the entrance, the shop is going to open soon and you''re in the way. If you''re that free, then take those two idiots somewhere else. Those unsightly potato-looking faces will make the customers run away.¡±

    ¡°Aah¡­ Erm¡­¡±

    I looked at Pole and Rocky in turn and finally managed to squeeze my voice out.

    ¡°Wh-what''s with those injuries?¡±

    ¡°Yes sir! Sou-san beat us up!¡± ¡°We asked him to make up with Aniki and he rashed!¡±

    ¡°Raged.¡± Ayaka retorted before I could and then turned her face to look at me. ¡°Fujishima-kun, sit down too,e on.¡±

    I was taken aback and became flustered.

    ¡°E-eehm¡­ W-why?¡±

    ¡°Because I need to scold you a lot, Fujishima-kun! First of all, you skipped school today!¡±

    Ayaka''s angry look made me straighten my posture on the stool.

    ¡°Don''t you want to graduate together with me? Do you want to be a NEET that badly?¡±

    ¡°No, it''s not that, but¡­¡±

    ¡°Exining so many things to me would have been bothersome so you took the day off, right?¡±

    Exactly. Pole and Rocky weren''t being scolded, but they fixed their postures just like me and hung their heads. The only one who could save me now was Min-san. She should say something like ''Stop making a fuss inside the shop and leave!''

    ¡°Oi, Ayaka, I''ll give you five more minutes to finish.¡±

    ¡°Okay, thank you, Min-san.¡±

    Why are you so half-assedly sweet to Ayaka!?

    ¡°Listen, Fujishima-kun.¡±

    Ayaka suddenly lowered her voice.

    ¡°It''s my fault that you quarreled with Yondaime, isn''t it? Even if you tell me it isn''t I know you''re lying, because,you know, you had the same face when you told me you were going to box with Tetsu-senpai, Fujishima-kun.¡±

    I finally understood. Even if I''m good at deceiving people, I''m really bad at lying. In other words, I can distort the truth with fabrications and make people believe that, but I just can''t put a simple mask on the reality. For that reason, I don''t believe in lying just to cover the truth.

    I myself, believe, and hope, that the future is connected to the here and now.

    That''s probably what Alice calls the story.

    If there''s no story, it''s just a lie, and is thuspletely seen through.

    ¡°¡­Would you tell me the reason?¡±

    I could only shake my head at Ayaka''s words.

    I can''t exin it. We''re running around so that the case will end without having to exin it to you.

    ¡°¡­It''s about the narcotics, isn''t it? Supplies are circting again, right?¡±

    My whole body felt like it was going to melt as I looked downwards. Narcotics. I didn''t want to hear that word from Ayaka''s mouth. Why does she know? Did she remember just because she nced at Hakamizaka and Chigasawa''s photos that time? Or did Yondaime tell her that far? Or perhaps she got the information from the idiots from Hirasaka-gumi? Of course, no matter how much I beat people up or get beaten up myself, I can''t change the fact that Ayaka does know something. I can only lock her up in a bird cage.

    ¡°Hey, Fujishima-kun. I''ll be fine if I remember, you know? It''s more painful for me to see you fighting with Yondaime.¡±

    I felt like crying out. Why are you saying that? Just seeing Angel Fix''s name causes you to panic and hyperventte, don''t you remember that?

    What point there is to my decision if Ayaka says that to me? Why did I break everything?

    ¡°Ayaka, time''s up. You''re wasting your breath.¡±

    Min-san spoke with her usual cruel, cold kindness.

    ¡°It''s just a quarrel between two stubborn brothers. Whatever you say won''t change a thing.¡±

    ¡°We''ll kneel down on the ground!¡±

    ¡°Aniki, please, go talk with Sou-san once more!¡±

    ¡°Oi, you huge idiots. Don''t you understand anything? That''s not the problem here. Can''t you even tell that?¡±

    I couldn''t take it anymore, so I stepped down from the stool and left the shop. Ayaka''s voice didn''t chase after me either this time.

    *

    Alice called me the next day during lunch break, telling me that Toshi-san had disappeared. Avoiding Ayaka''s gaze in the corridor, I pressed the cellphone close to my ear.

    ¡°¡­Disappeared?¡±

    ¡äToshi''s father called Tetsu to ask him if he knew where Toshi was. It seems like he hasn''t returned home since yesterday at noon. Do you have any idea? You talked to him a few times.¡ä

    My legs felt a little weak. Toshi-san too? Didn''t he say he hadn''t been called by Shushuri and didn''t know where she was? Why did he disappear now?

    ¡°¡­What about Iharagi''s house?¡±

    ¡äNo movements worth mentioning.¡ä

    Noise filled the back of my skull. What is this? Where did they all go? Iharagi Junko is Shushuri, that woman is the angel that guided Hakamizaka and the others¡ªOr isn''t she?

    Is there something we''re still overlooking?

    ¡°Anyway, I''m going there.¡±

    I rushed down the stairs at the end of the corridor while putting my cellphone in my pocket.

    I was too careless. Ipletely forgot about Toshi-san. Why did I ignore him when he was sunk to the neck in the quagmire?

    I jumped onto my bike and kicked up the stand.

    No, what could I have done? He wouldn''t listen to a word of what I said. His body was an empty shell barely stained with the lingering scent of life, unable to think about anything else except the angel that abandoned him.

    I arrived just at lunch time, so Hanamaru was packed. There were even tables outside the shop, with young srymen all curled up in their coats slurping miso ramen. At that time, Min-san came outside and stared at me, so I turned my face away and took my bicycle to the back alley, going up the emergency stairs.

    Alice looked at my face and asked, surprised:

    ¡°What about school? Are you going to be absent from the afternoon sses again?¡±

    ¡°W-well, that doesn''t matter, right? More importantly, Toshi-san¡±

    Cold eyes looked at me from the bed.

    ¡°You''re still a high school student, yet you have the biggest NEET soul out of everyone I know. It is strange. It''s your double-edged weapon.¡±

    ¡°What are you saying at this time¡±

    ¡°If you have a clear goal, your means to reach it be breathtakingly sharp, but you constantly lose sight of that goal.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ Don''t understand what you''re saying.¡±

    I actually did understand a little, because Alice''s eyes also looked sad.

    ¡°I am the same, but¡­¡±

    Her voice sounded frail, not much different than a sigh.

    ¡°With yesterday''s daily allowance, the money I epted from Tetsu was exhausted. I would end the request under normal circumstances, but my fingers are still trying to catch the darkness. It''s like a bug wriggling inside my head. Just like you, I lost sight of my goal¡­ And I continue looking for the way.¡±

    In the form of the request, Alice wasn''t moving for anyone''s sake. The money from the client had been already spent, so there shouldn''t be a reason to investigate anymore.

    But Alice quietly shook her head.

    ¡°Let''s push this NEET pride tall story aside and go back to talking about business. Tetsu went to the office in Aoyama, and Major is still staking out the Iharagi residence. Hiro found out that one of his acquaintances is a customer at Angel Flowers'' Workshop so he''s going to meet her. We can no longer select the methods, because Toshi left home yesterday at noon. His father saw him, so that much is certain. He''s been missing for twenty-four hours.¡±

    Surrounded by the unnatural light of the monitors, Alice''s face looked even more pale.

    Toshi-san might have gone to be taken by the angel again. Twenty-four hours. He might be dead already.

    ¡°But, why now? Remember your conversation with Toshi. Didn''t he say he didn''t know Shushuri''s whereabouts?¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°How was he called then? Same with the others. Were they called? Did Iharagi Junko send some kind of sign?¡±

    Alice kept returning to that question, but I had a hunch that that wasn''t the main issue. As long as we didn''t find that key, we''d still be misreading something¡ªI had that feeling.

    ¡°I''ll go to Toshi-san''s house, if I check his room I might understand something.¡±

    ¡°For what reason?¡± She muttered, with her eyes still sunken in the swamp of her thoughts.

    ¡°For what reason? Well¡­¡±

    ¡°No, I''m sorry. I was only asking myself. I don''t understand. For whose sake are we investigating now? We even turned your brother into our enemy. For Tetsu, who didn''t even have the money? For Yondaime, who canceled his request? Or perhaps for Toshi, who never asked for help?¡±

    Please, stop, I thought. Why hurt yourself again with your own words and actions? You''d be at ease if you just thought more simply. But I couldn''t turn those thoughts into words, because I was also trapped in that foolish spiral, more or less.

    The thought of stopping was even more painful.

    All the solutions were reduced into one. If she threw the Agency''s signboard into the trash bin outside, she would stop being a detective and would be just a hikkikomori.

    Hey, Alice, isn''t that much morefortable? The though just crossed my mind, but if the despondency is eating away her skin, I''llply just like that. Maybe we should stop running around and sniffing around. There''s no need to keep doing things no one wished to be done until we''re detested. We could just let the truth rot under the mold of some grave.

    But, at that time¡ª

    The door opened. The air-conditioned atmosphere surged. The world where Alice and I were helplessly imprisoned cracked. We raised our gazes at almost the same time, looking at the Agency''s door. A small silhouette passed by the side of the refrigerator and stepped into the dim light of the bedroom. Short chestnut hair held in ce with a small hair clip swayed in the wind of the conditioned air.

    Ayaka.

    She probably came directly from school, since she was still wearing a coat over her school clothes.

    I was frozen and unable to say anything. She gazed at me, then her eyes turned to Alice. She pulled something from her pocket and threw it on Alice''sp.

    ¡°¡­What is this?¡±

    ¡°My sry from this month. I asked Min-san for an advanced payment.¡±

    Still frozen, I stared at Ayaka''s fingertips. Sry? Why¡ªWhy is Ayaka bringing money?

    Alice spoke in a trembling voice.

    ¡°I will hear your request.¡±

    ¡°You know it already! It''s the same as Tetsu-senpai, but since senpai didn''t have enough money, I''ll pay the rest for him.¡±

    ¡°Ayaka, why are you¡±

    My voice finally came out, but Ayaka interrupted:

    ¡°Don''t ask me why, Fujishima-kun, don''t you understand? This is my case, isn''t it?¡±

    Ayaka''s words were like a serious hit somewhere inside me.

    ¡°This is not only senpai, Yondaime, or Fujishima-kun''s case! Hey¡­ I don''t know how many secrets you''ve been keeping from me, but I know that much.¡±

    It''s true. This is Ayaka''s case. A case that got Ayaka hurt, and it kept harming her inevitably.

    That''s why I hid it from you. Why can''t you understand that?

    Ayaka''s gaze felt like a bullet of melting ice, shooting through my eyes.

    ¡°I¡ªI took everything upon myself and jumped without saying anything to Fujishima-kun, right?¡±

    Ayaka''s voice made my ears buzz. I felt like I was being pulled back to that freezing winter morning, remembering the blood spreading over the flowerbeds'' soil.

    But Ayaka''s words continued, tying my consciousness to the reality.

    ¡°I won''t do that again, because I already know. I know Fujishima-kun is here. Alice is here too, everyone''s here, and little by little we can share it all together.¡±

    I dug my fingernails on the sheets, enduring the heat flowing from the wounds of Ayaka''s words.

    ¡°No matter how painful the things I remember might be, I''ll be okay. But I definitely don''t want to see Fujishima-kun being separated from anyone.¡±

    I felt this was Ayaka''s pain. At that moment, we were certainly sharing her pain. For that reason, I remembered the words she said to me way back then: Cry normally when you''re sad, shout normally when you''re angry,ugh normally when you''re happy, speak your mind normally when you want something. If we''re unable to do that, then there''s absolutely no point to your wounds.

    I tried to climb down the bed, but my knees were only shaking. I felt like all the bones in my body were in the wrong ce, unable to put themselves in ce. I couldn''t move one finger.

    At that moment, I heard noisy footsteps of several people outside. Alice let out a little gasp, and her ck hair swayed. The door was then pushed open with worrying strength, and the footsteps rushed over.

    ¡°Sorry for intruding!¡± ¡°Ane-san, sorry for intruding!¡±

    The group of muscr men who were crowded together like a mountain of trash bags about to copse were Hirasaka-gumi''s members. I gripped the sheets with my hands behind my back, trying with all my might not to faint, but my voice wouldn''te out either.

    Why are you guys here, and in such a great number? Aren''t you all the members of the gang? You won''t be able to get into the bedroom¡ªHey, stop, you''re going to break the door frame.

    ¡°What are you all doing!? A wild gori has better manners than you!¡±

    Led by Pole and Rocky, the men in ck shirts knelt on the ground in a row. The men behind were forced out to the corridor and the stairs. Ayaka was so frightened that she climbed up the bed.

    ¡°Why are you all here? You are my enemies.¡±

    ¡°There''s no way we''re ane-san''s enemies!¡± ¡°Hey, shut up!¡± ¡°Don''t cry!¡±

    Making the guys behind him quiet down, Rocky came a few centimeters closer.

    ¡°We''re here under Sou-san''s orders.¡±

    ¡°Yondaime''s?¡± My voice suddenly came out in the form of that question.

    ¡°Yes sir, we heard Toshi was missing! But since he won''t ask Ane-san for information, he told us to rush out and ask around!¡±

    ¡°He told us to split up in any ways or beat up whoever was necessary to get the information!¡±

    With a shocked face, Alice looked up at the ceiling. I felt something hot overflowing, even in the middle of the cold. By my side, Ayaka fixed her gaze on my face.

    ¡°Narumi.¡±

    I heard the voice of the detective behind my back.

    ¡°I do not wish tomand these regressed troglodytes. You''re not going to say that you don''t know what you have to do if your employer doesn''t tell you at this point, are you?¡±

    I wasn''t sure if I should nod or not.

    Should I stand up, with my hands and feet only, with this drooped body and the few strength it has left only?

    But then, I noticed Ayaka''s hand on the back of mine.

    It''s okay if it''s not only my own strength.

    I ced my hand on Ayaka''s shoulder and slowly raised my body, climbing down from the bed and standing on the chilly floor. I counted the ck shirts and opened my mouth:

    ¡°¡­Please split into three groups. Five of you will contact Major for the surveince rotation.¡±

    ¡°Yes sir!¡± ¡°We shall now hone our manly aura!¡±

    ¡°Six of you will be on standby at the gang''s office.¡±

    ¡°Yes sir!¡± ¡°We will wait for orders with all of our fighting spirit!¡±

    ¡°And four of you will drive near Toshi-san''s house and investigate the ces where he could have spent his money, like convenience stores and all that. I''m going too, and¡±

    I immediately look at the chestnut-colored hair.

    ¡°--Ayaka ising along too.¡±

    ¡°Yes sir!¡± ¡°Yes sir.¡± ¡°We shall now hone our manly aura!¡±

    With the throaty voices of the giants intermingling, I pressed my small fists on my legs until the ''yes sirs'' became faintly audible.

    *

    I looked at Ayaka standing behind me. Her father was frozen with his jaw agape.

    ¡°Excuse us.¡±

    I bowed my head and took off my shoes, walking into the apartment. When I looked behind me, the atmosphere between father and child was as stiff as an rolled up aluminum foil being extended. Ayaka bowed her head with upturned eyes, and his father averted his gaze and pointed at the corridor with his chin. The distant formalities were almost repulsive, matching the circumstances.

    It took around 20 minutes by car to reach the apartment in Sedagaya from the Detective Agency. Ayaka didn''t have enough time to prepare herself psychologically.

    Ayaka actually didn''t remember her father. Was it because he was a memory linked to Toshi-san? Or perhaps her father was someone she didn''t want to remember? I don''t know if something happened between this father and his children, nor the reason behind their parents'' divorce, nor what this father does during the day, but now is not the time to worry about that.

    ¡°Ayaka,e on.¡± I urged, opening the door at the end of the narrow corridor.

    I became petrified when I looked inside the room.

    The curtains were closed, so it was pitch dark even in the middle of the day. The TV was still on, faintly illuminating the clothes and convenience store bags on the floor.

    Also, some ck figures were covering the desk, the wooden floor and the white wallpapers.

    When I leaned over to look more closely, I noticed they were wings. Each one of they were drawn with oil-based markers. I pushed Ayaka back to the corridor and closed the door.

    ¡°¡­What''s wrong?¡± Ayaka muttered.

    I bit my lip and shook my head.

    Ayaka forgor about all this because it''s an extremely deep wound.

    The fact that she unconsciously grew the raw materials for the narcotics. The fact that Hakamizaka forced her to take the drug. And the most important thing--the hallucinations caused by the Angel Fix, and the feeling of emptiness that followed.

    If she sees this room full of insane drawings of angel wings, she might remember everything.

    No, but--

    We decided to share it. If I keep this door shut, why did I bring her along?

    I opened the door and Ayaka in. As soon as she entered, she was also unable to move.

    ¡°¡­Do you recognize¡­ those marks?¡± I inquired behind her back. Ayaka moved her head slightly. I wasn''t too sure is she was shaking her head or nodding.

    ¡°¡­I might have seen them, but¡­¡±

    ¡°It''s okay if you just don''t remember. Let''s search inside.¡±

    I pushed Ayaka into the room and entered.

    ¡°I wonder if he left a note or something¡­¡±

    Ayaka squatted down and started looking inside the trash bin. I opened the notebookputer. As it was apparently on stand-by mode, the web browser was disyed on the screen immediately. I checked the history. I barely saw anything but anonymous boards and news blogs. Did he see something on the inte that made him run away? Did Toshi-san find Shushuri''s guidance somewhere in the wide sea of the web?

    First of all, I''ll send an email to Alice with the history. It will be faster to separate all this information with herputers, as it''s not something you can just find manually.

    The TV. Not all the floor was covered with the drawings of the wings, there was a circr space in front of the TV without them. All the marks spread radially around that space. In other words, he started drawing them while sitting in front of the TV.

    The TV was still on in the NHK News channel.

    I checked the hard disk of the DVD recorder. Below a bigte night anime lineup, there was a recording of the NHK news.

    When I yed it, the news ¡ä¡­crowded with parents taking their children¡­¡ä started abruptly. Did he record something as soon as he saw it? If so, why this news?

    ¡äClimbing walls and skateboarding floors has been installed in this park, which is now admission-payed¡ª¡ä

    These were news I was quite familiar with. A report on the inauguration of Hercules Sports Park. Why did Toshi-san record this?

    Soon after that, the image on the upper left of the announcer was erged, showing lots of parents and children in the park. There were also interviews to the people there, and since it was NHK''s territory, there was even footage filmed from above with a helicopter. When they returned to the studio, the announcer was moving to the next news, I heard Ayaka''s voice close to my ears.

    ¡°Fujishima-kun! Rewind that!¡±

    Ayaka brought her face closer to the LCD screen as she said that. Bewildered, I operated the remote control to do as she said.

    ¡ä¡­crowded with parents taking their children¡­¡ä

    The news started over again. Just when the camera changed to the footage filmed from above, Ayaka hit the pause button from the remote control in my hand.

    ¡°Wh¡­What''s the matter?¡± I timidly asked, looking from the side at Ayaka''s face still closely fixed on the TV.

    ¡°I know those.¡±

    ¡°¡­Eh?¡±

    ¡°I know those. I''ve seen them before. No, not only that.¡±

    Ayaka muttered, pointing at the lower right of the screen. At that moment, everything pieced together inside my head. The TV. The guiding voice of the angel came from the TV. That''s why we couldn''t follow those traces. That''s why it was happening after a year. That homeless park--Since November ofst year the reparation works started, the people opposing them, and a murder case were all repeatedly discussed topics that appeared several times on the news. That''s the reason Shushuri''s followers opened their eyes this winter. Chigasawa Teruhiko, the guys who invaded the mahjong parlors, Oshima and Toshi-san¡­ They all saw these news and heard Shushuri''s voice, telling them¡ª

    I am here.

    I stood up and grabbed Ayaka''s arm.

    ¡°Let''s hurry. I know Toshi-san''s whereabouts.¡±

    I rushed out the entrance and called Alice.

    ¡°Iharagi Junko might be in a hurry, tell Hiro-san to go there immediately please! I''ll also go back there right now!¡±

    ¡äDid you find anything out?¡ä

    ¡°I understood everything.¡±

    Maybe it''s already toote, I thought as I gulped down. I jumped into Hirasaka-gumi''s van that was waiting in front of the apartment and closed the door.

    ¡°¡ªShushuri isn''t Iharagi Junko.¡±

    Just when Rocky stopped the vehicle on the road along the fence of the elementary school, the bell rang.

    ¡°I''ll go alone first.¡±

    Saying that, I halted the ck shirted men and got off from the passenger''s seat, but Ayaka came along too. Well, it can''t be helped.

    I walked closer to the back door, and beyond the fence, I saw a small silhouette on his back, surrounded by flowerbeds. A great number of flowerpots still not budding were alligned on the soil under the sunlight.

    ¡°¡­Tomoki-kun.¡±

    I called him with my hands on the fence. Ayaka also clung to the fence, staring at the nters inside the flowerbeds.

    Tomoki-kun turned around in a sh and stood up with a broad smile, rushing over my way. Something inside me dried and cracked, about to break.

    Is this the conclusion? Is this the end of the nightmare?

    ¡°You came!¡± Tomoki-kun said as if he was trying to cling to me through the fence.

    My words were stabbed by that innocent smile.

    ¡°You were Shushuri, right?¡±

    Tomoki-kun made a puzzled face and tilted his head slightly.

    ¡°¡­Shirou-san also said that. Shushuri.¡±

    My breath felt like it was mixed with thousands of invisible nails. I gulped over and over again, trying to wash away the feeling of difort, but I wasn''t sessful.

    ¡°¡­I know these, Fujishima-kun.¡±

    Ayaka muttered as in a trance, clinging to the fence.

    ¡°I know these. I was taught that they''re nted concentrically, and they''re surrounded with tall creeper nts.¡±

    I didn''t ask who taught her that. I couldn''t ask. Even if Ayaka is remembering. Even if she''s oveing it by my side.

    I stared at those flowerbeds with extending greenery that had called the junkies together. Whenever the news filmed the homeless park with aerial cameras, this school would appear on the background, and the angel''s voice would spread through the public radio waves, calling them.

    The unique narcotic nt was concealed by other nts surrounding it, but if they saw it from above, they would recognize it, even if the flowers weren''t blooming this winter.

    ¡°Oneesan, do you grow poppy flowers too? Are you Shirou-san''s friend?¡±

    Ayaka leaned over in front of Tomoki-kun''s eyes. Both were in front of each other with their hands on the fence.

    ¡°Yes, I grew them. I grew them just like those.¡±

    ¡°Really!? Hey, did yours bloom?¡±

    Ayaka shook her head with empty eyes.

    ¡°Tomo''s flowers only bloomed once, but since I wanted to show them to Shirou-san again, I studied a lot, a lot, a lot!¡±

    Tomoki-kun''s voice was lively, cruelly transparent.

    ¡°But since then, Tomo''s flowers haven''t bloomed at all. Because of that, when Teruhiko-san told me about those fertilizers and medicines, everyone brought a lot of money, so they''ll bloom really soon.¡±

    How ironic, I thought as I stared at the two. Ayaka and the angel were just separated by a thin web of synthetic fiber.

    I balled my hands into fists and rubbed them against my thighs, brushing off my feelings.

    ¡°Tomoki-kun, did Shirou-san''s friendse yesterday too?¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°Where are they?¡±

    ¡°They''re down there, waiting together, because the flowers will bloom soon.¡±

    He pointed at the big metallictticed drainage.

    Aah, I see, I thought with a lingering feeling of emptiness. Underground, huh. Well, it''s winter. If it was summer, they would have been discovered really quickly by the smell.

    When I turned my head to Hirasaka-gumi''s van and gave instructions with my hand, the men in ck shirts started getting out. They rudely opened the back gate at the side and broke into the garden.

    ¡°Ayaka, we might have to call the police, so go back to Hanamaru.¡±

    I also entered the campus as I said that. Ayaka shook her head and followed me. She wanted to see with her own eyes¡­ Isn''t that stupid? Haven''t you forgotten about Toshi-san?

    That''s what I thought, but I didn''t have the energy to tell her.

    Rocky tore off the metallic drainage from the ground. There wasn''t a shallow U-shaped gutter there, but a thick drainage channel where a person could walk around while standing.

    One of the gang members illuminated the inside with a shlight. Further inside there was a spacious basement basement-like room surrounded by concrete. It was probably the ce were all the storm sewers came together. I snatched the shlight out of the gang member''s hand, and I pushed Rocky''s big body aside and bent my body to see without obstruction.

    The light of the shlight illuminated some kind of figure on the basement''s wall. People. They were all copsed, leaning close to the wall with their legs sprawled. A chill and a feeling of repugnance crept up my skin. At that time, I cursed my own eyesight. Red grains were spread on the concrete floor at their feet.

    Even so, my legs kept moving unsteadily, drawn in by the darkness and the smell of death.

    At that time, someone forcefully caught hold oh my shoulders.

    ¡°Move.¡±

    ¡°Sou-san!?¡± ¡°S-sou-san, why?¡±

    When I turned around, the gaze of a wolf pierced my cheeks. Yondaime. My throat cramped because of the shock. Why is Yondaime here? None of the information should have leaked to him.

    ¡°This ain''t a ce you should freely step into. Back off.¡±

    ¡°Wh¡­ Why¡­ are you here?¡±

    ¡°Iharagi Junko turned the gas taps in her house. Had I arrived an hourter, she''d be dead. You''re always so easygoing. Out of my way.¡±

    ¡°I''m¡ª¡­ugh¡±

    Yondaime''s fist thrust into my stomach, and the burning pain made me tumble on my back on the wet concrete.

    ¡°Aniki!¡± Rocky descended to the drainage. Unable to breath, I rubbed my back in agony against the concrete, and Yondaime poured his cold words on me.

    ¡°You severed your connections with me, so I''ll say it frankly: Stay away from the corpses.¡±

    Yondaime instructed Rocky to drag me out, and soon I was back under the sun. I tumbled on the ground, feeling exhausted and sick on my stomach, and only saw how Yondaime and the ck shirts dragged Toshi-san out of the drainage.

    ¡°And the others?¡± ¡°They''re all dead.¡± ¡°Bring a water hose and let him vomit everything, oi, Toshi, don''t sleep!¡±

    I absent-mindedly heard his voice far away. Then I heard the sirens, and the footsteps rushing over. My eyes met with Toshi-san''s, who had the hose up his throat, his hair and clothes drenched in water, and was covered in vomit.

    His cracked lips moved just a little, but I still understood what he was saying: ¡äWhy did you save me?¡ä

    I didn''t save you was my voiceless answer. After that, I sidled up on my knees.

    ¡°Aniki, the cops areing so please run away! Ayaka-neesan, you too!¡±

    I interrupted Rocky''s words with my hand and edged my face closer to Toshi-san''s. Toshi-san spat out the hose and said something while spilling drool. ¡äGod dammit, don''t fuck with me, why, why¡ä¡ªProbably that kind of ill words.

    His voice wouldn''te out, but he scratched my skin, and his frail fist hit my chest, one, twice, and once again.

    I didn''te to save you, I repeated voicelessly. I only came to retrieve something I had forgotten. Since I hit you that time, I only came so you could hit me. I couldn''t quite tell apart the tears from the vomit on his face.

    The strength of the hits on my chest weakened. His elbows trembled. Does it hurt? When you hit someone, you feel pain too¡ªThat''s what it means to be alive.

    But those fists lost their strength and fell onto Toshi-san''s own chest. He averted his face and started sobbing this time.

    I didn''t know since when, but Ayaka was leaning over by my side.

    ¡°¡­I''m d.¡±, she muttered.

    There was no other words after that. We just stood there, silently close to each other, staring at what we had forgotten during that winter.

    We slowly caught on to the noisy sounds of the sirens.

 Volume 8, 5

    <h4>Volume 8, Chapter 5</h4>

    Miracles can easily happen anytime, I thought when I was handed the results of the exams inte February, avoiding repeating the year.

    ¡°That wasn''t a miracle, it was because you diligently studied with me!¡± Ayaka said in a huff.

    It''s true that I studied a lot during the two weeks I was suspended from school. I had free time, so I kept going to Hanamaru since morning, and since Ayaka had been suspended too, we piled up textbooks, notebooks and textbook guides on the wooden table in front of the kitchen''s door, and started our study meetings thatsted for the whole fourteen days.

    ¡°But with this we''re both third years, I''m so d! Now we can rx.¡± Ayaka smiled broadly.

    ¡°Rx? We still have a whole year left. I don''t know if my grades will be good enough.¡±

    ¡°It''s okay!¡± Ayaka patted my back. ¡°If you drop out of school during March of next year, it will be almost the same as graduating with me, right?¡±

    ¡°No it won''t!¡±

    ¡°But we''re both in the same ss, do you think we won''t be able to graduate together? If you think about it, it''s not like I require you to graduate, Fujishima-kun.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Because, you see, with your talents you won''t need to enter the university. You can be a swindler, a yakuza, a public entertainer¡­¡±

    The way you''re saying it sounds more like I don''t have any talent at all.

    ¡°We will have a special celebration in March, I''m looking forward to that!¡±

    Special celebration? What on earth is that?

    Ever since that incident, Ayaka had been really cheerful and looked like she was having fun everyday, so I didn''t ask her anything in particr.

    *

    The reason why Ayaka and I were suspended from school was, of course, the Angel Fix case. The eight people we had investigated for offering money to Shushuri were found dead, rotting underground. The uproar that such a shocking incident caused didn''t settle down for a month, so the school decided to suspend us to have a cooling-off period. A warm-hearted punishment. The police gave us a sound scolding. When the patrol cars came we were both at the scene, so obviously Hirasaka-gumi couldn''t cover for us like they always did.

    I don''t really know what became of the Iharagi family.

    The mother, Iharagi Junko, attempted suicide in her kitchen. Yondaime noticed the gas smell and broke in to stop her. After that, he rushed to the elementary school to talk with her son directly.

    Hiro-san told me a little theory:

    ¡°I think Iharagi Junko didn''t know what her son had been doing at all, neither about how Hakamizaka had told him to take care of the flowers nor that he had epted money from the junkies.¡±

    I remembered my conversation with Iharagi Junko. She was unhinged when her son came and asked me if I was ¡äShirou-san''s friend¡ä, not because she was afraid that her own crimes were exposed, but because she panicked upon finding out for the first time that her son had been in contact with criminals.

    When Tomoki-kun said ¡äMama scolded me a lot¡ä, it wasn''t because she forbid him to speak for her own sake, but for her child''s. After that, Iharagi Junko searched his son''s bedroom, probably found evidence of his son''s interactions with Hakamizaka, Chigasawa, Oshima or the others, and upon conjecturing about her son''s crimes, she felt cornered to the point of wanting tomit suicide with gas.

    Poor Iharagi Junko waspletely innocent after all. Her rtionship with Hakamizaka was really just a florist-customer rtionship.

    But her very young child had became fascinated with Hakamizaka.

    No¡ªIt might be the opposite. Maybe Hakamizaka was the one fascinated with Tomoki-kun. Such a thought was frightening, but it did make sense.

    ¡°It seems Tomoki-kun ordered the fertilizers with her mother''s password, so it would have probably been discovered even if we didn''t do anything.¡±

    ¡°Chigasawa Teruhiko told him how to do it, right?¡±

    ¡°The order was ced under Chigasawa''s bank ount and with his mobile inte, but¡­¡± Hiro-san smiled ironically. ¡°We can''t know who told how to do it to whom. Maybe Tomoki-kun nned it all and asked Chigasawa for the things he needed. There are lots of scary children in this world, after all.¡±

    But there''s the possibility that it wasn''t a sin.

    That little boy didn''t understand death. He apparently thought that Hakamizaka''s friends were patiently waiting under the drainage for the flowers to bloom.

    Right now, to what kind of institution have they transferred him? What kind of adults are surrounding him? What kind of words is he been showered with? I don''t know.

    ¡°In the end, what was this all about?¡± Tetsu-senpai spat out by Hiro-san''s side. ¡°Toshi¡­ And the other junkies¡­ What the hell did they want to do? Were they waiting for the flowers to bloom? I just don''t get it. Were they really waiting for the raw materials of their drug while munching on the rests they had saved up? That''s just in idiotic. Wasn''t it obvious that they were going to die if they took that drug again? Who would make the new drug if all the members kicked the bucket together anyway?¡±

    ¡°Because they were stupid, that''s why.¡± Hiro-san said indifferently. ¡°They were drug addicts. You can''t understand what went on inside their heads.¡±

    ¡°I''m not satisfied with that!¡±

    Tetsu-senpai hit his own legs over and over again. I felt the same. The questions I couldn''t turn into words were like bones stuck in my throat, obstructed forever.

    *

    February passed in the midst of a slippery numbness.

    Hirasaka-gumi''s ck-shirted men constantly showed up at Ramen Hanamaru as customers. They would generally eat on credit, making Min-san mad every time. After talking about silly things with Ayaka(-neesan) and me, they would leave. They never said a word about Yondaime. I also felt constrained, so I didn''t want to go to the office on the west gate side of the station.

    Not even once did I visit Toshi-san at the hospital, either. Ayaka went many times and brought him ice cream from Hanamaru.

    ¡°He doesn''t talk at all. Well, I don''t say anything either.¡±, Ayaka said.

    I didn''t ask Ayaka anything, either.

    Does she still not remember anything about Toshi-san? About the drugs? About the poppy flowers she had grown?

    My head says that those things don''t matter, but being by Ayaka''s side meant being engulfed by that silence after all.

    I didn''t write a journal about the case. Before now, I had recorded every case I had taken part as an assistant detective, but with this case, not a single word about the things I had been involved in woulde to mind to begin writing.

    What was all this in the end? I thought as I looked up at the ceiling in front of my room''s PC.

    I severed my ties with Yondaime, I dug up Ayaka''s painful memories, Toshi-san was cornered on the abyss of the death for a second time, I was even suspended from school, and now that the case was finally over¡­ I didn''t understand too much about it. There wasn''t a detestable opponent. Shushuri was a seven-year-old child. It really looked like like the work of an angel.

    What on earth was all this? I cursed at the cloudy sky from February slipping from the gaps between the curtains. What was the meaning of all this? Why did we have to get worn out getting involved in all this?

    I knew that I was thinking like a brat. That which we call ¡ämeaning¡ä is something that takes form when we wish to convey something from someone and to someone. For that reason, most things in this world have no meaning.

    *

    I tried to call Yondaime many times, but I ended up shutting the cellphone closed each time.

    I don''t know what to say. I don''t have any apologizing words, and I haven''t done anything wrong in the first ce. Yondaime hasn''t done anything wrong, either. He''s the head of Hirasaka-gumi, and I''m Ayaka''s friend, so we would obviously make each other bleed if we collided.

    No, it''s not like Yondaime bled at all. I was the only one feeling sad. Even if we said we were sworn brothers, he won''t feel troubled if I''m not around.

    ¡°Seeing youe here with the expression of a cat that got its tail burn bothers me.¡± Alice said with cold eyes on the bed while tilting her Dr Pepper can. ¡°What''s the matter? You can''t possibly be expecting me to tell you ¡äMy detective work has been in disuse, so go and bow your head to Yondaime¡ä, or are you?¡±

    ¡°Th-that''s¡­¡±

    That''s kinda what I was thinking, actually. I''ve been seen through. I would have felt more at ease by persuading myself with something like ¡äThey''re Alice orders, so it can''t be helped¡ä.

    ¡°Really, there''s a part of you that won''t ever change.¡±

    The words Alice spoke while turning her gaze to the ceiling somehow sounded happier than usual. I tilted my head.

    ¡°In that case, you have no option but to wait.¡±

    I stared at Alice unusually kind expression.

    ¡°¡­For a miracle or something like that again?¡±

    Alice''s ck hair swayed.

    ¡°It''s not that. What you have to wait for is spring.¡±

    ¡°¡­Spring?¡± What''s up with that?

    ¡°I''m also waiting.¡±

    Alice''s voice became distant, like the voice of a shepherd calling out for a lost sheep on a hill at sunset.

    ¡°Because, for me, the case is not over yet.¡±

    ¡°N-not over?¡±

    I ced my hands on the edge of the bed and leaned over to Alice. Her ck hair scattered over the sheets and my hands.

    ¡°Why did Hakamizaka need Ayaka''s greenhouse?¡±

    Alice had once wondered that; a mystery that didn''t look like one.

    ¡°All the answers should be clear now. Moreover, Ayaka probably doesn''t know. It''s not that she forgot, she didn''t know from the start. For that reason, we can only wait.¡±

    *

    And before long, spring finally arrived. The second spring since I came to this city.

    The first Sunday of March after the end of the exams, I was called on the phone by Alice, so as soon as I finished my lunch, I took my bicycle and went to the Detective Agency. When I opened the door, I was dumbfounded.

    ¡°You''rete! What took you so long? Wearing a kimono is really ufortable, so I want to finish this as soon as possible!¡±

    Alice jumped down the bed in indignation. That day, she was wearing drop-dead gaudy white Japanese clothes, with a pattern of the mythical Phoenix bird. It suited her really well, and she looked like she was going to attend a photography event.

    ¡°¡­Eh, eehm? Why are you wearing a kimono?¡±

    ¡°Disregard that, let''s go.¡±

    Hugging her teddy bear, Alice forcefully pushed me back into the corridor, and we left the Detective Agency.

    ¡°Follow me.¡±, she said, walking in the opposite direction of the emergency stairs.

    ¡°Why are we going that way?¡±

    ¡°We''re going to the rooftop.¡±

    The rooftop?

    I went to this building''s rooftop just once. When we were going up the stairs that smelled like mold, the fluorescent lights were cut off, and it became so dark that I almost couldn''t see my own feet.

    ¡°Hey, why are we going to the rooftop? Are we going to pick strawberries again? But it''s not the season yet, is it?¡±

    Alice stopped in front of the rooftop''s door and turned around.

    I have seen those eyes many times before. They showed an extremely serious spirit, which looked like a bubble that would burst any moment.

    ¡°I understood.¡±

    ¡°¡­Eh?¡±

    ¡°I understood everything.¡±

    Holding on to the railing, I went up two steps from thending and regained my breath.

    Understood? Is that about the case being over?

    ¡°I understood why Hakamizaka used Ayaka''s greenhouse.¡±

    I gulped down my saliva that felt rough because of the dust, and waited for the detective''s next words.

    ¡°Please, remember what Toshi told you. Hakamizaka asked him to go to M High School''s greenhouse, fetch a report written by Ayaka, and pick up only the blue flowers.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ Yeah, he did say that.¡±

    ¡°Didn''t you find it strange? Why pick up the blue flowers only?¡±

    ¡°Eh¡­?¡±

    ¡°The alkaloid from the poppies were harvested from their fruits, after the flowers withered. If they plucked the flowers as soon as they harvested, they couldn''t get the ingredients for the narcotics.¡±

    I gasped. It was indeed as she said. Then, what was the meaning behind what Toshi-san said?

    ¡°Then¡ªThen why did he use Ayaka?¡±

    ¡°It was for Shushuri.¡±

    I stared at Alice''s face sunk in the very dim light.

    ¡°For Shushuri? For Tomoki-kun? What does Tomoki-kun have to do¡±

    ¡°Shushuri wasn''t the name of a person.¡±, Alice said. I was lost for words.

    When her hand turned the knob, streaks of light split the darkness. Bright rectangles spread, and Alice''s outlines were swallowed by the backlighting. Receiving the fragrant wind in my face, I felt dizzy.

    The instant I stepped on the rooftop, I held my breath.

    The supernatant greenery all around me were pure white flowers, flowers, flowers--

    Poppy flowers, growing thick on the soil of numerous nter cases aligned on the rooftop, looking up at the sun, blooming in profusion. Their fragrance filled my chest. Their petals were big and uneven, and what really stood out about those flowers was that said petals spread widely, dangling left and right.

    Just like wings.

    The wind boisterously blew on those wings. Light scattered around. In the middle of that dream-like scenery, Alice turned around with a smile.

    ¡°Shushuri,¡± Alice said. ¡°was what Hakamizaka Shirou was looking for, and also what those foolish deceased were waiting for.¡±

    The name of the flower. Alice''s whispers slipped into the sounds of the wings and the wind.

    Right, I remember seeing those slightly reddish leaves. These are the flowers that Tomoki-kun was growing in his school, although they still hadn''t bloomed back then.

    So, is this the reason? Is this why Ayaka once grew them in the greenhouse?

    ¡°This is yet another mutation of the mutated variety that Hakamizaka Shirou found in Iran.¡±

    Alice said, looking at the dazzling white wrapping up the rooftop.

    ¡°Iharagi Tomoki probably made them bloom only once on his school''s flowerbeds. That was when everything started. Hakamizaka and the others fixed their eyes on this whiteness. They wanted to make the scenery of these flowers bloom once again someday.¡±

    The reason why Hakamizaka needed yet another greenhouse was to grow different flowers. A really simple reason. And the blue flowers that hadn''t mutated were plucked off¡ªLeaving only the white flowers growing on Ayaka''s hands.

    ¡°They''re not narcotics. Major investigated them at his university.¡± Alice muttered. ¡°They''re nothing but beautiful flowers.¡±

    I nodded faintly. My heart was still imprisoned by the pure white light.

    ¡°Of course, this is mere spection. Nobody knows what Hakamizaka was thinking when he was making this selective flower breeding anymore. There are no more words representing the deceased. They just drifted away aimlessly, with no one to ept them, leaving only this beauty behind.¡±

    Is that a bad thing?

    The detective smiled.

    How stupid. For the sake of this beauty, a great number of people died. The only reason they had to live was staring at this beautiful thing¡­

    When I came to my senses, I asked Alice:

    ¡°But, what''s with these flowers? Why are they here?¡±

    ¡°Hm? I asked Major to pick them up from that elementary school, and we let them bloom.¡±

    At that moment, I heard sounds of footsteps going up the stairs behind me, and then the sound of the door opening.

    ¡°Alice! I called Fujishima-kun but¡±

    Ayaka''s voice hit my back.

    ¡°Ahh, that''s not fair! I wanted to see Fujishima-kun''s surprised face!¡±

    ¡°It''s okay, Narumi still probably has that stupid look on his face. We still have two whole hours. You can look at him as much as you like.¡±

    ¡°What do you think, Fujishima-kun!? Aren''t they pretty!? This is a celebration for your promotion, Fujishima-kun! Congrattions on not repeating the year!¡±

    ¡°¡­Aah, yeah¡­¡±

    I gazed at Ayaka who was now by my side, without knowing what face to make.

    ¡°Sorry I''mte. Actually, Alice and I wanted to get this started with some party crackers, like bam! But you see, I thought I should show the flowers to onii-chan before the blossoms scattered, so I dashed to the hospital!¡±

    Onii-chan. That word echoed inside me, making me stiff.

    So, did Ayaka remember Toshi-san? Her father? Even Hakamizaka Shirou and the drugs? And despite all that, she can still get close to poppy flowers?

    Yet Ayaka just smiled, embarrassed.

    ¡°Ahh, but since I still can''t remember onii-chan''s name, it was really awkward. Is was¡­ Toshio, right? Toshio, Toshio¡­¡±

    A feeling like lukewarm salt water which I didn''t know if it was weariness or relief spread inside my chest.

    Even after all she has lost, she always lived with a smile. Even now.

    ¡°What did Toshi say when he saw Shushuri?¡±

    ¡°''He said ¡äWhat? Ain''t it just a normal flower.¡ä How rude, right?¡±

    Alice''s shoulders shook as sheughed.

    ¡°Don''tugh. Sheesh¡­ I didn''t really understand all that you told me, Alice, but we went through lots of trouble for these flowers! They don''t grow in Japan''s soil at all, so he can''t possibly understand how difficult it was to make them bloom.¡±

    ¡°That man has a poor sense of aesthetics. Look, in many ways he''s simr to my assistant who''s been spacing out for a while now.¡±

    ¡°Yeah? I don''t think they''re simr at all, though¡­¡±

    At that casual statement, my consciousness finally returned to my body. My blood and my breathing were connected to my life once again.

    Toshi-san and I were simr¡ªAyaka once said that, but this Ayaka right now thought differently. I have changed, and Ayaka has changed too. It''s that simple. That feeling of emptiness we were smeared in would gradually walk away.

    What Ayaka was growing weren''t raw materials for narcotics.

    The sin that had crushed Ayaka wasn''t a sin after all.

    But, what about that? It doesn''t matter. She''s here, and all that matters is that she can smile. Isn''t that right?

    ¡°What do you think, Fujishima-kun?¡±

    ¡°Ah, u-uhm¡­¡±

    I inhaled the scent of the flowers, and ascertaining the fact that I was able to breath, I exhaled.

    ¡°These flowers sure have a strange shape.¡±

    ¡°You''re not going to say something more touching!?¡±

    Tears appeared on Ayaka''s eyes as she grabbed my arm, but when I apologized with a ¡°S-sorry¡±, her tears quickly disappeared. Oh, crocodile tears.

    ¡°But it''s frustrating, I thought everyone would cry. This will probably be thest time we see these flowers. I don''t have all that money after all.¡±

    That''s right, money. Wasn''t a lot of money necessary for the fertilizers and medicines?

    ¡°¡­How did you get the money?¡±

    Ayaka was about to speak, but she noticed something and looked at the door over my shoulder, smiling.

    ¡°Our sponsor hase, too.¡±

    I turned around.

    Yondaime, who had pushed the door open with his knee and stepped on the rooftop, looked at me first and frowned, then he looked at Ayaka and Alice for two seconds with a sullen expression, and after that his eyes returned to me once again. I spontaneously stepped back. Wearing that same Chinese-style embroidered jacket he was wearing that day when I saw him for the first time outside the Agency, he looked scarier than ever. For some reason, he had a convenience store bag on his left hand.

    ¡°¡­Huh? Those flowers sure have a weird shape.¡± Yondaime said, looking at the fully bloomed Shushuris.

    ¡°Now these two are quite simr.¡± Ayaka whispered to Alice, earning a re from Yondaime.

    I raised my gaze to look at Yondaime''s face, but I still didn''t have the courage to meet his gaze.

    He hasn''t done anything wrong, and neither have I¡ªNo matter how many times I tried to persuade myself with that, it was useless.

    ¡°¡­Uhm, wh-why¡­?¡±

    ¡°Beats me. Those two called me.¡±

    Surprised, I looked in Alice''s direction. Not only Alice called him, Ayaka too?

    ¡°You know, Fujishima-kun¡­¡± Ayaka said, sweetly poking one of the poppy flowers with her finger. ¡°I did some cruel things to Yondaime, actually. You didn''t have to be angry, Fujishima-kun.¡±

    ¡°Wha¡±

    ¡°He even payed apensation for damages, and thus this matter ended.¡±

    I looked at Yondaime''s face once more. With a sullen expression on his face, he stared at the white angels surrounding us.

    ¡°And why did you make me buy this?¡±

    Yondaime thew the convenience store bag in Alice''s direction. Ayaka who was by her side caught it in hot haste.

    ¡°Don''t throw carbonated drinks, you barbarian!¡±

    In a huff, Alice took out dark red cans from the bag in Ayaka''s hand and piled them up on the concrete floor. They were Dr Pepper cans, four of them.

    Then, Alice looked at me. A burning sensation was prickling my chest.

    These two girls doing things to this extent made me feel miserable. Meeting with Yondaime now and being unable to look at him or say anything to him made me feel even more miserable, so I stared at the sweating Dr pepper cans and spoke:

    ¡°¡­The first time, we did the Hirasaka ceremony. This time¡­ Can we do it in Alice''s style?¡±

    ¡°Do what you want.¡±

    We stood in a circle around the Dr Pepper cans. Yondaime and I faced each other, with Ayaka as the witness on the left and Alice as the go-between on the right.

    ¡°I think I said the same thingst time, but I don''t know any speech for sake ceremonies. Does anyone want to request a speech in particr?¡±

    ¡°Idiot. Just y house however you like. Sing a song of that bratty hard rock you''re so fond of if you want.¡±

    ¡°Bratty? What''s your problem with Mr. Big? In the first ce, it''s not just something I''m fond of¡±

    ¡°Alice, if we don''t hurry, they''ll get lukewarm.¡±

    Being admonished by Ayaka, Alice put a sulky look and took the first can.

    Taking a deep breath, she began her chant:

    ¡°One for love.¡±

    The first can was handed to Ayaka.

    ¡°One for truth.¡±

    The next one was pushed into Yondaime''s hands.

    ¡°One for you.¡±

    I epted the third one. This¡ªWhat song is it again?

    ¡°One for me.¡±

    Alice, who was holding the teddy bear, took thest can with her left hand.

    ¡°Where we once were divided, now we stand united.¡±

    Alice''s voice sounded like she was singing a chorus. Ahh, that''s right, that song was written by Jon Bon Jovi a year after a ne crashed into a building in New York. A song about new blood.

    Alice pulled up the tab. The sound of the carbonated bubbles popping ovepped.

    The four blood-colored cans were raised and came in contact with each other. Alice''s singing voice followed.

    ¡°¡ªWe stand as one¡­ Undivided.¡±

    When I took the first sip, the bubbles burnt my mouth cavity. I didn''t quite understand the taste. It was like small electric currents were running through my fingertips.

    ¡°¡­Tastes awful as usual.¡±

    Yondaime spoke in a subdued voice, and Alice ruffled up her hair, exasperated.

    ¡°Not only you don''t have a sense of aesthetics, you don''t have a sense of taste either!? I won''t tolerate insults to Dr Pepper, if you think it tastes bad, file your reasons in writing, and it should rival the length of the Ramayana if you expect to win the argument¡±

    A strong wind suddenly blew on the rooftop, interrupting Alice''s voice.

    The first to notice was Ayaka, who turned around while muttering an ¡°ah¡­¡±. Controlling her unraveled hair, Alice turned her back too, looking windward. Yondaime also looked up at the sky over my shoulder.

    When I turned around, I saw the grains of pure white light scattering towards the clouded winter sky.

    The flower petals coiled in the wind, being released one by one, and flying away. The small wings pped and fluttered, leaving an afterglow tail.

    ¡°¡­They''re scattering.¡±

    Ayaka''s voice was blown by the wind together with the petals, disappearing into the sky. We bid farewell to fragments of light flying around in this city that no longer had angels. A beauty that no one would receive. It couldn''t have been other way.

    While looking up at the petals growing wings and flying away into the deep blue sky, the words started taking form inside me, one by one. It''s over, I thought. The case is over. And the winter of my seventeenth year has finally disappeared, weing the spring.

    And of course, after my most tiresome case as an assistant detective, I waited for the brand new page of the notebook to open.

 Volume 8, Afterword

    <h4>Volume 8, Afterword</h4>

    It will soon be ten years since I worked at a dirty mahjong parlor in the Takada Riding Grounds.

    Both the staff and the regr customers had quite peculiar personalities, so it was an interesting work ce that took three whole years worth of life experiences. I read lots of novels in that parlor, and I started writing and submitting novels there, too, because I had free time. That, and I was broke.

    When the parlor got a new owner, we were all fired.

    What would have happened had I kept working there?--Even now, I often wonder that.

    I probably wouldn''t have be a novelist.

    Anyway, it was afortable work ce. Four days a week I worked for twelve whole hours, and the other three days I did nothing. Had I kept gambling, I would have probably ended up taken by the police while ying dice, praying at the morning sun in Totsuka''s police station.

    Lately, when someone asks me if I like mahjong, I reply with ¡°I''ve been ying it my whole life¡±, which isn''t really an answer. With the idea of inhaling second-hand smoke the whole night, every night, thanks to ying with people that aren''t even my friends, I really don''t know if I like mahjong or I hate it anymore. But it''s true that I don''t really feel like ying too much.

    Well, as I had to write a short story and the deadline was drawing near, the only idea I had was ¡°Yondaime''s old man will appear¡±, I was in a quite bad situation, and then suddenly mahjong surfaced inside my head. The plot was put it order surprisingly fast. It was strange. Even if I lost the mood to y, the electrifying sensation of holding the tiles and being smeared on tobo and nicotine probably won''t disappear until the day I die.

    Like that, this 8th volume includes the two short stories I wrote for Dengeki Bunko Magazine''s 20th issue.

    The second chapter could be called a short story too, since it surprisingly ended up taking much more pages than expected.

    By the way, if you watched the anime, you might have noticed a strange coincidences. The truth is that the second chapter of this volume was the original idea I had for the scenario of the first episode of the anime. In the end they almost didn''t use my scenario except for the introduction of the case, and since they left the general outline behind, it ended up being a different scenario altogether. Since I have the mentality of a poor person, I included that original draft in volume 8. I think the ones who have the Blu Rays or the DVDs will find it interesting topare the story with the anime. Yes, this is publicity. Ah, but sorry, when this volumees out, the Blu Rays/DVDs won''t be out yet. Theye out in September the 28th.

    I revived the idea that I had suggested to be put in the anime but wasn''t used, and you could say that this whole volume consists on recycling, so I advanced from the nning stage to the manuscript quite smoothly (chuckle).

    As a result, there were lots of unworkable ideas that had to bepletely renewed before the deadline, though, so I found out that I had counted the chickens before they hatched. My deepest apologies to whom it may concern.

    I''ve been writing Kamisama no Memochou for quite some time now, so when I remember things from the past, I get filled with deep emotions. It''s the series that continued for the longest time in my career, so when I write it, some strange vectors are born in the story. It''s not like I think and then write, but the story itself asks me to write it; that kind of feeling.

    Of course, that''s just an illusion (if it wasn''t, I''d patent it and sell it to people on the same business!), but it''s still a special and pleasant feeling. I''d say it''s close to the feeling you get with the Gestalt Copse, in which you don''t know if it feels good or if it''s scary.

    Anyway, this volume has that ¡°I received a phone call, so I went to look for something I forgot¡± kind of feel. This must be the most confusing afterword I''ve ever written so far, but I can''t really exin it better. I want to believe you''ll understand when you read it. We novelists get our food on the table precisely because be write things that one could only understand after reading 300 pages.

    Speaking of which, I kinda think that life would be quite fascinating if I could bring food on the table just by writing four afterword pages. Just kinda, okay? I love writing a lot. Yes. Really.

    Editor in charge Yuasa-sama, illustrator Kishida Mel-sama, and the whole staff and cast from the anime who rowed to widen the world of this series: I apologize for just sitting snugly on the back of the boat to gaze at thendscape. For giving me that ce, I offer you all my warmest, warmest thanks.

    September 2011, Sugii Hikaru.

    Back to Chapter 5

    Return to Main Page

 Volume 9, 1

    <h4>Volume 9, Chapter 1</h4>

    "I can probably die now," said Ender. "All my life''s work is done."

    "Mine too," said Novinha. "But I think that means that it''s time to start to live."

    Orson Scott Card -- Speaker of the Dead.

    Till this day, I still vividly remember the day mom died.

    Every word my sister said on the phone, dad''s drool in his half-opened mouth, the instruction posters pasted on the white hospital walls--I still remember them all. These were all too bright that I wondered if I mistook them for being in a movie or some other ces. But looking back at my memories, I realized it could be associated with thest time I saw off mom at the door in the morning. There is no doubt this is my memory.

    I wondered why I could still remember that so vividly.

    I supposed it was because I did not see the corpse for myself, and the makeborn up for the surrealism, my mind frantically pieced together everything I saw and heard in my mind. I was still in elementary school when mom''s body was knocked down by a trailer, and deformed as she was crushed between it and the building wall, so obviously, dad didn''t allow me into the morgue.

    Dad himself could not move as he stood in front of the stairs leading to the basement, so my sister was the one who identified the corpse. Back then, she was still in high school, but she did everything, from speaking to the police and doctors, and calling for the funerary parlor.

    Dad became weird after that, as though his fractured bones were put back in the wrong ces. I did not remember exactly what happened at the funeral, but I knew that he did not say anything. Perhaps that was when he snapped. The next day, he started calling my sister by my mom''s name.

    I could not understand what happened at all. It seemed sister knew, but did not know how to respond.

    "Maybe I''m too capable."

    While we were alone together, sister shrugged as she said this.

    "Dad''s someone who can''t live on without mom. He probably escaped to the past, pretending that Alice didn''t die."

    I didn''t know how she could calmly rationalize this.

    However, sister''s deduction was amazingly urate. After observing dad, who had lost it, for a little while, I had toe to agree with that assessment. Dad''s mind was back to when he first got married with mom, and because of that, he saw the only female in the house--his own daughter--as his wife. Also, he would say such passionate things like "Sorry for always having world." or "I might be deployed to Kansai next time. Sorry to bother you." For a while, I couldn''t believe that my stoic dad actually became like that, and to be honest, it felt really disgusting.

    Also, he could not recognize me anymore. His mind ''went back'' to when he got married with mom, back when she had yet to bear a kid. For dad, I''m someone who shouldn''t exist. I didn''t know how to deal with dad when he was like this, and to be honest, it was easier for me not to interact with him. There was not much change to this daily life. Dad continued to work, earning money for the family. While things would get awkward whenever the school called (whenever the teacher called, he would say something like ''that''s strange. I don''t have a son''), but sister could normally handle that well. Since it was not a hassle to any of us, we did not care no matter how mentally disturbed he was.

    After a long while, I asked sister,

    "Sister¡­are you really alright?"

    "Eh, well¡­about mom''s death."

    My sister chuckled. Her past experiences gave birth to such a smile.

    "Of course I''m not. But neither you nor dad are able to help, Narumi. I got no choice but to shoulder the load."

    No choice.

    Just as dad remained mentally disturbed, I too could only stand by the side, watching. Sister did all she could to protect our lives in a realistic sense.

    "It''s stupid."

    She sighed.

    "Humans can''t revive. Can''t he just cry it all out and forget?"

    Those words appear to be directed at me as well. To be honest, I really had the same thoughts as dad--as long as I did not admit that mom died, maybe I could have waived off the past? Maybe sister saw through me, and that I didn''t have the guts to be ''broken mentally'', unwilling to say it out.

    The dead can''t revive.

    I held my breath, enduring this youth filled with simple yet cruel truth.

    When I was in my 10th grade, dad bought a house in Tokyo. He was dispatched to the main office in Tokyo, and did not have to wander everywhere.

    Because of that, I too came to this city, encountering many lives and deaths, sometimes causingmotion, sometimes getting hurt, sometimes dirtying myself, soiling my face with dirt as I remembered it all, weing this second Spring. In the process of recording every memo in a story, I learned something--no matter who the narrator was, what they said formed their story. I might not be the one bleeding, but if the truth was as I heard and witnessed, turned into words with my own hands, what I write would be my story. On the other hand, I could only recount the stories I heard and saw, what were rted to me. All I could describe were the stories of those who were simrly suffering, anguished, and contorted like me.

    Finally, I could say it.

    The final case of the detective who shut herself in the frigid room.

    The cruel battle of the girl who like me, wanted to revive her dead mother.

    Why did she not choose that one smart move? What kind of grass would thend grow after absorbing so much blood, such that one wouldugh for, shed tears for, break themselves for, be forgotten? What kind of flowers would bloom--

    The me now probably had a right to say this story.

    For I lost Alice again.

    *

    First day of Spring Break, we held an important meeting at the back of Hanamaru Ramen Shop.

    This meeting was organized by Tetsu-senpai. Like usual, he''s dressed in a short-sleeved T-shirt, his arms folded, emphasizing the biceps that were trained over a long time. Tagging along was Major, who as usual, was wearing a camouge patterned helmet and a jacket on his small body that''s like an elementary school kid. Also, there''s Hiro-san, looking like a star as he wore the ssy pink jacket representing the Sakura season. He was like a youth representing the fragrant spring breeze, but was a pretty face who lived on scamming women. Last of all, there''s me.

    "¡­So the topic of this evaluation meeting is--"

    Tetsu-senpai scowled hard, and said,

    "Why is it that Narumi''s able to avoid repeating the year."

    "How about you do a proper celebration for me!?"

    I mmed the wooden desk that acted as our table.

    "What are you saying now, Vice Admiral Fujishima?" Major looked a little surprised, sighing as he shook his head, "You don''t look like you have a sense of danger. Now there''s only one more chance to repeat the year."

    "What kind of chance is that!?"

    With much peril, I managed to glide past my second year end of semester tests held in early March, salvaged my dire failing grades with retests and remedial, and was finally able to enjoy Spring vacation without a care, so I came to Hanamaru Ramen Shop to report the good news, only for everything to turn out this way. Major was so furious, his shoulders were huffing, and heshed out at me,

    "You never repeated in high school. What kind of NEET are you!?"

    "Didn''t you graduate from high school straight away, Major? And you entered the school that only the smart ones enter."

    "But I never understood how wonderful this world is before I entered college¡­"

    Major looked far away as he said this. Right, I just had a thought. What did this person do to fall so far from the elites?

    "You want to know?" Major asked as his eyebrows twitched.

    Only those that desire to say something really unbelievable would ask such a line, no exceptions. Without waiting for my reply, he continued on,

    ¡°The opportunity that allowed me the chance to enter the world of NEETs was a book. It affected the philosophies of many thinkers and literary experts, a book every man should read.¡±

    ¡°Really? What book is it? Just get straight to the point already.¡±

    ¡°The path of knowing death¡± Major''s goggles lens sparkled, and he said, ¡°''Bushido''.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to say that the author''s name is Inazou NitobeNEET?¡±

    ¡°Don''t ruin the punchline now, okay!?¡±

    Stop being so proud of such a lousy punchline.

    ¡°Samurai and NEET have nothing to do with each other. Of course I know where the punchline''sing from.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Vice Admiral Fujishima. I guess you read ''Bushido'' since you''re saying this now?

    The sharp stare made me struggle with my reply,

    ¡°Eh¡­I never read it¡­¡±

    ¡°Of course, I didn''t read it either.¡± ¡°So you didn''t read it either!¡± The only ones who can ask such questions are the ones who read it!

    Hiro-san overheard our bickering, and answered in Major''s stead,

    "Some time back, Alice had Tetsu and me investigate a stalker. The peeping cameras that guy used was of an incredulously high quality, and couldn''t be found in the market. We finally managed to track it down to a certain college student."

    "What''s with that face, Vice Admiral Fujishima? Are you thinking this Major Mukai Hitoshi is a stalker?"

    "Eh¡­ah, no, that''s not what happened? I thought the conversation would end up like that."

    "I was a victim too!" Majorshed out, "The culprrit was a student in the same faculty as me. He used my prototypes without my permission."

    Thus, Major was distrustful of college, and at the same time, Alice and the others witnessed his skills, interacted with him, and integrated him into the backyard of Ramen Hanamaru.

    "For us NEETs, just graduating from high school is a shame. Moreso ever, I ended up in a national college. I want to surpass Tetsu and Hiro, be a full-fledged NEET, and repeat my years in college!"

    "I didn''t enter high school anymore. Better than Tetsu who met a pretty female teacher and had to undergo her tutge."

    "No, you got so many licenses that are helpful with work, Hiro. My rank as a NEET should be higher."

    "I do nothing other than to leech money off women. Thus I''m more of a NEET."

    "I do nothing other than fighting and gambling. I''m the King NEET here!"

    What are you guyspeting over?

    "Alice never attended school though. We''re lightweightspared to her."

    Major''s words left everyone silent.

    I had been curious about this all this time, but I never found the opportunity to speak up. It''s a stupid topic, but it might be the perfect time to ask. I checked the expressions of the trio, and spoke up,

    "So¡­why did Alice be a NEET detective?"

    Tetsu-senpai and Major looked around, and then, they looked over at Hiro.

    "I don''t know either."

    Hiro grimaced.

    "It''s true that Master Gorou entrusted Alice to me, but¡­"

    Shionji Gorou--Alice''s great uncle, and the master to Hiro''s gigolo antics. He had quite some history with me, but even he never discussed about Alice''s past with me. I guess Hiro knew as much as I did, that the Shionjis were a conglomerate, and due to someplicated reasons, Alice left home. End of story.

    "Maybe she''ll tell you if you ask her now, Narumi."

    Hiro gave a vague looking smile.

    "No, it''s fine. I''m just a little curious. It''s not a good thing to ask her without reason¡­"

    "Just ask her how to be a perfect NEET, and then ask the question."

    Tetsu-senpai redirected us back to this topic.

    "That''s right, Vice Admiral Fujishima. This is yourst chance before you graduate from high school."

    "Alright everyone, let''s discuss the matter on ''how to submit a school withdrawal slip as coolly as possible''. Hiro''s eyes were glowing.

    "I knew this would happen, so I developed a fully-automatic school withdrawl slip shooting machine. 60 rounds in 1 second!" Saying that, Major took out a device resembling a miniature printer. Seriously, I had no idea what''s the purpose of developing such a thing.

    "Relying on machines? That''s a second-rate move. I''ll show you the secret, first-ss style of submitting it."

    Tetsu-senpai said as he gave me a serious look.

    "Hold the form down on the teacher''s head, and deliver a few punches. That''ll deal quite a bit of damage."

    "Because you beat up the teacher!" That has nothing to do with withdrawing from school!

    "So just submit the school withdrawal form along with the marriage certificate request."

    Hiro came up with another ridiculous idea. A marriage certificate request?

    "But this can only one on female teachers who aren''t married. ''Since the student-teacher rtionship is stopping us, I won''t be attending school''. Once you say that, surely she will ept it with tears of joy."

    "Surely not." Even without that arduous process, the teacher will ept the form. Eh, but I have no intention to drop out of school though?

    "Ah wait, Hiro. Being unmarried is a key to being a NEET. If you get married after dropping out, that defeats the purpose, doesn''t it?"

    Tetsu-senpai''s opinion was straight to the point. But to be honest, this discussion''s too ridiculous to be called defeating the purpose. Hiro merely

    shrugged at this predicament he expected,

    "No biggie. I can simply not submit the request to the marriage council."

    "As to be expected of you, Hiro! I heard you collected hundreds of women''s signatures on these certificates, right?"

    "Aren''t those incriminating evidence? Why didn''t you get rid of them?" Tetsu-senpai asked.

    "Oi oi, that''s cruel of you, Hiro. Discarding them is a show of dishonesty to women."

    "You''re never honest to begin with! Anyway, isn''t this a marriage scam?"

    "It''s not a scam, but a fantasy granted to people. You have taught me that, no, Narumi-kun?"

    "I didn''t, stop fabricating this!"

    "To deal with this, my device''s able to switch into an auto-firing marriage certificates mode!"

    So I say, what''s the point of that?

    Hiro activated it out of curiosity, and it rattled and fired off a bunch of papers. The marriage certificates fluttered at the door of the ramen shop like snowkes.

    And the door opened,

    "Yo Narumi, bring this bowl to Alice--"

    Hiro hurriedly stopped it, but it was toote. The marriage certifcatesnd right on Min-san''s face, just as she was holding the bowl in her hands.

    She had a look, and went beetroot.

    "If you want to purpose, do it right!"

    She beat Hiro up, and retreated to the kitchen. All that was left was the bowl of miso ramen with char siu and corn, without ramen (it should have been called miso soup instead).

    "Hm? You want to know about my background?"

    Alice, eating the beansprouts, spring onions, and dousing them with Dr. Pepper, questioned me. The temperature of the air-conditioning in the NEET detective agency was a migraine-inducing freezing. She was seated on the bed inside, with the ill-looking lights of the many monitors shining upon her. Once again, our detective''s living unhealthily.

    "Hm, well, I can''t say that I''m not interested at all¡­"

    Shionji Yuuko,monly known as Alice. My employer, a hikikomori of a detective. Pale skin, dressed in thin pajamas, her slender legs exposed, as though she was not exposed to the cold. How in the world does she live in such an environment? What kind of growing up did she have to hav esuch a strangle quirk?

    "So why are you only asking me this now? You have been my assistant for a year and a half, haven''t you?"

    Alice tilted her head, showing some confusion.

    A year and a half¡­?

    While realizing how fast time passed, Imented how short the time was. The conflicting thoughts upied half of my mind. While Alice should have aged as long as I did, her physical shape showed nary a change.

    "I''ve been curious. Like, what did you do before being a detective, how old you are¡­eh, of course, there has to be some reason, so I didn''t dare to ask."

    "I don''t know how old I am either."

    "¡­Huh?"

    "No matter how intelligent I am, there are periods in my infancy that I do not remember. I do not remember the moment I was born, so I do not know my birthday and age."

    For a moment, I was bbergasted.

    "¡­No, but, well, your parents would have told you, right?"

    "So I said, my family situation isn''t like that."

    Alice said with a self-reproaching tone,

    "I was born to the Shionjis, one who ''should not be born'', so ever since young, I was locked in a room, and the servants did the cleaning. I never met my parents before."

    I was left speechless. What was more chilling was the nonchalence in Alice''s tone.

    "In the family, the only ones who interacted with me were either great uncle Gorou, or the other children. For example, there''s my sister, cousins. Once a week at most. Well, the doctor does drop by every day though. Needless to say, I never had a birthday before, and never went through kindergarten or school. Think about it, do you think I do have a chance to know of my own birthday?"

    Someone who should not be born--the words continued to echo in my mind. I cursed my foolish self for identally peeking into the abyss of a girl''s heart.

    "If this isn''t enough to satisfy your curiosity, do you need me to go into the specifics?"

    Alice said impishly. With a frozen face, I shook my head.

    "No, sorry. It''s my fault."

    "Why apologize? I don''t mind. It''s simply because you never asked that I never said."

    Alice shrugged."

    "There''s no reason to hide these facts, and I don''t think of my predicament as unfortunate. I do feel grateful, fortunate to some extent even. I won''t be shackled by all the things of the world, and simply focus on living a life dedicated to absorbing knowledge."

    After hearing those words, I was left more speechless than before.

    Certainly she was notcking in food and clothing, and she was not exactly abused in any case. She might not have any freedom to leave home, but with the inte present, Alice had no need to. She might even scorn upon the concept of familial love and warmth.

    "Also, I have been ming everything on my family circumstances till this point. But I do know that my age isn''t something I can just investigate. Basically, I do not have any interest in those thoughts. I do have a vested interest in the person ''Shionji Yuuko'', but everything about ''when was she born'', and ''how long has she lived'' remains as unimportant information to me. Do you agree?"

    "Yes¡­?"

    With her mentioning this, I suddenly realized that age wasn''t exactly such an important information.

    "But without knowing your birthday and age, there will be many issues unbeknownst to you too, right?"

    "How so?" Alice raised her chopsticks? "My bank ount and credit cards were handled while I was still with the Shionjis. There is no need for any personal particrs until then. I have no affiliation with school or licenses after all."

    Since she said so, it probably was the case.

    "No, well, what if you need to handle procedures at some government agency?"

    "Government agency? Why do I need to go to such a ce--"

    Saying that, Alice ced the chopsticks back onto the tray. At this moment, she noticed the existence of a certain thing.

    There was a piece of paper pressed beneath the bowl. It was the marriage certificate Hiro fired with the device. It seemed I had served it along with the bowl, without noticing. Alice took it out, had a nce, and immediately went beetroot.

    "Wh-wh-what is this!?"

    ¡°Ahh, this is, well just now¡±

    ¡°And I was wondering why you¡¯re so curious about my age out of a sudden. So-so-so this is what you mean!?¡±

    ¡°Ah? No, not at all, you¡¯re mistaken, it¡¯s Major¡±

    ¡°Are you asking me about my family because you¡¯re foolish enough to think of greeting my family!? Also, there has to be a proper process to this sort of thing! You¡¯re so unromantic in delivering it under the bowl.¡±

    ¡°So I say, calm down already. What do you mean by that?¡±

    While I was trying to calm her down, someone else who would mess the situation further opened the door to the detective agency.

    ¡°Hello Alice. I¡¯ve starting Spring break today, so I¡¯ll take care of you¡±

    Dropping by was Ayaka in casual clothes, who entered the bedroom, and looked beyond my shoulder towards Alice. Once she realized that Alice was holding onto the marriage certificate, she widened her eyes, she shoved me aside, and got onto the bed.

    ¡°Alice, what is this? Why do you have a proposal with the bowl of miso soup? Are you trying to imitate the I want to taste your miso soup clich¨¦? This won¡¯t do though. Fujishima-kun is bad at cooking; choose something else.¡±

    ¡°Hey, what are you saying? How did it end up with me proposing to him?¡±

    With a blushing face, Alice yelled,

    ¡°Hm? So is it the other way around?¡± What¡¯s with that, ¡°No can do, Fujishima-kun!? Alice might add Dr. Pepper if she¡¯s to cook miso coup!¡±

    My appetite was gone just from imagining that.

    ¡°No, can¡¯t you just get away from this miso soup thing already?¡±

    Ayaka immediately retreated, pulling some distance from the miso soup.

    ¡°That¡¯s not it!¡±

    ¡°Listen up, Alice. You got to know that if you can¡¯t y dumb to this extent, you can¡¯t continue to act as a couple manzai with Fujishima-kun!¡±

    ¡°What nonsense are you spouting here!?¡±

    The bed shook as Alice was enraged, and the empty cans piled high up tumbled over.

    *

    Surprisingly, the one closest to the truth was Yondaime. The following day, I visited the Hirasaka-gumi office, discussed the future ns in the storage restroom cumputer room, while casually dropping this topic.

    ¡°Probably 14 or 15.¡±

    Yondaime simply answered.

    ¡°¡­Eh. How do you know?¡±

    ¡°There was once when Alice wasn¡¯t feeling well, and I brought her to the hospital. That general hospital was ridiculously big, and she often visited it when she was at home. Alice had no health insurance, but they let her in after seeing her face. I¡¯m guessing the Shionjis invested heavily in that hospital. Alice herself said that she was born in that hospital.¡±

    Alice somehow visited a doctor. I was a little surprised.

    ¡°Then, I heard from the doctor that it used to be somemon small-scale hospital, but before Alice was born, the hospital suddenly received arge investment of various top-notch facilities. The Shionjis probably invested heavily behind the scenes to ensure a failsafe, that there might be a high risk of miscarriage. I was curious about it, and looked into it; I found that it was 15 years ago.¡±

    I was impressed. As a detective, this guy¡¯s way better than me.

    ¡°¡­But why spend so much effort to elevate the facilities of a small hospital? Her family¡¯s rich, and has lots of top-notch hospitals under its name.¡±

    Yondaime narrowed his eyes, and coldly said,

    ¡°Surely there¡¯s a reason why they couldn¡¯t deliver her there.¡±

    Suddenly, I recalled the words from Alice, that she was ¡®a child who should not be born¡¯.

    At this moment, I began to regret, for not denying Alice¡¯s self-reproaching.

    ¡°Hey, let me make this clear. Everything¡¯s just my conjecture.¡±

    Yondaime hurriedly added on, probably because he noticed the grim look on my face.

    ¡°What the doctors say are no more than rumors. Maybe the investments had nothing to do with Alice. Also, the matter of age isn¡¯t exactly important here.¡±

    ¡°Eh, ah, yeah, that¡¯s right¡­¡±

    But, 14-15? Is it really okay if her appearance differs so much from her actual age? She looks like an elementary school kid, and no more than 11-12. Of course, it¡¯s no wonder she developed poorly given her poor eating habits.

    ¡°It¡¯s likely she was born differently.¡± Yondaime said with a gloomy look, ¡°Living on carbonic acid, sleeping only an hour. She doesn¡¯t have a normal body for one. The doctor said that it¡¯s a probably of gics.¡±

    ¡°I¡­see. So that¡¯s how it is¡­¡±

    She¡¯s been such a unique girl, and it might be eptable to say that her body was weird to begin with. Well, it¡¯s too unhealthy either way.

    But even so, if I¡¯m to switch off the air conditioning of the office immediately, have her put on normal clothes, eat normal foods, and go out to exercise, surely she would faint. What do I do then?

    ¡°Ahh, right, to prevent something like that from happening again, I¡¯ll tell you where the hospital is.¡±

    Yondaime tossed a note with the hospital address and number.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to bring her to that sort of ce again.¡±

    ¡°Eh, bu-but, you want me to bring her there?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you her assistant?¡±

    ¡°But I don¡¯t have a car¡­¡±

    ¡°Ask Hiro, or call for a taxi.¡±

    I sighed. Let¡¯s just hope this doesn¡¯t happen.

    ¡°Speaking of which, are you intending to apany her for the rest of your life?¡±

    Once we were done, Yondaime looked over at me,

    ¡°¡­Ah? ¡­eh, no, well¡­¡±

    I could only speak vaguely.

    ¡°There¡¯s still a year until you graduate. What will you do in the future? The admin and ountant roles for the gang are still avable. Best if you can just continue with these jobs.¡±

    I blinked in a daze as I stared back at Yondaime.

    ¡°¡­Erm, I can¡¯t actually join the gang, right?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re still a student. Once you graduate or drop out, you can join.¡±

    Yondaime sat back on the resting bed, looking back and forth between me and theputer.

    ¡°Even as Alice¡¯s assistant, you can¡¯t be receiving requests 24-7. Our work here isn¡¯t that heavy, so it should be fine for you to handle both sides at once. What do you think?¡±

    Then, Yondaime gave a specific sry. Thepensation package was pretty hefty.

    Surprisingly to myself even, without hesitation, I gave an immediate answer,

    ¡°Thanks for the offer, but I don¡¯t intend to bother the Hirasaka-gumi further.¡±

    Once I said so, I found my tone to be arrogant, and hastily added on,

    ¡°Eh, while I¡¯ve been under everyone¡¯s care till this point, I will surely help if there¡¯s a need to, as payment. But I don¡¯t intend to be employed here¡­¡±

    ¡°I guessed so.¡±

    Yondaime¡¯s answer was pretty calm.

    ¡°You know quite a fair bit of our gang¡¯s secrets, and it¡¯ll be easy to get you involved in some way¡±

    Yondaime quietly looked over at a dark corner of the room,

    ¡°But I knew you would reject.¡±

    Why? I gave a doubtful look at his sidelong face.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t made for this gang. While I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll get a proper job, if you really are to be part of the underworld, you¡¯ll rather work alone.¡±

    ¡°R-really?¡± I was so taken aback, my tone changed, ¡°While I just rejected you, it¡¯s not like I don¡¯t have any clear goals regarding the future. To be honest, whether I can actually graduate from high school is one issue.¡±

    ¡°I know. I can tell.¡±

    I guessed so.

    ¡°But there has to be a path somehow. Your talent is in going crazy and doing unscrupulous things at crucial moments, and then making it through in the end.¡±

    ¡­I don¡¯t think you¡¯re praising me at all.

    ¡°If you¡¯re a little more daring, you can be an elite in this world.¡±

    ¡°Daring, eh, basically¡­¡±

    Better not ask what this world is about. I could infer, and if I was mistaken, the mood would have worsened. Thus, better use this chance to ask something that mighte in handy.

    ¡°For example, while you rejected my invitation, you never thought about what you¡¯re going to do in the future. Why aren¡¯t you more daring in asking me to rmend you a job?¡±

    I didn¡¯t know how to ask,

    ¡°¡­Eh, no, this might be too daring. If I really did ask, wouldn¡¯t you be fuming, Yondaime?¡±

    ¡°Of course, and I would have beaten you until you can¡¯t open your mouth.¡±

    Of course you¡¯ll be pissed off!

    ¡°But, that¡¯ll just be it.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean ¡®just be it¡¯ after beating me so badly I can¡¯t open my mouth!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯ll kill you or break ties with you. Also, if I¡¯m to meet such a shameless guy, I¡¯ll give him a few blows, show some pity, and give him some lifeline.¡±

    I scratched my head, sighing,

    ¡°So without any risk, it¡¯s possible to be a little more daring; is that what you¡¯re saying?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s how it is.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll consider that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll repeat myself though. Once this happen, I¡¯ll go all out.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll really consider that¡­¡±

    Once I was done with business, I intended to get up, only for there to be cracking beyond the door behind me.

    ¡°Hey stop pushing.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t hear clearly.¡±

    Yondaime frowned as he got up from the bed, went over, and pulled the handle down. At that moment, a bunch of hulks in ck T-shirt, who were pressing upon the door, were tangled up as they tumbled into the storage.

    ¡°¡­What the hell are you idiots doing?¡±

    Yondaime¡¯s temples were popping as he red down at his subordinates lying on the floor.

    ¡°S-sorry.¡± Pole, lying at the bottom, was sheepishly grinning away,

    ¡°We heard that you have been trying to invite Narumi Aniki, Sou-san, and wanted to know the response.¡± Lying atop Pole was Rocky, looking at us as he answered.

    ¡°We¡¯re done. Now scram, don¡¯t blow us.¡±

    Yondaime poked at Pole¡¯s head with a finger, and thetter excitedly got up, saying,

    ¡°So Aniki¡¯s gonna put on our logo?¡±

    The blockheads lying on Pole rolled away to the restroom of the office,

    ¡°Eh¡­ahh, no, er, sorry. I didn¡¯t do so.¡±

    I said as I hid behind Yondaime. Pole and Rocky¡¯s faces looked roasted as a result.

    ¡°Wh-why!? Is there something bad about our gang?¡±

    ¡°Is the office too small!? Too dirty!? Too noisy!?¡±

    Everything, I guess.

    ¡°Erm, I¡¯ve been under the Hirasaka-gumi¡¯s care for a long time. Sorry for getting you gets to help me with work, so¡­¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll improbe!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be kinder when we treat others!¡±

    The gang members knelt downbefore me. Yondaime shot me a look, hinting me for to do something. Seriously, I wanted to jump out of the window¡­

    ¡°How do we be more approachable?¡± ¡°We¡¯re a bunch of goris though.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t we imitate some popr animals?¡± ¡°But those popr animals are all small, right?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t change out of our ck uniforms. We don¡¯t have the money.¡± ¡°Anyway, is there really an animal that¡¯s ck,rge and popr?¡±

    ¡°A panda!¡± ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± ¡°You¡¯re pretty smart!¡± Seriously, none of these add up.

    ¡°Alright, get the white paint!¡±

    ¡°Sou-san, are the panda eyes ck or white?¡±

    Yondaimended a punch on the face of Rocky, who asked the question.

    ¡°Blue!¡± ¡°As to be expected of you, Sou-san!¡±

    The others saw the blue bruise appear on Rocky¡¯s eye as thetter fell over, and started a ruckus. Yondaime was taken aback by how stupid they were, and after a second, he turned to look at me,

    ¡°Hey, get these idiots to shut up. You¡¯re the expert, right?¡±

    Not at all!

    But if they were to continue with this tomfoolery while blocking the door, I wouldn¡¯t be able to return back. No choice. I could only approach Pole and the others who were blocking the door, debating furiously over the color of a panda¡¯s paw.

    ¡°Erm, dressing up as a panda isn¡¯t a good thing.¡±

    ¡°Why!?¡± "Aren''t pandas popr!?¡±

    ¡°I bought some sasamochi!¡± ¡°We''ll just eat the bamboo leaves, so please finish the rest, aniki!¡±

    No thanks. I''ll puke from eating too much. Wait, this isn''t the time for this.

    ¡°Think about it, aren''t pandas ck and white?¡±

    ¡°Yeah!" ¡°That''s why we''re using white paint¡±

    ¡°ck and white are the same colors as a patrol car, right? Those are police colors. Is it really okay to be dressed like them?¡±

    The hunks in ck T-shirts paled in unison,

    ¡°I-I see¡­¡±

    ¡°We never thought of that¡­¡±

    ¡°As to be expected of you, aniki. Straight to the point!¡±

    ¡°We''re all idiots!¡±

    ¡°We nearly became one of the stripes!¡±

    They really bought what I said. Even I found this to be utterly ridiculous.

    ¡°Hey, now''s not the time to be spacing out here!¡± Pole turned back to yell at the others, ¡°Get to Ueno park and duke it out against the pandas!¡±

    ¡°Righto!¡± ¡°Can''t let the stripes underestimate us!¡±

    The gang members stormed towards the exit of the office. While I was wondering if these goris should be caged in Ueno zoo, Yondaime said,

    ¡°You''re not going tomand them?¡±

    ¡°Don''t say that!¡± No way am I going to lead this circus!

    *

    And so, it was the end of March, where the cherry blossoms would bloom in Tokyo. On a certain afternoon, I was requested by Alice to perform several procedures at the bank. I was intending to head down an alley to the right of the Meiji Highway, back to ¡®Hanamaru¡¯, only to hear a shrill honking of a car behind me. I turned around to look, and found a blue open bo Aston Martin parked right next to me. The one driving was a young woman with long hair, wearing sunsses. She was probably in her twenties, and though it was early Spring, she was dressed in a low neckline dress along with a translucent shawl, giving a refreshing vibe. Also, she had a cross-shaped ne upon her.

    Once she saw my face, she was immediately taken aback--

    ¡°Fujishima, Narumi-kun?¡±

    After a moment, I realized she called my name,

    ¡°¡­Ah, ehh, that¡¯s me.¡±

    ¡°Get in.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Into the car, now.¡±

    While I was blinking away, at a loss of what to do, she leaned over, grabbed my arm, and pulled me into the seat next to her.

    ¡°Wah, eh?¡±

    As the door was not opened, I fell head first into the seat.

    I was struggling as I leaned over, and she pulled the brake, driving off.

    ¡°Hey, wa-wait up.¡±

    ¡°Put the seatbelt on. You don¡¯t want to fall over, right?¡±

    I fumbled around, and my butt tumbled onto the seat. While I withstood the eleration strong enough to crush my body, I fidgeted for the seatbelt, andtched it.

    By the time I managed to catch my breath, the car had already turned right at the Meiji Shrine juncture, racing towards Aoyama,

    ¡°Ah, erm,¡±

    At this point, I stared at the sidelong face of the female driver. It seemed everything I wanted to say was blown aside by the oing gusts.

    Through her sunsses, she gave me a long stare. ¡°There¡¯s no need to ask, no?¡± so she appeared to imply. Surely, her facial appearance exined everything, and all my doubts were gone.

    A forlorn feeling was born. While I did not know what it was about, and while I did not know her true identity, I instinctively knew something was about toe to an end.

    The car drove into the underground parking lot of arge tower-shaped mansion in Aoyama.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get off here. Do you mind carrying some stuff for me? I can¡¯t take them all.¡±

    So I did as she said, and moved out lots of paper bags and boxes out from the boot. These things had the logo of some high-end brands printed on them, probably clothes and shoes. She said she could not carry them all, but in fact, she had me carry them all. She¡¯s acting like a Queen, here, and I could not bring myself to be angry. While waiting for the elevator, she unleashed a barrage of questions to me.

    ¡°Where do you normally buy your clothes?¡±

    ¡°Do you exercise well?¡±

    ¡°You do slouch quite a bit, you know?¡±

    ¡®Have you had anyone customize shoes for you?¡±

    It seemed she was pretty particr about my appearance, or rather, displeased about it.

    After entering the massive elevator surrounded by mirrors, half the size of the ssroom, she checked if there was anyone around, before circling me boldly, and sized me up from head to toe. As it was too awkward, I nearly dropped the bags of goods upying my hands.

    ¡°I should have bought your clothes. Shall we do so another time?¡±

    I really did not understand why she said so. I guess this person really was not bemused to see someone with such poor fashion sense so close to her.

    The elevator stopped, and it was indicated that we had arrived at the top.

    Since we had to remove our shoes, I supposed it¡¯s a personal residence. Looking around the house, I could only marvel. It seemed I was in the living room, as there was a carpet on the floor along with tables and sofas. There was a step on the floor, and the other side of the room was a little lower than this ce. A long sofa and coffee table was basked under the sun there. Two walls werepletely made of ss, and the blue skies could be seen from beyond. It seemed this apartment was so spacious, it took up the entire floor, and I could not give an estimate of the area it upied. The indirect lighting, wardrobe, flower pots, and everything else were designed with modern curves. The stairs leading to the upper level were made of ss, and there was a

    ¡°Just put aside the stuff and sit down. Will you like to have a drink?¡±

    ¡°Ah, erm, no, I¡¯m fine.¡±

    I ced the bags and boxes on the flooring, and with much trepidation, sat at the corner of a sofa. She ushered a tray from the bar to the far left, and served a bottle of vodka, two sses, and an ice bucket on the table before me. I¡¯m still underaged, you know? Also, drinking vodka in broad daylight?

    She sat down on the sofa opposite mine, and finally removed her sunsses.

    With her bluish eyes staring at me, I felt strangely rxed, and mesmerized, as though the air within me was quickly drawn out.

    That¡¯s right. My belief was strengthened. They were really alike.

    ¡°Shall I call you Narumi-kun?¡± she asked, filling the two sses with vodka.

    ¡°Y-yes.¡±

    ¡°I suppose I won¡¯t have to introduce myself now.¡±

    She raised a ss, and gulped it down, her face unflinching.

    ¡°¡­I suppose.¡± I nodded. ¡°But at least, do tell me your name.¡±

    A fuzzy, faint smile appeared upon her eyes.

    Beyond her fingertip were a few magazines piled carelessly upon the carpeted floor. Each of them was rted to the fashion world, none I knew. All I knew that the model at the top was her, and the caption next to it was written.

    ¡®Charismatic designer/model Shionji Mari, tells you all about beauty as she leads the artistic trends.¡¯

    I looked back towards her, the smile finally looking somewhat realistic to me.

    ¡°You have been taking care of my little sister all this while, haven¡¯t you?¡± Mari-san smiled.

    *

    The following day, I was cleaning the detective agency while Alice was eating, and my eyes inadvertently observed her face, matching her along with Mari-san¡¯s. They¡¯re really alive. If Alice¡¯s able to grow into a healthy adult, she might be like Mari-san. Honestly though, I suspected if she really had this biological function.

    ¡°Now what? Why are you staring at me?¡±

    Alice furiously mmed the chopsticks onto the table.

    ¡°This bad habit of yours just wouldn¡¯t change no matter how I nitpick at this.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, so-sorry.¡±

    Uh oh. I just stopped and staring at her without thinking.

    ¡°Seriously. You went back right away after you were done¡­and now you¡¯re spacing out today for some reason¡­¡±

    Alice muttered away as she brought the noodles to her mouth. Recently, she¡¯s starting to consume some carbohydrates and proteins. Grow well and be like Mari-san, so I quietly prayed.

    Speaking of which, I didn¡¯t know how I was about to mention my encounter with Mari-san. After leaving her residence the previous day, I sent a message to Alice, stating that I was not going to return to the agency, and went home. To be honest, it was really tough for me to say things like, I met your sister, and we chatted lots.

    ¡°O-oh yeah, Alice.¡±

    My voice got so cheery, it sounded fake,

    ¡°Are you intending to stay at this agency forever?¡±

    Alice lifted her eyes from the bowl.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Just, eh¡­¡±

    Momentarily speechless, I scanned the room, and said,

    ¡°I see that you have so many dolls, and there¡¯s no ce to put them. Just wondering if you ever thought of moving out. Like, out of Tokyo or something?¡±

    Diverting the topic this way might be stretching it. I reflected upon what I had just said. Alice frowned,

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it wonderful to fill this room with so many dolls, I can¡¯t move at all?¡±

    Ah, right. I guess so.

    ¡°Anyway, why are we talking about moving out of the capital?¡±

    I was intending to ask if she had any intending of moving overseas, but it¡¯s no wonder she would assume out of the capital. It¡¯s not natural to divert the topic again, so I went with the flow.

    ¡°Nothing much, just that arge house might be pricey in Tokyo.¡±

    ¡°I never thought you would be worried about my wallet. I do have enough finances to purchase a bungalow with a garden in the middle of Tokyo.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yeah, I¡¯m really sorry¡­¡±

    ¡°Also, the capital¡¯s much more chaotic, and casese by often, so it¡¯s better for a detective to reside here, no? Moving away is out of the question.¡±

    I guessed so. All the cases we had received involved events in the capital.

    ¡°What¡¯s with this sudden question? Are you unhappy about this office or something?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean¡­¡±

    We wentpletely off topic, and while regretting this, I started to recall what Mari-san talked about the previous day.

    ¡°No need for your self-introduction there. I have done thorough investigations on you, Narumi-kun.¡±

    Mari-san shook the ice in the ss, causing a delightful nk. She had just finished her third drink, but showed no signs of drunkenness, her voice fluent.

    ¡°Of course I would investigate the partner of that cute Yuuko. I would have separated you from her long ago if you were some unsavoury person. Hoho, but that child really is well protected by her friends, some amazing people gathered around her, don¡¯t you think so, Narumi-kun?¡±

    ¡°Erm, well¡­I guess.¡±

    Since she had just included me, I answered sheepishly,

    ¡°So I watched her from afar, and not do anything.¡±

    ¡°But you just abducted me, you know¡­¡±

    ¡°Ahaha.¡± Mari-sanughed as she looked up at the ceiling, her ck hair, as silky smooth as Alice, fluttered by her shoulders.

    ¡°Recently, I have something I have to discuss with Yuuko no matter what. Since I so happened to have bought something nearby, I intended to visit her, but I found so, so I couldn¡¯t help but pull you in.¡±

    Can you stop with the ¡®can¡¯t help but pull people into your car¡¯ thing?

    ¡°Discuss what? Does it have anything to do with me?¡±

    ¡°Before then, do answer a question of mine.¡±

    Mari-san left the sofa, went around the table, and sat next to me. We were so close that I lowered my head nervously, and she tapped my neck with the ss, which was so cold, I jolted.¡±

    ¡°Wh-what are you doing?¡±

    ¡°I see that you¡¯re being so tense, so I can¡¯t help myself here.¡±

    Can you stop touching people as and when you want to?¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t Yuuko do such things to you?¡±

    ¡°Not¡ª¡±

    I stopped myself from denying it. Speaking of which, she does typically smack my face with Dr. Pepper cans or dolls.

    Initially, I had assumed Mari-san was Alice¡¯s older sister simply because of their physical resemnce, but they do act simrly. For example, the way they mock, or act dramatically.

    ¡°This is what I want to ask.¡± Mari-san said, ¡°What is your rtionship with Yuuko? My investigations can¡¯t discern your heart after all.¡±

    ¡°What rtionship, you mean?¡±

    I carefully chose my words to avoid any trouble.

    At this point, I can¡¯t tell what Shionji Mari is thinking. She brought me to her house (it¡¯s probably hers), but never stated her intent, and I didn¡¯t know what she knew about me, or what she thought of me. What I wanted to know however was whether she was on Alice¡¯s side.

    I racked through my brain, trying to recall about the many things Alice mentioned about the Shionjis. The only Shionji she ever met was her uncle, Gorou, or so she said. In other words, she did not want to meet anyone else, including this Mari-san. Recently, she did mention that during her days at the Shionjis, she had interacted with her sister and cousins. Maybe she¡¯s not too distant from Mari-san, but she was a lot closer to Gorou-sensei, at least.

    ¡°You two aren¡¯t on unspeakable terms, right?¡±

    Mari-san¡¯s alluring smile pressed on while I remained silent.

    ¡°No, that¡¯s¡ª¡±

    I hesitated, before speaking up again.

    ¡°Do you mind if I ask something?¡±

    Mari-san looked a little surprised.

    ¡°Are you asking what I intend to ask you to do? Hm, what do I do now?¡±

    ¡°No, this isn¡¯t what I mean. Mari-san, I want to know your rtionship with Alice, erm Yuuko-san.¡±

    This time, the surprised look remained for several seconds.

    ¡°¡­Sisters, you know?¡±

    She blinked, answering. I shook my head, saying,

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean. How do you view your little sister? To be direct, are you friend, or foe?¡±

    I watched the murkiness spread over her face, and continued,

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of past Alice has, but I do know she ran away from home. You should understand why I¡¯m a little wary of the Shionjis, right? I can¡¯t just talk before I know what you¡¯re nning to do to her.¡±

    After a long silence, Mari-san shrugged, and chuckled. I couldn¡¯t help but be mesmerized by this. It was an alluring chuckle, chiselled by the thousand stares. The shoulder brushed me by, and I was quietly taken aback, my breathing stifled.

    ¡°Well, you might think I¡¯m just a brat who talks big,¡±

    I felt I had to say something, so I continued,

    ¡°But I¡¯m serious.¡±

    ¡°Understood. That¡¯s pretty amazing of you.¡±

    In any case, I really felt that she was treating me like a kid. I¡¯m still a kid though.

    ¡°But Narumi-kun, I would have answered ¡®friend¡¯ to that question no matter whether it¡¯s truthful or not. You can¡¯t really tell much from there, right?¡±

    Feeling a little repulsed,

    ¡°It¡¯s not like I can¡¯t determine something here. I can¡¯t be certain whether you¡¯re lying or not, but it¡¯s a lot better than not asking.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true¡± Mari-san smiled, ¡°That should be enough from me however.¡±

    ¡°¡­Eh?¡±

    ¡°I already got the answer I wanted.¡±

    I blinked in surprised, and stared back at Mari-san,

    ¡°From your tone, I can infer your rtionship with Yuuko. You really view her as an important person, right?¡¯

    ¡°Eh¡­ahh, I, erm, sorta.¡±

    Having made a swing and a miss, I hastily tried to respond, only to fumble with my words.

    ¡°In that case, even for what I do intend to ask you to do next, you should be able to do something beneficial to Yuuko. I can tell you now.¡±

    ¡°What¡ªis that request?¡±

    Mari-san put the ss down, stopped smiling, and looked at me in the eyes, saying this,

    ¡°I will like you to ask if Yuuko has any intentions of leaving Tokyo.¡±

    I held my breath, and quietly awaited her following words.

    ¡°Best if it¡¯s overseas¡­¡±

    ¡°Why do you ask?¡±

    She looked aside for the first time, pursing her lips, wondering how she should exin. I red at her lips, and was peeved to think that she was hiding some cards.

    ¡°Simply put¡ª¡±

    Mari-san seemed to have given up on struggling as she sighed,

    ¡°I think it¡¯s about time, that I should have Yuuko move in with me. I intend to move my base to Paris, so I thought I should ask.¡±

    She stopped, nced aside at me, and dropped her shoulders, saying,

    ¡°You won¡¯t ept this simple exnation, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    An older sister asking her little sister to live together after years of not meeting together? That¡¯s definitely not as simple as ¡®thought I should ask¡¯.

    ¡°I really can¡¯t reveal too much, you¡¯re an outsider after all.¡±

    And this time, I was infuriated.

    ¡°Since you refuse to say, please don¡¯t ask me to do such a thing.¡±

    ¡°Why? I can make you promise without saying anything.¡±

    ¡°Eh? No-no way. Why do you think I¡¯ll agree to your demands?¡±

    ¡°Now then, let¡¯s think of ways to get you to agree, Narumi-kun.¡±

    I looked up at the ceiling in despair, and found a dumb look reflected in a distorted manner on the metal ball d¨¦cor.

    I¡¯m most terrified of such people who are reasonable and understanding, but yet so deliberately demanding. They¡¯re able to exert pressure by smiling, knowing they have the advantage.

    ¡°Why do you think I¡¯ll agree? Are you going to let me go and abduct me every day, starting tomorrow, and drag me on your car to this ce until I agree?¡±

    ¡°That sounds good.¡± Mari-san smiled, ¡°But, to make it a little simpler. I¡¯m not letting you go home until you agree.¡±

    Can she do it? I¡¯m a guy after all, so I should be strong enough, right? Will there be some muscr bodyguards barging in once she whistles? Or is there a security function in the elevator that prevents guests from using it.

    I started to sense that it was pointless to dispute this with her, and quickly surrendered.

    ¡°Got it. I just need to ask Alice, right? I¡¯ll ask.¡±

    Of course, if Alice really does go overseas, I¡¯ll be really lonely, but she, a NEET who hates to toil, can¡¯t possibly agree to this request. So I thought I could ask. Mari-san peeked at my face, asking,

    ¡°Can¡¯t you put up a little more resistance? You¡¯re no fun.¡±

    ¡°You think I¡¯m here to y?¡±

    She¡¯s probably drunk without looking the part, is she?

    ¡°Anyway, thank you, Narumi-san.¡±

    ¡°No worries.¡± I answered, still feeling miffed.

    ¡°I know it¡¯s a request from me, a ridiculous one at that, but why do you agree to it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m finding it ridiculous too!¡± I started yelling, ¡°I too have a ridiculous sounding question to ask. Have you not thought I¡¯m agreeing to it because I just want to get out of here?¡±

    ¡°Not at all.¡±

    I nearly tumbled over, and lowered my voice, asking,

    ¡°¡­Why?¡±

    ¡°I have investigated that you¡¯re a prodigious con artist who managed to talk your way out with that amazing mouth of yours. I can tell that you¡¯re not bluffing me.¡±

    I gave an audible gulp.

    I thought she was teasing me, but unwitting, I was being cornered.

    ¡°¡­Why¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Because both of us do treasure Yuuko. I can tell you¡¯re trusting me because of that reason, and agreed to my request, right?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t say anything more, and could only respond with my eyes. She waspletely correct. I couldn¡¯t say that I trusted herpletely, No, she¡¯s really spot on, just that I wasn¡¯t willing to agree with that notion. I just trusted her without thinking, after seeing how unreasonable a woman she was who doted on her little sister.

    Is this good?

    Loving someone doesn¡¯t mean being on someone¡¯s side. I had encountered many tragic figures who loved others, only to cause ruination.

    But I just couldn¡¯t reject her request.

    So I recalled the reluctant look on Mari-san¡¯s face as I watched Alice, seated on the bed of the detective agency, once again realizing how simr the two sisters looked. This might be a reason why I agreed, because it felt as though Alice was the one asking me.

    ¡°You can move to anywhere away from Tokyo all you please. If you¡¯re going to Kanagawa, you¡¯ll have to take a half hour car ride to work every day.¡±

    ¡°Eh, but it¡¯s pointless to move away by myself down.¡±

    ¡°What else do you want? You¡¯ve been hinting in a roundabout manner¡ª¡±

    At that moment, Alice realized something, and kept quiet, her face blushing.

    ¡°Ar-are you talking about co-cohabitation?¡±

    ¡°Eh? How do you know?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s inside your head?¡±

    The pile of dolls fell like an avnche as Alice was once again enraged.

    ¡°Coronary arteriovenous fist is a trivial matterpared to how short-circuited your mind is!¡±

    ¡°Coronary arteriovenous fist? What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a disease where the arteries and veins of the heart are connected! That¡¯s not important! You-you want to live together with me? We haven¡¯t made the request. Everything has to go in order, right? N-no, this doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll go make the request?¡¯

    I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s still thinking about that. Thanks to that, I was shocked into thinking that she knew about Mari-san¡¯s request.

    ¡°Living with you? Enough with that joke already. Just cleaning the house is tiresome.¡±

    ¡°What did you say?¡± What¡¯s she angry about?¡±

    ¡°Even if I really have such thoughts, you don¡¯t want to live with me, do you?¡±

    Her blushing face hid her drooping ears. What¡¯s so awkward about this question? Or, is there anything to think about?

    She turned her face aside, clenching her fists, releasing them, and clenched again.

    ¡°¡­I-I can consider if you¡¯re willing to dress up as a doll forever

    Please allow me to refuse.

    The topic¡¯s way out of hand, so I left the agency.

    I knew this would have happened. She hates leaving that six tatami room, let alone Japan. How could she possibly think of moving?

    I went to the back door, and gave Mari-san a call.

    ¡°Looks like she has no intention to leave.¡±

    ¡°I see. As expected¡­since you can¡¯t convince her either¡ªit appears we''ll have to convince her in another manner

    ¡°But isn¡¯t it too forceful to try probing her without telling me anything?¡±

    That¡¯s enough already, so I wanted to say, only to be cut off by her.

    ¡°No other choice. Thanks. I¡¯ll talk to her directly.¡±

    ¡°¡­Huh? You¡¯reing over?¡±

    ¡°Right now.¡±

    Right now?

    An hourter, that blue Aston Martin was parked before ¡®Ramen Hanamaru¡¯. I was doing my Spring assignments at the back door back then. Good thing the teachers were merciful enough not to retain me, but the price was that I had loads of assignments to do. The NEET detective gang isn¡¯t around, Min-san and Ayaka were working quietly in the kitchen, and I was quietly doing my homework. The sce was however shattered by the overwhelmingly powerful engine. Stunned, I lifted my head, and found that bright blue car, she actually came by? I thought with disbelief.

    On this day, Mari-san was dressed in a white, slightly green pantsuit, the cross-shaped ne still upon her. Once she got off the car, she approached in a stylish manner, as though grass would grow at every step she took. She was holding a bag in her right hand, and once she noticed me, gently waved her left hand.

    ¡°Min Li-san is here, no? I¡¯ll go greet her.¡±

    Saying that, Mari-san pulled the back door of the kitchen, shocking me. She¡¯s unexpectedly someone who knows social etiquette. I hastily followed her through the back door.

    Once they saw her enter, both Min-san and Ayaka were unsurprisingly taken aback, rooted to the spot with chopper and onions in hands.

    ¡°Hello there. My sister has been in your care.¡±

    Mari-san bowed and greeted Min-san from beyond the counter.

    ¡°¡­Ahhh¡­you¡¯re Alice¡¯s¡ªolder sister, right?¡±

    Min-san was spaced out for a moment, only to say this. Next to her, Ayaka sounded increasingly excited, but was still in a state of shock, her mouth agape, unable to say anything. Ehh~ Alice¡¯s older sister? They really look alike! I could practically hear her screaming that inside her heart.

    ¡°A token of appreciation. Here.¡±

    Mari-san handed the bag over the counter.

    ¡°Eh? Ahh, no, you don¡¯t have to¡ª¡±

    Saying that, Min-san widened her eyes at the content of the bag.

    ¡°¡ªI-isn¡¯t this Frankie Wattier ice cream? They don¡¯t have a shop in Japan, right?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯re an ice cream expert, so I had others import it over. Hope you love it.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t just love it. I wanted to fly to France to learn. I had it once, and always wanted to eat it.¡±

    It¡¯s the first time I ever saw Min-san¡¯s eyes sparkle like a kid, even twirling around while raising her bag up high. After that, she seemed to have noticed Ayaka and me looking at her dumbfoundedly, awkwardly wiped her hands on her apron, and coughed,

    ¡°Ahh, erm, hello. I¡¯m the boss here.¡±

    Min-san bowed to greet Mari-san as though nothing had happened, and thetter too responded with a smile.

    ¡°The name¡¯s Shionji Mari.¡±

    ¡°Shinozaki Ayaka!¡± Ayaka hastily leaned over the counter, ¡°Eh, I¡¯m a part-timer here. Alice¡¯s friend.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re the one who gets Yuuko to enter the bath.¡±

    ¡°Woah! You know that?¡±

    She investigated that much? I quietly clicked my tongue.

    ¡°Spacing out here is Fujishima!¡± Ayaka said, grabbing my shoulders.

    ¡°Yes, I know. We met just yesterday.¡±

    Mari-san beamed.

    ¡°Really? Fujishima-kun, you knew Alice has an older sister? Why didn¡¯t you tell us, seriously?¡±

    Why are you so excited?¡±

    ¡°Erm, ehhh, Mari-san? Well?¡±

    Min-san nced aside at the ceiling, saying,

    ¡°Alice¡¯s upstairs, always locked in her room, so¡ª¡±

    At that moment, bum bum bum, I could hear noisy footsteps down the emergency stairs outside. Right after,, the door behind Mari-san opened,

    ¡°¡ªNee-sama?¡±

    It was Alice, dressed in pajamas. She probably came running downstairs after seeing the surveince footage. Her cheeks were flushed with agitation, and within her sights was Mari-san, who had just turned around.

    For a moment, I felt time stand still.

    They were really alike, but this wasn¡¯t a simple issue.

    It felt as though there was a magic mirror between them, reflecting their appearances from the distant past or future. That was the impression I had as a third party watching the Shionji sisters.

    The variousplicated emotions appeared upon Alice¡¯s face, and vanished. Her thin lips attempted to say something, but remained frozen at the first word.

    Mari-san took a step towards her sister, embracing the slender body into her clutches.

    ¡°¡­Yuuko. We finally meet.¡±

    Alice didn¡¯t answer. She reached her hands out with a disgruntled look, pushing away from her sister.

    For some reason, seeing them then left me with much sadness. I had a feeling the sisters shouldn¡¯t have been reunited.

    Sadly, my premonition became real.

    But back then¡ªI had no way of knowing.

    ¡°Stay here, Narumi.¡±

    I brought Mari-san up to the detective agency, and was about to leave, but Alice called me from the bed, stopping me. I had my hand on the door handle as I turned around to ask.

    ¡°Eh? Erm, but¡­¡±

    Mari-san too was seated on the bed, hugging a doll, raising it, and flipping it around, looking interested.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have something to discuss with Mari-san? Isn¡¯t it inconvenient for me to be around?¡±

    ¡°Never mind that. You should just stay behind. I don¡¯t want to be alone with nee-sama. She¡¯s definitely not going to talk about anything good here.¡±

    Hearing Alice say this so disgruntledly, I looked over worriedly to Mari-san.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m fine if it¡¯s you, Narumi-kun.¡± Mari-san smiled.

    ¡°You don¡¯t mind if it¡¯s Narumi?¡± Alice pursed her little mouth, ¡°Why, sounds like you already trust him? Seriously, when did you meet? Those weird questions he made were from you, right?¡±

    ¡°Y-yeah, hmm.¡±

    No wonder she figured it out. It was really unnatural.

    ¡°I suppose it¡¯s time for you to live with me, so I had Narumi-kun ask if you¡¯re willing to. I asked him not to mention me too, so it¡¯s not his fault.¡±

    ¡°Enough with the excuses. I¡¯ll lecture him goodter.¡±

    Ahh, she¡¯s fuming¡­

    ¡°Leaving that aside. Nee-sama.¡± Alice turned towards her sister, asking, ¡°You want me to stay with you? Which country makes such jokes?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m serious. Do you want to move to Paris? I¡¯ve been there a few times. It¡¯s really nice there. You¡¯ll probably take a liking to that ce.¡±

    Alice coldly narrowed her eyes,

    ¡°If something¡¯s up, just spill it. This stupid dithering is just a waste of time.¡±

    Even I, who knew nothing, realized it¡¯s been years since the sisters talked to each other, and there was no way Mari-san could ask to live together for no reason. She scowled, and nced towards me. Alice too followed suit, saying,

    ¡°If it¡¯s not something Narumi should know of, I don¡¯t want to know either.¡±

    Does Alice not trust her sister that much? I was really perturbed by this. She was as wary as an angered porcupine, the spikes poking at my heart, leaving me restless. Left with no choice, I leaned my back on the fridge, and sat on the floor. Mari-san remained still by the bedside, staring at me. Finally, she lowered her eyes, and sighed, turning towards her little sister who was within grasp, yet so despairingly distant.

    ¡°¡­Grandpa has fallen ill.¡±

    Alice, who was cupping a knee, clearly looked stiffened and cold on her aloof face. Without looking at Alice, Mari-san said,

    ¡°He was hospitalizedst weekend, at the hospital father¡¯s at. It¡¯s really sudden¡­he was well, yet the doctor¡¯s saying his condition¡¯s critical. He said he really want to meet you, so¡ª¡±

    I could feel Mari-san trying her best to consider how to exin. Even I was grimacing bitterly.

    ¡°From now on, the Shionjis will be gathered around you, but I can protect you. How about youe along with me to Paris?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not so arrogant to say that I can protect myself.¡±

    Alice statedly coldly,

    ¡°But I should at least choose how I should protect myself. I don¡¯t need your care, nee-sama. I¡¯ve been living this way after all.¡±

    Mari-san appeared to be on the verge of tears once she heard this blunt answer.

    After Mari-san left, Alice silently went back to type at the keyboard. I took out the posh looking dolls from the bags on the bed, and left behind beside her. These were from Mari-san, but she never once looked at them.

    It¡¯s probably aplicated rtionship between them. So I could think.

    Even in the past, I could figure out that she didn¡¯t have a nice family. Seems like it was worse than I thought though. Oh, it seemed Alice had said she installed so many cameras around the building; probably because she didn¡¯t want her family to take her back. Does it involve domestic violence, or something as simple as being lonely? The family name Shionji bound Alice¡¯s life in a chaotic, malicious manner,

    Call me up if there¡¯s anything. So I wanted to tell Alice, but my throat just wouldn¡¯t abide. I thought it¡¯s because the room filled with cold air was filled with baseless thoughts, listening to their conversation. I wanted to clear my throat, and Alice said, her back turned on me,

    ¡°My sister and I were born out of wedlock.¡±

    Wedlock. This distant term fluttered uneasily within my heart, like the dust in the sunlight.

    ¡°My father never had a child with his wife, but had two with his mistress. It seemed my mother died soon after I was born. I didn¡¯t know how she looked.¡±

    The tapping at the keyboard echoed vaguely in this brief silence.

    ¡°The grandpa we talk of is actually the oldest grand uncle, not the actual one. He himself has no children, and treats his nephew as his children. That nephew is our father. He probably really wanted ¡®grandchildren¡¯. Even after us sisters were born out of wedlock, he never abandoned us. However, he couldn¡¯t raise us openly as Shionjis.¡±

    Alice¡¯s tone left me really uneasy. Children that shouldn¡¯t be born. I recalled how she had described herself.

    ¡°It¡¯smon. Nothing important.¡±

    I shook my head, wanting to say, that¡¯s not the case. It might be true, but this life does belong to the one and only Alice.

    However, I felt this constion was too hollow, and couldn¡¯t say anything.

 Volume 9, 2

    <h4>Volume 9, Chapter 2</h4>

    ¡°I¡¯m not joking at all. She¡¯s so beautiful that I thought I saw stars in broad daylight.¡±

    Hiro was at the back door of ¡®Ramen Hanamaru¡¯, agitatedly describing some vague metaphor to Major and Tetsu-senpai. Seems like he was referring to Mari-san yesterday.

    ¡°Good thing I came hurrying over after receiving Ayaka¡¯s message, and got to see her vanish she went back.¡±

    ¡°Does she really resemble Alice?¡± Major too was interested. He didn¡¯t see Mari-san.

    ¡°Really. Hiro and I came by, and we had a look. It¡¯s like Alice was all grown up too. ¡° Tetsu-senpai said, ¡°Looking at her, she¡¯s probably about the same age as us.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai and Hiro¡¯s probably around twenties, but Hiro shook his head, saying,

    ¡°I remember she¡¯s 26.¡±

    ¡°26? Really? Looks like a high school kid. Anyway, Hiro, how did you know how old she was?¡±

    ¡°She a fashion model. Her foreign name is Marie Shion. Not a lot of people know her in Japan, but she¡¯s very famous overseas. She also has her brand.¡±

    As to be expected of Hiro, well versed in such stuff.

    ¡°But I did see the photo of Marie Shion a few times. Never once did I feel that she¡¯s Alice¡¯s older sister.¡±

    Hiro brought several female magazines before us. Mari-san would show various expressions as a ¡®fashion model¡¯, and hardly resembled Alice. Also, since they were all foreign magazines, I couldn¡¯t see the name Shionji there. If I hadn¡¯t known that Alice had an older sister, it would be expected for me not to know.

    Also, there was one Japanese magazine, which Tetsu-senpai picked and flipped about, discovering that it was a special edition magazine of Marie Shion. The personal information written in the interview clearly stated that she was 26 years old.

    ¡°It¡¯s written here, ¡®Marie¡¯s pride is that that she¡¯ll sell clothes that she wore and epted¡¯. So she¡¯s her own model?¡±

    ¡°Speaking of which, people really do look forward to seeing her wear a swimsuit, right? She just wouldn¡¯t be a swimsuit model. Look, there¡¯s a lot of amazing new summer products.¡± Hiro excitedly flipped through the pages, showing them to everyone. Dressed in vibrant bikinis and giving hearty smiles are whitedies, and none featured Mari-san. Speaking of which, they¡¯re releasing new swimsuits when it¡¯s just Spring? Or is it that in the fast changing fashion world, those that don¡¯t seize the next season three months away will be wiped out?¡±

    ¡°I asked a girl who like Marie Shion, and she said Marie never poses in swimsuits.¡±

    ¡°So she¡¯s the type to not wear them after being famous?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t put her on the level of gravure models. Ahh, why doesn¡¯t she wear one? Do I have to hitch her up with her? Then she¡¯ll wear one at the pool or the beach for me alone to see.¡±

    Hey, she¡¯s Alice¡¯s older sister. Hitch her up? You sure that¡¯s fine?

    ¡°You really love celbes, Hiro.¡± Major suddenly became a little vulgar. ¡°She has a trendy fashion brand, does her own modelling, and she¡¯s definitely rich. The ce Vice Admiral Fujishima was taken to seems to be some billion yen mansion in Aoyama.¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t say I was taken to, okay?¡± What if someone misunderstands?

    ¡°Her car¡¯s pretty posh too.¡±

    Hiro looked mesmerized,

    ¡°I really want to drive that D89 Vnte, But I think it¡¯s impossible to ask her out and drive the car¡­right, I just need to get married with her, and I can drive as much times as I want. Then Alice can will me brother-inw. Seems weird.¡±

    Hold on hold on, Hiro. Hearing you say that, I find it strange too.

    ¡°Ohh, Hiro, you think you can get married just because you want to drive that car?¡± Min-san asked.

    ¡°Not at all. I want both the car and the girl¡ªwait, Min-san?¡±

    The back door was open for who knew how long, and Min-sanid out some ramen onto the wooden desk, gave Hiro a felt ps left and right, and stormed back to the kitchen in a huff.

    ¡°O¡­¡±

    Hiro, copsed on the ground, got up while covering his face. This guy just won¡¯t learn.

    Tetsu-senpai ignored Hiro, asking me,

    ¡°So, what did Alice¡¯s sister want?¡±

    ¡°Eh? I don¡¯t know. That¡¯s their family business.¡±

    I yed dumb, clumsily.

    ¡°I guess she¡¯s here to investigate your personality, Vice Admiral Fujishima? Anyone will be scared to know that the assistant to her cute sister can fire off sixty wedding proposals in a second.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you create that device to begin with?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t she here to bring Alice back?¡±

    Tetsu-senpai blunt tone left me tone. I would say, he¡¯s almost spot on.

    ¡°In that case, Alice won¡¯t let her into the office.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right. Maybe to borrow money?¡±

    ¡°She has a posh foreign car, and is a celebrity with her own fashion brand, you know?¡±

    ¡°Stop thinking in Tetsu¡¯s standards.¡±

    ¡°idiots, I¡¯m not going to do something as small-time as borrowing money. I can¡¯t return anyway, so I¡¯ll just ask for money if I want it.¡± What are you being a tsundere for?¡±

    While the trio continued their tirades, I asked,

    ¡°Erm, if Alice¡¯s really taken away, what do we do?¡±

    Tetsu-senpai, Major and Hiro looked over incredulous.

    ¡°Probably nothing.¡±

    ¡°Reunite at Yasukuni, I guess.¡±

    ¡°If her other rtives are young girls, I¡¯ll have her introduce them.¡±

    I felt really stupid for asking this question. But Tetsu-senpai continued,

    ¡°But speaking of which, without her around, it¡¯s pointless to stay around.¡±

    Everyone present looked up at the emergency staircase behind in unison.

    ¡°Because nobody will be giving us any cases, and my underground skills are useless.¡± Major too hissed.

    ¡°It¡¯s really hard to imagine the days without Alice around.¡±

    Hiro muttered with a faint smile.

    I too couldn¡¯t imagine. It¡¯s been a short year and a half ever since I started loitering at ¡®Ramen Hanamaru¡¯, but I felt as though I¡¯ve been here for a long time. Many havee and left, and even those close to me often had times when they left for a long time, but Alice was always around. She was always seated on the icy bed, filling her miniature body with intellect, wisdom, searching the world, seeking the truth. I couldn¡¯t imagine a life without Alice.

    ¡°Whether or not that big sis is here for Alice, the decisiones down to Alice herself.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai muttered.

    Major and Hiro nodded.

    Right. Alice had decided to remain forever.

    Mari-san said their great uncle had fallen ill, and wanted to meet Alice once. It also appeared that she mentioned that he was in the same hospital as their dad¡ªin other words, their dad was hospitalized earlier.

    But so what? Alice didn¡¯t want any involvement with the Shionjis, and there was no need to meet. There wasn¡¯t anything to talk about, right?¡±

    I gently put the palm on my chest. Ever since I met Mari-san, I had this strange inexplicable feeling in my heart, but what¡¯s this uneasiness that¡¯s expanding little by little?

    The cellphone in my phone suddenly vibrated.

    ¡°Since you¡¯re downstairs,e up to the office.¡±

    From the other end of the phone, Alice sounded displeased.

    ¡°You came and left yesterday, and I didn¡¯t get to ask something important. Exin all your involvement with nee-sama, what she said to you.¡±

    I sighed, got up, and went upstairs.

    Later on, I was thoroughly interrogated by Alice, and yed a penalty game called ¡®Tell me everything in your conversation with Mari-san, without fail, and stayed tillte before I got home. My older sister was already done showering, and was dressed in pajamas, drinking beer in the living room. Once she saw me enter, she pointed at a corner,

    ¡°Someone sent you arge package.¡±

    There were fourrge and t paper boxes tied with ribbons. What¡¯s that? The delivery order clearly stated my name. I opened it, and found them all to be quality suits, shirts, neckties, and shoes, which left both my sister and I dumbfounded.

    There was a little, fancy faint green envelop inside, and the message card inside was,

    ¡°Sorry that I can only get you pr¨ºt-¨¤-porter. If possible, we¡¯ll get a master to tailor a suit for you next time.¡±

    Mari-san wrote it. My sister knelt next to me, looked back and forth between the clothes taken out of the box, and gave a long sigh, saying,

    ¡°¡­What¡¯s pr¨ºt-¨¤-porter?¡±

    Some fashion term? She asked.

    ¡°Ready to wear, basically. Even so, I see one suit is about hundreds of thousands.¡±

    I can¡¯t help but look at the ceiling. She¡¯s saying that it¡¯s rude of her not to get me a tailored suit? If I¡¯m living as an ordinary high school student, I probably won¡¯t ever have anyone apologize to me for this reason.

    ¡°What¡¯s this, Narumi? What do you mean? Who wrote it to you? Try it. You never wore such a thing before, right?¡±

    I probably had to talk about Mari-san or wear the suit if I wanted to calm my curious sister down. I could only scratch my nose and choose thetter.

    ¡°¡­Heh¡­¡± My sister marvelled.

    It¡¯s a suit with aplicated color contrast, like the colors of the sunset instantly burying the sky, unexpectedly matching on me. Even my sister was taken aback as she stumbled back, sizing me up and down.

    ¡°I wanted to make fun of you, but you¡¯re pretty handsome ehre.¡±

    ¡°A fashion designer chose it.¡±

    ¡°Hm? You have such friends? Who?¡±

    Ah shucks. I wore the suit because I didn¡¯t want Mari-san to mention it, only to mess up. ¡°It¡¯s not good to crumple it.¡± So I excused myself, and hurriedly hid my room to change clothes. Wearing a suit really suffocated me.

    Speaking of which, since she sent me such a precious gift, how shall I thank her the next time we meet? I have to repay her somehow, right? But she¡¯s living at the top floor of some super posh Aoyama mansion, and is a model and fashion designer. What can I give her?

    Let¡¯s not think about it. I don¡¯t know if we¡¯ll meet again.

    I left my room, and went down to the first floor. The lights outside the corridor lit up, and the door opened. I was immediately rooted to the spot, my back foot on thest step of the stairs. The silhouette in suit seemed two times smaller than what I hadst remembered. How many months had I not seen my dad? He arched his back like a skinnymb, looking really traffic. He removed his leather shoes, stepped onto the corridor, and his eyes shed past my chest.

    For a moment, our eyes met.

    I immediately lowered my head, staring at the toes.

    My dad¡¯s footsteps went to the other end. Following that was the sound of the door closing, along with the voice of my sister,

    ¡°Ah, dad. Have you eaten? Shall I cook something?¡±

    Dad said something I couldn¡¯t really hear. I lifted my feet from the corridor, and turned to head up the stairs.

    I often thought that he might not have any illness. During the period after mom¡¯s death, he might have been mentally worn out. Days passed, his conversations with sister became less frequent, and he hardly came home; I heard he wasted money looking for rental houses near thepany. Since he¡¯s doing that, it means he¡¯s not really willing to see us, which might imply that he correctly understood the situation. If he hadn¡¯t known that someone like me existed at home, he wouldn¡¯t have ¡®ignored¡¯ me. It¡¯s ufortable saying this, but it¡¯s a lot better than before.

    Even so, I won¡¯t do anything more for him.

    I really want to get away from home, so I thought. I want to live alone, and earn a living, since I have no drive to study in college. This notion had me slightly regretful that I rejected Yondaime¡¯s kind intentions, and I was really sheepish about it.

    *

    It seemed the words Mari-san left on the message card wasn¡¯t simply out of courtesy. Two dayster, she invited me out to tailor some clothes. She was forceful even on the phone call, and I couldn¡¯t refuse. It¡¯s the first time in life that I was given a full tailor. Mari-san and the owner discussed the details using specialized jargon I couldn¡¯t really understand, and I shrank my neck, looking around the shop. On the thick rack were various fabric scattered closely, with a familiar scent.

    ¡°I¡¯m told it¡¯ll be done a monthter. Do look forward to it.¡±

    Mari-san said once we left the shop.

    ¡°Erm, the clothes you bought me should be pricey enough, and now you¡¯re getting me a tailored suit¡­I really don¡¯t know how to thank you¡­¡±

    ¡°Hm? I¡¯m not doing this for your sake. I just want those near me to be dressed a little more decently.¡±

    ¡°Is se¡­¡±

    It¡¯s like having the urge to feed a stray cat, right?

    ¡°Also, it¡¯s necessary that I get a fine tailored suit, else it¡¯s not okay for you to go without wearing anything decently.¡±

    Shocked, I looked back at the door. That tailor¡¯s not good enough? I see, so that¡¯s why she bought me some pr¨ºt-¨¤-porter. I lowered my head, looking at this suit. So a monthter, I¡¯ll be wearing a custom suit made by this suit, and get a better shop to tailor for me? Are we ying a video game here?

    ¡°Oh yes, Narumi-kun, how big is the walk-in closet of your room?¡±

    ¡°Why do you assume I have a walk-in closet in my room¡­¡± there¡¯s no such thing in a civilian¡¯s house.

    ¡°Eh¡­ahh, ahhh, I see, I guess?¡±

    Those well off really don¡¯t know the suffering of the civilians. I couldn¡¯t help but think. It¡¯s refreshing to know that Alice never had this misconception.

    ¡°So, when building the house in Paris, the walk-in closet of your room has to be a little bigger. A boy¡¯s room often gets filled with other things.¡±

    ¡°Eh, erm¡­ehhh?¡±

    Mari-san left this speechless me behind, and walked down Ginza high street to Nihonbashi. I hurried along, and caught up to her at the door of a Chinese restaurant. A waitress exited, and greeted us with a smile, leading us in.

    We were seated at both sides of a round table, and Mari-san finished ordering while I was bewildered by thevish interior decorations. Only after the waitress left did I manage to talk.

    ¡°Erm, wh-what did you just mean? My room?¡±

    ¡°What else? Can¡¯t have you and Yuuko share one, right?¡±

    ¡°N-not at all. That¡¯s not what I mean. Why does it end up with me moving along too?¡±

    Mari-san suddenly looked deted, which left me anxious.

    ¡°Narumi-kun, you¡¯re Yuuko¡¯s partner, no?¡±

    ¡°Y-yeah, well.:¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been with Yuuko all this while, right?¡±

    ¡°Always, hmmm¡­you can say so.¡±

    ¡°So if I bring you along, Yuuko too wille along, right?¡±

    What kind of logic is this? Like that will work.

    ¡°I see that you aren¡¯t good at rejecting others, so I have your clothes tailored and invited you out for a meal to ensure that you won¡¯t really reject.¡±

    ¡°I know I really can¡¯t reject others. Mind not exining that?¡±

    ¡°Ahh, sorry, sorry.¡± Mari-san said with a smile, ¡°But you¡¯re not going to leave and return the clothes I sent you, right? You can¡¯t not give any respect to a finedy.¡±

    A finedy won¡¯t try such underhanded means. But the truth is as she said, so I can only plop my lifted buttocks back onto the chair.

    ¡°But I really do have intentions to live with Yuuko. You understand.¡±

    ¡°I understand very well. But you seem to be mistaken. Alice isn¡¯t going to change her mind because of what do you to me. I¡¯m just an assistant she hires and pays, and I don¡¯t have any influence on her.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it great for three to live together? You may think about it.¡±

    Mari-san ignored my protestpletely, her eyes euphoric.

    ¡°Yuuko and I wake up in the morning, or wonder if we should get off the bed, and by then, you would have served us croissants and Caf¨¦ auit. Once I¡¯m done dressing up andbing Yuuko¡¯s hair, you, having cleaned up the entire house, will send us off with polished shoes, dragging a cart and allowing Yuuko and me to enjoy the atmosphere of Champs-¨¦lys¨¦es. Isn¡¯t this great?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s great about that?¡± I¡¯m just your ve.

    ¡°And I wish to have Yuuko give a new look to my children clothing brand.¡±

    Mari-san said wistfully.

    ¡°My children clothing brand is a little obscure, and I wish to rename it as ¡®Alice Shion¡¯. Haven¡¯t you all been calling Yuuko ¡®Alice¡¯, Narumi-kun? This should be fine, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Eh¡­¡± She¡¯s no longer being doting on her little sister. However, that impatient look on Alice¡¯s face left me somewhat pitiful of Mari-san.

    ¡°Of course, Yuuko will be the model. Now she¡¯ll be able to live peacefully with us. Don¡¯t you think of it as a good idea?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think Alice will be willing to stand in front of the cameras.¡±/

    ¡°So we¡¯ll keep working every day, and once we return home, you will be before us with the meals cooked, Narumi-kun¡­¡±

    Stop treating me as your manservant as and when you want it, okay?

    ¡°I always wanted to live a life with family next to me.¡±

    I pursed my lips, ncing at her face. I had a feeling I had idently stumbled into the gentle aspects of her heart.

    ¡°I wish to protect Yuuko with my own strength, and be a real family member of hers. I don¡¯t want any of them to touch her.¡±

    I recalled the words Mari-san said when she first arrived at the office.

    ¡°¡­You said that the Shionjis will gather around her, right? What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Exactly that. They do love to talk about that. Yuuko and I are able to inherit part of the Shionjis inheritance. However, there are people in the family who oppose, while others do try to use us. These people will appear once grandpa dies.¡±

    I gulped bitterly. The stench in this matter was worse than I thought.

    ¡°Ahh, sorry.¡± Mari-san smiled, ¡°The food will taste bad if we continue to keep talking. Let¡¯s stop her.¡±

    Saying that, she raised a wine ss, and took a sip.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine with it.¡± I said. ¡°I want to know more.¡±

    Mari-san peered at my face. I felt it was difficult to convey myself through this cold expression, and added on,

    ¡°I can¡¯t say that ¡®things don¡¯t involve me¡¯ now. In that case, you can tell me everything, including Alice, and yourself.¡±

    And the Shionjis.

    Mari-san nodded slightly. So I thought she did, but she broke her silence only when the three servings of cold dishes were served, which made me tense.

    ¡°How much has Yuuko told you?¡±

    Once the waitress left the room, Mari-san suddenly said,

    ¡°Just that her mother was a mistress.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± Mari-san gave an awkward smile, ¡°Let¡¯s eat. It¡¯s a lot easier to talk.¡±

    I too agreed it¡¯s a lot harder to talk with scowls facing each other, so I picked the dishes the dishes with my chopsticks. Typically, I would have found such dishes appetizing, but it felt like I was chewing on wax.

    ¡°Our mother was ¡®a woman of Ginza¡¯.¡±

    Mari-san stared at the rectangr te of cold dish, starting off,

    ¡°A club hostess. Our father was a frequent customer. Back then, he talked about how his marriage was failing, and motherforted him, and had a rtionship with hin, bore a child. It¡¯smon. That child however was me.¡±

    Following that was some silence. Maybe it¡¯s better to have some questions. So I spoke up,

    ¡°So Mari-san, you always lived together with your mother?¡±

    ¡°Yes, initially.¡± Mari-sand nodded. Looking at her relieved expression, it appeared she was hoping for me to ask, ¡°Us mother and daughter lived in an apartment at Akasaka father bought, but since mother¡¯s not someone capable to raising children, and left me with the maids. She would head out to work at night, and I was alone.¡±

    ¡°Mari-san, do you often¡­meet your father?¡±

    ¡°Thest Friday every month, at our house. He doted on me¡­and I really looked forward to it every month. Mother¡¯s a simple-minded person, and during our first encounter, she told me Mari, that¡¯s your father¡¯, even though I didn¡¯t know how to call him papa.¡±

    Mari-san gave a foolish leer.

    ¡°She has no delicacy at all, and probably never thought that she did anything bad. She even casually told the beautician or the boutique that she¡¯s the mistress of the Shionjis. To be honest, I didn¡¯t know how dad actually fell for her.¡±

    So now she¡¯s calling him ¡®dad¡¯ instead of ¡®father¡¯. Maybe it¡¯s the emotions involved.

    ¡°Dad probably wanted to run away from reality, and would choose anyone for that matter. He doesn¡¯t get along well with his wife, and the marriage isn¡¯t very sessful, while grandpa has been prompting them to give birth.¡±

    ¡°Erm, that means, a sessor, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the case.¡± Mari-san smiled weakly, ¡°Yuuko did tell you that grandpa isn¡¯t really our grandpa, right?¡±

    ¡°Ehh, great uncle, actually?¡±

    ¡°Yes, our grandmother¡¯s older brother. Starting here, things do get a littleplicated.¡±

    Following that Mari-san started to introduce the current members of the Shioonjis from time to bottom. It really soundedplicated.

    The head of the family, Shionji Mitsutoshi is the eldest of four siblings, and following him are Mikitsugu, Terumi and Gorou. Of course, that Gorou refers to Hiro¡¯s master, Gorou-sensei.

    Mitsutoshi¡¯s wife died early, and bore no child. The third sibling, Terumi gave birth to her only son Mitsuki, and died early, so Mitsutoshi doted on Mitsuki¡¯s own children as his own. As for Mikitsugu who¡¯s alive and well, he imnted his siblings into important positions o the corporation, bing the crucial member of the family.

    Mitsutoshi was worried that the second sibling, Mikitsugu would try to be head of the family, and wanted Mitsuki to marry the eldest daughter of Mikitsugu. In other words, the cousin younger than him. Once that happens, Mikitsugu¡¯s children will all be Mitsuki¡¯s siblings, and Mitsuki would be the eldest son-inw leading the Shionjis, that the pecking order is established. That would be what Mitsutoshi had nned.

    ¡°It¡¯s a little weird.¡± What eldest son-inw here?

    ¡°That¡¯s how the family work. So based to bloodlines, it¡¯s nauseating.¡±

    ¡°There are still people living like it¡¯s the Sengoku period¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s funny, isn¡¯t it? Dad too felt the same, and married an outsider as protest to his wife. She¡¯s from a well off family too, and grandpa never said anything about it.¡±

    ¡°Erm¡­so, in other words, he doesn¡¯t want to marry his cousin, and got someone else to marry?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Naturally, such marriages won¡¯tst.¡± Mari-san grimaced, ¡°Anyway, dad was trying to escape grandpa¡¯s grasp. Of course, grandpa did try to take dad in as an adopted son, but dad tried various excuses, like he¡¯s not proficient enough at work, and nothing came of it¡­oue-wise, it get worse.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°If dad¡¯s grandpa Mitsutoshi¡¯s son, the heir will be his only. The problem is that he isn¡¯t, that second great uncle Mikitsugu has a right to the inheritance.¡±

    ¡°Ohh¡­¡±

    I didn¡¯t know that. So that¡¯s how it was? This really¡ªquite a spark.

    ¡°If he doesn¡¯t want to inherit the Shionji family, can¡¯t he just walk out like your great uncle Gorou? They¡¯re on good terms, and it was great uncle who taught him all about partying. He also mentioned that mother was introduced to him at the club.¡±

    Gorou-sensei escaped the Shionjis because he didn¡¯t have the personality for him. Another possible big reason is that as thest child, he doesn¡¯t care about the inheritance.

    ¡°So, he could have done what great uncle Gorou did, and wander around like nothing, but he didn¡¯t. He might be too honest. They asked why he hasn¡¯t had a child with his wife, and he said he will have to inherit the family business once he has. It¡¯s funny, isn¡¯t it? He bore a child with a mistress after saying this.¡±

    Isn¡¯t that child you? Things were gettingplicated, so I interrupted, trying to ease the mood.

    ¡°Seems like you¡¯ve been on really good terms with your father, since you do say such things yourself.¡±

    Mari-san seemed tickled as she said,

    ¡°¡­Yes. Back then, even when mother went to work and never stayed at home, dad woulde by, probably to see me. I really hoped to cook something for him, but my servants wouldn¡¯t allow, and we always had takeout. This restaurant was one my father one brought me to.¡±

    Soup was served. Mari-san finally took a spoonful to drink.

    ¡°He brought me to many ces, like the cinemas, Disnend. Any ces with family services. After that, dad went overseas to work, and snuck along.¡±

    ¡°Eh? You weren¡¯t scolded?¡±

    ¡°Not at all. I wouldn¡¯t just to look for him at the office. When dad¡¯s working in the day, I would loiter around the hotel, go to the arts galleries, or buy something to eat at the market.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s overseas, right? Alone?¡±

    ¡°Ahh, I could converse normally in English or French, and I do know some Italian. I didn¡¯t know what my mother hoped for her daughter to be, but the nanny, the servants, the tutors were all Europeans.¡±

    I sighed reluctantly. No ordinary person will learn threenguages this way. This got me to think that yes, she¡¯s really Alice¡¯s older sister. The way her brain¡¯s wired is really different.

    ¡°I was really happy back then, I really hoped I could continue living that life.¡±

    Mari-san¡¯s eyes and voice were cast to the distant past.

    ¡°But that¡¯s impossible. It was an illicit rtionship after all.¡±

    She stopped here, but never raised her spoon. I had already cleared my te, and had nothing to do, so I could only ask,

    ¡°Ehh¡­did the Shionjis know? About your mother?¡±

    ¡°It seemed they already knew from the beginning, since such things can¡¯t be kept under wraps. It seemed grandpa had ordered for everyone to ept this rtionship.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    From what I heard till this point, the old-fashioned Shionji Mitsutoshi should have been fuming since it was basically a betrayal of his expectations.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Father however probably hoped this illicit rtionship would lose him the right to take over the Shionjis, and didn¡¯t care that it was exposed. Grandpa might have figured it out, and didn¡¯t press the matter any further.¡±

    I washed away the weird smell spreading in my mouth with oolong tea.

    One side deliberately had a mistress so that he wouldn¡¯t be next in line, while the other deliberately ignored it to force him to inherit. Such a disgusting world they live in.

    Suddenly, I had a thought. Did Gorou-sensei faked his death to break off all ties not only with the women in his life, but also to avoid getting involved with the inheritance mess?

    Mari-san gave a depreciating smile, and continued,

    ¡°Soon after, mother gave birth to another child, Yuuko. Back then, the child was in bad shape, and might have endangered both mother and daughter, so dad mobilized the power of the Shionjis. He had to consider the Shionjis as a whole, and couldn¡¯t simply have her hospitalized in one managed by the family, so he requested for a friend¡¯s hospital to help, and invested lots of money, top-notch technology, and outstanding physicians.

    In that case, Yondaime¡¯s guess was right on the mark.

    ¡°I heard a little from Alice.¡± I interrupted, for Mari-san pursed her wine-colored lips and remained silent. ¡°She said her mother died soon after giving birth. Obstructedbour?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, well¡­hmmm.¡±

    She was vague in her reply.

    ¡°Thus, Yuuko was raised in the residences of the Shionji. Grandpa had instructed everyone to never let her take a single step out of the room, so they locked her inside the room, and everything was settled by her servants. I was already out of the Shionjis then. They do allow me to see her once in a long while, and I have no idea of the life she lives. All I hear is that she¡¯s been toying with theputer in her infancy. I guess she never interacted with the Shionjis at all. The only ones to ever meet her were great uncle Gorou and me.¡±

    Following that, silence rose like smoke.

    Mari-san doused her lips with wine, and changed her tone,

    ¡°Yuuko left the Shionjis because of great uncle Gorou.¡±

    She talked about how Gorou-sensei caused amotion when he returned. I was increasingly baffled as I heard the story for while she could exin the many details, there were two points she merely glossed past.

    First: her mother¡¯s death.

    I assumed she had obstructedbor due to poor health, but she was vague in her response, and after some vaguely passable sounds, she continued to the next point. Was there something more secretive?

    Second: the reason why Alice was locked in the room.

    It might be too weird that Alice was confined to her room ever since she was born, just because she¡¯s the child of a mistress. Was it that it could damage the reputation of the Shionjis, that they did not want the outside world to know about her? This is pretty conflicting with how Mari-san can act freely. There should be another reason.

    I couldn¡¯t probe any deeper into these two questions. If she really had issues talking about it, and was waiting for me to ask, she wouldn¡¯t have changed topics so quietly. That meant that she really didn¡¯t want to talk about it.

    Mari-san description of Gorou-sensei included his interactions with Alice.

    ¡°Did great uncle Gorou ever mention anything about this to you?¡±

    ¡°He hardly mentions about home. Mostly about happy stuff anyway.¡±

    ¡°I see. Great uncle¡¯s that kind of person anyway.¡± Mari-san smiled, ¡°Great uncle only visits the Shionjis twice a year, and Yuuko seemed to have used this opportunity to ask him for help. Soon after, he followed her instructions, slipped into various corners of the mansion, and installed mechanisms capable to severing the security system. He¡¯s the youngest child of the family, and wasn¡¯t suspected.¡±

    So on a certain day eighty years ago, Alice initiated her escape n. She ensured that the lock of the house was disabled, and ran straight to the back door in the massive mansion.

    ¡°However, she was caught at the emergency staircase, and there was a huge ruckus in the house. Back then, I too was in the house, and immediately ran over to have a look. Grandpa was seething red.¡±

    ¡°Eh? How did she get away?¡±

    Mari-san endured the pain as she scowled, remaining silent. Then, she exhalted, and continued,

    ¡°Dad¡­begged¡­for her to be let go.¡±

    Her voice was increasingly softened.

    The sudden silence from Mari-san had me understand very well that it wasn¡¯t a simple matter. If Shionji Mitsutoshi was willing to let go just because his son asked for it, he would not have confined Alice to begin with; something else must have happened. This might be a taboo Mari-san didn¡¯t want to mention.

    I suddenly recalled the conversation between Alice and Mari-san. I remembered back then, Mari-san said that their grandfather was hospitalized at the same ce as their father.

    There were two facts to be inferred. Their father, Shionji Mitsuki was hospitalized before the head of the family, Shionji Mitsutoshi. Mari-san saying that meant that both Alice and her knew about it.

    Ever since Alice ran away from home, she shouldn¡¯t have any ties with the Shionjis. However, she knew her father was hospitalized, so.

    The reason that caused her father¡¯s hospitalization urred before Alice ran away from home. Was it when Alice tried to escape the Shionjis, as Mari-san had said,

    ¡°But I¡¯m really grateful that Yuuko was able to escape that household.¡±

    Mari-san maintained a cheerful fa?ade and tone, and I was unable to ask anything.

    ¡°It seems she¡¯s really happy now.¡±

    Her smile was akin to one arriving at the port, unable to watch the ship depart. She then continued,

    ¡°She has so many good people surrounding her, the nice mother able to cook ramen and ice cream, and a cute obedient assistant who¡¯ll obey every order.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not really obedient¡­¡± I grimaced.

    ¡°How envious. Me suddenly asking her to live with me must have frustrated her.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t even lift my head.

    For I couldn¡¯t think of anything other than to agree with her.

    ¡°I know this is a selfish wish on my part. I couldn¡¯t do anything at the Shionjis. That incident must have caused Yuuko to really hate me.¡±

    I gasped, gulping down the various thoughts I had. I had to say something.

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t hate you.¡±

    Mari-san looked over to me, her eyes appear ready to rain at any given moment. Those eyes were just like Alice¡¯s, like the color of thete night.

    ¡°¡­Why¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Alice isn¡¯t someone who¡¯ll hate because of that reason.¡±

    The eyebrows twitched, and the murkiness in the eyes were wiped away.

    ¡°How nice a person you are, Narumi-kun. Are you consoling me?¡±

    Feeling peeved, I answered,

    ¡°I¡¯m not. I¡¯m doing this to protect Alice¡¯s honor. Also, such words can¡¯t console you, since I¡¯m no rtive of you. As you can see, Alice just doesn¡¯t want to get involved with you, because she fears trouble.¡±

    ¡°Such a nice person you are. I really love this aspect of yours.¡±

    At this moment, Mari-san raised a ss, and gulped down the wine.

    ¡°I¡¯m really envious of Yuuko.¡±

    *

    I didn¡¯t know how I was going to exin to Alice that I met Mari-san again, so I decided not to. The next day I opened the office door however, I was seen through by Alice, who was being abnormally sharp.

    ¡°Hmph. You met nee-sama again yesterday?¡±

    ¡°¡­Eh, eh?¡±

    I was being too sheepish, and couldn¡¯t y dumb.

    ¡°How do you know?¡±

    ¡°Those clothes. Your pay isn¡¯t enough for them. Also, you don¡¯t know those are of nee-sama¡¯s brand.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but look at my T-shirt. Mari-san had given me some casual wear, but for me, who had no fashion sense at all, I couldn¡¯t determine the difference between that and the usual cheap clothes I wear, so I came to the agency thinking that I wouldn¡¯t be seen through. What a failure.

    ¡°Erm, yeah, well¡­she bought them for me.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re going to leech off nee-sama, I¡¯m firing you on the spot.¡±

    ¡°N-not at all, don¡¯t think too much about it. You should know that she¡¯s picky about what those around her wear, you know.¡±

    ¡°Whatever you two talked about, I don¡¯t want to live together with her. Get this clear with her.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, yeah¡­¡±

    I recalled Mari-san¡¯s hollow eyes. If I were to convey those words to her, surely she would be despondent.

    Seeing how that face resembling Alice would look so disappointed, I too would feel heartbroken.

    ¡°At least you can get Mari-san toe by once in a while, right?¡±

    Alice scowled,

    ¡°I¡¯m toozy to shoo her away, so do as you wish. Nee-sama treats me as a doll, always asking what I want to wear. A miniscule reason why I wanted to flee that house is because she¡¯s too bothersome.¡±

    ¡°I see. So you wear the same clothes every day in defiance?¡±

    ¡°They aren¡¯t the same!¡± Alice was so infuriated, her long ck hair fluttered, ¡°You do wash my clothes every day. How can you not differentiate between them? I have 23 different types of pajamas, the colors and teddy bear patterns are all different. Only the manufacturer is constant!¡±

    I see. I had just known of this after being her assistant for a year and a half, and this really stunned me. If I were to say that pretty much all her clothes were the same, I probably would have countless empty cans pelted on me, so I swallowed my words.

    ¡°At the Shionjis, I wore lots of frilly clothing with excessiveces, so wearing these is a fresh change. The blue on this pajamas represents the color of the free sky.¡±

    Why is the one cooped up at home all the time talking about the sky?

    But I guessed the situation was as Mari-san had predicted. No matter how much she doted on her little sister, she would be deemed to be the one destroying Alice¡¯s life. Thetter¡¯s probably pretty satisfied about being able to earn as a detective.

    ¡­Maybe?

    ¡°Hey, Alice.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Alice casually asked as she reached her hand for the pile of red cans by the bedside.

    ¡°Do you feel happy?¡±

    She fell into the gap between the bed and the wall, causing the pile of Dr. Pepper to fall like an avnche, tumbling upon her ck hair.

    ¡°Wh-what¡¯s with that question out of a sudden?¡±

    Alice crawled onto the bed, her hair ruffled about. Is that really a question that¡¯ll cause her to fall?

    ¡°Eh, in other words, are you happy about your predicament now.¡±

    Mari-san seems to feel that she¡¯s happy, but what¡¯s the reality?

    ¡°I never thought about it. Happy no not? Isn¡¯t this something subjective that can be affected by the weather, alcohol divination, or even which shoces are tied?¡±

    ¡°I see. You¡¯re right. Sorry for ask you such a weird question.¡±

    This detective who deciphers the world with logic and intellect, and this question was utterly foolish to her.

    ¡°And you, capable of asking such foolish questions as and when you want to, you should be feeling happy yourself, right? I wish you can share some of that with me.¡±

    ¡°Stop with the sarcasm. If possible, I want you to live a happy life too.¡±

    Alice¡¯s face went as red as a prawn tossed into boiling water.

    ¡°Wh-what nonsense are you saying now?¡± She agitatedly pped her long white kneesocks with both hands, ¡°Y-you say you can make me¡­happy? Wh-what do you mean!?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m trying to ask you this.¡± What do you think I mean?

    ¡°You¡¯ve been really weird recently! First with the marriage certificate, and then cohabitation?¡±

    Why mention them again? You¡¯re the weird one. Please calm down already.

    ¡°Besides, you¡¯re only 17, aren¡¯t you? I don¡¯t know my birthday, but I shouldn¡¯t be any older than 16!¡±

    ¡°So you want me to wait a year?¡±

    ¡°Are you even listening?¡±

    ¡°Sorry sorry, just joking.¡± See how drastic her reaction was, I couldn¡¯t help but tease her.

    So I kept the empty cans Alice kept throwing at me, and remained in the philosophical thought if it¡¯s really happiness. If yes, continuing this lifestyle might not be a bad thing after all.

    *

    However, once the wheel of fate begins to move, it won¡¯t stop. The beginning of the end was the message Alice sent mete at night.

    ¡°Go to Aster Tataricus at Shinjuku, 11am. Use the reception phone to say that you¡¯re Fujishima Narumi, and someone will do the rest. It¡¯s too much hassle to exin, so get the person there to tell you.¡±

    I really wanted to ask Alice what¡¯s this about, but it¡¯s not the first time she gave me such a nonsensical order. Thus, I got onto the train without thinking too much, searched for the address Aster Tataricus on the inte, and found it located at the massive office building to the east exit of Shinjuku, so I had no worry of getting lost. The exterior was new and trendy, basically filled with the IT officers. I found a few familiarpany names on the floor guide at the entrance; the Hong Kong triadpany ZODIAC too was registered here.

    I arrived at the 14th floor, where the ss doors at the elevator hall showed the logo ¡®Aster Tataricus¡¯. I picked up the phone resting on the table, followed the instructions, and dialled the number. A cheerfuldy¡¯s voice immediately responded¡­

    ¡°This is Fujishima Narumi. Erm, I think I have an appointment here at 11am¡­¡±

    ¡°Fujishima Narumi-sama? You will be shortly attended to.¡±

    It seemed things were as Alice had stated on the message, arranged by them. I felt relieved.

    Anyway, what¡¯s it this time? Before the receptionist arrived, I observed the movements in the office through the ss doors. While wondering if I should research on thispany on the inte, someone behind the door appeared. It was a young female staff member dressed in pantsuit.

    She led me into the office. It was eerily quietly, and there didn¡¯t seem to be anyone inside. Few staff members? I never saw anyone else as she led me into the innermost door.

    ¡°Chairman, Fujishima-sam¡¯s here.¡±

    The staff member pressed the inte button, saying this, and it left me a little tense. Chairman¡¯s room? Why¡¯s the security so tight? The metal doors seem so sturdy, a moving car can¡¯t cause it to budge. There was a logo at the corner of the door, stating the securitypany. Looking t the doorbell and the card reader, it appeared it was electronically locked.

    The little beacon on the inte of the door suddenly showed a blue light. I had an impression on this. I might say I see something simr every day.

    The door was electronically unlocked, and a metallic click followed. The staff member turned the door knob, and pushed the thick and heavy door aside. Cold air immediately spilled out of the gap, forcing me back.

    ¡°Wee.¡±

    The staff member ushered me in with a smile.

    ¡°Ah, is it too cold?¡± She looked a little gloomy. ¡°It¡¯s our chairman¡¯s preference, and also, machinery is weak to heat¡­my apologies.¡±

    In any case, I couldn¡¯t just stand at the door and not enter. I stepped into the chairman¡¯s room, gingerly breathing in the stinging air that seemed to be filled with tiny crystals, and looked around.

    The space inside was rather barren. There was a short purple carpetid on the floor, and the only furniture was the in white desk far before me, as though it was a ship wreckage floating under the sunset. I could see the various buildings of Shinjuku through the full panelled ss walls behind.

    ¡°Don¡¯t stand there. Doe over here.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t sense anyone around, but there was a voice, and it took me by surprise.

    The chair turned against me spun around. Incline into it was a young man. He had the white robe draped upon his shoulder, his headset microphone pushing down his messy hair. The eyes behind his frameless sses were giving off a peaceful, dangerous glint, like a light luring moths in. Once our eyes met, I felt a chill all over.

    ¡°Did you not hear me? Doe here. I have no time to waste with you.¡±

    The man said impatiently, and moved aside the leather covered book opened on his thighs to the desk.

    It¡¯s the Bible.

    I endured the pain in my throat, swallowed the dry and frozen spit, and stepped on the purple carpet one step at a time. Who is this guy? Why did Alice get me to meet this man? The answers to these questions were waiting to burst out from my skin, flooding out.

    I had a look at the desk. There were three monitors lined side by side. I widened my eyes. The monitors, the keyboards, and even the CPU were exactly the same as Alice¡¯s.

    ¡°I heard that Mari-san met with you, so I¡¯m a little curious about you. I wanted to meet you.¡±

    The man pointed at the microphone, tly stating,

    ¡°I am going to ask you a few questions, and once you¡¯re done, go back immediately. First, do you know why Yuuko hired you?¡±

    ¡°Erm, first of all, I¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the one asking the questions. Not you.¡±

    I was speechless. What¡¯s this? Is this how one should question? Also, it¡¯s basic courtesy to remove the headset when talking to someone. What¡¯s he getting at? Maybe I should stamp on this exalted looking table and turn to leave, but I couldn¡¯t. For some reason, I felt this man was really dangerous. Who¡¯s he? How did he know me? I had to get as many clues as possible.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± I answered unwillingly. ¡°I think it¡¯s because she couldn¡¯t find anyone else.¡±

    The man¡¯s eyes were staring right at mine, as though he could discern the slope on a green.

    ¡°Second question¡­¡± He continued to talk quietly with a voice no different from breathing, ¡°Do you have the resolve to ept Yuuko no matter what she does, what she wants, and what situation she is in?¡±

    What¡¯s this guy trying to ask? I thought. How am I supposed to answer this abstract question?¡±

    ¡°Not at all.¡± I shrugged. ¡°I really don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re trying to us. Alice always pushes me off the bed, but I try to resist every time. How am I supposed to ept her unconditionally?¡±

    I spoke that with two-thirds spite and one-third humor. The man maintained the expression much colder than the room.

    ¡°What if it¡¯s not the bed, but the roof?¡±

    ¡°Then I have all the more reason to resist here!¡±

    ¡°Or I¡¯ll die! Isn¡¯t this nonsense!? Utterly ridiculous.¡±

    The man had both elbows resting on the table, a finger pushing his sses up the bridge,

    ¡°Third question. How many ordinary people do you think is equivalent to Yuuko¡¯s personal worth?¡±

    My mouth was agape like a dying goldish. I felt regret, that I should have left quickly.

    I took a deep breath, and tried to assess the situation. This guy¡¯s undoubtedly one of the Shionjis, and he knows Alice and Mari-san, calling them directly by name, and they did resemble each other physically. I guess he impersonated Alice in the message sent to me.

    That¡¯s all I could tell, and I still couldn¡¯t figure out his objectives.

    ¡°Don¡¯t ask any stupid questions. Answer me in units of a hundred million people.¡±

    The man weighed Alice¡¯s life on a scale against the lives of others. A hundred million people? Is he mad? I finally understood that my stomach was filled with rage.

    So I sighed, and said,

    ¡°What do you mean now? Oh, I haven¡¯t answered your question? Just take it that I haven¡¯t. There¡¯s loads of people who talk about the value of life, but life itself has no tangible value. The concept of value can only be used in something that can be exchanged. Is it possible to give life, to store life in the pocket? Are you going to keep the lives of a hundred million and let yourself revive a hundred million times? The value of life, in other words, is just to exaggerate other things. Please don¡¯t say that already. Ask what you really want to ask, or I can¡¯t answer.¡±

    I converted all the frustration I had vented in my heart into words, and smacked him verbally on the face. Finally, I managed to incite a change in his expression. It really felt good. Thinking calmly about it, I was just spouting nonsense, but I did feel that I got revenge.

    However, the man quickly showed a stoic face again, saying,

    ¡°Fourth question. Do you wish to work in mypany?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Shocked, I blurted out awkwardly.

    ¡°I¡¯ll guarantee an annual sry of 12 million Yen.¡±

    Why mention this out of a sudden? Since he refused to pass the ball back and intend to bat away, I had no choice but to answer.

    ¡°No matter what you say, I refuse.¡±

    ¡°Do exin.¡± The man raised his index finger, saying this.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll like someone like you. I don¡¯t like to work under those I don¡¯t like.¡±

    ¡°I can try to have you like me. You don¡¯t want that?¡±

    This left me speechless for quite a while. Come and try, I couldn¡¯t say. Again, I realized that he¡¯s really one of the Shionjis. There¡¯s amon theme between him, Alice, Gorou-sensei and Mari-san, that they really have the magical power to lure others in, no matter the intent. He¡¯ll try to get me to like him? Maybe he can. This left me all the more restless.

    ¡°Better not.¡±

    Finally, I eked out this reply.

    ¡°A pity then.¡±

    He answered with practically no regret. I really couldn¡¯t understand why he answered ¡®a pity¡¯. What¡¯s this? I probably thought for the fiftieth time. What¡¯s the deal with this guy? Calling me over for his own amusement?

    ¡°Thest question.¡± The man said, ¡°If Yuuko is to vanish from your life, what will you do?¡±

    This should be the easiest of the five questions. People will vanish one day, and this is a specific, realistic question. This time, I couldn¡¯t answer anything. I couldn¡¯t even say ¡®I don¡¯t know¡¯.

    I did toss out the exact same question to Tetsu-senpai, Hiro and Major just yesterday.

    I knew way. My instincts told me that this man in white robes will take Alice away from me. And I couldn¡¯t do anything except to lower my head and shake it.

    Following that, the man snorted softly, as though he had given up. He nodded,

    ¡°I¡¯m done with questions.¡±

    He said, and spun his chair away from me. I tried to close in, but once I took the first step, I retreated. I didn¡¯t know what I was trying to do.

    He then nced aside at me, saying,

    ¡°I can answer a question of yours.¡±

    I lifted my head in shock.

    Is he thanking me? No-no way, he¡¯s not that kind of person. Is he probing me?

    What shall I ask? What I need to know is, is this guy friend or foe? What can he do? What does he want to do to Alice or me? Did something happen with the Shionjis?

    ¡­It seemed none of the questions were specific. I had one chance, I needed to find a question able to pinpoint this man¡ª

    After some thinking, I spoke up,

    ¡°Alice likes hard rock music, and I think that¡¯s because you¡¯ve been listening to Mr. Big?¡±

    The man widened his eyes, and blinked a few eyes. The ss membrane of a mask on his face shattered silently. He didn¡¯t show any obvious smile or rage, but there was certainly some emotion. It¡¯s not just me, for he finally removed his headphones, and draped it over his neck.

    ¡°Did you say that randomly? Or did you hear me listening?¡±

    I felt relieved. The door¡¯s finally opened, so I felt.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that was thest question you would ask?¡±

    It¡¯s really not good to spite someone when it¡¯s uncertain if we could converse properly, but I just couldn¡¯t help myself. He nonchntly answered,

    ¡°One extra question means that I¡¯m starting to respect you.¡±

    He sounded really calm. I couldn¡¯t infer if he was joking, or for real.

    ¡°I did hear that. It¡¯s ¡®Lost in America¡¯, right?¡±

    Once I said the name, he removed the headphones, and left it on the desk. I couldn¡¯t hear anything, for he might have paused it when he removed it from his ears.

    ¡°Your deduction is correct. I rmended it to Yuuko. The na?ve Western hard rock of the 80s is really helpful toputer work.¡±

    This answer was close to what I expected, yet it drove me into despair.

    There¡¯s no doubt this man was the teacher who granted Alice the wings calledputer.

    Before I left, the man handed me a thick card made of stic, with the words,

    ¡°Aster Tataricus LLC. Chief Executive Officer, Shionji Keiichi.¡±

    While the subway was shaking about, I searched for relevant information to Aster Tataricus¡¯ stocks.

    It¡¯s founded by a genius programmer, and already at the top of the security industry for enterprises. It¡¯s apany that tradesrgework media, and already has legs within the financial sector¡­

    If I had investigated thoroughly beforehand, I could have prepared myself mentally. Though regretful about this, I didn¡¯t feel I was wrong in any way.

    I looked down at the namecard, slipped it into my pocket, and leaned sideways onto the train door.

    Alright, how do I exin this to Alice? I can¡¯t hide this from her, and I can¡¯t just say what I want, for I¡¯ll be scolded badly. I didn¡¯t do my checks, and was bluffed by the fake message.

    Seriously, why am I involved in such trouble? What¡¯s with the Shionjis? Just let Alice and me go already, okay? You guys haven¡¯t contacted her for years, have you? Is it now so chaotic because that old man is hospitalized?¡±

    The phone in my phone suddenly vibrated. I took it out, and found that it was Alice.

    ¡°Hurry over now! Where have you been!?¡±

    Alice seemed to be on the verge of tears. I shrank my neck back, and scanned the carriage with few passengers, saying,

    ¡°I¡¯m on the train. Going over now. What now?¡±

    ¡°A lot of people from my old home are here. Lawyers, doctors. They¡¯re all blocking the office door. Help me think of a way out!¡±

    Doctor? Lawyer?

    The train broadcast announced the next station. ¡°I¡¯ll hurry over.¡± Saying that, I hung up.

    It was noon when I arrived at ¡®Hanamaru¡¯, but there were many people outside the shop. Min-san was shaking the Chinese wok about as she shouted,

    ¡°Sorry. Looks like there¡¯s a lot of weird ones at Alice¡¯s room, but I¡¯m really busy here. Please check on them!¡±

    There was no time to answer, and I ran up the emergency stairs. There were 3 men in coats before the room 308.

    ¡°Mdy! Please open the door! The chairman¡¯s really critically ill here. He wants to see you no matter what!¡±

    One really plump middle aged man was crawling at the door, pleading. I hunched my body down on the staircase, looking at them. Doctor andwyer, I guess. I see they really look the part. The one causing a ruckus was thewyer, and the frail middle aged bespectacled man should be the doctor. The youngest looking hunk in his early thirties should be the bodyguard or the driver, maybe?

    The phone in my pocket vibrated again,

    ¡°Hop in through the window of room 309. I¡¯m keeping the door open for 5 seconds!¡±

    Alice¡¯s sudden shout got me jumping up the stairs, and through the door. The trio found me grabbing the door handle of room 309, and I hastily slipped through the door, mmed it shut, and locked it.

    The room next to the detective agency was a machine room set below zero degrees Celsius. The dark single room was filled with metal racks stacked towards the ceiling, CPUs crammed inside, and the wires slithered through the gaps. I had been here twice or thrice, and just moving through the room was tense for me. I then pulled aside the cooling curtain, opened the window, and hopped from the ceiling to room 308 by the side. Alice then opened the window and let me in.

    ¡°What¡¯s the situation now?¡±

    ¡°I should be the one asking!¡± Alice grabbed my shoulders, appearing to be on the verge of tears. The door of the office kept echoing. Looking through the peephole, it appeared the trio remained.

    ¡°Please, Mdy,e out.¡±

    The plump middle-aged man kept begging incessantly. I scowled, and left the room.

    ¡°He¡¯s the Shionjis¡¯ legal advisor. I met him once there.¡±

    Alice told me once we returned to the bedroom.

    ¡°The bespectacled one is one of the doctors who would asionally check of them. Why they are here, what happens to grandpa is none of my best. Do they think I¡¯ll open the door with a smile if they charge in like this?¡±

    I sighed, and looked over at the corridor. Mari-san did say that the Shionjis would gather around Alice, but I never expected to be so stupid and direct. What are they thinking? Alice already had cameras installed. It¡¯s impossible for her to foolishly open the door now.

    ¡°They¡¯re too noisy out there. Might as well call Tetsu over.¡±

    Alice gave a call to Tetsu-senpai, but nobody picked up, so she sent a text over in frustration.

    ¡°Seriously, why aren¡¯t you guys picking up the call at this important moment? You had me call you four times until you answered.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, sorry. Back then, I was¡­¡±

    I should mention about the guy in white clothes. So I told myself.

    ¡°I went to Shinkuku. Apany called Aster Tataricus, which you should know¡­right?¡±

    Alice widened her eyes. Ahh, I was further convinced that the message was faked.

    ¡°Y-you went to thatpany> Why?¡±

    I showed her the message. At that moment, Alice seemed to have understood everything.

    ¡°Th-this is a fake. He wanted to get you out!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that should be the case.¡±

    Alice then seemed to have thought of something as she approached me,

    ¡°Did he, give you anything?¡±

    ¡°Eh? No, nothing¡ªahh, a namecard.¡±

    ¡°A namecard!? Show me.¡±

    I was shocked by how anxious Alice was, but I took out the namecard in my pocket and handed it to hand. She snatched it, scanned it, and bend it over and over again. Then she tore it in half, and threw it into the trashbin.

    ¡°¡­Alice? Wh-hat¡ª¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve been had. It¡¯s a remote control.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    I looked towards the trash can, and found a metallic object embedded in the severed namecard. There¡¯s such a thin remote control around? Control what?

    ¡°He led you over to give you this. He wants to switch off my air conditioning. Right, I let you into the machineroom¡­all hanging. Overloaded?¡±

    Alice looked vexed as she gritted her teeth, tapping at the keyboard. Once the system was activated, the six monitors quickly showed an excessive spiel of green text. I didn¡¯t know what was going on, and worse, I didn¡¯t know the reason for the despair shown on Alice¡¯s face.

    ¡°E-erm, what does that mean? What happens if the air conditioning fails?¡±

    ¡°The CPU will overheat. I don¡¯t know what exactly will happen, but that man might be able to use this chance¡ª¡±

    Alice¡¯s voice suddenly stopped, and I took couldn¡¯t say anything as I nkly scanned the monitors. They were all filled with the face of that white clothed man.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Yuuko.¡±

    A voice came from the speakers, and Alice¡¯s fingers on the keyboard lost all strength,

    ¡°Kei nii-sama¡­¡±

    ¡°Software-wise, you managed to pass, but I did warn you to be more careful with the hardware. Using a home air conditioning for a machine room is really unspeakable.¡±

    I, left speechless by this, once again looked towards the namecard remote in the trashcan, and shuttered. He warmed the air-conditioning in the machine room, and while theputer was overheated, he hacked through the while security couldn¡¯t work. Did he look for me just to invite him in?

    ¡°There should be people outside waiting for you. Get ready to go out, or I¡¯ll reveal all information about you.¡±

    Alice bit her lips so forcefully, blood was seeping. She red at the white clothed man and the cold expressions. Soon after however, she dropped her shoulders, and stood up.

    It was the first time I saw Alice lose as a hacker.

 Volume 9, 3

    <h4>Volume 9, Chapter 3</h4>

    We arrived at arge general hospital facing Sumida River.

    Once we entered the back door, we found the chapel hall to the right, featuring a cross. It¡¯s most likely a Catholic hospital. The Rolls-Royce Phantom passed the parking lots, but did not enter, instead arriving at the courtyard. It appeared this hospital had been renovated multiple times, and the newer, white seven storeyed building appeared modern, yet there was an old looking grey, four storeyed building in the middle of the courtyard.

    It was the hospital Yondaime told me of, and Alice often came by.

    It seemed ironic, I felt. It¡¯s the ce where the Shionjis bore their illegitimate children, and invested heavily to elevate the personnel and facilities, yet it ended bing their gship hospital, where both the Head and the sessor were hospitalized at.

    Alice scowled as she shrank into the seat next to me, wearing a light, onion-colored dress with white frills at the cor, headband and sleeves, resembling a doll there. She was hugging the teddy bear in her right hand, grabbing a miniature PC in a case with her left.

    ¡°Mdy, we have arrived. Everyone is waiting for you.¡±

    The legal advisor leaned over from the co-driver seat, red at me with hostility, and turned away.

    To be honest, I was really surprised when Alice insisted that Ie along. The doctor and doctor had insisted that no outsiders were to be involved, ¡°I¡¯m not going if Narumi¡¯s noting along¡± but Alice forced them to abide.

    Is it really a terrifying thing for her to appear before the Shionjis? So I asked myself. I couldn¡¯t help in any way, but she wants me to be by her side?

    There were a few cars parked in the courtyard, each of them ck and sparkling,rge continental cars. The Rolls-Royce we rode on was parked by the side. The chauffeur got off first to open the door on my side. The hunks in suits gathered by the other cars looked towards us. They were probably chauffeurs, all wearing white gloves, probably waiting for their masters.

    I had Alice get off first, and narrowed my eyes to look at the hazy day in the season of flowers. There was an uneasiness coagting inside my heart. What future awaits us? Why are they looking for Alice?

    No matter my thoughts, the white robed man used such means to get Alice to the hospital, and surely it¡¯s not simply because he wanted the grandfather to see her onest time.

    There was some distance to the hospital building, but Alice stopped in her tracks, and muttered,

    ¡°This hospital is as annoying as before. Stained ss, cross¡­¡±

    The windows on the first level were covered with stained ss depicting the Archangel Gabriel and the Holy Mother Maria, and there was a little cross on the door.

    ¡°That side¡¯s the gynaecology section, so they had the Holy Birth depicted here. Bad taste, isn¡¯t it? I find it dumb every time.¡±

    ¡°Mdy, you have toe by for checks more often. You have a weaker constitution, and you should be more careful¡­:¡±

    The doctor caught up to us, and humbly noted,

    ¡°Hmph. You doctors simply wish to use my body as an experiment for your drugs, no?¡±

    ¡°From a schrly viewpoint, we have interests in your constitution, notably the gics. Your health however is our true worry¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªYuuko!¡±

    I looked towards the hospital door where the voice came from. A white shirted woman came running over with her long hair flowing. It¡¯s Mari-san.

    ¡°Yo-you really came by? Why¡­¡±

    She ran by us, and immediately grabbed Alice¡¯s hands, asking with a croak. She might have been take away if thewyer and doctor wasn¡¯t present. Alice shoved aside her sister¡¯s hand, and turned her head aside, noting angrily,

    ¡°Kei nii-sama threatened me.¡±

    ¡°Keiichi-san¡­?¡±

    Mari-san looked back and forth between Alice and me.

    Following that were footsteps, and a silhouette in white immediately appeared at the hospital entrance. Shionji Keiichi had his hands in the pockets of his white robes as he strode towards us.

    ¡°¡­You came along too?¡±

    He immediately red at me, saying this. Alice immediately hid behind me. Even though I lost in rigor, I red back at his bespectacled eyes, nodding.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you guys will do to Alice if she¡¯s toe alone.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether youe by or not.¡±

    Shionji Keiichi then turned his eyes towards Alice,

    ¡°You acted quickly, Yuuko. I thought you would try to dither a little further. Are you really this relieved to have him as your escort?¡±

    ¡°Enough with that nonsense.¡± Alice turned her eyes aside, pouting, ¡°Theputers you ruined are the tools I use for business, Kei nii-sama. I can¡¯t y with them like before. I just want to return me my administrative rights as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°Seeing that you¡¯re here is enough. I¡¯ve already restored your ess rights.¡±

    Alice widened her eyes, frisked out theputer, and tapped at the keyboard. Soon after, she heaved a sigh of relief.

    ¡°¡­How¡¯s father doing?¡± Alice asked.

    ¡°You¡¯re not asking about the Head?¡± Shionji Keiichi tilted his head.

    ¡°What happens to that old man doesn¡¯t matter.¡±

    ¡°Everyone¡¯s getting you here because it does. You won¡¯t say such a thing if you know what the will entails?¡±

    Shionji Keiichi turned around, and said,

    ¡°Mitsuki-san showed no change. He remains the same.¡±

    I wordlessly watched the white silhouette return to the hospital, and Alice was next to me, pursing her lips. Mari-san tried talking to us several times, but hesitated, and gulped.

    Thewyer, chauffeur, and the doctors from the other cars surrounded us,

    ¡°Now then, pleasee here, Mdy.¡± Thewyer¡¯s voice nudged Alice from the back.

    ¡°Everyone¡¯s waiting, so do greet them first.¡± The doctor andwyer said, but no matter how they tried to coax, Alice insisted on seeing her father first. Thus, with thepany of Mari-san and Shionji Keiichi, we went to the sixth floor of the hospital.

    Mari-san slid her card at the reader of the ward door, and the double automatic doors were slowly sucked into the wall.

    It¡¯s a lonely looking ward room. The space double the size of a ssroom contained a bed by the wall, along with several machines and drips lying by the side. The curtains were bundled up, and therge sky could be seen. There were seasonal flowers on the bedside table and the windowside rack. Even so, I could sense the scent of death permeating heavily in this entire room, like a thick fog.

    There was a man lying motionlessly on the bed.

    I don¡¯t know how he looked like, for the artificial venttion mask had covered his facepletely. All I could see was a slender, thin neck, and a strangely protruding throat knot.

    ¡°Dad, how are you¡­Yuuko¡¯s here.¡±

    Mari-san approached the bedside, saying this, but the closed eyes remained unmoved. Alice waited at the door, and immediately pinched the teddy bear forcefully, biting her lips so hard they went pale. I nced at her sidelong face, and then back at the bed.

    All I could think of was a decrepit expression. A living corpse.

    Alice adamantly moved forward, and I too followed her little foosteps. Shionji Keiichi hurried right behind us, and went to the other side of the bed. Mari-san might have visited him often, for she skilfully wiped the patient¡¯s neck and armpits, and changed the water in the vase.

    We finally reached the bedside.

    I could not see any life on the parched skin beneath the bandages, masks and circtory tubes.

    ¡°¡­Dad.¡±

    Alice ced the teddy bear by her mouth, muttering this much.

    She was a detective who could manipte millions of word, and could dissect, analyze and revert each and every case. Yet these were the only words she could eke out.

    I observed Mari-san¡¯s face discreetly, followed by Shionji Keiichi. Both their eyes were staring at the body on the bed that was still warm, Shionji Mitsuki¡¯s.

    ¡°Want to touch his chest? You can felt his heart beating.¡±

    Mari-san suggested.

    She¡¯s basically saying that the other parts were numb to the fact that he¡¯s alive. Alice bit her lips, shaking her head to refuse¡­

    I couldn¡¯t help but remember the time Ayaka was hospitalized. This was much worse than back then, since she could still breathe by herself back then.

    ¡°We¡¯re just extending his lifespan for no reason; he¡¯s been unconscious for eight years.¡±

    Saying this, Shionji Keiichi turned to look at the doctor.

    ¡°If the doctors had deemed him brain dead from from the beginning, Mitsuki-san won¡¯t have to atone by living, and the Shionjis won¡¯t have to gather for this particrly troublesome issue.¡±

    ¡°Ho-how¡¯s that allowed? Please, enough with those jokes, Keiichi-san.¡±

    The doctor kept shaking his head. I froze up as I listened to these words.

    Eight years. Alice¡¯s dad, Shionji Mitsuki was forced to live for eight years, despite his condition not improving in the slightest.

    Something really terrible must have happened.

    Alice ran away from home, and her father¡¯s in a vegetable state. Both happened eight years ago. It matched, and I guess it¡¯s not a coincidence. Doubts kept swirling in my mind, choking me, and I wanted to ask, but couldn¡¯t. However, this knot might have received Alice through our hands.

    ¡°Dad¡­jumped from the third floor of the house. Carrying me.¡±

    Alice said dejectedly. Mari-san gave a bitter look, and averted her eyes.

    ¡°Dad used himself as a pincushion to help me to escape, and I was unhurt. Grandpa passed out spouting white foam, and the entire family broke into chaos, so I had a chance to escape. Dad attracted attention for my sake.¡±

    ¡°Enough, Yuuko.¡±Mari-san shook her head again.

    ¡°Dad¡¯s basically killed by me.¡±

    I could do nothing other than to hold Alice¡¯s hand.

    With the doctor prompting us, we left Shionji Mitsuki¡¯s room. While taking the elevator back to the first floor, Alice, Mari-san and Shionji Keiichinever said a single word. I felt the presence of death seeping into my skin, and my palms kept rubbing at my jeans.

    After that, I was brought to a luxurious guest room, one that didn¡¯t seem to be part of the hospital. The round teak tables had ample spaces between them, resting upon the silk carpeted floor. Therge porcin vases by the window contained red, white and yellow orchids, the artistic chandeliers formed by countless silver rings, notcking in ss despite the simplicity

    A dozen or so people were seated, some chatting with each other, some merely spacing out to look at the grey skies outside the window, some shoving tobo into their nostrils, some fiddling with their phones. All of them were dressed in formal clothing, either ck or navy blue. Once Alice and I followed Mari-san in, the talkers stopped, ring heinously at us.

    ¡°¡­Hey, who¡¯s that boy?¡±

    The middle-aged man seated at the nearby door.

    ¡°Keiichi-san, what are you thinking? Why did you bring an outsider over?¡±

    A woman of about fifty years old at that table was dressed in Japanese clothing, and she looked towards Shionji Keiichi with disdain.

    ¡°I brought him here, stepmother.¡±

    Alice¡¯s words caused the majority present to shrivel.

    ¡°Narumi¡¯s my assistant. If he isn¡¯t allowed toe along, I¡¯ll be going back.¡±

    Thedy, whom Alice called stepmother, was probably Shionji Mitsuki¡¯s wife. She stated coldly,

    ¡°Yuuko, this is a family meeting, not something an unrted outsider can listen to¡­¡±

    ¡°Do oblige, Kyouka-san.¡±

    Shionji Keiichi spoke with a colder voice,

    ¡°It¡¯s pointless to argue about this. I can assure you that he can keep secrets¡±

    ¡°Eh, but¡­¡± ¡°So the stray cat has brought the stray dog back.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why I said not to bring her back.¡± ¡°Like we got a choice. She¡¯s an implicated party.¡±

    There was amotion from all involved. I guess this is what they mean by sitting on a needle bed. I lowered my head and looked at myself for wearing an open jacket and jeans, thinking that I should have worn the suit Mari-san gave me.

    ¡°Speaking of bringing outsiders back, aren¡¯t you the same too, Kyouka-san?¡±

    Shionji Keiichi said, looking back at the woman, Shionji Kyouka, along with the men at her table, who too frowned in unison.

    ¡°What outsiders?¡±¡°How rude.¡±

    ¡°So my father and older brother are outsiders now?¡±Shionji Kyouka quietly retorted.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t those not Shionjis outsiders?¡±Shionji Keiichi answered.

    ¡°I am a Shionji after all.¡±Kyouk¡¯s voice was seething. So my father and brother are basically rtives of the Shionjis.¡±

    ¡°You moved out for twenty years, and now you have the cheek to say that you¡¯re a Shionji?¡±

    The young man by the window taunted, and Shionji Kyouka red over agitatedly.

    ¡°It¡¯s to be expected that she would move out though.¡± The man being Kyouka¡¯s brother said, ¡°it¡¯s Mitsuki-san¡¯s who¡¯s unfilial to Kyouka. She¡¯s the victim.¡±

    ¡°You could have divorted him.?¡±

    ¡°Are you trying to ruin the rest of Kyouka¡¯s life!?¡±

    The topic had veered in apletely different direction, ame for apletely different reason. Both sides seemed to have long forgotten about me as I listened to that ugly dispute, trying my best to sort out thisplicated situation. It seemed the wife left the Shionjis for many years, probably because she discovered that her husband had an affair, and remained at her own house. However, she did not demand a divorce, and once the inheritance matter came up, she brought her family along for this family meeting. No wonder it¡¯s a toxic mood here. I suddenly felt nauseous.

    When thewyer had enough, and wanted to say something, a white haired old man standing by the window side turned around, and bellowed,

    ¡°Who cares about a few outstiders? Just settle this annoying meeting and get it done with.¡±

    A few people looked over to him tentatively, and I too narrowed my eyes at the face of the old man.

    I could see that it was Gorou-sensei¡¯s brother. His dignified look resembled Gorou-sensei, albeit with the kindness on his face drawn away.

    ¡°¡­If you say so, I have no objections, uncle¡­¡±

    The wife sighed, and turned to the back

    ¡°What do you say now, everyone?¡±

    I again scanned the crowd, and was taken aback. It was obvious who was a non-Shionj. The Shionjis had the mysterious allure of a poisonous flower, and only the table Shionji Kyouka was seated at did not have such a dangerous presence.

    Everyone not a Shionji is an outsider.

    ¡°Have we figured out that man¡¯s background? It¡¯s not easy to get him to shut up. Let him stay around. It¡¯s not going to affect much.¡±

    A man said as he looked at him, looking frustrated as he had an elbow on the table. He appeared to be about forty, and really resembled Shionji Keiichi. However, he might be too young to be called the father. He¡¯s probably an older brother with quite the age gap. The bystanders exchanged looks, and nodded unwillingly.

    They agreed to let me remain, but it drove me further into despair. If they could chase me away, I could have brought Alice along and went back. I didn¡¯t want to breathe in this toxic atmosphere any second longer.

    The old man by the window side pulled a chair over, and sat down, nodding towards us.

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll start off by exining the Head¡¯s situation.¡±

    The bespectacled doctor waiting behind me said with trepidation, saying,

    ¡°Currently, the Head¡¯s liver, kidney and heart vitals are really low, and his unsconscious. It¡¯s likely that¡ª¡±

    ¡°Mind just saying how many days does he have left, Sonomura-sensei?¡± A young man who had been sneering the entire time asked. The doctor called Sonomura deliberately coughed a few times, and said,

    ¡°¡­Might be today or tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s leaving a lot of trouble even when dying. Why doesn¡¯t he clean up his mess before dying?¡±

    The old man muttered.

    Nobody tried to stop him, and everyone gave awkward looks.

    ¡°He was still alive and kicking just a few days ago.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t he go to Germany for a business meetingst month?¡±

    ¡°Never thought he would fall now¡­¡± ¡°I thought he¡¯ll live to a hundred.¡±

    I could hear such conversations.

    I firmly felt once again that this wasn¡¯t where I should be. I¡¯m in a quagmire. Even though they agreed for me to be around, they probably would say this to a brat they never met, and never bothered with me, because they¡¯re this way, or that they didn¡¯t care since the Head¡¯s death would signify an inheritance crisis?

    ¡°Since Nakatani-sensei is here, I suppose it¡¯s time to announce the will, right?¡±

    Shionji Kyouka coldly cast a re to thewyer by the side. Nakatani-sensei took a handkerchief to wipe away the sweat under his chin, and spoke up, ¡°Erm, I have been sworn to secrecy, so it¡¯s inconvenient.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s respect the pointless words then.¡± Shionji Keiichi said, ¡°We¡¯ll make our own guesses, and you can remain quiet while hearing our guesses, Nakatani-sensei. We might get some subjective takes from your reactions, but isn¡¯t that against your obligation to keep a secret?¡±

    After hearing Shionji Keiichi say this, Nakatani-sensei nodded with a heavy look. This really is a disgusting family meeting.

    ¡°If the mistress¡¯ children are here, what¡¯s there to guess about the will?¡±

    The young man sarcastically noted,

    ¡°After what happened to Mitsuki-san, the Head firmly believed he¡¯ll recover one day. That¡¯s why the will probably will work out that way, that it¡¯ll be all given to Mitsuki-san?¡±

    Nakatani-sensei then replied with an unflinching face, his head twitching about.

    ¡°Eh, yes¡­as a professional, I will like to share some knowledge with everyone. Thew dictates that the inheritor shouldn¡¯t involve nieces and nephews, so in the Head¡¯s case, the inheritor will be the siblings. Furthermore, if the legal inheritors are dead, the inheritor¡¯s children will take over. Eh, basically, if the Head had specified that his sister, Terumi-san to take over, his son, Mitsuki-san will be the designated legal heir. The oue might remain the same, but, hmm¡­¡±

    Thewyer pretended to brief them on additional knowledge, but in fact, it was no different from answering yes.

    ¡°Fool, he¡¯s no different from a dead man now.¡± The Old man cursed. I could feel Mari-san jolting next to me. The old man red at her, and continued, ¡°We can give him all the money, but what about the stocks and fixed assets? This impacts the livelihood of the employees.¡±

    ¡°Grandfather, have you discussed this with the Head? You¡¯re a legal inheritor too, right?¡±

    Shionji Keiichi asked the white haired old man, and the old man shook his head.

    ¡°Nope. That brother never mentioned this all these years.¡±

    Thewyer then spoke up nervously,

    ¡°I wish to share more legal knowledge , as a legal professional. There are no special hierarchies between the siblings and any third party. In other words, even if the Head had specified in the will that Terumi-sama is to receive all of it, Mikitsugu-sama, you have no right to ask for a share¡­so, erm¡­¡±

    He¡¯s basically revealing the contents of the will. It appeared the old man was the Head¡¯s brother, Shionji Mikitsugu. Seeing how his expression did not change, it seemed he was already mentally prepared for this.

    ¡°Kyouka, did Mitsuki not leave¡­such documents?¡±

    This time, it¡¯s the middle-aged man who spoke up. While it infuriated me, he¡¯s humane enough to not specify the word ¡°will¡±.

    ¡°No.¡±Shionji Kyouka shook her head. ¡°But I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that big of an issue. Just in case, I can talk to the person involved . There shouldn¡¯t be any need for this meeting.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯ll be toote.¡± Someone at a table far away said, ¡°The problem now is that nobody prepared for the Head¡¯s will any earlier. It¡¯s a miracle that Mitsuki-san can live till this point. Who knows when he¡¯ll die?¡±

    After that, nobody spoke for a long while, and everyone present looked over this side. Mari-san lowered her eyes, while Alice red back at the dozen of rtives.

    I gulped the sour saliva. Bloodline, money, and desire mixed together in aplete mess. My mind couldn¡¯tprehend in time. I couldn¡¯t figure out wanted what with Alice.

    However, I could be certain of something. This whole thing is stupid.

    ¡°This whole thing is stupid.¡±

    Alice heard the voice in my heart, saying this,

    ¡°I don¡¯t want a grain of rice, let alone the inheritance. You can fight over it until you¡¯re all swollen. Can I go back now? I don¡¯t want to waste my precious time on this meeting.¡±

    Mari-san too insisted,

    ¡°No matter how dad is, I don¡¯t want it either. Please, just let us go already.¡±

    ¡°Hmm?? Aren¡¯t you visiting your dad obediently every week to emphasize your rtionship, offer some yokan?¡±

    Somebody¡¯s question left Mari-san seething red, and she was about to take a step forward, only to be pulled on the hem by Alice. She changed her mind, and said,

    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll willingly give up my im. All I want is for dad¡­¡±

    Mari-san lowered her head, her voice being ridiculously soft.

    ¡°You may.¡± Shionji Kyouka coldly said, ¡°Smart decision, nothing to dispute.¡±

    ¡°And I got Yuuko here because I don¡¯t want to see this happen.¡±

    Shionji Keiichi turned to us, and say,

    ¡°If Mitsuki-san is to die, rather than have Kyouka-san take over everything, it¡¯s better for our side if Mari-san and Yuuko are to take the inheritance.¡±

    Alice scowled,

    ¡°¡­So are you saying that if I inherit this, you can manipte me all you want?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you already under my control now?¡±

    I felt a chill in my heart. He¡¯s way too direct. This family is full of straight shooters, but Shionji Keiichi is the bluntest of them all.

    ¡°I can¡¯t ept.¡±

    Interrupting this time was the man at the same table as Shionji Kyouka. Given how she spoke, he¡¯s probably her older brother, and it was obvious he wasn¡¯t a Shionji, for his eyes were filled with hostility.

    ¡°Speaking of which, are these two really Mitsuki¡¯s daughter? Even if they do consider him their father, ain¡¯t their mother a hostess? It¡¯s not strange if other men are involved.¡±

    ¡°Have them do a DNA validation.¡±

    Shionji Kyouka coldly stated.

    ¡°If they aren¡¯t rted by blood, we can cancel their legal rights through the non-blood rted use.¡±

    ¡°But Yuuko and I are both dad¡¯s daughters!¡±Mari-san turned pale, her voice shaking in agitation, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether you recognize us as such. We¡¯ll just live however we want.¡±

    ¡°Hmph. It¡¯ll be a lot easier if you two give up your rights. We won¡¯tin too much about this.¡±

    Shionji Kyouka¡¯s brother noted with spite. At a seat far away, an old man¡¯s hoarse voice came,

    ¡°No, you have to inherit.¡±

    The Head¡¯s younger brother, Shionji Mikitsugu, spoke up.

    ¡°Even if they¡¯re born out of wedlock, they¡¯re Shionjis. It¡¯s much better than handing it over to outside rtives.¡±

    The more things got clearer, the more I felt like vomiting, my senses almost severing.

    The Head of the Shionji corporation, Shionji Mitsutoshi intended to leave all his inheritance to his nephew Mitsuki, but Mitsuki remains in a vegetative state, and nobody knew how much longer he would live. If Alice and the others gave up on the inheritance, most of the Shionji fortunes will be granted to Mitsuki¡¯s wife Kyouka and her rtives; in other words, to parties outside the Shionjis. The term ¡®external rtives¡¯ might seem archaic, but it was probably created for such situations. The problem is that Mitsuki had two children with his mistress. If the court determines that these two have the right to inherit Mitsuki¡¯s inheritance, that will mean half of the original fortune will be left.

    Alice and Mari-san were embroiled in an ugly war between rtives, and were almost crushed.

    ¡°Great uncle Mikitsugu, you have no right to say this now. Yuuko and I will decide on this matter.¡±

    Mari-san¡¯s voice was so tense, she could practically snap at any given moment.

    ¡°It¡¯s not an issue of right.¡±Shionji Keiichi stated coldly,¡±We can use more forceful means on you if needed.¡±

    ¡°Or what else are you going to do?¡± Mari-san red at Keiichi-san, ¡°Are you going to try to kill me, just as you did to my mother?¡±

    The atmosphere immediately froze up. I too stared nkly at Mari-san¡¯s face.

    I could feel a sudden sharp pain on the back of my hand. Alice¡¯s fingernails was stabbing into my flesh, her eyes too widened in shock as she stared at her older sister.

    Killed?

    A few of us were as shocked as us, looking back and forth between Mari-san and Shionji Keiichi, muttering. It¡¯s those ¡®outer rtives¡¯.

    First to speak up was Shionji Kyouka,

    ¡°I heard that she killed herself¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡­!¡±Mari-san hollered with tears in her eyes,¡± You broke up my mother and I, and said something so vicious , and now¡­now¡­¡±

    Without batting an eyelid Shionji Kyouka interrupted Mari-san¡¯s agitated wail,

    ¡°All I did was to teach her some basic logic and etiquette.¡±

    Then, she turned towards Shionji Keiichi,

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened after that. What did you people know?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. It¡¯s just Mari-san and her own imagination.¡±Shionji Keiichi shrugged in an exaggerated manner, ¡°How can we possibly do something so stupid and inefficient? If she had obeyed us, there would be a lot more ©¤¡±

    While Alice gritted her teeth, intending to storm forth tosh out, Sonomura-sensei put down the phone by his ear, saying,

    ¡°it appears the Head has woken up.¡±

    The ones allowed to enter Shionji Mitsutoshi¡¯s room, other than the doctor, were,

    Shionji Kyouka,Shionji Mikitsugu, thewyer Nakatani.

    And, Alice.

    The other rtives were gathered on the corridor, waiting with bated breath. I remained by Mari-san¡¯s side, lying on the wall, staring at the white ward door.

    ¡°This is one reason why I had Yuukoe over.¡±

    Shionji Keiichi said as he approached us. I red at him, and turned to Mari-san. Her lower eyelids were red and swollen. Surely she resisted the urge to cry for far to you.

    ¡°You¡¯re meaning that the Head might be overjoyed to see his long awaited grand niece, and change the will?¡±

    I deliberately emphasized, making sure all present could hear. I was thoroughly infuriated, but nobody was agitated, and nobody denied it. Such a bunch of disgusting people. Now I know how Shionji Mitsuki felt, why he helped Alice escape even though he had to jump from the third level.

    ¡°That¡¯s most ideal.¡± Shionji Keiichi said, ¡°But given the state of the Head, the chances are slim. It¡¯s enough that he gets to talk to her. That means he admits to Yuuko being one of the Shionjis, and voices objecting her return to the Shionjis will be smaller.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but look back at him. So does he want the inheritance, and on top of that, bring Alice back to the Shionjis?

    The rtives started chatting away again

    ¡°What will Kyouka-san do this time¡­¡±

    ¡°Is it really alright to leave it to grandfather?¡±

    ¡°Whose side is Nakatani-sensei on?¡±

    ¡°The Head wants to see that brat¡­grandparents dote more on their grandchildren, but that¡¯s not his real grandchildren.¡±

    Enough with that bloodline nonsense. You want to argue about it, go to the other end of the world, alright? That was all I felt of them, and I reproached myself. I should have brought Alice along and moved to Paris with Mari-san. Serving them croissants every day is way better than staying here.

    The door suddenly opened, and Alice, first out of the room, looked on with a nk face, which shoved me. Everyone waiting at the door stopped chattering as they looked over like hungry wolves. Following Alice were Shionji Kyouka, the doctors, and the others.

    ¡°The Head fell asleep again.¡±

    Sonomura-sensei said with a pained look

    ¡°What did the Head say?¡± ¡°Did he say anything?¡±

    ¡°We still can¡¯t see him?¡±

    The rtives gathered around the doctor. Shionji Kyouka appeared to be shielding the doctor as she said forcefully, ¡°Didn¡¯t the doctor say that the Head¡¯s asleep? He¡¯s in no condition to discuss serious matters.¡±

    ¡°The Head¡­might have been stabilized. Maybe he¡¯ll wake up soon after.¡±

    Sonomura-sensei hid behind Shionji Kyouka, and said timidly.

    That day, as we didn¡¯t know when Shionji Mitsutoshi would awaken, everyone present stayed at the hospital. At this point, I was not surprised that nobody, not even the doctors, cared about the fate of the patient.

    I was about to notify my sister that I would be homete, but my phone was snatched away from me.

    ¡°It¡¯s a sensitive issue. It¡¯ll be troublesome if you are to idently spread the news.¡±

    Shionji Keiichi said.

    He brought me to a ce deep in the first level, to the end room of a corridor. It was obvious that it was a ce hardly anyone else. There were stacks of round tables and folded rectangr tables, with dust everywhere. The observation window on the door was really big, and there were grids on it. These were transparent grids, not translucent, and I could clearly see the inside. Also, the room could be locked from the outside, and I had a bad feeling about it.

    ¡°¡­This isn¡¯t an ordinary ward, right?¡±

    ¡°Right. This is an istion ward for those with severe mental illnesses, and nobody uses it now. Do rx, the basic amenities are all avable.¡±

    I sighed,

    ¡°Scared I¡¯ll go outside and cause a ruckus?¡±

    ¡°What else, you think?¡±

    At that moment, I really had the urge to deliver a punch. Seeing how there were other young Shionji men behind him, I decided against it.

    ¡°What about Alice?¡±

    ¡°Yuuko will be living in a ward room on the same level as the Head. If the Head wakes up, she¡¯ll be there immediately.¡±

    ¡°You can lock me up, but let me say something to Alice first.¡±

    I tried to ask, not hoping for anything, but I never expected Shionji Keiichi to immediately bring Alice before me.

    ¡°¡­What is this room¡­¡±

    It¡¯s no wonder Alice would frown upon seeing this. This room really is weird. The walls are painted brown, probably to calm the patient, but it certainly didn¡¯t make it seem like a patient ward, and I couldn¡¯t calm down. Also, there were no right angles in the corners of the room, round angles instead. Did they hope for the patient¡¯s heart to be rounded, without any edge? No way?

    ¡°This is jail, I¡¯ll telling Kei nii-sama!¡±Alice turned towards the corridor.

    Through the observation window on the wall, I could see Shionji Keiichi leaning on the wall, waiting.

    ¡°it¡¯s fine, I¡¯m already prepared for this.¡± I said as I sat on the bed.

    Alice red at the grids on the door , only to drop her shoulders and sit next to me, looking resentful as she buried her chin in the head of her teddy bear.

    ¡°I-in that case, I¡¯m not going to apologize to you!¡±

    She suddenly spat loathingly, and caused me to blink.

    ¡°It¡¯s my fault that you got involved in this mess, but don¡¯t you think that I¡¯ll feel guilty in the slightest!¡±

    What kind of a tantrum is this?

    ¡°You want to apologize? Stop it, I¡¯ll feel disgusted.¡±

    ¡°Uuu¡­¡±

    Alice ttened the teddy body on her already t chest.

    ¡°What do you mean? You¡¯re saying that I don¡¯t know basic courtesy? At least I do show my thanks when it¡¯s needed!¡±

    Yes, I¡¯m referring to basic courtesy, but I don¡¯t really care now.

    ¡°Anyway, I never thought it¡¯s a room that can be locked from the outside. The Shionjis really love to lock people up¡­¡±

    I wanted to make a joke, but I messed up. Alice hugged the teddy bear tightly, and did not say anything.

    ¡°¡­Ah¡­Sorry for getting you to remember something unpleasant.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±Alice whispered, ¡°I did say that I don¡¯t really care about that, because the ones really unfortunate isn¡¯t me, but the people around me. It looks like both mom and dad had bad ends¡­¡±

    ¡°So you just¡­knew about your mother?¡±

    Alice nodded.

    ¡°My eyes can see everything and anything, and I should be able to know, but I did not want to know about my mother. The debts I owe have piled up, and yet when I saw dad lying in a pool of blood, I didn¡¯t try to save him, not even reach my hand out. I just ran. I wasn¡¯t scared of going back, I was scared of why dad that, so I ran.¡±

    I nodded silently. Having heard this, I still did not understand what Alice was talking about. What does she want to tell me by prying her own wound? What does she mean by debts?

    ¡°Even if grandpa dies, the debt I bear won¡¯t disappear. All it does is that the day to settle this debt has to arrive sooner. It¡¯s only today that I get to know this. It¡¯s stupid, isn¡¯t it? I thought I could have left it aside, distance myself from it, and pretend that nothing happened. Actually, I should havee along on my own will¡­while grandpa¡¯s still able to talk normally.¡±

    I recalled the nk on Alice¡¯s face as she left Shionji Mitsutoshi¡¯s room, and felt a little worried, so I asked.

    ¡°¡­What did your grandfather say to you?¡±

    Alice lowered her eyebrows, and answered,

    ¡°Nothing. It seems like he knows who I am, just that he can¡¯t react. That¡¯s what the doctor said, but I¡¯m a little suspicious. It just feels like he¡¯s keeping his eyes open, but he¡¯s unable to see anything. He can¡¯t talk, let alone hold a conversation. I have lots of things to say, lots of things to rify.¡±

    A little hand grabbed the front paw of the bear.

    ¡°I should have negotiated with them earlier and break off all rtions. I don¡¯t want the Shionjis to interfere with my life again. I kept trying to run away, but they ended up catching me instead. It¡¯s ironic, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Well, who wants to go back to a home where nobody knows what everyone¡¯s thinking. How did they abuse you?¡±

    ¡°So I say, I wasn¡¯t abused. I just can¡¯t stand those people, but I don¡¯t hate them. Dad jumped on his own will, and while mother seemed to be bullied by them, I didn¡¯t know the actual situation, and couldn¡¯t remember how they looked. There¡¯s no reason for me to hate them because of her.

    ¡°Eh¡­you¡¯re right, but didn¡¯t you escape because you don¡¯t stand it?

    Alice shook head.

    ¡°I left that house because when I¡¯m locked in that room, there¡¯s a limit to how much knowledge I can gain. As for why I never went back, I understand now. What am I scared of? Not grandpa, and not the annoying, stupid Shionjis¡­¡±

    Saying till this point, she paused, her arms holding down the chest of her light onion-colored dress.

    ¡°I¡¯m scared of knowing myself.¡±

    The eyes as blue as the deep sea looked up.

    ¡°Why do you think I was locked for so many years after I was born?¡±

    I stared at Alice¡¯s sidelong face, saying,

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because, erm¡­your mom¡­and dad have that rtionship that shouldn¡¯t be made public.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not because I¡¯m born out of wedlock. This doesn¡¯t work out. Isn¡¯t nee-sama living normally as part of the Shionjis?¡±

    I once had the same doubts too. Then, Alice dwelved deeper.

    ¡°I do have other mysteries that aren¡¯t exined either. Nee-sama was taken back to the Shionjis after she grew up, and I was treated as part of the Shionjis after I was born.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s weird about that?¡±

    ¡°Basically, after my parents¡¯ affair was revealed, they never broke up, and even had a second child, me. Also, the Shionjis invested money to have me born. Isn¡¯t this weird/¡±

    ¡°Ahhh, well, yes¡­that is weird.¡±

    Looking at the family meeting, I could imagine how cruelly mistresses were treated. The Shionjis disposition, along with how they treated Alice immediately after she was born; something doesn¡¯t add up about them.

    ¡°I¡¯ve always felt that something¡¯s amiss. I¡¯m not just doubting. I even deduced the truth, how everything came about. It¡¯s just that¡­I don¡¯t dare to investigate. It¡¯s strange, isn¡¯t it? I hate ignorance, and kept opening all the windows of the world, yet I close my eyes when ites to myself. If I want to fight the name of Shionji, I¡¯ll have to start by first knowing myself.¡±

    Alice mocked herself, saying,

    ¡°And then, right when I open my eyes, grandpa¡¯s about to take the truth into his grave.¡±

    ¡°Mari-san should know something, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course. But right now, I can¡¯t ask nee-sama about that. Ever since then, she copsed onto the bed, and remains sad until now.¡±

    I recalled Mari-san¡¯s anguished look when she shrieked.

    The Shionjis killed her mother¡­

    I didn¡¯t know what exactly happened, but I could be certain that while her mother left quite an impression, there was a scar that wouldn¡¯t be healed. She¡¯s just like me; while I didn¡¯t really feel it¡¯s bad to talk about my mother once in a while, I continued toment her demise.

    ¡°I should talk with nee-sama a little more. I don¡¯t know how she carried those painful memories alone. We only met a few times, and just want to wade around in the water, having no interest in the reality next to us¡­without mother around, I can¡¯t understand how nee-sama felt at all.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s normal, isn¡¯t it? Who can really understand how others feel?¡±

    Alice blinked.

    ¡°You do understand somewhat, don¡¯t you? Didn¡¯t your mother die early?¡±

    I shrugged, and answered.

    ¡°Mari-san¡¯s situation ispletely different from mine. Mine died in a car ident, and there¡¯s no point hating anyone. The truck driver I could have hated died in that car ident¡­¡± For a moment, I really didn¡¯t know how to describe it, ¡°Yes¡­¡± I responded. ¡°I don¡¯t understand her predicament at all.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯ll at least feel sad for her, right?¡±

    Having asked that, Alice lowered her eyes.

    ¡°Sorry for asking you such a rude question. I really don¡¯t know how it feels.¡±

    I had a thought, and said,

    ¡°It¡¯s really sad¡­it feels like something¡¯s different. Well, it¡¯s like removing the stopper of a bathtub, lots of things just flowing away, and finally nothing remains. My sister said that I never shed a single tear, but I had no impression of it.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­so that¡¯s it.¡±

    Alice pressed her hand on the chest of her light onion colored dress, looking down as she stared at it. Is she seeing if there¡¯s a hole in her heart?

    ¡°If I too lose someone important, I don¡¯t know how I¡¯ll react. I can¡¯t imagine at all.¡±

    ¡°¡­Eh, Alice, you¡¯re, well, your father¡­¡±

    A bloody imagery on the floor kept appearing in my mind, and I swallowed what I was about to say. He managed to remain alive, but he remained unconscious for eight years, and was no different from being dead. Alice even witnessed it. She felt more shocked than I did, right?

    ¡°I told you I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Alice pouted.

    ¡°Dad and I meet once a month at most, and even aftering to my room, he won¡¯t say a few words, just watching me writing programming scripts in surprise. I didn¡¯t know what kind of person he is, just that he¡¯ll often give me books. I do like Tipken¡¯s works because he gave me her entire collection.¡±

    Her words contained some warmth.

    ¡°But that¡¯s all he did, send books. He never talked about what I felt after reading them, what I wanted to read. I guess he didn¡¯t know how to talk to me. I¡¯m in a particrly unique situation, and part of it was caused by him.¡±

    Alice said, her fingertips sliding down the hem of her dress as she seemed to be reminiscing the past.

    ¡°When dad carried me and jumped from the third floor, I was shocked, and I didn¡¯t know what was going on. I didn¡¯t know why dad was willing to sacrifice this much for me, so I did as he told me to. I left him behind, and ran.¡±

    Why, you ask? Because he¡¯s your dad. He loves you¡­

    But I couldn¡¯t say anything. I¡¯m not the detective. I had neither right nor ability to speak for the dead.

    Alice ttened her dress, and muttered,

    ¡°Nee-sama might hate me.¡±

    ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°She loves dad. After hearing how she visits dad every week, I probably thought that it was I who caused dad to end up that way.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but sigh. I remembered Mari-san saying that too, that her little sister would have hated her. These two sisters really are so simr in this aspect.

    ¡°That¡¯s not your©¤¡±

    I felt that I shouldn¡¯t have said so, and kept quiet.

    That¡¯s her starting point. This NEET detective once talked about how much misfortune there was on this world, and that she had no ability to stop it, Such a noble ideal imprisoned Alice in that icy room, and she kept chewing over her futility, bing an omnipotent seeker. Since she couldn¡¯t break away from the pain, she would at least light amp in the darkness of ignorance, and watch until the very end.

    ¡°It¡¯s my fault.¡± She muttered, ¡°If I¡¯m omnipotent, dad wouldn¡¯t have ended up this way. It¡¯s my fault.¡±

    ¡°Is it just an issue of possibility?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I did mention this to you before.¡±

    ¡°But aren¡¯t you lying?¡±

    Alice widened her eyes as she stared at me.

    ¡°¡­What did I lie to you about?¡±

    ¡°You said you¡¯re not a Saint, and that you never really wanted to save others, right?¡±

    ¡°Never thought that you¡¯ll remember about that, but so?¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re lying to me. You really want to save others, right?¡±

    Some speckles of light flickered in Alice¡¯s eyes, almost shattering.

    ¡°¡­Wh-what are you saying?¡±

    ¡°Actually, you wanted to save your father, and even the mother you never met.¡±

    Alice got increasingly red as she listened, her neck shivering as she listened to me.

    ¡°What, you think you know me well!?¡±

    ¡°I knew that.¡±

    I ooked back at Alice¡¯s eyes that were about to flood,

    ¡°I¡¯ve been beside you for a year and a half. I don¡¯t understand you at all. I fail as an assistant if I don¡¯t understand that, I think.¡±

    My words caused Alice to life her legs up, push the doll onto the bed, bury her face into it, and roll about on the bedsheet.

    She¡¯s always manipting words, running through thebyrinth of logic face, and breaking through the obstacles, terrified of being lost. Thinking about it, it¡¯s simple. If she¡¯s scared of ignorance, she could be a schr, adventurer, or news reporter. Why be a detective?

    Because she wanted to save those on the brink of despair. It¡¯s just that simple

    ¡°What are you being gleeful for!¡± Alice yelled, her face flushed. Her long ck hair standing up in a mess. ¡°You think of yourself as apanion? And what do you mean? Why am I the one talking? Didn¡¯t you call me here for some reason?¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    I was bbergasted.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you get Kei nii-sama to call me here? Isnn¡¯t it because you want me to help you contact your family!?¡±

    ¡°Nope. I just thought I should see if you¡¯re alright. I thought you¡¯ll be scared to be alone.¡±

    Alice¡¯s face went beetroot. Is there a need to be this angry?

    ¡°Wh-who¡¯s scared!? The room they gave me is a lot better than yours. There¡¯s arge hotel like suite room. The only problem is that nee-sama¡¯s living with me.¡±

    ¡°I see, then, good. Sorry, I might be scared myself.¡±

    Alice shoved Lilicu into my face.

    ¡°Then think of her as me and try to endure this loneliness!You might be locked here for a long time!¡±

    Alice hopped off the bed, and hurried to the door, showing at Shionji Keiichi through the grid window.

    ¡°Kei nii-sama, I¡¯m done!Let me out right now!¡±

    After she left, her fuming voice echoed on the corridor.

    ¡°How long are you going to keep us locked here!?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t gotten everything confirmed©¤¡±

    The door closed, shutting off Shionji Keiichi¡¯s words.

    Iid down on the bed. The doll on my chest still had some lingering warmth from Alice.

    Even when night came, I couldn¡¯t sleep. Nobody brought food to me. Luckily, I wasn¡¯t hungry, so it wasn¡¯t a problem. I spent the rest of the time lying on the bed, killing time by starting at the pitch dark ceiling.

    It¡¯s eerily quiet here. It¡¯s a hospital, but¡¯s it¡¯s way too ridiculous to think that there was no sound to be heard once night beckoned. After thinking for a moment, I guess it¡¯s because this building was for the Shionjis use, and there were only two patients, Mitsutoshi and Mitsuki. Nobody saw any medical staff, because only a few were needed to watch over them.

    Sonomura-sensei said that Alice¡¯s great uncle. Shionji Mitsutoshi might not live past tomorrow. Once he does, there¡¯s one less reason for Alice to be here. Can she and I regain our freedom? But they did just confine a child for several years after she¡¯s born. They couldn¡¯t possibly let me go that easily.

    This sudden imagination had me shivering.

    Are they intending to¡­kill me to shut me up?

    I recalled the dark, scorched eyes beneath Shionji Keiichi¡¯s sses. Maybe he might do such a thing without batting an eyelid.

    No no no, calm down first. I¡¯ve been a detective assistant for a year and a half, and learned a lot from the dark side of society. One thing I learned is that erasing a person¡¯s existencepletely is impossible. Killing someone to hide a secret will create arger secret that¡¯s difficult to hide. Also, it¡¯s impossible to erase all the tracks that have been left behind.

    Kill me just to hide a family secret? Impossible¡­right?

    I started to think that it was stupid of me to try and console myself, so I flipped around. I felt that my head was numb and hot. I took in too much information today, overloaded. I felt tired, and the information and memories that are not so important will seep out from my eyes. All I remembered were the words Alice and Mari-san said to me.

    Their mom¡¯s dead, and their dad¡¯s a living corpse.

    Given this definition alone, the Shionji sisters might be simr to me in predicament. The pain they thoroughly felt is something I can never experience fully.

    I don¡¯t know, and I can¡¯t imagine. Who can understand the thoughts of others anyway?

    While being alone in my room, I reflected upon my conversation with Alice, and put myself in her shoes.

    Why couldn¡¯t I empathize?

    Because my mother died in a car ident? There wasn¡¯t any malice, just dumb luck involved in her death. It¡¯s nothingpared to the madness of love and hatred involved with Shionji Mitsuki and his mistress.

    N-no, that¡¯s not it. So I answered myself.

    Basically put, I just couldn¡¯t ept my mother¡¯s death. The way dad escaped was way too pitiful, and I didn¡¯t realize that I too was running away from reality. After mother died, my father and I never conversed. Is it just his problem? Maybe, just as he had ignored my existence, I too had deemed him a ghost.

    Ahh, in this sense, I think I understand how Alice feels.

    Realizing myself is something really terrifying. Knowing that is the same as death

    I tried to force myself to sleep for a moment, only to hear something heavy behind dragged over, followed by some fleeting footsteps. I sat up, saw the other side of the grid ss, and found someone standing under the dim blueish white light.

    ¡°¡­Narumi-kun, you awake?¡±

    It¡¯s the voice of a woman. I got off the bed, and went towards the door. A silhouette wearing white robes, with ck hair covering the shoulders, was at the observation window, the night lights in the backdrop.

    ¡°Mari-san? What is it?¡±

    ¡°I heard nobody brought food for you ¡­so I got you some.¡±

    ¡°Ah, sorry. Thanks.¡±

    I tried searching for the lights on the wall, but I couldn¡¯t. I fumbled with the door handle, but it was locked.

    ¡°Looks like I can¡¯t switch on the lights here.¡± I sighed, ¡°Is it possible to open the door there?¡±

    ¡°Looks like it can only be opened with a card.¡±

    Mari-san opened what seemed like a newspaper hole at the bottom of the door, and slid in a tray of food. While thinking that I was really in prison, I epted it.

    ¡°Sorry for putting you through this.¡±

    She said behind the thick door.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not something you should apologize for.¡±

    Unlike Alice, Mari-san does actually apologize. I suddenly had a stupid thought.

    ¡°I¡¯ll try to get you back home as soon as possible, and I¡¯ll figure out a way so that they won¡¯t cause you trouble.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good. How about your side? They¡¯re threatening you¡­¡±

    She lowered her head, her expression merging into the darkness,

    ¡°I don¡¯t think anything will happen. I¡¯m a public figure, so they won¡¯t probably do anything. I¡¯ll just have to endure some troubles and do as I¡¯m told.¡±

    ¡°Well, I guess, sorta.¡±

    Speaking of which, she didn¡¯t have to resist. If her family wants her to inherit it, she could have. The outer rtives might go to court over this, but the ones telling her to inheritor should deal with this. Once news of the inheritance crisis appear on the tabloids, the Marie Shion might be damaged, but minimally.

    ¡°But Yuuko might not simply obliged. She might be taken away.

    ¡°Just to ask.¡± I coughed twice, and continued, ¡°What I say next might add on to your burden, so I apologize. If Alice gives up on the inheritance, her share will belong to you, right? This is pointless to the Shionjis? They just don¡¯t want the inheritance to be taken fully by that wife. Alice says that she doesn¡¯t mind, but I think the Shionjis are pretty twisted. I really hope that they¡¯ll stop harassing her.¡±

    I could hear Mari-san giggling behind the grid.

    ¡°Narumi-kun, you see¡­¡± her words trailed off in the white mist, ¡°it does seem¡­you¡¯re really worried about Yuuko,¡±

    She sounded really helpless, and it shook me.

    ¡°But that¡¯s pretty unlikely. Yuuko might be taken back to the Shionjis.¡±

    W-why do you say that?¡±

    ¡°Keiichi-san doesn¡¯t want the inheritance. Yuuko¡¯s the disciple groomed by him, and he probably wants her to remain by his side.¡±

    I recalled Shionji Keiichi luring me over to that office building in Shinjuku, and that we had that conversation in the building. I could tell that he had a special obsession with Alice, and Alice¡¯s terrified of him. No, not scared of him, more like revered. I could still remember her face when the detective agency system was hacked, and she saw that man¡¯s filled filling all the monitors.

    ¡°But he has no right to take other people back. Alice can earn money on her own, and maintain her own living.¡±

    ¡°Narumi-kun, you©¤¡±

    The ck hair fluttered in the darkness. Mari-san turned her eyes away, sounding skeptical as she moved away.

    ¡°You¡¯re not, erm¡­you don¡¯t want to leave Yuuko¡­right?¡±

    ¡°Eh, it¡¯s not my call, right?¡±

    ¡°Then what is it about?¡±

    I gulped. Seriously, I didn¡¯t know why¡¯s she asking me this. That¡¯s an issue between you sisters. What does that have to do with me?

    Under the dim looks, I could see her eyebrows sparkling.

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t want to leave her. We¡¯ve been detective and assistant for so long. Seriously¡­I©¤¡±

    For a moment, I was speechless. I really didn¡¯t know how to describe this. I couldn¡¯t find any suitable words to express how important Alice was to me.

    ¡°©¤Sorry, I can¡¯t really put it well. Anyway, she¡¯s an important partner to me.¡±

    ¡°I-see.¡±

    I could feel some tears in her voice,

    ¡°I think Yuuko too©¤¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    ¡°Yuuko will surely¡­¡±

    The words slowly tailed off in the darkness.

    I blinked a few times, and stared at her face hidden in the darkness. Something¡¯s not right. Did she discuss something with Alice beforehand?

    ¡°Erm, Mari-san©¤¡±

    Right when I was about to question further, a shrill rm rang above us, along with loud footsteps, sounds of metal crashing, and people shouting,

    ¡°©¤Hurry¡± ¡°©¤What?¡±

    ¡°©¤Got it, I¡¯l be there©¤¡± ¡°Move faster!¡±

    She and I looked up at the ceiling in unison. It¡¯ste. Did something happen?

    ¡°I¡¯ll go upstairs to have a look.¡±

    ¡°Ah, okay.¡±

    She immediately turned around, the flowing ck hair covered my eyes. The silhouette on the grid window grills got smaller, and soon, she vanished.

    Once again, I looked towards the ceiling. I knew it was pointless, but I tried budging the door several times before I gave up and returned to the bed.

    The doctor said that the Head Mitsutoshi would live to either today or tomorrow. So that moment¡¯s finally here? What¡¯s written on the will exactly? If the inheritance is to be handed over to Mikitsugu, Alice and Mari-san will be able to live peaceful lives. While the wife¡¯s family might be infuritated by this, but that has nothing to do with us¡­

    I did hear angry, seething roars, and my back jolted from the bed.

    ¡°¡ªYou guys did this, right?¡± ¡°What are you trying to imply¡ª?¡±

    ¡°Please calm down. This ce is¡ª¡± ¡°Utterly preposterous. Doing this¡ª¡±

    What are they arguing about? In the darkness, I pricked my ears.

    ¡°¡ªJust gone, and you people are¡ª¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re kidding me!¡± ¡°Enough with the jokes.¡±

    I hopped off the bed. What happened? Did the wife¡¯s family charge over to the Head¡¯s room?

    It¡¯s impossible for me to return to sleep, so I paced around before the bed. There¡¯s a likely reason tht they¡¯re arguing because of Alice, and I didn¡¯t know if she¡¯ll be fine¡­I was really frustrated that I was unable to exit the room, and I started to see if the observation window could be open, trying to reach my hand through the opening where Mari-san delivered the tray of food, but it was a waste of time.

    Soon after, I rid myself of that notion, andid back onto the bed, pressing the teddy bear onto my tummy as I spaced out and looked at the clock to kill the time.

    An hourter, Shionji Keiichi came over,

    ¡°You never left this ce, right?¡±

    He asked from the observation window. I got up from the bed, and put up a front as I sighed,

    ¡°How can I possibly get out here? Didn¡¯t you lock the door? Anyway, I don¡¯t know what they¡¯re arguing about¡ª¡±

    ¡°Did Mari-sane by?¡±

    ¡°¡­Eh?¡±

    ¡°Please answer my question. A nurse said that an hour ago, she met Mari-san on the corridor, and asked what she was doing. She said she brought something for you to eat. Is this true? Did shee here?¡±

    ¡°¡­Y-yeah?¡±

    Just ask already. Do you need to look so restless? I thought as I nodded way.

    ¡°Mari-san dide by to deliver some food. We chatted a bit, and then there was noise upstairs. Mari-san said she¡¯s going upstairs to have a look, and left.¡±

    ¡°What time?¡±

    I had a look at the watch. I had nothing to do, and kept looking at the watch out of boredom, so I remembered the time really well.¡±

    ¡°1.45am¡­or so.¡±

    ¡°You sure?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­why are you so particr about this time? What happened upstairs?¡±

    ¡°What was themotion like?¡±

    ¡°Many came by yelling¡ªah, some seemed to be quarrelling.¡±

    ¡°Got it. What you said matches the situation when we discovered this matter.¡±

    Shionji Keiichi folded his arms beyond the window. It was dark, and I couldn¡¯t see very well, but he¡¯s definitely not looking pleased.

    Discovered? What?¡±

    ¡°This means that Mari-san and Yuuko weren¡¯t together when he was found.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Huh? Erm, yeah, that¡¯s right. She¡¯s here. Anyway, what do you mean ¡®discovered¡¯? Mind telling me what¡¯s going on?¡±

    I didn¡¯t get an answer, and instead, I heard something sharp and heavy rubbing. I gulped, and ran to the window to have a look, seeing that Shionji Keiichi was pushing the long tables piled on the floor to the wall. So that¡¯s meant to block the door to prevent me from getting out even when the door¡¯s unlocked? Doesn¡¯t matter, just open up. I hastily turned the doorknob.

    The door opened, and Shionji Keiichi reached a hand out to grab my wrist.

    ¡°Pleasee along.¡±

    He brought me to a certain car parked neatly in the parking lot, and shoved me into the co-driver seat without saying a word.

    ¡°E-erm?¡±

    Shionji Keiichi sat in the driver seat, buckled up silently, and started the engine.

    ¡°W-wait a moment. Where are we going?¡±

    He tossed something onto my thighs. It¡¯s a cellphone, my cellphone that was taken from me before I was locked inside the ward room.

    ¡°For you. Buckle up.¡±

    ¡°Wait, what about Alice?¡±

    Shionji Keiichi said nothing as he stepped on the pedal and drove off. The sudden eleration caused me to shrivel on the co-driver seat, and the bear plushie I brought along rolled at my feet.

    The car exited Harumi-dori, passed several car lights on the rtively empty road, and elerated. The building lights in the night quickly vanished, and I again turned to the back, finding that the hospital was no longer to be seen.

    I swallowed my grumbles back, and buckled in frustration as I red at the reflection of Shionji Keiichi¡¯s face on the windshield, asking,

    ¡°Please do exin what is going on.¡±

    But even so, there was no answer. We entered Uchibori-dori, and the darkness around the royal residence appeared to our right, causing the silence to feel much heavier.

    ¡°¡ªPersonally, I do like you.¡±

    Once we arrived at a red light, Shionji Keiichi muttered, and I looked to his sidelong face with scepticism.

    ¡°So please think of this as goodwill on my part. If you wish for a stable life, it¡¯s better to go home without knowing anything, and never get involved with anyone called Shionji again.¡±

    ¡°¡­Are you kidding me?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m dead serious. Knowing the truth is the same as death.¡±

    The red light turned green, and the car drove off again. The car was filled with the engine noise and a strange silence isted from the outside world.

    Knowing the truth is the same as death. Is it this person too who first told Alice these words?

    But either way,

    ¡°A stable life¡¯s no different from crap.¡±

    I spat out at the dashboard.

    ¡°Just tell me what¡¯s going on. What happened to Alice?¡±

    Shionji Keiichi sighed, either out of reluctance, or this pitiful me.

    The car stopped at the next traffic light, and he spoke with a stiff voice,

    ¡°Shionji Mitsuki is dead.¡±

    I stared at his sidelong face.

    ¡°¡­Is there such a need for this ruckus? Isn¡¯t everyone mentally prepared for this? The doctor did say that he might die today and tomorrow¡ª¡±

    I swallowed my words, jogged my memory, and repeated that name,

    ¡°¡ªMitsuki?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Not the Head¡­but Alice¡¯s father?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The Head Mitsutoshi is still alive. Do you know what that means?¡±

    I remained the frail body lying on the hospital bed. Alice¡¯s father died before the old Head, and the significance of it slowly seeped into my mind.

    ¡°¡­So that means the designated inheritance is lost.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s how it is. If the will is really as Nakatani-sensei hinted, the will is invalid, and all the inheritance of the Shionjis will be taken over by my grandfather, Shionji Mikitsugu.¡±

    Before I knew it, the car elerated, and I did not realize when the traffic lights changed to green. I gulped, and asked,

    ¡°So¡­his wife, and the inws will be really troubled. That¡¯s why they¡¯re causing a ruckus.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s just the case, I wouldn¡¯t have taken you away.¡±

    I frowned, and looked towards where he was looking. The night and lights of the stars were shown outside the windshield, phasing towards the back in an irregr manner. My body temperature trickled along with them, and I was feeling terribly chilly.

    ¡°Mitsuki-san¡¯s artificial venttion was removed.¡±

    Those words too took my breath away.

    ¡°¡ªHe was murdered.¡±

 Volume 9, 4

    <h4>Volume 9, Chapter 4</h4>

    It felt like I was seeing the agency without Alice.

    There was the cold bed, and dozens of doll eyes staring at the void its master disappeared from. The power to the six monitors remained shut, and the air conditioning continued blowing cold air for no reason.

    I sat by therge Mogagdid Bear, and reached my hand onto the bed, towards the indentations right above it. Of course, there wasn''t any physical warmth or anything left behind. I calmed down, and the various stupid thoughts came lunging in my mind. I shook my head to rid myself of them, pick up the empty cans, removed them, and brought the scattered pajamas to the washing machine, but I had no strength to activate it.

    I knelt by the wall, and searched the national news on my phone. It seemed news of Shionji Mitsuki¡¯s death was yet to be revealed. Not a day had passed, and he¡¯s not particr famous in the financial world, so it won''t be reported that early.

    The fact of his death will most likely disappeared with the wind. Shionji Keiichi, who was maintained in a vegetative state before dying for real, would be stored in a coffin and cremated. He once said that he did not want this to be a criminal case, that everything would be settled in the hospital.

    A criminal case.

    A murder, Alice¡¯s father was murdered.

    But so what? Why did they have to suspect Alice?

    The doorbell rang. I immediately ran to the corridor, and opened the door.

    ¡°Alice?¡±

    Ayaka, standing outside the door, widened her eyes and jolted back.

    ¡°Ah¡­sorry.¡± I lowered my eyes awkwardly, having thought Alice had returned. There¡¯s no way she would have pressed the doorbell to her own house¡­

    ¡°What about Alice? She¡¯s not around?¡±

    Ayaka entered the agency, and looked into the bedroom.

    ¡°I heard from Min-san that a few people came by yesterday, and took her away¡­¡±

    I nodded, and weakly returned to sit on the bed. Ayaka picked up the dolls scattered on the floor, and put them onto the bed. The capybara, frog, otters looked on worriedly at me, just like Ayaka.

    She didn¡¯t ask me what happened, just waiting for me to speak up. This kindness left me more unbearable, and I ended up looking between my legs, unable to say anything.

    ¡°Alice¡¯s isn¡¯t around? This really is a rare chance!¡±

    Ayaka pretended to sound cheery, saying,

    ¡°I¡¯m going to clean this ce up!¡±

    She then dug out the towels and dirty socks stuck between the gap between the bed, yapping away as she wiped the dust behind theputer rack with a cloth. Seeing Ayaka act this way, I gradually sensed that Alice was really no longer around, so I checked the pipes to see if they contained any residue, and did any mundane tasks to distract myself.

    ¡°That¡¯s how it is, Fujishima-kun!¡±

    Ayaka was cleaning the room when she opened the fridge, saying,

    ¡°Let¡¯s drink some of Alice¡¯s Dr. Pepper while she¡¯s not around! She can¡¯t tell if there are two fewer cans, right?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say it¡¯s not nice?¡±

    ¡°Drinking what¡¯s given to me is different from stealing and drinking when nobody¡¯s around!¡±

    So we sat side by side at the wall, grabbing the dark red cans that were so cold and sticky, pulled the ring, and an unspeakable sweetness stabbed at our brains.

    Some said it tasted like tonic water, chemically synthesized lychee, or melted almond tofu, but I felt none of those hit the mark. If I really had to describe, it¡¯s asplicated as the life of that petite NEET detective , rich, mysterious, and unforgettable, yet indescribable.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t taste good though.¡± Ayaka said with a chuckle. ¡°I should have mixed in water and divided it into two.¡±

    Ayaka probably didn¡¯t mean anything beyond that, since she¡¯s not someone who thinks that much. However, I could interpret her unintentional words another way. If I can¡¯t finish by myself, I¡¯ll just share with someone else. That¡¯s

    what Ayaka often told me¡­

    ¡°How does Alice live on a diet basically consisting of this?¡±

    ¡°The doctor found her strange too, and treats her as ab subject, testing this everyday. Thinking about it, she¡¯s really a strange specimen in the biological world.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­so you met Alice¡¯s doctor?¡±

    ¡°Well, erm, I¡¯ve been to the hospital.¡±

    ¡°Is Alice feeling unwell?¡±

    ¡°Not really ©¤©¤¡±

    Ayaka¡¯s really a nice person. She¡¯s able to get me to talk what I think, like fingertips prying out split ends.

    But this kindness is really a drug.

    The drug quickly passed through my body, and I ended up weakly saying what I shouldn¡¯t have.

    ¡°Alice¡¯s father died. Just yesterday.¡±

    Ayaka stared at my face, blinked several times, and muttered.

    ¡°¡­I see.¡±

    There was no shock or surprise in the tone. There¡¯s no anguish or anger, but it¡¯s no empty emotion. It¡¯s like I¡¯m calling for my own dog.

    Thus, what I said next would be lured out by her.

    ¡°¡ªHeard it was murder.¡±

    Without thinking, I got Ayaka involved in this. I told her the truth, death, and shared it with her without holding back. Sharing this poison wouldn¡¯t reduce the chances of my death by half, just relieving myself a lot more instead. That¡¯s all, and nothing else.

    ¡°And then, the suspected murderer is Alice.¡±

    After saying that, I found myself to be really stupid for saying that. If I kept talking, I would end up as ackey thrown out after a terrible night, shiveled in a towel, trying to run away by sleeping, and just waking up moments ago with my mind still in a daze.

    After spacing out for quite a long while,Ayaka asked, somehow hesitantly,

    ¡°¡­Do I call everyone here? Hiro, Tetsu-senpai?.¡±

    I weakly nodded. In the end, that¡¯s all I could do. Alice¡¯s issue isn¡¯t just my own issue.

    Ayaka gave a call, and within a minute, the trio arrived at the office.

    ¡°Actually, we¡¯ve been waiting downstairs for a long time. We just sent Ayaka up first to see what¡¯s going on.¡±

    Hiro said it as if I deserved it for falling into their trap.

    ¡°Heard that you returned hometest night. We came by earlier to have a look at you.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see ¡­¡±

    So they knew that I would try toe to the agency alone. It¡¯s really embarrassing to be figured out.

    ¡­Eh, huh?

    ¡°How did you know I returned hometest night?¡±

    Keiichi drove his car to my housest night. Hiro probably didn¡¯t know what time I returned home, right?

    ¡°Well. I gave your sister a call, Narumi-kun. I was worried.¡±

    ¡°My sister? Wh-when did you know about my sister¡¯s phone number, Hiro?¡±

    ¡°When? Ahh yes, when I went to get you at your house on Halloween¡¯s. Just so happened to get it.¡±

    ¡­Don¡¯t put it that way. And seriously, you¡¯re way too quick there. Was there an opening back then?

    ¡°As to be expected of you, Hiro. Getting phone numbers from women is as easy as breathing to you!¡±

    ¡°Not at all. I don¡¯t know Min-san¡¯s phone number.¡±

    ¡°You know ¡¯Hanamaru¡¯ number, right?¡± Tetsu-senpai asked, sounding really sleepy.

    ¡°I can¡¯t use the shop phone when we go out for a date.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you just date in ¡¯Hanamaru¡¯?¡±

    ¡°So that, I¡¯ll do. I¡¯ve been greeting Min-san everyday with ¡®I love you¡¯, and got beaten real good by her.¡±

    ¡°As to be expected of you, Hiro. Proposing to women is as easy as breathing to you!¡±

    ¡°Ugh, you three!!¡±

    Ayaka threw a tantrum.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t the time for your stupid skit. You¡¯re here to hear what Fujishima-kun has to say, right? Alice isn¡¯t here now, get it?¡±

    Who could have imagined that there would be one day when Ayaka wouldmand the NEET detective gang? Tetsu-senpai, Major and Hiro immediately knelt before the bed in a prostration, and that made it more difficult for me to talk.

    ¡°Alright, Fujishima-kun! Tell everything about the murder of Alice¡¯s father!¡±

    I gave a stunned look, and so did the other three of the detective gang.

    ¡°Why are you taken aback too, Fujishima-kun? Didn¡¯t you just mention it?¡±

    ¡°N-no, that¡¯s right¡­¡±

    I never thought such demanding words woulde from Ayaka¡¯s mouth.

    But thinking hard about it, there¡¯s nothing to be surprised by this. She saw a lot of deaths in various forms, and in a certain sense, understood more about various deaths than I did. Is this determination, or obliviousness? Maybe it¡¯s a mix of the two called something else entirely? I don¡¯t know.

    I held my breath, and recapped the long day yesterday. Just a nigh passed, but no matter which scene I tried to recall, it all felt fuzzy. Did these events really happen? Did that hospital and those infuriating Shionjis really exist?

    I coughed a few times to interrupt my delusions.

    Face reality already, Alice is no longer here.

    Everything I heard and saw at the hospital, the quarrels started by the Shionjis¡¯ inheritance, the death of Alice¡¯s father, and Shionji Keiichi¡¯s words. Each and every one of them caused the air in the room to freeze.

    ¡°¡­So what about Alice? Why didn¡¯t shee back too?¡±

    Tetsu-senpai asked with a hushed voice, and I shook my head,

    ¡°All I heard was that she was taken back for questioning, and I didn¡¯t hear where she was taken to. Maybe she¡¯s still in the hospital, or at the Shionjis.¡±

    ¡°Questioning, or you mean, interrogation?¡±Senpai said while folding his arms.

    ¡°Why did they think the culprit was Alice?¡±

    Hiro showed a gloomy expression as he asked.

    ¡°Because when her father¡¯s artificial venttion was removed, the rm rang, and Mari-san was at my room. Shionji Keiichi then asked Mari-san, who said that she was with Alice, which contradicted the nurse¡¯s ims that she was seen on the corridor. So she¡¯s lying.¡±

    ¡°All that to create an alibi for Alice?¡±

    Major narrowed his eyes, sounding bitter. I nodded and continued,

    ¡°Shionji Keiichi did think that was the case too. That Alice was really in the room back then.¡±

    ¡°But does that really mean that Alice did it? There were a whole bunch of Shionjis there overnight. Does that mean they all have alibis?¡±Tetsu-senpai asked.

    ¡°So I said, but the patient electronic lock has a log. Soon before the artificial venttion was removed, Mari-san¡¯s card was used on Shionji Mitsuki room. Since Mari-san was at my room, the only one who could have done that was Alice.¡±

    Major heard it, and scowled,

    ¡°That¡¯s just what they say, right? It¡¯s not like the police did their investigations too. Besides, isn¡¯t that hospital this prestigious because of the Shionjis?¡±

    ¡°You can say that ¡­¡±

    ¡°Also, does Alice have a motive to kill her own father?¡± Major asked again.

    ¡°Shionji Keiichi said, Alice has a motive.¡±

    ¡°¡­Is he not saying that Alice killed her father because she doesn¡¯t want the inheritance?¡±

    Hiro lowered his voice.

    ¡°He did say so, actually.¡± I lowered my arms weakly.

    ¡°This is a mess, Saying it doesn¡¯t exactly mean doing it.¡±Hiromented, ¡±How can she possibly have killed for this reason? If a motive¡¯s needed, aren¡¯t there loads with motives? Alice¡¯s father dies before he gets the inheritance, so the next in line is the younger brother of the Head, right? That makes them more suspicious.¡±

    That too was what I thought.

    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m a little lost here¡­we got so many names here called Shionjis¡­¡± Ayaka tearily noted. It¡¯s no wonder, since even I who had met them was all confused. It¡¯s impossible to remember them all.

    So I drew what I knew of the Shionjis on the notebook Major handed over to me.

    ¡°¡­It''s no wonder that Gorou-sensei so wanted to leave that house. It''s seems really troublesome.¡±

    Hiro spat his tongue once he saw the family tree. There was a ¡®dead¡¯ written beneath Gorou-sensei¡¯s name, but it¡¯s just that he faked his death and ran to Australia. He should be alive, but for this session crisis, we¡¯ll have to assume he¡¯s not around.

    ¡°The wife of Head Mitsutoshi. Half of the inheritance goes to her, right?¡± Hiro asked as she looked to me.

    ¡°She passed away many years ago, and they have no children.¡±

    And that¡¯s why the session crisis got a lot messier.

    .

    ¡°And also, what about the husband of this Terumi? Didn¡¯t the Head want Terumi to inherit? If she¡¯s still alive, that means it¡¯ll be his things, right?¡± Tetsu-senpai asked.

    ¡°Ahh¡­nobody mentioned this, and we don¡¯t know if he¡¯s still around ¡­¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Hiro said, ¡°Spouses cannot be heirs. In this situation, the only heir to Terumi is Mitsuki. Following that, third parties like the siblings will only be limited to children. The grandchildren, Mari-san or Alice can¡¯t take over the inheritance. If it was the heir who passed away after receiving it, that¡¯ll be a different case. This is the opposite though. Unless the will has clearly stated to whom it goes to, this old man called Mikitsugu will take everything.¡±

    ¡°Hiro, how are you so familiar with this inheritance thing ¡­¡±

    Tetsu-senpai noted with disbelief.

    ¡°This is what I learn from chatting with the madams, and I do need to hear them grumble about this from time to time. Like the father of their husbands about to die, or the inheritance tax. I did my own research and memorized it all down.¡±

    Enough with the bare facts. Still, thanks for the rification.

    ¡°Eh, so¡­¡± Ayaka didn¡¯t sound too confident as she said,¡± Alice¡¯s father died before the Head, so Alice won¡¯t get to im the inheritance. Is this true?¡±

    ¡°Yes she doesn¡¯t.¡± Hiro nodded, ¡±But she doesn¡¯t need to. She just needed to give up her rights. How could she kill her father just because she got involved in an inheritance dispute with her rtives? What is that man thinking?¡±

    ¡°Also, if they didn¡¯t want to escte this to the police, they could have settled this themselves. It doesn¡¯t matter who the culprit it.

    ¡°The Shionjis might think this way.¡±Hiro said, ¡°But how can the rtives of his wife ept this?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah ¡­¡±

    ¡°Objectively speaking, isn¡¯t the most suspicious on this old man called Mikitsugu, and his grandchildren?¡± Major sounded furious as he continued, ¡±Or maybe that Keiichi¡¯ has a bigger motive. Is he shifting the me to Alice?¡±

    ¡°Narumi, what do you think? What kind of person is this Keiichi? Vicious?¡±

    ¡°¡­Eh? Ah, what?¡±

    The sudden question hi me, and I jolted, squealing in surprise.

    ¡°Vice Admiral Fujishima, are you awake yet? Good thing I came prepared and invented a machine that fires sixty cans of energy drinks in a second.¡± ¡°Thanks, but no thanks.¡± I hurriedly stopped Major from taking out something weird from his bag again.

    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re the only one who met the Shionjis. Buck up¡­¡±

    Tetsu-senpai¡¯s words got me cringing.

    ¡°You¡¯re right¡­¡±

    ¡°Fujishima-kun, is there anything troubling you?¡±

    ¡°Not really.¡±

    I scanned everyone, saying,

    ¡°It just feels surreal.¡±

    Once I said it, I regretted it. If I, having stayed at the hospital had said such words, surely it would be all the more surreal to the others.

    But I never got to see a corpse, and never spoke to Alice after that. It feels like I¡¯m reading a story. Right, after that conversation I had with herst night, I didn¡¯t talk to her again, or even meet her. How¡¯s Alice doing? That inheritance and bloodline issue has nothing to do with me. They can be fed to the dofs or all I care. I just want to meet Alice. What¡¯s she thinking with her annoying family around her? Did they do anything to her? Is she being abused in any way, or forced to take the me for no reason? These unhealthy thoughts shackled my limbs, and stopped me from moving. Without Alice, I really couldn¡¯t think of what I should do.

    ¡°You¡¯re useless when Alice isn¡¯t around Fujishima-kun.¡±

    With Ayaka saying this, I was taken aback.

    ¡°Ah, ahh¡­yeah¡­¡±

    I rubbed my arms that were cold due to the air conditioning, and said,

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what is going on right now, and I don¡¯t know what I should do.¡±

    I could only eke out this weak voice. Having hear myself say this, I felt my strength weaken.

    ¡°Actually, we¡¯re about the same as you.¡±Hiro said with a frown.

    ¡°It¡¯s the first time we don¡¯t have our leader around after all¡­¡± Major too sounded gloomy.

    ¡°You can¡¯t contact Alice? What about her phone?¡±

    ¡°I called her lots of times, but I can¡¯t get through.¡± I shook my head, saying, ¡±I remember she brought aputer along, so I sent her a message, but she didn¡¯t reply.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll check with the police if there¡¯s anything then.¡± Saying that, Tetsu-senpai went to the corridor.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go check out that hospital.¡± Hiro tossed his car keys.

    ¡°I¡¯lle along too.¡± Major too followed Hiro out of the agency.

    And Ayaka, who was left behind, sheepishly stated,

    ¡°It¡¯s about time for me to open shop ¡­erm, Fujishima-kun. If there¡¯s anything I can help with, please do tell me immediately.¡±

    I nodded in a daze.

    ¡°¡­Thanks.¡±

    I¡¯ll be going! Ayaka said enthusiastically, and left the room.

    I sat down by the bed. How did I end up so wasted like this? Even I felt so weird. The assistant who¡¯s always told to do things is lost without a detective. This shouldn¡¯t be the case. Since she¡¯s not back, I just need to find out where she is, and why. Tetsu-senpai, Hiro and Major are all doing this so decisively, but I can¡¯t pull myself through.

    It seemed that Alice didn¡¯t wish for me to look for her.

    I could still recall the tragic look on Alice¡¯s face when she talked about being scared of ¡®knowing¡¯ herself. Back then, Alice probably understood the truth she didn¡¯t dare approach. Given her smarts, she should be able to predict that she¡¯ll break up with me, but she never said anything about it.

    Does she not want me to get involved with her?

    *

    My gut feeling came true. That evening, when I returned home and opened myputer, I received an email from Alice. There was no text, just arge attachment file. With my trembling hands, I clicked on the mouse to unzip it, and found it was a video file.

    ¡°Yo, Narumi.¡±

    In the video was a smiling Alice, wearing a red and white dress different from yesterday. I guess the camera¡¯s set on a monitor, and I can tell that she¡¯s facing a table.

    ¡°Sorry for getting you involved in that troublesome matter yesterday. If you¡¯re seeing this video, that means you¡¯re home now, right? Kei nii-sama wouldn¡¯t say what he did to you. I tried calling you directly, but they wouldn¡¯t allow me to give a call. Thework¡¯s connected to Kei nii-sama¡¯s, encrypted everywhere. I managed to send this video to you only after begging them for a long time.¡±

    I brought my face to the monitor, seeking everything in the background. White walls, metal doors at then back, lights switches, that¡¯s all I could see.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what Kei nii-sama said to you. He¡¯s basically aloof to everyone, but he asked a lot of things about you. It seems he¡¯s quite impressed by you. You¡¯re really likeable.¡±

    Alice paused for a little more, looking at her own opened hands, seemingly looking for a mark that had vanished.

    She lifted her head, and with a feeble smile, she said,

    ¡°My father died yesterday¡­I killed him.¡±

    Once I heard that, I gasped, my hands grabbing onto the monitor, my thumbs twisting the monitor, the ck shadows dissipating.

    ¡°You should know why I did that, don¡¯t you?¡±

    I shook my head. Alice wasn¡¯t really looking at me, but I kept shaking my head. She killed him? For what reason? Why did she kill her father? I didn¡¯t want to know about this. That¡¯s not important, I just wanted to know where she was, and why didn¡¯t she return? That¡¯s all.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you can understand my exnation. Thinking about it, ever since I met you, half my work time has been spent on exining things to this dull-witted assistant of mine. I shall take this as thest time, and exin everything ordingly to you.¡±

    Final? Alice, what are you saying? What do you mean, the end?

    ¡°I wanted to release my father, and also myself. I had no choice, and it¡¯s so simple, nobody will be hurt. Of course, I¡¯m starting to pay the price for my actions.¡±

    Nobody will be hurt? Who are you trying to bluff? Haven¡¯t you lost your freedom? Aren¡¯t you locked in you room every day, just like before?

    ¡°You can do whatever you want with the agency. Kei nii-sama will be sending people over to move the stuff out, so it doesn¡¯t matter whether you let it be or not, just clear out all the empty cans, the trash, or anything that will smell. You can finish up the Dr. Pepper in the fridge, think of it as a severance package, or maybe Ayaka and the others have already drank from it?¡±

    What do you mean, severance package? Why are we talking about dealing with the agency?

    Several times, I wanted to pause the footage. I didn''t want to see this, and I didn''t want to hear these words. However, my fingers wouldn''t obey, and I couldn''t open my eyes.

    ¡°You probably won''t believe me, and you may think this footage is scripted and recorded by Kei nii-sama.¡±

    My saliva finally entered my stomach after much difficulty/ Right, you''re the scapegoat offered by the Shionjis, right?

    ¡°But I already made up my mind before I went to that hospital, to take away the thing I forgot to take back eight years ago. This ispletely out of my own volition, and the only way out I could think of. The proof is in the ribbon on Lilicu''s neck.¡±

    Taken aback, I looked towards the foot of the table. The teddy bear Alice left me had been there ever since I brought it back from the hospital.

    ¡°Actually, I too wanted to end up like ¡®her¡¯, and end my own life as it was. Later on, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a need, for I won¡¯t see you again. You¡¯re dead to me. Separation and death is a little simr after all.¡±

    Who is the ¡°she¡± referred to here? Kill yourself? What are you getting at?

    ¡°The matter isn¡¯tplicated at all. It¡¯s all about redemption. I¡¯ve went beyond the point of being the speaker of the dead. I have used an actual de to remove this life of mine. I can no longer be a detective. ©¤©¤¡±

    I can no longer be a detective.

    So I, as a detective¡¯s assistant, is¡­

    ¡°That¡¯s how it is, Narumi. Convey my words to everyone. Don¡¯t ever look for me again.¡±

    Saying that, Alice reached her hand over. At that moment, I thought she was going to hold mine, so I reached out. However, that was impossible, for it was a recorded video. She was pressing a button, and the video ended.

    Following that, my mind waspletely nk.

    It took me a long time before I could muster all my strength to pick up Lilicu, as I inserted my fingers under the red ribbon, and fished out a hard piece of folded paper.

    I opened it, and saw the words ¡®trantor afterword¡¯. It appeared to be a page torn from the book, and the more I read it, the more stifled I felt¡­ This was written in the afterword©¤©¤the author James Tiptree Jr., real name Alice Sheldon, shot her Alzheimer-afflicted husband before shooting herself¡­

    It was the afterword in Tiptree¡¯s ¡®The Only Neat Thing to Do¡¯.

    Alice¡¯s final message.

    It¡¯s unlikely this book would be avable in the hospital. She probably tore off this page before leaving the detective agency, and hid it under the ribbon.

    I lifted my head towards the monitor.

    My fingers started to move on its own as I clicked to ¡®rey¡¯. Once again, Alice appeared on the monitor.

    ¡°Yo, Narumi©¤©¤¡±

    No matter how many times I repeated it, nothing changed, and the determined, business-like cold voice continued©¤©¤

    ©¤©¤But I already made up my mind.

    ©¤©¤ to take away the thing I forgot to take back eight years ago.

    ©¤©¤This ispletely out of my own volition.

    You''re lying.

    You''re lying, right?

    Tell me you¡¯re lying, Alice! There¡¯s still a lot of different ideas, right? You¡¯re not the kind of person to do something this stupid. I kept yelling silently at Alice on the monitor, and again, she repeated the cold, cruel answer.

    ©¤©¤I had no choice.

    ©¤©¤ it¡¯s so simple, nobody will be hurt.

    It''s just removing the artificial venttion, just ensuring that a living corpse could obtain peace. The sight of Alice reaching for her father breathing tube in the dim room appeared vividly within my eyes.

    ©¤©¤ and end my own life as it was.

    ©¤©¤ It¡¯s all about redemption.

    ©¤©¤I can no longer be a detective.

    Why?

    Why?

    I crumpled the book page.

    I really really didn¡¯t know what do. Till this point, even when the situation was chaotic, there was always Alice to guide me with her intellect and logic. She¡¯s no longer around, and I can¡¯t infer if there was anything more to this matter, who¡¯s the foe, and what I should reveal.

    With myst ounce of strength, I activated the software, and sent Alice¡¯s message to Major. Of course, Major will then pass the message on to Hiroand Tetsu-senpai, and they¡¯ll figure out what to do next.

    Anyway, I¡¯m tired.

    So I crawled over the floor, scaled the bed, and slept like a sandbag.

    *

    Major replied first thing in the morning.

    ¡°Come over to ¡®Hanamaru¡¯, I called the Hirasaka-gumi over too.¡±

    With my sleepy eyes, I scanned those words. Hirasaka-gumi? The Hirasaka-gumi wants to help too? They''re acting a lot faster than I expected, and escted things really quickly. I should have left it to the three of them.With my sleepy eyes, I scanned those words. Hirasaka-gumi? The Hirasaka-gumi wants to help too? They''re acting a lot faster than I expected, and escted things really quickly. I should have left it to the three of them. They¡¯ve been part of the detective gang for much longer than me, and should be able to handle Alice¡¯s absence.

    Handle? How and what? Anyway, nobody seems to be disappointed, nobody¡¯s asking for help, and there¡¯s no real mystery to this though.

    I couldn¡¯t figure it out. Just thinking left my temples with a stinging pain. I dragged my dejected body into the bathroom, and slouched over as I let the hot water fall from the showerhead and onto my body. The feeling of drowsiness and burnout just couldn¡¯t be washed away, and all I could feel was an important memory trickling away with the hot water, unable to stand upright.

    I left home before 11am, and business started when I arrived at ¡®Ramen Hanamaru¡¯. 20 hunks or so in ck T-shirts were at the entrance, seated on cardboard and the ground, chortling as they held paper cups. They are the Hirasaka-gumi guys, and it seemed everyone¡¯s present

    .

    ¡°I¡¯m next! Time to train my manliness! One hand, five fingers down, push-ups while finishing arge ss of beer!¡±

    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s not enough. One more!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m up!¡±

    ¡°Another threeyers!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s too heavy!¡±

    ¡°Drink up!¡±

    ¡°Finish up and you won¡¯t feel so heavy!¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s down.¡±¡°Yeah he¡¯s down.¡±

    ¡°Downed by beer and weight, puhahahaha!¡±

    It¡¯s an alley with no vehicles passing through, but it¡¯s pretty unsightly for these guys to be wasted on the asphalt. Stop causing trouble for the neightbors.

    ¡°Shut up and drink up! I¡¯ll send you guys to the police if you go overboard!¡±

    Min-sanshed out as she tossed the noodles in the kitchen.

    Seated on the beer crates by the door were Tetsu-senpai, Major, Hiro, and Yondaime. He was dressed in a fitting military fur jacket, having a few words with Tetsu-senpai. A few familiar uncles were inside the shop, their faces flushed.

    ¡°Ah,aniki!¡± ¡°Good work, aniki!¡±

    Those ck shirts found me before I got off my bicycle. I could smell the stench of beer so far away, and I really had the urge to cycle away, but the gori immediately surrounded me excitedly.

    ¡°Aniki, three prayers for arrivingte!¡±

    Which shrine am I supposed to pray at three times? Isn¡¯t it three shots foringte? Even though I can¡¯t really drink.

    ¡°Should be three barrels!¡± ¡°As we expect of your guts, aniki!¡± I¡¯ll die. Please don¡¯t.

    ¡°Everyone agrees, banzai!¡± ¡°Great that the legition can pass through!¡± What¡¯s with your political sense rising right now?

    ¡°Let¡¯s learn and perform manzais like Tsuneo Watanabe!¡± ¡°Who¡¯s going to do the retorts?¡± ¡°Aniki of course!¡± ¡°As to be expected of you, aniki. You aren¡¯t scared of the Giants!¡± ¡°If Tsuneo¡¯s ying dumb, the readers are going to protest another way. Hey!¡±

    No no no, I¡¯m not in the mood to y manzai with you guys.

    ¡°Eh, erm, you guys¡­why are you having a beer party now? Aren¡¯t we here to talk about something?¡±

    ¡°Eh, something? ¡±Pole blinked in surprise.

    ¡°We¡¯re here to watch the flowers and drink some beer!¡± Rocky raised his cup to toast.

    ¡­Watch the flowers?

    I turned around, and immediately understood. Looking out through the alley, I could see the cherry blossoms lined up in the park. The partially bloomed flowers were pretty and red under the sun.

    It¡¯s this season already. Loads of things happened these past days. I am not in the mood to note the seasons. Only after they mentioned it did I recall that it was April starting yesterday.

    ¡°We were watching the flowers in the parkst time.¡± Pole said, looking drunk, ¡°But you see, didn¡¯t they rebuild the ce as a sports parkst year? We can¡¯t go there to drink anymore, so that¡¯s why we¡¯re hanging out at ¡®Hanamaru¡¯ this year.¡±

    ¡°We ain¡¯t exactly watching the flowers though.¡± ¡°Just eating and drink away!¡± ¡°Master? this cherry blossom ice cream is nice! Can I have another bowl!?¡±

    ¡°One person gets one bowl only! It¡¯s limited for this season!¡±

    Min-san yelled from the kitchen.

    I dragged the bicycle to the back door, and sat next to Yondaime hesitantly.

    ¡°Erm¡­what¡¯s the situation now?¡±

    ¡°Watching the flowers.¡± Yondaime nced aside at the gang members, scoffing.

    ¡°Eh, I know that. What I¡¯m saying is ©¤©¤¡±

    ¡°Major showed me the video, and I heard what happened. Those idiots of mine don¡¯t know yet.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­I see. So, I guess this isn¡¯t really the time, right?¡±

    ¡°Whether Alice is around or not, the flower viewing still happens.¡± Tetsu-senpai¡¯s slurry voice interrupted. There was an empty bottle of 72 Japanese wine.

    ¡°Yes, how can we not drink at this moment?¡±

    Hiro too was drinking with much enthusiasm. Seeing the color of the liquid, I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s most likely whisky. He¡¯s another one whose face won¡¯t be flushed even when drinking, but his eyes looking a little dazed. He seemed rather drunk.

    ¡°You?and I in the same?batch?the sakuras?¡±

    And Major started singing an army song while drunk. What¡¯s with these guys?

    ¡±Erm¡­aren¡¯t we hear to discuss about Alice?¡±

    ¡°Discuss what?¡± Yondaime scoffed, ¡°Didn¡¯t she tell us to leave her be?¡±

    ¡°Y-yea, but¡­¡±

    ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t know what to do either.¡±

    Hiro¡¯s words left me dumbfounded.

    ¡°Look, if Alice was abducted, I¡¯m going in to save her even if I have to get the Hirasaka-gumi guys to barge in. But after seeing that video, I ¡­¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you guys going to save her?¡±

    ¡°Please, Narumi¡­¡±Tetsu-senpai looked at me in the eyes and said, ¡±If it was Alice who killed him, and if we¡¯re to get her out from her house, the issue will get worse. Do you understand? They¡¯re hiding her because they don¡¯t want to involve the police. If we make a careless move, we might alert the police, and what happens in the hospital will be revealed.¡±

    Senpai¡¯s words took a long time before they finally sank into my mind.

    Alice¡¯s not in a fix. She¡¯s alright.

    Those that aren¡¯t in trouble can¡¯t be helped.

    No, it¡¯s likely that if I save her and be reunited with her, she might really kill herself. For her, not meeting me again is a recement to death. This thought left a shiver in me, It¡¯s pointless to convince myself countless times that she couldn¡¯t possibly do such a foolish thing, since she already did.

    ¡°We¡¯ll meet again at Yasukuni! Meet again at Yasukuni!¡±

    Apletely drunk Major was shouting some ominous stuff at an empty ce. The drunk uncles and guys in ck T-shirt too created a ruckus.

    ¡°¡­But even so, there¡¯s no need to be watching flowers at this time, right?¡±

    I asked, sounding unconfident.

    ¡°Now¡¯s the time to watch the flowers.¡± Hiro smiled, ¡°When we¡¯re at a loss on what to do, we need to smile and do happy things. It¡¯s pointless to keep a glum face.¡±

    I lowered my eyes and shook my head. I couldn¡¯t be so carefree, and I wasn¡¯t in the mood to receive the cup before me.

    I returned to my bicycle parked at the back door, picked up the Lilicu in the basket, went up the staircase, and thought of sleeping in the office.

    ¡°Hey, gardening kid ¡­¡±

    I arrived at the turnaround, and turned my head around once I heard a voice from downstairs. I found Yondaime climbing the stairs, so I stopped, looking tense as I said,

    ¡°Right¡­sorry.¡±

    ¡°Why are you apologizing?¡±Yondaime frowned.

    ¡°I-it¡¯s nothing. I thought I made you angry.¡±

    ¡°You idiot.¡±

    Yondaime said, point at the teddy bear under my armpit,

    ¡°It¡¯s falling off.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°The nose is falling off. Hand it over.¡±

    Yondaime snatched the doll, stormed up the third level, and entered the detective agency. I hastily gave chase.

    He sat on the corridor, and took out a ck stic box from his coat pocket. There was a needle, a pair of scissors, and a spool of thread. It¡¯s a sewing box. So he brings that along with him every time?

    I knelt next to Yondaime, watching him skillfully repair the fallen bear nose.

    Once he was done, Yondaime straightened his cor, and stared at the amber eyes of the teddy bear. I had throught he would talk about the ¡®evidence¡¯ Alice mentioned in the video, but he merely put the bear on my knees.

    ¡°¡­She owed me a lot.¡±

    Yondaime sighed, and muttered,

    ¡°And I owe her as much.¡±

    The score¡¯s settled. It seemed he intended to say that he hasn¡¯t repaid the favour, so it didn¡¯t matter that Alice wasn¡¯t around, right? I cupped the doll onto my tummy, my chin on the knees.

    ¡°You sent the video to Major, hoping for others to think up ideas for you, right?¡±

    Yondaime wasn¡¯t really chiding nor mocking me, just tly stating the truth.

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±

    ¡°Now that¡¯s your problem. Stop relying on others. If you are personally asking to save her, your sincerity might get everyone to help you out, as long as the situation allows for it. This goes for me, Tetsu and the others, but you¡¯re the one who has to make the decision.¡±

    I stared nkly at Yondaime¡¯s sidelong face, blinking a few times. On that face was the cold, hard ruggedness that always nudged me from behind.

    ¡°Mine¡­? No, that¡¯s¡­Alice¡¯s problem. So that¡¯s everyone¡¯s problem.¡±

    Yondaime stood up.

    ¡°That has nothing to do with Alice, or us. It¡¯s your problem.¡±

    Without looking at me again, he left the office, leaving me alone in the dry air with the cold air breathing, and Lilicu staring at me worriedly.

    Why does it have nothing to do with anyone else? Isn¡¯t that too harsh on Alice? No, he¡¯s always been like this.

    Relying on others.

    I guess it¡¯s true. Without Alice around, I was lost, scared of making my own decisions, just wanting to shirk responsibility.

    I staggered to my feet, removed my shoes, returned Lilicu to herpanions, and removed the pajamas hanging in the bathroom to fold. In this room that contained Alice¡¯s remains, all I could feel was a sweet, gentle pain in my teeth no matter what I saw or touched.

    I carelessly recalled the words Alice said, andpared the patterns and colors on the pajamas. I see, so the bear patterns and blue fabric do differ slightly, and they all have what looks like a chrysanthemum logo. She¡¯s right. They¡¯re all of the same brand, with such minor difference. No wonder I didn¡¯t realize it¡­so I tried to excuse myself, but it didn¡¯tfort me in any way. How did I not realize it? I¡¯ve been by Alice¡¯s side for a year and a half, serving as her assistant, yet I knew nothing about her.

    This time, she wouldn¡¯t tell me anything beforehand. I tried taking the initiative to talk to her, but she wouldn¡¯t utter a single word.

    What have I been doing over thest year and a half?

    I¡¯ve been saved by Alice countless times, and learned lots of things. With her encouragement, I got my battered body moving, but I couldn¡¯t do anything to repay her, always asking dumb questions, doing things without thinking, and making her worry. Whenever I ferried her on the bicycle, she would wail away. Whenever I gave her a can of Dr. Pepper without gas, I would be scolded by her. These really weren¡¯t things worth being proud of. What detective¡¯s assistant am I being? This really is a bad joke.

    ©¤©¤Leave me alone.

    That was the final order the detective left¡­for her foolish assistant.

    Tears were about to fall. Yeah, Alice¡­someone as stupid as I am can easily execute this.

    I left the detective agency, and the Hirasaka-gumi gang members continued to make a ruckus downstairs. Leaving aside whether Alice was around, the flowers continued to bloom. I felt a sudden moment of rage, reviling the fact that Spring had arrived.

    *

    I returned home, and snuck into my head. I thought I couldn¡¯t sleep as I slept at an irregr time, so I was trying to space out, lying on the bed. The sky was dark when I woke up. I looked at my cellphone by the bed, and found that it was 7pm. My sister sent me a message, telling me to settle my own dinner.

    There was some noise downstairs, and it seemed I woke up due to it. Since my sister isn¡¯t returning home that early, it probably means dad¡¯s back. I lowered my head dejectedly on the bed. Recently, he had been returning home more frequently, just twice or thrice every month instead of the usual once every two months.

    I felt mncholic being alone with my dad in the house. I put on the nket, wanting to sleep. However, as I had just woken up, I really couldn¡¯t sleep.

    So I gave up, and got off the bed to face the situation.

    My body was soaked in sweat, so I removed my shirt. There was a grimy sense of dirt and grease clinging to my skin, so I opened the drawer, grabbed a shirt, and out it was a T-shirt Mari-san gave me.

    Right, I wonder what happened to her? She tried to speak up for her sister once she learned thetter had killed their father. Is she apanying Alice? No way. Alice hates her¡ªso I thought, before I noticed something.

    There was a chrysanthemum shaped logo on thebel at the back cor of the T-shirt. The brand was different, yet it was the same design as Alice¡¯s pajamas.

    I hurried to the table, and opened myptop. Just entering my login and password left me frustrated. I searched for the name ¡®Shionji Mari¡¯, and found her official website under the first result. Opening it, I found an entire photo of Mari-san dressed in a white dress on the front page, and the photos by the popup menu showed the names of her three brands, female, male and children clothing. All of them had that chrysanthemum logo.

    How was it that I only realized at this point?

    Feeling dumbfounded, my eyes lost all focus as they wavered across the monitor.

    Alice¡¯s pajamas were all Mari-san¡¯s brand, and I took her words literally, not seeing beyond the surface. I had assumed Alice really hated her older sister. It was stupid. I really didn¡¯t understand anything at all.

    They really missed each other that much.

    I¡¯ve been so close to Alice for so long, yet I never read her thoughts. I had no right to be her assistant.

    What else did I miss?

    The various things that happened that night reawakened clearly in my mind, one by one.

    I suddenly got to my feet, so agitated that I didn¡¯t realize the chair had fallen behind me. Various colors and words swirled in a vortex, crumbling, scattering into fragments, and fusing together again,

    A short fiery breath was eked out between my lips.

    My heart calmed down, beating firmly and vigorously.

    I understood.

    I understood what happened that night. It was so easy to understand. It¡¯s not just one hint, all of them were revealed before me, just that I didn¡¯t know how to open my eyes.

    I put on my T-shirt, grabbed my cellphone, and exhaled to calm myself down.

    However, there was one point I did not get. Why did ¡®she¡¯ do it? That could be left forter however; I had to take action. I couldn¡¯t remain where I was, I couldn¡¯t back down. I had to advance in a direction.

    Which?

    I left my room, and went downstairs to the first floor, seeing a silhouette on my corridor. It¡¯s my dad, his back facing the lights in the living room. He probably came out from the toilet, since I could hear some soft water sounds.

    Our eyes crossed. He passed me by, holding the door handle to the living room. I too endured the awkwardness, but after one step, I stopped, my toes creaking on the floor.

    The few words nailed to my chest sizzled again, throbbing my heart.

    It¡¯s my own issue. I just refused to face it directly.

    So I turned around, and said to the frail figure behind that closing door,

    ¡°©¤©¤Dad.¡±

    My dad had his hand on the door that was going to close. He didn¡¯t turn his face around, and I couldn¡¯t see his expression. When did he have so much more white hair? So I thought as I saw the back of his head. No matter how he tried to run away from reality and hasten the time in his heart, he couldn¡¯t lie to his body.

    ¡°Sis sent me a message saying that she¡¯s doing overtime¡­I¡¯m going out now. She said we¡¯ll have to settle dinner for ourselves.¡±

    Dad didn¡¯t reply, and remained still at the door that was centimeters ajar; I wondered if he would dissolve into sand at that moment, gone with the wind. Finally, I gave up hope, and turned to sit at the corridor, wearing my shoes.

    ¡°©¤©¤Narumi¡­¡±

    Finally, a voice rang.

    It took me a long,ughable amount of time to understand that it was my dad¡¯s voice. What I saw as I turned around was the aged sidelong face of my dad through the gap at the door, covered with wrinkles left behind by the many fleeting years.

    ¡°What about your dinner?¡±

    I chewed upon the somewhat intangible answer in my mouth.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go out to eat. There¡¯s a ramen shop I frequent.¡±

    In the end, that¡¯s all I could say.

    ¡°¡­I see.¡±

    Dad¡¯s t reply was cut off coldly as the door shut.

    Once I exited the house, the faint night breeze grazed my hair. The darkness didn¡¯t seem cold to me. The branches of the tree swayed, and between them, the lights of the buildings flickered. I could hear cats fighting somewhere, and crickets chirping, impatient for summer. The breath of life lingered in the atmosphere. It was the smell of Spring filled with birth and rotting.

    Once I got on the way, I took out the phone from my pocket, hesitated on who to call, before choosing to call Yondaime.

    ¡°¡­What is it?¡±

    Soon after, I got his cold reply, with a bunch of loud people in the background.

    ¡°¡­E-erm, are you guys still drinking?¡±

    ¡°At the fourth shop. We¡¯re at a bar in Sakuragaoka.¡±

    I could hear incoherent, brash singing. I guess the Hirasaka-gumi are also gathered there.

    ¡°I¡­want to ask you for help.¡±

    ¡°If you have anything to say, hurry up.¡±

    I took a deep breath, intending to rally myself, only to hear some ss andrge objects tumbling over, causing me to move the phone away from my ear.

    ¡°Tetsu, what are you going?¡± And senpai¡¯s drunk voice interrupted Yondaime.¡°Hey Narumi? Why are you calling Yondaime? You should be calling me first!¡±

    Major¡¯s voice rang as well.¡°All of you are soldiers, none of your logic applies to me!¡±Hiro too spoke with questionable sobriety, ¡°I¡¯m your senior here. Why didn¡¯t you discuss it with me first?¡± Well I called Yondaime because I knew you guys would be dead drunk.

    ¡°Ignore those idiots, talk.¡±

    Yondaime seemed to have finally gotten his phone back as he prompted me. Having lost have my motivation to the drunks, I took a deep breath, and started over again.

    ¡°¡­I want to get Alice back from her family. I need your help.

    ¡°What about payment?¡±

    As expected, Yondaime would start talking about the money issue. This business-like attitude really had me grateful, and I didn¡¯t have to look back to how empty I was 10 minutes ago.

    ¡°Alice says that she¡¯ll pay once she¡¯s back.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t she say to leave her already? Doesn¡¯t that mean that she doesn¡¯t need saving? We might be unable to settle payment then.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll get her to pay. I don¡¯t care what she thinks right now, but once we get her back, I¡¯ll get her to pay as thanks¡±

    Right, it¡¯s not Alice¡¯s issue, not Yondaime¡¯s, Tetsu-senpai¡¯s, Hiro¡¯s or Major¡¯s, but what I want.

    I hope that Alice can return.

    No way do I ept that I can¡¯t see her again, leave me alone. She can say that all she want. If she really hopes not to get involved with me, she could have vanished without saying anything. Why leave a message for me? Such an idiot. No matter how awkward I might look, I¡¯m going to grab you and pull you back. I managed to lie and outtalk many, but I can¡¯t lie to my own heart.

    I don¡¯t want to lose Alice.

    ¡°You¡¯re pretty confident. I¡¯m here to talk to you anyway, and what Alice thinks is none of my business.¡±Yondaime said emotionlessly,

    ¡°What do you think will happen if you take her back? What if her actions are revealed©¤©¤¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t Alice who killed him.¡±

    A long silence beckoned. So even Yondaime will hesitate on how he should talk.

    ¡°©¤©¤I see, good.¡±

    He said nothing more. I heaved a sigh of relief, grateful that he¡¯s really my sworn brother.

    ¡°Meet me at my office, we¡¯ll be right there.¡±

    The call ended. I slipped the phone into my pocket, thinking that I should retrieve my bicycle that¡¯s at ¡®Ramen Hanamaru¡±. While leaving the agency, I was scared of seeing everyone, and feeling unbearable, so I left my bicycle there, and went back. If I could decide back then to ask everyone to retrieve Alice, I wouldn¡¯t have to make a long detour.

    No, making detours is how I always lived. Haven¡¯t I always been like this in the past? If I want to regret, I¡¯ll do it once I enter my grave.

    It¡¯s now time to keep charging forward.

 Volume 9, 5

    <h4>Volume 9, Chapter 5</h4>

    There was a new ten-storey building at the intersection between Bunkyo-ku and Toshima-ku building. The main entrance was facing the main road, and it had an avant-garde design, as though the corners of a rectangle was chiseled off. The ss walls were reflecting the Spring sun, and there was a ¡®wee to lease¡¯ disy board at the door. My hand was covering my forehead to block the sun as I looked up at the building.

    ¡°I found where Alice is.¡±

    During the operation meeting at the Hirasaka-gumi agency, Major announced this,

    ¡°I¡¯ve analyzed the video you sent me. There¡¯s the train horn at a station in the background, so it was easy for me to figure it out.¡±

    It was easy, I was impressed that he could say it without any further thought.

    ¡°So we scanned the possible areas Major marked, and found this new building to be registered under the Shionji Corporation.¡± Tetsu-senpai continued, ¡°It¡¯s pretty new. Shouldn¡¯t be wrong.¡±

    In other words, while I was wasting time being dejected, they already figured out Alice¡¯s position. It¡¯s the same every time, but I really realized how tunnel-visioned I am.

    I took the initiative to ask those around me to investigate, and that¡¯s to mitigate my ws.

    I spent ten minutes circling the building once, observing the windows on every level, the entrances to each level, the basement parking. Following that¡¯s the real troublesome part. I need to figure out if Alice¡¯s really there, which level and which room she¡¯s in, and begin nning from there.

    I can¡¯t be anxious. I¡¯m just investigating this time to create a good cover to enter the building. I approached the main door, taking photos of the railings of the various floors. Anypany here is valuable information I can use. Most of the floors were empty, and there¡¯s a lot of space. Maybe it¡¯s really an appropriate ce to imprison a girl here ©¤©¤

    ¡°You¡¯re here. That¡¯s fast.¡±

    Those words caused me to jolt in shock.

    Looking back, I found a man in white robes entering through the automatic doors. It was Shionji Keiichi.

    ¡°Ahh, yeah ¡­¡±

    I never thought I would meet him at this point. I was not prepared in the slightest, and could only stumble back gaudily.

    Since this person¡¯s here, does this mean Alice is really in this building? What should I do? Major and Tetsu-senpai spent effort finding this ce for me, and my actions were revealed so easily. Now they¡¯re surely going to move Alice away. While this thought kept beating at the back of my head, Shionji Keiichi tilted his head, saying,

    ¡°Ah, Yuuko isn¡¯t here.¡±

    I gulped, looking back at his face.

    ¡°You guys figured out the station and the vehicle sounds in the background of the video, and found your way here. Am I right?¡±

    ¡°¡­Eh¡­yeah¡­¡±

    ¡°I heard that you people have such expertise at least, so I wanted to try it out, and added some misdirecting audio into the video. It¡¯s really not easy that you figured out the right answer within two days.¡±

    I was dumbfounded, unable to say anything.

    He mixed fake sound signals into the video? To test our capabilities ¡­?

    ¡°But did Yuuko not tell you to leave her?¡±

    I clenched my fists, and could hear my joints rubbing, my nails sinking into my flesh. Calm down, now¡¯s not the time to panic. We got baited into the palm of his hand. Reflect on thister.

    ¡°What do you want to do with Alice?¡±

    I questioned, trying my best to hush my trembling voice.

    ¡°Now why would I tell you?¡±

    ¡°Don''t forget, I know what happened that night at the hospital. You sure you aren''t scared of me revealing things to the media?¡±

    Shionji Keiichi gave a small sigh,

    ¡°Come in. We can¡¯t talk about this at the entrance.¡±

    I followed him through the door. There was no one at the service desk and the elevator. There was no one at the service desk or the elevator reception, and there was the stinging stench of finished construction in the building. He brought me to a little corner at the first level, isted by a partition, with several sofas there.

    ¡°Before we begin, I have a request.¡±

    Shionji Keiichi sat on the sofa, raising a leg as he said.

    ¡°¡­What request?¡±

    ¡°Please switch off the recorder inside your pocket.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t hide the surprise on my face, and tapped my hand at the lump on chest pocket of my short coat .

    ¡°Don¡¯t think too much into this. I don¡¯t have the abnormally sharp senses of yours. You¡¯re here to investigate, so recording is a must.¡±

    I bit my lips hard, and reached into my pocket, taking out the recorder pen the size of my palm.

    ¡°And your cellphone.¡± Shionji Keiichi added, so I ced the phone next to the recorder.

    This guy¡¯s so vexingly annoying. As a detective¡¯s assistant, I¡¯ve encountered various cases, and faced off against various types of people, but this Shionji Keiichi is undoubtedly the one that really annoyed me most. He knew our tricks so thoroughly, and has been toying us. Most terrifyingly, he¡¯s not really antagonistic against us.

    We need to snatch Alice from this man, but our first move was scoffed aside by him,pletely shattered apart.

    Once he saw that the recorder and phone were switched off, Shionji Keiichi said,

    ¡°First, you have no proof of what happened that night.¡±

    I neither agreed nor disagreed, so I listened to him quietly.

    ¡°To borate, we have the means to shush things.¡±

    Of course, I knew that the Shionjis¡¯ fortunes and influence could shut the police and media up.

    ¡°But that will require a hefty price. In this sense, your threat is a decent negotiating tactic. I shall give you some painless news.¡±

    Why¡¯s he praising me right now? Talking with this guy feels like I have a vacuum cleaner on my ears, sucking my soul out.

    ¡°You ask me what am I nning to do with Yuuko?¡± Shionji Keiichi raised his other leg, ¡°Nothing. To be precise, I just want to observe her, marveled by her.¡±

    I sighed. It¡¯s really ridiculous. Exining quantum mechanics to centipedes or scorpions might be more constructive than this.

    ¡°Yuuko¡¯s a special human, and her existence is some sort of miracle. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t understand at all.¡±

    I yed dumb, but Shionji Keiichi ignored me as he continued,

    ¡°I¡¯ve never met such a dazzling intellect with a desire to learn. My instincts tell me that she can devour the world, so I gave her theputer. You may think that I¡¯m her mentor, but the truth is that she¡¯s self-taught, and I merely pulled aside the curtain to show her how vast the world is.¡±

    I remained silent as I stared at the robotic eyes behind the sses. What are you getting at?

    ¡°Over the past years, I¡¯ve been discreetly watching her grow. I can tell from trying to hack into herputer. However, I do hope to remain by her side and observe how she codes or configures. That will impress me all the more.¡±

    I could feel a strange, indescribable feeling from this man called Shionji Keiichi; the negative words ¡®intimidating¡¯, ¡®outrageous¡¯ clearly unable to describe him. I don¡¯t feel disgusted at him, just captivated like he¡¯s some deep sea creature.

    However, now¡¯s not the time to marvel over this. I have to figure out where Alice is, and nothing else matters now. Having finally found an opening to interrupt, I said,

    ¡°So Alice is under your supervision?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Please let her go.¡±

    Shionji Keiichi tilted his head slightly, saying,

    ¡°Your request ispletely different from the demand you had made. A good point about you is that you know no shame, but you do need to be aware of your own limits.¡±

    What¡¯s with this guy? He¡¯s driving me nuts. Why¡¯s he praising me and scolding me like a parent?

    ¡°Also, I am not confining Yuuko.¡±

    I red at his eyes, trying my best not to miss out on anything he had just said.

    ¡°I¡¯m simply hiding her. Of course, the room is locked, but that is to prevent outsiders from entering. The Head managed to remain alive, miraculously, but it¡¯s only a matter of time until he dies. When that happens, Yuuko¡¯s predicament will be very precarious. My grandfather hopes that Yuuko will remain silent forever, and I don¡¯t know what he will do.¡±

    ¡°Your grandfather?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t understand. His grandfather, the brother of the Head, Shionji Mikitsugu should logically be the next in line for the inheritance, right?

    ¡°What else does he want with Alice? Legally speaking, doesn¡¯t the inheritance go to him?¡±

    Shionji Keiichi pursed his lips, and remained quiet for a really long time. He¡¯s probably wondering how much he could reveal. While I was starting to feel nervous, he finally spoke up.

    ¡°That night, when Mitsuki-san breathed hisst, there was a document by his beside. My grandfather was the first there, and dealt with it immediately, but the culprit definitely saw it.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that document?¡±

    ¡°Better not know, and you don¡¯t want to be dealt with by him after knowing, right? Yuuko knew of this unspeakable matter.¡±

    ¡°Dealt¡­what do you mean? What¡¯s the situation now?¡±

    Shionji Keiichi lowered his eyes, and muttered, as though to himself,

    ¡°You still know nothing of the Shionjis¡¯ madness, but that¡¯s for the best.¡±

    Shionjis¡¯ madness? Is there something more to the inheritance issue I don¡¯t know of?

    No, it¡¯s pointless to think about this. This guy will never say anything as long as he made up his mind. The most important thing is to fish out about Alice¡¯s situation

    ¡°You¡¯re saying you¡¯re protecting Alice, so that she won¡¯t be harmed by your grandfather, but that¡¯s no different from confining her, right?¡±

    ¡°I gave Yuukomunication channels and an open environment, exactly the same as when she¡¯s at the detective agency. If she¡¯s willing, she can break through the traps I set up to contact you, reveal her location, and even unlock herself to get out.¡±

    I pursed my lips.

    For she was unwilling to return, and did not, instead staying in confinement on her own will.

    Aren¡¯t your hacking skills better than Alice¡¯s? I¡¯m guessing that she can¡¯t hack her way out, right? It¡¯s pointless to question this however. There¡¯s a lot of things I wanted to ask.

    ¡°¡­How¡¯s Mari-san now? I couldn¡¯t contact her since that day. Did you do anything to her too?¡±

    ¡°Mari-san¡¯s been in the hospital the entire time, watching the Head. The Head really dotes on her, just like Yuuko.¡±

    She¡¯s been in the hospital till this point?

    ¡°So she¡¯s basically locked in the hospital?¡±

    Shionji Keiichi continued.

    ¡°It¡¯s not wrong of you to say it. Layman terms, she¡¯s hospitalized due to overexertion. Unlike Yuuko, she¡¯s a public figure busy with work.¡±

    In other words, is Alice willingly imprisoned because her sister¡¯s in your hands? So I thought, but I couldn¡¯t speak up.

    ¡°¡­With your you¡¯re hiding things, how are you going to resolve the issue of Alice¡¯s father¡¯s death?¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t something you can ask about.¡±

    So this is taboo after all, since it involves something illegal, a potency I could threaten with. However, it¡¯s not hard to guess, since they¡¯ll likely dismiss it as medical negligence.

    Let¡¯s try rattling him again. So I thought.

    ¡°It¡¯s not Alice who killed him.¡±

    And Shionji Keiichi¡¯s face remained unmoved,

    ¡°And so?¡±

    There was no mockery in his tone. He was really doubting, so what if Alice wasn¡¯t the killer?

    ¡°Even if it¡¯s not Yuuko who killed him, it doesn¡¯t matter to me. As long as she remains by my side, no matter whether it¡¯s a lie or a delusion, it doesn¡¯t matter to me.¡±

    I shut up, and got up. It seemed I had nothing to say to him. Once I reached the door, Shionji Keiichi called me from behind.

    ¡°What is it?¡± I stopped in my tracks, and turned around.

    ¡°What does Yuuko normally eat?¡±

    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±

    I blurted out, suddenly stupefied by this sudden, strange question.

    ¡°Based on my investigations, I gave her Dr. Pepper and ramen without noodles and meat, even having the taste mimick that of the ramen shop called ¡¯Hanamaru¡¯, but she wouldn¡¯t take a bite.¡±

    I blinked my eyes, and answered,

    ¡°¡­Eh, because she has a small appetite to begin with.¡±

    ¡°it¡¯s the third day. She hasn¡¯t taken a sip.¡±

    Not even Dr. Pepper? That¡¯s weird.

    ¡°She¡¯s really weak right now. She already has weak constitution to begin with, so¡­¡±

    I gasped, and closed in on Shionji Keiichi, yelling,

    ¡°What are the doctors doing!?¡±

    ¡°She refused the drip. Do you intend for me to bind her in a straitjacket?¡±

    ¡°Th-that¡¯s not it. But, what¡¯s this? She¡¯s not drinking?¡±

    ¡°Maybe this is the ¡®redemption¡¯ she speaks of. She did mention this to you in the video she sent you, right?¡±

    Slow, suicide?

    Before I realized it, I found my hand grabbing onto the cor of Shionji Keiichi¡¯s white robe.

    ¡°Return Alice to me right now!¡±

    He narrowed his eyes beneath the sses, giving a look of pity.

    ¡°Don¡¯t make me repeat myself too many times. You are in no position to ask for anything.¡±

    ¡°So it doesn¡¯t matter to you if Alice dies!?¡±

    ¡°Of course not.¡±

    ¡°¡­You©¤©¤¡±

    Shionji Keiichi flung aside my wrist, saying,

    ¡°If she does choose that, that will be part of Yuuko¡¯s beautiful life.¡±

    I was speechless, so much so that the anger dissipated and dispersed.

    ¡°And even if I do let her go, she might not change her mind. I shall watch her wilt away until her final moments.¡±

    He¡¯s mad, his mind isn¡¯t sane. In a sense, he¡¯s the same as Alice. I shoved Shionji Keiichi back onto the sofa, and ran right for the door, the boiling brain juices seemingly oozing out of my ears.

    *

    That night, we began a meeting outside the back door of ''Ramen Hanamaru'', but Major was dejected right from the beginning, muttering away, and was of no help at all.

    ¡°Got duped by a fake voice¡­¡±

    Eavesdropping and sound analysis are the two key specialties of Major, so much so that he considered himself a sonar operation of the JSDF. He seemed really shaken that he''s been had.

    However, now''s not the time to bother with him. Tetsu-senpai, Hiro and I continue to scowl and re at the wooden table, discussing how we should get Alice back.

    ¡°Anyway, we don''t have much time. We can only force our way through or threaten.¡±

    Senpai muttered, and I agreed. We can''t think of falling back at this point.

    ¡°From what you say, it is that Keiichi who''s imprisoning Alice himself, right?¡±

    Hiro kept tapping his fingertips on his knees, looking jittery.

    ¡°Probably. He said that he didn''t want anyone else in the family to find Alice.¡±

    Hearing my answer,senpai folded his arms, and groaned,

    ¡°Looking at this, there are other possible locations ¡­but he¡¯s the boss of his own ITpany. Who knows how many buildings he has.¡±

    ¡°I think Shionji Keiichi¡¯s a pervert who¡¯s a little too obsessed with Alice? Since he wants to observe up close, he¡¯s definitely not too far away from her.¡± Hiro noted.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. Maybe he¡¯s not being being discreet, and locking Alice in his house or office. Let¡¯s start from the real estatepanies.¡±

    Senpai stood up, kicking a devastated Major on the leg, saying,

    ¡°How long are you going to keep sleeping? Aren¡¯t you going to spy and eavesdrop on the target? He might return to Alice for a moment, you know.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Major¡¯s eyes regained life, the goggles jumping up.

    ¡°Spying and eavesdropping¡¯s my mission! See enemy, kill enemy! See enemy, kill enemy!¡± ¡°Enough killing, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Both of them left the alley between the buildings, one following the other. Hiro waved with a smile, and once their footsteps vanished, he looked gloomy again.

    ¡°We need to threaten him until he''s forced topromise.¡±

    I muttered.

    The man Shionji Keiichi has a twisted sense of values, but his thought process is still logical, and he knows how to weigh pros and cons. In other words, threats are effective. If I have enough ckmail material to threaten him with, he might let Alice go.

    ¡°Luckily, or maybe not, but in any case, Alice''s family has lots of unspeakable things, so maybe we can get something from digging there.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right. I think Yondaime mentioned that he did investigate that hospital, so I asked him to continue looking there.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll start looking for Alice¡¯s mother then. Since she¡¯s a hostess at Ginza, I probably can find a few leads, though it¡¯s been more than twenty years ¡­¡±

    Hiro too stood up, leaving the alley. Soon after, the exhaust pipe of the car departed, and I was the only one left behind. I saw the messages everyone ssent, and was bbergasted, wondering if we had enough time. Will this matter end even if we do save Alice? Shionji Keiichi said that even if he let her go, it doesn¡¯t mean that Alice will change her mind©¤©¤

    I buried my hands into my palms.

    Why¡¯s she seeking death? Is she an idiot? What does she mean, stepping beyond the boundary of a detective? So what? There¡¯s nothing more important than living on, right?

    This thought repeated itself emptily in my mind, mocking me,

    Till this point, I found many who found things more important than their own lives. There¡¯s nothing wrong with that, and nothing fortunate or unfortunate with that. It just means that humans have evolved way too fast, and that they think too much.

    Alice made up her mind, so this is my problem. I hope for Alice to live on, to show emotions next to me, and to treat me as an idiot.

    ¡°¡­Fujishima-kun?¡±

    The back door opened, and Ayaka poked her head out, wearing a ck apron. So it¡¯s dinner business time?

    ¡°Want some food?¡±

    Ayaka served me a te of four onigiris. I shook my head.

    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m not too hungry.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Ayaka sat on the stack of old tires opposite me, eating away, and ncing up at me from time to time. After swallowing the third, she made up her mind, and asked,

    ¡°¡­Is there anything I can do?¡±

    For a moment, I didn''t know how to answer.

    To be honest, no. Even I couldn¡¯t really help at all here. If I had the skills or connections like the senior detective gang trio or Yondaime, I could have thought of something. However, Ayaka and I are just high school students.

    However, I felt that trying to coax her or brush her off will only hurt her more.

    ¡°Not at the moment.¡±

    I tried to watch my tone, trying to ensure that I wasn¡¯t being aloof to Ayaka, but I messed up. She¡¯s really a nice person, smiling and nodding, and I felt really guilty.

    ¡°Once Alice returns©¤©¤¡±

    Saying this, I held my breath. It¡¯s really hard to image¡­what will happen in the future.

    ¡°There¡¯ll be a lot of things we need you to help with. I heard that she¡¯s not eating or drinking now. Force her to eat something once shees back¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­Hm, yeah. And she probably hasn¡¯t been taking care of her hair.¡±

    ¡°Right, guess so. I wonder if she has showered.¡±

    I was no longer feeling as tense, for I could joke that much somehow. Ayaka probably heard the details about Alice¡¯s predicament from Hiro, but she stood strong, and she remained strong.

    Thinking about it, I started to have some appetite.

    ¡°I think I¡¯ll have one. Can I?¡±

    Smiling, Ayaka brought the face before me.

    I kept gnawing away at the rice, thinking about Alice. Where exactly is her ¡®home¡¯? The Shionjis filled with years of bloodshed, or the hospital that was clean but dead, or this ramen shop we¡¯re at?

    *

    The next morning, I went to the Hirasaka-gumi office. Yondaime sent me a message, notifying me that he found some new intel from the hospital.

    ¡°Good work!¡± ¡°Good work, aniki!¡±

    I passed through the metal door, and a group of guys in ck T-shirts bowed properly towards me. I went into the storeroom, and saw Yondaime seated oin the dark room, the light of theptop reflected on his face.

    ¡°You say you can¡¯t send this through mail, so it¡¯s something really big, right?¡±I sat on the bed, and asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s not all.¡± Yondaime curled his lips, ¡°Isn¡¯t Shionji Keiichi Alice¡¯s master? It won¡¯t be difficult for him to read through our mails. You don¡¯t want him to know what cards we have, right?¡±

    ¡°O-oh yeah¡­I guess so.¡±

    ¡°I gave Tetsu and the others a call.¡±

    ¡°Sorry about everything ¡­¡±

    Wake up already, so I chided myself. How did I not notice that? Me not having the expertise nor the brains is basically deadweight at this point.

    ¡°I went to threaten the doctors at that hospital, and found something really interesting. Alice¡¯s father, Shionji Mitsuki, was born there too.¡±

    ¡°¡­Oh, so¡ªwhat¡¯s interesting about that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a big hospital now, but back then, it was just some broken down clinic. No way would the Shionjis leave their little princess to this ce.¡±

    Right, the hospital had such big facilities invested heavily in that ce before Alice was born.

    ¡°It looks like the owner of the clince was a shadyacquaintance of Shionji Mitsutoshi during his younger days, a yakuza doctor who deals with dirty work.¡±

    ¡°Eh, so that means Shionji Mitsuki¡¯s parentage isn¡¯t something the outsiders could know of, right?¡±

    Yondaime nodded.

    ¡°When he was Mitsuki¡¯s mother©¤©¤Shionji Terumi, didn¡¯t seem to be born then.¡±

    ¡°¡­That¡¯s quite an issue for ady born to a prestigious family.¡±

    ¡°And also, nobody knows who Mitsuki¡¯s father is.¡±

    For a moment, I couldn¡¯t grasp the main point, and blinked in surprise. Yondaime hushed his voice, and continued,

    ¡°Listen up, what follows is just a hunch of mine. For a child whose father remains unknown, don¡¯t you think Shionji Mitsuki was treated really well?¡±

    ¡°¡­Now that you mention it¡­that is true.¡±

    The Head had deemed him the heir, took him in as a godson, and paved the road for him to take the entire inheritance. It was truly abnormal for the Shionjis, who really valued blood rtions.

    This got me thinking of a certain possibility. Blood rtions¡­?

    And I shivered at that notion. No way?

    Yondaime seemed to have noticed my stiffened face, as he then continued calmly,

    ¡°It''s just my guess, but I believe Shionji Mitsutoshi is his father.¡±

    ¡°In other words¡­sibling incest.¡±

    I looked back at the poised glint in Yondaime¡¯s eyes, and froze. No way, that thought was immediately reced by the idea that no, everything is possible. I recalled everything I had investigated, the strange atmosphere I sensed from the Shionjis at the hospital, and I was thus further convinced.

    The distition of the Shionj¡¯s rich family bloodline.

    The illegitimate child born between the siblings©¤©¤ Shionji Mitsuki.

    The Head Mitsutoshi deemed Mitsuki as his own son, and loved him dearly, so much that he left the entire inheritance for thetter. If they were already father and son to begin with, then everything Mitsutoshi did made sense.

    ¡°But¡­there''s no proof to that, right?¡±

    ¡°Using it to threaten them should be enough. Every little bit of intel we get should be enough progress. If my guess is correct, the main parties involved aren¡¯t the only ones who know this secret.¡±

    ¡°I guess¡­so.¡±

    After a vague answer, I got my brain moving, and was thoroughly rattled by a possibility I had thought of. If Shionji Mitsuki really is the Head Mitsutoshi¡¯s own son, what will the aftereffects be?

    Yondaime continued calmly,

    ¡°Once this matter is revealed, the first issue will be the inheritance. Currently, Mitsuki is MitsutoshiµÄ¡°nephew¡±, and the inheritance won¡¯t be transferred over to his daughters because of his death. If he¡¯s the ¡®son¡¯ however, things will be much different.¡±

    ¡°I see, so that means Alice and Mari-san can inherit, right?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not about whether they can take the inheritance. The inheritance the Head¡¯s brother hope to take will be zero, divided between the Head¡¯s granddaughters. Mitsutoshi is still alive, and there¡¯s a chance for him to recognize them.¡±

    That¡¯s a nuclear-level secret for the Shionjis.

    ¡°Isn''t Alice''s sister taking care of Mitsutoshi? That¡¯ll be perfect. Once the old man wakes up and identifies them, the inheritance will be divided between Alice and her sister.¡±

    ¡°No, but Alice and Mari-san don''t want to inherit, right?¡±

    ¡°Are you stupid? We''re not going to do this for real. We¡¯re just going to use this to threaten the Shionjis, that this will happen if it¡¯s all revealed.¡±

    Ah, I see. So that''s what he means.

    ¡°But¡± Yondaime hushed his voice again, ¡°If that¡¯s the truth, the risk will be equally big. We¡¯re talking about an astronomically high figure being involved here after all.¡±

    I swallowed my bitter saliva. He¡¯s saying that we should be prepared for the worst, that we will be silenced forever.

    And thus, I realized this was what Shionji Keiichi was referring to. There was a document in the room when Shionji Mitsuki was murdered, Is that proof of his parental lineage with the Head Mitsutoshi? And Alice knew of this fatal secret to Shionji Mikitsugu, who could take the entire inheritance to himself.

    So that¡¯s why he wants Alice silenced forever?

    When Shionji Mitsuki was still alive, Shionji Mikitsugu said that he would rather have Alice inherit than have it fall into the hands of outsiders. However, he got the chance to inherit everything, and intends to eliminate Alice, who knew the truth.

    The rotten vortex of blood and desire left me nauseous.

    The madness of the Shionjis

    It¡¯s way too risky to ckmail them with this to obtain Alice,

    ¡°If there¡¯s a need to, leave the negotiations to me.¡±

    ¡°Eh¡­n-no, I can¡¯t have you do such a dangerous thing.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s worse if you¡¯re to handle this. You¡¯re way too honest.¡±

    For a moment, I really couldn¡¯t say anything

    .

    Is this secret even useful? The one hiding Alice isn¡¯t Mikitsugu, but Keiichi. If he¡¯s to weigh between the inheritance his grandfather can get against Alice, Keiichi will surely choose Alice, won¡¯t he?

    Or perhaps I should just reveal what I know without threatening him instead. Shionji Mitsuki is Head Mitsutoshi¡¯s own son. If this is revealed to everyone under the sun, it¡¯ll be pointless to silence Alice, and the reason to hide her is no more.

    No, maybe there¡¯s no reason to hide her anymore, but that¡¯s not enough reason to let her go. It doesn¡¯t hurt Shionji Keiichi personally in any way.

    I didn¡¯t know what to do. There¡¯s so much I didn¡¯t understand, and I couldn¡¯t determine my direction.

    Thank you for helping me, I¡¯ll go back and think about it; saying that, I stood up.

    ¡°So what are we going to do!?¡±

    ¡°Where are we going to fight!?¡±

    ¡°Who are we going to shape up!?!¡±

    Yondaime and I left the storeroom, and the bunch of goris surrounded us, yapping away. Shocked, I stumbled back, bumping into Yondaime behind me. I nced back, trying to gauge his reaction, ¡°Deal with it.¡± but he coldly retorted. Seriously, we haven¡¯t exactly decided on what we¡¯re going to do.

    ¡°Erm, what I need everyone to do ©¤©¤¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re willing to give our all for Alice nee-san!¡±

    Pole said, ring with ferocity,

    ¡°We¡¯re stypid. We don¡¯t understand theplicated stuff, but we¡¯re willing to do anything!¡±

    Rocky too added on with bloodshot eyes,

    ¡°Nee-san always took care of us, but we haven¡¯t repaid her in any way!¡±

    ¡°Tell us what needs to be done, we won¡¯t disappoint you, aniki!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll do anything for nee-san!¡±

    I intended to coax them and run away, but my words were stuck in my throat, and I ended up stupefied in the middle of twenty or so stares. I suddenly felt some warmth deep within my abdomen, and with my trembling lips, I swallowed the overwhelming emotions back into my lungs. I finally made it tangible, and spoke up,

    ¡°¡­I¡¯lle up with a strategy soon. Until then, I¡¯ll need everyone¡¯s help. Please lend me your strength.¡±

    ¡°©¤©¤Roger!¡±

    ¡°Roger!¡±

    The gang members answered.

    Once I left the office, I and looked up at the flowery cloudy skies, and pedalled on my bicycle. As the winds blew in my face, the heat in my body became more definted.

    I called out to Alice, who was somewhere under the same sky.

    There are many here waiting for you. Everyone¡¯s worried about you. This town is your home, isn¡¯t it?

    If you have forgetton, or are trying to forget about this ©¤©¤

    I¡¯ll make sure that you¡¯ll remember.

    *

    Hiro¡¯s investigations didn¡¯t go well. The biggest problem we have is that we don¡¯t know what¡¯s the family name of Alice¡¯s mother is. It¡¯s toote to regret not asking Alice or Mari-san, and I couldn¡¯t call Shionji Keiichi (He might give the name easily, but he would have sniffed out our intentions), Hiro can only ask his acquaintances in Ginza, and try his luck friend. There¡¯s also a chance our messages would be hacked, so he could only call or meet them directly.

    And so, he waspletely worn out once he returned to ¡®Ramen Hanamaru¡¯ at noon.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t sleep the entire night. It¡¯s been a while since Ist walked that much, but too bad I whiffed on everything.¡±

    Hiro said that wearily, and immediately finished the PET bottle.

    ¡°It was more than twenty years ago when her mother was a hostess, right? I don¡¯t know if the shop she worked at back then is still around¡­looking at this rate, it¡¯s unlikely we¡¯ll find it, and even if we do, we might not be able to obtain anything really valuable.¡±

    ¡°So are you saying that it¡¯s better for us¡­to give up on the mother?¡±

    Hiro weakly nodded, and I looked down, sorting my thoughts out.

    We need any and every weapon that allows us to seize the initiative from Shionji Keiichi¡¯s hands. We got one thanks to Yondaime, but it¡¯s unreliable. The point about Shionji Mitsuki being borne out of incest is just a guess, there¡¯s no actual proof, and we don¡¯t know how much damage it can cause. It¡¯s over if he just dismisses it ¡°Go ahead and reveal it.¡± We need something more concrete. Looking at what was said during the Shionjis¡¯s family meeting at the hospital, I can tell the circumstances behind the death of Alice¡¯s mother is very suspicious. If we keep digging there, it might cause fatal damage to the Shionjis.

    But we really don¡¯t have much time. While I continue to think about this, Alice might copse.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be easier if only there¡¯s someone of direct rtion to Alice¡¯s mother ¡­¡±

    Someone with direct rtion to Alice¡¯s mother. The Shionjis, the posh clubs at Ginza©¤

    ¡°¡ªAh¡±

    Hiro looked up,

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Th-there might be one.¡±

    I fished out the cellphone from my pocket, and made a call. Right, there should be a mama at a Ginza club. Which number is that again?

    ¡°Narumi-kun, you know such people?¡± Hiro widened his eyes.

    ¡°Gorou-sensei¡¯s women.¡±

    ¡°Ahh!¡± a tadter, Hiro realized.

    Mari-san mentioned that Shionji Mitsuki met the woman who would be his mistress after Gorou-sensei brought him to a club. Someone like Gorou-sensei can¡¯t possibly not have done anything to the women in those clubs. I looked for the numbers of the 13 women who were given Gorou-sensei¡¯s parting gifts. One of them might know Alice¡¯s mother.

    Of course, I had long forgotten who these names were, so I had to call them one by one. It¡¯s a gut-wrenching job.

    At the sixth©¤©¤

    ¡°¡­Yes, that¡¯s right. Gorou-sensei did bring his nephew along ©¤eh? Really? Yes, yes¡­right, right, of course!¡­Ehh, that¡¯s¡­erm, I see. That¡¯ll be best.¡±

    Once I hung up, I gave Hiro a thumbs up,

    ¡°I¡¯ll go over to Ginza.¡±

    I ran off, and behind me, I could hear Hiro sighing away,

    ¡°So your gigolo skills have surpassed mine, Narumi-kun ¡­¡±

    She¡¯s not my lover, you know?

    For the first time in my life, I entered a posh club in Ginza.

    I exited the elevator, and there was a little disy board made out of gas lighting, with the word ¡®Sawa¡¯ there. As it was before operation hours, only the lights in a corner of the room remained lit, and there were no flowers in the exquisite vases. I was brought to the innermost ce, and sat on a white leather sofa. The dazzling chandelier and the pure white grand piano were too searing to my eyes. I really was not used to being at such ces, and could not sitfortably.

    ¡°Wee, Fujishima-san.¡±

    The mama Sawa-san was in her fifties, dressed in splendorous cherry blossom pink which really met her well. She ced a ss cup with cold ginger ale before me, and sat 90 degrees aside from me.

    ¡°Sorry to trouble you thest time.¡± Sawa-san bowed politely. She was probably referring to the parting gifts. As the funeral was an act we yed for Gorou-sensei, I felt really guilty about it.

    ¡°Sorry for disturbing you at your shop.¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t mind about it. I am apologetic for showing you in when this shop is still being prepared. It does seem you wish to talk about something urgent however, and I couldn¡¯t think of a ce convenient for us to talk, so I could only humbly invite you. The other staff members aren¡¯t around though, so rest assured.¡±

    This service attitude from a posh club owner really left me all the guiltier.

    ¡°I suppose something really big happened, no? You hve a dangerous presence just like Gorou-san, Fujishima-san. Such men are the ones women really can[¡®t let go of.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­I see.¡±

    I didn¡¯t know how to respond, and decided to go straight to the point instead.

    ¡°Erm, you say you know Shionji Mitsuki?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­you want to know about Aiko-san, right?¡±

    Seto Aiko, the name of Mari-san and Alice¡¯s mother.

    ¡°Erm, is it better for me not to know why you are asking about Aiko-san now?¡±

    Guilt nearly overwhelmed me as I lowered my eyes, saying,

    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Erm¡­I have some trouble with the Shionjis, and I need to settle this, so we need to know about what happened to Aiko-san in the past¡­but I really can¡¯t state the specifics.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Sawa-san smiled, ¡°You¡¯re Gorou-sensei¡¯s disciple, so I trust you.¡±

    I have a lot of words to say, like I¡¯m not his disciple, or you can¡¯t really trust a disciple of that guy, but I did my best to swallow my words.

    ¡°Sawa-san, you were colleagues with Aiko-san?¡±

    ¡°Yes. That was before I opened the shop, about thirty years ago. It¡¯s really nostalgic.¡±

    Sawa-san used to be a hostess, and worked at a club in Ginza (though it appears the club is no longer around). Seto Aiko¡¯s slightly younger than Sawa-san, and whenever she was feeling unstable, she would speak her mind with Sawa-san.

    ¡°Aiko-san resigned soon after getting together with Shionji Mitsuki, but we were still friends, and would have a meal probably once very month. I did seem her daughter Mari-san a few times while she was younger. Now she¡¯s a global superstar ¡­¡±

    Sawa-san looked mncholic.

    ¡°If Aiko-san is still around, surely she will feel proud. She often said that her biggest wish is to have her own line of clothing.¡±

    Did Seto Aiko discuss her own dreams with her young daughter Mari-san, who then fulfilled her mother¡¯s dream to step onto the world stage?

    I felt a sudden stinging pain in my heart. Following that, my dirty hands would have to dig into the memories of the dead, to obtain materials that could threaten the Shionjis.

    ¡°Erm, did that Aiko-san¡­mention about Mitsuki-san?¡±

    ¡°Mostly to grumble about him. Aiko-san never really said that they were on bad terms, but it does seem that every week, when Mitsuki-san visits them, he¡¯s not there to look for her, but for their daughter Mari-san, so she really grumbled quite a lot.¡±Sawa-sanughed, ¡°She actually got jealous of her own daughter.¡±

    Jealous of her own daughter? I recalled the mesmerized look Mari-san had when she recalled about her father and her childhood, and it left me unable to swallow this.

    ¡°Soter, the Shionjis discovered her rtionship with Mitsuki-san?¡±

    Sawa-san¡¯s face sank,

    ¡°He was married. It was a matter of time.¡±

    ¡°I heard she was brought to the Shionjis?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Aiko-san was brought to negotiate at their residence, and Mari-san was taken from them, even had her family name changed to Shionji¡­I think the grandfather or someone else ordered it.¡±

    ¡°Did Mitsuki-san visit Aiko-san¡¯s apartment again?¡±

    ¡°Impossible.¡± Sawa-san looked at me silly.¡± They made sure that Aiko-san would never meet Mitsuki-san again. Back then, she was really crestfallen, and I had enough. It seems his wife had said something really harsh to her.¡±

    I guess so

    .

    The doubt I had when I was with Alice at the hospital urred again. The mistress should have been pried apart from Shionji Mitsuki due to the Shionjis¡¯ themselves, so why was she able to give birth to a second child, and that birth heavily financed by the Shionjis?

    Alice said that she had more or less deduced the truth, but I dared not to ask her the answer. How did Mari-san talk about Alice¡¯s parentage? Thinking back about it, it seemed she just made a few vague references to it.

    ¡°Mari-san has a sister, about ten years younger.¡±

    Hearing me say that, Sawa-san widened her eyes with surprise,

    ¡°¡­What did you say?¡±

    ¡°So I thought the rtionship between Aiko-san and Mitsuki-san didn¡¯t end there just because it was revealed. Now that you said so, it seems that wasn¡¯t the case. Did they pretend to break up and meet secretly instead?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­impossible.¡±

    Sawa-san said, giving a skeptical look,

    ¡°Aiko-san often told me that they wouldn¡¯t let her meet her daughter. Once, when Mari-san left home to look for Aiko-san, she stayed for one night, and the next day, the Shionjis caught her. It seemed some harsh words were said to her, that if Mari-san dared to run away, Aiko-san was to leave Tokyo forever.¡±

    Saying this, Sawa-san took out a handkerchief, and covered her mouth,

    ¡°¡­I think it was thereafter that she did that foolish thing ¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­Shemitted suicide, right?¡±

    Sawa-san nodded, and said sadly. ¡°Why did she not talk it through with me¡­¡±

    Mari-san said her mother was killed by the Shionjis.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making you remember such painful memories, but there is something I have to be sure of. How many years ago did Aiko-san pass away?¡±

    ¡°How, many years ago was that¡­¡±

    Sawa-san blinked, thought for a moment, said,

    ¡°Oh yes, I remember. Aiko-san said her daughter had just attended elementary school when she spent the night there, and talked a lot about school. How old is Mari-san now¡­26, 27? That should be twenty years ago.¡±

    The gears of thought started to click in a corner of my mind.

    Wait, the numbers don¡¯t add up.

    Seto Aiko died before giving birth to Alice?

    Did Mari-san lie? Is Alice too kept in the dark regarding her own birth?

    A tinge of cold air rose up my hands, coolding me. Then to whom was Alice born to?

    ¡°Is her little sister, really Aiko-san¡¯s child?¡±

    Sawa-san asked. I stared at the edge of the table, shaking my head.

    ¡°¡­I may say so¡­but¡­ it doesn¡¯t seem to be the case.¡±

    ¡°So she¡¯s not the wife¡¯s child either?¡±

    Is Alice borne to Shionji Mitsuki¡¯s wife, Kyouka?

    In a certain sense, it¡¯s logical. A hospital that had given birth to the nephew borne out of incest couldn¡¯t possibility offer its finest facilities to a hostess mistress. If it¡¯s the wife who gave birth to her however, that would make sense.

    But this will create another suspicious point. If Alice is the child of the wife, why cover it up?

    I recalled what Mari-san said, that Shionji Mitsuki wasn¡¯t willing to inherit the Shionjis¡¯s business. Once he gave birth to a heir, it would be harder for the Head Mitsutoshi to take him in as an adopted son. Did he use the child of a mistress as of his own wife instead?¡­No way, it¡¯s impossible. Even if Shionji Mitsuki did really have such thoughts, he would have needed the assistance of his wife Kyouka to fool the entire world, and surely she wouldn¡¯t have agreed.

    Right. Someone said that day that Shionji Kyouka returned home immediately once she discovered her husband¡¯s infidelity, and never returned to the Shionjis. Since she was living away from her father, it was unlikely she would have given birth.

    So Alice really isn¡¯t Seto Aiko¡¯s child? But since she resembled Mari-san so much, it doesn¡¯t seem like they have different mothers.

    ¡°Erm, Sawa-san¡­have you seen Aiko-san corpse?¡±

    This question might really defy allmon sense. Sawa-san expression froze, before she rxed, shook her head, and said,

    ¡°No, that¡¯s what I heard. She didn¡¯t have a funeral.¡±

    Not even a funeral? Then©¤©¤

    Assuming that Seto Aiko didn¡¯t die, and was alive until she gave birth to Alice, what will that imply? Did she fake her death so that she could continue to meet Shionji Mitsuki, got pregnant, and sufferedplications. Then she could only give up on hiding, and protected her daughter through the power of the Shionjis.

    Results wise, it seemed to work out, but thinking into it, there was something conflicting. Trying to fake the death of someone is really difficult; I did that once, so I understood how hard it is. It¡¯s really taxing, and there¡¯s really no worth doing so unless there¡¯s a really good reason. Faking a death just to maintain an extramarital affair. Besides, Seto Aikomitted suicide. The police would have investigated the actual cause of death, and faking her own death would be too troublesome.

    I really don¡¯t understand. What happened between then?

    I firmly believed that was still some secret to the death of Alice¡¯s mother, an unexpected one. I rubbed my fingers on my aching temples. Love, desire, hatred, all of these remained intertwined, and I really couldn¡¯t think of anything to unlock this mystery¡­

    ¡°The staff members are about to start work.¡± Sawa-san apologized.

    ¡°Ah, I see, sorry.¡±

    I felt a daze as I stood up, and barely pulled through by supporting myself off the table.

    ¡°Thank you for your assistance today. You told me so much, but I really couldn¡¯t say anything. I¡¯m really sorry.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that. I¡¯m really d to be able to help.¡±

    The sun was setting when I left the building the club ¡®Sawa¡¯ was located at, The shop and street lights of the Maronie Street continued to razzle and dazzle upon the packed crowds and vehicles. The night breeze of early April remained cold, and I pulled up the front of my jumper, moving towards the metro station.

    Nobody was waiting for me when I returned to ¡®Ramen Hanamaru¡¯. Dinner operating time was about to begin, so Min-san and Ayaka were busy in the kitchen. I had nothing to do, and spaced out at the tire chair, before I stood up and .

    Whenever I turned the knob to the detective agency knob, would always imagine Alice grumbling and throwing empty cans at me, getting off the bed angrily and berating me for not pressing the doorbell. But in reality, what weed me was the emptiness of the cold air in the room. There was no one inside, just the soft sound of the fridge running away.

    I sat on the bed, waiting for the viscous, tremulous object in my mind to cool and settle down.

    Was this trip really beneficial?

    I found a new truth behind the Shionjis¡¯s motives. There was a missing puzzle between Alice¡¯s birth and her mother¡¯s death. The truth and the reasons for hiding them remains uncertain, and Mari-san might be one of the aplices too. Did she too get fooled by the Shionjis the entire time? I tried to recall every word she said to me. While my memory was rather hazy, I could remember the conversation I just had with Sawa-san, and the final words I said to Alice at the hospital.

    Maybe I didn¡¯t see to see the truth clearly, that I should first throw down everything I knew, and see how Shionji Keiichi would react. I would pretend to know everything, and y all my cards one by one, causing him to think I might have a fatal bomb. There¡¯s no need to know the truth.

    But it¡¯s Shionji Keiichi I¡¯m dealing with, and the number of effective cards would be more than what we have. I guess he¡¯ll see through this gimmick very quickly.

    This is useless. My head¡¯s in a mess. Let¡¯s just take a nap. I went to lots of ces today, and my body feels heavy.

    But while I thought of Alice¡¯s life was trickling away for all the time I waste, I couldn¡¯t sleep. I waspletely weary, but I dared not to close my eyes.

    So I turned my body around, andid face down.

    I should observe the ce that detective usually resided in a different angle, only seeing what she has seen.

    Alice, why were you willing to do that? Tell me. If what Shionji Keiichi said is true, yourputerwork should be able to connect, and you should be using your infinite intellect to rip apart that bastard¡¯s damn defences, hack into the inte and get into the phone. I really want to talk to you, to hear your voice, to see your face¡­I want to meet you again.

    Suddenly, I lifted my eyes.

    On the racks unbefitting of a girl¡¯s tastes, between the various devices crammed together, there was a blue item.

    The spine of a book.

    I got up, and checked the book I had never discovered before. At that moment, I noticed several small novels behind the rack, for I was seated at Alice¡¯s personal space in her absence.

    I pulled them out, and found them to be published under the Hayakawa SF Print Label.

    ¡®Ten Thousand Light-Years from Home¡¯

    ¡®Love is the n the n is Death¡¯

    ¡®The only neat thing to do¡¯¡­

    Each of them were written by James Tiptree Jr.

    Did her father give her these books? Each of them looked so old, and the head and tail had changed color, like coffee. I flipped through a few pages and found that thest page of ¡¯The only neat thing to do¡¯ was torn. It was a page of the afterward, thest message Alice hid beneath the ribbon of the teddy bear for me. Seeing that page, I felt the pain from back then, and Iid back onto the icy bed, covering the book on my chest.

    Will I understand what Alice¡¯s thinking after reading through them?

    I tried to pick up another book, but I was just so unmotivated, and I couldn¡¯t muster the urge to read these stories, so I could only just flip through the afterword without purpose.

    Once I was flipping through the fourth book, ¡®Ten Thousand Light-Years from Home¡¯, I read through the trantor afterword, and found a word sizzling slightly within my head. I didn¡¯t know what it was, so I reread it again. There was a biography of author James Tiptree Jr., or Alice Sheldon, and an exnation of the various short stories. It served no purpose to me at this point, but I reread it three times.

    Then, I finally understood, closed the book, and sat upright.

    Everything made sense.

    Each doubt became so clear to me, sparkling on the horizon, searing my eyes, and the heartache and exhtration kept throbbing at my chest.

    So, that¡¯s why this happened?

    That¡¯s wy she tried that only neat thing to do?

    I understood. She really had no other choice, and I was the same. The entire bloody truth had to be buried deep under. Just a few hours ago, I was thinking that I was going to dig out everything that could be used to ckmail the Shionjis, but at this point, I was really ashamed of myself.

    Alice, once I sat at your ce, I finally understood the cold you experienced as you digested the truth to every case. For each grave you dig up, your heart must surely be bleeding for the dead, right? I always said to you that I hoped to share that pain, even if it¡¯s a miniscule percentage. I was so na?ve to think that I could. I¡¯m really an arrogant fool. How can this feeling be shared with others? One can only shiver with both knees cupped together, and grit my teeth, enduring this.

    As the cold air rained down upon me, I stared atmy hands, stretching my stiffened fingers forward, clenched them, and straightened them again.

    What should I do?

    The thoughts kept echoing within my skill. What do I do? What do I do? What do I do¡­?

    The answer was long evident before me, and in the end, I still didn¡¯t have the makings of a detective. I could only be a con artist, pilingyers of dirt and ash upon the truth, sealing and and concealing it with gold power, and fabricate it as a truth everyone could see.

    I¡¯ll fight you.

    I hopped of the bed, left the room, and when I locked the door, I lifted my eyes, and spotted the board with the cute font on it.

    NEET detective eagency

    It''s the only NEET thing to do.

    It¡¯s the only neat thing to do£¨It''s the only NEET thing to do.£©

    Is that it?

    Of course, because I too had this one life to live.

    As I descended the emergency staircase, I found four heads gathered at the back door. Each of them looked up towards me one by one, seemingly having heard my foosteps. I could see Tetsu-senpai¡¯s tanned, ferocious face, Major¡¯s immature, sly looking face covered with goggles, Hiro¡¯s weary , yet gentle smile, and Yondaime¡¯s savage, calcting scowl.

    ¡°We¡¯ve sort of figured out where Alice is.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai said. I sat down at the empty seat between Yondaime and Hiro.

    ¡°it¡¯s at hispany, the building Aster Tataricus is located at building, Major saw a doctor enter. We can¡¯t be certain on this day alone, but the real estatepany said that they sent aid package upstairs, and one of them was clearly a king sized bed. Most likely, she¡¯s inside.¡±

    The four of them exchanged looks, and nodded, before looking towards me. Major continued,

    ¡°We don¡¯t know which floor she¡¯s at however, and we can¡¯t really send in too many guards. If all the Hirasaka-gumi guys are to check every single floor, maybe we might find them.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s pointless if they¡¯re all locked.¡± Yondaime refuted, and I recalled the tight security lock of the chairman room of Aster Tataricus. If he did install such a security function at Alice¡¯s ce, it¡¯ll be pointless to get any more people to look for her.

    ¡°What do we do now? if we can add more to the payment ©¤©¤¡± Yondaime hissed, ¡±I don¡¯t really like this, but we might have to use the worst means possible.¡±

    ¡°Do we interrogate Shionji Keiichi for Alice¡¯s location?¡±Tetsu-senpai too hissed his voice.

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°No.¡±Hiro chimed in, ¡°What do we doter? He¡¯s rich, and had power. There¡¯s a likelihood he can lock us up and take Alice back easily. Everything will be over then.¡±

    ¡°Of course the ones to go to jail are us.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s really no good, Yondaime. Your thoughts are really like that of the yakuza.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I know the best option is to catch their weakness and make sure he won¡¯t do anything again. Can¡¯t we just barge into his office to find something? If we can find proof that he¡¯s imprisoning Alice, we can use that.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai shook his head,

    ¡°If it¡¯s that easy, I would have saved Alice already. Every level of that building uses thetest security system, and there¡¯sno way to go in. If Alice¡¯s around, we might be able to hack in and wreck things up ¡­¡±

    ¡°Can you find anything you can do, Hiro?¡±

    Hiro answered Yondaime dejectedly.

    ¡°Nothing. I really am useless this time. What about you, Narumi-kun? Didn¡¯t you go to Ginza? Have you found anything to ckmail them with?¡±

    ¡°E-erm¡­¡±

    I responded halfheartly, spat a tongue out to moisten my lips, and sensed the stares gathered upon me.

    Once again, I realized this was really my case. I was the one making the request, and acting as detective. It¡¯s simple, I just want to take back the one precious to me, whom I was about to lose.

    Thus, I had to make up my own mind.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t found anything, but I got an idea of how we¡¯re going to do this. There¡¯s no need no threaten, and like usual ©¤©¤¡±

    But saying this really made me nervous.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to bluff him.¡±

    The four of them showed different expressions. The breeze felt cold and stinging, probably due to how the atmosphere had cooled, but beneath the thinyers of skin was a fire that couldn¡¯t be constrained, throbbing away.

    ¡°Tetsu-senpai©¤©¤¡±

    ¡°Alright!¡±

    ¡°I guess, in the end, we need you and the gang members to break in, so please analyse theyout of the building, find out Alice¡¯s possible location, and choose the path.¡±

    ¡°Got it, already settled.¡± Senpai chuckled as he took out the blueprint, waving it. To be expected of him.

    ¡°Major.¡±

    ¡°What do I have to do?¡±

    ¡°Are you familiar with elevators? Can you control it?¡±

    The immature eyes beneath the goggles blinked a few times,

    ¡°Elevator? Of course. I can handle any machine on this world in a jifty.¡±

    ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll exin the detailster.Hiro©¤©¤¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do anything.¡±

    An already weary Hiro was suddenly exburent, his face flushed.

    ¡°I need you to date a woman¡­by tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°I can settle that today.¡±

    These requests so far aren¡¯t the hard part. What I would say next really left me unable to maintain my poise.

    ¡°Yondaime¡­¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    He nced aside at me, his re upon my face.

    ¡°Lend me some money.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai, Major and Hiro were taken aback, while Yondaime didn¡¯t bat an eyelid.

    ¡°How much?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how much I need right now, so I can¡¯t sort out the numbers. We¡¯ll probably need tens of millions however.¡±

    The sum was astronomicallyrge, and the other three were dumbfounded. I thought I would be retorted to kingdom¡¯se. My sworn brother however agreed easily.

    ¡°A discount for you. 30% annual. Make sure Alice pays up.¡±

    ¡°©¤©¤No¡­no problems!¡±

    That night, I pedalled my bicycle to Shinjuku, and went to a seven storey building at a cross junction next to the royal residence. The lights on each level remained lit, showing thepany logo ¡®ZODIAC¡¯.

    I never thought I would return here again, so I thought as I stood on the pavement, looking up at the building.

    Min-san¡¯s wedding turmoil, the crisis of ¡®Ramen Hanamaru¡¯ nearly closing down, our conflict against the Hong Kong triad; that all happenedst year in November. It felt like it was a month ago when I cycled with Alice riding along, her hands grabbing onto me. I exhalted, saw the cold night breeze of Spring pass along, and felt that it was years ago.

    I made a call to at the counter, and waited a few moments. A tall,nky woman dressed in pants suit exited the lobby. The short hair and sharp eyes seemed devoid of all feminine charms walked out. It was Huang Xiao Ling, Min-san¡¯s cousin, the granddaughter to the boss of a Hong Kong triad, and the general manage of this ¡®ZODIAC¡¯ ITpany. She¡¯s a very terrifying female.

    ¡°I never thought I would meet you here again.¡±

    Once we entered the elevator together, Xiao Ling-san said with a sigh. Same here, so I nearly retorted, but I swallowed them, and instead dispensed with the usual pleasantries.

    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry for intruding at such ate time, especially since you¡¯re busy.¡±

    ¡°Enough. Surely you aren¡¯t here to discuss anything good.¡±

    Xiao Ling-san brought me to her office on the sixth floor, which was neat and spacious. There were feminine decorations like vases and dolls on the racks, which rxed me somewhat. She invited me to sit on the sofa, and served me some tea as part of the pleasantries.

    ¡°I won¡¯t say that I don¡¯t owe you a favour, so tell me what you want me to help you with?¡±

    I found it more difficult to speak up.

    ¡°First, this.¡±

    I handed a printout and a USB memory card.Xiao Ling-san looked at it, and said,

    ¡°I want you to publish this report on the frontpage of ZODIAC. I¡¯ll specify the time.¡±

    ¡°This is fake news, right?¡±

    ¡°No. Once you air it, it¡¯ll be reality.¡±

    Xiao Ling-sans shot a suspicious look to my hand, exhaled, and sigh again,

    ¡°Since we¡¯re talking about ¡®first¡¯, that means there¡¯s a ¡®second¡¯, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Also, there is another building linked directly to East Shinjuku station. There a subsidery to ZODIAC located there, right?¡±

    She tilted her head in confusion,

    ¡°What do you want to do?¡±

    ¡°I want to borrow some people.¡±

    Xiao Ling-san shot me a sharp look. Then, she said,

    ¡°Did something happened to that little detective and her family?¡±

    ¡°¡­Eh, you know who the boss of Aster Tataricus is?¡±

    ¡°Goes without saying, no? We¡¯re in the same industry, so we¡¯ll do our investigations somewhat.¡±

    I guess so. Thepanies are in the same building after all.

    ¡°Alice has some dispute against the Shionjis. Erm, the details are a little inconvenient. For your safety, it¡¯s better not to.¡±

    She let out a little sigh between her lips, and said,

    ¡°Always with the shady matters, and you might not return to being a normal person of society.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much for the advice ¡­¡±

    I was well aware of this myself.

    ¡°But this involves Alice¡¯s life. I don¡¯t have much time left, and there¡¯s no one else I can rely on. We need a lot of people here, and though the Hirasaka-gumi can help with the personnel, they¡¯re way too obvious, and it¡¯s easy for the enemy to notice our n. So, erm¡­I really need your help. I¡¯ll pay.¡±

    Xiao Ling-san shook her head, finally having enough of me,

    ¡°Thatpany is not managed under me.¡±

    ¡°¡­Eh?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s Hong Lei¡¯spany, so you should ask him. I¡¯ll exin the situation for you.¡±

    ¡°Ehhhhhhhhhhhh?¡±

    I eximed. Huang Hong Lei, Xiao Ling-san¡¯s older brother, and the young lord of the Hong Kong triad. He¡¯s the most dangerous and violent of them all. You want me to ask that Huang Hong Lei?

    No, it¡¯s fine. I did consider this possibility. I thought I should have looked for Huang Hong Lei directly to make things easier, but I was really scared that he would do anything scary to me, so I decided to contact Xiao Ling-san. At least, she¡¯s not going to beat me up or stuff a knife into my mouth.

    ¡°If you need to find a few fighters, you should be looking for Hong Lei¡¯s assistance, right?¡±

    ¡°Erm¡­yeah, that¡¯s right¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a weird one. You can drag a bunch of people along for the ride to share the risks with you, and n something that¡¯ll cause your death if you¡¯re not careful. Now you¡¯re scared of asking Hong Lei?¡±

    ¡°¡­I suppose I reallyck imagination when the crucial moment happens.¡±

    I scratched my head, saying.

    ¡°I guessed so.¡±

    Xiao Ling-san picked up the phone, probably intending to call Huang Hong Lei.

    ¡°You can do the big things without a word, yet be so hesitant on the little things. I guess you really do have the makings of a triad boss.¡±

    Please don¡¯t make such a joke.

    It was the following day when I returned home. I climbed the dark staircase, entered my own room, and fall onto my bed without switching on the lights.

    It¡¯s really tiring, and my limbs were as limp as ragcloth. I don¡¯t want to experience having to ask Huang Hong Lei for assistance and negotiating a price with him again. I never thought I would have gotten him to agree. ¡°Might not be a bad idea to have you owe me a favor.¡± I couldn¡¯t shake off those words in my ears. I got a feeling that my weakness was captured by the worst person possible.

    No, what¡¯s there to be unhappy about now? I had to do what I had to do.

    After my effort, I lifted my limp hands, and shoved my body off the body. I switched on the lights, and went to theputer at the table.

    I made the plung. I borrowed money and gambled everything on this. There¡¯s no turning back. I would have to rely on my own memory, and I had to squeeze out everything in my brain cells.

    Suddenly, I recalled the words Shionji Keiichi said, rummaged through the CD rack, and fished out a Mr. BIG album. The 80s American Rock beats really help withputer work, huh?

    Right, let¡¯s give it a try. I shuffled the CD into the disk deck, adjusted the volume, and began to y. The barking of a dog was followed by an intense, rising and falling guitar riff as the decibels rocked a fiery rhythm that tore at the soul.

    ¡®Colorado Bulldog¡¯.

    That¡¯s the song connecting Alice and me.

    Surely this bond hasn¡¯t been severed. I can only believe and pull her towards me.

 Volume 9, 6

    <h4>Volume 9, Chapter 6</h4>

    Major¡¯s most dangerous mission was to be done the day before the operation. Our n would have been leaked if I appeared at the enemy camp, since I had shown my face before, so I could only wait at ¡®Ramen Hanamaru¡¯ for Major to report in.

    At the evening, Major finally returned with much vigor, dressed in rare millet-colored work clothes,

    ¡°Good win, good win! 25 seconds is too long for me. Go see the video yourself.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go have a look.¡±

    I received the Major SD card from Major, inserted it into theptop, and watched the video.

    Shown on the screen was the surveince office building Aster Tataricus was located. As it was a direct feed from a digital camera processed to a surveince monitor, the footage was extremely poor in quality. Nevertheless, one could still see movements inside the elevator.

    The elevator opened at the first level, and a male transportant moved in some cargo that was taller at him. The elevator doors closed, and started to rise. It took about 25 seconds to reach the 12th level. Once the doors opened, the transporter pushed the cargo in.

    Major himself was not captured on film in any way.

    ¡°¡­Did you really do this at this moment?¡±

    I asked incredulously.

    ¡°I just opened the panel and adjusted a few parts.¡±

    I sighed. That skill could only be described as god-like. Major took action while the cargo created a blind spot in the video. However, that transporter didn¡¯t act unnaturally at all, and Major didn¡¯t show up as he was small. The disguise was perfect.

    ¡°One other thing. I installed some ropes at the roof

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    Ropes?

    ¡°Isn¡¯t there arge window in the target¡¯s room? If we can film the room from the outside, there¡¯s a failsafe even if the operation fails.¡±

    ¡°E-erm¡­wait a moment. From outside the window? Like hanging a rope from the roof like the building cleaners hanging outside?¡±

    ¡°Right. I always wanted to be Spiderman!¡±

    ¡°I-isn¡¯t this¡­too dangerous?¡±

    I wasmenting as an ordinary person, but Major went on a long tangent on how descending training is so strict, that he hung on for hours, and that the rope he developed was light and sturdy. In the end, I could only give up on trying to convince him.

    ¡°I get it. I¡¯ll let you do whatever you want¡­¡±

    Once the sun, Tetsu-senpai, Hiro and Yondaime were all gathered, and we could being meeting. Before that, Ayaka served dinner to everyone, and asked a careless question,

    ¡°Fujishima-kun, are you done with your spring assignments?¡±

    ¡°¡­Eh?¡±

    That was all I could only answer. I hurriedly checked the calendar on my phone, and found that the following day would be thest day of spring vacation. Spring assignments, well, I did a little beforehand, but I had long forgotten about its existence thereafter.

    ¡°That¡¯s perfect, Narumi. This is the perfect chance to dropout right now.¡±

    Tetsu-senpai patted me on the shoulder, saying this.

    ¡°Submitting a report rting to fraud and ckmail should do the trick.¡±

    Major continued with the sarcastic words.

    ¡°How haven¡¯t you dropped out already?¡±

    And most hurtful of all was Yondaime, who clearly didn¡¯t sound like he was joking.

    ¡°Actually I love to finish everything on thest day of vacation! Once everything¡¯s settled tomorrow, let¡¯s get to work together!¡±

    Ayaka said, tapped me on the head with the tray, and returned to the kitchen.

    Hiro snickered,

    ¡°For assignments, can¡¯t you not get Alice to finish it for you? She owes you a huge favor, and an assignment¡¯s nothing much, right?¡±

    Weughed at ourselves, picked up our bowls, and slurped away at the noodles.

    Everything¡¯s going to end soon. We¡¯re going to get back our daily lives with our own hands, the life with Alice apanying us.

    Five empty bowls were stacked together, and our final strategic meeting began.

    ¡°The doctor dropped by again.¡± Tetsu-senpai started with the report, ¡±But we don¡¯t know which floor he went to. The elevator stopped at the 14th floor, but that might be the doctor going to greet. The 14th, 15th and 16th floor are all leased by Aster Tataricus, and Alice might be at one of the three levels. He knows that we¡¯re looking for Alice, and maybe she¡¯s hidden in a different level.¡±

    ¡°If there¡¯s a girl to be hidden in thepany, that will require hiding her from all the staff members. It¡¯ll be really difficult, so I guess she¡¯s at a different level.¡± Hiro too nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Looks like we can only split up and look around everywhere. We¡¯ll react ordingly if things crop up.¡±

    Saying that, Yondaime started writing the number of people on the blueprint of the office building. I¡¯ll just defer fully to the leader of Hirasaka-gumi here.

    ¡°Ah, right. When I went out on my mission today, I found a few suspicious people.¡±

    Major suddenly chimed in,

    ¡°They look very fierce, and there were loads of them on every level. They¡¯e also been going around checking for trap doors and such. Really suspicious.¡±

    Seriously, is it really convincinging from the already stealthy Major? Major? He said he took a photo, and showed me his digital camera.

    The few men on the screen seemed familiar. I recalled back a moment, ¡°Ah¡±, and ended up attracting attention from the others.

    ¡°You met them?¡± I nodded as I answered Yondaime.

    ¡°At the hospital parking lots. They had their cars parking there¡­¡±

    Since they didn¡¯t attend the meeting, that meant that they weren¡¯t Shionjis, working for them. If they¡¯re showing up then, surely it has to do with Alice. Shionji Keiichi did say that his grandfather, Shionji Mikitsugu, intended to deal with Alice.

    ¡°So the old man nearly had the inheritance taken away, is feeling really anxious, and wants to find Alice now? Why¡¯s he messing things up at such a crucial moment ¡­¡±

    Tetsu-senpai ruffled his short hair messily.

    ¡°These guys¡­might be in the same line of work as me.¡±

    Yondaime red at the screen, muttering,

    ¡°Shady work?¡± Major erged the visual of the camera, focusing on their ferocious faces.

    ¡°Yeah. You said they went to the hospital too. There¡¯s no way these guys are just chauffeurs. The Shionjis hiring them probably aren¡¯t any decent either.¡±

    Suddenly, I had an idea.

    Even if that incident did not happen, Alice¡¯s father might have been murdered, right before the Head Mitsutoshi. These people showed up at the hospital that day, probably so that Mikitsugu could take the inheritance for himself.

    I discarded the chilling thoughts for a moment, and said,

    ¡°We don¡¯t know what will happen tomorrow. Please get everyone in Hirasaka-gumi to see this photo.¡±

    Yondaime nodded, pulled the SD card from the digital camera, and slipped it into his pocket.

    While we were going through the itinerary for the next day, Xiao Ling-san gave me a call.

    ¡°We¡¯ve just finished here. Do you want toe by to have a look?¡±

    ¡°No. I want to go over right now, but there¡¯s a chance he might notice.¡±

    ¡°Got it. Am I to send the invoice to Hirasaka-gumi?¡±

    ¡°Yes, thank you very much.¡± Once the call ended, I exhaled in the dark, cramped space.

    ¡°Speaking of which, this setup of yours is way too much. That¡¯s the most amount of money you¡¯re splurging here, right?¡±Tetsu-senpaiined.

    ¡°This concerns Alice¡¯s life. The money isn¡¯t muchpared to that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the one paying. If you want to act cool, wait till everything else is over.¡±

    Yondaime¡¯s reproach left Hiro chuckling.

    *

    The following day©¤©¤

    It was 9am, and I exited the subway station, looking around at the streets of East Shinjuku that was still in slumber. No matter where I looked, there were only office buildings, apartments, and construction trucks, a in, lifeless scene.

    I turned my head around, and looked up at the massive buildings behind me. The brown walls formed out of jigsaw blocks was extended far into the sky. That was our battlefield for the day.

    I had already memorized theyoutpletely, but I gingerly frisked theyout I had looked at for an umpteenth time, and looked at it over and over again. There¡¯s no problem. If things go as nned, everything will end well.

    Major¡¯s voice reached me through the earphones.

    ¡°Final checks areplete. Everything is normal.¡±

    ¡°Right¡­are the ropes OK?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Beginning descent. During this operation, please l me Spiderman.¡±

    What in the world? Be serious. At this voice, Hiro interrupted.

    ¡°Target car is approaching your position.¡±

    ¡°Copy that, begin operation.¡±

    ¡°Be careful.¡± ¡°We''ll meet again at Yasukuni!¡±

    I went from the stairs to the pedestrian pathway, and there was arge white Benz turning towards the basement parking lots. I hurried along, and ran down the slope.

    It seemed Shionji Keiichi had already noticed me, for he was leaning by the door of his parked car, waiting for me.

    ¡°Good morning.¡±

    I felt that it was pretentious, but I did lower my head. He removed his headphones, slung them around his neck, and stuffed the car keys into the pocket of his white robe.

    ¡°Is there something?¡±

    There was no kindness in his words, but it didn¡¯t seem that I ruined his mood. In any case, I really wondered if this guy really has any ¡®emotions¡¯. Will my strategy really work against such a weird person? My heart raced. Calm down. I can¡¯t let him know that this is a gamble on my part.

    ¡°I want to talk to you about Alice.¡±

    I said calmly,

    ¡°Can we talk in your office?¡±

    ¡°Over here will do.¡±

    I gulped. It¡¯s nothing, just an expected answer. I can¡¯t let myself be led astray by him.

    It has to be in your office. I can¡¯t show my cards now, and most importantly, I need you to log in to confirm the intel I give you, or we can¡¯t negotiate.¡±

    Saying that, I forced myself to re at Shionji Keiichi¡¯s face. I couldn¡¯t lose to him in terms of willpower at least. The sses lens reflected the sunlight, turning white.

    ¡°Fine.¡± Shionji Keiichi nodded, and strode off to the ss doors by the parking lines. He probably wouldn¡¯t believe all of what I say, just that it¡¯s pointless to maintain a deadlock here, and that it¡¯s better to be certain if what I say is true. The risk of me entering his office probably is insignificant to him.

    So I entered the elevator along with him, and watched the number on the electronic disy panel rise, my heart racing away without restraint. If I fail here, the losses will be no less than devastating, at least

    ¡°About Alice©¤©¤¡±

    My parched tongue was sticking to my mouth, and I stammered. I coughed, and repeated,

    ¡°How¡¯s Alice right now?¡±

    ¡°Do rx.¡± Shionji Keiichi stared at the elevator door, answering, ¡°She should have enough strength to move on her own and use theputer.¡±

    I felt number. He could nonchntly say something that basically means she won¡¯t be able to do so soon.

    The level 14 was showen and announced, and the doors were opened. Once Shionji Keiichi entered, he took the ess pass and scanned it. The ss doors with the purple ¡®Aster Tataricus¡¯ logo slid aside silently.

    ¡°Morning, chairman.¡±

    The youngdy who visited me thest time appeared on the corridor, and her face frozen once she saw me.

    ¡°I''ll bring him into the chairman room. Don''t disturb us.¡±

    Shionji Keiichi coldly stated, and thedy bowed sheepishly.

    We went down the long corridor, and entered the chairman¡¯s room. As usual, I didn¡¯t see anyone around. Shionji Keiichi tapped his pass on the bell to the chairman¡¯s room, and I, so tense that I was about to copse, felt prayerful as I followed him into the room.

    Like usual, there was a purple carpetid out on the floor, along with a purple white office desk leaning by the side of the window. Three monitors were facing away from me.

    ¡°I shall hear what you have to say then. Keep it brief.¡±

    Shionji Keiichi turned around before the table.

    I nodded, and approached him one step at a time, took out the tablet form the pocket of my jacket, started it up, and handed it over to him. Shown on the monitor was the homepage of ZODIAC, and I pointed out a certain important news.

    Shionji Keiichi¡¯s sharp and thin brows curled into a frown, the eyes behind his sses looking back and forth twice between the monitor and my face. This was written,

    ¡°it¡¯s suspected that the Aster Tataricus ount details have been leaked¡±.

    Shionji Keiichi reached his hands to tap at the monitor, quickly scanned for the reports, and red at me.

    ¡°If that is to happen, I should have received information before the news aired.¡±

    Everything following this would determine the oue, so I convinced myself as I said,

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have received any information. This report was released by a leaker just now.¡±

    In the blink of an eye, Shionji Keiichi took out his little tablet from the pocket of his robe, and logged into the homepage of ZODIAC to see it was real. It¡¯s an expected reaction, since he suspected that I fabricated this webpage.

    He took a step towards me, saying,

    ¡°¡­You know the boss of ZODIAC. It''s not impossible for her to publish fake news for you, right?¡±

    So he knows that too. I felt a creaking chill in my stomach. Each and every move was read through by him and neutralized. It¡¯s not over though. There¡¯s a lot more after this.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine if you want to suspect me, the damages will only spread. What I want to say is simple. We¡¯ve hacked through yourpany¡¯s systems, and your important intel is being leaked. If you want us to stop, let Alice go and tell me where she is.¡±

    Shionji Keiichi continued to work at theputer quickly at an rmingly rate. Most like, he was searching through the inte for rted news, but that¡¯s probably unable to help him figure out this npletely. Soon after, he slotted theputer into his pocket, went around the table, and said,

    ¡°Without Yuuko, you probably don¡¯t have that level of expertise.¡±

    Is he still trying to probe me? Where¡¯s this callousnessing from? I did my best to kick my anxiety back into my lungs, and answered,

    ¡°Since you do know that I know the boss of ZODIAC, you still have the time to suspect me?¡±

    I might be overacting. Our eyes met. Shionji Keiichi was the first to look away, down at the keyboard at his hand.

    ¡°¡­You¡¯re trying to get me to log in and check on the damages, right?¡±

    Shionji Keiichi muttered, digging a hole of despair behind my head. So vicious his words were that I was leftpletely reeling. This guy¡¯s the toughest antagonist to deal with. He continued to work at the monitor by the turn, and the wall behind the table started to darken. He let down the curtains.

    ¡°You¡¯re nning to use a telescopic visual from the outside of the window, or a camera you brought into this room secretly, hoping to film me entering my password, right?¡±

    At that moment, the lights were gathered on my ¡®stage¡¯. My face tensed up, my eyes slightly widened, the words stuck in my throat.

    He saw through everything. Game over.

    I realized that I was lookingpletely dejected, that I appeared to have lostpletely. It¡¯s all an act performed to me.

    Right, you closing the window ruined one of my pieces, Major¡¯s dangerous movie-like stunt. That¡¯s just a failsafe however. What¡¯s going to kill you willeter.

    Shionji Keiichi continued to mutter,

    ¡°This isn¡¯t a bad idea, but myputer requires a fingerprint identification along with a password to log in. Just filming my fingers is not going to work. For safety reason, I had the shades pulled down too.¡±

    After typing away, his fingers slid past the fingerprint identification by the side of the keyboard.

    At that moment, I seemed to have heard a strange sound.

    There seemed to be countless ancient gears assembled together in aplex manner, meshed and yet rotting away as they remained inactive. The gears started to click, and spin. The screeching of my bones, my maddening pulse, and the pain in my teeth seemed to be caused by this extreme tension. However, they seemed to distant, for something big seemed to be rumbling away.

    Shionji Keiichi lifted his eyes.

    I tried to scan for any emotion on his face, but I found nothing. Did I fail? My consciousness nearly fell into the darkness, but what drew me back was the reflection of the monitor on his sses.

    .

    The screen waspletely blue. Theputer was disconnected

    ¡°¡­This©¤¡±

    Shionji Keiichi muttered monotonously, as t as a nanosized metal chip.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t myputer¡­right?¡±

    I nodded, and gulp. The burning sensation inside the throat had spread to the back of the ears. I could no longer suppress my heartbeat, and my fingertips were trembling so much, they were numb.

    ¡°Doing that is simple. Alice¡¯s monitor and keyboard are the same as yours.¡±

    My voice was cracking due to the dryness.

    ¡°You swapped it? How did you do it? Did you sneak into this room? Your level of expertise shouldn¡¯t allow for you to break the lock and the security system.¡±

    Right, at this point, we can¡¯t do it, or we would have broken the door and security system down to rescue Alice. It¡¯s because we had no such power than we created thisughable, ridiculous bluff.

    ¡°I did switch things around, not just theputer though.¡±

    Shionji Keiichi narrowed an eye skeptically. I bit onto my trembling lips, barely shook off the tension through the pain, and continued on,

    ¡°It was your mistake to cover the windows directly. If you had it open, you could have realized before you logged in.¡±

    His hand reached for the edge of the table, and he pressed a button to pull up the curtains, the sun shining in thereafter. The skyscrapers in the heart of Shinjuku cut through the clouds from the ground, standing tall outside the windows.

    I went around the table, and approached the window,

    ¡°This is a little different from the usual scenery you see, right?¡±

    I pointed beyond the thick ss wall, saying this. Shionji Keiichi turned his head around.

    Finally, I saw a surprised look on his face. The eyes beneath his sses widened slightly, albeit so little it was almost impossible to see.

    ¡°I swapped out the entire level.¡±

    I didn¡¯t know if it was Shionji Keiichi who gasped, or me for gasping away every time I spoke.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t the 14th level, but the 12th, ZODIAC Electronics. Theyout is the same, so the entire yesterday was spent modifying the level to mimick your office. The hardest part however is to modify the elevator and the circuit board, and also to get that staff member of yours to help us¡±

    Shionji Keiichi did actually press the button to the 14th floor, and the disy did show the 14th floor. The circuit board Major rewired merely caused the elevator to operate differently, and brought him to the 10th floor.

    Thest, most important part was Hiro conquering the female staff member of Aster Tataricus. Hiro did say that he shied away from the lifestyle of a gigolo, and basically intimidated her. She did listen to our request however, and waited for the chairman at the 12th level, attending to him as though she was at her actualpany.

    Shionji Keiichi removed his sses, andid them on the table. That might be the most exaggerated gesture he had ever done, but his expression remained unmoved.

    ¡°Now you understand, right? The password and fingerprint you entered were duplicates prepared by us. The report of the leak was really fabricated by me, but it just turned real. With your password and fingerprint, we¡¯re able to hack into the Aster Tataricus system through the realputer in your office.¡±

    Shionji Keiichi let out a long sigh thatnded upon the fake keyboard.

    ¡°That password can only be logged into my usual workputer. You can¡¯t really do as you please in mypany¡¯s internal system as you wish given your level of expertise, right?¡±

    The dry breath formed several cracks in my windpipe.

    Right, we don¡¯t have that sort of power. This is ¡®all¡¯ we can do for our operation, but©¤©¤

    ¡°We didn¡¯t have to do anything ourselves.¡±

    My voice was as feeble as wilted grass.

    ¡°There¡¯s one person in this building capable of doing this, right?¡±

    A crack appeared on Shionji Keiichi¡¯s stoic face. Enduring this anguish, I continued,

    ¡°You¡¯re saying that she¡¯s not leaving your cage because she¡¯s unwilling to, right? I don¡¯t think so. Since you did give her an avenue to connect to yourwork, she¡¯s definitely still fighting right now, watching over all theworks connected to this facility, looking for the gaps in the wall. She¡¯s the kind of person to never give up her pride, even if she has to give up her life.¡±

    My final line was practically devoured by the heat stuck in my throat. I knew, more than anyone else, that no matter how feisty I tried to say, I dared not to affirm if it was just a wish, or a prayer. We mobilized lots of funds and manpower for this operation, but the most crucial point rested upon her, whom we couldn¡¯t hope to contact.

    But at this moment, I could practically see her slender fingers racing away on the keyboard like raindrops. The binaries kept changing in the billions as she tried to break through the firewall, cutting through the clouds cluttering the skies, reaching the satellites, and looking down upon the surface, filling each and every void.

    The cellphone in my pocket started to vibrate. The roar of the guitars, bass and drums rocked at my ears, the ring fireworks storming at my feet.

    ¡®Colorado Bulldog¡¯.

    I held my breath, intoxicated as I listened to the maddening, repeating melody that scratched at my skin.

    We were connected by this song.

    I then brought the cellphone in my hand to my ear.

    ¡°¡­You¡­idiot.¡±

    The nostalgic voice was full of tears.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to leave me alone?¡±

    The air was filled with an electric sensation, causing me to lift my head, and I saw Alice¡¯s face appear on the three monitors. She was dressed in a blue dress, her cheeks a little thinner, her skin eerily white, her moist eyes on the verge of breaking into thousands of droplets.

    I couldn¡¯t make a voice, and squeezed out all the air in my lungs, but that too ended up sounding dumb,

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s been a while. You¡¯re a lot skinner.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m no longer your detective!¡±

    ¡°But no matter what you say, I¡¯m always your assistant.¡±

    ¡°¡­listen, as a detective, I¡¯m always working to serve the living. No matter how unbearable and ugly the truth is, the living has to live ept it, make the decision, suffer over it, and continue to live on. That has been what I¡¯ve been saying all this while ¡­¡±

    The sparkling little drops formed a little trail down her cheeks,

    ¡°B-but! After seeing my father like that, I couldn¡¯t maintain my resolve and speak for the dead! Being a detective is everything to me, but I have no right to do so!¡±

    So what? So I thought I as I gripped the cellphone with my trembling hand. There¡¯s no need for any right to continue living. Worms aren¡¯t scared of the dark. Penguins aren¡¯t ashamed of being unable to fly. Didn¡¯t you say that before?

    ¡°¡­So you want to kill off the Alice in my heart too?¡±

    What I said next waspletely emotional, without thought. There should be a more rational, logical way of expressing myself, but I could no longer hold back the riveting sensation within my body.

    ¡°But Alice, aren¡¯t you still alive? N-no matter how much you are suffering¡­you have to ept it, suffer some pain, and make your decision. You¡¯re still alive!¡±

    The tears muddled Alice¡¯s face on the monitor. Or maybe the muddled ones were my eyes.

    ¡°¡­Seriously, you©¤©¤¡±

    Her voice was weakening, shattering. The cruelty of survival shattered her little body, revealing the heart kinder than anyone else.

    But Alice, no matter how you try to manipte your words, I won¡¯t be fooled by you. You¡¯ve received my signal, unlocked the chains, and called for me through the fated song, so you lost. You defeated yourself through your omnipotent eyes, ears, and fingers.

    Thus,

    ¡°Enough with the nonsense and open the back door. You¡¯re hungry, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Ugh. Alice swallowed her words, and sniveled twice, rubbing an eye with her palm. A red tinge appeared on her cheeks, and they were proof that she remained alive.

    ¡°¡­Seriously¡­you¡¯re always like this!¡±

    The reddened eyes showed new tears again.

    ¡°You never listen to me. You¡¯re always so reckless!¡±

    She removed the headset off, and threw it at the camera.

    ¡°Enough! Your folly gets worse without me throwing empty cans at you all the time!¡±

    Alice¡¯s hand reached towards me, and I could feel energy in my body flowing freely, the fleeting tapping at the keyboard fizzing away/

    Soon after, the little door behind her on the monitor slid open.

    The heat in my body was about to burst out like a dam, rising out of my throat. I was about to turn and leave the Chairman¡¯s room, but I turned back to theputer again, for I forgot to ask where Alice¡¯s room is.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go get you. Which floor is that©¤©¤¡±

    Shionji Keiichi¡¯s shout suddenly interrupted,

    ¡°No, close the doors!¡±

    Stunned, I turned my head around. Alice didn¡¯t hear, for she had already stood up and left the microphone before theputer, stumbling towards the door.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I say that my grandfather wants Alice©¤©¤¡±

    I didn''t hear the end, for when Alice stepped beyond the opened door, arge hunk dressed in a ck suit so happened to appear on the corridor. Alice¡¯s shriek reached my ears. She wanted to retreat to the room, only for the man to grab her arm violently.

    ¡°Alice?¡±

    That man was one of those I met at the hospital parking lots, and appeared in Major¡¯s photo. So they located Alice¡¯s before us? Shionji Keiichi shoved me aside, and tapped at the keyboard. The left monitor showed words on the screen, and themands he entered raced towards the right. The other two monitors showed the man at the door, trying to pull Alice, only to let go due to the pain. It so happened that the door was suddenly mmed on him, mping on his shoulder. Thinking back about it, I realized it was because Shionji Keiichi exhibited a godlike skill. Within a matter of seconds, he hacked into the building¡¯s security system through the fakeputer, removed the safety features of the doors, and shut the doors. However, I did not have the time to think about that. Also shown on the monitors was Alice¡¯s little body that helped her out, and she tumbled onto the corridor.

    ¡°She¡¯s on the tenth floor, hurry!¡±

    Shionji Keiichi yelled. I immediately bolted out and contacted Yondaime by phone.

    ¡°Found Alice, she¡¯s on the tenth floor! Those guys are here!!¡±

    The tenth floor was beyond our allocated positions, so I should probably arrive them first. I didn¡¯t have the time to wait for the elevator, so I darted into the emergency staircases, descended two levels, hastily opened the metal door, and entered the building again. The corridors on this unleased level was dim, the stench of new paint and materials stinging at my skin. I could hear some soft footsteps.

    ¡°Alice!¡±

    I yelled, sprinting down the carpeted corridor.

    I nearly collided with the petite body in blue around the corner. Both of us stumbled, tripping over. I barely managed remain upright, for my back was on the wall, but she ended up falling on her backside.

    Our eyes met.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    We eximed in unison.

    Beneath the messy ck hair were Alice¡¯s dark blue eyes, sparkling with light. Our eyes met, along with the countless emotions we had. However, we had no chance to talk, for there were frantic footsteps, along with silhouettes gaining on us.

    And I immediately lifted Alice up.

    ¡°©¤©¤Narumi?¡±

    I ignored Alice¡¯s shriek as I ran the other way. While passing through a corner, I pulled a mop out from the cleaners, shoved the emergency exit, and went out. The sudden brightness dazed my eyes, but I gently dropped Alice to the floor, spun around, and stuck the mop beneath the handle, using the railing as support. Once I let go, someone started banging at the door on the other side, twisting the handle, and bending the mop greatly. The doors rattled, and behind them, there was a heinous man cursing away. While I thought they had given up on banging the door down¡ª

    ¡°©¤©¤The emergency stairs! He¡¯s on the emergency stairs, going from the outside!¡±

    Damn it! He¡¯s calling for help!

    I dropped Alice on my shoulder, and shocked her so much she was iling and screaming about. ¡°I¡¯ll run on my own!¡± Shut up and stop moving. You can¡¯t even walk straight. The deafening footsteps upstairs got my stomach tied in a knot.

    ¡°Found her!¡± ¡°The brat¡¯s there too!¡±

    The voices of many men came down upon me, and I started jumping three steps at a time. Should I find a floor to seek aid, or should I continue to run to the ground floor? This hesitation caused me to slow down.

    At the stairwell, the metal doors to the 9th level opened, and I stopped. Men in dark suits entered the emergency staircase, one at a time. They lifted their heads, and saw Alice and me, shrugging away. Despair caused my consciousness to fade.

    ¡°Who¡¯s that brat?¡±¡°The one that day.¡±¡°Met him at the hospital.¡±

    I could sense the men sneering away, and ring at me.

    ¡°Do we deal with him?¡± ¡°He knows too much.¡±

    I felt a chill in my heart, the hand on the railing shivering.

    ¡°No.¡± There was a voice upstairs, curshing my frozen consciousness. ¡±He¡¯s an ordinary person who brought friends. We can¡¯t finish them all. Just deal with thedy alone.¡±

    Alice¡¯s fingernails sank deep into my shoulders. Ahh, these guys are really nning to kill Alice. If they¡¯re saying that they can deal with her, that means they¡¯re going to eliminate those within the Shionjis.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare touch Narumi!¡±

    Alice yelled with a parched voice,

    ¡°I-I¡¯lle along with you then!¡±

    She wanted to hop off from my shoulders, but my hands remainedtched onto her waist, and I exerted strength. If I let go, our efforts will be for naught, right?

    ¡°Narumi, let go of me!¡±

    There were foosteps approaching from both above and below me, and my blood was churning away in my ears. I¡¯m not letting go, no matter what you say. Do you know how many favors I owe just to get into this point? How many times I had to change my feeble assumptions and guesses, and bluffed my eye to risk this gamble? I leaned towards the railing, and exerted strength into my feet.

    Suddenly, there was that thing in a corner of my eye.

    So I held my breath, listening intently on our ovepping heartbeasts. Within me, a question was posed to myself.

    Can I do it?

    I kicked aside this question along with the reality. It¡¯s not a question of whether I can do it. I have to do it.

    ¡°Hang on, Alice. Don¡¯t let go.¡±

    ¡°Wha©¤©¤¡±

    Alice was left speechless. The men closing in too looked dumbfounded, their footsteps hastening. My feet were on the railing, and I lifted Alice along.

    Alice was grabbing me tightly on the, her eyes blurred due to fear. The memory buried deep within her heart was being broken up, about to swallow her. You¡¯re right, Alice, I¡¯m going to do the same thing your father did, reckleness, stupid, barbaric dangerous, a very risky, suicide idea.

    But there was something a little different. I¡¯m not alone. I still have my friends.

    I stepped onto the railing.

    The cold air immediately engulfed me. The walls of the building filled my vision closing in at an rming rate. At this moment, I can clearly feel the warmth of Alice¡¯s body. The fear and wind pressure sliced at my ears, and my consciousness was about to be robbed away from my body, abandoned far behind me.

    No, I can¡¯t pass out here. I need to grab on.

    So I reached my hands out, trying to grab my fading consciousness¡ª

    And the rope that actually existed.

    My palms instantly felt heat so unimaginably strong. My arms, neck, shoulders and back were exerted fully, aching away. My joints and muscles were screaming away. Alice¡¯s arms were sinking deep into my neck, causing me difficulty in breathing. A nauseous heat engulfed me from head to me, burning me. I grabbed onto the bloodied rope with all my might, andtched my legs on. The rope dangled greatly, and I mmed into the wall a few times

    ¡°©¤©¤Vice Admiral Fujishima!¡±

    Once the shaking stopped, I heard a growl from behind.

    ¡°Wha-what are you doing? You wanna die!?¡±

    Even with the strong gales blowing away, Major¡¯s voice clearly reached my ears. I gnawed awa at my pain and fear, and nced down even though I knew I shouldn¡¯t. The end of the rope was touching the ground far below me, and Major was as small as a bean. Suddenly, I felt a shiver, as though my entire lower half was gone. I hurriedly concentrated, gathered my strength, and stepped onto the wall, trying to stabilize myself, ncing at the disturbing voices. The men in dark suits were lined up at the railing of the emergency staircase, only to be blocked at the emergency doors by several hunks. It¡¯s the ck T-shirts of the Hirasaka-gumi. I closed my eyes, experiencing the pain all over my body, and checked if my limbs were still able to me. ¡°One step at a time, move back slowly! Rest when there¡¯s a ledge on the wall¡± Major¡¯s inaudible roar kept going. Alice¡¯s teeth were ttering at my ears. All these sounds however, were practically concealed by my heartbeat.

    I can do this. I have to. I concentrated fully on Alice¡¯s warmth, and my limbs. Slowly, descend slowly. Nice and slowly¡ª

    The moment my feetnded, I rxed, and copsed, nearly crushed by Alice¡¯s weight.

    ¡°Vice Admiral! Get up! We¡¯re moving!¡±

    Major shouted at my ear. I lifted my head in a huff, and before I could say anything, a hand was tucked right under my armpit, lifting me up violently.

    ¡°Major, take Alice and go.¡±

    Yondaime¡¯s sidelong face was next to me. My wilting body suddenly elerated, and my vision was bouncing back and forth between Yondaime¡¯s back and the concrete floor. It seemed he carried me up, so I thought in a daze.

    I forgot everything that had happened after Alice and I were shoved into the back of Yondaime¡¯s car. I waspletely groggy, my flesh bloodied due to the rope burns, causing red drops on Alice¡¯s blue dress. She too was crying away, her little fists mming at my chest.

    ¡°You idiot! Really¡­you¡¯re this reckless¡­every time ¡­¡±

    The damp grumbling then fell upon me.

    I grabbed Alice¡¯s wrist, and she shivered, before she bawled out loud, her face buried beneath my chin. Her sobs, her heartbeat and her warmth reached me.

    That''s proof that she''s still alive.

    This is enough. It¡¯s great that she¡¯s back alive. This is enough ©¤©¤

    The eleration shoved my body onto the seat, crushing my consciousness and ttening them into fragments as I slowly sank into darkness.

    My left arm was wrapped around the back of the suit, and once I saw that Alice was really there for thest time, I closed my eyes, and let sleep take over my consciousness.

    *

    Before knowing it, the sakura trees showed some green.

    I started my third year of high school with a glorious record of taking absence from school for two days. On the day of the school opening, my muscles were bruised and aching, and I spent the entire day lying on the bed, unable to get up. The next day, my legs were still weak, and I couldn''t take a few steps.

    And so, Ayaka ended up delivering all the information and lectures given by the school to my house.

    ¡°Speaking of which, it¡¯s the first time I entered your room, Fujishima-kun.¡±

    Ayaka, still dressed in uniform, entered my room, and scanned my in room enthusiastically. It''s her first time here?

    ¡°And you can''t write your assignments after all.¡± Ayaka saw my bandaged hands, smiling.

    ¡°Erm, yeah¡­sorry.¡±

    ¡°Our ssmates were asking why you''re taking leave. I really couldn''t lie my way out of it, but I couldn''t tell them everything, so I told them you got involved with a hostess from Ginza, and was really injured.¡±

    ¡°You''re really killing my desire to go to school¡­¡±

    Why mention only these provocative lines? Enough with that.

    "Oh yeah, the future aspirations survey! You need to submit this tomorrow. The teacher wants me to get you to finish this."

    Ayaka pulled out a sheet of paper from the stack.

    "Aspirations¡­I need to write three? Ugh¡­"

    I''m in no mood to think about the future. Every case had me running everywhere, worn out, battered and lethargic.

    "Oh yes, you can''t really write. How about NEET detective gang? Or just NEET will do?¡±

    ¡°Why give me two options?¡±

    ¡°But you''re not thinking of continuing your studies or look for a job, right?¡±

    ¡°Don''t presume on your own, okay!? Even though I haven''t really thought about it!¡±

    ¡°But if you write Hirasaka-gumi, won''t people misunderstand that you''re joining the yakuza?¡±

    That''s no misunderstanding already, okay?

    ¡°Ahh, well, I just want to think this through a little before writing on my own.¡±

    I asked about Ayaka''s future ns, and I never thought that (though I had to apologize to her) she actually named her preferred university and faculty, and I really felt that I was far behind her.

    ¡°I want to work in an ITpany to do marketing work. There are many around me who can teach me.¡±

    Ayaka''s so hardworking, and can seed anywhere.

    Later, she discussed lots of school stuff with me. Once done, she sat at my chair by the desk, and stared at the blooming cherry blossom tree outside the window.

    ¡°¡­How¡¯s Alice doing now?¡±

    I pretended to have just thought of it, and asked.

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    Ayaka showed a little smirk, watched the ck sakura tree branches, and answered,

    ¡°She''s at the doctor Yondaime knows, and still can''t eat. She''s relying on a drip now. I heard that she demanded for Dr. Pepper from the nurse, and she got scolded.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­great.¡±

    Really great. That¡¯s all I thought. Back then, Alice chose death. If she didn''t have a change of heart, our actions would be for naught. Really, thank goodness. I reached my legs out on the beg, and heaved arge sigh.

    ¡°I visited her yesterday¡­¡± Ayaka grumbled, "But she wouldn''t tell me anything. She ended up asking me lots of things instead.¡±

    I silently looked down at the bandages on my arms.

    ¡°So I''m guessing you probably won''t tell me.¡±

    I didn''t know how to exin, and didn''t dare to look at Ayaka''s face.

    ¡°I''ll tell you once it''s all over.¡±

    I could only say such empty words.

    But Ayaka turned around with a smile,

    ¡°I see¡­so, it¡¯s still not over?¡±

    I nodded. There¡¯s still one thing I had to do.

    The detective¡¯s job.

    *

    It was the following Monday when Alice returned to the detective agency. Right after school, I went straight for ¡®Ramen Hanamaru¡¯, parked my bicycle at the back door, greet Min-san, and went up the emergency stairs¡­ I opened the door, and found her changing her clothes.

    ¡°Ah©¤©¤¡±

    Alice was dressed only in her undergarments, and her long socks were partially on. She went beetroot, and shrivelled.

    ¡°Right¡­sorry.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know how to press the doorbell!?¡±

    I gaudily closed the door, and I heard sharp shes of empty cans hitting the door. With my back resting on the door, I took a deep breath, and reflected on this moment. Alice had not been around the past few days, and I got used to entering the agency without knocking. It¡¯s my fault. My fault.

    After fifteen minutes, I pressed the doorbell, and the blue light flickered in a tantrum.

    ¡°Seriously. How is it that after leaving for a few days, you forgot all basic manners? The learning ability of a shape memory shirt is superior to yours!¡±

    Alice was seething as she remained on the bed, weing me.

    ¡°Sorry ¡­¡±

    While I appeared to be grovelling and apologizing, I was quietly relieved that I could be scolded like this again. Feeling pretty despicable, I lowered my head in a grimace, so that Alice couldn¡¯t see it.

    But even so, I quickly lifted my head, and sized up our detective.

    ¡°¡­Mourning clothes?¡±

    Alice was dressed in a ck goth dress, her head adorned with a hat with a ck veil that covered her eyes.

    ¡°Kei nii-sama contacted me yesterday.¡±

    Alice said forlornly,

    ¡°Thinking about it, there are ten of these, but it¡¯s the first time I¡¯m using it for its intended purpose.¡±

    ¡°I see, you¡¯reing along too?¡±

    Alice got off the bed, nodded, and held my hand.

    Alice was being a mourner on this day, and not the speaker of the dead, as per the usual purpose.

    ¡°I¡¯m just making a trip there¡­you¡¯ll be the detective.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    Alice and I never said a single word as we took the taxi, just holding hands, watching the remains of spring passing by outside the windows. We knew that it was alling to an end, that if we said anything, the things we couldn¡¯t say to each other would be wilted.

    Soon, the taxi arrived at the hospital, and entered the parking lot through the back door. There was a white robed man at the narrow alley leading to the courtyard. From distance, I thought a doctor was there to wee us, but up close, I found that it was Shionji Keiichi. He maintained a stoic face, and him wearing his headphones made him look all the more condescending. Once he saw me however, he removed it, and I had a feeling he was expressing his respects his own way.

    ¡°Yuuko, how are you feeling?¡±

    Shionji Keiichi nced aside at me, and turned to Alice.

    ¡°Still good.¡±Alice shrugged,¡±I thought the doctors at this hospital are evil scientists treating me as ab rat, but the doctor Yondaime introduced was worse, pushing me down on the bed and shoving food into my mouth. It¡¯s like a goose being raised for Foie gras.¡±

    ¡°Great then.¡±

    Shionji Keiichi looked displeased as he said that, and then he turned his eyes towards me.

    ¡°©¤©¤You¡¯re here to round things off, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯m the detective this time¡­it¡¯s unlikely that I can do it as well as Alice though.¡±

    ¡°You can leave Yuuko with me. I have some things to settle. The room¡¯s on the sixth floor, first room.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡± I left Alice behind, and went to the building deep beyond the courtyard. To be honest, it¡¯s weird that I could actually trust this man called Shionji Keiichi. The Shionjis might be at this hospital. I firmly believe the best option is to leave Alice with him, even though I set up an borate ruse on him, all to get Alice back.

    It was only at the very end that I realized that he simply doted her.

    I was about to pass the doors colored with stained ss, but Shionji Keiichi called me, and I turned around. He asked,

    ¡°Back then, you said you couldn¡¯t answer my fifth question.¡±

    Next to him, Alice tilted her head in confusion.

    ¡°This right now should be your answer, no?¡±

    Shionji Keiichi¡¯s fifth question.

    I recalled the strange conversation I had with him on that day.

    ©¤©¤¡°¡°If Yuuko is to vanish from your life, what will you do?¡±

    I nodded, and answered,

    ¡°I¡¯ll do this over and over again, no matter how many times.¡±

    Shionji Keiichi too nodded back. The stoic look seemed pretty satisfied, or maybe it¡¯s just me.

    The door to the first ward room on the sixth floor remained open, and there was no nket on the bed. Theforting wind fluttered at the windowsill, swaying the sun on the floor. Mari-san was putting in thest things into a little bag, and stopped once she noticed me, getting up from the round chair.

    ¡°¡­Narumi-kun¡±.

    She called my name, and remained silent for quite a while. The look containing various emotions poured upon the chest of my T-shirt, seeping in, and spreading out.

    ¡°¡­You alright?¡±

    After saying that, I realized how stupid the question was. Mari-sanchuckled. It was a fa?ade, as she often did after I encountered her.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been apanying grandpa for a while. I wasn¡¯t allowed out, but he never did anything overbearing to me.¡±

    ¡°I see, that¡¯s good.¡±

    ¡°¡­I wrote in the message, he passed awayst night.¡±

    I looked towards the feet.

    For Mari-san¡¯s expression was no longer mncholic, but unnaturally white like a sheet, and I couldn¡¯t look at her directly.

    ¡°Yuuko isn¡¯t with you? Keiichi-san said that he contacted her.¡±

    I pointed at the window, where the sun shone through,

    ¡°She¡¯s talking to Keiichi-san at the courtyard.¡±

    Mari-san approached the window, and tied the curtain up. The ck hair fluttered with the wind. She really resembles Alice. So I thought as I saw her sidelong face again, and went up to her back.

    At the courtyard that¡¯s filled with lively, growing greens, there was a white clothed man and a ck clothed girl walking side by side under the tree shades, forming a strange contrast. The growing green around them continued to add color for the summer, and there was the feeling of life everywhere. However, their silhouettes had me thoroughly empatizing the existence of death.

    ¡°Summer¡¯sing soon¡±

    Mari-san stared at Alice, her words seeping out from the lips.

    ¡°it¡¯s been a while since I got to work. This is bad. I should be starting with the girls fashion in May.¡±

    ¡°The swimsuit season is here too.¡±

    I too stared at the courtyard, saying this,

    ¡°I have a friend who knows fashion. He said you are the model for basically all your clothing under the Marie Shion brand, but you don¡¯t wear swimsuits.¡±

    Mari-san lifted her eyes skeptically, her eyes scanning my face.

    I gulped,and continued,

    ¡°You don¡¯t wear swimsuits before anyone because of the caesarean section on your body, right?¡±

    A long while passed, and she never answered.

    The wind got stronger, and the curtain pping high at the window pped My other cheek. Why does it hurt so much? The pain and scorn of digging up corpses doesn''t go to the dead, but the detective. So that''s how it feels like. Alice had gritted her teeth and endured this countless times, yet this weak-willed me couldn''t stand just with that little p.

    ¡°¡­You found out.¡±

    Finally, Mari-san said, looking dumbfounded,

    ¡°¡­I see. So, Yuuko knows about it too?¡±

    I bit my lips, and nodded.

    ¡°In that case, then I''ve really done something very foolish. It was a waste of effort¡­did she realize after I did that foolish thing?¡±

    I sought all I could think of to console her, but the truth in my heart were all sharp des that could easily pry sh away on a slight touch. nothing other than to say that this is a detective''s job.

    ¡°You killed your father so that your DNA won¡¯t be matched, right??¡±

    It''s really a terrible way of saying this. Whatever, let''s not think about it. show bleed by the way she will bleed either way so let the blood flow out from the wounds. Just say it all out.

    ¡°If your grandpa passed away first, you and Alice will be involved in a session crisis. There will be people wondering if you two are borne from Mitsuki-san, and they will demand for you two to do a DNA verification, Which is what you are most terrified of. I don''t know if it will be carried out in the manner you feared, but you''re really terrified of the possibility, and didn''t want the fact that Alice is your daughter be revealed.¡±

    So that night,Mari-san personally killed her father Shionji Mitsuki, with whom she had a forbidden love with. She removed the artificial venttion, and broke Alice and herself from Shionji Mitsutoshi''s massive fortune.

    ¡°Of course, your motive can''t possibly be that simple. Having watched your father bear that for so many years, you might have intended to release him. decided to do it because that night, Alice was present, involved in the turmoil over the Shionjis'' inheritance.¡±

    From the corner of my eye, I could see Mari-san nodded away.

    ¡°Even after seeing Alice deemed as a murderer, you couldn''t say the truth. You could only say that you were in the entire time, and lie to protect her. If they knew that you killed him, they could infer the truth from the motive.¡±

    Mari-san snivelled, and said,

    ¡°¡­How foolish I was¡­Yuuko pretended to be the murdered to protect me, did she? In other words, she had already figured it out back then ¡­I¡¯m really foolish.¡±

    I knew she wasn¡¯t looking at me, but I shook my head. No, you¡¯re only half right, Alice didn¡¯t figure it out back then.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been doing dumb things since the beginning. Doing it¡­with dad¡±

    Mari-san¡¯s voice was heating up, dampening.

    ¡°But I¡­really loved dad. I wanted him to meet mother again. When father heard that mom killed himself, he became so frail, and I too had enough. So I tried to console him¡­apany him in mom''s ce, and then¡­¡±

    The words seeping into the tears dripped upon the window sill.

    Mari-san, who offered her body to her own father, got pregnant at the age of eleven. Needless to say, it was a really dangerous time to get pregnant. The Head Mitsutoshi wanted to ensure the safety of both mother and child, and the secret that father and daughter mated together, so he invested a strangely exorbitant amount into the hospital where he too conceived the forbidden child with a woman, his own little sister, helping Mari-san conceive at such a ridiculously young age. For Mitsutoshi, so obsessed with the ''Shionjis'' bloodline'', he ended up causing the birth of a child that shouldn''t be born.

    And that baby was hidden in the cage of the Shionjis just like that, growing into a girl who resembled her mother/sister Mari-san so much, and had everything except for freedom, and the name ''Yuuko''.

    Again, I looked over to the petite body of Alice, standing amongst the green.

    ¡°Narumi-kun, to tell you¡­¡±

    Mari-san''s voice was practically scattered by her hot breath.

    ¡°Do you know why I wanted to stay by grandpa¡¯s side? I wanted to say, every day and night, that his dear Mitsuki is deadbefore him, killed by me. This would be my revenge. These people killed my mother, and I will never ¡­never forgive them. B-but ¡­¡±

    She covered her face with both hands,menting with utter anguish.

    ¡°But what''s the point of doing such a thing¡­it¡¯s not like mother will return to me!¡±

    A dead person can never revive.

    Even this foolish me understood that simple and cruel truth.

    But I''m not a detective, just standing in for her. I can only apany the detective, and watch her rip apart the truth with swords of words. I''m just being a humble author flipping over to write on a new page, recording the story, fulling it, and shaping all happiness and desires.

    So I¡¯ll try to bluff her.

    ¡°She¡¯ll be back.¡±

    My reply took a long time, so long that I could see the sunlight tilting before it reached Mari-san¡¯s eyes. She lifted her head, and her deep sea eyes, that same as Alice¡¯s, burst into a faucet of tears.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you give birth to Alice? She¡¯s you little sister. Alice¡¯s mother is basically your mother. Didn¡¯t you say you want to rece your mother? Hasn¡¯t thise true now? You gave birth to a new life. You¡¯re a mother.¡±

    You wish to use this manner to call for your mother to enter your heart again. Now, there¡¯s a girl strolling in that brilliant green beyond the window, right? That¡¯s your answer, no?

    Mari-san bit her lips furiously, and shook her head hard, the speckles of light dispersing from her eyes, vanishing into the spring breeze.

    ¡°That child shouldn''t have been born.¡±

    The pained voice seeped out of her bleeding lips.

    ¡°On the day grandpa fell ill, the doctor said that grandpa¡¯s my real grandfather, the real father to dad ¡­he had a child with his own sister¡­¡±

    I watched Mari-san¡¯s face sink into the shadows. I knew that, but at that moment, I didn¡¯t know what to say to her.

    ¡°The doctor wanted to say¡­that since they¡¯re both father and son, the organ transnt won¡¯t really be rejected Do you understand? If dad¡¯s brain dead, they should well donate an organ to grandpa. He¡¯s in his 90s, and might notst through surgery, but no matter how small the chance, they hoped the familiar will agree. They couldn¡¯t tell dad¡¯s wife about this secret, so they could only discuss this with me¡­¡±

    I realized. Shionji Keiichi mentioned that when Mitsuk-san died, there was a ¡®document¡¯ in the room. Surely that proves the fatherly rtionship between Shionji Mitsutoshi and Mitsuki, along with an agreement to do an organ transnt.

    .

    ¡°Having known this, I justughed in disbelief. This shows that our family¡¯s all the same. I ended up sleeping with dad, because of this mad bloodline of the Shionjis.¡±

    I kept shaking my head. That¡¯s not true. Please don¡¯t think this way.

    ¡°Yuuko has that strange constitution because of my blood.¡±

    Tears rolled down Mari-san¡¯srge eyes, sliding down her cheeks.

    The blood as thick as paint created a strange nt in the darkness, a girl who wouldn¡¯t sleep, eat, or grow up, one who survived on knowledge

    ¡°Actually, grandpa did wake up once before he passed away.¡±

    Mari-san did not wipe her tears away as she curled her lips, feeling vexed,

    ¡°It seemed he thought of me as Yuuko, and kept apologizing to me. Sorry Yuuko, asking for forgiveness, that her actual mother''s actually me, that she''s the pinnacle of the Shionji bloodline, the perfect creation. That''s why her wanted her to remain by his side forward, and not let her out to the outside world¡­¡±

    Her trembling shook the air, and I felt it too.

    The reason why Alice was confined with the Shionjis and raised there not because they wanted to hide this illegitimate child, but that an old man, obsessed with ''bloodline'', deemed her as the rarest treasure of them all

    .

    ¡°I didn''t say it out. What grandpa said really disgusted me, and I felt filthy myself, for I too did the same thing as him grandpa, with my own dad. It''s my fault that Alice was locked in the room and raised there.¡±

    Each word was filled with tears as they dropped, forming a puddle.

    ¡°I really don''t wish for Yuuko to know this secret.¡±

    Mari-san lowered her eyes,

    ¡°When''s they mentioned the DNA verification, I really panicked madly. His wife never returned to the Shionjis, and never knew of Yuuko''s birth,So surely she will request to check Yuuko''s DNA.¡±

    It''s likely that the Shionjis already knew who Alice''s biological mother was, and the ones who didn''t were the ''outsiders'', Shionji Kyouka who was living away, along with her rtives.

    Also, there¡¯s another one, Alice herself.

    ¡°So I thought that if dad died earlier than grandpa, we will have nothing to do with the inheritance, and dad will be released from the family¡­but in fact¡­I just wanted to release myself¡­¡±

    So that night, she came to Shionji Mitsuki''s room, and personally removed the artificial venttion, ending the lingering life of her father, or husband.

    Maybe somewhere in her heart, she wanted to use this chance to sever the bloodline entangling her and her sister.

    ¡°Basically, the entire matter is basically just me feeling guilty over my fatherplex. I lured in dad through such filthy thoughts, and even bore a child¡­I really don''t wish for Yuuko to know about this. If she does, she will surely hate me.¡±

    I watched Mari-san abuse herself probably verbally, but couldn''t help but look at my feet. I then lifted my eyes, saying,

    ¡°She doesn''t hate you.¡±

    The me reflected in Mari-san''s eyes seemed to be as shrouded by the moon covered by the thin clouds.

    ¡°Alice won''t hate you for this reason.¡±

    Once again, I repeated what I said.

    Not out of mercy, not to console her, but simply to say the truth.

    ¡°¡­Narumi-kun, it¡¯s just you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not just me.¡±

    I¡¯m not a detective, and that¡¯s why I can speak for the living without hesitation.

    ¡°Alice has long figured that you¡¯re her mother, probably back when she was still with the Shionjis.¡±

    The seas in Mari-san¡¯s eyes were dispersed by the winds. Her lips remained feeble but she eked out a brief answer,

    ¡°¡­You¡¯re lying.¡±

    I shook my head.

    ¡°I¡¯m not¡­the name ¡®Yuuko¡¯ was given by your father,Mitsuk-san, right?¡±

    Despite feeling skeptical, Mari-san nodded.

    ¡°Mitsuki-san¡¯s a fan of James Tiptree Jr. works. It¡¯s a male name, but the person¡¯s actually a female, and her actual name is Alice Bradley Sheldon. The name ¡®Yuuko¡¯ is derived from Alice.¡±

    ¡°¡­I never heard that. But what¡¯s the point of saying this?¡±

    I took a breath, and the heat and cold of the truth tore at my throat.

    ¡°Alice Sheldon¡¯s mother is called Mary.¡±

    I waited for the emotions to spread in the heart of the speechless Mari-san, and it seemed time had stood still for this matter. She didn¡¯t answer, and her eyes remained teary as she did not do anything more.

    ¡°Mitsuki-san once gave Alice a set of Tiptree¡¯s books, and this matter was written in one of the trantor¡¯s afterword. Maybe him sending Alice¡¯s these books is him trying to hint the truth. That¡¯s why she calls herself ¡®Alice¡¯, and that means she knows from the beginning that ¡®Mary¡¯ is her mother.The teddy bear pajamas she wears every day is also a creation of her mother.¡±

    Again, I looked outside the window.

    That petite ck figure moved from the tree shadw to the sun, and was blocked by the shade ¡­

    How can she hate you? It¡¯s because of you that she live, walking in the green that¡¯s entering my eyes, experiencing life, breathing, walking on her legs. You can¡¯t see the clear truth when you¡¯re your tears are blurring your eyes?

    If that¡¯s really case, I¡¯m going to tell you what I really think, at this very end.

    It might sound hollow and meaningless,pletely unnecessary even, but,

    ¡°Actually, Mari-san¡­I¡¯m really grateful to you. It might be weird for me to say this, but ¡­¡±

    Eh, why do I always break down right before the important bits? I can¡¯t even say anything nice here.

    ¡°Because you gave birth to Alice, I got to meet her, and I had a chance to participate in her miraculous life. I¡¯m older by a year at least, but I¡¯m really ©¤¡±

    Pull yourself through. So I chided myself. If I¡¯m going to cry here, who am I supposed to console?

    ¡°©¤©¤Really, grateful. I really am. So¡­so¡­¡±

    Please don¡¯t say that you shouldn¡¯t have given birth to her.

    Mari-san turned her face aside, grabbed the curtain, and covered her eyes, her shoulders quivering. The scattered ck hair fluttered with the , caressing the back of my hand.

    So I left the windowside.

    Before I exited the ward room, I heard sobbing behind me, as serene and crystalline as melting snow.

    I reached the courtyard, and Alice, under the tree by the building, came running out its shadow, the dress of her mourning clothes fluttering. Shionji Keiichi¡¯s stunningly white silhouette then followed suit.

    ¡°Is it over?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s over.¡±

    I lifted my head towards the ward building. The sixth floor windows remained open, but there was no one by the windowside, and I wondered if it was all a dream

    .

    I turned around, saw Alice being hesitant, and asked,

    ¡°Alice¡­you¡¯re not going to meet her?¡±

    Alice shook her head beneath the ck veil.

    ¡°Sometimes, it¡¯s better not to meet, I guess?.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll feel ufortable if your parents cried next to you, right?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help butugh. She¡¯s right. Suddenly mentioning thismon urrence brought me back to reality.

    ¡°Need me to drive you out?¡±Shionji Keiichi approached us, asking, ¡°Or a taxi?¡±

    I looked over at Alice. She was holding down the hat that was nearly blown away by the wind.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take the train. It¡¯s fine to walk about once in a while. The station¡¯s not too far away.¡±

    That¡¯s surprising.

    ¡°Pretty rare of you to do that. What¡¯s with you? Don¡¯t you normally hate getting suntanned or the hot weathe ©¤¡±

    Alice snorted slyly,

    ¡°I¡¯m wearing a veil and mourning clothes this time, so the sun isn¡¯t too scary. The doctor Yondaime introducedughed at me for having limp legs, that I can¡¯t walk 500m. Next time, I¡¯m walking to the hospital to prove him wrong.¡±

    I chortled.

    Alice and I walked side by sideunder the gentle afternoon sun, down the river walkway surrounded by the brown trees. The relieving breeze grazed out heads, and it really was good weather for strolling.

    ¡°Taking the train is just an excuse I said to Kei nii-sama.¡±

    We kept walking until the hospital was no longer to be seen, and Alice said.

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    ¡°Actually, I have something I want to ask you right now.¡±

    ¡°¡­Oh, what is it?¡±

    So it¡¯s a conversation only the two of us can hear, you mean? What?

    ¡°Erm, in other words¡­¡±

    Alice¡¯s gloved fingertips fidgeted about.

    ¡°First of all, I¡¯m asking this to be sure that you have thoroughly fulfilled your role as a detective.¡±

    ¡°Right, speak up.¡± What does she want to ask?

    The huffing face hidden under the ck veil seemed devoid of life.

    ¡°You know everything about what I did that night¡­didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I do.¡±

    ¡°I-I don¡¯t believe you. Now tell me!¡±

    ¡°Well, before the rm rang at midnight, the Mari-san who came to my room was you in disguise.¡±

    Alice lowered her hat past her eyes, her right hand fanning away.

    Right, that wasn¡¯t Mari-san, but Alice disguised in Mari-san¡¯s clothes. The tables folded outside the table were simply meant to make up for herck of height. It¡¯s really embarrassing to be fooled by such a simple trick

    I never thought she could act without batting an eye. Both sisters are chip off the same block. A bit of acting, and they can bluff anyone.

    ¡°U-uuu, I thought a fool like you wouldn¡¯t have seen through it. How did you realize it?¡±

    ¡°Well, I realized it after thinking back about it. Back then,Mari-san¡­ehh, basically you in disguise did say ¡°Yuuko¡¯s the disciple Keiichi groomed¡±, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    The eyes beneath the veil blinked several times,

    ¡°So-so what?¡±

    ¡°Mari-san doesn¡¯t know that Keiichi-san often interacted with you. She said that when you were at the Shionjis, you only met her and Gorou-sensei.¡±

    ¡°Ahhh¡­¡±

    Stunned, Alice stopped in her tracks.

    ¡°¡­I-I never considered this part¡­¡±

    ¡°You should have paid more attention here if you want to lie, you know?¡±

    ¡°Wh-what¡¯s with that tone of yours? Why are you acting like an old senior? You¡¯re saying that you¡¯re much better than me at bluffing!?¡±

    Well, I didn¡¯t really intend for that, but it¡¯s no wonder the listener would feel that way.

    ¡°E-erm¡­¡± The face under Alice¡¯s veil paled. ¡°You remember what I said when I disguised myself as nee-sama? You didn¡¯t remember the fine details, right? Tell me you didn¡¯t!!¡±

    ¡°Eh, yes, I remembered it all.¡±

    ¡°Why are you remembering those things!? You normally have a sieve of a head, and can¡¯t remember more important stuff!¡±

    I jumped backwards, avoiding the punch Alice swung at me.

    ¡°What are you being angry about? It¡¯s because those things are important that I remember.¡±

    ¡°Wh-what¡¯s important! Forget it all! Right now. Erase, everything!¡±

    ¡°Not at all. Anyway, Alice, you¡¯re not done back then, right?¡±

    ¡°Wh-what are you saying!?¡±!¡±

    ¡°You asked if I want to leave you, and I said you¡¯re a very important partner to me.¡±

    ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡±Alice wanted to cover up my words with a scream.

    ¡°And then, you said, ¡°Yuuko will surely©¤©¤¡±, before the rm rang.¡±

    ¡°Forget everything right now! I-I just asked because I wanted to fool you!!¡±

    The reddened face beneath the ck veil didn¡¯t seem so ashamed. That¡¯s not the truth; she was so embarrassed, her neck was rant, and she was thoroughly flustered.

    ¡°Now are you going to add on?¡±

    ¡°You idiot! Who¡¯s going to!?¡±

    Alice spun around, and stormed forward. I gave a wry smile, and caught up to her. I wasn¡¯t moving too fast, but the difference in our strides allowed me to do so quickly.

    Soon after, we continued to walk silently under the sun. There were people jogging and walking their dogs, people riding bicycles, and people wearing skates passing us by. They all gave Alice and me strange looks, but I didn¡¯t mind.

    Because I was walking alone with Alice, in such a nice weather to boot.

    This might be thest chance.

    A bridge appeared before us, and Alice muttered,

    ¡°¡­Then, you know the significance of my actions now, don¡¯t you?¡±

    I narrowed my eyes at the fragmented dazzling sun on the water surface to the right, answering,

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    A warm silence engulfed us once again.

    What did Alice¡¯s actions signify?

    Mari-san left their bedroom saying the half-truth that she was going to get me something to eat. Alice immediately realized she was lying, and what she truly intended to do. That¡¯s why she changed into her sister¡¯s clothes, and visited me at my ward room on the first floor, creating an alibi for her sister.

    But that¡¯s not all Alice did. She hacked into the hospital system, and probably dyed the rm when Shionji Mitsuki¡¯s artificial venttion was removed.

    Without it, the rm wouldn¡¯t have rang while Mari-san was still talking to me.

    Also, if the rm did function normally, the medical staff should be able to save Shionji Mitsuki¡¯s life in time.

    Alice¡¯s actions dyed the time of the crime back, one reason being to cover up for Mari-san¡¯s crime, and secondly, to kill off her father who was a living corpse.

    The confession Alice made in that footage wasn¡¯t a lie; it was the truth.

    ¡°I wanted to release my father, and also myself.¡±

    ¡°I had no choice.¡±

    The younger sister realized the crime the older sister was about to do, pretended not to know anything, and fulfilled it.

    It was Alice who killed him.

    I knew that. That¡¯s why I remained silent, and apanied Alice till the end of the road. My right hand and Alice¡¯s left hand just so happened to touch in unison, and they sped together. The little warmth in my hand shivered, touching my palm as we waited at the red light. Once the traffic lights finally turned green, she and I continued forward again, to the other end as the seasons changed.

    It was a spring afternoon, and while the wind is faintly dotted with tears from the distance, everything within the line of sight is so clear.

 Volume 9, 7

    <h4>Volume 9, Chapter 7</h4>

    Two dayster, she left me.

    I had a feeling when I reached the office after school. Alice was packing up the dolls on the bed, and it shocked me.

    "Hurry up and help me! Uu, it''s depressing thinking about how I have to to stuff so many of my friends into this small box¡­"

    Even though Alice was somewhat teary, she stuffed the dolls, numbering more than a hundred, into the cardboard box. She asked me for help, so I could only do so. But no matter how I did it, it made her unhappy. And she continued to grumble "The back of the dolphin''s bent!", "The Capybara''s no different from burnt bread if you squash it like this!" "Don''t put the puppy together with the monkey! They''re not on good terms!"

    An hourter, the packing of the cardboard boxes were finally done. There was so many of them that it filled the entire kitchen; Alice and Iid side by side on the bed. Looking at the wide white mattress, I realized that it was so big, and it was a refreshing feeling.

    "What do we do with the plushies?"

    I asked as I looked at Alice. The sleeves of her pajamas were ck, probably because the plushies in the corner of the room were covered with some dust. She stared at the ceiling for a while, her long ck hair covering the bed like spilled honey.

    "I''ll probably leave them to Kei nii-sama. The ce I''m going to next might not be one where I can bring friends to."

    These words finally forced out an unbearable heat out of my chest. No, perhaps it had been there for a while, but only recently did I dare to admit it.

    Alice reached her hand out, picking up a rectangr object the size of her palm from the gadget rack.

    It was the remote control.

    Her finger tapped at it, and the buzzing of the air conditioner, injecting cold air into this detective agency all year long, vanished as though it was sucked into the abyss.

    It died. It was over. Such ament surged up within me, unable to be held back.

    Alice turned her face to the side, and I followed her eyes to look at the 6 security cameras on the monitor by her bed. There were two cars parked in front of the ''Hanamaru Ramen Shop''. One of them was painted ck and white, while the other was a reddish orange.

    Several men in trench coats could be seen getting off the cars. Min-san left the shop to talk to them.

    "¡­Looks like nee-sama surrendered yesterday."

    Alice muttered as she looked up at the ceiling.

    I too nodded as I faced the ceiling.

    "I never did pay heed to thews of this country, and now I ended up like this. Howughable¡­but I guess I have no choice."

    Without the sounds of the air conditioner phasing us out, Alice''s words echoed in my chest mercilessly.

    "Hey, Alice."

    "What?"

    "Can I say something embarrassing?"

    "Is there anything you usually say that isn''t embarrassing?"

    I couldn''tugh. Maybe this really is the case.

    "I really don''t wish that you go with them."

    "Idiot."

    That might be the one time this detective ever told me off so lightly.

    "This is the sin you chose to reveal yourself. Even if you''re the recement, it is a case you solved. No matter how much it hurts, you have to bear it. I experienced this a few times already."

    I wanted to answer, but I didn''t know what to say. Alice''s voice melted in this thin air,

    "But for me--I guess it''s a little easier for me now. I have an assistant who can shoulder some of my load."

    Don''t say this now. I can''t even look at you now.

    "Narumi. If you repeat everything again while having remembered everything, will you choose a different path?"

    Hearing this, I raised my hands to block the bluish-white lights, affirming,

    "No."

    My reply was so clear even I was taken aback by it.

    "I''ll definitely do the same thing."

    "Yeah¡­me too."

    I sat up, wanting to get off the bed, but my legs could not exert strength, and I sprawled back on the icy bed. Alice leaned over, sitting on the side of the bed, and this useless me couldn''t lift my head to look at her.

    "Alice. So many things happened till now. It feels like--"

    I said as I stared at her knees in front of my eyes,

    "It feels like everything was written down from the very beginning, in a certain ce, and that we''re following the script every day."

    At this point, Alice must be looking at me with her warm, fleeting smile. Soon after, the tender voice of the girl drifted to me,

    "I suppose. However, it is a story belonging to you alone. Your courage, your exploits, your failures. No matter whatever you choose, whether you engrave it on a stone tablet, so what? In any case, I feel happy that you''re able to face me like this right now. What about you?"

    I stared at Alice''s face, but suddenly, my eyes reddened, and I couldn''t lift my head.

    "So, what will you do in the future?"

    As for me--what will I do from now on?

    I had decided.

    It was the one thing worth doing.

    "I''m going to write my story."

    With a trembling voice, I answered,

    "I''m going to write everything that had happened to this point, so that a certain me in the past is able to find its path."

    This is also for the sake of allowing me to remember Alice forever.

    A little hand reached out before my eyes.

    Finally, I was able to lift my head. I felt that it was unfair that I was the only one crying, but I grabbed her hand.

    "Now then, this is a present from the detective to the author."

    Alice smiled.

    "I shall name this for you. "God''s Notebook" It shall be. Isn''t this a sharp title?"

    --In other words, it is the book you are currently holding.

 Volume 9, 8

    <h4>Volume 9, Chapter 8</h4>

    Even when the storyes to an end, everyone''s lives has to continue, and this God''s Notebook naturally has their happenings recorded in it.

    Major established a game developmentpany, and developed a few gun shooting games that are passionately praised by a few group of yers. He''s enjoying himself and busy all day long, but still heartily epted my interview. When I visited him at the office, he gleefully brandished a real gun collection at the office that''s used for reference (is it really fine for him to possess them?)

    Yondaime too opened a few newpanies, and the most sessful of them seems to be clothing mail order. It seems the secret of sess came from the difference in local prices, and interviews of him can be seen in several magazines. However, he''s still the same as before, asionallying to the ''Hanamaru Ramen Shop'' and causing a drunkenmotion with Tetsu-senpai and the others.

    Tetsu-senpai started a ''Punching Bag Service''. Most of us hearing this for the first time would ask ''What''s that?" Well, it''s a job for him to settle disputes. Once customers get in trouble, they''ll just need to call him for help, and he''ll get there quickly to ''be the punching bag''. It seems that his job scope is a little wider than that; I guess I''ll ask him about that next time. I''m guessing that most of the requests are from the Yakuza.

    Most surprising of them all however is Hiro. He''s married. The wedding was held at a bar managed by Yondaime, and he got all those acquainted with him to celebrate. Min-san was dressed in wedding dress, and was prettier than any bride I saw.

    Right now, Hiro''s dressed in that ck waist-length apron, standing in the kitchen of the ramen shop. It''s said that he deleted the numbers of all the women he recorded in his phone, and isn''t fooling around with girls anymore. Min-san''s response to this was to say "I don''t mind, is he an idiot?". After a while, ''Hanamaru Ramen Shop'' was described as "A mysterious ramen shop owned by a beautiful couple with delicious ice cream", bing a little famous, with a massive boom in female customers. Right now, their ramen''s delicious too, so I hope everyone can continue to praise them, I think.

    Ayaka enrolled in the college Major was in. "Eh? Wait, isn''t that the national university that''s hard to get in?" When I asked her that, sheughed, saying "I chose a faculty that''s easier". However, I''m guessing that she''s just trying to be humble, and that it''s the result of her working hard where I can''t see. I didn''t know any ordinary ordinary college students, so I often asked her for help to help me sneak into their library.

    And just as everyone had predicted, I was unable to be motivated, and did not enter college. After I graduated, I did not proceed with any part-time job, and stayed around at home, doing chores for a while (in other words, a NEET). Recently, a novel I wrote in the past received a certain award, and I did manage to earn some money. The sales volume was not much, but I did continue to write. I moved into an apartment near ''Hanamaru Ramen Shop'', so that my sister can get married earlier without any worries ; this was my first time living alone.

    The curtains were closed as I sat in front of theputer, recalling the cases I went through in high school, and wrote them down in a draft. Suddenly, I felt that every step I took till this day was a predetermined oue.

    For a detective''s assistant had decided be a novelist.

    Without thinking, I stopped typing, and went back to recalling.

    I met all kinds of people. Living people, dead people.

    I beat up these people, I was beaten up by them; I cried for these people, I was forced to cry, and I didugh with them. Through suchndmarks, I arrived at my current position. Was that notebook as written? Or were the records jotted down by following my footsteps? Assuming that time is a loop, there would be no difference in these two, and anything goes.

    Anyway, I''m here right now, writing the story of her, who left me.

    At the same time, this is my story, the story of the people I relied on, and even the story of thousands of anonymous people who passed by me and vanished into the buzz of the city. Even so, from the initial meeting till the final farewell, this story remained a vast ocean, and she was nowhere to be seen.

    Thus, I could only use my own fragments to write down this story, scattering them all over the world, hoping that the me on this will be able to find her no matter where I am on this world, no matter how far in the future it was.

    "Don''t you feel lonely?" Min-san once jokingly teased me as she asked,

    "I guess." I answered. "It''ll be a lie to say that I''m not lonely."

    "Ever since you became a novelist, you''re bing wiser in whatever you say." Min-sanughed. Perhaps that''s the case. I can''t cry when I''m sad like a normal would, scold when I''m angry,ugh when I''m happy, and say whatever that''s on my mind as per normal, and because of that, I started to write my own story.

    I''m here.

    Even now, I can''t forget about you right now.

    That was all I wanted to tell her.

    The editor-in-charge from the publisher called me. "Right, I''m done with the afterword. It''s fine, I''ll send it over right now." After hanging up the phone, I was about save my file in a text format, before I stopped.

    The smartphone basked under the window sunlight at the edge of the table vibrated.

    Then, the little device started to sing. A dog''s bark then summoned a guitar, a bass and the drums that formed a loud arch.

    It''s a nostalgic song. I never heard it ever since then, and I thought I would never hear it again. It was a song of extraordinary significance.

    --''Colorado Bullbog''.

    The rusted shackles within me started to grind and tug at each other, and the sealed memories within me started to barge the doors open, the wave rushing through. All kinds of images, colors and sounds, smiling and crying faces flowed into my mind vividly.

    I picked up the smartphone, checked the name shown on the screen in utter disbelief, and put it at my ear.

    "¡­Hello?"

    I heard noise, chirping,ughter, and--

    ''--Why are you still using this ringtone now? Goodness. Haven''t you switched phones thereafter? Or have you always set it up like this?''

    Her voice never changed.

    And mine was stuck in my chest, unable toe out.

    "¡­Ahh¡­"

    All my throat could only eke out was a strange voice akin to an eraser squeaking against the ckboard. I could practically see her frowning on the other end of the phone.

    ''What? Did you forget my voice or something?''

    I looked up at the ceiling, lowered my head down to look at my knees, and then my eyes returned to the story I was typing into my PC. I''m not in a story, this is reality.

    I took a deep breath, and after a lot of effort, I eked out a voice from my parched throat.

    "¡­I can''t possibly forget about that, right?"

    ''Thank goodness.''

    Sheughed on the other end of the phone.

    "Hey, where are you right--"

    I asked, and then, I recalled her first line. How could she possibly hear my phone''s ringtone?

    And so, I stood up, pulled the curtain and windows aside, and leaned my body out to look around. The grassy air drifted in, and the sun at noon shone hard on my eyes, hurting them.

    Finally, I found her, dressed in a white one piece dress, standing at an empty field behind the apartment that was covered with sand and wilted grass. She put down the phone by her ear, and smiled at from under the shadow of the small straw hat.

    "It has been a while."

    "Alice¡­"

    I could only call out her name.

    My heart felt as there was new blood infused into it at this point, and the vitality injected all over my entire body numbed my fingertips. I was unable to say anything, and hurriedly retreated to my room, ran to the corridor, put on the sandals, rushed down the corridor, tumbled down the rusted stairs, darted past an alley, and got to the back of the apartment. Alice was still waiting for me. Again, I exerted effort in rushing to her, panting furiously.

    Looking at her face from up close, I finally rxed. She was bashfully pouting her lips, averting her eyes; it''s really her.

    "Wh-what is it? Why are you just looking at me without talking? Say something already."

    She didn''t change; really, nothing changed at all. Ever since that day--I wonder how many years passed? No matter how she appeared to be, I can''t tell if there''s anything different. It''s a waste of time wondering how many days passed.

    "¡­You haven''t changed at all, have you?"

    I identally blurted it. Alice went beetroot, and scowled,

    "That''s the first thing thates up in your mind!?"

    She took off the straw hat, and charged at me, so close that our noses were almost touching.

    "Look closely. Look! I grew 6cm!"

    "Ah, ahh, yeah."

    Speaking of which, back then, Alice seemed to be at the height of my chest.

    "I can also evolve every day, not as weak as I used to be. I can carry a 17 inchptop around now!"

    What''s there to be proud about? Aptop''s meant to be carried around anyway.

    "I know how to ride a bicycle now."

    "Heh¡­that''s¡­well, that''s amazing."

    Alice leaned her upper body skeptically, and looked up at my face from below,

    "What''s with you? You''ve been acting strange all this while. Have you forgotten how to talk because you''ve been shutting yourself in the room and writing drafts for so long?"

    "No, it''s not really that exaggerated."

    Looks like she knew that I became a novelist. I''m happy.

    "¡­It''s just that¡­I have too much to tell you¡­and I don''t know where to begin with."

    I honestly stated my heartfelt words, and Alice widened her eyes, before she shyly averted her eyes,

    "I see¡­hmph. I can forgive you for that."

    And then, she softly added on,

    "I''m the same too."

    I narrowed my eyes, and again sized up Alice from head to toe. I was worried that if I blinked, she would vanish like steam, but she did not go anymore.

    "There''s a lot I want to ask you, a lot I want to tell you. Maybe a thousand a one nights won''t be enough for me to finish."

    "Yeah, me too. But anyway--"

    I held in my agitated emotions, and exhaled to vent my mood. Now''s not the time to cry.

    "I''m d to have you back."

    Alice turned aside, her facepletely red, and so was her ears, retorting back with some teeny weeny voice I could not hear. It''s fine. I understand. i have the same feelings.

    "Anyway, there are some things I really have to handle right now, urgently!"

    Alice suddenly howled, and shocked me so much I retreated.

    "I read the novels you wrote. Ignoring the other details, your description of me and the plushies are too careless!"

    You read them? Why thanks for that. No, let''s not talk about Alice. The dolls are the details now?

    "Didn''t you write the final volume? Before you send it out to the publisher, correct everything I pointed out!"

    "¡­Eh? How did you know--ah, you hacked into myputer?"

    "That''s my right of course. I''m a detective. How can you possibly remember every single detail with that mind of yours alone? Bring me to your room!"

    Alice said, and grabbed my hand, dragging me along to the stairs of the apartment. My heart was filled with sweetness and bitterness.

    She''s a detective.

    Nothing changed at all. She''s back.

    "Oh yeah, does your room have any air conditioning that''s numbing cold, and is there a dozen of Dr Pepper in the fridge waiting for me?"

    I smiled as I hurried my steps, holding her hand.

    Our shoulders side by side, we head down the first path together.

    Awaiting us in front in an unknown desert with no footprint imprinted. Even if a detective were to search all over the world, she would not be able to check on the future. The only way would be to write it down with our own hands, feet, and blood. It is a t road that would not lead far, sizzling with the heat. It is a vast blue, blue ocean with no wakes in sight. A sculpture that is yet to be dyed in truth or lie, despair, blissfulness and reality--

    This is the story, of Alice and me.

 Volume 9, Afterword

    <h4>Volume 9, Afterword</h4>

    Thest two chapters in this volume were written four years ago.

    There was a value convenient tool in the files, called ¡®modified date¡¯. Thanks to that, I didn¡¯t have to think too much to know that thest modification of this 20 paper draft ¡®Kamisama no Memochou X¡¯ file was in 2010.

    I had an interview when the short story of the fifth volume was released to the market, and when the reporter asked how this series would end, it was the first time I thought of that matter. ¡°I don¡¯t know which volume it will be, but if one day, I would end up writing Alice¡¯s own story, that should be thest.¡± So I answered. After returning home, I reflected upon my words, and nodded to myself, thinking that yes, that was the case. So, what kind of ending it shall be¡­so I wondered as I tapped at the keyboard, and ended up with thest two chapters you have read (you might have to read the main story first, so I will have to apologize to the readers who are used to reading the afterword first). I copied thesest two chapters almost exactly as it was from four years ago, and wrote backwards so that the plot and ending would smoothen out. It might sound like I had aplished something great, but the oue was strangely normal, nothing too fanciful.

    There was one part I changed in thest two chapters, the phone Narumi used in thest chapter was clearly written as a ¡®smartphone¡¯. The setting in Kamimemo is in 2006, when I wrote the first volume. That was a year before Apple¡¯s iPhone shook the world and changed the telmunications societypletely. There was no smartphone to be seen before then. A modern work has been written for a long time, and there will always be issues when the evolving modern society will differ from the work.

    There are three ways to deal with this.

    First: To elerate the timeframe of the work to match reality. This will cause much changes to the plot, and isn¡¯t appropriate for all instance.

    Second: To not rectify those ws, and import modern technology and social trends into the work directly.

    Third: To ept that it had deviated, and keep on writing. This was what I chose. There¡¯s a genius hacker in the story who indulges in thetest technology, yet the NEET detective gangmunicate through flipphones. I often felt conflicted writing this, but I had no choice.

    I remembered that when I changed the ¡®phone¡¯ to ¡®smartphone¡¯ in thest chapter, I really felt relieved, thinking how I finally caught up to modern times.

    And just like that, I finally caught up to the times. I really apologize for making the readers wait three years for ¡®Kamisama no Memochou¡¯. If you wonder what I have been doing this time, the answer, as you will know, it that I have been writing other series.

    ¡®Kamisama no Memochou¡¯ takes a lot of time, as long as my career as an author, so whenever Narumi would think ¡°It¡¯s been a year and a half since I met Alice¡­¡± I would think ¡°It¡¯s been a year and a half¡­¡± and be really nostalgic about it. To a bystander, this might seem really disgusting.

    When submitting the fifth volume, I wrote a timeline to determine the order of the various events. I thought I should finish it at this point.

    1st year in high school, October, Angel Fix Incident (1st Volume)

    1st year in high school, March, Two Hundred Million Laundering Incident (2nd Volume)

    2nd year in high school, April, Sarashi Theft Incident (5th Volume, first chapter)

    2nd year in high school, May, Wine With Impurities Incident (5th Volume, second chapter)

    2nd year in high school, May, Gardening Club Crisis (3th Volume)

    2nd year in high school, July, Hirasaka-gumi Conflict (4th Volume)

    2nd year in high school, August, Prostitute Abduction Incident (5th Volume, third chapter)

    2nd year in high school, September, Baseball Match (5th Volume, fourth chapter)

    2nd year in high school, October, Min-sn¡¯s Wedding Commotion (6th Volume)

    2nd year in high school, November, Gorou-sensei¡¯s visit (end of 6th Volume)

    2nd year in high school, December, Homeless Attack incident (7th Volume)

    2nd year in high school, January, Mahjong Parlor Incident (8th Volume, chapter 1)

    2nd year in high school, January, Compensated Dating Violence Incident (8th Volume, chapter 2)

    2nd year in high school, February, Continuation of the Angel Fix Incident (8th Volume, chapter 3-4)

    2nd year in high school, March, Shionji Inheritance Commotion (9th Volume)

    ¡­A long one and a half year it has been, both for Narumi and me. I¡¯m not writing this just to fill the pages. If you may use this chance to flip through the prior stories or buy another set of volumes, that will really be great.

    Thinking back, when I wrote the first volume, I never thought of the plot, just that I gathered a few interesting characters together, and then write whatever I could think of. If I was to ask ¡®why did she jump¡¯, and gave a reason other than ¡®drugs¡¯, the story might not be centered in Tokyo. I might use the ¡®Ikebukuro West Gate Park¡¯ as reference, and write a mystery based in a rural vige like Yokomizo Seisho did, or a horror story that happens in the suburban areas like Stephen King, or a mystery ro involving arge school. In fact, I did write the third one (with another publisher).

    Before thinking the first step forward, I was still troubled by the endless possibilities before me, and found that I was done with thest volume. I really believe I¡¯m destined to write this, or that I¡¯m just unloading something that has been written in the notebook a long time back, but to be honest, being a novelist is a strange profession. I feel this way no matter the work. To put it, I didn¡¯t feel that the words I wrote in the afterword of volume 8 was written by me, but that the story begged for it. Authors often say that ¡®the characters began to move by themselves¡¯, and that¡¯s basically it. To note, this thought only urs after finishing and looking back at the work. It¡¯s really a turmoil to think how the characters should act, and yet after submitting the script, I would forget all the troubles I had. Maybe it¡¯s to convenience myself into writing the next volume. It¡¯s said that women forget the pains ofbour after give birth to avoid fear of conceiving more¡ªthe same logic might apply here.

    So, it¡¯s time to goodbye to Narumi and Alice, forget the pain of giving birth to them, and progress to the next work.

    This work ends sessfully due to the assistance of many. First, to think the editor in charge Yuasa-sama who supported me until the very end, Kishida Mel-sama who injected life into the characters with his pretty illustrations, mangaka Tiv-sama who¡¯s currently coborating on a new work with me, the various editors at Dengeki Daioh, and the numerous staff and voice actors who brought this work to a new level. I met the actor and actress who debuted as main characters, voicing Narumi and Alice, and showing up with outstanding performancester; despite no effort given on my part, I still felt proud of them. Finally, to thank no one else but you, the reader of this work. I¡¯ll like to present my utmost thanks here. It¡¯s thanks to everyone that this is a wonderful work. Thanks to everyone.

    May 2014, Sugii Hikaru.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!