VOLU 8 – THE VANISHED SPIRIT file 01: suspicion
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Life is a montary phase The end of life is a montary phase – Dougen
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1
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‘Stop!’
Saitou Yakumo woke up to his own yell.
His body was covered in sweat as he lay on the wooden floor.
– A dream?
After realising that, Yakumo slowly sat up.
He didn’t rember the contents of his dream, but he was left with a smouldering impression in his chest that it had been incredibly unpleasant
That’s how dreams are –
His vision was blurry, as if he were surrounded by fog.
The back of his neck hurt like it had been squeezed tightly.
– Did I hit it on sothing?
Then, his surroundings beca clear. He had thought he was in the university’s Movie Research Circle room, where he usually slept, but it seed he was wrong.
It was dim –
There were candleholders in the four corners of the room, with the small lights of the candles flickering. The room was about twenty tatami in size.
At first glance, it looked like a temple, but rocks dripping with water jutted out of the ceiling and the wall in the back and the narrow pillar in the middle of the room supported the listone ceiling, which looked like it might collapse at any mont.
This was probably built out of so listone cave.
– Why am I here?
Yakumo was trying to search through his mories, but the pain in the back of his neck stopped him. He let out a groan and closed his eyes.
His forehead was covered with a cold sweat.
He was taking deep breaths to try to calm down when an offensive sll suddenly assaulted him.
Yakumo knew what that sll was imdiately.
Blood –
’This is...’
Yakumo leant back without thinking.
There was an aging fifty-year old man collapsed there in priest’s robes.
His eyes were wide. A purple tongue hung from his half-open mouth.
He had dug his fingernails into the floorboards, probably because he had frantically struggled to get away.
There were stab wounds all over the man’s body.
The large amount of blood that had co out of his wounds spread around the man, as if to draw his figure.
It was clear to anyone that Yakumo was already dead.
Yakumo knew this man.
His na was Seidou. The chief priest at the temple.
’What is this...’ murmured Yakumo, covering his face with his hands. Then, he suddenly felt sothing strange.
He felt sothing sticky on his palms.
– It can’t be.
Yakumo held his hands up in front of his eyes.
They were a deep red –
From his palms to his fingers, congealed blood stuck to his hand.
Again, Yakumo looked at Seidou, who lay face-down.
There was a knife stuck in the floor.
The blade was stained with blood up to the handle.
Yakumo had a creeping suspicion.
There was no sign that Seidou had been dragged. The blood seeping into the floor around him also showed that he had been killed here.
– Sothing happened.
The more he tried to rember, the more the back of his neck hurt. Like there were mories there that he himself wanted to forget.
While bearing with the pain in the back of his neck, Yakumo slowly stood up.
– I won’t forgive you.
Yakumo heard a voice from sowhere.
A woman’s voice that echoed with darkness, like it had been strangled out of the bottom of her stomach –
When Yakumo turned around, he saw a woman with her head facing down standing in front of the double doors which were the only exit.
She wore a navy blazer with a short check skirt. It was probably a uniform from so high school.
Her wet hair clung to her face.
Her skin was so pale that her veins appeared, faintly blue, and she was sickly thin.
Yakumo knew that in front of him wasn’t a living person but a ghost that he was seeing with his red left eye.
Yakumo looked at the girl.
– I won’t forgive you.
The girl said that again in a voice filled with hatred as she slowly lifted her head.
Her eyes were bloodshot, as if she were possessed by sothing.
Hatred, resentnt, envy – those eyes condensed a variety of negative emotions.
– Die. Pay for it with your death.
The girl repeated herself in a voice as hoarse as an old woman’s.
’Why would you go so far...’
Without replying to Yakumo’s question, the girl went through the entrance, as if she had been sucked in, and disappeared.
’Wait.’
Using the wall for support, Yakumo chased the girl.
Just as he was about to try to push open the doors, he suddenly stopped.
’This is...’
There was a piece of paper about the size of a business card stuck on the doors.
There was a short ssage on the piece of paper.
The mont Yakumo read the ssage, his eyes went wide.
If soone who didn’t understand looked at it without knowing the point, it would probably be difficult to understand the aning from the ssage. However, Yakumo was different. He imdiately understood the dreadfulness indicated by that ssage.
– This is bad.
Yakumo wanted to make a call, but he didn’t have his mobile. That wasn’t all that was missing. He couldn’t find his wallet or key either.
He turned around, but they hadn’t fallen in the room.
Either he dropped them sowhere, or – anyway, looking at the situation, it would be useless to stay any longer. He needed to get out of here as soon as he could.
Yakumo took the paper off the doors and stuck it in his pocket. Then, he took a candleholder in his pocket and pushed open the doors.
With the help of the faint light of the candle, he looked around.
Right in front of the doors, he saw the bare rock face of a listone cavern.
Water dripped from the rocks above his head. The cave continued, about five tres wide and two tres tall.
– Seems like this is the only way to proceed.
Yakumo tried to advance, dragging his body forward, but his feet were unsteady, as if the ground were shaking beneath him.
After walking a few steps, he put his hand against the rock wall and took deep breaths with heaving shoulders.
He heard footsteps.
Sobody’s here –
The mont he lifted his head, he was hit by a strong light.
Yakumo’s vision went white, like a smokescreen had been put up in front of him.
’What are you doing here?’
It was a man’s voice. It had an intimidating tone to it.
After blinking a number of tis, he finally saw the person standing in front of him.
It was a middle-aged uniford officer holding a torch.
’I...’
Yakumo was lost for words.
At the current stage, his mories were still vague, so he had no way of explaining.
’You look a bit pale...’
The middle-aged officer walked towards Yakumo.
’I’m fine,’ replied Yakumo, looking away from reflex. But it was a bit late. The middle-aged uniford officer looked surprised.
’Your eye...’
Yakumo knew what he was going to say even without hearing the rest.
His left eye was red – that was why he was surprised. In the past, seeing a response like this would hurt him deeply, but now he thought of it like nothing.
People were frightened of others who were different than they were. It was natural as a living being.
’It’s terrible!’
A voice echoed through the listone cavern, interrupting the silence.
Yakumo turned his eyes towards the doors to the cave, which were still open. A young uniford officer stood there, pointing inside agitatedly.
It appeared he had noticed the corpse in the cave.
’What happened?’ asked the middle-aged uniford officer in a relaxed manner.
’S-sobody’s dead!’ shouted the young uniford officer.
That was the sign.
Yakumo pushed the middle-aged uniford officer aside and ran.
The middle-aged office fell on his behind and yelled, ’Wait!’ Unfortunately, Yakumo couldn’t obey that command right now.
Yakumo just ran with all his strength towards the exit.
After running about fifty tres, the path took a large curve.
He saw the light of the exit after the turn.
’Oi! Wait!’
The officers’ voices and footsteps followed him.
Even if he ran out of the exit, with his exhausted body, he would probably be caught soon. That would be the end of everything.
– What to do?
Yakumo stopped and looked around. He spotted a gap between the rocks.
Listone caves were complex – there wasn’t only one exit. Perhaps this gap would connect to another exit. However, if it was a dead end, that would be like running into a cage himself.
Yakumo made his decision and decided to dive into the gap, hiding himself quickly.
He stifled his breath –
The footsteps of the officers caught up soon after, but they went right by.
After a pause, Yakumo moved to look at the exit.
After the officers discussed sothing at the exit, they split up, running left and right.
Yakumo let out a sigh of relief, but then he returned to the problem at hand.
He couldn’t hide here forever. The officers wouldn’t search that far either. If they couldn’t find him, they’d return to the listone cave.
That said, going to the listone cave’s exit now would be suicide.
He really would have to go through the gap in the rocks to the end.
Yakumo stooped over and stepped into the deep darkness.
Suddenly, the bloody image of Seidou flashed through Yakumo’s mind.
– Did I do that?
He wanted to deny it – there was no way – but at this point, Yakumo didn’t have the evidence to.
Anyway, he had to escape now.
After moving about ten tres, he saw a small light.
There was an exit ahead.
With relief, he took another step. Then, his foot slipped.
’Damn.’
It was already too late when he spoke.
The rock he had stepped on crumbled loudly.
Yakumo fell into the darkness, dragged in by gravity –
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2
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After Ozawa Haruka finished her orchestra circle practice, she headed for the prefabricated building in the back of Building B.
There were ten small rooms of four and a half tatami in size on each floor.
Haruka stood in front of the room at the very end of the first floor. There was a plate that read Movie Research Circle on the door, but it was a blatant lie.
The owner of the room, Saitou Yakumo, had fooled the university’s student union, created a fictional club and used the room as his own.
Yakumo’s left eye had been red from birth and had the unique ability to see the spirits of the dead.
– A hateful guy.
That had been Haruka’s first impression. A contrary person who was unfriendly and hated to deal with others.
Starting with Miki’s case. Haruka had experienced many incidents with Yakumo.
Most of them had been depressing, but with those experiences, Haruka’s impression of Yakumo had changed a lot.
Because of Yakumo’s unique ability, his own mother had tried to kill him and others looked at him like he was strange.
After experiencing hardship, Yakumo had put a wall between himself and others to protect his damaged heart.
However, inside he noticed more than anyone and had a kind side to him.
After Haruka noticed that, Yakumo seed cute to her.
Sohow, she could relax with him. Though he probably didn’t intend it himself, she felt like she was being protected.
Now, she would go see him whenever she had ti.
One of her friends had asked her if they were dating before. Unfortunately, the answer was no.
Though she had experienced many things with Yakumo, ti had passed without any particular developnts, and before she’d noticed it, she was here, half a year from graduation.
After that – there was probably nothing.
They might have experienced too much to beco more than friends.
Close, but far. That was her relationship with Yakumo.
I wonder what Yakumo thinks – she did want to ask, but she felt like doing so would ruin everything they had built so far.
She was very afraid of that.
– What am I thinking about?
Haruka smiled self-derisively and looked towards the door again.
Today, she hadn’t been involved in so case like usual. It would be Yakumo’s birthday soon. She had thought about giving him a present, but she didn’t know what he would like.
After worrying about it, she decided to ask the person himself and ca here.
’Yakumo-kun, you here?’
Haruka called out as she opened the door.
However, Yakumo was missing.
’What? He’s not here...’
With a sigh, Haruka sat on her usual seat by the door.
A dreary room with nothing in it –
Even the chair she sat on was just a rusty folding chair that could be found anywhere. That said, it made her calm.
It was a small room, only four and a half tatami in size, but she didn’t have to put on airs here – she could be herself.
Haruka rested her head on the table.
It was quiet.
’Yakumo, won’t you co back soon...’
Once he got back, he would definitely complain, saying sothing like ’What are you doing here?’ or ’Do you have this much free ti?’.
When Haruka had first t Yakumo, she would beco seriously mad by what he said.
However, now it was as natural to her as a ’Good morning’. It was comfortable.
She had never felt this way with anyone else before.
– I probably like...
To clear her head, Haruka took out her mobile and started typing a ssage.
It was to Yakumo.
She had never received a reply from Yakumo after ssaging him. It was just a one-way digital signal.
It was mysterious how she still felt like they were connected this way.
Haruka sent a short ssage and lay on the table again.
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3
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I have so much ti –
Gotou Kazutoshi yawned as he sat on the chair.
Nothing case-like had happened recently. He knew that he shouldn’t want cases as part of the police, but sitting at a desk didn’t suit him.
The Unsolved Cases Special Investigation Room that Gotou was stationed at had the goal of cleaning up cases that had been placed aside, as per the na.
That said, most of it was just paperwork. For Gotou, who thought before he acted, it was like torture.
After Gotou had sighed for the nth ti, the door opened.
’D-Detective Gotou! I-it’s terrible!’
Ishii Yuutarou flew in with a panicked expression.
’You’re so noisy,’ responded Gotou with a click of his tongue.
Gotou could count on one hand the number of tis things had actually been terrible when Ishii said they were.
’But...’
Ishii faltered, suddenly losing his montum.
Gotou had thought that Ishii had grown a bit, but he really didn’t have his feet firmly planted on the ground.
’What are you making such a fuss about?’
’E-er, I passed.’
’For what?’
’That. I passed.’
As usual, Ishii didn’t get to the point.
’What’s that? Say it clearly.’
’The promotion exam.’
Ishii’s breathing was ragged.
’Promotion exam?’
’Like I said, I passed. The assistant inspector promotion exam.’
’That’s good.’
Gotou wasn’t properly listening, but when he understood the aning of the words, he suddenly co to his senses.
’What did you say just now?’
’I said, the promotion exam...’
’That isn’t it. I ant the rank.’
’Assistant inspector.’
Ishii puffed up his chest in pride.
’You’re going to be an assistant inspector?’
’Yes sir.’
– What the hell.
Gotou’s sleepiness flew away all at once.
’What’s wrong? You look pale...’
Ishii looked at Gotou’s face in concern.
Though he probably didn’t an it this way himself, it felt like he was pitying Gotou. It irritated him.
Gotou lifted his hand to hit Ishii’s head, but he didn’t drop it.
’Excuse ...’
Ishii adjusted the position of his silver-frad glasses with his fingers. His gesture, which annoyed Gotou even normally, especially grated on his nerves today.
’What?’
’Aren’t you happy for ?’
– Happy? You kidding?
Gotou hurriedly swallowed the words he had almost said.
If those words left his mouth, it would be like he had acknowledged the dirty jealousy in the bottom of his heart.
’Congratulations, Assistant Inspector Ishii.’
Gotou turned his chair around so his back was facing Ishii.
He knew himself he wasn’t acting like an adult, but knowing that didn’t change anything.
’Are you angry?’
Ishii walked in front of Gotou as he said that.
– This guy really can’t read the mood.
’I’m not angry!’
’But...’
Ishii’s brows furrowed in his confusion.
’Do you know my rank?’
’You’re a police inspector.’
There was no malice in Ishii’s words. That just made Gotou more irritated.
’I’m the sa as you. Assistant inspector.’
’Are you joking again, sir?’
Ishii shook his head, as if to say ’My, my’. That gesture made Gotou even more annoyed.
Gotou clicked his tongue and stood up.
’E-excuse ... Where are you going?’
’I will be having lunch. Assistant Inspector Ishii.’
Gotou bowed theatrically towards Ishii.
’Please stop that.’
Ishii wriggled like a mollusc and clung to Gotou.
’Let go of !’
Gotou thrust Ishii away and left the room, but then his feet suddenly stopped.
– Why am I so angry?
He didn’t have a response.
– The corporate ladder can kiss my ass!
Like that, he had done whatever he wanted up until now. He hadn’t even tried taking the promotion exam, since it was annoying.
Even though nobody had told him to do it – even though it was what he himself wanted – why was he so irritated?
’Damn it!’
Gotou kicked the wall and started walking.
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4
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Splish, splish –
Yakumo regained consciousness while hearing the periodic sound of dripping water.
– I’m still alive.
When he opened his eyes, he saw listone, winding like a gigantic organism.
Yakumo sat up from his face-up state.
He saw a faint light coming in from outside. Though it was small, there was a hole to the outside. It looked like he could get out if he crouched.
A creaking pain ran through his left leg, making Yakumo’s expression contort.
The lower left half of his jeans was ripped and soaked with blood
With the support of a rock jutting out from the ground, Yakumo got up and started walking, dragging his injured left leg behind him, and escaped the listone cave while stooped over.
He was in the middle of a forest of cedar trees.
He looked up and saw the sumr sun peeking through.
He naturally narrowed his eyes and covered them with his hands. Then, he heard the sound of running water.
About five tres ahead, he saw a stream.
It was about as deep as his ankle. It seed like a spring was the water source – he could see clearly to the bottom of the stream.
Yakumo went into the stream, put his face to the water to drink it and wet his dry throat, and washed the wound on his left leg.
Then, he rubbed his hands together in the water to wash the blood off.
The red water slowly flowed away.
It would probably soon fade into the rest of the water, making it indistinguishable.
Yakumo got out on the rock on the opposite side. He ripped the left sleeve of his shirt from the shoulder and wrapped the injury on his left leg on it, using the sleeve as a bandage.
Yakumo went to the nearby cedar tree, sat down and cald his breathing.
– Why did this happen?
After he had regained his calm, that question ca to Yakumo’s brain.
The man who died was the priest of the temple, Seidou. The two of them had walked this weedy path last night and went into the listone cavern – he rembered that.
Sothing was following them then.
But Yakumo wasn’t sure of what. When he tried to rember, his head started hurting, as if to stop him.
Yakumo gave up on trying to rember what happened around the incident and started organising his thoughts in order.
Yesterday morning, a man ca to the Movie Research Circle at the university.
It was Eishin. He was fairly old, but he had a large fra with a good physique. At first glance he looked gentle, but he was broadminded.
He had been the teacher of Yakumo’s uncle, Isshin.
After Isshin’s death, he had been persistent in trying to get Yakumo to continue at the temple, so Yakumo found him troubleso.
’There’s sothing I’d like to request.’
Eishin had said that the mont he entered the room.
’I refuse.’
Despite Yakumo’s refusal, Eishin continued anyway.
’Do you know about reincarnation?’
Eishin smiled.
– Reincarnation.
Yakumo was half-dumbfounded when he heard the word.
Rustle.
The rustling of a tree brought Yakumo back to his senses.
Sothing had run through the grass.
A raccoon.
Yakumo was relieved, but he knew he couldn’t stay here forever.
If the police found his way out of the listone cave, they would probably co here right away. He had to put as much distance as he could between them before them.
Most importantly, he couldn’t just keep running like this.
He needed to gather information and confirm what had happened. No matter what terrible truth was waiting for him, it was his duty to know.
Yakumo stood up with determination and began to walk along the stream –
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5
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With complicated feelings, Ishii threw himself into the paperwork.
I want to beco like Gotou as quickly as I can – he had frantically tried his hardest with that mind set and taken the assistant inspector promotion exam for that reason, but he hadn’t thought he would really be able to catch up.
And he was also surprised that Gotou’s rank was assistant inspector.
Did he fail the test? No, that wasn’t it. He probably hadn’t had the ti to even take it.
Rather than taking a promotion exam, Gotou had chosen to act as a detective inspector. And how was Ishii in comparison to that?
After asking himself that, Ishii thought he was horribly lowly.
His shoulders slumped just as the door to the room opened.
The chief of the detectives, Miyagawa Hideya, showed up.
Though he had a small fra, he had a bald head and thick eyebrows. Underneath that, he had glaring eyes with a sharp glint in them which had the pressuring air of a carnivore.
’Where’ Gotou?’ said Miyagawa in a forceful and gravelly voice after looking around the room.
’Ah, er, he just stepped out.’
’Slacking off at a ti like this.’
Miyagawa walked in angrily with large strides and then sat on top of the desk with his arms crossed.
’Did sothing happen?’ Ishii asked timidly.
’This morning, a corpse was found in the back of a listone cavern in Nishitama,’ said Miyagawa with a sigh.’
’A corpse...’
The victim was Todayama Seidou, the priest of a nearby temple. Fifty-eight years old.’
Miyagawa continued his explanation in a flat tone.
’The incident occurred at about nine this morning. There was an anonymous tip about a corpse in a listone cavern in the mountain area of Nishitama.’
’Anonymous...’
It wasn’t rare for anonymous information to co to the police.
Especially in big incidents, informants didn’t want to get involved.
’It seems like that listone cavern’s famous as a spiritual spot.’
’Perhaps he went there to test his courage?’
’We don’t know the details yet, but it’s possible. Anyway, two policen went that and found a corpse, like the tip said.’
’Oh.’
Ishii gave a response lacking feeling.
He saw the outline of the case, but it was out of their jurisdiction. He didn’t know why Miyagawa had gone out of his way to talk about it.
’It seems like the corpse was stabbed all over.’
’Stabbed... all over...’
The image of a priest covered in blood in the listone cavern ca up in Ishii’s head. He gulped.
If he actually saw it, he probably would have scread.
’So the Nishitama precinct sent a request for cooperation.’
’To us?’
Ishii was surprised.
’Yeah.’
’Why is that?’
’The two officers he went witnessed a suspicious man at the scene.’
Miyagawa’s way of speaking was impassive, like he was reading a speech, but his expression was unusually grim.
’Is he the culprit?’
’The Nishitama precinct says it’s likely.’
’I see.’
’In the officers’ testimony, the man who ran from the scene had a red left eye.’
Miyagawa said that without a pause.
’Eh?’
It took so ti for Ishii to understand.
Ishii only knew one person with a red left eye.
– Saitou Yakumo.
But that was just from the people Ishii knew. He couldn’t deny the possibility that there were other people with red left eyes.
’Look at this.’
Miyagawa might have sensed what Ishii was feeling, because he took a piece of paper from his breast pocket and placed it on the desk.
It was a copy of an identity card which looked like a student ID.
’T-this is...’
When Ishii saw what was written there, he was lost for words.
– isei University, Saitou Yakumo
’There was a wallet at the listone cavern. Seems like this was in it,’ explained Miyagawa.
’That’s...’
Yakumo’s head flashed through Ishii’s mind.
Well-defined features and skin was white as porcelain. Terrible bedhead and sleepy eyes.
He had a blank expression and acted indifferent ot everything, but in the back of his eyes, he coolly observed others’ words and actions.
It was true that his perception had led them to solve many cases, but at the sa ti, Ishii felt frightened.
When he stood in front of Yakumo, he felt like Yakumo saw right to the bottom of his heart, so Ishii couldn’t relax. There was sothing mysterious about Yakumo.
It might have been because Yakumo was the son of that man –
’The Nishitama precinct’s sending a detective over,’ said Miyagawa while crossing his arms.
’Could it be that we are – ’
’Exactly.’
’Eeeehhh!’
Ishii exclaid without thinking.
They were going to cooperate with a detective from the Nishitama precinct and chase Yakumo. To Ishii, it just seed like a bad joke.
’Don’t complain. I told them in advance that you’re Yakumo’s acquaintances.’
’I-isn’t that bad?’
’They’d find out anyway. It’d be even worse to hide it.’
’I see...’
It was just as Miyagawa said. If they hid it, the information would co out easily once they searched. If it was found out later, it would beco an even worse problem.
’Anyway, get Gotou back before they get here.’
Miyagawa finished with that and then briskly walked out the room with his bow-legged gait.
Ishii felt like a gigantic weight had been placed on his shoulders. It seed like he would be crushed flat.
– Did Yakumo really kill soone?
Ishii couldn’t find the answer to the question eddying in his heart.
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6
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Assistant detective inspector? To hell with that.
Gotou was walking on university premises in his irritation.
The first term of university had ended and now it was sumr vacation. It wasn’t bustling like usual – it was rather leisurely.
Gotou was headed for the Movie Research Circle room, where Yakumo was.
Gotou didn’t know himself why he had co here.
If they t, Yakumo would just complain and make Gotou more irritated.
Despite that, Gotou would want to et Yakumo when he was in an ill humour. This wasn’t the first ti.
It would be difficult to explain, but Yakumo made him feel that way.
’Sorry to bother!’
As Gotou said that, he opened the door to the Movie Research Circle.
’If you know you’re a bother, please leave.’
– This brat!
Gotou swallowed the words he was about to say and his eyes went wide.
In front of him wasn’t Yakumo but Haruka.
’... is what Yakumo would say.’
Haruka laughed, shrugging her shoulders.
’Oh, it’s you, Haruka-chan?’
Gotou sat on the folding chair in the corner of the room and loosened his tie.
The room had no air conditioning – just an electric fan. If he stayed an hour in this room, he’d be drenched in sweat.
’Would you like sothing to drink?’ asked Haruka, standing up.
’Anything’s good as long as it’s cold.
’Roger, Detective Inspector Gotou.’
’It’s Assistant Detective Inspector.’
Gotou hadn’t ant to say it, but it slipped out of his mouth.
’Eh?’
Haruka looked confused.
’It’s nothing. Anyway, sothing cold.’
’OK!’
After saying that, Haruka went to the refrigerator in the back of the room.
Recently, it had beco so natural that he hadn’t noticed, but looking at it like this, Gotou felt like he’d visited the house of a newly-wedded couple.
Even though a man and woman of the sa age were at such an intimate distance, they weren’t dating. It boggled Gotou’s mind.
Rather than the two of them both not being honest with themselves, they were probably just not good with romance.
’Though I don’t have the right to say anything...’ said Gotou as he stretched.
’Did you say sothing?’
Haruka ca back with a bottle of tea.
’It’s nothing. Anyway, where’s Yakumo?’
Gotou accepted the tea from Haruka and gulped it down.
’Gotou-san, you weren’t together with Yakumo-san then,’ said Haruka, sitting down on the folding chair and propping her head up in her hands. From that response, Haruka didn’t know where Yakumo was either.
’Yeah.’
’Is there another case?’
Haruka looked at him doubtfully.
It appeared that she thought Gotou only ca to see Yakumo when there was a case.
’That’s not it. I was just wondering how he was since I haven’t seen him around lately. How about you?’
’I felt the sa way.’
Haruka smiled.
At this lull in their conversation, Gotou’s mobile phone rang.
The display showed Ishii’s number.
’Your mobile’s ringing.’
Gotou thought about ignoring it, but with Haruka’s comnt, Gotou had to answer.
’What?’
He heard Ishii’s agitated voice from the phone.
’Don’t make such a fuss.’
’Then talk,’ Gotou said curtly.
It really did make him irritated to think that this useless guy was on the sa level as him.
’Forget the preamble,’ Gotou interrupted.
’And?’
Though Nishitama was a neighbouring city, it was a different jurisdiction.
The police organisation was very aware of its borders. If people stuck their necks into other jurisdictions’ business, there’d be trouble.
’So that’s the culprit then.’
Ishii hurriedly stopped Gotou before he could hang up.
’What’s not it?’
’Ah, I see.’
Gotou was about to hang up when he suddenly realised what Ishii had said.
– It can’t be.
Ishii’s wavering voice ca through the receiver.
’What’d you say just now?’
Gotou hadn’t heard wrong.
’When you say Yakumo... You an that Yakumo!?’
Gotou sat up as he shouted in his agitation.
Haruka looked at him anxiously, seeming to sense that sothing terrible had happened.
’You’re kidding .’
Gotou couldn’t accept Ishii’s words.
However, Ishii wasn’t the type to fool people or joke around. That made his words ring true.
Yakumo was a person of interest in a murder case – like Gotou could accept sothing as stupid as that.
As if to deny Gotou’s thoughts, sothing sobody said flashed through his mind.
– That child will kill people.
Yakumo’s mother, Saitou Azusa, had said that.
It was a rainy night fifteen years ago.
That day, Azusa had had her hands on the neck of her own son, Yakumo, while incoherently saying, ’That child will kill people.’
Were those words that ca from delusion or a prophecy –
Now, Gotou couldn’t see the answer.
Gotou ca back to his senses when he heard Ishii’s voice.
This wasn’t the ti to rember the past.
’Explain in detail.’
Gotou sat down on the chair again with a hard expression.
-
7
-
Yakumo stopped his walking along the river.
A drop of water hit his cheek.
He looked up. Thick clouds blanketed the sky.
’An evening shower...’
As if they had waited for Yakumo’s murmur, large raindrops suddenly started to fall.
Climbing down the mountain would be dangerous in the rain.
Yakumo looked around and saw a large rock with a hollow in it a bit beyond the river.
He could probably take shelter there if he stooped over.
Yakumo quickened his pace while dragging his left foot and slid his body into the hollow of the rock.
The large raindrops hit the ground loudly, creating a light mist. Yakumo decided to rest until the shower was over.
He ran both his hands through his hair and wiped them off.
After letting out a long sigh, a woman’s face flashed through Yakumo’s head.
– Ozawa Haruka.
He couldn’t rember clearly now what his first impression of her had been.
Sobody troubleso has co along – he had probably just thought sothing like that.
She would disappear once she had used him and didn’t need him any more. He had thought she’d be one of that type. After so ti, he wouldn’t think about her again. Like scenery passing in a car window.
However, the word Haruka had said so casually had destroyed the prejudices and sense of values that Yakumo had had up until then.
– Beautiful.
Haruka had said that when she saw Yakumo’s red left eye.
Though Yakumo didn’t say it, that word had healed Yakumo’s impoverished heart more than anything that had ever been said to him up until now.
Because of his red left eye, which could see the spirits of the dead, he was viewed as sothing strange and looked at by the world with curiosity.
’Creepy.’
’Scary.’
’Pitiful.’
Hate. Fear. Pity –
Each of those words hurt Yakumo’s heart, as if they were sharp blades.
– I’m not wanted.
It was natural for him to think that way.
I don’t want to be here. I want to disappear. Yakumo had wished for death countless tis, but as sobody who could see the spirits of the death, he knew that death was not a release from pain.
Yakumo felt like the word Haruka had said when she saw his red left eye – beautiful – had pulled out a stopper that had been in his heart.
Like it had told him it was all right for him to exist.
There had been many cases after that. While going through those, Haruka had beco more than sobody who was just passing by.
That wasn’t all. After she had beco a part of his life, Yakumo’s world had started to change.
Isshin and Nao. And Gotou – Yakumo had realised that there were other people who wanted him to be there.
At so point, the world had beco sothing he didn’t want to lose, and there were people he wanted to protect.
In the past, he would have thought that troubleso, but it was different now.
It was pleasant. He had been taught that he wasn’t the only person in the world. It felt like he was being released from the suffering that he had been burdened with up until now.
– Why am I suddenly thinking about this?
With a self-derisive smile, Yakumo shut his eyes.
Perhaps because his nerves had cald, he was assaulted by a heavy sleepiness.
He had sowhere he could return. That was why he had to return. There were people who were waiting – people he wanted to see –
Just as his neck lost its strength, Yakumo’s eyes flew open.
He couldn’t fall asleep carelessly in a place like this.
Yakumo shook his head.
At the sa ti, part of his mory ca back to him.
-
He was in the cavern at the back of the listone cave. Where Yakumo had woken up.
The flas of the candles were flickering.
Seidou stood there with lifeless eyes, as if his soul had left him, and gripped a knife.
’What do you plan to do after knowing the truth?’ asked Seidou in a flat voice.
At the ti, Yakumo had said sothing, but he couldn’t rember what –
’I see. Then...’
Seidou smiled slightly and gripped the knife more tightly.
Everything suddenly went dark – and then another image appeared in his mind.
A place like a temple.
’Do you believe in reincarnation?’ said Seidou.
A girl had been standing next to him.
She had bobbed hair and well-defined features, like a doll.
’I’m the reincarnation of my mother.’
Though the girl smiled, there was no emotion there.
This girl was empty.
– You?
While he was thinking, a jolt of pain ran through the back of his neck, bringing him back to reality.
A piece of a mory, just a mont. Everything was jumbled. He couldn’t determine at this stage what it ant.
However, it appeared clear that there had been so sort of quarrel between Yakumo and Seidou.
Furthermore, Seidou had been holding a knife. It wouldn’t be difficult to believe that after their quarrel, Yakumo had stabbed Seidou.
The doubt that had started to disappear ca back again.
’That can’t be.’
By saying it aloud, Yakumo cut down the growing anxiety in his heart.
If he theorised recklessly without all the information, he would beco bound by a hard perspective and would be able to arrive at the truth.
For now, he wanted information. In order to do so, he would need to go to Seidou’s temple.
Yakumo waited for the rain to stop.
-
8
-
’What’s wrong?’ Haruka asked Gotou once he finished his call.
Though she hadn’t heard clearly, she could tell that sothing terrible had happened to Yakumo from the bits and pieces of the conversation she did hear.
Her heart was pounding.
It made Haruka recall what had happened half a year ago. The incident when Yakumo had disappeared without a word –
The corners of her eyes felt warm just from thinking about it.
She didn’t want to feel that way again.
Gotou sat there silently with a stiff expression without answering Haruka’s question.
It felt like he wasn’t sure if he should talk.
That attitude made Haruka even more worried about the gravity of the situation.
The heavy silence continued.
The sound of the rain sounded incredibly loud.
The rain was heavy – the sound of the countless raindrops hitting the ground rang through the room.
’Please tell .’
Haruka gripped Gotou’s arm.
Guess there’s no avoiding it – with that expression on his face, Gotou let out a breath in resignation and said ’I don’t know the details yet’ as his preface.
’A corpse was found in a listone cave in Nishitama.’
’A corpse...’
Could it be –
Haruka felt like she had suddenly fallen into a bottomless darkness.
Tell it isn’t true – Haruka stared at Gotou with that wish.
’The person who died was the priest of a nearby temple,’ said Gotou, as if he had sensed Haruka’s feelings.
’I see...’
She knew it was indiscreet, but she was relieved that the corpse wasn’t Yakumo.
’The police are chasing Yakumo as a person of interest.’
’Eh?’
Haruka said that without thinking.
It wasn’t like she hadn’t heard what Gotou said or that she didn’t understand what the words ant.
She just couldn’t believe it.
’The detectives witnessed a man with a red left eye fleeing the scene. And there was a wallet left behind as evidence. Yakumo’s student ID had been in it.’
’That’s...’
’From that situation, it’s likely Yakumo’s involved in the case sohow.’
Gotou had said what Haruka didn’t dare to say.
She felt like a knife had been thrust through her.
’... It’s a lie.’
After a silence, Haruka said just that.
She was saying that to herself. That can’t be it. She wanted to believe that. She wanted that to be true.
Words from a terribly desperate wish –
’I know that.’
Unlike Haruka, Gotou’s words had force behind them.
There was no doubt there. There was a confidence in them – like it was natural.
’That’s right.’
’Right. There’s no way he’d kill anybody.’
’You’re right.’
Though Haruka gave a firm reply, she couldn’t clear a niggling doubt.
– Why?
’The question is what to do now,’ said Gotou, interrupting Haruka’s question.
’That’s right.’
They needed to find out the truth to see why this had happened. And –
’Where’s Yakumo-kun now?’
’I don’t know.’
Gotou crossed his arms in his displeasure.
’Did he run?’
’Seems like it.’
Haruka realised what had been bothering her.
’Why did Yakumo-kun run?’
Haruka didn’t understand.
If he hadn’t killed anybody, he wouldn’t have needed to run. He could have just explained what he was doing.
And Yakumo must have known that running in that situation would be unbeneficial for him.
’I don’t know.’
Gotou frowned.
’Was there sothing that happened that made it necessary for him to run?’
’It’d be faster to ask him.’
’But we don’t know where he is.’
’We’ll find him.’
Gotou puffed out his chest with confidence.
’But how?’
’We just have to check the places we think he might be.’
Gotou wasn’t joking – he probably really ant to do that.
However, Haruka didn’t think they’d be able to find Yakumo that way. Going around mindlessly wouldnt’ do anything – they needed to find a clue.
’Are there no leads?’
’Ah, that’s right.’
Gotou seed to recall sothing after hearing Haruka’s words. He clapped his hands together.
’What is it?’
’Seems like the place where the corpse was found was a spiritual spot.’
’A spiritual spot...’
Haruka murmured that as she mulled it over.
It was likely that Yakumo had been there following so spiritual mystery for so reason.
Even if that were the case, it was incredibly unlikely that Yakumo would chase a case related to spirits of his own volition.
’Did sobody bring a spiritual investigation to Yakumo?’
Haruka said the question that ca to mind.
’It’s possible.’
’But who would it be?’
’I don’t know.’
’I don’t either...’
Haruka thought about it, but she couldn’t think of anybody.
Just as the conversation had co to a lull, the door opened.
’Yakumo-kun?’
Haruka stood up and looked at the door, thinking Yakumo might have returned.
However, the person standing there wasn’t Yakumo –
-
9
-
Ishii’s shoulders slumped in his disappointnt.
He took off his glasses and leant on the back of the chair, looking up at the ceiling.
The detective from the Nishitama precinct would be here soon, but it didn’t seem like Gotou would be coming back – he’d hung up the phone, saying .
Ishii understood why Gotou thought that way too.
If he t up with sobody from the Nishitama precinct, he wouldn’t be able to move freely. And he probably didn’t want to be asked too much about Yakumo.
However, Ishii didn’t like being left behind. He couldn’t explain why Gotou wasn’t here, and he didn’t have the confidence to do this alone.
Ishii covered his face with both hands. Then, he heard a knock on the door.
’Ah, yes.’
Ishii hurriedly put his glasses back on and stood up.
’Excuse .’
The door opened. Ishii looked at the door and saw a woman standing there.
She was probably in her late twenties. She was tall, but she had an elegant figure.
Her hair was very short. With almond eyes, she looked strict at first glance, but she was quite the beauty with her feline features.
’My na is Natsu Youko. I’m from the Nishitama precinct.’
While saying that with good enunciation, she took out her police ID and held it in front of Ishii’s eyes.
’Ah, I apologise for not introducing myself sooner. I am Ishii of the Setamachi precinct.’
Ishii was still troubled as he gave a polite bow.
’I believe that Chief Miyagawa has already contacted you.’
Youko walked right up to Ishii.
When she looked at him with her clear eyes, Ishii felt awkward and dropped his gaze to the floor.
’Ah, yes. I heard earlier.’
’So... where is the other detective?’ said Youko, looking around the room dubiously.
She had hit him where it hurt.
’E-er... today... er, he wasn’t feeling well...’
It didn’t look like Youko was going to accept Ishii’s explanation as she fixed him with a stare.
It wasn’t like she was glaring at him, but it made Ishii feel timid.
’A-anyway, please sit down.’
Ishii tried to change the subject and took out the folding chair in the corner of the room.
’About cooperating with the investigation...’ said Ishii once Youko sat down.
’I’ll say this now, but you don’t need to cooperate with the investigation.’
Youko’s eyes narrowed as she said that in a clear tone.
’Eh?’
Ishii was so surprised that that was he replied with.
’I said that you don’t need to cooperate with the investigation.’
’Yes, but..’
’What is it?’
Youko looked at Ishii sharply.
Though Ishii was surprised by what Youko said so suddenly, he felt like she and Gotou were a bit similar.
An aloof detective who liked working independently. That was the impression Ishii had.
’But... the superiors have said...’
’The people at the top don’t know the situation. Working with an impromptu team would be no help at all. Furthermore, investigating with a man...’
Though Youko didn’t finish, her feminist side could be seen.
’Then what did you co to do today?’ asked Ishii after gulping.
If she didn’t want to ask for help with the investigation, why did she co all the way here? Ishii didn’t understand.
’You know Saitou Yakumo, right?’
That gave Ishii a start.
He couldn’t reply imdiately – his gaze just wandered. However, it wasn’t as if the answer was stuck to the walls or the ceiling, so he was just wasting ti.
’You know him, right?’ repeated Youko.
’Ah, no... Rather than knowing him... Well, I do...’
Ishii wiped the sweat on his forehead.
He knew it was a pointless answer. He really was useless.
’Why is he?’
It was a straight question. Like Gotou, she appeared to be the type who hated beating around the bush.
’No, we don’t know where he is either right now...’
If they did, they would have already gone to et him.
’Then tell where you think he would go.’
Youko’s eyes were forceful.
Under that pressure, it was difficult for Ishii to breathe. No criminal could escape if she were chasing them. It made Ishii feel that way.
’Places I think he would go...’
’Places he often visits. His lover’s house, his friend’s house. Anything’s fine. Just tell the information you know.’
There was fervour behind Youko’s words.
It appeared that she had already jumped to the conclusion that Yakumo was the culprit at this stage.
’Detective Natsu, do you think Yakumo-shi is the culprit?’
After a silence, Ishii finally said just that.
’It’s certain that he’s the most likely suspect.’
For a mont, Youko looked surprised by Ishii’s response, but then her expression beca blank again and she replied in a flat tone.
’I see...’
’What do you think?’
’I...’
When Youko asked a question back, Ishii was lost for words.
It appeared like Gotou thought there was no way for Yakumo to kill anyone, but Ishii couldn’t say that for certain.
Yakumo, who could see the spirits of the dead, respected life more than anybody else. Ishii knew that.
But on the other side of that, Yakumo was sotis cold – to the point it was obsessive – about the things he couldn’t forgive.
’What’s wrong?’ said Youko, sticking out her pointy chin.
’I believe it is too early to say...’
’Is that from the situation? Or your personal opinion?’
Another difficult question.
’I...’
Ishii adjusted the position of his glasses.
– Which is it for ?
As if throwing a bone to Ishii in his confusion, Youko’s mobile rang.
’Hello, Natsu speaking.’
Youko answered imdiately.
Ishii couldn’t hear the conversation, but from the atmosphere, it looked like she had new information about hte case.
’Understood,’ replied Youko, sounding agitated.
’Did you find sothing out?’ said Ishii once Youko hung up.
’We were able to confirm this from a trainee monk at Seidou’s temple.’
’What is it?’
’Saitou Yakumo and the victim Seidou appear to have left the temple together late last night.’
Youko smiled triumphantly.
Though they were still at the stage of gathering evidence, that testimony made it seem more like Yakumo was the culprit.
But –
’That is only one testimony about the situation.’
’That’s not all.’
’Eh?’
’Fingerprints from the cup that we believe he used in the temple’s living quarters match the ones left on the knife at the scene.’
’Fingerprints...’
Ishii couldn’t breathe.
If even the fingerprints matched, he couldn’t say anything.
No, it was still too early to co to a decision. Ishii shook his head.
There was no proof that Yakumo really used that cup. They just believed that – that was what Youko had said.
’Fingerprints will be taken from Saitou Yakumo’s room,’ said Youko, anticipating Ishii’s thoughts.
It looked like that she hadn’t overlooked anything.
If they matched the fingerprints from Yakumo’s room, that would confirm their suspicion.
’If the fingerprints from the room match the knife, he would go from being a person of interest to a supect.’
’That’s...’
’Hurry and tell where Saitou Yakumo is.’
Youko looked like she might like her lips at any mont.
Ishii couldn’t help but look away from her persistence.
-
10
-
– Yakumo might be back.
Haruka looked with hope towards the door but standing there was a priest in religious clothes.
He appeared rather old, but he had a large fra that rivalled Gotou’s with a round, shaved head. He had a good physique and looked like a good person.
’What an awful shower,’ said the priest in a forceful tone as he wiped the raindrops off his clothes.
It was an unreserved attitude. It felt like he’d mistaken them for soone else.
’Excuse ...’ said Haruka, confused.
’Oh, what’s this?’
The priest looked at Haruka like he had just noticed her.
’Do you need sothing?’
’Oh, it’s the first ti we’ve t. You’re Ozawa Haruka, right? Just as the rumours say, you’re quite the pretty girl.’
After taking a hard look at Haruka, the priest said that and gave a hearty laugh.
It appeared he was a considerably lively man.
’Don’t be so loud, you damn monk,’ said Gotou.
’Is it OK to say that? Who do you think helped you get the place you’re staying in now? You can’t have forgotten.’
The priest puffed out his chest.
It looked like Gotou knew the priest. And the priest knew Haruka’s na. Haruka felt like she was the only one who was left out.
’Er...’
Though Haruka spoke up, she had so many things she wanted to ask she didn’t know what to say.
’That’s right. I haven’t introduced myself yet. That’s my bad.’
The priest awkwardly scratched his head as he said that, like he couldn’t overlook Haruka’s confusion. Then, he sat in the chair Yakumo usually used.
’Excuse ...’ said Haruka after the priest sat down.
’You don’t need to worry; I’ll tell you.’
’Ah, yes.’
’My na is Eishin. As you can see, I’m a humble priest.’
After Eishin said that with a voice full of energy, he smiled, his eyes closing as he did so.
’A priest...’
Actually, Isshin was my disciple. I heard about you from him, Haruka-san.’
’I-is that so?’
Isshin was Yakumo’s uncle – the person who had raised him.
Haruka had been in his care a number of tis too. Though he had already passed away, to Haruka, he was sobody unforgettable.
’The teacher watches his disciple and teaches him. We’re alike, right?’
’Yes?’
Haruka was confused.
Though they had just t, his appearance and personality – no matter how she looked at it, Isshin was –
’You’re not alike.’
Gotou spoke Haruka’s feelings.
’Can you really say that?’
Eishin looked at Gotou aningfully.
It looked like Eishin had a hold of one of Gotou’s weaknesses, because Gotou just said weakly, ’My bad.’
’Gotou-san, er... Do you know Eishin-san?’ asked Haruka.
’The hell I know him. He’s just a damn monk.’
’Can’t you give a better explanation?’ Eishin interrupted imdiately.
Sohow, when she watched their exchange, Eishin seed less like Isshin and more like Yakumo.
’To put it simply, he’s like my landlord.’
’Landlord?’
Even after Gotou explained, Haruka didn’t really understand.
’The priests’ quarters that Gotou is staying in belongs to the religious organisation.’
’Eh? Is that so?’
Eishin gave an additional explanation which made Haruka surprised.
Since Isshin had lived there before, she had thought it belonged to him. Haruka had thought that Yakumo had let Gotou stay there while thinking of Nao, but it seed that wasn’t the case.
’Normally, those unrelated to the religion are not allowed to stay there, but my wheedling got them special permission to stay there. Under the condition that Yakumo would take on the temple duties.’
’I see...’
Though Haruka spoke like she understood, the last sentence Eishin said ca up in her head.
– Under the condition that Yakumo would take on the temple duties.
’Is Yakumo-kun going to beco a priest?’
’Don’t take what the damn monk says seriously.’
Gotou snorted.
’That’s my plan.’
’Yakumo didn’t agree to that.’
’He will.’
’What’s with that baseless confidence of yours?’
Gotou and Eishin continued to quarrel. ’Why did you co here today?’
Haruka asked a question to stop their conversation.
’Oh, that’s right.’
Eishin clapped his hands together.
’Actually, there’s sothing I want to ask Yakumo. Where is he?’
Eishin looked around the room. The room was small. He should have been able to tell if he wasn’t here, but his movents were exaggeratedly large.
– Can we tell Eishin the situation right now?
Haruka looked at Gotou since she wasn’t sure.
Gotou nodded and started to speak.
’Yakumo’s in so trouble right now.’
’Trouble?’
Eishin cocked his head.
’Yeah. There’s no point hiding it, so I’ll say it clearly. The police are chasing him as a person of interest in a murder case that occurred in Nishitama.’
’Could it be the victim is Seidou?’
’How’d you know that?’
’I heard earlier that Seidou was killed.’
’Was he an acquaintance of yours?’
Gotou bit onto the words Eishin said without any hesitation.
’Not just an acquaintance –I was the one who told Yakumo to go to see Seidou.’
’What did you say!?’
Gotou stood up in his excitent.
Unlike him, Eishin had a sad expression on his face.
’Excuse ... Could it be that you requested Yakumo’s help in an investigation of a spiritual phenonon...?’
Haruka said what ca to her mind.
’You’re quite quick.’
Eishin nodded a number of tis in admiration.
’How are you so calm!? You’re the start of this! You damn monk!’
Gotou grabbed Eishin by the collar, but Eishin just smiled.
’Wait, Gotou-san. Please calm down.’
Haruka stepped between them and tried to pull them apart, but she didn’
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