4
Sakuta finally shut the computer down a full hour after he’d started searching for Nene Iwamizawa. It was just past six.
He left the building, his echoing footsteps the only thing that made sound. The rain had kept the skies dark all day, but now it actually was dark. The lights were on in the tree-lined path, and it already felt like night.
But there were still scattered students around. As Sakuta headed out, a student in a white coat went the other way. Likely a fourth-year working on their research for their thesis. They were carrying a store bag with some instant noodles and a bottle of coffee inside.
Maybe Sakuta would wind up like that one day.
With that in mind, he headed to the station just in time to board an express.
After twenty minutes rocking on the Keikyu Line, he switched trains at Yokohama Station, as did so many others.
Another twenty minutes rocking on the Tokaido Line.
When he reached Fujisawa Station, it was just past seven, and the place was packed with grown-ups.
This rain just wouldn’t quit, and he grumbled about that but opened his umbrella and headed home.
His mind on other things, he let his feet carry him down the roads to his apartment.
He’d learned several things while searching.
The first hit for Nene Iwamizawa had been her own social media account. One with photos accompanied by brief captions.
Browsing that proved that even before the beauty contest, she’d been getting modeling work—since her second year of high school, back in Hokkaido.
She’d moved to Kanagawa Prefecture for college.
The beauty contest results had helped her land a modeling agency and gigs with fashion magazines.
The account seemed proud of her gradually increasing work offers. But things only went smoothly until spring of this year. The last update was April 6.
“Maybe that’s when people stopped seeing her.”
To Sakuta’s knowledge, he was the only one who could see Touko as a miniskirt Santa. Nobody else could perceive her at all. She couldn’t exactly model like that.
But this social media account never once mentioned Touko Kirishima. He didn’t see a word about music anywhere.
Had she simply kept her modeling career separate from it?
Only she knew the reasoning behind that.
“I’ll have to ask the next time we meet.”
As he reached that conclusion, he found a familiar vehicle parked outside his building.
A white minivan.
The one driven by Ryouko Hanawa, Mai’s manager.
He approached and found her in the driver’s seat.
She bobbed her head when she saw him coming, and he bowed back.
But her gaze soon shifted away, to the door of his building. He followed that and saw Mai coming out.
When she moved to open her umbrella, Sakuta came over and held his up.
“Welcome back, Sakuta. You’re awfully late.”
“Good to be home, Mai. I was looking into some things.”
“College homework?”
“The other homework.”
“Get anywhere?”
“I didn’t learn enough to make that claim, so not sure what I should say.”
He’d reached no conclusions, so any attempt to explain would be a mess.
“Well, no time now, so I’ll call this evening.”
“Off to work, Mai?”
“Work’s tomorrow; today’s just getting there. I’m making an appearance at a film festival in Fukuoka.”
“Does this involve a nice dress?”
“It does. A really gorgeous one.”
“Wish I could see that.”
“Ryouko will be taking lots of pictures.”
“I meant in person.”
Mai started walking, so he headed toward the van’s back seat, too, keeping her dry. The sliding door opened automatically to greet her.
“I made dinner for you and Kaede, so eat that together.”
Mai climbed inside and put her seat belt on. And thanked him for the umbrella.
“Oh, Sakuta…”
“Yes?”
“I’ve got that Hakone hot springs reservation booked.”
“For Christmas?”
“If you’re available.”
“I will be! I swear!”
“If you can’t make it, Ryouko says she’ll go with me. No need to bend over backward.”
“I’ve always wanted to stay there,” Ryouko cut in with a joke—no, she probably did want to stay there. There was a Hakone guidebook on the seat. She was raring to go.
“Well, if that happens, enjoy it for me,” he said.
“I’m not looking forward to being with Mai in that mood.”
“You’re both incorrigible.”
Sakuta and Ryouko laughed out loud. Still chuckling, he took a step back from the door and nodded to Ryouko.
The door slid shut, locking into place like a jigsaw puzzle.
The van pulled slowly away, fading into the night. For a minute, he could still see the taillights, but then those disappeared around a corner.
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