1.
Haruka went out of the house quickly after getting ready.
Train was over. She went to the other side of the station and went to the main street to catch a taxi.
Haruka who got into the taxi sat in the back seat and told the driver the destination to the hospital.
ー Please, be safe.
Haruka could only pray in the taxi which started while making the engine sound resound.
She looked at the view out the window.
The townscape that should be familiar to her felt like another world.
Speaking of which, it happened before.
That was when Isshin was stabbed.
At that time too, she was looking forward to the safety of Isshin while looking at the car window like this.
But that feelings did not reach him.
He survived but got into a state of brain death, after that he left everyone. Maybe Gotou, too…
ー No way !
Haruka screamed in her heart, driven away the thoughts in her head.
She received a notification from Ishii that Gotou had been in an accident, and rushed out like this, but she did not understood anything in detail.
Rushing to the hospital, she was in pain, but was determinated that Gotou would take over, saying, “Aren’t you exaggerating ?”
Haruka tried to calm her mind by thinking so, but the more she did that, the more anxiety came from the back of her chest.
ー Faster.
Haruka prayed while holding her sweating palms.
It was late at night, the road was vacant, and she arrived at the hospital in about ten minutes.
The front entrance was off. Most of the electricity in the window of the patient’s room was also off.
The hospital at night, by itself, was a source of anxiety.
Haruka headed for the nighttime entrance.
She informed the security guards about the meeting but her words get stuck when they asked about her relationship with Gotou.
“If you are not a relative, just…”
The security guard said, frowning.
ーI am not likely to get there if I make a fuss here. I wonder if I can only wait outside.
When she thought so, she was called out.
It was Yakumo.
“Yakumo-kun !”
Haruka raised her voice, relieved.
“You came too”
“Yes. Ishii-san get in touch.”
Yakumo answered “I see” and went to the security guard, exchanged some words, and came back with the two people’s admission pass.
She did not know what he said, but with this she could get inside.
Haruka received her admission pass and, with Yakumo, walked into the hospital through the night entrance.
“How are Gotou-san’s conditions ?”
She asked Yakumo, while walking in the dim corridor.
“I just got a message that he had an accident, I do not know the details.”
Yakumo’s tone did not have the usual crispness.
Although it did not show on his expression, Yakumo was probably puzzled.
They were two people which quarrelled when they met, but it was because they had a relationship of trust.
Gotou had a special existence for Yakumo.
“I’m sure it will be fine”
When she got into the elevator, Haruka said like a soliloquy.
“I don’t know”
Yakumo had a small breath.
Until he understood the situation, Yakumo did not say a thing. But in such a case, his attitude made this very uneasy.
In addition, Isshin floated in her mind. Why was her idea inclined only to the bad ones ?
They got off the elevator, followed the long corridor, and went to the waiting room.
The sofa was lined up, and the room was bright with light, but this did not mean that her anxiety had disappeared.
“Yakumo-chi. And, Haruka-chan”
Ishii, who was sitting on the sofa in the corner of the room, stood up with a loud voice.
“Ishii-san”
Haruka, with Yakumo, walked up to Ishii.
“I am sorry to contact you so late”
Ishii politely lowered his head.
It was not a thing to apologize for. Both Haruka and Yakumo would not had known about the accident if Ishii did not contact them.
Still, it was like a habit of Ishii to apologize this way.
“Not at all. Thank you for contacting me.”
“So, how are the conditions of Gotou-san ?”
Yakumo said, interrupting Haruka ’s words.
mmediately after that, Ishii’s expression became cloudy.
The unpleasant feeling that was in Haruka swells greatly.
“For the time being, the surgery is over. His life is safe but now he is in the intensive care unit with Atsuko-san.”
“I’m so glad…”
Haruka unintentionally leaked her voice.
If his life was saved, then it was a relief.
“Right…”
When Ishii raised his voice, he dropped his gaze.
This reaction…
In Haruka, the anxiety that was about to swell expanded at a stretch, and her body trembled.
“It seems like he’s still unpredictable. According to the doctor, tonight is a critical point.”
Ishii’s voice had changed, like he was about to cry.
“That's…”
No more words came out.
Wasn’t this a reproduction of Isshin ? Something cold came into her heart. Her head was so dizzy that she couldn’t stand.
When she looked at Yakumo, he stood there with the same expression as usual.
Although pretending to be calm, the air released from Yakumo was clearly different from usual. Was he angry, sad or lamented? What was Yakumo thinking now ?
The waiting room was wrapped in heavy silence.
How long had it been ? The door opened and someone came into the room.
That was Gotou’s wife, Atsuko. Gauze was affixed to her forehead as if she was injured.
Even though it was a tough time, there was no sign that Atsuko was upset, and she walked straight here.
“Everyone. I’m sorry to bother you.”
Saying that, Atsuko bowed politely.
“No, that’s… More than that, what about Gotou-san ?”
Ishii asked with a confused expression.
“As the doctor said, he didn’t regained his consciousness. Tonight is crucial.”
Atsuko said again.
The reason why Ishii dared to ask Atsuko was that, perhaps, he had the expectation that the situation would be completely different and what he heard earlier was a mistake.
That was evidence, and Ishii seemed to be very discouraged and dropped his shoulders.
“What should I do …”
Ishii muttered to himself.
uka had the same feeling. She wanted to do something for Gotou, but she was helpless.
“I can only leave my husband to the doctor.”
Atsuko said patiently.
Yes, that was right. She knew this in her head, but she couldn’t calm her heart.
“More than that, let me tell you about Nao…”
Atsuko bowed again.
Did it mean that she wanted to take care of Nao while Gotou was in the hospital ?
She thought, but she felt that it was different from that.
“Did something happen to Nao?”
When Yakumo asked, Atsuko nodded big.
“She went missing.”
Atsuko’s words echoed in the waiting room.
Again, the area was swallowed by the silence.
“What does that mean ?”
After a while, Yakumo asked with a frown.
“This man, he got in an accident as he chased after Nao which jumped off the house.”
Looking back at the sudden heard voice there was the figure of Eishin.
It felt ominous to see Eishin in his robe at the hospital, but this was not the time to feel concerned about it.
“What do you mean ?”
When Haruka asked, Eishin nodded “Hm-hm” and opened his mouth.
“It’s just a guess, but Nao is haunted by a ghost. I think she lost her sanity and left the house. Otherwise, I can’t explain Nao’s actions.”
“Then, after all …”
Today, Gotou asked if Nao might be possessed by a ghost.
Yakumo’s left eye couldn’t see it, so we didn’t know for sure, but he was probably obsessed with something.
“Sorryー”
Eishin bowed deeply.
“Why do you need to apologize?”
Yakumo asked.
“I think Nao is haunted by a ghost, probably because Gotou was chasing a psychic phenomenon in this apartment.”
Gotou also said that possibility.
“In the first place, I was the one who asked Gotou to solve this psychic phenomenon.”
Eishin was sad and disappointed.
That must be the reason why Eishin apologized. If he didn’t ask for it, neither would Gotou be in an accident, nor would Nao be missing.
He probably was blaming himself, but if he did that, everyone was to me blamed.
That was Haruka’s case.
When they got a consultation from Gotou, they had to withdraw because Yakumo’s left eye hadn’t recovered his sight so he said he couldn’t do anything. Maybe they could have prevented it by studying more closely.
With that in mind, her shoulders became heavier.
“Since a search request has been issued, the police should be following the whereabouts by now.”
Ishii added.
Although she was grateful for the speed of the action, she didn’t think the police’s search could found anything.
The reason was clear.
Nao did not disappear by her own will, nor was she abducted by someone. It was highly likely that she was haunted by a ghost and lost her way due to the ghost’s will.
In order to find out where Nao went, she felt that it was necessary to clarify who was the ghost and what was his purpose.
For that, there was no choice but to solve the mystery of the psychic phenomenon that Gotou was chasing.
Perhaps Yakumo should had reached the same conclusion.
Haruka turned to Yakumo again.
However, Yakumo simply murmured with an inanimate face, “Is that so …”
2.
Ishii sat on the sofa in the waiting room and stared at the ceiling…
Gotou couldn’t accept visit, so Ishii which wasn’t a relative couldn’t meet him. He couldn’t even enter the intensive care unit.
Yakumo and Haruka were helpless too.
ーWhat should I do ?
He thought about it, but nothing came to his mind.
Although Ishii was not a sharp man, Gotou’s accident was so shocking that his head did not work well.
Ishii admired Gotou.
He had the belief that Gotou would not give up to anything and his determination was based on it. He had a noble spirit and he was willing to sacrifice himself for others.
Ishii wasn’t any of that.
That’s why Ishii longed for it and kept pursuing his back. Without Gotou, he would have long quit police.
It was none other than for Gotou that he was trying to do his best no matter how difficult it was.
The courage and the hard work of Gotou, sometimes, inspired Ishii.
When Gotou needed him, Ishii was soaring.
If Gotou disappeared, Ishii probably couldn’t hold back anymore.
Like a tree that lost its roots, he might fall easily
“I…”
Ishii could not stand the anxiety rushing in, and covered his face with both hands and bent his body into a V shape.
He felt that his body was getting smaller and smaller. It seemed that it would disappear as it was.
At that time…
“Ishii-san”
Said a gentle voice
Someone’s hand gently touched his back.
As he raised his face, Makoto was sitting next to him, stroking Ishii’s curled back.
“Ma-, Makoto-san…”
“I’m sorry. I thought I’d come earlier, but I was caught by a guard …”
Makoto made a bitter smile.
“No, no.”
“What is Gotou-san’s state ?”
Makoto asked.
When he heard her familiar warm voice, he felt a little less anxious.
“Actuallyー”, Ishii explained to Makoto about Gotou’s condition.
He also added that Nao was missing, which seemed to be related to the psychic phenomenon Gotou was pursuing.
Makoto listened to Ishii’s explanation without any haste.
“I seeー” Makoto murmured when he finished talking.
“What should I do …”
Ishii said unintentionally.
Actually he didn’t mean to say this. In fact, when Yakumo and Haruka were there, he was patient so as not to show any weakness.
However, in front of Makoto, he suddenly lost himself.
“Ishii-san…”
“If something happened to Detective Gotou, I…”
He was about to start crying.
The worst scenario crossed his mind
“Let’s believe”
Makoto said with a gentle smile.
“Huh ?”
“For now we don’t have choice but to believe. Right ?”
It was just like Makoto said.
Even if you thought about the worst and sank before the results came out, nothing would start.
For now, he had to believe.
“You are right.”
Ishii nodded back and Makoto smiled happily.
“Now, let’s do what we can for Gotou-san.”
Makoto said with strength.
He agreed with her opinion. Howeverー
“What can we do ?”
Ishii was really worried because he didn’t understand.
“Finding Nao-chan, I think.”
“Finding Nao-chan…”
“Yes. When Gotou-san wakes up, if Nao is still missing, I’m sure he will be very angry.”
Makoto’s words made him feel at ease.
That’s right. He was sure a fist wouldn’t be enough.
“That’s true”
Ishii agreed, but there was not much he could do in this situation.
Searching for a missing person was not something that Ishii could do alone. He could only participated a little in the search activities.
No, it wasn’t good to be discouraged here.
Whatever it might be, it was the best thing Ishii could do now to find Nao.
“I will immediately participate in the search.”
Ishii stood up, but Makoto controlled him.
“Searching isn’t enough.”
Makoto said while looking up at Ishii.
“What do you mean ?”
“It seems that Nao-chan’s disappearance is related to the psychic phenomenon that Gotou-san was pursuing.”
“You’re right…”
Although he could not say for certain, Ishii also thought just like Makoto.
“And there is something else.”
“What is it ?”
“Gotou-san was investigating the psychic phenomenon that occurred in an apartment.”
“Yes”
Isn’t that apartment the same place we went to ?“
"Huh !”
Ishii screamed unintentionally.
As expected, he felt that Makoto’s ideas had jumped too far.
They just couldn’t say that psychic phenomenon occured in the same apartment. There were countless apartments in the world.
When Ishii explained that, Makoto shook his head.
“Don’t you think the timing is strange ?”
Certainly a coincidence, he felt that she was overdoing it.
“B, But…”
“And remember what Sayama said.”
“What he said ?”
“Yes. It seems that there are other psychic phenomena in this apartment, didn’t he say that ?”
Upon hearing Makoto’s story, Ishii swallowed.
Indeed, he said so. Perhaps, as Makoto speculated, the apartment where Gotou was involved and the apartment where Ishii and his friend visited might be the same.
But then the ghost was not alone.
Something ridiculously big might be going on. When he thought so, he was honestly scared.
“I will try to follow the psychic phenomenon of the apartment again. Ishii-san, you should also keep it in mind and try to follow Nao’s footsteps.”
Makoto said powerfully.
“Okay, but can I do it ?”
He intended to regain his energy, but he couldn’t feel confident.
“What are you talking about? Only you, Ishii-san, can do it.”
Then Makoto smiled.
Why did Makoto always believe in weak people like Ishii ? That was strange.
3.
Haruka chased after Yakumo’s back.
Yakumo was a fast walker, but today she felt like he was faster than ever. Like he was running away from something.
“Hey. Yakumo-kunー”
When Haruka called out, Yakumo stopped, and glanced back.
Yakumo’s face was illuminated by the light of the streetlight.
Although Yakumo was always fair-white, it seemed to be more prominent today. It was not just because it was night.
“What ?”
Yakumo asked back, annoyed.
Perhaps he must had already guessed what Haruka was going to say.
“Isn’t there any way to find Nao-chan?”
Haruka dared to ask.
As Atsuko said, the treatment of Gotou could only be left to the doctor. However, if they searched for the missing Nao, they should be able to do it.
Believing that Gotou would recover, he would find Nao by the time he woke up. Haruka felt it was the only thing they could do.
“Ishii-san has arranged for the search.”
Haruka suspected Yakumo’s words.
“Yes, but it’s not like that to us…”
“You should leave it to the police.”
Yakumo shook his head a little.
“But…”
“It is not possible to find Nao when looking around blindly.”
“That’s not true.”
“It is impossible.”
“Why do you give up ?”
“I’m not giving up. People have their own roles. Unfortunately, we can only wait”
“I can’t wait in silence. There must be some way to find Nao-chan.”
“What is it ? If you make an extra move, you will be in the way of the police.”
Haruka was stunned by the plain words of Yakumo.
In the cases so far, Yakumo had moved without regard for police’s movements. Why did he said all this now ?
Somehow, Yakumo’s presence felt distant.
“Aren’t you worried about Nao-chan ?”
“I am worried.”
The voice of Yakumo exuded irritation.
“If so…”
“I understand what you are trying to say. If the psychic phenomenon that Gotou-san was involved in and the disappearance of Nao are related, you think that it may be possible to follow Nao’s whereabouts from that line. ”
Haruka gave a big nod.
He knew that, but why Yakumo didn’t do anything- She didn’t know.
“My left eye can’t see.”
Yakumo gently held his hand over the eyepatch. His white fingertips seemed to quiver slightly.
“I know”
“Then you understand. I can’t see with my left eye, so I can’t follow Nao’s whereabouts from a psychic phenomenon.”
Yakumo said slappily.
His theory was right. But that was not what Haruka wanted to say.
It was true that Yakumo has been able to resolve the incident so far because of the large presence of his red left eye, but it was not the only one reason.
Besides, Haruka knew that Yakumo wasn’t such a person who gave up so easily when an important person was in danger.
He kept looking forward without giving up at any time. That’s whyー…
“There should be a way to do it even if you can’t see.”
“If so, please tell me how to do that.”
“That’s…”
She couldn’t reply immediately.
It seemed like a cowardly thing to unilaterally approach Yakumo even though she had found any solution.
“I don’t know what you expect, but I can’t do anything.”
She dropped her gaze as Yakumo looked down.
She had never seen Yakumo being so angry.
He might have realized his own powerlessness.
That red left eye that he hated until nowー.
However, by losing it, he lost his worth. Knowing that, Haruka couldn’t come up with what to say to Yakumo.
Yakumo wouldn’t want half-hearted comfort, and Haruka wouldn’t say that.
“Why do you decide that you can’t do it ?”
“I decide nothing, it is a fact. If I can’t see it, I can’t solve the mystery of a psychic phenomena.”
“It’s wrong”
“What’s wrong?”
“Because … Yakumo-kun, you hasn’t been able to resolve the cases just because you could see it, right ?”
Yakumo had unparalleled insight and reasoning power.
By making full use of them, he had solved the mystery of cases many times.
Even if he could not see this case, if he sorted out various things, he might eventually reach the truth.
“You overestimate me”
Yakumo sighted without force.
“That’s not true. Yakumo-kun, you solved cases before the police until now.”
“That’s what you overestimate.”
Yakumo shook his head.
She could hear the sound of his clicking his tongue, as if he was impatient.
He might feel something like irritation that she couldn’t understand.
“That’s not true”
“Why ? I was able to resolve the case because I had the advantage of seeing ghosts.”
“It’s not only that”
“That’s just it.”
“…….”
Her words got stucked.
She couldn’t express the feelings in her right now.
She didn’t know how to explain it, but she felt that if she said something more, it would hurt Yakumo’s heart.
ー Really ?
There was a voice in the back of her head.
The real reason why Haruka shut her mouth was probably because she didn’t want to be hated by Yakumo.
That wasn’t limited to Yakumo, she feared that someone would dislike her, so she wouldn’t said what she really meant.
So far, she had never told Yakumo about her secret feelings.
In that sense, Haruka was the one who kept herself in her shell. She knew all that, but no words came out.
“I can’t see, I’m just a person”
Yakumo whispered.
“Everyone is just a person …”
e returned, but it sounds like words in the air.
“That is not true”
“But…”
“Enough”
Yakumo roared and refused further discussion.
Before she knew it, there was an invisible wall with Yakumo.
“Sorry, but no matter how much you expect, I can’t do it now.”
Yakumo laughed at himself.
It was the driest laughter she had ever seen.
Haruka stayed with Yakumo for a while. Maybe he was waiting for something.
But Haruka didn’t know what it was.
After a long silence, Yakumo turned around and started walking.
ー Wait !
Haruka looked away from Yakumo’s back without being able to speak a word.
They went throught and experienced various things together and she understood Yakumo’s suffering and sadness, but she could not see Yakumo’s existence as a nuisance.
Eventually, Yakumo disappeared from Haruka’s field of view, as if melting into the darkness.
4.
Ishii took the intersection, which were the scene of the accident.
It was the place where Gotou had the accident.
Site verification had already been completed, but the white chalk mark on the asphalt remained.
The blood pool that appeared in the dark after receiving the moonlight made Ishii’s heart buzzing.
Makoto said she would looking for Nao’s whereabouts from the perspective of psychic phenomena. Ishii decided to search for Nao’s whereabouts from a police point of view and went there.
When he turned his eyes a little further, he suddenly stepped on the brakes and the marks of the tires slipping remained.
The one who was driving the car was Sasaoka, a man in his thirties who was working as a subcontractor for delivery. It seems that he had the accident on his way home after finishing work.
According to Sasaoka’s testimony, a person suddenly jumped out in front of him and he rushed to step on the brake, but it wasn’t in time.
The tire marks confirmed the testimony.
If he didn’t press the brake, Gotou might have been instantly dead. When he thought so, he was horrified again.
According to Eishin, Gotou was following Nao and had an accident.
To be honest, he was very worried when he heard that Gotou would take over Nao.
The main reason for this was that Gotou suddenly became a parent and he wondered if he could be loving.
But, it was only groundless.
Gotou had a deep love for Nao, like his real daughter. This feeling has been transmitted to him even from afar.
Recently, there was many painful cases where a real parent killed his child, but Gotou threw himself out without hesitation in order to protect Nao, who was not his daughter.
He had to find Nao, for Gotou.
Although he made this decision, he really did not know where to start.
“You came after all”
Suddenly, a voice called out and Ishii bounced around.
There stood Miyagawa’s figure.
He put his hands in his pants pocket and hold an unlit cigarette.
“Mi, Miyagawa-san !”
“I’m surprised too. I’m not a ghost”
“What ? Ghosts ?”
“I don’t know.”
He slammed Ishii’s shoulder.
“That’s right.”
“So, how is Gotou ?”
When Miyagawa asked, Ishii suddenly dropped his eyes.
Honestly, he had to explain the reality that he did not want to believe. Still, he couldn’t keep silent, so he told him about the current situation.
“He’s okay.”
As soon as he finished listening, Miyagawa murmured.
Why, after hearing of the story just now, how could he be so optimistic, Ishii could not believe the nerve of Miyagawa.
“B, But…”
“Gotou is not a person who can be killed by a car, isn’t he ?”
“I want to think so …”
“Don’t mess with me, believe me now. Then I’ll be jealous of him again.”
Miyagawa pulled Ishii’s shoulders.
Even though he was small, his arm was very powerful.
He decided to believe that Gotou would recover, but apparently he couldn’t give up his pessimistic thoughts.
That was confirmed by Miyagawa’s words again.
He couldn’t do this. It was as Miyagawa said.
“Yes !”
Ishii replied in a loud voice.
Miyagawa said, “This face is better,” he smiled with a big smile and struck Ishii’s shoulder.
“Really. He had been a caring bastard for a long time.”
After his grumble, Miyagawa lit a cigarette.
He was totally encouraged, but now he remembered that Miyagawa was a wise existence for Gotou.
As a detective, he heard that it was Miyagawa who was looking after Gotou when he first started.
Ishii sensed something that wasn’t just a former master-disciple relationship from the conversation between them, and he felt envious.
“What are you looking at ?”
Miyagawa noticed Ishii’s line of sight and asked, exhaling smoke.
“Ah-… No”
When Ishii hurriedly turned his eyes off, Miyagawa picked up his cigarette and stared at the fire.
“Ah, I see. I was smoking on the street.”
With a bitter smile, Miyagawa pushed his cigarette into a mobile ashtray.
He was not a person who usually violated these manners. Although he was pretending to be calm, Miyagawa must be upset too.
“In any case, let’s go, hurry”
Miyagawa started walking as soon as he told that.
“Where are you going ?”
Ishii chased Miyagawa in a hurry.
“Don’t say that you’re out of focus. Gotou’s kid is missing.”
“Yes”
“I’m going to search that kid.”
He had no objection to searching for Nao.
To begin with, Ishii decided to go so far. Butー
“How…”
“For God’s sake.”
Miyagawa put a hand on Ishii’s back.
Pain stretched his spine.
“That-… That’s painful”
Miyagawa pointed to a convenience store at the end of the road, without attention about Ishii’s complaint.
“There is a security camera.”
Ishii was surprised by Miyagawa’s words.
Gotou was following Nao and had an accident at this place. That said, Nao should have come to this area as well.
A security camera at a convenience store basically shot inside the store, but depending on the angle, the outside road might even be visible on.
This last years, thanks to such cameras, there had been cases that has been resolved.
If they checked the image of the security camera at the convenience store, they might be able to understand the actions that Nao took after the accident.
“I see. Let’s negotiate immediately.”
“It’s not necessary. I already did the talking.”
Miyagawa laughed proudly.
5.
Yakumo sat on his chair, his gaze drifting overー.
The room of the <Movie Research Club> was surrounded by silence.
Yakumo removed his left eye patch, closed his right eye with his hand, and opened his left eye.
The moonlight came in a while ago and it was slightly bright, but it turned into complete darkness.
He felt that the silence deepened the darkness.
Until now, the left eye had a different view from the right eye.
The soul of the deadー The ghosts of this world.
Yakumo has hated that from the bottom of his heart.
It was not once or twice that he was treated as a monster because his left eye was red. Every time he looked in the mirror, he felt the urge to pull out his red left eye.
Seeing ghosts on a daily basis brought pain to his mind.
Those who died and still wandered around this world had some reason.
Accidents, illnesses, suicides, incidentsーThe circumstances in which each person died were many, but many of them left some regrets in this world.
That’s whyー They wandered.
It was almost always a grudge, hatred, anger, or a negative emotion.
He didn’t understand the reason, and by continuing to see those feelings, Yakumo’s spirit was pushed to the limit.
He didn’t know what to do, just frightened by the continuing shadows of ghosts.
There was a vague boundary between a real human and a ghost, and it was scary to go beyond.
If he didn’t had a red left eye, he might had been able to spend a more calm life. He thought so countless time. This red left eye was also a sign that he had this man’s blood.
Unkai, a man with two bloody red eyes, his father of blood.
Moreover, Unkai was Yakumo’s mother, Azusa, half-brother.
Yakumo’s body was filled with condensed, cursed blood. Just thinking about it made his spine cold and even nausea.
Even if he thought that the blood of a man who played with other people’s emotions and led them to their ruin flowed into his body, he was accustomed.
So far, he had kept his distance from others.
Being involved with him also harmed and cursed the others. He felt that way. In fact, Nao’s mother, Akemi, died because she was involved in Yakumo.
He unintentionally injured anyone who touched him. It was like a porcupine dilemma.
That’s why he hadn’t tried to be involved with love.
A cursed person, like himself, should not think of someone.
If he did that, he would suffer and even the person he had feelings for. It was harder than anything.
Leaving his own gene was synonymous to leaving a chain of curses in later life.
He should end the red-eyed curse himself. That’s what he thought. No, he still think he should.
Suddenly, Haruka’s face appeared on Yakumo’s mind.
She looked at Yakumo’s red left eye and said, “Pretty.”
Undoubtedly, it was honestly how she felt. She didn’t know how much Yakumo was saved by it.
The red eye, which he hated, were described as “pretty”, which made Yakumo felt like she was the first to affirm his existence.
After hearing those words, he was able to strangely face his red eye more than before.
As a result, the number of people involved in psychic incidents increased dramatically.
Of course, Haruka, who was a good friend, might collect troubles of psychic phenomena from everywhere, but that was not all.
It was also because he realized that his red left eye wasn’t just a curse, it could sometimes save someone’s heart.
Of course, not everything he saw could be saved. He tried hard, but sometimes his thoughts didn’t reach them.
Even so, he was able to touch some feelings and found hope.
With Haruka, he felt like he hated himself less than before. He thought it was okay for him to exist.
If his left eye wasn’t red, how would he be in contact with Haruka ?
Such a question suddenly came to his mind.
If he was a typical college student, would he enjoyed Haruka ?
ーNo.
That was impossible.
He met Haruka after a certain psychic phenomenon.
In other words, if it wasn’t for his red left eye, he wouldn’t have met Haruka in the first place.
She must have finished her life without knowing his very existence. Even if they were to meet, they would have been in a different relationship.
Because of his red left eye, he was able to know the existence of Haruka’s twin sister and touched her heart.
It was not just Haruka.
Perhaps he would never have met Gotou.
He first met Gotou when Yakumo was about to be killed by his mother, Azusa.
If his eye wasn’t red, she wouldn’t had tried to kill him.
If he could not see ghosts, Gotou would not have been concerned about Yakumo.
It was the same for Ishii and Makoto.
He was able to meet them because Yakumo had a red left eye.
In the end, if he was not for the red-eyed man he hated so much, he would not even exist in this world.
However, he could not forgive that man.
After all, the red left eye was a curse. Therefore, he intended to keep a certain distance from both Haruka and Gotou.
Yetー
Now Yakumo wanted the red left eye that he hated so much.
Because it was necessary to found Nao. But it was too selfish.
This desire for the red left eye was exactly the same as seeking help from the hateful Unkai.
The existence of that man-Unkai should not be accepted no matter what.
Perhaps that was why his red left eye’s vision did not return.
Yakumo rejected the existence of Unkai.
That was why he could not seeー.
However, recognizing the existence of Unkai meant forgiving what he had done so far and approaching him.
That'sー…
That was terrifying.
The cursed blood that he had desperately suppressed inside him might wake up and went to the same darkness as Unkai.
If he couldn’t get Nao without it, maybe he should.
ー Is it realy the case ?
He asked himself. The answer did not come back.
“I…”
Yakumo leaned on the back of his chair and looked up at the ceiling.
He didn’t even know who he was. He wanted to disappear like this.
Yakumo just wanted that.
6.
Ishii was staring at the monitor as if staring at him.
He was in the employee waiting room at a gas station.
He confirmed the image of the security camera at the convenience store from yesterday. As expected, there was the appearance of Nao.
But that was only a moment.
He knew the direction she was walking, but he didn’t know where she was going.
So, he decided to divide it up from Miyagawa and walk to the convenience stores, gas stations, and even private houses along the road, checking the images from the security camera.
While marking a map, he followed Nao’s footsteps from the scene of the accident, but it stopped.
The reason was simple. She entered an alley with little traffic.
There was no security camera along the way, and he had no idea where Nao was.
But that didn’t mean he would give up there. He made a rough guess from all directions and was allowed to check the image from the security camera from one side.
The gas station that he had now was one of them.
Ishii sighed when he saw the video up to the current time on the monitor.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t confirm Nao’s appearance in the video of the security camera at this gas station.
“It is not good there too…”
Miyagawa shouted next to him.
“Yes…”
“She is hard to find.”
Miyagawa grumbled.
Since last night, they had been chasing the whereabouts of Nao without sleeping. He knew how tired he was, but they couldn’t give up here.
Of course, other police officers were also searching, but Ishii had a sense of mission that he had to find Nao with his own hands.
“Let’s hit the next”
Ishii struck his cheek with both hands to inspire himself.
“Well, when did you become such a hot-blooded man ?”
Miyagawa shook his head.
“Eh ?”
“I thought you were a weak guy.”
Miyagawa gave a wry smile.
He did not deny that he was weak. But if he was the former Ishii, he would have been making noise.
It was Gotou who struck back Ishii. That’s why he couldn’t give up here.
“If you have time to think then stop, and move quicklyーDetective Gotou often said that.”
“These are the words I taught him.”
“Really ?”
“Well, even if I said it, he wouldn’t do it.”
Miyagawa stood up and he smiled happily.
In a way, this teaching might be passed on from man to man and that moved his heart.
Thinking that way, Ishii suddenly became stronger.
“Mr. Detective” called the store manager as they tried to move out of the gas station office.
“What ?”
Ishii asked back.
“Are you looking for a young girl around the age of seven ?”
“Why do you …”
He asked the store manager for help in searching for a missing person, but he did not tell him what kind of person he was looking for.
Nevertheless, the characteristics that the manager now said were in line with those of Nao.
“A customer said that she saw a girl walking alone late last night.”
“Is that really true ?”
When Ishii draw near, the store manager flinched, his facial expression distorted.
“Oï. What do you mean?”
Miyagawa urged him.
“The customer said that it was strange that a girl was walking alone late at night, so she called out.”
“So ?”
“But the girl didn’t hear her or didn’t reply, she didn’t get a response, and she walked away …”
This was a powerful piece of information that he cannot hoped for.
Given the situation, it was certain that person saw Nao.
“Can you contact that customer ?”
Ishii asked while taking out notes.
If he knew his contact information, he could visit and check immediately.
“I don’t have her contact, but there.”
The store manager pointed to the red light car stopped for refueling.
ー How lucky !
Ishii quickly rushed to the car and presented a police’s badge to a middle-aged woman sitting in the driver’s seat.
Suddenly, the woman made a dismayed look, but Ishii continued without regard.
“Yesterday, you saw a girl walking alone.”
“Yes”
“What did the girl look like?”
“She seemed to be wearing pi… pink pajamas.”
No doubt. Atsuko’s story was that Nao was wearing pink pajamas when she disappeared.
“Is this girl this child ?”
Ishii took out a picture of Nao and presented it to the woman. The woman replied, “Yes, this is the child,” as she looked at the picture.
Apparently, there was no doubt.
“Where did you see that girl?”
“There’s a bank just down the road. She was near it.”
The woman explained while pointing at the road in front of her.
“Over there …”
Ishii answered while thinking about the site.
“It was late at night, and she was barefoot. I thought it was strange, so …”
The woman’s voice did reach Ishii’s ear halfway.
Ishii pulled out the map that had been pushed into his pocket and unfolded it.
So far, the places where Nao’s appearance was confirmed have been checked. Also, he circled the place he just heard.
The place was also near the apartment where the psychic phenomenon happened.
ー Is this just a coincidence ?
As Makoto speculated, the disappearance of Nao and the psychic phenomenon of the apartment might be related.
Considering that Nao went to the apartment as she was guided by the will of someone other than herself, it made sense.
“What happened ?”
Miyagawa, which came later, asked.
Ishii came here and realized that he hadn’t talked about the psychic phenomena that Gotou was involved in, to Miyagawa.
Ishii hurriedly explained to Miyagawa what he has done so far.
“Tell me that first”
Miyagawa struck Ishii’s shoulder.
“So-Sorry…”
“Well, it’s okay. Anyway, we need to go to that apartment.”
Ishii replied, “Yes!”, then thanked the woman and the store manager who provided the information, and rushed into the car.
When the foothold that was disappearing was seen again, a feeling of excitement was born in Ishii.
7.
Makoto visited a coffee shop designated for a meeting.
It was a chain store near the station.
Due to the morning hours, the store was not very crowded. When she ordered a coffee at the counter, she secured a seat by the window.
After a while, Eishin went into the store with a pregnant woman.
Upon finding her, Eishin gently raised his hand, ordered a drink at the counter, carried a tray with a cup, and came to his seat.
Makoto got in touch with Eishin and asked him about the psychic phenomenon he had brought to Gotou. Then, as expected, it turned out to be the same apartment as Sayama.
So, she asked Einshin to introduce the woman, Setuko, who first consulted him on the psychic phenomenon.
“Thank you for your cooperation. I’m Hijikata from the Hokuto Shimbun.”
Makoto presented a business card.
When Setsuko received it, she replied with a thin voice, “I’m Setsuko Hirota.”
It was not because she was pregnant that her face was tired. It was easy to imagine that the psychic phenomena bothered her.
That evidence suggested that Setsuko couldn’t stand being alone at her home and was now returning to her parents’ home.
“I’m sorry for taking your time.”
Makoto first apologized for that.
“No”
Speaking in a whisper, Setsuko shook her head.
Was it because she was a shy person that she doesn’t try to make eye contact ? Or was it because the psychic phenomenon were damaging her mind ?
“I have some questions I want to ask.”
Makoto said, Setsuko nodded with her eyes closed.
“Specifically, what kind of psychic phenomenon was occurring ?”
When Makoto asked, Setsuko sighed, as if she was half-sick.
“I’ve said it again and again. I heard weird voices, photo frames and vases suddenly shook like there was an earthquake, and the TV suddenly turned on. ”
Setsuko’s story was similar to what Makoto experienced in Sayama’s room. It was the so-called Poltergeist phenomenon.
The Poltergeist phenomenon was a phenomenon that basically occured in a house, and even when no one was touching it, an object moved, something like a rap sound could be heard, or something emited light. But it happened repeatedly.
It became famous because it was made into a movie in Hollywood.
“Was it everyday ?”
“Yes, almost every day.”
“What time of the day ?”
“Time ?”
“Yes. Does that happen at a certain time ?”
“I didn’t care about time, so I don’t know.”
“I see… So then, does that happen when you are doing something specific ?”
Every time Makoto asked more questions, Setsuko’s expression grew with more and more tension.
At first, Makoto thought that it was because she remembered a scary thing, but apparently it was different.
“Are you doubting me ?”
Setsuko raised her face and glared at Makoto.
“No. That’s not …”
“Lie. You are skeptical, so isn’t that why you keep asking those persistent questions ?”
“It’s not”
Makoto panicked and denied, but Setsuko’s anger did not subside.
“Eishin and his assistant were there too and experienced the same phenomenon, so I’m not telling a lie. Do you say it’s neurosis, like my husband ?”
The talk blow and she felt taken aback.
It seemed from Setsuko’s speech that her husband didn’t believe in the psychic phenomenon. While she was dissatisfied with that, Makoto repeatedly asked her questions, so it seemed that her irritation surfaced.
Perhaps, even returning to her parents’ home was not only due to the psychic phenomenon, she might have had a quarrel with her husband.
"And I’m not the only one talking about psychic phenomena.”
Setsuko’s rumbled and Eishin said “Well well” to soothed her.
“Makoto-san doesn’t think that anything Setuko-san is saying is a lie.”
Setsuko finally calmed down as Eishin declared in a slow tone.
“My question wasn’t correct. I’m sorry. As Eishin-san just said, I’m not doubting you. By investigating what kind of phenomenon occurred, I thought it would be a stepping stone to find the cause. ”
Makoto said again.
Perhaps she was able to recover her calmness once she got angry, and Setsuko replied with a small yes.
“Let me check again. Psychic phenomena only occur during the daytime, right ?”
Makoto made an assertive statement.
According to Setsuko’s speech, her husband had not experienced the psychic phenomenon. It meant that her husband is absent when it happened.
“Yes”
Setsuko nodded.
“Did that happen during the night hours ?”
“Sometimes”
“Sometimes ?”
“Yes. When I am asleep, I feel suffocating and my body feels hot. My husband say I’m pregnant, so my hormone balance is upset. .. ”
Setsuko said in a soft tone.
It was certain that such phenomen were occurring because Eishin and Gotou had also experienced the vibration and sound.
However, it was hard to say about feeling stuffy or hot.
Looking at Setsuko’s attitude, she could felt that she was a little irritated.
“You said something that other people are experiencing it, right ?”
When Makoto asked, Setsuko nodded.
“Can you tell me who ?”
“The wife of Sayama-san next door. And Kimura-san on the lower floor. Maeda-san and Ashizawa-san also said that they heard such a thing.”
ー Four houses !
Makoto swallowed in surprise.
Including Sayama’s, there were five. It could be said that it was abnormal that such a psychic phenomenon occured in one apartment.
She had been involved in a number of cases involving psychic phenomena so far, but this was the first time that there have been so many at once.
“Can you tell me the room numbers of those people ?”
Makoto noted the room numbers that Setsuko said one after another.
Whether or not the room number was the key to solving the mystery of this case was unknown, but it might be a stepping stone.
“Have they experienced the same phenomenon ?”
When Makoto asked, Setsuko nodded, “Yes.”
After listening to her story, Setsuko returned home, leaving Eishin and Makoto.
“What do you think ?”
Eishin asked her.
“To be honest, I can’t say anything.”
That was Makoto’s honest impression.
“Do you think that Setsuko-san’s story is a lie ?”
“No. I don’t. I’m experiencing the same phenomenon. I have some photos, so there’s no doubt that something is going on in that apartment. But …”
“But what ?”
“Applying to Yakumo-kun’s theory, it’s a prank.”
Yakumo always said ー Ghosts were like a mass of dead human thoughts and had no physical influence.
Makoto has also been involved in several cases so far and felt that the theory was correct.
However, this phenomenon was clearly causing a physical accident.
“Um. That’s right.”
Eishin touched his doubled chin.
After that, she tried to think with Eishin for a while, but the only questions that came to her mind didn’t let her go forward.
8.
Haruka went to the hospital aloneー.
Yesterday she passed from the night entrance, so she had various checks, but today it was from the front entrance, so there was nothing to stop her.
She took the elevator at the back of the entrance to the 7th floor.
ーAlthough I can’t see him.
As it was now, that feeling was overwhelming.
In the first place, Haruka’s appearance at the hospital didn’t mean that Gotou’s conditions was improving, and the case wasn’t resolved.
But, even so, she couldn’t stay still without doing anything.
She didn’t know what to do with that habit, and her feelings went idle. It was just self-satisfaction that made her visit the hospital.
Still, now Atsuko was in a difficult time. She wondered if she could help a little.
She could buy something or do some chores. If she didn’t do anything, she would felt restless.
Before she came here, she called Yakumo, but the ringing tone just kept ringing.
Maybe he just didn’t noticed it, but given his recent attitude, it was likely that he had intentionally not answering the phone.
ーWhat should I do ?
Sitting on the sofa in the waiting room, Haruka clasped her hands to pray and bent her body into a V shape.
“Haruka-chan”
She was suddenly called.
When she raised her face, Atsuko stood in front of her.
“Atsuko-san…”
“What’s wrong ?”
Atsuko asked.
“Uh … I hope I can help you a little.”
“I see. Thank you”
“Anything is fine. What can I do ?”
“I’m happy, but don’t worry so much. To be honest, I don’t even do it.”
Atsuko’s voice was much brighter than she had imagined.
The fact that Gotou was in the intensive care unit seemed like a dream. But it was not. It seemed that Atsuko was simply acting brightly.
“I see…”
Haruka replied in a murmur, and dropped his gaze.
Atsuko looked at Haruka’s expression and seemed to guess something.She smiled with sympathy and sat next to her.
“What happened ?”
Atsuko asked in a gentle tone.
The back of het chest got hot. At the same time, a self-hatred was born.
Atsuko cared about her even at this time.
However, Haruka was sick and tired of thinking about herself.
She thought she’d help Atsuko, but it was like pulling her legs.
“Nothing. What about Gotou-san’s condition ?”
Haruka changed her feelings by putting effort into her belly.
Atsuko had a good complexion instead of yesterday. Perhaps she might expecting that Gotou’s condition has improved.
“From the doctor’s point of view, it seems that the worst has passed, but he hasn’t awakened yet.”
Atsuko said.
There was no feeling of sadness in her profile. In such a situationー.
“You’re strong”
“What ?”
“I mean … Is not it painful?”
His husband, Gotou, was wandering between life and death after an accident. Besides, her daughter, Nao, was missing.
“It’s painful”
Atsuko shuddered.
Contrary to her words, her tone was strong.
“Atsuko-san…”
“But even if I was crying here, my husband wouldn’t recover and Nao wouldn’t come back.”
“That’s right, but …”
Even if she knew it with her head, that didn’t meant that she did with her heart.
People could be overwhelmed by emotions.
“I can only leave my husband to the doctor. I have to leave Nao to the police. I cannot do anything.”
A shadow crossed Atsuko’s expression for a moment.
Looking only at the surface it seemed that she was behaving cheerfully and brightly. Haruka was deeply angry at her stupidity when she asked her how she was doing.
“…………”
“But that’s why I think I have to kept the house proper when they come back.”
“Proper ?”
“Yes. If I don’t do it properly, there will be no place for them to return. I think it’s my duty to protect their place because they can’t do anything.”
“Dutyー”
Atsuko’s words pierced her deep in her chest.
After all, she was a very strong woman. Haruka didn’t know what to do.
“Haruka-chan too, you have something that only you can do, right ?”
Atsuko asked, looking at Haruka’s face.
“There is one ?”
In such a situation, Haruka felt like there was nothing that she could do.
“There is.”
“But…”
“It’s not just me who are suffering for Nao, that boy too.”
“What do you mean ?”
“You know. Yakumo is suffering too. He couldn’t do anything until so far, don’t you think he is suffering ?”
“I see…”
That was right.
Yakumo was angry and upset about himself who couldn’t do anything. Watching him close, Haruka felt also that way.
“I think only Haruka-chan can save from his suffering.”
“I’m not…”
“If he stands up again, he might be able to find Nao. So please. Haruka-chan support Yakumo-kun.”
“Honestly, I have no confidence.”
Haruka shook her head a little.
“Why ?”
“I don’t know what to say to Yakumo-kun.”
“I don’t think it’s a problem.”
“Huh ?”
“I think that about our couple.”
“Really ?”
“Yeah. We were careful around each other, we listened to what the other wanted to say, but didn’t find out what words to say… So, in the end, I couldn’t say anything…”
“………”
“But during the case of Isshin-san, we said what we wanted to say for the first time.”
“Did you understand each other ?”
“Slightly. At that time, I finally realized. I thought I was concerned about him, and in reality I was also really afraid of getting hurt.”
ー I’m the same.
Haruka seemed to have the same troubles with Yakumo. She was afraid of being hurt. She was reminded of that.
“I…”
A scream echoed, interrupting Haruka’s words.
ー What ?
Suddenly surprised, Haruka stood up.
“What are you doing !”
“Stop it !”
“Quick !”
An angry roar echoed with a sense of urgency, and a loud sound was heard, like a smashed dish.
ーWhat on earth ?
The door of the waiting room opened to answer Haruka’s question.
“Huh !”
Haruka was startled by the unbelievable sight that jumped in front of her.
Gotou stood there.
The bandage wrapped around his head looked painful. One of his leg was fixed to a cast. He had a drip tube stuck in his arm and a breathing tube in his nose.
Despite this condition, Gotou walk while supporting on the wall.
Apparently, Gotou had escaped from the intensive care unit.
“Nao… Where is Nao…”
Gotou said in a hoarse voice.
His voice was so thin that she couldn’t compare it with the usual Gotou, but it resonated strongly in Haruka’s chest.
Despite this, Gotou continued to search for Nao.
He didn’t care what happened to him. It was definitely strong love that drove Gotou.
“Nao…”
ou spoke once again.
Probably exhausted, Gotou’s body was losing its power.
Haruka and Atsuko ran and managed to support Gotou, which was about to fall, with the help of two people.
The nurses rushed over, seemingly in a panic.
“What are you thinking ! You’re not in state to walk !”
One of the nurses screamed.
“Hurry up, we will take back the patient”
Another nurse gave the instructions.
Immediately after the stretcher was brought in, they put Gotou on and hurriedly returned to the intensive care unit.
Looking at this chaotic situation, Haruka was thinking about what she should do.
9.
Makoto, who parted from Eishin, visited a real estate company.
A company called Otone Real Estate, which sold an example at the condominium, had an office at a station three destinations away.
She made an appointment in advance, so when she entered the store, she was immediately urged to take a seat in the corner of the counter.
“Thank you for waiting. I’m the person in charge, Miyama.”
A man, who seemed to be in his thirties, smiled and stood in front of Makoto, holding out his business card.
Miyama was a thin-faced man with a smile attached. The suit he wore was slender, and his wristwatch was unbalanced.
“I’m Hijikata, from the Hokuto Shinbun”
Makoto also stood up and offered her business card.
Then Miyama’s face looked like “Oh ?”
“You came for the Signpost property, right?”
Miyama said with a suspicious look.
She had made appointment in advance, but the only purpose was to say “I would like to ask about the condominium called Signpost.”
Perhaps Miyama thought she wanted to buy the property. It was said that he was confused by her suddenly business card from the newspaper.
“Yes. That’s right. But I don’t want to buy it.”
“Is it different ?”
“Yes. Actually, I wanted to talk with you about some of the strange phenomenon occurring at Signpost.”
“Strange phenomenon? What are you talking about ?”
Makoto dared to lower her voice and asked.
“What ? Don’t say anything strange so suddenly.”
Miyama said with a smile, but his expression was awkward.
“Before I came here, I did a lot of research. There was a psychic phenomenon in that apartment. And not one or two. There are quite a few complaints here as well.”
Makoto made an assertive statement.
“No, please stop it. We have nothing …”
“If you say nothing, I will write an article based on the testimony of the resident, but is that okay ?”
She thoutght, it was an unpleasant phrase.
It was a threat. Moreover, the complaints to the real estate company was only speculation. In the first place, you could not post an article about ghosts in tabloid or newspaper.
However, it seemed to be effective, as Miyama gave up after a long sigh.
“It is true that we are receiving such complaints, whether they are true or false.”
The talk was heavy, but if she could talk up to this point, the rest would be manageable.
“Specifically, what kind of complaint was it?”
“The electricity suddenly turned on, noise could be heard … Even if it wasn’t an earthquake, things might have fallen… Also, children are wandering around”
“I think there’s some reason why that happens …”
“Please wait a moment”
Miyama controled Makoto’s words.
“I’m sorry, I hear such a story, but I have not actually confirmed the phenomenon.”
“Did you go for confirmation ?”
“Yes. Several times … but nothing happened.”
Miyama had a bored tone.
Perhaps the spiritual phenomenon of that property was swayed around for a long time.
“Do you think such a phenomenon is a mistake ?”
When Makoto asked, Miyama gave an affirmative reply, “Well, that’s right.”
“But more than one person is experiencing some kind of psychic phenomenon. Could it be cleared up by a mistake ?”
“Even if you say so …”
“Did an accident happened in that property ?”
When Makoto asked, Miyama burst into laughter.
“Please excuse me. It’s been half a year since the property was built. Nobody’s dead yet. Besides, recently, we have to announce any accident property. The rules around that are well followed.”
He had a tone that made Makoto stupid, and there were some parts that make her angry, but she understood what Miyama said.
If it was only six months old, most of the residents would be those who moved in at the time of the new construction.
Even if an accident occured in the property, it must had be announced by now.
She thought it would be possible to find out the cause of the psychic phenomenon if there was an accident in the property, but it did not seem so easy.
But in Makoto’s head, another possibility arose.
“What happened before the apartment was built ?”
Even if nothing happened in the apartment, something might have happened before that.
In other words, wasn’t it possible to think that the ghost possessed the land, and not the rooms nor the building ?
We often heard about the story that when the land readjustment was carried out on the Torii gates and Jizo, a variety of strangeness occurred eventually they were put back together.
You could find out various things, such as a shrine in the valley, a building or a mound in the middle of a rice field.
It was Makoto’s idea. The psychic phenomenon started to occur when something get moved when this condominium was constructed, which should not have been moved.
“There was a shopping center.”
Miyama said lightly.
“Eh ?”
“Well, it was a shopping center.”
“Is that true ?”
“It’s true. Well, about 35 years ago, the company I ran was crushed and left in ruins. Since the dismantling cost was not a fool, it was hard to find a buyer… ”
That place was not far from the station and the location was good. She could nodify that it was a shopping center.
Even though it wasn’t the town where she grew up, she thought she should remember it if there was a shopping center, but if it was destroyed 35 years ago, it was natural that she didn’t remember it. Makoto was not born yet.
“Recently, the railway company revised the timetable and the land prices around that station suddenly increased. So we were told to build an apartment.”
“So that’s it”
She was satisfied in her voice, but her inner thought was complicated.
When it came to shopping centers, it was hard to think that something could be the cause of the psychic phenomenon that happened.
No, she couldn’t said so yet.
“Did any incidents or accidents happened at the shopping center ?”
“Come on, I don’t know that was long time ago.”
“But don’t you think that something happened at the shopping center that triggered a psychic phenomenon in the current apartment ?”
“Maybe it’s true, but if you’re worried about those old times, you can’t build a property. If you go back in the past, someone is dead everywhere.”
Miyama gave a shrug.
That was a point for him. If she traced back endlessly, someone was dead in most of the land.
When she thought it was over, an old man working at the desk behind the counter walked up to them.
“That land is cursed.”
The old man said with a pot.
Apparently he was listening to the story so far.
“It is cursed ?”
“Oh, yes. So I was opposed to build an apartment over there.”
The old man said in a bitter tone.
“Yamashina-san. You don’t have to say anything extra.”
Makoto held him down, “Please wait”, while Miyama tried to drive away the old man.
“What do you know ?”
When Makoto asked, the old man called Yamashina sat on the chair next to Miyama.
Miyama didn’t like it, but maybe he decided that it was useless to say any more, so he pursed his mouth and shut up.
“There were various things when they tried to build a shopping center on that land.”
“Various ?”
“My big brother was involved in the construction, but during the work the machine broke down, he heard strange voices, and that sort of thing. It was all creepy.”
“That is …”
“Somehow it was completed, but after the opening, there was a lot of talk like a child’s voice from the guard room, the electricity that was supposed to have been turned off suddenly turned on…”
It was the same phenomenon that was happening in ther apartment now. That would have happened over thirty-five years ago.
If it was the same ghost’s work, she felt that he had a tremendous grudge.
“Sure enough, it was crushed within years.”
That was how Yamashina concluded.
In summary of the current story, the cause of the psychic phenomenon was that the shopping center was built in the past.
“Hmm … What happened to the place in front of the shopping center ?”
Makoto asked Yamashina said “I don’t know that much”, and shook his head.
10.
“Well … I didn’t see her.”
A man in his fifties, dressed in blue work clothes, leaned his head troubled.
That was a man named Takemoto, the manager of the condominium.
After that, Ishii immediately went to the condominium and asked Takemoto, the manager, about the whereabouts of Nao.
But that result he heard.
“Do you really don’t know ?”
Ishii stuck to it, but Takemoto’s reaction did not change at all.
“Couldn’t she entered inside without you knowing it ?”
Miyagawa, who was next to him, asked a question from another angle.
“It’s an auto lock, so I don’t think she could easily enter it.”
As Takemoto said, this apartment was self-locking. You couldn’t go in and out so easily.
In fact, Ishii were trying to get in from the entrance, but they were called by the manager, Takemoto.
“But when a resident enters, he may be followed by another one.”
Miyagawa asked questions without giving up.
That possibility cannot be denied. It was also the blind spot of auto lock in an apartment.
“Well, that’s true … Recently, the residents are also paying attention to such things, so I think if they saw a stranger, they wouldn’t let him follow them.”
Takemoto said with a suspicious look.
In the past, an outsider slipped through the auto-lock and create an incident with a resident. It was a fact that since then, strict attention has been paid to such things.
He heard that even parcel delivery service had to return back to the entrance and push the intercom one by one.
“And what you’re looking for is a girl in pajamas. I’m sure you’ll be suspicious if someone like that comes in.”
Takemoto continued with a difficult face.
Nao’s outfit was pajamas when she disappeared. She was dressed quite noticeable. A little girl walking like that would certainly be suspicious.
However…
“Still, you can’t say there is no possibility.”
When Ishii said back, Takemoto’s face became even steeper.
“If she has entered the apartment, where is she ?”
“That’s…”
“If she went into someone’s room, it would had caused a fuss, and I’m inspecting the apartment every morning. If there’s such a child, I’ll immediately notice.”
“She may also be lurking in a place that Takemoto-san does not notice.”
When Ishii said, Takemoto laughed as if he were stupid.
“Where could she be ?”
“For example, a plumbing facility.”
If it was such a big apartment, there should be such a facility.
“Then, there is a control panel in the underground pit, but I also checked it properly, and in the first place, since the lock is usually closed and I got the key, she can not goes in and out.”
Ishii had no choice but to shut up when he was told all that.
However, Miyagawa did not yield.
“It may be exactly as you say. But even knowing it, it is our job to search for her.”
Miyagawa said with a stare, Takemoto sighed as if he had given up.
“Okay. Well then, let’s take a look around the apartment for the time being.”
Saying that, Takemoto started walking.
Ishii looked at Miyagawa and then began to walk after Takemoto.
“It was helpful. I could not persuade him.”
Ishii told Miyagawa while walking.
“You don’t have to say thank you. This is our job.”
The appearance of Miyagawa looked shiny to Ishii.
He started to flinch, but after being trained by Gotou he stayed still.
“You look cool”
When Ishii said this, Miyagawa struck his shoulder.
“Don’t say boring things. Our job is to look for Gotou’s daughter, no matter what. Think about it.”
Ishii responded “Yes!” to Miyagawa’s words.
With Takemoto’s guidance, they walked all the way through the grounds of the condominium to the underground pit with plumbing facilities where he could not normally enter, but he could not find Nao’s figure…
When he came back to the entrance, Ishii’s heart was discouraged again.
It seemed that Ishii’s guess was wrong and he faced this reality.
“Are you satisfied ?”
Takemoto’s tone had something satisfied.
Seeing that look made him irritated for some reason. Apart from that, he didn’t feel anything about Takemoto.
He was frustrated with himself.
“Yeah. Ishii. Let’s go.”
Miyagawa shook his chin and signaled that he should follow him.
shii tried to continue, but should he give up here ? A question raised in his head.
“Uh … There are security cameras in this apartment, right ?”
When Ishii asked, Takemoto replied, “Yes.”
“Can I check the video of the security camera ?”
When Ishii offered, Takemoto looked annoyed.
“Do you still think she is in this apartment ?”
“No. However, from the angle of the security camera, you can see the road ahead, isn’t it ? It is certain that Nao-chanー The missing girl, was witnessed around here. She might had passed here. ”
When Ishii leaned forward, Takemoto exhaled a long sigh.
While half amazed, he seemed to be willing to cooperate.
Miyagawa was laughing happily when he saw Ishii.
The possibility that Nao might be in the apartment disappeared, but Ishii felt that he had found a new hope.
With Takemoto’s guidance, they moved to the control room and decided to check the image of the security camera there.
Any trivial thing was fine. He wanted a clue about Nao’s whereabouts. Ishii checked the image of the security camera with his eyes like a plate.
However, he couldn’t find Nao’s appearance, instead a dull image was played and car passed occasionally.
Apparently, it seemed that it was completely empty.
His heart really broke.
He was angry at his helplessness and dropped his shoulder.
“Not yet”
Miyagawa took Ishii’s shoulders.
It was so powerful that it felt painful.
“But…”
“If Gotou knew that you gave up like this, I don’t know what he would say later.”
With Miyagawa’s words, Ishii’s passion, which had been disappearing, rekindled.
It was exactly what Miyagawa said. At this level, he would be sorry for Gotou if he gave up.
“Yes, but … what should I do from now on …”
Ishii didn’t know that.
“The basis of the detective is the ground.”
The ground ー In other words, that was a hearing investigation.
From the information he got at the gas station, he knew where Nao was last seen. He should try to listen to the neighborhood.
It would took a lot of work, but that was all there was to do. Ishii stood up and said “Yes!” in response.
11.
After returning to the company, Makoto set foot in reference room in the basement.
Previously, all the past newspapers were stored, but now they have been digitized and are lined up in the bookshelves only for the last five years.
Makoto sat down in front of the terminal and searched for the place where the apartment was located. If something had happened, it would had get caught.
The search results came out immediately.
There were only one revelant case.
This was the place where all that kind of psychic phenomenon occurred. She was stepping on something, but it seemed to be bingo.
Makoto looked through the article displayed on the monitor.
<At dawn on the 25th, there was a fire that burned down Michishirube, a nursing home in Machida. The remains of the 10 children who were admitted were found in the burnt spots. The detailed cause is under investigation…>
From the contents of this article, it seemed that there was an orphanage in that place before the shopping mall was built.
Then, a fire broke out in the orphanage and ten children were dead.
Among the psychic phenomena occurring in that apartment, there were some people who heard the voice of a child.
After all, the cause was likely to be this fire.
This time, Makoto searched for the name of an orphanage called <Michishirube>.
Two corresponding articles were found.
The first was an article about six months before the fire started.
<A resident in the neighborhood reported to the Children’s Counseling Center that abuse was being carried out at a nursing home, Michishirube. Currently, the staff of the child guidance center is conducting an on-site survey.>
Makoto breathed involuntarily.
Abuse was said to have occurred at <Michishirube>.
The children’s voices heard in the condominium were like the grudges of the abused children.
If so, she felt that the things that had happened so far fit in.
If she took a leap of thought, it was as if the director of “Michishirube” broke a fire in order to cover up the fact of the abuse.
Then, if ten children had lost their lives ー thinking about it, their disgust for the man named Hirosawa Shozo, which was the director of the park, would suddenly rose.
Makoto looked over another article.
<His wife, Kazue-san, found that Hirosawa Shozo, the director of the nursing home Michishirube, was dead hanging from his home and reported it to the police…>
ーWhat does that mean ?
For a moment, Makoto doubted the contents of the article.
The content did not change when she read it back. Hirosawa Shozo, the director of Michishirube, committed suicide after the fire.
In this case, the theory that he set fire to the nursing home himself in order to cover up the fact of child abuse became more and more real.
If all of this had happened, it was no wonder that one or two of the psychic phenomena were occurring.
But the problem started here.
Even she understood the cause, if she didn’t understood the solution then it would be still out of control.
From here on, it was the area of Yakumo.
So far, Yakumo had not only found the cause of the wandering souls of the dead, but also led them to rest.
The person himself might not be aware, but Yakumo was a light for the darkness of Michishirube.
This was possible because Yakumo had his red left eye, and was collecting the feelings of the dead.
Makoto and the others, no matter how much they scratched, at best they could find out the cause.
There were not enough important pieces to solve the case.
With this, neither Nao could be found nor the psychic phenomenon occurring in the apartment could be suppressed.
She wanted to do something about it, but what words Makoto said to Yakumo would not resonated.
There was only one person who can become a signpost for Yakumo.
However, she was now losing confidence, like Yakumo. She had to do somethingーThe cellphone rang when she was thinking like an old woman.
Sayama’s name was displayed.
“Hello”
Makoto answered the phone but did not receive a response.
But the phone was certainly connected. That was an evidence because she could heard a rough breath from the end of the phone.
“Hello. This is Sayama-san, right ?”
Makoto called again.
<… It’s bad >
From the other side of the phone, she heard the voice of Sayama in a hurry.
It was rare for Sayama, who was usually aloof, to raise his voice so hard. It seemed that there was something wrong.
“What happened ?”
< Why I did not notice until now… It was going to be like this…>
“What are you saying ?”
<I’m sure, the identity of the ghost, it was that guy…>
“Who is that guy ?”
Sayama’s words were almost pointless.
<It wasn’t a psychic phenomenon or anything. That is…>
The phone suddenly hung up.
Who was the guy ? What did he meant it was not a psychic phenomenon ?
Makoto was stunned for a while, but after reconsidering it, she returned to Sayama’s mobile phone.
However, the call sound only echoed and it did not connect.
ー What does that mean ?
Makoto was staring at the phone and was driven by an uneasy anxiety.
12.
Ishii was busy listening to the local residentsー.
It was a straightforward search to visit shops and homes near the condominium, he show photos of Nao, and collected sightings.
However, the result was not good.
As the sun got darker, he felt like his feelings were getting more and more depressed.
ー It’s not good this way.
Although he tried to inspire his feeling, there was no response so far, it was likely his heart was truly broken.
“Maybe Gotou’s daughter might not have come here.”
Miyagawa vaguely said.
Ishii also had that possibility in one corner of his head, but he did not dare to say it.
“I agree…”
As he said it, his fatigue suddenly came to his body.
Since yesterday, he had been physically tired from searching for the whereabouts of Nao without sleep and rest, but his mental wear had been great.
Above all, he was disappointed at the fact that his guess might had be wrong.
How many hours did they waste ?
While doing this, Nao might had be going farther and further. No, she might be at risk of life.
Maybe, she was already…
Even when he was standing, he started to feel pain, and the sound of the siren of an ambulance echoed.
The sound was getting closer and closer.
Then, it passed by Ishii, he followed the tail lamp with his eyes, and saw that it was headed for the apartment.
ー What happened ?
After seeing Miyagawa’s face, Ishii rushed to the condominium as if to chase after the car.
He fellー.
“What are you doing !”
“So, Sorry”
Ishii stood up rubbing his struck knee and ran again.
When he arrived in front of the condominium, as expected, the vehicule had stopped and there was a crowd of people.
“Excuse-me”
Ishii screamed out the crowds and proceeds to the back.
The first thing that came into view when he came to the front entrance was the blood pool that spread on the stone pavement.
Ishii suddenly closed his eyes when he saw the red-black stain in the setting sun.
However, nothing would start if he closed his eyelids here.
Ishii prepared himself and opened his eyes.
A man was lying on his back.
The blood pool may had flowed from the man’s head.
Even at first glance, from that amount, he knew that the emergencies were too late.
“W, why …”
As Ishii confirmed the face of the man who was lying down, his surprise was further doubled.
“What ?”
Miyagawa asked immediately.
Ishii couldn’t reply, and swung his mouth like a goldfish in search of food.
“Oï. Ishii.”
Miyagawa hit him on his back and he regained some composure.
“This is Sayama-san…”
When Ishii spoke, Miyakawa leans over, “Who is that ?”
He told Miyagawa that he was following the psychic phenomenon of Makoto at the apartment, but he didn’t said that the client was Sayama.
When Ishii explained that, Miyagawa’s facial expression suddenly strengthened.
“Oï oï. It’s too good to be a coincidence.”
“Yes”
It was exactly what Miyagawa said.
At this timing, Sayama, which was the client, was dead. He couldn’t clean this up as an accident
But Ishii didn’t felt only surprised
It was yesterday that Ishii met Sayama. It was not a close relationship, and there are few words that they directly exchanged.
Even so, this person who was supposed to be living and laughing until yesterday suddenly lost his life. He was shaken.
“Did he get killed by the ghost ?”
Miyagawa said with a confused expression.
“That’s…”
Ishii had a different feeling.
The basis for the denial laid in the theory that Yakumo always said.
Yakumo, which could saw the soul of the dead, defined a ghost as a mass of dead human thoughts. So it had no physical influence.
At first, Ishii was skeptical of his opinion, but after many incidents with him, he began to feel he was right.
In other words, it was impossible that Sayama get killed by a ghost.
However, the body of Sayama was actually here. In the first place, the phenomenon that Ishii experienced in Sayama’s room did not apply to Yakumo’s theory.
“He seems to have jumped off.”
Voice of onlookers reached Ishii’s ear.
Reflectively, he look up at the apartment.
Sayama’s room was certainly the eighth floor on the top floor. The height was nearly thirty meters. If you fall from such a place, there would be no more.
Did Sayama fall from there ? If so, was that a suicide ?
ー No, that’s wrong.
Ishii canceled his thoughts.
He didn’t knew what kind of person Sayama was, but considering the situation they met yesterday, it was hard to think of suicide.
Then was it pushed down by someone ?
He felt that it was a little different too.
Here, the reasoning in Ishii was born.
Sayama was haunted by a ghost and frightened. And, rather than to die, he jumped in order to escape from the fear of ghosts.
However, Ishii had no way to confirm his reasoning. Only one can do thatー.
It was Saitou Yakumo.
13.
“Ishii-san. What happened ?”
Makoto, who found Ishii in the crowd, asked him as she draw closer.
“Ma, Makoto-san. But why are you here …”
Ishii opened his eyes wide behind his glasses.
After calming down, Makoto explained that she was contacted by Sayama, and she told him that she was worried because he was in a strange situation and she went here.
Ishii said, “Is that so …” and then turned his eyes.
There were a lot of people in front of the condominium, so it was obvious that something happened. Moreover, the reaction of Ishii nowー.
Although intuitive, she realized that something happened to Sayama. After a moment of silence, Ishii began to explain with a stern look, “Actuallyー”.
“It seems that Sayama-san has fallen out of the apartment.”
“Fall …”
She imagined something happened, but she was confused by those unexpected words.
“Yes. Probably from the balcony of his room…”
Ishii looked up.
“Then, what about Sayama-san ?”
While asking, she didn’t even thought about what happened to Sayama.
“Unfortunately…”
Ishii shook his head to the left and right without force.
ーWhat does he mean ?
Suddenly, Makoto felt dizzy and was likely to fall into the spot.
Ishii rushed up to support Makoto’s body.
“So, Sorry”
Makoto immediately tried to stand by herself, but could not.
She didn’t felt the force in her body, as if it had been removed.
“Let’s take a break”
Ishii moved to a nearby bench while supporting Makoto’s body.
“Thank you”
Makoto, who thanked him and sat on the bench, covered her face with both hands.
Makoto only knew Sayama through work, but they were familiar.
Sayama’s bright smile came to her.
Contrary to what it looks like, Makoto’s body was kind and caring in a solid manner. When they met at the conference room of the newspaper company, she didn’t expect it to happen.
She felt as if there was a gap in her heart.
Makoto was more than just stunned by the sense of loss, she felt that a part of her life had been completely pulled out.
The inner part of her heart hurt like being torn.
The pain eventually turned into sadness, and her eyes became hot.
However, she did not shed tears. In order to reward the kindness of Sayama, they couldn’t afford to stop here.
“Why, this is …”
Makoto pushed down the emotion of sadness and raised her face to speak.
“I don’t know the details yet, but the detective in charge seems to think he likely committed suicide.”
Makoto caught his eye when Ishii explained.
ーSayama-san committed suicide ?
“No way !”
Makoto told him, her emotions exploded.
Even though it was not the opinion of Ishii, she felt remorseful for denied him.
However, the feeling that she was not convinced had not changed.
She didn’t knew everything about Sayama, but still, he was not a person who would commit suicide.
“I don’t think it’s a suicide either.”
Ishii said, looking straight at Makoto.
Makoto was surprised at his gaze.
Up until now, Ishii was kind, but by that he was paying too much attention to his surroundings, and gave somewhat a weak impression.
But with such a powerful and sincere eyesー.
“Ishii-san…”
“But it’s also true that there is no justification to claim it is not suicide.”
Ishii distorted his face with regret.
“I don’t know if it will be the basis, but when Sayama-san called me, he said something strange.”
“Something strange ?”
“Yes. Why he didn’t realize. And it wasn’t a psychic phenomenon. He was talking about such things.”
“It is not a psychic phenomenonー”
Ishii’s face was confused.
Makoto had the same feeling. Makoto actually experienced a psychic phenomenon in Sayama’s room. Many other people, including Setsuko, testified that they were experiencing a psychic phenomenon.
Besides, it was Sayama who took a psychic photograph. It was Sayama himself who claimed that the photo was not a composite or trick photo.
Then, what did he meant when he said that it was not a psychic phenomenon now ?
The more she thought about it, the more she get lost.
Moreover, after leaving those mysterious words, Sayama died. The question she had until she came here had changed to a deeper one.
“What on earth is happening ?”
Makoto said to no one.
“With Yakumo-shi, at least we can confirm the truth of Sayama-san’s words …”
Ishii’s words were correct.
Whether or not the phenomenon occurring in the condominium were a psychic phenomenon, if it was Yakumo that could see ghosts, it would be obvious.
However, Yakumo had lost his sight of his left eye.
“After all, I have to ask her.”
When Makoto said, Ishii tilted his head and said “Huh ?”
The fact that Yakumo’s red left eye couldn’t see was a mental thing. In other words, he might had unknowingly refuse to see.
Considering the life Yakumo had walked so far, she felt that it was better for him it it remained invisible.
It was only their ego who relied on Yakumo.
But at the same time, she wondered if it was okay to run away.
You could not escape your destiny. Makoto used an article to accuse her father for the crime he committed because she thought so.
It certainly cost a lot of things. That’s why she was who she was now.
Besides, Nao must be found above all. Only Yakumo could do that.
Andー.
No one else than her could support Yakumo in a difficult situation.
14.
Haruka stood in front of a door, who had a plate called <Movie Research Club>.
It was night time, so she was surrounded by silence. There was no student, and it seemed that daytime’s noise was a illusion.
She held the red necklace in her right hand, tight.
She got it from Yakumo before.
Every time she opened this door, various things happened.
There were some hard times. It was not once or twice that she was at risk of life.
She had a lot of sad feelings and she didn’t know how many times she cried.
Still, for Haruka, all of these were unforgettable memories.
She opened this door when she first met Yakumo.
At that time, Yakumo was playing tricks with cards and was cheating, taking money from other students.
The first impression was the worst.
She thought he was cynic, a cold-blooded man who didn’t think of anyone else.
But, it was wrong.
Yakumo wasn’t the only person she met when she opened this door.
Gotou, Ishii, Makoto, Ishin and Nao. Also, this door had brought many encounters.
She would had never meet those people if she had a normal student life.
The beginning of everything might had been this door.
However, this might be the last time she opened this door.
When she thought so, her chest became so painful that she couldn’t breathe. Still, she had to open it. Even if this ended everything, this was the only thing she could do now.
Haruka was standing in front of this door with that determination.
Breathing out, Haruka opened the door.
Yakumo was sitting on a pipe chair, reading a book.
When he noticed the presence of Haruka, he said “Youー”, as usual, with a lazy voice.
Same as usualー That was a terrible feeling of discomfort for Haruka.
“What are you doing ?”
When Haruka asked, Yakumo narrowed his right eye slightly.
“Don’t you see ? I’m reading a book.”
The same reply as usual.
ーNot really.
“What are you doing at such times, Yakumo-kun ?”
Haruka approached Yakumo.
“At such times ?”
Yakumo tilted his head as if he didn’t understood.
Looking at him, a rough and unpleasant feeling spread in Haruka.
ー Really, you don’t know !
Yakumo, which had a habit of knowning everything, it was idiot doing this. No, he was running away.
“You know”
Haruka uttered her voice, but Yakumo’s expression did not change.
“I don’t know, so I’m asking.”
Yakumo opened his arms like a freak.
The rough discomfort eroded further Haruka’s heart.
“Stop fooling yourself that way. Yakumo-kun, you know.”
“What do you want to say?”
“Gotou-san suffered a serious injury and wandered between life and death, but he still escaped from the intensive care unit in search of Nao…”
Even though he shouldn’t be in a standing state, Gotou was desperate to find Nao.
He wanted to save Nao without regard for his own life.
“Stupid…”
Yakumo slightly looked down and spit out.
That word set fire to the anger that had been smoked in Haruka. The rough and unpleasant sensation she had felt so far was probably anger.
“What’s stupid !”
Haruka’s cry echoed in the room.
“Don’t make a loud voice.”
Yakumo muttered.
“Not just Gotou-san ! Ishii-san and Makoto-san are desperately trying to find Nao-chan, but what are you doing here Yakumo-kun !”
She screamed, leaving her emotions of anger.
She wanted to arrive in it. In Yakumo’s heartー.
And she wanted him to notice. What should he doー.
It didn’t matter what he thought of her if Yakumo could notice it. Haruka thought so.
She had never hit Yakumo in this way.
Somewhere in her heart she was afraid of being hated by Yakumo. Therefore, she had not touched on the fact that his left eye couldn’t see.
Butー.
“Searching for Nao is the job of the police. Even if I move, I can’t do anything.”
Yakumo shook his head to the left and right.
He still said that during this period.
“Why do you decide you can’t do anything ?”
“I can’t see them anymore”
Yakumo said.
He couldn’t do anything, so he wouldn’t do anythingー She couldn’t be convinced by such a reason.
“So what ?”
Haruka gazed at Yakumo.
“You know, I can’t do anything without my red left eye.”
Yakumo put his hand on his left eye covered with the eyepatch.
It was incredibly scary that you couldn’t see what you could see until now. He might be anxious and upset.
Yakumo suffered a lot so far, but didn’t let it show on the surface.
She felt sorry for not being able to notice it. Wrong. That was not it. She was aware, but she was afraid of being hated and couldn’t do anything.
Actually, she should had faced Yakumo from the front sooner.
It might had been possible before. However, the closer she became, the more she became afraid to leave.
So she couldn’t say it.
But that was just an excuse. She wasn’t not going to make that excuse anymore.
“Why do you decide that you can’t do anything ? You can do it, Yakumo-kun !”
Haruka said with all her might.
“You don’t know anything”
“What ?”
“Without my red left eye, I’m just a person.”
She felt like she was being pushed off. It seemed like he was saying that she should say nothing more than this.
Haruka in the past might had closed her mouth, but today was different
“Yes. Yakumo-kun is just a person.”
“If so …”
“It’s wrong ! That’s not true !”
“What are you talking about ?”
Yakumo tilted his head.
It was no wonder that he had such an attitude. Haruka herself was a mess of emotions. Stillー.
“Why don’t you understand ? Whether you have a red left eye or not, Yakumo-kun is Yakumo-kun !”
“…….”
“Even if you can see ghosts or not, Yakumo-kun is Yakumo-kun.”
“Don’t say anything fancy”
Yakumo suddenly smiled.
That was an empty laugh she had never seen before.
“I…”
“You’ve been messing with psychic cases so far, because I can see ghosts. No ? If I couldn’t see ghosts, I wouldn’t have met you in the first place. I could see ghosts until now, so you’ve been close.”
“That’s awful … You were looking at me that way …”
Along with those words, tears fell from Haruka’s eyes.
Certainly, their encounter was for psychic phenomenon, and she gad brought in countless psychic cases so far.
But that’s not all. And yetー.
“Are there other reasons ?”
“Surely, I met Yakumo-kun because of a psychic incident. Even after that, I was the one who brought in various cases.”
“So you know.”
“But ! I was beside Yakumo-kun not because you could see ghosts !”
Haruka shouted loudly.
As expected, Yakumo also withdrew slightly as he was surprised.
If she was exploding in this way, he would thought she was a nasty woman. But it didn’t matter.
No matter what Yakumo thought, she couldn’t let down Nao.
Besides, she might be annoying to push, but she did not want Yakumo to be a person who locked in his shell when an important person was in trouble.
Yakumo stared at Haruka with wrinkles between his brows.
Haruka inhaled a breath, held her fist tightly and opened her mouth.
“Yakumo-kun, you had a lot of pain and sad experiences because of his red left eye … So you hate that kind of thing, and you locked yourself in your shell.”
“What do you want to say?”
“By doing so, you’ve kept your weakness away by keeping a distance from others. If you are alone, you will not be hurt and no one will be hurt. You thought so.”
“……….”
“But you’re really afraid to be lonely and you’re constantly involved with others. If you don’t want to hurt anyone, you’d be completely lonely and I can’t do that.”
“That’s terrible words …”
Yakumo made a small sigh.
Haruka spoke also for herself, but she thought it was very harsh words. Butー.
“But that’s why Yakumo-kun is so kind ! You know the pain, you know the sadness, so you can’t leave a troubled person alone ! You’re so kind that you’ll desperately help someone ! ”
“Me being kind is an illusion”
Yakumo replied with a rejection.
Haruka overflew with unspeakable sorrow. The tears that were falling did not stop.
“Don’t say such a sad thing …”
“Why do you cry ?”
“I want to cry ! How many times have I been helped by Yakumo-kun’s kindness ? It’s not an illusion …”
So was her twin sister. It was Yakumo who saved Haruka from her trauma.
That was not all. Even when she almost died in the case of the flood gate, Haruka was saved by the kindness of Yakumo. Haruka was saved by Yakumo’s kindness even when he faced a serious problem when she was in an educational intern. She felt broken.
“I don’t remember helping.”
“Shut up !”
Haruka yelled and slammed the table with both hands.
Her body trembled.
Anger and sorrow alternated, disturbing Haruka’s heart like a storm.
But she couldn’t stop here.
Haruka looked straight at Yakumo.
“No matter what you think Yakumo-kun, I was saved by you !”
“That’s why I say it’s an illusion.”
“Come on !”
“……..”
“I’m not came to like an illusion !”
Haruka’s cry shook the night air.
She didn’t want him to say that her precious feeling she had kept secret were illusions. That was too sad.
She couldn’t see what Yakumo looked like, because her view were distorted by tears.
But, that was fine.
She was not saying something like this in an attempt to fulfill her wishes. She just wanted Yakumo to regain his confidence.
Whether or not he had a red left eye, Haruka’s feelings for Yakumo would not be shaken. It should be the same for Gotou and Ishii. Even Nao didn’t like Yakumo because he had a red left eye.
She wanted him to understand it.
“I liked the twister, the weak one, but stillー the kind person who wanted to save someone and didn’t give up hope. The red left eye doesn’t matter.”
Haruka bit her lip saying that.
Yakumo said nothing. However, the silence flew.
Haruka regained her calmness in the fluffy silence, like being in the water.
She said everything she wanted to say. After this, the decision depended on Yakumo.
This was some harsh words. She was sure that Yakumo would hate her. But that was no use. If Yakumo stood up again ー He could find Naoー.
And no matter how Yakumo felt, Haruka’s feelings wouldn’t disappeared
That’s whyー…
“Please. Don’t lock yourself in a shell in such a place and go find Nao-chan…”
After saying that Haruka opened the door and went out.
The cold autumn breeze stroked her face.
Haruka looked back only once when she closed the door.
She knew that Yakumo was sitting, but she couldn’t see his expression.
The door closed with a clicking sound.
She wondered if she could open this door anymore, and the sorrow that she had spewed up again.
ー But, this is fine.
Haruka told herself so and walked out.
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