Vol 1 Chapter 4 (1/2)

Chapter 4

I looked at the sign, which was just a piece of coarse, white paper with ‘No Entry’ written on it, that was stuck onto the door of the rooftop, and suddenly thought of sos in life that can’t be restored, and there are some people who don’t think so, but I would unquestionably support the for that can’t be restored’ refers to death, the ‘so that can’t be restored’ theory can’t be established Why is that? That’s because the moment when a person dies, does not count as his or her life anymore

But what about the deaths of other people? Are those things that could not be restored as well? Indeed, humans cannot revive from their deaths, so the emptiness that is fors; or they can close their own heart, sealing it with tape As for the people who couldn’t do that, they would choose to cos that can’t be restored If it was o, but after seeing a person who can’t even die, I learnt a terrible lesson

There are only things that couldn’t be restored in life

Although I don’t really know if it’s right or not

The only thing that I could make sure of is, the door to the rooftop has already been locked up It see temporarily sealed off The rooftop where Ayaka ju where we tended to the plants, but the north school building in the opposite direction, but that’s not the point

I turned the handle, gave up on opening the door to the rooftop, and went down the stairs I’ a detective For a more capable person, they would probably think of a way to borrow the keys to the rooftop, or even just climb up the pipes to reach their destination!

A detective’s assistant

The employment contract between Alice and I was established the second day Alice calledI know about Ayaka Geez, she’s such an inconsiderate person After suffering for an hour, Alice said in a straightforward manner:

“Okay, I get it All the clues have been tied up”

So what’s the answer? But Alice refused to tell me

“What I kno is the truth, not the facts!” Alice’s words had me at a loss

“The truth and the facts…… What’s the difference?”

“Really, to put it bluntly it’s just h if I alone knew the truth, but my pride does not allow me to just report the truth to my clients”

“Hmmm…… Is it because you don’t have evidence yet?”

“Well, that’s the case in short So that’s why I told you to help do the chores around here, which is your payment for the inforht now, doesn’t that loss through the facts, and only know the truth, you could just investigate it yourself! Go! Just work hard like a mule that has its eyes covered!”

The scene when Alice held my hand with tears in her eyes was like a scam Today she used her usual tone and said to me:

“Just continue your activities in the Gardening Club as usual and observe closely where Ayaka had been That’s your first job”

That hy I continued to walk to the garden

There was not even one person at the courtyard after school It ht be because it’s winter right now, but another reason would be the large, black stains spread on the ground between the garden and the school buildings I stood beside the black stains and looked for awhile It was the first ti of death, and it was still present at the scene Rain or snow ht now the stains are still on the ground

There’s nothing else

What could you do with this kind of thing? Alice had already explained that she’d already understood the reason for Ayaka co suicide, but a will couldn’t be found, the police were staying silent, while theAyaka’s fas that other people could not see, could you see them from the small room that was full of machines?

Just thinking about this is reenhouse behind the school building That was Ayaka’s holy ground I borrowed the keys to the greenhouse frorass came upon me as soon as I opened the door

The area of the floor was about twice as big as reenhouse looked so tropical plants arranged on a rack, not even flowering Probably someone sorted out the place after Ayaka committed suicide?

When I raised , and there were so that looked like a sprinkler They probably spray fertilizers or water auto equiph school, so why is there such an advanced greenhouse? Is the school budget that big?

I sat down on the lower part of a rack and leaned against it I closedmy body to sink into the smell of the soil that was like ater

We couldn’t find Toshi+, and Ayaka was not even here anyed to us, while only the drug addicts ere hospitalized or arrested increased gradually

My phone inI was startled, and bumped my head on the rack on top of it

‘It’sabout h I’ other people’s laziness, so please remember that’

A young girl’s voice came from the other side of the phone I couldn’t help but look around the greenhouse There aren’t any surveillance cameras over here, are there?”

‘You’re probably still at school right now, right?’

“…… Yeah, I’reenhouse I followed your instructions to closely observe the greenhouse”

‘Good I want to confirreenhouse?’

I stood up Two entrances?

At the opposite of the door that I came in from, there is indeed another identical steel door

Why did Alice know about this? Is having two doors in a greenhouse that co the internet?

“Open the other door”

“But it’s a wall at the other side of the door!”

The greenhouse was at a corner of the school, and looked as if it’s squeezed by the surrounding walls

‘Do you think I don’t even know about so like that? Stop that nonsense, and just do it”

Opening the lock, a deep ‘dong’ sound caht after I turned the handle I could only open it for about ten centimeters or so

“Can’t open it!”

‘…… Do you hear it? Yeah, it should probably be at that part…… A plank? It’s probably just that, right?’

Alice suddenly said some incomprehensible words, and her voice sounded so with soless stuff again, the door suddenly opened Holding the handle, I was dragged forward and almost fell down

Outside the door was a silhouette Raising aze of a beast, and my mind went blank momentarily

It was Yondaime

Why is it Yondaime? And why did the door open?

Did so happen? I really don’t understand

Holding a phone, Yondaiht H left To continue tailing is just a waste of ti voice just now

‘Then it’s up to you after this There’s probably a surprised Narus to him, I’m really busy, you know’

“He- Heyhey, Alice!”

The voice stopped co from Yondaime’s phone After a moment, there was an uncomfortable silence between Yondai, and I hastily stepped aside Even then, Yondaiaze and looked outside the door, finally solving the mystery that was in front of me

A tower-shaped wooden signboard and dirty tombstones covered with dust could be seen at the other side of the door— it was the graveyard beside the school The wall that was close to the entrance of the greenhouse fell coincidentally, and was only blocked by a large plank

But why did Alice know of this shortcut? Also, why did Yondaime appear here?

Yondainored reenhouse

“Yondaime, why are you here?”

“Don’t call me Yondaime”

“Err, then should I call you Sou-san?”

“When did you becoroup?”

‘Narumi, Yondaime’s surname is Hinamura, so you can just call him Hina He’ll be thrilled”

Uwaah, Alice didn’t hang up on me yet With a ferocious expression, Yondaih that he would just crush my phone

“…… Hi- Hina?” “I’ll kill you!” Yondai!

“Your job is to open the lock of the greenhouse, right? Just get out of here since you’ve done your job”

Facing Yondaime’s comment, I could only stare

“…… What’s with that?”

“Didn’t Alice say anything to you?”

Feeling h

“Then think about it clearly”

The connection between Yondaime and Ayaka……

…… is Toshi+ Only Toshi+, and Angel Fix

Then, did Ayaka commit suicide because of Toshi+? But what’s their connection with the greenhouse? Fragments of my memories swirled around in my mind, just like a puzzle that couldn’t be completed

“Wait, please wait!”

I hurriedly called Yondaireenhouse Yondai even more vicious

“…… Is Ayaka related to the drug? Why, is there—“

“Of course they’re related, you idiot! If it wasn't because of that thing, you could still continue your peaceful activities of the Gardening Club Can’t you see that sos didn’t happen?”

I didn’t kno to answer him

The door to the ce with the warm heat of the plants

Is it because of the drug? Did Ayaka fall into a coma because of the detestable pink pills? Why? Is it because Toshi+ did so?

It was all the fault of Angel Fix

No ave up on thinking, went back to the staffroom and returned the key When I was about to walk out of the staffroom, Sayuri-sensei called me

“Although I know that it’s not appropriate asking you about this right now, but what are you going to do concerning the Gardening Club?”

“What to do?”

“After all…… so member of the club”

Ahh, that’s right I recalled the day when I met Ayaka, and our promise

“Of course, I would hope that you could continue, and would ask other students if they’re interested in joining Soardento it”

I was silent, in a deep thought To be honest, I don’t know a thing about gardening, so if I must continue club activities alone until April, when recruiting starts, it’s ireenhouse stay bare, because those places belonged to Ayaka

Even if she’s not co back anymore

It seemed that Sayuri-sensei misunderstood my silence

“Sorry for suddenly asking you about things like this You probably have your own thoughts about it If you don’t want to continue being in the club, I wouldn’t force you to”

“Err……”

Sayuri-sensei had already been a teacher for five years now Even though she’s single, there are ru out a char stared at with this look, I surrendered

“It’s not that I don’t want to continue……”

“Really?”

A relieved expression appeared on Sayuri-sensei’s face

“Those are shi+nozaki’s precious flowers, so I hope that we can leave thereenhouse are about to bloom……”

…… About to bloom?

“Alreenhouse have disappeared, aren’t they disposed of by you?”

Sayuri-sensei’s eyes turned round

“Disappeared? Really?”

She balanced her pen on her lower lip and thought for awhile

“Could it be shi+nozaki who disposed of them?”

Ayaka disposed of them?

Itcare……Wait, that’s not right……

I recalled the words that Yondai to Alice on the phone: “They were cleared away”

Ayaka and the greenhouse

Toshi+

Angel Fix

The fragether

It was January when I rode my bike to the ra past the red rays bathing the curtains, there were not even one customer in the shop I rode my bike until I collided with the plastic barrel behind the shop, balanced my bike on the wall and ran to the stairs

Just when I was about to run upstairs, Min-san called me from the kitchen

“Come in and sit down”

“I’ht now”

“Stop blabbering and sit down, or I’ll hit you”

Because Min-san aving her soup ladle vigorously, I went into the shop obediently and sat on the seat in front of the counter

Min-san plopped a paper cup in front of me, a pomelo smoothie The sour taste prickled h the warmth of my body was absorbed by the smoothie, and then a mild spiciness came upon me, quite a mysterious flavor I suddenly reht now, and my body started to shi+ver

“I’ve put ginger in the smoothie”

“Oh……” As she said, it was the spiciness of ginger Surprisingly, the taste of poether……

“It’s a dessert made specially for winter that makes the body feel warm”

Min-san s up her sarashi+-bound chest

“My dad was an outdoor sports type of person who lived on due to his determination He used to take me to snowy mountains or to swier used for cooking soup to supportto become a ninja?

“But I was actually not that good at swi when I was little”

“Eh?”

“What’s with that expression, everyone has soood at, don’t they?”

Well, that’s not really wrong, but I absolutely can’t iine how Min-san looked like when she was little

“A person who can’t swiot scolded by dad because of that Don’t move if you don’t kno to swi, you can’t think of these things”

At that moment Min-san stopped and stared ath she didn’t say so clearly

My brain calmed down

Indeed, I wanted to see Alice just rab the pajas clearly But I aht about it What an idiot I am

My shoulders sagged A person who can’t swim could just not move and float naturally, but what should I do?

“Min-san……”

“H onions stopped and raised her head

“About…… Ayaka not being here, what do you think about it?”

“Are you an idiot? You don’t need to ask another person’s opinion for this”

Min-san’s voice seery

“If I tell you that I would go and visit her, crying my eyes out, would you feel that you would do that too? If I tell you that I feel okay about it, would you feel that it’s okay if you didn’t do anything?”

Min-san’s words were like Yondaiainstthe cup of ice crea these fewthe other people

I lowered my head and stood up

“I’ to Alice’s office for awhile”

“Okay”

Min-san’s outstretched hands appeared before my eyes She placed a paper cup that was closed with a lid— a pomelo smoothie like what I’ve just eaten just now

“Take it to that girl, I think she’s in a bad mood today too”

As Min-san have guessed, Alice looked terrible It was a coldEmpty cans of Dr Pepper were stacked in front of her bed like a beehive The bed was led by Mocha Bear (Yondaiain), while an ar paste was stuck onto her forehead, while black circles appeared below her eyes

“How courageous you are, co thick clothes like a Russian soldier I’ll give you two choices, take off the sports get-up that et out of my room”

“…… I want to ask you every time, why do you make your room feel so cold?”

“Are the things that are at the two sides of your head handles used for et out or to take them off!”

I glumly took off my sports jacket Brrrrrr, it’s so cold Alice waved at the wall that was full of machines

“My eyes and ears would give off heat so long as they could move Compared to the eternal darkness and silence, what’s a little coldness going to do”

“But I think that humans do not need to work in coordination with that”

My teeth clattered while I was answering due to the cold

“How arrogant You’re really a surprisingly self-centered human, and can’t be helped at all Do you want the environment to cooperate with hu uncertainty principle and Gödel’s incompleteness theorem, froing the philosophy or natural science to change the world Everyone has already changed direction, but you alone are still standing on a sinking shi+p, blankly waving the flag of an alchemist That’s rare If I et all the prizes”

“Argh……”

Hehe, so I’ant and self-centered human So that’s it, I’ve just noticed when Alice said that aboutexcuses, I’ve already surrendered to the coldness and Alice’s articulate debates

“Okay, sorry I’ll even take off the sweater, okay?”

Alice widened her eyes

“…… What an oddball you are An air conditioner is obviously one of the assets that humans use for the nature to coordinate with hu so quickly? You could at least say that I’m the one who’s self-centered”

“No……”

I’ve suddenly realized that I feel better after Alice scolded me, and could not help but feel somewhat impatient I’m a hopeless cause

“I’y to rebuke you”

As Alice started to talk again, I hurriedly handed the smoothie to her so that she would shut up

After opening the lid, Alice’s eyes sparkled because of the sweet fragrance of the paht after she ate a mouthful, she ht line

“What is it?”

“It’s spicy……”

Alice said with tears in her eyes Is it so spicy that it could make people cry?

“Master is so iness that even I could not predict…… Wuwu……~”

“Are you okay?”

“…… I’ to eat them all up!”

Alice ate the s like she wanted to cry out Her whole body contorted for each mouthful that she had

“Don’t force yourself to do it I’ll eat up the rest of them for you”

“Why are you so greedy! You’ve already eaten some downstairs, but you still want to eat up ive you one mouthful”

Alice stuck out her tongue at me, then used ten minutes to eat it all up It seeue even after she finished eating it Alice pouted, her eyes al on the carpet like she wanted to say so, so I took out a can of Dr Pepper and handed it to her

After drinking the whole can of Dr Pepper in one gulp, Alice sighed, and seemed like her mood was much better

“As my assistant, it seems that you’ve accumulated much experience You could even finish yourYour performance as an assistant is passable like this”

“So the et Dr Pepper……”

“Do you think that I’ about this?”

No, it’s clear what you’re going to say!

“So next, let’s solve your proble to you, so just ask if you have any questions! Although I ht not answer you”

Then what does this count as?

I sank into deep thought Indeed, I would be taken as an idiot by Alice no ht not answeris also an answer

And also……

I’ in the dark

“Don’t you have so you wanted to ask me?”

Alice bent her knees, placed her chin on them and tilted her head

“I’ of what to ask you”

“Well, that’s sorowth!”

That’s probably because of Min-san’s pahtaway rushed in here, and said whatever I thought, Alice would probably ain

I thought for a long time and said:

“Can you give el Fix? The one with the photos”

The smile vanished from Alice’s face She didn’t answer at first, and the roo fan of the CPUs I thought in instinct: Ahh, I’ve asked the right question At the same time, I felt as if my heart was stuffed to the bottom of my shoes

Finally, Alice muttered:

“Are you rave of the deceased?”

I—

nodded slightly

Alice showed me her sad eyes, nodded and answered me

“I understand, here’s the infor I need to ask you”

Being an assistant needs a heavy price Alice sat on her bed and beckoned at et on her bed?

“What are you dilly-dallying for? Are your hands so long that you could press the keyboard from there?”

“…… Keyboard?”

“The job that I’ you to do requires the use of a co you to come over here”

“Ah, oh……”

So thatwould not be found out, I turned around and stood up

“Err, et on your bed?”

“Just hurry up”

On the blanket, I politely shi+fted over to Alice’s side by using irl, that makes me really nervous

“You’re good at editing photos, right? Then I’ll hand this picture to you”

Alice pointed at the botto man with a sharp chin was shown on the screen

“Editing?”

“That’s right, because this infor to be photocopied and distributed Haven’t you heard of it before? Huinal appearance, so a person would have a stronger i if the facial features are more emphasized It’s the same with a portrait”

Ahhh, I think I’ve heard of that before My gaze fell on the screen again

At that moment, a chill crept up my back I’ve saw this man before But where?

“…… Who is this guy?”

“His name is shi+rou Hakamizaka, a researcher”

I stared at Alice in surprise Hakamizaka?

I looked at the screen again A sharp chin, a face that looks intellectual, this probably ca, huh? There isn’t even the hint of a slasses in ht, on the day that Toshi+ disappeared, I spotted this guy who s

“He enrolled into T Medical University seven years ago, not in Phare if you say that it’s a subject for researching genetic inheritance I’ve heard that his results are quite good, and even went to Iran to study abroad He probably found that there”

Found? Found what?

“That’s it!”

Alice handed a pile of papers to me, and the photo of a red floas on the topmost paper It was the papers that I saw that time

“Originally, the flowers on the photo isn’t that rare, and wouldn’t have any medical effects, so Hakamizaka probably found its mutated variety At the research center, we found it from plants that had similar alkaloids This is the payive it to you first! So let’s ignore the information for now……”

“The people that are related to this incident is not only Hakaht have relations with hi, but anyways, this is a faanization Hakaeneration politician, so their modal probably coated the assets under his father’s name, but couldn’t find their current location yet It’s both thoughtful and daring, afor people online, nurturing the rawtheht until now”

Alice enlarged the other s for me Most of theroup photo or some very unclear photos

“Where did you find all this?”