Vol 6 Chapter 3 (2/2)
Alice said as she pointed at the surveillance monitors placed by the bedside One of the at the entrace of 'Hanaht, she entered through the curtains, and into the gentle light, showing her face It was Xiao Ling-san
She ca to tell us the truth? In that case, we finally had a chance to move forward
A while after Xiao Ling-san vanished fro as she turned her head around abruptly
“Naruuest!”
“Welcome? Why? You never did so before”
“Hurry up and go!”
I got kicked off the bed I left the agency, and peered back to look Alice took out a set of clothing froe her clothes and avoid having Xiao Ling-san nag at her for wearing paja clothes and japanese clothing What would she do?
And just like that, two -san back to the office, I was left in a scenario where I was coht blue dress with a white apron Though it was not tieed in a butterfly knot, wasn't that the costume of the famous Disney movie 'Alice in Wonderland'? Hm? Did she dress up as Alice because she's called Alice? Speaking of which, is this cosplay?
Xiao Ling-san's fiery glare hit ht in the cheek
“Is that your fetish? Making a little girl wear such clothing in the ht?”
“Why is it that your retorts see!?”
“Isn't that because you have been cohs every time we meet?”
Alice and -san once chided Alice for being rude by appearing in front of her guests in her pajae clothes? But—
“Is that all the clothing you have?”
“It's just a dress up How can I possibly be always dressed up in such a stupid ? Has she been addicted to this recently? As an assistant, well, I had conflicted feelings about this Xiao Ling-san turned her stare towards me, and frowned
“And why are you staying in a girl's room at such a late time?”
“I'm the detective's assistant! It's work!”
“What work? Aren't you just fooling around outside in theto say about that?”
As a member of the NEET reserve forces, I was really troubled to have someone ask me such a question so formally
“My parents aren't at home”
For a -san couldn't reply Luckily, she did not apologize, and that caused h of relief I heard that despite this reaction, that would be for the best
“Anyway, hurry up and state the reason why you're here! You didn't co attitude, right?”
“That'sright”
Xiao Ling-san sighed, and see co like a chair in this roouests showed up Because of that, they could only stand”
“Regarding the ize for that I was the one who kept Xiang Yu hidden, but I can't tell you where Also, I have no idea whether I can trust you”
I could not help but sigh So she was involved right fro?
“Do you intend to inform your brother?”
“I won't say anything”
Alice suddenly raised an eyebrow
“Your brother already knew that you're lying”
“I know But even if he asksLei will have to continue pretending not to know anything in front of our grandfather, and the elders Thus, I wasn't lying, and Hong Lei didn't find out about anything The situation has to continue like this”
Alice narrowed her eyes, and kept staring at the chest of Xiao Ling-san's coat She then slowly got off the bed, went to Xiao Ling-san, and suddenly reached her hand for the latter's chest, grabbing the coat and the collar of the shi+rt undernearth, tugging hard at them
“Wh-what are you doing?”
Xiao Ling-san shook off Alice's hand, and darted back towards the kitchen However, I, who re-san's shi+rt was seeping with a scarlet red, and there should be soes wrapped around them, below the collarbone It wasn't obvious, but it appeared her flanks ounded too
“So even when interrogated or beaten up, you wouldn't talk Is that what you mean?” Alice's voice was several ti
“Even when interrogated, you can't answer Is this unspeakable truth so important for you and your brother?'
“Since you knohy do you keep asking?”
Xiao Ling-san tugged at the front of her coat, and turned her head aside Even against his own sister, Hong Lei wouldn't hold back? Did this person quietly accept that as a necessary ritual just toor astounding forto respect her for that She looked like a well-educated careerwouts, to be expected of someone with the bloodline of a mafia
So Hong Lei left it as that He merely punished her, and accepted her lie
In that case, Alice's prediction ca—because he was ai for Min-san
Alice returned to her bedside, and sat down beside -san
“What about Uht?”
Xiao Ling-san raised an eyebrow, and immediately nodded
“I initially wanted to chase hi Yu said that she wanted to meet him no matter what, and that man looked rather nor or taking drugs, and with Masaru-san around, I thought it would be fine”
“So when Huang Xiang Yu and Umeda Kouji met, was Hanada Masaru present?”
“Yes I was in one of the roo about After that, I heard gunshots, and I when ran to Xiang Yu's roolass shattered”
Hanada Masaru instructed Xiao Ling-san to hide Xiang Yu, and bluffed everyone into saying that he killed the duo, before taking the grievously wounded Umeda Kouji away to escape—or so ere told
“Why did he fire at Umeda Kouji?”
Xiao Ling-san shook her head, indicating that she did not know
“Anyway, Hanada Masaru's actions were too quick It felt as though he already decided to help Xiang Yu escape”
“Well, that isn't i ti with her the entire ti Yu too told s I personally feel that such traditions are so datedand she has a boyfriend, which would be harder for her to accept this”
“So you don't knohat happened to Hanada Masaru and Umeda Kouji?”
Xiao Ling-san shook her head
“Masaru-san told 's settled, and I' Yu the entire ti about him”
Speaking of which, when Hanada Masaru mentioned to 'wait for a week', did heYu? Alice narrowed her eyes, and muttered,
“Maybe Umeda Kouji died”
Xiao Ling-san's face paled slightly
“Impossible Didn't Masaru-san take him to a doctor?”
“That doctor doesn't have a license, and even deals with corpses How can you be certain that Hanada Masaru took Umeda Kouji to ttreat his wounds?”
“That's because”
“There's also another possibility, that toYu died, there had to be a lot of blood trails So Hanada Masaru had Umeda Kouji—”
“Masaru-san definitely won't do such a thing!” Xiao Ling-san leaned over to the bed, her face reddened as she said I was shocked to a point where I was at a loss of words, and could only watch Alice, and back at Xiao Ling-san again
“How can you be certain?”
Alice's questioning voice was like a sigh Xiao Ling-san's voice was quivering slightly
“Because Masaru-sanisn't that kind of person”
Why? I could not help but wonder Why would this person show such unrestrained feelings from time to time? She could lie to us and her brother so nonchalantly, yet when Hanada Masaru was ile side Were they so intie of Xiao Ling-san in front of
“ThatYu had been telling Masaru-san the entire time that she wanted to elope with Umeda, so Masaru-san must have let him escape somewhere first, and when the situation calms down, reunite them That has to be it!”
After a while, both Alice and Xiao Ling-san were si at all I sat by the bed, gulping, holding hts in my mind
assu-san had said was correct
They were pretending that Huang Xiang Yu died, but had her escape There was a large a Lei appeared to be helping in concealing the truth The escape itself would be handled by Hanada Masaru What? Isn't this going well? In that case, what are we doing? Running around, getting beaten, threatened, scolded For whose sake are we suffering so much for?
Of course it's for Hiro, I answered olo deemed for himself
But was there a need to go this far?
This fatal doubt rose in my heart
“In that case”
Alice's muttered, and it seemed she read my mind
“Why did you come here? What are you here to do? What do you want us to do, having us tear apart the lies little by little with the sharp blade of truth?”
Xiao Ling-san hesitated for a while It appeared she sensed the disatisfaction in Alice's words
“I want you to help Ming Li This is Masaru-san's wish”
“As I said, we can't accept such vague requests Master never indicated that she needed our help, and never once did she say that she hated this s Do you want us to make the conclusion that Master's troubled about this, and take action? That's beyond the duties of a detective”
“But, youLi's friend? If you just go up to her and chat, ask what she intend to do—”
“Who's her friend?”
Shocked, I glanced aside at Alice
“If a request is made, I'm the detective, and Master's the requestor Without hera request, our relationshi+p is just tenant and landlord I'm unable to be so defenseless to interact with this world without a contractual relationshi+p!”
Xiao Ling-san was startled, and with her arms firmly folded, she retreated to the corridor Alice covered her h saying It's all useless now
“Well, whatever I have a rough idea”
“Wh-at?” Xiao Ling-san see
“The Objective of you coe' It was the saht?”
An unspeakable, frozen expression appeared on Xiao Ling-san's face
“You intend to tell us some information and achieve so you or of your oill, but there's soht?”
Alice's words echoed in the absolutely freezing air, like an icicle hitting the asphalt
“If you don't have anything else to tell us, just leave already Also, fro based on Hiro's request now, and we'll prevent Master and Hong Lei's e no matter what, no matter how unscrupulous theelders that Huang Xiang Yu is still alive”
Xiao Ling-san glared at Alice with a sharp glare
“I can't let you do it Also, there's no way grandfather and the others will believe your words Hong Lei and I will testify to say that she's dead”
“That ive it a shot?”
Hearing Alice's words, Xiao Ling-san bit her lips, and then turned to leave
Only after Xiao Ling-san left the office without saying a word did I finally heave a sigh of relief, and slid fro the conversation beside Alice was enough for me to be so tense my joints ached
I lifted upat the door
“Do you really, intend to say that the fiancee's still alive?”
I asked softly Not only would Hanada Masaru's hard work be for naught, a girl we never met would be pushed back into an abyss of unhappiness Even if ere to co
Alice shook her head
“That's the last, worst resort I don't want to do that either As she said, the Huang eldersunnecessary wrath fro Master more trouble”
I let out a huge sigh
“You really care about Min-san!”
“What do you mean by that?”
“You just said that she's not your friend, or so”
Alice pouted her lips, and turned her head away
“She's not my friend in the first place I don't have any But Master has been taking care of me all this time, you know? Of course I'll try my best not to cause her any trouble”
Alice turned her back on ers on the keyboard didn't move I suddenly felt a little sad
There were a lot of people around ot about this This strange girl often had a layer of loneliness around her, as untouchable as amnion
What about me?
From her perspective, was I, who often stayed beside Alice, merely a detective assistant who shared a relationshi+p of employer and employee with her?
That ht be the case Even in such a moment, I didn't knohat to say
But despite this, I closed my eyes a little, and tried to continue on with some words
“Hey Alice”
“What?'
“Well, I'm not sure how to say this”
I intertwinedmy eyes as I continued,
“At the very least, when I'uard down, somehow”
“What!?”
I could hear Alice's voice tre somewhat behind me
“What are you trying to say?”
“Ahh, sorry I' either”
“T-think of what you want to say before talking! What? What do you want me to do? I don't understand”
I could vaguely see Alice grabbing the bedsheet tightly, and I was increasingly unsure of what to do I hesitated for what felt like an eternity, and Alice suddenly shook her long, black hair as she turned around
“Can't you finish what you say? Do you even know that I' for you to speak!?”
“E-eh? Ah-ahh, sorry My mind's in a mess So”
“Y-you idiot! I had enough of you already!”
And for the next fewme with some rather weak vocabulary What happened to her usual feistiness when she scolds ry that she's at a loss of words? I was starting to worry about that
“If you are going to coht noant to change out of this stupid outfit!”
“I think this is fine” This costume really fit her However, the round cherry
“Li-lik-like this? Are you saying that you're going to keep staying here? Wh-when you said that I can let e clothes in front of you?”
Hey! What's with that ? Please calm down! Alice was flustered by the words she blurted out, and started spewing more really ridiculous words Because of that, I could only jump off the bed and leave the office
After walking down the e the floor, I heard the sound of the shutters being pulled The only light in front oftime
I was about to walk down the alley between the buildings and head to the front of the shop, only to meet Min-san who just returned It was a little aard, and I nodded and tried to leave by the side At this moment, Min-san spoke up
“Xiao Ling just came by, didn't she?”
“Eh? Ahy-yeah”
Did she notice? I guess it's easy to be noticed? Besides, anyone entering the agnecy would have to pass by the front door of the shop
“You guys are still sneaking around with so? Seriously, and I'm busy with those brats from your class!”
“Eh, erm”
I was at a loss of words, and I was pushed on the shoulders as Min-san went off to the back door by herself
“That dato beat hiood”
“Masaru-san,”
I instinctively turned back, only toto say? A to tell her that Hanada Masaru didn't kill anyone, that Alice's guess was correct? What can happen? It doesn't change the fact that Hanada Masaru's running around, and caused Min-san trouble
”What? What did ?”
”Noit's nothing”
I shut my mouth and lowered my head
Suddenly, I was a little upset at Hanada Masaru In the end, aren't all the proble with troublesome underworld stuff be your specialty? Why are you able to hide without a care in the world and push all your problehter? You work so hard to protect sohter, but let Min-san alone to fend for herself, and even requested for us to help her Isn't that too irresponsible of you?
I turned my back silently on Min-san, and was about to walk onto the road when the cellphone inI took it out, and found that it was from a private nunber
“Is that the high school kid at the detective agency?”
“Ah—it-it's you again!”
Hanada Masru's voice Why call ed to recover, and twanted to switch on the recording function
“Call Ming Li over I got so to say to her”
“If you got anything, come out and—”
I was about to yell back, only to hear stamps behind me, and the cellphone in my hand was snatched away I turned back to look, and it was Min-san
“It's ! Think of whosse fault it is here! I'to say? Hey! Hold it! damn dad!”
It appeared he hung up Min-san looked utterly furious, and I thought she would throw the cellphone down onto the ground
“That damned bastard caused ood dad?”
A boiling sound landed by Min-san's feet She stuffed the cellphone into asted, could only see the back door in front ofslammed shut
The next day, after school, I ame center, and dawdled around in the bookshop and the records shop for half a day, before finallymy way to 'Hanaht it would be aard to meet Min-san
I parked ht by the shop, and behind the curtains, I could hear irls, and the steamed scent of chicken bone stock filled the shop
“So there's still these ingredients inside the shop!”
“If we can prepare them just the day before, won't it be easy?”
“Min-san, did you develop this soup stock along with Fujishi+ma-kun?”
“Really? So he's not just being the test taster?”
“Ah, the uess soy sauce is fine too”
“What? Don't get cocky there, Hiro”
“You can't use two kinds of soups, right?”
“But I prefer the soup stock Hiro made!”
“Me too!”
I didn't knohat happened in the shop, so I discreetly ducked past the curtain When I opened the door, I found all the girls in class staring at me, which startledice cream, and today, everyone's in the kitchen So the stock in the pot, and so a chopper
“Ah Fujishi+ma! The taste tester Fujishi+ma's here!”
“What test testereh, erm?”
I surveyed the shop again, and found the craures of sailor uniforhted
“Why is everyoneramen?”
“You see, Min-san can't ht?” Ayaka said
The first day of the 2 day school culture festival, November 3rd, and on that day, Min-san had to play the substitute of Hong Lei's fiancee, so she wouldn't be able to be in charge of food hygiene in our class 2-4's shop
“The school said that heated iteht as well sell ramen for the first day!”
Ayaka puffed her chest proudly
“Why!? Isn't that crazy already? What kind of weird shop in this world sells both ramen and ice crea!”
Min-san raised the chopper, appearing as though she was about to flip the counter, scaring ize
“Hmph!”
Min-san snorted unhappily
“I don't want to either! Making ice crea, but our ramen isn't that delicious that we can just teach others I don't want to teach, but what to do? The pamphlets were already printed”
“Pamphlets?”
Ayaka took a few printed copies of the pamphlets and showed them to me They were to be placed at the school entrance on the day itself
The super famous 'Hanamaru'!
Premieres for the first time!
Well, those were the words written
“We printed a few pieces, and 'Hanamaru' is actually rather famous!”
“It's faht?” Min-san pouted “Custory at you for selling ramen?”
“No way Your raood too, Min-san”
“Though it was somewhat bad in the past”
“You can't just be honest like that”
“We'll be selling ice cream the next day anyway”
“Even though we are selling raht?”
Hearing the girls' honest feedback, all Min-san could do was to scratch her head reluctantly Well, to be honest, I didn't knohether this was okay or notHiro could only give a wry smile
I returned back to the old gathering spot outside the back door, and sat on an old tyre, letting out a long sigh It's thanks to Ayaka that the aardness between Min-san and me was resolved That really helped me out
“What's with you, Vice-Admiral Fujishi+ma? Forced out by the happy atmosphere in the kitchen?”
Saying that as he walked in front of e backpack
“It's a good thing If you participate in the culture festival, you won't be able to becoh school, I was always skipping classes and staying at ho”
“Don't lu to taste test the ramen”
And speaking of which, hoas this guy like during High School? I got the feeling that I could iine, and yet at the same time, I felt a little terrified
“Right, now back to the 's almost done
Major sat down opposite me, took out a notepad computer from his backpack, and switched it on
“It feels weird The voice in the recording is clear enough to assume that a noise suppressor was used Maybe he used a phone with so where he was, or maybe he was in the basement?”
Major's current job was to analysis Hanada Masaru's phone recording Maybe he round, so he had earphones on to be sure
After Min-san had her phone call with Hanada Masaru the previous day, I listened to the recording again Thinking about that caused me to feel heavy-hearted
What Hanada Masaru said was,
“Don't worry about !”
“There's no need to keep running the ramen shop Just do whatever you want!”
“Just think of what's the best life for you!”
The conversation didn't mesh, and the phone call suddenly cut off No wonder Min-san was so furious What's he thinking, saying such selfish words?
Soon after, Tetsu-senpai appeared at the gathering spot in front of the eency staircase
“I found Umeda Kouji's hidehout As expected, there wasn't anyone there”
Senpai noted confidently, and it terrified me
“Is he a ?” Major asked
“Right He's ain Kabukicho called the Daisei association, and was in charge of collecting debt I went to ask thereat beauty fro distance relationshi+p”
“That Daisei association didn't help them to escape?”
“I heard not! He brought a gun to a squabble with so Coalition don't kill hiht?”
“Hm, well, yeah”
“But in the past fewdebts, and he even got rid of the drugs I heard that he saved quite a bit”
“Was he preparing to elope?”
“It's possible”
I heard Major and Tetsu-senpai carry out such a dangerous conversation, and at this moment, Hiro took off his apron and exited the back door The athered Is it fine for him to leave his work behind? However, Ayaka's in the shop, and there's a lot of attendants helping to work for free I guess it's fine for him not to be around?
“And then, what do you intend to do, Hiro?” Tetsu-senpai asked “You're the requestor this time, so you decide what to do this tiate If you don't figure out where do we investigate, it'll just be a waste of time”
“That's right”
Hiro sat on the first step of the eically
“There are a feays next”
Major raised 3 fingers as he said to Hiro,
“First, we find Huang Xiang Yu and return her to the Huangs That'llLei, but it's effective”
“I can't let another girl cry because of ht? Besides, she's Min-san's cousin, and should be a beauty too”
“The next one is to find Hanada Masaru and hand hi Lei, but finding hiht not improve the situation”
“If Masaru-san can't bear responsibility, there's a high chance of the situation being worse”
“The third is just to return the money”
“Ah” Hiro scratched his head “Will Min-san allow anyone to help her return the money?”
“Hiro Do you have any? I don't”
“Tetsu-san, this isn't so you can say proudly But I'm broke too”
“Nope, but if I sell the Ferrariah, the Ferrari isn't bought underthat BMW? I had that car for quite a while, so around 6 million Yen or so? But”
I interrupted
“Hiro, you seeet scolded by Min-san?”
We're being busybodies due to Hiro's request If Min-san's going to scold, she's going to start from Hiro first However, Hiro merely shook his head
“I didn't get scoldedbut I just felt that there's nothing to worry Masaru-san didn't kill anyone, and Hong Lei doesn't want to pursue that eloping couple Even Min-san herself doesn't look like she detest that cousin” Hiro's voice got less lively “It's because of ht?”
“N-not at all Hiro, about Min-san,”
“Well, you're right, Hiro!” “There's a fourth way, and that's to get Hiro to shut up” “You two are terrible! Are you even friends!”
“Naru the road for Hiro to trick a woain”
“Ahhno, well”
“Right Actually, I feel that if this keeps up, I&39