Vol 8 Chapter 2 (2/2)
“That's just what I heard None of the shops toldabout that so I won't irls want to sell themselves cheaply”
As usual, he drew a cool-headed line
“If you want to investigate, go ahead and do what you want I don't have connections with the karaoke, but I know the people from the hotel so you can talk to them”
“Really? Thank you”
I didn't knohy he was being so kind, so I was perplexed Then, he added in a low voice:
“Co your nose into the Fix ate some unrelated pervert”
I bit ether with a sigh
“This tiet involved too much on that”
“That's strange Thought you'd want to meddle”
“I' out so to Ayaka”
Yondaime snorted
“I don't care about your boring probleress to you, too We don't knohat could happen so you have to be aware of the situation”
I sighed and nodded Helping Alice to arrange the neas my duty as an assistant, huh
“Chigasawa Teruhiko isHis last trace of activity was a phone call to his parents in November of last year”
I raised aze
Chigasawa Teruhiko
The last survivor of Angel Fix's production group
“He wasn't involved in the production because he was just an underling of the group, so he's on probation He dropped out of university, so he was a NEET living only on allowance in an apart that apartment now”
And don't even ask hoe got Chigasawa's parents to hand us the key, he said in a lower voice
“I heard about Toshi+ from Tetsu”
This time, I couldn't nod nor shake my head
Toshi+-san—shi+nozaki Toshi+o
Ayaka's older brother as involved in the selling of Fix He was the only roup as less than 18 years old at the time of the incident, so he was now put on probation Since their parents are divorced, Ayaka lives with their mother while Toshi+-san lives with their father
“Anye still know next to nothing The guys fro parlors have also disappeared No matter how many pictures from the security cameras we printed and distributed to look for them, it's a war of attrition”
“Has the drug appeared again since then?”
“I still won't talk about that, I only said I'd tell you about the information at hand”
You said you wanted to chase after that pervert so go focus on that, you idiot, he said and then kicked me out of the office
When I showed up at the NEET Detective Agency, Tetsu-senpai was already there, sitting on the edge of the bed Alice glanced atan audio file The file was rewound and a voice was heard
”Again?”
”No, I don't know They're selling it? Isn't it so stockpiles?”
That hoarse, slightly loud voice madeToshi+-san Toshi+-san's voice
”The other guys Chigasawa-san? Isn't he the only one alive? A-ah, ah, yes, right No, I don't know hireenhouse”
”It's true I don't know anything!”
”Hakaht in the head It was kinda like he Yeah, like he wanted to create a religion I didn't knohat he was thinking”
Toshi+-san's voice gradually turned into whispers to the point I couldn't hear hih and stopped the file
“This information is practically useless, huh”
Alice shrugged when she said that, and Tetsu-senpai nodded
“But, well, Ihappens”
“Since it's Toshi+, he's probably shut in alone”
“I go to see hi at part-time jobs and all that and mostly stays shut in”
Tetsu-senpai got up When we passed each other near the fridge, he grabbed my shoulders and pushed me aside
“Leave this Fix thing to ”
Not doing anything if possible
That choice of words had a weird feeling of kindness, so I couldn't say anything
“That thing is my prey To be honest I didn't want Yondaime to take part on this either, but as expected, it's iumi's power”
The sound of Tetsu-senpai's footsteps walking away behind rew distant until they were cut off by the sound of the door opening and closing
Tetsu-senpai lost one of his friends—Minagawa Kengo, to the Angel Fix
His hatred for those red angels limpse of Tetsu-senpai's inner beast It was the first time I felt real murderous intent directed towards me
“Yondai onto a different case, huh?”
I came to when I heard Alice's voice and I entered the bedroom
“Y-yeah Some kouhais asked me”
“Is there a remuneration?
“No, it's just a favor Since I never do anything at the Student Council, I couldn't exactly refuse”
“Be a little more conscious about your job as a professional detective's assistant”
Alice turned around There was no anger in her big round eyes, just surprise
“Well, it doesn't ive priority to your tasks here If you need ation fee from your salary With interests and in advance”
No reedy person I sighed Wouldn't it be easier to just tell lect my work as an assistant?
Now that I thought about it, being busier ets suspicious about the NEET Detective Squad being on theafter a pervert'
When I knelt in front of the bed, Alice opened her ain
“I understand the reason why you changed your mind”
“Eh?”
“You have decided not to get too involved in the Angel Fix matter, haven't you?”
“Ah, y-yeah”
When I came here yesterday, I told Alice that I would be her hands and feet for this case and showed her a great fighting spirit, but today I was saying the exact opposite And now it see inside h
“It's for Ayaka's sake, isn't it?”
“I'lad I have such a sharp employer”
I tried to o well
“I don't need your boring sarcasm I'm simply lost”
“Lost?”
“To know is to die But a part of Ayaka is already dead already What should I, a NEET Detective, do? Should I use ain?”
I placed e of the bed and stared at the detective's face without understanding
“What are you talking about? Killing Ayaka again? It's fine if we just don't let Ayaka know anything, what are you saying?”
Alice brought a raccoon stuffed toy and a blanket close to her chest
“For now And I also pray that it continues that way forever”
“Youabout Fix?”
“In other words, it means the possibility exists”
I clied close to Alice
“Why? That's i that Ayaka had contact ere also Toshi+-san's acquaintances, so what Ayaka would know, Toshi+ would know it too There's no need for Ayaka to cooperate”
“That's why I' that it stays that way”
Alice hid her expressionless face under her black hair and turned her back to me
I exited the Detective Agency The short winter day was quickly ending and it was already getting dark As I was going down the chilly ele word Alice had said
A part of Ayaka was already dead
Killing her again
Possibility?
The possibility of els? What the hell I don't understand I shook hed, and ran down the last steps of the stairs
Fro the assault incidents, because I really didn't want to think about Ayaka and the possibility that Alice had talked about
Yondaime had told me he knew the people from there, so I skipped the afternoon classes and went to the hotel where one of the incidents had taken place It was on the outskirts of the city center, in a noisy, crowded corner I'h to be allowed in a love hotel, but I've walked this hotel district countless times already, and lately, for so the names and locations of the hotels
The love hotel Juliana had a tasteless European castle-styled exterior, but if you went around it, you could see it was a sloppy, dirty building with cracked concrete, as if the facade was sos were piled up on the side of the back door squeezed inside a linen sack
They should have brought this case to Yondaiht If they had moved faster, maybe the identity of the victim would had been found out in the blink of an eye
If I go right now, thereleft
On the way, I started doubting I'h schooler I really don't want to be seen around love hotels in broad daylight, let alone at said hotels' back doors
When I e and stepped in front of the steel door, I heard a heavy and loud cracking noise coasp It came from theof the second floor The 's fra that looked like sand –rust, probably- was sprinkling down
“Iyaaaaaa!!”
The voice of a young woh the crack of theframe The next second, the sash creaked loudly and caether with the glass and the sash For a s or any part of my body
Fortunately for her, the linen sack was right below The stiffled collision sound echoed, and I quickly turned , so I rushed in hot haste
“Are you okay-!?”
The girl in underas collapsed face up over the broken glass, and she looked in ainst the , and then the sash came off
When I got closer to her, I noticed she looked really young; she was either a university student, or in the worst-case scenario, a high school student Blood was flowing frolass I lifted her up from the sash by the armpits
I heard a small 'hih-!' from above and looked up at the hole in the wall, result of the disastrous circuhtened face He was naked, abnorle-eyed, his lips were purple and he had thick reddish black bags under his lower lids When his eyes encountered ain and ducked his face
What's with that guy? Was he The one who attacked this girl? Should I chase after hiirl? It could turn out bad if I call an ambulance
With those thoughts in my head, I finally called Yondaime
“Yes, in that hotel's back door It's seeirl has been attacked”
In the middle of my conversation on the phone, the back door opened abruptly, and a man in a shi+rt and a vest appeared; probably an employee from the hotel
“What happ--”
The eirl in my arms, then he quickly looked up and noticed the hole in the wall
“Please catch that guy-!” I shouted, pointing upwards, and the employee went back inside
The girl squirmed, and I covered her body with my duffle coat
“Uuh Nnh”
She opened her eyes and quickly tried to get up,because of the pain in her back
“Don't ht have broken bones”
The girl bit her lip and shook her head, supporting herself with her hands to try to get up again She rose her upper body and looked around restlessly, like she couldn't accept what had just happened She had black hair and wore light er thanbecause of the cold
“Ah M-my clothes”
“Let's go inside for now”
“I have to escape gh-, ugh”
“No, you can't!”
Was she doing co? Does she want to run away so badly because it will be bad if she's found out? Anyway, she et away
“I won't call the police and if your wounds aren't serious I won't call an ambulance either! Calm down!”
My words didn't quite see on the concrete floor, dragging my duffle coat
At that moment, I heard a voice behind me
“Aniki!”
When I turned around, I sao hugeto h of relief: I'm saved
Yondaime and the owner of the hotel as a skinny man with a 'rural yakuza' aura also appeared at the saht-lipped doctor Yondaime knows
The young man I had seen for just a moment on the back door seemed to be the receptionist, and he was between Yondaime and the owner in the office
“Sorry, the man ran away”
The receptionist looked depressed as he said that
“Oshi+ain, wasn't it!? Imbecile! Just reject them at the entrance! Are you blind or what!?”
The owner flew into a rage and scolded the receptionist, then he turned to see Yondaime and bowed his head to him
“Sou-san, I beg you not to say anything about this They'd cancel my business permit”
“More importantly, do you remember the face of the man?”
“Eh, ah, no, not much”
The receptionist curled up
“I saw his face I'll draw a portrait”, I interjected
Yondaiet us so receptionist called Oshi+ma I took the pen and paper and caled man from my memories in my mind
“We should have footage froh the front right?”
“Ah, right, I'll rewind it now” Oshi+ma ducked his head
“Do you have any footage of the other uproar left?” Yondaime inquired
“Y-yeah, there should be a orth of footage, probably”
“Let's compare it with that, then It could be the same man”
Could it really be the sa an uproar with a paid date and running away froain?
“T-that, I-I'll look for that too, right now”
I'llhis head countless times
When I grabbed the pen nib and stared at the white paper while hearing the of uneasiness The face of theout from the hole in the wall caused by the torn offra to find that clue, I re the pen nib over the paper A gourd-shaped face, double chin, slightly pushed out thick lips and sunken eyes, and his lower lids---
His lower lids
My hand froze on the spot I closed ain The s under his eyes Dry blood-colored, reddish-black bags
The bitter taste insideof intoxication, that feeling of being peeled off the reality, and that trehtness
It can't be
Are you related this tiain?
“What's wrong, Gardening Club kid?” Yondaime said
The chair rattled as I stood up
“Was the man like this?” I showed the portrait to Oshi+ma
“A-ah, aah, yes, that looks like him”
Hearing his answer, I quickly slapped the paper against the desk and drew over the lower lids with so th that I almost broke the pen nib
“He had blood congestions on his lower lids”
Yondairim expression
That reddish-black blood congestion on the lower lids is the evidence left on the people who can't understand the angels' whispers--
Angel Fix's rejection
The night of the saency for the first tiht side of Alice's bed, Hiro-san at the left, Major was sitting at its feet, and Yondai by the bedroom's entrance with his ar on the bed by Alice's side
“Once again, this is a request froat all of us
“Since the group of ation resources are no longer unrelated Tetsu, Major, Hiro, you three focus on the ht lead us to the roup”
“Is it confirmed that the same pervert rapist bastard co his arms too, Tetsu-senpai asked in a low voice
“Not confirmed yet” Yondaime answered “Two of the incidents were at that hotel Juliana, so the guy froe of the case from before Hiro, you look for the victims of the other times and confirm it”
“Okay Naruirl who heard ruht? From the Student Council, was it? Tell me her name”
“Ah, y-yes”
Chinatsu-chan's classmate who helped out at the Inspection committee, I think her name was Hishi+da Hanae-san
“But I can talk to her when I go to school”
“No, leave it to me This is my field of expertise”
That shi+ne in his eyes is incredibly suspicious This guy is definitely taking advantage of the circuet close to Hiro-san
“There's also the girl as attacked today”
“I'll go see her I want to find out about her identity” Major said
“I'll go to the police again If they know his face, they can try tailing this guy too” Tetsu-senpai's gaze fell into the copy of the portrait I had drawn “I wonder if this old irl by himself, or there's someone behind this”
“There ain” Hiro-san said “They could be intending to get people to take the drug and assault people, or so like that Didn't that Hakamizaka have that kind of motives?”
“We can't knohat thatanymore We can only speculate” Alice bluntly interrupted Hiro-san's words “Yondaihly find out if there have been sied their coh their cellphones or the net, so I'll look into that, it should be easy”
Long hair slipped off the light blue pajama-clad shoulders The detective stood up When she turned around, her hair spread up like a jellyfish, gently brushi+ngby her side
“I won't tell you to cast your hatred aside I can't do so like that But threaten the second law of there that hatred into your ability to take action”
The four people surrounding me nodded at the same time
“Oh, and leave from the front”
Upon hearing the words Alice added, everyone's gazes turned to the monitors of the security cameras for a moment
“Yeah” “Understood” “Alright”
The four backs full of confidence were sucked into the darkness of the door frame of the entranceway
No one asked the reason they should leave from the front door that was never used Everyone knew already I also saw the silhouette of the person reflected in the security cas from the kitchen door
If they used the eave onto the kitchen door and passed in front of Hana detective squad and would surely sense the tension She's always been sharper thanthis case The others wished the same
At least in that occasion
Yondai, and I was left behind in the cold darkness by Alice's side
Wouldn't it be better if I wasn't here?, I suddenly thought
If I returned tofrom ho up to date with the progress of the investigation, and I could s when I saw her in the classroom I wouldn't need to nervously chosethe I could do, anyway
“What's the matter? Are you that displeased by the fact that I didn't assign a task to you?” Alice said, still by my side “Didn't you say you wanted to stay as less involved as possible with anything related to the Fix? You have contributed to the investigation with your portrait anyway, so you can be proud of yourself”
“Uh Mh, you see”
When I told her I was thinking about not coency for a while, Alice's black hair suddenly sprang up, hitting my cheek It was because she had abruptly turned around Various facial expressions danced on her face, and a sullen one remained in the end
“D-do as you please!”
Alice turned to the keyboard
“If you want to return to your useless, hal Dynasty existence, then by all hal?” “That was just an alliteration!”[1]
The keys being hit started to sound as if she wanted to punch a hole in concrete
“For each day that you don't show up here, I'll deduct it froloriously as the Napier Number”
What the hell If you want me to come everyday you could just say it
“N-nobody said such thing! I' about money!”
Uwah It's been a while since the last tihts out loud “Aah, okay Sorry”
“Whatever If I use a stool I'll be able to do the laundry without falling into the washi+ng machine, if I use the handle of a spoon I can easily pull the tabs of the Dr Pepper cans, and if I use Major's specially designed hydraulic chopstick splitter I will be able to split the chopsticks myself!”
“No, well, if you grab the end of the splittable chopsticks and open them slowly, you'll easily split them”
“Wha--, y-you should have said that sooner! Do you kno much money I invested in the development of that equipment—No! That's not the point!”
“Sorry I was really being an idiot I'll surely come over to help you from tomorrow on, Alice”
“When did I say I was lonely!?”
“I didn't say that either You just said it, actually”
“A-a-ah” Alice turned dark red and tre her face behind it “F-forget about that immediately!”
Why? Doesn't everyone already know you're lonely?, I thought, but if I carried on with this subject, it would turn coain:
“Anyway, I reconsidered I said it was for Ayaka's sake and all that, but I can't skip my duties as an assistant”
Because I have to become a windbreak for Ayaka's sake If I just cover ood will that do? I have to stand up and see what the wind brings with my own eyes
“Hle up and down? If you want to become a street performer, then do it in front of the station Go knock some empty cans, I don't care in the least”
“I said I'm sorry”
But when I turned around and walked to the entrance, I heard Alice's voice behind my back
“Stay until 19:00 when you co me whatever food she wants, so she will force me to eat a lot of noodles and meat”
“Okay”
She suppressed the happiness in her voice, trying not to sound cheerful, but she still did
The next day after school, I went to the Inspection rooain The Inspection room and the Student Council room are on the third floor where are the first year classrooms are, and a relaxed at Watchingat a quick pace, I once again thought I really can't afford to repeat the year
I was surprised by the face I saw at the entrance of the Inspection roo out was Hishi+da-san, the witness of the karaoke incident Well, it wasn't really unexpected She did say she helped out at the Inspection committee
“Ah, Fujishi+ma-senpai”
Hishi+da-san was more surprised than me She closed the door behind her in confusion Why are you so scared?
“Is Chinatsu-chan here?”
“No, she's not Didn't she go back to the classroom?”
Should I wait then? No, I can just talk to Hishi+da-san
“Uhm, you only told Chinatsu-chan, Kenzaki-san and ht?
Hishi+da-san nodded with dubious eyes
“That's good Please don't talk about it to anyone else Specially at school”
I said that because I didn't want anything to appear in front of Ayaka's eyes, but Hishi+da-san suddenly drew closer to me
“I-isn't that obvious!?”
The raising of her voice made me step back, surprised
“Of course I won't say anything, I wasn't even sure I should tell you, senpai!”
“S-sorry”
I extended my hands to calaze I felt her anger vaporizing from her shoulders
“I'm sorry”
Muttering that, she went running through the corridor I thought about chasing after her, but then again, I just wanted to warn her
I blew it I should have let Hiro-san deal with it using his skills I really don't knohat to say to people I don't know, but Hiro-san had always been a lot better than me at it
But what the hell was that? Was what I said really soet so irls' involvement in this matter at all, like Chinatsu-chan and Kenzaki-san---
“---Fujishi+ma-senpai-?”
When I turned around at the lively voice, Chinatsu-chan was skipping towards me, with her bunny barrette in her hair
“You caress!? I'm thrilled!”
“Aah, yeah”
Right, I don't fully understand the reason behind Chinatsu-chan and the other girls' request The other day, I got carried aith the serious topic about the serial paid dating incidents, so I can't really ask any further any spirit
Chinatsu-chan entered the Inspection room with me
“I didn't ress, but before that-” I closed the door behind me “I don't think you have told anyone, but don't tell anyone else about this case I don't want ru anymore”
When I showed up at Hirasaka-gureeted by two of the black-shi+rted men with an “Aniki, thanks for your hard work!” and a respectful bow Lately, the lackeys are always out and the office is really quiet
“Just now, a guy called Oshi+ that you or Sou-san would understand or so like that”
Oshi+ma? DVD?
“He said so, so it must be a video from that, uhehe”
“Ah”
I remembered The receptionist from the Juliana hotel where the assaults happened He probably brought the footage from the security cameras
“That Oshi+s under his eyes, so he probably spent the whole nightthis video--”
“No, he probably spent the night looking for the corresponding section Where's that DVD?”
“Ah, everyone's watching it inside”
Thelike cockroaches around the PC desk of the storage room/bedroom
“It's been showing the front for so scene already!”
“Shouldn't we just hit the H key?” “Alright, leave it to me!” “Click on the woman's