Vol 8 Chapter 4 (2/2)

The only thing I could do was running away I hopped on my bicycle and left the back alley

“Fujishi+ma-kun!”

Ayaka's serious voice led my back, and my feet pedaled faster

What a? Just a stubborn bluff after another Would it have been better if I didn't do anything from the start? I don't know

My head was a complete mess

I skipped school the next day I did it because I didn't want toto focus on my assistant detective work I slept until the afternoon I'm the lowest

′You're already beco a NEET at full speed How about you proudly drop out of school already? It would be a nificent celebration′

Those were the cold words Alice told me when I called her

“I don't want to becostock, so please stop More importantly, did you find the place?”

′Yes It's surprisingly near I'll send you the address by email′

The place Alice had asked i Junko's son attended I was indeed surprised when I read the ency

I left ho etic towards society The sky was clear, but the as colder than the former day

When I parked athered there That place that had been the stage where we spent most of our December didn't seem like a homeless park anymore No, there are no homeless people anyuard fences had been re couples and parents with their kids in sight Cheerful laughter carass slopes, while sounds of skateboards sliding on the concrete and a soccer tea were also heard

I see, today's the inauguration, I realized

This public park was now called Hercules Sports Park, and it was an admission-payed athletic institution Neither the sroves that kept people aere there anyestion

Everything changes, I thought, flooded with athat stays still forever Nothing ever vanishes Things si from place to place

Even a few broadcasting vehicles from TV stations stopped, so it didn't seem like there was a place to park on the street I turned my back to the park, crossed the road, and I parked

The ele could be seen beyond a tall fence, a grove of trees, and the courtyard It was really big and near the station, so it was probably a private institution

I arrived in time for the end of the class of course, but I stood there looking at the children on the school gates About half of thes such as the ones that n of the ti that, what should I do noill I find Tomoki-kun, and what should I say? This is an ele labeled as a suspicious person My usual ineptitude ates and I also saw some people that looked like part of the school staff, so I ran away along the fence

But before I reached the corner of the school, I stopped on my tracks, dumbfounded

Beyond the fence, there were rown, tall sunflower-like plants On that corner, there was a sot closer to see him better, the fence creaked, so the silhouette raised his head and turned around

“Ah”

The boy opened his eyes and mouth in perfect circles—he ithout a doubt Tomoki-kun

“You're the person fro at me

I quickly put“shhh”, but he left the shovel, the watering can and the toolbox behind and rushed up

“Are you shi+rou-san's friend?” To to the wire mesh I was about to say “no”, but then I realized it would be a good excuse to talk to him, so I nodded

“So, are you an angel florist?”

I didn't really understand, but I nodded again

“Then I'll let you in!”

Toate on the left I wanted to say “No, wait a second” I was thankful for the welcoht inside the school territory

However, before I realized, I was entering anyway This isn't the ti, I won't have many opportunities as this one I have to take the risk As soon as I hear what I need, I'll run away

“Hey, Tomoki-kun”

“Yes?” The boy's sweetness was just like his mother's, and it made my heart hurt a little

“If a teacher or someone like that sees us, uhm, could you tell the and help you out a little?”

“You're going to help out!?” Tomoki-kun's eyes sparkled Hey, don't stray off from the subject Well, it can't be helped, he's just a seven-year-old boy

I helped out eeding, watering and pruning I had a little knowledge about it, after all I had no other choice either, since I had to get along with hiet the infor the surroundings in case so us, and because of that I dropped the shovel onto my tiptoes several times Even so, Tomoki-kun complimented me with a “you're so skillful!” I didn't understand what I was doing anymore

“Tomoki-kun, you're really skillful too, and your tools are really good”

The way he cut the tip of the nutrient ampoule reminded me of Ayaka's technique

“Toel florist likethe shovel full of soil in his hand

“Hey, uhel florist?”

“Someone like mama and shi+rou-san”

I put a hand on my chest and took a deep breath It can't be helped, he's just a seven-year-old boy

“That's whyme The teacher praised me a lot for how I took care of the flowers!”

I see I took an extensive view of the garden again There were several warether There was also a big e The plants were really well looked after Even though he was only a second year, he was the son of an horticulturist, after all Thanks to that, I had an excuse to talk to him

“shi+rou-san said he had flowerbeds ay bigger than the ones at home and at school He promised he'd show me, but he hasn't come here at all lately”

“Uhm, did he use to come often?”

“Frorade”

In other words, when he was still alive

I gulped, and discreetly tried to get to the core of the subject

“And what about shi+rou-san's friends? Have they been co lately?”

“Yup” To up the roots of the floith mulch “Various people came to play here Teruhiko-san and the others played a lot with Tomo”

Teruhiko Chigasawa Teruhiko?

This—There's no doubt about it anymore, isn't it?

Frag insidethat everything is going a little too s too much?

“Do you knohy those people came?”

“Uhmm?”

To into thin air while pondering

“Will you keep it a secret from mama?”

“Eh?”

“Mama scolded me a lot after that”

Ah, yesterday? When I went to ask if she knew Hakai Junko turned pale and made him shut up

“It's okay I definitely won't tell your mom”

I felt gloo all the confidence of this elementary schooler who still didn't know distrust Also, if his mother turned out to be a crier

However, I crushed those feelings, waiting for Toaze and opened his mouth:

“They all brought a lot of money You see, the flowers need a medicine It's very expensive Ma no matter what--”

I stood up To and raised his head blankly There's no doubt any lingered onreally that obvious? Is there a trap somewhere?

At that moment, I sao or three silhouettes beyond the ca this way Uh-oh, they must be teachers or people fro really quickly

“Thank you, Toate

“You're leaving already-?” Torabbed the heer”

“I have an urgent task, see you later”

I gently stroked Tomoki-kun's head and rushed out the back door

I buency stairs in front of the ramen shop's kitchen door He looked like he was in a real hurry, and we almost collided

“Wh—What's wrong?”

“Oshi+ma has disappeared”

I widened roup?

“Disappeared? Didn't Yondaime have him captive?”

“No, he was transferred to the general hospital” True, they did said that before “He regained consciousness and fled fro to look for hiu for hih Ask Alice for the details”

Tetsu-senpai talked fast and ran away I rushed up the e on the phone

“Yes, does everyone have Oshi+ma's pictures?”

′If we set up two people 24 hours a day the labor costs will increase, is that okay?′

Major's answering voice was heard I silently listened to their conversation in front of the bed They were probably talking about eel Flowers' Workshop in case they saw theOshi+ma around

“I don't mind, he should appear today or tomorrow”

′What about Oshi+ma's house?′

“Hirasaka-guo there You just fully concentrate on the Iharagi residence, Hirasaka-gumi will stake out there soon, so if Oshi+ma appears, we absolutely need to be the ones who make the first move”

′Roger that By the way, Iharagi Junko did sohtly suspicious actions′

I heldforward, closer to the speaker

′Since yesterday, she let her e and didn't show up at the shop Sounds of a cabinet being opened and closed and so raised and lowered were heard for some reason′

“Hm” Alice held her chin with her hand

Iharagi Junko has been ated her and Tomoki-kun revealed that they knew Haka some evidence?

“Understood Anyway, if soain”

Alice hung up As soon as she turned around, I opened my mouth impatiently:

“I talked with Iharagi Junko's son”

When I reported everything I heard from Tomoki-kun, deep wrinkles appeared between Alice's brows, and she stared at the pit of my stomach It was an unusual expression for her

“There's just so the same, aren't you?”

“Eh? Ah, y-yeah”

“I am a detective who uses words as a blade so I don't want to say this, but soue”

“Yeah”

So Alice is also feeling this uneasiness? That made me feel a little relieved

“However, now's the ti in succession too quickly Hus don't simply vanish into thin air that easily Where could they be?”

“Tetsu-senpai and Hiro-san said they were going to look for the to search? If also help out--”

Alice shook her head

“There is no need for you to go Iharagi Junko has an office in Aoya there If Iharagi Junko is Shushuri, and her followers are gathering under her wings, there must be a place to shelter them Of course, it's possible that said place isn't one of her properties, but since we don't have other places to look for them, we have no choice but to run around randomly”

“nnh I see”

At these times ould norh, since his influence for this kind of practical things is huge

“And that sheltering place ht not be necessary in the first place”

Alice ht of the monitor

“eh?”

“There is also a big possibility that there is a place to hide corpses”

I heavily gulped down, reo All roup overdosed on the drug, and five out of the seven people died The sixth person wentthis winter, and the seventh person was still dyed in despair, secluded in his rooels, unable to think about anything but running away from this world

For that reason, perhaps thedead already That possibility has to be taken into consideration

But they shouldn't just be dead Oshi+ma said he needed money to Shushuri If he just wanted to die, he could just wait in his bed Did they all disappear because they went to see Shushuri? Did they go to spend their laston the second floor, without showing up at the shop? Was she disposing of the corpses?

“Narumi This is your duty”

“Eh-? Ah-” Alice suddenly spoke to me, so I raised my head

“You'll have to face those fools”

With a shocked face, Alice pointed at one of the e silhouettes could be seen entering Hanamaru I only saw their backs for a second, but I instantly kneho they were Pole and Rocky I ran to the door of the Agency in confusion

When I went down the eency stairs and entered the shop, Pole and Rocky were sitting in front of the counter, while Ayaka was holding a first-aid kit, disinfecting the wounds on their faces They both looked weird, with their eyes and cheeks red and swollen

“You're scaring everyone walking on the streets looking like this!” Ayaka was sticking adhesive plasters on their faces while scolding them

“So sorry, Ayaka-neesan” “So sorry”

I stood stock still under the awning, looking at the mayhem What on earth happened to those two? And since when do they refer to Ayaka as nee-san? By the way, it will be aard if Ayaka sees hts kept swirling into collapse

Ayaka looked at me for a second, but then she put a sullen face and continued healing those two

“What are you doing, Naru the contents of a stock pot “Don't just stand on the entrance, the shop is going to open soon and you're in the way If you're that free, then take those two idiots so faces will make the customers run away”

“Aah Erm”

I looked at Pole and Rocky in turn and finally ed to squeeze my voice out

“Wh-what's with those injuries?”

“Yes sir! Sou-san beat us up!” “We asked him to make up with Aniki and he rashed!”

“Raged” Ayaka retorted before I could and then turned her face to look at me “Fujishi+ma-kun, sit down too, come on”

I was taken aback and became flustered

“E-eehm W-why?”

“Because I need to scold you a lot, Fujishi+ma-kun! First of all, you skipped school today!”

Ayaka's angry look hten my posture on the stool

“Don't you want to graduate together with me? Do you want to become a NEET that badly?”

“No, it's not that, but”

“Explaining so s to ht?”

Exactly Pole and Rocky weren't being scolded, but they fixed their postures just liketheir heads The only one who could savea fuss inside the shop and leave!'

“Oi, Ayaka, I'll give you five more minutes to finish”

“Okay, thank you, Min-san”

Why are you so half-assedly sweet to Ayaka!?

“Listen, Fujishi+ma-kun”

Ayaka suddenly lowered her voice

“It's my fault that you quarreled with Yondai, because,you know, you had the sa to box with Tetsu-senpai, Fujishi+ma-kun”

I finally understood Even if I' In other words, I can distort the truth with fabrications and make people believe that, but I just can't put a simplejust to cover the truth

I myself, believe, and hope, that the future is connected to the here and now That's probably what Alice calls the story If there's no story, it's just a lie, and is thus coh

“Would you tell me the reason?”

I could only shakearound so that the case will end without having to explain it to you

“It's about the narcotics, isn't it? Supplies are circulating again, right?”

My whole body felt like it was going to melt as I looked doards Narcotics I didn't want to hear that word from Ayaka's lanced at Hakaasawa's photos that tiot the inforuet beaten upI can only lock her up in a bird cage

“Hey, Fujishi+ma-kun I'll be fine if I re with Yondaime”

I felt like crying out Why are you saying that? Just seeing Angel Fix's name causes you to panic and hyperventilate, don't you remember that? What point there is to my decision if Ayaka says that to ?

“Ayaka, ti your breath”

Min-san spoke with her usual cruel, cold kindness

“It's just a quarrel between two stubborn brothers Whatever you say won't change a thing”

“We'll kneel down on the ground!”

“Aniki, please, go talk with Sou-san once more!”

“Oi, you huge idiots Don't you understand anything? That's not the problem here Can't you even tell that?”

I couldn't take it anymore, so I stepped down from the stool and left the shop Ayaka's voice didn't chase after me either this time

Alice calledaze in the corridor, I pressed the cellphone close to my ear

“Disappeared?”

′Toshi+'s father called Tetsu to ask him if he knehere Toshi+ was It seems like he hasn't returned home since yesterday at noon Do you have any idea? You talked to him a few times′

My legs felt a little weak Toshi+-san too? Didn't he say he hadn't been called by Shushuri and didn't knohere she was? Why did he disappear now?

“What about Iharagi's house?”

′No ′

Noise filled the back of i Junko is Shushuri, that wouided Haka we're still overlooking?

“Anyway, I' there”

I rushed down the stairs at the end of the corridor while putting my cellphone in my pocket

I was too careless I conore himire?

I jumped onto my bike and kicked up the stand

No, what could I have done? He wouldn't listen to a word of what I said His body was an e scent of life, unable to think about anything else except the angel that abandoned him

I arrived just at lunch time, so Hanamaru was packed There were even tables outside the shop, with young salary miso ramen At that time, Min-san came outside and stared at me, so I turnedup the eency stairs

Alice looked at my face and asked, surprised:

“What about school? Are you going to be absent froain?”

“W-well, that doesn't ht? More importantly, Toshi+-san--”

Cold eyes looked at me from the bed

“You're still a high school student, yet you have the biggest NEET soul out of everyone I know It is strange It's your double-edged weapon”

“What are you saying at this time--”

“If you have a clear goal, your ly sharp, but you constantly lose sight of that goal”

“I Don't understand what you're saying”

I actually did understand a little, because Alice's eyes also looked sad

“I am the same, but”

Her voice sounded frail, not h

“With yesterday's daily allowance, the money I accepted from Tetsu was exhausted I would end the request under nor to catch the darkness It's like a bug wriggling inside oal And I continue looking for the way”

In the for for anyone's sake The money from the client had been already spent, so there shouldn't be a reason to investigate anymore

But Alice quietly shook her head

“Let's push this NEET pride tall story aside and go back to talking about business Tetsu went to the office in Aoyai residence Hiro found out that one of his acquaintances is a custo to er select the methods, because Toshi+ left home yesterday at noon His father saw hi for twenty-four hours”

Surrounded by the unnatural light of the monitors, Alice's face looked even one to be taken by the angel again Twenty-four hours He ht be dead already

“But, why now? Remember your conversation with Toshi+ Didn't he say he didn't know Shushuri's whereabouts?”

I nodded

“Hoas he called then? Sai Junko send son?”

Alice kept returning to that question, but I had a hunch that that wasn't theas we didn't find that key, we'd still be

“I'll go to Toshi+-san's house, if I check his roo”

“For what reason?” She hts

“For what reason? Well”

“No, I' ating now? We even turned your brother into our enemy For Tetsu, who didn't even have the money? For Yondaime, who canceled his request? Or perhaps for Toshi+, who never asked for help?”

Please, stop, I thought Why hurt yourself again with your oords and actions? You'd be at ease if you just thought hts into words, because I was also trapped in that foolish spiral,was even more painful

All the solutions were reduced into one If she threw the Agency's signboard into the trash bin outside, she would stop being a detective and would become just a hikkikomori

Hey, Alice, isn't that h just crossedaway her skin, I'll co around and sniffing around There's no need to keep doing things no one wished to be done until we're detested We could just let the truth rot under the rave

But, at that time—

The door opened The air-conditioned ated The world where Alice and I were helplessly iazes at alency's door A serator and stepped into the diht of the bedroom Short chestnut hair held in place with a small hair clip swayed in the wind of the conditioned air

Ayaka

She probably ca a coat over her school clothes

I was frozen and unable to say anything She gazed atfrom her pocket and threw it on Alice's lap

“What is this?”

“My salary from this month I asked Min-san for an advanced payment”

Still frozen, I stared at Ayaka's fingertips Salary? Why—Why is Ayaka bringing money?

Alice spoke in a tre voice

“I will hear your request”

“You know it already! It's the sah money, I'll pay the rest for him”

“Ayaka, why are you--”

My voice finally came out, but Ayaka interrupted:

“Don't ask me why, Fujishi+ma-kun, don't you understand? This is my case, isn't it?”

Ayaka's words were like a serious hit somewhere inside me

“This is not only senpai, Yondaime, or Fujishi+ma-kun's case! Hey I don't knofrom me, but I know that much”

It's true This is Ayaka's case A case that got Ayaka hurt, and it kept har her inevitably

That's why I hid it from you Why can't you understand that?

Ayaka's gaze felt like a bullet of h my eyes

“I—I took everything uponto Fujishi+ht?”

Ayaka's voicepulled back to that freezing winterover the flowerbeds' soil

But Ayaka's words continued, tying my consciousness to the reality

“I won't do that again, because I already know I know Fujishi+ma-kun is here Alice is here too, everyone's here, and little by little we can share it all together”

I dugfrom the wounds of Ayaka's words

“No ht be, I'll be okay But I definitely don't want to see Fujishi+ separated from anyone”

I felt this was Ayaka's pain At thather pain For that reason, I remembered the words she said to me way back then: Cry norh normally when you're happy, speak yourIf we're unable to do that, then there's absolutely no point to your wounds

I tried to cli I felt like all the bones inplace, unable to put theer

At that moment, I heard noisy footsteps of several people outside Alice let out a little gasp, and her black hair swayed The door was then pushed open orrying strength, and the footsteps rushed over

“Sorry for intruding!” “Ane-san, sorry for intruding!”

The group of ether like a uripped the sheets with ht not to faint, but uys here, and in such a great nu? You won't be able to get into the bedroo to break the door frame

“What are you all doing!? A wild gorilla has better manners than you!”

Led by Pole and Rocky, the round in a row The men behind were forced out to the corridor and the stairs Ayaka was so frightened that she climbed up the bed

“Why are you all here? You are my enemies”

“There's no e're ane-san's enemies!” “Hey, shut up!” “Don't cry!”

Making the guys behind him quiet down, Rocky came a few centimeters closer

“We're here under Sou-san's orders”

“Yondaime's?” My voice suddenly came out in the form of that question

“Yes sir, we heard Toshi+ was ! But since he won't ask Ane-san for information, he told us to rush out and ask around!”

“He told us to split up in any ways or beat up whoever was necessary to get the information!”

With a shocked face, Alice looked up at the ceiling I felt so, even in the aze on my face

“Narumi”

I heard the voice of the detective behind my back

“I do not wish to co to say that you don't knohat you have to do if your employer doesn't tell you at this point, are you?”

I wasn't sure if I should nod or not Should I stand up, with my hands and feet only, with this drooped body and the few strength it has left only?

But then, I noticed Ayaka's hand on the back of mine<>