Kirinomiya-senpai Cannot Solve The Mystery - Chapter 4
Chapter ４
After listening to Ashida-sensei, we headed to the shopping district near Eirin Academy.
Kirinomiya-senpai’s plan was simple and straightforward: find an acquaintance of Amase Ayano in the city and gather information.
[Now, the purpose of coming here is to listen to the story of two girls, Sudou Ryouko and Asano Mao, who were close friends with Amase Ayano.]
[Even if you say you want to talk to them, it’s out of the question if you don’t know who they are.]
[That’s right. So I asked someone from my family to prepare portraits of them.]
As soon as she said that, Kirinomiya-senpai took out a photo of the two girls from her bag. She really is well prepared for useless things. It would be great if she could use her energy in a meaningful way, for example, for world peace or for underprivileged children.
[But, why are you sure they would be in the shopping district?]
[Apparently, the students at Eirin had morning classes today.]
[Is that so? Well, they did just have a murder case.]
[I heard that they were told not to go out as much as possible, but they probably didn’t take it seriously enough to stay home anyway. If that is the case, the students of Eirin will have too much free time on their hands and will probably come to the shopping district to have fun.]
Even though Kirinomiya-senpai’s deductions are not always accurate, she has good intuition in strange ways.
But would it really go that smoothly? Only God knows whether it will be that easy or not, but for now I have no right to veto her decision.
Relying on their portraits, we started looking for Amase Ayano’s friends.
I also come to this shopping street from time to time, but I did notice that there were more students passing by than usual.
Every time I passed a group of students in high spirits walking in the street, I felt a little disappointed.
Even though someone from the same school had died, they were playing happily, as if it had nothing to do with them. Maybe it doesn’t matter if they don’t actually know each other, but aren’t they afraid of a murderer who has appeared in their neighborhood?
We checked cafes and game centers where high school girls might gather, but it was hard to find the two girls we were looking for.
[They’re not here after all. Maybe they didn’t come to play today after all?]
So I was thinking of saying that we should break up, but as we passed by a karaoke bar, Kirinomiya-senpai stopped dead in her tracks and compared the two girls in the portrait with the girls in there. I peeked at it from the side and thought, “Ah.”
The high school girl in front of the store seemed to be a perfect hit.
To really manage to find them, it’s unlucky.
The girls were looking at their cell phones, discussing where to go next.
[There they are. It’s those two.]
As we got closer, it was more certain. Just like Kirinomiya-senpai said, their faces do certainly match two of the faces in the photo.
Apparently, it’s true that they got along well and were always working together.
Looking at them in real life, both were more flashy or rather more gorgeous.
They were wearing make-up so perfectly that it was hard to believe they were high school students, and their hair was brightly colored. The skirts of their uniforms were just barely short enough inside their limits and making them the type of people I was a bit poor at dealing with, but Kirinomiya-senpai didn’t hesitate to call out to them.
[Are you guys friends of Amase Ayano?]
Hearing Kirinomiya-senpai suddenly call out to them, made the atmosphere around the two girls freeze over.
Kirinomiya-senpai usually has an intimidating air about her anyway, but hearing the name of their recently deceased friend would make anyone sink into silence, wouldn’t it?
It was then that I finally noticed that there was a male student standing behind them.
He was standing there with three student bags in his hands, looking uncomfortable. He wore black-rimmed glasses, had a thin body, and looked very frail. I wondered if he was being made to carry their bags.
One of the girls stepped forward to answer the question.
[Sure we are Ayano’s friends… who are you guys? I don’t recognize you… I mean, what class are you in?]
They seemed to be blatantly suspicious. That’s obvious. And because we’re wearing Eirin uniforms, they think we’re from the same school.
Kirinomiya-senpai did not answer any of the questions she was asked, but expressed her interest up front.
[You do know that Amase Ayano was killed, right?]
When he said that much, the ponytailed girl gasped.
[You’re that person, right?!]
The girl next to her shouted and asked, [Do you know her?]
[You know, the one who told Ayano she was going to die about a week ago?]
Then the girl beside her exclaimed, “Ah!”
Suddenly I lost the strength in my shoulders.
Kirinomiya-senpai, why did you say such an unnecessary thing? You shouldn’t have said anything, because it would only make people who don’t know what’s going on suspicious.
As expected, they suspected that “you are the culprit,” and Kirinomiya-senpai became indignant.
[That’s rude. I’m looking for the culprit.]
The girl with the ponytail pouted in displeasure.
[Why are you looking for the murderer? It’s too suspicious.]
If I leave it up to Kirinomiya-senpai, it might cause trouble, so I step in between the girls and try to make the conversation as calm as possible. For now, let’s leave the guy standing in the back for later.
[Errr, the two of you are friends on Amase-san, right? Can I please ask for your names? I am Kusakabe Yuichi, and she is Kirinomiya Saika.]
When I asked, the strong-hearted girl with the ponytail replied in a reluctant tone.
[I’m Sudou Ryouko.]
The girl next to her with the loose perm also replied in a gentle tone.
[I’m Asano Mao~]
Sudou-san looked blatantly unhappy.
[So, you said you were looking for the culprit, but why are you guys looking into Ayano? Asking this and that about a dead person just to satisfy your curiosity, I think it’s improper though.]
In response to these words, Kirinomiya-senpai proudly replied.
[The reason why I’m investigating is because I’m a detective.]
Umm, it’s not like you have the qualifications to be a detective, though the person in question probably doesn’t think that. If I had to say, Kirinomiya-senpai is more of an inept detective,
The moment she heard this, Sudou-san’s expression changed slightly. She had been speaking clearly before, but now her words seemed to be slurred.
“Oh?”, I thought and secretly observed her.
Then, the figure of the boy right behind Sudou-san also jumped into my view on his own. He was staring at Sudou-san with some kind of complicated expression. I couldn’t even read his thoughts from his expression.
Kirinomiya-senpai was oblivious to this, and boasted with pride.
[I just interviewed the home economics teacher about the victim at Eirin earlier.]
When she said that, a boy who had been standing behind her like a figurine said reflexively.
[Um, by that do you mean Ashida-sensei!?]
I nodded my head in agreement.
[Yes. It was Ashida-sensei who had last spoken to Amase-san.]
Then he lowered his eyebrows and said in a desperate tone.
[Ashida-sensei, what did she look like?]
To my surprise, he told me about himself.
[Ah, I am Mizuwaki Nagisa. Um, since Ashida-sensei was the last to talk to Amase-san there have been many people saying things about her, so I was worried.]
[He wasn’t very cheerful, but she did properly tell us about Amase-san.]
When I told him that, he seemed somewhat relieved and patted his chest.
[Is that so? Ashida-sensei, is she okay?]
Perhaps she didn’t like the fact that he had interfered, Sudou-san clicked her tongue and pushed him backwards.
[Mizuwaki, don’t come in here in the middle of a conversation! Come on, you’re going home first today!]
When Sudou-san strongly told him so, he apologetically put down their bags and walked away with a bow.
Umm, I pity him. I can’t help but feel sorry for him because he seems to have a weak temperament that overlaps with my own. And Mizuwaki-kun, Sudou-san and the others don’t seem to be friends on equal footing. I wonder if he’s just a gofer for them. I pity him more and more.
Sudou-san replied quickly, fiddling with the end of her ponytail.
[I don’t know what you mean by detective… Anyhow we don’t know anything. What happened to Ayano was pitiful, but honestly I’m more afraid that a murderer is in our school.]
She said that but going out for karaoke the very next day after the incident, I think she has bold nerves.
I called out to Sudou-san from behind Kirinomiya-senpai.
[What was your impression of Amase-san before the incident?]
[What kind of impression?]
[From what I heard, she was rumored to be an honor student who was well liked by everyone.]
When I said that, they looked at each other and started laughing. I was confused, wondering if I had said something so funny.
[Being an honor student who is well-liked by everyone is a little, maybe not quite the same thing.]
Asano-san replied.
The girls began to talk eloquently.
[Our school is a school where you only need to write your name to get in, so the term “honor student” is pretty common.]
[Yeah yeah, most of the students don’t want to study, so they pay to get in.]
[Even without that, that girl had a bad reputation behind the scenes.]
I was caught by Asano-san’s words and asked her.
[What do you mean, “behind the scenes” ?]
[Well that… there were a lot of things like pictures.]
When she answered in a relaxed tone of voice, Sudou-san looked horrified and tried to stop her.
[Wait Mao, you don’t have to tell these guys![
As I thought earlier, Asano-san seems to be a surprisingly gossipy person. Her guard is down and she seems to be willing to tell me a lot of things if I poke her well. In contrast, Sudou-san is emitting a tense atmosphere. She seems to want to leave right now. If I carelessly approach her, I’m sure she’ll be furious.
Asano-san continued to talk in a relaxed, or perhaps dull, tone.
[But you know, maybe that was the reason why she got involved in the incident, right~?]
[I don’t see how that’s relevant now! Besides, it’s not something you can go around telling people!]
Asano-san, who was scolded, looked down despondently.
[Alright~, you don’t have to be so angry~, Ryouko.]
I was really curious about what she was going to say. I had a feeling she was hiding something important.
But it seemed that Sudou-san’s mood was completely killed off.
[Doesn’t matter if it’s to the police, but why bother talking to these shady people!? Come on, Mao, let’s go!]
Saying that, she then angrily left with Asano-san.
Asano-san was trying to get Sudou-san in a good mood by inviting her to a nearby cafe. ‘I’ll buy you a drink, so don’t be so angry!’- They’re probably having a conversation like that. They’re easy to understand.
Kirinomiya-senpai muttered to herself as she looked resentfully at the back of the two moving away from her.
[People who are uncooperative with the investigation, should be cursed.]
How self-centered….
But as I stared at their backs, I also felt that it was a waste.
[It’s a shame, really, considering that Asano-san was the only one who seemed to be willing to talk a little more.]
If it was a friend who was always working with Amase Ayano, she might have had some important information that even she was not aware of. At the very least, they would have spent more time with her than her parents or teachers, and would have had a better understanding of her.
Although, being unreasonably persistent would just backfire on us.
It’s a shame, but I’m going to give up on getting information from the girls.
[Well, Kirinomiya-senpai, what do you want to do now?]
When I looked at my side, suspicious of the lack of response, I saw Kirinomiya-senpai grinning and smiling weirdly.
[What’s with that face?]
She poked me in the stomach with her elbow.
[What’s the matter with you, <span” style=”font-style: italic;”>shounen? You talk defiantly, but you’re willing to investigate properly. That’s what makes you my assistant.]
Hearing that surprised me.
It’s true! Before I knew it, playing detective was firmly ingrained in my body, and I hated myself for it.
However, it’s not like I wasn’t just investigating out of curiosity either.
It was true that we had found a dead body, and after coming this far it was too late to turn back. I just wanted to see this case through to its conclusion anyway.
[I’m not a <span” style=“font-style: italic;”> shounen, and I’m not your assistant.]
I answered, but Kirinomiya-senpai was already gone.
[Huh!? Kirinomiya-senpai!?[
When I looked for her, I found her flattened like a gecko against a wall some distance away.
[What are you doing?]
[Tailing them! It’s a valuable clue that We found. I’m not going to let it slip through my fingers!]
Well, I knew this would happen. There’s no other way so I’ll be with her until the end
It’s a shame that Kirinomiya-senpai’s so beautiful.
I wanted to pretend to be a stranger as I watched her from a distance, stuck to the wall.
□
An hour or so had passed since we parted ways with Suduo-san and Asano-san.
The two of them went to a cafe afterwards to have parfaits and chat. I was amazed at how they had so much to talk about, even though they were supposed to be together all the time at school.
On the way, I repeatedly suggested to Kirinomiya-senpai that we should go home, but she completely rejected my suggestion.
When we saw that they had finally left the shopping district and were walking in different directions, we followed behind Asano-san.
[Alright, now!]
Chasing after Asano-san, who was walking towards the station, Kirinomiya-senpai ran off like a rabbit on the run.
Then when she got close to Asano-san’s back, she stuck closely to her like Konaki-jijii.
[You’re finally alone.]
Asano-san jumped back with a scream as Kirinomiya-senpai suddenly attached to her back.
[Kyaaaaaaaaaaaa!! What the heck, you guys were still waiting!? Aren’t you too persistent!? Or rather you guys are scary!? Stalkers!?]
Lying in wait for an ambush for this long, made us look doubly suspicious.
I was half desperate, so I requested Asano-san to help me.
[About what we were talking about earlier, can you please tell us about it? I’m really, really curious.]
Asano-san crossed her arms and turned her face away in a huff. Kirinomiya-senpai was still attached to her back.
[No way, Ryouko would get angry. Besides, it’s not something I can just chit chat about to some random strangers. Firstly, who are you guys even? Why are you loitering around about Ayano?]
[We were the first to discover Amase-san’s dead body.]
[Eh…]
Maybe she was surprised, because her complexion changed.
Her makeup was thick, but looking at her innocent face like this made me think that she was just another ordinary high school student.
Her anxious expression made her look her age.
[You do know that Amase-san was decapitated, don’t you?]
When I told her that we had found the body, she seemed to get the idea that we weren’t just looking for fun.
She looked down in confusion.
Of course she would be confused.
She wants to tell someone what she knows, but is it ok to tell us about it? That was what she was thinking, and I knew that clearly.
[That, yeah it was on the news, I know but…]
Asano-san’s face grimaced painfully and she closed her eyes.
[Really, I honestly can’t believe it. Ayano, only her family will be attending her funeral. No friends or anyone else will be invited. So we can’t see anything. It’s like she was decapitated or something, but it’s true. It doesn’t feel real yet, and it feels impossible, and it makes me think that maybe she’ll come to school normally one day.]
She had become completely meek.
Perhaps I had misunderstood her.
Perhaps Asano-san’s playing around in the city like this was an escape from reality.
It would be hard for her to accept that her friend, who she was always together with, would suddenly be killed.
They parted ways in the classroom as usual, and the next day was supposed to be a repeat of the same day, but Amase Ayano’s daily life suddenly ended there. And Asano-san’s daily life would never be the same again.
I wondered if, because she couldn’t believe what had happened, she went to the shopping mall with her friends, sang karaoke, ate parfaits, and tried to continue her daily life as usual.
I tried to persuade her with a serious face.
[I want to ascertain the reason why Amase-san died. At this rate, do you think Amase-san will be able to rest in peace?]
Asano-san stared down at her feet, as if she felt lost.
[I think it’s a pity. I was with Ayano for a long time. I want to know why this happened too.]
[Please. Of course, I won’t tell anyone that I asked Asano-san. So if something happened, please tell me. It doesn’t matter how small it is. You never know, maybe it could be a serious clue.]
[…Alright. I understand so, just stop sticking to me!]
When she promised to cooperate, Kirinomiya-senpai finally let her go.
Asano-san looked hesitant for a while, but then took out her cell phone and started touching the screen.
[…Keep it a secret from Ryouko, okay?]
After reminding us of this, Asano-san turned the screen of her phone toward us.
It seemed to be some kind of website.
There were a lot of photos lined up, with fluorescent letters flickering around them.
Before I could even think about whose picture it was, I was startled to see a picture that jumped in front of me.
A girl in a school uniform boldly lifting her skirt to reveal her underwear.
My mouth dropped wide open.
What the hell is this!? Why did she show me this when we were just talking about the incident!?
Was she poking fun at me?
When I was at a loss for where to look, Kirinomiya-senpai put her face close to the screen as if she was covering it.
[Is this, Amase Ayano?}
[Eh? Really?]
I didn’t recognize her right away because I had only seen her dead face. The head of Amase Ayano in the storage shed looked like a piece of art or something, and it didn’t feel like she had been a living, breathing person.
However, now that you mention, the person in the photo was indeed Ayano Amase, judging from her hair style and atmosphere.
In addition to that photo, there were many other photos that could not be called wholesome, such as one of her naked upper body with her hands covering her chest, another of her in her underwear, and another of her taking a bath. There are even pictures of her in her high school uniform with her shirt buttoned open and her wrists tied up with a blue tie. Some of them are wearing Eirin Academy uniforms, but I wonder if they are okay with it…
Kirinomiya-senpai just stared at the picture suspiciously..
[What the hell is this?]
Asano-san sighed deeply.
[What is this, a so-called “compensated dating site”? I think it’s like posting erotic pictures and chatting to make some money? I’ll say it just in case but, the person in these pictures isn’t actually Ayano herself.]
[If Amase-san didn’t put it there, does that mean someone’s harassing her?]
Asano-san nodded her head and gave us more details.
[In the first place, all of these, the body in the pictures isn’t of Ayano, it’s like an <span” style=”font-style: italic;”>ikora.]
Kirinomiya-senpai, who seems to be unfamiliar with Internet slang, asked back.
[What do you mean by <span” style=”font-style: italic;”>ikora?]
I replied.
[Simply put, it’s patching a composite photo. Taking a shot of Amase-san’s face, and then a photo of a naked woman from the neck down, to make it seem as if it was Amase-san herself, or something like that I guess.]
I scrolled down the screen, feeling uncomfortable to stay on that any longer.
I don’t know who made it, but there were definitely small discrepancies in the photo when I looked closely.
The placement of the knots were different, the size and perspective of the objects in the background were strange, and there were some suspicious distortions.
However, the original image was too rough and unless you observe it very closely, you can’t tell. One thing I can say for sure is that people who look at this site would not care about such discomfort at all.
Asano-san tapped the screen in exasperation.
[The first time I found it, I don’t remember exactly anymore, but it was posted on a bulletin board like an underground school site. When she first found it, Ayano was so angry that she was definitely going to talk to the police. But it seems difficult to identify the culprit, right? And the more she fussed about it, the more rumors would spread, so Ryouko and I convinced her that it would be better to leave it alone. Ayano’s parents were very strict, so she was afraid that if they found out, she would be in trouble.]
[So in the end, she just gave up in frustration.]
[I heard that she applied for deletion. After she did that, it disappeared from the page…, but once it’s on the Internet, there’s no end to it even if it’s deleted. That’s why there are still places like this.]
It’s quite vicious even for harassment.
[Do you have any idea who the culprit is?]
I asked, and Asano-san shrugged her shoulders.
[Well~ Ayano was always a conspicuous girl, and she was very harsh to people she didn’t like, so I thought she might have been harassed like this. It happened while she was at a lodging.]
[Lodging?]
It seems that “lodging” is an abbreviation for staying over for learning. In their first year, they stayed at a place like a nature house for overnight learning, cooking and campfire.
[Ayano was on the phone with her boyfriend in her room at night. One of the girls in the room told the teacher that it was too noisy, but Ayano found out later and got very angry. The girl who told the teacher stopped coming to school after that and became a truant.]
It’s not very tense, probably because she spoke in a squishy tone, but it’s quite heavy stuff.
Apparently, Amase Ayano had a lot of power in the classroom.
It seems that Amase Ayano is getting further and further away from the bright and caring student that we first heard about.
[Ayano’s face at that time was super scary. She’s giving off such an aura of bloodlust, that you would never want to make an enemy out of her.]
[In other words, you’re saying that it’s not surprising there are a lot of people who hold resentment for Amase Ayano?]
When Kirinomiya-senpai asked the question, Asano-san answered in a troubled, muffled voice.
[Well, I wouldn’t say there were a lot of them… I was very close to her, so I didn’t mind. I was close to her, so it didn’t bother me, but there were probably many people who wished Ayano was gone, even if it wasn’t enough to kill her. His boyfriend was also a popular guy. Well, things haven’t been going so well lately, and there have been rumors that they fought because her boyfriend had been cheating on her.]
Then she cut off her words as if she had slipped up.
It seems that Amase Ayano has a dark side, or rather, another side of her that she doesn’t show to her teachers or the adults around her.
Kirinomiya-senpai kept her eyes downcast and was thinking about something.
[I see, it’s possible that she was murdered because she questioned him about his affair due to blind love.]
It was an unusually decent idea, but it seemed that Kirinomiya-senpai didn’t really like that kind of route, and her tone was a bit weak. It’s not that I have a reason, but I really don’t feel comfortable with that theory either. A boyfriend who doesn’t get along with you is the first thing anyone would think of, and it still doesn’t feel right to think that he would go so far as to cut off your head just for that.
Kirinomiya-senpai seemed to have shifted his target to another person and asked Asano-san.
[By the way, can you tell me the name of the student who stopped going to school and the name of Ayase Amano’s boyfriend?]
When asked that question, she easily gave me the names and characteristics of the two students.
Asano-san made a point of emphasizing that it should not be known that she was the source of the information, and walked off towards the station.
□
The road leading from the station to the residential area was dimly tinted in the evening darkness.
The area around the station was crowded with office workers and students on their way home, but the flow of people diminished as I headed towards the residential area.
I’m not good at walking in crowds, so I was relieved when the number of people dwindled.
But the thought of having to go home and prepare dinner made me feel heavy.
Kirinomiya-senpai, who was walking next to me, had an unusually serious expression on her face and was silent, so I called out to her.
[Well, Kirinomiya-senpai. It’s getting dark, shall we go home soon?]
When I urged her to go home, she turned like a cat with its hair standing up and argued against me.
[What are you talking about? The investigation is just beginning.]
[Are you still going to do it!?]
I wanted to give her high praise for her passion for the case, but unfortunately I couldn’t be that enthusiastic.
[It’s natural. For now, let’s go to the house of the truant girl we were talking about.]
[You’re going now!? No, no, it’s dinner time, let’s do it tomorrow. It’d be a bother to the other party.]
[So what if it’s dinner time? Rather you should be more enthusiastic about getting treated to a meal together with them!]
What sort of enthusiasm is that? Now you’re just talking like a glutton…
As we were arguing, a person suddenly appeared from behind, grabbed me by the collar and pulled me to him.
It was as if he was about to punch me, causing me to open my eyes wide.
It was a completely unfamiliar man with a vicious expression on his face who pulled me to him.
His upraised hair was a dull golden color. His eyes glinted like glittering blades.
[I finally found you. You were talking to Mao just now, right? It seems that you’ve been sneaking around about Ayano. What do you want?]
As I stiffened, the man who had grabbed my clothes pushed me backwards in a violent manner.
[……!]
The recoil from the push sent me crashing hard into the wall. My back was throbbing with pain from the blow.
He was the embodiment of frivolity.
His slender eyebrows and pointy chin gave a hint of sneakiness. He was dressed in the Eirin uniform that I had seen so often earlier, but it was one of the most worn out uniforms I had ever seen, with loose pants and many ornaments hanging from his belt. He was a standard delinquent, or rather, an easily recognizable delinquent.
Thanks to this, it was easy to understand who he was.
Amase Ayano’s boyfriend, the man known as Kasai.
I had just heard about him from Asano-san. But she said something about Kasai being popular and popular, but I wonder if this is the kind of thing young girls want nowadays. I thought about such unimportant things and felt a little disappointed.
I wanted to talk to him if I could, so it was convenient that he came to me… Even so, he’s way too rude.
I knew I couldn’t just sit there and let him do it to me, so I grabbed him by the chest and glared at him.
[Even if we were investigating Amase-san, why would you not like it?]
[Hah? What do you mean?]
Kasai brings her face closer to mine. I guess he was pretty much trying to pick a fight with us. I don’t think he’s the kind of person who would accept a calm discussion. It’s going to be troublesome.
[When Amase-san died, you were suspected of being the culprit, and you must have felt uncomfortable with the people around you prying into this and that. I asked some of the students about you, and there were rumors that you were cheating on her, and that you killed her because she was in your way.]
I embellished my story a bit, but he was easily provoked.
Hearing my words, Kasai became even more enraged.
[Aah!? Don’t mess with me, who said it!?]
[Anyway, whether we smell fishy or not, you should be happy that if the real culprit is found, your suspicions will be cleared. So why don’t you like being investigated about the case?]
When I asked him about it, he bared his teeth in annoyance. He reminded me of the orangutans I used to see in the zoo.
[Shut up, I told you it’s none of you lots’ business!]
And then Kirinomiya-senpai, who was watching from the sidelines next to me, let her long hair take over and pointed straight at Kasai’s face.
[All the mysteries have been solved! The mystery that has been wandering in the depths of darkness, this Saika Kirinomiya will expose it to the light of day. After all, the culprit is you, Kasai!]
[Ah!? Wait no!]
I was so disappointed.
Again, she said it again! Just like that, Kirinomiya-senpai just made things way more complicated!
She walks in a straight line when she’s convinced, so she’s smiling with a face that says she’s got it all figured out. When our eyes met, she winked at me with a look that said, “Leave it to me.” That’s not what I meant! I don’t think you did a good job!
She accused Kasai in a fluent language.
[Liar! If you’re not the culprit, you could just leave it alone, but the fact that you interfere with my investigation like that proves that you are!]
As usual, her spirit is amazing. Even if it’s something they wouldn’t do, if Kirinomiya-senpai says it out so clearly, a weak-minded person might just let it go.
[Don’t just say whatever you want! I didn’t kill Ayano!]
As Kasai shouted out, he attracted the attention of passersby who were walking around him. However, when Kasai glared at them, the people around him quickly ran away with awkward expressions on their faces. It is true that there are not many people who would want to get involved in a fight between unrelated people.
It’s good that they don’t interfere with us, but we don’t want them to report us and get into big trouble.
As the two of them were getting heated, I quietly asked him a question, at least for myself.
[Even if you’re not the culprit …still, there’s something about you that you don’t want other people to know, isn’t there?]
Then Kasai pulled my shirt tighter and strangled my neck harder.
[I told you not to poke your head into unnecessary things! You’re getting carried away. Don’t you get that you’ll get beat up!?]
Kirinomiya-senpai, who was watching, shouted sternly.
[Enough!]
Turning his attention to Kirinomiya-senpai, Kasai seemed to have finally recognized her clearly at that moment. He stopped moving to look at her for a moment, as if he was surprised and captivated.
[Heh. She’s crazy, but she’s beautiful if you look closely. Shall I make her my new girlfriend?]
Kasai then tried to hold Kirinomiya-senpai’s shoulder. He’s a man with no boundaries..
She brushed his hand away and gave him a cold stare that would have frozen all living things in place.
[You fool. I’m not interested in small fry like you who spout off lines full of condescension. Don’t try to touch me lightly.]
Kasai smiled half-heartedly and reached out to approach her again.
[Oh? I’ll tell you what’s more fun than playing with a little guy like that.]
[Don’t touch Kirinomiya-senpai!]
When I pushed Kasai away, he grabbed my arm and twisted me upside down.
[…!]
I almost screamed in pain. The twisted arm gave a screech. I could hear the bones creaking. Apparently, this guy doesn’t know how to take it easy. It doesn’t matter how much my arm breaks or how much I get hurt, he won’t care. If he keeps twisting me like this, he’s going to really break my arm eventually.
I’m not proud of it, but I’m not confident in my arm strength. If I get into a fight, I’m sure to lose. However, Kirinomiya-senpai is here, and I can’t just turn tail and run away.
[Even if you harm us, it won’t change anything.]
[Hey, last warning. Like <span” style=”font-style: italic;”>shounen said, you’d better stop being violent with us as soon as possible.]
Kasai didn’t take it well at all. He grinned and added more force.
[Hee~, what will happen to me if I don’t stop?]
[You’ll regret it.]
He still didn’t seem to be paying attention to her.
[Haa, try it if you can. How will this, loner brat, make me regret this-…]
In the middle of his words, he unexpectedly heard the sound of the wind blowing.
Kasai was about to say something, but his voice did not last.
As he was speaking, a very fast and sharp shadow blew Kasai away.
[!?]
The next moment, Kasai was not standing there.
I don’t understand what happened at all.
For some reason, there was a tall woman in a suit in the place where Kasai had been a moment ago. Moreover, she was standing still with her legs swung up in a large posture.
A few seconds later, I saw Kasai passed out on the ground with white eyes, and I finally understood the situation.
What flew at an unbelievable speed was a sharp kick from the long legs of a woman in a black suit.
The movement was so fast that it was impossible to follow what was happening with my eyes.
After the tall woman finished kicking Kasai, she resumed her posture, as if what had just happened had been a dream.
She stood up straight as if she was sticking a needle into the ground and gave us a cold stare.
[insert img p117 here.]
She had a short cut and looked taciturn, but what the hell was that destructive kick she just delivered?
While I was dumbfounded, she stared at Kirinomiya-senpai with an angry expression on her face and muttered indifferently.
[My lady, how much have I told you to stop your hazardous behaviour?]
Her voice was calm with no emotion, but her body was seething with anger. She is very angry.
While trembling, I asked her a question.
[‘My Lady’… by that do you mean Kirinomiya-senpai.]
It was Kirinomiya-senpai who replied.
[Indeed. Takatsukasa is my personal secretary.]
I was dumbfounded and compared Takatsukasa-san and Kirinomiya-senpai.
Takatsukasa-san was a woman with the sharpness inside her like a sharpened sword. Even just standing there, I could see that she had no vulnerabilities at all. Even though I was not familiar with martial arts, I could tell that she was a person who had undergone some sort of training. If I tried to touch her casually, I would lose my head.
…Even so, a secretary?
[Secretary, is the person who looks after your daily life, right? Not a bodyguard or security police?]
I asked, and Takatsukasa-san quietly affirmed it.
[In the past, my lady was accompanied by someone who was supposed to protect her, but my lady refused with all her might, ran away, and then harassed them, so one by one, they dropped out, and in the end, I was the only one who still stood by my lady.]
It’s true that Kirinomiya-senpai seems to hate it when people from the house hang around her. However, I don’t know just what she did to harass everyone into running away.
[But how could someone in such an important position like Kirinomiya-senpai be left unchecked?]
When I said that it was dangerous in many ways and that it would be better to put a collar on it and keep it under tighter control, Kirinomiya-senpai brushed back her long hair and smiled to herself.
[Even the Kirinomiyas are not monolithic, you know. There are those who want to make me their successor, and there are those who want to bury me as quickly as possible. The fact that there are no guards in place is a result of a complex mix of circumstances and speculation. Well, for me, it’s better to be able to go anywhere on my own.]
Then, Takatsukasa-san flatly stated.
[As my lady’s protector, I can’t have you wandering off to wherever you want to go.]
[Wherever I go is my business.]
[I’m asking you to be sensible. In general, my lady always sticks her head into dangerous places by saying “my deductions” all the time…]
[Aaaah, shut up, I can’t hear you, I can’t hear you.]
Kirinomiya-senpai covered her ears with her hands and made a stance of not listening. It was like a quarrel between a mother and her child.
I looked down at the collapsed Kasai and groaned.
[But is it safe to say that you’ve won perfectly?]
People like Kasai are scary because they might come back later with their friends to take revenge.
However, Takatsukasa-san had no qualms about that side of things either.
She quietly closed her thin eyelids and nodded like a machine.
[Don’t worry. I did some research beforehand and found out that the company his father works for is part of the Kirinomiya Group. If we make some arrangements there, they won’t come near you for a long time.]
As usual, the family has a terrifying power.
Takatsukasa-san lectured Kirinomiya-senpai in a stern voice again.
[But it’s a good thing that I was able to get to her in time, because if this kind of man were to harm my lady, I would not be able to apologize to the head of the family! This is all because my lady is acting too selfishly without having the awareness of being the successor of Kirinomiya on a daily basis…]
Kirinomiya-senpai tried to turn the subject of the conversation to me, forcing the conversation towards me.
[That’s right, since it’s rare, why doesn’t Takatsukasa have a conversation with<span” style=”font-style: italic;”> shounen over here? If I remember, his father used to be a mystery writer. Takatsukasa, you like books right? I don’t read any novels or anything at all.]
She doesn’t read any novels, as usual she’s a person with biased tastes.
Takatsukasa-san twitchingly responded.
Even though she looked like a machine with unparalleled accuracy just a while ago, it seems now her cheeks were slightly flushed.
[Your father is a mystery writer? Now that you mention it, from my investigation beforehand, Kusakabe-sama’s father was indeed a self-employed writer if I remember correctly.]
So you investigated me too? But of course.
As she drew closer with a serious face, it seemed more like an interrogation.
[Aah, yes well… Although, he’s not much of a big deal. Izayoi Taizen, do you know him?]
As soon as I said that, Takatsukasa-san’s air changed. Her eyes widened and she closed in on me. I backed away, completely intimidated.
[I’m sorry, but you don’t read books like that, do you, Takatsukasa-san?]
Then she spoke up in an unexpectedly enthusiastic tone.
[No, I’ve read all of Izayoi-sensei’s books. I even bought his new novel, ‘Night of the Reflecting Water’, on the day it was released!]
[Eh? Ah, is that so? But it wasn’t interesting, was it? The critics said that the last book was not well received because they felt it was blatantly aimed at the masses.]
When I said this with a forced smile, she shook her head and started to speak enthusiastically.
[No, that’s not true! That work deals with a kidnapping case that tends to be heavy, but the light-hearted narration and sarcastic character of Professor Koshimizu, who plays the detective, makes it an excellent entertainment work that can be accepted by everyone. It is true that some critics say that Professor Koshimizu’s character is too light, but it is precisely because of his character that the diligent and honest character of his best friend, Detective Nakakubo, becomes vivid and attractive. The intricate mysteries and foreshadowing throughout the book are reminiscent of good old-fashioned mystery works, and the fact that the final trick, which tends to be complicated and difficult to solve, was so neatly handled with a twist of fate, can only be attributed to the wonderful skills of Izayoi-sensei. The monologue of the murderer in the last chapter is a wonderful, heart-wrenching piece of writing that I can’t even begin to describe…!]
When I gaped at her blankly, she stopped talking abruptly.
She turned her face away, her cheeks slightly red, and coughed in embarrassment.
[Anyway, when you see your father, please tell him it was a wonderful piece of work.]
Kirinomiya-senpai, beside her, asked, “So, you do like books, right?”
It seems that Takatsukasa-san was an even more avid reader than I imagined. I was honestly surprised. I thought her hobby would be shadow boxing or something like that.
When we finished talking about the book, Takatsukasa-san put on a seamless air again and stared at us with sharp eyes.
[Anyway, my lady, please go home for the rest of the day. We have a dinner to attend, don’t you remember?]
Kirinomiya-senpai, who was trying to sneak away by herself, was easily caught by Takatsukasa-san.
[Don’t wanna! I won’t go to someplace like that! Hey, <span” style=”font-style: italic;”>shounen, help me! <span” style=”font-style: italic;”>Shounen!]
I bowed towards Takatsukasa-san with a sense of gratitude.
[Nooooooooooo! You traitooooor!]
Kirinomiya-senpai was forcibly dragged and put into a black car that was waiting nearby.
I waved the two off quietly.
As I stared at the car as it drove away, I thought. Kirinomiya-senpai’s secretary must be having a very hard time. Thinking about her hardships made my heart burn.
Now, I should go home too.
■
{TN: a different point of view}
When I turned on the TV in my dimly lit room, the news of Amase’s murder came on.
The investigation doesn’t seem to have progressed much. I breathed a sigh of relief.
The news reporters looked moody and were discussing the possibility that a passing pervert had done it.
As I stared at the screen, the image of that storage shed at Eirin Academy appeared on the screen. It was surrounded by yellow and black no-go tape. Photographers were forcing themselves to lean over and take pictures with flashes. I thought it was strange that there were so many people around the shed, which no one usually went near.
As I turned off the TV, I thought back to the day I killed Amase.
Amase had summoned me after school that day, to that storage shed where people rarely entered.
My stomach twisted with depression.
Why had she called me out suddenly?
The past few weeks had been calm, as if she had found a new prey. I had hoped that maybe she had lost interest in me.
I don’t like to go out. The outside world only hurts me. I stay in my room as much as possible, except when I have plans. So I really wanted to run away at full speed at once and wrap myself in a futon.
But there was no way I could do that, so I limped with my heavy legs to the cabin. Amase’s orders are absolute. She has got a lot of weaknesses in her hands. Besides, if I ran away, she would only get crueler the next time.
I crept up to the cabin, trying not to let anyone find me.No one should know that I was here.
When I entered the hut, I was obsessed with checking my surroundings over and over again to make sure that no one was nearby.
I was violently reprimanded by my classmates when they caught me meeting with Amase before. It was unnatural for me and Amase to meet. I have no excuse. Therefore, it seems that if anyone finds out, the blame is entirely on me. So confirmation was absolutely necessary.
Perhaps it was because the shed was rarely used, but the air was stuffy and dusty.
I heard that it used to be the room of some club, but I didn’t know what kind of place it used to be, and I wasn’t interested in it.
When I entered the hut, Amase was already waiting for me inside.
I entered fearfully and locked the door.
There was only one small window in the hut to provide light.
The light shining through the window made Amase’s hair look amber-colored and transparent, and although it was frustrating, it was stunningly beautiful.
[…Amase-san.]
As I called out in a small voice that made me feel ashamed of myself, Amase, who was sitting on the desk, came toward me with large strides.
Then, just as our eyes met, she kicked me in the stomach as hard as she could.
[……]
At the same time as the violent crashing sound, I slammed my body against the entrance door and cowered.
Amase’s long hair fluttered as she moved.
I couldn’t help but hold my mouth as I felt the contents of my stomach almost reflux.
She mercilessly raked my face with her foot, and then stomped on my head.
[You, you’re late. How long were you gonna keep me waiting, you idiot.]
I held back the curse that was about to spill from my lips and apologized. There was no point in making excuses. The more you say, the worse it will look to her, and the more she will hit you again.
When I remained silent, Amase looked down at me disapprovingly.
[You’re always so creepy, you know that? Get on with the home economics project. It’s the only thing you’ve got going for you, isn’t it?]
I took the fabric that had been thrown in my face and pulled my sewing tools out of my bag.
The order was to do Amase’s home economics assignment for her.
Still, it was a good order in that it had a low probability of failure and it didn’t bother other people. At least it was much better than being told to go to a department store and steal cosmetics.
[Rather, It’s cold here, at least you could turn on the heat in the club room. Hey, I want to go home early, so make it in five minutes.]
As soon as she handed me the assignment, she seemed to lose interest in me, put her feet up on the desk and started playing with her phone.
I sat upright on the floor and mindlessly moved the needle, watching the scene with blank, lifeless eyes.
I’ve always loved sewing. Because I don’t have to think about anything else while I’m making something.
Even though I thought that I wouldn’t have to think about anything else, I always wondered about Amase’s existence.
The facts get more distorted as it passes about from person to person.
It is an outright lie that a sound mind resides in a sound body.
And yet, Ayano Amase was truly beautiful only in appearance.
If she smiled at you, most men would stain their cheeks. That’s how well-featured her face was.
I once heard her bragging that she had been asked to be an amateur model, but I don’t think she was faking it.
Most of the people around her don’t know however.
That Amase shines brightest when she’s trampling others.
She loves to trample on people’s dignity, not to mention when she physically tramples on them.
Like a flower that grows by sucking up malice, the expression on her face when she was kicking my feet was full of life and vitality.
The teachers seem to think of Amase as a bright and caring student. The gym teacher, the head of the class, has a weakness for students who flatter him, and rumor has it that Amase was his particular favorite.
The world is a wrong place to live in, where people like Amase are treated as model students and go unpunished.
In the end, human beings are all about how they make up their appearance in front of authority figures.
It doesn’t matter how good you act or how diligent you are when you hide from people. It doesn’t matter at all, because people like me can’t even reach the stage of being recognized and appreciated. People like me, who are unfriendly, unattractive, boring, dark, and don’t know what they are thinking, will rot without being paid any attention.
There is a caste in the classroom, and Amase will always be at the top, while I will always be at the lowest level.
That was all there was to it in the small school.
I wondered if the people in the world would feel a little sorry for me if they knew what Amase was doing to me.
If they knew that Amase was conspiring with her boyfriend, pressing cigarettes on my body where it couldn’t be seen, beating me repeatedly, forcing me to take off my clothes, and threatening to take pictures of me, would they have a little pity on me?
Would they extend a helping hand?
Because I knew the answer to this question, I was sure that I was completely helpless.
──No one would help me, anyway.
As I proceeded to sew, I compared myself sitting straight up on the floor with her sitting on the desk.
As I sewed the cloth at a constant speed, like a machine, a grating voice echoed through the room.
[Do you believe in Shinigamis?] {TN: Shinigami = god of death}
[…Eh?”]
I didn’t think for a moment that she was talking to me, and my reaction was delayed.
Unusually, Amase was talking to me.
Now that I thought about it, it was quite rare for Amase to have a conversation with me.
I knew I would get kicked again if I answered poorly, so I stopped moving the needle forward and turned my face toward her, pretending to be listening properly.
Amase’s mouth lifted, and the strange shiny red lipstick on her lips glistened like blood.
[I was told. ‘You will soon be killed, so be careful.’]
[…Killed?]
I wasn’t going to answer, but the words naturally escaped my lips. The taste of blood spread slowly, as if I had been kicked somewhere.
[It’s funny, isn’t it? Well, if I’m going to be killed, you’re the most suspicious one, aren’t you?]
With that, she laughed and kicked me in the stomach again. Unable to brace myself for the sudden violence, I crawled on the floor like an animal and coughed violently.
[I know you can’t do that anyway, but she was a strange, beautiful woman. She was like a doll, she had no feelings, and gave off a bad feeling. She really felt like a Shinigami. Ah, hey, don’t stop your hand. I’ll give you three more minutes, so get it done.]
I ruminated desperately in my brain on what she had said, my eyes bleeding and holding back the nausea.
Is Amase Ayano going to die too?
Of course, she would die. Any human being can die.
No matter how strongly trained a person is, he or she will die if suddenly hit by a car, and an ordinary high school girl like Amase could easily faint if hit on the head from behind.
I’m sure it’s easy to kill someone by surprise.
I’ve imagined Amase dying a gruesome death many times in my head, but I’m sure it’s much, much easier than I imagined.
Killing a person is.
However, is it really possible for me to do that?
I felt like I could do it now.
I hadn’t been able to do it before, but today I felt like I could.
The truth was, I couldn’t stand it much longer.
For a while, there was a period when Amase’s calls decreased. She must have found a new toy. I was happy about it and thought I was finally free. However, she would call me again at her whim, without regard for my convenience, and beat me up.
I wonder how long this will continue.
One more year? Two years? Even after she graduates from high school, forever?
Imagining that Amase would eat away at my life for the rest of her life was like being thrust into a deep hole.
I’ve had enough. If there’s nothing but ruin in my life after this, I won’t let you go either.
That’s why I’ve been quietly preparing myself. As proof of this, I have a knife in my pocket.
She would never have dreamed that I, shivering like a sheep, would be carrying such a dangerous thing.
I presented her with the completed assignment, hiding my hidden emotions from her so as not to reveal them.
[Really, I can’t believe they require home economics nowadays. I can’t do well. I’ll take this to the teacher and go home.]
Amase’s face twisted into an ugly grin like a devil as she snatched the assignment and shoved the phone she was holding into her bag.
[You remember me, don’t you? I’m going to the movies tomorrow, so make sure you bring money. Because if you don’t, my boyfriend will get mad again and beat you up. You don’t want to get hurt, do you?]
After saying that, Amase turned to leave the shed as if she didn’t want to breathe the same air as me anymore.
She may have thought I was in the way when I was near the door and hit me in the face with her bag.
[Move, I can’t get through.]
Amase unlocked the shed and opened the door.
She checked her surroundings and left the shed.
The sound of her footsteps slowly drifted away.
I got a severe headache, and the world shook languidly.
When I heard no more footsteps or anything else, I hugged my knees tightly.
I was terrified of what was about to happen, my blood flowing faster and my heart beating faster.
She was probably handing in my assignment to the home economics teacher and speaking in a soft, coaxing voice to score more points.
I wondered if I could kill Amase.
In my hand was Amase’s cell phone, which I had taken the opportunity to steal.
I took it from her bag when she hit me earlier.
If I had this, she would come back here.
But could I really kill Amase?
I was full of conviction as I asked myself over and over again.
──It’s okay, I can do it.
If I don’t act now, I don’t know when this perfectly set up opportunity will come around again.
And before that opportunity comes around again, I would be beaten and trampled by Amase and her boyfriend again and again, increasing the number of wounds in places I couldn’t see, and piling up curse words.
I have to do it. If I can’t do it today, I’ll never be able to do it.
And I’ll be trampled for the rest of my life.
I carefully wiped my fingerprints from Amase’s phone and threw it on the floor. I had to erase as much evidence as possible from the room.
It was then that I heard her footsteps approaching again.
It was probably Amase, who had noticed that her phone was missing, and had returned.
I quickly hid myself under the desk in the corner. It was in the shadows, so she wouldn’t be able to see me unless she peeked in.
The sound of the door opening.
It was as if my whole body had become a heart, and all I could hear was the sound of my heart beating.
Amase didn’t notice me and started looking for his phone.
[That’s weird, where is it?]
I stared at her back through the crack in the desk, holding my breath.
[There it is, it’s on the floor. It’s not broken, is it?]
Amase bent down to the floor and picked up the phone.
She didn’t notice me.
I grabbed the knife in my hand and gripped it more tightly.
I stood up slowly, trying not to make a sound, and moved behind her.
Amase tried to look back at me, as if she had felt something strange.
Damn it, I failed.
My whole body freezes up.
I can’t let Amase sense me. I was supposed to kill her from behind before she noticed, and finish her off before she even understood that she was dead.
What the hell had she noticed? Was it the shadows that had formed? Or was it my gaze? Body heat? Was it a presence?
In any case, Amase turned his face toward me.
A surprised expression.
[You’re still here…]
I have no choice but to do it now. It’s impossible to escape when I’ve come this far.
I don’t remember exactly what happened after that.
Before I knew it, Amylase was lying face up on the floor. A knife was lodged in her chest.
I sat down on the floor and looked at her from a distance.
To my surprise, Amase was still alive. She let out a low moan and tried to get help. It would be bad if she screamed. I sank the knife deeper and deeper into Amase’s chest again.
Naturally it hurt, and Amase’s face twisted into a look of bitter agony.
In spite of the critical situation, I was reminded of a cat I had seen in elementary school when I was leaving school that had been run over by a car. It was as if I was the only one watching an unrelated event in the distance. The cat had been hit by a car and was lying in the middle of the road like a stuffed animal.I felt sorry for the cat lying there, and tried to move it to the side of the road.. But when I saw the cat’s eyes, I stood still. It wasn’t breathing anymore, but its eyes were wide open, and it was rigid with its legs stretched out, as if it hated the person who had killed it, as if it cursed anyone who tried to take pity on it.
Amase’s eyes were the exact same color as the cat’s at the time.
[…ou, forgive…] {TN: ou was ‘mae’/まえ, so assuming she meant ‘omae’/’you’]
She was bleeding from the corner of his mouth and reached out to strike back.
But that was as far as she got.
This time Amase died and crumbled down on the spot.
As soon as Amase stopped moving, my whole body began to tremble.
[…Is she dead?]
There was no reply.
I was expecting her to resist more desperately.
She died.
Amase Ayano was dead.
Amase Ayano was beautiful, grew up in a wealthy family, and was full of potential. That future was taken away from her by me.
From the top of my head to the bottom of my toes, a huge wave of uncontrollable emotions washed over me. My whole body began to tremble more violently.
It wasn’t fear.
A piercing joy ran through my whole body.
How disappointing. It was too easy to do.
A way to eliminate a person I had feared, despaired of, and thought I would never be able to defeat.
Was that something that could be achieved with just one knife?
I gently brushed the hair from Amase’s cheek.
I raised the knife, wet with blood, once more.
Then, I remembered.
Amase Ayano’s torso was very beautiful.
Even the always self-confident Amase seemed to have a complex.
She seemed to find it abhorrent that she had an uneven and childish body shape that did not match her mature face.
Of course, I never said it out loud, but I didn’t think it was a bad thing.
The smooth curves of her body reminded me of the dress-up dolls my sister used to play with when she was little.
I loathed her human nature more than anyone else, but I loved her torso, perhaps even more than Amase herself.
Because her body closely resembled my ‘Angel’.
At that moment, I thought to myself.
I would recreate the angel with my own hands, using a living person.
To use a human to make a perfect corpse.
And then, with my own will, I cut off Amase’s head.
I’m sure I had the happiest expression on my face that anyone had ever seen in their entire life.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
DRK
Thanks
Pinay
Thanks for the chapter
Chaos
<3 you're welcome, sorry for the wait