Kami-sama no Memochou Vol 4 Chapter 4

Chapter 4

I don’t often go to Ikebukuro, so I was somewhat surprised at the scene before my eyes— Even though it was near afternoon in the holidays, the people on the whole street reduced visibly after I was about one street’s distance from Meiji Road. After walking by a road with numerous ramen shops lined up together and reaching a corner with a Gusto Italian restaurant, a park appeared before my eyes. There was a fountain spouting murky water, a public restroom with outer walls spotted because of the sun, a sakura tree growing lush leaves, working hard to create a shade, and a crowd of senior citizens silently playing Chinese chess on a bench with the sun shining on it.

I picked up the backpack holding an owl plushie with my sweaty hands and carried it on my back once more.

There was a tall silhouette before the fountain, his hair dyed blonde looking as though it directly stuck the scorching rays of sunlight onto his hair. Below the sunny skies, his sungla.s.ses completely covered his gaze. Eh? I suddenly noticed the cellphone in Renji-san’s hand. Possibly because he noticed me, his speed of talking accelerated.

“…… I’m hanging up now…… Just think of a thing like this by yourself, I didn’t say that it must be today…… Someone’s coming! Shut up, I’m going back soon.”

Renji-san hung up right after that. So this person speaks in standard j.a.panese on the phone…… He didn’t seem like that when he spoke to me, and sounded like two different people.

“I bought a new cellphone, as I had some income. Everyone said that it’s inconvenient when workin’ and kept telling me to buy one.”

Renji-san beamed and waved the cellphone in his hand.

“I told my number to a whole lotta people, and it kept ringin’, it’s just plain annoyin’. That’s why I don’t like to use cellphones.”

I stopped about five steps before Renji-san and lowered my head. Renji-san’s job— Is it to hinder Yondaime’s job?

There were just too many things to ask, but I still wished to change them to words and sentences.

“Well then…… Please tell me your number.”

Renji-san smiled while spinning his light blue phone with his finger hooked on his phone strap.

“Ain’t that useless? This is probably the last time we’re meetin’.”

He stopped spinning his phone and tilted his head in puzzlement.

“This isn’t the last time. Because I didn’t bring the T-shirt.”

Renji-san narrowed his eyes, and it felt as though his gaze was cutting my face like a wire saw.

“If I return it to you right now, doesn’t that mean we can’t meet each other anymore? That’s why……”

However, after thinly piercing my face, he opened the cover of his light blue cellphone.

“I’ll send it to ya by infrared.”

I stared at the liquid plasma screen after exchanging numbers. ‘Hirasaka Renji’. I suddenly thought, it was the first time that I saw something that could be used to distinguish that he was Hirasaka in a glance.

The emotions of disbelief that was hidden in my heart had long been extinguished.

“If so, what’re ya doin’ here, Narumi?”

Renji-san’s tone didn’t seem to mind, and he continued to wave his phone, but his gaze hidden behind his sungla.s.ses had long lost its smile.

“I’m here…… to talk to you. Isn’t it the same for you, Renji-san?”

“In a scorchin’ place like this? I was plannin’ to finish this quick.”

“You said in the phone that you have something to speak to me of……”

“There are just two matters.”

Renji-san made the gesture of two to stop me from continuing.

“Firstly, thank ya. The only thing that made me happy for returning to Tokyo was only meetin’ you, Narumi.”

I tried not to avert my gaze from the pair of sungla.s.ses strongly reflecting the summer sun.

“In the end, it turned out as I said, my relationship with Narumi got broken.”

Renji-san’s faint smile disappeared in the end as well.

“Another thing. Secondly, I’ll kill ya when I meet ya.”

Hot sweat erupted in my clenched fists.

“…… Is it because…… I’m helping Yondaime out in his job?”

“In Tokyo, is it popular for people to ascertain long established facts under the burnin’ skies?”

“You haven’t met Yondaime even once when you were here, right? After all, didn’t you part without saying a word to each other?”

“Look here. I came here to thoroughly break my old acquaintance. How can I show up before him like this?”

If so, why did you appear before me? Even though you already know that I’m a person standing on Yondaime’s side.

In truth, aren’t you still connected to each other?

“Although you shared sake with Yondaime, what on earth happened after that? Apart from sharing sake, it seemed like you exchanged something even more important with each other as well, but even so……”

“Even though chivalry is commonly joked of by other people, those black shirted muscled blockheads still remembered this, but this doesn’t really matter. Sou probably forgot about this as well.”

Aren’t the both of them still remembering this, that was what I thought. Although it can’t be seen with the naked eye, the thing that you exchanged is still the most important to you. When Yondaime or Renji-san heard of this from me, they averted their gaze and spat out ‘Stop saying these useless words’. Even so, they did not deny it.

They haven’t forgotten about it.

“Although we once shared sake, our bonds had already been cut. What, do you think I will go easy on Sou? There ain’t such a nice thing.”

“Why? ……. If there’s any reason for this, pray tell.”

“There ain’t any obligation for me to tell ya about this, Narumi.”

“Of course there is! Aren’t we sworn brothers!”

That moment, Renji-san’s smile seemed like it was melted by the summer sun, and was gradually lost in sand.

“Sou and I argued just for a woman— Do ya think ya can believe in that?”

Behind the sarcastic tone, I felt the bitter taste of metal shavings.

“……. Is that the person called Hison?”

“Oh? So ya heard of her?”

“Just her name. Yondaime just wouldn’t say anything about her.”

“Ain’t knowing about that enough already? About the name Hison, only Sou and I…… and Min-san know about her, even though the rumor that Sou had a woman was quite widespread.”

“Is she the person that Yondaime lived with when he first arrived at Tokyo?”

“That’s right.”

“Which would be the person who made the T-shirt embroidery?”

“She died before finishin’ it. She said that she came to j.a.pan from Korea alone, not havin’ any relatives and was staying here illegally as well. And since the reason of her death ain’t really legitimate, there wasn’t a burial as well. Even I don’t know where she was buried…… Even though such a thing is quite commonly heard of.”

An illegitimate reason of death. I didn’t even know where the sweat from my body flowed out from, and what sort of temperature I was bathed in anymore. Probably, it wasn’t only because of the hot temperature.

“She was a strange woman. Even when we went back utterly bruised or completely b.l.o.o.d.y due to fightin’ outside, she didn’t seem to mind. And I was the person who wanted to bring the person Hison was workin’ for down as well! In the end, she actually allowed me to go in and out of her room just like that. Not only did she teach Sou how to sew, she thought of teaching me as well. So idiotic. Who would do such a thing?”

“…… Why does it seem like the three of you were living together?”

“In fact, it was something like that. But Sou and I spent most of our time outside, while Hison wasn’t at home at night because of work, so we didn’t meet often. And she was really hot as well, people who often stay with her would definitely fall for her. I really can’t believe that Sou actually never went for her.”

“Ah— This……” As the topic suddenly turned realistic, I could only shift my gaze towards the ground. “Well…… Um…… Nothing happened between them? Even though they were living together?”

“Because he promised me……” Renji-san smiled weakly. “As we were already sworn brothers, becomin’ brothers in a way like that just didn’t feel right! So we promised not to go for her before one of us found a woman better than her.”

“This, ah…… Um……” Should I laugh at this moment?

“As she was workin’ at a night club, it was somewhat dangerous for her. The only people who could go for her were Sou and I, and we’ll beat them up if any other men dared to approach. We definitely wouldn’t let anyone touch her— That was our promise.”

That moment, I remembered Yondaime’s words—

I couldn’t protect her…… It was the same for Renji.

“But why— Why did she die?”

“D’ya really wanna know? What can ya do even if you know? It can’t help anyhow.”

Indeed, he was right. Being in the steaming hot air, I just felt as though my innards were subst.i.tuted by chilly blocks of lead.

I think that was probably what tied Alice to her bed, a sense of emptiness.

Both the words of the deceased or the words of the living said for the dead would hurt someone. The cost of doing so would not turn into something that is better, while the words that are dug out from the grave are just ordinary words.

Even so, we still have to extend our hands.

If not, we wouldn’t know where to go.

“Those times, our gang clashed with a true yakuza gang known as the Gotouda-gumi. As we chased away the head of the shop and s.n.a.t.c.hed away their territory, it’s normal for somethin’ regretful to happen. Hison was killed by the yakuza.”

My teeth chattered in my mouth.

“Sou was there that time. Not only that, I heard that that guy formed an alliance with the yakuza after that, and even accepted their money.”

“What……?”

“If the media broadcast the fact that Hison was killed, the delinquents would have a headache as well. And since she was an illegal immigrant, n.o.body would notice if they kept quiet about it, so it ended up like the woman called Hison did not exist from the start. I couldn’t even see her corpse, so probably she was buried somewhere in the middle of nowhere? Sou made a great deal.”

“How can this be……”

“Besides, I heard from Gotouda-gumi— Though it was a given, the one who was supposed to be stabbed was Sou. He was a.s.saulted at his apartment, and used Hison who was by his side as a shield.”

“You actually believe in such a thing!? Yondaime…… How could he have done such a thi—“

“Sou admitted it himself, and looked like he didn’t care in the process. The opposin’ party gave him ten million yen to shut his mouth as well.”

I bent my back, clamped my fingers between my knees, and heaved a long sigh.

Yondaime admitted to it? And accepted other people’s money?

“Actually, I planned to rush to their office and slaughter the person who killed Hison. It was too large of a blow for me. Actually, beatin’ Sou up wouldn’t do me any good, but I still couldn’t help but beat him up.”

“That person…… Isn’t the type of person that you spoke of.”

“What do ya know?”

Below the strong rays of sunlight in the summer, Renji-san’s voice suddenly turned into a chilly blade.

“You’re just a kid runnin’ around by Sou’s side, whaddya think yer talkin’ about?”

That’s right. I really don’t know anything. However……

“I’m not just staying by his side. That guy sweated and bled by my side for quite a few times. Although I’m just a regular kid without many strengths…… Yondaime was willing to be sworn brothers with me.”

It was as though a crack appeared on Renji-san’s originally frozen face.

“The both of you said that your bonds have been severed and attacked each other— Perhaps you might think that your whole face has already turned b.l.o.o.d.y and can’t even see the opposing party, but there’s still me between you.”

I felt like my throat was about to get burnt because of my own voice.

“Because of my existence, you are still connected.”

Didn’t the two become sworn brothers with me because of a lie slightly thicker than water?

Renji-san stood up and pulled his goggles sungla.s.ses down to his throat, and what appeared after that was a pair of cold wolf’s eyes.

“So what?”

I forcefully gulped down the saliva that had a slight taste of blood.

So what? Even though he looks as though he was going to cry every time he mentioned Yondaime, does he think that he could conceal it with his shades?

Renji-san probably hates Yondaime quite a lot, and even I could see that. But so what if that’s true? People like us live side by side in a bustling, crowded world, so it’s natural that such a matter would be encountered. Even though they were close to each other, they couldn’t communicate, and could only extend their claws to hurt each other. Being forced to part because of unreasonable reasons, both goodwill and malicious intents were stuck and fixed by the mud called misunderstanding. However—

Such a truth is just too strange. Such a way of doing things probably has a fault somewhere around.

“— How much money did you take?”

Hearing my question, Renji-san’s brows furrowed slightly. It was the first time that I saw Renji-san looking as though he took a serious blow.

“If you really hate Yondaime, you could just beat him to death directly, but this way of doing things is just too strange. You took action just to interfere in the event from the start, so it’s obvious from first glance that you’re not the one who wants to do this. Who did you accept money from? How much did you get? Is it the organization called Yanagihara-kai?”

“Oh, aren’t ya smart? I’ve underestimated ya.”

Renji-san viciously showed his teeth.

“Even if I’m hired by the yakuza, so what? Do you think I will stop if ya give me more cash?”

“How can this be……”

Just when I was planning to speak, I stopped once more.

That’s right, things should be so. If giving him money could solve the problem, it wouldn’t turn out like this……

“Are ya an idiot? Who would accept money just for a dumb job like this?”

Renji-san answered in scorn.

“I planned to do this from the start. I want to break everything that Sou acc.u.mulated, it’s just a coincidence that my wishes coincided with my customer’s. Since I can get money by the way as well, why won’t I continue? Saying something like Sou and I are still connected? Yer thinkin too much of yerself. I didn’t return to Tokyo just to play a game of brothers.”

Renji-san slowly raised his hand holding the light blue cellphone, veins surfacing on the back of his hands, while the skin on his fingers tightened so much that it turned white. A sound like bones breaking rang, and then the cellphone was torn in half, the outer sh.e.l.l of the liquid plasma screen falling onto the ground. When I heard that sound, I realized that I was so scared that I almost couldn’t breathe anymore. The bent, broken cellphone fell onto the floor, exposing its innards.

“What did ya say was connected again?”

Renji-san’s voice was like the moaning of soil that was about to freeze.

“Don’t let me see ya again, I’ll kill ya.”

Even when his silhouette and footsteps disappeared from my view, I still stood blankly below the scorching sunlight. The sweat on my forehead trickled into my eyes, hurting me.

I directly returned to my home and took a bath. After all, I went out from the previous night. Lying on the bed while wearing only a pair of jeans, I thought if I should just go to sleep. After I wake up, would everything end just like that? Let’s just pretend nothing happened, and I’ll start school on the first of September again, and I’ll go to Hanamaru Ramen occasionally, going upstairs to take care of Alice, seeing Tetsu-senpai, Hiro-san and Major gambling over there even though they didn’t have any money, and Yondaime would appear—

I clambered up and dried my hair that was still wet with a towel.

It’s better if I just face reality…… Firstly, since I returned from the station directly, my bicycle was still at the ramen shop, I still had to return the owl plushie to Alice, and I still had to talk things out with Yondaime as well.

Even if I cover my ears and eyes with a towel, the world still wouldn’t change. It would only change from summer to autumn, and from autumn to winter— And the cycle continues thus.

 

There were already guests at the detective agency.

“Narumi! Hurry up and save me! These two probably think that I am a potted plant or something!”

“Alice, don’t move. Hiro-san, what do we do with the plastic wrap?”

“Mmm-hmm, Alice almost has next to no splits in her hair, and doesn’t dye her hair as well, just this place is slightly dry, so we’ll have to put on more conditioner and cover it with plastic wrap for one night.”

Ayaka and Hiro-san clamped together Alice who was throwing a tantrum between them, and were undergoing a hair treatment lesson. There were combs, towels, hair dryers, conditioners, professional hairstyle magazines, clothes pegs and other articles on the bed.

“Ah, do you want to try this as well, Fujishima-kun? I heard that Hiro-san once taught me about this, but I forgot.”

Ayaka gave me a radiant smile.

“If you dare to teach even Narumi, do not think that you can ever step into this office!”

I sighed and sat by the fridge outside the bedroom. The reason that I was relieved was probably not only because of the extremely cold air conditioning in the room.

“Ayaka, just follow my instructions after this, I have something to discuss with Narumi-kun.”

“Got it.”

“Uuuu, it hasn’t ended?”

Ayaka forced the tearful Alice to sit on her lap and happily picked up a comb.

On the other hand, Hiro-san left the bed, walked through the door of the bedroom and said softly after squatting down by my side:

“The company of the designer seemed to have called just now. Do you know about this, Narumi-kun?”

It was Mika-san’s company. I wonder how Mika-san is right now. From Hiro-san’s heavy voice, I felt a hint of coldness and couldn’t help but raise my head.

“I heard that the company wants to withdraw from this job, if it’s really related with acts of violence……”

“At…… Such a critical moment?”

“Nnn, it couldn’t be helped. After all, someone was hurt so much that she was hospitalized.”

“What about Mika-san? How is she? Is it possible……”

“She dealt with all the procedures and already got out of hospital. I planned to visit her just now, but I was too late.”

I was slightly relieved. Good thing her wounds didn’t worsen or she had to continue to stay in the hospital.

“Eh? Narumi-kun, don't you know? Didn’t Yondaime contact you? Mii-chan didn’t call you directly as well?”

“No……”

Probably it’s because Yondaime doesn’t want to speak to me? Anyway, he knows that I would know of it if he tells Hiro-san, and I’m just in the lowest level, only in charge of advertising on the internet. Although I sent a message to Mika-san, it was sent to the number at her company as well, so she might not have seen it if she just got out of the hospital.

No, it’s possible that she doesn’t want to read it nor reply me. As I caused her to be dragged into an incident like that, perhaps she doesn’t want to have any connections to us anymore?

That meant that the influence of Renji-san’s medding gradually intensified.

“What should we do now? Anyway, I know Mii-chan’s phone number as well, so let’s just use this chance to get her, and using my sweet talk to convince her to continue. Ah, but since she is still hurt, she probably can’t be so active on the bed.”

I hugged my knees while listening to him bluffing, but Hiro-san suddenly approached.

“…… If you don’t do a tsukkomi on it, it feels somewhat awkward.”

“Eh? A- Ahh, fine, fine…… I thought that you were serious.”

“Actually, I’m always serious when it comes to women.”

Is this the time to act cool?

However, Hiro-san is better at me in that aspect. Actually, all of the members in the NEET Detective Squad were like that. Even though they had an excellent engine, and their fuel’s full, the key was usually not inserted.

“…… Um, what are Major and Tetsu-senpai doing right now?”

“Ah, Major……” Hiro-san shifted his gaze apologetically. “He went to Ikebukuro with some fans of survival games, saying that there’s an important battle.”

I sighed. Playing survival games while holding an air gun in such stifling weather? How leisurely of him.

“Tetsu is borrowing money from underground banks right now, saying that the police was looking for him as well.”

“Eh? What…… What did he do this time?” Commiting crimes because of a lack of money?

“I don’t know, but you probably don’t need to worry so much.”

Although Hiro-san’s smile was extremely radiant when he said that, it would probably still give the person listening an impression of this.

You don’t need to worry about this.

You still don’t have the right to worry about this.

I kept rubbing my forehead on my knees and sighed for quite some times, and even started to suspect if my gut and intestines were going to flow out from my mouth.

“You went to see Hirasaka again, right?”

Hiro-san asked nonchalantly. Why did he know? That’s right, he probably heard from Alice.

That moment, I finally understood that what I did was actually a kind of betrayal to Yondaime. Yes, I went to see him again. Seeing Renji-san, and parting after saying something meaningless.

“Did you get a way of contacting him? Because he still owes me some money…… Actually, he haven’t returned me the money for losing at dice. So I was thinking of calling him to Hanamaru Ramen so that I can have a chance to get my money back.”

I really don’t know why he can still laugh like this, as it’s already impossible for such a warm promise to still exist. I should have first reported this to Yondaime to allow a large number of members in Hirasaka-gumi to conceal themselves at the place we promised to meet at, catching Renji-san in one go. Thus, everything would be solved perfectly— Because that person came alone without being guarded as well.

I felt a hot flow in the interior of my nose— a sign of coming tears.

That person did indeed go alone. Was it because of his trust in me? Or was it because it didn’t matter even if he was caught?

Why was the person stuck in this position me?

The person clamped between Yondaime and Renji-san is just a lost, fl.u.s.tered, incapable kid.

When I was about to hug my knees again, a roar suddenly rang.

“Narumi, hurry up and bring me back my Minerva! And your report!”

When I raised my head, I saw the NEET detective who was sitting at the edge of the bed with her feet stepping on empty s.p.a.ce. Akaya, whose hands were full with a comb and a towel, was still happily combing the long hair that was like black honey.

“Why do you think you are staying here? Is it possible that you will forget that you are my a.s.sistant if I do not remind you of it every thirty minutes?”

“Eh…… Ah, nn…… Nnnn.”

I stood up while grabbing the hand of Hiro-san, who was smiling wryly, while Alice wore an annoyed expression, rapidly s.n.a.t.c.hing away the owl that I took out from my backpack.

“And also, this is your lost belonging. Really, you kept wailing out that it was so cold, so cold, when you were sleeping, and in the end, you kicked away your sweater and the blanket when I just raise the temperature slightly. You are so spoiled that I am speechless.”

Alice tossed the sweater that was scrunched into a ball to me. That’s right, I wore it yesterday night, and left it here in the end without taking it out. That moment, Ayaka looked rather shocked.

“Fujishima-kun, you slept here yesterday? Eh? Eh? On Alice’s bed?”

“…… Eh? Mnn, uh huh. Since it was already late night, and Alice said that I could use the very edge.”

“T- That won’t do—! Why are you so insensitive every time?”

As Ayaka suddenly stood up, Alice nearly fell from her lap, while I hastily held onto her.

“What are you doing! That was dangerous!”

Alice, who fell on my lap, turned back in anger.

“It’s only dangerous for Alice! Listen, in any case, Fujishima-kun is still a boy! Although he’s so slow that he’s completely untroubled with anything, and doesn’t mind even if he eats soy eggs from last month, he’s still a boy. If you sleep together on the same bed, there’s no guarantee that nothing would happen!”

What harsh criticism. Wait a minute……. Oi! What were you saying!

“U- U- Uuu…… What do you think would happen?” Alice widened her eyes. “I have lent my bed to Narumi twice, but nothing happened.”

“But wasn’t it like he was unconscious last time?”

While smiling wryly, Hiro-san added at a side.

“Sleeping together on the same bed under normal circ.u.mstances really isn’t too good.”

“What, even Hiro…… Uwaa! Ayaka, do not do that, I am not a kitten!”

Ayaka grabbed the back of Alice’s back and dragged her to the innermost side of the bed. Hiro-san walked over after that as well, and the two explained to Alice who was between them: “Actually, sleeping together actually means……” ,while Alice’s face slowly turned redder and redder like the setting sun on the Caribbean Seas.

“Narumi! You shameless fool!”

The third time!? Can you please not give Alice strange ideas?

“From now on, you are not allowed to pa.s.s this absolute line of defense without a visa!”

Alice piled up her dolls at the edge of the bed to form a wall, while I was so speechless that I could only scratch my head.

“Erm…… It’ll be inconvenient if I have to send meals or Dr. Pepper to you.”

“Uuu…… The said visa would be the red cans in the refrigerator!”

So I’m allowed to cross the borders just by holding Dr. Pepper? Whatever, do as you wish!

“Fujishima-kun, please be more careful as well! Alice is still young!”

“Don’t treat me as a child!”

How mystifying. Although Hiro-san still saved me in the end. He told Ayaka that we probably had some official business to discuss, and kidnapped her out of the office.

“Is this really fine? Letting Fujishima-kun stay alone with Alice?”

“It’s fine, fine……” Hiro-san answered while holding in his laughter, and I could see that the back of his silhouette was shaking as well. Ayaka seemed to be truly worried, but Hiro-san really just wanted to look at the show. What an annoying fellow.

When the two of them walked out of the corridor and closed the door, the detective agency finally recovered its usual nostalgic silence, with the sounds of many cooling fans overlapping together.

I faced the annoyed Alice who was looking at a side, and started my report.

And of course, the contents would be of Renji-san. Alice’s chilly gaze only returned when I spoke of him undergoing his job of hindering because he received money from the yakuza.

“It is somewhat incomprehensible— Hirasaka Renji’s motive.”

Alice said while tapping on the keyboard on the moveable table by her side with one hand.

“Hasen’t his motive been said already? It’s to completely destroy the event Yondaime is preparing for right no……”

“In my opinion, it does not seem like it is done just to destroy the event.”

“Eh?”

Alice just ignored the confused me, and continued to speak.

“For instance, the reserved event location at Shinjuku. After the incident at Akasaka occurred, Hirasaka Renji once visited there. And he brought along a few people who a.s.saulted the Akasaka music hall as well.”

I could only stay speechless.

“Why…… do you know such a thing?”

“What do you mean by why? Because I investigated about it. The said live house always uploads a lot of clips of concerts. Of course, since the video that was uploaded online cannot be used due to low distinguishability, I hacked into their computer to steal the original file. It was taken quite clearly.”

To her hacking and searching ability, I could only say that it was stunning.

“However, they did not do anything that time. Regarding their popularity, the venue at Shinjuku is not worse off than the live house that got its power distribution box damaged by them. Why do you think this is so?”

I could not answer. How can I know a fact that even Alice doesn’t know of?

“Of course, I do not know the reason as well, but I can still make a.s.sumptions of a few possibilities. The venue at Shinjuku is where the last performance will take place, and the booking of tickets has not started yet. I am thinking, is this reason possible?”

“Because the booking of tickets……. Hasn’t started yet?”

“That is correct. The tickets for the Akasaka and Ueno concerts have already been sold out, so the performance will not be halted even if those places had some trouble. However, if trouble is made at places where the tickets have not been sold yet, the performance might really get cancelled.”

I crossed my arms and pondered about Alice’s words. They were indeed quite reasonable.

“However…… These can only count as circ.u.mstantial evidence. It’s possible that they’re just thinking of making trouble, only that some trouble occurred at Shinjuku, causing them to be unable to play out their plan.”

“Of course, such a possibility exists as well. But speaking of circ.u.mstantial evidence, there is a more pressing matter. If their motive is just to halt the event, why didn't the people who could unhesitatingly resort to violence a.s.sault the performers beforehand?”

“Ah……”

I opened my palm to cover my mouth. Indeed, that’s true.

“In fact, the only ones a.s.saulted were you and the designing executive. As a result, the advertising company would not accept the case anymore, and it will indeed cause a great blow to the event, but the designers that can take their place are like stars in the sky. If they are aiming to halt the event, should they not attack a more irreplaceable part?”

“But…… Isn’t the party supporting Renji-san the previous organizers? To those people, the band is merchandise that can be s.n.a.t.c.hed back, right? So that’s why they’re not hurting them……”

“Your a.s.sumption cannot stand as well. If so, Yanagihara-kai would have long sent a threatening letter so that Hirasaka-gumi would return the job.”

I crossed my arms yet again and fell into silence. The branches of my a.s.sumptions were completely snapped.

“…… Frankly speaking…… Renji-san probably isn’t going to stop the event itself, right?”

Or perhaps he’s allowing it to proceed as usual, and on the day of the event— Starting a serious incident that would cause victims to appear?

The thing that that person wanted to destroy— It’s everything that Yondaime acc.u.mulated up till now. That thing definitely isn’t the event nor the event coordination company. Yondaime’s ‘reputation’— the thing that was built after a long time— his credibility, right?

“Those are just a.s.sumptions. Deciding things like this is very dangerous. Besides……”

Alice looked at the row of monitors lined up behind her and explained in a self-deprecating tone:

“We did not accept a formal request. I can only place my fingers on the cover of a coffin and squat at a side, silently awaiting the dawn that will never come.”

I sat at the border of the bedroom and corridor, raising my head to look at the detective’s face.

“…… You can investigate…… Right?”

The black hair fluttered. Alice looked at me with a gaze full of doubt.

“Alice, if you’re willing to, even if Yondaime did not put in a request, you can still find out everything that occurred between him and Renji-san by using Tetsu-senpai, Major and Hiro-san’s powers, right?”

“Of course. But what about it?”

“Why aren’t you doing so?”

“Are you trying to tell me that I should do that?”

“Not really…… I know that you won’t do that. I just want to hear a concrete reason from you.”

Because you’re a NEET, because of your pride as a detective……. Can you ignore this just for reasons like this?

Even though it could be seen from a glance that her heart is in pain.

Alice grabbed a few plushies from her hill of dolls and pressed it to her chest, causing a hole to open up in the wall. Chilly wind blew between us.

“…… The so-called thoughts are things that are not concrete.”

The softly spoken words fell onto my knees along with the air conditioning.

“If it is only in the frames of thoughts, even contradicting matters can co-exist. However, I know how large the distortion and pain would be when they are directly reflected in the real world. It is the same for you. When Ayaka thought of leaving the world without saying anything, how did you, who just blankly came in contact with those thoughts, turn out in the end?”

Because of the question, I was pulled back to the cold, bitter days.

Ayaka, who jumped down from the rooftop of the school without saying a word. I, who felt as though my heart was torn, and could only be miserable alone for a few days.

And what sewed my heart together once more was Min-san’s cold dessert, Tetsu-senpai’s fists, and—

Alice’s words.

“That is why words are required.”

Her words overlapped with my thoughts.

“Words can indeed reach a cruel state. They will cut reality open, causing them to turn into a set of planes, causing contradictions to be unable to exist. That is why words are the most important thing in the world.”

The most important, and cannot be seen.

“However, words are like a sharp blade as well. They will turn thoughts into reality, but will unhesitatingly obliterate parts that have not been formed, so that is why detectives must keep playing the role of a messenger, and drag the words that sank under the dark chasm to the sunlight. This is a detective’s responsibility. Other people’s thoughts that have not been formed cannot be changed to words.”

I hugged my knees with my hands, silently thinking of Alice’s words.

And the thoughts that have not been formed in Yondaime’s heart.

 

In the office of Hirasaka-gumi, a few stout gang members unhappily sat on the sofa or the desks.

“Aniki, thanks for your hard work!”

“Thanks for your hard work!”

I still haven’t got used to being greeted by so many people. After I looked around for a bit, I found that Yondaime, Pole and Rocky couldn’t be seen.

“Aniki, it’s great that you’re okay!” “If we were by your side……”

They approached, and held my bandaged hand as well, making me unable to respond.

“Those guys, actually daring to attack Aniki!” “Those blasted fellows……”

However, the hot-blooded Hirasaka-gumi members, who would have usually got so mad that red steam would almost be emitted from their mouth, could only suppress their anger this time.

“…… Why is Hirasaka-san doing this?”

“Aniki, is this true? Is it possible that they’re just lies?”

“Sou-san won’t tell us anything……”

“Isn’t it said that they exchanged something more important than their lives when they underwent the ritual? All of us know about this, and we kept believing that Hirasaka-san would come back one day.”

“How can this be! He…… He came back after so much!”

I could only lower my head and look at my toes.

“Is it true that Aniki already met Hirasaka-san?”

“Aniki, what’s with this? Hirasaka-san is really planning to do us in……”

“Nn, nnnnn……” I walked back a few steps and leaned against the steel door. “I didn’t speak much to him, so I'm not too clear about things……”

I could only change the topic with a cowardly excuse.

“Why! We originally thought that we would be invincible if Hirasaka-san returns.”

“Aniki, what should we do? We don’t want to go against Hirasaka-san.”

“That person and us are like sworn father and sons. He’s the same as Sou-san, and is our senior. Why……”

I don’t have any idea even if you ask me— But I could only swallow those words back into my stomach. Speaking of all this is no help at all. I think they probably know that as well, but they couldn’t avoid themselves from discussing it.

“Excuse me…… Where is Yondaime?”

“Sou-san said that he’s going to visit a company or the like.”

“Recently, he often goes out without saying anything.”

I felt that I was really useless when I realized that I felt relieved. I had to report to Yondaime about meeting Renji-san once more and some other matters. Though I had such plans in my heart, when I thought of the scene when we converse, my heart sank once more. Just because of that, I came to the office without even giving them a call— And prayed for him to be out coincidentally.

After Alice said so much, I was still afraid of ‘words’. I’m so useless.

Walking into the dark study of the office and telling them to allow me to be alone, I sat before the computer without even turning on the lights. When I checked my inbox online, I noticed that there weren’t any replies from the advertising company. What does Yondaime plan to do after this? The direction of the design has almost been finished, and the ones left are only some odd jobs. Perhaps he’s going to look for any company to do the follow up work? He won’t tell me to do everything, will he?

I stood up from the chair and lied down on the bed used for short breaks. There was a smell of dry dust.

Oh well, why don’t I just give up already?

Although I haven’t got my salary yet, it isn’t like I’m in a state where I won’t be able to cope without getting the money. As long as I am not related with this matter, I won’t need to be troubled or get beaten up anymore. Besides, Alice and Yondaime told me not to meddle anyway.

As for the reason I’m feeling downcast— Probably it’s because not only did the things that I did not help, I caused the matter to develop towards a bad direction as well. Self-righteously thinking that there’s a deep misunderstanding between Yondaime and Renji-san, and kept firmly believing that they exchanged something important that cannot be seen with the naked eye— Such stories that were like fairy tales.

The thing that once existed between them had already vanished completely due to critical damage. Only I was standing in the middle of a sandbank that was about to sink, swirling the sand below my feet.

The ident.i.ties of the people a.s.sisting Renji-san had already been mostly made clear. No matter which side bleeds, it isn’t something that a dazed high schooler should meddle in.

So I should just groggily go back to my holiday.

As long as I stuff everything to the other side of the glaring sunlight, my world can be like eggsh.e.l.l that was soaked in vinegar, maintaining a soft, sticky, but seemingly unblemished appearance.

However, when I picked up my phone, it was like my whole hand froze, and couldn’t even press one b.u.t.ton.

When did it start? Me being unable to even lie to myself.

In the past, it should be easy for me to change my way of separating the things by my side, renaming them, and use a thought to cover the previous one. However, I came in contact with too much pa.s.sion, and knew that some things will still spread to me through the earth and air even when I cover my eyes and ears in a starless night. So— I cannot ignore this.

What should I do? Is there anything—

“— h.e.l.lo, everyone! Is Fujishima-san here?”

A voice suddenly rang behind me, making me almost fall down from the bed.

Is it possible that the voice just now is……? The voices of the confused gang members rang faintly at the other side of the door.

“So sorry for disturbing you all of a sudden. I heard that Fujishima-san is over here?”

Using the faint illumination of my cellphone screen, I ran towards the door while dodging the hill of cardboard boxes. As soon as I pushed the door open, my eyes were a.s.saulted by strong light without prior warning.

“Aniki, um…… A strange woman……” “Suddenly barged inside.”

“Fujishima-san!”

Coffee-colored curly hair and a shout jumped at the same time. It was Mika-san. The person standing at the entrance of the office was indeed Mika-san…… And she ran in my direction. She was wearing a miniskirt with a transparent shoulder strap. However, the bandages on her arms and kneecaps looked quite painful.

“Fujishima-san, are you okay? Waa! You’re so severely hurt!”

“N- Not really, your are more severe, Mika-san.”

“I’m fine. I’m in tip top shape, and I can walk as well! Since the cane was too troublesome, I left it at home.”

Errr…… That can’t count as being fine, can it?

“Speaking of which, our boss arbitrarily decided to stop our collaboration, so sorry for that!”

As Mika-san apologized while lowering her head in the speed of a hammer, the Hirasaka-gumi members around me and I were overwhelmed by her imposing manner and stepped back three steps.

“It seemed to be a decision that was made when I was still in the hospital. I was extremely furious! Earlier today, I rushed to the company from the hospital and talked things out with the boss. Fujishima-san, you’re probably troubled as well, right? This is something that we came up with together! I really had my life on this case!”

“Err…… Well…..”

I repeatedly blinked and stared at Mika-san’s face.

Which means……

“Are you…… willing to continue the case……?”

“But of course! It’s more like I was slightly sad as you didn’t contact me immediately…… Eh? Fujishima-kun, what’s wrong? Eh, uh, eh? U- Um…… Is it because I’m not reliable enough? You don’t need to look like you’re going to cry, do you?”

“N- No…… Not really.”

I hurriedly wiped my face with my palms in force and pretended that nothing happened while fanning my face with my hands— Although the thing that rushed to the depths of my throat almost couldn’t be suppressed already.

“…… Is it really fine?”

“About the company, I’ll try to convince them, and I heard from the boss that Sou-san apologized at the company himself as well. How can I leave this case at the side like this!”

The Hirasaka-gumi members sank into a slight commotion, while I widened my eyes as well. Yondaime apologized to the company himself? No, that person does indeed know the ways of the world very well, and doing such a thing is a given, however……

Until just now, I was still lying in the dark room, and was even considering to leave all my work aside and escape.

“Fujishima-san? Uh……. Sorry for coming here without prior notice, as I just know the email address you use for contact…… And since the company gave me a week’s break because of me getting hospitalized, I was too free, so……”

“Nono, I don’t mean that.”

I pushed Mika-san out of the office while the sun setting in the west shone on us diagonally at a side. It felt as though we just woke up, and the innocence that originally stuck onto our skin was gradually vaporized by the scorching sunlight.

“I…… should apologize instead.”

“But you didn’t do anything wrong, did you?”

“It’s just because I didn’t do anything, but I caused Mika-san to get involved all of a sudden……”

“Ah, no, there’s no such thing!”

Mika-san forcefully thumped my shoulders. As my injuries hadn’t healed yet, I nearly made an odd cry, and could only suppress myself.

“I heard that Hirasaka-gumi seemed to be in trouble…… But it’s hard on our company as well. Since our company is so small, it isn’t often for us to get such a large case…… In the end, the president and the boss actually said that they don’t want to have any trouble with the yakuza! Even though I already told them that Sou-san isn’t a yakuza! How could it be possible for such a young, good-looking yakuza to exist? Fujishima-san, why don’t you scold me as well? Something like ‘What the heck is your company doing!’ or the like. Don’t be so mindful!”

Mika-san’s smooth shoulders that reflected the sunlight and her arms wrapped in bandages were quite sharp, so I could only shift my gaze.

“Then that’s that. I’ll count on you once more when your injuries get better. I’ll have to trouble you to update the blog as well! And I’m going to Alan Garba right now as well!”

“Eh?”

“The idea that you proposed, the T-shirt used for promotional purposes! It won’t do if we don’t hurry!”

Oh yeah— Using a friend’s famous second-hand clothing shop Alan Garba to print the event on the shirt, and selling them to the young people on the streets. Even though it was my idea, I forgot about it completely as I was busy dealing with other matters.

“Then…… Allow me to go as well. It should be easier for you to discuss with me present, right?”

After all, the owner of the second hand shop would feel bad refusing my request because of certain reasons.

“But Fujishima-san’s injuries are still so serious……” “Aren’t your injuries more severe than mine?” “What a quick tsukkomi!”

“Ah— Sorry, in any case, let’s hurry!”

I breathed in deeply, and relocated my pace.

Do things that I can do now.

“Because this is my job.”

Mika-san nodded while smiling.

 

It was already evening when we finished our discussion and walked out of the shop. Alan Garba was packed with young women. Since it was only a street away from the busy district, and there was a Yoshimoto Kogyoperformance hall by it as well, customers kept gushing inside right until closing time. It seemed like Mika-san wanted to pick out some clothes as well, as she kept looking back, but she still reminded herself to prioritize her work in the end, and picked up her phone after that.

“Hmm…… The calls to Sou-san just wouldn’t get through.”

She placed her phone by her ear for quite some time and showed me a troubled expression after that.

“There shouldn’t be much trouble with the T-shirts, so I wanted to report this to him.”

“Allow me—“ To tell him…… I wanted to say that, but I stopped after that. Is Yondaime still willing to speak to me? It just seemed like I damaged the trust that he had for me after some time because of my insensitivity. After all, the past that he wasn’t willing to mention was dug out by me…… Including Renji-san and the woman called Hison.

“That won’t do. The one who accepted the case was me, I’ll report it to him. Spinach is a basic condition for working in the society. [1]”

“Meaning, report, contact and communication?”

“Yes, yes. In any case, taking the initiative to speak is very important. I’ll send him a message first.”

Actually, it’s probably the most important thing while doing anything in this world.

Actually having so many people say the same thing to me, is it possible that I’m a person bad at communicating in other people’s eyes?

“That’s why, remember to contact me after you finish the discussion of the design tomorrow!”

“I understand…… Report, contact and communication, I’ll remember it.”

Although we had to ask Yoshiki-san to sew the design onto the T-shirt immediately, Mika-san said that she had a meeting that she must go to the next day, so I had no other choice but to head to Kita-Senju alone.

“I heard that the shop owner is really good looking. Is that true?”

“Eh? Ah, yes….. Well…… He’s quite good looking.”

“Having a name like ‘Yoshiki’, it sounds like he’s the Yoshiki in the visual kei band ‘X’! So does that mean he has a sickly beauty like that of visual kei bands?”

“No, it’s completely different. Their names are written differently as well.”

If I’m not mistaken, the Yoshiki in X should be written as 佳树, while善喜was written on Yoshiki-san’s card that I handed to Mika-san.

“Whoa! This name seems to be quite candid!”

As you said, he’s indeed a candid, good-looking man.

“I want to go as well! What a pity! But if I don’t defeat president in the meeting tomorrow, this case would be closed. They’re probably letting me continue my break, deciding on things by themselves.”

I couldn’t help but think: If anything wrong occurs, the efforts that we put in till now might be lost— Why can this woman still be so energetic? However, I hoped that she would help out more. As for me— I should at least send a message to Yondaime.

I sat on the sailings of the road and took out my phone, and Mika-san said at a side while I was pondering of what I should write:

“Are you sending a message to Sou-san? Well then…… Why don’t you add more emoticons? And add a heart at the end!”

“Wait a minute, please don’t do that!”

Such an embarra.s.sing message was nearly sent. So close……

“At these times, you should be more open about these, then you can speak whatever you want to when you meet.”

“I’d have been killed before I speak whatever I want!”

“But emoticons can express the emotions that cannot be said in words……”

Nonono, even if you speak in words like those from a love poem, I won’t be fooled. However, if there are really such emoticons, I would really like some.

What should I say to Yondaime? How can I start the topic? After going round in a circle, my thoughts still returned to that point.

 

After the next afternoon, I went on the Chiyoda Line from Omotesando Station. From what I remember, Chiyoda seems to be near the Saitama Prefacture, but it wasn’t as far as I thought, as I reached it after about thirty minutes of taking the subway.

“Narumi-kun, I’ve been waiting for you!”

When I reached Wakagi Crafts Store, Yoshiki-san was chatting with two girls who seemed to be college students. He immediately stopped chatting when he saw me and waved at me. His slim figure wearing a pair of tight fitting jeans looked even slenderer while being covered by an ap.r.o.n with the name of the shop printed on it. How crazy would Mika-san go if she sees him, I wonder. After that, I walked around the counter and sat on the chair that he handed to me. Who is that person? What’s his relationship with the shop owner? All the females in the shop shot me such glances non-stop, making me feel extremely uncomfortable.

“Very sorry— Let’s chat again later!” Yoshiki-san consoled the girls slightly and turned around after that. Basically, Yoshiki-san kept staying in the counter, and it felt like he was a rental books owner from olden times.

“About the design of the logo, I made about eight of them.”

A whole stack of Cham papers with large, trendy band logos drawn on them were handed to me. Except for the same black thrush on the letter ‘i’, there was a variety of pictures, with pictures that had a sense of trendiness and even those that had a somewhat mechanical look.

“How is it?”

I couldn’t help but moan.

“…… It doesn’t seem right?”

“Nono…… To be honest, each one is great.”

If time allows for it, I would even think of putting all of them on the website to allow everyone to vote. Regretfully, the promotional T-shirts had to be made as soon as possible, or the effect would drastically decrease, so there’s not too much time.

“If you really want me to pick one……” “Nnn, if you want to choose one out……”

Yoshiki-san and I pointed at the same picture at the same time, a slightly j.a.panese styled picture. We laughed out loud after glancing at each other.

After that, I used the laptop computer that I brought to edit the logo and the promotional text, pasting them on the sample T-shirt. There were five colors in total, and each of the lines were simple and clean. Since there isn’t much time anymore, let’s just decide it like this?

“So we’re going with this? But this picture will be more sharp if you use embroidery instead of printing it on.”

“Nonono, our budget wouldn’t be enough for that.”

Yoshiki-san laughed while saying ‘That’s true”. Even if they’re printed on, it should look quite cool as well.

“The girl called Mika called me, saying that I can decide it by myself. Is that really fine? I heard that even the band members said that they’re letting me handle things.”

“It’s just because the band members let us handle everything that makes me feel uneasy.”

I heard that it’s because the previous organizer was too terrible. Possibly because of that, we got their complete trust just because we handle things normally. That made me slightly troubled as well, though it isn’t anything bad.

“Have you met the band members? I saw them on the net, and every one of them was quite cute.”

“No, I haven’t met them in reality, but Yondaime probably meets them quite often.”

“Nnnnn, is it really fine if we handle things?”

Do we need to listen to Yondaime’s opinion? I thought while taking out my phone, but did not have the courage to press the b.u.t.ton, and could only sigh after reaffirming that I didn’t receive any message. After seeing my expression, Yoshiki-san seemed to have something to say, but since there was a female customer calling him at the other side of the counter, he just slid over with his chair after apologizing to me.

“Yoshiki-san, was this on a rack? Can I take it directly?”

“Nnn, sorry for the trouble.”

Eh? Looking at Yoshiki-san’s silhouette, I suddenly thought— Why does he allow customers to climb on a ladder to take the merchandise at high places? When I think about it, this person almost always sits on a chair……

“…… Do you have trouble with your feet?”

I only thought after I asked Yoshiki-san in a low voice, isn’t this way of asking somewhat rude?

“Ah— Nnn…….” He looked slightly embarra.s.sed, but he still answered. “It’s not like I have trouble with my feet. It’s just that I had some of my innards removed in a surgery, so the doctor told me not to stand while working if possible.”

“…… Eh?” Then he was probably hurt badly that time?

“I originally worked at a night club, and I couldn’t continue it in the end. At first, I thought that it’ll be fine if I just sit down while making crafts work, but it isn’t like that at all.”

“It isn’t like that from the start!”

It just seems like this person is a bit out of touch with society. Talking with him is slightly tiring. He probably used up quite a lot of money when he started his shop, how can it be decided by such a simple reason? I’m not too sure of this person’s background, but since he’s senior to Yondaime, is it possible that he was a NEET in the past? Although he doesn’t seem like one, it’s really hard for one to ask the other person if he is such a person in person. That’s right, I remember that he knows Min-san as well, right? Let’s just ask her directly next time.

“Hina helped me out in the busiest times when the shop just opened, and now the customers are helping me out, so it still counts as pa.s.sable.”

“Eh? What? You’re talking about Yondaime? Isn’t that guy really mindful of money? Wouldn’t he ask for a high salary?”

“But I asked him to help me for free?”

I breathed in deeply to express my helplessness. Although he’s a senior who knows him from long ago, I really can’t think of another person who can treat Yodnaime like this, and I’m slightly envious…… Nonono, and I actually imagined myself calling Yondaime ‘Hina’, it’s just too impossible.

“Actually, I feel stranger seeing everyone scared of Hina to death.” Yoshiki-san gave me a smile.

“My impression of him is that he probably started to threaten and scare people from the time he was born……”

“Haha, there’s no such thing. When Hina wasn’t too familiar with Tokyo, he was scared like a small rabbit as well. And he even complained to me that the messy subway structure makes people feel lost, there aren’t covers on the lights in the trains and the like. So cute.”

Does this count as cute?

“He probably did a lot of things that forced himself, huh? That guy is a bit too tough, and he’s slightly too good at taking care of other people, so naturally many people followed him. However, these people probably aren’t thinking of relying on him, but want to beat him up instead.”

“……. Then what about Yoshiki-san?”

“Of course, I’m the type that wants to rely on him, you know when you take a look at my body!” Hearty laughter, “Actually Hina only has one true friend that can support him when he’s in trouble, but they got in a large fight. I wonder what that person is doing right now.”

So he knows Renji-san as well? But it doesn’t seem like he knows that he’s already back. Probably Yondaime didn’t tell him about it? If it were to be me, I probably won’t say anything about i