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Published at 14th of March 2016 04:55:17 PM


Chapter 3

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ANOTHER FILES – THE COFFIN OF PRAYER
file 03: the coffin of prayer

-

1

-

Makoto sat at a window seat in a twenty-four hour family restaurant and stared outside.

Seven in the morning – the shop was unexpectedly busy with businessmen coming before work.

Makoto was looking at an old lot.

She was waiting for somebody here. Orita Ryou. The person they thought had called Makoto.

Last night, she had looked up a variety of things about Orita. Though he had gone to a local high school, he had stopped attending school and quit.

Now, he lived with his parents and worked part-time as a security guard at night.

She had talked to people who knew him, but their impressions were all consistent. He was quiet and nobody knew what he was thinking.

She hadn’t been able to find any friends who were close to him.

She recalled what Namioka, his middle school teache,r had said. Makoto herself had been bullied before.

The cause of ith ad been a very little thing that anybody could have done.

However, that had had a great influence on the rest of her life. Makoto felt it was the same for Orita.

He had lied to escape from the bullying. Unable to reveal the reality that he was being bullied, all he could do was lie.

Because he was too kind, he had even been given the heartless nickname Horata.

‘He came – ’

Makoto got up, interrupting her thoughts.

So that she wouldn’t lose Orita, who was walking slowly while looking down, she paid for her meal and left the shop.

If she stood right in front of him, he would escape. Makoto called ut to Orita from an angle.

Orita turned around and looked shocked when he saw Makoto.

He turned around and tried to run right away, but Makoto had expected that. Makoto grabbed his arm.

'You were the one who called me, right?’

’T-that’s not true.’

Orita looked away from Makoto and responded in a hoarse voice.

He was probably on guard.

'I came to hear your story,’ said Makoto gently.

'I don’t have anything to say.’

Orita shook away Makoto’s arm. Makoto lost her grip for a moment, but she grabbed Orita’s arm again immediately.

'I do though. You aren’t a liar. Right?’

When Makoto said that, Orita’s expression hardened.

Namioka’s story yesterday had been bothering Makoto this whole time. She had talked about a corpse at Kagami Spring.

Namioka and the classmates had probably thought that Orita was lying again.

However, Makoto didn’t think that. She felt that Orita’s lies were all to protect himself.

The story about a corpse in Kagami Spring was different though.

That one lie was completely different from the others. Makoto felt there was truth there.

Furthermore, six years after that, he had called Makoto about it.

'Six years ago – you saw something in the spring. Am I right?’

That was the conclusion Makoto had been led to.

He witnessed something – if she found out what, she might be able to solve the puzzle behind the case.

Of course that wasn’t all. It was necessary for Orita to face reality in order to overcome his traumatic experiences.

'I don’t know…’ said Orita, like the words had been strangled out of him.

Since he was looking down, Makoto couldn’t see his expression.

'No, you do know.’

When Makoto tried to look at his face, Orita turned away to avoid it.

Orita’s body was shaking, though only faintly.

'I don’t know… I don’t know anything…’

'That’s not true.’

'I saw an illusion because I’m crazy…’

Orita shook his head slightly.

It felt like those words summed up everything Orita had experienced. It would have been easier for him if he could blame others, but he couldn’t. That was why he suffered more than other people.

'Please. I want you to tell me what you saw.’

'I said I don’t know!’ yelled Orita, forcing Makoto’s hand off him and running.

Makoto could catch up to him right away, and she knew where he lived. However, she just didn’t feel like running after him.

For Orita – saying that was just deceit, and it might drive him into a corner.

When Makoto thought that, her feet wouldn’t move.

But then why had Orita gone out of his way to call about a corpse?

Makoto’s mobile rang, interrupting her thoughts. Haruka’s name was on the display.

'Hello.’

<Makoto-san, it’s terrible.>

She heard Haruka’s very anxious voice through the speaker.

'What happened?’

<Earlier, Yakumo-kun contacted me. The situation is serious.?

Haruka herself was probably rather confused.

All she could say was that it was serious. She hadn’t explained anything.

'Calm down. What happened?’

<I’m sorry… Ishii-san…?

When Makoto heard that name, her heart dropped.

'What happened to Ishii-san?’

<He’s been possessed by a ghost…>

'Eh?’

It was so unexpected that Makoto almost dropped the phone.

-

2

-

'What the hell is happening?’ yelled Gotou, looking at Ishii who was sitting in a chair.

They were in the university’s Movie Research Circle room, which Yakumo used as his secret hideaway.

In the chair, Ishii was limp like a doll, not moving at all. Gotou could tell he was alive from his faint breathing, but –

'Please don’t make me keep saying the same thing. It is just as it seems. He’s been possessed.’

Yakumo stifled a yawn as he spoke, seeming incredibly sleepy.

Even though they were in a situation like this, he didn’t show any sign of nervousness at all, as usual. Rather than strong nerves, it felt like he didn’t have any emotion at all.

'I’m asking why this happened!’

They had gone to the church last night to see the room where the crime had occurred. They had looked around and left the room when Gotou noticed that Ishii hadn’t followed them.

Before Gotou could yell at him, he heard Ishii’s scream from inside the room.

Gotou and Yakumo ran inside in a hurry and saw Ishii on the floor. He didn’t have any injuries and he was breathing.

What the hell happened? As if to respond to the question in Gotou’s head, Yakumo said this.

'He’s been possessed – ’

Bringing him to a hospital would be of no help. That was why they’d brought him to Yakumo’s room.

The question was why Ishii had been possessed.

'I don’t know the reason, but since Kirino-san’s spirit is wandering, he probably has some unfinished business.’

'I see…’ replied Gotou, but then he noticed a big problem hidden in Yakumo’s words.

'What did you say just now?’

'I said, he probably has some…’

'Not that. Who did you say was possessing Ishii?’

'Kirino-san is,’ said Yakumo, expression not changing a white.

'You – why did you keep quiet about something so important!?’

Gotou grabbed Yakumo by the collar in his burst of emotion.

'I didn’t mention it?’ said Yakumo, completely calm.

Since it was Yakumo, it was definitely on purpose. It made Gotou even angrier.

Fortunately, since Ishii was in this state, there was nobody to stop him. This time, he’d really hit Yakumo.

Just as he raised his fist, he heard a groan.

'Eh… W-where am I?’

Ishii looked around in confusion.

'You OK?’

Gotou tried to approach Ishii, but Yakumo stopped him.

'Ishii-san is still being possessed,’ said Yakumo quietly.

Which meant Gotou could be possessed if he wasn’t careful.

'Er… What on earth am I…’ said Ishii, sounding troubled.

It seemed like he didn’t know he was possessed.

'Please just tell us what you remember about what happened.’

Yakumo kneeled in front of Ishii, who was sitting, and asked that question while meeting his eyes.

'I… That’s right. I saw a ghost in that room. It was Kirino-san. He suddenly came towards me…’

Ishii’s forehead was sweaty as he covered his face with both hands.

'Please listen calmly. Ishii-san, you are being possessed by a spirit right now.’

'Eh?’

Ishii dropped his hands to reveal a shocked expression.

'It’s fine. I will definitely save you, so please tell me. What is Kirino-san pleading?’

Gotou felt there was something odd about Yakumo’s words.

'You can see him, right? Don’t you know?’ asked Gotou.

Yakumo shook his head slightly and stood up.

'He isn’t saying anything – ’

'What?’

'He’s just there. He should be wandering because he has unfinished business, but he won’t say anything about it.’

Yakumo ran a hand through his hair in irritation.

Yakumo wasn’t a mind reader. If Kirino wouldn’t say anything, he wouldn’t know.

That meant that Ishii, being possessed, could feel how Kirino felt better.

'Oi, Ishii. How about it?’

Gotou looked at Ishii.

However, Ishii was in shock, like he still couldn’t believe what was happening.

'I…’

Ishii held his head, looking like he was in pain.

'Oi! Ishii! Hang in there!’

'It’s a lie, right? That I’m possessed. Please. Tell me it’s a lie. I mean, I…’

Ishii was pleading.

'Don’t make a fuss.’

Gotou hit Ishii’s head without thinking.

As if that was a switch, Ishii’s body started convulsing, but soon that stopped.

Ishii slowly lifted his head.

When Gotou saw that expression, he felt something cold run down his spine.

'Kirino^san then – ’

Yakumo looked at Ishii sharply.

Gotou also knew already that the person in front of him wasn’t Ishii. The air about him was completely different.

'Go… tou…’

Ishii’s mouth moved.

'What?’

'I’m… sor… I…’

Ishii – no, Kirino – spoke with ragged breathing.

However, his words were cut off and Gotou didn’t know what he was trying to say.

'Kirino, who killed you? What happened there?’

'Sorry… It’s all… my fault…’

When he finished speaking, Ishii slipped out of the chair. Yakumo moved quickly to catch him.

'That was Kirino, right?’ asked Gotou.

'Yes,’ Yakumo replied curtly.

If Gotou hadn'th eard wrong, Kirino had apologized to him. What was that apology for –

'I finally see it,’ said Yakumo, sitting Ishii in the chair again.

'What?’ asked Gotou.

Yakumo put a finger to his brow and had such a sharp gaze it was frightening.

Gotou could tell, since they’d known each other for so long.

When Yakumo looked like this, he had come to an answer.

'We might have misunderstood something.’

'What are you talking about?’

'I can’t say right now,’ Yakumo said firmly.

When Yakumo became like this, no matter how Gotou pressed, Yakumo wouldn’t open his mouth until the truth was clear.

Gotou could guess what Yakumo would say next too.

'So what should I investigate?’ asked Gotou, which made Yakumo smirk confidently.

-

3

-

'Yakumo-kun!’

Haruka opened the Movie Research Circle door with great force.

'You’re noisy.’

In contrast to Haruka, who was panting for breath in panic, Yakumo had his usual sleepy eyes. It made Haruka feel like she was the one who was strange.

'Where’s Ishii-san? Is he OK?’

'Somehow. He’s over there.’

Yakumo turned his gaze towards a corner of the room.

Ishii was sitting there with his head hung. He was as still as a doll.

'Why did this happen…’

The door opened, interrupting Haruka’s question, and Makoto rushed in, looking panicked. The moment she spotted Ishii, she tried to run up to him without even greeting them.

'Please don’t approach him carelessly.’

Yakumo grabbed Makoto’s shoulder.

Makoto realised immediately what Yakumo was trying to say, so she said quietly, 'I’m sorry.’

'Won’t you sit?’ urged Yakumo.

'But – ’

Makoto spoke up, but Yakumo stopped her.

'Kirino-san’s spirit is possessing Ishii-san. In order to save Ishii-san, we need to solve this chain of incidents.’

In order to do that, we need to organise our information – that was probably what Yakumo was saying.

'I know that, but if things stay like this, Ishii-san will…’

'Exactly. If things stay like this, Ishii-san will be in danger. That is why we must do what we can.’

Yakumo turned his gaze, almost like a glare, towards Makoto.

Though Yakumo was acting calm and showing no emotion, he probably felt differently on the inside.

Yakumo had been there when Ishii was possessed. He had to feel guilty for not preventing it.

'First, let’s sit,’ urged Haruka, which made Makoto sit down as well, maybe because she also understood the situation.

Though Makoto wasn’t acting like herself, perhaps there was no helping it, since Ishii was the one who was possessed.

'First, about the rumour surrounding Kagami Spring – ’ said Yakumo once they had all calmed down.

Makoto seemed to have regathered her calm as she nodded and began to speak.

'Just as you said, Yakumo-kun, it appears that the rumour of spiritual phenomena at that spring started six years ago.’

'That matches up with the period when Kento-san’s older sister disappeared,’ said Haruka, which made Yakumo nod.

'The spring of truth – how about that legend?’ asked Yakumo, chin in his hand.

The legend was a set with the rumour about ghosts at Kagami Spring. Your true self was reflected in the spring, and the people who saw it were cursed and killed –

Takatoshi had believed that to be true and gone to Kirino, the pastor.

'Regarding that rumour, it appears it was spread much later than the one about the spiritual phenomena.’

'Is that so?’ said Haruka in surprise.

'I thought it was strange too…’

'Well, that sort of legend is usually added on later,’ replied Yakumo calmly.

Now that Yakumo mentioned it, maybe that was true. People’s rumours always brought along others. Somebody would get the story wrong somewhere, and it was likely that changed rumour would spread.

'You’re next.’

Yakumo turned his eyes towards Haruka.

'Ah, right.’

'You found out something about the song, right?’

'Yup. I’m sure about it.’

Haruka took out the CD with the original song from her bag. She would have been too embarrassed to use the one she had played with the orchestra circle, so she had borrowed one from a rental shop yesterday.

Yakumo took the CD and then closed his eyes.

It was like he was listening to the song right then.

'You met Orita-san.’

After a silence, Yakumo opened his eyes and said that.

Namioka’s and Nomoto’s stories flashed through Haruka’s head, which made a vague feeling spread grow throughout Haruka.

'Yes. I tried to talk to him this morning, but he got away, saying he didn’t know anything.’

Makoto’s shoulders slumped in disappointment.

'Maybe there is something he really does not want to talk about, or…’

Yakumo stopped midway, crossed his arms and looked up at the ceiling.

Perhaps Yakumo was putting together the details of the case right now in his head. Haruka and Makoto waited in the silence for Yakumo’s next words.

How long did that last – Yakumo suddenly stood up.

Yakumo, lit up by the sun from the window, sometimes gave off an aura that made it hard to approach him.

Haruka thought that Yakumo would say something, but he just stared into space.

Haruka couldn’t see anything, but Yakumo could see the truth of the case – that was how Haruka felt.

Finally, Yakumo quietly said, 'I see. I will go meet Orita-san.’

'Eh?’

Makoto looked surprised.

To be honest, Haruka was surprised too. She didn’t think that Orita would talk if Yakumo suddenly went, but she could see confidence in Yakumo’s expression.

Makoto seemed to sense that too, as she nodded. 'I understand.’

'Makoto-san, I’ll leave Ishii-san to you.’

Yakumo’s narrowed eyes seemed to be letting off a faint light –

-

After leaving Yakumo’s room, Gotou sat in the driver’s seat of the car –

This was where Ishii normally sat. Come to think of it, it had been a long time since Gotou had been alone in a car.

For the car he normally felt so small to feel so large just because Ishii wasn’t there –

When they first paired up, Gotou had thought he’d been given an incredible piece of luggage. He had even thought that Ishii should just quiet already and been very cold.

But still Ishii had followed him without faltering.

Even while Gotou scorned him for being clumsy and useless, Gotou had started to evaluate Ishii more kindly.

Come to think of it, it might have been like that with Kirino too.

Gotou, who let his emotions run wild, and Kirino, who viewed cases logically and free of emotion. The impact of these two people with completely different perspectives had to happen, and made everyone worry and troubled.

But now that he thought about it, it might have been a good balance in its own way.

After that incident, he and Kirino had split up and the partnership had ended. While Gotou had thought it refreshing, it was true that he had lamented the loss of their rivalry.

If Gotou hadn’t been so prejudiced and had talked more with Kirino, maybe they would have had a different relationship.

'What am I thinking about…’

Gotou laughed self-deprecatingly, cleared his head and started the car.

This wasn’t the time to wallow in the past. He didn’t know what Yakumo was thinking, but he would believe in him and move forward.

He had to do that to save Ishii.

At the same time, it would save Kirino’s spirit.

Gotou went back to the precinct by car and visited the forensics department. He looked around the room and walked up to a face he recognized among all the officers doing their own work.

'Oi.’

After Gotou spoke, a horse-faced man lifted his head.

It was Matsutani, who had joined the force at the same time as Gotou.

'What, it’s you, Gotou…’

Matsutani looked blatantly displeased.

Gotou didn’t like this part of Matsutani, but in a way, it was similar to how Gotou himself acted.

'There’s something I want to ask.’

'Leave it for later.’

Matsutani waved a hand and went back to his computer.

– A really unpleasant guy.

Anger welled up within Gotou, but he held it back. He had to have Matsutani’s cooperation no matter what.

'That’s not gonna fly.’

Gotou grabbed Matsutani by the collar and pulled him up.

Though Matsutani looked shocked, he didn’t resist. Perhaps he was resigned.

'What do you want to know?’ said Matsutani, though he looked annoyed.

'First, I want blueprints of that church.’

'Which church?’ asked Matsutani, even though he really knew. He was a dull guy.

'The church where Kirino was killed.’

'Ah… I do have it, but what do you want it for?’

Gotou couldn’t answer Matsutani’s question, because he himself didn’t know. Yakumo had just told him to bring it.

'Just take it out!’ threatened Gotou. Matsutani reluctantly opened his desk drawer and started searching.

'I hear the dead Kirino was partnered with you,’ said Matsutani as he continued to search.

'Yeah.’

'Seems you really didn’t get along.’

'Where’d you hear that?’

'Just around.’

Info travelled fast in the police. Just as Matsutani said, rather than from a specific someone, a lot of people who knew about the situation back then were probably talking about it.

'I don’t get along with anyone,’ said Gotou with a snort.

It was fact. If there was one thing Gotou couldn’t accept about himself, it was how he bit back at everyone.

Because of that, he was stuck in this do-nothing job.

But he didn’t regret it. He didn’t want to lick shoes to the point of bending his own beliefs.

'Maybe. Well it seems like the guy called Kirino had his own bad habits. There was a rumour he was dating a woman who had some problems too.’

'What?’

It was the first Gotou had heard of Kirino having a woman.

'It was a rumour, so I don’t know that much either. Here.’

Matsuyama held out the blueprints.

'Thanks.’

Gotou took the blueprints and made a move to leave when Matsutani called out to him.

'Is that all?’

Like Gotou had said at first, the blueprints were only the first thing on his list. He had almost forgotten something important.

'Right. Actually, I want to ask about audio equipment.’

Gotou walked to Matsutani again.

-

5

-

Haruka went to a care facility in the city –

Of course, Yakumo was with her.

They had left Ishii in the Movie Research Circle room, but it was probably fine, since Makoto was taking care of him.

The problem was why they had come here –

From the flow of the conversation, Haruka had been sure they were going to met Orita.

'What are you going to inestigate here?’ asked Haruka once they reached the entrance, which made Yakumo stop.

'Utugi Kumi-san, of course.’

'I see – ’

Kumi was the start of this case. Why did she possess Sachiko and keep singing – as long as they didn’t solve that puzzle, they wouldn’t be able to solve the case.

'She probably doesn’t wish it, but still…’ murmured Yakumo.

What on earth did that mean? Haruka was about to ask but Yakumo went through the entrance as if to escape that.

After giving a name at reception, they went right to the waiting room. It seemed Yakumo had Makoto make an appointment by phone beforehand.

He really was good at laying groundwork.

After waiting for a while on the sofa in the waiting room, a man came into the room. He had a long face and had an incredibly gentle demeanour.

'I sincerely apologise for the wait.’

'No, I apologise for coming at such a busy time.’

'Not at all. My name is Sone.’

The man held out a business card.

The name Sone Satoshi was printed on the business card. It said he was a care worker.

'I am Saitou of Hokutou Newspaper. This is my assistant, Ozawa. I’m sorry, but I’ve just run out of business cards,’ said Yakumo with an innocent look.

Even though he normally looked so sour, Haruka thought he really was skilled at times like this.

'You’re here regarding Utsugi Kumi-san’s case, correct?’ said Sone once they had exchanged greetings and he had settled on the sofa.

It seemed like Makoto had properly conveyed what they wanted to know.

'Yes. When did Kumi-san come here?’ Yakumo asked politely.

'I think it was about eight years ago. She was a seventeen-year-old high school student, and her younger brother was a primary school student,’ said Sone, gaze wandering as he looked through his memories.

'If I remember correctly, their father passed away in a traffic accident…’

'Yes. Well, if it were just a traffic accident, there probably wouldn’t have been such a problem, but the situation was as it was.’

Sone rubbed his hands together with a wry expression.

'What sort of situation was it?’

'I don’t know if I should say… Everything has finally died down. The name Utsugi is really their mother’s. It used to be Sumida.’

'Sumida?’

'Yes. There was a reason that they had to change their family name. If possible, please understand that and keep that quiet.’

From the way he spoke, he probably wouldn’t talk even if they pressed further. Yakumo didn’t ask anything else and just nodded.

'But because of the age they came, didn’t it take time for them to acquaint themselves with the others?’ asked Yakumo, to which Sone nodded.

'The older sister, Kumi-san, was friendly with everyone immediately. She was a kind woman with good manners, and she was good at singing too.’

'Singing – ’

Yakumo reacted to that word.

That song flashed back through Haruka’s head too. Why was she still singing now? She felt like there was a hint there.

'Yes, she joined the choir here too. The church even had her join during weddings and Christmas.’

'What happened to Kumi-san after she left?’

Yakumo continued to ask questions in a disinterested manner.

'She had such a good voice. She could have continued down the music path, but since she couldn’t, she started work at a factory in a nearby town.’

'Is that so…’

'She came to visit often after that too. Her brother Kento-kun was here too. Every time she came, she’d sing to the younger children.’

From what Haruka heard, just as Sone had said at first, Kumi probably had been a very kind woman.

'How about her younger brother, Kento-san?’

Yakumo changed the topic to Kento.

'It took Kento-kun some time to become friendly with everyone. He was a very sensitive child and he hadn’t accepted what happened to his father either. Maybe he was afraid of the new environment, or troubled.’

Since Haruka had never been in such a situation, all she could do was imagine it.

But still, she could easily believe that his hardships would have been beyond description. Perhaps that was why he hadn’t been able to make many friends in middle school.

Perhaps Yakumo and Kento were alike.

Contrary to what they wanted, they were put in tough environments and had had to battle alone.

'But because Kumi-san was so reliable, she might have both a sister and a mother for Kento-kun – ’

Sone’s eyes were narrowed, like he was looking into the distance.

'I hear that she’s missing now…’

When Yakumo said that, Sone’s face grew dark.

'Yes. Kento-kun said that he hadn’t been able to contact Kumi-san. I was the one who filled the missing persons report.’

'Is that so?’

'It seemed like she hadn’t been going to work for the past few days at the factory too… The police just took the report. They didn’t do anything.’

Sone’s eyes were wet with anger.

'The police do not think something is a case unless they believe it to be very serious,’ Yakumo said flatly.

It looked like he didn’t plan on mentioning that Kumi was dead here. Maybe he suspected Sone, or –

'It’s true. We searched too, but in the end, we couldn’t find her. I tell myself that she must have gone somewhere far away because of some circurmstances.’

Sone’s expression was sorrowfull.

Perhaps this was a twisted way of thinking, but Haruka thought that Sone had already given up and thought that Kumi was no longer living.

'Did Kumi-san seem strange before she disappeared?’ asked Yakumo.

Sone’s brow furrowed, seeming troubled.

'From what I saw, I don’t think there was anything. No, maybe there was. But Kumi-san was a woman who never let that show on her face.’

'Was she the type who shouldered the burden alone?’

'If that was the case, I would have been able to notice too, but./. Anyway, she was a woman who always smiled gently. She accepted everything and enveloped it…’

'Do you mean she was broadminded?’

'Maybe. If the Virgin Mary really lived at some point, she was probably like her… sometimes I think that. Now that I think about it, we relied so much on her open heart and couldn’t understand her suffering and sadness. When I think that, it makes me sad.’

Though Sone spoke calmly, his expression painfully expressed his troubles.

At the same time, Haruka’s impression of the woman named Kumi changed.

Kumi was probably a woman who helped many and was loved by many. Why did a woman like that have to do? And why did she keep singing now?

Haruka couldn’t find an answer to that question –

'One last thing.’

Yakumo leant forward, as if to say that this was the main topic.

'What is it?’

'You know this person, right?’

After saying that, Yakumo placed a photograph on the table.

'Yes. It’s been all over the news,’ replied Sone.

'Not that - you knew this person before this was news, correct?’

After saying that, Yakumo smirked.

-

6

-

Makoto sighed as she looked at Ishii, slumped in a chair –

It was great that Yakumo had relied on her to watch over Ishii, but all she could do was watch him suffer.

She felt herself incredibly powerless and small.

Would they really be able to save Ishii like this?

There were too many things she didn’t understand with this case. She didn’t know what direction they were headed, let alone where they were going.

On top of that –

Interrupting Makoto’s thoughts, Ishii let out a groan.

'Ishii-san!’

Makoto went towards him immediately. She almost touched him, but she recalled Yakumo’s words and stopped.

If she approached him carelessly, she might be possessed.

’M-Makoto-san…’

Ishii sounded surprised when he opened his eyes.

'Are you all right?’ asked Makoto.

Ishii looked around.

'Where am I? What on earth did I…’

Yakumo had said that he’d told Ishii he was possessed, but from that reaction, Ishii was probably still confused.

Makoto had experienced the same thing.

When you were possessed, a stranger’s spirit ate away at you and made your consciousness hazy, your memories vague.

'It’s fine. You don’t have to be afraid,’ Makoto said kindly.

'I see… I’ve been… possessed by Kirino-san…’

Ishii’s forehead was sweating.

'Ishii-san…’

'Kirino-san… is inside me…’

After saying that much, Ishii hugged his head, as if he was in great pain.

'Are you all right?’

'Kirino-san… to Gotou-san… That person is really…’

After saying that in a hoarse voice, Ishii fainted and almost slipped out of the chair.

Makoto hurriedly caught him.

Maybe she would be possessed, but to be honest, she would be fine with that. If that would make Ishii get better, rather, that was –

Just as Makoto was embracing Ishii’s body, her mobile rang. Yakumo’s name was on the display.

'Hello, Hijikata speaking.’

Makoto sat Ishii down on the chair again before answering.

<How is the situation on your end?>

She heard Yakumo’s lazy voice from the opposite end.

'He woke up earlier, but he’s fainted again…’

<What did he say?>

Ishii had said something in spurts and Makoto hadn’t understood, but maybe Yakumo would be able to see it from another perspective.

Makoto explained her short exchange with Ishii.

<So Gotou-san really is the key this time – >

– Gotou-san is the key?

What on earth did that mean? Makoto thought about asking, but Yakumo spoke before she could.

<Actually, there is something I want to request.>

'What is it?’

<I would like you to investigate Utsugi-san’s father’s history. It appears he died in a traffic accident eight years again. I would like to know about the situation there in particular.>

In this situation, Makoto was ready to cooperate. However –

'Then wouldn’t it be faster for Gotou-san to investigate?’

If the accident involved a case, Makoto felt like a police officer would be more effective than a newspaper journalist.

<I’d prefer that, but Gotou-san has his hands full right now. He doesn’t like investigating either.>

'That’s…’

<I would ask Ishii-san if he weren’t in such a state, but…>

Yakumo sighed on the opposite side of the phone.

Makoto looked at Ishii once more. It was true that Makoto was the only one whocould do anything right now.

Why did Yakumo want to know that – Makoto had that question, but she would work on it to save Ishii.

'I understand. I’ll look into it. But…’

<What is it?>

'What should I do with Ishii-san?’

If Makoto left to investigate, Ishii would be left here alone.

<There’s rope on top of the refrigerator. Please tie him down with that?>

'Eh?’

<It’s fine. It’s what’s normally done. Now – >

Yakumo hung up after saying that.

When Makoto took a look, there was a rope on top of the refrigerator, just as Yakumo said. She picked it up, but she still felt hesitant about tying Ishii down.

However, it would be more of a problem if he wandered around possessed.

'Ishii-san, sorry.’

Makoto came to a decision and started tying Ishii down.

-

7

-

When Gotou entered the interrogation room, he saw Takatoshi there, looking exhausted –

There were shadows under his eyes and he had started to grow stubble. He looked like a different person.

'Again…?’ said Takatoshi weakly when he saw Gotou.

He probably thought that he would be asked the same questions again.

'There are a few things I want to ask.’

'I’ve already said this countless times. I don’t know anything,’ interrupted Takatoshi. Gotou understood how he felt, but with that attitude, they wouldn’t get anywhere.

'Listen to what I have to say first.’

'Give me a break already. I…’

'Listen!’

Gotou slammed his fist into the desk, which made Takatoshi finally be quiet.

'I want to ask about the spiritual phenomena happening to you – ’

It seemed that question was rather unexpected, as Takatoshi’s eyes went wide.

Well, Gotou understand that response too. He probably hadn’t thought that he’d be asked about that now.

'You went to that spring to look at the night sky, right?’

'Yes.’

Takatoshi gave an honest reply, unlike before.

'Who was the one who suggested that?’

'It was probably Sachiko.’

'Were you and Sachiko dating?’

'That’s a bit uncertain. I thought it’d be nice, but we weren’t really dating yet, or well…’

They were probably more than friends but less than lovers.

Well, Gotou didn’t mean to say anything about that.. He wanted to know something else now.

'What happened after you went to that spring?’

'We were all waiting for the meteor shower, but Sachiko suddenly started talking about the legend surrounding the spring…’

'That thing about the spring of truth?’

'Yes. Then I looked into the water as a joke – ’

After saying that much, Takatoshi took in a deep breath.

Gotou thought that Takatoshi would continue immediately, but Takatoshi didn’t open his mouth.

'What did you see?’ urged Gotou, unable to wait.

'At first, I just saw my face in the water… but then it changed into a woman’s face.’

'A woman’s face?’

'That’s how it looked to me. Then I heard somebody singing from somewhere, and I was scared…’

Takatoshi’s shoulders slumped as he looked down.

'Then you ran?’

'Yes…’

Gotou decided not to say anything about how Takatoshi had left the woman he had an uncertain relationship with. It just meant he was that kind of guy.

'Then you started hearing the voice,’ said Gotou.

Takatoshi looked up and said, 'Yes.’ There were tears in his ears.

'Did you just hear a voice?’

'Eh?’

Takatoshi cocked his head like he didn’t understand the question.

'You didn’t see a ghost or anything?’

'Ah, no, I didn’t see one,’ replied Takatoshi firmly with a sniff.

When Yakumo told Gotou to get another testimony from Takatoshi about the spiritual phenomena, Gotou had been wondering what the point was, but this could be some good information.

Because he’d met Kirino again and then Kirino had died, they had just had vague information and might have gone on without correcting that.

'I see. That was helpful.’

Gotou stood up, but he remembered that he’d forgotten to ask one thing and sat down once more.

'Could I ask one more thing?’

'What is it?’

'Was all you heard from the voice the words “I’ll kill you”?’

'No, the voice said a number of other things too.’

'Like what?’

'Like “I won’t forgive you”… “You’re a murderer, so admit your crime”…’

'Why didn’t you say that?’

'Even if you ask me why…’

Takatoshi furrowed his brows, looking troubled.

Well, Gotou could understand. It was natural to say the most impactful thing when telling others your story.

Plus, it was true that Gotou and Takatoshi’s mother, Yukiko, hadn’t tried to listen to Takatoshi’s story properly.

When Gotou stood up again, Takatoshi called out to him.

'What’s going to happen to me?’

Unfortunatel,y Gotou didn’t have the answer to that.

Gotou himself had no idea where this case would end.

'I don’t know,’ Gotou said carelessly. Then, he left the investigation room with painful reluctance –

-

8

-

After leaving the care facility, Haruka and Yakumo went to a multi-unit apartment –

They were here to talk with Orita.

To be honest, Haruka was very anxious. If Makoto hadn’t been able to do it, would he really talk to them?

She glanced at Yakumo, who was standing beside her.

He didn’t look nervous – he was as expressionless as always.

They went up to the third floor, checked the room number and pressed the intercom button. After a while, there was the sound of the door unlocking and a young man showed his face. It was Orita.

Orita looked surprised at the sudden appearance of a man and woman he didn’t know.

'Orita-san, correct? My name is Saitou Yakumo. I want to ask something about the incident that occurred six years ago.’

The moment Yakumo said that, Orita tried to close the door.

'Please wait.’

As Yakumo said that, he stepped within the gap between the door and the wall.

'Who are you? Please leave.’

Orita tried to push Yakumo out.

However, Yakumo didn’t budge.

'The corpse you saw in Kagami Spring six years ago was Utsugi Kento-san’s older sister, Kumi-san. Am I wrong?’ said Yakumo swiftly, which made Orita stop.

'Why do you…’ said Orita, his lips trembling.

This response. He hadn’t just seen the corpse. He had probably known who it was too.

'You aren’t a liar. The corpse was definitely there six years ago.’

'But it wasn’t…’

Orita’s shoulders drooped.

Because he was too kind, all he could do was lie. However, because of that he had been called a liar.

That Orita had seen something at that spring six years ago –

As a result, he had been branded firmly as a liar.

'No, there was a corpse there. There is only one possibility. Somebody moved the corpse elsewhere.’

'Moved?’

Orita looked at Yakumo.

'Yes. Who moved the corpse, and for what purpose – that is what I want to know,’ Yakumo said with force.

For a while, Orita and Yakumo looked at each other across the entrance, but finally Orita left the door and went inside.

It seemed he would talk to them.

Haruka and Yakumo exchanged nods and followed Orita in.

After entering the Japanese-style room in the back, Orita sat down cross-legged. Haruka and Yakumo knelt across the table from him.

'I went to that spring that day…’

After a long silence, Orita said just that.

'When was this?’ asked Yakumo, his eyes slightly forceful.

'I don’t remember the exact date… I think it was in my second year of middle school.’

Orita was speaking politely, unlike how he had been earlier.

'Why did you go to Kagami Spring?’

Yakumo’s question made sense.

Kagami Spring was on top of a hill. You wouldn’t normally pass by it.

'I was called there. By Tozuka…’

The moment Orita said the name Tozuka, his face seemed to twist with pain.

That wound within him had probably not healed over yet.

'Why?’

'The reason… It was close to my middle school, and people wouldn’t see is there, so he always called me out there…’

Even if he didn’t say the reason, Haruka could understand. It was probably to extort money from him or to hurt him in an awful way.

It was the same with the previous incident, but hearing the story like this made something close to hatred well up within Haruka.

It had probably been the same for Orita.

'then what did you see?’

Yakumo urged Orita to continue.

'I almost lost my money, but I said I didn’t want to that day.’

'Why did you resist that day?’

'Utsugi-kun… told me not to lose to them… He was the only person who was my ally…’

After saying that, Orita bit his lower lip.

For Orita, who had been in such a tough environment, Kento had probably been the only person who understood him. Though this was just Haruka’s theory, Kento, who had been put in a care facility because of his father’s death, might have been bullied also.

That was probably why he had been able to understand Orita’s feelings.

'What happened afterwards?’

'Tozuka punched me and I ran away. But he caught me part way and hit me with a stick he picked up somewhere…’

'That’s awful…’

Haruka spoke up unconsciously.

The scar on Orita’s forehead was probably from then. Only the worse people would force people’s hand with violence.

'I think I fainted then… Before I noticed, Tozuka was gone.’

'So he abandoned you there and left.’

Orita nodded in response to Yakumo.

'That’s the kind of guy he was. And when I touched my forehead, it was wet. I thought it was blood, so I looked into the spring to check. Then…’

Orita put his hand to his mouth and moaned.

The memory of what he saw then was probably fresh in his mind.

'Please calm down,’ Yakumo said, placing a hand on Orita’s trembling shoulder.

'I was so afraid that I ran…’

Orita pulled at his hair.

Haruka thought there was no helping it. Orita had been a middle school student then. It would be stranger if he felt fine after seeing a corpse.

'I thought about keeping quiet about it… but…’

'So you called Namioka-sensei.’

Orita nodded.

From what Haruka had heard, Orita didn’t seem like a liar. But then the problem was where the corpse had gone –

Haruka looked at Yakumo for an answer.

Yakumo didn’t reply.

-

9

-

Yakumo stood still –

His eyes were on Kagami Spring.

The sun had already set, and the surroundings were blanketed with darkness. The sky and the water both showed the moon, letting off a pale light.

'Hey, why did we come here?’

Haruka spoke towards Yakumo’s back.

Yakumo slowly turned around. His eyes seemed sad.

'I was always thinking.’

'What about?’

'Why this location?’

'What do you mean?’

'From what Orita-san said, Kumi-san was definitely killed here.’

'Yeah.’

Orita was called here by Takatoshi and saw the corpse.

Where did the corpse go, why did she die – there were many puzzles, but Kumi-san had definitely died here.

'Why this place? What did she come here to do?’

'That’s – ’

Now that Yakumo mentioned it, it was unnatural.

Haruka hadn’t known about Kagami Spring until this incident occurred. It wasn’t a place you would go normally.

'I thought that maybe somebody forced her here, but that’s probably incorrect.’

'Why?’

'Because she sang here when she was alive – ’

After saying that, Yakumo turned his eyes towards the moon in the sky.

'How can you know that?’

'I investigated a number of things after that too. The spiritual phenomena started occurring at Kagami Spring six years ago, when Kumi-san disappeared. However, there was a rumour that you could hear a woman singing here before then.’

'So she came here before – ’

'Yes. But I don’t know the reason.’

Yakumo shook his head, but Haruka could understand easily. When she said that, Yakumo looked surprised.

'Kumi-san must have wanted to sing.’

'You can sing anywhere, right?’

Yakumo’s brow was furrowed.

Well, for Yakumo, who didn’t play music, Haruka could understand why he felt that way.

'Sometimes I want to practise flute alone too, but it’s hard to do when the circle is on break.’

'Why?’

'People complain that it’s noisy.’

That happened even for flutes, which weren’t that loud. For instruments that were loud and for singing, it was even harder to practise in your room.

'You can just go to a karaoke box, can’t you?’

'It costs money. Kumi-san didn’t have that on hand either.’

That was why, when she had time, she would go somewhere where nobody would bother her to sing as much as she wanted.

Kumi hadn’t gone to university, so she hadn’t been in a club or circle. After she left the care facility, she wouldn’t have the chances to sing the songs she wanted either.

For her, singing here alone might have been her only pleasure.

'I see. I don’t have that feeling.’

Yakumo turned away from Kagami Spring and slowly walked forward to a place where he could see the whole city.

Haruka followed him.

Looking at the light from the city, she felt like she could see Kumi here, singing by herself.

'Maybe she…’

A thought suddenly came to Haruka, but she stopped speaking.

If she didn’t have any proof, she felt like Yakumo would be angry at her.

'What were you about to say?’

Yakumo looked at Haruka intently.

With him looking at her like that in a place like this, it made Haruka’s chest clench. It was hard to breathe.

Of course, that wasn’t because it was painful.

'I don’t have any proof. It’s just a thought that came to me.’

'I’m asking what that thought was.’

Yakumo ran a hand through his hair, seeming annoyed.

'OK. Maybe Kumi-san…’

Interrupting Haruka’s words, Yakumo’s mobile rang.

Even though the mood had been so good –

-

10

-

'Sorry to bother.’

Gotou opened the door to the Movie Research Circle room.

Since Yakumo opened his mouth with a sour look, Gotou shouted 'Shut up!’ before Yakumo could say anything. Yakumo had probably just meant to tell Gotou not to come if he knew he was a bother.

In a corner of the room, Ishii was slumped over like before. His shoulders were moving slightly, so he was breathing.

'How’s Ishii?’ asked Gotou.

Yakumo sighed.

'He’s the same. Sometimes he wakes up in a panic – to be honest, it’s troublesome.’

Though that was like Ishii, it wasn’t a laughing matter.

Anyway, it looked like he was fine for now.

'So how were things on your end?’ asked Yakumo, crossing his arms.

'Yeah, I looked into what you asked.’

Gotou told Yakumo what he’d heard from Takatoshi and also the story about Kirino having a woman which he’d heard from Matsutani.

Yakumo listened to Gotou’s story without interrupting, which was unusual for him.

'I can see most of it.’

That was what Yakumo said first after Gotou finished speaking.

'Really?’

Gotou leant forward, which made Yakumo look annoyed.

'Please keep your face away from mine. It’s unpleasant.’

'You!’

Gotou raised his fist in anger, but he suddenly felt that something was odd.

Normally, Ishii would stop him here, but Ishii was in that state. Still, he couldn’t hit Yakumo.

Come to think of it, no matter what he said, he never felt like hitting Yakumo.

If he wasn’t going to hit him anyway, Ishii’s frantic efforts to stop him were pointless, but still, he felt rather lonely.

Gotou put his fist down with a click of his tongue.

'Before I explain, do you have the blueprints?’

'Right.’

Gotou took the blueprints out of his inner jacket pocket and gave them to Yakumo.

After Yakumo took them, he quickly spread them out on the table and looked at them assiduously.

'Was there some sort of trick to that church?’

Why did Yakumo want the blueprints – that was the conclusion Gotou had came to after thinking about it, but Yakumo just shook his head in exasperation.

'You’re an incredible idiot, as usual.’

Though Gotou felt angry, he didn’t feel like raising his fist or yelling.

To be honest, he was surprised himself by how pointless that felt without Ishii.

'I’m looking for something else.’

'I’m asking what that is.’

'I’ll talk about it soon.’

He gave Gotou the slip again.

How long was this investigation going to continue?

'When’s soon?’

'Before I say anything, there is something I must ask you, Gotou-san,’ Yakumo said formally.

His sharp gaze seemed to shoot through Gotou’s chest.

'What?’

As Gotou asked that, his voice went up slightly.

Gotou didn’t know why he was this nervous.

'I want to ask about the incident eight years ago.’

'What are you talking about?’

Though Gotou was acting calm, he didn’t know how well he managed to hide it in front of Yakumo.

'Please stop playing dumb.’

'I’m not playing dumb.’

'Honestly… Gotou-san, you’re the one who’s made this case so complicated.’

'What are you saying? I…’

'I will ask once more. What happened between you and Kirino-san eight years ago, Gotou-san?’

'What happened eight years ago has nothing to do with this.’

'It does – ’

Yakumo glared at Gotou.

It was the first time he’d seen Yakumo look like this. They were frightening eyes –

'How’s it related…’

Gotou didn’t understand why Yakumo wanted to know about what happened eight years ago now.

That case had nothing to do with this one. It was Gotou and Kirino’s problem.

'The young man who first consulted me about the spiritual phenomenon is called Utsugi Kento, but his family name is actually something else.’

'Something else?’

'Yes. His name is actually Sumida Kento. His father was named Sumida Yuuichirou-san. Now that I’ve said that much, you can’t deny it any more, can you?’

– Is that how it was!?

Gotou felt so dazed that he slumped back on the chair.

He had never thought that the cases would be related like this. He had had a bad feeling from the moment he met Kirino.

– Your crime hasn’t been forgiven.

He had felt like he was being told that.

'That day eight years ago – me and Kirino went to a man’s apartment,’ said Gotou, looking up at the ceiling.

'Sumida-san’s apartment.’

'Yeah. Sumida was the suspect in a theft. We were there to question him, but he fought back…’

'Why?’

'He had children in the room. But Kirino still talked with no mercy about the theft.’

Though Gotou had just had a glance, he had seen an older sister hugging her little brother in a corner of the room.

It had looked like the younger brother didn’t understand, but the older sister seemed determined, like she’d understood it all.

'I see…’ said Yakumo, sounding sad.

'Sumida ran out of the room. Me and Kirino ran after him. Sumida stopped partway, maybe thinking he couldn’t get away, and held up a kitchen knife. He had probably grabbed it from his house.’

To be honest, Gotou didn’t want to say the rest, but running away wouldn’t start anything.

With determination, Gotou sat up and looked at Yakumo.

Yakumo nodded, looking right at him.

'I tried to talk to Sumida, but he wouldn’t listen. He was probably worried about what would happen to his two kids if he was put in prison.’

'Perhaps…’

'While this was happening, Kirino pulled out his gun.’

'His gun?’

Even Yakumo looked surprised.

'Of course he didn’t plan on actually shooting it. It was a threat. The guy was holding a knife. Somebody could’ve been injured if we weren’t careful. Now that I think about it, I think it was the correct decision…’

But Gotou hadn’t thought so then.

Pulling out a gun would just make Sumida fight back more – that was what Gotou had thought.

'I yelled at Kirino even though we were in the middle of chasing a suspect. He didn’t back down either. We believed in different things. There was no way we’d reach an agreement…’

Gotou understood now. Sumida had probably looked at Sumida and saw the man who killed his father. He’d thought that talking to a suspect who was fighting back was pointless. He had tried to suppress him with force.

But Gotou hadn’t been able to understand that then, and he hadn’t been able to forgive it.

It was incredibly stupid. Their antagonism had completely run wild then.

'Then what happened?’ asked Yakumo.

When Gotou thought about how he would have to say what happened next with his own mouth, his heart felt heavy.

But just as Yakumo said, Gotou would have to face what happened them, if it had brought about this case.

'When Sumida saw us fighting, he decided that he’d be able to escape. So he ran into the road…’

A large truck that had just been passing by hi him.

Anger welled up within Gotou. It was anger at himself for doing something so stupid then.

But Gotou hadn’t been able to think that way then. If Kirino hadn’t waved his gun, this wouldn’t have happened – that was what he’d thought.

In the morgue where Sumida’s corpse was placed, he had beat Kirino up with all his force. The scar above his left eyebrow had been from then.

He had thought that Kirino would fight back, but he hadn’t. He had just bowed his head and said, 'I’m sorry.’

That had just made Gotou even angrier. The truth was –

'It was my fault… Sumida died because of me…’

Gotou hit the table with his fist.

Just like when he’d hit Kirino, a sharp pain ran through it.

'With that, your partnership was ended and Kirino-san left the police.’

'Well, sounds about right – ’

Gotou had changed his frustration then into a strong belief.

– I’ll never let anyone die in front of me again.

Even though Gotou had vowed that and come all this way, he hadn’t been able to save Kirino.

'I see…’

After Gotou finished speaking, Yakumo said that quietly and stood up.

His elegant posture seemed to let out power –

'What?’

'Let’s end the case tomorrow.’

'end?’

'Yes. Please bring everyone involved to the church tomorrow.’

After saying that, Yakumo smiled slightly.

It was a smile so cold it made a chill run down Gotou’s spine –

-

11

-

Ishii slowly opened his eyes –

His consciousness was blurry, as if he was in fog. He felt incredibly trapped. He tried to move, but it wouldn’t work.

He saw that he was bound to a chair with rope.

'W-what is this…’ said Ishii in shock.

He frantically tried to get himself out, but the more he moved, the more the rope dug into him – it just hurt him.

– What on earth happened to me?

Maybe he had accidentally obtained something that was a national secret and had been wrapped up in some international incident and then abducted by a terrorist organization.

Ishii looked around as he thought wildly.

It was a room he’d seen before. If he remembered correctly, this was the university clubroom for the Movie Research Circle, which Yakumo used as his secret hideaway.

Yakumo wasn’t here, as he was always. Of course, Gotou and Haruka weren’t here either. Ishii was the only one.

'Excuse me! Is anyone here?’ asked Ishii, but the room was silent. Nobody made a reply.

Was this a bad prank to shock him?

'Excuse me! Yakumo-shi! Detective Gotou!’

Ishii called out again, but still nobody replied.

Ishii felt more anxious and his forehead started sweating.

Suddenly, Ishii felt like he knew why he was in this room. He tried to remember, but his instincts stopped im.

'Wait… Detective Gotou. You’re here, right? Please come out.’

Ishii pleaded, half in tears, but still nobody responded. He tried to get out of the ropes again, but they wouldn’t budge.

The more he fought, the more anxious Ishii became.

Suddenly, he felt a gaze on his back.

He felt like somebody was right behind him.

'Detective Gotou?’

Ishii tried to turn his neck, but he couldn’t look behind him. However, he did feel somebody was behind him.

'Please calm down.’

Somebody suddenly hit his shoulder.

'Aahhhh!’ shrieked Ishii as he flailed.

– No. No. No.

'Ishii-san, it’s fine. It’s me. Yakumo.’

After hearing that, Ishii finally came back to his senses.

Yakumo was standing in front of him. His black contact lens were off. In the dim light, Yakumo’s red left eye seemed to glitter suspiciously.

'I… Right. I’ve been possessed by Kirino-san…’

Now that Ishii had calmed down, he could remember his situation.

'It seems you’ve recalled.’

Yakumo smiled faintly and started undoing the ropes tying Ishii down.

'P-please help me. I…’

The moment the ropes came off, Ishii clung to Yakumo.

He wanted to be out of this situation as soon as possible. That desire filled his heart.

'I know. There is something I want you to tell me so that I can save you, Ishii-san.’

'Something you want me to tell you?’

'What is Kirino-san asking? Since he is possessing you, Ishii-san, you should be able to able to feel his emotions and memories.’

After hearing Yakumo say that, Ishii saw the face of a woman in his head.

It was a woman he’d seen before, but he couldn’t remember who it was. The woman had a very kind smile.

Terror, fear, hatred – the smile washed all those emotions away.

This wasn’t his memory. It was probably Kirino’s. Just as Yakumo said, Kirino’s memories and Ishii’s were mixed in his head.

'I…’

Ishii held his head in his hands.

'Please don’t worry – ’

Yakumo placed a hand on Ishii’s shoulder.

'Eh?’

'I understand why you are wandering this world.’

Yakumo’s red left eye was straight on Ishii.

No, his gaze probably wasn’t on Ishii. It was on the other person within him.

Yakumo put his index finger to his brow.

'Kirino-san, please talk to me. Tell me the truth – ’

When Yakumo said that, a number of images flashed through Ishii’s head. They were Kirino’s memories.

Touched by those memories filled with sadness, tears naturally fell from Ishii’s eyes –

-

12

-

Haruka walked with Kento –

Haruka was given the duty of bringing him. Of course, Yakumo had given her that duty.

'What are we doing?’ asked Kento as he walked beside her.

Though he was smiling, he seemed a bit nervous.

'We are going to exorcise Kumi-san, the spirit possessing Sachiko-san.’

'My sister?’

'Yes?’

'But how? And why at a church?’

Kento cocked his head.

Haruka didn’t know either, but since Yakumo said he was going to exorcise a ghost, he probably had some sort of plan. He must have thought about the location too.

'It has to be done at a church. Probably…’

When Haruka said that, Kento laughed aloud.

'What’s so funny?’

'You really trust him, don’t you?’

It was true that Haruka trusted Yakumo, but that was just for cases. Haruka had no idea what he was thinking outside of that.

As they were talking, they reached the church.

It had come up in conversation a number of times in regards to the case, but it was the first time Haruka had actually come to it.

If she hadn’t known anything, it would have seemed like a refined church that could be found anywhere, but the fact that a murder had occurred here made the entire building seem sinister.

They pushed past the decorated gates and went in.

The ceiling was arched and there was an altar at the front with a statue of Christ on the cross.

'Oh, Haruka-chan.’

Gotou stood up from the pew and waved.

'Hello, Gotou-san.’

After exchanging greetings, Haruka saw another man sitting beside Gotou.

– Who is that?

'Takatoshi,’ said Kento, as if in response to Haruka’s question.

He was Tozuka Takatoshi. Haruka had only heard the name. He was the person who had been arrested as a suspect in Kirino’s murder and had experienced the spiritual phenomena along with Kento –

The ringleader of Orita’s bullies in middle school.

With that information, Takatoshi seemed like a terribly awful person to Haruka.

– No.

Haruka shook away the thoughts in her head. If she had preconceptions, she’d lose the truth. Yakumo always told her that.

'Utsugi. Tell them. I didn’t do anything.7

Takatoshi tried to run forward, but Gotou forced him to sit down and said, 'Keep quiet.’

Takatoshi looked like he wanted to say something still, but he stopped resisting, shoulders slumping under Gotou’s pressure.

'Excuse me…’

Haruka was about to speak to Gotou when the door at the front opened.

Orita came into the church with his head hung.

'Orita-kun,’ said Kento.

Why him – that was how it sounded.

'It’s been a while,’ said Orita in a hoarse voice. Then, he sat in the pew.

'Everyone’s here now,’ said Gotou, after standing up and taking a look around the church.

– Everyone?

'Gotou-san, where’s Yakumo-kun?’

'He’s here already,’ Gotou replied curtly.

Even if he said that – Haruka looked around, but she couldn’t see Yakumo.

'Where is he?’ asked Haruka. Then, the door behind the podium opened.

– Yakumo.

While pushing Ishii in a wheelchair, Yakumo came out, one careful step at a time, and stopped in front of the altar.

Yakumo didn’t say anything. He turned his back to them and looked up at the statue of Christ on the cross.

In the light coming through the stained glass, it felt like Yakumo himself was letting out power.

Yakumo stood there for a while, but then he took a deep breath and turned around to face them.

'There are some whom I am meeting for the first time today. My name is Saitou Yakumo.’

As he gave his name, he smirked.

As if in response, Ishii looked up from the wheelchair. It seemed he was conscious.

Ishii looked around blankly and then looked at Yakumo.

'What on earth…’

From this response, it seemed it wasn’t Kirino possessing Ishii but Ishii himself.

'Ishii-san, please hang in there for a bit longer.’

Yakumo placed a hand on Ishii’s shoulder.

'I…’

'Right now, I do not need anything from you, Ishii-san.’

'Eh?’

'Kirino-san, it’s you,’ murmured Yakumo in Ishii7s ear.

At the same time, Ishii’s eyelids twitched violently and his body bent back, as if he was having a fit. Then, his head drooped.

'Ishii!’

Yakumo stopped Gotou from approaching.

'It’s fine.’

'But…’

Yakumo shook his head as if to rebuke Gotou.

After a pause, Yakumo slowly walked down the path between the pews.

'First, let’s organise the story – the start was when Takatoshi-san, Kento-san and Sachiko-san went to view the night sky at the spiritual spot called the spring of truth.’

Yakumo stopped near Takatoshi and looked at him.

'That’s correct, isn’t it?’ asked Yakumo, which made Takatoshi look suspicious.

'Who is this guy? And what the hell is this?’ Takatoshi asked immediately.

'That’s right. I haven’t explained yet – ’

After saying that, Yakumo took out his black contact lens and revealed his red left eye.

There were a variety of responses to that.

Takatoshi let out a short shriek, while Orita’s expression twisted and he looked away. Kento just looked at him expressionlessly.

'My left eye isn’t just red. It can see that which others cannot – ’

'That which others cannot?’

Takatoshi was the one who spoke up in fear.

'The spirits of the dead. In short, ghosts – ’

Yakumo’s declaration echoed through the church –

-

13

-

'ridiculous…’ said Takatoshi in shock from his seat beside Gotou.

Takatoshi had just experienced a spiritual phenomenon. He was probably sensitive to stories about ghosts. Gotou understood how he felt, but if he made a fuss now, they’d get nowhere.

'Shut up,’ said Gotou, and Takatoshi shut his mouth, though it looked like he had something he wanted to say.

'Let’s return to the story – ’

Yakumo walked up to the altar again.

Though his clothing was different, he looked just like a pastor.

'Kento-san, Takatoshi-san and Sachiko-san experienced a spiritual phenomenon. Sachiko-san was possessed by a ghost and is still unconscious. Takatoshi-san has been hearing a strange voice ever since then. Am I correct – ’

Yakumo’s gaze shot through Takatoshi.

'Somebody whispers in my ear every day. I’ll kill you, I won’t forgive you, it says… I didn’t understand…’ Takatoshi said quickly, holding his head in his hands.

From how frightened he was, Gotou didn’t think it was a delusion. Whether it was a real spiritual phenomenon or somebody’s prank, Takatoshi had definitely experienced something.

'In fear, you consulted the pastor, Kirino-san.’

Takatoshi nodded an umber of times in response to Yakumo’s words.

'I have one question. Why did you consult the pastor Kirino-san?’

Takatoshi looked surprised by Yakumo7s question.

'Why…?’

'This is the most important part. Please try to recall it correctly. How did you find out about Kirino-san, and why did you consult him?’

For a while, Takatoshi’s gaze wandered, but soon he opened his mouth.

'He called out to me…’

'Kirino-san did?’

Takatoshi nodded.

'When I was returning from university, he said that something bad was possessing me.’

– What?

A strong suspicion was born within Gotou.

Kirino had declared that he didn’t believe in ghosts. Somebody like that wouldn’t say Takatoshi was possessed by something.

Did that mean Kirino had really tried to trick Takatoshi?

– There’s no way.

Gotou immediately denied the thought that came up in his head. Even though he and Kirino thought differently, Kirino had had his own beliefs. He would never have tricked somebody.

'In short, Kirino-san called you out – correct?’

Takatoshi nodded after Yakumo repeated that.

'That doesn’t sit well with me. Kirino…’

'Please keep quiet for now.’

Yakumo immediately stopped Gotou from voicing his doubt.

Yakumo must have had the same doubts as Gotou, but since Yakumo had stopped Gotou from speaking, he was probably thinking about something.

Though Gotou didn7t like it, he kept his mouth shut.

'Afterwards, you consulted Kirino-san about the spiritual phenomena and then came to this church for an exorcism on that night.’

'I was at my limit… I wanted to get it to leave me alone no matter what…’

Takatoshi tore at his hair.

He must have felt cornered psychologically. He must have heard about Sachiko’s situation too, so that had probably made him act.

'Then, the incident occurred – ’

'No!’

Takatoshi stood up as he denied Yakumo’s words.

There was strong anger in his eyes. Anger towards something unreasonable – that was how it seemed to Gotou.

'I didn’t kill him!’

Takatoshi climbed over the pew to try to grab Yakumo. He had completely lost himself.

'Calm down!’ yelled Gotou, but Takatoshi shook him away and grabbed Yakumo by the collar.

– This guy!

Gotou hurriedly ran after him and tried to pull Takatoshi off Yakumo.

Unexpectedly, however, Yakumo was the one who stopped im.

'I know – ’

Yakumo’s words, said expressionlessly, made Takatoshi stop.

'eh?’

He probably hadn’t thought Yakumo would acknowledge it so readily.

That made Gotou the one who was confused.

'Then who killed him?’

It didn’t look like Takatoshi was lying, but there was nobody else who could have killed him.

'That is the big misassumption that everyone has made.’

Yakumo ran a hand through his hair in irritation.

'Misassumption?’

'That room was locked.’

'Yeah… Was there some sort of secret passageway?’

Maybe that was why Yakumo had checked the blueprints.

'There isn’t anything like that.’

'what?’

'What I want to say is that saying that a murder occurred here is a misassumption.’

'What the hell are you saying? Kirino…’

'He – ’

Yakumo stopped speaking and looked at Ishii, who had his head hung.

No, it wasn’t actually Ishii. Yakumo was probably looking at Kirino, who was possessing Ishii.

As if in response, Ishii lifted his head with a groan. No, those weren’t Ishii’s eyes.

'It was a suicide – ’

Yakumo7s sentence hit Gotou with great force.

It was so much that Gotou couldn’t say anything in his daze. He didn’t understand. That was just too much.

'Don’t be stupid! Why would Kirino kill himself!?’

At least the Kirino Gotou knew wasn’t the type to kill himself.

Of course nobody had a way of knowing somebody’s true nature, but still, Kirino prioritized thoughts over emotions.

A man like that wouldn’t take his own life.

And suicide was a sin in Christianity. It’d be unthinkable for a regular believer, but Kirino was a pastor. It would be even more unthinkable for him.

'There was a reason he did so,’ said Yakumo resolutely.

When Gotou looked at that red left eye, strangely, those words seemed true, and it made Gotou’s emotions die down.

'But how did he kill himself?’ asked Haruka, who had been quiet until now.

– That’s right.

Gotou had reached the same queston and a hot emotion welled up within him again.

'It’d’ve made more sense if he hanged himself, but how the hell could he have killed himself in that situation?’

'It was because that was the situation that he committed suicide.’

Yakumo didn’t seem bothered at all.

'What?’

'Kirino-san cut his own neck.’

'That’s… ridiculous… What proof…’

Gotou retorted, but his voice was shaking.

'I first thought it suspicious when I saw his autopsy report.’

'What was strange?’

'After Kirino-san entered the room, you heard the sound of fighting, right?’

Yakumo pointed at the door behind the podium.

'Yeah.’

Gotou had definitely heard fighting then. Kirino had also yelled, 'Stop!’ That was why Gotou had kicked down the door.

But he hadn’t made it in time – that was what he’d thought.

'Even though they had thought, there had been no injuries other than the one on his neck.’

'That’s – ’

Definitely strange. If he had thought with Takatoshi, who had a knife, it would be strange if there were no cuts.

And even though the room had been a mess, there had been no bruises. But – ’

'Maybe it was just a coincidence that he didn’t have any injuries.’

'Are you seriously saying that?’

Yakumo’s cold gaze shot through Gotou.

Even if Yakumo looked at him like that, Gotou couldn’t accept what he couldn’t accept.

'Of course I am. There’s no reason for him to kill himself anyway.’

'That was the problem. Why did Kirino-san kill himself? And why did he need to go out of his way to create that situation? If he just wanted to die, he could have done it alone. However, he didn’t do that – ’

As Gotou listened to Yakumo’s explanation, he felt like he was in a daze.

Even though he denied it in his head, maybe a part of his heart had accepted it.

The reason Gotou felt that way was the expression of Kirino’s he saw last.

There had been sadness and determination there.

'Why did Kirino-san commit suicide? And if it was suicide, why did Takatoshi-san hold the weapon?’ asked Haruka instead of Gotou, who was stupefied.

That was exactly it.

Gotou didn’t know why Kirino would kill himself, and just as Haruka said, if it was a suicide, then the knife should’ve been on the floor. Despite that, Takatoshi had been holding onto it firmly.

If they didn’t solve that, Yakumo’s theory couldn’t be right.

'Explain!’ pressed Gotou, which made Yakumo smile confidently.

It felt like he was saying he knew everything.

'Before I answer those two questions, there is something that must be made clear.’

Yakumo left Gotou and Takatoshi and slowly walked up to Kento.

The two of them looked at each other silently.

-

14

-

Haruka held her breath as she watched Yakumo and Kento look at each other –

'What are you going to make clear?’

Kento was the one who broke the silence.

Yakumo smiled slightly, like he felt satisfied.

'The true identity of the spirit that was wandering that spring and possessed Sachiko-san was Kumi-san, your older sister – ’

Kento looked down after hearing Yakumo’s declaration. There were tears in his eyes that felt like they mike fall at any moment.

Haruka’s chest heart when she thought about how he was feeling.

'Sister…’ moaned Kento.

'Kumi-san died at Kagami Spring six years ago – ’

'But there was no corpse,’ said Gotou.

That was a puzzle to Haruka too. Even though the police had searched there, no corpse had been found in Kagami Spring.

Yakumo turned away from Kento towards Orita.

'There was a corpse. Aren’t I right, Orita-san – ’

Orita, who had been silent, suddenly jolted.

Orita didn’t responded to Yakumo’s question. He was unsettled and kept looking around, like he felt afraid.

Perhaps his past which had cursed him as a liar had stolen his ability to speak.

'Orita-san, you aren’t a liar. Right?’ said Yakumo gently.

'I…’

'Six years ago – Orita-san, you saw a woman’s corpse there,’ Yakumo said once more.

Orita’s face was read and his body was shaking, but finally, he stood up slowly.

'I saw a corpse there. There’s no doubt about it.’

Yakumo nodded in response to Orita’s clear reply.

'Kumi-san was killed by someone at that spring. Orita-san saw the corpse from then.’

'So you saying somebody moved that corpse?’ asked Gotou.

Yakumo’s gaze wandered, as if he was thinking, and then he ran a hand through his messy hair.

'To be correct, it might be better to say they hid it – ’

'Hid – to hide the evidence?’ said Haruka, feeling disgusted.

'It’ a bit different,’ Yakumo said quietly.

'How is it different?’

'Let’s leave that question aside for now. In any case, after the incident, Kumi-san’s corpse was in Kagami Spring for a while.’

Yakumo’s explanation had a huge contradiction.

'I said we didn’t find anything when we searched,’ said Gotou in irritation.

'Please listen properly. I said for a while. In short, that means Kumi-san’s corpse was taken out of Kagami Spring recently and moved elsewhere.’

After Yakumo said that clearly, he moved to a corner of the church and placed a hand on the bar standing there.

– What on earth is he planning to do?

'Where’s elsewhere supposed to be?’

Gotou asked another question.

Yakumo, with the bar in his hand, moved towards the altar and pointed at it.

'Probably inside here.’

He was pointing at the stone tabernacle on top of the altar. It just looked like a decorated treasure box.

'What’s that?’ said Gotou, which made Yakumo let out a small sie.

'It’s called a tabernacle. In Eastern Orthodoxy, it is said to have the incorrupt relics of saints, while in Catholicism, it is said to have the body of Christ under the appearance of bread.’

As Yakumo explained, he put the bar in the gap between the lid and the body of the tabernacle and tried to lift the lid.

However, it seemed to be heavier than he expected and wasn’t going well.

'Could you help me?’

In response, Haruka went up to the altar. Gotou came too.

Takatoshi, Kento and Orita came close, but they watched from afar without helping.

'Let’s go on three.’

At Yakumo7s signal, they all put their energy into it.

The tabernacle’s lid came off slightly. With more force, it fell to the ground with a loud clang.

Inside the open tabernacle, just as Yakumo said, there was a woman, crouching –

Seeing the woman’s corpse, which seemed so innocent it could be called a child, Haruka was lost for words.

Though she was surprised that a corpse was in a place like this, what surprised her more was how beautiful the corpse was –

It was like she had just died – no, like she was sleeping.

'Sister…’

Kento let out a moan and collapsed to the floor.

Yesterday, Yakumo had told Kento that Kumi was already dead, but Kento might have still believed she was alive somewhere inside his heart.

Takatoshi was turned away, perhaps because he didn’t want to look.

Orita just stood there in a daze.

'Is she really Kumi-san?’ asked Haruka.

The corpse in front of her didn’t look like it was from six years ago.

'Adipocere,’ said Yakumo. That was enough to make Haruka understand.

Yakumo had explained adipocere during a previous case. If a corpse was left in a certain level of humidity and temperature, this unique after-death hydrolosis of fat saponified the body.

Adipocere prevented the putrefaction of the body.

Earlier, Yakumo had said that the corpse had been in the spring.

The environment of that spring had probably caused Kumi’s body to undergo adipocere and left her body the same way as it had been when she died.

Though Haruka understood why the corpse was so beautiful, she still had many questions.

'How did you know the corpse was here?’

Gotou asked before Haruka could.

Maybe it had been a great shock, as Gotou’s face was still pale.

'When I came to this church, I thought it was strange.’

Yakumo was the only one out of them who was fine in this strange situation.

'What was?’

'Protestantism have tabernacles.’

'What?’

Gotou’s eyes went wide in surprise.

Haruka felt the same way, but she also understood. Come to think of it, Yakumo had explained Eastern Orthodoxy and Catholicism earlier, but he hadn’t said anything about Protestantism.

If something that wasn’t normally there was there, it made sense to be suspicious.

'That’s when I checked the blueprints. The original diagrams didn’t have a tabernacle. In short, it was placed here afterwards.’

'I see…’

'That made me think – this is the only place to hide the corpse,’ replied Yakumo calmly.

However, that wasn’t really an answer.

'Why was the corpse left in the church?’ asked Haruka, going closer to Yakumo.

That was the biggest question. If the only purpose was to hide it, there was no need to bring it to such a troublesome place.’

'Because Kirion-san wished for that.’

After saying that, Yakumo lowered his eyelashes.

– Wished?

Haruka was even more confused. She thought about asking questions, but Gotou pushed her aside to stand in front of Yakumo.

'Why would Kirino want that?’

He couldn’t accept it. He couldn’t believe this. Those emotions seemed to burst out of Gotou’s body.

'Do you still not understand?’

'I don’t!’

It felt like Gotou might grab Yakumo right there and then.

Haruka couldn’t let this continue. Just as she was thinking about stepping in, Ishii lifted his head from his wheelchair.

'Ishii-san…’

Haruka was about to approach him, but she naturally stopped.

It was because she understood from his wide hollow eyes that it wasn’t Ishii, but Kirino –

-

15

-

'Kirino, you bastard, what the hell is this?’

Gotou went up to Ishii – no, Kirino, who sat in the wheelchair.

Ishii didn’t reply. No, that wasn’t it. He was moving his mouth to try to speak, but it wasn’t being voiced.

Kirino had something he wanted to express, but since he was possessing Ishii, he probably couldn’t use Ishii’s body well.

But that didn’t matter. Gotou wouldn’t be able to accept this if he didn’t get a proper explanation from Kirino.

'Answer me!’

Gotou’s yell echoed through the church.

'I…’

Ishii spoke in a hoarse voice.

'Kirino-san. You loved Kumi-san, didn’t you – ’

Yakumo said that while looking up at the ceiling. In response, Ishii nodded.

'What did you say?’

Gotou couldn’t believe Yakumo’s words.

'For Kirino-san, Kumi-san was an important woman. That was why she wanted her close by when he died…’ said Yakumo, ignoring how Gotou felt.

'There’s no way…’

The reason being that Kumi was Sumida’s daughter. The people who had chased Sumida to his death were no other than Kirino and Gotou. And yet –

'Gotou-san, you misunderstood Kirino-san.’

'What?’

'After Kirino-san caused Sumida-san to die in an accident, he often went to visit Kumi-san and Kento-san at the care facility.’

'Wha…’

Gotou was so shocked he couldn’t finish his sentence.

He had thought that Kirino hadn’t felt guilty. After his dad died, he had focused on investigating, as if in revenge. Why would Kirino –

'I… was wrong…’ said Ishii in a hoarse voice.

'What?’

Gotou glared at Ishii.

But Ishii didn’t say anything else. Instead, Yakumo opened his mouth.

'Kirino-san has been suffering all this time. You noticed that too, didn’t you, Gotou-san?’

'I…’

'Because his father was killed in a robbery, Kirino-san threw away his belief once. His hatred for crime brought him to the police. That’s correct, isn’t it?’

'Yeah – ’

He’d heard it from Miyagawa.

No, that wasn’t true. The truth was that Gotou knew that, but because of his hatred for Kirino, he had never looked at Kirino’s past and seen suffering.

'After Kirino-san joined the force, he was as you knew him, Gotou-san.’

'Kirino clung to the law instead of the bible.’

When they were partnered, Gotou had just thought of him as a cold guy.

He knew now though. Because Kirino’s dad had been killed, he’d lost hope in everything and threw away his belief.

That was why he didn’t care about the thoughts or reasons behind crimes and just relied on physical evidence in investigations.

'But Kirino-san couldn’t throw away emotion. That was why he suffered. It was at that time that you met him, Gotou-san.’

Yakumo’s red left eye stared at Gotou.

'I – ’

'Because Kirino-san’s father was killed, he threw away everything. However, Gotou-san, no matter how you were hurt, you never looked away – you kept going forward with your own beliefs. Kirino-san thought you disagreeable then, and – ’

'I was envious…’ murmured Ishii.

'Don’t be stupid! You hated me!’

'He did,’ said Yakumo with a wry smile.

'Then…’

'That’s why. I understand Kirino-san’s feelings. Sincei t was the same for me…’

Yakumo looked at Gotou with sad eyes.

A sharp pain ran through Gotou’s chest. He had always felt it somewhere in his heart. Kirino and Yakumo – they were alike.

Because they had suffered something so painful it had felt like it cut through them, they had killed their emotions and tried to live only according to their thought.s But that hadn’t worked. Because they were too kind, they had suffered and fought with themselves.

'Kirino… you…’

'Kirion-san hated you, Gotou-san, who kept going forward like an idiot even with your past on your shoulders and the injuries you kept receiving. When he saw you, he probably felt like you were rejecting his existence after losing hope.’

Yakumo looked at Ishii sorrowfully.

'Rejecting?’

'Yes. If I had to say, I would say that Kirino-san and you are the same type of person.’

'Me and…

Maybe that was true –

Even though Gotou had hated it that much, he could accept it easily now.

'Kirino-san always felt guilty after that incident. He went to the care facility countless times, wanting to apologise to Kumi-san and Kento-san. However, he just saw them from afar, unable to meet them…’

As Yakumo spoke quietly, he turned his eyes to Kento.

Kento looked away, saying nothing.

Gotou felt an unspeakable feeling of alienation. Maybe he had made Kirino take all the blame then.

I should have been the one to apologise. But –

Anger towards his own foolishness had backlashed at Kirino.

'I…’

'Kumi-san noticed Kirino-san then, and she went to meet Kirino-san…’

'Why?’

'To forgive him – ’

'Forgive him?’

'She didn’t hate Kirino-san. He hadn’t done anything wrong. He didn’t have to suffer any more – she went to tell him that.’

’T-that’s… ridiculous…’

That was Gotou’s raw feeling.

Her own dad had died. She forgave the man who caused that?

'That was the sort of woman Kumi-san was – ’

Yakumo looked at Kumi-san in her coffin once more.

Gotou looked inside the coffin at Kumi in the same way. She was a corpse. She wouldn’t saw anything. But she was beautiful –

'Kirino-san vowed to keep protecting Kumi-san and Kento-san then. That was why he quit the police.’

Though there was a part of Gotou which couldn’t accept it, it made sense. But the problem was –

'Why do you know that?’

'I asked Kirino-san.’

Yakumo looked at Ishii in the wheelchair.

So that’s how it is – for a moment, Gotou accepted that, but he suddenly thought differently.

'Kirino’s possessing Ishii, right? There’s no way that would come through properly…’

When Gotou said that, Yakumo showed him an incredibly pleased smirk.

When Yakumo looked like that, something unpleasant always happened.

'That’s just what you think, Gotou-san.’

'But…’

'Anyway, it didn’t take too long for Kirino-san to fall in love with Kumi-san.’

The feeling of alienation spread further throughout Gotou.

He hadn’t known anything. No, he hadn’t tried to find out.

Though he’d felt guilty about Sumida, he never checked what happened to the siblings after that.

But Kirino was different –

Gotou had been the negligent one. Kirino hadn’t shown it openly, but he’d been suffering on his own.

He probably hadn’t fought back when Gotou punched him because he’d felt guilty.

'Kirino…’

Gotou glared at Ishii.

Something similar to anger welled up within him.

'After Kumi-san forgave him, Kirino-san decided to return to his original path.’

Yakumo looked at the statue of Christ.

'So he became a pastor…’

'Yes.’

'Then you should’ve just said that from the beginning!’

Gotou yelled at Ishii.

But that anger wasn’t at Kirino. It was at himself.

– Why didn’t I notice how Kirino felt?

He felt sick at how inattentive he had been.

'Now, let’s get back to the story – ’

Yakumo clapped his hands together and looked once more at everyone there.

He controlled the atmosphere there, like the leader of an army.

'To the reason why Kirino-san killed himself.’

Gotou looked up at Yakumo7s words.

That was right. Yakumo had said that Kirino killed himself, but he hadn’t made clear the reason.

'Why’d Kirino kill himself?’

'It was for revenge.’

'For revenge?’

Gotou’s voice went up.

How would dying yourself get revenge against anyone?’

'Correct. I said this earlier, but Kumi-san was killed by someone at Kagami Spring six years ago. It was revenge for that.’

That explanation didn’t answer the question Gotou had.

'Killing yourself won’t get revenge for anything.’

'Please think carefully. This case was a suicide made to look like a murder. That is the main point.’

'What?’

'Why did Kirino-san need to make a suicide look like a murder?’

'To make… a culprit?’

Haruka replied before Gotou did. Yakumo nodded in satisfaction.

Gotou understood now. By making a suicide look like a murder, it would put the blame on somebody else and could make them suffer.

'Then how is the one who would suffer the most from this case?’ Yakumo said in a loud voice.

Gotou knew the answer without thinking. The person who had been arrested as a suspect to a murder in this case was Takatoshi. In short –

'So he killed Sumida’s daughter six years ago?’

Gotou grabbed Takatoshi’s arm and pulled him over.

Takatoshi’s eyes flew open and his face twitched in fear.

'W-wait a second. What kind of joke is this? I don’t know anything.’

Takatoshi shook off Gotou’s arm and tried to run.

That’s not going to happen – Gotou immediately forced Takatoshi to the floor.

'I really don’t know! What are you saying!? I didn’t do anything!’

'Just shut up!’

Gotoiu pushed down Takatoshi’s neck as Takatoshi continued to flail.

Gotou wanted to hear about this in detail, but they wouldn’t get anywhere if Takatoshi kept flailing about.

'So you saying Kirino killed himself to make him a murderer?’ asked Gotou.

Yakumo nodded.

'Don’t be stupid. If he killed her six years ago, why wouldn’t Kirino have gone to the police then?’

'At the time, Takatoshi-san had been in the second year of middle school. His birthday hadn’t passed yet, so he was thirteen. You understand my meaning, don’t you?’

Yakumo’s disinterested words made a chill run down Gotou’s spine.

– So that’s how it was.

Even if Takatoshi had been arrested six years ago as a suspect in Kumi’s murder, since he was under fourteen, he wouldn’t have been charged. The revision to juvenile law made it possible for somebody to be sent to a juvenile corrective institution, but the standard for that was also vague.

It was completely unacceptable from the view of the victim, but that was reality.

Kirino, a police officer, must have seen many cases like that. That must have been why he’d buried the corpse in the spring and waited for a chance for revenge.

'Then why’d he need to wait six years?’

'He was waiting for Takatoshi-san to become an adult. That when he wouldn’t just be tried – his real name would also be published.’

Gotou understood that, but –

'Why’d he choose this method? If he was going to kill himself, killing him would’ve made him feel better with his hatred!’

Gotou’s yell made Yakumo laugh scornfully.

'I never thought that I would hear those words from your mouth, Gotou-san.’

'What?’

'I won’t let anyone die – who was the one who said that?’

Those were Gotou’s words. It was something like a catchphrase.

After Sumida’s case, he had vowed that. He never wanted to see someone die in front of him again.

'But…’

'Kirino-san and Gotou-san are alike. He didn’t want anyone to die either. It was because he knew what tragedy lay ahead of it.’

'But isn’t suicide a sin in Christianity…’

Haruka was the one who asked that question.

That was exactly it. Taking your life was supposed to be taboo.

'What about that?’ asked Gotou.

Yakumo ran a hand through his messy hair.

'Kirino-san lost Kumi-san six years ago and lost what he was clinging to again. He had been like a living corpse. He probably thought about killing himself countless times, but he couldn’t allow that…’

'Then –

'Not then, but because. This plan was not a suicide to escape his suffering but a sacrifice to punish sin.’

So that was how he convinced himself –

But that was just fraud.

'There’s no point if he dies that way!’ yelled Gotou with all his force.

Rather then to Yakumo – it was more a yell to Kirino.

'Kirion-san had pancreatic cancer,’ said Yakumo.

'What?’

'It was in Hata-san’s autopsy report. He had been terminal, and his days had been numbered This plan was a way to use Kirino-san’s life.’

'What is that…’

Gotou just couldn’t accept it.

Humans lived frantically until the end. And yet –

'You keep saying things I don’t understand! I didn’t kill that woman!’

Takatoshi, whom Gotou was restraining, started yelling again.

This man didn’t show any regret after killing someone. Because of garbage like this, good people had suffered. There was no way Gotou could forgive something that absurd.

'Shut up!’

Gotou forced Takatoshi’s head to the floor.

Takatoshi’s nose started bleeding and held his face quietly.

Gotou then walked up to Ishii.

'Why… Why didn’t you tell me!? There must have been something you could have done before you made this decision!’

Gotou grabbed Ishii’s collar and pulled him out of the wheelchair, shaking him.

'How could he have said? Gotou-san, you never tried to listen – ’

Yakumo spoke in a cold tone.

Gotou knew that. It was because he knew that he was angry. Not at Kirino, but at himself –

Even while he said grand things, he hadn’t seen anything. He had never tried to see.

As a result, Kriino was dead.

'Urgh…’

Ishii let out a groan, sounding like he was in pain.

'Say something!’

’…’

'I haven’t apologized to you yet! And then you went and died!’

By saying it aloud, Gotou realised his feelings.

Gotou had always wanted to apologise to Kirino. About the Sumida case eight years ago. But that wasn’t all.

He must have noticed somewhere in his heart that Kirino was suffering –

Yet stupid obstinacy and jealousy had made him pretend not to notice. It was because he had felt regret about that that when he saw Yakumo in his shell in his middle school days that he hadn’t been able to leave him alone.

If he’d noticed, there could have been a different path, but –

'Once you’re dead, that’s the end of everything!’

In his anger, Gotou rammed himself into Ishii’s body.

Ishii lost his balance and fell over with the wheelchair.

'Ow!’

Ishii writhed on the floor while holding his head.

– Eh?

Something was a bit strange.

'Honestly, what on earth are you doing?7

Ignoring Gotou’s confusion, Yakumo helped Ishii get up again.

Ishii was still holding his head, but he stood on his own feet.

'What is this?’ asked Gotou, which made Ishii jolt in fear.

'I-I… said I’m not good at this sort of thing.’

Ishii backed away.

'What?’

'Right now, Kirino-san’s spirit isn’t possessing Ishii-san,’ replied Yakumo as if it were a matter of fact.

-

16

-

– I said it.

Ishii looked at Gotou in fear.

'Explain,’ said Gotou, looking like he might fly at Ishii at any moment.

With Gotou looking at Ishii like that, Ishii couldn’t explain. He looked at Yakumo for help.

Yakumo smiled wryly like he thought there was nothing to be done, and then he started to speak.

'It is exactly as he said. Kirino-san’s spirit left Ishii-san last night.’

Last night, Yakumo had talked to Kirino, who had been in Ishii.

They had talked about what happened eight years ago, about Kumi and the current case – Yakumo had told Kirino.

Furthermore, he had given the reason that Kirino was wandering this world.

As a result, Kirino’s spirit had left Ishii’s body. Ishii should have reported this to Gotou immediately, but Yakumo had stopped him.

I want you to pretend to still be possessed in order to end the case – that was what Yakumo had told him.

Of course, Ishii had refused at first, but with Yakumo’s skilful words, Ishii had ended up accepting this strange role.

'What?’

Gotou cocked his head like he didn’t understand.

'Kirino-san wished for his own death, but he was still wandering this world and had possessed Ishii-san. There were two reasons for that – ’

After saying that, Yakumo raised two fingers.

'Two – ’

Gotou thought about it in confusion.

With this question, Gotou’s anger settled.

'He left Ishii-san’s body, but he is here right now.’

After saying that, Yakumo turned his eyes to the podium.

Ishii looked the same way. Though he didn’t see anything, he felt like Kirino was standing there.

Maybe he just felt that way because Kirino had possessed him, but –

'Kirino – ’

Gotou walked up to the podium.

'He had something he wanted to convey. That was why he possessed Ishii-san.’

'Convey?’

'Yes. Ishii –san ’

Yakumo placed a hand on Ishii’s shoulder.

Gotou had be sure Yakumo would respond, but it looked like that wasn’t the case.

Gotou’s gaze was sharp.

Normally, Ishii would falter under that gaze, but he walked one step forward with determination.

'Kirino-san – he looked up to you, Detective Gotou.’

'Don’t be ridiculous,’ retorted Gotou with a harsh expression.

Ishii didn’t know Kirino when he was alive, but he could easily tell how Kirino felt when Kirino possessed him.

'He met Detective Gotou and realized his mistake. Investigating in his hatred would change nothing – couldn’t change anything – ’

'I…’

'Kirino-san always wanted to apologise to you, Detective Gotou.’

'Apologise?’

'Yes. Not just about the case eight years ago. He needed a witness for this case too. He was going to use Takatoshi-san’s mother, but he ended up meeting you again. He says sorry for involving you.’

'Idiot! If you’re going to apologise, it should be about something else!’

Gotou grabbed Ishii by the collar and yelled in a voice that echoed through the church. Normally, Ishii would fall limp, but he was able to accept it calmly.

'Kirino-san understands your feelings as well, Detective Gotou.’

'Then…’

There were tears in Gotuo’s eyes.

However, they didn’t fell. No matter how tough or how painful, Gotou never stopped.

That was Gotou’s strength.

'I think that’s why he wants to apologise,’ said Ishii, which made Gotou let go and turn towards the podium.

'No. I’m the one who should apologise. I just fought you without realizing – ’

Kirino had to know very well the regret Gotou carried now.

That was why he was wandering this world.

'I’m sorry – ’

Gotou bowed at the waist and lowered his head.

Though it was just for a moment, Ishii felt like he saw Kirino. It looked like he was smiling faintly.

The church was quiet –

How much time passed? Before Ishii noticed, tears were following from his eyes. Maybe they were Kirino’s tears.

'Is this the end?’ asked Haruka anxiously.

'Not yet,’ Yakumo replied immediately. Then, he looked at everyone in the church once more.

'I said this earlier as well, but there are two reasons Kirino-san is in this world.’

'What’s the other?’ asked Gotou.

'The truth of the case hasn’T been revealed yet.’

'Wasn’T that the truth earlier?’

Ishii understood why Gotou was confused.

However, the truth of the case wasn’t complete yet.

'The matter of the knife, correct?’ said Ishii, which made Yakumo nod with a smile.

If Kirino had killed himself, that wouldn’t explain why Takatoshi had held the knife after the crime.

'How did that work?’ pressed Gotou, who seemed to have noticed as well.

'It’s simple. He had an accomplice,’ Yakumo said easily.

'Ridiculous. There was no sign of anybody breaking into that room.’

'Nobody broke into that room,’ Yakumo replied calmly.

'Then…’

'The accomplice was in the room from the beginning.’

Yakumo pointed at the door behind the podium.

'What are you saying? Nobody was…’

'Did you check?’

Gotou was lost for words when Yakumo asked that.

Until coming into the church and kicking the door down upon hear Kirino’s scream, Gotou, of course, and Ishii as well, had not taken one step into that room.

In short, they hadn’t checked.

'What the hell…’ said Gotou, half in shock.

'Before you came to this church, the accomplice was hiding in that room. After Kirino-san cut his own neck with the knife, the accomplice made Takatoshi-san hold the knife and escaped through the window – it’s simple.’

It was simple, just as Yakumo said.

It was so simple that they had overlooked it. No, if they had thought calmly and checked inside the room, the case might not have even happened.

'Who on earth is the accomplice?’ said Haruka.

Haruka seemed to understand who it was without an answer from Yakumo.

After a pause, Yakumo slowly walked up to one of the men there.

'You were Kirino-san’s accomplice. Am I correct, Utsugi Kento-san – ’

-

17

-

– So it really was him.

Haruka wasn’t that surprised even after hearing Yakumo’s words. From what she’d heard up until now, it had had to be Kento.

When she turned to look towards him, she saw him smiling faintly.

'What are you saying? I don’t know anything. I just found out that my sister died yesterday.’

Kento spoke in a clear voice.

However, that just made Haruka even more suspicious.

'I see. You are still resisting…’

'Resisting? I don’t know what I don’t know.’

Kento’s face became slightly redder.

Even if he acted calm, his emotions were probably building up.

'No, you must have known.’

'What…’

'You talked about the legend of Kagami Spring when you came to me, didn’t you?’

Haruka had heard it too.

The spring’s surface reflected your true self, and the people who saw that would die within one week – so the legend went.

'What about it?’

'Where did you hear that from?’

Yakumo7s eyes narrowed.

'I don’t remember.’

Kento still had the composure to smile.

'I investigated a number of things, but though there were witnesses for Kumi-san’s ghost and testimonies about singing at Kagami Spring, there was no legend about the spring of truth.’

'What do you want to say?’

'Even thought here wasn’t a legend like that in the first place, Sachiko-san talked to Takatoshi-san about it. What do you think that means?’

'I told her – is that what you want to say?’

'Correct.’

Yakumo put up his index finger.

It was like he was enjoying this situation.

'Even if that were true, what about it?’

Kento shrugged.

It was just as he said. Talking about a legend that didn’t exist wasn’t proof of anything.

'Why was it necessary for Takatoshi-san to hear that legend? It was to plant the seed of fear in his heart.’

'That’s ridiculous.’

'It is. It really is a ridiculous thought. After that, you acted out spiritual phenomena for Takatoshi-san.’

When Yakumo said that, Takatoshi lifted his head from where it was on the ground.

He looked confused and angry. He moved his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but then he bit his lower lip, like he didn’t know what to say.

'But can you produce just a voice?’

That was the puzzle.

Takatoshi had said that he had heard a woman’s voice countless times with nobody else around. Haruka didn’t know how somebody would create that phenomenon.

'You can. Gotou-san.’

Yakumo turned his eyes to Gotou.

'Yeah. Seems there’s something called an ultrasonic directive speaker. You can use that to send sounds straight like light. That means it’s possible to make just one person hear a sound.’

'Apparently,’ added Yakumo lightheartedly after Gotou had explained.

'So you’re saying I did that?’

Kento glared at Yakumo.

'Yes. You created spiritual phenomena for Takatoshi-san and Kirino-san approached him as a pastor – that was the plan,’ Yakumo said disinterestedly.

'This is nonsense…’

'Furthermore, the reason you didn’t immediately act out your plan after the spiritual phenomena was to hypnotise Takatoshi-san, am I correct? By doing that, you were able to make Takatoshi-san fall asleep immediately after entering the room.’

Yakumo was filling in Kento’s moat.

He had nowhere to run. Haruka thought that Kento would give in, but unexpectedly, he laughed aloud.

'This is all just your theory, isn’t it?’

'Yes, it is. But with this much in the light, the police will probably reinvestigate. If that happens, they might find evidence.’

'Evidence?’

'Yes. For example, though this has been left out of the investigation until now, your alibi, a DNA analysis – humans cannot live without leaving some traces behind.’

Yakumo put a finger on his brow.

That instant, Kento grew visibly paler. He probably understood the meaning of Yakumo’s words.

This plan had needed to be simple. If a real investigation started, it would likely fall apart at the steams.

'What are you saying!? Takatoshi killed the pastor!’ yelled Kento.

Takatoshi immediately responded.

'You bastard! What the hell did you do this for!?’

Gotou frantically held Takatoshi back from leaping at Kento. Orita stepped back in fear.

'Why? Remember what you did!’ screamed Kento, his eyes bloodshot.

Under that crushing pressure, Takatoshi was lost for words.

'Do you know how much we suffered after we lost Dad?’

Haruka recalled what Namioka the middle school teacher and Sone from thecare facility talked about.

His father, a suspect in a theft, died in a traffic accident. Those tough circumstances made Kento alone and made him suffer. Just lik eYakumo –

Haruka glanced at Yakumo.

With his blank expression, Haruka couldn’t tell what he was thinking. But he was definitely –

'For me, my sister was my ray of hope. I could live because my sister was there. She was always kind to me… You took my sister away from me.’

'I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ denied Takatoshi in a shaking voice.

'I’ve been watching you ever since my sister was killed. You don’t realize the weight of your crime – you’re living happily, smiling flippantly…’

Tears fell from Kento’s eyes.

His deep sadness was conveyed to Haruka directly. Haruka looked away, unable to watch.

Kento and Takatoshi hadn’t been friendly in middle school, but because Kumi died, Kento had approached Takatoshi, whom he should have hated the most.

That had probably been so that he could look for a chance for revenge, but at the same time, he had probably done that to see how Takatoshi was living.

Hoping that he felt guilty –

However, that hope didn’t reach him. That probably was the final blow that caused Kento and Kirino to decide on revenge.

'I really don’t know! I didn’t kill your sister!’

'Stop playing dumb! I saw you! You were running through the forest with the stick. Then, when I went to the spring, my sister…’

Kento covered his face with his hands and let out a howl.

If Kento had seen that much, there was no way Takatoshi could come up with an excuse.

Kento’s cries echoed through the church.

All anyone could do was stand there, dumbfounded.

Finally, Kento’s sad cries stopped.

'I guess I will choose that choice…’ murmured Yakumo in an almost inaudible voice.

'Eh?’

'Gotou-san! Please restrain him!’ said Yakumo in a tense voice, pointing at Kento.

Gotou moved on instinct, but Kento was a moment faster. He pulled out the knife he had been hiding and went up to Takatoshi. He raised his arm and then pressed the knife against Takatoshi’s neck.

All Gotou could do was stop in his tracks.

'You really are a fool,’ Yakumo said coldly.

'Shut up! I was against this roundabout plan from the beginning! He was never going to make up for his actions anyway!’

Kento’s eyes were like a different person’s. Possessed by revenge, he might have lost his mind.

'So you thought that you would kill him quickly.’

'Something wrong with that!?’

'You don’t understand anything.’

'What?’

'Kumi-san is still singing. Why do you think that is the case?’

’…’

'The answer will reveal itself if we go to Kagami Spring.’

'What…’

Kento’s gaze wavered. He smiled slightly shaken.

Gotou took that chance to fly at Kento, but Kento responded instinctively and waved the knife.

Gotou tackled him anyway.

Takatoshi was thrust away and Kento and Gotou fell to the floor in a scuffle.

Kento got up first. There was blood on the tip of his knife.

'Gotou-san!’

'Detective Gotou!’

Haruka and Ishii shouted at the same time.

Haruka ran up and saw blood coming out of Gotou’s arm, but Gotou wouldn’t faint from something like that.

He glared at Kento with sharp eyes.

'You bastard!’ yelled Gotou. At the same time, Kento turned on his heels and ran. He opened the church doors and ran out.

'Wait!’

Gotou was going to chase Kento, but Yakumo stopped him.

'It’s fine. I know where he’s going – ’

-

18

-

Kento ran through the forest –

His head was filled with regret. If this was going to happen, he should have just killed Takatoshi at the beginning.

In fact, that was what Kento had suggested.

However, Kirino hadn’t allowed that. He had insisted that they definitely could not murder, no matter the reason.

Saying something so high and mighty when he had killed Kento’s father, even though it was a mistake. That was why Kento had fought at first.

However, at the end, Kento was tricked into it, since Kirino said, 'Kumi wouldn’t want that either.’

Come to think of it, Kento didn’t like how that man called Kumi just by her given name. Kento didn’t understand why Kumi had forgiven him either.

The reason was that Kento still hadn’t forgiven Kirino.

That was why, when Kirino first suggested this plan, Kento had thought it would be two birds with one stone. His dad and his sister. He would get revenge for two people at once.

But acting on this plane needed time to watch, and he had had to pretend to be friends with Takatoshi, whom he hated from the bottom of his heart.

His days had been like torture.

Takatoshi didn’t show any sign of regretting his actions. He played around with women, went drinking, laughed shamelessly. He had a depraved and ephemeral student life.

That character made Kento’s heart well with hatred.

He didn’t know how many times he thought about killing him. If he had killed him right away, this wouldn’t have happened.

The plan to make Takatoshi look like a murder had ended in failure.

Where had he gone wrong? It was him – maybe it had been a mistake to meet Saitou Yakumo.

The plan had gone fine up to the point where he went to Kagami Spring with Takatoshi and Sachiko to view the night sky. He had told Sachiko about the spring’s legend in advance.

It had been his goal to make Takatoshi afraid.

The woman’s ghost at Kagami Spring was unexpected. Kento had known it was Kumi from first glance.

And that ghost possessed Sachiko.

If that were really Kumi’s spirit, Kento wanted to talk to her once more.

In order to confirm it, he went to Yakumo. Just as Yakumo said, he hadn’t been thinking about exorcising the spirit from Sachiko at all.

If Kumi was possessing Sachiko, Kento had thought she should just stay like that for the rest of her life.

I made this fall apart at the seams myself – while thinking about that, Kento reached Kagami Spring.

Under the setting sun, the water was dyed red.

'I’ve been waiting.’

Somebody suddenly spoke.

It was a voice he recognized. When Kento looked up, he saw a young man appear from the forest, just as he had done.

It was Saitou Yakumo –

'Why are you…’

Yakumo laughed quietly at Kento’s surprise.

'You wanted to know why Kumi-san was still singing, right?’

Kento was shocked by Yakumo’s words.

Kento had thought that he had come to Kagami Spring of his own will, but that wasn’t the case.

During the exchange at the church, Yakumo had led Kento here on purpose.

But Kento wouldn’t give up because of something like that. He had to run, no matter how unsightly it was.

His revenge wasn’t over yet.

Kento pointed the tip of the knife at Yakumo. Still, Yakumo’s expression didn’t change a wit.

He probably thought Kento wasn’t serious, but Kento wouldn’t show any mercy to anyone who got in his way.

With his knife at the ready, Kento rushed at Yakumo.

'No!’

He heard a scream from somewhere.

-

19

-

Haruka ran through the forest frantically –

'Just a bit further,’ said Ishii, who was running beside her.

She saw Yakumo and Kento just up ahead. Kento was holding a knife. Yakumo was calm even in that situation.

Kento rushed at Yakumo with the knife up, like he had come to a decision.

'No!’

All Haruka could do was scream.

Just before Kento’s knife reached Yakumo, a dark shadow leapt out from the side.

It was Gotou. He tackled Kento and forced him down. However, Kento got up immediately and held up his knife.

Gotou stood up, lowered his centre of gravity and waited for a good time, but he couldn’t approach as he wanted.

Haruka finally reached Yakumo.

'You really are a fool,’ said Yakumo in disappointment as he slowly walked up to Kento.

'Oi! Yakumo!’

Gotou tried to pull Yakumo back, but Yakumo shook him off. Haruka approached Yakumo to do the same thing, but she was pushed away.

It was the first time she had seen Yakumo show his anger so clearly.

'Do you still not understand? You are at fault for this entire situation.’

Yakumo walked forward, unarmed.

There was a strange tension. Nobody could act alone.

'I…’

'Kirino-san’s spirit is here.’

Yakumo’s gaze turned towards empty space.

Kento glanced the same way.

'Even though Kirino-san’s plan went successfully and he has achieved his goal, he still wandered this world and possessed him. Why do you think he did so?’

Yakumo pointed at Ishii.

'W-what are you talking about?’

'Kirino-san realised on the verge of death – ’

'Realised?’

'Yes. That his plan was meaningless – ’

'I said, what are you talking about?’

'It appears he has arrived as well.’

Yakumo looked towards the forest.’

Orita showed up, panting.

'Orita-san, it is your turn.’

After hearing Yakumo’s words, Orita walked up to Kento.

However, he just looked around with frightened eyes without saying anything.

Yakumo walked past Kento casually, even though Kento was pointing a knife at him, and went up to Orita.

'Orita-san. Please save him. You are the only one who can. You were friends, were you not – ’

Yakumo murmured those words in Orita’s ear.

That caused Orita’s eyes to change colour. The fear disappeared, replaced with determination.

'Utsugi-kun…’

Orita spoke in a hoarse voice.

Kento turned his gaze to Orita, seeming confused.

'The one who killed your sister wasn’t Tozuka…’

'What?’

'I saw… That day, Tozuka called me out to take money from me as usual… I said no and ran away, but he hit me with a stick he picked up… Then, I fained…’

'What are you saying? Then who killed…’

Orita didn’t respond to Kento’s question. He just looked at his face.

– It can’t be.

A thought came up within Haruka’s head. It seemed like Ishii had thought the same thing, as his eyes flew wide open in shock.

'Who? Who killed her?’

Gotou turned towards Yakumo in irritation.

After letting out a quiet sigh, Yakumo turned to face Kento once more.

'Kento-san. It was you.’

Yakumo’s words made everyone fall silent.

'W-what… are you saying…’

'If you think it’s a lie, just look into the waters of Kagami Spring. The truth should be reflected there.’

Yakumo pointed at the water’s surface.

Kento didn’t move. He probably didn’t have the courage to do so.

'Like hell it reflects the truth!’ screamed Kento.

'Yes, exactly. You only saw the truth you wanted.’

'This is nonsense…’

'Kirino-san realised on the verge of death. That caused Kirino-san to remain here, his other unfinished business – ’

'Stop joking! Me, kill my sister!? Why would I do that!? That’s a lie! It’s obviously a lie!’ screamed Kento, waving his knife around dangerously.

His emotions, thoughts and memories were confused – probably even he couldn’t control them.

'It’s not a lie!’ screamed Orita.

That made Kento freeze.

'I saw. You and your sister were arguing. You were saying awful things to her – asking why she was dating a guy like that.’

'Ah!’

Kento clutched at his head and fell to his knees, like he had remembered something.

His forehead was sweating furiously.

Haruka could imagine that Kento probably couldn’t accept that his sister Kumi was in a relationship with Kirino, who had been the cause of their father’s accidental death.

'You tried to leave, but your sister tried to stop you. You…’

'Stop it already!’ screamed Kento over Orita’s words. He cowered on the ground.

His body was shaking.

Haruka could easily imagine what came next without hearing it. Kento pushed Kumi away, and she hit her head on a rock or something. Then –

Yakumo slowly walked up to Kento.

'It appears you have remembered.’

'Shut up…’ moaned Kento in response.

'Unable to accept the crime you had committed, you wrote over your memories. Then, you laid all the blame on Takatoshi-san.’

Yakumo’s words had an empty hollow to them.

What a sad ending. An emotion that was hard to explain spread throughout Haruka’s heart. Unable to stand, she sat down right there.

'What you should be doing is not revenge – ’

'Shut up!’

Kento jumped onto his feet and started waving the knife around again.

Gotou tried to run up to him, but with the knife there, he couldn’t approach.

Kento’s eyes were completely wild – he might start slicing at them at any moment. Still, Yakumo was not shaken.

'Kumi-san still continues to wander this word six years after her death.’

'She… musth ate me…’ Keno said sadly, pressing the tip of the knife against his own neck.

'You can ask her that yourself.’

Yakumo pointed at the back of the woods.

A woman came out, pushing a wheelchair. It was Makoto. Sachiko was sitting in the wheelchair.

Everyone there held their breath, waiting for their arrival.

'She is possessed by your sister, Kumi-san,’ said Yakumo once Makoto and Sachiko reached them.

Kento looked with dazed eyes at Sachiko. In response, Sachiko slowly lifted her head.

'Sister… Sorry… I…’

Kento reached out pleadingly.

Sachiko in the wheelchair seemed to smile faintly.

Yakumo stopped Gotou, who was about to use this time to leap forward.

'It was always a puzzle…’ stated Yakumo as he walked up to Kento.

The ghastly look had left Kento’s face. He was expressionless, like an empty shell.

'Normally, spirits that wander the living world have something tying them down. It is usually an incredibly negative emotion. However, she did not show any of that,’ Yakumo said quietly.

Kento looked confused.

'What does my sister…’

'She just keeps singing.’

'Singing…’

Sachiko’s mouth moved faintly.

The voice that slipped ut was very faint, but it was clearly a song.

'She is singing hymn number 320.’

'Eh?’

It had been difficult to hear the notes and the lyrics had been English, which had made it take some time to determine the song, but just as Yakumo said, Kumi was singing hymn number 320 – the song named 'Nearer, My God, to Thee’.

It was famous as the song that the band had been playing when the Titanic sank and was also used in the film.

'If we translate the original lyrics, it goes as follows: Nearer, my God, to Thee. No matter the terrible hardships that await me, I offer this song to Thee – ’

’…’

'It is a song of prayer.’

'Prayer…’

'Yes. She is merely singing a prayer for the people she loves, you included.’

Kumi’s song was not filled with sadness or hatred. It was filled with an incredibly kind and compassionate love.

For her, it wasn’t a problem who killed her.

It wasn’t whether to forgive or not – she never hated anyone in the first place. That was the sort of woman she was.

Why did Kento take the wrong path, even though he had heard such a kind song?

That question came to Haruka, but when she thought about it, she had been the same.

After her older twin sister, Ayaka, died, she had always thought that Ayaka hated her. However, that wasn’t true. She had just been watching over her.

Unfortunately, people never noticed the things that were the most important.

'Sis…’

It just slipped out of her mouth.

As if that were the switch, Kento dropped his knife and fell to his knees right there.

While Kento sobbed, Yakumo shut his eyes and turned his head up.

Haruka shut her eyes as well.

She felt like she heard a bright and beautiful hymn from nowhere in particular.





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