Shinrei Tantei Yakumo – SECRET FILES: Kizuna - Volume 1 - Chapter 2

SECRET FILES – KIZUNA 
each wish: chapter 2

–

1

-

After hearing this much, Haruka let out a deep sigh.

She had visited Isshin to hear about somebody Yakumo couldn’t forget, thinking it would be a short story about his first love or something.

However, now that even Gotou had shown up, the story had taken a turn she hadn’t expected.

More than anything, she was surprised about the difference in Yakumo’s personality now.

Though Yakumo was curt, he wouldn’t go so far as to reject other people.

As well, though he didn’t think fondly of his red left eye and his physical ability to see the spirits of the dead, she felt like he recognised that it was something he could not change.

However, the Yakumo of the past was different –

‘You’re surprised,’ said Isshin, looking at Haruka after talking so far.

'Just a bit,’ replied Haruka while looking down.

If I met Yakumo in the past, what would I have thought?

That question suddenly came to her. The answer – she didn’t want to think about it.

'It’d be a problem if you’re troubled here. The incident’s just started.’

Gotou laughed, his eyes glittering.

'This isn’t a funny story,’ Isshin said reprovingly.

'My bad. That’s right.’

Gotou accepted his fault honestly, which was unusual.

Haruka felt like the atmosphere had become suddenly heavier.

'Let’s take a short break. The tea’s cold too.’

Isshin said that, clearing the stagnant air, and placed the teacups on the tray, leaving the living room.

'Yakumo really had scary eyes back then,’ Gotou said suddenly.

He was playing with his cigarette case as he narrowed his eyes, as if looking into the distance.

'Scary eyes?’

'Yeah. It was like he hated everything in the word.’

'I feel like I can imagine it, and I feel like I can’t…’

Yakumo’s head came up in Haruka’s mind.

With his always sleepy eyes, he was running a hand through his messy hair.

He was curt and unfriendly, and everything he said and did was laced with sarcasm. Though he didn’t show it on the surface, he had both a strong will and kindness to him.

When Haruka was in danger, he would always come to save her, risking himself without any hesitation.

That was the Yakumo Haruka knew.

However, it was true that Yakumo’s eyes were sometimes incredibly frightening.

However, Haruka felt like the emotion in those eyes was anger towards evil.

It wasn’t hatred towards others.

'He changed because of that incident, but it’s not like he became somebody completely different. Just an extension of the same person.’

Haruka understood what Gotou was saying, but she still felt like there was something fundamentally different.

'Sorry for the wait.’

Isshin came back with tea.

'You’re late. Did you go to pick the tea leaves?’ Gotou complained irrationally.

'What a short-tempered man,’ said Isshin, sounding exasperated as he put the teacups in front of each of htem.

'Now, where did I talk up to?’

Isshin rubbed his hands together.

'Just as Yakumo-kun was setting out to investigate the incident.’

'Ah, that’s right,’ replied Isshin, hitting his thigh. 'The next day…’

'You’re getting the order wrong!’ interrupted Gotou.

'Am I?’

'You are. My bit comes first. Otherwise it won’t connect.’

Gotou crossed his arms indignantly.

'Do what you want.’

At Isshin’s words, Gotou nodded in satisfaction before beginning.

'After nearly being burnt up, I…’

-

2

-

– Everything burned.

Gotou put his jacket with the burnt sleeve over his shoulders as he looked at the burnt remains in a daze.

Though the firefighters came right afterwards, the fire was so strong that all they could do was stop the fire from spreading to the surrounding buildings.

All that was left was a wall and a few poles – everything else had collapsed.

It was like there had been an air raid or something.

Under the lights that had been brought onto the hospital premises, people from forensics in blue uniforms were crawling about like wild dogs searching for food.

Gotou admired their persistence, but in this situation, they probably couldn’t hope for any useful evidence.

'What a mess,’ grumbled Miyagawa, holding a can of coffee out towards Gotou.

'It really was. I was almost burnt myself.’

Gotou opened the can of coffee and drank it all at once.

The caffeine went straight to his stomach.

Shimomura wasn’t found from the burnt remains. He probably used the confusion to get away.

Gotou felt frustration rise up from his stomach. Shimomura had been right there. It was pathetic of him to let him get away.

'It isn’t your fault he got away.’

Miyagawa hit Gotou’s shoulders, like he’d sensed how he felt. 

With Gotou’s personality, he’d rather get hit with a fist at times like this. Being comforted just made him feel more pathetic.

'I definitely won’t let him get away the next time I see him.’

Gotou lit a cigarette.

He felt like the smoke was more painful than usual.

'Don’t get so worked up. You’ll start burning again.’

Miyagawa told a terrible joke while smirking. His humour sense was already that of an old man’s.

'Gotou. Got some time?’

The one who interrupted was Matsumura, an examiner from forensics who was in the same class as Gotou.

The man’s face and even body were like that of a horse – there was something unrefined about him.

'What?’

'There’s something I want you to look at.’

Matsumura was mumbling like there was something in his mouth.

'Got a hold of something that proves the wife’s cheating or something?’

'That’s not it. Just come.’

Matsumura lightly let Gotou’s joke slide and walked away briskly.

– What an irritating guy.

Gotou grumbled that inwardly and followed Matsumura with Miyagawa.

They went through the passage soaked with hose water to the back of the hospital.

The persimmon tree in the backyard was lit up.

There were two examiners there with shovels around the tree.

At their feet, there was a mountain of dirt. Beside it was a hole about a metre in diameter.

'Found treasure or something?’

Gotou called out to Matsumura’s back.

Matsumura stopped at the hole and glared at Gotou after sighing.

'Decide for yourself if it’s treasure.’

Gotou was irritated by Matsumura’s unfriendly words. He pushed aside one of the examiners and looked into the hole.

It was about as deep as a person.

He saw something like white balls at the bottom of the hole.

No, that wasn’t it. They weren’t balls. They were –

'Skulls?’ said Miyagawa before Gotou could.

'Yes, that’s right. They’re all from new-borns. There are roughly four or five,’ replied Matsumura, wiping the sweat off his forehead.

Though Gotou hadn’t known about it, he felt mortified for joking about treasure so frivolously.

Burying the corpses of new-born babies in a place like this – it made him doubt the nerves of the person who did it.

'Was this hole here before?’ said Miyagawa, kneeling on one knee and peering inside.

'No, we noticed that the colour of the dirt was different here and tried digging it up… Honestly, it’s awful.’

Matsumura gritted his back teeth together. Gotou felt the same way.

Miyagawa stood up and wiped the dirt off his knee. He looked up at the night sky.

'The forecast doesn’t look good.’

Gotou looked up as well.

He couldn’t see stars. The forecast never looked good in the city sky –

-

3

-

The next morning, Akemi was an hour late when she arrived at the temple.

It had taken longer than expected to find somebody to watch over her daughter. She ran around looking, but in the end, she hadn’t been able to find anybody and had brought her along.

Her daughter was currently sleeping in the baby sling on her chest.

However, she would always start crying madly when she saw somebody she didn’t know. Her daughter, Nao, had an abnormal fear of strangers.

Isshin and Yakumo would be troubled about how to treat Nao too, now that she’d brought her along so suddenly.

Akemi had thought about cancelling, but she had already contacted Sachiko’s family, and she also didn’t want to crush Yakumo’s thoughts just as he’d started to move.

There wasn’t any point thinking about it any more. She would talk with Isshin about what to do.

With renewed determination, Akemi went through the temple premises and pressed the intercom button by the priests’ quarters.

After a while, the sliding door opened, and Isshin, in his work robes, greeted her with his usual smile.

'Welcome.’

'Ah, sorry, I couldn’t find anybody to look after my daughter…’

Akemi said that first off.

'So this is your daughter, Akemi-chan?’

She had thought that Isshin would be a bit surprised, but he just smiled like usual at Nao and patted her head.

In response, Nao opened her eyes.

Isshin’s and Nao’s eyes met.

Akemi thought that Nao would start crying, but her response was unexpected.

Nao reached a hand out towards Isshin and kicked her feet, laughing happily.

This was the first time she hadn’t cried in front of somebody she’d just met.

'What’s her name?’ said Isshin, taking Nao’s hand.

'Ah, her name’s Nao.’

Akemi was taken aback, but she gave her daughter’s name.

'It’s nice to meet you, Nao-chan.’

Isshin looked at Nao’s face.

Nao seemed even happier.

'Would you let me hold her?’

Isshin took Nao before Akemi responded, picking her up skilfully and rocking her in his arms.

Nao’s face would always stiffen just from approaching others, but Isshin, who’d she just met, was holding her. Isshin was also looked so loving that it could make someone suspect that he was her actual father.

– If only this person were Nao’s father.

That wish which wouldn’t be granted suddenly came to Akemi.

'What is it?’

While she was lost in her own thoughts, Isshin looked at her, which made her feel so embarrassed even her ears went red.

'Ah, Nao’s actually really shy. It’s the first time she hasn’t cried when meeting someone new…’

Isshin nodded upon hearing Akemi’s explanation.

'That’s because you’re wary of other people, Akemi-chan.’

Akemi was startled, like she had been suddenly pushed on the back.

'I’m wary?’

'You are.’

Isshin said that with narrowed eyes as he poked Nao’s cheek.

Nao’s face scrunched up like it had tickled. When Akemi saw that, she understood what Isshin meant.

If the parent were wary, the child would feel that wariness too. That was probably it.

That made a lot of sense. Akemi hadn’t been able to open her heart up to anyone since that event.

She was afraid that they would pry into the incident, so she was wary and looked away from everyone else.

Nao wasn’t crying because Akemi wasn’t wary of Isshin –

'It’s cold out. Well, please come in.’

After Isshin urged her to do so, he went inside with Nao in his arms.

Akemi followed him.

When she entered the living room, Yakumo was already waiting there.

He wore jeans and a white shirt. He was sitting with his legs out and looking up at the ceiling in boredom.

When he noticed Akemi there, he let out a purposefully large yawn.

'Yakumo, this is Nao-chan.’

Isshin sat in front of Yakumo, still holding Nao.

Yakumo didn’t look that surprised either and just looked at Nao.

Nao reached out and grabbed Yakumo’s hair.

Akemi thought that Yakumo would be angry, but he didn’t look displeased and just let her continue.

'Is this your kid, Sensei?’ asked Yakumo in a drawl.

It was the first time Akemi had ever been asked a question by Yakumo.

'Yes, she is.’

'Hm,’ said Yakumo, sounding uninterested as he stared at Nao’s face and poked her cheek.

Nao waved her arms and legs happily.

It felt rather strange. It made sense with Isshin, but Nao wasn’t wary of Yakumo either.

Even though they were complete strangers, it was even possible to think of the people in this living room as family.

For just a moment, Yakumo’s expression seemed to soften.

A gentle and warm expression he had never shown anyone at school –

– Yakumo really is shutting away his emotions.

Akemi felt that anew.

'This kid…’

Yakumo’s brow suddenly furrowed as he clapped his hands near Nao’s ear.

Nao didn’t respond and just laughed.

'Is there something wrong with her ears?’

Akemi nodded in response.

Nao couldn’t hear. It was discovered when she was a child.

When Akemi thought about Nao’s future, it sometimes made it hard for her to breathe. Nao had been given a difficult life from birth.

It was nobody’s fault. Everyone said that, but Akemi couldn’t help but blame herself.

– It must be my fault that Nao is like this.

Akemi tried to put away the chain of bad thoughts in her head and put a smile on her face.

However, Akemi was the only one forcing a smile.

Now that Yakumo knew the facts, he seemed satisfied, and he was playing with Nao.

Isshin was doing the same.

– She can’t hear. So what?

It was like Isshin and Yakumo were saying that. Worrying about her daughter’s handicap might already have been discrimination.

Akemi felt like she had been taught something very important.

'We can’t keep playing. We have to go soon,’ said Isshin, looking at the clock.

'Let’s put an end to this,’ agreed Yakumo, standing up.

They had almost forgotten their goal.

They had gathered to go with Yakumo to Sachiko’s house. However, there was a reason Akemi couldn’t agree immediately.

– What should I do about Nao?

She couldn’t bring her to Sachiko’s.

'I’ll watch over Nao-chan until you come back,’ offered Isshin, who seemed to have sensed what Akemi was thinking.

'Eh, but…’

Since Nao was so friendly with him, it wasn’t something she didn’t want to ask, but he would have to do more than just rock her.

There were many things to do – change her diapers, feed her milk.

'It’s fine. The families of the temple have left their children with me before. And I’ve changed Yakumo’s diapers too,’ said Isshin, reading Akemi’s thoughts.

It was true that it wouldn’t be a problem leaving Nao with Isshin if he had experience, but Akemi still felt bad about it.

'He wants to, so just let him,’ said Yakumo, running a hand through his hair to push Akemi to a decision.

His words weren’t pointed like they usually were.

'It’s just as Yakumo says. Please hurry up and go,’ urged Isshin.

Yakumo ignored Akemi, who was still undecided, and left the room briskly.

'I’m truly sorry. I’ll leave her in your care.’

Akemi gave the bag with diapers and milk to Isshin and gave a simple explanation before following Yakumo out the room.

-

4

-

The day after the fire, Gotou and Miyagawa were walking in the basement corridor of a hospital.

There was clearly insufficient lighting. It wasn’t just dim – the ventilation was bad as well, so the corridor was filled with humid air.

When compared with the clean glass entrance, it was like it wasn’t even the same building.

In the end, they found a total of seven corpses in the yard –

All of them were new-born children.

It would probably be hard work to find the mothers of those children who looked like they could even have been put in the birth registry.

Now that the evidence had been burnt in the fire, they would have to catch the missing Shimomura and ask him. That was the most certain method.

Normally, Gotou would want to join the search for the suspect Shimomura, but because of Miyagawa’s arrangement, he was going to the coroner’s to hear about the autopsy.

They went straight down the corridor. Miyagawa stopped at the door in the very back.

Miyagawa had had a long face ever since it was decided that they’d go meet the coroner.

Gotou was suddenly curious about what sort of person could make Miyagawa this gloomy.

'Miyagawa-san, what sort of person is the coroner?’

'He’s called Hata – an old man who’s so old he looks like he could die at any moment. Well, to put it in one word, he’s a pervert.’

'Pervert?’

– Did the old man wear a nurse uniform or something?

Imagining it was enough to make Gotou want to laugh.

'Anyway, no matter what the old man says, just ignore it. You won’t be able to keep up otherwise.’

After hearing Miyagawa’s warning, it was even harder for Gotou to imagine what sort of person the coroner was.

Gotou wanted to ask another question, but before he could, Miyagawa knocked on the door.

'It’s Chief Miyagawa.’

'It’s open.’

Gotou heard a hoarse voice from the other side of the door.

Miyagawa opened the door and went inside. Gotou followed him.

It was a small rectangular room of about six tatami in size. Probably because of the lack of windows, it was so dim that it looked like something might pop out if this were a horror movie.

There was a desk at the very back of the room, surrounded by cabinets.

In front of the desk that was covered in documents, there was an old man lazily sipping tea in a white gown.

With white hair, the old man was just skin and bones and looked like he could die at any moment.

'You again?’

Hata scratched his forehead like he was annoyed.

'Like I’d come here because I wanted to.’

Hata giggled at Miyagawa’s words, his shoulders shaking as if he was having convulsions.

He was somewhat creepy.

'Who’s the blockhead behind you?’ said Hata, pointing at Gotou with his chin.

Calling somebody he’d just met a blockhead was quite something.

'He’s Gotou, my subordinate. He’ll probably be around every once in a while.’

'My name is Gotou. It’s nice to meet you.’

Gotou bowed at Hata after Miyagawa introduced him.

However, Hata just rolled his head around like he was bored.

– This old man. I’m bowing my head to him. Maybe I’ll pull his head off.

Gotou swallowed his rising anger.

'Well, just sit over there.’

Though Hata said that, there were no chairs in the room.

– Is he making fun of us?

In contrast to Gotou’s confusion, Miyagawa’s expression didn’t change at all as he went to a nearby cabinet.

From that attitude, Hata was probably always like this.

– No matter what the old man says, just ignore it.

Gotou felt like he slightly understood what Miyagawa had meant.

Unable to do anything else, Gotou crossed his arms and leant against the wall by the door.

'I came because of the corpses from the maternity clinic.’

Miyagawa brought up the topic at hand.

At that moment, Hata’s wrinkled face lit up, like he was a child who had found his toy.

'Ah, that was a big catch.’

Hatch laughed happily.

– Big catch? Oi, oi. Those weren’t words to use about children’s corpses.

Gotou’s dislike for Hata grew.

'So what did you find out?’

Miyagawa looked at Gotou, as if to tell him to keep quiet, and continued talking.

'It was just yesterday. I don’t know anything yet.’

'Don’t say that. With your skill, old man, you must know something from experience.’

It was rare for Miyagawa to butter someone up.

Perhaps Hata was pleased, as his expression slackened slowly as he opened his mouth.

'Well, they were skeletons. I don’t know anything for certain, but from what I’ve seen, there weren’t any obvious injuries. If they were killed, drugs or something were probably used.’

'Is it possible that they were strangled?’

Gotou said the question that came up in his head.

Then, Hata looked at Gotou scornfully.

'If an adult strangled the neck of a new-born child, their bones would break.’

Hata mimicked strangling a neck.

It was true. Gotou realised how foolish his question was, but at the same time, he was irritated.

He could’ve put that another way –

'How about the time of death?’

Miyagawa continued regardless.

'At this stage, I don’t have detailed results, but from what I see, it’s all over the place. There are things from a month or so ago, and there are some that might be from more than ten years ago.’

If what Hata said was correct, then that place had been abandoning children’s corpses there for over ten years.

– Treating people’s lives like things.

Gotou felt hatred and anger in the bottom of his stomach that almost made him shake.

'Found out anything else?’ asked Miyagawa.

Hata shook his head.

It looked like it’d take some more time before they found anything else.

'Ah, that’s right. There was one odd thing.’

Hata scratched his back as he called out to Gotou and Miyagawa, who were about to leave.

'An odd thing?’

Gotou’s brow furrowed.

'The number doesn’t match.’

'The number doesn’t match?’

Gotou didn’t understand just from that.

Perhaps he’d sensed what Gotou was thinking, as Hata spread out the documents in front of him on the desk.

There were several photos of the discovered children’s corpses.

Even though Gotou should have been used to this, the spectacle was more awful than he’d imagined, making Gotou want to look away.

Hata took a photo out and tapped it with his finger.

In the photo, there was something like a small white rod.

It was probably an arm or a leg.

'There’s one arm too many.’

So they hadn’t found the other bones?

No, that probably wasn’t it.

They had dug up everything around there. There probably wasn’t anything left. It would have made sense if they were missing one, but having too many –

'That is odd. Probably wouldn’t have just cut off the arm and buried it there,’ murmured Miyagawa, rubbing his chin with his palm.

Hata finished drinking his tea and let out a long breath.

'But if they were going to kill them anyway, I wish they’d done it after they’d grown up a bit. Autopsying this isn’t any fun at all.’

'Oi! Old man! What did you just say!?’

Gotou spoke before thinking.

Even after hearing Gotou’s angry yell, Hata was nonchalant.

'Exactly what I said. I like fresh adult corpses.’

Now, Gotou understood what Miyagawa had said at first.

– This pervert! Of all the things to say!

Gotou lifted his hand to grab Hata, but Miyagawa pinned him down.

'Please don’t stop me! I’ll feel bad unless I punch this old man!’

'Cool your head!’ yelled Miyagawa, pushing Gotou against the wall.

Gotou hit his chest and started coughing violently.

'I said this earlier. Don’t listen to what the old man has to say!’

'But…’

'Shut up!’

Miyagawa’s fist came down on Gotou’s head. The pain made his anger lessen slightly.

Even with all the clamour in front of him, Hata looked calm. That wasn’t all – he was giggling demonically.

– I really can’t forgive him.

Gotou struggled, but then Miyagawa’s hammer of a fist came down on Gotou’s head again.

-

5

-

Akemi stood in front of Sachiko’s house with Yakumo.

Yakumo had not said anything as they came here.

Akemi had talked about general topics, but like an athlete gathering concentration before a match, Yakumo hadn’t responded.

He might have been unexpectedly nervous.

'Are you prepared?’

Akemi asked Yakumo before pressing the intercom button.

'There’s nothing to prepare. I just need to look,’ said Yakumo with a blank expression.

Akemi had felt like she’d shortened the distance between her and Yakumo a bit when at his house, but it seemed she had been mistaken, as if it were a mirage.

She felt disappointed, but she told herself that it wasn’t that easy to connect to somebody and pressed the intercom button.

After a while, Tomoko opened the door.

They had talked on the phone last night, so she invited Akemi and Yakumo in without any explanation.

Of course, Akemi wouldn’t have been able to tell the truth even if asked to explain.

Your daughter appears to be possessed by a ghost, so I will be bringing a classmate who can see ghosts. If she said that, she would be treated like she were insane.

She had just said that she was coming with a classmate who wanted to visit Sachiko when she was sick.

Tomoko led them to Sachiko’s room on the second floor.

'Sachiko, your teacher’s here,’ said Tomoko, knocking on the door.

However, there was no response.

'Sacchan, it’s Takagishi. We’re here to visit. Could we come in?’

Akemi tried calling out instead.

'Don’t come in!’

Akemi heard Sachiko’s refusal through the door.

Akemi had been prepared for this, so she wasn’t that shocked.

'Sacchan, Yakumo-kun came today too. He’s worried.’

Akemi continued speaking.

Yakumo’s cheek twitched, like he didn’t like being used as an excuse.

'No way…’

After a while, Akemi heard Sachiko’s faint voice through the door.

The classmate she liked had suddenly come to visit her. Sachiko was probably shaken, feeling happy and confused.

'It’s true. That’s why I want you to open the door.’

Akemi tried pushing further, but Sachiko didn’t respond.

Even though she’d brought Yakumo, nothing would start if the door wasn’t opened.

Akemi was thinking of what to say next when Yakumo walked forward and tried the doorknob.

However, the door was locked and wouldn’t open. That had been a rather forceful approach.

'It’s me. Saitou. You’re possessed by a ghost,’ said Yakumo, knocking on the door as he did so.

Tomoko was surprised by Yakumo’s words and actions – her eyes went wide and she covered her mouth with her hands.

Tomoko didn’t believe her daughter when she said that there was a ghost. It would be stranger for her not to be shaken by the attitude of this classmate who was supposed to have come to visit.

'Sensei, this child is Sachiko’s classmate, right?’

Tomoko looked at her suspiciously.

'Ah, yes. That’s true, but… er…’

Akemi tried to smooth things over, but she couldn’t think of an excuse and was fumbling.

'Hurry up and open the door. If you leave things like this, you won’t be able to turn back. People possessed by the spirits of the dead will die.’

Yakumo ignored Akemi’s turmoil and continued to speak to Sachiko through the door.

'Die… What are you saying?’

Tomoko grabbed Yakumo’s shoulder, unable to hold back.

'If I don’t say something like this, she won’t open, right?’

Yakumo looked at Tomoko with a blank expression.

Though he wasn’t glaring, there was a light in his eyes that pressured his opponents.

Tomoko nervously shut her mouth.

A suffocating silence continued.

Akemi wasn’t sure what to do when she heard the sound of the door unlocking.

'See? It’s open,’ said Yakumo with satisfaction, shaking off Tomoko’s hand and opening the door to step inside.

Akemi was about to follow Yakumo in when Tomoko grabbed her arm.

'Excuse me, Sensei…’

Tomoko still didn’t seem to accept what had happened as she looked at Akemi for an explanation.

'It’s fine. That was a means to get Sachiko-san to open the door. Please stay outside, ma'am.’

Akemi gave her a lie for appearances and left Tomoko behind, though Tomoko still looked dubious. Akemi went inside and shut the door behind her.

She sighed –

Sachiko’s room was clean, as she had expected.

Even though she wasn’t going to school, she was probably studying properly. There were textbooks and notebooks spread open on the desk. There were reference books on the bookcase beside it.

The room seemed to symbolise a middle school student on the brink of entrance exams.

By the window, there was a full-length mirror that had been turned around and a bed, on which Sachiko, in pyjamas, was sitting while hugging her knees.

The teddy bear by her pillow looked at them.

Yakumo stood in the middle of the room, put his index finger to his brow and looked at Sachiko.

'Yakumo-kun. What is it?’

'You’re noisy. Be quiet for a bit,’ said Yakumo, unmoving.

An electrifying tension –

Perhaps Yakumo was concentrating in his own way to see the spirits of the dead.

Akemi looked at Sachiko, sitting on the bed.

Her hair was brushed neatly as usual, but her eyes were bloodshot and there were dark circles underneath them.

Her face was pale, and even her lips appeared to have faded in colour.

'Sacchan, are you OK?’

’… I’m scared… Nobody’ll believe me… I don’t know what to do…’

Sachiko’s voice trembled.

Akemi could tell clearly that she was suffering. Even though she said there was a ghost, of course the doctors and her parents didn’t believe her.

For a girl in puberty, being believed by nobody must have hurt more than being possessed by a ghost.

Akemi went close to Sachiko to hug her, to try to make her feel even slightly better.

“Don’t touch her!’ Yakumo yelled, his expression changing completely.

Surprised by Yakumo, who wasn’t acting normal, Akemi stopped without thinking.

– Why can’t I touch Sachiko?

She looked at Yakumo for a response, but Yakumo just stood there while looking at Sachiko.

'Yakumo-kun. I…’

'Who is the child you’re holding at your chest?’ said Yakumo, interrupting Sachiko.

At the same time, Sachiko’s shoulders jolted.

– Child?

Akemi couldn’t see anything.

However, did Yakumo see something there?

Akemi had thought it would be necessary to perform rites or chant spells to see the spirits of the dead.

However, from Yakumo’s attitude now, he could probably see ghosts every day, even if he didn’t want to.

If that were the case, Yakumo had lived his life seeing a world that Akemi and others like her could never imagine.

'I’ll ask once more. Who is that child?’

Yakumo pointed at Sachiko’s child.

'I don’t know either.’

Sachiko covered her face with her hands and shook her head, flinging her hair about.

'Has that child been there since the test of courage?’

'I don’t know. Yakumo-kun, what should I do!?’

Sachiko was in hysterics. It looked like her emotions were tipping open.

'Has the child been there since the test of courage?’

Yakumo repeated his question with no care for Sachiko’s emotional state.

'I think that’s probably it,’ replied Sachiko in a quiet voice.

'So that really is it,’ murmured Yakumo. He walked up to Sachiko and looked at her with a piercing gaze.

Under that pressure, Sachiko leant back.

There was a freezing silence –

Akemi forgot to breathe as she watched.

After a while, Yakumo suddenly turned around and looked at Akemi, seeming surprised.

'You…?’

Yakumo spoke in a lowered tone.

– What happened?

Ignoring Akemi, who didn’t understand the situation, Yakumo pressed a hand against his left eye and collapsed to his knees.

His body shook, like he was in pain.

'Are you OK?’

Yakumo didn’t respond to Akemi’s question.

Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, and his shoulders heaved as he breathed.

'Hey, Yakumo-kun.’

Akemi was about to try to help him get up, but Yakumo stood up himself as if to avoid that.

He was swaying, as if he were dizzy.

'What’s wrong?’

Akemi put a hand on Yakumo’s shoulder.

'Let go!’

Yakumo brushed Akemi’s hand aside and glared at her fiercely.

There was a violent wrath in that gaze.

For a while, Yakumo glared at Akemi, but then he left the room silently.

'Sacchan, wait a bit.’

Akemi left Sachiko’s room and went after Yakumo.

When she reached the corridor, Tomoko came out, asking, 'What happened?’

'I will be right back.’

Akemi waved Tomoko off and ran out the entrance.

She found Yakumo immediately.

He was leaning against a telephone pole with his left hand on his face as he looked down. His breathing was ragged, as if he had run at full speed.

'Yakumo-kun, are you all right?’

When she touched Yakumo, he leapt away with the agility of a cat and put distance between himself and Akemi.

'Stay away.’

Yakumo glared down at her, pointing his index finger at her as a warning.

Why was Yakumo so guarded? And what had he seen?’

'Did you know?’ said Yakumo, his breathing unsteady.

Akemi didn’t understand the question, so all she could do was keep quiet.

While neither of them spoke, the silence continued, to the point that the sound of the wind was hurting her ears –

The strength suddenly left Yakumo’s shoulders, and he turned his back towards Akemi.

However, that didn’t mean the dismissive air around Yakumo had disappeared.

'It’s fine. You go back first. And don’t go near that woman again.’

After saying that quickly, Yakumo walked away with a shaky gait.

'Where are you going?’

There were many things that she wanted to ask, but Yakumo didn’t stop or turn around.

– It might not have been a good decision to bring Yakumo.

Regret gradually grew within Akemi.

-

6

-

Left behind by Yakumo, Akemi returned to Sachiko’s house, apologised for what had happened earlier, and then went back to the priests’ quarters where Isshin and Nao were waiting.

'It isn’t your fault, Akemi-chan.’

After Akemi explained, Isshin said that with a shake of his head.

Wasn’t Yakumo supposed to use this spiritual incident to break his own shell? That was what Isshin had thought, so this must have been below his expectations.

Though he didn’t say it, he must have been disappointed.

'If it’s all right, would you let me wait until Yakumo-kun returns?’ asked Akemi, even though she thought herself it was an impudent request.

Yakumo’s attitude had changed suddenly after going to Sachiko’s room.

He might have seen something unbelievable. She wanted to know what on earth it was.

Also, she did want to be with Isshin a little longer.

'It’s a humble place, but please feel comfortable. I want to play with Nao-chan a little longer too.’

Isshin was holding Nao and looking at her face as she said that.

Nao happily stuck her finger in Isshin’s nose.

– What is she doing?

'Um, I – ’

Akemi hurriedly tried to take Nao, but Isshin stopped her.

That wasn’t all – even Nao shook her head.

'Being with you almost makes me forget that I’m a teacher, Isshin-san.’

It was a bit strange now that she thought about it. The teacher had gone to her student’s home and was letting her student’s guardian hold her own child.

'From how I see it, Akemi-chan, while being Yakumo’s teacher, you’re also my cute student. You don’t have to worry about those details now, do you?’

Though Isshin’s words were rather strong, they were also convincing to her.

He really was a mysterious person.

'If you’re sure it’s all right.’

'Then I’ll pour some tea.’

After saying that, Isshin stood up, Nao still in his arms.

'No, I’ll do it.’

Akemi stood up as well.

'No, it’s fine. Please sit then.’

'Then I’ll take Nao.’

'That’s fine too.’

Isshin’s only fault might have been that he wanted to do things himself.

However, that also made him look cute.

'Please choose one of those options.’

Akemi put her hands on her waist and pretended to be angry as she approached Isshin.

Isshin looked troubled, but finally he chose Nao and sat back down.

Akemi went to the kitchen and looked around.

It was kept well, but there were oppressively few seasonings. When she opened the fridge, as expected, there was virtually nothing that could be called an ingredient.

'Isshin-san, what do you normally eat?’

'Well, we’re just two men. We eat frozen food and side dishes purchased from the supermarket – a variety.’

That wasn’t a variety.

However, perhaps it couldn’t be helped. Isshin was doing his work as a priest and acting as Yakumo’s parent on his own.

It would be difficult to provide meals on top of that.

Akemi found it very difficult to cook herself while also working.

– All right, I’ve decided.

'Sorry, please watch Nao for a while.’

Akemi returned to the living room to declare that to Isshin as she picked up her bag.

'Where are you going?’

Isshin looked confused as he looked up at Akemi.

'To buy dinner.’

Isshin looked surprised by Akemi’s response.

Even Isshin had taken time to understand what she meant.

'No, that’s too much. Er…’

Isshin stood up and was fumbling for words.

He was probably trying to refuse, but he didn’t know how to do it.

'Please leave it to me.’

Akemi said just that and left the living room before he could stop her.

It was strange. Even though she was old enough to know better, when she looked at Yakumo, she had been so caught that she wouldn’t lose to Sachiko.

There must be something wrong with me –

-

7

-

Yakumo stood in the school’s backyard.

The cherry blossom tree, the start of the incident –

Because it was a Saturday, he had thought that nobody would be at school, but the basketball club was in the gym, and practising. Their yells and the sound of the balls echoed.

Yakumo knelt with a deep sigh.

At the root of the cherry blossom tree, there was a long rock sticking out, just like a gravestone.

Though it’d be hard to tell at first glance, this area only had different coloured soil.

Yakumo had understood the gist of what was happening to Sachiko when she went to her room.

He also knew how to solve the spiritual phenomenon.

However, he didn’t feel like actually doing it.

Yakumo stood up and lightly touched the tree trunk.

'Were you unwanted too?’

There was no response.

There was a suffocating feeling in his chest.

Why did he have to suffer like this?

If he didn’t know anything, he wouldn’t be troubled like this.

'I…’

'What are you doing, you bastard!?’

Yakumo heard a voice, interrupting his murmur.

When he turned around, he saw Tsukasa there in a jersey.

Like they were obeying Tsukasa, there was a posse of students, with Youhei at the start.

'I’m asking you. Answer.’

Tsukasa spoke quickly as he approached Yakumo.

– These guys might be nice enough to destroy me.

That ruinous thought suddenly came to Yakumo’s head.

'It’s got nothing to do with you,’ said Yakumo challengingly as he tried to leave.

'Wait!’

Tsukasa glared at Yakumo with animosity as he blocked Yakumo’s way.

Yakumo stopped and looked back at Tsukasa.

'You’re in my way.’

'What? If you get too ahead of yourself, I’ll beat you up!’

Tsukasa glared at Yakumo and brought their foreheads close together.

– Oh, so he’ll kill me.

'Do it,’ said Yakumo expressionlessly.

'What?’

'You’re going to kill me, right?’

'You…’

Tsukasa took a step back, as if afraid.

'Kill me. That’s what you want, right? Or are you scared?’

'You brat…’

'It looks like your leader is too afraid to put a hand on me.’

Yakumo spoke to the posse behind Tsukasa.

Tsukasa’s expression twisted into humiliation.

'Get him!’ said Youhei.

'Yeah, get him!’

The other posse members spoke up too.

'Show your stuff.’

When Yakumo said that, Tsukasa’s right fist came flying.

Yakumo took that surprise hit and lost his balance.

Then, he underwent a shower of kicks.

As he fell to the ground, the other students joined in, and he was showered with blows.

– Now I don’t have to suffer any more.

In that intense pain, Yakumo felt bliss at being released.

-

8

-

After Gotou left the perverted coroner’s hospital, he went straight to the investigation on the informant with Miyagawa.

Though it was called an investigation, it was just boring work, questioning people around the telephone booth.

For Gotou, who wasn’t good at using his head, this work was more suitable for him.

However, he hadn’t found any useful information. There wasn’t anything to do about it. The telephone booth was under a pedestrian bridge and at a dead end.

Furthermore, numerous people used telephone booths.

It wouldn’t be that easy to get eyewitness testimony.

It would be different if they at least had the date and time, but even that was vague.

If the informant had figured out that much, they would have to be quite keen.

Gotou recalled the man he’d seen on the walkway.

An unsettling man in all black. He had to be the informer. Gotou was near certain.

'Gotou, let’s take a break.’

Without waiting for Gotou’s reply, Miyagawa leant against the fence dividing the school and the road and lit a cigarette.

'Miyagawa-san, you’re getting on in years if you’re going to throw in the towel here.’

Gotou threw a little bite into his usual comeback.

Gotou thought that Miyagawa would get angry, but Miyagawa just let it slide with a snort.

'Don’t chat – get me something warm to drink.’

Miyagawa threw a five hundred yen coin at Gotou.

'Would coffee be all right?’

'Black!’ yelled Miyagawa with a wave.

– There should be a vending machine around here.

Gotou turned right at the road along the fence and went to the back of the school.

Just as he’d remembered, there was a vending machine there.

Gotou jogged up to the vending machine and put money in. He couldn’t find the black coffee Miyagawa wanted.

It’d be a pain looking for another vending machine –

'Tea will be fine, right?’

Gotou was pressing the vending machine button when he suddenly heard a voice.

'Die! Take that!’

There were jeers unsuitable for an area near a middle school.

Gotou looked around and spotted four or five middle school students standing in a circle underneath the dead cherry blossom tree behind the fence.

There was a boy of the same age on the ground inside that circle.

Gotou ran before thinking.

'Oi, you brats! What are you doing!?’

He climbed onto the fence and yelled from the bottom of his stomach.

The boys scattered in all directions at this sudden intruder, leaving the boy collapsed on the ground by himself.

'Oi. You all right?’

Gotou jumped off the fence and went up to the boy.

He tried to give him a hand, but the boy stood up on his own as if to say it wasn’t necessary while pressing a hand against his left eye.

However, it looked like the injuries were severe. He was staggering like a fawn.

'Oi. Don’t overdo it.’

Gotou forced the boy to sit on the ground and looked at his face to check his injuries.

The boy opened his eyes.

'You! You’re the kid from that time!’ exclaimed Gotou in surprise.

This was the boy he met at the park when he was chasing the man that he thought was the informant.

'You’re speaking too loudly right next to my ear,’ said the boy, spitting out a glob of bloody saliva.

– He’s damn impertinent for his awful state.

'Do you know those guys?’

'I know them, but I don’t plan on telling you who they are.’

The boy tried to stand up using the tree trunk without even wiping the dirt off his clothes.

Gotou quickly grabbed the boy’s arm.

Gotou had a lot of other things he wanted to ask this kid.

'Let go of me!’

'Nope, not going to. I’ve got a lot of questions for you.’

'I don’t have anything to say.’

'Shut it. Don’t act clever – you’re just a brat who can’t do anything without his parents!’

Gotou had planned on saying that to get him to submit.

However, Gotou was the one who became lost for words.

The boy slowly took the hand off his left eye. His glowing red eye woke Gotou’s sleeping memories.

– I’ve seen this red eye before.

It was a rainy night nearly ten years ago –

At the time, Gotou had been working as an officer at a police box, and a man showed up then.

– A child is about to be murdered.

The man had said that.

Gotou did as the man instructed and went to a building under construction.

He saved a kid who was about to be strangled to death by a woman there.

That kid had had a red left eye, like the boy in front of him.

He found out later that the woman who tried to kill the boy was his mother.

– What sort of life will this kid live after his mother’s tried to kill him?

Gotou recalled thinking that at the time.

And now, he had the answer in front of his eyes.

He was in a rage. His eyes seemed to reject everything in the world.

Did this boy have hatred or despair in his heart –

'Your name was Yakumo, right?’

Gotou said the name left in the corner of his head.

'You’ve just remembered?’ said Yakumo, glaring at Gotou.

– What kind of tone is that, you brat?

Gotou forced himself not to lift his raised fist.

'Ah, that’s right. I should’ve noticed the other time we met, but I didn’t realise since you’d changed so much. And you were smaller then.’

Gotou put his palm parallel to the ground and placed it at his waist.

Yakumo looked at him coldly.

– Cold eyes for a brat. Don’t look at me like that.

'Were the guys who beat you up earlier classmates?’

Gotou felt uncomfortable and brought the conversation back on track.

However, Yakumo didn’t reply. Even though it was regarding himself, he seemed uninterested.

'Tell me their names. That was clearly assault.’

Gotou touched Yakumo’s shoulder, but he leapt away that instant.

'Don’t meddle in worthless things,’ said Yakumo, voice clearly hostile.

'It’s not worthless. I’m thinking of you when I say that.’

'That’s what’s called worthless. You’ll just help here and then act like you’ve got nothing to do with it later, right? Then you shouldn’t get involved in the first place.’

– This brat. If I keep quiet and listen, he just says whatever the hell he wants.

Gotou’s reasoning short-circuited.

'Enough already! You think you’re the only guy who’s got it tough, don’t you?’

'What do you want to say?’

'You’re not the only guy who has it tough! People live while helping others! If I didn’t save you then, you’d be dead!’

Gotou grabbed Yakumo’s collar and threatened him.

’… Who…’

Yakumo looked away from Gotou and spoke quietly.

'If you’ve got something to say, say it clearly!’

Yakumo’s red eye looked at Gotou again when he yelled.

A chill ran down Gotou’s spine.

'Who asked you to save me?’

'What?’

Gotou didn’t understand what Yakumo meant.

'Who asked you to save me!? I should’ve just died then! I’m suffering because I’m alive! Why did my mother try to kill me? Am I unwanted? Why was I born? Can you give me those answers?’

Yakumo’s face was red – he was so formidable it made Gotou think he might grow horns and fangs.

Under that pressure, Gotou couldn’t even think calmly about the meaning of the questions.

'You saved me even though you can’t give me those answers? Why!?’ shouted Yakumo.

What the hell is he saying? I just saved the life that looked like it was going to disappear from in front of me. I wasn’t thinking about anything after that.

With anger and confusion, Gotou completely lost his reason.

Without realising it himself, he raised his fist and punched the side of Yakumo’s face.

Yakumo fell backwards.

All his force from earlier disappeared – he looked dazed, like he’d fallen for a tasteless trick.

'Shut up, you brat! Think about that yourself! If you want to die so much, I’ll kill you right here!’

In the heat of his anger, Gotou lifted his fist again.

'You idiot! What the hell are you doing!?’

Along with that yell, a violent impact hit the back of Gotou’s head.

The ground shook – Gotou couldn’t stand and collapsed to his knees.

– Who the hell was that?

With his head in his hands, Gotou looked up.

'Are you shaking someone down at your age?’

Miyagawa looked down on Gotou with an intimidating stance.

I can’t tell if his timing is good or bad –

'I want to hear about the situation in detail.’

Gotou looked at Yakumo again.

He didn’t understand himself why he had become so serious while dealing with a kid.

Perhaps it was because he was like Gotou had been in the past.

Gotou smiled self-derisively.

-

9

-

– Yakumo will probably return while I’m preparing dinner.

Though Akemi thought that, even after she went from the kitchen to the table, Yakumo hadn’t returned.

She really should have followed him. Hindsight was 20/20.

'This looks delicious. Let’s eat without waiting for Yakumo.’

Isshin said that in a carefree manner while picking up a piece of fried chicken and eating.

Isshin smiled broadly, as if to express how yummy it was, and tried to feed Nao in his lap too.

'Nao can’t eat that yet.’

'Oh, that’s too bad – it’s so delicious.’

Isshin shrugged his shoulders like a kid whose prank had been found out.

Akemi knew she was a worrywart, but she felt like Isshin, on the other hand, was too carefree.

'I’m going out for a bit.’

Akemi stood up just as Yakumo came into the living room.

'What happened?’

Akemi spoke up without thinking upon seeing Yakumo’s face.

He looked awful. There were scratches all over, and there was blood on his lips and a bruise on his cheek.

Furthermore, the contact lens in his left eye wasn’t there, so his red eye was in the open.

'Are you OK?’

Akemi tried to look at his injuries, but Yakumo pushed him away.

'It’s nothing.’

'You can’t call this nothing, right?’

'Leave me alone!’ threatened Yakumo, glaring at Akemi.

Akemi couldn’t say anything when he responded so emotionally to her.

'Where did you go?’

Isshin asked instead of Akemi.

'Investigating the requested case.’

It had to hurt. Yakumo was holding his chin with a twisted expression as he replied.

'School?’

'Yeah.’

Yakumo gave a short reply and sat down cross-legged.

'I see,’ said Isshin with a nod. He didn’t ask Yakumo anything else.

Just from asking the location, it looked like he’d understood the cause of the injuries.

'What’s this?’

Yakumo pointed at the food on top of the table with a suspicious expression.

'You can tell from looking, right? It’s dinner.’

Isshin smiled happily.

'That’s not what I’m asking.’

'Then what are you asking?’

With the question turned back to him, Yakumo awkwardly ran a hand through his hair.

Things like that made Akemi think he really was a boy in puberty.

'Let’s eat quickly. It’d be a waste if it gets cold.’

Isshin urged Yakumo, but he just looked at the table like a wary cat.

Akemi went to the kitchen and scooped rice out into a bowl, handing it to Yakumo.

Yakumo probably still hadn’t understood the situation. He just stood there with the rice bowl, dazed.

'Let’s eat.’

Isshin put his hands together and started eating the rice heartily.

At first, Yakumo looked at them, but perhaps his appetite won out, as he began to eat silently.

Even though this was the first time they’d sat around a table like this, it felt like something that had happened hundreds of times in a daily life comic strip.

– If only that were the case.

Akemi couldn’t help but wish for that.

She had always been afraid ever since that incident –

She had felt despair after imagining herself ten years in the future. She had believed that she couldn’t have a bright future any more.

However, mightn’t it be possible for her to have a happy future like this too?

Wouldn’t a day come when she could have a daily life like this, at a table with her family?

If it were with Isshin –

Akemi felt embarrassed for wishing something that couldn’t be granted, and her cheeks went red, which was unsuited for her age.

'Hey, Yakumo. What did you find out about that ghost?’ said Isshin after finishing his food.

Yakumo’s expression had softened slightly, but it quickly stiffened.

'I don’t want to talk about it.’

Yakumo said just that and shut his mouth.

It felt like he had grasped the solution to the spiritual phenomenon, but he didn’t want to act on it.

'It’d be a transgression if you knew but didn’t do anything,’ Isshin said quietly.

'I don’t know what to do.’

Yakumo’s voice was so weak it sounded like it could fade away at any moment.

'Even if you don’t understand, shouldn’t you do something now that you know?’

'Will doing that bring some benefit to me?’

Yakumo stood up, as if to run from the conversation with Isshin.

'That’s not what I’m talking about.’

Even though Yakumo had set out to solve the spiritual phenomenon that was occurring to Sachiko yesterday, his attitude had turned 180 degrees.

Did it have something to do with his injuries?

'I did what I could. I don’t want to stick my neck in any further.’

Yakumo declared that and ignored Isshin, leaving the living room.

'Honestly. He’s so stubborn.’

Isshin looked down, looking like he was smiling and crying –

-

10

-

While driving, Gotou glanced at Miyagawa in the passenger seat.

He was smoking with a grim expression.

Miyagawa’s face was already scary enough, so it was hard to tell when he was angry.

'I’m really sorry.’

Gotou apologised for the nth time.

'Don’t worry about it. It worked out fine,’ Miyagawa said clearly.

It was true that it worked out fine, but Gotou didn’t feel good about it.

After Miyagawa stopped him, Gotou was prepared for Yakumo to complain.

However, Yakumo had said something else.

– I’ve already forgotten it.

He had said that so readily that it was anticlimactic.

And Gotou couldn’t tell what Yakumo was thinking.

His doubt had smouldered into irritation and finally something like anger.

'Gotou, do you know that brat?’ said Miyagawa, pressing his cigarette into the ashtray.

'Yes. I’d forgotten him until just then, but that brat’s mother tried to kill him when he was a kid.’

'And?’

Miyagawa urged him to continue.

'At the time, I was working at the police box and coincidentally saved him.’

'I see. So why’d his mother try to kill him?’

Miyagawa lit a new cigarette and leant back on the seat.

Gotou had that question too. The mother had been missing ever since, so Gotou didn’t know, but he had an idea.

'You saw it too, right, Miyagawa-san? That eye…’

'Yeah.’

Miyagawa closed his eyes, perhaps recalling Yakumo’s red left eye.

'That eye might have something to do with it.’

'A forced double suicide from thinking of their disabled child’s painful future… Stories like that come up often.’

As Miyagawa said, Gotou often heard about stories like that.

There were often cases where guardians became neurotic and lost their ability to reason coolly. Yakumo’s mother might have been in the same situation –

However, Gotou couldn’t accept it. He knew why.

'But for him, it was just a red left eye.’

His appearance was just a bit different. That was all. It wasn’t like a disability that would hinder his life.

'It’d be nice if everyone were like you.’

Miyagawa laughed.

'What do you mean?’

'People can be incredibly cold towards others that are different from them.’

'Huh…’

'That brat must have suffered countless times because of that eye.’

Perhaps it was as Miyagawa said.

– Who asked you to save me?

The words Yakumo said earlier came up in Gotou’s mind.

'Should I not have saved him?’

He hadn’t meant on saying that, but the words came out of his mouth.

'What do you mean?’

Miyagawa looked bewildered, like he was reading an English-language newspaper.

Now that Gotou had said it, he had to explain.

'Earlier, he said this to me. Asked me why I saved him. Said that he’d just been suffering as he lived…’

'Meaning he wouldn’t have had to suffer if his mother had killed him…’ Miyagawa said in a growl.

'Yes.’

'That makes sense, but that’s not going to work with you.’

'Why is that?’

'You’d save any life that’s about to disappear, no matter whose life it is. That’s the sort of guy you are.’

'Ah…’

Gotou didn’t know if he was being praised or made fun of, so he gave a vague reply.

Should he have saved Yakumo ten years ago? Or –

Nobody knew which choice was correct.

People lived selfishly, so if somebody were forsaken, they would just complain, 'Why didn’t you save me?’

– Man, he’s seriously impertinent. I don’t like that brat.

But he wanted to do something for him.

Gotou didn’t know why. He was just led by that impulse.

-

11

-

Akemi walked beside Isshin –

Isshin was holding Nao.

When the three of them were like this, it was like they were a real family.

At first, Akemi refused Isshin’s suggestion that he walk them home, but in the end, he won out.

Though Akemi felt bad about it, it was also true that she felt elated.

Especially on a cold night like this, having somebody there, even if they weren’t touching, made her feel warmer.

'I’m really sorry,’ said Isshin, looking up at the sky full of stars.

His breath was white.

'If you’re talking about Yakumo-kun, I’m sorry as well.’

When Akemi bowed her head, Isshin shook his.

'Yakumo knows something.’

'Is that so?’

Akemi agreed with Isshin, but she decided to express a different opinion.

'You think that too, right, Akemi-chan?’

It was like he’d seen right into her heart.

In front of Isshin, vague answers had no meaning.

'I do,’ agreed Akemi.

'Anybody would think that the change in Yakumo’s attitude was unnatural.’

Just as Isshin said, Yakumo, who should have understood how to solve the puzzle of the spiritual phenomenon, had had a sudden change in attitude.

– He found out something and is trying to hide it.

That was what Akemi felt, but then what was Yakumo trying to hide?

'Perhaps it has something to do with his injuries today?’

Though Akemi didn’t think they were concretely related, that was all she had to go on.

'No, that was unrelated.’

Isshin rejected the idea.

They hadn’t heard from Yakumo what had happened.

'Why do you think that?’

'Yakumo said he went to school, right?’

'Yes.’

'He probably got into a fight with his classmates again.’

'Really?’

Akemi grabbed Isshin’s arm without thinking.

Yakumo had been considerably injured. If Tsukasa and the others had done something, that would be a problem.

This wasn’t at the level of schoolyard bullying any more.

They would need to be properly reprimanded.

'Well, please calm down. It’s not like I have evidence of it.’

'But…’

Akemi had started thinking that Isshin’s reasoning was correct.

Tsukasa was in the soccer club. He had practice on Saturdays, so he would have been at school.

If Yakumo had really gone to school, it was very possible that they’d run into each other there and had some trouble.

The fuss at school before –

It had looked like Tsukasa had hit Yakumo on his own, but in the end, he received harsh payback. A boy of that age would be too humiliated to let that go quietly.

That was especially so for Tsukasa, who was arrogant and was the type to boast about his strength.

'I talked about this before, but Yakumo is also very responsible for his fights with his classmates.’

Isshin was calm, unlike Akemi.

'But Yakumo-kun isn’t wrong.’

'Thinking one isn’t wrong won’t create human relationships. This is a request from me as his guardian, so please just watch the situation for a while.’

'But…’

Akemi opened her mouth, but Isshin covered it with his hand.

He looked straight at Akemi.

'It’s fine. In a way, the child who fought with Yakumo is also a person who is facing Yakumo directly.’

'Is that so?’

That felt like an incredibly optimistic perspective.

'There hasn’t been a classmate like that for Yakumo before. Everyone avoided him.’

Isshin’s words came out easily, like the spring wind.

However, though watching over somebody seemed easy, Akemi thought that it was the choice that took the most courage.

Akemi couldn’t look at the long term like Isshin. She looked at the reality in front of her and acted accordingly.

She couldn’t say which was correct, so all she could do was agree to Yakumo’s guardian’s request.

'Well, whatever Yakumo knows and is hiding, he needs to be urged on again, for the sake of that girl,’ said Isshin, the strength leaving his shoulders.

Akemi agreed with his opinion.

– Nothing is over yet.

They couldn’t move forward without solving the mysterious phenomenon occurring to Sachiko.

'Yes. I’ll do my best.’

Akemi raised a fist as she said that, making Isshin laugh.

'What is it?’

'Ah, sorry. I was just thinking of the past. When you were solving a difficult problem, Akemi-chan, you would say the same think. You haven’t changed – it makes me happy to think that.’

Now that he said that, that might have been true.

But –

'I feel like I have changed.’

So many sad and painful things had happened that sometimes she felt like she had even lost her original self.

The hopes she had in her youth had withered, and she was now fully preoccupied with facing the reality in front of her.

Perhaps that was what it meant to become an adult.

'No, Akemi-chan, you’re the same as before.’

Isshin looked at Akemi-chan with an unusually solemn expression.

When he looked at her like that, it made her feel somewhat embarrassed.

Come to think of it, Akemi hadn’t looked at Isshin face-on when he was her tutor.

While lost in this light uncomfortableness, they reached her apartment.

'This is my place.’

'I see.’

Isshin’s usual smile was back on his face.

'Thank you very much.’

Akemi bowed her head and then took Nao from Isshin.

Then, Nao started bawling loudly.

It was the first time Nao had cried like this upon parting with anybody.

It was late already, so Akemi was flustered.

Though this child was young and couldn’t hear, she sensed that she would have to part with Isshin and didn’t like it.

'Nao-chan, see you later.’

Isshin petted Nao’s head as she cried.

Then, Nao started smiling, as if Isshin had performed a magic trick.

Akemi bowed once more to Isshin and climbed the stairs to her apartment.

When she reached her entrance, she saw Isshin looking up at her.

'Good night.’

Akemi murmured that softly.

-

12

-

Gotou leant on the chair and stretched his arms.

His joints cracked.

He hadn’t had a chance to lie down and sleep even once since that incidence. His body was exhausted and he had an uneasy conscience.

He thought about smoking, but his cigarette case was empty.

'Damn it!’ he yelled, throwing the case.

'It’s not like you to be tired.’

Miyagawa offered him coffee in a paper cup.

'It’s not like you to be considerate to me either, Miyagawa-san.’

'Want to wash your face with coffee?’

Miyagawa glared at him fiercely.

It didn’t sound like a joke. Gotou accepted the coffee before Miyagawa could actually act on it.

The bitter taste of the coffee filled his dry mouth.

'But it’s rare for there to be so little eyewitness testimony,’ said Gotou with a sigh.

He had gone around questioning people who might have seen the informant, but none of the testimonies stood out.

The team searching for Shimomura had no trace of him either.

They were perfectly stuck.

'Of course. We misunderstood.’

Miyagawa smiled triumphantly.

'Misunderstood?’ repeated Gotou, who didn’t understand.

'We thought that the man looking down at us from the pedestrian bridge that day was the informant.’

It was just as Miyagawa said.

That’s why they were looking for a person with that man’s characteristics in the eyewitness testimonies.

But Miyagawa’s tone made it sound like –

'Are we wrong?’

'Yeah. We got a face from forensics. There was hair in that envelope, right?’

Gotou remembered that clearly from hearing Miyagawa’s words.

Just one strand of hair.

'Yes.’

'Forensics found out that there was hair product on that hair.’

'Hair product…?’

That was evidence, but it’d probably be difficult to find the person from that.

'Yeah. Seems like it’s something that’s sold at convenience stores.’

'Anybody could get it then.’

'That’s not the problem.’

'Which means?’

'It’s a hair product for women,’ said Miyagawa triumphantly.

– Women.

Gotou’s head went blank.

'Then we…’

'Right. We made the wrong guess when we thought that the man we saw was the informant. We have to redo the questioning.’

Miyagawa said that in a carefree manner and slapped his head.

– What the hell!

This time was a chain of mistakes. If he didn’t redeem himself, he’d be branded as somebody useless.

'Let’s go!’

Gotou stood up with vigour.

'Wait. There’s one more thing.’

In contrast to Gotou’s impatience, Miyagawa slowly lit his cigarette.

'What is it?’

Gotou sat back down and faced Miyagawa.

'This morning, a woman who was a nurse at the Shimomura clinic turned herself in.’

'The nurse turned herself in? Is she related to the case?’

Miyagawa nodded.

'That nurse is asking the police to protect her in exchange for telling what she knows.’

'Does that mean she knew what Shimomura was doing?’

'Yeah.’

Now that Gotou thought about it, she should have known.

This case wasn’t something that a doctor could have done alone. He would have needed an accomplice. But –

'What does protection mean? Is she being chased by someone?’

'Seems like Shimomura went to her house last night, asking if she was the one who tipped off the police…’

– I see.

While Shimomura was being chased by the police, he was probably searching in a frenzy for the person who trapped him.

'Then that nurse was the informant?’

'Would’ve been easy if that were the case…’

– So she isn’t?

'It would be better for us to find them before Shimomura.’

'Yeah.’

Miyagawa nodded.

-

13

-

Even after the week drew to a close, Sachiko did not come to school.

– How long is this going to continue?

Akemi felt uneasy about the future as she went into the room.

The students were restless.

Akemi looked around the classroom from her stand as usual and noticed three empty seats.

One was Sachiko’s. Another was Yakumo’s, beside hers –

And the third was the seat at the very front, Tsukasa’s.

They had both been here doing homeroom this morning.

If it were just Yakumo, it might have just been his usual escape, but something was off if Tsukasa was missing too.

'Where are Yakumo-kun and Tsukasa-kun?’ she asked the class.

However, nobody responded.

They weren’t keeping quiet because they didn’t know. They knew but didn’t want to respond. That was how it felt.

After Akemi waited, Tae in the window seat raised her hand.

'Tae-chan, do you know?’

'I think they’re both on the roof,’ Tae said in a clear voice.

Youhei in the seat diagonally behind her said 'Oh man’ in an exaggeratedly disappointed voice.

'The roof? Why?’

Youhei pulled Tae’s arm.

'Don’t say anything unnecessary.’

Youhei had probably meant to whisper that, but Akemi heard it clearly.

'Youhei-kun, I’m asking Tae-chan.’

Akemi had a bad feeling, so she spoke in a strict tone that she didn’t usually use.

'Tsukasa called him out there,’ explained Tae, despite noticing Youhei’s gaze.

'What are you saying!? This is a problem between men! Girls should keep their mouths shut!’ Youhei said agitatedly.

'You’re so noisy! You’re not like men at all! Just earlier you ganged up on Saitou-kun, right? I saw!’

Tae spoke in a voice so loud that it rivalled Youhei’s, covered her face with both hands and burst into tears.

The girls in the nearby seats gathered around Tae.

'Ah, Tae-chan’s crying.’

'You’re the worst!’

The group of girls started badmouthing Youhei altogether.

Under fire, Youhei couldn’t bear it and put his head on the table, covering his ears.

The classroom was in chaos.

Akemi had to regain control, but there was something she had to do first.

'This is self-study now!’

Akemi declared that and ran out of the classroom.

– In a way, the child who fought with Yakumo is also a person who is facing Yakumo directly.

Isshin had said that about Tsukasa.

However, Akemi thought that Tsukasa had crossed the line. He might continue to be violent if she didn’t keep him in check.

– I want to make it in time.

With that wish, Akemi pushed open the door to the roof.

– They’re here!

Yakumo and Tsukasa stood facing each other.

There was a tension in the air, like a gong might go off at any moment.

The moment Akemi was about to step between them, Tsukasa bowed his head towards Yakumo.

'Please. You can save Sachiko, right?’

Akemi froze at the unexpected words that came out of Tsukasa’s mouth. She swallowed the words that she had been about to say.

'What are you talking about?’

Yakumo looked at Tsukasa expressionlessly.

'I went to see Sachiko yesterday. She said that she was possessed by a ghost and that you knew a way to save her. Right? So please.’

Tsukasa grabbed Yakumo’s shoulders and bowed his head again and again as he clung to him.

Tsukasa had probably come here with the appropriate determination.

He was bowing his head to his rival in love.

For a boy in puberty, there couldn’t have been anything more humiliating.

'Don’t just…’

Yakumo pushed Tsukasa’s hand off.

Akemi faced Yakumo, who had turned around.

Akemi had thought about saying something, but her voice got caught in her throat.

'Please. Save Sachiko.’

Tsukasa went after Yakumo and continued to plead.

Yakumo’s shoulders started to tremble. It was like there was a black flame coming up from his body.

'You keep on mocking me, but now you’re asking me to save someone? What you’re saying is too convenient for you.’

Yakumo’s hands were in tight fists as he spoke towards the clouds.

Tsukasa had looked at Yakumo as an enemy and slandered him all this time.

That wasn’t all – he had even ganged up on him and beat him.

From Yakumo’s perspective, it was impossible to accept a request from Tsukasa, but Yakumo’s question probably hadn’t just been directed towards Tsukasa at this moment.

It must have been anger towards everyone in his life, including his mother –

'Yakumo-kun.’

Akemi called out to him, which made Yakumo look at her with a hot glare.

Even without words, she could feel the negative emotions buried in Yakumo’s chest.

Just as Isshin said, Yakumo had to face somebody head-on right now.

– I’ll take on that responsibility.

A strong determination was born in Akemi’s heart.

Perhaps this was the bond she had always felt towards Yakumo.

'I’m asking too. Yakumo-kun, save Sacchan.’

The anger disappeared from Yakumo’s eyes upon hearing Akemi’s plea. They looked a bit wet.

'I don’t want to! I don’t owe these guys anything! Why do I have to save them to the point of sacrificing the things that are important to me!?’

Akemi understood that Yakumo was refusing.

However, the reason was different from what she’d imagined.

– Sacrificing the things important to me.

Had Yakumo stopped solving this case partway in order to protect something important?

What could Yakumo, who acted like he rejected everything in the world, be trying to protect –

There was no way for Akemi to know.

'What are you trying to protect, Yakumo-kun?’

Yakumo looked away when Akemi asked that.

'Does this event have something to do with what’s important to you?’

'Shut up!’

Yakumo pushed Akemi away and tried to leave.

However, Akemi stood in his way.

– I need to face Yakumo.

'Move out of the way.’

'No. I won’t move. What’s important to you, Yakumo-kun?’

'It’s got nothing to do with you.’

Akemi took Yakumo’s shoulders and forced him to face her.

Their eyes met.

They really were sad eyes.

'I won’t understand unless you tell me properly. So tell me.’

Yakumo pushed Akemi’s hands away.

'Stop this already. Why are you stopping me? I don’t have a duty to save them to the point of losing something myself.’

Akemi didn’t know what emotions Yakumo had in his heart, but his expression was twisted, and he looked like he was trembling weakly.

He was troubled and in pain –

Though he looked like he was expressionless, he had always been keeping his emotions in. This was the time to break out of his shell.

'Do you really think that?’

'What if I do?’

'Then you’ve made a big mistake.’

'Mistake?’

'Happiness that stands on others’ unhappiness is wrong. You can’t step on something in order to protect something else, right?’

Yakumo looked up at the sky upon hearing Akemi’s words, as if he were exhausted.

He didn’t respond. He just looked up at the sky.

Akemi looked at Yakumo’s eyes and waited patiently for his next words.

'Do you really think that?’

Yakumo’s voice sounded like they were recorded on a bad tape.

'I really do.’

Yakumo went quiet again after hearing Akemi’s words.

Tsukasa was looking at them dumbly.

'Yesterday, my uncle said the same thing to me.’

After a silence, Yakumo said that while looking straight at Akemi.

'Isshin-san…’

'I’ll ask one more time. Do you really think that?’

When he asked her again like this, her confidence was shaken.

Was this really OK? Wouldn’t this place a heavy burden on Yakumo’s heart?

'Yes. I think that.’

Akemi nodded, though divided.

Yakumo’s expression softened, and for just a moment – he smiled.

'Tonight, come to the cherry blossom tree. Then…’

After saying that, Yakumo looked behind him and pointed at Tsukasa.

'You bring the girl who’s been possessed.’

With the conversation suddenly turned towards him, Tsukasa’s eyes went wide in surprise.

'Yakumo-kun, I’ll bring Sacchan.’

She would have to explain to Sachiko’s parents.

There was what happened last time, and if Tsukasa went, there might be some trouble.

However, it looked like Yakumo didn’t like that, as he ran a hand through his hair in irritation.

'I said this before, right? You can’t do it. There’s an order to things. You just need to come to the cherry blossom tree at night. You bring that girl. Got it?’

Yakumo repeated his instructions and waited for their agreement.

Akemi and Tsukasa both nodded without understanding what was happening.

Yakumo seemed satisfied by that, as he put his hands in his pockets and walked away while looking down.

Akemi had no way of knowing what they had just started –

-

14

-

Today’s info gathering was a miss too.

Gotou sluggishly parked his car in the precinct’s parking lot.

Though they changed their investigation to look for a woman instead of a man as the informant, there weren’t any results.

He didn’t think they’d suddenly find her, but his body still felt exhausted.

'Can we really catch the culprit like this?’ mumbled Gotou to nobody in particular as he got off the car.

Miyagawa hit his head.

'Don’t complain like some rookie. It’s not whether we can catch the culprit – we will.’

Miyagawa said just that and walked towards the front entrance with his bowlegged gait.

It was just as Miyagawa said.

Gotou shook his head to change his pace and followed Miyagawa.

'Gotou, you’ve got a guest.’

Just as he was about to pass reception, the officer in the general affairs department called out to him.

'Guest?’

There shouldn’t have been a visitor for him.

Gotou was confused as he looked towards the lobby.

On the bench in the lobby, a boy in a blazer uniform sat while looking down.

– That guy.

'Kid, how’re your injuries?’

Miyagawa spoke up before Gotou could.

Yakumo slowly lifted his head. His expression was so dark it was like he’d returned from a funeral.

'Do you need something?’

Gotou walked up to Yakumo too and spoke to him.

Yakumo ran a hand through his hair in irritation and stood up.

His eyes were steady.

It was like he had come to a grim decision.

'There’s somewhere I want you to go with me,’ said Yakumo.

'Where to?’

'You’ll find out if you come.’

– What the hell was with this guy? What kind of attitude was that when talking to an officer?

Gotou couldn’t come to a decision, so he looked at Miyagawa.

Miyagawa seemed to sense something, so he signalled for him to go with his chin.

He couldn’t do anything if there was an order from the boss. Gotou didn’t know what would happen, but he’d go along with it.

'You’ll show the way, right?’

Yakumo nodded.

With Miyagawa in front, they left the precinct they had just returned to.

– So what on earth could this brat be thinking?

After reaching the parking lot, Gotou got into the unmarked police car’s driver seat, and Miyagawa into the passenger seat. Yakumo got into the backseat.

'So where should I go?’

Gotou looked at Yakumo through the rear-view mirror.

'The school.’

Yakumo seemed to be thinking about something as he spoke, looking out the window.

'The school?’

– I’m even more confused.

School was over already. Was he going to sneak into the school at night and have a test of courage?

'You know, you’re bringing two police officers with you. Give us an explanation,’ said Miyagawa admonishingly.

'It’ll be better to have police there to avoid any problems afterwards,’ said Yakumo with his usual attitude.

'There’s no way we’d understand from that explanation,’ interrupted Gotou, unable to stop himself.

It was too abstract – Gotou had no idea what was going on.

'You wouldn’t believe me even if I explained.’

Yakumo yawned, seeming bored.

'Sorry, but we’re busy too. If you can’t explain the situation, get off the car,’ said Gotou, turning around to face the backseat.

He thought that Yakumo would explain properly, but he just murmured 'I see…’ and went to get off.

'Well, isn’t it fine?’

Unexpectedly, it was Miyagawa who called out to stop Yakumo.

'Miyagawa-san.’

'It’s an apology for hitting him the other time. Why not accompany him for a bit?’

After Miyagawa said that to Gotou, all Gotou could do was shut his mouth and obey.

'I just need to go to the school then,’ Gotou said curtly, starting the car.

-

15

-

Akemi stood by herself in front of the cherry blossom tree in the school’s backyard.

The sleeping schoolyard had an eerie presence to it.

Though it was already past eight, Yakumo and Tsukasa hadn’t shown up yet.

I really should have taken Sachiko myself –

As if it had felt Akemi’s regret, the cherry blossom’s dead branches rustled in the wind.

– I wonder what Yakumo is going to start here.

Yakumo could see ghosts. However, he couldn’t exorcise them. That was what he’d said.

However, he was trying to gather everyone involved at the place the incident started.

It was just like an exorcism you could see on television.

After sighing for the nth time today, she spotted somebody coming towards her. Two people.

She focussed her eyes.

It was Tsukasa and Sachiko.

Sachiko was looking down while Tsukasa pulled her arm along.

'Where’s that guy?’ said Tsukasa as he arrived, looking around the area.

'He isn’t here yet.’

'That guy. Did he run away again?’

Tsukasa tightened his hands into fists and bit his lip.

Sachiko didn’t say anything, but she looked at Akemi with hollow eyes as she pressed a hand against her chest, looking like she was in pain.

She was like a dead person with no purpose.

'It’s fine. Yakumo-kun won’t run away.’

Akemi wasn’t saying that to comfort Tsukasa or Sachiko. Yakumo definitely understood everything and knew a method to fix it. That was why he wouldn’t run.

Akemi had no proof, but she was sure of that.

'No!’

Suddenly, Sachiko screamed and fell to her knees, covering both of her ears.

She appeared to be afraid of something. Her shoulders shook violently.

Beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.

'Sacchan, are you OK?’

'It’s crying! This baby’s crying!’ screamed Sachiko, her hair dishevelled.

Tsukasa’s mouth gaped in surprise.

'Who do you mean by this baby?’

Sachiko didn’t respond to Akemi. Her body started convulsing.

– Oh no.

Akemi reached out to try to embrace Sachiko.

'Don’t touch her yet!’

A voice echoed in the darkness.

This voice was Yakumo’s –

However, she couldn’t see him.

While Akemi was looking around, Sachiko’s convulsions grew more violent. Her hands were gripped together in front of her chest, and her body bent backwards. The whites of her eyes were showing.

It looked like she’d lost consciousness.

'Sacchan, hang in there.’

Akemi tried to sit Sachiko up.

'I said not to touch her, didn’t I? She’s just lost consciousness. Don’t get so worked up.’

Yakumo appeared in the darkness.

He had taken off his contact lens.

His red left eye seemed to glow in the darkness.

As he stood there coolly, it looked like he had come to a decision about something.

Yakumo walked forward with a firm gait.

'Get out of the way.’

Yakumo pushed Akemi aside and crouched in front of Sachiko. Then, he moved her arms away and looked at her chest with a sharp gaze.

'What’s happening?’

Yakumo ignored Akemi’s question and slowly stood up.

'Oi. Is Sachiko really OK?’ Tsukasa asked, unable to stop himself.

'Keep your mouth shut!’ Yakumo said sharply, looking at Tsukasa.

The two looked at each other.

'Eek. Y-y-you’re eye…’

Tsukasa’s mouth trembled as he spoke.

His face muscles were tightened in fear.

Yakumo must have seen reactions to his eye like this hundreds of times before.

Hurt each time, it must have made him doubt his right to live –

'I said to keep your mouth shut, didn’t I?’

His expression still blank, Yakumo pushed Tsukasa aside.

Tsukasa staggered away, still lost for words.

Yakumo walked to the roots of the cherry blossom tree and knelt on one knee. He pushed the dead leaves at the tree roots aside and started tracing the exposed dirt with his finger.

Then, with a nod to nobody in particular, he stood up again.

'Dig here.’

Yakumo turned around and spoke into the darkness.

At the signal, two men appeared with shovels. There was a man about thirty years old who looked like a bear and a middle-aged man with a short frame and scary face.

Akemi knew one of their faces.

The two men that were called out looked dubious, but they started to dig at the tree’s roots, just as Yakumo told them.

Yakumo slowly turned his head to look at Akemi.

There was no strength in his gaze. It was as feeble as a candle flame that could disappear at any moment.

The moment those eyes looked at her, Akemi understood everything.

Why Yakumo, who had started to solve the spiritual phenomenon, had suddenly changed his attitude.

What Yakumo had been hesitant about.

Yakumo really was a very kind person, just as Akemi had imagined.

Because of that, he carried many burdens and suffered for it.

He couldn’t even hate his mother, even though that would have made it easier.

I might make Yakumo suffer greatly –

Akemi felt like it was hard to breathe.

'What the hell is this?’

After the bearlike man had dug up to his waist, he called out.

He threw a large rock from the hole and then took out a rectangular wooden box with twenty-centimetre sides.

'Is this what you were looking for kid?’ asked the small-framed man.

Yakumo nodded and brushed the dirt off the wooden box.

There were two kanji characters written on it.

– Yuuta.

'Open it.’

The bearlike man put his hand on the box as told and took off the cover to look inside.

’T-this is… Isn’t this a skeleton!?’

His roar echoed in the darkness.

'You’re a police officer – don’t make a fuss over a skeleton.’

After saying that calmly, Yakumo picked up the wooden box and slowly walked up to Sachiko.

'Oi. Don’t just touch the evidence!’

The bearlike man let out a yell, but Yakumo didn’t seem to care as all as he sat beside Sachiko with the wooden box.

For a while, Yakumo just sat there, but he finally lifted his head and looked at Akemi.

'You. Wake her up.’

Akemi nodded and sat Sachiko up.

That moment, Akemi felt something like a weight on her chest.

'Is this really OK?’ murmured Yakumo as he looked at Akemi.

– Don’t look like that. Don’t blame yourself. You definitely aren’t wrong.

A smile appeared on Akemi’s face naturally.

-

16

-

Gotou looked up at the cherry blossom tree and blew out cigarette smoke.

Though cherry blossoms bloomed in spring to demonstrate their existence, in another season, it really became eerie.

The roots of the tree were surrounded by a blue plastic sheet, illuminated by outdoor lights. Forensics and police officers were milling about.

On the other side of the fence, there was a crowd of curious onlookers – it was like somebody famous had come.

'Hey, Yakumo.’

Gotou spoke up to Yakumo, who was looking up at the tree beside him, just as Gotou was doing.

There wasn’t any reply, but Gotou continued.

'How did you know there was a corpse here?’

Yakumo hadn’t said anything before coming, but he’d known from the very start that there was a corpse underneath the cherry blossom tree.

Otherwise, it wouldn’t make sense.

If Gotou couldn’t get an explanation he understood, he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from suspecting Yakumo was related to the case.

'I can see…’

Yakumo’s eyes narrowed as he murmured.

'You can see?’

'Yes. My left eye isn’t just red. It can see the spirits of those who have died – that is, ghosts.’

– Ghosts?

'Don’t joke around. There’s no such thing as ghosts.’

Gotou spat on the ground.

He wished that Yakumo would put a limit on how much he mocked him. Did Yakumo think that Gotou would accept that?

'To turn the question around, what is your evidence for believing ghosts don’t exist?’ Yakumo said with a serious look.

His pale profile seemed to stand out in the darkness.

'What?’

'You’re just denying their existence because it exceeds your understanding, right?’

'So can you explain them?’

Gotou knew he wasn’t being mature, but he ended up speaking angrily anyway.

'Ghosts are not a new form of devil or monster. They are like clusters of people’s emotions. After the body dies, their thoughts are all that are left, like a form of electric signal. That is the true form of a ghost…’

'Clusters of people’s emotions?’

'Yes. That’s why they don’t curse and kill people like how people like you imagine.’

'So were you exorcising ghosts at the bottom of that tree earlier?’

Yakumo shook his head, seeming disappointed.

'I’m not a spirit medium – I can’t exorcise ghosts. I just have the physical ability to see the spirits of the dead.’

'Then what did you do?’

'I just explained to the child’s spirit that he was dead and who his true mother was.’

There was no cloudiness to Yakumo’s explanation.

It was so logical it wouldn’t allow rebuttals.

'It believed that?’

'I wasn’t trying to make it believe it or anything. It asked, so I answered.’

Yakumo’s shoulders slumped, as if he was resigned.

Gotou had seen many criminals using demons and ghosts as ambiguous reasons for their crimes.

That was why they just sounded like excuses to him.

However, when Yakumo said it, it sounded like the truth to him.

– I fail as a detective for believing a joke like this.

Gotou smiled wryly, dropped his cigarette on the ground and crushed it with his foot.

'Then could you tell me? Who’s the kid’s mother?’

Yakumo’s eyes went wide in surprise at Gotou’s question.

'You believe me?’

'Who said that? I’m just telling you to tell me if you know.’

When Yakumo heard Gotou’s reply, he shrugged, shook his head and took a step forward.

'It’s not something for me to say. The mother will be found soon. And…’

From that tone, it sounded like he really did know who the mother was.

Gotou waited for Yakumo to continue, but in the end, Yakumo didn’t open his mouth.

'Oi.’

Yakumo ignored Gotou’s call and walked away.

Gotou’s chest hurt when he looked at Yakumo’s back.

– What’s he looking so sad for when he’s just a brat?

Brats should just act like brats, only worrying about tomorrow – why was he so sad?

'What are you spacing out for? You lovesick?’

Miyagawa had walked up to him at some point. He poked Gotou’s shoulder.

'Lovesick? Miyagawa-san is?’

'Don’t be stupid.’

Miyagawa smiled wryly and put a cigarette in his mouth.

However, he didn’t light it and just bit the filter.

'I heard from forensics earlier. That corpse is missing one arm bone.’

After hearing the explanation, even Gotou, who was simple, could understand.

The corpse found in the backyard of the Shimomura clinic. Hata had said that there was an extra arm. The cases were linked then.

'Why was it buried here?’

'I don’t know. We’re going to investigate that now, right?’

Just as he said.

'More importantly, how did that brat know the corpse was there?’

Miyagawa said the same question Gotou had earlier. Thinking about it normally, anybody would have the same question.

'Seems like he can see them.’

Gotou spoke before he thought.

'He can see them?’

Miyagawa’s voice cracked and his brows furrowed – it looked funny.

Maybe I looked the same way earlier – when Gotou thought that, it made him smile.

'Don’t just smile – answer properly.’

'That guy… Yakumo can see the spirits of the dead.’

'The spirits of the dead.’

Miyagawa cocked his head like he couldn’t understand the meaning of the words.

That made sense. It was too sudden – the brain refused to accept it. Gotou had felt the same way earlier.

'That guy can see ghosts.’

When Gotou said that, the cigarette dropped from Miyagawa’s mouth.

-

17

-

The next day, Akemi took a day off work for health reasons and visited Isshin’s temple.

It was because she wanted to tell Isshin everything from her own mouth before everything came to light.

Isshin silently listened to Akemi’s sorry and accepted everything.

Akemi felt her chest tighten in face of his wide heart.

People were mysterious. A very little thing could make a big change.

Akemi had thought that she could only go where life made her go, but that had changed when she met Isshin and Yakumo.

However, it was too late for her to notice now –

She knew that she couldn’t be forgiven with just an apology. She didn’t want to be forgiven.

But still –

She went through the temple gates and was approaching the slope when she saw a boy walking towards her and stopped.

'Yakumo-kun.’

When Akemi spoke up, Yakumo stopped as well.

When he stood between the gingko trees, he looked like a middle school student that could be found anywhere.

However, there was a heavy darkness on his shoulders.

'What are you doing here?’

Yakumo looked at his feet awkwardly.

'The same to you, Yakumo-kun. School shouldn’t be over yet.’

Perhaps Yakumo felt like Akemi’s words were pointed, as he ran a hand through his hair in irritation.

'I don’t want to hear that from a teacher who skipped class and is hanging around here.’

'That’s true.’

It was just as Yakumo said.

It was somewhat amusing to Akemi, and she ended up laughing.

'What are you laughing at?’

'Sorry. Don’t worry about it.’

After Akemi’s laughter quelled, she slowly walked up to Yakumo.

She thought that he would run away, but Yakumo stood there, waiting for Akemi’s arrival.

For the first time, she had been able to step past the walls guarding Yakumo’s heart.

That was how Akemi felt.

Though perhaps it was just her thinking things –

'You know everything already, right?’ said Akemi, putting a smile on her face.

Yakumo’s narrowed eyes trembled. He was probably still troubled.

– Is this really OK?

'Yeah.’

After a silence, Yakumo made a short response.

'Since when?’

'You know too, right? From when we first went to that girl’s room.’

– So that really was it.

It was because Yakumo had realised everything that his attitude had changed after going to Sachiko’s room.

– Did you know too?

The words Yakumo had said then came up in Akemi’s head.

'I see…’

'That child didn’t know he was dead. He was looking for his mother.’

Yakumo’s words carved themselves into Akemi’s chest.

– Looking for me this whole time.

'But then why possess Sacchan?’

If that child was looking for his mother, the person he possessed shouldn’t have been Sacchan.

It’s me –

'Many people pass at lunch, so there was no way to determine who his mother was. When that child woke up at night, that girl happened to be there for the test of courage, and their wavelengths matched. That was the only reason that girl was possessed.’

Yakumo took a pause here.

Akemi didn’t understand ghosts well, but she somehow understood what Yakumo was saying.

It was just a coincidence.

'How could you tell?’

'When we went to her room, the crying child stopped crying. He reached out, left that girl, and stuck to you, his true mother.’

Yakumo pointed at her.

Akemi felt despair, like she had been called for the death penalty.

Yakumo had found out everything then and warned Akemi, telling her not to approach that girl again.

However, there was still something Akemi didn’t understand.

When Sachiko opened her eyes last night, she had said that the child was gone.

If the child was gone from Sachiko –

'Where’s that child’s spirit now?’

Yakumo looked at Akemi’s chest without saying anything.

That was enough of an explanation.

– He’s possessing me now.

The weight on her chest he had felt then had been Yuuta.

'Some people are more prone to seeing the spirits of the dead than others. It has nothing to do with the depth of love – it’s a physical trait,’ Yakumo said quietly.

– I see. So that’s how it is. I’m sorry.

Akemi clasped her hands in front of her chest tightly, as if in an embrace.

'I also have something I would like to ask.’

'What is it?’

'Why kill him? Because his eyes were red?’

Sharp words came out of Yakumo’s mouth.

They stabbed deep into Akemi’s heart. It hurt – but she had to respond.

It was her duty to do so.

'Yes.’

The silence rang in her ears.

Akemi had given birth to twins.

One was Nao. The other was Yuuta.

Both of Yuuta’s eyes had been red from birth.

The man who assaulted Akemi had had the same red eyes.

Every time she saw that child, she felt the same fear.

There had been no sign. She was suddenly kidnapped one day. She didn’t even know where she was, but she was raped and hurt countless times.

That man had murmured in Akemi’s ears.

– Your child will unleash the same hatred for humanity as I do.

Akemi couldn’t understand what those words meant.

She just knew instinctively that they were terrifying.

Now that she thought about it, she felt like that man’s goal hadn’t been to satisfy sexual urges but to make children.

She had been chosen for some reason –

'I was afraid. I didn’t know what to do. I remembered my fear every time I looked at my own child.’

Akemi continued her story falteringly.

Yakumo said nothing. He just listened.

The truth was that perhaps she should have just lied and said that wasn’t true, when thinking about Yakumo’s emotions. However, for some reason, she felt like she couldn’t do that.

She had to face Yakumo directly.

At that time, her parents had died in a traffic accident.

She had been cornered psychologically – Akemi had been near depression.

When she found out she was pregnant, it was too late for an abortion.

Reality and her memories of the past had become blurred.

Yuuta cried loudly. It had sounded like that man’s voice, and she’d screamed.

'That day, I embraced Yuuta, who had just been born.’

Alone in the hospital room –

Though Nao was sleeping quietly, Yuuta wouldn’t stop crying even when held.

Akemi’s emotions had been shaken.

'That child’s cries sounded like that man’s voice to me, and my arms failed me in my fear… When I noticed, Yuuta had fallen to the floor. I…’

Did I drop Yuuta by accident or hit him –

Akemi’s memories were uncertain.

Even if they were certain, it would just be an excuse.

'I was afraid of those red eyes and killed my child…’

Akemi knew her voice was shaking. She just forced herself not to cry.

In her confusion, Akemi had called a doctor called Shimomura.

This was what he’d said.

– Fortunately, there isn’t a birth certificate yet. We can just say that child wasn’t born.

Akemi’s heart was shaking by that whisper from a devil.

Perhaps she would have made a different choice if she were alone, but there was Nao.

She couldn’t leave Nao alone.

Akemi agreed to Shimomura’s suggestion. As a fee, she gave him everything her parents had left her.

Every day after that, she lived afraid of the gazes from others.

– The truth might be found out one day.

The peace Akemi should have grabbed a hold of had just been an illusion.

Even though she must have known from the start that this would happen, at the time, she hadn’t been able to notice the obvious.

'You really are a clumsy person.’

Yakumo smiled.

It was a friendly smile. A gentle smile, like Isshin’s.

– Why is he smiling?

Akemi didn’t understand.

'Clumsy?’

'Yes. That was an accident.’

'That’s just a convenient excuse.’

Yakumo shook his head.

'It was an accident. You didn’t hit your child against the floor. You dropped him.’

'You’re wrong. I killed him! I was afraid of those red eyes and my hands let go of my child! I killed him!’

Akemi wrung those words out of her throat.

Her lower stomach tightened.

'Then why did you bury his corpse? Why would you bury him in the school backyard?’

'That’s…’

She hadn’t been able to bury Yuuta behind the hospital.

A child who hadn’t been born – at least, she wanted to keep him by her.

However, she couldn’t put him in her room since she couldn’t cremate him.

She lived in an apartment, so she couldn’t bury him in the garden.

Her last resort was to bury him underneath the cherry blossom tree by the school.

She had thought about finding a time to move to a house with a garden and bury him there.

'You blame yourself a bit too much.’

Yakumo frowned, looking a bit troubled.

Isshin had said the same thing as Yakumo.

– Will Yakumo save me as well?

'But I…’

'You don’t have to say any more,’ said Yakumo, interrupting her and shaking his head.

Akemi couldn’t help it. She started to cry.

– I wish I had met them sooner.

If I had, maybe I wouldn’t have been led astray, and I would have been able to continue holding my child in my arms.

But that wish won’t be granted –

No matter how Akemi wiped away her tears, they continued to fall.

Who are these tears for – there was no way for her to know just from thinking about it.

She would probably find out much, much afterwards.

– Can even someone like me live facing tomorrow?

After waiting for Akemi to stop crying, Yakumo looked away and asked, 'What are you going to do now?’

’… I plan on confessing to the police.’

Yakumo didn’t seem satisfied by Akemi’s response. He ran a hand through his hair in irritation.

'No, that isn’t it. Er… I meant about Uncle.’

After Yakumo said that, his ears went a bit red, and he looked up at the gingko trees with their yellow leaves.

This side of Yakumo, like a boy in puberty, was strangely cute.

'I met Isshin-san earlier.’

'And?’

'After I told him everything, he proposed to me.’

After Akemi finished explaining the situation, Isshin’s Maitreya-like face went as a red as a boiled octopus, and he said, 'If it’s fine with you, would you marry me?’

It had been so sudden that Akemi had just been frozen.

'That’s like Uncle.’

Yakumo bent over, clutching his stomach as he laughed.

– So Yakumo can laugh like this too.

No matter what was said, he was still a child. Akemi realised that obvious fact anew.

– Will a day come when I can laugh like this too?

'So what did you do?’ asked Yakumo after he had finished laughing.

'Isshin-san was my first love.’

'And?’

'Yakumo-kun, do you oppose it?’

'That isn’t something for me to decide. Do what you want.’

'I’m a murderer.’

'You’re so longwinded! There’s no law against murderers and monks marrying, right? And you didn’t commit murder. If you’re worried about my reputation, that’s misdirected. I couldn’t care less.’

Yakumo spoke very quickly.

It was a fairly clumsy congratulatory address.

However, they spread through her heart more than anybody else’s words –

'Watch over Nao until I get back.’

Yakumo nodded with a shy smile.

If they were here, Akemi wouldn’t have to worry about Nao. Everyone was clumsy, but that home was filled with love.

'Call me Mum from now on.’

'I refuse!’

Yakumo looked away again.

He really was stubborn. This was fine for now, but she would definitely get him to call her that eventually.

'And since there aren’t any other teachers who’ll come call you out, attend class properly from now on.’

'I don’t need your concern.’

A number of unexpected things had happened, but perhaps Yakumo would start to change greatly after this case, just as Isshin thought.

– I want to be with everyone longer.

Though that was tempting, Akemi shook her head.

She would spend more time with them after. So until then –

'I have to go. If I don’t hurry up, it won’t be a confession – it’ll be an arrest.’

After saying that wryly, Akemi took the first step.

'Hey, was this OK?’

Akemi had walked a few steps when she heard Yakumo’s voice.

Akemi didn’t turn around. Because Yakumo was definitely looking the other way too –

'You weren’t wrong. No matter how sad the result, stick to what you believe in. I think you’ll definitely show the way for many people who don’t think they can be saved, Yakumo-kun. So…’

'Don’t just say that.’

Yakumo interrupted Akemi.

It was true that perhaps she was just saying that, but she still hoped for it –

'I’ll see you later then.’

Akemi said that, still turned away, and started walking slowly between the gingko trees.

The yellow leaves fluttered down.

-

18

-

Akemi stood in front of the hospital that had been burnt down.

After going to the precinct and asking where Chief Miyagawa was, she was told that he was here.

The investigation of the scene was already over. Though there was rope around the area, she didn’t see anybody there.

Akemi went past the rope and stepped onto the premises.

It was mysterious how she felt a bit sad about this place being gone, when she had so many bad memories of it.

– If only all of it were a lie.

'This place is off-limits.’

Akemi turned around at the voice and saw two men there.

One was a man like a bear. The detective named Gotou. The other was Chief Miyagawa.

Akemi silently bowed.

'You’re the teacher that was at the school yesterday,’ said Gotou, pointing at Akemi.

Miyagawa’s brow furrowed, and he rubbed at his chin as if thinking about something. Finally, he clapped his hands together.

'I remember now. You were at that incident two years ago…’

After saying that much, Miyagawa shut his mouth. It was probably difficult to talk about.

Akemi had met Miyagawa two years ago –

She was released from her confinement and put into police custody.

Though the one who received Akemi was a female officer, at that time, the member of the investigation team who chased after the culprit was Miyagawa.

Normally, they wouldn’t have talked directly, but they had met each other by chance at the hospital waiting room.

– I’ll definitely catch him.

Miyagawa had murmured that then.

Perhaps it hadn’t been to Akemi but to himself.

However, there had been no doubt in his expression.

He had reminded Akemi of her father.

It was for that reason that Akemi had chosen Miyagawa as the person she secretly divulged the information about Shimomura’s crimes to.

'Actually, I have something to talk to you about, Miyagawa-san.’

Akemi had been worried that she would back out before coming here, but she was so calm that it surprised herself.

Miyagawa responded with a nod.

'Should we go somewhere else?’

'No, here is fine.’

Upon hearing Akemi’s words, Miyagawa went pass the rope and stepped onto the premises.

Gotou followed him.

'Sorry. I haven’t caught him yet.’

Miyagawa lit a cigarette with a sour expression.

'No, it’s fine.’

Akemi shook her head.

Miyagawa silently bit his lip.

Gotou had his arms crossed and looked confused, like he didn’t understand the conversation, but he didn’t interrupt.

'So what did you want to talk about?’

'I came here today to confess.’

Miyagawa probably didn’t understand what Akemi meant. He blew out a puff of smoke and looked up at the sky.

'Confess?’

'Yes. I decided to confess because I regret my crime.’

'Did you shoplift or something?’

The cigarette dropped out of Miyagawa’s mouth.

His sharp glaze was turned towards Akemi, as if to confirm whether she was being genuine.

Akemi accepted the gaze.

After about a minute, Miyagawa cleared his throat and said, 'Could you explain what you mean?’

Akemi nodded and started to speak.

'A child’s corpse was found at the school last night, yes? That was my child. His name is Yuuta. I killed him with my hands only days after he was born.

'Could that kid be from that incident…’

When Akemi nodded, Miyagawa looked like he could cry at any moment.

Perhaps he blamed himself for being unable to catch the culprit.

However, even if he had caught the culprit, Akemi would probably still have killed Yuuta. There was no reason for Miyagawa to blame himself.

'The doctor at this hospital suggested I hide that I killed my child. I accepted it and buried my child without sending a birth certificate.’

It looked like Miyagawa was thinking.

'Sensei, were you the one who sent in the tip to me?’

Akemi nodded silently.

Shimomura had told Akemi about his crimes.

Human trafficking. Illegal abortions. Murders after birth. She couldn’t forgive Shimomura for boasting about it.

She had chosen to tip Miyagawa off secretly to hide her own crime, but now that she thought about it, that had probably just been a convenient reason she was telling herself.

At the bottom of her heart, though she hadn’t known it, she had probably thought that it would be easier for her if he was caught.

'Hey, Sensei. Did you hate your child? Did you want to kill him so much you couldn’t do anything about it?’

'It wasn’t anything like hate… I was just afraid. He made me remember that incident.’

Though she said that, it just sounded like a convenient excuse to her.

'I see… So how’d you kill him?’

'I was holding him in my arms. When I heard his crying, I lost consciousness and dropped him to the floor. Then…’

Miyagawa’s mouth gaped as he looked at her.

'Thats’ all?’

'Yes.’

When Akemi said that, Miyagawa started laughing aloud.

'Sensei. You can’t call that murder.’

Miyagawa put a hand on Akemi’s shoulder and continued talking.

'You make a case for murder when there’s murderous intent. You didn’t have that, right? So it’s not murder. And it’d be difficult to make a case for negligent homicide, since it’s not like you were holding the kid at a bad angle.’

'What do you mean?’

The conversation was too technical for Akemi to understand.

'To put it simply, it was just an accident. Hiding the corpse and the issue with official documents bother me, but well, if you do things right, you might get off with a suspended sentence.’

When Akemi understood Miyagawa’s words, she almost collapsed to her knees.

She had thought that she wouldn’t be able to leave prison for ten or even twenty years.

Now she wouldn’t have to wait and would be able to live with Isshin and Yakumo –

She knew that it was imprudent, when she had made her old child die, but she still felt happiness welling up in her chest.

– I have a tomorrow too.

It made her think that way.

– Wahhh.

She heard a baby’s cry in her ear.

Then, she felt a sharp pain run through her back.

A burning pain.

Pressing a hand against her back and turning her head, she saw Shimomura standing there.

His eyes were bloodshot and he was gritting his teeth. He had stuck a knife in Akemi’s back.

'Did you tip them off!? When I was the one who saved you!’

Miyagawa and Gotou tried to subdue Shimomura.

However, it was too late.

Shimomura pulled the knife out of Akemi’s back and sliced sideways.

The tip of the knife hit the artery in Akemi’s neck.

Bright red blood flew out in front of her eyes.

Her eyes were ringing. Her body was losing its strength. She couldn’t breathe – it was like she was in water.

She saw the sky.

Layers of clouds were blocking out the sun.

Miyagawa rushed up to her. He was yelling something. However, Akemi couldn’t hear anything –

Her consciousness was fading.

It hurt.

I wonder if Yuuta felt the same way.

Right. Sorry, Yuuta –

I can’t be happy by myself after killing you.

I’ll be with you soon, so wait.

Sorry, Nao –

It looks like Mommy can’t be with you.

I wanted to watch you grow up.

Sorry, Isshin-san –

I’m really happy I met you.

Even though it was for just a moment, I could see a dream. I felt happy.

Sorry, Yakumo-kun –

Thank you for forgiving somebody like me.

Thanks to you, I was saved in the end –

There are going to be a lot of difficulties in your future.

But you’ll be fine, Yakumo-kun.

Because you –

-

19

-

Sachiko took the stairs up to the roof.

She didn’t know what Yakumo had done, but ever since that night, the baby had not shown up again.

She felt very fortunate to have been saved by the person she liked.

– I need to thank him properly.

That was what she’d thought, but then there was the shocking incident wherein their homeroom teacher, Akemi, had been killed, and Yakumo hadn’t shown up for a while after that.

Today, when he’d finally come to school, he escaped as usual once homeroom ended.

Nobody would call out to him now that Akemi was gone.

– I need to call out to Yakumo from now on.

It felt like her duty.

Because Yakumo had saved Sachiko, she felt something like fate – her feelings for him had grown even stronger than before.

After climbing the stairs, Sachiko opened the door and stepped onto the roof.

She saw Yakumo’s back. He was by the fence, looking at the backyard.

To Sachiko, it looked like he was waiting for someone.

'Yakumo-kun.’

Sachiko called out to him.

However, Yakumo didn’t even turn around.

'You saved me, Yakumo-kun. Thank you.’

Sachiko bowed her head.

'It’s not like I planned on saving you,’ Yakumo said listlessly.

He wouldn’t boast about what he’d done or expect anything in return.

That was why Yakumo was cool.

'That’s fine. Let me do something as thanks sometime.’

Sachiko forced herself to sound cheerful.

– Hey, Yakumo. Turn this way.

Sachiko prayed in her heart.

Perhaps that wish reached Yakumo, because he slowly turned around and looked at Sachiko with narrowed eyes.

His face looked like it had been carved out of marble.

Sachiko’s heart beat faster just from his gaze.

– This is probably the only chance I’ll have to tell him the feelings I’ve always had.

Sachiko felt that instinctively.

'Um, I’ve always kept quiet about it, but I like you, Yakumo-kun. Since a long time ago.’

It just came out of her mouth.

Sachiko’s face went bright red as she waited for Yakumo’s response.

Even though she felt like her heart might jump out of her throat in her nervousness, Yakumo’s expression didn’t change at all.

'Am I no good?’ asked Sachiko, finding it hard to breathe.

Yakumo looked down silently, took off the contact lens in his left eye, and looked up.

His left eye, dyed a deep red, looked at Sachiko.

– Red eyes, like that child.

The horror that had faded in Sachiko’s heart came back anew.

– No. I’m scared.

Sachiko covered her mouth and looked away from Yakumo without thinking.

'You all only look at me in that way. If you can only see my appearance, keep away from me.’

Yakumo said that in disgust and slowly walked away.

Sachiko collapsed to the floor right there.

-

20

-

Gotou parked the car outside of the middle school’s gates and leant back on the driver’s seat.

He could hear the clamour of students from the grounds.

The incident that had occurred a few days ago seemed like a lie.

People always forgot about unpleasant experiences. That wasn’t a bad thing. You forgot and continued living.

Gotou was one of those people himself.

– But how about that guy?

Yakumo’s face appeared in Gotou’s head.

If he accepted everything directly like that, his heart would break someday.

That said, there wasn’t anything Gotou could do.

He knew that. But he just couldn’t leave him alone.

– He’s here.

Gotou saw Yakumo outside the window and got off the car.

'Oi. Yakumo.’

Though Yakumo acknowledged Gotou’s presence, he pretended not to have noticed and tried to walk away.

'Oi. Wait.’

Gotou grabbed Yakumo’s shoulder as he tried to pass him.

'What do you want?’

Though Yakumo stopped, he brushed away Gotou’s hand and glared at him.

Honestly. A harsh guy, as usual.

'Two things.’

'Talk already. You’re wasting my time.’

Yakumo ran a hand through his hair.

'First, I wanted to tell you that teacher’s last words.’

The upturned corners of Yakumo’s eyes lowered slightly.

'Last… words?’

His eyes even looked watery.

Yakumo really had been acting strong all this time.

'Right. That teacher said your name at the end.’

'Mine?’

Yakumo’s mouth opened in surprise.

It made sense for him to be surprised, but it was the truth.

Akemi had been stabbed, and her throat had been cut. When she had been on her last breath, she called out Yakumo’s name.

Gotou didn’t know the details, but since he’d seen her die, he felt like it was his duty to tell Yakumo that.

It was the least he could do for not saving Akemi.

'Thank you for forgiving me. Yakumo-kun, you’re…’

Gotou stopped there.

'What came next?’

Of course he would ask that, but unfortunately –

'I don’t know. She stopped breathing then.’

'You really are useless.’

Yakumo frowned and sighed. Then, he tried to walk away.

'Wait a sec. I said there were two things, right?’

Gotou grabbed Yakumo’s arm and made Yakumo face him.

Yakumo clicked his tongue in irritation, but Gotou wouldn’t back off because of something like that.

'You can see ghosts, right?’

'Didn’t you not believe me?’

That hurt.

Defending himself for every little thing would be a pain, so Gotou ignored it and continued.

'There’s something I want you to look at.’

As Gotou said that, he took a photo out of his pocket and put it in front of Yakumo’s eyes.

'What is it?’

Yakumo looked taken aback.

'Spirit photography taken at a scene where a corpse was found.’

'I can tell from looking.’

'Help with the investigation.’

Yakumo shook his head like he couldn’t believe what Gotou had said.

'Are you saying you’re going to use me?’

'Is that bad? All the smart guys put their energy to paperwork. Muscle heads like me run around. Everyone does what they’re good at. That’s what society is.’

'What do you want to say?’

'It’s the same for you. If you can see them, use that. It’s nothing special.’

Yakumo looked at Gotou like he was something unpleasant.

– I don’t understand.

It was like he was saying that.

However, Gotou didn’t think he’d said anything wrong.

'If you can see them, help me out.’

Gotou tried once more, but it was no use.

Yakumo walked away briskly without saying anything.

Gotou thought about whether he should chase after him, but he decided to leave it for today.

There’d be more chances in the future.

'You’re not special! You’re just a brat. So what if you can see ghosts? That’s not that big of a problem. So don’t give up.’

Gotou murmured that towards Yakumo’s back.

-

21

-

Yakumo entered the temple and sat down cross-legged.

The high ceiling. The cold wooden floor. The smell of incense.

Yakumo always came here when he couldn’t sort out his emotions.

He faced the statue of Buddha.

In front of those half-open eyes which had reached enlightenment, Yakumo felt like his heart was naked.

– What I did was wrong.

Right now, Yakumo’s heart was being hit by a wave of regret.

Because of his choice, Akemi had died.

– I should have kept quiet.

He should have just left Sachiko alone.

Something might change if I’m involved with the case. Yakumo had had that faint hope.

However, sticking his neck in where it wasn’t necessary had made many people unhappy.

The truth wasn’t everything. There were many things people were better off not knowing.

He didn’t believe in God or Buddha.

They didn’t save anyone. Yakumo saw the spirits of people who hadn’t been saved every day with his eye.

Most of them just disappeared in the end with their regrets –

Why could he see them even though he couldn’t save them?

Why had he been born with an ability which made people unhappy?

Because of this eye, people alienated him. His mother had tried to kill him.

Because of this eye, he made the people important to him unhappy and even made them lose their lives.

– I’m sick of this.

He didn’t want this eye any more.

Yakumo put his hand in his bag and took out a box cutter from his pen case.

– I won’t suffer if I can’t see.

Yakumo used his thumb to push the cutter’s blade out.

The clicks it made echoed through the temple.

Yakumo raised the cutter’s tip.

He wasn’t afraid of the loss of sight or the pain.

He would be released this way. He wouldn’t make anybody unhappy any more.

That pleasant peace of mind spread through his heart.

– If you can see them, use that. It’s nothing special.

The words Gotou had said when they met in front of the school gates ran through his head.

He wasn’t running away. After using his ability, somebody had died. Yakumo couldn’t bear any more of this.

This eye made people unhappy.

Yakumo pushed the cutter’s blade towards his left eye.

He felt it hit something. But there was no pain.

Drip, drip.

Blood dripped to the floor.

Isshin’s hand was in front of his eyes.

Only millimetres in front of Yakumo’s left eye, Isshin had grabbed the blade and stopped it.

The blade snapped with a crack.

Yakumo couldn’t understand Isshin’s action.

Why had he protected Yakumo’s left eye to the point of volunteering his own body as sacrifice?

'Don’t do stupid things.’

Isshin was smiling gently even while blood dripped from his palm.

'Why did you stop me?’

'There must be some reason your left eye can see the spirits of the dead. Don’t run away from that,’ Isshin said quietly.

'Reason? Like there’s such a thing! My left eye makes people unhappy!’

'You’re wrong.’

Isshin hugged Yakumo tightly.

Yakumo could heard Isshin’s heartbeat in his ear.

– It’s warm.

'As long as I have this eye, people treat me like a monster. I see things I don’t have to. I suffer!’

Yakumo struggled to try to get out of Isshin’s arms.

Isshin hugged Yakumo even more tightly to stop him and shook his head.

'Then I choose to be viewed with the same odd gazes as you receive.’

– Why? Why does this person do so much for me?

Yakumo didn’t understand.

Even though his own mother had abandoned him, why –

'I’m troubled because there are people like you and Sensei.’

'Isn’t that OK? People live with troubles.’

'Nothing will change like that!’ yelled Yakumo.

'Things will change.’

'They won’t!’

'No, they will. One day, there’ll be someone who’ll say your left eye is beautiful.’

'Don’t try to console me.’

'I’m not. One day, somebody will accept you for who you are, just like that person.’

'Like somebody like that exists!’

Yakumo was sick of the response of people who saw his red left eye.

Fear, pity, sympathy –

Even though it was just a different coloured eye, people looked at him like he was a different living being.

If Yakumo held hope, it would just make him suffer more.

'No, there definitely is,’ Isshin declared in a strong tone.

'Even if there were, I would just make them unhappy, like Sensei…’

A sad future awaited them, like with Akemi.

Isshin shook his head again.

'Was Akemi-chan really unhappy?’

'Eh?’

'I can’t see Akemi-chan, but you should be able to. Tell me, Yakumo. Is Akemi-chan crying?’

Yakumo looked up at Isshin’s words.

Yakumo’s eye saw her clearly.

'She’s there right now, right?’

Yakumo bit his lip and nodded.

'She is… smiling. She’s smiling… very happily…’

'I see.’

Isshin said that and looked up at the ceiling.

Tears fell from Yakumo’s eyes –

She started to disappear.

Don’t go.

Yakumo wrested himself out of Isshin’s arms and crawled after Akemi’s spirit.

'Don’t go!’

He reached out as he called.

However, his hand didn’t reach her.

Akemi disappeared, as if she had melted into the air.

At the last moment, Yakumo thought he heard something faintly.

– Yakumo-kun. You weren’t wrong. Stick with your beliefs.

– And thank you.

SECRET FILES KIZUNAeach wish: chapter 21-After hearing this much, Haruka let out a deep sigh.She had visited Isshin to hear about somebody Yakumo couldn't forget, thinking it would be a short story about his first love or something.However, now that even Gotou had shown up, the story had taken a turn she hadn't expected.More than anything, she was surprised about the difference in Yakumo's personality now.Though Yakumo was curt, he wouldn't go so far as to reject other people.As well, though he didn't think fondly of his red left eye and his physical ability to see the spirits of the dead, she felt like he recognised that it was something he could not change.However, the Yakumo of the past was different You're surprised,' said Isshin, looking at Haruka after talking so far.'Just a bit,' replied Haruka while looking down.If I met Yakumo in the past, what would I have thought?That question suddenly came to her. The answer she didn't want to think about it.'It'd be a problem if you're troubled here. The incident's just started.'Gotou laughed, his eyes glittering.'This isn't a funny story,' Isshin said reprovingly.'My bad. That's right.'Gotou accepted his fault honestly, which was unusual.Haruka felt like the atmosphere had become suddenly heavier.'Let's take a short break. The tea's cold too.'Isshin said that, clearing the stagnant air, and placed the teacups on the tray, leaving the living room.'Yakumo really had scary eyes back then,' Gotou said suddenly.He was playing with his cigarette case as he narrowed his eyes, as if looking into the distance.'Scary eyes?''Yeah. It was like he hated everything in the word.''I feel like I can imagine it, and I feel like I can't'Yakumo's head came up in Haruka's mind.With his always sleepy eyes, he was running a hand through his messy hair.He was curt and unfriendly, and everything he said and did was laced with sarcasm. Though he didn't show it on the surface, he had both a strong will and kindness to him.When Haruka was in danger, he would always come to save her, risking himself without any hesitation.That was the Yakumo Haruka knew.However, it was true that Yakumo's eyes were sometimes incredibly frightening.However, Haruka felt like the emotion in those eyes was anger towards evil.It wasn't hatred towards others.'He changed because of that incident, but it's not like he became somebody completely different. Just an extension of the same person.'Haruka understood what Gotou was saying, but she still felt like there was something fundamentally different.'Sorry for the wait.'Isshin came back with tea.'You're late. Did you go to pick the tea leaves?' Gotou complained irrationally.'What a short-tempered man,' said Isshin, sounding exasperated as he put the teacups in front of each of htem.'Now, where did I talk up to?'Isshin rubbed his hands together.'Just as Yakumo-kun was setting out to investigate the incident.''Ah, that's right,' replied Isshin, hitting his thigh. 'The next day''You're getting the order wrong!' interrupted Gotou.'Am I?''You are. My bit comes first. Otherwise it won't connect.'Gotou crossed his arms indignantly.'Do what you want.'At Isshin's words, Gotou nodded in satisfaction before beginning.'After nearly being burnt up, I'-2- Everything burned.Gotou put his jacket with the burnt sleeve over his shoulders as he looked at the burnt remains in a daze.Though the firefighters came right afterwards, the fire was so strong that all they could do was stop the fire from spreading to the surrounding buildings.All that was left was a wall and a few poles everything else had collapsed.It was like there had been an air raid or something.Under the lights that had been brought onto the hospital premises, people from forensics in blue uniforms were crawling about like wild dogs searching for food.Gotou admired their persistence, but in this situation, they probably couldn't hope for any useful evidence.'What a mess,' grumbled Miyagawa, holding a can of coffee out towards Gotou.'It really was. I was almost burnt myself.'Gotou opened the can of coffee and drank it all at once.The caffeine went straight to his stomach.Shimomura wasn't found from the burnt remains. He probably used the confusion to get away.Gotou felt frustration rise up from his stomach. Shimomura had been right there. It was pathetic of him to let him get away.'It isn't your fault he got away.'Miyagawa hit Gotou's shoulders, like he'd sensed how he felt.With Gotou's personality, he'd rather get hit with a fist at times like this. Being comforted just made him feel more pathetic.'I definitely won't let him get away the next time I see him.'Gotou lit a cigarette.He felt like the smoke was more painful than usual.'Don't get so worked up. You'll start burning again.'Miyagawa told a terrible joke while smirking. His humour sense was already that of an old man's.'Gotou. Got some time?'The one who interrupted was Matsumura, an examiner from forensics who was in the same class as Gotou.The man's face and even body were like that of a horse there was something unrefined about him.'What?''There's something I want you to look at.'Matsumura was mumbling like there was something in his mouth.'Got a hold of something that proves the wife's cheating or something?''That's not it. Just come.'Matsumura lightly let Gotou's joke slide and walked away briskly. What an irritating guy.Gotou grumbled that inwardly and followed Matsumura with Miyagawa.They went through the passage soaked with hose water to the back of the hospital.The persimmon tree in the backyard was lit up.There were two examiners there with shovels around the tree.At their feet, there was a mountain of dirt. Beside it was a hole about a metre in diameter.'Found treasure or something?'Gotou called out to Matsumura's back.Matsumura stopped at the hole and glared at Gotou after sighing.'Decide for yourself if it's treasure.'Gotou was irritated by Matsumura's unfriendly words. He pushed aside one of the examiners and looked into the hole.It was about as deep as a person.He saw something like white balls at the bottom of the hole.No, that wasn't it. They weren't balls. They were 'Skulls?' said Miyagawa before Gotou could.'Yes, that's right. They're all from new-borns. There are roughly four or five,' replied Matsumura, wiping the sweat off his forehead.Though Gotou hadn't known about it, he felt mortified for joking about treasure so frivolously.Burying the corpses of new-born babies in a place like this it made him doubt the nerves of the person who did it.'Was this hole here before?' said Miyagawa, kneeling on one knee and peering inside.'No, we noticed that the colour of the dirt was different here and tried digging it up Honestly, it's awful.'Matsumura gritted his back teeth together. Gotou felt the same way.Miyagawa stood up and wiped the dirt off his knee. He looked up at the night sky.'The forecast doesn't look good.'Gotou looked up as well.He couldn't see stars. The forecast never looked good in the city sky -3-The next morning, Akemi was an hour late when she arrived at the temple.It had taken longer than expected to find somebody to watch over her daughter. She ran around looking, but in the end, she hadn't been able to find anybody and had brought her along.Her daughter was currently sleeping in the baby sling on her chest.However, she would always start crying madly when she saw somebody she didn't know. Her daughter, Nao, had an abnormal fear of strangers.Isshin and Yakumo would be troubled about how to treat Nao too, now that she'd brought her along so suddenly.Akemi had thought about cancelling, but she had already contacted Sachiko's family, and she also didn't want to crush Yakumo's thoughts just as he'd started to move.There wasn't any point thinking about it any more. She would talk with Isshin about what to do.With renewed determination, Akemi went through the temple premises and pressed the intercom button by the priests' quarters.After a while, the sliding door opened, and Isshin, in his work robes, greeted her with his usual smile.'Welcome.''Ah, sorry, I couldn't find anybody to look after my daughter'Akemi said that first off.'So this is your daughter, Akemi-chan?'She had thought that Isshin would be a bit surprised, but he just smiled like usual at Nao and patted her head.In response, Nao opened her eyes.Isshin's and Nao's eyes met.Akemi thought that Nao would start crying, but her response was unexpected.Nao reached a hand out towards Isshin and kicked her feet, laughing happily.This was the first time she hadn't cried in front of somebody she'd just met.'What's her name?' said Isshin, taking Nao's hand.'Ah, her name's Nao.'Akemi was taken aback, but she gave her daughter's name.'It's nice to meet you, Nao-chan.'Isshin looked at Nao's face.Nao seemed even happier.'Would you let me hold her?'Isshin took Nao before Akemi responded, picking her up skilfully and rocking her in his arms.Nao's face would always stiffen just from approaching others, but Isshin, who'd she just met, was holding her. Isshin was also looked so loving that it could make someone suspect that he was her actual father. If only this person were Nao's father.That wish which wouldn't be granted suddenly came to Akemi.'What is it?'While she was lost in her own thoughts, Isshin looked at her, which made her feel so embarrassed even her ears went red.'Ah, Nao's actually really shy. It's the first time she hasn't cried when meeting someone new'Isshin nodded upon hearing Akemi's explanation.'That's because you're wary of other people, Akemi-chan.'Akemi was startled, like she had been suddenly pushed on the back.'I'm wary?''You are.'Isshin said that with narrowed eyes as he poked Nao's cheek.Nao's face scrunched up like it had tickled. When Akemi saw that, she understood what Isshin meant.If the parent were wary, the child would feel that wariness too. That was probably it.That made a lot of sense. Akemi hadn't been able to open her heart up to anyone since that event.She was afraid that they would pry into the incident, so she was wary and looked away from everyone else.Nao wasn't crying because Akemi wasn't wary of Isshin 'It's cold out. Well, please come in.'After Isshin urged her to do so, he went inside with Nao in his arms.Akemi followed him.When she entered the living room, Yakumo was already waiting there.He wore jeans and a white shirt. He was sitting with his legs out and looking up at the ceiling in boredom.When he noticed Akemi there, he let out a purposefully large yawn.'Yakumo, this is Nao-chan.'Isshin sat in front of Yakumo, still holding Nao.Yakumo didn't look that surprised either and just looked at Nao.Nao reached out and grabbed Yakumo's hair.Akemi thought that Yakumo would be angry, but he didn't look displeased and just let her continue.'Is this your kid, Sensei?' asked Yakumo in a drawl.It was the first time Akemi had ever been asked a question by Yakumo.'Yes, she is.''Hm,' said Yakumo, sounding uninterested as he stared at Nao's face and poked her cheek.Nao waved her arms and legs happily.It felt rather strange. It made sense with Isshin, but Nao wasn't wary of Yakumo either.Even though they were complete strangers, it was even possible to think of the people in this living room as family.For just a moment, Yakumo's expression seemed to soften.A gentle and warm expression he had never shown anyone at school Yakumo really is shutting away his emotions.Akemi felt that anew.'This kid'Yakumo's brow suddenly furrowed as he clapped his hands near Nao's ear.Nao didn't respond and just laughed.'Is there something wrong with her ears?'Akemi nodded in response.Nao couldn't hear. It was discovered when she was a child.When Akemi thought about Nao's future, it sometimes made it hard for her to breathe. Nao had been given a difficult life from birth.It was nobody's fault. Everyone said that, but Akemi couldn't help but blame herself. It must be my fault that Nao is like this.Akemi tried to put away the chain of bad thoughts in her head and put a smile on her face.However, Akemi was the only one forcing a smile.Now that Yakumo knew the facts, he seemed satisfied, and he was playing with Nao.Isshin was doing the same. She can't hear. So what?It was like Isshin and Yakumo were saying that. Worrying about her daughter's handicap might already have been discrimination.Akemi felt like she had been taught something very important.'We can't keep playing. We have to go soon,' said Isshin, looking at the clock.'Let's put an end to this,' agreed Yakumo, standing up.They had almost forgotten their goal.They had gathered to go with Yakumo to Sachiko's house. However, there was a reason Akemi couldn't agree immediately. What should I do about Nao?She couldn't bring her to Sachiko's.'I'll watch over Nao-chan until you come back,' offered Isshin, who seemed to have sensed what Akemi was thinking.'Eh, but'Since Nao was so friendly with him, it wasn't something she didn't want to ask, but he would have to do more than just rock her.There were many things to do change her diapers, feed her milk.'It's fine. The families of the temple have left their children with me before. And I've changed Yakumo's diapers too,' said Isshin, reading Akemi's thoughts.It was true that it wouldn't be a problem leaving Nao with Isshin if he had experience, but Akemi still felt bad about it.'He wants to, so just let him,' said Yakumo, running a hand through his hair to push Akemi to a decision.His words weren't pointed like they usually were.'It's just as Yakumo says. Please hurry up and go,' urged Isshin.Yakumo ignored Akemi, who was still undecided, and left the room briskly.'I'm truly sorry. I'll leave her in your care.'Akemi gave the bag with diapers and milk to Isshin and gave a simple explanation before following Yakumo out the room.-4-The day after the fire, Gotou and Miyagawa were walking in the basement corridor of a hospital.There was clearly insufficient lighting. It wasn't just dim the ventilation was bad as well, so the corridor was filled with humid air.When compared with the clean glass entrance, it was like it wasn't even the same building.In the end, they found a total of seven corpses in the yard All of them were new-born children.It would probably be hard work to find the mothers of those children who looked like they could even have been put in the birth registry.Now that the evidence had been burnt in the fire, they would have to catch the missing Shimomura and ask him. That was the most certain method.Normally, Gotou would want to join the search for the suspect Shimomura, but because of Miyagawa's arrangement, he was going to the coroner's to hear about the autopsy.They went straight down the corridor. Miyagawa stopped at the door in the very back.Miyagawa had had a long face ever since it was decided that they'd go meet the coroner.Gotou was suddenly curious about what sort of person could make Miyagawa this gloomy.'Miyagawa-san, what sort of person is the coroner?''He's called Hata an old man who's so old he looks like he could die at any moment. Well, to put it in one word, he's a pervert.''Pervert?' Did the old man wear a nurse uniform or something?Imagining it was enough to make Gotou want to laugh.'Anyway, no matter what the old man says, just ignore it. You won't be able to keep up otherwise.'After hearing Miyagawa's warning, it was even harder for Gotou to imagine what sort of person the coroner was.Gotou wanted to ask another question, but before he could, Miyagawa knocked on the door.'It's Chief Miyagawa.''It's open.'Gotou heard a hoarse voice from the other side of the door.Miyagawa opened the door and went inside. Gotou followed him.It was a small rectangular room of about six tatami in size. Probably because of the lack of windows, it was so dim that it looked like something might pop out if this were a horror movie.There was a desk at the very back of the room, surrounded by cabinets.In front of the desk that was covered in documents, there was an old man lazily sipping tea in a white gown.With white hair, the old man was just skin and bones and looked like he could die at any moment.'You again?'Hata scratched his forehead like he was annoyed.'Like I'd come here because I wanted to.'Hata giggled at Miyagawa's words, his shoulders shaking as if he was having convulsions.He was somewhat creepy.'Who's the blockhead behind you?' said Hata, pointing at Gotou with his chin.Calling somebody he'd just met a blockhead was quite something.'He's Gotou, my subordinate. He'll probably be around every once in a while.''My name is Gotou. It's nice to meet you.'Gotou bowed at Hata after Miyagawa introduced him.However, Hata just rolled his head around like he was bored. This old man. I'm bowing my head to him. Maybe I'll pull his head off.Gotou swallowed his rising anger.'Well, just sit over there.'Though Hata said that, there were no chairs in the room. Is he making fun of us?In contrast to Gotou's confusion, Miyagawa's expression didn't change at all as he went to a nearby cabinet.From that attitude, Hata was probably always like this. No matter what the old man says, just ignore it.Gotou felt like he slightly understood what Miyagawa had meant.Unable to do anything else, Gotou crossed his arms and leant against the wall by the door.'I came because of the corpses from the maternity clinic.'Miyagawa brought up the topic at hand.At that moment, Hata's wrinkled face lit up, like he was a child who had found his toy.'Ah, that was a big catch.'Hatch laughed happily. Big catch? Oi, oi. Those weren't words to use about children's corpses.Gotou's dislike for Hata grew.'So what did you find out?'Miyagawa looked at Gotou, as if to tell him to keep quiet, and continued talking.'It was just yesterday. I don't know anything yet.''Don't say that. With your skill, old man, you must know something from experience.'It was rare for Miyagawa to butter someone up.Perhaps Hata was pleased, as his expression slackened slowly as he opened his mouth.'Well, they were skeletons. I don't know anything for certain, but from what I've seen, there weren't any obvious injuries. If they were killed, drugs or something were probably used.''Is it possible that they were strangled?'Gotou said the question that came up in his head.Then, Hata looked at Gotou scornfully.'If an adult strangled the neck of a new-born child, their bones would break.'Hata mimicked strangling a neck.It was true. Gotou realised how foolish his question was, but at the same time, he was irritated.He could've put that another way 'How about the time of death?'Miyagawa continued regardless.'At this stage, I don't have detailed results, but from what I see, it's all over the place. There are things from a month or so ago, and there are some that might be from more than ten years ago.'If what Hata said was correct, then that place had been abandoning children's corpses there for over ten years. Treating people's lives like things.Gotou felt hatred and anger in the bottom of his stomach that almost made him shake.'Found out anything else?' asked Miyagawa.Hata shook his head.It looked like it'd take some more time before they found anything else.'Ah, that's right. There was one odd thing.'Hata scratched his back as he called out to Gotou and Miyagawa, who were about to leave.'An odd thing?'Gotou's brow furrowed.'The number doesn't match.''The number doesn't match?'Gotou didn't understand just from that.Perhaps he'd sensed what Gotou was thinking, as Hata spread out the documents in front of him on the desk.There were several photos of the discovered children's corpses.Even though Gotou should have been used to this, the spectacle was more awful than he'd imagined, making Gotou want to look away.Hata took a photo out and tapped it with his finger.In the photo, there was something like a small white rod.It was probably an arm or a leg.'There's one arm too many.'So they hadn't found the other bones?No, that probably wasn't it.They had dug up everything around there. There probably wasn't anything left. It would have made sense if they were missing one, but having too many 'That is odd. Probably wouldn't have just cut off the arm and buried it there,' murmured Miyagawa, rubbing his chin with his palm.Hata finished drinking his tea and let out a long breath.'But if they were going to kill them anyway, I wish they'd done it after they'd grown up a bit. Autopsying this isn't any fun at all.''Oi! Old man! What did you just say!?'Gotou spoke before thinking.Even after hearing Gotou's angry yell, Hata was nonchalant.'Exactly what I said. I like fresh adult corpses.'Now, Gotou understood what Miyagawa had said at first. This pervert! Of all the things to say!Gotou lifted his hand to grab Hata, but Miyagawa pinned him down.'Please don't stop me! I'll feel bad unless I punch this old man!''Cool your head!' yelled Miyagawa, pushing Gotou against the wall.Gotou hit his chest and started coughing violently.'I said this earlier. Don't listen to what the old man has to say!''But''Shut up!'Miyagawa's fist came down on Gotou's head. The pain made his anger lessen slightly.Even with all the clamour in front of him, Hata looked calm. That wasn't all he was giggling demonically. I really can't forgive him.Gotou struggled, but then Miyagawa's hammer of a fist came down on Gotou's head again.-5-Akemi stood in front of Sachiko's house with Yakumo.Yakumo had not said anything as they came here.Akemi had talked about general topics, but like an athlete gathering concentration before a match, Yakumo hadn't responded.He might have been unexpectedly nervous.'Are you prepared?'Akemi asked Yakumo before pressing the intercom button.'There's nothing to prepare. I just need to look,' said Yakumo with a blank expression.Akemi had felt like she'd shortened the distance between her and Yakumo a bit when at his house, but it seemed she had been mistaken, as if it were a mirage.She felt disappointed, but she told herself that it wasn't that easy to connect to somebody and pressed the intercom button.After a while, Tomoko opened the door.They had talked on the phone last night, so she invited Akemi and Yakumo in without any explanation.Of course, Akemi wouldn't have been able to tell the truth even if asked to explain.Your daughter appears to be possessed by a ghost, so I will be bringing a classmate who can see ghosts. If she said that, she would be treated like she were insane.She had just said that she was coming with a classmate who wanted to visit Sachiko when she was sick.Tomoko led them to Sachiko's room on the second floor.'Sachiko, your teacher's here,' said Tomoko, knocking on the door.However, there was no response.'Sacchan, it's Takagishi. We're here to visit. Could we come in?'Akemi tried calling out instead.'Don't come in!'Akemi heard Sachiko's refusal through the door.Akemi had been prepared for this, so she wasn't that shocked.'Sacchan, Yakumo-kun came today too. He's worried.'Akemi continued speaking.Yakumo's cheek twitched, like he didn't like being used as an excuse.'No way'After a while, Akemi heard Sachiko's faint voice through the door.The classmate she liked had suddenly come to visit her. Sachiko was probably shaken, feeling happy and confused.'It's true. That's why I want you to open the door.'Akemi tried pushing further, but Sachiko didn't respond.Even though she'd brought Yakumo, nothing would start if the door wasn't opened.Akemi was thinking of what to say next when Yakumo walked forward and tried the doorknob.However, the door was locked and wouldn't open. That had been a rather forceful approach.'It's me. Saitou. You're possessed by a ghost,' said Yakumo, knocking on the door as he did so.Tomoko was surprised by Yakumo's words and actions her eyes went wide and she covered her mouth with her hands.Tomoko didn't believe her daughter when she said that there was a ghost. It would be stranger for her not to be shaken by the attitude of this classmate who was supposed to have come to visit.'Sensei, this child is Sachiko's classmate, right?'Tomoko looked at her suspiciously.'Ah, yes. That's true, but er'Akemi tried to smooth things over, but she couldn't think of an excuse and was fumbling.'Hurry up and open the door. If you leave things like this, you won't be able to turn back. People possessed by the spirits of the dead will die.'Yakumo ignored Akemi's turmoil and continued to speak to Sachiko through the door.'Die What are you saying?'Tomoko grabbed Yakumo's shoulder, unable to hold back.'If I don't say something like this, she won't open, right?'Yakumo looked at Tomoko with a blank expression.Though he wasn't glaring, there was a light in his eyes that pressured his opponents.Tomoko nervously shut her mouth.A suffocating silence continued.Akemi wasn't sure what to do when she heard the sound of the door unlocking.'See? It's open,' said Yakumo with satisfaction, shaking off Tomoko's hand and opening the door to step inside.Akemi was about to follow Yakumo in when Tomoko grabbed her arm.'Excuse me, Sensei'Tomoko still didn't seem to accept what had happened as she looked at Akemi for an explanation.'It's fine. That was a means to get Sachiko-san to open the door. Please stay outside, ma'am.'Akemi gave her a lie for appearances and left Tomoko behind, though Tomoko still looked dubious. Akemi went inside and shut the door behind her.She sighed Sachiko's room was clean, as she had expected.Even though she wasn't going to school, she was probably studying properly. There were textbooks and notebooks spread open on the desk. There were reference books on the bookcase beside it.The room seemed to symbolise a middle school student on the brink of entrance exams.By the window, there was a full-length mirror that had been turned around and a bed, on which Sachiko, in pyjamas, was sitting while hugging her knees.The teddy bear by her pillow looked at them.Yakumo stood in the middle of the room, put his index finger to his brow and looked at Sachiko.'Yakumo-kun. What is it?''You're noisy. Be quiet for a bit,' said Yakumo, unmoving.An electrifying tension Perhaps Yakumo was concentrating in his own way to see the spirits of the dead.Akemi looked at Sachiko, sitting on the bed.Her hair was brushed neatly as usual, but her eyes were bloodshot and there were dark circles underneath them.Her face was pale, and even her lips appeared to have faded in colour.'Sacchan, are you OK?'' I'm scared Nobody'll believe me I don't know what to do'Sachiko's voice trembled.Akemi could tell clearly that she was suffering. Even though she said there was a ghost, of course the doctors and her parents didn't believe her.For a girl in puberty, being believed by nobody must have hurt more than being possessed by a ghost.Akemi went close to Sachiko to hug her, to try to make her feel even slightly better.Don't touch her!' Yakumo yelled, his expression changing completely.Surprised by Yakumo, who wasn't acting normal, Akemi stopped without thinking. Why can't I touch Sachiko?She looked at Yakumo for a response, but Yakumo just stood there while looking at Sachiko.'Yakumo-kun. I''Who is the child you're holding at your chest?' said Yakumo, interrupting Sachiko.At the same time, Sachiko's shoulders jolted. Child?Akemi couldn't see anything.However, did Yakumo see something there?Akemi had thought it would be necessary to perform rites or chant spells to see the spirits of the dead.However, from Yakumo's attitude now, he could probably see ghosts every day, even if he didn't want to.If that were the case, Yakumo had lived his life seeing a world that Akemi and others like her could never imagine.'I'll ask once more. Who is that child?'Yakumo pointed at Sachiko's child.'I don't know either.'Sachiko covered her face with her hands and shook her head, flinging her hair about.'Has that child been there since the test of courage?''I don't know. Yakumo-kun, what should I do!?'Sachiko was in hysterics. It looked like her emotions were tipping open.'Has the child been there since the test of courage?'Yakumo repeated his question with no care for Sachiko's emotional state.'I think that's probably it,' replied Sachiko in a quiet voice.'So that really is it,' murmured Yakumo. He walked up to Sachiko and looked at her with a piercing gaze.Under that pressure, Sachiko leant back.There was a freezing silence Akemi forgot to breathe as she watched.After a while, Yakumo suddenly turned around and looked at Akemi, seeming surprised.'You?'Yakumo spoke in a lowered tone. What happened?Ignoring Akemi, who didn't understand the situation, Yakumo pressed a hand against his left eye and collapsed to his knees.His body shook, like he was in pain.'Are you OK?'Yakumo didn't respond to Akemi's question.Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, and his shoulders heaved as he breathed.'Hey, Yakumo-kun.'Akemi was about to try to help him get up, but Yakumo stood up himself as if to avoid that.He was swaying, as if he were dizzy.'What's wrong?'Akemi put a hand on Yakumo's shoulder.'Let go!'Yakumo brushed Akemi's hand aside and glared at her fiercely.There was a violent wrath in that gaze.For a while, Yakumo glared at Akemi, but then he left the room silently.'Sacchan, wait a bit.'Akemi left Sachiko's room and went after Yakumo.When she reached the corridor, Tomoko came out, asking, 'What happened?''I will be right back.'Akemi waved Tomoko off and ran out the entrance.She found Yakumo immediately.He was leaning against a telephone pole with his left hand on his face as he looked down. His breathing was ragged, as if he had run at full speed.'Yakumo-kun, are you all right?'When she touched Yakumo, he leapt away with the agility of a cat and put distance between himself and Akemi.'Stay away.'Yakumo glared down at her, pointing his index finger at her as a warning.Why was Yakumo so guarded? And what had he seen?''Did you know?' said Yakumo, his breathing unsteady.Akemi didn't understand the question, so all she could do was keep quiet.While neither of them spoke, the silence continued, to the point that the sound of the wind was hurting her ears The strength suddenly left Yakumo's shoulders, and he turned his back towards Akemi.However, that didn't mean the dismissive air around Yakumo had disappeared.'It's fine. You go back first. And don't go near that woman again.'After saying that quickly, Yakumo walked away with a shaky gait.'Where are you going?'There were many things that she wanted to ask, but Yakumo didn't stop or turn around. It might not have been a good decision to bring Yakumo.Regret gradually grew within Akemi.-6-Left behind by Yakumo, Akemi returned to Sachiko's house, apologised for what had happened earlier, and then went back to the priests' quarters where Isshin and Nao were waiting.'It isn't your fault, Akemi-chan.'After Akemi explained, Isshin said that with a shake of his head.Wasn't Yakumo supposed to use this spiritual incident to break his own shell? That was what Isshin had thought, so this must have been below his expectations.Though he didn't say it, he must have been disappointed.'If it's all right, would you let me wait until Yakumo-kun returns?' asked Akemi, even though she thought herself it was an impudent request.Yakumo's attitude had changed suddenly after going to Sachiko's room.He might have seen something unbelievable. She wanted to know what on earth it was.Also, she did want to be with Isshin a little longer.'It's a humble place, but please feel comfortable. I want to play with Nao-chan a little longer too.'Isshin was holding Nao and looking at her face as she said that.Nao happily stuck her finger in Isshin's nose. What is she doing?'Um, I 'Akemi hurriedly tried to take Nao, but Isshin stopped her.That wasn't all even Nao shook her head.'Being with you almost makes me forget that I'm a teacher, Isshin-san.'It was a bit strange now that she thought about it. The teacher had gone to her student's home and was letting her student's guardian hold her own child.'From how I see it, Akemi-chan, while being Yakumo's teacher, you're also my cute student. You don't have to worry about those details now, do you?'Though Isshin's words were rather strong, they were also convincing to her.He really was a mysterious person.'If you're sure it's all right.''Then I'll pour some tea.'After saying that, Isshin stood up, Nao still in his arms.'No, I'll do it.'Akemi stood up as well.'No, it's fine. Please sit then.''Then I'll take Nao.''That's fine too.'Isshin's only fault might have been that he wanted to do things himself.However, that also made him look cute.'Please choose one of those options.'Akemi put her hands on her waist and pretended to be angry as she approached Isshin.Isshin looked troubled, but finally he chose Nao and sat back down.Akemi went to the kitchen and looked around.It was kept well, but there were oppressively few seasonings. When she opened the fridge, as expected, there was virtually nothing that could be called an ingredient.'Isshin-san, what do you normally eat?''Well, we're just two men. We eat frozen food and side dishes purchased from the supermarket a variety.'That wasn't a variety.However, perhaps it couldn't be helped. Isshin was doing his work as a priest and acting as Yakumo's parent on his own.It would be difficult to provide meals on top of that.Akemi found it very difficult to cook herself while also working. All right, I've decided.'Sorry, please watch Nao for a while.'Akemi returned to the living room to declare that to Isshin as she picked up her bag.'Where are you going?'Isshin looked confused as he looked up at Akemi.'To buy dinner.'Isshin looked surprised by Akemi's response.Even Isshin had taken time to understand what she meant.'No, that's too much. Er'Isshin stood up and was fumbling for words.He was probably trying to refuse, but he didn't know how to do it.'Please leave it to me.'Akemi said just that and left the living room before he could stop her.It was strange. Even though she was old enough to know better, when she looked at Yakumo, she had been so caught that she wouldn't lose to Sachiko.There must be something wrong with me -7-Yakumo stood in the school's backyard.The cherry blossom tree, the start of the incident Because it was a Saturday, he had thought that nobody would be at school, but the basketball club was in the gym, and practising. Their yells and the sound of the balls echoed.Yakumo knelt with a deep sigh.At the root of the cherry blossom tree, there was a long rock sticking out, just like a gravestone.Though it'd be hard to tell at first glance, this area only had different coloured soil.Yakumo had understood the gist of what was happening to Sachiko when she went to her room.He also knew how to solve the spiritual phenomenon.However, he didn't feel like actually doing it.Yakumo stood up and lightly touched the tree trunk.'Were you unwanted too?'There was no response.There was a suffocating feeling in his chest.Why did he have to suffer like this?If he didn't know anything, he wouldn't be troubled like this.'I''What are you doing, you bastard!?'Yakumo heard a voice, interrupting his murmur.When he turned around, he saw Tsukasa there in a jersey.Like they were obeying Tsukasa, there was a posse of students, with Youhei at the start.'I'm asking you. Answer.'Tsukasa spoke quickly as he approached Yakumo. These guys might be nice enough to destroy me.That ruinous thought suddenly came to Yakumo's head.'It's got nothing to do with you,' said Yakumo challengingly as he tried to leave.'Wait!'Tsukasa glared at Yakumo with animosity as he blocked Yakumo's way.Yakumo stopped and looked back at Tsukasa.'You're in my way.''What? If you get too ahead of yourself, I'll beat you up!'Tsukasa glared at Yakumo and brought their foreheads close together. Oh, so he'll kill me.'Do it,' said Yakumo expressionlessly.'What?''You're going to kill me, right?''You'Tsukasa took a step back, as if afraid.'Kill me. That's what you want, right? Or are you scared?''You brat''It looks like your leader is too afraid to put a hand on me.'Yakumo spoke to the posse behind Tsukasa.Tsukasa's expression twisted into humiliation.'Get him!' said Youhei.'Yeah, get him!'The other posse members spoke up too.'Show your stuff.'When Yakumo said that, Tsukasa's right fist came flying.Yakumo took that surprise hit and lost his balance.Then, he underwent a shower of kicks.As he fell to the ground, the other students joined in, and he was showered with blows. Now I don't have to suffer any more.In that intense pain, Yakumo felt bliss at being released.-8-After Gotou left the perverted coroner's hospital, he went straight to the investigation on the informant with Miyagawa.Though it was called an investigation, it was just boring work, questioning people around the telephone booth.For Gotou, who wasn't good at using his head, this work was more suitable for him.However, he hadn't found any useful information. There wasn't anything to do about it. The telephone booth was under a pedestrian bridge and at a dead end.Furthermore, numerous people used telephone booths.It wouldn't be that easy to get eyewitness testimony.It would be different if they at least had the date and time, but even that was vague.If the informant had figured out that much, they would have to be quite keen.Gotou recalled the man he'd seen on the walkway.An unsettling man in all black. He had to be the informer. Gotou was near certain.'Gotou, let's take a break.'Without waiting for Gotou's reply, Miyagawa leant against the fence dividing the school and the road and lit a cigarette.'Miyagawa-san, you're getting on in years if you're going to throw in the towel here.'Gotou threw a little bite into his usual comeback.Gotou thought that Miyagawa would get angry, but Miyagawa just let it slide with a snort.'Don't chat get me something warm to drink.'Miyagawa threw a five hundred yen coin at Gotou.'Would coffee be all right?''Black!' yelled Miyagawa with a wave. There should be a vending machine around here.Gotou turned right at the road along the fence and went to the back of the school.Just as he'd remembered, there was a vending machine there.Gotou jogged up to the vending machine and put money in. He couldn't find the black coffee Miyagawa wanted.It'd be a pain looking for another vending machine 'Tea will be fine, right?'Gotou was pressing the vending machine button when he suddenly heard a voice.'Die! Take that!'There were jeers unsuitable for an area near a middle school.Gotou looked around and spotted four or five middle school students standing in a circle underneath the dead cherry blossom tree behind the fence.There was a boy of the same age on the ground inside that circle.Gotou ran before thinking.'Oi, you brats! What are you doing!?'He climbed onto the fence and yelled from the bottom of his stomach.The boys scattered in all directions at this sudden intruder, leaving the boy collapsed on the ground by himself.'Oi. You all right?'Gotou jumped off the fence and went up to the boy.He tried to give him a hand, but the boy stood up on his own as if to say it wasn't necessary while pressing a hand against his left eye.However, it looked like the injuries were severe. He was staggering like a fawn.'Oi. Don't overdo it.'Gotou forced the boy to sit on the ground and looked at his face to check his injuries.The boy opened his eyes.'You! You're the kid from that time!' exclaimed Gotou in surprise.This was the boy he met at the park when he was chasing the man that he thought was the informant.'You're speaking too loudly right next to my ear,' said the boy, spitting out a glob of bloody saliva. He's damn impertinent for his awful state.'Do you know those guys?''I know them, but I don't plan on telling you who they are.'The boy tried to stand up using the tree trunk without even wiping the dirt off his clothes.Gotou quickly grabbed the boy's arm.Gotou had a lot of other things he wanted to ask this kid.'Let go of me!''Nope, not going to. I've got a lot of questions for you.''I don't have anything to say.''Shut it. Don't act clever you're just a brat who can't do anything without his parents!'Gotou had planned on saying that to get him to submit.However, Gotou was the one who became lost for words.The boy slowly took the hand off his left eye. His glowing red eye woke Gotou's sleeping memories. I've seen this red eye before.It was a rainy night nearly ten years ago At the time, Gotou had been working as an officer at a police box, and a man showed up then. A child is about to be murdered.The man had said that.Gotou did as the man instructed and went to a building under construction.He saved a kid who was about to be strangled to death by a woman there.That kid had had a red left eye, like the boy in front of him.He found out later that the woman who tried to kill the boy was his mother. What sort of life will this kid live after his mother's tried to kill him?Gotou recalled thinking that at the time.And now, he had the answer in front of his eyes.He was in a rage. His eyes seemed to reject everything in the world.Did this boy have hatred or despair in his heart 'Your name was Yakumo, right?'Gotou said the name left in the corner of his head.'You've just remembered?' said Yakumo, glaring at Gotou. What kind of tone is that, you brat?Gotou forced himself not to lift his raised fist.'Ah, that's right. I should've noticed the other time we met, but I didn't realise since you'd changed so much. And you were smaller then.'Gotou put his palm parallel to the ground and placed it at his waist.Yakumo looked at him coldly. Cold eyes for a brat. Don't look at me like that.'Were the guys who beat you up earlier classmates?'Gotou felt uncomfortable and brought the conversation back on track.However, Yakumo didn't reply. Even though it was regarding himself, he seemed uninterested.'Tell me their names. That was clearly assault.'Gotou touched Yakumo's shoulder, but he leapt away that instant.'Don't meddle in worthless things,' said Yakumo, voice clearly hostile.'It's not worthless. I'm thinking of you when I say that.''That's what's called worthless. You'll just help here and then act like you've got nothing to do with it later, right? Then you shouldn't get involved in the first place.' This brat. If I keep quiet and listen, he just says whatever the hell he wants.Gotou's reasoning short-circuited.'Enough already! You think you're the only guy who's got it tough, don't you?''What do you want to say?''You're not the only guy who has it tough! People live while helping others! If I didn't save you then, you'd be dead!'Gotou grabbed Yakumo's collar and threatened him.' Who'Yakumo looked away from Gotou and spoke quietly.'If you've got something to say, say it clearly!'Yakumo's red eye looked at Gotou again when he yelled.A chill ran down Gotou's spine.'Who asked you to save me?''What?'Gotou didn't understand what Yakumo meant.'Who asked you to save me!? I should've just died then! I'm suffering because I'm alive! Why did my mother try to kill me? Am I unwanted? Why was I born? Can you give me those answers?'Yakumo's face was red he was so formidable it made Gotou think he might grow horns and fangs.Under that pressure, Gotou couldn't even think calmly about the meaning of the questions.'You saved me even though you can't give me those answers? Why!?' shouted Yakumo.What the hell is he saying? I just saved the life that looked like it was going to disappear from in front of me. I wasn't thinking about anything after that.With anger and confusion, Gotou completely lost his reason.Without realising it himself, he raised his fist and punched the side of Yakumo's face.Yakumo fell backwards.All his force from earlier disappeared he looked dazed, like he'd fallen for a tasteless trick.'Shut up, you brat! Think about that yourself! If you want to die so much, I'll kill you right here!'In the heat of his anger, Gotou lifted his fist again.'You idiot! What the hell are you doing!?'Along with that yell, a violent impact hit the back of Gotou's head.The ground shook Gotou couldn't stand and collapsed to his knees. Who the hell was that?With his head in his hands, Gotou looked up.'Are you shaking someone down at your age?'Miyagawa looked down on Gotou with an intimidating stance.I can't tell if his timing is good or bad 'I want to hear about the situation in detail.'Gotou looked at Yakumo again.He didn't understand himself why he had become so serious while dealing with a kid.Perhaps it was because he was like Gotou had been in the past.Gotou smiled self-derisively.-9- Yakumo will probably return while I'm preparing dinner.Though Akemi thought that, even after she went from the kitchen to the table, Yakumo hadn't returned.She really should have followed him. Hindsight was 20/20.'This looks delicious. Let's eat without waiting for Yakumo.'Isshin said that in a carefree manner while picking up a piece of fried chicken and eating.Isshin smiled broadly, as if to express how yummy it was, and tried to feed Nao in his lap too.'Nao can't eat that yet.''Oh, that's too bad it's so delicious.'Isshin shrugged his shoulders like a kid whose prank had been found out.Akemi knew she was a worrywart, but she felt like Isshin, on the other hand, was too carefree.'I'm going out for a bit.'Akemi stood up just as Yakumo came into the living room.'What happened?'Akemi spoke up without thinking upon seeing Yakumo's face.He looked awful. There were scratches all over, and there was blood on his lips and a bruise on his cheek.Furthermore, the contact lens in his left eye wasn't there, so his red eye was in the open.'Are you OK?'Akemi tried to look at his injuries, but Yakumo pushed him away.'It's nothing.''You can't call this nothing, right?''Leave me alone!' threatened Yakumo, glaring at Akemi.Akemi couldn't say anything when he responded so emotionally to her.'Where did you go?'Isshin asked instead of Akemi.'Investigating the requested case.'It had to hurt. Yakumo was holding his chin with a twisted expression as he replied.'School?''Yeah.'Yakumo gave a short reply and sat down cross-legged.'I see,' said Isshin with a nod. He didn't ask Yakumo anything else.Just from asking the location, it looked like he'd understood the cause of the injuries.'What's this?'Yakumo pointed at the food on top of the table with a suspicious expression.'You can tell from looking, right? It's dinner.'Isshin smiled happily.'That's not what I'm asking.''Then what are you asking?'With the question turned back to him, Yakumo awkwardly ran a hand through his hair.Things like that made Akemi think he really was a boy in puberty.'Let's eat quickly. It'd be a waste if it gets cold.'Isshin urged Yakumo, but he just looked at the table like a wary cat.Akemi went to the kitchen and scooped rice out into a bowl, handing it to Yakumo.Yakumo probably still hadn't understood the situation. He just stood there with the rice bowl, dazed.'Let's eat.'Isshin put his hands together and started eating the rice heartily.At first, Yakumo looked at them, but perhaps his appetite won out, as he began to eat silently.Even though this was the first time they'd sat around a table like this, it felt like something that had happened hundreds of times in a daily life comic strip. If only that were the case.Akemi couldn't help but wish for that.She had always been afraid ever since that incident She had felt despair after imagining herself ten years in the future. She had believed that she couldn't have a bright future any more.However, mightn't it be possible for her to have a happy future like this too?Wouldn't a day come when she could have a daily life like this, at a table with her family?If it were with Isshin Akemi felt embarrassed for wishing something that couldn't be granted, and her cheeks went red, which was unsuited for her age.'Hey, Yakumo. What did you find out about that ghost?' said Isshin after finishing his food.Yakumo's expression had softened slightly, but it quickly stiffened.'I don't want to talk about it.'Yakumo said just that and shut his mouth.It felt like he had grasped the solution to the spiritual phenomenon, but he didn't want to act on it.'It'd be a transgression if you knew but didn't do anything,' Isshin said quietly.'I don't know what to do.'Yakumo's voice was so weak it sounded like it could fade away at any moment.'Even if you don't understand, shouldn't you do something now that you know?''Will doing that bring some benefit to me?'Yakumo stood up, as if to run from the conversation with Isshin.'That's not what I'm talking about.'Even though Yakumo had set out to solve the spiritual phenomenon that was occurring to Sachiko yesterday, his attitude had turned 180 degrees.Did it have something to do with his injuries?'I did what I could. I don't want to stick my neck in any further.'Yakumo declared that and ignored Isshin, leaving the living room.'Honestly. He's so stubborn.'Isshin looked down, looking like he was smiling and crying -10-While driving, Gotou glanced at Miyagawa in the passenger seat.He was smoking with a grim expression.Miyagawa's face was already scary enough, so it was hard to tell when he was angry.'I'm really sorry.'Gotou apologised for the nth time.'Don't worry about it. It worked out fine,' Miyagawa said clearly.It was true that it worked out fine, but Gotou didn't feel good about it.After Miyagawa stopped him, Gotou was prepared for Yakumo to complain.However, Yakumo had said something else. I've already forgotten it.He had said that so readily that it was anticlimactic.And Gotou couldn't tell what Yakumo was thinking.His doubt had smouldered into irritation and finally something like anger.'Gotou, do you know that brat?' said Miyagawa, pressing his cigarette into the ashtray.'Yes. I'd forgotten him until just then, but that brat's mother tried to kill him when he was a kid.''And?'Miyagawa urged him to continue.'At the time, I was working at the police box and coincidentally saved him.''I see. So why'd his mother try to kill him?'Miyagawa lit a new cigarette and leant back on the seat.Gotou had that question too. The mother had been missing ever since, so Gotou didn't know, but he had an idea.'You saw it too, right, Miyagawa-san? That eye''Yeah.'Miyagawa closed his eyes, perhaps recalling Yakumo's red left eye.'That eye might have something to do with it.''A forced double suicide from thinking of their disabled child's painful future Stories like that come up often.'As Miyagawa said, Gotou often heard about stories like that.There were often cases where guardians became neurotic and lost their ability to reason coolly. Yakumo's mother might have been in the same situation However, Gotou couldn't accept it. He knew why.'But for him, it was just a red left eye.'His appearance was just a bit different. That was all. It wasn't like a disability that would hinder his life.'It'd be nice if everyone were like you.'Miyagawa laughed.'What do you mean?''People can be incredibly cold towards others that are different from them.''Huh''That brat must have suffered countless times because of that eye.'Perhaps it was as Miyagawa said. Who asked you to save me?The words Yakumo said earlier came up in Gotou's mind.'Should I not have saved him?'He hadn't meant on saying that, but the words came out of his mouth.'What do you mean?'Miyagawa looked bewildered, like he was reading an English-language newspaper.Now that Gotou had said it, he had to explain.'Earlier, he said this to me. Asked me why I saved him. Said that he'd just been suffering as he lived''Meaning he wouldn't have had to suffer if his mother had killed him' Miyagawa said in a growl.'Yes.''That makes sense, but that's not going to work with you.''Why is that?''You'd save any life that's about to disappear, no matter whose life it is. That's the sort of guy you are.''Ah'Gotou didn't know if he was being praised or made fun of, so he gave a vague reply.Should he have saved Yakumo ten years ago? Or Nobody knew which choice was correct.People lived selfishly, so if somebody were forsaken, they would just complain, 'Why didn't you save me?' Man, he's seriously impertinent. I don't like that brat.But he wanted to do something for him.Gotou didn't know why. He was just led by that impulse.-11-Akemi walked beside Isshin Isshin was holding Nao.When the three of them were like this, it was like they were a real family.At first, Akemi refused Isshin's suggestion that he walk them home, but in the end, he won out.Though Akemi felt bad about it, it was also true that she felt elated.Especially on a cold night like this, having somebody there, even if they weren't touching, made her feel warmer.'I'm really sorry,' said Isshin, looking up at the sky full of stars.His breath was white.'If you're talking about Yakumo-kun, I'm sorry as well.'When Akemi bowed her head, Isshin shook his.'Yakumo knows something.''Is that so?'Akemi agreed with Isshin, but she decided to express a different opinion.'You think that too, right, Akemi-chan?'It was like he'd seen right into her heart.In front of Isshin, vague answers had no meaning.'I do,' agreed Akemi.'Anybody would think that the change in Yakumo's attitude was unnatural.'Just as Isshin said, Yakumo, who should have understood how to solve the puzzle of the spiritual phenomenon, had had a sudden change in attitude. He found out something and is trying to hide it.That was what Akemi felt, but then what was Yakumo trying to hide?'Perhaps it has something to do with his injuries today?'Though Akemi didn't think they were concretely related, that was all she had to go on.'No, that was unrelated.'Isshin rejected the idea.They hadn't heard from Yakumo what had happened.'Why do you think that?''Yakumo said he went to school, right?''Yes.''He probably got into a fight with his classmates again.''Really?'Akemi grabbed Isshin's arm without thinking.Yakumo had been considerably injured. If Tsukasa and the others had done something, that would be a problem.This wasn't at the level of schoolyard bullying any more.They would need to be properly reprimanded.'Well, please calm down. It's not like I have evidence of it.''But'Akemi had started thinking that Isshin's reasoning was correct.Tsukasa was in the soccer club. He had practice on Saturdays, so he would have been at school.If Yakumo had really gone to school, it was very possible that they'd run into each other there and had some trouble.The fuss at school before It had looked like Tsukasa had hit Yakumo on his own, but in the end, he received harsh payback. A boy of that age would be too humiliated to let that go quietly.That was especially so for Tsukasa, who was arrogant and was the type to boast about his strength.'I talked about this before, but Yakumo is also very responsible for his fights with his classmates.'Isshin was calm, unlike Akemi.'But Yakumo-kun isn't wrong.''Thinking one isn't wrong won't create human relationships. This is a request from me as his guardian, so please just watch the situation for a while.''But'Akemi opened her mouth, but Isshin covered it with his hand.He looked straight at Akemi.'It's fine. In a way, the child who fought with Yakumo is also a person who is facing Yakumo directly.''Is that so?'That felt like an incredibly optimistic perspective.'There hasn't been a classmate like that for Yakumo before. Everyone avoided him.'Isshin's words came out easily, like the spring wind.However, though watching over somebody seemed easy, Akemi thought that it was the choice that took the most courage.Akemi couldn't look at the long term like Isshin. She looked at the reality in front of her and acted accordingly.She couldn't say which was correct, so all she could do was agree to Yakumo's guardian's request.'Well, whatever Yakumo knows and is hiding, he needs to be urged on again, for the sake of that girl,' said Isshin, the strength leaving his shoulders.Akemi agreed with his opinion. Nothing is over yet.They couldn't move forward without solving the mysterious phenomenon occurring to Sachiko.'Yes. I'll do my best.'Akemi raised a fist as she said that, making Isshin laugh.'What is it?''Ah, sorry. I was just thinking of the past. When you were solving a difficult problem, Akemi-chan, you would say the same think. You haven't changed it makes me happy to think that.'Now that he said that, that might have been true.But 'I feel like I have changed.'So many sad and painful things had happened that sometimes she felt like she had even lost her original self.The hopes she had in her youth had withered, and she was now fully preoccupied with facing the reality in front of her.Perhaps that was what it meant to become an adult.'No, Akemi-chan, you're the same as before.'Isshin looked at Akemi-chan with an unusually solemn expression.When he looked at her like that, it made her feel somewhat embarrassed.Come to think of it, Akemi hadn't looked at Isshin face-on when he was her tutor.While lost in this light uncomfortableness, they reached her apartment.'This is my place.''I see.'Isshin's usual smile was back on his face.'Thank you very much.'Akemi bowed her head and then took Nao from Isshin.Then, Nao started bawling loudly.It was the first time Nao had cried like this upon parting with anybody.It was late already, so Akemi was flustered.Though this child was young and couldn't hear, she sensed that she would have to part with Isshin and didn't like it.'Nao-chan, see you later.'Isshin petted Nao's head as she cried.Then, Nao started smiling, as if Isshin had performed a magic trick.Akemi bowed once more to Isshin and climbed the stairs to her apartment.When she reached her entrance, she saw Isshin looking up at her.'Good night.'Akemi murmured that softly.-12-Gotou leant on the chair and stretched his arms.His joints cracked.He hadn't had a chance to lie down and sleep even once since that incidence. His body was exhausted and he had an uneasy conscience.He thought about smoking, but his cigarette case was empty.'Damn it!' he yelled, throwing the case.'It's not like you to be tired.'Miyagawa offered him coffee in a paper cup.'It's not like you to be considerate to me either, Miyagawa-san.''Want to wash your face with coffee?'Miyagawa glared at him fiercely.It didn't sound like a joke. Gotou accepted the coffee before Miyagawa could actually act on it.The bitter taste of the coffee filled his dry mouth.'But it's rare for there to be so little eyewitness testimony,' said Gotou with a sigh.He had gone around questioning people who might have seen the informant, but none of the testimonies stood out.The team searching for Shimomura had no trace of him either.They were perfectly stuck.'Of course. We misunderstood.'Miyagawa smiled triumphantly.'Misunderstood?' repeated Gotou, who didn't understand.'We thought that the man looking down at us from the pedestrian bridge that day was the informant.'It was just as Miyagawa said.That's why they were looking for a person with that man's characteristics in the eyewitness testimonies.But Miyagawa's tone made it sound like 'Are we wrong?''Yeah. We got a face from forensics. There was hair in that envelope, right?'Gotou remembered that clearly from hearing Miyagawa's words.Just one strand of hair.'Yes.''Forensics found out that there was hair product on that hair.''Hair product?'That was evidence, but it'd probably be difficult to find the person from that.'Yeah. Seems like it's something that's sold at convenience stores.''Anybody could get it then.''That's not the problem.''Which means?''It's a hair product for women,' said Miyagawa triumphantly. Women.Gotou's head went blank.'Then we''Right. We made the wrong guess when we thought that the man we saw was the informant. We have to redo the questioning.'Miyagawa said that in a carefree manner and slapped his head. What the hell!This time was a chain of mistakes. If he didn't redeem himself, he'd be branded as somebody useless.'Let's go!'Gotou stood up with vigour.'Wait. There's one more thing.'In contrast to Gotou's impatience, Miyagawa slowly lit his cigarette.'What is it?'Gotou sat back down and faced Miyagawa.'This morning, a woman who was a nurse at the Shimomura clinic turned herself in.''The nurse turned herself in? Is she related to the case?'Miyagawa nodded.'That nurse is asking the police to protect her in exchange for telling what she knows.''Does that mean she knew what Shimomura was doing?''Yeah.'Now that Gotou thought about it, she should have known.This case wasn't something that a doctor could have done alone. He would have needed an accomplice. But 'What does protection mean? Is she being chased by someone?''Seems like Shimomura went to her house last night, asking if she was the one who tipped off the police' I see.While Shimomura was being chased by the police, he was probably searching in a frenzy for the person who trapped him.'Then that nurse was the informant?''Would've been easy if that were the case' So she isn't?'It would be better for us to find them before Shimomura.''Yeah.'Miyagawa nodded.-13-Even after the week drew to a close, Sachiko did not come to school. How long is this going to continue?Akemi felt uneasy about the future as she went into the room.The students were restless.Akemi looked around the classroom from her stand as usual and noticed three empty seats.One was Sachiko's. Another was Yakumo's, beside hers And the third was the seat at the very front, Tsukasa's.They had both been here doing homeroom this morning.If it were just Yakumo, it might have just been his usual escape, but something was off if Tsukasa was missing too.'Where are Yakumo-kun and Tsukasa-kun?' she asked the class.However, nobody responded.They weren't keeping quiet because they didn't know. They knew but didn't want to respond. That was how it felt.After Akemi waited, Tae in the window seat raised her hand.'Tae-chan, do you know?''I think they're both on the roof,' Tae said in a clear voice.Youhei in the seat diagonally behind her said 'Oh man' in an exaggeratedly disappointed voice.'The roof? Why?'Youhei pulled Tae's arm.'Don't say anything unnecessary.'Youhei had probably meant to whisper that, but Akemi heard it clearly.'Youhei-kun, I'm asking Tae-chan.'Akemi had a bad feeling, so she spoke in a strict tone that she didn't usually use.'Tsukasa called him out there,' explained Tae, despite noticing Youhei's gaze.'What are you saying!? This is a problem between men! Girls should keep their mouths shut!' Youhei said agitatedly.'You're so noisy! You're not like men at all! Just earlier you ganged up on Saitou-kun, right? I saw!'Tae spoke in a voice so loud that it rivalled Youhei's, covered her face with both hands and burst into tears.The girls in the nearby seats gathered around Tae.'Ah, Tae-chan's crying.''You're the worst!'The group of girls started badmouthing Youhei altogether.Under fire, Youhei couldn't bear it and put his head on the table, covering his ears.The classroom was in chaos.Akemi had to regain control, but there was something she had to do first.'This is self-study now!'Akemi declared that and ran out of the classroom. In a way, the child who fought with Yakumo is also a person who is facing Yakumo directly.Isshin had said that about Tsukasa.However, Akemi thought that Tsukasa had crossed the line. He might continue to be violent if she didn't keep him in check. I want to make it in time.With that wish, Akemi pushed open the door to the roof. They're here!Yakumo and Tsukasa stood facing each other.There was a tension in the air, like a gong might go off at any moment.The moment Akemi was about to step between them, Tsukasa bowed his head towards Yakumo.'Please. You can save Sachiko, right?'Akemi froze at the unexpected words that came out of Tsukasa's mouth. She swallowed the words that she had been about to say.'What are you talking about?'Yakumo looked at Tsukasa expressionlessly.'I went to see Sachiko yesterday. She said that she was possessed by a ghost and that you knew a way to save her. Right? So please.'Tsukasa grabbed Yakumo's shoulders and bowed his head again and again as he clung to him.Tsukasa had probably come here with the appropriate determination.He was bowing his head to his rival in love.For a boy in puberty, there couldn't have been anything more humiliating.'Don't just'Yakumo pushed Tsukasa's hand off.Akemi faced Yakumo, who had turned around.Akemi had thought about saying something, but her voice got caught in her throat.'Please. Save Sachiko.'Tsukasa went after Yakumo and continued to plead.Yakumo's shoulders started to tremble. It was like there was a black flame coming up from his body.'You keep on mocking me, but now you're asking me to save someone? What you're saying is too convenient for you.'Yakumo's hands were in tight fists as he spoke towards the clouds.Tsukasa had looked at Yakumo as an enemy and slandered him all this time.That wasn't all he had even ganged up on him and beat him.From Yakumo's perspective, it was impossible to accept a request from Tsukasa, but Yakumo's question probably hadn't just been directed towards Tsukasa at this moment.It must have been anger towards everyone in his life, including his mother 'Yakumo-kun.'Akemi called out to him, which made Yakumo look at her with a hot glare.Even without words, she could feel the negative emotions buried in Yakumo's chest.Just as Isshin said, Yakumo had to face somebody head-on right now. I'll take on that responsibility.A strong determination was born in Akemi's heart.Perhaps this was the bond she had always felt towards Yakumo.'I'm asking too. Yakumo-kun, save Sacchan.'The anger disappeared from Yakumo's eyes upon hearing Akemi's plea. They looked a bit wet.'I don't want to! I don't owe these guys anything! Why do I have to save them to the point of sacrificing the things that are important to me!?'Akemi understood that Yakumo was refusing.However, the reason was different from what she'd imagined. Sacrificing the things important to me.Had Yakumo stopped solving this case partway in order to protect something important?What could Yakumo, who acted like he rejected everything in the world, be trying to protect There was no way for Akemi to know.'What are you trying to protect, Yakumo-kun?'Yakumo looked away when Akemi asked that.'Does this event have something to do with what's important to you?''Shut up!'Yakumo pushed Akemi away and tried to leave.However, Akemi stood in his way. I need to face Yakumo.'Move out of the way.''No. I won't move. What's important to you, Yakumo-kun?''It's got nothing to do with you.'Akemi took Yakumo's shoulders and forced him to face her.Their eyes met.They really were sad eyes.'I won't understand unless you tell me properly. So tell me.'Yakumo pushed Akemi's hands away.'Stop this already. Why are you stopping me? I don't have a duty to save them to the point of losing something myself.'Akemi didn't know what emotions Yakumo had in his heart, but his expression was twisted, and he looked like he was trembling weakly.He was troubled and in pain Though he looked like he was expressionless, he had always been keeping his emotions in. This was the time to break out of his shell.'Do you really think that?''What if I do?''Then you've made a big mistake.''Mistake?''Happiness that stands on others' unhappiness is wrong. You can't step on something in order to protect something else, right?'Yakumo looked up at the sky upon hearing Akemi's words, as if he were exhausted.He didn't respond. He just looked up at the sky.Akemi looked at Yakumo's eyes and waited patiently for his next words.'Do you really think that?'Yakumo's voice sounded like they were recorded on a bad tape.'I really do.'Yakumo went quiet again after hearing Akemi's words.Tsukasa was looking at them dumbly.'Yesterday, my uncle said the same thing to me.'After a silence, Yakumo said that while looking straight at Akemi.'Isshin-san''I'll ask one more time. Do you really think that?'When he asked her again like this, her confidence was shaken.Was this really OK? Wouldn't this place a heavy burden on Yakumo's heart?'Yes. I think that.'Akemi nodded, though divided.Yakumo's expression softened, and for just a moment he smiled.'Tonight, come to the cherry blossom tree. Then'After saying that, Yakumo looked behind him and pointed at Tsukasa.'You bring the girl who's been possessed.'With the conversation suddenly turned towards him, Tsukasa's eyes went wide in surprise.'Yakumo-kun, I'll bring Sacchan.'She would have to explain to Sachiko's parents.There was what happened last time, and if Tsukasa went, there might be some trouble.However, it looked like Yakumo didn't like that, as he ran a hand through his hair in irritation.'I said this before, right? You can't do it. There's an order to things. You just need to come to the cherry blossom tree at night. You bring that girl. Got it?'Yakumo repeated his instructions and waited for their agreement.Akemi and Tsukasa both nodded without understanding what was happening.Yakumo seemed satisfied by that, as he put his hands in his pockets and walked away while looking down.Akemi had no way of knowing what they had just started -14-Today's info gathering was a miss too.Gotou sluggishly parked his car in the precinct's parking lot.Though they changed their investigation to look for a woman instead of a man as the informant, there weren't any results.He didn't think they'd suddenly find her, but his body still felt exhausted.'Can we really catch the culprit like this?' mumbled Gotou to nobody in particular as he got off the car.Miyagawa hit his head.'Don't complain like some rookie. It's not whether we can catch the culprit we will.'Miyagawa said just that and walked towards the front entrance with his bowlegged gait.It was just as Miyagawa said.Gotou shook his head to change his pace and followed Miyagawa.'Gotou, you've got a guest.'Just as he was about to pass reception, the officer in the general affairs department called out to him.'Guest?'There shouldn't have been a visitor for him.Gotou was confused as he looked towards the lobby.On the bench in the lobby, a boy in a blazer uniform sat while looking down. That guy.'Kid, how're your injuries?'Miyagawa spoke up before Gotou could.Yakumo slowly lifted his head. His expression was so dark it was like he'd returned from a funeral.'Do you need something?'Gotou walked up to Yakumo too and spoke to him.Yakumo ran a hand through his hair in irritation and stood up.His eyes were steady.It was like he had come to a grim decision.'There's somewhere I want you to go with me,' said Yakumo.'Where to?''You'll find out if you come.' What the hell was with this guy? What kind of attitude was that when talking to an officer?Gotou couldn't come to a decision, so he looked at Miyagawa.Miyagawa seemed to sense something, so he signalled for him to go with his chin.He couldn't do anything if there was an order from the boss. Gotou didn't know what would happen, but he'd go along with it.'You'll show the way, right?'Yakumo nodded.With Miyagawa in front, they left the precinct they had just returned to. So what on earth could this brat be thinking?After reaching the parking lot, Gotou got into the unmarked police car's driver seat, and Miyagawa into the passenger seat. Yakumo got into the backseat.'So where should I go?'Gotou looked at Yakumo through the rear-view mirror.'The school.'Yakumo seemed to be thinking about something as he spoke, looking out the window.'The school?' I'm even more confused.School was over already. Was he going to sneak into the school at night and have a test of courage?'You know, you're bringing two police officers with you. Give us an explanation,' said Miyagawa admonishingly.'It'll be better to have police there to avoid any problems afterwards,' said Yakumo with his usual attitude.'There's no way we'd understand from that explanation,' interrupted Gotou, unable to stop himself.It was too abstract Gotou had no idea what was going on.'You wouldn't believe me even if I explained.'Yakumo yawned, seeming bored.'Sorry, but we're busy too. If you can't explain the situation, get off the car,' said Gotou, turning around to face the backseat.He thought that Yakumo would explain properly, but he just murmured 'I see' and went to get off.'Well, isn't it fine?'Unexpectedly, it was Miyagawa who called out to stop Yakumo.'Miyagawa-san.''It's an apology for hitting him the other time. Why not accompany him for a bit?'After Miyagawa said that to Gotou, all Gotou could do was shut his mouth and obey.'I just need to go to the school then,' Gotou said curtly, starting the car.-15-Akemi stood by herself in front of the cherry blossom tree in the school's backyard.The sleeping schoolyard had an eerie presence to it.Though it was already past eight, Yakumo and Tsukasa hadn't shown up yet.I really should have taken Sachiko myself As if it had felt Akemi's regret, the cherry blossom's dead branches rustled in the wind. I wonder what Yakumo is going to start here.Yakumo could see ghosts. However, he couldn't exorcise them. That was what he'd said.However, he was trying to gather everyone involved at the place the incident started.It was just like an exorcism you could see on television.After sighing for the nth time today, she spotted somebody coming towards her. Two people.She focussed her eyes.It was Tsukasa and Sachiko.Sachiko was looking down while Tsukasa pulled her arm along.'Where's that guy?' said Tsukasa as he arrived, looking around the area.'He isn't here yet.''That guy. Did he run away again?'Tsukasa tightened his hands into fists and bit his lip.Sachiko didn't say anything, but she looked at Akemi with hollow eyes as she pressed a hand against her chest, looking like she was in pain.She was like a dead person with no purpose.'It's fine. Yakumo-kun won't run away.'Akemi wasn't saying that to comfort Tsukasa or Sachiko. Yakumo definitely understood everything and knew a method to fix it. That was why he wouldn't run.Akemi had no proof, but she was sure of that.'No!'Suddenly, Sachiko screamed and fell to her knees, covering both of her ears.She appeared to be afraid of something. Her shoulders shook violently.Beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.'Sacchan, are you OK?''It's crying! This baby's crying!' screamed Sachiko, her hair dishevelled.Tsukasa's mouth gaped in surprise.'Who do you mean by this baby?'Sachiko didn't respond to Akemi. Her body started convulsing. Oh no.Akemi reached out to try to embrace Sachiko.'Don't touch her yet!'A voice echoed in the darkness.This voice was Yakumo's However, she couldn't see him.While Akemi was looking around, Sachiko's convulsions grew more violent. Her hands were gripped together in front of her chest, and her body bent backwards. The whites of her eyes were showing.It looked like she'd lost consciousness.'Sacchan, hang in there.'Akemi tried to sit Sachiko up.'I said not to touch her, didn't I? She's just lost consciousness. Don't get so worked up.'Yakumo appeared in the darkness.He had taken off his contact lens.His red left eye seemed to glow in the darkness.As he stood there coolly, it looked like he had come to a decision about something.Yakumo walked forward with a firm gait.'Get out of the way.'Yakumo pushed Akemi aside and crouched in front of Sachiko. Then, he moved her arms away and looked at her chest with a sharp gaze.'What's happening?'Yakumo ignored Akemi's question and slowly stood up.'Oi. Is Sachiko really OK?' Tsukasa asked, unable to stop himself.'Keep your mouth shut!' Yakumo said sharply, looking at Tsukasa.The two looked at each other.'Eek. Y-y-you're eye'Tsukasa's mouth trembled as he spoke.His face muscles were tightened in fear.Yakumo must have seen reactions to his eye like this hundreds of times before.Hurt each time, it must have made him doubt his right to live 'I said to keep your mouth shut, didn't I?'His expression still blank, Yakumo pushed Tsukasa aside.Tsukasa staggered away, still lost for words.Yakumo walked to the roots of the cherry blossom tree and knelt on one knee. He pushed the dead leaves at the tree roots aside and started tracing the exposed dirt with his finger.Then, with a nod to nobody in particular, he stood up again.'Dig here.'Yakumo turned around and spoke into the darkness.At the signal, two men appeared with shovels. There was a man about thirty years old who looked like a bear and a middle-aged man with a short frame and scary face.Akemi knew one of their faces.The two men that were called out looked dubious, but they started to dig at the tree's roots, just as Yakumo told them.Yakumo slowly turned his head to look at Akemi.There was no strength in his gaze. It was as feeble as a candle flame that could disappear at any moment.The moment those eyes looked at her, Akemi understood everything.Why Yakumo, who had started to solve the spiritual phenomenon, had suddenly changed his attitude.What Yakumo had been hesitant about.Yakumo really was a very kind person, just as Akemi had imagined.Because of that, he carried many burdens and suffered for it.He couldn't even hate his mother, even though that would have made it easier.I might make Yakumo suffer greatly Akemi felt like it was hard to breathe.'What the hell is this?'After the bearlike man had dug up to his waist, he called out.He threw a large rock from the hole and then took out a rectangular wooden box with twenty-centimetre sides.'Is this what you were looking for kid?' asked the small-framed man.Yakumo nodded and brushed the dirt off the wooden box.There were two kanji characters written on it. Yuuta.'Open it.'The bearlike man put his hand on the box as told and took off the cover to look inside.'T-this is Isn't this a skeleton!?'His roar echoed in the darkness.'You're a police officer don't make a fuss over a skeleton.'After saying that calmly, Yakumo picked up the wooden box and slowly walked up to Sachiko.'Oi. Don't just touch the evidence!'The bearlike man let out a yell, but Yakumo didn't seem to care as all as he sat beside Sachiko with the wooden box.For a while, Yakumo just sat there, but he finally lifted his head and looked at Akemi.'You. Wake her up.'Akemi nodded and sat Sachiko up.That moment, Akemi felt something like a weight on her chest.'Is this really OK?' murmured Yakumo as he looked at Akemi. Don't look like that. Don't blame yourself. You definitely aren't wrong.A smile appeared on Akemi's face naturally.-16-Gotou looked up at the cherry blossom tree and blew out cigarette smoke.Though cherry blossoms bloomed in spring to demonstrate their existence, in another season, it really became eerie.The roots of the tree were surrounded by a blue plastic sheet, illuminated by outdoor lights. Forensics and police officers were milling about.On the other side of the fence, there was a crowd of curious onlookers it was like somebody famous had come.'Hey, Yakumo.'Gotou spoke up to Yakumo, who was looking up at the tree beside him, just as Gotou was doing.There wasn't any reply, but Gotou continued.'How did you know there was a corpse here?'Yakumo hadn't said anything before coming, but he'd known from the very start that there was a corpse underneath the cherry blossom tree.Otherwise, it wouldn't make sense.If Gotou couldn't get an explanation he understood, he wouldn't be able to stop himself from suspecting Yakumo was related to the case.'I can see'Yakumo's eyes narrowed as he murmured.'You can see?''Yes. My left eye isn't just red. It can see the spirits of those who have died that is, ghosts.' Ghosts?'Don't joke around. There's no such thing as ghosts.'Gotou spat on the ground.He wished that Yakumo would put a limit on how much he mocked him. Did Yakumo think that Gotou would accept that?'To turn the question around, what is your evidence for believing ghosts don't exist?' Yakumo said with a serious look.His pale profile seemed to stand out in the darkness.'What?''You're just denying their existence because it exceeds your understanding, right?''So can you explain them?'Gotou knew he wasn't being mature, but he ended up speaking angrily anyway.'Ghosts are not a new form of devil or monster. They are like clusters of people's emotions. After the body dies, their thoughts are all that are left, like a form of electric signal. That is the true form of a ghost''Clusters of people's emotions?''Yes. That's why they don't curse and kill people like how people like you imagine.''So were you exorcising ghosts at the bottom of that tree earlier?'Yakumo shook his head, seeming disappointed.'I'm not a spirit medium I can't exorcise ghosts. I just have the physical ability to see the spirits of the dead.''Then what did you do?''I just explained to the child's spirit that he was dead and who his true mother was.'There was no cloudiness to Yakumo's explanation.It was so logical it wouldn't allow rebuttals.'It believed that?''I wasn't trying to make it believe it or anything. It asked, so I answered.'Yakumo's shoulders slumped, as if he was resigned.Gotou had seen many criminals using demons and ghosts as ambiguous reasons for their crimes.That was why they just sounded like excuses to him.However, when Yakumo said it, it sounded like the truth to him. I fail as a detective for believing a joke like this.Gotou smiled wryly, dropped his cigarette on the ground and crushed it with his foot.'Then could you tell me? Who's the kid's mother?'Yakumo's eyes went wide in surprise at Gotou's question.'You believe me?''Who said that? I'm just telling you to tell me if you know.'When Yakumo heard Gotou's reply, he shrugged, shook his head and took a step forward.'It's not something for me to say. The mother will be found soon. And'From that tone, it sounded like he really did know who the mother was.Gotou waited for Yakumo to continue, but in the end, Yakumo didn't open his mouth.'Oi.'Yakumo ignored Gotou's call and walked away.Gotou's chest hurt when he looked at Yakumo's back. What's he looking so sad for when he's just a brat?Brats should just act like brats, only worrying about tomorrow why was he so sad?'What are you spacing out for? You lovesick?'Miyagawa had walked up to him at some point. He poked Gotou's shoulder.'Lovesick? Miyagawa-san is?''Don't be stupid.'Miyagawa smiled wryly and put a cigarette in his mouth.However, he didn't light it and just bit the filter.'I heard from forensics earlier. That corpse is missing one arm bone.'After hearing the explanation, even Gotou, who was simple, could understand.The corpse found in the backyard of the Shimomura clinic. Hata had said that there was an extra arm. The cases were linked then.'Why was it buried here?''I don't know. We're going to investigate that now, right?'Just as he said.'More importantly, how did that brat know the corpse was there?'Miyagawa said the same question Gotou had earlier. Thinking about it normally, anybody would have the same question.'Seems like he can see them.'Gotou spoke before he thought.'He can see them?'Miyagawa's voice cracked and his brows furrowed it looked funny.Maybe I looked the same way earlier when Gotou thought that, it made him smile.'Don't just smile answer properly.''That guy Yakumo can see the spirits of the dead.''The spirits of the dead.'Miyagawa cocked his head like he couldn't understand the meaning of the words.That made sense. It was too sudden the brain refused to accept it. Gotou had felt the same way earlier.'That guy can see ghosts.'When Gotou said that, the cigarette dropped from Miyagawa's mouth.-17-The next day, Akemi took a day off work for health reasons and visited Isshin's temple.It was because she wanted to tell Isshin everything from her own mouth before everything came to light.Isshin silently listened to Akemi's sorry and accepted everything.Akemi felt her chest tighten in face of his wide heart.People were mysterious. A very little thing could make a big change.Akemi had thought that she could only go where life made her go, but that had changed when she met Isshin and Yakumo.However, it was too late for her to notice now She knew that she couldn't be forgiven with just an apology. She didn't want to be forgiven.But still She went through the temple gates and was approaching the slope when she saw a boy walking towards her and stopped.'Yakumo-kun.'When Akemi spoke up, Yakumo stopped as well.When he stood between the gingko trees, he looked like a middle school student that could be found anywhere.However, there was a heavy darkness on his shoulders.'What are you doing here?'Yakumo looked at his feet awkwardly.'The same to you, Yakumo-kun. School shouldn't be over yet.'Perhaps Yakumo felt like Akemi's words were pointed, as he ran a hand through his hair in irritation.'I don't want to hear that from a teacher who skipped class and is hanging around here.''That's true.'It was just as Yakumo said.It was somewhat amusing to Akemi, and she ended up laughing.'What are you laughing at?''Sorry. Don't worry about it.'After Akemi's laughter quelled, she slowly walked up to Yakumo.She thought that he would run away, but Yakumo stood there, waiting for Akemi's arrival.For the first time, she had been able to step past the walls guarding Yakumo's heart.That was how Akemi felt.Though perhaps it was just her thinking things 'You know everything already, right?' said Akemi, putting a smile on her face.Yakumo's narrowed eyes trembled. He was probably still troubled. Is this really OK?'Yeah.'After a silence, Yakumo made a short response.'Since when?''You know too, right? From when we first went to that girl's room.' So that really was it.It was because Yakumo had realised everything that his attitude had changed after going to Sachiko's room. Did you know too?The words Yakumo had said then came up in Akemi's head.'I see''That child didn't know he was dead. He was looking for his mother.'Yakumo's words carved themselves into Akemi's chest. Looking for me this whole time.'But then why possess Sacchan?'If that child was looking for his mother, the person he possessed shouldn't have been Sacchan.It's me 'Many people pass at lunch, so there was no way to determine who his mother was. When that child woke up at night, that girl happened to be there for the test of courage, and their wavelengths matched. That was the only reason that girl was possessed.'Yakumo took a pause here.Akemi didn't understand ghosts well, but she somehow understood what Yakumo was saying.It was just a coincidence.'How could you tell?''When we went to her room, the crying child stopped crying. He reached out, left that girl, and stuck to you, his true mother.'Yakumo pointed at her.Akemi felt despair, like she had been called for the death penalty.Yakumo had found out everything then and warned Akemi, telling her not to approach that girl again.However, there was still something Akemi didn't understand.When Sachiko opened her eyes last night, she had said that the child was gone.If the child was gone from Sachiko 'Where's that child's spirit now?'Yakumo looked at Akemi's chest without saying anything.That was enough of an explanation. He's possessing me now.The weight on her chest he had felt then had been Yuuta.'Some people are more prone to seeing the spirits of the dead than others. It has nothing to do with the depth of love it's a physical trait,' Yakumo said quietly. I see. So that's how it is. I'm sorry.Akemi clasped her hands in front of her chest tightly, as if in an embrace.'I also have something I would like to ask.''What is it?''Why kill him? Because his eyes were red?'Sharp words came out of Yakumo's mouth.They stabbed deep into Akemi's heart. It hurt but she had to respond.It was her duty to do so.'Yes.'The silence rang in her ears.Akemi had given birth to twins.One was Nao. The other was Yuuta.Both of Yuuta's eyes had been red from birth.The man who assaulted Akemi had had the same red eyes.Every time she saw that child, she felt the same fear.There had been no sign. She was suddenly kidnapped one day. She didn't even know where she was, but she was raped and hurt countless times.That man had murmured in Akemi's ears. Your child will unleash the same hatred for humanity as I do.Akemi couldn't understand what those words meant.She just knew instinctively that they were terrifying.Now that she thought about it, she felt like that man's goal hadn't been to satisfy sexual urges but to make children.She had been chosen for some reason 'I was afraid. I didn't know what to do. I remembered my fear every time I looked at my own child.'Akemi continued her story falteringly.Yakumo said nothing. He just listened.The truth was that perhaps she should have just lied and said that wasn't true, when thinking about Yakumo's emotions. However, for some reason, she felt like she couldn't do that.She had to face Yakumo directly.At that time, her parents had died in a traffic accident.She had been cornered psychologically Akemi had been near depression.When she found out she was pregnant, it was too late for an abortion.Reality and her memories of the past had become blurred.Yuuta cried loudly. It had sounded like that man's voice, and she'd screamed.'That day, I embraced Yuuta, who had just been born.'Alone in the hospital room Though Nao was sleeping quietly, Yuuta wouldn't stop crying even when held.Akemi's emotions had been shaken.'That child's cries sounded like that man's voice to me, and my arms failed me in my fear When I noticed, Yuuta had fallen to the floor. I'Did I drop Yuuta by accident or hit him Akemi's memories were uncertain.Even if they were certain, it would just be an excuse.'I was afraid of those red eyes and killed my child'Akemi knew her voice was shaking. She just forced herself not to cry.In her confusion, Akemi had called a doctor called Shimomura.This was what he'd said. Fortunately, there isn't a birth certificate yet. We can just say that child wasn't born.Akemi's heart was shaking by that whisper from a devil.Perhaps she would have made a different choice if she were alone, but there was Nao.She couldn't leave Nao alone.Akemi agreed to Shimomura's suggestion. As a fee, she gave him everything her parents had left her.Every day after that, she lived afraid of the gazes from others. The truth might be found out one day.The peace Akemi should have grabbed a hold of had just been an illusion.Even though she must have known from the start that this would happen, at the time, she hadn't been able to notice the obvious.'You really are a clumsy person.'Yakumo smiled.It was a friendly smile. A gentle smile, like Isshin's. Why is he smiling?Akemi didn't understand.'Clumsy?''Yes. That was an accident.''That's just a convenient excuse.'Yakumo shook his head.'It was an accident. You didn't hit your child against the floor. You dropped him.''You're wrong. I killed him! I was afraid of those red eyes and my hands let go of my child! I killed him!'Akemi wrung those words out of her throat.Her lower stomach tightened.'Then why did you bury his corpse? Why would you bury him in the school backyard?''That's'She hadn't been able to bury Yuuta behind the hospital.A child who hadn't been born at least, she wanted to keep him by her.However, she couldn't put him in her room since she couldn't cremate him.She lived in an apartment, so she couldn't bury him in the garden.Her last resort was to bury him underneath the cherry blossom tree by the school.She had thought about finding a time to move to a house with a garden and bury him there.'You blame yourself a bit too much.'Yakumo frowned, looking a bit troubled.Isshin had said the same thing as Yakumo. Will Yakumo save me as well?'But I''You don't have to say any more,' said Yakumo, interrupting her and shaking his head.Akemi couldn't help it. She started to cry. I wish I had met them sooner.If I had, maybe I wouldn't have been led astray, and I would have been able to continue holding my child in my arms.But that wish won't be granted No matter how Akemi wiped away her tears, they continued to fall.Who are these tears for there was no way for her to know just from thinking about it.She would probably find out much, much afterwards. Can even someone like me live facing tomorrow?After waiting for Akemi to stop crying, Yakumo looked away and asked, 'What are you going to do now?'' I plan on confessing to the police.'Yakumo didn't seem satisfied by Akemi's response. He ran a hand through his hair in irritation.'No, that isn't it. Er I meant about Uncle.'After Yakumo said that, his ears went a bit red, and he looked up at the gingko trees with their yellow leaves.This side of Yakumo, like a boy in puberty, was strangely cute.'I met Isshin-san earlier.''And?''After I told him everything, he proposed to me.'After Akemi finished explaining the situation, Isshin's Maitreya-like face went as a red as a boiled octopus, and he said, 'If it's fine with you, would you marry me?'It had been so sudden that Akemi had just been frozen.'That's like Uncle.'Yakumo bent over, clutching his stomach as he laughed. So Yakumo can laugh like this too.No matter what was said, he was still a child. Akemi realised that obvious fact anew. Will a day come when I can laugh like this too?'So what did you do?' asked Yakumo after he had finished laughing.'Isshin-san was my first love.''And?''Yakumo-kun, do you oppose it?''That isn't something for me to decide. Do what you want.''I'm a murderer.''You're so longwinded! There's no law against murderers and monks marrying, right? And you didn't commit murder. If you're worried about my reputation, that's misdirected. I couldn't care less.'Yakumo spoke very quickly.It was a fairly clumsy congratulatory address.However, they spread through her heart more than anybody else's words 'Watch over Nao until I get back.'Yakumo nodded with a shy smile.If they were here, Akemi wouldn't have to worry about Nao. Everyone was clumsy, but that home was filled with love.'Call me Mum from now on.''I refuse!'Yakumo looked away again.He really was stubborn. This was fine for now, but she would definitely get him to call her that eventually.'And since there aren't any other teachers who'll come call you out, attend class properly from now on.''I don't need your concern.'A number of unexpected things had happened, but perhaps Yakumo would start to change greatly after this case, just as Isshin thought. I want to be with everyone longer.Though that was tempting, Akemi shook her head.She would spend more time with them after. So until then 'I have to go. If I don't hurry up, it won't be a confession it'll be an arrest.'After saying that wryly, Akemi took the first step.'Hey, was this OK?'Akemi had walked a few steps when she heard Yakumo's voice.Akemi didn't turn around. Because Yakumo was definitely looking the other way too 'You weren't wrong. No matter how sad the result, stick to what you believe in. I think you'll definitely show the way for many people who don't think they can be saved, Yakumo-kun. So''Don't just say that.'Yakumo interrupted Akemi.It was true that perhaps she was just saying that, but she still hoped for it 'I'll see you later then.'Akemi said that, still turned away, and started walking slowly between the gingko trees.The yellow leaves fluttered down.-18-Akemi stood in front of the hospital that had been burnt down.After going to the precinct and asking where Chief Miyagawa was, she was told that he was here.The investigation of the scene was already over. Though there was rope around the area, she didn't see anybody there.Akemi went past the rope and stepped onto the premises.It was mysterious how she felt a bit sad about this place being gone, when she had so many bad memories of it. If only all of it were a lie.'This place is off-limits.'Akemi turned around at the voice and saw two men there.One was a man like a bear. The detective named Gotou. The other was Chief Miyagawa.Akemi silently bowed.'You're the teacher that was at the school yesterday,' said Gotou, pointing at Akemi.Miyagawa's brow furrowed, and he rubbed at his chin as if thinking about something. Finally, he clapped his hands together.'I remember now. You were at that incident two years ago'After saying that much, Miyagawa shut his mouth. It was probably difficult to talk about.Akemi had met Miyagawa two years ago She was released from her confinement and put into police custody.Though the one who received Akemi was a female officer, at that time, the member of the investigation team who chased after the culprit was Miyagawa.Normally, they wouldn't have talked directly, but they had met each other by chance at the hospital waiting room. I'll definitely catch him.Miyagawa had murmured that then.Perhaps it hadn't been to Akemi but to himself.However, there had been no doubt in his expression.He had reminded Akemi of her father.It was for that reason that Akemi had chosen Miyagawa as the person she secretly divulged the information about Shimomura's crimes to.'Actually, I have something to talk to you about, Miyagawa-san.'Akemi had been worried that she would back out before coming here, but she was so calm that it surprised herself.Miyagawa responded with a nod.'Should we go somewhere else?''No, here is fine.'Upon hearing Akemi's words, Miyagawa went pass the rope and stepped onto the premises.Gotou followed him.'Sorry. I haven't caught him yet.'Miyagawa lit a cigarette with a sour expression.'No, it's fine.'Akemi shook her head.Miyagawa silently bit his lip.Gotou had his arms crossed and looked confused, like he didn't understand the conversation, but he didn't interrupt.'So what did you want to talk about?''I came here today to confess.'Miyagawa probably didn't understand what Akemi meant. He blew out a puff of smoke and looked up at the sky.'Confess?''Yes. I decided to confess because I regret my crime.''Did you shoplift or something?'The cigarette dropped out of Miyagawa's mouth.His sharp glaze was turned towards Akemi, as if to confirm whether she was being genuine.Akemi accepted the gaze.After about a minute, Miyagawa cleared his throat and said, 'Could you explain what you mean?'Akemi nodded and started to speak.'A child's corpse was found at the school last night, yes? That was my child. His name is Yuuta. I killed him with my hands only days after he was born.'Could that kid be from that incident'When Akemi nodded, Miyagawa looked like he could cry at any moment.Perhaps he blamed himself for being unable to catch the culprit.However, even if he had caught the culprit, Akemi would probably still have killed Yuuta. There was no reason for Miyagawa to blame himself.'The doctor at this hospital suggested I hide that I killed my child. I accepted it and buried my child without sending a birth certificate.'It looked like Miyagawa was thinking.'Sensei, were you the one who sent in the tip to me?'Akemi nodded silently.Shimomura had told Akemi about his crimes.Human trafficking. Illegal abortions. Murders after birth. She couldn't forgive Shimomura for boasting about it.She had chosen to tip Miyagawa off secretly to hide her own crime, but now that she thought about it, that had probably just been a convenient reason she was telling herself.At the bottom of her heart, though she hadn't known it, she had probably thought that it would be easier for her if he was caught.'Hey, Sensei. Did you hate your child? Did you want to kill him so much you couldn't do anything about it?''It wasn't anything like hate I was just afraid. He made me remember that incident.'Though she said that, it just sounded like a convenient excuse to her.'I see So how'd you kill him?''I was holding him in my arms. When I heard his crying, I lost consciousness and dropped him to the floor. Then'Miyagawa's mouth gaped as he looked at her.'Thats' all?''Yes.'When Akemi said that, Miyagawa started laughing aloud.'Sensei. You can't call that murder.'Miyagawa put a hand on Akemi's shoulder and continued talking.'You make a case for murder when there's murderous intent. You didn't have that, right? So it's not murder. And it'd be difficult to make a case for negligent homicide, since it's not like you were holding the kid at a bad angle.''What do you mean?'The conversation was too technical for Akemi to understand.'To put it simply, it was just an accident. Hiding the corpse and the issue with official documents bother me, but well, if you do things right, you might get off with a suspended sentence.'When Akemi understood Miyagawa's words, she almost collapsed to her knees.She had thought that she wouldn't be able to leave prison for ten or even twenty years.Now she wouldn't have to wait and would be able to live with Isshin and Yakumo She knew that it was imprudent, when she had made her old child die, but she still felt happiness welling up in her chest. I have a tomorrow too.It made her think that way. Wahhh.She heard a baby's cry in her ear.Then, she felt a sharp pain run through her back.A burning pain.Pressing a hand against her back and turning her head, she saw Shimomura standing there.His eyes were bloodshot and he was gritting his teeth. He had stuck a knife in Akemi's back.'Did you tip them off!? When I was the one who saved you!'Miyagawa and Gotou tried to subdue Shimomura.However, it was too late.Shimomura pulled the knife out of Akemi's back and sliced sideways.The tip of the knife hit the artery in Akemi's neck.Bright red blood flew out in front of her eyes.Her eyes were ringing. Her body was losing its strength. She couldn't breathe it was like she was in water.She saw the sky.Layers of clouds were blocking out the sun.Miyagawa rushed up to her. He was yelling something. However, Akemi couldn't hear anything Her consciousness was fading.It hurt.I wonder if Yuuta felt the same way.Right. Sorry, Yuuta I can't be happy by myself after killing you.I'll be with you soon, so wait.Sorry, Nao It looks like Mommy can't be with you.I wanted to watch you grow up.Sorry, Isshin-san I'm really happy I met you.Even though it was for just a moment, I could see a dream. I felt happy.Sorry, Yakumo-kun Thank you for forgiving somebody like me.Thanks to you, I was saved in the end There are going to be a lot of difficulties in your future.But you'll be fine, Yakumo-kun.Because you -19-Sachiko took the stairs up to the roof.She didn't know what Yakumo had done, but ever since that night, the baby had not shown up again.She felt very fortunate to have been saved by the person she liked. I need to thank him properly.That was what she'd thought, but then there was the shocking incident wherein their homeroom teacher, Akemi, had been killed, and Yakumo hadn't shown up for a while after that.Today, when he'd finally come to school, he escaped as usual once homeroom ended.Nobody would call out to him now that Akemi was gone. I need to call out to Yakumo from now on.It felt like her duty.Because Yakumo had saved Sachiko, she felt something like fate her feelings for him had grown even stronger than before.After climbing the stairs, Sachiko opened the door and stepped onto the roof.She saw Yakumo's back. He was by the fence, looking at the backyard.To Sachiko, it looked like he was waiting for someone.'Yakumo-kun.'Sachiko called out to him.However, Yakumo didn't even turn around.'You saved me, Yakumo-kun. Thank you.'Sachiko bowed her head.'It's not like I planned on saving you,' Yakumo said listlessly.He wouldn't boast about what he'd done or expect anything in return.That was why Yakumo was cool.'That's fine. Let me do something as thanks sometime.'Sachiko forced herself to sound cheerful. Hey, Yakumo. Turn this way.Sachiko prayed in her heart.Perhaps that wish reached Yakumo, because he slowly turned around and looked at Sachiko with narrowed eyes.His face looked like it had been carved out of marble.Sachiko's heart beat faster just from his gaze. This is probably the only chance I'll have to tell him the feelings I've always had.Sachiko felt that instinctively.'Um, I've always kept quiet about it, but I like you, Yakumo-kun. Since a long time ago.'It just came out of her mouth.Sachiko's face went bright red as she waited for Yakumo's response.Even though she felt like her heart might jump out of her throat in her nervousness, Yakumo's expression didn't change at all.'Am I no good?' asked Sachiko, finding it hard to breathe.Yakumo looked down silently, took off the contact lens in his left eye, and looked up.His left eye, dyed a deep red, looked at Sachiko. Red eyes, like that child.The horror that had faded in Sachiko's heart came back anew. No. I'm scared.Sachiko covered her mouth and looked away from Yakumo without thinking.'You all only look at me in that way. If you can only see my appearance, keep away from me.'Yakumo said that in disgust and slowly walked away.Sachiko collapsed to the floor right there.-20-Gotou parked the car outside of the middle school's gates and leant back on the driver's seat.He could hear the clamour of students from the grounds.The incident that had occurred a few days ago seemed like a lie.People always forgot about unpleasant experiences. That wasn't a bad thing. You forgot and continued living.Gotou was one of those people himself. But how about that guy?Yakumo's face appeared in Gotou's head.If he accepted everything directly like that, his heart would break someday.That said, there wasn't anything Gotou could do.He knew that. But he just couldn't leave him alone. He's here.Gotou saw Yakumo outside the window and got off the car.'Oi. Yakumo.'Though Yakumo acknowledged Gotou's presence, he pretended not to have noticed and tried to walk away.'Oi. Wait.'Gotou grabbed Yakumo's shoulder as he tried to pass him.'What do you want?'Though Yakumo stopped, he brushed away Gotou's hand and glared at him.Honestly. A harsh guy, as usual.'Two things.''Talk already. You're wasting my time.'Yakumo ran a hand through his hair.'First, I wanted to tell you that teacher's last words.'The upturned corners of Yakumo's eyes lowered slightly.'Last words?'His eyes even looked watery.Yakumo really had been acting strong all this time.'Right. That teacher said your name at the end.''Mine?'Yakumo's mouth opened in surprise.It made sense for him to be surprised, but it was the truth.Akemi had been stabbed, and her throat had been cut. When she had been on her last breath, she called out Yakumo's name.Gotou didn't know the details, but since he'd seen her die, he felt like it was his duty to tell Yakumo that.It was the least he could do for not saving Akemi.'Thank you for forgiving me. Yakumo-kun, you're'Gotou stopped there.'What came next?'Of course he would ask that, but unfortunately 'I don't know. She stopped breathing then.''You really are useless.'Yakumo frowned and sighed. Then, he tried to walk away.'Wait a sec. I said there were two things, right?'Gotou grabbed Yakumo's arm and made Yakumo face him.Yakumo clicked his tongue in irritation, but Gotou wouldn't back off because of something like that.'You can see ghosts, right?''Didn't you not believe me?'That hurt.Defending himself for every little thing would be a pain, so Gotou ignored it and continued.'There's something I want you to look at.'As Gotou said that, he took a photo out of his pocket and put it in front of Yakumo's eyes.'What is it?'Yakumo looked taken aback.'Spirit photography taken at a scene where a corpse was found.''I can tell from looking.''Help with the investigation.'Yakumo shook his head like he couldn't believe what Gotou had said.'Are you saying you're going to use me?''Is that bad? All the smart guys put their energy to paperwork. Muscle heads like me run around. Everyone does what they're good at. That's what society is.''What do you want to say?''It's the same for you. If you can see them, use that. It's nothing special.'Yakumo looked at Gotou like he was something unpleasant. I don't understand.It was like he was saying that.However, Gotou didn't think he'd said anything wrong.'If you can see them, help me out.'Gotou tried once more, but it was no use.Yakumo walked away briskly without saying anything.Gotou thought about whether he should chase after him, but he decided to leave it for today.There'd be more chances in the future.'You're not special! You're just a brat. So what if you can see ghosts? That's not that big of a problem. So don't give up.'Gotou murmured that towards Yakumo's back.-21-Yakumo entered the temple and sat down cross-legged.The high ceiling. The cold wooden floor. The smell of incense.Yakumo always came here when he couldn't sort out his emotions.He faced the statue of Buddha.In front of those half-open eyes which had reached enlightenment, Yakumo felt like his heart was naked. What I did was wrong.Right now, Yakumo's heart was being hit by a wave of regret.Because of his choice, Akemi had died. I should have kept quiet.He should have just left Sachiko alone.Something might change if I'm involved with the case. Yakumo had had that faint hope.However, sticking his neck in where it wasn't necessary had made many people unhappy.The truth wasn't everything. There were many things people were better off not knowing.He didn't believe in God or Buddha.They didn't save anyone. Yakumo saw the spirits of people who hadn't been saved every day with his eye.Most of them just disappeared in the end with their regrets Why could he see them even though he couldn't save them?Why had he been born with an ability which made people unhappy?Because of this eye, people alienated him. His mother had tried to kill him.Because of this eye, he made the people important to him unhappy and even made them lose their lives. I'm sick of this.He didn't want this eye any more.Yakumo put his hand in his bag and took out a box cutter from his pen case. I won't suffer if I can't see.Yakumo used his thumb to push the cutter's blade out.The clicks it made echoed through the temple.Yakumo raised the cutter's tip.He wasn't afraid of the loss of sight or the pain.He would be released this way. He wouldn't make anybody unhappy any more.That pleasant peace of mind spread through his heart. If you can see them, use that. It's nothing special.The words Gotou had said when they met in front of the school gates ran through his head.He wasn't running away. After using his ability, somebody had died. Yakumo couldn't bear any more of this.This eye made people unhappy.Yakumo pushed the cutter's blade towards his left eye.He felt it hit something. But there was no pain.Drip, drip.Blood dripped to the floor.Isshin's hand was in front of his eyes.Only millimetres in front of Yakumo's left eye, Isshin had grabbed the blade and stopped it.The blade snapped with a crack.Yakumo couldn't understand Isshin's action.Why had he protected Yakumo's left eye to the point of volunteering his own body as sacrifice?'Don't do stupid things.'Isshin was smiling gently even while blood dripped from his palm.'Why did you stop me?''There must be some reason your left eye can see the spirits of the dead. Don't run away from that,' Isshin said quietly.'Reason? Like there's such a thing! My left eye makes people unhappy!''You're wrong.'Isshin hugged Yakumo tightly.Yakumo could heard Isshin's heartbeat in his ear. It's warm.'As long as I have this eye, people treat me like a monster. I see things I don't have to. I suffer!'Yakumo struggled to try to get out of Isshin's arms.Isshin hugged Yakumo even more tightly to stop him and shook his head.'Then I choose to be viewed with the same odd gazes as you receive.' Why? Why does this person do so much for me?Yakumo didn't understand.Even though his own mother had abandoned him, why 'I'm troubled because there are people like you and Sensei.''Isn't that OK? People live with troubles.''Nothing will change like that!' yelled Yakumo.'Things will change.''They won't!''No, they will. One day, there'll be someone who'll say your left eye is beautiful.''Don't try to console me.''I'm not. One day, somebody will accept you for who you are, just like that person.''Like somebody like that exists!'Yakumo was sick of the response of people who saw his red left eye.Fear, pity, sympathy Even though it was just a different coloured eye, people looked at him like he was a different living being.If Yakumo held hope, it would just make him suffer more.'No, there definitely is,' Isshin declared in a strong tone.'Even if there were, I would just make them unhappy, like Sensei'A sad future awaited them, like with Akemi.Isshin shook his head again.'Was Akemi-chan really unhappy?''Eh?''I can't see Akemi-chan, but you should be able to. Tell me, Yakumo. Is Akemi-chan crying?'Yakumo looked up at Isshin's words.Yakumo's eye saw her clearly.'She's there right now, right?'Yakumo bit his lip and nodded.'She is smiling. She's smiling very happily''I see.'Isshin said that and looked up at the ceiling.Tears fell from Yakumo's eyes She started to disappear.Don't go.Yakumo wrested himself out of Isshin's arms and crawled after Akemi's spirit.'Don't go!'He reached out as he called.However, his hand didn't reach her.Akemi disappeared, as if she had melted into the air.At the last moment, Yakumo thought he heard something faintly. Yakumo-kun. You weren't wrong. Stick with your beliefs. And thank you.