Shinrei Tantei Yakumo – SECRET FILES: Kizuna Vol 2 Chapter 1

SECRET FILES – KIZUNA
the cry of the dead (TRANSLATION NOTES)

Haruka looked out the window from the pa.s.senger seat.

After that, they ordered takeaway and had sus.h.i.+ together. Gotou was driving her home.

Iss.h.i.+n and Gotou had told her about Yak.u.mo’s past, which was alien to her –

It was hard to breathe, like something was constricting her chest, but for some reason, she also felt safe, like she was being enveloped by something warm.

A strange feeling –

‘You thinking about Yak.u.mo?’ said Gotou from the driver’s seat.

'That isn’t it.’

Haruka quickly denied it.

'Liar. It’s written on your face.’

Gotou looked at her meaningfully – it seemed like she hadn’t been able to fool him.

Haruka knew she was the sort of person who couldn’t hide things, but being seen through so easily made her feel pathetic.

'I just thought that I really didn’t know anything about Yak.u.mo-kun at all…’ said Haruka in resignation.

That was how she truly felt.

The more she found out about Yak.u.mo’s unknown past, the further she felt from him.

'Haruka-chan, you know Yak.u.mo now the best of all. Isn’t that good enough?’ said Gotou, lighting his cigarette at the traffic like.

'I want to know more…’ said Haruka without thinking.

'You’re completely a maiden in love.’

Gotou laughed aloud.

Haruka went red up to her ears and hid her face.

'No, that isn’t it.’

Though she tried to deny it, she felt herself that she wasn’t convincing.

'Then let’s talk about another story from Yak.u.mo’s past.’

Gotou waited for the light to turn green and started talking.

'Another…’

'Yeah. It was a week after the incident with his teacher…’

1

'A corpse was found.’

Gotou Kazutos.h.i.+ was told that a week after the incident with Akemi.

The scene was a park about five minutes from the train station.

With a pond in the shape of a gourd, the park had floating piers over the narrow parts. You could take small boats onto the large pond for fun.

The path around the pond was laid with bricks, and there were benches facing the pond about every ten metres.

It was also a local date spot.

In contrast to that, when you went to the back of the pond, there were knee-high weeds and a thicket with oak trees – it was like a completely different place.

After pa.s.sing through the steel gates to the park and walking along the pond on dead leaves, Gotou spotted a crowd of people at a floating pier.

In the middle was a woman’s corpse –

Gotou pushed his way through the crowd and went up to the woman’s corpse near the floating pier.

A woman with long hair.

Though she was wearing clothes, her body was completely soaked.

It was almost winter, so she probably hadn’t been playing in the pond.

Since she was face-down, Gotou couldn’t see her face, but from her clothes and skin, she was probably a young woman.

A fly had stopped on the woman’s swollen fingers.

It was crawling about, rubbing both legs together.

'This is awful…’

Gotou waved the fly away.

'Gotou-kun, right?’

A hoa.r.s.e voice called out to him. Gotou looked up.

An old man with white hair and a face like a dried persimmon. He was wearing a white doctor’s gown and had a grin on his face inappropriate for a scene where a corpse was found.

It was Hata, the perverted coroner who said that autopsying was his hobby.

'Don’t grin next to a corpse. It’s indiscreet.’

Gotou stood up with a click of his tongue.

'Your existence is more of an indiscretion,’ Hata said shamelessly, without faltering.

'The h.e.l.l does that mean, you d.a.m.n old man?’

'My interest helps the investigation, but all you do is take up s.p.a.ce. I’m saying you’re no help at all.’

– Acting like I’m an object.

'Am I oversized rubbish?’

'So you know.’

Hata smiled, showing his teeth like a skeleton.

'Since you’re here, is this an unnatural death?’ asked Gotou, restraining himself from kicking Hata down.

'You really are an idiot.’

'What?’

'All deaths that we can’t tell the cause of are unnatural deaths,’ said Hata in a mocking tone. Then, he giggled, which made his shoulders shake.

– Tripping me up.

'So do you have an idea about the cause of death?’

'You’re so impatient. I get to look forward to that after investigating.’

Hata let out another creepy laugh.

'Ah, I see. Accident, suicide, murder – anyway, tell me what you know.’

'This is a murder, no doubt about it,’ Hata said coolly.

– Murder?

Gotou couldn’t ignore that.

'You just said that you didn’t know the cause of death earlier. What are you talking about?’

Without responding to Gotou’s question, Hata crouched in front of the woman and rolled up her blue blouse.

Her white back was revealed.

'W-what the h.e.l.l is this!?’

There were countless injuries there – it looked like she had been cut with a knife.

The injuries were quite deep –

Her skin was turned up at the edges, like trenches had been dug into it.

'You can tell from looking, right? They’re cuts.’

'Are these the cause of death?’

'No. Probably these were done while she was still alive.’

Hata scratched his chin.

'While she was still alive… Was she tortured?’

In Gotou’s head, an image of a woman crying out while her back was being cut appeared.

A chill ran down his spine. Maybe the culprit was an unbelievable s.a.d.i.s.t.

'That isn’t it.’

Hata shook his head.

'Then what is it?’

'Think with your head a bit. This is a message.’

'A message?’

Hata nodded. Then, he stuck out his chin to signal for Gotou to look at the back again.

– If you understand, just explain.

Gotou swallowed his irritation and looked once more at the woman’s back.

'What… is this…’

Gotou could understand what Hata meant.

This was a message –

The cuts on the woman’s back spelt words.

Writing words into somebody’s skin – this was mad.

The culprit must have hated the victim.

– Looks like it’ll be an unpleasant case.

A vague anxiety was born within Gotou.

2

Gotou left that confusing place and went to the park’s management office.

Miyagawa had transferred after Akemi’s case. The reorganisation of partners in the detective department wasn’t going well, so now Gotou had no partner.

There was a problem with the command of the new chief, Ideuchi.

Thanks to that, it had been a while since Gotou had returned to the scene.

'That half-baked baldy,’ muttered Gotou as he went to the management office’s prefabricated building.

It looked like you could borrow boats from here. It had a front counter and there was the office behind it.

Gotou saw a woman in a blue uniform with her head on the table and both hands over an electric heater.

'You an employee?’

When he called out to her, her shoulders jolted and she lifted her head.

Her makeup was so thick it seemed inappropriate for the situation.

'Ah, yes,’ the woman replied in a low voice.

Ignoring the location, Gotou felt like he’d slipped into a bar in the rundown districts.

'What’s your name?’

'My name is Tachibana Fumiko.’

'What are you doing here?’

Gotou put out his police ID.

'Eh, er, I was told to stay here.’

'By who?’

'A detective named s.h.i.+mamura. Er… The woman’s corpse. I was the first one who found it.’

Fumiko’s speech was as faltering as if she were making excuses for adultery.

'It’s not like I suspect you.’

Gotou lit a cigarette.

'Is that so…’

'So what’s the situation?’

'Ah, yes. I told s.h.i.+mamura-san…’

'Sorry, but could you tell me one more time?’

Gotou didn’t wait for Fumiko to reply. He sat on the chair opposite her.

'It’ll be the same story I told before…’

Fumiko looked up at Gotou with hesitation.

'I don’t mind.’

After Gotou said that firmly, Fumiko nodded reluctantly.

'Excuse me… Where should I start…’

'When did you find the corpse?’

Gotou hated roundabout questions. He went straight for the topic.

'I don’t know exactly, but it was probably before nine.’

'Where were you until then?’

'Cleaning the park.’

'When did you come to the park?’

'I came before 7:10, used my time card, changed and then picked up rubbish and swept.’

Fumiko looked up at Gotou again, like a child who was being scolded.

It seemed like she felt she was being suspected.

'I’m just checking the facts.’

'Oh.’

Though it didn’t look like Fumiko accepted that, Gotou continued talking regardless.

'What’d she look like when you found her?’

'At first I didn’t realise. I just thought there was something floating on the water… Then when I went up…’

It seemed like Fumiko was recalling the scene, as her brow was furrowed and her lips were trembling.

'Was anybody nearby?’

'I fainted, so I don’t know.’

Fumiko looked like she might cry at any moment. She placed her palm against her mouth and lay down.

Gotou spotted her red manicure, which didn’t match for an employee who cleaned up rubbish.

'So was there anything that caught your concern? Not just from today.’

'Hm…’

'Like suspicious people hanging around recently or screams you might have heard. Anything’s fine.’

Fumiko looked up at the low ceiling like she was thinking. Finally, she let out an 'Ah!’.

'Did you remember something?’

Gotou’s hopes went out even if he didn’t want them to.

'N-no. It isn’t anything big. There was just something I was concerned about…’

'Something you were concerned about?’

'Ah, but even if I tell you this, Detective…’

'It’s fine. Just tell me,’ Gotou said forcefully.

He’d be too curious if the story just stopped in the middle like this.

Though Fumiko looked troubled, she started speaking.

'A ghost appears in this park.’

'A ghost?’

Gotou’s voice cracked at the unexpected reply.

– A ghost of all things.

Gotou understood why Fumiko didn’t want to talk.

'I really shouldn’t have mentioned that to you, Detective.’

Fumiko looked apologetic as she hunched her shoulders.

If it were Gotou from a bit before, he would probably have ended the conversation right there for being ridiculous, but now Gotou couldn’t make light of stories about ghosts.

It was because Saitou Yak.u.mo, the boy with a red left eye that could see the spirits of the dead, was in his head.

'I don’t mind. Let me hear it.’

'All right… There’s a rumour that a ghost appears in this park.’

Fumiko sounded hesitant.

'What sort of rumour?’

'People say that a girl was killed in this park, and when night comes, you can see a girl in a uniform with a ponytail walking around…’

'Have you seen her?’

'Eh?’

Fumiko looked blank.

'I said, have you seen the ghost?’

'At first I didn’t believe it either. But…’

Fumiko hugged her shoulders as her body shook before continuing.

'One day, I took some time tending the plants and left the office late at night. Then, near the pond, I heard somebody wailing.’

'Then?’

'I went to the pond. Then…’

Fumiko swallowed.

'At the floating pier, there was a girl with a ponytail. When I asked her what she was doing, that girl disappeared like smoke.’

'Disappeared?’

'Yes. Even though the girl disappeared, I could hear her voice…’

'What did she say?’

'I’ll curse you! I’ll curse you and kill you! That’s what she said.’

Fumiko leant forward with wide eyes, as if she herself had become that ghost.

Gotou leant back under that force.

Then, his cigarette ash fell to the floor –

3

After Gotou left the office, he went with forensics and other officers to investigate the area.

They walked around the thicket surrounding the pond until late at night, but they couldn’t find anything that stood out.

However, Gotou didn’t feel disappointed.

He knew that this was how investigations were.

Especially for muscle idiots like himself who acted more than thought, Gotou thought that they had to do what they were good for.

Gotou left the officers at the scene and went to the floating pier.

He looked at the water where the victim had probably been floating.

The pale moon was reflected in the moving water surface.

Gotou lit a cigarette and blew out the smoke towards the sky.

The image he’d seen earlier came to his head. The words cut into the woman’s back.

The words sounded hateful, if just looking at the meaning.

However, Gotou didn’t think it was just that.

Hata had said it was a message. Then who was the message for?

Maybe there was a code in that short message.

Splash.

A koi leapt out of the pond.

– Well, I don’t think I’ll reach the answer by thinking about it.

Gotou smiled self-derisively, pushed his cigarette in an ashtray and turned away from the floating pier.

He walked on the path by the pond.

He took the car he had parked near the entrance and leant back on the driver’s seat. When he reached out to try to turn the key, he felt like he heard something.

– What is that?

Gotou stopped breathing and focussed on listening.

However, all he heard was the sound of wind rustling the trees.

Because of the ghost story he’d heard from Fumiko, he might have become too sensitive.

'It’s not like me.’

Even though there was n.o.body he had to make an excuse to, he laughed wryly. He turned the engine key and started the car.

Then, somebody stood in front of his eyes, blocking his car.

A person.

A girl in a uniform with a ponytail.

– c.r.a.p!

Gotou slammed the brakes and spun the wheel.

– I won’t make it.

Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion.

For a moment, his eyes met the girl’s.

They were opened wide, but they were dark with no life in them –

The car spun halfway around, kicking up sand.

– d.a.m.n it! What the h.e.l.l!

Gotou ran out of the car.

'Oi! You OK?’

Even though Gotou was yelling frantically, n.o.body was there.

Just the dark and the quiet.

He looked around for the girl, but he couldn’t find her anywhere.

Gotou checked the car bonnet and under the car, but there wasn’t even a scratch.

He hadn’t hit anybody. But it would have been impossible to avoid with that timing.

– Was I seeing things?

'd.a.m.n it! What’s happening!?’

Gotou kicked the tire as hard as he could and went back to the driver’s seat with unsettled feelings.

Maybe he’d seen an illusion because of the story earlier?

'Am I tired?’

Gotou asked himself that, lit a cigarette and leant back on the seat.

Rustle.

Gotou heard something moving behind him.

He sat up and looked at the rear-view mirror.

In the rectangular rear-view mirror, he saw something like a black shadow.

– That’s a person.

Somebody had got into the backseat.

Calm down. Gotou told himself that and took a deep breath. His back was sticky with sweat.

His eyes were growing accustomed to the dark. Though it was blurry, he could see the contours of the person in the backseat.

It was a girl in a blazer uniform.

The same girl I saw earlier –

Her ponytail was drenched.

Drip, drip, drip.

Water dripped onto the seat.

'Who are you!?’

Gotou raised his fist and turned around as he said that.

There was –

n.o.body there.

Even though she was there just earlier –

Bzzzz!

The police wireless attached to the car suddenly let out noise.

Gotou leapt up at how unexpected it was.

He reached out to turn down the volume.

– Aaaahh!

The wireless let out a strange voice, like a wail or a screen, interrupting Gotou.

’… Le…t… me… di.. e…’

'Shut up!’

Gotou lifted his foot and kicked the wireless.

The sound stopped.

'I’m not scared! Ghosts can just go to h.e.l.l!’

4

The next day, an investigation meeting was held early in the morning.

Gotou sat at the table in the very back and listened to Ideuchi talk about the investigation.

The victim’s name was Kaneda Misako. Twenty years old. An office worker at a cosmetics company.

The cause of death was pressure on the neck.

There were signs on her neck that she was strangled with a rope.

The injuries on her back were, as Hata had first theorised, done while she was alive.

Since money hadn’t been stolen from her wallet, the investigation department had decided that this was likely caused by a grudge.

They were told to continue the investigation with a focus on Fumiko’s companions, including cabaret club customers, and the meeting was adjourned.

However, Gotou still had no partner and didn’t receive directions for the investigation either.

Maybe Ideuchi didn’t like him.

After leaving the conference room by himself, Matsumura from forensics called out to him.

'Got some time right now?’ Matsumura said in a quiet voice after looking around.

Time –

'I got tons.’

'I see. There’s something I want your advice on…’

– Advice?

Gotou had joined at the same time as Matsumura, but they hadn’t really talked before. It’d be the first time they’d talked in years when they talked during the last case.

It was partly because they were in different departments, but it was also because Matsumura was an incredibly serious man who gave the impression that he was hard to approach.

Even if Matsumura asked for advice, Gotou had no way of answering if he didn’t know Matsumura well.

'You’ve got the wrong guy. If you’re unhappy with the investigation, say that to the chief.’

'No, it has to be you.’

What’s he saying such creepy things for? Is he making fun of me?

Gotou glared at Matsumura, but Matsumura didn’t falter and returned a serious gaze. He put his hands together. 'Please.’

It actually piqued Gotou’s interest with Matsumura so intent.

'Advice for what?’

'There’s a photo I want you to look at.’

– Photo?

Gotou was even more confused.

'Got it.’

There was no point worrying about it. When Gotou responded, Matsumura’s expression brightened and urged him to return to the conference room.

Looked like he didn’t want other people to hear.

'So what am I supposed to look at? A matchmaking photo?’ joked Gotou, sitting opposite Matsumura.

'Aren’t you married, Gotou?’ responded Matsumura, his eyes incredibly serious.

This was why Gotou kept a distance from him.

'Then what am I supposed to look at?’

When Gotou urged Matsumura to continue, he took a photo out of the file he was carrying and placed it on the table with trembling fingers, as if it were something expensive.

It looked like a regular photo of yesterday’s scene.

It was an enlarged shot. In the middle of the photo, there was a corpse, and there were detectives and guys from forensics around it.

Gotou was in there too.

It wasn’t some school trip, so the photo probably hadn’t been taken for memory’s sake.

'What’s up with the photo?’

'Look at the corpse’s side.’

Matsumura spoke in a low voice.

'The corpse’s side?’

Gotou looked at the photo again.

'Ah!’

The photo slipped from his hand.

A chill ran down his spine.

– My eyes might have been playing tricks on me.

As Gotou thought that, he looked once more at the photo that had fallen on the table.

– They weren’t.

Gotou felt an unpleasant jolt.

There was a girl in a blazer uniform standing at the corpse’s side.

A girl with her hair in a ponytail.

She was completely soaked, like she had come out of the water.

Since she was looking down, Gotou shouldn’t have been able to see her face, but he felt like there was a faint smile there.

'The girl from last night…’

Gotou said that without thinking.

He thought 'c.r.a.p’ immediately afterwards.

– Did he hear me?

Gotou hurriedly looked at Matsumura, but then he was the one who looked at him with a question in his eyes.

'That girl should not have been there,’ said Matsumura in a trembling voice.

There was no objection in that voice. Which means he must have noticed.

'What do you think?’ asked Gotou.

'I think she might be a ghost.’

Matsumura sounded even confident.

'Quite a thing to say for someone as deadly serious as you.’

'Then how would you explain the girl?’

Gotou couldn’t answer Matsumura’s question.

Just from looking at the photo, it would make sense to think she was a ghost.

But if there was a ghost here, that would mean somebody had died there before.

– Wait.

Gotou’s sleeping memories suddenly started moving.

– I remember.

Gotou had gone to that pond before.

I think it was six years ago –

A girl’s corpse had showed up before at that pond, just like this time.

Her father had contacted the police, saying his daughter in middle school hadn’t come home for two days.

Gotou had been a traffic officer at the time. He looked around the park.

The officer who searched the park with him found the corpse floating in the pond.

Gotou hadn’t been in Criminal Affairs then, so he didn’t know the details of what happened afterwards.

However, he did remember the father’s strange actions when he saw his daughter’s corpse after it was taken out of the pond.

At the time, the girls’ father had been crying, but at the same time, he’d laughed aloud –

Gotou couldn’t understand the feeling of losing a child, but he still felt that laughing was odd –

'Do you have any ideas?’

Matsumura seemed dubious when he saw Gotou deep in thought.

'No, that’s not it. Anyway, why did you show the photo to me?’

'The maternity clinic case last time. Didn’t the case get solved because you did something with some spiritual nonsense?’

'What?’

That was unexpected.

'Can’t you see ghosts? That’s how you solved the case, right? That’s why this time…’

Gotou stopped listening partway through.

– Is he kidding?

Even though it was said that rumours became embellished, this was too much. Gotou couldn’t say anything in his astonishment. What sort of information would have to be shared for it to come to that? Gotou had no idea.

He wouldn’t stand for being treated like some fake medium on a television special.

'The h.e.l.l are you saying? I’m… er…’

Gotou opened his mouth to object, but he couldn’t think of what else to say.

In order to explain the case with the maternity clinic, he would have to talk about Yak.u.mo.

Yak.u.mo hated his own ability. Talking about that felt like breaking the rules somehow.

'Anyway, I’ll hand the photo over. I’ll leave the rest to you,’ declared Matsumura. He left the room.

– The story’s getting kind of warped.

5

Gotou parked his car at the middle school’s gates, leant back on the seat and looked at the schoolyard.

The brats were running about energetically. The event that happened a week ago seemed like a lie.

In that clamour, Gotou found one boy walking in the shadows.

– Saitou Yak.u.mo.

'Oi. Yak.u.mo.’

Gotou got off the car and went up to Yak.u.mo, who was walking while looking down.

Yak.u.mo glanced upwards, but then he tried to walk away like he hadn’t noticed.

'Oi, wait.’

Gotou ran after Yak.u.mo, grabbing his shoulder to force him to stop.

'What do you want?’

Yak.u.mo turned around and pushed Gotou’s hand aside, glaring.

He was clearly acting hostile.

'Two things.’

'Talk already. You’re wasting my time.’

'One – I wanted to tell you that teacher’s last words.’

The corners of Yak.u.mo’s eyes seemed to drop.

'Her last… words?’

He murmured that in a voice that trembled faintly.

'Right. That teacher said your name at the end.’

'Mine?’

Yak.u.mo’s mouth opened in surprise.

It made sense for him to be surprised, but it was the truth.

Gotou didn’t know the details, but Akemi had been stabbed, and her throat had been cut. When she had been on her last breath, she called out Yak.u.mo’s name.

'Thank you for forgiving me. Yak.u.mo-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.’

Yak.u.mo frowned and ran a hand through his hair. Then, he turned around, like he didn’t need anything more.

'Wait a sec. I said there were two things, right?’

When Gotou grabbed Yak.u.mo’s arm and made him turn around, Yak.u.mo clicked his tongue in irritation.

'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 made the conversation move along.

'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 Yak.u.mo’s eyes.

It was the photo he had received from Matsumura earlier.

'What is it?’

Yak.u.mo looked taken aback.

'Spirit photography taken at a scene where a corpse was found.’

'I can tell from looking.’

'Help with the investigation.’

Yak.u.mo 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.’

Yak.u.mo looked at Gotou like he was something unpleasant.

Gotou didn’t think he’d said anything wrong.

He didn’t know about what other people might think, but from how Gotou saw it, Yak.u.mo was just a brat who could see ghosts.

'If you can see them, help me out.’

Gotou tried once more, but it was no use.

Yak.u.mo brushed Gotou’s hand aside and walked away briskly without saying anything.

– Should I chase him?

After thinking about it, Gotou decided to silently watch Yak.u.mo leave.

He still had time. He could just meet him again.

6

After returning to the precinct, he sat in his own seat and lit a cigarette.

The large criminal affairs division room was empty.

Everyone was out investigating.

In contrast, on top of hearing a ghost story from the first person to find the corpse and being forced to take a ghost photo from a guy in forensics, Gotou had gone to talk to some cheeky brat –

The cigarette smoke got into his eyes and made him tear up.

'I wonder why…’ murmured Gotou, looking at the photo he’d received from Matsumura again.

When he looked at it again, the ghost in the photo looked like the girl who was found as a corpse in the pond six years ago.

– No point worrying about it.

Gotou picked up the receiver and dialled the internal line to forensics.

Fortunately, Matsumura answered.

'How’re things going?’

'Well done.’

Matsumura sounded a bit agitated.

He was an unexpectedly impatient man.

'Like I’d find anything out that easily. I’ve got a request.’

'A girl’s corpse should’ve come up in that pond before. I think it was six years ago… I want the investigation doc.u.ments from then.’

It was as Matsumura said.

However, Matsumura was the one who’d forced this weird story on him. If he didn’t cooperate a bit, it wouldn’t be worth it.

'It’s fine if you don’t want to. I’m just investigating because you asked me. If you don’t cooperate, that’s the end of the investigation.’

– Who’s cold?

Gotou buried his dissatisfaction in the bottom of his stomach.

'Matsumura, did you know this?’

'The people who take pictures of ghosts get cursed. If you leave things like this, I just hope you don’t die in some unfortunate accident.’

Matsumura’s voice was shaking.

It looked like his seriousness made it easy for him to believe lies.

'You’ll find out soon enough if I’m lying or not. Well, you probably won’t be in this world any more then.’

Matsumura sounded like he might start crying at any moment.

Maybe Gotou had scared him a bit too much, but now he’d probably cooperate well.

'I’m counting on you.’

Gotou placed the receiver down, pressed his cigarette into the ash tray and stood up from his seat.

Nothing would start if he just sat here.

There was no guarantee that he could face a ghost yet, but he decided to return to the park once more.

7

It was already dark when Gotou arrived at the park.

Even though it was still about five, the sun set earlier now.

Gotou got off the car, went through the parking lot and walked to the park entrance.

At the gates, there were officers who looked as alike as twins.

'I’m Gotou from Criminal Affairs.’

He showed his police ID. They opened the steel gates for him.

'Anybody inside?’

'Ah, yes. There are two officers on patrol and the owner of the boathouse.’

'That all?’

'Eh?’

The officer seemed to have heard Gotou’s mutter.

'It’s nothing.’

It wasn’t Gotou’s problem to talk about the placement of investigation team members.

He waved and went to the middle of the park.

He walked to the park management office on the path by the pond, covered with dead leaves.

Splash.

Something was splas.h.i.+ng in the lake.

Probably a duck or a carp.

After reaching the management office, he spotted the two uniformed officers on patrol.

'Thank you for your hard work.’

The officer, wearing sharp silver gla.s.ses, bowed politely.

'Hey. Anything odd?’

'Er, nothing in particular. Excuse me…’

'What?’

'I heard that the investigation within the park was already finished.’

– Is this guy politely telling me how to investigate?

Gotou clicked his tongue and glared at the bespectacled officer.

'I know that without you telling me.’

'Ah, no, that’s…’

'Keep going to the scene 'til everything’s done. That’s the job of a detective.’

'I-I truly apologise,’ said the officer in a frightened tone, straightening his spine and bowing once more.

– Honestly.

Gotou turned away from the officers and went to the back of the pond.

The tiles from the path disappeared and became plain earth.

Weeds as high as his knees grew around the pond.

The very back of the pond. After reaching a cherry blossom tree that almost covered the water surface, Gotou took a break.

He wiped the sweat off his forehead.

He thought about sitting down to rest, but he didn’t find any benches.

He gave up and was about to start walking when he heard something.

– Oooh.

Wind?

Gotou’s heartbeat quickened as he tensed up.

Rustle.

A tree shook, and something black pa.s.sed in front of him.

A dog or a cat? Well, something like that. Gotou heaved a sigh in relief.

Plunk.

He saw something on the pond. A duck –

No, it’s not!

He jumped over the fence by the path, ran through the thicket and jumped into the pond.

– A person.

A long-haired woman was floating face-down in the pond.

Gotou grabbed her body and tried to pull her to the sh.o.r.e.

However, his footing was unsteady and it wasn’t going well.

– d.a.m.n it! I really can’t do this alone!

'Oi! Anybody! Lend a hand!’

Anger suddenly welled up in Gotou’s stomach.

A park wasn’t like a building. There wasn’t any point closing off the entrance.

You could get in from anywhere if you wanted to sneak in.

The culprit knew that there weren’t enough people on guard.

That’s why they dared to choose the same place –

'Hurry up! You idiots!’ screamed Gotou in his rage.

After a while, the officers finally came around. The two of them had torches in their hands and were standing there dumbly.

'Don’t just watch! Help me out!’ shouted Gotou.

Finally, the two officers jumped into the pond and started helping.

The three of them pulled the woman to the sh.o.r.e. They turned her face-up to try to resuscitate her.

'Wha – ’

Gotou’s words were caught in his throat.

The woman’s lips had been sewn together with a needle or something.

She had probably struggled frantically.

There were signs of scratches from fingernails around her lips.

'Aaaahhh!’

The officer with the gla.s.ses let out a shriek and fell backwards.

'Shut up! Don’t make a fuss! Hurry and make a call already!’

Though Gotou yelled that, he couldn’t repress the bad feeling in his stomach.

– Oooh.

He heard a wail from somewhere.

It definitely wasn’t his ears playing tricks on him.

Gotou stood up, looking around.

'Where are you? Where the h.e.l.l are you?’

– There!

Five metres ahead.

There was a girl up to her waist in the pond.

Like before, it was the girl in a uniform with a ponytail.

Gotou jumped into the pond immediately.

'Oi!’

While yelling, Gotou splashed forward through the pond.

Just a bit farther and my hand will reach her –

The moment he thought that, the girl melted into the darkness –

8

At the investigation meeting the next morning, Ideuchi’s face was completely pale as he stood at the podium.

It looked like he’d aged ten years.

Since corpses had been found at the same park two days in a row, he was probably unimaginably anxious.

However, it was Ideuchi’s fault for prioritising catching the culprit and not guarding the scene of the crime well.

The victim was Ozaki Kiyomi. Twenty years old. A part-timer.

Like the first victim, Misako, she had died from asphyxiation due to pressure on the neck.

It was confirmed that her lips were sewn together when she was alive.

Hata was definitely crying out in happiness now while dancing around.

Furthermore, when confirming her ident.i.ty, it turned out that the first victim, Misako, was from the same middle school as Kiyomi and that they had been friends.

It was likely that they had been murdered by a cla.s.smate with a grudge.

One of the investigation members suggested a man called Takimoto Yuuichi as a suspect.

He had been a cla.s.smate of the victims and had a criminal history of s.e.xual a.s.sault.

'Investigate Takimoto thoroughly.’

Ideuchi gave his orders, sending the investigation members scattering out of the conference room.

However, Gotou was against this method of investigation.

– Takimoto isn’t the culprit.

Gotou was sure of that.

He had one reason. It was because the victims showed no signs of being s.e.xually a.s.saulted.

That meant it’d be difficult to think that Takimoto had gone to his cla.s.smates intent on s.e.xual a.s.sault.

'This is too rushed.’

Even Gotou could tell. If Ideuchi were calm, he would have known that Takimoto wasn’t the culprit too.

However, he was frantically trying to redeem himself and rus.h.i.+ng ahead.

Stumbling in the first stages of the investigation made for a stormy voyage afterwards. A case in the past had proven that.

'Gotou!’

Just as Gotou was about to stand, somebody called out to him.

It was Matsumura.

'What? Don’t startle me.’

Gotou spoke angrily, but Matsumura’s eyes sparkled like those of a kid who had spotted a stag beetle.

'What are you saying? I’m the one who’s surprised.’

'Eh?’

'You knew from the beginning, right? You really are a psychic detective.’

Matsumura grabbed Gotou’s shoulders in an over-friendly manner and nodded a number of times.

'I have no idea what you’re talking about. Explain properly!’

Matsumura’s shoulders slumped, looking disappointed, and he held a file out in front of Gotou.

'The h.e.l.l is this?’

'What do you mean by that? It’s the case file you requested yesterday.’

'O-oh. Right.’

Gotou took the file from Matsumura and flipped it open. Then, he suddenly saw a girl in a uniform.

A chill ran down his spine. He almost dropped the file.

She had a ponytail and a blazer uniform. She had a slender face and was looking down.

– No doubt about it.

Gotou had seen this girl at the park.

'So that really was it..’ mumbled Gotou without thinking.

'I was surprised when I saw that too. The girl who died in that pond six years ago was in the same cla.s.s as the two victims this time.’

'W-what did you say!? Is that true?’

Gotou was so shocked that he grabbed Matsumura by the collar.

'I-it’s easy to check in the doc.u.ments. Isn’t that what you were suspecting?’

'Do I look that clever to you?’

Matsumura shook his head, like he didn’t understand.

9

Gotou looked at the doc.u.ments for the case six years ago again.

The name of the girl whose corpse showed up in that pond was Hara Kimie. She had been fourteen then.

Her parents were divorced, and she had been staying with her father, Kazunori.

It must have been tough for a girl of that age to be living alone with her father.

She died from suffocation –

It was suspected to be murder when she was found.

There had been signs that there was a rope around her neck.

There were other reasons to suspect it was murder too.

Her father, Kazunori, had acted in an inexplicable way.

First, there was a two-day gap before he made a request for an investigation.

Furthermore, Kimie hadn’t left a note behind, and there had been a considerable sum of insurance money.

At first, the police investigated her father, thinking he was the suspect, but then the case took an unexpected turn.

From the coroner’s report, it was determined to be a suicide.

She had planned on killing herself, putting a rope on the branch of a cherry blossom tree, but the branch broke from the wait and she fell into the pond.

Kimie had looped the rope on the branch when she hanged herself, so after she fell, the rope fell as well. It was the truth.

The rope was found in the pond, and her homeroom teacher at the time said that Kimie had been bullied, so it was said that she had killed herself because of the bullying and the case was closed.

However, Gotou didn’t accept that.

Gotou thought about talking to her homeroom teacher at the time, but when he saw that name, it felt like a revelation.

Gotou went right for Iss.h.i.+n’s temple.

After climbing the steep slope, Gotou parked his car at the temple gates and went towards the priests’ quarters past the gravel garden.

Gotou stopped in front of the entrance and pressed the intercom b.u.t.ton. After a while, the sliding door opened.

Iss.h.i.+n showed up in his working robes.

He had a gentle smile that made you want to breathe a sigh of relief.

'It’s you, Gotou-san?’

Iss.h.i.+n’s expression went a bit stiff.

'There’s something I want to talk to you about – that OK?’

'Please go ahead.’

With Iss.h.i.+n’s invitation, Gotou went into the living room.

'Don’t worry about me,’ said Gotou, but Iss.h.i.+n prepared tea and snacks and sat opposite Gotou, holding a crying child.

'That kid’s that teacher’s…’

'No, she’s our child,’ Iss.h.i.+n said firmly, as if it were a matter of fact.

– What a great monk.

Gotou smiled wryly.

Even though Iss.h.i.+n had liked her, they weren’t related by blood. And that woman was already dead.

Iss.h.i.+n had known that and taken this kid in anyway. Gotou couldn’t say anything in his astonishment.

The other kid in this temple, Yak.u.mo, wasn’t Iss.h.i.+n’s real child either. He was the kid of his older sister, who had tried to kill her own child.

Iss.h.i.+n’s self-sacrificing spirit could fight with Gandhi’s.

'Thank you very much for your help.’

Iss.h.i.+n bowed his head politely.

'I didn’t do anything.’

Iss.h.i.+n was probably thanking Gotou for the issue with the marriage with Akemi, who had already died.

But Gotou didn’t have the right to receive thanks for that.

The person who’d actually dealt with it wasn’t Gotou but Miyagawa. Gotou didn’t even know how Miyagawa had done it.

'I am truly grateful. It is thanks to you that I can hold this child like this,’ said Iss.h.i.+n, patting the kid’s head.

'Forget about that already,’ Gotou said brusquely.

'All right.’

Iss.h.i.+n scratched his chin, seeming troubled.

Gotou noticed that there was a bandage around his right hand’s palm.

'Did something happen to your hand?’ asked Gotou, pointing with his chin.

'It’s embarra.s.sing. I accidentally cut it when chopping up cabbage.’

'Don’t make things up. If you were chopping up cabbage, you’d cut your fingers, right?’ reb.u.t.ted Gotou.

Iss.h.i.+n imitated chopping vegetables with his hand and then said, 'Ah.’ Then he c.o.c.ked his head, looking troubled.

There wasn’t any man worse at lying.

'Well, forget about that. I came here for another matter today.’

'Another matter?’

'Right. I want to talk to Yak.u.mo.’

'Why?’

Iss.h.i.+n’s eyes narrowed, like he had sensed Gotou’s intentions.

He looked like a wary cat.

Gotou had wanted to talk to Yak.u.mo without explaining his reason if possible. If he talked to Iss.h.i.+n, it was as clear as day that Iss.h.i.+n would refuse.

– Can’t I make something up somehow?

Gotou thought about it, but he gave up immediately.

He was awful at lying – he could give Iss.h.i.+n a run for his money. It’d just make the situation worse if he made up an obvious lie.

Gotou cleared his throat and then went straight for the heart of the matter.

'Do you know about the incident with the girl’s corpse at the park?’

'Yes, though only from what I’ve read in the newspaper…’

The conversation would be quick then.

Gotou took a photo from his pocket and placed it on the table.

The moment Iss.h.i.+n took the photo, his expression stiffened instantly.

'Spiritual photography…’ said Iss.h.i.+n.

– The guy’s quick.

It looked like he understood Gotou’s intentions without his saying them.

'Yeah. Taken at the scene of the crime.’

'And?’

'That girl’s ghost. She killed herself at that pond six years ago. And the victims this time were her cla.s.smates. Don’t you think there’s something there?’

'It’s got nothing to do with Yak.u.mo,’ Iss.h.i.+n said quietly, placing the photo on the table again.

It sounded like a refusal.

'If Yak.u.mo can really see ghosts, I want him to help.’

'Are you trying to use Yak.u.mo?’

Iss.h.i.+n’s expression didn’t change as he looked Gotou in the eyes.

Even though Iss.h.i.+n wasn’t threatening him or anything, there was a pressure that was above that.

'That’s not…’

'Then what is it?’ continued Iss.h.i.+n, his gaze hard.

'I can’t explain it properly… I’m just concerned about that guy.’

'What are you concerned about?’

'To me, it looks like that guy’s cursing himself to death.’

Maybe Gotou had said too much, but Iss.h.i.+n listened to Gotou silently.

'Looks like he’s troubled by being able to see ghosts, but the way I see it, it’s not that special. Actually, I think that if he has some special power that other people don’t have, he should use it.’

'Which is why you’re telling him to cooperate with the investigation?’

'Yeah, that’s right.’

'It just sounds like you’re trying to use him to me.’

Iss.h.i.+n sighed.

Perhaps he was disdainful of Gotou, but Iss.h.i.+n couldn’t blame Gotou one-sidedly. The reason being –

'You used Yak.u.mo during that teacher’s case too, didn’t you?’

Iss.h.i.+n was clearly glaring at Gotou.

'This is different from a test of courage. You can’t involve him in a murder.’

Gotou understood how Iss.h.i.+n felt. But –

'You can’t say that this case isn’t related to you.’

Iss.h.i.+n c.o.c.ked his head.

'What do you mean?’

'The victim’s teacher six years ago was that kid’s mother.’

Gotou looked at the kid Iss.h.i.+n was holding to his chest.

'Akemi-chan’s..’

'You curious, right?’

There was a suffocating silence –

Gotou held his breath as he waited for Iss.h.i.+n’s reply.

Finally, Iss.h.i.+n said these words, as if they were wrung out of him. ’… If that’s the case, I’ll cooperate on Yak.u.mo’s behalf.’

A choice appropriate for Iss.h.i.+n –

But this wasn’t like grunt work. It wasn’t like anybody would do. It had to be Yak.u.mo.

Gotou opened his mouth to object when –

The sliding door opened.

'It would just be a waste of time if you went, Uncle. You can’t see anything.’

Yak.u.mo was standing there.

His eyes were narrowed as he ran a hand through his hair, looking annoyed.

'No, but…’

Iss.h.i.+n looked at Yak.u.mo and started to speak, but then he sighed and dropped his shoulders when nothing else came out.

'Take me to the place where the ghost was,’ Yak.u.mo said disinterestedly.

Though the d.a.m.n brat’s att.i.tude irritated Gotou, he was grateful that Yak.u.mo was sticking his neck in. It’d probably be better to move before the contrary kid’s mood changed.

'Got it,’ replied Gotou, standing up.

'Yak.u.mo, you shouldn’t say things like that so simply. It’ll be dangerous,’ interrupted Iss.h.i.+n, looking like he still didn’t accept it.

'Danger is everywhere,’ reb.u.t.ted Yak.u.mo.

It didn’t sound like an offhand phrase.

'Exactly. I don’t want you to run towards danger yourself,’ continued Iss.h.i.+n, standing up.

'You said this yourself yesterday, didn’t you, Uncle? That there was some reason I could see ghosts. I’ll confirm that reason for myself. That’s all.’

'But…’

'Is there really a reason for my left eye? If I don’t look for that answer, I won’t find it. And I’m also concerned about Sensei.’

Yak.u.mo interrupted Iss.h.i.+n, turned around and left the room.

'I’m accountable too, for wrapping him up in this. I’ll definitely protect Yak.u.mo,’ Gotou declared firmly.

'I’ll count on you.’

Gotou accepted Iss.h.i.+n’s humble request and left the room.

10

Gotou explained everything that had happened so far to Yak.u.mo as he drove his car to the park.

In the pa.s.senger seat, Yak.u.mo looked forward as he silently listened to Gotou talk.

'I think the girl who killed herself six years ago has something to do with this time’s case.’

Gotou offered his own opinion after explaining and put a cigarette in his mouth.

'Let me say one thing.’

Yak.u.mo looked at Gotou coldly.

'What?’

'If you light that, I’ll get off the car right now.’

'Ah, my bad. So what do you think?’

– What a fussy brat.

Gotou put the cigarette back in the case and asked a question instead.

'What about?’

– Wasn’t he listening?

'I’m saying the case from six years ago might be related to the case this time.’

'What do you mean?’ said Yak.u.mo, yawning as if he was bored.

Even though he must have known from the flow of the conversation. He was making Gotou say it on purpose.

'I’m saying that I think the culprit this time might be a ghost.’

The truth was Gotou didn’t want to believe it either.

However, he thought that way after so many strange things had happened.

'Do you really think a ghost killed someone?’

'Like I could say that as a joke.’

If the culprit this time were a ghost, how would the police handle the case? That thought suddenly came to Gotou’s head.

'You’re really…’ muttered Yak.u.mo.

He spoke so quietly that Gotou couldn’t hear the important part.

'Eh? What’d you say?’

'I said that you’re really an idiot.’

'Who are you calling an idiot!?’

– There had to be a better way to say it.

Gotou yelled in anger without thinking.

'Don’t yell in the car.’

Yak.u.mo put his fingers in his ears.

'How the h.e.l.l can you call an adult an idiot!? An idiot!?’

'Don’t make me say the same thing again and again. If you think a ghost’s killed someone, you’ve watched too many horror films. Ghosts are the emotions left behind by people when they die and lose their bodies.’

'People’s emotions?’

Gotou had the feel of it, but he repeated the words, unable to understand.

'Yeah. That’s why…’

Yak.u.mo swallowed the words he was about to say. He narrowed his eyes and stared at Gotou’s face.

However, he didn’t say anything else. He shook his head in exasperation and stayed silent.

– What the h.e.l.l is up with this brat?

'If you’ve got something to say, say it.’

'Saying it would be pointless. Your brain wouldn’t be able to understand.’

– Oh, that was quite a mouth.

Gotou thought about giving him a good punch, but he decided against it.

There was what happened last time. Yak.u.mo wasn’t the type of guy who’d talk after being hit.

Just as Gotou let out a sigh, he spotted the park –

11

Gotou got off the car and brought Yak.u.mo into the park.

Once Yak.u.mo stepped into the park, he started walking briskly, as if something was leading him.

He pa.s.sed the management office and turned right at the pond.

'Here…’ murmured Yak.u.mo as he stopped.

There was a cherry blossom tree there with branches hanging over the pond.

Exactly where the corpse was fond –

Yak.u.mo’s gaze was looking straight at the water.

– Can he see something?

Gotou wanted to ask, but the air about Yak.u.mo was as cold and sharp as a knife – Gotou couldn’t even approach.

'Who are you?’ said Yak.u.mo, still looking at the pond.

But there was n.o.body in the pond. Just two ducks on the water.

'Why are you here?’

Yak.u.mo’s questions continued.

The dry wind made ripples in the water.

'I see… So that’s how it was…’

After saying that in a faint voice, Yak.u.mo slowly closed his eyes.

It was hard to approach him, as if he were meditating.

'Thank you for your hard work.’

Gotou turned around at the sudden voice.

Standing there was the first at the scene, Fumiko.

'Oh, it’s you?’

'I apologise for last time.’

Fumiko let go of the wheelbarrow she was holding, took off her hat and bowed her head.

'What are you talking about?’

'Er… Because I talked about something strange to a detective…’ Fumiko said in a small voice as her brows furrowed.

'Don’t worry about it. Anyway, did you see it after?’

For a moment, Fumiko looked surprised.

'See what?’

'The ghost.’

'A-ah. Actually, the day before yesterday, after you left, Detective…’

'Really?’

'That day, I ended up leaving the park at night. When I was heading home, I heard somebody wail out these words: “I’ll kill you.”’

'Oh…’

– It matches.

Gotou swallowed the words he was about to say.

A detective couldn’t say he had seen a ghost in front of a civilian.

The ghost really was related to the case. Gotou was sure of it.

'If something like that happens again, contact me,’ said Gotou, giving Fumiko his business card. Then, he turned towards Yak.u.mo again.

Since Yak.u.mo hadn’t said anything, Gotou had thought he’d been listening, but Yak.u.mo was still looking out at the pond.

'How is it?’

'Just as you said, there is a girl’s spirit wandering this park,’ replied Yak.u.mo, still looking at the pond.

– So I was right.

'Why’s that girl’s ghost wandering here?’ asked Gotou.

'She has a strong hatred…’

Yak.u.mo looked down.

He looked sad.

'Hatred?’

'Yes. But at the bottom of that hatred, there is sadness and loneliness.’

Sadness and loneliness at the bottom of hatred –

Gotou couldn’t understand such delicate emotional states, but if that ghost had a strong hatred –

'So that ghost really did kill those two girls?’

The moment Gotou said that, Yak.u.mo’s expression twisted, like he was looking at something filthy.

'Is that something a detective should say? When did the police become so irresponsible?’

– This brat! Every time I let him speak!

Gotou’s anger had reached its peak.

'You’re the one who said the ghost was wandering in hatred!’

'I don’t recall saying that the ghost killed anybody. And ghosts can’t kill people anyway.’

– Can’t kill?

Yak.u.mo had said the same thing earlier.

'What do you mean?’

'I don’t mean anything. I said that ghosts were cl.u.s.ters of people’s emotions, right?’

'Yeah.’

'They aren’t new life forms or demons. They’re like residual thoughts. That’s why we can’t touch them. On the other hand, they can’t touch us. If they can’t have physical contact, it’s impossible for them to kill.’

Yak.u.mo spoke in a disinterested tone, like he was reciting a boring book.

'That so?’

'I think so.’

Gotou wasn’t an expert.

But if somebody who could see them was saying that, it was probably right.

'Then is that ghost unrelated to the case?’

'You really are dumb.’

'What?’

– The guy really just gets on my nerves.

'Just because the ghost didn’t kill them directly doesn’t mean the ghost is unrelated. A detective would be shocked if they heard you.’

Now that Yak.u.mo said that, it was true, but Gotou didn’t like the way he talked.

'Even without your concern, I am a detective.’

'I don’t know about that.’

'You – if you don’t stop that, I’ll punch you!’

Gotou raised his fist in his anger.

'Do it if you want,’ Yak.u.mo said expressionlessly.

n.o.body would want to punch somebody after hearing that.

Gotou kicked the ground.

'More importantly, do you have the doc.u.ments for the case from six years ago?’

Yak.u.mo changed the subject, paying no heed to Gotou’s anger.

'In the car.’

'Show them to me,’ Yak.u.mo said matter-of-factly.

'You make it sound so simple. There’s no way I can show investigation files to a civilian.’

'Isn’t asking a civilian to help with an investigation also a problem? What are you saying after already involving me this much?’

Though Yak.u.mo’s tone irritated Gotou, it was just as he said.

– Being with this guy knocks me off my stride.

12

Gotou went back to the car and handed the investigation file to Yak.u.mo.

Yak.u.mo’s lips moved occasionally as he looked at the doc.u.ments with a serious gaze. The look matched him.

You couldn’t tell who the detective was.

'I see…’

Yak.u.mo nodded and looked up.

'Find something out? ’

'I found out that your reading comprehension is lower than that of an elementary school student’s.’

'Whose reading comprehension is low?’

– This guy has a comment for everything.

'You, obviously. Did you look at this file properly?’

'Of course I did,’ Gotou responded confidently, but Yak.u.mo sighed in exasperation.

That att.i.tude spurred Gotou’s anger further.

'You said that girl’s homeroom teacher six years ago was Takagis.h.i.+-sensei, right?’

'Yeah.’

– I did say th