Rose Blood

１

Meetings that smell of parting are the most emotionally difficult.

“Tong Lie?”

With the moment Autumn Wind heard these words, his heart could not help but be shaken.

I’ll turn around.

There she stood smiling in the street where the red maples were everywhere.

A shiver ran down his spine, like a long-sealed memory had been opened, and images of the past came to mind one by one.

“Kiyone…” I couldn’t help but shout out.

The whole atmosphere was exactly the same as in high school: lowered eyes filled with tears, was it just me?

Kiyone stood five meters away from me, carrying an aqua blue sports backpack in both hands, looking at me with a slight tilt of her neck, her long hair tied back in a ponytail, wearing a light green sweatshirt and brogues, with a gray pants skirt underneath, as she was about to walk toward me.

Plump breasts swayed inside her sweatshirt tempting me, her bust was big once upon a time, but now it was even more voluptuous that I couldn’t take it all in. You can’t find cute dresses that fit with such ample breasts, that’s what she told me on my first date with her.

“Great! It’s really Little Lie!”

Why was there a trace of sadness in her bright smile?

“It’s been a long time! Want to go for a cup of tea?”

Kiyone Yamagishi is the girl I once dumped.

Jazz Tea [E&I]. The beige-colored décor with black wooden tables and chairs has a soft feel.

Kiyone sat down, setting her heavy bag down beside her.

It was hard not to look at the bountiful breasts as they jiggled under the sweatshirt.

When I came back to my senses, there was a waiter in a black and white uniform standing next to me, and Kiyone had finished ordering and was smiling slightly at me.

I quickly panicked and ordered the same thing she did.

“Yeol, as handsome as ever!”

She held her cheeks and looked at me with wide eyes.

Seriously, I’m terrified that being looked at like that by women will make me resist and wonder if I’m no longer a socialite but a beast.

“How did it suddenly…”

Feeling a bit out of place, he hurriedly avoided her gaze and deliberately changed his position.

“”Our firm doesn’t handle divorces.”” Said those words and snapped to his feet, didn’t he?””

“You saw that?” I couldn’t help but say out loud.

“I’m sorry for finding you, Rei, at the store I occasionally visit…”

It was a chance encounter with Kiyone at a family-style restaurant designated by the client.

“Suddenly I felt like missing you, so I called out to you…”

So that’s how it is. Actually, I wasn’t going to go to that client’s appointment.

“Sorry…angry?”

“No. How can I be mad?” I replied mindlessly.

“Thank you, that’s very thoughtful! Put me in a trance…”

All five organs felt like they had been stabbed! I grit my teeth and spit the words out of my chest.

“Considerate? No!”

Kiyone shook her head, then sighed and looked into the distance.

“Rei’s dream from high school came true…”

Maybe I told her that once.

My name is Tong Lie, an unknown detective. I have a personal office, and I am a private investigator who often publishes speculative fiction. Unlike a credit agency, I don’t help people deal with affairs, it’s all about the tougher cases.

Actually, business hasn’t been very good lately. Very melancholy. Maybe it’s a case of the May sickness, a tightness in my chest.

Being a private detective has been my dream since I was a child, and once I realized it, I really had to work hard, and even once, despite the risk to my life, I infiltrated the office of a member of parliament who had colluded with a crime syndicate to investigate.

It was only slowly that I realized the dangers of the job, the fear of not knowing when I would die as a result of it nagged at my heart.

Only now do I feel the threat of death. I don’t want to die yet!

Without realizing it I was complaining to Kiyone, which I had never mentioned to anyone before this, and I was confessing to God like a penitent Christian.

“Rei has a weak side too…” she sighed with an innocent expression.

“What’s wrong?”

“Finally feel a little relieved, sorry…”

I didn’t know how to respond to that, and she said it again.

“But the Yeol I know has always been very confident!”

“That’s youthful ignorance…”

Feeling a cold sweat all over my body, my mind drifted back to my high school days.

The memories are not very clear, like a blur surrounded by fog, or like playing the bass or piano, a fine slow rhythm ringing in my head.

I don’t really know much about jazz, for one thing, the lyrics are all in English and I have no sense of rhythm, so I can’t remember any of the songs at all.

Just stay silent and slowly savor the sweet cappuccino.

Time passes slowly and now a love song is sung.

“Revelaro…”

“Huh?”

Kiyone cocked her ears to listen, her body swaying to the music.

“I’m talking about the name of the song, Revelaro…”

Cute chin slowly rocking up and down, mouth humming exotic lyrics I couldn’t understand, delicate white fingertips gently shaking the ivory coffee cup.

It’s a famous song, isn’t it! I think I’ve heard its melody before, and the female singer’s husky vocals send marvelous ripples through my mind.

“It seems like a sad tune…” as soon as I said it, Kiyone averted her eyes, not knowing who she was talking to.

“You’re gone and I’m left alone…” and looked at me.

“Here are the lyrics…”

“Whoo!” Was all I could reply.

“The next lyrics say, “Maybe I’ll meet you again someday. 〃”

Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes sparkled softly.

“Maybe it will happen!” I said as I drank the rest of my coffee. Then it’s natural to chat about everyday greetings.

“How’s it going with Miyuki?” Kiyone lowered her head.

“Uh…”

“Yeah?…great!” There was a note of desperation in the voice.

Miyuki Akikusa and I are childhood friends, and we’ve been playing together since kindergarten. After attending junior high and high school, I began to develop a crush on her. But Miyuki didn’t feel that way about me. She was the class idol, and I was still just a childhood playmate to her.

That’s why I hang out with Kiyone Yamagishi, her smile and ample breasts are what made me decide to go out with her.

But I had the wrong idea.

When Miyuki confessed her love for me, I, unable to have my foot in both camps, chose to give up on Yamagishi Kiyone.

“Rei, I love Matsuda Yusaku so much!” Kiyone’s words brought me back to reality.

“Ah, there’s nothing new in the works anymore!” I’m the worst at suddenly changing the subject and just responded instinctively.

“Yeah, he died in the end!”

After saying that she was silent as if she was thinking about how to continue the topic, such an expression created a great sense of oppression, I intuitively felt that it must have something to do with Miyuki again, so I spoke first.

“What is it? What’s wrong?”

After hesitating for a moment, Kiyone spoke up.

“I’m…now tracking down the truth about Tanaka’s death…”

“Who’s Tanaka?”

Maybe my question surprised her too much, she said nervously.

“That’s Masato Tanaka, also from the third year B class!”

“Yes?”

“Yes, Rei’s memory is still as bad as ever!”

Even though she said that, I still couldn’t think of anything.

Whether it’s high school or college, as long as it has nothing to do with the present, I don’t remember anything. In fact, that’s because I don’t want to remember the past, the me that looked like a fool! But now that I’m sitting here, I’m thinking about it – maybe it’s like a fool’s errand.

But wait─Kiyone is saying Tanaka is dead?

“Why did you die? Was it illness? Or an accident?”

“Killed!”

With that said, a blood-stained white sheet of paper came to mind shipping.

“Killed?” I really reacted like a fool.

“Stabbed many times, none of them fatal wounds, died from excessive bleeding…” she said faintly.

For a moment, I felt that life had turned into a world full of stench.

“So, where’s the killer?”

“Haven’t found it yet! That’s why I’m gathering all kinds of information…”

“Why are you gathering information…”

Kiyone smiled slightly and flipped open her backpack, I saw that it contained a notebook, negatives, and a camera, then she pulled out a white card.

“I’m a magazine reporter now, I didn’t even bring you my business card, so please enlighten me…”

She explained and handed out her business card with the name of a magazine and Kiyone’s contact information printed on it, half as a courtesy and half as a reflex action, and I handed her my card as well.

“Ah, your office is close to my company!”

“Isn’t that dangerous?”

“It’s not as dangerous as Rei! Don’t worry, it’s just dangerous at work!” Qing Yin smiled, her expression suddenly becoming serious.

“When a classmate is killed, I must not put it out of my mind, and I can never have peace of mind if I don’t find out the truth.”

Kiyone’s focused expression left me dumbfounded, as if I had been hit in the head.

“I know! I hope there are results. I’ll back you up…”

“Thank you!”

Those lovely lips that wanted to be kissed smiled.

Then, after saying something else, he went out of the [E & I], when the sun had gone down, and the streets were stained with a red colored haze.

“It’s so nice to talk to you!”

“Me too, it’s reassuring to see you so energized…”

The word was never a lie to get in. There was an urge to hug and kiss her.

“Lie is still so gentle…”

The soft words made me hit the brakes, and the hand I wanted to extend became stiff.

“So, see you later!” Kiyone finished waving her hand. I also waved my hand unconsciously.

I watched Kiyone leave at a brisk pace. Nothing happened as a result. The throbbing in my heart slowed down after watching her disappear into the crowd.

I turn around, sigh, and take a step. I thought it was all over. But really, it’s just a prelude.

２

As a result, I didn’t want to go to the place where Miyuki was staying that day, and it was very rare for me to go back to my nest.

Even though one has burrowed into the somewhat smelly bed, one is still thinking about Kiyone, and I can’t sleep, gripping the steel rod of my erection and rolling over several times before finally giving up and getting up to take a shower.

The rosette head flushed water from the head down, imagining himself with his hands caressing his ample breasts, his lips licking the woman there, spraying.

Men’s hearts are so complicated.

The next day, I didn’t get to the office until after ten.

It was an old four-story building on a street corner with cracks in the concrete walls, not knowing when it would collapse. On the third floor was my Tong Detective Agency.

To get to the office, there’s a very old staircase on the left side of the building that goes up, and of course there’s an elevator, but it breaks down a lot, so it doesn’t work.

“What a pain in the ass…”

I began to pick up my pace, unconsciously climbing the gray, wet, smelly stairs quickly. It was really narrow, and the stairs had as many cracks in them as the exterior walls, so if an earthquake came now, I’d be buried alive here.

Climbing up to the second floor and walking the last steps of the third floor, he had just opened the door when the sound of talking came from behind him.

“I guessed you’d come! Lie, come here for a second!”

The person who spoke to me so rudely was a strange practicing doctor, Kei Nakahara, who wore a white gown over a blue-gray cedar shirt.

“What’s the matter? Trouble coming my way again?”

I was a little annoyed that he was so sure I’d come. Why does he always get me?

“Yes, please come back to that convenience store and get two Honeydew Popsicles!”

“Yes, yes…why do you keep sending me off like a child?”

“Ah, just kidding! It’s really something more important!”

He and I had this sinful relationship since kindergarten. The three of us, he, Miyuki, and I used to play together and read together, and this lasted until we went to high school.

Kei Nakahara is a handsome guy and a licensed doctor, good at sports and sweet-talking, and girls love him.

But Miyuki chose me instead of him. Miyuki and I chose to go to a university where Kei couldn’t go, and we loved each other, but I don’t know what Kei did at that time.

But now, we were living next to each other on different floors of the same building, with my office on the third floor and his clinic on the second. The first floor is a parking lot. The fourth floor is empty – maybe it’s already rented, but I’ve never seen anyone on the fourth floor, and I’ve never seen any lights inside.

“What’s so important, is it the Demon Sword Muramasa or Torcher?”

“…” Kei looked at me with sharp eyes.

“…” I glare back at him defiantly.

Kei turned around and sighed.

“Hey, hey!”

“You’ll see if you come with me.” With that, he headed for his clinic.

He didn’t look like his usual self, was something really wrong? I hurriedly followed him down the stairs.

Kei was smart enough to do everything on his own, and this Midland Hospital was a private clinic that doubled as his home, where he stayed twenty-four hours a day except when he was out on a clinic trip or shopping, so the consulting room was filled with his scent.

The first thing that caught my eye was the steel tables side by side in the shape of an L, followed by the doctor’s chair with handles, unlike the cheaper ones I used. The patient’s chair was a round chair, and a fluorescent box for X-rays was placed in a clearly visible position, and an X-ray of an unknown person’s body was now attached to it.

On the walls are three months of calendars and a bunch of note-taking messages. There’s a glass counter in front of the desk, probably to hold medication, but there’s nothing there now. It looked kinda like a hospital. There’s a file cabinet with a lot of paper on it, a place for confidential patient information, right? There is a computer and a phone on the left side of the table.

The biggest problem is that under the steel table there are electric pots and pans, microwave ovens, and home-use video game machines, and at a glance I can tell that this is not equipment that belongs to a hospital, and it’s impossible to tell if it’s a home or a hospital, so it’s no wonder that Mei Yue insisted that I rent another office and not use my home as a studio, except that when she was a child, she wasn’t such a clear-cut person in terms of public and private affairs either.

“Lie, come here!”

Kei woke me up from my dream world and stepped out of the consultation room, where he took me to one of the only two wards.

There was a woman lying in a gray-green ward without any decoration. Her hair was short, her face was gaunt without make-up and she had a small mouth, her features were clear and three-dimensional, but she didn’t seem to fit in with her surroundings.

Seriously, there are a lot of people engaged in illegal business in this neighborhood, there are rogue companies, dojos of strange religious groups, stores selling information and counterfeits, and a bank that opened at an unknown time; this street has long been recognized as an illegal street, and even the Chung Yuan Hospital is often visited by illegal residents or people who have been shot.

The fact that there is someone lying here who has nothing to do with the illegal mob incident gives you the feeling of being in a spring house.

“Ms. Sanjou…” said Kei as she took out her chart and ballpoint pen.

“Sanjou…who is it?”

“Yoko Sanjo, Japan’s most famous international racing nationalist!”

I’m sorry about that! I don’t keep track of anything that isn’t work related.

At that moment, Sanjou Yoko rolled over and slowly opened her eyelids, her black pupils glowing under her slender eyebrows.

“Lie…”

I can’t believe she’s calling me by my first name.

“So painful! Help me!” Then buckets of teardrops fell.

“I know!” I couldn’t help but answer so.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” When she finished, she stretched her hands out from the quilt, several scratches on her wrists, so painful they touched my cheeks and circled behind her head.

“It’s so painful to have the medication reduced! I can’t even drink a glass of water in the middle of the night…”

Yoko Sanjo pressed my head against her chest.

There’s something nostalgic about it! I don’t know when the image of peeking at a woman changing her clothes came back to me. Not only did my brain react, but my balls stood up. This feeling of déjà vu is churning in my chest, and my throat is thirsty.

“Ms. Sanjou…”

I put my hand on her hand that rested on the back of my neck. A hand that was as cold as if no blood had flowed through it! I grabbed it in panic and pushed it away from my neck, slowly getting up to look at her face.

She closed her eyes as if she couldn’t stand it.

“By a guy like that!”

Her breathing became ragged and she began to slumber again.

“Fell asleep again!” Kei said expressionlessly before opening the door and waving me over.

“What the hell is going on?”

“Well…”

We headed for the treatment room and Kei began to tell the whole story.

“There’s an international women’s marathon being held in this neighborhood, and this morning before dawn, when Ms. Sanjou was running on the Kawara track, she was raped on the way!”

“What?”

“Rape! Don’t you know? It’s rape, violence against women!”

“Are you kidding me?”

“I wouldn’t joke with you about something like that!”

“That kind of person is a lot like you, isn’t he!”

“I’d be like that!?”

I glared at him and Kei looked at me. We stared at each other like that. It wouldn’t do to go on like this, and it wasn’t like a child was throwing up, so I had to speak first.

“Go on, I want to hear…”

“She wants to ask you to settle this…”

“I know, but I don’t know her…”

Time stopped again. Kyu looked at me with his blank stare again. I’m really not very eloquent.

“Are you serious?”

“Well, what’s the problem?”

“Ms. Sanjou, you weren’t in the third year B class?”

“Huh?” The feeling I just had came back to me, remembering that I had peeked at her changing clothes.

“You really are cold to all women except Miyuki!”

“No, no, it’s…”

Kei continued with another desperate expression.

“I think it has something to do with the recent spate of rapes…”

“A string of rapes?”

“You didn’t know there was such a thing?” His desperate expression came back.

“I don’t remember anything like this being reported on TV or in the papers…”

“Rape incidents don’t get reported that easily, but there are a lot of rumors going on behind the scenes!”

“So you’re particularly interested in knowing more about rumors like that! Probably from some yakuza you’ve had dealings with.” I changed the subject.

“But how did Yoko Sanjou end up in your place? “

“Huh? Ah, I just happened to walk by and find it when I was going home from the emergency room!”

“Just right?”

“Do you doubt me?”

“Because you’re a lot like a rapist…”

“I’m sorry I even made you feel that way!”

“Don’t be poor!”

“That’s right!”

There was a moment of silence! In that moment, the friendship seemed to be breaking. However, Kei’s tone quickly became serious again.

“This is no place to keep her for long, I’m about to transfer her to a major hospital now!”

“That’s right!”

“Well, then, Rei, you have to find the murderer!”

All I could do was nod my head, but immediately something else occurred to me.

“Wait, so who pays my fee?”

“Bummer! Am I friends with you?”

“There you go again!”

I really couldn’t do anything about Kei, and thus began a disturbing incident.

３

The scene of the incident Kei was talking about is two stops on the train.

Walking along the riverbank, a gentle breeze can be heard as autumn bugs chirp. There are baseball fields and tennis courts along the river, and the good citizens, who don’t know what happened this morning, are sweating and exercising.

Kei’s words rang in my head over and over again.

“At two o’clock in the middle of the night, I got a call for an emergency and went out, gave the patient a shot and came back, as I was riding my bike across the bridge, I heard the sound of a girl wailing, I thought I might have misheard her, but stopped the bike and looked around and saw a figure shifting on the river platform! It was late at night around 3:30…”

Looking down from the bridge Kei had mentioned, there was an embankment along the river not far from the marathon track, but it wasn’t well lit, so it was a good place to attack someone.

“I’ll run over there right away, it’s necessary to take a long detour from the river to the river terrace…ah, I’ve left my bicycle at the scene, Rei, go get it for me…”

Indeed, there was a white bicycle with Midland Hospital written on it, collapsed in the grass right next to the marathon running track, very visibly, and I slowly made my way over to it.

“Probably hearing my footsteps, a man suddenly jumped out of the bushes and ran away in front of me, I wanted to chase after her, but Ms. Sanjou… At that time, I didn’t know who it was, and when she was bleeding, of course, I saved her life first! After doing emergency treatment, I immediately picked her up and ran to catch a taxi back… “

There were a couple of broken branches in the grass, and what appeared to be three struggles.

“In the taxi, Sanjou-san seemed to recognize who I was, and probably didn’t say anything at first because she was embarrassed, but after I moved her to the hospital bed to administer the local anesthesia and suture the wound, she asked me for help, which is why I introduced her to you as a specialist…”

Putting on my gloves and pulling out my flashlight, I began to search the scene, shining my light around very carefully, looking for any foreign objects.

After about ten minutes, I found the bloodstained stone and something resembling pubic hair, I put them in the plastic bag for preservation, if both of them belonged to Yoko Sanjou, it wouldn’t be considered evidence, it would be a problem for Kei to investigate.

If people knew what I was doing, those residents would think I was a psychopath, which I don’t really like, it’s all by necessity.

However, Kei had worked as a forensics officer at the police station, and he should be able to analyze the semen left in Yoko Sanjou’s body.

I often ask Kei to help me out too, so it’s mutual. More than half of the people who come to my office to ask for surveys are referred by Kei, so I have to work my ass off for Miyuki’s sake.

“The murderer was very tall, with a sturdy body, probably a hundred and eighty centimeters or more, and because it was dark, it was hard to see what he looked like, and Ms. Sanjou doesn’t remember much either…”

Kei’s testimony will have to be investigated further.

Soon a large footprint was found, and measured with a ruler, about twenty-eight or twenty-nine inches, which is not the size of a Japanese, and from the footprints it was ascertained that the man was very strong and physically powerful, and certainly not Kogwe.

There was a cigarette case next to it, a few very cigarettes ran out, I took pictures of them one by one, I might be able to find out some clues from the look of the soles.

Now the thought was what to do for the best. If it had been the police, they would have roped off the scene and charged it with rape, and Yoko Sanjou wouldn’t have come here if she hadn’t called the police, seeing as she didn’t want to.

I picked up my bike and prepared to leave the scene, wondering if I would come back here again. Checking the scene a hundred times – that’s Kumagai’s mantra.

Take a picture of the scene with a Polaroid, then go to a phone booth and call the police station, the number is not 1-1-0, it’s a special line for the criminal division, I’m looking for Mr. Kumagai.

“What’s up? What kind of trouble did you run into today, young man?”

Yukio Kumagai, a criminal officer in his fifties, who is Miyuki’s uncle, still treats me like a child! There are things the police can’t do that he does through me, so sometimes I ask him for information.

“It’s about the recent spate of rapes…”

“What did you say? “

“I know that some cases are better off not being publicized, but my client could have been subjected to the same thing. I have something to ask you…”

“What are you talking about, I’m confused! Okay, meet me at the usual place in an hour!”

Great, Mr. Kumagai is Mr. Kumagai.

“Thanks! I’ll see you later then…”

I hung up the phone and immediately ran off on Kei’s bike.

The so-called old place is actually an abandoned hospital that won’t be noticed because the sign is broken.

The second word says island, and the first word on one side for fish, probably minnows, sharks, or something like that, but I don’t really want to be sure.

This is an old five-story abandoned hospital building, even though it is daytime, it still makes people feel as if a ghost is going to appear, and no one will ever come here, so it is a good place for criminal and detective secret meetings.

It was while thinking this that Mr. Kumagai arrived like the wind. With a white shirt over a coffee-colored suit, we were definitely not from the same era, as he was knotting a rouge-colored tie, which added to the sadness of a tired middle-aged man.

He doesn’t look at me as if he’s not expecting it.

“Ah, boy, so just in time…”

Seeing him greet me, I knew I had to succinctly explain my business to him. He pretended as if nothing had happened as he body me, while swallowing a cloud at the side.

“This matter is tricky! But I haven’t heard the name of that boy or that victim!”

“Well, but I have evidence here! Maybe it’s the prisoner’s bodily fluids…”

“Well, give it to me, it’s that Kei, isn’t it? Compare it to mine and you’ll be able to recognize if it’s the same prisoner!”

“She didn’t see what the killer looked like, did she?” Mr. Kumagai stomped out the cigarette butt at his feet.

“That’s why it’s tricky! Any woman who’s been murdered at that time will feel so scared that she’s often psychotic afterward, and the thugs use that fear to commit the crime, thinking they won’t get caught either, so they get more and more aggressive! You’ve seen montage movies like that…”

If what he said was true, then I held evidence in my hands that even a seasoned criminalist didn’t know about.

“Is it really the same offender?”

“I don’t know! But the victims all said in the same breath that they were bound hand and foot, strangled and felt like they were about to be killed in a rather brutal way!”

“Yes? Then can I have a copy of the list of victims?” Kumagai-san looked at me squarely.

“Victims have a right to privacy too, you should know that!” I pulled the photo of the footprints out of my pocket, which I had gone to add to the wash before coming here.

“I know the size of the killer’s feet…”

Bear Lost’s thick eyebrows raised only on one side.

“Oooh, trying to trade me for a victimization roster!”

“No, I would never go public, never expose them!”

Sigh.

“Uh…”

“Don’t approach them as individuals…”

“I know. Please fax it to my office!”

So I gave him the extra-washed photos and told him the scene was there.

“Kid, don’t overstep your authority on the police…”

Looking at his departing back, a wave of apprehension arose. Of course I won’t listen to him, I have my own way of doing things, and Mr. Kumagai should know that he’s just warning me.

“Don’t let Miyuki worry too much!” That’s what he wanted to say to me, right?

４

After getting things done and returning to the ten-year-old office, it was after 3:00 p.m., and my stomach was growling with hunger after probably using up a lot of calories walking.

A smiling face greeted me as I opened the door to my office.

“You’re back!”

It’s Miyuki’s bright and pleasant voice, she works in my office.

People say that same-class romances don’t last, and that doesn’t work for Miyuki and me.

Today Miyuki is wearing a white shirt with a cute red bow pinned to her chest. She was sitting in a chair next to my table, reading a recipe magazine while talking on the phone.

“What do you want to cook today?”

“Well, the pasta is ready, it’ll be cooked soon, and I’ll drizzle it with meat sauce!”

“Okay, that’s it.”

“It’s so hard to work so hard for your job that you haven’t eaten yet!”

Miyuki put down her magazine, donned her apron with a puppy design on it, and walked towards the kitchen, which had only just been cleaned, humming as she prepared to cook.

Miyuki is really a rare and wise girl nowadays, she is good at all household chores, and people like me who live an irregular life are indeed greatly taken care of by her.

In front of my eyes, with waist-length hair, she was slowly rocking her back, and her beautifully shaped, slightly curved little ass was gently swaying, making me feel an urge.

But I can’t. One of the reasons is that Miyuki doesn’t like to be disturbed under these circumstances. Another reason is…Kei Nakahara, he always comes in without knocking, practically treating my office as his lounge.

“Ah, Kei, I’m cooking pasta, want some?”

“I want to eat anything Miyuki cooks…”

It’s become commonplace, but I still get angry every time.

“The two of them seem to be ignoring their master’s presence, don’t do that next time.”

“It doesn’t matter, we’re all neighbors! I’m afraid Kei can’t eat anything good if he stays in the clinic all the time!”

“Yes, Miyuki knows me too well!”

“Hmph!”

There’s no point in arguing, I’ll lose if Kei and Miyuki join forces.

With that said, Kei sat down on the recliner, yawned widely, and took the newspaper out of his pocket & read it. I sat across from him and handed him what I had collected at the scene.

“How’s the analysis going?”

Kei clipped the newspaper to his armpit and reached for the plastic bag.

“RH positive AB, other details still under investigation…”

“Great, the suspects are narrowed down to just 10% of the nation’s males…” these sarcastic words were lost on Kei.

“Yeah. So, is my Yekky Citroen all right?”

“What Jekyll and Hyde?”

“Didn’t I ask you to ride back?”

“Do you mean the pedicab?”

“What else would I say?”

“Wouldn’t it be more appropriate to call the Midland Hospital number!”

“It’s too much! Did you ride back or not?”

“Ah, ah…” while trying to think of how to reply, Miyuki came out with two plates of pasta in her hands.

“I’ve kept you waiting, aaaah!” Miyuki was about to fall.

“Danger!” Kei hurriedly took the plate.

“Ah!”

“Look out!” I rushed to hold her, and her whole body fell into my arms.

Miyuki has always been like this since before, she would fall down even if the ground is flat, and she doesn’t have a good memory, she always forgets where she put her wallet.

“Len!”

“Ah, sorry!” Miyuki stood up and I hurriedly let go.

Kei glared at me with his big eyes. “Isn’t it pressing, huh?”

Miyuki’s face went red and it was my turn to glare at Kei.

“Kei, it’s time to eat!”

“Yes.” Kei naturally placed the two plates in his hands in front of him and Miyuki.

“What about mine?”

“Won’t you go get it yourself?” Miyuki said a little irritated.

At a glance, there was another plate of pasta, three cups of brewed black tea, pepper shakers and ground cheese in the kitchen.

“So bad!” Having to scratch my head and serve it myself, the atmosphere of today’s meal was all gone.

As he was eating in silence, Kei spoke.

“By the way, Mr. Kumagai called!”

“Ah, it’s about the evidence.”

“Told you to send what you just acquired along with it tomorrow, do you know what’s new on their end?”

“They’ve only just started investigating too!”

Miyuki spoke up as well. “Is it about the serial rape incident?”

Kyu hurriedly buried his face in his plate.

“How would Miyuki know?”

“Ah… It’s Kei he…” said Miyuki as she knocked on Kei’s back.

“Yeah, you’re such a loudmouth!”

“I didn’t want to say it, but I thought it would be better if I said it so Miyuki would be careful, so I said it!” Kei coughed and raised his gaunt face to say.

“So there it is, you big mouth…”

Despite saying that, I think it actually helps me, we all work together, and it would be inconvenient to do things without letting Miyuki know, it’s just a bit of a pain in the ass to figure out how to make things clear to her.

“Miyuki, you were right about that case…”

“If that’s the case, Lie, get this case solved!”

“Well, good. But there are some things that need to be done first, and Mr. Kumagai has started to act, so it’s only a matter of time before the case is solved, but that suspect is coming on strong!”

“Well…we can’t let him get away with it again!”

“That’s right!”

“You guys are right!”

Probably because her father was the abbot of a temple, Miyuki grew up feeling disgusted by immorality and very much a sense of justice, and although she wasn’t violated by the bad guys, she was quite angry.

“I must protect Miyuki!”

“Hmph, you’re all talk and no action…”

Miyuki stood up and put the plates away in the kitchen.

“Okay, knock it off!”

Kei crossed over to Miyuki, his eyes lingering in the distance. Miyuki started humming again.

“Ah… Rei is so enviable!” Kei looked at me with sharp eyes again.

“Don’t be such a prude, dress yourself decently!”

Being told that by me, Kei lowered his head in embarrassment.

“Really!”

He was at a loss for words as Miyuki started peeling an apple, an after dinner snack I guess.

I wanted to organize the reports, so I returned to my desk. At first glance, both desks were neatly tidied up, so I can’t thank Miyuki enough.

There was a computer next to the table with several decorations of alien muppets, dwarfs, and Mickey, all of which were Miyuki’s favorites.

In an office with no decorations, these fairytale puppet character decorations stood out; I had to promise Miyuki that I would put them up because Miyuki is the one who spends a lot of time in the office, not me.

Looking back at Kei, there were two cardboard boxes next to the trash can, he reached in and pulled something out, it was a model car puzzle toy, he was now putting together the turret part.

What kind of place does he think the office is? Really!

“Please try to play…”

Seeing Miyuki who was smiling sweetly, I had to force out a smile as well.

“Kei please take your time…”

“Thanks!”

I’ve decided that I’ll never forgive him if he acts up again today. As I was thinking about how to punish Kei, the fax machine beside me rang and a fax came in.

“It’s from Mr. Kumagai, isn’t it?”

It lists the names of seven female victims and information about the suspects.

“Uh…wow!?”

Miyuki on the right and Kei on the left poked their heads over to look.

“That that that…”

“Let me see it!”

“Ah!”

Feeling annoyed, I handed the fax paper to Miyuki and went to organize the report myself.

“What is it?”

“How did this happen?” The two men yelled together.

“Hey, I’m working! Can you be quiet?”

“But, Lie…”

“Lie, come over here and take a look!”

Both of them were wide-eyed with serious expressions.

“Yes?” I had no choice but to walk over and read the faxed document.

It’s just seven common girls’ names. Why are you making such a big deal out of it?

Miyuki probably saw my blank face as she began to explain.

“Look, Lie, aren’t this and that our high school classmates?”

“What?”

“Yeah, and this too…” echoed Kei as Miyuki testified.

Hearing them say that, I couldn’t help but start wondering.

“So how many of these are our high school friends?”

Hearing my question, Kei replied calmly.

“All of them…maybe all of them…”

The atmosphere suddenly condensed, only to feel cold sweat running down his back and saliva swirling inside his mouth, as if he already had a spectrum.

“Lie…” said Miyuki, looking at me with an uneasy expression.

“We must find out if it’s someone from our school! What’s the best way to find out…?”

Miyuki seemed to react to my words.

“By the way, I have a graduation book at my house!”

“Yeah? Check it out!”

Kei nodded silently.

After Miyuki and I hurriedly took care of things at the office, we rushed to Miyuki’s home, wanting to find out quickly so that we could settle down a bit.

On his way out the door Kei said. “Keep Miyuki close and protect her well!”

That’s for sure. Is Kei stunned?

“I know! I’m counting on you for Ms. Sanjou!”

“I’ll wait to hear from you.”

Usually Kei was pretty hung over, but today was completely different.

５

“By the way, Lie, where do you keep the graduation book?” On the way home Miyuki asked me, she’s a bit shorter than me so she has to hold her head up.

“I don’t know why it went there the last time we moved.”

“Um… I can’t think of anything either.” Miyuki finished, taking my hand.

When was the last time the two of us held hands on a date? Miyuki doesn’t like people to see us being close, so she doesn’t usually hold hands when we walk, but this time it was because of the serial rape case that Miyuki held my hand, and isn’t it thanks to this bad guy?

It was a beautiful feeling to feel Miyuki’s warm body heat in my wrist.

In that moment, it suddenly felt like someone was watching us. An unpleasant feeling came from the pit of my stomach. I hurriedly reviewed back and forth.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s like someone’s looking at us, that unkind look, like they want to kill us.” I just replied blandly.

My consciousness flew in all directions. There…come out to me! But the repulsive sight immediately disappeared, and the surrounding area was completely imperceptible.

I slowly relax my entire body and take a deep breath letting out a huge sigh.

“Hey, what’s wrong with you?”

“It’s probably a mistake!” I had to lie to keep Miyuki from worrying, and I’m such an idiot for thinking I have to thank the bad guys.

I could feel her hands shaking as they held me. I stroked Miyuki’s hair with my other hand. Miyuki buried her face in my chest. All the love is in the air. I will definitely protect you.

While Miyuki’s room was cleaned up, and it was all thanks to her that the office was so tidy, her room was full of girly flavors. Surrounding it was a bedroom decorated in blue with a double bed.

The living room is white. Sitting on the sofa and looking around, you can see soothing plants everywhere, and it is obvious that the owner of the house has taken care of it.

On the front was a large bookcase as wide as the wall, in which was a twenty-eight-inch television set, next to a VCR of a somewhat strange shape. Next to the VCR were a number of horse-racing yearbook tapes, which was Miyuki’s unique interest, but her lover, me, was even more of a weirdo.

“It’s tiring, isn’t it? Just sit on the couch and rest!”

“Uh, yeah!” I was so tired I didn’t even bother to turn on the TV.

Miyuki then rummaged around in front of the bookcase. Starting from the top, she couldn’t find it, and then she looked for the bottom layer, searching too seriously to care about the elegance of her movements.

She was on the floor like a dog, her ass in her skirt all wiggling in front of me, and because of the angle I could see he panties. That’s all it took to stir up my lust, and I was already going to have to endure it.

Just then, Miyuki suddenly stood up.

“Ah, found it!”

“Ah, yeah?” I jumped up from the couch.

“It really is a graduation book!”

“Ah, ah!”

The words St. Brann’s were written on the cover, and like a typical parochial school, even the graduation book was full of religious meaning, and I spent three years in that atmosphere.

Miyuki opened the souvenir book with a wistful expression on her face.

“Still favorite class of 3 years B!”

The photo shows Miyuki smiling in her uniform.

When I graduated from high school, I violated Miyuki who was wearing a uniform, and only took off her high socks, but nothing else, and entered through the seam of her panties─and ended up tearing the skirt of the uniform, and was scolded by Miyuki.

With that thought, and looking at the other photos…

Into the eyes was a smiling Nakahara Kei. And Tong Lie─that’s me.

Ah, that’s Taro Hasegawa, dyed blonde hair standing on end, skinny but quite muscular, the delinquent of the class at that time, but now he’s become a gangster who’s doing well, that’s what I heard from Kei.

There’s also Endo, Motomura, Tanaka, and Takaoka, but none of them really ring a bell, so maybe they were all insignificant people at the time! By the way, Kiyone said that Tanaka was killed, could that have anything to do with this incident?

Speaking of Kiyone…ah, found it! Are the buttons on her chest about to pop? Looking at the line written under the photo─Sleeping Beauty, sure enough on the first date, she was napping in the movie theater.

Also, the pale face lying in the hospital bed in Central Plains this morning, but here it was smiling so brightly that there was a sudden emptiness in his chest.

“It’s Yoko Sanjo.”

As soon as she heard me say that, Miyuki immediately brought over the fax of Mr. Kumagai and compared the name in the memorial book.

“Look, this one, this one, and this one too.”

The names were cross-referenced one by one.

“But these two have the wrong names.” I pointed to the remaining two names. But Miyuki shook her head.

“The two of them were married and took their husband’s name.”

Indeed, the names of the two girls match exactly with the roster of victims.

We were a small class of eleven boys and twelve girls, and the school authorities seemed to take our class very seriously, but I don’t remember how seriously.

There were seven victims on the list, and if you include Yoko Sanjo, there were four girls who hadn’t been killed. These four girls were Miyuki Akikusa, who was beside me, and Kiyone Yamagishi, Reiko Matsui, and Shima Fujitani.

Matsui has a very condescending expression and Fujitani has big eyes that smile, where are they now? They should be safe and sound. He was still going to warn them about what to do with these two, having figured out how to contact Kiyone so far.

“Rei…” said Miyuki as her body trembled and she leaned close to me.

“I’m so scared!”

“Miyuki…”

Flashing eyes, half-open mouth, cheeks that had lost their blood color in fear.

“Hold me tight, Lie! Hold me tight!”

I did it without even thinking. Passion flared between us.

Lying on the bed, I stroked Miyuki’s buttocks, skin that had long been scared out of its cold sweat but was still as gentle as silk.

“Like you!” Miyuki responded bluntly. I stroked it again with my index finger.

“Ah, Little Lie!” Miyuki shyly called my name, her cheeks flushed slightly.

“Don’t, don’t do that!” Her voice irritated me even more.

“Orei~”

I held her close so she had nowhere to run. I can’t help but move my fingers.

“Ooooohhhhhh.”

The other hand stroked her spine, sliding slowly down her back to her waist.

“Mmm…ah…oooh~~” Miyuki couldn’t help but moan, her hand against my back trembling uncontrollably.

“Yeol, so bad~” as she said that, she straddled her thighs over my waist, and although her face put on the reserved expression that a teenage girl should have, she actually enjoyed it.

My fingers, which had stopped on my hips, slid forward again.

“Ah~”

It was as if she was going to cry out. Her there was already moistened. Miyuki closed her eyes and bit her lip. I still kept rubbing her secret place.

“Ah~”

The peach colored secret opening had opened. This was the most beautiful time for Miyuki.

“Miyuki…” i call her name gently.

She opened her eyes to look at me imploringly. I hurriedly pressed my lips to hers and violently pushed my tongue into her mouth while inserting a finger into her secret place.

“Oooh~~” she couldn’t scream because Miyuki’s lips were pressed against mine. I couldn’t help but suck on her tongue. Every time I move, I make a chirping do sound.

“Oooh~”

Miyuki couldn’t help but put her hand between my thighs. I was already erect there. Miyuki gripped it with her delicate fingers and dabbed at the thick, sticky, clear liquid coming out of me with her fingertips.

“Love it here in Little Lie.”

Miyuki was grinning like a little witch. Her fingertips were already covered in liquid and still sliding around my there. A wave of pleasure hit me from my back. I closed my eyes to enjoy the sweet sensation and let Miyuki’s big fingers rub my there.

“Awwww…” with a sigh, Miyuki closed her eyes again, and this time she rubbed my there with both hands, slowly, then more and more intensely.

“Lie, make me feel something too!” Then Miyuki got up and took my steel rod in her mouth.

I was totally mesmerized. My hand still tweaked her secret place. Miyuki rewarded me with the kissing techniques I taught her.

Contains.

Suck.

Lick.

Volume.

A wave of pleasure hit me. On the verge of orgasm, my hands left Miyuki’s secret part and held her head with both hands.

Miyuki opened her eyes and looked at me. Miyuki was lying naked on the white sheets with a face full of passion. The white skin was dripping with sweat, like snow, but her body was as passionate as fire.

I placed my hands on Miyuki’s feet and opened her legs. Her lush triangular jungle is already covered in sweet nectar and is waiting for me. Straightening my waist, I enter.

“Ah, Lie!” Miyuki moaned again.

I put my hands around her back and propped her head up and said, “Look…”

Miyuki opened her eyes just in time to see us joined together.

“Aww, how embarrassing!”

That expression was beautiful! I put my hands on her waist and added, “Don’t close your eyes, we’re one.”

She nodded shakily. I began to move my waist.

“Ah, ah~~” Miyuki began to shake gently as her hands gripped the sheet. It felt so warm to be surrounded.

“Awesome, Little Lie!”

“Ah~”

Miyuki’s body jumped on the bed. I also felt immense pleasure. Miyuki now has more sensation than before. I lifted her waist and went in even more.

“Ahhhh~”

“Mmm…ah, what an amazing feeling!” I said to her. “Show me Miyuki like this!”

“Yuck~” her face reddened again. I decided to attack in one fell swoop.

“No, no!”

Several times it attacked her secret place like firing a cannon.

“Ah, ah~~”

Miyuki is also starting to swing her waist. It’ll be ready to be drawn out in a moment.

I grabbed her right foot with both hands, raised my waist, and propped my right foot between her strands. Her foot was entwined with mine. It looked like there was no fear that they would separate with any more intense movements.

“Miyuki…I’m coming!” He said, pressing against her.

“Ahhhhhh,” it was louder.

“Ah, hit!”

“Yes, yes!”

The cry-like screams made me feel relieved. I grabbed Miyuki’s ample breasts with my right hand and rubbed them.

“Good~ Good~ Mmmm…”

The left hand flicked a breast.

“Coming, coming~”

I really got into it, and a wave of overwhelming pleasure hit me along my back. But I still held back a bit.

“It’s coming out!”

Miyuki twisted her body and pinched my back tightly with her hands. It hurts so much!

“It’s coming out!” A wild stream erupted from his lower body. Already the boundaries were in place.

“Miyuki…” I called out to her, immediately pushing my back out.

“Lie…”

Miyuki opened her mouth slightly and waited for me, spilling her long pressed juices all over her face. Miyuki accepted them with immense pleasure.

My feet trembled. Miyuki’s cheeks and chin were wet. She even dipped her fingers in it and put it in her mouth. I really loved Miyuki at that moment. Then she put my dick in her mouth and licked it.

“No need for that…”

I didn’t say anything and Miyuki automatically used her tongue to lick the nectar from the steel rod, causing me to fall back onto the bed unable to stand it.

“Because it’s Rei, so I will…” she finished as she leaned into me, so warm.

“Today’s Lie is awesome!” She grunted a nasal laugh.

“Do you normally wish for this?” I said as I hugged her shoulder tightly.

Miyuki shook her head sheepishly.

“I’m usually exhausted when I’m like this too…”

We gave each other a little kiss and fell asleep, hugging each other tightly.

６

“…Late last night, twenty-six-year-old Taro Hasegawa, a member of a violent group in Yamato Ward, was stabbed to death multiple times, and his body was found this morning.”

The voice of this middle-aged newscaster, Nodai, poked me like a knife.

“The cause of death was excessive bleeding. Stabbed multiple times all over the body, quite brutal, the assailants were quite professional in their approach and the police authorities are making every effort to apprehend the culprits.”

I jumped up from my bed and watched the TV.

Miyuki, who had already gotten up, was sitting in the living room with a pink bath towel around her, a coffee cup in her hand and her eyes staring straight at the TV with my coffee on the table.

Next up was the weather forecast. She brought the hot coffee to her lips and turned the station with the rocker in her hand.

“Ah, good morning Lie!”

“Morning!”

It’s been turned on three stations, all broadcasting the same news, and the victim is Taro Hasegawa all right, because the photo is still enlarged.

Looking at the clock, it’s only seven in the morning, and I’m usually still in bed at this hour. Miyuki came over and sat next to me, her body smelling of soap.

“How awful!”

Miyuki’s voice was much calmer than yesterday, so she probably hadn’t made any connections yet. But to me, who had already heard the news that Masato Tanaka was dead from Kiyone, the two events were already connected.

“Stabbed multiple times, all of which were not vital, the cause of death was excessive blood loss.” Kiyone did say that.

Kiyone should be okay. I’m tempted to call her right away.

Miyuki doesn’t know that I’m dating Kiyone, what would she do if she knew that I’ve met Kiyone? I’m afraid I won’t be able to justify it! Even if nothing happened, Miyuki, who is so jealous, would definitely not believe me.

Miyuki seems to have sensed that I’m hiding something from her because she hasn’t touched me this week. It’s better to call Kiyone when I’m out on a case and I’m alone!

The common denominator of this string of killings and rapes is that they were all in the same class and very close together, so it’s impossible to say that it’s okay, so maybe it was the same person who did it. Who could it be?

“Hey, Rei, what’s wrong with you today?” Miyuki’s voice brought me back to my senses.

“Uh, yeah, I’m going back to school to get the latest contact address.”

It’s necessary to get the contact addresses of Reiko Matsui and Shima Fujitani, since the victims were both in the same class, and the possibility that the culprit could be in the same class is high.

“Good, then you’re going to have a busy day today too, go for it!” Miyuki kissed me on the cheek.

“You go take a shower and I’ll cook.”

I nodded and grabbed Miyuki’s hand and kissed her lips very forcefully, so soft to the touch.

“Uh…Lie, don’t!”

“I’m going to take a shower, beautiful! ” said the man, walking towards the bathroom.

The hot water washed away the smelly sweat, dirt and unpleasant thoughts. Miyuki was just taking a bath here and my heart is pounding at the thought. I just made love to her last night, but I’ve never taken a bath with Miyuki before I don’t like it! Women’s hearts are so hard to understand.

She shouldn’t hate it when she gets married! But there are still many obstacles to be removed before that happens. The biggest problem was Miyuki’s father, a temple abbot, who was very much against Miyuki and me dating.

Luckily, Miyuki left home to live with me. That’s how life is, nothing has to be bad.

Her mother has acquiesced to our relationship and every time she sees me she says, “Miyuki please!”

The person who supports us the most is Miyuki’s sister, Kaori. Kaori is still in high school, but she often comes here to play, and she thinks that “people should be with the ones they love”, and always says “my father is a stone, a stone monk”, and she hates being told what to do, so she supports us so much!

I’ve had Kaori peeking at me a couple of times while I’m taking a bath here, so maybe I opened the wrong door, but I should have at least knocked! She’s not even embarrassed, but I am. Stop thinking about it and finish your bath. It’s time to think about the case.

Took a shower and walked to the changing room to dry his hair.

“By the way, it might be possible to get health care information, and it would be better if we knew the prisoner’s blood type.”

When thoughts are tied up in knots, just a shower will give you good ideas, your body is relaxed and even your thoughts are clearer.

This rape demon must be a man. There were eleven boys in the class. Excluding Tanaka and Nagaya, who were killed, as well as Kei and I, there were seven suspects, and since ABs only make up 10% of the country’s population, there should only be one or two people to target.

“What’s wrong, looking like you’re in a hurry?” Miyuki said to me.

“Oh, I’ve found the target prisoner!”

“Really? That’s great! Rei really deserves to be a famous detective.”

“Cut the ass-kissing!”

I actually feel that way myself. I shouldn’t say famous detective, but expert detective.

Usually Miyuki goes to the office first to clean up while I procrastinate until ten o’clock, but I can’t do that now.

From Mr. Kumagai’s faxed information, I probably know when the culprit committed the crime, so I can’t take it lightly even during the day, and since another person was killed yesterday, I can’t leave Miyuki for a minute.

After helping Miyuki get the house cleaned up, it was half past eight by the time he left the house. When I entered the office, I felt the air was stuffy.

Mei Yue quickly turned on the air conditioner and plugged in the vacuum cleaner to clean up. Usually, I let Mei Yue alone busy herself with cleaning because I didn’t know where to start helping; once she was sick and had to do the cleaning by herself, and it ended up taking me an hour and a half, but she got it done in one go, and the whole office looked brand new. She even made tea, which was so touching.

After finishing his tea, he packed his detective paraphernalia in his jacket and got ready to go out.

“Going away?”

“To go quickly, to stop the murder before it happens again, before it’s too late.”

Miyuki smiled and walked me out the door.

“You try to call the other non-victimized classmates as recorded in the graduation book and ask for the contact numbers of the others under the pretext of having a reunion; the more people you ask, the better.”

“I know.”

“Also, even if you have to go shopping for something, you can’t walk out of this office alone, if you want to go out, ask Kei to accompany you.”

“Got it, thanks for your concern! Little Lie, you should be careful too.”

I nodded and headed out the door. First I had to stop by the Midland Clinic to say hello.

“Good morning, Lie, you’re here early today!”

Kei didn’t know what time he went to sleep, and his eyes were red.

“Kei, Miyuki is counting on you.”

Without going into detail, Kei could detect it.

“Leave it to me!”

At this point in his life, Kei was quite the medieval knight.

“Where’s Ms. Sanjou Yoko?”

“Much calmer now! There’s going to be a mental rehab later, and she’s going to be taken to the general hospital that specializes in raped women at noon today.”

“It’s like this…”

“Want to see her?”

“Yes, but look at this first.” I pulled out the copy of the photo.

“Is there a prisoner in here?”

“How nostalgic! Little Lie, you still have a doll face.”

“Don’t digress! Is the man you saw in here?”

Kyu looked closer at the picture.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know.”

“No?”

“Well, even if one of these is a prisoner, it’s all from high school, and that one is a hundred and eighty-something centimeters tall, which is about the same as me!”

“Fair enough!”

Kei affirms that even if he shows these photos to the victim, it probably won’t have any effect, really.

“But then again, it always feels like I’ve seen it somewhere, the nostalgic atmosphere… maybe it was someone from third year class B?”

“Anyway, that’s a clue.”

“I’m sorry!”

It’s rare for Kei to say he’s sorry, and I certainly can’t blame him.

Sanjou Yoko’s face was already slightly bloodied, and when she entered the hospital room, she was looking out the window at the scenery, the leaves of the trees dancing in the wind, and there were two sparrows resting on the branches of the trees, a very peaceful picture.

“How long has it been since you looked out the window so peacefully?” Yoko turned her face toward me as soon as I said that.

“Every time you’re trying to break a record, you just know you have to run faster, and it’s just not a peaceful time at all.”

That comment left me at a loss for words, and I decided it was better to get down to business.

“Ms. Sanjou, I’ve probably pinpointed a few suspects.”

Hearing me say that, her expression suddenly looked scared, her mouth mumbled something, and her hands held her head and shook straight away.

“Help me, please! Do anything, please help me…” was what she seemed to be saying when I listened closely.

Kei immediately went to her side and kept saying comforting words while sedating her.

“It’s okay, it’s okay, don’t be afraid!”

Maybe it was Kei’s words, maybe it was the medicine, but Yoko’s body slowly relaxed and she lay down on the bed, quietly closing her eyes and falling asleep.

“It seems to be deeply traumatized.” Kei said facing me.

“Really, how could this happen!”

I felt rotten, how could I break Yoko’s heart like that, couldn’t forgive myself.

Walking out of the clinic and on my way to school, I walked into a phone booth, I shouldn’t have called Qing Yin’s house so early in the morning, right? I was so nervous that I dialed the wrong number twice, but the third time I finally dialed the right number, but no one answered after twenty rings, so she’s probably already gone out.

Called the company and they said she would be out all day today doing interviews.

At least it was certain she hadn’t been attacked last night! But what will happen to her today?

“May I ask what can I do for you? If she calls back to the office, can I ask her to get in touch with you?” The girl on the other end of the line said.

If you call the office, Miyuki will get it, and that’s even worse.

“No need! I’ll be out all day today, so please just tell him I called and I’ll get back to her.”

After thanking the lady, I hung up the phone and proceeded to call Mr. Kumagai.

“What’s up? It’s been a busy day yesterday and today, lad.”

That’s how Mr. Kumagai is, no matter how big a deal it is, he speaks in the same tone of voice, and even if the end of the world comes, I guess Mr. Kumagai will still be the same!

I’ll cut right to the chase.

“The killers of Taro Hasegawa and Masato Tanaka, and the string of rapes, are best grouped together for investigation.”

“What? How dare you have a problem with the way we run our cases?” He got a little angry.

I calmly told him my reasoning and evidence, and at first Mr. Kumagai was half-convinced, but at last he understood.

“But… if what you say is true, then isn’t he and Kei and Miyuki all in danger?”

“Yes. I’ve already told Miyuki to never go out alone without Kei accompanying her.”

“Yeah? I’m relieved if it’s Kei, anyway, you guys should be careful.” The tired middle-aged detective’s tone was a little more reassuring.

“That’s it then! Let me know if there’s anything new.”

I hung up the phone after informing Mr. Kumagai of the direction of today’s reconnaissance and made sure to catch the culprits in one fell swoop. The most important thing now is to go back to school. There was anticipation and uneasiness in my heart, making my steps unusually heavy.

７

Finally, you can see the white school building of St. Brann’s High School, a school with a long history that has recently been doing remedial work, and the roof can be seen from the front of the school.

The roof? I used to peek at Miyuki from the roof. It was my secret. I never told any of it.

Walking into the campus, which is an elegant setting with forests, hills, and ponds, it wasn’t long before I heard someone yelling.

“No one not from this school is allowed in!”

All you hear is a voice but you don’t see a person.

“What is it?”

“How can you walk around here if it’s not something?”

It sounded like it was coming out of the woods.

“Still moving forward, didn’t I say no entry! Want to challenge me?”

“I’m not here to challenge.”

Only a rustling sound could be heard and a short man with a wooden stick in his hand walked out, about forty years of age, presumably an employee of the place.

“My name is Tong Lie, you’re probably new here so you don’t know me, I’m a graduate here.”

“Even so, you can’t come in.”

“Well then, please just watch this.”

I pulled out the photocopied photo of my graduation book and showed it to him.

He said to himself as he looked at the picture. “It’s very similar…”

“That’s good!”

“But graduated even if you’re an outsider, you’re supposed to make an appointment first.”

He was right about that too. I was wondering what to do when someone called out to me.

“Huh? Why is he here, Brother Tong?”

Looking back, it was Kaori in her uniform, a uniform that seemed to have been worn by Miyuki before.

“Ah, Akusa, what’s going on?”

“Hello, Mr. Satake!”

A googly-eyed face with well-proportioned features is perfect for short hairstyles.

“Brother, what brings you here?”

She gave a questioning smirk… Miyuki used to look like this before, didn’t she?

“Ah, I want to get into school.”

“Come in?” Kaori said suspiciously.

Satake looked at me coldly, causing me to be at a loss for words. Luckily Kaori spoke up.

“Okay, I’ll bring you in.” After saying that, Kaori took my hand and headed inside.

“Brother, hurry up!”

Poor Satake screamed from behind. “Hey, wait!”

No one cares about him.

“Run so fast.”

That monster guarding the school gates must be pissed off right now!

The long-lost library was still sparsely populated, and the students of this school would not come to the library except before they had to take their exams.

The bookcases were lined with books, all young adult books, and the collection was quite extensive.

“I’ll go get the teacher!” Kaori headed for the head librarian’s room.

It’s true that they are sisters. Although they are quite different in age, their expressions and movements are so similar. As I was thinking this, Kaori had already disappeared into the corner.

I looked at the new books on the counter. “The Personality Reform Handbook,” “Body Rentals.” Who would be interested in a book like that?

There seems to be someone coming behind us.

“Long time no see, Tong!”

The voice was a bit nasal. Looking back, a woman with large glasses stood beside Kaori. She was wearing a white-collar dress, a platinum necklace around her neck, reddish-brown hair hanging down her back, and lipstick on her long, book-thin lips, so it seemed like I’d seen this person there before.

“Ah… Forgot? I’m Fujitani Shima!”

“Fujitani…?”

Yes, it’s Fujitani Shima all right! One of the people in my class who hadn’t yet been attacked by the demon of rape, and thankfully had looked at the graduation book last night for a refresher.

“Tong has only Miyuki in his heart, no other girl can look at him.”

I think I’ve heard that before. Everyone in my class says that about me.

“Even Kiyone lamented that you don’t even connect with her anymore.”

Only to feel darkness in front of her eyes, where Shima had actually said her name.

Seeing my expression, Shima hurriedly said. “Ah, you probably don’t even remember who Kiyone is.”

Kaori interjected just then. “Kiyone, who is it?”

Kaori looked at me and Shima with reproachful eyes, Miyuki and the other sisters are both sensitive to the topic of women, it’s so much alike… My mind was in such a mess that I couldn’t even organize a thought, I just desperately tried to think of how to answer.

Shima replied with a smile from behind me. “A classmate from high school! I occasionally have tea with her now.”

I exhaled at an angle Kaori couldn’t see.

The unassuming Shima from her student days now looks like a queen. Time really does change a person.

“Wow!” Kaori responded with understanding.

“By the way, Tong, I heard Kaori say you’re coming to check things out, right?”

Finally the subject was changed.

“Ah, come to ask our class for their current address.”

“Why so sudden? I hear you’re a private investigator now, what kind of things are you looking into?”

I glanced at Kaori, then said to Shima. “I’ll explain the details to you later.”

“I’ll look up the information for you then, what do you want to know?”

Kaori also held out her hand and said, “I’ll help too!”

“Kaori has class later.” Shima said refusing.

“Ah, right!” Kaori looked a little regretful, looking at her watch.

“No, gotta get to class soon.”

“Yeah, good student Kaori can’t be late.”

“I’ll go then, Brother Tong, cheers!”

“Okay, bye!”

Kaori swung her arms wide and trotted off, such a good kid.

Suddenly, Shima popped up.

“What a cute and innocent child, would love to hurt her a little!” After saying that, she stuck out her pink tongue and licked her lips.

“Don’t be ridiculous!”

“I mean it!” Her eyes sparkled with light and she blushed slightly.

“Are you the weird teacher from the AV movie?”

“Hahaha, screw it!”

“Don’t you dare mess around! If you do anything to Kaori, neither Miyuki nor I will spare you!”

“Then please, Little Tong, be my opponent?”

What a crazy thing to say!

“Am I more mature these days?”

It seems like a storm is coming.

“Hey, Tong, I’m so lonely!”

Shima placed her hands on her chest with a very forlorn expression and leaned over to me, and from her dress, you could clearly see the peak of her erection…was she not wearing underwear?

“Aaahhhh, no, stop it!” I pounded on the table in panic.

“I’m here on business, I don’t have time to play with you.”

“Boys and girls are different, after all, and I won’t tell anyone.”

When a woman says, “I won’t tell anyone,” and you believe her, you’re in trouble.

“It will be heard!”

“But your body is not listening anymore.”

I hurriedly grabbed the hand she was about to reach for my femur.

“I hate it when people do that!”

It’s just you and me talking at each other.

“You’re still so cold!” Shima said dismissively.

“This is not the time to talk about it, get to work!”

“Tong is so petty!”

“Told you this wasn’t the time to talk about such issues!”

It really is going to be the end of the world with teachers like that.

Even though she was so boring, she still helped me a lot! True to form, the librarian got the checking done in no time at all, if I had done it alone it might not have been enough time for a day.

The sun had gone down outside the window, coloring the sky red.

It was easy to find out where Reiko Yagui’s correspondence was, and the addresses of her male classmates and tutors were checked; some of them may have moved again and could not be confirmed.

Looking at the records of the time, it is impossible to guess who had such a deep grudge to kill all the classmates. The three years at St. Brann’s High School were all ordinary days, just drinking, smoking, making friends of the opposite sex, and no one was ever arrested by the police except Taro Hasegawa.

If this prisoner has accumulated an unknown amount of resentment over the course of three years, it may be erupting right now.

“Okay, can you tell me why you’re looking up this information?” Shima asked me calmly, in contrast to her earlier demeanor.

“Ah, you’d better know better too.”

I told the chain of events. Shima’s eyes sparkled as if she had made up her mind.

“If he’s going to violate someone, I wish he’d hurry up and come to me, the female won’t be killed anyway.”

Shima throws me a marvelous look.

“It’s Tong or not…so you’ll be angry again.”

“Good to know.”

“Forget it, I’m dead to you, introduce me to any good boys!”

“That’s fine, but you must be one of those men with a lot of energy!”

“Again.”

Shima knocked me on the head. I just saw the sky full of stars in front of me.

“You hit for real! It hurts!”

Shima laughed as she patted the dust on her skirt and stood up to look around the library.

“Do you want to go to dinner together later?”

“Huh? Ah, I have another important thing.” I said shaking my head.

“What is it?”

“To check the blood profile of the male students in the class, like medical records, or physical health checkups or something like that.”

Shima’s slender eyebrows were twisted together in contemplation! Yes, this look is just like the old days, a more learned look.

“Well…I’m afraid that’s difficult, it’s not the library’s jurisdiction.”

“Fair enough.”

“Give me two or three days, will you? I’ll find a way to look at it.”

“Thank you so much! I’m sure you’ll be quick, or I’m only afraid that the number of victims will increase again, and the murderer’s blood type is AB.” I handed her my card.

“I’ll keep today as a good memory.” Shima mumbled to herself and suddenly kissed me on the lips.

So warm to the touch, it’s a taste of youth.

８

It was already four in the afternoon when I got back to the shabby office. I had wasted a lot of time at school, all because of the “slutty” Fujitani Shima.

Still tried to dial Qing Yin on the way back, but her coworkers still said she was out, ugh, what the hell are you doing somewhere?

As I was thinking about it, I suddenly felt my heart beating faster and I could hardly stand up. I knew that panicking wouldn’t help, but I just couldn’t control myself, and I might have lost my qualification to be a detective.

Climb the stairs and stand in front of the office door. The sound of someone talking inside could be heard.

“That Shima can be scary when she’s drunk! I don’t know what will happen if we leave her alone, then ah…”

I was stunned on the spot! That was Kiyone’s voice. It’s good that it’s okay! But…

“And Kei and Yeol are so bad! They pushed all the illegally parked bicycles into the river.”

The person who answered was Miyuki. It’s great that they can have a conversation like this. You can see that when girls are together, they just talk about the past. But that’s good. How come Miyuki and Kiyone are talking together! My chest is beating faster, it’s hard to breathe, and a cold sweat is breaking out on my forehead.

“Whoa!” I was about to call out to them when someone jumped out behind me.

“Ah!” I yelled, slamming my head into the door, causing me to almost fall. My heart was pounding out of my chest and my whole face was red as if I was going to die.

“Len!”

“Lie!”

“Tong!”

I could hear three people screaming, and when I opened my eyes, Kei, Miyuki, and Kiyone were all looking at me. I felt a rush of blood to my head and didn’t know what to do.

Whoa! I must be dead, right here.

Sadly, even death isn’t that simple. Getting up, I found my head resting on my knees with a warm, wet towel on my forehead. Head still hurts. Rolling over, my leg hits my cheek.

“Miyuki, wake up.” Only a panicked shout was heard from above.

“Wait, Tong!”

“Lie…”

Taking off the towel covering my eyes, I looked up. Seeing Kiyone’s reddened face, she was the one who took the office seat cushion to let me lean on my lap, right?

“Ah, sorry!”

Trying to get up. Ka! I swing one of my hands around Miyuki’s waist, only to have my head knocked by her.

“Ahhhh~” I fell back down.

“Miyuki, why are you doing this to a patient?”

“Who told him to be so colorful! Qing Yin, it’s okay.”

“But…”

“Lie! It doesn’t hurt that much, does it?”

“Ah, no, that hurts.” I said unevenly, trying to stand up again.

The person in front of me is Kei.

“Sorry! I didn’t realize I scared you like that, hahaha!”

“You’re still laughing.”

“But why are you so scared?”

“To hell with you!”

Kei, it’s a secret that can’t be told!

Drinking the tea made by Miyuki, I felt much more comfortable. Seeing that I was feeling better, Kei started chatting with Kiyone.

“It’s really been a long time since I’ve talked to Kiyone.”

“Nakahara is still as handsome as before! Should have a lot of girlfriends, right?”

“No, I’m not like Rei.”

“After all, Little Lie is Little Lie, and he still eats it up so well.”

“Nonsense!” I protest by banging on the table. The blood rushes to my head again, causing me to be unable to stand.

“It’s just a little joke! Little Lie is really petty too.”

You most opportunistic little Kyu.

“Tong, are you okay?”

Ah, Kiyone is the gentlest. I think it’s because Miyuki’s here that she doesn’t call me “Yeol”!

“It’s all right! Just give him a sip of water and he’ll be cured.”

It’s too much! Mayuki, what did I do wrong? When she was too angry to speak, Kiyone spoke up.

“Hey, hey, Tong!”

“Hmm?” With an ice pack on my head, my entire body slumped into the chair.

“What I’m looking into is related to the case you’re working on, isn’t it?”

“Ah… yes. You should be more careful too, Yamagishi-sama.”

I told them what had happened at school and felt the atmosphere turn cozy and happy when I finished.

Kiyone nodded her head as she said, “Yeah! In fact, Tagawa and Hasegawa weren’t the only ones killed, even Kiryu and Ozaki were…”

Kiyone’s words made the air tend to be heavy again. The one who broke the silence was Miyuki, who was pale with fear.

“I also tried to get in touch with everyone, as Lie had instructed me to do, and learned that there were other male students who had also died during the month.”

“Wait a minute. “

I handed Miyuki the latest contact information from the school, and she immediately tried to call those who hadn’t been contacted yet.

The answer came half an hour later, removing the photocopied photographic material and marking those confirmed to have been killed with an X.

As confirmed last night, only Akikusa, Yamagishi, Fujitani, and Matsui remain unharmed.

Only me, Kei Nakahara, Rentaro Endo, Mitsuo Kimura, and Shuji Takaoka are left of the boys who have not been victimized, and of those, only Endo has yet to be contacted, and no one knows where he is or what he’s doing right now.

“Is Kimura ever different?” Miyuki said.

“How?” Kiyone asked, spinning the ballpoint pen in her hand.

“Sometimes I’d run into him on the road, and it always seemed like he was very much a murderer.”

“Sometimes you run into him?”

I was surprised, but Miyuki just replied normally.

“Yeah, his house is right around here! Didn’t he say he worked at a securities firm?”

“No, it’s hard for someone at work to commit a crime, it’s impossible!” It was rare that Kei would have an opinion.

“Why?” I asked.

“There was no time to do it. Take the example of Ms. Sanjou, you have to investigate the victim’s work schedule beforehand! It’s not possible for the average nine-to-five office worker.”

“Miyuki, what are the other suspects doing?”

“Ah, Shuji Takaoka is working at a gas station, and Rentaro Endo…his whereabouts are unknown.”

I asked seriously, and Miyuki answered gravely.

“That Endo is the strangest.”

“Yes.” Kei agreed.

“But Takaoka and Kimura, it’s still necessary to investigate whether they had been on extended vacation during this time…”

It was past six o’clock in the evening.

“If you’re a nine-to-five worker, now would be the time to go home. Miyuki, what time do you usually meet Honmura?”

“In the morning it’s about 7:30, and in the evening it’s about 7:00.”

“Standard commuter.”

I called Kimura’s office and the lady at the counter answered the phone.

“Hello Toyama Securities!”

I purposely put on a serious voice.

“Ah, I’m Sasaki from the Nishido Business Office, please transfer to Mr. Kimura from the General Affairs Section.”

“I’m sorry, he’s already home from work.”

Great, then it’s time to draw out the intel.

“Not again! He wants me to look for him for the next few days, but every time I do he’s not there.” I said, purposely angry.

“Really! May I ask if he’s ever taken a long vacation lately?”

“I’m sorry, hold on a second! I’ll go check it out.”

As I waited, I made a victory sign to the group.

“I’ve kept you waiting! Kimura didn’t take a vacation except for a cold three days ago, so maybe he told you the wrong time to contact him!”

This operator sister seems to be on the verge of being forced to cry by me. It’s really pitiful, so hurry up and spare her.

“Ah, maybe! I’ll just find him tomorrow.”

“I’ll ask him to connect with you if that’s convenient.”

“Sorry, I’m often away too!”

“That’s so sorry.”

“No, it’s not your fault, don’t take it to heart.”

Put down the microphone and put a big “X” under the picture of Kimura.

“Miyuki, check Takaoka’s office hours, and just use the same technique to call after his shift to inquire.”

“Yes.” Miyuki replied respectfully, that’s how she was supposed to talk to me.

“That only leaves Endo now.”

“How should I find out?” Kei began to ponder.

“Looking back now, I really don’t remember much about him from high school.”

“Me too.” Kiyone chimed in.

“I can’t remember either, it’s like this person doesn’t exist. Where’s Miyuki?”

“I don’t remember much either, can’t think of anything.”

It’s really hard to remember people who are too ordinary. Even Miyuki and Kei, who had excellent memories, couldn’t recall them, so it was really rare.

“Stone hat!” Kei called out, pointing his index finger to his head.

“Bummer, it’s not “Tinkerbell”.” Kiyone doubled over in laughter.

Miyuki sighed and stood up. “Would you like something to drink? “

“Naru~” Kei cried falsely.

Pretending not to hear, I added, “Kei, if he’s a suspect, who’s the next target? “

Kyu went right back to normal.

“Well…the first thing is to abduct Miyuki outside.”

“Why? “

“It’s hard to do it with you and me around Miyuki.”

“So… Reiko Matsui is in danger, she’s the only one of the girls who hasn’t been notified yet.”

“That’s right!”

“If you want to find Reiko, I’ll just go in your place.” Kiyone said as she sat upright.

“Huh, you know?”

“I know, occasionally we have contact.”

“Then go inform her quickly.”

“Then, Miyuki, you’ll have to lend me your little Tong.” Kiyone said to Miyuki.

“Yeah! “

I always felt that Miyuki’s eyes were a bit scary.

“Hey, hey, Miyuki!”

What do I mean in person?

“I thought we agreed!”

“But…”

“Didn’t we agree? You used to be lovers!”

“Huh?” I was instantly unable to think.

“You think I don’t know?”

Miyuki already knew? I’ve been hiding it until now.

“Then I’m not polite, let’s go!” Kiyone pulled my hand and walked out.

What kind of agreement was there between the two?

９

I didn’t say a word on the way. Kiyone seemed to be thinking about something, and she wasn’t as talkative as she was in the office.

“I’ve been investigating Endo as well.”

Kiyone finally spoke, but it was still something related to the case.

“I’ll let you know as soon as I hear anything, Lie!”

And now you’re calling me “Little Lie”.

“Then please!” I said vaguely.

Then again, he continued to remain silent as he walked to a residential neighborhood about twenty minutes away from the station.

It’s full of houses that have been built to be sold, like high-class housing, so if you’re a street person, you might get lost walking here!

“Huh? This is close to where Miyuki lives!”

“Yeah? Reiko’s house is around here too!”

I’ve never met anyone who lives this close to me. Maybe it’s just a different routine! Or I’m just too slow.

“And what is Matsui doing now?”

“OL, great strong women! Wears tight dresses and kicks incompetent men out of the way when she comes across them.”

“That’s scary! I need to be careful not to get kicked.”

“You won’t get kicked!” Kiyone couldn’t help but laugh as she finished.

The girl is indeed adorable.

As we walked, we came to a beautiful white building. Lights could be seen on from the first floor windows.

“Reiko should be home.”

Kiyone smiled at me, her tied ponytail swaying and her large cantaloupe-like breasts swaying. Kiyone didn’t notice my expression as she ran to ring the doorbell.

All that was heard was the crisp jingle of the doorbell, which had a burglar-proof effect. After about ten seconds, a very polite reply came from the intercom.

“Hello, this is the Matsui family.”

“Reiko, long time no see, it’s me!”

“Ah, is that Kiyone? Why so sudden?”

Right back to the Reiko Matsui style talking points.

“Well, something’s come up! Tong came with me too!”

Reiko froze.

“Huh…you guys together again?”

“No, no, just borrowing it from Miyuki for a bit.”

How so? But that seems to be the best answer.

“Yeah? How strange!”

“Don’t you dare!”

“Okay, I’ll get the door, you guys wait!”

While waiting for the door to open, Kiyone said to me with her head down.

“I’m sorry, Lie, Reiko, she…”

Once he looked at Qing Yin, even his ears turned red. Suddenly, he had an urge to hug and kiss her.

“It’s okay, don’t take it to heart!”

Just as I finished speaking, Reiko opened the door, still looking at Kiyone and I with suspicious eyes.

Reiko Matsui has a very boyish short haircut, but it’s still hard to hide her voluptuousness, with her thin eyebrows and pointed chin, she’s like a little witch.

“Come in, you guys!”

Kiyone and I walked into the foyer and looked around nonchalantly, feeling that the atmosphere wasn’t very good, Kiyone’s face was still red and she seemed to be about to open her mouth to speak, but was stopped by Reiko.

“The living room is where I rest, so it’s a mess of everything!” And then led us inside.

Reiko wore a stretchy dress, which made her fat-free figure and waist curve even clearer, and the skirt was ten centimeters above the knee, with a pair of slippers on her feet, so that her white ankles could be seen.

Her dressing like this stimulated my infinite imagination, suddenly remembering that there was Qing Yin around, I hurriedly dismissed this pointless thought, she had her head down so she didn’t notice my expression.

Reiko led us to a very spacious room with a wooden floor that felt cozy, a clock and a landscape-painted calendar on the wall, and besides that it was all ivory wallpaper.

“Sit there!” Reiko pointed to the large black sofa bed that seated three, and it was comfortable to sit down with her back against the hard seat cushion that wouldn’t let her sink.

There was a desk in front of it, and in front of it was a large television and VCR that seemed to be showing a French film.

Kiyone sat to my left, her eyes glued to the TV, looking a little less settled. I heard the kitchen refrigerator open and the sound of ice cubes improving the glass, and soon saw Reiko coming over with a bottle of foreign wine and some snacks.

“Tong, would you like whiskey or brandy?”

“I’m here on business…”, I immediately interrupted Kiyone.

“Whiskey’s fine.”

Cold detectives can still have a drink in the midst of their duties.

“That’s what I thought.” There was a note of joy in Reiko’s voice.

“Where’s Kiyone?”

“I…ice whiskey soda.” She said helplessly.

“Okay, then I’ll have brandy.”

Reiko skillfully poured the wine, brought it over, and sat down right next to me.

“Well, Tong, you’ve got them left and right!”

Reiko was making a scene again, and ignoring Kiyone’s troubled look behind her, she picked up her glass and raised it toward us.

“Here’s to being able to see you again!”

We gently clinked our glasses and took a small sip.

Reiko said in a very unconcerned tone. “You guys went there, huh?”

I couldn’t help but panic, probably due to the alcohol effect, and felt a heat from my throat to my chest, as if I was going to spit fire out. Luckily, Qing Yin patted my back for me and I felt much more comfortable.

“Is it okay, Rei? Reiko, we’re not what you think!”

“What isn’t that! Then what is your relationship?”

You could feel Reiko getting a little angry.

“Actually, it’s like this, Reiko…” began Kiyone as she recounted with a serious expression, something Reiko could never have imagined.

I let the alcohol flow through my entire body,?listening to the two of them talk, such a topic is not suitable for a boy to talk to a girl.

By the time the speech was over, so was the boring French flick, the ice melted, and the volume of wine diminished.

“How could this happen? Why is everyone infested? It’s unbelievable.” Reiko’s expression was quite grave, as if a great disaster was coming.

“So who’s the rape demon? Didn’t catch it? Tong, not a detective either?”

Reiko was sitting ten centimeters in front of me, her eyes and mouth wide open.

“No, it’s still under investigation…”

The feeling of pressure made my body step back a bit, but it seemed like I bumped into something. It was Kiyone’s soft body, and the thing I hit behind me was her extremely elastic bosoms.

“Ah, sorry!” I turned back to him and Kiyone just smiled and said “It’s okay.

Reiko clutched her chest in fear. “And any idea who the suspect is?”

“The most suspicious person right now is Rentaro Endo from third year class B.”

I found it hard to breathe and could feel the touch of soft skin as I grabbed Reiko’s hand.

Reiko lowered her hand and said with dazed eyes, “Endo… Rentaro, who is he?”

Kiyone and I looked at each other.

“Even class president Reiko wasn’t impressed with him?” Kiyone sighed.

“What’s going on here?” Reiko shuddered a little.

“Reiko, it’s so strange that no one remembers there being a Rentaro Endo, not even Miyuki or Nakahara.”

“Huh? That Nakahara doesn’t remember either? Isn’t he the best at schoolwork? Shouldn’t he have a good memory!”

I nodded in agreement and showed Reiko the photocopy of the graduation book.

Reiko looked at the photo for at least five minutes or more, as if desperately trying to remember something, but ended up shaking her head and returning the photo to me, finishing her drink in one gulp and pouring a new one.

“Reiko, it’s not good to drink so hard.” Kiyone stood up to stop her.

“Don’t look like that, aren’t you usually calm?”

Kiyone snatched the glass from Reiko’s hand and swung one hand around Reiko’s waist so that Reiko was looking at her head on.

“Not calm, are you? Scared to be home alone, aren’t you?”

“Kiyone, you…” said Reiko, dumbfounded.

I don’t know what to say either. As I said, Kiyone is indeed a very delicate minded entry.

“Reiko, you must be more careful when you go to and from work! If you come back late from working late, try to avoid sparsely populated places, or else ask someone to take you home.”

Kiyone put her empty glass on the table.

“Uh, yes!”

The atmosphere seemed grave, only for Reiko to nod, normally a very civilized person, and not much more intimidating when she was serious.

“That’s what we’re here for.”

I figured it was time to leave, so I stood up and saw that it was 10pm.

“That’s it then.”

Reiko stood up as well, still ten centimeters in front of me, the first time we’d both been this close, and she looked at me with a face reddened by alcohol.

“Wait a minute! What are you guys talking about? What just happened?”

Kiyone looked at the two of us, she didn’t know what to say.

“Tong, aren’t you a detective? Can you be my bodyguard?” She said to me in a voice as slimy as a cat’s, not like her usual self at all.

“Huh?” I responded with an almost mournful cry.

“Reiko, that’s enough!”

Reiko ignored Qing Yin, and then followed up with, “I’ll pay the payment, I have some money saved up, please, Little Tong, I’m so scared!” Then she hugged me.

“Hey, hey, you!?”

“I’m so afraid of that rape demon! Little Tong, you must protect me.”

I could feel Reiko’s thin body trembling.

“Ah, I understand.” All I could do was pat her on the back.

“Thanks! It’s still Tong who makes you feel most secure.”

Reiko stopped shaking. Suddenly, Reiko’s entire body heaved down on top of me and I lost my balance. Luckily, Kiyone helped me from behind.

One look at Reiko…how did she fall asleep?

Kiyone tilted her head and laughed. “Really can’t do anything about her! But hearing Xiao Tong’s words really put her at ease.”

“So what does she do now?”

Kiyone and I went ahead and put the table away for a bit, pulling out the sofa bed and laying Reiko down on it horizontally, neither of whom had any intention of waking up at all.

Kiyone took out a quilt from the bedroom.

“I’ll just stay here tonight, I don’t feel comfortable leaving the door unlocked and leaving Reiko alone over here.”

Then of course I’m going back alone. My purpose was to warn Reiko to be careful, and now that my purpose has been accomplished, there is no reason to linger.

“I see, then Yamagishi-sama, take care of yourself.”

“Thank you, Lie! Tell that to Miyuki.”

So I turned around and walked out of Matsui’s house.

You can see the moon hanging in the sky. I really didn’t understand what Kiyone was trying to say to Mayuzuki. Suddenly, it occurred to me that the murderer was looking at the moon in the sky just as I was.

I really didn’t have time to think about my own problems, and everyone’s night would be uneasy if this case wasn’t solved.

１０

Indeed, as first thought, Shuji Takaoka is innocent.

Miyuki had already checked, he hadn’t taken a long vacation, and he had been at work during the time the case had occurred.

Mayuki also called Endo’s home, only to know that he graduated from high school and re-took two years, and then I do not know where to go, since then no news; when Mayuki asked his mother Endo people there, his mother has been crying with Mayuki, so that Mayuki do not know how to answer the good.

I took Takaoka’s duty schedule from Miyuki, then went to the gas station where he works before his break and had lunch with him.

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Takaoka, with his square face and long straight hair, if he cleans off the dirt on his body, he’s sure to be a very popular handsome guy with the girls.

“Ah, Tong became a detective.” That was the first thing Takaoka said when he walked into the coffee shop.

In Japan to open a private detective company does not need a license and no qualification restrictions, as long as there is an office, a phone can be opened, but because of the fierce competition, engaged in illegal transactions are also a lot of people, ordinary transactions, such as general companies or individuals are looking for a large credit company, will not look for detectives.

Companies like mine have survived to this day by taking on cases not wanted by large credit bureaus, or by taking care of old customers from the past.

Takaoka’s eyes seemed to be glowing with curiosity, so I thought it was the perfect time to get to the point. So I told him about the recent chain of events, emphasizing Nagatani’s tragic death and telling him to be more careful.

“How careful do you have to be?” It’s the same old story.

“That murderer is all about taking advantage of people when they’re alone, so until the case is solved, it’s best to have someone traveling with you wherever you go.”

“So I’m fine with women every day, and the murderer only went after the third year B class?”

“Yes.”

“About Endo…”

“Endo? Who is it?”

Takaoka doesn’t seem to have much of an impression of Endo as a person either, which is an answer I had expected.

“I’m sorry I didn’t do you any favors.”

Since Takaoka held out his hand, I had to do the same. I took out my business card and gave it to him.

“Call me if you think of it!”

Takaoka also flipped to the back of the business card and looked straight through it like he was trying to see through something.

“What are you looking at? Is there a secret code word?”

Leaving him with a stunned look on his face, I went back to the office, amateurs being what they are.

I took care of some business in the afternoon. Because I am a sole proprietor, my job is not only to investigate cases, but also to write reports, applications, contracts, financial statements, and a lot of time-consuming administrative work. Although I am called a detective, it is actually a lot different from what I thought it would be, and if you look at it from an economic point of view, it’s just a personal store.

I don’t use a word processor, I write all by hand, so my right thumb, index finger, middle finger and palm often hurt, and in severe cases even my shoulder and elbow are sore.

Whenever I massaged my right hand with my left hand, Miyuki would come to me and say, “Hard work.” Then she started massaging me.

“Wow, that worked!”

We’ve known each other for so long that I know every part of her body like the back of my hand, and likewise she knows my body, and Miyuki’s hands are very skillful, especially in massage.

“Lie, turn your neck sometimes too, don’t stare at the same place all the time.”

Hearing Miyuki say that really moved me to the point of tears.

I’m such a selfish man to have such a great lover and a whole lot of nonsense yesterday, it’s time to reflect on that.

I woke up at seven this morning. I slept in Miyuki’s room, but was woken up by Kiyone’s MORNING-CALL.

I’m very Bur Miyuki jealous, but there doesn’t seem to be any conflict between them, Miyuki even smiles and hands me the phone, but I feel uncomfortable, if Kiyone and I really haven’t had anything that’s fine.

“Good morning, Mr. Bodyguard!”

The sound blew all my nonsense away.

“Please take good care of Reiko from today, I’m going to the interview.”

In that case, she’s insisting that I be Reiko’s bodyguard! It’s called a bodyguard because it protects a woman’s body! This is no time for jokes!

I want to make sure that what Reiko said yesterday wasn’t drunk.

“She’s glad you agreed to protect her, and she said yesterday that she’d pay you.”

That was her answer, even if she was drunk, reason and memory still existed, and since it was pretty sure that she needed someone to protect her, the detailed conditions or the contract could be negotiated later; right now it was the protection of the individual that took precedence, so thirty minutes later, I was at Reiko’s doorstep.

“Ha, it feels good to have an escort!” Reiko looked pleasant.

“Just to be clear, the search has to be done at the same time, so I’m only going to protect you on your way to and from work! As soon as you get home, you must never go out, lock your doors, and call the police or my office immediately if you hear any strange noises, okay?”

“Good.”

So I went with Reiko to the subway, which has a ridership rate of 400%. These male and female commuters are really something, they can’t even stand being squeezed like this every day, luckily my job doesn’t require me to squeeze into a car with people! Anyway, let’s get this over with so I don’t have to suffer like this anymore.

After dropping Reiko off at work, I’m going to meet with Takaoka before heading back to the office. Going to see Motomura as well, see if I can get some intel. Then it was off to Reiko’s office to drop her off at home, and one could only pray that the subway wasn’t that crowded at the end of the day! Then it’s time to formalize the contract with Reiko, and it’s already 9pm when I get home after doing my business.

“And charging a friend, really.” Miyuki said as she massaged me and looked at the contract.

“I even gave her a 20% discount, and we need to make some money to live on!”

“Yeah…wouldn’t it be better to have a reunion in that case.”

“Reality and ideals can’t match…ah, that’s it right there, it’s so comfortable.”

“Here? Okay, I’ll push harder.” Miyuki took advantage of the situation and pressed on the points on my neck.

“Whoa!” I was going into shock! My arms and legs are cramping and my eyes are blank.

“Are you, uh, okay?” The voice came from far away, as if it had been heard in the water.

“Sober up!” Miyuki massaged me for a few more minutes before I came back to my senses.

“I’m so sorry! Will you forgive me?”

“No way!” I play along in a child’s tone.

“Ah, please forgive me, what will it take to forgive me?”

“Sleep with me tonight.” I said wistfully.

“Huh?”

“I want you, Miyuki!”

Miyuki’s eyes instantly went wide. “Darn it, no more games!”

She blushes, gives me a soft kiss on the cheek, and runs off in a huff to the kitchen, where she can be heard humming again a little while later.

Actually, I came to Miyuki’s house last night and had dinner very late. After taking a shower, I was about to do something when a light bulb suddenly appeared – Miyuki’s younger sister, Kaori.

She often came running without saying a word. When she vomits with her parents, when she’s bored in school classes, when she feels lonely alone, she comes running; since I was little, Kei and I have loved her like a sister, so there’s almost no barrier between her and us, and as a result, I’m just like a starving wolf who spends the night like this without getting anything to eat, which causes me to have a bad night’s sleep all night long, and I’m in a horrible mood.

Looking at Miyuki seemed to indicate that it was OK for tonight.

The work was exhausting, but the thought of the evening lifted my spirits, and I put my head down in order to wait for that moment to come.

It takes only five minutes to walk from the office to Hamamura Park. Walking on the path sandwiched between various trees feels comfortable because there is plenty of oxygen. The sunset is already in the afterglow and the streetlights are on, but there are not enough streetlights in the park, so it is not a suitable place to stay after nightfall.

I will be there fifteen minutes before the appointed person, this is my principle of doing things. I can’t help but take a deep breath, stretch my body that hasn’t exercised for a long time, and do some calisthenics. Instead of waiting around, it’s good to do some exercise to improve my health.

After about twenty minutes, the body felt warmer and the target─the office worker─appeared. The other person was wearing a neat shirt with a dark purple tie, and the lower half of his body was a gray suit pants.

The first impression of his face was that of a foursquare, with very little hair, and double-lidded eyes drooping listlessly under thick, long, double eyebrows. I called out to him as I jumped.

“Hi, Mr. Mitsuo Kimura?”

“Ah, sorry…”

He used to be called “Young Ogisan” by his female classmates, but when I see him now, I still can’t tell that he is the same age as I am. Not only does he have an old-fashioned look, but he also seems to be not good at socializing with others.

“I have a lot to tell you.”

“Ah~”

I walked slowly in time with his steps, reciting to him again what I had said to Takaoka this morning, and having done it once, it was certainly more pure the second time around.

“So the only five people who haven’t been attacked by that serial killer yet are you and I, Kei Nakahara, Shuji Takaoka, and Rentaro Endo.”

“So, is Endo okay!”

In that instant, I was sure that Kimura’s gray eyes flashed a ray of light.

“Can you tell me something about Endo?”

“Endo? We used to be friends…”

Kimura’s expression was a bit embarrassed, probably not used to being questioned!

“Friends? Can you be more specific?”

“Both were bullied! Both of us… so…”

So what? Forget it. Don’t push it too far.

“When was the last time you saw Endo?”

“Huh? Ah, I haven’t seen him since high school…what happened to Endo? Did…”

“Ah, this” 〃, maybe that’s it.”

Kimura became talkative, contrary to his earlier attitude.

“No, it wouldn’t be like that! With a body that thin and a personality that tame, it’s pretty much impossible for him to even violate someone, let alone kill them…”

“Can’t confirm that yet either! Just so far, there’s not even a contact address or phone number for him.”

“In that case, would…”

I don’t know if he heard me or not, because he suddenly jumped up.

“Well then, this is good, if there is any news related to this case, please contact me.”

Handing over his business card, he didn’t move a muscle, so he had no choice but to haphazardly insert the card into the breast pocket of his suit.

Kimura looked at his pockets and finally spoke.

“Ah…I see.”

“I’ll go first, then.”

Now perhaps the matter of whether or not Endo was the culprit was much more important to him than his own life.

Back at the office, Kei came over as usual.

“Ah, Lie, it’s been hard to run around so much lately.”

“Who sent this job?”

“Who’s supposed to do the work?”

Kei laughed for about five seconds before continuing in a victorious manner.

“Ms. Sanjou’s transfer to the hospital is all done.”

“Yeah?” Did I end up doing anything for her?

“He wanted me to tell you to go for it.”

At this point my heart felt like pins and needles.

What can I do to help? After Hasegawa Taro was killed, no one else was victimized, but the murderer was not caught either, and the only way to heal the damage done to Sanjou Yoko’s mind was to catch the murderer.

In fact, beating himself up like this was not going to help, so he decided to change the mood and ask Kei some questions.

“The murderer… I don’t know if it’s Endo or someone else… what kind of person do you think the murderer should be?”

“You want me to say it from a psychologist’s point of view?”

“Who’s the FBI psychoanalyst?”

“That’s an interesting question, listen to me.”

Kei is immediately affected by whichever book he reads.

“Serial killers practically kill with sexual substitutes.”

“But he violated women too!”

“It is true that he violated the women, but with the men, he could not violate them, and had to kill them, and cut the tendons in the body of the victim, one by one, with a knife; and there was a saying in the old days that the sword was a symbol of the man’s sex organ, and that stabbing a man with a sword was a substitute for penetration.”

Isn’t that just mindless homosexual behavior? It makes me sick to my stomach to hear it.

“What about the possibility of Endo’s involvement?”

I told Kei what I heard from Miyuki and Kimura.

Kei craned his neck before saying, “Well… I can’t say it’s confirmed, but there’s a pretty good reason why he doesn’t seem to be very good at communicating with people. Rentaro Endo probably feels that people haven’t taken him seriously since his high school days, and as a result, he holds a grudge because of that, which could be the remote cause of this incident.”

I’m feeling a little discouraged.

“Farthing, that’s a pretty conservative way of putting it.”

“It would be a tragedy if this type of criminal got away with it, and this time the victims were all in the same class, so it can only be described as a wedge! Think about it, if the whole class is victimized by him, then what if he comes back again? Will he stop committing crimes?”

I couldn’t help but swallow.

“Would commit suicide? No, that’s not possible.”

“I think you should know what happens next, Lie!”

“No bullshit!”

“This murderer is going to get bolder and bolder, and I’m afraid that the next target will be a freshman or sophomore or a national high school student or something like that.”

“What can be done to end this behavior of his?”

“Unless he’s been arrested or killed.”

“Crazy!”

“Regular people would think that he is crazy, but as far as psychoanalysis is concerned, he might be normal, especially since the modus operandi of this case is the so-called order type, that is, highly intelligent criminals who do not leave behind any other evidence except for semen and pubic hairs; in addition, from the point of view of his plan of crime, this murderer also has a very good ability to make judgments, and generally speaking, mentally abnormal no-order criminals, they all are impulsive killers and will leave behind a lot of physical evidence.”

“But isn’t it true that the final result demanded by the perpetrators of such socially obliterating or irrationally persistent criminal behavior is “wanting to die”? And isn’t it just like a chronic suicide that involves other people in the process?”

“You are right in saying so! And the intellectual standard of the culprit on this occasion was so exceptionally high that he should have been conscious of it, and I think his object may have been to make the existence of such a man known and accepted before he died, by means of this persecution.”

Those words made Miyuki, who had remained silent, speak up.

“But on one level, the prisoner is pretty pathetic, because people don’t know him well enough to do something like this.”

Kei said gravely, “Please be careful, the deeper you get into it the more you will suffer.”

“What do you mean?”

“If you know too much about the psychology of a serial killer, just like a hobby is contagious, you will have the same paranoia in your own mind as the culprit, so you should never have sympathy, once you sympathize, you will be negligent, and then the bad guys will take advantage of the situation.”

Do I have to be a match for someone so horrible?

“Seriously, I’ve been shaking.”

“Shivering doesn’t help! Since the prisoners are targeting us, we have to fight them in order to survive.”

Kei’s comments were always a bit violent. But it’s not unreasonable for him to say that.

“Yeol can quit if he doesn’t like it, but whenever someone tries to harm Miyuki, no matter who he is, I will never spare him.” Kei said with a firm voice.

“I realized.” I said through gritted teeth as well.

Miyuki placed her hand on my shoulder. “Rei, you can do it.”

I don’t know what’s going on, but when I heard Miyuki say that, I also felt that I could definitely catch this murderer! Miyuki didn’t say, “Let’s run away!” “Let’s quit!” I think she’s already decided to fight me to the end.

“I know, Kei, you should watch your grooming too!”

“Yes, Ironman twenty-eight.”

“What…you think I’m a robot!?”

“Ah, you just realized that now?”

Miyuki smiled happily. Our feelings really melted together at this time.

１１

The trolley was at least two hundred percent loaded, so of course there were no seats available.

I stood in the gap next to Matsui Reiko, my eyes glancing around, although I don’t think the culprit would do it in such a crowded train, but it’s most dangerous when walking in front of and behind the train, and at this point, if I’m targeted, I have to find a way to change the train in the middle of the journey.

Today’s Reiko wore a very formal suit that always felt very much like a female warrior’s uniform, a short dark red jacket over a grey shirt with no collar, the color of her lipstick and eyeshadow matched the suit; unlike last night, today’s makeup appeared to be subtle and elegant.

A passenger gets off at the first transfer station, still crowded, twisting his body and stiffening his joints to make noise.

“All right, Tong?”

I could feel Reiko’s breath as she stood up about the same height as me since she was wearing five centimeter high shoes.

“Ribs seem to be breaking.” I said with a deliberate tilt of my head, and Reiko laughed.

“Whoa!”

At that moment, the train suddenly took a big tilt, and all the standing passengers came crashing down on my back.

Reiko happened to be standing in the empty space next to the door, and I opened both hands as hard as I could to keep the crowd from crushing Reiko, gripping the door and the handle by the seat, only to hear the sound of clattering footsteps as several men and women slid down my back.

“The muscles are knotted up trying not to move.”

Reiko puffed out a laugh. “Tong, I feel so happy.”

“Yeah? You’re a gloating man!”

“Maybe!”

“I must hold on for survival, but any longer and my bones will break.” I said jokingly.

“Aww, yuck, stop saying that, laughing makes my belly hurt.”

“People who normally don’t like to laugh can’t stop laughing once they do, and right now Ms. Matsui can’t stop laughing even when she sees chopsticks falling.”

“Okay, okay, stop it.” She hunched over, holding her stomach to stifle her laughter.

“Working tensely in a company and relaxing once in a while is the way to take care of your health.”

Reiko nodded her head a few times I don’t know how many times and laughed so hard that tears came out of her eyes, I bet she hadn’t laughed so happily in years.

Getting out of the car and walking down the dark night road, Reiko spoke.

“If you let Tong be your bodyguard, you’ll die of laughter from laughing too much.”

“Any more work as Ms. Matsui’s bodyguard and I might have to register at the bone rehab unit.”

“You need to stop talking nonsense.”

“I’m trying to make you happy.”

“Yes?”

Making the customer feel relaxed and happy is the most basic service, but I admit it is a bit over the top. It’s also not a time to be a little lax about being around.

The commute to work was fine, the ride home was a little scary, not only was it easy to get lost here, but the lighting was only a cover of streetlights and moonlight, and that was only if there was a main road outside.

When I walked into the alley next to it, there was no street light, no one, not even a dog or cat. If a young woman walks down such a road late at night, she is telling the bad guys, “Please come and attack me.

“You’re still fighting and chatting with Nakahara every day like before?”

“Ah, who did you hear that from?”

“Who else would it be but Kiyone! After you left that day, we chatted for a long time.”

“You’re not asleep?”

“Then I woke up and I asked Kiyone a lot of things.”

The conversation seems to be turning in a very serious direction.

“Don’t talk bad about other people.”

“Don’t disappoint a girl’s waiting heart.”

“What are you saying, I can’t understand.”

I’d actually like to know, but this is not a good place to explain.

“By the way, do you go anywhere on your vacations?”

This is a good time to quickly change the subject.

Chatting as we walked along the road, it felt like twenty minutes went by quickly, and all of a sudden we were at Matsui’s house.

“Thank you for today!” Reiko Matsui turned to me when I was in the foyer.

“It’s my job.”

Saying that reminded me of something important. Reiko remembered at the same time and opened the door in a panic.

“Right, haven’t signed the deed yet! Come on in!”

“Ah~”

I had drawn up the deed a long time ago, and just as Reiko had said, now was a good time to sign. But I was a bit hesitant in my mind.

“What are you doing? Come on in!”

Reiko saw my hesitation and pulled me in hard. Across the living room, there were still bottles of brandy on the table.

“Tong, want another drink?” Reiko’s voice came from the kitchen.

“No, not today.”

I took the indenture out of my shirt pocket and put it on the table with the ballpoint pen.

“Ah. Ran off again.” Reiko said.

“What’s wrong?” I walked toward Reiko.

“Uh, what is it?”

Reiko looked back at me with a glass in her hand, and I hurried next to her, my hand reaching for the water-drying container next to the runner.

“Hey, hey, hey!” It was Reiko’s turn to scream.

I was surprised to get a pair of lacquered chopsticks. Because Reiko kept staring at me, I couldn’t get a good grip.

“What?”

Then the chopsticks tumbled to the ground as Reiko watched.

“Ah…still no!”

“You can’t catch a break either!” Reiko couldn’t stop laughing as if she had realized something.

“But chopsticks, chopsticks…”

Her words were no longer words, and she was laughing so hard that tears were streaming out of her eyes, pressing her stomach and bobbing her head from side to side, and she was not laughing too hard!

Reiko clenched her hands into fists and pounded them against my chest.

“Hey, stop it, I’m sorry!” I said as I grabbed her hand.

Still laughing, she wipes her tears with her fingers, looks me in the eye, and suddenly bursts out laughing again.

“Ah, help, Tong, yuck! No, please stop talking! I, I…can’t stand it anymore.”

I had no choice but to drag her into the living room. It was my turn to pour her wine and hand it to her. Reiko sat down on the couch, closed her eyes and took a deep breath, took the glass in both hands, then slowly brought it to her mouth.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry!”

She sipped her wine and waved her hand straight up, finally relenting and saying quietly. “It’s okay, Tong, I’m fine now.” After saying that, she looked into my eyes again.

“Well, I mean it.”

“Didn’t you say in the trolley that when you want to laugh, you laugh as much as you want, and when you want to cry, you cry as much as you want, and then you’ll forget everything.”

“I see you’re too busy with work.”

“Now that I’m done venting, I don’t need to do anything with my face scrunched up anymore now…Tong, hold me.” After saying that, he hugged my body, and his feet, which were wearing black pantyhose, were inserted between my legs.

This action had been expected and I just replied calmly.

“What do you take me for? I’m just here to work, and I’m sure Ms. Matsui has plenty of men willing to keep you company!”

“I’ve had enough of looking at those imbecilic men every day! Tong, aren’t you protecting me in the tram?”

“That’s my job!”

“But you weren’t even mad at me for touching you a little in the trolley! Why now, why? We should be honest with each other.”

Am I getting myself in trouble again?

“Just for now, and then I’ll forget! The thought of possibly being raped by a man I don’t know caused me to have trouble sleeping last night! Tong, drive the fear out of my mind!”

Hot lips pressed against mine, flavored with brandy. Maybe it was the alcohol that catalyzed it! I didn’t sleep well last night’s either, so maybe I crave this too!

By the time I realized it, my hands were wrapped around Reiko’s waist, and the two of them had tangled their tongues together.

“Tong, I’m so happy!”

A line of hot tears appeared on the cheeks of Reiko, who had always had a cold personality, and as I watched, all rationality disappeared.

Miyuki, I’m sorry!

Pure white sheets against a naked Reiko. Her skin was so white, and she had a waist that could be held in both hands. What surprised me even more was that she looked so thin and weak, but she had such full breasts, I was completely seduced.

“Please be gentle with me…”

Lifting her feet, I noticed that the secret part was moistened and that the conversation I had just had was foreplay. I was already in a semi-bulging state.

“Ahhhh~” only to feel the blood rush through my entire body.

“Ahh! Oooh…it’s getting bigger!” Feeling as if my rod was about to break, I prepared to enter Reiko’s lower body.

“Awwww! Ahh! So good!”

Hearing Reiko’s gasp stimulated me even more, only to feel the tip of my rod squeezing with honey.

“Ah! More!”

Her secret place was ready and waiting for my entry, so I started to twist my waist. It would be nice to have a condom ready at this time. But I don’t think I’ve been wearing a condom when I’ve been doing things with Miyuki lately, so there won’t be a problem, will there?

“Awwwwwwwww… Yui!” She was in a state of total arousal.

“Ahhhh~ it feels so good, come in more!”

As his waist swung, a wave of pleasure came over him.

“Ugh! Aaahhhh!”

“Awwww! Ahhhh~”

Already on the verge of orgasm, Reiko’s waist had twisted into a ball as I leaned my body forward.

“Awwww! Tong!!!”

My body was swinging very regularly.

“Awww… good…”

When I was about to explode, I pulled my rod out and fired it at her breasts. Reiko receives it with a very mesmerized expression. The gasps gradually returned to normal, and my throbbing subsided. Reiko also regained consciousness.

Slightly opening her eyes, she sheepishly pulls toilet paper from the bed and hands me two or three sheets before she wipes herself. Seeing this posture, not as why I suddenly came to my senses.

１２

It’s not the first time I’ve cheated. It’s just that I feel guilty about it. What a passionate duo, and when it’s over it’s like they don’t know each other.

“Going back?”

“Uh…”

The conversation also became brief.

We each took a shower. While I was in the shower, Reiko filled out the deed. I took it and fled Matsui’s house.

It was horrible, and in the end, I was allowed to act on my lust, and we both knew there was no love in it. I don’t want to become a rape demon. If we are different, it’s that he doesn’t have the foreplay dialog or techniques to turn each other on when he violates women, and I do.

Miyuki’s words, “Poor thing,” came to my mind. No, I’m starting to sympathize with the prisoner. I shook my head and changed my mind.

A quick glance at the clock said it was 10:16 PM. Spent over an hour in bed. What should I tell Miyuki? Just have to pretend it’s nothing.

This heart burden is truly unfounded. However it doesn’t mean it’s a good thing.

Back near the office, an ambulance passed me and I just thought, did something happen, when I saw the ambulance pull up in front of our building, the doors opened and several people in white robes ran out.

I hurriedly ran over at a faster pace. Seeing Miyuki standing outside with her hand on her mouth. Miyuki is fine! Then who is it?

“Lie!” She screamed and ran towards me.

“Little Lie, Little Lie, where the hell have you been?” She hugged me with a face full of tears.

“Kei was taken by the prisoner…and bled a lot…”

“Calm down, Miyuki, take your time.”

At that moment the paramedics came down the elevator with a stretcher, and seeing the pale face lying on it, I understood it all.

“Kei, isn’t that Kei?” I leaned forward to call him, but there was no response and Miyuki burst into tears.

“Miyuki, when did you get attacked? “

“Ah…ten minutes ago, no, five minutes ago, I think!”

It’s all me. If only I had come back earlier, if only I hadn’t gone to Reiko’s house, if only I hadn’t talked to her… so much regret in my heart.

“Miyuki, where did the prisoner go?”

“The path to the left, Lie, could it be that you…”

“I’ll go after the culprits, you take care of Kei.” After saying that I ran away.

Only to hear a wail behind him. “You have to be careful, Little Lie, I…”

Miyuki, you must be strong.

The guilt in my entire body had long since turned into anger towards the prisoner, and I just felt like my five organs were on fire, my hands were sweating, and I felt like I was on the verge of collapsing. A normal person would have been nervous because of the nervousness, but I was an expert, and the situation worked in my favor.

A situation like this can stimulate my thoughts and make my brain eager to get information. I can feel the smell of blood on the ground, and I follow it without hesitating for a moment.

Finally got to the intersection and looked to the left and right and didn’t see anyone. Suddenly I realized there was a person looking at me from a nearby window.

“Are you Rei!”

“Mr. Zhang!”

It was the owner of an enigmatic electrical store, and he had a pricey celebrity dog in front of him.

“Are you looking for someone? There’s a very strange man running that way, like he’s hurt!” He picked up the dog and pointed with his right hand.

“Thank you!” I hurriedly met the pace.

“Not at all. We should help each other in times of trouble.”

This neighborhood is my territory, even if I lose them, the people in the neighborhood will do me a favor. There’s a lot of garbage strewn on the road. The prisoners must have knocked it over when they escaped! The smell of blood is getting stronger. The enemy is nearby.

This dark path is illuminated by nothing more than moonlight, and I’m moving on instinct now, with limited help from my vision.

A sudden sense of strangeness came to mind. The scene ahead was not quite the same. It felt like someone was moving. I knew it was the man there.

Here it comes. The wind is blowing. With my left foot as an axis, I turned backward and kicked. “Come out!”

Just at the same time, my feet were seized by him. The man in front of me seemed like a monster, looking at me with eyes full of hate, and I saw the cardboard box break behind him, from where it probably leapt out!

The guy twisted my foot so hard it felt like I was going to break my ankle. To dodge, I reversed to the other side. But in doing so, he grabbed my knee with his hand instead. This guy is a Duan and very experienced in fighting, I’m not too strong but I’ve knocked down a Duan Kei before.

I kicked his hand with my other foot and it worked. After two or three kicks, he let go of my foot. The enemy’s forehead cut and bled. But at this point, he was choking me with both hands. I still kicked him as hard as I could.

“Woo…”

Hit the nail on the head. Finally he let go. I rushed to take a big breath and organize my breathing before getting ready to fight again.

“Woof woof woof!” Suddenly he jumped up barking like a dog.

In a split second, victory was decided. He struck me in the heart with something unknown. I had to jump and dodge. As a result, he escaped. I rushed after him again, and when I jumped over the fence I fell to the ground, unable to move my left arm.

Because I was falling backwards, I could see the guy’s mocking face, and he didn’t care that his right abdomen was bleeding, he just jumped and disappeared.

I can just see the upturned moon in the sky looking down at me. Look at my right hand, it’s bloody. It hurts, blood is flowing profusely, and all my strength is going to Reiko.

Opening something wrapped in a handkerchief on the floor was a silver scalpel. I get it! Kei used this knife to fight back against the bad guy, and the guy ended up attacking me with this knife. Rose-colored blood circulates inside me, Kei’s blood, the bad guy’s blood, and my blood.

I stood up, but didn’t have the strength to fight anymore, and if the bad guy came back now, maybe I’d be killed.

My hand still continued to bleed, so I had to drop the scalpel and wrap it in a blood-stained handkerchief. It had been a grueling day, when on earth was this going to end?

I staggered like a drunk. It must have been the blood that made me drunk.

１３

It was the dog that found me. It was Mr. Chang who saved me. His wife wanted to call an ambulance, so I asked her to call and find out the hospital where Kei was taken. So I insisted on taking a taxi there myself.

“I’ll be fine, please don’t worry.” After explaining to the family, I hitchhiked away.

“Little Lie is really a man!” Mr. Zhang said with great emotion, and the dog seemed to bark straight as if he was worried about me as well.

I didn’t really want Miyuki to see me like this, so I wanted to go home and act like nothing happened. But Kei got hurt, and now I’m the only one who can protect Miyuki. What about Matsui Reiko? While I was thinking like this, I arrived at the hospital. The nurse with glasses saw me and came over immediately. I was covered in blood.

“May I ask how Kei Nakahara, who was brought in by ambulance, is doing?”

They all ignored me and just told me to sit down, and the doctor came over and sterilized me, gave me anti-inflammatory pain relief stitches and three stitches, and bandaged me up. When I was done, I suddenly caught sight of a figure.

“Something’s happened to you and Kei!” The person who spoke was Mr. Kumagai, his eyes looked tired.

“How’s Kei doing?”

Mr. Kumagai lit his cigarette and exhaled slowly.

“Luckily it was delivered early and saved his life, he just lost too much blood, he was very weak and is now asleep.”

“Yeah? Great!” I was relieved to hear that.

But after hearing Mr. Kumagai’s questioning, I couldn’t be reassured.

“Was the murderer Rentaro Endo?”

I can’t answer that.

“Don’t know! Can’t see much…can’t really remember.”

“Yes?” Mr. Bear Lost didn’t press the issue any further.

After getting the medicine, we went to the waiting room together. Miyuki was waiting there.

“Lie, you’re okay, that’s great.” She ran over and hugged me.

All I felt was a pain in my left wrist. “Ah!”

“I’m sorry!”

“No, it’s okay!”

I resisted giving her a kiss on the forehead to reassure her.

“Whoops!” Mr. Kumagai coughed.

At first glance, Kaori came too, with a bad look on her face.

“Is brother Kei okay?”

“It’s okay, don’t worry.”

“That’s good!” Kaori said as she leaned toward me.

My injured left hand!

“Ah, that hurts!”

“I’m sorry, are you okay, Little Brother Lie?”

“Please don’t grab my left hand!”

How come they’re two sisters so much alike? Since this is a fully-nursed hospital, there’s no reason for us to stay.

As he leaves, Mr. Kumagai says that he will have his subordinates as Miyuki’s bodyguards for at least two hours a day.

“Got it!” He did love his niece.

“Good night, Uncle Kumagai!” Miyuki waved her hand and Kaori said the same thing waving goodbye.

Back at the residence, in the elevator Miyuki didn’t say a word, just quietly leaned on my shoulder. Kaori looked at me and slowly touched my left hand.

“Is brother Kei really okay?”

Since she wasn’t touching an injury, it didn’t hurt, and I held her cold little hand.

“It’s okay, get a good night’s sleep and see him tomorrow.”

“Thank you, Rei-san!” Kaori returned the grip with vigor.

I will never spare this murderer.

１４

The next morning Reiko looked at me and said worriedly.

“In that case, you don’t have to protect me.”

“No, it’s my job! And it’s only a minor injury.”

Reiko was silent.

“Don’t worry, it’s fine.”

When I left the house in the morning, Miyuki also had a worried face, but I still ignored her, work is work and Kaori was probably tired and still sleeping.

Reiko lowered her head and said, “I think I’m in love with you, Tong.”

Mind-numbing words.

“I’m sorry…but please listen to me, I know you already have Miyuki so it’s impossible for us to do anything, but I really like you!”

I had a slight fever when I left the house this morning, and after taking anti-inflammatory tablets, it’s gone down.

“You’re really good!”

“Qing Yin and I are both the same, I also told Qing Yin to forget about you and find a new man, but she still can’t get enough of you, women are women!” After saying that, she actually cried.

It was quiet inside the sardine-like tram, and Reiko’s cries must have been heard by all the nearby passengers.

When she got out of the car, she was still crying, her face makeup was smudged, and she rushed into the girls’ restroom to fix it. Normally I would have followed her, but in this case I couldn’t follow her in! But what if the culprit is in there? I don’t think so! That prisoner is most afraid of crowded places.

After ten or fifteen minutes of waiting, she hadn’t come out and was going to be late. I was about to barge in when she finally appeared, applying a good amount of makeup and glowing again.

“Tong, walk me to my office…” her tone was calm.

“Good!” And I had to pretend it was okay.

Back at the residence, I switched shifts with the officer protecting Miyuki.

“Please give my regards to Mr. Bear Lost.”

“Hard work!” I said and went inside.

“Little Brother Lie is back!” Kaori was still there.

“How come you didn’t go to school?”

Miyuki replied bitterly, “She said she was going to take the day off, but she actually called in sick with her teacher a long time ago…who does she really look like?”

“Like a sister!”

“You brat!” Miyuki was angry and was about to raise her hand to hit her when Kaori quickly fled, a true sisterly love.

“Little brother Yeol, let’s go to the hospital to see little brother Kei!”

Miyuki looked at her watch.

“If we leave now, we’ll get to the hospital just in time for the meeting.”

“Okay, let’s go!” I dragged my tired body out the door again.

Kyu is awake and out of breath.

“Great, really alive.” Kagome handed Kei the flowers she bought.

“Kaori…” said Kei slowly.

“I hope Kei’s brother gets better soon, and I’ll visit you often.”

“Yes? Trouble!”

“Kei, I’m sorry, it’s all for me…” cried Miyuki.

Kei spoke with great difficulty. “Miyuki, it doesn’t matter if I die in order to protect you.”

“Don’t say that! You’re an important person, how can you die?”

“Yeah…”

Why is Kei staring at Miyuki? Suddenly, he saw me watching him.

“You’re such a useless doctor!”

“Ah, don’t mention it!”

Now that’s a normal conversation!

“Very worried about you!”

“I’m sorry!”

“Don’t apologize! Did you see the murderer’s face?”

“I’m not answering!”

Why did you refuse to answer? What was going through Kyu’s mind? Kaori opened the fruit box to break the silence.

“Kei-san eat the peach, I’ll peel it for you!” Kaori’s expression was serious.

I finally realized something, Kaori doesn’t just see Kei as her brother, she’s in love with him! Kei should have noticed it too!

“Thanks Kaori!”

“Kei, I…” said Miyuki, desperately trying to find something to say, and I didn’t know what to say.

“Miyuki, don’t worry about it! Don’t worry about it.”

Kei’s attitude is still strange.

Miyuki collapsed onto my arm like she was about to faint. I had to rush to support her.

“Brother Kei, you can eat now, come on, open your mouth, mmm…”

Miyuki opened her eyes and stood with her own strength.

“Rei thanks, it’s okay.” Then she said to Kaori.

“Kaori, Kei is all yours!”

“Just leave it to me!” Kaori’s eyes sparkled.

I helped Miyuki and left the hospital room as if fleeing.

We just went back to the office speechless, no one wanting to talk.

In order to preserve the scene, the front of the building and the Central Hospital were roped off by the police, and those forensic people originally refused to let us in until I said that we were the ones who had offices on the third floor and brought up the big name of Mr. Kumagai, and then they let us in.

From the entrance, you can see that the treatment room of Nakahara Hospital is in disarray, with blood stains everywhere. Luckily, Yoko Sanjo has been transferred to a hospital.

Entering the office, it felt dark. Miyuki started cleaning as usual.

I asked Miyuki, “What happened yesterday?”

Something fell.

“Ah, ah…” panicked Miyuki, picking it up.

I approached her side and took her hand. Miyuki looked up and leaned against me. It could be felt that she was shivering.

“It’s just that something fell, and then Kei was fighting the guy.”

“Kei got hurt trying to protect me and…”

“And then what?”

“This prisoner against Kei…” speaking of this, Miyuki held her head and shook it straight.

“Can’t say, can’t say!”

I didn’t know what to do. I had to change the subject quickly.

“Miyuki, did he see the prisoner’s face?”

She suddenly opened her eyes wide and started shaking.

“I don’t know if it’s Endo, it seems like a demonic face…” she trembled even more.

I hugged her tightly. My left wrist hurt…but never mind.

“I know, it’s okay, Miyuki!”

I remembered that those were Kei’s words of comfort for Yoko, and seeing Miyuki like this, I could finally understand the fear that Yoko had in her heart at that time.

Suddenly, the phone rang.

“Ah!” Miyuki jumped and my heart was about to jump out of my mouth.

“Don’t be afraid, I’m here!” I patted her back and looked at the fax machine.

Miyuki sighed and leaned her whole body against me.

That’s what the fax says.

I’ll wait for you, Tong! Next time we’ll have a cup of tea together. Goodbye!

PS: Introduce a good man if you have one!

Showing it to Miyuki, she smiled, and so did I.

１５

The three-story, L-shaped St. Brann’s schoolhouse was colored red by the setting sun. The pine trees on both sides looked like the hats of giants. It was still early, but there was no sign of any students. Schools at night are always uncomfortable. However, because of Fujitani’s fax, I didn’t feel particularly uncomfortable.

Since I’m coming here, I’m boarding Miyuki at the police station, and I mustn’t leave Miyuki alone.

“Who?” A man jumped out. At first glance it was Satake.

“What are you doing here again?”

I ignored him and went on my way.

As he walked into the library under the jurisdiction of the slut, he heard a different sound.

“Hee hee hee hee!”

“Come out!”

I remembered the demons, I remembered the ghost stories from school, so this library was … at night.

It’s my alma mater, what’s with this nonsense. I gather my breath and open the door.

“Haha…hahaha…” it was a woman’s voice and I pulled the door open.

There was a sight before me that I really didn’t want to see. There was a woman lying on the table, spreading her thighs at me, her lush pussy already covered in white liquid, no, even her breasts, her face, the floor, the table. It smelled so bad.

“Ah, don’t, don’t…don’t stop!” Fujitani Shima mindlessly repeated those words.

“Don’t…yes, please forgive me, please!”

Picking up the scattered clothes, I walked towards Shima.

“No, you can get pregnant that way!”

Her eyes can no longer focus and her face is a happy and scared expression. Words were written on her stomach.USEFREE in black kiwi pen. Sadness and excitement rose in my heart.

No matter what, I had to protect her first. I gritted my teeth and wiped her body with toilet paper.

“Ahhhh~” she bounced in time with my movements. Suddenly, Shima regained consciousness, her eyes filled with a distress message.

“Lie…” she called out to me before she didn’t move a muscle.

Suddenly, she sat up and threw her arms around my neck.

“No no no, let me die!”

“Hey, hey!” I’m going to pull away from her, but she’s so strong.

“It’s all you, stick it in, pull it out!” Shima wrapped her legs around mine and pushed me to the ground.

“Ah~ No!”

At that moment someone opened the door. It was Satake.

“Oh no, call the police!”

“Wait!” I tried to stand up, but fell back like a crab biting me. Shima pulled off my belt and took off my pants.

“Please let me drink! Drink all of you…”

Satake walked away. It’s like this woman has so many suckers, it’s like I’m being infested by a ghost.

“Ah!” Shima was out of breath, but she was so heavy that she couldn’t pull herself up. I couldn’t turn around either, so I picked her up and sat her in the chair, covering her with my jacket.

The guy tore all her clothes. I wiped her body with toilet paper, her hair was already sticking, it sucks to cum in a girl’s hair, I know it hurts.

Satake’s probably called the cops already. Should I run away? Or stay? I’m in a difficult position.

As I looked around hesitantly, I saw an A4 envelope on the table, with “For Tong” written on the cover in Shima’s handwriting, with a few drops of blood on it. I opened it.

Inside were medical records, the person at the top was Rentaro Endo, and the AB type part was circled, probably blood! However, what caught my attention were the words written in blood on the information.

After reading it, I felt my whole body trembling, when I heard the sound of a police car. How could I escape from the police in this condition? Suddenly I felt like throwing up, my consciousness started to blur, and my face was hot. My feet were shaking and I sat down on the floor. I was so tired.

Soon, all that was left was a grayness.

１６

Wake up…why am I lying next to Sleeping Beauty? I’m alive!

Kiyone’s pure sleeping form arouses desire in me. Close enough to my face, I could hear her gasping for air, stimulating my manhood along my back.

Kiyone opened her eyes wider to confirm it was me.

“Lie…?”

I pressed my lips to her questioning peach colored lips.

“Mmmmmm~” was just a slight resistance, then turned into a sweet gasp.

I wrapped my arms around her body and pressed her down hard. I heard the sound of swallowing.

“Little Lie, want me?” Kiyone looked at me with wide eyes.

My expression was full of ambiguity, and Kiyone didn’t know what to do.

“I like Rei! Was…and still am.”

Just staring at each other, I didn’t say a word without being wistful.

Kiyone exhaled a long breath, “Okay, here! I’ll give it to you.” She reached out her hands and wrapped them around my back.

My hands and my lips greedily slid over Kiyone’s body, from her face, to her chin, to her neck, to her ample breasts.

“Ah~ No!” Kiyone tried to escape, but my hands had already covered her biceps.

“Ah, ah!”

Such perky breasts, they don’t get deformed by any amount of movement, and I nibble on the erect tips with my teeth, it feels so good.

“Oooh, mmmm~” Kiyone couldn’t help but moan.

I just bit down, like a wild animal. Fingers kept stroking her ass. And sucking hard with my lips.

“Aww, mmmm~ Lie’s lips are so warm~” her body went red.

“That’s it, I’ve always wanted this…” said Kiyone, her whole body covered in sweat, even the sheets were wet.

“Come on!” Kiyone nodded at me, so I entered her.

“Hmmm~~” Kiyone’s lids twisted with pain.

At the same time, I could feel a film resisting my man-root. Could it be that Kiyone is still…

Her arms wrapped around my back. “Please don’t stop…I want you!” The joy of virginity was on display.

“Come on, feel me and let me feel you too, I’ve been waiting for you, Lie!”

The pleasure of foreplay had overpowered my reason and I pressed against her with my whole body. My steel rod cracked her secret place deeper and wider, the secret flesh that had never been touched by a man clenching fearfully.

“Mmmm~” tears flowed from her tightly closed eyes, but I didn’t want to leave her body.

“Little Lie…you’re in my body now…it’s like a dream.” It was a voice filled with pain and joy.

“Here it comes!” My rod slid into the tight secret part, slowly at first, faster and faster, and Kiyone’s voice changed, from a moan of pain to a sultry gasp.

“Ah, mmmm~~” at the same time the resistance inside became less.

“Ahhhh…”

“Does it still hurt?” I whispered in her ear.

Kiyone replied intoxicated. “It was so painful just now, and now it feels completely different. It’s so strange oooh! Rei…”

Finally, we’re over the hump and can be worry-free.

“Good, you’ll get a feel for it, Kiyone.”

“Hmmm~” Kiyone gripped the sheets with both hands.

I went in even further. The tip of my barrel had reached the deepest part of Kiyone.

“Hmmm~”

Slowly move your waist back, leaving only the front end inside, and proceed forward, as slowly as possible.

“Ahhhhhh,” twisting her waist this time.

“Uh, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah,” I swing my hips as hard as I can.

“Ah…mmmm~~” her bosoms tangled together.

“Ahhhh~” moistening the mucous membrane and slippery secret flesh.

“Aaahhhh,” the pleasure shifted from her tailbone to her rod.

“Ahh! Uhh!” Kiyone moaned happily in time with my movements.

I’m going to explode, I move slowly to let Kiyone know.

“Kiyone, I’m coming!” I couldn’t restrain myself anymore and started moving frantically.

“Ah, no, what is this!

Kiyone’s ignorance turned me on even more, and though she desperately shook her head to resist, her body was up for it, her hands clasped around my neck, her waist joined tightly to mine, and my steel rod went in even further.

“Ahhhh~~” Kiyone cried out as we bonded even tighter.

“Incoming! Ah~~”

After confirming Kiyone’s orgasm, I exploded as well, firing into her.

１７

As the sensation cools, my consciousness returns to the real world. Cold bed, smelly towels.

This is the detention center. I’m being held on suspicion of a felony. My memory is waking up, my handcuffed hands are hurting, and Mr. Kumagai’s face is stony without a word.

Tried to stand up and felt weird in my groin. Lower body is all wet. It’s another dream emission, it’s been happening since I was a teenager. This time the subject was Kiyone, opening her eyes and feeling guilty.

The next day at noon, I was taken out. Mr. Kumagai was waiting for me outside.

“I know you’re not a criminal, but in that situation…”

“Needless to say, I’d do it even if I were you.”

“It’s good to know.”

“The culprit is confirmed to be Rentaro Endo, and the Special Search Group is now in action.”

“Yes?” I certainly don’t know the latest intel.

“And to tell you the sorry news.”

I was startled, “Reiko Matsui?”

The old criminal sighed and nodded. Yes, I forgot to pick her up from work.

“Raped this morning in Hamamura Park on her way to work.”

I gritted my teeth and pressed my stomach hard.

“What’s wrong?” Mr. Kumagai asked me when he saw that I didn’t say anything.

I’m just shaking in my fists.

“It’s all my fault!”

“Don’t beat yourself up, it couldn’t be helped!”

“I’m so useless, I can’t even protect one person.”

Mr. Kumagai sighed again.

“Don’t you look like that, when Miyuki comes later, she’ll be sad to see it again.”

“Miyuki…”, I mumbled to myself dully.

I’ve made Miyuki cry several times in the past few days. Flowery Miyuki. Pure Miyuki. Ice-cold Miyuki. I love her so much. But this has made her suffer.

“I’m sorry!” I laughed bitterly.

“Okay, snap out of it!” Mr. Kumagai took me to Miyuki.

Of course I went back to where Miyuki and I were staying first. Taking off all my clothes and throwing them away, taking a shower, scrubbing so hard, trying to wash away the dirt all over my body, but I knew I couldn’t wash away the poisonous gas flowing in my blood.

Miyuki said nothing, wordlessly embracing the whole of me, and I didn’t say anything for fear that saying anything would ruin the atmosphere.

When I took a bath and wiped my head, Miyuki carefully wrapped my wound with a bandage.

“Lie!”

“Huh?”

“Remember when I said there were things I couldn’t say?”

“Uh…”

Sorting through the memories of the past few days, I remembered the last conversation with Miyuki─Kei’s fight with the culprit (I think it’s called Endo).

“Uh, I remember!”

“I wanted to talk to you.” She lowered her head.

“Good grief, stay out of this!”

Miyuki looked up at me and I saw the determination in her eyes.

“No, I can’t get out of this.”

“Um…well, I’m not running away from it.” Miyuki’s expression was complicated as she took a deep breath before continuing.

“The culprit told Kei that he’s going to take away everything that Yeol has.” Miyuki said.

“The prisoner said he lived his whole life in your shadow, nibbling on what you left over…and a lot of people came, so the prisoner ran away! That’s all I know.”

I finally realized why Kei’s attitude turned out that way.

“Yes?”

“Yes.”

I started thinking about the relationship between the three of us. In fact, Kei has always been in love with Miyuki, but he has to suppress it and date Miyuki as a gentleman.

“I’ll talk it over with Kei.”

Miyuki nodded straight at my words.

When they arrived at the hospital room, there was no one in the bed. All that was seen was Kaori sitting dully in a chair at the edge of the bed.

“Sister, Little Brother Lie!”

“What’s wrong, Kaori!?”

“Kei-brother, Kei-brother he…”

When she calmed down a bit and asked her about it, she realized that Kei had disappeared and even the nurses and doctors didn’t know where he had run off to.

As soon as Miyuki heard that, her whole body sat down on the chair like a void.

“It’s all me.”

“I didn’t know Kei’s mood and thought he was joking!”

“Sis!” Kaori cried as she hugged Miyuki.

I didn’t know what to say. But it happened.

“It hurts…” said Miyuki, her face reddening and her hands clutching her stomach.

“What’s wrong, Miyuki?” Her palms were sweaty.

“Kaori, call the nurse!”

“Yes, yes!” Kaori wiped her tears with the back of her hand and ran out.

Miyuki looked at me enthusiastically, “Rei, please hold me!”

I could feel her shaking.

“Is that her husband?” This somewhat chubby middle-aged OB/GYN asked me.

“Yes.”

“You’re supposed to keep an eye on her! A woman’s body is important!”

“I’m sorry!” I felt scared.

“It’s not just one person’s body now!”

“Is… what?” I asked, confused.

“Third trimester pregnant, but not through the anamnesis yet.”

“Huh!?”

“You youngsters are useless, pull yourselves together!”

“Yes!”

Miyuki is pregnant and in her third trimester. Why didn’t you tell me?

“Keep an eye on her for the next two days, don’t let her get irritated!”

“Yes!”

“When it comes to things like this, couples need to support each other!”

Miyuki is pregnant. My child! I’m the father?

１８

Kaori called home to inform her mother. I was angry, but then I finally understood after hearing Miyuki’s mother’s words.

“She was trying to get pregnant so that her father wouldn’t object to your relationship…”

Miyuki smiled with her head down on the bed. Is that so? Miyuki is trying to marry me in order to…

“But why didn’t you tell me?”

“It’s my business alone, and I’m not sure you’ll be happy about it.”

“Really!”

“I’m sorry!”

I was supposed to take care of Miyuki, but Miyuki insisted that I had to go on an errand, so I bothered her mom to take care of her. I asked Kumagai’s men to protect Miyuki 24 hours a day.

So I went back to the office alone. I hadn’t protected Reiko as promised, and now only Yoko and I were left with an unfulfilled promise. There are new lives that will be born, but there are also lives that will be lost. Endo, you do it! Send me to hell, but don’t go after Miyuki.

Climbing up the stairs of the building, I felt something strange and took a look, but it turned out to be Qing Yin sitting on the stairs asleep, a sleeping beauty indeed. A can of Coke was placed next to her, as if she had fallen asleep waiting for someone.

“Hey, get up!”

“Uh, oooh…”

“Kiyone!”

“Ah, I can’t eat anymore!” It’s like a dream.

“Get up!”

“Ah…is it dawn already?”

I almost rolled down the stairs.

“Haha! I’m sorry, Lie! Since you’re not here, so…” opening the office door and bringing out the black tea.

“Idiot, how dare you sleep here alone when Endo hasn’t been caught yet!”

“Ah, right!”

Do they know or are they just pretending to be confused.

“Really~” I sipped my tea, it was so hot!

“Hey, Lie!”

“Hmm?”

“Finally it’s just the two of us!” I was trying to figure out what she meant when she said it again. “Have you ever seen the movie “Jillian”? The crowd gets smaller and smaller, and finally it’s just…”

“Well, don’t say something that’s not true!”

Kiyone looked down and sipped her tea, “I investigated Endo!”

“What’s the catch?”

“I don’t know if it matters, he seems to have become a mercenary.”

“Mercenaries? Going to fight abroad for money?” Kiyone nodded.

“When mercenaries are strong, and they’re all brutal, nicknamed “END”, which means End of Life.”

I suddenly shivered all over. Can I win him over?

“Lie!” Kiyone called me.

“You be careful.”

“Good!” That would have to do for now.

“I’m still…” to Yeol.

“What were you dreaming about?”

“Huh?”

“No, it’s fine!”

“Bummer!” She fell asleep again.

It was late in the evening when I took her home.

“It’s so safe to sleep on Lie’s shoulder!”

It’s a thirty-minute ride by tram from the office to Kiyori’s house, which is a white building.

“Watch yourself then!” I turned around and was about to leave. Qing Yin tugged at my sleeve.

“Come in!”

“No!” I hesitated.

“Just one second, please!”

That’s how indecisive I am. Ended up going in.

It was a very stylish room with a light pink color scheme on the floor and walls. Leafy plants were placed in the corners of the room, and a painting of a foreign landscape hung on the wall. The coffee-colored cabinet is filled with wooden carved dog and cat dolls.

“You like traveling?” I asked, picking up the cat doll.

“It’s not like I like it, because I have to go abroad for an interview, even if I hate it.” Kiyone said as she played the CD.

There were detective movie books all around the TV. When I pointed to them, she said, “Under your influence.” Then she leaned back in her chair and listened to music with her eyes closed.

This track is so familiar. Couldn’t help but look at the CD jacket. When I saw the face of the character on the sleeve, I wanted to cry on the spot. I remembered! It’s the theme song of the movie Kiyone and I watched on our first date. I tried to speak but couldn’t spit out a word.

I hear someone crying, it’s Kiyone crying with her eyes closed. I bring her tissues and she wipes her tears and smiles.

“Surprise! Can you dance with me?”

We clasped hands and then hugged. Kiyone’s ample breasts pressed against mine, but I didn’t have an erection, so I don’t know if that’s sad or not.

“I’ll forget everything, I’m sorry, am I being stubborn?”

I shook my head quietly.

After a dance, Kiyone left my chest.

“Hard to leave you behind, sorry, thanks!”

She meant to tell me to go back, and I did look a little embarrassed.

She walked me to the foyer. My heart doesn’t seem to want to go yet.

“Bye!” Dropping the words, I put on my shoes.

“Wait!” It was Kiyone calling me, I turned around and the two were hugging again.

“Just for now, just for now.” Said burying her face in my chest. All I could do was hold her.

I left her house a minute later and I couldn’t help but think of her. She didn’t ask me to kiss her.

１９

I walked alone and bored with my thoughts. What the hell am I doing? Naturally I walked over to the phone booth and dialed Kiyone’s home number. Beeps rang in my ears. Five beeps ~ ten beeps ~ fifteen beeps. After more than twenty beeps, I started to feel that things were not good.

I had already told her that one should never go out at night, probably in the shower! After five minutes I called again. Still no answer. I felt like my heart was going to fly out of my chest. I walked back to the phone booth near Kiyone’s house to call again. Still no one rang.

I walked over to her neighborhood and saw that the light was on and I immediately ran over and rang the doorbell. No one answered the door. Knocking on the door didn’t help. I had to use my last resort. Took out two pins from my sleeve and unlocked the door.

It took about twenty seconds to open the door, a short period of time that seemed like a century. The shoes in the foyer were very messy, not the same as what I just saw lined up neatly, probably panicked to go out!

I left the door to my room open and there was no sign of her in the bathroom or toilet. She went out, why did she go out, where did she go?

I walked over to the phone, where a phone book was kept, as journalists are wont to do. I saw a hole in the white paper that had been rubbed with the center of a 2B pencil.

I traced the alcove once with a ballpoint pen. It seems like a map and feels like a familiar place. There were words on the side. I read-Shark Island Hospital.

“Idiot, why did you run to a place like that?”

I rushed to get a cab.

２０

I don’t normally come here except to meet with Mr. Kumagai. It’s a very old hospital, and I think it’s full of the dead souls of sick and dying patients.

I take one step softly so as not to make a sound. Moss grows on the unattended vase and some shimmering light pours in from the ceiling. I looked for footprints as I walked.

A woman’s shoe print is indeed visible on the banished floor, while next to it is a man’s shoe print. The man’s feet must have been about twenty-nine inches in size! My blood boiled. It was Endo! She asked Kiyone to meet her here.

My detective instincts all came flooding back and I walked carefully not to make a sound. Suddenly I heard someone’s voice. I stopped to listen.

“Ah, uh, ah~” broke off, a woman’s voice.

I bit my lip and had the urge to jump up. If I ran out now like this, Kiyone would die. I slowly advanced, and intermittently I could hear her cries of grief.

Soon, another man’s voice blended in, and he was talking to Kiyone.

“I can’t, Ms. Yamagishi, how can you call Rei so naturally!”

Hearing that tone and voice just sent chills down my back.

“Is that little Yeol so good? I can’t?”

“Please stop, Midland, it’s over!”

Nakahara Kei, Kiyone was indeed called Nakahara. I rushed closer.

It was an operating room with a broken window that allowed a view of the surface. Kei was holding a scalpel around Kiyone’s neck and was abusing her, and the rain was covered in blood. At his feet lay the dead Lentaro Endo, who had a large cut on his neck from the scalpel!

“In terms of looks, grades, and physical ability, I’m better than him, so why should I choose Yeol?”

“Little Lie is gentle, unlike you who is sinister!”

“Sinister? You’re calling me sinister?” Kei stiffened his back.

“It hurts!!!” Kiyone’s face was contorted with pain and I could feel her pain.

“You’re not supposed to be like that!”

“I’ve changed! I’m going to take revenge on Lie!”

“Revenge? Why? Aren’t you guys good friends?”

“Friends? That’s a joke! I just wish he would die soon, several times I’ve asked him to investigate dangerous cases, but surprisingly he solved all of them without any problems! In fact, I’ve been wanting to kill someone with a knife for a long time.”

“Why?”

“I’ve always liked Miyuki, but Miyuki is only interested in him, so you should know how I feel, right? I’ve been putting up with it, I’ve been treating him like a friend, in fact I…”

“The Middle Kingdom…”

The sight in front of me made me understand everything, why Kei used to act like this, I understood it all! There’s a monster living in Kei’s heart, isn’t there?

Kiyone, who was being scratched painfully at that moment, reached her hands out in front of her and hugged Kei’s body tightly like the Virgin Mother hugging Jesus.

“What do you want to do? Come as far as you can!” Kiyone wasn’t deterred by Kei’s words.

“So you know how I feel?”

“What?” Kei’s hands were shaking.

“I… I’ve always liked Yeol, but Yeol only likes Miyuki… It’s so weird, I want to cry.”

Kei suddenly raised his head and looked at Qing Yin with a stunned expression. Kiyone’s eyes were filled with a forgiving light.

“Whoa!” Kei suddenly exclaimed, the scalpel in his hand slashing at the sky.

I waited for an opportunity.

At this moment, Kiyone clamped her legs around Kei’s waist and leaned her body forward, pressing Kei’s head to bury it into her ample breasts.

“No more hate.” Miraculously, she was unharmed.

“Oooh~~” Kei cried out as he hugged Kiyone.

Kiyone patted his back. “It’s painful, isn’t it, I know you’re suffering.” So Kiyone began to swing her back, gritting her teeth and enduring the pain as she moved herself.

“I should have noticed you earlier.” Kei responded back to her.

It’s incredible how the two bonded like lovers. Kei kissed her and she responded. Kei wanted Kiyone’s body even more, and the scalpel in his right hand fell, the blood on it scattering on the floor.

My mind went blank.

“Ah… Kei, I…” said Kiyone, her voice starting to change.

“Please feel me, my body and my mood.”

The two were desperately sucking and kissing each other like long-hungry vampires. An impulse made me pick up the scalpel on the floor and swing it.

Kiyone opened her eyes. “Little Lie…”

“What?” Kei turned around and looked at me with his mouth wide open.

I looked like I was going to kill them both. The two of them let out a wail.

２１

The murder weapon flew through the air and ended up stuck in the floor. It made a sharp sound. Because it was so hard, my palm cracked and bloodied.

“Yeol~ I~ I~”

“I~”

Instead of a murderer and a victim, there was a scared pair in front of me.

Suddenly, I snapped out of my passion. I pulled out my legs and ran, never looking back.

２２

I went to the hospital to see Miyuki. On my way to the hospital room, I saw Miyuki standing in the corridor and I hugged her from behind, ignoring the pain in my right palm and left wrist.

“Rei…” said Miyuki, twisting her head to look at me.

I kissed her in public. One could feel her body trembling slightly. I pushed my tongue into her mouth, at first she resisted with her teeth, then slowly opened her mouth and accepted me, tongue and tongue intertwined.

Miyuki turned around and I hugged her from the front. The two of them were close together, my baby against her stomach, but she didn’t seem to have any intention of leaving.

Suddenly she whispered in my ear. “I’m so scared! Little Lie!”

I held her close and my tongue went back in. It was a long time before we parted.

“It’s over, Miyuki! It’s over, no need to be afraid anymore!”

My body trembled, but quite unbelievably, I had no urge to have sex! Miyuki must be feeling the same way.

“I want you, Little Lie! With my heart and body!” It was so natural to spit out such words from Miyuki’s mouth.

“I love you too! Can’t say enough about how much I love you!”

“We’re going to be together forever!” Miyuki’s words made me so comfortable.

“Get married!”

Miyuki’s eyes widened and tears fell.

I feel the bluebird of happiness approaching us.

I only want Miyuki, nothing else!