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Chapitre 4

I recognize this girl. Her eyes, her nose, her face—it's like I've seen her somewhere before.

Driven by this thought, Kiba examined the victim's face again.

What a beautiful face! Kiba didn't know such a beautiful girl.

But—I remember it.

Kiba, who was not good at communicating with women, naturally had no female friends. The women Kiba knew were either terrifying policewomen like ghosts, or demonic criminals, or even "enlightened beings"—meaning they were just corpses.

But I still remember that girl's face.

It was certainly not his mother or sister. Nor was it the wife or family member of an acquaintance.

—Perhaps like the wife of my friend, Chuzenji?

No, it's not quite that similar.

Where exactly have I seen this before?

As I was pondering these thoughts at the lumberyard, a sudden commotion arose around me. When I came to my senses, the stretcher had already been removed, and several men began conducting an on-site investigation. I also saw familiar police uniforms.

"They've finally arrived."

It was late at night, and it seemed only one policeman had arrived; the others were probably station staff or railway police officers. Soon, Kiba noticed a man staring at him intently. While speaking with what appeared to be the stationmaster, the man approached, introduced himself, and identified himself as a railway police officer, saying:

"Oh, I heard you're a detective in this department. I'm sorry, but could you please help me out? The aftermath and on-site investigation will take a lot of time. It's so late, and we're short-handed. I'm very sorry, but could you please look after the girl until her guardian arrives?"

"Is there anything suspicious? I just heard it was an accident, wasn't it?"

After Kiba said that, the man slightly shrank his neck, his facial muscles twitching frequently, and replied:

“I also hope it’s just an accident, but if it isn’t, it will be troublesome, since we haven’t been able to get any information out of the only eyewitness. Besides, even at this time, there are still many people coming and going from the station, so we need to confirm the identities of everyone currently in the station. I know it’s very kind of me to ask you to stay and help out, but you and I are both public servants, so…”

"Okay, okay."

Kiba interrupted the man. This must be the kind of person who hides a knife behind a smile. Who knows how much time has passed since the incident? What's the point of investigating those still at the scene? But if this really is a murder—and if the culprit is among the onlookers who have remained at the scene—Kiba really wants to see what they look like. But, as for guarding the girl, anyone can do it!

But Kiba couldn't say no, given his position, and ended up spending an awkward time in the stationmaster's office with the little girl. So, he didn't need to question her at all; he could have just kept an eye on her. He only had himself to blame. Kiba deeply regretted his actions.

Meanwhile, Kusumoto Yoriko started crying again.

It's uncertain whether that girl—Yuzu Kasai—will be rescued.

That face—had I only seen it somewhere before? If so, where? My mind was shrouded in a thick fog, the fragmented memories impossible to piece together. The clock showed it was past two in the morning; though I wasn't sleepy, I wanted to lie down and rest.

The croaking of frogs was deafening. It's always been like this in this area.

“My mother—I don’t think my mother will come,” Lai Zi blurted out.

"Why?"

"Because they're not home at all. And I don't know where they've gone."

"Why didn't you say something so important sooner! Did you intend to stay with me until morning?"

"I already said that. I already said that."

So, it seems I heard something about my mother having a man or something.

"Anyway, since that's the case—there's no point in me staying any longer. I'll be going now."

"Excuse me……"

"Don't worry, I'll ask the station staff to contact the school. Please have a teacher come and take you home."

Kiba stood up and yawned widely.

"The school is on summer vacation now, so no one is here."

Summer vacation? Hearing this, Kiba's yawn faltered, stopping abruptly. His mood soured considerably.

"Kanako—is she still alive? Please let me see Kanako. Let me see her, let me see Kanako."

Lai Zi staggered to his feet and walked toward the lumberyard.

"Listen carefully, I just happened to be there. This has nothing to do with me. I'm going back. That girl—"

Where exactly have I seen this before?

Kiba wanted to see that girl one more time.

The girl clung to the wood yard and wouldn't let go.

As soon as Kiba stepped out of the room, he saw the police officer with the measuring tape wandering around and immediately went up to ask about Kanako's situation.

"Well... I think they've probably been taken to a nearby hospital by now."

Nonsense, anyone who hasn't been sent there yet is definitely dead already.

"Nonsense, of course I know about such a small matter. You're from the local police station, can't you answer more clearly?"

The officer shrank back in fear, quickly trying to rouse himself. Kiba was always a formidable figure; even a single glare from him would send thugs trembling. Tonight, in particular, the stress and lack of sleep had made his naturally menacing face even more terrifying.

"I am Fukumoto, a patrol officer at the station's police station. After all, this is my first time dealing with a railway accident; I'm still a novice, and I don't know which officer to consult. So…"

"Alright, alright."

Kiba had never been involved in handling railway accidents. The people who came to handle the situation included station staff, National Railways employees, firefighters, police officers, and a few railway police officers. It was unclear who was in charge of what.

Especially since the accident occurred in the middle of the night, there was no way to contact anyone urgently and there was a shortage of manpower, making it difficult to carry out a coordinated operation. No wonder the command system was in chaos.

If it were just an accident, that would be one thing, but if it were a criminal act, it would likely affect the initial search. No, judging from what just happened, it hardly qualifies as a proper search.

"What exactly happened? Was it an accident? Suicide? Or murder?"

Kiba asked a question, then realized that if the girl behind him had just spoken, everything would have been clear.

Kiba couldn't stand this dilemma and wanted to shout to vent his frustration.

"Regarding this matter, your subordinates are not entirely clear either."

If this continues, the matter will never end.

Kiba had no choice but to explain the situation to him first.

“This girl is an eyewitness, but her guardian doesn’t seem to be coming home tonight, and we haven’t been able to contact her yet. But as you can see, she’s frightened and can’t answer calmly—although she’s quite talkative—in short, she’s in a state of confusion, so it’s not good to let her go home alone. So I’d like to take her to the hospital first. I wonder if you could inform them that it would be better to do the questioning another day.”

"Oh, I see. Thank you for your hard work. I'll go and inform them right away. Please wait a moment."

Police officer Fukumoto was so nervous that he tripped and fell when he turned around. After getting up, he immediately ran away.

It's clear that Kiba's expression just now was truly terrifying.

Fukumoto will be back soon.

"The police officer said the girl's identity had been confirmed from her student ID, and it was fine for her to leave. Also, the hospital is located in the Mitaka area—"

"Don't be so tense. I'm a police officer, on your side. By the way, have you made contact with the victim's family?"

"Huh? Ah, yes, we've already made contact, and they're probably at the hospital by now—ah, that's what the police officer said."

There's no need to explain each one individually.

That put his mind at ease. He decided to hand the girl over to her parents, and then he wouldn't have to worry about her anymore. Kiba glanced furtively behind him; Raiko seemed to be cowering behind him. Careful not to let anyone notice he was watching the girl, Kiba slowly turned his gaze back. Inspector Fukumoto, head tilted, carefully observed Kiba's expression, trying not to anger his authoritative colleague, and asked in a barely audible voice:

"Excuse me."

"My name is Kiba, Detective Kiba. Don't be afraid. I'm not that important, I'm just a patrol chief."

“Uh, Mr. Kiba. The backup officers have just arrived, so we're not short-handed—besides, it's late at night. If it's convenient, I can give you a ride.”

"Was this instructed by the railway police?"

Hearing this, Kiba carefully observed his surroundings. The number of people had clearly increased, and three or four police officers had arrived. But he couldn't shake the feeling that since there were already enough people, Kiba, who happened to be there, had no need to continue helping. He had only asked Kiba for assistance because of a shortage of manpower, and it was Kiba's kindness that led him to stay and help. Since that was the case, he might as well leave the girl in the care of Inspector Fukumoto and take her home. It was only a short thirteen-minute walk from the station to Senbei-wa.

But the moment Kiba saw Inspector Fukumoto's expression, he couldn't bring himself to say what he had planned. Fukumoto's face was like a dog's. Like food laid out before its master, waiting for orders—utterly useless. Police officers weren't just errand boys, even if this was within the station's jurisdiction. Even if he was just a young, uniformed patrolman, Kiba felt that the railway bureau guys were treating officers like errand boys, and a strange anger rose within him.

"Thank you for your hard work, I'm counting on you for everything."

Upon hearing Kiba's words, Fukumoto swayed his hips and ran forward like a dog wagging its tail.

Kiba made a phone call to the First Investigation Division before Fukumoto returned. He figured his young colleague, Aoki, who was crammed with work, was probably still busy.

As expected, his younger colleagues were still fighting. Kiba briefly explained what had happened.

"So I'll be a little late for work tomorrow. Please let my section chief know."

"You're really unlucky, senior. Although I'm just as unlucky as your partner."

Aoki said in a helpless voice.

Passing through the empty ticket gates, two patrol cars and a jeep were parked haphazardly in the roundabout in front of the station; otherwise, there was nothing else. Lai Zi hugged her shoulders tightly, trembling slightly. It was the height of summer. Kiba's body was covered in a thin layer of sweat, but the girl felt a chill in the midsummer heat.

The moonlight was bright and clear.

Kiba and Raiko looked up at the same time; the moonlight was brighter than the streetlights. Raiko's expression suggested that she seemed a little more at ease.

Following Fukumoto's instructions, Kiba sat in the back of the jeep with mixed feelings. Raiko remained silent, head bowed. Fukumoto, faced with these two unresponsive and difficult individuals, seemed unsure how to proceed. Most of the people on the street were asleep; the surroundings were quiet.

Only the incessant croaking of frogs could be heard.

"Excuse me, may we depart now?"

"You're not a taxi driver. You should act more like a police officer!"

The surrounding silence made Kiba's whispered advice almost sound like a threat. The timid young patrolman immediately started the car as soon as Kiba finished speaking.

Kiba wondered where things had gone wrong.

Judging from this situation, I won't be seeing my beloved senbei quilt tonight. I came back wanting to sleep, but I don't know what I did to deserve this, now I have to go for a drive late at night with a girl who's more than twenty years younger than me.

The weather was hot and humid, and the warm, humid air, carrying the croaking of frogs, seeped into the car through the passenger-side window. Outside, it was pitch black. Although this area was nominally within Tokyo, it was practically like the countryside, with almost no streetlights on the roads.

Kiba's family used to run a stone shop in Koishikawa. His parents and sister and her husband currently live there. They lived at home when he was on duty at the Toyoshima Police Station, but moved out when he was transferred to the Metropolitan Government.

Of course, this was just a convenient excuse; Kiba probably didn't want to bother his sister and her husband. But he was getting on in years and felt awkward moving into the police dormitory, plus he was still single, so he decided to find an apartment. A police officer's meager salary didn't allow for luxury, and he was struggling to find a suitable room when a message came in asking if he'd like to share: an elderly woman, a distant relative, wanted to rent out her second-floor apartment. Her husband had died in the war, and she herself had injured her leg in a fall, making it difficult for her to move around freely; the world was also unsettled, and she wanted to find someone of good character to share with—that was roughly her reasoning. Kiba, as a police officer… his character was beyond question, so he was naturally a perfect fit.

Six months passed after I moved into Kogane.

It's not convenient to commute to work from here via Sakuradamon Gate (note: one of the gates of Edo Castle [the current residence of the Emperor], outside which lies the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department). However, Kiba quite likes this simple, almost deserted town. To say it's completely deserted isn't entirely accurate; there's the Keio University Faculty of Engineering, converted from the former Yokota Electric Works factory, and Tokyo Gakugei University, which merged with a teacher's college a few years ago, so there are quite a few students in the town. In spring, large numbers of cherry blossom viewers flock to see the cherry blossoms over the Tamagawa River; Kiba remembers being surprised by the unusually bustling scene. And the town's population is gradually increasing.

However, Kiba has other reasons for liking this town.

Kiba had always been out of touch with anything involving the word "woman," but in fact, he had a woman he longed for day and night. Needless to say, it was unrequited love. No, perhaps it wasn't even unrequited love, because the other person was a movie star.

It is generally believed that one's mental state and personality can influence one's appearance—as the saying goes, "the face reflects the heart."

However, Kiba deeply felt that the opposite situation also existed. As a child, Kiba was a rare boy who loved to draw and was also a neurotic child. He was very meticulous and good at abacus calculation.