Chapter 2

VOLUME 4 - FEELINGS TO PROTECT

file 02: blaze (TRANSLATION NOTES)

1

What is this?

Those were Hata Hideyoshis honest feelings when he saw the scene .

He had been a doctor for thirty-five years . Hed autopsied strange corpses as a coroner for more than ten years . He had seen countless corpses up until now .

Corpses with their limbs cut off . Hed seen so many drowned corpses and of course burnt corpses too . He wasnt surprised by much .

However, this was different from the corpses he had seen until now .

Detectives and examiners are walking around the scene to look at it very carefully, but I wonder how many people noticed how odd this corpse is

Most of them definitely thought it was just a burnt corpse .

The ones like Gotou, who had left the room earlier, must have had no suspicions at all .

Hata stooped over the corpse and observed it carefully .

It was splayed spread-eagle on the floor and there was crushed charcoal spread on top of it . That was what it looked like .

'What a splendid way of burning, said an examiner who had stooped over the corpse like Hata .

It wasnt at the level of splendid . Clothes and hair were natural, but the flesh and bones had also burnt completely and carbonised .

From somebody who didnt know, they might think that was what burnt corpses were like .

However, somebody with a bit of medical background would know this was strange .

On top of that, he was interested in why just the portion of the body above the left wrist hadnt been burnt . Why did just that part of the body not burn

It wasnt just the corpse that was strange .

The whole floor was covered in a yellow and sticky glue-like liquid . That let out an awful smell, making it uncomfortable just to breathe .

There were many other things he didnt understand .

'Where did the fire start?

Hata voiced one of his doubts .

'That Nothing that looks like it could have been the start of the fire has been found .

The examiner shook his head .

Why did the body burn in a place that didnt feel like it could have a fire?

'Is this room really the only place that burnt?

'It appears that way .

Hata looked around the concrete-surrounded room once more .

Black soot was drizzled on the rooms walls like it had sprayed on .

Though it was a concrete room, how could the fire have spread to the point that it burnt human bone?

He had more doubts the more that he thought .

What on earth happened here

Hata felt a shiver done his spine .

How many years had it been since he felt this way?

Come to think of it, he felt like hed seen the same sort of thing before .

What was that? He couldnt remember .

2

After Gotou left the pump room, he stretched and then lit a cigarette .

Honestly, everything was so confusing . Hed come after being told 'Come to the school right away only to find a burnt corpse .

When he shifted his gaze, he saw the person whod called him out .

Saitou Yakumo

He was by the pool fence and looking vacantly with sleepy eyes at the investigation members milling about .

'I didnt want to see your face for a while .

Gotou walked up to Yakumo .

'The feeling is mutual . I didnt want to see you again for the rest of my life .

As Yakumo spoke with his usual tone, he ran a hand through his messy hair .

Damn, this brat isnt cute at all

'By the way, howd you get wrapped up in this?

'As is her habit, a repeat trouble-bringer paid me a visit .

Yakumo looked behind Gotou .

When he turned around, he saw Haruka sitting by the school building while shivering . Ishii was beside her, looking concerned .

Now Gotou understood . Well, Yakumo wouldnt just stick his head into trouble on his own . Haruka must have picked up something about ghosts somewhere and brought it to Yakumo .

'So what do you think about the incident?

'The duty of a virtuous citizen is just to report to the police . What comes next is your job, Gotou-san .

This guy and his impertinent mouth he could throw him in the pool right now .

'My, my . Youre all together .

A small-framed man in white hobbled over to them .

Hata, the coroner

Even though hed just seen a corpse, he was smiling so happily .

He really was a creepy old man .

'Gotou . Youre a blockhead, as usual .

Hata looked up at Gotous face and let out a demonic giggle .

Honestly, what sort of greeting was that?

'If you dont stop that, Ill fold you into quarters and stuff you in a rubbish bin .

'I wont burn, so put me in with the oversize garbage[1] .

Saying he wont burn after seeing a burnt corpse what a tasteless joke .

'By the way, Yakumo-kun .

After he giggled, Hata turned the conversation around .

'What is it with the corpse this time? Ive done this work for a long time, but Ive never seen that before .

'Did you notice?

To Hata, who was speaking seriously for once, Yakumo replied with an equally serious gaze .

Gotou had seen the corpse earlier too . It was strange for a burnt corpse to be discovered at an elementary school pool .

However, it appeared that what Hata said about having never seen it before was regarding the corpse itself .

'Isnt it just a burnt corpse?

Hata and Yakumo sighed simultaneously .

Were they making fun of him?

'Gotou-san, did you really not notice anything?

Yakumos eyes were narrowed with disdain .

'What?

'You must be blind not to notice . How pitiful .

Hata shook his head emphatically .

'You! Whod you say was blind?

'You!

'Hata-san, thats incorrect . Gotou-san is just an idiot, said Yakumo .

Hata nodded, like he understood .

Both of them they were the worst combination .

He didnt even feel like objecting now .

'Forget about my stupidity . Tell me whats strange .

'There are three suspicious points regarding the corpse and the scene which are suspicious .

Yakumo put up his fingers as he started to explain .

'Three?

'Yes . First, there was nothing at the scene which could have started the fire .

That was right . It was a pool pump room, after all .

'Maybe it was just covered in gasoline and lit up? Maybe the guy did it or someone else did .

Yakumo didnt respond, let alone refute Gotous logic . He continued his explanation .

'Second, even though the person burnt so completely, the fire didnt spread to the building .

Now that he mentioned it, that was true .

For now, they would put aside whether the burnt corpse was a suicide, murder or accident .

The room was concrete, so it would be difficult for the fire to spread, but if somebody had burnt so completely, it must have been a considerable fire .

It was unnatural for the room to escape just with soot on the walls

'And the third problem . This is just something I have reasoned by looking at the corpse, so I would like to ask for your opinion, Hata-san .

Yakumo turned the conversation to Hata .

'I havent autopsied it yet either, so I cant say anything definite, but I dare say my reasoning is the same as yours, Yakumo-kun .

Hata nodded at Yakumo .

'Is that so

After Yakumo murmured in a discouraged voice, he pinched his brow with his fingers .

Gotou cleared his throat and waited for Yakumo to continue .

However, both Yakumo and Hata seemed to be thinking about something and didnt say any more .

'Oi! Whats that reasoning!? Gotou yelled, unable to keep it in .

'Even the bones of that corpse were burnt, said Hata, sounding fed up .

He said it like it was obvious, but Gotou didnt understand why that was unnatural .

It was a burnt corpse, so of course it burnt .

'Whats strange about that?

'You really are an idiot, Hata replied without a moments delay .

'What did you say!? This old man! You want to test it yourself?

Gotous head was hot as he pulled up Hata by the collar .

However, Hata, instead of being afraid, actually laughed in enjoyment .

'There is no need to test it .

Yakumo was the one who said that .

'What do you mean?

Gotou let go of Hata and turned his gaze to Yakumo .

Though Yakumo was a man of pale and delicate features, sometimes he would have a frightening expression that would give you shivers . This was one of those times .

'Even if a person is burnt for cremation, the bones are left behind .

'Yeah .

The bones left behind were shut in funerary urns, so itd be a problem if they were burnt up .

'That is about nine hundred to a thousand degrees .

Even if Yakumo mentioned a temperature of that level, Gotou couldnt actually understand it .

The conversation had as little real meaning to Gotou as talking about foreign exchange rates . He had no way of converting that temperature into something he recognised .

'Explain it in a way that makes it easier to understand .

'All right There are past examples of somebody carbonising like the corpse we saw earlier .

Yakumos eyes seemed to be far away as he answered the question Gotou had spat out in his irritation .

'What, so its happened before?

Hata let out another creepy giggle after Gotou said that with a snort .

Damn, he was making fun of him again . Maybe hed pull off his head .

'The past examples I am referring to occurred at the hypocentre of an atomic bomb, said Yakumo, giving Gotou a sidelong glance .

'Wha!? Atomic bomb? You

Gotou couldnt think of what to say next .

It was impossible to think of such a tremendous heat occurring in that room .

'In short, if we are to come to a conclusion about the burnt corpse at the scene, all we can say is that it is impossible .

Yakumos expression when he brought that to a finish was so twisted it seemed like he could cry at any moment .

Gotou also finally understood how serious the situation was .

What on earth happened here

There was no way Gotou could understand something Yakumo and Hata couldnt .

Before hed noticed, the cigarette in his fingers had burnt up and all that was left was the filter .

'Hot!

3

With complicated feelings, Ishii looked at Haruka, who was sitting with her back to the wall of the school building .

He was happy that he had met her for the first time in a while, but he couldnt see the usual smile in her profile . Her face was pale and it looked like she was holding back her pain .

It wasnt unreasonable . Anybody would be shocked from seeing a corpse .

Ishii himself had shrieked many times . The only people who could look fine after that were the team of three demonic men talking on the other side of the fence, starting with Gotou .

Ishii wanted to cheer Haruka up somehow, but he didnt know what to say to a woman at a time like this . He had no experience .

That made him irritated at himself .

Indifferent to Ishiis thoughts, Haruka hit her cheeks with her hands and suddenly stood up .

'A-ah, Haruka-chan, a-are you all right? said Ishii, flustered .

'Yes, Im all right . I apologise for worrying you .

Haruka smiled .

Even Ishii could tell that smile wasnt natural .

'No, not at all . But itd be better if you didnt push yourself .

'Im fine . Forget about me Ishii-san, dont you have to go to the scene?

Ishii couldnt say anything to what Haruka had pointed out .

He was worried about Haruka . That wasnt a lie . However, at the same time, it was also true that he didnt want to go to the scene .

As a detective, he had a duty to go to the scene . He knew that .

But if he went to the scene, thered be a corpse .

To see that it frightened him .

'Whats wrong?

'No, its nothing . Er Im waiting for my turn right now .

Hed said something strange .

'Youre waiting for your turn?

Haruka cocked her head like she thought it was curious . Her doubts were natural .

'Yes . Er the scene is small and there are many people there right now, so I am waiting for my turn . Ah, I hope my turn comes soon .

Haruka laughed aloud at what he said .

A real smile, different from the one shed put on before . Ah, hed wanted to see her smile .

'Ishii-san, you really are an interesting person .

Haruka brushed her hair behind her ear with her fingers .

That gesture made Ishiis heart skip a beat . Haruka-chan really was cute .

'What are you doing here?

A slim middle-aged man walked towards them with a wide stride .

He had sensitive-looking features and wore an outfit chino pants and polo shirt which made him look like he was returning from a game of golf .

'Vice Principal .

Haruka looked surprised .

'Answer my question . I asked what a trainee teacher is doing at school on a day off .

'Er I

'You know that you have to notify us in advance if youre coming to school a day off, right?

Even though he was the vice principal, that was a very arrogant attitude . Ishii looked for words to defend Haruka but couldnt find any .

It felt like there were sparks in the air between them .

'She was the first person to see the corpse and was cooperating with the investigation . Who are you?

Gotou walked over with good timing .

Yakumo was next to him as well .

'Im the vice principal . Im asking why shes here on a day off .

Konno flared up at Gotou .

There were some people whose positions at work overflowed into their private life . This man was the definition of one of that type .

'Thats our job to investigate as the police not yours . I dont care whether youre the vice principal or whoever keep out of it!

Gotou approached Konno as he threatened him .

When Gotou was like this, he had as much pressure as a yakuza . Not many people could strike back .

Konno bit his lip for a while, but then he turned around and walked away silently, like hed decided he was out of luck .

'You were of a great help to me . Thank you very much .

Haruka put her hands to her chest as she bowed at Gotou .

'Dont worry about it .

Gotou waved his hand like it was nothing .

'But what a high-handed person he was, said Ishii in his relief .

'Its true . Hes always like that

'He probably thinks hes some big shot, said Gotou with a frown, lighting up his cigarette .

'Gotou-san, the school premises are non-smoking, interrupted Haruka without a moments delay .

'Youre so fussy . The police are exempt .

After saying something selfish, Gotou blew out smoke for show .

'Dont play around we should head back already .

Yakumo yawned, like he was signalling the end of the situation .

It made Ishii angry to see Yakumo treat Haruka like she was his possession, but he couldnt express that aloud .

'I wasnt playing around .

Haruka stuck her tongue out at Yakumo .

Yakumo snorted scornfully and walked away briskly .

'You guys really love trouble, muttered Gotou, looking up at the clear autumn sky .

'Gotou-san, please dont start talking like Yakumo-kun too .

'Im just saying the truth .

'If you say things like that, your wife will leave you again .

'Shut up! Thats unnecessary concern! And my wifes properly at home probably .

Perhaps he felt awkward, because Gotou stuck his hands in his pockets and turned around from Haruka .

'Well, Im leaving then .

Haruka bowed with a smile .

Ishii just felt Haruka was pitiful, as she acted so strong even though shed not only gotten wrapped up in trouble but also had to listen to the endless comments of insensitive men .

'Thats right, Ishii . You look at the scene too, said Gotou suddenly .

'Eh, do I really have to go?

'Of course you do, fool . What would a detective do if he didnt go look at the scene?

'Of course

Ishii tried to think of a reason not to go look at the scene, but it was useless .

4

Haruka finally caught up to Yakumo just before he was about to pass through the school gates .

He couldve waited a bit

'You all right? said Yakumo with his back to her .

She froze automatically at those unexpected words .

So even this blunt guy was a bit worried

What she had seen in the room was still fresh in her mind, but she felt a bit better just from Yakumos remark .

'How long are you just going to stand there?

Yakumo turned around, looking exasperated .

It was mysterious how gentle his eyes looked, even though they were just as sleepy as usual .

'Ah, right .

Haruka walked up to Yakumo and rammed into him forcefully .

Yakumo lost his balance and almost fell forward .

'What?

'Nothing .

She ignored Yakumo who looked like he didnt understand and continued walking .

She thought that he would say something cynical, but Yakumo didnt say anything .

For some reason, it felt kind of nice . She had been down, but now she was incredibly lively .

'So whats up with this case then?

Deciding that Yakumos silence was a good thing, she tried asking him a question .

'Why do you always

'Rush to a conclusion? Thats what you want to say, right?

She said it before Yakumo could . She was in a good mood today .

'Dont ask if you understand that .

'Cant you just explain the situation?

Yakumo just looked up at the sky while walking, not answering Harukas question . The air around Yakumo felt more suffocating than usual .

'This is just my explanation of the situation . Dont get ahead of yourself .

After running a hand through his messy hair and saying that, Yakumo started his explanation in a reluctant manner .

'Just as that boy of yours said, there was a spirit there .

There was

Yakumo followed that spirit of the dead and found the corpse .

'I saw two spirits there .

'Two?

'The first was a middle-aged man . I followed that spirit to that place .

'And the other?

'The spirit was right beside you . Looked like a kid of elementary or middle school age .

'So is there one more corpse?

Haruka unconsciously gripped Yakumos arm .

'I dont know . From the clothes, I feel like that spirits from a different time

'I see

'This is just my gut feeling, but I think it might be the kid that died in the fire before .

If that was the case, itd mean the spirit had been there for a very long time .

Yakumo had said this before . The spirits of the dead wander because of feelings that have not been dispelled what sort of feelings did that boy have?

'Hey, what are you going to do now? Haruka asked, prepared to hear a response like 'Think about it yourself .

'First, I requested that Gotou-san look into the fire that occurred at the school .

'You move quick, just as expected .

'Dont make fun of me . There were various details about the corpse that was found today that are worth thinking about, but Ill have to wait until Hata-san has finished his autopsy

'Hey . Isnt there anything I can do?

When Haruka asked that, Yakumo suddenly pulled her arm towards him with a jerk .

The movement was so sudden that Haruka staggered .

Then, at a distance where the tips of their noses were almost touching, there was Yakumos face .

Eh, wait

Her heart was beating furiously at this sudden development . The blood rushed to her head, making her feel dizzy .

'Continue to walk straight like this, Yakumo whispered into her ear .

'What do you mean?

She asked him that question, but Yakumo didnt reply . He just continued walking while pulling at Harukas arm . It felt like he was walking at a slower pace than usual .

Finally, Yakumo stopped when theyd reached the intersection .

'Look at the mirror, said Yakumo quietly .

She did as he said and looked at the mirror at the intersection . She could see the warped reflection of themselves in the convex mirror . She could also see a boy a little bit behind them hiding behind the telephone pole .

Thats

'Masato-kun!

Haruka called out as she turned around .

Their eyes met . Masato froze with his eyes as wide as saucers .

Why was he here?

Haruka took a step towards Masato . At the same time, Masato jumped back like the repelling side of a magnet .

'Hey, wait!

She took another step .

Masato turned around and fled like a rabbit .

Why was he running?

Haruka chased after Masato . However, she soon stumbled and fell .

It hurts .

When she stood up, her hands on her knees, Masato had already disappeared .

'Honestly, are your reflexes dull? Or are you clumsy? said Yakumo with a yawn .

She couldnt find the words to object . Since she was probably both

'I wonder why Masato-kun ran .

Haruka threw that question at Yakumo .

'Because he was following us, replied Yakumo staring at the street which Masato had run down .

'Following us? Since when?

'I noticed right as we left the school gates . At first I thought I was mistaken, but since he was so suspicious, I tried shaking him up a bit . If you hadnt yelled, I would have caught him once we turned the corner .

'I see . My bad .

'So you understand, said Yakumo with a raised eyebrow .

Ah, honestly . That attitude really riled her up .

'But why was he following us

'Its your duty as his homeroom teacher to confirm that, though you are still a trainee .

Just as Yakumo says, that is my duty .

Putting aside whether I can do it or not

5

The day after the corpse was found, Gotou headed for the universitys <Movie Research Circle> room .

He came to meet Saitou Yakumo, who lived here, using it as his secret hiding place .

'Sorry to bother you .

When he opened the door, Yakumo greeted him with a yawn .

The guy really was like a cat . What sort of daily life was he living?

'Ive said this many times, but if you know youre being a bother, please leave .

'Stop nagging .

Gotou sat on the folding chair opposite Yakumo .

'Gotou-san, you have a slight smell to you .

Yakumo wrinkled his nose purposefully .

Honestly, suddenly complaining

'Shut up!

Of course he had a slight smell to him . He hadnt been home since yesterday .

Yakumo was the one who was strange for not smelling at all, considering he lived in a place without a bath or a water supply .

'Where is Ishii-san today?

'Hes working another case . We dont have enough hands either .

'Isnt that because you skip out on work, Gotou-san? Ishii-san must be tired of it .

Honestly . This guy said whatever the hell he wanted to . Gotou was the one who was pitiful with that useless subordinate . Gotou was forced to do unnecessary things .

Yesterday, Ishii had fainted the moment hed seen the burnt corpse .

In the end, Gotou had to take him home .

'Say what you want, said Gotou, finding it too troublesome to explain .

'So what did you discover? said Yakumo, with his chin in his hands and a vacant look in his eyes .

Hes acting like hes not interested, but it feels like he actually really wants to know . Honestly, he could just be a bit more honest

Gotou placed the documents hed brought on the table . Yakumo took those documents in his hands and flipped through the pages .

'First, its true that there was a fire at that school . Seems to have happened twenty-eight years ago .

Even though Gotou was going out of his way to explain, Yakumo just glanced up without saying anything .

Honestly, this wasnt worth it . He sort of understood why his wife complained every time they ate . Next time, maybe hed comment on how delicious the food was .

Gotou threw himself into continuing the explanation .

'The fire started in the PE storeroom . Its been taken down and now its the pool . Which means thats the location . It started because some kids were playing with fire . Somebody nearby saw the smoke and reported it . Then the firefighters came .

After saying this much, Gotou paused . Explaining what came next would be difficult . Where on earth should he start?

'I dont care what order you explain this in, so please hurry up, said Yakumo while tapping his brow with his finger . So hed seen right through him? He really was an unpleasant guy .

'When the firefighters got here, there were still two kids inside . One had his face burnt but it wasnt life-threatening, but it was too late for the other .

'So that was the kid whod died then

Yakumo looked up at the ceiling, as if there were something there .

Gotou waited, thinking Yakumo might say something, but he didnt say anything else .

Honestly . He shouldnt just speak so meaningfully . It was confusing .

'This is the problem . The kid who lived transferred to a school in the next town after that . His name was Tobe Kengo Actually, that man

'Killed his father and escaped during his psychiatric examination .

Even though Gotou had been building up to an explanation, Yakumo went and said the punch line . He was probably the type of guy who was disliked .

'You know about it?

'Even I read the newspaper . And then?

That made sense . Not just the newspaper it was broadcast almost daily on television . Itd be odder not to notice .

'Were following that Tobe case .

'I know that the police also have insufficient personnel, but they must be incredibly shorthanded if theyre going to make you investigate, Gotou-san, said Yakumo with a smirk .

Couldnt this guy just quietly listen to somebody talk? Gotou felt angry, but he swallowed that anger since it would just come back to bite him if let it out .

'We met the lady who did Tobes examination, but that lady says theres a possibility Tobes psychological state is an act .

'He is thought to have dissociative identity disorder, yes?

There was a bit of force in Yakumos sleepy gaze .

'Thats right . He didnt seem to reflect at all during the questioning, and he called himself Ushijima Atsushi instead of Tobe Kengo

'Could that Ushijima Atsushi be the name of the boy who died in the fire?

'Bingo .

This guy really caught on quick .

'That doctor lady had some compositions written at Tobes elementary school . Ushijimas name was in those compositions, and hed written this: I want to become Tobe-kun .

'I see .

Yakumo pinched his brow with his fingers and listened to Gotous explanation . It was the pose he struck when pondering over a difficult problem .

'And one more thing .

Yakumo lifted his head just slightly at Gotous words .

'What is it?

'We went to see Ushijima Atsushis mum yesterday, but she said her son was killed by Tobe .

He didnt understand what she had said then .

But it was different now . The fire twenty-eight years ago . Had that really just started from playing with fire Harue doubted that .

However, it was difficult to say whether Harue hated Tobe for that .

That woman had said it was a good thing her son died . She was a failure not just as a mother but as a human being for saying something like that .

Without saying anything, Yakumo started reading the documents .

Im counting on you, Yakumo . Gotou yelled that at the bottom of his heart . That fool Ishii couldnt be relied on, and Gotou couldnt think of anything either after going through the information .

'Gotou-san, could you obtain the composition in question? I dont mind if its a copy .

Yakumo spoke with his eyes still on the documents .

'Ah, probably .

Anna had them . He could just borrow them .

'As well, please reinvestigate the fire from twenty-eight years ago . I would like you not to just look at documents but to also talk to the people who were at the scene .

'The people at the scene?

'Yes . There should be people who lived nearby and the people from the fire department . Please hurry .

Got it is what Gotou was about to reply, but he came to his senses .

'You sound so high and mighty . Whend you become my boss?

Yakumo looked nonchalant even under Gotous glare .

'If you dont want to, its fine by me . I just wont ever cooperate with you again .

Yakumo smirked .

6

Ishii visited Sasaki Mental Health .

Like the day before, he was sitting stiffly on the sofa in the counselling room .

Gotou told Ishii to inform the psychiatrist Anna about what they had found out so far to ask her opinion .

Will I be all right on my own

He took a handkerchief, wiped the sweat on his forehead which came from anxiety and adjusted the position of his glasses with a finger . He just couldnt relax .

'I apologise for the wait .

Anna, whod left her seat, came back holding coffee .

Ishii sprung up and bowed his head deeply .

'Please dont be so formal .

Though Anna said that with a smile, he couldnt just change his behaviour because of that . Ishii sat on the sofa again with his back straight .

'Its because I didnt have any medical examinations today . I apologise for my attire .

Anna said that while sitting in front of him . Unlike the calming clothes she had worn the day before, she had on a casual outfit of a white blouse and jeans .

It was mysterious at first glance, the clothes seemed boyish, but they seemed provocative when she wore them .

He could just see her bra because her blouse was unbuttoned down to her chest .

It was too much for Ishii, who had no immunity against things like this . He didnt know where to look so he stared at the coffee cup in front of him .

'Is something the matter?

While Anna said that, she touched Ishiis arm and peered at his face . There was a sweet scent .

'Im fine . Its nothing .

Ishii leant against the back of the sofa and put distance between him and Anna .

This was no good . Somehow, he couldnt focus in front of this person .

'Youre alone today .

Annas almond eyes looked at Ishii from behind long eyelashes .

'Yes . Detective Gotou has another case .

'Ive heard that it was a rule for detectives to work in pairs, but it seems that isnt the case .

Just as Anna said, the rule was to work in twos, but rules didnt work on Gotou .

'Today is an exception . Detective Gotou had something that he had to do .

Ishii quickly made an excuse . It would be troublesome if she mentioned it to the higher-ups .

'I see So why are you here today?

At Annas question, Ishii hurriedly tried to take his notebook out of his suit, but he fumbled and dropped it .

'Ah, actually, I was going to explain what we have found out from the investigation .

Ishii quickly picked up the notebook .

'Are you all right?

'Please forgive me . Im actually here to request your opinion on the matter

'Ishii-san . Have you been worrying about something recently?

Anna interrupted Ishii .

When he looked at Annas eyes, which were looking straight at him, it felt like his mind would slip far away from him .

'I-I-I wonder? I dont think I have any

Annas fingers touched Ishiis hands, which he had clenched into fists in his nervousness . Ishiis body shivered like an electric pulse had gone through it .

'I am an expert . Please dont restrain yourself .

'N-no, Im really not .

Ishiis forehead felt sweaty .

It was the first time Ishii had been touched by a woman like this .

'Are you pushing yourself too much at work?

'No, thats

Just as Anna said, he really was pushing himself . He frantically chased after Gotou but he always messed up .

He couldnt help but dislike the person he was .

'There is no need to hide it .

Anna placed her palm on Ishiis shoulders . His stiff shoulder relaxed in that warmth, like melting ice .

'I see a dream .

Ishii opened his mouth unconsciously .

'What sort of dream?

'A very frightening dream In a dark place, I run after Detective Gotou frantically, but I cant catch up at all . Just when I think I have

Ishiis words caught in his throat partway .

If he said what came next, he had a vague fear that it would become true .

'Ishii-san, it is only a dream . What happens afterwards?

Anna smiled, like she had sensed Ishiis feelings . He felt relieved .

Thats right . This is a dream

'When I catch up, Detective Gotou is dead .

'It seems that you are severely overworking yourself .

Anna looked down .

'I-is that so

'Dreams reflect a persons mental state . Ishii-san, it appears that you want to become a person like Detective Gotou, but that has become a burden on your mind .

He did want to become like Gotou, just as Anna said . However, he didnt think of it as a burden . If you asked him why, it was because he wanted to be like that of his own volition .

'I

Anna put a finger to Ishiis mouth, which had opened to object .

'Ishii-san, you are you .

I am me

That was obvious . However, it appeared he had forgotten that .

'Ishii-san, you are very competent . By trying to be somebody you are not, you are wasting your talents .

'I

7

Haruka walked with her worries

Though there was a problem, was it really all right for a teacher to involve herself so much with one student?

It might set the other children against him . However, that didnt mean she could leave him alone .

Youre a trainee teacher .

She suddenly remembered what Konno had said .

At the time, she had been very angry, but now that she thought about it again, there were things she couldnt deny .

She wasnt their official homeroom teacher she was a trainee . She would be gone in two weeks . Even if she did all this now, she couldnt take responsibility until the end .

Haruka stopped once she reached the intersection .

When she looked up at the sky, she saw the clear blue sky, so unlike her emotions .

Masatos cold expression, inappropriate for a child, flashed across her mind .

He was obviously suffering . Haruka just couldnt overlook that .

I should stop grumbling . Im not Yakumo, but Ill go take a look .

Ill just think about what comes next afterwards

Haruka turned right at the intersection .

She saw a small childrens park . About ten metres ahead was the apartment where Masato lived .

Haruka checked the map again as she stopped in front of the childrens park .

I see it . Thats it .

An old wooden apartment, portions of it had come off and the entire building seemed to be slanted .

Masatos flat was at the corner of the first floor . Haruka had planned on walking right up to it, but she hesitated when she saw that somebody was already standing in front of the door .

It was Komai . She was knocking on the door and saying something .

Something like that had happened, so Komai was probably also worried about Masato and had come to check up on him .

Haruka thought about calling out to her, but it wouldnt have been a good thing for Komai if her trainee teacher went to a childs home without the teacher in charge .

Haruka just watched from where she stood .

Finally, Komai gave up and turned around to start walking .

Oh no, shes coming this way

Haruka quickly hid behind the public lavatory at the childrens park . She let out a sigh of relief .

Rustle .

The bushes in front of Haruka shook unnaturally, though there was no wind .

Somebodys here

She stooped and peeked behind the bushes .

'Masato-kun!

When Haruka unconsciously called out, Masato put his finger in front of his mouth, as if to tell her to be quiet .

Haruka replied with a nod and squatted .

'Hey, why are you hiding? asked Haruka quietly .

Cause she came .

Masato stuck out his neck to look at the road .

'By she, do you mean Komai-sensei?

Masato didnt affirm or deny it .

'Komai-sensei came because shes worried about you, Masato-kun .

Haruka said that admonishingly, but Masato looked away from Haruka .

'You dont know anything .

She felt like his small eyes were hiding something .

Shed heard something like that before .

It had been when shed first met Yakumo . Haruka really hadnt known anything . However, she couldnt know anything if he wouldnt tell her anything .

'Just as you say, Masato-kun, I dont know anything . So tell me .

Masato froze at Harukas words . His shoulders were shaking slightly .

He looked like a lamb afraid of a wolf .

'Hey, Masato-kun .

After saying that, Haruka touched Masatos shoulder .

'Let go! yelled Masato, like hed lost his temper, and he brushed Harukas hand away .

'Masato-kun

'Dont come over here .

Masato stood up and backed into the fallen leaves behind him .

'Hey, Masato-kun .

'Im cursed .

'What do you mean by curse?

'Dont come over here!

At the same time as he yelled, Masato ran off .

What was he burdened with?

8

I dont feel like heading home right away

Haruka arrived at Yakumos secret hiding place in the back of Building B at the university, like shed been drawn there .

Yakumo would just say something cynical if she met him, so why had she come?

Unable to come up with an answer to her own question, Haruka opened the door .

Yakumo, sitting in his usual spot, welcomed Haruka with a yawn .

'You really do have a lot of free time .

She didnt feel angry at Yakumo, who was saying sarcastic things as always .

After sitting opposite Yakumo, she rested her head on the table, exhausted .

I wonder why? Its just a folding chair and a table thats like scrap wood, but I feel so relaxed

'Hey, let me stay here for a while, said Haruka, still on the table .

Yakumo didnt reply . Well, whatever . Shed stay here even if he said no .

'Hey, am I really meddlesome?

She didnt expect an answer . She just wanted to say it .

'What, so you know?

Haruka sat up and looked at Yakumo . He was reclining with a smile, as if amused .

'Thats right . Im meddlesome .

Harukas expression soured as she put her chin in her hands .

Yakumo stopped smiling and raised an eyebrow as he ran a hand through his messy hair .

'When I was in middle school, I had a teacher as meddlesome as you .

It felt like Yakumos eyes were elsewhere as he suddenly started talking .

How had Yakumos time in middle school been?

Haruka made Yakumo wear a gakuran[2] in her head . Hm . It didnt suit him . She frantically held back her urge to laugh .

'What sort of teacher?

'I just said werent you listening? The teacher was as meddlesome as you .

'And?

'Thats all .

Even though Haruka wanted to hear what came next, Yakumo stopped there .

Maybe Yakumo didnt want to talk about it, but Haruka wanted to hear more .

'What did you think about that teacher, Yakumo-kun?

Haruka continued her questions .

Yakumo frowned, looking troubled for once . Haruka still stared back at Yakumo .

After a while, Yakumo opened his mouth like hed given up .

'I thought my teacher did pretty well .

'Were you the teachers pet?

'Thats not it, Yakumo said curtly, looking away .

It looks like there are traces of tears in his eyes . I might just be seeing things though

'I wonder what Masato-kun thinks of me?

'He obviously thinks youre meddlesome and a pain in the neck, replied Yakumo immediately .

He was the worst . Couldnt he have said something nicer?

'Thats right . Im

'I thought that teacher was meddlesome and a pain in the neck too .

Yakumo interrupted Harukas words .

'And?

'I wondered why my teacher was trying so hard for a complete stranger my teacher didnt know anything but did so much .

In view of Yakumos past, it made sense for him to think that way .

He might not have been able to believe somebody would selflessly do something for him .

'Thats because your teacher was worried about you, Yakumo-kun .

'Why?

'Thats your teachers kindness . Your teacher couldnt leave a child in pain alone .

After he heard Harukas words, Yakumos shoulders relaxed and he smiled slightly .

So Yakumo could smile like that too . That was what Harukas mind was strangely preoccupied with .

'My teacher was kind . But I couldnt understand that simple kindness .

There, Yakumo paused and looked up at the ceiling, like he was thinking about something .

Maybe he was thinking about his teacher .

'I learnt about selfless kindness from that teacher .

Yakumo slowly looked at Haruka .

What sad eyes

'That boy called Masato is probably afraid too . Without knowing your true intentions .

She had no basis for it, but she felt like Yakumo and Masato were similar .

'True intentions?

'Yes . So you should just teach him . About selfless kindness .

Yakumo stopped there .

Taking in the slight kindness shown by Yakumo, who was normally blunt and unparalleled in his contrariness, Haruka nodded .

9

When Gotou returned to the station, it was already past ten .

He was able to find a firefighter who had been at the scene twenty-eight years ago and ask what happened, as Yakumo had asked him to .

The elderly man had just retired last year and might have had a lot of free time, since Gotou ended up having to listen to a number of war stories that he hadnt wanted to hear .

Gotou sank into the chair and lit his cigarette .

He was exhausted . The only good thing was that the firefighters memories had been clear even though the event had happened so long ago .

He glanced over at the seat opposite him .

Ishii wasnt there . If he had just been going to talk to Anna, it shouldnt have taken so long . He couldnt have ended up getting counselling himself, right?

Maybe hed call him . Just as Gotou picked up the phone, the door opened .

He thought it was Ishii, but he was wrong . The one who came in was Miyagawa .

'Hey . You look tuckered out .

As Miyagawa said that, sounding amused, he walked briskly up to Gotou .

The way he swaggered was just like a hoodlums .

'Whose fault do you think that is? Its already been three days .

Miyagawa smirked as he saw Gotou grumbling with his loosened necktie .

'If you can still talk so much, youre fine . So whats happened with that lady doctor?

'Theres been no progress after that .

'That so

Miyagawa was fidgety, which was unlike him .

'What is it?

Gotou was no good with atmospheres like this . He urged Miyagawa to continue .

'When you discovered the corpse at the school, you said you got a report from a civilian .

'Yes, I coincidentally ran into a friend .

'Could that acquaintance perhaps be the kid who can see ghosts?

Why does Miyagawa know about Yakumo

Gotou was only confused for a moment .

Miyagawa had met Yakumo before . He had seen that power during the case that occurred six years ago .

Now that he thought about it, that was the first case hed solved with Yakumo .

'Thats right . Thats the brat . Hes a university student now .

'Already, eh Im getting old .

Miyagawa laughed, sounding embarrassed .

Gotou also felt sentimental as he thought of Yakumo in middle school .

Yakumo had denied everything in the world then . He had even wanted his own existence to disappear .

Hed had the eyes of a dead fish . But hes different now

'Though we dont know anything for certain yet

Miyagawas slowly spoken words brought Gotou back to reality .

'What is it?

'We know the identity of the burnt corpse .

Theyd done pretty well with what theyd had .

Yesterday, hed heard that even the bones had turned to charcoal . In that situation, itd probably be difficult to check the DNA with the dental records, let alone fingerprints .

'So who was it?

'Tobe Kengo .

The name Miyagawa said shook Gotous mind .

Whyd the guy who escaped end up burnt to a crisp there

It was unnatural . That was what Gotou felt . He didnt have any basis for it . He felt it instinctively .

'What do you mean?

'The corpse . The left hand didnt burn, right? The fingerprints matched Tobe Kengos exactly .

'Then, in any case one things wrapped up, said Gotou, though he didnt mean it .

'Well, thats how it is . Tomorrow morning, the chief of the police is going to meet with the press, saying that we dont know why he died but its likely he committed suicide .

Making announcement at this stage seemed premature, but Gotou understood that they wanted to stop the media from ganging up on them for letting a murderer escape as soon as possible .

Looks like Miyagawa doesnt agree though . It feels like theres more to this story

'So what are you telling me to do?

With a laugh, Miyagawa said, 'Youre sharp, and he continued with what he had to say .

'I heard about the autopsy, but according to Hata-san, its impossible for peoples bodies to burn up like that normally .

'Yes, that seems to be the case .

Gotou had heard that too yesterday .

'I cant think of this as the work of a person .

'Not the work of a person?

Gotou furrowed his brows at Miyagawas extraordinary statement .

'Thats right . Ghost or demon or whatever . Its something we dont know about .

'Youre joking, right?

'Im serious . But Im only saying this 'cause its you . If I said this to the other guys, theyd think I was going nuts .

Well, it made sense .

If the investigation team say their chief stand in front of them and say something like 'The culprit is a demon, itd be a joke .

'Could you be telling me to investigate?

Miyagawa nodded .

'The investigations still going to go on to find out the truth, but the teams going to be cut down and its just going to be an investigation on paper . But I want to know . What happened there?

'I want to know as well, but it isnt something that we can do on our own .

When Gotou flared up, Miyagawas lips turned up in a smile .

'Dont you have an expert cooperating with you?

So that was how it was . Gotou finally understood why Miyagawa had brought up Yakumo .

Set a thief to catch a thief . So he was telling him to use Yakumo to find out the truth .

Miyagawa had misunderstood Yakumo though . Yakumo could see the spirits of the dead . However, that was all .

He couldnt do things youd see in a manga like use spiritual powers or exorcise spirits . The person said so himself, but he didnt have any exceptional power just the ability to see them .

Gotou was troubled as to whether he should explain, but he finally stopped . He could tell Miyagawa would just say something like 'Its the same, right? . Plus, he didnt think he could explain properly .

'Ill do what I can .

'Appreciate it .

He was probably satisfied with Gotous answer . Miyagawa stood up and quickly headed for the door, but he came back like hed remembered something .

'I forgot . I have one more request .

After coming this far, getting one or two more requests didnt make much of a difference .

'What is it?

'Truth is, the police have to hold a meeting for the childrens guardians tomorrow afternoon .

'You cant be asking what I think youre asking .

He didnt want to . Standing up in front of people to explain something? Was he kidding? PR could do that .

'Im counting on you, Miyagawa said, and then he escaped from the room .

Somehow, Gotou felt ill at ease .

'I saw Chief Miyagawa run out, but did something happen?

Changing places with Miyagawa, Ishii returned to the room .

'He just had something to talk to me about .

Gotou looked up, feeling exhausted .

'What sort of talk?

'A talk about how were going to work through the night again today .

'Eh!? Again?

Ishii threw his head back in exaggerated surprise .

10

Gotou visited the university in the morning .

He instructed Ishii to wait in the car and then headed for Yakumos secret hiding place .

When he opened the door, Yakumo wasnt where he was usually instead, he was sleeping in a sleeping bag in the corner of the dark room .

He looked so damn comfortable . Unfortunately, Gotou wasnt nice enough to let him sleep like that .

Gotou stooped over, put his face close to the sleeping Yakumos eye and took in a deep breath .

'Oi! Wake up!

In response to Gotous voice, Yakumos body jolted up like a fish hooked out of water .

That was payback for how he always acted . Served him right .

Feeling pleased with himself, Gotou sat on the chair and waited for Yakumo to get up .

'Please dont speak so loudly in the morning . It is troublesome for the neighbours, said Yakumo, his eyes still closed as he stayed in the sleeping bag .

'Youre the only one whod live in a place like this .

'Going to somebodys home without permission is trespassing, said Yakumo, still wrapped up in his sleeping bag .

He had quite the mouth for somebody whod just woken up .

'Living somewhere without permission is called unlawful occupation .

After Gotou made that retort, Yakumo started squirming around .

Gotou thought that Yakumo was finally getting up, but he had been completely wrong . Yakumo took out his mobile phone and started dialling .

'What are you doing?

'Im calling the police . To tell them theres a trespasser .

Yakumo replied to Gotous question while rubbing at his eyes .

This guy was really calling .

'Youre not going to stop!?

Gotou snatched the mobile away from Yakumo .

<Is anything the matter?>

He heard a voice from the other end . The call had already gone through . Damn . What a frightening guy .

'This is Gotou from the Setamachi precinct . Called the wrong number . Dont worry about it .

Gotou say that one-sidedly and hung up .

'What is it called when youve done something bad?

Yakumo sat up and ran a hand through his bedhead, which was even messier than usual .

'Shut up! How would I know!?

'I see . Good night .

Yakumo tried to return to his sleeping bag .

Damn . He was such a pain when he sulked .

'Ah, wait . My bad . Sorry, sorry .

Gotou hurriedly apologised, which made Yakumo stop for a moment, but then he shook his head like he was dissatisfied and went back into his sleeping bag .

'Gotou-san, is that how your parents taught you?

What a comment .

His impulse was to hit Yakumo, but theyd get nowhere if he made Yakumos mood any worse .

'I-I apologise .

Gotou bowed his head while bearing with the humiliation .

'So you can do it if you try .

After Yakumo nodded in satisfaction, he finally got out of the sleeping bag and sat in the chair opposite Gotou after yawning .

Rather than his usual shirt and jeans, he was wearing a navy jersey on top and bottom .

He looked at Gotou while mumbling incoherently . It made Gotou doubt whether Yakumo was really awake .

'So what do you need from me this early in the morning?

Yakumo rubbed at his eyes like a cat .

Theyd wasted some time with a boring exchange . Hed bring up the topic at hand now .

'We found out the identity of the body .

Yakumo stopped moving and his gaze became sharp .

OK . The monster cat took the bait .

'That corpse was Tobe Kengo .

Gotou had thought that Yakumo would be a bit surprised, but Yakumo yawned and scratched his back, looking comfortable .

This guy . Didnt he hear him?

'So its come to that

Just when Gotou was going to confirm Yakumo was listening, Yakumo said that sentence .

It wasnt like they were playing shogi, so it hadnt come to this or come to that .

'Youre not surprised?

Gotou decided to ask anyway .

'Would being surprised solve the case?

'Thats not what Im say

Gotou stopped himself . Yakumo was scratching at his neck while holding back a yawn . He wouldnt listen to what Gotou had to say . As Gotou had thought, he was more of a dog person .

'So, Gotou-san, what do you plan to do now?

'Find out why he died .

'Is that so? Do your best .

Hes playing dumb even though he knows

No matter how much Yakumo didnt like it, Gotou wouldnt let him get away . Hed get him to stick with him until the end .

11

'Haruka-san . You OK?

When Haruka went to work and got to the staff room, Komais expression changed as she walked over .

'Ah, yes . Im fine .

After giving Haruka an evaluating look, Komai relaxed .

'Honestly . I was so worried . When I heard that you were the first person to find It wouldve been OK if you didnt come today, murmured Komai, like she found it difficult to say .

It would have been a lie if she said she hadnt been shocked . However, there was something weighing more heavily on Harukas mind .

'Im fine . I apologise for causing trouble .

'Im glad .

Komai patted Harukas shoulder with a smile .

Haruka was troubled as to whether she should ask about what happened yesterday, but in the end, she said nothing .

If she said it aloud, she would also have to explain why shed gone to Masatos home .

Though the morning meeting was supposed to start soon, the staff room was not as calm as it usually was .

The staff members were noisy like children waiting for test results . It felt unreal .

There was no helping it .

Police were standing at the school gates, and a blue plastic sheet covered the area surrounding the pool .

The media were crowding about too a number of microphones were thrust towards Haruka before she entered the school gates .

There was an incomparable atmosphere . It spread through the whole school .

'Silence, please . It is time for the morning assembly .

The teacher on duty that day spoke up with a clap .

The staff members sat down, still noisy, and formed a circle along the walls . Konno, the vice-principal, stood at the apex of the circle .

He had his arms crossed behind his back and his eyes closed .

When the voices quieted and the room was enveloped in silence, Konno spoke .

'I believe everyone already knows, but on Saturday, a corpse was found on the school premises .

Konno took a pause and glared at Haruka .

It was like he was saying it was her fault . Being treated like the culprit was depressing .

'Todays classes will go as planned . However, homeroom teachers should explain the incident to the children while avoiding direct expressions .

The staffroom which had become quiet started to become noisy again .

Haruka wanted to speak up herself . If they avoided direct expressions, how were they supposed to explain to the children?

When she looked at Komai beside her, she was troubled too .

'Silence! said Konno with intimidating force .

At the same time, the room silenced like a wave had come over it .

'Some of the children are shocked . Choose an appropriate response without overlooking that .

I wonder what would be an appropriate response to somebody who thrust away a child

The discomfort spread through the room .

'In the afternoon, there will be a briefing for guardians from the police . The PTA will contact them, but everyone should participate . That is all .

After Konno said only what was required of them in that business-like manner, he briskly returned to his own seat .

Haruka just couldnt bring herself to like that person .

'Haruka-san, lets go .

Komai patted the shoulder of Haruka, who was holding in her anger .

'Yes, she replied, and they left the staff room .

'Ill talk about the incident, said Komai as she walked down the corridor .

Haruka bowed her head and said, 'Thank you . Someone with as little as experience as her would not know how to respond .

'Komai-sensei, Ozawa-san .

Yokouchi called out to them .

He had jogged over with a happy expression on his face .

'What is it?

'There was one, right? A ghost .

Yokouchi gave an agitated reply to Komais question .

'What are you talking about?

'An exorcist found the corpse . Right, Ozawa-san?

Though she had expected this, Haruka didnt know what to do, so she nodded and replied vaguely, 'Ah, yes

'Please dont joke around .

'Im not lying . You should be careful too, sensei, said Yokouchi meaningfully, and then he walked down the corridor with light footsteps .

Haruka knew that he was happy because he could prove what he said, but she felt he had gone a bit too far .

'I wonder if hes all right, murmured Komai, sounding a bit stunned .

12

Gotou arrived at Hatas hospital with Yakumo and Ishii in tow .

They bypassed the entrance, took the stairs down to the basement, went down the corridor lit with fluorescent lighting and opened the door to the room in the very back .

In a space about six tatami in size, the desk and cabinets were lined up closely . The room was untidy as usual .

Hata was sitting at his desk and sipping tea in a carefree manner .

Gotou sat on the round chair the only one for visitors in the room .

Yakumo and Ishii stood by the door .

'A noisy bunch has come again .

Hatas greeting was rushed he was obviously displeased .

People didnt say these sorts of things aloud, demonic old man .

Gotou changed the topic instead of objecting .

'Did you find out anything?

'Is that the attitude you take when asking somebody for something?

Though Hata kept complaining, he took a file out from his drawer .

'I dont know what youre expecting, but there hasnt been much progress . Its the first time Ive seen a corpse like this .

Gotou recalled what he had seen at the scene . Pitch-black charcoal in the shape of a human being that was what he honestly thought .

'And?

'Seems theyve determined its Tobe Kengo from the fingerprints, but looking at the body, everythings unclear age, gender, cause of death, when he died . To say more, from the autopsy, its unclear what caused the fire too . Weve sent in a request to the fire lab . Well, thats where we are .

'Oi!

Gotou got up from his chair and yelled .

'Do you have a complaint? said Hata, unabashed . Gotou had a mountain of complaints .

'In the end, you dont know anything . I came all this way, but it was just a waste of time .

'Youre the one who came without checking .

He stabbed him where it hurt .

'Shut up . Theres no progress 'cause you dont do your work properly .

'You dont understand . The corpse is in that condition . Estimated time of death is something we find out from bone analysis or rigor mortis . With that corpse, we cant do anything .

What Hata was saying made sense .

However, if they didnt know the cause of death, it meant they didnt even know whether it was suicide, murder or natural death .

'Hata-san . Do you know about spontaneous human combustion?

The one who interrupted was Yakumo .

His arms were crossed, and, though he didnt look troubled, it felt like he had thought of something .

'Of course .

'I know about it too .

Ishii spoke up after Hata .

However, Gotou didnt know about it . It was the first time hed heard the phrase .

'What? What is that?

'By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed

Ishii replied to Gotous question .

Contrary to how he usually was, there appeared to a sparkle in his eyes behind his glasses .

'What is that? It sounds like some spell .

He felt like he was even more confused .

'Its a line from the Book of Job in the bible .

'Bible?

Gotou felt like the conversation had derailed .

'Ishii-san, its a bit of a jump to mention the bible now . Please put that aside for now, said Yakumo as he ran a hand through his hair .

'So what is it?

Gotou looked at Yakumo and repeated his question .

'Spontaneous human combustion is, as its name suggests, the phenomenon wherein the body of a human being suddenly burns up in a place with no sign of fire . There have been a number of reports of it in the past . It is rather famous in those circles .

The way he said 'those circles is a bit odd

'So youre saying this has actually happened?

'Yes . Though not in Japan, there have been reports in places such as America, England and Italy . There are many stories, such as how it was due to plasma or alien invasion, replied Ishii, sounding incredibly interested .

When this guy talked about it, it sounded really suspicious . Hadnt he just read too much stuff about the occult?

Gotou looked at Yakumo suspiciously to confirm .

'What Ishii-san says is true .

Yakumo understood what Gotou was doing and answered clearly .

'Thats idiotic . So youre saying that Tobe suddenly burned up and died from that spontaneous whatchamacallit?

'Youre making a leap in logic .

'Eh?

'I just want to say that the condition of the corpse matches the characteristics of spontaneous human combustion, said Yakumo disinterestedly .

He was different from the likes of Ishii . He eliminated his preconceptions and analysed .

'Characteristics?

'Yes . There are three main characteristics of spontaneous human combustion . The first is that the body ignites in a location with no sign of fire . The second is that the fire does not spread to the surroundings . Then the third is that even the bones of the body are burnt, explained Yakumo, putting up one finger at a time .

Gotou understood now . Tobes corpse fulfilled those three characteristics .

'That caught my interest too . Just as Yakumo-kun says, there are many common features . However, if we acknowledge that, this case becomes the entrance to a maze, said Hata, drinking his tea leisurely .

'Entrance to a maze? What do you mean?

'Even now, we still dont know the truth behind human combustion .

After Hata said that, he giggled with shaking shoulders . The old man was really creepy .

A heavy silence spread through the room

After a while, Yakumo put his left index finger to his brow . There was energy in his eyes .

It seemed he had thought of something . Gotou waited for Yakumo to speak .

'Hata-san . Theres something I would like you to look into .

'Ask away .

Hata nodded .

'This is just my reasoning, but I think it could have been adipocere .

'Adipocere I see; thatd make it possible .

Hata hit the table like everything was suddenly clear to him .

What the hell were they talking about so suddenly? Who was this Addie guy

Gotous mobile phone rang, interrupting Gotous confusion .

'What!? answered Gotou, clearly irritated .

<Thats quite a response . >

Miyagawa was on the other side .

'What? Is it Miyagawa-san? What do you need?

<Honestly . Dont ask me what I need . Dont tell me you forgot . >

'Eh? What are you talking about?

<Youre supposed to explain the case at the school today, right?

Shit . Hed completely forgotten . He looked at his watch . There were only ten minutes before the set time .

'Im going there now .

Gotou said that one-sidedly and hung up without waiting for a response .

'Oi, Ishii! Were going!

'Going where to?

Ishii had a blank look on his face .

'The school, obviously .

'The school?

Unfortunately, he didnt have the time to explain in detail now . Gotou dragged Ishii out the room by the ear .

'Gotou-san, if youre heading to the school, please take me with you as well .

The one who spoke was Yakumo

13

Haruka peeked in from the side of the gymnasium stage to see how things were going .

There were an amazing number of people . Even though they had put out all the chairs they had, it still wasnt nearly enough and there were people standing and people peering in from outside since they couldnt get in .

However, there was nobody at the podium and the stage was deserted .

Somebody from the police was supposed to come explain the incident, but it was already twenty minutes past the scheduled time .

The guardians who had gathered would probably get tired of waiting soon .

'Hey .

Somebody suddenly hit Harukas shoulders, which made her body jolt . When she turned around, somebody she hadnt expected was standing there .

'Y-Yakumo-kun . What are you doing here?

'Im a chaperon today .

Yakumo turned around . Gotou and Ishii were there .

'Could the detectives who are explaining the situation to the guardians be

'It seems that way, replied Yakumo with a shrug .

'As it appears the police have arrived, we will leave the explanation to the detectives .

Yokouchi, standing under the stage, spoke into the microphone .

The noisy gymnasium quieted down like they had been splashed with water .

Gotou and Ishii were talking about something . It looked like children were joking around, and not at all like they were reflecting on their late arrival .

'Now, Detective Gotou from the Setamachi precinct, if you would .

With Yokouchis words as the signal, Gotou pushed Ishii forward forcefully . Ishii stumbled from the side of the stage to the podium and he fell .

It was laughable, but unfortunately, the atmosphere didnt allow for that .

Only Ishii smiled stiffly as he got back up .

'Ishii, good luck .

Gotou sent a quiet yell Ishiis way .

'Wait, Gotou-san . Arent you the one whos going to explain?

Haruka approached Gotou, surprised by his outrageous behaviour .

'Its fine . The people here wont be able to tell Gotou from Ishii .

'That isnt the problem .

Gotou snorted and crossed his arms . Honestly, how selfish .

Ishii hobbled towards the podium like he had given up and stood in front of the microphone .

'I-I-I am the detective naaamed

Ishiis voice cracked as he started speaking, and his pronunciation and intonation were completely off .

When Gotou heard that, rather than being worried, he laughed aloud .

Ah, this is a mess

When Haruka sighed, Yakumo pulled at her arm .

'The boy who can see ghosts . Could I meet him?

Hed said that he was Gotous chaperon, but that was the true reason Yakumo had come here .

Haruka wanted Yakumo to meet Masato directly if possible, but

'Classes are already over today . He mightve gone home already

'I see

'But want to try looking anyway?

'Yeah . Theres something I want to look into too .

Haruka and Yakumo left the gymnasium without anybody noticing .

She walked with Yakumo through the passage and went into the school building .

When she walked next to Yakumo in the school like this, it made her feel like shed returned to her days as a student .

I wonder if Yakumo walked around the school next to somebody like this when he was a student

She wanted to know, but she didnt want to imagine it . What on earth was she thinking? She felt like her face was getting warm all of a sudden .

They went down the corridor and took the stairs up . When they reached the first landing, Yakumo suddenly stopped .

His gaze was on a picture

A wilted cherry blossom tree was drawn in it . If Haruka remembered correctly, it had been selected for a school picture contest .

'What is it?

With a bitter smile, Yakumo replied, 'Its nothing, and then he continued going up the stairs .

They went up to the fourth floor and stepped into the classroom for Class 5-4 .

There was nobody in the classroom .

'This is my class .

Yakumo entered the classroom silently and looked around with his arms crossed .

Haruka peered at the fish tank in the corner of the room .

There were three killifish Hey, do you know where Masato-kun is? Of course they dont know .

'Which is his seat? said Yakumo .

'The third from the back in the row by the window .

Yakumo walked up to that seat and sat down in the chair too small for his body . He touched the desk with his palm slowly, like he was checking something .

'Curse

Yakumo furrowed his eyebrows .

'Curse?

'Here .

Yakumo pointed at part of the desk .

When she glanced at it, she saw the word 'Curse written on it .

It hadnt been written with a pencil or pen but scraped into the desk with something sharp .

Haruka remembered how Masato had been using a compass needle to carve something during class .

Was he doing this

Ignoring Harukas surprise, Yakumo put his chin in his hands and looked out the window .

Yakumo might have looked out the window the same way when he was an elementary student, with much too horrible a reality on his shoulders

Haruka wondered what she would have done if she had been in the same class as Yakumo .

What would she have said when she saw him staring out the window?

She might have been swept up by her surroundings and ended up hating him without trying to see who he truly was . Though they had met differently, the emotions after that would change so much .

Even though were all human beings, why cant we understand each other

'Found him .

Haruka was brought back to reality by Yakumos voice .

'Do you mean Masato-kun?

'Yeah .

'Where?

Haruka looked up, but didnt see anybody, let alone Masato .

'On the roof .

Yakumo raised an eyebrow .

'The roof?

There was no way he could have seen the roof from inside the building .

'Look out the room .

Yakumo pointed out the window . Haruka followed the finger with her eyes .

She saw the pool where the corpse had been found . It was still covered with a blue plastic sheet, and there was detectives standing guard .

However, Masato was nowhere to be found .

'The shadow, Yakumo said, perhaps sensing her confusion .

Shadow

'Ah! There!

Haruka finally understood what Yakumo was saying .

The school building cast a shadow between the pool and itself, and there was definitely a persons shadow on the roof .

She couldnt tell who it was, since it was a shadow .

But it had to be Masato . She was sure of it .

'Lets go .

'K .

Haruka left the classroom with Yakumo .

14

Haruka opened the door to the roof . A dry wind touched her cheeks .

When she looked over, she saw a boy clinging to the fence with his backpack on .

Theres no mistaking it . Thats Masato

His back, the same size as the other childrens, was burdened with something .

'That him? asked Yakumo quietly from beside her . Haruka responded with a nod .

Yakumo breathed out and then walked straight for Masato . Haruka followed with a little distance between them .

'I heard you can see ghosts .

Yakumo stood next to Masato . He might have been surprised by how sudden it was, because his shoulders jolted before he looked up .

'I can see them too . Ghosts .

Yakumo ran a hand through his hair, like he felt self-conscious .

'You dont know anything .

With his hands in fists, Masato glared at Yakumo .

'Yeah, thats right . I just know your name . So tell me about you .

Yakumos tone was kind and consoling .

It was the first time Haruka had seen Yakumo talking this way .

'Im cursed . If youre with me, youll die .

Masato raised his chin and said that while looking up . Hed said something similar before .

She hadnt thought about what the words meant before, but now that she thought about it, he might have actually wanted to play with everyone else .

However, he couldnt do that since he was cursed . Something bad would happen if he did .

He might have distanced himself because of that .

'I see . Actually, Im cursed too .

Yakumo crouched there and took Masatos hand to turn him around .

Masato looked away from Yakumos gaze, seeming troubled .

'Let me tell you something good . People who are cursed can hang out together, no problem .

Yakumo put his index finger to Masatos chest .

'Thats a lie .

Masatos body trembled, but Haruka could tell from where she was that his heart was faltering .

'Its true . I can promise that .

Masato bit his lips at Yakumos words . It looked just like he was trying to bear with pain . The expression didnt befit an elementary school student .

'Its true .

Finally, Masato spoke with a cracking voice .

'Youre smart .

After Yakumo said that, he gently patted Masato on the head .

Masato stared at Yakumos face . It was a childs expression .

While Haruka thought that it really was a good thing shed brought Yakumo and Masato together, she also painfully understood how useless she had been, unable to do anything .

Yakumo was much more suited to being a teacher than someone like her .

'Thats right . Let me tell you another good thing .

'A good thing?

Masato cocked his head .

'Yup . The way to lift a curse .

'Thats impossible .

Masato shook his head with damp eyes .

'Its possible . You know, for curses . The person whos cursed didnt do anything wrong the person who curses someone else is the bad one . So if you get the person who cursed you, the curse will be lifted .

'Really?

'Really . Ill get them for you, so tell me who cursed you .

Though he looked troubled, Masatos lips slowly parted .

'Haruka-san, what are you doing there?

Haruka turned around when she was suddenly called out to and saw Komai at the door .

What terrible timing . Komai appeared to notice that Masato was standing by the fence .

'Masato-kun too what are you doing?

Komai approached her .

Haruka didnt know how to respond and looked at both Komai and Yakumo .

Perhaps she was exasperated with Haruka who wouldnt say anything, because Komai walked up to Masato and Yakumo .

'Masato-kun, schools already over . What are you doing here?

Masatos expression, which had relaxed earlier, became stiff again .

Komai gripped Masatos wrist . Right as she did that, Masato bit Komais hand .

'Ouch! Hey, stop that .

Komai pushed away Masatos face to get her hand away .

'Dont come near me . Youll die next!

Masato pitched forward as he yelled that and pointed at Komai .

Haruka didnt hear Masatos words as a joke or random remark . She had no basis for it, but it echoed in her ears like a true prediction .

'You shouldnt say something like that so lightly .

Shaking free from Komai who was admonishing him, Masato ran off .

Komai shook her head in exasperation and then looked at Yakumo .

This was bad . Bringing an outsider into the school building was a considerable problem .

I cant excuse him as an exorcist to Komai . What should I do

'Who might you be? asked Komai cautiously .

'I apologise for the late introduction . I am the subordinate of Detective Gotou, who came here today . My name is Ishii, said Yakumo with an innocent look, and then he bowed . How did he have the nerve

'I see . So youre a detective?

Though Komai said that, she gave Yakumo an evaluating look .

She was probably suspicious . It made sense . It wasnt some detective drama shed probably never seen a detective in jeans and a shirt .

'There was something that caught my interest, so I requested that this civilian allow me inside . Would you like to make an enquiry?

It seemed Yakumo had noticed Komais suspicions, as he spread his two hands jokingly .

'No, that wont be necessary Please excuse me .

Komai probably felt awkward for being so suspicious . She left the roof as if running away .

Just as Haruka felt relieved, she also felt exhausted .

'How was it?

After Haruka sighed, she walked up to Yakumo by the fence and asked him that question .

'Since I was interrupted, the conversation was stopped partway . I cant say anything right now .

Yakumo leant against the fence and looked up at the sky .

If only there were a bit more time, Haruka thought .

A thin white cloud hung in the clear blue sky .

Yakumo pinched something like a white capsule between his fingers and raised it to his eyes .

'What is that?

'The boy earlier dropped it .

She hadnt noticed at all . Yakumo really was sharp .

'Is it related somehow?

'Who knows? Im going to look into that now .

'That so .

'Putting aside whether he can see ghosts or not, that kid is definitely hiding something and keeping it to himself .

'I wonder what hes shouldering

'I dont know, but the truth is, he wants to talk to somebody about it .

15

After Haruka saw off Yakumo and the others, she returned to the meeting room for trainee teachers to pick up her things .

When she opened the door, she saw Komai waiting there .

'Youre heading home, right? Lets go together .

Komai smiled . However, it was easy to tell it was forced .

It felt like she wanted to probe into what had happened earlier .

A number of things had happened, and time had passed, but Harukas impression of Komai had changed .

Though I wouldnt know how to answer if you asked me how its changed

'Yes, lets .

With trembling emotions in the pit of her stomach, Haruka quickly gathered up her things and followed Komai out the meeting room .

'What did you talk to the detective about?

Once theyd gotten into the corridor, Komai brought up that topic .

Unlike her earlier smile, her tone felt pointed .

'I didnt It was just because I had been on the scene that day

In the first place, Yakumo wasnt a member of the police . She couldnt think of a good excuse and felt awkward .

'What did you talk to Masato-kun about?

Komai asked more questions .

'No, I had just been nearby and didnt actually talk

Of course that was a lie . She had actually heard everything .

Her palms felt sweaty . Her heart wouldnt calm down, and it felt like she was walking in mid-air .

'Why would the police talk to that child?

Komai put a finger to her round chin .

Haruka was more interested in why Komai wanted to know so much .

It was natural for a homeroom teacher to be concerned if one of her students was talking with a detective, but Komais attitude right now felt completely different .

If Masato talked, something disadvantageous to her would occur . She was trying frantically to hide it .

That was just what Haruka thought, but that was how she felt .

Maybe it has something to do with yesterday

Though Haruka knew it was unjust suspicion, she couldnt stop herself from asking .

'Um, Komai-sensei . You went to Masato-kuns house yesterday, right?

Komai gaped at Haruka .

'Why do you know that

Komai gripped Harukas arms .

Her doubt was natural, but that confusion seemed beyond that .

'With what happened before, I was concerned . Since I had happened to be nearby

'I see . I felt the same as you . Youve developed a sense as a teacher too .

Komai let go of Haruka and smiled . Another forced smile

'Is that so?

Though she replied, that didnt mean Haruka had accepted Komais answer .

'Thats right . I think Ive forgotten something . You can go on first .

After Komai said that quickly, she turned on her heels and walked away briskly .

Shes hiding something

Haruka had no basis for it, but she had that suspicion .

But even if she thought Komai was hiding something, what on earth was she hiding? Haruka didnt know . While she thought about it, Haruka walked to the shoe cupboard, changed into her pumps and went outside .

Rustle .

The bushes by the pool were shaking unnaturally .

Haruka stopped and looked cautiously, when somebody came out from the shrubs .

Haruka immediately hid behind a pillar .

It was Konno .

He was holding something like a paper bag carefully in front of his chest . After he looked around cautiously, he walked away .

The police had said nobody was allowed near the pool .

What was Konno doing there

Haruka wanted to know, but she didnt think of calling out to stop him .

Ever since the corpse was found, strange things have been happening one after the other . I hate it

Haruka walked away with a quickly beating heart .

Suddenly, she felt somebody watching her and looked up .

She saw a boy peering out from one of the windows on the second storey of the school building .

He had a carefree smile on his face as he gave a big wave .

Shed never seen him before . What class was he from?

Haruka was doubtful, but she waved back .

When she did, the boy disappeared like he had melted .

Were my eyes playing tricks on me, or was that

16

While Ishii drove the car, he took a sidelong glance at Gotou in the passenger seat .

He was still laughing . He was telling Yakumo in the backseat about Ishiis huge blunder .

However, it wasnt funny to Ishii .

He had never disliked Gotou as much as he had today .

Ishii had been thrust in front of such a large audience with no explanation whatsoever of course he couldnt explain the case, even if he was told to .

It had been really terrible .

It wouldnt be an exaggeration to say it was the most embarrassing moment of Ishiis life .

Hed made an unparalleled blunder .

It wasnt an excuse, but hed been frightened to death .

Hed planned on talking as well as he could, but the words didnt come out . The guardians had made a clamour about that .

The abuse the guardians hurled had reverberated in his head, and then

Hed fainted .

When Ishii came to, the gymnasium had been empty . There would definitely be a flood of complaints for the police after this .

His head hurt juts thinking about it .

The only good thing was that Haruka hadnt seen that blunder .

'Oi, Ishii . You angry? said Gotou as he wiped the tears that had come up from laughing too much .

'Im not angry .

Ishii gripped the wheel tightly . His driving was erratic .

'You are angry .

'Thats incorrect . Its just that because of what happened, many civilians now feel that the police are unreliable . I am concerned about that .

'Just leave that be and itll work itself out .

'Detective Gotou, do you not think about anything?

Ishii spoke in a voice so loud it even surprised himself .

'Oi, oi . You rebelling?

'No Im not .

Gotou smirked when Ishii denied it .

'Youre becoming more and more like a detective .

Gotou poked Ishiis shoulders .

'Why do you think that?

'You can voice your own opinions now .

Putting aside whether voicing your own opinions made you a better detective, the reason he could do that was because of Annas counselling .

It felt like his emotions were more erratic than usual .

'By the way, Yakumo . How was your side of things?

Gotou turned to the backseat and changed the topic .

'Unfortunately, there have been no leaps in progress, said Yakumo with a yawn .

Though he had refined features, there was no expression on them and Ishii couldnt tell what he was thinking .

He could tell a few things though, after knowing Yakumo for a few months .

Though Yakumo had said there wasnt much progress, that wasnt actually true .

Yakumo wouldnt give any vague reasoning if he hadnt gathered all the information .

However, in that head, he was putting together theories and running simulations while pursuing the truth .

'Then theres no point in the investigation .

With or without knowing Yakumos personality, Gotou crossed his arms in irritation .

'Gotou-san, how is the investigation I asked you to do?

When Yakumo said that, Gotou opened the glove compartment, took an old booklet from it and threw it towards the backseat .

'While Ishii was unconscious, I got the teacher called Yokochin or something to get it .

'Isnt it Yokouchi? Please at least remember peoples names, Yakumo remarked immediately .

'Stop being so fussy

'How about the matter with the firefighters?

Yakumo continued speaking, ignoring Gotous grumblings .

'Right . Thats right . I forgot about that .

This time, Gotou took a notebook from his pocket .

However, no matter how many times Ishii saw this, it felt strange . A civilian and a university student at that was using a detective for his own purposes .

Plus, that was a detective as high-handed and unconventional as Gotou .

Ignoring Ishiis thoughts, Gotou started explaining while looking at the notebook .

'On the day of the incident, according to what the firefighter who went to put out the fire said, it was already a sea of fire when they got there . One kid was crying outside . After they talked to him, theyd rushed inside they heard there were still two kids inside .

It appeared that Gotou was talking about the fire that had occurred at the elementary school twenty-eight years ago .

'And then? Yakumo urged .

'There were two kids collapsed inside, but theyd been able to tell that one was beyond help at one look . His body was burning . They saved the kid who was injured but still alive first . That kid was Tobe Kengo .

'How did they know it was Tobe Kengo? asked Yakumo .

'Seems the kid said so himself . Plus, he had a toy in his hand with his name on it . The dad confirmed it when he came too .

Gotou finished speaking and closed the notebook .

When Ishii glanced at the back mirror, he saw Yakumo pinching his brow with his fingers while looking down .

That was the pose he took when he was thinking .

To be honest, Ishii was often irritated by Yakumos attitude and words .

He especially couldnt forgive how Yakumo acted towards Haruka . However, nobody was more reliable for their ability to think .

Yakumos peculiar perspective had brought many cases to their solution .

It was true that there were some cases they could have solved without Yakumo .

However, it would be difficult to say that they would have been able to solve it in the same amount of time . Lives had been saved because Yakumo was there .

'Gotou-san . Theres something I would like you to investigate in addition to that .

Yakumo raised his pale face like hed thought of something .

'Oi, oi . Again?

Gotous cheek twitched as he spoke up, displeased .

'Its fine if you dont want to . It doesnt matter to me if the case goes unsolved .

After Yakumo said that in his usual tone, he put his hands behind his head with composure .

When it came to this, there wasnt any chance of Gotou winning .

'Fine, fine . Ill investigate whatever .

'Please say that from the beginning . Its a waste of time .

Gotou was clearly angry at those words and shouted 'You bastard! as he turned around and raised his fist towards the backseat, but Yakumo was calm .

'Detective Gotou, please stop it .

Ishii gripped Gotous shoulders and frantically tried to pacify him .

'Yakumo, Ill definitely punch you someday!

Gotou left that childlike remark and turned back forward, but perhaps he had nowhere to turn his anger because he gave Ishiis chest a horizontal chop .

'Oof .

Ishii coughed at the surprise attack .

What a hit .

'So what do you want me to investigate? said Gotou recklessly .

Yakumo replied, 'Please look into the background of the father of the boy called Oomori Masato . Id also like details about Ushijima Atsushi-kuns mother, Harue, as soon as possible .

Where on earth is this case headed

Ishii felt vaguely anxious .

17

Haruka couldnt fall asleep after getting in bed .

When she closed her eyes, a flashback appeared behind her eyelids .

The whispered rumour about ghosts . The burnt corpse they found when theyd gone to confirm whether that rumour was true

Was Masato related to that case somehow?

Yakumo had said that Masato was hiding something . Hed also said that Masato wanted to talk about that to somebody .

I want to listen to him if I can .

Why am I trying so hard for Masato

While pondering these things, Haruka turned over and curled up so she was hugging her knees .

It had to be because Haruka carried a shadow of her own

The death of her twin sister, Ayaka .

Harukas older sister had died because of her . However, she couldnt tell anyone and lived with that shut away in her heart .

Yakumo was the one who had listened to her .

Haruka had been released from her curse then .

If Masato was cursed like Haruka was, she wanted to release him from that .

Im cursed .

When Masato had said that, the sad expression on his face had looked like Yakumos .

Im probably overlapping Masato with Yakumo . Thats why Im so absorbed

Interrupting her endless thoughts, her mobile phone rang .

Who could it be at this hour?

Haruka reached out a hand from her bed to pick up the mobile phone on the table . The number displayed on it was Yokouchis .

There was the possibility that he was contacting her in an emergency . Haruka sat up and answered .

'Hello, this is Ozawa .

<Ah, Ozawa-san . Im sorry for calling at this hour, but>

His tone was dark . She could guess just from that that it wasnt good news .

'Whats wrong?

<I was just contacted earlier, but er>

Yokouchis unclear words invited irritation .

Harukas heart started beating more quickly .

'What happened?

<Komai-sensei I heard that she passed away . >

'Eh?

Haruka felt suspended, as if she had fallen from a high place, and the blood drained from her face .

She lost her strength and dropped her mobile phone unconsciously .

'Why Why?

<I dont know the situation . I heard she was found collapsed outside her apartment>

Haruka recalled the scene on the roof .

Masato had pointed straight at Komai and proclaimed

'Youll die next!

I cant believe that became reality

NOTES:

[1] Japan separates its rubbish into combustible, incombustible and oversize (among others; its confusing) .

[2] A gakuran is one version of the Japanese male school uniform, usually black . HEREs one being sold by COSPA .