novelVolume 5, The Detective and the Love Professor (2)
| ← Ch.35 | Ch.37 → |
I had a look at the namecard, and felt that something was amiss. I tried flipping the namecard over and over again, even checking from various angles, but I could not figure out what was amiss.
What was it? While I was finally about to figure out something.
"Huh, you're heading back?"
I heard a voice, and hurriedly stuffed the namecard into my pocket. I lifted my head, and saw aunty returning from the supermart.
"Sorry for having you witness something embarrassing. We have been arguing recently."
She shook her head, giving a wry smile. Truly, I did not know how to answer. Did I really lack presence?"
Aunty stood at the door for quite a while, and lifted her head at the signboard, before lowering her head again, sighing. She probably felt awkward, I guess. They just had a quarrel, so it's no wonder she's like this.
"But it's just some small, meaningless shop..."
Aunty's smile was filled with melancholy.
"Alcoholics really aren't suited to manage wine shops. That husband of mine, and Tomozou, both of them paid no thought to anything other than the shop.
Aunty let out a deep, reluctant sigh.
"Was his father...like that too?"
I asked without thinking too much. Aunty's sidelong face was too depressing.
"Yes...while we did not have many customers, he would drive the truck everywhere, looking for the goods as long as he was requested. He never had a good sleep, and ended up in that accident. It's stupid. I don't want his child to end up like that either."
I gulped.
"I should have struggled on alone and made sure that child went to college."
Aunty shook her head,
"He probably had lots of things he wanted to do, yet he just kept working, and working every day after he left high school."
I guess men are fools, no? Aunty muttered to herself, and I could not answer, except to nod politely, and escape to where I parked my bicycle.
I entered the office, and found Alice, along with another visitor.
"Oh, Narumi-kun, nice timing."
Seated on the near side of the bed was the posh-looking, host-like youth Hiro, who was dressed in cream-colored short blouson, and grey slacks. He was holding a bath towel, holding a pair of scissors and hair care, gently combing Alice's long hair.
"What are you doing..."
"Taking care of the hair. This room is dry, and there is a need to moisten."
"Hiro, are you done yet? I'm feeling stressed now that I can't move my head around."
Alice, facing the screen, did not sound too happy.
"How about you learn how to take care of the hair too, Narumi-kun? I can teach you."
"Why do I have to do this?"
"Aren't you the detective assistant?"
Yeah, I'm the detective assistant. So what?
"Am I going to experience such suffering every day if you teach Narumi? Stop that already!"
Alice kept tapping at the keyboard. So everyone thinks that I have nothing better to do?
"But hair needs to be cared for every day. Alice, your long hair is a work of art, and it doesn't just belong to you."
"If it doesn't just belong to me, then who else?"
Hiro's sweet talk should be able to sink the hearts of many ladies, but it seemed completely ineffective on Alice. I was a little relieved.
...Why am I feeling relieved?
"Actually, I got the camera recordings. Don't you want to check them?"
The only thing I could assist Alice with was to handle the footage. Hiro gave me some room, and I was nudged the pile of dolls aside, finally having space on the bed.
When was it that I could get onto the bed and approach like that? While I was wondering, the mouse was moved over to me.
"You're in charge of watching the video. If you see anyone on the TV, extract that part."
"I know."
*
Late at night, once all the customers at 'Ramen Hanamaru' had finally dispersed, the NEET detective team gathered at the back door. It was a long time since the trio were gathered. Tetsu-senpai looked grim.
"We figured out the likely period the wine was tampered." Senpai said, "Only one was affected this time. We searched through all the stocks in the shop too. I don't want to do this a third time."
Speaking of which, it did seem senpai did help out with the testing the first time. To do the same thing twice in a short period of time is mentally draining.
"The tampered wine was one of those Tomozou-san brought out yesterday evening, to be delivered to the customer. Aunty discovered it this morning, so it's like that's the period it was tampered."
"I had a rough check through all the footage, but the problem is that nobody actually approached the warehouse though?"
"And there aren't any other cameras in the storage. I should have splurged and installed infrared cameras."
Major obviously looked peeved, for despite installing the high grade equipment he was confident in, the shop was broken into.
"Are there any other entrances to the storage?" Hiro asked, but Tetsu-senpai shook his head.
"Then how did the culprit get in? Are we sure it was fine when Tomozou-san put it there? Was it tampered before he did so? Like if he missed out during the first tests...?"
"That's impossible." Tetsu-senpai concluded.
"Don't be too hasty to conclude. Think about it again. The last time Tomozou-san saw those bottles of wine, they were fine, and nobody actually approached the storage until aunty found it. Didn't you see it too, Narumi-kun?"
"Yes." I nodded.
"Then isn't this an impossible crime? There's no other way to slip into the warehouse."
Tetsu-senpai and Major appeared to have issues with Hiro's ideas, but they remained silent.
"Erm."
I suddenly thought of something, and voiced out. The trio turned to look at me in unison, and I was a little scared, but I took out a printed footage of the camera in the shop, and placed it on the wooden stool in the middle."
"There's a way to enter the storage without being seen on the camera."
"What?"
Major asked, looking displeased.
"What method?" Tetsu-senpai folded his arms.
"Well...in other words...I pointed at a corner of the printout, the part where the cupboards of the shop was taken, "Isn't there a blind spot behind the counter? If you bend down, head past the counter, and enter the corridor..."
The black noren and the back of the counter formed a blind spot the camera could not capture.
"But even if there is a blind spot, if you enter from the door inside, you'll be seen on the cameras... ahh."
Tetsu-senpai swallowed his words.
"So the culprit entered from the house?"
Hiro continued. I nodded.
To the right of the counter was Tomozou-san's house. If one ducked down to evade from the camera, it would be very possible to enter the corridor leading to the storage.
"Okabayashi Sundries is closed for now, and it's not like there's anyone in the shop at all times. Anyone can enter if they want to, I guess?"
"Wait, Vice Admiral Fujishima." Major cut me off, "We can't just decide if it's possible or not. This isn't a quiz. If anyone's to enter like that, he has to figure out where the cameras are set."
Ah...I see.
My thought process was always based on 'it's impossible to be caught on camera', but that's only if there's anyone who knows what's going on in the shop. As Major said, this isn't a quiz. To enter this way, one would have to know where the cameras are set, and also know 'I won't get caught on camera if I head at the inner side of the counter'.
"But right now, the only plausible method is suggested by Narumi-kun." Hiro supported my idea.
"But Hiro, if we can't be sure of where the cameras are set, it's impossible to enter like this."
"Got it, the culprit is Major."
"Right!"
Tetsu-senpai concluded, and Hiro added fuel to the fire, resulting in a short skit. Hiro and Tetsu-senpai acted as constable, lawyer and judge, while Major half-jokingly protested his innocence. Finally, the cruel verdict was a denkianma for three straight hours, before the trio before me returned to reality and sighed hard. These guys really look like they're having fun all the time...
So Major was trying to clear the mood as he suddenly changed the topic,
"Let's not talk about how the intrusion was down. Hiro, didn't you say the outside camera caught a suspect?"
Hiro glanced aside at me, and went from one folding leg to another, nodding away. I placed the printed pictures on the table; these were the footages I extracted from the front and back doors.
There were eight photos in total, all of them catching sight of the same middle aged man, the unimpressive looking supermarket manager.
"He was wandering around Okabayashi Sundries the past two days, twice per day." I explained.
"Who's he? Did you find out about him, Hiro?"
"Yeah I did. I went to the supermarket, checked with the company too. He should be innocent though."
"So that's why you're in a suit."
After the footage was checked at noon, Hiro changed into a suit and went out to investigate, only returning just a moment back. He's a gigolo who had nothing to do, yet quick on the go at such matters.
"Hotta Kiyoshi, the business growth manager of Ricomart. He's high ranked, but it's the first shop they established, and they needed to get operations up and running, so he's shop manager too. It seemed he's dropping by the head office every alternate day, and showing up at the shop on other days. He's really busy."
"So he's trying to get Okabayashi Sundries bankrupt so that he can get the land for parking lots?"
"That's too far-fetched. He's an executive of a big company here. If news get out, his life will be ruined."
"But he's really as annoying as a stalker here, telling Tomozou-san to sell the land every day. He just have the criminal feeling to him." Major said.
"He was wandering around the shop over the past two days, and to be honest, he's a little weird. But...even if the shop closes, the land won't necessarily be sold. Is he that stupid?"
Hiro folded his arms again,
"Do you know when this Hotta went to the shop, and to the corporate office?" I asked.
"Hm? He was at the shop yesterday, and the day before. Three days ago, he was at the corporate office. Why?"
"Ah, it's not." I was dejected, "I was wondering if he did see Major installing the cameras...doesn't seem that way though."
The cameras were installed three days ago. If he did go to the corporate office that day, it would be impossible."
"Are you still harping on the idea that anyone can duck under the counter to hide from the cameras, Vice Admiral Fujishima?" Major sounded a little impatient. Is that a bad thing?
At that moment, I suddenly thought of something.
Suddenly, I thought of something.
There was someone else who could have seen the installation of the cameras-.
Yumi-san.
She just so happened to be leaving Okabayashi Sundries when I arrived, and wandered around for a moment. Maybe she saw Major installing the cameras.
Also, she had a motive.
Once Okabayashi Sundries go down, the shackle preventing her from marrying Tomozou-san will be gone.
I swallowed this bitter feeling. So being a detective's such an annoying thing?
"What is it?"
Hiro suddenly noticed me being silent, and looked at my face. I brooded for amoment, and finally spoke up,
"Erm...please don't laugh if you hear this. It's the same thought, but just a guess."
I tried to defend myself before sharing my suspicions about Yumi-san. Major rolled his eyes at me, Hiro looked startled, and Tetsu-senpai just burst out laughing.
"I said it was a guess..."
"Hm...ahh, sorry for laughing. Yumi-san's fine though. Definitely not her. After Tomozou-san sorted out the wine, he went out with her, until this morning."
"Eh...?"
A perfect alibi.
I hunch over, and sighed, wanting to stick my head between my thighs. Actually, I too heaved a sigh of relief. I really didn't want to suspect Yumi-san.
"He said they had a quarrel. Maybe it's because they were dating? At this critical moment..."
"No, I heard it's for work. Said that there's some wine tasting. Even the businesses from Okinawa participated, and he had some wine he wanted to import. That's why he had aunty watch the shop, and went out."
I see. Since both of them couldn't open a shop, and there's no orders to deliver, so he could only focus on importing? Well, these two are kinda hardworking...
Hm? Okinawa?
"So both of them kept drinking until the next morning?"
"I really don't know whether those two are on good terms or not..."
"Well, whatever. I'll go have a chat with Yumi-san. Maybe she saw something on the day the cameras were installed?"
"Hiro, you know her?"
"No need to know a pretty lady beforehand if I want to hear her out."
"Don't hear her out in a hotel though. Tomozou-san's going to kill you."
"Well, got to look at the mood first. I can't give any guarantees~"
Tetsu-senpai smacked Hiro in the back of the head, and they stood up, along with Major. The trio bumped fists right above the wooden, and quietly departed the valley between the buildings.
I was left behind, and was left strangely helpless, unable to escape the third floor of the emergency staircase, and could only look down at the ground blankly.
If Okabayashi Sundries goes down, will Tomozou-san and Yumi-san get married? I suddenly had this thought. Alice might be sad, right...? Speaking of which, that's the reason why Alice's working hard to investigate this, isn't it?
So what should I do?
A thought suddenly appeared in my mind, but I didn't know how to handle to. It was really way out there, such that I sensed that I could not just leave it as it was, that I had to investigate.
While the foolish thoughts in my mind kept swelling to the point of explosion, an icy object suddenly approached my face.
"—Woah."
I tilted back in shock, and rolled down the stairs.
"Shut up. Keep it down, will you?"
It was Min-san. It seemed the ramen shop had closed for the day. Min-san had taken off her tank top, and was in a sarashi again. She shoved the cup of ice cream into my hands, and sat next to me. You know, I really had been thinking about this for a while, but I really don't know where to look at when you're like that.
"You're not eating? I'm going to finish both."
Min-san said as she put a spoonful of her portion into the mouth. I hurriedly picked up my spoon.
"This...is Japanese wine flavored?"
"Yep. Tomozou-san delivered some nice sweet wine, so I tried it out. I always wanted to, but it's too bad I couldn't find a matching Japanese wine..."
The ice cream melted on my tongue, and the scent of rice whiffed past my nostrils.
"Nice?"
I nodded. I really was grateful this person here did not give up her dreams on making ice cream while focusing on cooking ramen.
"I have a request too."
"...Eh?"
"I will be bothered if that shop closes down too. Go help him out."
I stared blankly at Min-san's sidelong face, and after a long while, I nodded firmly.
Why say such things to me? I couldn't help but wonder. But actually, there's no need to think much into this problem. Min-san probably understood that I was brooding over such a stupid issue, I guess.
I really owed a lot of favors. I took another mouthful of this ice cream with a complex taste. Due to the alcohol, the warmness grazed my throat.
I'm a detective assistance, and had accepted Tomozou-san's request. I swallowed the ice cream that was as sweet and bitter as this fact, and stood up.
*
That night, I did my own investigations in my room, a rarity at that. While it's investigating, I might say that I was just searching the internet. I was being a small time NEET detective. Truth be told though, it's better than relying on Alice all the time.
There were two name cards on the table, side by side. One of them was Yumi-san's while the other's Hotta Kiyoshi's. The address of both companies were on the same floor. This was the strangeness I sensed when I picked up Hotta-shi's namecard.
And I quickly found the answer.
The parent company of Ricomart so happened to be Wakui Food Corporation Pte Ltd, Yumi-san's company.
It's hard to imagine it being a coincidence, but the relationship between Hotta Kiyoshi and Yumi-san was established. I camped in this bedroom without lights sighing at the monitor.
There was something else I was concerned with. The Shisa display. Didn't Tomozou-san visit the Okinawan businessman to find the other matching Shisa?
That answer remained hidden within the vast internet.
"...Ahh. May 13th. So that's how it is, huh...?"
I recalled all the things Tomozou-san said, and muttered to myself as I nodded always. While this probably had nothing to do with the case, it blew at the necessary truth I was trying to come up with.
I guess that kind of a nice shop shouldn't close down after all.
*
The following day, after school.
"The parent company of Ricomart?"
I finally summoned the courage to ask, while Alice, holed up under the blanket on the bed of the detective agency, nonchalantly responded.
"Wakui Food Corporation. Wakui Yumi's father is the chairman."
"So you found out already...?"
"What?"
I was feeling really jumpy, but I barely managed to continue my explanation. Yumi-san might have witnessed the cameras being installed, but had an alibi on the day the wine was tampered. On the other hand, while Hotta Kiyoshi didn't see the installation, but he had been wandering around Okabayashi Sundries when the incidents happened. In other words...
"If both of them have colluded, that Wakui Yumi informed Hotta Kiyoshi of the installed cameras, and there might be a possibility of a break-in, so I may say."
"Yes."
Why was she able to remain so calm? While nodded away, I was left confused.
"So what should I say? How short-circuited your thought process is has left me speechless. Are those two the only suspects in your mind?"
"Ugh...well, it's too much to dismiss it as a coincident."
"How is this just a coincidence? Have you forgotten? Wakui Food Corporation and Okabayashi Sundries have been on familiar terms with each other since the last generation. In any case, that 'Ricomart' might have been opened as ordered by Wakui Food Corporation, aiming for Okabayashi Sundries."
Opened--aiming for the shop?
Wh-what does this mean? A massive flag raised just to topple over a little wine shop? What's with that? Isn't that more ridiculous than my guess.
"But there is something I need you to handle. With that, you can get rid of that utterly pessimistic doubt."
It appeared from Alice's tone that my suggestion was an irrational delusion not worth considering.
She waved her hand, and so I got onto the bed with an abnormally tense heart.
"Erm." So I asked without thinking.
"What?"
"About that, well, you don't think of anything when I'm just getting onto the bed as I please, do you?"
Alice widened her eyes, blinking, tilting her head in confusion,
"Ah—no, sorry."
If she was concerned, she wouldn't have let me onto the bed, I guess? I sat down at the keyboard, right beside Alice, and appearing on the many screens were the surveillance footages of Okabayashi Sundries.
"Based on your assumption, nobody can be caught on camera if they bend down behind the counter and head to the storage. Am I correct?"
"...Yes."
"But is it really a complete blind spot?"
Upon hearing Alice's words, I tried enlarging the image of that part. As expected of a high definition camera from Major, even after enlarging, there were no mosaics.
There was a dark blue noren hanging at the entrance to the corridor at the back of the counter, and if something ducked down and slowly approached there to enter, the cameras shouldn't be able to pick it up.
"No...it's not a completely blind spot, I guess?"
The noren did not completely cover the corridor, and there was a gap between the walls, and also a partition between the norens, which I could vaguely see what was behind. If someone passed through the corridor, there should be some movements on the teeny gaps shown on the footage.
"So now, let's start searching using the possible times the crime could have been done. I'll edit the code, and you figure out the footage you can identify."
"...Yeah."
If we're going to narrow our search for any particular range over a long time, it'll be easier to write a code than it is to observe with the naked eye.
The search time would be the twenty hours since Tomozou-san was done assembling and left the storage.
About 20 hours passed until the following day, when aunty found that the wine was following day.
Within 30 seconds, the code Alice write quickly scanned through the footage over the past twenty hours.
But it did not stop.
"You know what this means, right?"
She muttered by my ear, and I could only nod blankly."
"Oh, we got mail."
She turned to the other screen. I really could not believe this outcome, so I ran the script again. The results were the same. A calculator could never make a mistake; the one at fault every time is a human.
Nobody approached the storage during the last 20 hours.
In that case, how did the culprit do it?
How did the culprit enter the storage?
"Hm? Sesame oil? Perfect."
Alice suddenly noted. I looked over at the screen, and saw her close the email.
"...What was that?"
"The analysis of the impurities mixed into the wine. It's said that it's just sesame oil. Alright, time to see how to end this..."
How to end this...?
"The truth is out, isn't it?"
"Ehhh?"
Alice shrugged.
"Please don't make a fuss out of everything. Do you think that's a prerequisite of a detective's assistant or something?"
"No, but."
"The path leading to the truth is always so simple, but the detective's job happens after the truth is discovered."
Alice took off the blanket draped over her shoulders, and opened the cupboard. It was the first time I had looked into the cupboard, and colourful dresses were hanging neatly there. So she has so many clothes after all...?
Finally, she took out one set, and laid it out on the table. It was a plain, black, nothing fancy on it.
The mourning clothes I always saw.
Alice returned to the bedside, and started undoing her pajamas, starting from the top button.
...W-wait a sec. I hurriedly got off the bed.
"Voice out before you change clothes!"
"Hm? Where are you going? It's hard to pull the zip on the back of this dress. Wait, you."
I say,
Anyway, it's pointless to say anything more, so I hid in the kitchen and waited for Alice to be done changing. After a while, I heard her giving a call to someone else.
"Tomozou? It's me. Come over to 'Hanamaru'...hm? With your girlfriend? It's fine, perfect. What's with the courtesy...no, it hasn't ended. Just a little longer."
"...Yes, gather at 'Hanamaru'. Tomozou seems free at 9 or so, so that time...yes, it's over. I understand."
She put down the receiver.
"Narumi, the zipper on the back, please."
Alice probed her face from the other side of the freever. I sighed, and stood up.
Alice was wearing her mourning clothes.
In other words, the case was going to end.
*
It was 9pm when Alice and I left the office. We descended the emergency staircase, and heard the voices of many coming from "Ramen Hanamaru'.
"Never saw you go all out in a while, Tomozou-san."
"No no, don't tempt me."
"It's fine, tempt him, that'll be good for business here. Hey Tomozou, drink up as much as you want. I'll send you back home."
"So who's better at holding liquor? You or Yumi-san?"
"If it's only Shōchū, I am better than Tomo-kun."
"Stop lying. I'm better here. Bring them all here."
"So a drinking contest?"
"Wait, I can't drink much recently. Sorry..."
"It's fine. Open that bottle I just sent over. I'll finish it all."
"Tomozou-san's a goner!"
Yumi-san...you called us "the kids who's up to something", but you sure got them familiar, I guess? Beer's really powerful. I was about to approach the back door of the kitchen, but Alice tugged at my sleeve.
"We're leaving from the back door."
"Eh? Aren't you looking for Tomozou-san?"
"Be quiet. Let them drink all they want. We're headed for Okabayashi Sundries."
I didn't know why at all. Then why call Tomozou-san over?
We passed through the buildings, and went to the parking lot at the back. Once she saw my bicycle that was parked there, Alice looked really mortified,
"...We're going on a bicycle?"
"Not like we got any choice?"
How am I supposed to ferry this one here dressed in a fluffy skirt and holding a bear doll? What if my classmates see me?
"Can't we get Hiro to drive you there?"
"Hiro's the only one that if he's gone, Tomozou will be suspicious."
Alice sat sideway on the back rack, holding my waist with trembling hands. The bear doll was pressing firmly on my back.
"...Y-you hear me? Slow down. As slow as possible, and no sudden turns. If the ground is uneven, warn me beforehand."
Good grief, I shook my head, and kicked the bicycle stand off.
*
Okabayashi Sundries was already buried in darkness. In contrast, the supermarket next door was lit, making this place a lot darker. I got off the bicycle, and the arms wrapped around my waist suddenly loosened, causing me to hurriedly reach for Alice, who nearly fell from the rack.
"...You okay?"
"Uu...yeah."
Even through the black veil, I could see Alice's pale face. Stop forcing youself.
"Do you ride such a barbaric transportation tool to school every day? This is unbelievable."
"Your first time riding a bicycle?"
"I honestly wish this is the first and the last time."
"We still have to ride once back, don't we?"
"Uuu..."
As usual, Alice had the teddy bear pressed on my back as she grabbed my belt firmly.
"Let's hurry, I have difficulty breathing at a place without a ceiling."
We went to the back of Okabayashi Sundries, and pressed the doorbell.
"I'm here...oh?"
Aunty came to the door, and was mystified once she saw Alice behind me. It's wonder though.
"...Tomozou went to the ramen ship."
"E-erm, we're aren't here to look for Tomozou-san. I want to check the storage again. As for the one behind me, please don't mind."
Aunty remained perplexed, but she let us into the house.
"Are you Yuuko-chan? I heard from Tomozou...you look pale. Are you fine?"
"She's always like this, don't mind." I spoke up for Alice.
We entered the corridor, and Alice nearly collapsed on the floor, so I just grabbed her and pulled her up.
The lighting in the storage was darker than usual, and the air inside was rather chilly.
"And then? What are we looking for?"
"Sesame oil."
Sesame oil?"
"That sesame oil mixed with the wine? Over here? Maybe the culprit took it away?"
"It's definitely here. Don't ask, just look."
It seemed Alice did not intend to take action personally. Well, she's dressed like that, and can't really be looking around like that, but for me, I don't really mind...
The daily necessities were placed at the innerside of the racks. Sauces, mirin, salad oils, wheat, potato starch...these things were all stacked on the racks in boxes, unpacked, and finally, I found the box of sesame oil before me.
I opened the cardboard box, and immediately found it. A plastic seal on a bottle of sesame oil was ripped aside. I took it out, and found that the content had been reduced.
"...This one?"
I took the bottle out to Alice, and she nodded, looking pleased.
"Then it's all solved."
"What's solved? Why don't I get anything? You know the culprit?"
"Of course. Don't you understand? The culprit can only tamper the wine in the storage, because that thing has to be in the storage."
"Why?"
"Because of the camera."
"Camera? Didn't you just write the code? Nobody actually approached the storage."
"Think about it again. The time Tomozou sorted the wine, left the storage, and until the time the wine was found to be tampered with. You did check through the footage with me, didn't you?"
"So I say, nobody approached the storage..."
"Wasn't there someone?"
Someone.
But of all the recordings I searched through, from the moment Tomozou-san left the storage, until the following day—
I nearly blurted out.
Right.
There was someone.
The answer was so easy, I took it for granted. That answer was something nobody had realized.
No, but, why?
"The other possibilities do not tally, and while the one possibility left might seem unbelievable—it is the undisputed truth. Don't you think so?"
Alice's final words were not directed at me. She slowly turned towards the entrance of the storage.
Standing there with a pale face was aunty, who then tumbled and fell on her back.
"But...why did you do this?"
I eked out a voice, and it shook the silence that had gathered in this icy storage.
Aunty covered her face with both hands, her shoulders shivering.
It was aunty who found that the wine was mixed with impurities on Sunday. In other words, this person here caused the commotion by boldly entered the storage before the cameras, added sesame oil into the wine so boldly, and declared that someone tampered it.
But nobody suspected her.
Other than Alice.
The problem is—why do this?
"You probably want to close this shop in a way Tomozou won't find out, I guess? There's no other reason."
Alice's voice was colder than the air in the storage.
"That's because...I..."
Aunty stammered,
"It's because that boy wouldn't accept my pleas, always suffering for this shop...he-he has done enough, right? Why can't he let himself relax a bit? Yumi-chan has been waiting for him all this time, no?"
"That's it...you want to close the shop personally, just because of that reason?"
A strange sobbing sound could be heard from aunty's mouth.
"He gave his dreams of college for this shop. It's harder to do business now with a supermarket next door. There's no need...to hang on to this torn little shop. He should just get married to Yumi-chan—"
"That should be for Tomozou-san to decided, right?"
"At first." Aunty's voice was quaking, "I thought that if the shop couldn't be opened for the time being, Tomozou would slowly change his mind, so I just...took action without thinking..."
Without thinking? She actually said she took action without thinking?
"But that boy's so stubborn, always thinking about this shop. That Yumi-chan already...so...so I just thought this shop isn't..."
That's it? That's the reason? You rather close this shop Tomozou-san's working hard to save?
The silhouette of the girl in mourning clothes stood forlornly before the sobbing aunty, not saying anything. I too didn't know what to say. What do I do?
At this moment, something at a corner of my eye got my attention.
The black silhouette about the size of two hands clasped together was lying at the bottom leftside of the bottom rack. It was wrapped in plastic, and was a lot larger than the last time I saw it.
Tomozou-san found it, the other missing one.
I closed my eyes, and started to think.
Alice must have faced such issues lots of times before this, I guess? Do I have to break through certain people's hidden heartfelt words with a detective's arrogance? Is this really the right thing to do?
Or is there no need to?
I didn't know. I might think it was a lie. But I really couldn't think of anything, or maybe there wasn't an answer no matter how much I thought into it. That's the pain the speaker of the dead should bear.
"Narumi?"
Alice seemed to have noticed something as she turned her head towards me, but I shook my head towards her, knelt down and unravelled the plastic wrap. A colourful porcelain beast appeared before me—no, there was another. A pair of Shisas.
I carefully carried the two Shisas, and they were a lot heavy than I thought. Maybe it was because they carried some people's thoughts?
I placed the Shisas before aunty, and they let out a clunk. She lifted her head upon hearing it, her eyes already red and swollen from the crying.
"Aunty, you remember this?"
My voice got softer."
"...This...is..."
Aunty lowered her hands that were covering her face, and gazed at the Shisas.
"My husband's...but why are there two?"
"This is the one uncle bought...and left behind as a memorabilia, right?"
I stroked the head of the left Shisa.
"I think this one here was the one Tomozou-san bought on Saturday"
The Shisa on the right looked a lot kinder.
"Actually, uncle wanted to buy a matching pair, but it's said that he could only get one due to shortage. That's why Tomozou-san has been looking for the other one, and found it on Saturday."
"Ah...?"
"This isn't just a decoration. It's a wine flask. It contains the wine brewed in Okinawa."
Aunty's eyes widened a lot, and Alice gave a little gasp.
"Look, this is the cap. This wine is brewed by a company in Okinawa called Nakijin, and these two...are said to be husband and wife."
Aunty's hands landed weakly on her thighs. At this point, my eyes weren't on aunty, but at the pair of Shisas before my eyes, and I was practically talking to them.
"I heard that Tomozou-san's father once said, "Anyone has a bottle of wine that really suits him. No matter the customer, I hope to sell him the bottle that belongs to him"."
That became the one wish he couldn't finish. But—Tomozou-san's here."
"His father died without finding the female shisa, so Tomozou-san kept look. To look for that personal bottle of wine before May 13th—so he told me."
The second Sunday of May, to offer this bottle of wine to his mother, in place of a red Carnation.
"So this is actually the wine bottle belonging to you, aunty."
"Belonging...to me..."
I thought of something else I should do, and took a deep breath of icy air.
"Also, there's another bottle."
I took out another Shisa deep within the rack. Right before aunty were three Shisas resting on the icy floor of the storage. I stared at the last one, made up my mind, and said,
"This is probably for Yumi-san. I heard they went together to buy it."
"Eh?"
Aunty lifted her face up towards me,
"These three Shisas represent family, right? What uncle left behind symbolizes Tomozou-san."
I quietly waited for the meaning behind these words to sink into aunty's heart.
"So that means, that boy, and Yumi-chan will..."
I nodded to aunty, my heart aching. It was no longer speaking for the dead.
"I—"
I started, only to swallow my words. Could a detective express his own views? However, Alice kept looking at me, as though nodding. So I continued.
"I can't drink. I did try once, but I didn't know how to enjoy the taste. I don't know if the 'bottle that belongs to a single person' uncle really exists. But..."
But I hope it really does.
For that represent Tomozou-san continuing his father's wishes.
"I think this shop is great, to be looking all over the world for that one bottle of wine. I don't want it to close before I can enjoy it, so..."
I looked at aunty's face, which for some reason look hazy. Was she still crying?
"So, aunty, if you agree to it, please pretend not to notice this Shisa and put it back. Wait until next week, and when you receive it from Tomozou-san's hands, when you show that look of surprise again—"
Continue to run the shop with him.
Aunty slowly reached out towards the Shisa, stroking the smooth surface of the porcelain. She brought it before her eyes, mumbled some words as she kept nodding towards me. Drops of tears kept falling upon the matching Shisas.
As I left Tomozou-san's house, it seemed the neighboring supermarket was closing as the shutters slowly fell. The lighting shining upon the parking lots shortened as the shutters fell, finally vanishing, leaving behind a cold unbefitting of the start of summer. For a moment, I was unable to move when I was in the storage. If it wasn't for Alice reaching her hand out to tap at my shoulder, I might not be able to stand up.
So we left aunty behind. I wonder if my words did reach her?
"Of course they did." Alice chuckled, "You really aren't suited to be a detective."
"...Eh?"
"And because of that, I..."
It was rare to see Alice stammer, and she shook her head, making herself more vague.
"Now then, what do you think we should do?"
"What do you mean we should do?"
"Case is closed, and the NEET detective job is done for now. There is something else we have to do, as a normal detective."
That was to inform the client, Tomozou-san, that the case was settled.
"I'm the speaker of the dead. Once I have complicated feelings to the living...I don't know what to do."
Alice, who was behind the doll, seemed so small and helpless. Her voice was right next to me, yet it seemed she was so far away from me.
So I sighed, and answered,
"I think I just need to report half the truth."
I could not lie, but I could not state all the truths. So...
"I'll report to him, okay? I'll just say that we found out who the culprit is, and that the culprit won't do this again. We can't reveal the name though."
But Tomozou-san might figure out who the culprit was if he heard that.
"I guess...well, I shall inform Tomozou instead. A detective's reputation will be ruined if such an important job is left to the assistant, and furthermore, " with a thud, Alice patted me on the back, "You really can't lie."
Aren't you the same? I wanted to retort, but whatever. Even if Alice did not lie, she could simply dismiss any questions with that arrogant attitude of hers; it's something this useless assistant here will never be able to learn.
"But...I just said a huge lie."
"Yes, I know."
Alice showed a kind smile, and I sighed with relief, nearly crying,
"It just so happened to be one female and two male Shisas. It's too much to say that the last one is meant for Wakui Yumi."
"You realized...?"
Tomozou-san kept looking for the female Shisa for his mother; there was no doubt about that. About Yumi-san and the rest later one, it was all nonsense on my part.
"The other male Shisa just happened to be an extra, no? Very few will buy a female one, so by buying a pair representing husband and wife, there will naturally be an extra male. That's just all, right?"
I knew that very well.
But my words distorted the truth. It became a lie made to touch aunty's heart.
And even so, Alice showed an understanding, welcoming, kind smile,
"But, Narumi. That is not a lie. That is a 'story'."
Story?
"Yes, it is a sculpture of the happiness and despair of reality. One day, it will take form as something. Before then, it cannot be considered a lie, just words you blurted out. You can just wait for Tomozou and Wakui Yumi's marriage. There is no need to feel guilty."
As usual, I didn't get what Alice was saying...no, but...
"Those two can't get married, right?"
And...wasn't Alice working so hard to prevent their marriage?
"Not let Tomozou get married? Why would I bother with such a stupid thing?"
Alice widened her eyes in surprise. Eh?
"The main point is, Wakui Yumi is three months pregnant, you know? Even if we let them be, they will get married."
"Ehhhh?" Ho-how do you know that!?
"Didn't you suspect Wakui Yumi before? I did consider that possibility before, but that was way before you did. So I sent Hiro to investigate, and found that she had been visiting the gynaecologist regularly."
So the situation between them got that serious and urgent? No, but...
"...Is that okay? Don't you feel anything about this, Alice?"
"What?"
"No, nothing at all."
All I knew was that I was gravely mistaken about something. But, no, what's with Alice's attitude towards Tomozou-san? My mind was completely confused, yet Alice kept nudging at my back, prompting me to head towards the bicycle parked forlornly in the shadows of the roadside.
"Right, let's get going. If we don't hurry, those drunkards might go crazy and get a pregnant lady drunk."
"Ahh...yeah."
Alice cautiously sat on the rack, wrapping her arms around my waist as she made this unreasonable request, "Listen, don't shake, and hurry." Suddenly, I had a mischievous thought in my mind. Perhaps we could take the longer road...
Two people riding together doesn't feel bad.
*
Okabayashi Sundries opened shop again the following day. After school, I took a bundle of celebratory flowers and went to the wine shop. They were Tulips grown by the gardening club.
I opened the shop door, and immediately heard Tomozou-san growl, shocking me enough to jolt back.
"How many times have I rejected you? What do I have to do with your company's business?"
"No, erm, so I say, we won't be bothering you over the land. About setting up a branch in our shop, please listen."
"Impossible. Do we look like we have enough staff on hand?"
In front of the counter, kneeling before the round table Tomozou-san was at was that Hotta Kiyoshia-shi. Why's he here again? Hasn't he learned his lesson? Anyway, while this guy has nothing to do with the case, he is way too annoying, isn't he?
"Ah-ah-ah, you do seem to have a guest. I shall take my leave for today. Next time, I shall return if there is an opportunity..."
"I told you not to come back already. Hey, dispense with the door gift. Take it away."
Tomozou-san took out a long, narrow bag.
"Yah, I thought you would be delighted with it, Okabayashi-sama. It's Moriizou."
"Hm?"
Tomozou-san's expression changed. Morrizou's a famous, premier, Shouchuu.
"Don't think you can bribe me with wine."
"No no no, I definitely do not have such intentions My foresight is no match against yours Okabayashi-sama. I shall take back this terrible gift then."
"No, wait, since you brought it here, I shall accept graciously, but don't come back." So you're accepting?
So Hotta Kiyoshi-shi exited the shop in what could be described as a very artistic bunch.
"Ahh, why do you always see something embarrassing from me..."
Toozou-san slipped the bag under the counter as he said this,
"You say that, but aren't you butting heads against the supermarket people?"
"Well, it doesn't look like they want our land now. They want our shop."
"Shop?"
"Not really." Tomozou-san looked away awkwardly, "He said he wishes for us to open a stand inside the supermarket."
"I see..."
"Seems like their alcohol sales aren't too good, and they need our shop's procurement routes and professional knowledge. That uncle really has it tough. I really am grateful that I didn't choose to be a salaryman in the first place..."
At this point, I finally realized. Alice did mention this, that 'Ricomart' opened shop, aiming at Okabayashi Sundries. So that's what she meant? Wakui Food Corporation had gone a long way back with Okabayashi Sundries, so they had seen the true value. Looks like things got complicated. It was slow of me, but I handed the flowers.
"Oh, what is it?"
"Well, it's to celebrate the reopening."
"Thanks. Mom went out to deliver, and can't serve you tea. Sorry."
What happened to Tomozou-san and aunty? Did he figure out the truth? Ultimately, I did not know. As for whether there were any customers at Okabayashi's, that's not for me to be worried about. As for how Tomozou-san, hard at work, and Yumi-san would deal with the pregnancy, I didn't know.
But even so, I returned to this shop. That was because I was curious about the reaction from Alice. How should I ask?
"Thanks to you guys."
Tomozou-san merely said this, and heartily laughed. I guess he found out who the culprit was, so my instincts told me. It's only at such useless points that my instincts never went wrong.
"You had it tough too, being Yuuko's assistant. While Tetsu and Hiro have known Yuuko for a long time, they never approached her as much as you did. I guess that's a first for her, to have someone like you remain by her side."
I see—so that's it?
"Tomozou-san."
"Hm?"
"Why do you call Alice, Yuuko?"
"She'll get angry if I call her by her family name. She probably hates her own family."
I see...no, this isn't what I mean!
"No, erm, what I mean is, why her actual name?"
"Eh? Ah, you're asking this? Before she started the agency, she came over to our shop to buy stuff, and left it on her tab. That's why I know her name."
"Alice? Buying things here? But she doesn't drink alcohol, right?"
Tomozou-san immediately widened his eyes, and then chuckled as he pointed behind my back. I turned around, saw a glass fridge occupying a corner of the shop, and understood everything.
Behind the glass door were rolls of neatly arranged 350ml Dr. Pepper cans. There were the common crimson Dr. Pepper, low calorie Dr. Pepper with red outline and white words, violet berries and cream Dr. Pepper, brown decal Dr. Pepper, and red striped cherry vanilla Dr. Pepper.
"Eh..." My throat just let out a strange sound, "So many types...?"
"It's normally impossible to get them in Japan. Got to import them. We're probably the only shop that provides all kinds of Dr. Pepper."
That's the reason? That's why Alice would go "I'm willing to do anything for this shop", that's all?
My face reflected on the glass panel of the fridge just broke into an unnatural smile. How else can I react other than to laugh?
At this moment, the cellphone on my chest pocket vibrated, and the 'Colorado Bulldog' ringtone echoed.
"Narumi, you're about to leave school now, right? Okabayashi just reopened today, so before coming over to the office."
"Ahh, yeah. I'm at Tomozou-san's place."
I cut off Alice, who was talking faster and faster, unable to hide her elation. If I had relaxed, I probably would have burst out laughing.
"Really? Great! I want—"
"How many cans of each? You want all the types, right?"
"What's with you? Did you get infected with an illness that made you smarter?"
Shut up. None of your business.
"So, one case of each flavor."
"Wha!?"
"Don't forget the receipt."
She hung up.
Tomozou-san quickly brought out the cases from the storage.
"Cash...probably not. I can give you a receipt."
"Pkay...please leave this on the tab."
I was planning to buy some for her to drink, but I lost the mood.
"You can't carry all these cases with you, right? Maybe when my mom comes back, she'll deliver to you?"
"No, it's fine. I can move them all."
Tomozou-san widened his eyes in surprise. At this point, I just wanted to punish myself.
I stuffed a case of drinks into my backpack, and the others were barely tied down onto the rack. I supposed the weight of these drinks was probably 3 times Alice's weight.
But someone's waiting for them. This isn't a bad feeling. Let's keep this thought in mind.
So I convinced myself as I kicked the bicycle stand off, and pedalled hard.
| ← Ch. 35 | Ch. 37 → |