Vol 1 Chapter 2 (1/2)

SECRET FILES – KIZUNA

each wish: chapter 2

–

1

After hearing this much, Haruka let out a deep sigh.

She had visited Iss.h.i.+n to hear about somebody Yak.u.mo couldn’t forget, thinking it would be a short story about his first love or something.

However, now that even Gotou had shown up, the story had taken a turn she hadn’t expected.

More than anything, she was surprised about the difference in Yak.u.mo’s personality now.

Though Yak.u.mo was curt, he wouldn’t go so far as to reject other people.

As well, though he didn’t think fondly of his red left eye and his physical ability to see the spirits of the dead, she felt like he recognised that it was something he could not change.

However, the Yak.u.mo of the past was different –

‘You’re surprised,’ said Iss.h.i.+n, looking at Haruka after talking so far.

'Just a bit,’ replied Haruka while looking down.

If I met Yak.u.mo in the past, what would I have thought?

That question suddenly came to her. The answer – she didn’t want to think about it.

'It’d be a problem if you’re troubled here. The incident’s just started.’

Gotou laughed, his eyes glittering.

'This isn’t a funny story,’ Iss.h.i.+n said reprovingly.

'My bad. That’s right.’

Gotou accepted his fault honestly, which was unusual.

Haruka felt like the atmosphere had become suddenly heavier.

'Let’s take a short break. The tea’s cold too.’

Iss.h.i.+n said that, clearing the stagnant air, and placed the teacups on the tray, leaving the living room.

'Yak.u.mo really had scary eyes back then,’ Gotou said suddenly.

He was playing with his cigarette case as he narrowed his eyes, as if looking into the distance.

'Scary eyes?’

'Yeah. It was like he hated everything in the word.’

'I feel like I can imagine it, and I feel like I can’t…’

Yak.u.mo’s head came up in Haruka’s mind.

With his always sleepy eyes, he was running a hand through his messy hair.

He was curt and unfriendly, and everything he said and did was laced with sarcasm. Though he didn’t show it on the surface, he had both a strong will and kindness to him.

When Haruka was in danger, he would always come to save her, risking himself without any hesitation.

That was the Yak.u.mo Haruka knew.

However, it was true that Yak.u.mo’s eyes were sometimes incredibly frightening.

However, Haruka felt like the emotion in those eyes was anger towards evil.

It wasn’t hatred towards others.

'He changed because of that incident, but it’s not like he became somebody completely different. Just an extension of the same person.’

Haruka understood what Gotou was saying, but she still felt like there was something fundamentally different.

'Sorry for the wait.’

Iss.h.i.+n came back with tea.

'You’re late. Did you go to pick the tea leaves?’ Gotou complained irrationally.

'What a short-tempered man,’ said Iss.h.i.+n, sounding exasperated as he put the teacups in front of each of htem.

'Now, where did I talk up to?’

Iss.h.i.+n rubbed his hands together.

'Just as Yak.u.mo-kun was setting out to investigate the incident.’

'Ah, that’s right,’ replied Iss.h.i.+n, hitting his thigh. 'The next day…’

'You’re getting the order wrong!’ interrupted Gotou.

'Am I?’

'You are. My bit comes first. Otherwise it won’t connect.’

Gotou crossed his arms indignantly.

'Do what you want.’

At Iss.h.i.+n’s words, Gotou nodded in satisfaction before beginning.

'After nearly being burnt up, I…’

2

– Everything burned.

Gotou put his jacket with the burnt sleeve over his shoulders as he looked at the burnt remains in a daze.

Though the firefighters came right afterwards, the fire was so strong that all they could do was stop the fire from spreading to the surrounding buildings.

All that was left was a wall and a few poles – everything else had collapsed.

It was like there had been an air raid or something.

Under the lights that had been brought onto the hospital premises, people from forensics in blue uniforms were crawling about like wild dogs searching for food.

Gotou admired their persistence, but in this situation, they probably couldn’t hope for any useful evidence.

'What a mess,’ grumbled Miyagawa, holding a can of coffee out towards Gotou.

'It really was. I was almost burnt myself.’

Gotou opened the can of coffee and drank it all at once.

The caffeine went straight to his stomach.

s.h.i.+momura wasn’t found from the burnt remains. He probably used the confusion to get away.

Gotou felt frustration rise up from his stomach. s.h.i.+momura had been right there. It was pathetic of him to let him get away.

'It isn’t your fault he got away.’

Miyagawa hit Gotou’s shoulders, like he’d sensed how he felt.

With Gotou’s personality, he’d rather get hit with a fist at times like this. Being comforted just made him feel more pathetic.

'I definitely won’t let him get away the next time I see him.’

Gotou lit a cigarette.

He felt like the smoke was more painful than usual.

'Don’t get so worked up. You’ll start burning again.’

Miyagawa told a terrible joke while smirking. His humour sense was already that of an old man’s.

'Gotou. Got some time?’

The one who interrupted was Matsumura, an examiner from forensics who was in the same cla.s.s as Gotou.

The man’s face and even body were like that of a horse – there was something unrefined about him.

'What?’

'There’s something I want you to look at.’

Matsumura was mumbling like there was something in his mouth.

'Got a hold of something that proves the wife’s cheating or something?’

'That’s not it. Just come.’

Matsumura lightly let Gotou’s joke slide and walked away briskly.

– What an irritating guy.

Gotou grumbled that inwardly and followed Matsumura with Miyagawa.

They went through the pa.s.sage soaked with hose water to the back of the hospital.

The persimmon tree in the backyard was lit up.

There were two examiners there with shovels around the tree.

At their feet, there was a mountain of dirt. Beside it was a hole about a metre in diameter.

'Found treasure or something?’

Gotou called out to Matsumura’s back.

Matsumura stopped at the hole and glared at Gotou after sighing.

'Decide for yourself if it’s treasure.’

Gotou was irritated by Matsumura’s unfriendly words. He pushed aside one of the examiners and looked into the hole.

It was about as deep as a person.

He saw something like white b.a.l.l.s at the bottom of the hole.

No, that wasn’t it. They weren’t b.a.l.l.s. They were –

'Skulls?’ said Miyagawa before Gotou could.

'Yes, that’s right. They’re all from new-borns. There are roughly four or five,’ replied Matsumura, wiping the sweat off his forehead.

Though Gotou hadn’t known about it, he felt mortified for joking about treasure so frivolously.

Burying the corpses of new-born babies in a place like this – it made him doubt the nerves of the person who did it.

'Was this hole here before?’ said Miyagawa, kneeling on one knee and peering inside.

'No, we noticed that the colour of the dirt was different here and tried digging it up… Honestly, it’s awful.’

Matsumura gritted his back teeth together. Gotou felt the same way.

Miyagawa stood up and wiped the dirt off his knee. He looked up at the night sky.

'The forecast doesn’t look good.’

Gotou looked up as well.

He couldn’t see stars. The forecast never looked good in the city sky –

3

The next morning, Akemi was an hour late when she arrived at the temple.

It had taken longer than expected to find somebody to watch over her daughter. She ran around looking, but in the end, she hadn’t been able to find anybody and had brought her along.

Her daughter was currently sleeping in the baby sling on her chest.

However, she would always start crying madly when she saw somebody she didn’t know. Her daughter, Nao, had an abnormal fear of strangers.

Iss.h.i.+n and Yak.u.mo would be troubled about how to treat Nao too, now that she’d brought her along so suddenly.

Akemi had thought about cancelling, but she had already contacted Sachiko’s family, and she also didn’t want to crush Yak.u.mo’s thoughts just as he’d started to move.

There wasn’t any point thinking about it any more. She would talk with Iss.h.i.+n about what to do.

With renewed determination, Akemi went through the temple premises and pressed the intercom b.u.t.ton by the priests’ quarters.

After a while, the sliding door opened, and Iss.h.i.+n, in his work robes, greeted her with his usual smile.

'Welcome.’

'Ah, sorry, I couldn’t find anybody to look after my daughter…’

Akemi said that first off.

'So this is your daughter, Akemi-chan?’

She had thought that Iss.h.i.+n would be a bit surprised, but he just smiled like usual at Nao and patted her head.

In response, Nao opened her eyes.

Iss.h.i.+n’s and Nao’s eyes met.

Akemi thought that Nao would start crying, but her response was unexpected.

Nao reached a hand out towards Iss.h.i.+n and kicked her feet, laughing happily.

This was the first time she hadn’t cried in front of somebody she’d just met.

'What’s her name?’ said Iss.h.i.+n, taking Nao’s hand.

'Ah, her name’s Nao.’

Akemi was taken aback, but she gave her daughter’s name.

'It’s nice to meet you, Nao-chan.’

Iss.h.i.+n looked at Nao’s face.

Nao seemed even happier.

'Would you let me hold her?’

Iss.h.i.+n took Nao before Akemi responded, picking her up skilfully and rocking her in his arms.

Nao’s face would always stiffen just from approaching others, but Iss.h.i.+n, who’d she just met, was holding her. Iss.h.i.+n was also looked so loving that it could make someone suspect that he was her actual father.

– If only this person were Nao’s father.

That wish which wouldn’t be granted suddenly came to Akemi.

'What is it?’

While she was lost in her own thoughts, Iss.h.i.+n looked at her, which made her feel so embarra.s.sed even her ears went red.

'Ah, Nao’s actually really shy. It’s the first time she hasn’t cried when meeting someone new…’

Iss.h.i.+n nodded upon hearing Akemi’s explanation.

'That’s because you’re wary of other people, Akemi-chan.’

Akemi was startled, like she had been suddenly pushed on the back.

'I’m wary?’

'You are.’

Iss.h.i.+n said that with narrowed eyes as he poked Nao’s cheek.

Nao’s face scrunched up like it had tickled. When Akemi saw that, she understood what Iss.h.i.+n meant.

If the parent were wary, the child would feel that wariness too. That was probably it.

That made a lot of sense. Akemi hadn’t been able to open her heart up to anyone since that event.

She was afraid that they would pry into the incident, so she was wary and looked away from everyone else.

Nao wasn’t crying because Akemi wasn’t wary of Iss.h.i.+n –

'It’s cold out. Well, please come in.’

After Iss.h.i.+n urged her to do so, he went inside with Nao in his arms.

Akemi followed him.

When she entered the living room, Yak.u.mo was already waiting there.

He wore jeans and a white s.h.i.+rt. He was sitting with his legs out and looking up at the ceiling in boredom.

When he noticed Akemi there, he let out a purposefully large yawn.

'Yak.u.mo, this is Nao-chan.’

Iss.h.i.+n sat in front of Yak.u.mo, still holding Nao.

Yak.u.mo didn’t look that surprised either and just looked at Nao.

Nao reached out and grabbed Yak.u.mo’s hair.

Akemi thought that Yak.u.mo would be angry, but he didn’t look displeased and just let her continue.

'Is this your kid, Sensei?’ asked Yak.u.mo in a drawl.

It was the first time Akemi had ever been asked a question by Yak.u.mo.

'Yes, she is.’

'Hm,’ said Yak.u.mo, sounding uninterested as he stared at Nao’s face and poked her cheek.

Nao waved her arms and legs happily.

It felt rather strange. It made sense with Iss.h.i.+n, but Nao wasn’t wary of Yak.u.mo either.

Even though they were complete strangers, it was even possible to think of the people in this living room as family.

For just a moment, Yak.u.mo’s expression seemed to soften.

A gentle and warm expression he had never shown anyone at school –

– Yak.u.mo really is shutting away his emotions.

Akemi felt that anew.

'This kid…’

Yak.u.mo’s brow suddenly furrowed as he clapped his hands near Nao’s ear.

Nao didn’t respond and just laughed.

'Is there something wrong with her ears?’

Akemi nodded in response.

Nao couldn’t hear. It was discovered when she was a child.

When Akemi thought about Nao’s future, it sometimes made it hard for her to breathe. Nao had been given a difficult life from birth.

It was n.o.body’s fault. Everyone said that, but Akemi couldn’t help but blame herself.

– It must be my fault that Nao is like this.

Akemi tried to put away the chain of bad thoughts in her head and put a smile on her face.

However, Akemi was the only one forcing a smile.

Now that Yak.u.mo knew the facts, he seemed satisfied, and he was playing with Nao.

Iss.h.i.+n was doing the same.

– She can’t hear. So what?

It was like Iss.h.i.+n and Yak.u.mo were saying that. Worrying about her daughter’s handicap might already have been discrimination.

Akemi felt like she had been taught something very important.

'We can’t keep playing. We have to go soon,’ said Iss.h.i.+n, looking at the clock.

'Let’s put an end to this,’ agreed Yak.u.mo, standing up.

They had almost forgotten their goal.

They had gathered to go with Yak.u.mo to Sachiko’s house. However, there was a reason Akemi couldn’t agree immediately.

– What should I do about Nao?

She couldn’t bring her to Sachiko’s.

'I’ll watch over Nao-chan until you come back,’ offered Iss.h.i.+n, who seemed to have sensed what Akemi was thinking.

'Eh, but…’

Since Nao was so friendly with him, it wasn’t something she didn’t want to ask, but he would have to do more than just rock her.

There were many things to do – change her diapers, feed her milk.

'It’s fine. The families of the temple have left their children with me before. And I’ve changed Yak.u.mo’s diapers too,’ said Iss.h.i.+n, reading Akemi’s thoughts.

It was true that it wouldn’t be a problem leaving Nao with Iss.h.i.+n if he had experience, but Akemi still felt bad about it.

'He wants to, so just let him,’ said Yak.u.mo, running a hand through his hair to push Akemi to a decision.

His words weren’t pointed like they usually were.

'It’s just as Yak.u.mo says. Please hurry up and go,’ urged Iss.h.i.+n.

Yak.u.mo ignored Akemi, who was still undecided, and left the room briskly.

'I’m truly sorry. I’ll leave her in your care.’

Akemi gave the bag with diapers and milk to Iss.h.i.+n and gave a simple explanation before following Yak.u.mo out the room.

4

The day after the fire, Gotou and Miyagawa were walking in the bas.e.m.e.nt corridor of a hospital.

There was clearly insufficient lighting. It wasn’t just dim – the ventilation was bad as well, so the corridor was filled with humid air.

When compared with the clean gla.s.s entrance, it was like it wasn’t even the same building.

In the end, they found a total of seven corpses in the yard –

All of them were new-born children.

It would probably be hard work to find the mothers of those children who looked like they could even have been put in the birth registry.

Now that the evidence had been burnt in the fire, they would have to catch the missing s.h.i.+momura and ask him. That was the most certain method.

Normally, Gotou would want to join the search for the suspect s.h.i.+momura, but because of Miyagawa’s arrangement, he was going to the coroner’s to hear about the autopsy.

They went straight down the corridor. Miyagawa stopped at the door in the very back.

Miyagawa had had a long face ever since it was decided that they’d go meet the coroner.

Gotou was suddenly curious about what sort of person could make Miyagawa this gloomy.

'Miyagawa-san, what sort of person is the coroner?’

'He’s called Hata – an old man who’s so old he looks like he could die at any moment. Well, to put it in one word, he’s a pervert.’

'Pervert?’

– Did the old man wear a nurse uniform or something?

Imagining it was enough to make Gotou want to laugh.

'Anyway, no matter what the old man says, just ignore it. You won’t be able to keep up otherwise.’

After hearing Miyagawa’s warning, it was even harder for Gotou to imagine what sort of person the coroner was.

Gotou wanted to ask another question, but before he could, Miyagawa knocked on the door.

'It’s Chief Miyagawa.’

'It’s open.’

Gotou heard a hoa.r.s.e voice from the other side of the door.

Miyagawa opened the door and went inside. Gotou followed him.

It was a small rectangular room of about six tatami in size. Probably because of the lack of windows, it was so dim that it looked like something might pop out if this were a horror movie.

There was a desk at the very back of the room, surrounded by cabinets.

In front of the desk that was covered in doc.u.ments, there was an old man lazily sipping tea in a white gown.

With white hair, the old man was just skin and bones and looked like he could die at any moment.

'You again?’

Hata scratched his forehead like he was annoyed.

'Like I’d come here because I wanted to.’

Hata giggled at Miyagawa’s words, his shoulders shaking as if he was having convulsions.

He was somewhat creepy.

'Who’s the blockhead behind you?’ said Hata, pointing at Gotou with his chin.

Calling somebody he’d just met a blockhead was quite something.

'He’s Gotou, my subordinate. He’ll probably be around every once in a while.’

'My name is Gotou. It’s nice to meet you.’

Gotou bowed at Hata after Miyagawa introduced him.

However, Hata just rolled his head around like he was bored.

– This old man. I’m bowing my head to him. Maybe I’ll pull his head off.

Gotou swallowed his rising anger.

'Well, just sit over there.’

Though Hata said that, there were no chairs in the room.

– Is he making fun of us?

In contrast to Gotou’s confusion, Miyagawa’s expression didn’t change at all as he went to a nearby cabinet.

From that att.i.tude, Hata was probably always like this.

– No matter what the old man says, just ignore it.

Gotou felt like he slightly understood what Miyagawa had meant.

Unable to do anything else, Gotou crossed his arms and leant against the wall by the door.

'I came because of the corpses from the maternity clinic.’

Miyagawa brought up the topic at hand.

At that moment, Hata’s wrinkled face lit up, like he was a child who had found his toy.

'Ah, that was a big catch.’

Hatch laughed happily.

– Big catch? Oi, oi. Those weren’t words to use about children’s corpses.

Gotou’s dislike for Hata grew.

'So what did you find out?’

Miyagawa looked at Gotou, as if to tell him to keep quiet, and continued talking.

'It was just yesterday. I don’t know anything yet.’

'Don’t say that. With your skill, old man, you must know something from experience.’

It was rare for Miyagawa to b.u.t.ter someone up.

Perhaps Hata was pleased, as his expression slackened slowly as he opened his mouth.

'Well, they were skeletons. I don’t know anything for certain, but from what I’ve seen, there weren’t any obvious injuries. If they were killed, drugs or something were probably used.’

'Is it possible that they were strangled?’

Gotou said the question that came up in his head.

Then, Hata looked at Gotou scornfully.

'If an adult strangled the neck of a new-born child, their bones would break.’

Hata mimicked strangling a neck.

It was true. Gotou realised how foolish his question was, but at the same time, he was irritated.

He could’ve put that another way –

'How about the time of death?’

Miyagawa continued regardless.

'At this stage, I don’t have detailed results, but from what I see, it’s all over the place. There are things from a month or so ago, and there are some that might be from more than ten years ago.’

If what Hata said was correct, then that place had been abandoning children’s corpses there for over ten years.

– Treating people’s lives like things.

Gotou felt hatred and anger in the bottom of his stomach that almost made him shake.

'Found out anything else?’ asked Miyagawa.

Hata shook his head.

It looked like it’d take some more time before they found anything else.

'Ah, that’s right. There was one odd thing.’

Hata scratched his back as he called out to Gotou and Miyagawa, who were about to leave.

'An odd thing?’

Gotou’s brow furrowed.

'The number doesn’t match.’

'The number doesn’t match?’

Gotou didn’t understand just from that.

Perhaps he’d sensed what Gotou was thinking, as Hata spread out the doc.u.ments in front of him on the desk.

There were several photos of the discovered children’s corpses.

Even though Gotou should have been used to this, the spectacle was more awful than he’d imagined, making Gotou want to look away.

Hata took a photo out and tapped it with his finger.

In the photo, there was something like a small white rod.

It was probably an arm or a leg.

'There’s one arm too many.’

So they hadn’t found the other bones?

No, that probably wasn’t it.

They had dug up everything around there. There probably wasn’t anything left. It would have made sense if they were missing one, but having too many –

'That is odd. Probably wouldn’t have just cut off the arm and buried it there,’ murmured Miyagawa, rubbing his chin with his palm.

Hata finished drinking his tea and let out a long breath.

'But if they were going to kill them anyway, I wish they’d done it after they’d grown up a bit. Autopsying this isn’t any fun at all.’

'Oi! Old man! What did you just say!?’

Gotou spoke before thinking.

Even after hearing Gotou’s angry yell, Hata was nonchalant.

'Exactly what I said. I like fresh adult corpses.’

Now, Gotou understood what Miyagawa had said at first.

– This pervert! Of all the things to say!

Gotou lifted his hand to grab Hata, but Miyagawa pinned him down.

'Please don’t stop me! I’ll feel bad unless I punch this old man!’

'Cool your head!’ yelled Miyagawa, pus.h.i.+ng Gotou against the wall.

Gotou hit his chest and started coughing violently.

'I said this earlier. Don’t listen to what the old man has to say!’

'But…’

'Shut up!’

Miyagawa’s fist came down on Gotou’s head. The pain made his anger lessen slightly.

Even with all the clamour in front of him, Hata looked calm. That wasn’t all – he was giggling demonically.

– I really can’t forgive him.

Gotou struggled, but then Miyagawa’s hammer of a fist came down on Gotou’s head again.

5

Akemi stood in front of Sachiko’s house with Yak.u.mo.

Yak.u.mo had not said anything as they came here.

Akemi had talked about general topics, but like an athlete gathering concentration before a match, Yak.u.mo hadn’t responded.

He might have been unexpectedly nervous.

'Are you prepared?’

Akemi asked Yak.u.mo before pressing the intercom b.u.t.ton.

'There’s nothing to prepare. I just need to look,’ said Yak.u.mo with a blank expression.

Akemi had felt like she’d shortened the distance between her and Yak.u.mo a bit when at his house, but it seemed she had been mistaken, as if it were a mirage.

She felt disappointed, but she told herself that it wasn’t that easy to connect to somebody and pressed the intercom b.u.t.ton.

After a while, Tomoko opened the door.

They had talked on the phone last night, so she invited Akemi and Yak.u.mo in without any explanation.

Of course, Akemi wouldn’t have been able to tell the truth even if asked to explain.

Your daughter appears to be possessed by a ghost, so I will be bringing a cla.s.smate who can see ghosts. If she said that, she would be treated like she were insane.

She had just said that she was coming with a cla.s.smate who wanted to visit Sachiko when she was sick.

Tomoko led them to Sachiko’s room on the second floor.

'Sachiko, your teacher’s here,’ said Tomoko, knocking on the door.

However, there was no response.

'Sacchan, it’s Takagis.h.i.+. We’re here to visit. Could we come in?’

Akemi tried calling out instead.

'Don’t come in!’

Akemi heard Sachiko’s refusal through the door.

Akemi had been prepared for this, so she wasn’t that shocked.

'Sacchan, Yak.u.mo-kun came today too. He’s worried.’

Akemi continued speaking.

Yak.u.mo’s cheek twitched, like he didn’t like being used as an excuse.

'No way…’

After a while, Akemi heard Sachiko’s faint voice through the door.

The cla.s.smate she liked had suddenly come to visit her. Sachiko was probably shaken, feeling happy and confused.

'It’s true. That’s why I want you to open the door.’

Akemi tried pus.h.i.+ng further, but Sachiko didn’t respond.

Even though she’d brought Yak.u.mo, nothing would start if the door wasn’t opened.

Akemi was thinking of what to say next when Yak.u.mo walked forward and tried the doork.n.o.b.

However, the door was locked and wouldn’t open. That had been a rather forceful approach.

'It’s me. Saitou. You’re possessed by a ghost,’ said Yak.u.mo, knocking on the door as he did so.

Tomoko was surprised by Yak.u.mo’s words and actions – her eyes went wide and she covered her mouth with her hands.

Tomoko didn’t believe her daughter when she said that there was a ghost. It would be stranger for her not to be shaken by the att.i.tude of this cla.s.smate who was supposed to have come to visit.

'Sensei, this child is Sachiko’s cla.s.smate, right?’

Tomoko looked at her suspiciously.

'Ah, yes. That’s true, but… er…’

Akemi tried to smooth things over, but she couldn’t think of an excuse and was fumbling.

'Hurry up and open the door. If you leave things like this, you won’t be able to turn back. People possessed by the spirits of the dead will die.’

Yak.u.mo ignored Akemi’s turmoil and continued to speak to Sachiko through the door.

'Die… What are you saying?’

Tomoko grabbed Yak.u.mo’s shoulder, unable to hold back.

'If I don’t say something like this, she won’t open, right?’

Yak.u.mo looked at Tomoko with a blank expression.

Though he wasn’t glaring, there was a light in his eyes that pressured his opponents.

Tomoko nervously shut her mouth.

A suffocating silence continued.

Akemi wasn’t sure what to do when she heard the sound of the door unlocking.

'See? It’s open,’ said Yak.u.mo with satisfaction, shaking off Tomoko’s hand and opening the door to step inside.

Akemi was about to follow Yak.u.mo in when Tomoko grabbed her arm.

'Excuse me, Sensei…’

Tomoko still didn’t seem to accept what had happened as she looked at Akemi for an explanation.

'It’s fine. That was a means to get Sachiko-san to open the door. Please stay outside, ma'am.’

Akemi gave her a lie for appearances and left Tomoko behind, though Tomoko still looked dubious. Akemi went inside and shut the door behind her.

She sighed –

Sachiko’s room was clean, as she had expected.

Even though she wasn’t going to school, she was probably studying properly. There were textbooks and notebooks spread open on the desk. There were reference books on the bookcase beside it.

The room seemed to symbolise a middle school student on the brink of entrance exams.

By the window, there was a full-length mirror that had been turned around and a bed, on which Sachiko, in pyjamas, was sitting while hugging her knees.

The teddy bear by her pillow looked at them.

Yak.u.mo stood in the middle of the room, put his index finger to his brow and looked at Sachiko.

'Yak.u.mo-kun. What is it?’

'You’re noisy. Be quiet for a bit,’ said Yak.u.mo, unmoving.

An electrifying tension –

Perhaps Yak.u.mo was concentrating in his own way to see the spirits of the dead.

Akemi looked at Sachiko, sitting on the bed.

Her hair was brushed neatly as usual, but her eyes were bloodshot and there were dark circles underneath them.

Her face was pale, and even her lips appeared to have faded in colour.

'Sacchan, are you OK?’

’… I’m scared… n.o.body’ll believe me… I don’t know what to do…’

Sachiko’s voice trembled.

Akemi could tell clearly that she was suffering. Even though she said there was a ghost, of course the doctors and her parents didn’t believe her.

For a girl in p.u.b.erty, being believed by n.o.body must have hurt more than being possessed by a ghost.

Akemi went close to Sachiko to hug her, to try to make her feel even slightly better.

“Don’t touch her!’ Yak.u.mo yelled, his expression changing completely.

Surprised by Yak.u.mo, who wasn’t acting normal, Akemi stopped without thinking.

– Why can’t I touch Sachiko?

She looked at Yak.u.mo for a response, but Yak.u.mo just stood there while looking at Sachiko.

'Yak.u.mo-kun. I…’

'Who is the child you’re holding at your chest?’ said Yak.u.mo, interrupting Sachiko.

At the same time, Sachiko’s shoulders jolted.

– Child?

Akemi couldn’t see anything.

However, did Yak.u.mo see something there?

Akemi had thought it would be necessary to perform rites or chant spells to see the spirits of the dead.

However, from Yak.u.mo’s att.i.tude now, he could probably see ghosts every day, even if he didn’t want to.

If that were the case, Yak.u.mo had lived his life seeing a world that Akemi and others like her could never imagine.