If you haven't, don't forget to read the first part or the previous part!
Last part, we heard Miyuki's account of meeting the killer, and then went through our second 'Self-question' segment, ending with me choosing to protect her from the (possible) threat of the murderer. Now, we'll try to ensure her safety, but some unexpected roadblocks may come our way...
"Yessir! I also agree! Let's protect Miyuki-chan!"
Mr. Kogure agreed with his nostrils flaring.
A few minutes later, Miyuki Kawahara returned to her seat.
"Sorry, Detectives." Miyuki Kawahara sat down, still covering her mouth with a handkerchief.
She's still a little pale. Maybe because of that, her impression feels a bit off.
"Is everything alright, Miyuki-chan!?"
"Yeah... Apart from that, I still need to work. I have to get back to the set as soon as possible." Once she said that, she sat up as if to run away.
"Hey! Wait a minute!" I couldn't help but grab her hand. It was thin and cold.
"You are a witness to a murder case. And, the murderer saw your face. As it is, you are in danger. The police will take you into custody for your protection."
"That's a problem. I have a job to do. I have a lot of fans waiting for me, you know?" "But, if the killer attacks you and you get injured, you'll have an even bigger problem. Your opponent is a horrible serial killer. It might end up being more than just an injury.""Miyuki-chan! This is for the sake of your fans too! Please listen to us!" Mr. Kogure, on the behalf of her fans, earnestly requests her cooperation too.
"...Alright. I'll ask my manager to adjust my schedule for the future.""But, I can't do it today. I can't cancel this shooting right now."
"In that case, we'll take you to work. You never know what might happen along the way." "No, it's fine. My manager is waiting for me right there.""The shooting set is just a short drive away, so don't worry." Her tone is gentle but clearly rejects us.
Why is she refusing us so stubbornly? Ever since she came back from the bathroom, I feel like the situation changed completely.
How should I see this change of heart, when she originally came to us for help?
"Nope, it's useless. We'll accompany you no matter what you say." I refuse to back down. This is a problem without an easy compromise.
"Are you... doubting me?" "No, that wasn't what I meant... You're a crucial witness. Since you saw the murderer's face, you could be the next target."I'd be lying if I said I had no suspicions, but right now her safety is our priority.
After thinking for a while, she replied.
"Okay. Well then, let's go together." That's good. She, for some reason, accepted it.
After that, we left the establishment and went to her work site.
It's been about 20 minutes since we left the restaurant. We've walked a long way.
We've been following Miyuki Kawahara, who keeps walking silently. But, when are we going to arrive at the set?
She said that her manager was waiting for her, yet she hasn't interacted with anyone who seemed to be one.
"Um, Miyuki-chan... Where is your work site...? I'd like it if you told me soon..." Mr. Kogure asked in my place.
"It's pretty close." After answering, Miyuki Kawahara entered a back alley under the railway.
"Huh? Miyuki-chan...?"By the time we entered the alley, Miyuki Kawahara was already gone.
Damn. Did she give us the slip...? After all, she seemed to hate us following her to the set.
What should we do? Despite it being daytime, the alleys around here are dark and intricate like a maze. I don't know if we'll be able to find out what we're looking for...
"Sir...! What are we going to do?" Mr. Kogure asks for my opinion anxiously.
I decide to---
>Search for her in a hurry.
>Give up and return home.
I chose something, and I'll make sure we'll get to its end.
>Search for her in a hurry.
There's no time for hesitation. I have to find her. If something happened to her...
"Let's split up to search for her! [Literally a Scooby Doo episode.] Mr. Kogure, please go that way!" "Yessir!"We frantically searched the alleyways. Miyuki Kawahara... where did you go? [Maybe 'Where are you?" would have been better lol]
"Wait." A strange woman stood in my way, interrupting my impatient search.
??? - "If you're looking for that woman, she'll be in the ruined building ahead..."
"Eh...? Who in the world are you...?"The woman turned away without answering my question.
"Ah! Wait...!" With my pleadings going in vain, the woman disappeared into the darkness.
"Sir! Did you find Miyuki-chan!?" From the direction the woman vanished, came back Mr. Kogure.
"Mr. Kogure, that woman now..." "Woman? Was Miyuki-chan here!?" "No... it's nothing."I was worried about that woman, but now my first priority is to find Miyuki Kawahara.
The ruined building ahead... Or so that woman said.
They may have come from a mysterious stranger, but I continued to walk as if I was being guided.
"Sir! There!" I reflexively followed Mr. Kogure's pointing finger. In there, was---
Miyuki Kawahara...?
I couldn't see it clearly, but her mouth moved like she was attempting to appeal to somebody.
"S T O P ......"
I have no knowledge of lip reading, however, that's what I felt when I looked at her eyes.
"Sir!" "Yes! Let's go in!"Mr. Kogure and I chased after her shadow.
We have run up 78 steps. Out of breath, we reach the 4th floor of the abandoned building.
I look around the musty floor, but I can't see her. We continue searching after her figure.
"This is...!" Mr. Kogure and I both exclaimed in amazement.
Is this the set for the shoot...?
A mysteriously flickering candle, many instruments of unknown use, and ancient documents written with kanji I've never seen before.
"Sir... Is this the set Miyuki-chan was talking about...?"Mr. Kogure asks while sweating buckets. But even if he asks me, there is no way I would know.
Even so, this extraordinary sight is overwhelming me. It feels detached from reality. But, even within it, there is an object that stands out.
I approached the---
>Old portrait.
>Giant lump of iron.
The lump is kinda random to be in this room, but the portrait probably will give more information about the room's purpose.
>Old portrait.
"Mr. Kogure... What is that?"I pointed to a portrait in one corner of the altar.
"Hmm? It looks like a portrait of a Westerner..."It's beautiful... However, there was something morbid about that beauty.
I feel like there is a bottomless madness in the depth of the eyes staring back at me.
There is a strong intimidating feeling and presence that just doesn't fit a shooting set.
I stood motionless like a frog being stared at by a snake.
"S-sir...?"
"W-what is it...?"
It seems Mr. Kogure is also unable to move. He spoke in a trembling voice as he looked intently at the portrait.
"I... sense a bad presence behind us..."
*Thump* [This appears with a red screen for a split second, the same happens for the following times as well.]
"A bad presence...?"
"Yes..."
*Thump* *Thump*
"I-I don't like that. It's not scary at all. Isn't it just Miyuki..?"
"......"
*Thump* *Thump* *Thump*
"...I understand. Well then, let's turn around together."
"Y-yessir..."
*Thump* *Thump* *Thump* *Thump*
"Well, shall we do it?"
"Hyaaaaaa!?" Mr. Kogure let out a womanly scream.
Wait, it might have been me who screamed.
A beast... It looked like a beast who lost all reason.
Then, it flew at me with the ferocity reminiscent of a predator.
"Gwah...!" Sharp claws dig into my arms, even if I tried to shake it off, it wouldn't move at all.
From its delicate appearance came unimaginable strength.
"Kihiii...!" A strange ear-splitting voice resounds. It looked at me with insanity in its eyes.
Red burning eyes. Strength beyond the norm. There's no way this is a person.
"Sir!" Mr. Kogure intervenes and tries to remove the beast's claws from my arms.
"You bastard! Let go of his arm-!!" Maybe due to being overwhelmed by Kogure's angry shout, the claw's grip on my arm weakened for a moment.
It's now or never! I kicked the nearly nonexistent torso of the beast, letting me finally escape the binding of its claws.
I barely escaped danger, but that was only temporary. The threat in front of us is not yet gone.
"Sir...! What the hell is this guy...?"
"I don't know! I'm only certain it's not friendly!"
"Should we secure it?"
"Yeah... Can you do it, Mr. Kogure?"
"...Unfortunately, I have no confidence at all."
To be honest, I wanted to run away.
I can't believe we have to deal with such an incomprehensible opponent... Why do our cases always turn out like this...?
However, whining won't help me. I have to make up my mind---
[A simple electronic tune replaces the previously tense music.]
Suddenly, music began to flow into the tense atmosphere. It was Mr. Kogure's cell phone ringtone.
"W-who?! At a time like this..." Mr. Kogure muttered in annoyance. But, it had an unintended effect.
The beast let out a groan while showing an anguished expression.
"Uh...Guh...Gah...S-stop...!!" [Screen shakes every time it speaks]
What? What just happened?
"Sir! It's my ringtone! This guy seems to hate it!"
Without a doubt, it's covering its ears in suffering.
"Mr. Kogure, bring your phone closer!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Ah, gah, guh...!" The beast struggled to keep its ears covered while it suffered.
"How is it? This is the power of Miyuki-chan's newest hit "Phantom"!" Mr. Kogure proudly held out his cell phone.
"---!!---!---!!"
The beast spat out unintelligible words while writhing in agony. They were words I never heard before, but I understood that it was showering curses upon us.
And the beast gradually weakened until it finally collapsed on the floor.
I didn't understand why it reacted so negatively to the melodic ringtone.
However, that was only until we went to confirm the appearance of the fallen beast.
"M-Miyuki Kawahara...?"
"No way... Miyuki-chan..."
That ferocious beast and Miyuki Kawahara are {the same person}...? That's absurd...
...Think it over. Calmly, think over what happened...!
Well, this is where I'll stop. The next post will most likely be the first ending to this episode. It will also contain an Inference Logic segment. I hope you'll look forward to it.
Anyway, see you then!
No comments:
Post a Comment