As you can see from the title, this episode will feature Hitomi Shikibu, the scientific-minded coroner, as the protagonist and narrator. And, as this story will likely follow the previous one's template, we'll probably learn why she has that mindset in the first place and maybe a bit more.
Now then, let's begin, shall we?
The day was slightly colder than usual. I straddled on my wheels, parked on the bike spot, and was about to head home. However, the bike engine didn't start.
I wonder why? Was it not doing well due to the cold? Throwing a quick glance at the oil tank, I noticed there were traces of someone trying to pry the tank open.
"A prank, perhaps?" But, who did this and why? The reason for doing this... Only one thing comes to mind.
That time was a slightly chilly day, too... When that vexing incident happened... Yes, it was many years before, but that day also had someone leave prank writing on my bike's tank...
But, that prank writing was... that person's last message. It remains carved on the side of the tank even now. And, that person... is still missing to this day.
How many years have already passed since then? Even now, whenever I hold a scalpel, it often brings back memories. Of him...
[Fade to black]
"It's an emergency case! A doctor, please!" The inside of the hospital suddenly turned hectic as if a fire had taken place. The nurses lowered the {patient} and immediately transported him inside.
I, who had just become a doctor, and a senior doctor rushed over to the stretcher. That senior doctor's name was {Kouzou Takada}.
He was a highly-skilled doctor ahead of me by a decade or so. There was no disease his hand couldn't cure. I regarded him that highly.
Every operation went well under his proficient hand, and he always had time to spare for his patients. There is much to learn from him. He is the kind of person I hope to become someday.
Being able to train under someone of his skill was extremely gratifying for me. That alone made me happy.
Following after Dr. Takada, I ran over to the stretcher carrying the patient. He was making an agonized expression while clutching his right arm......
"D-doctor! The patient injured his right arm!"
"Got it, it'll be fine."
"B-but, Dr. Takada..."
This flustered youth is {Kouhei Tsutsumi}. An intern who joined this hospital recently as a nurse. He's a little unreliable, but that can't be helped... However, he's more restless than usual.
What could be the cause? Is he anxious about something? Although he just joined, he has already experienced these scenes many times.
Nevertheless, this fluster is... Dr. Takada glares at Tsutsumi-kun and gives him precise instructions. "Prepare for the operation immediately!"
"Y-yes! Understood! Prepare it at once!" Tsutsumi-kun transmitted it to the nurse at his side. The nurse hurriedly entered the operating room.
The tension among the doctors strained the atmosphere at the site. I could feel it, too.
This tension. At the risk of sounding inappropriate, it's similar to the feeling one gets when riding a motorcycle. That moment when you're rounding a curve at grinding speeds...
I always thought that tension resembled that of the medical field. Am I the only one who thinks so? ...Perhaps it's only me...
I ended up going off-topic, so let's return to the original point. Tsutsumi-kun was looking at the patient with a pale-white face. I felt like I saw this patient's face somewhere before.
"...K-Kaburagi..." The patient's sheet, which covered up to their face, had been pulled off, and Tsutsumi-kun murmured so.
"Hurry!"
"...Y-yes!"
"We're racing against time!"
"Y-yes!!"
I wonder if Tsutsumi-kun knew this person? "...Tsutsumi-kun... Hear me out while you hurry."
"W-what is it, Dr. Shikibu?"
"This patient... Do you recognize him?"
"Yes, I do... He is a model..."
Oh, yes. I remember him now. He's {Terumitsu Kaburagi}, isn't he?
A {supermodel} active on the global stage... I saw him in some magazine. But why is he in such a condition?
"Doctor! Will Terumitsu... survive!?"
"......"
"Doctor! Please save him!" The woman next to him tearfully pleads.
This woman, could she be Kaburagi's lover? Tears are flowing from her eyes and she has a worried look on her face.
"It's fine... We'll definitely save him somehow." Dr. Takada said so, then entered the operation room.
The red light that said "surgery in progress" came on, and we began the operation.
"Tsutsumi-kun... Remove the cloth over the right arm."
"U-understood..." Tsutsumi-kun rolled up the cloth on Kaburagi's right arm as if he were touching a tumor.
"Ugh. This is... {flesh-eating bacteria}?"
Kaburagi's right arm looked as if it had been burned by something or decomposed all of a sudden.
This arm... Its bones were already exposed, and the wound was so severe you couldn't look directly at it.
"Weehh..." Tsutsumi-kun let out a pitiful sob.
[The game gave the FOAF entry about flesh-eating bacteria a bit late, maybe because there wasn't any space?]
"Tsutsumi-kun, please step outside." After Dr. Takada spoke, Tsutsumi-kun held his mouth and moved to the operating room's exit.
"I-I'm sorry... Excuse me..."
The patient, who had been groaning until a few minutes ago, became quiet as soon as he entered the operating room. Unfortunately, it seems he has already died. We couldn't make it in time...
As I silently shook my head, Dr. Takada turned to face me with a stubborn glint in his eyes. We can't give up on this person yet... That's what that sparkle seemed to say.
"Shikibu-kun. We'll perform a resuscitation at once."
"Yes, understood."
"This wound... Your thoughts, Shikibu-kun?"
"Perhaps he was burned by highly concentrated acid? What do you think, Dr. Takada?"
"I agree. The shock symptoms probably were due to that..."
Another nurse brings electrodes for resuscitation. Dr. Takada holds them in both hands and presses them against Kaburagi's chest. Kaburagi's body bends backward.
This was repeated several times, and the operation room was filled with more tension than usual. It was the first time I was entrusted with somebody like a supermodel's life.
"We'll do it somehow! There's still a chance!"
"Yes..." We performed resuscitation again... But... He didn't come back.
Dr. Takada stood there, holding the electrodes in both hands, stunned. He seemed to be frustrated by the disappointment of not being able to save the patient.
Terumitsu Kaburagi. The death of a supermodel active on the international scene...
It all began here... An incident stained by the occult that I don't want to acknowledge...
"19 hours sharp. Death confirmed..."
Metropolitan Police Department Unofficial Case Record Unregistered
"Reiko Kashima"
Subject Hitomi Shikibu
It's already dark. Dr. Takada and I leave the operating room and sit down on a sofa in the lobby.
"Let's do a detailed autopsy tomorrow..."
"Right. Then, I'll..."
"...Yeah, that's your specialty after all."
"Doctor... Did you save Kaburagi?"
"Huh?"
An unknown man sat next to us, impolitely inquiring while looking straight ahead. This man... who is he?
"Ah, excuse me. I haven't greeted you yet. I'm that type of person..." The business card he gave me reads, 'TouTou Sports Editorial Department, {Keizou Ochiai}'.
TouTou Sports? If I remember correctly... It's an evening newspaper known to the public as a B-rank sports paper. What is that kind of reporter doing here? "Um, you..."
Ochiai began to speak, interrupting me. "I've been following Mr. Kaburagi for a long while. You see, he had a {cohabitation scandal}, ever heard of it? But, well, I didn't expect this {scoop}..."
"Scoop!? You! How imprudent!"
"You were just talking about an autopsy... Which means... this is big news!"
"You! What do you think human life is..."
"Well, doctor. You are right to be angry. But we're in the business of provoking people's anger."
"You're the worst, aren't you."
"That's right, the worst."
"You seem to know it quite well."
"Haha, what a harsh doctor."
"......"
"Well, let's leave Mr. Kaburagi out of it... Visiting hours are still open, right?"
I don't want to talk to this man as much as possible... That is my honest impression of him.
"They're open, however..."
"I'm glad to hear that. Editors of sports newspapers have to cover a wide range of topics, you know... I'd like to {report on} {Atsufumi Fukuoka} in Room 607..."
"Why Fukuoka? He's just a kid. What are you trying to publish!?"
"Hey hey, please don't get so angry... hehe."
"He doesn't know much about his own illness. He doesn't even know what condition he's in!! So I'd appreciate it... if you didn't say anything unnecessary!"
"I know... Has he been in the hospital long?"
"I wonder. I don't answer questions about my patients."
"Uh-oh... Looks like I'm really hated here. But, you know, it's all right. I'm not going to tell him the name of the disease... It'll be a simple interview..."
"Shouldn't you properly get his family's permission first?" I spoke coldly, wanting to get rid of this man as quickly as possible.
"Don't worry. I've already cleared that up." However, Ochiai's words prevented me from doing so.
"He's also good 'material'...isn't he, Dr. Takada...?"
"......"
"...Material?"
"Looks like I said a little too much... Now then..."
"W-wait a minute... please!" Ochiai took his leave without lending an ear to my words.
"Oh, yes... If you learn any new facts regarding Ms. Kaburagi... please contact me through my business card's phone number. Thank you very much." Ochiai turned around halfway through the corridor and said so.
"......" Dr. Takada crumpled Ochiai's business card before putting it in his pocket... Is this... silent anger?
Also... that man called Ochiai... what could his aim be?
Should I follow after Ochiai? Or should I continue talking with Dr. Takada?
⬢ >Follow after Ochiai.
>Continue talking with Dr. Takada.
⬢ >Go to Fukuoka-kun's room ahead of him.
I don't doubt that Ochiai would just dodge the question, but maybe Takada's reaction will give some info at least.
>Continue talking with Dr. Takada.
Alright, let's continue talking with Dr. Takada. "Doctor... Um..." Huh? Is something wrong? He has a strange air about him...
He remained silent while hanging his head down... "Dr. Takada, is there a problem?"
"......"
"Your complexion... isn't looking the best..."
"......"
"Are you okay?"
"...Yeah, I'm fine. You don't need to worry so much..."
"Um, Dr. Takada... The "material" that man named Ochiai talked about earlier... What did he mean by that?"
"I DON'T KNOW!! I'VE NEVER HEARD OF IT!!!!"
Eh? What's wrong? That's not like him at all... I've never seen him raise his voice like this before...
Was my question about something that serious? What does... "material" mean?
While I thought of such things, Dr. Takada went off somewhere at some point. Well, can't do much about it. I'll try asking when another chance pops up.
Fukuoka-kun... I wonder if he's alright? As for what that Ochiai guy is up to... Until I find that out, it's best not to get close to him.
First of all, I'll go to Fukuoka-kun's room through the nurses' station. If I follow this route, I should arrive there earlier than Ochiai.
As I passed by the nurses' station, I heard some nurses talking inside. A word I inadvertently overheard made me stop in my tracks.
"Fukuoka-kun". Why is that name popping up here? Did something happen? Suddenly feeling uneasy, I listened to their conversation.
To summarize the nurses' story, it seems that strange phenomena occur daily in Fukuoka-kun's hospital room. Things flying around, doors opening on their own...
The word {poltergeist} appears here and there in their conversation, but... that's beyond ridiculous. Such a thing does not exist.
I believe that many paranormal phenomena just come from wrong impressions. Most poltergeists have been proven to be pranks, in fact.
I'm wasting time on trivial matters. I have to hurry to Fukuoka-kun's hospital room...
[Fade to black]
"Fukuoka-kun, I'm coming in, okay?" When I slowly opened the door, I saw Fukuoka-kun making a happy face. And in front of his bed was that man, Ochiai.
Fukuoka-kun... I heard from his parents that he's still in the second or third grade.
My first encounter with him, I had just finished an autopsy and happened to be walking down the hallway of the sick room ward.
"Hm?" A single hospital room door was left ajar... "Did someone forget to close this?"
When I looked inside... I saw Fukuoka-kun looking out the window with a faraway look in his eyes.
"What are you doing so late into the night?"
What is this child talking about? I thought he was looking out with a somewhat sad, adult-like gaze, but then he brings up UFOs...
Some time later, Dr. Takada told me that he was suffering from {delusions}. He believed everything he imagined to be true... His mind was affected by such a disease.
A few days after that first encounter, I met him again. Again he was looking out from his hospital room window.
Much of what he said were hyperbolic fantasies... but still, why not? It didn't hurt to listen to him.
Through our many conversations, we had come to know each other so well that we would talk whenever we came face to face.
"Ah, Ms. Hitomi! Hey, listen to this!"
"W-what, is something wrong?"
"No, no. This uncle's funny!"
"...I see..."
Thank goodness. It seems he still hasn't interviewed Fukuoka-kun... I somehow came in time...
"Haha, I'm uncle, huh? Ah, Doctor. Come here please." I don't want to hear 'come here please' from you...
"Um, Miss... Sit down, I'm gonna tell a story."
"Alright, what's it about?"
"Um, this uncle told me it, but... Miss, do you know {Reiko Kashima}? The ghost or Reiko Kashima!"
"...No... I don't know..."
"Reiko Kashima is, um... a ghost that shows up in your dreams three days after you hear her name!"
"...Well, strictly speaking, that's not a ghost, isn't it...?"
"And Reiko Kashima has lost both her legs, so in the dream, she'll ask, 'Do you need your right leg?'"
"Really... What happens next?"
"If you don't reply with "I do" then, she'll take your leg!! Scary, right~?"
[The same happened here for Reiko Kashima's entry, probably not to ruin the tension]
"You're planning on staying up late because of that, aren't you?"
"Jeez... You're quick to say that, Miss..."
"Haha, it's okay to stay up late once in a while, you know."
"I'm already in third grade, so it should be okay to stay awake a little longer."
"Haha, you can't sleep because you're too afraid, aren't you, boy?"
"I'm not scared! Uncle!" Fukuoka-kun showed a smile, seeming to be really enjoying himself.
"But Reiko Kashima comes out when you sleep, doesn't she?" Ochiai said so with a joking expression.
Reiko Kashima... Another needless thing... Fukuoka-kun likes these types of stories, these tales of the bizarre and supernatural occurrences, extraordinarily so.
And that only adds to his creativity, making him create more delusional stories. He'll probably say he "saw Reiko Kashima!" tomorrow...
"Haha. Well, this is just an urban legend. If you don't sleep early, you'll make Miss here mad. You'd better sleep soon today..." Ochiai stood up as he spoke.
Could it be that he has already completed his interview? But Fukuoka-kun's behavior makes me believe otherwise.
For him to be already leaving... This Ochiai guy, why did he come visit Fukuoka-kun? Well, prying deeply into it would be uncalled for, but...
"Well then, Miss will send uncle off. You should get some proper and peaceful sleep."
"I give up. Even Ms. Doctor calls me uncle?"
"......"
"Ms. Hitomi! See you tomorrow!"
"Yes, see you tomorrow... Please get some good rest."
"Goodbye, boy. 'Til next time. That'll be fun."
"Yeah! Bring more scary stories, okay? Scarier ones would be good."
"Ha, got it. I'll stock up on different stories until then. Look forward to it."
"Okay, it's a promise! Bye-bye!!" Fukuoka-kun smiled as he waved his hand goodbye. We replied with smiling faces while leaving for the corridor.
The moonlight illuminated the lobby. How pretty... It's a full moon. The area was as still as death, with no signs of human presence.
"So... Why Fukuoka-kun?"
"Huh? Ah, for the news coverage, right."
"You have to get permission for something like that..."
"As I said earlier, I did get it."
"......"
"What do you care, Doctor? Are you worried Dr. Takada will get mad at you?"
"It's nothing like that!"
"However, the boy... Fukuoka-kun is a good kid. He's really honest... and smart."
"......!!"
"Oy oy, don't glare at me with that face."
"Then... What's your article about?"
"......" Ochiai didn't tell me anything after that.
"...Did you already finish collecting information?"
"......"
"You won't say anything...? I can't do much since you've obtained permission, but... If it's going to hurt Fukuoka-kun, then I urge you to stop."
"I wouldn't do something like that..."
"You wouldn't, really?"
"Yeah, really. I just want to know the truth, that's all... But I have standards."
"...So that's what you want, is it?"
"Even in a group of wannabe journalists like ours, there are guys who try to get their scoop no matter what."
"And you're different?"
"...Sorry, but I hate that method of doing things. I try not to act in ways that violate my personal rules."
"I wonder how much of that is true...?"
"Well, one of these days you'll come to understand... because I have a feeling we'll be seeing each other for a long while."
"......"
"The truth is almost out there... but for you, it'll probably be a painful reality."
"Oh? Is that what your journalist instincts are telling you?"
"Yeah, you could call it that. Well, I'll be coming here often from here on."
"...I see. The exit is over there..."
"Goodness me, what a distrustful doctor. I'll come by another time."
"If possible, I hope it'll be a time when I'm not here."
"Ha! That harshness doesn't match your face, you know~."
Saying so, Ochiai left the hospital. Truth? Painful reality? What was it that he was talking about?
Well, they are the words of the editor of a third-rate sports newspaper. It wouldn't do me any good to pay mind to them... Now then... What should I do now?
Should I go out on a walk and make my rounds in the hospital? Or drop by Dr. Takada's office?
>Make my rounds in the hospital.
>Go to Dr. Takada's office.
⬢ >Check Fukuoka-kun's room yet another time.
This episode has a scene that can only be unlocked if you choose two specific choices, this is the first.
>Check Fukuoka-kun's room yet another time.
I'll go check Fukuoka-kun's hospital room one more time. Just in case...
[Fade to black]
Fukuoka-kun was sleeping soundly. It hasn't been that long since the lights went out... Maybe he was tired because he had a sudden visitor today?
"Eh?" That's when it happened. I witnessed a light hovering in midair on the other side of the glass window...
A reflection from a car's headlights...? No, then the light would have appeared only for a moment or been intermittent...
"A will-of-the-wisp... Maybe someone burned some phosphorus?" Then there is nothing to fear. The will-of-the-wisp has been scientifically verified, it's become a relic of the past.
But it's drifting in place, moving up and down erratically. It's not a will-of-the-wisp? If so...
Right then...
"W-what the...?" Suddenly, the vases and tables in the room began to rattle and shake. Is this... an earthquake?
However, only those objects were shaking, everything else wasn't. The building itself isn't shaking. It... isn't an earthquake?
Suddenly, a vase flew toward me, hit the wall, and broke. If either one of us had been off by just a few centimeters... It would have been a direct hit.
The object was still vibrating. I looked outside and saw that the light that was there earlier was gone. Does that light have something to do with this?
No, there's no such thing as the occult... And no matter is scientifically unverifiable. It's only my lack of knowledge that makes the connection between the two scientifically unprovable.
Then, out of nowhere, the objects stopped rumbling. And then I witnessed... something that is probably impossible to prove scientifically...
Fukuoka's bed is floating... The feet of the bed are... a few inches off the floor... What the hell is this?
Could someone be lurking in this darkness, lifting the bed in mid-air? I don't think so, but then... how do I explain this phenomenon?
...I can't. My thoughts are in disorder. Phenomena that clearly differ from my system of logic... are happening in rapid succession.
Fukuoka-kun is fast asleep with a seemingly happy face... But could he be aware of what's happening? He seems to be... floating himself.
And then... the bed, which had been floating up, put its feet on the floor again as if nothing had happened. I looked at the foot of the bed just to be sure, but there was no mechanism there.
An optical illusion? Did the moonlight and this darkness mislead me into seeing something? No, I'm not mistaken... but to admit that would be...
Anyway, Fukuoka-kun himself seems to be okay. Barring this inexplicable phenomenon...
I'll go outside and cool my head. My brain is about to burst.
I went out into the hallway and started walking slowly. Towards somewhere... I could calm down...
How can I... describe that phenomenon? It would be easier to think of it in occult terms, but... I can't let that happen.
Now, I'll try not to think about it and rest my head as much as possible.
Come to think of it, I can't completely trust that Ochiai guy... but he does seem to have hit upon some truth...
It was a strange feeling... I decided to take a walk around the hospital for a while to clear my head, so I strolled around here and there without any place to go.
In these situations, a stroll is very useful. Perhaps we learned to walk because we learned to think.
The inside of the hospital was completely silent. The only sounds are the periodic electronic beeps of the medical equipment... Am I the only one who finds this soothing?
And before I knew it, I found myself in front of a hospital room that was currently unused by anyone. This room is usually not used very often and is kept empty most of the time.
When I get tired from work... Especially when an autopsy is finished in the middle of the night, I occasionally find myself alone here, lost in contemplation.
[Shuffling noises]
"Hm? I heard some kind of noise... just now..."
"Did Reiko Kashima come out? She couldn't have, right?" Such occult-like ideas are one of my pet peeves. That kind of thinking exists only as the result of daydreaming.
Those types of falsehoods... I believe they're the basis of the occult. They become embellished, and before long, take root in people's hearts and minds.
I'm not optimistic enough to believe in such ideas. Besides... I have my reasons for not believing in the occult...
It stems from an aggravating past event that I don't want to remember...
I don't want to go through that... again. I enter the hospital room with these thoughts in my mind.
[Door creaks, black screen]
I looked around the room, but could not see anyone there. "What's... this smell...?" This smell that pierces the nose... seems to be the smell of a woman.
"Huh? That's..." On the glass window before my eyes, I saw...
"Do you need your right leg?"
So it is written. As far as I can see from here, it looks like it was written in crimson paint. It's probably a prank, but I should check it out, just in case...
[The background image approaches, but it disappears as the sound of the door closing is heard.]
"Eh?"
When I turned around, I saw that the entrance door was closed. The window was not open, so... it was hard to imagine that the wind had closed it. In that case, did someone close it from the outside?
Perhaps someone passing by thought the door was unlocked and closed it. I put my hand on the knob to open the door.
"H-huh?"
...It won't open... This door is the type that locks from the inside, so it couldn't have been locked... Is someone holding it down from the outside?
This is too childish of a prank... Only some of the lowest people would find this kind of thing enjoyable. It's... utterly disgusting.
"Wait! I'm still inside! Hey! Open the door!!"
"........." However, there's no reply.
"I said, open the door!!"
"........"
"Eh?"
I felt someone watching me from the window. From the direction of those characters...
But this is the 6th floor's hospital ward. There was no sign of anyone inside the room, so... I guess that means the gaze came from outside the window...
However, that's not possible. Then where did that glare I just felt come from? I tried to remain calm, but...
To my shame, I was in a mild panic. An event that could not be logically explained... was happening right in front of my eyes.
I definitely lack the skills to deal with this situation. The name Reiko Kashima came back to my mind. The spirit who asks, "Do you need your right leg?"...
No way, that couldn't be... "Ah!" All of a sudden, I saw something fly past the outside of the window.
Could that have been... the gaze's owner? But that... definitely looked like a person. What is happening... around me now?
Outside the window... I have to see what's out there... Just what in the world crossed past...
I looked out the window, but, naturally, there was no one downstairs or nearby. What... was that all about?
"...These characters..." Approaching the window and taking a closer look at the writing, it appears to have been written in lipstick.
I trace the letters with my finger and examine the redness closely. Sure enough, this is lipstick. The woman's scent that had lingered in the room since a moment ago... was this the scent's true identity?
Then I went to the door again, turned the knob, and the door opened easily as if the firmness from before was a lie. "...What was that...real...?"
"Ah, if it isn't Dr. Shikibu!" When I opened the door, I found Tsutsumi-kun on his rounds. Could it have been... him?
"What were you doing in this place?"
"Nothing. By the way, when did you get here?"
"Huh? I was just passing by... Did something happen?"
"...It's nothing. Thanks."
"Wait... Uh... Dr. Shikibu!"
"Yes?"
"Uhmm... no... nothing."
"If you have something to say, say it."
"No! Really, it's fine!" Tsutsumi-kun said so as he ran off.
Tsutsumi-kun... Was his appearance here really by chance?
Dr. Takada is working on something on his computer. Tsutsumi-kun entered from behind me, but he went unnoticed, too.
"Doctor... Doctor Takada?"
"Wagh! T-that made me jump... Calling me out of nowhere."
"Pardon me... Is that today's report?"
"Eh? Ah, no, it's nothing." While saying so, Dr. Takada closed the file on his computer.
"Um, Doctor. About Ochiai from earlier..."
"Oh, that man? What about him? Did he do something?"
"No, it's just that he had a friendly conversation with Fukuoka-kun. I was wondering what in the world was he gathering material for...?"
"Well, it's a third-rate sports newspaper... I just hope they won't write it mockingly. Fukuoka-kun would get hurt."
"That's true... It's just that..."
"What's wrong? It's not like you, Shikibu-kun. It feels somewhat half-baked." I thought about telling him about what happened in the hospital room earlier, but... I decided not to.
Because I knew Dr. Takada didn't like occult talk as well.
"You know, I don't think there's anything to report on..."
"Indeed... It seemed like he was just telling Fukuoka-kun a scary story earlier."
"Huh? I wish he wouldn't do that... It's going to get him into that mood again."
"Yeah, but it might be too late now..."
"Really? I'm beaten..."
"As for that Ochiai guy, I'll be as careful as I can."
"I see, please do so. Fukuoka-kun is attached to you the most, that'll be good for him."
"Understood. Incidentally, Doctor, about Mr. Kaburagi's case... It was a death due to shock, right?"
"......Um, Doctor......"
"What is it, Tsutsumi-kun?"
"Oh, no... It's nothing... Excuse me."
"...What's going on, all of you are acting half-baked."
"...Sorry, please continue."
"...Sure... perhaps his right arm somehow went into that state, leading to him dying of shock from the pain... That's a reasonable assumption."
"Besides, he's a model, right? It's possible he died of shock when he saw his right arm burnt off..."
"...Perhaps. We'll know in tomorrow's autopsy..."
"Alright. It's all in your hands, Shikibu-kun. Please rest easy for today."
"Yes, I understand. Well then, I'll take my leave..."
"Yeah, take care."
"Yes. Tsutsumi-kun, good work, too..."
"Yes... Good work, Dr. Shikibu."
"D-Dr. Shikibu!" Looking back, I saw Tsutsumi-kun behind me.
"What's wrong? You've been acting strange for a while."
"Um... um..."
"What?"
"Um... I was wondering if you'd like to have dinner... or... What do you say?"
"Dinner?"
"Yeah, since I'll be leaving soon... So, how about it? Um, I think French food would be good, right?"
"...I see..."
Should I go have dinner with Tsutsumi-kun?
⬢ >Go eat with Tsutsumi-kun
>Don't eat with Tsutsumi-kun
Considering the frequency of supernatural events here, this might be the only time she'll get some rest in the whole episode, so why not?
>Go eat with Tsutsumi-kun
"Well, I'm exhausted and I want to eat something good. ...Let's go."
"R-really!? Yes!!"
"Is this occasion that joyful?"
"Of course! To be able to dine with Dr. Shikibu... It's going to be the best dinner ever!"
"...Yes, I'm honored."
"Okay! Then, I know a bar I can recommend. Let's go there!"
"Alright, I'll leave it to you."
"Yes! Well then, let's go without delay..."
Thus, we came around to a nice little bar within the metropolis. The dim lighting is making the couples around us feel more excited.
Couples... I wonder if we look like that as well? I don't particularly care, but when I come to a place like this, it bothers me.
"Dr. Shikibu! Let's get some champagne for now?"
"Yes... let's do that."
"Excuse me! Two glasses of champagne!"
"Understood, sir." A classy-looking waiter answered from the counter. The champagne was soon brought in. Tsutsumi-kun has an unusually serious expression on his face.
"...Cheers..."
"Dr. Shikibu... Want to eat something?"
"Well... let me see..." Looking at the menu, the prices on it are clearly higher than those of a regular bar.
"But first... are you sure it's okay to be here?"
"What do you mean?"
"For your wallet..."
"I-I can take care of it. This much at least..." Tsutsumi-kun took out his own wallet and began to check its contents. A grown man... shouldn't do that.
But I don't think that's a bad thing. I don't know how to say it... it's a natural attitude? I like his style of not being extremely conscious of the other person.
"It's alright... Please, feel free..."
"Is that so? Then I'll feel free to order."
"Dr. Shikibu... you're quite the adult, you know?"
"What? Are you trying to call me an old lady?"
"N-no! The way you smiled earlier... Even though you aren't much older than me... It gave the feeling of a mature woman..."
"You mean, like an old lady."
"No, that's not what I mean. I'm honestly saying what I think... You're mature... in a good way."
"Well, thank you..."
"Okay, would you like to order a meal?"
"Hm... Then..." Meeting him outside like this, this youth, Tsutsuki-kun, seems to be quite the good man.
Not that he was unpleasant in the hospital, but... I had the impression that he was somewhat unreliable. But tonight, I think I can get rid of that impression.
"Um, Dr. Shikibu..."
"Yes?"
"Can I invite you like this another time?"
"What? We haven't even had dinner yet. Isn't that too soon?"
"S-sorry... You're right, haha..."
"Let's have a drink now! Let's have some fun tonight!"
"Yes... Let's."
Then we had dinner, chatting about various things. I was beginning to take an interest in Tsutsumi-kun's expressions, his daily life... and other things that I normally don't see.
[Fade to black]
[Book in the CG reads, "Medical Jurisprudence"]
"Phew..." When I got home, I left my helmet in the entranceway and headed for the living room. Too many things have happened today...
Kaburagi came in... and the resuscitation failed... then Ochiai... and Fukuoka-kun... I wonder if he's okay.
"...Reiko Kashima, huh..." I had no reason to believe in such an occult story, but still, I could not get that name out of my mind.
Reiko Kashima, the ghost said to appear in dreams... The prank writing from earlier, "Do you need your right leg?"... It appeared right after I heard about Reiko Kashima... To be honest, I got a little terrified.
Was that just a prank? Or... These thoughts keep spinning round and round in my head, and I can't think of anything else.
"It's not sound thinking."
Attempting to shake free from such thoughts, I enter the shower.
I took a shower a little hotter than usual. Because I felt that doing so would reset my train of thought... But it's at times like these that...
The scars on my back begin to hurt. I sustained this wound when I got involved in a certain case. A case I still can't measure with my common sense.
I don't like to use the word "occult", but that incident, which probably fits the word best, has left a big scar on my back. Like a brand...
There is no doubt that behind my stubborn denial of the occult is a psychological reluctance to admit what happened. I am well aware of that.
I wonder... How much time has passed since those days... I was still a student... And I was dating a guy. He was deeply involved in that incident...
...Let's not do this anymore... Remembering past stories doesn't change anything. Instead, it will only lead me to an impasse.
Once I enter that maze, I can never get out... Taking a shower was supposed to help me regain a sound thought process, and yet...
Before I knew it, my thoughts had reversed. It's a bad tendency. I need to completely change my frame of mind.
"Huh?"
Suddenly, I heard a gurgling sound coming from beneath my feet, causing me to accidentally raise my voice. I wonder if the drain got clogged...?
However, I had just finished cleaning the bathroom the other day. For it to clog this quickly is...
"Eh? What is... this..."
A large number of nail clippings abruptly poured out from the drain. It was like the reverse playback of a video, they came out one after another... Before I knew it, the shower was jam-packed with nails...
"KYAAAHHH!!"
T-these nails... How are they coming from the drain? I thought too many events happened today, but is it still not over yet?
Feeling sick, I step outside as if to escape from the bathroom. Even after getting out of there, the gurgling sound could be constantly heard.
Are they... still pouring out? No... I need to look at the truth calmly here. Let's think things through logically.
Once again, I need to calm down and assess the situation. I went back into the bathroom and picked up one of the nail clippings.
From their size and shape... they appear to be toenails... from toes of various sizes. Since I left the shower behind as it was, the bathtub was filled with nails floating in the hot water.
A flashback of the prank writing, "Do you need your right leg?", passes through my mind. The massive number of toenails... What in the world are they...?
......
...At any rate, the plumbing must be clogged or something. I can't come up with sensible ideas if I fret too much.
Putting on my bathrobe, I hurriedly left the bathroom and slipped into bed without changing clothes.
However, I couldn't fall asleep at all. Despite my wishes, I flashback to the events that occurred in the hospital today. I'm trying to fall asleep, but... I can't sleep...
The message written in lipstick...
What would a scientific analysis of that entail? Once that is known, maybe I will be able to relax a little bit.
But whatever conclusions I draw, I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight. Anyway, I'd like to avoid it... Yes, I...
Can't afford to accept... the occult...
[Fade to black]
Let's end here. Like I said, this episode is a cascade of supernatural events, and although Hitomi's denial might get repetitive soon, I think she'll take a more proactive approach, rather than just passively denying what's happening around her. What do I mean, you ask? I think, more like I hope, she'll actually investigate the source of these events, which would be more like the first four episodes. Either way, I'm already liking this episode more than the previous one, but I'll have to see how it goes forward before locking in my opinion.
Anyway, see you next time!
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