Chapter 10

March

Day 1

Right now, I'm walking to work. I've realized that every time I walk to work, I pass this creepy abandoned hospital. I've never seen any spirits enter or exit the place, which is weird. Usually, when I see places like that, spirits come and go as they please. There can't not be any spirits there, because people die at hospitals all the time as sad as that is. I wonder if I could find some information about this place. I walked into the café and heard some girls from my school talking as I passed their table. "I heard that if you go into that hospital, you can't get out." One of them said grinning.

"Ooh, so scary~!" Another said laughing.

"But seriously, my brother's friend went in there and hasn't been seen since then." A girl who I recognized as Hata Aiko said. She's a 2nd year.

"Whatever, Aiko!" The second girl said rolling her eyes. I'll file that piece of information way for later. I thought as I went behind the counter.

"Good afternoon, Aki!" Hajime greeted me, smiling.

"Hey, Hajime! How are Ryuu and Yuma?"

"They argue like a married couple, I tell you." She said shaking her head as she followed me into the back room. "Have you found any interesting haunted places?"

"Huh? Why?" I was totally confused.

She grinned. "I saw you listening to those girls over there."

"Oh," I said grinning. "Well, I pass the hospital they're talking about every time I walk to work."

"Do you see any ghosts when you pass it?" She asked eagerly.

"Oddly enough, I don't. It's weird." I said frowning.

"That is weird. I've heard at least two people have gone missing there. Three now, since I heard what that girl said."

"Do you know if the police have checked it out any?" I asked as I finally got changed into my uniform.

"Hm," She said thoughtfully. "I don't think they went there to check it out until after a news reporter went missing in there. I think her name was Morikawa Misaki."

"Oh, I heard about that on the news. I think she was the second one that was reported missing. The first one I think was Hirota Akemi? Yeah, Ryuu told me she was a second year in his kendo club."

"Oh yeah, Ryuu told me about her too. I suspect we'll hear about the last person the girl was talking about earlier on the news eventually. I don't know how long ago it's been since they've been missing though."

"Well, it looks like I've found myself another mystery to solve." I said grinning. She chuckled.

"Just be careful okay? I don't want you to go missing too. Ryuu and Yuma would be very sad if you went missing."

"Don't worry, I don't plan on doing it by myself. I have a feeling someone will go to Naru about it." I said grinning. "Oh, that reminds me. Tell Ryuu and Yuma that they're welcome to come over to my apartment on the weekends if they want to hang out or something."

"Don't you have their numbers?"

"I did have their numbers, but then I dropped my phone on the sidewalk and I lost all my contacts after that. So I had to buy a new phone and put in the numbers that I do remember. I didn't remember their numbers." She chuckled.

"Remind me before you leave and I'll give you their numbers."

"Thanks!" She nodded and we got to work. I don't think Izumi would appreciate us just standing here and talking. A few hours later, Ayako walks in with Monk and John. "Welcome to the Star Café!" I said grinning at them.

"Hm, we'd love to get something, but we're kind of here on business, if you know what I mean." Monk said winking at me. I pouted.

"Another case? Aw, I was having so much fun too."

"What? You mean to tell me you don't enjoy solving the cases we come across?" Monk asked in disbelief.

"Of course I enjoy solving them. It's the depressing stuff that gets to me." I said shrugging.

"Oh,"

"I'll be right back." I told them before going to find Izumi and Hajime.

"You have a case, don't you?" Izumi said when I finally found her.

"Yeah, I'm sorry."

She smiled. "It's no problem. I'm glad you've found something that interests you."

I smiled back her. "Thanks, Izumi! I'll make it up to you I promise!"

She chuckled. "Oh, I know you will." I grinned and went back to Ayako, Monk, and John.

"Alright, I have my stuff, let's get out of here." Ayako rolled her eyes as the group left the café. "Do we know what the case is about yet?"

"Nope, Naru just said to get to the office as soon as possible and to pick you up." Monk said shrugging.

"Do you know anything Ayako?" I asked her curiously.

"No. I was just on my way to the mall when Naru called." Ayako said looking a bit irritated. "There was a huge sale I wanted to check out." I pouted.

John chuckled. "I'm sure we'll find out soon enough." I hope it's the hospital. I thought unable to keep still.

"Are you going to come in your uniform?" Ayako asked grinning. She was obviously in a better mood now.

I stuck my tongue out at her. "I'll get my normal clothes later." We finally made it to the SPR office. Naru and Lin were sitting on one of the sofas, talking when we walked in. A tea tray sat on the coffee table in front of them and it was still steaming. So Mai must have just made it! I haven't had any of Mai's tea for a while now. Masako and Mai were arguing on another sofa. "Hey guys!" I greeted the two as I took a seat and helped myself to a cup of tea.

"It's been awhile." Lin said smiling at me. I shrugged.

"I've been really busy lately." I hadn't come to visit Lin or Naru for almost three weeks now. Literally I've been busy with work and catching up on the school work I missed after the first two cases. I just got caught up too. I hope this case doesn't drag on forever. I thought frowning.

"What's wrong?" Naru asked me. I shook my head.

"No, it's nothing. Anyways, so what's the case about this time?" I secretly hoped it was the hospital.

He chuckled. "A contractor by the name of Yamamura Tatsumi came by a few hours ago. He was assigned to take down what used to be the old General Hospital of Tokyo a few weeks ago. When he and his men got there to assess the damage, one of his men, Noboru Isamu, was pushed in the hospital's recreational room. Only no one was around when it happened, not even the person who pushed Noboru-san."

"Yay, I knew someone would bring this as a case to you!" I said excitedly.

"So that's why you were so impatient." Monk said shaking his head.

"What do you know about it?" Lin asked me.

I grinned. "Well, I know that spirits don't enter or leave the place and I've heard that at least three people have gone missing after entering the building. Plus, I overheard a classmate of mine telling her friends that her brother's friend went missing in there."

"Who?" Mai asked wide-eyed.

"Hata Aiko-san."

"I see," Naru said nodding. "Yamamura-san told me a real-estate employee who goes by the name of Masaru Kaori had scouted out the place before calling him. She heard children laughing and playing in the nursery and she was pushed down the stairs that lead to the operating rooms. She didn't tell him any of this until he called her to tell her about what happened to Noboru-san."

"Who are the missing people?" Ayako asked curiously.

"They are Hirota Akemi, Kinoshita Arai, and Morikawa Misaki. Two of them are in high school and the last one is a reporter." Lin answered as he typed away at his laptop. What is he typing all the time anyways? Seriously, he must already have this stuff on his computer, right? "Also, there appears to be five witnesses who were there when these people went missing. Takeda Yuuta is the cameraman who was with Morikawa Misaki, Hattori Moriko and Fukuda Natsuki are the ones who were with Hirota Akemi when she went missing, and Hata Kaito and Sakaguchi Kenta are the two who were with Kinoshita Arai when he went missing."

Mai gasped. "Kinoshita-san? I was wondering what happened to him."

"Kinoshita? Oh, yeah, the 2nd year who didn't show up for the volleyball tournament."

"You were there for that?" Mai asked shocked.

"Well, yeah, I do like to go to school games every once in a while." I said shrugging. I do support our school you know. "Anyways, that must be who Hata-san was talking about."

"Aki, are you sure you haven't seen any spirits around the hospital?" Masako asked me frowning.

"Yeah, I walk by the place every day when I go to work. I'm thinking they're probably trapped inside the hospital if there are spirits there." I said shrugging.

"If?" John asked frowning.

"Well, it could be ground subsidence or something logical like that, no?" He nodded.

"That's true." Monk said sitting his cup down on the coffee table.

"What about the missing people?" Ayako asked frowning.

"Maybe there's a serial killer on the loose who kidnaps their victims from the old hospital if they happened to wander in." I said shrugging again. "You never know."

Mai shuddered. "Let's not talk about stuff like that. That scares me more than anything."

"Sorry," I said smiling sheepishly at her.

"What do you think, Naru?" Masako asked, looking at Naru.

"I think anything is possible at this point. Yamamura-san is working on contacting those who witnessed those three people going missing." Naru said looking thoughtful.

"I can help you out with four of those witnesses. Mai and I can talk to Hata-san tomorrow at school and I know Natsuki. She has homeroom with us." I said grinning.

"Alright, I'll call Yamamura-san and let him know that he only has to try and contact Takeda Yuuta-san." Mai nodded. "In the meantime, let's go over the rest of the case."