A/N: IMPORTANT. PLEASE READ: Fanfiction seems to be experiencing some problems right now. Because some of my readers can't see my updates due to the glitchy website, I'm going to wait for a bit and not post anything until the problem is fixed. That way, my readers don't miss too many of the chapters.
I will still finish the last chapter of "A Toji Christmas Carol" next Monday/Tuesday and maybe will install another one-shot. I will be returning to school this Wednesday, but should relatively still have a fair amount of free time considering how it'll only be the first week of school.
Chapter 9: Musumi Kiyoka
When Ryosei escorted Kiyoka to the drawing-room, the first thing the latter did was timidly bump into the doorpost. Her breathing was erratic and the pupils of her eyes dilated. She looked a rather pathetic sight, like a startled donkey. I couldn't help feeling a kindly impulse towards her. Kiyoka had always been a good friend to me personally. I guess part of the reason was attributed to our mutual dislike of being in the "Horizon Alliance". However, there were other interests we both shared that secured our friendship, specifically our love for reading and cooking.
"Hello, Musumi-san," Kanami greeted. "Thank you for coming."
Giving a humble bow and taking a seat, Kiyoka stammered, "H-Hello to you too."
Now that my kouhai was sitting before us as a suspect, the feeling of unease I felt earlier returned. I didn't want to think about Kiyoka being possibly responsible for the crime. What would I do if she was? I had to remind myself that it wasn't just Kiyoka I had to be concerned about—every single one of the Akabane Sword Team members was under suspicion, and we still weren't any close to solving the murder. This was a lucky recollection; it saved me from something very similar to reluctance. But they were all good people...
'Even if one of them does turn out to be the murderer, could I possibly use my position to grant her a pardon?' I thought.
The temptation was so great that I was very close to openly suggesting it to Kanami and Sanae. No. No! That would be abusing my power. Would it? Even as the Head of the Origami Family, I was still under the influence of the law. Conflicted in making a clear judgement, I eventually determined that it was still too early to make such a rash decision and pushed the idea to the back of my head...for now.
Also seeming to have taken notice of Kiyoka's apparent nervousness, Kanami first acquired the girl's Toji ID handbook. Even though Kanami already knew the details, she asked Kiyoka a series of questions regarding her length of service as a Toji. While seemingly unnecessary, I slowly came to realize that the real motive behind the simple inquiries was to set Kiyoka at ease. They certainly did the trick.
"I hope you all do not think that there is something on my part," Kiyoka said, momentarily reverting back to her tense state. "My suggestion of the murder mystery game was just on the spur of the moment, I assure you. I just wanted to play with everyone. You...don't think it reflects badly on me, do you?"
Giving a consoling smile, Kanami replied, "A murder and a game are two entirely different things, Musumi-san. Do not worry. No one is blaming you."
"Oh, thank goodness. I was truly scared, you know. I still am, in some ways. It's just terrifying to think that somewhere in this great big house, there's a killer. But oh! I don't want to imagine that it's one of our friends. They're such kind people—even Kofuki-san, despite her rough nature, she actually has such a tender heart underneath. One like glass, so easy to break."
Then, hiding her face with her hands, Kiyoka sniffled, "And for Kofuki-san to have suffered so much...oh, it's too much to bear! She—"
Stopping mid-breath, Kiyoka looked up from her hands, frightened once again. Getting up from her seat, Sanae went over to pour our former schoolmate a cup of tea. She sat beside Kiyoka rubbing her back, in the hopes of offering some sympathy.
Having calmed down after a few sips of the warm drink, Kiyoka apologized, "I'm sorry. My nerves just got the better of me. I am fine now. Just Fumiko-sama's murder...and now us all being considered suspects..."
"Don't worry, Musumi-san. All is well. No harm will come to you. This is indeed a very psychologically taxing affair," Kanami reassured. "Fumiko-sama's death must've given you rather a shock."
"Oh yes," Kiyoka said with a shudder.
Quite impatient to direct our attention back to the matter at hand, I asked my kouhai, "Can you tell us your exact movements, after your murder mystery game concluded last night?"
"Maybe around 10:10-ish, Chie-san and I went to the library, hoping to find some good books to read," Kiyoka began.
I stirred a little. "Setouchi Chie mentioned that you were busy writing though."
Involuntarily jumping, a dark blush appeared on Kiyoka's pale cheeks. "Y-Yes...I'm kind of embarrassed to admit it, but I'm writing a novel. Since I read so much literature, I decided to try my hand at creating a story of my own."
"Oh? What is it about?" Sanae asked with an intrigued look.
By that moment, Kiyoka's face had turned completely red as a tomato. She ducked her head, unwilling to make eye-contact with anyone.
"It's a romance story. A yuri novel," she said.
Her voice was barely a whisper. Unquestionably, she was apprehensive about being criticized. On the contrary, Kanami and Sanae expressed their further interest. Encouraged by such positive appraisal, Kiyoka gathered boldness enough to describe her work further, her eyes sparkling like stars as she spoke.
"It's about two girls who share a destiny to follow in their mothers' footsteps. One is cheerful and the other, serious and reserved. But over time, the serious girl opens up once her lover promises to share her burden," Kiyoka sighed, clasping her hands together.
'Why does that synopsis sound so familiar?' I thought.
"Okay, so you remained writing your novel in the library, until what time?" Kanami asked.
"Chie-san and I left at maybe a quarter past eleven. I was very tired, so I just went upstairs to bed right away. Although I must say, I was so nervous about going to my room. Very nearly, I was tempted to go back and ask Chie-san to accompany me, but somehow that just seemed childish. It's just...this old house is so scary, especially since that there are so many shadows at night. And the portraits everywhere...you'd think they were all watching you. I've read stories about large mansions like this—ones with hidden passages. It's terrifying."
I remembered how Mihono commented about the possibility of ghosts and to not mention it to Kiyoka, lest it scare her out of her wits. Apparently, there was no need; Kiyoka was overimaginative enough to put different thoughts of her own into her head and freak herself out.
Almost breathlessly, Kiyoka mopped the perspiration on her forehead with a handkerchief and continued, "But despite that, the place does have its odd charms. It's just like one of those board games they play in the West—the one named Clue or Cluedo. Mirja-san played it with her roommates when she was abroad in England. She even brought a game back with her to teach us all how to play."
I played Clue myself once with Kanami and her family. I had bought the game when I took a business trip to America, thinking they would like it. On the contrary, Kanami and her father, Inspector Etou, only kept making comments throughout the game, criticizing how poorly it resembled an actual investigation, such as, "This game should have DNA samples and CCTV." Eventually, I ended up selling my Clue board online.
"Oh yes, Clue. Interesting game," Kanami commented, even though I knew she meant the opposite. "Um, moving forward...you said you went to bed at 11:15. Did you leave your room at any time after that?"
Shaking her head, Kiyoka answered, "No. Although I did remain awake for a bit, even though I was tired. So, I continued working on my novel in bed, until my eyes could no longer remain open."
"And how long did you stay awake in your room?" Kanami asked.
"Maybe I went to sleep a bit after midnight?" Kiyoka guessed. "I remember I heard the grandfather clock from downstairs chime before then. My room is the one closest to the staircase."
"Was there anything else you heard before or after that?" I asked.
"Yes. At maybe 11:45, I heard someone walking past my room. And then exactly at midnight, I heard another two sets of footsteps."
"Coming from the staircase or the other rooms?"
"The staircase. I heard them come up."
"That would've been Setouchi-san at 11:45, and Kitora-san and Shichinosato-san at midnight," Kanami said, looking at her notes. "Was that all you heard, Musumi-san?"
"Yes, that's all. I'm afraid I have nothing else to tell you," Kiyoka said.
She rose to go, but a short cough from Kanami was effective enough to make my former schoolmate pause. "Musumi-san, before you leave, there's something else actually that we have to tell you. A fact regarding Fumiko-sama."
Looking at her and then at Sanae and I, Kiyoka slowly sat back down. Her eyes once more had that wild prey's look about them, her senses just as alert.
"You see, Fumiko-sama was the one who ordered for the four trains to be hijacked on the infamous day of 11/9. Were you aware of that, Musumi-san?" Kanami questioned.
At the shocking revelation, Kiyoka's mouth fell all the way. Her eyes, which grew as round as an owl's, began to overflow with tears. And quite unexpectedly, she burst into passionate sobbing. She cried so unrestrainedly that it took all of us aback. Her handkerchief had become much too wet to be of any use that Sanae had to lend hers.
"Thank you, Sanae-san," Kiyoka hiccupped. "It's just—too awful. That someone could be so—evil. To just take away innocent lives like that—how—how could she?"
"On 11/9, was anyone intimately close to you killed?" Kanami asked.
"Ye—I mean, no..." Kiyoka stammered, becoming frightened again.
Frowning a little, I said urgently, "Kiyoka, if you have something to tell us, say it. It is imperative that we learn as much as possible to solve this murder."
Wiping her eyes and blowing her nose hard, my kouhai swallowed a lump in her throat before admitting, "Alright, yes. I did know someone. Koike Saaya, my senpai. You know, she was the previous owner of my okatana, Renge Fudou Teruhiro. She was so clever and kind—the type of person everyone becomes fond of. And even though she graduated, Koike-san always took the time to send me a supportive text. Even if it was just a simple greeting of how was my day going, it always cheered me up. Koike-san was the main person who helped me become a braver person and persevere. She—she meant so much to me—"
Fresh tears sprang back into Kiyoka's eyes, as she continued, "She had a job training at some police station, before eventually getting placed in the security department of the International Toji Headquarters. She was in the North Tower when it happened—and was killed upon impact. I just couldn't believe it—I didn't want to. Would you ever be able to imagine it? That such a sweet, innocent, young lady, who did nothing but spread kindness to others...could be dead in just a split second? And then seeing her smiling face in the obituaries...I'd have done anything to get her back. To see that smile again in real life. But that'll never happen. Koike-san is gone...gone forever..."
Finished with her sad rant, Kiyoka's chest heaved with sorrowful passion as she gasped for breath. She did not cry anymore, probably because there were no more tears to come. Giving one last hiccup, she stood up.
"Is that all you wished to tell me? May I go now? Please?"
"Yes, Musumi-san, you may leave," Kanami said, her tone low and full of guilt.
Hiding her face with her hair, Kiyoka stumbled out, once again knocking into the doorpost. There was a moment of silence after she left.
"Well, what did you think of her display of emotion?" Sanae finally asked.
"She is the first one to admit a close connection with the 11/9 attacks," I remarked, moving to refill my teacup, only to discover there wasn't a drop left in the china teapot. "What are you thinking about, Kanami?"
My girlfriend merely shook her head. "I'm wondering why she initially tried to hide the fact about knowing one of the 11/9 victims..."
A/N: Oh yeah, forgot to say, Happy New Year, everyone!