"You look as if you've seen a ghost" she stated while I was still in shock
"K-k-kirigi-san" I exclaimed trying to calm myself while still looking at her long lavander hair and her purple eyes , "What are you doing here?" I asked finally coming back to normal
"For investigation of course... Victim's family requested me" she answered and started looking around "Are you going to keep staring at me?"
"Oh, no... sorry!" I replied as I started to investigate with Kirigiri. As usual, she didn't talk much and as she was wearing almost the same clothes as she did 4 years ago I started getting nostalgic feeling
"The body is already taken, right?" she asked and I stopped thinking about the past and focused
"Yes, they took him to the morgue..." I answered as she just scowled and then continued looking around in silence. She was looking at every little detail at the table and the floor, then she looked around the stain on the carpet. She looked at the stain for few minutes when she turned to face me
"Naegi-kun, um... can you help me?" she asked as a small blush was on her face
I was shocked for a moment there, "Sure, what do you need help with?" I replied with an awkward chuckle
"I need you to show me the file from the police" she requested "I can't investigate properly if I don't have necessary information and they took the body" she remarked with a serious tone
"Umm sure, I have the file but in my office" I answered, "I will go and take it and we can sit somewhere to exchange information"
"Ok... we will see each other in a half an hour at this place..." she wrote down the address on a small piece of paper that she took out from her private notebook and then gave it to me
I managed to take the file with me and then arrived at the place only five minutes before the time and decided to go inside and sit but when I came in I noticed that Kirigiri was already there and drinking her favorite luwak coffee, which I remember from the time spent in "Hope Peak's Academy" and was deep in thoughts while looking at the pictures from the crime scene. I approached her.
"Kirigiri-san, you were already here?" I noted and she came back to reality and turned her face towards me
"Oh Naegi-kun, yes I arrived earlier" she answered while I took my seat across her and put the files on the table right next to her notes and pictures . I gave her autopsy information on the body since she was unable to gain that since she arrived late and the body was taken. I explained to her how the victim died of blood loss from multiple stab wounds.
"That doesn't make sense!" she stated, she took the pile of pictures and searched at through them when someone approached us and served the cup of coffee I didn't order yet...
"Naegi-kun" a familiar girly voice called me in excitement, and when I took a look it was Asahina Aoi, a super duper high school swimmer and I stood up from shock and Kirigiri dropped her pictures. She had this big smile and still her brown hair was tied in a ponytail. She was wearing shorts as usual but she only had white shirt.
"Asahina-san!" I almost yelled
"Mou, call me Hina!" she remarked with a little pout that soon turned to a smile and her eyes were full of hope and were sparkling which was very rare to see these days, "So, are you two on a date?" she asked when I started to blush and Kirigiri just turned her face down but her ears were red
"O-o-o-of course not... we are working on the same case" I explained as I was trying not to show my embarrassment. I took a seat and got lost in thoughts. Is that what everyone saw? Us being together? We were only solving cases together... I never looked at her that way... I wondered as my eyes widened and I realized I was staring at Kirigiri and she was staring back at me with small but visible blush
"Naegi-kun, is there something on my face?" she remarked
"Oh no... sorry!" I responded as I quickly turned back to normal and then looked at Asahina "So, what are you doing here, Asahina-san?"
"I'm the owner of this shop!" she laughed and then I looked around to see that it's really retro looking with bar made from white bricks, most of the walls are actually windows so you can always see outside or they were painted in white and there were wooden tables and comfy armchairs. The aura was very comfortable and there was light classical music so people could relax. Everyone was smiling and enjoying and it felt like this place is cut out from the world and still spreading despair. I looked at Kirigiri curiously "Did you know about this, Kirigiri-san?"
"No... I found this place to be nearby the crime scene." she explained with this cold tone
"Oh, are you guys investigating the murder of that famous actor?" Asahina asked with frowned face, "Even after we left we are followed by despair!" she added and we all looked on the floor trying to hide our gloomy expressions. She noticed that we changed our expressions and was back to her normal cheerful self "It's a good thing we have super duper high school hope with us" she stated as she smacked my back and I almost spilled my coffee. "Well I still have some quests to serve but I will come around so we can catch up!" she rejoiced and left after which she greeted few more customers that just came inside.
We turned back to our case discussion, "Kirigiri-san, you were saying something before Asahina-san arrived." I remarked as I was taking a sip of my coffee
Kirigiri was holding a picture and showed me, it was a picture of the carpet stain at the crime scene, "Don't you think this is odd?" she stated, "In the autopsy report it says that he died from a blood loss from multiple stab wounds but if he was bleeding that much wouldn't the stain on the carpet be red and much bigger?" she noted, "This means that the victim was killed somewhere else and was brought to the apartment to make it look like a robbery or if the victim was fighting with the culprit."
"But, if that is true, wouldn't it be hard to bring the body at the apartment and don't get noticed. It was late at night but people will hear the noise and check it." I added but agreed with her theory since it was weird how the apartment was clean but we need proof.
"Yes, that's true..." Kirigiri stated, "But, then there will be witnesses and we can question them!"
We got into really deep discussion of who. why and how when someone approached us again...
"Yooo Naegichi!" yet another familiar voice called my name but when I glanced I saw small kid with short but still extravagant spiky dark brown hair that reminded me very much of Yasuhiro Hagakure, "Hagakure, when did you get so small?"
"I'm over here Naegichi!" a man approaching a child and standing next to him yelled
"Oh..." I chuckled and looked at the real Yasuhiro Hagakure, who still had the same extravagant, spiky and large dark-drown hair but was just wearing one yellows shirt instead of three shirts and normal jeans. He was 3 years older than us and was 20 when we were trapped in academy. He was known as super duper high school clairvoyant, who after finally leaving the academy disappeared for some time. And now he is standing here with a 3 years old child. "Umm, Hagakure... you are a father?" I asked still trying to see any difference between them.
"Oh yeah... I met this girl when I was traveling and we got married after a year and had a kid but our marriage didn't work out so we divorced" he explained as he took his sit next to me and put the kid on his lap "His name is Hagakure Takao and he is 3 years old". Takao happily waved to us and we waved back and then Asahina-san approached us.
"Oh, Hagakure, you are here again." Asahina chuckled and greeted Takao with a smile.
"You two have been in contact?" Kirigiri asked while drinking her coffee
"Ah, yes. Hagakure-kun showed up about a month ago with Takao and will visit cafe almost every day." Asahina explained, "Well, he doesn't cause problems and is the only one without aura of despair." she took a seat next to Kirigiri and we all started chatting and laughing and even Kirigiri was enjoying with everyone.
"So, are you two working on a case?" Hagakure asked noticing the pictures of crime scenes and notes
"Oh, yes..." I explained. "I work for the police and Kirigiri is private detective requested by the victim's family" I continued when Asahina-san took the kid to the table next to us
"Hey!" Hagakure shouted
"He is just a kid and he shouldn't see those kinds of pictures!" Asahina-san yelled back and gave Takao a doughnut and a cup of hot cocoa
"So guys, if you want someone's help, you can count me in!" Hagakure said with his usual big smile and laid-back attitude. He then wrote his phone number on a piece of paper from Kirigiri's notebook and gave it to me, "With this we can always get in touch and see each other but we have to go now since it's getting late." Hagakure noted and then stood up, approached Asahina and gave her money for the doughnut and cocoa, grabbed Takao for hand and walked out.
Asahina did the same as Hagakure and gave us her phone number and left to serve other customers.
"I think this is it for today." Kirigiri stated as she was starting to pack her stuff, I looked at her confused but then I looked at the clock and noticed that it's almost 10 pm. "Oh yes! Look at the time! Last train is in less than half an hour!" I yelled and started to pack my stuff in a hurry
"I live nearby, so I will just walk." Kirigiri said as she was about to stand up and pay for her coffee
"Do you want me to escort you?" I asked as I stood up too and was about to pay for my order
"No, it's fine. You will miss your train anyway." Kirigiri answered as we both paid, said our goodbyes to Asahina and left
"Ok then. Call me if there is any trouble or if you discovered something!" I waved and went the other way, barely catchingt the last train. I arrived home around 11 pm and took an hour to have late dinner, take a shower and jump on bed since I was exhausted only fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.
I was deeply asleep when I started hearing a distant noise that was familiar but I couldn't recognize it. It was getting louder and louder only to open my eyes and see my phone vibrating. I took it and answered, "Hello?" I quietly mumbled still trying to stay focused on the caller and not fall asleep again.
"Naegi-kun, sorry to wake you up! But I discovered something!" Kirigiri's voice was too loud over the phone, "Can you get to the crime scene?"
"Now?" I looked at the clock that was next to my bed, "It's 4 am." I muttered.
"I guess, you are right! Then let's go there first thing in the morning. I will be at the crime scene around 8 am" she hang up as soon as she explained that and I left out a sigh and continued to sleep with my phone still in my hand.
That morning was very chaotic since I couldn't hear my alarm clock and was getting ready in a rush to meet with Kirigiri. It was my day off so instead of wearing my suit, I took my favorite dull green hoodie with red stripe along the zip and logo of a gas mask printed on the back of the hood with black jeans and red converse which I usually wear. I arrived at the crime scene half an hour after the meeting time only to see Kirigiri there with a serious look, "I'm sorry I'm late... I didn't hear my alarm and..." I tried to explain...
"It's alright... I'm sorry you have to do this on your day off." she comforted when I noticed a small blush on her cheeks before she turned her face to the other side.
"So, what was it that you discovered at 4 am?" I stated with a weak chuckle, only for her to turn to me and look me seriously in the eyes, "The ghost of the victim!"...