Spoilers for Kirigiri Sou.
Kyoko told Makoto about the Twins Ability Development Institute case.
She scowled. "This is one of my least favorite cases. Of course, I don't go around solving mysteries for fun. Detective work is a job first and foremost, but… I hated this one."
Makoto titled his head. "What happened?"
Bile rose in Kyoko's throat as she recalled that pathetic excuse of a mystery. "'Ultimate Locked Room?' More like 'Ultimate Bullshit.'"
"Huh?"
Kyoko explained how the challenge letter of this Duel Noir had specified a technique of the 'Ultimate Locked Room.' Kyoko had been eager to take on this challenge, but all she had gotten was disappointment.
"The victims' rooms were sealed by double doors 'locked' by padlocks and chains," Kyoko said. "All the killer had to do was pretend to wrap the chains around the door handles to lock it. The point is where he hung the padlock on the chain. If he hung the padlock on the two adjacent chain buckles, the padlock is almost meaningless. For example, just fold a long chain in half from the middle, wrap it around the door handle, and then hang the padlock on the buckle near the middle of the half-folded chain and lock the padlock. At first glance, the chain and the padlock look like they seal the door, but as long as you untangle the chains, the door can be opened easily." Kyoko huffed. "So disappointing."
Makoto stared at her blankly, as if trying to wrap his head around everything she had said. Really? Was it not the most obvious thing in the world?
"In short," Kyoko said, "the door appeared locked, but could actually be opened easily. That said, the killer did lock the door on the right side properly after committing the murder, just to help sell the illusion that they were all locked from the beginning."
Makoto scratched his head. "Umm, I think you're selling yourself too short. That mystery doesn't sound as easy to solve as you think."
Kyoko hummed. "Well, I suppose I'll take the compliment. Besides, that actually isn't the main reason I hate this case."
Makoto swallowed. "There's something else?"
First, Kyoko explained how she had identified the killer, Toya Tsutsumi, who had taken revenge on a pair of criminal twins responsible for murdering his wife.
"Since the 'ultimate' locked room was nonexistent," Kyoko said, "the only question was who had done it. This hinged on who had 'locked' the rooms. The most reliable witness was one of the researchers, Taruhi Hoshi-san. The hand of the killer was visible in surveillance footage, and that hand was missing Hoshi-san's nail polish. I didn't know whose hand it was, but I was certain that it was not Hoshi-san's. To safely interrogate her, I created an excuse to get Hoshi-san alone and asked her who had locked the rooms. She confirmed that it had been Tsutsumi."
"Oh? How did you get her alone?" Makoto asked.
It wasn't really important, but Kyoko explained that she had pretended to be embarrassed to show her feet when testing her toeprints against the padlocks' biometric scanners, convincing the researchers to let her do it privately with Hoshi.
Makoto smirked. "Your acting skills strike again."
"Ruses can be useful," Kyoko said. "And it wasn't long until I needed to act again."
Makoto frowned. "What else was there to do? You had already solved the case, hadn't you?"
Kyoko flicked through a lock of her lavender hair. "I wouldn't say I had solved it. Tsutsumi was the prime suspect, but remember that witness testimony is not hard evidence. Even if Hoshi-san wasn't the killer, she still could have lied for whatever reason. In any case, leaving wasn't such a simple matter. Communications were jammed, and the location was remote. To get back, I hitched a ride with Tsutsumi."
Makoto again stared blankly at her. Kyoko felt as if he were an old computer slowly processing the information she had fed him.
"Tsutsumi was the killer," Makoto said.
"I suspected him, yes," Kyoko said.
"You got in a car with Tsutsumi," Makoto said.
"Yes, I did," Kyoko said.
"You got in a car with the killer," Makoto said.
"The possible killer, yes" Kyoko said.
"You knew he was the killer," Makoto said.
"I suspected him, yes," Kyoko said.
"You still got in his car," Makoto said.
"Yes, I got in his car," Kyoko said.
Kyoko could hear the sound of dial-up internet buzzing from Makoto's brain. It rang and rang until…
"What the hell, Kiri?!" Makoto exclaimed. "Why the hell would you do that?!"
Kyoko pursed her lips. "It wasn't the ideal situation, but..."
"But what?!" Makoto shouted. "You knew he was the killer! Why would you ever get in a car with him?!"
She narrowed her eyes. "Again, I wasn't one-hundred percent sure. I needed to verify Hoshi-san's testimony. Was the 'Ultimate Locked Room' really as simple as it seemed? I couldn't stop wondering if I had missed something. Getting in Tsutsumi's car was the perfect way to interrogate him."
"Or the perfect way to get killed."
Kyoko breathed deeply, the events that had followed flashing through her mind. "You don't have to tell me that."
Makoto furrowed his brow. "I thought you were supposed to just get information and leave. You said that yourself. Whatever happened to that?"
"Ideally, I would have done just that," Kyoko said. "I hadn't intended to interact with anyone. I wanted to leave as soon as I saw the crime scene. However, when I arrived, I saw the researchers injured on the ground. I couldn't just leave them to die."
Makoto's stern expression softened. "Kyoko…"
Kyoko raised her finger as she reached for a rebuttal, but she found none.
Makoto folded his arms. He didn't speak, just silently pleaded with his eyes, begging Kyoko to finally accept what he was trying to tell her.
"Anyway," Kyoko said, "while in the car, Tsutsumi claimed Hoshi-san set up the chains, which clinched my suspicion against him, but there was no need to expose my hand yet. I pretended not to know he was the killer. However…"
"You mean you have solved the mystery of that locked room?" Tsutsumi asked.
"Yes, there's no question that the cases I've encountered before were much more complicated than this," Kirigiri said triumphantly.
Makoto held his face in exasperation. "Kiri… you call that playing dumb?"
Kyoko sighed. "Couldn't help myself, I guess. I asked him to let me off, but…"
"That's not going to work, little detective lady." Tsutsumi increased the speed of the car. "Do you... know that Samidare Yui girl?"
Kirigiri made a clear reaction to the name.
It's a look permeated with hostility.
"Our masks were off," Kyoko said. "Tsutsumi had made his intention clear. He would try to kill me, but at least I didn't have to hide anymore."
"It was uncomfortable to pretend I didn't find out you are the killer all the time I was alone in the car with you."
"Ha, bullshit, you never thought I'm the murderer. If you had known, you would have avoided being alone with me."
"If you think that's the only level of perception I have, then I suggest you change your mind quickly. As long as it's to get the truth, I can bet my life without hesitation."
Not only did she not tremble, but she retorted so boldly.
Tsutsumi couldn't help but gauge her expression.
Her eyes, which seem to penetrate everything, are gazing at him through the rearview mirror.
"S-stop acting tough, brat."
Tsutsumi said fiercely, looking away.
"Are you sure you're not the one acting tough? What are you going to do in this situation? You are driving and can't do anything else, while I'm directly behind you and ready to do whatever I want."
"You're the one who should think more about it. If I have trouble driving, you won't have a good time either. Besides, at this speed, you can't get out of the car, right?"
"Yes, but how long can this speed be maintained?"
Kirigiri smiled and said, leaning her back on the back seat, as if deliberately showing her calmness.
Makoto held Kyoko's hand and stared at her with a mix of worry and admiration. "You're incredibly brave, but this is still crazy."
Kyoko squeezed Makoto's hand. Despite not being able to feel his warmth through her glove, she found comfort in it. "I know."
"You're always doing this," Makoto said sadly. "And I do think you're amazing for it. I really do, but…"
Kyoko gripped his hand even tighter. "I know."
Makoto fell silent, waiting for Kyoko to go on.
"After that, I explained the whole case to him," Kyoko said. "How the 'Ultimate Locked Room' was a bluff, like trying to intimidate your opponent in a game of poker. I explained how Tsutsumi had pulled off the murders, and how I knew it was him." She smirked. "The case may have been simple, but it was still satisfying to rub it all in his face."
"You were still stuck with him, though," Makoto said gravely.
"Well, I wasn't out of options."
"Hey, what are you doing!"
Tsutsumi didn't even have time to stop her, the headrest next to his head is already in Kirigiri's hands. It's shaped like a giant electrical plug with two pipes attached to the pillow.
Kirigiri inserted the tip of one of the steel pipes into the gap in the door and window glass on the right side of the back seats.
Using the leverage principle by pressing the headrest down, the window glass was easily broken. The window glass of a car can never be broken by the strength of a little girl, but as long as the force is concentrated on one point, it can be broken easily.
The cold night air outside quickly flew in.
Since the speed of the car is quite high, it's like a small windstorm is blowing inside the car.
Tsutsumi's hands holding the steering wheel froze.
"Hey, little shit, what the fuck are you doing!"
"This way the balance is shifted, although I didn't have such an intention at first."
Kirigiri stuck the steel pipe of the headrest into the gap in the window glass on the other side.
"Hey, stop it!"
The second pane of glass was also broken amidst the cries to stop.
The interior of the car that was very quiet just now suddenly changed, and it's filled with the sound of the wind and of cars moving.
Next, Kirigiri took out a ballpoint pen from her uniform pocket and began to write on the surface of the headrest. The surface of the headrest happened to be white leather, and the ballpoint pen was able to write on it.
"Wh-what are you writing?"
"Your name, license plate number, car characteristics, and 'HELP.'"
"Sto—"
Before Tsutsumi said a word, Kirigiri had already thrown the headrest out.
"I hope it won't cause any car accident."
Kirigiri said while starting to pull the passenger seat headrest.
"Next, writing down the general situation of the institute's case, lest I be killed."
"Okay! I lost!"
Tsutsumi finally declared his defeat.
He didn't hesitate in the slightest. Kirigiri's actions had to be stopped.
"You should have said it earlier."
Kirigiri said as she threw the headrest out of the window.
"Heyyy!"
"Can't trust a liar."
Makoto's mouth was wide open, his dread overpowered by amazement. "Kyoko, you really are a badass."
Kyoko smiled, amused by Makoto's uncharacteristic word choice yet appreciative of the compliment, but her smile didn't last. "This is where it all went horribly wrong. I was hoping Tsutsumi would surrender. I told him that it wasn't too late to start his life over, as long as he stopped walking the path of a criminal. Unfortunately, he refused."
Ice ran down her spine as she recalled the events. "We came to a valley, and he… accelerated. I screamed at him to stop, but he kept going until the car flew off the edge… I lost consciousness after that."
Makoto winced as his grip on her hand turned to iron.
"He took me hostage," Kyoko whispered. "Next thing I knew, I was tied and gagged to a chair." Her free hand clenched into a fist. "He turned me into a fucking damsel."
Tactfully, Makoto didn't say anything. No platitudes. No excuses. He just kept holding her hand.
The humiliation still stung Kyoko to her core. Perhaps she had been the one acting tough in that car. Perhaps she should have come up with a better plan, but Kyoko couldn't let herself be discouraged. As long as she breathed, she would keep fighting however she could, but…
"I was powerless," Kyoko said. "There was nothing I could do but wait…"
I uselessly tugged against the restraints, but they didn't budge.
This futile act of defiance earned me a punch to my jaw, and a knife against my throat.
"Don't struggle, bitch," Tsutsumi growled. "You've caused me enough trouble."
I glared icily at him, but there was nothing I could do.
It wasn't difficult to deduce his intention. He was using me to get to Yui. He was going to make her quit the game, to save me. Due to my carelessness, everything was going exactly as he wanted.
Tsutsumi sat on a table with his legs spread apart, desecrating this place like the criminal he was. Meanwhile, the door opened.
"I've kept you waiting, Kirigiri-chan. I'm here to pick you up."
Yui walked towards me.
My heart pounded in my chest. Yui had come to save me, like I told her she would.
"Hey, don't act like I don't exist." Tsutsumi stood up on the table and jumped down from it. "Goodness, your rudeness is mutual, but let's talk for now. After all, you found this place very quickly."
He laughed while fiddling with the kitchen knife.
"Please give her back."
Yui glared at him fiercely.
"Do you understand my intention?" Tsutsumi questioned.
"Yes."
"Let's hear it then."
"You give her back. In exchange, I won't expose your crimes and will let you go. That's all, right?"
As expected, Yui understood completely. The terms were simple, and for Yui, the choice was clear. No, it couldn't even be called a choice. There was no question that Yui would let Tsutsumi win to save me.
But…
For a Kirigiri, there was no debate, either. Except, a Kirigiri would choose the opposite. A Kirigiri wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice someone, even family, to solve the case. If my grandfather were the one standing before me, he would certainly refuse to comply with Tsutsumi's demand.
Detective work comes first, even over the death of a family member.
Friends protect each other no matter what.
These two conflicting ideals battled within my heart and soul.
Which was correct?
The creed my grandfather had taught me my entire life?
Or the feelings Yui had given me?
What did I want Yui to choose?
This was all my fault.
Starting at Yui, I shook my head desperately.
Don't do it, Oneesama!
I wanted - needed to tell her this, but the tape around my mouth kept it shut. I couldn't utter a word when I needed to most. I needed Yui to know what I wanted.
I was prepared to give up my life for the truth from the beginning.
You understand. Right, Oneesama?
"Wow, you're clever." Tsutsumi clapped his hands while holding the kitchen knife. "No matter how you think about it, you should do this. You won't lose anything. If you hold on to the pride of the detective, you will lose something important. That would be too stupid."
I wanted to punch this man's teeth out.
"Although I'm very unwilling... things are indeed as you said," Yui told him.
No, no! Oneesama…!
I screamed through the tape, but it was useless.
"In the end, only those who understand the essence of the game like me can win." Tsutsumi seemed quite happy, unable to restrain the smile on his face. "You can get her back, but keep her hands as they are until you leave the building. Got it?"
"Understood."
No! Don't! Please…!
Yui gently peeled off the tape attached to my mouth.
Yui had chosen me.
She had forfeited the duel with Ryuzoji, to save me.
A cacophony of emotions swirled like a maelstrom inside my heart.
There was gratitude, for Yui saving me. There was longing, to be reunited with her. There was relief, knowing that I wouldn't have to die.
There was anger, that Yui had abandoned the case. Frustration, that Tsutsumi would get away with everything. Regret, that Ryuzoji had won. Sorrow, that Yui had been forced to make this choice. Self-hatred, knowing that I was responsible for this.
But most of all, there was guilt.
Yui had saved me.
But what if our roles had been reversed?
If I had been the one who had to choose, what would I have done?
Could I have done what Yui had done?
Or would I…?
I didn't know.
But it should have been an easy choice, right?
The idea that I would have sacrificed her made me want to cry.
I stared at her like this.
I'm sorry, Oneesama.
Because of me, you had to…
There were so many things I should have said to her, but Yui might as well have left the tape covering my mouth. As always, I swallowed everything and held it back.
That would have been the end of the Duel Noir, but fortunately, Lico came to our rescue. He held a gun to Tsutsumi's temple, immediately reversing the situation.
With Tsutsumi subdued, Yui was able to completely untie me.
"Kirigiri-chan, are you alright?"
"I'm fine," I brushed the hair on my face and said.
"You don't have to force it now," Yui said with a smile.
I lowered my head.
It was at this moment I realized, between the two of us, Yui was the great detective.
She would have given up everything to save me.
Another emotion swelled within me.
My self-restraint finally crumbled, and I hugged Yui, with all my heart.
This wasn't like the hug back in her dormitory. There was no practical intention like confirming her identity. This was a hug purely out of love. I hugged Yui because I wanted to. I needed no other reason than that.
I loved my oneesama.
"Thank you, Yui-oneesama."
"You should've done this from the beginning."
Kyoko held her forehead as her mind grew hazy. Telling Makoto all this was emotionally exhausting, and she hadn't even begun the worst of it.
But she couldn't stop. She had promised to tell him everything. Once she was finished, they could finally move forward.
Hopefully.
Makoto frowned, his hand on top of hers. "She made the right choice. You know that, right?"
Kyoko met his eyes sadly. "I know it might not be very impressive from your perspective. Yui-oneesama had done what any normal person would do, but to me, it flew in the face of everything I had been taught my whole life. She abandoned the case to save me, something a Kirigiri would never do. It was a strange feeling, but… I was happy." She exhaled sharply. "If I wasn't questioning my identity before, I was then."
Although Makoto still frowned, a hint of his optimism shined through. "Even if it was the 'normal' thing to do, it's still amazing."
That put a faint smile on her face. "Couldn't have said it better myself." She brushed aside her bangs. "Of course, thanks to Lico, we were able to win without sacrificing anything."
"With this, the twelve locked rooms are all solved!"
I started jumping up and said.
Before I knew it, Kirigiri was also jumping with me.
"Wait! Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait! Hold it right there!"
Kyoko jolted in her seat. "I'm sorry?"
Makoto crossed his arms and smirked. "You 'jumped' with Yui-chan?"
Kyoko's face flushed. "Oh, well…"
His smirk turned to a grin. "Really? This requires demonstration."
Kyoko raised her hands and shook her head. "N-no, that's quite all –"
Makoto grabbed Kyoko's arm and pulled her out of her seat. "Come on, Kiri. Let's see it."
He started hopping up and down like a child.
Averting her eyes, Kyoko winced. "Do I have to?"
He somehow managed to stare at her with puppy dog eyes while continuing to jump. "Please…?"
Although Kyoko's face lit up like a cherry blossom, she didn't want to disappoint her dear friend. She swallowed her dignity and recreated the scene, jumping up and down with Makoto.
"Yeah! We did it!" Makoto exclaimed.
"… pfft." A giggle escaped Kyoko's lips. It picked up momentum, turning into laughter. Makoto held Kyoko's arms as they jumped and laughed together. After so much heavy retrospection, Kyoko's heart finally felt light.
Makoto, this man was…
After one last jump, Kyoko pulled Makoto close and hugged him tightly. "Thank you, Makoto. I needed this."
"You don't need to thank me."
Kyoko gazed into his hazel eyes. No words needed to be spoken to understand. She knew that this man would do anything to make her happy.
She felt an urge to kiss him, like she had before, but her icy fear held her back. Makoto was doing everything right, yet her doubts still lingered. Part of her wished she could make up her mind and accept Makoto completely, but…
How much longer was she going to live in her own shadow?
Fuck it.
She leaned in and kissed Makoto once again. She licked his warm, soft lips, and Makoto parted them to allow her entrance. The two of them made out gently, tenderly enjoying each other's affection.
Kyoko pulled back with a smirk. "Told you I wouldn't keep you waiting."
Makoto chuckled. "I don't mind either way. As long as you're comfortable."
"So chivalrous." She kissed him on the cheek. "You're so good to me. You know that?"
Makoto kissed her cheek. "I try."
As happy as that made her, Kyoko did need to finish this. She sat back down at the desk.
"Anyway, with Tsutsumi captured, we went to see Ryuzoji…"
Kyoko explained how they had found Ryuzoji dead from a fatal disease, and how he had left behind a message. He had congratulated Yui for winning the game, and he had said that Yui had chosen a different path than he had. Ryuzoji had also left a message for Lico.
Ryuzoji had offered Lico a similar choice as Yui, a white envelope and a black envelope. If he had chosen the white envelope, he would have inherited Ryuzoji's name and estate. If he had chosen the black envelope, he would have become the Crime Victims' Relief Committee's enemy.
Lico hadn't been interested in either choice. As everyone had waited for his decision…
"Alright, that's enough."
Something hard pressed against my temple.
It's Tsutsumi.
He is holding something at me with his bound hands.
I can see a small pistol in his hand, the kind of Derringer pistol that is often seen in movies.
"Fortunately, I borrowed this from that drunk detective beforehand. It's your fault for not tying my hands behind my back, Miss no good detective."
"You've gotta be kidding me," Makoto muttered.
"He wanted to take the white envelope for himself," Kyoko said. "I told Lico to shoot, but –"
Makoto's eyes popped. "Wasn't that too dangerous? He had a gun to Yui's head."
"Which is exactly why I wanted Lico to shoot," Kyoko said. "I didn't want that gun pointed at her head for another second. I didn't even want to kill Tsutsumi, despite everything he did, but protecting Oneesama was more important." She folded her arms. "Unfortunately, it didn't matter what I wanted. Lico's gun was empty."
"Haha, so you were bluffing."
"Can you even shoot a gun?"
Kirigiri said provocatively.
Tsutsumi immediately pointed the gun at her and pulled the trigger.
The gunpowder exploded close to my ear.
Kirigiri pressed the back of her left hand and squatted down.
Blood dripped down her fingertips—
Makoto's mouth opened wide. "He shot you…?"
Kyoko rubbed her gloved left hand, recalling the injury.
Of course, as expected of him, Makoto took her hand and held it. "What do they have against your hands?"
Kyoko grit her teeth. "I should have kept my mouth shut."
"Well, you're not wrong," Makoto said. "It's a miracle he didn't kill you."
Kyoko sighed. "I know." She looked deep into Makoto as he kept rubbing her hand. She had gotten lucky. So many miracles had happened to keep Kyoko alive to this point. She was grateful for it. She had survived long enough to help stop the mastermind behind the greatest tragedy the world had ever seen, and she was grateful to have met Makoto. Whatever the future held, she had truly been blessed to make it this far.
But where had those miracles been when Yui…?
No, fate wasn't to blame. Yui's death was her fault.
Somehow, Kyoko swallowed that guilt and kept staring at Makoto. "It's fine. The wound wasn't serious."
She could tell from Makoto's frown that he doubted that, and he was right. The bullet had left a scar in her hand that was still visible, even after the burns she had since suffered. But Kyoko didn't want his pity. She never wanted pity.
"More importantly," Kyoko said, "Yui-oneesama was in danger. Tsutsumi kept the gun to her head and forced her to give him the white envelope. However, just before that could happen…"
My ears started ringing.
The children screamed.
Kirigiri and Lico are looking at me in surprise.
—What?
What happened?
Tsutsumi's arm that was holding me down suddenly lost its strength. His weight is all on me. I couldn't bear it as I bent down, and his body fell off me.
Tsutsumi laid down on the white floor.
A pool of red blood quickly expanded on the floor.
There is a bright red hole in the center of Tsutsumi's forehead.
Makoto's eyes widened. "What? How?"
"I only knew one person who could make that shot," Kyoko said. "One of the triple-zero detectives, Johnny Arp."
Makoto titled his head. "Johnny killed him?"
"Yes," Kyoko said, "and then he crashed a tank through the wall."
"What?"
"Yes, a tank."
"What?"
"A tank."
"I heard you, but… what?"
Kyoko shrugged. "I don't know what to tell you. Johnny wanted a dramatic entrance."
Makoto sighed. "This story just keeps getting crazier. Honestly, the more I hear, the more I can't believe someone as extraordinary as you is even –"
"Don't," Kyoko cut him off, knowing what he was going to say. "You'll never just be 'some guy' to me, Makoto. You're amazing. Don't ever think otherwise."
"Sorry," Makoto apologized. He smiled at her. "You really think so?"
She playfully rolled her eyes. "Have I not made that clear? Your strength is nothing short of incredible. Your faith and compassion in your friends is what saved us all. Not even Enoshima could break you, so stop acting like you don't belong with us so-called 'Ultimate' students. In my eyes, you're the best of us."
Blushing, Makoto cleared his throat. "So, uh, Tsutsumi was dead?"
"Yes," Kyoko said, smoothly allowing the change of topic.
A dark glint flared in Makoto's usually kind eyes. "I'm not sure if I should feel sorry for him. It's understandable that he wanted revenge, but I can't forgive what he did to you, and to Yui-chan."
"I do wish he had listened to me," Kyoko said with sincere regret. "I really did want him to stop, but I suppose I was the villain from his perspective. To him, Yui-oneesama and I were just meddling outsiders trying to condemn him for what he believed was justice."
"But that's no excuse," Makoto said. "He was willing to kill you just to save himself. That's all he wanted."
Kyoko shot him a quizzical look. "I'm surprised to hear you say that. I would expect you to look for the good in everyone."
Makoto frowned. "I know. I wouldn't say he was a monster or anything, but when it comes to anyone who hurts you, I can't help but feel a little less forgiving."
Kyoko shivered. She wasn't sure whether to feel concerned or aroused by Makoto's words. Maybe both? Ugh, she really was getting it bad for him, wasn't she?
"So," Makoto again changed the topic, "why did Johnny kill him? Wasn't he with the Committee?"
Kyoko shrugged. "His relationship with them was complicated. He may have saved us from Tsutsumi, but he was still our enemy. As it turned out, he and Lico were very alike."
"And nice to meet you, Mikagami-kun." Johnny shot an imaginary bullet at Lico with his fingers. "I'm here to say hello, and also to bring you the third option."
Johnny took out something from the inside of his suit and held it up.
It's a star-shaped badge.
A sheriff's badge.
"If you're with me, you can peek at NASA and Area 51 all you want! Now, follow me!"
Johnny tossed the badge out.
What is this guy thinking?
How could Lico just follow him so easily—
"I'm coming with you!"
Lico immediately caught the badge with one hand.
—What did he say?
"Wait a minute!"
I couldn't help but shout out.
I subconsciously stopped him.
"What are you thinking, Lico! Are you serious?"
"Yeah." Lico ignored the two envelopes and jumped on the tank." Neither white nor black excites me at all. It gave me a headache. This looks more interesting than that side."
Lico proudly raised the badge and said.
"Don't you understand, Lico?" Kirigiri said sternly. "You will be against us."
"You're the one who doesn't understand, Kyōko-san, this is way more fun."
Lico showed his usual angelic smile.
Makoto shot her an incredulous look. "Seriously? After all that, he runs off with your enemy?"
Kyoko folded her arms. "Lico had made his motivation clear from the start. It is true that we never would have beaten Ryuzoji without his help, but that didn't mean he was loyal to us. He was always doing as he pleased."
"Yeah, but…"
"It's not like we were friends," Kyoko said. "We were just using him, taking advantage of his talent and offering very little in return."
Makoto's lips pursed, unable to form an argument. "I still don't understand what Johnny wanted."
"He said he wanted to play a game," Kyoko answered.
"Ugh, more games?"
"He said he would send us a letter, and he left us with a 'gift,' a Remington M700 sniper rifle."
Makoto groaned. "Nothing good can come from this."
Johnny and Lico had met them again about a week later. Johnny had claimed that despite working as a cleaner for the Committee, he had not followed their 'religion' as he had put it. He had said that he wanted to play game he called 'Shoot Down the Angel,' for no reason other than 'fun.'
Basically, the rules were that Kyoko and Yui had to prevent the crime of a Duel Noir from taking place, but if Johnny shot one of Kyoko's ribbons, they would lose the round. Both teams also had locators that would go off if they came within two-hundred meters of each other. This was to force Kyoko and Yui to prevent the crime at a distance by creatively using their sniper rifle, while avoiding Johnny and Lico.
Like with Ryuzoji, there would have been no penalty for losing, but if they had won, Johnny had promised to award them with an 'express ticket to Mikado Shinsen.'
"Can I just say how weird this scenario is?" Makoto said. "A grown man playing a sniper game with three minors? Who does that?"
"Even a middle school girl can become a sniper in just ten days," Kyoko said.
Makoto smiled wryly. "You weren't exactly a typical middle school girl."
Kyoko smiled as well. That was basically what Yui had said.
She sighed wistfully. "Johnny told us that we don't have to be detectives if we aren't happy. Neither I nor Oneesama agreed that detective work was supposed to be 'fun,' but I do treasure those days we spent together. I did enjoy having Oneesama as my spotter. I suppose in that sense, Johnny gave us what he wanted to."
Her nostalgic smile faded into a frown. "However, this is also when I suspected that something was… off. It was during that time when…"
"Hey, Kirigiri-chan, this is just an assumption... but if Shinsen told you to 'give up the Kirigiri name,' would you do it?"
"...What does that mean?"
She asked in a sharp tone.
"No, umm... it's just a wild theory of mine, you don't have to take it to heart... but I was wondering if Shinsen might be trying to claim the Kirigiri family name."
"It would be interesting to know how you came up with this thought..."
"Y-you see, Shinsen is obviously targeting you... It feels like he has a strong obsession with being a detective... Since he already has obtained [000] in the Detective Library, his next goal could be the glorious name of 'Kirigiri…'"
"He wants to kill me and take away the name?"
"Exactly! I'm not sure if he actually intends to kill you... Maybe he just wants to force you, the detective, to admit defeat, and then only take away the 'Kirigiri' name. For example, there is a kind of competitions in world sports for titles or medals. And the detective trade isn't different, right? Shinsen got a taste of it after quickly topping the Detective Library that has over 60,000 registered, and he liked the feeling of being a detective standing at the top looking down on everyone else."
"That's an interesting line of reasoning, I never thought of that."
Ching—
Even now, her trigger finger hasn't stopped.
I put down the binoculars and looked at the side of her face with the gun. Her focused expression before the firing is clear and pretty.
"So Shinsen– he might ask you to 'give up the Kirigiri family name' in the end, that's what I thought."
"Then Shinsen would claim to be a Kirigiri, right?"
"Yep!"
"Yui-oneesama."
Ching—
After pulling the trigger, she put down the gun and slowly pivoted her body.
"You seem to have a lot of misunderstandings, so I'll make it clear to you in advance. First of all, the Kirigiri name is not as valuable as Yui-oneesama thinks."
"Eh... But, don't you guys inherit the detective career from generation to generation..."
"Yes, that's a fact, and I'm proud to be a detective of the Kirigiri family. But by the nature of our work, we mostly act with a hidden identity, and the name Kirigiri is never made public. In other words, this name is not well-known, it is not worth fighting for it, and even if the name is snatched, that wouldn't mean anything."
"But it may be different for Shinsen. Also as a detective, he might think the name Kirigiri is very valuable, or maybe he wants to get a sense of 'pride' from it so to speak."
"I see no reason for Shinsen to be so obsessed with the Kirigiri name. Or... maybe Yui-oneesama has something in mind?"
Kirigiri looked at me with her usual cold eyes.
"Eh, no, not really..."
"Yui-oneesama, your reasoning feels like it can only come from someone who thinks that the Kirigiri name is very important. Could it be—"
Kirigiri stared into my eyes and whispered.
I somewhat understand now what it feels like to be a criminal being chased by her. I don't feel like I can escape from her piercing gaze.
"Never mind."
She said coldly and looked away.
The leather of Kyoko's glove strained as her fist tightened. What had Yui been hiding from her? Where had she gotten that idea? Who had thought that the Kirigiri name was important? Only one person came to mind.
But how could Yui have possibly met…? No, that was impossible.
Regardless, why hadn't Yui told her?
Did I ever really know her?
No, we never knew each other at all.
"It's my turn to apologize," Makoto said suddenly.
Kyoko looked at him in surprise. "Makoto, what could you possibly have to apologize for?"
He lowered his head. "Sakura. I should have told you."
Sakura? Kyoko's eyes widened. Makoto thought…? Kyoko shook her head. "No, that was my fault. I was being completely unreasonable. I never should have accused you of not trusting me. I know that now." She bit her lip as the bad memories flooded back, deeply ashamed of her behavior. "God, Makoto. I was being a child. I take back everything I said. There's nothing arrogant about you."
"No, you were right," Makoto said. "I thought I was protecting Sakura, but what harm would have come out of telling you? You had proven time and time again that you don't jump to conclusions. Ultimately, the only explanation is that I didn't trust you to trust her."
Kyoko narrowed her eyes. "Even so, where is this coming from?"
Makoto frowned. "It's just… was I reminding you of Yui?"
Kyoko titled her head. "What do you mean?"
"Yui kept secrets from you, and… something happened. I know you're afraid of repeating the 'mistakes' you made. Maybe when I kept quiet about Sakura, this spelled 'danger' in your mind? Like, it was proof that what happened to Yui would happen all over again?"
Kyoko pursed her lips. Even she wasn't sure. She hadn't even had her full memories at the time, but one thing she had remembered clearly was that her attachment to someone had once caused her to make a grave mistake. She hadn't remembered the specifics, but she had known that she had needed to avoid establishing relationships as much as possible.
Was Makoto right? Had his secret scared her away from bonding with him?
Kyoko shrugged. "Who knows?" She let out a sigh. "It's not like I was any better. I kept secrets from Oneesama as well. I never told her why I couldn't go home, what Shinsen had done to my grandfather. I…"
How could Kyoko have expected anything more of Yui? How could she expect Yui to tell her anything, when she wouldn't do the same for her?
She was such a fucking hypocrite.
"Don't say that!"
Kyoko gasped in confusion as Makoto held her hand and stared closely at her. Why was he…? Had she said that out loud?
"It wasn't selfishness," Makoto said. "You were hurt, and you didn't want to burden her with your problems, but there's nothing wrong with that. Yui wanted to help you. I want to help you. Don't be afraid to rely on your friends. We're here for you."
A knot tightened in Kyoko's stomach. How many times did she have to say it? She wasn't telling Makoto her story for the sake of comfort. She simply wanted him to know about Yui. That was all. She didn't need his help. She didn't want his help. Not in the slightest.
She looked at Makoto with her typical cold stare. "Let's stay focused."
She told Makoto about the first round of Johnny's Shoot Down the Angel challenge. The Duel Noir had taken place at a ski lodge called Wedeln Mountain Villa. Kyoko had deduced that the icicles along the villa's roof had been critical to the culprit's plan. Instead of attacking from the front, Kyoko and Yui had taken position behind the villa and shot down a tree branch near the villa. The branch had crashed into the roof and knocked down the icicles, foiling the murder plot.
Johnny and Lico had been covering the front of the villa. However, after Kyoko had fired, Johnny had shot down a tree branch near her position. The branch had a messaged carved into it, 'NICE SHOT!'
In other words, Team Johnny had predicted Team Kirigiri would fire from that position, yet had allowed it.
Hardly a victory Kyoko could take pride in.
"Anyway, let's accept this victory with gratitude." Kirigiri took off her white woolen hat and patted his bangs. "And then next time we will be sure to make them regret it. Don't you think so, Yui-oneesama?"
But they had not made them regret it. The next round had been decided in an instant.
It had taken place on an island. Johnny had taken position on top of it, three-thousand meters away from the mainland. Kyoko and Yui had worked out an elaborate plan to win, but as soon as they had stepped outside…
"Come on, Kirigiri-chan, let's stake it out!"
I said loudly so as not to lose to the sea breeze.
At that time.
Without any warning.
There was a sound of air being cut through.
One end of the ribbon that is tied to the right side of Kirigiri got shredded as if burned by something invisible.
A small piece of the damaged ribbon fluttered lightly in the wind and landed on the waves.
One moment later—
The sound of gunfire like distant thunder could be heard.
Kirigiri and I completely stiffened, frozen in place as we watched the piece of ribbon gradually disappearing into the waves.
Makoto was just as stiff as Kyoko had been. "Three-thousand meters?"
"Indeed."
Makoto shook his head. "I don't care how good a sniper he is. That was too dangerous! He could have killed you! How long does it take a bullet to travel that far anyway?"
"The initial velocity of a 7.62x51mm round is no more than 856 meters per second."
"That means it took at least three seconds to reach you. A lot can happen in three seconds. What if you sneezed or something?"
"Then I suppose we never would have met," Kyoko said.
Makoto clenched his fist. "I swear. If I ever meet this guy, I'll kick his ass."
Kyoko chuckled. "That kind of talk doesn't suit you, Makoto."
"But he really could have killed you! I'm so sick of people treating our lives like toys for their amusement!"
She let out a weary sigh. "I agree."
Makoto frowned. "That must have been frustrating. After all that planning, he just shoots you down with an impossible shot immediately."
"Yeah, I thought it was unbelievable, too. I shouldn't have let my guard down."
"I mean, I don't –"
"I knew who I was up against," Kyoko cut in sharply. "I should have known he could make that shot, but I was careless."
"But…"
"Regardless," Kyoko said, "there was no time to be discouraged. We had to prepare for the next round."
"Wait, what about the case?" Makoto asked. "You may have lost the game with Johnny, but the Duel Noir was still going, right?"
"Well, when we got to the island, all we found were nine bodies with their faces cut out."
"C-cut out?"
"Yes," Kyoko said. "Even I had a difficult time stomaching it, but in the end, this wasn't our case to solve. The Duel Noir's official detective arrived. She was a… colorful individual, and a DSC 950. She insisted that she solve the case herself so she could get all the credit and progress to triple-zero rank. She seemed capable enough, so we left it to her."
Makoto scratched his chin. "And you were okay with that? Leaving a case to someone else?"
"As long as she could solve it," Kyoko said. "Though I did have my own reasons for advancing my DSC rank, she was the summoned detective. It was her case to solve, and if she didn't want our help, that was her decision. Anyway, it doesn't matter. We had to keep training."
"3,000 meters seem endlessly far. It's pathetic how I was so overwhelmed by 300 meters."
"But it is precisely because we were able to hit at 300 meters distance that it is possible to hit at 1,000 meters. Our previous efforts were not in vain." I encouraged her– and perhaps myself too. "Don't be discouraged, Kirigiri-chan."
"That's not pathetic!" Makoto protested. "You're comparing yourself to an impossible standard! This whole contest was never fair! It's like if Hina challenged you to a swimming race, or if Sakura challenged you to arm wrestling! You were up against the best of the best! It's amazing you were able to do so well in the little time you had!"
"Don't get me wrong," Kyoko said. "Again…"
"I'm not discouraged," Kirigiri said, staring into the distance. "I'm still living because this is a 'game,' if it wasn't, then by now I'd be—"
"I said it's fine."
I hugged her from behind and pressed my body on her little back.
I can feel Kirigiri's heartbeat, and at the same time, she could be feeling mine.
"See?"
"But we don't know what will happen next."
She still looked into the distance and said.
Makoto looked tempted to hug her as Yui had, but he held back. "Yui-chan's right. It was fine."
But it hadn't been fine. It hadn't been much longer until…
"My point was that I had to work harder," Kyoko said. "Oneesama and I kept training. A few days later, we received the next challenge letter."
A message to the detective
Listen to the cry of the Black
Location: Edenside Amusement Park – 100 million
Murder Weapon: M4 – 100 million
Murder Weapon: TAC50 – 100 million
Murder Weapon: M60 – 100 million
Murder Weapon: Dragunov – 100 million
Murder Weapon: Throwing Knife – 100 million
Total Expenditure: 600 million
Based on the above expenses, summon the following detective:
Samidare Yui
"Not your typical challenge letter, is it?" Kyoko said. "Oneesama and I deduced that the Committee was retaliating against Johnny Arp. Each weapon belonged to a separate assassin that would try to kill the targets, and those targets were Johnny Arp and myself."
Makoto's face was ghastly pale. "Y-you were a target?"
"Yes, however…"
"We still have the option of ignoring this 'Duel Noir.' That's what I think, what about you, Yui-oneesama? The only people who will be targeted are me and Johnny, no other people to protect. So if we ignore it, it will just end up being an infighting between the committee and Johnny Arp, won't it?"
Makoto heaved a sigh of relief. "Finally. Playing it safe for once."
Kyoko folded her arms. "Just because I'm bold doesn't mean I have a death wish. This 'case' had nothing to do with detective work. It was only natural to ignore it." She sighed. "However, we received a call from Lico…"
"My right shoulder, right thigh, left ankle... and several other places have been shot. Also... there is a stab wound on the right side of my neck... the bleeding is quite serious. I'm not a high blood pressure person by nature, so I don't think I'll die just yet..."
"Damn it," Makoto muttered.
Lico had informed them that the assassins had killed Johnny, and that he had been trapped in the amusement park.
"Yui-san, Kyōko-san... I'm sorry... I actually know I shouldn't contact you. Once I ask for help, the two of you will definitely come here... the reason why the attacker didn't give me a fatal blow must be for this reason, so they can shoot the companions who come to the rescue... It's a usual method for snipers. I know it well... yet..."
"No need to say more." Kirigiri turned to me. "Isn't that right? Yui-oneesama."
"Of course," I said emphatically. "Lico, wait there, team sisters will come to rescue you right away."
"I'm sorry..."
Kyoko's brow creased. "And before you say it, yes, I went out of my way to save Lico. No, this isn't in line with the Kirigiri creed. Any more questions?"
Makoto smiled sweetly. "None, Kirigiri-sama."
She let out another sigh. "Before we left…"
"Kirigiri-chan, wait."
Before leaving the dorm room, I called her to a stop.
She turned around, and I took her hand and folded mine on top.
"What...?"
"It's a little good luck charm for safety."
Johnny and Lico were both defeated by the enemy. The enemies are very powerful, and they are different from team Johnny. They came with murderous intent. Our lives are no longer guaranteed.
"Charms are unscientific."
She expressed confusion, and I held her hand firmly again.
"Sometimes these things are the last boosts you need. And while we're at it, why don't I give you a kiss on the forehead? A more effective one."
"I don't need it."
Kirigiri shook off my hand and opened the dorm room door. She was going to go out, but she seemed to have changed her mind and turned around.
"No harm in a little."
I lifted her bangs and kissed her on the forehead gently.
She covered her forehead with her hand, lowered her head and left the room immediately.
Kyoko's cheeks grew hot. Why was she even telling him this? The smirk that formed on Makoto's lips gave no answers.
"Tsundere Kyoko strikes again," Makoto said.
Kyoko groaned. "I'm not a 'tsundere.' I just… wasn't used to having anyone like Yui-oneesama."
He chuckled. "I know. I'm just kidding."
She rolled her eyes. "Is it too late to erase this from your memory?"
"Far too late. Yui-chan was a great sister."
Yes, she had been.
During the call, Lico had told them that the remaining assassins had been the ones with the TAC50, M4, and throwing knife. Johnny had taken out 'M60' and 'Dragunov,' but he had been killed by a sniper while inside the mirror house. Although it was dangerous, Lico's life had depended on them. Kyoko and Yui had infiltrated Edenside Amusement Park.
They had spotted Lico from afar. He had been unconscious, but alive. Unfortunately, they couldn't rush to his aid. They had to deal with the assassins first.
First, they had investigated the mirror maze where Johnny had been killed, and they had deduced that a bullet from the TAC50 sniper rifle had shot Johnny through a hole in the ceiling. Believing that the sniper had fired from a high place, they had checked the Ferris wheel.
Although it had turned out this was not the correct location for TAC50, it had been the location of M4. At least, it had been the location of the weapon itself. The Ferris wheel had been rigged with 32 M4s as automated turrets. Yui had then disabled the weapons, eliminating the threat.
After that, they had to rethink TAC50's position.
"Kirigiri-chan, I finally got it!" I said, taking Kirigiri's hands. "'TAC50' is not at a high place at all. Even if they are not at a high place, they can still draw a ballistic trajectory like the 'Mirror House' one! It was a curved shot overhead that cuts a parabola like a mountain peak!"
"Very impressive, Yui-oneesama."
Kirigiri smiled.
"She was getting better," Kyoko said with a proud smile, but it soon faded. "I wish I could have seen her continue to grow."
She immediately shook it off, ignoring Makoto's usual concerned frown. Focus.
They had deduced that TAC50 had been hidden underground. Kyoko and Yui had gone down to confront the sniper. He had spotted Yui first and aimed a pistol at her, and he had declared his intention to do horrible things to Kyoko.
"Shut up, ugly, hurry up and bring me the other one, I'm going to rape that kid in front of you, then kill you, and rape her again in front of your corpse!"
Makoto looked like he was going to puke. "Dying is moving lower on the list of worst things that can happen to you in these 'games.'"
"It certainly wouldn't have been pleasant," Kyoko said.
To put it lightly. If Yui had died like that, it would have broken Kyoko beyond repair.
Not that her actual fate was much better.
Despite the sniper's threats, Yui had goaded him into shooting.
The bullet struck me in the forehead.
Shards flew away.
They are so bright and dazzling...
Fragment after fragment reflected the big man's panicked expression.
"Huh?"
I disappeared from the big man's sight—
Replaced by Kirigiri, who was prostrate and holding a gun, she suddenly appeared in front of his eyes like a magic trick.
What the big man shot was a large one-way mirror, which we had brought from the 'Mirror House.' We put the mirror in the corner of the passage and set it up at a 45 degree angle, and I stood near the corner. That way, it looked to the big man as if I was standing in the middle of the passage, a classic mirror trick.
The dimly lit, narrow aisle provided the perfect conditions for this trick to work. I tried my best to use my sloppy acting skills to provoke him to reveal an opening.
During this time, behind the one-way mirror, Kirigiri kept the Remington M700 in a prostrate position.
Of course, my pillow is under the butt of the gun.
Her aim is perfectly aligned to the big man.
The big man realized that something is wrong, and was about to pull the trigger of the pistol again, but Kirigiri shot the pistol off with a single shot, and then quickly loaded the next bullet with a smooth motion.
"Don't move, or I'll have to kill you."
Kirigiri declared in an icy voice.
The big man gave up his resistance and raised his hands.
"Good," Makoto said, filled with relief. "That was very impressive, Kyoko."
"Couldn't have done it without Yui-oneesama," Kyoko said.
After that, I suddenly noticed that there is a small door on the wall next to it, and the door said 'Power Management Room.'
I opened the door curiously and took a look... In the darkness, the multicolored lights of the power switched flickered, and a woman is lying on the ground wearing furry white clothes.
"Kirigiri-chan, could that be..."
It's 'Throwing Knife.'
Her ghillie suit is torn and tattered, her chest is wide open, and there are blood spots on the floor.
She is staring at the ceiling with wide eyes.
"...What did you do to her?"
Kirigiri stared at the big man and asked.
"Wanna know the details?"
The big man said this and laughed.
Kirigiri turned her back to the big man in silence.
Makoto shook his head. "God…"
Kyoko drummed her fingers against the desk. "Honestly, part of me wanted to end him right there." Her teeth clenched in disgust. "There are so many monsters in this world."
"I'll never understand people like him," Makoto said. "I like to think that no one is truly a monster inside, but that guy was beyond the pale. Maybe I'm too naïve to think like that."
Kyoko shook her head. "Your forgiveness is nothing to be ashamed of. Humans all make mistakes. I've seen many of those types of people. The ones who feel no remorse, the ones who refuse to atone, those are the truly vile ones, but when someone is willing to own up to their sins and do it all over again, make things as right as they can, maybe that's what separates monsters from humans."
With a bittersweet smile, she placed her hand on top of Makoto's. "I may catch criminals, but that doesn't mean I don't believe in redemption."
His eyes just as bittersweet, Makoto nodded.
Not everyone was as lucky as Kyoko. Some people never got the chance to atone for their sins, even ones who were willing to change. There were those who believed death was the only means of atonement, as Kyoko had witnessed personally.
The memory tore at Kyoko's heart.
Kyoka…
You didn't have to…
Kyoko shut it away. That was way off topic. She was here to tell Makoto about Yui. Anything else could wait.
"With that monster down," Kyoko said, "we finally went to save Lico. Thankfully, he had held on while we had dealt with the assassins. We called for an ambulance. However, 'Throwing Knife' was still alive, a careless error on my part. She snuck up behind me, knife it hand, but just before she could kill me, a bullet tore through her forehead, along with one of the ribbons in my hair."
"Your ribbon?" Makoto's eyes slowly widened. "Was that…?"
Kyoko nodded. "Johnny Arp was still alive. The body in the mirror house actually belonged to the assassin who had set up the M4 trap." She sighed. "I should have known."
"What? How could you have known?"
"The locators," Kyoko said. "Our locators didn't go off when we approached that corpse, meaning that Johnny's locator had been taken away. He was still playing the game, and he couldn't break the rules. Because I overlooked this vital clue, Johnny won the game."
"Oh…" Makoto's lips flattened.
Kyoko sucked in a deep breath. "It was fine." It wasn't. "We never needed to win." Was that true? "We didn't need his 'ticket to Shinsen.'" Or had they? "That didn't matter." Really?
What if Kyoko had won?
If she had beaten Johnny, would Yui have had to die?
Kyoko forced her trembling wrists to stop.
"But what about Lico?" Makoto asked. "Was he okay?"
"Y-yes," Kyoko said. "We got him to a hospital, and he survived his injuries."
"Ah, good," Makoto said. "Even though he ran off with Johnny, he seems like a good kid. I'm glad he was okay."
I wonder where he is now? Kyoko mused. She had never seen him since the aftermath of Johnny's game. Was he still alive? Or had he become one of The Tragedy's countless victims? Kyoko would probably never know.
Makoto smiled at her. "You're a hero, you know."
Again? Give it up already. Kyoko shook her head. "I'm not."
"You saved Lico's life," Makoto said. "After all the times he had saved you, you finally returned the favor. It's not even a debate anymore. You're a hero."
No, you're wrong.
If I were a hero, Oneesama would still be alive.
Kyoko continued. "We met Lico after he was discharged from the hospital. He was okay, but it seemed that he was retiring from detective work. I couldn't help but scold him for playing Johnny's game."
"This is the end of your recklessness and taking advantage of others to fill your emptiness," Kirigiri said. "And it's childish to try to find a reason to die before you are 20."
"...You're very ruthless with your words today."
"She's been like this since last night." I told Lico in a whisper. "Maybe because we lost to Johnny?"
"Yui-oneesama."
"Sorry, nothing."
Kyoko's lips formed a lopsided smile. "By the way, Makoto. I'm twenty."
Makoto cringed. "Don't even…"
Kyoko frowned. Makoto was right. The time for jokes had long passed.
"Incidentally," Kyoko said, "it was February 14th, Valentine's. I had ordered a cake from a shop that Yui-oneesama was eyeing for the occasion. With Johnny's game over, we were able to enjoy it in peace."
"Ah, that's nice," Makoto said.
"It was," Kyoko said. "It was a picture-perfect, happy time." A knot twisted in her stomach. "However…"
Kyoko fell silent.
"What's wrong?" Makoto asked worriedly.
"… I wasn't sure at the time," Kyoko said. "Something was troubling Oneesama, and now I understand. That look of discomfort she tried to hide from me…" She nearly choked on her words. "It was guilt."
Makoto frowned, but he said nothing, waiting for Kyoko to continue.
Perhaps it had been around that time…
Kyoko's fingers scraped against the desk.
If she had only beaten Johnny, he could have helped her. He could have given her something that would have saved Yui, but she had failed. Because of her, Yui was the one who the Committee had gone after. Yui was the one who Shinsen had met, but Yui had never told her. Yui had never told her what she had been going through. Yui had never told her about her encounter with Shinsen. Yui had never…
Why?
Why, Oneesama?
Why didn't you tell me?
Whatever you were going through, we should have faced it together.
I know you never intended to join them.
So why?
Why?
Why…?
Kyoko felt something warm press against her cheek, Makoto's hand. She suddenly became aware of a salty sting around her eyes. Damn it, not again. She was supposed to be done crying.
She swatted Makoto's hand away, her hair casting a dark shadow over her lowered face.
"Kyoko…"
"… we're almost at the end, now," Kyoko said. "Just one case left."
Makoto's lips trembled. "If you don't want to –"
"No." Kyoko cut him off immediately. "I can't run from this. I need to confront my past head-on, and then, hopefully, I can finally move forward."
Although concern showed in his hazel eyes, Makoto nodded. "Okay."
It was almost time. The reason why Kyoko had resolved to keep her distance from others. The mistake she had sworn never to repeat. The truth behind her burned hands. She was about to reveal all of it. Everything Kyoko had done wrong.
How Kyoko's love for Yui, her desire to protect Yui, was exactly what had gotten her killed.
Makoto would no doubt try to convince her that she hadn't done anything wrong, that Kyoko's attachment to Yui had nothing to do with her death. Makoto would claim that the lesson Shinsen had taught Kyoko was wrong. She doubted that he would convince her, but he would try. Makoto would do everything he could to destroy the shadow Shinsen had cast on her.
This was a duel between Makoto Naegi and the ghost of Mikado Shinsen.
AN: I know these "reaction" chapters can feel a little unfocused, but there is a main objective. The next chapter is the reason I started writing past the first chapter. I'm excited to share it!