Chapter 17: Kishida Masayoshi’s Visit
Kagehara Tetsuya woke up at around 10:00 AM, having slept for roughly three hours. Changing the locks had taken some time, but he hadn’t yet informed Yomikawa’s parents. He hadn’t decided when or how to make that call.
Yomikawa’s bedroom was on the second floor of the villa. Of course, it was now his territory. The room didn’t have an overly feminine vibe. Even the stuffed animals were mostly in shades of brown and pale yellow, with very few pink or red items.
The same went for the clothes. Although the walk-in closet was on the first floor, judging by the few nightgowns left in the bedroom, Yomikawa’s preferred colors seemed to be white, black, and light blue, with simple and understated styles.
Kagehara Tetsuya shook off the grogginess and changed into an outfit: a dark green maxi dress that reached his ankles, a white shirt over the fake chest, and a black jacket. The ensemble was slightly mature for a high school student, but for a third-year, it was understandable.
As for shoes, Kagehara Tetsuya’s feet were slightly larger than Yomikawa’s. He tried on several pairs before settling on a pair of light brown leather boots. Compared to the others, these fit relatively well and looked fairly new. He guessed they might have been a gift from Yomikawa’s parents, but she never wore them because they didn’t fit.
One downside of women’s clothing was the lack of pockets. In the past, he rarely carried a bag when going out, as he could easily stash his phone and keys in his pockets. But now, that wasn’t an option—this outfit didn’t have a single pocket.
Yomikawa had plenty of bags, though. Kagehara Tetsuya only recognized a few of the well-known brands. He grabbed one at random, packed his things, and left the villa.
In short, he needed to familiarize himself with the surroundings—figure out the best route to school, identify nearby shops, and note any shortcuts. Along the way, he’d also pick up some ingredients for cooking. Having lived alone for a year, he could manage simple meals.
By noon, Kagehara Tetsuya returned to the villa. From a distance, he noticed a black car parked in front. As he approached, the driver stepped out and greeted him.
It was Kishida Masayoshi.
He was dressed in standard detective attire, from his navy-blue trench coat to his noticeably graying hair, both of which stood out.
"Good afternoon, Yomikawa-san," Kishida Masayoshi said, trying to appear friendly. He glanced at the groceries in her hands and attempted to start with some casual small talk. "I apologize for coming at lunchtime."
"It’s fine. What brings you here, Officer Kishida?" Kagehara Tetsuya responded with a faint smile, opening the villa’s front door. "Please, come in."
"Thank you for having me," Kishida said, stepping inside. After changing into slippers, he took a seat on the sofa as directed.
"All I have is canned coffee. I hope that’s alright," Kagehara Tetsuya said, handing him a can. He was worried Kishida might ask for tea, and he had no idea where the tea was stored. He grabbed a can of coffee for himself as well.
"Thank you," Kishida Masayoshi said politely before getting straight to the point. "To be honest, I'm here because of last night's case. There are some things I'd like to ask for your help with, Yomigawa-san."
Kagehara Tetsuya leaned back on the sofa, mimicking the demeanor of his senpai from memory, and after a moment of thought, replied, "Didn't Officer Matsushita already take my statement yesterday? I've told him everything I know."
"That's true," Kishida admitted, "but you must be aware of Kagehara Tetsuya's situation. He's been living alone for a long time, and his parents and grandparents have all passed away. To investigate his recent circumstances, we can only start from the school."
"That's why I'm here—to understand more about Kagehara Tetsuya. If you could tell me everything you know, it would be a great help."
Kishida's tone was unusually sincere, which surprised Kagehara Tetsuya. He remembered how aggressive Kishida had been a year ago when taking his statement. Had Kagehara Kenta's death really affected him this much?
He stared at Kishida for a good ten seconds before saying, "Are you really here to investigate last night's case, Officer?"
"Huh?" Kishida looked up, puzzled. "Why do you say that?"
Kagehara Tetsuya smiled faintly. "I can't help but feel that what you're really after is information about the Tanaka Erika case."
Kishida's expression shifted from surprise to conflict. He lowered his head and after a long pause, sighed. "As much as I'd like to deny it, you're right. But that doesn't mean I'm neglecting last night's case."
For some reason, this high school girl gave him a very peculiar feeling. He had initially planned to deflect the sharp question with a formal response, but when he met the girl's gaze, he found himself unable to lie.
Over the past year, countless people had told him that Kagehara Kenta's suicide wasn't his fault. Perhaps it was because this girl had never said anything like that, or perhaps it was because of her special relationship with Kagehara Tetsuya. Whatever the reason, Kishida felt that Yomikawa Tsuko was likely on Kagehara Tetsuya's side in this matter—and in that position, he couldn't bring himself to deceive her.
Kagehara Tetsuya, of course, had already guessed Kishida Masayoshi's thoughts. He found it almost laughable—how could someone be so foolish? It was clear that the old man had chosen to end his own life, yet Kishida had completely changed because of it, abandoning his former investigative style entirely.
Of course, he couldn’t laugh now. He had to hold it in. "Why do you think I would know anything about Kagehara-kun's situation?"
Kishida scratched his head, looking somewhat embarrassed. "This might sound rude, but my colleagues seem to think that Yomikawa-san and Kagehara Tetsuya might have been... lovers."
Lovers? What kind of idiot came up with that idea?
Kagehara Tetsuya nearly burst out laughing. He didn’t think he could ever be interested in any woman, and Yomikawa was exactly the type he disliked—second only to Tanaka Erika, in fact.
He hated people who thought they understood him, and he hated those who tried to get close without permission.
Still, it was better not to correct the investigation team’s mistaken assumption. Kagehara Tetsuya put on a flustered expression, as if trying to hide something. "We’re just classmates. Although we’ve known each other for a while, your baseless speculation could lead to misunderstandings if it gets out..."
He wasn’t sure how convincing his performance was. A normal girl would probably act shy in this situation, but for him, it was a real challenge.
"My apologies, that was rude of me. But rest assured, we’ll keep this confidential," Kishida said, though it was clear he didn’t believe the "just friends" explanation. Still, he didn’t press further. "Actually, the investigation into last night’s case has hit a wall. As you know, the inn only has one entrance, and there’s always a staff member stationed there, right?"
"For Ōshima Masaki to enter the inn, he would have had to do so either before 5 p.m., when the owner was on duty, or between 9:50 and 10:05 p.m. But the coroner determined that Ōshima Masaki’s time of death was between 9:15 and 9:45 p.m."
"Ōshima Masaki?"
"Yes, Ōshima Masaki is the victim. Based on the time of death, he could only have entered the inn before 5 p.m. But when I visited Hasebe Koichi’s house this morning, I found out that Ōshima Masaki had been there at 6:30 p.m. yesterday."
Kagehara Tetsuya was genuinely surprised this time. "Ōshima Masaki went to Hasebe Koichi's house at 6:30 p.m.?"
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