Chapter 27: The Smile in the Alley
The morning air was crisp and refreshing, with dewdrops glistening on the blades of grass like tiny crystals. The heavy rain from the night before seemed to have washed away the city's noise and restlessness, leaving behind a serene calm.
Kagehara Tetsuya stepped out in his school uniform, locking the door behind him. The elderly woman next door, tending to her flowers in the garden, greeted him with a warm smile. "Off to school, Tsuko-chan?"
"Good morning, Obāsan," Tetsuya replied, flashing a bright, albeit insincere, smile as he secured the lock.
"That rain last night was something, wasn’t it? And then the power went out too. It must’ve been tough for you, all alone in such awful weather," the silver-haired old woman remarked, her tone a mix of complaint and concern. In her world, it seemed, young girls were expected to be frightened by stormy nights.
"I fell asleep early, so I didn’t notice much," Tetsuya said, already walking away. He waved lightly at the old woman and muttered under his breath, "Seems like my 'senpai' is quite popular around here. Everyone greets her every morning."
As he turned out of the alley, the streets grew busier. There were three routes to Suzaku High School from here. The first was the usual train route, which was the longest due to multiple stops. The second cut through a bustling commercial district, convenient for shopping but often crowded. The third, through the residential area, was the shortest but less maintained, especially after rain, with puddles making it inconvenient for both pedestrians and cyclists.
Senpai usually took the third route, but today Tetsuya opted for the second, planning to pick up a few things. As he strolled leisurely through the shopping streets, he turned a corner and nearly collided with a figure rushing toward him.
Tetsuya sidestepped quickly, instinctively shielding his chest with his arm. The stranger’s shoulder brushed past his back, and before Tetsuya could say anything, the figure hurried into a nearby convenience store without so much as a glance back.
Was that a thief? Tetsuya wondered. Though he hadn’t seen the person’s face, the hurried, almost panicked demeanor was unmistakable. In that brief moment, Tetsuya had noted the stranger’s appearance: a slim man in a gray hoodie, wearing a cap and mask, with baggy blue jeans adorned with metal rings.
As Tetsuya continued his walk, his hands gripping his schoolbag, his eyes scanned the shops lining the street. The crowd was a mix of students in uniforms, office workers rushing to their jobs, and shoppers. Passing by a large storefront window, he caught a reflection and paused.
The stranger was back.
Perhaps by sheer luck, the large windowpane perfectly reflected the figure trailing him. The man had some semblance of counter-surveillance awareness—but only just enough to be laughable.
The same person who had nearly bumped into him earlier was now trailing him, maintaining a cautious distance.
It was almost pitiful, really. The man had gone through the trouble of changing his jacket, mask, and even his cap, but he’d completely overlooked the most obvious detail—his pants. Those baggy blue jeans with the metal rings were practically a beacon, unmistakable and far too memorable for someone trying to blend in.
Is this guy serious? He thinks he can tail someone while wearing something that stands out like a sore thumb?
Who is he, and why is he following me? Tetsuya thought, keeping his pace steady.
In the distance, he spotted a mid-sized supermarket he had visited several times before. He knew its layout and the location of the back exit. After a moment's thought, he decided to use the supermarket to give the man a little "surprise."
"Probably not a cop. Detectives might not be the most skilled at tailing, but they're definitely better than this. Besides, why would the police follow me?"
Kagehara Tetsuya noticed that as he entered the supermarket, the tail grew slightly anxious, quickening his pace.
"Could it be Senpai? According to my deductions, Senpai should be hiding at her accomplice's place right now. That's the safest spot."
The accomplice and "Kagehara Tetsuya" had no connection whatsoever, so the police couldn't possibly trace the accomplice or suspect that "Kagehara Tetsuya" might be hiding there. For safety reasons, Senpai shouldn't be showing herself at this point.
"Judging by the build, it doesn't seem like Senpai. Our hair has been swapped too, but this man's hair is clearly different."
"In that case... could it be him?"
A name suddenly flashed in Kagehara Tetsuya's mind. The possibility made his eyes light up.
"That makes sense. If it's him, his target might not be me."
"Then giving him a surprise is even more necessary."
Seeing that the distance was right, he suddenly sped up and turned right. About thirty meters ahead was the central aisle separating the left and right sections of the supermarket. To the right, about a hundred meters away, was the main entrance. To the left, twenty meters down, was the back exit.
The back exit was unique in that it only allowed people to leave, not enter. From the outside, a key was needed to open the door, but from the inside, anyone could pass through by turning the handle. Customers familiar with the place sometimes used the back exit for convenience.
Exiting through the back led to a narrow L-shaped alley. One end was a dead end with a high wall, nearly impossible to climb without tools. The other end, after a turn, led back to the commercial street.
In other words, since the back exit couldn't be used to re-enter the supermarket, luring the man into the alley and blocking the entrance would leave him with no escape.
As he walked briskly toward the back exit, Kagehara Tetsuya took out his phone and locked the screen, using the black display as a mirror to observe behind him. The tail was a bit slow, so Kagehara Tetsuya had to pause briefly. Seeing the man frantically rush to the central aisle and look around, he pushed open the back door and swiftly stepped out.
The dimly lit alley was about seventy to eighty meters long, with the back exit located roughly in the middle. Kagehara Tetsuya retreated about seven or eight meters toward the turn leading to the commercial street, leaving enough space to react. He then pulled a fruit knife from his bag, holding it in a reverse grip as a deterrent.
Compared to schools that strictly inspected whether female students' underwear met regulations, Suzaku High was much more lenient. The school rarely checked students' personal belongings.
He had been carrying the knife since yesterday, along with rubber gloves, trash bags, and a mask in his bag.
Of course, he wasn't carrying the knife with any malicious intent. It was just that after the incident at room 216, where he had been unprepared, he vowed never to be caught off guard again. Having tools on hand would make things easier if a similar situation arose.
"If it really is him and I don't have a knife, a direct confrontation would be troublesome."
At this point, his body hadn't yet swapped with Senpai's, so his physical strength hadn't diminished. With the knife, he felt confident in a direct confrontation. Once the swap happened, his strength, reflexes, and stamina would decrease, and he'd have to rely on wits in such situations.
As he pondered, the person he was waiting for appeared.
The guy burst through the supermarket's back door and immediately spotted Kagehara Tetsuya blocking the alley's exit. Caught off guard, he froze for a moment before the back door slammed shut behind him.
Realizing he couldn't climb the high wall, he tried to reopen the back door but failed, his panic growing as he fumbled.
In the dim alley, Kagehara Tetsuya tilted his head and smiled.
Seeing that the door wouldn't budge, the man grew even more frantic. When their eyes met, he stepped back in fear, then tried to act tough. "Y-you... what are you smiling at?!"
Kagehara Tetsuya continued to smile, raising his hand slightly to reveal the fruit knife. He then walked forward at a leisurely pace.
In just two steps, the atmosphere in the alley grew tense.
The man's eyes filled with terror, his voice trembling. "S-stop! Don't come any closer... W-who are you... Are you Yomikawa... or Kagehara Tetsuya...?"
"Who knows?" Kagehara Tetsuya chuckled at the man's pitiful display, though he decided not to push him too far. He stopped walking, feigning regret. "Mr. Hasebe Koichi, if you want to leave, answer my questions."
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