Romantic Troubles of Duanmu-kun

“We must apprehend the suspect in a short time—or at least stop the mastermind’s actions before they plan the next incident.”

Norizuki Tenma said in a grave voice.

“Everyone here should be well aware that the public opinion and reaction to this in Tokyo are quite intense. If they learn that the suicide wave was triggered by someone or some organization… the situation will only worsen.”

Currently, the news that the mass suicide incidents might be premeditated criminal acts had not been released, but such information control could only last for a limited time. If the news leaked, it could trigger widespread panic—before that happened, they needed to arrest the suspect. This was the goal of the Joint Investigation Headquarters.

“Regarding intelligence, the Director has ordered me to provide as much assistance as possible to the Metropolitan Police Department. Of course, we also hope that Asami-san can fully utilize her talents as she has in the past.”

“This is also the opinion of our Special Investigation Department.”

Kazuki-san’s attitude was much more amiable as he smiled at the detective and her assistant sitting by the door.

Neither side could place all their hopes on a single high school girl; but the extensive authority they granted to Asami Yuko in terms of resources and intelligence mobilization demonstrated a considerable degree of trust.

“The pressure is really intense… Senpai, what do you plan to do next?”

After leaving the meeting room, the two walked through a corridor divided by the shadows of the setting sun.

“Start from the beginning.”

Asami Yuko answered without hesitation.

“Which is…?”

“Previously, I’ve been searching for clues related to the victims, trying to find the person who planned the incidents by following their identities. I thought this approach would be more direct and unexpected… but now it seems that the complex relationships of society’s marginalized people, as well as the popularity of the suicide wave, have unknowingly become the perpetrator’s smokescreen.”

The young detective’s attitude showed no wavering or hesitation as she quickened her pace, walking ahead of the Novelist. It seemed that even before this, she had already determined their next destination.

“Suicide scenes, corpse examinations, photographs, site testing, surveillance footage… treating them as crime scenes, we’ll record and organize everything starting from the most basic elements.”

“But, wouldn’t the police officers have already done those things? Haven’t they found anything strange?”

“…Yes. However…”

Asami-senpai wobbled as she walked down the stairs, unconsciously grabbing onto the Novelist’s sleeve.

“There’s no such thing as a crime that leaves no trace. If there really is a puppet master manipulating these suicide incidents, clues must already be presented before us, just not yet noticed by anyone.”

“What I need to do is find them.”

Senpai tried hard to appear confident. However, her weight was leaning toward him. All strength seemed to have drained from her soft body.

“…Do you want to get something to eat?”

The Novelist pondered for a moment.

“Yes.”

The girl quickly responded. She raised both hands as if to express her joy.

Half an hour later.

Asami Yuko and the Novelist appeared in the office of the Technical Department, preparing to access the surveillance footage from the underground parking garage of Sun Tower, where the third mass suicide incident had occurred.

“Haaah…”

The girl standing beside him rubbed her stomach, revealing a satisfied expression. However, she was constantly yawning, showing signs of considerable drowsiness…

Want to sleep after eating?

“Senpai, you haven’t wiped the oil stain from the corner of your mouth.”

The Novelist whispered in Asami Yuko’s ear.

If there’s something that frequently appears in TV dramas and movies as the police’s specialty (referring to food), it would have to be that!—

Tonkatsu rice bowl. …Ah, maybe this is a bad interpretation (laughs). Anyway, that was the set meal Asami Yuko had chosen.

It was a rare sight to see a girl heartily taking big bites of fried pork cutlet, leaving oil stains all around her mouth. Because based on his previous impression, high school girls were a group of females quite concerned about their appearance and behavior.

“R-really?”

Senpai instinctively raised her sleeve to wipe away the marks around her mouth.

“Wait, Senpai, you should be a bit more mindful of your appearance!”

She had just changed into new clothes in the afternoon (because she had been drenched at the train-jumping scene)…

At this moment, someone else was already walking toward the two of them. Neither of them had tissues or handkerchiefs at hand…

“…Use mine.”

“Eh…?”

Asami Yuko stared in surprise at the boy’s arm extended right under her nose.

“It can’t be helped. Society’s expectations for men’s external appearance aren’t as strict as they are for women. Although it’s a prejudice, for now, it seems better to adapt to it a little.”

The Novelist suggested.

“…Mm.”

Asami Yuko nodded and obediently used the Novelist’s sleeve to wipe her mouth… whether it was his imagination or not, Senpai’s cheeks were turning slightly red.

While waiting for the technical staff to bring over the surveillance tapes from three days ago, Asami-senpai pulled him to sit down in front of the projector.

“Actually, I’ve been preparing for this kind of work since yesterday… and I really did find something strange!”

In fact, regarding the suicide incident involving Sudou Rika, Yayoi had mentioned it before. There were suspicious points in this incident. Including the night watchmen and shift workers, there were ten people in total. None of them had noticed the suicide scene.

It wasn’t until dawn, when workers came to drive the delivery trucks away, that they detected a burnt smell nearby and discovered the bodies in the car.

But when Asami-senpai compared the surveillance footage from the surrounding streets and outside the parking lot, she quickly noticed something undeniably strange—

“Look, here… at the moment this car enters… the driver is this person, right?”

The girl paused the video with the mouse, her finger tapping “thump thump” on the screen. The person she pointed out was an ordinary-looking middle-aged man.

The time on the footage was 5:20 PM.

“And then… close to midnight, this person walks out of the garage and never returns.”

“W-wait, is this the car used for the suicide? What about those high school students?”

“They’re not there.”

Asami Yuko turned her face, showing a very serious expression.

“The three deceased never appeared in the footage at all. Neither from the parking garage entrance nor from the mall entrance leading to the basement—their figures weren’t captured anywhere.”

…

…What?

“Wait, this isn’t just ordinarily ‘strange’ anymore, is it?”

The Novelist couldn’t help but comment.

“Rather, what’s truly strange is—”

Why hadn’t anyone noticed this until now?