When the Detective Work is Done, I'll Die

Chapter 35

As I left the principal's office, voices came from so far away I could barely make out the words. I followed the sound and looked up at the landing from the nearby stairs. Conveniently enough, Kanbara the President, Senior Urakawa, and Murayama-senpai were there.

It seemed the three of them had finished giving their statements to the police and had been told to "stay put," and were now bored.

The president was the first to notice me.

"Oh! How did the questioning go?"

"Didn't learn much of anything. Ah, come to think of it, that detective didn't mention you at all, President."

There had been a delivery slip at the crime scene. I still hadn't told the three suspects this fact. If I carelessly revealed what I knew and they realized I was closing in on the truth—

And if the culprit was among them—he might attack to silence me before I uncovered his identity. Worse, the culprit might notice and destroy any evidence that connected him to the crime.

With so many mysteries still unsolved, I couldn't just shove keywords in their faces like an idiot, so I brought up another topic.

It was about the president. When I mentioned it, she latched on like a fish that had spotted bait.

"Well, I've got a perfect alibi—I was in town the whole time! My innocence is absolutely proven!"

"I see. Sorry for doubting you. If only you'd told me that first."

"My bad, my bad. I didn't think I could actually prove it myself. Who knew the whole town had security cameras?"

"Huh... And the other two?"

I deliberately checked their alibis, just to break the ice a little. The information I really wanted—like motive—was bound to be heavily guarded. Kitsunesaki the guidance counselor hadn't given me anything, after all.

Senior Urakawa muttered first, in a voice as small as a mouse's.

"Games."

I nodded, "I see," and jotted it down before turning my attention to Murayama-senpai.

"I-I... I'm... not sure either... I went home and used my phone... but I didn't do it. Murder—no way I'd do that!"

After bowing deeply at that pointless bit of information, I asked Murayama-senpai my next question.

"I see. Thank you both... Next, then. Murayama-senpai, you were close to Senior Kishi, who died in the traffic accident that seems to be the motive for this case. What was your relationship?"

I took his earnest insistence on his innocence seriously. He must have thought I believed his alibi.

We hadn't quite bonded, but I'd achieved my aim. He told me about Senior Kishi, a memory that had to hurt.

"He was an important friend. Same as Urakawa. We were in the same club, best friends... but I... couldn't do anything for him. I couldn't do a single thing for him."

"Couldn't do a single... thing?"

Murayama-senpai suddenly pressed his back to the wall and began to speak of his regrets in a frail voice.

"You know what really fuels bullying? Doing nothing. Knowing bullying exists but doing nothing because you're afraid of getting dragged into it, or because it's a pain. That's what creates an environment where bullying thrives..."

"You didn't just ignore it because it was a pain, right, Murayama-senpai?"

"No... I've always been like that. Always. I can't even stand up to people. When someone glares at me with snake-like eyes, I freeze..."

"Is that so..."

"Honestly, I might even be grateful to the culprit... I really couldn't defy that girl. Whenever I tried, I could see it—Senior Kishi's grudge after she killed him. His figure... looking at me... coming for me... Aaaaaaaaah!"

"Senpai...!?"

The instant Murayama-senpai screamed, he bolted for the stairs. "It's dangerous!" I reached out at once and grabbed his shirt from behind. But he was heavy. My strength alone wasn't enough; I was about to tumble down the stairs with him.

The president stepped forward and caught Murayama-senpai. Senior Urakawa pinned my body with both arms.

We restrained Murayama-senpai, who was now shaking in a way that was anything but normal, and took him to the corridor on the first floor. We gave him water from a flask, patted his back several times, and sat him on a chair in a nearby classroom.

Once he'd calmed down, I asked him again about his late friend. This time, I tried not to provoke him. I was so tense I nearly panicked myself, but I told myself I just had to be careful. On the first floor there was nowhere to fall; it was safe.

"I'm sorry for making you remember painful things, Senpai. Can you... see Senior Kishi?"

"...I can't see his figure itself. But he dwells inside someone's heart. He dwells there and speaks to me. To blame me."

"Why does he blame you, and only you? If he's your friend, Senior Urakawa's here too. Shouldn't Senior Urakawa be blamed as well?"

Senior Urakawa shot me a displeased look. I muttered an apology in my head and waited silently for Murayama-senpai to speak.

"No... I may have been complicit."

"Complicit... in the bullying?"

"Yeah... And I can't forgive myself for going on living as if nothing happened..."

"You can't forgive yourself, huh. Then what did you do?"

"I-I was forced to tell a lie about where to meet. Kanbara-senpai asked me to pass on a message, and I just relayed it... We were all supposed to study together as a group, but... I..."

I see. Kanbara-senpai's despicable tricks were becoming clearer.

"Kanbara-senpai told you to do it... but you really couldn't refuse, could you?"

"But thinking that might have caused the suicide... that bastard... It's too late even to apologize..."

"Did you apologize?"

"Yeah... that same day. Before school ended."

Wait...? That wasn't what I expected. I'd thought Senior Kishi had been left waiting alone forever. I'd believed Murayama-senpai regretted putting him through that.

"Wait, did you make it to group study that time?"

"No, I pretended to be sick and didn't go either. We both skipped group study together."

"...Wait, then doesn't Senior Kishi resent you after all? You were a victim too, along with Senior Kishi."

"But he must still hate me for losing my head even once... When he was in a different group, they'd tell him the wrong place and leave him out over and over. If I tried that, of course he'd be angry! If he killed me for it, I'd have no right to complain!"

The voice of a high-schooler who believes in his friend's resentment echoed through the school. Wrapped in sadness, I gave up pressing further.

Forcing him to think about anything else while he was this depressed would be too cruel.

Then came another woman's voice, panicking.

"Huh, wait a minute! Why, why, why!? Why!? Hey!?"

I ran over, concerned, without knowing that it would only lead me deeper into despair.