"Write them down for me to see." As she spoke, Kisaragi Chiyo untied the criminal, seeing how his eyes were darting around, Kisaragi Chiyo kindly offered a reminder.
"You'd better not try anything else." A faint crawling sound rose from behind the criminal, a rope made of twisted red characters tightly coiled around the criminal's neck.
“Otherwise, I'll snap your neck.”
"I.. I understand." Trembling, the criminal took the pen and paper handed over by Kisaragi Chiyo, writing down stroke by stroke the name he had once glimpsed in the mysterious person's notebook.
Kisaragi Chiyo said nothing; after taking the paper with the name written on it, he gave the other person a faint, knowing smile.
“Thank you very much for the clue you provided.”
"But, I'm sorry." With a click, the sound of a bullet chambering rang out. Kisaragi Chiyo raised the revolver, aiming the muzzle directly at the criminal's head.
Can I trouble you to die now?
Kisaragi Chiyo smiled and pulled the trigger.
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Author's Note: Thank you for the support, my little angels. Mwah!
Chapter 62
Matsuda Jinpei seemed to be angry, a realization that Kisaragi Chiyo only belatedly became aware of.
After he had thwarted her plan, the bullet that had been fired from the chamber, which should have pierced the criminal between his eyebrows, was intercepted by a distorted black shadow just a few centimeters away.
Like a small black hole, both the sound and the bullet were completely swallowed by the other party, leaving nothing behind.
"Do you know what you're doing?" The curly-haired man looked aggressive, his teal eyes appearing to burn with flames, making them look even brighter.
"Matsuda." Kisaragi Chiyo knew that he likely wouldn't be able to continue. He casually put away his handgun and looked calmly at Matsuda Jinpei, who was standing three steps away from him.
I didn't ask you to come in.
Matsuda Jinpei was almost laughed to death by the other's sheer audacity.
"What? Do you think I should come in to help you clean up the corpse after you've killed someone?" Matsuda Jinpei took a few steps forward to approach Kisaragi Chiyo, his gaze carrying a sense of scrutinizing pressure. Against the light, a faint gray shadow fell across his face, his lips were tightly pursed, as if he were restraining something.
Matsuda gazed at the cold-faced young man, his emotions becoming complicated for a moment.
"You won't do that." Kisaragi Chiyo knew the other man's bottom line very well; of course, he wasn't actually surprised that Matsuda Jinpei could intercept that bullet.
"You would stop me." Kisaragi Chiyo had other ways; there were many ways to make someone shut up, shooting was just one of the more radical options.
"But I only wanted to do that." Kisaragi Chiyo was candid enough not to hide his true thoughts; the moment he saw the list, he had indeed felt the urge to kill the other person.
“.. Kisaragi,” Matsuda Jinpei looked at him, emotions he couldn't quite comprehend surfacing in those beautiful teal eyes.
Are you throwing a tantrum?
"I am not," Kisaragi Chiyo replied very calmly. She knew very well that all her actions were the result of careful thought and not merely impulsive whims.
"Then have you thought about it?" Matsuda Jinpei raised both hands and placed them gently on Kisaragi Chiyo's shoulders.
“.. What?” Kisaragi Chiyo felt a weight settle on her left shoulder, a fuzzy, ticklish sensation from hair brushed against the side of her cheek. Her forehead rested against her own shoulder, feeling somewhat heavy.
“Have you thought about what you'll do next?” Matsuda Jinpei continued to ask in a low voice. “What happens after you kill him? I don't know what he said to ignite your fury.. but Kisaragi, you shouldn't do this.”
"You shouldn't have done that," Matsuda Jinpei repeated, knowing that Kisaragi Chiyo possessed a certain degree of paranoia in his personality. Matsuda didn't intend to correct him; he simply wanted to tell him that as an adult, one must always take responsibility for the choices they make, but sometimes, there isn't only one way to solve a problem.
"Even if it's something you want to protect.." Matsuda Jinpei raised his head and gazed deeply at her, wanting to see clearly what the owner of those eyes was actually thinking.
If it only involved herself, Kisaragi Chiyo would never choose to pull that trigger; it must involve other people or matters.
Matsuda Jinpei did not know what they were discussing in the room, there were many ways to prevent him from hearing the sound.. As long as a simple barrier was set up, he would not know a thing.
But that single gunshot, ringing out without restraint, reached his ears. As a policeman, he was all too familiar with that sound; before his brain could even realize what had happened, his body had already reacted.
"You should think carefully." After Matsuda Jinpei said this, he let him go.
Until they returned to Kaedokan, Matsuda Jinpei did not say another word to him, he didn't even choose to crouch on his shoulder on the way back.
After six hours of being ignored by the kitty, Kisaragi Chiyo only realized that Matsuda Jinpei was probably still angry about that matter.
*
"So, what exactly happened to you guys?" Hara Kenji had a wet towel resting on his head, with everything below his neck submerged in the hot spring. Wisps of mist drifted over the water's surface, the Evil Spirit's long hair floated in the water like seaweed.
"It shouldn't be anything too serious, right?" Because she was soaking in the hot spring, Kisaragi Chiyo pushed all the hair from her forehead back, revealing the heterochromatic eyes that were usually hidden.
He leaned against the edge of the hot spring, the skin exposed above the water's surface slightly reddened from the high temperature of the spring water. Steam condensed into droplets on his forehead, the tip of his nose, his cheeks, sliding down the elegant lines of his neck before finally disappearing into the water.
I fired a shot at that person," Kisaragi Chiyo said, her fingers intertwining with a strand of Hara Kenji's long hair floating in the water. "But Matsuda stopped me. Aside from being knocked unconscious from fright, that person was otherwise fine.
"Did you cast a Silence spell or something on him?" Hara Kenji asked first.
.. I did." Kisaragi Chiyo was momentarily stunned by Hara Kenji's attitude, then nodded in response. "Just a few minor tricks.. Aside from making him unable to say certain things, there won't be any other effects.
"Then there's no problem." Hara Kenji's eyes curved as he nodded with a smile, then suddenly changing his tone, he pressed close like a fish, his damp hands cupping Kisaragi Chiyo's face.
So that is the biggest problem.
".. Where?" Because of the other's movement, Kisaragi Chiyo was forced to tilt her head back, her gaze falling upon the other's face.
Dark purple eyes stared at her without blinking, shaped like crescent moons, with wet hair draped over her shoulders like twisting plant roots.
"Because you clearly have a better way, don't you, Chiyo-chan?" Hara Kenji's voice was laced with laughter; his tone was always light and soft, carrying an intimacy that made it easy for people to let their guard down.
Kisaragi Chiyo would occasionally have Hara Kenji read books to her as background noise while she emptied her mind; it was truly a form of enjoyment.
“That shot was intentional, wasn't it?” As expected, I've been seen through, but that was the goal.
The pads of his fingertips, covered in a thin layer of calluses, gently brushed against the sensitive, delicate skin around his eyelids. The evil spirit was very close to him; the steam and temperature of the hot spring were so high that even his breath carried a sense of heat and moisture.
"Attitude, it's all about attitude." Hara Kenji looked at him, his gaze tolerant and deep, carrying a hint of secret joy.
"This is what Little Jinpei cares about." Hara Kenji held Kisaragi Chiyo's hand, letting him stroke his cheek.
“Little Jinpei and I are different.” Hara Kenji closed his eyes and nuzzled Kisaragi Chiyo's warm palm.
Matsuda is closer to being human than I am, he is more human as well.
Even though we are already standing under the damp shadows of death.. Little Jinpei still carries the brightness of the sun upon him.
"We are different." Hara Kenji slowly opened his eyes; his skin was pale, like a white butterfly, like a moon that had died many years ago.
I knew about this from the very first moment I saw Little Jinpei.
He is more determined, more courageous, more relentless than I am.. Kisaragi, you cannot use the way you treat me to deal with Matsuda.
Hara Kenji smiled, wrapping his arms around Kisaragi Chiyo and resting his head gently against the other's shoulder. His cold lips pressed against the other's bare skin, his voice, muffled and indistinct, reached the ear: "If Chiyo-chan has truly committed something irredeemable, then let's run away together, even if we have to flee to the ends of the earth."
Kisaragi Chiyo smiled, she raised her hand to gently pat the other's back, soothing the restless Evil Spirit.
Responding in the same low voice, "Don't worry, I won't let you live a life of sleeping under the stars."
*
Matsuda Jinpei was alone in the bedroom now. He had just returned from a stroll outside, during which he had incidentally caught a few thieves and sent them to the police station, had also stopped to watch the Great Detective's deduction performance while he slept.
But Matsuda Jinpei still felt somewhat agitated. He was absolutely certain that Kisaragi Chiyo did it on purpose. She had done it intentionally to make him hear that gunshot; even the act of firing the gun was nothing more than bait to get him to take the hook.
“What are you worrying about?” Just as he was wandering outside the hotel, Furuya Rei walked over from the other side. The ends of his blonde hair were slightly damp, he was wearing the dark yukata provided by the hotel, which made him look even more tanned.
"You said that on purpose, didn't you?" Furuya Rei's forehead pulsed with a vein, he gave Matsuda Jinpei a thin, mirthless glance.
Don't take your personal emotions out on me.
"What do you know?" Matsuda Jinpei narrowed his eyes, looking at Furuya Rei with a suspicious gaze.
“What could I possibly know?” Furuya Rei shrugged, a hint of mischief glinting in his purplish-gray eyes. He teased Matsuda in a mocking tone, “But I'm guessing it must have something to do with Kisaragi-kun, right?”
"You guy.." Matsuda Jinpei clenched his fist and punched Furuya Rei's shoulder, feeling a hint of embarrassment at having his thoughts exposed.
"Spit it out. Perhaps I can offer you some help?" Furuya Rei moved his shoulder nonchalantly, feeling that the other man was definitely taking this opportunity to get revenge.
You?" Matsuda Jinpei raised an eyebrow upon hearing that. "Since when did our great blond master take on a part-time job as a psychological counselor?
"Heh.. Just tell me, do you want my help or not?" Furuya Rei's lips twitched as he repeatedly told himself not to stoop to the level of someone three years younger than him.
"Are you talking bad about me in your head?" Matsuda Jinpei suddenly felt his nose itch, he quickly locked his suspicion onto the person beside him.
"It's just your imagination." Furuya Rei tilted his head and flashed an impeccable smile.
Matsuda Jinpei still felt suspicious, but he could find no evidence.
“Furuya..” Matsuda Jinpei's tone was somewhat hesitant, “What do you think someone's motivation would be if they intentionally showed you their other side??”
Even a side that isn't positive.
"If it were me," Furuya Rei said, curling his fingers against his chin, a slight smile playing on his lips, his voice slow and clear.
Then it must be for the purpose of some kind of threat or intimidation.
Of course," Furuya Rei said, looking at Matsuda Jinpei with a meaningful gaze, "there is another layer of meaning to it.
That is, hoping to be the side that you would choose, even under these circumstances.
Come to my side.
That should be what it means, right?
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Author's Note: Thanks to all the little angels for your support, mwah 030
Chapter 63
Matsuda Jinpei was somewhat restless, standing up from his chair only to sit back down again. He thought about going to find Kisaragi Chiyo to get a clear answer, but he suddenly remembered that she had gone to a hot spring with Hara Kenji and wouldn't be free to see him for a while.
"So.. is that what you think?" Matsuda Jinpei lowered his eyes, clasping his hands together, as the words Furuya Rei had spoken replayed endlessly in his mind.
Cyan eyes were hidden in the dim shadows, their expression unclear. He lowered his head, remaining silent, lost in thought.
It wasn't until a few light knocks came from outside that Matsuda Jinpei snapped out of his thoughts, as if a silent statue had been breathed with life once more.
He slowly raised his head, with an expressionless face, his teal eyes combined with those cold, sharp, uninhibited features to exude an aura that kept everyone at a distance.
Through the door, Matsuda heard the sound of heavy breathing outside. The familiar scent seeped through every crack and corner, relentlessly conveying the master's scent and information to Matsuda Jinpei.