Volume 5 - CH 2.4

The last cigarette turned to ash.

The sun had already set. I looked up at the pale blue sky. My body felt chilly, and my back ached from sitting on a stone. Aya was lying on her back beside me, looking up at the sky.

She had stopped crying.

“It’s nighttime already,” she muttered softly over the sound of the wind.

“Yeah. I wonder if Nanami-san’s waiting for us.”

Aya bolted upright. She stretched, like she had just woken up from a nap. The wound on her hand had healed as though it had never been. A bloody necktie lay on the ground.

“Nanami-san can be scary, but she’s a good girl,” she said. “She gave me a good lecture. If it weren’t for her, I don’t think I would have gotten back on my feet.”

“A lecture from Nanami-san?”

What did she tell her? I couldn’t imagine it.

Aya cocked her head in thought. “Um, well… Nah, it’s fine. I’ll tell you about it some other time. I’m exhausted.”

Aya stood up. She brushed the sand from her apron, picked up the blades, and shoved the deadly weapons into her palm, vanishing into a hole in her flesh without a sound.

She then picked up the bloody tie, letting it dangle in the air.

“Sorry about this,” she said. “I’ll buy you a new one. Nanami-san pays me for helping her with the chores, but I don’t know when I’ll be able to buy a tie. If you could just wait a bit.”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s no big deal. More importantly, your apron is covered in blood.”

“What? Oh, it’s fine. I wore it assuming it would get all dirty.”

Aya removed the small apron. She took a deep breath, her chest straining against her blouse. She folded the apron, holding it under her arm, then looked at me.

“You’re a terrible person,” she said.

I held her gaze. “I guess so.”

Aya shook her head softly and started walking. Wading back through the grassy field, she set her foot on the stairs and climbed up to the levee.

“We’ve wasted a lot of time,” she said. “Let’s go find those pets.”

“Wait a minute. We’re going to search for them now?”

“Of course. You might not know this, but Nanami-san is terrifying! If she gives you a mission, you have to complete it. Keep that in mind!” she exclaimed.

She looked like a frightened cat with its fur standing on end. Nanami might be strict in some ways, but she was, at her core, a kind child. Aya said so herself. I had no idea why she was acting this way.

Aya started walking down the levee, following the same path we took to get here.

I quickly followed her. “Hold on. Do you even have an idea where to look?”

“I do. Sorry. I only came to the riverbank so the blood wouldn’t draw attention. People rarely go to that area.”

Aya spread her arms and walked away. The cold wind beat against my body. I walked briskly, pulling the collar of my tieless shirt close. We eventually made it back to the apartment.

Aya went straight to a small, empty lot adjacent to the building.

I have a very bad feeling about this.

Overgrown weeds covered the space that was only big enough for one car. Random, weather-beaten junk was piled up there; it was being used as a storage space, it seemed.

A familiar place. Back in May, I came here with Mayuzumi and Yusuke as per Nanami’s request.

“Up until a few nights ago, cats used to gather here,” Aya said. “But recently, none of them have come. I think that’s when the rumors about pets disappearing started. So I’m guessing that this place has something to do with it! Well? What do you think?”

Aya pointed at the plot, asking for a commendation. But I did not respond. I just watched the thing in front of me silently.

Among the junk was a strange object. An old dog house with a dull red roof. Its entrance and walls were boarded up, sloppily, messily, and securely. The battered, unreadable sign shook drearily.

“What is this anyway? What did it say? Can you read it, Odagiri?”

“Danger. Stay Away,” I replied, looking away.

Aya blinked, baffled. “What’s that supposed to mean? I’m surprised you could read that. You’re not making things up, are you?”

“Uh… I didn’t exactly read it…”

Yusuke himself wrote it in front of me after the doghouse was sealed.

He left the apartment, saying he’d put it up, but he didn’t bother waterproofing it apparently. His carefree smile flashed through my mind.

Aya stared at the doghouse. She bent down and looked inside.

One of the nails had been removed, creating a gap.

It was a sloppy job, typical of Yusuke, probably because he hammered nails all over without thinking. There was much difference between the boards that were firmly attached and those that were not.

I pictured a smiling Yusuke giving me a thumbs up.

“Uh, this gap right here,” Aya said. “There’s all sorts of fur stuck to it. Does that mean the pets went inside?”

“An impeccable job by yours truly!”

Yusukeeeeee!

Aya was about to stick her hand into the gap, so I pulled her by the shoulder.

She looked back, startled. “Huh? What’s wrong? I can deal with scratches. I’ll be fine.”

“Oh, it won’t just scratch you. It will eat you.”

Tear her arm apart.

I shook my head. Aya eyed the doghouse and then me. A low growl came from within the doghouse.

Aya studied me for a few seconds, then nodded. “Okay, then. This thing gives me the creeps anyway.”

“Glad you’re sharp.”

Now we know why pets were going missing. The creature we had imprisoned inside the doghouse was still starving. A ferocious, vindictive growl drifted from inside. I pulled my eyes away from the doghouse.

“When I asked Nanami-san if the case had something to do with this place, she didn’t respond,” Aya said. “Though when I told her I was going to go check it out, she didn’t object either. She said to save it for later. I’m glad I have you here with me today. Hmm?”

Aya studied the doghouse once more, tilting her head. “Ah, smart move, Nanami-san,” she said with a grin.

What was she talking about?

“So what’s the plan, Odagiri? I think Nanami-san was hoping that you’d solve this case.”

“For now, I’m going to Mayu-san’s place and ask if there’s something we can do about this. I’ll have to take a rain check on that miso hotpot.”

A sigh escaped my lips. If I recall correctly, Mayuzumi said that she would call her acquaintances who could help deal with the situation. She probably completely forgot about it already.

It would be a good idea to talk to her before more damage was done.

“Really? Okay, then,” Aya said. “Have a good one. I can bring you some of the hotpot later if you want. That way, you don’t have to make food when you get back.”

“I’d like that… Saves me some effort,” I replied. “Well, what do you know? You’re a natural at this.”

Aya puffed out her chest delightfully. She then saw me off, waving her hand. I started walking to the bus stop alone under the darkening sky.

I crossed the park and reached the bus stop. While waiting for the bus, I checked the time on my phone. Fortunately, I only had to wait for about ten more minutes. I rubbed my cold hands together. There was blood on them, so I wiped them off with a tissue.

As I stood there with my arms folded, I heard a beep. I quickly took out my cell phone. There was an incoming call from an unknown number. I pressed the answer button, and a high-pitched voice greeted me.

“Hello? Odagiri? Sorry, there’s something I forgot to tell you.”

“Aya? How did you get my number?”

“Nanami-san gave it to me. I’m gonna call you often, so please cut me some slack.” She laughed awkwardly.

Mayuzumi was one thing, but Nanami sharing other people’s number was something I did not expect. But I couldn’t be mad at her. I doubt Aya would abuse it either.

“It’s not a big deal, I guess,” I replied. “So, why’d you call me?”

“I forgot to mention something.”

I heard growling from the other side of the phone.

Hesitating, Aya took a deep breath.

“About my recovery,” she continued. “I thought it was simply because my psyche returned. But what if there was more to it? It might also be why I melted in the first place.”

Aya paused again and took another breath.

“What if the fox is back?”

Everything fell silent.

The call ended. Aya’s words reverberated deep in my ears. I remembered the red sea. In my imagination, there was no white figure in the spirit world. Genuine fear numbed my body. I felt dizzy, unable to take a single step.

But my chest didn’t hurt for some reason.

The pain I felt every time I thought about the fox was gone.

I stood there in confusion, my ear pressed against the beeping phone.

The bus arrived, and the door opened.

A moment later, the door closed.

The bus drove away without me.

The child in my belly whimpered uneasily.