ANOTHER FILES – THE TREE OF DECEIT
file 01: the three testimonies (TRANSLATION NOTES)

On the shrine grounds, there was a cedar tree.

There was a legend about this tree, which was over one thousand years old.

Once upon a time, there was a girl from a farming family that fell in love with a man from a samurai family.

Their families were opposed to the marriage, but they exchanged vows in front of this tree. An eternal vow.

On that moonlit night, they met up in front of this tree to elope. But the man did not come –

The man from the samurai family had a wife.

He had just been playing around.

The woman waited regardless. After waiting for three days and three nights, she slung a rope over the tree’s branches and hanged herself.

Soon after, the man from the samurai family passed away from an unknown illness –

Ever since there, there was a rumour that you would be cursed if you lied in front of this tree.

People called this cedar tree the tree of deceit –

1

In the moonlight, Ishii Yuutarou climbed the stone steps up to the shrine.

There were ninety-nine stone steps. He was covered in sweat by the time he reached the shrine.

A cedar tree said to be over one thousand years old hung over the stone steps.

The wind blew, making the cedar tree rustle.

‘How unpleasant…’ murmured Ishii as he stepped onto the gravel grounds.

It was late at night. There weren’t many people normally – it was a quiet place. Now, there were outdoor lights set up with as many people as if it were a festival.

'Ishii!’

Ishii lifted his head at the voice and saw Gotou Kazutoshi standing at the lacquered shrine.

Gotou was an assistant inspector, a detective appointed to the Unsolved Cases Special Investigations Room, and Ishii’s superior.

Both his voice and his attitude were twice as loud as a regular person’s – he was quite the hot-blooded man. If Ishii dawdled, he’d be scolded again.

'Y-yes sir!’

Ishii started running with fervour, but he immediately tripped and fell.

Ishii stood up. The moment he reached Gotou, Gotou hit his head. 'What are you doing?’

'I-I apologise…’

Ishii bowed his head while fixing the position of his glasses.

'Honestly…’

'Is it… a murder?’ Ishii asked hesitantly.

'Yeah. Corpse was found at about nine at night… A resident who just happened to be passing by called in. Victim’s a man in his late twenties or early thirties. No identity yet.’

Gotou gave an explanation quickly.

'What was the murder weapon?’

'There was a fruit knife covered in blood nearby. It’s probably that.’

'I see…’

'You check the corpse too.’

Gotou turned his gaze. He was looking at the corpse covered with a vinyl sheet.

'No, I’m fine.’

'What?’

'No, er, corpses are a bit…’

'We’re investigating a murder case! The hell are you going to do if you don’t look at the corpse!? You fool!’

'I-I apologise.’

Ishii went up to the corpse, dodging Gotou’s gripped fist.

Ishii cleared his throat and held his breath.

Corpses were frightening. If he was asked which part – he wouldn’t be able to explain properly. They were just scary.

However, as long as he was a detective, he couldn’t run away from them. Ishii slowly stuck his neck forward and peered at the corpse.

There was blood on the stomach and chest. The chest injury was particularly deep. That was probably the fatal injury.

'How awful…’

Ishii looked away without thinking.

He took deep breaths to calm himself before looking at the corpse’s face.

Then, a memory came up in the back of Ishii’s head.

A memory from a day ten years ago –

'I can’t believe… This is…’

Ishii went pale at once and took a step back without thinking.

'What’s wrong?’

'Eek!’

Ishii leapt unconsciously when Gotou called out to him.

Ishii wanted to explain, but he couldn’t speak properly.

'Don’t freak out because of a corpse.’

Gotou hit Ishii’s back.

’T-that isn’t it… I-I-I…’

'What? Say it clearly.’

'I know this person.’

Ishii was finally able to say it.

'What?’

Gotou’s expression turned grim.

'His name is Mochizuki Toshiki. He’s twenty-seven, like me,’ Ishii said quickly, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

'Was it you?’

'Eh?’

'Did you do it!?’

Gotou grabbed Ishii’s collar and shook him violently. Ishii couldn’t breathe.

’T-that isn’t it.’

'What isn’t it? Spit it out! Spit it out already!’

Once Gotou’s emotions erupted, he couldn’t be stopped.

’T-that really isn’t it! I was in the same class! Back in high school!’ shouted Ishii frantically.

Gotou finally let go of him.

'Really?’

'Yes. I can’t believe this happened…’

Mochizuki Toshiki – a man Ishii couldn’t forget even if he wanted to. When he thought back on that time, anger welled up in his stomach even now.

A slimy, dark and twisted emotion –

'Toshiki-san!’

A woman’s voice echoed, interrupting Ishii’s thoughts.

Ishii saw a woman forcing her way through the crowd. She was probably halfway through her twenties.

She had an oval face, almond eyes and glossy black hair. A Japanese beauty.

'I-It can’t be…’

Ishii spoke up without thinking.

– No, it can’t be.

Ishii hurriedly shook away the thought that came to his head.

'Why, Toshiki-san!?’

The woman tried to run up to the corpse as she continued to wail.

'Stay back!’

Gotou grabbed the woman and pulled her away from the corpse.

'Toshiki-san… W-why did this happen…’

The woman started to cry, her body shaking as she did so, and she collapsed to the ground right there.

'You know the victim?’ asked Gotou.

The woman, who was still crying, couldn’t even respond.

'Answer the question!’ pressed Gotou, shaking in irritation.

If Gotou talked to her like that, she wouldn’t even be able to say the things she could. Ishii stepped between Gotou and the woman.

'Excuse me. Are you all right?’ Ishii said gently.

However, the woman just continued to sob convulsively without replying.

Ishii waited for the woman to calm down before asking again. 'Excuse me. Could you please tell us your name first?’

'Minowa… Yuuko…’ said the woman, as if the words were strangled from her throat.

She finally answered. Ishii was relieved.

'Are you an acquaintance of Mochizuki-san?’

'Yes… We were engaged…’

'I see…’

'What did you come here to do?’ interrupted Gotou.

There was clear suspicion in those eyes.

'Wouldn’t somebody have contacted her?’

'We just found out his identity now.’

'Ah, that’s right!’

Ishii understood why Gotou was suspicious.

It would have been different if the scene of the crime were the home or the workplace, but it was a puzzle as to why Yuuko had come to the shrine without being contacted.

'Answer. Why did you come here?’

Gotou glared at Yuuko.

Yuuko lowered her long eyelashes as if to escape that gaze – it was extremely suspicious.

'Could you have known that Mochizuki-san was dead here?’

Yuuko opened her mouth after Ishii asked that question, but she didn’t end up saying anything.

There was a silence.

'Answer the question,’ Gotou said forcefully in his anger.

'We were together…’ said Yuuko under that pressure.

'What do you mean?’ asked Gotou.

'Today, I came here together with Toshiki-san.’

'At about what time?’ asked Ishii, taking notes.

'I think it was probably around seven.’

'And then?’

'We talked about a variety of things.’

'Why did you come all the way to a shrine?’ asked Gotou, lighting a cigarette.

Ishii had that question too. They weren’t a student couple – it was unnatural for them to go out of their way to have a date at a shrine all the way up here.

'There’s a legend about this tree. People say that if you lie here, you’ll be cursed…’

'Ah, that…’

Ishii had heard that before too. A mundane urban legend.

'Yes. So I was feeling a bit playful and said that I wanted to vow our love in front of this tree… I didn’t think this would happen…’

Tears welled up in Yuuko’s eyes again.

'Are you all right?’

Yuuko nodded before continuing again.

'A man suddenly appeared there. He took out a knife…’

Yuuko stopped there.

She clutched at her chest and started to sob.

Gotou patted her shoulder, like he sympathised. However, there was an indescribable unease in Ishii’s heart.

– Something’s strange.

He found the answer to that soon afterwards.

'Yuuko-san, the incident happened at about seven, right?’

Yuuko nodded.

'It’s already three hours since the crime. What were you doing until now?’

Yuuko’s expression froze at Ishii’s question. The tears that had been flowing until now stopped at once.

If Yuuko’s story were true, it would mean that she had left the scene for three hours after her fiancé was stabbed before coming back.

Gotou grabbed Yuuko’s arm.

'Wanna explain that to us?’

Yuuko’s gaze shook like she was afraid, but then she suddenly let out an 'Ah!’.

Ishii looked towards the crowd of onlookers, following Yuuko’s gaze.

'It’s that man!’ exclaimed Yuuko.

'Eh?’

'That’s the man who assaulted Toshiki-san!’

Yuuko pointed at a man.

The man looked to be in his forties, with a black down jacket and a knitted hat.

When the man noticed their gazes, he said, 'Shit!’ Then, he turned on his heels and started running.

'Wait!’

By the time Ishii shouted that, Gotou had already started running.

He reached the man in no time, tackled him from behind and held him down. That was Gotou’s quick work for you.

'This is undoubtedly him. This person stabbed Toshiki-san,’ Yuuko said fervently, going up to the man on the ground.

'You – planning to betray me?’

The man being held down said that while glaring at Yuuko.

2

Ozawa Haruka was heading for the prefabricated building behind the university’s Building B to meet Saitou Yakumo.

Haruka had first met Yakumo when her friend was possessed by a ghost. She had gone to consult him after hearing a rumour that he was knowledgeable about spiritual matters.

At the time, Yakumo hadn’t just saved her friend – he had even solved the murder.

Ever since then, they had experienced many cases.

Recently, she had started visiting Yakumo even if there weren’t any cases.

Soon, she saw the two-storey prefabricated building she was looking for. The university leant it out for circles to use.

Haruka stood in front of the door that had a plate which read Movie Research Circle.

However, The Movie Research Circle didn’t exist. Yakumo had casually filled out a form for the university and was literally living here, using the room as his own.

'Hey.’

Haruka opened the door and peered in.

Yakumo wasn’t there. Normally, he would have been leaning back on his chair at the front. It looked like he was out.

He hadn’t even locked the door. How careless.

'He’s never here when it’s really necessary. What’s he doing, and where…’

'Obviously taking classes in class.’

Even though Haruka had been saying that to herself, there was a reply. She turned around in surprise and saw Yakumo standing there.

He had his usual sleepy eyes. He ran a hand through his messy hair as he yawned.

'Don’t scare me,’ protested Haruka.

'You’re only scared because you have bad intentions,’ said Yakumo with a sigh, sitting in his usual seat.

'Of course I’m in the wrong.’

'So you know?’ drawled Yakumo, rubbing his left eye.

Normally, he hid it with a black contact lens, but Yakumo’s left eye had been red from birth.

And that eye could see the spirits of the dead – that is, ghosts. Yakumo’s red left eye had solved the case that Haruka’s friend was involved in.

However, Yakumo hated his red left eye.

He had always been treated as strange by people around him and had suffered greatly. That wasn’t all – it seemed like his mother had tried to kill him when he was little.

As a result, Yakumo put up a wall between himself and other people and didn’t show his true feelings.

At first, Haruka had thought he was a cold person too, but that impression had changed greatly. Though Yakumo looked like that, he was more sensitive and kinder than anyone.

'If you’re here to kill time, get out already. I’m busy.’

Yakumo said that in his usual tone as he opened the fridge in the corner of the room and took pudding out of the fridge. He started to eat it.

'Ah!’

Haruka spoke up without thinking.

'You’re noisy.’

'That’s the pudding I bought!’

'Oh?’

'Don’t just say “oh”. Why are you eating it?’

'Is there something wrong with that?’

'It’s mine.’

'No, it’s not. This fridge is mine. The moment you put the pudding in this fridge, the ownership rights transferred to me. Which means it’s mine.’

Though Haruka felt like she’d been tricked, there was no way for her to beat Yakumo in a battle of words.

'So what do you want?’ said Yakumo after her finished eating the pudding.

– That’s right.

'I almost forgot.’

Haruka sat opposite Yakumo.

'You don’t have to remember,’ Yakumo said without a pause.

'What’s that supposed to mean?’

'It’s trouble, right?’

'Don’t think of me as equalling trouble.’

'Then what?’

Though Haruka had objected, Yakumo had hit the mark.

Yakumo waved his hand, as if to say 'See?’ like he’d seen through everything.

Feeling vexed, Haruka wanted to retort, but she’d win nothing getting angry now.

'Just listen,’ pleaded Haruka.

'I refuse.’

An immediate answer. This person – though Haruka was irritated, she restrained herself.

'Why not listen?’

'I don’t want to.’

'You ate my pudding.’

'That’s irrelevant. And why do you always pick up trouble? Just throw it away in a rubbish bin or something.’

'But I can’t leave people alone when they’re troubled.’

'Rather than soft-hearted, I’d just say you’re an idiot.

– An idiot.

It was an awful way of saying it, but Haruka couldn’t complain when she was the one requesting.

'Come on. Please.’

She put her hands together and looked up at him.

However, Yakumo looked blatantly displeased.

'That’s creepy.’

– Oi, oi.

'Don’t you think that’s a rude thing to say to a girl?’

'I wouldn’t if I thought so.’

'Fine. Then I won’t ask.’

Haruka picked up her bag and stood.

If she acted a bit humble, he said whatever he wanted. She didn’t care any more.

Just as Haruka was about to leave the room, Yakumo said, 'I owe you from before. I’ll listen, but that’s all.’

'Really?’

Haruka quickly sat back down.

'I’m just listening.’

'OK.’

'So what happened?’

'Actually, my friend, Mai, has been troubled ever since she moved since she hears a strange voice.’

'A strange voice?’

Yakumo put his chin in his hand, looking bored.

'Yup. She hears a voice whispering “I’ll kill you” into her ear…’

When Haruka had first heard about it, a chill had run down her spine. The word 'kill’ was nothing but ill intent.

Even Yakumo’s face stiffened in response to that word.

'Is that all the information you have?’

'I didn’t ask in that much detail either.’

'An investigation would be pointless with such vague information.’

Yakumo stretched.

Haruka had known Yakumo for over a year. This reaction was expected.

'I thought you’d so that, so I’ve called her.’

'Who?’

'Mai.’

'Why do you always do things like…’

Interrupting Yakumo’s words, there was a knock on the door. When Haruka turned around, she saw Mai standing there.

3

Gotou leant back on the seat in the interrogation room and lit his cigarette.

The Unsolved Cases Special Investigations Room that Gotou was stationed in was under detective jurisdiction. Though its name was splendid, its true nature was only finishing up investigations and lending extra members as help.

It was a lonely department with only Gotou and Ishii.

This time as well, they were only taking a part in the case because the other detectives had their hands full with an abduction that had occurred nearby.

'What a pain…’

'Eh?’ said Ishii from beside him.

'It’s nothing,’ said Gotou.

The bosses thought it’d be an easy case since they had a suspect already, but Gotou couldn’t look at it that way. The case would probably be more annoying that they imagined.

The victim was Mochizuki Toshiki. Twenty-seven years old –

A lawyer that worked at a law firm in the city. Seemed like he’d been preparing to open his own agency.

At the scene, there had been his fiancée, Minowa Yuuko, twenty-five years old. She was a nurse that worked at the general hospital, but she had quit a few days ago.

Some parts of her testimony and actions had been baffling.

After Mochizuki was stabbed at the scene, she returned home for some reason. When asked why, all she said was 'I don’t know’.

And the male suspect who Gotou had held down at the scene, Matsuda Shunichi –

'Excuse me.’

Interrupting Gotou’s thoughts, a uniformed guard brought Matsuda into the investigation room.

The guard followed Gotou’s instructions and sat Matsuda down in the seat in the back. Then, he sat at the record-taking desk by the door.

Gotou looked at Matsuda’s face.

He was forty-years old. He worked at a small factory in town.

He had stubble and looked a bit worn out, but he was an incredibly serious-looking guy. Gotou didn’t have the impression that he would stab someone.

'Hey, Matsuda. Why’d you stab Mochizuki?’ asked Gotou, putting his cigarette out in the ashtray.

'Money…’ replied Matsuda, looking down.

'You assaulted him 'cause you wanted money?’

'Yeah.’

Matsuda’s tone was incredibly businesslike.

If there was nothing else, Gotou might have believed Matsuda’s words too, but there was what happened last night.

'Didn’t you say something different last night?’

After Gotou held Matsuda down, he had glared at Yuuko, the witness, and said, 'You planning on betraying me?’ –

At face value, those words made it sound like Matsuda and Yuuko were both in on it.

'What are you talking about?’

Matsuda’s eyes were thin, showing his hostility as he lifted his head.

'You said this to the female witness, right? “You planning on betraying me?” What’s that mean?’

'I don’t remember saying that.’

'You did say that.’

Ishii was the one who objected.

After a silence, Matsuda looked up at the ceiling and said, 'I thought I’d get off lighter if I blamed that woman. That was all.’

'Don’t lie.’

Gotou glared at Matsuda intimidatingly.

However, Matsuda didn’t budge.

'I’m not lying. I wanted money so I…’

'Then why didn’t you take his wallet?’ interrupted Gotou.

The wallet had been left in Mochizuki’s suit pocket. Neither his cash nor his credit cards had been stolen.

'That… That woman made a fuss so I ran off in a hurry,’ said Matsuda, breathing uneven as he looked aside.

Like Gotou would accept that response. He stood up and moved towards Matsuda’s side.

'Did you really do it yourself?’

'I said that, didn’t I? I stabbed that guy and killed him.’

Matsuda’s forehead was sweaty as he spoke quickly.

'Where did you stab him?’

The one who spoke up was Ishii.

'That doesn’t matter, right?’

Matsuda glared at Ishii.

'It does matter. It is incredibly important.’

'Probably the stomach…’

'Is that true?’ asked Ishii, leaning forward.

'What are you trying to say?’

Matsuda looked suspicious. It seemed like he didn’t understand Ishii’s intentions.

'It is true that Mochizuki was stabbed in the stomach. However, that wasn’t the only injury.’

'Then I stabbed him twice.’

'Don’t just say whatever you want!’ yelled Gotou.

Matsuda’s expression twisted, like he was trying to control himself.

'Please tell the truth,’ said Ishii gently, leaning forward.

That moment, Matsuda climbed over the desk and leapt at Ishii with the face of a demon.

The two tumbled to the ground.

Matsuda climbed on top of Ishii and grabbed his collar.

'I did it! I stabbed him with this hand!’

'Let go, idiot!’

Gotou pinned Matsuda’s arms behind his back and pulled him off of Ishii.

Still, Matsuda wouldn’t stop struggling.

'Stay still!’

Gotou knocked Matsuda towards the wall.

Matsuda’s back hit the wall. His expression twisted in pain and he finally grew still.

'Damn it! What the hell!’ Gotou yelled, with nowhere to turn his anger.

4

'Hello.’

Mai bowed her head.

Though she was a university student like Haruka, she had a childish face – at first glance, she looked like a high school student.

'Mai.’

Haruka stood up as she spoke, while Yakumo stayed sitting and sighed.

'Excuse me…’

Mai looked troubled.

'Mai, sit down.’

Haruka urged Mai to sit in the chair beside her, but Mai looked concerned about Yakumo and didn’t move. It made sense, what with that welcome.

'Don’t worry about him. He’s always like this.’

Haruka pulled Mai’s hand and forced her to sit. Nothing would start if they didn’t hear her talk.

'Yakumo-kun, you said you’d listen, didn’t you?’

Yakumo’s eyes narrowed as he crossed his arms without answering. He looked at Mai like he was evaluating her.

Mai’s body stiffened under that impaling stare.

'When and under what circumstances did you hear that voice?’ asked Yakumo in a hard tone.

Haruka looked at Mai too. All she’d heard from Mai was that she’d heard a voice saying 'I’ll kill you’ – she didn’t know the details.

'Ever since last night… In my ear, I hear a voice saying “I’ll kill you”…’

Mai’s voice was trembling slightly.

She was probably remembering the fear she felt then.

'And?’

Yakumo urged her to continue

'I felt like somebody was watching me…’

After saying that much, Mai’s voice caught in her throat and tears welled in her eyes.

'It’s fine. It’s fine.’

Haruka placed a hand on Mai’s shoulder.

Mai nodded and continued.

'I moved to my current flat three months ago. Apparently there was something up with the property, but I’ve never believed in that sort of thing, and the rest was cheap. But…’

She didn’t finish.

Mai gripped her hands into fists on top of her lap and looked down.

'Hey, what do you think?’ asked Haruka.

Yakumo looked at her like she was something filthy.

'There’s nothing to think about. I don’t have time to waste talking with a liar.’

After saying that, Yakumo owned.

It was awful for Yakumo to call Mai a liar when she looked so scared.

Haruka thought of complaining, but Mai stood up before then.

'I haven’t lied,’ she said, seeming agitated.

However, Yakumo’s expression didn’t change a whit even after that.

'Yes, you have.’

'I really did hear it!’ Mai cried frantically, shaking her head.

'Yakumo-kun, Mai isn’t the sort of person who would lie,’ interrupted Haruka, unable to bear it.

Yakumo shook his head in exasperation.

'That isn’t it. You moved to that property that had something up with it three months ago, right? But you started hearing the voice yesterday. Isn’t that strange?’

It was just as Yakumo said. Haruka felt like the story didn’t add it.

'That’s…’

Mai faltered.

'And the ghost doesn’t appear at the flat. It’s possessing you.’

Yakumo’s left index finger pointed straight at Mai.

– Possessing Mai?

'What do you mean?’ said Haruka in shock.

'Exactly what I said. A spirit is currently possessing her,’ said Yakumo, his expression exactly the same.

Haruka looked at Mai too.

All her eyes saw was Mai, but it was different for Yakumo.

Yakumo’s red left eyes could see the spirits of the dead – that is, ghosts.

Mai stood there, dumbfounded.

'Yesterday, you did something that made a ghost possess you. Or you saw something. Am I right?’

Mai didn’t respond to Yakumo’s question.

To be more accurate, her lips flapped, but no words came out.

'Mai, what happened?’

Haruka held Mai’s hand.

Her hand was shaking. She was probably afraid. Haruka could feel that through her skin.

'What are you going to do? If you don’t plan on talking, leave immediately.’

Yakumo pointed at the door.

'Yakumo-kun, wait.’

Haruka flared up.

There might have been a lie in Mai’s explanation, but it was fact that Mai was afraid of something.

'How can anything be solved if she’s hiding something?’

'That’s true, but…’

What Yakumo was saying was true, so Haruka couldn’t rebut.

After a silence, Mai lifted her head. ’… I will.’

It looked like she had reached a decision.

'I will talk. So please help me.’

Yakumo nodded.

When Haruka saw that, she felt relieved. She’d been worried about what was going to happen, but if Mai would talk honestly, they would probably find a clue to solve the case.

'So what really happened?’ urged Yakumo.

Mai sat down, took a few deep breaths and started to talk.

'Last night, I went to that shrine.’

'Shrine?’

Haruka cocked her head.

'The one on the hill north of the university…’

'Ah.’

Haruka knew where it was from Mai’s explanation.

North of the university. Though Haruka didn’t know the name, there was a shrine ahead of long stone stairs on a slightly elevated hill, with a large cedar tree on the grounds.

Haruka hadn’t gone herself, but she’d passed below the stone steps countless times.

'The place with the tree of deceit,’ said Yakumo.

Mai nodded.

'What’s that?’

– The tree of deceit.

It was an incredibly questionable name.

'It’s the name of the cedar tree on the shrine grounds. If you lie in front of the tree of deceit, you’ll be cursed – there’s a rumour like that,’ explained Yakumo.

'Is that true?’

'You really are a hopeless idiot.’

'What’s that?’

'I’m saying you’re an idiot because you’re an idiot. Nowadays, even elementary students wouldn’t believe a rumour like that.’

'All right, I’m an idiot.’

Haruka puffed her cheeks and acted angry, but Yakumo wasn’t soft enough to change his attitude because of that.

'Anyway, because of that rumour, it’s become a date spot,’ said Yakumo, stretching.

'Why? Even though there are more romantic places for lovers to go…’

'A difference in opinion. In front of the tree of deceit, you’ll be cursed if you lie. You can confirm your partner’s feelings. Or you could say nowhere is more appropriate for a vow for the future.’

– I see.

Though Haruka understood, she also felt it was frightening. It was like they were asking to be cursed.

'So you didn’t go alone, right?’

Yakumo looked at Mai with narrowed eyes.

'I agreed to meet someone…’

Mai’s eyes wandered.

'Who?’

'My boyfriend whom I’ve been dating since high school.’

Mai bit her lip, looking like she’d cry at any moment.

Though Yakumo put his chin in his hands, seeming bored, he urged Mai to continue. 'And then?’

'When we first started dating, I made a promise with him in front of that tree. That we’d get married after we graduate. But…’

'You fell in love with someone else.’

Yakumo supplied the words Mai couldn’t say.

'I thought that I had to apologise properly and called him there.’

'But that person didn’t show up.’

Mai nodded at Yakumo’s words.

Just from the flow of the conversation and the expressions, the rest of the conversation was clear. Yakumo’s discernment always surprised Haruka.

Tears fell from Mai’s eyes.

She was probably too sad and in pain to know what to do. She was blaming herself, shouldering everything alone without telling anyone.

'It’s OK.’

Haruka touched Mai’s shoulder.

Her shaking shoulders looked like they carried the weight of regret.

'So what happened?’

Yakumo crossed his arms with a blank expression.

'We agreed to meet at three. I waited for two hours, but he didn’t come, so I went home. When I called, it didn’t connect, so I thought maybe I got the time wrong and he might be at the shrine…’

'So you went to the shrine again.’

Mai nodded at Yakumo’s words.

Mai’s boyfriend had probably understood even without Mai saying anything when she called him out. That was why he hadn’t gone to the shrine and hadn’t answered the phone.

Then, Mai felt guilty and tried to hide the true reason she went to the shrine from them.

Mai’s eyes were red as she continued.

'When I was climbing the stone steps, I heard a voice.’

'A voice?’

'Yes.’

'A man? Or a woman?’

Mai shook her head. 'I don’t know.’

'What did that voice say?’

'It said, “I’ll kill you.”’

Mai bent over and covered her ears, perhaps remembering the voice from then.

'And then what?’ urged Yakumo expressionlessly.

'I was so afraid that I went back down the stairs, but even after I went home, I still heard that voice in my ears, saying, “I’ll kill you.”’

'I see,’ said Yakumo, standing up slowly.

'Is this the curse of the tree of deceit… since I broke my promise…’

Mai looked at Yakumo with a clinging gaze.

Yakumo sighed, sounding disappointed as he ran a hand through his messy hair.

'Don’t worry about unnecessary things right now.’

He said just that, opened the door and tried to leave the room.

'Where are you going?’

Nothing had been solved yet. Haruka hurriedly called out to Yakumo.

'Anyway, I’m going to the shrine.’

'I’ll go too.’

'Is it OK to leave her alone?’

Yakumo looked at Mai, who was hanging her head.

It was just as he said. Mai was so scared – Haruka couldn’t leave her alone.

'I’ll be right back,’ said Yakumo as he left the room.

5

After leaving the interrogation room, Gotou returned to the Unsolved Cases Special Investigations Room.

He sat down and lit a cigarette.

Awful. It felt like his tongue had gone numb.

Matsuda, the suspect, kept changing the contents of his confession. As Gotou listened, he couldn’t tell what was what.

All he knew was that Matsuda was hiding something.

– What’s he hiding?

'That was surprising…’

Ishii sat in front of Gotou while wiping away his sweat.

His hair was a mess, his tie slack and his glasses askew.

Earlier, Matsuda had jumped onto Ishii in the investigation room. Matsuda had grabbed Ishii’s collar and jostled him about, making Ishii look like this.

Though it worked out since Gotou stepped in, if Ishii had been alone, it would have been an absolute disaster.

'You have to use brute force at times like that.’

'Even if you say that, I…’

Ishii’s brows furrowed as he gave that weak reply.

It’d been some time since they paired up, but Ishii hadn’t grown at all. His weak image hadn’t changed even after all this time.

He always looked to other people for instructions, hesitant in his actions.

'With that weak attitude, criminals will look down on you.’

'I know. I also think that I can’t stay like this, but…’

Ishii let out a dry laugh.

'Don’t joke around.’

Gotou hit Ishii’s head.

– Pathetic.

Gotou muttered that inwardly.

Ishii’s uselessness was famous even within the precinct. His mistakes were countless. Gotou even thought that Ishii wasn’t fit to be a detective.

He’d thought about saying that straight out, but when he looked at Ishii, he couldn’t leave him alone. He felt like he wanted to do something for him.

– You can do it.

Perhaps saying that as encouragement would make Ishii grow more, but Gotou had always been bad with things like that. He couldn’t express himself honestly. He was awkward.

As a result, he ended up reprimanding him.

However, Ishii still wasn’t discouraged. It was baffling to Gotou.

'Honestly…’ grumbled Gotou..

Then, Matsutani from forensics came in.

He had started at the same time as Gotou, but he had a horse face with a dark mood to him – they virtually never talked outside of cases.

Gotou wasn’t good with him.

'Results for the fingerprints.’

Matsutani held out documents.

'Ah.’

Gotou took them and started looking through them.

While he was reading, Gotou’s expression froze over. There was a shocking fact written then.

'What is it?’

Ishii looked at the documents with interest.

'Oi. What the hell is this?’ asked Gotou.

Matsutani snorted, looking incredibly displeased.

'Only the facts are recorded there. It’s your job to investigate why.’

Matsutani said just that and left the room briskly.

What he said was right, but there were better ways to say it. Gotou calmed his anger and looked at the documents again.

There were one set of fingerprints on the knife’s handle. They were a match, with ninety-nine per cent likelihood, with the victim’s fiancée and witness of the crime, Minowa Yuuko.

’D-Detective Gotou, this is!’

Ishii started making a fuss.

'Shut up! I know!’

Gotou hit Ishii’s head.

The witness, Minowa Yuuko, had testified that Matsuda was the culprit, and Matsuda himself had acknowledged that, but there were a number of places where their testimonies didn’t match up.

Furthermore, the knife’s handle had Yuuko’s fingerprints.

'Is Minowa Yuuko the culprit?’

Gotou held his head in his hands.

'That isn’t the only possibility.’

Ishii smiled with confidence.

'What do you mean?’

'The knife was found in the thicket by the shrine.’

'What about it?’

'In short, after the crime, Yuuko-san pulled out the knife, tried to bring it home and dropped it in the thicket.’

The theory Ishii offered with sparkling eyes sounded like it could work, but –

'Why’d she do that?’

Ishii’s face went blank at Gotou’s question.

– As expected.

That was Ishii. He wasn’t bad at observing, but he couldn’t bring it together.

'That’s true… It’s odd…’

Ishii’s shoulders slumped in disappointment.

Well, talking wouldn’t get anything started. Sitting in front of a desk wasn’t Gotou’s style.

'Let’s go!’

Gotou stood up.

'Eh? Go? Where to?’

'Obviously the scene of the crime.’

'But yesterday…’

'Stop whining! Back to the crime scene!’

Thinking at a desk wouldn’t solve anything. He’d go to the crime scene as many times as he needed to until he saw the truth of the case. That was what a detective was.

6

Ishii looked up at the towering cedar tree.

Looking at it like this, it seemed like it had been fated.

He suddenly recalled a memory from ten years ago.

– No.

Ishii hurriedly put a lid on it.

He didn’t have to remember that. It wasn’t related to this case. He needed to keep it buried in the bottom of his heart forever –

Ishii frantically restrained the dark emotions threatening to swallow him up.

'Ishii!’

Gotou called him. Ishii ran up to the shrine.

He fell –

'What are you doing!?’

'P-please forgive me.’

Ishii hurriedly stood up and ran up to Gotou, who was kneeling at the shrine.

Gotou was looking at the spot where Mochizuki’s corpse had been found last night. His expression was unusually grim.

Even Gotou, who preferred moving over thinking, seemed unsure as to where to head next with this case.

'You were in the same class as the victim, Mochizuki, right?’ said Gotou, looking up.

Mochizuki Toshiki – just hearing the name made black emotions well up in Ishii’s stomach.

'Ah, yes…’

'What sort of guy was he?’

'What sort of…?’

'I’m asking what sort of guy Mochizuki was.’

'That’s…’

Ishii gripped his hands into tight fists as his heart throbbed.

'Talk already!’

Gotou’s fist came flying.

Ishii’s expression twisted in pain. He really didn’t want to talk about it. If he talked about it, he’d remember something unpleasant. But he couldn’t keep silent.

'Mochizuki Toshiki-san was the soccer club captain. He had good grades too,’ said Ishii, choosing his words.

Mochizuki’s face from high school came up in his mind.

With dark skin and well defined features, his eyes had always been filled with confidence. And –

'Both literary and military, then?’ said Gotou acerbically.

'Yes, he was.’

'How was his personality?’

'His… personality?’

'Like his relationships and his position in class.’

'Since he was a sociable person, he had many friends. I think he was like a leader in class.’

Mochizuki was always surrounded by a lot of people, both male and female, and always at the heart of the conversation.

'So a popular guy that anybody would like.’

'Absolutely not!’

'What?’

'That is absolutely not the case for that guy!’ denied Ishii in a yell.

His mouth had opened before he could think.

'What are you getting all serious for?’ said Gotou, which brought Ishii back to his senses.

Ishii realised that his fingertips were shaking.

The events of that day came to him in a flashback.

The shrine, the cedar tree, the stone steps, the woman, the envelope… Ishii shook his head to shake away the memories which kept coming up.

'Do you have a grudge against Mochizuki or something?’ asked Gotou.

Ishii bit his lip and looked away.

'No, that’s not…’

– That day has nothing to do with this case.

He managed to calm down by telling himself that.

'What a weird guy you are,’ said Gotou, sounding exasperated as he lit his cigarette.

'Bad manners for a detective.’

Ishii turned his gaze towards the voice and saw a man walking towards them as he ran a hand through his messy hair.

– Saitou Yakumo.

Right now, he was wearing a black contact lens, but his left eye was red like a glowing flame. That wasn’t all – it even had the special ability to see the spirits of the dead.

His ability and excellent mind had solved many cases.

'What, it’s you, Yakumo?’ Gotou said curtly.

'Is it a date?’ asked Yakumo, looking at Ishii and Gotou.

'You making fun of me?’

Gotou flared up, even though he could have just left it alone.

'Correct.’

'You bastard!’

'What a loud-mouthed bear.’

'Shut up!’

'Well, please calm down.’

Ishii stepped in between the two.

These two always fought when they met. Ishii had no idea whether they were on good terms or bad.

'So what are you doing here?’ asked Gotou after a pause.

'I’ll tell you when you’ve grown up a bit.’

'What’d you say!?’

'Ishii-san, was there an incident here last night?’

Yakumo ignored Gotou, who had flown into a rage, and turned the conversation to Ishii.

'Ah, yes. A murder.’

'I see. Who was the victim?’

'A male lawyer named Mochizuki Toshiki.’

'Seems like they were classmates in high school.’

Gotou pointed at Ishii with his chin.

'That must be tough.’

Though Yakumo said that himself, he let out a bored yawn.

When Ishii saw that face, he recalled something.

'Excuse me, but there is something I would like to consult you about regarding that case.’

'Consult?’ Yakumo furrowed his brows.

Perhaps Yakumo, who had solved so many cases, would be able to figure things out.

Ishii nodded and began.

'Actually, a suspect was arrested for the murder that occurred yesterday.’

'Then isn’t the case solved? That’s great.’

Yakumo ran a hand through his hair, looking annoyed.

'That is… The testimonies given by the suspect and the victim’s fiancée have a great discrepancy.’

'How are they different?’

'The suspect admits his own crime. The witness says that it was definitely the suspect too.’

'Doesn’t that match up?’

'The problem is still coming up…’

Ishii explained in detail all that they knew about the situation so far.

Matsuda, the suspect, admitted the crime, but he had said he’d stabbed the stomach. However, there were stab wounds in both the stomach and the chest.

Yuuko, the fiancée of the victim, Mochizuki, had been at the scene and left the scene for about three hours.

When Matsuda had been arrested, he had said this to Yuuko: 'You planning on betraying me?’

Furthermore, the murder weapon – a knife – had Yuuko’s fingerprints on it –

'I see. That is strange,’ said Yakumo once Ishii finished.

'Damn, what a troublesome case,’ grumbled Gotou with a sigh.

Ishii agreed with that opinion. With so many complications, he didn’t know what to believe.

'Well, please do your best.’

After letting out a yawn, Yakumo started walking towards the stone steps.

'Where are you going?’

Gotou hurriedly called out to stop Yakumo.

'I’m obviously leaving.’

'What do you mean, obviously? Help out a bit.’

'Why?’

'Well, y'know…’

'I’m just a passing university student. It’s the job of the police to investigate cases, isn’t it?’

'What did you say!?’

Gotou, who had a low boiling point, made his anger clear by grabbing Yakumo by the collar.

However, Yakumo didn’t look frightened at all. He let out a yawn.

'Please calm down a bit.’

Ishii hurriedly went to stop Gotou. Ishii wondered why Gotou didn’t get tired of doing the same thing each time.

After pulling Gotou away, Ishii faced Yakumo once more.

'Excuse me, but would it be possible to have the victim testify?’

Yakumo let out a sigh at Ishii’s question, sounding annoyed.

'Are you an idiot!? The victim’s dead!’

Gotou was the one who cut in.

'That’s exactly why.’

Ishii sent Gotou a look.

Yakumo had the unique ability to see the spirits of the dead. If they used that, it should have been possible to take the testimony of the victim, Mochizuki.

Gotou let out an 'Ah!’ It seemed he had sensed Ishii’s thoughts.

'Hey, Yakumo. Help a man out.’

Gotou walked up to Yakumo again.

Yakumo looked blatantly disgusted, like he was looking at something filthy.

'I don’t want to.’

'You bastard – what’s with that attitude!?’

'I should say that to you, Gotou-san. What kind of attitude is that when you’re asking somebody for help?’

'What?’

'What is it you’re supposed to say when asking somebody for help?’

Gotou’s face twitched.

After a silence, Gotou finally bowed his head in resignation, but his words were weak, without their usual force.

'P-p… se.’

'I can’t hear you.’

Yakumo put his hand to his ear provocatively.

'Please!’

Gotou sounded half in despair as he bowed his head.

'Well done.’

Yakumo clapped his hands mockingly.

'You brat. I’ll kill you one day.’

Yakumo ignored Gotou’s grumbling and looked at Ishii.

'Unfortunately, I can’t help you there.’

'Eh?’

Ishii hadn’t thought Yakumo would refuse so readily after all that.

'You bastard! The hell do you mean by that!?’

Gotou’s anger reached a peak again as he approached Yakumo.

'Have you forgotten? All I can do is see them.’

'I know that. So…’

'If you can bring the victim’s spirit here, I can listen.’

'I see…’

That was enough to make Ishii to realise how foolish what he’d said had been, but Gotou didn’t seem to have understood yet, as he kept hanging on.

'Then just call him.’

'How?’

'You can’t?’

'Of course not. I’m not a necromancer.’

'Well, that’s true…’

Gotou lost his force.

'Well, that’s how it is,’ said Yakumo with a shrug. He turned on his heels and started walking away.

All Ishii and Gotou could do was watch him leave.

Just as Yakumo was about to walk down the stairs, he stopped.

There was an usual air about Yakumo, completely different from before.

'Did the main who died here have a mole on his forehead?’ said Yakumo, his back still to them.

'Yes.’

When Ishii replied, Yakumo turned around.

'He’s here right now.’

'Eh?’

Ishii spoke up without thinking. He stared, but he couldn’t see anything.

However, it was different for Yakumo. His eye could see something there, unlike Ishii’s.

When Ishii thought that, his heart started thumping loudly.

7

'It’s OK.’

Haruka spoke to Mai with a smile.

After Yakumo left the room, Mai gradually calmed down, but she was still pale.

'Sorry for wrapping you up in something strange…’ said Mai in a faint voice.

'Don’t worry about it.’

Haruka shook her head.

It looked like Mai believed that the spiritual phenomenon she experienced was a curse from breaking the promise she made in front of the tree of deceit.

Haruka might have felt the same fear if she were the person she had been before.

However, ever since she met Yakumo, the way she thought of ghosts had changed greatly.

'The spirits of the dead are like clusters of people’s emotions.’

That was what Yakumo thought.

To borrow his words, people were people, whether they were alive or dead.

'Clusters of emotions…’

Mai lifted her head.

'Yup. So they have no physical influence. They can’t curse people.’

That was second-hand knowledge from Yakumo too.

However, with the many incidents she had experienced with Yakumo, Haruka felt that herself.

'But…’

Mai’s brow furrowed. She looked anxious.

She had heard a voice saying 'I’ll kill you’. It made sense that her fear made her incapable of accepting what Haruka said right away.

Though it was the musing of an amateur, Haruka thought that the legend about the tree of deceit and the voice Mai heard were different things.

'Curses come from guilt within oneself.’

That was something Yakumo had said too, but Haruka had felt that herself too, during a case with a boy.

'So it’s fine. Don’t blame yourself.’

Haruka smiled at Mai to try to make her relax. Mai nodded in response.

But then – Mai’s body jolted.

– What’s wrong?

When that question came to Haruka’s head, Mai’s eyes had already rolled up and she fell from her seat.

'Mai! Hang in there!’

Haruka shook Mai’s shoulders as she lay on her side.

She was breathing.

However, it looked like she was unconscious. Her breathing was shallow and she was moaning, like she was in pain. Her forehead was covered in sweat.

– Ambulance.

Haruka was just about to stand up when something grabbed her wrist.

It was Mai.

With such force it was painful, Mai gripped her wrist.

’… I’ll… you…’

It was a low howl, like that of a beast.

'Eh?’

Slowly, Mai lifted her head.

Her eyes were wide open and bloodshot. Her cheek muscle was twitching and she had her teeth gritted.

– Is this really Mai?

Haruka couldn’t believe her eyes.

'I’ll… kill… you…’

Mai’s flickering eyeballs looked at Haruka.

A chill ran down Haruka’s spine.

– I’m going to be killed.

Haruka felt that instinctively. She shook Mai’s hand off and leapt back.

However, she ran into the wall and lost her escape route.

'I’ll kill you…’

Mai stood up slowly.

She looked at Haruka again.

– I need to run.

Haruka thought that, but fear had frozen her body.

'Mai, what’s wrong? Get a hold of yourself!’

Haruka called out frantically, but Mai didn’t seem to hear her.

Mai’s body was shaking as she put out both hands and walked towards Haruka.

There was no time to run.

Mai put her hands on Haruka’s neck and gripped tightly.

Haruka tried to push her aside, but she couldn’t move under that incredible force.

'Please… Mai… Get a hold of yourself…’

Haruka pleaded frantically, but she wasn’t sure whether the words came out.

When she saw Mai’s eyes, she could tell that Mai was truly intent on killing her.

– Please. Yakumo-kun. Save me.

She couldn’t breathe.

She was losing consciousness.

– It’s too late.

The moment she thought that, Mai’s hands left Haruka.

Haruka coughed a number of times and collapsed to the floor right there.

She took deep breaths as she looked up at Mai, who was standing there in a daze.

'Mai…’

'Somebody’s… in me…’

Unlike her moans from before, Mai was speaking in a weak voice that sounded like it would fade away at any moment.

'Did something happen?’

’… You’re not me… Who are you… Please… Save me…’

Tells fell from Mai’s eyes.

Then, Mai lost consciousness and she collapsed once more, her eyes rolling up again.

'Mai.’

Haruka hugged Mai tightly.

It looked like she was breathing.

Haruka slowly put Mai down.

– What on earth is happening?

Questions ran through her head.

Earlier, Mai had been muttering 'I’ll kill you’. Perhaps it had something to do with the spiritual phenomenon Mai had experienced.

Haruka took her mobile phone from her bag and chose Yakumo’s number from her contacts list.

The call tone fanned her uneasiness.

– Yakumo-kun, pick up already.

8

'Oi, Yakumo. That true?’ said Gotou without thinking in his surprise.

Yakumo, standing on the shrine’s stone steps, had said that Mochizuki Toshiki, who was killed the day before, was here.

Though Gotou couldn’t see anything, it was different for Yakumo, with his red left eye.

'Yakumo. Answer.’

'Quiet!’

Yakumo cut Gotou down.

Yakumo’s cold eyes made Gotou shut his mouth.

Ishii gulped beside him.

Yakumo slowly started walking and stopped in front of the shrine.

From Gotou’s position, he couldn’t see Yakumo’s expression. It looked like he was muttering something, but Gotou couldn’t hear him.

'What is he saying?“

Gotou looked at Ishii, but he just shook his head.

Gotou wiped the sweat off his forehead and held his breath as he waited.

How long was it – after Yakumo let out a long breath, he slowly turned around.

He looked incredibly exhausted.

'What did you find out?’ asked Gotou.

Yakumo looked pained.

'He said he was stabbed by his lover.’

Yakumo’s words made the air freeze over.

– Stabbed by his lover.

Which meant he was saying Minowa Yuuko was the culprit.

'That true?’

If it were true, the case would move.

'That’s what he said.’

'Then we’ve got to arrest Minowa Yuuko!’

Gotou could go with this – he started walking forward with vigour. Ishii followed him.

'Gotou-san, you are a helpless idiot, aren’t you?’ said Yakumo coldly.

'What?’

'I said you’re a gigantic idiot.’

'Bastard, try to say that one more time!’

Gotou approached Yakumo.

'I’ll say it as many times as you want. Gotou-san, you’re an idiot.’

'You brat!’

Gotou grabbed Yakumo by the collar.

However, rather than looking afraid, Yakumo looked exasperated as he sighed.

'There’s no way you could arrest her now, right?’

'Why not? We have the victim’s testimony, right!?’

'That’s why I’m saying you’re an idiot.’

'I see!’

Ishii clapped his hands together like he had understood something.

However, Gotou didn’t understand.

'Since when did the police start using the testimony of ghosts as evidence?’

'Ah.’

Gotou finally realised he had been hasty when he heard Yakumo’s chilly words.

While Gotou personally believed in ghosts because of the cases he’d been involved in with Yakumo, it was different for the police organisation as a whole.

There was no way that he could get an arrest warrant because of the testimony of a dead man. That said, he couldn’t overlook such valuable evidence.

'I’ll find the evidence later. First, I’m arresting Minowa Yuuko.’

'That’s what makes you an idiot.’

'What did you say?’

'Please think about it properly. Even ghosts are human.’

'I know that much.’

'No, you don’t know anything, Gotou-san.’

'What are you trying to say?’

'Dead people do not only speak the truth – ’

Yakumo’s words shook Gotou’s brain like a heavy impact.

'You saying… he’s lying?’

'There is that possibility.’

'But… the one who testified is…’

– The victim.

Gotou wanted to say that, but he swallowed his words partway.

Just because he was the victim didn’t mean that he’d say the truth. Gotou knew that painfully after taking on so many cases.

It wasn’t only the culprits who wanted to hide things.

They couldn’t solve the case unless they suspected everything.

'Incidentally, Ishii-san.’

Yakumo suddenly looked towards Ishii.

'Eh, ah, yes.’

Ishii was flustered at the suddenness of it.

'What is a glasses monkey[1]?’

'What?’

Gotou cocked his head at the sudden question.

'I-I don’t know…’ replied Ishii, looking away.

– He’s hiding something.

Gotou was going to question him about it when Yakumo’s mobile rang.

'Hello..’

At first, Yakumo answered nonchalantly, but then his expression grew grim.

'What happened?’ asked Gotou once Yakumo was finished with his call.

Yakumo just looked at Gotou and then left, going down the stairs without answering Gotou’s question.

'The guy just does whatever he wants…’ Gotou said with a click of his tongue.

He glanced at Ishii.

His eyes seemed faraway and his mouth was gaping. Like he wasn’t all here.

'Ishii.’

'Y-yes sir.’

Ishii’s shoulders jolted as he looked at Gotou.

'What was that glasses monkey thing Yakumo was talking about earlier?’

'I-I don’t know.’

It took ten seconds for Ishii to respond.

Anybody could tell he was lying.

'Tell the truth.’

'It is the t-truth,’ Ishii said quickly. Then, he walked away from the shrine, like he was running away.

'Man, everyone’s just…’ said