"No wonder Togo Ryu was wearing women's underwear," Fujimine Yukiko said, realization dawning. "His men's underwear fell onto the eaves."
"So, Akita-san killed Togo Ryu because he couldn't accept the truth?" Hime Eri speculated.
"I said I didn't kill anyone!" Akita Keito snapped angrily. "After entering the inn, I was upstairs washing off paint the whole time. How could I kill someone?"
"But you're the only one with the opportunity," Hime Eri analyzed. "When it was raining, we were heading back to the inn and saw Togo Ryu going to the cliff. He was likely killed after that."
"After we returned, only Ootomo-san left. The rest of us stayed on the first floor."
"Then Ootomo could be the killer!" Akita Keito retorted indignantly. "Why are you so sure it's me?"
"I left to shower because I was soaked, and I even spoke to you then," Ootomo Hiroki said, scratching his palm. "Besides, I was gone for less than ten minutes—not enough time to kill."
"It takes at least ten minutes to get to the cliff, twenty round trip. Ootomo-san's absence wasn't long enough," Hime Eri shook her head. "But you, Akita-san, stayed upstairs for over half an hour after Ootomo-san came down. You had plenty of time."
"And the paint on Togo Ryu's head," Fujimine Yukiko added, not wanting to be outdone. "You must've gotten it on him while killing him."
"Utter nonsense!" Akita Keito fumed. "I took so long because the paint was hard to scrub off. I nearly scraped my skin raw. I had no time to kill!"
"But who can prove that?" Hime Eri asked coldly.
"This…" Akita Keito froze. How could he find a witness for something as private as a bath?
"I get it, Akita-san," Moriyama Kenta said, patting his shoulder. "When I learned Yukiko was Togo Ryu, I wanted to kill him too."
"We can't entirely blame you," Ootomo Hiroki sighed. "If it were me, I might've acted impulsively too."
"But I didn't kill anyone!" Akita Keito's voice broke, desperate. "I really didn't…"
Hayashi Shuichi stood and addressed the group. "Someone's dead. Whether Akita-san is the killer or not, everyone stays in the living room until the police arrive."
He headed toward the inn's entrance.
"Hey," Moriyama Kenta blocked him. "Didn't you just say we have to stay here? Why are you leaving?"
"I'm an investigative consultant for the Tokyo Metropolitan Police's First Division," Hayashi Shuichi said, showing his badge. "I'm going to check the crime scene. Any issues?"
"…No, none," Moriyama Kenta shook his head instinctively.
After Hayashi Shuichi left, he muttered in disbelief, "He's only sixteen or seventeen, and the police made a kid a consultant?"
"Shuichi may be young, but he's solved tons of cases. TV and newspapers have interviewed him," Fujimine Yukiko said proudly. "The First Division begged him to be their consultant!"
"Hayashi-kun is impressive," Ootomo Hiroki added. "I invited him to help find Mio-san…"
"What kind of consultant?" Akita Keito, still on the floor, spat. "He can't even tell I didn't kill anyone! Useless… Ouch!"
"Sorry, didn't see you," Hime Eri said, retracting her foot from kicking Akita Keito's head.
"Akita-san, it's not nice to insult people," Reiko said with a grin, picking up the men's underwear from the entrance with tissue and, despite Akita Keito's pleading look, stuffing it into his mouth. "Better stay quiet."
"Your lover's panties must be thrilling, huh?" Fujimine Yukiko teased, piling on.
"Ugh…" Akita Keito's eyes rolled back, and he passed out from rage.
Ootomo Hiroki and Moriyama Kenta stared speechlessly at the three girls.
All he did was insult Hayashi Shuichi. Did they have to bully him like that?
…
The rain had stopped.
Hayashi Shuichi left the inn and went straight to the pond to reexamine Togo Ryu's body.
Something about Hime Eri's explanation felt off.
The biggest question: why did Togo Ryu go to the cliff?
Hayashi Shuichi clearly remembered Mrs. Togo suggesting everyone help Moriyama Kenta search the cherry blossom forest after someone intruded there.
Her goal was likely to let her son appear publicly in women's clothing.
As long as everyone saw Ono Yukiko in the forest, even if she vanished again, Mrs. Togo and Togo Ryu could deflect suspicion with countless excuses.
Before setting out, Togo Ryu had gone back to get umbrellas for everyone, likely to grab women's clothing for his disguise.
Since Ono Yukiko was Togo Ryu, why would he go to the cliff to "find himself"?
Pondering, Hayashi Shuichi examined the body.
Lifting the shirt, he noticed wet cherry blossom petals stuck to Togo Ryu's chest and back.
"This…" Hayashi Shuichi looked around.
There were no cherry blossoms by the pond or cliff.
The petals could only have come from the cherry blossom forest.
Normally, so many petals wouldn't stick inside clothes, especially under an umbrella.
Unless Togo Ryu had lowered his umbrella and removed his clothes to change into women's clothing, letting wet petals cling to him.
But if so, why didn't Ono Yukiko appear, and why did everyone see Togo Ryu heading up the mountain?
Hayashi Shuichi wandered through the cherry blossom forest, searching for where Togo Ryu changed.
Under a large cherry blossom tree, he spotted a flash of purple among the dense pink blossoms.
Climbing up, Hayashi Shuichi retrieved it.
It was a purple women's bra, along with a sky-blue T-shirt and matching jeans…
(Chapter End)
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