April 5th, 6 PM, at the Tokyo investigation headquarters for criminal serial murders. The police are holding a meeting to discuss various murder cases regarding the criminal Red Rose.
"In the past six months, there have been three cases with eleven victims tied to the Red Rose cases," an investigator says. "One of them was a premeditated murder, while the other two happened in the heat of the moment. So far, only two of the cases have been solved, with their culprits arrested. And, of course, a rose was found at each crime scene. What do you think of these numbers?"
"I find it unbelievable that one person is able to orchestrate so many murders within such a short period of time. I believe Red Rose might actually be an organization of some sort," another investigator responds.
"That might be the case, but we don't have any proof to confirm it. Red Rose's identity is still unclear."
"Well then, what about the recent case? I believe it was the death of a twenty-five-year-old actress named Hamasaki Erika."
"Detective Koizumi is already in charge of that one."
In the back of the meeting, a young police officer known as Kimura speaks up in a quieter voice, "Who is Detective Koizumi?"
"Huh? I know you're new and all, but did you really not know who he is?" Another officer named Yoshida responds to him. "He's the person who managed to prove the existence of Red Rose. If it weren't for him, half of the department would still believe that the roses found at the crime scenes are coincidences. He's by far the most competent and reliable investigator we have."
"How did he prove it?"
"… Through interrogating the criminals involved in the case."
"Huh? Did no one else do that before?"
"That's not it. I'm not sure what happened, but apparently there's something about the way Koizumi persuades them. He seems to know exactly how to make them talk using only his words. One by one, the criminals began to speak up about the reasoning behind why they did what they did."
Kimura looks over curiously. "… What did they say?"
Yoshida falls silent while folding his arms. He closes his eyes as if he is preparing himself for what he's about to say next.
"S-sir...?" Kimura asks.
"A talking rose," Yoshida says while still folding his arms.
"… Huh?"
"All of the interviewed criminals in the Red Rose cases claimed that they killed because a rose told them to."
"A rose...? What does that even mean?" Kimura asks with a puzzled expression.
"We don't know. But according to them, there's someone who 'introduced' them to these roses. And for some reason, they seem to rely on these roses so much that they're willing to kill if the rose tells them to."
"I don't understand, the roses can talk!?" Kimura splutters.
"Sounds bizarre, right? However, everyone who was involved in the Red Rose case said the same thing. It's unclear if this 'talking rose' is an imaginary delusion or something else. But no matter how you look at it, this is solid proof that a mastermind exists. All these people wouldn't have gone this mad for no reason. Especially with them claiming that someone 'introduced' them to the roses."
"Who exactly is this 'someone' that introduced them to the roses?" Kimura asks.
"According to the interrogated criminals, apparently it was a woman with long white hair and sharp purple eyes."
"That woman is the person who introduced them to the roses? Doesn't that mean she is Red Rose?"
"Perhaps, but up until today, we're still unable to find said woman."
"Has the motive behind Red Rose's actions been confirmed yet?"
"Considering how the victims in each Red Rose case have no association with one another, there are two main theories: the first one is that Red Rose might be a paid assassin who kills on behalf of someone else. The second is that Red Rose might just be a lunatic who chooses their victims at random. Though most lean toward the first one."
"Why so?"
"Each Red Rose case has a different motive, one that applies to different individuals. For example, the Shibuya station murder case, where the victim was pushed toward a running train while carrying a bouquet of roses. His death brought closure to a few of his former coworkers who were fired because of him. And the Minato couple's double-suicide case, in which the wife was found still wearing a rose as an accessory on her dress. Their deaths conveniently benefited their adoptive children, who reportedly were after their inheritance. In other words, these cases are not random. They happen for a reason, but they seem to have nothing to do with Red Rose themself."
"So most deduced that Red Rose is eliminating those people for someone else's benefit... hence the paid assassin theory?"
Yoshida nods.
"I see..." Kimura glances at the news reports that are scattered around his table. His eyes land on the most recent documented case, the Hamasaki Erika's murder case. "Then… Detective Koizumi is currently in charge of Hamasaki's case?" he asks.
"Yes, she was shot yesterday evening. A vase full of dried roses was found in the house where she was murdered, confirming that this is a Red Rose case. Koizumi is currently on the way to Yokohama to have an interview with Hamasaki Erika's father. Her body was found in his residence."
"Yokohama…" Kimura ponders as he looks toward a case file that is placed separately from the Red Rose case files. "If that's so, what about this case?" He points at that file. "A case of a missing person, a boy named Watanabe Shinichi who is reported to have disappeared yesterday evening. He seemed to be living in the same neighborhood where Hamasaki Erika was killed."
"What are you talking about? Our job is to take care of the Red Rose case. That boy's disappearance has nothing to do with our investigation. Leave that to the other cops," Yoshida says.
"But no one took his case, right? Not only that, all of the cases that were covered in the media were about Hamasaki Erika's murder. Why doesn't Watanabe Shinichi's case receive the same spotlight?"
"That boy doesn't have a family. When he went missing, the person who reported his disappearance was one of his neighbors. None of them have his picture or have any idea where he might have gone or why he went missing. The investigation has already met a dead end."
"…" Kimura wants to say more, but he's not in the position to do such things.
Since this boy isn't as well known as Erika, who was an actress, his case hasn't been covered as much in the media, and he doesn't appear much in the news. Many people aren't aware of his case. He doesn't have a family and was living alone in the neighborhood, so his disappearance doesn't affect anyone, and there is no urgency in finding him. And since his case occurred around the same time as Erika's murder, he is ultimately overshadowed. The world is quite unfair towards this young boy.
"May I ask one more thing, sir?" adds Kimura.
"Yes? What is it?"
"Her name… the white-haired woman's name… has any of the interrogated criminals confirmed it?"
"Yes, her name is…..."
---
Inside the train, while looking outside the window to admire the view, I am sitting alone in the passenger seat.
I look at my watch, which says "6:26 PM." There are still around ten minutes left until I arrive at my destination. With that, I look over the document regarding the Red Rose case once again.
I, Koizumi Akira, have been following the Red Rose murders since the first documented case. The talking rose, a white-haired lady, and Red Rose's unknown identity: everything about Red Rose fascinates me. I find myself smiling in amusement whenever I think about it.
Perhaps the other cops view me as being obsessive. Unlike them, I do not see my work as an investigator as merely a job. I enjoy this. Red Rose has given me the exact thrill I'm seeking. And so, I will continue pursuing them.
I am currently on my way to Yokohama, more specifically to Hamasaki Hideo's residence, where his daughter, Hamasaki Erika, was murdered. After learning about the details surrounding everything, I've decided that this particular case is worthy of my time.
The first reason why I find this case interesting is that there seems to be a connection between this case and another case that happened five years ago, but I've decided to take a look into that later.
Another reason is that this case seems to have a connection with another case that was unrelated to Red Rose: the disappearance of a young boy, Watanabe Shinichi. What makes his case interesting to me is that Watanabe Shinichi was reported missing on the same day and in the same place as Erika's murder. Even so, the last time anyone had seen him was over a week ago, so even though the report came in yesterday, there's a chance that he's been missing for even longer.
On top of that, he lived in the same neighborhood where Hamasaki Erika was killed. Two cases in the same location within a short amount of time… All of this feels too deliberate to be a coincidence. And so, I believe Shinichi might hold the answer to Erika's case.
Ten minutes have passed. The train slowly comes to a stop after reaching Yokohama Station. I step out of the train.
(Image)
It's been a very long time since I last went to Yokohama. I think my last trip here was when Ririsu was still a toddler. The station is much more crowded than I remember it being back then. There's a sense of familiarity in everything I see.
Now then, I wonder how I should make my way to Hamasaki's residence. Perhaps I should call for a taxi…
"Um, excuse me, sir." Suddenly, I hear someone call out to me.
I turn to see a middle-aged man with a messy, half-torn outfit.
"Yes? Do you need something?" I reply.
"If you're not in a hurry, would you consider helping me?" the man says, his expression seeming worried.
"What is it?"
"My daughter is in Tokyo, and I heard that she had fallen ill. I wanted to ride a train there, but it appears that my wallet was stolen on my way here."
"That's terrible. Have you tried contacting the police?"
"I want to, but I don't have time. Even if I called the police now, it would take some time for them to find my wallet. I need to see my daughter as quickly as possible!"
"I see... It sounds like your daughter is in a bad condition, huh?"
"Yes! That's why I'm asking for help. The wallet is the least of my concerns right now. Even if I can't see her, at the very least I want to send some money to help her, but it seems that I won't be able to do that..." The man looks down sorrowfully.
"Well then, how much do you need?" I ask as I reach for my own wallet.
"Ah, I don't need much! I just need enough to ride the train, that's all! Oh, and for my daughter's hospital bills too."
After calculating how much money the train ticket and the hospital bill would usually cost, I hand him the money.
"Here you g—"
The man quickly snatches the money out of my hand.
"Thank you very much!" the man says with a quick bow and then runs away, leaving my still-outstretched arm. He disappears into the crowd shortly after.
"Hm... Why such a hurry? It's not like I'm going to take the money back," I mutter to no one in particular.
"Ah, you're such an idiot. That guy's obviously lying."
"Eh?"
A tourist who seems to have been watching my interaction with the man earlier speaks up.
"I've seen him here every time I visit the station." The tourist continues. "He'll walk up to random people and tell them stories about his 'sick daughter' to gain sympathy for money. It's quite obvious. I can't believe you fell for that."
"Ah, about that, I already know that he's lying," I answer with a polite smile.
"Huh? Then why did you give him your money?"
"Because I don't have a reason not to."
The tourist looks at me with a puzzled expression before shrugging it off and walking away.
Well then, with that out of the way, I must look for a ride to Hamasaki Hideo's house. After getting out of the station, I manage to call for a taxi and ask them to bring me to the location marked on the map I'd prepared.
---
After around thirty minutes, I reach my destination: a small yet comfortable and beautiful neighborhood.
This place is clean. There isn't any trash lying around, and since it's quite far away from the main street, the sound of the heavy traffic does not reach the place, giving it a quiet and peaceful feel. It's hard to believe that a murder would happen in such a place.
Before going to where my interview with Erika's father will take place, I make the decision to check the home of the boy who had disappeared, Watanabe Shinichi, first.
Making my way to the house, I find myself standing in front of a small home with painted-white walls. It looks very plain and ordinary from the outside. It looks about the perfect size for one person to live alone. With the key I'd obtained from the police station, I open the door and walk inside.
As soon as I step inside the house… an eerie and uncomfortable feeling immediately starts creeping through me.
The house is almost empty. There's no stuff that is nonessential, such as a TV, a book, or a sofa. The only things here are important things, like a fridge, a stove, and a bed. But even then, all the furniture is neatly arranged in a way that makes it look like it was never used. If anything, this house looks like a house for sale.
I've confirmed with the police beforehand that everything here is untouched. Which means everything I see here is exactly how it has been since the day Watanabe disappeared.
… This is the first time I've ever seen a home that shows very little sign of anyone ever living in it.
Is it true that a boy used to live here?
I stay for a little longer to observe the house. The more I look, the more I find myself beginning to slowly piece together both Erika's and Shinichi's cases, but I can't be sure yet.
There's nothing to be done here for now. I will look for more information from my interview with Hamasaki Hideo.
---
Following the map, I made it to Hamasaki Hideo's residence. This house is noticeably larger than Watanabe's house. And more importantly, I can immediately see signs of life from the front door. Potted plants, hanging laundry, things that indicate that someone indeed lives here, something that is absent from Watanabe's home.
Before this, I've contacted Hamasaki Hideo regarding my desire to interview him. So I expect that he is already waiting for me. I step in front of the door and knock softly. Hamasaki opens the door almost immediately. He appears to be a middle-aged man with light grey hair, exactly as I imagined he would look.
I wear a polite smile. "Good evening, Hamasaki-san. I'm the detective who spoke to you over the phone the other day."
"Yes, I have been waiting for you. Please come in and have a seat." Hamasaki points towards a nearby chair, indicating that I should sit there.
I comply and sit down on the chair. He then sits on the sofa in front of me.
"Well then, let me introduce myself. My name is Koizumi Akira, and I'm here to talk to you about your daughter, Hamasaki Erika's murder. I'm sorry for your loss, and I hope you understand that what I'm doing is to find whoever is responsible for the incident. Therefore, I'm hoping that you can answer my questions truthfully."
"I understand," Hamasaki replies.
"Yesterday, on the 4th of April, the police received a call from one of your neighbors claiming that they'd heard a gunshot coming from this house at 9:20 PM. When the police arrived, they found Hamasaki Erika-san lying motionless on the ground with a gunshot wound to her head. When she was brought to the hospital, she was declared deceased."
"Yes, that is correct."
"According to her colleagues, Erika-san was supposed to be in a hotel in Tokyo to prepare for her upcoming interactive theatrical play. Would you mind explaining to me in more detail? Why was she in your house despite her work? What were you doing at the time? And what was Erika-san doing before the incident?"
The hotel I'm talking about is a hotel booked by Hamasaki Erika's entertainment company, Butterfly4, to host their play. Kyoei Hotel is what it's called. However, Erika instead spent her time here with her father, which ultimately led to her murder. I would like to know what exactly led to that.
Hamasaki takes a short pause, seeming to be recalling the incident. "Erika is a successful actress. She always travels around Japan for her work. The two of us had been living separately for more than five years… I believe she missed me, because the day before her rehearsal for the play, she asked if she could visit me."
He then continues while looking down, "Around a week ago, she suddenly called me, telling me about her theatrical play and asking if I wanted to go watch her perform at the hotel. Of course, I agreed to it. Since she had free time before the play, she insisted on coming to visit me here on the 2nd of April. She told me that she would stay here for a while before going to Tokyo with me on the 5th to prepare for the play. However, on the 4th, which was yesterday, I received a call from the police while I was coming home from work. That was when I learned that Erika had been shot. When I made it home, my house was surrounded by police cars. I couldn't comprehend what had happened until it was declared to me that she had passed away…"
"So based on your story, you were at work when Erika-san was murdered?" I ask.
"Yes..."
"Is that true?" I reaffirm. "Are you sure you never once came home somewhere between 9 and 10 PM?"
"No! Like I said, I went home around 10:40."
"What were you doing before coming home last night?"
"I... wait—" Hamasaki looks away briefly. "Ah, I remember! I went drinking with my coworkers somewhere around 8 to 9:30 PM."
"You were drinking? Were you drunk when you got home?"
"Yes, that's why I took a taxi home."
The police did find Hamasaki's car still parked at his workplace on the day of the murder, meaning that he is indeed telling the truth.
… Just then, something comes to mind. I look around the room, and my eyes stop at an empty vase placed by the side of the room.
"That vase..." I begin.
"Y-yes?"
"That vase was full of dried roses on the day of the murder, right?"
"Yes... but the police had taken them away."
The roses in that vase are the proof that this is a Red Rose case. It makes sense that the police had taken them as evidence…
I turn back towards Hamasaki. "What I'm about to ask might sound completely ridiculous, but would you mind cooperating with me?"
"Y-yes..." he hesitates, seeming uneasy about my warning.
"Did the roses inside that vase ever, in any way, try to talk to you?" I ask.
"Huh!?" Hamasaki's eyes widen in surprise. An understandable reaction considering what I just asked.
"... N-No! That doesn't even make sense. What makes you say such a thing?!" he stammers.
"…" I observe him quietly for a moment before letting out a chuckle. "Haha, I told you it was a ridiculous question. Please forget everything I just said."
"O-of course..." Hamasaki nods, clearly unsettled.
"Either way, I have something else to ask regarding the roses," I say, derailing the conversation. "By any chance, did someone give them to you?"
"How did you know? Someone in the neighborhood gave them to me."
Realizing that I hit the mark, I unconsciously smile. "Can you tell me who that person is?"
"Her name is Kurokawa Yuzu. I believe she was around the same age as Erika."
"What was she like?"
"Well, she appears to be around 170 cm in height. She has sharp purple eyes and long, straight white hair tied with a white ribbon."
"Would you mind telling me more about her?"
"Of course not... I met her around four months ago by the park. At the time, I was having trouble walking up the stairs. Kurokawa-san noticed my struggle and came over to offer to help."
"Did you stay in touch with her after that?"
"Yes, I visited that park every week. And every time I went there, I ran into her, who also seemed to visit the place regularly."
The park Hamasaki talks about might be the park located next to the neighborhood. I remember briefly seeing it on my way here. It is commonly known that many people who visit that park are residents here.
"We hang out often and chat about various things. One day, she gave me a bouquet of air-dried roses as a gift."
"A gift? A gift for what?" I ask.
"N-Nothing. She just gave it to me, and I just accepted it. After that, I put it inside that vase as decoration," he answers.
"I see… When was that?"
"I believe around three months ago..."
So that's how it is… Regular fresh roses would wilt within two weeks, which is why Kurokawa Yuzu gave Hideo air-dried roses. Dried flowers can last up to three years if preserved properly.
"Did she ever come over to your house?"
"Yes, she often accompanied me on my way home from the park."
"Did you often talk about Erika-san with her?"
"Yes. Since Erika was an actress, Kurokawa-san already knew Erika and shared an admiration for her. We often watched movies that Erika took part in together."
"When was the last time you saw her?"
"I think... around a week ago...?"
"Are you still in touch with her?"
"Not for the past week, no."
"Hmm…" Which means Hamasaki likely hasn't been in touch with Kurokawa since the murder either.
I learned so much valuable information here. The suspicion I'd felt since visiting Watanabe's house earlier is almost confirmed, like puzzle pieces that are slowly coming together.
"Um, may I ask why you keep asking about Kurokawa-san? Is she connected with Erika's murder somehow?" asks Hamasaki, sounding concerned.
There isn't any reason for me to hide it, so I decide to simply tell him the truth.
"Are you aware of the criminal called Red Rose?" I ask.
"Ah… I've heard of them before. A murderer whose case involves having roses found near the crime scene. I've been informed that Erika's murder is also believed to be Red Rose's doing."
"Yes. Regarding Red Rose and your daughter's case, there has been suspicion that a woman with white hair and purple eyes named Kurokawa Yuzu is Red Rose."
"EH?!" Hamasaki yells. He nearly jumps from his seat.
Ignoring his reaction, I continue speaking. "Do you know where Kurokawa lives?"
"N-No, I don't… I never asked her, and she never told me. But she claimed that she indeed came from this neighborhood."
If what Hamasaki says is true, then finding her house isn't going to be a difficult task; simply asking the residents should be enough to find it. It seems that after finishing this interview, I will have to ask around for where I can find Kurokawa Yuzu's home…
"I'm sorry, Koizumi-san, but how did Kurokawa-san become the main suspect for Red Rose's identity?" Hamasaki speaks worriedly.
"Just by listening to your story about her earlier, it is clear that she's involved in the case one way or another."
"Did you assume that she is Red Rose because I claimed that she's the one who gave me the roses?"
"Yes."
There are actually far more complex reasons than that. The name Kurokawa Yuzu has been mentioned by multiple detained criminals and witnesses within the case as being associated with Red Rose, if not Red Rose themself. A lot of investigations have also led to the individual named Kurokawa Yuzu.
However, I do not want to reveal this to Hamasaki just yet.
"Don't you think that's too harsh? Kurokawa-san isn't like that," Hamasaki says to me.
"What makes you think that?"
"W-Well—" he stammers. "She just... doesn't seem like the type to do that...!"
"Hmm..." How strange. He is behaving very defensively.
"Well, you can say that because you've known her in person. But I've never met her. Would you mind explaining to me what kind of person she is?" I tell him.
Hearing my answer, Hamasaki seems to quickly take the opportunity. "Of course not! To me, Kurokawa-san is someone special. I cannot accept that she is a suspect for something this horrible!"
"Someone special?" I tilt my head.
"I first met Kurokawa-san four months ago. I was alone after my wife passed away and Erika left for work. Kurokawa-san was the only one who stayed by my side. She was easy to talk to and was always open and transparent. I could tell she never hid anything. She was calm, mature, and always wore a gentle smile on her face…."
For some reason, when talking about Kurokawa Yuzu, Hamasaki seems very excited. Almost like a child telling their parents what they'd just finished doing at school. I steeple my fingers, resting them in front of my lips while listening closely to Hamasaki.
"…Kurokawa-san has always been nice to me. She listened to all my problems. She never talks about herself and only cares about others. She is a genuinely good person. There's no way she is a murderer!"
"Hm...?" I raise my head. One of his statements just now caught my attention. "Can you elaborate more on how she listened to all your problems?"
"Eh? Well, I'm pretty sure I already made it clear that I felt alone after Erika left. Kurokawa-san was the one who listened to me and understood how I felt."
"I understand that. But when it comes to that, weren't there plenty of other people in your life aside from Kurokawa who'd done the same? According to the police, your neighbors claimed that you were quite close with them. They mentioned being aware of your troubles and showed genuine concern."
When questioned, the neighbors told the police that Hamasaki often vented to them about how he felt after being left alone and how they'd repeatedly tried to help. They expressed their sympathy for what had happened to Erika just moments after she finally got to spend time with him. It's clear from their stories that they'd also contributed to helping Hamasaki deal with his loneliness.
Which means Kurokawa Yuzu was not the only person who'd tried to help him during his hard times. But even so, he seems to be obsessed with Kurokawa only.
Why is that? What makes Kurokawa so special compared to everyone else?
"Oh, so that's what they told the police?" Hamasaki huffs with a spiteful look.
"Pardon?" I lean closer.
"It is true that I'd talked to them about my problems, but they never helped. They simply gave me the bare minimum of what I needed to hear."
"The bare minimum?"
"You wouldn't understand. Either way, it has nothing to do with Erika or Kurokawa. I do not need to go into details about this, do I?" he begins to sound uncomfortable and annoyed.
I stay silent while thinking: What exactly does he mean by 'the bare minimum'? Is he implying that the neighbors never give him a good enough answer to help with his mental troubles? Looking at their behavior when questioned by the police, they seemed rational. What could they possibly say to upset him that much?
Although, looking at Hamasaki's behavior so far, I can already point towards multiple plausible answers.
But right now, Hamasaki seems uncomfortable with what we are discussing. I should continue the conversation in the direction I want, but I must also phrase it in a way that doesn't upset him.
"I understand. Then let me change the question," I say. "You weren't satisfied with your neighbors' replies to your troubles, correct? Then what about Kurokawa? What did she say to you?"
"Well, she—" Suddenly, Hamasaki freezes. His expression, which previously seemed peeved, suddenly turns horrified, as if he has just realized something is wrong.
I wait for a few seconds, thinking that he will eventually gather his thoughts and continue speaking, but still he remains silent.
"Hamasaki-san? Care to continue?" I speak.
"N-No, sorry... I realized I wasn't making sense. Please forget about what I just said…" he falters while looking away, as if he's trying to avoid eye contact with me.
Why now? Why now does he suddenly break? Did that question hit something inside him that he couldn't ignore? Perhaps… could Hamasaki genuinely not realize what Kurokawa Yuzu was doing to him, and that question is what finally opened his eyes? Or maybe he's simply in denial of what actually happened?
I unconsciously release a small sigh. If any of that was true, then I should just lay it all out for him to hear.
"I see. Very well then. If you're not willing to continue, allow me to be the one to finish your story for you," I say.
"…!" My remark seems to shake him. I can see his expression shift slightly, yet he doesn't seem to have the courage to say anything.
"After your wife passed away and your daughter, Erika, left you to pursue her dream job five years ago, you felt alone and abandoned. You tried to find justification for your feelings through your neighbors, but I believe none of them comforted you the way you wanted."
Any normal person in that position would definitely tell Hamasaki the norm: that it is normal for a child to eventually move out of their parents' home to pursue their own life. And as a parent, we have to learn to accept that. This is the most logical answer anyone would give in that situation. It's easy to imagine that this is what the neighbors' reply to Hamasaki was.
However, that is not what Hamasaki wishes to hear.
I look him in the eyes despite his refusal to look back at me. "You wanted someone to tell you that antagonizing your daughter for leaving you is the right thing to do, is that it?"
Hamasaki remains silent, but his facial expression is enough to tell me that I am correct.
"In short, you were upset with Erika for leaving you. You were looking for a reason to hate her. But everyone has been telling you otherwise. Everyone except for Kurokawa. Is that right?"
Hamasaki refuses to answer me still.
"Let me guess. Perhaps Kurokawa had told you something like this: 'How cruel is she for leaving her father?' Or maybe even: 'Such an ungrateful child doesn't deserve to live.' Is that what you actually wanted to hear?"
"Ah, no! That's—!" Hamasaki finally attempts to say something, but I'm no longer interested in what he has to say. I immediately interrupt him.
"That reminds me. You're lucky that during your drinking party last night, all of your co-workers were too drunk to remember anything. But unfortunately, an outside witness claimed that they actually saw someone picking you up in a car and driving you home fifteen minutes before the gunshot was heard. There's also a report saying that you'd taken shooting lessons with someone long before the murder."
"Ah..." Hamasaki's expression stiffens with horror.
"Hamasaki-san, what did you do?"
After those words leave my lips, Hamasaki seems to go blank, unable to say a word. It is so quiet that the sound of the clock ticking cuts through the air.
The silence goes on for ten seconds... twenty seconds...
"The person who picked you up from your drinking place. Was it Kurokawa, or was it someone else?" I decide to be the one to break the silence.
"....." He doesn't respond, so I continue.
"The gun used for the murder wasn't found anywhere, and there's no report that you ever bought a gun either. Was it Kurokawa's that you used? Did she take it with her after the murder?"
"..." Once again, he remains silent.
"Was there anyone else in the car when you entered it that night? Or was it only Kurokawa?"
"..." Still, Hamasaki seems unresponsive.
It seems that he is no longer cooperating with me. I close my eyes and sigh. "Hmm... Very well then, I think I'm done here." I stand up from my seat.
"E-Eh?!" As if jolted by my sudden movement, Hamasaki finally snaps back.
"If you refuse to answer, then there's no need for me to be here any longer. I will claim that our interview today resulted in nothing. After all, there's not enough evidence to label you as the culprit. If they find gunshot residue on you, you can just claim that it was there because you'd taken shooting lessons before," I say while heading towards the door.
Right now, there's nothing significant enough that can be used to pinpoint Hamasaki as the murderer. Even the witness's testimony regarding the fact that they'd seen him being picked up moments before the murder was quite vague. If the witness is telling the truth, then Hamasaki must have returned to his workplace after committing the murder. However, there's no evidence that he ever made that trip back.
Not only that, the witness themselves was unsure whether the person they saw that night was truly Hideo. Such testimony will be easily dismissed.
It also contradicts the fact that Hamasaki did indeed get driven home via Uber that night at 10:40 PM. The Uber driver and the police officers who witnessed him arriving home that night can vouch for him.
"... Huh? W-Wait...!" Hamasaki calls out to me. "Are you seriously saying that you're willing to forget everything that happened here!?"
I then look at him with a smile. "I think you're confused, Hamasaki-san. The reason why I came here is not that I want to find your daughter's murderer."
To be honest, I already knew from the beginning that Hamasaki is the one responsible for Erika's murder. It also won't be hard for me to search for valid evidence to deem him the culprit.
However, I have never been interested in doing that. This interview is not meant to confirm if Hamasaki was truly the culprit.
I simply wanted information regarding Kurokawa Yuzu.
"If you refuse to answer any of my questions now, then there's no reason for us to continue this. Therefore, I will be taking my leave."
Hamasaki looks at me in disbelief. He doesn't seem to understand what I meant.
Realizing this, I decide to give him a piece of warning before leaving. "One more thing, Hamasaki-san."
"H-huh?"
I look towards the direction of the empty vase from earlier.
"The roses in that vase may be gone, but their shadow will always remain there. The one thing you thought had guided you will also be the one to put an end to you."
".....?" Hamasaki looks at the vase, then looks back at me with a puzzled expression.
I ignore his confused expression and walk out of the house.
---
Now then, I still have to look for a few more pieces of information before I can safely come to a conclusion. I need to search for Kurokawa Yuzu's residence in this neighborhood and also investigate Watanabe Shinichi's case.
The easiest way to find exactly what I need now is to head towards the community leader's residence. If anyone knows this neighborhood well enough to give me the information I need, the community leader is the first person that comes to mind.
I make my way to the community leader's home. Reaching the front door, I knock a few times.
After a while, a lady who seems to be the owner of the house opens the door from the inside. "Yes? How can I help you?" she asks.
"Good evening. My name is Koizumi Akira. I'm a detective who's currently investigating the incidents happening in this place. If it's okay with you, I would like to talk to you regarding Hamasaki Erika's murder and Watanabe Shinichi's disappearance."
"Ah!" The lady seems surprised by the unexpected visit but quickly regains her composure. "I'm sorry, but my room is a bit of a mess. Would you mind giving me a few minutes?"
"Oh, it's fine, really. I only need to ask a few questions. It won't take long."
Even though I told her that it's fine, the lady still hurriedly cleaned her room before letting me in.
"Sorry for making you wait. Should I prepare tea or…"
"You don't have to, really. I will only be here for a short period of time."
With that, we both sit down in the living room.
"So… what do you want to ask?" the lady says.
"Do you know a boy named Watanabe Shinichi?"
"Oh, of course. I recognize everyone in this neighborhood!" she says proudly. "Watanabe-kun lives right next to a nearby park. Even though he is young, he has to work as a waiter in order to support himself. That poor kid…"
"Do you know what happened to his family?"
"No, Watanabe-kun never told anyone about it, and he doesn't seem to be comfortable with the topic either."
"I see… Can you please tell me everything you know about him?"
"Hm…" The lady looks up. "Everything I know about him? He was calm, quiet, and polite. He rarely left his house except when going to work. He seemed alone most of the time and wasn't particularly close to anyone in the neighborhood."
She takes a short pause before continuing. "I… believe that's all I know about him. I rarely talked to him, so there isn't much I can say. I'm sorry if I can't give you anything of use."
"Oh no, your information is very helpful," I reply with a warm smile. "May I know when was the last time you saw Watanabe?"
"I believe it was a week ago…" she says. "The restaurant where Watanabe-kun works reported that he suddenly stopped showing up. We waited for a while longer, assuming he might be sick or simply didn't feel like working that day. None of us wanted to assume anything. It was when he hadn't come to work even after one week that our worries grew. We decided to check on him at his home and found that he was no longer there. Only then did we contact the police."
"So he truly didn't show up to work for a week?"
"Yes. After he was absent for so long, we decided to check his home, only to discover that it was empty."
"Is Watanabe the type to skip work regularly?"
"… No, I don't think so. Most people I talk to describe him as being diligent and responsible."
"…" This is useful information. Before this, I wasn't sure if he truly had been missing for a week or if it was simply that the last time someone had seen him was a week ago. Now it's been established that Watanabe has been absent from work for a full week despite being a hardworking person. It's much clearer that Watanabe had indeed disappeared for that long.
I begin thinking back to my interrogation with Hamasaki earlier. Didn't he also mention that Kurokawa Yuzu was last seen one week ago?
"Looking back, we should've immediately contacted the police as soon as we learned that he wasn't coming to work that day. It was a huge mistake on my part," she adds.
"There's no need to dwell on the past. What's done is done," I answer.
Watanabe wasn't close to anyone in the neighborhood, and he also isolated himself, so no one really paid that much attention to him. When he stopped showing up, it's natural that many decided not to jump to conclusions or get involved.
"May I ask, how old do you think Watanabe is?" I ask.
"How old is he? Well, I'm not too sure… I'd never asked him about it. But if I had to guess, I'd say that he is somewhere around sixteen or seventeen years old."
"I see…" A seventeen-year-old boy… I put my finger beneath my chin.
Earlier, Hamasaki described Kurokawa as around the same age as Erika, who is twenty-five years old. I wonder… is it possible?
I glance at my watch. It says 7:09 PM. It's already late. I should wrap things up.
"I would like to ask you one more thing before taking my leave."
"Sure, go ahead."
"Do you happen to know where I can find Kurokawa Yuzu's residence?"
I've obtained everything I want to know regarding Watanabe Shinichi. The last piece of information I need is to find Kurokawa Yuzu's residence.
The lady stays silent for a while, then looks confused. While slightly tilting her head, she asks:
"Who is Kurokawa Yuzu?"
…. What?
"… Kurokawa Yuzu is someone very important for the investigation. I heard that she lives here?" I ask again.
"I'm sorry, but I'm pretty sure I know everyone in this neighborhood. There's no one named Kurokawa Yuzu living here."
"….." I look at her for a moment before answering. "If that's the case, then I guess I will be taking my leave." I stand up.
"I-I see. Sorry if I wasn't much of a help…" The lady bows.
"No, no, thanks to you, I can pretty much piece together what actually happened. Thank you very much for your time," I assure her with a warm smile.
With that, I leave the community leader's home.
However, I'm still curious. Just to make sure, I decide to visit a few more houses in the neighborhood to ask each of them one question:
"Do you know who Kurokawa Yuzu is?"
All the people in the houses I visited gave me the same answer.
Not a single person in this neighborhood is aware of anyone named Kurokawa Yuzu.
---
After finishing my investigation, I call for a taxi and ride back towards Yokohama Station.
While inside the vehicle, I look at the notes I've taken from today's investigation. Now that I have all the information I was looking for, it's time to actually piece everything together.
What exactly happened here? Why does no one know who Kurokawa Yuzu is other than Hamasaki himself? I mentally replay my conversation with Hamasaki earlier. The way he was so enthusiastically talking about Kurokawa and the way he was so defensive about her, it all seemed very sincere. He doesn't look like someone who is lying.
I know that Kurokawa Yuzu is Red Rose and that her goal in this case was to eliminate Hamasaki Erika. To do that, it's safe to say that she approached Hamasaki Hideo and manipulated him into killing his own daughter.
But the question now is, if what Hamasaki had claimed about her living in this neighborhood is true, then why did no one other than him know of her existence? Or perhaps Kurokawa lied to Hamasaki about where she lives? But that also seems unlikely... To be able to keep such close eyes on Hideo's actions to the point that she could manipulate him into murdering his own daughter, there's no way she could have done it if she stayed somewhere far from the neighborhood.
In other words, Kurokawa truly was a resident here. But then, why doesn't anyone recognize her?
… Looking back, Hamasaki never said that there's anyone who's been interacting with Kurokawa other than him. And seeing how much he distrusts anyone other than Kurokawa herself, it was possible that he'd never told anyone about Kurokawa. The interaction they had was only between the two of them.
Which means… could it be that, to begin with, Kurokawa had been keeping her identity a secret from everyone other than Hamasaki and was manipulating Hamasaki himself into keeping it secret without him even realizing it?
But Hamasaki said that they often went to the park and watched a movie together. So no matter what, there must've been a few people who'd seen them together… Though I suppose even if someone had seen Kurokawa with Hamasaki before, they wouldn't be learning her name or remembering her face all that well. People generally don't just memorize the appearance of everyone they see by the side of the road.
Using this logic, it's safe to conclude that Hamasaki is the only person Kurokawa Yuzu has truly interacted with. But this now raises another question. While it might be possible to remain unnoticed while being around Hamasaki, what about when she's not with him? How come none of the neighbors are aware of her? Where was she when she was not with Hideo? Where did she live? Where did she go? The community leader claimed that she recognized everyone in the neighborhood. How come she couldn't recall seeing Kurokawa during the four months she had been staying in this neighborhood?
… Or perhaps Kurokawa Yuzu "disappeared" when she was not with Hideo? Perhaps Kurokawa Yuzu was not "Kurokawa Yuzu" when she was not with Hideo?
I look at my notes regarding Watanabe Shinichi again.
Watanabe was a boy with no family who lived alone in this neighborhood. No one here knows his background or where he came from. Most importantly, he suddenly disappeared a week before the murder. Hamasaki had also claimed that he had not seen Kurokawa for a week before the murder. At this point, it was safe to assume that Kurokawa had left. After all, her murder target had been eliminated. There was no reason for her to stay here any longer.
Looking at the timing, both Kurokawa and Watanabe disappeared at the same time. This is definitely not a coincidence.
Could it be? Was Watanabe Shinichi somehow related to Kurokawa Yuzu? Perhaps he was the reason why Kurokawa Yuzu was not spotted by anyone when she was not with Hamasaki?
Perhaps… Kurokawa Yuzu and Watanabe Shinichi were the same person?
If this is the case, it explains how Kurokawa remained unknown to the public despite being here all the time. When she was with Hamasaki, she was Kurokawa Yuzu, a woman whom Hamasaki Hideo is deeply attached to. But when she was in public, she became Watanabe Shinichi, a harmless boy living alone in the neighborhood.
If this is true, then this also explains Watanabe's house condition after he went missing: his house was perfectly clean and neatly arranged. There's not a single mess, moved piece of furniture, or even a sign that someone has ever lived here.
The condition of his home ruled out the possibility of kidnapping or getting lost. If Watanabe went missing due to any unintended reasons, why would he tidy his own house before going missing? So the only possible explanation would be that Watanabe left the house of his own will, and before he did so, he tidied it first to avoid leaving any evidence behind. Hence, supporting the conclusion that he was Kurokawa Yuzu.
In other words, for the past four months, Kurokawa Yuzu had been in touch with Hamasaki Hideo while staying in the neighborhood as Watanabe Shinichi. One week before Erika's death, Kurokawa had finished planning for the murder, and so they no longer had to remain in the neighborhood. One week after they left, they either returned to the neighborhood one last time as Kurokawa Yuzu, or hired someone else to bring Hideo home and kill Erika at 9:20. That same person then brought Hideo back to his workplace before he returned home once again at 10:40.
With this, the timeline makes sense with the evidence presented and Hideo's testimony. But then… why would Red Rose go as far as taking the role of two people? I think back to Red Rose's objective and the condition of the neighborhood when they arrived.
When entering the neighborhood, Red Rose would definitely want to assume a role that received as little negative attention from the public as possible. A young boy living alone would be a fitting role.
However, a boy wouldn't have a reason to approach an old person like Hamasaki Hideo. But a woman who's seemingly interested in his daughter's role as an actress does.
Another very likely reason I can think of is that Red Rose wanted to delay and confuse the police. Right now, even if the police had figured out the existence of Kurokawa Yuzu, it would be a lot harder to track her down due to the lack of information. After all, the only one who knows about her existence is Hamasaki.
But if Red Rose were to approach Hideo as Watanabe, tracking him down would be way easier since we could get information about him from the entire neighborhood.
"…Pft." After laying out my entire deduction, I can't help but let out a chuckle.
"Sir? Are you alright?" It seems that my reaction startled the driver.
"Ah, I apologize. I'm currently thinking about something and am merely amused by it. Please ignore it," I answer.
Would you look at that? Red Rose had calculated every possible outcome before making a move.
They had successfully executed their plan. And even though I am now aware of their plan, there's nothing I can do to chase after them.
After all, even though I've figured out what Red Rose has been doing in this neighborhood, none of it led to Red Rose's whereabouts after leaving the neighborhood.
There is also an underlying issue regarding Red Rose's identity that I haven't solved. How does the disguise work anyway? How can one change appearance, voice, and mannerisms like that? How can a young boy pass as a woman? Or how do we know if it's not the other way around?
Who is the real Red Rose? Kurokawa Yuzu, or Watanabe Shinichi?
Either way, none of the information I currently possess can truly answer these questions. My business in this neighborhood has finished, but the investigation is still continuing.
---
Meanwhile, Hamasaki Hideo, who'd just finished his interview with Detective Koizumi, is now sitting alone in his house.
"Was I...? No…" he mumbles to himself. "Was I... really the one who killed Erika?"
It is unclear whether he is in denial of what he did or if he's truly unable to remember what happened that night.
As he spaces out in confusion, his eyes just happen to look towards the direction of the vase.
"No, no, this is your fault...!" he shouts while looking at the vase. "It was you, wasn't it?? You're the one who ordered me to do it while I was drunk, weren't you!?"
He talks in a way as if he's expecting the vase to respond to him.
"Ah... That's right, the police have taken you away. I should be safe now! You won't be able to order me around anymore!"
He continues to shout at the vase, "Y-You... you and Kurokawa were the ones who made me do it!! I'm not doing anything wrong! I'M NOT THE ONE WHO KILLED ERIKA! I'M INNOCENT! I—"
Tormented by his own guilt, his mind begins to play with him. Kurokawa's hold on him returns.
Suddenly, he sees a large shadow emerge from inside the vase. It twists around and slowly warps into the shape of a giant rose.
"WAAA!?" Shocked, Hideo falls over and tumbles to the ground.
"Now, now~ since when did you learn to talk to me that way? You know I hate being yelled at~" he hears the shadow talk, its voice echoing inside his head.
"H-Huh...!?" Hideo falters. His face grows pale as if he has just seen a ghost.
"Why are you so surprised? We communicate with each other all the time, do we not?"
"N-No..." Hideo crawls backwards in an attempt to escape. "But, they'd taken you away!"
"You really think that just because the roses aren't here anymore, it means that I'm no longer here? What do you think I am, Hamasaki-san?"
"I-I'm not listening to you anymore... Both Kurokawa and you are—"
"Let me guess. 'The reason why I killed my daughter' is what you're about to say? I think you're confused, Hamasaki-san. The one who agreed to take the shooting lesson was you, the one who wanted her death was you, and the one who pulled the trigger was you. All I did was agree with you, and now I'm the bad guy?"
"No, stop it!" Hideo snaps. "You're wrong! I was drunk! I was drunk, so I didn't realize what I—"
"You were drunk? Oh, please~ you really think that you would be able to fire a gun perfectly at Erika-chan's head if you were drunk? Aren't you overestimating yourself here?"
"Huh...?"
"Just face it, Hamasaki-san. You weren't drunk when you shot your daughter. You were sober, and you were fully aware of what you were doing. You hated Erika-chan, and you wanted to execute her, so you did. Am I wrong?"
"No... no... That's—"
"You wanted to believe that Erika abandoned you, so that's what I said. You wanted to believe that Erika is cruel, so that's what I said. You wanted to believe that killing her is the right thing to do, so that's what I said. All I did was say the things you wanted to hear. Yet I'm the bad guy?"
"Please stop it..."
"Not only did you kill your own daughter with your own hands, you're making up excuses to avoid the guilt, and you're blaming someone else for the cause of it. You're such a scumbag of a human being, don't you think~?"
"STOP IT!!!"
.....
.....
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