Kirigiri Novel Book 5

Chapter 11- Daily Life

I went back to the dormitory in the morning.

At this time of the day, the first morning class had already started, so I didn't meet anyone in the corridors. Maybe it was because there was no one in sight that the scene in front of me was slightly different from what I was used to seeing. There was a strange sense of discomfort, as if I had wandered into an unfamiliar place.

Seeking relief, I quickly walked to my dorm room and opened the door.

However— Kirigiri was not there.

I thought she must have solved the case a long time ago and had already fallen asleep on the bed, but the covers were empty and had no warmth. She hadn't come back.

I fell headlong into bed and fell asleep, not even dreaming, sleeping like the dead.

The bell rang—

I sat up in shock. This place is—?

I looked around while wiping my cold sweat, yet this is not a strange murder crime scene, nor the interior of a gloomy building, but my dorm room. I'm glad I came back safely. I feel anemic and dizzy, but I finally feel that I'm back to my daily life.

I looked at the clock, it's almost noon, and the bell just now was the school's lunch break bell.

I checked my phone. It's time for the scheduled contact we agreed on, Yaki will call at noon, followed by Yadorigi, Mizuiyama, and Kirigiri in turn every 15 minutes.

However, 5 minutes after noon, and Yaki still hasn't called.

With my hair in a mess, I walked into the dorms' cafeteria and turned on the TV myself. The noon news is on, and it's reporting a murder that had taken place in a corner of some depressed business district, with the news that Yaki had died.

He had indeed been killed...

Even though he felt difficult to approach, he was actually very enthusiastic and a good person.

If we hadn't asked him to help investigate the case, maybe he wouldn't have died. No matter what excuse I make, I am responsible for his death, it's no different from being killed by me. It was me. I killed him. It was me—

I buried my face in my arms in the empty cafeteria, wrapping myself in the darkness beneath my eyelids.

Is this the path I chose?

Is this the path that Kirigiri has taken?

Even if I put everything I have into protecting one person's life, at the same time, another person's life fades so easily. If I had to choose, who would I have saved?

If I had talent— I would have been able to save him. Please let me save more people...

At that moment, the phone that s tightly held in my hand suddenly vibrated, it's a call from an unfamiliar number.

"...Hello."

"Is this Samidare Yui-san? I'm Tōakitsu Nazuna."

"Ah..." I felt a little better and couldn't help but lift my head up. "Nazu-chan! What's happening, how did you get this number?"

"Detective Yadorigi-san asked me to call you at 12:15. You guys made a scheduled contact, right?"

"Ah, yeah... Jeez, he's such a lawful guy."

Yadorigi, Nazuna and Tsukiyo were admitted to the same hospital after the incident. They also suggested that I go to the hospital for a visit, but I refused because I wanted to return to the dormitory as soon as possible to regain my sense of reality.