Psychic Detective Yakumo / Shinrei Tantei Yakumo

File 02: The Dark Tunnel

That tunnel was the shortest path from the residential area to the shopping district, but nearly no locals used it.

It was a famous tunnel for having a high accident rate.

There was a death every year.

Inside the tunnel, there were no lights, and it was dim and hard to see even during the day.

There was a sharp curve right outside the tunnel, and unlucky cars got into accidents there so often it was almost guaranteed.

However, the reason for the accidents appeared to be more than just bad visibility.

There had long been endless rumours about how something mysterious appeared in the tunnel -

Some drivers said they'd seen human heads fly by their window.

When they tried to escape in their fear, then their brakes stopped working - they would barely avoid hitting the guard rail.

Others said they'd seen countless human faces in the tunnel walls.

Some cab drivers said they'd taken on a drenched woman in front of the tunnel, but when they looked in the rear-view mirror after exiting, she would suddenly be gone -

Nobody knew the truth.

All that was certain was that many people had died at that tunnel's exit -

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1

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It was a quiet night -

'It's cold.'

Haruka tried her best not to be hit by the wind, putting up the collar of her beige coat and hunching over as she walked.

It was late at night on Sunday, so even though she was in front of the station, there was practically nobody there.

She just heard the echo of her boots hitting the ground.

She had gone to a party because Miki had forced her to, but when she went in, it had turned out to be a mixer.

Perhaps she was outdated, but she didn't really like parties of that sort.

Miki would die from loneliness without a boyfriend. She was like a rabbit. But Haruka wasn't desperate to find someone.

'Haruka, you've never really fallen in love.'

Miki often said that to her.

It was true.

Even when she thought back, she felt like she'd never had a romance that felt like a romance.

'So just go date someone.'

Miki said that too.

However, Haruka didn't feel like trying desperately to meet somebody to find love.

She thought that love would come about naturally - that it wasn't something to be decided, like with shopping when deciding on goods and checking a wallet's contents.

'I really am old-fashioned...' murmured Haruka, letting out a sigh that came out white.

After reaching the roundabout in front of the station, she heard a car horn.

A white car slowed down and rolled up to her, stopping in front of her.

It was a bit suspicious. Haruka was on guard as she stepped back.

Then, the passenger seat window opened and the car's lights turned on.

'Haruka-chan, I'll give you a ride.'