impossibility | discontinued

[3.0]

"Um, Shino-chan, are you sure it's okay to be here?"

Ouji-kun asked.

You remember that kid three years older than I am and who's friends with a Pygmy Marmoset? Yup, we're friends for two— almost three— years already. I'm in my first year in middle school and only nine years old, yey. (Note the sarcasm it that last word, please.)

We went to the same middle school and even ended up in the same class. Shin-chan is in fourth grade already and earned himself the title of Teitan's Detective. I'm proud of him for following in his dearest sister's footsteps. Anywaaaaaays, Teitan Middle is a lot bigger than the elementary version.

And you might be wondering where I am with Ouji-kun and Yūjin-chan, FYI, we're currently on a murder case. Otou-san couldn't make it so he sent me on his behalf. Seriously, what kind of parent sends their child to solve a freaking murder case? And the child only being nine years old?

Yup, that's my parents.

"Of course it is." What confuses me though is how Ouji-kun seemed to be unaffected by the bloody murder scene in this pharmacy. The victim was stabbed precisely on the heart and the murder weapons was left just besides the corpse. My twelve year old friend didn't even blanch at the sight of it.

That's something I need to investigate it. However, I have to focus on this case right now. I searched for the forensic team (Yes, if you're wondering why they didn't kick us out yet, Otou-san notified them of my arrival) to ask whatever they found. I approached the head of the team and asked for the details.

He said that the woman is named Juujiro Kana, 36 years old and works as a part-timer here at the pharmacy. Her job's a nurse and is— was— currently looking for a job in the hospital. There were no finger prints present on her person or anywhere near the corpse.

It was said that she was last seen at the supermarket buying groceries, went back home to drop whatever she bought and went straight to this pharmacy. It was all whatever they could gather at the moment. The owner of the pharmacy was visiting a sick friend in the hospital this morning and left this place to the now dead worker.

I was too deep in my thoughts to notice Ouji-kun looking at me with unreadable eyes.

Need more clues. There's no suspect yet and they might write this off as suicide since Kana-san is wearing gloves and the distance of the knife from her body made it quite possible to determine this. However, there was something bothering me. Something, just something. I can't put my finger on it yet.

I noticed Megure-keibu and approached him. "Ne, Keibu-san, did you inform her family yet?" Megure-keibu nodded. "Yes, but the husband hang up before I can tell him the location."

The door to the pharmacy rang and a voice filled with worry boomed inside here. "Kana! Kana!" The police officers guarding the entrance held back the man from ruining the crime scene. The body had been covered by a white cloth as soon as I finished observing it.

The man had a ring on his finger and yet, Kana-san doesn't have any ring on her. They don't share any kind of particular features to be siblings so what? Who was this man who looks so worried about Kana-san?

And then, my eye caught sight of some thing near the corner of the pharmacy. I realized that it was a ring and concluded that it must have been the victim's. So, this man is her husband so his worry is now understandable. "Shino-chan..." I flinched when I felt a hot breath near my ear. I looked back and saw Ouji-kun crouching low near me.

"... don't you think it's strange?"

My attention was suddenly on him. "What's strange?" I inquired. I knew there was something weird but I don't know what it is. "You know, how that man came." Everything suddenly clicked together. The ring. The man's suspicious arrival. Everything was in place.