Tantei wa Mou, Shindeiru - Volume 1 - Chapter 2

Chapter 2 

 That’s right—she’s the self-proclaimed “cutest idol” 

“—My name is Yui Saikawa! I’m an idol singer!” 

It was just one damn thing after another. 

Detectives are magnets for problems that need solving. 

It was evening on a weekend, in front of a train station. Apparently having heard the rumors about me, a new client introduced herself to Natsunagi and me. 

Yui Saikawa was a singing, dancing middle school idol who was currently attracting massive amounts of attention in Japan. 

From what I’d heard, she’d made her professional debut in sixth grade. Ever since then, people of all ages and genders had loved her for her exceptional gifts in singing and dance, and especially for her adorable face. Her album sales always topped the weekly charts, and thanks to her looks, you could catch her frequently on magazine covers and in TV commercials. 

… Still. Yui Saikawa, huh? 

Hey, Siesta. Is this another coincidence? Or— 

Even so, no one but Siesta herself could know about that conflict. 

Yui Saikawa sucked in a deep breath, then shouted at Natsunagi and me: 

“I want you to stop the theft of a sapphire that’s worth three billion yen!” 

I know I just said this, but this was a weekend evening in front of a train station. 

I’m pretty sure you can imagine what the crowds were like. If a middle school girl started yelling about a three-billion-yen sapphire getting stolen there, it was perfectly natural for all those eyes to end up on her. 

Consequently, it’s fair to say what I did next was also perfectly natural. “Yes, okay, shut up a second.” 

I turned to this active idol, a middle school girl I’d only just met—and smacked both my hands over her mouth. 

“Mmph! Mmmmmmmrrgh! Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmph!” 

“Okay, come on. Easy, easy.” 

As Saikawa struggled and kicked, I wrapped my arm around her, desperately trying to muffle her shouts. 

After all, I’d just finished a job. I was tired. I was very, very tired. 

Even if she was an idol, or a kid, no law in Japan would punish me for blocking her little mouth with everything I had. 

“You didn’t say anything about three billion yen, right? Right? Ow— Oh, hey, don’t run off!” 

She’d chomped down on my palm, then swiftly and agilely put some distance between us. 

“Wha, wha-wha-wha…?” she stammered. “Where did that come from?! Who—who do you think I am?! I’m the world’s cutest idol, Yui Saikawa! Do you know who you’re dealing with?!” 

“Calm down, Saikawa. Yes, my hands are all sticky with your incredibly cute saliva, but I’m not going to swab it and keep it forever or anything. I’m just tired and want you to shut up. That’s all.” 

“Waaaaaaaaugh! I thought you were a detective, but you’re a pervert! …Hah! Wait, are you the criminal who sent me that notice?! Waaaaaugh! You’re not just a pervert; you’re a thief! Somebody, get me a policeman! Please call the police!” 

“Ha-ha. Sorry, but the police and I are already on good terms.” 

“N-no! Are you saying this country is already corrupt all the way down?! That the police and the lawyers and the politicians are all on the side of the panty stealers?!” 

“Hey, whoa, hold on. Now you’re combining your ‘pervert’ and ‘thief’ accusations into ‘panty stealer’? That’s a crime that’ll get me in trouble with other prisoners after they throw me in jail, so don’t try to pin me with a lie! I’m not a pervert or a thief to begin with!” 

“Uh, no. You’ve got two thousand years of hard labor for the crime of wanton perversion.” A stone-cold voice calmed me right down. 

At that point, I noticed that no one was coming within a set radius of us. 

“…Natsunagi, I’m not the bad guy here.” 

“That’s what they all say.” 

Apparently, my new partner was also a lot harsher than she looked. 

 A simple job: Protect a three-billion-yen family treasure 

“Erm, ahem! I apologize for losing my composure yesterday!” 

We really had been tired that day, so Natsunagi and I had come to meet with our client—Yui Saikawa—on another day. She’d invited us to her house, and we’d settled in, facing each other across a table. 

And yet… 

“Why are you so far away?! This table is a couple of yards long, at least!” 

“What, really?! I don’t think so!” 

“Then why are we shouting?!” 

“Because we couldn’t hear each other if we talked normally! Obviously!” 

“Which suggests that the problem is with your house!” 

Long story short, this was Yui Saikawa’s house—although it would be better described as a mansion. Maybe even a castle. 

After we’d gone through the massive front gate, it was several kilometers before we reached the door of the actual house. Once we were inside, the foyer ceiling was at the top of a wellhole so high it might have breached the stratosphere, and the bathroom she let us use was so spacious that several big adults could have spent the night in there. 

That was how magnificent, glorious, and brilliant Yui Saikawa’s home was. In other words, she was one of your “rich young heiresses.” She must have grown up pampered and doted on, so it made sense that she’d call herself “the cutest.” …Did it, actually? 

Well, never mind that. At any rate, the day after Natsunagi and I met her in front of the train station, we’d gone to her house to hear her request. 

However, before that… 

“Did you hurt your left eye?” I asked after we’d reseated ourselves across the table from each other instead of at the ends (should’ve done that in the first place). 

Saikawa’s left eye was covered with an eye patch, as it had been the day before as well. Now that I thought about it, I remembered that even when she was on TV or gracing the covers of magazines, she wore a heart-shaped eye patch. 

“Oh, this is… Hmm, it’s like…part of my public persona? Or something like that.” Saikawa smiled wryly. “It’s an idol-eat-idol world out there, you know.” 

If she was keeping that up even out of public view, she must be a real professional. 

“Come to think of it, quite a while back, I had to wear an eye patch after an injury, too.” 

“Well, shelving that topic for now.” 

“Hey, if anyone’s gonna say that, I think it should be me.” 

… Eh, never mind. Let’s just get on with it. 

“I apologize for hastily calling out to you,” Saikawa said. “You see, there isn’t much time left.” 

“Oh, right, you were talking about a three-billion-yen diamond being stolen?” I replied, remembering what Saikawa had said in front of the station the day before. 

“It’s a sapphire, not a diamond… Um, were you listening?” 

Whoops—she caught me. Frankly, my fatigue had won out yesterday…well, more like I was still mostly in my own head. Either way, I hadn’t been very focused on her request. 

I was doing my best to stay calm in front of Natsunagi, but I’m only human. 

I’d thought my former partner was dead. Then I learned her heart, at least, was alive…and right now, it was beating right next to me. 

That fact alone was more than enough to process. Although, if I’d said anything that sentimental, my old partner probably would have laughed at me. 

“And you’re the assistant, aren’t you? My business is with the detective…” 

Harsh. But not wrong. 

For the past four years, I’ve never been anything more than the assistant, and even now, the detective is— 

“—Heh-heh! That’s right. You may entrust all your worries to this ace detective, Nagisa Natsunagi!” 

Natsunagi crossed her arms triumphantly, looking smug. 

Geez, where is this self-confidence coming from? 

“Now then, Miss Saikawa. Would you tell us about the matter in detail?” 

That said, if she was into it, there was no need for me to be a wet blanket. I am just the assistant, after all. 

“Well, you see…” 

Then Saikawa began to tell us what had prompted her to bring her request to us. 

“I see.” 

After we’d heard the whole story, Natsunagi nodded. 

According to Saikawa, this was what had happened. 

One day, a letter had been delivered to this grand mansion, the Saikawa residence. “On the day of Yui Saikawa’s dome concert, I will relieve you of a sapphire whose market value is three billion yen.” 

I didn’t know any thieves went out of their way to send calling cards nowadays, but here we were. We’d just have to roll with it. 

At any rate, this was a clear advance notice of a crime, and that crime would take place on the day of active idol Yui Saikawa’s dome concert (which was scheduled to take place in a week). She wanted us to head it off before it happened. 

Still, what had brought her to us, specifically? Was it my talent for getting into trouble, or had that heart summoned her? 

“Do you have any idea what that three-billion-yen sapphire might be?” 

“Yes. I’m certain it’s our family treasure, the Miracle Sapphire. It’s in the vault.” 

Vault, family treasure, Miracle Sapphire. All those words were tailor-made for an incident like this one. 

“I have that big concert next Sunday, so no one will be home. I think they plan to use that opportunity to steal the sapphire.” 

…For someone who’d made careful plans, the criminal seemed to have given them all away in that notice. Seemed counterintuitive. 

Or did it mean they were confident they’d be able to pull off the theft even if they sent advance notice? A thrill seeker might go for something like this. 

“But if you know when the crime’s going to take place, couldn’t you just beef up security on that day? This house must have an army of private security.” 

On the way to this very room, we’d seen brawny-looking men in suits all over the place. If they were already taking care of it, we shouldn’t have to come into this at all. 

“No, as I said, that’s not possible. My concert is on the day of the crime.” 

“Hmm? Oh, you mean your security personnel are going to be guarding you at the venue?” 

“Oh, no. They’re huge fans, so seeing me sing and dance is more important to them than protecting a three-billion-yen sapphire.” 

“Then you should fire them all!” 

This was one heck of a request. It was completely unfair. 

I stood up. 

“Wait, Kimizuka.” Unexpectedly, it was Natsunagi who stopped me. “She’s been kind enough to come to us. Why don’t we hear her out a little longer?” 

“…What’s going on? You’re really taking the reins.” 

Had just introducing herself as an ace detective made her bolder? Nothing’s wrong with being a go-getter, but… She didn’t have to get deeply involved in this case. There was no guarantee she wouldn’t regret it. 

I’d been getting dragged into things for eighteen years, and so I and the formerly invincible ace detective were one thing. On the other hand, Natsunagi was an ordinary person, and this job might end up being too much for her. 

Natsunagi put her lips close to my ear and whispered. “I mean, look. Look at her house. So if she has a request for us…” 

… Oh. I get you. Well, yeah, the pay would probably be generous, but … 

“This isn’t a job you do for money, you know.” 

“But we do need money, don’t we? There’s also no telling what jobs we’ll get after this.” 

She had a definite point. After those three years of wandering, I probably understood the importance of money better than anyone. 

But did that mean…? 

Was Natsunagi prepared for that? For a life like the three years Siesta and I had spent together? She might be forfeiting her chance at a normal future— 

“I want a new swimsuit…” 

“Hey.” 

…Well, never mind. Even if our goals were different, money actually was important. 

I sat down again—and not because I wanted to see Natsunagi’s new swimsuit. No, really, it wasn’t. 

Besides… 

…this was a request from none other than the “idol from Japón,” Yui Saikawa. 

The tune Siesta had hummed two years ago seemed to stick in my ears. 

“Then is that what we’re talking about? On the day of the concert, you want Natsunagi and me to be here, guarding your vault?” 

“Oh, yes, something like that.” 

Hey, you wanna give us something to work with? I finally got motivated and everything. 

“Actually, wouldn’t it be better to leave that to the police?” 

“I did speak with them about it, but all I had was the advance notice. They wouldn’t pay attention.” 

…I guess they wouldn’t. Ordinarily, the police only take action after something’s happened. 

On the other hand—and I’ll admit this is a very mercenary perspective—there was a lot of money in this situation. If she flashed some of that, I get the feeling she could get them to reconsider. 

“Bribing the police. That’s certainly an idea I’d expect you to have, Mr. Pervert,” said Saikawa. 

“I didn’t even say anything.” 

“True, if one has no bread, she could just buy the baker.” 

“Even Marie Antoinette would keel over at that one!” 

Her face was cute, but this girl had zero respect for the entire world. 

Smoothly picking her teacup up with her left hand, Saikawa elegantly sipped her tea. Although I hated to admit it, the gesture really suited her. 

“And so, I’d like to show you the vault now.” 

Even as I wondered why she felt the need to say “and so,” I knew that thread of conversation was a dead end, so I got up, following Saikawa’s lead. 

However, well, still… 

“Hey, Saikawa.” If nothing else, it would be best to get this particular question cleared up right now. “Why is the child the one placing this request?” 

We were talking with Yui Saikawa—not her dad, and not her mom. 

The Saikawa family treasure was in danger of being stolen, so why were there no adults at this meeting? 

It was a completely natural question, and Saikawa explained: 

“My parents passed away three years ago. I am the current head of the Saikawa family.” 

She gave the same smile she wore all the time on TV. 

I bet it sucks to be an idol singer, I thought. 

 I won’t die 

After that, with Saikawa as our guide, we saw the vault, got a brief tour of the house, exchanged contact information, then adjourned for the day. 

On the way back from the Saikawa residence… 

“What did you think?” I asked Natsunagi as we walked side by side through the dusk. 

“About what?” 

“Do you think you’ll be able to resolve this request?” 

“If I said it wasn’t what I thought it would be, would you get mad?” she asked. 

“You think I’d be mad?” 

I’d told Natsunagi not to try to be anybody’s replacement, and she’d still stepped up and taken the role of detective. I’m sure part of it was due to momentum. Part of it was also the heat of the moment. 

But this out-of-the-blue request wasn’t the type most ordinary detectives would have taken. No wonder she was bewildered. 

“I was kidding. Still, detectives have it rough, don’t they?” 

“Yeah, you may not be able to go back to your life as a normal high schooler.” 

“I thought detectives only, you know…searched for runaway pet cats and that sort of thing.” 

“I think you owe every detective in the country an apology.” That said, she wasn’t entirely wrong. 

“Yesterday…” Natsunagi stopped under a streetlight. “I had a dream—about Siesta. It was probably because of everything that just happened.” She glanced at me. 

“…I see. How was she doing?” 

“She was incredibly beautiful, for one thing. I was kinda blown away.” 

“I know, right?” 

“Uh, I don’t get why you’re bragging about that, Kimizuka.” 

By the way, Natsunagi had never met Siesta, so she probably heard what I was saying the previous day, formed a mental image of her, and dreamed about that version. 

“Did you two talk about anything?” 

“Um, actually, we fought like crazy…” 

“When you meet someone in a dream, you’re not supposed to come out swinging, y’know.” 

Although, I’m pretty sure I get it. 

After all, Siesta and Natsunagi seem like complete opposites: a logical type and an emotional type, I guess you’d call it. You could say they share a lack of common sense, but anyway. 

“We had a vicious, no-holds-barred argument. Neither of us would back down, and things got…a little physical.” 

“Glad I didn’t have to see that.” 

“But in the end…” 

I heard Natsunagi inhale. 

“…she told me to take care of you.” 

From under the streetlight, a steady gaze was focused on me. 

“…So, what, I caused that fight?” 

Vaguely embarrassed, I tried to say something random and stupid to move the conversation along, but then… 

“…! N-no, nuh-uh. We weren’t fighting over you or anything, Kimizuka.” 

“Huh? What’s with that reaction? Now I’m even more worried…” 

“Aaaaaah, aaaaaaah! We are done talking about this!” 

—And with that, the topic was folded up and put away. Natsunagi fanned her face with her hands, although it was pretty cool at this hour. “Anyway! Let’s do this thing together. Me as the detective, and you as my assistant.” 

“Yeah, yeah. You do have that swimsuit riding on this.” 

“You want to see me wearing it, don’t you, Kimizuka?” 

“Yep. There is nothing I want more than to see you in a swimsuit.” 

“Ugh, you could at least try to sound convincing.” Natsunagi’s cold eyes peered into my face. “But I guess it’s all right.” 

“It is?” 

“Yeah. If we manage to complete this request, wanna go to the beach together?” 

“Don’t jinx us. You’ll get yourself killed talking like that.” 

“No, I won’t.” 

Natsunagi trotted a few steps ahead, then turned back to face me. 

“I won’t die. Whatever happens, I won’t die and leave you behind.” 

Natsunagi set her hand over the left side of her chest. “Cross my heart.” 

“Okay.” 

A crescent moon was floating in the pitch-black sky ahead of us, far and distant as we walked forward. 

 The gossip doesn’t stop 

The next day, I went to a CD store in the big local shopping mall on my own. 

I was there for Yui Saikawa’s albums and DVDs of her concerts. A lot of the time, gathering information on clients turns out to be a necessary part of completing a job. Natsunagi could have come with me today, too, but… Well, these dull jobs belong to the assistant. At least they did for those three years. 

“She has quite a discography.” 

Just inside the shop’s entrance, they’d set up a display featuring Saikawa. All the CDs she’d released over the past few years were lined up there, and a monitor was showing her singing and dancing at one of her concerts. 

“I’m impressed she can dance with that eye patch on.” 

What had she called it…part of her “public persona”? There was a heart-shaped patch covering Saikawa’s left eye, but from the way she was bounding around the stage, it didn’t seem to affect her at all. 

“—Kimizuka.” 

“……!” 

Suddenly, someone spoke to me from behind, right next to my ear, and I flinched. 

“I see, I see. Kimizuka likes it when someone blows in his hear. Duly noted.” 

“Don’t randomly make things up to randomly convince yourself—Saikawa.” 

When I turned around, the girl who was currently showing on the monitor was standing there, looking smug for some reason. 

“You sure you should be here without a disguise? You’ll set off a stampede.” 

“I have my hood up. It’s fine. You wouldn’t think it, but people don’t notice,” Saikawa said proudly. “So what brings you here, Kimizuka? Can’t stop thinking about me? Have you become a fan? Ooh, have you fallen for me? I’m sorry, but romance is off-limits for idols; please try again in the next world, okay?” 

“Don’t dump me when I haven’t even confessed. I’m just here to do field research.” 

Apparently, the self-proclaimed cutest idol didn’t have a trace of doubt regarding her own cuteness. 

“Field research, hmm? I see, yes. You’re just like me, then.” 

“You too, Saikawa?” 

“Yes, as a matter of fact, my latest single just came out last week. I was curious about how it was selling.” 

What a pro. She might have nothing but contempt for the world, but she seemed serious about her job as an idol, at least. 

…But why would she physically come to the store to do field research in this day and age? I mean, what I was doing wasn’t much different, so I couldn’t really talk, but still. 

“You aren’t with the detective today.” 

“Nope. There’s no rule that says detectives and assistants have to be together all the time.” 

“Is that right?” Saikawa said, coming up to stand on my right. “She really is gorgeous, isn’t she?” 

“Well, on the outside, yeah. The jury’s still out on the rest.” 

“Oh, Natsunagi is as well, but I was referring to myself.” 

“You’ve got no qualms about blowing your own horn, huh?” 

Her confidence was so high it was actually refreshing. In fact, maybe any idol worth her salt should be a little like this. 

“Of course not. A girl needs at least this much faith in herself to survive the idol industry.” Saikawa gave a world-weary shrug, turning both palms up. “Rivals slash up your costumes and hide tacks in your shoes on a daily basis.” 

“I don’t need to know all the backstage drama, thanks.” 

“And then, from what I’m told, those rivals will all vanish from public life by the next day.” 

“That’s a coincidence, right? It’s gotta be.” 

“Are you in favor of gun regulation in Japan, Kimizuka? Or against it?” 

“Don’t bring that debate into this particular discussion, all right?! You’re freaking me out! And it doesn’t matter whether I’m in favor or not; owning guns isn’t legal in Japan anyway.” 

… He says, turning a blind eye to his past. 

“Heh-heh. I like you, Kimizuka; your reactions are funny. I was joking. It was only a joke.” Saikawa looked up at me with an affectionate smile. 

“I couldn’t quite tell where the joke started and ended.” 

“The joke was the part where I said I like you.” 

“Okay, okay. I know contempt when I see it.” 

“Ah-ha-ha. What I said just now was the actual joke.” Laughing, Saikawa reached out toward the display in front of us. 

As always, this middle school kid was hard to pin down, and it wasn’t easy to tell what she really meant and what was just her public face. Watching Saikawa cheerfully test-listen to her own CD out of the corner of my eye, I thought that being an idol really was a tough job. 

“Probably should’ve asked before,” I said, “but are you okay? With everything?” 

“Pardon? Is what okay?” 

“You’ve got that big concert on Sunday. And now you get a notice from a thief, and, you know… Mentally, how are you doing?” 

Saikawa’s parents were gone. This situation was so heavy for a girl who was still in middle school to carry on her own. 

“…I’m all right.” Still facing forward, Saikawa softly put a hand to her left eye. “I’m not alone, you see.” 

“……?” 

“Mama and Papa are always—” She was letting me catch a glimpse of that slightly unusual side of herself, but not for long. “You’re kind, aren’t you, Kimizuka?” Spinning to face me, Saikawa peeked up into my face. 

“Kind? That’s not one I get very often.” 

“It’s possible a human heart has begun to grow in you.” 

“What am I, a robot? Just now learning these mysterious emotions after living with the professor?” 

“This is called ‘joy.’ That’s called ‘sorrow.’ Those tears are your ‘heart.’ ” 

“And now we’re in a tearjerker sci-fi movie.” 

“And after all of it, you were built merely to sacrifice yourself to destroy our enemies.” 

“Ouch, that was really unfair… Give me back my emotional character development.” 

I poked her head lightly, and Saikawa giggled. “You really are funny, Kimizuka,” she said, tucking her hair behind her ears, inside her hood. The way she intentionally used her opposite hand for the gesture, crossing herself, boosted her flirtatiousness by 20 percent. 

“I’m not falling for a cheap trick like that.” 

“Heh-heh. I wonder if you’ll still be able to say that after you’ve watched DVDs bursting with my charms.” 

“They’re just concert DVDs; don’t make it weird.” 

Although, once she’d said that, I felt hesitant about buying them in front of her. I turned on my heel, planning to go somewhere else and try again later. 

“Well, I’m off.” 

“All right. See you later. And thank you for taking my request,” she said behind me. Still facing away from her, I raised a hand in response. 

After I left the store, I got out my phone and tapped my contacts list. 

“…This may be trickier than I thought.” 

Finally, after one, two, three rings, she picked up. 

“Hello?” 

“Uh, do you have a minute—Ms. Fuubi?” 

 That’s “Yui-nya Quality” 

A few days later, it was Saturday, and Natsunagi and I had gone to the dome that was serving as the venue. Yui Saikawa’s concert was the following day. 

“Hurry up. The rehearsal’s gonna start.” 

As we climbed the long stairway to the dome, I called back to Natsunagi, who was slumped wearily a dozen or so steps below me. 

“When you said you’d come without so much as a towel or a glow stick, I thought it was bad, but I can’t believe you aren’t even trying to make it to the rehearsal before it starts… And you call yourself a fan?” 

“Uh, no. I don’t.” Natsunagi heaved a big sigh. She was glaring at me for some reason. “Come on, don’t you think you’re mixing business with pleasure?” 

“What do you mean?” 

“That!” Finally climbing the stairs, Natsunagi pointed sharply at my clothes. “What is this? Why are you wearing a Saikawa concert T-shirt? Why do you have several towels with venue-specific designs around your neck? What is that mass of penlights you’ve got tied around your waist? What about the wristbands? The hat? The sneakers?” 

Apparently, she had quite a few complaints building up, and they all came out in a rush. 

“They’re all Yui-nya concert merch.” 

“ ‘Yui-nya’?!” 

All her fans called her that, to show their affection. 

“Okay, what exactly did you do this past week? You didn’t come to school, and you didn’t respond when I tried to get ahold of you. When you finally did reply, you just said we were going to see the rehearsal the day before the show…” 

“Uh, well, I was watching all the past episodes of TV programs Yui-nya had been in, and the next thing I knew, it was today—” 

“Okay, I’m double-killing you.” 

“Ghk, stop… Strangling me with my towels is—against the rules…gweeeh…” 

I smacked Natsunagi’s shoulder in surrender. 

“Do you know what’s happening tomorrow?” Natsunagi looked up at me crankily from one step below me on the stairs. 

“Well, it’s Yui-nya’s concert, right?” 

“—. That too, but… That isn’t why we’re here, remember? The crime is supposed to take place then. We have to protect the Miracle Sapphire from the criminal. Am I wrong?” 

I see. Natsunagi was probably trying to say we were in the wrong place, since this was the day before the theft. 

“I get what you’re saying, Natsunagi, but some truths only become apparent by learning the background of the client, right?” 

“Well…” She didn’t seem completely convinced yet. “Would you usually go this far, though? Begging Saikawa to let us watch a rehearsal…?” 

“Once you take a job, give it everything you have. Besides, we’ll have to guard Yui-nya’s house on the day of the concert. Let’s enjoy the heck out of today to make up for it.” 

“Um, you said ‘enjoy’…” 

I didn’t need all that “business or pleasure” and “separation of church and state” right now. 

“You were weirding her out; I know it.” 

“I didn’t weird her out. She was flustered, but…” 

“Uh, that means the same thing.” 

Really? Well, I still think we’re fine. 

Even a week ago, depending on how you looked at it, we’d been close enough to have a fun conversation… Depending on how you looked at it. 

“You can bet the opening number’s going to be ‘Raspberry × Grizzly.’ ” 

“Look, I don’t know her standard setlist.” 

All right. The rehearsal was about to start. 

Tugging the perplexed Natsunagi by the hand, I hurried into the venue. 

“The Love Express just won’t stooop! ?” 

“Woo-woooooo!” 

“Wait for me at the end of the line, okay? ?” 

“Puff, puff!” 

“Speeding past the local trains! ?” 

“Don’t leave meee!” 

“No stalling allowed! ? On the Nine-Star! ?” 

“Yeah!!!!!!!” 

From a spot near the back of the stands, I waved a pink glow stick at the stage wildly. 

As enthusiastic as she was, you’d never think it was a rehearsal. I was putting more energy into my cheering, too. From the next seat over, Natsunagi was judging the hell out of me, but I couldn’t let that get me down. 

“Thank you very much! That was ‘The Nine-Star Stops in November!’ from my second album!” 

“Wait, why’s it’s stopping?” Next to me, Natsunagi muttered, straight-faced, “Didn’t she just say the Love Express won’t stop?” 

“Details, details. This is Yui-nya Quality.” 

“Yui-nya Quality.” 

I’d taken a full course in her songs over the past week, and most of them were like this. 

Catchy melodies and off-the-wall lyrics. The more you chewed them over, the more they numbed your taste buds while giving you the illusion of flavor—that was Yui-nya Quality. 

“You too, Pervert! Thank you!” Yui-nya waved enthusiastically from the stage toward the seats. 

“Hey, Natsunagi, she talked to you!” 

“She’s one thousand percent talking about you!” 

“Nah, you just couldn’t hide your vibes from her.” 

“……! Hey, I’m not the one being weird here!” Natsunagi’s face was bright red, and she tried to kick me with her high heel. 

“Hey, why’d you wear heels to a concert? It’s gonna be hard to jump around in those.” 

“I’m not jumping around! Your head is what’s jumping around!” 

Rude. I just wanted to enjoy the concert. 

“All right, and now for the next song!” Just then, Yui-nya signaled the sound crew with a glance. 

“Here it comes.” 

“What now?” 

“Hey, come on, Natsunagi, we just heard ‘Eighty-One.’ That means the next song is…?” 

“I told you, I don’t know her setlist. And abbreviating ‘The Nine-Star Stops in November!’ as ‘Eighty-One’ is the geekiest thing I’ve ever heard. Nine times ‘Novem’ equals eighty-one? Come on.” 

Just what I’d expect from an ace detective—she understood instantly. 

“So next up is Yui-nya’s special song. We came here today so we could hear this, remember?” 

“That’s news to me.” 

I see; I guess I hadn’t told Natsunagi yet. 

Actually, well…I hadn’t been planning to mention it in the first place. Not to Natsunagi nor to anybody else. This way made things easier, now that I was a pitiful fanboy who’d accidentally gotten hooked on Yui-nya in the course of doing his job. 

Or at least, I was pretending to be… 

“Don’t you know? During this song, for just the last chorus, Yui-nya removes her seal.” 

“Seal?” 

Yes. The seal Yui-nya—or rather, Yui Saikawa—placed on herself. Her secret. 

“Now then, please listen—to ‘Sapphire ? Phantasm.’ ” 

An up-tempo intro played, and Saikawa began running through light-footed dance steps. 

“Like a mirror reflecting the blue Eaaarth… ?” 

For the past week, I’d listened to Saikawa’s songs constantly and, more importantly, pored over all the videos in which she appeared. 

As I did so, I’d discovered just one thing—one big thing—that felt off. 

I’d sensed something was wrong the day I first met her, and it had only grown from there. 

Yui Saikawa is lying. 

I was here today to make sure. 

Before long, the A section ended, and the song reached the bridge. Just then— 

“Huh? Kimizuka… Look.” 

Next to me, Natsunagi leaned forward slightly. 

A man was standing on the left side of the stage, back in the wings. He was wearing sunglasses and dressed all in black. He didn’t look like a member of staff. 

“Isn’t that man kind of weird?” 

That’s a detective for you; she’s got good instincts. However… 

“Hmm? What’s up?” 

…I pretended not to notice. 

Sorry, Natsunagi. Wait just a little longer. 

Then the B section ended, and just as the C section was beginning…the man in black started walking toward Saikawa. And then— 

“Huh?! …Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!” Saikawa’s scream echoed across the whole hall, amplified by her mic. 

“Hey, who’s that?! Get him!” 

Just in the nick of time, right before the man reached Saikawa, the security staff grabbed him. 

“…That’s what I thought.” I’d been feeling that dissonance all week. Now that I’d seen this in person, I was sure. I was glad I’d come here today, even if I’d had to bull my way through. 

“Kimizuka! Hurry!” Natsunagi shouted. 

Saikawa was crouched down and looking dazed, while Natsunagi kicked off her heels and dashed to the stage, barefoot. 

It was a beautiful, and very human, reaction. 

Nevertheless, a detective has no use for those passionate feelings. Kindness and consideration can sometimes come back to bite you—although she didn’t know that yet. 

“Are you okay?” I asked the frightened Saikawa, following Natsunagi up onto the stage. 

“Oh, Mr. Pervert… Thank you.” 

“Don’t keep calling me a pervert after what just happened.” 

If she could crack jokes, though, that was a good sign. I didn’t want this to end up traumatizing her. 

“Still, you never know what might happen. Guarding the vault tomorrow is important, but I’d ramp up security here, too. Show us around backstage later.” 

“All right…” Saikawa didn’t seem to have fully recovered from the shock yet. She nodded weakly. 

I did feel bad, but the things detectives do are always guided by logic. I want to make sure you understand that. 

… Even if I am just the assistant. 

 Sunday showdown 

The next morning was Sunday—the day the Miracle Sapphire, the Saikawa family treasure, was scheduled to be stolen. 

At the request of Yui Saikawa, Natsunagi and I had agreed to guard her house. 

Right now, we were in a taxi, headed toward our destination. 

“Kimizuka… Is what you told me yesterday really true?” Natsunagi was sitting beside me in the back seat. 

The previous day, after the rehearsal was over, she and I had gone to the same café we’d visited before and discussed our game plan for today. While we did that, I’d also shared with Natsunagi the secret Yui Saikawa was hiding. 

“Aren’t you here because you believed me?” 

“Technically, yes. But is the other place going to be all right? We can’t just leave it empty…” 

“Yeah, I’ve got that covered, too. It sounds like Ms. Fuubi is going over there.” 

“I’ve been meaning to ask you: Who exactly is she?” 

“She’s an army of one.” 

“That sounds like an explanation, but it’s really not.” 

Sorry, but it’s not like I know everything about her, either. Just that she’s someone you can count on. 

“Is something worrying you?” I asked. 

“Nothing really. I’m just kinda…not completely satisfied with this.” 

“With what?” 

“Ultimately, Kimizuka, you’re trying to resolve this incident. But I’m the detective.” As she spoke, Natsunagi gazed out the window at the sun, which was just above the horizon. 

“That’s just how it happened this time.” 

“Was it really?” 

“Yeah. I’m sure the day when you’re the one who saves me will come along pretty soon.” 

If I had to say, I’ve always been in that position until now. If I don’t work a little every once in a while, that heart of yours is going to get mad at me. 

“It’s almost time for the show.” 

I glanced at my watch. Talking Ms. Fuubi and her crew around, and enlisting the help of a certain other individual, had taken up more time than I’d expected. 

“If we don’t make it there in time, this’ll go south real quick…” 

The first number of Yui Saikawa’s concert would be starting soon. 

“So you actually do care about it?” Natsunagi seemed to be satisfied regarding the previous subject; the corners of her mouth quirked up a little. 

“Only for the job. I don’t care about ‘Raspberry × Grizzly.’ I told you back at the café, remember?” 

“You did, but seriously, could you really do all that as an act? You really creeped me out yesterday, Kimizuka.” 

“Don’t say it that way. Nothing hurts more than having a high school girl call you creepy.” 

“I was just thinking maybe we were actually headed over there because of your hobby again.” 

“Hey, that’s not fair. If it wasn’t for a job, I wouldn’t go near the dome.” 

As we traded verbal jabs, we were racing toward our destination: Yui Saikawa’s dome concert. 

We already had measures in place, but it would be pointless if we didn’t get there in time. 

“Hey, could you make it fast?” I told the taxi driver. 

“…Fasten your seatbelts.” 

The hair under his cap was blond, and I could see his cloudy eyes glance at us in the rearview mirror. 

“I hope we make it in time for ‘Eighty-One,’ ” I said. 

“You sure you’re not just into her?” 

 Sapphire ? Phantasm 

“…This is nothing like the rehearsal.” 

When we reached the dome and opened the doors to the hall, overwhelming light and sound swept over us. Rainbow-colored spotlights scattered reflections everywhere, and the vibrations thudded heavily in the pit of my stomach. 

This was a different world, a circular hole cut out of the ordinary. 

The ruler of that world was the idol singer—Yui Saikawa. 

She was dressed in a frilly costume, and hundreds of shining glow sticks were being offered up to her. If I remembered right, the number she was singing in her irresistible voice was her latest single. 

We were coming up on the second half of the concert, so she was probably about to drop a hit medley on them. 

“Hey!” 

A tug on my sleeve brought my mind back to reality. 

“Where are our seats?!” Natsunagi was standing on tiptoe to yell into my ear. We couldn’t hear otherwise. 

“You know we don’t have any! We don’t even have tickets!” 

“Oh…” 

Then how had we managed to infiltrate this hall? We’d had the security staff go to sleep for a little while. 

“You think those people are all right?!” 

“They’re fine! He doesn’t want to do stuff like that anymore, and he wouldn’t get anything out of it!” 

Apparently, he’d struck a bargain with Ms. Fuubi regarding his future, among other things. 

Just then, the number ended, and after the applause, silence fell for a moment. This was our chance. 

“Natsunagi, let’s go.” Reverting to a whisper, I thumped Natsunagi on the shoulder. 

“Huh? Go where?” 

“We’ll get as close to the stage as we can.” 

The previous day, thanks to my excuse of watching the rehearsal, I’d casually done a preliminary inspection of the arena. 

We crouched down and started moving as quickly as we could without drawing attention. 

“Hey, isn’t that bag in the way? You could have left it in the car.” Natsunagi pointed at my clutch bag. 

“Oh, well, not really.” 

“So what’s in there?” 

“Something I don’t want to use.” Or to be more precise, something I hoped we wouldn’t be forced to use. 

“Huh. Well, it doesn’t really matter what it is… And? That one song’s still a ways away, isn’t it?” 

“Yeah, since it comes after ‘Eighty-One.’ ” 

“Come to think of it, you’re right… So you actually were working at that rehearsal yesterday.” 

“You’re too suspicious. Well, that’s not a bad thing for a detective.” 

“Yes. Maybe so.” 

The new song began. 

At the rehearsal, “Eighty-One” had been after this; if anything was going to happen, it would be during the number after that, “Sapphire ? Phantasm.” We had about ten minutes left. 

We walked on quietly, being careful not to attract suspicion. 

“What’s the point of getting close to the stage, though?” Natsunagi asked, right by my ear. 

“Frankly, we’re gonna have to wing it. I don’t know what’s about to happen. Maybe nothing, and all our worries will be pointless. That means we’ll just have to do our best with what we’ve got.” 

All we could do was keep our eyes peeled for that moment—that was it. To that end, we’d lurk as near Saikawa as possible right now. 

Just a little closer than they were, even if we didn’t even know where that was. 

“Thank you so much, all of you!” 

A cheer went up. The number was over. 

Next up was finally “Eighty-One”… Maybe we should pick up the pace. 

“Now that everyone’s all fired up, I think it’s about time we brought out the song you’ve been waiting for!” 

Saikawa gave a brief comment from the stage, and then the song that began to play was— 

“Without further ado—‘Sapphire ? Phantasm’!” 

What?! 

This wasn’t the order we’d heard at the rehearsal… Dammit. We’d used up too much time earlier. 

“N-no!” 

“Yeah, this is bad. Let’s hurry, Natsunagi.” 

“You were looking forward to ‘Eighty-One’ so much!” 

“I wasn’t looking forward to it!” 

This was no time for joking around. Of course Natsunagi knew that, too, as we headed toward the stage. 

“Like a mirror reflecting the blue Eaaarth… ?” 

The voltage in the venue spiked, the enthusiasm fueled by an explosion of noise and light. 

“Sapphire ? Phantasm” was idol singer Yui Saikawa’s biggest hit and her specialty. During this song, she always did something very special onstage. 

That was bound to be the trigger. 

Natsunagi and I had come here to stop it. 

“If the group you talked about are hiding, where would they be?” 

“No idea. They might be in the audience, or they could be hiding in the wings, like that man was yesterday.” 

The previous day, I’d had Saikawa and the staff show us the backstage area and various facilities, but it had only given us more options. The two of us weren’t enough to cover all those possibilities on our own. 

That said, we couldn’t afford to take too much time on our end. After all, this was happening right on the heels of the day before, and they had to be incredibly busy on their end as well. We’d just have to make do with our limited personnel and limited time. 

“I hid it in my secret treasure chest… ?” 

She’d reached the C section already. It wouldn’t be long until the last chorus, the time when her seal was released. If anything was going to happen, it would be soon. 

“Okay, we’re here.” 

We’d finally reached the stage-side aisle, beyond the arena seats. 

Where? Where were they? 

Straining my eyes, I searched for someone who might not even be there. But the rainbow spotlights made it hard to see, and the blaring music from the nearby speakers chipped away at my concentration. 

“……!” Natsunagi was saying something, but the place was so loud I couldn’t hear her at all. 

Dammit, this is even worse than I thought. 

They were probably around here, somewhere close. But there wasn’t much time left. 

I’d underestimated the challenges. I’d thought that if I strained my eyes and ears once I was there, I’d probably find them, but I’d put too much faith in my experience. So your brain shuts down this bad when your sight and hearing aren’t working properly? 

It was no good: The sound and the light were starting to give me a roaring headache. I was even getting nauseous. 

I wanted to enlist Natsunagi’s help, but thanks to the music, I wouldn’t even be able to communicate accurately. 

I needed a plan, some kind of plan… 

No, wait. 

Of course. Even in a situation like this, there might be one person— 

“It’s me! Can you hear me?!” 

Holding my temples, I yelled at him, the one we’d hired as our chauffeur. He couldn’t see, but he’d said as long as he could hear, he could drive. Right now, after putting the security guards to sleep, he was probably having a smoke somewhere near the arena. 

Of course, he was several hundred meters away from us…but to him, a distance like that was nothing. 

Even in the midst of this ear-splitting noise, my voice was bound to reach him. In fact, he’d even be able to hear the heartbeat of our hidden enemy. 

“—Bat! Where’s the enemy?!” My pocket vibrated. 

The notification from my messaging app was just a single “?.” 

An arrow? Some sort of code? 

… Oh! I got it! 

Sprinting away from the startled Natsunagi, I ran up onto the stage, where Saikawa was. 

During the final chorus, she removed the patch over her left eye. 

It was her biggest performance of the day, a special number where she gave her all. 

A cheer went up. 

This was Yui Saikawa’s seal. The secret she’d hidden from us. 

“—The Miracle Sapphire with a market value of three billion yen is Yui Saikawa’s left eye!” 

As I spoke, I pulled Saikawa to me, evading an incoming crossbow bolt. 

 Thus spoke the super-idol 

So. About this incident. 

Where should I start; what should I explain first to give you the most accurate picture? Whose perspective should I tell it from, if I’m going to make it easy to understand? 

Unfortunately, I’m just an assistant, a student at most. Definitely not a novelist. Even if I was giving a full account of this incident to somebody, I’m sure I’d be a terrible storyteller. 

There are just too many lies, secrets, and deceptions—too much information hovering in the ether around this case. I’m sure the plot would make no sense. 

“No, that’s all my fault.” After the concert, Saikawa had called Natsunagi and me to her dressing room. Kneeling formally in front of us, she looked down apologetically. “I should have told you everything from the beginning instead of going off on my own. That’s why things turned out this way. I’m afraid I’ve caused you both a lot of trouble. I’m sorry.” 

With that, Saikawa bowed her head deeply. 

“…Um. I still don’t completely understand this… Could you explain it?” 

Natsunagi raised a hand hesitantly. She must have been embarrassed by the fact that she didn’t know the truth of the matter, even though she was a detective. 

But I was in the same boat. 

My ideas about the truth of this incident, about how we’d ended up here, were still only theory. I’d been waiting this whole time for her to tell us herself. 

“Yes, you’re right. I should. This may end up being rather long, but please bear with me anyway.” 

Once again, Saikawa removed her eye patch. 

That blue left eye, which reflected everything in the world, was as beautiful as a sapphire. 

“Now then, where should I begin my story? Er, yes, I suppose I should start at the beginning, shouldn’t I? All right, I’ll start with my left eye… Actually, that may end up being the beginning. I received this artificial blue eye as a birthday present from my parents, the year I turned eight… 

“…Yes, that’s right, Miss Detective. Although I believe you may have noticed it yourself, Mr. Assistant. This is a false eye, not heterochromia. I was born blind in my left eye. As a young child, I had a complex about it that made me very quiet and shy. I was my parents’ only daughter, and they got worried about me. They wanted me to have more hope in life, so they gave me an artificial eye the color of sapphire. Bluer than the sea. 

“Back then, I was entranced by how beautiful it was. Of course, I didn’t let anyone see it in public. Still, simply having this eye gave me confidence in myself, somehow. That was when I began my career as an idol. Mama and Papa were delighted to see that I’d cheered up, and that made me happy, so I put more and more effort into my lessons. Ah, I finally know what it means to be alive …, I thought. You may laugh and say I’m exaggerating, but it’s true. 

“I’m sorry; I’ve gotten a little off track. 

“Long story short, my life as an idol was going smoothly, but that life didn’t last long. Three years ago, when I was eleven, my parents died in an accident. They left me a large house, a vast fortune I had no use for, and…my left eye. 

“After that, my blue eye was more precious than anything to me. I wanted to keep it carefully hidden inside. That’s why I always wear an eye patch… But in my big shows, I decided I would reveal my left eye, just for a moment. If I didn’t, and my parents came from heaven to see one of my concerts, I felt like they might not realize it was me. 

“This beautiful blue jewel in my eye was the bond that connected me to my parents; I couldn’t just go around showing it to other people. That’s why I didn’t tell you about it. 

“I never dreamed that the criminal considered my eye a ‘miracle sapphire.’ It just so happens that there is a sapphire worth three billion yen in the Saikawa family vault, so I assumed that was what they meant. 

“When I think of all the trouble I would have saved you if I’d told you the whole story… I’m truly sorry. And thank you. Thank you so much. 

“I was sure the two of you had gone to my house today, so I was a little surprised. I should have known better. You figured out my secret, picked up on the criminal’s true objective, and came running. You even pretended it was part of the stage show and kept from scaring the audience. 

“I’m so glad I brought my request to you. 

“Really and truly— 

“—thank you so much.” 

Once she had come to the end of her story, Saikawa bowed so low that her forehead practically touched the floor. 

And there you have it. As she’d said, the “sapphire worth three billion yen” in the advance notice had been not the family treasure, the jewel at the Saikawa residence, but Saikawa’s own artificial eye. 

The criminal had waited until Saikawa uncovered her shining-blue secret onstage, then attempted to snipe it from a distance. 

But as it turned out, the case—the story—had reached its end without any casualties, and the sapphire hadn’t been stolen, either. It was an undeniably happy ending. 

“It’s all right, so…get up, okay?” Natsunagi said. 

Saikawa slowly raised her head. Her expression held a mixture of gratitude and apology…and relief, as if she’d finally shaken off a heavy, tenacious burden. 

Now we’d settle the matter peacefully, and after exchanging a few words, we’d get a little reward—and then Natsunagi would buy her new swimsuit, and we’d make that trip to the beach. Yes, this case had been safely closed. 

There had been some trouble and a few unexpected developments that had caught us off guard and worn us out a bit, but that was hardly anything. During those three years I’d spent with Siesta, my life had been far more risky and violent. 

All right—it was time to head back to our peaceful routine. First, Natsunagi and I should probably discuss which beach to go to. That meant we’d be meeting at our usual café. 

Just like that… 

Now, I could probably have put that whole incident behind me as if nothing had happened. As if I hadn’t noticed. 

A week ago, before I met Natsunagi and that heart, I’m sure I would have left the dressing room, pretending I knew nothing. That would have been easier, after all. If I did that, my peaceful routine would have been waiting for me. 

Unfortunately, though, I was through with ignoring the truth. 

Yes, Saikawa had revealed the secret she’d been hiding. But she hadn’t yet confessed her lie. 

“Listen, Saikawa.” 

When I said her name, her face turned toward me. 

“Yes?” 

She tilted her head slightly, gazing at me blankly, innocently. 

She was an idol; she could put on any expression with perfect ease. She could smile or cry on demand. 

“Is the penalty going to give you any trouble? After all, Natsunagi and I are still alive.” 

In that instant, all color vanished from Yui Saikawa’s face. 

 What that eye sees 

“Wow, geez! Where did that come from, Mr. Assistant?” 

Saikawa’s face was blank for only a moment before her usual idol smile returned. 

She was a real pro; even I was a little scared. 

“Are you saying I was trying to kill you two? Ah-ha-ha! I think ‘mystery writer’ would be a more suitable profession for you, Mr. Assistant.” Saikawa smiled. “Oooh, I’ve always wanted to say that.” 

“Um, Kimizuka? Saikawa already confessed her secret to us, remember? You didn’t tell me any more than that.” Of the three of us, Natsunagi was the one who seemed the most bewildered. “You said the criminal was after Saikawa’s left eye, not the sapphire. That’s why we went to the dome instead of guarding the vault. That’s all I heard…” 

Right: I hadn’t told Natsunagi the whole truth yet, either. 

I’d been hoping Saikawa would tell us about it herself, but apparently that was not to be. 

“As Natsunagi says, you did tell us about your secret, Saikawa… But you haven’t confessed your lie.” 

“My lie? What do you mean?” Saikawa was listening to me carefully, still wearing that smile. 

“Yui Saikawa—you were working with the criminals from the beginning to kill Natsunagi and me. Isn’t that right?” 

“Huh?!” Natsunagi froze up. 

“Well, Natsunagi was an incidental target. The enemy was probably after me.” 

“But…! Do you have any proof?” Detective Natsunagi was talking like the suspect, while Saikawa was as outwardly calm as ever. 

Trrrrrrrrrrrrrr— 

Just then, the phone in my pocket rang. 

“Hello? Kimizuka speaking… Yeah, mm-hmm… Is that right? No, my apologies for the trouble… Thank you. All right, good-bye.” 

Good. Things had gone well on that end, too. 

“Kimizuka, who was that?” 

“Oh, Ms. Fuubi. She said they’d just finished removing all the explosives rigged up in the vault at the Saikawa residence.” 

Ms. Fuubi’s bomb disposal squad really knew their stuff. They’d gotten through the job without any trouble. 

“…! B-but the criminals were after Saikawa’s left eye, weren’t they? Why would they do that to her house?” 

“Like I said, they were after two things. One was Saikawa’s sapphire left eye, as I told you. The other…was the lives of the pair who were expected to guard the Saikawa residence. That would be us.” 

“What does that mean? The criminals weren’t planning to go after the sapphire in the vault, but after us, while we were in there?” 

“That’s it.” 

They’d probably planned to kill us with a time bomb when we waltzed in there all wide-eyed and clueless. As with that crossbow earlier, the enemy wasn’t planning to show themselves directly. 

“Basically, that was the lie Saikawa told us. She knew about the criminals’ plan all along… Specifically, they gave her the details, and she was supposed to lure us into that vault.” 

“But, no… What about the proof?” Natsunagi pressed me, as if she didn’t want to believe it. 

“Ms. Fuubi said she didn’t know.” 

“Huh?” 

“She said no one had reported any calling cards sent to the Saikawa residence.” 

“No… Didn’t she say she’d gone to the police, but they wouldn’t help? And that was why she’d gone to detectives like us…” Natsunagi looked at Saikawa. 

That blue eye didn’t waver at all. 

That was one of the things that had nagged at me the day I’d first met Saikawa. 

She had all that money. For better or worse, any police force that didn’t act when she flashed that at them was no police force at all. 

After that, when I’d checked with Ms. Fuubi just to make sure, my hunch had been right on target. The police had no idea that a notice had been sent to the Saikawa residence. 

Meaning that right from the start, Saikawa had gone specifically to Natsunagi and me, instead of to the police. Which, in turn, meant she’d wanted something to do with us, specifically. 

True, at that point in time, I still couldn’t have said for sure that what she wanted was our lives. On the other hand, Natsunagi notwithstanding, there was a reason for people to go after my life. I also had an idea as to who the criminals—our enemies—might be. 

“But that can’t be right. Saikawa is an idol singer; why would she…? Don’t tell me—” 

Well, I wouldn’t tell her Saikawa was a member of SPES, if that’s what she was thinking. 

“They probably threatened her.” 

For the first time, Saikawa’s petite shoulders trembled slightly. 

“They said, ‘If you don’t want to lose that left eye, get rid of Kimihiko Kimizuka.’ ” 

That was the condition they’d set. Saikawa’s left eye was more important to her than her own life, and she had sold us to the enemy for it. 

“Listen, Saikawa. They aren’t that soft. They tried to take both.” 

Specifically, they might have been trying to destroy it, rather than steal it. That’s why they had shot at it with a crossbow. And their goal in doing so was— 

“But why?” Natsunagi broke in. “The criminals—the organization you were talking about, Kimizuka—why would they go after Saikawa’s artificial eye? It’s pretty, but why would they go that far?” 

“Because it’s way more than an artificial eye.” 

“Huh?” 

There had to be a reason it was big enough to be a target. 

“Isn’t that right, Saikawa?” I said. “Tell me, right now, what can you see?” 

For just a moment, Saikawa glanced at the clutch bag by my feet. 

“Is that for self-defense?” When she finally spoke, her voice was as gentle and sweet as ever. 

So I was right, huh? 

That’s an idol for you. She’d known what I had in my bag, and even then, she was managing to keep that smile on her face. 

“Self-defense?” I replied. “Yeah. See, I’ve been running into life-threatening situations for ages.” 

Swiftly shoving a hand into the bag, I used my other hand to push Natsunagi behind me. 

I withdrew the handgun and aimed it straight ahead of me— 

“I won’t give you people my left eye.” 

—at Yui Saikawa, who was pointing a gun of her own at us. 

 More than any idol 

Saikawa’s gun was aimed right between my eyes. 

“I see. So that’s how they threatened you, huh?” 

As far as Saikawa was concerned, Natsunagi and I were the enemies—the very people who were trying to steal her sapphire left eye, or so they’d led her to believe. Then they’d offered to help her dispose of us, and she’d accepted. 

“Geez, they even gave you a gun?” 

“No, I bought it myself.” 

“Idols shouldn’t have their own handguns.” 

“What, isn’t it a normal girlish hobby?” 

“I can tell you categorically that it’s not.” 

…No, this was no time for a bantering contest. 

“Saikawa, we’re not the enemy. I know you know this. Did you forget we protected you a minute ago?” 

“That was… I mean, I’m sure you were only trying to make me lower my guard…” 

“There was no need for that. If I hadn’t run in right then, that crossbow bolt would have nailed your left eye. If I was really your enemy, would I go out of my way to make extra work for myself?” 

“That’s… That’s…” 

“Listen, Saikawa. Even if you kill us, it won’t do you any good. After we’re dead, the real enemy is going to take your left eye.” 

“That’s not true!” Saikawa screamed, releasing her gun’s safety with her thumb. “It isn’t true. Otherwise— Otherwise, I…” 

Her expression was resolute, but there was just a slight tremble in her voice. 

“Saikawa, you know that left eye isn’t just a prosthetic, don’t you?” 

Saikawa bit her lip. She didn’t answer my question. 

“What do you mean?” Behind me, I heard Natsunagi’s quivering voice. 

“It means SPES has a good reason to go after it.” 

“You said something like that earlier, but… You mean…” 

“Right. In simple terms, Saikawa’s eye is like that guy’s ear.” 

“Him? …! So that’s what this is…” Natsunagi seemed to have reached the same conclusion I had, and words deserted her. 

“That left eye… That pseudoeye can see through physical objects. Isn’t that right, Saikawa?” 

That was why they were obsessed with it. 

I had no idea how Saikawa’s parents had gotten ahold of it…but however it happened, SPES couldn’t exactly ignore it. 

“…How did you know?” 

“Over the past week, I watched all your TV appearances, back to back to back. And in every one of them, you moved way too easily for a girl who wears an eye patch.” 

Ordinarily, a person’s vision declines by more than 20 percent when they go from seeing out of two eyes to seeing out of one. It’s also harder to judge perspective. However, as I watched Saikawa sing and dance, I hadn’t seen the slightest suggestion of difficulty. 

That wasn’t all. On the day we’d gone to her house, she’d held her cup with her left hand as she drank her tea—even though her vision on that side should have been drastically reduced by her eye patch. 

When we’d run into each other at the CD store “coincidentally” (she’d probably been watching me), Saikawa had stood on my right. But she wasn’t supposed to be able to see out of her left eye, so that had been a really unnatural choice. 

In terms of the time line, those hints had started building up early on, and so I’d spent a week thoroughly investigating her. 

“Sorry. My old partner taught me to be extra-sensitive to what I saw and heard.” 

I remembered how, two years ago, Siesta had resolved the Medusa incident at that European mansion in the forest with a gaze as her only hint. 

… Yeah. It’s just like you said, Siesta. Only people with sharp eyes and ears survive in this business. 

“…I see. So you never trusted me in the first place, then? Ah-ha-ha. I did wonder what had happened when you told me you desperately wanted to go to the rehearsal.” 

“Did you think I’d turned into a Yui-nya fan?” 

“Yes, I just assumed you’d fallen under my spell.” 

Yeah, Natsunagi was real suspicious about that, too. 

For a moment, Saikawa and I forgot we had each other at gunpoint and snickered a little. 

“That man in black yesterday…,” Saikawa said. “You engineered that as well, didn’t you, Mr. Assistant?” 

“You’ve got good intuition… And, uh, sorry.” 

I’d wanted actual proof that Saikawa could see out of her left eye, so I’d set a trap at that rehearsal. When a crisis hits out of nowhere, people react on instinct. 

As the suspicious man had approached her from the left wing of the stage, even though her left eye was covered, Saikawa had seen him clearly. 

If she were calm, she might have thought, I’m not supposed to be able to see out of my left eye, and this man is approaching from my left. I shouldn’t notice him. …Naturally, that wasn’t possible. As a result, Saikawa had screamed before the man managed to reach her, and she had escaped unharmed. 

By the way, that man in black had been an acquaintance of mine. Four years ago, he was one of the guys who used to give me attaché cases. 

“Really, though, would you normally go to such lengths just to confirm that my left eye had this ability?” 

“No, I had one other objective. I wanted a tour of the dome, and the suspicious man provided the perfect excuse. I was hoping to get an idea of the places they were likely to hide today.” 

“…I think you may have been a little too well prepared.” 

“It’s something my old partner taught me.” 

What had it been? “First-rate detectives resolve incidents before they even occur”? 

Although, as the assistant, there was almost no chance I’d ever reach that level. 

“Is that about it? Have we both shown all our cards?” 

“Let’s see… Yes, you’ve seen all of mine.” For the first time in a while, Saikawa gave a charming smile. 

Yeah, that’s Yui Saikawa, the idol I know. 

“All right, now that we’re square on that, I’m gonna ask… Would you lower that gun?” 

“That’s…” 

For a moment, Saikawa’s face twisted, and she looked down. 

“The truth is, I know now… I do. I know you two aren’t my enemy. I know you’re on my side; I know you’re trying to protect me. But.” 

Again, Saikawa raised her head. 

She gave a sad smile, and a single tear traced a line from her right eye. 

“But then what am I supposed to do? How can I protect my left eye?” 

I see. So Saikawa knew, too. 

She was aware that killing us wouldn’t solve her problem. That the threat wouldn’t go away. 

After all, SPES wasn’t only after me. They’d been keeping Saikawa alive so that she could help get rid of me; now she was in danger as well. That crossbow bolt was incontrovertible proof. 

“…I just can’t. Mama and Papa are gone. My future is so dark. This eye can see even when there’s no light ahead…but without it, I won’t make it.” 

That’s not true—that would be so easy to say. 

Spending several years in this line of work had given me a way with words. 

I already had a smooth reply: Maybe you can’t see what’s ahead of you in the darkness, but your fans will hold their glow sticks high and light the way for you. It would be the easiest thing in the world. 

But I knew a bit of wordplay wouldn’t save Saikawa. 

It had been three years since her parents had died. For three years, she’d done everything she could to keep working as an idol and stay in front of her fans—and still, here she was, holding a gun. 

Words weren’t what she needed. 

Then what did she need? 

What could save Saikawa? 

What did she want most, right now? 

It was… It was— 

“Hey—once we got all this cleared up, the two of us were planning to go to the beach.” 

The voice started behind me, but it gradually came up beside me. 

“Would you like to come with us?” 

The suggestion seemed like the last thing we’d need right now in the midst of this tension. 

Saikawa and I had guns pointed at each other’s foreheads. Who the hell would talk about going to the beach? 

What a detective needs is absolute logic, and occasionally force. 

That was how Siesta and I had lived for those three years. We’d fought our way through. 

But Natsunagi wasn’t like that. 

Her essence was—passion. 

That was her only weapon—but it was also her strength. 

Saikawa stood there with her mouth open, having forgotten both that she was an idol and that she had a gun trained on someone, while Natsunagi went on. 

“What I mean is…would you be our friend? That’s what I’m trying to say.” 

The brilliant smile Natsunagi gave to Saikawa would put any idol in the world to shame. 

“…How can you say that?” The muzzle of Saikawa’s pistol was trembling. “You do understand that I tried to kill both of you, don’t you?” 

“It’s all right,” said Natsunagi. “We don’t die that easily.” 

“And I was deceiving you the whole time…,” said Saikawa. 

“Well, you’re an idol singer. Isn’t that your job?” 

“—! That’s not a real argument.” 

“You’re right. I tried to deceive you, too, just now. That means we’re even.” 

“…You’re shameless.” 

“I sure am. So would you accept my shamelessly selfish request?” Insisting that this was merely something she personally wanted, Natsunagi gently held out a hand to Saikawa. 

Neither I nor Siesta could ever have done it that way. 

“That’s weird, Miss Natsunagi… It’s—it’s just…” 

“Really? I’m sure being friends with weird people is fun. I discovered that myself recently.” 

Why did you look at me when you said that, Natsunagi? If anyone’s weird here, it’s you, all right? 

“Even… Even if we were friends…it wouldn’t fix anything. And I’d end up causing you all sorts of extra trouble.” 

“I don’t think that’s true.” 

“Huh? Oh—” 

Saikawa’s trembling had given me a momentary opening, so I took the opportunity to snatch the gun out of her hand. 

“Saikawa. You said they were after you, but they’re after me, too. Don’t think of it as ‘trouble.’ We’re both targets. It would be more convenient to team up.” 

It was true. Natsunagi’s suggestion had sounded ridiculous at first, but I wouldn’t have reached that conclusion without her. 

If the three of us fought one another, we’d be playing right into the enemy’s hands. Instead, we should unite against our common enemy. 

I had those three years’ worth of experience, which had stuck with me whether I wanted it to or not; Natsunagi had her heart, with its ultimate courage and DNA; and Saikawa had a left eye that saw through everything. We could supplement one another in a lot of ways. 

“Then…you’ll help me?” 

“Yes, we will. So you help us, too, Saikawa.” 

Sorry—I didn’t see it coming, but my life’s in danger, too. 

Just ten days ago, my life had been so tepid, and yet once I met Natsunagi…and reunited with my former partner…just look at the mess I was in. My trouble magnetism wasn’t improving; it was getting worse by the year. 

It looked as if I was going to have to fight SPES yet again. 

To do that, I needed more people and power than I had now. And so— 

“Saikawa, I want you to join us.” 

And in answer to our simple, plain, naive, intuitive, instinctive attempt to talk her around, Saikawa said— 

“—Yes. I’d love to.” 

I’m positive that innocent smile didn’t belong to Yui Saikawa the idol. 

Right then, she was just a fourteen-year-old girl. 

 Because you said “Let’s go to the beach” 

A little over a week after Saikawa’s big concert, school let out for summer vacation. 

The long (and timely) break was the perfect opportunity for making good on the promise I’d exchanged with Natsunagi and Saikawa. I assumed we’d be going to a beach somewhere nearby, but… 

“We’re off to the Aegean!” 

“That’s way too ambitious!” 

As the girls cheered and punched the air, psyching themselves up, I was compelled to point out how absurd this was. 

“Saikawa, look. Yes, Natsunagi and I suggested that the three of us go to the beach, but how did that turn into an eight-day trip on a boat? What exactly are you imagining when you talk about going to the beach?” 

In Japan, you’d usually think of Izu or Shounan or somewhere like that. Why had she jumped to Europe and the Mediterranean…? 

Meanwhile, Yui Saikawa—who was wearing a white dress and a big straw hat—just seemed puzzled. 

“Huh? But you said we should go, Kimizuka. Besides, the ship’s already sailed, so no need to keep harping on it, all right?” 

…It was exactly as she said. 

We were already out on the ocean, rocked by the waves. The three of us were standing on the deck of a cruise ship, gazing at the receding Japanese archipelago. 

“Hear, hear. Nobody likes wishy-washy guys.” Natsunagi slipped off her sunglasses and shot me a belligerent look. She was wearing shorts and a baggy T-shirt. Were the spaghetti straps I could see on her shoulders underwear or a swimsuit? Either way, that look was perfect for her. “Anyway. I’ve never been on a cruise ship, either, so I’m really looking forward to this. Thanks, Yui.” 

The smile Natsunagi gave Saikawa was the sort she only rarely gave me. After that incident, these two had gotten really close. 

“No, no, it’s the least I can do to, um, make amends. I can’t do much more than this.” 

She wanted to make amends for putting our lives in danger. Of course, an all-expenses-paid invitation to an ocean voyage on a glamorous cruise ship wasn’t enough to make up for that. Saikawa knew it, too. And so— 

“You’re going to fight SPES with us. As long as you do that, I’ll have no complaints.” 

That had been the promise we’d made—the alliance we’d formed as people whose lives were under threat from the same group. 

“Yes, of course. I’ll do anything I can.” 

It felt like both of Saikawa’s eyes were gazing right at me—her large, round black one and the sapphire one under her eye patch. 

“What’s the matter, Kimizuka? Why are you staring at my eyes? …Ohhh, I know. I’ve figured it out. Yui-nya’s got you for real this time, huh? Well, well, Kimizuka… Heh-heh!” Saikawa folded her arms, nodding away. 

Watching this so very genuine, so very simple girl— 

“You sure are cute.” 

—I went and said it. 

“Heh-heh! …Heh-heh, heh…heh?” 

At that, Saikawa’s proud chuckling ground to a halt. Before long, the upturned corners of her mouth began to twitch uncertainly, and for some reason, her cheeks turned red. 

“…U-um. I—I wish you’d be a little more subtle about these things, thank you…” 

“Hey, idol, your tolerance should be way higher than that.” 

So she could dish it out, but she couldn’t take it. I’d gotten a glimpse of another side of her—one I didn’t really need to know about. 

“Time out!” 

The next instant, a hand chopped down between Saikawa and me. 

“Watch it! Geez, Natsunagi, what was that for?” 

“…That was getting a little too rom-and-com for me.” 

“ ‘Rom-and-com’?” 

“Never mind! I have something serious to discuss!” Giving a cute little snort of disdain, Natsunagi folded her arms over her chest. “Why did that SPES group make contact with Yui now? Seems a little late for that, don’t you think?” 

“Oh, yes, true,” said Saikawa. “That’s a good question.” 

Natsunagi looked at Saikawa, and Saikawa looked at me, tilting her head. 

“Why now? Well, I mean…” I was about to say That’s completely obvious, then thought better of it. 

…Yes, come to think of it, it was odd. 

Saikawa had said she’d gotten that left eye six years ago. If SPES’s goal had really been to destroy it, it wouldn’t have been strange for them to act sooner… So why had they chosen to do it now? 

And Saikawa wasn’t the only problem. 

Why had SPES waited to start coming after me again? 

Over the past year, after Siesta’s death, they hadn’t shown the slightest bit of interest in me. They’d made the call that they had no time to bother with a lowly, nameless assistant (ouch), so why was I being targeted again now, a year later? 

That train of thought naturally led me to a certain deduction. 

“…Oh!” Natsunagi gave a small cry, as if she’d realized something. 

She might have come to the same conclusion through the process of elimination. 

In which case… 

“I dunno. There’s no telling what goes on in the minds of those lunatics.” Giving a faint smile, I punted Natsunagi’s unease off the field. 

“…You think?” 

“Yeah.” 

After all, this was just a deduction—no more than a theory. I was sure it wasn’t the truth. 

What if SPES’s true target wasn’t Saikawa or me, but Natsunagi, who had Siesta’s heart? Or what if they started getting worried after learning she’d made contact with Siesta’s former assistant? 

No, that couldn’t be it. It shouldn’t be. 

It was wrong for Natsunagi’s life to be destroyed over this. 

“Well, we’ll just have to accept that we have a big evil organization after us and figure out how to deal.” That’s why I said something meaningless to end the conversation. 

But in point of fact, whatever the reason was, after the Saikawa incident, we were definitely even higher on the “wanted” list than before. The enemy hadn’t shown themselves directly; they’d probably still been watching and waiting—but the upshot was that we’d issued a full declaration of war. 

The day when I’d have to haul myself out of my tepid life was here. 

“Um, so they’re hunting for us right now, and we’re taking a laid-back cruise…” Natsunagi struck a playful pose. Guess my diplomacy was enough for her. 

“Don’t go there, Natsunagi.” 

Still, I got the feeling this was actually the right move. After all, it had worked four years ago. 

Back then, Siesta and I had hightailed it out of Japan, leaving on an unforgettable journey with no clear destination. This was probably a reenactment of that day: preordained fate. 

“Well, ideally, nothing happens,” I murmured, and the words drifted away on the sea wind. 

No, I know. Really. I know. After all these different coincidences piling up, something was going to happen. We couldn’t possibly get off this easy. 

Almost immediately, it became obvious that my premonition was correct. 

“—Kimizuka?” 

Suddenly, someone called to me, and I turned. 

Standing there was… 

“Charlie…?” 

Her natural blond hair streamed in the salt wind, and her neat, clearly European features made even her surprise look beautiful. 

“…It’s been a year, hasn’t it?” I said. 

“Yes. It has.” 

We gazed at each other, our expressions hard. 

“Kimizuka, is this a friend of yours?” Natsunagi looked perplexed. 

“Yeah, Charlie is my… our old comrade.” 

Charlotte Arisaka Anderson had worshipped the deceased Siesta—and had been her apprentice.