Chapter 62
[You asked about the circumstances of Ibuki Yuko’s death, and Ichinose Shiori told you that the girl drowned in the river in front of the nearby subway entrance before dawn today.]
A memory scene appears.
It’s March, and the temperature has risen quite a bit since the winter break, but it still can’t be called warm, especially at night.
Minami Yuuki stepped back a couple of paces, allowing Ichinose Shiori to enter the room and poured her a cup of hot tea.
Outside, the night was deep. It was already nine in the evening, and Minami Yuuki was relieved that Chitose Kazumi hadn’t stayed overnight; this conversation would have been unavoidable with her around.
Ichinose Shiori took a sip of the steaming tea. She looked exhausted, her usual straight posture now slumped as she sat crookedly on the carpet.
She added, “I don’t know if it was suicide or an accident. She went out shopping yesterday afternoon and then disappeared. I had people search the area but couldn’t find her. We searched near this apartment building and finally, at dawn, found her hat floating on the water and retrieved her body.”
Minami Yuuki sat down next to Ichinose Shiori. He was very familiar with the river she mentioned; in another month, the cherry blossoms along the riverbank would be in full bloom.
He thought of Ibuki Yuko’s appearance, imagining that doll-like girl floating in the river between rows of cherry trees. What expressions would the tourists have next month when they see the cherry petals floating on the river?