The Eccentric, the Beauty, and the Detective: Kiriki Junka's Mystery Log Volume 1 Chapter 20

“Koshi-kun is prideful. He called Mashimkun and Kaharkun to that junction on that day. Then he most likely asked for something absurd, perhaps a large sum of money. That then caused Mashimkun and Kaharkun to snap. In a one on one, Koshi-kun would destroy them, but there were two of them there, and he had the disadvantage of letting his guard down and assuming they would never oppose him. Unfortunately for Koshi-kun, the two picked him up, and cast him down.”

I was impressed.

“I get it. So Koshi’s too proud to admit that those whose humanity he had trampled were able to counter attack…”

“That’s it. To think that Mashimkun and Koshi-kun, two who should be far below him, were able to get him is probably embarrassing enough to die.”

“Sounds right, that has to be it!” said Hinata with great conviction, “As expected of you, Kiriki-san!”

Junka’s nose lengthened about 30 centimeters with pride. Is he Pinocchio now?

“So, everything's settled, and it’ll be okay to tell Kitakami-sensei that Mashimkun and Kaharkun are the culprits?”

“That’s fine, but don’t make me the authority, make it the detective association.”

I thought it a strange thing to be so prudent over, but it was fine, I supposed.

The incident had been settled.

The following day, however, things took an unexpected turn.

As we were about to make our way home from school, Hinata came in, her face the image of bewilderment. Clearly, something beyond expectations had occurred.

“What happened?”

Junka, as expected, hadn’t hidden his concern. Nao and I pulled up some chairs beside him. Hinata opened her mouth with difficulty.

“When I talked to Kitakami-sensei over the phone last night, and told him the detective association’s opinion —namely that the two who fled the scene were Mashimkun and Kaharkun— and he made careful note of what you thought, Kiriki-san. He told me that he’d check with Mashima and Kahara tomorrow.”

I nodded. It seemed natural to me.

“So at lunch he called them to the staff room to be questioned by the police. He apparently told them he wouldn’t get angry, and asked for the truth: if it was true that they had caused the incident.”

Mnhm.

“That was when they confirmed that they had been at the scene. Kitakami-sensei was able to confirm that the conclusion of the detective association, well, Kiriki-san, was correct.”

Junka smiled, “That’s what I thought… but why then are you making such a face?”

Hinata shook her head.

“The story isn’t over. The two of them unanimously declared that there was more.”

Junka, Nao and I all waited with bated breath.

Hinata continued, “Here’s what they said. ‘Takada Satoshi did it. He wanted to punish Koshi-kun, and then he ran off.’ When further questioned, they claimed not to know anything else.”

Takada Satoshi?

There was no such name found in the directory of my memory. Looking at Junka showed how he had managed to stuff a mechanical pencil in each nostril during the confusion. Is he retarded?

“Takada Satoshi, eh? Just who could he be?”

“No such guy was there,” I recalled, “From what I saw, only two fled the scene. Was one of them Takada Satoshi?”

Junka sullenly raised his hands.

“No clue.”

“Did Takada defenestrate Koshi, even though he’s so good at fighting?”

“I haven’t a clue.”

“Also, then, the numbers don’t match up. If Mashima and Kahara were both on the scene, and they were the two I saw, just where did this Takada guy run off to?”

“I give up.”

Clearly disheartened, only words of self doubt flowed from Junka. Even losing a massive cardhouse right before completion wouldn’t lead to such a defeated expression.

“There must be a trick to this case. Something like that doesn’t seem to be about to come to light, though.”

Junka leaned against the back of his chair and looked at the ceiling with a light sigh.

“First we need to look into whether or not this school has anyone by the name of Takada Satoshi attending. Recently, all the work has been done by you, Tatsuno-san, so if we don’t do something this time, it’ll be unfair.”

“So,” responded Nao, “I’ll head to the staff room and have a look at the school roster.”

Junka shot her a look, “They won’t let you look at it that easily.”

Nao struck her chest.

“I’m going to tell them that ‘Takadsan, who used to look out for me a lot, has a little brother who apparently enrolled in the school, and I’d like to look him up.’ How’s that?”

Junka looked impressed.

“That’s it. After all, compared to us, you’re much more popular, Iidsan. You’re even trusted by the teachers, so please take care of it.”

“Leave it to me!”

Nao was enthusiastic for her turn to come once more.

I was troubled over the choice between mother and father. I had to make a decision already.

My father had fed me, and my mother had raised me. The day had arrived when I had to choose between two roads marred with unutterable suffering, but which should I choose? The worries were unending.

The best option would be for them to cancel the divorce. Ideally, they could go back to a normal everyday life, but that dream was already finished. I had heard that they already handed in their official divorce papers.

“Don’t worry, Rouji. I won’t make it hard on you. If you go with your mother, I’ll make sure you have your living expenses. It’s fine for you to make the choice simply and freely. Your mother and I don’t want you to hold back.”

My father had spoken as he ate his usual leafy sandwich. I really treasured such breakfast scenes. I sipped my instant soup.

“Who’s going to leave the house?”

My mother placed a plate of wieners on the table.

“Your father. I’ll inherit the house.”

I took my fork, skewered a wiener, and stuffed it in my mouth.

“Where are you going, Dad?”

“Tokyo.”

I shuddered. How could I live in that megalopolis?

“It’s a little exciting, isn’t it, Rouji.”

My brother let slip a chuckle. He’d already graduated highschool, and was working part-time, so moving would be easy for him.

Tokyo, eh? Tokyo… I imagined childishly the tall buildings packed closely together and how their shadows stretched far in the light of the sun. The only thing in my mind, that old phrase: concrete jungle. Tokyo, eh? I did want to go…

The next week, on the 22nd of May, Junka and I went to school a little earlier than usual to hear Nao and Hinata’s reports on Takada Satoshi.

Hinata was busy with the newspaper club, so she couldn’t come to class 3. In her place was a notebook held in one of Nao’s hands.

“We learned quite a lot about this Takada Satoshi-kun.”

Junka licked his lips and ravenously flew forward.

“Do tell, Iidsan.”

“Right-o. Here it is: firstly, Takada Satoshi does exist. He’s in class 1, 2, and you write his name like this.”

Nao pointed to the margin of the notebook where Takada Satoshi was written.

Translator's Note:

Fun fact: trump means playing cards in Japanese, and a house of cards is a “trump tower.” Googling it in Japanese will get you images of both expensive high rises, and little tiny card houses… not that there aren’t some impressive card houses, and not that a house of cards isn’t a fitting metaphor for any large corporation.

Also, up until this point, Takada Satoshi’s name has been written phonetically instead of with the Chinese characters. Obviously, this is because our characters had only heard his name, and so didn’t know how it was written. If we’d started with it written normally, it’d be as unnatural as when you’re playing a video game and somebody introduces himself, but you already knew his name because it was written over his head, or on the dialogue box or something.

タカダサトシ (Takada Satoshi- phonetic)
高田聡 (Takada Satoshi – the Chinese characters)

Editor’s Note:

Things are getting interesting~

Chapter end