Chapter 86

"I understand! I understand! I just have to admit my guilt, right!"

Misora took her shoes and moved to the center of the stage. Then, spitting as she spoke, she threw the shoe toward Detective Chikage in the audience.

Detective Chikage and Detective Akaba peered at the soles of the shoe she had caught.

"Detective Akaba. There it is. The complete proof that Misora was planning to commit murder."

Because Detective Akaba had picked it up, she let out a startled "Hyeh!?" It seemed she had accidentally activated the device's switch.

"Yes, just as Chikage-chan and the SNS followers said, something electrical... If the victim had tried to come down the ladder, she might reflexively grab the ladder and fall, right?"

Even the president ran over and began explaining the evidence.

"Ah, this looks like a modified part of a 'tingle pen.' I've used one before."

Hearing his explanation, Detective Chikage responded, "I'm curious what you used it for, so I'll ask you later," and looked back up at Misora's face.

Misora raised her hand and began to speak in a loud voice that reached even the surrounding officers.

"Everyone, are you watching—? Okay—? Since I've been cornered by the detective, should I talk about my motive like in a drama?"

Detective Chikage voiced the motive she had deduced.

"That's about the idol activities, isn't it?"

"Yes. That's right. Because of that girl, more and more extreme fans kept appearing. I was so troubled...! Anyone I didn't like, I'd bully out of the concert venue using my fans. I even had them chant 'Go home.'"

"Really?"

"Yes, really. At first, she acted all cute—no, wearing a mask—saying we should do idol work together. But her true face was different. She was a demon who wanted to gain power by using me however she liked!"

"...Such..."

"I wanted to do idol activities purely! I just wanted to have fun with her... But that dream couldn't come true. I could have quit... but all that would've remained was regret... thinking that only she would keep standing out from now on... So I planned it. I thought if that girl died, maybe I'd have no more regrets."

Detective Chikage, having drawn out the information, hung her head. For her, hearing the malice of a friend she didn't want to hear was nothing short of a nightmare.

The back of the mask that Reira-san had hidden. Seeing it, she seemed deeply shocked.

Misora threw words at Detective Chikage.

"Detective, Officer, the rest is in my smartphone. Maybe that can serve as evidence too..."

It was shocking. I saw it. A face I didn't want to see. The true face of a person who had been adorned with a mask until now.

I can't take it anymore.

Behind the black backdrop, hiding, is the horizon backdrop.

He begins to move.

"Enough with the rambling... too bad. I never thought you'd commit such a crime. I liked you, you know."

While saying that to Misora, he loosened the corners of his mouth.

Misora didn't notice that subtle discomfort and responded to him.

"Too bad. The one I like is myself. There's no way I'd know anything about you."

"Is that so? Me too. Actually, I didn't like you that much."

"Eh?"

"Threats to the stage, arson, and murder... you can't escape. You'll probably get the death penalty, won't you?"

"Huh... eh, threats? Arson? I did set the arrow-launching device to burn, but I never imagined it would burn that much..."

"Well, save your excuses for the station. You'll also be questioned for attempted murder against Professor Shishido, myself, and others. I'm looking forward to the verdict."

"You're acting weird, you know?"

After being told that, he smiled at us as if he were a different person.

"Ah... it's nothing. My friend was killed, so I seem to have gone a little crazy... emotionally unstable, I guess."

Hearing those words, Detective Chikage widened her eyes and asked me.

"Hey... come to think of it, what was the deal with the threat letter written entirely in hiragana? My current reasoning couldn't make sense of that part, you know!?"

"Eh... I skipped the part about the threat letter and presented my reasoning about this murder case."

"So, what about it? Do you understand the reason?"

"...No."

I lied. I instinctively protected him. Because I was scared.

I was terrified of someone precious being treated as a culprit. The thought of them being erased as a criminal made my hair stand on end, far beyond goosebumps.

Detective Chikage, dull to that lie, decided to leave the reasoning to Miiko instead of me.

"That's right! Maybe she'll give us a hint... the livestream is starting now... maybe something in it will be a clue."

She launched the app on her smartphone and let Miiko's voice echo. Every time I heard Detective Chikage or Miiko's voice, my heart stirred.

"It's almost time for the story. Today, we'll talk about the human relationships that unfolded on the drama stage."

Ridiculous. Miiko could never touch the darkness I carry.

I turned away, neither looking at nor listening to Detective Chikage's smartphone. I just turned back and covered my ears.

"Wait, Hyoga-kun! Aren't you going to listen!?"

"That's... fine. Listening won't change anything!"

At the same time as my grumbling, Misora screamed. She began asserting her innocence to Detective Akaba.

"I committed murder, but I know nothing about the threats! Doesn't that seem strange!? If they'd stopped the stage performance, this murder couldn't have happened! There's no way I'd do that!"

"Um, what in the world do you mean?"

Even though the reasoning show had ended. Even though the culprit, Misora, had admitted to the murder, the stage remained in a state of confusion.

A cold and painful atmosphere. Even the president was losing his bearings.

"Wh-what does this mean? Wasn't the murder case solved? Or is it simply... that a prankster and a murderer just happened to be there together...?"

I told him that. My mouth had moved on its own.

"The murder case isn't over yet!"

I immediately shut my mouth, but it was too late. The president demanded, "What do you mean!?" At the same time, Detective Chikage and the other suspects couldn't hide their interest.

This time, I was the one being watched.

They thought someone as selfish as me would present a deduction. I, who had sternly believed that "anyone could become a culprit, personal feelings must be kept out of the investigation," especially when it came to people's families or loved ones. Now I was hesitating.

I'm the worst.

In the end, I began to deny the truth.

"If we know the culprit, the truth doesn't matter to anyone, right?"

After a brief silence, one more word. The truth that had lodged itself within me took control of my mouth on its own.

"But... I'll say it... Senior Kiriyama! You killed Reira-san! This is the truth!"