【027】Overview

【Hayama Takehiko】

“Nakano Nanaka’s mother passed away when she was seven years old…”

In investigating Nakano Nanaka, I’ve noticed something.

There’s extremely little information about Nakano Nanaka. It almost seems intentionally concealed.

Little by little. I can only learn about Nakano Nanaka little by little.

Nakano Nanaka’s mother’s name was Nanase.

Nanase earned money through night work to make ends meet. She was a single mother, and Nakano Nanaka was often alone.

Perhaps there was also attachment disorder.

But that alone isn’t the issue.

I looked at my phone.

One message. From Takahashi-san.

Normally, asking a civilian for cooperation would be unthinkable, but I want to catch the culprit even if it means breaking taboos. I want to honor Inoue’s will.

Takahashi-san’s message was about who to make an ally.

Her ally… seems to be Satou Akane.

I see, a reasonable decision.

Takahashi-san… is smart.

I should advance the investigation to the next stage too.

Information about Nakano Nanaka can only be gathered little by little.

Then I’ll approach from a different angle.

That’s how I ended up at Akigaoka Academy.

Right now, Nakano Nanaka’s class is away at the study camp. This is a good opportunity.

After checking in at the reception, a staff member who appeared to be in his late sixties guided me to the old school building.

According to Takahashi-san, someone witnessed them at the old school building.

Then there might be some clue at the old school building.

The old school building was wooden, and it creaked with every step.

“The old school building is scheduled to be demolished in two years.”

The staff member said.

His name was Shimizu-san. He apparently used to teach at Akigaoka.

He spoke nostalgically.

I went through the old school building, but found nothing particularly noteworthy. That makes sense. Even if Nakano Nanaka called Tanaka Akio here, the place where she killed him might be somewhere else.

Or it’s been concealed…

I don’t want to think about it, but.

“…Detective. Are you pursuing Tanaka-sensei’s case?”

Shimizu-san asked.

“Sorry, I’m bound by confidentiality, so I can’t answer that.”

What confidentiality at this point?

When I’m telling high school girls about it.

I thought ironically.

Shimizu-san sighed at my words.

“Akigaoka has always been a school with many problems. I wonder if students who can study well accumulate stress? I often warned them. Even around town, people ridiculed it as a school where students can only study.”

Shimizu-san’s words had weight.

I naturally listened to his story.

“Even so, there was pride. That’s what I believed. Can only study? Being able to study is better than not. Study is a person’s asset. High schoolers are at such a sensitive age. It’s natural to have a problem or two. We teachers were overconfident. …And then the problem happened. A scandal that spread to the world.”

“A scandal…”

I’ve been hearing that word a lot lately. As if being guided toward it.

Come to think of it, Inoue was concerned about it too.

“Is that about the incident where a female student at your school was raped?”

At my words, Shimizu-san nodded.

“You know it well… well, of course a detective would know. In our area, only the notoriety spread. Now, Akigaoka is working on improving its image through volunteer activities, greeting campaigns, and study camps. …But from my perspective, knowing the old Akigaoka… —The current Akigaoka is terribly pathetic.”

Ah, this person.

He loved the old Akigaoka.

Even if reviled, he held pride and valued it. He’s genuinely saddened by the current Akigaoka.

“Um, Shimizu-san.”

“Yes?”

“I know this is rude, but I have a request. The records from that rape case. They’re stored at the school, right? Could I see them?”

“…Does that have something to do with the case?”

“That’s… I don’t know.”

That was all I could answer.

After a brief silence, Shimizu-san said.

“Normally, it’s prohibited to anyone except those involved, but understood. I’ll show it to you under my name.”

“…! Thank you so much!!”

Shimizu-san went back once to get the documents.

When I looked out the window, the sky had darkened.

I could see students leaving through the school gate after club activities.

“…Pride, huh?”

Do I have pride?

Even now, I’m acting alone within the organization. If discovered, punishment is certain.

Yet I’m still moving. For Inoue.

No, is it really for Inoue?

Isn’t that just a justification?

Am I just trying to get revenge on the culprit?

I have no pride.

I just have ugly, murky determination.

“Detective, sorry for the wait.”

Shimizu-san returned in about ten minutes.

He held a thick clear file in his hands.

“This is it.”

“…Let me see.”

I received the clear file and opened it.

□ Female Student Rape Case Overview

“XX Newspaper Clipping”

The location was the preparation room next to the art room in the new school building, which was three years old. It was also once the clubroom for a club called the Science Research Club. For such a minor club, membership consistently exceeded nearly twenty people each year. Occasionally, alumni were also seen. But in reality, it was an organization that lured female students recruited as members and forcibly committed sexual assault. The methods were uniform: under the guise of welcoming new members, they would casually swap drinks with alcohol or administer sleeping pills. After the sexual assault, they would use it as blackmail against the female students. This can only be called the worst kind of evil. In this incident, the victim was a female student from Akigaoka Academy. As a result, the female student withdrew from school due to shock.

“School Investigation Documents”

The ringleader of this incident was A, an Akigaoka alumnus. Other Akigaoka students are also believed to be involved in the incident. They will face severe punishment—expulsion. The number of victims reaches twelve. However, it was discovered that only one student actually received sexual assault, while the rest had escaped. The victim, female student Ayase Nanase, withdrew mid-term due to the shock of the incident. The name of the police officer in charge at the time was—

【Hayama Takehiko】

Thud.

I dropped the clear file.

“D-detective…?”

My body was trembling.

Ayase, Nanase…?

That’s right. I’m sure the name Nanase was.

No, more than that.

Is this a coincidence?

Could such a thing be possible?

I knew the name of the detective who handled this rape case.

Noyama Shigeru.

Chief Noyama knew Nanase?

Is this a coincidence?