Waking Up Engaged to a Cool Yandere Beauty: My Wild Journey with a Love-Obsessed Senior - Episode 33: The Drowsy Detective and Friend A, Part 3

Episode 33: The Drowsy Detective and Friend A, Part 3

“Falcons are born to kites. Of course, I’ve never actually seen such a phenomenon. But the moment I first heard that phrase, I understood its meaning without anyone needing to explain. Because I, as a person, am a falcon, and my parents… were kites.”

The alarm rang, right next to my left ear.

“…Ugh, so bright.” My neck hurt. So did my back. Everything felt stiff and sore. My head was foggy, and I couldn’t quite grasp the situation.

“Zzz, snooore…” “…”Ah, I think I’m starting to understand.

Apparently, I’d fallen asleep slumped over the table in the living room. And in front of me, snoring peacefully in a similar position, was Utakata.

In a way, you could call this a “morning-after” situation, though the mess of Nokémon cards scattered across the table was more eye-catching.

“…Looks like we lost a duel to the death here.” It was kind of funny, but it was already 6:30 AM. Time for my morning routine.

“Utakata-san, let’s get you back to your room.”

“Snoooore.” I’ll take that as agreement. I wasn’t sure, but it was probably best to move her to a bed.

On my way to put her in her room, I grabbed a change of clothes.

After changing into sweat-wicking workout gear, I strapped my smartphone into an armband and secured it to my upper arm. Locking up the house, I stepped outside.

The morning air was as cool as a summer riverside, and the mixed sounds of a waking city felt oddly comforting.

I didn’t dislike running. In fact, I think I liked living according to some routine or rhythm.

It made me feel… normal, at least for a while.

“…Hmm?” About thirty minutes into my run, my phone vibrated.

I barely have any contacts, and no one I know would call me this early.

“Hello?” “Isaka?! I need to ask you something!!”

A high-pitched voice that made my ears ring. It was Utakata. I don’t remember giving her my number, though.

“What is it?” “Am I still… a virgin!?” “…Excuse me?”

Was she half-asleep? That’s the only explanation I could think of.

“I mean, I woke up in a strange bed! Nothing happened, right?! I didn’t… cross the finish line, did I?!”

“Oh, that’s what this is about.” Apparently, moving her to a bed had caused some misunderstanding.

“If you were a virgin yesterday, then you still are today. I’m not the kind of creep who’d lay hands on a childlike girl.”

“Who are you calling childlike?!” “You know exactly who I mean, childlike girl.”

“Ugh, forget it! Where are you right now?!” “Out running. Heading back now.”

I hadn’t yet run my usual distance, but it seemed like this couldn’t wait.

When I opened the door and walked into the living room, Utakata was sitting at the table, frowning as she sorted through the Nokémon cards.

“Oh, Isaka. Welcome back.” “Your mood seems better now.”

“Not better, just… I cooled down and figured things out, Watson.”

“I don’t recall agreeing to be your assistant.” Sweat was starting to cool on my skin, and it felt gross. I should shower soon.

I poured water from a bottle into a glass and downed it in one go.

“Hey, Isaka.” Her voice suddenly turned serious.

“What is it?” “What’s your goal?”

The air felt charged, like it had tightened. Her question carried the sharpness of someone interrogating a criminal.

“My goal? I don’t have one. I just want to live my life, day by day.”

“…I watched you yesterday, and I’ve realized something.” “Really? What’s that?”

I was curious to see what she’d deduced this time.

“That… you experienced some kind of major trauma in your childhood, or maybe even earlier. You’re still haunted by it, and as a result, you don’t take much interest in other people. Am I wrong?”

“Wow, you’re amazing!” She really was. How could she figure all that out in just a day?

“Looks like I hit the mark. No wonder you’re so intriguing to me.”

“…What do you mean by that?” “We’re similar, you and I. Strangely so.”

“Me and you? That’s an interesting theory.” “That’s why I want to ask you something.”

She stood up and walked right up to me. “How do you see other people? To me, they all look like kites. Family, friends, everyone.”

“…I see.” “Is it the same for you? I’m a kite, but… what do I look like to you?”

“…I have no idea what you’re talking about.” “Don’t play dumb. I’m…”

At that moment, her phone rang.

“Aren’t you going to answer that? It’s rude to keep someone waiting.”

“…I’ll answer.”

She adjusted her expression into a mask of composure before taking the call.

“Yes, this is Utakata. …I see. A case, then. Very well, come to the clubroom at 11. See you then. Isaka, you’re coming too.”

“What? Why?” “If you’re going to be my assistant, you’ll need some experience.”

“I never said I was your assistant.”Even when classes are canceled, the school is open. Professors are mostly busy with exam-related work and rarely show up, but students are still around.

“Alright, our client should arrive soon. Ready, Isaka?” “No, not ready. Not even close.”

The place was a mess. Dust piled on the floor, and empty snack wrappers, and card pack packaging littered the desks. I sighed and started sweeping.

Do they even clean here regularly? The last few times I visited, it seemed tidy enough.

“…Excuse me, is Utakata-san here?” A voice accompanied a knock at the door.

“I’m here. Come in.”

“Excuse me.”

The door opened, revealing a young woman with brown hair tied back.

Her eyes roamed the room with curiosity before landing on me.

“Oh, um… who is this?” “Oh, that’s my assistant. Please, have a seat. Tea, perhaps?”

“Yes, thank you.” “Got it. …Isaka.”

“You want me to make the tea, right? Fine.”

With steam rising from two cups of tea, the client began speaking hesitantly.

Utakata and the client sat in chairs while I stood slightly behind Utakata. “My best friend might get expelled.”

“Oh? That’s troubling. What happened?” “Well, nothing, really… she didn’t do anything. But…”

She looked down, clearly struggling to find the right words. “You know Associate Professor Kariya?”

“Yes, I know him.” “She was… dating him. I don’t know all the details, but this morning, she said she’s going to quit school.”

“…I see.” The pieces fit together. Utakata must have reached the same conclusion as me.

Most likely, this “friend” was the girl I saw recently.

“So, can you do something? I can’t believe she’d say something like that of her own free will!”

“I understand. I’ll trust your words.” “Really?!”

“Of course. As a detective, I’ll take on this case.” The woman thanked us profusely, bowing deeply several times before leaving the clubroom.

I cleaned up the empty cups while Utakata watched me intently.

“What do you think?””…I’ve got no clue. What could’ve happened, I wonder.”

“Terrible liar. After peeking at Kariya’s phone the other day, you’ve already figured out what happened to her friend, haven’t you?”

Well, there’s no fooling her. “She was blackmailed, right? If the school found out he was involved with a student, it’d be a scandal. So he probably used photos or videos to force her to quit. Typical, isn’t it?”

“Indeed. I think it’s something along those lines. Now, how do you feel about it?”

“Huh? What do you mean?” “What emotions does this case stir in you? Disgust? Anger toward Kariya? Or something else?”

Ah, so she was probing me again. “Honestly, nothing. I feel nothing. This friend of hers has nothing to do with me. I’m not some do-gooder like you, solving cases out of a sense of justice.”

So, to put it plainly:”I couldn’t care less. That’s my honest feeling.” The moment I said that, her hand reached up and gently patted my hair.

“That’s… a sad thing. Truly.” Looking up at her soft expression, for the first time, I thought Ut