Chapter 35.5 : People's person

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Yu here. It's peaceful without maou-sama around. Don't get me wrong it's not that it's bad having Akira-san around or anything of the sort. It's just that without him, the world seems peaceful in comparison.

Yesterday Night, like the rainy nights before, I stared into the TV. and Like how the urban legend described it, there's someone in the midnight channel, all thought it's just a silhouette there's no doubt that man is Kanji Tatsumi. So today I've gathered the gang to talk about it. We're meeting at our 'base'.

"What kind of super secret society has their meeting in Junes? At least we could find somewhere cooler! Right Yukiko?"

It was Chie who sounded her opinion first.

"If you had a better place you could tell us now so we can move. Otherwise here's the best place in town, the crowds are plenty, the sittings are nice, no one would care about our discussion."

Yosuke had a point there, what's this? His intelligence is actually going up? Good work Saki-san.

"Anyway, we're here to discuss what we saw yesterday night." - Saki said bringing the bickering to an end.

"Saki-san's right, you all saw it didn't you?" - I said.

"Yeah." - 4x

"So who do you think is it?" - Asked Yosuke.

"It's Kanji Tatsumi, did you watch the news lately?" - Yukiko said with a matter of fact tone.

"No! Who has time for news? I'm still trying to pass my remedial tests." - Yosuke, I take back my earlier assessment, it seems that the road is still far and rocky. I pity Saki-san having to keep up with Yosuke almost everyday.

Speaking of Yosuke and Saki, both of them haven't started dating, but Yosuke has certainly got his thoughts across, which Saki mercilessly rejects stating they don't even know each other. I agree with her, you can't just fall in love with someone just because of how she looks and treat you, you need to get to know her as a person, her likes, dislikes, and even her habits, if ane-sama's word is anything to go by.

"So, what do you think Yu?" - Asked Yosuke.

"Oh, sorry could you repeat that?"

"Well, you do look like you've been thinking hard about something. *sigh* anyway we've been talking about how to handle this, Yukiko says that we should try and stalk his house, while Chie's idea is to tail him, what do you think Leader?"

Hmmm... Leader? Oh yeah they did try to push that title to me, I don't mind. Both Chie's and Yukiko's idea is great but the question is won't a group as big as ours get caught or look suspicious?

"We'll do both."

"Both? Oh you mean we split teams and do awesome stuff like those spy movies?" - Chie asked with excitement

"Yeah."

Although I doubt we'll do anything remotely close.

"Then how should we split up?" - asked Saki

"I'll go with Saki" - Yosuke energetically said

"No, how about we draw lots?" - Saki suggested instead shooting down Yosuke's enthusiasm

"Oh! Oh! I have an idea! Let's use popsicle sticks for it!"

And so we go with Yukiko's idea and give ourselves some much needed ice cream break.

--

I drawed, and I teamed up with Yosuke. Yosuke somehow looks down, hang in there Yosuke! So we have the privilege to tail Kanji. We said we'll tail Kanji but it's more like finding out where he is before anything else, so without any lead, in the end we all go towards Kanji's house.

Kanji's house is a textile shop. And Yukiko seems to know where it is. Surprising. We entered the shop only to be greeted by an old lady. After Yukiko's greeting it seems that she and an old lady who is Kanji's mother are acquainted. As her Inn often places orders from her. A small detail in her exchange that I heard is that her last order was the first victim's clothes.

So does the suspect really ought to eliminate everyone related to the said reporter? That's awfully twisted and to me it just seems like too much of a hassle going to eliminate everyone. But looking at it from another angle, that's also not the case, as it's not her mother that's shown, but Kanji himself. There's more in this case than it seems.

Ah, It seems that I missed much of the conversation. As I was busy thinking about the case.

"Are you alright?" - Chie asked worriedly.

"I'm just thinking." I said as I shared my little hypothesis.

"Hmmm, I see, what you say does makes sense." - Yukiko chimed in

"By the way, she said that Kanji is out with a boy in blue. How are we going to find a boy in blue in this big city." - Complains a certain young man.

"Is that them?" - I asked As I pointed towards Kanji tatsumi, and another boy around our age who wears all blue, a coat like top, blue jeans, and blue hat. He's really in all blue.

"Yup! That's him! good luck guys!"

Said the girls, as they pushed us towards kanji, and they disappeared right after. Womens huh.

"*sigh* Let's get this over with, partner."

Said Yosuke as he lets out the nth sigh of the day.

We walked closer, but seeing no cover to hide behind, I spotted a takoyaki store in the edge of my vision.

*grumble grumble*

Our covers are almost blown as we're walking closer, Yosuke's stomach betrayed him.

"Lets get that takoyaki, Yosuke"

"a-Ah Yeah!"

Save! Kanji is not suspicious, but the boy in blue is. What a blunder.

We ordered takoyaki, and sat down. As Kanji and the boy are still both talking nearby. I can hear tidbits of conversation, as it seems that the boy in blue himself is also a detective trying to solve this case. Huh, we may find ourselves another ally, it looks like he had also done his research, as his questions are what we're about to ask Kanji anyway.

The question was: is there anyone suspicious around you lately? What happened between you and the biker gang? Do you know about the midnight channel? Where were you between midnight and dawn? All those questions were asked, in which I listened in. but Kanji's answer left a lot to be desired, as he didn't notice anything wrong this week. It seems that even the biker gang's stunt was just passed off as him beating some sense into them. In my opinion Kanji is either thick skinned, dull, or has brains in his fists rather than his head. and it seems that the boy agreed as well, as he excuses himself before giving me a glare knowing I was listening in, I just say 'thank you' without a voice in my mouth, as it seems to send him in a fit. At least I thanked him.

--

"So this is where you guys are!"

It seems that Yosuke somehow 'knows' where they are, as we arrive in front of a hotpot restaurant. It seems that the lines are quite long. And Yukiko, Chie, and Saki-san are in mid queue.

"Why are you guys here while we're down in the streets tailing Kanji?"

"Calm down! This is the best hotpot in Tokyo! It just opened here! I was hoping to get a taste from last week but the queue is killing me! And this is payback, for breaking my DVD!"

Ah it seems that Chie is the kind to remember debts.

"AKH! FINE! So how long is the queue anyway? Don't tell me you've been here the whole time!?"

"..."

Guilty huh all 3 of them are silent. Well I wouldn't blame you girls, but why is it me who gets the short end of the stick. As I was starting to doubt today's a good day.

"Hey isn't that maou-sama's right hand? WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DOING MAKING HIM QUEUE!?"

I hear a familiar voice call out to my nickname. As a guy in a suit rushed towards me.

"I'm sorry white-wolf-san! Please come over here. Your friends too, I'm sorry I was not able to greet you before! "

Now everyone's looking at me. With the girls giving me unreadable faces, but my instincts are screaming at me to {RUN! RUN AND HIDE!}. Nonsense, my friend's wouldnt stab me for this now would they, especially with the bonds we've crea---

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"Thanks for the food Yu!" - 4x

I was humiliated, asked to dogeza, got my wallet stripped dry, I walked away with only my stomach happy, my mind on the other hand… Girl's are scary, they're smiling after all that. Devils. Yosuke on the other hand just gave me a thumbs up, at least helped me pay, ah, sorry, it seems you're also broke huh.

"Thank you for your patronage White Wolf!"

The guy gave me a smile as he managed to dry all my savings. It seems that he's a Yakuza from Tokyo I should ask Akira about the restaurant. But, I somehow felt empty, all my savings huh... I'm sorry Nanako. I couldn't bring you to Disneyland, wait if it's for Nanako I could ask ane-sama. Yosh, I will not let you down Nanako.

"Yu! What are you doing here?"

"Ah! Uncle, I was just eating with my friends."

Uncle scans my face. Then nods, before placing a hand in my shoulder.

"Being a man amongst girls and a boy is hard huh."

"You have no idea."

"HAHAHAHA!"

It seems that the restaurant's just a walk away from Uncle's Police Station, as we managed to pass through it while walking home.

"It's late, at least let me take you guys home."

Thank you Uncle. I felt as if a burden was somehow lifted from my shoulders. Hmm what's this I felt my bond with Uncle has strengthened. Is my Uncle a sadist? He likes looking at me being destroyed, mind and wallet?

---

As we dropped everyone home, it's just my uncle and me.

"Hey, Yu, you know I heard a little bird tell me that a certain Kanji Tatsumi was missing, and you're seen around his house just earlier today. Now, Do you have any idea where he is?"

My body stiffens. So in the end even Kanji got kidnapped huh?

"*sigh* It's OK if there's something you can't say. But teenagers these days. Sheesh. Getting into fights, running away from home, and even drug use. You guys gotta give me a break."

"I'm not --"

"It's fine Yu, Akira-kun told me, just not in front of Nanko alright. It's fine if you want to try stuff just don't get addicted to it or I'm sending you away with all the other junkies. You're a good kid I can see, getting good grades, and having a good future ahead. Just don't destroy it just because you want to have fun once a while, you understand?"

Wait, why does it sound like Akira's made up madness. I'm pretty sure I told them the truth.

"And if you find Kanji, just come to me. I'll handle the rest. We are currently searching ourselves, but with no leads nothing can come out of it. So again if you manage to 'stumble' upon Kanji, bring him to me or just call me, OK?"

I nod my head.

"Ok that's more I like it. Oh yeah I heard that you've been sucked dry by your friends, so here."

As he gave me an envelope, which I opened, I saw a few hundred thousand yen. Thank You Uncle I take back anything bad I've thought about you before, you're the best Uncle. as a little tear escapes my eyes.

I was wondering about where the money comes from, as a certain investigator's face comes to mind, as I was hanging out with him lately. He always said that he's on break though.

"That's Adachi's bonus, he's not getting any as I've often seen him skipping shifts."

Well Adachi you've been found out, thank you for the money though, and I'm not the one who rat you out. As I sent a little prayer for Adachi, he may need it for the mouthful he will get after this.

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