Kotomi Izumi listened to what Yuki and Tomoe were saying while carefully observing the expressions on the two little girls' faces the entire time.
After they finished speaking, Kotomi Izumi couldn't help but raise her delicate brows. Judging purely from the surface meaning, Yuki's long explanation was extremely comprehensive, covering almost every point that needed to be addressed.
But the problem also became apparent—could a little girl who had just started kindergarten really give such a complete answer all at once?
Logically, it should have been Kotomi asking one question and Yuki answering one at a time.
Yet what Yuki had just done was clearly dumping everything out in one go. Some of the points she covered were things that even Kotomi herself might have overlooked if she had started asking questions on the spot, simply because she wouldn't have thought of everything immediately.
In short, Yuki's answer was thorough—but too thorough. No one had asked her to be this comprehensive, yet she had taken it upon herself to explain everything so completely.
As a seasoned little flirt, Kotomi Izumi was most skilled at—and most accustomed to—lying.
Not only was she highly proficient at lying, but she also had an extremely sharp sensitivity to it. Just like how a great detective might commit the perfect crime, someone who excels at lying could very well be more accurate than a lie detector when it came to spotting lies.
Kotomi Izumi quickly came to a conclusion—Yuki was lying.
As for why she was lying, it was probably because she didn't want others to know the true nature of her relationship with Tomoe.
Kotomi glanced at Yuki, then at Tomoe. If her deduction was correct, then the two of them had likely only met not long ago—most likely after leaving the capsule toy machine.
After thinking it over, Kotomi ultimately chose not to expose Yuki's lie. Instead, she reached out and gently touched both girls' cheeks, speaking softly:
"Oh~ is that so? Then you two should hurry back to your parents later, okay? This is a Shinkansen station. There may be fewer people at night, but it's still too dangerous for two children to wander around alone. If you'd like, I can take you back to your parents first. How about it?"
"I…" Tomoe's eyes began to flicker with hesitation. That alone was enough for Kotomi Izumi to confirm that the two little ones were indeed lying.
Just as Tomoe was still hesitating, Yuki decisively agreed without a second thought, a bright smile on her face:
"Okay! Thank you, Kotomi-neechan!"
This time, not only Kotomi Izumi, but even Tomoe showed a hint of surprise on her face.
Tomoe looked at Yuki in shock, as if silently asking why she would say that.
But Yuki simply smiled, offering no response to Tomoe's confusion.
"Alright then. There's still some time before the train departs, so I'll take you to your parents first. Otherwise, I really can't feel at ease leaving you two alone at the station."
Kotomi Izumi stood up and extended her hands toward Yuki and Tomoe, preparing to hold their small hands and help them find their parents.
"Okay~" Yuki agreed with a smile, proactively reaching out her hand toward Kotomi.
Just as their hands were about to meet, a hurried voice from a middle-aged woman suddenly rang out:
"Yuki! Tomoe! Why are you two here? Honestly, the moment I stop paying attention, you run off so far. This is a station! If you wander around, you might get kidnapped and taken into the mountains!"
A thin middle-aged woman appeared. Her hair looked somewhat dry, and although she wore makeup, her already mediocre skills failed to conceal the traces of age on her face. If anything, the poor makeup only made the signs of aging on her cheeks more pronounced.
"Hello, may I ask who you are?" Kotomi Izumi asked.
The middle-aged woman's gaze seemed somewhat unfocused. When she looked at Kotomi Izumi, her eyes were a bit dull, but she answered quickly:
"Hello, I'm Yuki's mother. Did my daughter and her friend cause you any trouble just now?"
"Oh, no, not at all. I just saw these two little girls wandering around near the station and felt a bit worried, so I was about to take them back to their parents," Kotomi Izumi said with a light smile.
"I see. I'm really sorry for troubling you. Yuki has always been like this since she was little—very outgoing and proactive. If I'm not careful, she'll run off to talk to strangers just because she's curious. Honestly, I really wish she had a bit more caution… Sigh, as a parent, the thing you worry about most all day long is your child's safety."
The middle-aged woman let out a helpless sigh.
"Haha, although I'm not a mother yet, I can understand that feeling very well," Kotomi Izumi said with a smile, subconsciously thinking of Yuka.
"Perhaps that's what maternal instinct is… though some women have it, and some don't…"
The middle-aged woman muttered vaguely before continuing:
"Oh dear, I ended up talking too much. I'm really sorry. Ever since I became a mother, I've grown especially fond of talking—especially talking with my daughter. I truly enjoy those moments. To have more topics to share with her, I pay attention from morning to night to what Yuki likes, what she dislikes, what she cares about. Spending more time with my daughter is one of the advantages of being a full-time housewife, I suppose."
After saying that, the woman reached out with both hands, holding Yuki's small hand with one and Tomoe's with the other, and said:
"Alright, Yuki, Tomoe, we shouldn't keep bothering the older sisters here. Be good and say goodbye to them."
"Bye-bye, big sisters!" Yuki said cheerfully.
"Goodbye, big sisters."
Tomoe took a deep breath, as if making up her mind, then said loudly:
"And… Kotomi-neechan, Yui-neechan, thank you both! Kotomi-neechan, I'll always remember what you said to me. And Yui-neechan, the Cream Bun Boy capsule toy you gave me—I'll treasure it as something precious for the rest of my life!"
"No need to thank us. Goodbye." Yui Yuigahama smiled and waved her hand.
"Bye-bye, stay safe on the way," Kotomi Izumi said, her gaze toward Yuki and Tomoe slightly complicated, as a certain thought had surfaced in her mind.
"Goodbye." Yukino Yukinoshita's tone was cool, but upon seeing that the two little girls were accompanied by a parent, she quietly felt relieved.
After watching Yuki and Tomoe leave with the middle-aged woman, Kotomi Izumi finally turned and said:
"Alright, let's head into the station as well."
Ring ring—!
At that moment, Kotomi Izumi's phone rang. Taking it out to check, she saw that it was a call from Saori Funamoto.
After seeing that the call was from Saori Funamoto, Kotomi Izumi didn't find it strange at all.
After all, she had just sent a message to Saori, and although Kotomi herself didn't care about delayed replies, Saori, upon seeing the message and realizing she hadn't responded in time, would naturally feel a bit anxious and call immediately to check whether Kotomi was upset.
Saori acting this way also, to some extent, proved that she was putting on an act of being a frivolous rich girl.
If Saori were truly a spendthrift or a pampered young lady, then even if she saw Kotomi Izumi's message, she wouldn't necessarily reply right away. Instead, she'd likely continue eating, drinking, and having fun to her heart's content. Even if she waited until the next day to respond, she could easily brush it off with an excuse like, "I got drunk last night and went to bed early."
The fact that Saori didn't do that showed that she harbored ambitions of replacing her older sister. She wanted to become the head of the Funamoto family.
And if she wanted to become the family head, the simplest method would be to gain the recognition of the Izumi family. Since Kotomi Izumi was the jewel of the Izumi family, Saori would naturally try to cling tightly to her, ensuring that every interaction—both in overall impression and in the smallest details—was handled as perfectly as possible.
If Saori had no ambition and no desire to defeat Mari Funamoto and become the next family head, she wouldn't be trying so hard to latch onto Kotomi like this.
"What's wrong?" Yukino Yukinoshita asked curiously when she heard Kotomi's phone ring.
"Oh, it's nothing. Saori Funamoto is calling me. It's probably nothing important—I'll just answer while we walk."
As she spoke, Kotomi slowed her pace, falling slightly behind Yui and Yukino before answering the call.
The moment the call connected, Saori's voice came through from the other end:
"Miss Izumi, something happened at Harugamo Inn. I was questioned for quite a while just now, and during that time my phone was kept by them. I only just got it back. As soon as I turned it on, I saw your message. Rest assured, I've already completed your checkout procedures. The Funamoto family and Harugamo Inn sincerely welcome your next visit."
"Mm, thank you. I'll come back again if there's an opportunity."
"Not at all. Your visit is the highest honor for both the Funamoto family and Harugamo Inn. Next time, if possible, please call ahead. I'll come pick you up at the station or airport."
"Alright."
After finishing the polite exchange, Kotomi asked curiously:
"What happened at Harugamo Inn? Everything seemed normal when we left. You said you were questioned—by whom? Grandma Funamoto?"
At the mention of this, Saori let out a helpless sigh:
"If it had been that old woman questioning me, it wouldn't have been a big deal. Unfortunately, it wasn't. I was questioned by the police."
"Ah?!"
Kotomi couldn't help but cry out. Noticing the puzzled looks from Yui and Yukino, she quickly lowered her voice and asked in a whisper:
"You were questioned by the police? What did you do? Don't tell me you drank too much at a nightclub and then…"
"No, no! Miss Izumi, even if you don't know me well, I'm definitely not that kind of person! Although… I did just come back from a nightclub!" Saori hurriedly denied, afraid Kotomi might misunderstand.
So she really did go to a nightclub… Judging by her tone, she was probably dancing on the floor not long ago. To play the role of a spendthrift, Saori really leaves no detail untouched. If she went into acting, she might even win an award… Kotomi thought half-jokingly.
At the same time, she continued asking:
"Then why were you questioned by the police?"
"Sigh…"
Saori sighed again.
"Although I really wanted you to stay at Harugamo Inn for a few more days, after what just happened… I have to say, your timing in leaving was actually quite good. At least you avoided trouble. If you had stayed tonight, you would definitely have been questioned too."
"Oh?" Kotomi grew even more curious.
Saori adjusted her emotions slightly before continuing:
"Just now, three bodies were discovered in one of the guest rooms at Harugamo Inn. Two of them were adults, and one was a little girl. After arriving, the police confirmed it as a homicide."
"What?!" Kotomi couldn't help shouting again, nearly biting her tongue.
A murder case!
At the very inn she had been staying at these past few days?!
"Kotomi, what's wrong?" Yui Yuigahama asked with concern.
"Is something bad happening?" Yukino Yukinoshita looked at her calmly and asked.
"N-no, it's just that Saori told me she had prepared a yakiniku feast for us—A5 wagyu, all-you-can-eat. I felt it was such a waste to miss it, so I couldn't help shouting."
Kotomi laughed awkwardly and made up an excuse on the spot.
"Phew… you scared me. I thought something was wrong with your health. As long as you're fine, that's all that matters."
Yui let out a sigh of relief. Having her heart tied so closely to Kotomi, hearing that sudden shout had made her heart leap into her throat, thinking something was wrong.
"Honestly… it's just missing one yakiniku meal. Was that worth shouting so loudly? You made it sound like something serious had happened."
Yukino's tone was cold and strict, but the softness in her eyes showed that she, too, had been relieved. When she heard Kotomi's sudden shout earlier, her heart had also been hanging in suspense.
"Sorry, sorry."
Kotomi said apologetically, while processing the information she had just heard from Saori.
Even thinking about it casually made her shiver.
After all, Harugamo Inn had now become a crime scene. And to make matters worse, she, Yui, and Yukino had only just left—right before three bodies were discovered there.
Such a shocking piece of news made even Kotomi, who had already experienced a serial murder case before, feel a chill down her spine.
In fact, compared to the previous serial killings involving Iroha Isshiki and Kozukashi, her current fear felt even stronger.
Because back then, no matter what, she had Kazumi by her side to protect her.
But now… Kazumi was in a deep sleep. If she were to be targeted by a killer again, she would have to rely entirely on herself.
For a moment, the first solution that came to Kotomi's mind was—returning to her family home in Yamanashi to live with her grandparents.
The Izumi family's main residence had the highest level of security. If a murderer dared to follow her there, then it would be the murderer who should start worrying about their own safety.
While adjusting her emotions, Kotomi tried to maintain a calm tone as she asked:
"Saori, can you tell me more details?"
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