Hayashi Shuichi turned his head and was greeted by the sight of a middle-aged man with a kindly face.
"Director Tsugawa?" Kisaki Eri recognized the man. "We're here to borrow some extracurricular books for our little brother in elementary school."
The Director... is my childhood trauma really appearing before me?
Hayashi Shuichi blinked, finding it somewhat difficult to connect this middle-aged man—who wore a gentle smile on his lips and had a benevolent demeanor—with the abominable, nightmare-inducing figure from his memories.
"Ah, it's you, Miss Kisaki." Director Tsugawa nodded before shifting his gaze to Hayashi Shuichi. "And this is..."
"I'm her boyfriend," Hayashi Shuichi smiled.
"Have I seen you somewhere before?" Director Tsugawa narrowed his eyes slightly, looking a bit puzzled.
"Have you?" Hayashi Shuichi scratched his head, feigning a simple and honest demeanor. "I've accompanied Eri here a few times before. Director, you must have seen me back then."
Director Tsugawa gave a noncommittal reminder: "Please find your books quickly. Try not to disturb the children here."
"Please rest assured," Kisaki Eri agreed, pulling Hayashi Shuichi toward the bookshelves.
Using the reflection in the window glass beside them, Hayashi Shuichi noticed that Director Tsugawa, who was standing behind them, kept his eyes fixed on the two of them.
"Director Tsugawa really likes children," Kisaki Eri whispered in explanation. "Whenever he has free time, he comes here to watch the kids read."
Keeping the little flowers company while they read is a lie; staring at those drugs is the truth...
Hayashi Shuichi sneered inwardly. With the Director watching from behind, he reined in his thoughts and put on a serious expression, acting as if he really were there to choose books, flipping through them one by one, slowly and deliberately.
Director Tsugawa stared at him for a while. Seeing nothing unusual, he turned and walked out, though the question remained in his mind: Why do I feel like he looks familiar...
Returning to the Director's office on the first floor, Director Tsugawa reached for the teacup on his desk and took a small sip of water. Under the teacup lay a copy of this morning's newspaper.
As Director Tsugawa put down the cup, his gaze involuntarily fell upon the massive headline at the top of the paper: Pianist Aso Keiji Nearly Murdered, High School Detective Cracks Another Major Case!
Below the headline was a photo of Hayashi Shuichi taken during an interview at the gate of Teitan High School.
"It's that kid from just now! He's a detective?" Director Tsugawa's eyes widened instantly, and a look of shock appeared on his face.
His hands began to tremble unconsciously as he hurriedly grabbed the newspaper and read it with urgency.
Meanwhile, after noticing Director Tsugawa had left, Hayashi Shuichi immediately began inspecting the bookshelves.
Although Kisaki Eri said she didn't believe a drug dealer would operate in a library filled with the scent of books, her actions betrayed her words; she ran to the other side to help Hayashi Shuichi check the books on the shelves.
As they searched, Hayashi Shuichi suddenly sensed something was wrong. The books on the other side of the shelf seemed to have fore-edges that were too new, as if they had basically never been flipped through.
"Eri, are the books on your side all new?"
"No," Kisaki Eri replied in confusion. "These are all old books. Shouldn't the new ones be on your side?"
"Impossible. The ones on my side are all old books too." An idea struck Hayashi Shuichi. He hurriedly ran over to Kisaki Eri's side, pulled out the outer row of books, and looked inside.
Sure enough, just as the girl had said, looking from this side, the fore-edges of the books on the other side were also practically brand new.
"Is there a problem?" Kisaki Eri hadn't reacted yet.
Hayashi Shuichi didn't speak. He reached in directly and pulled out the books from the inner row.
This time, Kisaki Eri immediately spotted the issue. After pulling out the inner books, there was actually another row of books behind them. "This shelf actually holds three rows of books per level?"
Normally, a double-sided bookshelf only holds two rows per level. Both sides would have the spines facing out and the fore-edges facing in, so that no matter which side you stood on, you could select books by their spines.
If three rows were placed there, the middle row would be blocked by both sides. How could readers possibly choose them?
"This inner row of books has no spine. Both sides are disguised as fore-edges," Hayashi Shuichi said, opening the fake book in his hand. The center was a hollowed-out compartment containing a packet of white powder.
"This is... drugs?" Kisaki Eri's eyes went wide, her face filled with disbelief.
She hadn't expected that the library she frequented, a place full of knowledge and a tranquil atmosphere, was actually a drug trafficking den.
Hayashi Shuichi nodded and was just about to speak.
Suddenly, a cacophony of voices erupted from the corridor. Someone shouted loudly, "Oh no, fire! Everyone, get out quickly!"
"Damn it, the traffickers want to destroy the evidence."
Hayashi Shuichi reacted instantly. He closed the disguised book, lifted the girl's top, and stuffed the book directly inside.
"Take this and leave the library immediately. Be careful not to let that Director discover the book inside!"
"What about you?" Kisaki Eri asked urgently.
"I'll try to see if I can preserve a bit more evidence!" Hayashi Shuichi finished speaking and pushed the girl toward the door.
"You be careful!" Kisaki Eri bit her lip and gave a worried reminder before running out of the Children's Book Section with the kids.
The fire had grown intense, and black smoke filled the corridors.
Just as she reached the staircase on the third floor, she bumped into Director Tsugawa, who was rushing up with a wet towel covering his mouth.
"Miss Kisaki, where is your boyfriend?" Director Tsugawa's voice came through the wet towel, somewhat muffled.
"Shuichi is directing the children to evacuate." Although Kisaki Eri didn't know why Hayashi Shuichi suspected the amiable Library Director, out of trust for her childhood friend, she told a lie.
After speaking, the girl covered her nose and mouth, bent her body slightly, pressed her hands tightly against the book under her clothes, and ran quickly downstairs.
Covering the nose and mouth and bending low helps reduce smoke inhalation—it's a standard posture for escaping a fire.
Director Tsugawa glanced at the girl's retreating figure without much suspicion and continued against the flow of people, heading toward the Children's Book Section.
As soon as he entered the room, he saw a sight that made his eyes nearly pop out of his head in rage.
Hayashi Shuichi was using the spine of a book to smash the window glass on the outer side of the room. Then, he began throwing the books with disguised double fore-edges out the window, one by one.
Standing at the door, Director Tsugawa's face turned an ashen green. However, in the next second, he forced a kindly smile onto his face.
"What are you doing? Those are library property."
Still pretending, huh... Since the other party wanted to act, Hayashi Shuichi played along. "These books must be thrown out. Otherwise, if they burn in the fire, the evidence will be gone!"
"What evidence?" Director Tsugawa kept his right hand behind his back and walked quickly toward Hayashi Shuichi. "Can you tell me about it?"
"The problem inside these books," Hayashi Shuichi smiled faintly, "Director, you should know best..."
Before he could finish his sentence, Director Tsugawa had already reached him. The right hand hidden behind his back shot out, gripping a dagger.
"Die!"
With a roar, Director Tsugawa's expression turned ferocious, his eyes bloodshot like a beast that had lost all reason, as he thrust the dagger forcefully toward Hayashi Shuichi.
Hayashi Shuichi was well prepared for this. He brought the book in his hand directly in front of him to block.
Thunk!
The thick book cover blocked most of the force from Director Tsugawa's strike.
Before he could pull the dagger out, Hayashi Shuichi launched a kick, sending him flying backward...
(End of Chapter)
-------------------------------
I've already uploaded 40 chapters of this story on Patreon!
If you enjoy it, come check out the latest chapters in advance.
Here's the link:
[patreon.com/TripleCrown07]
Thank you so much for your support!!!