"Yo, I didn't expect you, Ayanokoji, to handle it so quickly."
Just as Ayanokoji was about to call the security department, Amane finally arrived, leisurely holding a cotton candy.
"Next time this happens, it would be better to resolve it on the spot."
Although Ayanokoji was much faster than Kusada, Kusada was very familiar with the layout of the storage area, which caused Ayanokoji some minor difficulties during the chase.
"If we resolve it on the spot, it will become our responsibility. This place is good, it's secluded and has no surveillance."
Amane smiled and squatted beside Kusada.
"Surveillance? Are you trying to avoid surveillance? But how did you know this guy would run to a place without surveillance?"
Ayanokoji knew that when doing something special, avoiding surveillance was the most reasonable choice.
But he didn't understand why Amane was so sure that this clerk would abandon the shop and flee to a place without surveillance.
"A guy who even has to secretly slip love letters under someone's door, how could he be a straightforward person? Rats accustomed to darkness, when they encounter light, will instinctively flee to the darkest, dampest place they consider'safest'."
Amane handed the cotton candy to Ayanokoji, then grabbed Kusada's hair.
"Hey, uncle, still alive? I have some questions for you."
"Cough, cough, just hand me over to the police. I won't say anything. You must be guys with ill intentions towards Shizuku. I won't let you succeed."
Kusada looked as if he was ready to die for a cause.
It made one can't help but sigh, his behavior was truly a benchmark for a man.
But Amane snorted coldly.
"What kind of good guy are you pretending to be? Saying such righteous words makes me look like the villain, but in reality, aren't you the one with ill intentions towards Shizuku?"
Amane took out a letter.
"Dear Shizuku... Tsk tsk, how nauseating. Why don't you reply to my letters? Every night before I sleep, I put your photo beside me..."
"No! Please, don't read any more."
Kusada knelt on the ground, begging repeatedly.
"Do you want to know why she doesn't reply to your letters?"
Amane asked a strange question.
There were only a few reasons for not replying to a letter.
Although every reason could be quite hurtful, Kusada had probably already prepared himself psychologically after sending so many letters.
It seemed a bit forced to rely on this to humiliate him and break through his psychological defense.
Ayanokoji reached out, tore off a bit of cotton candy, and tasted it.
It was very sweet.
But its nutritional value was extremely low. However, girls seemed to really like such things that only satisfied their cravings.
Ayanokoji watched Kusada and Amane with cold eyes.
He could already foresee the tragic things that would happen to this man next.
"Perhaps... she's a bit shy?...I know, she probably looks down on me for just being a repair shop clerk... Is that why she doesn't reply to my letters? I'll work hard and then..."
Kusada's words stopped abruptly.
Because he saw the mocking expression on Amane's face.
"Uncle, you're really full of yourself. We found these letters in the trash can, you know. They were still unopened when we found them. Do you understand what I mean?"
Amane's words left Kusada stunned.
After a long while, he said somewhat numbly,
"Is that how she treats my love? Indeed, trying to get close to an idol like her is an unattainable thing..."
Kusada lay on the ground in despair.
"Unattainable... Uncle, look at this."
Amane took out a photo she had taken with Airi.
"W-why would..."
"She simply dislikes you."
"No!! She never took such photos for me... nor did she upload various photos like this online. Why can you get them? This isn't fair!"
As soon as Kusada finished speaking, Amane stepped on his face.
"Fair? There is no absolute fairness in this world, Uncle. You're an adult, be realistic. Come on, tell me if you've met anyone recently, or if you've made any deals with certain people."
Kusada wanted to resist, but after struggling a few times, he remembered Amane's words.
We found them in the trash can, you know... Seeing Kusada completely stop resisting, Amane finally lifted her foot.
"Oh, my, my, if you had cooperated like this from the start, you wouldn't have had to suffer so much. Come on, tell me, who have you cooperated with?"
Amane's gaze sharpened.
"I haven't cooperated with anyone..."
"Oh? Then have you met anyone? Someone related to Shizuku."
Amane changed the direction of her questioning. If there was no cooperation, it meant that this clerk didn't even qualify as a pawn in the other party's eyes.
"I met a red-haired boy and a blue-haired girl. The red-haired boy seemed to be called Ryuuen... I remember now! That day it was you! I was following you and Shizuku when you were shopping, and he found me and beat me up, tearing up all the love letters I wrote."
Kusada accused the other party of his crimes.
Amane, however, frowned. How to put it, the information she got was somewhat useful, proving that Ryuuen was indeed involved, but there was no direct evidence.
This made Amane feel a bit disappointed.
Evidence that was useless to eat, but a shame to discard.
Airi had never replied to this guy's letters, so no matter how he thought about it, this guy couldn't possibly have Airi's handwriting.
She didn't expect to encounter such a difficult obstacle so early in the investigation.
"Amane, I think the most likely thing he holds is not Sakura-san's reply, but rather signed photos or something similar. If he has that, it might be exploited."
Hearing Ayanokoji's reminder, Amane's eyes lit up.
"Yes, I put a signed photo of Shizuku in one of the letters. That was my favorite one, and that guy took it too..."
After hearing Kusada's description, Amane finally showed a satisfied smile.
"You did well, Uncle. The rest will be handled by the Security Department."
Amane said, then picked up the phone, intending to contact the Security Department.
"Wait, please give me another chance. I won't like Shizuku anymore. Although I came here for her, I've come to like my current job. I..."
"No, you can't."
...Watching Kusada being taken away, Amane crossed her arms, seemingly deep in thought.
"We've already had a good start. Why are you still frowning? Isn't this something to be happy about?"
Ayanokoji looked at Amane, puzzled.
"I'm wondering if our previous approach was a bit flawed. From the beginning, we assumed there was someone who could imitate others' handwriting, and that person was in Class C. But what if that person isn't from Class C?"
Amane looked up, her gaze fixed on the brightly lit distance.
"You mean Ryuuen sought help from people in other classes, or even other years?"
Ayanokoji provided the answer for Amane.
"His point transactions didn't show any large payments to a specific person, which means he likely paid with other means, or even used IOUs to prevent leaving recent evidence... Hey! Ayanokoji, where's my cotton candy?"
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