"A friend of a friend... F.O.A.F.?"
[Author's Note: Writing up to here, I hope readers will remember our domain name. For reading books, please look for Tian Tian Kan Xiaoshuo, ttks.tw is super awesome.]
Mamiya Yuka nodded, revealing an expression of clear understanding.
"F.O.A.F.?"
Amamiya Rin repeated, not understanding Mamiya Yuka's meaning.
"F.O.A.F. stands for Friend Of A Friend, meaning exactly that—a friend of a friend."
Mamiya Yuka seemed to have been waiting for Amamiya Rin to ask. Before her voice even faded, she began enthusiastically explaining the concept to him.
"A rumor spread by word of mouth through a relationship level like 'a friend of a friend'—this is the American folklorist Brunvand's definition of an urban legend..."
"Is that so... Yawn...!"
Amamiya Rin couldn't hold back a yawn, interrupting Mamiya Yuka before she could finish.
Only then did the enthusiastic Mamiya Yuka notice Amamiya Rin's poor condition. Especially those dark circles under his eyes and the bloodshot whites of his eyes; he looked dangerously exhausted.
Should I end this interview now?
As Mamiya Yuka pondered this, a cell phone ringtone suddenly rang out.
It was the phone placed on the nightstand.
Amamiya Rin mustered a burst of strength and picked up the phone. The screen displayed an unknown caller.
Was it that call from yesterday?
Amamiya Rin gestured to Mamiya Yuka, and she consciously covered her mouth with her hands, indicating that she understood.
Only then did Amamiya Rin answer the call.
"Hello."
The voice transmitting from the phone was indeed the same female voice from yesterday.
That person had abruptly hung up yesterday, leading him to think he was being messed with.
"...If this continues, another girl will be victimized soon..."
Without waiting for Amamiya Rin to respond, the female voice on the phone issued a murder prediction.
Mamiya Yuka seemed to have heard this voice as well. Her eyes instantly lit up again, and she silently leaned closer to Amamiya Rin's hospital bed.
"If I understand correctly, you've discovered that that person is about to make a move again?"
Glancing at Mamiya Yuka, Amamiya Rin didn't directly state Kawahara Miyuki's name.
"Uh, yeah, something like that."
The voice from the phone was somewhat mumbled, the answer not very definitive.
"I hope you can give me a straight answer, if you genuinely need help and truly want to stop that person!"
Amamiya Rin took a deep breath, rallying his spirits, and issued an ultimatum to this unidentified individual.
"I don't have the spare energy to beat around the bush with you. If you don't intend to trust me, then please just go straight to the police."
Although he had entertained the thought of using the vampire to unwind yesterday, Amamiya Rin was just too exhausted now—so exhausted that he didn't want to tangle with this riddler anymore.
"Sorry, it's because your condition doesn't seem to be very good either."
"Exactly, so please be more straightforward. How about this: let's set a time and place, and we can talk when we meet."
Amamiya Rin's eyelids were as heavy as lead, the edges of his vision beginning to darken, and his tone grew irritable.
"Is it convenient for you to meet with me?"
The female voice on the other end, however, was somewhat hesitant, her words revealing an odd implication.
"Even if it's inconvenient for me, I can have a friend act in my stead. Regardless, it's better than wasting time like this."
Amamiya Rin had no mind to probe further and answered bluntly.
"...Alright, tomorrow afternoon, let's meet at a cafe in Kagurazaka."
After hesitating for a moment, the female voice finally gave an affirmative reply and an address.
"The incidents of girls being victimized... Are you talking about the recent serial murders?"
The moment Amamiya Rin hung up the phone, Mamiya Yuka immediately leaned in close, her eyes flashing with a thirst for knowledge.
Amamiya Rin didn't answer right away. He first pressed hard on his throbbing temples. After several seconds passed, he barely managed to speak.
"It involves personal privacy, so it's inconvenient for me to disclose."
With that said, Amamiya Rin fell backward, lying flat on the bed in a manner that clearly dismissed his guest.
Staring at the heavy, dark-blue bruising under Amamiya Rin's eyes for a moment, Mamiya Yuka realized that she really should leave.
Bowing at the waist to Amamiya Rin, Mamiya Yuka pointed to the business card she had left beside him.
"Alright then. If you have any new information, we can get in touch again."
Having said this, she didn't wait for Amamiya Rin's response; the man had already fallen into a groggy, half-asleep state.
The only reason Amamiya Rin hadn't been immediately dragged into the Dream World was because he was constantly receiving a massive influx of information transmitted from the brains of the other Tomies.
Mamiya Yuka reluctantly walked out of the Hospital Ward and took the elevator down to the first floor. Just as the doors opened, a burst of commotion reached her ears.
Looking toward the sound, she saw a small crowd of people gathered near the lobby's registration desk.
"I'm sorry! I'm truly very sorry! It's all my fault! I've caused you trouble..."
A voice apologizing with profound trepidation rang out from over there. This spectacle instantly piqued Mamiya Yuka's curiosity.
However, just as she wanted to walk over and see what was happening, Amamiya Rin's words and warnings flashed through her mind.
Apology... Dissolving...
Wait a minute! It couldn't be such a coincidence, could it?
Mamiya Yuka's heart suddenly skipped a beat. A chill shot up her spine, leaving her scalp feeling completely numb.
Driven by a basic survival instinct, even though she couldn't conclude if the phenomenon before her was related to the incident Amamiya Rin had disclosed, Mamiya Yuka reacted with lightning speed.
Moving as fast as she could, she pulled a pack of tissues from her pocket, yanked out a few sheets, and, disregarding everything else, quickly folded them up and shoved them into her ears. At the same time, she pinched her sleeves with both hands to cover her ears completely.
The world instantly went quiet. Aside from the sounds of her own body, she couldn't hear a thing.
Feeling a bit more at ease, Mamiya Yuka stood on her tiptoes, craned her neck, and peered toward the crowd.
Through the gaps in the crowd, Mamiya Yuka could vaguely make out a figure kneeling on the ground, and standing opposite the kneeling person was a middle-aged man who looked somewhat helpless.
It seemed to be about cutting in line or something else trivial. The problem shouldn't have been a big deal, otherwise, the middle-aged man wouldn't have reacted like this.
Just as that helpless middle-aged man reached out to help the kneeling man up, his movements abruptly stiffened, and the expression on his face completely froze.
Immediately after, the middle-aged man's eyeballs rolled upwards unnaturally. A viscous substance resembling tofu dregs welled up from the bottom of his eyes.
That white substance slowly oozed out from the corners of his eyes, his nostrils, and the corners of his mouth... It seemed to carry traces of blood, giving off an absolutely bone-chilling sensation.
The middle-aged man's body swayed. Before he even realized what had happened, he took two steps forward and then, as if his entire skeleton had been yanked out, collapsed limply to the floor.
"Wait a minute! Seriously! Is it really such a coincidence?"
Mamiya Yuka's cheeks twitched uncontrollably. She couldn't help but let out a scream, her body stumbling back several steps until she crashed into the elevator doors.
____
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