Shinrei Tantei Yakumo:Volume 1 Attached File - Lost Object

It was about a certain afternoon, after about a week had passed since the tunnel incident--.

Stopping by the library to finish a report, I caught a glimpse of that guy’s figure.

Stirring up his bed hair, with sleepy eyes behind which was sarcastic Saitou Yakumo.

With an unusually serious expression, he was looking at the back covers of the books that were on the bookshelf one by one.

I, for some reason didn’t call out to him immediately, but while standing upright looking like an idiot, was staring at Yakumo’s figure intently.

Unexpectedly meeting someone, I was nervous more than it was necessary.

Illuminated by the orange-colored light of the dusk that was drawing near, that graceful profile was looking more than conspicuous.

Even though he’d be cool if he was silent.

“Is something the matter?”

Yakumo said with his eyes fixed on the bookshelf as they were.

Thinking that he had noticed that I was there, my body becoming hot as if it had caught on fire, I dropped my glance down to my feet.

“N-Nothing…… I thought I’ll finish my report.”

“I see.”

Even while that short answer, Yakumo didn’t turn his eyes away from the bookshelf.

“What are you doing?”

“Searching.”

“What are you searching for?”

“If there is someone who’s searching for clothes in a library, I want you to introduce him to me.”

Why, can’t he use other speaking style than that? I’d say he’s not honest or something.

But, through the two cases I came to understand. My body won’t take it, being this much angry with Yakumo. To elude it is the best.

“What’s the book’s title?”

Even though I didn’t have the intention to say anything odd, with wrinkles gathering on his forehead, Yakumo looked my way with a doubtful expression.

“What will you do if you know?”

“I’ll help you.”

“Why?”

What ‘why’--.

“Rather than one person, two people searching for it is faster, right?”

While folding his arms, Yakumo was silent.

He probably thinks that there isn’t anyone that would do something for the sake of another person unconditionally. That is such a sad thing.

“Gankutsuou.”*

• The Count of Monte Cristo – a novel by Alexander Dumas. Gankutsuou is the Japanese translation of the title. There is even an anime version of it.

Yakumo that was silent for a little while, before long opened his mouth to murmur.

“Gankutsuou?”

“That’s right. Alexander Dumas.”

“Gankutsuou by Dumas, is it.”

While thinking it over, I walked over to the side of the library’s entrance where the computer terminal was.

“Where are you going?”

While complaining, Yakumo came to meet me halfway.

I thought about it before in the previous incidents that Yakumo, although he has good head, because of living in a clubroom, he has a terribly analogue spot.

“In this era, you can check where the book is placed on the computer terminal.”

I told that to Yakumo, my words filled only with sarcasm.

Yakumo, snorting with nose “Hm,” plainly turned his face away. This time he didn’t talk back. Serves you right.

At the computer terminal’s touch panel I looked up ‘Gankutsuou’ and immediately the target was found.

I didn’t know because I haven’t read it, but it was in the library up to seventh volume. It’s quite an epic.

“Uhm…… Because it’s in the foreign paperback books corner, it should be the shelf D-1.”

“Wrong.”

Yakumo cut in without a moments delay.

“Eh?”

“The one I’m searching for is the hard-cover one.”

“To read it, either one is fine.”

“Not good. If it’s not the hardcover one, it’s not good.”

“Why?”

“No matter what.”

I didn’t understand the reason to be particular about it to that extent at all. Perhaps, the translation in the hard-cover publication differs, is it such a thing maybe?

My friend too, there are people who enjoy discovering such differences.

Let me see. Hard-cover edition is-

Once again I turned my glance to the list displayed on the monitor.

“Found it. Errr… Ah, it’s in the custody of the storehouse.”

Our university’s library is not so spacious. The old books that couldn’t fit in were periodically transferred to storehouse; picking out only the necessary ones was a formality.

“No wonder I couldn’t find it.”

Yakumo blunted out, while stirring up his hair.

After that, we borrowed the key from the library’s librarian teacher, and together with Yakumo I headed to the storehouse in the basement.

In the space of about forty yards of undressed concrete, book-packed cardboard boxes were piled up in simplicity.

I turned my eyes to one of the cardboard boxes; only a date was written in the magic ink maker.

Perhaps, it’s the date when it was transferred to the storehouse from the library.

“From the data, it had been transferred here two years ago on the 10th March.”

“10th March.”

Yakumo, shortly answering, started to work on confirming the dates one-by-one staring from the cardboard box by his hand.

At any rate--.

“It’s a great amount.”

The cardboard boxes were piled up to such height that you had to look up.

It’ll take a very great extent of time just to confirm the dates. Besides, we don’t know how many of the cardboard boxes that have the same date are there.

To look for one copy of a book from among that is enough work to cause our bones to break.

“Is really the paperback one not enough?”

“Annoying. I didn’t say a word that you have to help me.”

Yakumo said in a tone of a blunt refusal.

I wonder why he can’t use another speaking style than that.

While bearing my stomach, leaving behind my bag on the work rack close-by, together with Yakumo I started to work on confirming the dates on the cardboard boxes.

“Why did you suddenly want to read that book?”

Right after I had checked the first cardboard box, I tried asking Yakumo.

Because he went this far to search for it, there must be some special reason.

“I have no intention to read it.”

“Eh?”

At Yakumo’s words, unintentionally my hands came to a halt.

“What?”

“Why are you searching for a book you won’t read?”

“If you have time to spare for chattering, move those hands.”

“Yes, yes. I got it.”

“One ‘yes’ is enough.”

Even though a while ago you said ‘I didn’t say a word that you have to help me.’

After that, without almost exchanging any words, our monotone work in search of ‘Gankutsuou,’ continued with opening the cardboard boxes with the date 10th March written on it.

“This is it.”

After about an hour of work, Yakumo raised his voice while standing up.

Yakumo, putting the book on the work rack, wiped the sweat from his forehead and begun flipping through the book’s pages.

Between the very last pages a white envelope was caught in.

“Found it.”

Yakumo said as he relaxed his shoulders with a whiff.

“Did you perhaps search for this?”

“Right. It’s this.”

In a matter-of-fact manner, Yakumo took the envelope in his hands and briskly walked away.

“In that case, say it first.”

I was complaining, while catching up from behind in haste.

“You didn’t ask.”

This again. Moreover--.

“I asked properly.”

“Don’t take everything so seriously. And also, I leave the key to you.”

Yakumo, saying that, quickly left the storehouse. Without even thanking for the help.

Nevertheless, the key--.

“Duh! What’s with that!”

I’ll absolutely make him apologize. After turning off the electricity and locking up, in a big hurry I chased after Yakumo.

Running up the stairs, in addition of getting out of the school building, I was finally able to catch up with Yakumo before the maple tree in the courtyard.

“Why are you so selfish? I lent you a hand so explain it to me!”

I shouted facing Yakumo’s back.

Yakumo stopped walking, after he shook his head from side to side from disappointment, he finally started to explain.

“A certain student that attended this university wrote a letter addressed to her parents’ home. The woman put it in her bag with this book she borrowed from school and left her home.”

“And the envelope had been caught inside the book.”

“That’s right.”

But--.

“Why did you do that, Yakumo?”

“I was asked by that woman.”

“Really.”

Telling that to myself, it had become a somewhat dispirited reply.

Yakumo, this uncooperative person, that was drawing a line between him and other people, was purposely making an effort to search; it must be a close female friend--.

At the same time as I was thinking of that, I felt a pain inside my chest.

What am I worrying about. It’s not strange at all that there can be a woman he’s going out with.

In the first place, it’s not a reason for me to worry about it.

“And secondly. She has one more request,” said Yakumo while he yawned hugely.

“W-What?”

“To put this letter in the post box.”

While saying that, Yakumo held out the envelope.

“Eh, me?”

“Yeah.”

“Isn’t it better if the person herself sent it?”

“Can’t.”

“Why?”

“The woman, after she ran away from home, jumped in front of a car and died.”

At Yakumo’s words my body shook from a big shock.

I see. Yakumo was requested by that woman who died. That she wishes to search for a letter she wasn’t able to send to her parents--.

“Hey. Isn’t it better to explain the circumstances to the parents?”

Like that, I let out of my mouth what was I thinking of.

“That’s unnecessary.”

“But if we suddenly sent it like that, they might think it’s a prank.”

“If they’re the parents, they’ll realize it’s not a prank when they see the handwriting.”

“But…”

“With this, she’ll stop haunting me.”

Said that Yakumo while he turned around.

It was a desire said to oneself; I felt as if my chest was tightening and I immediately realized that that had been wrong.

Yakumo’s glance was turned to the tree’s branches that have lost all their leaves.

Surely, Yakumo is looking where there is someone.

I too was staring at the same place. Only for a second, I thought I’d seen a woman’s figure lowering her head deeply.

But it was probably only a hallucination.

“Dear me.”

Yakumo thus murmured, yawned hugely as if from boredom and while scratching in his bed-ridden hair he walked away in a leisurely manner.

Yakumo is sarcastic, not honest at all, but no matter what is said, if he sees a troubled person he just can’t leave them alone.

As I thought that, somehow my heart danced.

“Hey. I helped you. You should at least thank me.”

I ran to catch up with Yakumo.