As I slept soundly in my bed, I suddenly felt the blanket over me slightly move. I groaned and brushed it off, then snuggled into my covers. My blanket moved again. Wondering what it was, I opened my eyes and grabbed my blanket, pulling it back and finding Yuuka underneath, lying next to me.

“...!” I quickly sat up and moved back against the wall. “Wh-What are you doing?!” I exclaimed, startled by her.

“Ah!” Yuuka shrieked, flustered as she drifted away from me. “U-Um…I-I was…um…” She stammered, wobbling and waving her hands, embarrassed at herself. Yuuka, her face red, slowly came down and sat on the floor on her knees. “I was…bored…and…um…a little lonely…” she explained, fidgeting her fingers.

I stared at her for a moment, then sighed and placed my hand over my face. “I get it that you feel that way, but you can’t do things like this. We agreed to give each other privacy, remember?”

“Yeah, I know, but…” There was a sad look on her face, almost as if she was about to cry.

“Look,” I said. “Whenever I go to sleep, I’ll give you the bed. I’ll set up a futon where I’ll sleep on the floor. That way, you won’t feel lonely.”

“Like when we slept over at each other’s house?” I nodded. “But I’m a ghost. You don’t have to do that for me…”

“I want to, Yuuka. Anything to make you feel better,” I said, reassuring her.

Yuuka’s face lit up, surprised, then she smiled. “He he. Thank you, Hikaru,” she said, giving me a wink.

My face turned warm and I looked away. “Y-Yeah, no problem…”

Moving on from that, I grabbed my phone and turned it on to check the time. It was eight o’ clock. I stood up from my bed and stretched my arms.

“Alright. Let’s start a mystery.”

“Yes! Wait, don’t you have work today?” she asked.

“Not on Sundays. I’m free, so we can go as long as we want.” Yuuka gave a wide smile and fist pumped.

*****

After changing my clothes and eating some breakfast, I left my apartment with Yuuka, grabbing one of the papers off the bulletin board on the way out.

The paper reported a missing girl named Tachibana Kaori, who was seven years old and disappeared about a month ago. The photo was a small girl with short brown hair and brown eyes, wearing a black shirt. She and her mother were at the park together, hanging out and having a picnic. The mother looked away for a moment, and when she turned back, she was gone. She searched for her around the park and asked anyone passing by if they saw her. However, there was no sign of her. The mother reported this to the police and they sent out papers, as well as posts on social media talking about Kaori.

Yuuka floated beside me and frowned at the picture of the girl on the paper. “She’s just as old as my sister, and she’s missing. I can’t imagine how the mom must feel.”

“Yeah,” I agreed with her.

The loss of someone you love can be heartbreaking and unbearable. It’s like losing a part of yourself. You can always try and find a way to move on, but there will always be an empty void in your heart. A void that will burden you forever.

“So, what’s the first thing we’re going to do?” Yuuka asked me.

“I’m going to visit the mother and ask her some questions,” I replied. “We need to know everything in detail first.” I checked my phone and scrolled through social media. “Apparently, she’s not too far. She lives in an apartment in Meguro.”

Suddenly, Yuuka changed her form, putting on a gray beret and a long jacket over her uniform. “Alright! Let’s go~!”

“Why are you wearing that?” I asked, surprised by her appearance change.

“Hm? We’re trying to solve a mystery, right? Gotta be like a detective to solve it!” she said, eager and excited.

“You watched way too many true crime shows,” I said awkwardly. “Does it even matter? You’re a ghost and I’m the only one who can see you. Changing your clothes won’t do anything, will it?”

“How rude! I’m trying to do my best as your partner and you won’t even allow it!” she cried out, holding her body.

“Alright, alright. I’m sorry. You can wear the clothes,” I said, pleasing her. “Let’s get started then, partner.”

Yuuka and I took the train and headed to Meguro. From my phone, I read the directions and eventually arrived at her apartment.

I took a quick glance at the apartment numbers and checked it with my phone. “Yep, it’s the right one.” I knocked on the door and stepped back to wait.

“So, how do you want to do this, Hikaru?” Yuuka asked.

“What do you mean?”

“You know, good cop or bad cop. Are you going to be aggressive and threaten her, or are you going to be kind and get on her good side?” she said dramatically.

“There’s absolutely no reason for me to antagonize her in any way,” I said. “I’m just here to ask questions. Being as kind as possible would more than likely get me what I need to know.”

Just then, the door opened. In front of us, there stood a young woman with brown eyes and long brown hair tied in a ponytail. She wore a white top and black pants, and she was trembling, her face showing exhaustion with hints of sadness in her eyes. It’s almost like she could completely break down at any moment.

“Hello,” I greeted her. “Are you Tachibana-san?” I asked.

“Y-Yeah, I am,” she said. “Who are you?”

“I’m Himitsume Hikaru. I’m here to talk about your missing daughter, Kaori. Is it alright if I ask you a few questions?”

“My daughter?” I pulled out the paper and showed it to her. Her eyes darkened and she frowned. “Come in.”

I entered her apartment with Yuuka following close behind me. Using my eyes, I took a quick glance around her apartment. It was small, but enough for one person. Although the curtains were open, the room was still dark. There were vases of flowers and plants, as well as some decorative lights. Everything seemed to be clean and fresh.

“Would you like some tea or coffee?” she offered.

“Is it fine for me to have some?” Tachibana nodded. “Then tea please.”

“Take a seat in the living room while I make it,” she said. I nodded, then sat down on her couch. “So, you said you’re here to talk about my daughter?”

“Yes,” I replied. “I saw one of the papers when I was going around Tokyo, and I thought about helping.”

“I see.” Tachibana filled a kettle with some water and placed it on the stove, turning it on and gently heating it. “Why are you so interested in this case about my daughter?” she asked.

I clasped my hands. “I’ve seen families and friends who were unable to move on after losing someone. I want to help people like them and like you find closure.”

Tachibana stood with her back against the fridge and looked down. “It’s already been a month. No one has found my daughter since. I’ve almost given up hope that my daughter is still out there,” she said. “You look young, and you don’t seem like a police officer. What makes you think you can find her?”

“I have some skills that can help with that,” I said with a smile.

“Is that so?”

A moment later, Tachibana turned off the stove. She prepared two ceramic cups and sprinkled some matcha powder into both. Carefully, she grabbed the warm kettle and gently poured in water, stirring it with a small whisk. Once it was ready, Tachibana came over with a tray and placed it down on the table. She handed me my cup of tea and I gladly took it.

“Thank you, Tachibana-san.” I gently took in the aroma, then took a sip.

Tachibana sat in front of me and slowly stirred in a few sugar cubes into her cup. “So, what would you like to know?” she asked.

I took another sip, then placed my cup down. “If you don’t mind, can you retell me the story of how your daughter went missing?”

“Yes, of course,” she replied. “It was about two months ago, around early June. One morning, Kaori and I decided to go and visit the park to have a little picnic for ourselves.”

“Which park?” I asked.

“Shinagawa Park. It’s not too far from where we live. Kaori and I went there a few times before, so we thought it was fitting to have it there,” she replied. “When we arrived there, we went around to find an empty and open spot for ourselves. I set up the blankets and placed down the food and drinks while Kaori ran around and played by herself. I still remember the smile on her face and how much she laughed,” she explained, smiling at the memory. “After finally setting everything up, I called her and she came over. We sat down, ate our egg and fruit sandwiches, and drank her favorite melon soda.”

Yuuka and I smiled. “It sounds like you two had fun,” I said.

She nodded. “We did. It was the first time in a long while since I’ve had fun. But…unfortunately, that fun ended…”

“What happened to her?”

Tachibana clasped her hands and gathered herself. “After we finished eating, I was beginning to pack everything up. That’s when I noticed Kaori was gone.” Tears started to fall down her face as her voice began to break. “I panicked, and I looked around to try to find her, calling out her name, but she was nowhere to be found. I asked people nearby if they saw her, but no one did. There was nothing. She was just…gone…”

I looked down and gripped onto the couch’s arms. “I’m sorry to hear that, Tachibana-san,” I said, sympathizing with her. Tachibana looked away and wiped away her tears.

Although this was all heartbreaking, I couldn’t let my emotions get in the way. I calmed myself down and thought about what she said. Around June, she and her daughter went out for a picnic in the morning. They ate, and once everything was over, she was gone. She looked for her and asked some people if they saw her, but there was nothing. And after that, Tachibana went to the police and reported it, as it said on the paper. So far, the timeline made sense. However, one thing came to my mind.

“Tachibana-san,” I said. “From your story, it sounds like it’s just the two of you. If you don’t mind me asking, was your husband around?”

“H-Husband? N-No, I’m not married…” she stuttered, her voice still broken.

“You’re not?”

“I have a boyfriend, who’s…my ex now. Tanaka Makoto,” she said, her voice somber. “We were close at one point, but after I was pregnant with Kaori, he…”

I remained silent, calmly understanding the situation she faced. Yuuka, on the other hand…

“What a total di-”

“Ahem,” I coughed, interrupting her.

“Are you okay?” she asked, concerned.

“Y-Yeah. Something just caught my throat,” I lied. “Ahem. About Tanaka-san. Do you think he could’ve done something to Kaori?”

“No, he wouldn’t,” she replied. “Makoto…he stays far away from us. He would never get close to me or Kaori.”

“I see. If you don’t think Tanaka-san could do this, do you have anyone else in mind?”

“N-No, not really. Kaori and I get along with everyone. They’re really kind to us, so I don’t think they could do such a thing.”

“Hm. About your daughter. What was she like?” I asked.

“Cheery and positive,” Tachibana replied. “No matter how bad things got, she always found a way to stay happy. She liked arts and crafts. She even made a shadow lamp using one of the lights in the room.”

I turned around and looked at the shadow lamp she mentioned, finding shapes of hearts on the lamp. They were lovely and beautifully cut.

“How close were you two?” I asked.

“Although it was just the two of us, we were quite distant from each other,” she replied. “I worked day and night, so I always dropped her off at Little Angel Daycare here in Meguro. There weren’t many times where we hung out like at the park.” I nodded in understanding.

“You and the police haven’t found anything of note?”

“Nothing. There’s not a single clue as to where she could’ve gone. I have no idea where she could be,” she said, looking away and brushing her hair.

I stared at Tachibana, noticing how gloomy she looked. “Tachibana-san, I understand your daughter is missing, but are you feeling alright? Have you been doing well?”

“Y-Yeah, I’m fine,” she said, sniffling and trembling. “I’m…trying to hang in there…” I nodded in understanding.

“Well, don’t lose hope,” I said, reassuring her. I took one last sip from my cup and placed it on the table. “Thank you for talking with me today, Tachibana-san. And for the coffee as well. I appreciate everything,” I said, bowing to her.

“Yes, of course. So, you’ll be leaving now?”

I nodded. “I’ll go ahead and start investigating. If you don’t mind, can I have a way to contact you if I find anything?”

“Of course.” Tachibana pulled out her phone and gave me her number.

“Thank you. I’ll do my best to find your daughter as soon as possible, even if I have to spend my summer break and my work days.”

She smiled. “Thank you, Himitsume-kun. Good luck then.”

I nodded, then turned around and headed out the door, closing it behind me.

*****

After Yuuka and I left Tachibana’s apartment, we rode a train headed to Shinagawa. I sat in a seat with Yuuka sitting in an empty seat next to me. She poked me by the arm and caught my attention.

“Hey Hikaru, what did you think of Tachibana-san?” she asked.

I leaned back in my seat and stared up, looking back at our conversation. During the whole time, Tachibana seemed nervous. The way she spoke, and the way her body was trembling—it was like she was worried about something.

I pulled out my phone and opened my notes app. “Tachibana-san seemed scared to me. Like she was afraid,” I typed.

“Maybe it’s because of her missing daughter?” Yuuka replied.

“Maybe. It would make sense to be shaken up because of that, but we can’t say for sure until we get the bigger picture. If Tachibana-san and Kaori really did go there, and she really did go missing, then we need to confirm it. If I’m lucky, there’s a chance I can find someone who will talk to me and give me those answers.”

“A ghost?”

I nodded. “They’re just as good witnesses as anyone else. Better even.”

A little while later, the train came to a stop at Shinagawa station. Yuuka and I stepped off and headed on our way to the park.

When we arrived, we found a beautiful and luscious park, where it was quiet and peaceful. Unfortunately, it was summer, and it was quite hot and unbearable to take in the view.

I walked over to a tree and sat down under it. I let out a sigh and wiped the sweat off of my forehead.

“It looks pretty hot today,” said Yuuka. “Are you going to be alright?”

“Yeah, I’ll be fine,” I said, reassuring her. “You’re lucky, you know? Not having to feel this weather.”

She giggled. “Well, I suppose it’s a good benefit for being a ghost.”

I took a quick glance around me. There were people out here like me. Families stayed under the shade having their picnic, couples sat on benches and fed each other their bentos, and athletes sprinted across the track field.

I thought back to Tachibana’s story. She and her daughter both had a small picnic together at this park. Assuming everything was the same, it doesn’t make sense as to how Kaori, a seven year old girl, would go unnoticed by the eyes of all these people. Her story just didn’t seem right. Someone must’ve seen her.

Just then, a shadowy figure, resembling a deformed inhuman being, passed through a few people walking past me.

There.

I closed my eyes and focused, calming myself and controlling my breathing. I opened my eyes back up, and my vision shifted. Instead of the shadowy figure, I now saw an old lady slowly walking on the path by herself.

“Excuse me, grandma?” I said to the ghost. No reply. “Excuse me,” I repeated, saying it a little louder, catching the attention of everyone nearby. I nervously laughed and looked away, waiting for them to move on before I spoke again. “Um…grandma?”

The ghost stopped and turned to me. I waved at her with a smile on my face. She looked around for a moment, then pointed at herself.

“You can see me?” she said.

I nodded. “Yes, I can.”

Her face lit up, surprised to hear that. She looked beside me and saw Yuuka. “You’re a ghost too, aren’t you?” she asked.

“Yep!” said Yuuka.

“Grandma, if you don’t mind, can we move somewhere else so we can talk?” I asked.

“Of course.”

I led the way and the two of them followed behind me as we walked on the path. At the corner of the park, I found an empty area where there weren’t too many people nearby. A good place to talk.

“I apologize for not introducing ourselves first, grandma,” I said. “I’m Himitsume. Himitsume Hikaru,” I introduced myself with a bow.

“I’m Niwa Yuuka!” Yuuka introduced herself.

“I’m Inoue Naomi. It’s nice to meet you two,” she said with a bow.

“If you don’t mind, can we ask you a few questions?”

“What for?”

“Yuuka and I are investigating the disappearance of a little girl named Tachibana Kaori. She went missing from this park about two months ago.”

“A missing girl you say? Well, I hope I can help. I’m a local here in Shinagawa. At least, I was a local in my past life.”

“A local? So you know the park here well?” I asked.

Inoue nodded. “I know everything here and everyone comes here to Shinagawa Park like the back of my hand.”

“That makes things easier then.” I pulled out the paper and showed her the picture of Kaori. “This is the girl we’re looking for. Have you seen her?”

Inoue looked closely at the picture. “Hm…oh, yes, I have! I believe she came here one time with her mother to have a picnic.” Yuuka and I looked at each other and smiled, happy we found a clue. “However…”

“What is it?” Yuuka asked.

“You said she went missing two months ago, yes? I can’t exactly tell time anymore, but I haven’t seen them in a very long time,” Inoue said.

“When did you last see them then?” I asked.

“Hm…around two summers ago?”

“Two summers ago?” Yuuka repeated. “That’s different from what Tachibana-san said.”

“Are you sure?” Inoue nodded confidently, then I placed my hand to my chin.

If what Inoue-san says is true, then that means Tachibana-san is lying. But if that’s the case, why lie? Does Tachibana-san know something about Kaori? Is she in danger? I thought to myself.

Inoue bowed. “I apologize. That’s all I can give you.”

“No, it’s fine. Thank you for everything, Inoue-san.”

“Of course. Anything to help youngsters like you,” she said with a smile on her face.

“Hey, Inoue-san,” I said. “Are you stuck here at this place? If you like, I can help find a way for you to move on.”

She shook her head. “No, it’s fine,” she replied.

“It’s fine?” Yuuka repeated. “If you’re not stuck here, then why stay?”

“Because this place is precious to me,” she replied. Inoue turned and looked at the park, and the two of us followed her eyes. “You see, when I was little, I used to visit this park many times. I would run around and have fun at the playground, or have small picnics with my loved ones. But the one thing I loved about this place was meeting my husband for the first time.”

“Husband? Were you two childhood friends?” I asked.

Inoue nodded. “We always asked our parents to take us so we could hang out with each other. As we grew older, we eventually came here by ourselves, having a few dates and picnics. Then, one day, he kneeled down and proposed to me at this park. That day was the best thing that ever happened to me.”

I heard sniffling and turned to see Yuuka with her hands in front of her face, on the verge of tears. “Wh-What an incredible love story…!”

I chuckled at her. “You really get emotional sometimes, don’t you?”

“Shut up!” she shouted at me.

Inoue laughed. “ Hohoho! From the way you two act with each other, I guess you’re childhood friends as well?”

“Yeah, we are,” I answered.

“I see.” Inoue turned to Yuuka. “Yuuka-chan, if I may ask, how did you pass away?”

“Ah, I got sick with cancer. I got stuck at the hospital and died from it three months later,” she answered.

“That’s terrible. I’m sorry for what you had to go through,” Inoue said, sympathizing with her. “Well, if you were alive and healthy, I’m sure you and Hikaru-kun would’ve ended up the same way as me and my husband.”

“Huh? Y-You mean…” I stammered.

“U-Us, m-married? N-No way!” Yuuka exclaimed, her face turning red.

“Hohoho! And that’s exactly the same reaction I had once!”

“I-Inoue-san, w-we’re just friends…” I said, nervously.

“Y-Yeah, that’s right!” Yuuka agreed with me.

“Sure, sure. I know young love when I see it,” Inoue said, waving her hand at us with a smirk on her face.

Yuuka and I awkwardly stared at her, our faces red and warm from embarrassment.

I sighed and calmed myself down. “Ahem. W-Well, if you don’t need any help, then I suppose we’ll leave. We still need to work on this case.”

“Of course. I’ll keep an eye out if I find anything.”

“Thank you. Goodbye, Inoue-san.”

“Bye, Inoue-san,” said Yuuka.

We left with a bow, then walked away from the park. As we made our way out, there was an awkward silence between us.

“...”

“...”

“H-Hey…Hikaru…” Yuuka said quietly. “Wh-What she said earlier…that was just a joke teasing us…r-right?”

“Y-Yeah, it was,” I agreed. “We’re just friends. There’s no way we would’ve gotten together.”

“Y-Yeah…you’re right…haha…”

*****

After that awkward moment together with Inoue, Yuuka and I stopped by at a nearby convenience store. I bought an umeboshi onigiri and a bottle of green tea and stepped outside.

I unwrapped my onigiri and took a bite of it. “Hey Hikaru, do you actually like eating that flavor?” she asked.

“Yeah, I do.”

“Ehhhh?! Isn’t that super salty and sour though?!” she exclaimed, shivering and putting her arms around her body.

“It’s an acquired taste,” I replied. “Oh, and unlike you, I’m not a child who’s picky about what I eat.”

“Hey!” I chuckled at her and she pouted, then she crossed her arms and looked away from me.

Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

As I ate my onigiri and drank my tea, Yuuka and I watched as cars passed through the city and people walked by. The air was still hot, but it was a little better now to where I can handle it. So far, it seemed to be a good day.

“Hey, Hikaru. What did you think about Inoue-san’s story?”

“What about it?” I asked.

“Well, it’s just her story didn’t match with Tachibana-san’s. Inoue-san said she hasn’t seen them for a long time, but Tachibana-san said they were there at the park just about a month ago. Sounds weird, doesn’t it?”

I took a bite of my onigiri. “There will always be discrepancies between witnesses, but you’re right. It is weird how completely different both stories are. If I have to guess, one of them is lying.”

“Really? Which one?”

“Inoue-san seemed genuine to me. She was a local at the park, and she was kind and loving like every grandmother would be. As for Tachibana-san on the other hand, although she seemed fine, there was just something off with her.”

“You mean the way she was nervous?” I nodded. “Hm…I suppose you’re right. You know, one of the shows I watched had a woman moving her hair when she talked. Apparently, that’s a sign that they could be trying to hide something.”

“Hm. Looks like binge watching actually did some good, Yuuka.”

“Hey!”

I chuckled. “You’re right about that. People usually do that when they’re keeping something. Question is, what is it Tachibana-san is not telling us? We’ll have to find out.”

After finishing my meal, Yuuka and I headed back to Meguro, making our way to Little Angel Daycare—the daycare where Tachibana would drop off Kaori. We eventually arrived and entered inside.

The daycare was large, bright and vibrant, with a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Many caregivers and children were all around, along with rooms where they got to stay in and play.

“Welcome!” a young woman at the front desk greeted me.

“Hello,” I greeted her back with a wave and a smile.

“I apologize, but I don’t seem to know you,” she said. “Are you new here?”

“Yes, I am,” I replied.

“I see. What can I do for you?”

“I have a little sister and someone I knew told me about Little Angel Daycare, so I thought about checking it out for myself. Is it alright if I have a tour so I can know a little bit about the place?” I said.

“Of course! Many parents come here to check it out before they decide to drop off their children, so I understand for a big brother like you,” she said with a smile.

The receptionist called over one of her coworkers to take her place, then she gestured to me to follow behind her.

“So, you said you have plans to drop off your sister here?” she said.

“Yes.” I pulled out my phone and showed her a picture of my sister.

“Wait a minute, that’s Miyu!” Yuuka exclaimed.

Sorry, Yuuka. I need to use her just this once, I told myself in my head.

“Aw~, she’s cute~!” she said, her cheeks flushing. “Well, here at Little Angel Daycare, we have a large space for all the children to play, so she can have all the fun she wants!” She points to a room on the right. “In there, that’s where all the kids go when they want to play with toys, games, or puzzles.” She points to a room on the left. “And that’s where the kids who want to draw or read go. We also have a room where the kids sleep, a dining area where they eat together, and a playground outside.”

“That’s quite a lot of things,” I said.

“It is!” Just then, a few kids who were running quickly in the hallway passed by us. “Hey, Akito, Haruto, Rin! Be careful~!”

“We will~!”

She bows. “I apologize for their behavior.”

“It’s fine,” I told her. “You seem to know those kids.”

“Yes. I know pretty much all the kids here,” she replied.

“Really?”

She nodded. “Although there are many children and parents, I do my best to remember all of those who come here, especially after five years of working at this daycare.”

I nodded in understanding. “I believe my little sister had a friend who came here to this daycare once.”

“Really? Who?”

“Tachibana Kaori.”

The receptionist’s face lit up for a brief moment, then darkened. “Kaori…?”

“Yes. Did you know her?” I asked.

She gave a weak smile and nodded. “Yes, I did.” She turned around and placed her hands on the railing, looking outside at the kids playing at the playground. “She was always a bright and cheerful child, that girl.”

“Were you two close?”

“Everyone here was,” she replied. “The day we heard she went missing…we were all devastated. To think we would never get to see her again. Her smile and her face…”

“When was the last time you saw her?” I asked.

“A month ago, a few days before she disappeared,” she replied.

“Did Kaori or Tachibana-san ever mention anything about going to a park?”

“A park? No, I don’t think so.” I took a note of that in my head.

“If you don’t mind me asking, did you or any one of the caregivers know her mother well?”

“Not really. She always came in here and dropped her off, then left. Around the afternoon, she would come back and take her home without a word.” I also took note of that. “Is there a reason why you want to know about the two of them?” she asked me.

“Well, I visited her not too long ago to check up on her, and I was worried about her condition,” I explained. “She seemed devastated after Kaori disappeared, so I was hoping to learn something so I can help her.”

The receptionist nodded in understanding. “The last day when Kaori and her mother came in, I was working at the front desk. We greeted each other as usual, but Tachibana-san seemed…upset.”

“Upset?”

“Yes. While the daycare took care of Kaori, Tachibana-san worked multiple jobs to get money for the two of them. I thought that maybe she was overworking herself and not getting enough rest, and that’s why she was upset. Looking back at it…maybe it was something else that was getting on her nerves.” I took note of that.

Something got on her nerves, I repeated in my head.

“Thank you for telling me this,” I told her. “And thank you for showing me around the daycare. I’ll have to think about it and talk with my little sister.”

“Of course! Have a good day!”

I waved goodbye and left the daycare with Yuuka following behind me.

“Hey Hikaru,” said Yuuka. “Did you really have to use Miyu to lie to the receptionist?”

“Sorry,” I apologized. “I had to do that to get answers without getting suspicious.”

She stared at me for a moment, then sighed. “Well, it’s all good. We got what we needed, right?”

“Yeah, we did.”

*****

I pulled out my phone and scrolled through the internet. I searched up Tanaka Makoto’s name and found his social media account. Apparently, he lives here in Meguro. From his recent posts, he just visited a mall not too close to us. Following the directions on my phone, Yuuka and I arrived at the mall.

“Woah…this is amazing!” she exclaimed, excitedly. Yuuka floated around and looked at everything in awe. “Look at all these clothes…! Ooh, and look at all of these pastries! So many sweets~!”

“Hey, this is not the time to be shopping,” I whispered, reminding her.

“A-Ah, r-right! I knew that!” Yuuka, disappointed, slowly came down and floated next to me.

I took a quick glance at the mall. “Tanaka should be…there.”

In the distance, I saw Tanaka talking to a young woman. They were in line at a yakitori stall, waiting to buy some food. I walked over and sat down at a table close to them. I watched as Tanaka and the girl paid for two yakitori sticks and sat down at another table together.

Yuuka glared at him, her eyes turning pure black. “Tch. He refuses to be with his ex to help their daughter, but it’s completely fine to flirt with a different girl? What a dirtbag.”

“I know how angry you are,” I whispered. “I’m mad too, but we can’t let our emotions get in the way of our investigation. Not until we know more.”

“I swear, if he has something to do with Kaori’s disappearance, I’ll-”

Just then, the girl stood up and bowed. “Sorry~! I have to use the bathroom. I’ll be right back!” Tanaka nodded, then she left.

Using this opportunity, I stood up and went up to him. “Excuse me,” I said. “If you don’t mind, can I talk to you for a moment?”

“Huh? Who’re you?” he asked in an irritated tone.

“I’m Himitsume Hikaru. I’m here about a missing girl named Tachibana Kaori,” I replied.

“Tachibana…? Oh…you’re here about that.”

“Do you know about it?” I asked.

“Yeah,” he replied. “A few weeks ago, a few cops came and questioned me about it, asking where I’ve been and if I knew anything about her and things like that.”

“What did you tell them?” I asked.

“I was hanging out with a few friends of mine the day Kaori disappeared. We went out, ate at a fancy restaurant and had a few drinks. After that, we crashed at one of my buddy’s place and I had the time of my life. If you know what I mean.”

Although what he said was uncomfortable, I had an idea what he was talking about. Yuuka, who had a look of disgust on her face, seemed to know it as well.

“Aside from that,” he said, “I never went close to either Kaori or Tachibana, so I don’t know where she disappeared off to.”

“So, you know nothing about her?”

“That’s what I just said.”

If Tanaka-san was not involved with her disappearance, then who else could it be? I thought to myself.

Tanaka looked at me up and down. “You don’t look like a cop. What are you, a high schooler?”

“It doesn’t matter what I am. I’m just here to ask you about Kaori, but if you know nothing, I suppose there’s nothing I can do about that.”

“If that’s all, do you mind going away? I have a date with a girl,” he said, shooing me away.

“You…!” Yuuka grunted, clenching her fists and gritting her teeth, her eyes turning pure black.

“Ahem,” I slightly coughed, signaling her to calm down. “I will, but there’s one more thing I’d like to know.”

“What?”

“Tanaka-san,” I said. “Tachibana-san says you’re her ex-boyfriend, and the father of Kaori. You were in love with her once, so why did you leave? Why did you abandon her and Kaori?”

Tanaka stared at me in the eyes, having a tired expression on his face. “...I wanted to stay away,” he said.

“Stay away?”

Tanaka grabbed his yakitori and took a bite of it. “That Tachibana…she was always too attached to me. Clingy, always keeping close to me. I couldn’t hang out with any of my friends or family, I could barely go out anywhere by myself without having to bring her along! It was too much. So, I broke up with her and left. Soon after, that’s when I heard she gave birth to Kaori. And for years…I mean, years. She’d message me again and again, asking me to come and visit them both.”

“But you didn’t,” I said.

“No, I didn’t.”

I narrowed my eyes. “I understand if you wanted nothing to do with Tachibana-san, but there was your daughter. You could’ve at least supported her by sending some money or a few gifts.”

“If I did anything, Tachibana would’ve tracked me down and dragged me along with her. The last thing I need is to be close to that woman.”

I went closer to him. “You didn’t like Tachibana-san so much that you stopped caring about your own daughter?”

Tanaka glared at me. “Don’t twist my words.”

I stared at him for a moment, then sighed. “So? Has Tachibana-san texted you since?”

“No,” he replied. “She finally stopped texting me and left me alone.”

“She stopped? When?”

“I dunno. Uh…about a month ago?”

A month ago? That’s when Kaori disappeared…

“Do you know why?”

“Beats me. It’s not like I care anyways. I’m glad I don’t have to hear from her again,” he said, giving a light chuckle.

I clenched my fists in frustration. “I see…” Before it could go on any more, I saw the girl coming back. “That’s all I wanted to talk about. Later, Tanaka-san.” I turned around and walked away, passing by the girl.

“Who was that?” I heard the girl ask Tanaka.

“Oh, just a random nobody,” he replied.

Upon hearing that, Yuuka fidgeted and stopped. “What did you say…?” She changed into her monster form and turned around, her neck making a snap. “You called Hikaru…a nobody…?!” she said, her voice turning deep and raspy.

The lights in the mall suddenly flickered. “Yuuka?” I whispered, startled by her sudden change.

Yuuka’s body bent and snapped, then she darted towards Tanaka, passing through him and making him trip.

“Hhh!”

“Tanaka-kun?” The girl grabbed him by the arm. “Are you alright?”

“Y-Yeah. I just…felt a chill just there…”

The two of them continued on their way, acting like nothing happened. Yuuka changed back to her human form and stomped her foot on the ground.

“Ugh! If only I could’ve pushed him!” she exclaimed, stomping her foot in frustration.

“Calm down, Yuuka,” I said.

“Calm down? Did you not hear what he called you?!”

“I know, but don’t do anything anymore.”

“But-”

“Yuuka,” I stated her name clearly out loud and she froze. Yuuka frowned and looked down with a look of disappointment on her face. “Let’s go.” I walked away and Yuuka silently followed behind as we left the mall.

*****

Yuuka and I walked through the city, both of us quiet and distant from each other. I turned behind and glanced at her. She still had a frown on her face, and her eyes were still filled with shame.

“Yuuka,” I quietly said. “I’m sorry if I made you upset earlier. I understand that you were just trying to protect me, but fighting against people like Tanaka won’t do anything.”

“I know, but…” Yuuka paused and clenched her fists. “Back when we were kids…I had to hear all sorts of people talk bad about you. Calling you crazy, calling you names, and all sorts of horrible things. To hear it again now that I’m a ghost…it’s just heartbreaking.” I went silent and frowned. “Hikaru,” she said. “Are you not angry at all when they say those things?”

“Angry…” I repeated. “No…not really.” I stopped walking, and Yuuka stopped as well. “How can I say this? It’s…well, it’s just normal to me, I guess.”

“Normal?”

“Nobody, crazy…failure. I’ve heard it so much that I’m just numb to it now.” Yuuka frowned upon hearing that. “The pain I felt when I was a kid…all of their voices, all of their laughter…having to let it eat at myself everyday, breaking me piece by piece…it was unbearable. But…”

“But?”

I turned to look at her. “I eventually learned to move past that pain, thanks to you,” I said, giving a weak smile. “Keeping all of that anger, all that pain…it doesn’t bring you any good. Had I kept it, I wouldn’t know where I’d be right now. That’s why I don’t get angry when people like Tanaka say things about me.”

Yuuka stared at me for a moment, then chuckled. “Honestly…when did you grow up?” she said, giving a slight grin.

“Shut up,” I jokingly said. We both laughed and smiled.

Pain… I thought to myself.

“Wait…pain…”

“Hm?”

“Yuuka,” I said. “If you were in Tachibana-san’s shoes, how would you feel?”

“Where’s this all coming from all of a sudden?” she said.

“Just answer me.”

Yuuka placed her finger to her lips and thought about it for a moment. “Well…I’d be upset,” she replied. “Someone I loved left me to raise my daughter all on my own. He doesn’t support me in any way, so I would have to work and do everything myself. At first, it’d be fine, but the more I do it, the more exhausting and tiring it’d be. Seven whole years of raising a child, of being a single mother, would be tough on me. It’d be understandable to just give up.”

“Give up huh?” I said.

Yuuka tilted her head. “Hikaru, did you just figure something out?”

“Perhaps,” I replied with a smile. “We’ll just have to go and see.”

*****

Tachibana

I was in my kitchen, washing dishes at the sink. I scrubbed the plates and bowls with soap and water, then rinsed them off and placed them on the rack to dry.

I let out a sigh, then began washing my own hands. Kaori… I thought. To think that even now, someone like that young boy would come here and ask me about her after a month has passed. The faucet ran as I washed my hands. Why…? Why is that boy so insistent on finding her…?

I scrubbed my hands faster and faster, my heart beating quickly and my vision going blurry. Just then, there was a knock at the door. I froze for a moment. I turned off the faucet and dried my hands with a towel, then went over to my door and opened it.

“Hello.”

“H-Himitsume-kun? Wh-What are you doing here at this time?” I asked frantically.

“I apologize for visiting again without notifying you ahead of time,” he said with a bow. “Is it alright if I come inside?”

“Y-Yeah, sure.” Himitsume entered my apartment and sat down on the couch. “I’m sorry if anything seems out of place or dirty. I was just cleaning everything just now.”

“It’s fine.”

“S-So, why are you visiting again?” I asked him, holding my arm.

“I wanted to check on you,” he replied.

“Check on me?”

His face became stern and he directed his eyes at me. “Tachibana-san,” he said. “Are you feeling alright?”

“Huh?”

“I know I asked this before, but I really want to make sure if you’re okay like you say. I’m worried about your condition.”

I stared at him and looked down. “Y-Yeah…I’m fine,” I whispered.

He stared at me for a moment, then looked away. “Like I said, I went out and investigated Kaori’s disappearance. I visited the park you and Kaori visited. I also met Tanaka-san.”

“M-Makoto?”

Himitsume nodded, then frowned. “I know about everything, Tachibana-san,” he said. “I’m sorry for what you had to go through. What he did to you and Kaori…it was terrible.”

I frowned and looked away, grabbing tighter onto my arm. “You don’t have to apologize for anything, Himitsume-kun,” I said. “Makoto…I tried many times asking him to visit us. At least visit Kaori. But…he didn’t want to.” I gave a light chuckle. “I knew Makoto never wanted to see me again, but I thought that maybe…maybe he could at least see his daughter for the first time. Of course, I was wrong…”

Himitsume stared at me in silence for a moment, looking solemn. “How was it raising Kaori? Was it difficult?” he asked. I pressed my lips in frustration, and he took that as my answer. “Tachibana-san, have you…ever thought of giving up?”

“Huh?” Himitsume stared at me in the eyes, patiently waiting for my answer. I nervously gulped. “N-No…of course not.”

“Really? I think most people would’ve broken down from the pressure of it all. It would be normal to.”

My hands shook and I looked down. “Wh-What are you trying to say?”

“You’re lying, Tachibana-san.” My eyes widened and I fidgeted. Himitsume stood up and narrowed his eyes.

“N-No, I-”

“You lied about going to Shinagawa Park. You lied about your own condition. And you lied about Kaori, didn’t you?” My body shook as I backed away. “Tachibana-san. Tell me the truth.”

I stared at him in the eyes, realizing he was serious. I started sniffling, and tears began to come down my eyes.

“You don’t know…what it was like…” I said, my voice broken. “After I gave birth to her…there was no one there for me. I had long broken contact with my family, so they didn’t know where we were. And Makoto…the one I loved…disappeared to never be seen again. All I had left…was a baby.”

“Tachibana-san…”

I sniffled. “I-I raised her as best I could, but…with each passing day, it just…grew harder. I just couldn’t take it anymore…”

“What did you do to Kaori?”

I pulled my hands away from my face and stared directly at them. “It was…an accident…”

*****

It was a month ago, around one night. I was in my kitchen, cooking some food in a pot on the stove. My daughter, Kaori, was in the living room, sitting on the couch and watching cartoons on the TV.

While I was cooking, I was on my phone, sending messages to Makoto, telling him about what Kaori was doing and asking him to come visit us both. However, like the past few years, there hasn’t been any reply from him.

Why…? I thought. Why…? Why won’t he answer…?!!

I clenched my phone and threw it on the ground, smashing it and giving off a loud thud. Kaori looked away from the screen and turned her attention to me. I had my back against the fridge and fell down, placing my hands over my face as I wept.

“Okaa-san?” Kaori dropped down from the couch and came over to me. “Okaa-san, are you okay?” she asked in a gentle and quiet voice.

I slightly moved my hands, showing her my eyes and frowned. “Kaori…just leave me alone for a moment…okay…?”

“But…Okaa-san is crying. Do you need help?” she said with a frown on her face.

“No. Just…leave me alone…”

“Okaa-san, I don’t want to see you cry. Please don’t be sad.”

Just be quiet…

“Okaa-san, is there anything I can do for you? Let me help you. Okaa-san?”

Please…just shut up…

“Okaa-san-”

“I said just leave me alone!”

Full of rage and frustration, I shoved her away, pushing her and knocking her head on the kitchen counter. Kaori fell on the floor, and blood began seeping out from the side of her head.

“No!” I rushed over to her and frantically checked her. “Oh no, oh no, oh no…!”

I reached for my phone, but I realized that it was completely broken. I tapped on the screen multiple times, only for it to flash and glitch. I quickly stood up and rushed to grab the house phone. As I went to press the buttons and dial the number for an ambulance, I looked back at Kaori and stared into her eyes. They were blank, empty of life. She showed no signs of breathing and no signs of movement.

The phone slipped out of my hand as I froze in fear, gasping under my breath. I fell to my knees and cried.

What have I done…? I didn’t mean to. Kaori…no…

*****

Hikaru

“Tachibana-san…killed her…?” Yuuka said, her voice wavering and her eyes widened in disbelief.

I closed my eyes and looked down, shaking my head. “Tachibana-san,” I said, my voice quiet and solemn.

“It was an accident!” she cried out, her voice breaking apart. “I swear…it was just an accident…! I didn’t mean to…!” Tachibana fell to her knees with tears running down her face. Her composure had been broken, and she was terrified, her body shaking. “You have to believe me! It was an accident! I didn’t mean to hurt Kaori!”

I stared at her and sympathized with her pain, understanding how sorry she must feel. I went over to her and knelt down in front of her.

“I know you didn’t mean to. I know what you went through and how hard it was for you, but you did it, and you can’t change that.” Tachibana weeped and clenched her fists in frustration and anger. “However, there is one thing you can do,” I said. “Tachibana-san, tell me where you put Kaori.”

Tachibana was quiet for a moment, frozen with tears still falling from her face.

“Please. Tell me where she is.”

“...Se…”

“Hm?”

“...Setagaya…” she quietly answered. “I…buried her…in a playground in Setagaya…”

*****

I was sitting on a train headed towards Setagaya. Yuuka, who was sitting next to me, was petrified with her gaze directed to the floor. The thought of Tachibana, a mother, hurting Kaori was unbelievable. Yuuka came from a family who loved and cared for her with all their hearts. This was the first time she ever heard of family hurting family.

“Yuuka,” I whispered. “If you can’t handle it, you can stay back and wait for me.”

Yuuka shook her head. “No,” she said. “I’m fine. I can do this.” I stared at her for a moment, then nodded in understanding.

Once the train came to a stop at the station, Yuuka and I stepped off and headed towards the playground Tachibana told me where we could find Kaori. The sun was down, and everything was dark now. Street lights illuminated the road as cars and people passed by us.

When we arrived at the playground, we were both surprised to see flashing lights, along with multiple police cars and yellow tape surrounding the area. News reporters stood close by with cameras directed at them.

“What is happening?” Yuuka said, confused by the sight.

“The police…could it be?”

I walked over to the crime scene and an officer immediately stepped in front of me, blocking my way.

“You need to step away from here,” the officer told me, gesturing me to move back.

“Did Tachibana-san call you?” I asked.

Upon hearing that, the officer’s face lit up, surprised. “You know her?”

I nodded. “I talked to her not long ago,” I replied. “She told me about what’s here.”

The officer stared at me for a moment, then sighed. “We received a call from her a little while ago. She confessed to murdering her daughter Kaori and told us that she buried her body at this playground.”

“She told them… She told the truth…” Yuuka said, her voice wavering.

She did.

“Hey, we found something!” one of the officers who were digging shouted. The officer bowed to me, then rushed over to them.

Although I stood far, I managed to get a glance at the hole the officers dug. There, I saw the remains of a small human body.

“Is that her?” Yuuka asked.

“It’s her,” I whispered.

“How can you tell?”

“Because she’s here.” I pointed to the slides. There, we saw the ghost of a small girl resembling Kaori, standing and watching us.

I took a quick glance around me, then walked over to an isolated area far from the police and reporters.

“You can come over here, Kaori,” I said. Upon hearing her name called, she floated towards me. “Hello Kaori,” I greeted her with a smile.

“You can see me?” I nodded. Kaori stared at me and Yuuka for a moment, then turned to the police officers. “Okaa-san told them about me.”

I nodded. “She did.”

“Okaa-san…she always looked so sad all the time,” she said, her voice quiet and soft. “I don’t know why or what made her so sad, but I tried to help. I played with her, hung out with her, and even tried to make her laugh. It worked, but her smile would always go away.” Kaori frowned and looked down. “That day, when I died, I was worried she wouldn’t be able to take care of herself anymore.”

“Wait, you’re not mad she killed you?” Yuuka asked.

Kaori shook her head. “It was a mistake, and I know it. It’s sad I can’t be with her anymore, but if she’s happy now, that’s all that matters.”

I crouched down to her level, meeting her face-to-face, giving a warm smile. “You’re a kind girl, Kaori,” I said. “You really care about your mother, don’t you?”

Kaori nodded. “I’m scared the police officers will take her away and make her more sad,” she said, holding her hands together. “Will she be okay?”

I stared at her with a straight face and nodded. “Yeah, she’ll be fine,” I told her. “Some people will look at her and see her as a bad person, but…there will be people who will do their best to help her. Don’t worry.”

“Really?” I nodded. She stared at me for a moment, then gave off a smile. “I see. If Okaa-san will be alright, then…”

Kaori’s body suddenly began to glow. “Wh-What’s happening?!” Yuuka stuttered.

“She’s moving on,” I answered.

She slowly disappeared and turned into tiny sparks of light, flying away in the wind and going up. I stood up and looked at the starry night sky, giving off a smile.

“Rest well, Kaori.”

*****

After Kaori’s ghost peacefully faded away and her remains were safely collected by the police, Yuuka and I walked away and went back home, finished with our work. Tachibana, who had confessed to murdering Kaori, was arrested from her apartment. Although there were those who were harsh to her for what a horrible thing she did, there were those who understood what she had to go through that led to it.

Tanaka, who was not involved with the murder but the reason for Tachibana’s mental state and situation, was publicly criticized for neglecting his duties as a father. His girlfriend, his friends, and his family broke their connections shortly after, leaving him in the dust. Tachibana is currently receiving treatments at a mental facility.

Yuuka and I were watching the news on TV, and we were satisfied with the results. Tanaka could’ve been a good father and lover to Tachibana and Kaori. Together, they could’ve been a family, but his selfishness came back to bite him. The only thing I wished could’ve been better was that Tachibana and Kaori could’ve had a different ending.

“Hey Hikaru,” said Yuuka.

“What is it?”

“I miss mom and Miyu. If we have time, can we go visit them?” I smiled and nodded.