Suga and Nellson watched Ishikari curiously. Ishikari resumed talking.

“She doesn’t respond when I call her; when I approach her, she always tries to go away.”

Suga nodded.

“Of course, it’s strange considering that many people are trying to find the missing victims, but instead, the victims don’t seem to want to be approached. Have you informed the police about this?”

Ishikari nodded.

“Of course, even townspeople immediately searched around the town, but she could not be found.”

Suga’s expression turned curious.

“I suspect this is not normal. Someone who sees the missing victims usually the sign if...”

Ishikari interrupted Suga’s words.

“Someone will gone missing too?”

Suga was a little surprised, then nodded. Ishikari continued speaking.

“Yeah, I’ve lived here long enough to know something like that, even if it's unusual. But no one in this town wants to reveal the truth.”

Ishikari’s expression turned gloomy. Suga’s expression turned serious.

“I suggest you don’t leave the house at this time of night, especially if you see anything suspicious.”

Ishikari nodded.

“Yes, It’s better like that.”

They continued walking; the atmosphere around them looked quiet, with only them walking, passing the buildings on their right and left. Suga looked curious.

“How often have you seen your friend who was one of the missing persons?”

Ishikari was silent for a moment in thought.

“Tonight is the third time. At first, I only glimpsed her while walking home from school and thought it was just my imagination. The subsequent encounter became more apparent, and I was even chasing her this time, even though it failed.”

Suga nodded. They arrived at a two-story Japanese modern-style house and the fence surrounding it. Ishikari said.

“Thank you for taking me home, Hisoka san. Good luck with your investigation.”

Suga nodded and smiled.

“Of course, there’s no need to be reluctant.”

Ishikari nodded and smiled; she then walked inside her house. Suga got on his bicycle with Nellson already inside the basket and pedaled away from here. Nellson said.

“In less than a day, we got quite a lot of things.”

Suga’s expression turned serious. While riding his bicycle, Suga replied.

“That’s right, whether we should be happy or not at getting progress in our investigation....”

Nellson looked curious.

“What are we going to do next, Suga?”

Suga paused for a moment in thought.

“We’ll continue to try to dig up information while keeping an eye on Ishikari because she might be an important clue for us and to prevent any more victims. Also, I wonder if there might be other criteria for a missing victim besides if they were lured by someone they knew.”

Nellson nodded.

“You’re right. It could be said that searching for missing victims makes it easier for other people to become new victims. Because if someone sees a missing person, they will normally approach or even chase the missing person. We must not be off guard about other possibilities.”

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Suga nodded.

The next day, the time is now 7:00 am. This morning, the weather is sunny and slightly cloudy. The morning sun shines gently, starting to warm up today’s temperature. Suga, wearing a long-sleeved white shirt, black trousers, and boots, walked out of the inn. Suga walked to the bicycle rental shop and was greeted by the old man who owned the place as usual. Nellson flew after Suga, then landed before the old man, surprising him. The old man watched Suga curiously.

“It seems you are busy again today, Hisoka san?”

Suga nodded and smiled.

“Yeah, that is so. I’ll excuse myself, Uncle.”

Suga said while he got on the same bicycle, he borrowed yesterday. The old man crossed his arms and nodded. Suga turned to Nellson.

“Let’s go, Nellson.”

Nellson nodded then flew and entered the front basket of the bicycle. Suga then pedaled his bicycle away from here. The old man watched them curiously as he thought.

“Hmm... that owl is a really smart pet.”

The old man looked amazed.

Sometime later, Suga and Nellson arrived in front of Ishikari’s house. Not long after, Ishikari was walking out of her house to go to school. Ishikari wears her school uniform: a black attache case school bag, a skirt, a long-sleeved white shirt, a tie, a school blazer, black socks, and loafers. Suga, pedaling his bicycle, approached Ishikari from behind.

“Ishikari-san?”

Suga called out to her from behind; Ishikari stopped her steps and turned to look at Suga, her expression turned slightly surprised.

“Hisoka-san? What are you doing here?”

Suga stopped his bicycle next to Ishikari, Nellson watched them curiously from inside the basket.

“As we discussed before, what happened to you might be a bad sign. I can't allow any more victims, let me take you to school.”

Ishikari’s expression turned astonished.

Suga and Ishikari were now walking together, with Suga leading his bicycle on the right and Ishikari walking on his left, on the road leading to the school building that was beginning to be seen in the distance. Several other students around them also walked towards the school. Suga said.

“Have you ever seen your missing friend around school?”

Ishikari shook his head.

“No, she usually appears where there aren’t many people or when I’m alone.”

Suga nodded.

“OK, so I'm assuming you'll be safe if you're in a crowded place.”

Ishikari nodded.

“I hope so.”

There was concern in Ishikari’s expression.

“I just didn’t expect what actually happened to my friend.”

Suga’s expression turned serious.

“Leave that matter to me because it is my duty.”

Ishikari was a little surprised; she then smiled and nodded. Before long, Ishikari appeared to realize something.

“Aren’t you going to school, Hisoka san?”

Suga nodded.

“Yes, but I'm currently in permission to absent for a few days.”

Ishikari’s expression turned curious. They arrived at Ishikari School gate, with a two-story building and a short wall fence surrounding it.

“I’ll excuse myself Hisoka san.”

Suga smiled and nodded. Ishikari then walked into her school area. Suga rode and pedaled his bicycle away from here.

Suga Arrived at Ishikari’s house, parked his bicycle, and walked to the entrance double doors. Nellson flew out of the bicycle basket, passed Suga, and landed first in front of the entrance. Suga pressed the intercom bell next to the door.

“Sorry to interrupt your time, I am a government investigator. I want to....”

Before Suga had finished speaking, the entrance door next to him was opened by a middle-aged woman. This woman was surprised when she saw Suga.

“Government investigators you say?”

Suga smiled, then took out his ID from the trouser pocket and showed it to this woman.

“Right, could Aunt have a moment?”

The woman’s expression turned doubtful, but only for a moment.

“Okay, Hisoka san, how can I help you?”

Suga smiled.

“I want to ask something about the missing person case that recently occurred in this town.”

The woman nodded, and her attention then turned to Nellson, who had an unusual shape because he had six wings and armor on his body, also the armor on his head that was shaped like horns. Suga smiled awkwardly.

“This owl is my pet who loves to do cosplay. He usually accompany me on my investigations, Aunt could think of him like a police dog.”

Nellson turned to Suga and looked at him curiously. The woman looked at them in astonishment.

“Yes, if I could believe you were an investigator, I would believe this owl was like what you said it was. Because it couldn’t be anything else.”

Suga nodded and smiled. The woman invited Suga to enter the house.

Inside the house, Suga sits on a long sofa in the living room while the woman sits on a single sofa nearby.

“I’m sorry in advance, are Aunt Ishikari’s mother?”

The woman was a little surprised to hear that.

“Right, how did you know?”

Suga’s expression turned serious.

“I accidentally met Ishikari yesterday, while she following a girl she said was her friend and one of the missing victims from Kagohara town.”

Ishikari’s mother was surprised.

“Wait a minute, she saw one of the missing victims you said? We have to report it to the police.”

Suga nodded.

“Good idea, but before that, I want to tell Aunt that Ishikari said that one of the missing victims she saw seemed to avoid her, and instead ran towards the forest.”

Ishikari’s mother was taken aback; her expression turned disturbed, and appeared to know something. Suga was also a little surprised to see Ishikari’s mother’s reaction. Ishikari’s mother said.

“Trying to avoid her? I don’t understand what you mean.”

Suga’s expression turned deadpan.

“Yes, exactly as Aunt heard. What Ishikari saw might be a sign that someone will gone missing.”

Ishikari’s mother looked bothered.

“We should contact the polices.”

Ishikari’s mother stood up from her seat and was about to pick up her smartphone. But Suga said something that stopped Ishikari’s mother in her tracks.

“If Aunt want to say something that might relate to these missing victims, this is the time.”

Ishikari’s mother turned back to face Suga with a glum expression. Suga continued speaking.

“Ishikari said that she knows what she saw might be a sign that she will gone missing too. If Aunt tell me something about it, we might save her.”