The World of Love-Addled Brains He Doesn't Understand

In the late night, on the second floor of the Fujino Detective Agency's reception room.

The milky white light cast spots on the clean white floor.

Brand new furniture was neatly arranged, and a faint scent of sawdust lingered.

Mieko Shibasaki sat on the white sofa, momentarily lost in thought as she looked at the new furniture around her.

Is this really the reception room of a detective agency?

Why does it feel more luxurious than the reception room of the record company our band signed with?

"Ms. Mieko Shibasaki, please have some tea."

Fujino, sitting on a white armchair diagonally opposite her, handed Mieko Shibasaki a freshly poured cup of black tea.

"Thank you..."

Mieko Shibasaki accepted the tea, her movements a little stiff. "Detective Fujino, have you already found out who Tatsuya likes?"

"I have found out."

Fujino nodded, then added with a hint of knowing amusement, "It's someone you would never imagine."

"Could it be Hiromi Koizumi?"

Mieko Shibasaki frowned, her tone showing agitation. "I thought the news of them dating was just media hype, I didn't expect..."

"It's not her."

Upon hearing this, Fujino quickly interrupted the young girl's baseless speculation.

"If it's not her, then who could it be?"

Mieko Shibasaki asked, confused.

"Actually, the person Kimura Tatsuya likes is no one else."

Fujino paused, then continued, "The person he truly likes is the manager in your band, Mari Terahara."

"Huh?"

She let out a surprised sound, then confirmed again, "You mean the manager, Mari Terahara?"

"That's right."

Fujino pushed his glasses up his nose. "According to my investigation, the person Kimura Tatsuya likes should be her, and no one else."

"Impossible, absolutely impossible."

Mieko Shibasaki chuckled, waving her hands dismissively, looking disbelieving. "If you said Tatsuya liked Hiromi Koizumi, I might believe it... but Mari? That's completely impossible."

Mari Terahara. She knew her; she was the manager of the band Mieko was currently in.

Although Mari always seemed to care a lot about Kimura Tatsuya, Kimura Tatsuya didn't appreciate it at all.

He often even mocked her with his words, and from the looks of it, it certainly didn't seem like he liked her!

"Do you know Kimura Tatsuya very well?"

Fujino looked at Mieko Shibasaki's incredulous expression, a slight smile forming on his lips as he chuckled.

"Of course!"

Mieko Shibasaki proudly lifted her head.

Her understanding of Kimura Tatsuya, while not to the extent of knowing every single one of his armpit hairs, could certainly be described as knowing him inside and out.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have easily confessed her feelings.

And then been rejected.

"Then you should also know that before Kimura Tatsuya joined your company's band, he used to perform in underground bands, right?"

"I do know about that."

Upon hearing this, Mieko Shibasaki nodded. "Tatsuya told us about it before."

"But what does that have to do with who he likes?"

"It has everything to do with it."

As he spoke, Fujino leaned forward slightly and placed a file on the coffee table.

Mieko Shibasaki glanced at the report on the coffee table, a look of confusion on her face. "What is this?"

Fujino explained, "This is all the information I've gathered over the past few days. All the evidence indicates that the person Kimura Tatsuya likes is indeed Mari Terahara, without a doubt."

Mieko Shibasaki clutched the investigation report in her hand, her heart tightening. "But Tatsuya always acts like he looks down on Mari..."

Fujino chuckled lightly and asked meaningfully, "As someone close to Kimura Tatsuya, don't you know his personality?"

"Tatsuya's personality..."

Mieko bit her lip. "Tatsuya... the impression I get is that he's cheerful, optimistic, and a bit unsociable... Could it be?!"

She stopped midway through her sentence, her face filled with surprise.

"That's right."

Fujino nodded, placing two photos on the coffee table. "This is an old group photo of him and Mari Terahara from when they were in the band."

"Is that really Mari? She looks so different..."

Mieko Shibasaki studied the man and woman in the photo, looking particularly confused.

The man in the photo was definitely Tatsuya Kimura.

But who was that woman?

Why didn't she remember her?

Seeing her confused expression, Fujino confirmed, "That person really is Mari Terahara."

"You're saying that's Mari?"

Mieko Shibasaki looked at the woman with freckles on her face in the photo and exclaimed in surprise, "Her appearance has changed so much!"

"The reason her appearance changed so drastically is because she underwent plastic surgery..."

Fujino nodded and continued, "Actually, Tatsuya Kimura and Mari Terahara knew each other a long time ago."

"Back then, Tatsuya Kimura and Mari Terahara were in the same underground band and went through a lot together. Later, the band broke up, and he was signed by your company. When he was signed, he also requested that Mari Terahara be brought along."

Mieko Shibasaki nodded and continued to ask, "But if they knew each other from before, why does Tatsuya treat her so coldly now?"

"If I'm not mistaken, it's probably because of the plastic surgery."

As he spoke, Fujino pointed to the photo on the coffee table. "The lyrics Tatsuya Kimura wrote on the back of that band photo, 'To You, Who I Want to Convey This To, Even with Your Bare Face,' are the best evidence. If I'm not mistaken, these lyrics were probably written by him for Mari Terahara after her plastic surgery."

He then read the lyrics aloud: "Even though your appearance has changed so much, I still love the you I knew before..."

"I think the things he said to you weren't just dismissive words, but that he's genuinely waiting, waiting for the bare-faced Mari Terahara from before to return."

"So that's how it is..."

"Meaning, the reason he rejected me is because his heart can't make room for anyone else?"

As she said this, Mieko Shibasaki swayed slightly, a faint blush appearing at the corners of her eyes.

"Based on the investigation results, that seems to be the case."

Fujino nodded silently, pulled out two tissues, and handed them to Mieko Shibasaki. "Actually, from the moment this commission began, the outcome was already decided. Whether it was Hiromi Koizumi or anyone else, it would have been the same for you."

"I know, I know, but... but I just can't let go..."

Looking at the sobbing Mieko Shibasaki, Fujino sighed softly.

Indeed, the world of those blinded by love... he truly didn't understand it.

And so, the sounds of the young girl's sobs echoed on the second floor of Fujino's house.

A moment later, she calmed down and bowed to Fujino. "Detective Fujino, thank you for helping me find out who Tatsuya likes."

"There's no need for that. I'm just completing my client's commission."

Fujino chuckled lightly, then rubbed his hands together sheepishly. "But speaking of which, when can I expect the remaining four hundred fifty thousand in commission fees?"

As he said this, he pulled out a POS machine. "This time, you can pay by bank card."

I'm a bit stuck on the writing, which is why it's taking so long to get this out.