"It's all right. My appearance has changed completely over the past three years..." Chief Kasei said, unconcerned, still holding a book from three years ago.
"There's something I need to apologize to you for..."
Chief Kasei handed the book to Shogo Makishima.
"The book I borrowed from you before was lost after so many things happened. In this era, when physical books have become precious commodities, it took quite an effort to find the same one. I bought this at an auction for a high price... It wasn't easy..."
Shogo Makishima accepted the book.
"Impressive. It's actually a first edition from Gendai Shicho-sha?"
As she spoke, Chief Kasei even revealed a fairly radiant smile.
Such a bright, toothy smile was rare, especially one so cheerful.
"You gave me quite a fright... You're... Kouzaburou Fujima?"
"How nostalgic." Should she be called Chief Kasei, or Kouzaburou Fujima? But Kouzaburou Fujima was no longer anything like his former self. He was a completely new person—Chief Kasei.
"Back at Sakura Frost Academy, Makishima-kun helped me quite a lot."
That had been a long time ago. Thinking back on it, Yoshio somewhat missed those days at Sakura Frost Academy. Back then, Shogo Makishima had helped him greatly. Yoshio had never forgotten that, though bringing up old matters now did not serve much purpose.
"I was the one who got to see quite a few interesting things. When I heard you'd fallen into the hands of the police, I truly thought it was such a waste. But then there were no detention or execution records left behind, which I found very strange..." Shogo Makishima carefully observed Yoshio. Her appearance truly bore no resemblance to before. She had changed so completely that there was no trace of her former self.
"This body... Plastic surgery? No, even your