"Oh, so you actually remembered exactly what song she sang..."
Kazuha Toyama looked at Heiji Hattori, who was grinning sheepishly, and felt rather annoyed.
Tangze knew every detail, which meant Heiji Hattori had really told him about it.
Yet after all these years, Heiji Hattori had refused to tell her the details, always glossing over them whenever she asked...
"It was just the 'Marutake-Ebis Nursery Rhyme,' easy enough to remember..." Heiji Hattori hurriedly clarified. "I only remembered the first three lines too."
"That's because she only sang three lines," Kazuha Toyama sharply pointed out with remarkable insight.
That was true.
Heiji Hattori looked up at the sky and did not dare say another word.
After laughing at the side for a while, Tangze cleared his throat and temporarily came to Heiji Hattori's rescue. "It's a nursery rhyme everyone learns, so it really is easy to remember."
Heiji Hattori's expression relaxed considerably.
"Still, now that you mention it..." Tangze changed tack. "There are many versions of the Marutake-Ebis Nursery Rhyme. Since its lyrics string together place names without much connection between them, it's easy to misremember or pass them down incorrectly. That's why I suggested Hattori recall more details. So, how has that been going?"
The moment he said that, Heiji Hattori found himself in an impossible position.
If he did not give the details, they really might not be able to find the person. But if he explained the differences in detail, would that not be the same as admitting that he remembered every single word perfectly?
Saying that in front of Kazuha Toyama was no different from exposing himself.
"Uh, well..."
"Hmph, I can sing the Marutake-Ebis Nursery Rhyme too." Kazuha Toyama crossed her arms unhappily. "I learned it when I came to Kyoto with Heiji."
It counted as