Gray Life (II)

"Hearing you say that actually makes me more uneasy..."

Oreki thought to himself.

It wasn't that he doubted Karuizawa Kei's ability.

He just felt that things weren't that simple.

"Sorry for calling you out here."

"N-no, it's fine..."

"May I ask if Sakura Tanaka is your uncle?"

"Mm..."

"Does he work at the art gallery?"

"Mm..."

"Does he frequently withhold his employees' wages?"

"I don't know..."

"Can you get in touch with him right now?"

Sakura Airi rubbed her hands together, at a loss.

She looked down at the ground.

"I'm sorry."

"...It's fine, I was just too impatient."

Oreki nodded.

He took hold of Karuizawa Kei's right hand.

"Eh, eh... what's wrong?"

Karuizawa Kei was a bit flustered.

"Shh."

Oreki placed his index finger to his lips.

He kept feeling like something was off.

But just now...

By observing Sakura Airi's subtle movements, Oreki had already identified the problem.

Yet Karuizawa Kei knew nothing of it.

Seeing them leave, Sakura Airi let out a sigh of relief.

She took the elevator back to her room.

Meanwhile.

In the Astronomy Club room across from the dormitory.

"Why did we have to come all the way to this place?"

Karuizawa Kei didn't understand.

Not long ago, Oreki had said he wanted to find Sakura Airi.

Why did they leave so suddenly?

They hadn't even talked for a few minutes.

Oreki didn't answer.

Perhaps seeing it with her own eyes would be easier to understand than an explanation.

"Found it."

He pulled a telescope out of a wooden crate.

From here, he could just barely see the windows of the dormitory building.

But the distance was still too great.

He couldn't see anything clearly with the naked eye.

However...

It was a different story with the telescope.

"Kiyoko?"

Oreki hadn't expected this.

It was a bit of a surprise, wasn't it?

He had thought it would be that former curator from the art gallery—Sakura Tanaka.

In other words, Sakura Airi's uncle.

"Judging by the lip movements..."

"Stay... away from that... boy."

"His observation and analytical skills are sharp; he might even know your measurements..."

"Hey, I haven't been observing things like that."

Oreki retorted instinctively.

Most people wouldn't even think about that sort of thing.

"Oreki-kun... doing something like this isn't good, is it..."

"...See for yourself."

"Eh?"

"Take a look and you'll understand what I'm doing."

"Oh..."

Karuizawa Kei stepped forward.

She closed her left eye.

"Kiyoko? Why is she with Airi?"

"You won't get an answer by asking me."

"I suppose so... Wait!"

Karuizawa Kei covered her mouth in surprise.

She had heard about those kinds of relationships between girls.

Could it be...

"I don't know what you're thinking, but it's definitely not what you think."

Oreki waved his hand.

He could roughly guess Kiyoko's intentions.

He had seen her when he bought the newspaper.

Therefore, Kiyoko must have known about the bus incident.

Perhaps she had known all along.

"Is she trying to uncover the truth herself... or does it mean there are two participants in this game?"

"Kiyoko and me?"

"Interesting."

Oreki didn't care.

He even felt that the more participants, the better.

"Wait a second..."

Karuizawa Kei called out in a hurry.

She held her forehead with her right hand.

"I haven't understood a word Oreki-kun has been saying since a moment ago."

"I forgot."

"Eh—"

"Well, should I start from the beginning?"

"Please make it simple and easy to understand..."

And so, Oreki explained the situation to Karuizawa Kei.

The content was roughly as follows:

The initial bus incident.

An incident caused by the driver transporting Class D students out of jealousy toward the driver transporting Class A students.

Although nothing serious happened.

It still counted as an attempted crime.

People driven by jealousy often suffer a significant drop in intelligence.

For instance, using hands that had just touched something to commit a crime.

Anyone with a shred of caution would know to wear gloves.

It wasn't over yet.

The more dramatic part was yet to come.

It appeared he was working as a private driver for a wealthy lady.

It looks like a life free from want.

It looks like...

But in reality, it is nothing more than becoming a toy for the other party.

To be discarded once used up.

After all, no matter what, without feelings, one will soon grow bored.

With feelings...

And without feelings...

There is still a world of difference.

In the end, he was likely so conditioned by PUA that he truly believed he was the problem, and then chose to jump...

Pity his mother, the only one left in his family.

The one who works as a cleaner at the art gallery.

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

Karuizawa Kei finally understood.

She had thought Oreki was merely peeping.

But that was not the case.

Oreki had no interest.

Nor would he do such a thing.

"Thinking about it this way, there are only two suspects left. And that detestable woman is the most suspicious."

"Is that so?"

"Isn't it, Oreki?"

"Perhaps."

Setting aside the cleaner.

He did not fully trust the security guard either.

Using the game review as evidence or whatever.

It was still a bit of a stretch.

Karuizawa Kei said with certainty:

"It's definitely that woman."

"Maybe."

"Absolutely."

Oreki shook his head.

Girls are generally more emotional.

He knew at least that much.

"It's getting late, let's head back."

"So soon?"

"Yeah."

It was already past five o'clock.

Oreki remembered that the Astronomy Club didn't start their activities until after five-thirty.

If he didn't leave now.

It would be troublesome if he were discovered by the Astronomy Club members.

Since it was right next to the dormitory building, Oreki did not walk with Karuizawa Kei.

He returned to his room quickly.

It was only the third day.

Quite a few things had already happened.

But first, he had to resolve the task from Sakayanagi.

Should it be considered a task?

"I had intended to use Sakura Airi as a lead to investigate that former curator..."

"Pity that Kiyoko got there a step ahead."

"I wonder what that girl is actually thinking..."

Oreki closed the curtains.

He was a bit tired; he might as well get some sleep.

Dinner or whatever, I'll deal with that when I wake up.

Elsewhere.

The second floor of the library.

"Is this really necessary?"

Kamuro Masumi asked Sakayanagi, unable to fathom her reasoning.

She truly couldn't understand the way these geniuses thought.

Why not just settle it with a direct confrontation?

There was no need for such convoluted schemes.

"Don't you find it interesting? Let's see who can solve this case first."

Sakayanagi turned around.

Compared to a dull school life, this sort of thing was far more delightful.

"But there was no need to involve that girl from Class D..."

"You will understand me eventually."

Kamuro Masumi said nothing more.

She was already familiar with Sakayanagi's personality.

Since things had reached this point, Sakayanagi wouldn't listen to anyone.

Anyone at all.

Even Sakayanagi's father couldn't do anything about her.

Let alone Kamuro Masumi.

May fortune favor you, Oreki.

Kamuro Masumi thought to herself.

--To be continue