Advance Towards Tomorrow (7)

I'm going to get killed, aren't I?

Thinking of this, Oreki couldn't help but shudder.

As expected...

He still needed to explain things clearly to Sakayanagi first.

Under those circumstances, the fact that she agreed to wait for Oreki at night already put her ahead of most people.

"Student! Student over there!"

A man wearing glasses called out to Oreki from behind.

He looked very anxious.

"..."

Oreki pretended not to hear him.

Give him a break, he was very busy right now.

Even though he was in a hurry to find Sakayanagi, troublesome matters kept piling up one after another.

It felt as if someone was working against him.

"Student, please wait a moment!"

The man ran up to Oreki in a panic.

He extended his left hand, making a gesture for him to stop.

"...Sorry, I'm very busy right now. Can you make it quick if you have something to say?"

"Of course! Thank you!"

"..."

"Student, could you let me see what's in your messenger bag?"

"Why on earth should I show you?"

"I suppose not... Well, that's fair, after all, you are the boyfriend of that daughter of the Sakayanagi family."

"???"

Jokes had to have a limit.

Sakayanagi's boyfriend?

Ha... what a dangerous profession that would be.

"I understand! I understand!"

"You don't?"

"Ah, youth..."

"?"

Oreki didn't have time to keep listening to him ramble on.

Just as he was about to leave...

"I'm truly sorry! Please give me one more chance!"

"...Last time."

"I am eternally grateful."

"..."

"You are investigating that case, right?"

"Get to the point."

"Please let me help you deal with that thing!"

"Who are you?"

"Apologies, I forgot to introduce myself. I am the former museum security guard... the former museum security guard..."

As he spoke, his expression suddenly darkened.

Killing intent...

Very heavy killing intent...

Well, it seemed he had been pushed around quite a bit by that old man, and he had lost a perfectly good job to boot.

No wonder he was so agitated when he found Oreki.

After copying the items the man wanted and handing them over, Oreki immediately rode his bike to the Sakayanagi residence.

To be honest, Oreki didn't really trust that man's capabilities.

Even with key evidence like recordings and videos, successfully getting that old geezer sent to prison to sew mailbags...

The difficulty was still not small.

Because he simply lacked the necessary capability.

--Still, someone was watching back then...

Oreki stepped into the elevator.

Next time, he should have Kamuro Masumi find a more secluded spot.

To be seen by a stranger the very moment he took Sakayanagi Arisu's hat was a genuine blunder.

--But it was impossible for him to have been there by coincidence...

--Crouching in the corner to monitor that old man the whole time...

--Was he looking for a chance to strike back?

Though the success rate was slim.

He had waited for it nonetheless.

It could be considered a stroke of luck.

If only Oreki had thought of the registry a few days earlier, perhaps he wouldn't have encountered that old man.

And he certainly wouldn't have run into this series of troubles.

"In the end, that hat of Sakayanagi's didn't come in handy at all."

Looking at the old man's arrogant demeanor, he surely wouldn't have recognized the beret of the young lady of the Sakayanagi family.

He might not even know what the Sakayanagi family is.

Therefore, one shouldn't expect him to have obediently groveled and led the way just by seeing a beret.

Oreki shook his head.

It was useless to dwell on these things now.

He stood before the door.

His right hand, just about to knock, paused in mid-air.

It stayed there, frozen.

And he hesitated to rap on the door...

"If you're here, just come in, you idiot..."

The door opened from the inside.

Sakayanagi pouted in dissatisfaction.

"About that--"

"Come in and talk."

"...Alright."

Oreki stepped inside.

The place hadn't changed much from what he saw earlier.

Though, that was to be expected.

It had been less than a day; it would be strange if there were any changes.

"So? Was your date with another girl fun?"

"N-no... we were just investigating a case together. Besides, we split up for a while in the middle."

"And you specifically went to the restaurant we visited?"

"That's because..."

Oreki had intended to say he hadn't seen her.

But after a moment's thought, he kept his mouth shut.

Because excuses were less useful than an apology.

When it came down to it.

At this moment, Sakayanagi Arisu just wanted to hear an apology.

Regardless of the process.

The result was plain to see.

Forgiveness, or whatever one might call understanding, could only begin once both sides acknowledged their faults.

"I'm sorry."

"...Why are you putting on such a serious face?"

Sakayanagi turned her head away, blushing slightly.

If Kamuro Masumi were to see this expression, she would surely suspect she hadn't woken up yet today.

The cold, aloof queen had a side like this?

Kamuro Masumi could hardly believe it.

"Hmm... I was in the wrong, too. I shouldn't have been so emotional."

"No, it was me."

Oreki admitted his fault with genuine sincerity.

However, he still harbored a small doubt about this.

Shouldn't this kind of thing only happen between a man and a woman who were actually dating?

But...

It wasn't as if he and Sakayanagi were... right?

He couldn't shake the feeling that something was strange.

"I'll go pour some juice."

"Sorry for the trouble."

Sakayanagi used this as an excuse to leave.

Perhaps she needed to compose herself.

She hadn't expected Oreki to take the initiative to apologize...

Even though she knew there was a reason for what happened and that he hadn't done it on purpose.

But...

--She still couldn't help it.

Sakayanagi sighed to herself.

She didn't know what had gotten into her lately; her attention was always fixed on Oreki.

Whenever there was news about him, she couldn't wait to check it.

Honestly...

What exactly was wrong with her?

While Sakayanagi was lost in her worries, the juice in the glass had long since overflowed, spilling onto the tabletop.

Much like the young girl's heart at this moment.

It had been completely filled by someone.

--To be continue