Case 03 Arc - Episode 02
Henkai steered the car through the winding streets, the afternoon sun casting long shadows across the pavement. Kavei sat beside him, his mind consumed with thoughts of Miyasi and the cryptic messages that had surfaced during their investigation. As they approached Saira's mansion, Kavei couldn't shake the feeling of apprehension that settled over him like a heavy shroud.
The car glided into the parking lot with a soft hum, and the automatic doors opened at their command. Stepping out onto the pavement, Kavei and Henkai found themselves standing before the grand entrance of Saira's home-a sprawling mansion surrounded by meticulously manicured gardens.
Henkai glanced at Kavei, a quizzical expression crossing his features. "What an introverted female. How will we find anything about her?" he remarked, adjusting his black blazer with a hint of skepticism.
Kavei's lips curled into a faint smile at Henkai's observation. "Hm. I have a little hunch actually. Let's see if I'm on the right track," he replied cryptically, his tone tinged with confidence.
Henkai raised an eyebrow in surprise, his curiosity piqued by Kavei's cryptic remark. "Oh? A hint? Already?" he exclaimed, his astonishment evident.
With a determined nod, Kavei gestured for them to proceed, his steps echoing against the marble floor as they crossed the threshold into the opulent foyer. The sound of their footsteps reverberated through the cavernous space, drawing the attention of the household's occupants.
A voice resonated through the hall-a melodic, feminine voice tinged with curiosity. "Welcome. Who might you gentlemen be?" it called out, drawing closer with each passing moment.
Henkai stepped forward, his posture poised and professional. "I am Henkai, accompanied by Junior Private Detective Kavei," he announced formally, his voice carrying across the expansive hall.
The figure behind the pillars emerged into view, revealing a regal woman adorned in elegant attire. "Henkai? Itsuhara Yukina-sama's assistant?" she stammered, her voice betraying a hint of surprise.
"Yes," Henkai confirmed, his demeanor unwavering as he met the woman's gaze with a steady gaze.
The woman's eyes widened in recognition as she processed Henkai's introduction. "The little boy is a private detective?" she inquired, her tone laced with disbelief.
Kavei chuckled softly at her incredulity. "Guess you didn't see the news," he remarked dryly, a wry smile playing on his lips.
With a gracious gesture, the woman invited them inside, her demeanor hospitable despite her initial surprise. Kavei and Henkai followed her lead, settling onto the plush couches as they awaited the arrival of their host-Saira.
Minutes later, Saira descended the staircase, her eyes red and swollen from tears shed in anguish. Kavei couldn't help but notice the traces of grief etched into her features as she took her seat opposite them.
"Have you been crying?" Kavei inquired gently, his voice tinged with concern as he observed Saira's demeanor.
Saira nodded silently, her expression solemn as she prepared to recount the events surrounding Miyasi's disappearance.
With a deep breath, Kavei began to pose his questions, his voice steady and composed as he delved into the details of Miyasi's last known whereabouts. As Saira shared her account, Kavei listened intently, his mind racing with the possibilities that lay ahead.
When Saira mentioned the mysterious messages Miyasi had sent, Kavei's interest was piqued. He requested to see the messages, scrutinizing each word and number with careful consideration.
- 9:01 PM: "What are you doing, Saira?"
- 9:02 PM: "Sorry, never mind. I forgot you're always asleep by now."
- 9:03 PM: "I won't be coming to school tomorrow."
- 9:04 PM: "Please share the notes from class later."
- 9:15 PM: "81 - 191 - 5198 - 51216"
As the conversation drew to a close, Kavei offered his gratitude to Saira for her cooperation, his tone warm and appreciative. With a sense of closure, he rose from his seat, preparing to take his leave.
But Saira's parting words gave him pause, stirring something within him-a glimmer of hope amidst the darkness that surrounded Miyasi's disappearance. "I know you'll find her detective. Then let's help you out as well."
As he stepped outside into the cool evening air, Kavei couldn't shake the weight of Saira's words from his mind. With each step towards Henkai's waiting car, he felt a renewed sense of determination burning within him-a determination to uncover the truth and bring Miyasi home, no matter the cost.
Henkai maneuvered the vehicle skillfully, navigating through the streets with a sense of purpose. His passenger, Kavei, seemed preoccupied, his brow furrowed as he mentally wrestled with the numbers swirling in his mind.
As they halted at a red light, Kavei's gaze lifted to meet Henkai's through the rearview mirror. "What is it?" Henkai inquired.
"These numbers..." Kavei trailed off, his thoughts consumed by their significance.
Henkai nodded, acknowledging the potential importance of the numerical sequence. "Cipher," he suggested.
Kavei nodded, retrieving a small notepad and pen from his bag. He scribbled furiously, attempting various interpretations in Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji. Frustration seeped into his voice as he muttered curses under his breath.
Henkai couldn't help but comment on Kavei's impressive swearing vocabulary, a lighthearted attempt to alleviate the tension. However, Kavei's focus remained undeterred as he continued his pursuit of deciphering the code.
Suddenly, Kavei's demeanor shifted as a breakthrough dawned upon him. He realized the numbers corresponded to English letters. Excitement surged through him as he exclaimed his revelation, causing Henkai to momentarily lose control of the steering wheel in surprise.
After the momentary scare, Kavei explained his deciphering process, meticulously dissecting each number to unveil its corresponding letter. Piece by piece, the puzzle began to unravel until finally, the message revealed itself: "HA - SOS - HELP."
Henkai absorbed the implications of the decoded message, recognizing the urgency and gravity of the situation. Despite Kavei's astute deductions, uncertainty lingered regarding the true meaning behind the cryptic message.
Kavei's theory proposed that the message contained hidden clues about Miyasi's whereabouts and the identities of her captors. The cryptic nature of the message suggested a clandestine communication method, designed to evade detection by those surveilling Miyasi.
As they contemplated the implications of the message, Henkai couldn't shake the nagging feeling of uncertainty. The complexity of the situation loomed over them, casting a shadow of doubt on their next course of action.
"It's a secret code," Kavei reiterated, his voice brimming with conviction. "There's more to it than meets the eye."
Henkai mulled over Kavei's words, grappling with the gravity of their predicament. The stakes were high, and every decision carried weighty consequences. With Miyasi's safety hanging in the balance, they couldn't afford to overlook any detail.
As Kavei delved into his notepad, Henkai observed the intricate dance of the ballpoint pen as it traced lines across the paper. Though he couldn't decipher the meaning behind the scribbles, he sensed the gravity of Kavei's thoughts.
As black ink filled the page, Kavei's posture slumped, weighed down by the enormity of the task ahead. The possibilities were endless, each city a potential hiding place for Miyasi if the initials "H" and "S" were indeed significant. The thought of Miyasi being unconscious only added to the complexity, granting the kidnapper free rein to move her with ease.
With a deep breath, Kavei mulled over Miyasi's calculated use of the cipher, ensuring the message remained indecipherable to her captor. This implied a certain level of sophistication on the part of the perpetrator, someone capable of silencing Miyasi without resorting to physical harm.
"Henkai. Let's grab a list of the students of the school," Kavei declared, breaking the silence.
Henkai's reluctance was palpable, but he acquiesced to Kavei's request, recognizing the importance of the task at hand. Returning to the school, Henkai took charge, navigating the bureaucracy of the reception area to obtain the necessary records.
With a stack of files in hand, Henkai rejoined Kavei in the car, the weight of their mission heavy on his shoulders. As they resumed their journey, Kavei buried himself in the files, meticulously combing through the student lists.
The hours passed in silence, broken only by the occasional rustle of papers as Kavei worked diligently. Henkai stole glances at the rearview mirror, observing Kavei's focused demeanor reflected in the glass.
Finally, Kavei looked up, breaking the silence with his findings. "Henkai. I found a total of sixteen residents from SOS and sixty-four from Help."
Henkai's disbelief was palpable as he struggled to process the magnitude of Kavei's discovery. "Sixteen... and sixty-four?" he echoed, incredulous.
Kavei's nonchalant demeanor belied the gravity of their situation as he urged Henkai to action. "We'll need to check all these addresses. How I arrived at the numbers is a question for later."
Henkai's protests fell on deaf ears as Kavei remained resolute in his plan. With a resigned sigh, Henkai shifted the gear, the weight of their task settling heavily upon them as they embarked on the daunting journey ahead.
For three days, Henkai and Kavei tirelessly traversed the city streets, their mission consuming every waking moment. From dawn till dusk, they drove through the maze of addresses listed by Kavei, leaving no stone unturned in their quest to find Miyasi.
Kavei's determination knew no bounds, his focus unyielding even during school hours. After classes, he would hurriedly make his way to the waiting car where Henkai stood sentinel outside the school gates. Kai and his friends, accustomed to seeing Kavei's swift exit, didn't even have a chance to exchange greetings with him.
Their relentless pursuit led them to question strangers, scouring neighborhoods for any hint of Miyasi's whereabouts. Despite their efforts, precise leads remained elusive, leaving them frustrated and no closer to finding her.
Yet, amidst the uncertainty, Kavei clung to the belief that Miyasi was still alive. Henkai, exhausted and weary, found solace in Kavei's unwavering conviction.
As they paused for a brief snack break, Henkai tossed away the empty can, his frustration evident in his voice. "Ugh. You are a maniac," he muttered, the strain of their mission weighing heavily on him.
Kavei chuckled lightly at the comment, unfazed by Henkai's exasperation. "I like the way you put it, Henkai."
Henkai's retort was sharp. "It wasn't a compliment."
Kavei waved off the remark, his focus already shifting to their next task. "Sure. Anyways, we have four people at hand now. These four have been seen with Miyasi at various times."
Henkai's frustration boiled over as he struggled to comprehend the complexity of Kavei's deductions. "Why do you have to complicate things so much," he grumbled under his breath, his unease growing with each passing moment.
Before Henkai could voice his concerns, Kavei interjected firmly. "No."
Henkai's confusion was evident as he sought clarification. "What no?"
"I don't want you as my personal driver," Kavei clarified, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Pretty sure Itsuhara won't do that, so chill."
Henkai felt a wave of relief wash over him, grateful to be spared from the prospect of becoming Kavei's permanent chauffeur but it gnawed at him. The fact that Kavei had answered the question that he was thinking of in his head and hadn't asked out loud yet.
Henkai had resigned himself to the role of Kavei's silent accomplice, no longer questioning the young detective's methods. He simply drove Kavei wherever he directed, his mind consumed by the weight of their mission.
With meticulous precision, Kavei narrowed down their suspects to four individuals from the list of students. With Henkai at the wheel, they returned to the school, ready to confront their potential leads.
As they entered the familiar halls of the school, a sense of determination filled the air. Kavei wasted no time in seeking out information, his sharp gaze scanning the faces of students and teachers alike.
Their inquiries led them to a group of students-a boy and three girls-who had been seen with Miyasi during lunch hours. One of the girls was even in Miyasi's class, adding an additional layer of suspicion to their investigation.
The teachers confirmed the sightings, recalling instances where Miyasi had been seen in the company of the four suspects. However, beyond these brief encounters, there was little else to go on.
Despite the lack of concrete evidence, Kavei remained steadfast in his conviction. He knew, deep down, that these were the individuals involved in Miyasi's kidnapping. The sole fact that the school hesitated to speak about these individuals and their connection with Miyasi when they first arrived was in itself a suspicious feat.
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