Yukiko Fujimine's parents were renowned Japanese actors, and to avoid paparazzi harassment, the family lived in a high-end apartment in Ichichome. The building had 24-hour security at the entrance, and a police station was nearby. No wonder Yukiko had brushed off Shuichi Hayashi's earlier warning about the recent string of thefts in Mihama Town.
After escorting her to the apartment building's entrance, Shuichi prepared to leave.
"Hey, come in for a bit," Yukiko said, eyeing his half-soaked pant legs. "Dry off before you go, or you'll catch a—achoo!"
The rain had intensified on their walk back, and despite Shuichi's umbrella, his lower half was drenched. Yukiko was in worse shape, thoroughly soaked from head to toe.
"Great, now I'm definitely getting a cold," she muttered, shooting Shuichi a glare. "This is all because someone wouldn't lend me his jacket!"
"If I'd given you my jacket, we'd both be sick now," Shuichi said, unfazed. "You can rest at home this weekend if you're sick. I've got work."
"Fine, you're always right!" Yukiko huffed. "I've got ginger at home. Come in, drink some ginger tea, dry your pants, and then go."
Shuichi considered it. With the rain pouring this hard, the izakaya was unlikely to see customers tonight. Rather than brave the storm back, it made sense to rest at Yukiko's, warm up, and wait for the weather to ease. He nodded.
Yukiko approached the entrance, punched in the code for the intercom, and opened the door. Shuichi followed her inside. Past the entrance, a security room sat beside the corridor, where two guards were on duty.
As Yukiko passed, the older guard greeted her. "Yukiko, back late tonight, huh? And this guy is…?"
"He's a classmate," Yukiko said quickly, noticing the guard's suggestive look. "It's pouring out there, so I'm letting him take shelter."
"Is that so?" The older guard smirked, clearly unconvinced. "Young love, huh? Back when I was in school…"
Before he could continue, a sharp siren cut through the air outside. An ambulance pulled up to the entrance, and a doctor in a white coat and mask, accompanied by two masked orderlies pushing a stretcher, rushed toward the door.
"Open the door quick! Someone in your building's having a heart attack!" the doctor barked.
A heart attack? The older guard didn't hesitate, swinging the door open. "Who called for the ambulance?"
"Tomoko Nishikawa, apartment 1009," the doctor replied curtly, leading the orderlies and stretcher toward the elevators at the end of the corridor.
The doctor pressed the up button for the left elevator.
"I'll go check it out," the younger, taller guard offered. "Might be able to help."
"Good idea," the older guard said. "I'll stay here at the entrance."
The younger guard jogged out of the security room to catch up with the medical team. After about thirty seconds, the left elevator arrived, and the four of them—doctor, orderlies, and guard—piled in with the stretcher.
"Tomoko Nishikawa?" Yukiko asked hesitantly. "The grumpy lady who's always arguing with people?"
"Probably," the older guard nodded. "Mrs. Nishikawa's got a sharp tongue. Word is, she's fallen out with her son and daughter, and hardly anyone visits her. Hope she pulls through, though."
After a brief chat, Shuichi and Yukiko said goodbye to the guard and headed for the elevators. The corridor had two: the left one was stopped at the 10th floor, the right at the 3rd.
Yukiko pressed the up button for the right elevator.
"Are the two elevators different sizes?" Shuichi asked.
"Yeah," Yukiko nodded. "The left one's quite a bit bigger."
Shuichi frowned, glancing around the corridor.
"What's wrong?" Yukiko asked, puzzled. "Something off?"
The right elevator dinged open. "Never mind, probably just me being paranoid," Shuichi said, shaking his head as he followed her inside.
"My place is on the tenth floor too," Yukiko said in the elevator, her tone wistful. "I often run into Mrs. Nishikawa in here. She's always decked out in expensive jewelry, showing off, and picking fights with people over it. Hope she's okay."
With the rain keeping most residents inside, the elevator was empty and reached the tenth floor quickly. Shuichi followed Yukiko out. The corridor split: apartments 1001 to 1005 on the left, 1006 to 1010 on the right.
Yukiko's home was 1002 on the left. The younger, tall guard from earlier stood outside 1009 on the right.
"How's Mrs. Nishikawa doing?" Yukiko called from the middle of the corridor.
"No idea," the guard replied, shaking his head. "The doctor's working on her. Don't worry, she'll be fine."
Yukiko nodded, heading to 1002. She unlocked the door. "Come in," she said, noticing Shuichi lingering outside.
"Hang on," Shuichi said, still watching 1009. "I want to check on things over there."
"I can't wait forever," Yukiko grumbled, hurrying to her bedroom to change out of her soaked clothes.
Shuichi stood by the door for a couple of minutes, watching as the tall guard entered 1009. Moments later, the doctor and two orderlies emerged, pushing the stretcher.
Where's the guard? Shuichi wondered, his unease growing.
The medical team wheeled the stretcher to the elevator in the corridor's center. Shuichi glanced at it. Mrs. Nishikawa seemed unconscious, covered with a white sheet, only her head and feet visible. Her face was turned away, hair splayed, obscuring her features.
As Shuichi's gaze swept over her exposed feet, he froze.
He spun around, strode to Yukiko's apartment, and knocked on her bedroom door.
Inside, Yukiko, too embarrassed to shower with Shuichi there, had stripped down and was toweling off her rain-soaked body to avoid catching a cold. The knock startled her. She realized she hadn't locked the bedroom door.
If Shuichi barged in now…
Panicking, she grabbed a blanket from the bed, wrapped it around herself, and called out nervously, "W-What do you want?"
(End of Chapter)