The next day, the figures and ghosts floating above the Fujou Building vanished.
The series of high school girls jumping to their deaths quickly lost public attention. The curious moved on to other things, and summer vacation at "Garan no Dou" returned to peace.
Every Saturday afternoon was Shirou's lesson time. He had already promised Shiki and Fujino that he would teach them how to control their Mystic Eyes.
But honestly, there was not much to teach.
Unlike Touko Aozaki's modified Mystic Eyes, Shiki's and Fujino's eyes were powers they had been born with. The way to use them had long since been etched into their bloodlines.
So what Shirou actually taught them was mostly basic Magecraft knowledge and things of that nature.
Shiki was very interested in combat, and she was also inclined to use the "Mystic Eyes of Death Perception" in battle.
Fujino, on the other hand, had little interest in fighting. Or at least, that had been the case at first. After summer vacation began, her attitude changed.
It must be because of her rivalry with Shiki Ryougi, Shirou thought.
But it did not seem like a bad thing, so he did not stop her.
Still, it would be nice if they could get along as well as Mitsuzuri and Sakura...
Shiki had studied martial arts under her father and grandfather since childhood. After seeing that, Fujino begged Shirou to teach her self-defense as well.
Unfortunately, Fujino's athletic ability was an "Alice-level" disaster, so they had no choice but to give up. After that, she focused entirely on using her Mystic Eyes.
After that afternoon's lesson ended, Shirou, Shiki, and Fujino rested and chatted in the office.
The Director's desk was empty. Touko Aozaki had not left any message, so she had probably gone out on business.
That sort of thing happened all the time at "Garan no Dou," and everyone was used to it.
"Come to think of it, I've never seen Shiki wear anything other than a kimono."
Shirou took a sip of bitter coffee and studied the black-haired girl beside him.
Ever since he had met Shiki Ryougi, he had never seen her in anything except a kimono.
Most often, she wore a deep blue kimono. Occasionally, like today, she wore a brighter style with a more girlish charm.
Shirou did not know much about that sort of thing, but according to Fujino, Shiki Ryougi's kimonos generally cost around one million yen.
"I've never worn anything other than a kimono since I was born."
Shiki Ryougi answered without looking up.
She was sitting cross-legged on the sofa with no trace of a young lady's modesty, assembling a katana she had brought from home.
"Don't you feel hot wearing a kimono on a day like this?"
Shirou asked. Early July was one thing, but did she really plan to go out in a kimono even when August came around?
"Extinguish the fire in your heart, and you will feel cool."
Shiki quoted the famous line from a Tang Dynasty poet. "Besides... as long as I stay somewhere with air conditioning, it's fine."
"But when it's hot, it's still going to be hot, right?"
"Shirou, you're so annoying!"
Shiki frowned impatiently. "I don't have any clothes at home besides kimonos!"
"As expected of Ryougi," Shirou said, somewhat moved.
Shiki clicked her tongue.
She had lied to end the topic as quickly as possible.
The Ryougi family's steward had actually prepared several Western-style outfits suitable for a sixteen- or seventeen-year-old girl, but Shiki had never worn even one of them.
She thought that would be the end of the subject, but then...
"Since we have the chance, let's go buy some clothes for Shiki."
Shirou looked at Fujino beside him and said, "Touko-nee-san is out anyway, so 'Garan no Dou' is closed for the day."
"...Huh!?"
The katana in Shiki Ryougi's hands dropped and stabbed into the office's bare concrete floor.
...
...
"..."
Shiki Ryougi was surprised to discover that, although she usually talked back at every turn, she actually listened to Shirou quite well.
Now, the three of them, Shiki Ryougi, Shirou, and Fujino, were walking through the streets of Mifune City.
Shiki Ryougi walked ahead with a sulky, tense expression, while Shirou excitedly discussed with Fujino what clothes they should buy for her.
"But... if Shiki-san doesn't wear a kimono, it feels like she wouldn't be Shiki-san anymore."
Fujino murmured while holding her chin.
"Really? But making Shiki wear a kimono through the entire summer vacation is a little cruel, isn't it?"
"Shirou-kun, have you heard of a hitoe kimono? It's similar to a yukata. It's much lighter than formal kimono, so it's perfectly fine even in summer."
"Oh, that sounds good."
After that, the three of them went to a nearby clothing store and picked out several hitoe kimonos for Shiki.
Once they finished shopping and were about to leave the store, Shiki stopped in the Western clothing section.
"What's wrong?"
Shirou asked curiously. He noticed that Shiki was staring fixedly at a red leather jacket.
Since it was out of season, it was half off.
Ignoring Shirou's question, Shiki called over a sales clerk and bought the red leather jacket.
As for her reason for buying it, Shiki did not tell anyone.
She did not want Shirou nagging her in a few months, asking, "Are you planning to get through winter in nothing but a kimono?" So she bought her winter equipment in advance.
"That's unexpected... I thought you'd rather die than wear anything besides a kimono."
"This isn't for wearing."
"Not for wearing?"
"It goes over the kimono."
"I see."
By the time the three of them set out on the way back to the office, the sky had already darkened.
Shiki walked ahead alone.
Behind her, Shirou and Fujino walked side by side, nearly seven or eight meters behind.
"Thanks for today, Fujino, for coming out with me and Shiki," Shirou said.
"Not at all. You and Shiki-san are always taking care of me," Fujino replied.
Shirou was not sure whether he was imagining it, but she seemed a little distracted.
"Is something wrong?"
"May I ask you for something?"
Fujino gave him a pitiful, fragile look.
Shirou hesitated slightly.
He remembered that night in Fujino's apartment, when he had pretended to be asleep and Fujino had taken his hand and placed it on her body.
His gaze unconsciously drifted down from the girl's face.
"Is it no good?"
"No."
Shirou quickly said, "If there's anything I can do for you, Fujino, just tell me."
Fujino lowered her head and whispered, "Shirou-kun... could you hold my hand?"
"..."
Shirou glanced at Shiki, who was walking ahead of them.
"... If it's just that, of course."
With that, he reached out to take Fujino's hand.
He thought that would be enough, but Fujino shook her head.
"Um... I want to hold hands with our fingers intertwined."
"..."
While Shirou hesitated, Fujino stared intently at him with her bewitching red eyes.
"Okay."
Shirou swallowed and wrapped his fingers around Fujino's fist.
One finger after another, he covered the girl's soft hand.
Starting with the ring finger, then the middle finger, the index finger, the little finger, and finally the thumb.
Then Fujino opened her fist.
As if actively responding to the boy, she obediently parted her fingers and welcomed Shirou's fingers between them.
When their fingers intertwined, he felt a strange illusion.
It was almost like the joining of a man and a woman... Now, part of them was tightly entwined.
Fujino's hand was slender and long, soft and damp.
Holding her hand, Shirou walked through the streets of Mifune City as night settled in.
"Um... let's stay like this for a while..." Fujino said a little nervously.
"Okay." Shirou nodded.
Fujino held Shirou's hand with just the right amount of strength, as if trying to feel his presence.
"...Don't let go."
"Yeah. I won't let go."
Hearing Shirou say that, Fujino smiled with genuine joy.
Looking at her pure, innocent smile, Shirou found himself momentarily speechless.
"..."
Though he did not show it, his heart was pounding.
No, no, Shirou... I already have Aoko and Alice! How can my heart waver so easily!?
Ah, no... I really do need to make things clear to Fujino. I can't let her fall any deeper.
Shirou took a deep breath, then turned toward the girl beside him.
With her head lowered, Fujino looked exactly like a girl in love. Her delicate face was flushed with an exquisitely sweet blush.
"..."
Sorry, Aoko, Alice!
He gave up far too easily.
While Shirou and Fujino walked side by side holding hands, Shiki, up ahead, also slowed her pace.
"..."
With her sharp senses, she noticed at a glance that their fingers were intertwined.
Then Shiki flashed Shirou a sly, mischievous grin.
Sigh... At this point, even if she laughed at him, he had nothing to say.
He would just have to beg Shiki later not to tell Touko about this.
...
...
"..."
Shirou frowned.
Since a little while ago, several figures had been following them.
With less than a kilometer to go before reaching the office, the streets around them began to thin out.
The shadows tailing them closed the distance.
Shirou glanced at Shiki, and she had clearly noticed they were being followed as well.
They exchanged a look, then simultaneously stopped and turned toward the rear.
"Shirou-kun?"
Fujino blinked, still lost in the bliss of the earlier moment, the only one unaware of the danger.
Shirou looked back and saw a group of young men following them.
Their eyes fixed greedily on Fujino, unabashedly roaming over her as if nothing mattered.
Ah, so that's what's happening… Shirou realized.
Not the same guys who had tried to hit on Fujino last time—those had already been neutralized. How had a new batch appeared so quickly?
Seriously, what's going on with the security in Mifune City… and here was the daughter of the Ryougi family.
Fujino frowned lightly; even she must have understood the situation by now.
"Is there a problem?"
Shirou stepped in front of Fujino and Shiki, speaking up.
"I'm not looking for you. I have business with the girl next to you."
"Sorry, we don't know you."
"Huh? Who asked you? Step aside."
One of the men shoved Shirou with his palm.
Before his hand could touch Shirou's shoulder, Shiki stepped in from the side, moving forward with lightning speed.
Then, as if by magic, the man spun in midair and crashed heavily to the ground—face down.
It was probably a judo or aikido technique; only Shirou had seen the precise movement.
The rest of the men charged, shouting, and were predictably dispatched in seconds.
Shiki merely flicked her palm, sending one man flying several meters, while the others fell screaming to the ground.
"Let's go."
Shiki didn't even glance at the men sprawled on the ground and turned to leave.
But the girl with long purple hair stayed behind, staring at the men writhing in pain.
"…Fujino?"
"Sorry, Shirou-kun… I want to have a few words with them alone," Fujino said.
"Ah?" Shirou froze.
"Shirou, are you coming or not?"
Shiki urged impatiently, her mood sour from just finishing the fight.
"You go ahead with Shiki. I'll be there shortly."
"But…"
"It's fine."
Fujino's gaze was steady. "Shirou-kun taught me how to use my eyes… Now I can protect myself."
After a brief pause, Shirou decided to trust her.
"Alright… I understand. Be careful."
He ran after Shiki's retreating figure.
Once Shirou left, Fujino turned back to the thugs on the ground.
They all wore expressions of fear, haunted by Shiki's earlier display and uncertain of what might happen next.
But Fujino's next action turned that fear into delight.
"This is my phone number." Fujino handed them a slip of paper.
"Huh?"
The men thought they must have misheard, but they hadn't.
Trembling, they accepted the paper with her number, then exchanged glances and grinned lecherously at one another.
Fujino ignored them and walked away.
It had been unpleasant to hand her number to such hopeless scum, but it served her purpose.
To protect Shirou.
Fujino bit her lip and hurried after the boy she cared about.
...
At one in the morning, Mifune City's streets were silent.
Fujino Asagami stood quietly at the entrance of an alley, her eyes on a nearby streetlamp.
She had deliberately chosen a spot where few pedestrians passed, far from her apartment and Touko's office—their meeting place.
After waiting about half an hour, the five men encountered earlier appeared.
They approached Fujino, grinning.
"Wow, she actually came…"
"Hahaha! I knew she was the type who plays around with men in private!"
"Look at her, she's really pretty, and her chest… seriously, a high school girl? Jackpot!"
"..."
Fujino swallowed the wave of nausea that rose in her chest.
All of this was to protect Shirou, she reminded herself.
As they neared, Fujino turned and walked deeper into the dark alley.
The men grew more excited and hurried to follow.
"Where to next? There's nobody else in here, you know?"
One of them suggested, and the others chuckled awkwardly.
"At least ask her name first, hahaha!"
At the far end of the alley, Fujino finally stopped. Behind her, only a wall remained.
She stared at the men in front of her, suppressing the urge to kill, and spoke calmly:
"Excuse me, what is your relationship with Shiki?"
"What?" "Shiki? Who's that?" "Do you know her?" "No."
"Don't play dumb."
Fujino pressed on. "You know Shiki, right? Earlier… didn't you say you were looking for her?"
The men exchanged glances.
Their empty minds could not possibly remember the words they had said hours ago.
They had actually told Shirou, "I have business with the girl next to you."
They had meant Fujino, but she assumed they were looking for Shiki.
"Don't you know Shiki Ryougi? Then why were you looking for her?"
"Huh? You mean that scary little girl? Who'd go after her? We were looking for you!"
"Eh…"
Fujino widened her eyes in disbelief. "You mean… you were hitting on me just now?"
"Yeah, what else?"
"How could this be…"
Her shoulders trembled.
No… this isn't… it shouldn't be like this…
Earlier, she had been excited, thinking she had finally caught Shiki in a slip.
After months of investigation, Fujino had concluded that Shiki was the culprit behind the serial killings two years ago.
She was a killer, a bad girl disguised as a good child in front of Shirou.
A girl like Shiki, it wasn't strange for her to know a few worthless men in society.
Letting that woman stay by Shirou's side would only hurt him. She had to protect that child herself.
That's how it should have been… So why?
Fujino lowered her head, staring at the dark ground, and asked, "Why lie?"
"Huh?"
"You know Shiki, so why pretend not to know her? Answer me."
Fujino bit her lip, firing question after question.
"And why say you were looking for me? I don't even know you."
"Do you mean… that I'm the one causing Shirou-kun trouble with scum like you?"
"Stop joking…"
"You're saying Shirou-kun is getting harassed by you garbage because of me?"
"It's not me, not me, not me, not me…"
"The pests around Shirou-kun are Shiki… not me!!"
"Hey…"
The men looked at each other, more confused: "Uh… this girl's not right in the head…"
If it weren't for Fujino's irresistibly attractive appearance, they might have considered retreating.
No man would back down in front of a girl like her.
They stepped forward, surrounding the girl with long purple hair.
"Enough with the Shiki talk. Let's have some fun, yeah?"
"My place is nearby, want to come over? Or do you prefer somewhere else? We don't mind, hahaha!"
Their vulgar laughter echoed through the late-night alley.
"...Very well."
"Huh? What did you say?"
Fujino Asagami looked up.
Her eyes, tinged with a seductive radiance, fixed on the men in front of her.
Cold and merciless, she parted her lips—
"Distort."
And so, in the pitch-black alley where even the moonlight could not reach, the tragedy began.