Shinrei Tantei Yakumo - Volume 10 Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Translated by Niulili

Haruka went out of the house quickly after getting ready.

Train was over. She went to the other side of the station and went to the main street to catch a taxi.

Haruka who got into the taxi sat in the back seat and told the driver the destination to the hospital.

ー Please, be safe.

Haruka could only pray in the taxi which started while making the engine sound resound.

She looked at the view out the window.

The townscape that should be familiar to her felt like another world.

Speaking of which, it happened before.

That was when Isshin was stabbed.

At that time too, she was looking forward to the safety of Isshin while looking at the car window like this.

But that feelings did not reach him.

He survived but got into a state of brain death, after that he left everyone. Maybe Gotou, too…

ー No way !

Haruka screamed in her heart, driven away the thoughts in her head.

She received a notification from Ishii that Gotou had been in an accident, and rushed out like this, but she did not understood anything in detail.

Rushing to the hospital, she was in pain, but was determinated that Gotou would take over, saying, “Aren’t you exaggerating ?”

Haruka tried to calm her mind by thinking so, but the more she did that, the more anxiety came from the back of her chest.

ー Faster.

Haruka prayed while holding her sweating palms.

It was late at night, the road was vacant, and she arrived at the hospital in about ten minutes.

The front entrance was off. Most of the electricity in the window of the patient’s room was also off.

The hospital at night, by itself, was a source of anxiety.

Haruka headed for the nighttime entrance.

She informed the security guards about the meeting but her words get stuck when they asked about her relationship with Gotou.

“If you are not a relative, just…”

The security guard said, frowning.

ーI am not likely to get there if I make a fuss here. I wonder if I can only wait outside.

When she thought so, she was called out.

It was Yakumo.

“Yakumo-kun !”

Haruka raised her voice, relieved.

“You came too”

“Yes. Ishii-san get in touch.”

Yakumo answered “I see” and went to the security guard, exchanged some words, and came back with the two people’s admission pass.

She did not know what he said, but with this she could get inside.

Haruka received her admission pass and, with Yakumo, walked into the hospital through the night entrance.

“How are Gotou-san’s conditions ?”

She asked Yakumo, while walking in the dim corridor.

“I just got a message that he had an accident, I do not know the details.”

Yakumo’s tone did not have the usual crispness.

Although it did not show on his expression, Yakumo was probably puzzled.

They were two people which quarrelled when they met, but it was because they had a relationship of trust.

Gotou had a special existence for Yakumo.

“I’m sure it will be fine”

When she got into the elevator, Haruka said like a soliloquy.

“I don’t know”

Yakumo had a small breath.

Until he understood the situation, Yakumo did not say a thing. But in such a case, his attitude made this very uneasy.

In addition, Isshin floated in her mind. Why was her idea inclined only to the bad ones ?

They got off the elevator, followed the long corridor, and went to the waiting room.

The sofa was lined up, and the room was bright with light, but this did not mean that her anxiety had disappeared.

“Yakumo-chi. And, Haruka-chan”

Ishii, who was sitting on the sofa in the corner of the room, stood up with a loud voice.

“Ishii-san”

Haruka, with Yakumo, walked up to Ishii.

“I am sorry to contact you so late”

Ishii politely lowered his head.

It was not a thing to apologize for. Both Haruka and Yakumo would not had known about the accident if Ishii did not contact them.

Still, it was like a habit of Ishii to apologize this way.

“Not at all. Thank you for contacting me.”

“So, how are the conditions of Gotou-san ?”

Yakumo said, interrupting Haruka ’s words.

mmediately after that, Ishii’s expression became cloudy.

The unpleasant feeling that was in Haruka swells greatly.

“For the time being, the surgery is over. His life is safe but now he is in the intensive care unit with Atsuko-san.”

“I’m so glad…”

Haruka unintentionally leaked her voice.

If his life was saved, then it was a relief.

“Right…”

When Ishii raised his voice, he dropped his gaze.

This reaction…

In Haruka, the anxiety that was about to swell expanded at a stretch, and her body trembled.

“It seems like he’s still unpredictable. According to the doctor, tonight is a critical point.”

Ishii’s voice had changed, like he was about to cry.

“That’s…”

No more words came out.

Wasn’t this a reproduction of Isshin ? Something cold came into her heart. Her head was so dizzy that she couldn’t stand.

When she looked at Yakumo, he stood there with the same expression as usual.

Although pretending to be calm, the air released from Yakumo was clearly different from usual. Was he angry, sad or lamented? What was Yakumo thinking now ?

The waiting room was wrapped in heavy silence.

How long had it been ? The door opened and someone came into the room.

That was Gotou’s wife, Atsuko. Gauze was affixed to her forehead as if she was injured.

Even though it was a tough time, there was no sign that Atsuko was upset, and she walked straight here.

“Everyone. I’m sorry to bother you.”

Saying that, Atsuko bowed politely.

“No, that’s… More than that, what about Gotou-san ?”

Ishii asked with a confused expression.

“As the doctor said, he didn’t regained his consciousness. Tonight is crucial.”

Atsuko said again.

The reason why Ishii dared to ask Atsuko was that, perhaps, he had the expectation that the situation would be completely different and what he heard earlier was a mistake.

That was evidence, and Ishii seemed to be very discouraged and dropped his shoulders.

“What should I do …”

Ishii muttered to himself.

uka had the same feeling. She wanted to do something for Gotou, but she was helpless.

“I can only leave my husband to the doctor.”

Atsuko said patiently.

Yes, that was right. She knew this in her head, but she couldn’t calm her heart.

“More than that, let me tell you about Nao…”

Atsuko bowed again.

Did it mean that she wanted to take care of Nao while Gotou was in the hospital ?

She thought, but she felt that it was different from that.

“Did something happen to Nao?”

When Yakumo asked, Atsuko nodded big.

“She went missing.”

Atsuko’s words echoed in the waiting room.

Again, the area was swallowed by the silence.

“What does that mean ?”

After a while, Yakumo asked with a frown.

“This man, he got in an accident as he chased after Nao which jumped off the house.”

Looking back at the sudden heard voice there was the figure of Eishin.

It felt ominous to see Eishin in his robe at the hospital, but this was not the time to feel concerned about it.

“What do you mean ?”

When Haruka asked, Eishin nodded “Hm-hm” and opened his mouth.

“It’s just a guess, but Nao is haunted by a ghost. I think she lost her sanity and left the house. Otherwise, I can’t explain Nao’s actions.”

“Then, after all …”

Today, Gotou asked if Nao might be possessed by a ghost.

Yakumo’s left eye couldn’t see it, so we didn’t know for sure, but he was probably obsessed with something.

“Sorryー”

Eishin bowed deeply.

“Why do you need to apologize?”

Yakumo asked.

“I think Nao is haunted by a ghost, probably because Gotou was chasing a psychic phenomenon in this apartment.”

Gotou also said that possibility.

“In the first place, I was the one who asked Gotou to solve this psychic phenomenon.”

Eishin was sad and disappointed.

That must be the reason why Eishin apologized. If he didn’t ask for it, neither would Gotou be in an accident, nor would Nao be missing.

He probably was blaming himself, but if he did that, everyone was to me blamed.

That was Haruka’s case.

When they got a consultation from Gotou, they had to withdraw because Yakumo’s left eye hadn’t recovered his sight so he said he couldn’t do anything. Maybe they could have prevented it by studying more closely.

With that in mind, her shoulders became heavier.

“Since a search request has been issued, the police should be following the whereabouts by now.”

Ishii added.

Although she was grateful for the speed of the action, she didn’t think the police’s search could found anything.

The reason was clear.

Nao did not disappear by her own will, nor was she abducted by someone. It was highly likely that she was haunted by a ghost and lost her way due to the ghost’s will.

In order to find out where Nao went, she felt that it was necessary to clarify who was the ghost and what was his purpose.

For that, there was no choice but to solve the mystery of the psychic phenomenon that Gotou was chasing.

Perhaps Yakumo should had reached the same conclusion.

Haruka turned to Yakumo again.

However, Yakumo simply murmured with an inanimate face, “Is that so …”