Story I

Crimson leaves scattered before my eyes. Tiny hands chased after them.

I saw her bent down, following a leaf that had fallen into the lake. When I warned her it was dangerous, she turned around.

A shy smile appeared on her face. Her big eyes sparkled, conveying her joy. Her cheeks, red as apples, were adorable, and her lowered eyelashes cast a slight shadow on her face. But her eyes continued to twinkle with delight.

“Are you angry, Brother?”

“I’m not angry,” I replied. “I was just worried about you.”

She smiled like a flower. Looking up at the sky, she started walking with a spring in her steps. The blue sky shone in her black eyes, and the clouds, white as fresh milk, glistened brightly. Her innocent joy was palpable, her eyes glittering like bright stars.

“It’s so bright, Brother.”

“It is.”

“The sky is beautiful, Brother.”

“I think so too.”

As we exchanged trivial conversation, my sister jumped. Her white skirt fluttered.

Watching her spin around as if dancing, I thought to myself.

You’re my sister. You’re weak. How will you grow up in the future?

Until you grow up safely, I have to protect you. You’re more important to me than anyone else.

I am young, and so are you.

The world is exceedingly peaceful.

We were there, without any worries or troubles.

The beauty of that day endured even now.

And it tormented me to no end.

The incident came to an end, and the fox fell into a coma.

The case involving the red flower and the monster, caused by Jingu Yuri, had concluded with the death of her flesh and that of her child. Mayuzumi Asato, who had returned from the spirit world, remained in deep slumber. A week had passed since October began, but there was no sign of him waking up.

No one knew when Asato would rouse. He just slept for what seemed like an eternity.

Despite retrieving the fox from the spirit world, my daily routine remained unchanged. Incredibly, days of tranquility continued on. I felt as if I was holding a time bomb, yet strangely, I remained calm. My anxiety and desire to spend my days in peace managed to balance each other out. Mayuzumi, listless and bored, slept away the hours each day. She lay on the couch adjacent to me as I tidied up the office, her eyes shut tight.

She resembled a princess cursed by a witch.

Like the fox, she appeared to be in a coma.

“A century of slumber,” she muttered suddenly in a low voice. “I suppose it wouldn’t be so bad to awaken a hundred years from now, should this boredom abate. Yet, even after a hundred years, I can hardly envision any worthwhile entertainment.” She opened a single eye and regarded me with a sharp, penetrating gaze.

Mayuzumi was draped in a black, classic dress, exuding a certain elegance in its finely crafted design. Yet, her constant slumber had ruined any semblance of refinement.

She sighed and shook her head slowly, a venomous smile playing across her lips.

“What is it? If you have something to say, spit it out,” she said.

“I recently learned that silence is golden,” I replied, picking up a piece of chocolate.

Its sweet fragrance lingered on, despite my efforts to tidy up. Amidst the overpowering aroma, I let out a sigh and rose to my feet.

There was no indication of the season’s change within the perfectly controlled temperature of the room. Nevertheless, the clear blue sky outside hinted at the deepening of autumn. If I were to open the window, I would feel the passage of time in the cooler breeze. But the moment I did that, Mayuzumi would surely lay a curse upon me. Tampering with the air conditioning was tantamount to suicide.

Her annoyance had reached its peak.

I grabbed the remote and turned on the television. Mayuzumi narrowed her eyes, visibly displeased.

Before she could say anything, I spoke. “As I’ve said before, why don’t you try to distract yourself in other ways? Listen to music, watch TV, read a book, or even rent a movie. There are plenty of shows out there.”

I flipped through channels one by one, but of course, there was nothing that would interest Mayuzumi.

I was already aware of that. Reminding her that the TV existed was more than enough. As for books, I knew she would read them if she felt like it. In my bag were a few novels and two DVDs. I still hadn’t given up on my plan to turn Mayuzumi into a normal girl.

“You should make more use of what’s available…”

I swallowed. My fingers froze.

An unusual word was displayed on the television screen.

Eye Crusher.

“Apparently, two women had their eyes gouged out in a neighboring prefecture,” Mayuzumi explained. “Their bodies were discovered in a ditch, one having been there for four days, and the other for two. The killer’s identity is still unknown, and there may be more victims. It seems like you’re the one not making use of the TV.” She flashed an unpleasant grin.

I had no prior knowledge of any of this. Lately, I’d been so exhausted from dealing with Mayuzumi’s sour moods that as soon as I got home, I just went straight to bed.

Eyes being gouged out was an unusual case. But what transpired on the other side of the screen had no direct impact on us. It was horrifying, but that was all. I switched off the TV, silencing the ominous background music.

“What a disturbing case,” I remarked. “I hope they catch the culprit soon. Mayu-san, please make sure to lock the doors when I’m not around.”

Security in this condominium had been lowered to the bare minimum to accommodate unexpected clients. The automatic locking mechanism at the entrance had been deactivated, and the security cameras were not functioning. Even during the fox incident, Mayuzumi did not find it necessary to rectify the situation.

But as usual, my words seemed to fall on deaf ears. The only sound was that of Mayuzumi munching on a piece of chocolate.

Crack.

“Why would the killer gouge out their eyeballs?” she asked, the words disappearing into the ether.

With slow and deliberate movements, she extended her arm and caressed the wine glass on the table, the smooth contours of the glass revealing a cluster of spherical shapes.

Nestled within a white chocolate sphere was a dark chocolate pupil, giving the eerie impression of an eye.

Mayuzumi extended her tongue and licked the sweet confection, flashing a bewitching smile.

“It’s a simple matter, really. He can’t resist the temptation. The moment he sees an eye, he can’t help but swing his umbrella. It’s like a deep-rooted disease.”

The eyeball crumbled. Licking her lips, Mayuzumi picked up another one.

An eyeball rolled in the palm of her fair hand. A grotesque yet somehow comical sight.

I let out a sigh. I was about to criticize her disturbing behavior, when I noticed something strange in her words.

“It sounds like you know a lot, Mayu-san.”

There were certain details in her speech that were odd, such as her precise knowledge of the murder weapon.

Mayuzumi arched her back, and the glossy chocolate eyeball rolled across her palm and slender fingers, touching her crimson lips.

“Why wouldn’t I? There are things that can only be told to someone you’ve met.”

Teeth slowly scraped against black. Red tongue moistened her lips.

“Odagiri-kun.” Her voice was as soft as a sigh. “I just might get killed.”