Track 5: New friend + Me + Nari = Great Detective!

Alleyway. 11:39 PM. 

The cleaning android finished its work and attempted to return to its hangar—

“Stop right there! Eat this! ‘Cotton Gladius Whirlwind - The Pollen Puff!’” 

Suspicious man: “Uwah!? W-what!?”

I waited for the man to attack the android and then used my special invention to suspend him in mid-air and stop him from moving just before he could hit it. 

Immediately, Nari captured him with a fiber rope that sprouted from the ‘Red Snake - Camon Pot.’

“I will report this to the authorities anonymously.” 

“Roger that!”

We quickly hid in the shadows.

When the man tried to escape, he thrashed around so much that all sorts of gadgets like electric cutters and stun guns popped out of his pockets.

Samejima and the others will surely understand when they see them scattered on the ground. They’ll get the picture, you know?

Anyways! It looks like the Android Destruction Case is now solved!

I can hear the police sirens. They should be arriving in a few minutes. 

So then…

“Let’s go home now, Nari♪”

“Understood.”

We turned on our heels and walked back towards the main street—

“Wait, Yowa-kun.”

“Hmm?”

I stopped and turned around to see Samejima. 

“We traced the report back. I was surprised to find that it came from you. You’re not a national athlete but a detective, huh?” 

“Looks like I got caught… even though I hid so well.”

“Well, I’m a detective, so I’m pretty sharp. So, why do you think he’s the culprit?” 

“That man is an android technician. I deduced that crimes like this would be easy for him. He can dissect machines so quickly and skillfully that even an amateur could understand that!”

“I see. But there are plenty of technicians out there, right?”

It’s all thanks to Nari and Gii!

Among all the registered technicians nationwide, we managed to identify the one who purchased the out-of-season tulips. 

…I did a good job of keeping my mouth shut here! If I hadn’t, Nari and Gii could have been suspected by the police. 

Samejima chuckled and shrugged his shoulders as if he interpreted my silence as something else. 

“Well, whatever. How did you find out today was the day of the crime?”

“Once you narrow down the suspect, the rest of it is easy, right?” 

“That’s right. You just predict when and where he’s likely to move. And then—”

“He’s not the real culprit, but rather, a copycat. So he is a bit naive on the details.” 

Samejima’s eyes sparkled. A glint appeared in his eyes and a wry smile appeared on his face. 

“You think so too? I agree. He’s not a serial killer, just a prankster criminal. He was probably thinking of causing similar incidents to stir things up with the public. Android-related incidents tend to make the news, so maybe that’s why.” 

“Yes, yes!”

I nodded in agreement. 

And from here on—I’m not going to tell Samejima anything more. 

The copycat technician and the suspicious man I saw that day were different species. 

First of all, the atmosphere was totally different. And there was no smell of space cuisine from him. 

I still don’t know if that space cuisine guy is connected to the serial killer case or not, or why he was there that day. But for now, I’ll put him on the list of suspects… just in case. 

If I were to guess who the real culprit was, I’d bet it would be “an alien who doesn't understand love”, just like me. 

And why do I think that?

Well, Yoda said that maybe the culprit wanted their love to be noticed, right?

But that is the sentiment of someone who knows and understands love.

For someone like me who doesn’t know love, the series of crimes seemed like they were just trying to open up the hearts of those who do understand it. To explore and find out how love can blossom there. 

…Which is probably why the crimes occurred. 

That’s why I suspect that the culprit might be an alien.

I won’t tell any of that to Samejima, though!

“Any more questions~?”

“Nope. Thank you for your cooperation.”

Samejima shook his head and handed a business card from his pocket to me and Nari.

“If you want to, you can call me after you get back. If something strange happens again, I’d like your help.”

“Civilians cooperating…?”

“I’m a private detective.”

“...But I am not in the field.”

“Is that so? But I thought you two would definitely help.”

“I’m in!!”

“I knew you would say that... because I’m a detective. I’m pretty sharp.” 

“Sammy is like a dog–♪”

“...Is “Sammy” my nickname? If I’ve got one, we’re practically buddies now. That makes me happy.”

At the same time, I heard the voice of Sammy’s subordinate from the back of the alley. 

It seems like it’s about time to move out. And we should as well—

“Let’s head back for real this time~, Nari!”

——

On the way back home.

When I gazed up at the bright white moon floating above, many things crossed my mind. 

About the incident. 

About Sammy.

About Nari.

About Gii, and “that.”

About the tulips.

The heart-shaped hole in the stomach. Hunger. Space cuisine.

And then—about the boy I talked to in that classroom.

Right now, for some reason, I really want to see that boy. 

And then we’d talk about today. About tomorrow. And about all kinds of things—

I want to ask him again, just what is love!?