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VOLUME 7 – THE LOCATION OF THE SPIRIT epilogue

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‘Hey! Doing well?’

Haruka ith Yakumo to Masato’s hospital room

At the reception, they ran into Masato’s aunt and heard in brief about his condition

He didn’t have any major injuries and didn’t seehost, but he was very healthy besides that He was only in hospital for a check-up and would be able to be discharged to, ’I apologise for the trouble we’ve caused’

’Ah!’

On the bed, Masato looked incredibly healthy His expression brightened at once

The inside of Haruka’s chest felt hen she thought about how this child could sht we’d visit before then’

’You’re already leaving?’

Masato’s voice went down

With the fuss with the incident, Haruka hadn’t been able to talk with Masato at length She felt a bit guilty

’We’ll co a hand through his hair

’You say that, but you didn’t coht?’

Masato pouted

’We’ll come next time Prorand the way’ said Yakurandround had been a mystery until now, but a lot of that had been revealed with this case

’Along the way?’ said Masato, sounding dissatisfied, though he didn’t look like he really cared that much

’Not happy with that?’

’Well, it’s fine’

’Let’s eat soba at ives out rocks as food,’ said Yakued expression

Haruka’s father, Kazuhiro, had given Yakuaki

’That was…’

’What’s up with your dad anyway? Yesterday, he suddenly forced himself into the roo!’

Haruka hadn’t heard about that at all

’He stayed until h I was tired – it wasn’t welcome’

What on earth had they talked about? Haruka was curious, but on the other hand, she was too frightened to ask

’Hey Are you two dating?’ asked Masato with a wide grin

Haruka hadn’t thought that Masato would ask that question

Her body heated up all at once

’E-er, that’s…’

Haruka was fue ran in

She’d seen him in a photo before It was probably Tolad you’re OK!’

Toed Masato

’Tomoya-kun, that hurts’

’Shut up! You went off and searched on your own This is punishment’

Tomoya jostled Masato

Haruka had heard that he blamed Masato when Yumiko disappeared, but it seemed like that hadn’t been how he really felt – it had probably co able to do anything

’Wait, Tomoya Masato-kun doesn’t like that’

Yuht sed

’Let’s go’

Turning away from the cheerful children, Yakuain’

’See you again!’

With Masato’s smile behind her, Haruka followed Yakumo out

Gotou sat on the sofa in the hospital waiting room with Wakabayashi

Wakabayashi’s eyes were distant – he looked much older than yesterday, to the point that he looked like a different person

’Are you all right?’

Gotou spoke up without thinking when he sa small Wakabayashi looked

’Yeah I haven’t fallen so much that I need you to worry about me’

Wakabayashi smiled wryly

’So? What did you want to talk about?’ said Gotou, feeling unco I want to talk to you about – Wakabayashi had said that

’There’s soive you’

Wakabayashi took an old photo froave it to Gotou

’What is it?’

Gotou accepted it

There was a lasses It was probably the doctor named Kawakami Next to him stood a beautiful woman with almond eyes She was Rin

Between them was a boy who had his head turned down

Gotou realised immediately who it was

He could see a lump on his forehead

This is the horn Yakumo talked about –

When Gotou saw it like this, it really didn’t look like a horn It was just a bulge

There was so with the people ould treat hi like this

’I only talked to that boy once’

’I didn’t…’

Wakabayashi hadn’t mentioned that even in front of the cedar tree

’When I went to the clinic about arden’