Chapter 4 Part 1 – Even If I Count the Lies and Secrets

Chapter 4: Even if I Count the Lies and Secrets

Dear Mr. Mizuki Hidaka,

Thank you for your letter.

I have read everything.

Needless to say, I was very surprised.

To know that at one point, many mysterious abilities were scattered across this world.

That these powers dwell within people, and that the alien who owns them has been desperately trying to collect them for decades.

And… that I am one of those people.

(I believe that my understanding of the situation is roughly correct. I still feel a bit uncertain, so please correct me if I got anything wrong.)

The contents of your letter were truly unbelievable, and frankly, I’m still trying to process everything. I feel as if I’m stuck in a dream.

If I were an ordinary, sensible person, I probably would’ve thrown your letter away already.

But here I am, writing a reply.

Until now, I’ve never told anyone that I possess the power to see through lies.

Not my family, not my close friends—no one.

Yet, you know about this ability.

For that reason alone, I believe that what you say might hold some merit.

Even if this is a prank. Even if it is mere nonsense or a careless guess.

I forgive you. I will not blame you or resent you. I will act as if it never happened.

So please, never do this again.

Not to me, and not to anyone else.

But, if it is true…

I want… to meet you.

I want to meet you and learn more about myself.

August 7th, 13:00. If you are willing, please come to the location written on the piece of paper that I’ve enclosed.

I don’t know if you’ll come, but I will be waiting for you there.

Sincerely,

Kotoha Somei

***

“Whaaaat?! Kotoha Somei?”

Kirie’s voice rang out across the Shinkansen platform, brimming with excitement.

The confused—or rather, annoyed—glances of the people around us were directed our way.

Hurriedly covering her mouth with her hand, Kirie dropped her voice to a whisper.

“Kocchan is an ability user… are you for real?”

“Unfortunately, yes.”

I handed the envelope to Kirie.

It had been sent to me by Kotoha Somei a few days ago. Of course, it was merely a reply to my own letter.

As Kirie traced the words on the stationery, her eyes blinked repeatedly, filled with awe.

Blue-black ink lined the pale pink paper.

The neat, composed handwriting gave an impression of elegance and intelligence.

Kotoha Somei. A rising young actress who had gained popularity under the nickname “Kocchan.”

She appeared in the drama that Chihiro was obsessed with, which was currently receiving high viewership ratings.

A film that she starred in was also scheduled to release quite soon.

Combined with her looks and charm, which allowed her to skillfully dominate both game shows and talk shows, she was currently the celebrity that carried the most momentum in the industry.

And that very Kotoha Somei possessed an ability.

The level of information I had received from Love was “Confirmed.”

I had previously sent her a long letter. About Love, about her power, and finally, about the recovery of those powers.

For a while, there wasn’t a response.

There were no changes in her blog or social media, and I assumed I had been ignored.

It was only natural, and I had expected as much.

However, on the first day of summer vacation, immediately after I sent a follow-up letter before visiting Chihiro, a reply had finally arrived.

“Uwaa, so it’s true… the ability to see through lies… Kocchan had that…”

Though surprised, Kirie accepted the fact with relative ease.

It seems that she was developing a tolerance for supernatural activities these days.

“Wait! Does that mean we can meet her? THE Kocchan? Today? Right now?!”

Kirie’s voice was bright with anticipation. She looked back and forth between the letter and me several times, her body beginning to sway.

Sigh… this one has been completely corrupted.

“What else did you think we’d be doing? Well, it’s not completely confirmed that we’ll be meeting with her.”

“Waaa… I can’t believe this is happening… wait…I came in normal clothes… oh no!”

“What do I do? She’s going to think I’m lame… this is the worst…” Kirie continued, her shoulders slumping in despair.

What a dramatic girl. I mean, focus on the mission.

“Kotoha Somei already specified the date, time, and place. We’ll know if she’s actually there once we arrive.”

“I-I see… so that’s why we’re going to Tokyo this time…”

Kirie spoke with a tense expression as she looked at the other piece of paper in the envelope.

Tokyo, Shibuya Ward, in front of Hachiko.

As a meeting spot, it was incredibly cliché. It was crowded and unsuitable for discussing secrets, or even a regular conversation.

But it was likely intentional. A precaution in case I turned out to be a bad person.

“Tokyo, huh… it’s my first time. What about you, Hidaka-kun?”

“I’ve been there a few times. It was always for retrieval work, though.”

“I see. Must be nice, being able to see all the cool stuff.”

There was a hint of envy in Kirie’s voice. A moment later, she began to fidget.

As usual, we weren’t going there to hang out.

Though, as usual, I was a little happier that someone was accompanying me.

It took a considerably longer time to arrive by Shinkansen than last time.

Neither of us spoke much on the train, but we both seemed to have the same idea.

We spread out our summer homework on the seats, working on them bit by bit.

After all, this type of work makes it difficult to have a set schedule. It’s better to handle things like this whenever I have some downtime.

Since the incident with Yayoi Shinohara, Kirie and I had not met up even once.

The topics that we discussed at the hotel weren’t brought up today.

Perhaps, we both felt that it was for the best.

At the very least, I had absolutely no intention of continuing that type of conversation.

“Finally…we’re here! Aren’t you excited, Hidaka-kun?”

The moment we stepped off the train, Kirie shouted.

“Not really.”

However, due to the oppressive heat that hit us, she immediately wilted.

“Owh… it’s soooo hot…”

The breeze from her handheld fan was lukewarm and provided little support.

We quickly left the platform and headed for the exit.

Tokyo Station was complex, and combined with the sheer number of people, transferring trains was quite a struggle.

We walked relentlessly, following sign after sign. By the time we finally boarded the train to Shibuya, we were both utterly exhausted.

“I’m already tired… Tokyo is scary.”

“Unfortunately, that is the price for being so advanced.”

“Ugh…”

Kirie’s previously energetic attitude was nowhere to be found. Her morning enthusiasm had vanished.

“…Hm?”

Suddenly, a cosmetics advertisement displayed in the train caught my eye.

Next to the product was a photo of today’s target, Kotoha Somei.

Her long, glossy black hair glistened, and her natural smile and sidelong glance were captivating.

“Kocchan is quite amazing, isn’t she?” Kirie said wistfully, having spotted the same ad.

“She’s on TV every day. I wonder if she ever gets a day off?”

“If she doesn’t, we probably won’t be able to meet her today either.”

“Ah, that’s true. Whoa, come to think of it, we’re about to meet her… I’m getting nervous!”

Using her smartphone screen as a mirror, she began smoothing down her hair with her fingers.

I felt her makeup was a little heavier than it had been on the Shinkansen.

Kirie went to the restroom while we were at Tokyo Station… did she really put more make-up on?

“Hidaka-kun~, why do you look so uninterested? Don’t you like Kocchan? She’s soo cute!”

“Well, to an extent.”

“Wha–?”

Kirie let out a small gasp. Her eyes widened as she stared intently at my face.

What is wrong with her?

“H-Hidaka-kun… do you like her? Kocchan…?”

“I said ‘to some extent.’ You’re the one who was praising her…”

“No…I mean, yes! Oh… I-I see… huh… hmm. So your preferred type is cute girls… no, beautiful girls? Mmm, she’s a combination of both…”

Folding her arms, Kirie muttered to herself as though piecing together some grand revelation.

Beyond just her looks, Kotoha Somei had a unique aura—dignified, yet fragile.

Considering that, it was understandable why she was so popular. Even I didn’t have a bad impression of her.

That said, I wasn’t so rattled that I’d lose my composure before meeting her, unlike Kirie.

“…Hold on.”

Swallowing the sound that almost escaped me, I glanced at the advertisement once more.

Despite it being a still photo, her eyes seemed to be… faintly trembling?

What I felt right now…

It wasn’t nervousness or excitement.

It was guilt. Knowing that what I was doing was wrong. And beneath it all, a cold reluctance and a selfish fear.

I hope that today goes well. I hope that we can resolve it peacefully.

Putting my own position aside, I conjured up one pathetic thought after another.

After getting off the train, we struggled once again in finding the exit.

Avoiding the rush of people and searching for the indicators, we finally succeeded in escaping.

Beyond our open field of vision, giant buildings stood in rows, covering half the sky.

“Shibuya… we finally made it!”

Looking out over the scramble crossing, Kirie let out a voice of admiration.

I grabbed the arm of this country bumpkin and pulled her toward the edge of the plaza.

We had to be on schedule.

“Hey! Oh, by the way, where’s Hachiko?”

“This way.”

Leading Kirie along, I moved to the front of the Hachiko statue.

Despite being in a slightly calmer area, a large crowd surrounded it, eager to take photos.

“Oh, the dog.”

“That’s a pretty boring observation.”

“Well, Hachiko was mixed, right?”

“He was an Akita…”

While engaging in this meaningless exchange, I slowly scanned the surroundings.

The time was exactly 13:00. If the instructions in the letter were correct, Kotoha Somei should be here.

“Hidaka-kun! Come!”

Kirie beckoned to me near a tree planted by the statue.

Looking over, a single wide brown envelope was sitting alone at the base of the tree.

Moreover, on the front, my name was politely written: To Mr. Mizuki Hidaka.

“The contents are… eh? A smartphone?”

It was an Android, a slightly older model. The power was on, and it wasn’t locked.

I’m surprised that no one’s stolen it yet.

Well, with the name written so clearly, perhaps no one but a real thief would touch it.

Specifically, anyone other than me.

“Oh?”

As I took it, the phone suddenly began to vibrate.

An incoming call. The displayed number was, of course, unknown.

But– there was only one person who would be calling now.

“Hello.”

“Is this Mr. Mizuki Hidaka?” There was a slight familiarity to that voice.

Kirie, who had leaned her ear close to my face, gulped.

“That’s me. You must be Miss Somei.”

“Yes… and the girl next to you?”

Kotoha Somei asked in a slightly tense tone.

Between this question and the timing of the call, she must be watching us from somewhere.

“I apologize for not notifying you beforehand. The girl is Mahina Kirie, my classmate. She doesn’t usually engage in the retrieval of powers, but she is accompanying me for certain reasons. If you wish, I will send her home.”

“A classmate…”

“However, if you don’t mind, I would like you to allow her to stay. Besides, I think it’s better to have her with us than for the two of us to walk through the city alone.”

After conveying the situation and my reasoning in as much detail as possible, I bowed on the spot.

After looking around a bit, Kirie followed suit.

Unlike Yusa Kanata or Yayoi Shinohara, Kotoha Somei was a celebrity. A popular one, at that.

An ordinary method of contact like calling out to her while walking through the city was not going to be possible.

We had to make the most of this chance to converse.

“I understand. Mizuki-kun and Mahina-chan, then.” After a brief silence, Miss Somei spoke.

Her voice was slightly softer than before.

“Thank you.”

“No, I’m the one who should apologize for making things so tedious. Due to my position, I have to be cautious to a certain extent, so I’d be happy if you could forgive me.”

“No, I completely understand. Besides, I am the one making the request. I will follow your conditions as much as I can.”

“…I see. Thank you.”

I could almost hear a smile in her voice.

For now, it seemed that my stance had been conveyed.

Beside me, Kirie breathed a sigh of relief.

“I just have one question. Please answer me honestly,” Miss Somei suddenly said.

Feeling as though I understood her intent, I nodded and replied, “Of course.”

“The things you wrote in the letter… was all of it true?”

“Yes.”

I answered without hesitation.

Again, there was a period of silence. This time, it felt quieter and longer than the last.

From the other end of the line, I thought I heard a trembling breath.

“Please… wait a moment.”

Leaving behind those words, the call was disconnected.

As instructed, Kirie and I remained where we were and waited for several minutes.

While staring at the phone in preparation for another call, a voice called out to us.

“Nice to meet you, Mizuki-kun, and Mahina-chan.”

We looked up simultaneously.

A woman wearing a mask, a cap, and glasses was standing there, facing us.

“I am Kotoha Somei. Thank you for coming. Please follow me.”

Quietly nodding, the three of us slipped out of the growing crowd and into a certain cafe.

The interior was retro, reminiscent of the Showa era, with chandeliers hanging from a high ceiling.

TLN: A period of Japanese history lasting from December 25, 1926 to January 7, 1989.

As we were led to a private area, it felt as though the flow of time had slowed down.

As usual, since we were paying with expenses, Kirie and I ordered only iced coffees.

It was also because I didn’t feel like munching on desserts in front of Kotoha Somei.

“Thank you for waiting.”

The waiter who brought the three drinks looked at Miss Somei’s face for a moment, then glanced at us.

However, he said nothing more, gave a polite bow, and left.

“The manager is an acquaintance. You can relax.”

Reassuring us, Miss Somei took a small sip of the Earl Grey that she had ordered

I see, that was why we were given a seat with so few people around.

“Thank you for your consideration.”

“No. It’s for my own sake too as well.” Miss Somei said with a thin smile, tilting her head slightly.

Every gesture was refined, yet smooth.

I felt the aura of a celebrity—or rather, an actress.

“Thank you as well, Mahina-chan. I actually feel a bit more at ease knowing there’s another girl here.”

“Oh! Y-Yes! Wait, no, not at all!”

Kirie straightened her back and gave a flustered response.

She was completely overwhelmed. It was understandable, but it was also a little awkward.

“You’ve probably already noticed, but earlier, I was watching the two of you from a distance.”

Miss Somei apologized with a slight bow.

But immediately, her expression became taut, and she took a slow, deep breath.

“You weren’t lying.”

Looking straight at me, Miss Somei spoke.

Her well-shaped eyes narrowed slightly, harboring an emotion that could be interpreted as either sadness or pain.

Whether the things written in the letter were true or not.

To the question that she asked me over the phone, I had answered, ‘Yes.’.

Kotoha Somei has the ability of, ‘Lie Detector’. Or more simply, the ability to tell whenever someone is lying.

This means that the only reason she agreed to appear before me… was because she had already confirmed that it would be safe.

Assuming that I’m correct, her saying she wanted to meet in her letter wasn’t because she believed my story, but rather for her to judge for herself whether it could be believed or not.

“So it’s true… that this ability of mine is one of the special powers that you’re looking for. And that there’s someone who wants it returned.”

“That is correct.”

“…I see.”

Somei-san stared intently into my eyes once more, then softly lowered her gaze.

I believe she ‘saw’ it just now. 

According to Love, her ability didn’t have an on/off switch. If the person she is facing tells a lie, she automatically senses it, regardless if she wants to or not.

There is no concept of “activation” or “downtime” . Her ability was different from Yusa, Shinohara, or even Aizawa’s.

“Mizuki-kun, do you usually meet other ability-holders like this too?”

“…I do. Though, this was the first time that I’ve sent a letter.”

“What do you usually do?”

“My client provides me with some basic information, and I track down their location. If the timing is right, then I’ll approach them. Once I bring up the topic of their ability, they’ll usually listen to me.”

“Wow…! You go straight for it, huh. I’m curious… don’t people ever get surprised?”

“Yes, well, to an extent.”

While it could be unexpected, it usually wasn’t always the case.

Perhaps, somewhere in their hearts, they had foreseen it.

That one day, the Reaper would come for them.

That there was someone, somewhere, who knew about their power.

“For me… I was really surprised when I read that letter. My manager usually screens my fan mail first, and he told me, ‘This looks like a prank,’ but once I actually read it, I was so shocked I thought I’d faint right then and there.”

Somei-san let out a soft laugh, her shoulders quivering with amusement.

“Usually, when I explain my purpose and the circumstances, most of them get angry or upset. Some have even run away on the spot.”

“Ahaha, I get that. If it hadn’t been for the letter, I might’ve run away too.” Laughing again, Somei-san took a sip of her tea.

Kirie and I also sipped our drinks, and a brief silence fell over the conversation.

I looked up at the ceiling fan rotating slowly, thinking about what I should say.

In her reply, Somei-san never specified whether she would return her ability or not.

‘I want to know more about myself.’ That was the reason she had come here.

If possible, I wanted to finish the job while maintaining this peaceful atmosphere.

However, in order to do that, confirming her intentions was an unavoidable step.

Even after doing this for so long… in the end, this is always where I make the most mistakes.

“Somei-san.”

I spoke, consciously trying not to sound too formal.

Beside me, Kirie’s shoulder gave a small twitch.

She must have known. She knew exactly what I was about to say.