Chapter 118: The situation in Yokohama——Tie-Mee!!!

Although the process was not smooth, they still managed to return the older lost children to their parents.

The silver-haired man in a kimono expressed his gratitude to the player and Nakahara Chuuya respectively, and invited them to sit for a while at his residence.

The other person had a very strong aura and a very serious expression. The first time he saw him, Nakahara Chuuya subconsciously took a defensive posture, but when he realized that he had no ill intentions, he became restrained again.

Maybe he's unexpectedly a good person?

Fushimi Kyoji thought as he watched the man lower his head and listen to Edogawa Ranpo's disjointed sharing of his experiences, with no special expression on his face, nor any impatience.

As we were led into the courtyard, we saw a Japanese-style garden that is rarely seen in Yokohama.

The player squatted next to the bird scarer and watched for a while how the bamboo tube was filled with running water and then emptied by pouring it towards the other end.

From the strange rocks used for landscaping, the bonsai to the moss on the ground, everything players see feels fresh.

"What's wrong?" Perhaps the players' attention to the scenery was too obvious, and Zhongyuan Zhong couldn't help but ask.

Fushimi Kyoji shook his head. "It feels like it's rare to see authentic Japanese gardens like this in Yokohama."

Edogawa Ranpo continued with a smile, "Although it can't be used as the headquarters of the Future Detective Agency, the president likes it very much."

"Because of rumors of hauntings, we rented it out at a very low price."

Fushimi Kyoji and Nakahara Chuuya looked at each other.

"...It's said to be haunted." After a while, the player said solemnly.

Nakahara Chuuya had a strange expression on his face: "...haunted?"

The two people confirmed that they were thinking the same thing.

Edogawa Ranpo puffed up his face, expressing his dissatisfaction with being riddle-mongered in front of him.

The other party has nothing to do with the Inugami Group and is not clear about the details of the "haunted incident", so naturally he has no idea what they are talking about.

So the player can only sigh at his good luck in renting such a perfect residence at a cheap price.

“That’s great…”

Nakahara Chuuya was unhappy: "What's with that envious expression on your face?"

A swordsman named Fukuzawa Yukichi treated them to tea and snacks. They sat at a low table in the corridor and the atmosphere was quiet.

Edogawa Ranpo, who had run back into the room, put down a pile of snacks that were almost blocking his vision and spread them all out spectacularly on the table.

"Repay? Repay a favor? Reward? You could say that. Divide these among you."

As Edogawa Ranpo spoke, he quickly put a few snacks into his arms, cautiously saying.

"These potato chips are not good. There are also limited edition snacks and chocolate candy balls..."

"Huh? Who wants to eat?" Nakahara Chuuya was speechless at Edogawa Ranpo's childish behavior.

Do you think everyone is like him?

"Keep it for yourself," Nakahara Nakamura said unhappily. He couldn't help but look suspiciously at the seated Fukuzawa Yukichi. As a parent, wasn't he doting on Edogawa Ranpo too much? "As an adult, aren't you worried that he'll have a mouth full of cavities in the future?"

Upon hearing this, Fukuzawa Yukichi lowered his head and looked at Edogawa Ranpo, whose momentum was weakening: "Ranpo?"

"I brush my teeth on time!"

“…”

The player whispered to Chuuya Nakahara beside him, "It seems that Chuuya is very tolerant of Ranpo."

——Compared to the treatment given to Dazai Osamu.

Chuuya Nakahara's attitude towards the members of the "Sheep" is mostly gentle.

Well, if you think about it this way, the way Nakahara Chuuya treats Edogawa Ranpo is very similar to a 'sheep'.

Zhong Yuanzhong nodded without hesitation: "Ah, when I first heard the description of 'sheep', I thought it was the same as my past self."

"However, when I saw what he was wearing, I could confirm that he was just separated from his family... I felt relieved, considering his personality."

Fushimi Kyoki guessed that what Nakahara Chuuya wanted to say was "difficult to deal with".

"Hey...family." Not knowing what to say, the player sighed and repeated himself.

Edogawa Ranpo, who had been listless, perked up and suddenly stood up and emphasized loudly: "Yes, the president and I are family."

"Rather, this suspicious name can be ruled out." Nakahara Chuuya complained sharply.

Edogawa Ranpo thought for a moment and said, "After all, 'family' doesn't necessarily have to be blood-related."

"Whatever you say." Zhongyuan Zhongya didn't want to argue with the mentally immature guy.

He stood up, thanked Fukuzawa Yukichi for his hospitality, and expressed his intention to leave.

Edogawa Ranpo raised his hands repeatedly: "President! I'll go see them off!"

Fukuzawa Yukichi nodded and agreed.

Edogawa Ranpo brushed off the residue on his hands, steadied his hat, and stood up. In a blink of an eye, he walked in front of them: "Follow me!"

Following Edogawa Ranpo, we returned along the same route we had taken.

Until Edogawa Ranpo disappeared from sight, neither of the two people standing outside the courtyard made a move for a while.

"...I'll take you back."

Fushimi Kyoji looked over when he heard the voice. Nakahara Chuuya turned his face away, as if it was just a casual remark from him: "Anyway... it's nothing."

"Okay." The player responded without hesitation.

"Ha, I thought you would refuse." Nakahara Chuuya said with his eyes downcast, pretending not to care.

He followed the player, keeping the same pace as the people around him, and never took his hands out of his pockets.

"Hey, why do you think so?"

Just as Nakahara Chuuya was about to say something, the players suddenly stopped at the same time.

"?"

"We're here," said the player.

"Ha, haha!?" Nakahara Chuuya was caught off guard and couldn't help but let out a questioning sound.

Does it take a minute to walk out of Edogawa Ranpo's residence?

Do you live nearby?

Nakahara Chuuya looked around, trying to find a place that could be called 'home'.

——Unsuccessful.

Confused, Nakahara Chuuya saw the player walk straight towards the unassuming trash can on the side of the road. Then, he opened his arms and invited him, "Would you like to come in and sit down?"

Zhongyuan Zhongye was puzzled by this sentence that usually appears when inviting others to visit one's home.

……where?

"You..." Nakahara Chuuya hesitated for a long time and said the answer in disbelief, "Living in a trash can?"

The player looked at him with a condemning look: "Please show some respect for other people's homes."

"...As long as you're happy."

Nakahara Chuuya repeatedly confirmed whether the players were serious.

The capacity of the trash can meant that two people couldn't sit in it at the same time, and Zhongyuan Zhongye had no intention of "going in and sitting down". He just sat on a slightly cleaner piece of ground next to it.

The evening breeze made his brain less confused, and he couldn't help asking, "Have you always lived... uh, here?"

Fushimi Kyoji put his hand on his chin and recalled carefully: "If I'm lucky, I can also snatch the bench from other homeless people."

"Stop talking about such pitiful things in that bland tone." Zhong Yuanzhong didn't know what expression he should make, and finally he was speechless.

Fushimi Kyoji looked up at the gradually darkening night - forgive her, the cramped space in the trash can was the maximum range of movement a player could achieve.

Looking up at the dark night sky dotted with bright stars, the cool evening breeze blows gently, dispelling the dull and dry feeling.

Everything is just right.

"As soon as I open my eyes, I can see the blue sky, and the warm sunshine will fall on my face and eyelids. Sometimes when I wake up, there will be stray cats lying on my body, and I don't need to fold the quilt when I get up..." The light voice reflects the player's current state.

No need to worry about folding the quilt...because I can just sleep on the street!

Nakahara Chuuya complained in his heart, and the expression on his face gradually softened. He looked at the player and imitated her, looking up at the night sky: "...Is this enough?"

"Huh?" The player didn't understand what he meant.

Chuuya Nakahara leaned his back against the trash can, his whole body relaxed, a faint smile on his lips: "It just suddenly occurred to me that the guy who thought you were pitiful must be the most pitiful person in the world."

...What are you talking about?

The conversation with Chuuya Nakahara will not end for a while, and Fushimi Kyoji doesn't want to skip to the next day.

Staying in a folded position in a trash can really tests one's flexibility.

"Want to try it out too?" the player who came out of the trash can asked on a whim.

If such a joking invitation happened in the first ten minutes, Chuuya Nakahara would simply refuse without thinking.

Nakahara Chuuya hesitated for a moment and agreed.

He carefully held onto the edge and then lay down carefully: "..."

"How do you feel?" Now it was the player's turn to sit on the ground and ask Chuuya Nakahara how he felt.

“…Not bad.”

In the semi-enclosed space, Nakahara Chuuya's voice sounded muffled.

But you can tell that he is very relaxed.

"I've never seen Yokohama at night from this perspective."

When the players heard Chuuya Nakahara sigh like this, they couldn't help but feel happy.

A passerby in a tailored suit walked past the player and glanced at her as he passed.

The player's eyes met his for a moment.

"..." The cold gaze was quickly withdrawn with disinterest, and then the footsteps passed by the player without stopping.

The young man in the suit rolled the wrapping paper in his hand into a ball and threw it accurately into the open trash can behind him.

Fushimi Kyoki: =o=

“…”Dead silence.

An afterimage wrapped in an ominous red light ricocheted from the trash can like a fired cannonball.

Accompanied by a strong gust of wind, it hit the target not far away.

"——Asshole!!!" he shouted in a high-pitched voice with suppressed anger.