１．Ｓａｔｕｒｄａｙ　Ｍａｒｃｈ　２，　２０１９

"I didn't think you'd be here anymore." The words slipped out of Maruta's mouth.
Since it was Maruta who called him, he initially had a kind of tearful mission to keep the conversation going. However, the unexpectedness of Kira's appearance made it unnecessary to worry about such issues from the beginning of the meeting.

"Yeah, actually." Kira replied reservedly. "I sent you a direct message saying that I had to run an errand and would be late, but I was already in the restroom at that time. As soon as I entered this cafe, I suddenly had a stomach ache. So I ran into the restroom there, but I was too embarrassed to even tell you I was doing my business."
"I didn't realize that."

The impression of Kira was the same as when he met him in Yurakucho. His single-lidded, slightly fleshy face shows no distinctive difference from that of the average young man on the street. This, in turn, gives the person with whom one is interacting a sense of security, as if one were taking a breather.

Maruta pulled an extra business card from his wallet and offered it to Kira. "Once again, I am a company employee. It's from a small IT company, not something to brag about."
Kira then said, "I don't have my business card," showing him his student ID card.
It listed the name of a technical school in Tokyo. When Maruta receives them, he shrewdly checks even the date of birth.
Born in 1992, two years younger than myself, he is 26 years old.

These information about Kira were consistent with Maruta's prior Internet research. After that brief self-introduction, he was about to get down to business, when Kira began to speak up.
"Um, Maruta-san. Will there be a fee?"

Hearing this, Maruta gushed involuntarily.
"No, I'm not a detective." He continues, regardless of Kira's stunned look as if his spine had been plucked out of his body. "I don't think it is necessary to explain Silva's case to you now. I am only trying to get personally involved in that case. I don't mean to sound presumptuous, but that case seems like a completely impossible crime, but there seems to be some kind of fraying of the thread. I can't say it well at this stage, though. If it is possible to solve the case, I would like to face it with sincerity, eliminating as much of the onlooker's guts as possible, I thought. I have also met Silva-san once. So your cooperation is indispensable. In that sense, maybe I'm the one who should be paying for it."

"I'm actually," When Kira finished listening, he said, leaning forward slightly. "I'm actually in trouble too. Me and Silva were good friends. It took me a long time to get over the sadness and confusion I felt after he suddenly passed away in such a way. However, there are still people who try to dig up the root of the incident. Not like you, of course, but those who are clearly curious and try to get close to us. That's why I'm waiting for the time when the culprit is arrested and the case is put to rest."

Maruta listened to Kira's appeal, nodding occasionally. Then he reached into his bag on the floor, pulling out several pieces of paper.
"I have a few things I'd like you to look at, Kira-san."
"Wait a minute." Kira stood up, stopping Maruta's words. "I'll go order something too."

When Maruta heard this, he was embarrassed to find himself rushing his guest.
"That's right, you have only just arrived."
Maruta was about to offer to at least pay for coffee. However, this intention passed by Kira in vain as he was already walking toward the cash register.