50: Chapter 50: The World of the Lovesick, He Doesn't Understand

Late night, Fujino Detective Agency, second-floor reception room.

Soft white light spilled onto the pristine floor, reflecting in faint spots. The air still held the faint scent of new wood from the recently arranged furniture.

Shibasaki Mieko sat on the white sofa, looking around, slightly stunned.

Is this really a detective agency's reception room? It felt more luxurious than the meeting room at their record label's headquarters.

"Shibasaki-san, please have some tea."

Fujino, seated opposite her in a matching white armchair, offered Mieko a freshly poured cup of black tea.

"Thank you..."

Mieko accepted the cup, her movements a little stiff and awkward.

"Detective Fujino, have you... have you found out who Tatsuya likes?"

"Yes, I have."

Fujino nodded, a knowing glint in his eyes.

"And it's definitely someone you wouldn't expect."

"Is it... Izumi Yumi?"

Mieko frowned, her voice tight with ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠emotion.

"I thought the rumors about them dating were just media hype, but I didn't expect..."

"It's not her."

Fujino quickly cut off the lovesick girl's speculation.

"If it's not her, then who could it be?" Mieko asked, bewildered.

"Actually, the person Kimura Tatsuya likes isn't some distant idol."

Fujino paused for effect.

"The person he truly loves... is your band's manager, Terahara Mari."

"Eh?"

Mieko stared, incredulous. She asked again, needing confirmation.

"You mean... our manager, Mari-san?"

"That's right."

Fujino adjusted his glasses slightly.

"Based on my investigation, she's the one Kimura Tatsuya loves. There's no one else."

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"

Mieko laughed weakly, shaking her head and waving her hands dismissively.

"If you said he liked Izumi Yumi, maybe I could believe it... but Mari-san? That's just... impossible!"

She knew Terahara Mari well, of course – their manager. While Mari always seemed concerned about Tatsuya's well-being, Tatsuya himself never seemed appreciative. In fact, he often mocked her. How could that be love?

"Do you really know Kimura Tatsuya that well?"

Fujino watched Mieko's disbelief, a subtle curve forming on his lips.

"Of course!"

Mieko lifted her chin proudly. She knew Tatsuya inside and out – maybe not down to the number of hairs on his arm, but close enough. Otherwise, she wouldn't have risked confessing.

And then getting rejected.

"Then you must also know that before joining your current agency's band, Kimura Tatsuya played in underground bands?"

"Yes, I knew that,"

Mieko nodded.

"Tatsuya told us about it before."

"But what does that have to do with who he likes?"

"It has everything to do with it."

Fujino leaned forward slightly, placing a file folder on the coffee table between them.

Mieko eyed the folder warily.

"What's this?"

"This contains all the information I gathered these past few days,"

Fujino explained.

"All the evidence points to one conclusion: Kimura Tatsuya is in love with Terahara Mari. There's no mistake."

Mieko clutched the report, her heart tightening.

"But... Tatsuya always acts like he can't stand Mari..."

Fujino chuckled softly, his voice laced with meaning.

"As someone close to Kimura Tatsuya, surely you know his personality?"

"Tatsuya's personality..."

Mieko bit her lip.

"He seems cheerful, optimistic... but also... not very honest with his feelings... Could it be?!"

She trailed off, her eyes widening in sudden realization.

"Exactly."

Fujino nodded, placing two photographs on the table.

"This is a photo of him and Terahara Mari from their old band days."

"That's really Mari-san? She looks so different..."

Mieko stared at the couple in the photo, confused. The man was definitely Tatsuya, but the woman... she didn't recognize her at all.

Seeing her confusion, Fujino confirmed,

"Yes, that person is indeed Terahara Mari."

"You're saying she is Mari-san?"

Mieko examined the freckled face in the photo, astonished.

"The change ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠is incredible."

"The reason her appearance changed so drastically... is because she had plastic surgery,"

Fujino explained.

"Actually, Kimura Tatsuya and Terahara Mari knew each other long before your current band."

"They were in an underground band together, went through a lot. Later, when the band broke up and your company signed him, he specifically requested that they bring Terahara Mari along as well."

Mieko nodded slowly, processing this.

"But if they knew each other back then... why does Tatsuya treat her so badly now?"

"If I'm not mistaken... it's precisely because of the plastic surgery."

Fujino tapped the photograph on the table.

"The lyrics Kimura Tatsuya wrote on the back of that band photo – 'To the You Without Makeup' – are the best proof. I believe he wrote those for Terahara Mari, after her surgery."

He recited a line from memory:

"'Even though your appearance has changed so much, I still love the you from before...'"

"I suspect what he told you wasn't just a brush-off. He really is waiting... waiting for the Terahara Mari without makeup, the one he originally fell for, to somehow come back."

"So that's how it was..."

"Meaning... the reason he rejected me... is because his heart already belongs to someone else?"

Mieko swayed slightly, her eyes ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠misting over.

"Based on the investigation, yes."

Fujino nodded silently, pulling a couple of tissues from a box and offering them to her.

"Honestly, from the moment you commissioned this investigation, the outcome was predetermined. Whether it was Izumi Yumi or someone else, the result would have been the same for you."

"I know... I know... but... I just can't let go..."

Watching Shibasaki Mieko dissolve into quiet sobs, Fujino sighed inwardly.

Seriously, the world of the lovesick... I really don't get it.

The sound of the young woman's weeping filled the quiet office.

After a while, Mieko finally composed herself. She stood up, bowed deeply to Fujino, and said sincerely,

"Detective Fujino, thank you... thank you for finding out who Tatsuya really loves."

"No need to thank me. I was just fulfilling a client's request,"

Fujino replied with a polite smile. He then rubbed his hands together slightly, adopting a business-like tone.

"Speaking of which... about the remaining four hundred fifty thousand yen commission fee... when would be a good time to settle that?"

He produced the newly acquired mobile POS machine.

"This time, credit cards are perfectly acceptable."