She vaulted over her desk to me. I looked over my shoulder at her, sensing her motion. “Reiko-chan?” she inquired. “By any chance, do you mean... Tanimura Reiko?” I froze and nodded dumbly. She stared at me for a long moment as anger filled her face redly. Once again I feared for my life. “Why do you think you can talk about her so intimately? What does she mean to you?” Oni asked.

Her voice didn’t channel her anger. I was fairly sure it wasn’t directed towards me.

“Oh... um... she was just a childhood friend...” The love of my life, actually. I turned away. Like before, oversized tears started sweating from my face to deluge her floor.

“I’d say she means more to you than you’re admitting,” Oni sighed, as she retreated to the top of her desk quickly, avoiding the spreading pool of my tears. She stomped on her desktop, looking even more angry. “Stop ruining my office with your stupid tears! Knock it OFF!”

“I-I’m sorry!!!” I sobbed. “She wouldn’t ever have loved me. All she ever wanted was...” Oni leapt off her desk like a lucha to drop me with a kick. I landed with a splash. She landed on top of me as though I was a tugboat, or an island. She squatted over me and surprised me by laying a hand on my shoulder.

“Stop your freaking crying, you baby! She probably never would have, no matter how good of a friend you think you were to her.” She shrugged, seeming to hide something. Moving on quickly, she spoke, “Even so, I know how you feel. One-sided as it was, a love is love, and love is sacred.” She smiled. “I’ll tell you a secret.” She pressed a finger to her lips and her own eyes became dewy. “I loved her too. It’s why I want to kill the noh-face.”

I looked at Oni with astonishment which put an end to my crying. Can she feel my emotions even if I can’t express them with this noh-face I’m cursed with? Maybe she has a sharp intuition! “Y-you understand my feelings! Uwaaaaa!” I threw my arms around Oni. She stiffened before doing the same. She patted my back awkwardly. We sobbed softly in each other’s arms.

Finally, she drew away from me. “Noh-nuts, I need a shower. I’m soaked in salt water thanks to you. I’ll rash like crazy if I don’t.” She wiped her tears away with a stern expression. “Wait for a few. I’ll take a quick shower, to collect myself a little. I’d even take a bath, but we’re short on time, so a shower will do. And, no more crying.”

“But… But… But… The time’s ticking down…” I noh-gaped at her.

She laughed and shook her head. “Trust me. We’ll get the bastard. We’ll track it down before the stroke of midnight. I swear it by my family name! By the way, I’ve told you this, but let’s have a formal exchange of information. I’m Shinohara Rui, Spiritual Detective. Tell me your name, so I don’t need to call you noh-nuts anymore,” she laughed softly.

I sighed, still not sure whether I could trust my future to some strange psycho-loli-oni-detective, but there was no other option. Anyways, finding another person who cared deeply about Reiko-chan meant a lot. There never was a shoulder to cry on, aside from Reiko-chan when she was alive and cared about me. Our relationship might feel wrong and abusive to you, but when I cried, she comforted me despite her anger issues. She could sometimes act in a fairly motherly-like way. But sometimes she slapped me until I stopped.

What’s worse is being alone, so when she died I was alone, utterly, empty, bereaved. Sympathy was a magical pipedream. Despite being alone, I pulled myself back together laboriously, piece by piece. I nodded to Rui, giving her a rousing thumbs up.

She smiled and nodded. “Don’t peek, idiot. Just answer my question.” She turned towards the door leading to the aforementioned bathroom. She paused before the door, waiting for my answer.

“Susumu,” I finally replied.

She gave me an angry glare, jerking unnaturally. “You’ll tell me your name tomorrow? After the case is solved?” Her teeth ground.

“No… it’s my name. It’s incredibly silly, I know. Miyata Susumu.” I waved my hands.

She blinked and nodded, her face softening. “Your parents expected quite a bit of you. It’s nice to meet you, Susumu.” She turned and closed the door behind her.

That’s so ironic… they actually don’t. It’s like my name is just a pun.