Kirigiri Novel Book 1

Chapter 7-Part 3: Daily Life

"Hello, this is Yui Samidare. I go to the same school as Kyouko Kirigiri. Kyouko-san was a great help to me earlier..."

"Aahh, Samidare-san the detective, right? It seems you were a help to my granddaughter as well."

"Oh, no, I really owe everything to her."

"I see, I see."

He went along with it, seemingly amused. This was probably her grandfather. Had he made it back home from Los Angeles?

"Is Kyouko-san currently available?" "I'll hand it over to her now."

And, not a moment later, it was Kyouko's voice coming from the receiver. "Yes?"

"Ah, Kirigiri-chan."

"Yui-oneesama?"

"Yeah, it's been a while!" Hearing her voice again after a few days was an instant pick-me-up. "I don't think it's even been a week."

"That doesn't matter. Can you come to school the day after tomorrow?" "It would be possible for me to arrive there."

"Then meet me at the front gate at 7PM." "The gate will be closed at that hour."

"Not on the day after tomorrow! Oh? And why is that, you may ask? You'll just have to come and find out! Don't miss it!" I hung up before she could answer.

I bet I threw her off just then. I went to bed, imagining the look on her face.

The snow came and went throughout the promised day, there and gone again. The sky was laden with grey, and yet today felt like the one day that it might just be permissive.

I leaned against one of the pillars of the school's front gate, waiting for Kirigiri. It was just about to turn 7PM. The small snowflakes reflected the headlights of the cars passing by on the road in front of me, illuminating the cold night sky. My breath lingered in the air as a white puff after I tried to warm my freezing fingers.

At last, Kyouko Kirigiri crossed the street towards me. She appeared out of the snowy darkness wearing a coat over her normal school uniform.

"Sorry for calling you out so late." I waved to her as she approached the gate.

"The answer is that there is Christmas Mass today," Kirigiri said, her hands staying in her coat pockets. "The answer to your earlier telephone quiz, that is. As you hung up before I had the opportunity to answer, I came here simply to say that. Well, I'll be off now, then." She turned, and really did start heading back down the way she came.

"Wait a minute!"

"What?" Kirigiri turned back around. There was no change in her expression. If anything, she looked even more antisocial than usual.

"Can you just forget about your daily life for one day, and come along with me for my daily life instead?"

"—What do you mean?"

"Don't worry about it," I said, grabbing her arm and pulling her through the gate.

From what could be seen of the church, it seemed that Mass was already underway. The lights were turned on, unlike most nights, making it shine amid the falling snow. The fact that it was the only thing that could faintly be seen through the darkness made it look incredibly illusory.

"This way," I beckoned Kirigiri.

The front entrance to the school was already open. It was usually shut at this hour, but it had been left open to let the choir use the classrooms for Christmas prep. But the power was off, and the building was dark.