The Color of Farewell is Moss Green - Chapter 5
The next morning, I called my workplace and was granted a day off using my paid leave.
When I explained the situation to my immediate supervisor, who had always been kind to me, he immediately approved my request and expressed his concern. I was grateful.
After hanging up, I turned on the hotel TV.
A celebrity scandal was making headlines—some famous male entertainer had been caught cheating.
Men, I swear…
I scoffed, but deep down, I felt relieved.
There were no reports about last night’s incident.
I took a shower, shaking off the drowsiness.
After a night away, I finally felt ready to return home.
I had laundry to do.
I needed a change of clothes.
At the hotel breakfast buffet, I washed down a piece of bread with coffee.
I wasn’t exactly hungry, but I could eat.
That was a good sign.
I had thought about it last night—
I’m tougher than I thought.
(I’ll head home, change, then stop by Pure Café Bridge.)
There was no guarantee Okuda-kun would be working today, but that was the only way I could see him again.
Would he think it was intrusive of me to show up unannounced?
I could already picture his trademark furrowed brows, looking slightly troubled.
But—
There was no one else I could talk to about what had happened yesterday.
I needed to process it, and he was the only one who shared that experience.
That was the only reason.
Nothing else.
Definitely.
※
After checking out of the hotel, I took a thirty-minute trip back home via train and bus.
Before going to my apartment, I needed to apologize to my landlord.
I had gotten this apartment at a discount through my mother’s cousin, who owned the building.
Under the condition that I kept it a secret from other tenants, I was paying nearly half the usual rent.
The building’s exterior was old, but it had been renovated three years ago.
The interior was spotless.
Thanks to my mother and my landlord, I had it pretty good—which was why I owed them.
“I’m so sorry for all the trouble last night.”
Standing at the doorway, I bowed deeply.
My landlord’s eyes widened.
“Oh, don’t even worry about that! More importantly, are you okay? That must have been awful.”
People had been so kind to me lately.
First Okuda-kun, then Detective Inoue, and now my landlord.
Was the world always this full of kindness?
“Thank you. I’m managing.”
“There were so many police officers. I was shocked!”
“Really?”
I had been too out of it to notice how many police cars had been outside.
Maybe more had arrived while I was at the station.
“I don’t know the details, but it must have been serious, right? That boy who sometimes visited your apartment—”
“Yeah… he was my boyfriend.”
The past tense felt strange on my tongue.
Was.
“Oh dear, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to pry.”
“It’s fine.”
A small pang hit my chest.
“If you need anything, just ask, okay? Your mom entrusted you to me, after all.”
After a bit more small talk, I left my landlord’s apartment and headed toward my own.
(Wait—)
I stopped in the second-floor hallway.
There was someone next door.
Yasui.
That was rare.
He was usually never home, especially for this long.
Had he heard the commotion last night?
Should I apologize to him too?
I tried to picture his face—
A glasses-wearing, unsociable neighbor, always expressionless.
(…Nah. Probably not necessary.)
We barely interacted anyway.
I walked past his door, stopping in front of my own.
With none of yesterday’s dread, I unlocked the door.
Click.
The door swung open.
Even though I had already been back once last night, stepping inside felt like I’d been away for a week.
The crime scene investigation had been thorough.
The place had been cleaned up completely.
Even the bathroom, which I had feared stepping into, looked as if nothing had ever happened.
Japan’s police force works fast.
Surprisingly, I felt calmer than expected.
I quickly changed clothes and grabbed a bottle of carbonated water from the fridge.
I wasn’t much of a drinker, so this was my alternative.
Something about the sharp fizz helped clear my head.
I sipped the drink and thought:
“Something insane just happened, didn’t it?”
Yet somehow, it still felt like it was happening to someone else.
What should I do now?
Even though I was exhausted, sitting still didn’t feel right.
I should go back to the bridge.
Visit Pure Café Bridge.
See Okuda-kun.
Just as I rose from the couch—
—Brrrrrring!
I nearly jumped out of my skin.
The landline was ringing loudly, its shrill tone piercing through the room.
I had almost forgotten it existed.
With my smartphone at the bottom of the river, I hadn’t used a landline in ages.
The sound felt jarringly loud.
(My… landline? Who would call me here?)
Maybe it was my family?
As I picked up the receiver, a familiar voice greeted me.
“Is this Hinako Sato’s residence?”
A low but gentle voice—
Detective Inoue.
“Detective Inoue! It’s me, Sato! What’s going on?”
I had a knack for remembering voices.
Just as Okuda-kun never forgot a face, I had an exceptional memory for sounds.
It was a useful skill in school and work—
But in relationships, it was often a curse.
Remembering too much could be more of a burden than a gift.
“Inoue from XX precinct here. I’m impressed you recognized me so quickly. Thank you again for your cooperation last night.”
“I just got back from the hotel, actually.”
“Apologies for calling so suddenly. Did you manage to get some rest?”
“Thanks to you. Turns out I have thicker skin than I thought.”
There was a slight pause before Inoue spoke.
“That’s… good to hear. Most people struggle after witnessing a body.”
He was choosing his words carefully, avoiding anything too blunt.
But I knew what he meant—
Most people wouldn’t bounce back after seeing a corpse.
“Has there been any progress?”
“No… but there’s something important I need to tell you.”
His next words froze me in place.
“Based on the autopsy results, we’re now treating this case as a potential homicide. A task force has been assigned to investigate further. We may need your cooperation again.”
Homicide.
The word felt unreal.
Like I was listening to someone else’s conversation.
It took a moment for the meaning to sink in—
And then, it hit me like a sledgehammer to the skull.
Shimada was murdered.
In my apartment.
“Are you sure? It wasn’t an accident?”
“Given the circumstances, it’s unlikely that he simply fell and hit his head. The wounds suggest he was struck by a heavy, blunt object—possibly a hammer.”
Inoue’s calm tone made it all feel even colder.
I had been so sure it was an accident.
Or maybe I just wanted to believe that.
Then—
A memory flashed in my mind.
(The balcony door was unlocked.)
Whoever killed him escaped that way.
There had been no one inside the apartment.
Which meant…
That was the only way out.
(But how? The apartment is on the second floor—)
Even if someone jumped, they would have seriously injured themselves.
If they landed headfirst, they’d die instantly.
If they somehow managed a proper landing, they would at least break a leg.
“Detective Inoue,” I asked carefully.
“Do you have any leads on the suspect?”
“I’m afraid I can’t disclose details about the investigation.”
“Right… of course.”
I expected that answer, but still.
“We’ll keep you updated if there are any developments. In the meantime, please lock your doors and avoid going out alone late at night.”
His tone was courteous but firm.
As I hung up, a single thought took shape in my mind.
A locked-room murder.
The apartment was locked from the inside.
The only spare key was with Shimada.
So if Shimada was murdered,
And the killer didn’t jump from the balcony—
Then there was only one possibility.
I took a deep breath.
This apartment complex had closely connected balconies.
In case of a fire, residents could escape to their neighbor’s balcony.
A thin divider separated them, but with decent athletic ability, someone could climb over easily.
It was possible.
Definitely possible.
And there was only one person who could have done it.
The man in the apartment next door.
Thick glasses.
Stocky build.
Perpetual hunch.
Yasui.
He was still next door.
I grabbed my wallet and bag—
And bolted out of my apartment.