Murder At The Rainy Mansion ~The Never Ending 100 Tales~

Chapter 45: Takato’s alibi

Ayano wandered around the huge mansion looking for Takato. She saw him sitting under the gourd shelf at the backyard in the dusk.

Although Takato had stopped growing gourd, there were vines of bitter gourds grown on trellis by the housekeepers that was used as sun shade[1]. The housekeeper’s rooms were located on the north side of this trellis so they could avoid the heat during summer thanks to this sun shade.

Ayano came straight to the point and asked, “Takato, how come you have an alibi?”

Takato frowned. “Don’t you know how to start a conversation with a preface? Are you talking about alibi for Hisami’s case?”

Takato, who was sitting on a wooden bench under the trellis, looked up to avert his gaze from Ayano. The vines of gourds were like a bright green curtain with pretty white flowers that bloomed in the evening.

“Tanimoto-san was the one who told me that I have an alibi and I don’t have to explain anything. But I don’t even know what my alibi is,” Takato said with a frown.

Ayano: “You yourself don’t even know but the police helped to prove your alibi? That sounds wonderful.”

Takato: “I was just sleeping in my room at that time. But Tanimoto looked anxious when he said no, no, you don’t have to explain anything to me. That is all.”

Ayano: “Maybe Tanimoto-san stayed at your bedside the whole night watching your sleeping face.”

Takato: “… Please don’t tell a joke with a poker face.”

Ayano tried to imagine the cheerful Tanimoto standing by Takato’s bedside with a smile on his face while gazing down at Takato. It gave her goosebumps.

“So, Tanimoto-san is the one who proved your alibi for that night. I understood…” Ayano said with her arms crossed.

Takato looked at her with eyes that said: What did you understand?

But Ayano ignored him and looked up at the white flowers and said, “I wonder if we can produce many bitter gourds this year.”

“Don’t mention about gourd anymore,” Takato said with a frown. Perhaps he was reminded about his obsession with the golden horned king and silver horned king. Or maybe he remembered the women’s eye inside the gourd.

Ayano watched his pale face and his lowered head. She couldn’t help but burst out laughing which was unlike herself.

[1] Green curtain is a Japanglish that refers to vines (e.g., bitter melon) grown on a trellis that act as sun-shade. It is a variation of green wall and is common in Japan.