Watching Inappropriate Content in the Office

“Let me get this straight,” Hazama said politely, her glasses gleaming as if she were a second away from pinching the bridge of her nose. “I mean, I knew this was about work—that’s on me—but… you know what? I… I have no words. Let’s just—okay. I at least have to get over the fact that Ishigami is here with us in the evidence room, watching porn.”

Hoshino smiled back. “Ishigami-san was bored and couldn’t sleep. That’s what he told me when I caught him rocking it with a group of street performers on my way to La Boulangerie. It wasn’t bad… per se. He was just reported to the police and—well, I caught the men who reported it crying and having the most intense game of Old Maid to determine who gets to approach him. I volunteered to take him out there.”

“Hoshino told me what’s up. I just had to follow when he said we could solve this case by tomorrow morning if things go wrong,” Ishigami added, glancing at Hazama. “And I like your fit, Hazama. You look cute.”

Hoshino could agree. She wore a breezy white dress that fell just above her ankles, layered with a denim jacket and finished off with white sneakers. It looked comfortable enough, but it made Hoshino feel a bit bad about not communicating properly when he asked her if she wanted coffee.

“Well…” Hazama raised a brow. Then she froze for three awkward seconds. “Wha—what if things go r-right?”

“Then we settle it tonight. Paperwork—we can start that on Monday.”

Hoshino kept his mouth shut. He may have overhyped himself when he talked to Ishigami earlier, but if they found something—which he believed, or hoped, they would—he was sure it would catapult their progress and save Hazama’s weekend.

Hazama finally sat beside Ishigami, daintily holding her cup of iced coffee with both hands. She took a sip, her eyes flashing at them. Shit. She was mad. And now she was judging them. If that wasn’t obvious enough, the first giveaway was that she refused to sit with them after Ishigami finished setting up the laptop.

That didn’t mean she was unhelpful.

While Ishigami was getting clearance to “borrow” a throwaway laptop confiscated from a fine gentleman who loved an anime character waaaay too much a few days ago, Hazama collected everyone’s hair and tied them around the necks of several straw dolls—about ten strands per person. She was a little mean when she pulled Hoshino’s hair. Then again, she wasn’t gentle with Ishigami either.

When Hoshino asked, Hazama explained that it was normal to get cursed while watching videos taken by a dead person—especially if that person was a pervert. The dolls were meant to stop that from happening by taking the curse in their stead.

Hoshino gave them a rundown before they started. No one commented on him meeting the baddie at Hoshikuzu Bridge. He explained what he learned from the Kanzakichō business district and why he asked about the exorcised camera. That earned him a thumbs-up from Hazama and a firm pat on the back from Ishigami. It felt nice.

The first video they watched was the latest.

It was shot from inside a closet—from Amamiya Takenju’s perspective. The room was dim, but the faces were recognizable. Nagamori Arisa was working—far too into it for Hoshino’s taste—on top of another Sakuramine student they hadn’t seen before. There were times when she would look at the camera, flashing that same smile that now pissed Hoshino off. From this, he could tell that Nagamori Arisa wasn’t missing her front tooth by the time the video was taken.

The video ran for forty minutes. There were moments when Ishigami had to speed it up as things got louder and everyone could tell what was going on. Hoshino didn’t bother doing the math, but for the sake of his sanity, he believed he’d already made Hazama sit through about ten minutes of it. They had to watch the rest for clues… but it didn’t contain anything else. At least they were able to confirm that Nagamori Arisa encountered Amamiya Takenju and another student before she and Amamiya noped out of life.

For the next videos, they watched in utter silence. Sometimes Hazama would take a sip. Ishigami, on the other hand, would clear his throat. There was nothing in between. Hoshino didn’t make a sound. More because he dared not to. He had to stop himself. He had to keep his face straight and proper as the videos played and the droning sound of laughter filled the room.

Video 8 featured the victim, Oogami Subaru, practicing judo throws on the same student Nagamori Arisa had been intimate with. There were follow-ups—Video 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, and 8.4—each captured from different angles. Amamiya Takenju’s voice rang out, laughing and shouting that this would make a great montage.

Video 76 started with Oogami Subaru walking toward the camera on Amamiya’s command. After a few minutes, Oogami took over, capturing Amamiya kicking the student in the dick. Another girl, Kamishiro Yuki, was also laughing in the background.

Video 96 was a close-up. Hino Sumire—another name tied to the case—stared into the camera while holding the student’s face. Amamiya Takenju sounded irritated and was mumbling under his breath. Part of Oogami Subaru was caught in the frame. Kamishiro Yuki screamed in the background, “Kiss him already, chicken.” She looked flushed as she pressed her lips against him. Then Kamishiro Yuki cheered. Amamiya Takenju groaned. Minutes later, Oogami Subaru and Amamiya Takenju beat the student to make sure he “earned” it.

Video 204 was another close-up. Ishigami identified the cameraman as Kamishiro Yuki based on her voice. The footage was likely taken at Sakuramine. Oogami Subaru held the student down on his knees while Amamiya Takenju pressed a lit cigarette into his shoulder. The student had other burn marks on his chest, stomach, and thighs. Amamiya Takenju called the student a dog. He said the student went to Hino Sumire’s house without permission.

Hoshino kept his eyes wide, burning the images of the victims’ faces into his brain. He grit his teeth and made sure his lips stayed firm and shut. For the rest of his feelings, he gripped his shoulder hard enough to remind himself to relax and gently enough so he wouldn’t bleed.

Ishigami kept his arms crossed. He wasn’t smiling anymore.

Hazama never finished her coffee. She stayed frozen in her seat, occasionally asking Ishigami to pause when they got close to identifying the kid. Once. Twice. Thrice. There were moments when they almost caught the student’s ID on the floor. She took a deep breath through her nose for every miss—and there were many.

Then they found it.

Video 536.

Amamiya Takenju and the student were arguing in what looked like a restroom. It took a while, but the student finally fought back. He pushed Amamiya Takenju away and demanded to know why this—this entire thing—was happening. Amamiya Takenju slapped him and shoved him against the wall, his hand wrapped around his throat. He told him not to pull this shit again, or else… He never finished the threat, but the student looked terrified enough.

That was when the camera dipped just enough. They saw the student’s name.

Shiba K.

Ishigami exchanged glances with Hazama, then with Hoshino. By instinct, Hoshino lifted his hand for a high five. Ishigami took it. They smiled—quietly. Hoshino had no idea how Hazama would react, but while he was overthinking it, Ishigami had already turned and asked Hazama for one as well. Hazama tilted her head, smiled, and obliged. Finally… they all nodded at each other.

“Nice, but now we have to move,” Hazama said, pulling out her phone. “We’re closer to the end, but things just got more complicated. Ishigami, I’ll need your help to get the clearance ASAP.”

Ishigami stood in his seat. “Right.”

“Wait…” Hoshino said. “Why? What happened?”

“Not your fault. You were out investigating, and Ishigami was fending off enraged parents back at Sakuramine High so I was the only one in the position to look over the reports fresh from the boss’ printer.” She walked toward the door with a half-finished coffee cup in hand. “There have been multiple kidnappings across Kanzakichō that happened while you were fighting Satoru and while I was at the Amamiya household. One of the kidnapped was a woman named Shiba Miyako—who reported her son missing the day before the murders.”