Chapter 30

**Onii-san and XXX-san: Under Surveillance.**

## Summary

Onii-san answers the door at he and Sachi's new home and a young man is standing there. He recognizes him as the middle schooler he almost hit with his car as they left Tokyo. Onii-san asks the "boy'" if parents are at work, which startles the young man. He comments that they are about the same age.

He gives Onii-san a box of snacks, a customary thing done in japan when introducing yourself to your neighbors. But Onii-san hesitates once the box is in his hands, as if something is not right with the package. The young man turns to go and Onii-san asks if he lives alone. The young man says that they should not ask too many questions about each other.

When Onii-san goes back inside his apt he tells Sachi to stay quiet. He opens the box, removes the snacks and sees a false bottom in the box. He lifts it up and finds a sound recorder! Onni-san is visibly stressed out as he types on his cellphone and holds it up to Sachi.

"It's a listening device."

Onii-san types that it was in the present from the guy next door, he's not sure what to do, and they should stay quiet for the time being.

They sit in silence. Onii-san is thinking hard about this new turn of events. He doesn't know if they man next door is a police officer. Onii-san is also thinking about all of the steps he took to make sure he didn't leave any traces of their presence behind. Katagiri never saw his face. He left the house before the police came back. He used a fake name to purchase the car, and he's already sold the car.

Sachi mentally goes into panic mode. She doesn't understand why people keep interfering with her happiness. Then she has an idea. She goes over Onii-san and tells him she needs his help with something. Onii-san is shocked that she spoke while the listening device is on.

Yashiro is upset with Matsubase for moving next door to them, and using a listening device on them. He wants to go next door to investigate, but Matsubase tells him to settle down. He put the listening device in the snack box knowing they would find it. That was to let them know that they are under surveillance, but not by the police, who wouldn't use such measures. Yashiro is also upset with Matsubase for running a background check on the kidnapper's car without his knowledge.

Matsubase tells him that it was the only way to get a clue as to where the kidnapper and XXX-san were going. There is no train or bus surveillance to look at. because taking trains or buses is too risky. He had to find them before the police did, because he's trying to *save* XXX-san, not just find her and apprehend her kidnapper.

since XXX-san and her kidnapper can't ride the bus or train for risk of being recognized, they need to travel by car. And tracking that car was the only way they could find out where the car came from, and where it ended up.

Matsubase thinks back on how he went to a police officer he went to police academy with, and exchanged info on Onii-san's last apartment for having the license plate tracked. Matsubase lied about why he needed it, which the police officer suspects but decides to let go.

Suddenly they hear XXX-san's voice. It's staticy, but she is having a conversation with her kidnapper.

Matsubase listens as XXX-san asks her kidnapper if the device they found is for listening in on others. He says 'yes'. She says that they've already been found, so there doesn't seem to be anyplace in the world for them. He agrees. She says she wanted to keep their "game" going. He says he understands. She says that the game is over. Now that people have caught up with them, the game is at an end. Lastly, as Matsubase listens, Sachi says:

"So why don't we die together, Onii-san?"

## Navigation

Chapters and Volumes