“Don’t worry, Shinichi.”
“I know what I’m doing.”
Ran Mouri finally calmed down gradually.
But her attitude of wanting to step in and help was still firm, because she naturally possessed that pure sense of justice.
Seeing unjust things like school bullying, Ran Mouri would never stand by and do nothing.
Even if she didn't use her fists, she had to step forward and advise those two vicious bullies to correct their mistakes in a timely manner.
Of course, whether they would listen was another matter. If the other party didn't listen to persuasion and instead responded with harsh words, or even resorted to physical violence at the slightest disagreement, then—
Hope everyone is safe 『Bless 』『Bless 』.
“Alright.”
Shinichi Kudo sighed helplessly:
“Just please don’t let a Human Life be lost.”
As soon as the words fell, before Ran Mouri could reply,
they heard the skinny High School Student called Aoki at the very back of the group suddenly exclaim in horror:
“Ishikawa, look!”
“That guy standing on the Edge of the Rooftop on the Department store building across the road, isn’t that kid?”
“Uchida seems to be—”
Uttering the name of the Victim of the bullying, Aoki’s face was clearly somewhat Pale face:
“He seems to be Jumping off a building!”
“Huh?” Ishikawa slightly stunned.
He immediately followed Aoki’s Finger to look toward the Opposite side of the road.
At the same time, Lin Xinyi, Kudo, Ran Mouri, and Shiho Miyano also subconsciously looked toward the Rooftop of the Department store building across the way.
One look confirmed that Aoki was not joking:
At this moment, on the Rooftop of the Department store building across the road, there was indeed a person standing at a Higher place.
He was wearing a black Uniform identical to Ishikawa’s and Aoki’s, and a coffee-colored Baseball cap on his head.
The wide brim obscured half of his cheek, and he stood there with his head lowered, on the Edge of the Rooftop facing the road side of the Department store building, Silently looking at the Ground beneath his feet.
The distance was too great, so no one could see his face clearly, nor could they read his Emotion.
All they could see was this male High School Student inching forward, seemingly at risk of leaping down at any moment.
“Hey, hey—”
Ishikawa’s face immediately changed.
He completely lost the arrogance and swagger of a school bully, his face filled only with Shocked:
“No way, he’s serious?”
“That kid actually went and committed Suicide by Jumping?!”
The Air at the Scene immediately became somewhat Nervous.
Except for Shiho Miyano, who only Frown slightly, everyone else’s expressions underwent extremely Obvious changes.
And among them, Lin Xinyi was thoroughly Shocked by the scene unfolding before him:
“What the hell, two suicides in one day?”
“Did I run into the Grim Reaper today?”
Three suicides in one day—he hadn't seen such a situation even during his Work at the police force.
And now, regardless of how Shocked Lin Xinyi felt about this bizarre Reality, the Unmanned male High School Student standing on the opposite Department store building was gradually moving toward the Edge of the Rooftop—
half his foot was about to step off into the void; he clearly wasn't up there to enjoy the breeze.
Seeing this, the delinquent High School Student named Ishikawa became visibly Flustered:
“Stop joking around—”
“If that kid jumps, we’ll be in big trouble!”
He cursed in exasperation, even the cigarette butt in his Hand trembled and fell to the Ground.
“R-right,” Aoki also said with a Pale face:
“He went to jump off the building right after we beat him up.”
“The Police will definitely question us, maybe even reporters will show up!”
“…” Ishikawa fell Silent for a moment, then shouted nervously:
“Hey! Uchida, get down from the Rooftop!!”
“Calm down—!”
“We won’t beat you up anymore, okay?”
Ishikawa roared toward the opposite Rooftop like this, his Voice so loud the entire Road could hear.
For a moment, Passersby stopped their steps.
They all looked up toward the Rooftop of the Department store building in unison, seeing the male High School Student called “Uchida,” head bowed, standing on the Edge of the Rooftop, half his face hidden under his Baseball cap.
“Look, there’s someone on the Rooftop!”
Suddenly, there were gasps from Passersby Everywhere on the Road.
Hearing about someone Jumping off a building, everyone stopped their steps, unable to Hold Back.
But just then, after everyone looked up together, Uchida by the Edge of the Rooftop took a couple of steps back.
He instantly disappeared from the sight of the people on the Ground.
It seemed Uchida had given up on suicide and was stepping back step by step.
Due to the obstruction of view, Lin Xinyi and the others on the Ground could no longer see him, nor did they know what he did after retreating onto the Rooftop.
But regardless, the Crisis of Uchida committing Suicide by Jumping seemed to be temporarily resolved.
“Phew, he didn’t jump.”
Ishikawa breathed a long sigh of relief.
Immediately after, recovering from the Shock, he couldn't Hold Back his cursing again:
“I knew that kid didn’t have the guts to jump!”
“He probably just went upstairs to scare us—”
He had only gotten halfway through this self-comforting remark.
Then, from the Unmanned Alley on the side of the Department store building across the Road,
Bang!
A muffled sound of a Heavy object falling to the Ground suddenly rang out.
This Sound was like a heavy drumbeat, causing everyone’s hearts to tremble violently.
“Th-this?!”
Aoki, standing nearby, was so scared his face Turned green with anger:
“Ishikawa, th-that kid didn’t—”
“Change Direction and jump from the side facing the Alley?!”
“…” The Scene fell Silent.
Although they didn't witness Uchida leaping down with their own eyes, everyone knew in their hearts what that dull Collision sound meant.
“Go check it out!!” Ishikawa shouted in a panic.
With almost no Hesitation, he dashed out like an arrow, crossing the Road toward the Department store building across the way.
“Wait for me, Ishikawa!”
Aoki Reacted belatedly, and quickly followed with a Pale face.
Shinichi Kudo, standing nearby, his Gaze flickering, his face showing an Emotion called “concern.”
Then, he also followed without Hesitation behind Ishikawa and hurried across the Road.
Ran Mouri naturally followed her Childhood Sweetheart subconsciously.
And Lin Xinyi, as if by Instinct, began his Steps toward the Crime Scene across the Road.
But just then, someone called out to him: “Wait.”
Turning back, Shiho Miyano was gently tugging at the corner of his clothes.
“Why are you following?” Her icy Sound carried Doubt: “Going to watch the excitement?”
“Because someone died, of course I should—”
Lin Xinyi answered subconsciously, but the words caught in his throat halfway through:
Indeed, he had forgotten that he was no longer a Forensic Doctor.
He no longer had to come into contact with the Corpses no one wanted to approach, enduring the filth and stench that ordinary people could hardly bear.
Someone might have died before him, but it had nothing to do with him.
Moreover, he had now easily obtained a good job that was easy, Worry-Free, and high Salary—something he once had Expectation for.
Compared to rushing to the Scene immediately, taking care of Young Lady Miyano was what he should be doing now.
“Right, then let’s just go—”
Lin Xinyi intended to stop his steps.
But for some reason, the phrase “let’s just go” just wouldn't come out.
“You care a lot?”
Shiho Miyano sensitively perceived Lin Xinyi’s Emotion.
But she simultaneously found it hard to understand:
“Why should you care?”
“This is just an ordinary death.”
“Besides, people like us—”
Saying this, as if thinking of something, Shiho Miyano’s words became inscrutable again:
“People like us have never been qualified to claim to be kind.”
“We are not yet qualified to mourn a Life of a Stranger.”
As usual, Lin Xinyi couldn't understand what she was saying.
He just assumed Young Lady Miyano’s artistic temperament had flared up again.
That was understandable, just like the dark, non-mainstream trends popular years ago, or the later overused phrase, “I’m sorry for being born”—young people, haven't they all been chuunibyou once?
However, stripping away those incomprehensible pronouncements, what Shiho Miyano intended to express was entirely correct—
this matter truly had nothing to do with the current Lin Xinyi.
He had absolutely no need to get involved in this trouble.
“Naturally, the people who should handle this matter will handle it.”
“And I am just an ordinary citizen now; what I should do is trust Society, trust the Police—uhm…”
Lin Xinyi’s Corner of the mouth twitched slightly:
The Criminal Investigation level displayed by the Metropolitan Police Department this morning really didn't inspire confidence.
Moreover, despite trying hard to forget,
the image of that male High School Student despairingly lingering on the Edge of the Rooftop kept surfacing in Lin Xinyi’s mind.
Speaking of which, during his years of Work, feeling immense Pressure, he hadn't considered simply Resignation and changing careers.
But every time he received a call to go to a Scene, and saw the Corpse of the Deceased, his Body would still move involuntarily.
After finishing this case, I’ll definitely resign next time.
He thought this every day.
He kept dragging it out, evolving from a rookie to a seasoned veteran.
If it weren't for this sudden transmigration, he would probably still be standing over the Autopsy table now.
“Miyano.”
“Please wait for me.”
Lin Xinyi sighed softly, his Gaze becoming serious:
“I think I need to go to the Scene.”
“Why?”
Shiho Miyano became even more unable to understand.
“Who knows?”
Lin Xinyi looked toward the place across the Road where the male High School Student had leaped:
“Perhaps, someone is waiting there for me to speak up for him.”