That Blonde Guy

Chapter 42

TOKYO, 2018

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Takemichi stared at the black and white picture of a corpse on the corkboard. It was no doubt the face of Nika Ogawa, but the name underneath that Naoto had just put under the picture was different.

'Katerina Mysin'

Almost a couple of months ago, the corpse had been unidentified. It was just last week when it was finally claimed from the PSIA and was recognized as the missing wife of a Russian businessman.

"Just what the hell is happening here." Naoto sighed, crossing his arms. He was staring at the corkboard as well.

The two remained silent for another minute, just staring at the black-and-white picture. They thought that finding out the identity of the corpse would be the key to this case, but it turned out that it just added to the mystery.

The corpse was claimed by someone named Aleksandr Mysin. Naoto had done some research with the name and found out that the guy was the owner of Mysin Group of Companies, which was the top leading Russian company in Europe. It's just that, though. Naoto failed to get any other relevant information. Not even a picture.

"So Nika changed her name," Takemichi uttered. "But why?"

"Maybe she decided to adopt a Russian name when she got married to a Russian," Naoto said.

"But why does her entire identity as Nika Ogawa wiped out? Her past records, fingerprints—all gone. It doesn't make any sense at all!"

"Maybe it was his husband's doing. Wiping out identities is a piece of cake for powerful men. This Aleksandr guy seemed to be quite a private person, doesn't want to be known. There isn't even a single picture of him on the internet, we have no idea what he looks like."

"You didn't see him when he came to claim the corpse?"

Naoto shook his head. "He didn't come to the morgue himself, a group of man did. They work under his name."

Takemichi sighed. Everything was making his head spin. He just got back from 2006 and so he immediately updated the young detective about the new information that he had gathered from the past.

"I have a lot of good news," he said. "Nika finally believed me. She is now willing to work with me—with us—to change this timeline."

Naoto's forehead creased. "Really?"

"Yeah." Takemichi leaned closer to him. "She time-leaped, Naoto. She saw the future."

The detective's forehead creased even more. "What?"

Takemichi then told him everything about what he, Nika, Sayuri, and Chifuyu talked about the last time he was in 2006. He told Naoto about Nika's NDE.

"Near death experience?" Naoto's brows were furrowed. "It's the same with yours. You were pushed to the train tracks the first time you time-leaped, right?"

"Yes, exactly!"

"But why did she time-leap? For what reason?"

"It doesn't matter, the important thing is that she was able to see the future. She time-leaped on the day of the explosion," Takemichi said. "She saw it, Naoto."