Mrs. Izumi seemed to have been holding this in for a long time.
Her delicate hands clutched the cold tea bottle she had just taken from the fridge, seemingly oblivious to its chill.
She looked at Shizuka and Kaito with a mix of hope and anxiety, though her gaze lingered more on Kaito.
While Shizuka appeared more trustworthy, in moments of helplessness, women often instinctively seek comfort from men rather than other women.
Moreover, Mrs. Izumi had a strange feeling that this young, handsome assistant teacher named Kaito gave her a greater sense of security than the capable and confident Shizuka.
"Of course," Shizuka said gently. "I'm aware of your family's situation, Mrs. Izumi. Sagiri is my student, and if there's any way I can help, I will."
Mrs. Izumi hesitated for a moment longer before finally lowering her head and speaking in a trembling, fearful voice.
"You might not believe me, but... Sagiri and I... we've encountered a ghost."
A ghost?
Shizuka's heart skipped a beat.
If it were just some local thugs or harassment, she could handle it. Even if she couldn't, she could call in favors from her connections.
But a ghost?
That was beyond her capabilities.
Fortunately, she glanced at Kaito, who didn't look the least bit afraid. In fact, he seemed intrigued.
Shizuka breathed a sigh of relief, grateful she had brought him along.
If she had come alone, she might have already been terrified just hearing Mrs. Izumi's story.
Even so, Shizuka subconsciously shifted closer to Kaito.
Mrs. Izumi, lost in her memories, didn't notice Shizuka's unease.
Under Shizuka's slightly nervous and reproachful gaze, Kaito stood up and walked around the coffee table to sit beside Mrs. Izumi.
The movement startled her, but she relaxed slightly when she saw it was Kaito.
"Mr. Kaito?" she asked, confused.
Kaito sat down next to her and gently placed his hand over hers, which was resting on her lap.
"It's okay," he said soothingly. "Just tell us what happened. I'll help you solve it."
The intimate contact made Mrs. Izumi blush, but she didn't pull away.
Though she was a romance manga artist, she hadn't been this close to a man since before Sagiri was born.
Part of her wanted to pull away, but the warmth and security of Kaito's hand made her reluctant to do so.
Finally, her pale cheeks flushed with color, and she looked at Kaito with hope.
"Really?"
"Of course," Kaito said with a reassuring smile. "But you'll feel better once you share what's been troubling you, won't you?"
Mrs. Izumi nodded and began to speak in a low, trembling voice.
"It happened last Sunday... or maybe Monday night. I can't remember exactly."
She paused, gathering her thoughts.
"It was late at night. Because of the typhoon and my irregular work schedule, I was up late working. Sagiri and I were having a midnight snack, and I opened the curtains to look at the rain outside."
Her voice grew shakier as she continued.
"That's when I saw it... in the window of the house across the street. A young man was... torturing and killing a woman."
Mrs. Izumi's hands trembled as she spoke.
"I saw him stab her in the neck. Blood sprayed everywhere... and... and she saw me. As she was dying, she looked right at me."
Tears streamed down Mrs. Izumi's face as she recounted the horrifying scene.
Instinctively, she leaned closer to Kaito, seeking comfort.
Before long, she was practically in his arms, much to Shizuka's astonishment.
Is this guy some kind of walking aphrodisiac? Shizuka thought, struggling to keep a straight face.
Especially since he had mocked her earlier for being single and relying on toys, and now here he was, comforting a student's mother in such an intimate way.
Mrs. Izumi, still lost in her fear, didn't seem to notice the awkwardness of the situation.
"Did you call the police?" Kaito asked, his voice calm and steady.
His left hand gently stroked her shoulder, while his right hand held hers.
"I did," Mrs. Izumi said, her voice breaking. "But they said the weather was too bad to send anyone. They told me to wait until the typhoon passed."
She took a shaky breath.
"I locked the doors and closed the windows, waiting and waiting. The next day, when the rain eased, the police came. But they said there were no signs of a break-in at the house across the street. They couldn't enter without a warrant, so they just left."
Mrs. Izumi's voice grew more frantic.
"Then, that night... someone rang the doorbell. I was too scared to answer. I looked out from the second floor and... and..."
She broke down sobbing, unable to continue.
Shizuka's hands clenched nervously, her own fear growing.
After a moment, Mrs. Izumi managed to speak again.
"I saw her... the woman from across the street. She was covered in blood, standing at my door, ringing the bell."
Mrs. Izumi's voice was barely a whisper now.
"I was so scared. I looked away for a second, and when I looked back, she was gone. But then... she appeared outside my window on the second floor. Her face was right against the glass, staring at me."
Tears streamed down her face as she continued.
"She asked me... why I didn't save her. I was terrified. Ever since that night, I've heard knocking on the doors and windows every night. And her voice... asking why I didn't save her."
Mrs. Izumi buried her face in Kaito's chest, sobbing uncontrollably.
Shizuka felt a chill run down her spine. She glanced around the room, half-expecting to see a bloodied, pale-faced woman materialize out of nowhere, staring at her with hollow eyes and asking why she hadn't saved her.
"Do you have a solution?" Shizuka asked Kaito, her eyes pleading.
Kaito smiled but didn't answer immediately, which somehow reassured Shizuka.
After a while, Mrs. Izumi's sobs subsided, and she fell asleep in Kaito's arms.
Shizuka glanced at the clock on the wall.
"I should head back to school," she said quietly.
As a life guidance teacher and club advisor, she had to stay at school until all club activities were over, unlike other teachers who could leave after their classes ended.
Kaito nodded, watching as Shizuka left.
He looked down at Mrs. Izumi, her tear-streaked face now peaceful in sleep.
He placed his hand on her shoulder, channeling a gentle electric current through his Thunder Technique to soothe her body and mind, helping her relax into a deeper sleep.
Gradually, Mrs. Izumi's tense expression softened, and she fell into a deep slumber.
Her small, delicate body clung to Kaito like a koala, her warmth pressing against him.
Kaito couldn't help but feel a reaction stirring within him.
Looking at Mrs. Izumi's youthful, delicate features, he imagined scenarios that made his breath quicken.
He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, and picked up the remote from the coffee table.
He turned on the TV, lowering the volume and tuning into a high school variety show to distract himself.
As he watched, he gently stroked Mrs. Izumi's soft skin, continuing to use his Thunder Technique to help her relax.
After a while, Kaito felt his own eyelids growing heavy.
He adjusted his position, lying back on the sofa with Mrs. Izumi still in his arms, and closed his eyes.
Before he knew it, he had drifted off to sleep.