He clearly rembered that when they touched that fragnt, both he and Kaguya felt the electric shock.
It was on that Christmas Eve night that Rinji and Kaguya's consciousnesses inexplicably switched.
Right now, that was the only explanation Rinji could think of. Apart from that shopping trip, he had no other contact with Kaguya.
For now, this was the only possibility.
After finishing her talk with Kaguya, Kaguya returned to handle the ss Rinji left for her, while Rinji bought a ticket to leave Kyoto, heading for the research departnt located in Chofu, Tokyo.
The matter of their body-swapping had been dragged on for too long. If it continued, both Rinji and Kaguya would not be able to endure it.
When he arrived back in Tokyo, it was already close to evening. Rinji didn't hesitate and directly stepped into the IW-affiliated research departnt.
Inside, as usual, people in white coats moved about. They couldn't possibly be working 24 hours a day. When there were no urgent projects, they actually had plenty of free ti.
"Ah, consultant, you're here."
"I almost forgot I had a position here."
Rinji scratched his head, then handed over the teorite fragnt from his pocket to the researcher in front of him.
"Can you analyze its components?"
"…What is this?"
"A teorite fragnt that fell in Itomori Town two and a half years ago. I encountered so things because of this fragnt, so I need it studied."
"We can, but starting up the flotation machines and such will take ti. Please wait a mont."
"No problem."
---
The departnt gathered a group of researchers to analyze the mineral for Rinji, while he himself made a phone call to his father.
But…
[The number you have dialed is out of service area…]
"Tch, slipping away so fast. He clearly knows the full story but says nothing. Does he really enjoy watching his son make a fool of himself?"
Buzz~
"Hm?"
Just as he hung up, Rinji received another call. The display showed it was from Sousuke.
He answered.
"Hello? Uncle Sagara?"
"Rinji, I've already returned to headquarters."
"I see… wait, you called just to tell you're back?" Rinji asked with a laugh.
"Of course not." Sousuke shook his head. "It's about your father."
"My old man? What about him?"
"When I returned, I received a ssage from him. He said that at this point, you should also be investigating the teorite fragnt."
"…How does he know everything? And even knowing, he won't help solve it. That's really nasty."
"Don't bla him. According to him, this matter must be resolved by you yourself. If he intervenes, sothing very bad may happen."
"He worries, too?"
"Of course. From the ti I t him, he's always been soone with strong foresight, soone who controlled the future's course. He asked to tell you sothing."
"What is it?"
"'If you want answers, go to Yomiyama.' That's what he said."
"…Seriously? He could solve this directly, but instead he sends across the country. Does he think he's so NPC handing out quests?" Rinji muttered.
"That's all. If you need my help, just call."
"…Alright."
Rinji hung up and opened his phone map. Yomiyama, ntioned by Sousuke, was a very remote town in Japan, surrounded on three sides by the sea, with only one city-level hospital.
He had no idea why his father wanted him to go to such an obscure place.
"Consultant, the analysis is ready."
"Oh? What's the result?"
"Just an ordinary teorite," the researcher read from the report. "Composed of silicate minerals like olivine, pyroxene, and a small amount of plagioclase. Also contains minor tallic iron particles. Density: 3.2."
"No, I an, does this stone contain any substances not yet discovered? Organic lifeforms or energy bodies maybe?"
"No, just an ordinary teorite."
"I see…"
"But now that you ntion it, there is one strange thing."
"What is it?"
The researcher handed Rinji the report, then took out a file from a folder. The docunt was old and yellowed but still legible.
"Compare these two docunts."
"…?"
Both were analyses of teorite fragnts. The older one was dated March 2, 1999, nearly twenty years ago.
The responsible na on it was Fujisawa, the forr head of the departnt's projects.
It detailed a teorite fragnt's crystalline structure and composition. And…
It was identical to the one Rinji had just asked them to analyze. Even the structure matched.
"This is…"
"This fragnt was given to President Sousuke by the organization's founder twenty years ago, and analyzed by Chief Fujisawa back then."
"So it was Mama Ayana who handled it."
"…You call the chief 'Mama'?"
"Well… when I first ca here, she spoiled a lot and insisted I call her Mama. Eventually, I couldn't break the habit," Rinji admitted.
When he was a child, many won doted on him. Supposedly, most of them knew his father. Among them, this chief spoiled him the most.
"I see… Anyway, today's test results prove that the fragnt you brought is astonishingly similar to the one from twenty years ago," the researcher said seriously. "I believe the resemblance is not a coincidence. The fragnt you hold and the one from twenty years ago are, in fact, the very sa piece."
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