[note Creative Awards 2024 / Manga Original Story Category] Investigator of the Celestial Cafeteria, Episode 3

Two winters ago. My sister, Ayaka, died.
Ayaka was ten years older than Mashiro.
Mashiro's parents were already dead. Mashiro was left all alone in the world.

In the pouring rain, Mashiro stood on the pedestrian bridge.
She placed the bouquet she was holding down. She rested her umbrella on her shoulder and put her hands together in prayer.
It is said that Ayaka jumped off this deserted road all by herself.
"Sister, where is your soul right now?"
Mashiro was convinced that Ayaka was not the type of person to commit suicide.
Mashiro stood up. Then, she took a bell out of her pocket. It was a gold bell with a red strap. This was something she had received from Igami.
Mashiro gently shook the bell.

—Chirin

A sliding door appeared before her eyes. It was the entrance to the Celestial Cafeteria.
I will definitely uncover the truth.
Mashiro opened the sliding door.

■
"The old lady is coming today!"

Mashiro flinched at the loud voice. The cafeteria seemed to be bustling.
When she entered, an old man was sitting at the counter.

"So you're here to meet her? But we don't know what time she'll arrive here."
"It doesn't matter what time it is; waiting is a man's duty."

Igami sighed as if to say, 'Good grief.'

"Mr. Igami, thank you for your hard work."
"You're just in time. This is Mr. Yoshihiko Fujimaki, the spouse of Mitsuko Fujimaki, who is scheduled to arrive today. I'd like you to keep him company."
"...Understood."

He just dumped a troublesome task on me, didn't he?
Mashiro sensed it from Igami's general vibe.
Mashiro took off her wet jacket and hung it up somewhere.

"Hmm? What do you mean, Mrs. Fujimaki is scheduled to arrive today?"
"I told you, I came to meet her."

Fujimaki snorted.

"Mr. Yoshihiko passed away three years ago."
"Wait, can people who have passed away come here!?"
"This is between the afterlife and this world. It's possible."
"The paperwork is a bit of a hassle, though. I waited without starting my next life until the old lady arrived."
"Honestly, even though it's classified information when and who goes to the afterlife."

Igami sighed again.

"Heh heh, I got friendly with the guy in charge. He told me."

Fujimaki laughed without a hint of guilt. It seems communication skills don't fade even after going to the afterlife.

"Ah, but I don't know about anyone else. I only got told about the old lady."
"You're quite dedicated, aren't you?"
"That's right. The old lady can't do anything without me. I was worried sick that she might have been lonely while I wasn't there."

Mashiro smiled bitterly, thinking that for all his bluster, it was probably Fujimaki who was truly lonely. Just then,

"Excuse me."

A voice came from behind.
When Mashiro turned around, an elderly woman was standing there.

"Oh, oh! Old lady!"

Fujimaki let out a voice full of emotion and stood up. He walked over to the woman.
The person he was waiting for had arrived sooner than expected. Just as Mashiro was feeling relieved,

"Who are you?"

Shocking words flew out.
As Mashiro froze in surprise, she heard a groan-like sound from the side.

"Y-you don't know who I am?"
"...I'm sorry."

The woman tilted her head in confusion. Mashiro looked toward Igami. What could this mean?

"Ma'am, do you know your name?"
"Okumura, Mitsuko."

Okumura? While Mashiro was wondering, Fujimaki's eyes widened.

"Old lady... that's my wife's maiden name."

Igami narrowed his eyes.

"I apologize for the rude question, but may I ask Mitsuko's age?"
"Me? I'm 23 years old..."

Now it was Mashiro's turn to widen her eyes. Mitsuko, a white-haired elderly woman, did not look 23 by any stretch of the imagination. Why? Just as she thought that, it dawned on Mashiro.

"Dementia?"

Igami seemed to have the same thought.
Then, Fujimaki asked in a voice that couldn't hide his confusion.

"Does my wife not remember me anymore?"

Igami slowly shook his head.

"It is rare, but sometimes people go to the other side with memories missing for various reasons."
"No way, I waited for so long..."

Fujimaki hung his head in despair. The bravado from earlier was gone.
Igami looked at Fujimaki with a look of exasperation.

"So, will you go back to the afterlife first? Are you going to leave her just because she wasn't the wife you expected?"
"Wait a minute, Mr. Igami, that's not the way to say it."

As Mashiro raised her voice to interrupt, Fujimaki was muttering something.

"No, it's not like that..."

Fujimaki's eyes darted around. Then he fell silent.
Igami sighed, as if he had no choice.

"Mitsuko-san, is there anything you'd like to eat?"
"Something to eat, you say?"

Mitsuko tilted her head curiously.
Mitsuko had been quiet for a while now; did she even understand that she had died?

"Let's see... grated apple, perhaps."
"Grated... apple?"

Mashiro couldn't help but ask back. It didn't seem like a dish at all.

"Hehe, was that surprising?"

Only then did Mitsuko show a smile. It was a very elegant smile.

"When I was a child, whenever I felt unwell, they would often make this for me. My family were apple farmers, and they are very delicious."

Mitsuko narrowed her eyes as if looking into the distance. Fujimaki watched her silently. His face looked like he wanted to say something.

"Understood, I'll serve it right away."

Igami said this and went into the back of the kitchen. After a while, he returned with an apple in his hand.

"This is an apple from Mitsuko-san's home."
"Oh my! Even though our apple trees were cut down years ago!"
"This is a cafeteria between the afterlife and this world. I can do most things related to food."

What a convenient place, Mashiro thought, beyond surprised to the point of being dumbfounded.

"There was no need for the iron pot this time."

Igami said this and handed over the apple.

"You want me to do it?"
"Yes, it's the customer's important final meal."

Mashiro took the apple. It had a sweet scent.

■
Mashiro put the grated apple in a glass container and served it.

"Oh, it looks delicious."

Mitsuko happily scooped up the apple with a spoon.

"Ah, it tastes nostalgic."

Taking a bite, Mitsuko smiled happily. Then she muttered softly.

"I wonder if he is doing well."
"He?"

Mashiro couldn't help but ask.

"When I was bedridden, he would always grate an apple and bring it to me."

At that, Fujimaki twitched.

"He would say it bluntly, 'Here, I brought it.'"

Mitsuko laughed amusingly. It seemed she was remembering that time.

"Maybe he was just trying to look cool, but he never said anything kind on a daily basis. But when it really mattered, he was very reliable. Come to think of it, he had been by my side ever since we were children."
"Hey, you, what's that person's name?"

Suddenly, Fujimaki spoke up. His face looked sad.

"Yoshihiko-chan, my cousin."

The name Mitsuko gave was Fujimaki's name.
Hearing that, Fujimaki smiled faintly.

"I see. It seems that guy loved you more than anyone in the world."
"Oh, are you an acquaintance of Yoshihiko-chan?"
"Yes, I know him well."
"Then could I ask you to deliver a message for me?"
"...Can't you say it yourself?"

Fujimaki sat back down. Perhaps he felt uncomfortable.

"Yoshihiko-chan went somewhere. I feel like I haven't seen him in years. Oh, I want to see him."

With that, Mitsuko sighed softly.

"Hey, if you see Yoshihiko-chan, could you tell him that I'm doing well, so he shouldn't worry?"
"...Mitsuko, you should tell him that yourself. That's what I think."

Fujimaki was shedding tears.

"I was waiting for someone here. There was something I wanted to say to her first."
"Oh, I see. So, were you able to meet the person you were waiting for?"
"I met her, but she had forgotten all about me. Seeing her so completely changed, I got scared, and pathetically, I thought about leaving."

Mitsuko looked at Fujimaki crying and lowered her eyebrows sadly.

"I see, it's lonely to be forgotten. But..."

Mitsuko paused there.

"The time we spent together hasn't changed at all. The past is immutable; no one can change it."

—The past cannot be changed by anyone.

At first glance, it sounds like a negative statement, but what Mitsuko said was very positive.
"...You're right. I was happy to have spent time with Mitsuko."
"Well then, I've eaten, so I think I'll be going now."
"I'll go too."

When Mitsuko stood up, Fujimaki stood up with her.

"Thank you, you two."
"Next time, don't trouble the staff."

Igami's tone was gentle.

■
"The past cannot be changed by anyone, huh."

Mashiro muttered to herself. That person was certainly there; that must be what is called a 'memory'.

"There are many pasts in this world that one wishes could be changed, though."
"Honestly, is that the only way you can say things, Mr. Igami?"

Mashiro puffed out her cheeks.

"...I joined the Public Security Bureau with the resolve to discard my memories. Memories are nothing but a weakness. That's why I only ever have the present. I don't have any past I want to change."
"..."

Igami listened to Mashiro's words in silence.
Yes, those who are left behind have no choice but to continue living miserably.
Only the living can struggle and fight.

—I am the only one who can clear Ayaka's name.