Chapter Seventeen: Hysteria:

As the men cleaned the room, Tsuzuki came across a vital clue. He moved aside a pair of jeans and found a tape player.

"Hey, guys!" he called. "Come look at this!" Tatsumi and Watari walked over for a look.

"What is it?" Tatsumi asked.

"A tape player," Watari said, looking into Tsuzuki�s hands.

"I know that," Tatsumi said. "Is there a tape in it?" Tsuzuki pressed eject and found a tape still inside.

"Yeah," he replied.

"Well, play it," his former partner said. The older shinigami pushed the tape back inside. He rewound it all the way before pushing play. At first, a silent static filled the room.

"Bitch!" Smack!

"How dare you say that to me?!"

"Asshole!"

"What did you say?"

"Asshole!" Smack!

"Come at me, bitch!"

"I hate you!"

"Whore!" Smash!

"Go to hell, bitch!"

"Shut up!" Crash!

"What did you say, bitch?!" Slap!

"I hate you!"

"Take that back, bitch!"

"You're nothing but a whore!"

"And what about you?!"

"What about me?!"

"You're pathetic!"

"I'm pathetic?"

"Yes! All you do is bitch about Tsuzuki!"

"That's not true!"

"Yes, it is!"

"No one asked you!"

"But it's true!"

"Shut up!"

"What? I'm telling the truth, aren't I? Admit it! You love him more than you love me! Say it!"

"So what if I do?"

The shinigami in the room heard the other person snort on tape before they said, "You're pathetic!"

"Say that again, bitch!"

"You are pathetic and an idiot!"

"One more time!"

"You are a fucking pathetic idiot!"

"You!" Smack!

"Oh, that's real brave of you! I bet you feel like a man now, douchebag!"

"One more word�"

"Or what?" Smack! Crash!

"Ow! You bastard! That hurt!"

"Hurt? I'll show you hurt!" Smack! The blood-curdling scream made Tsuzuki turn away.

"Turn it off," he said, trembling. "I don't want to hear anymore!" Tatsumi hit stop on the tape player.

"Tsuzuki?" Watari asked. The oldest shinigami hurried out of the house. The scientist tried to go after him, but Tatsumi stopped him, shaking his head. Watari turned to him.

"Tatsumi," he said.

"Leave him," the secretary said. His colleague drew his mouth closed. Tsuzuki.

Outside, Tsuzuki shook his head. Hisoka why didn't you say anything? The shinigami sighed, but paused his thoughts when he felt his phone buzz through his pocket. Huh? The shinigami pulled out his phone and opened the messages. His eyes widened at what he saw.