January 7th marked the first day after Japan's winter vacation ended, a perfectly ordinary Monday.
Only, instead of the snowfall the season was supposed to bring, the heavens had other plans, cloaking the sky in a misty drizzle.
What should have remained a murder investigation in Ibaraki Prefecture ultimately ended with a press conference in Tokyo.
An ordinary criminal case had spiraled into something involving far too many interests, forcing the officers of the First Investigation Division, Violent Crimes Section 3 of the MPD to shuttle between the two prefectures for an entire week.
The involvement of law enforcement personnel behind the scenes had even compelled the MPD to establish a special task force. Even Detective Inspector Onizawa, the officer who had solved the case, hadn't expected things to escalate to such an absurd extent.
"Even the heavens couldn't stand it anymore. That's why the forecast changed from snow to rain," Hayasaka said quietly as she cradled a warm cup of milk, staring out at the gloomy gray sky beyond the window. T
here was none of the satisfaction that normally followed solving a case, only an overwhelming heaviness in her heart.
She had become a police officer because she admired the police. She had always believed they were guardians of justice.
But this case had taught her that her ideals had been far too naive...
Police officers were human too.
And some humans contracted an incurable disease called greed, slowly transforming into the very devils everyone feared.
Takagi had been so busy over the past week that stubble had begun to grow across his chin. He rubbed his tired eyes and sighed.
"Yeah... I wonder if the weather will ever clear up again."
Miwako glanced at him in surprise at such an unexpectedly profound remark. Smiling, she lightly smacked a file onto his head.
"Of course it will. As long as we're here, there'll always be sunny days."
Takagi lowered his head, his face turning slightly red as he rubbed the spot she'd hit.
'Was... was Officer Sato just comforting me?'
"Speaking of which," Hayasaka muttered unhappily, "we didn't even get to attend the press conference. Inspector Megure is so stingy."
"Oh?" Sato grinned mischievously. "Don't tell me you want to become another police celebrity like Onizawa, little Yuna?"
"What do you mean 'little'? I'm older than you, Miwako!" Hayasaka downed the rest of her milk in one gulp before frowning. "I'm just annoyed that guy's getting all the spotlight."
...
"Ah-choo!"
"Onizawa-kun, don't tell me you've caught a cold?"
Inside the backstage lounge of the conference hall, Ritsu rubbed his itchy nose.
His body was no longer capable of catching illnesses like the common cold, a side effect he owed to that imperfect version of APTX-4869. Which meant if he was sneezing, someone was probably talking behind his back.
"No. My nose is just sensitive. The air circulation in here probably isn't very good."
He looked at himself in the mirror.
Today, he was wearing a black suit more formal than any he normally wore. It was the very same suit he'd worn last year when visiting his own grave.
He never imagined he'd have occasion to wear it again.
Thinking about the speech he was about to give made his mood even heavier.
Heavy... No. Complicated.
After all, he had become a police officer as an undercover operative for the Organization. He wasn't truly a police officer. He had simply done his best to play the role of a detective.
Done everything he could to climb the ranks as quickly as possible, an undercover agent who could provide even greater benefits to the Organization.
And yet...
There had always been a selfish desire hidden beneath it all.
Because by the time he'd discovered how meaningful it was to be a police officer, he'd already sunk too deeply into the swamp of darkness to climb back out.
If only he could have served at the MPD just a little longer seven years ago. Unfortunately, there were no "what ifs" in this world.
It was only at moments like this that Megure remembered Onizawa was still a man in his twenties. His investigative ability was simply extraordinary.
If this case had landed in anyone else's hands, it probably would've taken over a month just to piece together what had actually happened.
No.
That was being optimistic. For most detectives, it might very well have become another unsolved cold case.
Megure patted him gently on the shoulder.
"Onizawa-kun... you'll encounter many cases like this in the future. If you empathize this deeply with every victim, it's going to wear you down."
'Empathize...'
Yes.
A police officer who let emotions take over during an investigation could easily cloud their judgment.
Or become trapped in grief they could never escape, eventually growing so dispirited that they'd willingly take off the uniform for good.
"It can be exhausting," Ritsu admitted with a faint smile, "but if I can turn those feelings into motivation, it becomes much easier."
He lowered his gaze to the watch on his wrist.
"Only then can I devote myself completely to solving cases, catch those murderers still walking free as quickly as possible, and give the victims the answers they deserve."
'To possess such convictions at such a young age... Remarkable.'
Megure found himself remembering the black-haired young man he'd worked alongside years ago.
Young detectives these days really were incredible.
As the lounge doors opened and Ritsu stepped into the press conference, the reporters immediately began hammering their camera shutters.
In an instant, the room was filled with nothing but the rapid-fire clicks of continuous photography.
The barrage of flashes left many of the other officers squinting, unable to keep their eyes open.
Only Ritsu, accustomed to interviews and large public events, remained perfectly composed, calmly facing the sea of cameras before him.
The purpose of the press conference was simple, to respond to the questions and criticism coming from the public.
"We've learned that the victim, Kosaka Atsuko, left behind a suicide note before her death, and that the note clearly stated the only person who could have killed her was Ryota Nishida. Why didn't the Ibaraki Prefectural Police investigate the case from that angle?"
As leader of the special task force, Ritsu switched on his microphone and answered calmly,
"That was a serious failure in the Ibaraki Prefectural Police's handling of the case. Former Detective Nakata Jiro, who has since been taken into custody, admitted to deliberately concealing the truth. As a result, the real mastermind, Ryota Nishida, was never identified during the original investigation."
Despite the reporters' sharp questions, the young detective answered each one with practiced ease.
His diction was clear.
His reasoning concise.
In fact, many reporters felt that if they simply transcribed his words verbatim, they'd already have tomorrow's article written.
"Then may I ask... is the Metropolitan Police willing to make Kosaka Atsuko's suicide note public?"
Megure immediately produced a wrinkled white sheet of paper that had long since been sealed inside an evidence bag.
Ritsu accepted it.
...
To my last remaining family... my little brother, whom I love more than anyone. This is the last letter I'll ever write to you.
If possible, I hope I can make it home safely, so you'll never have to read this.
I don't have anyone left I can rely on. They've all been threatened too. I've thought about this over and over. Tomorrow is the day.
I'm sorry, Eita-kun. In the end, I'm still leaving you alone in this world. But don't be sad. I'm just going to see Mom and Dad. Maybe I missed them too much, so I'm leaving a little early.
If there's another life, I hope I can be Mom and Dad's child again... and have an adorable little brother like you again.
Eita-kun, take good care of yourself. I know you want to become a soccer player, so I used the money I earned from my part-time job to buy you the soccer cleats you've always wanted. They should arrive in a few days.
Goodbye, Eita. Take care of yourself... and make sure you're happy.
Lastly, I want to write something I've never had the courage to say out loud.
Eita-kun... your big sister loves you sooo much~
...
The words weren't read aloud by Ritsu.
Instead, he'd asked Vermouth to imitate Atsuko's voice and record the letter beforehand.
Clenching the worn letter tightly in his hand, he continued,
"In addition, the police also received a very special postcard. It was personally handed to me by the victim's younger brother, Kosaka Eita."
Megure blinked.
'...That wasn't part of the plan.'
He quietly lowered the brim of his hat, silently praying whatever was written inside wouldn't earn them criticism from the higher-ups.
Ritsu pulled the postcard from the inside pocket of his suit. The wrinkles covering its surface had been left by Eita's tears after reading it.
After letting out a quiet sigh, he read its contents aloud for everyone present.
...
"I'm ten years old right now. What will I be like ten years from now? Will I grow into an amazing young woman? Will I have a boyfriend?
I think... the me ten years from now must be very happy. I'm... really looking forward to it."
...
When he finished reading the short message, several reporters who had been struggling to keep their composure finally broke down, quietly sobbing into their hands.
Who could have imagined... The thing that would finally shatter their restraint... Was a postcard written by a ten-year-old girl to her future self.
"I'm really looking forward to it."
Just hearing those words, they could almost picture young Atsuko smiling brightly as she wrote the postcard.
But reality...
Ten years later...
She had become nothing more than a cold corpse.
And the one who had killed her... Was the future boyfriend her ten-year-old self had once dreamed of having.
The press conference came to an end amid restrained sobs.
Ritsu stood together with the other officers and bowed deeply. As he straightened up, his eyes caught sight of \ Eita, seated alone in the very last row, dressed in a black formal suit.
His gaze drifted downward.
On the boy's feet was a brand-new pair of orange soccer cleats.
Orange.
The color of hope.
----
Author's Note:
This case was adapted from a real-life incident. The reality was even more heartbreaking. When I watched the documentary and read the book written by the investigative journalist who pursued the case, I cried my eyes out.