A/N: Viewer discretion is advised. This story contains mature content! You have been warned!

Started: Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Draft Finished: Sunday, February 24, 2013

Fiction: One-Shot

Rated: Mature

Disclaimer: The character and names of Psycho Pass belongs to Production I.G. and Funimation.

Anime: Psycho-Pass

Pairing: Akane/Kougami

Genre: Romance

Summary: Kougami is an insomniac, and the Sandman has his cure. She can save him from his nightmares, but she cannot save him from his obsession for revenge.

Mister Sandman

Part One: Daybreak

Fear was a great motivator.

For Kougami Shinya, his fear was the thought of closing his eyes and falling asleep. Sleep was the last thing on his mind at the end of the day. The enveloping darkness only brought him the anxiety of what's to come: the haunting memories that constantly plagued his subconscious, trapping him within the confines of his guilt and the devastating fact that he had failed his duty as an Inspector; that he failed to protect his subordinate.

After countless nights of abrupt slumber, Kougami learned that guilt was a double-edged sword. While it kept his mind on track to find Sasayama's killer, it also deprived him of rest.

At first, he accepted his insomnia, aware that his disturbed mind was subconsciously telling him that he was not ready to move on. His mind was scarred, but not broken. He didn't waste his sleepless night pacing around his quarters. Instead, Kougami would be up at night, reading through past case files to find a connection that might help him in profiling the real serial killer. For three years, he held onto the idea of finding Sasayama's murderer, enduring sleepless nights in the company of determination and perseverance. The nights would bleed into the next day, and he learned to appreciate the creation of caffeine and nicotine.

He kept his mind busy, filling his thoughts with details of the current case, or reflecting on a piece he had just read. He learned how to use a coffeemaker instead of relying on vending machines to provide him with his daily dose of diluted sugar water that tasted like coffee. Often, to avoid a mental strain, he would exercise his body with a strenuous workout of hand-to-hand combat to improve his stamina. It was also a productive outlet for him to release his pent up anger and stress.

To make sure that he was able to function as an Enforcer, Kougami had a system of taking micro naps during the day to make up for his insomnia. Usually, he would rest his eyes four times a day for fifteen minutes. Sometimes, it would be during the process of being transported out in the field. Other times, he had to force himself to close his eyes, setting a timer to ensure his mandatory amount of shut eye. As the years went on, his body operated his routine like clockwork, but then, it all began to change after the arrival of Inspector Akane Tsunemori.

On his first of meeting the female Inspector, Kougami learned that unexpected things happen when you least suspect them. At first glance, Kougami had thought that her employment as a Ministry of Welfare Public Safety Inspector for the Criminal Investigation Department was probably a mistake. The brunette Inspector was barely a young woman; not even old enough to drink alcohol. Her eyes held a window of innocence, unhardened by the facets of death and murder, and too naive to tell the difference between a latent criminal and a civilian without the help of the Dominator. On top of that, she was the reason why he was able to get a peaceful of night sleep in years.

With a pull of her trigger, she sent him tumbling down a tunnel of darkness, and at the end of the tunnel was the glow of fluorescent lights that were in the recovery ward. For once, he slept without experiencing any of his nightmares, and Kougami didn't know if he should hate her for ruining his methodical process of taking naps to avoid sleep, or revere her for making him realize that he missed the idea of sleep. Nevertheless, he had a profound amount of respect for her when he woke up the next day and saw her waiting for him to regain his consciousness. Only Sleeping Beauty could tell him how he should feel in that waking moment.

For now, he was content with the company of Inspector Tsunemori. While catching up with his much needed rest, the Enforcer had time to reevaluate the consequences of his actions. In doing so, he found the spark that reignited his passion to once again become a great detective. He realizes that he was too comfortable with his routines. It was an endless circle of obeying and catching prey, living day to day with no purpose other than focusing on his job as an Enforcer. Small as it may be, the spark was enough to remind him of his unrelenting goal to pursue the person responsible for Sasayama's murder. The fact that it took a shock to his system to make him come to that realization only made him laugh. Whatever Inspector Akane Tsunemori lacked in experience as a detective, she made it up in her social ability to make an impressionable first meeting. Although waking up in a hospital bed and feeling like shit was the last thing he wanted, he had to admit, he was impressed.

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His body began to crave the thought of sleep after working long hours in the office since crime rates were beginning to escalate to an overwhelming number. Usually, their division would take a much lower workload due the low number of Inspectors to Enforcers, but now that the ratio of Inspectors and Enforcers was a little more balanced, the CID was in a frenzy of receiving the most difficult of cases. Before the arrival of Akane Tsunemori, Gino was the only running the show and that meant only a limited number of cases would be assigned to their division. Fortunately, Division One now had two Inspectors to share the burden of handling the Enforcers. Only Gino seem to welcome the idea of taking the challenging cases. As for Kougami, his mind was elsewhere.

After his hospital release the dark-haired Enforcer was restless. He went about his usual workout routine, getting back into shape to make up for the amount of time he stayed in bed in order to recover. When he took a break to let his muscles rest, he didn't expect that he would actually fall asleep, but he did. His mind wandered into darkness for what seemed to be eternity. Then, in an instant, he found himself falling backwards underwater. Although the water surrounded him, he was able to breathe. He knew he wasn't in a nightmare because he didn't have a fear of drowning, yet in the subconscious of his mind, he found himself releasing a cry for help. His efforts were in vain; not a sound came from his mouth, but when he opened his eyes, he saw a figure swimming towards him. Instinctively, he reached out, but before their hands could touch, he was aroused awake by the sound of his communicator.

His let out a groan of frustration as he got ready for work while his mind began to fill with questions. Who was that person in his dream? What did it mean? Why did it all feel so familiar? He quietly thought it over, trying to clear his mind long enough to come up with a plausible explanation, but he gave up knowing there was no point in trying to remember bits and pieces of nothing even though they were far from his usual nightmares. All he knew was that the figure in his dream was a female judging his hard on when he awoke. Although he didn't wake up sweating in fear, it didn't lessen his agitation of not knowing what his subconscious was telling him. Good thing he had his coffee and nicotine to get him through the day. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to focus on his job.

It was later in the day that Kougami was glad that he had the next day off. Immediately after work, he went to take a shower to wash off the stress of spending the entire day on the Factory Case. He was tired as hell. They spent the whole day at the damn droid factory, which was in the middle of nowhere, and after initiating the suspect into a chase, he and Inspector Tsunemori ran the longest marathon to avoid death, and to ensure the arrest of the killer and his droids as they were heading in the direction of their rendezvous. Overall, he was glad that they finally caught the killer, and even though he got scold at by Inspector Tsunemori, it was tame by comparison to Gino's condescending lectures. It also occurred to him that he enjoyed working with the rookie Inspector. The brunette looked like she was all smiles and sunshine, but underneath her calm exterior she had a temper that could rival his own. Rookie or not, she'd never fail to surprise him every now and then.

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Later that night, he had the same dream, and he saw her again; the unknown female that had reached out to him. This time, however, it didn't start with him falling backwards into the water. He was already drenched from head to toe. His arms were wrapped around her soft body and he found himself running his hands down the small of her back, drawing her warmth closer to him. She filled the concave of his body, her flesh felt like silk under his touch, and he couldn't stop himself from caressing her with a tantalizing awe and curiosity.

Her face was hidden from him, buried at the hollow of his neck. As he explored her body, her hands lingered downward from his navel, outlining the ridges of his abdominal muscles in a slow and agonizing manner that made his lower region twitch in anticipation. Her hands lingered down to his hip with the purpose of driving him mad with anticipation. Her ministrations were controlled and then, she took hold him, sliding her hands up and down the length of him. His breath hitched when she rubbed the tip. His grip on her waist tightened when she was done teasing him. She moved onto torture: guiding the tip of his shaft over her velvet folds, rubbing him against her entrance until he was covered with her eagerness. He bit back a groan, feeling the inviting warmth hovering just centimeters above him.

Automatically, his hands slid further down until he reached the curve of her bottom. He positioned himself, prodding his head at her heated core to coax her to open her legs. His eagerness grew when her thighs drew apart and he took it as an invitation. In a swift thrust, he buried himself in her. Her hips began to buck against him, but he firmly held her and waited for her to adjust to him. She mewled against his throat, clenching her hands tightly on his shoulders. Then, satisfied that his entire length was stretching out her heated core, he slowly began to pull out and push right back into her as she cried out in gasps of pleasure. He repeated his action until she began to roll her hips; her vaginal walls clenched onto him with each inviting thrust. His breathing became erratic with each passing second. He groaned deeply, increasing his speed to stimulate the friction of her tight and narrow walls. He was fully aware that she was panting too; her hot breath was pulsing each time he pushed himself deeper and further into her. Her small hands wound around his neck while the rest of her body withered in pleasure.

Everything about her was so familiar to him, yet he couldn't figure it out. From what he could tell, it was someone who he had seen before: petite in size with creamy silk white skin, and small skillful hands that made him lose self-control. Kougami was on the edge of his own pleasure when he heard a soft echo. It pulled his focus away and he felt his mind drifting away until the echoes became louder and louder, repetitive like a broken record until it formed the syllables of his name.

"Kougami-san," the voice called out to him. Instantly, his eyes snapped open, and the Enforcer looked up to see that Inspector Tsunemori was staring at him with the look of concern on her face. His gaze lingered on her hand that was resting on his shoulder, and slowly he recalled the scatter images of his dream. He noticed immediately that the size of her hand was similar to the one in his dream, but before he could get a chance to confirm his speculation, she retracted her hand and waved it in front of him, pulling him away from his befuddled state of waking up. "Are you all right, Kougami-san?"

He gave her a nod to ease her worry, but inwardly he was glad that she was unaware of his arousal.

"We're here?" They had left Tokyo to the mountains of the Kanto region in order to investigate suspicious objects found in the Frog Express shipments. Since they had a day's worth of travel to return to the city, they decided to stay overnight to rest up before the long drive. Their lodging was infamous for their hot springs. Growing up in the city, Kougami never had the chance to venture out in the country to enjoy such leisure. To him, hot springs were just the emergence of geothermal groundwater from Earth's crust, a natural process of boiling water. There was nothing exciting about it. However, in that current moment, he wanted to find any excuse to get out of the car.

"If you're tired, you should rest up in your room, Kougami-san."

"Yeah," he replied, rearranging his jacket as he opened the door. He stepped out, noticing that the sun was starting to set. "Where's everyone?"

"They have gone inside. I believe they are getting ready to enjoy a soak in the hot springs. You should join in if you're up for it," she suggested. Oh, he was up for it all right. "I heard this place is a famous for its natural thermal waters." Too bad the only thing that was heating him up right now was the region below his belt. It was embarrassing that he couldn't even alleviate his arousal, but what made him even more uncomfortable was that she standing very close to him. He figured, the faster he got to his room, the quicker he could get away from the public to deal with his personal business.

After gathering their belongings, the two of them entered the lodge and were brought to their rooms. The instant he was alone, Kougami found the map and directed himself to the nearest restroom to relieve his discomfort. Finally able to relax, the dark-haired Enforcer walked back to his room and saw that Masaoka was heading out to the hot springs. Personally, he wanted to find something to eat but the old man insisted him on taking a soak. Reluctantly, Kougami found himself neck deep in boiling hot water.

He was starting to relax until he heard a voice coming from the other side of the water. It was Tsunemori. The sound of her voice was faint, but somehow it resonated within him a feeling of déjà vu. Thinking that it might be just the boiling hot water creating that sensation or that he was probably getting overheated, Kougami decided to call it a night when Masaoka told him that the only thing standing between them and the women's bath was just a flimsy screen. At that point, he just wanted to be left alone, hoping to find some peace and quiet before anyone else could bother him so that he could sort out the inkling feeling that was lingering in the back of his mind.

It didn't help the fact that Tsunemori suspected that there was a Peeping Tom in the hot springs, ruining his idea of a quiet night. Since he was present when Gino got the call, he was roped into it. As per Gino's instructions, the two headed over to the women's bath to investigate.

Kougami had nothing on saved for his towel. The last thing he was worried about was his modesty, but when he saw that Tsunemori was just wearing a towel, it made him stop in his tracks. Dripping wet, the white cloth outlined the small frame of her slim figure, and the short length of the towel exposed her creamy thighs and delicate small shoulders. When she turned to explain the distress of the incident, Kougami could not help but stare down her backside, noticing how transparent the cloth was getting as it clung to the curve of her bottom. Kougami struggled to keep a straight face, and to keep his mind off of her exposed skin, he set his focus on the investigation before the measurements of her body became ingrained to his memory.

The Peeping Tom investigation kept him up all night for one of three reasons. One, they never caught the culprit; two, it bothered him that someone was taking advantage of Tsunemori; three, he couldn't take his mind off the fact that the culprit was still in the lodge.

The Enforcer was still mulling over the unsolved case. He and Gino spent a majority of the evening questioning the entire staff of the lodge, but they all had an alibi. It wasn't until the next morning when Kougami and Gino came to the realization that it was Masaoka all along. Long story short, Kougami took care of the problem by making sure that Masaoka would never come to paint whatever he saw, and Gino took care of the rest. There was nothing more satisfying to Kougami than seeing the old man get punished by his own son for his misdemeanor. As for Tsunemori, she remained oblivious to the conclusion of their investigation. Kougami figured it was better that she didn't know, but inwardly, he knew that he was just as guilty.

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Kougami took notice of the change in setting and felt relaxed. He was dreaming again and it filled him with relief that they were not floating underwater. Once again, they were together in an embrace. Without looking down, he could feel her nuzzling at the base of neck. Her breath tickled him, but he remained still, only lifting his hand to stroke her fine tresses while his other hand held onto her tightly around the waist. His fingers lingered down the curve of her cheek, all the way down to her chin, and in a swift motion, he tilted her head up to meet his gaze. His gray orbs roamed over her delicate features, her large doe eyes with her feathery long lashes, her elegantly straight nose, and her small parted pink lips that looked like soft rose petals. The face of Akane Tsunemori was staring back at him, and no amount of logic could account for what he did next.

Gently cupping her face, Kougami pulled her toward him and bent down to give her a deep, long kiss. He drank her in with the desire to taste every bit of her, not stopping for air. His other hand was pressed against her back, pushing her closer until there was no space between them. He heard her whimper when he lavished her neck with kisses, sucking and nipping her neck, leaving red marks on her smooth porcelain skin. She threw her head back to give him more access to her heated skin, and he continued his trail of kisses down to her collar. Her hands made their way to his hair, raking through his disheveled mane as she gasped and panted at his unrelenting assault.

He ran his thumb over her breasts, smirking as they perked up in excitement. As she arched her back, his right hand traveled down to her hips while his other hand lingered on her inner thigh. His long fingers grazed upward to her center, massaging her clitoris. She let out a sharp gasp as he continued to stroke her, moving her hips to the rhythm of his fingers until her juices seeped out of her. Then finally, he slipped his fingers into the folds and he began to slowly pump her, feeling the walls of her clenching up. She was mewling hotly against his neck with one hand clasped on his wrist, urging him to push deeper into her as she rolled her hips. Her other hand was clinging desperately onto his shoulder and he held her balance by grabbing onto her thigh as her legs opened to draw him in.

The ache between his legs was unbearable, and she took notice. Letting go of her hold on his wrist, she took him into her hand began to run her hands down his length. Then, pulling her hips away until his fingers were no longer in her, she rubbed his tip against her folds, covering him with her slick nectar. His fingers dug into her hip as his grip tighten, biting back a low groan of anticipation. She was teasing him again, prodding his head near her entrance and sinking down just enough to entice him into her inviting warmth. She moved her hips in an agonizing slow motion until his patience broke, and he thrust deeply into her, stifling her loud moan with a searing kiss. She was tight and her inside stretched as he filled her. He rolled his hips, drawing out slowly followed by a quick thrust until he was satisfied that her hitches of breath turned into low moans of pleasure. He began to move in a faster pace, slamming into her as she mewed and dug her nails into his back.

With each thrust, Kougami felt like he was on the edge of ecstasy. Despite his erratic pace, she kept up with him, wrapping her legs around him to encourage his speed and force. As he dove deeper and deeper into her, he found himself in a desperate need to climax with every hot panting breath, moan, and whimper that came out of her mouth. The sound of her voice was hypnotic, mesmerizing him like the call of a siren, and begging him to come nearer and nearer. Pleasure rushed through him as his body shook upon his release, but before he could collapse in exhaustion, his entire body jerked awake, pulling him away from his selfish fantasy.

Kougami was never a morning person. Now, he knew why.

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His sleep schedule was spiraling out of control, but he didn't care when Division One was called out to investigate a crime scene that shared a similar M.O. to the Specimen Case. Kougami thought he could finally pick up where he had left off, only to find that Gino had decided to take him off of the case due to conflicting interests. Inspector Tsunemori was also taken off the case and was tasked to keep an eye on him. Since he was cut off from the only connection to his past case, Kougami returned to his quarters and took out his frustration in the gym.

Eventually, he was able to share the research that Sasayama had gathered before his death with Tsunemori. He had offered to show it to Gino, but his ex-partner was more focused on doubting his sanity rather than the useful contents of the unsolved case. At least in his case, Tsunemori didn't think that he was a delusional detective who was out for revenge. The brunette was sympatric to his cause with her interest in Special Case 102, and Kougami showed his appreciation by providing her with a tutor to teach her a useful skill of how to profile people, knowing that would benefit her career as a detective.

When Tsunemori called him on his day off, he didn't hesitate to join her in the search of her missing friend, Yuki. He had nothing better to do, and since all of the clues signified a formula for a trap, he thought it would be better to assist her. Besides, he couldn't let anything happen to her. She was, after all, his handler, and therefore he was obligated to help her with her concerns. Whether it was personal or official business, a part of him rationalized that it was his responsibility to keep her safe as long as they kept it a secret from Gino.

It turned out that keeping secrets have deadly consequences, namely the end of his life and possibility Tsunemori's friend, Yuki. The last thing he wanted to do on his day off was be a part of a human hunting game, and to be shot at by a psychopath who had a fetish for using shotguns for sport. Kougami eliminated the threat after taking a huge risk to end game of cat and mouse, suffering several bullet wounds in the process. It was the first time he had the experience of being shot by bullets. They hurt like hell and the pain was so unbearable, he lost conscious.

After Masaoka administered first aid to stop his bleeding wounds, Kougami slowly regained his strength. The first thing he asked about was the whereabouts of Tsunemori. He knew that she would be in danger since the game wasn't over. In addition, she had no back up. His insistence to go to her was in vain due his heavy wounds and the large amount of blood lost. As he waited in agonizing pain (from his bullet wounds and Masaoka's head butt), Gino had the medical team dispatched to prepare him for transport.

The sky was dark when they helped him outside. It was snowing and he could feel the flakes of ice falling onto his face. Despite his struggle to stay awake due to the immense pain of his wounds, Kougami asked Gino about Tsunemori the first chance he opened his eyes. The Inspector directed his gaze overhead and Kougami turned his head to find Inspector Tsunemori over in the distance. Masaoka was standing next to her, keeping a close watch over her small figure. She was wrapped in a tan blanket, shoulders hunched over as she sat in the wheelchair. Upon his approach, he could hear her muttering a self-depreciating mantra repeatedly in a small voice and he tapped her arm to get her attention. Shaking out of her daze, the Enforcer watched as the brunette began to burst into tears. Her shoulders shook and droplets of tears slid down her face in a never-ending flow of anguish and grief. The strong, calm, and optimistic Inspector he came to know was looking at him like a frail, broken doll.

When he asked her about the aftermath, she told him something he would never forget: she had met Makishima Shougo, confirming that the man he saw a few moments ago was not a hallucination. The ghost he had been chasing was real. In that moment, his anger overcame his shock in knowing that Makishima cannot be judged by the Dominator. Makishima had shattered Tsunemori's spirit, killed her friend, and worst of all, he got away. Suddenly, his determination to bring down Makishima Shougo had change into something much more sinister, and in that moment, he knew that there was no turning back. The thought of killing the bastard crossed his mind, and it lingered, and it stayed with him as he continue to watch Tsunemori cry with a heavy heart, making him feel just as helpless that he couldn't do anything to comfort her.

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In Shakespeare's Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark went insane from knowing the duplicity of human nature. Although he acted like an unhinged mad man who wanted to avenge the death of his father, Hamlet's intentions were not wrong. It was his approach that led to his downfall.

In the process of trying to grieve for his father's death and dealing with the betrayal of his mother and uncle, Hamlet was trying to sort out his madness in a seething rage for his family while he planned his revenge.

Only Ophelia, who questioned Hamlet's sanity, knew what he was going through when, she too, fell tragic to the lost of her own father. Unlike Hamlet, she suffered from an overwhelming sadness in dealing with her grief, and while her actions were mistaken for acts of madness, her death was accidental.

Even though Hamlet exacted his father's revenge by killing his uncle with a poisoned sword, the toll of death also included his own mother, Ophelia's father, Polonius, and her brother, Laertes. In the end, Hamlet paid the price for his revenge with the cost of his own life, leaving behind a wake of his destruction for his friend, Horatio, to deal with the aftermath.

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Kougami had his own way of dealing with grief. After his surgery, he had to take time off in order to fully recover. To occupy himself, he mostly read the collection of books that was left at his table side, seeing he had nothing better to do. He hadn't seen his handler since they wheeled her off to be treated for therapy. It had been days, yet he couldn't help but count the minutes instead.

Tsunemori showed up to visit him after a couple days of her mandatory leave. She was dressed for work, and carried a large basket of fruit with the consideration for his health. He took a closer look at her as he tried to figure out her mental state after going through the tragic experience of losing her close friend, knowing that she probably blamed herself for the whole ordeal because she was powerless to stop it. The psychosis of the mind was fragile thing, and he didn't expect her to recover that quickly, but if she was determined to put on a brave face then he would have to watch over her to make sure she won't relapse into depression.

After reading her official statement of what had transpire as a result of her pursuit to save Yuki, Kougami learned that she had to witness the execution of her own friend. Masaoka had filled him in with the details about the scene of the crime, telling him that it would have left any sane person mentally scarred. From experience he knew that Tsunemori was not quite ready to overcome her grief despite the self-diagnostic reassurance she gave him. Kougami was all too familiar with the fundamental psychology of inflicting emotional scars. Makishima made sure Yuki's death was quick and painless, but in doing, he also made sure that it was memorable. The sight of blood spilling out of a lifeless body as it stained everything in its path was a hard image to forget.

Moments after Tsunemori's brief visit, Kagari came to inform him that Tsunemori was in the process of a memory scoop in order to successfully acquire a photograph of Makishima Shougo. Kougami couldn't stop her from the reckless endangerment, and it made him feel uneasy knowing that she was dragged into the abyss because of him. Ultimately, Kougami decided that he was going to keep a watchful eye on her. It was the least he could do, and it was the only way he knew how to comfort her without crossing any personal boundaries.

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The city was in chaos with men in helmets inflicting violence throughout the city in large riots while citizens went on a killing rampage in fear of personal safety. The Sibyl System was rendered obsolete since the MWPSB was not prepared to control large riots without the assistance of the Dominators. As the CID divisions went on a mad scramble to subdue the riots, Kougami figured that the men in helmets were also the victims in the grand scheme of chaos. Although Makishima was nowhere in sight, Inspector Tsunemori seem to agree that Makishima was creating the riots as a distraction. Before they knew it, they were heading to Nona Tower. Finally, he had figure out Makishima's ulterior motive, and all the signs pointed toward a plan to destroy the primary location of the Sibyl System.

The hunt was on. In their pursuit, Kougami was silently grateful that Tsunemori was assisting him without questioning his own motives. He also feared for her safety, and the only thing pulling him back from running ahead of her was his sense of loyalty. He had to account for the consideration in her involvement knowing that the brunette Inspector was also getting the chance to bring Makishima to justice. With the adrenaline of achieving something he had thought was impossible, the only thing on his mind was the thought of finally getting the chance to meet the person behind Sasayama's murderer. Like Hamlet, Kougami realize that the only way to deal with his grief was to exact revenge on Makishima. Killing the bastard was his only goal, and telling Gino or himself otherwise would just be a lie.

The chase was a relentless game of cat and mouse. As Makishima traveled to the top floor, Kagari went by himself to pursue the accomplice that was heading down to the basement. Kougami warned the young Enforcer to not do anything reckless before heading upstairs. Kagari shot back his own advice, and Kougami ignored the feeling of trepidation in knowing that Kagari was going to face the unknown danger alone. It gave him all the more reason to reach Makishima so that he could end the potential threat of death hovering over them.

Kougami knew they were heading into a trap, but it didn't stop him. What he didn't anticipate was the use of hardware tools that were reverted into a deadly weapons. He was quick enough to dodge the assault of projectile nails and eliminated the assailant, but Tsunemori wasn't so lucky. A nail was embedded in her thigh, and she used her tie to stop the bleeding before giving him the command to pursue Makishima without her. Unable to disregard her sacrifice, the Enforcer reached the top of the tower through blind obligation. He could care less for his injuries and found the door that led to the target's destination. Immediately after reaching the top, he met a couple of killers that engaged him to a fight, and he got away with a few injuries. They hurt like hell, but he ignored the pain aching at his arm and abdomen as he bled out.

Then, he saw him. Makishima Shougo descended the stairs like he expected his arrival. Kougami aimed his Dominator at Makishima to confirm Tsunemori's discovery that he was a criminally asymptomatic. Slowly, Kougami saw that Makishima did indeed encompass his profile of possessing the charisma to be control in any situation. The bastard all ready knew that he was going to pursue him, and had the balls to make small talk with him. With his pent up anger and rage, Kougami gave up his self-restraint, ending Makishima's stall and engaged the sociopath in a fight. Hit for hit, punch for punch, the Enforcer had difficult of keeping up despite his injuries. However, Makishima's assaults were precise. He aimed at his openings and used his own momentum against him. He had underestimated Makishima's strength and he paid the price when he received Makishima's aggressive blow to his head.

When he saw that Makishima had pulled out his razor blade, he thought it was over. His best effort was not good enough. The man standing over him was someone who was stronger and faster than him. Just when he thought he was one step ahead of Makishima, it turned out that he was far from it. He had come so close and now he was going to die, but before he could fully react, his silver eyes spotted Tsunemori. He heard the crack of metal hitting against Makishima's skull, and found the Inspector leaning over him.

She had done it. She had knocked Makishima out. Despite his dire injuries and heavy blood lost, Kougami managed to choke out a final request. Right now he couldn't do it, but Tsunemori could kill Makishima without any impending obstacles or difficulty.

Although she didn't give him a reply, the Inspector left his side. He waited for her to finish Makishima off as he struggled to remain awake, hearing her sob as she raised the mental helmet over Makishima like a mallet of justice, but the sound of the sociopath's blood spattering out of his skull did not reach his ears. Instead, Tsunemori chose to follow Gino's orders and arrested the unconscious Makishima. She chose to fulfill her duty as a detective over vengeance for her friend's death; how noble of her. At that point, Kougami closed his eyes and began to slowly catch his breath while the feeling of devastation washed over him. He couldn't kill Makishima, and either could Tsunemori.

The hunt was over. For three years he had tried to capture Sasayama's murderer, and after the long wait, they finally had Makishima in their custody. For Kougami it was a hollow victory, but a victory nonetheless.

Part Two: Nightfall

The thought of death crossed his mind when he was lying on the cold hard floor as he looked into a pair of gold eyes that had the intent of slitting his throat with a razor blade. Right now, Kougami felt like he was on the verge of death, yet he was still conscious despite the serious extent of his injuries. Feeling the surge of pain coursing throughout his body meant that he was alive. His body was heavy and his lungs had trouble collecting the oxygen he needed to compensate for his blood loss. Kougami felt pressure on his abdomen while lying on his back, and found it difficult to move since his middle met the cutting edge of a laser saw. His vision blurred from the blood lost, yet he could tell that it was Tsunemori hovering over him. Her touches were warm and less mechanical than the nurses, and she was so focused on the task at hand that she didn't bother to deal with her injuries first.

It was hard to avoid seeing how his blood stained her small hands while she removed his clothes. They now sat in a forgotten pile of red and white, except for his jacket, which she used to elevate his head. Carefully, she dressed his wounds. Her movements were not as sturdy and steady as Masaoka's expert and familiarity, but he didn't care. The appeal of her gentle touch was lulling him to sleep. Still, the dark-haired Enforcer tried to keep his eyes open, watching the brunette continue the administration of first aid like his life depended on it.

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The silence between them was deafening. He could feel the heaviness of her presence as well as the weight of his own fatigue and exhaustion that kept him from moving in his current position. They were both bandaged up, and even though they were fine, neither of them made a move to get up. Kougami didn't have to look over his shoulder to know that they were sitting only centimeters apart. Their backs were turned to each other as they sat on the single bed, facing in the opposite direction. Surrounding them was the faint hum of the machinery and the pulsing electricity from the blaring lights above. The entire room was colorless except for the metal trims of the screens. The amount of compressed data, flashing numbers and images, appeared so frequently that they were devoid of relevance.

"Can we say that we won?" His ears perked up when he heard the sound of Tsunemori's voice. In that moment, he didn't know what to say. He was still mulling over Kagari's disappearance. Due to the extent of his injuries, he didn't get the chance to find out what had happened in the basement, and right now Gino and the Enforcers were still investigating the case while he and Tsunemori were trying to pull themselves together after dealing with Makishima.

"Detective work is, by nature, about treating wounds," The Enforcer finally gave his answer. "Our investigations start after there are victims. In that sense, we lost before we even started, but at least with this lost game we are able to end in a draw. We'll just have to settle with that." Inwardly, he was still bitter about Makishima's arrest. Even after what he had done, all the crimes he had committed, the MWPSB still wanted him alive fully knowing that he had every intention to bring down the Sibyl System, and creating mass chaos and destruction throughout the city in the process.

"What was all that talk about the safety of the Sibyl System?" He could hear the doubt in her voice, and after what had happened tonight, he had expected it.

"A safe and perfect society is just an illusion." Those words slipped out before he could stop himself. He had seen how easily people relied on the Sibyl System for safety, and he also witnessed the violent reaction in its absence. "The society we live in now is still a dangerous society."

"Dangerous?" Her question came out in a whisper.

"In this society, people depend on things that are convenient but also dangerous. Our government made us took risks, but the risks were dispersed and distributed so cleverly that no one was able to notice it." He paused, letting her absorb what his explanation before continuing. "No, they did notice it, but they just pretended that they hadn't. Everyone might have been looking the other way, precisely because there was danger. They had to act as if there wasn't instead in order to keep their sanity."

"Do you think the citizens of this town, including me, were that clever?" Kougami got up, unable to sit still when the feeling of fear and awareness was coursing through him. He realize that he was one of the guilty few who had chose to look the other way, accepting his fate as a latent criminal when the Sibyl System couldn't even judge psychopaths like Makishima Shougo. The system he had learned to accept was now doubtful and not absolute as he once thought. Despite everything that had happened to him, the fact that Makishima offered to show him the truth of the Sibyl System never left his mind.

"I don't like to lump people together when I speak, since everyone is different, but I'll generalize broadly here." Tsunemori turned her attention him as moved to sit in another seat. "I think humans are clever. We can involuntarily try to avoid our responsibilities. I guess I'm rambling. Maybe I'm nervous too." More than ever, Kougami was now mindful of how dependent people were on the Sibyl System despite its flaws. The Sibyl System worked because people believed in it, but in the short span of hours, Kougami saw how people could easily turn away from it when they were given the means and power to revolt against the system. For generations, the citizens of Japan put their belief into the Sibyl System because it gave them the illusion of a safer society, and the citizens turned a blind eye because they know that their society would fall apart without a system despite its flaws. However, he could not overlook the fact that there were people who were immune to Sibyl's judgment. "How they're going to judge Makishima; the problem is what happens next. It's a far more difficult and troublesome task than shooting a Dominator, but we can't let him get away. It's an undeniable fact that he committed crimes." The only thing they could do now was to wait for a chance to convict Makishima of his crimes, but as of now, their priority was to pick up the pieces and begin the process of healing their wounds.

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All of their hard work literally went down in flames. Just after the relentless pursue of capturing Makishima Shougo alive, the criminal found a way to escape during transport, and miraculously survive a plane crash.

Kougami swallowed his pride when the Top Brass didn't allow anyone from Division One to question Makishima after making his arrest. Then, he learned that the MWPSB took Makishima into their custody without an explanation, and didn't have the courtesy to give Gino a bullshit story to tell his division. There was no pat on the back for apprehending the psychopath who was responsible for breaking into the location of the Sibyl System in an attempt to destroy it, no words of gratitude for their hard work, or any recognition for a reward. Instead, they were shut out from any involvement relating to Makishima.

When Division One arrived at the scene of the crash, they found that even Gino didn't have the authorization to enter the crime scene. A body was dragged out of the debris, but they couldn't identify the person, and the police droids were determined to keep Inspector Tsunemori and the other Enforcers at bay while Gino was busy in his meeting with the Chief. They knew they didn't have the power to change her decision, but Gino tried to convince her otherwise. It was a fool's errand. Her word was the law and there was nothing else they could do but wait.

The members of his division didn't have to say a word for him to agree with them that everything about the plane crash was suspicious. The look on their faces said it all. Why couldn't they step foot in the crime scene and begin to investigate what had happened? Any attempt to identify the John Doe was ignored and there was no mention of the body in the public records even though they had seen the body being pulled out from the plane crash; he had checked. From this point on, Kougami began to scrutinize the actions of the MWPSB, more specifically, he was starting to question the authority of Chief Kasei.

He wasn't surprise when he was told by Gino that he was taken off the case to pursue the arrest of Makishima. As an Enforcer, he was used to social discrimination, but it was clear to him that the MWPSB wanted Makishima alive for unknown reasons and without any further explanation. The Chief had deemed him too reckless to ensure that he would capture the psychopath alive. To say he was furious was an understatement. Instead of acting out, Kougami chose to voice his concerns about his suspicions about the Top Brass. The MWPSB was not planning to convict Makishima of his crimes. They wanted him to be arrested alive in order to use him for some other purpose.

As expected, Gino thought his assumptions were nothing more than nonsense, and Kougami left for his quarters to deal with his frustration, knowing that it was useless to argue with the Inspector. He made his way toward the elevators when he heard his name from behind him. Although he didn't make a move to stop, Tsunemori caught up to him.

Makishima had warned him that the Sibyl System was something that wasn't worth protecting, and for a moment, he couldn't help but agree. Makishima was a lot of things: an evangelist, a killer, a criminal mastermind, maybe a liar, but he was also compelled to search for the truth, and more than anything, he wanted to find the truth about the Sibyl System. Somehow, during his transport to the MWPSB, Makishima had found the answer.

"Don't you feel frustrated?" He asked Tsunemori, stopping his stride to hear her answer. After everything Makishima had done, the MWPSB was hell-bent on keeping him alive. The Enforcer wanted a second opinion because all he could think about right now was how he could permanently deal with a problem like Makishima.

"I do," she said, "but on the other day, during the riots, I realized something. Whether it's enforcing justice or maintaining order, both are equally important." It wasn't the answer he was looking for, and he turned to walk ahead to push the button of the elevator.

"Then what do you think we can do with those who are outside the law to settle things?" Kougami asked her.

"We have no choice but to make this an exceptional case and go back to the old system. We prosecute him, open a court, let him form his own defense, and then sentence him. I think that's all we can do."

"That all sounds like quite a daunting process," he replied. "I wonder just how long it'll take to prepare." He didn't have to wonder. Three years. It took him three years to gather enough evidence to link Makishima to Sasayama's murder, and many more. All of those countless nights were now for naught since he couldn't even use the evidence to bring Makishima to justice.

"But there's no other way."

"There is, remember? A quicker way that wouldn't cause anyone trouble." Their backs were against the wall, and he wanted to break it down. "At that time, we should have killed Makishima. Instead of having you do it, I should've finished the job myself. You're an Inspector and I can't have you kill someone, but since I'm an Enforcer, I have nothing to lose. That's our way of teamwork." He walked into the elevator as the doors open. "That'll show my worth as a hunting dog, too." His options were limited since his hands were tied. If he could find any other way to kill Makishima, he was going to take it no matter the risks. The Inspector didn't seem to agree with him, and before the doors could close, she pressed the button to jam the signal.

"That's not enforcing the law. It will just create a new killer, that's all." Unable to go anywhere, the dark-haired detective stood there and listened to what Tsunemori had to say. "Kougami-san," the Inspector drawled. "You once told me that you want to work as a detective, not a dog." He didn't need her to remind him what he had said to her. That conversation was still fresh in his mind. Still, he chose to reprimand her sentimentality.

"You sure do remember some frivolous things," he told her as he stared into her large hazel eyes. It was hard to turn away from her determined gaze.

"It's not frivolous. It's important," she retorted, turning her eyes to the floor. "I'm thankful for those words because they are the reason why I didn't quit this job." There was a pause and she looked up directly at him. "Say, Kougami-san, will you continue to be a detective? Can you at least promise me that?" He knew why she was asking him that: she wanted him to be a better person, like his old self; the part of him that made him want to become a detective in the first place and not the shell of a man she once saw: the cynic who was living his life like a hunting dog and waiting for his life to end. Kougami didn't know what he was agreeing to, and yet he couldn't help himself to accept her request. Closing his eyes, he let out an exasperated sigh before giving her his answer.

"Yeah," he replied, but the brunette didn't look convinced as she let go of the button, letting the doors create a wall between them. In turn, he closed his eyes to avoid the look of disappointment on her face, clenching his fists together in order to stop himself from rushing out to her with his reassurance that he would keep his promise. He would only be lying to her and to himself.

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The scene was all too familiar to him. The high and open ceiling, the earth-toned rusty walls, the smell of mildew and death brought back the morbid memories of the hunting game. His vision was skewed by the bright lights. When he blinked his eyes to set his focus, he followed the lingering shadows that stretched overhead. Looking up, he found Makishima Shougo standing on the metal platform above him and he wasn't alone. Standing in front of him hand-cuffed to the handrail was Tsunemori, who was wearing the same piece of sheer lingerie he had seen before. Like his previous dreams, she was wearing nothing underneath, but he knew better. This was the beginning of a nightmare.

Kougami's silver orbs darted around to look for stairs, ladders, anything to reach the platform before Makishima could even think about hurting Tsunemori. He concentrated on the distance between him and the bottom of the platform, calculating the velocity and force he'd have to gather in order to gain enough momentum to jump and grab hold of the ledge. He carried his legs as fast as they could allow him and strained his body to get a hold of the edge of the metal platform. Failure was not an option, but Makishima's impatience grew as the Enforcer tried again and again to latch onto the closest surface, only to come a few inches too short. When the dark-haired detective was finally out of breath, panting tirelessly at his feet, Makishima got his attention by calling out his name. Kougami craned his neck up to find that Makishima had pulled Tsunemori against his body with one hand holding her neck and the other, half-wrapped around her shoulders. In his right hand was the gleam of the silver razor blade with the thin edge full of promise that it was indeed as sharp as it looked under the harsh yellow lights.

Without breaking eye contact, the silver-haired man began to tighten his right arm around Tsunemori, pulling her securely against his body and completely oblivious to the tremble of her legs. His other hand had a grip around her delicate neck while he steadied her, bending his head down onto her shoulder as if they are in a loving embrace. Then slowly, the tip of the blade met the front of the flimsy night dress, tearing the silk apart like it was a wisp of smoke, leaving Tsunemori exposed before him. The tattered shreds of silk slipped off her small shoulders and she tried to cover her modesty by turning her body away, but her attempts were in vain, outmatched by Makishima's strength and leverage.

The silver-haired man widened his smirk as he moved onto his next stage of amusement. He removed his hand from her neck to hold the razor blade near the base of her neck while his other hand remained around her waist. Ever so slowly, Makishima ran the blade up and down the column of her neck, grazing the tender skin with every intention of inflicting fear and worry upon Tsunemori and Kougami. Then, his level of cruelty stepped up a notch as his fingers trailed down her flat stomach, over her hip, and reached the space between her legs. To keep her from twisting her body away, he wound his arm around her shoulders with the edge of the blade hovering closely to her arm. If she were to thrash around, the blade would cut her, and all Makishima needed to do was to hold still as her actions would cause the self-inflicting wounds.

She gasped when he touched her, squeezing her legs together to resist his intrusion, but it was too late. His long digits were already inside her, and he slowly began to pump his fingers in as he ignored her protests. Every time he stroked her, his razor would make a small cut on her arm. Each time, a different place, and little by little, the number of cuts increased until a river of blood ran down the length of her left arm. Every gasp, every moan, and every sound of pleasure that left her mouth was followed by an intense cry of pain and whimper, and Kougami couldn't do anything but watch.

Makishima was merciless in his sadistic plight to break her, playing her like the strings on a violin. His broad strokes were agonizingly slowly while his thumb rubbed the little pearl near the front folds of her clit. Every gesture was methodical and controlled, and with her lubrication on his fingers, it made it easier for him to slip in another finger. Tsunemori struggled for breath as she arched her back in order to compensate the sudden violation. He increased his tempo, but he also increased the pressure of the blade, drawing deeper incisions into her mutilated arm. Her tears flowed down her face and dripped from her chin and onto his arm, mingling with the droplets of blood that had splattered on her body. As this went on, her voice became hoarse from the outbursts until the only sounds coming from her were the hitch of her breath every time he entered her, or small gasps of pain with every acute laceration. Then, in a swift movement, Makishima drew the razor blade across her neck. The skin unraveled like a split seam and blood came spilling down Tsunemori's throat like waterfall of crimson ink. Her body went limp and Kougami let out a soundless scream. Makishima killed her right in from of him and he couldn't do a thing to save her.

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Kougami's body lurched forward as he gasped for air, panting in an unsteady rhythm as the blood rushed to head. He was sweating profusely and his shirt was damp and drenched with his perspiration. Automatically, his hands reached up to undo the buttons of his shirt as he positioned himself at the edge of couch. He stared at the palms of his hand and realized that they were trembling. Without a second thought, he drew his hands up to his face, cradling his head while he sat in the dark. The Enforcer didn't bother to wipe off the moisture that was dripping down his neck. Right now, he was trying to rationalize that his nightmare was only the projection of the fears of his subconscious, and that Tsunemori was probably in her own home, fast asleep. To calm his nerves, Kougami grabbed a cigarette and lit it up. After a couple of puffs, he felt a little better, but his body was still not at ease. He checked the time on his device and decided to work out while he was awake. There was no use in letting his emotions get the better of him when the tribulation was not even real to begin with.

He spent the rest of the night contemplating on what he should do next. In his mind, Makishima was Moby-Dick, the great white whale that almost killed him, and he was Captain Ahab, the man whose path of revenge turned into an obsession that was so great, he couldn't turn back. Right now, Makishima was once again free. As for himself, he was stuck inside a prison with no clue on the whereabouts of the silver-haired sociopath.

After years of chasing after Makishima, the MWPSB got careless and let him escape. The Enforcer was once again back to square one. His ambition to kill Makishima was too great for him to ignore, knowing that the psychopath was out there walking free without the warrant of facing justice or any kind of judgment for his involvement to his past crimes.

The government had failed them, tricking them into believing that their current system was the right approach for a safer society. The truth was no one was safe, especially from people like Makishima Shougo. The silver-haired criminally asymptomatic was a threat that needed to be stopped. The Sibyl System had failed them. The Dominators proved to be useless against Makishima. The only way he could guarantee the death of Makishima is by killing him with his own bare hands. Yet, no one could imagine his surprise when Gino was forced to use the Dominator on him and in the Eliminator mode, no less. Just when he had everything planned out, the Chief decided to intervene and screw with him. He never like the bitch, and now he had a valid reason not to.

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If this was Hell, then he didn't want to leave.

He felt content. Warmth and light surrounded him like the blaze of the sun, dancing upon his skin as all of his worries melted away. When he looked down, he found her. Tsunemori was lying across his body with her head resting on his chest, and he leaned down to rest his nose on the crown of her head, taking in her sweet scent. Her soft tresses smelled of sunshine and spring flowers. With his arms wrapped around her body, he couldn't bring it to himself to let go. His hands never left her body, touching every part of her to brand the contours of her curves to his memory, and she stirred when he drew his fingers downwards to trace the small of her back and where it met her legs. A satisfying sound escaped her mouth and she lifted her head to look at him. The look in her eyes brightened when he stared down at her, and her hands went up to cradle the back of his neck, pulling him in for a deep and long kiss. He pushed her fully against him while his other hand cradled the back her neck to give him better access of her mouth. Her lips were soft like velvet and he wanted to taste more of her when he felt her tongue darting out to tease him. His fingers raked through her hair, feeling like strands of soft silk, and on their own accord, they touched, squeezed, grasped and pulled each other until they were satisfied.

In one stroke, he buried himself in her as he devoured her lips to silence her moan. The desire to move within her was immediate, and her legs continued to spread open, inviting him in. As she stretched to make room for him, he slowly began to grind against her with a tight grip on her thigh to hold her against him. His lips kissed the hollow of her neck, sucking and teasing her with his tongue to entice her to hear her cry out in pleasure. Her body was made for him, releasing her essence to draw him in further and further into her tight body. Every thrust was as fierce as the last with an urgency to fill her up all the way to the hilt, and the sound of sweet pleasure escaped her lips, enticing him to continue, striking something within him that made him long the desire to hear her cry out the sound of his name. He could hear her sharp gasps and low moans that only encouraged him to move faster, deeper, harder into her. He could feel her heels pressing the back of his thighs, urging him to pick up his pace. Making sure she wouldn't slip away from him, he held onto her waist as he rolled his hips to give into her insistence. She was near. He could tell, and with a final thrust of his hips, he pulled her into a secure embrace as her body stilled. Immediately, he heard her breath hitch and then, her voice sang the sweet sound of his name in a soft whisper. It was faint and it echoed like a chorus of bells, but all he could think of was that she sounded like an angel. The sound of his name was a spell, ringing in his ears with a strong conviction that she was here to save his soul.

Kougami wanted to believe her, but before he could, his vision darken and his body grew heavy.

In that moment, he knew what was happening.

The dream was over.

It was time for him to open his eyes and wake up.

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Kougami Shinya didn't know if he should be relieved or be in disbelief when found that Tsunemori was waiting for him to wake up. In her exhaustion, she had fallen asleep and when Shion went to wake up the Inspector up, Kougami held up his hand to stop her. She was probably tired since she was still here. Instead of sleeping in her warm bed, she was here by his side even though her shift was over hours ago. He held back the compulsion to lift her into his arms and carry her to bed. The only thought that pulled him back from doing so was the fear of waking her up. This was the second time he has ended up in the recovery ward because she had the courtesy to use her Dominator on him. The first time was a wakeup call. This time it was different. This time, she saved his life. He was alive because of her.

In that moment, he wasn't sure what he should feel. Should he feel grateful that she took a chance to give him an opportunity to reevaluate his life, or should he accept defeat and give up on searching for Makishima?

The thought of continuing to work under Tsunemori was a tempting offer, but it also meant that he'd be living under a microscope. The Chief clearly wanted him dead, and he were to stay behind, then his life would be in danger. The odds of survival were all ready against him since he was a latent criminal and she was the Chief of the MWPSB. He couldn't let Tsunemori shoulder the burden to protect him forever. Her career was only beginning, and he didn't want her association with him to jeopardize her chance to protect people from the injustice in this world. He had no doubt that she would one day make a great detective.

As long as Makishima was alive, no one was safe. After being arrested by Tsunemori, Makishima would probably go after her to even the score, and Kougami was not going to let that happen. The laws could not keep people safe anymore, especially since Makishima can't be judged by the Sibyl System. Now that Kougami finally realize what he must do in order to find bring Makishima to justice, he didn't want to risk the chance to see the look of disappointment on her face again. The decision to leave his life as a detective behind was not an easy choice for him to make. It was hard enough walking away from the system of justice he once had believed in, but the thought of breaking his promise to Tsunemori was harder, especially because he knew that she would do everything in her power to stop him. Going his own way was the only choice he had to ensure that he could protect people from Makishima and to ensure justice to those that were killed.

In order to fulfill his goal of killing Makishima, he had to leave. Silently, he got up and followed Shion to her lab. He had a long day ahead of him, and although he owed Tsunemori a debt, he was going to pay her back by breaking his promise. No matter how much he thought that what he was doing was right, Kougami wasn't ready to face her. Perhaps, one day, but not today.

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"Why are you so obsessed with Makishima? Is it because you can't tolerate evil, or is it because of Makishima himself?"

"It's neither, pops. Even if I give up now, eventually I'll come to resent myself for letting Makishima Shougo get away. I could never allow that to happen."

"Are you going to leave without saying a word to ojou-chan?"

"I am not ready to face her."

"Then at least leave her with an explanation."

"Yeah, I will."

Tsunemori,

I am sorry, I couldn't keep my promise.

I wanted to have a career where I could protect people and that's why I became a detective, but Makishima changed everything. That man will continue to kill people, and yet, the law can't judge him.

As long as I am a detective, I can't touch him. This circumstance made me aware that the law can't protect people. If that's the case then my only option is to step outside the law.

Tsunemori Akane, how you choose to live your life is right. Don't lose sight of that just because I betrayed you. I selfishly chose a different path, one that would allow me to let me do things my way. I am aware that this is a mistake, but I know I can only come to terms with my old self by taking the wrong path.

I'm not saying you should forgive me.

The next time we meet, you will be in a position to judge me. When that time comes, fulfill your duty without mercy; don't turn your back on your beliefs.

Although it was only for a short time, I feel fortunate that I was able to work under you.

Thank you.

Confucius once said that before embarking on a journey of revenge, dig two graves. For Kougami Shinya, he had every intention to do just that.

As he stepped out into the sunlight a free man, Kougami thought about the father of criminology, Jeremy Bentham, who said that crime is the result of free will. Makishima Shougo chose the life of crime when he learned that he was criminally asymptomatic. Free from the Sibyl System to judge him of his crimes, Makishima had no qualms with alluding justice and beating the system. Knowing those facts, the dark-haired man kept walking. It was time to face his nightmare. All of his fears and doubt were far from his mind. Having the freedom to choose his path without restraint was the only motivation fueling him to move forward without looking back. The road to revenge was going to be a long one, and he was going to make sure that he gets there one step at a time.

For once in a very long time, being awake made him feel alive again, and with the rays of sunlight beaming down upon him, he enjoyed every second of it.

A/N: This story was dark for many reasons. One, I wanted to show that Kougami was a more complex character than what was shown in the series. Two, it was an excuse to write about his growing attachment towards Tsunemori. I wrote the section about the overnight stay at the hot springs after listening to the radio drama. I didn't change a detail of it, except for Kougami's thoughts. Otherwise, it happened exactly how I wrote it. Overall, I enjoyed writing this story and I hope you enjoyed reading it too. Please give me a review and let me know about your thoughts on it!

Thank you for reading!