Kan-chan misses you.
Yamato leaned back on his chair, letting his eyes slip shut and interlocking his fingers pensively. He sighed. It was true that he was recovering. It was also true that he was going back to work tomorrow. Yet nothing was the same. No longer could he compete with Koumei to solve a case first—for disobeying orders, he had been demoted to an inspector in a local force. He owed Koumei too much. No longer would his partner be Yui, instead, a male rookie would take her place. Yui's abrupt resignation gnawed at him. While he knew exactly where Koumei was, he had no inkling where Yui had gone; and no one else seemed to know either.
In that one year, everything had changed. It was not worth it. Yes, he greatly admired Kai senpai. He was eager to uncover the truth behind his death and bring the murderer to justice. But this was a wild goose chase with too high a cost. His injuries were one thing, implicating Koumei and losing Yui was another. If he had known that this was the cost, he would rather maintain the status quo. He needed to stop living in the past.
Recovery and going back to the force was a chance for his to start afresh, he told himself. Getting a rookie partner wasn't a bad thing, he would be doing good by training the new blood of the force. In addition, the persistent rumours that he and Yui were together, never mind that they'd tried to clarify many times, would die down. Who was he trying to kid.
As much as the rookie might be outstanding, he could not replace Yui. She was more than a partner, much much more. Despite his outward show of annoyance whenever the other officers gossiped behind his back, he'd rather the rumours persist. He was a wuss. For how fearless he was on the surface, he never had the courage to confess. It wasn't even a recent thing, he'd had a crush on her for years. To label it a crush would be inaccurate, it was more intense than that, and it definitely wasn't fleeting.
He had a good idea that his feelings were reciprocated, not a recent occurrence either, and she would fall willingly into his arms if he did as much as to open his mouth. But despite that, he didn't. He had always given himself reasons and excuses: They were too busy with the current case. It was not appropriate for colleagues to be romantically involved. Their friendship and working relationship would be ruined forever if she didn't feel the same. There was always time.
There was always time, or so he thought. He had run out of time. She had vanished. He would never find her.
"Yui, where are you? Kan-chan misses you."