"Seventeen year old boy, living at home, good grades, never got in any trouble... I guess we can eliminate the possibility that he made friends with the wrong people and had to pay for that." Valens tells his partner as they are walking up to the house Ken's parents live in now.
"Wouldn't say that." Rush counters as she rings the doorbell. "After all, it's always the quiet ones, isn't it?"
The door opens, revealing an elderly woman. Elderly yes, but looking older than she most likely is. Her once rich brown hair is dusted by the gray hairs that have begun to grow, worry lines a lot more prominent on her face than laugh lines.
"How may I help you?" she asks politely.
"We're sorry to show up unannounced like this, my name is Detective Rush and this is Detective Valens. Are you Ken Ichijouji's mother? We would like to ask you some questions regarding your son..."
=#=#=
"So it.. wasn't suicide?" Mrs. Ichijouji asks, first signs of tears visible in her eyes by now.
"We're not sure about that yet, but it is possible that it wasn't." Rush says.
Valens pulls out some files and adds "There are no records that indicate you ever requested further investigation of his case. Why? Did you believe it was suicide from the start?"
"I... I don't know. He was always such a nice boy. So kindhearted. But... sensitive. I'm not saying he was weak, because he was not, but.. sometimes he had to rely on his friends to keep him from sinking too deep into his own world and thoughts..."
"Suicidal thoughts?" Valens raises an eyebrow.
"They were his thoughts, so I wouldn't know... I always wished I did, but it was the way he was, and I loved my little boy the way he was. You understand what I am talking about?" she looks up at the detectives hopefully.
Ten years before, in the hallway of the Ichijoujis' apartment.
"I'll be going now, mama." Ken Ichijouji calls out to his mother, throwing on his jacket.
Mrs. Ichijouji comes out into the hallway with a smile to see her son off. "Sure, honey, but... don't be out too late by yourself, alright?" her smile gives way to a worried frown.
With a pained expression, Ken turns his head away "I know. I... wouldn't."
"Ken..." she places her hands on the boy's shoulders "You are alright, yes?"
After swallowing, he faces the woman with a clearly forced smile "Of course I am. Don't worry about me." He slithers out of her grasp to open the door. "See you tomorrow, mama." he turns to smile at her before disappearing through the door, leaving his sorrowful mother behind.
"He went to meet his friends at the ice cream parlor after that. They always met there, you see. And.. I never saw my little boy again..." Mrs. Ichijouji starts to cry.
"Uhm, I'm sorry but we have to ask this; do you know of anyone who would have done that to your son?" the male detective cautiously asks the sobbing woman.
"No..." she sniffs "But, like I said, it wasn't me he told about his problems. If anybody knows, it would be his friends. Wait a minute, I can write you a list with their names..."
=#=#=