Chapter Eight: Waiting…

Ran didn't do much at Sonoko's place last night. Not after what happened at the hotel before then. Still, she felt a wave of exhaustion when she arrived at her front door. Like most families that own a business, their apartment is located above her father's office on the third floor. Its location offered a decent view of the street and the surrounding neighborhood below. Although, most customers have difficulty spotting Mouri's Kogoro's private investigator office until they see it in large Kanji printings on the window panes.

Fiddling with the house keys, Ran let herself in and was greeted by a dark and empty home. She knew her father was still working on that case last night, considering that he was the one who discovered the gruesome crime scene. And being an ex-cop, Inspector Megure would undoubtedly ask him to stay and help out.

Turning on the lights, Ran glanced around the apartment to note what to do. She had already cleaned the place the day before yesterday, and she didn't feel like getting a head start on her summer vacation homework, not when she has a few weeks to do it. There was no karate club meeting until Wednesday, and her friends and family seemed to be occupied with their things. Ran glanced at the clock on the wall and saw that it read two in the afternoon.

"I guess I better start making dinner," Ran said to no one.

Changing out of the clothes Sonoko had lent her last night, Ran put on something casual and comfortable before making her way into the kitchen. With grocery shopping done the day before, all she had to do was start cooking the curry. Rolling up her sleeves, Ran swiftly prepped the chicken and the curry sauce while the rice simmered in the pot.

"There! That should do it," Ran smiled after adjusting the flavor. Turning off the stove, she washed her hands and cleared the mess off the table. "That should be good for the next three days."

Free to relax and enjoy herself, Ran brought out her basket full of yarns into the family room so that she could work on her knitting projects while watching television. She had half a year left to knit five sweaters for her friends and family before the holidays. When she saw an older classmate wearing a winter sweater with an intricate pattern back in February, Ran knew she had to learn it and knit it herself.

The television was currently playing a commercial, so Ran's mind was more focused on her project until the local news program returned. She caught words such as "murder," "scientist," and "hotel" before putting down her sweater project to listen.

"We turn now to Haido City, where authorities desperately search for the suspect in a gruesome murder last night," said the news anchor. "The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department says the killer is armed and dangerous and is responsible for two incidents. Here is Hashimoto Kaede with the details."

The television switched to a younger and prettier female report holding a microphone as she stood in front of a familiar building.

"Thank you, Watanuki-san," said the female reporter. "Last night here at Haido City Hotel, a gruesome murder took place during the middle of an unveiling ceremony. The victim is Dr. Tsujimura Kazuyoshi, the owner and head of the prestigious Tokyolite Cancer Research. He was killed during the middle of the party he and his business partners hosted. His body was discovered in his hotel suite on the top floor by his colleagues and a few party attendees. Unfortunately, he wasn't the only victim as a 13-year-old boy named Kimura Kouichi, a son of one of the VIP guests, was discovered unconscious and severely wounded at the bottom of the stairs. Paramedics have rushed him to the ICU, and he is now lying in critical condition. Police investigators believed that the boy had witnessed the killer and was shot to be silenced. His parents are anxiously waiting for his recovery—"

"Could you please turn that off?" Kogoro muttered.

Ran gasped and glanced over her shoulder to see her father at the door. She was so focused on the news that she hadn't heard him come in. "Dad! You're finally home!"

Kogoro gave her a tired look before raking his fingers through his hair. He looked as though he hadn't slept for over twenty-four hours.

Turning off the television, Ran asked, "How did it go last night?"

"Awful." He sounded as drained as his appearance. "I think I've had enough of talking to reporters and interviewing hotel staff members and party-goers for a while."

"Oh? I thought you would love the attention, Dad." Ran couldn't help but smirk.

Kogoro shot her a disparaging look. "Not when I'm sleep-deprived and hungry."

Ran raised an eyebrow. "You haven't eaten anything since the party?"

"Of course not! There were hundreds of people to interview! We've tried to comb the crime scenes for the smallest clue!"

"Luckily for you, I just finished a pot of curry. Just sit down and I'll bring us both a plate," Ran said as she got to her feet.

In truth, Kogoro felt drained and wanted nothing more than to lie down and catch up on some sleep. But hunger was gnawing away at him. Taking a whiff of Ran's cooking, he relented to the demand of his stomach and sat down to eat.

Ran waited until her father took a few spoonfuls of his curry rice. "So what happened, Dad?" she asked, digging into her curry. "It was so chaotic last night that I could only catch a few details from the news."

"Unfortunately, we didn't make any headway with the investigation," Kogoro huffed. "We had the damn building locked down and all the exits blocked, but that murdering son of a bitch still slipped through our grasp. He must have blended in with one of the guests or staff members and made off before the police arrived." He noticed the worry on Ran's face. "Oh, don't worry. The police had the media issue a warning for this man. And since you and I have no connection with the deceased, we're in no danger."

"You said it's a man. How can you be sure?"

"It had to be a man because it would have taken a lot of strength to shove a thin and serrated knife into that dead man's eyeball. Not to mention all those stab wounds and gunshots inflicted on him." Kogoro shivered at the thought of it. "And here I thought I'd seen gruesome crime scenes before back in the old days when I was still on the force, but damn! The way Dr. Tsujimura was killed was ruthless! No wonder his surviving assistant, Ishiyama-san, nearly threw up several times while we questioned him and those other men with me."

His daughter blanched at the thought. Staring down at her plate, she felt her appetite slipping away. "Dad, please! We're eating!"

"Oh, right…sorry," Kogoro said with a shrug.

Ran shook her head and did her best to finish the remainder of her plate. Hearing the graphic description of Dr. Tsujimura's demise sent a cold chill down her spine. She wondered why and how Shinichi could get excited over something like it. From the way her dad described it, the life of a detective didn't sound as romantic and glamorous as Author Conan Doyal depicted in his Sherlock Holmes series.

After finishing their dinner, Ran got up to do the dishes while Kogoro went to take a shower. By the time she was done, she found him sitting in front of the television in the living room with a beer can.

"Dad! You really shouldn't be drinking so much," she chided.

"It's only one can, and after the night and day I had, I needed this to wash away this creepy feeling I'm still getting."

Ran rolled her eyes and glanced at the television. The news was still covering the details o the murder case last night, but Kogoro had the volume on mute. He was more content just to watch than listen to that dribble right now.

"You and Megure-keibu weren't able to find any suspects?" Ran asked as she sank onto her cushion.

Kogoro shrugged and gave her a mirthless snort. "From what the inspector and I discovered during the interviews, Dr. Tsukishima and Dr. Saeki respected and appreciated him—especially the younger doctor, Dr. Tsukishima—he practically looked up to Tsujimura as a father figure because both of his parents died young. The man practically took him under his wing and provided all the necessary care and finances so that the young doctor could care for his little brother and finish his schooling. Dr. Saeki is grateful to him because he felt he was working at a dead-end job. Being a co-founder of the company elevated his status in the medical field."

"What about his other employees?" Ran asked.

"We had them come in to be interviewed; They were all grateful to Dr. Tsujimura and the other two partners for the fantastic jobs at the research company. Do you remember Ishiyama-san?"

Ran nodded. "Dr. Tsujimura's assistant?"

"Right, he practically worshipped Tsujimura and followed his orders like an obedient lapdog." He paused as he sloshed his can of beer back and forth. "But I wonder if that man is just acting to hide something…oh, well." He gave another shrug and down the remainder of his beer. "Dr. Tsujimura was a prominent and wealthy figure in the medical and science community. Not just here in Japan, but in Europe and the Americas. I supposed he was bound to have enemies who were jealous of his success."

"But it's still so horrible to kill him, Dad!" Ran protested. "His company was trying to develop new technology to save people's lives! Who would be so heartless as to kill him just because they're jealous over it?"

To her surprise, Kogoro's answer was quick and meaningful. "The same kind of heartless person who was willing to shoot a thirteen-year-old boy to hide his crime."

Ran stared at her father as though she had been slapped. At times, she'd forgotten that her father had faced hardened and heartless criminals in his youth as a cop. Worse, she'd forgotten about the other victim in this crime. That boy was only four years younger than her, yet she and Sonoko had remembered him clearly. Not too long before the terrible discovery, Ran and her best friend had bumped into Kouichi and his twin brother, Kouji, in the ballroom. Kouji had been the snippy and rude one after Sonoko made a not-so-subtle comment about his hairstyle. The two were practically at each other's throats until Kouichi stepped in and apologized. His sweet and gentle demeanor had completely disarmed Sonoko and her wrath. How could anyone as sweet and gentle as him stumble upon such a horrible crime scene and pay a terrible price? Ran couldn't get the image of Kouichi's family in such distress as he laid there unconscious and bleeding on the cold floor. Her father had ordered her to stay and help the Minamoto family until the paramedics arrived. She barely slept a wink that night while staying at Sonoko's place.

"How is Kouichi? Have you heard anything about his current state?" Ran asked.

Kogoro studied her for a bit and noted the genuine sincerity in her voice. Despite her strength and willful personality, he'd always known his daughter was a compassionate and caring person at heart.

She may have gotten her looks from Eri, but at least she has her old man's soft heart, Kogoro mused. He paused to think how to break the news to her as gently and accurately as possible.

"One of Megure-keibu's officers is still at the hospital with the boy's family. Last I've heard, he made it through the operation. He still hasn't regained consciousness yet, though."

Ran's worried expression softened a bit. She was glad that Kouichi had survived.

"Megure-keibu believed the boy was the only star witness to the crime last night. He must have gotten a good look of the murderer's face," Kogoro continued. "Why else would he chase him down and shoot him? Too bad for him that the boy still lives."

Relief washed over Ran, but then she realized something. "But what if the murderer finds out and goes after Kouichi and his family?"

"Don't worry. Megure stationed a few officers to watch over him. And I doubt the murderer will know which hospital wards he was taken to."

Ran nodded, feeling a bit relieved for the moment. She fiddled with one of her yarns still on the table. "I hope things will turn out all right in the end."

"I'm sure it will," Kogoro said. "Once that boy wakes up, he can tell the police exactly who the murderer is and point them in the right direction. For the time being, they're just going to have to keep a lookout for anyone suspicious."

Kogoro felt a yawn coming and stifled it. Tired, he got up to stretch before making his way towards his bedroom. "In any case, I'm not needed anymore, so it looks like we can stop worrying and get back to our lives."

Ran nodded in contemplation and bade him a good night's rest before picking up her knitting implements. Right, back to our lives as usual… she thought.

"Please, have a seat," said the nurse as she opened the door to an interview room. "Dr. Watsuki will be with you shortly."

Tomoko gave her a tired but appreciative smile. "Thank you, Sakurako-chan."

Nurse Sakurako returned it with a comforting smile before she left.

Kouji remained silent as he took a seat between Tomoko and Satomi—as far away from his father without starting another war. Kousei noticed this but said nothing. After what happened, he didn't want to give Kouji another reason to cause a scene. Silently, he sat down next to Satomi.

Sensing the tension, Tomoko leaned over and scolded her son with a whisper. "Kouji, please, behave yourself," she pleaded.

Kouji gave her a curt nod as he sank further down against his chair. As they waited, Kouji glanced around the room; it was plain and mostly barely with only the table and chairs they were occupying as furniture. There were no windows, just four bare white walls and a digital projector suspended from the ceiling for presentation. There was a soft ticking sound coming from behind. Kouji turned to glare at the digital clock, daring it to tick any louder. The date read Monday in the late afternoon. Kouji blinked. It had only been less than a day since his brother's surgery ended successfully. Kouichi hadn't woken despite the good news, and it felt like an eternity.

If Nii-san hadn't been hurt, we would all be in Izu right now, Kouji thought sourly. He didn't really care about the stupid trip anymore. He just wanted his brother back. More than anything, he wanted his brother to open his eyes and smile at him. He sighed as he imagined his brother waking and giving him a tired smile. Gentle and serene and sweet as fruits in the summer. He would reach out a hand to Kouji to grasp and apologize for giving everyone worries and heartaches.

Kouji snuck a glance at his father. Kousei didn't look any better than he felt. Then again, none of them were. Tomoko's eyes were tired and red from all the crying. His parents both looked dead tired, strands of their hair stuck out here and there, and bags and shadows under their eyes from lack of sleep. They were still wearing their formal suit and gown under the jackets Kanbara-keiji hand lent them to cover Kouichi's bloodstain. Kouji glanced down at his fresh clothes that were borrowed from Kyochi. He doubted Satomi would want to keep them when this is all over. She turned and whispered something to her husband, discreetly grasping his hands under the table for comfort.

Kouji huffed and leaned back against his plastic chair. It wasn't his father's fault that this had happened, but despite this, Kouji was in no mood to talk to him or forgive him for dragging the brothers into one of his business schemes. Kouji knew it was petty and selfish, but until Kouichi woke up, he wasn't talking to his dad. Let the old man know what it feels like to have both sons silent to him.

The door opened and in stepped a beautiful woman in a white coat. Her hair was luscious and dark, tied neatly in a bun. Her eyes were a pair of brilliant aqua green. Kouji blinked and realized that she looked just like Kyochi and Kimi—specifically, the other way around. Kimi would grow to look exactly like her mother in a few decades.

The woman glanced around the room, and when her eyes fell on him, she gave him a warm and kind smile. Kouji sat straight in his chair and found that he couldn't turn away. She was the woman who saved his family by giving his birth mother a stable and well-paying job—and recently, she was one of the doctors who saved Kouichi's life when he was rushed into surgery. A small smile grew on Kouji's lips. Kouji was eternally grateful to this woman for all she had done.

"Good evening," she greeted with a serene and gentle smile. "I am Dr. Kotone Watsuki." As soon as she introduced herself to Kousei and Satomi, the three concerned parents bombarded her with questions.

"Watsuki-sensei! How is he?" Tomoko asked.

"Will Kouichi-kun be all right?" said Satomi.

"How is he? How is my son?" Kousei asked.

To her credit, Dr. Watsuki remained calm and collective. She was used to being ambushed by concerned and frantic family members and knew how to deal with them.

"Kouichi is as fine as he can be right now; his breathing is a little shallow, and he has dehydrated, so we're putting him on IV and monitoring his vitals," said Dr. Watsuki calmly. Her voice was like a gentle melody, filled with tender kindness reserved for patients and their loved ones. She gestured for everyone to sit down before taking her seat opposite them. "But he's also unresponsive. The bullet tore through his left axilla area and nicked the axillary artery. Because of this, Kouichi had lost quite a bit of blood on the way here." While her expression remained calm, her tone turned a little concerned.

Kouji bit his lips to stop them from quivering. He understood enough of her medical terminology, but it was still too concerning for his liking. His chest tightened, and he turned to see that his parents were just as anxious.

Dr. Watsuki turned to Tomoko and smiled. "But thanks to some prompt medical attention, we saved him, and thanks to your blood donation, we had more than enough for the transfusion."

Dr. Watsuki opened a folder and pulled out some black and white images. Kouji realized that they were x-rays and the rest were his brother's patient profile. Setting them into a lightbox behind her, she moved to the side to allow the family to see the X-ray images more clearly.

"As you can see, this is where the bullet entered and exited—it was a clean shot, so there was no shrapnel that could lodge themselves near his lungs." the doctor said, using a ballpoint pen to indicate the area. Kouji squinted as he tried to discern the X-ray. He couldn't understand how doctors and nurses read them—they're so blurry and black and white. How could she tell if a line is a nerve or an artery?

"But it's been over twelve hours since the surgery ended," Tomoko pointed out. "This morning, you said the operation wasn't complicated, so shouldn't Kouichi be awake by now?"

"As I've just said, Kouichi remained unresponsive," Dr. Watsuki said gently. She turned to grab another x-ray and placed it in the lightbox. Kouji gulped, realizing it was showing Kouichi's skull. "My main concern is his head injury." She turned to Kouji and asked, "Kimi and Kyochi told me that your brother's head was bleeding and you found him at the bottom of the stairs, correct?"

Kouji frowned but nodded.

Alarmed, Kousei leaned forward, his hands on the table. "Doctor, are you suggesting that Kouichi's head injury is the reason for his unconsciousness?"

Dr. Watsuki sighed tiredly but continued to maintain her calm demeanor. "I am saying that Kouichi-kun may be in a coma. The X-rays indicated that he suffered from an acute traumatic head injury, most likely when he fell down the stairs and hit his head against the floor."

The parents gasped, and Kouji felt the air rushing out of his lungs. It took them a moment to comprehend the words, but immediately their expression was replaced by fear.

"A coma?" Satomi gasped, turning to Tomoko. "Oh, Tomoko-chan…"

"When do you think he will wake?" Kousei asked.

Dr. Watsuki shook her head. "It's difficult to say as every head injury is unique, and as a result, every individual will regain consciousness from a coma at a different rate. In general, the more severe the brain damage, the longer it will take for the patient to recover. Some wake up after only a few days. In cases that I've dealt with similar to Kouichi's, I've seen patients regaining consciousness after two or three weeks."

Kouji's eyes widen. Two to three weeks?! His brother was going to be comatose for almost a month?! The last fifteen hours had been nothing but torture! How could he and his parents endure another three weeks?

"Strangely enough, this is not the first time Kouichi had suffered from a head injury," said Dr. Watsuki. A mixture of curiosity and concern painted her face as she turned to his biological mother. "Isn't that right, Tomoko-chan?"

The question was rhetorical, but it had the effect of draining the colors from Tomoko's face. Satomi and Kousei exchanged confused looks before turning to Tomoko.

"Y-yes…" Tomoko whispered. She lowered her head as if in shame. "Kouichi-kun fell down a flight of stairs at Shibuya Train Station last year. The fall proved to be fatal." She gulped and pressed her shaking hands to her mouth to stop herself from trembling. It took her a moment before she could continue. "His heart stopped for a few minutes…my little Kouichi died!"

Satomi and Kousei were shocked.

"He…died?!" Satomi gasped.

Kousei frowned. "Tomoko, why haven't you told us this?"

"I…I…I didn't know!" Tomoko cried. "I didn't know about it until the doctors called me while I was at work! By the time I arrived at the hospital, they had already resuscitated him. I had never felt so afraid and relieved to see him."

The room fell into a deafening silence. Kouji suppressed the urge to gulp, lest the adults could hear him. He had never specifically told his father and stepmother how he and Kouichi met—Kouichi had practically died for a few minutes after falling down a flight of stairs! He knew how his mother felt to see Kouichi opening his eyes and breathing again. Kouji had wanted to stay when the doctors moved his brother into the recovery room, but Kouichi had insisted that he leave because he didn't wish for Tomoko to meet her long-lost son under such circumstances. Reluctantly, Kouji and his friends left, and he later found out that Kouichi had begged the doctors and nurses not to tell his mother that his brother was there, much to their confusion.

Kouji stared at Dr. Watsuki and the folder she had opened in front of her. He prayed that it didn't tell her that he had been there, too. Naturally, there would be a record of Kouichi's near-death experience from last year.

"The doctors told me that it was a miracle that Kouichi came back," Tomoko continued. "I'd thought I lost him forever. I couldn't understand why he was at that train station, but I was so glad that he came out of it okay. Yes, the incident scared us both, but we tried not to bring it up since he didn't suffer any lasting effect. I'm sorry for not telling you about it, Kousei."

Kousei wanted to ask for further details but stopped himself when he noticed Kouji glaring at him. He gave his ex-wife a nod and a reassuring smile. Even his youngest could see that his mother was upset and that this wasn't the right time and place to talk about it.

Tomoko accepted it graciously before turning to face Dr. Watsuki again. "Sensei, please…this happened last year. What does it have to do with Kouichi's condition now?"

The doctor folded her hands on the table as she held all of their gazes. "It is possible that it may affect Kouichi's recovery now." At that moment, the room turned cold.

"Oh, my…" Tomoko and Satomi gasped in unison.

Kouji gulped and suppressed the urge to jump out of his chair, grab the young doctor by her white coat, and shake her. As if sensing the rising tension, Dr. Watsuki turned back to Kouichi's profile before her and said, "It's still too early to tell, and I do not wish to give any of you cause for concern. For now, take comfort that Kouichi is safe and sound. As soon as he is hydrated, I will order a brain scan tomorrow morning before visiting hours. After that, we'll have a clearer view of his condition for the next few days."

"So we just wait?" Kouji asked. The question came out harsher than he intended.

Dr. Watsuki turned to give him an encouraging nod. Closing Kouichi's profile, she laced her fingers together and straightened herself into an elegant and dignified pose. "I know waiting is hard, but it also takes a lot of strength and endurance. And like your brother, you have a lot of inner strength, don't you, dear?"

Kouji wanted to protest, but it died in his throat.

"I assure you, we'll take good care of your brother. My Kyochi-kun is very fond of him." Turning to the adults, she added, "Why don't you all head home? Tomoko-chan, I've already had Sakurako set a sleeping quarter for you. It will be next to Kouichi's room, so you'll be close."

Tomoko smiled. "Thank you, sensei."

Kouji wanted to know more, but the doctor clarified that the discussion was over.

"Yes, Thank you for all you've done for us, sensei," Kousei said as he got up to shake her hand. "Please, contact us if there are any changes to Kouichi's condition."

"Of course," Dr. Watsuki smiled. She bowed and swiftly gathered her things before heading for the door.

They decided to stop by Kouichi's room before the Minamotos headed for home. Takuya's dad, Officer Kanbara Hiroaki, just exited the room and noticed their approach.

"Hello, Kousei-san. How did it go?"

His father shook his head tiredly. "Nothing bad, but nothing good either. We'll just have to wait and see. How's Kouichi, Hiroaki-san?"

"Sorry, but no changes. He's still unconscious." He slid the door to allow Kouji, Tomoko, and Satomi inside.

"We're going to say goodbye before we head home. Tomoko will be staying," Kousei explained. Without meaning to, he felt a yawn coming and quickly stifled it.

"Yeah, you and your family just head on home. And don't worry about Kouichi-kun, Kousei-san. Tagaki and I will be watching over him and Tomoko." They turned to see a young police officer in a grey suit smiling and waving at them from several meters away.

"Thank you, Hiroaki-san," Kousei said before following his family.

Kouichi lay ever so still in his hospital bed, surrounded by loved ones and medical equipment, keeping tabs on his vitals. Tomoko leaned over and brushed a few strands of his bangs from his closed eyes. Smiling sadly, she bent to place a kiss on his forehead, but he didn't stir from her touch. Kouji stood on the opposite side of the bed and took his twin's hand. He glanced down at his brother, hoping and wishing for the slightest sign of awareness.

"C'mon, Kouji, let's go home," Kousei said quietly from behind, but Kouji ignored him.

Kousei sighed and shook his head. Honestly, he was too tired to deal with this. "Kouji, please be reasonable. Visiting hour is over. We have to go—"

"Then you go," Kouji said in a low growl, his tone laced with ice.

Tomoko shot him a disapproving look. "Kouji!" his mother snapped.

Sensing the rising tension, Satomi quickly stepped in, hoping to diffuse the situation. She placed a hand on Kouji's shoulder and began to use her gentlest and motherly tone. "They're right, Kouji. It's getting late, and we really should get going."

Kouji squeezed his brother's hand and looked pained to leave him. At that moment, he didn't look like a thirteen-year-old teenager, but the same nine-year-old boy Satomi babysat when she first started dating Kousei. She could feel her heart cracking and wanted nothing more than to let him have his way if it would ease his suffering. Steeling herself, she maintained her gentle but firm motherly deposition.

"I don't want to leave him," Kouji said. I can't leave him…not again…" there was a quiver in his tone, almost as if he was doing all he could to suppress the urge to break into tears. "Nii-san will be alone…

"I know, sweetheart, but you know they won't allow it," Satomi said soothingly. She reached out a hand to brush a strand of his hair out of his face. "And don't worry. Kouichi-kun won't be alone. Your mother is staying here with him, and so are Kanbara-keiji and Takagi-keiji." Tomoko smiled and nodded. Kouji wanted to protest, but he noticed Satomi's and Kousei's attires and realized that underneath their coats, their formal wears are still covered in dark splotches of Kouichi's blood from last night; unlike him, they hadn't had the chance to change. Kouji hated to admit it, but his parents were right. They needed a shower, some food on their empty stomachs, and good night's rest. Though he doubted it would be a peaceful sleep.

"Yeah…okay…" Kouji said, lowering his head.

Satomi smiled as she turned to Tomoko. "We'll come back tomorrow morning right when visiting hour starts again."

Kouji turned to his birth mother. "Will you be all right on your own, Mom?"

Much to his surprise, Tomoko responded with a light laugh. She reached out and caressed Kouji's face. He smiled and wanted to melt in her arms. "Oh, don't worry about me, love. This isn't the first time I had to stay here overnight for a shift."

"But—"

"And I won't be alone. Your brother will be keeping me company, remember?"

Kouji nodded. "Okay, then…oyasumi, Mom…"

Tomoko smiled. "Oyasumi, sweetheart."

Kouji glanced down at his brother and gave his hand one last squeeze. "Good night, Nii-san."

I missed you already. Please wake up soon. He mentally added.

Author's note: Sorry for taking so long with this story. I tried to write this chapter back in December, but my life has gotten so busy. I'm up to my neck in handling two jobs, plus taking care of my family. And let's not forget my other projects, including drawing and writing my other fan fiction. With so much work and responsibility, I am having a hard time finding the inspiration to write. I feel like I want to write, but by the time I do have time, I'm just too dead tired and the words are all gone.

But don't worry, I am still continuing this story. It will be a little slow, but I'll try to find the time to write it all.

Oyasumi – good night in Japanese.

Keibu – suffix for an inspector

Keiji – suffix for officer