The next morning, it was hard for Faitsu to not feel disappointed with herself, as she had lunch in the office canteen.

She only wished she had arrived at the scene sooner. She only wished she had the courage.

She was bleeding all over. Her parents cried a bit and came over to take her to the hospital.

This wouldn't do. The strong were taking advantage of the weak. The weak men, who had no defence, nothing to oppose with. She knew this well. Hunched among the sky-rise buildings in her locale were a few trash bins, frequented the poor people who scavanged the remains of ten-thousand yen meals.

She knew she had lost. Because everyone in the ministry had never had one day of suffering.

She sat looking at the tulips outside the window, snowed over.

"You keep dozing off so early in the morning."

Faitsu stiffened, but her superintendent was already sitting on the chair opposite.

"In our department we like to start things as early as possible."

"Superintendent," she said, suddenly, "what do you think about money?"

"Money?"

"The hyaku men." She said, "The people who have too much. And give too little."

"You're talking nonsense again," he said, "it's not our business to see what the rich do with their money."

But Faitsu felt touched. "But you do agree. You do agree that they have much more than they need, right?" She slapped her hand on the table, stopping him, "Superintendent! I think we should stop these people from interfering with our investigations. We could hand out petitions and get rid of the buggers."

He was eating, but at this he let out a muffled laugh, "Right, sounds like a plan."

"What do you mean?" Faitsu was getting worked up again, "You don't think I could do it?"

"Oh, I forgot," he said, making an easy segueway, "I was going to tell you to take a look at this case. The one with the Korean woman."

"Miss Kim Je Yeon?"

"That's right," he laid down his knife and fork. A poor choice for a meal, but Rakutsu seemed perfectly unaware, "The department's threatening to pull the case off our hands if we don't have a woman on the front lines."

Now Faitsu was frowning hard. "But, why'd you ask me?"

"Isn't it obvious?" He said, flatly as ever, "You'd get things done."

Faitsu made a loud groan.

"I don't have any business with you." She said, half standing up from the table, "I'm transferring. I shouldn't even be staying here."

"That's up to you," he said, "I was only giving you the chance to clear yourself."

"Clear myself?"

"The case is in the hands of the media," he said, cutting his steak up dexterously, "of course, if you manage it well it's going to help cover up for your past mistakes."

Faitsu was silent. Rakutsu stopped eating, and looked up.

"You don't want to be known as a nutjob for the rest of your life, do you?"

"Here's the statement," offered Ruri, putting a bunch of files in her desk, "and I looked up the police reports you were talking about. There weren't many. And these are Miss Kim Je Yeon's medical reports from the last six years."

That was kind of her to do. Really. Faitsu yawned. "Thank you, senior."

"It's no problem," she stated, smiling, "I like that you're working so hard. You know, there aren't so many diligent women in the workplace."

But Faitsu was busy looking through the portfolio, "That's strange," she said, the reports had their dates mixed up. "Are you sure they were all written by team six?"

"Of course-"

A cry interrupted them. "Please, no-"

A few police sergeants entered, struggling to keep a little girl away from her mother, chained in handcuffs and being guided to the cell. Faitsu stood up. It was Kim Je Yeon.

"How'd she get here?"

"Ma'am," someone pushed, "you have to keep your hands to yourself-"

Everyone was staring hard at the scene. It was hard not to. Now and then the girl tried to grab her mother's purse or something and the police officers were beyond themselves. Kim Je-Yeon

"How'd she get in here?" One officer asked.

"She was hanging on tight."

"Listen," he scolded the kid, "stop making such a fuss. Or we'll send you back home."

"Mommy," the girl cried. It wasn't easy to empathise with a screaming child. But Faitsu understood. She felt. When she was young she hadn't wanted to leave her mother's side for even one second.

But that was due to different reasons.

At any rate, it must have been even worse seeing her mother being carried off by a bunch of strangers.

"It's no use. Listen," one of the officers nodded his head at Ruri, and one carried on,"come on now, Ma'am. It isn't good for you keep acting up like this. We don't have all day. If your daughter keeps going on we'll have to lock her up in there with you."

"Let her go," she said, eyes red-rimmed, "what has she done to you? Is she hurting you? What are you doing to my child?"

"It's procedure-"

"Procedure?" Her voice cracked, "You people- you're a bunch of monsters. You're tone-deaf. We all know you couldn't care less about procedures- you care about money."

There was a silence. Then one of the officers pushed her forwards. "Please," he said, "don't make our jobs harder."

But her words made an impression on Faitsu. Monsters? Is that what the public thought of them?

The canteen was again full of people, busy people, hopeful people. Faitsu was one of them.

"Superintendent."

He looked at her in surprise. She, after ignoring the harsh looks of her past colleagues, took to the board members' table.

"I read the reports, it's too inconsistent," she said, rapidly going through the papers, and ignoring every other look from the canteen, "-with what happened. Didn't you say she got abused multiple times? But here's what she said, 'It was so unlike him'. And then she said she didn't remember her husband's voice, which is nuts. And then-"

He interrupted her midway, "Didn't they just take the statement today?"

"That's right."

Some of the board members came in and sat at the table, giving her quick, suspicious glances.

Rakutsu looked through the statement once, all the while being greeted by fellow members. Faitsu folded her arms and stood by him.

"I heard your underlings were making trouble again?"

Faitsu looked away, hiding one side of hee face with the file. She had recently been in the papers.

"As they always do," answered Rakutsu, smiling, "they still seem to think I'm too young for them, though, which is fair."

"Nonsense." The old man wrapped his arm around him, "You, Rakutsu? The most diligent man on the team? I fear we old men are making too bad an impression on the rest-" the old man stopped, and suddenly bowed to Faitsu, "Didn't see you there, but you must forgive us. It isn't everyday we have a young fresh face."

Faitsu said it was fine. But she badly hoped she wouldn't get recognised.

"Superintendent," she tapped him quickly on the shoulder, "so what do you think about it?"

"The inconsistencies will put her at a disadvantage," he said, "but I suppose you could make a case for dementia."

"Dementia?"

"Memory loss." He said, humming a0, "I heard there was something like that in her medical reports. Convenient, don't you think? If you do this right you could easily finish it up."

"Yes, superintendent," she said. It was clear to her that the defendant could still be saved, "I will try my best."

"Try your best, by all means," Rakustu muttered, perhaps thinking something entirely different, "but get it over with."

Faitsu pulled her chair close. It was strange thinking about domestic abuse, especially abuse of that sort. It was strange asking questions about it.

"You said you were used to being scared of your husband," she said, "could you elaborate that a little?"

Kim Je Yeon remained silent.

"You'll have to say something," Faitsu mumbled, "in order to argue for self-defence."

"Where is she?"

"Who?" She lost track of her thoughts, "Your daughter?"

They were in the station.

Ruri was offering the little girl chocolates of all kinds, whilst Burrakku sat on the table, making jokes like he always had. It was hard to associate the word 'monster' with them, so who was it the woman was referring to?

"I think her family's coming to take care of her," said Faitsu, a bit curtly, "your daughter, I mean."

A pregnant pause.

"They're not family," said Je Yeon.

"Of course not." There was no use, Kim Je Yeon wouldn't be saying anything unless she was perturbed, "You killed their son."

"Even if I said otherwise, you wouldn't believe me."

"Of course I'd believe you." Faitsu claimed, readily. "That's my job."

"You're lying of course." The defendant clenched her hands- open then closed- finally straightening her neck, as if she saw right through her, "but I don't need your pity."

"You really are something else, aren't you?" Faitsu answered, tutting.

In truth, Faitsu had expected to see a mother, who would be happy to see her daughter in safe hands, or a wife, who would be regretful- neither of those expectations were fulfilled, "- but never mind, it isn't pity that's making me do these things. It's my job."

"Well-"

"You said that you stabbed him in self-defence, but," she motioned with the pen, "you stabbed him multiple times, like this. You basically castrated a dead body- it'd be hard for anyone to say it was self defence."

"I was scared- I was scared for my life. He would've gotten me first."

"-but the evidence," she leaned forwards, suggests that there wasn't a struggle, and you really just came onto him-"

The woman retreated into herself, shaking.

"You don't know."

Faitsu stopped talking.

"I woke up, every morning," she said, "and I thought- I don't want to live anymore. But I did. I lived everyday. Do you think I'd ruin it that so quickly?"

Faitsu quickly looked back at the papers, "Did you call the police before when this happened? When you were abused?"

She nodded.

"Then why," Faitsu persisted, loudly, "why didn't you just do the easy thing? Why didn't you leave?"

"Because it was harder than I thought," the woman said, voice trembling, "He wasn't a good man, I knew that- but I loved him."

Faitsu sighed inadvertently. She was sure that this part was the truth. But really, everything Miss Kim Je Yeon said might be true, if one put their mind to it. Haven't we all been subject to some form of abusive love? Why shouldn't these people call it love?

But that would mean-

"Miss Je Yeon," she said, rapidly, "you're sure that you didn't do it, right? That something went wrong in the investigation because you couldn't kill him? Because you loved him?"

"That's true-"

"But you've got no memory of it."

"I-"

She pulled up the records, "Your medical records show that you have second-degree Alzheimer's- so it's going to be really hard making your statement reliable, unless-" she stood up, "-unless, of course, we found evidence. But it's so strange! The police officers you called gave us nothing. Especially Mr. Taysuya. He's nice, but he can be really stupid-"

"Oh, yes-"

Faitsu stopped, abruptly. Then she looked at the defendant- and her frown eased, her eyes lost their turbulent gleam.

"Miss Kim Je Yeon," she said, her voice was calming, "I'll really make sure we get to the bottom of this. Really. We won't let you face jail-time unless you're guilty."

"Faitsu Nagashima is a crazy bitch."

"Tell me about it."

Rakutsu paused. He was making coffee, but the others had interrupted him.

They went on talking about Faitsu. What was it about her that ticked them off so much?

"She came in asking Tatsuya Kun about the emergency calls we had." It was Kanata, washing his hands, "Said something about uncorroborated evidence." He grinned, "Does she think we're stupid?"

"She might be trying to save that woman, Kim Je Yeon San."

That caught his attention. Rakutsu leaned back and glanced at them.

"That oba San," interrupted a young woman, "why are we talking about that psycho, anyway? She killed her own husband so she could get his insurance money. A total waste of space."

"It's just like her," officer Kanata laughed, "no wonder. She always goes after the crazy ones. Didn't something similiar happen to Faitsu Chan?"

"What do you mean?"

"Please tell us, Kanata San."

"Her father was a heavy drinker- or some such thing. He beat the tar out of them- but really, I can't blame him. Having to take care of a daughter like that will turn anyone crazy."

That was unexpected. The officer had crazy emotional associations with the case.

"So you could say she's trying to make things right, somehow."
-

"Did you look over the subpeona issued this morning?"

"What subpeona-" Faitsu paused, and groaned, "Did they already sue Ji Yeon San in court, or something? Don't they know anything about presumption of innocence?"

Rakutsu stopped in front of her desk, folding his arms, "But I'm guessing you'll take care of it."

"What?"

"Presumption of innocence."

She quickly hid her hiccup. "What are you talking about, superintendent? Of course I'll try my best," she locked her fists as if she was going to punch someone, "or you can stop calling me Faitsu."

"What is this nonsense."

"It's a joke, superintendent."

"And do you feel like you can afford to joke around like this? About a criminal?"

"My goodness, sorry," she opened up the computer, "I was only doing it like you told me to."

"Told you to?"

"Faitsu, finish this up quickly!" She mimicked his voice just right, "And then you told me that Je Yeon already had memory issues. So of course I'd try to help her."

"Oh really," he said, she was acting like a total child, "you must be kidding me."

"Wait, what did I do?"

"You haven't done anything yet," he said, "and yet I wouldn't put it past you. Projecting your personal feelings onto a case-"

"Superintendent," she said, she had a feeling something was very wrong, "Je Yeon San is still a mother, she'll still have to take care of her child."

"It's not our business to see whether a criminal is a mother or not," he returned, "unless, of course, it's for show."

"You know very well that Je Yeon San was hit almost everyday by her husband," her voice wavered, it had threatened to do so from the start of the start of their conversation, "is it bad to wish she might get the best out of it as she can?"

"An officer must not make a distinction towards a civilian because of age, colour, sex, family status-" he read out from memory, "this does not bear thinking, and it isn't even something I should be reminding you of."

"Superintendent-"

"Focus on getting the admission out of her as soon as you can," he picked up the files from her desk, "don't waste your time on these things. At the end of the day, a criminal is a criminal."

Faitsu's whisper was small, "I wonder what you'd say if you knew."

"Knew what?"

"Let's say someone got accused wrongfully of a crime they didn't commit," she cocked her face and looked at him, thoughtfully, "I wonder what you'd call that in rulebook terns. 'Willful discrimination'?"

He sighed, "I wonder what you're talking about-"

Faitsu quickly looked for her glasses. "I found these," she said, pulling a couple of manila files from her desktop, and showing him, "police reports from team six. Their department got a number of calls from Kim Je Yeon San- but they only showed up for two of them, and didn't write a proper statement. They- they might have messed things up."

"Is that all the proof you have?"

"Proof? I don't have any proof," her voice was eerily calm, "But I'll make sure to find some if you need it."

Rakutsu's eyes hardened. "So you feel like in order to save one person you should risk the lives of others."

"I never said that. But if you want to put it that way, sure."

Rakutsu leaned back. He really didn't want to have to do this.

"Or I could just choose to ignore blackmail," he said, he was smiling bitterly, "that's never too hard, anyway." There was a pause, and he scoffed, "You can consider yourself free from the case."

"What?"

"I can't have a risk-taker on a media-mediated case."

Faitsu sat still, hardly breathing, "You can't do that."

"I'm pretty sure Ruri San would be happy to take it from here."

"No," she said, her voice was breaking- and she thought of the child, "please, Superintendent, you have to understand-"

"Stop talking nonsense," he muttered, "you don't even know what's good for you. Let alone the department."

"You don't mean that-"

It was hard to believe what she'd heard. But then again-

The department's threatening to pull the case off our hands if we don't have a woman on the front lines.

It wasn't about her, or Kim Je Yeon. It was all about the department, the reputation of the department.

"You're really not human," she said, almost softly, "if you continue what you people are doing, superintendent."

"We don't have to be," he said, equally shameless, "you really like putting human beings on a pedestal, don't you? What else do you think humans have been doing for the last hundred years?"

Humans are imperfect.

"You need to see this."

Burrakku had called her in from the training room when she was just beginning to get started.

"What, officer?"

"We developed the film we got from Shinden bridge," Burrakku spoke quickly, "Ruri San and I, we thought you'd recognise Daisuke's underlings."

Faitsu pursed her lips, "Did superintendent ask you to do this for me?"

"No, of course not," he brusquely brushed away the contents of his desk, and turned on the computer, "he doesn't really know about it."

"What?" She stood straight and stiff in the small cubicle, it was hard to discern anything, "Why not?"

"Why do you think." He only pulled up the pictures, "There. Can you see it?"

"I can see."

"Want me to zoom in?"

She nodded. Discernible in the low light of the casino were a few smooth Blackjack tables, long stripper poles and waiters balancing enormous glasses of champagne.

"So much activity," she said, but she was still confused, "I guess they cleared up quickly didn't they?"

"That's not all," he clicked again, "what do you see now?"

The minister, in one of the private rooms. Naked and doubled over in a prostrate position, presumably looming over something. It was hard to see.

Faitsu felt bile rising up her throat, "No."

"What?

"I don't want to see anymore."

"Figures," Burrakku breathed out a small sigh, "at any rate- I'm sorry, but you had to know."

"Are any of his lackeys in there?"

"No, but I'm guessing some are outside for security. And that's where you come in- their faces are downright blurry- can you recognise anyone here?"

"The fat guy."

He scrolled down, "This one?"

"Yes," Faitsu said, "I think I've seen him before. He hung around his boss when he was still on trial."

"The trail in '73?"

"Yes, and his assets ballooned from there," she knealed down beside him and pointed out the rest, "That's Daichi Nakamura, he owns a golf club now- Aito, his supplier. One of his apartment complexes burnt down three years ago and killed seventy-three people- he'd refused to give insurance, that's how I know him. The others are all mediocre drug runners. And chipmunk-face. Chipmunk-face gets caught and bailed all the time out of jail. Tatsuya Kun had the privilege of giving him an ass-kicking. He's been with them long so I gather he's loyal."

"Woah," Burrakku said, he leaned back, "you know quite a lot about them."

"I'm supposed to." She said, rather softly, "It's my job."

"Don't let Rakutsu San hear you say that."

Her hand almost slipped from the table, before she looked at him, "Why not?"

"You'll guess soon enough." He said, in a sing-song voice, "You saw him at the board members' table, didn't you?"

"Yeah, why?"

"What do you think is his relationship with the higher-ups?"

"I heard your underlings were making trouble again?"

"Nonsense. You, Rakutsu? The most diligent man on the team?"

"They seem to really care about him," she said, "which is odd, considering he doesn't do anything."

"Exactly."

Faitsu looked at him.

"He never does anything," Burrakku continued, slowly, "they're never on his case-"

"What do you mean?"

"Look, all I know is... he wants you to be like him."

Faitsu took a deep breath, "That'll never happen."

"He's the prince of Nishimura Group," Burrakku continued, but he was busy looking at the screen, "a huge conglomerate- let's just say the superiors are already trying to make him happy- and he returns the affection with equal fervour."

"Yeah?" Faitsu was tired of hearing these things from people, "And what difference does it make, anyway? It isn't like he's a bad person-"

"His father could buy our police station two times over," Burrakku interrupted, rather slowly, "and turn its officers into cocktail waitresses," he gave her a teasing look, "including you."

"Oh, no," Faitsu said, immediately, "yeah, he wouldn't buy me."

"Yeah?" Burrakku turned around, smiling bitterly, "that's what they all say."

"Where is she? Where is my son's murderer?"

"Sir-"

"You need permission-"

"I don't give a damn about permission," the district attorney then made a show of looking about the departmental office, "is this the police station where my late son's death will be avenged? Is it?"

Faitsu came out. She was the only one who'd declined to have lunch with the team.

His secretary cupped his hand and coughed, nudging the attorney, "This is the woman, sir."

"What the hell does she want?"

"She declined our request to see Kim Je-Yeon San-" the secretary proceeded, "what she wants is still a matter of mystery to us, sir."

Faitsu noticed the group of people huddled before her.

"What do you want?" She folded her arms, "Do you want to file a report? Or-" She saw the tattooed bodyguards, "-are you the perpetrators."

The secretary's eyes bulged.

"How dare you talk like that to Yoshimura San?" He said, pointing his finger at her, "You! Do you have any idea who he is?"

"Oh, yes." She said, raising an eyebrow. "I know. But I treat all people the same. Dirt is dirt no matter where it comes from."

The secretary's mouth opened and closed.

"Leave it to me," Yoshimura said, before turning to Faitsu, "young lady, you've caused us great trouble. If you had any notion of self-survival, you'd finish your job quietly."

Faitsu laughed like a madman. "Finish my job quietly?" She said.

"And yes," he said, waving his hand about, "Kim Je-Yeon- tell Kim Je-Yeon San that if she knows what's best for her daughter she'll learn to keep quiet."

"Why?" Faitsu challenged, "It's not like her daughter's going to disappear."

"You may look me up and down with that eye of yours," Yoshimura San brushed up the top of his coat, "but believe me when I say I've appealed to keep custody of the child."

"Appealed?" She said, "Or you could've just used your influence as district attorney."

Yoshimura smiled gently, "So you understand after all. If you don't tread dangerous waters from now on," he looked around at his bodyguards, "that is, if you remain careful, you can exchange your public-pandering for a life of safety."

At that moment the superintendent's voice broke through the room, "It isn't pandering."

Rakutsu's mouth was set when he entered, "She's just doing her job here, that's all. Unlike the rest of you people."

"Funny of you to be saying this, Rakutsu San," the attorney smiled again, "it makes me laugh even thinking about it."

Rakutsu sighed.

"If you don't have anything to do besides threaten a police officer, I'd suggest you leave. Besides-" he glanced deeply at Faitsu, "these things don't work on her. Money, power, or influence- she isn't afraid of either of those things."

"You're one to talk," said the elder. He passed the other slowly, and his mouth closed in a grimace.

"The world is full of hypocrites."

Then he went off, leaving Rakutsu to deal with the situation.

Yet Faitsu grew more anxious. She hadn't expected the superintendent to stand up for her like that. That was kind of him.

"He must really think he's something," Faitsu scoffed, presently.

Rakutsu looked at her, his face was now uncharacteristically taut, "-is everything alright?"

"Oh," she said, she gripped her file, "yeah, it wasn't anything much, but-"

"I wasn't asking about you," he said, pointing at the file under her arm, "you still haven't written your case report."

"About that-" she faltered, "I asked Burrakku San to do it for me."

"You shouldn't pass off your work like that-" he said, "you know that you need to be more responsible, right?"

"I'm doing what I can," she said, it wasn't fair, everyone was coming after her today, "I thought I'd let you know- the district attorney colluded with the investigators from team six, and messed up the evidence-"

"Spilt water won't return to the tray," he interrupted, "it's about time you focused on other things."

What other things? What other things should she be focusing on? Faitsu pursed her lips, "You misunderstand me."

"I should hope so. I would like to be misunderstanding these things." There was a weariness in his voice, which she didn't like, "Tell me, Faitsu San, do you do these things to give yourself a pat on the back?"

Faitsu closed her mouth. She didn't want to make a scene.

"Superintendent," she said, stiffly, "I- I wanted you to look over something- but I thought I'd wait till you had lunch-"

"What are you talking about?"

She took out the envelope from her manila file, and gave it to him.

"You said you couldn't have me leading this case unless I did exactly what you want-" as she continued her voice became quieter, "which is strange, because, Yoshimura San said that too."

"Well," he said, frowning, "it's different in my case. I wanted you to be more careful."

"Careful?" She tried, "I'm pretty bad at being careful. You'll have to find someone else to do that."

Rakutsu opened the envelop quickly. Then he folded it back in half and put it in in his pocket.

"You seem to have a habit of giving things up pretty easily."

"I'm not giving up." Faitsu said, like it was a promise, "I'm negotiating."

"You must be crazy if you think you can prove Ji-Yeon innocent."

"And you can sign the resignation letter over there if I don't," she raised her grey eyes to her perplexed ones, "-either way, it's a great offer. You can finally get rid of me."

"What did he say?"

"He said that- he'll try to get custody of your daughter."

Ji-Yeon put her hand on her chest, "Faitsu San," she said, "I was wondering whether we could make a settlement."

"It's nice that you're thinking about it," Faitsu said, slowly. "but I don't think we should give up too easily. You've been mistreated, right? And those punks shouldn't have the satisfaction of silencing you-"

"I-"

She rubbed her palm against her forehead.

"And even if you're worrying about your daughter- I don't think we should be too scared," in her impassioned state Faitsu also held the 'criminal's' hand, "Ji-Yeon San, you've been hurt pretty badly by those people, it's about time we let things out."

"Oh, yes," she looked at her lap, "Yes, you're right."

"I'm sure you'll get your daughter back."

The police were making a fuss outside their department.

Leo ran alongside Burrakku, "What happened?"

"Kim Je-Yeon's daughter was taken off to the Maldives this morning," he said, handing some file over to Ruri, "their plane crashed on the east coast."

Reporters arrived in flocks to see the scene.

"Kim Je-Yeon San!" Someone said, "Stop her."

The television screen in their office lit up.

"-A thirty-two year old woman has been threatening suicide this morning at the investigation bereau of the National Police Agency- police say they are awaiting developments."

The news anchor turned to her partner.

"What do you think happened to make someone act like that?"

The terrace was taped off. The police had trouble stopping the newsmakers from entering.

"We're trying to do our best-

Faitsu slinked in amongst the passersby.

"Who are those people?"

"Kim Je-Yeon San!"

"Don't come closer!" She screamed, "Don't come any closer. Or I'll jump off."

"If you tell us what happened," Tatsuya said, reaching out his hand, "we might be able to do something."

The woman stepped back.

"Please," he said, beads of sweat clung to his forehead, they had been at it for a while, "Ji-Yeon San. Come down. We can talk about this."

"I don't want to," she cried, "do you think I don't understand how this works?"

"Ji-Yeon San," Faitsu said, getting closer out of instinct, "they're here to help you. If you come down now and tell us what you need-"

"I don't need anything!" She squeezed her hands tight against the railing, "Do you think I have any reason to live anymore?" She paused, her face was puffed up with restrained tears, "I'm just a criminal."

"You're not a criminal." Faitsu slowly held out her hand, "I believe you, okay? I don't think you're a criminal. And if you can just wait a bit longer-"

"How much longer? How much longer should I wait?"

"We'll figure something out," Faitsu said, but the trembling in her voice betrayed her, "please."

Kim Ji-Yeon looked at her for a second, eyes hollow and downbeat.

Then she let go of the railing.

"Ji-Yeon San!"

Faitsu looked over the balcony. Everything was moving slowly. Kim Ji-Yeon met her gaze and her eyes stayed there, until the resounding thud of her body crashing into the pavement sounded.

It was louder than it was supposed to be

the sound that she made.

Some women in the crowd soon began screaming, after seeing the dead body with her eyes still open.

"She did it!"

"Oh, god, no."

"Call one-one-nine!"

It was strange. Kim Ji-Yeon still had her eyes half open when her head was being cracked open against the ground.

Faitsu couldn't take her gaze away from the sight.

"I guess you're happy."

Faitsu was eating lunch again. When her ex-colleague dropped by she wasn't in the mood to speak to him.

"What, nothing?" Kanata smiled, breaking up a pair of chopsticks, "Too bad. I thought you'd feel some way- after all, you're the reason that woman killed herself."

Faitsu continued to eat quietly.

"Does it bother you?" He said, "That you couldn't get us in trouble?"

"With all due respect, Kanata San," she said, gritting her teeth with difficulty, "if you'd gotten in trouble you'd very well deserve it. Only- something got in the way."

"I'm sure it did." He leaned back in his chair, "The journalists who came in- they all wanted to question us on 'obstruction of justice'- someone had tipped them off," he looked at her, "they let us off, though. Some people have common sense."

"Yeah," she muttered, "not like you cost a woman her life or anything."

"I guess it's hard for you to accept the truth," he said, bringing his hands together and lowering his voice with a hint of sympathy, "Kim Ji-Yeon, she would've been fine if you didn't tell her what to do." He put a hand on her shoulder, "Faitsu Chan. Stop bringing yourself in other people's troubles, will you? You're only going to make things worse."

"I wouldn't have to make things worse if you did your job properly," Faitsu said, it was glaringly obvious to her that team six was still the same, self-serving unit she was used to, "you took a bribe from the district attorney, didn't you?"

"Faitsu Chan," he sighed, looking away, "you shouldn't be bothered by these things. Do you know why we stood you up on the team?"

Faitsu was silent.

"It wasn't because you're incompetent, or that you didn't listen," he said, "it's because you're bad luck, Faitsu Chan. Everyone you care for gets fucked up in some way. That's why no one wants to work with you."

Faitsu stood up. "I don't care about that stuff anyway." She said, "I don't like working with people, so it hardly matters to me."

"What happened?"

Faitsu's desk was chillingly empty. All her belongings and files and police reports- and handwritten notes- gone.

"She just up and left." Burrakku said, chewing popcorn in his desk- almost casually, "No note- nothing. It's better this way."

"Why should it be?" Rakutsu said, voice low. "Left in a jiffy, did she? I'm assuming you did nothing to stop her."

"Oh, come on. You're not going after her are you?"

"And why wouldn't I? Burrakku San- we're a team. A team. It should've been you."

"We were a team before her and it'll be no different when she's gone-" he held out his hand, "-popcorn?"

"Shut your trap." He said, taking off his jacket and throwing it in a chair, "Leo San, I'll be back before you know it. Did she take the elevator?"

"Yeah," it was Ruri, she was biting her lips swollen, "yes she did."

"At least someone understands."

"Superintendent-"

He walked into the elevator panting, as if he had been running.

When he saw Faitsu he straightened up and acted as if nothing happened.

"You still haven't written that case report." He offered, pressing one of the panel buttons.

"What?" She said. She was holding a dried-up carboard box, which she gripped ever so tightly, "Superintendent. I'm leaving."

"Leaving on your own terms, are you?" He said.

After a small pause he retrieved the resignation letter from his jeans' pocket, "I'm telling you that won't go well with the board."

"Nonsense." She snapped, "You knew my terms. You know why I'm leaving."

"Leaving a job is never easy," he said, "board members would rather spend the rest of their lives working to death than give up their badge- and you wonder why I'm not letting you go easy."

"No, it won't be easy for me," she looked at the resignation letter sitting idly over her heap of commodities, "do you know how hard it's been for me to write this?"

"Hard? Didn't you just pick up your pen first day on the job?"

He stopped. The elevator doors had slid open. He leant closer to Faitsu.

"I heard what happened," he whispered, "listen, you should never let what others say about you determine who you are. That's nothing but a sign of low self-confidence."

"I don't think you understand," she spoke up, "it's not my first day."

"What do you mean?"

"It's happened before. These things-" she looked away from him, "-what you saw today- these things- they always seem to chase me."

The elevator doors slid open. Rakutsu was too busy to notice.

"Listen," he said, more urgently, "Kim Ji-Yeon, or that little girl- it isn't something we could've helped-"

"I know, I'm not saying that. I'm not saying that it's my fault- but I- really want to stop being doing this, I really wish I could stop it."

Faitsu stopped, and took a gasp of breath. Then she turned to him, perfectly controlled.

"As you can see," she began, eyes cold, calculating, "I don't want to leave this job. But I can't even stop people from getting killed. I can't stop these things from happening." She stopped, but her face also crumpled. It was too late.

She hid her face in his shoulder.

"It happened again- I really wanted to help this time," she sobbed, "but I couldn't- I'm really tired. I've tried so much- but it's- it's really taking a hold on me."

She shook so hard that Rakutsu had to get a proper hold of her. He made sure to hug her as briefly as possible, but the embrace made her feel protected, grounded.

"I didn't know you felt that way."

"Superintendent-"

Rakutsu lifted his hands and patted her back.

"Be sensible," he said, almost softly, "it's just like you to think of these things."

You're only one person. Do you think you can change the world on your own?