Seek and you shall find…
Aoi stood in front of Takahashi's grave. Mixed feelings churned inside his mind, both bitter and sad…
"I really don't know how I should feel right now. About you, Takahashi. When I first met you, I thought that you were sincere about finding those killers. I thought you and I have the same understanding. The understanding of protecting women from such cruel men. But it turns out that you are the one who is cruel. Your wealth is built upon the blood of all these high school girls. These girls who have bright futures ahead of them. You took it away from them. You of all people, an officer sworn to protect the public. How could you?"
"You not only betray me. You betray everybody. Even your childhood friend, Toukairin. You made a fool out of us! I can imagine what the headquarters people will react after we submit out report in a few weeks' time. You deserved to be dead; to be killed in the same manner as other two. And yet, the most ridiculous thing that I'm doing right now is finding your murderer when you are the murderer. Why? Why did you do it? Why?"
Aoi's vision became blurred as tears flowed down. He wiped them off with his fingers but they keep on coming. With each tear, the daunting words kept whispering in his mind – You were betrayed. Betrayed by someone whom you thought of as a friend. The words cut him deeply. The pain was too deep to bear. It felt as if something heavy is crushing his heart, suffocating him, making him helpless. Helpless at the stinging pain of betrayal that is pushing him down to his knees. The hollow painful question that would remind in his mind for the rest for his life – why did you do it? Nobody will know the real reason except Takahashi himself who is lying at his stone cold grave. The answers that Aoi will be asking for are buried with him forever.
A gentle hand touched his shoulder. Aoi turned and see Yoji, dressed entirely in grey. He seemed to be disturbed by Aoi's tear-stained face. From his pocket, he took out a white handkerchief and wiped the flowing tears. A purge of uncontrolled emotions, Aoi hugged Yoji and starts to shed fresh tears. Yoji, quite taken back by this sudden action, stood still for some time as he felt the pain of his friend. His hands moved up slowly, from the arms to the back as they pressed Aoi closer to him. Yoji buried his face into Aoi's silky hair, cradling him like a little child. The wind grew colder and blew the reddish bronze leaves towards the grave, covering the stone ground with each leaf. Yoji watched as the engraved name of Kazumi Takahashi becomes hidden from his sight. Within seconds, the grave seems to be nothing more than a pile of leaves among the grassy surroundings.
The hideous screeching cry is heard above them, Yoji looked up at the surrounding trees and spots a crow. It feathers smooth and ivory black. As ivory black as Takahashi's hair. The crow's dark eyes staring hard at him, piercing a personal message to him – I know who you really are. Flapping it wings, it flew away, dropping a feather as it left. The feather floated down, swinging like a boat floating among the waves. As the feather approaches the ground, the swinging pattern becomes like a grandfather clock. Ticking with each swing until it stopped the instant the feather touched the ground; its ivory black colour gleamed prophetically beneath the sun.
"Yoji?"
"Hmmm?" Yoji's eyes still on the feather.
"I have been wanting to ask you this question."
"What is it?"
"Why did you help us?"
"Help?"
"Why did you help us solve the case? You could have walk away."
"I couldn't."
"Why couldn't you? The photo with you and Ishimaru is a fake. You knew it and yet, you pretended not to."
"The victims are young girls who have fulfilling future ahead of them. Scum like Ishimaru and Koiwai took that away from them. How can I ignore that?"
"An enemy of women is an enemy of mine. Isn't it?"
"Yes."
"Then, did you know about Takahashi?"
"Besides that he was murdered the day after he cracked the case."
"He was the insider, Yoji. He was using us to clean up the mess that he made."
"Sou desu…"
"And it hurts. It hurts me because I have always thought of him as a friend. I thought that he understood what I stand for. Instead he uses me for his own benefits. I hate him, Yoji. I hate him…"
"Enough, Aoi-chan. Let it go…" Yoji hushed him, stroking the silky hair. "You can cry or hate him as much you want. After today, you have to move on."
In his office, Tokuno gave a leather briefcase to a red-haired woman dressed in crisp red suit. She took it, her eyes locked on Tokuno and passed it to one of her associates. He opened the briefcase and inspected its contents. A facial muscle twitched on the rugged detective's face.
"Please don't be offended, Mr. Tokuno. We are just following standard procedures."
"Not at all, Manx-san. Glad to be of service to the Headquarters people."
"I'm sorry about what you have found out about your friend, Takahashi. My superiors hoped that you and your team have now understood their decisions."
"Then, what about Takahashi's murderer?"
"It never happened, Detective Tokuno."
"Nani?" He moved forward. His jaw clenched.
:"The whole issue never happened. Is that understood?" Her voice was cold and icy.
Tokuno parted his lips to protest but paused and closed. His lips pressed tightly, forcing himself to put on a mask of submission. He nodded his head like a controlled puppet.
Later, at the rooftop, Tokuno look up at the clouds drifting by the sea blue background. Whitish horizontal lines draw out the various sections of the blue, blending with the flying specks riding along beside it. Tokuno looked down at the tiny rectangles and squares below. Colourful drops trickling down the ever-winding gray pipes. His arms leaned against the metal fence. Wisps of silver hair brushed against the deepened wrinkled lines of the rugged skin. The aged eyes have seen too many things that the public civilians will never witness in their entire lifetime. 20 years had taught him how to deal with human beings. Human beings are very fascinating creatures that ever existed on the face of the earth. The mystery of how they think and work. Despite all the science technologies that man has created, nobody is able to predict how the humans would become in the end. How a sweet and innocent child could become a sinful adult. No matter how much protection the parents can give how much the parents can shield them. What the end results would be depends on the child himself. The disappointment and the pain will be great. Questions will start tearing up. Yes, he had seen that cycle repeating itself again and again. And many times the 'victim' is the 'villain' himself. Many times, the 'villain' always questioned himself why does he do it? Why? Why? Why? Greed? Lust? Sloth? Glutton? Hatred? Revenge? There could be a lavish variety of reasons but which one is the right one? Zero. There is never a right reason for a crime.
The mysterious thing about crime is how attracting it is. How delicious it is once it gets onto the tip of your tongue. A bit more, you say. A little bit more won't do a harm. Before you knew it, it wraps around you, seduces you further into it. Your body, mind and soul sink into it. But it doesn't matter since you feel the comforting warmth of it. The exotic smell fills your nostrils and the soft warmth touching your skin. It takes away all reasons and senses from you. Morals are like fragile pebbles easily crushed into dust. The dust of righteous gets blown away. Thank the stars that the kids have not fallen into that state.
Kazumi Takahashi. Who would have thought that he would end up like this? He has a future ahead of him. Everything is going smoothly for him. Takahashi is the last man on earth that would ever do a thing like that. It seems so unbelievable. So unreal. A nightmare that becomes into reality. The whole thing seems that it has been staged. Why are the headquarters people so keen on burying the case? That red lady should have seen the photo by now. That mysterious man, Yoji. Who is he? Aoi seems to have a certain crush on him. It's not like he is against homosexuality. It's not his cup of tea. Yes, Yoji holds all the answer to everything. The loose ends of the damn thing. Recently, the man has been hiding really low. What is his connection? Maybe, that will catch that red haired's attention. Maybe, Toukairin is right. Maybe, there is a mastermind. The mastermind who has planted the seeds of confusion and diversions to draw them away from him. Like the big bad wolf that tricked Red Riding Hood away from her grandmother's house. The death of the bar-girl who tipped Aoi some information is another mystery. There was no identification for her. Besides having her head blown off, the skin of her fingertips and toes are being peeled off. It can't be the same murderer of Takahashi. It can't be Takahashi either. Then, who did it?
Yes, who did it? Who killed that girl?
Second, who is Yoji? How does he link to all of this?
Yes, that every vital question.
How does 'Yoji' link to all of this mess?
Tokuno took out a tape recorder and a photo from his pocket and pressed the play button.
"Let me tell you something before I dumped you in hell, any enemy of women is an enemy of mine."
"Whoever you are, 'Yoji'. You are the key." He placed his finger on the image of Yoji.
The handphone vibrated in his pocket, Tokuno answered it. The aged eyes widen.
Yoji sat opposite to Aoi in a red leathered seat of a café. The pearl coloured cups held the amber liquid, releasing its refreshing fragrance on them. The raindrops patterned themselves into the glass panel. The water traveled down to the ground where it washes away the filth. The filth of this city. Yoji and Aoi remained silent, watching the clouds massed overhead the straight line of the tall buildings, stubbornly not bulging an inch, dark and persistent. Thunder boomed and lightening flashed its glory from time to time.
"The gods are crying," murmured Aoi, "crying for us."
Yoji smirked. "There are no such things as gods, Aoi-chan." Taking a deep slip of the amber liquid. "They never existed."
"Is that what you believe in, Yoji?"
"What do you believe in?"
"That we are created by them and shaped into their living image, to enjoy the things that they have created. However, we become dirty with sin and this sin separated us from them. The rain is their tears of hope that we might repent and return to them. The obstacles are that we are too chained by guilt to believe in ourselves that we can start afresh. The tears of the gods can washed the dirt of earth but not the sin of men."
"So, what is this 'sin'?"
"'Sin?"
"Define sin. The dictionary defines 'sin' as the breaking of religious or moral law. 'Sin' parts mortals from gods. Does 'Sin' exist? Maybe 'sin' is not 'sin'. It's something that the gods created to control mortals to obey them. To fear them. To worship them. To make mortals believe that the gods are holy but they are just as 'sinful' as we are. Because we choose not to believe in them, they punish us by taking our loved ones, twist and turn our lives as they see fit."
"Maybe…"
"Rain is not the tears of the gods. It's simply caused by the scientific explanation of the water cycle."
"Yoji…"
"There are no gods. Just us human beings trying to live each day with each breath that we have." The bitterness sizzled with inner rage.
"Yoji, it's enough." Aoi took his hand. "You are losing control of yourself." His eyes pleaded into the dark eyes. The unfathomable secrets that they held for so long, waiting to unlocked and released. The inner conflicts and pains that he had been keeping so hard. The burden had become too great to be carried upon his shoulders. Somehow, Aoi will have to find a way to get through him.
Yoji looked at the white hand upon his. It seems strangely comforting that one can find companionship with the kind of people that you least expectedly from. Aoi could be considered as those sensitive-new-age-man but he is certain serious when he wants to be.
"I'm sorry, Aoi-chan. Guess that I was carried away." He tried to smile.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Aoi could see Yoji biting on his lips with hesitation.
Clearing his throat, "Remember when I said that I wouldn't go to the police because it will get messy." Yoji tried to keep his face straight. "There are some things about me that you wouldn't like to know. It's very complicated. And I wouldn't want you to be drag into this."
"And yet, you are the one to end this."
"That's the thing. If I talk, it's happy ending for you but it's not for me."
"If you tell us, we could help you."
"It's not that simple like you see those cop series on TV."
"If you don't let us help you, you will continue to remain like this. You can't be living like this. It's a living hell."
"I'm already in hell. That's the only thing I believe in. And you couldn't be in this."
"As your friend…"
"Friend?" Yoji stared at him. Aoi's face was solemn. For brief seconds, Yoji thought that he could see the man beneath the feminine layer.
"Yes, friend. And friends always help with each other."
Yoji grinned. "Friend. That's something I haven't heard for a long time." He placed his hand over Aoi's. "If you really want to know, friend, do one thing for me."
"What?"
"Keep very still. And let me…" His face went closer to Aoi, his hands gripped on his slim shoulders and slide upwards, a tingling sensation crept up on Aoi's spine.
"They seemed to be cozy in there," chattered Natsumi, rubbing her gloved hands. "Not like us, in this downpour."
"That can't be helped, Natsumi," replied Miyuki, pressing the headphones closer to her ears. "This is the best way that we can hear them clearly. Tokuno is not authorized to use the proper equipments."
"At least at some place sheltered!" Natsumi grumbled, then looked at up at a shadow above her. "Toukairin?"
Toukairin smiled as he held an umbrella and passed her plastic bag. Natsumi opened it and found 2 covered cups of hot cocoa. She smiled back and nearly kissed Toukairin while Miyuki pulled her down. Toukairin immediately squatted next to them. Natsumi pressed a quick kiss on his cheek. Miyuki sighed with annoyance.
"How is it going?" asked Toukairin, looking out with a pair of binoculars.
"So far so good. Hopefully, they can go down to what we want to hear."
Natsumi took another pair of binoculars and nearly made a loud noise when Miyuki stuffed her mouth with a piece of tissue. Toukairin kept very still, half glaring at her.
"Natsumi!" hissed Miyuki. "Do you want to blow our cover? Remember that we are not authorized to do this!"
"Gomenasai… but… Aoi placed his hand over 'Yoji'."
"Natsumi, stop acting like a high school girl."
"At least, Aoi knows when to take the first move, unlike you."
"What are you trying to imply?"
"Do something about Nakajima. One of you have to take the first move, or else your relationship is still static."
"You take care of your own and I'll take care of mine."
"And that will be when? I bet even when the pigs start to fly, you two will be still unmarried elders!"
"Excuse me, but aren't you exaggerating the whole situation? And who ask you to interfere in our relationship?"
"Your best friend need not to ask your permission in love affairs."
"Well, I think you should!"
"Focus ladies, please focus," Toukairin tried to lessen the prospect of a cat-fight. "Look on the humorous side, maybe Yoji doesn't know that Aoi is a man."
Silence.
"Maybe he does know," chirped Miyuki.
Silence.
"They are holding hands now," Toukairin slowly spoke out the words
"Okay, he doesn't know," said Natsumi.
Silence.
"He's getting closer…" squeaked Natsumi.
Silence.
The trio held their breath as they sink back into their hiding place.
"Did they…"
"Maybe…."
"It's not clear visible from here…"
"The rain is getting heavier…"
"Yeah, that could block our view…."
"But did they…"
"Nah, I don't think so…"
"But…"
"They could have…"
"Thank goodness, Yoriko is not here…"
"Yeah, otherwise it will the hot news tomorrow…"
"Does he know that Aoi…"
"Maybe he does…"
"Maybe not, it was quite imitated."
"We better not let Aoi know that we are spying on him."
"Wonder how he will react if he does."
"NATSUMI!!"
"Just kidding, serious… I'm kidding.. honest!"
"Natsumi, Toukairin, we have a problem."
"What?"
"I can't hear them anymore."
"Meaning?"
"The bug that I installed in Aoi's earrings. They are not picking up anything."
Toukairin sprang up.
"Damn it, they are gone!"
"But where could the earrings gone too? Aoi couldn't have carry them with him," asked the shocked Miyuki as the trio burst into the café, dripping wet. "They could still pick up something." The customers turned their faces onto them with a puzzling look.
Toukairin stared at the 2 cups; the amber liquid stared coldly at him. Without any reason, he poured the 2 cups over. A pair of green marble earrings swam out from one of the cups.
A handphone rang, Miyuki held it against her cheek for a few minutes.
"Tokuno said that he has spotted them. He's going after them. They are heading to a underground train station."
"Then, what the hell we are waiting for? Let's go!" snapped Natsumi, grabbing Miyuki and Toukairin's arms.
One thought weighed tightly in Toukairin's mind as he ran back into the rain.
Who is he?