Amai Shi
Chapter 5: Requiem of Torment
Written By AnimayWriteY0
[The Next day at Division 3 Kinki Prefecture Police Department]
Despite a crucial find coming from the mother of Ai, it still doesn't offer any significant discovery to bring any form of leads going forward to Ai's suicide case file. The Division 3 forces had done so much to figure out the cracks and holes that made this vague file so cryptic which may hold some unanswered questions and possibilities to be disclosed.
Others in the team thought it's just impossible to decrypt. While some truly felt as if they aren't as efficient in their work compared to the 5th Division. Sanada however isn't backing down on this one, no way, since there haven't been any other police reports that's important enough for them to take interest since their neighboring areas have the least number of criminal activities. It's also the closest to Sanada's home. Arashiyama, Kyoto's most visited tourist attraction location for the world to visit. Many tourists who traveled from other countries want to experience it's beautiful lands, temples, and exquisite dining. So, it made sense for the News media to keep any type of horrific crimes under the rug so people would be interested in coming without the fear of dangerous crimes.
So, the group did whatever they have available to handle this report the best way they know how. Yakimori doing some research about anyone who could be close to Ai Fujisawa, Sanada and Kei looking into the case reports once more to see if there's anything they can find or missed.
"So far all we got are a bunch of ID's, pictures of the mortuary, Ai's note. "Kei said while tapping her cheeks repeatably from her index finger thinking of any possible outcomes from this. "There's got to be something up about this girl..." Sanada's frustration becomes apparent, but he knows not to show such an improper behavior within his workplace especially co-workers who outrank him. "If only you and the others had that change to investigate that suicide scene…" Sanada thought knowing full well that the 5th Division may have been holding out crucial evidence without incorporating it to Ai's supposed suicide debacle.
"Shibumi San...may I ask you a question?" The glasses wearing computer specialist asked with curiosity that has been building up ever since she starts to know Sanada from his hard work and determination to find the truth. "Hm? What is it Wume San?" His usual stern look shown to be even more intimidating than ever, had his eyes on the computer specialist. "What exactly drew you to conspire so much effort to doing this task despite it being nearly impossible to crack? It's so rare to have someone in our force to go out of your way push on and never stop." She asked intently to try and understand his actions.
Sanada now left in deep thought of having been asked that interesting question. "I really don't know how to answer that question Ms. Wume. However, I do share a strong sense of care for those I feel needed closure...Those who lost their loved ones so much that it completely impacts my own..." He looks down submersing himself back at "that" time. The time where his whole life changed at such a young age. The one person he missed so much in his life.
[Winter 1998, 16 years ago. At Hikoshima Hospital Kyoto Japan]
A young Sanada locked hands with the one person who looked after him for the majority of his early life. "Mom?!…Mom hang in there! Please don't give up, you can do this!" The young toddler pleading his mother to muster up the strength to keep fighting as Sanada's mother Suko Shibumi held Sanada's tiny hands tight as she howled in pain, showing overwhelming tears and sweat coming down from her pain aching face.
"Wraghhh! …..a-aghhh!" Her high-pitched agonizing cries of giving birth has filled the young son in tears running down his face due to him being the only person supporting his mother's life to give it her all. The excruciating pain did not lead up. But it wasn't the pain of the birth itself, it was the pain of betrayal from the husband Suko thought loved her and having a generational disease that had been passed down to her from the very parents she lost due to this same disease. But she kept fighting the pain, so she won't let her son and her newborn child down. The doctors and nurses had done their best to help Sanada's mother keep the process as painless as humanly possible. The look on her face have really showed that she's losing her will to fight on as the disease ate whatever will power, she has left but the young Sanada refuses to let her die while his sibling is still in her.
"Please! I beg you don't give up!" His tearing eyes flow down like waterfalls placing his mother's palm onto his forehead and began to pray. Pray that she'll make it whatever means necessary. "Mom! Mom please! Don't die! I won't let you just give up like this!" Suko weakly looked at Sanada while biting her bottom lip resisting the sheer pain nodding to show she's not giving up. "AGHHHHH!"
The doctors and nurses had also made sure to work their absolute hardest to keep the pressure going for the soon to be the mother of two to make one strong push. Suddenly after a loud high pitch scream succumbed. Sanada slowly glances right at his mother's face, feeling the warm soft hands placed on both his cheeks from his fatigued mother looking at him with saddened tears as she smiled weakly towards him.
Sanada helplessly stared directly at his mother driven with anxiety and shock the moment he finally heard wailing cries from his newborn sibling. Sanada blankly watches on as his little sister was being carried off by one of the nurses, he was about to pursue the nurse for taking his sibling away until he was stopped by his mother ensuring that they're going to clean her up and bring her back. Totally overjoyed at having survived a tremendously excruciatingly painful experience. Suko Shibumi moved her already weakened body close to her son and place her hand on his shoulder giving off a proud smile.
Suko Shibumi tearfully spoke grateful to have a son like Sanada. "Sanada…. I'm so proud of you…thank you..if it wasn't for you...for giving me the strength and courage to keep fighting, your sister...my daughter...wouldn't have made it…" The worn-out mother pant and coughs due to her illness feeding whatever strength she has left after her birth. Her son Sanada continued to clench onto his mother's gradually cold hand.
Sanada cried out not wishing for her to go away but ultimately knew that she won't make it the next day as he pleads. "Mom….if only I was strong enough to prove I can help in the family! Maybe Dad would have still been here with us….it would have been different…" Sanada continuously curses at his own self despite the fact that his own father made the decision of leaving the family on by his own choice, not the young boy.
"Sanada…." Suko Shibumi shook her head slowly knowing that it wasn't his fault. "There's absolutely no reason for you to blame yourself… That was on your own father...I'm just so happy for the things you did to help me cope and allow me to keep living. Especially at this moment Sanada." A nurse came in with the little baby wrapped in a little blanket. "Congratulation's ma'am your baby is a girl." The nurse gently hands the baby to her mother. Suko held her daughter around her arms as she called her son to meet his new baby sister. "Look son! Say hi to your little sister!..."
The young toddler came ever closer to the bed's edges and took a good long look at his new sibling. Sanada became nervous yet curious as he placed his index finger on one of his little sister's little cheeks. "S-she's so tiny…I...I" Sanada couldn't find the words to best describe how he felt about meeting his own sibling. After that he took a seat on a nearby stool and proceed to examine the small baby.
Suko faintly smiled while realizing that she doesn't have much energy left to hold her new daughter. "H-here….S-Sanada...I'll let you see your sister a little….c-closer…" Recognizing her end is closing she handed her daughter to Sanada carefully and place her head down on the comfy pillow tilting her head to look over at the setting sun leaving a beautiful scenery from the view of the hospital window.
The young Sanada held on to his little sister asking his mother what her name will be. "Mom w-what should we call her?" No response coming from his mother for a few seconds as Suko blankly lowers her eyes and faintly said her very last sentence.
"H-Himiko...the sun princess...Sanada…..take good...care of your sister...be strong my son and become the man I know you'll grow up to be." Her eyes closed shut, her arms and leg grew limp, and her last futile attempts to fight the disease had finally taken her life. Sanada's mother had passed.
After such a long pause Sanada's blurry vision had come to a clearer view. He noticed that some of his working companions are quite worried of his state of silence and blank expression. Added to just seeing him sit there looking at absolutely nothing. Yakimori waving his and in front of his cop partner's face hoping he's out of his random trance. "Earth to Sanada! Hey man wake up!" His loud and almost distressed tone made Sanada glaring at his direction letting out an annoyed growl.
"Dude I'm right here...no need to flat your gums right at my face..." A furrow brow-ed Sanada said. Once everyone is back on the related topic, Sanada turned his attention to the case report of Ai and the pictures taken prior to her suicide. Despite going back into their job, Kei too felt worried for Sanada believing that he must have dealt a serious loss as well.
"Okay back to business, concerning the conversation me and Yakimori had on Ai, based on the conversation we had with her mother it's comes to a point where the girl may have had some
personal issues regarding her career life and her change of attitude towards her mother and Ryumo." Sanada read from Yakimori's notebook.
Kei brought up the next question that made a few officers tilt their heads in confusion. "You did mention that Ryumo was actually given high regards from Fujisawa San, right? I just can't tell if she's trying to cover something up or she's hiding something that we shou-" Just as she was about to finish her sentence Sanada cuts in and tells Kei that seeing the mother's eyes spoke enough truth to him, her distress, the loss, and pain are all real in his books and there's no sign of any facade or deception. This in turn eliminate any chance of her being a suspect. Not that it mattered anyway because a mourning parent shouldn't even be considered a suspect in the first place after suffering a tragic loss of their children.
"Do you know where she worked? She should had been working to keep herself surviving after she left her mother." Sanada and the rest of the investigators noticed her concept didn't even think of that. With that Kei went into Ai's work-related records and come to realize she had a very good history of working in retirement homes volunteered to help the elderly and gained experience of being a part time nursing assistant. At Fall 2013 is the time where she met Ryumo and built their relationship. And based on her mother's explanation, her daughter and Ryumo had its good thing going for 2 years until the recent months after she left him. As soon as she came back her behavior suddenly changed into someone unrecognizable to even her own mother. Ai changed her work priorities, avoided her mother like the plague and to Sanada's thought he figured that she and Ryumo's relationship went down the shitter. Just as the group hypothesize every possible scenario related to Ai, a couple of growling noises erupts awkwardly echoing the very room they're conducting their research. Yakimori notices his stomach beginning to do the same notion along with the rest of the officer's present within the main office. They had forgotten it's time for lunch, unlike any other businesses where they have a set amount of time to relax and go to work after a grace period, here they can decide when it is time to work and it's up to the chief commander making the decision of when it's time to get back to work.
"Hey alright! I already know exactly what we should have for our meal!" The young detective already with a plan ready asks his commanding chief for a specific permission. As his excitement grew Captain Juji came out of his office and made a smirk that signaled his awareness to Jingo San's plan. "So, you want us to have another lunch get together?" Yakimori grinned. "That's right! Let's head over to a restaurant near Sanada's home and dine over there!" This took the stern looking detective by surprise as he turned to his superior and shook his head for ever going to places near his home. "I would advise against such a thought sir, I don't think it's wise." Sanada somewhat pleading him not to take Yakimori's idea.
"Oh, you mean Arashiyama? Isn't that place pretty expensive to dine in?" Assuming that same thought, he wonders for the moment. Until Yakimori said something that ultimately made Sanada changing his mind of joining in. "I got this" Yakimori pulled out strange looking paper strips from his wallet until he mentions their uses. "4 free meal coupon for a group get-together over at Arashiyama Yorushima Noodle Shop!" Yakimori searches around the rooms and saw some of his fellow officers tempted to join too. "So, who's willing to join in on the fun?" Despite the look of interest from his fellow officers some denied it, while others took out their own packed lunch and ate theirs from where they're sitting.
Sanada however has his stomach growling leaving him sighing in utter defeat. "Damn it….I knew I forgot about my lunch!…" He curses at himself for being quite forgetful at times leaving him to face plant on his desk while raising his hand showing he's interested in joining. While also continuing to hear his loud obnoxious partner getting riled up over inviting others to a company eat out.
"That's three! Come on who want's some!? Last chance!" Seeing that the other workers are just plainly ignoring Yakimori. Out of the blue Kei accepts the final vacant spot. "I guess it doesn't hurt to try some high-quality food once in an awhile." This however made Yakimori pout in disappointment for the last spot being taken. "Awwww I guess Sasiki won't be joining us for this?"
"I'm good man, you guys have fun over there and tell me how the food is okay? I'll be working more from here." The young red head turns around and waves his hand signaling that we should get going.
"Thanks, Utoshi San I really appreciate your hard work." Sanada graciously bows and waves back. He soon follows the other 3 outside to have their meal out from their workplace. Yakimori being the one driving to said place for his 3 guests. Aware that he's going to eat out. Sanada needed to let Himiko know that he'll be having lunch with his coworkers so if she had already gone out to drop off his lunch, she can eat it when she's hungry. He called but no answers, so he left a voice message. After that's done helps Yakimori find the restaurant. "You should make that turn from Highway 29 and make an exit turn to Highway 112. By the intersection of Highway 30 and Kadono Bridge, up ahead you'll see a noodle bowl signpost. That will be the restaurant you mentioned." Following each direction Yakimori did as instructed. "Mhm! You got it!" After making the last exit from the highway Yakimori vaguely sees a small bowl sign only a few 100 feet away. "There I see it!" He slows down and parked at the closest spot curved parking.
[At Sagaoritocho Street Corner, 12:35 P.M.]
Himiko has already been out holding onto her brother's lunch doing her usual grocery shopping to prepare for tonight's dinner. On the way she wondered what she'll be making, her usual sukiyaki or some homemade hot oden. The brunette took her time looking around the town of Sagaoritocho, to her pleasant surprise she sees a few food stands serving delicious street foods on the go. Despite the inviting atmosphere of this location, she couldn't help but feel cautious. To her knowledge finding out that her last trip alone had almost gotten herself killed, luckily enough the young man in question had the courtesy of letting her go once he realized he mistook her for his ex-girlfriend. She hoped that one incident wouldn't happen again. Like a bad apple she sensed someone following her but this time, something's different. Himiko slowly turn herself around to check for anyone spooking her, luckily there's no one looking suspicious. With that the young brunette moved along to her usual task to send her brother his lunch at his workplace.
"So many things to look at and so little time to be interested." Holding onto her brothers lunch she notices that her phone is vibrating for a short time the vibrate stops. Himiko picked up her phone one or two seconds too late, she looked at the call history and it turned out to be her brother. She listens in on his voice message and immediately understood. Knowing that her brother is settling down for some lunch for a company get together she held the boxed lunch and saves it for herself to enjoy today. After all she may get hungry while doing her usual grocery shopping duties. Himiko strolled around Sagaoritocho for any known plaza that has a supermarket.
For a few more minutes of walking around the town she once again felt disquieted thinking to herself that she had gotten lost. Fortunately to her relief she had found a supermarket which was hidden from the side by the taller buildings on her left. It didn't help that the supermarket of Sagaoritocho didn't even have any appealing signs to notice but the placement of the shop set within the same buildings made it hard for her to catch on. As she came close to investigate this nearly unobtrusive building, it's indeed a supermarket but not a busy one, there's not many people coming in to buy groceries. But to Himiko, if it's a closer one then it's fair game.
"Oh well, I might as well get some shopping done now." Himiko took a basket with her and proceeded to browses through each aisle for anything that she can buy for supper. For about 20 minutes she has the basket full of produces and packaged meat, she's still at the meat section looking to see what else she can make but just when she turned her head towards her right side, she spots someone very familiar. What Himiko saw from view is indeed Ryumo also seemingly buying groceries looking pretty busy himself. Himiko seemed wary of his presence, but she doesn't feel as alarmed than before with the young man. In her mind she is contemplating whether she will go and talk to him or simply leave him be. But because of her own kindness she decided to meet with him face to face so she and the young man can settle their differences after that incident. Clearly, the young man didn't mean to harm her it was a case of mistaken identity. And even if he does try to get physical on her, Himiko does carry her pepper spray to defend herself.
The moment Himiko slowly approaches him, this brought Ryumo's attention rather quickly and noticed Himiko walking towards him. The nervous young man panics, turning away, and ignored the curious brunette. Himiko knew she was spotted but she wouldn't allow herself to give up, after all she wanted to have a conversation with him to ease the boredom. So, she hurried herself tracking Ryumo, each time she catches up to him she sees him turn corners after each aisle. This wild goose chase lasted for more than 10 minutes until Himiko finally saw Ryumo in line on cash register 14, this is a good opportunity for her to say hi to him.
"Ryumo!"
She hurried herself to his location and stopped to take a few breathes. "What is wrong with you!? Why do you have to follow me everywhere I go?" His annoyed tone from his voice grabbed the attention of a few customers but immediately ignored it. Ryumo lowered his voice and stared directly at Himiko whispering "What are you doing here?"
Himiko made a guilty smile and answered. "Getting some groceries just like you, this is a supermarket correct?" Obvious to his question she addresses why she has been on him for the majority of time when she noticed him. "Look Shibumi San, I have no idea why you have been following me, but it really isn't helping to know that your brother might try to kill me if he found out that I'm literally standing beside you…" Ryumo cursed obviously sweating at the thought of seeing her brother's death glare. Himiko sighed slowly "Ekijo San, just please hear me out what I am doing is for good intentions. I just want to get to know you a little bit more and I'm willing to forget that misunderstanding you had with me."
The spiky haired boy paused and thought about it, why? Why would someone like her want to spend time with a loser like himself. After all, he had done nothing but cause trouble for her. "Shibumi San I don't think that's a good idea..." As he finally sets his grocery supplies on the conveyor belt giving subtle clues to have Himiko go away politely.
She notices Ryumo's choice of food, just a bunch of cheap ramen cups, chips, and sodas. Himiko is quite saddened that this young man must have had a rough living given the type of food he's consumed. "Ekijo San...is that all you're going to buy?"
Ryumo raised an eyebrow while paying for his food. "Yeah why? I have eaten this stuff for a long time, and I'm still fit." His attention to his food and then back onto Himiko's basket full of whole food ingredients. "You cook?"
The bubbly brunette let out a sweet smile the moment Ryumo started a normal conversation. "Yes! It's my favorite thing to do whenever I have spare time. I cook nice homemade meals for my family especially for my brother!" Her boredom has changed to excitement knowing that she's finally having a decent conversation with Ryumo. "He sure is lucky to have a nice sister who knows how to cook meals for him." Ryumo suddenly hears his own stomach growl like a lion roaring. "Oh man….and I have to walk home so I can eat some of this stuff..."
The moment he said that Himiko had gotten an idea to fix that problem for Ryumo. "Oh! Hey how about I share you some of my food from my lunch box! We can eat some of it over at the tables outside of the store!" Her bright and cheerful smile had caught Ryumo off guard. "Well, I-if you insist, I don't mind having some of it…" Ryumo just couldn't get a break from this girl but at the same time he is actually pretty glad to finally eat something healthier and more nutritious for once.
And so, the two have bagged their groceries and started to have lunch outside of the market, as mentioned she and Ryumo sat at the tables and chairs. Himiko unwrapped the bento box and uncover its lid, taking a peek of the bento the young man is shocked at the amount of food that's in this bento. He sees 4 onigiri rice balls on the main section, while 3 others are filled with side items, one filled with steam rice, second filled with pickled sliced vegetables, and marinated korean bbq pork. This bento should actually fill up 2 people up for a whole day. "W-Why so much Himiko?" He wonders about that and to his surprise Himiko told him that it was originally for her brother so he can share it with his co-workers at his job. Ryumo understandingly puts his hand away from the food he was about to touch.
"No No. Go ahead, Onii chan had already settled with a corporate lunch with his friends so you can have some of this now." She reassures him that if nothing is done with the food, she'll just throw it away. "I'm just glad it wouldn't have to gone to waste."
The somewhat blushing spiky haired young man nodded and helped himself for some of Himiko's prepped meal. "Thanks…I uhh, I really appreciate it, that's actually pretty smart and resourceful." Ryumo took one onigiri and bit into it. His cheeks blushed from the food knowing how sensitive it must have been eating something that is outside his usual comfort food choices.
"Is it good?" She awaits Ryumo's response after taking the bite and chuckling at his reaction from his first bite. "Oh, come on! Do you have to say that? Of course, it's good! Wow I love the taste of the minced meat inside of this onigiri!" As he proceeds to eat the first one full of life. He had never eaten like this for a long while.
Time passes by as the bento is completely empty, both Himiko and Ryumo have had their fill now, relaxing together from where they sat. Seeing an opportunity to strike a conversation Ryumo asks Himiko about why she would go out of her way to hang out with him let alone giving him food that actually was supposed to be for someone else. To that question Himiko looked at him tilting her head and simply answered.
"I like to hang out with people I can trust and helping them. Seeing them smile and making sure they don't have to feel down all the time." The brunette glances upwards at the sky and made a heartfelt smile that caught the eye of the curious Ryumo. "I can't help the thought of having to see someone so sad it actually breaks my heart if I didn't do anything about it."
Observing the brunette, he notices that Himiko is pretty naive yet her driven to help others and is willing to put those she cares for first than herself. That made Ryumo think for a bit. He never thought of anyone who could be so selfless that they would risk their own wellbeing just to make sure the people around her know that their life has meaning. Something to live for and she is one of those people who brings hope to them. Then out of curiosity he mentions her brother. "Whats your brother like Shibumi San? Well, you know why he always looks so serious and always have that stern look on him?"
That question made Himikp frown as she looked down but glances back at him with a sad smile. "Well, you see there's a reason he has been like that. And I can definitely understand why. Ekijo San do you know what's it like to look after someone like a son or daughter?" She stares at Ryumo directly seeing what he is thinking after the question.
"N-not why is that?" Being confused wondering why she brought that up until it clicks the moment, he had his pause. "D-do you mean he has been taking care of you? When you're a baby?" Ryumo expression was definitely in a state of shock raising both his eyebrow knowing full well that something must have happened to their parents.
"When I was born, our mother died and my onii chan was only 5 years old at that time. At first, he doesn't know exactly what to do until he starts reading books on how to look after an infant at a young age. He had to stay strong for my sake. Putting me first than his own. At times it was so hard on him, yet he kept pushing forward. He was able to change my diapers, spoon fed me, waking up to keep me well rested. He had done all that for a while until we were finally transferred to a foster home...all of the time we had were rough especially for onii chan." She looks up at the sky as she continued her story about her brother through images of her past.
[Fall 2001, In Hikiyo Foster Home]
Within the foster home, little Himiko dropped her kitty doll trying her hardest to not let a shed of tears come out from her eyes towards her brother whose now 8 years old. The amount of pain she felt at the sight of her brother's arm, leg, even face with bruises have driven the young toddler to lose her will to even look at him feeling so ashamed of having to see him go through with what he had done for her.
"Himiko...hey...cheer up it's okay..it's only just a few scratches I'm fine." He pets her on the head and forces out a big smile for his little sister. He was aware that her sadness was the fact that she had to watch her own brother go through with the other boys who had the audacity to bully her and took her doll away in the first place causing Sanada to have a tussle with them. Sanada slowly couldn't help but make his own doleful frown seeing his little sister so emotionally scarred. "It's fine Himi-Chan... please don't cry..."
"But...but you got hurt because of me! I-I can't onii chan!" She couldn't hold her tears anymore as it flows down from her cheeks as she rubs her eyes with her hands to try and stop the crying. "Onii chan I-I'm so s-sorry!."
"Shhh Shhh….it's okay you're not to blame for any of this, none of what just happen wasn't your fault in the first place…here." He picks up the kitty doll and sets it around her arms persuading her to keep it tight and with her at all times. "That way no one will try and take Neko Chan away from you! And if those boys decide to treat you badly let me know so I'll teach them a lesson for you!"
Himiko nodded slowly and took her big brother's words to heart holding onto her doll without letting go. She sniffled as her brother gives her a heartfelt hug.
"At-ta girl. Keep that doll tight." Sanada slowly gets up pat her on the head. "Come on let's go play some tag with the others!"
Himiko finally lets out a genuine smile and nodded happily. "Okay Onii Chan!"
[Summer 2004]
Himiko now at the age of 7 is fully able to do house chores where she can contribute like her brother did 3 years ago. The rules for children who are around 6 years or above are allowed to have their own meals after their given chores are taken care of. As for the kids who are going to school, they have the free meals. Sanada is by far the most hard working from the group. He had learned to cook different dishes to serve for the other children after taking a basic culinary class
and finding interest in the investigation forensics career on one of the websites he looked up. Because of this, many of the staffs, caretakers, and kids looked up to Sanada as a great role model. Someone who works hard to provide for the rest of the kids and teaches them basic social skills, proper critical thinking, and common-sense lessons. Rather than taking in all the praise from his fellow peers and adults he puts his attention on teaching some of his skills to Himiko and anyone who is interested. Learning the value of mutual respect, empathy, and most importantly, being open without biases. Since supper is close Sanada is tasked to supervise seeing who had done their assigned chores and duties. He looked at the results and everyone had done their given tasks, so he handed the list to one of the staffs and goes to the kitchen to start up dinner, he, Himiko, and some of the people looking after the young ones are cooking up a variety spread of food. Sanada grilling thinly sliced meat coated with teriyaki and making rice, as Himiko helps set the table up and awaits her onii chan to finish. As the food are set on the table the bell chimes which attracts the youngsters to gather at the dining room. Everyone took their assign seats and awaited for the landlord of the foster home give the two permission to eat. As Sanada came in and took his seat next to his little sister the landlord made the call as all of the young ones began to eat the food given to them.
"Hmm?" Sanada noticed that Himiko's plate has little food on it, so he stood up and asked the owner in private to know why his sister is given less despite her hard effort of completing her given task, "Hizugami San I don't understand why my sister doesn't have the same amount of food like the other on her plate? She did her her part.
The older woman sighed and explained the reason behind it. "Sanada, your sister did bring groceries in, but she didn't complete the task of getting all of them. So that is why she was given what she got." Her firm tone says that she isn't going to waste her time on this. She apprehended Sanada for being such a good person and a caring one at that, but he should know better than to make it easy for someone. If Sanada decides to play favorite it would cause more trouble with the other kids. But to her surprise Sanada countered it with what she forgot to notice.
"Hizugami San I know that, but you do forget that Himiko is just a little girl she doesn't have the possible strength to carry all of that, and plus I heard that one of the boys didn't bother to help her out to carry some of the stuff, so she was forced to take what she can carry." He looks at Mrs. Hizugami and to his dismay she showed signs of frustration. "Kid, don't you forget that I'm the one who runs this foster home and I expect you to listen to what I have to say, you may be the smartest and hardworking one but if you continue to make exceptions for someone then that would lead the other kids to ask for the same privilege so don't try and test me. Go eat your food."
"Okay fine." he goes to his seat and sighed. Looking back at Himiko the stern eyed brother noticed his sister had already eaten what's on the plate but examining his sister's reaction he can already tell she's still hungry. So immediately Sanada poured some his untouched food onto Himiko's plate. "Here Himiko you can have some of mine, I don't need much of it anyway. "
"Onii..chan...t-thank you!" She was able to hold her tears and began to eat more of the food she got by her brother. Seeing her smile had made Sanada even more glad as he then starts eating what he has on his plate.
Once Sanada proceeded to eat his food, he took a bite and drink some water savoring the food and drink the best he could to ensure his stomach can digest whatever food he consumes to ration out the portions in order to last. This feeding strategy helps ease his hunger to a degree so he wouldn't get hungry after a few hours. He looks at Himiko and pat her on the head to see if she's full. "Hey kiddo is you good?"
"Mhm! Thank you Onii chan you're the best!" Her bright and innocent smile had always been what kept Sanada going, no matter how pain aching he had to go through from the work he faced, no matter how difficult it was to face. He'd give it his all to make sure she's safe and happy.
"Those are just the parts of why Onii chan is so important to me...and I am so lucky to have a brother who cares so much.." Himiko glances at Ryumo who's currently dumbfounded at such a story coming from her about Sanada.
"G-gosh….I- I couldn't imagine having to deal with what your brother had to go through...now I feel so horrible into thinking in my head that he is just a grumpy dude." He scratches his head in shame and owlishly laugh from his rude demeanor back at the police station. "It's okay Ryumo, hey it's getting late let's hang out some more, will that be okay with you?"
"H-huh?" He paused for a moment raising an eyebrow. "I-I guess I can do that as long as I have the free time..." Ryumo scratches his head and not sure where this is going.
"Okay good! Here!" The bubbly brunette has given him a written note of her phone number.
The spiky haired Ryumo eyes widened at this decision. "A-Are you sure?!" Then suddenly he sees a pouting Himiko insisting him to keep it. He hesitantly accepts and gives her his own number to make it fair. "Since you uhh did that I have no problem giving you my number if that's okay?"
"That'll be great! Thank you Ryumo!" She happily and graciously accepts the note as she re-wraps her bento box and turned herself around going at the direction of her home looking back and waves at Ryumo. "Bye Ryumo! Thanks for hanging out with me!"
"Bye..." he waves back but faintly as he glances at the note, she gave him and let out a big sigh. "What have I gotten myself into…..i-its much too early for this...but Himiko...she's so nice." As his view of Himiko vanished from the crowd of people he then turns the other way and does the same thing, going home.
[At Arashiyama Yorushima Noodle Shop]
The four had their fill food as Yakimori paid for everyone's meals like he promised, the amount was just over 5,000 yen total thanks to his coupons they had a 50% discount on their meals which could have been 10,000-yen total without it. Once everyone settled in the car Yakimori starts up his car and drove off with his fellow workers and boss back to headquarters.
"Ah! Nothing beats a full stomach haha, it's funny how you tried so hard to out eat me, Sanada!" He snickered at his triumphant victory from their unintentional eating contest he and Sanada did back at the shop.
"Tch. You just got lucky since you started eating the moment your order arrived, I have to wait for mine for another 3 minutes." He annoyingly gazes through the car window aware they're on the open road of highway 29 and close to the separate roads one going to highway 112 while the other exits to Sagatenryuji road which is the preferred road Yakimori use to get to their workplace faster.
Kei stretches from the food she consumed and sat comfortably at the back seats. "You two sure are getting along fast huh? Hehe I'd never pictured you as being the competitive type Sanada." The twitchy eyed glaring Sanada coughs trying to find his usual tone as he replied to Kei's question in a strangely vulgar manner. "Well I just love to eat good foods and so I can't help myself sometimes."
"Ohhhh?" She catches on Sanada's rough-cut response and finds it a little cute and funny. "You sure can act cool but can you really keep u-? Hmm?" She paused and checks up on her purse noticed her phone is ringing. Turns out it's from Kinki headquarters calling her. She answered the call to see what's going on. "Yes, this is Kei Wume...Oh Sasiki whats going on?...What?"
Chief Commander Juji asked the computer specialist to put it up on speaker mode so the others in the car can listen in on the news. "Wume San put it on speaker mode. I got a feeling this call is important for all of us to hear."
"Yes sir, and the rest of the guys wants to know too...okay I'm putting on Speaker!" Kei then turns it on as everyone in the car can hear Sasiki.
"Guys, we finally got something, this one is pretty big and crucial do please get to the destination set on this link." As soon as Sasiki said his part, a link showed on Kei's message post while Juji's, Sanada's, and Yakimori's phone get a notification chime."Come on man! That's too vague you gotta tell us what you are talking about." He sighs while keeping his eyes on the road.
"I'm getting to it, one of the fishermen at Katsuya River caught something near Ranzanhigoshi park, a body bag with a corpse of a person inside. There are crowds of people who are looking at the incident right now so you can't miss that.
"Alright, we're off to take a look there! Thanks for the call, Sasiki!" He changes his route and proceeds to drive towards the place set by the map from Kei's phone as she tells him each direction to take. For a good half hour Yakimori can see a few people standing near the edge of highway exit 54. "Hmm, hey! There they are! Damn there's so many people at that site!"
After parking close by, the four got out of the car and rushes straight to the incident, they push through the crowd of people only to be stopped by a local officer keeping the public away from the scene. "Stop, what business do you four have here?"
Sanada identifies himself along with his co-workers and chief. "We're Division 3 officers requested on dispatch to look closer at the scene." He showed his police badge as the local officer proceeded to let them through. Sanada being the one to go first sees the body bag that's only a few yards away from the public eye, Sanada paused and stood there in a tremendous stupor. Not long until the others came by to check on the corpse
presented to them, they have similar reactions to who this person was in that body bag. Sanada finally spoke out. "That's Ai! Ai Fujisawa!"
The other Division 3 officers looked at one another, eye's widened from this discovery trying to rationalize what this is. That's impossible, how can Ai's body be found by the shoreline of Katsuya River. And much to their shock as Juji examines the body he realizes the body is still fresh leaving them with utter confusion. How!? How can this be! It showed that in the records her body was buried at the Cemetery of Uzumasa, and it was dated 2 months ago! Something wasn't right and Sanada had found that out first than anyone else. Something big is being hidden from them, something that kept Division 3 from getting involved. Suddenly Sanada also took interest at whats close by ahead of the corpse of Ai, he further examines the item and to his surprise it's a hair pin the shape of a butterfly, it's black in color and has red spots on its wings. He wore a glove and slowly tries to pick it up. Barely poking it he was stopped by Yakimori.
"Sanada! Stop, that right there is evidence! If you touch that it can get contaminated and making it useless to solve our current case, so please don't hold it with your bare hands." Having been taken aback from Yakimori's sudden outburst Sanada let out a tick mark on his forehead and glared at his cop partner. "I'm wearing a glove Mr. Obvious." Suddenly somethings deep down Sanada felt an unnerving chill the moment he put his hands on the hair pin, once it stopped the stern eyed detective shrugged it off and thinks of what to do now that they found Ai Fujisawa's actual body. Sanada turned to his chief. "Sir what are your orders here?" Waiting for his call. "We should bring the corpse to our laboratory and keep it in our embalming chamber, knowing that this case is no longer related to suicide, now it's a murder case. We must first contact Mrs. Fujisawa for this unfortunate discovery and request permission to examine the corpse on her consent." He looked towards the two young officers. "Sanada and Yakimori, will you inform Mrs. Fujisawa of this?"
Both young detective duos agreed to this order and accepts. "Yes sir."
"Good, starting tomorrow we'll do some testing to see what we got from this. Along with any holes to the records given to us. It's time to wrap things up everyone."
Back at Headquarters, Sanada starts to lose his footing for some odd reason, this in turn caught the eyes of both Yakimori and Kei. Both now concerned for their stern looking friend who seems to be going pale. Sanada however made an attempt to have them not worry believing that he must have overdone himself on eating too much. With that the two nodded as they went off their way home, the same goes for Sanada. Despite being fine this uneasiness inside him still lingered. Once he arrived home and settled on his bed, he tried his absolute best to shove the discomfort away, but it just won't go away. It intensifies through his mind as his eyes closed shut, sweat start to fall upon his head and conflict within his psyche. Then…it happened.
[STATIC]...
Nothingness…. All of it around him...he was pitched into a void of nothingness…. these...feelings...what is this! It hurts, this pain is too much for the stern Sanada to handle on his own...Then suddenly he can hear disembodied voices calling out to him. Voices that sound like a couple of girls wailing yet in the same time screaming from the echo of the empty, blank world Sanada stood in the middle of.
[STATIC]...
"W-what…? W-what was all that….why does this feeling keep hurting me so much!?" Abruptly his own name was called from a voice...a torturous, disemboweled, haunting cry of a young girl. As Sanada turn to his side, his eyes widened, pupils turning into a tiny dot as he saw a young little girl standing right by him looking straight at him with soulless dead eyes with tears dripping from it, tears of blood her expression empty, scary, menacing, yet scared at the same time. "W-who are you? W-What the heck do you want from me!?" A terrified Sanada beginning to back away from this frightening apparition.
"De...tec..tive….p-please...h-help us,…You….you must….continue…." The ghostly girl spoke in a ghastly robotic tone and in the same time speaking as if there was another person overlapping her voice. Sanada looked towards the girl not only in fear but in sheer confusion. "W-what do you mean? Help you? What's going on? D-do you have anything to do with Ai?" He examines the girl closer and noticed she has the butterfly hair pin. "You, you have the hair pin! W-Who are you!?
"You...must….you must keep pushing forward…" Suddenly the girl has let out tears on her eyes trying so hard in a way pleading the detective to do something. Then out of nowhere a knife had stabbed through the girl. The blade went flying right at Sanada only to miss his face by an inch. Shocked he turned to see the bloody knife and to his shock the moment he slowly and frightfully turn his head to where the knife lande-...
[STATIC]...
Suddenly a flurry of images popped out in front of Sanada, pictures of knives, scissors, ice picks, and different bladed tools being covered with blood as the image is overlapped with dark red color as the image shakes uncontrollably causing Sanada to scream internally from this sick display. Another popped out and revealed the same experience but instead seeing 2 silhouettes showing one is being pinned to a wall as the other seemingly starts stabbing the other to death causing the pinned silhouette to scream in agony as the other laughed sadistically from the sheer brutality. Sanada tried so hard not to puke but these disturbing images won't leave him alone. Suddenly it was quiet...hoping that it was all over...
[STATIC]...
"Such a sweet death...HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
"Arghh! Hah….hahhh….." Sanada got up visibly shaken from the nightmare, leaving himself in a massive headache and sweating to no end. "What…..what was that?! That pin...and those images!…" He turned and saw it's still 1:45 A.M. Sanada rubbed the bridges of his nose and went back to laying on his bed. "There's no doubt someone murdered Ai Fujisawa…" Sanada becoming full-fledged to see this case through the end.
To Be Continued.