Chapter 13: "The Sapphire's Adieu"

[Shiba POV]

I had walked into the office building at the same time I always did, and greeted Morimi-san at the reception as I always did.

"Is that a new charm on your bracelet?" I asked when my eyes caught a silver strand on her arm. She normally had 6 pieces, but there was a seventh one attached the loop closest to the latch.

"Oh, yeah it is." Morimi-san looked at her wrist and flicked it back and forth, the jingling of the charms underscoring the action. "Good eye Shiba. Seriously, how are you single?"

I didn't answer and just gavea thin smile along with a wave and walked away. Entering the department office like I always did, I wasn't surprised when I didn't see a messy haired and eerie detective sitting at the desk at the far corner across from the entrance. Senpai was nowhere in sight when I do a quick scan of the office as I always did. In fact, the number of officers and investigators was smaller than usual. With no leads on the Ouma case and possible human trafficking, the department was taking things cautiously, so many had taken this as opportunity to rest while they could.

However, to Senpai, 'cautiously' meant 'unbearably slow'. When moments like these had occurred in previous cases, his mood would plummet out of frustration of not being able to do anything. It wasn't like he took it out on anyone, but he tended to bottle it up and it would show up in little ways.

Senpai's desk was normally organized for efficiency. Things he used often were close at hand or easy to retrieve, with the rest of the supplies in places that were intuitive to find. When he was stressed, his desk would quickly become disorderly and you could hear him grumble about being unable to find things. Pens would be where he put his rulers; stapler misplaced; notepad missing. It was as if his mind went haywire and lost that sharp edge he was known for when things got cold.

This was because he was emotionally invested, and it showed. He took every case as if it were the most important case, pushing it to completion with a dogmatic zeal. Senpai and I were similar in that regard, we both saw our roles as detectives as something more than a job. It was probably why we got along despite being so different in personality, we both understood that the other was doing this for the same reason. It helped that we cover for each other's weaknesses as well.

I shrugged off my bag and powered on the computer, scouring my email for any news on leads or requests. My inbox was empty, reflecting the general status of the amount work that the entire department had despite the severity of the situation on our hands.

"Shiba!" A deep voice called out to be with a friendly tone. "On time as usual!"

I turned my head to see an older man in a gray suit and mismatched gray slacks walk in and sit down at the desk across from me. His red tie was creased and in a Double Windsor, not the more difficult Half-Windsor he usually wore, unusual for this experienced detective that had taught me the importance of appearance in our line of work. Another sign of the unease spreading around the entire police department.

"Good morning, Muto-san." I greeted with a smile on my face. "You actually came in?"

Muto-san gave a hearty laugh. "Someone has to show the young people how its done. Maybe not you, Shiba. You're a good kid."

"I learned from the best."

"Alright, enough of that! Reminds me that I'm actually an old fart now. Feels like it was just yesterday that Tsurumi had you under my wing, how time flies."

"I'm sure you have twenty more years to work here, Muto-san. I don't know how Tokyo PD could handle burglaries without you."

"Bah! My daughter wants me to retire and I think she's about right. Grandchild on the way and all."

My eyes widened. "Really? Congratulations! Are you going to turn them into law enforcer too?"

"If my daughter doesn't gut me first."

I chuckled at his answer before I'm reminded of something. I checked the time at the bottom-right corner of my computer screen. I had 5 minutes to go before my appointment.

"If you'll excuse me, Muto-san. I have to go meet with the Chief."

"Yeah? Say hello to him for me, and your partner too. I feel bad watching Hikigaya go at it. I'm sure I don't need to tell you, but keep an eye out, alright?"

"Of course, Muto-san. As you said back during training, 'never leave your partner' behind."

"Good man."

I said my goodbyes to Muto-san and l strolled into the hallway before making a turn to go down to the eastern side of the building, the one with the most windows. The double doors that stood at the end of the wing marked that this was the Chief's office and required me to pass past the Arson department, where several officers greeted or nodded at me in recognition through the large glass pane that faced the hallway. I pulled on my collar and straightened my tie before knocking on the mahogany with my knuckles. The call of Chief Tsurumi beckoned me in.

"Morning, Shiba. How are you?" Chief Tsurumi took off his reading glasses and greeted me with a small smile.

"Good morning to you as well, sir." I respond. "I'm doing well, just wondering why you called me in."

"Take a seat first. You want some coffee?"

I slid into the chair before the Chief's desk. "No need sir, I had some on the way here."

Besides, I was in agreement with Senpai on this: the coffee in HQ was terrible. We had conspired to bring our own ground coffee beans, but were hesitant because of the 'Tomono Incident.' Legend has it that the expensive instant coffee bags poor officer Tomono had smuggled into the office had fallen into the underworld and was eaten by demons. The demons being the secretaries in Signals. Senpai and I wisely kept our mouths shut regarding that.

Some crimes just weren't worth uncovering.

The Chief nodded his head slowly at my answer and proceeded to brew himself a cup. Steam rose from his cup as the brown liquid dripped into the black ceramic container. "How's your department handling things with the Ouma case?"

"Okay, I would have to say." I spoke carefully unsure how to answer the Chief's question. I knew he didn't mean anything by it, just a genuine desire to know how the men under his command were faring. "There isn't much progress, but it's a matter of time. Detective Hiura has been sending pictures of various customers from the stakeout. I'm compiling them for an identification run in a day or two."

"Good work. But don't overwork yourselves, I already have my hands full with Hikigaya. Take a day off if you need to." The chief reached and picked up a small pink paper bag, ripping it open and poured sugar into his drink.

"Will do sir. I'm just waiting for some of the guys to get back from their own days off before I take mine. I think even Senpai had taken two days after the cargo ship investigation." My eyes watched as the Chief stirred his coffee. I didn't know he drank his coffee black, just like Senpai.

"Yeah, responsible one ain't he?" A sarcastic breath came out of the Chief as he sipped his coffee and leaned back in his office chair, the piece of furniture creaking under the stress.. "Only takes a 40 C fever to convince him to take it easy."

"Ah hah…" I let out a strained laugh as a bead of sweat rolled down my neck. There wasn't much to do on that front. Senpai was reasonable and logical most of the time, but when he had set his mind to something he would ignore all else. It was quite tiring, if I were to be honest.

"How's the boy holding up these days?"

"Senpai seems to be lively. Yesterday he was complaining about being fed by someone, I think he's good." It was something about his stomach undergoing Stockholm Syndrome.

"Good… that's good." Relief colored the Chief's words as he rotated his chair so he could look out the window into the morning summer sky. "We can't rely on him too much. I'm worried he might fall apart if no one is keeping an eye on him."

"He says he's not fragile, sir."

"He also says he won't work overtime. Yet every week payroll starts blowing up my phone and raising hell."

Cue another awkward laugh from me. Senpai's accumulation of overtime was a contentious subject within the office. Senpai's paycheck was quite generous because of the obscene hours he worked and the rest of detectives and officers grumbled about it, but cases get solved and work was completed so there wasn't much they could say. Besides, I knew Senpai didn't do it for the money.

"The Senpai of 'now' isn't like the Senpai from when we were back on Homicides."

"Speaking of Homicides, they've been raising a stink lately. They want him back, flooding my secretary with requests to talk about a temporary transfer."

"They want Senpai back?" This was news to me. Concerning news at that.

"Yes." The Chief turned to face me and nudged his chair forward and reached for a manilla folder that was in his desk organizer. "I can smell their scheme from a kilometer away: they want a temporary transfer and then they'll keep dropping cases on him until it's just easier to have him permanently moved over. I'm starting to think that their numbers may have dropped more than anticipated, things are too different without him."

Chief Tsurumi had put a lot of thought into this, and my mind cane to deduction. "So are we being assigned before they can cause trouble, sir?"

"Shiba… where can I get more of you?"

"Apologies, sir, but my mother used to say each person was unique."

An exasperated sigh came out of the Chief as he massaged the bridge of his nose. "Fantastic, he's rubbing off on you. Exactly what we need."

I offered the Chief an apologetic smile and stood from my seat before taking the manilla folder that was handed out to me. We exchanged nods and I bowed respectfully as I took my leave from his office.

As I walked down the halls of HQ I'm suddenly reminded of the past: of time just after I had gotten out of detective school officially became a detective-in-training. Senpai had joined in out of the blue, and I was equal parts surprised and uncertain by the brooding man who seemed so similar to my high school memories of him, but also so very different. It was like a cloud was held over him and was perfectly at home above his head.

Homicides wanted Senpai again, huh?

The Chief was most likely right, Senpai had been a case solving machine when he was first assigned to Homicides. In a few months their numbers and incarcerations jumped. It didn't take long for the entire department to become complacent. Not that Senpai cared, he'd just bow his head and go about his work. 65, 70, even 80 hour workweeks to get the job done.

When I confronted him on the matter he brushed me off saying that he took power naps while still on the clock, so it was more that he was taking advantage of the system than the other way around. Even if he were to be believed, these microsleeps couldn't have been for more than two hours at a time at the most. [1] What did I think?

I think Senpai was afraid to sleep.

Senpai always seemed to be at home in this chaotic storm of obsession, sleep deprivation, and high stakes; showing the full extent of his deductive ability and inhuman focus only when everything seemed to be going to hell in a handbasket.

There was a time a few years ago where cold cases were being unearthed and solved, with many of their successes being pointed back to Senpai. I'm talking about murders where the statute of limitations were about to expire; no witnesses or suspects; missing clues; you name it, Senpai somehow found his way through it. He was almost mythic by that point. A saying had started to pass around the PD: "As long as there was a live body to wrest secrets from, the case was as good as solved."

That's not true. Senpai could do cases where there were no living persons too. And he did… it was just that…

I think Senpai was scared of dead bodies.

Near the office and just before I turned the corner to enter I heard a voice groan out.

"It's not fair!"

I sighed and shook my head.

I guess Senpai just punched in.

Δ▼Δ

[Hachiman POV]

I looked incredulously at the article in the newspaper before me. I had turned to the international section expecting to see some words on China and maybe some update on whether the next Formula 1 race was going to be cancelled or delayed this year (since the track was currently within a warzone). Instead I saw this in black and white.

"500 million USD in opiates seized off the coast of South Africa" by Awajima Mun

CAPE TOWN (Reuters): The United States 6th Fleet unpacked nearly 17.5 metric tons of opiates, seized in international waters just off the coast of South Africa on Wednesday from a Colombian cargo ship. The total cargo was valued at 500 million US dollars (55 billion yen), and was headed for Malaysia and Japan, the drugs to be unloaded and sold in the chaotic South East Asia region.

The US Fleet worked with NATO allies to secure the vessel, with the forces being tipped off only a few days prior. This is just one in a long line of drug busts that have been plaguing international trade.

The opiates were hidden within thousands of coffee cans, layered beneath a veneer of legitimate product. The crew were arrested and cargo seized, and are awaiting investigation and an eventual trial in international court.

Over the last 2 years alone, the monetary value of captured narcotics has grown from 4.4 billion US dollars to 6.6 billion (48 trillion to 73 trillion yen).

The growing number is attributed to increased production in South America, fueled by a demand for the drug trade due to the wars having broken out in the SEA. What was previously one of the fastest growing hubs for international trade has now become a beacon of profit for drug lords.

"Our resources are limited; the sea is vast; and cargo ships numerous," Admiral Carl Bultz said. "We can't feasibly stop and investigate every boat, even with the help of our allies. We could remove more drugs, but we simply don't have the manpower to patrol the oceans."

Although these words sounded dire, consensus is that the capture has boosted morale among the forces, giving hope that they are making a difference in the world."

What the hell? Are you kidding me!? Why couldn't this be our boat!? They get the easy drug bust while we're out here walking on eggshells with human trafficking on our hands and the feds breathing down our necks?

The universe doth conspire against mine self, it seemeth.

I reclined my chair and ran both my hands through my hair. Enticed by the empty office and eager to voice my frustrations, I groaned loudly. "It's not fair!"

"What's not fair, Senpai?"

I removed my hands and bent my neck over the headrest. My upside down head looked at a lone Shiba Suzaku who had just walked into the office. I brought myself back to proper seating position and grabbed the newspaper off my desk and handed it over to my partner.

"Drug bust off the coast of South Africa."

Shiba raised an eyebrow at me. "Senpai, isn't it a good thing that this happened? The problem is getting solved somehow."

"Yeah, but now we have human sized problems to deal with. 6 of them to be exact."

"Senpai! That's even worse!"

I opened my mouth to justify my words, but my eyes took note the manilla folder in his hands. "What's that? Something come up?"

"Ah, yes." Shiba handed the manilla over to me. "We have a new lead on the Ouma case."

"Yeah? Finally." I accepted the package gratefully. "Did you read it already?"

"Yes, Senpai. On the way here."

It was honestly a convenient thing, this whole having-a-partner-with-a-photographic-memory. I opened the folder and scanned over the documents on the inside. Ouma Daichi had a childhood friend who had attended the same college as him, before going off to Tokyo Medical University. His name was Aoi Kaito, a brilliant student who excelled in the sciences. His hometown was in Saitama, and he briefly roomed with Ouma in a flat when they attended the same college during his undergraduate years. My eyes narrowed when I read a particularly interesting line: his family was one of the few Catholic Christian followers in Japan.

"'When Aoi had officially enrolled into medical school, his parents had helped him rent an apartment near the university. After a year of attending and living there, he moved to a newly renovated condominium in Roppongi.'" I read aloud and looked back at Shiba with a questioning look. "Why didn't I hear about this before?"

"Aoi was subpoenaed at the time. But efforts to contact him have gone cold." Shiba responded, putting his photographic memory to use and summarizing the key points of the information. "Detectives were going to be sent, as the time limit for complyment had ended, but his parents have recently filed a missing persons request. They claim that they couldn't reach him two weeks ago, as if he vanished."

I flipped through the dossier, landing on a page that detailed the clues we had thus far. "Seems whatever text messages and call logs found showed no signs of Aoi planning on running away."

Actually, by the looks of it, the successful student was quite content with life. His only real concern being the cost of attending medical school and the loans he was accruing. Something that I could understand and found to be completely normal. It wouldn't make people run away, especially when Aoi was on the path to being a doctor. Paying off his loans was more than feasible after a few years in the field he had chosen.

Shiba and I piled into his car (I let him drive this time), and we made our way to Roppongi. A district of Minato within Tokyo Prefecture, Roppongi was a well developed area that attracted the old and distinguished families (aka. 'Old Money') as well as successful entrepreneurs who had now become wealthy (aka. 'New Money'). The Roppongi Hills area in particular was famous for its affluent residents and vibrant nightlife. And Roppongi Hills was exactly where Aoi's apartment complex was located, sitting between two large hills with a scenic view over the city below.

The building itself was large, with 30 floors and three wings. The outside was a beautiful mix of thin steel lines that ran all over the surface and formed a Cartesian plane of metal that held blackened glass within its spaces. The entire structure shimmered in the sun like it was made with obsidian. It may just be me, but I couldn't help but find this more subliminal than the design philosophies of old. There was beauty in its simplicity, a type of function-meeting-form that was only possible with modern technological revolutions.

The overall shape of the architecture was a 'Y' character, with the easternmost wing containing Aoi's condo. We entered the complex and showed our badges and we're allowed in by security. There wasn't a need for a search warrant as Aoi's parents had kindly provided us keys to the residence (courtesy of Hiura's charm or so I'm told by Secretary-chan).

"15F, huh?" I spoke aloud rhetorically as we entered the elevator. I pressed the button marked 15, watching as the number illuminated. "Smackdab middle of the place."

"Do you think it means anything?" Shiba asked.

"Probably not. Just wondering how the values of the apartments are affected by the floors they're on."

"Well, seeing as there aren't any tall buildings around, I believe the prices go up because of the view."

"Charging for aesthetic? What a time to be alive."

"Senpai's apartment isn't the same?"

"Not sure. There's another apartment building to my east, so there's not much to see there. Northside overlooks Shibuya just fine. The prices for my floor and the one above were about the same."

I just chose the lower floor because, should I have to jump out the window, I would have a slightly higher chance of survival.

The elevator dinged, letting us know we had reached the 15th floor, and opened its stainless steel doors to free us from it's cage. We walked down the hallway and easily found Aoi's apartment. The lavish brass plaque that laid upon the white painted door was engraved with the characters '15F.' I stepped backward and gestured to Shiba, who took out the keys from his pocket and unlocked the door.

I angled my body so that as soon as it opened I could peer at the nearest inside corner immediately. Hiura had investigated the security footage of the apartment ahead of time. The initial two days of the two week period had no video, with the cameras being down for maintenance on this floor. My colleague had assured that for the remaining time, no one had come in or out of Aoi's apartment. It was probably true, but my right hand still crept its way inside my jacket subconsciously. As Shiba twisted the knob and pushed the door open inward, my fingers curled around the grip of my H&K P30L, ready to pull it out a moments notice should things somehow go wrong.

I couldn't tell if this was caution or paranoia.

The room erupted open with the stench of old dust and mold in the stale air, like the inside of a backyard storage shed you rarely went into. The door creaked farther in, Shiba wrinkling his nose, and my eyes scanning the shadowed room. My hand grasped for the lightswitch on the wall as we moved in. Aoi's condo was very lavish. A lacquered wooden floor was covered with a Persian rug that stretched out from the center.A large glass coffee table was encircled a ring of black leather sofas. The entire ensemble faced a flat-screen TV that was easily bigger than my bed.

"I thought this kid was supposed to stressing over loans?" I asked Shiba as my eyes look over the rest of the room, silently judging the decor. He had a replica of "The Starry Night" hanging on his wall.

Good taste.

"He did work a part-time job as a research intern for a foreign consulting company. I wouldn't be surprised if he managed to make some money on the side." Shiba suggested as he took out his smartphone.

"But still…" I grumbled, the words trailing off as I walked into the kitchen. "... to afford all this?" I ran a finger across the granite countertop, and inspected the digit. A layer of dust had accumulated, but there were still pans haphazardly placed upon the stove. On the black marble dinner table was a mostly eaten meal that had began to rot.

"No signs of forced entry." Suzaku snapped pictures with his smartphone, taking records of everything. "No pronounced scratches on the floors. Door looks in good condition. The lock and latch don't look damaged."

"Do you think we can rule out kidnapping?"

"I don't think so, he could have been grabbed when he left the house."

"True enough."

I opened the fridge and found it surprisingly empty. Was Aoi planning on getting groceries as well when he left? The silver oven was used as storage for cooking tools, making it obvious that he didn't bake. It looked more and more like Aoi had just left. But we still had two days unaccounted for.

"Senpai." Called Shiba. "I'm done with this room. No obvious signs that anyone else was in here."

"Alright, let's move on."

We took a left at the kitchen and head into the other room in the apartment, Aoi's bedroom. The room was neatly laid out. The bed was made and I couldn't spot a single article of clothing on the floor. What a responsible guy, this Aoi must have been. A revolting level of cleanliness. I strolled around the room while Shiba started taking more pictures. I didn't see a cross or a Bible near his bedside or night table.

My attention was stolen by a bookshelf in the corner. It had less dust than most of the other pieces of furniture in the house, obvious even to the naked eye at a distance. All the shelves were filled to the brim, except for one shelf that had a gap between two bound books of what seemed like a textbook collection.

"'Sobotta.'" I pronounced slowly, the foreign word moving across my tongue strangely. The books were white, with a drawing of a heart on one and the bare muscles of a man on the other. Volumes 1 and 3 by the looks of it, leaving the second volume unaccounted for. Perhaps he had taken it?

I pull the first volume of the shelf and lift the cover, taking my time to flip through the contents. Full color illustrations and letters that used the Latin script alphabet, but it wasn't making English words. I open to the books initial pages, checking which city this book was published in.

"Munich?" I whispered in disbelief. Aoi knew German? [2]

I filed away the information, intent on discussing it with Shiba at a later time. Did he know before? I placed the book back where I found it and continued my observation of the room. His study desk was located next to the bookshelf, its surface was a soft beige and the office chair was pushed in neatly. As expected, his pens and other stationery were immaculately positioned. I'm starting to not like this Aoi guy more and more. I noticed a piece of plastic stuck between two drawers. Curiosity getting the better of me, I pulled open the drawer and rummage through it, which attracts Shiba's ire.

"Senpai, we don't have a search warrant! This could be a crime scene for all we know, we could get arrested!"

"Doubt it." I responded confidently and showed him two very familiar plastic bags with white powder inside, causing Shiba's eyes to widen. "Vacuum sealed and identical in size and shape to the stuff we found on Ouma Daichi. Probably opiates. If I had to guess, our medical student was also a recreational drug user, his best friend being his dealer."

Shiba took this as reason enough to search the apartment a little more 'thoroughly.'

One of the closet doors wasn't closed all the way, and I peered inside to see a set of lab coats arranged on coat hangers. One of the hangers was empty, however.

"Senpai." Shiba waved me over to a red box on the floor near the bed. "He has a trauma kit, and it was opened. But the surgical tool set is missing. I couldn't find a book bag anywhere either."

I could picture a student getting ready for school, reading his book with his morning meal before grabbing his lab coat, textbook, and tool kit for a day in the lab for class.

Did he go missing on his way to university like Shiba theorized? If I was a criminal, what would I do? How could I make a man disappear off the face of the Earth?

Hold on.

Kidnapping was difficult. There were simply too many logistical matters that complicated the issue and created risks that would reveal the crime. First of all, the person being kidnapped had to be transported without raising suspicion. And then after that, they had to be fed, allowed to go to the bathroom, etc. Just having the victim move around could lead to discovery. It wasn't just other people or witnesses you had to worry about, if the criminal had a day job the victim would be left unattended for hours on end. It was asking for trouble.

Aoi wasn't a child, he was a full grown adult man. Someone being kidnapped like that will not go unnoticed. Not to mention his nutrition needs will be greater than usual and generate suspicion in some people. I don't know if my mind just refused to accept that someone could vanish and was making up excuse, or if I was thinking straight.

Straight? Why are we thinking straightforwardly? There was one angle we didn't approach this from. And a particularly gruesome case stood out in my mind.

"Theoretically…" I started, turning to Shiba with a hand on my chin as I pondered. "What if he never left the apartment?"

"The first two days may not have footage, but I don't think a grown man can just disappear."

"You don't have to turn them into ghosts to make people vanish. You just need to get creative."

"Creative?" Shiba cocked his head to the side. "What do you mean?"

"Back in detective school, crime history class. During the modern segment they talked about that Russian graduate student, Mele Key something?" Dammit, it was on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn't recall.

Shiba's eyes widened. "Case GJR-7492, City of Moscow versus Dmitry Zelensky!"

The familiar name ignites the memories and the hazy image I had was suddenly filled in. "Yeah, that's the one. If we use that as a model, Aoi never had to leave the apartment to go missing."

Shiba nodded and his eyes take a hard edge. "First, they kill Aoi bloodlessly. An electrical shock between 100 to 200 milliamps could work. Or poison; anything from cyanide, arsenic, maybe even over-the-counter drugs like paracetamol that induce liver failure."

"The easiest way would be to just choke them out. More silent too. The victim might start flailing, though." I continued walking into the living room with Shiba following me. "The next steps are easy. The living room is wide enough. Lay out a plastic sheet, put the body on top and cut it up into tiny pieces."

"... and then flush it down the toilet or down the bathtub drain… no evidence to be collected if we don't find it in time." Shiba finished for me, closing his eyes and massaging his forehead.

"It's been two weeks, we could find traces of blood in the sewers. Maybe. I'm not too sure about actual body parts, but it's worth a shot."

"I'll call Chief Tsurumi," Shiba said after delivering a lengthy sigh.

Δ▼Δ

Café scenes.

Film students are taught to never have scenes where characters talked at a café. It was boring, derivative, and other scenes could accomplish the same outcomes with more potency and visual interest. It was objectively, a bad tool in the kit of filmmakers.

But I think this is misguided.

The reason why this trope was so popular was because of how easy it is for everyone to identify with such a scene. Everyone goes to restaurants and converses with one another over meals. It was almost a perfect setting. Should the conversation die out, they can all busy themselves with food. If topics start becoming repetitive they can switch gears to how the food tastes.

Besides, eating together was inherently a bonding experience. Eating was an action necessary to survive, and to share your food and eat next to someone else was a surprisingly intimate action. A show of trust.

The cafe scene trope was in all dramas. All of them. I dare you to find one that doesn't have one. So what does it mean when I find myself in one?

Clearly, the gods of RomCom had an especially morbid sense of humor.

I entered the restaurant and looked around the tables. My eyes are quickly snatched by the waving hand of Yuigahama Yui as she flagged me down excitedly. As I approached the table I see the trendy sweater that Yui wore over her pink blouse. Next to her sat Yukinoshita wearing a white sundress with black patterns. My worries that I would feel out of place in my work attire were for naught.

"Sorry about that." I apologized as I took a seat. "Got stuck at work, some last minute stuff popped up."

"Yes, and it seems you have forgone your tie once more." Yukinoshita gave me a cold glare through narrowed eyes.

"Guess what? No one died today. Maybe I should forget the tie everyday until the end of time." I retorted.

"Does the concept of correlation not equivalating to causation not exist in that mind of yours? The safety of Japan is clearly in peril if they are this lax on the intellectual capability of their officers."

"Please." I scoffed. "As if the state of my uniform has anything to do with how well I do my job. All this excluding the fact that I'm only missing a TIE."

"Well, it certainly reflects your uselessness in other aspects, doesn't it? I-Cannot-Tie-A-Tie-So-I-Do-Not-Wear-A-Tie-gaya-kun?"

"You listen here. First of all, you have to be a mutated lizard to be able to say that without biting your tongue. Second of all, I'll have you know that—"

"W-well!" Yuigahama held out two hands and interrupted the war of words before her. "I'm glad you're here Hikki! Sorry, but we got hungry waiting for you so we ended up ordering some appetizers and drinks before you arrived…"

"Don't worry about it."

Besides, this just means I could bum off some food from them. And free food always tasted the best.

Yukinoshita intercepted my thoughts. "I hope you are not thinking that you will likely get some free food from this. Surprisingly enough, you are a hardworking member of society. Not some charity case."

"What are you!? A mind reader!?"

Yuigahama tried hard to stifle her giggling, but it came out anyway and eventually she started laughing hard near the end of our bickering. As she dried the tears away she says gleefully with a million dollar smile, "Feels like old times. The way you two always talk. I missed you two."

"I too, missed you all." An honest smile graced Yukinoshita's lips.

They looked at me expectedly.

"Hmm? I didn't feel a thing... forgot about both of you."

Legs from two different women hit either of my knee caps simultaneously. A tear of pain rolled down my cheek as I put on a brave smile and accepted that being a comedic wasn't for me.

We chattered as appetizers came in. Yukinoshita regaled us with tales of England, telling us of the culture and the country. Yuigahama was particularly enamored with the stories of Yukinoshita visits to Buckingham Palace and how Westerners celebrated Christmas.

Yuigahama, it turned out, was not idle over the years. She had finished college and was on a path to becoming a teacher. A kindergarten teacher to be specific.

"That suits you." Agreed Yukinoshita.

"That it does. Her constitution already makes her motherly figure. She was born to be a kindergarten teacher," I said.

"Hee hee, I don't really get it but Hiki praising me is pretty rare by itself."

"I would throw away that compliment as soon as possible, Yuigahama," Yukinoshita said icily as she gave me a glacial glare. "It seems Pervert-gaya-kun returns with a vengeance. Once one, always one, I would hazard."

I apologize, Yukinoshita-sama. I didn't mean it like that. Please spare the blizzard, I understand the error of my ways.

Our main courses arrived, and I stood up to remove my jacket and place on the back of my chair. My now visible shoulder holster caughtYuigahama attention.

"Wow..."

"Something wrong, Yuigahama?" I asked.

"No it's just that… I guess Hiki working for the police hasn't sunk in yet."

"Why is that?" I asked, slightly offended.

"I could never picture you as one." Laughed Yuigahama awkwardly. "I mean you always said how you didn't want to talk to other people, but you're a detective right? Isn't your job all about talking to other people? I thought you would be a writer or something, cuz you read so many books and stuff."

"I have to agree." Yukinoshita nodded thoughtfully. "I was quite surprised when I walked into the police department and saw our resident loner,who is so pathetic that his existence disappears; a zero value human being in society; skulking around the building with this trademark rotten eyes."

"Hey!" I protested. "I don't skulk anymore!"

"You're not going to deny the rest?!" Yuigahama exclaimed.

I said nothing and unclasped my cuffs before rolling them up to my elbows. I loosened my collar and pick up my fork. The distinct lack of sounds from my two meal partners made me look up and see that instead of concerning themselves with their food, they were looking at me funny.

"What? Did I button my shirt wrong?"

"H-Hiki is kind of in shape isn't he?" Yuigahama stumbled through her words. "You used to be really lanky in high school."

"These changes are almost incomprehensible." Sighed Yukinoshita.

"Eh, being in shape was sort of a habit the JSDF beat into me." I shrugged and answered without giving it much thought. In terms of fitness I was about the average. As a sniper I didn't need massive strength or endurance. I just had to have a mind of steel.

"JSDF?" Yui asked surprised. "You were a soldier?"

"I, uh, joined after high school."

"Is that why…?"

"... yeah kinda, didn't have a lot of time to keep in touch when I was in service. When I got back from duty I studied to be a detective."

"I could scarcely believe it myself." Yukinoshita added in edgewise. "Apparently he's quite good at his job. He has some coworkers that respect him, and they were even vocal in their disbelief that he was sued."

Yui's eyes widened into two full moons. "Hikki was sued!?"

"... I wasn't aware it was to be kept a secret from her," Yukinoshita said looking at me, clearly upset that I didn't let Yuigahama know.

"Yeah, well, cat's out of the bag now." I grumbled. I quickly summarized the case: I had worked with Haruno and helped her out with some cases, so when I got sued, Haruno sent Yukino to be lawyer as payback.

"But why were you sued?" Yuigahama asked innocently.

"Uhhh..." How did I answer this? I'm unsure how to spin this in a way that doesn't get her too involved in things.

"Hikigaya-kun was charged with breaking protocol when trying to catch a criminal." Yukinoshita mercifully came to back me up. "The family is suing him. It's nothing too major, and should clear up in a short time."

"Thank goodness." Yuigahama heaved in relief, placing a hand to her chest. "Thanks for being there for Hikki, Yukinon." Both of Yuigahama's hands go to hold Yukinoshita's. Yukinoshita begins to blush and sputter like a World War 2 aircraft engine running on fumes.

What is this? The yuri-particle levels are reaching heights never thought possible before! [3]

I cleared my throat. "Yurigah— I mean Yuigahama, sorry for ruining your moment, but can we eat now?"

Yukinoshita sighed in defeat. "It seems you still have learned no tact."

Yuigahama just giggled.

They grabbed their utensils and after they started eating did I begin eating myself. The dinner ended quietly, the two girls chatting and I would give the occasional word, but otherwise, I was just happy to listen.

Δ▼Δ

After the bill was settled we left the restaurant. Yukinoshita's hotel was in the opposite direction of where Yuigahama and I were headed, so we said our goodbyes and went on our ways. I offered to walk Yuigahama to the station, and she agreed brightly.

"I'm glad we met up," said Yuigahama. "I didn't know if we could still talk like we used to. I was worried it would be weird. But it feels like we never left."

I didn't respond, my mind too busy trying to come up with a way to address my concerns.

"Hey." I started, getting Yuigahama's attention. "Uh… sorry… for not keeping in touch."

"It's fine." Yuigahama shook her head with a somber smile. "I can see now that Hikki was plenty busy… I can't find it in me to be mad anymore."

So she was mad at me before? Damn, I really am a horrible person. There was a brief lull as we walked in tandem.

"Hey Hikki… why did you join the military when you graduated? I thought you disappeared. Komachi-chan said she couldn't tell me unless you did first. So I was just wondering… why?"

I inhaled. Yuigahama was aware of what the relationships were like between members of the Service Club. She knew that I was in love with Yukinoshita at some point. After all, that was the reason I gave when Yuigahama had confessed to me. Lying wouldn't work for her, and it wouldn't be right. I felt guilty that I didn't keep in touch with the people I had considered my friends.

"I was being weak."

"... weak?"

"... I got upset when… that happened."

"I was upset too, you know…"

"Yeah, but… we had different reasons for being upset. I was just being selfish. I was being weak."

"... I think it's fine, Hikki. There's nothing wrong with feeling that way."

"..."

"I think Hikki should have said something… back then."

"If I said anything… she would have stayed. And I couldn't live with myself if I held her back." Yuigahama looked away, unable to refute what I said. She knew it was the truth.

"... Hikki, you can be selfish. It's okay sometimes." Her tone firm as her eyes returned to look at me.

"It's not." My voice had the most peculiar tone. It wasn't exactly harsh, but I couldn't say it was self-derisive either. It was more of a gentle resolution. "It was the best thing for her. I shouldn't have been upset. I was just being… weak. Someone told me how the military made them stronger… so I thought that maybe it fixes weak guys like me. And maybe I'd be like him."

Yuigahama went quiet before whispering quietly. "I think Hikki's was plenty strong already…"

Looking straight ahead, I smiled softly. "Thanks… for caring."

A comfortable silence formed between us as we continued to walk towards the station. The distance we kept was never too close, but never too far. Our hands never had the opportunity to brush against one another, but we could easily reach out and grab the other's. It was that kind of distance.

As the station came into view, I was prepared to bid Yuigahama farewell but I was stopped by a hand tugging at the hem of my jacket. Nostalgia assaulted me as I turned around and am met with Yuigahama wearing a serious face, something that was completely unlike her.

"Hikki… do you still like Yukinon?"

She asked a question I had been preparing for, and I held an audibly deep breath. "I don't know. I want to say no, but I honestly haven't thought about it much. My head feels like it's been through a blender and back this past month. I really gotta blame Haruno, she's been working me like a horse."

Yuigahama giggled and let go of my jacket. "Yukinon seems a lot happier. Really happy. Even happier than the last year of highschool. She's a lot calmer too. It makes me glad to see her like this."

"It was to be expected," I said dismissively. "A lot things improved for her. It took some time, but years of family issues finally healed."

"Not just her, Hikki has a different face when he talks about her."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, baffled by the implication of this statement.

"It's nothing… besides…" The happiness in Yuigahama's voice seemed to evaporate. "It's better this way."

I reached out a hand worriedly, but she nimbly stepped backwards to avoid it.

"I gotta get going if I want to catch the train to Chiba. It was nice seeing you again Hikki!"

And she's gone.

My hand remained outstretched as I saw her figure get smaller and smaller, my mind abuzz with confusion. My hand retracted and I'm momentarily fascinated by the crisscrossing lines on my palm.

Fortune tellers used the palm to predict the future and how lives will change. Each dark line was like a branching pathway, a pathway of possibility.

People didn't change because they want to, they change because of a pressure in their world. They adapt out of a need to; be it a stimulus they instill themselves, or one given to them by the society at large.

But change does occur, whether people like it or not, I had come to accept this as I grew up. It was a lesson I wish I could tell my high school self: that change was something inevitable, there was nothing enviable in remaining stagnant when the world itself would not be. You'll just go running straightforward into disaster all in the name of 'not conforming' and 'accepting yourself.'

It was what made the jungles of Sri Lanka my personal hell. I had tried to resist the changes. If I had just accepted it earlier, maybe more lives could have been saved.

But Yuigahama was different from me. She was better than me. Yuigahama was like a sapphire. In her youth she was brilliant and vivacious, but unstable and unsure of her place in the world she perceived. But a sapphire when heated loses its luster and instead gains an infinitely deeper color.

I don't know what pressure caused Yuigahama to change, but she's far more vibrant than I ever remembered her. There was a depth to her I couldn't even begin to parse from a distance. She was more direct. More honest. More… genuine. And hopelessly found that to be beautiful, like the blue abyss of a mature sapphire. Even if admitting such a thing makes me feel the familiar sting of guilt.

As if I'm betraying someone.

Arc 1: "Detective Hikigaya Hachiman"

References:

[1] 'Microsleep' is a real word.

[2] "Sobotta" is a series of German medical textbooks in real life.

[3] Gundam 00 reference. In season 2 the 00 Gundam uses two GN Drives to square GN Particle output leading to amazing performance in combat.

Author's Note:

This chapter was meant to accomplish a few things, so this will be a longer authors note than the usual.

I wanted to give some background on Shiba and Hachiman's working partnership and hint at the struggles they had gone through during the start of their career. Lots of things happened in those two years that I realistically can't list out, but they have had an impact on the current events of the story. Shiba's perspective on Hachiman is meant to characterize the former as well.

I also wanted to give some more life to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. It's not completely full of useless officer. There are a variety of personalities and people there, it's just that the story concerns itself with a small cast.

This chapter also served as an introduction to our next lead, Aoi Kaito. The circumstances behind his disappearance are suspect, and we'll see where this takes our dynamic duo. I want to give special thanks to my friend, Sabel-Pixel. As a doctor, he has been my medical liaison for medical questions and information that I utilize in this and coming chapters. He was the one who introduced me to the "Sobotta" textbooks. Sabel was extremely patient in dealing with my silly and inane questions, THANK YOU!

And finally, Yuigahama Yui.

In one of the older drafts of Unmade, Yui played a larger role in the story. She acted as a matchmaker of sorts as well as a confidante for both Yukino and Hachiman. Eventually, she would invite them over to Chiba for a nostalgic visit. This entire arc had to be removed.

I found Yui to be an interesting character. I imagine her to be the type of person to learn self-awareness and gain self-assurance from watching Hachiman and Yukino. As she grows, she would accept herself for who she was and learn to be happy with what she can achieve. I can see how she would mature into a person who could see the silliness of her teenage years, but not regret them. She would see them as precious memories where she learned to live.

In this story, Yui had confessed to Hachiman in high school and was soundly rejected. However, this rejection does not mean she has come to hate him nor Yukino. She just understood that some things weren't meant to be.

-SouBU
(Editors: XioKenji; Lord of Admirals 412; Xynovitch)

Revision Log:
03/17/2020: Re-uploaded with overhaul of tenses and changes in word choice and sentence structure as well as major grammar fixes. Edited author's note to be more succinct.