The computer light illuminated Akira Kobayashi's room on a dark December night - it was two days before the new year, and the atmosphere in Yomiyama was becoming increasingly tense, Akira decided that night to check the contents of the floppy disk Shinichirou Kanazawa was carrying, And which Kobayashi had discovered.

After inserting it into the floppy drive, Kobayashi discovered a folder that seemed to have all possible information about people in debt to the Hironiwa clan.

Akira began laboriously going through each one until he came across a file concerning Akito Fujioka - he opened it like any previous one, feeling weary and somewhat frustrated, he scrolled through reading all the information about him - as well as his family, transactions and other things - Fujioka's family, as well as other debtors and their families, were being tracked at Kanazawa's behest.

After scrolling to the bottom, Akira noticed that there was one exceptional line of text at the bottom

Status - accecpted

Kobayashi had found what he was looking for - the murderer of Ria Hironiwa, and he also knew that his existence could harm him in a way - especially as if overwhelmed by the weight of his conscience, he revealed the whole truth to the other officers - So far, the suspects in Ria Hironiwa's murder were people affiliated with the Minazuki Company, which somehow placed him outside the circle of suspects, but ruined his further plans.

That same day - in the afternoon, Mei and Naoki decided to talk about further plans, and what Naoki was going to do to give Mei, a chance to avenge her sister - if it was indeed a poisoning.

As they strolled down the street they passed Akira Kobayashi - passing him, Naoki looked out behind him feeling a strange feeling, similar to déjà vu.

Mei looked at him curiously, as she saw a completely different face of Naoki - possibly the same one her sister had seen when she was alive.

- Hm?

Naoki stood as if he had been struck for 20 seconds, then after a poke from Mei, he woke up.

- Something wrong?

- You've been standing like that for 20 seconds.

- Maybe

He moved on, to a place where they could talk quietly - namely Naoki's family home - now abandoned for 12 years.

The two sat down on the stairs, Naoki recalled the worst memories of his life - when, as a four-year-old, he saw his dead mother and younger brother, however, he ignored all feelings related to that.

- I think the letter Kouichi gave me was untrue.

- That's right, I rewrote it.

Mei looked a little puzzled and annoyed at the same time.

- Why?

She replied coldly and quietly, as her usual manner was.
-Would you be interested in irrelevant details? I tried to pour over as much content as possible that was in the original - which I burned.
- Was it necessary?
- No
He replied in his usual tone.
I just do that to everything that has nothing do to with me anymore.
-Maybe that's why you and I are so Alice
Mei said softly, almost to herself.
-We both try to bury things we can't deal with. We lock them away and pretend they don't matter.

Naoki got up, and looked through an old window of his old house, looking into already dark sky.
- Who knows?

The wind picked up, ruffling Mei's dark hair and sending a chill through the air. For a moment, neither of them spoke. They just sat there, side by side, lost in their own thoughts. But despite the silence, there was a strange connection growing between them—something unspoken but undeniably present.
I suspect Fujioka may have been poisoned by the Hironiwa clan, as your biological family has been dragging its feet on installment payments.

- I can't deny that they were in debt, however, do you think they would have poisoned my sister because of this?

Mei asked with a little sadness

- Anything is possible, I was poisoned myself.

Naoki looked away from Mei's gaze.

- I don't rule out that they might have done it because of her relationship with me.

Naoki gently looked at her, ready to accept her hatred if necessary.

- They would kill an innocent girl because of this?

-Everything is possible
Naoki doesn't know if it was really true what he said, however there was no other option for Misaki to die, despite her health condition improving.
Silence fell between them again - this time for an even longer time.

- I knew the whole truth about her condition, but you probably won't believe me by what means I got her.

Mei did not change her expression - as if she wanted to listen to him, Naoki understood the message so he began.

- I forced him to do it in an unexplainable way you could say in a supernatural way.

- How?

- I imposed my will on Kaito, he is a part of my family, so it was quite painful, remember the last weeks when we were in 2-3?

- You were absent.

- I couldn't come, I thought I would lose my eyesight, and at the same time my sanity.

I have a high pain tolerance, however, this pain is not something a normal person can bear.

Mei recalled something from the past, something that had always bothered her, so she took off her blindfold and looked into Naoki's eyes.

- Your eyes... are not the same...
Mei noticed the change of the color of Naoki's eyes, as she revealed her artificial eye

- Can you see that?

- I see it, the patterns on your eyes, and… the real color of them, they are not green.

- I know, but let's get to the point.

Mei, do you know what it's like to kill anyone?

Mei, being a bit surprised by the question, decided to answer after a moment's reflection

- I think so, although I've never done it directly, at least not on a living person.

- In that case, will you come out with me to a certain place?

Mei, somewhat puzzled, nodded her head as a sign of agreement, the two went first to Naoki's house, where Naoki stepped in to take a weapon.

Then they both went to the frozen bank of the Yomiyama River.

Naoki handed Mei the gun.

- Take it, and shoot

Mei checked the gun and aimed it at the surface of the water, Naoki seeing that because of her breathing her accuracy was worse decided to improve it.

- Hold your breath

Mei held her breath, getting better stabilization, then fired - the cartridge was empty, so it didn't cause a bang as Naoki did not want to arouse attention.

-It's not the worst for a person who has never shot before, from a real gun.
Naoki comment her attempt, with a bit of admiration to her skills, after his guidance.

- I have shot already.

- With a real gun?

- No

- Can you feel the difference?

- Not really, it was not loaded

- You will have to kill Kenshin Hironiwa with this weapon, after we extract information from him

- Even if it is not the Hironiwa clan is responsible?

- And what do you think? - I think that since he would be innocent, his life could be spared

- No, At least I can't spare his life.

- Why?

Naoki walked away from Mei for a few steps then stopped
- I promised this to someone.

- Have you promised to kill someone?

- Yes.
Mei looked with some suspicion, at Naoki, not understanding his motives, and not knowing about his relationship with Ria Hironiwa, on the other hand she remembered her promise to confess something to Naoki, however, she concluded that Naoki may already know about Ayato's impending death.

- Returning to your eye, you probably know what is to come?
Naoki's ability to see the color of death was, compared to Mei's, very limited; he could see it on people with a week to live, rather than, as Mei did, for a longer period of time before dying.

- No, not at all…
He responded

- Your friend Anju-kun , will die.
Mei announced it to Naoki without any emotions - without sadness or compassion to him.

I doubt that Hironiwa's death has anything to do with it.
Naoki said bluntly

- But what if it does?

- In that case, Ayato would have been dead for a long time.

- This cannot be ruled out

- But can be put aside.

- Killing Kenshin Hironiwa is more important than saving a friend?
Mei asked with mild irritation and suspicion that Naoki might used to have the same thoughts about Misaki's death

- I don't trust him, not like I used to.
But it's not that I'm going to cut myself off from him, if saving his life doesn't conflict with my goal, then I can think about it.

Naoki looked at his watch - It's late He stated, then started walking toward his house.

- I will text you tomorrow, Bye

- Bye