Little Pianist

---May 17, 2016

---At Shinagawa Tokyo, Japan

the hotel was surrounded by the blare of police sirens and the flash of red and blue lights. Dozens of police cars lined the street, creating a perimeter around the building. Fujikawa, standing beside a SWAT van, grabbed a megaphone and shouted, "Takashi, this is Chief Fujikawa! Surrender now, and no one else needs to get hurt!"

Inside the hotel, officers rushed up the stairs, their footsteps echoing through the halls. They stopped in front of the room where Takashi and Ryujin were, guns drawn and ready.

In the room, Takashi sat calmly on the bed, staring at Ryujin, who was still tied up in the chair. The tension was palpable, the air thick with anticipation.

Takashi's eyes were cold, and a sinister smile spread across his face.

"Looks like the show's about to start," he said, standing up and grabbing Ryujin by the collar. He dragged him towards the balcony, Ryujin struggling and whimpering in fear.

"Please, Takashi... don't do this," Ryujin pleaded, his voice trembling.

Takashi ignored him, pushing open the balcony door. He stepped out, dragging Ryujin with him. Below, the officers had their guns trained on the balcony, ready to act at a moment's notice.

Takashi raised Sato's revolver, pressing it against Ryujin's temple.

"Listen up!" he shouted, his voice carrying over the din of the police presence.

"I am the only one who can bring true justice to this country! I am its protector, its savior!"

Fujikawa, standing below with a megaphone, called out, "Takashi, put the gun down! We can talk this out!"

Takashi laughed, a harsh, bitter sound. "Talk? What good is talking when no one listens? I've seen the corruption, the rot that runs through our society. This is the only way to cleanse it!"

Beside Fujikawa, Suzuki watched the scene unfold, his face pale. He turned to Fujikawa and muttered, "He's gone mad. He's completely lost it."

Fujikawa nodded grimly, then raised the megaphone again. "Takashi, this isn't the way. You're not helping anyone by doing this. Let Ryujin go, and we can figure this out together."

Takashi shook his head vehemently. "No! This is the only way! I've sacrificed too much to stop now!"

Ryujin, tears streaming down his face, looked at Takashi with a mixture of fear and pity. "Takashi, you're committing a crime. You think you're helping, but you're just causing more pain. This isn't justice!"

Takashi's grip on the revolver tightened, his eyes wild with a mix of rage and desperation. "Crime? Crime is letting this system continue unchecked! Crime is watching people suffer while doing nothing! This is the only way to make things right!"

The officers below tensed, ready to move at any sign from their chief. Fujikawa, sensing the critical moment, shouted one last time, "Takashi, this is your last chance. Put the gun down and step away from the edge. Don't throw your life away!"

Takashi's eyes flickered, a moment of doubt crossing his face. But the anger quickly returned, and he pressed the gun harder against Ryujin's head.

"This is the only way... the only way to make things right," he whispered, more to himself than to anyone else.

Ryujin closed his eyes, bracing for the worst. The entire scene seemed to hang in a delicate balance, the world holding its breath as the standoff reached its breaking point.

---But...

Takashi's finger tightened on the trigger, eyes wild with determination. But then, he saw something in the crowd below that made him pause. His father stood there, holding a framed photo of his mother. The sight hit Takashi, but instead of faltering, he started to laugh maniacally, his grip on the gun loosening but not releasing.

"Dad..." Takashi laughed, his voice filled with an eerie blend of madness and satisfaction.

"Look at me now! I'm the one making things right!"

In the other building, a sniper had Takashi in his sights. He saw the hesitation but didn't wait for the signal. He knew what had to be done.

"Permission to fire?" the sniper whispered, finger on the trigger.

"Hold fire!" Fujikawa shouted, realizing too late.

But the shot rang out, echoing through the air. Takashi staggered, clutching his chest where the bullet had struck. He fell to the floor, but then something changed. The laughter grew louder, more frantic. With sheer determination, Takashi pushed himself up, blood staining his shirt.

Takashi's eyes flickered with a wild light as he stood, unsteady but defiant. He pulled out his revolver again and aimed at the officers blocking the entrance to the room. Without hesitation, he fired, the shots echoing through the hotel.

"Takashi, no!" Fujikawa screamed, but it was too late. Two officers fell, wounded, as the others scrambled for cover.

"He's Insane!" one of the officers shouted.

Takashi turned and bolted through the doorway, his revolver still smoking. Ryujin watched in horror as Takashi disappeared into the hallway, the sound of his footsteps echoing through the building.

"Takashi!" Ryujin shouted, struggling against his restraints.

Takashi ran through the hallways of the hotel, blood streaming from the gunshot wound in his chest. His breaths were ragged, and his vision blurred with pain and adrenaline.

---Until...

He burst through the door to the rooftop, the cold night air shocking him back into focus. At the far end of the rooftop, he saw Naoki sitting at the edge, her silhouette bathed in moonlight.

Naoki stood up slowly as Takashi approached. She turned to him, a soft, understanding smile on her face.

"Takashi?..." she said gently, her voice barely audible over the wind.

Tears welled up in Takashi's eyes as he took a step closer.

"Naoki?..." he whispered, his voice cracking. For a moment, the pain and chaos of the night seemed to fade away.

Naoki extended her hand towards him, and Takashi reached out, their fingers intertwining. He felt a warmth, a connection that he hadn't felt in years. Together, they walked to the edge of the rooftop, ready to leap. As they leaned over, the world below seemed distant and unreal.

But as Takashi began to fall, Naoki's hand slipped from his, and she vanished into thin air. He was alone, plummeting through the air, the ground rushing up to meet him. His mind raced, flooded with memories and realizations. Naoki's smile, her laughter, the times they had shared – all flashed before his eyes. He understood now that Naoki had taken her own life, driven to despair by circumstances he had never fully grasped.

As he fell, Takashi's thoughts turned to the events that had led him here. The violence, the pain, the betrayals – it all seemed so meaningless now. Yet, in a twisted way, he felt a sense of vindication.

(I won...) he thought, the words echoing in his mind.

(I broke free from the lies, the manipulations. I made them pay. They won't forget me. They will never erase what I've done.)

His heart pounded as he felt the air rushing past him.

(I showed them I'm not powerless. I took control, I did what no one else could. I made my mark. I made them see me. Even in death, I will be remembered.)

His vision darkened, and his body braced for the inevitable impact.

(I served justice...) he thought one last time, his mind clinging to the bitter triumph.

"I made my own destiny."

On the rooftop, Fujikawa, arrived just in time to see Takashi leap through the edge of the rooftop,

"Takashi!" he screamed, his voice filled with desperation. But it was too late. He watched in horror as Takashi fell, powerless to stop him.

Fujikawa ran to the edge, his heart shattering as he saw Takashi's body hit the ground below. "Sh*t!, Takashi..." He shouted at, kneeling and punching the ground

Below, police and bystanders watched in stunned silence. The scene was a grim reminder of the night's chaos and the tragic end of a troubled young man. The early morning light began to creep over the horizon, casting a pale glow over the tragic scene.

As the sun rose, Masaru stood at the rooftop's edge, overcome with grief. The loss of his son and the haunting memories of Naoki's death pressed heavily on him. It was a moment of profound sadness, highlighting the fragile line between life and death and the devastating consequences of a fractured mind.

---1 Month later...

---June 20, 2016

---At Shinagawa Tokyo, Japan

One month had passed since that fateful Day. Ryujin lay on the hard prison bed, staring blankly at the cracked ceiling. His mind was filled with a storm of memories and regrets. The deaths of Sato and Kenji, and the horror of Takashi's plan, played on a loop in his head, never giving him peace.

A guard's voice broke the silence.

"Cell 101, you have visitors." The guard's tone was gruff but not unkind. Ryujin slowly sat up, his body moving almost mechanically. The days in prison had turned into a monotonous blur.

As he was led down the hallway, his expression was blank, his eyes devoid of life. The trauma had carved deep lines into his face. The guard stopped at the visitor room door and gestured for him to enter.

Ryujin stepped inside and his eyes immediately widened. Sitting on the other side of the glass was Yukiko, his wife. Her face was a mix of sadness and sternness, a reflection of the pain and disappointment she felt. Ryujin's heart clenched at the sight of her.

He picked up the phone, his hand trembling slightly. Yukiko did the same, and for a moment, they just looked at each other, the glass barrier feeling like a chasm.

"How have you been?" Yukiko's voice was steady, but there was an edge to it, a restrained anger that Ryujin could feel.

Ryujin took a deep breath.

"I'm... surviving. It's been hard," he admitted, his voice hoarse from disuse. He could see the hurt in her eyes, the unspoken accusations.

Yukiko's gaze hardened. "You have no idea what you've put us through, Ryujin. Soya has been asking for you. How do I explain to our son that his father is in prison?"

Ryujin's shoulders slumped, and he sighed heavily. "I know I've failed you, Yukiko. I never wanted any of this to happen. How is Soya?—"

"He misses you," Yukiko replied, her stern demeanor softening for a moment.

"He doesn't understand why you're not home. He keeps drawing pictures of you, asking when you'll come back."

A tear slid down Ryujin's cheek. "I'm so sorry, Yukiko. I never meant for things to get this bad. I was so ruthless and ignorant. I thought I was protecting you by keeping you out of it, but I ended up destroying everything instead." His voice broke, and more tears followed, tracing paths down his weary face.

Yukiko watched him, her own eyes filling with tears. "Why didn't you come to us, Ryujin? Why didn't you tell me what was happening?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"I thought I could handle it. I thought I was protecting you by keeping you out of it. But I was wrong. I see that now," Ryujin said, his voice a mixture of regret and desperation.

"I'm so sorry for everything. Please, forgive me."

The room fell silent, the weight of Ryujin's apology hanging in the air. Yukiko's lips trembled, and she looked away, trying to gather her thoughts. Just as she was about to speak, the guard's voice cut in.

"Time's up," the guard said, stepping into the room. He reached for Ryujin, ready to take him back to his cell.

As Ryujin was being pulled away, Yukiko stood up and pressed her hand against the glass.

"Ryujin, I forgive you!" she shouted, her voice echoing in the small room.

Ryujin turned back, his eyes wide with shock and relief. He managed a small, grateful smile as the guard led him out. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, a flicker of hope sparked in his heart.

---Some time later...

Hours later, Ryujin found himself being escorted down a cold, dimly lit corridor by two stern-faced officers. His heart pounded in his chest as they led him to an unknown room. The air was heavy with finality. When they entered, Ryujin's eyes widened as he took in the sight: the death-sentence room, stark and clinical. A doctor stood by, preparing the lethal injection.

Ryujin's mind raced, but he remained silent as he was strapped to the chair. The doctor approached, syringe in hand. As the needle inched closer to his skin, Ryujin's vision began to blur, the room spinning around him.

Suddenly, everything went dark.

When Ryujin opened his eyes again, he found himself in a strange, dimly lit field. The ground was a pure white, glowing softly, and he felt weightless, floating aimlessly. Confusion and fear gripped him as he tried to understand where he was.

Then, from the shadows, Takashi emerged, his figure gradually becoming clearer. A twisted grin spread across Takashi's face as he approached Ryujin.

"Well, look who we have here," Takashi sneered, his voice echoing eerily in the empty space.

"I've been waiting for this moment."

Ryujin felt a chill run down his spine but forced himself to remain calm.

"Takashi, what is this place?" Ryujin asked, his voice wavering slightly.

Takashi laughed, the sound cold and mocking. "This is where we end up, Ryujin. Our own personal Afterlife. But I have to say, seeing you here is a pleasant surprise."

Ryujin tried to maintain his composure. "Why are you doing this, Takashi? Why go through all this madness?"

Takashi's grin widened, his eyes glinting with malice. "You still don't get it, do you? I killed everyone who mattered to you. I planned your faith, including Sato and Kenji, I destroyed your life, and now, even in death, I'm here to remind you of your failures."

Ryujin's heart sank as the weight of Takashi's words hit him. He felt a surge of anger and despair.

"You think this is some kind of victory for you?!" he shouted, his voice breaking.

"You've destroyed everything, including yourself!"

Takashi stepped closer, his expression darkening. "It's not about victory, Ryujin. It's about making sure you never forget. You'll always carry this burden, just like I did."

As the two men stood facing each other in the eerie, glowing field, Ryujin felt an overwhelming sense of hopelessness. Takashi's presence was a haunting reminder of the pain and suffering they had both caused. And now, in this strange, otherworldly place, Ryujin knew that he would be haunted by Takashi's ghost for eternity.

With a final, twisted grin, Takashi whispered, "This is your punishment, Ryujin. Forever."

The vision faded, leaving Ryujin alone in the endless, empty field, his soul tormented by the shadows of his past.

-------------------------

The end

Author on break. The volume 2 will release soon as possible