Chapter 14: His Side Story: Why Did I Join The Force? The Detective Journey

After a moment of suspense, she finally said, "Alright, let's do it. Let's pretend to be a couple." It was the response I had been anxiously waiting for, and joy surged through me at her agreement. In my elation, I immediately suggested that we should consider living together. To my relief, everyone present supported the idea, agreeing that it would add authenticity to our act. Hanako, after a thoughtful moment, concurred, seeing the logic in the proposal.

As the day gradually faded into evening, we bid farewell to my friends and Uncle Toshiro. I offered to carry Hanako's things, and as she handed her bag to me, our fingers brushed against each other's. A subtle blush crept onto her cheeks, and she appeared slightly uncomfortable. My heart skipped a beat at this small sign of her vulnerability.

Hoping, to alleviate her unease, I offered her a warm smile. However, a nagging thought lingered in my mind, Did my touch just make her feel uncomfortable? It was a question that lingered as we made our way together.

The moon's radiant glow bathed the night sky as we settled in for the night. Hanako slept in my bedroom, while I chose to rest in the living room.

As I closed my eyes, I found myself unable to shake off the image of Hanako from the day we first met. No matter how hard I tried to clear my mind, her presence lingered stubbornly.

Hours passed, and midnight arrived, yet my mind remained stubbornly awake. No matter how hard I tried to clear my thoughts, I found myself restless, tossing and turning on the sofa. Each shift in position sent my pillow and blanket tumbling to the floor.

Frustrated with my inability to sleep, I sat up and reached for my fallen bedding. Just as I was about to retrieve them, I heard a faint creaking sound—the door. Had Hanako awakened? Perhaps she was simply thirsty.

I held my breath as I heard footsteps draw nearer. Hanako approached, and I felt her gaze on me, her face coming close to mine. What was going on? I continued to feign sleep as she brushed my hair away from my face. Her warm hand spread across my cheek, and she gently lifted my head to adjust my pillow and blanket. I shifted slightly, still pretending to be asleep, and hoped to catch a glimpse of her expression. 

After tucking me in, Hanako returned to the bedroom. I couldn't quite explain it, but my heart felt at ease, as if it had found an unexpected source of comfort. Her gentle touch felt strangely nostalgic, as though I had experienced it long ago. My mind began to relax, and I could feel the heaviness in my eyelids. It was as if her caring gesture had eased my restlessness, and I drifted off into a peaceful slumber.

I awoke to the sound of scratching, slowly opening my heavy eyelids. My sleep-fogged mind urged me to investigate the source of this disturbance. I reached for the curtain, and as I pulled it aside, sunlight flooded my vision, momentarily blinding me. Blinking rapidly, I looked out onto the balcony and discovered a cat perched on the windowsill of the adjacent apartment. It must have leaped from there, causing the scratching sound. 

Feeling a pang of sympathy for the feline intruder, I decided to open the balcony door and offered a friendly pat on its head. The cat responded with a contented purr before darting toward a cluster of cacti and disappearing. I followed its path and discovered a small hole in the ground. Could this cat have caused this hole, I wondered?

Returning inside the living room, I went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. I couldn't help but wonder if Hanako was still sleeping. It was already past 10 in the morning, and the day was well underway. Deciding to make sandwiches for breakfast, I silently hoped she would join me soon.

However, when I checked again, she still hadn't emerged from the bedroom. I decided it was time to rouse her. Knocking gently on the door, I called her name, "Hanako?"

She groaned sleepily from within, "Hmm, let me sleep for just five more minutes."

I couldn't wait that long. With a determined mindset, I went to her bedside, gently pulled back her blanket, and drew open the curtains, allowing the morning sunlight to spill into the room, hoping it would coax her into waking up.

I was roused from my sleep by a scratching sound coming from the balcony. My eyelids felt heavy, but I forced myself to get up and investigate the source of the noise. Groggily, I brushed the curtains aside, and the sunlight streamed into the room as I squinted toward the balcony. There, I saw a cat from the neighboring apartment, seemingly having jumped across from there. 

Opening the balcony door, I reached out and patted the cat on the head. It responded with a contented purr before darting toward a cluster of cacti and disappearing. Following its path, I discovered a hole near the cacti. Could this cat be the cause of the hole?

Returning indoors, I headed to the kitchen to prepare breakfast, wondering if Hanako was still asleep. It was already past 10 o'clock. Realizing she hadn't emerged from her room, I decided to make sandwiches for breakfast.

She was still tucked in when I knocked on her bedroom door and called her name. "Hanako?" I gently called. I heard her muffled voice reply, "Hmm, let me sleep for just five more minutes."

However, I knew I couldn't let her snooze any longer. I opened the door and pulled her blanket back, letting the sunlight stream into her room. As I leaned in closer to her bedside, I hadn't anticipated that our faces would be so near, and my heart began to race. I maintained my composure, not wanting to give away my nervousness. I couldn't move from this spot; any sudden movement might cause our lips to touch.

Slowly, she began to open her eyes, and the sudden proximity of our faces caused her to jolt backward, pressing herself against the wall. It seemed she was taken aback by our close encounter, and I hadn't expected such a reaction.

As my heart continued its erratic rhythm after startling Hanako, I quickly apologized for the unexpected encounter. She assured me it was fine and mentioned that she wanted to take a bath first. I nodded in agreement, still feeling somewhat flustered.

"Sure, take your time. Join me when you're done," I suggested with a friendly smile. "I've already prepared breakfast."

With that, I left her room and made my way to the kitchen. I needed to heat some water to make coffee, but my phone suddenly rang. Who could be calling me at this early hour?

I reached for my phone and noticed it was a call from my Chief Inspector . A mixture of curiosity and slight apprehension filled me as I answered the call, wondering what could be so urgent at this hour.

For a moment, I hesitated, knowing that receiving a direct call from my boss at this hour was unusual. However, I quickly collected myself, took a deep breath, and answered the call.

"Hello?"

My Chief Inspector's voice was brisk and to the point. "Detective Takahashi, I need you to investigate a murder case. It's quite near your location, about a 15-minute drive from your apartment. Officer Sato is already on-site; she'll provide you with the details."

"Yes, sir," I replied promptly, sensing his urgency.

With that, he ended the call. As I waited for the water to heat in the kitchen, my mind wandered back to why I had joined the police force in the first place. It had been three years since I became a police detective, and I often found myself reflecting on why I had chosen this path.

From a young age, I had been haunted by a burning question: What drives someone to kill? It was this question that had compelled me to join the police force, to delve deep into the minds of criminals, and to try to understand the motivations behind their actions.

Over the years, I had been to countless crime scenes, seen the aftermath of heinous acts, interrogated suspects, Each time, I had listened to their reasons, but I still couldn't find a satisfying answer to that fundamental question.

There was another memory that often resurfaced in my mind, a memory from my childhood that was as elusive as it was haunting. It involved witnessing a murder, a faceless victim, and a girl crying by my side. Try as I might, I couldn't quite grasp the details of that memory, and it remained a blurred enigma that left me with a deep sense of unease.

With a sigh, I snapped back to the present. I had a murder case to investigate, and it was time to focus on the task at hand.